All posts by z3u9t.icu

Tottenham Hotspur are expected to revisit their interest in Nahitan Nandez this January…

What’s the word?

That’s according to CalcioNapoli24 (via Sport Witness), who claim Spurs are in the mix to sign the Cagliari midfielder but they are facing competition from Serie A rivals Napoli and Inter Milan.

It’s thought that the north Londoners are ready to complete a move for Nandez in the winter transfer window, though it remains to be seen how much he would command.

Transfermarkt currently value him the 44-time Uruguay international at £19.8m.

Imagine him and Hojbjerg

Nandez is a player that Spurs boss Nuno Santo would surely love to sign, he could well be the ideal partner to Pierre-Emile Hojbjerg at the base of the engine room.

The diminutive 5 foot 7 dynamo can be a livewire in midfield, having the same sort of skill set as N’Golo Kante at Chelsea.

The 25-year-old enforcer has continued his fine form from last season and has proven his credentials in taking control of matches.

For example, he has averaged 2.6 aerial duels won, 1.6 tackles and 0.7 interceptions per league game this term, showing his defensive capabilities but he has also shown an ability to bring the ball forward to contribute in the opposition’s half, having also averaged two dribbles and one key pass each outing, as per WhoScored.

It’s no wonder he has been called a “machine” by Serie A expert Conor Clancy, who told This is Futbol:

“I like him a lot. I think he’s only about five foot seven, but you wouldn’t know it if you just watched clips of him, he is a little bit of a machine. He’s so powerful but at the same time, has really, really good ball control.”

Hojbjerg is regarded as one of the more defensively sound options in the middle, so adding a player like Nandez could be really complimentary.

In some ways, there may be further comparisons to the influence of Joao Moutinho in Nuno’s Wolves system – a similar sort of short but quality presence in midfield.

Nuno would surely love a move for the Uruguay beast this winter, so Lilywhites sporting director Fabio Paratici must look to seal a swoop for him in the upcoming window.

AND in other news, Signed for £22m, now worth 248% more: Daniel Levy struck gold with Spurs’ “revelation”…

Tottenham Hotspur boss Antonio Conte has been dealt a gutting injury blow ahead of their Carabao Cup quarter-final clash with West Ham United this evening…

What’s the latest?

As revealed in the Italian’s pre-game press conference, Spurs will be without left wing-back Ryan Sessegnon after he picked up a muscular injury during the weekend’s 2-2 draw with Liverpool on Sunday.

“A little bad news that Ryan Sessegnon had a problem at the end of the game against Liverpool. He’s the only player, with Romero, is injured,” Conte claimed (via football.london).

He then added a time frame to the problem.

“Ten days to two weeks. He had a muscular problem at the end of the game against Liverpool. For sure, we have to find a good solution with Sess because I have seen in the past he has suffered a bit from this type of injury. So we have to find the right solution with the medical department. And also with the player.”

Huge blow

This will come as a huge setback to Conte and the squad as Sessegnon was more than holding his own in the absence of Sergio Reguilon, who was not fit to feature from the off against the Reds.

It once again leaves the 52-year-old head coach light on options as if the Spaniard is still not 100%, he may have to move Ben Davies out from his left central defensive role, meaning another switch would be needed to the backline – perhaps Japhet Tanganga or Joe Rodon, both of whom are struggling for game time under the new boss.

Sessegnon is also at risk of missing the Boxing Day clash with Crystal Palace and then the trip to Southampton, dealing Conte with a further blow.

Furthermore, as the manager mentioned, the England U21 international has regularly suffered from these sorts of injury niggles and that has restricted him to only 18 appearances since his £25m move from Fulham over two years ago.

This latest setback would take his total games missed (18) to the same number of his games played for the north London outfit – a very frustrating record that will undoubtedly leave Conte even more fuming.

So the Spurs boss is now without one of his first-team stars once again, ahead of what is a crucial encounter, with a place in the final four and a genuine shot at silverware on the line.

AND in other news, Conte must unleash Spurs’ £22.5m-rated “nightmare” tonight, he could terrify West Ham…

Former Celtic striker Frank McAvennie has hailed the ‘brilliant’ news that Georgios Giakoumakis is fit for the Hoops’ clash with Ross County.

The Lowdown: Giakoumakis impresses for Celtic

The Greek has enjoyed an impressive first season at Parkhead, having arrived from VVV-Venlo during last summer’s transfer window.

[web_stories_embed url=”https://www.footballtransfertavern.com/web-stories/key-latest-celtic-updates-3/” title=”Key latest Celtic updates!” poster=”” width=”360″ height=”600″ align=”none”]

Giakoumakis may only have been limited to 16 appearances to date but he has scored nine goals in that time, proving to be a ruthless performer for Ange Postecoglou’s side.

