All posts by z3u9t.icu

Manchester City were dealt a huge blow at the end of last month as midfielder Ilkay Gundogan departed upon the expiry of his contract with the club.

The German has signed for Spanish giants Barcelona on a free transfer after captaining the Citizens to the treble last season.

This has left Pep Guardiola without one of his trusted midfield options heading into the 2023/24 campaign, which could tempt him into the transfer market in the coming weeks.

Mateo Kovacic has joined on a permanent deal from Chelsea but his six goals in 221 competitive matches for the Blues does not suggest that he has the goalscoring ability to adequately replace the ex-Borussia Dortmund ace.

Gundogan found the back of the net 11 times in all competitions for City last term, scoring crucial goals in vital games – including two in the FA Cup final against Manchester United.

Who could replace Ilkay Gundogan at Manchester City?

Guardiola could forget all about the now-Barcelona dynamo by securing the signing of Celta Vigo prodigy Gabri Veiga, who is a reported transfer target for the club.

He has a €40m (£34m) release clause in his contract with the Spanish side and City are said to be willing to match it, although they face competition from a host of European clubs – including Newcastle United, Liverpool, and Chelsea from the Premier League.

Like Gundogan, the 21-year-old magician, who was once hailed as "dangerous" by journalist Euan McTear, is a central midfielder with an eye for goal and his exploits in the final third could make him the dream replacement for City.

The Spain U21 international averaged a Sofascore rating of 6.96 across 36 LaLiga outings last term and contributed with 11 goals to go along with four assists from the middle of the park, which came after he managed nine goals in 31 outings for Celta B in the 2021/22 season.

Veiga, who predominantly plays as a number eight or ten, is not a seasoned campaigner who would come in with a guarantee of success but his impressive goal return from his position at the age of 21 suggests that the potential is there for him to be an excellent addition for Guardiola.

Gundogan averaged a goal every 5.06 matches on average throughout his City career (60 in 304) and the Celta Vigo starlet has averaged a strike every 3.35 league games on average for the first-team and reserve sides combined over the last two years (20 in 67).

Only Erling Haaland (36) scored more league goals for the Citizens than Veiga's tally of 11 in LaLiga, indicating that the Spanish maestro could provide the manager with an excellent goalscoring option from midfield, as the Germany international did during his time at The Etihad.

Manchester United and Erik Ten Hag have opened contract talks with one of the boss' most reliable defenders, according to reports.

What's the latest news involving Manchester United?

The Red Devils have endured a strange last few days since their 3-1 defeat to Arsenal in the Premier League last weekend and have seen a drop of over £600million in the clubs' market value since reports emerged that the Glazers were keen to take Manchester United off the market, according to Sky Sports.

Nevertheless, former Manchester United icon Gary Neville has his doubts over whether the Glazer family would actually follow through on taking the club off the market, as he told the outlet: "I just can't believe that the report is true. It's part of the game playing and the manipulating of stories that they have been doing for a long time. I don't see anyway that they can keep hold of the club because they've got no money."

Back in the world of squad planning, fringe player Donny van de Beek has been linked with a move to Turkish giants Fenerbache and reports in Turkey claim that the Netherlands international is 'looking forward' to leaving Old Trafford.

Injury problems have plagued Manchester United as they struggle to get a clean break regarding squad selection – Lisandro Martinez, Victor Lindelof and Mason Mount are all doubts for the visit of Brighton & Hove Albion after the international break, as per The Evening Standard.

Is Aaron Wan-Bissaka signing a new contract?

According to Telegraph Sport, Manchester United are keen to tie down defender Aaron Wan-Bissaka to a long-term deal at Old Trafford – he has one year left on his current £90,000 per week contract in the North West.

Wan-Bissaka has turned his career around at Manchester United under Ten Hag despite being a spare part in the early part of his reign and the Red Devils are keen to ensure he remains a key part of the side moving forward toward the next few years.

Last term, Manchester United were open to offloading Wan-Bissaka during the first part of the campaign and a return to his former club Crystal Palace had been mooted for the 25-year-old, who joined from the Eagles for £50 million back in 2019, as per The Daily Mail.

