All posts by n8rngtd.top

Aston Villa make the trip to Stamford Bridge for the second time in as many weeks as they take on Chelsea in the third round of the Carabao Cup on Wednesday night.

Dean Smith’s side fell to a 3-0 defeat in the Premier League against the Blues despite a battling performance, and will no doubt be hoping for a better result this time around.

With the cup perhaps not the biggest of priorities for Smith or Villa, it may give a chance to some of the club’s more fringe players, one of them, Morgan Sanson.

It’s been a rather frustrating first few months in English football for the January signing, making just nine appearances in the Premier League and that too only totalling 291 minutes worth of football.

Speaking after his signing back in the January transfer window, Smith waxed lyrical about the kind of qualities the Frenchman could bring, saying: “He has got a big game mentality, he has played at the top of the French league for the last five years, played in the Champions League.

“He is a great technician and has great tactical awareness. He can play in a number of positions, can set up goals and can score goals. He has a bit of everything in his game so we’re really pleased with the acquisition.”

According to The Birmingham Mail’s Ashley Preece, a number of Villa’s substitutes were put through their paces on Saturday night by fitness coach Jack Sharkey, and “Frenchman Morgan Sanson was also a part of that running group despite not being named in Smith’s 20-man squad.”

Dubbed as a “warrior” by himself, the £12.5m-rated Sanson showed his qualities as a really effective box-to-box presence in his time at Marseille.
Before his move to the Midlands, he averaged an impressive 1.8 tackles and 1.1 key passes per game in Ligue 1, both of which ranked him favourably compared to the rest of Villa’s squad. In fact, only two other players averaged more tackles per match than him, while again, only three others had averaged more key passes too.
Given reports in recent months have suggested that Smith actually isn’t that convinced by the Frenchman – it’s even been suggested that they’ve made a mistake in signing him – tonight feels like a particularly crucial chance for Sanson to showcase why the club were right to splash out back in January.
And, with the likes of Jacob Ramsey and Carney Chukwuemeka battling their way into first-team contention after impressing in the academy, Sanson has got far more competition for places now than he ever did before.
Tonight feels like a potential now or never moment for the Marseille man to show that he belongs here at Villa Park.
Meanwhile, Aston Villa have another exciting academy starlet…

Celtic forward Kyogo Furuhashi has now been selected in Japan’s squad for the upcoming international break.

The Lowdown: Furuhashi’s knee injury

Furuhashi, who has scored seven times in 10 Celtic appearances, has only just returned from a knee injury which he sustained playing for Japan during the previous international break.

The £4.86m summer signing started against Bayer Leverkusen on Thursday but didn’t manage to play the entire 90 minutes in a 4-0 defeat. He looks set to be available against Aberdeen on Sunday, and it now appears as if he could have a busy week away with his country.

[web_stories_embed url=”https://www.footballtransfertavern.com/web-stories/celtic-updates-14/” title=”Celtic updates!!” poster=”” width=”360″ height=”600″ align=”none”]

The Latest: Japan U-turn

Japan named their squad for World Cup qualifiers against Saudi Arabia and Australia earlier this week, with Furuhashi initially not included due to injury.

However, @CraigCelt shared a press release on Twitter on Friday afternoon, with news emerging that the 26-year-old will now head off to represent his country following this weekend’s action.

The Verdict: Not ideal…

Celtic and Ange Postecoglou could have done without Japan’s U-turn, in all honesty.

Furuhashi has only just returned from an injury which kept him out of five Hoops fixtures. Initial fears were that he would miss seven games, so he has returned quicker than expected.

The last thing everyone associated with the Hoops will want is for the 26-year-old to feature heavily in both of Japan’s qualifiers and push his fitness to the limit, thus depriving the club of his services if his body breaks down again.

In other news: ‘Great’ Celtic ace who has been training under Ange seals late-night Parkhead exit.

Luke Edwards has now revealed some insight into Newcastle United’s boardroom plan after a breakthrough in the proposed takeover from the Saudi consortium.

The Lowdown: Not long to wait

Sky Sports have been reporting since this morning that an announcement on the takeover is imminent, which will no doubt bring joy to the Toon Army after years of waiting.

