All posts by z3u9t.icu

Liverpool have enjoyed a successful season winning both the FA Cup and the Carabao Cup, but they are now ready to go again next season and could be set to bolster their squad beyond finding a Sadio Mane replacement this summer.

What’s the latest?

According to Italian news outlet Calciomercato, Liverpool are interested in signing Matthijs de Ligt this summer.

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As per the report, the Reds are one of the most interested clubs in taking advantage of stalling contract talks between Juventus and the young defender, but they are not alone in their interest.

Manchester United, Manchester City and Paris Saint-Germain are all named as parties who will compete with Liverpool to secure the signing.

The news comes amidst a potentially record-breaking swoop for Benfica striker Darwin Nunez who could move to Merseyside this summer.

Dream VVD heir

There is no doubt that Liverpool have one of the best defensive set-ups in European football boasting top talents like Virgil van Dijk, Trent Alexander-Arnold, Andy Robertson and Joel Matip, however Klopp could be planning for the future when it comes to their most recent rumoured transfer target.

Both Matip and Van Dijk are now in their 30s and whilst they have many years ahead of them as well as a reliable youngster in Ibrahima Konate rotating into the centre-back partnership, if the reports are true FSG are clearly planning ahead to make sure they’re not caught short in their back-line.

De Light who was hailed an “absolute monster” by journalist Carlo Garganese has had an outstanding season in Serie A with Juventus.

According to SofaScore, the £83.6m star scored three goals and created three big chances, whilst making 1.1 tackles, 3.1 clearances and taking 64.5 touches on average per game.

He also won the majority of his duels (62%) and was successful in the majority of his dribbles (67%), proving he is a nightmare for any forward line.

The 22-year-old dubbed “incredible” by Andrea Barzagli would be the perfect heir to eventually succeed Matip and van Dijk when the time comes, but there is one huge problem that puts the entire idea of the potential transfer in question.

De Ligt would only be willing to make the move to Liverpool if he was paid £200k-per-week, something that would be unfathomable in FSG’s tight wage structure and would put him at the top end with the likes of Mo Salah and Van Dijk who perform and play week in week out, which would be unlikely for the youngster due to the strength in defence.

With that being said, FSG will need to carefully consider their move for De Ligt and weigh up their options as there are other areas of the squad that need strengthening, so to offer a player they don’t necessarily needs the kind of salary he demands would likely be a non-starter.

AND in other news: Offer made: Liverpool now “want to sign” 34-goal “diamond”, Klopp absolutely loves him

Aston Villa have been heavily linked with a move for Aaron Hickey, and after a new update emerged on the player’s future, the Midlands club may need to ramp up their interest if they intend to sign the defender this summer.

What’s the latest?

According to the Daily Mail, Brentford have now approached Bologna with a view to signing the Scottish left-back.

The report claimed that Newcastle United, Arsenal and Aston Villa are also interested in the player but will now need to act upon their interest to beat the west Londoners to the signing of Hickey during the transfer window.

Gerrard’s Andy Robertson

With Matt Targett moving to Newcastle on a permanent deal this week, there is an opportunity for Steven Gerrard to sign Hickey and unearth his very own Andy Robertson at Villa Park next season.

The youngster, who has been compared to the £58.5m-rated Liverpool and Scotland left-back by sections of the media, has been attracting attention from Premier League clubs for his impressive performances in Serie A with Bologna.

As per SofaScore, the 20-year-old scored five goals, contributed one assist and created two big chances this season, making 1.3 tackles and one clearance per game. He also won the majority of his ground and aerial duels combined (57%) and successfully completed the majority of his dribbles (61%).

The youngster was called a “special talent” by his former Hearts coach Daniel Stendel, who said (via Daily Record): “Aaron was by far the most interesting player in my squad and the one who had the greatest potential.

“He reads the game very well and was lightning fast at reacting to things on the pitch. All of that makes him a special talent.”

According to Birmingham Mail, the Villains are now prioritising the signing of a left-back, so it would be a great piece of business for Gerrard if he can seal a deal for Hickey this summer, as the youngster could make a great impact and add depth to Villa’s defence ahead of next season.

