All posts by z3u9t.icu

An exciting new claim has emerged in Tottenham Hotspur’s search for a new manager…

What’s the word?

According to the ever-reliable Alasdair Gold at football.london, Spurs are receiving plenty of fresh – and strong – candidates for their vacancy, and chairman Daniel Levy will attempt to meet them face-to-face rather than over Zoom in the summer.

Writing in a recent column, Gold revealed: “football.london understands that strong new candidates for the vacant managerial post are constantly emerging at the moment and making their interest known.

“Tottenham will attempt to speak to all of their top candidates face to face rather than over Zoom once the season ends, when currently employed managers are out of their club bubbles.”

An exciting development

Several names have been linked with the north London outfit since Jose Mourinho’s shock departure just over a month ago.

RB Leipzig’s Julian Naglesmann and Leicester City’s Brendan Rodgers quickly emerged as the two top targets, although the former was soon confirmed as Bayern Munich’s next boss whilst the latter wants to remain at their Premier League rivals – perhaps even more so after winning this season’s FA Cup.

The Athletic have since claimed that there are four names on the shortlist – Roberto Martinez (ex-Everton, currently with Belgium), Graham Potter (currently at Brighton), Ralf Rangnick (ex-Leipzig, currently unemployed) and Erik ten Hag (currently at Ajax and recently signed a new two-year extension this off-season).

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Gold’s latest claim throws shade on this as it suggests that Levy has been fielding applications from more than just those four managers, and that should excite fans immensely as it opens up the pool of potential candidates even more – especially if they are ‘strong’ options, as he has suggested.

You can make a case against all four of those names above, so if other coaches are keen, then it should only help the Lilywhites chairman truly find the most suitable appointment.

Martinez failed at the Toffees, with some suggesting that systemic problems were the reason for his downfall.

Potter is vastly inexperienced, with this being only his second campaign in the Premier League. He does play the attacking brand of football that Spurs are thought to be seeking, but the Seagulls only narrowly escaped a relegation battle this term.

Rangnick, widely regarded as a pioneer of the gengenpress, has been out of a managerial role since the 2018/19 season and has never coached outside of Germany. Similarly, Ten Hag’s only senior management jobs have been in the Netherlands, with Ajax dominating perenially.

Therefore, the fact that new – and strong – names are still continuing to come in means that Levy can secure the right man to appease the fanbase.

This latest development is hugely encouraging news.

AND in other news, Levy could seal bold hire in “brave” 38 y/o who’d bring Klopp-like intensity to Spurs…

Manchester City fans are delighted after they were linked with a move for Marseille midfielder Boubacar Kamara.

With the Premier League and League Cup wrapped up and just the Champions League final left to play this campaign, the Citizens will have already begun preparations for the new season. That will ultimately mean new signings, and Pep Guardiola will be eager to add fresh impetus to his squad.

With Fernandinho approaching the end of his career, a new midfielder would not go amiss. According to FR Blue Moon, City are interested in Marseille midfielder Kamara. Currently valued at £33.3m (Transfermarkt), he made 35 appearances for the club in Ligue 1 and actually played against City in the Champions League earlier this term, although his side were twice on the losing end.

The news was shared on Twitter by @City_Xtra, and it attracted plenty of attention from the City supporters. They took to the social media platform to share their thoughts.

Let’s see what the fans had to say about the Kamara news below

“This would be a great signing”

Credit: @JM1047

“Oh please make it happen what a player”

Credit: @TomYates9816

“Get him in”

Credit: @shelovesyisa

“GET IT DONEEE MY FIFA CAREER MODE HAS APPROVED HIM”

Credit: @Prince_Ederson

“he’s good. can play CB as well if need be. Pep loves versatility”

Credit: @BernardoControl

“Would love for this transfer to happen he is extremely talented and good at winning the ball”

Credit: @Your81377012

In other news, Man City fans react to this transfer news.

Manchester United have appointed Erik ten Hag as their new manager to join the club this summer, and there is already mounting speculation about players who may join him to be part of the new era at Old Trafford.

What’s the latest?

The Athletic has reported that Man United have begun “exploring” the idea of bringing Kalvin Phillips to the club this summer.

