All posts by z3u9t.icu

Tottenham Hotspur have once again been linked with a move for Paulo Dybala…

What’s the word?

According to Italian journalist Xavier Jacobelli, Spurs are among the teams interested in a move for the Juventus dynamo as he enters final six months of his current £222k-per-week contract.

“Inter are at the window, as well as Tottenham. [Antonio] Conte and Barcelona also highly esteem Dybala. We have to see what he will do in these months, because Beppe Marotta (Inter’s CEO) and other companies are at the window and are watching,” he told Calciomercato.it.

Italian newspaper Tuttosport also claims that Lilywhites head coach is an ‘indisputable admirer’ of the Argentina international, who is currently valued at £45m by Transfermarkt.

Perfect for Conte

Dybala’s time in Turin over the last few seasons has been frustrating to say the least, largely due to injuries but whenever he has been on the pitch, he has proven to be a key player for Massimiliano Allegri – even taking the armband in the absence of Giorgio Chiellini.

For example, this season, he has only played 19 times across the Serie A and Champions League but has still delivered nine goals and four assists, via Transfermarkt.

And with the futures of Tanguy Ndombele and Dele Alli in doubt, the need for a new attacking maestro could soon increase tenfold.

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Dybala has long been a target for chairman Daniel Levy, having come close to signing him during the 2019 summer transfer window after the deal controversially collapsed at the 11th hour over image rights.

“I can just confirm that Dybala is an unbelievable player,” once claimed former Arsenal midfielder Aaron Ramsey to The Athletic. “He’s very gifted — a team player — and some of the things he’s done in training and some of the games this season has been quite breathtaking.”

Spurs have lacked a creative no.10 ever since the departure of Chrisitan Erisken, with Ndombele failing to step up to the mark despite being the club’s record signing at £55m.

The north London outfit are free to negotiate a pre-contract with Dybala with makes him an even more appealing prospect as he won’t cost Levy a penny upon arrival in the summer.

Italian football expert Conor Clancy has also previously suggested that the presence of the 28-year-old dynamo could help bring the best out of Kane, only further highlighting how poor the Frenchman has been.

“I feel like he’d be unstoppable with Kane because he’s not a number nine, so he’s got to be playing alongside a striker like that,” he told Football FanCast in the summer.

Maybe it’s time for Levy and co to finally pull the trigger on Dybala. He’d be a very nice signing under Conte, who according to the initial reports, is a big fan.

AND in other news, Alasdair Gold reveals “positive update” behind-scenes at Spurs, Conte will be buzzing…

As per respected Italian journalist Enzo Bucchioni, writing for Firenze Viola, the future of Dusan Vlahovic may well become clear over the next few weeks as he drops a Tottenham Hotspur claim.

The Lowdown: Spurs ramp up Vlahovic interest…

Numerous sources over this past week have detailed Tottenham’s stance on re-entering the race for their summer target and it’s safe to say that the interest is still very much alive.

After a reported bid by Fabio Paratici to bring him to north London (Fanta Calcio), the arrival of new manager Antonio Conte has seen Tottenham re-emerge as serious contenders.

Indeed, TUTTOmercatoWEB suggested last week that both Conte and Spurs’ managing director have ‘agreed’ to target the 21-year-old as a potential replacement for superstar Harry Kane, who ‘should leave’ next summer.

Meanwhile, La Gazzetta dello Sport (via Sport Witness) stated that a meeting and transfer talks have already been held in London as Spurs and Fiorentina chiefs discuss a potential €70m (£59.9m) deal.

The Latest: Bucchioni drops Spurs claim…

Writing for Firenze Viola, Bucchioni somewhat backs these recent claims of Tottenham’s interest, stating that the Lilywhites have ‘moved’ for Vlahovic alongside the likes of Arsenal and Manchester City.

He believed that Juventus and Borussia Dortmund are the main contenders from Europe and that more clubs could still enter the race to sign him, explaining that there are those who speak of a summit between the 21-year-old and his agent to decide the best course of action over a move away.

Extending his stay at Fiorentina is deemed ‘unthinkable’ as things stand but the player’s ‘management’ would prefer him to see out 2021/22 with La Viola and leave permanently next summer.

As the striker decides his future in ‘addition to leaving’ his current club, Bucchioni believes we will know more ‘over the next few weeks’, with Vlahovic’s agent Darko Ristic currently not answering the phone to any club – not even Fiorentina.

The Verdict: Perfect target…

His 21-goal tally in Serie A alone last season is just one of many reasons for Spurs to swoop and get a possible deal done, whether its in January or indeed next summer.