Ten Hag praised Wan-Bissaka at the tail end of 2022/23 and noted his improvement in performances over the course of his time in charge at Old Trafford, telling Manchester United's official club website: "He has improved a lot, as many players have improved during the season. That's one of the jobs for a manager and the coaching staff, to get that done and we are really happy with it, that players are developing."

Labelled "absolutely fantastic" by talkSPORT commentator Micky Gray, Wan-Bissaka has made four appearances in all competitions so far for Manchester United this term and he registered an assist in their 1-0 victory over Wolverhampton Wanderers on the opening day.

Following his upturn in fortunes at the Red Devils, a new contract looks to be afoot for Wan-Bissaka and few could argue that he hasn't merited reward for his displays.

Arsenal may be faced with a tough decision this summer as they continue to work on a new contract for William Saliba, journalist Charles Watts has claimed.

What's going on with Saliba and Arsenal?

The France international has performed well for Arsenal this season, but has just one year left on his contract at the club.

This summer is a crucial one for Saliba. Arsenal are in talks to extend his deal, but if they cannot reach an agreement, they may have to think about a sale of one of their most important players.

Speaking on his YouTube channel, Watts highlighted Arsenal's potential concern over Saliba this summer.

"The clock is ticking when it comes to William Saliba, because you can't really end this summer without Saliba having signed a new contract. You can't go into the new season surely, with Saliba less than 12 months away from the end of his current deal," he stated.

"It's almost a bit of an elephant in the room type situation with Saliba, no one really wants to talk about it, but if this contract doesn't get sorted in the next six weeks or two months, maybe before everyone comes back for pre-season, then Arsenal are going to have a big decision to make because there's going to be lots of clubs sniffing around and thinking he's got 12 months left on his deal with this blatantly generational-almost quality defender, which he's proven in the Premier League this season, can we get him on the cheap?

"Bids are going to start coming in for William Saliba this summer if he hasn't signed a new deal and that's going to leave Arsenal with a bit of a decision to make."

What should Arsenal do with Saliba?

The 22-year-old has been sensational for Arsenal this season, helping them sustain a title challenge before picking up a long-term injury, and the Gunners capitulated without his presence in the back line.

Mikel Arteta described him as "superb" early on in the campaign, which was his first at the club following at number of loan spells away since he signed in 2019.

Tying him down on a long-term contract should be the priority for Arsenal, and with Bukayo Saka and Aaron Ramsdale reportedly agreeing new deals, there may be hope that the Gunners can hold on to their best talents to remain at the top level for years to come.

If no resolution can be reached in the summer, Arsenal may have to consider sizeable bids for the currently injured centre-back, but they may elect to keep him and attempt to tie him down throughout his final season.

If Saliba is to depart, it would be a huge loss for Arteta, and a top-quality replacement would have to be found.

Liverpool are interested in Southampton midfielder Romeo Lavia and could look to issue a swoop this summer following the Saints' relegation from the Premier League.

What's the latest on Romeo Lavia to Liverpool?

According to an exclusive from Football Transfers' Jacque Talbot, Liverpool are looking to ramp up their interest in Lavia and use midfielder Tyler Morton as a makeweight to complete a deal.

Morton has enjoyed a successful loan spell with Blackburn Rovers this term and has demonstrated his calibre in the Championship, which could be an enticing option for Southampton to consider, especially with Lavia's £40m buyback clause, inserted by Manchester City, enabling next year.

Lavia signed for his south coast club for £14m last summer and was subject to a £50m attempt from Chelsea that very same window, a value that Southampton will demand should he be prised away this year.

Should Liverpool sign Romeo Lavia?

Despite boasting just one year's experience at the top level, Lavia has swiftly asserted himself as one of the Premier League's most exciting prospects, producing an "exquisite" individual season, as remarked by The Athletic's Jacob Tanswell, despite Southampton's tepid fall into the second tier.

