All posts by z3u9t.icu

An update has emerged on Rangers centre-back Leon Balogun, regarding Steven Gerrard’s thoughts on the defender.

What’s the talk?

According to The Scottish Sun, the Gers boss is be keen to keep Leon Balogun at the club beyond the end of the season.

The report states that Balogun is out of contract at the end of the campaign, but he has won over Gerrard’s trust and could be handed an extension.

Gerrard loves him

Ibrox chief Ross Wilson must make a key decision by offering Balogun a contract to remain at Ibrox beyond the end of the 2021/22 campaign. He must now allow the central defender to depart on a free transfer as he still has plenty to offer and could be a valuable player for Gerrard moving forward.

Whilst there is speculation circling around Gerrard’s own future at Rangers, he is still contracted to the club and we can only assume that he will be the head coach heading into next season as it stands. This is why signing Balogun to a new deal could be a shrewd move, as he is a player the ex-Liverpool man loves.

Earlier this year, Gerrard lauded the defender as he admitted that he wanted Balogun to sign a contract extension, which he later did. The manager said:

“Leon is someone we want to keep hold of. He knows that and he is performing so well.

“He signed a contract with an option of an extension and we want him to be here beyond this season.

“Leon knows he is wanted here. I think he’s enjoying it, he’s playing with a smile on his face.

This, along with the aforementioned report stating Gerrard’s trust in the £14k-per-week defender, shows that Balogun is loved by the manager and that is why he must be handed another extension by Wilson.

He has shown on the pitch this season that he still has quality to offer.

Balogun has averaged a sublime SofaScore rating of 7.20 in the Premiership and 7.25 in the Europa League, with Rangers keeping three clean sheets in his six league appearances.

This shows that he can still perform to a high standard for the Gers and Wilson must please Gerrard by getting the Nigerian international to put pen to paper.

AND in other news, Rangers may be set for big boost after Gers news, Gerrard will be elated…

A number of Liverpool supporters are delighted for Caoimhin Kelleher after Jurgen Klopp confirmed he would start next month’s Carabao Cup final.

The Reds outplayed Arsenal at the Emirates on Thursday night, completing a 2-0 win to book their place in the final.

Jurgen Klopp’s men will come up against Chelsea at Wembley on February 27th, as two of the biggest teams in the country lock horns in a huge game.

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Kelleher has played for the majority of Liverpool’s Carabao Cup run, making three appearances and starting at Arsenal, but plenty would have expected a switch to clear number one Alisson for the final.

It looks as though Klopp will show great faith in the 23-year-old, however, confirming on Friday [via Paul Joyce on Twitter] that he will keep his place at Wembley.

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Liverpool fans delighted for Kelleher

These Liverpool fans took to Twitter to show their happiness at the news.

“As he should! Absolutely thrilled for him!”

Credit: @jaimaitai

“Rightly so”

Credit: @JayD_deOne

“Good man-management once again. Any manager would have easily got Alisson to play in the final. This is why Klopp is the best”

Credit: @Benthereds

“Let’s go, next NO.1”

Credit: @LewisLFCtweets

“Deservedly so. Never looks out of place, always looks assured”

Credit: @CassiusBurke

“Fully deserved! He’s also good enough to play!”

Credit: @aaronjacko

In other news, some Liverpool fans are happy with an injury update on one player. Find out who it is here.

West Ham United are close to sealing their second signing on deadline day…

What’s the word?

According to the Telegraph’s chief football correspondent Jason Burt, a loan move for Spartak Moscow midfielder Alex Kral is “90% done”.

“West Ham close to signing Czech international midfielder Alex Kral from Spartak Moscow. Told deal is 90% done. Loan with an option to buy.. some good business being done,” he tweeted.

The Czech Republic international is a player that David Moyes and the club have followed for quite some time, with the Scot even scouting him in person at Euro 2020.

“They have been following him since January but were shocked they get him in on loan and have moved quickly,” revealed 90min’s Graeme Bailey soon after these reports first emerged today.

Moyes masterclass

This late flurry of signings from Moyes and co is very encouraging indeed.

The 58-year-old has been crying out for some depth across his playing squad and he certainly seems to be getting exactly that – Kurt Zouma has bolstered the backline, they’ve found a Jesse Lingard replacement in Nikola Vlasic, and now they edge closer to a solid back-up to Tomas Soucek and Declan Rice.

