All posts by z3u9t.icu

With Raphinha facing a race against time to make it for Leeds United’s Premier League clash against Southampton today, Marcelo Bielsa has a big decision to make on whether he starts the Brazilian if the 24-year-old is available.

Speaking in his pre-match press conference, the Leeds manager said: “There’s no doubt that there’s a short turnaround but the options that he has to participate in the game on Saturday depends on whether he plays this final game tonight, how many minutes he plays, how he finishes the game after he’s participated in it, how efficient the rest he can have in the next 36 hours is, considering that a third of those hours he will spend flying and if there’s any risk that fatigue will cause injuries then we won’t risk him.

“There’s so many aspects to consider that I can’t offer you any certainties either way.”

If the Leeds talisman isn’t able to pass a late fitness check, then Bielsa surely has to call upon Jack Harrison against the Saints.

Former Leeds goalkeeper Paul Robinson has waxed lyrical about what Harrison brings to the table earlier this summer and insisted that he has become a key figure under Bielsa.

The 41-year-old said: “I think the player he has developed into, not just on the field, but his stature and physical fitness, I think he’s becoming an all-round key component of this Bielsa side.

“I like Jack, he’s got a lot of talent, he’s got speed, he’s direct, scores goals, creates goals and for that price tag, I think it’s an absolute no-brainer. They have to make that signing.”

Robinson added that the £13.5m-rated Harrison “creates, he scores, (and) he offers Leeds something else”, and indeed he was one of Leeds’ most prolific campaigners last season with eight goals and eight assists in 36 Premier League games for the club.

While his start to the current campaign has been disappointing to say the least – no goals or assists in his five top-flight appearances thus far – his recent little spell on the sidelines as Dan James got the nod could just have lit the fire that he needed.

The 24-year-old, who was dubbed as “exciting to watch” by Noel Whelan, could be the man to fill Raphinha’s boots today against the Southampton if the Brazilian cannot feature.

Meanwhile, Phil Hay has delivered an encouraging pre-match boost about Kalvin Phillips…

Arsenal centre-forward Alexandre Lacazette is attracting increasing interest ahead of the summer transfer window.

What’s the talk?

That’s according to a claim made by French publication L’Equipe (via Sport Witness), who claim that Lyon are keeping an extremely close eye on the situation of the Arsenal centre-forward – whose current contract at The Emirates is due to expire at the end of the season – ahead of a potential move for the 30-year-old this summer.

However, the report goes on to state that Mikel Arteta’s side could yet offer the France international a short-term contract extension – believed to be one year plus the option of a further.

Arteta must axe Lacazette

While it is undeniable that Lacazette has quite significantly improved his form in recent weeks – scoring one goal and providing four assists over his last seven Premier League outings – the fact remains that the 30-year-old has never really lived up to his then-club record £46.5m tag back in 2017.

Indeed, despite being a fairly £18m-rated striker is far from being the deadly 20+ bagsman Arsenal require to fire them back towards the top of the Premier League table.

This is something that has been all too apparent over the £182k-per-week forward’s 23 Premier League outings this season, over which the player who Robin van Persie claimed is “not world-class” and Uche Amako labelled “shocking” has scored just four goals and missed six big chances.

As such, considering his hefty weekly wage – with the Frenchman currently being Arsenal’s highest earner – in addition to the fact he will turn 31 this May, Arteta must axe Lacazette this summer, as it is clear that the centre-forward is simply not clinical enough in the final third to justify his salary at The Emirates.

AND in other news: Arteta can finally axe £27m-rated “practice dummy” as AFC bid for “sneaky” £13m dynamo

According to regional Italian news outlet La Nuova Sardegna (via Sport Witness), Tottenham Hotspur target Nahitan Nandez ‘prepares his suitcase’ for a move to N17.

The Lowdown: Nandez eyed by Spurs…

Ever since the future of Spurs midfielder Tanguy Ndombele became a bone of contention, the club have been linked with a host of midfield players.

The likes of Denis Zakaria, Corentin Tolisso and Joao Palhinha have been linked as well as Nandez – with some reports even claiming that Spurs are close to signing him.

Now, another claim from Italy has emerged, and it’s a promising one.

The Latest: Spurs close in on Nandez…

La Nuova Sardegna back that Tottenham are ‘close’ to securing a deal for Uruguay international with managing director Fabio Paratici seemingly ‘serious’ about signing the player.

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It is also claimed that ‘work is underway’ to sign Nandez and bring him to north London and the transfer could be an ‘onerous loan of around €10m (£8.5m) euros and a redemption obligation of €15-20m (£12.8m-£17.1m)’.

