All posts by n8rngtd.top

Callum McFadzean badly let down Lee Johnson as Sunderland had to share the spoils on Easter Monday.

The Black Cats rescued a late point against Peterborough United to stay within touching distance of the automatic promotion spots, thanks to a stunning late free-kick from Aiden McGeady.

Johnson’s men dominated the opening 45 minutes, recording 62% possession and four attempts at goal, but failed to find a way past Posh.

Just before the hour mark, the home side made a double change which included the introduction of Siriki Dembele, and that move paid off within ten minutes as Nathan Thompson beat McFadzean to find the wide-open substitute inside the area.

Had it not been for McGeady’s stroke of genius, then a play-off position would’ve been looking like a mere formality but at least this draw keeps the Wearsiders in the automatic promotion race heading into the final eight games of the season.

Indeed, McFadzean ranked amongst Sunderland’s worst performers on the day, being graded by SofaScore at 6.5 – no-one managed worse in the red and white stripes.

Sunderland Echo reporter Phil Smith was a little more scathing in his post-game column, ranking the 27-year-old wing-back as the Black Cats’ standout struggler with a 4/10 for his trouble.

He wrote: ‘Struggled defensively early on and was lucky that lapses in the first half didn’t cost his side a goal. Peterborough targeted the left flank through the second half and got their opening goal down that side.’

The former Sheffield United graduate had a torrid time up against Posh’s tricky wide options, resulting in him being dribbled past twice, as well as losing 50% of his battles – both on the ground and aerially.

McFadzean was also pretty wasteful with the ball, suggesting that he simply couldn’t cope with the pressure from the opposition as from his 51 touches, the Sunderland defender lost possession 13 times, and could only make 75% of his 32 passing attempts, via SofaScore.

It’s no wonder that he was hauled off within five minutes of the goal going in – a frustrated Johnson had clearly seen enough.

In terms of attacking output, he also struggled, failing to register a single shot or successful dribble, whilst he only found a team-mate with 50% of his crosses, leaving Charlie Wyke with scraps to feed off.

As a wing-back, he should be contributing at both ends of the pitch, so evidently McFadzean has badly let Johnson and the side down here.

The Peterborough goal came from his flank, where he should’ve defended better. Johnson may want to think twice before trusting the 27-year-old again.

AND in other news, SAFC graduate has seen his value rise by £9m since leaving, he’s a “rock-solid” gem…

Leeds could well sign a Mark Viduka-like player in Barnsley striker Daryl Dike.

According to TEAMtalk, Marcelo Bielsa’s side are among a number of Premier League clubs interested in signing the 20-year-old this summer, with the likes of Manchester United and Chelsea also said to have been impressed.

The 6 foot 2 powerhouse has been tearing up the Championship since joining from MLS side Orlando City on a loan deal back in the January transfer window, smashing in five goals in just 11 league games – his goal-scoring form has fired Barnsley into the play-off spots, just five points off third-place Swansea.

In a player profile piece done by SBNation, it noted: “A physical striker, Dike is more than a bruising finisher. His ‘delicate touch’ and high level of technical ability belie his size, enabling a confidence in possession with both passing and dribbling. That said, he scores a lot of goals in a variety of ways. Headed finishes, short-range placement, and long-range bombs, the 6’2” attacker can do it all.”

That combination of power and skill is very much reminiscent of Viduka in his prime.

Indeed, in a piece for Leeds Live, Jon Howe wrote about the Australian forward: “He was an ominous physical specimen, an old-fashioned centre forward in many respects, but mixed a formidable presence with a delicate technique that made him the purest example of a ‘good touch for a big fella’ player you are ever likely to see.”

Dike’s former coach at Virginia, George Gelnovatch, meanwhile was quick to insist that his game was far more than just what he could do with the ball, saying: “But one of the things about him that nobody ever talks about is relentlessness. He is a relentless competitor, a ruthless guy on the field. You put that inside a body like his, and it’s pretty impressive.”

That mentality and competitive spirit will surely go down a treat with Bielsa, with the Argentine known for trying to squeeze every last ounce of blood, sweat and tears from his players, game-in and game-out.

[snack-amp-story url=”https://www.footballfancast.com/web-stories/latest-leeds-transfer-rumours-and-news” title=”Latest Leeds transfer rumours and news”]

Dike would fit in perfectly at Elland Road, and given his similarities to Viduka, he is surely someone Victor Orta should be all over when the summer transfer window opens.

