All posts by z3u9t.icu

Everton are reportedly interested in making a move for Ajax winger David Neres with the Toffees looking to turn what has so far been an underwhelming campaign around.

What’s the story?

According to Jeunes Footeux, Everton manager Rafa Benitez is interested in bringing the Ajax star to Merseyside this month in a bid to turn a disappointing season around.

The Toffees are sat in 15th having played 18 Premier League games this campaign and need extra firepower on the flanks with talisman Richarlison still sidelined.

Moreover, the Brazilian’s future at Goodison Park is unclear, with the 24-year-old reported to be a potential Kylian Mbappe replacement at PSG during the summer.

However, the winger is still an Everton player and could soon be joined by his national teammate Neres in the Premier League.

Bye-bye Richarlison

Neres, also 24, has been with the Dutch champions for five years after joining from Brazilian giants Sao Paulo in January 2017.

In that time, Neres has managed to score 47 goals and register 41 assists in 180 appearances. The Brazilian was also a major contributor in Ajax’s famous run to the Champions League semi-finals in 2018/19, scoring against Real Madrid at the Bernabeu.

The winger, who plays predominantly on the right, has scored four goals so far this season in 20 appearances in the Eredivisie and Champions League combined, as well as contributing two assists.

However, his most fruitful campaign to date was the 2017/18 season in which Neres scored 15 goals and registered 14 assists in 38 appearances across all competitions.

As a result, signing him could finally give Rafa Benitez the excuse to let Richarlison slide or better still, arm him with the firepower necessary to improve their wilted attack.

Not only have Richarlison’s performances dwindled but his attitude has also been questionable, reacting angrily to being substituted earlier this term and showing a petulant attitude right throughout his time in Merseyside.

It was the same result last February when Noel Whelan savaged him for something similar:

“You can’t take away he’s an exceptional player and he’s a gifted player. What you have got there is a bit of an attitude problem and it’s kind of a spoilt child attitude about him,” he began.

“You saw him coming off the field, he’s got that face on and he’s a bit petulant and childish in his behaviour, shrugging off somebody on the sideline, mumbling to himself. When you’ve got great players like that, there’s a certain professionalism that you’ve got to bring to the side as well and you just see those sort of little weaknesses in players.”

Furthermore, Benitez’s side have had rotten luck this campaign regarding injuries with star players Dominic Calvert-Lewin and Richarlison both facing respective spells on the sidelines.

Moreover, right-winger Andros Townsend recently missed games through injury and the Merseyside club could do with more options out wide, particularly on the right.

Although Neres’ goals tally isn’t the highest, the £18m-rated winger is an exciting prospect and would offer Everton a much-needed alternative in the attack. He could also be Richarlison’s saving grace.

In other news, Everton have been linked with this well-known forward…

West Ham are reportedly interested in signing Manchester City centre-back Nathan Ake in order to make up for the loss of Angelo Ogbonna.

The Lowdown: Ake struggling for playing time

The £100,000-a-week Dutchman joined City in 2020 but he has found regular football hard to come by, with the likes of Ruben Dias, Aymeric Laporte and John Stones keeping him out of the team.

[web_stories_embed url=”https://www.footballtransfertavern.com/web-stories/west-ham-developments-2/” title=”West Ham developments” poster=”” width=”360″ height=”600″ align=”none”]

Ake has only managed four starts in the Premier League so far this season, as well as just one in the Champions League, and he may want a fresh challenge soon. The 1.8m-tall (6 foot) defender was limited to just nine top-flight starts at the Etihad Stadium last term, too.

The 26-year-old has 23 caps to his name for the Netherlands and may want to be a key figure at club level ahead of the 2022 World Cup.

The Latest: West Ham keen on move

According to 90min, West Ham have identified Ake as a transfer target in January, seeing him as someone who can fill the void left by Ogbonna, who is out injured for the rest of the season.

It is stated that a loan move is on the offing, with a potential to sign him permanently at the end of the season.

The Verdict: Strong Ogbonna alternative

Ake may not have cut the mustard consistently for City, but he is still a hugely competent centre-back who Premier League-winning manager Pep Guardiola claimed is a ‘joy’ to have in his squad.

At 26, the former Chelsea defender is also approaching his prime years and he could not only make up for the loss of Ogbonna in the short run, he may even represent a long-term replacement for the 32-year-old Italian.

Ake has averaged three interceptions per game in the Champions League this season, showing he can excel at the highest level – Declan Rice (1.9) is West Ham’s top performer in the Premier League in that regard, so the Dutchman may add something new to the Irons’ line-up if he makes the move.

In other news, West Ham have been linked with an audacious swoop for one player. Find out who it is here.

Ange Postecoglou lifted his first trophy as Celtic manager as his side beat Hibernian 2-1 in the League Cup final on Sunday.

