All posts by z3u9t.icu

Wolves could reignite their interest in Sevilla star Marcos Acuna and the World Cup winner would be a big upgrade on Jonny should he make the move to Molineux this month.

According to French publication L’Equipe, Sevilla are now interested in signing Old Gold wing-back Rayan Ait-Nouri in the transfer window.

Such an event could open the door to Acuna being reunited with Julen Lopetegui at Wolves.

Wolves were said to be keen on the Argentine during the World Cup but their hopes were dashed after fellow Sevilla left-back Alex Telles picked up an injury with Brazil.

However, while losing Ait-Nouri would be a blow for the Old Gold, it seems as if their chances of signing the experienced Argentina defender have taken a twist, and his versatility and quality could be crucial for Lopetegui in the second half of the season.

The Spanish manager previously admitted that he was keen on the 31-year-old ahead of the Premier League’s return, saying:

“We are opening up different options because the reality is that we have to reinforce the team in different positions. (Acuna) is a player that I like. But we will see what happens.”

Acuna has played the most games in his career under Lopetegui, featuring 84 times under the Spanish manager at Sevilla, contributing two goals and eight assists, so the new Wolves boss certainly knows that he is a player he can trust.

During the 31-year-old’s time with Sporting Lisbon, Acuna was described as “one of the best in the world” in his position which suggests that he could be a quality addition to Lopetegui’s side, especially in a position where Hugo Bueno and Ait-Nouri lack experience, while Jonny has endured a rapid decline in form this season.

The Spanish full-back has averaged a shocking 6.54 rating from WhoScored for his performances in the top flight so far this term, compared to a much-more-impressive 6.75 rating last season, and the potential addition of Acuna would surely see him become surplus to requirements at Molineux.

At the World Cup in Qatar, the left-back would average a strong 6.79 rating as Lionel Scaloni’s side won the tournament, and it is his experience at the very top level which could make him such a worthwhile signing this month.

He has also averaged far more shots (1.1 vs 0.6), key passes (1.2 vs 0.2) and crosses (1.6 vs 0.3) than Jonny in their respective leagues, which suggests that he would be a seismic upgrade on the Spaniard going forwards.

Therefore, Wolves should seriously consider bringing Acuna to Molineux this month, even if it means losing a promising youngster in Ait-Nouri.

Celtic have been dealt a huge blow in their attempts to bring Gue-sung Cho to Parkhead in the January transfer window.

What’s the talk?

That’s according to a report by the Daily Record, who claim that Ange Postecoglou and his side now find themselves behind Mainz in the race to land the Jeonbuk centre-forward this winter, with the Bundesliga outfit said to have submitted an official £3m bid for the 24-year-old.

The report adds that, with Mainz already having Cho’s South Korean team-mate Jae-sung Lee in their first-team squad, the German club are hoping that this will help to convince the 20-cap international of a move to the MEWA Arena ahead of the Premiership champions in the January market.

Dream Giakoumakis heir

Considering just how impressive Cho was for both club and country in 2022, coupled with Giorgos Giakoumakis reportedly being tempted by a move away from Parkhead this winter, the argument that Postecoglou simply must do everything in his power to beat Mainz to the signing of the striker this winter is a very easy one to make.

Indeed, over his 31 K League 1 appearances this season, the £2.2m-rated talent was in devastating attacking form, scoring 17 goals, registering five assists and creating five big chances for his team-mates. He also averaged 3.3 shots – 1.5 of which hit the target – made 1.2 key passes and completed 0.5 dribbles per game.

These returns saw the 24-year-old average a simply sensational Sofascore match rating of 7.33, not only ranking him as Jeonbuk’s best performer in the league but also as the fourth-best player in the South Korean top flight as a whole.

The centre-forward also impressed over his four appearances at the World Cup this winter, scoring two goals and taking 2.3 shots – 1.3 of which hit the target – per game. These metrics saw the player nicknamed “Worldstar Guesung” average an eye-catching Sofascore match rating of 7.03, ranking him as South Korea’s second-best player at the tournament.

As such, should Giakoumakis indeed move onto pastures new this month, it would very much appear as if Cho would represent something of a dream replacement for the Greece international at Parkhead, leading us to believe that Postecoglou simply must better Mainz’s offer for the Jeonbuk hitman.

Manchester United are ramping up the gas on their pursuit of Ajax forward Mohammed Kudus, who has been linked with a multitude of Europe’s top clubs since his exploits at the 2022 World Cup with Ghana.

According to 90min, Red Devils manager Erik ten Hag is ‘exploring ways’ to forge a transfer for the dynamic forward, who would be a welcome addition to an ambitious outfit thriving as one of the most in-form teams in Europe right now – United have won nine of their past ten matches.

This comes in the wake of Cristiano Ronaldo’s departure from the club in November, with Anthony Martial and Marcus Rashford now the only recognised central striking options at Old Trafford.

