All posts by h716a5.icu

Former Scottish Premiership striker Noel Whelan has claimed that Leon King being linked with big clubs is ‘exciting’ for Glasgow Rangers.

The Lowdown: Champions League interest

It was reported earlier this week that two clubs in the Champions League have joined the race to sign the 18-year-old in the January transfer window.

Bundesliga duo Bayer Leverkusen and Eintracht Frankfurt have joined Leeds United, Newcastle United and Manchester United from the Premier League in the hunt for his signature.

The Latest: ‘Exciting’

Speaking to Football Insider, Whelan has claimed that it is ‘exciting’ for Rangers to see King being linked with such high-profile clubs so early on in his career.

The former Aberdeen marksman said of the teenager: “I think he’s got to make the most of the time he’s got.

“What he’s doing is right. He’s getting that experience and really enjoying playing in the first team – because it’s a different challenge every week.

“He’s got to keep a level head, keep being a standout performer. Whatever happens in the future will then come because you deserve it.

“It’s exciting for Rangers, and it’ll be exciting for this young man. He’s being spotted and talked about by bigger clubs.

“A lot of players want to be in bigger leagues and be successful in the Champions League. It’s a different kettle of fish in the Premier League – it’s the holy grail for many players.”

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The Verdict: Need to keep him…

While it is exciting to see a Rangers player being linked with big-name clubs, Giovanni van Bronckhorst’s team will want to keep hold of King above anything else.

Lauded as an ‘absolutely top class‘ talent by renowned Gers bloggers Four Lads Had a Dream, King has made more than 10 senior appearances already this season, despite being just 18 years of age.

His current contract is due to expire in 2024, so the transfer speculation will not help in terms of the club wanting King to sign a new deal.

Nonetheless, as much as Rangers fans can appreciate the attention that the teenager is getting for his performances, they may be reminded by the way that they lost Joe Aribo and Leon Balogun in the summer, so they will surely want King to commit his long-term future to the Ibrox club.

Leeds United have endured a rough start to the 2022/23 campaign and are currently sitting 18th in the Premier League table after 11 matches.

Jesse Marsch’s side are on a horrific run of form as they have only picked up two points from their last eight games in the division, including four losses in a row as it stands.

Victor Orta may now be thinking about what he could do in the January transfer window in order to improve the squad enough to avoid dropping down to the Championship next season.

One area in which he could attempt to bolster is left-back. Pascal Struijk has been forced to play out-of-position there at times this season and January will be an opportunity to bring in a natural in that role.

Junior Firpo recently returned to fitness and has played twice in the Premier League this season, but his form since arriving at Elland Road has been far from good enough.

Last season, he averaged a SofaScore rating of 6.60 across 24 appearances in the English top-flight – placing him 23rd in the squad – and created 0.9 chances per game.

Earlier this term, TEAMtalk editor James Marshment claimed that the full-back looked “uncomfortable” and the dud’s statistics – averaging a SofaScore rating of 6.30 in his two outings in 2022/23 – since the start of last season suggest that has always been the case.

The Whites were reportedly interested in signing Kai Wagner from Philadelphia Union in the summer transfer window and they must now revisit their interest at the start of 2023.

MLS insider Tom Bogert revealed last month that the left-back is poised to seal a transfer to Europe in January, tweeting:

“Sources: Expectation is that Philadelphia Union star LB Kai Wagner will ‘absolutely’ be sold to Europe this winter. Leeds United far from the only club interested, will be difficult for them now rather than the summer. Wagner, 25, has 15 assists + is part of best defense in MLS.”

This suggests that Leeds have a real chance of being able to sign the 25-year-old defender if they go back in for him in the next transfer window.

The gem was previously lauded as “very unique” by Union boss Jim Curtin and his statistics in the MLS are eye-catching. He has averaged a phenomenal SofaScore rating of 7.49 across 34 appearances in 2022, creating 2.7 chances per game and registering eight assists in total, whilst completing 3.0 tackles and interceptions per match.

