All posts by z3u9t.icu

Rangers star Todd Cantwell has attracted serious praise from members of the media for his heroic display against Celtic in the Scottish Premiership this afternoon.

Cantwell praised for Gers display

The 25-year-old has come on leaps and bounds, especially at Ibrox today, with Cantwell’s contribution in the final third proving crucial as Michael Beale’s side stormed to victory.

The former Norwich City grabbed their opening goal just under 10 minutes into the contest, feeding off a rebounded effort to smash the ball through Joe Hart’s legs and into the back of the net.

Cantwell’s effort opened the floodgates for Rangers, who played at a high intensity throughout and seemed determined to remain on the front foot.

The Gers sealed an impressive win against their arch SPFL rivals as a result, with John Souttar and Fashion Sakala also getting in on the act this afternoon.

Cantwell’s display in particular attracted huge praise as various journalists from different outlets took to Twitter in praise of the midfielder.

Rangers Review reporters Jonny McFarlane and Joshua Barrie said this on Cantwell, who is becoming more and more a Gers favourite it would seem.

Islington Gazette reporter Josh Bunting weighed in, saying that Cantwell controlled the game, particularly in the first 45 minutes, owing to an outstanding performance in Glasgow.

What Cantwell brings to Rangers

It was quite the performance from Cantwell this afternoon, with statistical website SofaScore ranking him among Rangers’ best-performers on the day.

After this brilliant showing, the midfield ace has added to his tally of goals and assists in the league – standing out as one of Beale’s best-performing players overall this campaign (WhoScored).

If he continues like this, there is no reason that he cannot go on to become a phenomenal asset for the club.

Leeds United picked up their first point under manager Sam Allardyce, salvaging a draw late into the second half against high-flying Newcastle United thanks to Rasmus Kristensen's thunderous deflected strike.

It was a turbulent affair of the highest magnitude, with the Whites desperately battling to stave off the all-engulfing threat of relegation from the Premier League and the Magpies hoping to secure a return to the Champions League after a two-decade absence.

Leeds captain Luke Ayling reacted the quickest to thump into the net from close range after Nick Pope made a fine save from Rodrigo's header, and talisman Patrick Bamford had a sterling chance to double the lead from the penalty spot before his tame effort was parried away by the Newcastle 'keeper.

Moments later, the away side won a penalty of their own, with Callum Wilson coolly converting his first of two spot-kicks before the aforementioned Kristensen salvaged a draw with his effort.

Left-back Junior Firpo was sent off late on to cap a frankly shambolic defensive display, but it was central defender Maximilian Wober to have ignited Elland Road in ignominy for his dreadful lunge to concede the early penalty and give Eddie Howe's side a route back into the game.

How did Wober perform vs Newcastle?

The Austrian defender was signed from RB Salzburg in a deal worth roughly £11m in January and has made 14 Premier League appearances for the Whites as the West Yorkshire side sought reinforcements to help navigate away from danger.

The 25-year-old has impressed in spells, but against Newcastle he was at fault in what could yet prove to be a detrimental lapse in his defensive awareness.

As per Sofascore, the ace recorded a woeful match rating of 6.1 – the lowest of any Whites player on the afternoon – and exacerbated his "shocking" attempt at a tackle which led to the first Toon penalty by committing two further fouls, failing to win a single tackle and winning just one of his seven duels.

The 29-touch dud also only managed to complete 56% of his passes and failed with six of his seven attempted long balls, exacerbating Leeds' struggles with an overtly calamitous individual display.

Leeds Live said of his performance: "Can look clumsy and awkward with his execution, see the first penalty conceded, but generally effective in getting the ball out of harm's way."

Wober certainly did pull his weight by eradicating the danger on several occasions with four clearances and four interceptions, but he will need to improve the overall scope of his game if he is to play a pivotal part in the outfit's fight to preserve their top-flight status, with time now running out for that elusive victory.

Newcastle United are set to send scouts to watch Sporting CP midfielder Manuel Ugarte this weekend ahead of a potential switch to the Premier League, according to reports.

What's the latest on Manuel Ugarte to Newcastle?

The Athletic have reported that Eddie Howe is set to enter the upcoming transfer window in search of a new number six, and with the 22-year-old being Ruben Amorim’s top-performing defensive player and third overall with a WhoScored match rating of 7.08, Ugarte has seemingly been identified by the manager as an ideal deep-lying target on the market.

