All posts by z3u9t.icu

The Athletic’s Phil Hay has name-dropped James Ward-Prowse as the kind of signing he’d love to see at Leeds United.

What’s the story?

The Southampton captain was linked with a move away from St Mary’s in the summer transfer window when reports emerged of interest from fellow Premier League side Aston Villa, but the England international stayed put.

Hay has now suggested that Ward-Prowse could be a great fit at Elland Road instead.

He said in a Q&A for The Athletic: “Ward-Prowse is a terrific player who will surely move on from Southampton eventually. The sort of player I’d like to see at Leeds. From what I’m told, Leeds don’t intend to go back for Nketiah.”

Imagine him and Kalvin Phillips

While Kalvin Phillips might currently be out injured, the prospect of seeing him line up with his England colleague in the Leeds engine room is surely mouth-watering.

Dubbed a “machine” by his teammates at Southampton, the £42m-rated Ward-Prowse had a fine season in the Premier League last year.

The £100k-per-week ace would offer something that Leeds really missed last season – goals from midfield. The Saints star managed eight goals in the Premier League, as well as chipping in with seven assists, numbers which are far better than anything that Bielsa’s current options produced (Mateusz Klich was the closest with four strikes to his name).

As per FBRef.com, Ward-Prowse’s passes in the Premier League last season progressed for more than 10,000 yards, a real indication of how he is always looking to move things forward rather than keeping things simple.

That figure ranks him 49th in the entire division for 2020/21, a pretty impressive achievement considering that most of the players above him are goalkeepers and defenders – in terms of midfielders, only Pierre-Emile Hojbjerg, Ashley Westwood, Rodri and Granit Xhaka exceeded the 26-year-old’s tally.

Having him alongside a deeper-lying playmaker like Phillips could see Leeds have the perfect blend of control and dynamism in midfield, with the former protecting the back four and setting up attacks, and Ward-Prowse getting further forward to offer a goal threat.

It would be a real dream midfield duo for Bielsa.

Meanwhile, Leeds could finally axe one flop by signing this Championship sensation…

Following on from their convincing 5-0 win over Morecambe on Tuesday, Sunderland are back in League One action once again this weekend with another home clash against Plymouth Argyle, who are currently just two points below the Black Cats in the league table, making it a big game for Lee Johnson’s side and their promotion hopes.

On the chalkboard

In terms of which players Johnson could pick to start on Saturday afternoon, one man who played a big part in the win against Morecambe and should duly keep his place in the starting XI to face Plymouth is Leon Dajaku.

With 90 minutes under his belt against the Shrimpers in the left wing-back position, the youngster showed his manager how capable he is of playing in that role.

During the game, Dajaku had 78 touches of the ball and completed 42 of his 48 passes, with two key passes and one goal to his name. The 20-year-old also recorded five successful dribbles and won five duels, highlighting his energy to attack and win the ball back for his side.

This performance earned the German an overall match rating of 7.6/10 from SofaScore, making him Sunderland’s joint-third highest rated player on the day.

Since joining the Wearside club on a loan deal from Union Berlin back in August, Dajaku – who is currently valued at £1.62m by Transfermarkt – has scored four goals in 11 League One appearances.

With Kevin Phillips saying when the 20-year-old joined Sunderland that he must have “serious ability” having been involved with Bayern Munich’s youth ranks earlier in his career, he certainly seems to have been showing that ability at Sunderland, particularly in front of goal, making it a smart piece of summer business from the Black Cats to get him in.

Looking ahead to the Plymouth game, Johnson should definitely stick with having Dajaku in the starting XI – as well as Lynden Gooch, who also impressed in the win against Morecambe – to give Sunderland some extra attacking power, which they will need if they want to pick up all three points against Argyle and push closer to the top of the League One table.

In other news – Big relief: Sunderland handed major injury boost which will surely have Johnson buzzing 

A big Newcastle United transfer claim has emerged regarding the club’s plans for Eddie Howe’s squad.

What’s the talk?

