All posts by z3u9t.icu

Everton must bring in some fresh talent to strengthen their bid to finish in that elusive seventh position to bring European football back to Goodison Park.

So far, their ambition to get that is failing after a poor Christmas and New Year period compared to the Toffees’ usual high standards.

Many players have lost form and an issue that has been problematic for some time now is that Everton don’t have a proper goal-scoring striker.

Cenk Tosun has just not had the impact many thought he would and Richarlison has been the main source of goals even though he isn’t normally a frontman.

So, to end their wait for a good striker, Everton must look to bring in Willian Jose this window.

Jose, (who is valued at £22.5 million on Transfermarkt) could definitely transpire to be a brilliant signing for Everton, adding significant strength to their arsenal and fire-power in the final third.

The Brazilian forward has scored seven league goals this season and is improving game-by-game to provide more of a presence for his current team Real Sociedad.

Everton have been without a talisman ever since Romelu Lukaku left the club and that is an issue the club must look to solve during this transfer window.

The Toffees have previously been linked (via Mundo Deportivo) with the 27-year-old – understandably so as well. Last season, Willian Jose scored 20 times in 40 outings and the season before was slightly lower with 14.

He really is reaching his peak capacity in the game and could be a brilliant addition for Everton whilst he is in this kind of goal-scoring mood.

Do you agree that Everton should sign Willian Jose… Let us know!

Lots of Glasgow Rangers fans have been blasting Connor Goldson despite their 3-1 win at Livingston in the Premiership at Sunday lunchtime.

The defender was outdone by a simple long ball over the top as Bruce Anderson tucked the ball away for the hosts to make the score 2-1, after Scott Arfield and Joe Aribo had given Giovanni van Bronckhorst’s team an early two-goal lead.

Goldson did not have his best game in a Light Blues shirt in general, losing out on two of his duels, while he also failed to make any interceptions and lost possession of the ball on 15 different occasions in the match, the joint-third most of any of his teammates (SofaScore).

Rangers fans on Goldson

These Rangers fans blasted Goldson on Twitter after he made the mistake, with one Light Blues supporter going as far as to claim that the defender was ‘shocking’ today:

“Why Goldson allows that to drop to the man is shocking, show some effort to go and win it”

Credit: @gavincook_66

“When is Goldson going to learn? Caught out again, cannot defend a long ball, every game he’s getting caught now, schoolboy mistakes”

Credit: @Russell0716

“So bad from Goldson there”

Credit: @RSeymourWATP

“Goldson out”

Credit: @ChrisSpenceee

“Connor Goldson again, what a joke”

Credit: @rodneylaidlaw

“Had enough of Goldson. Hope he goes to Villa”

Credit: @RSPCA007

In other news, find out whose display against Livingston was also slammed by some Gers fans

A key Rangers transfer claim has been made ahead of Giovanni van Bronckhorst’s first window in charge of the Glasgow giants…

What’s the talk?

Retired Scotland international Frank McAvennie has claimed that he would ‘certainly expect’ the Gers to bolster their defence in the January transfer window.

The 62-year-old has pointed to their struggles against Martin Boyle, who scored a hat-trick in Hibernian’s 3-1 win over Rangers last weekend, as evidence as to why they need to dip into the market.

He told Football Insider: “I should think there will be deals.

“Martin Boyle is a very good player but if one player is running rings around your entire defence, you have a problem. The same quality hasn’t been there this season and sometimes the best way to amend that is with fresh blood.

“Maybe things have gone stale but look at the number of times they have conceded first this season.

“It’s a shocking drop off from last season. I don’t know if Van Bronckhorst will have taken the job if he wasn’t going to be backed. Let’s see what happens in January but I would certainly expect some movement to fix that defence out.”

Fans will be buzzing

Rangers fans will surely be buzzing with this claim from McAvennie as the team’s defence has faltered at times this season, so bringing in defensive reinforcements in January could delight those who want to see the backline improved.

So far this season, the Gers have only kept three clean sheets in their 13 Premiership matches. In the 2020/21 campaign, Steven Gerrard’s side managed 26 shutouts in 38 games on their way to the title, but the 41-year-old was unable to carry the impressive defensive record into the current season prior to his departure for Aston Villa earlier this month, with Van Bronckhorst tasked with improving that statistic.

The Dutchman also has to deal with Leon Balogun and Connor Goldson both being out of contract at the end of the season, although the former has an option to extend by a further 12 months. This means that Goldson could be on his way out the door next summer, so signing a replacement for him in January could be an ideal situation for the club and would surely please the fans.

