All posts by z3u9t.icu

Tottenham Hotspur have "set their sights" on signing crucial Galatasary defender Victor Nelsson this summer, according to reports out of Turkey.

Who will Spurs sign this summer?

The Premier League side, after months of searching, have finally landed on their new manager to replace Antonio Conte. Indeed, former Celtic boss Ange Postecoglou has now joined the north Londoners on a four-year contract.

After announcing his appointment, it is the task of chairman Daniel Levy to back him with key signings, and reports suggest they're set to attempt exactly that this summer.

It is believed that Spurs are looking to strengthen in a number of areas, including further forward, with Leicester City duo James Maddison and Harvey Barnes firmly on the radar. Goalkeeping additions, like Brentford's David Raya, have also been linked.

The Lilywhites' biggest issue appears to be their back line – with Tottenham conceding more goals than any other side above 15th in the top flight last season.

Numbers like that are a real eye-opener and perhaps highlight the need for star defensive reinforcements. Crystal Palace defender Marc Guehi, among others, are believed to be of interest to Spurs.

According to a report by Turkish newspaper Takvim, though, the north Londoners could widen their scope in search of centre-back signings and Galatasary's Nelsson is a player they're targeting.

The Denmark international, who featured at last year's 2022 World Cup in Qatar, is likely to leave this summer and Tottenham have apparently "set their sights" on signing him.

In a further bit of news, the Turkish Super Lig side are already starting to identify replacements for Nelsson, with Southampton's Mohammed Salisu attracting interest.

The report describes Nelsson as playing a "very important role" over 2022/2023, making "critical interventions" under manager Okan Buruk, and the 24-year-old's contract contains a £22 million release clause.

Who is Victor Nelsson?

The Dane has been a star defender and key mainstay for Galatasary, especially last season, and his numbers suggest there is a real asset there for the taking.

While he is yet to be tested in a more demanding division like the Premier League, it speaks volumes that Buruk selected Nelsson more than any other outfield Galatasary player last season (WhoScored).

The former FC Copenhagen star won more aerial duels per 90 and made more blocks per match than any of his teammates in the league last season – emphasizing why Tottenham have taken an interest (WhoScored).

Wolverhampton Wanderers are in action for the final time this season, as Julen Lopetegui’s side face a trip to the Emirates to face Arsenal.

It’s been a Premier League campaign of ups and downs for Wolves, who looked like relegation candidates earlier this term, sitting bottom of the table on Christmas Day.

Lopetegui reinstated the level of football that Molineux had become accustomed to over the years and now with survival confirmed, the club have the chance to end the season on a high.

Last time out, Wolves were held to a dramatic late draw against relegation-threatened Everton in the final action at Molineux of the 2022/23 campaign.

While the hosts controlled the possession with 53% over Sean Dyche’s side on the day, the Toffees posed a real threat, registering 1.99 expected goals to the Midlands outfit’s 1.57 – as per Sofascore.

It’s been a recurring theme this season for Wolves to be shy in front of goal, sitting as the league’s lowest scorers this campaign, scoring just 31 goals in 37 games.

While Wolves’ final-day opponents have been one of the best-performing sides, the Gunners have shown their defensive vulnerabilities of late, something that a certain ace in Lopetegui’s squad could unlock.

Should Hwang Hee-chan start for Wolves against Arsenal?

Lauded as “dangerous” by Kevin Campbell, Wolves forward Hwang Hee-chan has had to be patient for game time this campaign, making just 11 starts in a total of 26 appearances in the league – as per Sofascore.

In the previous game, the South Korean was undeniably the host's shining light, as echoed by his Sofascore match rating of 7.2 in what was an impressive individual display.

The 27-year-old opened the scoring in the 34th minute, with a simple finish but one that showcased his strong positioning to act as a poacher from the parried shot.

Praised as having “everything” by Arsenal legend Ian Wright on BBC’s Match of the Day – as relayed by Molineux News – the forward could pose a real threat to the Gunners’ fragile defence.

Arsenal have kept just one clean sheet in their previous nine fixtures – conceding 18 goals in the process, showing the defensive form that all but cost Arteta’s side the title.