However, now that Brentford have made an official approach for the 20-year-old, Villa will need to act fast if they want to complete the signing of the Scottish youngster. Otherwise, they risk missing out on the player and would need to look elsewhere to fill a position that they need to cover.

AND in other news – “Official proposal…”: Romano drops big Villa transfer update, supporters will love it

Newcastle United are close to sealing a deal for Reims striker Hugo Ekitike as Eddie Howe aims to bolster his attacking options ahead of next season.

What’s the word?

That’s according to Sky Sports News reporter Keith Downie, who relayed the transfer update from his colleague Dharmesh Sheth via Twitter.

He outlined: “Personal terms are close to being agreed with Hugo Ekitike ahead of his proposed move to Newcastle, according to @skysports_sheth. If teems can be agreed it’s hoped, he can travel to Tyneside for medical & to complete move next week. Ekitike currently having some time off.”

Newcastle fans will love it

This news will surely delight the Toon faithful, and it now seems only a matter of time before the signing is formally announced.

Howe has overseen a remarkable turnaround at Newcastle since being appointed last November, leading the team away from the drop zone and into a comfortable 11th-place finish in the Premier League last season.

Further improvement will be needed to satisfy the club’s new owners, though, and with no shortage of money available for transfers, the 44-year-old looks like he is building a squad which can challenge the European place, with the probable signing of Ekitike a particularly impressive coup.

The 19-year-old scored 11 times last season whilst adding a further three assists in a breakthrough campaign which has also attracted interest from the likes of Borussia Dortmund and Bayer Leverkusen.

Compared to positional peers in the big five European leagues, Ekitike ranks in the top 7% for non-penalty goals (0.64 per 90) and in the top 3% for dribbles completed (2.12 per 90), with the latter metric proving that he isn’t afraid of taking players on and showcasing his abilities.

With 2.69 shot-creating actions per match also, the striker appears keen to give himself as many chances as possible to score, showing great maturity at only 19 years of age.

Ekitike might not be the finished product just yet, but his potential could see him become one of the most feared strikers on the continent over the next few seasons. Imagine what a delight it would be for the St James’ Park faithful to see him becoming just that in Newcastle colours.

AND in other news, NUFC in the mix to sign “frightening” £528k-p/w “freak of nature”, Howe would love him…

A big update has emerged regarding Newcastle United’s plans for the summer transfer window after agreeing a deal to sign Nick Pope… 

What’s the talk?

Fabrizio Romano has confirmed that the Magpies have made an official move to sign Sven Botman ahead of the 2022/23 campaign.

Speaking on the Qué Golazo Podcast, the reporter has claimed that the Tyneisde club submitted a €36m (£31m) “proposal” to Lille for the Dutch defender.

Romano stated that Newcastle are in a battle with Serie A giants AC Milan to land the centre-back, although he did not say how much the Italian champions are willing to put on the table.

Howe will be buzzing

Magpies head coach Eddie Howe will be buzzing with this news for multiple reasons.

Firstly, he will be delighted with the pace at which Newcastle are moving to land their targets this summer. Matt Targett has already joined on a permanent deal from Aston Villa after his loan spell last term, while Pope is now set to follow him in a move from Burnley.

Whilst the latter is yet to be officially completed, Newcastle have now submitted a bid to land another addition to the squad in the form of Botman.

If they are successful with those swoops, then Howe will have three new additions with which to work for the start of pre-season. This will give the newcomers plenty of time to get to know their new team-mates and adjust to the club, giving them the best possible chance to hit the ground running once the campaign gets underway.

The Magpies manager will also be buzzing because Botman has the potential to be a sublime signing. In the last two Ligue 1  campaigns, the former Ajax man has shown that he has the maturity – despite being just 22 – and the quality to be a top performer.

He averaged a SofaScore rating of 7.08 as he made 37 appearances in his debut season in France before averaging a score of 7.10 in 2021/22 across 25 starts. Meanwhile, no Newcastle centre-back averaged a rating of higher than 6.98 in the Premier League last term.

