All posts by z3u9t.icu

Manchester City right-back Yan Couto enjoyed a superb campaign on loan with Girona and he could well prove to be the next Joao Cancelo in Pep Guardiola’s side in the future.

The Brazilian defender, who was signed from Brazilian Serie A side Coritiba in March of last year, looks to have an extremely bright future if his performances on loan are anything to go by.

Last season saw the 19-year-old join Manchester City’s sister club Girona on loan in the Spanish second division, and he was a key player for Juan Carlos Unzué’s side throughout the campaign.

The right-back, who can also feature further forward down the right-hand side, would play 29 times in all competitions for the Spanish side, in which he contributed two goals and five assists.

As per Football Talent Scout Jacek Kulig on Twitter, the teenage defender was named “the best” right-back in the division last season, whilst he also dubbed him a “superb talent”.

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He suggests that the youngster averaged one key pass, 1.8 dribbles, 1.3 tackles and 0.8 interceptions per 90 minutes for Girona, which is extremely similar to the numbers averaged by Cancelo in Guardiola’s side last season.

The Portugal international would average 1.6 key passes, 1.7 dribbles, 2.4 tackles and 1.5 interceptions in the Premier League, in a campaign where he was one of the most consistent players in Guardiola’s side.

Whilst he has the better of Couto overall for now, there is no reason why the Brazilian won’t be producing these sorts of numbers at the Etihad in the future.

He looks to be an extremely attacking full-back, so could fit in well with City’s current tactic of pushing the right-back high up the pitch and into midfield, whilst the left-back usually plays a more conservative role.

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Although Guardiola will most likely stick with Kyle Walker and Cancelo as his first-choice right-backs next season, he will surely have been made aware of Couto’s superb performances out on loan, so fans may not have too long to wait until they see the Brazilian pull on a Man City shirt for the first time.

And, in other news… Txiki must sign “world class” beast for Man City 

Former Premier League midfielder Carlton Palmer has told The Transfer Tavern in an exclusive interview that he expects Paul Pogba to sign a new contract at Manchester United.

Pogba’s current deal is set to expire next year and he is currently being linked with a move to Paris Saint-Germain.

However, according to The Sun, United are ready to make the France international the highest-paid player in England with a new £400,000-a-week contract.

And now Palmer is expecting him to remain at Old Trafford, believing Ole Gunnar Solskjaer’s men will challenge for the title next season.

“I think he’ll stay at Manchester United,” the ex-Leeds United player exclusively told TT.

“They’re going to sign [Jadon] Sancho, they’re going to go big this summer and I think they’re going to be challenging next season. If they get the players in that they’re going for, I think they’re going to be challenging.

“And the one thing is, if you’re going to be challenging for the league title, you can’t be selling one of your best players, Pogba. You really can’t, so I expect to see Pogba renew his contract.”

Pogba has really shown his quality at Euro 2020, winning the Star of the Match award for his display in France’s 1-0 win against Germany.

If that match is anything to go by, United really should be looking to keep the midfielder around, which does seem to be their aim.

Writing on Twitter, reliable Tottenham Hotspur correspondent and football.london journalist Alasdair Gold has shared major manager news involving Nuno Espirito Santo.

The Lowdown: Spurs now eyeing Nuno…

Nuno appears to be the main contender for Tottenham now after a series of bosses came in and out of the fray.

The likes of Brendan Rodgers and Julian Nagelsmann were first linked to the post after Spurs sacked Jose Mourinho, and it’s been anything but smooth sailing since then.

Spurs fans have watched numerous talks collapse over the last month alone, with negotiations for Mauricio Pochettino, Antonio Conte, Paulo Fonseca and Gennaro Gattuso all failing to amount to an appointment (BBC).

The Latest: Gold shares major Nuno news…

Writing on social media, Gold has shared major news in regards to Nuno and him possibly taking the job at Tottenham.

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Indeed, as explained by the reporter, it now looks very likely that the Portuguese will become Spurs’ next boss after over two months waiting.

He even says that Tottenham could have the 47-year-old in place by next week just before pre-season, barring a complete U-turn.

“Understand that, barring a complete about turn (and we’ve had enough of those in these 67 days), the former Wolves boss could be in place at Tottenham next week just days before pre-season starts at Hotspur Way.” Gold stated on Twitter.

The Verdict: Big claim…

This comes as a big claim by a reliable source with the Spurs manager hunt appearing to be near it’s conclusion barring yet another complete collapse.

