All posts by h716a5.icu

Speaking exclusively to Football FanCast, former Aston Villa midfielder Lee Hendrie has given his thoughts on an update regarding Marcelo Bielsa’s future at Leeds United.

Bielsa’s current contract is set to expire at the end of the season, but it is starting to look increasingly likely that the Argentinian coach will remain at Elland Road.

According to transfer expert Fabrizio Romano, who recently spoke to GiveMeSport (via This Is Futbol), Leeds are planning with him ahead of the 2021/22 campaign.

In Hendrie’s eyes, Bielsa has done a great job since taking over and the ex-Premier League player expects most Leeds supporters to be pleased with the news that the club expect him to stay. On Bielsa, Hendrie told FFC:

“He’s done a great job. He’s got them into the Premier League, he’s played some attractive football and we’ve seen them be unbelievable in football matches, the possession-based style that he brings to the football league.

“I like Bielsa, I really do and I’m pretty sure there’s a majority [of fans who want Bielsa to stay].”

This season, Leeds have recorded a ball possession average of 56.4%. Only Chelsea, Liverpool and Manchester City are seeing more of the ball (via WhoScored), really putting into perspective how dominant Bielsa’s men are in matches.

David Moyes should urge West Ham United to revive their interest in winter target Matias Vecino after Inter Milan reportedly placed the midfielder on the transfer list.

What’s the word?

According to Calciomercato, the Nerazzurri are striving to raise close to €30m (£25.5m) this summer by offloading some of Antonio Conte’s fringe options.

Among those expected to be made available for transfers are Arturo Vidal, Radja Nainggolan and Vecino, after each fell out of favour at the San Siro this season.

West Ham had explored a deal to sign Vecino in the recent winter window, with reports in Italy claiming that the Irons and Aston Villa each lodged offers for the Uruguayan.

A deal obviously failed to materialise, as Vecino – who last Sunday made his first appearance in eight months due to a knee injury sustained following the resumption of the 2019/20 campaign – remained in Milan.

He now faces an uncertain future that could once again spark interest at the London Stadium, while Aston Villa would not be expected to repursue the 29-year-old after signing Morgan Sanson from Olympique de Marseille for £16m in January.

Inter are touted to value Vecino at between €8-10m (£7-8.5m) as he will only have one year remaining on his contract come June, which would further save the Nerazzurri £80,000-per-week.

The San Siro natives are likely to push Cagliari Calcio to purchase Nainggolan as the Belgian is currently on loan at the Sardegna Arena, while Vidal is considered an ‘expensive reserve’ on a £174k-p/w deal but only starting 14 of his 23 Serie A outings this term.

Should West Ham sign Vecino?

With West Ham on the cusp of qualifying for a European competition, be it the Champions or Europa League, Moyes will need to bolster his squad in the off-season and pay particular attention to his midfield options.

Mark Noble may have recently agreed to sign a one-year contract extension to remain in east London for the 2021/22 season, but the veteran is currently Moyes’ only option to cover Declan Rice and Tomas Soucek in a natural position.

Vecino would be expected to provide a great level of cover in the Irons engine room and push Rice and Soucek to stay at the top of their games, with the 41-cap Uruguay international boasting 97 games for Inter Milan since his arrival in 2017.

He may also hit the market this summer as a Serie A winner with the Nerazzurri currently nine points clear at the top of the Italian top-flight table, and he can still play a key role in Conte’s title push following his long-awaited return from injury.

The former ACF Fiorentina enforcer is considered to be Inter’s wild card, as Vecino arrives when he is needed most to provide an important influence on games, while Conte is likely to have to manage the workloads of Nicolo Barela and Marcelo Brozovic.

Vecino showed last season that he can also offer an impact not too dissimilar to Rice, which sparked rumours that Chelsea were willing to pay £23m to sign him, before his knee surgery.

Over 20 Serie A appearances in the 2019/20 term, Vecino averaged 1.6 successful tackles, 1.3 clearances and 0.8 interceptions a game, along with providing 0.8 key passes and 1.1 shots for two assists and two goals, per SofaScore.

Rice is currently providing West Ham two successful tackles, 1.1 clearances and 1.9 interceptions a game over his 28 outings in the Premier League this season, along with 0.8 key passes and 0.8 shots for one assist and one goal to date.