These statistics suggest that the Dutchman would be an upgrade on the current options in his position at St James’ Park, whilst also holding the potential to improve and develop even further over time as he is still in the early stages of his career at first-team level.

Therefore, Howe will be over the moon with the club’s efforts to land Botman and will be hoping that they can get a deal over the line in the coming days.

AND in other news, Forget Ekitike: Newcastle now “close to” landing second summer signing, Howe will be elated…

Leeds United have been tipped to launch a bid to secure a permanent move for Manchester City midfielder James McAtee.

What’s the talk?

Speaking to GIVEMESPORT, journalist Ryan Taylor had this to say on the matter.

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He said: “I think McAtee is one that Leeds will look at permanently. They’re partial to that kind of deal. We saw them sign Lewis Bate from Chelsea, that kind of high potential youngster that they’re willing to invest in, although it hasn’t quite worked out yet.”

As a product of City’s youth academy, which has produced players such as Phil Foden, McAtee has made 93 appearances for the club across their senior and youth sides.

Over those appearances, the 19-year-old has scored 44 goals and delivered 27 assists in the process.

His latest campaign saw the midfielder score 18 goals and provide seven assists in 23 league appearances for City’s U23s.

He also made six senior appearances for Pep Guardiola’s side, showing that he is on the fringes of breaking into the first team.

Leeds supporters will be buzzing

Should the Manchester club not be able to guarantee regular senior minutes for the teenager next season, perhaps a move away from the Etihad Stadium could be the best next step for him and his development.

Taking all of this into account, it’s safe to suggest that the Englishman would be an exciting signing for the Yorkshire club and have a lot of Leeds supporters buzzing to have such a promising young player in their ranks.

As Taylor also mentioned, the Whites have not been shy when it comes to signing young players from clubs across England.

In addition to Bate, figures such as Joe Gelhardt and Sean McGurk have made moves to Elland Road in recent years, highlighting just how eager the club can be when it comes to securing deals for young talents and developing them for the future.

Moving forward, if the Whites see an opportunity to potentially secure a loan, or even a permanent deal for the City starlet, this is definitely something that they should look to explore, as the possible long-term benefits could be huge for the club.

AND in other news: Marsch could seal the next £142m talent in Leeds bid for “magnificent” £16k-p/w target

Wolverhampton Wanderers are among a number of clubs monitoring PSV Eindhoven winger Noni Madueke, according to a report from 90min. 

The lowdown: Rise to stardom

Born in London, the youngster has taken a somewhat roundabout pathway to the elite level. Having spent time at Crystal Palace and Tottenham as a fledgling teenager, the attacker opted to move to Netherlands in 2018 on a free transfer.

The 20-year-old graduated through the ranks at PSV to make his senior debut in 2019 before establishing himself as a regular feature for the Eredivisie outfit.

After making 70 first-team outings in Eindhoven, Madueke could now be about to return to the Premier League, with the Molineux club among those credited with an interest…

The latest: Wolves tracking Madueke

As per 90min, Wolves are said to be one of the clubs who are keen on signing the England under-21 starlet.

It’s claimed that the Old Gold, Leicester, Leeds, Newcastle, Everton and ‘several’ of the so-called big six English top-flight teams are ‘tracking him’ ahead of a potential swoop this summer.

The report added that the much-coveted youngster, who was dubbed a ‘crazy talent’ by football talent scout Jacek Kulig following a standout performance against FC Midtjylland last season, ‘could leave’ Eindhoven, and that PSV ‘face a battle’ to keep their forward amid increasing interest in him.

The verdict: At all costs

Signing a player of Madueke’s sky-high potential would be a sensational coup for the Molineux hierarchy as the Midlands club attempt to plan for the future whilst also giving Bruno Lage the tools to compete in the short-term.

Operating exclusively as a right winger, the exciting youth international scored nine times and provided six assists in 34 appearances across all competitions last season, demonstrating a clinical end product which has so often been missing from out-of-favour wide man Adama Traore.

Heralded as being ‘a bit like’ Phil Foden by former England under 21-boss Aidy Boothroyd, the £16.2m-valued Madueke should be regarded as a top target for Wolves at almost any price, particularly if Traore leaves Molineux for good.