The Gunners’ nervous defence was stunned last time at the Emirates by Brighton, who targeted the backline in a way that could be replicated by Hwang with his pace and strength.

Jakub Kiwior has made just four starts in the Premier League, and should be a target for the attacker to exploit one-on-one, with his lack of experience and weaknesses exposed in the north Londoners’ previous home game.

The Poland international was handed a Sofascore match rating of just 6.1 against the Seagulls, followed by a 6.4 last time out at Nottingham Forest, hinting at a potential lack of confidence going into the final day.

The centre-back lost possession seven times against Brighton, while the Wolves forward attempted eight ground duels against Everton, showing his instinctive nature to press, which could expose Kiwior once more.

Lopetegui’s side could end the season on a high with a win, but could also lift themselves off of the bottom of the scoring table against a wounded Arsenal side.

Aberdeen have enjoyed a stunning resurgence under Barry Robson during the final few months of the Scottish Premiership campaign.

Jim Goodwin was sacked following a woeful 6-0 defeat by Hibernian in January and Robson was placed in interim charge before finally securing the job on a full-time basis at the start of May following a run which included nine wins from their final 15 games to finish in third place and secure European football next term.

Much of their good form has come down to the performances of on-loan Liverpool youngster Leighton Clarkson, who is attracting the attention of both Rangers and Celtic, however, might his future be with the Dons in 2023/24?

The 21-year-old dropped a major hint following their 3-0 win over St Mirren, in which he scored a free kick that secured third place in the table, as a video appeared of him indicating he’d see the fans in Europe.

He said: "Thank you for your support this season. It's been incredible. I’ll see you in Europe."

Could Aberdeen sign Leighton Clarkson ahead of next season?

Nothing should be ruled out, especially with the video hinting that Clarkson could be playing European football for the club next term.

Jurgen Klopp may feel that the midfielder requires another campaign with regular first-team football and with added continental exposure on the table, it could have benefits for all parties that’s for sure.

The Englishman has been outstanding this term for the Dons, scoring six times and grabbing nine assists across all competitions, while a Sofascore rating of 7.14/10 ranks him as the second-best performer for the club in the Premiership.

He also further underlined just how important he was for Aberdeen by ranking first for big chances created (nine), free kick goals (two), key passes per game (1.6) and second for tackles per game (2.2), suggesting that not only can he score, but his ability to set up plenty of chances for his teammates, while being able to provide defensive support when required, are key strengths of his.

Indeed, he was lauded by Liverpool’s assistant manager Pep Ljinders when the player was just 17, claiming that he could “dictate play” and “speed up the tempo of the positional play”, certainly proving that he is well thought of among the staff at the Anfield side.

Another season in the North East would do his game wonders and with the added experience of already playing in Scotland for a year, imagine how good he can be throughout 2023/24.

It’s over to you Robson.

Manchester United enter their final three Premier League matches knowing that two wins will ensure they finish fourth and qualify for next season's Champions League, giving Erik ten Hag a major boost heading into the summer transfer window.

Following two defeats on the bounce to West Ham United and Brighton & Hove Albion, United returned to winning ways against Wolverhampton Wanderers last week, securing a 2-0 win which could prove to be important considering a resurgent Liverpool are hot on their heels.

The Red Devils showed a lot more desire against the Molineux outfit, having a total of 27 shots at the opposition goal and the two-goal margin could have easily been more.

Ten Hag may make a few changes for the tie against Bournemouth this afternoon as a few substitutes from last weekend impressed when they entered the fray. Fred enjoyed a ten-minute cameo in which he won all of his ground duels and completed 100% of his passes, which could earn him a start.

Meanwhile, It was youngster Alejandro Garnacho who sealed the win with United’s second goal against Wolves, and he must be unleashed from the start today.

Will Alejandro Garnacho start for Manchester United against Bournemouth today?

The Argentinian enjoyed a successful eight-minute cameo last weekend, during which he scored United’s second goal, took five touches and completed 3/3 attempted passes.