Hibs took the lead through Paul Hanlon in the 51st minute, only for Kyogo Furuhashi to equalise within a minute at the other end. The Hoops forward then sealed the victory in the 72nd minute, completing the turnaround with his double.

Forget Kyogo

Whilst Kyogo scored the two goals and may grab the headlines for Celtic, another player stole the show for Postecoglou’s side – Tom Rogic.

CelticWay reporter Tony Haggerty gave him an 8/10 in his player ratings piece, explaining:

“The Wizard of Oz came back into the first-team fold at the expense of Israeli midfielder Nir Bitton. Hibs plan was to thwart the influential midfielder at every turn and disrupt his flow. He floated a delicious chip which was turned inches wide by Macey on the hour mark. He always looked capable of producing something that could open the Hibs defence and his quick thinking free-kick released Kyogo to make it 2-1.”

The Australian midfielder was a menace to the Hibernian defence as he picked up an assist for the second goal. Athletic reporter Kieran Devil lauded Rogic after his involvement, saying:

“Obviously superlatively brilliant from Kyogo there, but brilliant speed of thought and execution from Rogic there too.”

The 29-year-old was switched on as he took a quick free-kick to play the Japanese international in on goal, which allowed him to strike the winner. Without Rogic’s awareness to catch Hibernian off-guard with his free-kick, Kyogo would not have had the chance to win the match and that illustrates his importance to the result.

Journalist Josh Bunting also took to Twitter to praise him for his part in the goal, tweeting: “As good at the finish was, Rogic is going under the radar at the moment think he’s been Celtic’s most improved player under Ange Postecoglou. Knows exactly what to do in this system, terrific ball over the top for Kyogo Furuhashi. He’s been the heartbeat of this team of late.”

These quotes on Rogic’s performance highlight how crucial he was to the Hoops and why he stole the show on Sunday in the final. He was pivotal to Kyogo playing well as he provided the attacking platform upon which the striker built his play, which is why he was Postecoglou’s main man.

AND in other news, Celtic can finally replace Scott Brown by signing 20y/o gem…

Celtic have been handed a huge injury boost ahead of their upcoming Scottish League Cup semi-final.

What’s the latest?

In recent comments cited by the Daily Record, Stephen Welsh revealed that, despite being substituted due to a knock in Scotland U21’s 2-0 defeat to Belgium in midweek, he will be available for selection against St. Johnstone this weekend.

Speaking about his current condition, the centre-back said: “I’m fine. It was a knock when their player had a shot and followed through on us, but I just came off as a precaution. I’ll be fine for the weekend.

“You’re always worried when you feel a bit of pain, but luckily it wasn’t a twist or anything. It was just pure impact so I should be fine.”

Postecoglou will be buzzing

Considering the fact that Carl Starfelt is also an injury doubt for Saturday’s fixture, the news that Welsh looks set to be available for selection is sure to have left Ange Postecoglou buzzing, as, without being able to call upon the 21-year-old, the Bhoys boss would have been extremely short of options in the heart of his defence.

Not only that, but the academy graduate has proven over his five Scottish Premiership appearances this season that he is an extremely exciting prospect at Parkhead, with the £1.08m-rated man helping his side keep two clean sheets and providing one assist, as well as making an average of 1.2 interceptions, 0.8 tackles, 2.2 clearances and winning 6.2 duels per game.

These returns have seen the centre-back average a SofaScore match rating of 7.12, ranking him as Celtic’s joint 11th-best performer in the top flight of Scottish football so far this term.

As such, the news that Welsh will not be required to spend any time on the sidelines will undoubtedly provide Postecoglou with a huge boost ahead of Saturday’s fixture, as the 56-year-old will be desperate for a win in order to have a shot at picking up his first silverware as the Hoops boss.

In other news: Ange drops exciting behind the scenes update which is sure to have Celtic fans buzzing

Crystal Palace midfielder James McArthur is set to extend his stay at the club after enjoying a fabulous start under the tutelage of new manager Patrick Vieira.

What’s the story?

According to LondonWorld, the 34-year-old is expected to put pen to paper on fresh terms over the coming weeks, with his current contract set to expire in the summer of 2022.

The report states that: “LondonWorld understands that both the player and club have agreed to extend their time together for another year, and they are just working out the final details before the former Scotland international puts pen to paper.”

There’s no indication of how long the proposed deal would be, but given his age, it would likely be a one-year extension.

Crystal Palace fans will be elated

McArthur arrived at Selhurst Park via a £5.5m move from Wigan Athletic back in 2014 and has gone on to establish himself as a mainstay in the capital club’s engine room, making 238 appearances in all competitions.

The former Hamilton Academical academy graduate hit 300 appearances in England’s top-flight before the recent international break, and the Accies academy director George Cairns lauded the diminutive midfielder’s achievement.

