All posts by z3u9t.icu

Whilst Steven Gerrard has not wasted any time in upgrading his Aston Villa squad this summer, one particular position which remains untouched is that of a creative midfielder.

John McGinn is the obvious candidate for that berth, but he does not quite possess the flair required for the number eight role. One player who Villa already know well, and who Gerrard could potentially mould for that position in his image, is former loanee Ross Barkley.

The 28-year-old has reportedly been offered back to the Midlands outfit by Chelsea, who are looking to offload the midfielder. Everton are also linked with a move for their former player.

We know of Gerrard’s abilities as a player as he marauded up and down the pitch, scoring and setting up an abundance of goals in his Liverpool days. If he is to take Barkley off Chelsea’s hands, he has ample opportunity to bestow all his wisdom on his fellow Scouser.

The 28-year-old featured 26 times for the Villains in the 2020/21 season, scoring two goals in his first four games before injury struck him down and he never truly recovered.

However, even in his limited game-time last season, he impressed at times for the Blues. He averaged a SofaScore rating of 7.05 from his six Premier League appearances and 7.03 in three outings during their run to the Carabao Cup final.

The £100k-per-week maestro still possesses the talents which saw his former Everton boss Roberto Martinez label him a “special talent”, and with a little faith in him and a run in a team with considerably less pressure than the Stamford Bridge goldfish bowl, it could be a fine recipe for success.Barkley even offered 1.3 key passes per game and an 85.1% pass success rate last term, suggesting that he could provide a huge creative threat in an Aston Villa side with a wealth of attacking talent.

He could thrive in the three-man midfield that Gerrard prefers, and under the 42-year-old’s tutelage, he could finally start working towards the potential which was evident from his time at Everton.

If Barkley gains even the smallest amount of Gerrard’s midfield ability from the Villa chief’s managership, it could certainly be deemed a success, as he would deliver a huge additional attacking threat to a team looking to break into the top half of the Premier League.

AND in other news – Contact made: NSWE in talks for “extraordinary” £20m Villa target, it would be a huge coup.

Leeds United have been backed to sign a new striker “sooner rather than later”…

What’s the word?

According to Sky Sports reporter Tim Thornton, the Whites’ faithful should expect movement in the transfer market in the near future, with less than five weeks to go until deadline day.

The Yorkshire side have been linked with moves for attacking Ligue 1 duo Arnaud Kalimuendo of Paris Saint-Germain and Martin Terrier of Stade Rennes in recent weeks.

“They would probably be at the top end of the budget,” the journalist told GIVEMESPORT.

“I’m not saying they wouldn’t pay the money for those players but they will look at different options, and I don’t think they’ve sort of made a final decision in terms of who they’re going to bring in yet. But there could be movement sooner rather than later.”

Exciting news at Elland Road

Director of football Victor Orta has been a very busy man in the transfer window so far, sealing moves for as many as six new signings, ranging from RB Salzburg duo Brenden Aaronson and Rasmus Kristensen to Feyenoord sensation Luis Sinisterra.

Of course, the Whites have had to replace some key figures: Kalvin Phillips, who has joined defending Premier League champions Manchester City, and Raphinha, who sealed his dream move to Barcelona.

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But one problem still lingers at Elland Road and that’s upfront.

Last season, both current manager Jesse Marsch and his predecessor Marcelo Bielsa suffered immensely due to the various injuries picked up by Patrick Bamford, who was the club’s top goalscorer a season earlier.

In his absence, Leeds lacked a senior alternative, with winger Dan James and U23 gem Joe Gelhardt often being deployed up top on their own.

And whilst the England international appears to be back fit this pre-season, it would still be wise to find a viable option to not just provide backup but also challenge him for that starting spot in Marsch’s squad.

Both Kalimuendo and Terrier are exciting names and would be fine additions to add to their business so far, and with Thornton suggesting that there could be some movement soon, supporters around west Yorkshire should be absolutely buzzing as Orta isn’t finished yet.

It remains to be seen exactly who could walk through the door next at Elland Road but with less than five weeks to go in the window, we should expect something to happen in the near future, going by the reliable Sky Sports man’s comments.

