All posts by z3u9t.icu

Celtic have a chance to book a place in the final of the SFA Cup on Saturday as they face Aberdeen at Hampden Park in the semi-finals of the competition.

The Hoops turn their attention away from the Scottish Premiership, in which they currently sit top of the tree, for this clash with the Dons in Glasgow this weekend.

They won 3-0 against St Mirren in their last game, which came in the league, thanks to goals from Reo Hatate, Kyogo Furuhashi, and Adam Idah.

However, Brendan Rodgers could rotate his team and offer opportunities to other players to ensure that he makes the most of his squad ahead of the run-in to the end of the season.

Therefore, the Northern Irish head coach could make some changes to the starting XI that was selected against St Mirren last time out, and here is FFC's predicted Celtic lineup to take to the field on Saturday.

1 Joe Hart

Starting off between the sticks, Joe Hart has been the manager's first-choice throughout the season and should start once again in goal as he looks to cap off his playing career with another cup trophy.

2 Alistair Johnston

At right-back, Alistair Johnston should start and look to provide an attacking threat down the flank, as he has done in recent weeks with his superb crossing ability.

He has provided four assists in his last seven league appearances for Celtic and will be looking to supply the forwards with quality service into the box.

3 Cameron Carter-Vickers

Celtic's man mountain at the back, Cameron Carter-Vickers, should start and command the backline with his towering presence to the left of Johnston.

The USA international has won 69% of his duels across 21 appearances in the Premiership this season, which speaks to how dominant he is against opposition players in physical battles.

4 Maik Nawrocki

Former Legia Warsaw star Maik Nawrocki could be handed another opportunity to impress at the heart of the defence next to Carter-Vickers, after his start against St Mirren.

The Polish defender, who started in place of the injured Liam Scales, won five of his seven duels and completed 93% of his attempted passes in 64 minutes last time out.

5 Greg Taylor

Alexandro Bernabei's departure in March has left Greg Taylor as the only natural, senior, left-back option for Rodgers, which is why he should start once again against Aberdeen.

6 Callum McGregor

The first change to the starting XI could come at the base of the midfield, with captain Callum McGregor returning to the lineup to replace Tomoki Iwata.

Recently returning from an Achilles injury, the Scotland international could be selected for his leadership in the middle of the park for this big semi-final clash at Hampden.

Iwata also did his chances of retaining his place in the XI few favours against St Mirren as he lost three of his five duels, failed to create any chances, and made just one tackle with zero interceptions.

7 Paulo Bernardo

Another alteration to the lineup could come in midfield next to McGregor. Hatate, who scored last time out with a sumptuous outside the foot finish, is recently back from injury and could be rotated out for Paulo Bernardo.

The Portuguese midfielder, who is on loan from Benfica, has two goals and one assist in his last four appearances for club and country in all competitions.

He could, therefore, provide an attacking spark from midfield, to replace the Japan international, and that would allow Rodgers to give Hatate a rest, rather than overworking him after his calf injuries.

8 Matt O'Riley

Matt O'Riley should keep his place in the middle of the park as he has been a terrific performer for Celtic throughout the campaign and could be the match-winner.

The Denmark international has produced a stunning 13 goals and 11 assists in 32 Premiership appearances this season, which shows that the left-footed magician has the quality to cause huge problems for opposition defences with his quality as both a scorer and a creator of goals.

9 Nicolas Kuhn

On the right side of the attack, Nicolas Kuhn should keep his place in the starting XI as the January signing from Austrian side Rapid Wien has been in superb form of late.

The German winger has scored one goal, provided two assists, made 11 key passes, and created four 'big chances' in his last five appearances for the club in all competitions, and could look to be a creator for his team on Saturday.

10 Adam Idah

The third alteration to the lineup could come in the number nine position as Norwich City loanee Adam Idah could be selected ahead of Kyogo Furuhashi.

Idah, whose ability has been described as "incredible" by Rodgers, has produced two goals and one assist in his last three appearances off the bench for the Hoops, with goals against Rangers and St Mirren in the last two outings.

Whereas, Kyogo had one goal, zero assists, and three 'big chances' missed as a starter in those three matches, which suggests that the Bhoys could improve their team by dropping the Japanese forward to unleash the Ireland international in his place.

The 6 foot 3 centre-forward has scored seven goals and provided two assists in ten league outings for the Scottish giants so far, and could be handed the chance to fire Celtic to a cup final as a starter against Aberdeen on Saturday.

Glasgow Rangers have had their fair share of successes and failures in the transfer market over the years, as they have struck gold with bargain signings and wasted money on flops.

In recent years, the most notable success for the Light Blues was versatile defender Calvin Bassey, who enjoyed a fantastic time at Ibrox before being sold for a huge profit.

They signed him from Leicester City's academy for just £230k and went on to sell the Nigeria international, who played at centre-back and left-back, for just under £23m to Ajax in the summer of 2022.