Rangers could bring in a centre-back during the January transfer window to slowly take over from Goldson throughout the second half of the campaign. The former Brighton man could then leave next summer, with his replacement already in the door and accustomed to Van Bronckhorst’s tactics and his teammates.

AND in other news, Forget Morelos: “Special” Rangers beast with 91.6% duels won stole the show vs Sparta…

Dele Alli’s time at Tottenham Hotspur could soon be coming to an end after the club were linked with a move for a new attacking midfielder…

What’s the word?

According to Italian newspaper La Gazzetta dello Sport (via Football Italia), Spurs will battle their north London rivals Arsenal to sign the Juventus outcast during the January transfer window.

It was the Lilywhites’ sporting director Fabio Paratici who signed him for the Serie A giants, so they could well be leading the race to seal his signature, in which Bundesliga champions Bayern Munich are also keen.

The Bianconeri appear to be willing to sell the 20-cap Sweden international for a minimum of €35m (£30m) to €40m (£34m) next month.

Bye-bye Alli?

The 21-year-old dynamo, who is capable of playing anywhere along the frontline, has dropped down the pecking order at the Allianz Stadium under Massimiliano Allegri this season.

Just four of his 21 appearances this term have been starts, whilst he has provided one goal and four assists from just 724 minutes of action, per Transfermarkt.

Last season, he enjoyed a lot of success as he delivered 14 direct goal contributions across 47 matches. What made that even more impressive was the fact that he did so whilst playing in at least seven different roles. A very versatile talent, indeed.

If that isn’t enough to suggest that he’s a perfect fit for Antonio Conte and his system, then perhaps praise from others in and around the game is.

“Kulusevski is an explosive player who likes to challenge his direct opponent,” once claimed ex-Sweden striker Marcus Allback to The Sun. “He likes to dribble with the ball, play the short passes and he is very good on the through balls. He’s quick and would cause a lot of trouble for most of the teams he plays.”

Whilst experienced Italian coach Pierpaolo Bisoli believes there are shades of Mohamed Salah about him “He has incredible physical strength. He reminds me of a young Salah for the way he shakes off opponents in the first ten metres,” he said.

On the above evidence, the fact that he is versatile and hugely dynamic, Kulusevski could well be a better fit for Conte at Spurs than Alli, whose best position is still undetermined.

Furthermore, there have been reports suggesting that Tottenham could finally be open to selling the 25-year-old amid his long-term struggles on the pitch.

Once dubbed a “freak of a talent” by former Lilywhites star Darren Anderton, Alli has failed to hit the heights of his past glory, managing only one goal and one assist this season.

Therefore, the £27m-rated dynamo could offer Conte and co a lot more than the Englishman, so if they are able to secure a move for him in January, then the club absolutely must do all they can to pull it over the line.

Spurs’ new boss could finally bin Alli with a move for the exciting Swedish sensation.

AND in other news, “Serious chance”: Romano drops teasing Spurs transfer update that’ll have fans buzzing…

While Aston Villa have been busy getting some new players to join the club during the current January transfer window, it seems as though they could have a challenge on their hands to keep one of their current squad members at Villa Park before the end of the month.

What’s the latest?

According to West Ham United insider @ExWHUemployee on his Patreon page (via Birmingham Live) Villa defender Kortney Hause is apparently one of a number of potential centre-back targets for the east London club.

Hause originally joined Villa on a loan deal from fellow Premier League side Wolves in the 2019 January transfer window before the Villans secured him on a permanent basis in the following summer in a deal worth a reported fee of £3m.

Overall, the 26-year-old, who is currently valued at £4.5m by Transfermarkt, has made 54 appearances for Steven Gerrard’s team across all competitions, scoring four goals in the process, showing what a danger he can be in front of goal at times.

Gerrard would be livid

Given how Villa only have three centre-backs in their squad at the moment including Hause after Axel Tuanzebe had his loan spell brought to an end earlier this month, it wouldn’t be wise for Johan Lange to allow Hause to leave the Midlands club this month.

That’s especially when you consider that Ezri Konsa picked up an injury in Villa’s recent 2-2 draw against Manchester United.

While a move to West Ham could be tempting for Hause given how David Moyes’ side are on the hunt to secure a Champions League place this season, Villa have their own aspirations of securing European football in the near future.

Therefore, it could persuade the defender to not only stay at Villa this month but also to sign a new deal with them before his current one expires at the end of the campaign.

Moving forward, with the current situation at Villa the way it is in terms of their centre-back options, it would be nothing short of a disaster if Gerrard were to see Hause make a move to West Ham this month, as it would surely leave him livid, specifically if they don’t then manage to bring in any new defensive options before the January window closes.

