Tag Futebol

Chelsea have ‘registered an interest’ in Real Sociedad star Martin Zubimendi ahead of January, according to journalist Simon Phillips.

The Lowdown: Midfield revamp

The Premier League giants are reportedly planning a midfield revamp in the New Year, with Todd Boehly and Graham Potter currently in the process of identifying the right candidates.

The Spaniard still has five years remaining on his contract in La Liga, but after an impressive start to the 2022/23 season, is now being heavily linked with a move to Stamford Bridge next year.

The Latest: Zubimendi contact made

Taking to Twitter, Phillips revealed that Chelsea have made contact to sign Zubimendi ahead of a potential move in 2023. He wrote:

“Told Chelsea have registered an interest in Real Sociedad defensive midfielder Martin Zubimendi (23).”

The Verdict: Kante successor?

N’Golo Kante’s deal is set to expire at the end of the season, and after recently being linked with an exit next summer, Zubimendi would be the perfect successor should he depart.

The Real star is naturally a defensive midfielder, where he’s currently averaging 2.4 aerial wins and 1.6 tackles per league game, though he has also provided three goal contributions this term, showing he can be a threat in the final third too (WhoScored).

Zubimendi has been hailed a ‘special’ player by Sid Lowe, and at just 23 years of age, he would be a fantastic signing for the future of Chelsea.

Injury analyst Ben Dinnery has hinted at a potential date for West Ham United defender Kurt Zouma to make a return from his latest setback. 

The Lowdown: Zouma’s injury

In the early stages of West Ham’s most recent Premier League game against Leicester City, the Frenchman was forced off the pitch through injury, following some concern about the defender’s knee during the warm-up for that match.

Last month, the east London club revealed that Zouma has undergone surgery on his knee and will now be continuing his rehabilitation.

Some further details about the injury have now emerged, along with a potential recovery timeframe.

The Latest: Potential Zouma return date

Speaking to Football Insider, Dinnery addressed Zouma and when he could be in line for a return to action.

He said of the West Ham defender: “The fact that he’s been carrying it for a fairly long time suggests that it’s fairly minimal. It’s an issue they’ve been aware of and were treating it conservatively.

“Everything points to a meniscal problem, so a little tidy-up of the cartilage with the arthroscopy, which is minimal invasion surgery. You expect a four to six week return to play timeline on that. It’s a little bit of a tidy up, it’s nothing too serious.

“You can manage it fairly well but on occasion, it does flare up, as we saw in that last game against Leicester during the warm-up and the decision was taken to go under the knife.

“It may call into question a return for that festive fixture period but certainly for the second half of the campaign, there’s no question about that.”

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The Verdict: Good news for West Ham

Judging by what Dinnery had to say about the injury, the surgery and the potential time for which Zouma could be ruled out, it will be good news for everyone at West Ham that the 28-year-old seems unlikely to be sidelined for a considerable period of time.

With only four outfield players at the London Stadium having racked up more league minutes than the Frenchman this season, that shows how important he is to Moyes and the Hammers.

In fact, only Declan Rice (89.1%) has a higher passing accuracy percentage than Zouma (85.9%), who has also made more clearances (68) than any other player at the club, which suggests that Moyes will want him back and fully recovered as soon as possible.

Taking into account how domestic football doesn’t start again for another three weeks, this will give the 28-year-old ample time to recover and reduce the chance of him missing too many games.

It’s unlikely that Arsenal boss Mikel Arteta will shed many tears over being dumped out of the Carabao Cup on Wednesday night.

The Gunners were defeated 3-1 by Brighton in what was a laboured display by a team who currently sit at the top of the Premier League.

It’s not a competition that Arsenal will have held high in their list of priorities at the beginning of the campaign but there should be cause for concern after such a loss.

Indeed, it demonstrated again that their squad depth beyond their regular set of starters leaves a lot to be desired.