It is not clear yet whether the likes of Steve Bruce and Lee Charnley will definitely be shown the exit door once the deal is completed, but there is certainly likely to be a restructure in the North East club’s hierarchy.

The Latest: Different looking board?

According to Edwards, he is ‘hearing’ that the board that was in place in April 2020 to take over the Tyneside outfit may now be a different looking one, following the expected confirmation of the takeover.

The Daily Telegraph journalist also expects that there will be a slow build up of control.

The Verdict: Interesting

It will no doubt be interesting to see which members of the board stay after the takeover is confirmed, as well as who else comes in.

The new owners will want to make their mark straight away, and so there may well be an initial exodus followed by their own appointments.

However, as Edwards points out, any changes are likely be gradual as they ease their way into NUFC, before they can really start acting on their transfer targets and long-term goals for the entire club.

In other news, find out what Liam Kennedy has heard about Bruce and Charnley’s futures after the takeover here!

Arsenal were among a number of clubs who were left furious following Newcastle United’s official takeover, according to The Daily Mail, and plenty of Gunners fans have been reacting on social media to the club’s stance.

Newcastle are now owned by Saudi-led consortium PIF, who purchased the club from Mike Ashley in a deal worth £305m which went through on Friday.

The Daily Mail claimed that Arsenal, along with Liverpool, Manchester United and Tottenham, all tried to stop the takeover from going through.

The Guardian shared a report on Friday evening claiming that the other 19 top-flight clubs, including Stan Kroenke-owned Arsenal, now want to know what changed for the Premier League to wave through a takeover with little notice.

Arsenal fans react

Well-known Arsenal page @AFTVMedia shared the story of Arsenal’s attempts to stop a Newcastle takeover on Twitter on Monday afternoon. Here is what these Gunners fans had to say in reply, with some taking a shot at their own club’s unpopular ownership…

“Rich billionaires jealous that a richer billionaire has been able to do what they’ve done. Pathetic. If they cared about the future of Arsenal they would have invested & ensured we was run properly the last decade.”

Credit: @NLondon_is_Red

“what a disgrace!”

Credit: @aditwp

“Sell the club then”

Credit: @90minafc

“Absolute greed. Unbelievable.”

Credit: @ferguspateman

“Lol, absolute nonsense”

Credit: @juzz_18

“They are all crazy”

Credit: @AdeboyBilly

In other news: ‘Omg’ – Lots of Arsenal fans ‘buzzing’ as ‘massive’ news is confirmed

Southampton defender Mohammed Salisu came in for high praise from numerous Saints fans on Twitter for his performance in the 1-0 win over Leeds on Saturday afternoon.

Ralph Hasenhuttl’s team finally notched their first league victory of the campaign at the eighth time of asking, with Armando Broja’s second half goal proving the difference on the south coast.

Signed in the summer of 2020, injuries prevented Salisu from making his Southampton debut until this year, but he has made up for lost time since, starting all but one of their league games so far this term. On Saturday’s evidence, it’s easy to see why he has been consistently selected.

Aside from one lapse in concentration when he allowed Dan James to nip in ahead of him for a chance on goal, the 22-year-old gave a stellar performance against Leeds. As per SofaScore, he won eight of his 12 duels on the day, with three tackles and two clearances also underlining his defensive finery, while nobody could match his 71 touches of the ball at St Mary’s.

Hampshire Live’s Tom Leach was effusive with his praise of the defender afterwards, awarding him a nine in his player ratings with this glowing verdict: “Salisu was a monster, putting in perhaps his strongest performance of the season so far. He fresh confidence when pushing forward with the ball and limited Leeds to old shots from outside the area during the first half.”

Southampton fans praise Salisu

Plenty of Saints fans on Twitter were also raving about Salisu on Saturday, with one of them also using the word “monster” to describe how impressively the defender played.