Celtic head to Ross County for a key Scottish Premiership clash on Sunday afternoon and it has been confirmed that the 27-year-old is fit for the game after recovering from injury.

The Latest: McAvennie hails ‘brilliant’ news

Speaking to Football Insider, McAvennie revealed his happiness at the news:

“Having Giakoumakis back is brilliant news. I think we really missed him last weekend. Kyogo wasn’t really at it when he came on but he has missed so much football.

“Giakoumakis has only missed a week or so, so he should be good to go because he is the man in form. He is scoring for fun at the moment and if he is fully fit, you would back him to grab a few more before the end of the season.

“These are big games and big players need to step up if we are going to win the title. That’s all you can do when there are players like Kyogo sniffing around.

“Just keep scoring. In fairness, that’s what he’d been doing.”

The Verdict: Massive boost

Whether or not Giakoumakis is deemed fit enough to start against Ross County remains to be seen but having him back in the fold is an almighty boost.

Rangers’ 3-1 win away to Motherwell on Saturday means the Hoops are now only three points clear of their rivals at the top of the table, highlighting the importance of this match.

Giakoumakis’ aforementioned goalscoring record this season shows how clinical he can be and it could be that he ends up being the difference between the two sides, making a huge contribution in the title race.

In other news, Celtic are reportedly in talks to sign one player. Find out who it is here.

Craig Hope has revealed that Newcastle United have now emerged as contenders to sign Anthony Martial in the January transfer window.

The Lowdown: Out of favour

While Martial has been injured for some parts of the season, he has not always been picked when he has been fit, making just ten appearances in total over all competitions, scoring one goal (Transfermarkt).

Thus, he seems to have fallen out of favour at Manchester United, and so a move could well be on the cards for him this month, so long as the Red Devils give it the green light and potentially bring in a replacement.

Various reports have claimed he will indeed be offloaded, leading to delight from some sections of the Old Trafford support.

The Latest: Now a Newcastle target

As per Hope, even though United are ‘reluctant’ to let players go for now due to the situation with COVID-19 cases, the St. James’ Park faithful are ‘monitoring’ Martial’s situation at Old Trafford ahead of a potential move:

“I’m told Newcastle are monitoring situation. Martial perhaps wasn’t high on list pre January, but Wilson injury has changed thinking & increased urgency. One to watch.”

The Verdict: Loan would be perfect

Given Callum Wilson’s injury, the North East club need to bring in cover up top until he comes back.

Thus, signing Martial on loan would be the perfect option for them, as if it does not work out, then he could just return back to the Red Devils.

Even though he has had his fair share of problems this season, he can still be an asset, as shown by his record in the Premier League, bagging 56 times in the competition.

Described as being ‘unplayable’ on his day by former French top-flight striker Louis Saha, Martial will be hungry to prove himself, and with the experience and know-how that he has of the division, moving to Tyneside could be a smart move for all parties involved.

In other news, find out what big transfer claim Hope has also dropped on NUFC here!

Newcastle United are reportedly now ready to make a ‘huge offer’ to sign Jesse Lingard in the January transfer window.

The Lowdown: Developing story

The Daily Mail journalist Craig Hope has recently revealed that the St. James’ Park faithful are now ‘working’ on a loan deal for Lingard, but sources are saying that Manchester United are apparently ‘reluctant’ to let him leave at this moment in time.

However, with just over a week of the window left, both clubs will have to come to a decision over the player, and Lingard’s lack of game time may just be a factor in whether or not he moves to the North East.

The Latest: Offer ready

As per 90min journalist Graeme Bailey, the Tyneside outfit are now readying a ‘huge offer’ for Lingard, and the Red Devils are ‘likely to accept’ their approach.

However, it is not clear if the player himself would be willing to move this month, or wait until the summer, when his contract at Old Trafford expires.

The Verdict: No-brainer

If the Magpies can get Lingard in before the January deadline hits, then it is surely a no-brainer for all parties.

With seemingly no route to regular first-team action in the northwest, Lingard will surely be desperate to play, and the Toon should jump at the chance of bringing a player of his quality in.

Described as ‘phenomenal’ by talkSPORT pundit Adrian Durham during his time on loan at West Ham United last season, Lingard showed what he can do when given his opportunity, scoring nine goals and making a further five assists at the London Stadium.

Nonetheless, he would offer another dimension to their attack, and could be the difference in turning draws like the one they picked up against Watford into wins.

In other news, find out which ‘unplayable’ ace Lionel Messi called ‘frightening’ NUFC are now eyeing here!

[ad_pod ]

Tottenham boss Mauricio Pochettino’s comments following his side’s 2-0 loss to Crystal Palace in the FA Cup Fourth Round were baffling to hear, and would’ve been sure to offend a number of the club’s supporters who are desperate to see their beloved Spurs win some silverware.

