All posts by z3u9t.icu

Newcastle United have reportedly been dealt a blow in their efforts to sign Bayer Leverkusen winger Moussa Diaby this summer.

What’s the news?

In a recent post on Twitter, journalist Patrick Berger shed some light on the current situation surrounding the Magpies’ attempts to sign the winger.

He said: “Moussa Diaby is the top target for Newcastle United.#NUFCset to pay €35-40m for the Frenchman.Leverkusen demanding way more than €60m. I am told [the] player is open for a move but has no intention to go to Newcastle. The winger is also on the list of Paris Saint-Germain.”

It was reported in May that the Toon were interested in bringing the Frenchman to St James’ Park ahead of their next Premier League campaign.

After working his way through PSG’s youth ranks, the attacker made his move to Germany in the summer of 2019.

Since then, the 22-year-old has gone on to make 124 appearances for the Bundesliga club across all competitions. In that time, Diaby has found the net 35 times and delivered 37 assists along the way.

Bad news for Howe

Across 40 appearances throughout the 2021/22 season with Leverkusen across the Bundesliga and Europa League, the winger scored 17 goals and supplied 14 assists, highlighting his importance to the team.

To further highlight his attacking talent, in his 32 league games last term, the former PSG youngster racked up more successful dribbles (50) and more shot-creating actions (103) than any other Leverkusen player.

Taking all this into account, it would surely be bad news for Eddie Howe to hear that Diaby has no intention of moving to St James’ Park this summer.

Given the 22-year-old’s clear attacking talent, it’s easy to argue that he would be an exciting signing for the Toon and give them an extra dynamic at the top of the pitch.

However, if the player genuinely has no interest in joining the Magpies, there would be very little point in the club putting in a bid for him.

Therefore, if Howe is looking for another attacking player to bring in this summer, they could be better off forgetting about Diaby and looking elsewhere.

In other news: Fabrizio Romano drops big transfer update, it’s great news for Newcastle supporters

Aston Villa are reportedly set to snub the chance to sign Liverpool midfielder Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain, despite the rampant speculation regarding a move for the Englishman in recent weeks.

What’s the word?

According to BBC Sport journalist Phil McNulty, following the recent links that the 28-year-old could be a player of interest for the Midlands outfit, the belief is that Steven Gerrard and co will not be pursuing a deal this summer.

Writing on Twitter about Villa’s possible interest, the respected source stated: “Aston Villa will not be making any move to sign Liverpool’s Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain and their position on Luis Suarez remains unchanged. No move planned.”

Previous reports had suggested that the Reds are keen to cash in on the former Arsenal man this summer – who they signed from the Emirates in 2017 on a £35m deal – with the reported asking price believed to be just £10m, with only a year remaining on his existing contract.

Supporters annoyed

That would have seen the Villa Park outfit able to land the 35-cap gem for a relative bargain price, yet as it is supporters are set to be disappointed and annoyed, with Gerrard seemingly set to pursue other targets to that of his former Three Lions colleague.

A new midfielder is believed to be on the agenda for the 42-year-old in the current window – despite having already signed Marseille’s Boubacar Kamara – yet it would appear that Oxlade-Chamberlain is not viewed as the right fit.

Although there may perhaps be understandable concerns over his fitness record – as he has endured lengthy spells on the treatment table during his time on Merseyside – the £14.4m-rated man is a player with a wealth of experience at the elite level and has won a host of major honours, hence the possible fury that Villa are set to snub a move.

While the most recent campaign saw him make just 28 appearances in all competitions for Jurgen Klopp’s side, the £125k-per-week ace still managed to chip in with a respectable tally of six goal contributions, proving he may simply need regular game time in order to totally showcase his talent.

Once dubbed a player who “offers something totally different” by pundit Rio Ferdinand, the one-time Southampton man also compares favourably to those in his position across Europe’s top five leagues, ranking in the top 3% for touches in the attacking penalty area, the top 4% for progressive carries and the top 8% for dribbles completed, illustrating his dynamism from his central midfield berth.

A player who can also offer invaluable versatility – having wing-back role during his time in north London – it would seem a bold call not to at least attempt to try and secure a deal this summer, with little to lose for Gerrard and co with the reported fee so small.

As it is, supporters will likely be fuming if the Portsmouth-born maestro goes on to be a success elsewhere next term, unless Villa can recruit a notable alternative.

IN other news, AVFC face battle to land “aggressive” £60m machine, he’s one of the “best” in his role

Leeds have already signed three players this summer but they are arguably still missing Jesse Marsch’s most important piece of the jigsaw for next season; a striker.