These statistics suggest that Wagner, who is one year younger than Firpo, could be a major upgrade on the former Barcelona man in terms of both chance creation and general standard of performance – as long as he can adapt to English football.

Signing the German left-back would provide Marsch with a natural option in that position, which would allow Struijk to move back into the middle of the defence and open up the door for Firpo – who has not been good enough in the Premier League – to be moved on by Orta.

Aston Villa manager Unai Emery is reportedly keen on signing Real Madrid forward Eden Hazard.

The Lowdown: Hazard at the Bernabeu

The Belgian winger made the move to the Bernabeu from Chelsea in 2019 but has struggled to live up to his £103m transfer fee.

The 31-year-old has scored only seven goals in 72 games in all competitions, making just three La Liga appearances during the current campaign.

The Belgium international, who was labelled ‘clinical’ by his manager Carlo Ancelotti, is set to enter the final 18 months of his contract in the New Year, and it looks as if Villa could be keen on bringing him back to the Premier League.

The Latest: Villa linked with Hazard

Reports from Spanish media have emerged regarding Villa and Hazard. It has been claimed that Emery will give the green light to a possible deal and that the Villans see the 31-year-old playing a ‘leading role’ as they look to reinforce their attack.

Real Madrid are destined to part ways with Hazard and will hope to receive a ‘reasonable’ fee for the player.

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The Verdict: Gamble?

It’s safe to say that Hazard has suffered a dip in his performances in recent years, with 16 separate injuries in his time at Real Madrid playing their part.

Therefore, it could be a gamble by Emery and NSWE to try and sign the forward, and you’d expect that an overall deal would cost a substantial amount when you factor in Hazard’s reported £381,000-per-week wage.

It will be interesting to see if Villa do indeed make their move, and with Hazard set to feature for his country in the World Cup later this month, his displays could be one to watch closely.

Tottenham Hotspur midfielder, Bryan Gil, has been urged to make a move away from the north London club during the upcoming January transfer window by BBC pundit Alan Hutton. 

The Lowdown: Gil’s season so far

Across the Premier League and the Champions League, the Spaniard has only made five substitute appearances for Antonio Conte’s side.

This shows how far down the pecking order Gil is at Spurs and how difficult he has found it to get some regular minutes on the pitch.

Looking ahead to the upcoming January transfer window, it appears that Hutton has suggested one potential option for the player that could see him get some consistent minutes.

The Latest: A January move

Speaking to Football Insider, the former Spurs defender has claimed that a move away from the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium in January could be the best option for Gil.

He said: “Obviously Conte has had a good look at him. He sees him every day. He looks a little bit lightweight to me for the Premier League. He can make things happen from what I have seen but is he going to work hard defensively? Is he going to get up and down the pitch? Where exactly does he fit in?

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“I can’t see him taking a space of Richarlison, [Dejan] Kulusevski, Son [Heung-min] or [Harry] Kane. I think there is a lot of people in front of him.

“So he is probably a player that you are looking at when it comes to January. He is going to have to get out. I do not see that game time coming at all really.”

The Verdict: The best option for Gil

Given the 21-year-old’s lack of minutes for Spurs this season, it’s easy to see why Hutton thinks a move away in January could be the ideal option for him.

The previous January transfer window saw Gil join Valencia on loan until the end of last season, during which he made 17 appearances across La Liga and the Copa Del Rey.

Across the 13 La Liga appearances he made for the Spanish club last season, the £40k-per-week Spurs figure racked up 26 shot-creating actions in total, leaving him with the fourth-highest rate of shot-creating actions per 90 minutes at Valencia (3.1).

This showcases how much of a useful player he can be when given the chance to play regularly, which is why we feel that if his situation at Tottenham isn’t likely to change, another January loan move would be the best option for Gil.

Tottenham Hotspur chairman Daniel Levy would love to have Marcus Edwards back at the north London club, according to journalist Paul Brown. 

