Tag Futebol

West Bromwich Albion were shoehorned into a summer of limited spending, with Steve Bruce suffering due to years of financial mismanagement by the club.

It culminated in a total summer expenditure of just £1.1m across eight signings, with the former Baggies boss forced to work the free transfer market.

To his credit, costless recruits such as Okay Yokuslu and Tom Rogic added pedigree, whilst Jed Wallace and John Swift had dominated the Championship for years beforehand.

It therefore made Albion’s start to the season all the more disappointing, as they endured a run of just one win in 11 games in the league before the hierarchy called time on Bruce’s tenure.

Languishing in the relegation zone, they called upon former Huddersfield Town boss Carlos Corberan to turn around the sinking ship and whip what on paper was a decent side into shape.

Although their loss to Sheffield United in his opening game in late October may have caused initial concern, the current boss has since guided West Brom to four straight victories, propelling them to within eight points of the play-off spots.

Their recent win over Sunderland was particularly impressive, given how the Black Cats were in similarly imperious form and could have risen to seventh with a win.

Although goalscoring substitutes Daryl Dike and Rogic might have stolen the headlines with their match-wining displays, it cannot be forgotten that it was Jed Wallace’s teasing delivery which allowed the former to head home the winning goal.

It marked the seventh goal contribution of the season for the winger, who has admittedly endured a tough start to life at The Hawthorns after his heroics for Millwall in the 2021/22 campaign.

Having assisted twice in his last six games, the 28-year-old will be hoping that he can reinstate his scoring touch now that he has the faith of a manager who encourages free-flowing attacking play.

Last season he scored six goals and set up 12 for a Millwall side which finished ninth, with his then-manager Gary Rowett dubbing him “unplayable” at times.

It is worth reminding that, having signed for nothing, he is now worth €5m (£4.3m). Regardless of whether or not he finds his best form, this was a relatively risk-free deal which already appears to have worked out for West Brom.

However, it seems that Corberan is now starting to get the best from Wallace, who has averaged a 6.95 Sofascore rating throughout the season.

Despite his somewhat underwhelming goal contributions tally, he has still recorded 1.9 key passes and two shots per game.

Should Wallace manage to convert these into actual goals and assists, Corberan might finally be able to see the player who has lit up the Championship throughout his career.

Ki-Jana Hoever has, so far, failed to live up to expectations at Wolverhampton Wanderers but Julen Lopetegui should consider recalling him in January to aid the Old Gold’s relegation battle.

The Dutch defender arrived at Molineux in 2020 having established himself as a top young talent at Liverpool, joining in a deal worth £13.5m when he was just 18.

He had already made four appearances for Jurgen Klopp’s senior side, scoring one goal, so there seemed little to suggest that he wouldn’t be able to live up to his big potential with more regular game time at Molineux.

Ex-manager Bruno Lage was certainly impressed with him after he made his return from injury in an U23s game last season. He said:

“Ki is coming back and did a fantastic recovery. He’s just started working with us this week and he wants to play with the under-23s to have some minutes.

“I hope until the end of the year, if I have the chance to put him in the games, I will put him in the games with no problems because I don’t drop anyone.”

However, he made just 25 appearances in his first two seasons with the Midlands club and was sent on loan to PSV Eindhoven during the summer.

While he has also found game time hard to come by with the Dutch side, his rare appearances in the first team have been impressive, evidenced by his 7.21 average rating from WhoScored across his five outings in the Eredivisie.

He also caught the eye in their 2-1 win over Bodo/Glimt in the Europa League, earning a 7.45 rating from WhoScored, which suggests that he is a more than capable right-back when given the opportunity to start.

Considering he is struggling for regular starts under Ruud van Nistelrooy, and Lopetegui needs all the help he can get at Molineux, the Spaniard should consider recalling the 20-year-old in January as competition for Nelson Semedo at right-back.

The Portuguese defender has been woeful on a number of occasions this season, averaging a shocking 6.31 rating from WhoScored, with the 3-2 defeat against Brighton where his foolish red card cost the Old Gold any real chance of taking anything from the game a clear example of why he isn’t good enough.

Semedo has proven himself to be a defensive “liability” throughout his time at Wolves and with their future in the Premier League on the line, Lopetegui should definitely think about bringing Hoever back to Molineux next month.

Nottingham Forest could look to continue the rebuild of their squad during the January transfer window after a disappointing start in the Premier League, and now a new potential transfer target has emerged.

What’s the latest?

According to the BBC Scotland commentary team (via Nottingham Post), Nottingham Forest scouts were in attendance at Scotland U21s clash with Iceland at Fir Park this week.

As per the report, the Tricky Trees could be interested in making an offer for a loan deal for Liverpool’s young midfielder Ben Doak to boost their options in the centre of the pitch.