“So many worthy performances today, but to mention just three: 1. Salisu. Becoming an absolute beast. A one-man rearguard. 2. Diallo. Looked the player we thought we’d signed. Constantly nicking the ball back. 3. Broja. Feeds off nothing. And looks dangerous doing it. #SaintsFC”

Credit: @antonydjames

“Get in! Huge result which should, hopefully, kick start our season.…. I give him stick but Redmond was good, Salisu immense, Diallo & Romeu worked hard. Is MOTD still on these days! Great day”

Credit: @sturge198

“Salisu is a monster. One mistake in 95 mins but imperious otherwise”

Credit: @L1minus10

“Thoroughly deserved first win of the season. Passing was impeccable, Redmond rejuvenated, Salisu an utter beast and Diallo really is coming along, fully took advantage of the opportunity with JWP out. Onwards and upwards!”

Credit: @danjarvis91

“So calm, composed and game managed to make Leeds look poor. Salisu was monstrous. Moi, Redmond (as predicted), Diallo and Tino. When you see Oriol marauding into the box, you know we are attacking well. Utterly committed for the manager. #Saintsfc fans were superb as well. UTS”

Credit: @saintbannerman

“Salisu is actually our best player”

Credit: @mcrconz

“Just back from the game. Salisu put in one of the best CB performances I’ve seen in a home shirt @ St Mary’s in years. He was outstanding. Redmond and Moi also excellent. In fact everyone that started played well, with perhaps the sole exception of Djenepo. Very dominant win.”

Credit: @tomholland28

“Actually believe we would have finished in the top 10 last year if Salisu wasn’t benched for Vestergaard every week”

Credit: @SaintLiam02

In other news: ‘Yes’, ‘Some positive news’ – These Southampton fans rave as ‘great’ development is confirmed’

Everton are set to face a battle to keep star striker Dominic Calvert-Lewin at the club over the coming months after Newcastle United reportedly joined the race for his signature.

What’s the story?

The Magpies have joined football’s financial elite after their Saudi-backed takeover was eventually ratified by the Premier League, and Calvert-Lewin is believed to be high up on their wish list, according to The Telegraph.

“Dominic Calvert-Lewin is on the list of Newcastle United’s potential targets under their new Saudi Arabian ownership. The Everton striker, 24, is being monitored by several Premier League clubs, including Newcastle, whose new wealth from the Public Investment Fund (PIF) will make them major players in future windows,” the report states.

“Calvert-Lewin is highly regarded by the current recruitment team at Newcastle and would be expected to remain a player of interest even with a potential change of technical staff behind the scenes as PIF start their new era at the club.”

Previous speculation claimed both Arsenal and Real Madrid are also interested in securing the 24-year-old’s services, meaning a bidding war could be on the cards either in January or the following summer.

Everton fans will be concerned

The £40.5m-rated forward only signed a new five-year contract with the Merseyside outfit in March 2020, but the club’s supporters will still be concerned over their talisman’s future.

Spearheading the attack for a new superpower such as Newcastle could be a very attractive proposition for Calvert-Lewin, and he may be tempted to depart the Blues in search of pastures new should an acceptable offer come in.

His exit would be a major blow to any ambitions new manager Rafa Benitez has, given his importance to the side, and replacing his work ethic and goal contribution would be far from an easy task for the Spanish tactician.

Over the last couple of campaigns, Calvert-Lewin has become a key figure to Everton, scoring 39 goals in 83 appearances in all competitions since the beginning of 2019/20, more than any of his teammates.

As a result, the continued speculation regarding the England international’s potential departure will be of growing concern to everyone associated with Everton, and the club’s chiefs, manager and fans alike will be hoping he stays loyal for the foreseeable future.

And, in other news…”Still uncertainty” – Patrick Boyland drops Everton update that should concern fans 

Queens Park Rangers will be aiming to progress to the quarter-finals of the Carabao Cup when they welcome Sunderland to the Kiyan Prince Foundation Stadium tonight.

Mark Warburton’s charges have won their last three fixtures on home territory but will come into this one off the back of a disappointing defeat at the hands of Peterborough United last time out.

The capital club are likely to be without left-back Lee Wallace and midfielder Sam Field for the visit of the Black Cats. Wallace has been out with a hamstring problem since the middle of August and is yet to make his return to first team action, while Field is set to continue his recovery from a knee injury.

Sam McCallum could also be an injury concern for the Hoops after he was substituted against Peterborough at the weekend with a tight hamstring, meaning Warburton will have no natural left-sided defender available for this midweek encounter.