The sports publication tweeted: “MUFC have begun exploring the prospect of £50m move for Kalvin Phillips.”

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Ten Hag masterclass

If the Red Devils were able to convince Phillips to leave his beloved boyhood club at Leeds United to join Ten Hag this summer in Manchester, it would be an incredible coup for the club and would be the first masterclass in the new manager’s revolution.

The £38k-per-week ace who was hailed “outstanding” by Martin Keown and a “destroyer” by Steve McLaren, has been a force for the Yorkshire club in their push for promotion to the Premier League and last season when they finished 9th in their first season in the top-flight, as well as being a standout performer for England in the Euros last summer.

In midfield for Manchester United, Phillips is the exact profile of player that the team needs to integrate to improve the possession of the ball and control games better in the centre of the pitch, which has been a huge problem for the current team who, for example, lost the ball 167 times against Newcastle United earlier this season.

The 26-year-old Leeds midfielder this season had lost the ball on average just 11.8 times per game, compared to Bruno Fernandes who loses the ball 18.3 times, and Paul Pogba has lost the ball every 12.1 touches, so adding a player like Phillips could boost the ball retention in the team.

With that being said, there is a huge rivalry between Leeds and Manchester United that has existed for decades and with Phillips being a complete product of Leeds United, the golden boy at the club and in the city it would be surprising if he does make the move to Old Trafford, but from a quality perspective, he is exactly what the team needs.

AND in other news: Fabrizio Romano drops huge £50m transfer update that will excite Man United supporters

With only one new player signed during the current January transfer window in the shape of Hayao Kawabe, it seems as though Wolves are not looking and letting that deal be their only piece of transfer business this month.

What’s the news?

Speaking on a live Sky Sports programme, presenter Rob Wotton revealed that Wolves are interested in signing AS Monaco centre-back Benoit Badiashile this month.

“Wolves and Newcastle both interested in the Monaco centre-back, Benoit Badiashile. The 20-year-old Monaco academy graduate is among a number of options in this position both clubs are looking at,” he said.

As a product of Monaco’s youth system, the 20-year-old has already made a total of 105 senior appearances for the club, chipping in with three goals and three assists in the process, showing how highly rated he must be there given his fairly young age.

Fans buzzing

In the four Europa League games that he’s played in for Monaco this season, Badiashile’s performances in those games have earned him an impressive overall rating of 7.36/10 according to WhoScored, comfortably making him the highest-rated player in the competition for Monaco, showing how capable he is of playing in a top European competition.

With his young age and vast experience, it’s easy to see why Wolves would be interested in signing a player such as Badiashile as he could potentially be a long-term player for them for many years to come.

Given how two of Wolves’ current centre-backs Romain Saiss (31) and Willy Boly (30) are two of the club’s five oldest players in their squad, it’s easy to see why the Old Gold would be looking at bringing in a young defender like Badiashile to freshen up their team at the back, an idea which would surely leave plenty of supporters buzzing.

Taking into account how Wolves manager Bruno Lage has come out and said that signing a centre-back is the club’s priority at the moment with Saiss away on international duty and Boly out injured, Badiashile could be just what the team needs at this moment in time.

That said, with recent reports from France claiming that Wolves have already had a bid for the Monaco defender rejected, it could prove to be quite difficult or expensive to secure Badiashile’s signature this month.

If a deal for the young defender isn’t viable for the Old Gold, they should turn their attention to some other potential candidates that could do a job for them at centre-back that may not cost so much.

However, the very idea that they’re targeting someone of the youngster’s quality should be music to the ears of fans at Molineux.

In other news: Journalist drops behind-the-scenes January update that’ll have Wolves fans sweating – opinion 

Southampton manager Ralph Hasenhuttl has provided an update on the future of Danny Ings at St Mary’s, which will delight the majority of Saints fans.

What’s the word?

Ings has been heavily linked with a move away from Southampton this summer after it was revealed that he had rejected the offer of a new four-year contract with the Saints, due to his aspirations of playing in Europe in the near future.