The England international will only be expected to match, if not up, those numbers going forward, but Vecino would provide solid cover if Moyes revives West Ham’s interest at around £14.5m less than Chelsea were touted to pay last summer.

AND in other news, David Moyes has made a £25m forward his top target to fill Seb Haller’s void at West Ham…

David Moyes is in line for a potential injury boost at West Ham United following the March international break, with Arthur Masuku touted for minutes with the Under 23s.

That’s according to Claret & Hugh, who claim that the DR Congo defender may be given a run-out at Rush Green against Leicester City’s junior side on Friday night.

Masuaku has been missing for the Irons since December 5th after undergoing career-saving knee surgery, as he sought to solve an issue that had caused pain for nearly two years.

It was expected that Masuaku would not be able to make his return to action until the middle of April at the earliest, having suffered an apparent setback in his recovery.

But Moyes confirmed last week that the 27-year-old had been back in training over the previous few days and carried out sessions with the U23s, though remained lacking match fitness.

“Arthur’s trained two or three days this week with the U23s and trained with me for a couple of days now, so Arthur’s getting much closer to match fitness and all-round fitness generally,” Moyes said ahead of West Ham’s trip to Manchester United.

The Irons may now look to test Masuaku’s knee with a run out in the academy ranks against Leicester on Friday, with a view to his potential inclusion in the senior fold once the Hammers regroup after the international break.

Masuaku was Moyes’ number one choice at left-back before his operation, having opened 10 of West Ham’s initial 11 Premier League games and only departed the action before the final five minutes on one occasion.

Aaron Cresswell has often been Moyes’ go-to in the role since losing Masuaku, but has begun to be utilised in a centre-back capacity once more with academy product Ben Johnson earning frequent minutes at wing-back instead.

Masuaku proving his fitness against Leicester’s U23s will no doubt be a big boost for Moyes as he looks to secure West Ham a place in next season’s Champions League, having lost ground to Chelsea in the top-four race after last week’s defeat at Manchester United.

The Irons now trail the Stamford Bridge natives by three points and will not overtake Thomas Tuchel’s side by winning their game in hand, with West Ham claiming an inferior goal difference by nine.

Masuaku had been an influential part of the Hammers’ early-season form with no player yet to eclipse his average 2.2 successful dribbles per game from left-back, with Cresswell only bringing play out from the back 0.1 times from 0.2 attempts and Johnson from half of his one dribbles a game, per WhoScored.

The absent 27-year-old’s defensive impact had been superior to what Cresswell has since brought to the side, as well, with Masuaku registering 1.7 successful tackles to his teammates’ 1.1 while blocking 0.4 more crosses and 0.6 more passes a game.

Masuaku’s form sparked praise from former Irons striker Frank McAvennie back in October, who believed the £7m-rated full-back had responded well to Moyes’ tough treatment.

“You need managers to say that if you do this, you play and if you don’t do it, you’re not playing. I know you have to wrap players in cotton wool these days but sometimes you need to give them a kick up the backside,” he told Football Insider.

“That was possibly the wee kick up the backside he needed because he has been a different player of late. It is all a lot better now.”

It obviously remains to be seen what sort of impact Masuaku’s lengthy absence will have had on his productivity, but Moyes will surely be glad to have another body available after the international break.

AND in other news, David Moyes has made a £25m forward his top target to fill Seb Haller’s void at West Ham…

It could be looking more and more unlikely that Carlos Vinicius’ stay with Tottenham Hotspur will become a permanent one in the summer after he failed to get on the pitch against West Brom last weekend.

After making his first start of the Premier League season in the 1-0 defeat against Chelsea recently, the Brazilian was relegated to the bench for the visit of the Baggies, with Harry Kane selected ahead of him, despite having only just recovered from injury.

Whilst the decision paid off, with Kane scoring Spurs’ opening goal in the 2-0 win, it is slightly worrying that the on-loan Benfica man didn’t feature at all in the 90 minutes, even though Mourinho’s side were comfortable in the second half.

In fact, 16-year-old Dane Scarlett was brought on ahead of Vinicius with Kane staying on for the whole game, which suggests that the 25-year-old might not be in Mourinho’s good books at this moment in time.