Lauded as a ‘really crazy’ player by former Premier League striker Valeri Bojinov, the fact that he has officially refused new contract offers to make him the highest-paid player in Fiorentina’s history is also incentive for Spurs to move.

Vlahovic’s current contract expires in 2023, so the Serie A club are slowly running out of time to make a significant amount of money off his sale, and this may well strengthen Paratici’s negotiating stance.

Valued at around £45m by Transfermarkt, any figure in and around this amount would surely be a bargain given his age, potential for sell-on value and red-hot form.

The Serbia international has continued to turn heads with 10 goals and an assist in 13 outings so far this season, marking him out as one of Europe’s most prolific target men right now.

In other news: Spurs now close to signing ‘monster’ player as Conte seeks to solve severe problem, find out more here.

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

The Birmingham Mail’s Ashley Preece has delivered the latest on Aston Villa’s plans for the January transfer window.

What’s the story?

With Steven Gerrard now at the helm at Villa Park, the upcoming transfer window throws up some exciting possibilities for what the new Villa boss could potentially do.

And now, during a Q&A for The Birmingham Mail, Preece has confirmed his expectation that the Midlands club will be busy in the transfer market and intimated the kind of areas they might look to strengthen.

He said: “I do expect Villa to be active, 100 per cent. There will be a few sent out for some game time and quality will be added providing Lange can help get deals over the line. It’s a tough market but Gerrard has a huge pull now. Villa will lose Nakamba for 3/4 weeks, likewise if Traore and Trez are passed fit for Egypt and Burkina Faso.

“A left-back will be priority, as will a defensive midfielder and, possibly, a winger. Gerrard still assessing the likes of El Ghazi etc, while likes of Philogene-Bidace and others will be loaned out. Quality will be Villa’s priority in January.”

Villa fans will be excited

Given Gerrard only took over from Dean Smith last month, it’s no surprise that the new Villa manager is intent on making some big signings in the January transfer window and putting his first touches on this squad.

As Preece alluded to, simply the name of Gerrard will make Villa an even more attractive and exciting option than they already were, and he could prove to be the difference-maker in terms of a lure.

With the club also facing issues with injuries – particularly to Danny Ings and Leon Bailey – and AFCON, the need for new players is perhaps even more pressing for Villa than most other sides around the league, so getting those new faces in early will be crucial to ensuring that they don’t slip behind.

Preece’s update is sure to have Villa fans very excited about what could happen next month.

Meanwhile, Gerrard must finally unleash this star…

Many fans of West Ham United have been reacting to a post on Twitter in which Declan Rice reflected on the club’s recent victory over Leeds United.

Rice impressed in West Ham’s 2-0 Premier League win against Marcelo Bielsa’s side, with the 22-year-old winning six duels and making four clearances, two interceptions and three tackles over the course of the 90 minutes [SofaScore], earning a match rating of 7.2 for his efforts.

Following the victory, which saw West Ham climb to fifth place in the Premier League, the £49.5m-rated Rice took to Twitter, stating his belief that the Hammers’ win was “not the prettiest of performances” before calling for fans of the club to “keep enjoying the ride” this season.

In reaction, many fans of West Ham flocked to have their say on the matter, with a few heaping considerable praise on the England international for his “unbelievable” performance on Monday night.

So, what exactly did these West Ham United fans have to say in reaction to Declan Rice’s post on Twitter?

“Captain leading us to something special.”

@westhamtransfer

“Keep going captain, unreal again.”

@WestHam_Central

“The sign of a good team is winning when not playing well Declan Rice. 3 points in the bag and we mooooooove.”

@rhysj39

“Get in Declan! Quality performance tonight, it’s a pleasure to watch the player you are becoming. Never leave us please you’re already taking this club to new levels. Keep it up, man!”

@AdamAllchin

“Terrific fighting spirit & togetherness again, the desire to keep on improving & not being satisfied with just winning but playing better is the drive that will end with a high league position. Keep it up All of You. COYI.”

@richiewhite25

“Class player, will love to see you lead us in Europe.”

@ScoutSoucek

“Still getting the win as well as a clean sheet when we didn’t play that well shows how far we have come!! MY CAPTAIN. Keep going, European nights are pending.”

@MatthewFairle11

“Brilliant again skipper and keep on those pens!!”

@LeeBo

“Another game, another masterclass. Well played Dec!”

@WHUKasp

“Unbelievable once again.”

@rosswhu3

In other news: Many West Ham fans responded to this club update, find out more here!

After putting his faith in Fraser Forster against Sheffield United last weekend, Southampton manager Ralph Hasenhuttl reverted back to Alex McCarthy for the trip to Manchester City in midweek; and after shipping another five goals, it seems clear that Forster should be back in between the sticks against Brighton at the weekend.

