All posts by z3u9t.icu

Tottenham Hotspur are eyeing up their first January signing, according to emerging reports…

What’s the word?

90min claim that the north London outfit are among the teams interested in a move for Inter Milan midfielder Stefano Sensi this month.

The club are said to be working hard on bolstering Antonio Conte’s playing squad and the 26-year-old has emerged as a viable candidate for a loan move before the January 31st deadline.

Sensi’s stint at the San Siro has been blighted by injury but he’s a player that the Italian head coach knows well from his time there and it is thought that Conte is a big admirer of his, too.

The eight-cap Italy international is currently valued at £7.2m by Transfermarkt.

Conte’s new Pirlo?

Despite standing at a diminutive 5 foot 6 inches, Sensi has earned huge comparisons to that of Juventus legend Andrea Pirlo, due to him being deployed in a similar deep-lying playmaker role.

Meanwhile, the Italian himself claims that Xavi has been a major source of influence on his career. “I have always loved him. If I ever met him, I would tell him that he has always been my idol and that his plays have enlightened me. I have watched all of his games,” he revealed in a matchday programme against Fiorentina (via Sempre Inter).

“He is good, technical, fast and also has personality,” once claimed Gil Azzurri head coach Roberto Mancini to La Gazetta dello Sport.

WhoScored lists Sensi’s key abilities as being his chance creation through key passes, his passing ability overall – particularly with slotting in through balls – and his defensive capability to win the ball back through interceptions.

Indeed, throughout his time in Italy, having also played for Sassuolo, the 26-year-old dynamo has averaged 1.9 key passes and 1.5 interceptions, as well as an 87.1% passing accuracy per 90 minutes.

Conte utilised Pirlo to great effect during his time in Turin, particularly the 2013/14 title-winning season, when the veteran featured regularly from a deep-midfield position as he dictated many a game.

Sensi can fit this mould over in north London.

Former Sassuolo head coach Roberto De Zerbi claimed that the 26-year-old “could control a game like Xavi, but instead he reminds me of Andres Iniesta”, whilst Spanish journalist David de la Pena described his technique as “crazy” as he “knows how to dribble and how to shoot”.

On the above evidence, Sensi would surely be a welcome addition at Spurs, so sporting director Fabio Paratici would be wise to push ahead with plans to sign him this month. He could well hand Conte another Pirlo-like beast in midfield.

AND in other news, Sky Sports reporter drops huge Spurs transfer claim live on air, fans will be buzzing…

An update has emerged regarding Paris Saint-Germain’s plans for reported Newcastle United transfer target Mauro Icardi.

What’s the talk?

According to L’Equipe’s Friday edition, via Sport Witness, the Ligue 1 giants are open to offers for the attacker ahead of the January transfer window and are looking for a fee in the region of €50m (£42.7m), whilst they could also be tempted into a loan move with an option to buy at the end of the season.

The Magpies have been touted with the centre-forward recently, with Eddie Howe plotting his targets ahead of next month.

Dream deal

PIF could seal a dream deal for Newcastle in multiple ways by landing a swoop for the Argentina international in January.

Firstly, the structure of the move could work perfectly for them. If PSG are willing to allow him to join on loan with an option to buy, that would alleviate the added financial pressure which would be forced upon them if they were relegated to the Championship with Icardi’s wages on the books.

The Magpies would be able to opt against signing him permanently if they finish in the bottom three, or they could pin him down to a long-term contract if his contributions help to keep them in the top flight, which is why this could be a dream deal for the club.

His goalscoring record throughout his career suggests that he has the ability to keep them up. The marksman scored 124 goals in 219 games for Inter and has now found the back of the net 36 times in 79 games for PSG, highlighting his class in front of goal.

Italy centre-back Giorgio Chiellini had previously lavished praise on the 28-year-old, saying: “Among the great attackers I have faced, I highly value Icardi, who inside the area is almost impossible to mark. Mauro against Juve has often scored, it hurt me.

“He’s a world-class centre-forward, even if he lacks something in the collective game, he’s a Trezeguet but with different characteristics, lethal in the aerial game but perfectible outside the surface.”

