All posts by z3u9t.icu

Aston Villa may be forced into looking for another creative attacker if they lose Jack Grealish this summer but someone they should avoid is West Brom’s Matheus Pereira, who is not cut out to play under Dean Smith, according to Hull City legend Dean Windass.

Villa fans will be hoping that Manchester City’s interest in Grealish is just paper talk, as they can’t afford to lose their star man who finished top of the squad for assists, shots and goal-creating actions last term.

Someone who impressed nearly as much in an obviously worse side was Pereira, as he finished the campaign with 11 goals for the Baggies as they were relegated to the Championship, and his performances have earned him links to Villa this summer.

West Brom appear willing to sell Pereira, something they were planning before relegation was confirmed, but Villa should avoid signing the Brazilian because of his poor work rate, according to Windass, who spoke exclusively to Transfer Tavern:

“I can’t see that because he’s not a Dean Smith sort of player, compared to Jack Grealish who always tracks back and Pereira doesn’t do any of that.

“When you play in the Premier League, you can’t carry anybody so I don’t think that will happen.”

If Villa did bring in Pereira, who they are said to be monitoring, that could potentially soften the blow if they lost Grealish, as they could still boast attacking options such as Pereira, Emiliano Buendia and Bertrand Traore.

Everyone associated with Villa will be hoping that Grealish performs on the biggest stage for England this summer but on the flip side, good performances at the Euros may draw increased interest from bigger clubs.

A major update has emerged about Morecambe’s Carlos Mendes Gomes, regarding how much Rangers will need to pay for him if they wish to take him to Ibrox this summer.

What’s the talk?

According to The Sun journalist Alan Nixon, Morecambe want a fee in the region of £500k for Rangers target Carlos Mendes Gomes. Nixon has claimed that they want the bulk of the deal paid up-front, rather than in installments and add-ons.

Back in May, The Scottish Sun reported that Rangers are interested in signing Gomes to bolster Steven Gerrard’s squad ahead of next season. Rangers have extensively scouted Gomes and are prepared to make a move for him in the coming weeks.

Former Morecambe manager Derek Adams hailed Gomes as a “fantastic” boy, praising his work ethic in games and in training. He told The Visitor:

“Carlos is a fantastic boy, you can tell that by his work ethic in training and in games.

“You could see that on Tuesday with the goal he scored and his overall performance.”

Gerrard would love him

Ross Wilson must seal a deal for Gomes this summer. £500k would be a bargain for Rangers if he is able to come over to Scotland and replicate the form he has shown for Morecambe in England. £500k is not a huge amount of money to Rangers, given that they spent over £10m – according to Transfermarkt – on new recruits for the 2020/21 campaign.

Gomes caught the eye with some excellent performances in League Two for Morecambe. The 22-year-old produced an impressive 16 goals and five assists whilst mainly playing out wide, averaging a WhoScored rating of 6.98 in the process. Whilst that is no guarantee that he will be able to perform in the Scottish Premiership, it does show that he is able to regularly chip in with goals and assists at a decent level and that he could have the quality and ability to make the step up.

He also has the potential to improve further at the age of 22. This means that Rangers would be paying £500k for the dynamo’s talent in the short and long term to help bolster their ranks.

Gerrard could love having a talented young forward to work with, with Adams mentioning that Gomes has an excellent work rate in training. Gomes should be a delight for Gerrard to coach, as he seemingly has the right mindset in place to continue his development as a player.

So, Wilson must now stump up the £500k and bring Gomes to the club to get him working with Gerrard so he can come into the Rangers side and make an instant impact in Scotland.

AND in other news, Wilson can sign Rangers’ ideal Kamara replacement with swoop for “magnificent” star…

West Bromwich Albion are close to securing a deal to bring Alex Mowatt to The Hawthorns this summer.

What’s the talk?

That’s according to a claim made by The Telegraph journalist John Percy, who revealed in a post on Twitter that the out of contract Barnsley central midfielder is scheduled to have a medical at West Brom in the coming days, and, barring any 11th-hour hitches, he will complete a free transfer to the Championship side later this week.

