All posts by z3u9t.icu

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

Leeds United are reportedly showing an interest in Villarreal winger Arnaut Danjuma, sending scouts to watch him in action earlier this week.

The Lowdown: Danjuma impresses against Man United

Danjuma played in his side’s 2-1 defeat to Manchester United in the Champions League on Wednesday night, as they lost in the dying seconds at Old Trafford.

Despite the result, the wide man caught the eye for Villarreal, injecting pace and directness as well as providing an assist for Paco Alcacer.

[freshpress-quiz id=“375277″]

The Latest: Leeds eye up winger

According to Football Insider, Leeds had scouts present at the game, in order to keep an eye on Danjuma’s performance.

A Whites source has claimed that they are ‘monitoring’ the former Bournemouth man, ahead of a potential move for him in the future.

Liverpool are also believed to be keen on signing the 24-year-old, who has scored three times already this season.

[web_stories_embed url=”https://www.footballtransfertavern.com/web-stories/latest-leeds-united-news-18/” title=”Latest Leeds United news!” poster=”” width=”360″ height=”600″ align=”none”]

The Verdict: Shrewd potential signing

Danjuma could be an excellent buy for Leeds, providing more squad depth and potentially coming in to replace Helder Costa in the long-term, with the Portuguese on loan at Valencia currently.

He scored 17 goals in 31 starts for Bournemouth last season, which shows how prolific he can be, and at 24, his peak years should still be ahead of him.

His youth, pace with the ball and end product suggest he could be the perfect man to come in and compete with the likes of Raphinha, Dan James and Jack Harrison.

In other news, a pundit has claimed Leeds United would accept a big-money offer for one player. Read more here.

Former Premier League striker Nigel Jemson is not surprised that Xherdan Shaqiri has left Liverpool this summer.

The winger has moved to French club Lyon for a fee of £9.5m, signing a three-year contract with the Ligue 1 outfit.

Shaqiri moved to Liverpool for a fee of £13m in 2018 but somewhat struggled to make a real impact at the club, who confirmed his departure on Monday.

Indeed, the Switzerland international made a total of 63 appearances for the club, but during his time at Anfield, he made just 18 Premier League starts.

Jemson is a Liverpool fan and is unsurprised that the 29-year-old has been allowed to leave the club as he seeks first-team minutes elsewhere.

His move comes after the diminutive winger impressed at Euro 2020, playing in five games as the Swiss reached the quarter-finals, knocking out France on the way. He scored three times, including a goal in the last eight penalty shootout defeat to Spain.

Jemson said: “Well it doesn’t surprise me that he’s been looking to go. He’s been there now for quite a while, and he’s never been a regular.

“He’s also been to the Euros in the summer and I thought he did very well, actually, for Switzerland. But he needs, probably, to move on. He’s not getting any younger.”

Aston Villa coach Michael Beale has spoken to Charlton Athletic over the club’s managerial vacancy, it has been revealed.

The lowdown

New Aston Villa manager Steven Gerrard brought Beale, part of his coaching staff at Rangers, to the Midlands.

It’s not the first time there’s been interest from a Football League Club this autumn.

Beale was a contender to replace Mick McCarthy at Cardiff City earlier this month, but the Bluebirds went with Steve Morrison in the end.

The former Liverpool Under-23 boss certainly isn’t short on admirers, with former Villan Stiliyan Petrov hailing him as an ‘incredible coach’ and a ‘powerful communicator’.

The latest

Speaking to London News Online, Charlton owner Thomas Sandgaard confirmed that there has been discussions with Beale.

But while he’s of course impressed with the 41-year-old’s CV, he suggested that he would be a less ‘ambitious’ appointment than some other of their candidates.

“He has a fantastic track record, especially on the supporting side. Of course we talked to Michael.

“We’ve also been a little more ambitious than that, in terms of the level of managers we’ve been reaching for.”

The verdict

After approaches from Cardiff and Charlton in relatively quick succession, Villa might be bracing themselves for further interest, as it certainly seems like a lower-league hot-seat is the next logical step in his coaching career.

And it would be a big blow if Beale was lured away, with one former Rangers player describing the ‘amazing’ coach as ‘the brains’ behind Gerrard’s success.

