Tag Futebol

Tottenham Hotspur are likely to be without several key players when they return to domestic action with a trip to Brentford on Boxing Day.

Several of Spurs’ players returned from the World Cup nursing problems and that will see both Rodrigo Bentancur and Richarlison as definite injury absentees, and the latter may be out for quite some time with a hamstring issue.

Ben Davies is back, as manager Antonio Conte revealed earlier this week. However, it seems unlikely that Argentina centre-back Cristian Romero will be available after this country’s triumph in Qatar.

That’s according to journalist Pete O’Rourke, who told Football FanCast:

“I can’t see it, to be honest.

“Obviously, those celebrations are going to be pretty wild and hard, I think in Argentina right now for the next few days.

“So trying to get the player’s mind back in domestic action is going to be pretty hard.”

Romero’s likely absence on Monday afternoon will come as a big blow to Conte as the 24-year-old titan is an integral part of the back three, often being the right-hand aggressor and covering for Emerson Royal when he bombs forward.

Once described as an “animal” by former teammate Pierluigi Gollini, Romero is currently Tottenham’s best-performing defender – as per WhoScored ratings – having averaged 2.5 tackles and a squad-high 1.4 interceptions per game.

It would mean that either FC Barcelona loanee Clement Lenglet or the inconsistent Davinson Sanchez is likely to take his place, which instantly makes Spurs’ backline a lot weaker.

Both Conte and the Lilywhites faithful will be hoping that their World Cup winner returns in time for the New Year’s Day clash with Aston Villa when Bentancur is also set to make his return.

AND in other news, Paratici could ease Spurs’ big Richarlison blow by signing £13m “magician” in January…

Pundit Alan Hutton has been reacting to rumours linking Leeds United with a move for Newcastle United forward Chris Wood.

The Lowdown: Wood reunion?

The Whites appear to be on the hunt for a new forward in January and are thought to be plotting a move for Wood. Reports have suggested that the Leeds hierarchy are eying an alternative to Rodrigo and Patrick Bamford, and a loan swoop for the Newcastle marksman could be Andrea Radrizzani and Victor Orta’s solution.

The 30-year-old, who netted 44 times in 88 appearances at Elland Road, appears to have fallen out of favour at St. James’ Park, starting just twice in the Premier League this season.

The Latest: Hutton’s comments

Talking to Football Insider regarding a possible Elland Road return for Wood, Hutton, who now contributes for the BBC, believes the striker ‘would fit at Leeds’ but would need to weigh up a move back to Yorkshire.

[web_stories_embed url=”https://www.footballtransfertavern.com/web-stories/latest-leeds-united-updates-12/” title=”Latest Leeds United updates” poster=”https://www.footballtransfertavern.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/04/cropped-2022-03-10T184055Z_1834933207_UP1EI3A1FW561_RTRMADP_3_SOCCER-ENGLAND-LEE-AVA-REPORT-1-scaled-1.jpg” width=”360″ height=”600″ align=”none”]

“Of course it is always going to be difficult.

“He is at a club now that is thriving. They are going places but you need to weigh that up. Is he going to be a regular starter? For me, no.

“That is no disrespect to him it is just how they are going at this moment in time. They are trying to get top four, go for league titles, get in the Champions League. So they are looking for a different type of player.

“Leeds are a big club with a big following but you do not want to fight relegation either. I think he would fit at Leeds but at this moment in time I am not sure what Leeds are capable of.

“Are they capable of being a mid-table team or are they going to be fighting relegation year-in year-out so he will have to weigh that up.”

The Verdict: Why not…

Bringing in an experienced forward like Wood could prove to be a shrewd move by Leeds officials and one that may take them away from trouble during the second half of the season.

New Zealand’s all-time record goalscorer knows where the net is at Elland Road, and a contribution of even five to ten goals could see Jesse Marsch’s side pick up some valuable points.

He may also give Marsch another way of playing in attack and an aerial threat in both boxes, so a loan swoop could be one to keep an eye on heading into 2023.

Arsenal have a number of their first-team squad members in action at the Qatar World Cup this winter, with Bukayo Saka undoubtedly being the Gunners’ standout performer in the competition so far, with the winger scoring a sensational brace in England’s 6-2 demolition of Iran on Monday afternoon.

However, it was arguably one of Arsenal’s former players who stole the show in Wednesday’s batch of World Cup fixtures, with Takuma Asano turning in a match-winning display in Japan’s shock 2-1 victory over Germany – a result that sees one of the tournament favourites facing the very real possibility of a group stage exit.

Indeed, despite starting the fixture on the bench, the VfL Bochum winger made a huge impact upon his introduction in the 57th minute of the match, as, despite enjoying just 14 touches of the ball and completing a mere five passes, the £3.5m-rated talent proved a constant threat down Germany’s right flank.