Rangers making a big profit on transfers is not a new thing, though, and Claudio Reyna is evidence of that, as they hit the jackpot on the American star.

The fee Rangers paid for Claudio Reyna

The Herald reported that the Scottish giants paid a fee of more than £2m to snap up the midfield whiz from Bayer Leverkusen, whilst they also had to negotiate with Wolfsburg, where he was on loan, to get a deal over the line.

Reyna, whose son Gio currently plays for Nottingham Forest in the Premier League, arrived in Glasgow in the summer of 1999 off the back of two seasons on loan with Wolfsburg.

Appearances

28

20

Minutes played

2,304

1,000

Goals

4

2

Assists

2

2

Yellow cards

0

2

The American ace had, as you can see in the table above, played fairly regular football in one of Europe's major leagues over the past two years prior to his move to Ibrox.

This meant that Rangers were signing a player who had proven himself to be up to the standard of European football, having come over from America to join Leverkusen towards the start of his career in 1994.

Rangers hit the jackpot with Claudio Reyna

The Scottish giants hit the jackpot with Reyna as he enjoyed a successful time on the pitch in Glasgow before being sold for a big profit after less than three years at the club.

In January 2002, English Premier League side Sunderland swooped in to secure the Gers star's services for a fee of roughly £6m, per Totally Money.

As per Totally Money's index on the inflation of transfer fees over the years, that £6m fee would be worth more than £13m – £13.6m roughly – in today's (2024) money.

Rangers, therefore, made a big profit in actual money at the time and, looking back, they struck gold by landing a player who would be worth more than £13m in the current market.

The Black Cats made the move to sign the USA international after he had produced ten goals and one assist in 93 appearances in all competitions across two-and-a-half-years in Scotland.

Reyna also scored a famous goal past Italian legend Gianluigi Buffon, before he rose to prominence with Juventus, to knock UEFA Cup holders Parma out of the Champions League in the qualifying rounds in 1999.

Rangers are now close to signing a new "highly-rated" gem this summer

A journalist has been “told” that a deal could be close.

ByHenry Jackson May 7, 2024

The versatile midfielder, who could play in the middle of the park or on the right flank, won two Scottish Premiership titles and one Scottish Cup with the club.

Overall, Rangers hit the jackpot by landing a player who almost racked up 100 appearances in less than three seasons, contributed to three trophies, scored a famous goal in Europe, and was then sold on for a profit.

The Premier League title might still be out of their hands, but Arsenal put in a performance to be proud of on Sunday afternoon as they ran out 3-2 winners away to Tottenham Hotspur.

Mikel Arteta's men, seemingly intent on giving their fans heart attacks, came dangerously close to letting their three-goal lead slip in the second half, but a steely backs-to-the-wall performance saw them through. While things looked a little ropey in the end, their team deserves all the praise they are getting, especially Kai Havertz.

The German, once mocked by rival fans, is now one of the Gunners' most dangerous stars, and he showed that again on Sunday, putting in a performance that could spell trouble for another Arsenal ace.

Kai Havertz's performance vs Tottenham Hotspur

The yardstick often used to gauge how successful big-money signings are is how they perform in the biggest games, and after a week in which Havertz scored two goals against Chelsea and scored and assisted against Tottenham, it would be hard to describe his summer move as anything other than a success.

There is no more sure way of winning over the fans than putting in big performances against rivals, and it feels as if the former Bayer Leverkusen star has now firmly established himself as a fan favourite among the Arsenal faithful.

His display on Sunday impressed more than just his travelling support, though, as the Standard's Simon Collings gave the 24-year-old a 9/10 on the day, writing that he put in 'one of his best performances in an Arsenal shirt', an opinion that's hard to disagree with.

Minutes

96'

Goals

1

Assists

1

Shots on Target

1

Touches

46

Key Passes

2

Big Chances Created

1

Aerial Duels (Won)

10 (8)

Fouls Won

2

Clearances

4

Tackles

1

That said, if anyone needed any more convincing, they'd just have to take a look at the striker's numbers from the game. In his 96 minutes of action, the Aachen-born ace scored one goal, provided one assist, took 46 touches, made two key passes, created one big chance, eight out of ten aerial duels, won two fouls and made one tackle.

In all, it was a genuinely impressive showing from a player who had, up until this week, split opinion, and while he's likely cemented his place in the starting lineup for the season's remaining games, his brilliant form might just have signalled the beginning of the end for one of his teammates.

Havertz's excellent form is bad news for Gabriel Jesus

Yes, while Leandro Trossard was comfortably Arsenal's worst attacker on the day – picking up a 4/10 from Football FanCast for his efforts – the player who could be at risk of losing his spot in the team thanks to Havertz's form is Gabriel Jesus.

