All posts by z3u9t.icu

Celtic have not found it difficult to find the back of the net this season having scored 78 goals in 33 SPFL games under Ange Postecoglou.

Despite this impressive feat, one figure at the Parkhead club that hasn’t been particularly prominent in an attacking sense is striker Albian Ajeti.

With 17 appearances to his name across all competitions, the 25-year-old has only been able to score three goals.

As well as his lack of regular goals, his performances in the league when he has been able to get on the pitch have been rather underwhelming.

The centre-forward is currently listed as the second-lowest rated Celtic player currently in Postecoglou’s squad that has started more than one league game according to WhoScored.

Looking ahead to the upcoming summer transfer window, it seems as though the Hoops may be looking to add some more attacking depth to their side, which could also push the misfiring Ajeti out of the club at the same time.

What’s the news?

According to a recent report from Ghana Web, Celtic are pushing for a summer transfer move to sign Bayern Munich youngster Christopher Scott.

With a total of 106 youth appearances to his name for Bayern and his previous club Bayer Leverkusen, the 19-year-old has scored 44 goals and provided 15 assists in the process.

This shows what a capable attacking figure he is and what he could potentially offer the Hoops if they sign him this summer.

The teenager has also made two senior appearances for the Bundesliga champions this season which came during the back end of last season.

Labelled as an “very aggressive accurate passer” by Bhoys Analytics, Scott is set to have his current contract at the German club run out in the summer.

With that in mind, if the Hoops can secure his signature on a free transfer and then give him regular minutes on the pitch, this could be a great bit of business from the Parkhead club.

Also, with Frank McAvennie claiming how “unbelievable” it is for the club to still be paying Ajeti his £18k-per-week wages, getting him out of Celtic Park and replacing him with a young attacking talent such as Scott could give the Hoops fans a lot to shout about.

In other news: “Understand that…”: Journalist drops big transfer update, it’s bad news for Celtic

Manchester United have been linked with a move for Ajax winger Antony after Erik ten Hag was confirmed as the club’s new manager on Thursday.

The Lowdown: Antony profiled

Antony is just 22 years of age and was signed by Ten Hag for Ajax back in 2020 from Sao Paulo.

Since then, the Brazil international has made 79 appearances for the Dutch giants, scoring 22 goals and registering 20 assists, taking his senior tallies to 26 for both.

Valued at £31.5m by Transfermarkt, Antony helped Ajax win the double last season and it looks as if he could now follow Ten Hag to Manchester.

The Latest: Meeting held

Marca relayed a report from The Times regarding Ten Hag and United after he signed a deal at Old Trafford through to 2025.

They claimed that the 52-year-old has already held meetings with United’s recruitment team, with Antony a possible target. The Red Devils are thought to be keeping tabs on the Ajax star, who could be available for £55m this summer.

The Verdict: Shrewd move?

Ten Hag will know just what Antony would bring to Old Trafford, so a summer swoop could be a smart call, especially as United don’t currently have a senior available right-winger on the books.

It looks set to be an extremely busy first summer with Ten Hag in charge, with up to 12 players possibly heading out the exit door.

Therefore, a number of signings will be needed ahead of his first game in charge, so looking to wrap up a move for the winger who gives defenders ‘sleepless nights’ may well be a good decision.

In other news: ‘Revolution begins’: Fabrizio Romano now shares key Man Utd exit news emerging from Old Trafford. 

Manchester City are reportedly interested in a move for Inter Milan defender Stefan de Vrij, according to reports in Italy.

What’s the word?

As per CMIT TV (via Sports Witness), the reigning Premier League champions are ‘willing to spend’ an ‘important figure’ to prize the Dutchman from the San Siro, with a bid in the region of €40m (£33.5m) potentially on the cards.

The 30-year-old – who joined the Serie A outfit from Lazio in 2018 – has just a year remaining on his existing deal, with the ‘right offer’ potentially set to tempt both him and Simone Inzaghi’s side into a sale this summer.

As the report also alludes to, however, there has been speculation in recent weeks linking the £31.5m-rated man to Tottenham Hotspur in the upcoming transfer window, with the player having previously worked under Spurs boss Antonio Conte in Milan for two seasons – notably winning the Scudetto last term for the first time in 11 years.

