All posts by z3u9t.icu

At this point in the season, Liverpool have had more shots at goal in the Premier League than any other top-flight side with a total of 147, a full 20 more than second-placed Manchester City in that regard.

This shows that Jurgen Klopp’s side have not been struggling to attack their opponents so far this season, but it seems as though the Merseyside club have their eye on potentially signing one of Europe’s top attacking talents.

What’s the latest?

It has recently been reported by Spanish media outlet Fichajes that Liverpool is a potential destination for Atletico Madrid attacker Joao Felix during the upcoming January transfer window, alongside Italian clubs Juventus and Inter Milan, on an initial loan deal.

Felix, who was described as an “exciting” player by Portuguese journalist Jose Delgado, signed for Atletico back in the 2019 summer transfer window from Benfica for a massive £113m fee.

Since then, the 21-year-old, who is currently valued at £72m by Transfermarkt, has made 81 appearances for the La Liga champions across all competitions, scoring 19 goals and providing nine assists along the way.

Felix won the Golden Boy award for 2019, beating the likes of Erling Haaland, Jadon Sancho and Kai Havertz and securing his status as one of Europe’s best young players.

The next Jota?

In terms of a potential move to Liverpool in January, if the Merseyside club are willing to take him on loan in January with a potential permanent move on the cards further down the line, we feel that Felix could be a good investment for the Reds based on his young age and the experience he has under his belt playing in La Liga and the Champions League.

Additionally, with the Portuguese star being able to play in a number of roles across the attack such as second striker, centre-forward and on the left wing, he could well be a younger version of Diogo Jota, who is also Portuguese, has spent some time with Atletico and is able to play in the same positions as Felix.

Furthermore, the 21-year-old has racked up a similar number of dribbles per game (1.3) in La Liga this season to what Jota has in the Champions League (1.5).

Also, with Roberto Firmino’s contract at Liverpool set to expire in 2023 when he will be 32, there’s every chance that Felix could be his long-term replacement at Anfield if he ends up joining on a permanent basis and the Brazilian leaves when his contract runs out.

With Liverpool set to take on Atletico in their next Champions League game next week, it will be interesting to see whether or not Felix plays a part in the match and shows why the Reds should make a move to sign him in January.

In other news: Possession lost 15 times: Klopp must ruthlessly axe £140k-p/w LFC ace, he’s a liability

Celtic return to domestic action this weekend with a few scars after a dramatic night for the Hoops in Europe a few days ago.

The Bhoys were exceptional in the final third as they scored three times against one of the most dominant teams in La Liga on Thursday night. However, the opposition’s quality against Celtic eventually told when Real Betis won the game 4-3.

Ange Postecoglou’s side travelled to Spain with an injury-hit squad but the Australian should have a few faces back when they face Livingston on Sunday afternoon.

It’s a game they should be winning but how will they line up? Here’s what we’re predicting…

We are tipping Celtic to make three changes from the side which lost to Betis in the Europa League.

The first change is on the flanks, where Liel Abada comes back into the team at the expense of Adam Montgomery.

Abada missed the clash in Seville due to religious reasons but is all set to play this weekend and should take the Scottish teenager’s place in the team.

A further alteration is in the middle of the park where Postecoglou is optimistic about Callum McGregor’s chances of returning.

He didn’t play on Thursday night because of a small knock but the £20k-per-week earner has now seemingly recovered and should come in for Ismaila Soro.

The Ivorian was withdrawn early last time out after a number of tackles saw him fortunate not to be red-carded. Therefore, McGregor’s return should be a welcome boost.

The final change is in defence, where Carl Starfelt is axed after an increasing number of dodgy performances. Stephen Welsh returns to partner Cameron Carter-Vickers.

Postecoglou is likely to resist the temptation of moving Josip Juranovic to his favoured role at right-back.

Anthony Ralston did score against Betis but was woeful from a defensive point of view. However, he should have an easier ride against Livingston, and after his impressive start to the season, he plays again.

Albian Ajeti keeps his place in attack with Kyogo Furuhashi still ruled out through injury. The Swiss striker has been in good form, with three goals in his last two outings.

AND in other news, Imagine him & Jota: Celtic must unleash “dangerous” £2.7m-rated Hoops dynamo today…

The Chronicle’s Lee Ryder has dropped an intriguing Newcastle United transfer claim that may excite the club’s fans.

What’s the story?

The Magpies have had a fairly quiet summer window thus far, with only Joe Willock arriving on a permanent basis from Arsenal.

Now, Ryder has claimed on Twitter, that the “club’s chief scout spotted (was) at (a) Championship clash” at the weekend.

Then, in a follow-up article for The Chronicle, Ryder delved in a little deeper, saying: “And notably, Bruce’s head of recruitment Steve Nickson was spotted at Hull City’s bore draw with Bournemouth at the KCOM Stadium at the weekend.