It had previously been reported that Valerien Ismael was extremely keen for a quick reunion with his Barnsley captain at Albion, something that now appears to be have been pulled off by the Frenchman rather efficiently.

Ismael will be buzzing

Considering just how impressive Mowatt was under Ismael last season, the fact that the 45-year-old appears to have snapped up the 26-year-old on a free transfer is sure to have left him buzzing.

Indeed, over his 44 Championship appearances for Barnsley last term, the £3.6m-rated midfielder scored eight goals, provided seven assists and created nine big chances for his teammates, as well as taking an average of 1.8 shots and making 1.5 key passes per game.

The £6.5k-per-week man also made an average of 0.8 interceptions, 1.7 tackles, 1.3 clearances and won 4.9 duels per league fixture, with these metrics seeing former England U20 international earn an average SofaScore match rating of 7.10, ranking him as Ismael’s best performer in the second tier of English football.

His displays played a massive role in helping the Tykes defy their pre-season expectations last time out, with Ismael guiding the highly unfancied side to a rather extraordinary fifth-place finish in the Championship – the club’s highest final league position since their Premier League campaign back in 1997/98.

As such, with West Brom hoping to secure an immediate return to the top flight next season, the addition of a player who very nearly fired Barnsley up last term would appear to provide Albion with a huge boost to their chances of going on to achieve this feat, as well as with a player who Ismael trusts completely.

In other news: Get it done: Ismael must sanction West Brom summer swoop for “fantastic” £12k-p/w gem

A number of Liverpool supporters have been left frustrated, following a claim that Neco Williams and Nat Phillips could both leave this summer.

The Reds could have a busy summer transfer window on his hands, with Jurgen Klopp looking to perfect his squad ahead of next season.

Ibrahima Konate has already been signed from RB Leipzig and the hope is that a number of other new faces also arrive by the end of August.

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There could be some players heading the other way, however, with Klopp deeming them surplus to requirements and the club looking to generate transfer funds.

According to Goal‘s Neil Jones [via LFC Transfer Room on Twitter], Liverpool are willing to listen to offers for both Williams and Phillips this summer.

Burnley and Southampton are credited with having an interest in both players, suggesting they may be plying their trade elsewhere next season.

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These Liverpool fans took to Twitter to show their frustration at the update, with some of the opinion that it further weakens the Reds’ squad.

Liverpool fans fume at Neil Jones update

“Making our tragic depth even worse”

Credit: @TobyLA2

“Desperate banter club resorting to selling its already limited depth”

Credit: @MedioCampistaV2

“Nat Philips, Neco Williams, Kabak, all off…”

Credit: @MCShifwoka

“There is no way Klopp wasn’t impressed by Phillips. I bet he is forced to sell him because we need the money and FSG won’t put out money from their own pocket. It’s frustrating. The fact that *we* are spending less than our Merseyside rivals shows how ‘miser’ FSG are”

Credit: @wearewinnin

“So after a defensive injury crisis and with 2 CBs returning after serious knee injuries, along with perennially injured Matip, we decide not to sign Kabak and decide to sell Nat…oh and why not sell our RB cover and rely on Milner again…this club doesn’t deserve its fans”

Credit: @theflaskofzorro

“So if we sell Phillips does that mean another defender coming like Kabak?”

Credit: @Matthew46012930

In other news, some Liverpool fans have been reacting to a key piece of transfer news. Read more here.

Queens Park Rangers have made an approach to bring Jordan Archer to the Kiyan Prince Foundation Stadium this summer.

What’s the talk?

That’s according to a claim made by The Sun journalist Alan Nixon, who revealed in a post on Twitter that Mark Warburton’s side are looking to push a deal through for the recently released Middlesbrough goalkeeper in the coming weeks.