The 18-year-old has enjoyed a breakthrough season under Ten Hag, playing 16 matches in the Premier League – albeit only four of them have been starts. However, it is clear he has significant potential.

There is no doubting his attacking intent and enthusiasm at such a young age, as he has scored three goals and grabbed two assists – a tally made even more impressive considering he has averaged just 28 minutes of game time per match.

The teen gem has the required attributes to dismantle Bournemouth this afternoon having shown his eagerness to impress with a key winner against Fulham and the match-winning assist in the Manchester derby. If he started against the Cherries, he will offer a direct threat from the left wing.

The 5 foot 10 starlet was dubbed as a “game-changer” by Manchester Evening News journalist Samuel Luckhurst back in January, and although qualification for Europe’s premier club competition is on the line, United’s ethos as a club since the days of Sir Matt Busby has been to allow youngsters the chance to shine.

If Ten Hag unleashes Garnacho today, he surely won’t disappoint.

Fabrizio Romano has dropped an update on the future of Tottenham Hotspur manager Antonio Conte.

What’s the latest?

In a recent post on Twitter, the Italian journalist revealed that, following Conte’s meeting with Fabio Paratici this week, it has now been confirmed that the 52-year-old will remain as Spurs’ manager heading into the 2022/23 campaign.

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In his tweet, the transfer insider said: “Spurs sources have been confident for days and it’s now decided: Antonio Conte will be Tottenham manager for the next season.”

Supporters will be buzzing

With Conte having inspired a quite remarkable turnaround at Spurs following his appointment as Nuno Espirito Santo’s successor in the Tottenham dugout last November, Romano’s update revealing that the Italian will remain in charge of the club in 2022/23 will undoubtedly have left Lilywhites supporters buzzing.

After taking over a team sitting ninth in the Premier League at the time of his arrival, Conte’s Spurs secured 17 wins and five draws over his 28 league games at the helm, picking up an impressive 56 points on his watch and securing a top-four finish on the final day of the season.

Furthermore, since the turn of the year, Tottenham’s return of 41 points from 21 games played sees them rank as the third-best team in the top flight, behind only Liverpool (51) and Manchester City (43).

As such, with a summer transfer window and a full pre-season for the 52-year-old manager to prepare this summer, it would very much appear as if this form could improve even further heading into the upcoming campaign, with the news that Conte is happy to remain in north London for at least a further year certainly being fantastic for everyone involved with the club.

AND in other news: Conte now plotting Spurs bid for “perfect” £60m target, he’s Jorginho 2.0

West Ham United are ‘continuing to hold talks’ with Rennes over the signing of defender Nayef Aguerd, reports 90min journalist Toby Cudworth.

The Lowdown: Moyes wants a defender

David Moyes is keen to bring a fresh centre-back to the Hammers this summer, after his squad suffered from a series of injuries in the position throughout the 2021/22 campaign.

Most notably, Angelo Ogbonna sustained a cruciate ligament rupture back in November, which rendered him out of action until the end of the season.

Kurt Zouma and Issa Diop also spent time on the treatment table; at one point, Craig Dawson was the only senior centre-back available for selection.

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The Latest: Irons nearing deal for Aguerd

According to a recent report by 90min, the Hammers are continuing to hold talks with the Ligue 1 outfit over a potential deal for Aguerd, and the clubs are now close to agreeing a fee for the 26-year-old.

Taking to Twitter, 90min journalist Cudworth shared the news, claiming:

“WHUFC continuing to hold talks with Rennes over 26/yo left-sided centre-back Nayef Aguerd and an agreement over a fee is nearing.”

The Verdict: Shrewd signing

The French media previously claimed that Aguerd was the “real boss” at Rennes, while the Ligue 1 club’s former manager Julien Stephen said that the player is a “cerebral person” – illustrating how highly thought of he is in France.

Averaging four clearances a game in the French top-flight and ranking in the 93rd percentile for assists as a centre-half, the 26-year-old clearly has the talent to make the switch to the Premier League.

With The Guardian reporting a fee around the £20m mark, Moyes could be making a shrewd signing in Aguerd.