In spite of the fact he had so little time on the ball, the 28-year-old still managed to take five shots at Manuel Neuer’s goal, with one being on target, two being off target and two being blocked, however, it was the one that did trouble the Bayern Munich shot-stopper that proved decisive in the meeting at the Khalifa International Stadium.

With just seven minutes of regulation time remaining, Asano magnificently plucked Ko Itakura’s hopeful long ball out of the sky, with his “Bergkampesque” first touch brilliantly taking him away from the onrushing Nico Schlotterbeck and towards the German goal, before the winger unleashed a fierce drive beyond Neuer at his near post.

And, while it would be difficult to argue that Arsenal’s £1m sale of Asano back in 2019 was a mistake, Arsene Wenger will have been watching on with glee on Wednesday, as the former Gunners manager was always convinced of the 38-cap star’s potential.

Speaking about the winger upon his £3.5m arrival in north London back in 2016, the legendary Frenchman said: “Takuma is a talented young striker and very much one for the future. We look forward to him developing over the next couple of years. He is a player I believe in a lot. I will take care of him and make sure he gets to the right place.”

As such, while Wenger may not have managed to deliver on this promise at The Emirates, it is undeniable that Arsenal supporters now know what Asano is capable of, as the 28-year-old well and truly proved his ability to the world against the Germans.

West Ham return to domestic action on Sunday as they travel to Old Trafford to take on an in-form Manchester United side.

David Moyes’ side assured themselves of top spot in their Europa Conference League group on Thursday evening against Silkeborg and the Scottish manager will likely ring the changes as his side looks to continue their recent upturn in Premier League form.

However, they face a United side that are unbeaten in their last seven games in all competitions, so the Hammers will have to be at their best if they want to pick up a rare away win against one of the Premier League’s ‘top six’.

Here is how Football FanCast expects Moyes to line his side up at Old Trafford, with eight changes from the team that started at the London Stadium in midweek.

West Ham predicted XI vs Manchester United: Fabianski, Johnson, Kehrer, Zouma, Ogbonna, Cresswell, Rice, Soucek, Benrahma, Bowen, Scamacca (5-2-1-2).

Despite an impressive performance in the win over Silkeborg, it seems likely that Alphonse Areola will make way for Lukasz Fabianski in between the sticks with the Pole the club’s regular league goalkeeper.

After some recent success with a back five, Moyes may well continue with that in the hope that it can give the Hammers some defensive security at Old Trafford, so Ben Johnson and Aaron Cresswell start as wing-backs, with Emerson and Vladimir Coufal dropping to the bench.

The three centre-backs could be Thilo Kehrer, Kurt Zouma and Angelo Ogbonna, with Nayef Aguerd perhaps not ready for his Premier League debut after only making his first competitive start for the club on Thursday.

In midfield, Declan Rice and Tomas Soucek seem almost certain to return, with Conor Coventry and Manuel Lanzini dropping back to the bench after rare starts against Silkeborg.

Pablo Fornals, despite being a “very important” player for Moyes, also drops out, with Jarrod Bowen returning from injury to take his place in attack alongside Said Benrahama, who keeps his place after scoring against Bournemouth on Monday evening.

The final change sees Gianluca Scamacca return in place of Michail Antonio, whose return of two goals so far this season has seen him make way for the Italian as the starting striker at the club.

A West Ham United insider has shared some injury news involving the club’s goalkeeping number one Lukasz Fabianski.

The Lowdown: Fabianski forced off…

The Hammers had to deal with more bad news during their recent 1-0 loss at Manchester United in the Premier League.

Indeed, West Ham manager David Moyes is now sweating over the availability of Fabianski, with the Polish veteran forced at half-time in their Old Trafford encounter. Alphonse Areola replaced the 37-year-old, with it still being unclear exactly what injury his counterpart suffered in the defeat to United.

The Irons travelled back to London with another injury worry after their plethora of issues in recent months, with a report sharing the latest on Fabianski’s condition.

The Latest: Insider shares Fabianski update…

According to club insider Claret and Hugh, sharing news from a ‘key source’, it appears that Moyes has indeed been handed a worry.

Fabianski is now reported to be a doubt for the clash against Crystal Palace at the weekend, and while he hasn’t entirely been ruled out, club sources cannot deem him a certainty to play.

An insider told Claret and Hugh: “He [Fabianski] cannot be considered certain for the game against Palace.”

[web_stories_embed url=”https://www.footballtransfertavern.com/web-stories/west-ham-latest-news-5/” title=”West Ham latest news!” poster=”” width=”360″ height=”600″ align=”none”]

The Verdict: Worrying?

Areola has proven a more than capable deputy in the absence of Fabianski, especially in Europe, with the former Paris-Saint Germain goalkeeper impressing in West Ham’s run to the Europa League semi-finals last season.