Cairns told Not The Old Firm: “It’s a huge achievement for James. 300 appearances in the Premier League? That is fantastic.

“It’s absolutely phenomenal and what he has gone on to achieve down south has been excellent. You can only commend him as he has done fantastically well.”

And the £55k-per-week earner appears to be getting better with age with Vieira dubbing him a warrior. A hamstring injury ruled him out of the 3-3 draw with Burnley last time out, but he had started every league game up until that point this season.

With Palace beginning a transitional period under their French coach, keeping experienced heads such as McArthur’s around will be extremely beneficial, and the club’s supporters will be elated at this latest revelation.

And, in other news…“I think..”: Sky Sports reporter drops intriguing CPFC transfer claim, Vieira must act

Celtic captain Callum McGregor has hailed Anton McElhone’s impact at Parkhead, Celts Are Here report.

The Lowdown: McElhone’s arrival

Postecoglou highlighted the need for a Head of Sport Science addition in Glasgow and brought in McElhone back in September.

The former Morton caretaker, who prefers a 4-2-3-1 system, has previously worked as a fitness coach at Tottenham and with MLS side New England Revolution.

Celtic have never officially confirmed McElhone’s arrival, so some might not even know he was at Parkhead, however, Postecoglou’s first backroom staff signing appears to be settling in nicely.

The Latest: McGregor’s comments

McGregor, who has been a regular this season, was quizzed on McElhone’s impact in a press conference on Tuesday, relayed by Celts Are Here.

This is what he had to say in reply, with the Hoops regular labelling the head of sports science as ‘a great personality’.

“It was a position that we were looking for throughout the summer in terms of trying to recruit the best type of people that we could get in the building with good knowledge.

“Anton’s certainly got that. He’s been at Spurs – worked in America – and he’s come in and been a great personality. He’s just helping the good work that’s been done as well.

“There are a lot of good guys in the building that are desperate to do well and get the boys fit and hungry on the pitch.

“Anton’s certainly come in and helped on top of that with the ideas that he’s brought from Tottenham and America.”

The Verdict: Good signs

McGregor has clearly been impressed by what McElhone has brought to Lennoxtown, and results have also been on the up in recent weeks.

The Hoops are unbeaten in six domestic games, winning their last four, and hopefully, things will only get better under Postecoglou and McElhone in the background.

There seems to be a feel-good factor at Celtic Park at this moment in time, which may have a lot to do with the work the likes of McElhone and others are putting in.

In other news: Nicholson may be close to Celtic signing with electric speed and the player has now spoken. 

Ange Postecoglou’s reign as Celtic manager has been a bizarre affair with the Hoops appearing to take one step back every time they attempt to move forward.

The Bhoys had won their last five matches in all competitions until they took on Livingston on Saturday afternoon.

What’s the word?

With Celtic stuttering in their bid to reclaim their dominance on Scottish football, it’s become apparent that Postecoglou could do with some new acquisitions in the January market.

The Australian claimed a few months ago that he would like to target the Japanese market again after the successful signing of Kyogo Furuhashi and recent reports suggest he’s set to do exactly that.

The Times claimed that Celtic were chasing Daizen Maeda of Yokohama Marinos, the team that Postecoglou managed before arriving in Glasgow.

Kieran Devlin of The Athletic has since revealed that links to the 24-year-old should be believed.

During a Q&A he said: “They are credible (links to Maeda), yes. Unless something dramatic happens that will need addressing.”

Imagine him & Jota

The idea of signing the Japan international should be music to the ears of Celtic supporters who will no doubt be delighted at the idea of signing such a rampant goal threat.

Postecoglou has had mixed success with his offensive acquisitions since penning terms in Scotland, bringing Kyogo and Jota to the club.

The former has scored ten times in just 16 outings while the latter has seriously caught the eye with eight goal involvements in 12 appearances for the Hoops.

However, deals for Liel Abada and Giorgos Giakoumakis have been less successful. The Greek striker has found the net just once and missed a terrible penalty against Livi on Saturday. As for Abada, his form has dwindled and he now has only one strike in his last seven Premiership games.

With that in mind, signing someone who could be an upgrade on those two players would be extremely handy.

Maeda is a winger by trade and thus, the idea of him and Jota running dominantly down each flank is one that should enthral and captivate supporters.

He has scored 18 goals in Japan this term which is a sizeable tally for someone who has only played through the middle on seven occasions.

A player with that kind of record should excite fans inside the groand judging by the way Kyogo has settled in at Parkhead, fans will be hoping for more of the same here.

AND in other news, Less touches than Hart: Celtic dud who made just 5 passes all game badly let Ange down…

Alex McLeish has made a worrying transfer claim on Leeds United midfielder Kalvin Phillips.