The Lowdown: Edwards’ history with Spurs

After working his way through Spurs’ youth ranks, the winger ended up leaving the club in September 2019 on a free transfer to Portuguese outfit Vitoria Guimaraes.

Having since joined Sporting Lisbon, it was recently reported that the Lilywhites are interested in bringing the 23-year-old back to N17, having seen him play against them twice in the Champions League earlier this season.

Brown has since shared his thoughts on the transfer rumour and who could be pulling the strings around it.

The Latest: Levy wants Edwards back at Spurs

Speaking to GIVEMESPORT, the journalist had his say about the recent links with Spurs and Edwards, believing that Levy is very much involved.

Brown outlined: “Marcus Edwards is an interesting one. Obviously at Spurs before, I think the link there has Levy’s fingerprints all over it. [It was] Something that he probably didn’t really want to do when they let the guy go and he’d love to have him back and fulfilling his potential at the club.”

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The Verdict: Should be Conte’s call

During his time with Guimaraes, the 23-year-old scored 20 goals and delivered 14 assists in 96 appearances. Since joining his current club, Edwards has found the net 10 times and supplied nine assists in 35 appearances.

This highlights the £22k-per-week attacking talents in terms of being able to score goals and set them up for his team-mates as well.

In terms of a potential return to Tottenham, regardless of whether or not Levy would like to see Edwards back at the club, it should ultimately be down to whether or not Antonio Conte wants him there, as he’s the manager who picks the team from one game to the next.

Given how the Italian currently has the likes of Dejan Kulusevski, Son Heung-min and Richarlison in his squad, it doesn’t seem likely that Edwards would be a guaranteed starter for Spurs despite his good form in Portugal.

Leeds United midfielder Mateusz Klich could leave Elland Road after the World Cup…

What’s the word?

That’s according to transfer insider Dean Jones, who delivered an update on the 32-year-old’s situation in west Yorkshire to GIVEMESPORT, where he said:

“It makes sense that he would probably be annoyed at the moment, particularly over the fact that he hasn’t made it to the World Cup with Poland.

“That’ll be playing on his mind once they return to action too.

“I think Klich could be one that goes in January.”

Time’s up for Klich

Klich has been a long-serving stalwart for the Whites over the years and was a key member of Marcelo Bielsa’s Championship-winning squad in 2019/20 but it does appear as if he has run his course at the club.

Over the course of nearly five years, the Polish midfielder has racked up 192 appearances for Leeds but only 25 of those have come under manager Jesse Marsch, with 11 of those being from the bench in the Premier League this term.

Summer signings Marc Roca and Tyler Adams have usurped him in the pecking order and that’s pretty just because his performances had started to slip last season.

The £34k-per-week star is expected to seek a departure in January, having missed out on Poland’s squad for the World Cup this month, something that journalist Graeme Bailey claimed would have “hurt” him to TEAMtalk.

Victor Orta, Marsch and the club should not stand in his way either and whilst he’s unlikely to garner much of an incoming fee, it would be best for all parties to go their own ways.

Back in the summer, Mirror reporter David Anderson suggested that Klich was “not really delivering” despite his valiant attempts, whilst some of his performances during the 2021/22 campaign were lambasted as “non-existent” by Sky Sports pundit Clinton Morrison.

One game against a relegated side in Watford even had LeedsLive journalist Beren Cross suggest that he got “bullied,” only further indicating that his days are surely done at this level of football.

It’s now becoming increasingly clear that the 41-time international is going to struggle for minutes under the American head coach, so it makes sense that the one-time Bielsa favourite is moved on at the turn of the year.

Klich’s time is up at Elland Road, so the club must bin him when the transfer window reopens for business.

AND in other news, Orta could finally ditch Leeds’ £13m flop in Jan swoop for 19 y/o “exciting prospect”…

Rangers are currently stepping up their search to replace Giovanni van Bronckhorst in the dugout, with the Dutchman having been relieved of his duties at Ibrox earlier this week just a year on from having been appointed Steven Gerrard’s successor.

