Category Uncategorized

Leeds United will have gone into this World Cup break frustrated that their play has been halted.

Despite their most recent game being a loss against Tottenham Hotspur, it was yet another spirited display in what has been something of a resurgence of late under Jesse Marsch.

Although it seemed like the American might have been on his last legs, suffering an eight-game winless run with six of those being losses, the Whites had slumped into the relegation zone.

It, therefore, made their sensational win at Anfield all the more impressive, as they would beat Liverpool and score a further seven in the two games following.

As if to highlight the tightness throughout the table, these two wins have propelled them to 15th and highlighted the spirit within the side.

Although the goals have been free-flowing, that has been without their top marksman Patrick Bamford, who once again picked up an injury before their trip to Spurs.

It marked his first injury of the season, suggesting that he had not yet exorcised the demons of last campaign, where he was out of action for a total of 250 days.

This only stands to reinforce the notion that they need another striker, with the Englishman wholly unreliable through no fault of his own.

Therefore, the solution might be found in their reported pursuit of Brazilian striker Pedro.

However, boasting a €100m (£86m) release clause, the marksman will not leave Flamengo for a cut-price.

The 25-year-old has excelled this past year in front of goal, with his 29 goals and ten assists earning him a call-up to his national team for the World Cup.

Once lauded as an “excellent finisher” by Guy Mowbray, this cutting-edge and extra influx of goals is exactly what is needed at Elland Road. His arrival would surely spell safety but could also signpost the end of the line for Bamford.

With just nine games to his name last season, he struggled to live up to the 17-goal haul of his 2020/21 campaign.

There is clearly a clinical striker in there, but he is hidden behind this blockade of injuries.

Therefore, Marsch must ditch him in favour of this exciting talent who is set to star in Qatar.

Manchester United are reportedly keen on a move for Borussia Dortmund midfielder Jude Bellingham, although are expected to face intense competition for the teenager’s signature.

What’s the word?

That’s according to Sky Sports reporter Florian Plettenberg, who suggested that Red Devils boss Erik ten Hag wants to add the 19-year-old – who could fetch in the region of €150m (£130m) – to his squad, albeit with United’s chances somewhat limited by the rival interest from both Liverpool and Manchester City.

The transfer insider shared that update on Twitter, stating: “He’s the transfer target No. 1 for #MUFC confirmed! They expect him to cost around €150m, they have scouted him a lot. Ten Hag wants him in 2023! But: Chances are low due to competition from #MCFC and #LFC and due to Financial Fairplay!”

The England international, who could be set to explode at the upcoming World Cup this month, has seemingly been a long-term target for those at Old Trafford, with previous reports suggesting that the club had come close to signing the promising youngster back in 2020 during his time at Birmingham City, only for the youngster to opt to move to Germany instead on a £25m deal.

Forget De Jong

Bolstering the midfield ranks seemingly remains a prominent issue for Ten Hag and co, with even the £70m arrival of Casemiro in the summer having not ended the need for new additions, particularly after missing out on Barcelona playmaker, Frenkie de Jong.

The Dutchman – who worked under the current United boss at Ajax – had been a target for the Premier League side throughout the recent window, with a fee having even reportedly been agreed between the two clubs, only for the player himself to show a reluctance to make the switch.

One factor in that refusal to make the move to England had seemingly been the midfielder’s desire to play in the Champions League, albeit with his current side now ironically set to come up against the Red Devils in the Europa League in February.

Even if the 25-year-old were to shine in that two-legged meeting in the New Year, the tiresome nature of the summer saga could ensure that those at the Theatre of Dreams are better served looking elsewhere for a new recruit, particularly with De Jong having shown no real urgency to make the move.

Bellingham, then, would offer an ideal alternative should a deal be agreed in the near future, with the Three Lions star having only gone from strength to strength during his time in Germany, notably scoring nine goals in just 20 appearances in all competitions so far this season.

The dynamic athlete has been a truly “staggering” figure for the Bundesliga side of late – in the words of talkSPORT pundit Ally McCoist – with 19 goals and 20 assists to his name for the club in 119 games across all fronts despite his tender years, while De Jong has just 15 goals and 18 assists in 159 games in Catalonia.