Patrick Bamford is still the club’s leading number 9 but he spent a considerable period of time out injured last term and despite the issues elsewhere, his lack of goals was a big reason behind being embroiled in a relegation battle.

[snack-amp-story url= “https://www.footballfancast.com/web-stories/read-the-latest-leeds-united-news-transfer-rumours-gossip-and-much-more-2″ title=”Read the latest Leeds news, transfer rumours and more!”]

The former Middlesbrough man only played 11 times and scored twice due to a succession of injuries which ruined his campaign.

Ankle, hamstring and foot problems ruled him out for three lengthy spells and there is no guarantee that he’ll be able to hit the ground running quickly next season.

If he does, Leeds should have no problems offensively but they cannot risk things.

They were thought to be interested in a move for Eddie Nketiah before he pledged his long-term future to Arsenal but they do have other aces up their sleeve.

Reports last week suggested that Leeds are one of a number of clubs interested in Erik Botheim. The Norwegian was playing for Krasnodar in Russia last term but was able to leave the club on a free transfer following the invasion of Ukraine.

Available now via the Bosman ruling, a move for Marsch and co feels like a no-brainer. He knows how to find the back of the net and boasts a set of incredibly exciting traits.

He scored 22 times for Bodo/Glimt before a move to Russia, strikes that came in just 46 outings which demonstrate that he is a prolific force.

Dubbed a “complete” player by football scout Jacek Kulig, he has all the raw tools to be a success at Elland Road.

In fact, he could even become Marsch’s brand new Erling Haaland. Botheim has played with the new Manchester City star at international level and they are even thought to be best friends too.

The Leeds boss has already managed Haaland as the superstar scored a seriously impressive 28 times in 22 games under Marsch’s tutelage at RB Salzburg.

It’s unlikely Botheim will ever be able to replicate similar numbers but he has personally admitted that he has elements of Liverpool’s Roberto Firmino and Bayern Munich’s Robert Lewandowski to his game.

That means that he also has elements of Haaland to him with Lewandowski being the second most comparable player judging by FB Ref’s ‘similar players’ model to Haaland.

Of course, Botheim will have to go some distance to live up to that sort of hype but there’s every chance that he becomes Marsch’s new leading light if he ends up at Leeds.

This is certainly a saga to watch this summer.

AND in other news, Phil Hay: Leeds eye swoop for “aggressive” £1.8m-rated gem, he’s their next Phillips…

Much has been made about Alfredo Morelos’ future at Rangers in recent weeks, with the Colombian striker once again linked with an exit from Ibrox ahead of his contract expiry next year.

However, one pundit believes that the 25-year-old could still commit his future to Giovanni van Bronckhorst’s side.

What’s the word?

Morelos’ contract with the Premiership club is currently set to expire at the end of next season, so Rangers could well be forced to sell him this summer if they want to avoid losing him for nothing in the future.

However, speaking to Football Insider, former Aston Villa striker Gabby Agbonlahor has claimed that the 25-year-old could yet perform a contract U-turn, similar to team-mate Connor Goldson, who committed to a new four-year deal at Ibrox recently despite heavy links with Nottingham Forest.

The talkSPORT pundit said of Morelos: “I think he will explore the offers, similar to Goldson.

“Goldson explored the options and maybe he couldn’t get a better deal than Rangers offered or Rangers put their deal up a bit.

“I’m sure he’ll be looking at different options, Morelos. He’ll maybe want to play in a bigger league.

“But getting to the final of the Europa League, that’s attractive for players to stay at Rangers and maybe do it again.

“It will be interesting. Rangers have got a good core of players so it’s a good club to stay at.”

[freshpress-quiz id=“712674″]

Supporters would be buzzing

If Morelos can be convinced to stay at Rangers, then the Ibrox faithful would surely be delighted, considering his superb record with the Light Blues since signing from HJK Helsinki in 2017.

‘El Bufalo’ has hit 113 goals and contributed 51 assists in 224 appearances for the Teddy Bears, while he also broke Ally McCoist’s record to become the club’s all-time top European goalscorer.

Given the Colombian’s immense contributions, Rangers fans will surely be hoping that Agbonlahor is right and he will consider extending his stay at Ibrox, especially after coming so close to winning the Europa League last season.

It would be a big blow to lose the 25-year-old ahead of the Champions League qualifiers next month, so Van Bronckhorst must do all that he can to keep Morelos at Ibrox. If the Dutchman can do just that, the Gers faithful would be buzzing heading into the 2022/23 campaign.

