All posts by h716a5.icu

Wolverhampton Wanderers have improved under Julen Lopetegui, earning 1.4 points per Premier League game under him after five matches compared to 0.67 beforehand.

They are far from the finished article yet, though, and the Spaniard is using the January transfer window to great effect in order to preserve the Molineux club’s top-flight status.

Winter arrivals include Matheus Cunha, Mario Lemina, Pablo Sarabia and Craig Dawson as the manager looks to build a new-look spine to the team. At the same time, there have also been a few departures, most notably summer signing Goncalo Guedes, who has moved to Benfica on loan.

The Portuguese forward only netted twice in 18 matches for his parent club, and Lopetegui will now be actively looking for a replacement.

The Old Gold have been linked with a move for Udinese forward Gerard Deulofeu this month, with Fabrizio Romano discussing the player on the House of Champions YouTube channel and claiming that Lopetegui is a fan of the 28-year-old.

The Italian stated: “I think it’s about Udinese wanting to keep Deulofeu. For example, I’m told that also Wolves’ manager Lopetegui is [a] big fan of Deulofeu. So it’s true that Aston Villa like him, but also Wolves have been tracking him.”

Despite Wolves improving their ability to score under the Spaniard, with four in his five league games compared to just three in eight under Bruno Lage until his sacking at the start of October, he will be in the market for another forward who can add a different dynamic to his team, and Deulofeu could be the ideal player.

The ex-Watford forward would also be a major upgrade on Guedes too. The 5 foot 10 dynamo has not only registered more goal contributions (eight to two) than the 26-year-old this season, along with more shots (44 to 21), goal-creating actions (nine to one) and shot-creating actions per match (6.16 to 3.43), illustrating that he would be a much more effective attacking threat for Wolves.

Deulofeu’s excellent performances this term have seen him become one of the best in the continent compared to positional peers across Europe’s top five leagues, ranking in the top 10% for assists, shot-creating actions, passes attempted, progressive passes, dribbles completed and touches in the attacking penalty area.

His former Everton coach Roberto Martinez heaped praise on the player following an impressive performance against Barnsley in 2015, saying of Deulofeu: “He was outstanding when he came on. His pace, penetration, and ability in one-on-one situations was something that inspired our second-half performance.”

If Lopetegui could secure the 28-year-old’s signature this month, it would give Wolves another excellent attacking option and potentially play a big role in continuing the club’s recent resurgence.

Everton midfielder Amadou Onana reportedly ‘refuses’ to join Chelsea amid reports of the latter’s interest in him.

The Lowdown: Chelsea interest

It was reported by The Times journalist Tom Roddy this morning that Chelsea have ‘stepped up their interest’ in signing Onana, as a ‘possible alternative’ to Benfica’s Enzo Fernandez and Brighton and Hove Albion’s Moises Caicedo.

Anthony Gordon has also been strongly linked with a £40m move away from Everton to Newcastle United, as the Goodison Park outfit have struggled with finances over the last year.

The Latest: Onana ‘refuses’ Chelsea

Taking to Twitter shortly after the initial story was shared, Belgian football journalist Sacha Tavolieri said that Onana ‘refuses’ to join Chelsea, as he ‘wants to stay’ in Merseyside and focus on the rest of the season:

“Amadou #Onana refuses #ChelseaFC ! While the Blues have tried to convince #DiablesRouges , the person wants to stay at #EvertonFC , preferring to focus on the rest of his season. #CFC will he come back to the charge?”

The Verdict: Relief

It will certainly come as a relief to Toffees supporters that Onana looks set to stay and not join Chelsea, considering that the Blues have already been very busy in the window so far.

Despite Everton’s struggles in the Premier League this season, the 21-year-old has been one of their standout performers despite only arriving in the summer, ranking highly among his team-mates for average aerial duels won, in addition to average tackles, interceptions, shots, dribbles and pass success per match (WhoScored).