The player himself ‘prepares his suitcase’ for a move to N17 and this could indicate advanced nature of the development.

The Verdict: Get it done…

A versatile player, Nandez can be deployed in central midfield, as a right-wing back and as a right-winger – solving an array of problems for Nuno Espirito Santo for a fairly reasonable fee.

The 25-year-old has also been called ‘underrated’ and ‘amazing’ by pundits (Mina Rzouki, Twitter), coming as a very exciting signing who could potentially bolster Nuno’s options for 2021/2022.

If the six different positions Nandez can play are anything to go by, Paratici could be killing several birds with one reasonably priced stone, adding depth in several areas at once.

In other news: Offer pending: Levy readying Spurs bid to sign ‘amazing’ player who Nuno personally wants, find out more here.

Speaking exclusively to Football FanCast, former West Brom midfielder Carlton Palmer believes his old side signing Ross Barkley was always going to be a difficult task.

At the end of the summer transfer window, it had looked like Burnley were Barkley’s only way out of Chelsea, with the Express reporting that the Clarets were interested in doing a deadline day deal for the player.

However, according to The Telegraph’s Matt Law, West Brom were also in the equation after being offered the chance to sign the attacking midfielder.

Wages, though, proved to be a stumbling block (also per Law), which comes as no surprise to Palmer.

“How do West Brom go anywhere near that?” the ex-England international said. “He’s reported to be on £110,000 a week.

“They’d have to be helped out by Chelsea an awful lot. I don’t know what’s happened to Ross, really. I mean, he’s a really talented player, but from his burst on the scene, he hasn’t really fulfilled his potential.”

Maybe a move to a team in the Championship like West Brom is something Barkley needed.

His loan spell at Aston Villa last season did not go too well, something Thomas Tuchel recently spoke about, and he is not going to play at Chelsea given the level of competition in both midfield and attack.

With Southampton still searching for their first Premier League win of the season, Ralph Hasenhuttl’s side are set to take on Leeds United at the weekend once the international break has ended.

Ahead of the match against Marcelo Bielsa’s side, who are only two points ahead of the Saints in the league table, Southampton could be without one of their regular players for the clash.

What’s the news?

It has recently been reported by the Daily Echo that Adams has been ruled out of Scotland’s World Cup qualifier against the Faroe Islands and is also a doubt for Southampton’s match at the weekend, which surely won’t make Hasenhuttl happy.

Southampton signed Adams back in the 2019 summer transfer window from Championship club Birmingham City on a five-year deal for a reported fee of £15m.

Since then, the 25-year-old, who is currently valued at £18m according to Transfermarkt has made 83 appearances for the Saints across all competitions, managing to score 13 goals and provide ten assists in the process.

Even though Adams has yet to score a goal for the Saints this season across all competitions and has only managed to provide one assist, we still feel Adams will be a big miss for the club if he can’t play against Leeds.

With the striker racking up 1.4 shots per game, the joint-third highest of any Southampton player in the league so far this season alongside James Ward-Prowse, he has still been an attacking threat. Follow that up with his 1.4 key passes per game, the joint-highest also alongside Ward-Prowse, and it demonstrates why his absence would be felt hard by the boss this weekend.

If Adams does end up being unavailable for the match at the weekend, we feel that Hasenhuttl should give Armando Broja a chance to start. He managed to score in midweek for Albania in their World Cup qualifier against Hungary so is in good form.

However, the manager will undoubtedly be hoping that Adams’ injury is not a serious one so he will be available for selection as soon as possible. The Saints need that first win of the season in order to climb away from the relegation zone.

In other news: Ralph must unleash “perfect” £9m-rated Southampton gem, he’s a real game-changer – opinion

Everton have submitted a ‘loan proposal’ for Manchester United midfielder Andreas Pereira, according to Brazilian outlet TNT Sports. 

The lowdown

After earlier spells in La Liga with Granada and Valencia, Pereira was loaned to Serie A outfit Lazio last season. He was limited to just three league starts, making a further 23 substitute appearances.

The Brazilian has racked up 75 career appearances for United and directly contributed to nine goals (scoring four and assisting five).

His versatility is a real asset: he’s predominantly played as an attacking midfielder but can also adopt a deeper role or operate on either flank.

The latest

Everton have made an offer for Pereira and it includes an option to buy at the end of the season.

That sets them apart from rival suitors like Flamengo, who are pursuing a straight loan.

Flamengo are also hopeful that United will agree to pay a portion of the Brazilian’s salary, which stands at £30,000 per week.

The verdict

It’s true that Everton don’t have much financial leeway this summer, and so loan moves may be their best chance to strengthen the squad in the remaining weeks of the window.