While the Stourbridge-born starlet may play in a potentially more advanced role than his counterpart, the exciting talent offers real versatility with his ability to play all across the midfield and even on the flanks if required.

Equally, at still only 19 Bellingham would prove a potentially greater investment with the prospect of building the side around him in Manchester over the next decade or so, as well as having the added benefit of already plying his trade in English football at St Andrew’s – albeit in the second tier.

While the 6 foot 1 colossus did reportedly reject United in the past, that was seemingly over fears of a potential lack of game time, with the 17-cap machine’s rise since then likely to see him almost assured of a place in Ten Hag’s side were he to join this time around.

Any frustration regarding the failed pursuit of De Jong would surely be swiftly forgotten if the Dortmund dynamo is snapped up in 2023.

Nottingham Forest journalist Sarah Clapson has dropped a hint regarding what the club’s plans could be for the upcoming January transfer window.

The Lowdown

The Midlands club were incredibly active in the transfer market during the previous summer window as they brought in over 20 new players.

With 12 games played in the league this season, Steve Cooper’s side have won two, drawn three and lost seven, currently putting them rock bottom of the table despite the win over Liverpool.

While the January window is still some weeks away, it seems as though an early prediction has emerged over what Forest could look to do once it opens.

The Latest

In a recent online Q&A with the Nottingham Post, Clapson had this to say on the matter.

“I’d be very surprised if January ends up being anything like as busy as the summer window.

“Expect some of what happens in January will depend on where Forest are by that point – not just at the beginning of the window, but also towards the end, because we all know how things can change even in the space of a month.

“Would expect attack to be an area Forest still look at for January, though.”

The Verdict

Bearing in mind how Forest currently have the worst goal difference in the league (-15), it’s safe to say that if the club do look to recruit some new players in January, they may have to bring in some figures who can quite simply stick the ball in the back of the net.

While this may be a tough and rather vague task for the club’s hierarchy, they showed during the summer they have no problem getting players through the door.

However, if Cooper’s side are still struggling by the time January comes around, the pressure will be on the club to make sure it’s a case of quality over quantity in terms of their attacking recruitment.

Aston Villa’s search for a new manager has seemingly taken another setback, with Sporting Lisbon boss Ruben Amorim likely to remain with the Portuguese side.

After sacking Steven Gerrard in midweek following the 3-0 defeat against Fulham, the Villans have been linked with a host of top managers as they look to get their season back on track.

The potential of the squad was clear to see on Sunday afternoon as Villa demolished Brentford 4-0 at Villa Park but it seems as if it won’t be enough to tempt the top names to the Midlands.

According to The Telegraph, sporting director Johan Lange had begun talks with Amorim to bring him from Sporting CP to Villa Park, with Pochettino unlikely to join as he seeks a top-level club, despite a big money offer from the Villans. 

However, Fabrizio Romano has now provided the latest on Amorim, saying:

“Aston Villa are exploring the managers market, we should have more of an idea about who they go for next week. Personally, I think Amorim was a fantastic idea as he’s a potential top manager for present and future, but Sporting have no intention to let him go.”

It is no surprise that Sporting are keen to keep the 37-year-old, who is quickly emerging as one of the best young managers in European football.

After impressing with Braga, with whom he won ten of just 13 matches in charge, Amorim was given his chance to impress at one of the top clubs in Portugal, and he has grabbed that opportunity with both hands.

The Portuguese coach has thus far taken charge of 121 games for Sporting, winning 85, drawing 16 and losing just 20, which helped him lead Sporting to their first Liga NOS title in 19 years during the 2020/21 campaign.

His side also have the chance to progress through into the Champions League knockout stages this season after a memorable win over Tottenham Hotspur during the group stages, so it is easy to see why he wouldn’t want to leave right now.

[freshpress-quiz id=“659225”]

NSWE will no doubt be gutted to hear that Sporting are desperate to keep Amorim and will be hoping that they can still tempt the 37-year-old to Villa Park as Gerrard’s replacement.

Manchester United make their long-awaited return to Premier League action away to rivals Manchester City this afternoon, with Erik ten Hag’s side looking to pick up where they left off prior to the recent international break.