AND in other news, Gianluigi Longari drops Charles De Ketelaere update…

Tottenham Hotspur manager Antonio Conte has confirmed his team news before the Premier League opener against Southampton as Oliver Skipp will ‘definitely’ miss out. 

The lowdown: Injury-plagued

Unfortunately, Skipp sat out much of the 2021/22 campaign due to a groin injury which saw the academy graduate miss 20 matches all told.

The 22-year-old England youth international had previously established himself as a mainstay in the senior squad, amassing 51 outings for Spurs following a successful season-long loan spell at Norwich City.

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Now, as the Lilywhites kick off their 2022/23 season by welcoming Southampton to N17, Skipp is certain to miss the curtain raiser in north London due to a freak heel injury…

The latest: ‘Definitely’

Speaking to the assembled media ahead of the match (via football.london), Conte told the press that the 14-cap England Under 21 starlet will be absent for the opener whilst there are doubts elsewhere in the squad.

He said: “At the moment we only have one player who will definitely miss Southampton and that is Skipp. Bissouma, another day [before the game] still, nothing serious, but I don’t want to take a risk with anyone for the next games.”

The verdict: Shame

Having endured a difficult campaign last year, Skipp – who was dubbed the ‘perfect’ player by former Norwich City manager Daniel Farke – would’ve been among those most relishing the opportunity for a clean slate this time around.

Instead, it’s going to be another brief wait for the £16.2million valued uncompromising Englishman as the medical staff attempt to get the entire squad in full working order ahead of what is going to be a chaotic season, punctuated by a World Cup and the return of UEFA Champions League football to north London.

Before then, in the confirmed absence of Skipp, and indeed potentially Bissouma, Conte is likely to turn to Rodrigo Bentancur, Pierre-Emile Hojbjerg and perhaps even Harry Winks to front up the engine room of the Tottenham starting XI.

Leeds United remain interested in a move to bring Cody Gakpo to Elland Road in the summer transfer window.

What’s the talk?

That’s according to a report by French media outlet Foot Mercato, who claim that, following a number of reports linking Victor Orta with a move for the PSV Eindhoven winger this summer, the Spaniard could now launch a move for the 23-year-old prior to Saturday’s Premier League curtain raiser against Wolverhampton Wanderers.

The report goes on to state that the Whites – as well as Arsenal – are very attentive to the situation of the Netherlands international, for whom the Eredivisie side are believed to be demanding a figure in the region of €30m (£25m) to part with ahead of the 2022/23 campaign.

“Enormous talent”

When taking into account just how exciting a prospect Gakpo undoubtedly is, coupled with the sheer number of top-level clubs being linked with the winger this summer – including Arsenal, Liverpool and Tottenham Hotspur – it is undeniable that, should Orta manage to get a deal over the line for the Dutchman this summer, it would be a “supreme” signing for the Whites.

Indeed, over his 27 Eredivisie fixtures in 2021/22, the £27m-rated talent was one of the league’s standouts performers, showing exactly what he’d offer Leeds in the final third if a move was made. He scored 12 goals, registered 13 assists and created 11 big chances for his teammates, as well as taking an average of 3.0 shots, making 2.6 key passes and completing 2.9 dribbles per game.

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These returns saw the £7.4k-per-week forward average a quite remarkable SofaScore match rating of 7.51, not only ranking him as PSV’s best performer in the division but also as the fourth-best player in the Dutch top flight as a whole.

The 23-year-old attacker also impressed over his four Europa League fixtures last term, bagging two goals and creating two big chances for his teammates – with his average SofaScore match rating of 7.47 ranking him as the fourth-best player in the tournament.

It was a similar story over his five appearances in the Europa Conference League last season, scoring three goals, registering one assist and creating one big chance – with his average SofaScore match rating of 7.42 ranking him as the joint tenth-best player in the competition.

As such, it is clear to see just how impressive a signing the player Wierd Duk labelled an “enormous talent” would be for the Whites, especially considering the fact Jesse Marsch has already lost the services of Leeds’ former wide-attacking wonder Raphinha this summer.

Indeed, when taking into account that the Brazilian’s sale saw the club rake in around £55m, signing both the £21m Luis Sinisterra and the £25m Gakpo as his replacements – all while having £9m to spare – would indeed represent a fantastic piece of business by Orta and his transfer team.