With Gordon missing training again in order to try and force through a move to Newcastle, the Blues will not want another one of their star names leaving right at the end of the window, and so they will be pleased that Onana has chosen to stay at the club and focus on trying to help keep them up.

Southampton will be hopeful of securing another attacking option before tomorrow night’s transfer deadline as Nathan Jones looks to add more firepower to his goal-shy squad, the joint-third lowest scorers in the Premier League.

The 49-year-old has signed Carlos Alcaraz, Mislav Orsic and James Bree already this month, but another arrival might well follow those three through the door, and it could give the Saints a massive boost in their bid to remain in the top flight.

Indeed, the south coast club have made an official bid of €20m (£17.5m) for Rennes winger Kamaldeen Sulemana, which is an improvement on their first offer of £13.1m which also included £1.7m in add-ons.

The youngster is also being tracked by Everton, and this could set up a potential battle between the two Premier League clubs over who lands the coveted winger before the transfer deadline.

Erik ten Hag lavished the player with praise when he was making waves at FC Nordsjaelland, saying: “More and more players nowadays want the ball [played] at their feet instead of making runs. He can make those runs and he has incredible speed.”

In just 43 appearances for the Danish club, the Ghanaian scored 14 times. That duly secured him a move to Rennes, for whom he has netted six goals while attracting interest from the Premier League due to his performances.

The 20-year-old is statistically similar to fellow Rennes forward Martin Terrier, who has been linked with a move to England in recent months, and Sulemana could be a wonderful prospective addition to the Southampton squad.

According to FBref, Terrier is the second-most comparable player to his team-mate across Europe’s top five leagues, and it isn’t a bad comparison to have.

The two players have registered similar statistics this season in terms of shots per game (3.59 to 3.21), shot-creating actions per match (3.82 to 3.60), dribble success rate (46.9% to 34.6%), and crosses (ten to 13), which illustrates that both are excellent attacking threats from the left wing.

Sulemana is also fast becoming one of the finest players in his position across Europe’s top five leagues, with FBref ranking him in the top 15% for total shots, assists, dribbles completed, tackles and interceptions. These numbers suggests that, at the tender age of 20, he has an all-round game which could see him slot into the Southampton first-team with ease.

However, Jones will need to act swiftly, especially given Everton’s reported interest, and the next 24 hours could be very interesting indeed in the Saints’ pursuit of Sulemana.

Allan Saint-Maximin was never leaving Newcastle United in January but he could depart in the summer transfer window, according to journalist Fabrizio Romano.

The Lowdown: Saint-Maximin stays put

The Magpies are flying under Eddie Howe this season, sitting third in the Premier League, but someone who has experienced limited playing time is Saint-Maximin.

The Frenchman, who was perhaps the fans’ lone bright spark during Steve Bruce’s tenure, has only started four league games, also coming on as a substitute eight times, with others preferred to him in attack, from the rejuvenated Miguel Almiron to new arrival Alexander Isak.

Saint-Maximin ended up remaining at Newcastle despite January links to AC Milan but a key update has emerged regarding his long-term future at St James’ Park.

The Latest: Summer exit possible?

Speaking to Caught Offside, Romano said that the 25-year-old was always going to stay put last month but there is no guarantee that he won’t leave this summer:

“Newcastle were never really open to let Allan Saint-Maximin leave so it wasn’t close with AC Milan.

“I’m aware his agent has spoken about Milan’s interest, but it wasn’t advanced. In the summer we will see, I’d be lying to mention any guaranteed transfer news now for the summer because many things will change for every club in the next few months.”

The Verdict: Time could be up

Saint-Maximin is a hugely gifted footballer, being hailed as ‘unplayable’ by former Newcastle midfielder Rob Lee, but it appears as though Howe doesn’t see him as a key man moving forward.

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For all the mazy dribbles, tricks and flicks, he only has one goal in 12 league appearances and it could be argued that his game lacks substance, as well as tactical discipline.