McCarthy has been the first-choice ‘keeper at Southampton for the majority of the season but there were rightly questions asked of him during the awful run of form which saw the Saints pick up just one point from a possible 27, with the shot-stopper also conceding nine in a galling defeat at Old Trafford.

Meanwhile, Forster had been impressing in the FA Cup, in which kept three clean sheets out of three, whilst he also stood out in Southampton’s 1-0 win against Liverpool in January, when McCarthy missed out after testing positive for the current viral outbreak.

The 32-year-old, who was out on loan at Celtic last season, was given the nod for Southampton’s trip to Everton, where Hasenhuttl’s side lost 1-0, and kept his place for the all-important 2-0 win at Bramall Lane, which brought an end to the Saints’ torrid run of form.

However, the Austrian opted to make plenty of changes for the game against Pep Guardiola’s league leaders, which included McCarthy starting in goal.

It has been suggested that the former Reading and QPR man has been selected ahead of Forster because of his ability with the ball at his feet, but he was extremely fortunate not to give away a penalty when he let the ball slip under his foot before bringing down Phil Foden in the penalty box.

He also conceded five goals in the defeat and, whilst it is difficult to dispute that he could have done much more with any of the goals, you can’t justify keeping him in the side ahead of Forster when considering his clean sheet record this season (just seven shutouts in 26 games).

Therefore, Hasenhuttl should axe the £5.85m-rated McCarthy ahead of the game against Brighton at St Mary’s on Sunday and instead put his faith in Forster – hailed as “outstanding” by another former Celtic ‘keeper in Rab Douglas – for the rest of the season.

In other news… Saints’ four-year nightmare looks set to continue after update on £5.4m-rated disaster

Sky Sports journalist Florian Plettenberg has dropped an update regarding Manchester United and Djed Spence.

The Lowdown: Spence profiled

Spence, labelled as ‘incredible’ by former top flight right-back Alan Hutton, is currently on loan at Nottingham Forest from Middlesborough, and has caught the eye following his displays at the City Ground.

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He has made 40 appearances for Forest as a right-back and right midfielder, helping the Reds climb up the Championship table under Steve Cooper.

Forest are now in serious contention for a place in the Premier League next season, but it looks as if Spence could move to one of Europe’s biggest clubs ahead of the 2022/23 campaign.

The Latest: Plettenberg’s post

Manchester United have been credited with an interest in Spence recently, and Plettenberg took to Twitter on Tuesday to provide an update on the 21-year-old.

He revealed he has five offers on the table but his ‘dream’ is to play for United due to being a boyhood Red Devils fan.

“Update Spence: Selling price is €12-15m! It is said that he has got 5 offers. City, Arsenal & Tottenham are among the interested clubs.

“Djed‘s dream is to play for MUFC one day. He is a fan! Been told there should be still a loose contact with FC Bayern.”

The Verdict: A risk?

Spence, known for his pace, has shone in Forest’s 3-4-1-2 system, playing as both a right-back and right-midfielder in the second tier.

He seems to thrive in a back three, however, Erik ten Hag likes to use a 4-3-3 system, a formation which may not play to Spence’s strengths, should the Dutchman look to go with his preferred system during his first year in charge of Manchester United.

Therefore, a move for Spence could be a risky one to start with, and even though he wants to move to Old Trafford, he could be better off looking to join a side like Tottenham, slotting right into Antonio Conte’s back-three system.

In other news: Man Utd make £55m bid for ace with ‘better quality than Pogba’; agent set for Old Trafford talks. 

In the end, Aston Villa’s 4-1 defeat to Liverpool in the third round of the FA Cup on Friday night just doesn’t even begin to tell the whole story.

Dean Smith’s side headed into the clash against the Premier League champions without their entire first-team squad, whilst the manager himself was also absent from the dugout.

It meant Mark Delaney took the reins, and was forced to field a side full of players from the academy set-up. And boy did them do him, the fans, and the club proud.

After 60 minutes of the game, Villa were all square with the country’s best team, with Louie Barry’s late first-half equaliser surely sparking pandemonium from those fans watching at home.

But whilst the striker will naturally take a lot of the headlines for his goal, it was arguably centre-back Dominic Revan who stole the show.

The 20-year-old – one of the oldest Villa players on the pitch which is saying something – was a commanding presence at the back, and didn’t look at all ruffled at the prospect of dealing with the likes of Mohamed Salah and Sadio Mane.

As per Sofascore, Revan made a whopping 14 clearances on the night, by far the most of any player, whilst he also put his body on the line and blocked three shots too.