Stones in trouble

Despite being currently well-stocked in their centre-back ranks – with Aymeric Laporte, John Stones, Ruben Dias and Nathan Ake all at the club – this latest news suggests that Pep Guardiola’s side appear keen to further bolster their backline, with one of their current stars potentially set to be a notable casualty.

The man that could well give way to any new defensive addition is England international, Stones, with the 27-year-old having lost his place to teammate Laporte as the first-choice partner to last season’s Premier League player of the year’, Dias.

Having been a £40m arrival from Bournemouth just two seasons ago, it would also appear unlikely that the club would cash in on Ake just yet, particularly with the former Chelsea man offering that much-needed balance as a left-footed option.

For Stones, it has proven to be a fairly frustrating campaign thus far, with the £250k-per-week star having made just 11 top-flight starts to date, while he was also recently forced off with an injury in the recent thrilling 4-3 victory over Real Madrid on Tuesday night.

That enthralling clash had seen the former Everton man line up in an unconventional right-back position in the absence of compatriot Kyle Walker – a role he has utilised on five occasions this season – a fact that further emphasises his diminishing status at the heart of the backline.

The £25.2m-rated man has also registered some fairly meagre statistics so far this term, averaging o.4 tackles and 0.8 interceptions in the Premier League, while he also ranks in just the top 97% for blocks made per 90 and the top 77% for clearances made, compared to players in his position across Europe’s top five leagues.

While that partly has something to do with City’s usual dominance in possession and limited need to defend, such a record also points to lingering concerns over his defensive ability, having once been criticised by Alan Shearer for making “mistake after mistake” in his early days at the Etihad.

By contrast, potential new arrival de Vrij has been in stunning form for the Serie A title challengers, with former Lazio defender Mauricio dubbing him a “monster” with “excellent technique” following his eye-catching displays for the Nerazzurri.

The 55-cap international has performed favourably in comparison to the aforementioned City man so far this season, registering 1.2 tackles, 1.8 clearances and one interception per game in the league thus far in his 26 outings.

There would no doubt need to be a period of adjustment as he has frequently lined up at the centre of a back three for Inzaghi’s charges, although his arrival in England could help to strengthen an already stubborn and seemingly impenetrable backline.

Stones – who has been linked with a move to Newcastle United of late – would be wise to be at least a little concerned for his future.

AND in other news, Imagine him & Rice: West Ham could have signed “magic” £45m-rated star for just £5m…

West Ham United are battling to sign soon-to-be free agent and Torino striker Andrea Belotti for David Moyes this summer as an update comes to light this week.

The Lowdown: Moyes eyeing new forward…

Hammers boss Moyes is reportedly eyeing a new forward signing for his side this summer, coming after the club couldn’t finalise the addition of a striker in January.

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West Ham were apparently very close to signing Atalanta ace Duvan Zapata in the final hours of deadline day, but after the player went AWOL, with phone calls to entourage left unanswered, Moyes and co ultimately missed out.

The Irons are currently gearing for their crunch semi-final second leg against Frankfurt in the Europa League on Thursday evening but that hasn’t stopped both owners GSB and head of recruitment Rob Newman gearing up for the 2022/2023 Premier League season.

The Latest: Insider shares Belotti update…

According to ‘insider’ and Italian football reporter Rudy Galetti, speaking to Tribal Football, West Ham are in a ‘battle’ to sign Belotti for Moyes this summer.

Touted as ‘one of the most followed players in Europe’, the 28-year-old is set to be a man in demand this summer with his contract expiring in June.

West Ham are in the mix to sign Belotti on a Bosman with the striker’s imminent ‘final decision’ expected in the ‘next few weeks’.

The Verdict: Right man for Moyes?

Scoring a career total 158 goals and still in his prime, Belotti could prove to be a pretty astute signing and capable back-up for Michail Antonio – especially at zero initial transfer cost.

An established Italy international with over 40 caps for the Azzurri, Torino’s captain will certainly be attracting major interest as one of the big name free agents up for grabs at the end of 2021/2022.

West Ham will face many competitors in the race for Belotti but landing the forward would be a smart of piece of business by Moyes.