Whilst the Brazilian has impressed with his Europa League and FA Cup appearances this season, he has been limited to just one start and five substitute appearances in the Premier League, with no goals or assists to his name.

[snack-amp-story url=”https://www.footballfancast.com/web-stories/read-the-latest-spurs-news-and-rumours” title=”Read the latest Spurs news, transfer rumours, injury latest and more!”]

Although it was always unlikely that he would be able to usurp Kane from Mourinho’s starting eleven, you would have perhaps expected him to have more opportunities in the top-flight, especially with Kane having spent the last couple of weeks on the sidelines with an ankle injury.

The £18 million-rated striker was prolific last season with Benfica, contributing 18 goals and five assists in Liga NOS, but he has been unable to replicate that form in England’s top-flight, and he may well be fighting to save his future with the North London club after being snubbed against West Brom.

Mourinho did suggest in a recent press conference that Vinicius and Kane could play together up top but certainly so far, he has arguably not shown enough to convince the Portuguese manager, and Daniel Levy, that he is worth paying the £40 million required to make his move permanent in the summer.

And, in other news… £80k-p/w Spurs gem showed he can still be key under Mourinho with superb WBA display

With Celtic’s season essentially done and dusted, they can begin preparing for the next campaign.

It will be a crucial campaign too with the Hoops no doubt aiming to usurp Rangers again. That being said, who will be part of the squad attempting to do just that?

What’s the word?

Jonjoe Kenny is Celtic’s current option at right-back but it looks as though they have other plans to fill that spot in 2021/22.

The Englishman signed on loan in January to replace Jeremie Frimpong but Celtic are now reportedly eyeing a move for a different full-back on a permanent basis.

That happens to be ADO Den Haag defender Milan van Ewijk. Dutch outlet VI reported the news suggesting that the Hoops were one of a number of sides vying for his signature.

German outfits Schalke, Hamburg, and SV Darmstadt are all in the race to land the 20-year-old, as are Gent.

Promising player

Losing Frimpong to Bayer Leverkusen in the January transfer window wasn’t an ideal situation for the Bhoys. The Dutchman was a vibrant young prodigy, one described by Neil Lennon as being the best youngster he’s ever coached.

Though, they could replace him in some style with a move for Van Ewijk. Like Frimpong, he loves to get forward but importantly, he’s significantly more adept defensively than the former Celtic man.

Speaking about his own game, Van Ewijk once said: “I am a fierce right back who can attack well, but also defend and I have a good condition. I can certainly also be found in the front. Last season I also gave a number of assists. I’ll show the rest during the matches.”

[snack-amp-story url=”https://www.footballfancast.com/web-stories/latest-celtic-manager-hunt-stories-wagner-marsch-martinez-lennon-news” title=”The last stories on Celtic’s hunt for a new manager!”]

Indeed, we’ve seen as much this term. The young defender has played 24 times for Den Haag, contributing to three goals in the process. His defensive statistics are phenomenal; producing 3.3 successful tackles a match on average. That’s the fifth-highest success rate of anyone in the Dutch top-flight.

His 80 tackles this season are also more than any other player in the Eredivisie. In one instance this term, Van Ewijk made as many as nine clean challenges in a solitary game. It’s a remarkable number, one that reminds us of Ismaila Soro.

The Ivorian is Celtic’s chief operator in that area of the field. Soro has won two tackles per outing in the SPFL, while he possesses a tally of 3.7 challenges a match in the Europa League.

When it comes to breaking up the play, there are few better in the Celtic squad. Thus, just imagine the brute force they could play with if they fielded Soro and Van Ewijk in the same starting XI.

Neither would shy away from a tackle and judging by some of the performances we’ve seen from the Bhoys this term, that can be no bad thing.

AND in other news, Desmond may sway Edouard’s Celtic future by hiring 43 y/o with “a science to football”…

West Ham United striker Michail Antonio let David Moyes on Saturday down by producing a performance worse than Jarrod Bowens’ against Fulham.

The Hammers were held to a goalless draw at Craven Cottage when a sixth Premier League win in seven games would have promoted the east London outfit above Liverpool and into the Champions League places.