West Ham United are closing in on a deal to bring Borna Sosa to the London Stadium this summer.

What’s the talk?

That’s according to a report by Croatian media outlet Index, who claim that, with the 24-year-old full-back’s representatives having been in England since Monday in order to discuss a switch to David Moyes’ side, the VfB Stuttgart defender is now believed to be very close to sealing a move to east London.

The report goes on to state that the Croatia international’s current side have already begun their search for a replacement for the left-back, with Sosa expected to depart the Mercedes-Benz Arena in a deal worth around €20m (£17m) in the coming days.

However, the report does go on to suggest that Newcastle United are also interested in a move for the former Dinamo Zagreb starlet, with it being said that Eddie Howe’s side would have no trouble in outbidding the Hammers in the race for the wing-back due to the club’s mega-rich Saudi Arabian owners.

Dream Kostic alternative

While Filip Kostic’s increasingly likely move to Juventus is sure to come as a gutting blow to Moyes – with it being evident that the Serbia international was the 59-year-old’s primary target for a new left-back this summer – should the Scot manage to get a £17m deal over the line for Sosa in the Eintracht Frankfurt star’s place, it would certainly help to ease this blow.

Indeed, the Stuttgart sensation appears to very much be a player in the same attack-minded mould as Kostic – something that was evident over the duo’s performances in the German top flight last season.

Over Sosa’s 28 Bundesliga appearances last time out, the £20.7m-rated talent was a constant creative threat for VfB, scoring one goal, providing eight assists and creating nine big chances for his teammates, in addition to making an average of 2.2 key passes, 2.5 crosses and completing 1.3 dribbles per game.

These metrics saw the £15k-per-week wing-back who Sven Mislintat dubbed “a real weapon” average a simply sensational SofaScore match rating of 7.26, not only ranking him as Pellegrino Matarazzo’s best performer in the league but also as the joint 13th-best player in the German top flight as a whole.

In comparison, over Kostic’s 31 Bundesliga appearances in 2021/22, the £21.6m-rated wing-back scored four goals, provided nine assists and created 16 big chances for his teammates, as well as making an average of 2.8 key passes, 3.3 crosses and completing 0.8 dribbles per game.

These returns saw the £43k-per-week talent average an impressive SofaScore match rating of 7.25, ranking him as Frankfurt’s best performer in the league and the 15th-best player in the division as a whole.

As such, while it is true that Kostic does better Sosa’s metrics in a number of areas, considering the fact that the Croatian is five years the Serbian’s junior, the latter could still improve upon his already impressive attributes – something which cannot part be said about the 29-year-old, who is likely already at his peak.

Indeed, while Kostic may well have represented an option who would immediately improve Moyes’ first-team squad in the short-term, Sosa would be a signing who could gradually take over the reins of Aaron Cresswell on the left of the Hammers backline, before becoming the club’s first choice in the position for many a year to come.

So, considering all of the above, there is an argument to be made that the Stuttgart star is a much better investment for the Irons to splash the cash on this summer, as the 24-year-old’s long-term prospects are certainly much brighter than those of Kostic.

Nottingham Forest have been linked with Alex Moreno over this summer but the player rejected a move. However, a new update has emerged that could mean a deal might be back on the table over the last few weeks of the transfer window.

What’s the latest?

According to Spanish news outlet Estadio Deportivo, a deal for the Real Betis wing-back to join Nottingham Forest hasn’t been ruled out as of yet.

As per the report, the newly-promoted side could go back in for the player with more force as they are still very much interested in signing Moreno this summer.

It could be a big signing

Steve Cooper has already welcomed 15 new players to the City Ground this summer as the club have left nothing to chance in their efforts to build a team that can compete comfortably in the Premier League and retain their top-flight status.

Moreno is clearly a player the Forest hierarchy view as a perfect fit for their challenge over the season ahead with every part of the deal agreed to bring the player in before it was snubbed, and it’s not hard to see why when you consider the player’s strengths and dominance on the left flank for his Spanish side.

The 29-year-old ranked in the top 20% of his positional peers in the top five European leagues for tackles, blocks, clearances and progressive carries, demonstrating a phenomenal work rate on the flanks. That said, it’s not just his defensive attributes that would have caught the eye of the powers at the City Ground.