“Nickson may have been running the rule over sought after midfielder David Brooks, who has also been subject of interest from Crystal Palace and is represented by the same agency that the Magpies use regularly for deals.”

Fans may be excited

Given the kind of disappointment that Newcastle fans have endured, not just in terms of their on-pitch performances but their off-the-pitch recruitment, it’d be easy to understand why they may not be overly excited until a new player or two arrives through the door and holds up the famous black and white shirt.

However, news that the Magpies’ chief scout is still very much out and about on scouting missions ahead of deadline day should reassure them and leave them both hopeful and excited over a potentially frantic deadline day finish.

And if Ryder’s theory is right that Nickson had his eye on Bournemouth’s Brooks, then they would be getting a superb player if they do make a move for him.

Speaking exclusively to FFC, former Villa man Lee Hendrie waxed lyrical about the versatile attacker, saying: “I’m a big fan of David Brooks. I’ve seen a fair bit of him this season and he’s an absolute talent, he really is.

“He reminds me of Jack (Grealish). He’s very slight, he’s very mobile and, again, he’s another player that could set the Prem on fire if he’s given a chance.”

He has managed eight goal contributions in 24 Championship games this campaign, and quite appealingly for Smith, he is able to play anywhere behind the striker.

In the £55,000-a-week earning Brooks, Bruce would be getting someone who is able to play both in the number ten role and out wide, with the Welshman’s low centre of gravity and quick turn of pace something to really change the game – his former Bournemouth manager Eddie Howe hailed him as someone who “turns well with the ball” and has “creative flair”.

Last season saw him bag six goals and provide a seven five assists, while he’s enjoyed a fine start to this campaign too, netting three times in just six games.

It’s no wonder then that Chris Wilder, his former boss at Sheffield United, declared him a “match-winner” and someone he wanted to bring back in October last year.

If the Magpies are to make a last-gasp swoop for a player following Nickson’s scouting mission, and Brooks is a man they are indeed targeting, then they could be getting a very fine player indeed with previous Premier League experience to boot.

Ryder’s claim is surely an exciting one for fans.

Meanwhile, Newcastle are eyeing a move for this Premier League star…

Glasgow Rangers fans are livid with the latest struggles they have had in securing away tickets for their Premiership clash against Ross County this weekend.

The Gers have not had the best start to the new season – they have already lost three games, two of which came in the Champions League third qualifying round against Malmo, and once against Dundee United in the Premiership.

They did beat Livingston 3-0 and then Dunfermline 5-0 in the Scottish League Cup, but there is seemingly plenty of work for Steven Gerrard to do to get his team firing on all cylinders.

Of course, having the famous Gers support back on away trips could have a big positive impact, and the next league match comes against Ross County this weekend, with fans desperate to secure tickets for the clash.

However, the supporters have had trouble in doing so and have therefore criticised the club’s ticketing system.

The fans were quick to share their frustration with the ticketing system, and they took to social media platform Twitter to share their thoughts.

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

“Shambles”

Credit: @jimstew15820416

“This system needs binned right now what an absolute mess”

Credit: @DecCairns72

“Av gave up tae”

Credit: @Lewis74191913

“Needs to be changed so you have to be logged in and have the requirement to be able to add the ticket to basket.”

Credit: @zeroi13i

“It’s a shambles… Stadium 30 mins from the house and canna get a ticket”

Credit: @sammyallan84

“Officially given up…”

Credit: @SeafarerMichael

In other news, Rangers reject several bids for this man.

With Bruno Lage’s Wolverhampton Wanderers side heading into Saturday’s Premier League clash on the back of a decent run of league form, the 45-year-old manager would have undoubtedly been hoping for yet another positive result when Wolves welcomed Newcastle United to Molineux.

And, while it was not exactly the best performance the Old Gold have ever put in, they nevertheless managed to overcome Steve Bruce’s winless Newcastle side thanks to two goals from summer signing Hee-Chan Hwang, with the South Korea international’s brace being enough for Lage’s men to secure a 2-1 win.

However, while the 25-year-old winger stole the headlines with his goals, Lage will have arguably been more impressed with the performance of Raul Jimenez, as, despite not getting himself on the scoresheet, the centre-forward put on a dominant display against the Magpies.

Three key passes

After scoring a match-winning first goal of the season against Southampton last time out, the 30-year-old striker will have gone into Saturday’s fixture in high spirits, and it certainly showed.

Over his 90 minutes on the pitch against Newcastle, the £25.2m-rated man proved an extremely creative outlet for Lage’s side, providing both of the assists for Hwang’s goals, making three key passes, creating one big chance and completing five of his six attempted dribbles.