Nixon goes on to state that one of the current QPR shot-stoppers, Liam Kelly, appears to be heading to Scotland, having been linked with both Motherwell and Dundee United this summer, with Archer appearing to be the 25-year-old’s replacement in west London.

Warburton will be buzzing

While Archer has not featured a great deal for a number of his most recent clubs, making four Scottish Premiership appearances for Motherwell and five Championship appearances for Middlesbrough last season, the 28-year-old boasts a wealth of Championship experience, as well as impressing for Millwall when given a shot as a team’s first choice ‘keeper.

Indeed, over his 45 second-tier appearances for the Lions back in 2017/18, the £270k-rated man kept a whopping 18 clean sheets, as well as making an average of 2.9 saves and making 0.2 successful runs out per game, in addition to stopping a total of 131 shots over the course of the season.

These metrics saw the man Neil Harris dubbed an “excellent” player earn a seasonal SofaScore match rating of 6.81, ranking him as Millwall’s 13th-best performer in the Championship that year, playing a huge role in the club securing a highly impressive eighth-place finish.

As such, while Seny Dieng looks likely to be Warburton’s first-choice goalkeeper for the Rs next season, the addition of the £4.1k-per-week Archer would appear to provide the 26-year-old with both fantastic competition and back up for his spot between the sticks, something that will undoubtedly leave the 58-year-old QPR boss buzzing.

In other news: QPR transfer update emerges on “explosive” £10k-p/w machine, Warburton would love him

Celtic are now ‘moving’ to sign Scottish left-back Aaron Hickey from Bologna, according to Il Resto del Carlino, cited by Sports Witness.

The Lowdown: Scottish claims

The Scottish Sun shared a story on Monday, suggesting the Hoops were closing in on a £3.5m deal for Hickey.

The report claimed that talks with Hickey could open this week, with Ange Postecoglou stepping up his interest in the 19-year-old.

Hickey moved to Bologna last summer from Hearts in a deal worth £1.8m but has made just 12 appearances for the Serie A side.

However, reports abroad don’t seem to be as confident of a deal being as far down the line.

The Latest: Italian report

According to Tuesday’s edition of local Bologna paper Il Resto del Carlino, cited by Sports Witness, both Celtic and Fiorentina ‘are moving’ to sign Hickey.

The Hoops value the defender at €4m (£3.4m), but Bologna have no intention to sell the Scot this summer.

Hickey, who is ranked 97th on CIES’ valuation list of big-5 league players born in the 2000s, the same list which includes Jadon Sancho, Phil Foden and Bukayo Saka, is valued at double that by the Italian side.

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The Verdict: The end for Bolingoli?

It appears as if the Hoops are on the hunt for left-back reinforcements, so that could possibly spell the end for forgotten man Boli Bolingoli.

He’s travelled with the Hoops on their pre-season trip to Wales, however, he has been linked with a move to Turkish side Altay SK, who want to make the 25-year-old their first high-profile signing of the summer.

It might make sense to keep hold of Bolingoli until a left-back arrives in Glasgow, but if the Hoops are successful in their pursuit of Hickey, parting ways with Bolingoli for good could prove to be a smart piece of business.

In other news: Celtic man wanted by Patrick Vieira, find out who it is here.  

Former Aston Villa striker Gabriel Agbonlahor believes Leeds United winger Helder Costa could move to a Championship club this summer.

The Lowdown: Costa not a key man

The Whites finished ninth in the Premier League last season, with Marcelo Bielsa having a core of key players to call upon regularly.

Costa wasn’t one of those, however, with the 27-year-old only managing 13 league starts and scoring just three times along the way.

The Portuguese has been linked with a move away from Elland Road this summer, in order to earn more playing time.

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The Latest: Pundit tips winger for exit

Speaking to Football Insider, Agbonlahor questioned whether or not Costa was even good enough for Premier League football, saying a move down to the Championship could make more sense:

“He had his chance last season, he had his chance at Wolves. But he doesn’t look like a Premier League player to me. He looks like a player with a lot of quality but maybe a different league or the Championship may suit Costa.

