All posts by h716a5.icu

Wolverhampton Wanderers were linked with Mauro Icardi during the summer and the Old Gold will surely be regretting not signing him after his impressive start to life at Galatasaray.

The Argentina international was touted as a potential option for Bruno Lage during the summer as Wolves looked to sign a striker to ease their attacking woes but in the end, he would make the loan switch to Turkey from PSG.

While Wolves continue to falter in the final third, with just eight league goals to their name so far this campaign, Icardi has been emphasising his class with the Turkish giants.

In just six appearances in the Super Lig, the 29-year-old striker has managed four goals and three assists, averaging a superb 7.78 rating from WhoScored for his performances.

Considering Wolves’ top scorer this season is Ruben Neves with just four – two of which have come from the penalty spot – it seems clear that the Old Gold are missing a clinical striker such as Icardi up front.

His current average of 1.13 goal contributions per game would surely have aided Lage and subsequently Julen Lopetegui in their aim of keeping the Midlands club in the Premier League, as none of Wolves’ current options look likely to average anything near that given their woeful form in front of goal so far this campaign.

With Raul Jimenez, Pedro Neto and new signing Sasa Kalajdzic all sidelined through injury, while Fabio Silva was sent out on loan, Lage opted to bring in veteran forward Diego Costa on a free transfer.

However, the former Chelsea man has looked like a shadow of his former self in his appearances thus far, averaging a shocking 6.11 rating from WhoScored across his six Premier League outings thus far.

Compared to Icardi, who has played the same number of games, he has averaged far fewer key passes (0.3 vs 1.5) and dribbles (0.3 vs 0.7) per game, while he has shot more but failed to score, which emphasises his wastefulness in front of goal.

Wolves clearly would have benefited from having a “lethal” striker such as Icardi at Molineux this season, and given their precarious position at the bottom of the Premier League, they will certainly be regretting not acting on the links to Icardi during the summer.

Liverpool’s pursuit of Fiorentina midfielder Sofyan Amrabat is gaining momentum, according to the latest reports from Italy. 

The Lowdown: World Cup wonders 

The World Cup can act as a career bolstering platform for stars who may otherwise have gone under the radar to some of Europe’s elite sides. 

And Fiorentina star Amrabat could just be the next asset to endure an overnight rise to genuine footballing stardom, with Liverpool now sniffing around for his services. 

The 26-year-old has played a stellar tournament so far in Qatar, making two tackles per game and completing 89 per cent of his passes (Whoscored), with his efforts in helping Morocco to reach the round of 16 not going unnoticed.

[web_stories_embed url=”https://www.footballtransfertavern.com/web-stories/latest-liverpool-transfer-news-35/” title=”Latest Liverpool transfer news!” poster=”” width=”360″ height=”600″ align=”none”]

The Latest: Contact made for “dream” move

According to Sport Witness, who have relayed an update from Italian outlet Corriere Dello Sport, Liverpool have made contact with Amrabat’s agent behind the scenes to make what is described as a “survey” for his transfer. 

That outlet expresses Amrabat’s “dream” of playing in the Champions League, which is circled as another pull that Liverpool have in the market.

This is besides the obvious salary increase that would see the Moroccan go from €1.8m per year plying his trade in the Serie A to £3m a year, an offer the Reds have allegedly put ‘on the table’.

The Verdict: Astute and realistic option?

Liverpool are in need are some depth bolstering options, particularly in the engine room, so the signing of Amrabat would be welcome. 

According to Sky Sports, the Moroccan would set FSG back around £30million, though as a player who is cut out to play possession-based progressive football, this could represent somewhat of a bargain for a destructive midfielder who completes 8.08 passes into the final third per game, something Fabinho also thrives at on his day.

Amrabat’s progressive nature as a midfield cog would serve as a welcome addition to Jurgen Klopp’s engine room, so this is a deal that the Reds would be wise to make serious checks on come January.

Tottenham Hotspur have reportedly been dealt a blow to their hopes of securing a move for Ruslan Malinovskyi. 

The Lowdown: Spurs linked with Malinovskyi

Spurs have been linked with the Atalanta midfielder in recent weeks ahead of the upcoming January transfer window.

