All posts by z3u9t.icu

Southampton have been linked with a move for Blackburn Rovers striker Adam Armstrong recently and he could be a superb addition to Ralph Hasenhuttl’s side this summer.

What’s the word?

According to the Daily Express, Southampton, West Ham and Newcastle United are all keen on the English forward, who hit 28 goals for Blackburn in the Championship last season.

It is suggested that the Saints are ready to bid £15m for the 24-year-old striker, with Hasenhuttl keen to add a striker, a full-back and a midfielder to his squad ahead of next season.

Would he be a good signing?

Armstrong has been hugely impressive for Blackburn since joining on a permanent deal from Newcastle in the summer of 2018, with 64 goals and 19 assists to his name in 160 appearances for the Ewood Park outfit.

Last season was comfortably his best as a professional, as he contributed 28 goals and five assists in just 40 Championship appearances for the Lancashire side, which helped him average a superb 7.15 rating for his performances from WhoScored.

If he had produced the same performances in Southampton’s side last season, he would have comfortably been rated as their best player, which certainly suggest that he could be a worthwhile addition to Hasenhuttl’s side ahead of next season.

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The Austrian is certainly lacking in quality depth up front, as the Saints struggled in the absence of Danny Ings last season, with youngsters Michael Obafemi and Dan N’Lundulu both given very few opportunities to impress in attack.

Considering Ings has been heavily linked with a move away, signing a young striker such as Armstrong would make a lot of sense for the Saints, as he could step up should the former Liverpool man depart, either this summer or next summer when his contract at St Mary’s expires.

Hasenhuttl also favours smaller, pacy strikers in his side, as evidenced by Ings, Che Adams and Nathan Tella all featuring there this season, so the Austrian would definitely love a striker in the mould of Armstrong next season.

Given Armstrong’s superb performances in the Championship both this season and last, he deserves a chance to show what he can do in the Premier League, so Martin Semmens should definitely look to bring the “special” striker in this summer.

And, in other news… Semmens should seal Southampton swoop for 21 y/o tipped to become “one of the best in Europe”

Leeds United moved five points clear of the relegation zone with a hard-fought point at Crystal Palace on Monday evening.

Jesse Marsch’s side were far from their best down at Selhurst Park but few teams have taken anything away from the Eagles on their own patch this season, including the likes of league leaders Manchester City (0-0), Arsenal (3-0 loss) and Spurs (3-0 loss).

It was a pretty disappointing display from the Yorkshire giants, making that point all the more valuable and not to mention the fact that Premier League safety is still firmly in their grasp.

The Whites mustered up only two shots on target, in comparison to Palace’s seven, also managing nine fewer shots inside the penalty area, so you could even argue that they were lucky to return north with a point.

Dan James, Jack Harrison and Raphinha all struggled to make their mark in the attack, though there was one shining light for the American head coach in skipper Liam Cooper, who was an absolute rock at the back.

As per SofaScore, he earned the highest rating of any outfield player for Leeds (7.6) and it’s easy to see why as he won absolutely everything up against their former transfer targets Jean-Philippe Mateta and Conor Gallagher, as well as Wilfried Zaha and co too.

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The 6 foot 2 colossus, 30, won a whopping nine of his 11 duels (81%), both in their air and on the ground, and also registered a match-high seven clearances, two tackles, one interception and one block.

It seems no one was getting past the Scotland international on the day and without his leader-like presence in the backline, the Premier League’s second-worst defence may well have crumbled from the Eagles’ pressure, particularly in the second half where they managed a 56% share of the ball.

Elsewhere, Cooper was among the most active players, registering the third-highest number of touches (69), which was more than Kalvin Phillips and any of Leeds’ attack, whilst one of his 34 accurate passes resulted in a key chance created – the same as James and Rodrigo, and more than Raphinha.

Yorkshire Evening Post reporter Graham Smyth was certainly left impressed by the skipper’s display as he wrote in his post-match ratings column: ‘Solid with few mistakes, lots of full-blooded defending and aerial battles.’

Whilst young goalkeeper Illan Meslier will take plenty of the plaudits for keeping out Palace’s seven attempts on goal, it was the colossal captain in front of him that helped thwart the home side to stop there being way more chances on the night.

As such, the £35k-per-week Cooper was Marsch’s big shining light down in south-east London.