In other news… Rangers could repeat Ryan Kent masterclass with swoop for “bullish” £5.4m-rated gem

Tottenham Hotspur are prepared to back Antonio Conte with an abundance of new signings this off-season…

What’s the word?

That’s according to reliable Daily Express journalist Ryan Taylor, who delivered a fresh claim on Spurs’ transfer plans to GIVEMESPORT over the weekend.

“I do think they will back Conte with five or six new signings, I’m just not sure they will all be in before pre-season, it will rumble on,” he said.

“We might see swap deals as well, Paratici has shown that he likes the open negotiating instead of paying straight money.

“If Spurs have got deadwood in their squad, which we know they do, there’s a lot of players that could leave and they could look to exchange those for players they actually want to sign.”

Conte will be buzzing

The north London outfit have already secured their first arrival in Ivan Perisic, a veteran wing-back who Conte has worked with before at Inter Milan, and now appear to be close to announcing Fraser Forster as Hugo Lloris’ backup next term.

And based on the aforementioned update, the Lilywhites’ hierarchy – largely sporting director Fabio Paratici and chairman Daniel Levy – aren’t close to being done yet.

After securing Champions League qualification on the final day, the 52-year-old is set to receive a massive boost with the club seemingly prepared to sign further options to his squad, something that’ll be needed if they are to compete on all fronts.

This should leave the manager absolutely buzzing as he can expect four or five new names following their Perisic swoop.

A left-footed central defender is thought to be high on the priorities, with Alessandro Bastoni and Josko Gvardiol very much top targets for the role, whilst an alternative to Harry Kane wouldn’t go amiss either.

[snack-amp-story url= “https://www.footballfancast.com/web-stories/tottenham-hotspur-latest-news-updates-transfer-rumours-gossip-spurs-thfc-conte-paratici” title= “Read the latest Spurs news, transfer rumours and more!”]

It wouldn’t be a surprise to see Conte land a right wing-back either, amid interest in newly-promoted Nottingham Forest loanee Djed Spence, whilst names like Youri Tielemans, Christian Eriksen and Lautaro Martinez have all been mooted, too.

The Italian head coach must be excited to see how the summer pans out heading into his first pre-season in charge of Spurs.

AND in other news, Spurs now eyeing £27m-rated “tank” who’s like Van Dijk, he’s way better than Bastoni…

Liverpool have a lot to consider when it comes to their forwards and their expiring contracts, and now a reliable source has given an update on one player’s future ahead of the summer transfer window.

What’s the latest?

Italian journalist and transfer insider Fabrizio Romano has written a column (via Anfield Watch) detailing more information on Mohamed Salah’s contract situation at Liverpool.

[snack-amp-story url=”https://www.footballfancast.com/web-stories/read-the-latest-liverpool-news-transfer-rumours-gossip-salah-gnabry-isak-romano” title= “Read the latest Liverpool news!”]

As per the report, Romano confirms that there is no connection between Salah and Mane’s future and negotiations for the Egyptian won’t be compromised or dependent on the future of his teammate.

There is still no agreement on a new contract for Salah and there is a “serious possibility” that he will leave on a free transfer in the summer of 2023, however, Romano reports that no final decision will be made until 2023.

Klopp will be gutted

With Roberto Firmino, Salah and Mane all out of contract in 12 months’ time, there is no doubt that Jurgen Klopp will be gutted about the situation and will be hoping he can lay down some foundations for a worst-case scenario where all three leave next summer.

When it comes to Salah in particular, replacing his attacking output would be no easy task for FSG, especially when his equally high scoring teammate is planning to leave the club this summer according to reports.

The Egyptian winger has been a consistent goal machine for Liverpool during his time at the club scoring 156 goals and contributing 63 assists with a goal involvement every 94 minutes, which is an astonishing output that FSG would struggle to replace instantly if they can’t come to an agreement on an extension for the player.

It has been reported that Salah wants to be paid £400k-per-week to extend his stay at Anfield which would be a huge advance on his current £225k-per-week salary and would put the player hundreds of thousands ahead of his teammates, completely abolishing the tight and fair wage structure across the board that has been exercised for years.

Ultimately, FSG and the manager will need to come to a decision on whether they can offer something to the player that can keep him at the club or if they can move on without Salah next summer and bring in reinforcements that can continue Liverpool’s trajectory for success. If not, this whole situation can be seen as nothing but a big blow for the Merseysiders.

AND in other news: FSG could unearth Liverpool’s next Salah by signing “special” 131-goal star

Aston Villa boss Steven Gerrard could well be the deciding factor in the club’s move for Leeds United midfielder Kalvin Phillips, according to journalist Pete O’Rourke.