Across 142 appearances for the Serie A club, the Ukrainian has scored 30 goals and delivered 28 assists in the process.

As the winter market approaches, though, it appears that some behind-the-scenes issues may have dealt Spurs a significant blow to their hopes of signing the midfielder.

The Latest: Spurs dealt Malinovskyi transfer blow

According to a recent report from Il Giorno, Spurs’ chances of securing a deal for Malinovskyi have taken a blow due to Fabio Paratici’s reported involvement in the investigation surrounding Juventus and their market operations over the last few years.

The report adds that fellow Premier League side West Ham United and Ligue 1 outfit Marseille both have an interest in signing the Atalanta ace.

[web_stories_embed url=”https://www.footballtransfertavern.com/web-stories/tottenham-latest-news-3/” title=”Tottenham latest news!” poster=”” width=”360″ height=”600″ align=”none”] 

The Verdict: A worry for Spurs

Last month, it was reported that Paratici is among six people under investigation as part of a probe into alleged financial corruption at Juventus, with the transfer of Cristian Romero from Juventus to Atalanta being part of the probe.

If this investigation is likely to scupper Spurs’ chances of sealing a deal with Atalanta for Malinovskyi, who has been hailed for his “unreal” shooting ability in the past by journalist Carlo Garganese, it may well be the north London club’s best option to play it safe and walk away.

Bearing in mind how only two players at the Serie A club have taken more shots at goal in the league this season than the Ukrainian (19), and with just two players making more progressive passes than him (41), this highlights the sort of player that Spurs could be missing out on in January.

Overall, with Paratici involved in the investigation surrounding Juventus, this could be a worry for Spurs and his efforts in potentially seeing new players come to the club in January.

Georgios Giakoumakis has reportedly changed agents in order to try and force through a move away from Celtic in 2023.

The Lowdown: Shock exit?

It was reported earlier this month that the 28-year-old is poised for a ‘shock exit’ in the New Year, as contract talks have stalled between him and the Premiership champions.

There is strong European interest in the Greece international, and Ange Postecoglou’s side are already actively looking for a new forward.

The Latest: Agent change

As per Sportime, Giakoumakis has now changed his agent in a further bid to try and force through a move away from Parkhead.

The news outlet goes deeper into why the 28-year-old wants a move away from Celtic, citing his family being unhappy with the weather in Glasgow, and that he has the ambition to play in a bigger league and yield a bigger contract.

[web_stories_embed url=”https://www.footballtransfertavern.com/web-stories/key-latest-celtic-updates-9/” title=”Key latest Celtic updates!” poster=”” width=”360″ height=”600″ align=“none”]

The Verdict: Out of Celtic’s hands

An exit for Giakoumakis seems to be out of Celtic’s hands, so they should be looking to try and get as much money for him as possible and invest in a new striker.

Hailed as a ‘hugely important’ player for the Hoops by Postecoglou, he has netted 25 times in 50 games over the past two seasons (Transfermarkt), averaging a goal every other match.

However, Giakoumakis has not always been a regular starter under the 57-year-old so far this term, and there is every chance that he could get more game-time elsewhere.

Given that he still has a contract until 2026, Celtic can demand a sizeable fee for him, so a swift move away from Parkhead would appear to be best for all parties.

Liverpool have been linked with a move for Enzo Fernandez over the last few weeks and now a new update has emerged on the club’s pursuit of the player ahead of the January transfer window.

What’s the latest?

According to Portuguese news outlet O Jogo, Liverpool have been given priority in the transfer battle to sign the Benfica and Argentina star in 2023.

As per the report, it is claimed that the Reds are willing to match any bid the Portuguese giants receive for Fernandez and the player is prioritising a move to Anfield over any other club at the moment.

It’s thought the Reds and a number of other clubs have already made contact with a view to signing him in 2023.

It could be bye-bye Keita

It is no secret that the powers at Anfield and Jurgen Klopp are keen to rebuild the personnel in the centre of the pitch in the new year, with Jude Bellingham and Sofyan Amrabat also linked with moves to Merseyside in the upcoming transfer window.