“I’m sure where Leeds want to go, they’ll need players who are ready and raring to go from the bench and make an impact. They can’t just come on and be satisfactory.

“I’m sure they’ll be looking to sell him and bring in a better replacement.”

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The Verdict: Time to move on

Given Leeds’ current trajectory, Costa could become even more surplus to requirements next season, as Bielsa looks to bring in more quality out wide, providing competition for Raphinha and Jack Harrison.

It makes perfect sense for him to leave the club and enjoy a fresh challenge, with the winger possessing the ability to thrive in the Championship, where the level of defending is inferior – he has played over 100 games in the second tier and racked up nearly 40 goal involvements (Transfermarkt).

Costa’s current Leeds deal doesn’t expire until 2024, so the Whites should still be able to demand a healthy amount for his services.

In other news, Leeds have suffered a blow regarding a rumoured transfer target. Read more here.

Sheffield Wednesday goalkeeper Joe Wildsmith could be set to depart the club this summer, if a new shot-stopper is to arrive, according to The Sun journalist Alan Nixon…

What’s the story?

Wildsmith has been with Sheffield Wednesday since he came through the club’s academy system in 2014, and has gone on to make 81 appearances in total for the first-team over the years.

But he has found consistent minutes hard to come by in recent seasons, with Cameron Dawson being the preferred option between the posts at times for the Owls.

Darren Moore’s side are preparing for life in the third tier of English football, after they were relegated from the Championship last term, after a disappointing league campaign in 2020/21.

Nixon has previously revealed that Sheffield Wednesday held an interest in signing Burnley goalkeeper Bailey Peacock-Farrell, with the Northern Irish international struggling for consistent minutes with Sean Dyche’s men.

He has since followed that up with an update on Wildsmith’s future at Hillsborough, and it appears as though his days could be numbered if a new goalkeeper is to arrive before the summer transfer window reaches a conclusion.

It’s the right decision

The goalkeeping department at Sheffield Wednesday has had its critics over the years, but the club have endured a turbulent spell off-the-field, which could have potentially have impacted some performances in recent seasons.

Keiren Westwood was the club’s first-choice goalkeeper for a number of seasons, but with his future being elsewhere at the end of the 2020/21 season, both Dawson and Wildsmith were presented with their opportunities to impress.

Wildsmith has caught the eye with some strong performances, but some might argue that he lacks consistency when involved in the starting XI, and he could soon be heading for the exit door ahead of the new League One season.

The 25-year-old had an average Whoscored rating of just 6.16 from the 2020/21 season, which ranks him a dismal 26th on the list at Sheffield Wednesday, with only Jack Marriott, Andre Green and Alex Hunt below him in the rankings, and that trio only made a handful of appearances for the Owls last term.

Whereas Wildsmith made 19 league appearances in total for the club last season, but was far from convincing between the posts, as he only kept five clean sheets for Darren Moore’s side.

Cameron Dawson isn’t much better when it comes to Whoscored’s ratings, with the 26-year-old averaging 6.35, which puts him 21st on the list.

But when comparing him to Bailey Peacock-Farrell, the former Leeds United goalkeeper comes out better in terms of statistics whilst he was with the Yorkshire-based side.

Peacock-Farrell kept ten clean sheets for the Whites in the 2018/19 season, and already has experience of playing regularly in the Championship whilst with Leeds.

Therefore, you have to feel as though Sheffield Wednesday would be making the right decision in moving Wildsmith on this summer, especially if they were to strike an agreement with Burnley for Peacock-Farrell. With reported wages of £5,100 per-week, Wildsmith’s potential departure could free up more space on the Sheffield Wednesday wage bill, which could be used on other areas of the squad moving forwards.

Leicester City could sign the ideal attacking partner for Patson Daka after being linked with a move for PSV Eindhoven winger Noni Madueke.

What’s the story?