Despite the evident interest in the Ghanaian, the Eredivisie giants are reportedly only willing to part with their prolific prospect for a fee of £40m.

Kudus has been making steady increments across the early period of his professional career, and he has now become a player on the tip of numerous tongues across Europe as queries are made over his signature.

This season alone, the 22-year-old has scored ten goals and provided two assists from 21 appearances, despite only starting on ten occasions.

It’s his displays in the Champions League which have really caught the eye; with four goals and two assists from six group games, scoring against Liverpool, Rangers and Napoli, and his pedigree on the continental stage is already being established.

As per Sofascore, his average rating in the competition this term is an impressive 7.22, with his direct contributions complemented by some remarkable metrics – despite his four-goal haul, Kudus has only averaged 1.3 shots per match, demonstrating his clinical nature.

His sharpshooting skills, agile nature and pace, along with his ability to flourish even when dropping in and out of the starting XI, means that he could become United’s next Ole Gunnar Solskjaer, who cemented cult status at the Theatre of Dreams following his exploits with the club in the 1990s and 2000s amid a reputation as an impact substitute.

Scoring 126 goals and supplying 50 assists across 366 appearances for the Red Devils, the Norwegian marksman was instrumental in the collection of multiple major titles, notably having a defining impact on the 1999 Champions League triumph, scoring the last-gasp winner against Bayern Munich in the final.

While Kudus certainly possesses the ability to earn his trade as the focal point of United’s attack as their starting talisman, he boasts a wealth of quality not too dissimilar to Solskjaer’s, and it is a partnership that Ten Hag must look to emulate.

Talent scout Jacek Kulig once lauded the 21-cap Ghana phenomenon as “electric”, and that lightning burst of talent will need to be ensnared and placed into the Old Trafford fold in the coming weeks if the Red Devils are to take an advantage and continue to flourish at the forefront of the Premier League.

Reliable journalist Jordan Campbell believes Glasgow Rangers could still potentially sign midfielder Todd Cantwell during the January transfer window.

The Lowdown: Cantwell linked with Rangers move

Michael Beale will want to bring in his own signings in this window, the first of his tenure as Gers manager.

One player who has been heavily linked with a move to Ibrox is Cantwell, who has been limited to just nine starts for Norwich in the Championship this season.

A fresh update suggests that the 24-year-old could arrive at Rangers this month.

The Latest: January switch could happen

Taking to Twitter, Campbell claimed that Beale could look to sign a player who is out of contract this summer in January, mentioning Cantwell’s name in the process:

“Beale says that if an out-of-contract player is available to bring in early it is something he would look to do to help them adapt. Cantwell fits that bill.”

The Verdict: Great option for Beale

Cantwell would have the potential to be a superb signing for Rangers, bringing a combination of endless running and technical quality in midfield areas. He won two tackles and made three interceptions in his one EFL Cup outing this season, against Bournemouth, and has an 82.6% pass completion rate in the league.

The Englishman has 45 appearances to his name in the Premier League, as well as scoring six goals, and that experience at the highest level shows that he can be a hit at Ibrox.

Granted, his stock appears to have fallen a little at Norwich with his recent lack of game time, but a new challenge at Rangers, under a manager who he could thrive under, makes this an exciting potential signing, having been lauded for his ‘God-given’ talent by former coach Gary Cockaday.

Southampton have made an offer to sign Genk striker Paul Onuachu this January as the Belgian side swiftly reply, according to reports.

The Lowdown: Saints making moves…

The Saints, guided by manager Nathan Jones, are making moves this transfer window as they bid to avoid a drop to the Championship.

The Premier League strugglers, currently sitting at the foot of the table, are fighting for survival but appear determined to get some deals over the line.

The Athletic report they’re in talks to sign Villarreal winger Nicolas Jackson and are edging closer to an agreement – something which will come as music to the ears of some supporters.

As Jones and co attempt to add much-needed firepower, Jackson reportedly isn’t the only player of serious interest at St. Mary’s.

The Latest: Southampton table Onuachu offer…

Southampton, according to journalist Sacha Tavolieri, have made a bid to sign Genk striker Onuachu.

The Nigeria international has been linked with a move to England before, most notably with West Ham, and now Jones’ side have displayed their fondness in Onuachu.

However, Genk are reluctant to sell mid-season and want him to remain in Belgium to support their title challenge.

Tavolieri explained (via Twitter):

“Very interested in the profile of Paul #Onuachu , #Southampton offered 12M € this winter for the Nigerian striker. Offer refused. The management of #KRCGenk wants to keep its striker until the end of the season and fight for the title until the end in #JPL .”

The Verdict: Shame…

The 28-year-old has been a pivotal player for Genk in recent years and one of the Jupiler Pro League’s star forwards.

