All posts by z3u9t.icu

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…

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 have faced criticism for some terrible transfer decisions in recent seasons, with the likes of Jordy Clasie, Guido Carrillo and Wesley Hoedt memorable disasters, but there is no doubt that the club’s deal for Dejan Lovren eight years ago was a good one.

The Saints signed the centre-back from Lyon in the summer of 2013 in a deal worth £9m and he became a regular in Mauricio Pochettino’s side during the following season.

The Croatian international was hugely impressive in his only year with the Saints, making 31 appearances in the Premier League, contributing two goals and one assist, which helped him average a superb 7.32 WhoScored average rating.

As a result of his excellent performances, Liverpool shelled out £20m to sign him the following season, meaning Southampton were able to make a very quick £11m profit on the former Dinamo Zagreb man.

During his time with the Reds, the centre-back would go on to make 185 appearances and won both the Champions League and the Premier League under Jurgen Klopp, yet was regularly criticised by Premier League supporters and Liverpool fans alike for his error-prone nature.

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Lovren was seen as a liability for much of his time on Merseyside and, despite playing a part in their title triumph last season, the 31-year-old was allowed to join Zenit St Petersburg in the summer, something the Reds may have lived to regret due to the long-term injuries to both Virgil van Dijk and Joe Gomez this season.

Fortunately for Southampton, they saw the best of Lovren during his time on the south coast, and his signing was a rare transfer success when you consider some of their recent dealings.

If Lovren had stayed with the Saints rather than joining Liverpool, then perhaps they wouldn’t have signed Virgil van Dijk from Celtic in 2015, a deal which proved to be an incredible bargain for the south coast club.

[freshpress-quiz id=“594431″]

Therefore, there is no doubt that Lovren’s signing in 2013 was a huge success for Southampton for a number of reasons, but it is something they have arguably been unable to replicate in recent years.

And, in other news… Hasenhuttl hint on £5.4m-rated speedster could be bad news for rising Saints star

Newcastle sent scouts to watch Fenerbahce goalkeeper Altay Bayindir against Gaziantep on Monday, according to Turkish outlet Takvim.

Analysts from Ajax, Crystal Palace and Aston Villa were also said to be examining the 22-year-old firsthand.

Bayindir makes a rare mistake as Premier League suitors watch on

Fenerbache ran out 3-1 winners on the night to close the gap on league leaders Besiktas to four points.

However, Bayindir blundered under scrutiny, fumbling an Alexandru Maxim free-kick over the line on 65 minutes to gift Gaziantep an equaliser. Former West Ham striker Enner Valencia and Sinan Gumus ultimately bailed him out with subsequent goals.

It was a rare blip in a season which has seen Bayindir graduate from Turkey’s under-21s to the senior squad. He has kept 10 clean sheets in 32 Super Lig appearances, conceding 30 goals.

Bayindir has two years left on his contract with the Istanbul outfit and is valued at just over £12m by Transfermarkt. He was singled out for praise in a tweet from Fenerbahce team-mate Mesut Ozil back in February, with the World Cup winner giving ‘special thanks’ to the youngster for one particularly strong performance.

Transfer Tavern verdict

What do you do when a young talent you’re watching falters under pressure – cross out his name for the shortlist because you value composure, or give them another chance based on their otherwise strong form?

Bayindir has caught the eye for a reason, and clubs could miss out on a talented player with a high ceiling if they jump to conclusions.

After Steve Bruce restored a fit-again Martin Dubravka to the side, Karl Darlow could feasibly push for a move in the summer. He knows he’s good enough to be a number one keeper elsewhere, having actually posted more saves per match than his Slovakian colleague this season (3.4 to 3.3).

That could open the backup role at Newcastle, and perhaps Bayindir is being eyed as a long-term successor to the 32-year-old Dubravka, so he shouldn’t be dismissed solely on the basis of his recent error.

In other news, Newcastle have been told not to shell out more than £15m on another transfer target.

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

Danny Mills has been discussing Illan Meslier following his agent speaking quite openly on a Leeds United podcast recently.