Now, the former Manchester City ace is an incredibly talented player and one who should be playing for a Champions League side – his record of 32 goals in 46 games in the competition is evidence enough of that – but his time as an Arsenal player may well be coming to a close, at least if the Gunners bring in another quality number nine in the summer, that is.

The North Londoners have been linked to a plethora of frontmen already this year, such as Ivan Toney, Viktor Gyokeres, Joshua Zirkzee, and Victor Osimhen. If they do bring any of them through the door in the summer, it seems incredibly unlikely that they would also keep both Jesus and Havertz.

So, with that in mind, how do the pair stack up with one another? Well, when it comes to pure output, it's the recent arrival who comes out ahead, with 13 goals and six assists in 48 appearances – 32 of which were in midfield – to the Brazilian's eight goals and seven assists in 33 appearances.

Non-Penalty Goals + Assists

0.51

0.61

Non-Penalty Goals

0.42

0.25

Assists

0.23

0.25

Progressive Carries

1.79

2.24

Progressive Passes

3.65

2.48

Goals per Shot on Target

0.46

0.21

Passing Accuracy

81.1%

78.4%

Shot-Creating Actions

3.43

3.47

Goal-Creating Actions

0.72

0.43

Miscontrols

1.83

3.66

Dispossessed

1.22

2.24

Ball Recoveries

4.22

3.48

Aerial Duels Won

3.35

0.93

What about their underlying numbers, then? Does the São Paulo-born ace come out on top there? Unfortunately for the 27-year-old, while he comes out better in certain metrics such as non-penalty expected goals and assists, progressive carries and assists all per 90, he is once again second-best overall, per FBref.

For example, while the "magnificent" German, as described by talent scout Jacek Kulig, registers a lower non-penalty expected goal and assists figure, he scores more often, produces more progressive passes, has a far better goal-to-shots-on-target ratio, maintains a better passing accuracy, produces more goal-creating actions, recovers more balls and wins far more aerial duels, all per 90.

Ultimately, while Jesus is an undeniably gifted forward, if Arsenal can get anywhere near his €80m – £68m – valuation from the CIES Football Observatory this summer, they should consider selling him as if another striker is signed, it seems unlikely that he would be able to displace them and Havertz as well.

Arteta could instantly drop Arsenal ace who won just 1/10 duels v Spurs

It wasn’t the best day at the office for the experienced international.

ByJack Salveson Holmes Apr 29, 2024

It's been another Premier League season to remember for Arsenal this year, as with just one game to go, they're in with a real chance of winning the title.

However, with the campaign almost at an end, Mikel Arteta and Edu Gaspar must start preparing for next year and, with Kai Havertz now the team's established number nine, Gabriel Jesus could well be on the way out.

The Brazilian marksman hasn't had the best of seasons, and based on recent reports, the club could be in close communication with a player who could replace him in the squad.

Arsenal transfer news

According to a recent report from transfers expert Fabrizio Romano, Elvis Basanovic, the agent of Slovenian striker Benjamin Šeško, was present at Old Trafford on Sunday afternoon to watch the Gunners beat the Red Devils 1-0, and based on another report from the Standard, both teams are keen to bring the forward to England in the summer.

The Standard's report revealed that RB Leipzig, the team he joined last summer, has placed a €50m – £43m – release clause in his contract that will activate at the end of the summer, meaning he is genuinely attainable for both sides.

Cross-city rivals Chelsea and Newcastle United were also mentioned as interested parties in the article, but following Sunday's game, it would appear that Arsenal and United are at the forefront of the race.

It would likely be a challenging deal to get done and one that would still cost a pretty penny, but following an impressive year in Germany, it's one Edu and Co should pursue, especially as Jesus has been poor in front of goal this year.

How Šeško compares to Jesus

So, with Havertz looking like he'll remain the Gunners' preferred number nine until the end of the season and potentially into next year, the player we should be comparing Šeško to is Jesus, especially after reports at the start of the month revealed that the North Londoners could be open to selling him in the summer.

With that said, when looking at the pair's pure output this season, the "prolific" Leipzig ace, as described by talent scout Jacek Kulig, just about comes out ahead of the Brazilian, racking up 17 goals and two assists in 41 appearances, or just 1966 minutes, meaning he is currently averaging a goal involvement every 103 minutes.

In comparison, the former Manchester City star has scored eight goals and provided eight assists in 35 games, or 1897 minutes, meaning he is averaging a goal involvement every 118 minutes.

Appearances

41

35

Goals

17

8

Assists

2

8

Goal Involvements per Match

0.46

0.45

What about their striker-relevant underlying numbers, then? Does the Slovenian come out ahead there as well?

Well, while it's not a total landslide, the former Salzburg gem once again comes out ahead overall as while he produces a lower non-penalty expected goal and assist figure, takes fewer shots and produces fewer shot-creating actions per 90, he scores more goals, is far more clinical with his shots, takes more shots on target, produces more goal-creating actions and wins far more aerial duels per 90.

