All posts by rastrear-estafeta.com

Recent reports have claimed that Ruben Dias is set to sign a new deal at Manchester City, which would undoubtedly be a huge boost for Pep Guardiola.

What’s the word?

According to the Daily Star, Dias will be rewarded with a new contract worth £140k-per-week after his exceptional debut season at the Etihad Stadium, a significant increase on the £80k-p/w they claim he currently earns with the Citizens.

Despite the 24-year-old signing a six-year contract when he arrived from Benfica in a deal worth £65m last year, it seems clear that City are desperate to tighten their hold on the centre-back, who won the Premier League Player of the Season award for his performances in the 2020/21 campaign.

A huge boost for Guardiola?

Although it would’ve been nearly impossible for any club in world football to prise Dias away from Manchester City this summer or anytime soon, it will be good news for the Citizens if they can tie him down to a new improved contract, which will hopefully be another step towards keeping him at the Etihad for the majority of his career.

Last season saw the Portugal international make 32 appearances in the Premier League for City, contributing one goal and averaging a solid 6.91 rating from WhoScored for his performances.

His partnership with John Stones at centre-back was key to City’s success in the Premier League, whilst he produced some exceptional displays in the Champions League to help them reach the final against Chelsea.

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After a memorable display in the semi-final second leg against PSG, where he seemed determined to block every single shot from Mauricio Pochettino’s side, talkSPORT host Andy Goldstein sang his praises, saying: “Ruben Dias, my goodness what a defender he is. Is he the best defender in the Premier League?

“I think he is. I think he’s better than Virgil van Dijk. I think he’s fantastic. This Ruben Dias is a rock. He will die for the badge.”

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Therefore, it can only be good news for Guardiola if Dias commits to a new improved deal with Manchester City. If his performances in his debut season are anything to go by, the Portugal centre-back could be a key player at the Etihad for the next decade.

In other news… Guardiola dealt cruel Man City blow over “very special” gem, fans will be gutted

Everton have been on the case of a new manager for three weeks now as they desperately try to replace Carlo Ancelotti.

Unfortunately for supporters, it looks as though they’re heading towards a name they don’t want.

What’s the word?

Everton have now been close to appointing two coaches with Nuno Santo initially in advanced discussions with the Toffees.

However, after proceedings began to stall with the Portuguese, they’ve focused their efforts on Rafa Benitez.

A number of managers have been linked with the vacancy at Goodison Park but one man who looks as though they’re now out of the running is Christophe Galtier.

There’s been a fresh twist in the Everton manager hunt as, according to RMC Sport (via Sport Witness), the 54-year-old is set to reject Everton’s advances and head to Nice instead.

The Merseyside outfit had made him one of their priorities but the report states that Galtier perhaps expected better.

Fans should be gutted

It’s got to a stage at the moment where Everton supporters would seemingly accept any manager besides Benitez.

The Goodison Park faithful have been on the backs of the hierarchy over the last few days in a desperate protest against the Spaniard.

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The 61-year-old famously dubbed Everton a ‘small club,’ something he has since apologised for but it doesn’t look as though fans have forgiven him for that jibe.

As a consequence, they should be gutted that Galtier is set to reject them this summer.

After all, he would have been a fabulous appointment for a number of reasons. Not only did he steer Lille out of the shadows to beat PSG to the Ligue 1 title last term, but his style of football would have been perfect.

Speaking to Sky Sports earlier this month, former Lille director Luis Campos said: “Christophe has all the qualities to coach in England, technically he is very astute and is extremely detailed in his planning when preparing a team.”

Campos added: “He likes a 4-4-2 system, which would fit with the Premier League and he is a fantastic motivator in the dressing room.

“He likes to build a side with quality and youth, he is someone that can develop a team ethic, and he is also a fantastic human being.”

The job he did with Les Dogues was incredible. When he first took over, they finished 17th in the French top-flight but they have now finished in the top four three years in a row.

That has long been the ambition at Everton but they’ve missed out on that elusive Champions League spot for decades now.

Galtier, had he accepted the Toffees’ advances, may have been able to finally guide them to that position in the league table.

Instead, supporters will be left to vent even frustration in the direction of Benitez. This is not a good situation for Everton fans.

AND in other news, Bye-bye DCL: Everton must swoop for “spectacular” £24m gem with “blistering pace”…

Noel Whelan isn’t convinced Tyler Roberts will remain a Leeds United player moving forward, as his Whites career hangs in the balance.

The Lowdown: Not a key man for Leeds

Leeds were superb back in the Premier League last season, with individuals such as Kalvin Phillips, Stuart Dallas, Raphinha and Patrick Bamford standing out, among others.