Mills fumes at agent

The goalkeeper’s agent insisted there are some “top clubs” taking an interest in the young player. Speaking to Football Insider, Mills said: “His agent is just stirring things up saying ‘I want a better deal because there are other people sniffing around.’ You know what? Agents should just pipe down.

“We’ve all been there, we’ve all done it. I’ve done it myself. All of sudden a story emerges in one of the newspapers saying ‘such and such are going to offer this amount a week and another club is interested.’

“He’s got a lot of potential but he’s still a young goalkeeper. He’s still in his first season in the Premier League. He’s been good but he’s not been off the scale.”

Agents showing their ugly side again

Meslier has been inconsistent this season, making two errors leading to goals in his first campaign in the top flight, but showing superb form at other times.

In the 25 appearances he has made in the Premier League, he has helped the club pick up 11 wins as he has made 99 saves, and kept eight clean sheets (Premier League), hardly a poor start for such a young player.

He is only 21 years-old, and this is quite a young age for a goalkeeper, but Marcelo Bielsa clearly has complete faith in him.

Mills is right to be disappointed in the agent as well – the £10.80m-rated ace is in a great position playing consistently in a great division, and so his agent should be a bit more careful with what he says next time.

In other news, the club have been linked to this Championship player!

Leeds United manager Marcelo Bielsa is interested in signing his fellow Argentine Pedro de La Vega this summer.

What’s the story?

According to Depo, the Whites are keen on landing the versatile 20-year-old winger, with the likes of Aston Villa, Fiorentina and Atalanta also said to be in the running to land him.

The report adds that the starlet is expected to leave Lanus this summer due to the amount of transfer interest in him.

Bye-bye Helder Costa

With Football Insider having recently claimed that Leeds are open to offers for the £70,000-a-week Helder Costa this summer, the Whites would surely be better off cashing in on him and bringing through De La Vega.

Costa endured a nightmare campaign in the Premier League last season for Bielsa’s side, scoring just three times and providing only three assists in 22 games in the division. That has prompted former Leeds players like Noel Whelan to brandish him a “massive flop”, and it’s hard to argue against that assessment.

In De La Vega, they would be getting an exciting young talent who can play on the right like Costa, as well as the opposite flank and through the middle.

A profile from Goal read: “Playing out wide does seem to favour him, however, with his footwork and ability to both play a killer pass and provide the finishing touches to moves having led to him being compared to Angel Di Maria in some quarters, albeit a right-footed version of the Paris Saint-Germain star with slightly more skill than agility.”

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Dubbed as a “real talent” by South American football writer and podcaster Tom Robinson, the £9m-rated gem actually averaged more dribbles than Leeds star Raphinha last season – 2.8 per game compared to the Brazilian’s 1.9.

At just 20, De La Vega could turn into a real superstar under his fellow Argentine in Bielsa.

Meanwhile, Fabrizio Romano has dropped a major Leeds update…

According to Calciomercato, Fabio Paratici has already tried to sign Italy number one shot stopper Gianluigi Donnarumma for Tottenham Hotspur.

The Lowdown: Paratici appointment…

The 48-year-old has been confirmed as Tottenham Hotspur’s new sporting director, working under chairman Daniel Levy.

Paratici has a good reputation in masterminding some noteworthy transfers at former club Juventus, including the certain acquisition of superstar forward Cristiano Ronaldo (The Athletic).

As such, there have been no shortage of reports detailing his transfer plans for Spurs, with Calciomercato now dropping a huge claim involving Donnarumma.

The Latest: Paratici tried to sign Donnarumma…

As per the Italian outlet, he has already made an attempt to sign the star keeper for Spurs this summer.

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However, Paratici was rebuffed in his efforts despite making ‘several’ phone calls to agent Mino Raiola.

In the ‘last few days’, he apparently made repeated attempts to negotiate with Donnarumma’s representative over a possible move to north London.

There was also strong interest from Barcelona, but it now looks like the 22-year-old is destined for Paris-Saint Germain and a link up with former Spurs boss Mauricio Pochettino.