He’s a “huge talent”

After their mass recruitment drive in the summer that saw 23 new signings made at The City Ground it would not be surprising if Evangelos Marinakis makes more cautious moves in the upcoming transfer window to ensure the club only sign high-quality talent that can provide the team with genuine improvement.

As a result, a loan deal for Doak could be mutually beneficial for both Forest and Liverpool, who have been giving the rising star more responsibility and opportunities in the senior team at Anfield to prove his worth, something he was more than capable of proving against Derby County in the Carabao Cup earlier this month.

The 17-year-old talent – who was hailed “fearless”  and a “huge talent” by journalist Barry Andersen – took full advantage of his 16-minute chance to impress manager Jurgen Klopp with one key pass, five duels won, 100% of his crosses completed and was successful in 3 out of his 4 dribble attempts.

The former Celtic wonderkid has scored eight goals and registered six assists in 18 appearances, with a goal contribution every 82 minutes over his career so far.

Following his senior debut for Liverpool, Doak earned the praise of his manager upon his performance which also earned him his first professional contract:

“He’s a really lively boy, a smart player, good dribbler, fast, can use both legs,” Klopp claimed.

“It’s good. It was nice to watch, really nice to watch. Coming in and immediately making an impact. A lot of things are obviously natural to him which is really helpful.”

With that being said, the signing of Doak could be a great move for Nottingham Forest in their pursuit to retain their Premier League status and could also be a tempting prospect for Liverpool who will want one of their hottest youth prospect’s to flourish and earn experience.

Tottenham Hotspur have been handed a boost in their bid to bring Rodrigo de Paul to the Premier League in January.

What’s the talk?

That’s according to Spanish radio station Cadena SER (via Daily Express), who claim that, after Atletico Madrid failed to qualify for the knockout stages of the Champions League, Diego Simeone’s side now desperately need to raise funds in the winter transfer window, with the LaLiga side reportedly putting four players – including De Paul – up for sale.

The report goes on to state that the forward-thinking midfielder’s most likely destination could be Tottenham, with the 28-year-old – who was reported to have rejected Fabio Paratici’s advances this summer – now looking set to reassess his options ahead of the January market.

Bentancur 2.0

It is true that De Paul has not been at his free-flowing best since joining Atleti in a €35m (£30.5m) deal last summer – something which has been attributed to the attacking midfielder being played in a more reserved role under Simeone – but considering just how impressive the Argentine was at Udinese, it is easy to see why Paratici would be keen.

Indeed, across his 36 Serie A appearances in 2020/21, the £52m-rated talent was in sensational form for Le Zebrette, scoring nine goals, registering nine assists and creating 20 big chances for his team-mates – the joint-most in the league – along with taking 2.3 shots, making 2.3 key passes and completing 3.4 dribbles per game.

The £111k-per-week playmaker also impressed in metrics more typical of his position, averaging 40.7 passes, 0.5 interceptions, 1.1 tackles and 4.5 long balls and winning 8.1 duels (at a success rate of 60%) per game.

These returns saw the 43-cap international, who Roy Nemer dubbed “unplayable” and a “monster”, average an astonishing SofaScore match rating of 7.53, not only ranking him as Udinese’s best performer in the division but also as the second-best player in the league as a whole, behind only Lorenzo Insigne.

As such, should De Paul be able to rediscover this level of form following a potential move to Tottenham this winter, it is undeniable that signing the 28-year-old would very much appear to be the answer to Antonio Conte’s lack of creativity in the middle of the park.

Should Atletico be willing to part with the Argentine for a cut-price fee – something which has been suggested – the forward-thinking midfielder could even prove to become Paratici’s next Rodrigo Bentancur-esque capture in the transfer market. The Italian’s £15.8m January signing is already worth a whopping £52m after highly impressing at Spurs.

Aston Villa chief executive Christian Purslow hasn’t reconsidered Steven Gerrard’s position at Villa Park.

The Lowdown: NSWE not happy

Gerrard’s future has come into question over recent days following Monday’s 1-1 draw with Nottingham Forest.

Reports have suggested that the club have held talks over the possibility of sacking the 42-year-old, with NSWE ‘unimpressed’ about the team’s failure to improve under the gaffer.

A number of travelling supporters at the City Ground booed Villa at the full-time whistle, and Purslow has now spoken out about Gerrard’s future.

The Latest: Purslow update

My Old Man Said shared a story on Friday morning regarding Gerrard’s situation.

They asked Purslow about the Villa boss, and the chief executive declared he ‘hadn’t reconsidered Gerrard’s position’, a stark contrast to the alleged feelings from the owners.

The Verdict: Matter of time?

