Tag Futebol

Mauricio Pochettino’s stance hasn’t changed regarding the Aston Villa manager’s job, according to an update from renowned journalist Fabrizio Romano.

The Lowdown: Pochettino rejects Villa job

The Argentine is arguably one of the most sought-after managers who is currently out of a job, having left Paris Saint-Germain at the end of last season.

Pochettino has been linked with taking charge at Villa after Steven Gerrard’s departure, but recent reports have suggested that he is not interested in the role.

Gerrard’s successor is yet to be confirmed, though, so there is lingering hope from some quarters that the 50-year-old could still end up at Villa Park.

The Latest: Romano provides update

However, taking to Twitter, Romano confirmed that Pochettino still isn’t keen on being the new Villa boss, also turning down other unnamed Premier League clubs.

The Italian outlined:

“No changes on Mauricio Pochettino’s stance. Approached by multiple PL clubs, same answer as one month ago when he turned down Nice job: he wants to return at top level.

“Pochettino could also wait until the World Cup — it depends on the proposals/opportunities.”

The Verdict: Feels highly unlikely

In truth, it really does look as though Pochettino has loftier ambitions than Villa, which is perhaps understandable considering that he has managed Champions League clubs and reached the final of that competition with Tottenham.

He may perceive the 17th-placed Villans as a big drop-down from Ligue 1 champions PSG, with all due respect, so NSWE need to turn their attentions elsewhere and bring in a more realistic target.

However, should he be open to persuasion, Pochettino is someone who could be an outstanding appointment for the Midlanders, having once been hailed as the ‘best manager in the world’ by his former Spurs player Andros Townsend.

The Chronicle journalist Lee Ryder has shared a Newcastle United injury update on Alexander Isak, contrary to some previous reports.

The Lowdown: Initially ruled out

It was reported by North East reporter for the Daily Mail Craig Hope earlier this week that Isak ‘will be absent’ for the St. James’ Park outfit in their game away at Fulham in the Premier League on Saturday afternoon.

This is due to picking up a leg injury while on international duty with the Sweden national team in the UEFA Nations League.

The Latest: Still a chance

Taking to Twitter, Ryder has now shared that after having a scan, Isak has actually trained ahead of the match, and it is ‘not clear’ whether he will make the squad, suggesting that there is still a chance that he could play a part:

“Better news on Alexander Isak. The striker has had a scan and has trained but not clear whether he will be in squad for Fulham game.”

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The Verdict: Big boost

It would certainly be a big boost for Eddie Howe and his team to have Isak available after his latest injury setback.

The new striker signing from Real Sociedad has performed well in the absence of Callum Wilson, scoring two goals in his first three appearances in the top flight, including a strike at Anfield against Liverpool (Transfermarkt).

Nonetheless, with Chris Wood another injury doubt, and Wilson only just coming back from his injury lay-off, the Magpies could really do with a focal point against Fulham, and Isak would offer that providing that his fitness is okay.

Everton have reportedly held talks over a potential move for Rennes striker Serhou Guirassy.

The Lowdown: Two forwards wanted

Journalist Alan Nixon has revealed that the Goodison Park outfit want to bring in two new forwards before the transfer window closes.

They are set to sign Neal Maupay from Brighton and Hove Albion, which would leave one more striker to sign.

The Latest: Guirassy talks

Taking to Twitter, transfer expert Graeme Bailey has revealed that the Merseyside club have also held talks over the potential signing of Guirassy:

“Everton hold talks with Rennes over striker Serhou Guirassy.”

Expanding in his article for 90min, he adds that those talks are ‘progressing’, and that French officials have ‘travelled to England’ in order to try and finalise a deal.

The Verdict: Exciting

It is certainly exciting for Toffees supporters to see them potentially close to signing two brand new strikers.

At six-foot-two, Guirassy could complement the five-foot-eight Maupay nicely, and his 25 goals and four assists for Rennes over the past two seasons show his credentials in front of goal (Transfermarkt).

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In Ligue 1 last term, he ranked highly among his teammates in terms of average aerial duels won and shots taken per game (WhoScored), and would offer a great alternative to Dominic Calvert-Lewin, who is out injured.

Nonetheless, he could form a formidable new partnership with Maupay, as Frank Lampard’s team still search for their first win in the Premier League this campaign.

Tottenham Hotspur talks to sign Atalanta star Ruslan Malinovskyi ‘can soon begin’, but reports claim there’s one transfer twist.

The Lowdown: Spurs eye Malinovskyi move…

Spurs head coach Antonio Conte and sporting director Fabio Paratici are allegedly eager to sign the Ukraine international with there being some belief that the player has already green-lit a potential move.

However, while Malinovskyi is apparently open to signing for the club, the Lilywhites face competition from Ligue 1 giants Marseille who are also said to hold a real interest.