The 47-year-old’s time in charge ended in something of a whimper as he saw his side held to a frustrating 1-1 draw away to St Mirren, with the Light Blues reliant on a late James Tavernier spot-kick to spare their blushes.

One notable tale from that disappointing stalemate was the withdrawal of Glen Kamara at the interval, with the Finland international having reportedly had something of a bust-up with his manager at full-time after venting his frustrations.

That had come after the former Dundee man – who was signed for a bargain fee of just £50k back in January 2019 – had been reduced to something of a bit-part role in the early months of the season, starting just seven games in all competitions – albeit while impacted by injury.

There may well have been frustration at the player’s apparent desire for an exit – having come close to joining Nice in the summer – with pundit Noel Whelan describing the 27-year-old as somewhat “disrespectful” after publicly stating his ambition to play in a “top-five league”.

Having rather had his time in Scotland ruined under Van Bronckhorst, the 48-cap menace is now being tipped to finally seal an exit when the market re-opens in the New Year for a fee of around £10m, with Serie A side Salernitana one of those to have been linked of late.

Despite that speculation, a change at the helm in Glasgow could well spark a revival for Kamara at the club, with the “vital” asset, as described by pundit Paddy Kenny, someone whom a new appointment would likely be hoping to build around.

The one-time Arsenal man has been a “big player” for the Gers over the years, as per Kenny, racking up 174 appearances in all competitions to date, scoring eight goals and providing 11 assists in that time.

That impressive spell has seen the £21k-per-week ace play his part in the club claiming a league title and a Scottish Cup success, while also proving influential in last season’s Europa League run, scoring a vital goal in the win over RB Leipzig at the semi-final stage.

With a number of the club’s key figures coming towards the end of their contracts, Kamara – whose existing deal is set to run until 2025 – may well be one whom a new appointment simply can’t afford to lose, with the hope being that a change in the dugout can spark a change in fortunes on the pitch for the midfielder.

Tottenham Hotspur could be seeking an upgrade to their right wing-back position if emerging transfer reports are to be believed…

What’s the word?

Ahead of the January window, the north London outfit have been linked with a move for Inter Milan star Denzel Dumfries, who is currently competing at the World Cup for the Netherlands after they reached the knockout stages in Qatar.

90min claim that Spurs have submitted multiple enquiries to the Serie A side about the 26-year-old dynamo, with Inter in need of selling at least one key player before the end of the season to ease their financial troubles.

Milan Skriniar is one name who could fall under that bracket but it’s believed the Italian giants will look to sell the Dutch defender in January instead and loan him back for the remainder of the season, though Spurs will want him in permanently if they are to sign him.

Bye-bye Emerson?

This news surely spells a lot of trouble for Emerson Royal, who has largely been Antonio Conte’s first choice in the role. The Italian head coach has had his hands tied as he has few quality alternatives – an inconsistent Matt Doherty and summer signing Djed Spence, who may not be ready for the big time just yet.

The Brazilian, who cost £26m from FC Barcelona, has endured a tough time in London, leading to former player-turned-pundit Jamie O’Hara slam him as a “complete liability” and a “mistake waiting to happen” earlier this season.

Games against Liverpool and AFC Bournemouth were particular lowlights that Football FanCast have highlighted before, so it certainly would be wise for sporting director Fabio Paratici to turn to an upgrade in the form of Dumfries.

For club and country, he is playing the exact same role as he would under Conte and that has led to a whopping seven goals and four assists, via WhoScored, whilst in the Serie A – where he creates 1.1 chances per game – his form has seen journalist Siavoush Fallahi laud him as a “difference-maker.”

That is exactly what Conte – and Spurs – need to generate success from the right flank. The wing-back position is one of the key cogs in Conte’s system and one that requires a certain level of creativity, largely owing to the fact that there is no no.10-type presence in attacking midfield.

With an asking price reported to be around £43m, Paratici and his staff would be foolish to not pay up to secure a reliable and consistent player who’ll quickly become a crucial figure under the Italian head coach.

It’s time for Spurs to finally ditch their current flop with a move for Dumfries, who is actually starring for his nation right now.

