All posts by rastrear-estafeta.com

Celtic are interested in a deal to bring Aaron Hickey to Parkhead in the January transfer window.

What’s the talk?

That’s according to a report by The Sun, who claim that both Ange Postecoglou’s side and Aston Villa are keeping tabs on the Bologna left-back ahead of a potential move for the 19-year-old in the winter market.

The report goes on to state that a number of other English clubs are interested in the defender, however, sources close to the player believe that the Scotland U21 international is happy in Italy.

Speaking about the interest in Hickey, Bologna sporting director Walter Sabatini said: “Hickey is a Bologna player, and despite the interest of many clubs, he will 100% remain here.

“Last season was a short one for him because of injury but he has already shown us the great qualities he possesses as a player. Bologna are betting a lot on him, and he stays with us.”

Ange would love him

While the emergence of 19-year-old Adam Montgomery has eased Postecoglou’s concerns at left-back somewhat, with the injury to Greg Taylor initially looking to have left the Hoops somewhat short in the position, considering just how much potential Hickey appears to possess, it would be hard to argue that the teenager would not be a signing that the Greek-Australian manager would love to make.

Indeed, over his eight Serie A appearances so far this season, the £7.2m-rated man has helped his side keep one clean sheet and has scored two goals, as well as taking an average of 0.9 shots and making 0.5 key passes per game.

The £16k-per-week left-back has also impressed in metrics more typical of his position, making an average of one interception, 1.1 tackles, 0.5 clearances and winning 5.3 duels per fixture.

These returns have seen the 19-year-old who former Hearts manager Daniel Stendel dubbed an “extraordinary talent” – as well as suggesting he could go on to become the next Philipp Lahm – earn an average SofaScore match rating of 6.85, ranking him as Sinisa Mihajlovic’s joint 10th-best performer in the Italian top flight.

As such, should the opportunity arise, it would seem to be an extremely wise move for Postecoglou to do all he can to land the 19-year-old, as not even the sky looks to be the limit of the young defender’s potential.

In other news: Forget Jota: Celtic’s “orchestra conductor” who made 2 key passes stole show vs ‘Well

Tomas Soucek has arguably been one of the bargains of the century, at least at West Ham.

The Czech Republic enforcer was an unknown quantity when he joined the Premier League side on loan in January 2020 but he soon emerged as a crowd favourite and one of David Moyes’ most influential and important players.

That much was obvious when the club committed to their £15m option-to-buy later that summer and ever since then, he’s come on leaps and bounds – and so has his value, too.

According to Transfermarkt, Soucek is now worth in the region of £36m, an increase of 223% from April 2020 when he was valued at just £10.8m. And an increase of 140% from what they paid.

You could argue that the Irons have truly hit the jackpot with the 26-year-old, who will only improve considering his age and progressive form under the Scottish boss.

As a box-to-box animal, Soucek has already contributed 14 goals and one assist in his 58 appearances for the club, whilst he ended his first full season in east London as their highest-rated (7.36) player.

Former Hammers striker Marlon Harewood dubbed him the “best signing of the season” during an exclusive interview with Football FanCast. “His stats say everything really when you compare them to anyone else in the league.”

He has continued such form into the current campaign, where the Hammers remain unbeaten from their opening four matches and are merely just two points behind league leaders Manchester United, who they will face this weekend.

Soucek is winning a colossal average of three aerial duels (only bettered by centre-back Craig Dawson) and three tackles (second-best to Vladimir Coufal) per game so far in 2021/22, which only goes to show that he is keeping up that level of consistency that not only makes him one of Moyes’ key players but may also be why his value has skyrocketed.

Ex-Everton winger Yannick Bolasie once lauded him as “unplayable” and that only further reinforces his impressive ability, whilst Sky Sports pundit Jamie Carragher described him as “almost a typical David Moyes player” and that he has a “huge impact” next to Declan Rice.