Non-Penalty Expected Goals + Assists

0.54

0.61

Non-Penalty Goals

0.81

0.25

Assists

0.12

0.21

Shots

2.76

3.32

Goals per Shot

0.30

0.07

Shots on Target

1.44

1.17

Goals per Shot on Target

0.57

0.21

Shot-Creating Actions

2.19

3.50

Goal-Creating Actions

0.50

0.49

Aerial Duels Won

2.31

0.92

Ultimately, while Jesus is a highly talented player and arguably a more complete all-around attacker, the players' pure output and underlying numbers make it crystal clear that when it comes to who is the better out-and-out goalscorer, the only answer is Sesko.

So if Arsenal have a chance to bring him to the Emirates in the summer, they must take it.

Arsenal must axe "phenomenal" fan favourite who earns more than Trossard

Despite his hefty wages, the talented ace doesn’t have a future at the Emirates.

ByJack Salveson Holmes May 14, 2024

On Sunday the curtain came down on another enthralling Premier League season. This one was special for a number of reasons.

The title may have been wrapped up within 90 seconds at the weekend, Phil Foden crunching home a ridiculous effort from outside of the box but the chase for league supremacy between Manchester City and Arsenal was a joyful ride.

City eventually prevailed by a margin of two points, much to the dismay of Mikel Arteta's side but they will be back next year, ready and waiting to topple Pep Guardiola.

There was also one last dance for Jurgen Klopp. It was back in January that the German announced he'd be stepping down from the Anfield hotseat but it wasn't until his final match, a 2-0 victory against Wolves, that the emotion truly began to pour out.

Doubters to believers: A tribute to Liverpool's Jurgen Klopp

Anfield will say goodbye to its esteemed manager after nine years of every emotion imaginable.

ByAngus Sinclair May 19, 2024

There wasn't a dry eye in the house. Klopp and Virgil van Dijk embraced warmly, Trent Alexander-Arnold couldn't hold back the tears. It's just a shame they fell out of the title race with a few matches left to play.

So, who deserves the plaudits from a captivating campaign of action? Well, Football FanCast's expert writing team have had their say and here's who we thought was deserving in each category.

FFC's 2023/34 Premier League award winners

FFC also put together their Team of the Season which included a few notable omissions, particularly Golden Boot winner Erling Haaland, Arsenal's effervescent Bukayo Saka and the aforementioned Van Dijk.

So why did they miss out? We have our reasoning. Read on to find out…

1 GK – David Raya Arsenal

Arsenal's goalkeeper position was a cause for great debate at the start of the season. Aaron Ramsdale hadn't done an awful lot wrong but Arteta sought to usurp him, bringing in Brentford stopper David Raya on loan.

The end result? A Golden Glove for the Spaniard who has been nothing short of exceptional between the sticks. His record of 16 clean sheets in 32 league outings isn't a bad tally, is it?

Games

32

Minutes Played

2,880

Clean Sheets

16

Stats via Transfermarkt.

2 RB – Ben White Arsenal

What a campaign this was for the £50m signing. He has undeniably been the best right-back in the division and even if his refusal of an England call-up caused a bit of a stir, there is no doubting his quality.

A centre-back turned full-back, his relentless approach alongside Saka on Arsenal's right-hand side was a joy to watch. He's become a true marauder, timing his runs to absolute perfection in the final third.

Games

37

Minutes Played

2,994

Goals

4

Assists

4

Stats via Transfermarkt.

3 RCB – William Saliba Arsenal

Three Arsenal players in a row, you say? It's hard to ignore just how good the club's defence was this season. They conceded just 29 goals in the Premier League, the best record in the division and had the third-best expected goals against (xGA) tally in all of Europe's top five leagues, only behind Juventus and unbeaten Bayer Leverkusen.

A large part of that was down to William Saliba who ended up playing every single minute of the campaign on his way to being nominated for the Young Player of the Season award.

Games

38

Minutes Played

3,420

Goals

2

Assists

1

Stats via Transfermarkt.

4 LCB – Gabriel Arsenal

Let's continue the Arsenal trend. Saliba is the man who often takes the plaudits but Brazilian centre-back, Gabriel, deserves his flowers too.

Bizarrely he didn't start the first few matches of the season but since then has made the position his own again. Jamie Carragher said last week: "I think if this partnership stays together for the next three to four years, we are talking about this alongside Ferdinand and Vidic, Carvalho and John Terry."

We couldn't really go with any other two players, could we?

Games

36

Minutes Played

3,044

Goals

4

Assists

0

Stats via Transfermarkt.

5 LB – Josko Gvardiol Manchester City

Now, this was probably the hardest position on the pitch to select. Plenty of our writers voted for Tottenham's Destiny Udogie but it was Josko Gvardiol who just edged things, largely for his remarkable end to the campaign during the title run-in.