But does Pereira represent a significant upgrade on the options they already have? Probably not.

At best, he would be handy squad player given his capacity to play multiple positions. At worst, he would continue the trend of mediocre arrivals from the biggest clubs (see Alex Iwobi, Andre Gomes and Fabian Delph).

We feel this is one the Toffees would do well do avoid.

In other news, fans were buzzing over this development. 

Tottenham Hotspur want to bolster four key areas of Antonio Conte’s squad, according to emerging claims…

What’s the word?

football.london reporter Alasdair Gold has told his YouTube channel that Spurs have made four different positions their priority during this month’s transfer window.

“There is a feeling within the club that Spurs need a right wing-back, a left-sided centre-back and a striker,” he revealed. “From what I understand, Conte agrees with that, but also would like a central midfielder. Four priority positions.”

Fantastic four?

It’s no secret that the north Londoners need additions as they lack the strength in depth to truly challenge some of the Premier League’s biggest teams for a place in the top four.

What Conte has already done with the current squad is quite remarkable, having gone unbeaten in the top-flight under his stewardship but if they are to get back onto the next level, then chairman Daniel Levy must back his man with serious investment.

After selling Serge Aurier and replacing him with Emerson Royal in the summer, it’s a surprise to see a new right wing-back on the agenda but as Matt Doherty’s future is dubious, the need for another option could make sense, especially if Conte isn’t convinced by the former Barca man’s attacking credentials.

Elsewhere, another central defender is certainly going to be among the priorities. Cristian Romero is still absent with an injury, whilst the Italian head coach has often deployed full-back Ben Davies in his back-three. Japhet Tanganga and Davinson Sanchez have looked a little suspect in recent games, too.

Of course, the need for a new forward has always been there but it’s a tricky problem to remedy as Harry Kane will always be the star man leading the line for Spurs. There aren’t many players who will want to be a backup but Conte does need an alternative, or even a partner to the England skipper.

It is also interesting to learn of Conte’s desire for a central midfielder, too. Spurs already have Pierre-Emile Hojbjerg, Harry Winks, Oliver Skipp, Tanguy Ndombele and Giovani Lo Celso, so perhaps he isn’t convinced by some of those options.

Either way, this latest development from one of the most reliable sources is certainly exciting and it would suggest that the Lilywhites will indeed be active this window.

Supporters around the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium should be buzzing by this news.

AND in other news, Conte can finally axe “unplayable” Spurs dud by signing “devastating” £26m-rated beast…

Jesse Marsch’s track record when it comes to developing young players is certainly impressive, so Leeds United’s latest up-and-coming prospects are in very good hands.

During spells in charge of Red Bull conglomerates, Salzburg and Leipzig, the American coach had many a talent at his disposal, trusting them to start for him in the senior game.

These names ranged from goalscoring superstar Erling Haaland and Patson Daka, who is now at Premier League rivals Leicester City, to mooted Whites transfer target Brenden Aaronson.

Whilst the likes of Hwang Hee-chan, Takumi Minamino, Dominik Szoboszlai, Karim Adeyemi, Christopher Nkunku and Josko Gvardiol have all benefitted from his influence.

Some of the players listed went on to score a pretty neat profit but who could follow in the footsteps of say, a Haaland, at Elland Road?

The Yorkshire giants are blessed with a pretty exciting academy set-up, where we have seen players such as Joe Gelhardt, Lewis Bate and Sam Greenwood go from starting for the youth team week-in, week-out, to earning minutes in the top-flight of the men’s game.

But it could be Leo Hjelde who benefits most from the arrival of Marsch.

The 18-year-old defender has recently been absent through injury but made his return on Monday night as the U23s were walloped by West Ham United, though these valuable minutes are positive for his comeback.

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Described as “rusty” in the game by LeedsLive reporter Beren Cross, it was more of a first runout for the Nottingham-born Norwegian in two months.

Capable of playing at left-back and in the middle, Hjelde could be hugely valuable to the 48-year-old going forward, particularly into next season, where the makeup of this Leeds squad is surely set to change following a torrid season full of injury and inconsistency, leading to them largely fighting a relegation battle.

His debut for the Yorkshiremen came against West Ham United earlier this season highlighted his true potential, earning immense praise from club legend Jermain Beckford, who told the club’s official podcast:

“The young boy, Hjelde when he came on as well, what a player he’s looking by the way. I don’t want to put too much pressure on him. But that’s twice we’ve seen him, twice we’ve seen him against West Ham, against a very physical, very strong, very quick centre forward in Michail Antonio and a tricky player in Jarrod Bowen. I don’t want to say he had them in his pocket, but I think he did.”