Back in April, Record claimed that the Jose Alvalade Stadium outfit could be forced to cash in on some of their most prized assets at the end of the season to create funds for new signings and the Magpies were credited with a “growing interest”, off the back of which they are believed to have promised to submit an official proposal ahead of the 2023/24 term.

Who is signing Ugarte?

According to Portuguese newspaper Correio da Manha (via Sport Witness), Newcastle and top-flight rivals Liverpool will both "have representatives" in Lisbon this weekend to "focus" on Ugarte during Sporting CP's fixture vs Benfica on Sunday.

As it stands, it's currently unknown which of the two suitors are leading the chase, but it's worth noting that the midfielder has a €60m (£52m) release clause included in his contract, alongside the fact that Aston Villa are claimed to have already held contact regarding a deal, as per A Bola.

Newcastle are clearly serious about securing the services of Ugarte, first to have promised to table a proposal and now to deploy officials to assess him in action, and should they be able to get a deal over the line for the defensive midfielder, it would be a massive coup for PIF and Howe.

The World Cup participant ranks in the 99th percentile for tackles having made 114 this season which is higher than any other member of his squad, as per FBRef, and the 98th percentile for interceptions so loves to get stuck in and win back possession for his team.

Sporting’s “warrior”, as dubbed by talent scout Jacek Kulig, who has the versatility to operate slightly higher up in central midfield alongside his natural position, is also capable of contributing to efforts at the opposite end of the pitch having provided three assists and scored one goal since joining, so this really is a no-brainer of a move to pursue should the opportunity present itself.

Manchester United are reportedly among the clubs who are interested in signing Juventus star, Dusan Vlahovic, with the Serbian marksman among the club's centre-forward targets this summer.

What's the latest on Vlahovic to Man United?

According to transfer guru Fabrizio Romano, the Red Devils – as well as both Bayern Munich and Chelsea – are said to be in the mix for the 23-year-old's signature, albeit with it yet to be seen if the striker's current side will sanction a sale at the end of the season.

Writing on Twitter regarding that interest, the respected insider stated: "Understand Chelsea haven’t sent €80m bid for Dusan Vlahović, as of now. He’s one of many strikers appreciated at the club but no bid/talks.

"Bayern and Man United remain in the race for Vlahović — but still waiting for Juventus decision."

As Romano refuted above, there had been recent claims from ESPN that the Stamford Bridge outfit had lodged an €80m (£70m) bid for the former Fiorentina man's services, with the towering asset having only made the move to Turin on a £66.6m deal back in January 2022.

What's Vlahovic's style of play?

The interest in the Belgrade native comes amid his apparent likeness to Manchester City talisman, Erling Haaland, with transfer insider Dean Jones having previously suggested that the coveted ace is a "bit like Haaland".

That likeness is seemingly apparent due to the fact that the pair are both imposing, left-footed options in attack, with the City superstar standing at 6 foot 4, while Vlahovic is only slightly smaller with a stature of 6 foot 3.

While the Juve man has found it hard to match the ruthless goalscoring form of the Norwegian of late – with Haaland netting 52 goals across all fronts this term – he has still been a clinical presence in his own right, with 23 goals in 62 games for the Old Lady to date, after previously scoring 49 times in 108 games during his stint in Florence.

Such is the admiration for Vlahovic's talents, Serbian FA president Nenad Bjekovic even went as far as to suggest that his compatriot is "better and more than complete" than the Etihad hero, while the one-time Partizan man has also been described as a potential "generational" talent by Forbes' Emmet Gates.

Although the £220k-per-week machine does only boast ten league goals this season, Gates claimed earlier in the campaign that the striker is a "a Ferrari being driven like a Fiat" by manager Max Allegri, with a change in scenery potentially what is needed for him to truly get back firing once again.

With United – who could allow Anthony Martial to depart this summer – in desperate need of a new number nine, Vlahovic could well represent the Haaland-esque talent that Erik ten Hag will likely be craving.

Todd Boehly will be aiming to back new Chelsea manager Mauricio Pochettino in the transfer market as the Blues look ahead to the future under a boss who has plenty of Premier League experience.

The Stamford Bridge outfit are on course for their worst season since 1993/94, and with no European football next term, Pochettino will be able to focus purely on domestic affairs, which could well be a blessing in disguise.

The Argentinian will be hoping to sign players who further strengthen his first-team squad, and according to journalist Martin Arevalo, the Blues are interested in signing Paris Saint-Germain playmaker Leandro Paredes this summer – although Atletico Madrid are also keen and could provide stiff competition.