An injury to either would leave Moyes with only retiring Mark Noble in the engine room and that’s the last thing they need heading into a Europa League campaign, in which they’ll soon be playing two times a week, minimum.

Interestingly, a move for Kral seemingly fell through earlier in the summer after his sub-par showing at Euro 2020, according to The Athletic, so to be able to sign him on loan to take a look at him first-hand, is certainly a wise and shrewd decision.

It means the east Londoners won’t have to commit a transfer fee, so it appears to be a low-risk signing all-round and one that is likely to leave many singing Moyes’ praises once again.

You only have to look at his deals for Soucek and Vladimir Coufal to know that he can spot a player when he sees one. Nobody would’ve known either player before they arrived at the London Stadium and now they’re two of the first names on the team sheet and easy fan favourites.

Similarly, it’s unlikely that many could’ve foreseen the vast impact that Lingard had on the squad, given his lack of game time prior to his loan move.

If Moyes and the Irons can get Kral in on loan before tonight’s deadline, then it’s merely another example of the Hammers’ boss working his magic in the transfer market.

It has to be considered yet another masterclass.

AND in other news, ExWHUemployee: West Ham in talks with four players on Deadline Day

According to Sportitalia TV reporter Rudy Galetti, Tottenham Hotspur, and by extension managing director Fabio Paratici, are in ongoing talks to sign Cagliari midfielder Nahitan Nandez.

The Lowdown: Spurs in midfield hunt?

Daily Star reporter Paul Brown broke news of unrest surrounding Tanguy Ndombele’s future in north London last week, with Football Insider now going one step further and claiming he has informed club chiefs of his desire to leave.

Tottenham, as a result, have been linked with a plethora of central midfield options as Paratici looks to add more steel for Nuno Espirito Santo.

Denis Zakaria, Corentin Tolisso and Joao Palhinha are among the players being targeted by Spurs (Daily Star), with Galetti now sharing news on another midfield maestro.

The Latest: Spurs in ongoing talks for Nandez…

Writing on Twitter, the Italian journalist has claimed that Spurs are in ‘ongoing’ discussions to sign the Uruguay international on loan.

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He believes it is an ‘evolving situation’, with the Lilywhites possibly even being boosted by Inter Milan pulling out of the race for Nandez’ signature.

“Ongoing talks between Cagliari and Tottenham for Nahitan Nandez,” he explained on social media.

“The 2 clubs are discussing on possible onerous loan for the midfielder. Inter no longer interested. Evolving situation.”

The Verdict: Get it done…

Nandez emerges as one of the more promising central midfield targets for Spurs given the amount of bases he can cover.

The 41-cap international can play out wide on both the left and right wings as well being a natural centre-midfield player.

Paratici could be attempting to secure a real coup for the Lilywhites and Nuno by landing him on a loan deal, especially considering the amount of praise he has received from Serie A pundits.

Indeed, BT Sport and ESPN pundit Mina Rzouki even labelled him ‘amazing’ and ‘one of the most underrated players’ (Twitter), so landing the versatile star on a temporary deal could be a real shrewd piece of business.

In other news: Offer incoming: Levy readying Spurs bid to sign ‘amazing’ player who Nuno personally wants, find out more here.

Former Everton star Michael Ball has drooled over midfielder Abdoualye Doucoure, insisting that he has “everything”.

The French star has enjoyed a fine start to the campaign under the management of Rafael Benitez.

Doucoure has played in every Premier League game this term and has scored twice, while registering a total of four assists.

The former Watford star was also key for the Toffees last season, making 29 appearances in the top-flight.

Ball believes that he has developed into the club’s most important player and has pointed to the fact that they struggled to win games when he was not in the team last season.

Indeed, between March and May, Doucoure missed eight games through injury and Everton only won two of them; prior to that, they had won three in a row, including a 2-0 victory over Liverpool at Anfield.

Ball said: “He was our key player last year. If Doucoure was missing, we struggled. He’s got everything you want from a midfielder. He’s got energy, he likes closing down, he likes cutting up the play.”

Doucoure has been with Everton since 2020 having been brought in by director of football Marcel Brands, and is valued at £22.5m by Transfermarkt; his contract expires in 2023.

West Ham continue to be left frustrated in their attempts to sign Nikola Milenkovic…

What’s the word?

The ever-reliable ExWHUemployee dropped a fresh update on the situation earlier this week and it’s sure to leave many around the London Stadium absolutely furious.