AND in other news, Forget Bentancur: Spurs target who’s a £15m “special talent” stole the show in Qatar this week…

Tottenham Hotspur have been told the price tag of reported transfer target Ruslan Malinovskyi. 

The Lowdown: Spurs linked with Malinovskyi

The Premier League club have been linked with a move for the Atalanta midfielder in recent weeks ahead of the upcoming January transfer window.

With 142 appearances to his name for the Serie A outfit, the 29-year-old has scored 30 goals and delivered 28 assists along the way.

Now that the January transfer window is on the horizon, it seems that some behind-the-scenes details have emerged regarding a potential move to north London for the Ukraine international.

The Latest: Spurs learn Malinovskyi price tag

According to a recent report from Calciomercato, Spurs have been told that nothing less than €18m (£15m) would get Atalanta to enter negotiations over potentially selling Malinovskyi.

The report adds that French club Marseille have walked away from a potential deal for the Ukrainian due to the financial implications, with the Ligue 1 outfit preferring a loan or swap deal.

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The Verdict: Go for it, Spurs

Having started just five Serie A games this season, with one goal and two assists to his name, it’s clear that Malinovskyi is not a crucial player for his current club.

This could duly make a January move to Tottenham to play in the Premier League under Antonio Conte a tempting prospect for the player.

Across his 543 minutes of league action this term, the midfielder – who has been praised for his “unreal” shooting ability in the past by journalist Carlo Garganese – has the highest rate of shots at goal per 90 minutes (3.15) at Atalanta, along with the second-most passes into the final third of the pitch (36). These figures show the telling impact that the Ukrainian can have in an attacking sense when he features.

Taking all of that into account, now that Spurs know how much a deal for Malinovskyi could cost them, we feel that this is definitely something that the club should look to complete in January, particularly with Marseille now out of the equation.

An update has emerged on Aston Villa and their pursuit of Atletico Madrid’s Matheus Cunha ahead of the January transfer window…

What’s the talk?

An Italian journalist has claimed that the Villans are one of a number of teams eyeing up a deal to sign the centre-forward at the start of 2023.

It is reported that fellow Premier League side Wolves are currently leading the race, although Everton, and Leeds United are also keen on him.

Mundo Deportivo recently stated that Atletico would be willing to sanction a sale for the 23-year-old if an offer of up to €35m (£30m) came in for his services.

Unai Emery’s own Heung Min Son

Talent scout Jacek Kulig once described him as a “beautiful player to watch” and hailed one of his goals as “Henry-esque”, whilst also comparing him to Tottenham Hotspur star Heung-min Son in the past.

The current Spurs winger started his career in Germany with Hamburg and produced 41 goals and ten assists in 135 Bundesliga matches for them and Bayer Leverkusen combined – a contribution every 2.65 outings – before sealing his move to England in 2015.

Cunha, meanwhile, started out in Switzerland with FC Sion before moving to the German top flight with RB Leipzig. He racked up 14 goals and ten assists in 74 outings during his time in Germany, whilst also playing for Hertha Berlin, and this works out at a goal involvement every 3.08 games.

Like Son, the Brazilian’s main two positions are on the left wing and through the middle as a centre-forward. He is adept at playing in a variety of roles across the frontline and has shown, with 39 goals and 29 assists at club level, that he can have an impact by scoring and creating goals.

Whilst he may not go on to score 96 goals and assist 54 in 245 Premier League appearances, like the Tottenham man, Cunha could be Emery’s own version of the South Korea international.

At the age of 23, the attacker still has plenty of time left to develop and hone his skills and could progress into becoming an impressive performer in the English top flight after showing signs of promise in the Bundesliga.

Although, his seven goals and eight assists in 54 matches for Atletico to date are a warning sign that it may not an easy transition for the gem.

However, Villa should take the risk on the young dynamo due to his potential and what he could bring to the side, in terms of his goal contributions and versatility at the top end of the pitch, if the manager can get the best out of him.