While his style doesn’t exactly fit the Tottenham ‘DNA’ of open, attacking football, Nuno does have a proven track record of nurturing young players and getting the very best out of his current crop (football.london).

Coming as a bit of a mixed bag in that regard, Spurs could arguably do far worse and they need to make a decision with pre-season training for non-internationals starting just next week.

In other news: Journalist says Tottenham now want ‘magical’ man as ‘official contacts’ begin…find out more here.

Rafa Benitez has been in the Everton job for just over two days but he already has some big decisions to make.

He is faced with the potential departure of James Rodriguez, while Dominic Calvert-Lewin is also attracting interest from elsewhere.

What’s the word?

One of the most important decisions for the club this summer will be determining what happens with Moise Kean. The Italian striker spent last term on loan at PSG and he could head back to Ligue 1 for the upcoming season.

That’s the word of transfer guru Fabrizio Romano who took to Twitter on Thursday evening to report: “Paris Saint-Germain want Moise Kean back and it’s only loan negotiation with buy option included, as reported one month ago. NO permanent deal bid. Kean wants to join PSG. Leonardo is now waiting for Everton answer – it’s up to Rafa Benitez.”

Huge blunder

If Benitez sanctions a loan move for the young forward, it would be a mighty clanger within his first few days of being in the job.

If Everton are going to shift Kean on, they should be looking for a permanent move. Otherwise, they may as well give him another chance in the first team squad next season.

The Toffees were initially looking for a fee of £40m in order to relinquish him this summer, so to let him leave with only an option to buy feels like a rather peculiar decision. After all, this is the mighty PSG with which they’re dealing; they are not cash-strapped by any means.

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It’s a decision which has left plenty of supporters baffled and bewildered by the thought process at Goodison Park.

Reacting to the news on social media, one Everton fan said the club had dealt with Kean’s situation “absolutely terribly.” Another supporter claimed that the Toffees were becoming “easy to manipulate” in the transfer market, while a further individual fumed that it was an “absolute joke.”

You can certainly understand such anger. Kean had a breathtaking season in 2020/21, reviving his career after a disappointing first campaign in Merseyside.

After signing for Everton for £29m, he scored just four goals in 37 appearances before moving to France on a temporary basis. Since joining the Parisians, he lit up Ligue 1 and starred in Europe – he found the net on 17 occasions in PSG colours, even scoring against Barcelona.

At the age of 21, the Italy international has a very high ceiling. If Everton aren’t going to give him another opportunity, they may as well cash in on him now in order to fund a summer rebuild.

It would be a blunder from Benitez to agree to another loan move for the striker.

AND in other news, Everton eye swoop for “superb” 69-goal colossus, it could mean the end for DCL…

Alan Nixon has dropped an update on Leeds United’s pursuit of Huddersfield Town midfielder Lewis O’Brien.

What’s the story?

Previously, writing via his official Twitter account, Nixon said that O’Brien was “very near” to the top of the short-list for Leeds this summer as they look to strengthen their midfield options ahead of the new Premier League campaign.

And now, the journalist has dropped an update on the situation, revealing that the Terriers ace may actually not be the man that the Whites go after, saying: “I think there’s somebody ahead of him on the shopping list”.

Intriguing update from Smyth

The news that Leeds have a name ahead of O’Brien on their list of targets is intriguing to say the least, with the Whites just a few weeks away from opening up their Premier League campaign against Manchester United at Old Trafford.

Marcelo Bielsa’s side have made some moves in the transfer window already, bringing in the likes of Amari Miller, Junior Firpo and Sean McGurk, but only one of those names you would consider a potential first-team starter next season.

In O’Brien, Leeds could find someone who could be ready to make that step up from the Championship to the Premier League, with Huddersfield Town writer Steven Chicken waxing lyrical about his potential.

He said: “He certainly has the potential to be (a Premier League player), if he’s not already. His fitness is incredible and he just never seems to get tired, which is one of the biggest difficulties Championship players have when stepping up to the Premier League.

“He’s never going to be a big glamorous name in the Premier League, but he is the kind of wholehearted, committed player that managers love because they do so much of the hard work that helps other players to shine.”

But with Nixon now claiming that Leeds have got their eye on someone else, it will certainly be intriguing for the club’s fans to see who the Whites have in mind as they look to beef up their midfield options.

Meanwhile, Leeds are closing in on a major agreement…

TalkSPORT’s Simon Jordan has slammed a claim that was made on the potential takeover of Newcastle United by Amanda Staveley.