The player who Nuno Espirito Santo dubbed a “special” talent also chipped in for his side in a defensive capacity, winning eight duels, making one tackle, one clearance and drawing one foul against the Magpies in a dominant physical display.

These returns saw the £41k-per-week man earn a SofaScore match rating of 8.0, with only Hwang receiving a higher rating than the Mexico international on the day.

As such, while Jimenez did not manage to score himself, the 30-year-old nevertheless ran the show for his side on Saturday, with his performance undoubtedly giving Lage and the Wolves fans confidence that their team can continue their current run of Premier League form after the international break.

In other news: Wolves dealt “massive blow” on 20 y/o beast, Bruno Lage will be gutted

Every team in the Championship would take West Brom target Liam Delap on loan if given the opportunity, claims the Express & Star’s Luke Hatfield.

The Manchester City striker could leave the Etihad for the season in search of more game time and West Brom are one side currently being linked with him.

According to the Express & Star, Delap and Orlando City’s Daryl Dike, who played under Valerien Ismael at Barnsley, are on West Brom’s transfer shortlist as they look to improve their options up front.

Hatfield, though, is expecting a real battle for the 18-year-old should City allow him to leave the club on loan.

“I think he’s a player that pretty much everyone in the Championship wants if I’m being honest with you,” the West Brom journalist told FFC. “Really shone for Man City at youth level.

“He’s a player, like I said, if you offered him to every Championship team, they’d all take him on loan.”

Delap certainly has made an impression at youth level, bagging 24 goals in 22 Premier League 2 appearances.

He also managed to score in City’s Carabao Cup third-round win against Bournemouth last season, so perhaps the English youngster is now ready to go out on loan and make a real impact at senior level.

Newcastle United journalist Liam Kennedy, speaking to GiveMeSport, dropped an exciting update involving Atletico Madrid’s Kieran Trippier after talks got underway. 

The lowdown

Links with the England defender date back to the autumn when The Telegraph named him as a realistic January target for the Magpies (via NUFC Blog).

The Northern Echo’s Scott Wilson has also reported that Newcastle manager Eddie Howe sees right-back as a priority position, with Newcastle willing to stump up £25m for Trippier.

Mark Douglas, a Northern Football Correspondent at the I, says it would be ‘a great move’ for the club, and sports journalist Josh Bunting says it is ‘exactly the sort of signing’ they need.

The latest

Speaking to GIVEMESPORT, Kennedy revealed that Newcastle have opened discussions with Atletico over a transfer fee for the 31-year-old, who is one of Howe’s leading targets ahead of the January transfer window.

The journalist said: “There have been some talks with fees with Atletico and I think it’s a deal that can get done. He is top of Eddie Howe’s priority list, along with a couple of others.”

The verdict

It seems that Newcastle might be able to convince Atletico, even though Trippier is a mainstay in Diego Simeone’s team, but can they persuade the player to swap Madrid for Tyneside when the La Liga side have qualified for the Champions League knockout stages and Newcastle face a relegation battle?

Wilson has written that the player could view the move as a means of strengthening his 2022 World Cup prospects, and perhaps his camp will also insist upon a relegation clause being included in his contract, allowing him to exit on the cheap if Newcastle do go down.

On top of this, Kennedy’s update suggests that the Magpies have more than a fighting chance of bringing Trippier back to England.

In other news, has an opportunity emerged for Newcastle to sign this Premier League player?

A Spanish outlet has dropped a key update in Barcelona’s attempts to sign Leeds United star Raphinha this summer.

The Lowdown: Summer shake-up?

It looks as if there could be a major summer shake-up at Elland Road over the coming months, with Jesse Marsch hopefully preparing for a first full season as manager in the Premier League.

[web_stories_embed url=”https://www.footballtransfertavern.com/web-stories/latest-leeds-united-news-41/” title=”Latest Leeds United news!” poster=”https://www.footballtransfertavern.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/04/cropped-2022-04-02T155252Z_391313781_UP1EI421841M9_RTRMADP_3_SOCCER-ENGLAND-LEE-SOU-REPORT.jpg” width=”360″ height=”600″ align=”none”]

Along with Raphinha, exit links have emerged on Kalvin Phillips, Jack Harrison and Robin Koch. Three Premier League sides are interested in signing Phillips, whereas Tottenham are keen on Harrison while Marsch and Victor Orta are apparently ready to move on Koch.

Raphinha could well be the biggest exit from Elland Road, though, with his agent Deco travelling to Barcelona over the weekend for talks.

The Latest: In the next few hours…

A Spanish outlet dropped an update on Barcelona and Raphinha, leading with a headline that negotiations are indeed underway for the Brazilian.

Barca chiefs Mateu Alemany and Jordi Cruyff are set to meet with Deco ‘in the next few hours’ to lay the foundations of a deal, with Raphinha himself keen on a move to the Nou Camp.

