All posts by z3u9t.icu

Leeds target now available for free

by z3u9t.icu Uncategorized

Leeds United have been given the green light to seal one of their mooted summer transfer targets…

What’s the word?

According to The Sun, back in May, the Yorkshire giants were one of the teams said to be interested in signing centre-back Jake Clarke-Salter and now following his release from Chelsea, Whites director of football Victor Orta is free to strike.

Over the weekend, the Blues announced that several players were to be released following the end of their contract, including the 24-year-old, who enjoyed a spell on loan to Coventry City last season.

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Sheffield United and the Sky Blues were also mentioned with interest in the report, too.

He could become their third summer signing after the arrival of RB Salzburg duo Brenden Aaronson and Rasmus Kristensen.

Free-agent bargain

Leeds had the second-worst defensive record in the Premier League last season, so adding a new option would certainly be a smart decision. The likes of Robin Koch and Diego Llorente have flattered to deceive since they arrived in west Yorkshire.

Only relegated Norwich City conceded more goals than Jesse Marsch’s men.

It’s hard to imagine Clarke-Salter making an instant impact at Elland Road. However, competition for places could help elevate the game of others and eventually, he may well be trusted to start.

“When he’s played, he’s been absolutely outstanding,” claimed Coventry boss Mark Robins, whilst back in 2016, he caught the eye of Stamford Bridge great John Terry.

“Jake has a great attitude,’ said the former England captain. ‘I remember watching him a couple of years ago being in control of the game and a really vocal player. He reminds me a bit of myself.”

The young defender ranked as Coventry’s sixth-best performer in the Championship in 2021/22, averaging a WhoScored rating of 6.80. He also won an average of 3.6 aerial duels, 2.3 tackles and 1.2 interceptions, too.

On the above evidence, he would be a really solid signing for Leeds and one that Orta must press head to make in the coming weeks. The door has now opened to strike, so it’s on the Spaniard to deliver a third summer signing, all without costing a penny.

AND in other news, Leeds winger Raphinha subject to fresh Premier League interest…

West Ham in final stages of Aguerd deal

by z3u9t.icu Uncategorized

West Ham have been regularly linked with a move for Rennes defender Nayef Aguerd in recent months and if the latest reports are to be believed, he is on the brink of joining David Moyes’ side.

What’s the word?

The Moroccan centre-back has been tipped for a €40m (£34m) move to the Hammers in recent weeks and journalist Dean Jones has now claimed that the deal is in its final stages.

He told GIVEMESPORT: “It’s almost there. They’re just ironing out the final stages of that deal now, so I think it’ll probably be announced by the end of the month. It sounds like all the other pieces are in place, they just need to get the actual finances signed off.”

Moyes’ dream?

West Ham underwent a centre-back crisis last season, with Issa Diop, Angelo Ogbonna and Kurt Zouma all suffering long-term injuries during the campaign, with Craig Dawson often left as the sole centre-back option in Moyes’ squad.

Therefore, it was always likely that the Scottish manager would move for a new, younger centre-back this summer, with Ogbonna perhaps never likely to fully recover from an anterior cruciate injury at the age of 34.

As impressive as Dawson was last season, he recently turned 32 and West Ham need to look to the future, so the signing of a 26-year-old Aguerd makes a lot of sense.

Last season saw the Rennes defender make 31 appearances in Ligue 1, contributing two goals and two assists, averaging a solid 6.88 rating from WhoScored for his performances.

The 6 foot 2 defender has regularly popped up with goals during his time in France and will undoubtedly add a new attacking threat for West Ham from corners and free-kicks, with the Hammers having scored 14 goals from set-piece situations last season.

Moyes will certainly be able to rely on the 26-year-old to be defensively sound, with WhoScored suggesting that Aguerd had only made two errors leading to shots in his last 90 games of football for Rennes and Dijon.

Therefore, with the Hammers set to splash the cash on Aguerd this summer, Moyes will be delighted that he has a new, younger centre-back to rely on next season.