The Croatian scored four goals and registered two assists in his last seven outings. Pretty decent numbers for a defender, we'd say.

Games

28

Minutes Played

2,329

Goals

4

Assists

2

Stats via Transfermarkt.

6 CDM – Rodri Manchester City

What a player the Spaniard is. He led the charge again for City and only missed one match when he wasn't ruled out through suspension.

Rodri even added goals to his game this season, ending the league campaign with eight having found the net on the final day of the campaign.

Also assisting nine goals, it was a pretty special campaign for a player who is the best in the world in his position.

Games

34

Minutes Played

2,938

Goals

8

Assists

9

Stats via Transfermarkt.

7 RCM – Martin Odegaard Arsenal

The Norwegian received plenty of votes for Player of the Season from FFC's panel of writers but just missed out after a scintillating season in the middle of the park.

Martin Odegaard closed out the term with two assists against Everton on the final day to outline his qualities as one of the best creators in the division. Only Cole Palmer and Ollie Watkins registered more assists than the Arsenal skipper's ten, but more on them later.

Games

35

Minutes Played

3,104

Goals

8

Assists

10

Stats via Transfermarkt.

8 LCM – Declan Rice Arsenal

Arsenal weren't just battling City during the season but they also slugged it out the signing of Declan Rice last summer.

The former West Ham man eventually moved to the Emirates Stadium for £105m where he has been nothing short of a revelation. Like Rodri, he's added more attacking numbers to his game and celebrated the best offensive season of his career.

Games

38

Minutes Played

3,231

Goals

7

Assists

9

Stats via Transfermarkt.

9 RW – Cole Palmer Chelsea

Man City may have won the title but they will surely have regrets over the departure of Cole Palmer, the man who was voted FFC's Signing of the Season.

No one expected his career to soar like it has but what a campaign it was for a man who finished second in the running for the Golden Boot. He surely has to be a shoo-in for a place in the Euros squad this summer.

Games

34

Minutes Played

2,628

Goals

22

Assists

11

Stats via Transfermarkt.

10 LW – Phil Foden Manchester City

The official Premier League Player of the Season confirmed himself as one of the most elite talents in the world throughout 2023/24, scoring a staggering 27 goals and supplying 11 assists in all competitions.

With him and Jude Bellingham in the same squad this summer, there is surely no reason England cannot with the Euros.

Signing off with two goals on the final day as City won the title, there were few better players around than Foden this season.

Games

35

Minutes Played

2,870

Goals

19

Assists

8

Stats via Transfermarkt.

Ipswich Town won't want to walk into the Premier League and be completely overwhelmed with the task at hand. Instead, they'll want to continue hanging onto the wave of their unbelievable success to try and stave off relegation.

New incomings through the door will boost their chances of not succumbing immediately to dropping straight back down to the Championship, with the likes of Armando Broja and Eddie Nketiah being linked with switches to the Premier League new boys to add some quality here and there.

There could even be a new signing between the sticks at Portman Road this summer for Ipswich fans to look out for, with the target in question once fancied for a surprise England call-up by Gareth Southgate, when an injury crisis struck the goalkeeper department for the Three Lions.

Ipswich looking at "incredible" new goalkeeper

Journalist Darren Witcoop has recently stated that Ipswich are monitoring the manager situation at Brighton and Hove Albion when going after young Seagulls shot-stopper Carl Rushworth, with a new manager on the South Coast potentially taking a fancy to the 22-year-old 'keeper.

Excelling out on loan in both League One and in the Championship with Lincoln City and Swansea City, with Swans manager Luke Williams labelling Rushworth as "incredible" for his efforts last season, the current Brighton reserve figure has dazzled in the second-tier and in the third-tier with his distribution out from the back catching the eye as much as his shot-stopping ability.

His now former Welsh employers did want to keep Rushworth past his prior golden loan stint, after playing every single minute of action he could in the Championship, but that looks unlikely especially with such fervent interest from the league above.

How Rushworth would suit McKenna's Ipswich

Rushworth could also be perfect for the style of play McKenna likes his Ipswich sides to play, with calm and measured play out from the back before springing into life in attack normally on the menu, as the Tractor Boys look to tweak subtly all over the pitch to deal with the step-up.

Ipswich will know they will need to shut up shop more in the division above having still been a leaky team even during their promotion heroics, shipping 57 goals compared to Leicester's 41 sitting at the top of the tree, and Rushworth could be the answer.

Although he kept only ten clean sheets in total for the Swans, the highly-regarded 22-year-old managed to prevent 4.02 goals from rippling the back of his net across the full season, with a staggering 143 saves notched up across all 46 of his second-tier clashes.

