All posts by h716a5.icu

This has been a bitterly frustrating campaign for Tottenham attacker Heung-min Son.

The South Korean is usually an effervescent character sporting a cheeky grin and dazzling footballing ability but that has seldom been seen in 2022/23.

After the first game of 2023, Son has only found the net on three occasions in the Premier League, a shoddy record for someone usually so dangerous in the final third.

Indeed, the 30-year-old beat the goalkeeper a whopping 24 times last term, a tally that saw him recognised as one of the most difficult players to deal with in the entire English top flight.

Unfortunately, his powers have dwindled significantly under Antonio Conte this season, a fact that was on show in the club’s 2-0 defeat to Aston Villa on New Years’ day.

Son did his best to make things happen but ultimately he was incredibly wasteful, with the tone very much being set for his afternoon in the first half.

He exchanged passes on the edge of the area but overhit a simple ball towards Harry Kane that would have presented the Englishman with a simple finish from close range.

Despite that lapse in judgement, it was still perhaps the brightest spark for the attacker in a game where his threat was severely restricted.

Towards the end of the encounter, Sky Sports’ lead commentator claimed it has been a “dreadfully disappointing” afternoon for the South Korea international, criticism that was certainly warranted.

Son currently looks a shadow of his former self, having managed just two shots in the match that amounted to a dreadful xG of 0.06.

It was his creativity that was the worst aspect of his game on Sunday, though, with the Spurs number 7 failing to come up with the goods that Kane desperately needed.

He played just one key pass and was successful with only one of his seven crosses during the 90 minutes.

Although the former Bayer Leverkusen man was fouled three times, he ultimately lost possession 16 times throughout, a statistic that is rather damning even for a player who runs with the ball as often as he does.

Now with no goal in his last eight league outings, it is time for the £44m-rated wide man to turn around his form otherwise Conte’s men will be left behind in the race for a Champions League spot. As such, they cannot continue to carry an underperforming asset. He needs to start performing and soon.

Glasgow Rangers manager Michael Beale has enjoyed life back in Glasgow since the resumption of the Premiership season.

Four wins from four have given the Ibrox side some confidence as they head into 2023, but the performances haven’t quite been as free-flowing as the manager would have liked.

There have been positives, however, with the character shown to come back from a two-goal deficit twice in six days more than what was put on display under Giovanni van Bronckhorst.

His biggest challenge comes tomorrow, with Old Firm rivals Celtic arriving at Ibrox for what could be the most important match of the season so far. A win and the club will move to just six points behind Celtic, but a defeat and Beale can all but say cheerio to claiming the league title this season.

He must unleash his best players, and Alfredo Morelos deserves a chance to feature from the beginning.

On the chalkboard

The Colombian striker has looked rejuvenated under Beale recently, scoring against Hibernian and Motherwell in the previous two weeks and he certainly looks like he has something to prove.

The 26-year-old famously failed to score in his first 14 appearances against Celtic, but he finally broke the duck against them in the 2020/2021 season, netting two goals as the club strolled to the league title.

Morelos was described by former Premiership player – who wished to remain anonymous – as “a nightmare for defenders” while Jordan Campbell once dubbed the £33k-per-week hitman “lethal” and if Rangers wish to gain all three points against their rivals on Monday, they need these qualities to be in full flow from the striker.

Antonio Colak was in fine form before the World Cup break, scoring 14 goals for the club, however, he has not played under Beale due to an injury and it is highly unlikely that he will be thrust into the starting XI for such an important match having not played since November.

This means the 42-year-old must unleash Morelos and hope that he can rediscover the form he displayed against Celtic two seasons ago, where he finally got the monkey off his back and scored twice.

If he turns up, Celtic could be in for a long afternoon, but the rest of the Rangers side will need to be operating at 100% too, otherwise, it could be a repeat of September when the Light Blues lost 4-0.

Everton have reportedly made a move to bolster their wide options this January…

What’s the latest?

That’s according to French outfit Foot Mercato, who claim that the Toffees have already made a bid for FC Lorient winger Dango Ouattara.

The forward has had an impressive start to his Ligue 1 season, and as such spurred the Merseysiders into a €20m (£17.5m) move.

It’s now thought that the Toffees are locked in further negotiations over a transfer.

