All posts by h716a5.icu

Wolverhampton Wanderers have had a quiet summer transfer window so far, with Bruno Lage only securing two permanent signings. Nathan Collins has arrived from Burnley while the club have also signed Goncalo Guedes for a fee of £27.5m.

However, two new faces alone will not likely be enough for Lage to lead Wolves to another top-half finish this season. The manager did hint at “three of four” new signings before the end of the transfer window and this is news all the Molineux faithful would have been dying to hear.

One player that could be heading to the Premier League side shortly is midfielder Boubacar Traore, with Wolves presenting French club Metz with two proposals in order to take the player, who Metz have valued at £18m, away from them.

French outlet Republican-Lorrain have claimed that Wolves are leading the chase for Traore and Lage could sign him on loan for the season for €6m (£5m) with an option to buy for €8m (£6.7m) next summer. The second proposal for the player is a loan deal now with an obligation to buy next summer for €10m (£8.4m).

It is made clear in the report that Wolves are the only side to put in a concrete offer and Lage could be adding to his side shortly if all goes to plan.

The midfielder, dubbed as “exploding” by manager Frederic Antonetti, clearly has the potential to form an interesting duo with Ruben Neves in the heart of the Wolves midfield.

The 20-year-old’s impressive defensive attributes could give Neves more freedom to push forward in order to give more support to the club’s stagnating front line.

Traore ranks in the top 1% compared to positional peers in the top five European leagues for pressures (29.25 per 90) and in the top 11% for dribbles completed (1.30 per 90) and with Joao Moutinho, Neves’ regular midfield partner only making 18.42 pressures per match and completing 0.52 dribbles, Traore could be viewed as an upgrade.

Indeed, with Moutinho turning 36 years of age in September, the signing of a new long-term partner for Neves in the heart of Lage’s midfield would certainly appear to be a wise move for the manager to make this summer – with the prospect of Traore and the 25-year-old linking up together certainly looking have the potential to be incredibly deadly for the Old Gold.

It’s clear the 20-year-old has massive potential and if Lage could secure his signing, then it could totally rejuvenate the Wolves’ midfield.

Aston Villa could solve their defensive crisis by seeking to raid a Premier League rival… 

What’s the word?

According to journalist Jakub Krupa, Steven Gerrard could look to tempt Southampton into allowing Jan Bednarek to leave St Mary’s.

Krupa tweeted on Friday that Villa “are exploring a move” for the Southampton and Poland defender.

Following the projected nine-month absence of summer signing Diego Carlos after he ruptured his Achilles, Villa have been left scrambling for reinforcements before the transfer window slams shut. Bednarek could perfectly fill this vacancy for the time being and grow into a fan favourite at Villa Park.

Gerrard needs him

Now that Gerrard is without Carlos for the foreseeable future, and not favouring Tyrone Mings over a full season, Bednarek would represent a solid addition for Villa.

The England defender had his captaincy stripped and was dropped for their opening game of the season, but he since returned to action against Everton last weekend.

Already proven in the Premier League, Bednarek has impressed with his performances for the Saints and would slot right in alongside Ezri Konsa as perhaps the more dominant defender of the two, so there is no discernible downside to this potential deal.

The Poland international featured 31 times in the league last season for Ralph Hasenhuttl’s side, even chipping in with an impressive four goals.

In fact, he ranks in the top 3% for non-penalty goals per 90 among centre-backs in Europe’s top five leagues in 2021/22. Also ranking in the top 14% for aerial duels won, his arrival could help solve Villa’s set-piece issues, both offensively and defensively – they conceded 31% of their goals in 2021/22 from set pieces.

The “brilliant” 26-year-old (as hailed by Radio Solent’s Adam Blackmore) could help to remedy this shortcoming, while his general defensive work sees him ranked as one of the more consistent defenders in the league.

He ranks in the top 6% for interceptions, top 11% for blocks and top 12% for clearances, living up to his title of a defensive “monster”, as dubbed by journalist and podcaster Sam Tighe.

This actually marks an improvement on the injured Carlos, who only ranked in the 16th percentile for interceptions, 46th for blocks and 48th for clearances while at Sevilla last term.