Purslow has publicly stated that he hasn’t thought of replacing Gerrard, however, rumours have suggested that potential sack talks have already been held.

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The likes of Unai Emery and Mauricio Pochettino were sounded out as possible replacements last month, so it could be just a matter of time until Gerrard is relieved of his duties.

Another uninspiring display in the final third against Chelsea on Sunday could prove to be the final straw for NSWE, despite Purslow’s recent comments, which could give Villa time to secure a new manager prior to the break for the World Cup next month.

Nottingham Forest manager Steve Cooper has the sympathy of those high up at the club, says Sky Sports reporter Dharmesh Sheth.

The Lowdown: Cooper signs new deal

The Reds suffered a dispiriting 4-0 defeat away to Leicester City earlier in the week, leading to speculation that Cooper could be sacked.

Instead, the club announced he had signed a new deal at almost out of nowhere on Friday, with the Welshman now expected to remain with the Reds until the summer of 2025.

Speaking before the new deal was confirmed, Sheth seemed to somewhat predict the show of faith from Evangelos Marinakis and Co, revealing club chiefs appreciate the difficult job of bedding in so many new signings.

The Latest: Sheth shares what he knows

Chatting to Give Me Sport, the Sky Sports transfer guru explained how Forest’s owners recognise the issues facing the boss, namely the arrival of so many new faces:

“I think there is a degree of sympathy for him. Yes, he was involved in all of those signings but they are now eight games into a new Premier League season, in a league they haven’t been promoted to for 23 years and, once promoted, another set of ambitions kick in, asking ‘Is Steve Cooper, the guy to take us forward?’

“Well, Steve Cooper was the guy to bring them into the Premier League and they’ve now signed over 20 players. In such a short space of time, can he realistically be expected to turn Nottingham Forest into a winning team in the Premier League with so many changes in that playing squad?”

The Verdict: Right decision

Showing faith in Cooper is both refreshing and the right thing to do, considering the 42-year-old has worked such wonders since taking charge last September.

He guided them back into the Premier League after becoming the manager when they were bottom of the Championship, so he should have plenty of credit in the bank rather than be a knee-jerk sacking like so many these days.

Granted, if results or at least performances don’t improve in the coming weeks, starting against Villa, a decision will have to be made, but for now, Cooper should be seen as the man to take the team forward.

Newcastle United are in the race to sign Chelsea attacker Christian Pulisic in January, according to Calciomercato (via James Marshment).

The Lowdown: Pulisic’s game-time at Chelsea

Having arrived at Stamford Bridge in 2019 as a 20-year-old in a £57.6m deal, the future looked promising for the United States international in the Premier League. However, Pulisic has never been able to establish himself as a mainstay in Chelsea’s starting XI.

During the 2020/21 season, the winger made just 18 league starts for the Blues, while in 2021/22 he featured only 13 times in the starting XI. So far this season, the American has started just once in the English top flight, coming off the bench for the last 25 minutes in five other matches.

The Latest: Newcastle interested in Pulisic

According to a recent report from Calciomercato, the Magpies have joined the race to sign Pulisic, who is seemingly surplus to requirements at Chelsea.

Sharing this news via Twitter, Marshment stated: “Leeds reportedly one of four clubs chasing a deal for Christian Pulisic amid claims Chelsea are willing to sell USA winger for £31.5m in January.

“Juventus, Newcastle, and former club Borussia Dortmund are also in the hunt, according to Calciomercato.”

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The Verdict: Could be a brilliant coup

At just 24 years of age, Pulisic has already made 127 appearances for Dortmund and 123 for Chelsea, in addition to winning 50 USA caps and lifting the Champions League, a hugely impressive achievement at this stage of his career.

Therefore, it is surprising to see that he is surplus to requirements at Stamford Bridge, given his massive potential and talents.

As per FBRef, compared with positional peers across Europe over the past year, the winger ranks in the 89th percentile for progressive passes received and the 82nd percentile for non-penalty goals, indicating a willingness to make things happen in the final third.

Hailed as ‘fantastic’ by former USA coach Jurgen Klinsmann, it’s fair to say that Pulisic’s arrival at St James’ Park would be a brilliant coup for Newcastle, if they can pull it off.

Aston Villa have had a mixed start in the Premier League this season, losing their opening match to Bournemouth before beating Everton 2-1.

The club have recruited heavily over the summer, which naturally means bigger expectations, and Steven Gerrard will be aiming for a top-half finish this season.

The win at home to Everton will hopefully be the catalyst for the Villans to kick on, and as they face 16th-placed Crystal Palace this afternoon, they will feel there is a good chance of back-to-back wins.