In other news: “Keen to..” – Ashley Preece drops behind-scenes AVFC update that’ll have fans sweating – opinion

Aston Villa correspondent Gregg Evans was one of the first to share news of a further Covid-19 outbreak at Bodymoor Heath.

And a number of Villa fans were quick to give their thoughts to the update on social media.

Villa suffered a 1-0 defeat to Liverpool on Saturday afternoon, and less than 24 hours later, decided to cancel a Sunday training session for a handful of players following a number of positive cases at the club.

At the time, only one positive case was thought to be a player, however, Gerrard confirmed on Monday that two more players have returned a positive result and will miss the trip to Norwich City this evening.

A number of training ground staff have also tested positive, however, it looks as if the meeting at Carrow Road will go ahead as planned despite Villa’s outbreak.

Villa fans react

Evans shared the news regarding Villa’s Covid-19 outbreak on Twitter on Sunday afternoon.

This is what these Villa fans had to say in reply…

“Can today get any worse”

Credit: @davejje

“Oh here we gooo.”

Credit: @lewastbury

“Don’t be Emi, don’t be Emi…”

Credit: @Hotwheels_1978

“So it begins”

Credit: @Jord210993

“Football is gonna get paused again isn’t it?”

Credit: @CalFergie

“Oh no.”

Credit: @ClaretVillans

In other news: ‘Excellent’ ace thinks his Villa career ‘is over’; he’s now eyeing a permanent exit. 

Gennaro Gattuso has expressed an interest in the managerial opening at Rangers, according to The Daily Record. 

The Lowdown:

Rangers are looking for a successor to Steven Gerrard, who left to become manager of English Premier League side Aston Villa last week.

Gattuso spent a year of his playing career at Ibrox, having joined from Perugia in 1997. He donned the jersey eight times and then left for Salernitana, before moving on to AC Milan.

During his time at the San Siro, he won 11 major trophies, including two Champions League titles, and it’s safe to say his time as a player was littered with silverware.

On the international stage, he helped Marcelo Lippi’s Italy side to clinch World Cup glory in 2006 – going on to rack up 73 international caps in total over what was an impressive career.

In terms of his managerial career, the Italian’s last job was at Napoli, where he picked up 47 wins from 81 matches (58%) but left after failing to secure Champions League qualification.

The Latest:

Now, The Daily Record believes that Gattuso has ‘thrown his hat into the ring’ as Ibrox chiefs assess candidates to replace Gerrard.

Giovanni van Bronckhorst is the frontrunner at the moment, but there’s a warning that he’ll only take the job if ‘everything is right’.

He wants assurances over backroom staff and the level of backing he’ll receive transfer-wise.

The Verdict:

Gattuso may be a former Rangers player, but he’d still be a hugely controversial appointment.

He was actually close to taking over at Tottenham Hotspur in the summer following the sacking of Jose Mourinho but Spurs walked away amid a backlash from supporters.

Lilywhites fans pointed to divisive comments made by Gattuso regarding race, same-sex marriage and women (The Metro).

These aspects of a potential appointment for the Italian will surely be at the forefront of Ross Wilson’s mind as Gattuso makes his interest in the Gers job known.

In other news, fans gushed over this update. 

Arsenal’s Rob Holding will be on Newcastle’s January centre-back shortlist, journalist Pete O’Rourke has told Give Me Sport. 

The lowdown

A recent report from The Daily Mail suggested that the Magpies want to sign two centre-backs this month, while The Athletic’s Chris Waugh said over the weekend that the club were hopeful of adding both Lille’s Sven Botman and Seville’s Diego Carlos to their ranks.

Newcastle have the joint-worst defensive record in the Premier League for goals conceded and the outright worst for expected goals against.

A potential alternative to the aforementioned duo, especially with Botman seemingly now unattainable, Holding has two-and-a-half years remaining on his Arsenal contract and is valued at £10.8m by Transfermarkt.

The latest

Speaking to Give Me Sport, O’Rourke is certain that the Gunners defender is one of the names under consideration at St James’ Park.

He stated: “Rob Holding at Arsenal. I’m sure he’s on Newcastle’s list.”

The verdict

Holding has found Premier League minutes hard to come by this season as he battles with the likes of Gabriel and Ben White. He has only started three times in the top flight in 2021/22, with most of his game-time coming in the domestic cups.

He may duly be open to leaving the Emirates Stadium and, intriguingly, data from FBRef shows he’s stylistically similar to Botman, with a high volume of progressive passes and blocks.