And, in other news… Moyes given green light for “unbelievable”  £25m West Ham signing, it’d be a huge coup…

Newcastle keen on Djed Spence

by z3u9t.icu Uncategorized

Newcastle United chief Dan Ashworth is immediately plotting a bid to sign right-back Djed Spence…

What’s the talk?

According to Football.London, the Magpies are one of a number of teams interested in signing the Middlesbrough defender ahead of the 2022/23 campaign.

Ashworth joined Newcastle as sporting director earlier this week and this fresh claim suggests that Spence has emerged as one of his first targets.

The report claims that Borussia Dortmund, Nottingham Forest – with whom he spent the season just gone on loan – and Tottenham are among the other teams keen on a deal for the youngster.

It has previously been reported that the Championship club will demand a fee in the region of £20m for the full-back, although it remains to be seen if that is still the case.

Kieran Trippier 2.0

PIF brought in a quality English right-back in the previous transfer window as they signed Trippier from Atletico Madrid and Ashworth can now repeat that trick by landing Spence.

The 21-year-old is at the opposite end of his career to the former Spurs man but has the potential to get to the very top.

In the Championship, Spence played 42 matches as he helped Forest return to the Premier League via the play-offs, winning the final 1-0 last weekend. He showcased his attacking talent from right-back as he produced two goals and four assists, creating six ‘big chances’ in total.

His impressive performances caught the eye of former Premier League striker Ian Wright. He showered the gem with praise earlier this year, saying:

“If we are talking about right-backs performing at an unbelievable level, we’re talking about Reece James and Trent, but I have not seen a combative, technical, swashbuckling performance like that for a very long time. I said to him, in all seriousness, ‘That level we saw there? You should be in the Premier League.’ Simple as that.”

These quotes and his aforementioned attacking statistics suggest that he can provide a threat from full-back for the Magpies, much like Trippier did upon his arrival in January.

The ex-Atletico enforcer scored two goals and created 1.2 chances per game in five top-flight starts for the Toon, after registering six assists and creating seven ‘big chances’ in La Liga during the 2020/21 campaign.

He can contribute a great deal in the final third and Ashworth can land Newcastle the next Trippier by signing Spence.

At the age of 21, the Boro gem still has plenty to learn and he can develop by working with the current Magpies gem and taking in all of his experience, to ensure that he fulfils his potential and makes it at the top level.

AND in other news, NUFC plotting swoop for “hungry” £34m gem with a “bright future”, Howe would love him…

Rangers: Bassey linked with Aston Villa

by z3u9t.icu Uncategorized

Rangers defender Calvin Bassey could leave Ibrox behind this summer with Giovanni van Bronckhorst facing a battle to keep him in Glasgow.

What’s the news?

That’s according to a recent report from The Times, who suggest that van Bronckhorst could lose one of Rangers’ star men this season.

It’s said that Aston Villa are ready to step up their pursuit of the Gers defender in the coming weeks as he reportedly fits the bill for the defensive reinforcement that Steven Gerrard wants in his side.

The report also adds that Villa scouts were impressed by Bassey’s performance at Hampden during Rangers’ Scottish Cup victory over Hearts and that Gerrard is keen to reunite with the player after bringing him to Glasgow two years ago.

Disaster for Van Bronckhorst

As mentioned in the report, Rangers secured a deal for the Nigerian back in 2020 from Leicester City.

After securing the former Leicester youngster, Gerrard had this to say about him.

“He’s a strong and dynamic athlete who is very much the modern-day full-back. He’s left-footed, physically powerful and enjoys driving forward and is certainly equipped to thrive in the combative nature of Scottish football.”

During his time with the Ibrox side, Bassey has gone on to make 64 appearances for the Europa League finalists across all competitions, chipping in with one goal and six assists along the way.

With 49 appearances under his belt this season, the 22-year-old has been deployed in the left-back and centre-back positions, highlighting his versatility and usefulness to van Bronckhorst.

In addition to making 20 interceptions and 28 tackles in the SPFL this season, the Nigerian also racked up the third-highest number of crosses in Rangers’ squad with 92 completed.