Sky Sports reporter Keith Downie has revealed the positions that PIF will be targeting in the upcoming summer transfer window.

He told GIVEMESPORT: “I think they’ll bring in a centre-back, a forward, like a playmaker, and a striker. They’re also looking at the goalkeeping department, and then it all depends on players going.

“If they lost a centre midfielder or they don’t manage to sign Matt Targett, then they’ll look to bring in more on top of that.”

Howe will be buzzing

The Magpies head coach will be buzzing with this claim from Downie because it shows that the club want to strengthen key areas of the starting XI.

Firstly, he will be delighted by the prospect of a playmaker coming through the door. Out of all the players who have played 20 or more Premier League matches for the club, Allan Saint-Maximin (1.5) is the only player who is providing at least one key pass per game.

This suggests that Howe is in dire need of more creativity in his squad next season as he does not have enough in his team at the moment, as evidenced by their performances in the top flight. Saint-Maximin is the only player providing his teammates with chances on a somewhat regular basis and bringing in a playmaker will, therefore, improve the volume of opportunities that are being created for the forwards to score from.

Secondly, Howe could be buzzing to add competition for Martin Dubravka between the sticks. The Slovakian has struggled in terms of sweeping up at the back as he ranks in the seventh percentile in Europe’s top five leagues for defensive actions outside the penalty area and in the second percentile for the average distance of his defensive actions – as per FBRef.

This suggests that he is rooted to his line too often and is not dealing with balls in behind his defenders as often as the majority of goalkeepers in Europe. Therefore, Howe will surely be keen to bring in a shot-stopper who can excel at that side of the game to challenge Dubravka for the number one position.

The head coach will also be buzzing to bring a centre-back to the club as the Magpies do not have a single player in that position younger than 28. He will want to add some youth to the mix to ensure that they do not end up needing to replace their entire defence in one summer as they all head into their 30s.

AND in other news, Bid planned: Howe must seal NUFC deal for £30m “monster” whose “simplicity is genius”…

Interest in Nottingham Forest attacking midfielder Brennan Johnson is intensifying as the summer transfer window draws to a close.

What’s the talk?

That’s according to a report by Sky Sports (via Football League World), who claim that Brentford are in talks with Forest regarding a deal for the 20-year-old, with the Premier League side contemplating making an improvement on their previous offer for the Wales international.

However, the report continues by stating that the Bees appear reluctant to meet the Reds’ £10m valuation of the youngster, although they are still hoping to tempt Dane Murphy into a sale before the transfer deadline next Tuesday.

Big mistake

While a £10m fee would be an enormous amount of money to receive for a player who has so far made just 12 first-team appearances for Forest, considering the sheer amount of potential Johnson appears to possess, it would appear to be a huge mistake on the part of Murphy to sanction the sale of the 20-year-old this summer.

Indeed, despite Forest’s disastrous form over their opening four fixtures of the season, Johnson has been one of the few players to impress within Chris Hughton’s side, having registered one assist and created two big chances for his teammates, as well as taking an average of 0.8 shots and making 1.5 key passes per game.

These returns have seen the player Sabri Lamouchi dubbed an “unbelievable” talent earn an average SofaScore match rating of 6.80, ranking him as the club’s third-best performer in the league.

As such, taking into account Johnson’s tender age, he would very much appear to be a player who is destined for great things in his career, as well as one who could well be the difference between survival and relegation for Forest this season.

So, should Murphy ultimately agree to sell the £360k-rated man in the coming days, it would not only leave Forest fans fuming, the CEO could well be condemning his side to a spell in League One next season.

In other news: Lost 75% duels: Abject NFFC dud who made just 6 passes badly failed Hughton vs Wolves

An update has emerged regarding Crystal Palace’s interest in West Ham centre-back Issa Diop.

What’s the talk?

According to ExWHUEmployee, via Hammers News, the Eagles are showing an interest in signing the Irons centre-back ahead of the transfer deadline.

The report claims that the Eagles are looking to bring the Frenchman in on loan after the arrival of Kurt Zouma at the London Stadium pushed him further down the pecking order under David Moyes.