Having been linked with Bundesliga giants Bayern Munich in recent windows, it’s fair to suggest that Moyes and the club’s hierarchy struck gold by bringing the 6 foot 4 monster to the London Stadium.

Soucek is thought to only be on £67k-per-week, which is nearly half of what forgotten man Andriy Yarmolenko is earning (£115k-per-week), and when you factor that in with his £15m fee, it’s certainly been a massive coup.

AND in other news, David Moyes must now unleash £26m-rated “world-beater” amid devastating West Ham blow…

Fulham have been dealt a blow regarding the fitness of Rodrigo Muniz ahead of their upcoming Carabao Cup clash.

What’s the latest?

That’s according to a report published on the club’s official website, which revealed that the centre-forward is a doubt for the clash with Leeds United on Tuesday night due to a knock the 20-year-old picked up in the Cottagers’ 2-1 defeat to Reading on Saturday.

Speaking shortly after the weekend’s loss, Marco Silva discussed the Brazilian’s injury, stating: “He had a strong knock in the last 10 minutes, he couldn’t run, but we had to keep him on the pitch because we didn’t have any more changes. He’s in pain now, but we have to wait and check.”

The report added that Harrison Reed is also a doubt for the visit of the Whites, while Joe Bryan could make a return to the side after missing the Reading game.

Silva will be gutted

Considering how little Muniz has featured for Fulham since his £7.2m move from Flamengo earlier this summer, the fact that the centre-forward now looks set for a spell on the sidelines is sure to have left Silva gutted.

Indeed, having made his debut for the Cottagers’ in their 1-0 loss to Blackpool towards the start of the month, featuring for 11 minutes against the Seasiders, the 20-year-old then failed to get on the pitch in the 4-1 victory over Birmingham City last week.

However, after being introduced in the second half of the Reading game, Muniz did manage to score his first goal for the club, although subsequently it also appears that the forward picked up an injury.

As such, it looks as if Silva will have to make do without the Brazilian against Leeds tonight, something which will undoubtedly come as a blow to the Portuguese manager, as the Carabao Cup fixture very much seemed to be the perfect opportunity to test out the striker from the start.

In other news: Fresh twist emerges on “fantastic” £225k-rated Fulham starlet, Silva would be gutted

The Telegraph’s Luke Edwards has claimed that Newcastle United are set to sign Santiago Munoz on transfer deadline day.

What’s the story?

Reports on Tuesday morning claimed that the Magpies could seal the loan signing of Leicester City midfielder Hamza Choudhury – although it now appears that the deal may be off – with Edwards instead revealing more positive news on Munoz.

Writing on Twitter, he said: “Young Mexican forward Santiago Munoz is also set to sign, although the 19-year-old will initially go into the Academy squad. Very much a Steve Nickson signing and will be allowed to settle before being considered for first team.”

Exciting news for Newcastle fans

While Munoz is unlikely to come in and make an immediate impact on the first team as Edwards himself has said, the arrival of the talented Mexican is certainly an exciting one for Newcastle fans.

The 19-year-old is a centre-forward by trade and has shown flashes of the kind of impressive potential which would have seen the club’s head of recruitment Steve Nickson take note and drive this signing.

As per Sofascore, Munoz has averaged more than one shot per game in the Liga MX Clausura this year, while also completing more than 50% of his attempted dribbles – to put that into context, Allan Saint-Maximin boasts a 71% completion rate on his dribbles.

Munoz is direct, and generally clinical in front of goal, with Sofascore registering him as missing only one big chance in the 18 games he has played in the league this year.

If the Mexican can integrate and adapt well to his new surroundings when he officially puts pen to paper on a deal at St James’ Park, then there’s every chance he could well force his way into Bruce’s thinking in the first team sooner rather than later.

The Magpies aren’t exactly blessed with striking cover outside of Callum Wilson, so Munoz may fancy his chances of springing a surprise and rising through the ranks fast.