Moyes’ men were often lethargic, uncharacteristically passive and were dealt a cruel blow in stoppage-time when veteran referee Mike Dean opted to brandish Tomas Soucek a straight red card for an evidently accidental elbow on Cottagers striker Aleksandar Mitrovic.

West Ham could be forgiven for not being at their absolute best during Saturday’s London derby having delivered a resounding victory over Aston Villa on Wednesday night, with the quick turnaround between fixtures seemingly too quick for some.

Bowen was rested in the week at Villa Park with Moyes instead opting to field Ryan Fredericks in front of Vladimir Coufal to help shackle Jack Grealish, with the decision proving a masterstroke as the Irons saw out a 3-1 win.

But without the same need to thwart a lethal talisman against Fulham, Bowen was recalled only to deliver an underwhelming showing and be hauled off after just 56 minutes having offered little in attack other than coming close to meeting an Aaron Cresswell cross.

Antonio, on the other hand, featured in both fixtures and was clearly feeling the effects as he continues to search for fitness after two hamstring injuries, meaning he could not chase possession and was often starved off the ball before being replaced with a quarter of an hour to go.

When Antonio is on form, often so are West Ham, so the £11m-rated beast enduring an off day at Fulham ultimately played a key role in the Hammers failing to present a lethal edge over their London rivals.

The forward’s most telling contribution of the first-half came after half an hour when he attempted to inject a bit of pace into the game, barging Joachim Andersen out of the way and pulling possession back only for Harrison Reed to intercept the 30-year-old’s pass.

Antonio had another moment with Andersen just seconds after kick-off, too, when he won the Irons an early free-kick while tussling under a high ball only for Cresswell to send his effort high and wide to the left while trying to catch Fulham goalkeeper Alphonse Areola out.

Antonio never struck an effort to score himself or play a direct key ball at Craven Cottage, marking the first time since a 0-0 draw with Southampton on December 29th that he failed to register a shot or create a goalscoring opportunity for a teammate in a Premier League match, per WhoScored.

He was further outpassed by Irons shot-stopper Lukasz Fabianski during his time on the field, with Antonio completing just six of 12 attempts compared to the Poland international’s nine from 19, per WhoScored.

No West Ham player who started completed fewer passes than Antonio, with even Bowen registering six despite playing 18 minutes less. The former Hull City winger also made a successful dribble from his only run and took a shot on goal, while the ex-Nottingham Forest striker lost out in each of his two attempts at forcing possession up the field.

West Ham only needed one moment of Antonio firing on all cylinders to beat Fulham, but the five-goal centre-forward could not live up to the task and ultimately let Moyes down.

AND in other news, David Moyes can give a £3.5m-rated outcast a new lease of life at West Ham with one decision…

West Brom have been handed a major boost over one of their mooted January targets this week…

What’s the word?

According to the Daily Express, the Baggies have edged closer to sealing a move for Galatasaray striker Mbaye Diagne which could see him initially join the Hawthorns on loan with a view to making the deal permanent at the end of the season.

It’s claimed that the Super Lig giants have re-entered negotiations with Egyptian side Zamalek over the 29-year-old’s potential replacement, Mostafa Mohamed, who was subject of an offer from the Lions earlier this month.

While Turkish outlet Tumspor suggest Diagne could be available permanently for just €6m (£5m).

The report suggests that Albion have already held talks with the nine-time Senegalese international as Sam Allardyce looks to bolster his frontline.

Major boost

And strengthen his attack he must do to even stand a chance of Premier League survival this season.

West Brom are among the lowest scorers in the division having found the net just 15 times in 19 outings. Only two other teams have scored fewer, rock-bottom Sheffield United and Sean Dyche’s Burnley.

To make matters worse, summer signing Karlan Grant is still out with a fractured foot, whilst Charlie Austin has departed to former club QPR on loan for the rest of the campaign. Even Kenneth Zohore’s temporary spell at Millwall has been extended.

It leaves winger Callum Robinson as the only plausible striker available to Big Sam right now.

Diagne could almost instantly improve the squad as he’s been a prolific goalscorer wherever he’s been throughout his career.

This term alone, he’s already bagged 11 goals in 19 appearances, taking his tally for Galatasaray to 22 goals in 39 matches and his overall total in the Super Lig to 51 in 64, per Transfermarkt.