In other news: GSB ready to back Moyes with £21m West Ham bid for colossal player, find out more here.

Antonio Conte has admitted something that left him ‘very angry’ despite Tottenham Hotspur giving their Premier League top-four hopes a timely boost with a 3-0 victory over north London rivals Arsenal on Thursday night.

The lowdown: UCL hopes boosted

The Lilywhites injected a whole new impetus into their chances of qualifying for next season’s UEFA Champions League with a ruthless performance at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium.

Spurs talisman and derby day top marksman Harry Kane got the scoring underway, converting a 22nd-minute penalty. The night’s work was made easier when Arsenal centre-back Rob Holding was dismissed for two bookable offences before Kane doubled the lead ahead of half-time.

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On fire forward Son Heung-min completed the resounding display shortly after the break to take his own goalscoring tally to 21 for the season, just one behind Liverpool’s Mohamed Salah.

The latest: Conte admits to being ‘very angry’

Speaking in a press conference after the match, Conte spoke about his time at Spurs so far and looked ahead to the next fixture against Burnley.

As quoted by football.london he said: “Now we are very close for a big achievement. We are one point less than Arsenal. There are two games to go. I think we have an important game against Burnley.

“We lost against Burnley and you know very well that after this game it made me very, very angry. I think it was a good step for me, for my players, for the club to understand what I wanted of my players and now to stay in this position I think at that time, none of us could think that two games to we would have the possibility to play for a place in the Champions League.”

The Italian infamously offered to quit in his press conference following the 1-0 defeat at Turf Moor.

The verdict: Coming full circle?

Whilst nobody could suggest that Tottenham are the finished article under Conte, the upcoming meeting with Burnley is an opportunity to lay some demons to rest and showcase just how far the side has come under the Italian.

Clearly improving all the time, the meticulous coach has certainly got Spurs facing in the right direction on the evidence of Thursday’s result and indeed the 1-1 draw at Anfield.

Qualify for a place amongst Europe’s elite and Daniel Levy may have little choice but to offer the resources required to make fundamental changes to the squad and allow Conte to emulate his previous successes that have seen the 52-year-old lift five top-flight titles during an illustrious managerial career.

In other news: Reliable source: Tottenham agreement now ‘very likely’ as Conte closes in on ‘top signing’, find out more here.

Liverpool have won their second trophy of the season after taking Chelsea all the way to penalties in today’s FA Cup final, with the match remaining 0-0 over 120 minutes.

For the fourth time this season, Jurgen Klopp’s side failed to beat the Blues over the course of 90 minutes despite having more possession (53%), more shots (17) and more passes completed (613) than Thomas Tuchel’s team at Wembley.

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Just like the Carabao Cup final, the game went all the way down to a nail-biting penalty shoot-out which would have had supporters of both clubs hiding behind their sofas after the first five were taken. Sadio Mane missed his fifth to put Chelsea right back into the contest after Cesar Azpilicueta struck the post earlier on.

However, Alisson proved why he is considered one of the best goalkeepers in the world by keeping his cool and saving Mason Mount’s attempt, setting up the perfect scenario for substitute Kostas Tsimikas to slot the seventh (and decisive) penalty to ensure Liverpool’s first FA Cup triumph since 2006.

Although the match in open play was largely uneventful, the hard work put in to get into a position to take it right down to the final penalty was crucial, and Klopp could rely on Liverpool’s metronome Thiago Alcantara to provide the control to keep his team in the game from the centre of the pitch.

Thiago masterclass

According to SofaScore, the Spain midfielder had 107 touches of the ball, completed 79 of his 90 passes (88%), made two key passes, three tackles and one interception. Also, he was successful with 100% of his dribbles and won 11 of his 17 duels, proving that he was massively effective, both hardworking off the ball and dominant in possession.

The Liverpool manager has now won almost every single major honour possible in his Liverpool tenure, with a Premier League title, Champions League, Carabao Cup, Super Cup and FA Cup all on his CV, which will surely leave Klopp delighted.

The Reds will now continue their pursuit to take their outside chance of chasing the Premier League title behind Manchester City, and then they head to Paris to take on Real Madrid in the Champions League final.