With that in mind, here’s how Football FanCast expects QPR to line up against their League One opponents, with many changes from the side which started against the Posh…

In goal, first-choice shot-stopper Seny Dieng is set to keep his place between the sticks despite keeping just four clean sheets in his 15 appearances this season.

Ahead of the Senegal international is likely to be a familiar back three, but with one change. Jordy de Wijs could come in to give Yoann Barbet a well-earned rest, with Rob Dickie and Jimmy Dunne completing the defensive unit.

The engine room is expected to experience wholesale changes, however. Osman Kakay and Luke Amos should get rare opportunities to impress from the off along with the more regulars Moses Odubajo, while 30-year-old Stefan Johansen will offer an experienced head in the middle of the park.

Concluding the starting XI should be a strike partnership of Andre Gray for a rare start and Chris Willock just ahead of Ilias Chair, which would mean that the £1.8m-rated Charlie Austin and his strike partner Lyndon Dykes drop to the bench for a rest after both started against Peterborough.

In other news… Alan Nixon drops QPR claim on “outstanding” £4k-p/w beast which will have fans buzzing

As per a report in the paper edition of La Gazzetta dello Sport (via Get Italian Football News), a major Tottenham Hotspur transfer claim has emerged involving Franck Kessie.

The Lowdown: Spurs eye Kessie swoop…

Even before the mass transfer hysteria brought on by Antonio Conte’s arrival at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium, Lilywhites managing director Fabio Paratici has long been linked with a move for the AC Milan star.

Calciomercato lifted the lid on an approach from Spurs all the way back in mid-September, with the Italian source believing that they had even submitted an offer to the player and his entourage to sign him as a free agent next summer.

Kessie’s current deal at the San Siro expires in 2022 akin to a few of Tottenham’s other reported targets from continent, like Alessio Romagnoli for instance, which makes sense given Paratici’s reputation for grabbing bargain deals and loans.

Spurs could snag these big Serie A names for nothing as Paratici seemingly eyes a plethora of bargain free deals at N17, and now a major update has emerged involving Kessie which could excite Spurs fans.

The Latest: Very advanced talks; Conte involved

As per La Gazzetta, as relayed by Get Italian Football News, Tottenham are now in ‘very advanced talks’ to sign Kessie on a free deal next summer from Milan.

Indeed, negotiations between the player’s representatives and Spurs are apparently at a crucial stage and the 24-year-old is eyeing a move away from Italy on a free transfer.

It is also believed that Spurs and Paratici can now meet the Ivorian’s €8 million per season (£6.7m) wage demands and Conte himself is expected to personally try and convince Kessie to make the move.

The Verdict: Exciting claim…

Given Kessie’s obvious quality, this rumour that Spurs talks to sign their target are now at a ‘very advanced’ stage should come as a breath of fresh air.

Arguably the second-best piece of news this week after Conte’s confirmed arrival, the Ivory Coast star would undoubtedly strengthen Conte’s midfield and provide real depth alongside the likes of Oliver Skipp and Pierre-Emile Hojbjerg.

Lauded as an ‘extraordinary’ player by sports writer and broadcaster Nicky Bandini to ESPN, landing the £49.5 million-rated player on a free deal would be Paratici’s biggest transfer coup yet given that valuation.

A well-rounded defensive midfield monster, Kessie scored an impressive 13 goals whilst assisting four of his teammates last season (WhoScored), all the while managing 1.4 tackles and 1.2 interceptions per game in Serie A.

Bagging two strikes so far this campaign in seven Serie A starts, he has continued that proficiency in front of goal whilst averaging an impressive 90.% pass accuracy – more than any Tottenham regular this season (WhoScored).

Making Kessie the first signing of the Conte era would be some show of ambition from the Lilywhites.

In other news: Conte now eyeing ‘huge’ signing likened to Suarez as he makes £237m demand, find out more here.

After securing their second Premier League win of the season at the weekend with a 1-0 victory over Watford at Vicarage Road thanks to a first half goal from Che Adams, Southampton are back in action on Friday with a showdown against Aston Villa, who are currently one place and one point behind the Saints in the table.

One Southampton player who featured in the win at Watford and who we think deserves a place in the starting XI to face Villa is Mohammed Salisu.