AND in other news, Victor Orta could finally replace Pablo Hernandez in summer swoop for “gorgeous” 24 G/A “top talent”…

Reliable reporter Alan Nixon has dropped a major update on Celtic’s pursuit of Eddie Howe on social media.

Previous reports had suggested that Howe wanted certain assurances before putting pen to paper on a Parkhead deal, as well as being able to bring Bournemouth technical director Richard Hughes with him.

As we all know, Howe is yet to seal a move to Glasgow, leading to many questioning why the deal is taking so long to finalise.

According to Nixon, Hughes isn’t central to a Celtic Park switch for Howe. The journalist was asked by a Celtic fan on Twitter if he feels the Hoops and Howe will get Hughes even if the Cherries earn promotion.

The Sun writer swiftly replied, revealing that coaches are actually a major part of the delay as he outlines: “Hughes is NOT central to this. Howe wants his own coaches though. And they’re still in work. That’s a major part of the hold up on his side.”

Transfer Tavern take

It seems as if Bournemouth’s involvement in the Championship play-offs could well be crucial to Howe sealing a move to Celtic.

Reports have named coaches Stephen Purches and Simon Weatherstone as men wanted by the 43-year-old, but they will be in line for a pay rise should the Cherries return to the Premier League at the first time of asking.

You’d expect that Hughes would also be in line for a pay increase, but to us it’s good news knowing that he isn’t crucial to a deal involving Howe, especially with the Hoops closing in on Manchester City’s Fergal Harkin for a boardroom role.

In other news: Karamoko Dembele contract update emerges, find out more here. 

West Brom attacker Matheus Pereira is likely to be low down Aston Villa’s transfer shortlist, journalist Luke Hatfield has told Football FanCast.

Pereira has been linked with a summer move to Villa, with The Athletic reporting back in April that the 25-year-old is a player the Midlands club have been monitoring.

However, Villa have since gone on to sign another right winger in Emiliano Buendia, while they also put a lot of effort into trying to bring Arsenal’s Emile Smith Rowe to Villa Park, though they have fallen short there.

It means Villa could now turn elsewhere, but Hatfield has his doubts about a potential move for Pereira.

“I still think it’s unlikely,” the Express & Star reporter said. “I think Villa have probably looked at him and he’s probably on like a lengthy list, because they will have a lengthy list of players that they’ll be looking at. But I don’t think he’s at the top of that.”

If Villa do end up signing Pereira, then they would be getting a player who could add much more firepower to the team’s attack.

Last season, only Ollie Watkins (14) managed to score more Premier League goals than the Brazilian (11).

Pereira also averaged more key passes (1.8) per game than any Villa player bar Grealish (3.1), so the West Brom star could prove to be a creative threat, too (stats via WhoScored).

The likes of West Ham and Crystal Palace have also been credited with an interest, so the Villans could face a lot of competition for his signature.

An update has emerged regarding Everton’s interest in Inter defender Stefan de Vrij.

What’s the talk?

According to Calcio Mercato, Everton and Atletico Madrid are both showing an interest in the Dutch centre-back, although neither club have made an official offer as of yet.

The report claims that the Italian giants want to keep the defender and are currently working to extend his contract through to 2025.

Imagine him and Godfrey

Rafa Benitez must seal what could be a dream transfer for Everton this summer by bringing De Vrij to the club as he could be a terrific addition to the side. The 29-year-old has proven himself to be a reliable performer in Serie A and the Champions League throughout his career and could come in as a readymade starter, rather than a young player with a degree of unpredictability.

Ben Godfrey enjoyed a sensational first season at Goodison Park and was named the club’s Young Player of the Season as a reward for his efforts. Placing the 23-year-old alongside an experienced campaigner like De Vrij could only help improve his game further, as the Inter man could give him tips and show him the fine margins it takes to play at the very top level.

Former Lazio defender Mauricio hailed the Dutchman as a monster and praised his ability on the ball to play out from the back. He said: “We had a good understanding.

“We took Lazio into the Champions League after six seasons, finishing ahead of Napoli who were our big rival that year. Stefan is a great defender and deserves to be at a big club. He’s very tall, he’s strong and fast, he runs a lot – he’s a monster!

“He also has excellent technique and knows how to play the ball like few others, and that’s the difference between him and other players.