One player who was more of a peripheral figure was Roberts, with the Welshman only starting 14 out of 38 league games for Marcelo Bielsa’s side.

He has been linked with a move to Newcastle United this summer, but a new contract has also reportedly been offered to him at Leeds.

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The Latest: Whelan discusses Roberts’ future

Speaking to Football Insider, Whelan expressed doubts over Roberts’ worth moving forward, saying he finds it hard to see him becoming a regular:

“Yeah, that’s the thing with these international tournaments.

“They put people on the map and you can either make it or break it. With Leeds this season, he’s been given a long spell of games to convince Bielsa he’s worth keeping.

“In my opinion, I’m still undecided. I don’t think he affected the game during his time on the field.  As a number ten, you have to do more than he did. This is a massive tournament for him.

“The only thing tempting me to keep him at Leeds is the fact that he’s young. He may still have a bit of growth to come.

“If there’s interest from Newcastle and the contract isn’t signed, he might feel he needs a new start in his career. It’s massive to leave a club like Leeds.

“But once he comes back to Leeds I doubt he’ll start considering how Rodrigo finished the season.”

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The Verdict: Time for a change?

At 22, Roberts still has time to mature as a player, but it does feel as though a fresh challenge could end up suiting all parties.

The Wales international, who Tony Pulis once described as ‘very talented’, could start for a lesser Premier League team, but that looks increasingly difficult at Leeds.

Bielsa will likely be looking to bring in even more attacking quality this summer, which could send Roberts further down the pecking order.

In other news, one pundit believes Leeds could make one bargain signing this summer. Find out who it is here.

Crystal Palace must swoop for Sassuolo winger Jeremie Boga over the upcoming transfer window as Steve Parish looks to overhaul his first-team squad.

What’s the story?

According to the Evening Standard, Palace have a long-standing interest in the 24-year-old, although it’s not known whether they’ll return for the former Chelsea man this summer.

Boga has established a sizeable reputation for himself since arriving in Serie A, attracting the attention of several clubs across the continent.

Palace need him

The Ivorian has been linked with moves to the likes of Marseille, Napoli and fellow Premier League outfit Leicester City in recent weeks, but it’s the Eagles who need him most.

After four stable years under Roy Hodgson, the south London outfit are entering a transitional period following the 73-year-old’s departure, and a major rebuild is going to be required.

Christian Benteke has put pen to paper on a new two-year deal, easing the burden placed upon Parish for significant investment this summer. However, many other key figures are set to depart Selhurst Park at the end of the month.

It means new faces will be needed if the capital club are going to stand any chance of maintaining their top-flight status next season, and the arrival of Boga would help Palace do just that.

The tricky forward bagged four goals and provided two assists in 27 Serie A appearances throughout 2020/21, but his overall game was more impressive than the numbers suggest.

Boga completed 3.2 dribbles per game in the recently concluded campaign, far more than any of his Sassuolo teammates achieved and also successfully dribbled past 91 opponents, the third-highest number in the Italian top division.

With Palace set to be without their most prolific dribbler Eberechi Eze until the new year through injury, and with their fourth-most fruitful dribbler, Andros Townsend, nearing the exit door, the arrival of Boga would certainly ease the blow of their absence.

Signing the £18 million rated wing wizard would ease the Eagles’ transition into life after Hodgson, and Parish must swoop for the ace before one of his rivals beat him to the punch.

And, in other news…Get it done: Parish must sanction Crystal Palace swoop for “outstanding” £10m beast 

After starring for Leeds United in their first season back in the Premier League with a 7.01 WhoScored rating, Kalvin Phillips has carried that form into the Euros with England which has led to increased speculation over his future.

But former midfielder David Norris admits that bringing in Fulham midfielder Harrison Reed to replace him would not be a good piece of business.

Phillips was the man of the match against Croatia and that saw reports linking him with not just a move away from Leeds, but also from England as Juventus are reportedly interested in bringing him to Turin.

Leeds are reportedly plotting a move for Reed who did impress during Fulham’s relegation season and he is certainly a busy and energetic player as he racked up the second-most pressures for the Cottagers last season, so his energy would certainly be welcomed by Marcelo Bielsa.

Phillips is such an influential player for Leeds and they rely heavily on his ability to disrupt play and spring attacks quickly so to replace him with a player such as Reed would be underwhelming, that’s according to Norris, who spoke exclusively to Football FanCast:

“He’s a good player and I like him a lot so it’ll be interesting to see how he develops over this next 12 months because he could potentially be a good signing.

“I think if Leeds lose Kalvin Phillips at this stage though, then I think it would be underwhelming as a signing.”