Encouragingly for Villa fans, though, Cardiff ultimately looked elsewhere, and Charlton appear to have reservations about his lack of experience too. Even though he’s earned a great deal of respect, perhaps he’s not thought to be totally ready to be the main man just yet.

In other news, fans react to Gerrard’s Tyrone Mings assessment.

Wolverhampton Wanderers are prepared to cash in on Adama Traore in the January transfer window.

What’s the talk?

That’s according to a report by 90min, who claim that Jeff Shi could finally be willing to part ways with the 25-year-old this winter, amid interest from both Liverpool and Barcelona.

The report goes on to state that, despite Wolves having opened contract talks with the winger back in 2019, the two parties are still no closer to agreeing terms regarding a new deal, something which caused issues under the previous management of Nuno Espirito Santo, and is once again beginning to under the leadership of Bruno Lage.

Finally, it is claimed that, although Liverpool are keen to do a deal for the Spain international this winter, Jurgen Klopp’s side value Traore at less than £30m – a figure which Shi does not want to drop below.

He’s becoming a liability

While it is undeniable that Traore is an exceptionally gifted player, not to mention an integral part of the way Wolves play their football under Bruno Lage, the fact that the 25-year-old’s contract talks are once again causing problems at Molineux appear to lead to one conclusion – the winger is becoming a liability.

As previously mentioned, the Spaniard’s ability is not in question, having averaged a SofaScore match rating of 7.27 over 37 Premier League appearances in 2019/20, a rating of 7.03 over 37 league fixtures in 2020/21 and a score of 7.17 over his ten top-flight games so far this season – ranking him as Wolves’ best, third-best and best performer in each respective campaign.

However, with 90min claiming that as a result of the stalemate in his contract negotiations, Lage is now less inclined to start Traore in the league, the question must be asked as to whether it is worthwhile keeping hold of a player who is valued at £27m by Transfermarkt, as well one who is currently picking up a sizeable £43k-per-week, if he is only going to warm the bench for Wolves.

As such, while it would usually be a rather strange suggestion considering his overall level of performance for the club, Shi must axe Traore this January, as it would very much appear as if the breakdown in relationship between the player who Graeme Souness dubbed a “near miss” and the club is now beyond the point of no return.

In other news: Wolves handed big injury boost ahead of West Ham clash, Bruno Lage will be buzzing

Aston Villa have been dealt a setback in their pursuit of Brighton midfielder Yves Bissouma, with the south coast club having no desperate need to sell one of their star players in order to generate funds.

What’s the latest?

According to Sky Sports, the 25-year-old is in no rush to leave the Amex Stadium this month, despite interest from the Seagulls’ Premier League rivals Villa. Moreover, Brighton manager Graham Potter has stated that he is “confident” Bissouma will stay at the club beyond this month.

The Malian’s focus will currently be on his country’s fortunes at the Africa Cup on Nations, with Sky stating that his future will become clearer once he has returned to the UK from international duty. However, the midfielder did admit back in September that it would be his “dream” to play for a Champions League club after Manchester United and Liverpool were linked with swoops.

Last week, The Athletic reported that a fee of around £50m will be demanded by Brighton if they are to let their midfield maestro depart after three-and-a-half years on the south coast. In that time, the 25-year-old has impressed massively, with Gary Linker labelling him “exceptional” last April.

Steven Gerrard will be gutted

Although a deal for Bissouma may be completed in the summer, Gerrard will be desperate to add a quality midfielder to his ranks, especially with Marvelous Nakamba expected to be out until April with a knee injury.

At 6 foot in height, the Malian would offer more of a physical presence in the Villa midfield, with regulars John McGinn (5 foot 10) and Douglas Luiz (5 foot 9) shorter than the Brighton beast.

Moreover, according to SofaScore, the 25-year-old has averaged a rating of 7.21/10 in the Premier League this season. That’s significantly superior to Luiz’s 6.95 and Nakamba’s 6.65, although McGinn is averaging a slightly better 7.35.