It comes as Liverpool struggle to retain their dominance in the top flight over the current campaign with Klopp’s team falling into sixth in the Premier League ahead of the World Cup break due to a run of inconsistent performances.

There are a lot of pending changes set to take place for the Merseysiders with FSG reportedly keen to sell the club, sporting director Julian Ward’s resignation and a number of players out of contract at the end of the season – especially in midfield.

Naby Keita is one of the midfielders who will be free to talk to foreign clubs about his future when the January transfer window opens soon and despite reports of contract talks emerging, the increasing possibility of Fernandez’s arrival at Anfield could completely blow the Liverpool midfielder’s chances of striking up a deal to remain.

The 27-year-old has struggled with injuries throughout his four-year spell in Klopp’s squad – with 18 incidents of injury or illness tallied up amounting to over 12 months of his contract spent on the injury table and this season the player has not featured at all.

As a result, the signing of Fernandez could be the perfect opportunity for the German coach to move on from the lack of reliability Keita offers with a fresh young perspective in the centre of the pitch.

The €120m-valued talent (£105m) – who was hailed “spectacular” by Lionel Messi – ranks in the top 5% of his positional peers across the top five European leagues for shots on goal, shot-creating actions and progressive passes, as well as ranking in the top 10% for assists, proving that he is one of the hottest midfield prospects in Europe right now.

That was all evident on the biggest stage of all in Qatar this winter, with the 21-year-old winning the tournament’s best young player award having lifted the famous trophy last Sunday.

His performances in the Middle East were phenomenal, as the Benfica starlet scored one goal, registered one assist and completed an impressive 88% of his passes.

With that being said, if the club could secure a deal for Fernandez it would give more leverage to Klopp so that he can finally part ways with Keita without the concern about the depth in midfield next summer.

Wolverhampton Wanderers are reportedly interested in signing Barcelona and France star Ousmane Dembele in January and his arrival at Molineux could allow Julen Lopetegui to finally ditch Adama Traore.

According to Spanish news outlet Mundo Deportivo, Wolves, Tottenham Hotspur and Chelsea are all keen on taking advantage of Barcelona’s precarious financial situation by signing the 25-year-old in next month’s transfer window.

The Catalan club spent huge amounts of money during the summer of 2022 with the hope of re-establishing themselves as one of Europe’s elite but would crash out in the Champions League group stages, which could force their hand when it comes to January business.

After years of injury and consistency problems, Dembele looks to have finally found his feet at the Nou Camp, with the winger undoubtedly one of the star performers in Xavi’s side so far this campaign.

Only Robert Lewandowski is ranked higher than the France international when comparing WhoScored rankings in LaLiga, with Dembele’s four goals and five assists in Spain’s top flight helping him to a superb 7.33 average rating.

As well as goals and assists, the former Borussia Dortmund man could provide electric pace and dribbling ability should he link up with Lopetegui in January, which could arguably make Traore redundant at Molineux.

Earlier in the season, Dembele was recorded as running at a quicker speed than Paris Saint-Germain and fellow France superstar Kylian Mbappe, which emphasises just how fast he is and how much of a counter-attacking threat he could add should he join the Old Gold in January.

While there is no doubting Traore’s pace and power, the Spain international boasts just one goal and no assists in the Premier League so far this campaign, so he clearly lacks the technical ability of someone like Dembele.

During his time with Borussia Dortmund, the two-footed winger would earn the praise of Thomas Tuchel, who said:

“Ousmane is an incredible player, he’s really talented. I could watch his amazing skills in every training session.”

There are also doubts that Traore will sign a new contract at Molineux but if Dembele were to arrive next month, then it would allow Lopetegui to finally get rid of a player who promises so much but very rarely delivers.

Wolves’ Matheus Nunes is attracting interest from Liverpool once again and Julen Lopetegui should consider cashing in on the club-record arrival after a disappointing start to life at Molineux.

What’s the word?

The Reds and Manchester City were both keen on signing the Sporting Lisbon man during the summer of 2022 but Wolves completed an eye-catching deal for the young midfielder, with the Old Gold paying a club-record £38m to bring him to the Premier League.