Chelsea have also established contact with the Argentinian’s representatives, and it looks as though Pochettino is already getting a head start on his transfer business.

Could Chelsea sign Leandro Paredes this summer?

The midfielder has a contract with PSG until 2024 and this means Chelsea could perhaps sign him this summer for a knockdown fee.

He hasn’t enjoyed the best of seasons out on loan at Juventus, starting just eight games for the club in Serie A and ranking as just the 14th-best player in the squad, while ranking 6th for key passes per game and 17th for tackles made. However, this shouldn’t deter Pochettino from making a move for the player that he used to coach at the French side.

Indeed, he is statistically similar to German midfield maestro Toni Kroos, according to FBref, with the Real Madrid star considered to be the second-most comparable player to Paredes, and considering how incredible Kroos has been over the previous decade – winning a glut of major honours including five Champions League crowns – it isn’t a bad comparison to have.

Despite his underwhelming season, Paredes ranks in the top 10% of players in his position across Europe’s big five leagues over the past year for passes attempted (70.61 per 90), pass completion rate (88.2% per 90) and touches (79.19 per 90), indicating he is one of the finest players on the continent for his passing ability – and he is clearly comfortable on the ball.

Kroos is also a wonderful passer of the ball, and he ranks in the top 1% for passes attempted (100.06 per 90) and touches (106.32 per 90), along with ranking in the top 3% for pass completion rate (91.1% per 90), With the duo's statistics fairly similar, Pochettino will know that if he makes a move for the 28-year-old, he could dictate play from the midfield with ease.

The 5 foot 11 gem has been lauded as being “perfect” by former PSG player Fabrice Pancrate, and there is no reason he could not enjoy a new lease of life in England under his former manager.

Tottenham Hotspur could be set to pounce on a new striker this summer, although it might spell bad news in their goal of tying down their main man.

What's the latest on Ollie Watkins to Tottenham Hotspur?

According to reports in Spain, Daniel Levy has identified Aston Villa forward Ollie Watkins as a top priority, in an effort to secure a replacement for Harry Kane.

With the England captain consistently linked with a north London exit, it seems the chairman is seeking to preempt his move away by securing a fine alternative in a similar mould.

The report states that Arsenal and Manchester United both hold an interest in the 27-year-old, who is valued by Football Transfers at £41m.

However, the latter of those sides are the team most likely to snag Kane from the Lilywhites, so their interest is sure to be dependent on any success in that saga, with Levy also only likely to want Watkins should the Red Devils close in on Kane.

As such, this is a move which remains far from completion, and reliant on a few different occurrences.

Could Ollie Watkins replace Harry Kane?

Whilst both have featured for the English national team, their respective play styles are quite different to suggest that Watkins would offer a like-for-like replacement for Kane. However, they do share one key common ground in that they both know where the back of the net is.

Within a lacklustre Spurs team, the 29-year-old notched 30 league goals last season, meanwhile the former Brentford finisher scored 15, assisting a further six. He did so in a workmanlike fashion, willing to sacrifice himself to run channels and lead the press with pace and power.

His purple patch of form last term even led Jamie Carragher to laud him as "unstoppable" on Twitter, with Unai Emery highlighting his side's overreliance on such a lethal forward, claiming:

"He is a competitor and he is a striker and when he is not scoring he is not happy, but I am so happy with his work and how he is helping the team."

This is something the Lilywhites have often been guilty of too with their star man.

With regard to quality within the various sides, although the Villans may have finished above the north London outfit, it could be argued that this feat could be largely put down to the scoring form of Watkins and the magical work of their new Spanish manager.

If he could fire the Midlands club into Europe, he could surely do the same under a new boss at Spurs.

Even if they do not receive an immediate boost from the incoming head coach, this potential new striker has proven his ability to score in all kinds of teams, whether on top or not. Since moving to Villa Park, the £75k-per-week marksman has hit double figures in every season, outlining a goalscoring consistency akin to Kane, who is the second all-time top scorer in the league's history.

Whilst the latter is often lauded for his build-up play, with his 1.5 key passes per game emphasising this, Watkins' intangible success aids his team to a similar degree.

Should they swoop for a manager that favours an aggressive press, there would arguably be few better options in the Premier League to lead the line and spearhead an all-action new-look Spurs side without Kane's presence.

An update has emerged on Celtic and their plans to potentially replace Ange Postecoglou in the coming weeks…

What's latest on David Moyes to Celtic?

According to The Scottish Sun, the Hoops chiefs are drawing up a list of possible candidates to take over from the Australian manager and West Ham United boss David Moyes has been named as a 'likely contender'.