The Verdict: Leeds still in control

For now, Leeds are still in complete control over Raphinha’s future and are doing the right thing by putting talks on hold until the end of the season.

Should the club remain in the top flight, they will hold the cards over a big-money move, with Raphinha under contract until 2024. However, if they drop back down to the Championship, a €25m relegation release clause will allegedly be active in the 25-year-old’s deal.

The next few weeks will be key, both on and off the pitch, but it seems as if Deco is doing all he can to get a deal in place ahead of the summer.

In other news: ‘Leeds fans won’t be happy…’ – Sky Sports man reacts to major update emerging from Elland Road

West Brom have a challenging fixture ahead of them away to Blackpool tomorrow night, and will be hoping to secure three points to put them closer to the top two spots in the Championship currently held by Fulham and Bournemouth.

The Baggies have only won two of their last five games, which will be frustrating for manager Valerien Ismael, who will have been tasked with the challenge to take the side back to the Premier League next season.

One player that has been proving he has potential to play for the side if they get back to the Premier League, is Callum Robinson.

The £5.4m rated forward had a fantastic international break with his national side, the Republic of Ireland, where he contributed in holding Portugal to a 0-0 draw and even beat Cristiano Ronaldo to be Man Of The Match award in the game.

Despite this impressive performance, the 26 year old attacker was left out of Ismael’s starting XI against Huddersfield Town last weekend, in which the side lost.

With Livermore red carded, an in game substitution for a forward in a ten man team clearly wasn’t in the manager’s thought process as he tried to maintain some damage limitation for the rest of the game.

When asked by Birmingham Live, Ismael gave this response about not including Robinson;

“For sure we would have liked to play with Robbo but we have another game on Tuesday so we have to manage this.

“We wanted to put Robbo in but come the red card we had to change the game plan so this situation is due to the comeback from Alex because that took one change from the three possibilities.

The Baggies manager will be hoping to emulate the Robinson we saw during international break, in West Brom’s difficult title challenging campaign ahead.

Ex-Ireland player, Kevin Kilbane spoke to The Athletic about Robinson’s striking attributes that make him such a promising player:

“He’s played in a number of positions but when he plays as a nine, he’s not restricted because he always likes to drift out to the left and then cut inside to try to get strikes away.”

“So you always feel he could do a job on the left-hand side but when we play him as a No 9, his work rate is excellent and he always gives us the option of dropping back and helping the midfield out a little bit.”

West Brom and Ismael will be hoping to unleash the Irishman in their upcoming fixture against Blackpool to help them secure three points and gain a win away from home, of which they currently only have three.

In other news: Injury blow dampens West Brom’s transfer plans for Zohore

Transfer insider Dean Jones has made a claim on Leeds United midfielder Kalvin Phillips following links of a move to Manchester United, as per GiveMeSport.The Lowdown: Man Utd ‘working on a deal’ for PhillipsPhillips, who is in the process of changing agents, has been linked with the likes of Aston Villa, Newcastle United and West Ham in recent weeks.[web_stories_embed url=”https://www.footballtransfertavern.com/web-stories/latest-leeds-united-updates/” title=”Latest Leeds United updates!” poster=”https://www.footballtransfertavern.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/04/cropped-2022-04-02T155252Z_391313781_UP1EI421841M9_RTRMADP_3_SOCCER-ENGLAND-LEE-SOU-REPORT.jpg” width=”360″ height=”600″ align=”none”]Manchester United have now become the latest club to show a serious interest and are thought to be ‘working on a deal’ for the Whites star.Despite links to multiple Premier League rivals, the 26-year-old is reportedly open to penning new terms at Elland Road, although his future won’t be resolved until the summer.The Latest: Jones’ claim on PhillipsTalking to GiveMeSport, Jones admitted that he can’t see a move to Old Trafford materialising for Phillips due to the ‘uproar’ and ‘backlash’ he could receive from fans of his boyhood club.The journalist outlined:

“I think Kalvin Phillips could fit in at Man United, I just don’t see it happening because I think there’ll be uproar, and I don’t think that Kalvin Phillips is likely to rock the boat.“I guess the closest comparison we could make to a player leaving would be Harry Kane when he threatened to leave Tottenham or looked like he was leaving Tottenham. The backlash that there was to him then, you would be risking something like that.”

The Verdict: Unlikely…Phillips chose to stay and extend his deal in Yorkshire back in 2019 after the Whites failed in their push for promotion to the Premier League.He had an offer from Aston Villa at that time and will now go down as a Leeds legend after playing a key role in taking the club back to the top flight.Therefore, it seems extremely unlikely that he’d risk ruining his Leeds reputation with a move across the Pennines, especially with Manchester United not as attractive proposition as they once were.In other news: Fabrizio Romano reveals big transfer blow for Leeds as key 21 y/o target now set to move elsewhere