The "strong" Lavia – as dubbed by Paul Scholes – has made 28 appearances in the top flight this season, scoring one goal during a 2-1 victory over lacklustre Chelsea, and has maintained a respectable average match rating of 6.83/10, as per Sofascore. He has also completed 86% of his passes, averaged 2 tackles and 1.1 interceptions per match, and won 70% of his attempted dribbles.

As per FBref, the burgeoning Belgian also ranks among the top 5% of midfielders across Europe's top five leagues over the past year for blocks per 90, and still only a 19-year-old, the precocious "monster" – as heralded by Benjy Nurick – could yet light up the Premier League with an outfit challenging at the forefront of the table.

Liverpool have a past of securing talent from relegated outfits under Klopp's tutelage – Andy Robertson, Gini Wijnaldum and Xherdan Shaqiri spring to mind – and Lavia could emulate such success with a move to Merseyside, perhaps serving as the perfect understudy to Fabinho, who has not looked so imperious this season as Liverpool slumped from salience at the front of the domestic and European pack.

The Brazilian holding midfielder signed from Monaco for approximately £44m in 2018, and his 218 appearances have been vital in an illustrious period in Anfield's rich history, with notable triumphs in the Premier League, Champions League and FA Cup to name a few.

Indeed, Fabinho has averaged 2.5 tackles, 1.6 interceptions and 1.6 clearances across the entirety of his career, as per WhoScored, and was once hailed as "the best" in his position by Gary Neville.

Lavia certainly has a long way to go but his stats suggest he is already exhibiting robustness and tenacity in abundance, and at Liverpool, absorbing the fruits of the 29-year-old's labour could see him blossom into one of the very best.

Former Sheffield Wednesday midfielder and club icon Carlton Palmer has given his verdict on what he thinks about two of the Owls' summer signings.

When Sunderland got promoted from League One in 2022, they entered the Championship with one of the strongest squads in the league – Black Cats’ sporting director Kristjaan Speakman managed to recruit the likes of Édouard Michut, Daniel Ballard and Amad Diallo, who would help the side finish in the playoffs.

Sheffield Wednesday on the other hand hasn’t managed to recruit as well as their new league rivals since their promotion to the Championship and losing manager Darren Moore only makes their fight for survival much harder.

Former Watford boss Xisco Muñoz was appointed as Moore’s successor, however, the Spaniard is struggling to guide his side to points.

The Owls currently sit 23rd in the Championship with their only point coming in a lacklustre 0-0 draw to Yorkshire rivals Leeds United.

And Palmer hasn't been too impressed by the deadline-day acquisitions of Jeff Hendrick and John Buckley…

What has Carlton Palmer said about Wednesday's transfer business?

Speaking to FootballLeagueWorld this week, Palmer said:

"Sheffield Wednesday needed to bring in some Championship experienced players into their squad, so on deadline day, they secured the services of John Buckley.

“It was believed that Buckley was the subject of a £3 million pound bid from Swansea on a permanent deal, but Buckley rejected the move to stay up north.

"Buckley has fallen down the pecking order at Blackburn starting only 21 games last season, but at 23, has played over 100 Championship games, so is a useful acquisition."

Palmer then turned his attention to Hendrick. The former Leeds United midfielder added:

"Hendrick is 31, is experienced, and has a lot of Championship experience.

"He spent last season out on loan at Reading playing 45 league games. Although they were relegated, that was due to the six-point deduction. So, [Hendrick is] another useful acquisition.

"Both are not top-drawer signings but useful additions to the squad."

Who have Sheffield Wednesday signed this season?

Wednesday’s deadline day business may save them from relegation as they managed to get a few additions through the door. One signing that the three-time FA Cup winners signed was Irish midfielder Hendrick from Newcastle United.

The 31-year-old had seen his minutes vanish at Newcastle United as the Magpies invested heavily in their midfield with the Dublin-born midfielder being nowhere near the quality of £55m rated Sandro Tonali or £42.7m Bruno Guimarães.