Meanwhile, Leeds must keep this man at all costs this summer…

Crystal Palace are reportedly interested in making Sheffield Wednesday defender Osaze Urhoghide one of their summer additions.

According to The Sheffield Star, the Eagles admire the 20-year-old alongside the likes of Leeds United and Watford – and Urhoghide would be a perfect summer signing for Steve Parish in the summer.

Despite having only broken through at Hillsborough midway through the current campaign, the youngster is earning plenty of plaudits for his performances.

The defender has made 12 appearances so far throughout the season, ten of those being starts. In that time, Sheffield Wednesday have only claimed two clean sheets and lost seven matches in all, but Urhoghide has nonetheless been labelled “immense” by Owls manager Darren Moore.

He will certainly be aiming to continue that excellent form for the remainder of the campaign and into 2021/22 for whoever are his next employers.

Capable of playing in a number of positions including centre-back, right-back and left-back, he would seem to be the perfect addition for Palace.

The Eagles currently have a handful of defenders set to leave the club come the end of the campaign. Centre-backs Gary Cahill, Scott Dann and Mamadou Sakho are all out of contract, whilst right-backs Martin Kelly, Nathaniel Clyne and Joel Ward are also seeing their deals ticking down.

Elsewhere, left-backs Jeffrey Schlupp, Patrick van Aanholt and Tyrick Mitchell could also all potentially leave come the end of the season.

This means that they will certainly need recruits for all three of the positions, with Urhoghide’s versatility potentially coming in hugely useful.

Meanwhile, his age could present another convincing argument in his arrival at Selhurst Park. At the current time, Palace have on average the oldest squad in the Premier League, so younger arrivals would be welcome as the Eagles set their sights on 2021/22.

Available on a free transfer once his own contract runs out in three months’ time, there really is not a negative to Palace potentially signing Urhoghide.

AND in more news, take a look at another young defender would also be a brilliant signing for the Eagles…

Ben Jacobs has shed some light on the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia (KSA)’s Public Investment Fund (PIF) and their potential takeover of Newcastle United.

As part of a Twitter thread, the sports journalist has calmed fears that the group are switching attentions from Tyneside to Milan, claiming they are only eyeing a minority stake with the Nerazzurri.

“Remains my understanding that PIF are discussing a minority stake in Inter. They are thus offering Suning a way to offset debt & gain added exposure in MENA. This is a different type of offer to BC or Fortress. Becoming majority owner would be a move of vanity not value for PIF.”

As Jacobs points out, PIF, who are not currently in talks to revive the original deal between Mike Ashley and the KSA consortium, are linked with Inter Milan about investing a minority stake in the Serie A club, who are owned by the Suning Holdings Group.

They are making a different offer to the ones previously made by BC Partners and Fortress, offering a range of benefits including gaining added exposure in the Middle East and North Africa (MENA).

Jacobs has claimed that it is “doubtful” that PIF will consider majority ownership for Inter just yet, as the St. James’ Park faithful’s club case is still ongoing, which may create a path back for them if all goes well. However, the journalist did add it could get ‘intriguing’ if the Newcastle saga drags on much longer and Suning decide to sell up.

What next for the potential Newcastle takeover?

The arbitration case between the North East club and the Premier League is still pending and should give a clearer view over the direction of where the potential takeover is heading.

If the Magpies were to win this case, it may present a clearer path for PIF to come back to the table, and so any deal with Inter is far from done it seems until this is cleared up first of all.

In other news, find out what details have been shared on a key Premier League decision on the potential takeover here!

Reports by Sabah earlier this week claimed that Super Lig giants Fenerbahce are exploring a move to sign Joshua King at the end of the season, and Carlo Ancelotti should allow the striker to leave Everton so long as Moise Kean returns from his Paris Saint-Germain loan spell.

King is set to become a free agent this summer having only joined the Toffees on a short-term deal upon his £2m arrival on Deadline Day last month, although the transfer included a clause that allows the Blues to extend the Norway international’s contract longer-term.

Ancelotti reportedly intends to activate the agreement as the Italian and his staff have been impressed by what the £10m-rated forward has delivered in training, while King has expressed that his intentions are to remain at Goodison Park beyond the current campaign.