Currently away at the Euros with Italy, Donnarumma will apparently undergo his PSG medical ‘next week’ after the Azzurri take on Switzerland (Fabrizio Romano).

The Verdict: Big loss…

As Spurs contemplate the future of long-time number one Hugo Lloris, a swoop for Donnarumma certainly would have been quite the coup.

He conceded just 38 goals in 37 Serie A matches over 2020/2021, keeping an impressive 14 clean sheets in that time (Transfermarkt).

AFC Bournemouth keeper Asmir Begovic also raved over his capabilities in an interview with the Guardian last year, calling him ‘phenomenal’ and a ‘huge talent’ who has enjoyed a ‘remarkable’ rise.

Indeed, the colossal keeper could have even joined Spurs on a free deal given his AC Milan contract expires at the beginning of next month.

Alas, Paratici’s bold attempt ended in failure with PSG and Pochettino reportedly winning the race – a real shame as Spurs aim to start a rebuild.

In other news: ‘Sources close…’ – Journalist lifts lid on exciting Tottenham transfer development, find out more here.

According to a report by Il Milanista, West Ham United are interested in signing Marseille defender Jordan Amavi this summer as a potential free agent to sure up the left-back position – prompting some excitement from these Hammers as links emerge.

Amavi, who has been on the treatment table for most of 2020/2021, enjoyed a fine 2019/2020 season before his recent injury problems – averaging an impressive 2.1 tackles and 2.2 interceptions per 90 for the Ligue 1 side (WhoScored).

The Frenchman, however, still hasn’t put pen to paper on a contract extension with Marseille and could leave for free in the next transfer window – something that has clearly enticed GSB and co as they are now reportedly interested in signing him.

In response to the links, these West Ham fans buzzed and all seem to be in agreement that Amavi would be a good capture for the Irons.

One Hammers fan even dubbed him a would-be ‘superb signing’, and judging by what he’s capable of when fully fit and firing, it’s hard to argue.

Find all of their best verdicts down below.

West Ham fans buzz over Amavi links

“He’d be perfect”

Credit: @alanrzepa

“Decent and can play LWB”

Credit: @1bbyWHU

“Baller”

Credit: @WhuNoel

“Would absolutely love him at West Ham. Great signing”

Credit: @LJWren79

“Superb signing this would be”

Credit: @stephenlott

“Always liked Amavi since his Nice days.

injuries more likely at our place tho like you said.

Still talent wise I’d love him”

Credit: @RockyWhu

In other news: Fans blasted this West Ham ace, find out more here.

David Ornstein has revealed that West Ham United have agreed a deal with Chelsea for defender Kurt Zouma.

The Lowdown: West Ham leave it late

The Hammers are soon to embark on a Europa League campaign – they will be in the group stage of the tournament this term after finishing sixth in the Premier League last time out.

However, they have made only one new signing so far this summer in goalkeeper Alphonse Areola (Transfermarkt), and they have just over a week left to get more deals done.

The Latest: Hammers close in on Zouma

As per The Athletic’s Ornstein, who is renowned for his reliability with transfer stories, the Irons are closing in on a deal for Zouma.

There are believed to be ready to pay the €30m (£25.7m) fee that Chelsea are seeking for the centre-back, although the Frenchman’s £125,000-a-week wages may be an issue.

The Verdict: Real quality

Taking Zouma to the London Stadium would be a terrific statement from David Moyes and co. At 26 years of age, he is entering his prime and played a big role for Chelsea last season – he appeared in 36 matches in all competitions for the Blues as they won the Champions League, and his manager Thomas Tuchel called him a “top-level” player (chelseafc.com).

His salary of £125,000 per week would make him the highest-paid player at West Ham (salarysport.com), so there is no doubt that he would represent a significant outlay. However, if the Hammers want to progress to the next level, they must not be afraid of offering slightly higher wages to prospective new signings who would be an upgrade on the existing squad.

In other news, West Ham are believed to be interested in this Brazilian striker.