Edwards’ update is very exciting for Newcastle fans.

Meanwhile, Lee Ryder has dropped an intriguing Newcastle United transfer claim…

Crystal Palace have confirmed that American businessman John Textor has purchased a substantial stake in the Premier League outfit.

What’s the story?

The Eagles revealed on their official website that Textor, the founder and chief executive of Facebank, a virtual entertainment company, has joined chairman Steve Parish and fellow American co-owners Josh Harris and David Blitzer as part of the board at the capital club.

Textor was close to purchasing shares in Portuguese giants Benfica last month and is thought to have paid £87.5m for a significant percentage of Palace, believed to be close to Parish’s 18% controlling stake.

Crystal Palace fans will be buzzing

Parish welcomed the fresh investment and a new board member, outlining how his arrival will help to breathe new life into Palace, both on and off the pitch.

“I’m delighted that search led us to John, who has invested significant sums, helping to facilitate the rejuvenation of the squad, bolster the balance sheet and enable the club to finalise the Academy,” he said.

“We all look forward to working with John, who has a strong passion for football and a growing knowledge and affinity to Crystal Palace.”

After joining the south London outfit’s hierarchy, Textor disclosed his delight at getting the deal over the line, highlighting his passion for football and Palace.

“I have looked at many opportunities across European football in which to invest so I could follow my passion for football and have a meaningful stake in a club.

“Over the past six months of discussions, I have also developed a real affinity to Crystal Palace F.C, its history, the staff and, of course, most importantly the supporters who create an incredible atmosphere at every game – one I cannot wait to witness again when supporters return to fill Selhurst Park this season.

“I very much look forward to working with the Chairman and the other partners,” he concluded.

Palace fans will surely be delighted at this newfound wealth, especially as it has arrived while the current transfer window still has plenty of time to run.

The Eagles have already bolstered new manager Patrick Vieira’s ranks, but the French tactician is likely to need extra reinforcement to ensure the club’s safety from relegation, something he is now expected to receive given this investment.

And, in other news…Get it done: Palace must swoop for “dangerous” 21 y/o prodigy, Vieira will love him 

Liverpool will be looking to kick off their new Premier League season with a positive result when they take on Norwich City at Carrow Road on Saturday evening.

A hugely disappointing 2020/21 campaign ended with a five-match winning streak, propelling Jurgen Klopp’s men to a third-placed finish in the final standings.

With key players such as Virgil van Dijk and Joe Gomez returning to fitness following extended spells on the sidelines, the Reds will be hoping for an improved showing this time around.

Former RB Leipzig centre-back Ibrahima Konate is Klopp’s only summer addition to date, but the German will be delighted to see so many star names sign new contracts in recent weeks.

In yesterday’s press conference, the Liverpool boss gave an update on his squad’s injury concerns, with only Andy Roberston and Curtis Jones ruled out of action.

“All our players are here. I have the situation I want to have. We have no major injuries apart from Robbo. Curtis is fit again, but it is protocol, and we must respect that,” said Klopp.

With that in mind, here’s how Football Fan Cast expects him to line up his side against Norwich this evening…

There’ll be no surprise in goal as Brazil international Alisson Becker lines up between the sticks for his 101st Premier League appearance.

However, in front of the South American shot-stopper will be a couple of rather unfamiliar faces. Greek left-back Kostas Tsimikas is set to make his first Premier League start for the Reds, while Konate should make his competitive debut for Klopp’s charges.

Van Dijk will make his long-awaited return to competitive first-team action after nine months out with a serious knee injury, and Trent Alexander-Arnold will complete the back four for the Anfield club.

In midfield, Klopp is unlikely to call upon Thiago or Jordan Henderson following their late returns to pre-season training, so the experienced James Milner will partner Fabinho and Naby Keita in the engine room.

The biggest dilemma for the Liverpool boss will be who makes up the front three. Both Mohamed Salah and Sadio Mane have had the summer off, so it’ll be between Roberto Firmino and Diogo Jota as to who gets the nod at centre-forward.