Save their season

It is no secret that Frank Lampard’s side have struggled in front of goal this season.

The continued injury issues of Dominic Calvert-Lewin have left a toothless Neal Maupay to lead the line alone, with his wide men offering little to ease their woes.

As such, they have scored just 14 times in 18 Premier League games and currently sit in the relegation zone.

In an effort to save their season, more firepower must be added in all areas, and therefore they must uphold their pursuit of this dynamic attacker.

Ouattara has enjoyed a fine season thus far, having scored five and assisted a further five in just 16 league appearances.

That led the Twitter account OptaJean to label him as part of an “elite” group of players involved in the most goals across Europe’s top five leagues. There, he was listed alongside the likes of Neymar, Lionel Messi, Erling Haaland and Robert Lewandowski.

His goal contributions actually dwarf the attacking output of Anthony Gordon, Demarai Gray and Dwight McNeil put together in the Premier League (nine); a damning assessment of the offensive fragility they are faced with.

However, with Calvert-Lewin having now featured in the last two games, there is a quiet belief that he may be starting to recapture his fitness.

If so, that makes upgrading the three aforementioned wingers even more imperative.

What would also make the Burkina Faso international a fan favourite at Goodison Park is his work rate, as he combines pace, power and trickery with a workmanlike attitude.

As such, the 20-year-old ranks in the top 4% for tackles and the top 1% for interceptions for positionally similar players in Europe’s top five leagues per FB Ref, as well as winning 2.09 aerials per game too.

He boasts all the attributes to be an instant success for Everton, and with negotiations ongoing, there will be hope that this is a deal that can be done in time for either of the upcoming Southampton and West Ham United games.

Presenter Chris Hamill believes that if Newcastle United could sell Allan Saint-Maximin and sign James Maddison, it would be ‘tremendous business’.

The Lowdown: Saint-Maximin’s future unclear

Saint-Maximin was certainly missed on Saturday night as Newcastle crashed out of the FA Cup, with the French winger not well enough to play, although Eddie Howe admitted he would have indeed started if that hadn’t been the case.

The winger was tipped with a move over the summer, with Tottenham Hotspur said to be admirers of the Frenchman, but with just four league starts under his belt this season, this month could be another one where he’s linked away.

Meanwhile, Newcastle have long been linked with a move for Maddison having lodged two bids over the summer, and the sale of Saint-Maximin could help the Magpies fund a blockbuster move for the England international.

The Latest: Maddison deal could be funded by Saint-Maximin sale

Hamill has been speaking on the Football Daily YouTube channel about how getting rid of Saint-Maximin to bring Maddison in could prove to be a solid decision if PIF can find a suitor for the Toon winger.

He said: “I don’t think Saint-Maximin’s going to be happy to sit on the bench, and he’s one of those players that I think you could probably get £30m for from an Everton, or someone who’s desperate for a bit of ball progression in their side.

“If you could fund the move for James Maddison by selling Saint-Maximin, even at half or three-quarters [of that], I think that’s tremendous business.”

[web_stories_embed url=”https://www.footballtransfertavern.com/web-stories/newcastle-news-7/” title=”Newcastle news!” poster=”” width=”360″ height=”600″ align=”none”]

The Verdict: Could be time for an attacking change

Prior to PIF buying Newcastle and Eddie Howe taking charge on Tyneside, the Magpies were so reliant on Saint-Maximin and the team usually struggled if he failed to perform, as former player Ryan Taylor previously alluded to when Steve Bruce was still in charge.

However, Howe has now sparked life into players such as Miguel Almiron and Joelinton, while also bringing in players such as Bruno Guimaraes and Kieran Trippier, which has seen Saint-Maximin’s influence dwindle in recent times.

Therefore, if Saint-Maximin is not going to be happy with cameo roles for the foreseeable future, it could be best to cash in on the winger when an appropriate offer arrives, as it would allow Howe to bring in someone who he believes will fit the system – and Maddison appears to be someone who could fit that mould, as two bids wouldn’t have been lodged last summer, otherwise.

Leeds United have edged a ‘step closer’ to signing goalkeeper Senne Lammens in the January transfer market, according to reports.

What’s the word?