The north Londoners finished top of their Europa League group but it wasn’t without a scare, as Arteta’s men dropped three points against PSV Eindhoven.

On that night, the likes of Rob Holding, Fabio Vieira and Albert Sambi-Lokonga found life difficult.

That has been the story of the season so far, particularly for Lokonga, but Vieira’s lack of form is now also becoming a worrying trend.

The Portuguese playmaker was signed from Porto in the summer and looked an underrated addition to the squad.

A fizzing goal against Brentford showed the immense quality in his locker but unfortunately, that’s as good as it’s got for the 22-year-old since arriving in England.

His performance against the Seagulls in midweek was again poor, with the Gunners succumbing to goals from Kaoru Mitoma, Tariq Lamptey and former Gunner Danny Welbeck who scored from the spot after debutant goalkeeper Karl Hein gave away a penalty.

The Estonian stopper, who became the first player from that nation to play for the club since Mart Poom in May 2007, was given a golden opportunity to prove himself but failed to take advantage.

Vieira, however, was equally as bad with the dynamic midfielder now making it nine successive matches without a goal contribution.

The youngster is still learning his trade and adjusting to English football so an element of patience must be applied to his displays.

That said, he needs to up his levels if he is to make an impression after the World Cup.

Vieira’s display was best typified by Goal’s Charles Watts who notably said he was having an “absolute howler” in the first half, with the attacking midfielder struggling to make an impression during his 72 minutes on the pitch.

Indeed, he lost the ball every 4.7 touches while just about seeing the ball more than the aforementioned Hein. Arsenal’s stopper took 40 touches and played 22 accurate passes to Vieira’s 43 and 27.

Considering he is meant to be the heartbeat of the team in his central role, it was a truly uninspiring set of numbers.

Furthermore, he made just one key pass and failed to accurately find a man with any of his three crosses. He made no notable defensive contributions, participating in just seven ground duels throughout the contest.

This was a night for Vieira to really prove himself to the manager but he spurned his opportunity and let his team down.

Celtic forward Daizen Maeda has notably come under fire for his struggles in front of goal in recent times, with the Japanese international having been particularly profligate during the Old Firm outfit’s disappointing Champions League run.

The 25-year-old had enjoyed a prolific spell following his arrival at Parkhead in January, scoring eight goals and providing five assists in just 22 games at the tail end of last term, although has since scored just three times in 18 games in all competitions so far this season.

While few can criticise the nine-cap gem’s tireless work ethic – having been dubbed a “machine” by ex-Bhoys striker Chris Sutton last term – the £3.15m-rated man has showcased a lack of cutting edge of late, particularly in Europe.

The Glasgow side’s group stage run thus far has seen the dynamic speedster miss three big chances, as per SofaScore, notably squandering a guilt-edged opening on matchday one at home to holders Real Madrid – fluffing his attempt at goal just after the break.

With manager Ange Postecoglou admitting that his side had paid the “ultimate price” for their wasteful nature after seeing their hopes of progression ended, there may well be frustration that the likes of Maeda, and others, have failed to provide the goods when it mattered.

In need of a potentially more ruthless presence in the forward line, the 57-year-old could well be better served turning to academy asset, Adam Brooks, with the versatile teenager having showcased his quality for the club’s B team of late.

The highly-rated 18-year-old – who can feature in an attacking midfield role or through the middle – has been in clinical form so far this term, with five goals in just eight games in all competitions, including four goals in just five games in the Lowlands League.

The Scotland youth international has notably been lauded by coach Darren O’Dea in recent times, with the former Celtic defender saying of the emerging talent last season:

“Adam is one at the minute that’s in really good form, he’s scoring goals, he’s created a lot of goals, he’s trained particularly well. But he’s also developing the other side to his game.”

While Postecoglou has thus far been somewhat unwilling to promote from the academy set-up – with Stephen Welsh the only graduate to have forced his way into the first team of late – the former Yokohama boss could well strike gold by bringing young Brooks into the fold sooner rather than later.