However, there are also arguments in favour of what the Argentine said, that could also suggest that what used to be considered an achievement in football is now taking a backseat for financial prosperity.

As quoted by Sky Sports, following the loss at Selhurst Park, the former Southampton manager said: “We are going to create a debate that to win a trophy is going to help the club. I don’t agree with that. That only builds your ego. In reality the most important thing is being consistently in the top four and playing in the Champions League.”

For a manager of one of England’s top clubs to say this must be extremely demoralising for those fans who pay their money to travel all over the country to watch their club, all with the slim hopes of seeing their heroes lift a trophy or two at the end of the season.

But Pochettino has his reasons for setting such targets. For a start, just by qualifying for the group stages of the Champions League, a grand total of £13.34m falls into Spurs’ bank account (as per the BBC). In stark contrast, winning the FA Cup final lands just £3.6m (as per the FA).

Arsenal’s Hector Bellerin may be out for the season but it’s given him a chance to show off his new accessory. Check out the video below to see for yourself…

For Pochettino to be able to land the best players around, he needs to be able to afford them with the extra revenue, along with being able to offer them Champions League football, which is where every top player wants to be.

However, once such players arrive at the club, along with the world-class players already at his disposal such as Harry Kane, Dele Alli and Christian Eriksen, they will want to litter their personal cabinets with medals, along with the memories that they contain.

In that respect, it is a bit of a ‘Catch 22’ for most top clubs – abandon the chance to win trophies in order to satisfy the bank account, or abandon the chance to offer your players the top level of European football so the club can fill the trophy cabinet. Of course, managing both in the same season would be nice, but that is starting to prove an impossible challenge – the last three FA Cup winners, Manchester United, Arsenal and Chelsea, all failed to finish in the Premier League’s top four as they lifted the trophy.

More than ever, it’s starting to feel as though the FA Cup has become the biggest victim of the Champions League’s relentless rise. But one thing’s for certain; the barometer of success is changing in football – filling the bank account now takes precedent over filling the trophy cabinet.

Paul Scholes compared West Ham United midfielder Declan Rice to Steven Gerrard after the Hammers’ 1-0 win over Tottenham on Sunday.

The Lowdown: Irons beat Spurs

The Irons hosted Spurs at the London Stadium at the weekend in an all-capital clash off the back of maintainig their 100% Europa League group stage record last Thursday.

The home side prevailed 1-0 thanks to a solitary goal from Michail Antonio, with David Moyes’ side now up to fourth in the Premier League table as a result.

Rice played a big part in West Ham getting one over on their London rivals. Nobody could match his eight tackles or 11 duels won, while he misplaced only three of his 41 passes all afternoon in a hugely composed performance (SofaScore).

The Latest: Scholes praises Rice

Speaking to Premier League Productions (24/10/21, 1:55 pm, via HITC), Scholes showered Rice with praise and even compared him to former Liverpool star Gerrard. The ex-Manchester United midfielder said:

“I think he has been right up there for the last year or so. Again, he is a player who plays the position brilliantly. He reads play. He senses danger. You see him intercepting all the time.

“He’s not just got that to his game. He has also got this side to it (driving forward). He has got a bit of Steven Gerrard about him. He has really added that drive and that way of playing to create chances for his team.

“I did think, at one point, he would be a centre-back. But I think he is now turning into a complete midfield player.”

The Verdict: Different players

There is no doubt that Rice is developing into a quality midfielder. He is a star player for West Ham as they continue to ascend the table and impress in the Europa League, and he was a key member of Gareth Southgate’s squad as England reached the final of Euro 2020.

However, 114-cap Three Lions international Gerrard was a player who regularly averaged 10 goals a season (Transfermarkt) – in 157 games for the Hammers, Rice has found the back of the net just seven times. He is more defensive-minded than the current Rangers manager, so it wouldn’t be wholly accurate or fair to compare him to a midfielder who enjoyed playing further forward.

In other news, many West Ham fans react to this Jesse Lingard update

The Athletic’s Phil Hay has delivered a worrying claim about Leeds United and the San Francisco 49ers.

What’s the story?

As revealed in recent days, the investment arm of the 49ers have the ability to buy the Yorkshire club for more than £400m by January 2024, making a full takeover very much on the cards.

Hay said: “This takeover isn’t going to happen as quickly as next month (unless something changes drastically) so any signings done in January would have to be done/funded within the existing 56-44 share split.

“As for the Championship, that would change the club’s valuation, without a doubt. Leeds wouldn’t be worth £475m at that level. But all bets are off if a club gets relegated from the EPL. The ramifications can be huge.”