Name of signing Former club Price as per Transfermarkt Djeidi Gassama PSG 850k Pol Valentín Sporting Gijón 250k Juan Delgado Paços de Ferreira Free Di'Shon Bernard Manchester United Free Anthony Musaba Monaco Free Ashley Fletcher Watford Loan Devis Vásquez AC Milan Loan Mohamed Diaby Portimonense Loan Jeff Hendrick Newcastle United Loan John Buckley Blackburn Rovers Loan Bambo Diaby Preston North End N/A Reece James Blackpool N/A The £1.2m valued midfielder played three times for Newcastle in the 2021/22 season and was later shipped off to Reading the next year. During his time at the Royals, Hendrick played 45 times in the Championship scoring four and assisting once as his side were relegated.The Owls also reinforced on deadline day with 23-year-old John Buckley arriving on loan from Blackburn Rovers.Like Hendrick, Buckley also plays in the centre of the park and has already played 130 times for the Riversiders despite his relatively young age. Last season, the hard-working midfielder averaged 0.43 yellow cards a game (seven in total), so Muñoz may want to have a chat with his new signing about being less aggressive when defending.Whether Palmer is right in his assessment remains to be seen, but after the international break, the Spaniard will be hoping the arrival of these two midfielders will help change their fortunes on the pitch or they will face an instant return to the doldrums of League One.

Leeds United are still without a manager after suffering relegation from Premier League almost a month ago, but progress is starting to be made at Elland Road.

The 49ers have confirmed their full takeover of the club, buying Andrea Radrizzani out of his majority stake and taking full control in the last few days, which has been further boosted by the arrival of interim football advisor Nick Hammond.

Hammond was the sporting director at Reading, director of football operations at Celtic and most recently worked on a consultancy for Newcastle United, so has plenty of experience to provide Leeds with a much-needed expert to support in the summer transfer window during a difficult chapter for the West Yorkshire outfit.

Indeed, the main priorities for Leeds at present are the acquirement of a quality manager who can quickly reinstate their Premier League status and figuring out which players in the current squad will make an exit and who will stay to compete in the Championship next season.

However, with many Leeds players already speculated with a move away from the club this summer, identifying key targets who can replace and revive the team next season will be absolutely essential for a successful season.

One player who has been linked with a move to Elland Road this summer is Tottenham Hotspur midfielder Harry Winks, who has just spent a year on loan in the Serie A with Sampdoria.

Would Harry Winks be a good fit for Leeds?

It is no secret that Leeds will struggle to keep a number of their talents ahead of their Championship campaign and finding the best way to approach that will be essential for Hammond during his time at the club.

In midfield, the Whites have already lost Weston McKennie as he returns to Juventus after his loan spell, whilst Tyler Adams has been attracting interest from a number of Premier League clubs following relegation to the second tier, so there is definitely an opportunity to bolster the centre of the pitch this summer.

As a result, the signing of Winks – who had a £22m buyout clause as part of his temporary deal – would be a major coup for Leeds if they could convince him to make a move and would definitely soften the blow of losing some of the key players in midfield.

Over 20 Serie A appearances this season, the 27-year-old Englishman – hailed "amazing" by Mauricio Pochettino in the past – has tallied up an 85% pass completion rate and successfully completed 78% of his dribbles, as well as averaging 1.2 interceptions, 1.4 tackles, one clearance and 3.2 duels won per game, displaying strong ball-winning capabilities and ability to look after the ball in possession.

One of Leeds' biggest issues in the top flight last season was their defensive consistency with no other team in the Premier League conceding more goals over the 38-game campaign (78), so bringing in players who can improve the defensive presence and being more efficient in possession would be advantageous.

With that being said, if Hammond could secure the services of Winks it could massively improve the performances in midfield next season and help Leeds to secure promotion back to the Premier League.

Tottenham Hotspur are "sounding out" Juventus striker Dusan Vlahovic as a possible replacement for Harry Kane, a player they had plans to sign "last year".

Who will Spurs sign?