Leeds were a much worse side when Phillips was out of the side when he picked up a few niggling injuries winning just two of the nine games he missed so Bielsa will want to bring in a suitable backup who can slot in whenever called upon.

If Bielsa’s side are to be challenging at the right end of the pitch then they must have at least two quality players in each position to ensure that there is the option to rotate and make fresh changes when required during the season.

Leeds have secured themselves a top-half finish in their first season back in the Premier League and David Norris, who joined on a free transfer back in 2012, has exclusively told The Transfer Tavern that he wants to see his former club make a big statement signing this summer.

Marcelo Bielsa’s side have been credited with a long-standing interest in Argentina midfielder, Rodrigo De Paul, with whom they even reportedly agreed personal terms with last summer.

Leeds made some smart signings that have helped the team become a force in the Premier League this season, with the likes of Raphinha, Diego Llorente and Rodrigo all have proven their worth.

Bielsa will be wanting to keep his group of players together heading into next season and adding a big name could be what they need to push for top four, that is according to Norris, who spoke exclusively to The Transfer Tavern:

“I think something like that would take them to the next level because the standards they have set this season and the attacking football they’ve played has been amazing.

“So, I think if they bring in a big summer signing then I think that lets everyone know that they’re ready to gatecrash the top four or five spots, and they will give it a go.”

Leeds had been linked with a move for Julian Draxler at PSG this summer as his contract was set to expire, however he recently penned a new three year deal with the Parisians.

The Elland Road faithful will be hoping they can keep their top players over the summer as stars such as Raphinha, Patrick Bamford and Kalvin Phillips have all been linked with moves away.

Celtic’s pursuit of Eddie Howe is still ongoing, but the Englishman isn’t having a say in the club’s search for a director of football (DoF).

That’s according to reliable reporter Alan Nixon, who answered questions from a Hoops fan on social media on Saturday evening regarding any off-field developments.

Howe verbally agreed on a move to Parkhead at the beginning of April before having second thoughts on becoming Neil Lennon’s long-term successor.

Reports had suggested that he wanted Bournemouth director Richard Hughes to come with him to Celtic Park but the Hoops were looking at Manchester City’s Fergal Harkin for the newly-created DoF role.

Nixon, who writes for The Sun, admitted Howe wouldn’t have a say on the new DoF. Asked on Saturday evening if Celtic were still going down the DoF route, Nixon said: “That’s been the plan”.

He was then quizzed on whether Howe would have a say, to which he revealed it is ‘up to the club’ – a possible telling four-word admission. The journalist outlined: “A manager is an employee… if the club want a director of football who is there for the long term that is up to the club to choose and decide.”

Transfer Tavern take

If Nixon is accurate in his reply, it doesn’t look as if Howe will have any input to the club’s DoF decision.

The two parties would need to work closely together in regards to discussions on players and potential signings, but we can see why the Hoops appear to be trusting their own instincts for the position.

If Howe was already manager and had been for some time, it may have been a different story. However, he is yet to put pen to paper on a Parkhead switch, so he can’t be demanding hierarchy assurances yet.

Reports have suggested that Howe is putting together his coaching staff, so that can only be a good sign ahead of a possible move to Glasgow.

In other news: Celtic source claims ‘absolute mess’ behind the scenes may scupper early summer signing, fnd out more here. 

This will be an interesting summer full of plenty of dilemmas for Nuno Santo.

On the one hand, he needs to make this Wolves squad bigger but on the other, they need to invest more smartly than they have done in recent years.

On the chalkboard

Much of Wolves’ business in the upcoming transfer window could be dictated by those already on the scene at Molineux.

Nuno has decisions to make over the likes of Willian Jose, Vitinha and Rayan Ait-Nouri. They are all currently on loan but there are options to lure them to Molineux on a permanent basis.

It feels like Jose will pack his bags and never return but the Portuguese duo are more interesting cases.

Judging by his recent performances, Wolves would be foolish not to welcome Ait-Nouri back.

The young Frenchman has played plenty of football with Marcal and Jonny on the sidelines and has made a big impression. One of his best performances in an Old Gold shirt came against Brighton last weekend.

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He was a rampant source of energy and creativity down the left-hand side, providing the assist for Morgan Gibbs-White’s winning goal.

Ait-Nouri completed three dibbles and produced three key passes for his teammates. It was a complete performance that will have Nuno surely thinking of a permanent switch.

What about Vinagre?

Wolves currently have a plethora of left-backs on their books and if Wolves have been left impressed by their teenage loanee, they can wave goodbye to Ruben Vinagre.

The young wing-back has caught the eye on the odd occasion at Wolves without ever truly lifting off. His game time in recent seasons has been hampered by Jonny’s immense consistency and thus, Vinagre has still only ever started 14 Premier League outings.