Premier League safety is key

As Hay has suggested, relegation to the Championship is almost unthinkable when you consider the kind of consequences that could have not just in terms of being without Premier League football, but also the potential impact it could have on a potential takeover too.

The Whites only have to look to Tyneside and Newcastle and the looming spectre of relegation with which they’ve had to contend over these past couple of years before their takeover eventually went through.

If the 49ers do end up going through with a full takeover, that could spell exciting times at Leeds in terms of potential new signings and the ability to compete with teams far higher up in the table than they are right now.

Premier League safety will be absolutely paramount, though, and it’s exactly why Hay’s claim that “all bets are off if a club gets relegated from the EPL” might just worry fans, with the Whites still hovering a bit too close to the bottom three.

Meanwhile, Adam Pope has dropped an early morning Leeds United update…

Liverpool are close to completing a summer move for exciting Fulham youngster Fabio Carvalho, journalist James Pearce has confirmed.

The Lowdown: Almost joined in January

The Reds had a productive January transfer window by signing Luis Diaz from Porto but they were also strongly linked with a move for Carvalho.

It looked as though a deal would happen at the eleventh hour, but instead, the young midfielder ended up staying put after the necessary paperwork couldn’t be completed in time.

It certainly felt likely that Liverpool would go back in for Carvalho after Jurgen Klopp said they would be ‘crazy’ not to, and now that looks to be the case.

The Latest: Pearce confirms imminent deal

Taking to Twitter on Thursday, Pearce confirmed that new transfer chief Julian Ward is on the verge of making the 19-year-old his second signing after Diaz:

“Fabio Carvalho will join #LFC this summer. Deal agreed. Fell through on deadline day due to time constraints on paperwork but move always looked likely to still happen. Exciting youngster who is relishing the chance to work with Jurgen Klopp.”

Ward was largely responsible for the capture of Diaz in the winter window as he looks to pick up where Michael Edwards leaves off, and it looks as though he has already wrapped up another great talent before the next window has even opened.

[web_stories_embed url=”https://www.footballtransfertavern.com/web-stories/latest-liverpool-transfer-news-27/” title=”Latest Liverpool transfer news!” poster=”” width=”360″ height=”600″ align=”none”]

The Verdict: Great signing for Reds

This is a mouthwatering piece of business by Liverpool, with Carvalho a huge talent, playing a starring role for Fulham this season as they cruise back into the Premier League. He has registered seven goals and assists apiece in the league.

It is imperative that Klopp builds for both the present and the future, and the youngster is someone who could be a future superstar at Anfield, along with the likes of Ibrahima Konate, Curtis Jones and Harvey Elliott, once the current crop of key men age and move on.

Former Leeds United striker Noel Whelan has called Carvalho a ‘perfect’ signing by Liverpool and looks as though Ward is set to have a similar impact to Edwards at the club.

In other news, a fresh Liverpool transfer claim has emerged. Read more here.

Ange Postecoglou’s Celtic have been handed a huge boost ahead of their upcoming Premiership clash on Sunday.

What’s the talk?

Speaking ahead of Sunday’s Old Firm encounter (via BBC Sport), Gers manager Giovanni van Bronckhorst revealed that, after being sent home from international duty with Colombia due to a thigh injury, Alfredo Morelos has not only been ruled out of his club’s meeting with Celtic but could also miss most of the remainder of the season as a result of his knock.

Regarding the 25-year-old’s setback, the Dutchman said: “Unfortunately, he won’t be with us on Sunday, we won’t have him back in the next couple of weeks that’s for sure. I think a long-term injury, but we don’t know how long yet Hopefully we can give more news after the weekend.”

Postecoglou will be buzzing

Considering just how important Morelos has been to Rangers this season, the news that the striker will be unavailable for selection this weekend, and for a number of his team’s remaining league fixtures, is sure to have left Ange Postecoglou buzzing.

Indeed, over his 26 Premiership appearances in the current campaign, the £11.7m-rated hitman has been in breathtaking form for the Gers, bagging 12 goals, registering seven assists and creating nine big chances for his team-mates, also taking 4.3 shots and making two key passes per game.

These returns have seen the £31.5k-per-week forward average a sensational SofaScore match rating of 7.32, ranking him as the seventh-best player in the Scottish top flight.

As such, it is clear to see that Rangers being without their talismanic centre-forward on Sunday could greatly improve Celtic’s chances of securing what could well be a season-defining victory at Ibrox. With just six games left of the Premiership season to play after tomorrow’s meeting, the Light Blues closing a six-point gap at the top of the table would be a near-impossible feat in such a short space of time, particuarly with the Hoops landing a huge psychological direct blow.

AND in other news: £3m wasted as Celtic had a shocker on £7.9k-p/w “loner” who rinsed Desmond for 129 weeks