Why Salisu must start

At the weekend, the centre-back started and played the full 90 minutes of the match alongside Jan Bednarek, who managed to keep a clean sheet on this occasion.

During the match at Vicarage Road, the Ghanaian had 92 touches of the ball, made six clearances, four tackles and three interceptions, won 11 out of his 15 duels and recorded a passing accuracy percentage of 81%, ultimately earning himself a superb overall match rating of 7.6/10 according to SofaScore.

This shows how much of a defensive asset he is for the Saints and is a prime example of why Hasenhuttl described Salisu as “strong” back in September with regard to his defensive abilities.

The Ghanaian joined the south coast club in August 2020 from Real Valladolid in a deal worth a reported fee of £10.8m. Since then, the 22-year-old – who is currently earning a weekly wage of just over £23k-per-week according to Spotrac – has made 27 appearances for the Saints across all competitions.

Salisu is currently listed as Southampton’s highest-rated player with an overall season rating of 7.08/10 based on his performances in the Premier League so far this season according to WhoScored. This proves just how important he has been for Hasenhuttl’s side in recent weeks, especially in the absence of Jack Stephens, who unfortunately sustained a serious knee injury during the 0-0 draw against Manchester City in September.

Dean Smith’s Aston Villa have scored 14 goals so far this season, five more than Southampton, so we feel that Salisu has what it takes to frustrate and potentially even bully some of Villa’s attacking players if he can put in a similar performance to his dominant one against Watford. That is is why we think he should be in the starting XI on Friday.

In other news: Get rid: Ralph must let go of £18k-p/w forgotten Saints figure, his time is running out

Dean Smith is poised to be announced as the new Norwich manager in the next few days, with his second in command looking likely to be former Aston Villa assistant manager, Craig Shakespeare.

Shakespeare is predicted to be announced as the assistant manager at Carrow Road alongside Smith, with the duo working together at Aston Villa to secure an 11th place finish in the Premier League last season.

Both Smith and Shakespeare were sacked last week after five losses on the bounce in charge of the Villa side. Speaking in a statement, Smith shared his thoughts after the dismissal from his boyhood club;

“My belief was that we would continue our progression this season. I understand the football industry and, of course, I respect the owners’ decision, but I felt that with important players soon returning to full fitness we would achieve a top-half finish.”
Steven Gerrard has since been appointed as the 50-year-old’s successor at Aston Villa.
Shakespeare has an impressive CV, his most notable achievement would undoubtedly be the role he played in the Premier League winning team of Leicester City in 2013, which then saw the assistant manager promoted to head coach for 8 months. It’s that spell, coupled with his expertise of keeping Villa in the division last term, that explains why he could help save Norwich this term too.
Speaking on his time as head coach at Leicester in 2017, Shakespeare talked about dealing with the media; “That was the thing I found most difficult. I had always been a guy who was behind the scenes, low profile, and liked it that way. The media — the intensity of it, the amount of time it takes up — really took me by surprise. I’ll do what I have to do, media-wise, but I also like the idea of getting on with my job and letting the big managers be to the fore.”
Getting on with the job, as the coach says, will be vitally important when he arrives in Norfolk, but he can live up to the praise of Jamie Carragher, he could be game-changing upon his entrance to Carrow Road, particularly from a defensive point of view.
The former Liverpool defender previously sung the praises of the 58-year-old coach, however, giving him ‘top marks’ after joining Aston Villa last season, the pundit said;

“Craig Shakespeare has also come in so it’s been top marks from a coaching setup and, also, when you bring players in and get the signings right. So, going from the worst (defensive record) in Europe to the best in Europe, I think that’s what we’ve been seeing.”
The Aston Villa coaching alumni have a challenge on their hands when it comes to the project at Norwich City and it won’t be easy to prevent relegation. The Canaries have just one win from eleven and currently sit at the bottom of the Premier League table with only five points from a potential 33, five points adrift from safety.
That said, Shakespeare and Smith certainly have the credentials, experience and resources in hungry young players like Todd Cantwell and Billy Gilmour at Norwich, to give the relegation battle a good shot and if appointed, will host Southampton at Carrow Road this weekend.
In other news: ‘World class’ Billy Gilmour can save Norwich from relegation…