However, a string of poor performances under Bruno Lage, Steve Davis and now Lopetegui have meant that the Portugal international has so far failed to live up to his price tag, although he could be offered a way out of Molineux in 2023.

According to The Telegraph, Jurgen Klopp’s side could return for a deal for the 23-year-old this month, although it is expected that he wouldn’t make the move to Anfield until the end of the season.

The report claims that Liverpool would pay around £44m for his services, meaning that Wolves could turn a quick profit on a player who has struggled to live up to the expectations he set with his performances in Portugal.

Lopetegui should cash in

So far this season, Nunes has made 14 appearances in the top flight, in which he has contributed no goals and just one assist, averaging a disappointing 6.45 rating from WhoScored for his performances.

This ranks him as the 12th-best performer from Lopetegui’s current squad and while you would expect a player to take some time to adapt to the demands of Premier League football, it seems clear that Nunes has been far from good enough so far this campaign.

It was hoped that Nunes could provide a new-found energy and attacking threat in Wolves’ midfield but he has only added to their woes in front of goal, ranking eighth for shots, fifth for key passes and sixth for dribbles per game in Lopetegui’s squad.

New recruits are a must in January if the Old Gold are to distance themselves from a relegation battle and the opportunity to turn a profit on Nunes is surely too good an opportunity to pass up, especially if the money can be used on new players this month.

Therefore, Lopetegui should seize this golden opportunity to amend the mistake made by former boss Lage in 2022, as Nunes’ performances thus far have done little to justify his club-record fee.

The January transfer window is now officially open for business and Sunderland could be busy this month as Kristjaan Speakman attempts to improve the squad.

Tony Mowbray arrived at the Stadium of Light towards the end of the summer window and this means that he has not had much of a chance to stamp his own mark on the side by bringing in his own players.

In spite of the circumstances around his arrival, the ex-Blackburn Rovers boss has led the Black Cats to eighth in the Championship table and in contention to fight for a play-off spot at the end of the season.

Mowbray must now reignite the club’s interest in central defender Dion Sanderson as he could be an excellent signing for the club heading into the second half of the campaign.

Scottish giants Rangers and Birmingham, who currently have the centre-back on loan, are reportedly vying to land him on a permanent deal from Premier League side Wolves and the Black Cats must now throw their hat into the ring.

The Northern Echo reported that Sunderland were keen on a deal to sign Sanderson, on loan or permanently, last summer but he ended up moving to St. Andrew’s but Mowbray must now make another move for the enforcer.

He would be an upgrade on current central defender Bailey Wright and would be an exceptional signing in the immediate term and for the future.

The Australia international has played 13 times in the Championship this season for Sunderland and averaged a Sofascore rating of 6.85. He has made 1.1 tackles and interceptions per match, completed 81% of his attempted passes and won 56% of his individual duels in the second tier.

Sanderson, who former Mackems boss Lee Johnson once dubbed a “Rolls-Royce”, has averaged a score of 6.92 across 24 appearances for Birmingham. The 6 foot 2 colossus has made a whopping 3.1 tackles and interceptions per outing and won 55% of his battles at the back, which shows that he has a similar level of efficiency to Wright but is far more active in cutting out opposition attacks.

His average score also suggests that he has been performing to a higher level than the ex-Bristol City man and that he would be an upgrade on Sunderland’s options in that area of the pitch.

At 23, he is also seven years younger than Wright and would be a signing for the future as well as the here and now. He would suit the approach of signing young players with potential to improve, with the ambition of selling them on for considerable profit further down the line, and Mowbray must now reignite Sunderland’s interest in his services.

Glasgow Rangers target Dion Sanderson would be a “really smart signing” at Ibrox by Ross Willson.

What’s been said?

That’s according to Pete O’Rourke, who stated his belief in an interview with Football FanCast that, following a number of reports linking Gers with a £3m move for the Wolverhampton Wanderers centre-back in the January transfer window, the 23-year-old would indeed be an impressive signing for the Light Blues to get over the line this winter.

Regarding Rangers’ interest in the defender, O’Rourke said: “He’s a top young defender, Dion Sanderson, he’s obviously not had many opportunities at Wolves.