A clinical striker, Onuachu has netted 83 goals and a further ten assists in all competitions since arriving at the club with 14 in his last 18 league appearances this season (Transfermarkt).

The towering 6 foot 6 attacker is quite a physical presence going forward and holds no shortage of admiration for his performances in the last two years.

Website soccernet describe him as ‘one of the best players in the Jupiler League’ and Belgian defender Rasmus Carstensen goes even further.

Carstensen lavished Onuachu with praise in an interview, claiming he is a ‘class guy’ and ‘crazy good at football’.

Missing out on the African, based off his numbers and reputation, will be a sore one to take for Jones.

Everton ‘would love’ to sign Manchester United winger Anthony Elanga this month, according to Fabrizio Romano.

The Lowdown: Elanga struggling for game-time

With the Red Devils signing Antony for £86m in last summer’s transfer window, and Alejandro Garnacho bursting onto the scene, appearing in their last eight matches in the Premier League, the Swede’s game-time has become increasingly limited of late.

The 20-year-old has been an unused substitute for the last three top-flight games, failing to start in the league since the 2-1 win at Fulham in November. That has led to rumours that he could exit Old Trafford, with Frank Lampard said to have discussed him as a potential option for Everton prior to his sacking this afternoon.

The Latest: Everton interested in Elanga

Romano was speaking to GIVEMESPORT about where the 20-year-old’s future may lie.

The Italian outlined: “For Anthony Elanga, Everton are still interested. They would love to sign the player, as would Borussia Dortmund. So these two clubs are interested.”

The Verdict: Get it done?

Hailed as ‘sensational’ by reporter Alex Turk, the speedster – who was singled out by Bryan Robson as United’s fastest player – has shown some promising signs in a Red Devils shirt, weighing in with an assist against bitter rivals Liverpool earlier this season. However, it is questionable whether he is the signing that Everton need right now.

The Toffees need players with a little bit more experience, given that the threat of relegation is currently looming, and they have been linked with other attackers who have a better recent history of weighing in with goals and assists.

One such player is Tete, who is bang in form at the moment, amassing six goals and five assists in 19 appearances for Lyon this season, giving off every indication that he would be able to hit the ground running at Goodison Park.

That is a vast improvement on the one assist totalled by Elanga this term, so while the Swedish youngster may be a good long-term option, Everton should wait until at least the end of the season before attempting to sign him.

Journalist Dean Jones claims Southampton has been working to ‘identify the best candidate’ in the forward position before the January window closes.

The Lowdown: Saints make Sulemana bid

A report coming out of Ghana has claimed that Nathan Jones’ side has submitted a bid for Kamaldeen Sulemana of Rennes.

In addition, the French side is apparently ‘tempted’ to accept the offer made by the Premier League team, the fee is said to be around £17 million.

Sulemana tends to operate on the left wing, but the Ghanaian can also play on the right side and as a centre-forward if need be.

The Latest: A striker will come

Speaking to GiveMeSport, Jones tipped the Saints to get a new striker in before the window slams shut at the end of the month.

He said, “Manchester United signing Wout Weghorst, that’s really the sort of player that Southampton might have been looking at in a window like this if it was potentially available.

“You see other clubs throwing pretty big money players that seem reasonably risky. I know the list has been drawn up for Saints. They’ve been working through it to identify the best candidate, and I’m pretty sure that they will sign somebody.”

The Verdict: Proven striker needed ASAP

We believe that Southampton have a potential bright spark in the form of Sekou Mara, but they need to bring in an already-established striker into their ranks.

Earlier in the season, pundit Micah Richards was in awe of Mara’s assist against Brentford in a 2-2 draw. Speaking on Match Of The Day (via The Daily Echo), he described the Frenchman’s assist as ‘ridiculous’.

Mara is only 20-years-old and still has room to improve and develop. Che Adams and Adam Armstrong have proven to be immense goal-scorers in the Championship, but have never cut it consistently at Premier League level.

This is why we think that Jones needs to bring in an established forward into his sqaud, as not only would Mara potentially thrive learning off a more experienced striker, but Adams and Armstrong are both under the age of 27 and could benefit under the tutelage of a wise attacker.

Should Southampton stick with what they have upfront then it could be a total disaster for them, as they have the joint-fourth worst attack statistically in the league and currently sit bottom of the league.

Tottenham Hotspur’s pursuit of Jordan Pickford is ‘one to look out for’ in the summer, according to Sky Sports reporter Michael Bridge.

The Lowdown: Lloris past it?

Hugo Lloris has been a vital player for Tottenham since arriving at the club in 2012, making 442 appearances in a Spurs shirt, but he has recently received criticism for some poor performances.

Graeme Souness slammed the Frenchman after the New Year’s Day defeat to Aston Villa by declaring that he is ‘past his sell-by date’, while Jamie Carragher labelled him a ‘liability’ live on Sky Sports after the recent 4-2 defeat at Manchester City.