September 1 looms, and with just under a fortnight of the window remaining, the north Londoners may have to begin making progress in their attempts to sign the 29-year-old.

The Latest: Tottenham talks ‘can soon begin’…

According to reports out of Italy, there has been an interesting update on the links to Malinovskyi.

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TUTTOmercatoWEB claim Tottenham talks ‘can soon begin’ to sign the midfielder, but with one twist.

Indeed, it is now believed that out-of-favour Spurs defender Sergio Reguilon could be inserted into the deal with a player-exchange possible.

The Verdict: Get it done?

Reguilon doesn’t have a future at N17 with Conte apparently having no place for the Spaniard.

Taking this into account, a win-win scenario could be allowing the left-back to join Atalanta in a swap deal for Malinovskyi – especially considering the latter man’s quality.

Often a threat in the final third, the forward finished last campaign as one of the Serie A side’s most threatening players – ranking in their top five when it comes to attempts at goal, key passes made and successful dribbles per 90 (WhoScored).

On top of this, he scored six goals and added four assists domestically with reporters highlighting his fantastic technique at times.

Indeed, journalist Josh Bunting of The Islington Gazzette raved over his ‘stunning left-foot’ after he buried a neat finish against Juventus in February.

Clearly a big game player on his day, Malinovskyi could be a real asset in north London.

Celtic are reportedly not looking to strike a deal for Barcelona midfielder Alex Collado.

What’s the news?

In a recent Twitter post, Hendry had this to say on the matter.

He said: “Information we at @Football_Scot have is that Collado is not a name that’s been floated within Parkhead with any serious intent. La Liga clubs currently in advanced talks with the player.”

Earlier this week, it was claimed that Celtic were one of the clubs to have made a move to sign the 23-year-old.

However, with Hendry’s update, it seems as though the midfielder isn’t likely to be donning a Celtic shirt anytime soon.

With 103 appearances to his name for Barcelona’s youth sides, Collado has scored 22 goals and delivered 12 assists along the way.

Ange should be gutted

Described as a “fast, hard-working, great dribbler, highly technical and creative, brilliant set-piece taker”, by football talent scout, Jacek Kulig, as well as being a “pure joy to watch”, these are the sort of attributes that the midfielder could offer Ange Postecoglou’s side.

During the second half of last season, Collado completed a loan deal with fellow Spanish side Granada, where he managed to show what he’s capable of on the pitch.

For example, with 17 league appearances to his name, the midfielder ended the campaign with the third-highest percentage for shots on target (47.1%) and the second-highest rate for shot-creating actions per 90 minutes (2.91) at Granada.

This shows how much of a danger he can be for opposition defenders and goalkeepers from the middle of the park.

Bearing in mind how the end of last season saw the Bhoys say goodbye to Tom Rogic, Collado could have been the perfect replacement. Only three other Celtic players had more shots at goal than him (53) in the SPFL last season, so adding a player like the Barcelona figure to Postecoglou’s squad would have been a good way for them to get their hands on a likeminded player in the middle of the pitch.

This suggests why Postecoglou should be gutted that the club could be set to miss out on signing the Spaniard and haven’t been considering making a serious move for him.

Moving forward, if the Hoops want to strengthen their midfield even further before the summer transfer window ends, they will have to get a move on to bring in someone suitable before deadline day comes around.

Leeds United have been handed a huge boost in their bid to bring Otavio to Elland Road this summer.

What’s the latest?

That’s according to a report by Portuguese publication Record (via Sport Witness), who claim that, after Victor Orta saw a €30m (£25m) bid for the right-winger turned down by FC Porto, the Spaniard could now land the 27-year-old at a discounted rate – as the Portugal international’s minimum fee release clause has temporarily dropped from €60m (£51m) to €40m (£34m) until July 15.

And, with Leeds looking likely to receive a figure in the region of €68m (£58m) from the sale of Raphinha in the coming days – with Fabrizio Romano recently revealing that the Brazilian’s move to Barcelona is now at the final stages – this would appear to suggest that Orta will have more than enough funds to activate Otavio’s release clause prior to Friday – when the forward’s price returns to €60m.

Orta must act

Considering the sheer amount of ability Otavio undoubtedly possesses, the fact that Leeds could now seal a £34m deal for the 27-year-old will undoubtedly come as a huge boost to Orta and his transfer team at Elland Road.

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Indeed, over his 32 Liga Portugal appearances last season, the £27m-rated attacker was in breathtaking form for Sergio Conceicao’s side, scoring three goals, registering 13 assists and creating 17 big chances for his teammates, in addition to making an average of 2.3 key passes, taking 1.6 shots and completing 1.1 dribbles per game.