Games played

46

46

Clean sheets

10

14

Goals conceded

65

57

Goals conceded per game

1.4

1.2

Saves per game

3.1

2.5

Saves made all season

143

115

Goals prevented

+4.02

-2.93

Accurate passes per game (own half)

28.3

28.3

Stats by Sofascore

Making more overall saves this season than current Ipswich number one Hladky, alongside being more alert in preventing goals from squirming in, Rushworth's rise up the EFL could now culminate, much like Ipswich's, in an opportunity to test himself in the bright lights of the top division.

Hladky will feel slightly aggrieved, having been a consistent starter for Ipswich last campaign, but Rushworth's confidence and assuredness on the ball, alongside his age being 22 contrasted with the Czech keeper being 33 years of age, could mean he's a more trusted long-term option to persist with.

McKenna might well make calls that don't go down well with the entire fanbase, but with Rushworth succeeding at every level he's played at so far in the EFL, he could pass his upcoming Premier League assessment with flying colours if secured.

Ipswich could sign Davis rival in forgotten "special" talent

Ipswich Town would certainly keep Leif Davis on his toes by signing this gem.

ByKelan Sarson Jun 3, 2024

Liverpool have reportedly made contact with a summer target who could cost over £100m this summer, as Michael Edwards weighs up what would be a statement signing in the coming months.

Liverpool transfer news

With a new era underway under Arne Slot and Edwards in a higher role than ever, it could be a busy summer for Liverpool. The Reds showed glimpses of what their new project is capable of last season, winning the Carabao Cup and finishing third in the Premier League after falling away in the title race late on. Now, it is up to Slot to pick up where Jurgen Klopp left off, perhaps using the transfer window to do just that.

Liverpool enquire over Bellingham 2.0 who's “destined for elite football”

Arne Slot could turn this talented teenager into a real world-beater.

ByAngus Sinclair Jun 7, 2024

The reports have already been flooding in with a number of names linked with an Anfield move this summer, whether that's Rodrygo, Leny Yoro or Johan Bakayoko. But it remains to be seen just how they will splash the cash in the transfer window, as Slot looks to shape the current squad away from Klopp's vision and into his own. With that said, it's clear that one player would help do exactly that.

According to Graeme Bailey for HITC, Liverpool have made contact with Joao Neves over a potential move this summer, but are set to be priced out of a move for the midfielder by his £102m release clause at Benfica. Interested alongside Manchester United and Arsenal, Liverpool and their Premier League rivals would have been hoping to see room for negotiation appear, alas the Portuguese side are seemingly set to remain firm on Neves' release clause.

Under the same agency as Darwin Nunez and Diogo Jota, the Reds may have found a small advantage in personal negotiations with the young defensive midfielder, but any such talks will be on hold unless they trigger his hefty release clause.

"Excellent" Neves could replace Endo

As solid as Wataru Endo has been since arriving at Liverpool, in a welcome surprise for all those at Anfield, the Japan international is already 31 years old and the Reds need a long-term solution in the form of Neves. Whilst they currently remain unwilling to trigger his release clause, Liverpool shouldn't let such a talent fall into the hands of Premier League arrivals, especially when they arguably need a player of his calibre for years to come.

Progressive Carries

43

10

Progressive Passes

171

101

Tackles Won

53

28

Ball Recoveries

212

108

The 19-year-old enjoyed an excellent season at Benfica and is only likely to get even better from here, with his work on and off the ball exceeding that of Endo's.

What's more, Liverpool would be getting one over on rivals Manchester United if they pulled off a U-turn and triggered Neves' release clause, especially after he received the approval of Red Devils captain Bruno Fernandes.

Fernandes told SportTV via HITC: "I don’t know if United rumours are true. But I know he is ready for that big jump. He is an excellent player. He’s with the National team, that’s also why the big clubs are after him.”

Chelsea and Todd Boehly could now sell an attacking player who they signed just last year, as the west Londoners look to trim Enzo Maresca's squad, bolster his transfer kitty and back their new manager with fresh faces.

Players who Chelsea could sell this summer

In a boost for co-sporting directors Laurence Stewart and Paul Winstanley, who are set to oversee Chelsea's recruitment drive in the next few weeks, it is now believed they do not have to sell players by June 30.

£65m striker would love to join Chelsea instead after Benjamin Sesko twist

He scored 21 goals last season.

ByEmilio Galantini Jun 12, 2024

The consensus was that Chelsea were under pressure to agree sales by that date, or risk sanctions, as doubts surrounded their ability to adhere to PSR's limit of making a £105 million loss over a rolling three-year period.

Sky Sports recently claimed that Chelsea don't need to sell players this month to comply with PSR, and will instead need to sell for the 2024/2025 cut off next year, but there is plenty of time before that deadline.