The report claims that Premier League side Tottenham Hotspur are hoping to land Postecoglou as their new head coach ahead of the 2023/24 campaign.

It is stated that the 57-year-old could be confirmed as Daniel Levy's new manager as early as next week and that would leave Celtic head of recruitment Mark Lawwell with the task of replacing him.

Would David Moyes be a success at Celtic?

The club's head of recruitment could alleviate any concerns from supporters about the long-term future of the side by landing an upgrade on Postecoglou in Moyes as the Scotsman has the ability to be a huge success at Parkhead.

Celtic's current boss has won the Scottish Premiership title in both of his seasons at the helm but his record in European competitions has left a lot to be desired.

In his first season, the Australian manager failed to get through the qualification rounds for the Champions League and dropped into the Europa League, in which the Hoops were knocked out in the group stage before losing both of their knockout round matches in the Conference League.

This term, Celtic directly qualified for the group stages of the Champions League and the boss oversaw a torrid six matches as the Scottish giants failed to win any games and lost four as they were sent packing out of Europe completely.

The club have won the Premiership title in 11 of the last 12 seasons but have not gone past the last 16 in any European competition in that time.

This is where Moyes could come in as a big upgrade on Postecoglou and bring success outside of domestic football to Parkhead in the coming seasons.

The 60-year-old, who fellow manager Chris Wilder claimed is "flourishing" with the Hammers in an interview with BBC Sport, has won 37 of his 62 games in Europe throughout his career, including five out of ten in the Champions League as he reached the quarter-finals with Manchester United.

Moyes led West Ham to the semi-finals of the Europa League last season and has the chance to win the Conference League with them this term as they prepare to face Fiorentina in the final next Thursday, after winning 11 of their first 12 games in the competition.

His impressive record in Europe suggests that the Scotsman could bring success to Celtic in competitions that they have struggled badly in over the last decade, which could help the club to spread their dominance across the continent alongside their hold over Scottish football.

Aston Villa have been linked to a Premier League ace ahead of the transfer window, as Unai Emery aims to bolster his high-achieving squad this summer.

The Spaniard has transformed Villa since his arrival, directing the club to European football which has raised the stakes going into the transfer period with a host of top talent linked.

It has been reported that the 51-year-old will be handed a £150m kitty this summer, however, the latest talent reported to be wanted at Villa Park won’t dent the budget.

What’s the latest on Youri Tielemans to Aston Villa?

As reported by The Athletic this week, Villa have ‘joined the race’ to sign Leicester City star Youri Tielemans, who will become a free agent this summer.

Valued by CIES Football Observatory at €40m (£34m), the Spaniard could get an absolute steal in obtaining the midfielder with no fee.

What could Youri Tielemans bring to Aston Villa?

Lauded as a “phenomenon” by former Anderlecht player Par Zetterberg, Tielemans has established himself as one of the Premier League’s most threatening midfielders.

Such claims are supported by his 42 goal contributions in his four-and-a-half-year stay in the top division, ending with Leicester City in relegation to the Championship after an abysmal season for the Foxes.

Despite Leicester’s failures, the Belgian managed five goal contributions and could be a huge asset to Emery’s plans to take Villa to new heights.

One player that may benefit from the introduction of the 26-year-old is Jacob Ramsey, who could be provided with a new outlet from central midfield in an accomplished ball player.

When playing at Anderlecht, Tielemans was deployed in an identical formation to how Emery plays, starring in the centre of a midfield trio behind the striker.

Ramsey has shone in the Spaniard’s free-flowing system, scoring six goals and registering seven assists this campaign from the right wing – as per Sofascore.

For Ramsey, the £120k-per-week Tielemans could be the perfect instalment to the squad, highlighted through his advanced number of progressive passes he averages per 90, with 6.95 in comparison to Emiliano Buendia’s 5.15 per 90, showing he could be a better outlet for the winger.

The 22-year-old enjoys to run onto passes, as signified by his rate of progressive passes received, averaging 4.06 per 90 via FBref.

That certainly makes the potential arrival of the creative midfielder an exciting one.

Villa’s main supply of creativity in midfield is Buendia, who could be significantly upgraded by Tielemans this summer, who is accustomed to feeding wide players in the Premier League, as highlighted through his partnership with Harvey Barnes.

The duo contributed heavily to Leicester’s season, being the club’s standout performances alongside James Maddison this campaign.

Only time will tell if the deal can come to life this summer, however, there is little to wonder about the influence the Belgian could have on the squad.