Vieira would love him

Steve Parish must ensure that he can get a loan deal over the line for Diop before the window slams shut tonight, as he could be an excellent addition to the squad and a player who Patrick Vieira would love to have as an option in his defence.

The Eagles lack quality depth in the centre-back position following the departures of Gary Cahill and Scott Dann on free transfers over the summer. Joachim Andersen and Marc Guehi have started the season as Vieira’s first-choice centre-back pairing, having arrived from Lyon and Chelsea respectively, but there is little in the way of strong competition for their places.

This means that Vieira could love having another quality option in that area of the pitch to challenge Guehi and Andersen and raise the standards in training and in matches. Bringing in a player to compete for a spot in the starting XI could prompt the current starters to up their game, whilst also allowing Vieira to rest and rotate when needed without worrying about the level of his team dropping drastically.

Diop is a proven Premier League performer despite his recent struggles at the London Stadium, and Vieira could enjoy helping him to get back to his best.

Jose Mourinho once hailed the French defender as a ‘monster’ after a 3-1 win for West Ham over Manchester United in 2018. The £22m signing from Toulouse impressed the Portuguese boss, who said: “Congratulations to the scout who found Diop, a monster who dictated everything.”

In the Frenchman’s first season in the Premier League with West Ham, he averaged an impressive WhoScored rating of 6.89 in 33 starts. He won 2.3 aerial battles, 2.1 tackles and 1.9 interceptions and made 4.7 clearances and 1.1 blocks per game, showing how active he was defensively. This shows that he does have the potential to perform in the top flight and could add quality in depth for Palace if he can get back to his best, with Diop struggling for starts (15) at West Ham last season.

Therefore, Parish must secure a deal to bring him in on loan and give Vieira the chance to work with him on the training pitch to help him fulfill his potential at centre-back. It is relatively risk-free as it would only be a temporary switch, which means that it is also not the end of the world if Diop is unable to get back to his previous levels. Indeed, the worst-case scenario is that Palace have another option at centre-back who can push the starters for their places.

In other news: Fabrizio Romano drops key CPFC update on “outstanding” dynamo, fans will love it

Having broken through into the Celtic first-team as a result of the Hoops’ injury crisis in the heart of defence last season, Stephen Welsh is a player who there is a great deal of excitement about at Parkhead.

It is easy to see why, as, despite being just 20 years of age at the time, the centre-back highly impressed over his 16 Scottish Premiership appearances last term, helping his side keep seven clean sheets and scoring one goal, as well as making an average of 1.2 interceptions, 0.9 tackles, 3.6 clearances and winning 5.8 duels per game.

These returns saw the defender earn a seasonal SofaScore match rating of 7.04, ranking him as the Bhoys’ 12th-best performer in the league – a rather extraordinary feat considering the youngster’s lack of first-team experience and the rather toxic atmosphere surrounding Celtic last year.

Indeed, Welsh was one of the few bright sparks in a season that saw the Hoops fail to secure their fabled 10 in a row Premiership titles, with the 21-year-old looking to have been continuing his upward trajectory under the new management of Ange Postecoglou in the current campaign.

Over the £1.08m-rated man’s four league appearances this season, he has helped the Bhoys keep two clean sheets and has provided one assist, in addition to making an average of 0.8 interceptions, one tackle, 2.5 clearances and winning 5.8 duels per fixture.

These metrics have seen the £720-per-week defender average a SofaScore match rating of 7.17, ranking him as the club’s 10th-best player in the Scottish top flight.

Although, despite these impressive displays, Welsh has now not featured in four consecutive league fixtures, something that would appear largely down to the budding partnership of summer signings Cameron Carter-Vickers and Carl Starfelt in the heart of Celtic’s backline.

However, should Postecoglou wish to continue the development of a player who Martin Millar dubbed a “phenomenal” talent most efficiently, it would seem a very wise move for the 56-year-old to unleash Welsh in the league once again sooner rather than later, or else the Hoops boss risks putting the brakes on the remarkable rise of the 21-year-old – who very much appears to be destined for the top.