Moises Caicedo

£115 million

Enzo Fernandez

£107 million

Mykhalo Mudryk

£88 million

Wesley Fofana

£72 million

Marc Cucurella

£58 million

While this comes as good news, there are still many members of Maresca's squad who could be shown the exit door. Indeed, Romelu Lukaku, Armando Broja, Conor Gallagher, Malang Sarr, Kepa Arrizabalaga, Trevoh Chalobah, Ian Maatsen, Omari Hutchinson and Conor Gallagher have all been named as players who Chelsea could sell this summer.

This comes as Fabrizio Romano says that Chelsea are set for a busy summer, and could bring in multiple key signings across many areas of the team.

"It will continue to be a busy summer at Chelsea," said Romano on Chelsea's transfer plans after bringing in Maresca to replace Pochettino.

"It won’t be completely crazy but they will try to make smart things happen, including a new goalkeeper and I expect them to try for at least one new centre-back, but it could be two. I also expect Chelsea to be busy with the striker position."

The Blues will need funding, as they look to comply with PSR for next year, certain players will need to be off the books. A potentially surprising new candidate for the exit door, though, is David Datro Fofana.

The Ivory Coast international only joined from Molde in January 2023, spending last season on loan at Burnley and scoring four goals in 15 appearances.

Fofana could now leave Chelsea this summer

According to The Athletic, Fofana could be on his way out of Chelsea this summer, and it is believed they wish to attract offers for the 21-year-old. The forward, despite impressing in parts during his time at Turf Moor, did attract some criticism from Vincent Kompany.

“He can still get better,” Kompany said of Fofana after a win over Brentford. “That’s what we want to do with him because he scored one but he could have scored two or three. For probably 45 minutes he gave us what we needed defensively, but the other 45 minutes he could have done more."

Aston Villa have successfully circumvented breaking Premier League profit and sustainability (PSR) rules and now look set to to bolster their Champions League-qualified squad.

Of course, Unai Emery and Monchi haven't exactly been shiftless over these recent weeks, with moves made to sign Ross Barkley and Chelsea's Ian Maatsen. Moreover, the regrettable sale of Douglas Luiz to Juventus, to counter PSR, included the signing of Enzo Barrenechea and Samuel Iling-Junior in the opposite direction.

Villa will look to send some deadweight packing this summer and this could include either or both left-backs Lucas Digne and Alex Moreno, but Maatsen would need some support and an experienced head has been lined up.

Aston Villa transfer news

According to Spanish sources, Aston Villa are set to tussle with Manchester United for the signing of Reinildo Mandava, who has one year remaining on his contract with Atletico Madrid.

The versatile defender, aged 30, has displayed remarkable powers of recovery to return from an ACL injury suffered at the start of 2023, playing a starring role in Diego Simeone's side's exploits over the past several months.

The Mozambique international could be available for just £8m, with his robust style of play making him the perfect player to add depth and dynamism to the Villa Park backline.

Why Villa are interested in Reinaldo

The Athletic's David Ornstein might have allayed fears of a points deduction or detrimental restrictions on spending after the shrewd business of recent weeks, but Villa are certainly not out of the woods.

Digne, for example, is being considered for a transfer away, one of the club's highest earners and probably going to be replaced as the No. 1 left-back by Maatsen.

1.

Boubacar Kamara

£150k-per-week

1.

Youri Tielemans

£150k-per-week

3.

Ollie Watkins

£130k-per-week

3.

Moussa Diaby

£130k-per-week

5.

Lucas Digne

£120k-per-week

5.

Leon Bailey

£120k-per-week

5.

John McGinn

£120k-per-week

5.

Emi Martinez

£120k-per-week

Reinildo, despite missing the first half of the 2023/24 campaign, indeed impressed with his athleticism and sharp defensive involvements, ranking among the top 9% of positional peers across Europe's top five leagues over the past year for shot-creating actions, the top 1% for tackles and successful take-ons and the top 8% for progressive carries per 90, as per FBref.

Furthermore, the 30-year-old won 66% of his ground duels in La Liga last term. Digne, in comparison, won only 53% of his contested ground duels.

Reinildo is a true "gladiator" – as has been said by talent scout Jacek Kulig – and would offer the kind of dynamic alternative to a player like Maatsen, whose tactical flexibility and high-level technical quality marks him as the first choice, though he too is perhaps not quite so formidable in the tackle, winning only 50% of his ground duels last season while on loan from Chelsea at Borussia Dortmund.

Having showcased himself to be a dynamic and capable defender with impressive creativity and a combative sheen, Reinildo would be an absolute bargain at £8m, and given Digne's exorbitant wage and stuttering form, it might be wise to ship the Frenchman on.

Aston Villa struck gold on Smith signing who's worth £33m more than Luiz

He was one of the Premier League’s best players last season.

ByAngus Sinclair Jun 28, 2024

Aston Villa have signed Samuel Iling-Junior and Enzo Barrenechea from Juventus, a talented and rising duo with big claims for prominent roles on the wing and at the base of the midfield respectively.