The Lowdown: Staveley interview

Staveley, who is part of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia (KSA) consortium looking to take over at St. James’ Park has recently spoke to Sky Sports giving her latest thoughts on the whole saga.

In the interview, she referenced a letter that she wrote urging both the UK government and football regulators to make sure that the upcoming arbitration case against the Premier League is made public.

She also added that she wants to seek transparency, as she claims that she knows nothing about the arbitration and does not know what is going on.

The Latest: Jordan slams Staveley

Speaking on talkSPORT, Jordan, a pundit who is the former chairman of Crystal Palace, has claimed that Staveley being ‘in tears’ about opportunities that were missed for the North East club are ‘nonsense’, adding that it is only really the opportunities that she has missed for herself.

He also went on to claim that Staveley’s call for the arbitration process to be made public has ‘nothing to do with the government’, which she ‘knows’.

The Verdict: Staveley desperate

Judging by her latest interview, Staveley is clearly as desperate as many Magpies fans to get the takeover over the line, and sympathises with them in terms of the need for transparency.

Thus, it is a little unfair for Jordan to suggest that she is only really in it for herself, as she clearly knows what the supporters are feeling and wants the deal to go through for them as well as herself and the rest of the consortium.

Nonetheless, her call to make the arbitration process public is a reasonable one, and so the top flight should be looking to side with the Tyneside club and make it so.

In other news, find out what has been said about the latest ‘huge development’ in the takeover saga here!

Liverpool have had a £34m bid for Atletico Madrid midfielder Saul Niguez rejected, with the La Liga champions demanding more for his services.

The Lowdown: Liverpool linked with Saul move

The Reds could be in the market for a new central midfielder this summer following Gini Wijnaldum’s exit to Paris Saint-Germain.

One player who has been linked with a move to Anfield is Saul, who has been such an influential performer for Atletico down the years. The Spanish giants may be willing to let the 26-year-old leave this summer, but only for the right price.

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The Latest: Reds see bid rejected

According to Mundo Deportivo, Liverpool’s bid of £34m has been turned down by Atletico, who deem the offer to be too low.

It remains to be seen if the Reds will come back in for a higher bid or look elsewhere for an alternative.

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The Verdict: Worth another punt?

The £36m-rated Saul is a fabulous player, ticking so many of the boxes required to be a success at Liverpool. Indeed, Neil Jones told Redmen TV [via Liverpool Echo] that the midfielder has “got massive admirers” at Anfield.

At 26, he still has a good few years left in him at the top, he possesses quality on the ball – 86.7% pass completion rate in the Champions League last season, bettered by only six Reds players – and works tirelessly for the good of the team, winning 1.7 tackles per game.

For that reason, Liverpool would be wise to make a higher bid for Saul, filling their Wijnaldum-shaped void in the process.

In other news, some Liverpool fans are delighted with a rumour surrounding one Reds player. Read more here.

Many Wolves fans have been left to react to a transfer update involving Vitinha.

As per Record (via Sport Witness), there is no longer ‘hope’ from FC Porto that the Midlands club will pay the required €20m (£17.1m) to sign him on a permanent deal after his loan spell at Molineux in the 2020/21 season.

There was clearly a lot of promise when Vitinha joined on loan, as Jeff Shi described him as an ‘exciting’ player and a ‘special young talent’, with an ‘abundance of technique and creativity’ (Wolves).

This was evident especially in his passing ability, as he recorded the highest pass success percentage (90.3%) out of any WWFC player to have played 10 or more games in the Premier League last campaign (Whoscored).

However, having already signed another creator in Trincao on loan from FC Barcelona earlier this month (Wolves), £17.1m would be a lot to spend on a similar player in Vitinha, and there is no guarantee that he would work out at the Wanderers again.

Wolves fans on Vitinha transfer update

These supporters seemed split as the transfer update was shared on Twitter:

“A must buy for me. Didn’t really put a foot wrong when he’s played for us and was stunning for the Portugal U21s going to be a real weapon for whoever gets him.”

Credit: @EG_Trey

“Please I love you Vinny”

Credit: @dannyclives

“£20mill no changes, let Fosun do their thing”

Credit: @dappadarby

“Got too many attacking options for this. We need the money we do have on the defence/midfield”

Credit: @br4dders13

“I really don’t think he’s worth that much tbh”

Credit: @SamCl0ver

“Not worth that money if you can get him for half that fair enough but not fussed one bit never rated him from what I seen”

Credit: @satsomboon

In other news, find out what club update has Wanderers buzzing here!