For that reason, selling the £38,000-a-week Saint-Maximin in the summer could be the best option, receiving good money for him and using those funds on a more tailor-made signing for Howe.

Transfer expert Rudy Galetti says that one Turkish club are ‘exploring the opportunity’ to sign Glasgow Rangers striker Alfredo Morelos.

The Lowdown: January transfer business

The Premiership giants brought in two new signings during the January transfer window in midfielders Todd Cantwell and Nicolas Raskin, while they also let Charlie McCann leave Ibrox to join Forest Green Rovers in English League One.

The transfer window is now closed in Scotland, but that is not the case in Turkey, where clubs can still look to sign players, and Morelos is one who is attracting interest.

The Latest: Morelos transfer interest

Taking to Twitter, Galetti says that Turkish club Konyaspor are now ‘exploring the opportunity’ of signing Morelos from Rangers, with his current deal at Ibrox set to expire at the end of the season.

The journalist tweeted: “#Konyaspor are exploring the opportunity to sign Alfredo #Morelos, as firstly reported by @WTransfers7. Confirmed.

“The contract of the striker with #RangersFC will expire at the end of season. Evolving situation.”

The Verdict: Cash in?

Rangers now need to weigh up whether it is wise to cash in on Morelos this week or let him depart on a free transfer in the summer.

The Colombia international is finding his feet again under Michael Beale, with six goals and three assists in 10 Premiership games under the new manager (Transfermarkt), so he could be a key player from now until the end of the season.

The Gers still find themselves nine points behind bitter rivals Celtic at the top of the table and will need Morelos to continue his fine form in order to have any chance of catching the Hoops.

While letting him go now makes financial sense rather than losing him for free at the end of the campaign, the Light Blues should not be thinking of sacrificing a potential title and will need Morelos to remain at the club for another few months in order to reel in their arch-rivals.

CBS journalist Ben Jacobs has suggested Tottenham could make a move for Real Sociedad star Martin Zubimendi with his summer transfer ‘very possible’.

The Lowdown: Spurs eye new midfielder?

Over the January window, Spurs were linked with moves for new central midfielders, with one example being USA international Weston McKennie.

The former Schlake star eventually ended up joining Leeds United, leaving manager Antonio Conte without a new midfield signing last month.

Deals were instead completed for exciting right-wing-back Pedro Porro and winger Arnaut Danjuma, with the latter man joining on a temporary deal from Villarreal.

The Latest: Jacobs hints at Zubimendi move…

Writing on his CaughtOffside substack, CBS reporter Jacobs has urged supporters to ‘keep an eye’ on Spurs when it comes to Zubimendi.

The 23-year-old’s transfer away from Sociedad is ‘very possible’, according to the journalist, with Jacobs suggesting that Tottenham are now in the frame and could make a move.

The Verdict: Get it done?

The Spain international has a €60m (£53m) release clause in his Sociedad contract and, if Spurs decide to trigger it, they could end up getting a very promising player.

Sociedad boss Imanol Alguacil heavily favours Zubimendi with only goalkeeper Alex Remiro playing more La Liga minutes than the defensive midfielder.

Zubimendi is a key cog in their system and heavily reliable in front of the back four – ranking among their very best for tackles won, interceptions and blocks made per 90 (WhoScored).

Barcelona manager Xavi has also lavished the Spaniard as a ‘great player’ who is more ‘physical’ and ‘faster’ than Nou Camp legend Sergio Busquets.

Endorsements from such a legend point to Zubimendi potentially being a great investment on Spurs’ part with the only issue being their already-stacked midfield ranks.

Liverpool have been linked with a move for Ruben Neves, and a new claim has been made by a reliable source on the club’s pursuit of the player ahead of the summer transfer window.

What’s the latest on Liverpool’s interest in Neves?