It means the 6 foot 4 powerhouse has scored 60% of the goals that Albion have scored this term and also means he’s bagged more than Grant, Grady Diangana and Matheus Pereira combined, per Whoscored.

The fact that the Turkish outfit are already looking for a successor is a potentially huge boost for Allardyce and the Baggies as it moves them one step towards sealing his signature, which in turn will surely aid their fortunes in front of goal given his prolific goalscoring record.

It’s thought that the 66-year-old manager is desperate for a new forward, he also told Sky Sports two weeks ago: “I think we’ve let Charlie [Austin] go to QPR so that creates another opening in terms of finances as well to find a centre forward, and then we would look at other areas,” so you’d imagine this news will have him hugely thrilled.

Diagne, who has dubbed himself “big and strong,” is thought to be on around £44k-per-week as per his terms on loan to Club Brugge last term, which would put him among the Albion’s high-earners.

But if he’s to save them from relegation, he’ll be worth every bit of those finances. He’s a must-add this month.

AND in other news, Levy can take Spurs onto the next level with swoop for £45m “warrior”…

In an exclusive interview with Football FanCast, former Premier League midfielder Rob Lee has revealed his doubt over the future of Lucas Moura at Tottenham Hotspur.

The 28-year-old Brazilian is one of several wingers available at Jose Mourinho’s disposal, but he has found minutes hard to come by in the top-flight so far this season, starting just four of their 11 outings.

Indeed, the £25m January 2018 arrival is behind the likes of Heung-min Son, Gareth Bale and Steven Bergwijn in the pecking order and now he has been tipped to face a struggle to get back in the Special One’s thoughts.

Lee told FFC:

“It depends if he can adjust to the way Jose wants to play. Jose plays a certain way and you have to be able to defend.

“Lucas Moura is more of an attacking sort of player that scores goals, we know that, but how does he fit into Spurs’ team? That’s what I would question.

“There’s only one position left because when Son’s fit, he plays. When Harry’s fit, he plays, so there’s only really one position left really. It’s just how he fits into that team. You have to work hard in that team.

“I think it’s difficult to see him fit in. I don’t see him fitting in. I don’t see him fitting into the way Spurs are playing under Jose.”

Since joining Spurs nearly three years ago, Moura has racked up 127 appearances for the club, delivering 28 goals and 13 assists, via Transfermarkt.

He is most fondly known for that night in Amsterdam when his dramatic second-half hat-trick steered the north London outfit into the Champions League final for the first time in their history.

The £110k-per-week dynamo was recently dubbed a “nightmare” to train against by Eric Dier, but evidently, that has not been replicated out on the pitch recently.

He has found life tough since that very moment having scored just once in the top-flight this campaign.

AND in other news, Mourinho could sign his new Hazard in £36m-rated speed demon…

According to The Liverpool Echo, Everton are reportedly looking to offload long-term Glasgow Rangers target Muhamed Besic in January.

What’s the word?

Besic joined Sheffield United on loan from Everton in the summer of 2019, with Chris Wilder’s side having an option to buy.

But the Blades decided against signing him on a permanent basis and he returned to his parent club after his loan spell expired last year.

The Bosnia international was heavily linked with a loan move to Ibrox during the extended summer transfer window.

While a move never materialised, it looks like Rangers could potentially have another opportunity to make a move for the out-of-favour midfielder, who has been deemed surplus to requirements by Carlo Ancelotti at Goodison Park.

Imagine Besic and Glen Kamara

Steven Gerrard’s Gers are well-stocked in the midfield after Ross Wilson brought in Bongani Zungu on an initial loan deal from French Ligue 2 side Amiens before the close of play on transfer deadline day.

However, there were no other additions to the midfield despite the departures of Greg Docherty, Jason Holt and Jordan Rossiter in the summer.

This means that Gerrard still has six options for three positions at least until the transfer market closes at the end of January, with Zungu, Steven Davis, Scott Arfield, Ryan Jack, Joe Aribo and Glen Kamara competing for three places behind the likes of Alfredo Morelos, Kemar Roofe and Cedric Itten.

However, Arfield and Jack are currently out injured, and an injury or coronavirus crisis could quickly cause some unnecessary problems, so perhaps the Ibrox boss may feel inclined to dip into the market, and he ought to do so especially with Besic now available.