“He’s a calm defender who never gets agitated. He is a great person and a great friend, outside the pitch we were always together and that helped in our relationship too.”

The £124k-per-week beast has played well over 200 games across Serie A, Europa League and Champions League for Lazio and Inter in his career, with an excellent average WhoScored rating of 7.03. This shows that he has been consistently impressive whilst playing for massive clubs in some of the highest levels in football, which suggests that he could be a superb signing for Everton.

He could use his experience and quality to form a solid defensive partnership with Godfrey, which will hopefully help the former Norwich man take his game to the next level again. Therefore, Benitez should be doing all he can to get this move done and dusted.

AND in other news, Brands could complete Everton’s attack with deal for 86 G/A gem who “has everything”…

After all the drama that came out of the training ground bust-up between Matt Ritchie and Steve Bruce a few weeks ago, it’s fair to say that things have worked out fairly well since then for Newcastle.

Reports back in early March suggested that the two were involved in a heated confrontation, with the Scotland international even going as far as calling the Magpies manager a “coward”.

Fast forward a couple of months later, and things on the pitch are going far more swimmingly, with Ritchie instrumental in a superb 4-2 win over Leicester in the Premier League on Friday night.

The left wing-back was his usual snarling self, bombing up and down the flank and not being afraid to dish it out either to his teammates or the opposition.

As per Sofascore, Ritchie completed two of his three attempted dribbles on the night, which was a number only bettered by Allan Saint-Maximin (five). He also had the most touches and crosses of any Newcastle player – that’s not to mention the absolutely superb delivery from the corner which Paul Dummett headed the visitors’ second goal.

The vocal leadership was also something which was clear to see, with the Magpie 24/7 fan channel tweeting that he “didn’t stop shouting all night” and that “the difference he’s made to this team since that Brighton defeat isn’t commended enough.”

Writing in his post-match player ratings for the Shields Gazette, Liam Kennedy gave him an eight, saying: “A typical all-action display down the left. And, for a change, didn’t look open defensively. Two more assists to add to his tally for the campaign.”

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While many of the plaudits will naturally go towards the goalscorers on the night, Ritchie deserves plenty of credit for the way he set the tone with his intensity and energy.

He may not have been wearing the captain’s armband, but the £45,000-a-week machine was the leader the Magpies needed, and arguably Bruce’s real hero on the night.

Tottenham Hotspur ‘like’ Norwich City’s Max Aarons but are waiting for a ‘reasonable bid’ for Serge Aurier, according to football.london’s Alasdair Gold.

The lowdown

Aarons started 45 of Norwich’s 46 Championship matches in 2020/21 as they secured immediate promotion back to the Premier League. The England under-21 international scored two goals over the season, creating 1.4 chances and averaging 1.4 successful dribbles per game (via WhoScored).

It was reported by The Times in April that Norwich, who have recently lost another star of their promotion campaign in Emiliano Buendia, would demand £30m for the right-back.

Aurier wants to leave Spurs and it was suggested by journalist Rudy Galetti last week that he was close to rejoining Paris Saint-Germain, who are managed by former Spurs boss Mauricio Pochettino.

The latest

Gold says that the situation with Aurier is ‘quite simple’ – Spurs won’t stand in his way if their demands are met. That price tag is thought to be lower than the €20m (£17.1m) quoted in the PSG links from Galetti.

If Aurier does leave, Tottenham will make a move for a replacement, and Aarons is a possible option, particularly as the club ‘need some homegrown signings’ according to Gold.

The verdict

Aarons would be an exciting addition if Spurs can bring him in, potentially slotting straight into the first team ahead of Matt Doherty, who struggled for regular game-time and form in his first season in North London.

The Norwich starlet part of a hugely exciting generation of English right-backs which also includes Trent Alexander-Arnold and Reece James.

He may not be an assist machine at the outset – he only delivered 0.8 crosses per game at Norwich last season – but there is plenty of time for his game to develop, and his homegrown status serves only to add further weight to him being an ideal candidate to fill the void that Aurier could leave.

In other news, Fabrizio Romano has dropped an update on Spurs’ manager hunt. 

Lots of Everton fans have been left gushing over some news that has emerged involving Andros Townsend.

As per the official Twitter page of the Goodison Park faithful, his stunning strike from outside of the box at home to Burnley has now been nominated for September’s Goal of the Month (GOTM) award.