Klopp will be hoping that his squad can carry on their winning momentum into their next challenge. For now, he can thank his unsung hero Thiago for an all-round superb performance from midfield as Liverpool finally get their hands on the FA Cup again.

AND in other news: Liverpool eye summer move for £144m-rated “golden boy”, he’s even better than Haaland

Everton saved themselves from what seemed a likely relegation not so long ago with a stunning fightback to defeat Crystal Palace 3-2 on Thursday night.

The away side held a two-goal advantage at half-time thanks to goals from Jean-Philippe Mateta and Jordan Ayew, which stunned Goodison Park and put Everton’s Premier League status in doubt heading into the final weekend.

However, Michael Keane halved the deficit ten minutes into the second half, and with 15 minutes to go, Richarlison scored a via a deflected effort off Conor Gallagher as momentum swung in the home side’s favour.

A thumping header from Dominic Calvert Lewin sparked wild and sadly unsavoury scenes as some fans invaded the pitch with five minutes left to play.

A victory keeps Everton’s top-flight status secure for another year, but there is no doubt that they must improve massively next season. Keeping the exit-linked 25-year-old predator at the club must be a priority, especially after his heroic performance against Palace.

Calvert-Lewin was Everton’s hero

In addition to scoring the winner, Calvert Lewin won 17 of his duels on the night, 15 of which were aerial duels. Both tallies were the highest among Frank Lampard’s players.

The striker also contributed defensively by making two tackles and one clearance, doing his bit to ensure that Everton grabbed the crucial three points.

It remains to be seen whether or not Lampard will still be in charge next season following his poor spell thus far, but Calvert-Lewin must be kept at all costs.

Richarlison described the England international as a “nightmare” to play against, and despite an injury-plagued season in which he has only netted five goals, he is arguably coming into the prime of his career.

If Everton had been relegated this season, it would have likely meant that the 25-year-old and a host of other big names would have potentially left the club.

Hopefully Lampard can use this as a learning curve and rejig the squad ahead of a crucial summer transfer window. After last night, the manager knows that Calvert-Lewin must be kept at all costs, for the striker proved to be the Toffees’ hero on a night when they badly needed one.

AND in other news, Everton eye a move for 18 y/o “shining light”, he could be the next Calvert-Lewin

Liverpool have had a difficult few days after losing in the Champions League final against Real Madrid and now it has been reported that Sadio Mane will leave the club this summer, but FSG may be able to turn the latest disappointments into a positive as a new transfer target emerges.

What’s the latest?

According to Sport Witness, Liverpool will battle with Manchester United, Paris Saint Germain and Real Madrid to sign Darwin Nunez this summer.

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As per the report, it is claimed that the Uruguayan striker, his representatives and the interested clubs were waiting for the outcome of the Champions League final on Saturday evening before progressing with a potential move.

Klopp’s new Liverpool hero

The recently reported news of Mane’s departure will be massively disappointing for the club and supporters as the Senegalese winger has played a key part in Liverpool’s success since he was signed in 2016, but there could be a silver lining if FSG can secure the Nunez signing.

The £100m ace who was dubbed “tenacious” and a “predator” by football journalist James Dodd, has scored 34 goals and contributed four assists in all competitions, finding the back of the net 11 more times than Mane this season.

His phenomenal performances in the Champions League for Benfica this season against some of the biggest clubs in the competition are a huge contributor in propelling him into the spotlight and attracting attention from potential suitors ahead of the summer transfer window.

Nunez scored two against Barcelona and Liverpool as well as finding the back of the net against Bayern Munich and Ajax, with his contributions leading Benfica to their first quarter-finals of the prestigious European competition since 2017.

However, despite his goals scored in both legs of their tie with the Kopites, the club crashed out at Anfield, but the player could make his return to the Champions League next season with the current runners-up to help them get their seventh trophy in the competition.

With that being said, Nunez is a very hot prospect in the transfer market right now and FSG will need to offer the striker something very attractive to beat off the competition from other clubs who are pursuing the player.

AND in other news: Klopp can forget Liverpool’s UCL heartache with 45-goal “demon”, he can replace Origi

West Bromwich Albion were not the Championship’s most dynamic side this season in terms of their attacking power.