Celtic manager Ange Postecoglou is being eyed up by Wolves as a possible replacement for Bruno Lage, according to a report from The Telegraph’s John Percy.

The Lowdown: Lage sacked by Wolves

The 46-year-old was sacked by the Old Gold on Sunday following a 2-0 defeat away to West Ham the previous day which has left them languishing in 18th place in the Premier League.

A thorough search is now underway to find Lage’s successor at Molineux, with a host of names likely to be examined in the coming days.

Postecoglou appears to be one of them, following a report which has emerged.

The Latest: Postecoglou being eyed up by Wolves

According to The Telegraph’s Percy, Wolves view the Celtic manager as a potential appointment, given the Australian’s impressive work in Glasgow.

Postecoglou has been ‘discussed as an option’ by the Premier League club, although it is stated that ‘there are doubts’ regarding whether or not he would leave Parkhead at a crucial juncture in the season.

The Verdict: Worrying for Celtic

Postecoglou is an enormously popular figure at Celtic, so any rumour regarding his exit is always going to be a concern, especially with his current deal only running until next summer.

It would be a bitter blow to lose the 57-year-old at this time of the season, with the Hoops looking a good bet to retain their Premiership title and also hoping to progress to the Champions League knockout stages.

In truth, it would be a shock to the system if Postecoglou leaves for Molineux, despite the obvious lure of the Premier League, and it feels as though Wolves probably know that deep down.

A worrying Newcastle United injury update has emerged regarding Alexander Isak ahead of a return to Premier League action this weekend.

What’s the latest?

The Telegraph’s Luke Edwards has claimed that the Swedish centre-forward is set for a spell on the sidelines after being hit with a setback whilst on international duty.

Magpies reporter Dominic Scurr had claimed that the striker had not suffered a serious blow, but Edwards has now revealed that the 23-year-old will be out of action for a number of games.

He tweeted: “Confidence Bruno will play against Fulham, but record signing Alexander Isak is out for a few weeks, ASM is touch and go but is also unlikely to make London trip Chris Wood has a rib injury and is struggling too. Wilson will return but needs to be wrapped in cotton wool.”

Eddie Howe should be frustrated

The Magpies head coach should be frustrated by this latest setback, as losing Isak for any period of time is a huge blow for the team heading into their upcoming matches.

Newcastle have only won one of their opening seven Premier League games and will need their best players available to rediscover their top form. They have also scored just eight times in those seven outings, which suggests that the manager is not blessed with a plethora of goalscoring threats in his team.

Isak arrived from La Liga outfit Real Sociedad in the summer and has hit the ground running in England. The Swede has found the net twice in his first three appearances for the Toon, scoring against Liverpool and Bournemouth either side of drawing a blank against Crystal Palace.

He has shown that he has the quality to score goals at this level, and that is why his absence in the coming weeks is a huge blow for Newcastle, particularly with fellow strikers Wilson only now returning to fitness and Wood dealing with an injury of his own.

The 23-year-old joined the Magpies after scoring 23 La Liga goals between the 2020/21 and 2021/22 campaigns, which shows that he has the ability to score on a regular basis in a major European league, indicating that he has the potential to reach great heights at St James’ Park.

Therefore, Howe should be frustrated with this big injury blow, as his team will not benefit from Isak’s goalscoring talents in the next few weeks, which could limit their threat in front of goal against Fulham and any subsequent matches that the Sweden international may miss.

Leeds United are interested in a deal to bring Hwang Hee-chan to Elland Road this summer.

What’s the talk?

That’s according to a report by Sky Sports, who claim that, after Alan Nixon revealed the Whites could target the Wolverhampton Wanderers forward should Tottenham Hotspur firm up their reported interest in a £20m move for Daniel James, Victor Orta is indeed considering launching a move for the 26-year-old in the coming days.