Journalist and transfer expert Dean Jones has claimed that the Wolverhampton Wanderers midfielder would be a much-needed addition at Anfield.

When asked about which Premier League clubs will be interested in the 25-year-old this summer, Jones told Football FanCast: “I mean he has been linked with nearly all of them at some point but you have to say that Liverpool would probably be the ones that are most in need of a player like this right now.”

Could Neves be the dream midfield signing for Klopp?

It is beyond doubt that pressure is mounting on the powerbrokers at Anfield to reinvest in the next generation of midfield talent at the club, with a number of players in that position either soon to be out of contract or reaching the latter stages of their careers.

Both Jordan Henderson and Thiago Alcantara are into their 30s and unlikely to be seen as the long-term future in the middle of the park, whilst Naby Keita, Arthur Melo, Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain and James Milner are all currently set for an exit from Liverpool when their contracts expire in the summer.

This leaves Jurgen Klopp with just Fabinho, Harvey Elliott and Curtis Jones as his most experienced midfielders under 30, with Stefan Bajcetic also breaking through to attempt to earn his place as a regular feature in the first-team, leaving the Reds with little depth and paving the way for a complete refresh in that area of the pitch.

Both Matheus Nunes and Jude Bellingham have been linked with a move to Merseyside this summer. However, getting in a player like Neves who not only offers longevity at 25 years of age but also a wealth of Premier League experience (162 games) would be massively advantageous in the club’s pursuit to rebuild the midfield.

Across 21 Premier League appearances this season, the £100m-priced titan – who has been dubbed “incredible” by team-mate Hugo Bueno – has scored five goals, completed 60% of his dribbles and tallied an 84% pass completion rate. He has also averaged 2.5 tackles, 2.6 clearances, 76 touches, 51 accurate passes and four successful duels per game, proving to be a huge presence both in progressive play and defensive transition for Wolves.

Furthermore, the Portugal international ranks among the top 21% of his positional peers in the top five European leagues for non-penalty goals, shots on goal, passes attempted, progressive passes, interceptions and clearances, displaying that he has one of the highest quality and most diverse skillsets in Europe.

Following Liverpool’s 1-0 victory over Wolves in the FA Cup last month, Klopp singled out Neves for praise, alongside team-mate and fellow Anfield target Nunes.

The German stated: “When you have Neves in the game it changes everything pretty much, and then when Nunes is on the pitch as well it’s twice as difficult.”

If Klopp could land Neves – and possible Nunes also – in the summer transfer windoe, it could be the dream signing to complete Liverpool’s midfield refresh and improve their performances next season.

Tottenham Hotspur are plotting a move for Newcastle United winger Allan Saint-Maximin this summer, according to a recent report.

The Lowdown: Long-term target

Tottenham made an enquiry about the 25-year-old’s availability in last summer’s transfer window, although the Magpies wanted £40m to part with their player, which quickly extinguished any interest from north London.

Alex Crook informed GiveMeSport that Spurs were admirers of the Frenchman, and that still appeared to be the case in January, with journalist Alasdair Gold claiming that sporting director Fabio Paratici is a ‘big fan’.

The Latest: Spurs plotting Saint-Maximin move

According to a report from the print edition of the Sunday People (19/2, page 62; via The Boot Room), Spurs are ready to put themselves in the mix for the 25-year-old’s signature, amid doubts about his future at Newcastle.

After Anthony Gordon arrived on Tyneside in the January transfer window, the Magpies could be willing to part with Saint-Maximin, and Spurs have been monitoring him for some time.

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The Verdict: Get it done?

The former Saint-Etienne wizard has not been at his best this season, recording just one goal and three assists in 15 Premier League appearances, but it must be noted that he has often been utilised as substitute.

Nonetheless, it will still be a slight concern for Eddie Howe that the winger has failed to register a goal contribution in his last eight top-flight matches, and it casts doubt on whether the Frenchman would be a good signing for Spurs.