The £32k-per-week talent who Alex Goncalves dubbed “phenomenal” also impressed in a defensive capacity, making an average of 3.2 tackles, 0.7 interceptions, 0.5 clearances and winning 7.4 duels – at a success rate of 51% – per fixture.

These returns saw the seven-cap international average a quite remarkable SofaScore match rating of 7.48, ranking him not only as the Dragões’ best performer in the league but also as the joint third-best player in the division as a whole.

As such, it would very much appear as if Otavio would make something of a perfect replacement for Raphinha in Jesse Marsch’s Leeds squad next season – leading us to believe that Orta simply must activate the 27-year-old’s release clause prior to Friday’s deadline.

AND in other news: Contact made: Report reveals big Leeds transfer development, supporters surely buzzing

Tottenham Hotspur could look to add another signing even after the arrival of Djed Spence…

What’s the word?

The Premier League side have been locked in negotiations with Championship outfit Middlesbrough over a deal for the 21-year-old right-back and remain hopeful of getting it done before the start of the 2022/23 campaign, as per the Evening Standard.

And according to Daily Star journalist Paul Brown, their summer transfer business may not be complete.

“I think now they’ve got [Clement] Lenglet, that’s the defensive side of things tied up.

“It wouldn’t surprise me if there’s another transfer down the line, they’ve got money to spend because of what ENIC put in at the beginning of the window,” he told GIVEMESPORT.

“He’s filled most positions he wanted. He wanted a forward to compete with and put pressure on Kane, he got that in Richarlison, he wanted a tough nut in midfield in Bissouma, he got a wing-back in [Ivan] Perisic and is going for another in [Djed] Spence.

“But it wouldn’t surprise me if they go for one more player.”

Spurs’ strength in depth

The Lilywhites have had quite a remarkable transfer window, signing no fewer than five new players as they look to bolster Antonio Conte’s squad for the new season, in which the side will be competing in the Champions League for the first time since 2020.

It is, therefore, quite important to add bodies to the team as it will allow the Italian head coach to rotate his squad with so many midweek matches on the horizon and he can do so without risking a drop-off in quality.

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Backup options like Harry Winks and Lucas Moura have been instantly usurped by Yves Bissouma and Richarlison, whilst Clement Lenglet fills a massive gap as Conte’s only left-footed centre-back.

Meanwhile, Fraser Forster has come in on a free transfer to play second fiddle to Hugo Lloris, with Conte also trusting his former star Ivan Perisic to do a job in the big time at 33 years of age.

Spence would be another much-needed addition, both in terms of positional need and squad depth, as he could solve the long-standing issue on the right-flank, a role that the Spurs boss has wanted to fix since he arrived in N17.

It remains to be seen exactly who that additional signing could be, though perhaps a new no.10 is amongst the priorities, having failed to sign one since the departure of Christian Eriksen in January 2020.

The likes of Jesse Lingard, Anthony Gordon, Memphis Depay and Lucas Paqueta have all been linked in recent weeks, so that suggests further reinforcements in the final third could well be on the agenda.

Either way, Conte will surely be delighted with the business that sporting director Fabio Paratici and chairman Daniel Levy have conducted, and he will be elated to seal Spence and potentially one more addition, too.

AND in other news, David Ornstein drops Kyle Walker-Peters update…

Former Premier League striker Noel Whelan has delivered his verdict on the protracted Liverpool pursuit of Borrusa Dortmund wonderkid Jude Bellingham. 

The lowdown: Waiting game

The Reds are expected to hold off adding a midfielder to the AXA ranks this summer in order to leave space for Bellingham in 2023.

That’s despite holding a strong interest in the 18-year-old and having missed out on the capture of Aurelien Tchouameni, as the Frenchman opted to make a move from AS Monaco to Real Madrid.

After a recent report from the Mirror claimed Jurgen Klopp has already informed Julian Ward of the parameters required when seeking a midfield signing, and one intrigued pundit has had his say on the decision to wait for Bellingham.

The latest: ‘Worth waiting for’

Speaking to Football Insider, ex-Leeds United frontman and ex-BBC show host Whelan was adamant that Liverpool were making the right call regarding the prodigious teen.

He outlined: ‘That’s where Jude Bellingham comes in. It’s known that Borussia Dortmund don’t let two stars go in one season, that’s not how they operate.

“I think they’ve got enough in midfield to see one more season out and then get the player they want. I don’t see any point of getting a third-choice, fourth-choice stand-by when you know you are building a squad with the likes of [Luis] Diaz and [Darwin] Nunez that have come into the first-team.

“Now you need that next big player for five, six years to take the place of a Fabinho, a [James] Milner or a [Jordan] Henderson. You’ve got to bring in your number one target. For me, that’s worth waiting for in Jude Bellingham.”