The £20k-per-week Poland defender would bring is a steely determination which should help to eradicate silly mistakes from Villa’s game.

Bednarek may not be the perfect player for the fluid style that Gerrard prefers, but for what he could bring in terms of defensive solidity to cover for a long-term absentee, surely Villa need him sooner rather than later.

West Ham United are reportedly eyeing a move for Atalanta midfielder Ruslan Malinovskyi, with Premier League rivals Tottenham Hotspur also believed to be keen on his signature.

What’s the word?

According to Italian outlet Tutto Atalanta, the Hammers have emerged as a potential suitor for the 29-year-old, with the London Stadium outfit said to be ‘thinking about’ a possible approach for the Ukraine international.

The report does suggest, however, that it could take a fee of around €35m (£29.5m) for the Bergamo-based side to contemplate a sale, with that figure said to have proven somewhat prohibitive for Spurs.

As such, the report goes on to add that the chances of the 49-cap gem staying put are only increasing, particularly with the end to the window fast approaching.

Unreal signing

West Ham boss David Moyes has overseen seven major deals already so far this summer, although the indication is that there could be further incomings before the September deadline, with the club’s dismal start to the new season potentially set to force their hand in the market.

While the backline has been something of a concern amid mounting injury woes, the forward line has also come up short in the league thus far, having failed to score a single goal in the opening three games.

In Malinovskyi, however, the former Everton boss could well have found a solution to those attacking deficiencies, with the former Genk man offering a real potent threat in the final third.

Dubbed “decisive” by manager Gian Piero Gasperini, the £25.2m-rated playmaker – who largely operates in an attacking midfield role – has scored 30 goals and provided 27 assists in 130 games for his current side to date, having previously also recorded 62 goal contributions in 135 games during his time in Belgium.

Lauded for his “unreal” long-range shooting ability by journalist Carlo Garganese, the £21k-per-week sensation netted five of his six Serie A goals last season from outside the box, proving himself a real menace from distance.

Equally, his tally of 17 goal contributions in all competitions last term was only bettered by Michail Antonio (24) and Jarrod Bowen (31) in the Hammers squad – and level with Said Benrahma – with Moyes and co likely to be delighted to have another figure in tow who can produce a moment of magic.

The 5 foot 11 machine offers a real creative and forward-thinking presence in attack as he also notably ranks in the top 4% for progressive passes among those in his position across Europe’s top five leagues, with that figure notably better than the likes of Pablo Fornals (top 14%) and Manuel Lanzini (top 22%) – two men who currently operate in a playmaking role for the club.

With Champions League experience also under his belt, Malinovskyi could well be the quality attacking addition that Moyes and co are craving, with all the evidence pointing to a player who would simply be ‘unreal’ for the club were he to join before the window is out

Leeds United have been handed a huge injury boost ahead of their Premier League meeting with Everton this evening.

What’s the latest?

That’s according to Jesse Marsch, who revealed in his pre-match press conference (via Leeds Live) that, after missing the Whites’ last three fixtures as a result of an abductor injury picked up in the first half of the 2-2 draw with Southampton earlier this month, Patrick Bamford is finally looking likely to be available for selection for the visit of the Toffees tonight.

Speaking about the current condition of the centre-forward, the 48-year-old manager said: “Patrick Bamford will be really close for that match. So we should have options.”

Huge boost for Marsch

Considering just how many injury setbacks the England international endured over the course of Leeds’ uninspiring 2021/22 Premier League campaign – in which the 28-year-old featured just ten times across all competitions, scoring two goals – the potential of a fit and firing Bamford once again being available for selection is sure to have left Marsch buzzing.

Indeed, the £14.4m-rated forward proved just how dangerous he can be when fully fit over his 38 Premier League appearances back in 2020/21, scoring a quite remarkable 17 goals, registering an impressive seven assists and creating a further five big chances for his teammates, as well as taking an average of 2.8 shots – 1.3 of which hit the target – and making 0.8 key passes per game.

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These returns saw the £35k-per-week talent average an eye-catching SofaScore match rating of 7.01, ranking him as the Whites’ joint seventh-best performer in the league that season, while his 17 goals also saw him finish joint fourth – alongside Son Heung-min – in the Premier League scoring charts.