This suggests that Icardi has the ability to come in and score goals for Newcastle, as he has proven that he can do it at the top level in France and Italy, with Chiellini’s comments showing how much of a threat the 28-year-old can be to defenders. Therefore, he could be a dream signing for PIF both in terms of the financial aspects of the move and what he could bring to Howe’s side on the pitch.

AND in other news, Dream come true: PIF could leave the Toon Army buzzing with major NUFC appointment…

According to Jack Gaughan of The Daily Mail, it appears West Ham United have set their sights on a new striker target in New York City FC star Valentin Castellanos.

The Lowdown: West Ham still in forward chase…

Nearly a year since club record signing Sebastien Haller unceremoniously departed the club for Ajax, manager David Moyes still hasn’t seen his replacement come through the door.

[web_stories_embed url=”https://www.footballtransfertavern.com/web-stories/west-ham-latest-updates/” title=”West Ham latest updates!” poster=”” width=”360″ height=”600″ align=”none”]

West Ham, after having confirmed bids made since January 2021, continue their quest to sign a striking alternative to Michail Antonio and there have been no shortage of rumours.

Adam Hlozek, Andrea Belotti and Arthur Cabral are just a few of the many names linked with a move to the London Stadium recently and The Mail have now shared news on a brand new name.

The Latest: West Ham set sights on Castellanos…

As per Gaughan, the Hammers, Moyes and recruitment chief Rob Newman are now tracking MLS rising star Castellanos as they set their sights on an in-form target outside of Europe.

Casting their eyes far and wide, it appears West Ham have now taken an interest in the 23-year-old as he sets the American top flight alight with imperious form.

Playing a heavy role in winning NYCFC their first ever MLS Cup title, this has apparently done enough to attract West Ham’s attention.

The Verdict: Interesting fresh target…

At just 23-years-old and coming off the back of a very prolific season, Moyes could do far worse for an outside candidate than Castellanos despite his lack of top level, competitive experience in the European leagues.

Indeed, the centre-forward has even drawn admiration from Manchester City manager Pep Guardiola, who called him a ‘quality player’ – perhaps indicating there is some real potential to be had here.

Also lauded as a ‘top class’ centre-forward by his New York City boss Ronny Deila, Castellanos’ 23 goals and nine assists across 36 appearances in all competitions in 2021 just proves that he is adept at finding the net (Transfermarkt).

The Argentine ace, judging by his most impressive campaign to date, will certainly improve on his 47-goal career tally overall – with the only question being will he do it in the Premier League under Moyes?

In other news: Approach already made: West Ham now willing to pay asking price for towering striker, find out more here.

A positive update for Rangers has emerged on the make up of their backroom staff and the possibility of a new face joining Gio van Bronckhorst at Ibrox to help lead the Gers to glory again…

What’s the talk?

According to the Scottish Sun, who quote Chinese media, Guangzhou City are on the verge of going bust and that could allow the Dutchman to join the Scottish giants for free.

The report claims that Chinese authorities could step in and take the club apart after three months without being able to pay their wage bill, which would then leave van Gastel unattached and able to arrive at Rangers with no stumbling blocks.

Delight

This appears to be a big boost for van Bronckhorst and the update will surely leave Rangers fans feeling delighted as the Dutchman’s backroom staff begins to take shape. It was previously reported that the club may have to wait until January to bring him in, which means that this could save them five weeks of waiting to land him.

Five weeks is a long time in football and could see him miss 10 competitive matches for Rangers if he is unable to make the switch until the start of 2022. This is why the prospect of him leaving China for nothing in the coming days could be a seismic boost, as he could come in and have an impact in the coming matches by joining as van Bronckhorst’s assistant.

The pair worked side-by-side at Feyenoord in the Netherlands. In four years, they won five trophies together for the Dutch club and averaged 1.99 points per game across 176 matches – finishing third, first, fourth and third in the Eredivisie in that time. This shows how well they worked next to each and why van Bronckhorst will be buzzing to work with him again. On the evidence of those statistics, this news will come as a big behind-the-scenes boost to the 46-year-old.