The verdict: Stop gap required

Undoubtedly a generational talent, leaving funds set aside and getting a deal in place to complete the acquisition of the £100million rated Bellingham to Anfield next year is a wholly sensical move from the club’s hierarchy.

However, failing to bolster the department this summer places much of the workload on Fabinho, Naby Keita, Thiago and Jordan Henderson once again, whilst young and relatively unproven trio Fabio Carvalho, Harvey Elliott and Curtis Jones will also be required to take up some of the burdens amidst a congested season punctuated by a mid-season World Cup.

Boasting 28 direct goal involvements in 89 outings for the Bundesliga giants, Bellingham – hailed as ‘phenomenal’ by Bundesliga journalist Kevin Hatchard – is already an elite-level talent and the 15-cap England sensation should remain a top priority in the long term.

Nevertheless, adding a versatile midfield option to Klopp’s ranks this summer would be a smart move, even were it to be the suggested move to bring Gini Wijnaldum – a player who knows the Liverpool system inside out – back to Merseyside on a short-term loan deal.

Rangers boss Gio van Bronckhorst is set to get his first summer transfer window in charge of the club underway on Friday as the market opens for business.

The Gers head coach joined midway through the 2021/22 campaign and led the team to the Europa League final and the Scottish Cup trophy.

He will now be hoping to improve his squad with a view to winning the Premiership title and going as far as possible in the Champions League next term.

One player Ross Wilson must now bring in to help him is Chelsea central midfielder Billy Gilmour on a season-long loan.

The Gers have been linked with a swoop for their former academy gem and the club must do all they can to snap him up.

Imagine him & John Lundstram

Van Bronckhorst can form a dream midfield pairing by putting Gilmour next to John Lundstram as their respective styles can complement each other well.

In the Premiership, the Gers man won 60% of his individual duels and made 2.4 tackles and interceptions per game as he showcased his combative nature and ability to win the ball back for the team.

Offensively, he did little to progress the play, though, as he averaged 0.4 key passes and 2.8 long passes per game for the Light Blues.

Gilmour, meanwhile, provided 1.0 key passes and 3.4 long passes per game in the Premier League on loan at Norwich, showing that he has the quality on the ball to make things happen from midfield.

Graeme Souness previously heaped praise on the £28k-per-week maestro’s ability in possession, saying: “He doesn’t give the ball away. He’s got that fantastic habit for a midfield player of passing the ball to the same colour shirt. He keeps the ball in tight spaces and kept Scotland ticking over.

“He’s a fabulous little football player and when you factor in that last season he only made five starts in the Premier League for Chelsea, he’s not played a lot of football and he came into what was a hothouse of a game – high tempo, loads of pressing – and he managed to stay there.”

Off the ball, however, is where he has been found wanting at times. He lost 53% of his duels in the top-flight for Norwich and averaged one aerial duel won every two games, showing that he struggled with the physicality of the division.

Pairing him with Lundstram will mean that Rangers have one midfielder capable of being the defensive anchor ahead of the back four and the other being capable of driving the team forward and being a creative force in attack.

Wilson must now work with van Bronckhorst to land a deal for Gilmour so that the Gers have the option of fielding this dynamic duo in the 2021/22 campaign.

AND in other news, Wilson plotting Rangers swoop for “consistent” £5m enforcer, GVB would love him… 

Manchester United have reportedly made the ‘strongest bid’ for Barcelona midfielder Frenkie de Jong.

The Lowdown: Ten Hag to watch Palace match

As we all know, Erik ten Hag will be the man in charge at Old Trafford next season, taking over from Ralf Rangnick. The Dutchman has terminated his Ajax deal six weeks early in order to get going with the Red Devils.

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Ten Hag will reportedly be in attendance for the final game of the season away to Crystal Palace this afternoon, and an update has emerged prior to the game on key target De Jong.

The Latest: ‘Strongest bid’ by United

Sport Witness relayed an update from Sport regarding United and De Jong on Friday. They claimed that Ten Hag is pushing the move for De Jong and that the Red Devils have made the ‘strongest bid’ so far.

The report adds that Barcelona would be ‘willing to sell’ the midfielder, who Xavi called a ‘genius’, and won’t go below a fee in the region of €80m (£67.6m).

The Verdict: Get it done

Ten Hag knows just how to get the best out of his fellow countryman following their successful time together at Ajax.

United are also in desperate need of midfield reinforcements with Nemanja Matic set to leave and Paul Pogba, Jesse Lingard and Juan Mata all out of contract over the coming weeks.

Therefore, it would be ideal if the club could get a deal in place as soon as possible, which will then allow them to explore further additions, including possibly another marquee midfielder to play alongside De Jong.

In other news – After AWB: Fabrizio Romano reveals Man Utd and Ten Hag now ‘prepared’ to sell ‘really poor’ flop