As such, while it will undoubtedly take Bamford a little while to refind this level of form after suffering yet another injury setback, the striker’s potential inclusion for the visit of Everton will nevertheless come as a huge boost to Leeds’ chances of taking all three points from the clash – as the 28-year-old has more than proven that he is one of the most deadly forwards in the division.

Wolves are reportedly looking to secure a late summer move for West Ham United defender Craig Dawson.

What’s the news?

According to a recent tweet from The Telegraph journalist Mike McGrath, the Old Gold and their local Premier League rivals Aston Villa are among the clubs interested in signing the centre-back.

McGrath also claimed that the move will be down to whether Irons manager David Moyes sanctions the potential transfer.

Throughout his career, Dawson has played for clubs such as West Bromwich Albion, Bolton Wanderers and Watford before finding himself at West Ham.

Forget Boly

With 238 Premier League appearances to his name, during which he has scored 19 goals and provided five assists, the 32-year-old would certainly offer a lot of experience to Wolves.

Bearing in mind how Bruno Lage has some rather young defenders in his squad such as Toti Gomes (23), Nathan Collins and Yerson Mosquera (both 21), adding an experienced figure like Dawson to his ranks could be a smart move, especially after losing the likes of Conor Coady (29) and Romain Saiss (32) this summer.

To highlight his defensive capabilities, Dawson ended his previous Premier League campaign with more blocks (66) and more clearances (145) than any other player at the London Stadium.

He also made more tackles (13) in the midfield third of the pitch than any other Irons defender and only saw one of his defensive colleagues make more tackles in the defensive third of the pitch than him (20).

Hailed as a “special” player by Carlton Cole, signing the £42.5k-per-week Englishman could also be a suitable way for Lage to forget about Willy Boly.

After being linked with a move to Nottingham Forest, the Ivorian failed to arrive for Wolves’ recent 1-1 draw against Newcastle United when he was supposed to be in the squad.

Should the 31-year-old find himself leaving Molineux in the coming days, securing a deal for Dawson could be a swift move by the Old Gold as they aim to replace his qualities at the back.

If Moyes gives the green light for the West Ham defender to leave the London Stadium before the end of the transfer window, Wolves should do all that they can to secure his signature and get him integrated into the squad.

It’s been a while since Tottenham Hotspur had a reliable and consistent option on the right side of their defence.

Kyle Walker left for Manchester City in 2017, whilst Kieran Trippier departed in 2019 for Atletico Madrid and since then, managers past and present have struggled to find a true successor to the role.

Now, current head coach Antonio Conte could be about to fall into the same trap, one that saw another former Premier League title-winner in Jose Mourinho struggle to keep his job at Hotspur Way.

The Italian currently favours Emerson Royal as his first-choice right wing-back, with the aforementioned Portuguese’s signing, Matt Doherty, a backup option.

However, in the recent transfer window, sporting director Fabio Paratici managed to seal a potential star of the future, signing Djed Spence from Championship side Middlesbrough in a £20m deal after the 22-year-old helped Nottingham Forest to promotion during a successful loan stint.

Emerson is very much a defender that still divides opinion around N17, ranging from the supporters often describing him as a “liability” to ex-Spurs captain Jonathan Woodgate previously lambasting his defending as “horrendous.”

Mourinho often made his bed and had to lie in it by deploying Serge Aurier – also regularly slammed as a ‘liability’ – as his regular right-back candidate. He almost acknowledged exactly how poor the Ivory Coast international was by utilising Moussa Sissoko as a right-midfielder to help out due to Aurier’s defensive frailties and unreliability.

Spence could be the exception to the rule, though Conte will need to change his attitude toward the young talent.

“Spence is an investment of the club,” Conte said (via The Athletic). “The club wanted to do it. I said okay, this player is young but he showed he can become a good, important player for us.”

After six direct goal contributions and averages of 1.6 interceptions and 1.5 tackles per game in 2021/22, the England U21 international should be right up Conte’s street with his evident ability to influence the game at either end of the pitch.