He also earned praise last month for reporting alleged racist abuse of some Arsenal team-mates during one Premier League match, with a statement from the anti-racism group Kick It Out saying that “his actions are a great example of taking a stand and being an ally to his team-mates” (The Mirror).

Is he actually good enough to address Newcastle’s defensive woes, though?

If scouts were watching him on Sunday, they may be far from convinced. Holding produced what Football FanCast editor Matt Dawson called a ‘royal stinker’ as Arsenal were shocked by Nottingham Forest in the FA Cup, while he ranks a lowly 18th in WhoScored’s performance rankings among Mikel Arteta’s squad this season.

Ultimately, Newcastle can’t afford to take any chances on these crucial signings, especially with their Premier League status on the line beyond the midway point of the season.

In other news, Chris Waugh has said that PIF want to upgrade on this £10m Benitez signing

This forms part of our Transfer Watch series, where The Transfer Tavern analyse whether a club should sign a transfer target based on a recent performance.

The Lowdown: Newcastle lurking for Osimhen

It has been widely reported that Newcastle will now look to battle a number of big European clubs to try and sign Victor Osimhen from Napoli in the summer.

[web_stories_embed url=”https://www.footballtransfertavern.com/web-stories/newcastle-news-5/” title=”Newcastle news!” poster=”” width=”360″ height=”600″ align=”none”]

However, St James’ Park is not thought to be his preferred destination in the Premier League, and with the likes of top-four chasers Tottenham Hotspur reportedly joining the race, the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia’s (KSA) Public Investment Fund (PIF) may face an uphill battle to try and bring the Nigeria striker to Tyneside.

The Latest: Great individual performance from Osimhen

Even though Napoli lost 3-2 at home to Fiorentina in Serie A on Sunday afternoon, Osimhen put in a great individual performance, scoring one goal and supplying an assist as he ranked as their best player on SofaScore.

The Nigeria international won five of his individual duels, bettered only by two of his team-mates, while he also completed one successful dribble and a team-high three key passes (SofaScore).

The Verdict: Sign him

Given Callum Wilson’s injury problems this season, and the fact that Chris Wood has only managed two goals since arriving from Burnley in the January transfer window, the Magpies should be looking to bring in an elite forward to complete their attack for next term.

Described as a ‘perfect’ striker by journalist Aaron West after Sunday’s display, Osimhen would bring Newcastle’s attack to another level. After all, he has now scored 16 goals and provided five assists in total so far this season (Transfermarkt).

Also, he is still only 23 years of age, so he coukd spearhead Eddie Howe’s side for many years to come.

In other news, NUFC are now eyeing this shock transfer

Celtic have cashed in on a number of players over the past few years such as Odsonne Edouard, Kristoffer Ajer, Moussa Dembele and Kieran Tierney, to name but a few.

One other player that the Hoops sold in recent memory but they may now be regretting is full-back Jeremie Frimpong, who moved to Bayer Leverkusen in January 2021 in a deal worth a reported £11.5m.

After joining from Manchester City’s youth ranks in 2019, the defender went on to make 51 appearances for the Hoops across all competitions, scoring three goals and providing eight assists along the way.

Since moving to Germany, the 21-year-old – who is currently picking up £25k-per-week according to Salary Sport – has racked up 47 appearances for Leverkusen in total, finding the back of the net twice and delivering nine assists in the process.

With 25 Bundesliga appearances under his belt this season, the right-back has scored one goal and set up another six, earning himself an overall performance rating of 6.88/10 from WhoScored. That makes him Leverkusen’s sixth-highest rated outfield player, showing how important a figure he is for his current club.

To highlight just how much of an attacking threat he has been this term, no other Leverkusen defender has made more key passes per game (1.2) than the former Hoops youngster, who also has his team’s joint-second highest number of dribbles per game (1.9).

In January 2021, shortly before calling an end to his Celtic career, Transfermarkt had Frimpong’s market value listed as £3.6m. It now stands at a massive £18m, highlighting a significant increase of 400%, which shows just how much of a boost his career has enjoyed since waving goodbye to the Parkhead club.

This current value would comfortably make him Celtic’s most valuable player, eclipsing Callum McGregor’s current value of £6.75m at the top of the tree. Taking all this into account, it’s safe to say that the Hoops lost a valuable asset when they sold Frimpong.

However, with the player reportedly adamant that he wanted to leave the club, perhaps they should have done more to try and convince him to stay where he was, even if they still managed to accrue a decent transfer fee for him.

In other news: Ange can axe “infectious” ace as Celtic become “serious contenders” for “massive” deal