Over 30 La Liga appearances, the £9m-valued talent who was hailed as “quality” by journalist Ethan Lamb scored five goals, delivered three assists and created two big chances from an average of 62.7 touches per game, proving that Moreno has no trouble in not only providing defensive cover but offering plenty in attacking play too.

When you look at how Cooper has deployed his team over the first two fixtures in the Premier League, the Welsh manager opts for a 3-4-1-2 formation which worked perfectly for the Reds last weekend against West Ham United where they took their first three points from their first home game of the season.

With that being said, Moreno would be the perfect profile of player to occupy the left wing-back position in the team thanks to his admirable work rate and phenomenal power in the final third. Therefore, it would be no surprise if Forest do try their luck again in order to finally secure a signing that would be rather ideal for the manager’s system.

‘Aston Villa have approached Southampton’ over centre-back Jan Bednarek, according to Dan Sheldon and Gregg Evans of The Athletic. 

The lowdown

Villa may have been forced into the market for another central defender after learning that they would be without summer signing Diego Carlos for six months.

Carlos ruptured his achilles tendon on his home debut against Everton last weekend.

Bednarek, 26, has played 133 Premier League games for Southampton since he joined from Lech Poznan in 2017.

He seemingly features on a shortlist that also includes Trevoh Chalobah of Chelsea.

The latest

Sheldon wrote on Twitter that Villa have established contact with the Saints ‘over a possible deal’ for Bednarek.

‘AVFC [are] keen to replace the injured Diego Carlos’ and crucially, Southampton are ‘open to selling the defender’.

He also notes that Bednarek isn’t their only option, with Villa ‘looking at other targets’ too.

The verdict

Bednarek isn’t necessarily someone who will make his presence felt in the middle third of the pitch through passing or ball-carrying, but he can make decisive contributions at either end.

He racks up a very high volume of defensive actions, ranking in the top 13 percentiles for aerial duels won, clearances, blocks and interceptions.

And he’s also a threat in the opposition penalty area, with his 0.13 non-penalty goals for 90 enough to place him in the 97th percentile (compared to fellow centre-backs).

Manager Ralph Hasenhuttl has called him ‘very aggressive’ in defensive duels but ‘calm’ in possession, and says ‘he’s a very good package as a centre-back’.

One player who might be able to endorse the Polish defender is Danny Ings, a former team-mate at Southampton.

Indeed, Bednarek says that he’s good ‘friends’ with the Villa striker, even after his move away.

Newcastle United continued their unbeaten start to the Premier League season as they held Wolves to a 1-1 draw on Sunday.

The home side took the lead as Ruben Neves lashed a strike into the bottom corner from distance in the first half. There was little the Magpies’ defence could do to stop it as it went through Joe Willock’s legs along the way after a ball from Goncalo Guedes out wide.

Fabian Schar may consider himself fortunate to not have seen red after VAR allowed his raking challenge down Pedro Neto’s calf to go unpunished beyond a free-kick.

Raul Jimenez thought he had made it 2-0 in the final ten minutes but the referee went to the VAR monitor and pulled it back for a clear foul on Ryan Fraser in the build-up.

This gave Newcastle a lifeline and Allan Saint-Maximin made the most of it with a phenomenal volley from the edge of the box to make it 1-1.

With Alexander Isak and Callum Wilson’s unavailability, due to a registration delay and an injury respectively, Chris Wood was presented with a huge chance to prove to the manager that he still has a big part to play this season.

The January signing from Burnley had only scored twice in 20 Premier League matches heading into this game, with one of those goals coming from the penalty spot against Wolves last term.

However, he was unable to add to that tally or grasp his opportunity as he struggled up front throughout the afternoon, proving that he is not good enough for Eddie Howe.

Journalist Josh Bunting dubbed him “ineffective” and that perfectly summed up his performance. He was unable to force himself into the game as he had just 14 touches of the ball – fewer than Nick Pope’s 32 –  and failed to make the most of the service he was provided with.

The New Zealand international raced through on goal in the first half but forced himself wide and Jose Sa closed him down quickly enough to save his shot, which was his only effort that was not blocked by a defender in the match.

Off the ball, Wood did not use his frame and strength to his advantage. He lost a whopping 80% (4/5) of his individual duels as he was bullied out of the game by the Wolves defence.