However, Moyes clearly deems his usual first choice as an ever-reliable figure, with the former Poland international being just one of four West Ham players to start every top-flight match so far this term.

Fabianski is also a ‘fan favourite’ for good reason, as explained by The Athletic reporter Roshane Thomas, and the 37-year-old’s experience could prove invaluable to West Ham’s attempts at a resurgence.

Liverpool have been told to sign Real Madrid star Federico Valverde by BBC pundit Alan Hutton.

The Lowdown: Late offer rejected

The Reds were on the hunt for a new midfielder over the summer to provide cover for an injury crisis, and ended up landing Arthur Melo from Juventus on a season-long loan.

However, he wasn’t one of FSG’s original targets, with the owners reported to have lodged an £86.5m bid for the 24-year-old Valverde in the final two days of the transfer window, though their attempt to bring him to the Premier League was rejected.

There is also the interest in Jude Bellingham, which seems to be never-ending and sure to continue into 2023.

The Latest: Liverpool backed to sign Valverde

Asked by Football Insider whether Valverde would be a good fit for Liverpool, Hutton said:

“I think so.

“I think he’s an outstanding player. I’ve seen him a few times for Real Madrid and he brings a lot of attributes to that midfield. Not only that, I think he can play higher up the pitch as well.

“It is definitely an area of the pitch where Liverpool need work over the next year or so. Defensively as a unit and in midfield they are struggling so he is definitely someone that could help them now, never mind in the future.“

The Verdict: Gerrard’s heir?

The Reds haven’t made an impactful midfield signing since Thiago Alcantara two years ago, so it would be a massive coup if they could land Valverde at some point in the future.

The Uruguayan, dubbed a ‘monster’ by football talent scout Jacek Kulig, has already clocked up four goal contributions in seven La Liga appearances, and currently averages two shots and 1.6 key passes per 90 minutes (WhoScored).

Valverde was once even likened to Steven Gerrard, and he has all the right qualities to become a Liverpool legend just as the former captain did if he was ever to make the move to Anfield.

Newcastle United had spent much of the past year or so chasing promising Frenchman, Hugo Ekitike, with the striker having emerged as a leading target for the club during the winter window.

After impressing at former club Stade de Reims – where he netted 11 goals last term – the highly-rated starlet had been linked with a move to St James’ Park in January, only for the player himself to snub the switch after a fee had been agreed between the two parties.

Rumours had again been circulating over the summer that the Tynesiders were hoping to add the 20-year-old to their attacking arsenal, only for that interest to fail to bear fruit, as the dynamic gem joined European powerhouse Paris Saint-Germain on an initial loan deal.

That failure to land the emerging talent had likely been seen as a real blow at the time for Magpies boss Eddie Howe, with the recent window having proven somewhat frustrating with regards to recruiting forward additions, prior to the late capture of club-record signing, Alexander Isak.

On current evidence, however, it may have proven something of a blessing in disguise regarding the inability to get Ekitike through the door, with the 20-year-old having endured a frustrating start to life at the Parc des Princes, failing to score in six league outings for Christopher Galtier’s side.

The £25.2m-rated gem’s current woes were epitomised on Saturday evening as he produced a rather anonymous display on what his first start for the Parisien outfit, notably being dubbed “frustrating” by journalist Alexandre Aflalo as he was withdrawn on the hour mark.

That “static” display – as described by journalist Nabil Djellit – saw the 6 foot 2 ace fail to register a single shot and give away possession on six occasions from just 30 touches, before being withdrawn in favour of compatriot, Kylian Mbappe.

On what was a tough day for the France U21 international, there were contrasting fortunes back in England as Howe’s men stormed to a 4-1 victory over newly-promoted Fulham, with fellow striker Callum Wilson marking his return from injury with a bang after netting his third goal of the season in that convincing win.

The “electric” forward – as previously dubbed by Thomas Rooney – lead the line superbly in the absence of the aforementioned Isak, producing a typically lethal poachers finish to set the Magpies on their way to victory.

As journalist Ciaran Kelly noted, the £46k-per-week Englishman is something of a “game changer” for the northeast side such is his quality, making the difference against the Cottagers despite only having 12 touches, with that clinical nature set to be vital for the Premier League side this season.

Indeed, the striker is well-known to Howe already and is incredibly well accustomed to his tactics and training methods, with only Brett Pitman (84) scoring more goals than Wilson (74) under the former Bournemouth boss’ tutelage.

Of course, the Magpies won’t have foreseen bringing in the forward’s ex-manager when he arrived at the club but it is evident that PIF struck gold when reuniting the pair. He is the ultimate back up to Isak and likely a far more suitable option to Ekitike in their forward ranks.

With Howe set to have the duo tussling it out for a starting berth this term, there is already fierce and healthy competition for places, with missing out on the misfiring Ekitike potentially a bullet dodged as far as PIF and co are concerned.