Following a miserable start to the season under the new manager – with dismal defeats to both Brighton and Hove Albion and Brentford – the Dutchman has inspired a real revival for the Red Devils since then, with four straight victories in the top flight.

The club’s most recent league outing – which came four weeks ago – saw United run out 3-1 winners over table-toppers, Arsenal at Old Trafford, with Ten Hag proving his big game credentials having already overcome long-time foes Liverpool a few weeks earlier.

A key figure in this recent turnaround has been summer arrival, Christian Eriksen, with the 30-year-old already proving a real astute piece of business having been signed on a free transfer after a brief stint with the Bees last term.

Just over a year on from suffering a life-threatening cardiac arrest while playing for Denmark at Euro 2020, the playmaker is currently earning rave reviews from both pundits, supporters and teammates alike, having sparkled in a deeper midfield role of late.

The £150k-per-week menace has notably been lauded by club legend Paul Scholes for his “intelligence” and forward-thinking nature in the centre of the park, while midfield colleague Bruno Fernandes has also praised the former Tottenham Hotspur man’s impact on his own game, stating that he makes life “easier” for the Portugal international.

He scores goals galore! Pay homage to one of his best with this amazing t-shirt! Click here to buy…

The £19.8m-rated gem will head into today’s derby clash at the Etihad having also showcased his unerring quality on the international stage, after netting an outrageous long-range strike in the defeat to Croatia last week, before again catching the eye in the win over France on Sunday.

That latter display saw the “absolute genius” – as dubbed by Statman Dave – at his very best as he simply ran the show against Didier Deschamps’ side, providing a staggering eight key passes including a delightful, searching ball to tee up Andreas Skov Olsen, only for the promising forward to subsequently spurn the gilt-edged opening.

Such creative brilliance will be needed against a City side who twice breezed to victory over United last season, although Eriksen has previously proven his knack for terrorising the champions, having been something of a nemesis for the Cityzens during his spell at Spurs.

The dynamic Dane has repeatedly proven the difference maker against today’s opponents over the years, having netted five times and laid on six assists in just 16 meetings across all competitions – only providing more goal contributions (13) against Swansea City of all his career opponents.

A notable triumph over the Manchester outfit for the north Londoners back in February 2016 saw the 117-cap sensation net a late winner to clinch victory against Manuel Pellegrini’s side, with a repeat of such heroics this afternoon likely to go down well with his current employers.

For all the likely talk of Cristiano Ronaldo and the aforementioned Fernandes, et al, providing the decisive blow in attack, it would be no surprise to see Eriksen making the telling impact as Ten Hag’s undoubted underdogs look to see off Pep Guardiola’s imperious outfit on the road.

Tottenham Hotspur could be without another two players for their trip to Nottingham Forest in the Premier League later this evening…

What’s the latest?

Antonio Conte was already without Cristian Romero and Oliver Skipp, who are set to resume training early next week, but now, it appears as if Lucas Moura and Bryan Gil have emerged as major doubts after they missed the team’s final training session before today’s encounter.

The ever-reliable Dan Kilpatrick of the Evening Standard relayed an injury update ahead of kick-off, he tweeted:

“Team news: Conte says Romero & Skipp are sidelined against Forest on Sunday but will resume training with the squad at the start of next week. Gil & Lucas are also doubts after missing training today but will be assessed tomorrow.”

Conte worry

Spurs are about to embark on one of the busiest periods in the 2022/23 campaign.

Today’s game is the start of three matches in the space of a week, whilst the north Londoners will play seven times between now and the 17th of September.

The Italian will need to rotate his side if they are to remain competitive throughout the next few weeks and he has already hinted at the possibility of rotation as the likes of Harry Kane and Heung-min Son will not be expected to play all seven games.

“After every game, I will have to check the situation with all of the players for tiredness and injuries,” Conte told reporters.

“To tell one player that he is going to play in all seven games; it is impossible.

“I am not a magician! I cannot forecast this, but we go game by game to make the best decisions for the team and for the players.”

With crucial encounters against West Ham United and defending champions Manchester City in the English top-flight, as well as their Champions League group stage opener against Marseille, soon on the horizon, this game against the newcomers could represent an ideal opportunity to rotate the starting XI.

Both Moura and Gil would have been in line for minutes, as a result, but with them now being doubts, it could force Conte’s hand somewhat, so he may not be able to be as fresh as he maybe would have liked.