The likes of Manchester City, Tottenham Hotspur, Manchester United and Chelsea have all been linked with a move for the England international throughout the summer, and given that his current contract is set to expire at the end of the 2021/22 campaign, it seemed likely that Southampton would cash in on him.

However, Hasenhuttl has now clarified his future with the Saints and assured fans that he won’t be sold this summer, saying:

“He’s our player for another year, we paid a lot of money for him. When we brought him here, we invested a lot to get him to the highest level and how he is at the moment. We stuck with him with all these injuries he had, gave him the time to recover, gave him the time to perform.

“There’s no reason to sell him, but it’s always a risk for the player when you go into your final year without a contract. That’s why it’s never good for nobody, not for us, not for him, because you never know what can happen in football – injuries can happen, which nobody wants.”

Will Ings stay at Southampton?

From what Hasenhuttl suggests, the 28-year-old will remain at St Mary’s this summer, with the Austrian perhaps still holding out hope that he will sign a new contract in the future rather than potentially losing him for nothing at the end of next season.

Considering he was Southampton’s top scorer last season with 12 goals, despite suffering a number of short-term injury problems, you can see why Hasenhuttl is so keen to keep him at the club. They could seriously struggle if they lose a player of Ings’ goalscoring ability and influence on the pitch.

The “outstanding” forward is a fan favourite at Southampton and Saints fans will be delighted to see him play for another season, even if it does mean potentially losing him for nothing in 2022.

And, in other news… Semmens should seal Saints swoop for PL beast with “a taste for the big games”

Tottenham Hotspur could be preparing for life without Harry Kane if emerging reports are to be believed…

What’s the word?

According to Firenze Viola, Spurs are a potential destination for Fiorentina talisman Dusan Vlahovic, who has been regularly linked with a move to North London in recent months.

Corriere Dello Sport claim (via Sport Witness) that the 21-year-old is a ‘dream signing’ for Fabio Paratici in North London, whilst it’s believed that the Serie A outfit would command around £60m to let the Serbian forward depart the club.

Bye-bye Kane?

Further reports have emerged suggesting that Lilywhites chairman Daniel Levy has sanctioned Kane’s move to Manchester City this summer, as per The Sun.

They claim that the England international is poised for a £160m switch after Levy revealed his U-turn to Kane and his representatives last week. A source told the website: “Harry is delighted. He never wanted to leave on bad terms. His value has never been higher.”

The long-serving Spurs goal machine is believed to have ‘shaken hands’ on a £400,000-a-week deal at the Etihad Stadium.

Therefore, it makes Vlahovic a very real possibility heading into next month’s transfer deadline as Kane will be a hard man to replace in North London.

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As per Transfermarkt, the 21-year-old gem displayed his credentials by finding the net 21 times in 37 appearances. A feat only bettered by three other names in the Italian top-flight, including Juventus superstar Cristiano Ronaldo and the title-winning Romelu Lukaku.

Standing at 6 foot 3, Vlahovic offers a similar sort of presence to Kane, even more so after being lauded a “complete number nine”, which is exactly what the Englishman is.

“He’s just a complete number nine and I know it’s just off the back of one season, but he’s strong, can link play up, can hold the ball up and most importantly, he’s scoring goals,” Serie A expert Conor Clancy told This is Futbol about the Serbian. “He’s one of those players that when he looks confident, you almost expect him to score every time he plays.”

If his goalscoring figures weren’t enough, then an average of 3.1 aerials duels won, 2.3 shots and 0.7 dribbles per outing certainly suggests that Vlahovic is capable of backing up such a glowing endorsement.

The Fiorentina colossus has also been lauded as being up there with young strikers like Erling Haaland and Kylian Mbappe, which should only bolster Spurs’ desire to secure him as a potential successor to Kane.

Valued at £36m by Transfermarkt, Paratici must push ahead with a move for the seven-cap Serbia international this summer.

AND in other news, Nuno could secure his next Neto if Spurs sign “exciting” £27m-rated “big talent”…

When Barry Douglas comes back to Leeds United this summer, Marcelo Bielsa must finally make a ruthless call and offload him.

The Scotland international is currently out on loan at Championship side Blackburn Rovers, and has been a permanent fixture at Ewood Park, making 30 appearances in the league alone.