Praised by Owen Hargreaves for his “astonishing” performance in the Europa League final against Eintracht Frankfurt, this shows just how much the defender can step up on the big stage when it matters for his current side. It also shows why letting him go at this stage of his career would be a disaster.

He is the future of Rangers and is demonstrating outstanding qualities. Combine that with how Rangers have a number of older defenders in their squad like Leon Balogun, Borna Barisic, Filip Helander and Connor Goldson, it only furthers the blow of potentially losing a younger talent this summer.

Evidently, if the club were to see Bassey leave Ibrox in the coming weeks, it would surely be a disaster for the club and the backroom staff.

In other news: Imagine him & Aribo: GVB can form deadly Rangers duo by signing “complete” 18 G/A gem

Aston Villa: Ashley Preece buzzing at Boubacar Kamara move

by z3u9t.icu Uncategorized

Aston Villa correspondent Ashley Preece has been reacting to the club’s move for midfielder Boubacar Kamara.

The Lowdown: Five-year deal

Villa haven’t wasted any time in preparing for Steven Gerrard’s first full season in charge. The club secured a permanent transfer for Philippe Coutinho earlier this month and have now announced a deal for Kamara.

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The 22-year-old has signed a five-year contract in the Midlands and will officially become a Villa player when his Marseille contract expires at the end of June.

Kamara, who has recently earned a first senior call-up by France, made 48 appearances in 2021/22 and even captained the Ligue 1 club on multiple occasions.

The Latest: Preece reacts

Preece took to Twitter to give his thoughts on the transfer, describing it as a ‘big, big statement of intent’ due to interest from Atletico Madrid.

The Villa reporter also labelled the move ‘exciting’, with Gerrard ‘getting things in order’ at Villa Park.

The Verdict: Good move

As Preece mentioned, Villa weren’t the only club keen on signing Kamara, so it looks as if they have made an extremely shrewd signing in a position that Gerrard was desperate to strengthen.

Kamara appears to be the ‘specialist No.6’ that the 41-year-old wanted this summer, with NSWE securing a £22.5m-valued midfielder for nothing.

Premier League rivals Newcastle United, Manchester United and West Ham were also keen on the Frenchman, but it looks as if the pull of working under Gerrard was too good of an opportunity for Kamara to turn down.

In other news: NSWE now eyeing yet another move alongside Kamara; Villa chiefs sent to club after Gerrard approves

Wolves close in on £10million signing

by z3u9t.icu Uncategorized

Wolves are closing in on the £10million signing of Chicago Fire goalkeeper Gabriel Slonina, according to journalist Alan Nixon.

The Lowdown: New goalkeeping incoming?

Bruno Lage will be eyeing up new signings all over the pitch this summer, as he looks to improve on his side’s eventual 10th-place finish in the Premier League.

One position that needs to be filled is second-choice goalkeeper, with John Ruddy leaving Molineux once his contract expires at the end of next month.

It now looks as though Wolves may already have the veteran’s replacement sorted.

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The Latest: Nixon drops Slonina claim

According to Nixon on Twitter, and on his Patreon, Wanderers look set to snap up Slonina from MLS side Chicago imminently:

“Wolves set to win £10 million keeper race.”

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The Verdict: Ideal Sa backup

Slonina looks like he could be a perfect understudy to Jose Sa from next season onwards, having emerged as an exciting ‘keeper in America –  Chicago interim manager Frank Klopas described his potential as ‘scary’.

At just 18 years of age, he is seen as a potential future No.1 for the USA and already has 23 appearances to his name for his club side, despite his tender years.

Bringing in young talent is always exciting to see at Wolves, suggesting that long-term planning is taking place, rather than simply signing another player of Ruddy’s ilk.

In other news, Wolves are reportedly keen on signing a promising defender. Find out who it is here.

Rangers: Calvin Bassey was a standout

by z3u9t.icu Uncategorized

Rangers were left heartbroken on Wednesday night as the Ibrox giants lost on penalties in the final of the Europa League.