As such, the Lilywhites now appear to be thinking about a long-term replacement for the 36-year-old…

The Latest: Pickford in Levy’s sights

Speaking to GIVEMESPORT, Bridge claimed that Tottenham chairman Daniel Levy could capitalise on a poor season from Everton in order to sign Pickford.

The reporter said: “I think if Everton get relegated, Daniel Levy would like the England goalkeeper, maybe as an option. People throw names at me and I don’t think I’d rule anyone out at this stage, I think they will all be considered, so it’s one to look out for in the summer.”

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The Verdict: Get it done?

Hailed as ‘outstanding’ by Micky Gray, the 50-cap England international has usually shone for his country and was particularly impressive at Euro 2021, a tournament in which he picked up two more clean sheets than any other goalkeeper.

While Everton have had a very disappointing 2022/23 campaign, their ‘keeper has prevented them from finding themselves in an even more perilous position, displaying that he is a big-game player with an incredible performance against Liverpool in September.

The 28-year-old was handed a remarkable 9.2 match rating by Sofascore for a display in which he made a total of seven saves from inside the penalty box, helping to seal what could prove to be an important point at the end of the season.

Given his age, Pickford could be first choice between the sticks for several years to come, and if the Toffees are relegated, then a move to Tottenham is likely to be a very attractive proposition for him so that he can continue playing top-flight football.

West Ham missed out on signing Sheraldo Becker on transfer deadline day and the Union Berlin forward could have been the next Marko Arnautovic at the London Stadium.

Sky Germany’s Florian Plettenberg claimed that Becker received interest from both Everton and West Ham on deadline day but he later reported that the 27-year-old wanted to stay with the Bundesliga side after their sensational start to the 2022/23 campaign.

Urs Fischer’s side sit just one point behind Bayern Munich in the German top flight, with Becker key to their surprise title challenge so far this season with journalist Josh Bunting full of praise for the former Ajax man earlier in the season.

He tweeted: “Sheraldo Becker in this team just fits perfectly, not just clinical but he’s also creative.”

The Suriname international boasts an impressive seven goals and four assists in just 18 Bundesliga appearances, with WhoScored awarding him a superb 6.97 rating for his performances.

Considering no player in David Moyes’ squad has contributed to more than four goals in the Premier League so far this season, it is clear that Becker could have been a quality addition in the final third.

The Hammers are one of the lowest scorers in the division, as both Gianluca Scamacca and Michail Antonio have failed to live up to expectations so far this term, while new signing Danny Ings is set for a spell on the sidelines after picking up an injury on his debut.

With Moyes’ side undoubtedly in a relegation battle this season, with their woes in front of goal a huge factor for their poor form, it seems clear that the Hammers are missing a goalscoring forward such as Arnautovic, with the Austrian hitting 22 goals and 12 assists in 65 appearances for the east London outfit.

Coincidentally, according to FBref, the current Bologna forward is the third-most similar player to Becker when compared to other strikers from Europe’s top leagues.

This season has seen the two forwards register close stats with regard to goals per shot (0.23 vs 0.24), progressive passes (19 vs 22) and dribbles attempted (18 vs 17), with their ability to not only score but create and beat opponents being on a similar level.

Being clearly alike. West Ham may well end up regretting not bringing Becker to the London Stadium on deadline day.

West Brom want to offer manager Carlos Corberan a new contract in order to ‘fend off interest’ from Leeds United, according to a new report.

The Lowdown: Leeds eyeing Corberan

Over the weekend, the 39-year-old was linked with becoming the Whites’ next boss, with Jesse Marsch’s departure now confirmed.

It is a concerning update from a West Brom perspective, considering the impact Corberan has had since replacing Steve Bruce back in October.

He has turned the Baggies from relegation fodder to genuine promotion hopefuls, with his side now sitting sixth in the Championship after Friday’s 1-0 win at home to Coventry City.

The Latest: New deal incoming?

According to Football Insider, West Brom are ‘ready’ to offer Corberan a new contract at the club, as they aim to fight off Leeds.

The Baggies are believed to be ‘aware’ of the Premier League club’s interest in the Spaniard, who worked under Marcelo Bielsa during his time at Elland Road.

The Verdict: Would be a huge blow to lose him

It is imperative that West Brom keep hold of Corberan for as long as possible, considering the vast influence he has had since picking up the mess left by Bruce, being called a ‘genius’ by Romario Vieira.

He has won ten of his 13 league matches in charge at an average of 2.31 points per game  – they are third in the Championship form table in the last ten league outings – highlighting how big the turnaround has been.

Losing Corberan at this point in the season doesn’t bear thinking about and the hope is that he remains loyal to the club for at least the remainder of this season, and hopefully well beyond.