One particularly glowing performance against arch-rivals Arsenal in the FA Cup saw two of the Gunners’ legends wax lyrical about the now-Tottenham man – Martin Keown dubbed him a “Rolls-Royce” player, whilst Ian Wright told his podcast: “I have not seen a combative, technical, swashbuckling performance like that for a very long time.”

So if Conte wants to break the worrying right-back trend at Tottenham, then he really ought to unleash Spence and let him develop in the current system whilst he’s still in charge.

It could be the difference between his tenure heading down the same path as Mourinho, with no success to show for it, and him making his own legacy at the Lilywhites.

AND in other news, Fabrizio Romano: Spurs “explored” 6 ft 3 “extraordinary talent”, Paratici has made a £40m mistake…

Tottenham Hotspur explored a move for Pau Torres during the summer transfer window but were put off by his price tag…

What’s the word?

That’s according to Fabrizio Romano, who has revealed that Spurs were among several Premier League teams to consider a move for the Villarreal centre-back.

“Chelsea, Arsenal and Tottenham also explored this possibility but didn’t want to spend €40-45m,” the Italian transfer guru told CaughtOffside.

“I think it’s a very good opportunity on the market; he has experience, quality, left-footed … a very good CB.”

A big mistake from Paratici?

The north Londoners did go on to sign a central defender, however, as Clement Lenglet joined on loan from FC Barcelona, whilst they also pulled the trigger on signing Cristian Romero on a permanent deal but that said, Torres would have been a useful addition to the squad.

With the Frenchman only in N17 on a temporary basis, the Lilywhites could soon be in the market for another left-footed centre-back and the 25-year-old certainly fits the bill given his credentials.

Passing is listed as one of the 6 foot 3 titan’s biggest strengths on WhoScored and it’s easy to see why as he ranks inside the top 8% of all his positional peers across Europe for progressive passes (4.66 per 90), via FBref, who liken his statistical profile to Manchester City title-winner Ruben Dias, which bodes well for his potential transition to the Premier League one day.

Torres is also a threat in the other box, ranking inside the top 6% for non-penalty expected goals and assists (0.12 per 90), whilst only Raul Albiol has managed more clearances in the Yellow Submarines squad than the 20-cap Spaniard in 2022/23.

Once lauded as an “extraordinary talent” by former youth coach Javi Calleja to The Athletic, it’s clear that Spurs sporting director Fabio Paratici may have missed out massively here.

In reality, around £40m for a young, talented and internationally-recognised defender isn’t bad business at all. When you think that Harry Maguire (£80m) and Wesley Fofana (£75m) cost more or less double, then Torres could represent a steal at that price tag.

As such, it’s clear that Paratici and Tottenham have made a big mistake in snubbing the Villarreal sensation due to finances – it’s one they could live to regret, particularly if any of the aforementioned teams or new ones soon take the LaLiga side up on their valuation.

AND in other news, Levy could have Spurs’ next Luka Modric in Conte’s untouchable £100k-p/w “monster”…

Some members of the press have criticised defender Cristian Romero for his display as Tottenham Hotspur fall to a 3-1 north London derby defeat to Arsenal.

The Lowdown: Spurs taste first defeat…

The Lilywhites suffered their first loss of the Premier League campaign, with their arch-rivals clinching a deserved Emirates Stadium victory.

Spurs were made to work hard throughout the 90 minutes but momentum appeared to briefly swing their way after Thomas Partey’s sensational opener was cancelled out by a Harry Kane penalty.

However, it wasn’t to be for the visitors as Mikel Arteta’s men maintained their dominance and eventually regained the lead through star striker Gabriel Jesus. Granit Xhaka rounded off proceedings with his first goal and Arsenal’s third shortly after Spurs defender Emerson Royal’s calamitous sending off.

The Latest: Romero criticised…

Taking to social media, some members of the press picked out Romero for criticism alongside Royal.

The Argentine couldn’t quite get rid of a dropped ball by Hugo Lloris, with Gunners striker Jesus capitalising for Arsenal’s second goal, a moment which perhaps highlights an off-day for the central defender.

As a result, some reporters hinted he can do much better than what he showed today.