“For the last week or so I have reported that agent’s fees (particularly where Milenkovic is concerned) are an issue and that this is what is holding up the deal,” he revealed to his Patreon site ‘The West Ham Way’.

“Milenkovic’s contract is up at the end of the season and this is obviously the most profitable scenario for an agent – where a club doesn’t have to pay a transfer fee and all this money goes to the player and agent.

“Therefore, Milenkovic’s agent is doing what is common at this point and wanting some high fees, which the club do not wish to pay.

“The transfer fee and contract terms are said to be agreed but the agent fee is stopping the deal. The communication is now at a standoff with both sides refusing to budge.”

Leaving it late

The Hammers faithful could be forgiven for being annoyed at this stage. With a little over two weeks to go in the transfer window, they have made just one signing – backup goalkeeper Alphonse Areola.

It’s no secret that David Moyes needs reinforcements right across the pitch, especially as the Irons will be competing in the Europa League this campaign.

However, their season gets underway with a trip to Newcastle United on Sunday, so it’s too late for any late signing to make the squad.

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Milenkovic has been mooted with a switch to East London for several weeks now, though there is clearly a major stumbling block that is preventing it from happening just yet, and this will frustrate Moyes and the West Ham fanbase.

Assistant manager Stuart Pearce recently spoke about their struggles in the transfer market, claiming to talkSPORT: “We’ve made bids for certain players and not been able to get one or two for varying reasons but a little bit of common sense has to come into it.”

It’s believed that a new centre-back is among the Scot’s top priorities, particularly with concerns over Angelo Ogbonna’s latest injury and fitness, so the longer this Milenkovic situation rumbles on, the more worried, and perhaps desperate, he’ll get.

West Ham’s frustrations aren’t ending just yet.

AND in other news, West Ham given massive Jesse Lingard transfer boost…

A number of Manchester United supporters have been reacting positively to another rumour claiming Anthony Martial could leave the club.

The Frenchman has had a curious United career in many ways, enjoying some success but never quite matching the expectations many had when he arrived in 2015.

Martial has scored 79 goals in 268 appearances for the Red Devils but he has found himself increasingly out of favour at Old Trafford.

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Only two Premier League starts have come his way this season, with the likes of Cristiano Ronaldo, Mason Greenwood, Marcus Rashford, Jadon Sancho and Edinson Cavani all seemingly ahead of him in the pecking order.

According to Gazzetta dello Sport [via Sport Witness and utdreport on Twitter], Martial will now do all he can to leave United in the January transfer window, assuming he is not in Ralf Rangnick’s plans.

Man United fans like Martial rumour

These United fans reacted to the news on Twitter, seeing it as a positive update due to the Frenchman’s lack of form recently…

“Please go”

Credit: @BigGruntz

“Thank God he wants to leave”

Credit: @_joromie

“Where does he want driving?”

Credit: @33georgejohnson

“On your bike then”

Credit: @alexkevans1992

“Who’s gonna miss a lazy striker???”

Credit: @Fabianhdw1

“He should have performed when he was given the chances…”

Credit: @lit08

In other news, Fabrizio Romano has provided an update on one rumoured United target. Find out who it is here.

Liverpool have undoubtedly one of the strongest defences in the Premier League, having conceded just 20 goals in 30 games.

One man who has contributed a lot to the Reds’ impressive defensive displays is Joel Matip, who has appeared in 24 league games so far this season.

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To highlight just how significant the 30-year-old has been for Liverpool in this campaign, only Trent Alexander-Arnold (98) and Fabinho (95) have racked up a higher combination of tackles and interceptions than Matip (81).

Despite the Cameroon international’s effectiveness at the back, it seems as though the Merseyside club could be eyeing up a potential replacement for him.

What’s the news?

According to a recent report from Goal by journalist Neil Jones, Liverpool are interested in signing Torino defender Gleison Bremer.

Since joining the Italian club back in 2018, the Brazilian has gone on to make 105 appearances across all competitions, chipping in with 13 goals and five assists along the way.

In terms of his defensive capabilities, the 25-year-old has the third-highest number of tackles and interceptions combined (144) throughout Serie A, showing how much of a unit he is at the back in a similar way to Matip.

Labelled a “powerful” figure by Forza Italian Football editor in chief Conor Clancy, Bremer eclipses the Liverpool defender in terms of the number of blocks, tackles and interceptions made this season in their respective domestic leagues.

Taking all this into account, and the fact that Matip is five years older than the £18k-per-week Torino brute, a transfer swoop for the Brazilian defender could be a great investment from the Merseyside club given his obvious talent and relatively young age.