In other news: Major blow: Celtic dealt injury setback on “brave” £18k-p/w beast, fans surely gutted

Liverpool are reportedly still interested in signing highly-rated Monaco midfielder Aurelien Tchouameni but could now face even more competition for his signature, according to a fresh claim out of Italy.

The Lowdown: Tchouameni excelling in France

The 22-year-old has emerged as one of Europe’s most exciting young players, producing dominant performances at the heart of Monaco’s midfield.

[web_stories_embed url=”https://www.footballtransfertavern.com/web-stories/latest-liverpool-transfer-news-28/” title=”Latest Liverpool transfer news!” poster=”” width=”360″ height=”600″ align=”none”]

Tchouameni has started 28 Ligue 1 games so far this season and has averaged an impressive 2.8 interceptions per game, as well as 2.5 tackles and 2.3 aerial duel wins.

Liverpool have been linked with a move for the Frenchman in the past and their interest doesn’t appear to have gone away – but they now face even more competition for his services from European giants and seven-time Champions League winners AC Milan.

The Latest: Reds face Tchouameni competiton

According to Gazzetta dello Sport, as also relayed by The Liverpool Echo, the Reds now face stiff competition from Serie A giants AC Milan.

Indeed, the Rossoneri have joined Liverpool as one of the clubs thought to be vying to sign Monaco’s gem.

The Verdict: Incredible summer addition

Tchouameni looks a truly outstanding prospect currently – he has been lauded as ‘extraordinary’ by Paul Pogba in the past – and he could be the perfect midfield signing for Liverpool this summer.

With the likes of Thiago, Jordan Henderson and James Milner all in their 30s now, and both Fabinho and Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain in their late 20s, the Monaco man could bring an injection of youth to that area of the pitch.

While mainly considered more defence-minded than attacking, there is no reason why Tchouameni couldn’t be an option in one of the No.8 roles under Jurgen Klopp, having averaged 1.1 dribbles per match in the league in 2021/22.

Bearing this in mind, beating fresh contenders Milan to his signature would be a fantastic summer boost for Klopp.

In other news, James Pearce has heaped praise on one ‘special’ Liverpool player. Find out who it is here.

Aston Villa have now lost all of their four previous Premier League games, the latest of which being their disheartening 4-0 defeat against Tottenham Hotspur at Villa Park.

This has now left the Villans with 46 goals conceded in 31 league games, which is more than the likes of Burnley, Crystal Palace and Brighton & Hove Albion.

Looking ahead to the upcoming summer transfer window, it seems as though the Villa Park outfit have already identified one potential target that could come in and fix up their defensive issues.

What’s the news?

According to a recent Twitter post from journalist Florian Plettenberg, Villa manager Steven Gerrard wants to sign Borussia Monchengladbach defender Matthias Ginter this summer.

The journalist also added that the Midlands club have spoken to the centre-back’s management about a potential move to Villa Park but that he has not made a decision about his future yet.

His current contract at the German club is set to expire in the summer, meaning that the Villans could potentially secure Ginter on a free transfer as they did with Calum Chambers back in January.

Their own Sergio Ramos?

Since joining Monchengladbach from fellow Bundesliga side Borussia Dortmund back in the 2017 summer transfer window, the centre-back has gone on to make 177 appearances across all competitions.

In those appearances, the £21.6m-rated defender has managed to score 11 goals and provide five assists along the way.

To highlight the 28-year-old’s solidity at the back, out of the 45 tackles he’s made in the Bundesliga this season, he’s managed to win 32 of them, giving him the eighth-highest rated success rate for tackles in the entire league.

The German international has also racked up the highest number of clearances (101) at his club as well as the fourth-highest number of interceptions (46), showing just how capable of a defender he is.

Labelled as a “leader” on the pitch by Lothar Matthaus as well as being likened to Sergio Ramos, Ginter could be exactly what Gerrard needs in his team to make them stronger in defence and harder to score against.