But, former Leeds man David Norris has insisted that while Douglas may be playing week-in and week-out at Blackburn, he expects Bielsa to move him on when the summer transfer window opens.

He said: “Bielsa never trusted him in the back four so I don’t see how him going out on loan will have changed anything. If I’m being honest, I expect him to move on.

“He looked pretty sharp when he came back from injury and looked like he might start playing regularly, but I think after being out on loan this season I would expect to see Douglas moved on.”

Given how Douglas has only made 44 appearances for Leeds since joining from Wolves in the summer of 2018, the time has surely come for Bielsa to wave goodbye to the left-back this summer.

Speaking earlier this campaign, The Athletic’s Phil Hay seemed to hint that the writing seemed to be on the wall for the £40k-a-week earning forgotten man at Elland Road, saying: “It tells its own story that Stuart Dallas is currently the best left-back at the club. There is interest, Watford are very keen, Blackburn have spoken about him.

“On the basis that he didn’t make the 18 against City, when Jack Harrison was unavailable, if, in those circumstances, Douglas isn’t in the 18 you know he’s on his way.”

And while Gjanni Alioski also looks set to depart, the Whites would simply be better off investing in a new first-choice left-back, and then potentially even promoting young Niall Huggins into the first-team set-up too – that’s not to mention the versatile Dallas being able to play there too as Hay notes.

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Whatever the case, Douglas’ time at Leeds has run its course, and Bielsa must offload him this summer.

Meanwhile, Leeds must reignite their interest in this Premier League star…

Celtic have been dealt a tough hand in Europe with Ange Postecoglou having to withstand the test of some troublesome sides.

The Hoops have already come unstuck against Real Betis and they will desperately need to improve when Bayer Leverkusen arrive at Parkhead.

On the chalkboard

Based on Celtic’s recent form, supporters should be incredibly fearful over what result may occur on Thursday evening.

They have lost to Livingston and drawn with Dundee United during their last two league fixtures so the omens don’t exactly bode well.

Postecoglou’s men did score three times against Betis but it would be a great surprise if the same eventuality occurred tomorrow night.

Celtic will still be missing Kyogo Furuhashi and it’s thought that Callum McGregor will almost certainly be absent again.

He sat out their last Europa League clash with what was thought to be a knock but he hasn’t played since.

Who plays instead of him will be a crucial point of debate for the manager because he simply hasn’t got it right in the last few weeks.

James McCarthy has been abject to say the least, being terrorised for his performances since a first start in the defeat at Livi. During that clash, the Irishman attempted no attacking actions and lost the ball on 15 occasions.

Sadly, the midfielder was average against Dundee United too, winning just 33.3% of his defensive duels last weekend.

The solution

With that in mind, Postecoglou should consider turning to Ismaila Soro on Thursday, especially in a game where the Bhoys are expected to do more work off the ball.

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Like McCarthy, Soro hasn’t been at his best this term and he was fortunate not to be sent off against Betis.

The Ivorian was keen to get stuck in and did make a number of impressive robust tackles. However, he is often caught out with his lack of discipline causing him to throw in challenges even when he’s already been booked.

That being said, the Celtic brute is clearly more dynamic and mean-mannered than McCarthy.

Described as a player with “explosive power” by former coach Ori Guttman, he has been compared to N’Golo Kante and it’s clear to see why.

Soro occupies little pockets of space that enables him to sweep up the play. He reads the game well and is traditionally in the right place at the right time.

The 23-year-old knows what it takes to put in a defensive masterclass in Europe too. When they beat Lille 3-2 last term, he made a mind-boggling ten successful tackles.

The midfielder has failed to replicate that sort of display since but he simply has to step up with McGregor still on the sidelines.

Now feels like his time to really make a name for himself in Glasgow.

AND in other news, Ange may fix one of Celtic’s biggest problems by signing “lightning-quick” 43-cap ace…

Speaking to Football Insider, Sky Sports pundit Paul Robinson has suggested that Tottenham Hotspur could be boosted in their hunt for a lucrative stadium naming rights deal after what’s now happened.