Giovanni van Bronckhorst’s side gave their all in Seville as they took it all the way to spot-kicks after a 1-1 draw in 120 minutes.

The Glasgow outfit took the lead in the second half as Joe Aribo capitalised on a mistake at the back and raced through to slot the ball past Kevin Trapp with a composed finish.

Their lead did not last for long, though, as Rafael Borre pounced on a cross after Connor Goldson failed to cut it out at the front post.

Both sides had chances to win it in extra time and the best chance fell to Ryan Kent as he saw a close-range effort saved by Trapp from point-blank range.

It then came down to penalties and Aaron Ramsey’s poor spot-kick was comfortably saved by the Frankfurt stopper, with every other penalty in the shootout being expertly dispatched – sealing the win for the German outfit.

Whilst Aribo scored the goal for the Gers, the real standout, in what was a superb performance in spite of the defeat, was central defender Calvin Bassey. After the match, BT Sport pundit Owen Hargreaves dubbed his performance as “astonishing” and that sums it up perfectly.

Defensively, he was absolutely outstanding. As per SofaScore, he won seven of his 11 individual duels, won two tackles and made four clearances, two blocks and three interceptions over the course of the 120 minutes on the pitch.

The defender, who had 93 touches in total, was a menace to the Frankfurt attackers as he towered above them to win the ball time and time again – winning 80% of his aerial battles as he dominated the match.

During the BT Sport commentary, Alex Rae claimed that the Nigeria international “eats up ground” when running back to track runs in behind. He showcased his recovery speed, making nine recoveries in total, as he stopped the Bundesliga side from exposing the space between the backline and Allan McGregor.

These statistics and quotes on his display illustrate his exceptional showing in the final. He was incredibly unlucky to end the night on the losing side and van Bronckhorst will now be hoping that this display does not catch any eyes heading into the summer transfer window…

AND in other news, Gvb must finally unleash “powerful” 19 y/o Rangers gem who “took his chance” in 2022…

West Ham: Reliable source shares major Aguerd update

by z3u9t.icu Uncategorized

A major West Ham United transfer update has now come to light involving Rennes defender and David Moyes target Nayef Aguerd.

The Lowdown: Irons eye move…

The Daily Telegraph, sharing news earlier this week, broke news that manager Moyes had personally set his sights on the colossal Ligue 1 defender after missing out at the start of the 2021/2022 Premier League campaign.

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Valued at around £20 million, it was claimed that West Ham have re-joined the race for Aguerd as the Hammers eye new central defensive additions.

The Morocco international, having been a key player for Rennes this season, signed a new deal until 2025 last year but that seemingly hasn’t stopped GSB from attempting a deal.

The Latest: West Ham ‘working on a deal’…

According to a reliable source in The Guardian, West Ham are now ‘working on a deal’ to sign Aguerd behind-the-scenes as they attempt an agreement for Moyes.

They also back that the Irons boss has personally identified the 26-year-old as a ‘key target’ ahead of the summer wind0w.

The Verdict: Get it done…

At £20m, Aguerd would be a fairly shrewd signing given his form on the continent and real presence in the middle of defence.

Lauded as the ‘real boss’ of Rennes by members of the Ligue 1 media, the African gem has won more aerial duels and racked up a higher number of clearances per 90 than all of his teammates over 2021/2022 (WhoScored).

A brilliant ball-playing centre-half also, Aguerd completes an impressive 89% of his passes out from the back – backing why Moyes is so keen to get a deal done.

As West Ham work on an agreement to sign him, this update comes as a promising one for supporters.

In other news: ‘Evolving situation’ – Journalist says West Ham are also eyeing a ‘massive signing’ for Moyes! Find out more here.

Milner backed to stay put at Liverpool

by z3u9t.icu Uncategorized

Liverpool midfielder James Milner will stay put at Anfield beyond the summer transfer window, according to former Scotland international Alan Hutton.

The Lowdown: Milner a great servant

The 36-year-old joined the Reds in the summer of 2015 and has gone on to enjoy seven memorable seasons there, becoming a club legend in the process.