Meanwhile, during his time at Ross County, his former manager John Hughes likened him to a current Premier League star, which only bolsters claims that Hjelde could emerge as a big money-making sensation in the future.

“Leo is going to be the next Van Dijk. Trust me on that,” he said. “The quality he has shown, the physical challenge, playing real men’s football and standing up to it – it’s been a wonderful experience for Leo. He’s got massive things in front of him.”

Also dubbed a “massive talent” by his ex-boss, it’s clear that Leeds – and Marsch particularly – have a special defender in their grasp. He should be in line for more game time next season as the league’s worst defence will surely be altered.

The Norway U21 international could earn Leeds a pretty penny one day.

AND in other news, Alan Nixon drops 12-word Kalvin Phillips transfer update…

Southampton failed to continue the solid run of form they were enjoying prior to the recent international break by losing 2-1 to Norwich City at the weekend

What made matters even worse was the injury blow suffered to Stuart Armstrong who picked up a calf injury before the match at the weekend. Thus, it can be argued that something will need to change for the Saints moving forward.

One potential change that manager Ralph Hasenhuttl could make to his team that could revolutionise the side is by unleashing midfielder Will Smallbone.

After recovering from a serious knee injury he suffered back in January, the 21-year-old, who is currently valued at £1.8m according to Transfermarkt, was fit enough to be on the substitutes bench against Norwich, showing just how close he is to getting back into action for the Saints.

As a product of Southampton’s youth academy, Smallbone made his senior debut for the club back in January 2020 in an FA Cup victory over Huddersfield Town, making 52 appearances for the U18 side where he scored six goals and provided seven assists.

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He’s also appeared 44 times for their B team, finding the net on seven occasions and bagging six assists.

In the 14 senior appearances he’s made for Southampton, Smallbone, who has been described by Hasenhuttl in the past as a “smart” player, has managed to score one goal and provide two assists, showing his attacking and creative talents on the pitch.

If Smallbone has now fully recovered from his serious injury, Hasenhuttl should definitely start integrating him into the team gradually so he can get back into the swing of things with the rest of his teammates and potentially make the team more dynamic in an attacking regard, like they needed to be against Norwich. Judging by his performances at youth level, he’s definitely got the ability to transform Hasenhuttl’s offence.

Southampton’s next game seeing them take on Liverpool at Anfield, and while this may not be the right game to stick Smallbone in right from the start, it could be worth giving him some minutes in the second half to get the experience under his belt to see if he can make a difference.

In other news: Big blow: Southampton dealt worrying injury setback that will surely have Ralph gutted – opinion

Celtic favourite John Hartson has backed Kyogo Furuhashi to return to the starting lineup for the Scottish Cup semi-final clash against Rangers at Hampden Park. 

The lowdown: Left out at Ibrox

The 27-year-old forward has been a huge absentee for the Bhoys, having missed 30 games this season with knee and more recently hamstring issues.

However, the Japanese ace made a welcome return to the fold in the second half of the 7-0 demolition of St Johnstone at Celtic Park last weekend. Kyogo was actually fit for the Old Firm win at Ibrox two weeks ago, but was left out as the manager did not feel he was needed.

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Now, as another Old Firm showdown looms large, the Japan international could be back in contention to be named amongst Ange Postecoglou’s starting XI from the outset.

The latest: Hartson calls for Kyogo

Speaking on The Go Radio Football Show, as relayed by the Daily Record, Hartson is adamant that Kyogo should feature if Giorgos Giakoumakis is deemed unfit.

The former Wales and 50-goal Hoops frontman said: “The back four will stay the same and I think the midfield will remain the same.

“The only one for me will be O’Riley or Hatate. Then it’ll be Maeda, Jota, and if Giakoumakis isn’t fit, then I see Kyogo starting.

“Why wouldn’t he start him? I think he’ll be dying to get back on the scoresheet.

“He’s such an enthusiastic and quality player. What an impact he made before he got injured.”

The verdict: Spot on

Having finally made a successful comeback there appears to be little reason not to include the 12-cap ace from the start, particularly should Giakoumakis miss out.

After almost four months out it’s unlikely Kyogo will be able to complete 90 minutes but it’s impossible to ignore the Japanese star’s quality.

Prior to coming off injured on Boxing Day, the versatile attacker had scored 16 times and provided five assists in 27 appearances across all competitions this season and will be a welcome addition back into Postecoglou’s squad for the semi-final and beyond.

In other news, pundit pinpoints key Celtic advantage in SPFL title race. Find out more here.