Brendan Rodgers has wasted no time strengthening his first-team squad this summer following consecutive fifth-place finishes, and the Northern Irish tactician may be about to add even more firepower to his fearsome forward line.

However, prizing Madueke away from the Philips Stadion won’t be an easy task. PSV have reportedly placed a £20 million price tag on their prized asset in an attempt to fend off any potential suitors, while Crystal Palace have also been credited with an interest, according to The Sun.

Imagine him and Daka

The London-born attacker left Tottenham Hotspur in search of regular game time back in 2018 and enjoyed a stellar breakout campaign in 2020/21.

After a handful of first-team appearances in Holland, Madueke really took his game to another level last season, scoring nine goals and providing eight assists in 32 appearances.

His standout displays earned the 19-year-old a call-up to the England Under-21 setup, where former manager Aidy Boothroyd lauded the youngster’s ability.

“He’s a powerhouse of a player, technically very good, left-footed and likes to come in off the side of the pitch, off the right and go and link,” said Boothroyd.

“He’s got a goal in him;  he’s very creative. He’s got a massive smile, a lovely kid. The lads have taken to him, as they would because he’s a good player; he has that respect for what he’s done at PSV.”

During his time in the Eredivisie, Madueke has showcased his incredible potential on a regular basis, demonstrating his outstanding dribbling skills, passing ability and eye for goal for Roger Schmidt’s side.

Adding the pacey, skillful forward to Leicester’s ranks would be seen as a significant coup for Rodgers, who would have two of Europe’s most promising attacking talents at his disposal.

In Daka and Madueke, the former Liverpool and Celtic boss would have the perfect combination of creator and finisher, with both blessed with natural speed as well as technical ability.

The pair could form a dream duo at the King Power Stadium for many years to come, and his acquisition would complete a magnificent summer transfer window for the Foxes.

And, in other news…Leicester register their interest in £12m magician, he has “huge potential” 

Celtic have been urged to sign former Dundee United defender Harry Souttar… 

What’s the talk?

Celtic reporter Anthony Haggerty has urged the club to pursue a deal for Stoke central defender Harry Souttar this summer. He has said that the centre-back has “flourished” since moving down to England from Dundee United and believes that he would be a great fit in Ange Postecoglou’s team next season.         

He told This is Futbol:

“Harry Souttar would be a person of interest, especially since they know him from his time with Dundee United.

“He’s gone down south and flourished. If I’m doing my scouting right, Harry Souttar’s on the list. We need defenders and you can scout Europe, Far East Asian markets and Australian markets, but you have to know what’s under your nose.

“I think Harry Souttar could be a fit for Celtic.”

Forget Ajer

Kristoffer Ajer joined Premier League side Brentford earlier this week on a five-year deal and it is now time for Celtic fans to forget about him and start thinking about the player who could be bossing their defence next season. That player could be Souttar if the Hoops are able to prize him away from Championship side Stoke in the coming weeks left of the transfer window.

Postecoglou must ensure that Celtic are looking at the 22-year-old as a target as he could be a fantastic addition to the squad and help improve the defence. The defender enjoyed a sublime 2020/21 campaign with the Potters, averaging a WhoScored rating of 7.07 across 38 starts.

What makes his statistics all the more impressive is the fact that Stoke finished 14th in the Championship, which means that he was able to consistently produce top-drawer displays despite his team as a whole underperforming and being nowhere near the promotion race. He was able to stand out ahead of his teammates, showing off his quality as a defender.

The £5.2k-per-week powerhouse won an eye-catching 5.4 aerial battles per game last season, more than the 3.2 Ajer won. Souttar also made more clearances and blocks per game than the Norweigan, whilst their tackle and interception numbers were very similar. This suggests that he could be an apt replacement for the defender and that is why Celtic must pursue a deal for him to bolster their squad ahead of next season in order to give themselves the best chance of competing with Rangers for the title.

AND in other news, Frimpong 2.0: Celtic lodge bid for “instrumental” £3m beast, Ange would love him…