However, while Sky did reveal that the South Korea international would be keen to link up with his former Red Bull Salzburg manager, Jesse Marsch, once again at Elland Road, it is also claimed that Bruno Lage’s side would demand a figure in the region of £25m in order to part with the attacker – considerably more than the £15m Nixon had initially reported.

Marsch’s final piece of the puzzle

While the vast majority of Leeds supporters would likely claim that Leeds still need a new centre-forward and left-back – something Beren Cross backed up in a recent Q&A – in order for Victor Orta to have completed the perfect summer transfer window, with it now looking as if the club are content with deploying Pascal Struijk on the left of their back line, it would appear the signing of a striker could well be the final target on the club’s shortlist this summer.

And, considering Marsch’s previous relationship with Hwang, in addition to the Wolves forward having impressed following his arrival at Molineux last summer, the 26-year-old attacker may just be the 48-year-old’s final piece of the puzzle at Elland Road heading into the bulk of the 2022/23 campaign.

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Indeed, over his 30 Premier League appearances – only 20 of which came as starts – last season, the £17m-rated talent scored five goals, registered one assist and created two big chances for his teammates, a rather impressive feat considering he was playing for a Wolves side who scored just 38 goals last time out – the fourth-worst record in the league.

However, the £19k-per-week winger’s form at RB Salzburg will undoubtedly be the primary reason for Marsch’s interest in the Korean, as Hwang scored a quite astonishing 16 goals and provided 24 assists over his 43 appearances under the American’s management – averaging a simply sensational direct goal involvement every 66 minutes of football played.

Furthermore, with the former RB Leipzig forward being able to operate from attacking midfield, on either flank and as a centre-forward, the 26-year-old’s impressive positional versatility would not only see him be capable of providing the increasingly injury-prone Patrick Bamford with competition for his starting spot up top, he would also give Marsch another wide attacking option.

As such, should Leeds manage to get a £25m deal over the line for Hwang in the coming days, the 47-cap international could well prove to be Marsch’s final piece of the puzzle in the summer transfer window – an outcome that will surely delight the 48-year-old manager.

Celtic have submitted an offer for Chelsea midfielder Ross Barkley, according to Football Insider.

The Lowdown: Celtic linked with Barkley move

The Hoops’ transfer business may not be done just yet, with Ange Postecoglou thought to be chasing one more midfielder and one more attacking option.

Barkley is a player who has been linked with an audacious switch to Parkhead, having been deemed surplus to requirements by Chelsea manager Thomas Tuchel.

The 28-year-old only made one start in the Premier League for the Blues last season, and although some members of the media have claimed a move to Glasgow won’t happen, a fresh report suggests it could truly be on.

The Latest: ‘Shock’ offer

According to Football Insider, Celtic have ‘submitted an offer’ for Barkley and ‘Postecoglou has given the green light to a shock swoop’.

A season-long loan deal for the 33-time capped England international is mooted, and while the Hoops cannot afford his £120,000 per week wages in full, they have offered to ‘pay a significant portion’ of his salary.

The Verdict: Hugely exciting news

Barkley could be an outstanding signing for Celtic, possessing the technical quality and unpredictability to light up Parkhead with an injection of end product into the attacking midfield ranks.

The former Everton prodigy himself has said in the past that he wants to be considered ‘world-class’, while Joe Cole has described him as ‘fantastic’ and a ‘top, top’ player in the recent past, and although it hasn’t worked out at Stamford Bridge there is certainly talent ready to be unleashed.

Barkley has 60 goal contributions to his name in the Premier League and 77 in total for club and country, which is a testament to his class, and at 28, there is no reason why he can’t perform at his peak for Celtic this season.

Crystal Palace are considering an approach to sign Strasbourg striker Ludovic Ajorque this summer, according to Football Insider. 

The lowdown: Career so far

Signed from Clermont Foot in 2018 for £1.8million (Transfermarkt), Ajorque has spent his entire career in France having come through the ranks at Angers as a youngster.