In other news: West Ham: Daily Mail share big Lingard transfer update

Celtic manager Ange Postecoglou ended his debut season in charge of the Parkhead club by taking the Hoops to the Premiership title.

The Bhoys did it in style, too, ending the campaign with more goals scored and fewer conceded than any other team in the league.

However, one man who didn’t play a huge part in Celtic’s title-winning season is Ismaila Soro.

Soro an outcast at Celtic

With 19 appearances to his name across all competitions this term, the midfielder only played in eight league games, starting just one of them. That came right at the outset of the campaign, when he played the full 90 minutes in their 2-1 defeat against Hearts.

Since October, the 24-year-old was included in just six league matchday squads and only played three minutes of Premiership action. This makes it quite clear that the £10.5k-per-week outcast is not that high up in the pecking order under Postecoglou.

Now that the season has ended and the summer transfer window is set to open soon, this could give the Hoops the opportunity to get rid of the Ivorian.

Should they end up parting ways with Soro, one player with whom the club have been linked recently and could be an ideal replacement for him is Christopher Scott.

Axe Soro, sign Scott

After working his way through Bayer Leverkusen’s youth ranks, the midfielder joined Bayern Munich’s under-19 side in January 2020.

With 115 appearances to his name at senior and youth levels, the 19-year-old has scored 44 goals and provided 17 assists in the process, showing that he has a knack for scoring and setting up goals.

Described as a “very aggressive accurate passer” according to Bhoys Analytics on Twitter, Scott could be a very exciting prospect for Postecoglou to unearth and to offer a platform to play regular senior football.

Taking into account how Soro only managed a pass success rate of 86.9% in the league this season, having a sharp passer such as Scott in the team could make him the ideal upgrade.

As he is out of contract at the end of June, securing a deal for the German teenager could end up being a great bit of business from Celtic, especially if they’re able to cash in on Soro at the same time.

In other news – Terms agreed: Celtic close to signing “outstanding” ace permanently, Ange will love it

Relegation has become a real prospect for Leeds United heading into the final few games of the season and doubts have started to creep in over their future at the boardroom level…

What’s the word?

According to the ever-reliable Beren Cross of LeedsLive, relegation is not part of the 49ers Enterprises’ plans at Elland Road and their future involvement and subsequent investment could depend on what league the Whites are competing in next season.

He wrote:

‘Paraag Marathe was in the directors’ box alongside Orta, Kinnear and Dallas on Wednesday night. The vice-chairman cannot be at every match because of his San Francisco residence and 49ers obligations for much of the year.

‘This was the first time he had been seen at Elland Road for several months and as the face of the 49ers investment vehicle, his opinion counts hugely. Future strategy on how the NFL franchise does or does not invest further in United is driven by Marathe and his colleagues.

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‘Slipping out of the Premier League less than two years after the Championship trophy was lifted at Elland Road was evidently not a part of their five-year plan in this relationship. Whether Leeds survive or go down, Marathe and the 49ers must play an important role in learning lessons from an abject 21/22.’

Any way back?

It took Leeds 15 years to make their return to the Premier League, so you can pretty much forget about an instant comeback, even more so without the investment from the 49ers Enterprises.

After finishing in the top ten in their first campaign back last term, relegation would surely have been unthinkable for many around west Yorkshire, and that only fueled the involvement of the American party last year.

“We have a three to five-year plan to reach the level we aim, and by staying in the Premier League for a few years we could aim to have a renovated stadium that could become a symbol of our ambition,” current chairman Andrea Radrizzani said in an interview with The Times’ Martyn Ziegler.

Their stake in the club had increased to 37%, whilst The Athletic believe there is a deal in place which could see the 49ers seal Leeds for a fee in excess of £400m by January 2024, but that is surely dependent on their top-flight status as their value will drastically decrease in the Championship.

Dropping back into the second tier would also cause a knock-on effect in terms of the transfer budget, to transfer targets such as Brenden Aaronson – who won’t want to swap the Champions League for the Football League – and maybe even a change in the dugout.

Currently sat in 18th position, tied on points with Burnley after another abject defeat but with a worse goal difference, those around Elland Road must be absolutely worried about what may lie ahead.