Given his comments this week, this development will surely leave him a little worried heading into a hectic fixture list.

AND in other news, Paratici could land “stunning” 8th signing in £15m star who “wants to join Tottenham”…

Reliable journalists Nizaar Kinsella and Adam Newson have shared a ‘shock’ West Ham United transfer update involving Chelsea defender Emerson Palmieri.

The Lowdown: Hammers eye deal…

Reports in the last 48 hours suggested that West Ham have been confident over sealing a move for Italy international.

Football Insider, for example, shared news of advanced talks to sign Emerson after the east Londoners submitted a £13million bid – they were apparently even hoping to complete a deal this week.

This comes amid the Premier League side’s search for an alternative left-back to Aaron Cresswell, who is reaching his twilight years, with Moyes seemingly on the look out for a successor.

The Latest: Journalists share ‘shock’ Emerson update…

Taking to social media, journalists Kinsella and Newson have shared a ‘shock’ development on the chase.

[web_stories_embed url=”https://www.footballtransfertavern.com/web-stories/west-ham-latest-news-4/” title=”West Ham latest news!” poster=”” width=”360″ height=”600″ align=”none”]

It is claimed that a deal for the 28-year-old is currently off due to issues with personal terms.

“Emerson Palmieri’s deal to West Ham is off. It is a bit of a shock as a fee of £13m + £2m in add-ons was close to being agreed with Chelsea.” said Kinsella of The Evening Standard (via Twitter).

Meanwhile, Newson, a Chelsea correspondent for football.london, has followed on with further detail saying it was down to a difference in salary and personal terms.

He explained:

“Emerson Palmieri is now unlikely to join West Ham United this summer. A deal worth around £15m including add-ons was close to being agreed between the two clubs, but the defender’s salary demands were a problem.”

The Verdict: Blow for Moyes?

Called ‘unbelievable’ by Chelsea boss Thomas Tuchel last year, despite his lack of game time at Stamford Bridge, Emerson could’ve been a brilliant option for Moyes.

The former Roma star has plenty of experience on the biggest stages, particularly with Italy at international level where he was named in Roberto Mancini’s squad for Euro 2020.

It appears West Ham will now have to turn to other options such as Arsenal ace Ainsley Maitland-Niles, recently linked by ExWHUemployee.

Leeds United have been dealt a big injury blow ahead of their upcoming Premier League meeting with Wolverhampton Wanderers on Saturday.

What’s the latest?

In recent comments cited by the Yorkshire Evening Post, Jesse Marsch revealed that, after picking up a hamstring injury in the 1-1 pre-season friendly draw with Crystal Palace last month, the 23-year-old winger now looks set to remain sidelined for the Whites opening game of the new season against Wolves this weekend.

Regarding the current condition of the Colombia international after the 6-2 win over Cagliari on Sunday, the 48-year-old manager said: “Sinisterra is probably a week from being on the pitch.”

A blow for Marsch

Considering the fact that Leeds only joined Leeds in what was a £21m deal at the start of July, the fact that the former Feyenoord forward looks set to miss the Whites’ Premier League curtain raiser against Wolves this Saturday is sure to come as a blow to the American manager.

Indeed, with Leeds having lost the services of Raphinha in the summer transfer window, it is clear to see that the £22.5m-rated attacker was signed as something of a replacement for the Brazilian.

[snack-amp-story url= “https://www.footballfancast.com/web-stories/read-the-latest-leeds-united-news-transfer-rumours-gossip-and-much-much-more” title= “Read the latest Leeds news, transfer rumours and more!”]

Considering just how impressive the 23-year-old looked in the Netherlands last season, he appears to be an apt successor to Raphinha’s throne at Elland Road.

Over his 30 Eredivisie appearances in 2021/22, the five-cap international was in sensational form, scoring 12 goals, providing seven assists and creating nine big chances for his teammates, in addition to taking an average of 2.6 shots, making 2.0 key passes and completing 3.6 dribbles per game.

These returns saw the winger average a rather breathtaking SofaScore match rating of 7.51, not only ranking him as Feyenoord’s second-best performer in the league but also as the joint fourth-best player in the Dutch top flight as a whole.