Crystal Palace midfielder James McArthur is set to miss the majority of pre-season as well as the opening Premier League clash against Arsenal.

What’s the word?

The Athletic reported the news regarding McArthur’s injury and it could derail the side’s preparations ahead of the upcoming season.

The Scot has suffered a groin injury and will miss the first league match of the season against Arsenal, and with the setback of missing pre-season, it might take longer for the injury to heal.

The 34-year-old missed a big chunk of last season following a torn hamstring in November which kept him out until February, with further niggles restricting the player to just 15 league starts overall.

Vieira will be worried

This news will be a big worry to Vieira with one of his most experienced players will be missing the crucial opening match of the new season.

The Scot recently signed a one-year extension to his current contract which will see him enter his ninth season at the club and his absence will be a big blow.

Although Palace had a solid season last year, finishing 12th in the Frenchman’s maiden Premier League managerial role, there are hopes that this can be improved upon this season.

With McArthur missing, his leadership will be tough to replace and other members of the squad will be required to step up.

The injury meant Vieira looked to delve into the transfer market, but missed out on key target Flynn Downes to West Ham and have seen Conor Gallagher return to Chelsea, although a deal appears to be close regarding the signing of RC Lens midfielder Cheick Doucoure, which could soften the blow of losing McArthur.

Vieira will be hoping for McArthur to replicate his form from 2019/2020, where he made 0.9 key passes, 2.4 tackles, and 1.6 interceptions per match, as well as registering three assists and completing 66% of his dribbles, proving his ability to be a key component of the side.

Hopefully, the club can manage the injury well and get the player back up and running as soon as possible.

AND in other news: Vieira can unearth his next Gallagher as Palace plot bid for “sensational” £20m talent…

Nottingham Forest have made offers to sign Huddersfield Town duo Lewis O’Brien and Harry Toffolo, according to a report from The Athletic. 

The lowdown: Summer influx

The Reds have been proactive in the transfer window following promotion to the Premier League, adding no fewer than six players to Steve Cooper’s squad already at a total cost of £62.1million.

Neco Williams became the latest capture for the Midlands club, arriving on a four-year deal from Liverpool having spent 15 years on Merseyside, where he was nurtured through the academy system.

Not content with the business already achieved, a fresh report has emerged claiming that Forest have already moved onto their next two targets and offers are even on the table…

The latest: EFL duo eyed

As per The Athletic, Forest have ‘made bids’ for Huddersfield duo O’Brien and Toffolo.

It’s claimed that the City Ground club are attempting to nab the pair for a combined £10-12million, although the Championship outfit want that as a standalone fee for midfielder O’Brien – who was described as possessing ‘Premier League class’ by journalist Leon Wobschall.

The report states that ‘talks are ongoing’ with Huddersfield unwilling to stand in the way of the ambitions of their two stars, after they were pipped by Cooper’s side in the playoff final in May.

The verdict: Stand firm

Signing both players for the mooted combined fee would be a superb piece of business from the Reds hierarchy, however, the club should be reticent to pay much more, particularly for Toffolo – who is in the final 12 months of a deal – as Forest have already added talented left-back Omar Richards to the ranks this summer and Williams can also operate in the position.

But, bringing in O’Brien to boost the boss’ midfield options after loanee James Garner returned to parent club Manchester United would be a smart move from the hierarchy, with the department currently lacking in top-level ready frontline choices.

Last season, the 23-year-old Englishman – who is on £8,000 per week at present (Salary Sport) – earned a 7.00 Sofascore rating across 43 league appearances, scoring three goals and registering three assists whilst making the Team of the Week on three occasions.

Although increased wages and indeed transfer fees go with the territory of becoming a top-flight club, recruitment chief George Syrianos must stand firm on what they believe to be a fair price for their targets and that goes for O’Brien and Toffolo alike.

Tottenham Hotspur could look to add another signing even after the arrival of Djed Spence…

What’s the word?

The Premier League side have been locked in negotiations with Championship outfit Middlesbrough over a deal for the 21-year-old right-back and remain hopeful of getting it done before the start of the 2022/23 campaign, as per the Evening Standard.