The Toon flop, therefore, failed what may end up being his final chance to prove that he is good enough to start matches for the Magpies.

Isak, a striker, coming in for a club-record fee suggests that the club, and Howe, felt that position was in need of strengthening and Wood’s poor display makes that seem like a smart decision.

Tottenham Hotspur have enjoyed a strong start to the 2022/23 Premier League campaign under Antonio Conte as they currently sit third in the table.

They are one of two unbeaten sides in the division – alongside Manchester City – and have won four of their six matches in the top flight so far.

One of the team’s most consistent players is central defender Eric Dier, who has averaged a SofaScore rating of 7.07 in the league this season – the sixth-best score in the squad.

This comes after he averaged a score of 7.01 in the Premier League in 2021/22 as he started 35 of the club’s 38 matches, helping the side to keep 16 clean sheets as he made 4.0 clearances per outing.

At the age of 28, he still has plenty more to give to the club but Conte could already have his eventual heir in the current academy set-up.

19-year-old centre-back Maksim Paskotsi could be a future star for Spurs and is a player who could take over from Dier in a few years, as the Englishman enters his thirties.

The Estonian youngster joined the club in 2020 and has racked up 30 appearances for the academy teams, scoring five goals in that time.

He has already made a first-team appearance after making his debut in a Europa Conference League qualifier in August 2021 and this shows that the club have identified him as a prospect, by exposing him to senior football at such a young age.

Football talent scout Jacek Kulig previously dubbed him a “superb” centre-back and claimed that he is a similar type of player to Manchester United’s Raphael Varane. In his report on the youngster, Kulig listed his biggest strengths as his pace, ability in the air, and his anticipation, whilst describing him as ‘elegant’.

Paskotsi is an experienced player at international level given his young age. He has been capped an eye-catching 16 times by Estonia before his 20th birthday, having made his bow in March 2021 at the age of 18.

In two Nations League outings earlier this year, he averaged a SofaScore rating of 7.10 as he won 67% of his aerial battles and made 3.0 clearances per game for his country. The enforcer also made 5.4 clearances per match across seven appearances in World Cup qualifiers in 2022, showing off his strong positioning at the back.

Estonia clearly believe that he is ready to play regular senior football at age and his performances at international level have justified that decision.

Therefore, he could have the potential to play in the first team for Spurs in the future. He must now continue his development and get to a point where he is capable of playing week-in-week-out in the Premier League in order to fulfil his promise.

It may take him a few more years of gaining experience and honing his skills, whilst playing for his country and potentially going out on loan, but he could be the eventual heir to Dier if he is able to make the step up under Conte.

West Bromwich Albion are not the most renowned side for producing fine home-grown talent, but have been solid in their ability to churn out players who have gone on to impress in the English top-flight.

Chris Wood, Saido Berahino, Tyler Roberts and more are just some of the talents that have sprung up from their academy and were are similarly sturdy and reliable players.

Another who fits this mould and could be ready for a spot in the first team is Josh Shaw.

The 18-year-old left-back is yet to make any senior appearances but has made the step up from under-18s football with ease.

Having scored twice and assisted once in 25 games in the U18 Premier League, 12 further appearances in the Premier League 2 are indicative of someone who is not afraid to match up to the physical demands that older age groups might demand.

Conor Townsend is 29, so when his inevitable decline starts, given the intensity such a role requires, Shaw will be waiting patiently in the wings ready to take his place.

It is a testament to his ability that the Baggies spent the summer resisting advances from Premier League clubs who were desperate to tempt the youngster from the Hawthorns

With Taylor Garder-Hickman and Dara O’Shea acting as a prime examples of the pathway from youth football into the starting side, Shaw will feel confident he can be the next to make the step up.

His U18s boss Peter Gilbert had the following to say about his potential:

“Josh has improved, keeps getting better and it’s been an upward curve in his career since moving to West Brom”

Not only this, but his versatility makes him a further asset to the side he hopes to break into. With an ability to play left wing, he is clearly a forward-thinking full-back.

He could certainly improve a West Brom side that has scored just 14 in nine games this season, with five of them coming in one game.

They are in desperate need of some freshness in their side, and Steve Bruce must consider unleashing this teenage sensation to propel them away from their current 20th position.