Their success at the Rotterdam outfit is also why fans should also be delighted by this update. It shows that they have a proven track record of winning trophies as a pair in management, which means that van Gastel’s arrival could increase Rangers’ chances of achieving their goals this season – winning the Premiership crown again.

However, it is worth saying that it is never nice to see a club go through financial difficulties, as Rangers fans know more than most, and Guangzhou City’s problems are not enjoyable to read. That being said, football is ruthless and the Gers may now benefit by bringing their head coach in to assist van Bronckhorst.

AND in other news, Gio could save Wilson millions with Rangers beast who is a “winner and warrior”…

Lots of Everton fans have been left fuming over a revelation from Farhad Moshiri on Rafael Benitez.

Speaking to talkSPORT’s Jim White, the Goodison Park club’s majority owner has now insisted that the Spaniard will not be sacked and claims that the 61-year-old needs more time.

This comes after the Toffees lost 4-1 at home to bitter rivals Liverpool, which now makes it eight matches in the Premier League without a win to their name.

Goodison Park is at real risk of becoming toxic if Everton lose at home to Arsenal in the Premier League on Monday night, and some Blues supporters have been left angry over Moshiri’s decision not to sack Benitez due to their poor form.

Others are annoyed that he did not give a statement to the fans first before going on talkSPORT, symbolising a lack of communication and understanding between each party.

Everton fans on Moshiri revelation

These Everton supporters fumed as the revelation from Moshiri was shared on Twitter:

“Absolute disgrace if he’s texting the media and not giving a statement to the most important people first, the fans.”

Credit: @ladbehindthebar

“Joke”

Credit: @concho1878

“Sack the board”

Credit: @aGloversStory

“Sorry but we haven’t won a game for two months. TWO MONTHS!”

Credit: @callumruddy

“Shambles this football club”

Credit: @j10efc

“Gonna be a miserable Christmas”

Credit: @ReeceDoran

In other news, find out what behind-the-scenes Benitez claim has been made

While it may be slightly harsh to suggest that Valerien Ismael is enduring a crisis at West Bromwich Albion at present, the fact remains that the Frenchman’s side currently rank sixth in the Championship form table, having dropped six points over their last six fixtures.

Having said that, the Baggies did turn in an impressive performance against Bristol City last time out, besting the Robins 3-0 – a scoreline which could well have been much greater if Jordan Hugill have taken any number of his big chances missed.

However, undoubtedly one of the biggest positives to come from the fixture was the central midfield duo of Brighton loanee Jayson Molumby and 34-year-old Robert Snodgrass, who was handed his first Championship start of the season.

Indeed, the duo completed 79 passes combined over the course of the 90 minutes, with Molumby’s return of 40 just pipping Snodgrass’ 39 to rank the 22-year-old as the player who made the most passes in the match, with his Scottish colleague coming a very close second.

To his credit, Snodgrass did manage to better his teammate in terms of key passes made, with the former West Ham United man managing two in comparison to Molumby’s zero.

However, regardless of their individual statistics, the pair highly impressed in the absence of both Alex Mowatt and Jake Livermore – with this particular duo having started all but two Championship fixtures in the middle of the park this season – as the former was still suffering from a toe injury picked up in the 1-0 win over Birmingham City earlier this month, while the latter was suspended.

Ismael himself also seemed delighted with their performance, stating after the match: “They did very well. For me, Robert Snodgrass was man of the match. He’s the perfect example of a player who has had to wait for his chance, stay focused, work hard, listen, learn the principles of what we want to do and when you get your chance, put on the performance to make sure the team stays successful.”

As such, with a crunch match against promotion rivals Fulham up next for West Brom, Ismael is now faced with something of a selection dilemma, as dropping either Molumby or Snodgrass would appear to be an extremely harsh decision following their performances last weekend.

However, in order to keep West Brom fans on-side, the Frenchman will have to ensure he makes the correct call on Saturday, or else there could be repercussions for the 46-year-old.