The 28-year-old frontman has amassed 257 career outings altogether, directly contributing to 108 goals in that time, and was part of the Strasbourg side that lifted the French League Cup in 2018/19, his only team accolade to date.

Now, having previously been a target for West Ham, Ajorque is seemingly back on the agenda in the Premier League and the Eagles are among the suitors…

The latest: ‘Plotting moves’

As per Football Insider, Crystal Palace, Leicester City and Newcastle United are all believed to be ‘plotting moves’ to sign the uncapped Frenchman.

It’s claimed that the towering centre-forward is a ‘target for a number of clubs across Europe’ this summer following an impressive Ligue 1 campaign.

The report also states that Strasbourg president Marc Keller would sanction a sale during the ongoing window and Palace officials are preparing to watch the defender – who was described as a ‘beast physically’ by journalist Alessandro Schiavone – in action against Liverpool next weekend.

The verdict: Make it happen

Despite the capture and subsequent instant impact of Odsonne Edouard last season, ultimately the strike-force in situ at Selhurst Park flattered to deceive once again in 2021/22 as Wilfried Zaha topped the scoring charts with 15 goals, finishing ahead of the eight strikes managed by midfield loanee Conor Gallagher.

Edouard himself, Jean-Philippe Mateta, Jordan Ayew and Christian Benteke were all given ample opportunities to make centre-forward position their own in Vieira’s plans, without ever truly doing enough to warrant a lengthy run in the side, leading to question marks as to whether Steve Parish and Dougie Freedman may delve into the market.

With speculation linking Benteke with a move away from southeast London, suddenly the need for reinforcements becomes all the more apparent and Ajorque represents a wholly viable candidate.

Standing at a monstrous 6 foot 4, the £14.4million valued hitman can emulate much of the 6 foot 3 Benteke’s physicality whilst also coming off the back of an outstanding 12 goal and eight assist campaign in Ligue 1.

In fact, Ajorque has been showcasing his prowess in front of goal for some time now, comfortably outperforming his xG data in 2020/21, 2019/20 and 2018/19, proof of an adept finisher who appears to be ready to take the next step in his career.

Tottenham Hotspur want to hand Harry Kane a new contract…

What’s the word?

The England striker has been linked with a move to Bundesliga champions Bayern Munich in recent weeks but according to Italian transfer expert Fabrizio Romano, he’s “untouchable” in north London, meaning he will not be sold.

Instead, there are plans to discuss new terms.

“There’s no discussion, negotiation or talk about Harry Kane. Tottenham always considered him untouchable and there’s nothing concrete going on with Bayern,” he tweeted.

“[Daniel] Levy, [Fabio] Paratici and [Antonio] Conte have never considered to sell Kane this summer – Spurs want to discuss a new deal soon.”

Conte’s main talisman

Kane, who is currently the Lilywhites’ highest-earning player on £200k-per-week, is the most important cog in Conte’s machine.

Not only does he regularly provide goals – as he has done throughout his Spurs career, finding the net 248 times across 386 appearances – but he has also become something of a playmaker in recent times.

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The Englishman provided Premier League.

“The new playmaker at Spurs is Harry Kane. He is like the new Diego Maradona now. Long passes, short passes, he has it all,” once claimed former Tottenham star David Ginola to Sky Sports (via the Daily Mail).

Spurs may well have finally provided some backup to their prolific marksman, signing Richarlison from Everton this summer, but if you take Kane out of the team, you can expect there to be a big drop-off in goals – both scored and provided.

It will come as great news for the Lilywhites faithful that Spurs are not considering selling him, especially considering the saga with Manchester City last summer. They will also be buzzing by the fact that the club’s hierarchy are wanting to tie him down to a new contract as his current deal ends in 2024.

As such, this update from Romano will surely have many associated with Tottenham delighted.

AND in other news, Alasdair Gold drops Spurs transfer claim…