Having been shipped out on loan this term, it was clear Nuno wasn’t overly impressed with his abilities.

Speaking about his move to Olympiacos last year, journalist Tim Spiers said: “I’d first heard six weeks ago, maybe not that long, that Vinagre was sort of on the ‘endangered species’ list and then I think Marcal’s injury put that on the back-burner.

“If he was going to be out for a few weeks, that might have changed things, but Vinagre came in and was uninspiring and West Ham was probably the final straw, really.”

With Ait-Nouri coming in too, it feels like there could be no way back for the 22-year-old.

He is currently on loan at Famalicao in Portugal but given his age, he should really be making a bigger impression now.

As a teenager, he looked like he had an incredibly high ceiling. Though, that appears to be caving in as the years tick by.

Ait-Nouri, however, has been a relentless ball of energy. To sum things up, the Frenchman has already started as many top-flight games in English football as Vinagre despite being two years his junior.

It would be harsh to axe him from their plans for good but with so many players now ahead of him in the pecking order, it feels like the promising Portuguese won’t ever make it Compton.

Wolves should do their best to sell the £30k-per-week defender and invest in Ait-Nouri instead.

AND in other news, Wolves dealt huge blow after big Molineux news emerges, Nuno surely fuming…

Crystal Palace have been told they must pay £4.5m in compensation fees to prise Steve Cooper and his management team away from Swansea City.

What’s the story?

According to  The Sun on Sunday (30.05.21, pg. 59), via the72.co.uk, Palace are keen to appoint the 41-year-old after he impressed during a two-year spell with the Welsh outfit.

The report states that Cooper’s agent was seen in a director’s box at Selhurst Park in the concluding weeks of the season as speculation over the manager’s future continues to mount.

Fans will be buzzing

Cooper’s reputation has grown considerably in recent seasons as he has continued to make great strides in the early stages of his managerial career.

A World Cup victory with England’s under-17s four years ago catapulted the former Liverpool coach into the forefront of many clubs’ minds, with the Swans taking a gamble on him in the summer of 2019.

Consecutive play-off finishes in Cooper’s two campaigns in charge at the Liberty Stadium have seen the Swansea boss linked with Premier League jobs in recent months, and Palace are one club who are tempted to appoint him.

The departure of Roy Hodgson after a four-year stint in south London has left chairman Steve Parish searching for the 73-year-old’s successor.

A major squad rebuild is needed at Selhurst Park, and the news that Palace have enquired about Cooper’s services will surely have the club’s supporters buzzing.

His reputation for extracting impressive results on a limited budget, proven track record of developing top-class young players and his attractive playing style is likely to bring a sense of hope and optimism to the Eagles’ fanbase.

With a year remaining on Cooper’s contract at Swansea, Parish will have to stump up a substantial fee to acquire his services, but it could be one worth paying should the tactician oversee a successful transitional period at Palace.

More than a dozen Crystal Palace players are out of contract over the summer, but Cooper’s expertise would perhaps ensure that their departures don’t prove detrimental to the club’s top-flight ambitions.

In other news… Parish must seal swoop for £10.3m maestro, Palace desperately need him 

A number of Liverpool fans have been calling for Kylian Mbappe to join Liverpool in a swap deal for Mohamed Salah if the Reds superstar joins Paris Saint-Germain.

Jurgen Klopp’s men picked up a vital three points on Saturday afternoon, winning 2-1 at home to Aston Villa. Trent Alexander-Arnold’s last-gasp winner sealed a massive victory in the Premier League top four battle as Liverpool finally returned to winning ways at Anfield.

It was Salah who again got the ball rolling for the champions, equalising in the second half and bagging his 28th goal of the season. It was further proof of the Egyptian’s huge importance to this Liverpool team, but according to Telefoot [via Foot Mercato], PSG are lining him up as a replacement for Mbappe this summer.

Liverpool fans talk up Salah-Mbappe swap deal

Many Reds supporters will no doubt be worried about this, but some Kopites took to Twitter to talk up the idea of Mbappe replacing Salah, should the Egyptian head to the Ligue 1 giants.

“Straight swap any day”

Credit: @dannymcnulty11

“Call me crazy but I would take it as long as we get Mbappe”

Credit: @Acealone8

“If they both want to leave, Salah + xMillion for Mbappe, get it done”

Credit: @graftonfriday

“Salah + 50m for Mbappe, who’s saying no?”

Credit: @devinLFC__

“The only way Salah leaves for PSG is if Mbappe comes to LFC”

Credit: @BeechRed

“Swap deal?”

Credit: @KP07_

In other news, some Liverpool fans weren’t impressed with one Reds performer against Aston Villa. Find out who it is here.