The £1.8m-rated 28-year-old, who typically plays as a defensive midfielder but can also play as a centre-back or right-back, previously scored three goals and supplied six assists in 56 appearances across all competitions for Middlesbrough, via Transfermarkt. Whilst he is fully capable of slotting into place alongside the likes of Arfield and Kamara, his versatility could prove to be an added bonus.

Roberto Martinez was effusive in his praise for his former charge back in 2014 as he was quoted as saying: “He is a character who is an out-and-out Everton player.

“He can become a big legend for Everton but he is a character who is still developing and working. Sometimes you forget he is only 22, but when you the bravery and wanting to do the right things it is impressive.

“I love those sort of characters – reliable. You can build strong teams around those characters.”

This strength of character would be most welcome in the Govan side of Glasgow and to be able to snap up a player with proven Premier League experience for a snip of a price is surely a no-brainer at this stage.

AND in other news, Steve Parish must sanction Crystal Palace swoop for Jason Knight as a James McCarthy alternative…

Glasgow Rangers manager Steven Gerrard must give Kai Kennedy the time to shine at Ibrox as he has impressed John Robertson ever since he arrived at Inverness Caledonian Thistle.

What’s the word?

Speaking to The Press and Journal, the ICT manager admits he is pleased with Kennedy’s progress at the Tulloch Caledonian Stadium. Robertson said:

“I’ll show my age – I think he goes back to the tanner ball player we know in Scotland, such as Jimmy Johnstone, Willie Johnstone and Davie Cooper. He beats people for fun and gets out of tight situations – he’s a crowd-pleaser.”

“Even in training when we see him getting the ball, he excites us. He goes past players and we think he’s going to lose it, then the next minute he wriggles away and he has created something,” he added.

“Kai at times looks like a wee ragamuffin as he just bounces about, but he goes past people and excites people. That’s the type of player we wanted to come.”

Reports in recent times claimed that Kennedy could sign a new long-term contract after fresh talks with his boyhood club, having failed to reach an agreement over an extension in the summer, amid interest from clubs across the continent.

In a dramatic turn of events, Rangers chiefs have reopened talks with his representatives, and if the rumours turn out to be true, are expected to rebuff any attempts to sign him in the winter transfer window, despite his first-team chances being few and far between under Gerrard so far.

Time to shine

The Ibrox boss has afforded the teenager just 9 minutes of first-team action in total for the Gers with a brief cameo from the bench in the Scottish Cup in the 2-0 win over Stanraer last season, whilst he joined Inverness on loan last month in a deal which will end in January.

In only six appearances, the 18-year-old dynamo has already registered his first assist for Caley Thistle in all competitions so far this season.

Kennedy is believed to be relaxed about his situation as he is confident he can regain Gerrard’s trust, providing he impresses during his time on loan at the Tulloch Caledonian Stadium.

Former Rangers manager Alex McLeish insisted he has only heard “really good things about him”, saying he is “really confident” in an interview with Ibrox News earlier this week.

If the backroom staff at the Govan stadium share the same view, surely Gerrard must realise that he has to start giving Kennedy chances to show what he can do in the senior side, rather than letting the talented teen slip through his fingers. He will want to avoid making the same mistake his predecessor Pedro Caixinha made with Billy Gilmour, that’s for sure.

The Liverpool legend has spoken admirably about his potential in the past, once describing him as a “fabulous little player” after impressing in training alongside the rest of the first team squad. He said: “He earned the right to be the 19th man. His training performances and his cameo against Leicester – I was thinking about putting him in the 18. All of our lads at the academy should take note of what he’s done this week. I think he’s been outstanding.”

“He’s been the most consistent and he’s a fabulous little player. It wasn’t just a token gesture because he’s a kid.

“It’s also to send a message to some of the players who are outside of the 18 that Kai was next from what I seen the majority of this week in training. He deserved to be out there.”

Despite these comments, Kennedy has still found his chances hard to come by at his boyhood club, which is why he was allowed to join the Championship side on loan until January. If the Gers reject bids for the winger, then Gerrard will simply have to start giving the highly-rated teenager more game time than he has currently been offered so far.

AND in other news, Glasgow Rangers suffer transfer setback as Newcastle may offer Jacob Murphy new deal…