Having racked up 18 league games where they failed to find the back of the net, the Midlands club also ended the campaign with the worst percentage for shots on target.

One figure that could be seen as a shining light in the Baggies’ attack is Karlan Grant, who ended the season as their top scorer having found the net on 18 occasions as well as chipping in with six assists.

Rather unsurprisingly, the attacker racked up more shots at goal (108) than any other Baggies player as well as the joint-highest average for shots per game (2.5).

Now that the season has ended and the upcoming summer transfer window is around the corner, this will give Steve Bruce the chance to add some attacking reinforcements to his squad to make the team a much deadlier outfit and potentially give them a chance to win promotion back to the Premier League.

One player that the club have been linked with recently that could fit this particular bill and possibly form a deadly attacking duo with Grant is Jed Wallace.

In 38 league appearances this season, the 28-year-old scored six goals and delivered 12 assists for his side as well as delivering an impressive number of 300 crosses.

Having tallied up an average of 1.7 shots and 2.5 key passes per game, this highlights how much of an attacking and creative threat the Millwall star can be and shows why the Baggies are reportedly after him.

Labelled as an “instrumental” player for his current side in the past by Gary Rowett, this is exactly what the Englishman could be for Bruce and his side moving forward.

With Grant predominately playing on the left wing and Wallace being able to operate from the right as well as an attacking midfielder, having these two players on the pitch together for West Brom could be just what they need to add a bit of life to their attack.

Moving forward, despite having a hefty reported price tag of £9m put on him back in January, West Brom should definitely consider paying whatever Millwall would want for him this summer.

In other news: Bruce can finally replace Dawson as WBA eye move for “special” £2.7m-rated “mountain”

Tottenham Hotspur are interested in a deal to bring Clement Lenglet to the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium in the summer transfer window.

What’s the talk?

That’s according to a report by Spanish publication Sport (via Sport Witness), who claim that Fabio Paratici has now made contact with Barcelona concerning a move for the 26-year-old centre-back this summer.

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The report goes on to state that Arsenal, Newcastle United and Everton have also made contact with the LaLiga side regarding a deal for the France international, while the player himself is believed to be open to a temporary move away from the Camp Nou after being informed he is not currently a part of Xavi’s first-team plans.

“Similar to Laporte”

While it is true that Lenglet has seen his game time become rather limited following Xavi’s appointment at Barca back in November, it is nevertheless easy to see why Antonio Conte would be interested in a move to bring the left-footed Frenchman to north London in the summer transfer window.

Indeed, according to FBref data, the £34m-rated talent ranks in the top 1% of centre-backs in Europe’s big five leagues for passes attempted per 90, as well as the top 1% for progressive passes, the top 1% for progressive carries, the top 18% for passes completed, the top 6% for assists and the top 10% for xA over the last 365 days.

The £99k-per-week defender who Andrew Gaffney dubbed “similar to Laporte” also ranks in the top 15% for pressures per 90, in addition to the top 39% for tackles, the top 43% for aerial duels won, the top 20% for npxG+xA and the top 24% for progressive passes received over the last 12 months.

These metrics see FBref compare the 15-time capped international to some of the most exciting defensive talents in world football, such as Bayern Munich’s Dayot Upamecano, Inter Milan’s Alessandro Bastoni and Manchester City’s Ruben Dias.

As such, while Lenglet is certainly not the most glamorous left-sided centre-back Tottenham have been linked with this summer, the 26-year-old would very much appear to make an extremely impressive addition to Conte’s current options at the back.

Indeed, the Frenchman’s apparent defensive weaknesses would easily be balanced out by the incredibly solid Eric Dier and Cristian Romero, while the former Sevilla starlet’s quite spectacular range of passing would undoubtedly add an extra dimension to Spurs’ build-up play from the back.

As such, considering his availability on a loan deal – with the potential of this including an option to buy clause, similar to Romero – as well as his undoubted ability with the ball at his feet, it would very much look as if the signing of Lenglet could be something of a no-brainer for Paratici this summer.

AND in other news: Conte can unearth the next Thuram as Spurs plot bid for “powerful” £22.5m-rated talent