What’s the talk?

The former Premier League manager has claimed that it would be hard for the Leeds midfielder to turn down Manchester United.

The Red Devils are reportedly interested in a swoop for the England international and McLeish believes that Phillips’ head could be turned.

He told Football Insider:

“It will be tough for him to turn it down, 100%.

“Jack Grealish was a fan of Aston Villa all his life, but he had his head turned by a dominant club like Manchester City.

“It’s the same thing – if United come and go all the way with their interest, it is hard for him to stay.”

Concern

This claim from McLeish will surely leave Leeds fans feeling scared about the midfielder’s future at Elland Road. Whilst supporters will want to believe that Phillips would reject any team to stay at his boyhood club, McLeish makes an excellent point regarding Jack Grealish – who was in a similar position.

The prospect of playing Champions League football and competing for the top trophies year-in-year-out could be a tantalising one for Phillips, which is why his head could be turned by United. This is a concerning thought for the Elland Road faithful as they start to ponder life without the England international in their midfield.

During the European Championships, Italian icon Andrea Pirlo compared Phillips with Jorginho and labeled both of them as being the ‘rock’. He said:

“Both players do such a good job protecting the defence and being that rock in midfield. Often this job can go unnoticed – but I think they have both been recognised this tournament and rightly so.”

The £35k-per-week Leeds beast showcased his quality on one of the biggest stages in football, starting seven games as England reached the final of the Championships. This explains why other teams are taking an interest in his services and why Victor Orta may be a very busy man in the next couple of transfer windows.

Leeds fans will be hoping that Phillips demonstrates his loyalty to the club by rejecting offers to join Champions League teams to help the Lillywhites get to that level themselves. However, until they have weathered the storm and see that he is still a Leeds player, there will surely be concern over his next step.

AND in other news,  Orta must sanction Leeds deal for £42k-p/w “machine”, Bielsa would love him…

With the Premier League back this weekend, Aston Villa manager Dean Smith once again has the difficult dilemma over one of his key players in Emiliano Martinez.

The goalkeeper was part of the Argentina team during this international break and was involved in the full 90 minutes for his country’s 1-0 win over Peru late this week.

Martinez is on the dash back to England to try and make it back for today’s Premier League game against Wolves at 3pm, and if the last break was anything to go by, Smith must surely throw him straight into the team if the 29-year-old makes it.

The Argentine shot-stopper has been in outstanding form for Villa since joining from Arsenal back in 2020, keeping the third-most clean sheets in the Premier League last season with 15.

Described as a “phenomenon” and someone who “guarantees ten points per season” by Argentine World Cup winner Daniel Bertoni, the £31.5m-rated Martinez has been nothing short of outstanding for the Midlands club, so much so that he’s become a permanent part of his country’s squad at international level.

While Jed Steer didn’t exactly do much wrong in the game Martinez missed against Chelsea, he couldn’t stop Thomas Tuchel’s side running out as 3-0 winners in what was predominantly a tight contest.

Martinez’s return after that game saw Villa keep back-to-back clean sheets in the Premier League, including the antics that he pulled to put off Bruno Fernandes in injury time of the 1-0 win against Manchester United three weeks ago.

The Argentine is a massive presence in between the sticks and brings a sense of intimidation to opposition strikers which unsurprisingly can’t be matched or replicated by any of his team-mates.

If he’s back in England in time and passes any late fitness checks, Smith simply has to start Martinez today against Wolves at Villa Park, as the 29-year-old has proven that he can win numerous points for his team with his stellar displays as their last line of defence.

Meanwhile, Aston Villa could have their own Raheem Sterling in this academy starlet…

In an exclusive interview with Football FanCast, former Premier League midfielder Carlton Palmer has praised Crystal Palace for the intensity they showed against Tottenham and the way they passed the ball.

Palace ran out 3-0 winners in that London derby versus Spurs last Saturday, courtesy of goals from Wilfried Zaha and Odsonne Edouard, the latter scoring twice.

Nuno Espirito Santo’s side, of course, had to play half an hour with 10 men following Japhet Tanganga’s red card in the second half. But nevertheless, it was still a superb performance by Palace.

And the Eagles’ intensity and passing on the day particularly caught the attention of Palmer.

“I thought they were excellent against Tottenham,” the ex-Leeds United and Southampton player told FFC.

“The way they moved the ball, the intensity. They passed the ball, looking to play from the back, play through midfield. I thought it was a very, very good performance.”

Patrick Vieira will be hoping for another good performance when Palace take on Liverpool next and why not when you have the likes of Zaha and Edouard?

While no one will be expecting the Eagles to travel to Anfield and take all three points back to south London, they look like they have a team that can at least carry an attacking threat during the game and cause Jurgen Klopp’s side problems.