What’s the word?

Speaking to GIVEMESPORT, the respected insider hinted that the chance to work under the former Liverpool captain could be too good to turn down for the 26-year-old.

Asked about the Englishman’s future, O’Rourke stated how Gerrard’s presence in the dugout could be to Villa’s advantage: “I think the chance to maybe work under a top midfielder, like Gerrard was, might appeal to Kalvin Phillips.

“He might think it would help improve his own game. There will be lots that Villa would be hoping might appeal to Phillips if it does come down to a race for his signature.”

Recent reports suggested that the Midlands side – alongside Newcastle United – have emerged as frontrunners in the race for his signature, albeit with the 19-cap international also reportedly a ‘top target’ for Manchester City.

Any deal is not likely to come cheap for any of those sides, however, with reports that it could take as much as £60m to prise him from Elland Road, with Jesse Marsch leading the club to safety ending any hopes of a securing him for a potentially reduced fee.

Gerrard will love him

While that assessment would suggest that Phillips is keen to work under the Premier League legend, the reverse could also be true, with Gerrard potentially relishing the chance to add the £45m-rated man to his side.

The Villa Park outfit have already added Marseille youngster Boubacar Kamara to their midfield ranks, although a further addition could be on the cards, with the Leeds man offering the flexibility to play in a holding role but also in a more aggressive, number eight role as he has done for his country.

Dubbed the “best modern midfielder” by legendary coach Fabio Capello, the £38k-per-week monster set the world alight for the Three Lions at Euro 2020, forging an immense partnership with West Ham’s Declan Rice.

Although injury has since halted his progress, he still recorded some notable statistics for his current side in the 2021/22 campaign, averaging 1.2 interceptions and 2.7 tackles per game in his 20 league outings.

He has also impressed compared to his peers in Europe’s top five leagues, ranking in the top 4% for blocks, the top 3% for tackles and the top 2% for pressures made, illustrating his workman-like quality in the centre of the park.

It is no real surprise then to see the clamour for his services this summer, although it remains to be seen whether he will be able to forego his emotional attachment to his current side.

That being said, the prospect to work under Gerrard may just be the carrot that he needs in order to make a departure.

IN other news, Gerrard can land AVFC’s next Southgate with move for “outstanding” £120k-p/w warrior

According to reliable journalist Tom Barclay, Southampton transfer target Liam Delap would ‘definitely’ fit the profile of player that manager Ralph Hasenhuttl might be tempted to sign during the upcoming transfer window.

The Lowdown: Delap profiled

The 19-year-old first joined the academy at Manchester City as a scholar three years ago and has worked his way up through the ranks at the club, which saw him rewarded with his first-team debut in the Sky Blues’ 2-1 Carabao Cup victory against Bournemouth in September 2020.

The forward put pen to paper on a new three-year contract extension with the Etihad Stadium outfit last summer, but he has recently been touted with a move away from the Premier League champions in a bid to get some much-needed game-time and further his development.

In a recent report from The Sun, it’s claimed that the teenager is on Southampton’s shortlist as they desperately look to bolster their attacking ranks; and after raiding Chelsea’s academy to sign Tino Livramento and Dynel Simeu last year, the Saints have been backed to pull off a similar move by tempting Delap into a south coast switch in the coming months.

[web_stories_embed url=”https://www.footballtransfertavern.com/web-stories/southampton-latest-developments-2/” title=”Southampton latest developments!” poster=”” width=”360″ height=”600″ align=”none”]

The Latest: Barclay backs Southampton links with Delap

Barclay has suggested that Delap could be the perfect fit for Hasenhuttl’s plans at Southampton, given the Saints’ previous raids for young prospects from the Premier League’s top brass.

Wnd when asked whether he thought he could see any parallels in their swoops for the aforementioned ex-Chelsea youngsters, he told GiveMeSport: “Yeah, definitely. They’ve targeted Chelsea’s academy in recent history with great success, with obviously Livramento being the standout one, Broja as well.

“Dynel Simeu, who went on loan to Carlisle and did well, although he’s not been as much of a standout player; he was signed more for the B team but is another player they signed from that club’s academy.

“And I think we’ve talked about Tino Anjorin as well as another possible target in the future. So, they’ve looked at that area.”

The Verdict: Perfect replacement for Long

With veteran striker Shane Long set to depart St Mary’s upon the expiry of his contract next month, Delap could be viewed as the ideal candidate to take the Irishman’s place in the squad, either on a temporary or permanent basis.