But Fenerbahce are now thought to be monitoring developments as the Sukru Saracoglu Stadium natives work on strengthening Erol Bulut’s squad, and they have already spoken with King’s representatives over a move to Istanbul.

It was not suggested how King responded to the Yellow Canaries’ approach, but the report included a photo that the forward uploaded to social media last summer of his son wearing a Fenerbache jersey – suggesting there is a connection to be built on.

King had been linked with a move to join Fenerbahce from AFC Bournemouth during the previous off-season, too, which is noted to have excited the club’s fanbase.

The 29-year-old is also represented by the ROGON agency, who sealed Attila Szalai’s move to the Sukru Saracoglu Stadium in January.

ROGON may now look to orchestrate a move for their client to leave Everton for the Super Lig, having seen King only play 117 minutes of Premier League football under Ancelotti over eight appearances from a possible nine, of which each has come from the bench.

King registered his longest appearance in royal blue to date at 34 minutes during last month’s 2-0 defeat to relegation-threatened Fulham but he is yet to score or assist a single goal.

Ancelotti can overlook Everton’s option to extend King’s contract beyond the expiration of his current £45,000-per-week deal and allow the forward to join Fenerbahce in the summer, despite the speculation of an extension being in the works, so long as Kean returns.

Transfer expert Fabrizio Romano stated on the Here We Go podcast last month that Ancelotti is a “big fan” of Kean and is planning on unleashing the forward at Goodison Park next term, unless Everton receive offers worth around €60-70m (£51.5-60m).

But Paris Saint-Germain are keen to retain the Italian beyond his loan spell, with reports by il Bianco Nero at the start of the month claiming that the Ligue 1 giants will strive to reach a deal ‘at all costs’.

Ancelotti would be better set by holding firm in his apparent desires to bring Kean back than his aspirations of handing King a new contract, as the former has struck 15 goals and provided one assist in all competitions for PSG this season while the latter has failed to impress.

King has earned the lowest average WhoScored match rating by a current Everton player in the Premier League this season at 6.06 out of 10, and is yet to offer a single shot or key pass in any of his appearances to date.

Meanwhile, Kean has earned an average 7.02 out of 10 rating in Ligue 1 fixtures, while providing first Thomas Tuchel and now Mauricio Pochettino 2.1 shots and 0.3 key passes a game.

If the decision is between Kean and King, Ancelotti’s choice is simple. If he wants to have a top competitor for Dominic Calvert-Lewin on Merseyside next season, it has to be Kean.

AND in other news, Carlo Ancelotti is eager for Everton to sign a £32.5m-rated titan who top clubs would sign “without thinking twice”…

In an exclusive interview with Football FanCast, former Leeds United player Carlton Palmer revealed his surprise over Marcelo Bielsa’s contract situation at Elland Road.

Bielsa, who guided the Yorkshire club back to the Premier League after a 16-year absence, is out of contract in the summer and does not yet appear to be any closer to putting pen to paper on a new deal.

Currently on 35 points, Leeds look set to retain their status as an outfit in English football’s top flight, a further display of just how well the Argentinian has done since succeeding Paul Heckingbottom back in 2018.

Given that success, Bielsa’s contract dilemma has left Palmer scratching his head. Speaking on the matter exclusively with FFC, the ex-Leeds midfielder said:

“I’m a little bit surprised given he’s got them promotion – and, you know, they’re 11th in the Premier League – that he hasn’t been tied down to a longer contract. I’m a little bit surprised.

“But maybe on both parts, you know, I would think that Bielsa would be looking and saying this – if he’s going to kick on, he’s going to need funds available to do that. And maybe they’ve said to him, listen, or both parties have said, listen, let’s wait and see where we are at the end of the season.”

Bielsa appears settled at Leeds, with his time at Elland Road being his longest reign at a club. Considering that, and how well he has done in the dugout overall, a contract extension looks to be in everyone’s interest.

And under the former Lille boss, there is no reason why Leeds cannot continue to grow. The Whites have really impressed in the Premier League this season with him at the helm, boasting a very good record in front of goal.

Many Everton fans have been reacting to the news that Dominic Calvert-Lewin has been learning Spanish (as per The Athletic).