As per the Express, the Whites are keen on signing the 20-year-old so he could provide a backup option in the squad to current number one Illan Meslier.

The report adds that their hopes of bringing Lammens to the Premier League had been handed a boost as his current side Club Brugge have just signed Joe Bursik.

Indeed, the England under-21s shot-stopper has just signed a four-and-a-half-year contract in Belgium after agreeing to a winter switch. This should now open the door for Leeds to make a move for the club’s other young goalkeeper.

The story added: “Lammens is free to negotiate with foreign clubs this January as his contract expires at the end of the season. The 20-year-old is unlikely to sign a new deal with Brugge and has been linked with a Premier League switch.”

“Leeds are in talks with Lammens over a potential cut-price deal that could see him move this month rather than for free in the summer. A deal moved a step closer when Brugge signed the highly-rated Bursik on Saturday.”

Depth needed?

Right now, Leeds also have two other men as their alternative goalkeeping options in the form of Joel Robles and Kristoffer Klaesson. However, the former is 32 years of age and his contract expires in the summer, while the latter is just 22 and has only one senior appearance for the club so may not be trusted to make the step up in a regular basis if something was to happen to Meslier. 

While Lammens is pretty young himself at 20 years of age, he has made four senior appearances for Club Brugge already as well as being part of the squad which has won silverware over the past three consecutive seasons.

While Leeds have been busy adding the likes of Georginio Rutter and Maximilian Wober to the senior side for notable transfer fees, fans may well appreciate the club planning for the future with this sort of deal too. After all, Meslier has long been tipped to make a move to Premier League rivals Tottenham Hotspur and so his departure could be on the horizon. 

Newcastle United are preparing a transfer offer for Anthony Gordon, according to 90min.

The Lowdown: Newcastle eyeing Gordon

The winger has been of long-standing interest at St James’ Park, with reports last summer that a £35m bid was turned down by Everton, although Eddie Howe’s side have since rekindled their interest in the player.

It was recently reported that the Magpies are ‘ready to revive’ their interest in the 21-year-old, with Tottenham Hotspur and Chelsea also making enquiries for a player that the Toffees may need to sell in order to fund their own transfer business.

The Latest: Newcastle preparing Gordon offer…

According to 90min, Newcastle are now preparing an opening offer for the youngster, with Chelsea also said to be monitoring the situation.

It is added that the Tyneside club have compiled reports about the Everton gem and are pleased with what they have discovered, so a move is expected to be tabled in the coming days.

[web_stories_embed url=”https://www.footballtransfertavern.com/web-stories/newcastle-news-7/” title=”Newcastle news!” poster=”” width=”360″ height=”600″ align=”none”]

The Verdict: Get it done?

Former Everton manager Frank Lampard has previously lauded the starlet as ‘fantastic’, and Gordon made a real breakthrough in the Premier League last season, featuring in 35 games and scoring four goals for the Merseyside club.

It is difficult to gauge how the 21-year-old would fare in a better-placed team as his progress has been hampered with the Toffees this season, given that they are 19th in the league table and have lost seven of their last eight competitive games. In stark contrast, Newcastle sit third in the top flight and are unbeaten in 15 league matches.

While he has shown flashes of brilliance this term, scoring on three occasions, bringing Gordon to St James’ Park would be a risk for Howe, as he is yet to put consistent high-level performances in the top flight.

You would expect that a player valued at around £60m would be a seasoned performer at the highest level, so PIF must be all but certain that the 21-year-old would be worth such a huge outlay.

USA midfielder Weston McKennie has attracted interest from Tottenham Hotspur as he hopes for a ‘late window offer’, according to CBS Sports journalist Ben Jacobs.

The Lowdown: Spurs linked with McKennie…

Spurs have been sporadically linked with a move for the United States international as he allegedly seeks a move away from Serie A giants Juventus.

Reports have suggested in the past few months that Antonio Conte is an admirer of the former Schalke 04 midfielder, with contact made even before the January transfer window opened.

McKennie is apparently being eyed by various suitors from both the Premier League and abroad, with Aston Villa, Chelsea and Borussia Dortmund named as parties having been in the race for the 24-year-old.