The Winchester-born talent, who was once dubbed a “special” player by City manager Pep Guardiola, has been in excellent form in Premier League 2 this season. With eight goals and two assists in just ten appearances at that level, as per Transfermarkt, he has shown just how prolific he can be in the final third regardless of his age.

After a disappointing 15th-place finish in the top flight this season, the possible addition of someone like Delap up top could be just what Southampton need if they are to start making a serious push towards a top-ten finish next time around.

In other news… a talkSPORT reporter has made this huge Saints transfer claim involving one of their summer targets

According to transfer insider Dean Jones, Tottenham Hotspur target Idrissa Gueye could be the perfect ‘upgrade’ on midfielder Pierre-Emile Hojbjerg.

The Lowdown: PSG open to Gueye exit

The 32-year-old currently plays his football with Paris Saint-Germain, having made a total of 110 senior appearances for the club since joining in a £29m move from Premier League side Everton.

However, French outlet Jeunes Footeux recently reported that the French giants would be open to letting the defensive midfielder leave the club at the end of the season, which may well have caught the eye of the Lilywhites.

[web_stories_embed url=”https://www.footballtransfertavern.com/web-stories/tottenham-latest-developments-2/” title=”Tottenham latest developments!” poster=”” width=”360″ height=”600″ align=”none”]

The Latest: Jones makes Hojbjerg ‘upgrade’ claim

Jones says that he very much likes the thought of Gueye making the switch to Spurs and believes that the maestro would be an ‘upgrade’ on current first-team star Hojbjerg. He told GiveMeSport:

“With Idrissa Gueye being linked, I can understand why he might be a fit because he wears his heart on his sleeve and he’s a great midfielder. He would seem to fit, and you would imagine they’re looking for an upgrade on Hojbjerg.”

The Verdict: A welcome new addition

With Antonio Conte reportedly wanting to add two new midfielders to his ranks as he starts to rebuild his squad ahead of the start of the new season, Gueye would be a welcome signing in the middle of the park, whether that’s as a Hojbjerg replacement or playing alongside him.

The 5 foot 7 beast, who was once hailed as an “amazing” player by Chelsea stalwart Thiago Silva, already has plenty of experience in the top-flight, having made 108 outings for the Toffees, so will know exactly what is required of him.

Gueye will be out of contract at the Parc des Princes next summer so there’s no doubt that PSG will want to try and complete a deal in the upcoming window to get some kind of fee for him, but if his price tag is affordable for Paratici and co, Spurs should do everything they can to get it over the line.

In other news… a Sky Sports pundit is thrilled by some transfer news he’s heard coming out of N17.

Injured Everton centre-back Yerry Mina will be a ‘huge’ miss against Watford, according to Premier League pundit Paul Robinson. 

The lowdown: Mina becomes latest Blues casualty

Mina lasted only 18 minutes in Sunday’s 2-1 victory against Leicester City before sustaining an injury, with Michael Keane coming on in his place.

It’s the sixth separate problem the Colombian has encountered this season, limiting him to just 11 Premier League starts.

Left-back Vitalii Mykolenko, who scored the opener, also left the action midway through the second half after suffering from cramp.

Frank Lampard has now confirmed that the calf issue will sideline Mina for Wednesday’s trip to Watford, but Mykolenko is fine.

Everton head to Vicarage Road gunning for what could be three decisive points in the battle for survival. Victory would take them four points above Leeds United with just three games to play.

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

The latest: Huge…

Robinson, speaking before the Ukraine star was passed fit, says both Mina and Mykolenko have been in excellent form recently, and thinks Everton could suffer from the former’s absence.

However, he’s confident that the Toffees have still done enough to survive.

“They really have been outstanding,” he told Football Insider.

“I don’t think their injuries will matter though. I think Everton are safe. The last two wins have done wonders for them.

“I truly believe it’s between Burnley and Leeds now. Everton have momentum after those two performances. They will take care of themselves now.

“Mina and Mykolenko will be huge misses but I think they’ve done enough. I’m sure they’ll be safe come the end of the season.”

The verdict: Another one?

Everton have been hit extremely hard by injuries this season, and that’s part of the reason why they’ve struggled.

As of 5 April, they had picked up more injuries than any other team in the Premier League (via Ben Dinnery).

For Mina in particular, it’s been a stop-start campaign, and he could leave the club with a decision to make.

Might it be wise to cash in on the £18million-rated 27-year-old if he’s so rarely available, and replace him with someone who’s comparatively bulletproof?

In other news, Robinson also reacted to links with this defender.