Defensively, he was an absolute brick wall, winning seven out of the ten total duels that he contested, including all five on the ground.

Villa’s defensive record in the Premier League this season has been impressive, with just 16 goals conceded.

If Revan’s performance is a sign of what’s to come from him in the future, then Smith could be looking at a centre-back who is ready to stake his claim in the side for the next several years.

It has now been nearly three months since Neil Lennon headed for the departure lounge at Celtic and left the Bhoys behind.

It has been a testing time for everyone at Parkhead but it finally looks as though the club is on the home stretch in their quest for his successor.

What’s the word?

Celtic have been in advanced talks with Eddie Howe for the best part of a month now and it would appear that a landmark deal is finally moving closer to completion. The Daily Mail reported last week that a deal was now being finalised and that point of view has now been reiterated by Daily Record journalist Keith Jackson.

In his latest column, he hinted at a move now being closer than ever, with the hierarchy relatively stress-free.

He wrote: “That those closest to these confidential conversations appear to be entirely relaxed about what happens next, also suggests not only that some sort of action plan has been thrashed out and agreed but that it is already being put into practice well out of public view.

“The smart money remains heavily stacked on Eddie Howe’s eventual appointment as Lennon’s permanent replacement. The informed word is, it’s only a matter of when Desmond lands his top target as opposed to if.”

McKay will be buzzing

Celtic need a new manager and they need one quickly given their awful season. Therefore, to hear the news that an agreement is close should be music to the ears of the hierarchy.

That’s especially when you consider how Dermot Desmond and Peter Lawwell made a complete mess of finding Brendan Rodgers’ successor.

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Much of what has gone wrong in the last year or so can be traced back to the moment they hired Neil Lennon. Celtic received a compensation fee of nearly £10m for Rodgers when he exited for Leicester but what actually happened to those funds is anybody’s guess.

In typical Hoops fashion, they took the easy way out when the Northern Irishman left for the Premier League. They went back in time and, instead of looking towards the future, hired Lennon for a second stint at the helm.

Lawwell could have done the same here and given John Kennedy the reins on a permanent basis but, with a new figure in the Celtic hierarchy in the recently-appointed chief executive Dominic McKay, it appears to have done wonders for their thinking.

Advanced discussions were on the table for Howe before McKay had even walked through the door but his arrival appears to have sped things up.

Celtic’s vacant director of football position was suddenly no longer an issue for Howe and then he seemed to get his way in regards to his own coaching staff. Again, this was something which wasn’t strictly allowed when Lennon re-entered the football club back in 2019.

This may have been a disastrous campaign for the Bhoys but things are slightly beginning to change for the better. McKay will deserve some early plaudits when Howe does finally arrive.

AND in other news, Celtic can finally axe McGregor by signing “undroppable” 21 y/o, he’s been “excellent”…

Queens Park Rangers have been handed a massive boost to their hopes of keeping Ilias Chair at the Kiyan Prince Foundation Stadium this summer.

What’s the talk?

That’s according to a report by Belgian outlet Voetbal 24, who claim that both Club Brugge and Anderlecht are now unlikely to make a move for the attacking midfielder in the upcoming transfer window, as they cannot afford QPR’s reported asking price of €15m (£13m).

However, it has also been reported that all three of Watford, Bologna and Genoa are keen on the 23-year-old, who is under contract with the Hoops until the summer of 2025.

Massive boost

While a significant amount of interest remains in Chair ahead of the summer transfer window, the fact that the two sides from the midfielder’s home country now look out of the race for his signature is a massive boost for Mark Warburton, and is likely to delight QPR fans.

Indeed, keeping the £3.6m-rated youngster in west London ahead of next season would appear crucial for Warburton’s hopes of mounting a promotion push, as the 23-year-old was one of the stars of QPR’s 2020/21 campaign.

Over his 45 Championship appearances last term, Chair bagged eight goals, provided four assists and created seven big chances for his teammates, as well as making an average of 1.6 key passes and taking 1.9 shots per game – culminating in a highly impressive average SofaScore match rating of 7.04 – ranking him as the club’s joint fourth-best performer in the second tier.

As such, it would very much seem as if the midfielder – whom Ryan Dilks dubbed a “quality” player – could play a huge role in helping the Rs improve on their eighth-place finish in the Championship as of next season, meaning that Warburton should be doing everything in his power to ensure that the 23-year-old is not tempted away from the Kiyan Prince Foundation Stadium this summer.

In other news: Get it done: Bhatia must sanction QPR swoop for 23 G/A beast who’s “something special” – opinion