The Latest: McKennie attracts Tottenham interest…

Making a Spurs transfer claim on Twitter, Jacobs has shared an update on the player’s situation at Juventus. He claims that McKennie has ‘attracted some interest’ from the north Londoners and Conte as he hopes for a late January offer.

Jacobs tweeted: “Told Weston McKennie still hoping a late window offer comes in. There’s already been an approach from Villa, but McKennie waiting for other suitors.”

He continued: “McKennie has attracted some interest from Spurs and Dortmund with Juve open to a sale. Chelsea have also considered him, and he spoke with Christian Pulisic about the club, but Moises Caicedo still their top priority. McKennie advantage is he can play in lots of positions.”

[web_stories_embed url=”https://www.footballtransfertavern.com/web-stories/tottenham-latest-developments-3/” title=”Tottenham latest developments!” poster=”https://www.footballtransfertavern.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/02/cropped-tottenham-fans.jpg” width=”360″ height=”600″ align=”none”]

The Verdict: Make the move?

Given that Juventus are open to the sale of McKennie, and with the player not particularly keen on a move to Villa, this could be a good chance for Conte to finally get his man.

Tottenham’s interest in signing the 24-year-old dates back to 2021, and we believe that he could add even more steel to Conte’s squad.

Spurs are already well stocked in central midfield, with Pierre-Emile Hojbjerg, Rodrigo Bentancur, Oliver Skipp and Yves Bissouma able to come in and play a role in front of their back four. However, McKennie’s versatility means that he can also play across the midfield and even as a centre-back, something which could be of serious interest to Conte.

The American has been called a ‘rock’ defensively by former Bianconeri boss Andrea Pirlo and dubbed ‘incredibly underrated’ by football talent scout Jacek Kulig, and while he hasn’t been at his best for Juve – ranking a lowly 17th in their WhoScored charts this season – he is one of the stars of his national team.

McKennie ‘caught the eye’ of journalist Matt Law with a brilliant display against England in the World Cup two months ago, with the midfielder standing out as one of the USA’s best players overall in Qatar as he started all four of their matches in their run to the knockout stages.

Belgian reporter Bob Faesen has claimed that a deal for Nicolas Raskin to move to Glasgow Rangers is not as close as first reported.

The Lowdown: Agreement ‘reached’

Rangers expert The 4th Official, who regularly breaks news from Ibrox on their social media channels, claimed on Wednesday afternoon that the Premiership club have ‘reached an agreement’ to sign Raskin from Standard Liege, with personal terms already being agreed with the Belgium under-21 international.

They add that the Gers were looking for a four-and-a-half-year deal, so it will be interesting to see how this story develops in the next few days.

The Latest: Not as close?

Taking to Twitter this morning, Faesen claims that although the Light Blues have made a bid for Raskin, they ‘still have to jump a lot further’ in terms of securing his signature.

He stated: “UPDATE: The bids from Valladolid for Amallah and Rangers for Raskin are now in at @Standard_RSCL. Negotiations are underway. Amallah is expected to make ends meet very soon. Rangers still have to jump a lot further.”

The Verdict: Do not let it slip

However close the deal may be for Raskin, Rangers must ensure not to let this one slip in the final days of the transfer window.

Lauded as ‘monstrous’ and a ‘leader’ by his manager Ronny Deila, he has played nearly 100 games in the Belgian top flight by the age of 21, scoring five times and supplying another 13 assists (Transfermarkt).

Faesen has also hailed how ‘technically gifted‘ Raskin is, while also praising his work-rate and claiming that he can play in any position in the middle of the park.

The 21-year-old could complement new signing Todd Cantwell very well in Rangers’ midfield, and the pair could strike up a formidable new partnership under Michael Beale, should a deal go through of course.

Liverpool have fallen heavily below standards this season, and have been linked with a host of midfielders to reinstate an air of authority to their weathered outfit, and Sheffield United’s Sander Berge might be the man to navigate away from danger.

Despite languishing in ninth place in the Premier League and boasting just a solitary victory from six matches across all competitions since the turn of the year, Jurgen Klopp’s Reds have not bolstered the central ranks.

Many players have indeed been linked, and a more prudent option on the list comes in the form of Norwegian midfielder Berge, who has been a centrepiece to his side’s efforts since arriving from Genk in a £22m deal in 2020.