On his day, Saint-Maximin would have a lot to offer any team, being hailed as ‘magical’ by Howe last season, while he also ranks in the 99th percentile for successful take-ons per 90 compared to other wingers in Europe’s top five leagues over the past year, averaging 4.57 per game.

However, Tottenham already have significant strength in depth in attacking areas, with Antonio Conte having the likes of Dejan Kulusevski, Son Heung-min and Richarlison to call upon, so they should only pursue a move for Saint-Maximin if he is available for a cut-price fee.

West Ham United are interested in signing AS Roma defender Chris Smalling, according to a recent report.

The Lowdown: West Ham targeting a defender

It was reported during the January transfer window that the Irons ‘definitely’ wanted to sign a new centre-back, amid links to the likes of Michael Keane and Aaron Long.

However, the Hammers’ only addition in that area of the pitch was Sao Paulo defender Luizao, who is linking up with Mark Robson’s development squad for the time being, so David Moyes may still want another central defensive signing in the summer.

The Latest: Smalling eyed by West Ham

According to a report from 90min, West Ham are one of the clubs who are interested in bringing Smalling back to the Premier League, with Fulham, Everton and Leicester also said to be in the race for his signature.

That said, it currently seems unlikely that the defender will move in the summer, given his desire to stay at Roma, recently telling Sky Sports Italia: “I am very confident [about staying]…I have an option to renew for one year but I hope to stay for more seasons.”

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The Verdict: Worth pursuing?

If the Englishman does not commit to a new deal to extend his stay in Rome beyond the end of the season, then he would be an excellent prospective addition to Moyes’ side, and the West Ham boss will know his qualities well from their time working together at Manchester United.

The 6 foot 4 colossus was at his best in Roma’s recent 2-0 Europa League triumph against RB Salzburg, winning all of his individual duels in a dominant display, while he also won an incredible 11 of the 12 aerial battles that he contested in the 1-0 win against Hellas Verona last weekend.

West Ham’s defence looked solid in the 4-0 victory against Nottingham Forest on Saturday, but the 33-year-old Smalling – who has been dubbed ‘outstanding’ by journalist Josh Bunting – would still be worth signing on a two-year deal, as he is still putting in dominant performances at a high level.

Liverpool have reportedly scouted Mainz midfielder Anton Stach ahead of a potential move this summer.

The Lowdown: Bellingham unrealistic?

Liverpool’s primary midfield target for this summer remains Borussia Dortmund and England star Jude Bellingham, but it is looking less and less likely that they will be able to sign him.

After the 5-2 thumping at home to Real Madrid in the first leg of their UEFA Champions League last-16 tie, the Reds face an almighty battle to turn the tie around in the second leg at the Santiago Bernabeu.

They are also currently seven points off of the top four places in the Premier League, albeit with two games in hand, and are at major risk of missing out on Champions League qualification for next season.

If they do not qualify, Bellingham may look elsewhere in terms of a move, which would force the Merseyside club to look at other targets.

The Latest: Stach scouted

Writing in his latest piece for 90min, transfer expert Graeme Bailey says that Liverpool are one of a number of teams that have sent scouts to watch Stach in action in 2023, along with Newcastle United, Tottenham Hotspur and West Ham United.

The 6 foot 4 Germany international is primarily a defensive midfielder, but is also capable of playing as an eight or a ten.

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The Verdict: Needed

Liverpool’s midfield has been criticised virtually all season, and so a major refresh is needed in the middle of the park.

At 24 years of age, Stach has not hit his prime yet, but has still been one of the best-performing midfielders in Europe’s top five leagues over the past year.

The six-foot-four colossus ranks in the top 20% for a number of key metrics, including shots, assists, progressive carries, successful take-ons, touches, interceptions and aerials won per game.

Nonetheless, he would be a shrewd buy for next season, hopefully alongside Bellingham, and not instead of.