Brazilian playmaker Philippe Coutinho limped off against the Toffees after another quiet performance and he was replaced by Emiliano Buendia, who scored what turned out to be the winner, and Gerrard should consider starting the Argentine against Palace today.

Buendia’s performance will surely give the manager some food for thought ahead of the clash at Selhurst Park.

During Coutinho’s time on the pitch last week, he earned a SofaScore rating of 6.4 as he was booked, won only one duel and didn’t even attempt a dribble in a subdued performance.

The Argentine’s introduction was the spark that Villa needed in order to kill off the game and he duly delivered. His 7.8 SofaScore rating was the second best on the pitch at 7.8, despite only playing the final third of the match.

He scored once, made three key passes and had an 84% pass success rate, proving his worth to the team as they gained a vital three points.

This performance should go a long way to convincing Gerrard that the 25-year-old should be in from the start against Palace, and Gregg Evans would seem to agree, tweeting: “Emi Buendia is a little bit more exciting than Philippe Coutinho right now. He seems to want it more + he’s producing more when he’s on the pitch. Deserves a start for#AVFCat#CPFC”

Gerrard described Buendia as a player who has “amazing talent” and it makes sense for the Argentine, who joined Villa last summer in a deal reaching £38m, to be given the opportunity to weave his magic against the Eagles from the first whistle today rather than having to be a game-changer off the bench again.

CBS journalist Ben Jacobs has shared a potentially significant Tottenham Hotspur transfer update on the club’s chances of signing Roma star Nicolo Zaniolo.

The Lowdown: Spurs chase new playmaker?

The north Londoners, set to take on Southampton today at 3pm, go into their Premier League opener after strengthening in numerous key areas with six major signings confirmed.

Ivan Perisic, Fraser Forster, Yves Bissouma, Richarlison, Clement Lenglet (loan) and Djed Spence have all put pen to paper on moves to Spurs ahead of manager Antonio Conte’s first full season in charge.

Supporters also have Champions League football to look forward to at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium with reports suggesting their business is far from done as they could sign a creative midfield player.

The Latest: Jacobs shares significant Zaniolo update…

Now, CBS reporter Jacobs has shared a significant update on the club’s well-reported pursuit of Zaniolo this summer.

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The Italy international is apparently ‘open’ to joining Conte, and what’s more, further talks are ‘expected’ next week as the Lilywhites negotiate to try and bring Roma’s sky-high asking price down.

The Verdict: Push the boat out?

As per WhoScored, it’s clear the 23-year-old can turn it on when at his very best – having drawn more fouls per 90 than any Roma player whilst also completing more successful take-ons in that time.

Ex-Liverpool and Juventus midfielder Momo Sissoko is a huge fan, branding Zaniolo a ‘prominent’ and ‘excellent’ player, whilst former Spurs keeper Paul Robinson also believes he would be an ‘exciting’ signing by sporting director Fabio Paratici.

As the last few weeks of the window approach, it will certainly be interesting to see if Zaniolo opts into an N17 move and where Paratici can indeed find an agreement for a reasonable cost.

Marseille president Pablo Longoria has met with William Saliba’s agent over a potential move for the Arsenal defender, according to journalist Fabrizio Romano.

The Lowdown: Saliba back impressing at Arsenal

The 21-year-old enjoyed a good season on the loan at Marseille in 2021/22, starting 36 Ligue 1 games and enjoying a superb 93% pass completion rate, showing exactly why the Gunners fans are keen to see him at the Emirates.

Saliba returned to Arsenal for pre-season, however, and he has looked extremely cool throughout the summer, suggesting he could have a key role to play in 2022/23.

A fresh update is a worrying one in that respect, though, revealing yet more pestering from his former home.

The Latest: Agent in London again

Taking to Twitter, Romano claimed that Longoria and Saliba’s agent convened in London over a possible move for the Frenchman:

“Excl: Olympique Marseille president Pablo Longoria was in London tonight to meet up with William Saliba’s agent for dinner.”

This isn’t the first time the player’s representative has made the headlines over a trip to London, visiting the club’s training ground for talks earlier this summer.

Romano does state that Arsenal consider the centre-back an ‘important part’ of their team however, potentially pouring cold water on the chances of a move happening.

The Verdict: Keep hold of him

Losing Saliba this summer, whether it be on loan or even worse permanently, would be a blow for Arsenal, considering the level of his performances in pre-season – Arteta lauded him after the friendly win over Chelsea, saying he has ‘huge potential’.

While Gabriel and Ben White are arguably still the Gunners’ first-choice centre-back pairing going into the new season, there is no reason why Saliba can’t push hard for a regular starting berth by the end of the campain, given his obvious ability.

The hope is that the player himself sees his future at Arsenal rather than Marseille, as he looks to kick on to the next stage of his career and shine for a big Premier League club.