Last week, Blades boss Paul Heckingbottom confirmed via talkSPORT that Liverpool and Premier League rivals Chelsea has registered an interest in the gem.

And now, according to Sky Sports chief reporter Kaveh Solhekol, Fulham have lodged a £20m bid – plus add-ons – to land the talented ace, so Liverpool must act swiftly if they are to fortify the ranks ahead of the business end of the campaign.

While Klopp confirmed that no transfer business will be conducted before the closing of the January window, the Reds have been known to move beneath the waters with their past dealings, and should an apt opportunity arise a lunge for the phenom could indeed be made.

And Berge, who has racked up 87 appearances in Yorkshire since his arrival, scoring 12 goals and providing nine assists, has demonstrated his worth on English soil, albeit largely in the second tier.

But United, who are second in the Championship table and a whopping 12 points ahead of third place Middlesbrough – also with a game in hand – have been a cut above the majority of the crop, and owe a large slice of their prosperous fortunes to Berge’s tenacity and ubiquitous midfield presence.

As per Sofascore, the 32-cap star has recorded an average match rating of 6.98 in the league this term, making 1.4 shots, 1.2 key passes and 1.2 tackles per outing for his high-flying team.

With his vibrant addition to the Anfield ranks, Berge could be the perfect replacement for Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain-Chamberlain, who is expected to depart the club upon the expiry of his contract in six months.

While United’s Berge is not the most exuberant of names to have reached the Liverpool rumour mill this season, he possesses a refined and all-embracing set of skills when it comes to his midfield work, and has been a vital cog in his Championship outfit’s thus far successful season, with teammate and former Red, Rhian Brewster, once remarking him as a “Rolls-Royce” of a midfielder.

Should Klopp and his technical director Julian Ward decide to push for a £20m move before the transfer doors slam shut tonight, Klopp could lay the foundation from which to build upon; with the Premier League giants lost at sea, Berge might just be worth entrusting with saving the ship from sinking.

An update has emerged regarding the fitness of Aston Villa captain John McGinn ahead of their Premier League clash against Leicester City today…

What’s the talk?

Villa manager Unai Emery has confirmed that the Scotland international is in contention to feature this afternoon, alongside two of his team-mates.

Journalist Ashley Preece relayed the news from the 51-year-old’s press conference on Friday, tweeting: “#avfc team news from Bodymoor Heath: Lucas Digne & John McGinn both available for tomorrow, as is new signing Jhon Duran. Bertrand Traore will return to full training next week. Diego Carlos still stepping up for his return later this month/beginning of March.”

The Scotland midfielder has not played a competitive match for Aston Villa since featuring in the 2-0 win at Tottenham on New Year’s Day, having been struck down with a hamstring injury.

Unleash McGinn

Emery must now use this big injury boost to unleash the Scottish dynamo from the start against the Foxes this afternoon, as McGinn could improve Villa in the middle of the park.

Last time out, Emi Buendia struggled in midfield in the 1-0 win at Southampton. The Argentine wizard recorded a rating of 6.5 as he lost nine of his 11 individual duels, completed 74% of his attempted passes and failed to make a single tackle, interception, clearance or block, whilst being dribbled past three times (as per Sofascore).

McGinn has averaged a Sofascore rating of 6.91 across 17 appearances in the Premier League this season and won an impressive 58% of his duels, which shows that he is not easily beaten in physical contests.

The £55k-per-week “warrior” – as he was once dubbed by Graeme Souness – has also completed 79% of his attempted passes and made 2.9 tackles and interceptions, whilst being dribbled past 0.8 times, per game. This indicates that he could offer defensive protection to the back four in a way that the Argentine was unable to do at St Mary’s.

Creatively, McGinn has also provided twice as many ‘big chances’ for his team-mates (four) as Buendia (two) in the top-flight, which suggests that the Scotsman could offer more at both ends of the pitch on current form.

Also, the 28-year-old – who was once hailed as “unique” by presenter Dan Bardell – provides leadership qualities on the pitch as captain of the club, and this could be another reason why Emery may want to bring him back into the team today.

Therefore, the Villa manager could improve the team by dropping Buendia in order to name the captain in the starting XI, which is also why McGinn’s return from injury is a big boost for the Spaniard.