Spurs and new manager Ange Postecoglou are busy preparing for the 2023/2024 season behind-closed-doors, having already sealed deals for goalkeeper Guglielmo Vicario, playmaker James Maddison and winger Manor Solomon.

The trio join Dejan Kulusevski, who's put pen to paper on a permanent deal from Juve after 18 months on loan, and right-back Pedro Porro who's signed indefinitely from Sporting Lisbon.

Maddison, who signed from Leicester City for around £45 million, is a player who particularly excites Postecoglou – as the Australian explained in his most recent Spurs press conference.

“Really excited to get him as part of the group,” Postecoglou said on the England international.

“Any manager will tell you that part of the key to being a dominant team is having multiple attacking threats and having a midfielder who can score and create goals, they’re not easy to come by.

“We’re going to need leadership on the field and he feels like he can be a player who does that.”

While the north Londoners are thought to prioritising central defensive additions right now, leading to reports they're closing in on a deal for Wolfsburg's Micky van de Ven, there are suggestions Tottenham could add more firepower after Maddison.

According to Football Transfers, Tottenham are even "sounding out" Serbia international forward Vlahovic as a potential replacement for Kane should he leave.

The latter star is attracting serious interest from Bundesliga giants Bayern Munich, and even though chairman Daniel Levy is reluctant to sell, there could be a decision to make given Kane is out-of-contract in just 12 months.

Vlahovic, as a result, is being targeted by Spurs with this FT report also claiming he is a player they "had plans" to sign "last year".

Juve are thought to be open to selling if they receive a suitable offer for their talisman, who finished last season as their top goalscorer in Serie A.

How good is Dusan Vlahovic?

The 23-year-old arguably didn't have his best campaign last term, scoring 10 goals in assisting two others in the Italian top flight, but he has previously shone.

Over the 2021/2022 season, Vlahovic bagged a brilliant 17 goals in just 21 Fiorentina starts before signing for Juventus – prolific numbers for such a young centre-forward.

His scintillating form for La Viola attracted praise from members of the media and pundts alike, with journalist Jack Gallagher calling Vlahovic a "perfect" front man.

Meanwhile, former Man City star Micah Richards called the £215,000-per-week star "lightning" in an interview with BBC Radio 5 Live.

“I have watched him a couple of times now,” Richards said (via The Independent).

“He is lightning. It’s ridiculous. He has got 16 in 18 this season. His left foot is like a wand. I am telling you now, he is everything, he is everything you need.”

Insider ExWHUemployee has revealed that West Ham United goalkeeper Alphonse Areola has now “resumed training” after his recent injury and may return at the start of next month.

What’s the latest on Alphonse Areola and his West Ham injury?

The Frenchman has been out recently with a hamstring injury and consequently hasn’t been able to feature in the club’s last two Premier League games.

As result, in the recent draw against Newcastle United, manager David Moyes opted to name third-choice goalkeeper Joseph Anang and academy stopper Krisztian Hegyi both on the bench at St James’ Park – he did the same against Chelsea last weekend, too.

However, following a new update on Areola on The West Ham Way podcast, it seems as though the goalkeeper may be back on the bench shortly to provide more senior depth to Lukasz Fabianski.

Indeed, Ex revealed that the 29-year-old is close to returning although likely won’t play until they face Manchester United in the FA Cup.

He said: “Areola has also resumed training. He’s unlikely to feature for us until the Manchester United game, but obviously, it will be good for him to get back on the bench and get some training in before that game.”

What does the Areola injury mean for WHUFC?For now at West Ham, Fabianski remains very much the number one goalkeeping option for Moyes, with the Pole starting all 22 league games so far this season.He is, however, 37 years old now and with Areola completing a permanent transfer to the club from Paris Saint-Germain last summer (signing a five-year deal), it suggests the Frenchman will be the first pick in years to come.This term, though, the 29-year-old has mainly had to settle for minutes in the cup competitions. For instance, he has started every Europa Conference League game.Taking that into account, even if he is fit enough to play, he probably won’t come into the side for another few weeks until West Ham take on Man United in the fifth round of the FA Cup on 1st March.