Supporters of the Merseyside club can now vote for Townsend’s goal on the Premier League’s website, as he is nominated alongside Bruno Fernandes, Jesse Lingard, Romelu Lukaku, Naby Keita, Matty Cash and Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang.

The goal encapsulates a great start to life at the Toffees for Townsend, who has scored four goals in total and made a further three assists in eight games over all competitions since his arrival (Transfermarkt), and will no doubt be hoping to bag more screamers as the campaign progresses.

Everton fans on Townsend news

These Blues fans gushed as the news of Townsend’s nomination was shared on Twitter:

“Never fails to make me grin from ear to ear”

Credit: @ellieq

“We cannot understate how good @andros_townsend has been for us so far this season! Whether starting or not, he has a big role to play in the next couple of years”

Credit: @DaAlexJohnson

“Cracking goal that really should win”

Credit: @Adamefc95

“Booooooooooooom”

Credit: @Georgie_Redman

“Belter”

Credit: @Bigpoppa1878

“Was an absolutely sensational 10 minutes I thought Gwladys Street Stand was gonna collapse loved absolutely every second”

Credit: @RDW_Engineering

In other news, find out what contract talks have Evertonians buzzing here!

Aston Villa and 18 other Premier League clubs have demanded answers following Newcastle United’s official takeover, according to The Guardian, and a number of Villa fans have been reacting to the update on social media.

Newcastle are now owned by Saudi-led consortium PIF, who purchased the club from Mike Ashley in a deal worth £300m which went through on Friday. The deal has been strongly criticised by human rights groups, with the PIF – the Middle Eastern country’s sovereign wealth fund – overseen by Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman.

The Guardian shared a report on Friday evening claiming that the other 19 top-flight clubs, including Villa, now want to know what changed for the Premier League to wave through a takeover with little notice.

The report claims that clubs have expressed their concern following the deal, with some who had no idea about the takeover already making complaints to Premier League chief executive Richard Masters and chairman Gary Hoffman.

Villa fans react

Well-known Villa account @villareport shared The Guardian’s claim on Twitter on Friday evening. Here is what these Villa fans had to say in reply, with many making their feelings known and one calling on CEO Christian Purslow to take the fight to the Premier League…

“Come on Purslow”

Credit: @Jackkay98

“HERE WE GO.”

Credit: @JackAVFC77

“Club should just fold”

Credit: @AVFC_Aston

“Someone grab the popcorn”

Credit: @Tom_Price_AVFC_

“Imagine the scenes”

Credit: @GW_94

“Gutted – the market will be even more inflated with people having to spend more in the Prem due to a “Newcastle tax” and that means buying players will get super costly and players will be an even bigger risk. I hope that an FFP plan get introduced to make it fair”

Credit: @bennyavfc

In other news: ‘Unreal’ – These Villa fans erupt after ‘mad’ news emerged

Fabrizio Romano has claimed that Jose Sa ‘will join Wolves’ in the summer transfer window.

The Lowdown: Patricio leaving

According to Romano, AS Roma will announce that Rui Patricio is signing for them ‘next week’ once paperwork is signed with the Midlands club.

The Portugal international will join the Serie A outfit for a fee in the region of €11m (£9.4m).

The Latest: Sa claim

In the same update, Italian football journalist and transfer expert Romano has also claimed that Sa ‘will join’ Wolves as Patricio’s replacement.

The Olympiacos goalkeeper could also be confirmed as a new signing next week, assuming that the Patricio deal goes through.

The Verdict: Good business

It is good business by Wolves to essentially be swapping Patricio out for fellow Portuguese goalkeeper Sa, who would have learned from the veteran while together with the national team. At 28 years of age, he is much younger than Patricio (33) and should still have a lot of time left in his career.

Sa played in both the Champions League and Europa League in the 2020/21 season, making zero errors leading to goals or even shots across both tournaments, proving himself at the highest level and suggesting that he is reliable in between the posts. As it stands, he is due to play in the Champions League with his current club again in 2021/22.

Nonetheless, Bruno Lage is reportedly a huge admirer of the 28-year-old, so he should be able to get the best out of Sa if the goalkeeper takes Patricio’s place at Molineux.

In other news, find out what transfer update has left these Wolves fans buzzing