Last season, Bissouma made an impressive 104 tackles and 64 interceptions in 36 Premier League appearances, an average of 2.9 tackles and 1.8 interceptions per game. This term, the Malian has improved, averaging 3.6 tackles and 1.9 interceptions per match, whilst also posting a 71% dribble success rate and 89% passing accuracy.

As for McGinn and Luiz, the former is averaging 2.7 tackles and 0.8 interceptions per match, whilst the latter is lagging behind with 1.7 tackles and 1.1 interceptions.

It is clear as to why numerous clubs, including Villa, are circling around the Brighton midfielder and why his price tag is substantial. There is little doubt that Bissouma would improve Gerrard’s midfield, but the 41-year-old may have to be patient if he wants to bring the Malian to Villa Park, or else look elsewhere if an immediate solution is required.

As it stands, the manager may well be gutted that his team’s chances of landing the 25-year-old this month appear slim at best.

In other news: Fabrizio Romano drops major Villa transfer update which will have fans buzzing

West Ham United have reportedly made an offer to sign out-of-contract Napoli defender Nikola Maksimovic, according to Corriere Dello Sport journalist Antonio Giordano (via Area Napoli).

THE LOWDOWN: DEFENDER SET FOR THE NAPOLI EXIT DOOR

Maksimovic’s contract with Napoli is set to expire this summer, and it appears as though he’s attracting interest ahead of the 2021/22 season.

He first signed for the club in 2016, and went on to make 99 appearances in total, although he found regular minutes in the 2020/21 campaign hard to come by on a consistent basis.

With Fabian Balbuena being released by West Ham at the end of his contract with the club, it seems as though David Moyes is keen to add to his defensive options at the earliest of opportunities.

THE LATEST: WEST HAM MAKE THEIR MOVE TO LAND MAKSIMOVIC’S SIGNATURE

According to Corriere Dello Sport journalist Antonio Giordano (via Area Napoli), West Ham have reportedly made an offer to land Maksimovic’s signature this summer.

The defender is available on a free transfer, and with no new agreement with Napoli in place, it seems as though he’s likely to be heading for the exit door in the near future.

“He has had offers from Betis, Sevilla, West Ham and Crystal Palace but has not decided,” Giordano claims.

It remains to be seen as to whether the defender is keen on a move to Moyes’ side, although the prospect of playing European football could make it a tempting proposition for the £9million-rated man.

THE VERDICT: IT COULD BE A SMART BIT OF BUSINESS BY THE HAMMERS

This would be a real statement of intent by the Hammers heading into the new Premier League campaign, which is set to get underway in August.

They’re going to need additional strength in depth in their team this term, as they’re competing in Europe, as well as domestically in the Premier League.

Maksimovic has experience of playing in the Champions League whilst with Napoli, so he could be exactly what West Ham need moving forwards, adding depth and know-how at the highest level.

On a potential free transfer as well, this could turn out to be an excellent bit of business for the Hammers this summer.

Sheffield United are one of a number of clubs interested in making a move for Oostende and Scotland defender Jack Hendry.

The Lowdown: United in need of signings

The Blades were likely expecting to be Championship promotion hopefuls this season, but they have made a poor start to the campaign, sitting 23rd in the table.

Slavisa Jokanovic may feel the need to do some late business in the transfer window, in order to add depth and quality to a currently ailing squad.

The Latest: Hendry linked with Blades move

According to The Daily Mail, United are in the mix to sign 26 year-old Hendry from Oostende in the next few days, with the Belgian side happy to sell him on for a quick profit after recently making his loan from Celtic permanent.

Premier League trio Burnley, Southampton and Newcastle United are also thought to be interested, however, as are fellow Championship side West Brom.

The Verdict: Tough to get him

Hendry is a formidable 6 foot 5 centre-back who has seven caps to his name for Scotland – he made an appearance at Euro 2020 – so he could be a great addition for the Blades.

Unfortunately, the competition comes for clubs in a better position at the moment, making it less likely that he would choose Jokanovic’s side over any of them.

The hope is that Hendry sees the appeal of moving to Bramall Lane given the club’s incredible rise and first campaign in the top flight under Chris Wilder, but it could be a hard sell currently.

In other news, a fellow Championship club have reportedly opened talks with one Sheffield United player. Read more here.