Calvert-Lewin has been in impressive form for the Toffees so far this campaign, scoring 13 goals in the Premier League (Transfermarkt). The Goodison Park outfit are currently in the race for a top four spot, and the likes of Spanish-speaking Yerry Mina and James Rodriguez have contributed to their good performances.

The £40.5m-valued England international (Transfermarkt) is clearly eager to work as well as possible with the duo, reportedly taking Spanish lessons to be able to communicate better. Of course, the 23-year-old was linked with a move to Real Madrid last year (todofichajes.com, via Calciomercato), so who knows whether that has had an impact on his new project.

The news attracted plenty of attention from these Everton supporters, who took to social media platform Twitter to share their thoughts.

Let’s see what the fans had to say about the Calvert-Lewin news below

“Dom’s always worked hard on the pitch but his work off the pitch has definitely upped”

Credit: @EFC_Cal

“I’m all for this. Even at a young age he knows there’s things he can do to improve not only his game but can also help improve his teammates.. love all that”

Credit: @tomosefc

“I’ve noticed his bond with Yerry Mina is strong.”

Credit: @mannie_efc

“Or it was the rumours of Barcelona being interested thankfully Koeman has made that move very unappealing.”

Credit: @Toffee_Alan

“He’s clearly off to Sporting Hee-hon.”

Credit: @santo_dominguez

“Working for that Madrid move :(“

Credit: @DNA_EFC

In other news, some Everton fans slammed this man against Southampton.

Aston Villa will be looking to bounce back from their draw with Brighton & Hove Albion when they play host to Leicester City in the Premier League at Villa Park on Sunday afternoon.

The Villans will head into the match against Leicester on the back of a 0-0 draw with Brighton away from home in the top flight.

Dean Smith’s side will be determined to make amends when they try to secure all three points from the encounter and maintain their push for a place in the top four.

With that in mind, here is Football FanCast’s prediction for Smith’s starting XI to face Brendan Rodgers’ side.

Ahmed Elmohamady will most likely replace Matty Cash at right-back as one of three changes that could be made this afternoon.

Smith’s No.1 Emi Martinez is fast becoming one of the first names on the team sheet and will keep his place in the starting XI, as he has done for all league games so far this season.

Apart from Elmohamady coming in for the injured Cash, the rest of the back four will be left unchanged. Alongside Matt Target, the in-form Tyrone Mings and Ezri Konsa are undroppable if fit, and they should provide stability at the back to combat Leicester’s lively attacking players.

It’s hard to imagine too many changes to the midfield, either, with Douglas Luiz and John McGinn also both likely to keep their places, although Morgan Sanson could return in place of Ross Barkley to earn his first start of the season.

Going forward, Ollie Watkins keeps on improving, with two goals in his last four starts.

Last year’s Villa Player of the Season Jack Grealish is a mainstay, while the £75k-per-week Trezeguet, valued at €15m (£13m), deserves the chance to stake his claim for a starting spot after impressing in a brief cameo against Brighton, which means Bertrand Traore may be forced to settle for a place on the bench.

AND in other news, Tyrone Mings was superb for Aston Villa vs Brighton…

Glasgow Rangers have been linked with all and sundry since Steven Gerrard’s side stormed to the summit of the Scottish Premiership.

Rangers have just ten days to bring in any new signings, although Gerrard has hinted that there will be more outs than ins at Ibrox in the January transfer window.

But that hasn’t stopped the rumour mill from churning out new transfer stories, with Preston North End duo Ben Davies and Daniel Johnson among the names tipped to make the switch to the 54-time Scottish champions.

It appears Gerrard was targeting a new name for Rangers’ defence, as Filip Helander, 27, and Leon Balogun, 32, have been sidelined by knocks and Nikola Katic remains a long-term absentee.

However, despite several outlets suggesting otherwise, a recent report from the Press Association has subsequently revealed that a club insider has made it clear that Rangers have ‘no interest’ in Preston’s Davies, dealing a blow to Gerrard’s chances of finding suitable defensive cover.

If Ross Wilson and co. are serious about stopping Celtic from winning ten in a row and competing in the Europa League, then Davies is the man who could seriously help the club.

This season, the 25-year-old defender is averaging 1.2 tackles and 1.4 interceptions in 17 appearances across all competitions, with his 6.83 WhoScored rating ranking him sixth out of Alex Neil’s side – his centre-back partner Patrick Bauer is one of only five players to have a higher rating.