Moving forward, if a free transfer for Ginter is on the cards in the summer, then this is something that the Midlands club and Johan Lange should definitely be looking to complete, especially if Gerrard is keen to have him in his squad.

In other news: Gerrard plotting AVFC offer for “phenomenal” £50m “machine”, it could be bye-bye Ings

Fabio Paratici is lining up an exciting transfer swoop at Tottenham Hotspur, according to emerging reports…

What’s the word?

Italian outlet Calciomercatoweb claimed that the Spurs sporting director could launch a bid to sign Monaco midfielder Aurelien Tchouameni, on whom his former club Juventus are also keen.

It’s thought that the north London outfit are capable of offering more money than the Serie A giants in what could be a double move that also includes Fiorentina striker Dusan Vlahovic.

Both would cost around €105m (£88.5m) combined.

Winks upgrade

Midfield reinforcements could sit quite highly amongst Nuno Santo’s priority list, particularly as it seems as if Harry Winks will look to move on from his boyhood club, having struggled to break into the starting XI once again this campaign.

The Times believe that the Englishman is looking for a loan move this January, so a berth in the engine room could become available, and that should be filled by Tchouameni if Spurs have any sense.

Aged just 21, the Monaco powerhouse is a real star of the future and could help Paratici form a scary-looking midfield in north London for years to come.

Just imagine him, Oliver Skipp, Bryan Gil and Pape Matar Sarr in a few seasons’ time – all of whom are currently 21 years old or under.

Tchouameni is something of a box-to-box workhorse, having averaged 2.9 tackles, 2.1 interceptions, 1.9 shots and 1.2 dribbles per Ligue 1 outing so far this campaign, via WhoScored.

That shows his capability in his team’s own half, often being there to thwart the opposition, and then also in the final third, where he can drive the ball forward with his physical presence to also provide an additional threat on goal.

It’s no wonder he has previously been branded a “complete midfield player” by former Arsenal and Chelsea midfielder Cesc Fabregas on Twitter.

“He’s not a boy; he’s a man. It’s a pleasure to play next to him; he provides a lot, plenty of energy, technical quality and extraordinary physicality,” compatriot Paul Pogba added.

Having already picked up five caps for France, who are blessed with midfield options, Spurs must ensure they are the team to secure the £26m-rated beast in 2022.

Tchouameni would be a welcome upgrade on Winks, that’s for sure.

AND in other news, Alasdair Gold drops exciting Spurs transfer claim ahead of January…

Alex McLeish has slammed the decision made by Marcel Brands to give James Rodriguez such big wages at Everton.

The Lowdown: Rodriguez wages

As per Football Insider, the Goodison Park faithful failed to sell Rodriguez in the summer transfer window because of his £250,000-per-week wages.

The Colombia international was linked with a move away from the Merseyside club after the departure of Carlo Ancelotti to Real Madrid.

The Latest: McLeish on Rodriguez

Speaking to Football Insider, former Aston Villa and Rangers manager now pundit McLeish has now slammed the decision made by Brands to give Rodriguez such high wages, and feels as if he will leave sooner rather than later:

“In a word, yes, it is irresponsible.

“I would be surprised if he gets another year into the contract. The guy’s ability is unquestionable but it’s doing it consistently that’s the problem.

“That’s what Everton need to take them to the highest level, from the top eight into the Champions League places.

“Benitez has his own ideas and style of play for the team. He wants them to be really robust and work really hard.

“Rodriguez is not a Benitez type of player. I don’t see him fitting Benitez’s plan for the future.”

The Verdict: Play him then

If Rodriguez is on such big wages at the Toffees, then surely Benitez needs to find a way to give him more game time, especially if he was difficult to offload.

He scored a total of six goals and made a further nine assists in 26 matches over all competitions last season, but is yet to be used by the Spaniard so far this term (Transfermarkt).

A player of his calibre and ability simply needs to be on the pitch, and given a consistent run of games, the attacking midfield player could turn out to be the catalyst for Benitez to achieve his goals at the end of the campaign.

In other news, find out what Benitez comments have Toffees buzzing here!