Tottenham Hotspur are going into this summer's transfer window with two new centre-backs on their wishlist for Ange Postecgolou.

Who do Spurs want to sign this summer?

Postecoglou has not even officially started his work as the new Tottenham manager as the Australian awaits 1 July before being able to start his duties.

However, there is the expectation that he will be working behind the scenes to provide his influence as Tottenham look to attack the summer transfer window.

And it seems as if that may already be taking effect with the Lilywhites believed to be in talks with Brentford to agree a fee for their goalkeeper David Raya.

Indeed, it has been reported by Fabrizio Romano that the Spaniard is keen to make the move to north London and has already agreed personal terms with Spurs.

Brentford are believed to value the goalkeeper at around £40m but the Lilywhites are hoping to see that price tag reduced given the 27-year-old only has one-year remaining on his current deal.

However, it is seemingly not just between the sticks where Postecoglou is eyeing improvement over the summer window.

Speaking on his YouTube channel, Alasdair Gold has claimed the north London side are targeting the addition of a further two centre-backs:

"Obviously, they're going to have to bring in centre-backs. I said the plan way back previously was that they were going to try and bring in two centre-backs in this window. I think that remains the same because purely the higher line that Postecoglou will play. That's not going to suit a lot of the defenders that are there."

Will Spurs sign Clement Lenglet?

Last summer, it was believed Spurs were keen to bring in Alessandro Bastoni from Inter Milan, however, the Italian ended up remaining at the San Siro.

Instead, the north London side were forced to settle for Barcelona's Clement Lenglet on a season-long loan which did not include the option to make his stay permanent.

The Frenchman is now set to return to the newly-crowned La Liga champions with his loan deal coming to an end, but there is the belief that Spurs are looking to secure his services permanently.

Indeed, it has been claimed Tottenham have held talks with Barcelona and could even see Lenglet sign permanently for around £4m as Barca look to clear the decks.

Defence is certainly an area which is in dire need of improvements this summer after what proved a dreadful campaign for Tottenham's backline.

The Lilywhites ended the campaign having conceded a whopping 63 goals in the Premier League which was only beaten by five other teams.

However, what will be interesting to see is whether Lenglet could potentially be counted as one of the two desired centre-back arrivals if he is to join.

This will surely not go down too well with the Spurs supporters considering he spent the 2022/23 campaign in north London.

Liverpool are reportedly readying a bid for Juventus winger Federico Chiesa as Jurgen Klopp looks to add some strength in depth to his attack.

What’s the latest on Federico Chiesa to Liverpool?

According to reports in Italy, Liverpool are prepared to bid €40m (£34m) for Chiesa this summer as Juventus are willing to sell the player.

The Serie A side have reportedly valued the winger at around €60m (£51.4m), and with his contract expiring in 2025, Juventus would rather get a fee that matches their valuation this summer as opposed to waiting 12 months and being in a weaker position to negotiate.

However, Klopp could face stiff competition, with Chelsea and Bayern Munich touted for a move, while Paris Saint-Germain, who watched him during a few games last year, as per the report, are also keen.

Could Liverpool sign Federico Chiesa this summer?

The main priority for the Anfield side is surely to bolster their midfield options, especially with James Milner, Naby Keita and Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain all departing, leaving big gaps to fill.

Alexis Mac Allister joined a few weeks ago, yet there will surely be more business over the coming weeks, and a move for Chiesa perhaps shouldn’t be out of the question, despite the Reds having plenty of left-wingers, including Luis Diaz and Diogo Jota.

Chiesa, however, can operate across the front three with ease, being able to play on the right wing as well as through the middle – and this could be a big bonus for Klopp, especially if the Italian can find the form he displayed before suffering an agonising knee injury in January 2022.

Indeed, during 2020/21 – the last time Chiesa played a full season injury-free, the Italy international scored 14 goals and grabbed ten assists, showcasing how dangerous he was from a wide position with a consistent run of games under his belt.

The 25-year-old not only scored nine Serie A goals, but he also managed to average 1.5 key passes per game and create a staggering 18 big chances for his teammates – ranking fourth across the entire division during that term for the latter.

The 41-cap dynamo also played an integral role in Italy’s Euro 2020 triumph two years ago, scoring twice in seven games, including against Spain in the semi-finals – and with former Italy goalkeeper Gianluigi Buffon suggesting that he is “impossible to stop”, then it is evident that Klopp must make sure he lures Chiesa to Anfield before he is poached by another side.