We fancy Klopp to axe the £45m-rated Brazilian, who started Liverpool’s last Premier League game of 2020/21, for Jota after a fabulous maiden campaign on Merseyside for the 24-year-old, who netted 13 goals last term.

In other news… Liverpool must axe “unbelievable” £7.2m-rated beast this summer, he’s not good enough 

Sunderland are in advanced talks over a deal to bring Ryan Alebiosu to the Stadium of Light this summer.

What’s the talk?

That’s according to a report by The Northern Echo, who claim that the Black Cats are increasingly confident of securing a deal to bring the Arsenal right-back to the club on a season-long loan deal before the closure of the summer transfer window on Tuesday.

The report continues by stating that, while the majority of his transfer business is complete, Lee Johnson is still eager to bring in greater depth at full-back, with Kyril Louis-Dreyfus believed in advanced talks with the Gunners for the 19-year-old.

“Great signing”

It is easy to see why Johnson is keen to bring in a further body who is capable of operating at full-back over what remains of the summer transfer window, as, at present, the Mackems manager has just three natural options across both the left and right-back positions in his first-team squad – in the shape of Dennis Cirkin, Niall Huggins and Luke O’Nien.

However, with O’Nien often being required to play in central midfield, Johnson has regularly had to deploy midfielder Carl Winchester on the right-hand side of his defence.

As such, a move for a player in the role would appear to make sense for the Black Cats, and, should the club manage to get a deal over the line in the coming days, Alebiosu could well be a great addition for the League One side.

Indeed, the 19-year-old – who can also play at left-back – was a regular in the Arsenal U23 side last season, making 18 Premier League 2 appearances, over which he provided one assist, as well as featuring in three EFL Trophy fixtures.

Furthermore, Sunderland legend Kevin Phillips has also given his approval regarding a move for the defender, stating his belief that Alebiosu could be a “great signing” for his former side.

As such, following a highly impressive start to their League One campaign – with the Black Cats topping the third tier table after five games played – the addition of a player as highly rated as the £1.7k-per-week Arsenal youngster would only appear to provide Sunderland’s chances of finally securing promotion back to the Championship this season with a major boost.

In other news: Sky Sports provide update on “shining light” that’ll leave SAFC fans gutted

Celtic’s swoop for Royal Antwerp right-back Aurelio Buta is looking less likely, according to The Daily Mail’s Stephen McGowan.

The Lowdown: Buta reports

Celtic appeared to be closing in on Buta last week, with reports suggesting the Hoops agreed on a £3m deal. A story last Tuesday expected a move to go through in a matter of hours, but as we know, Buta hasn’t put pen to paper on a Celtic contract.

Turkish big guns Galatasaray and Fenerbahce have since shown an interest in Buta, which could spark a bidding war for the 24-year-old.

[web_stories_embed url=”https://www.footballtransfertavern.com/web-stories/celtic-updates-11/” title=”Celtic updates!” poster=”” width=”360″ height=”600″ align=”none”]

The Latest: McGowan’s claim

McGowan shared a Celtic-related story on Sunday evening, revealing the Hoops’ interest in free agent James McCarthy.

Within his report, McGowan claimed that Celtic want a goalkeeper, right-back, central midfielder and a winger, before admitting that a deal for Buta ‘looks less likely’ – a damning three-word update from the journalist.

The Verdict: Time to move on?

It appears as if now could be the time for Celtic to move on to alternative targets.

If a move to Scotland is going to materialise, you’d think it would have gone through by now, especially following the reports last week.

The likes of George Baldock and Josip Juranovic are two more right-backs with whom Celtic have been linked in recent weeks, so perhaps now is the time to swoop for one of those instead of Buta, which increasingly appears to be a dead-end pursuit.

In other news: Celtic ace departs Parkhead, find out more here. 