And according to Daily Star journalist Paul Brown, their summer transfer business may not be complete.

“I think now they’ve got [Clement] Lenglet, that’s the defensive side of things tied up.

“It wouldn’t surprise me if there’s another transfer down the line, they’ve got money to spend because of what ENIC put in at the beginning of the window,” he told GIVEMESPORT.

“He’s filled most positions he wanted. He wanted a forward to compete with and put pressure on Kane, he got that in Richarlison, he wanted a tough nut in midfield in Bissouma, he got a wing-back in [Ivan] Perisic and is going for another in [Djed] Spence.

“But it wouldn’t surprise me if they go for one more player.”

Spurs’ strength in depth

The Lilywhites have had quite a remarkable transfer window, signing no fewer than five new players as they look to bolster Antonio Conte’s squad for the new season, in which the side will be competing in the Champions League for the first time since 2020.

It is, therefore, quite important to add bodies to the team as it will allow the Italian head coach to rotate his squad with so many midweek matches on the horizon and he can do so without risking a drop-off in quality.

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Backup options like Harry Winks and Lucas Moura have been instantly usurped by Yves Bissouma and Richarlison, whilst Clement Lenglet fills a massive gap as Conte’s only left-footed centre-back.

Meanwhile, Fraser Forster has come in on a free transfer to play second fiddle to Hugo Lloris, with Conte also trusting his former star Ivan Perisic to do a job in the big time at 33 years of age.

Spence would be another much-needed addition, both in terms of positional need and squad depth, as he could solve the long-standing issue on the right-flank, a role that the Spurs boss has wanted to fix since he arrived in N17.

It remains to be seen exactly who that additional signing could be, though perhaps a new no.10 is amongst the priorities, having failed to sign one since the departure of Christian Eriksen in January 2020.

The likes of Jesse Lingard, Anthony Gordon, Memphis Depay and Lucas Paqueta have all been linked in recent weeks, so that suggests further reinforcements in the final third could well be on the agenda.

Either way, Conte will surely be delighted with the business that sporting director Fabio Paratici and chairman Daniel Levy have conducted, and he will be elated to seal Spence and potentially one more addition, too.

AND in other news, David Ornstein drops Kyle Walker-Peters update…

Wolverhampton Wanderers are plotting a move for Benfica striker Goncalo Ramos this summer, a player who manager Bruno Lage knows very well.

According to claims made by one Portuguese-speaking journalist on Twitter recently, Wolves re-opened talks for the player who they initially were interested in signing last season.

He’s seen as “negotiable” by Benfica who would be willing to let him leave for a fee of €40m (£34m), and Wolves are one of several clubs interested in his services along with Paris Saint-Germain and Nottingham Forest.

Ramos is a player that the Old Gold manager Lage has worked with before, during his spell as manager of Benfica he appeared on the bench a number of times.

This might give them an advantage, but if Wolves are really serious about signing him then they need to move fast or they risk missing out.

Throughout his career, the 21-year-old has scored 44 goals in 114 appearances and has earnt praise from many, including Football Talent Scout Jacek Kulig who has dubbed him “incredibly prolific.”

If he could replicate his goalscoring form for the Old Gold then just imagine the firepower they would have up front. One of the players he could partner with would be his compatriot Pedro Neto, and they could form an exciting duo.

Neto didn’t feature too many times for Wolves last season due to injury, but in the games he did play he proved exactly why they would work well together.

The 22-year-old created three big chances in just 13 games which is the same as Ramos created all season. Their similar age also means that they would be able to develop together and lead the line for Wolves into the future.

Neto scored an impressive pass accuracy percentage of 85% per game and he could link up well with Ramos who averages 1.9 shots per game.

It’s a transfer that makes a lot of sense, and with rumours circling that the out-of-favour striker Fabio Silva could leave Molineux in a bid to rejuvenate his career, Wolves could need depth going forward.

They should look no further than Ramos to provide that.

AND in other news: Great news: Teasing Wolves transfer claim will surely leave Bruno Lage excited…