Tottenham Hotspur are considering a move to bring Antoine Griezmann to the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium this summer.

What’s the talk?

That’s according to a report by Spanish outlet ABC (via Sport Witness), who claim that, with Harry Kane being very close to joining Manchester City this summer, Spurs are on the lookout for a replacement for the 27-year-old ahead of next season.

The report then goes on to state that Griezmann would meet all the criteria Fabio Paratici is looking for in the England captain’s successor at Tottenham, while Barcelona are also thought to believe that the north London side are a club who meet all of their expectations regarding a buyer for the France international.

An earlier report by French publication L’Equipe (via Sport Witness) went as far as to claim that the LaLiga side have contacted Spurs over a deal for the 30-year-old, with Atletico Madrid, Manchester City and Juventus also thought to have received a proposal from the Catalans.

Griezmann could be Kane’s heir

While it is undeniable that things have not worked out exactly as planned for Griezmann at Barcelona, it would be difficult to argue that, should the Frenchman be able to refind his Atletico form at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium, there would not be too many better replacements for Kane.

Indeed, over his 37 LaLiga appearances for Atleti in his final campaign with the club, the £54m-rated man scored 15 goals, registered nine assists and created 13 big chances for his teammates, as well as taking an average of 3.1 shots and making two key passes per games.

These returns saw the man Didier Deschamps dubbed a “remarkable” player earn a seasonal SofaScore match rating of 7.38, ranking him as Diego Simeone’s best performer in the top flight of Spanish football.

And, while it is true that the forward has not quite lived up to his £107m transfer fee at the Camp Nou, he has nevertheless scored 35 goals and provided 17 assists over 99 appearances in all competitions for the club – averaging a goal involvement a little under every two fixtures.

As such, should Kane indeed move onto pastures new this summer – an outcome, it should be stated, we do not believe likely – Paratici could certainly do worse than a player who has scored a total of 220 goals over 558 appearances in club football.

In other news: Paratici can land Nuno a serious Winks upgrade with THFC swoop for “really clever” ace

Valerien Ismael has dropped a hint regarding the transfer business West Bromwich Albion still have to do this summer.

What’s been said?

In a recent interview with Birmingham Live, the West Brom manager revealed that, despite Albion having made just two signings in the summer transfer window thus far with several holes still in need of plugging in the Baggies’ first team squad, he is in no real rush to bring a glut of new faces to The Hawthorns.

The Frenchman added that this is because of just how impressive many of the West Brom starlets have been in pre-season, with the 45-year-old stating upon his arrival at the club that he would be looking to integrate a number of the most promising academy players into his first team plans.

However, Ismael also suggested that he is nevertheless working on a number of deals behind the scenes, and is not afraid to dip into the transfer market if he feels the need to do so.

“We will see, I think at the moment I said that the good thing is our young players are doing well and they have given us time,” Ismael told Birmingham Live when questioned about Albion’s transfer business.

“There is no rush on the transfer market, we want to see the young players and [at Watford] it was a very important game for us.

“We needed to assess the players but we saw that the performance was there. They understood the principle and I think it is better for us if we can push some young players from the academy.

“We will do it if we have the possibility and if the performance and commitment is there we will do it. Otherwise, for sure we will show what we can do in the transfer market but at the minute there is no rush.

“We are working behind the scenes to prepare. We prepare a lot of things already but we have no rush because of the good performance from the young players.”

Music to the ears of fans

With Ismael arriving at the club amid speculation that he would be looking to reshape West Brom from the bottom to the top, these comments are arguably the first evidence of the 45-year-old’s plans in action.

Indeed, it would surprise us if the Baggies did not make a few more additions to their squad this summer, with the middle of the park in particular looking rather short on depth.

However, considering just how successful the Frenchman was when placing his trust in youngsters with Barnsley last season – and clubs such as Swansea City and Lincoln City thriving with a team featuring a number of players closer to the beginning than the end of their careers – that Ismael is looking to prioritise the West Brom academy starlets ahead of splurging in the transfer market should be music to the ears of Baggies fans who have endured some expensive flops over the years.

With the likes of Taylor Gardner-Hickman, Rayhaan Tulloch, Rico Richards and Caleb Taylor all featuring regularly for the club in pre-season, West Brom could well see a number of very promising players developing into first team regulars over the coming months – an exciting prospect, indeed.

In other news: Hatfield drops West Brom transfer claim on “complete” £12k-p/w ace, Ismael must act