What's the catch? Douglas Luiz, Unai Emery's midfield general, has been snatched from Villan clutches, signing for Juve to placate PSR and prevent a Premier League points deduction on the eve of the most gripping campaign in the club's modern history.

All told, Villa Park deserves credit for weaving around a potentially ruinous situation. Luiz was the linchpin in the centre but positive recruitment will see the loss countered.

While the PSR deadline has come and gone and Villa are understood to have done enough to avoid the clamping jaws, further outgoings may be required, with Tottenham Hotspur keen on signing homegrown talent Jacob Ramsey; albeit, there is a reluctance to authorise the 23-year-old's sale.

If such a scenario occurs, Emery and Monchi might just have found the perfect replacement.

Aston Villa transfer news

According to SportBILD – via Sport Witness – Aston Villa are leading the race for FSV Mainz teenager Brajan Gruda, despite interest from Liverpool and Newcastle United.

Gruda enjoyed an impressive breakout year in the German Bundesliga and is swaying toward an exit after hearing of such high-profile intrigue.

With a host of German outfits also taking note and Gruda not having a release clause inserted in his contract, Mainz are looking for €50m (£42m) to swallow his departure, aged only 20 and with so much dizzying potential.

Brajan Gruda's 23/24 season in numbers

Playing with unfettered joy and a swagger that speaks of his confidence in his qualities, Gruda is a nimble and slippery attacking midfielder with positional flexibility that has seen him operate across the frontline, even featuring in a deep-lying midfield role on occasion.

While Gruda only scored four goals and added three assists for Mainz last season, he did so with the gliding gait and breezy assuredness of a player who recognises their skill set, influencing and improving his team's play.

Moreover, given that he'd spent the previous campaign playing for the juniors, there's no question that Gruda is on the fast track to stardom, with interest from some of Europe's top outfits bearing testament to his rise.

Some might claim that Gruda, with mere tentative steps taken into his professional career, would be best placed remaining in his homeland with Mainz for the next year or two, but he proved that he has attributes to call real danger to even the most formidable of opposition, and with the sharks circling this might mark an attractive opportunity that may be rued if not acted upon.

What Brajan Gruda would bring to Aston Villa

So young, so untested, Gruda was not called up to Julian Nagelsmann's squad for Euro 2024 but he was invited to aid preparations, such is his potential and such is the quality of his skill set.

As per FBref, the versatile star ranked among the top 8% of attacking midfielders and wingers during the 2023/24 Bundesliga campaign for shot-creating actions, the top 4% for progressive carries and the top 5% for successful take-ons per 90, highlighting his elite progression and playmaking ability.

A marvel with his close control, shuffling style and eagle-eyed vision, Gruda – the possessor of a "monstrous left foot" – has the trappings of an elite-level creator down the line, and he would make a real difference to Aston Villa's first team.

He might not have the same level of raw speed as Nico Williams, another top Villan target to strengthen the flanks, but he sure does boast some similarities that speak further of his suitability to Emery's system.

1.

Takefusa Kubo

Real Sociedad

2.

Nico Williams

Athletic Bilbao

3.

Samuel Chukwueze

AC Milan

4.

Edon Zhegrova

LOSC Lille

5.

Mykhaylo Mudryk

Chelsea

Williams was in electric form for Athletic Bilbao last term, instrumental in the Basque team's triumphant Copa del Rey campaign, totalling an impressive haul of eight goals and 19 assists across all competitions.

The Spain international ranks among the top 2% of attacking midfielders and wingers across Europe's top five leagues over the past year for assists, the top 7% for progressive carries and the top 6% for successful take-ons per 90.

Williams, admittedly, is performing at a higher level, since being called up to Spain's national team and proving to be one of the tournament's standout performers at Euro 2024, but then Gruda truly has a bunch of skills that would make him an excellent alternative.

Matches played

28

31

Matches started

19

29

Goals

4

5

Assists

3

11

Pass completion

71%

79%

Big chances created

9

10

Key passes per game

1.5

1.5

Ball recoveries per game

3.5

4.2

Dribbles per game

2.5 (52%)

2.8 (48%)

Duels won per game

5.5 (46%)

5.2 (46%)

Football Insider report that Villa are tussling with Tottenham Hotspur for the 21-year-old winger's signature, having failed with a concerted approach in January 2023.

One thing is for certain: Aston Villa are on the rise and are now in a position to sign some of Europe's foremost talents to continue Emery's exciting project. Williams is a hot prospect, however, and signing him will be tough.

Luckily, with Gruda profiled extensively, the Midlands club could seal an impressive signing to lift them to the next level.

Jack Grealish repeat: Important Aston Villa star could leave for PL club

Another of Aston Villa’s finest academy graduates could depart.

ByJoe Nuttall Jul 4, 2024