Milner has tasted Champions League and Premier League glory with Liverpool, making 285 appearances in total and providing admirable levels of professionalism.

Just last weekend, Jurgen Klopp described the veteran as an ‘incredibly important’ player, highlighting his evergreen ability, but his contract expires on June 30.

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The Latest: Hutton makes key prediction

While Milner hasn’t yet committed his future to Liverpool ahead of his contract running down, Hutton, a regular on BBC Radio 5 Live, told Football Insider that he expects him to sign new terms and stay on:

“Of course, he’ll want to play games. But ultimately I think he will be happy where he’s at. This is a team that’s fighting on all fronts. He is getting the minutes on the pitch as well.

“I think Klopp sees him as a big figurehead within that squad. If you look at his stats over his whole career, he’s played a lot of football.

“It’s not like he’s just been that kind of journeyman and gone about different clubs. He’s played a lot of football. I think he’d be happy staying at such a big club.”

The Verdict: One more year?

While there is no doubt that Milner’s very best days are behind him, he has remarkable fitness levels for his age and has shown that he can still play at the top level, earning the Man of the Match last week at Newcastle.

For that reason, it makes complete sense for him to sign a one-year extension and remain at Anfield until 2023, should he want to, enjoying one final season in a Liverpool shirt.

Milner’s influence off the pitch cannot be downplayed, with the ex-England international ensuring everyone around him performs to a high standard, and he could even take on a coaching role with Klopp after he hangs up his boots.

In other news, one Liverpool player will be offered a new deal this summer. Find out who it is here.

Predicted Spurs XI vs Leicester

by z3u9t.icu Uncategorized

Tottenham Hotspur return to Premier League action this afternoon and the north London outfit will be looking to maintain ground in the race for a top-four finish.

The Lilywhites have slipped up in recent outings, picking up just a point from Brentford and Brighton, and it has allowed their arch-rivals, Arsenal, to gain an advantage with the Gunners sat two points clear in fourth position.

Antonio Conte’s side can put pressure on their fierce foes as they don’t play until later, travelling to West Ham this evening.

It will be interesting to see what sort of side the Italian names for this encounter, not at least because they struggled to create anything of note against Christian Eriksen’s Bees last time out.

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Here’s the XI we are predicting today…

Goalkeeper: Hugo Lloris is likely to remain between the sticks as trusted no.1 and club captain.

Back three: This area is also set to be unaltered, meaning impressive Atalanta loanee Cristian Romero continues alongside Eric Dier – the middle of the three – and left-back Ben Davies.

Left wing-back: In the absence of Sergio Reguilon, who Conte confirmed as being absent for this clash during his pre-game press conference, the Italian will only be able to depend upon Ryan Sessegnon.

Right wing-back: Given Emerson’s persistent struggles in the role and Matt Doherty’s season-ending injury, it wouldn’t be a surprise to see a bold call on the right. One player capable of featuring here is Dejan Kulusevski, who has averaged 1.2 tackles and 0.8 interceptions per game, only 0.2 and 0.1 off of the Irishman.

“Also Dejan Kulusevski can play as a wing-back,” claimed the Italian head coach ahead of kick-off.

Central midfield: This is another area that is likely to go unscathed, with both Pierre-Emile Hojbjerg and January arrival Rodrigo Bentancur marshalling the engine room once again.

Left wing: Heung-min Son will keep his place on the left, playing just off the striker, as normal.

Right wing: With the 22-year-old Sweden international in a new role, we could see a rare start for Lucas Moura, who has previously been dubbed a “nightmare” to train against by his teammate, Dier. The £18m-rated Brazilian lost his place to Kuluseveski but may earn a chance to impress today.

It would be his first start since February, some 12 games ago.

Striker: Harry Kane is undroppable at this point, so we can expect the England talisman to remain.

Predicted Spurs XI (3-4-2-1): Lloris; Davies, Dier, Romero; Sessegnon, Hojbjerg, Bentancur, Kulusevski; Son, Moura; Kane.

AND in other news, Sold for £11m, now battling relegation in Turkey: former Spurs titan has fallen off massively…