In other news: Cost the club £13m, left for nothing: WBA had a nightmare on “stupid” £30k-p/w flop

Newcastle confirmed Steve Bruce’s successor as they officially unveiled Eddie Howe as the club’s new manager earlier this week.

The 43-year-old has taken over with immediate effect and will be in the dugout when the Magpies face Brentford in the Premier League on the other side of the international break.

He inherits a side 19th in the division and without a win in 11 games and could face a difficult settling in period as Newcastle attempt to close the gap between themselves and the rest of the teams outside of the relegation zone.

Wilson 2.0

One thing Howe could do to turn things around is place an emphasis on young players before he has the chance to make his own signings in the January window. The Magpies have some talented youngsters in their academy and he could potentially find Callum Wilson 2.0 in striker Dylan Stephenson.

[snack-amp-story url= “https://www.footballfancast.com/web-stories/check-out-the-latest-newcastle-howe-ter-stegen” title= “Read the latest Newcastle news!”]

Not only has Wilson been a terrific player for Newcastle in the past 18 months, but he was also a key figure for Howe on the south coast over a number of years. He played 187 matches for the head coach for the Cherries, scoring 67 goals and providing 31 assists in all competitions. The centre-forward then signed for the Toon Army in 2020 and has since scored 16 goals in 30 starts in the top-flight.

In Stephenson, Howe could find Wilson 2.0 as he has shown excellent promise in the academy side this calendar year. Back in April of this year, Magpies youth coach Neil Winskill claimed that the youngster is ‘always top of the charts’ for physical data. He told the club’s official website:

“I’m thrilled for Dylan because he is such an honest, hard-working lad. He’s the type of player any team would like to have in their XI, who’s going to really put a shift in for you.

“Every game and training session, the physical stats come through and he’s always top of the charts but we had a chat during the week about the need for him to be consistent with his quality, and he spoke to me about how he thinks people will judge him on goals.”

This suggests that the 18-year-old gem has the physical capabilities to make the step up to senior level. Winskell’s comments indicate that he would not struggle with the intensity of the Premier League and the running demands that would be placed on him in Howe’s team, which is a promising sign for his chances of making the grade.

In terms of his football ability, he has caught the eye recently. He has averaged a SofaScore rating of 6.77 in the EFL Trophy, scoring once and providing one assist in three games for the Magpies against first-team Football League outfits.

In the Premier League 2, he has scored seven goals in 10 matches for the U23 side. This shows that he already has the maturity and ability to score regularly at youth level, which is why, along with his physical attributes, he could have the potential to come into the first team and make an impact. It is now down to Howe to unleash him and craft him into Wilson 2.0.

AND in other news, “Still planning”: Fabrizio Romano drops key transfer update that’ll delight NUFC fans…

David Moyes has received an encouraging squad boost at West Ham this week…

What’s been said?

Irons forward Michail Antonio, who is currently the Premier League’s third leading talisman, has withdrawn from international duty with Jamaica due to logistical problems, as revealed by co-owner David Gold on Twitter.

“MICHAIL ANTONIO has pulled out of the Jamaica squad for three qualifiers due to logistical problems. The news will be a welcome boost for boss David Moyes, who has concerns about the effect of travelling across the Atlantic would have on Michail who has been plagued by injury,” he revealed.

Moyes boost

Given the 31-year-old’s history with injuries, this news will undoubtedly leave Moyes delighted, even if his star striker is a little gutted to not feature for his national side.

Antonio has not started more than 24 of 38 league games in any of the last four Premier League seasons, and that’s largely down to constant injuries – for example, he missed 13 matches last season from a variety of problems and issues.

His importance to the Hammers is undeniable. The 5 foot 11 beast has scored five and assisted three in the English top-flight this campaign, adding to his ten goals and five assists from last season.

The former Nottingham Forest ace has already missed one game this term, though that wasn’t through injury, after he picked up a suspension and he was sorely missed as West Ham were defeated by Manchester United.

Antonio is above and beyond the standout performer under Moyes, earning a 7.84 average rating on WhoScored, which is way clear of the next best, who is Said Benrahma (7.43).