Rangers signed Balogun after he left Wigan Athletic as a free agent at the end of last season – since his arrival last year, Gerrard has opted to go with him as part of his preferred defensive partnership with Connor Goldson, acting as a shield wall for veteran goalkeeper Allan McGregor.

Whilst the Nigeria international has shown he can mix it with the best in Scottish football, the same can’t be said for George Edmundson, who has fallen down the pecking order under Gerrard this season.

Although there’s a case to be made that Edmundson still has room to improve at the age of 23, he has largely struggled to impress for the Gers on the very few occasions he has made an appearance after he endured an afternoon to forget against Motherwell at the start of this season, finishing the game with a low 5.8 SofaScore rating – the worst out of any player from either side.

It’s perhaps hardly surprising when you consider the fact that he only won one out of four duels (25%), was dribbled past once and scored an unfortunate own goal, despite playing just 14 minutes of football.

When you consider the fact he was banned for seven games after breaching lockdown regulations, it’s frankly a minor miracle that he is still at the club after his reckless behaviour both on and off the pitch.

On the other hand, Davies has demonstrated a level of confidence and maturity far beyond his years, with WhoScored pointing out that he ‘does not dive into tackles,’ emphasising the fact that he has an experienced head on his young shoulders. It’s a move that Rangers must surely consider before it’s too late.

AND in other news, Rangers should unleash Cedric Itten against Ross County…

Everton midfielder Anthony Gordon must step up for Carlo Ancelotti as Bernard reportedly nears a move to UAE outfit Al Nasr.

What’s the word?

According to the Liverpool Echo, Toffees chiefs are in official negotiations with Al Nasr over a deal for Bernard.

The Brazilian has entered into the final 18-months of his £120,000-per-week contract and has fallen out of favour under Carlo Ancelotti, with the Italian only starting him twice in the Premier League this season.

Everton are hoping to see a deal for Bernard finalised before Monday night’s deadline in order to clear his lucrative terms from the club’s wage bill, and may even allow the 28-year-old to secure a free transfer just two-and-a-half years on from joining the Blues.

Bernard was omitted from Ancelotti’s matchday squad as Everton lost 2-0 at home to Newcastle United on Saturday after being an unused substitute in the prior 1-1 draw with Leicester City, the 12th time this season that he had failed to enter a top-flight fixture from the bench.

Previous reports had suggested that Al Nasr had agreed to sign Bernard on loan with a €5m (£4.5m) obligation to turn the deal permanent at the end of the season, despite claims of Everton wanting £9m amid interest from AS Roma.

Everton parting with Bernard before Monday night’s 23:00 shut off is likely to have implications on Gordon’s future at Goodison Park, with the winger unlikely to be allowed to leave on loan following interest from Championship and Bundesliga clubs.

Time for Gordon to step up

Everton retaining Gordon, if Bernard’s deal to join Al Nasr goes through, will leave Ancelotti needing the youth product to step up, after a handful of underwhelming outings from the youngster in recent weeks and months.

David Unsworth has previously backed Gordon to find a home for himself on the wing, for he boasts “unbelievable pace” and a growing eye for the final pass, but the forward let Everton and Ancelotti down when fielded in the FA Cup against Rotherham United earlier this month.

Gordon was criticised for his poor body language during the third-round tie having shrieked into the shadows after a promising start, going from turning defenders inside out and carving the backline apart to rarely completing a pass and offering no end product.

That performance also came in only the 19-year-old’s third start of the season across all senior competitions, while playing a mere 87 minutes of Premier League action thanks partly to being hauled off just 10 minutes into the second-half at Sheffield United.

Gordon failed to create many one-vs-one opportunities at Bramall Lane and Ancelotti will need to see the England U20 do more if he is to offer the threat from the left that £13.5m-rated flop Bernard could not offer Everton.

It was also those performances that have helped to see Lucas Digne emerge ahead of Gordon, as well as Bernard, in Ancelotti’s pecking order for wide-left options, after the French full-back opened the Wolverhampton Wanderers and Leicester games in midfield.

If Gordon is to stay at Goodison Park and not leave on loan in line with Bernard’s exit, it has to be time for the Liverpool-born prospect to step up and make the position his.

AND in other news, a £70k-p/w gem let Carlo Ancelotti down as Everton lost to Newcastle…