They explained:

“Overrated player Cuti Romero.” – Dan Lenrer, reporter for Diario AS (Twitter).

“Romero left his brain at home.” – Gabriel Martins, journalist and podcast host (Twitter).

Nice one, Son! Show your love for Heung-min Son with this awesome t-shirt! Click here to buy…

The Verdict: Off-day…

Romero’s mishap with Lloris resulting in Arsenal’s second was unfortunate but his overall display arguably wasn’t up to par this afternoon.

As per SofaScore, the 24-year-old finished the 90 minutes as Spurs’ joint-lowest rated player alongside Royal, having lost the majority of his ground duels whilst giving away possession 11 times.

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He also found a team-mate just one of his four attempted long balls and was dribbled past once on top of his error leading to a goal.

Romero’s quality is evident going by some of his past performances, but today’s outing will be one to put behind him.

Aston Villa midfielder Douglas Luiz looked to be on the brink of leaving the club in the summer transfer window, with the likes of Arsenal and Liverpool linked with the Brazilian.

In the end, the former Manchester City man would remain at Villa Park, which could prove to be an error by Steven Gerrard as he is now set to leave the club next summer on a free transfer when his current contract expires, with foreign clubs able to begin talks with the midfielder in January.

With Boubacar Kamara now injured until after the World Cup, Gerrard has been forced to recall the Brazilian to his first team after handing him just two starts in the Premier League before last weekend’s stalemate against Leeds United.

The 24-year-old showed his qualities in that game, earning a superb 7.74 rating from WhoScored for his performance, so it may prove tough to replace him when he does leave, with reports suggesting that he has already decided to move on from the Midlands club when his contract expires.

Fortunately for Gerrard, he may have a ready-made replacement for the Brazilian in academy gem, Tim Iroegbunam.

The teenage midfielder broke into the first team last season, making his debut against Brighton, with a further three senior Villa appearances to his name since then.

The 19-year-old was subsequently sent on loan to QPR for the season and has made five appearances for Michael Beale’s side in the Championship, helping the Hoops to fourth place in the second tier.

It is no surprise that the former Villa assistant wanted to take Iroegbunam with him to QPR, as he was full of praise for him last season, saying:

“He is a top young footballer and a super impressive young man also. A very bright future ahead.”

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Gerrard also sang his praises after seeing him perform for the academy side, saying:

“I went to watch him for the under-23s in the week (vs Norwich) and he started a little bit slow and, obviously, got sent off at the end but in the middle bit of the game, he was outstanding and looked like a Premier League player. He’s one I’m excited to keep developing and keep polishing up. He’s a great kid, humble, and needs to keep working.”

Therefore, when Luiz leaves Villa, there seems little reason why Iroegbunam can’t step up as his replacement, especially if he can go on to have a fruitful campaign in the Championship this season.

Everton have reportedly made an offer to try and sign Villarreal striker Boulaye Dia, who is currently on loan at Salernitana.

The Lowdown: Great start

Dia has made a great start to the season on loan in Italy, scoring four goals and making a further two assists in eight games in total in the Serie A so far (Transfermarkt).

He also won the Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) with Senegal earlier this year, and will certainly be a player to keep an eye on during the FIFA World Cup in Qatar.

The Latest: Offer made

As per local news outlet Tutto Salernitana, the Goodison Park outfit are one of a number of English clubs that have made an offer for Dia, thought to be in the region of between €15-16m (£13-13.8m).

They have already contacted Villarreal, Dia’s parent club, over a potential move once his loan deal at Salernitana expires in the summer.

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The Verdict: Shrewd signing

With the injury problems that Dominic Calvert-Lewin has suffered over the course of his Merseyside career, Dia would certainly be a shrewd signing, and a player who could add valued competition to the Englishman and Neal Maupay.

He is a striker who has already caught the eye before, notably catching highly-rated Liverpool central defender Virgil van Dijk napping in Villarreal’s UEFA Champions League semi-final clash last season.

Former Reds star and Senegal team-mate Sadio Mane has also sung Dia’s praises in the past, and at 25 years of age, the Toffees would be signing a player about to enter his prime.