However, the report from Goal claims that Juventus and Inter Milan are also interested in signing the centre-back, which means that the Reds may have a challenge on their hands to get Bremer to Anfield.

That said, to get the opportunity to play in the Premier League under the management of Jurgen Klopp next to a player such as Virgil van Dijk at one of the biggest clubs in England could all be very tempting for the 25-year-old defender.

In other news: Liverpool now plot bid for “unbelievable” £45m-rated dynamo, just imagine him & Salah

Crystal Palace are unlikely to make a move for out-of-favour Manchester United forward Anthony Martial, according to journalist Tom Barclay.

The Lowdown: Martial struggling for minutes

The Frenchman has struggled to force his way into Ole Gunnar Solskjaer’s plans at Old Trafford this season, making just two Premier League starts prior to the Norwegian’s departure from the club this morning.

The likes of Cristiano Ronaldo, Mason Greenwood, Marcus Rashford, Edinson Cavani and Jadon Sancho all appear to be ahead of Martial in the pecking order, so he could leave the Manchester club soon.

Palace have been linked with a move for the 25-year-old, who has scored 94 goals in his career during spells with Monaco and United.

The Latest: Barclay plays down Palace move for Martial

Speaking to GIVEMESPORT, Barclay played down the idea of Martial heading to Crystal Palace, admitting that the Eagles likely couldn’t afford his wages.

The journalist said: “Would he even want to go to Crystal Palace? He’s obviously out of favour at United, and they probably are looking to let him go, but I would be pretty shocked.

“He would either have to take a massive pay cut or Palace would have to go down a massively different route.”

The Verdict: Highly unlikely

Martial is a talented footballer who has had good times at United – his record of 79 goals in 266 appearances is not to be dismissed – but as Barclay says, it is hard to see a move to Palace ever materialising.

The France international earns an eye-watering £250,000 per week at Old Trafford, which is almost double that of Palace’s highest-earning player Wilfried Zaha (£130,000). Also, Martial’s current United deal doesn’t expire until the summer of 2024, so Patrick Vieira couldn’t even snap up his compatriot on the cheap.

Besides, it’s not as if the Eagles have been stuck for goals this season either – Christian Benteke, Wilfried Zaha, Conor Gallagher and Odsonne Edouard have already netted 15 times between them in the Premier League alone – so Martial isn’t a player that Palace desperately need.

In other news, some Palace fans criticised one player’s performance against Burnley. Find out who it is here.

Sunderland fell to a 5-1 defeat to Rotherham United on Saturday afternoon, and a number of Black Cats supporters hit out at captain Aidan McGeady, who was shown a red card at the New York Stadium.

Lee Johnson made two changes from the previous league match against Charlton Atheltic, with Elliot  Embleton and Leon Dajaku coming in for Alex Pritchard and Aiden O’Brien. That meant McGeady kept his place on the wing for his 12th League One appearance of the campaign, but it was one to forget for the Irish veteran.

The 35-year-old received two yellow cards shortly after the interval to leave his team with a mountain to climb, with the hosts 3-1 up at the time.

McGeady was Sunderland’s worst-outfield starter, as per SofaScore, with a match rating of 5.5/10. He failed to have a shot on goal, complete a dribble or make a key pass during his time on the pitch. He also lost possession on six occasions and was beaten in six of his eight duels (75%).

Sunderland fans react

Here is what these Sunderland fans had to say about the Irishman on Twitter, with one labelling him as ‘appalling’ yesterday.

“What an absolute horror show this is, absolutely lost our heads. What is McGeady thinking?! Shocking”

Credit: @xhannahanderson

“McGeady just needs to retire. Been awful this season.”

Credit: @OfficialDPope

“Appalling from McGeady. As an experienced player on a yellow card it is unprofessional and negligent to be flying into challenges like that. Game over now.”

Credit: @StuzMate

“Disgrace from McGeady! Think he wanted sent off there.”

Credit: @mksavage73

“That was brainless from McGeady. He’s a senior pro. He should know better. He’s becoming a bigger issue every week. His role in the team HAS to be refined now.”

Credit: @Philip_RJ89

“McGeady & O’Nien please never play for us again thank you”

Credit: @mattsmith2707

“McGeady…. Finished in my opinion”

Credit: @wdt0_0

In other news: ‘Made my day’ – Lots of Sunderland fans go wild as ‘excellent news’ is confirmed.