“He’s been out on loan over the last couple of seasons and really impressed at Sunderland and also now at Birmingham City this season as well. So I think he’d be a really smart signing from Rangers if they could land him.”

“Rolls-Royce”

As O’Rourke states, considering just how impressive Sanderson has been for both Sunderland and Birmingham in recent seasons, the argument that the centre-back would make a fantastic addition to Micheal Beale’s current options in the heart of his defence is an extremely easy one to make.

Indeed, over his 26 League One appearances for the Black Cats back in 2020/21, the £2.7m-rated talent highly impressed at the back, helping his side keep eight clean sheets, as well as making an average of one tackle, 0.9 interceptions, 2.7 clearances and winning 4.3 duels – at a success rate of 61% – per game.

The 23-year-old also chipped in for the Mackems in an attacking capacity, scoring one goal and creating one big chance, in addition to playing an average of 3.3 long balls, 1.5 chipped passes and completing 32.8 total passes – at a success rate of 82% – per match.

These returns saw the player who Lee Johnson dubbed a “Rolls-Royce” average an extremely impressive Sofascore match rating of 6.92, ranking him as Sunderland’s 13th-best performer in the third tier of English football that season.

It has been a similar story over the centre-back’s 24 Championship fixtures for Birmingham in the current campaign, with the £4k-per-week gem helping the Blues keep seven clean sheets, as well as making an average of 1.7 tackles, 1.4 interceptions, 2.5 clearances and winning 4.4 duels – at a success rate of 55% – per game.

The Wolves academy graduate has once again proven a threat going forwards at St. Andrew’s, having scored one goal, registered one assist and created two big chances for his teammates, in addition to playing an average of 3.3 long balls and 1.7 chipped passes per match.

These metrics have seen the youngster who John Eustace labelled “magnificent” and a “Premier League centre-half” average an eye-catching Sofascore match rating of 6.92, currently ranking him as Birmingham’s sixth-best performer in the second tier.

As such, considering the undoubted ability that Sanderson possesses, in addition to his potential for future growth, it would indeed appear as if the centre-back’s signing would be an extremely smart one for Wilson to get over the line this winter – especially for a reported fee of just £3m.

An update has emerged on Glasgow Rangers and their plans to strengthen their squad Ibrox during the current January transfer window…

What’s the talk?

According to Alan Nixon, of The Sun, on Patreon the Light Blues are set to battle it out with their Old Firm rivals to land Jeonbuk Hyundai Motors forward Cho Gue-sung.

Journalist Anthony Joseph recently claimed that Celtic submitted a £3m offer to sign the attacker and that German side Mainz are also interested in signing him this month.

However, it remains to be seen how much the Light Blues are willing to pay for the striker and whether or not they are prepared to firm up their interest beyond eyeing the gem up.

Big upgrade

Beale could land a big upgrade on current centre-forward Alfredo Morelos by signing the South Korean striker, who was once hailed as “incredible”  by journalist Jason Lee.

Morelos has struggled to find his top form in the Premiership this season and the new Gers head coach may be looking to the market to bring in a replacement before the end of the month.

The Colombian international has scored five goals and averaged a Sofascore rating of 6.81 across 18 appearances in the Scottish top-flight for the Light Blues, which shows that he has been far from prolific this term.

Meanwhile, the 24-year-old Gers transfer target scored 17 times in 26 K League appearances in 2022 and averaged a terrific Sofascore rating of 7.33, whilst Morelos has not found the back of the net more than 12 times in one Premiership season since the 2018/19 campaign.

Cho, who was described as a “real handful” by journalist Pete O’Rourke, also caught the eye with two goals in three starts at the 2022 World Cup in Qatar – averaging a Sofascore rating of 7.03 during the tournament.

These statistics indicate that the South Korean international could be a big upgrade on Morelos in terms of what he offers in front of goal and his average performance level, with the forward showing that he can do it on the world stage as well as at club level.

He is also two years younger than the current Gers number 20 and, at the age of 24, could be a long-term signing for Beale and lead the team forward alongside Antonio Colak in the coming years.

Therefore, Cho has the potential to be an excellent signing and Wilson must work hard to secure his signature ahead of their Old Firm rivals.