Wolves dropped into the Premier League relegation places after slipping to a 1-1 draw against Newcastle United at Molineux.

Bruno Lage’s side led for much of the game after Ruben Neves’ stunning effort but spent a lot of the second half under the cosh, with Allan Saint-Maximin rescuing a draw for Eddie Howe’s side after a brilliant volley in the 90th minute.

The Toon could have stolen all three points when Elliot Anderson’s header came off the crossbar, but each side would take a point, which continues Wolves’ winless run in the Premier League.

One man who disappointed in the draw at Molineux was Arsenal-linked Pedro Neto. The Portuguese winger has been tipped to complete a £50m transfer to the Gunners in recent weeks, and on today’s showing, Wolves should take the money and run.

As per SofaScore, Neto earned a torrid 6.2/10 rating for his performance, which was the worst of any player to feature in the game on Sunday.

The former Lazio man was unsuccessful in all three of his dribble attempts, with Newcastle right-back Kieran Trippier certainly getting the better of him, as he earned a much more impressive 7.2/10 rating for his performance.

This was further evidenced by Neto winning just one of his eight duels in the match, resulting in a less than impressive 12.5% success rate.

The young winger has failed to contribute a single goal or assist in any of the opening fixtures and looked low on confidence when he was found by Goncalo Guedes in the first half, only to fire well over Nick Pope’s goal.

While he did find Raul Jimenez for Wolves’ disallowed goal, it was an unnecessary push on Ryan Fraser and the strike was always going to be ruled out, which shows a lack of judgement from the Portuguese ace.

His one key pass and zero dribbles were also a significant decrease on his season average of 1.5 and 1.8 respectively thus far, which suggests that today was an even poorer level of performance from Neto.

Therefore, Lage might be best selling their wide man while his stock is high, as if he continues to produce performances like his one on Sunday, he won’t maintain that value for much longer.

Everton are interested in signing Villarreal attacker Nicolas Jackson in the summer transfer window, according to a new transfer report that has emerged.

The Lowdown: New attacker required

Richarlison’s exit to Tottenham earlier this summer has clearly left the Blues short of attacking options, especially with Dominic Calvert-Lewin out injured.

It is vital that Frank Lampard signs a new forward in the coming weeks, with a failure to address the situation potentially leading to a genuine Premier League relegation battle.

Now, Everton has been linked with a move for a player plying his trade abroad, suggesting their summer transfer business is far from done.

The Latest: Everton keen on Jackson signing

According to Football Insider, the Blues have ‘set their sights’ on Villarreal star Jackson, with their interest going up a gear after his ‘man-of-the-match display in his team’s La Liga opener against Real Valladolid.’

The 21-year-old has registered 13 goal involvements (five goals and eight assists) in 26 appearances for the Yellow Submarine’s B team.

The Verdict: Strong summer target

Jackson could be an exciting addition to Everton’s forward line this summer, with the Senegalese capable of thriving on either flank, as well as centrally.

His end product for Villarreal’s B side, added to the goal and assist he has in nine games for the senior team, is clearly consistent – a goal involvement every other game is impressive – and he could provide Frank Lampard with the extra sprinkling of magic he is missing in attack.

The fact that he has a £27m release clause means that Everton know they can get Jackson if they want him, and while the price tag is far from cheap, he would be a long-term prospect who could be a key man from the off.

Nottingham Forest have joined the race to sign talented Lyon midfielder Houssem Aouar this summer, according to a fresh transfer rumour.

The Lowdown: Aouar on the move?

The 24-year-old has been seen as a highly-rated prospect for some time now, flirting with moves to big clubs but ultimately staying put with Lyon.

Aouar has scored 29 goals and registered 23 assists in 162 appearances for the Ligue 1 giants, proving to be a creative spark and being described as ‘incredible’ by none other than Pep Guardiola.

The Frenchman’s current Lyon deal expires at the end of next season, however, and it could be that they cash in on one of their most prized assets this summer.

The Latest: Forest emerge as potential suitors

According to Foot Mercato [via Sport Witness], Aouar is ‘close to leaving’ Lyon, with Forest and Leicester City battling for his signature.

It is claimed that the Foxes ‘would like to double’ the offer made by Real Betis but the Reds are also monitoring the situation, seeing the midfielder as a strong summer signing.

The report states that Forest could submit an offer soon.

The Verdict: Hugely exciting option

Aouar’s reputation has been big for a number of years now and the thought of Forest buying would have been nothing more than a pipe dream during their time in the Championship.

Snapping him up this summer would, therefore, be an enormous coup and the France international has the ability to be a talismanic figure at the City Ground, raising the level of those around him.

Aouar scored six goals and chipped in with four assists in the league last season, as well as averaging 1.3 tackles per game, showing that he can shine both on and off the ball – something Steve Cooper demands from his players.