Arsenal dropped yet more points in the Premier League title race with a 3-3 draw against Southampton last night, meaning they have just a five-point lead over Manchester City, who have two games in hand.

Mikel Arteta’s men will realistically need to beat City in midweek in order to win a first league title in 19 years, and considering the reigning champions haven’t lost a match since February, it’s an extreme challenge.

The Gunners are masters of their own downfall, however, falling 2-0 and 3-1 behind in a nervy evening at the Emirates, with only some salvation secured through two late goals rescuing a point that looked so unlikely after 80 minutes.

Bukayo Saka and Gabriel Martinelli were among the few players who performed to their high standards, with both grabbing a goal and making 11 key passes between them; it’s just a pity the other players weren’t at the races.

Oleksandr Zinchenko was uncharacteristically poor, winning just two duels and failing to even attempt a dribble during the tie, averaging a Sofascore rating of 6/10 for his troubles.

But it was another consistent performer who failed to build on some excellent performances of late who really let Arteta down in Thomas Partey.

How did Thomas Partey perform against Southampton?

The Ghanaian will have been expected to assert his authority in matches like this, controlling possession so Arsenal could dictate the play and create plenty of chances, yet he struggled against the Saints last night.

Arsenal correspondent Charles Watts stated that Partey was “so poor” and that several big players such as Martin Odegaard and Zinchenko “underperformed”, and this is in line with the performance they put in against the team that was sitting at the bottom of the league table before the match started.

Statistically, Partey took 100 touches and completed 91% of his attempted passes, though this was all in vain as the Gunners struggled throughout and couldn’t quite find their rhythm.

The Ghanaian won just 50% of his duels, was dribbled past four times and committed two fouls during the match, while also losing possession eight times throughout.

Considering on average this term he has only been dribbled past once per game and wins 58% of his duels, his display last night was way below his usual standards, and just when Arteta needed his key men to step up and take control of the title race following dropped points against Liverpool and West Ham United, they pretty much blew it.

Wolverhampton Wanderers ended the 2022/23 campaign with a relatively comfortable 13th-placed finish in the Premier League table.

Julen Lopetegui's side were never in any serious danger of being relegated down to the Championship as they finished seven points clear of the bottom three, with Leicester, Southampton, and Leeds United all dropping out of the division.

The Spanish head coach now has a full summer transfer window to improve his squad with a view to competing further up the table, and potentially challenging for Europe again in 23/24.

One player who could come in is Stuttgart ace Konstantinos Mavropanos, who is a reported transfer target for the Old Gold as they look to improve their defensive options.

Who is Konstantinos Mavropanos?

The 25-year-old Greek centre-back enjoyed an excellent campaign in the Bundesliga in 22/23 and could come in to form a terrific partnership with current Wolves star Max Kilman.

The English defender played 37 of the club's 38 Premier League matches in the season just gone and averaged a solid Sofascore rating of 6.85. He proved himself to be a solid option at the heart of the defence and dominated opposition attackers as he won 63% of his duels.

This means that Kilman is capable of bullying opponents and keeping them quiet for the majority of games when it comes to battling for the ball, which is particularly useful in physical games where there may be a barrage of set pieces and balls into the box.

Mavropanos could form a "monster" pairing with the Wolves ace as Borussia Monchengladbach chief Pellegrino Matarazzo previously described the Greek gem, whilst also hailing him as a "gladiator".

The colossal Stuttgart enforcer averaged an excellent Sofascore rating of 7.26 across 28 appearances in the Bundesliga, which would place him top of the Wolves squad for outfield players, and won an impressive 66% of his battles, including 70% of his aerial contests.

This suggests that the former Arsenal prospect, who also made four tackles and interceptions per match, is also a dominant defender who does not give much away when competing with opposition strikers.

Therefore, the £22k-per-week brute could be an exceptional addition to Lopetegui's side as his form in the German top-flight suggests that the potential is there for him to be an outstanding performer for the club, whilst his dominance at the back could make him and Kilman a formidable pairing for strikers to come up against next season.