The Lowdown: Incredible event takes place…

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Last weekend, the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium played host to what was a huge event and one which will have attracted plenty of publicity for Spurs’ new state of the art ground.

Indeed, last Saturday, the Lilywhites’ stadium oversaw one of the biggest heavyweight boxing fights of the year as Oleksandr Usyk upset British favourite Anthony Joshua on points to clinch the WBA, WBO and IBF world championship belts.

Spurs’ new ground received high praise from the boxing community for playing it’s part in hosting the event, with Robinson now suggesting a stadium naming rights boost as a result.

The Lowdown: Robinson suggests Spurs stadium naming rights boost…

Speaking to FI, the former Lilywhites keeper has suggested that Tottenham hosting Joshua vs Usyk will gift chairman Daniel Levy a boost in finding a lucrative deal for Spurs’ stadium naming rights.

As claimed by the same outlet, Tottenham are in talks to secure an agreement and want a 10-year deal worth around £25 million-per-year.

“It was an incredible event and an incredible event on the world stage,” Robinson told Football Insider.

“It would have done wonders publicity-wise for the stadium.

“Everyone you speak to about that stadium says, ‘Wow. What a stadium. That’s unbelievable. I’ve never seen anything like it.’

“When you look at the boxes, the hospitality, the light shows, the sound system and the infrastructure – there is nothing like it in the world.

“Hopefully, that event will increase interest in a naming rights deal and maybe even push it over the edge.”

The Verdict: Good publicity…

Spurs playing host to huge events of this magnitude will only demonstrate the value of Tottenham’s state of the art ground, so we believe Robinson is spot on with his claim.

After nearly two years of financial losses due to coronavirus, with the club announcing an ‘irrecoverable’ amount at one point, it is arguably imperative that Levy secures a naming rights agreement as soon as possible.

It is little wonder that reports suggest it is an off-field ‘priority’ for the Lilywhites chief.

In other news: ‘Playing with a man down’…Journalist shreds ‘total liability’ who Nuno ‘can’t trust’ for Spurs, find out more here.

Celtic have reportedly agreed a deal with Russian outfit Rubin Kazan for the signing of defender Carl Starfelt.

What’s the story?

According to the Daily Record, the Hoops have agreed a £4.5m deal for the 26-year-old but are now waiting to see when they can get him into the country due to the current travel restrictions.

The report claims that the Celtic hierarchy have moved quickly to finalise a deal for Starfelt as he’s seen as a direct replacement for Brentford-bound Kristoffer Ajer.

It also states that the Sweden international has agreed a long-term contract with the Glasgow giants after passing his medical in Moscow last week and is now waiting for his work visa to see when he can travel to the United Kingdom.

Big upgrade on Duffy

Celtic endured a horrendous 2020/21 campaign, surrendering their top-flight crown to fierce rivals Rangers without a fight, and many of their troubles were down to issues at the back.

While Steven Gerrard’s men conceded just 13 goals in their 38 league fixtures, the Hoops leaked 29, highlighting the gulf in quality between the two sides’ defences.

One man who was particularly underwhelming throughout last season was Brighton and Hove Albion loanee Shane Duffy.

The Republic of Ireland international arrived at Celtic with high expectations after some impressive performances on the south coast, but he was unable to adapt to the game north of the border.

While Duffy ended up cutting his loan spell short, returning to the Amex Stadium early, Starfelt is expected to arrive at Parkhead with high hopes of his own.

New manager Ange Postecoglou is known to favour a passing style of play, recently emphasizing that he wants his team to play one or two-touch football during an open mic training session.

Therefore, Starfelt should offer a significant upgrade on Duffy and fit into the Australian tactician’s tactical plans perfectly.

As per WhoScored, no player in the Russian top-flight had a higher success rate than the 6 ft beasts 91.4% last season, dwarfing Duffy’s 82.9% as well.

His arrival would be welcomed by the Celtic faithful as they hope for significant improvements next season and Starfelt could play a pivotal part in any success Postecoglou has at the 51-time Scottish champions.

And, in other news…Celtic could find their new Christie by signing 44-goal gem with the “style of Robben”