It’ll be even worse to miss out on this exciting opportunity from the 49ers.

AND in other news, Forget Klich: Radz must ruthlessly axe £80k-p/w Leeds figure, he’s “out of his depth”…

Aston Villa are back in Premier League action this afternoon with an away clash against Burnley at Turf Moor.

The Villans head into this showdown off the back of a 2-0 win over Championship-bound Norwich City last weekend as Steven Gerrard’s side aim to end the season in the top half of the table.

Burnley, on the other hand, are fighting to remain in the Premier League and avoid following Norwich down to the Championship.

Heading into this afternoon’s clash, it seems as though the Midlands club have been hit with an unfortunate injury blow which could have an impact on today’s game.

What’s the news? 

According to Gerrard, Villa midfielder Jacob Ramsey is “a big doubt” to play this afternoon, with journalist Ashley Preece claiming that the 20-year-old is struggling with a groin issue.

This season has seen the youngster start 27 of the 31 league games in which he has appeared, showing just how important he is to the team and why it would be a big blow for them to not have him available to take on the Clarets.

In those appearances, Ramsey has shown what a capable player he is for Villa at this level.

On the ball, the youngster has a higher pass completion percentage (86%) than the likes of midfield colleagues Douglas Luiz (82.9%) and John McGinn (75.2%). He has also carried the ball further while controlling it towards the opponent’s goal than any of his teammates.

Off the ball, only McGinn (54) has won more tackles than the Villa youth talent (38). This shows just how useful the midfielder is for Gerrard’s side in an attacking and defensive regard.

Ramsey’s overall performances have earned the England youth international a season rating of 6.8/10, making him the fifth-highest rated player at the Midlands club according to WhoScored.

Taking all this into account, possibly not having the 20-year-old available to take on Burnley, who will be desperate for all three points, could be a big issue for the travelling Villans.

Looking beyond that, it will certainly be worrying for Gerrard if the midfield gem isn’t able to feature again this season and help his side end their campaign as strongly as possible.

In other news: Villa eyeing £16k-p/w ace who “gives absolutely everything”, he’s better than Mings

Northern football correspondent for The Times, Paul Joyce has confirmed interest from Liverpool in AS Monaco midfielder Aurelien Tchouameni. 

The lowdown: Contact made

The Reds were initially linked with the 22-year-old in a detailed report from Foot Mercato, who claimed that ‘contacts’ had already been initiated between the parties.

Signed from Bordeaux in 2020 for €20million (£16.8million), Monaco were previously expected to demand a fee in the region of €50million (£42million) to part ways with their highly-rated star, with Real Madrid also thought to be in the running.

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Now, a fresh update from the reliable Joyce has suggested that the Anfield club could be seriously considering a move this summer…

The latest: Joyce confirms interest

As per the report from The Times journalist, Liverpool are said to ‘like’ the senior France international as the club begins to seek out targets amidst the hysteria of Jurgen Klopp’s new deal.

It’s claimed that the Reds management are admirers of Tchouameni and incoming sporting director, Julian Ward, could be tasked with the mission of making the deal a reality.

The combative midfielder has been described as an ‘enormous’ talent by French national team coach Didier Deschamps.

The verdict: Make it happen

Few players in European football are better suited to come in and immediately enhance this Liverpool squad than the eight-cap ace.

Albeit Klopp currently has a wealth of options in the department with Jordan Henderson, Naby Keita, Thiago and Fabinho vying for three spots, there is currently no natural senior understudy for the all-important number six role, with Tyler Morton charged with the task on occasion.

So far this season, the powerful Frenchman has earned an outstanding 7.27 rating whilst making 2.8 interceptions, 2.5 tackles and 51.5 accurate passes on average per game across 32 Ligue 1 outings (Sofascore).

Capable of operating as a defensive midfielder and in a more advanced position, Tchouameni possesses very strong aerial and tackling ability (WhoScored) and appears tailor-made to come in and strengthen the Anfield squad, particularly should Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain leave this summer.

In other news, a key Liverpool update has emerged regarding a superstar player. Read more here.