No Irons player is managing more shots (4.5) or key passes (2.5) than the Jamaican star after seven matches, further highlighting his importance.

Therefore, to have him around Rush Green this week, and not on the other side of the world is a massive, massive boost to Moyes and West Ham.

He will no longer be at risk of injury away from the club, nor will he have to quarantine, meaning he will be available for their first game back next week, a trip to Goodison Park to face Everton.

AND in other news, West Ham handed January transfer boost, Newman could seal instant masterclass…

Marc Overmars could bring Ajax manager Erik ten Hag and some of his star players to Newcastle United if he takes over as sporting director, Dutch journalist Hugo Borst fears.

The lowdown

According to Borst, talks have taken place between Overmars and Newcastle, who are looking to bring in a sporting director to work in tandem with a new manager.

One possible snag is the Dutchman’s contract, which still has two years to run. That would oblige the Magpies to pay a compensation fee.

They do have other targets in mind, and Luis Campos, formerly of AS Monaco and LOSC Lille, is both out of work and keen on the job (via The Chronicle).

The latest

Writing his ed.nl column, Borst expressed grave concern about the repercussions for Ajax if Newcastle manage to lure Overmars away.

He also namechecked a couple of the on-field talents who could potentially follow him, in addition to manager Ten Hag.

“Imagine Marc becoming technical director of that upcoming football superpower,” he wrote.

“Then of course he brings in Erik ten Hag. And [Ryan] Gravenberch. And [Jurrien] Timber, of course.

“Then Ajax has to start all over again.”

19-year-old defensive midfielder Gravenberch is valued at £29.7million by Transfermarkt, while versatile 20-year-old defender Timber is rated at £15.3million.

Notably, both players feature on the shortlist for the 2021 Golden Boy award.

The verdict

This would be a dream scenario for Newcastle fans. Overmars boasts an outstanding track record, Ten Hag has led Ajax to a Champions League semifinal and two Dutch titles, and they have a raft of Europe’s best talent on their books.

Ten Hag says it would take an ‘exceptional’ and ‘extraordinary’ offer for him to leave Ajax, but the opportunity to team up with Overmars at one of the world’s richest clubs might fit the bill.

In other news, another Dutch journalist had a message for Ten Hag.

Glasgow Rangers have now been backed to lose Glen Kamara by Frank McAvennie, despite him signing a new deal at Ibrox.

The Lowdown: Kamara deal

Steven Gerrard’s team confirmed on Wednesday that Kamara has signed a new contract, keeping him with the Light Blues until 2025.

However, sources from Ibrox have told Football Insider that the Gers have protected the value of the central midfield player with the new deal, but there is an agreement in place that he will be allowed to leave at a certain price.

The Latest: McAvennie on Kamara

Speaking to Football Insider, former Scottish Premiership striker now pundit McAvennie has now claimed that Kamara will still go in next summer’s transfer window despite his new contract:

“All this means is whoever buys him has to pay more money.

“That’s all it means. It makes no difference to whether he will stay or go. I’m sure he will go, maybe not in the winter, next summer.

“Rangers have done well to tie him down and Kamara is a class act for letting them do that.

“But in Scottish football, if the right money comes in, the player will go. Nothing has changed.

“Unfortunately that’s the way. Kamara is one of the better players and the Rangers fans will be delighted.

“He doesn’t do much wrong, the boy. It’s a great move by the club but it makes no difference to whether he stays or goes.”

The Verdict: Inevitable

Unfortunately for RFC fans, it is inevitable that Kamara will go eventually, especially if a club from the Premier League come calling.

Football Insider reported earlier this month that Arsenal made a move to try and re-sign him during the summer, and a number of other sides in the English top flight were interested in his signature.

At 25 years of age, Kamara does not have many big moves left in his career, and the chance to play in the Premier League may be too tempting to turn down.

Nonetheless, Rangers must keep hold of him for as long as they possibly can, and when the time comes, the new deal means that they can demand a reasonable transfer fee.

In other news, find out what potential blow an injury expert has dealt to Rangers here!