As such, it is clear to see that Sinisterra’s likely unavailability for the visit of Wolves this weekend will come as a big blow to Marsch and his side, with the American coach undoubtedly hoping the Whites can get off to the perfect start in the 2022/23 Premier League campaign – something the winger’s absence casts serious doubts upon.

West Ham have been handed a huge boost in their chances of signing Chelsea forward Armando Broja.

What’s the word?

That’s according to Fabrizio Romano, who wrote on Twitter: “West Ham have submitted two bids in the last 24 hours. Proposal around €35 million for Armando Broja, Chelsea have not decided yet as there are many clubs interested.”

The second bid was for Lille midfielder Amadou Onana, and it seems that David Moyes is looking to complete his transfer business early this summer.

Supporters will be delighted

After a respectable breakthrough season in the Premier League, the Albania international will be looking to build on the six league goals that he scored whilst on loan at Southampton.

Fortunately for him, he has all the attributes to continue striking fear into defenders. His 6 foot 3 frame makes him a huge aerial presence, whilst his blistering speed makes him something of a physical anomaly.

Perhaps with more creative players surrounding him, he really can catapult his goalscoring numbers.

The forward ranked in the 86th percentile for aerials won per 90 last season among positional peers in Europe’s top five leagues, which instantly outlines him as a huge threat from any decent deliveries.

With West Ham already boasting the fifth-best record in the Premier League from set pieces last season, the addition of Broja would only bolster their goalscoring options.

Furthermore, with the open play delivery of Aaron Cresswell, who averaged one key pass and 1.1 accurate crosses per game last term, the 20-year-old is sure to feast on the tantalising deliveries of the English left-back.

Albania’s assistant manager Sergio Porrini was full of praise for Broja, claiming that “his greatest qualities are in progression, especially the ball and chain…in the spaces, he is devastating!”

The 20-year-old could be Moyes’ answer to finding an alternative to the ageing Michail Antonio, with a willingness to run channels but the physicality to win knockdowns and link the play.

West Ham supporters must be buzzing to see the club being linked with such a high-quality forward with almost his whole career still ahead of him.

AND, in other news: Moyes plotting “unbelievable” West Ham move for £49k-p/w machine, he’d be Evra 2.0

Rangers are one of several sides said to be interested in signing Oscar Gloukh this summer and it seems as if Giovanni van Bronckhorst has now been given the green light to try and bring him to Ibrox.

What’s the word?

The 18-year-old has been linked with Rangers in recent days after catching the eye at the U19 European Championships this summer and his father has now suggested that it is likely that he will depart Maccabi Tel-Aviv.

He said: “I feel he is more ready than a couple of years ago to make the move to a big league. I see him as a player who can cope in Europe. I’m not saying he will have an easy life. He will have to compete with a lot of players for his place. (But) if it’s possible to leave, he will leave.”

Imagine him and Colak

The report claims that the teenage sensation has been likened to Mesut Ozil and considering his impressive goal against England in the final last week it is easy to see why.

Gloukh received the ball on the edge of the box and turned his man with a delicate touch, before taking the ball onto his right foot to beat the defender, finding the top corner with a powerful finish.

Reports have suggested that he could cost as much as £8m this summer and while it is unusual to see Rangers spending as much as that on such a young player, they arguably need to shell out some transfer fees if they are to compete with their Scottish rivals next season considering their transfer business thus far.

The club should have benefitted financially from the run to the Europa League final and Gloukh could be a great investment if he lives up to his “wonderkid” status.

Rangers look to be close to their first summer signing in Antonio Colak and the striker could be one to benefit from Gloukh’s signing should both arrive at Ibrox ahead of next season.

If the attacking-midfielder does perform a similar role to Ozil, he will offer Rangers should real creativity in the final third with intricate passing and dribbling ability, which will surely create a lot of chances for the forwards in van Bronckhorst’s attack.

[freshpress-quiz id=“712674″]

Therefore, Rangers should definitely look at bringing Gloukh in this summer, as he clearly has a lot of potential and could combine well with Colak at Ibrox for the next few seasons.

And, in other news… Wilson can repeat Kent masterclass at Rangers in swoop for “stunning” £3.1k-p/w gem