Frank McAvennie has backed Tottenham Hotspur to seal two signings next week as their recruitment drive intensifies [Football Insider].

The Lowdown: Spurs gear up for 2021/22 as Tomiyasu looks close to signing

Moving into 2021/22, many Tottenham fans will be keen to see how new manager Nuno Espirito Santo intends to improve on their disappointing seventh placed finish last term.

Despite not having ventured into the transfer market as of yet, Spurs have been linked with moves for Ozan Kabak and Marcel Sabitzer in recent times.

However, arguably the most intense Tottenham rumour this summer has been Bologna defender Takehiro Tomiyasu.

Tracked by the Londoners for a few weeks, he is said to have agreed in principle to move to the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium this window according to a Spurs source at Football Insider.

The Latest: McAvennie backs two imminent signings

Prompting ex-West Ham striker McAvennie to respond in an interview with the publication, he claimed these reports could spark an imminent influx of acquisitions at Spurs, stating: “Well there were never going to be any signings from the Euros while it was going on.

“That never happens. I think next week we’ll be talking about a couple of signings.

“I hope for their sake they can announce one or two. The fans are getting restless.

“They have been waiting for a manager and got him, now the Euros are over.

“Now is the time to get it sorted. It sounds like Tomiyasu is getting closer.

“So maybe they will get him and then someone who has been at the Euros, the clock is ticking.” [Football Insider].

The Verdict: Tottenham fans will pray McAvennie’s prediction is right

Rightly, the Scottish pundit is quick to point out the urgency surrounding the need for Tottenham to bring in reinforcements.

Entering the newly formed UEFA Conference League in 2021/22, the Lilywhites may need to bring in reinforcements before their play-off round first leg tie on 9th August [SB Nation].

Whilst rumours aplenty swirl round footballing circles in North London, Tomiyasu looks to be the only player who is known to have advanced talks with the club.

In 2020/21, the Japanese defender made 33 appearances for his Serie A employers, registering two goals [Transfermarkt].

He also impressed with his awareness to danger across the campaign, averaging 3.3 clearances per match [WhoScored].

Though the 6 foot 2 ace would add some quality to the Spurs backline, the Tottenham faithful will be praying that Tomiyasu is not the only possible signing primed to join the club in the near future.

In other news, Tottenham have made an enquiry for a Serie A ace.

Wolverhampton Wanderers are interested in a move for FC Barcelona’s Philippe Coutinho, according to Spanish publication Sport (via Tutto Mercato Web).

Coutinho has apparently been given permission to leave the Catalan giants, three and a half years on from his £142million move from Liverpool.

What’s Coutinho’s next move?

He’s said to be after some stability after a ‘fluctuating period’. The Brazilian was, of course, sent on loan to Bayern Munich for the 2019/20 campaign.

The 29-year-old made 12 La Liga appearances last season before a serious knee injury in December ended his involvement.

A return to Liverpool is a potential option for Coutinho, but Everton and Wolves are also said to ‘like’ the player. No ‘official offers’ have arrived just yet, though.

Coutinho spent five years at Anfield and played more than 200 games for the Reds. Overall, he scored 54 goals and provided 45 assists (via Transfermarkt).

Fan feed Talking Wolves relayed Sport’s claims, and here’s what supporters made of them.

These Wolves fans keen on bringing Coutinho back to England

“Exact player we need to take us to the next level”

Credit: @Adam11520205

“Wouldn’t say no tbf”

Credit: @joehands_19

“We’ve been crying out for a quality creative attacking midfielder. If we have the budget for him, sign him up!”

Credit: @earlknudsen

“Tbf that’s saucy, let’s see”

Credit: @nocontextkeanee

“If we sell Podence for over 20m & bring in Coutinho do we give Jeff a statue?”

Credit: @haydenbd_

“Imagine Coutinho at Wolves man”

Credit: @WolvesNumber37

In other news, these comments didn’t get a good reception from Wolves fans.