All posts by n8rngtd.top

While Ange Postecoglou’s Celtic side have been anything but quiet in the January transfer window so far, with the Bhoys having already confirmed the arrivals of Daizen Maeda, Yosuke Ideguchi, Reo Hatate and Johnny Kenny, there is still much work to be done if the 56-year-old manager wishes to give his side the best possible chance of reclaiming the Premiership title this season.

And, with Croatian media outlet Sportske Novosti recently reporting that one of Celtic’s main summer transfer targets, HNK Gorica winger Kristijan Lovric, is available on the current market for considerably less than £5m that was mooted for his services just six months ago, a move for the 26-year-old could once again be on the cards for the Bhoys this month.

Indeed, the £4.5m-rated man would appear to make a fantastic addition to Postecoglou’s current options out wide, as the Croatia international has been in remarkable form over his 18 1.HNL appearances this season.

He has scored eight goals, registered three assists and created seven big chances for his teammates, as well as taking an average of a whopping 4.6 shots and making 2.2 key passes per game. That goal tally has taken his efforts for the club to a supremely eye-catching 54 strikes.

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These returns have seen the player who HNTV commentator Damir Petravic claimed can “sprint like Mbappe” average an astonishing SofaScore match rating of 7.34, not only ranking him as Gorica’s best performer in the league but also as the sixth-best player in the division as a whole.

As such, with Postecoglou having already added a player who bagged 23 J1 League goals in Maeda to their ranks this winter, the further addition of a player as deadly in front of goal as he is creative in Lovric would appear to be an extremely wise move for the 56-year-old manager this month.

That’s particularly if the 26-year-old is available for considerably less than his reported £5m asking price last summer.

In other news: Ange can finally axe “selfish” £16k-p/w Celtic dud with Jan move for “one of the best”

Everton are having a season of nightmares with manager troubles that have seen the search for a sixth manager in six years begin amid poor performances in the Premier League leading to the side falling to 16th in the table, just four points off the relegation zone, without a single win in their last five league games.

What’s the word?

Journalist and Everton insider, Alan Myers, has given an update on the current managerial situation at Goodison Park, when asked by a fan whether Duncan Ferguson could become the full-time manager of the side.

Myers gave an update on the progress in his Twitter replies, writing:

“My understanding is nobody has made any decisions yet on the way forward, I think the search process continues running alongside what may happen in the next two or three games.”

Sky Sports have reported several potential suitors for the job including Derby County manager, Wayne Rooney and out of work ex-Chelsea boss Frank Lampard, who are reportedly both favourites in the search for the next Everton manager.

Fans surely frustrated

Myers’ update will leave fans further frustrated as the pressure mounts on the Everton board to find the right manager to lead the club out of the despairing season they have faced so far.

Everton lost their fourth game in their last five on Saturday against Aston Villa, and fan fury boiled over as former player Lucas Digne secured an assist for the goal that led to Villa’s victory at Goodison Park.

That led to one fan throwing a bottle at the former Everton defender, and supporters took their anger further by approaching Bill Kenwright on his way out of the stadium, with videos surfacing on social media of Toffees fans demanding answers from the chairman.

Farhad Moshiri needs to work fast in finding solutions for the problems Everton currently face, with Ferguson under pressure to take something from the glimmer of hope their two games in hand has given them over Norwich City that they have gained from postponements, and at this stage every game has become a must-win for the Toffees.

Ferguson seems like a temporary solution and thus, fans will surely grow all the more frustrated the longer the wait goes on to find a new permanent head coach.

In other news: Wayne Rooney hints at interest in becoming Everton manager

Speaking live on talkSPORT to Jim White and Simon Jordan, as transcribed by their website, reporter Alex Crook has dropped an update on West Ham’s chase to sign Man United star Jesse Lingard.

The Lowdown: Lingard a top target…

The Red Devils playmaker is also one of manager David Moyes’ top transfer priorities for the January window amid his search for a striker and new defensive signing (The Evening Standard).

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Out of contract in the summer, Man United could now be forced to sell for a cheap fee this month in order not to lose Lingard for nothing at the end of 2021/2022.

He is also attracting interest from the likes of Tottenham Hotspur and Newcastle United with the latter club apparently at work behind-the-scenes.

Crook, in a live on air update as West Ham still chase him, has made an encouraging claim.

The Latest: talkSPORT update…

Speaking to talkSPORT, the journalist says Moyes and transfer chief Rob Newman still haven’t given up on signing Lingard this month.

“They’ve not given up hope, I’m told, of prizing Jesse Lingard away from Manchester United,” he explained.

“So West Ham could be one of the busier clubs in the Premier League come the next couple of weeks.”

The Verdict: Get it done…

Reports indicate that United are sceptical over selling to a top four rival like West Ham or Spurs in January with Newcastle currently the favourites, but if even Lingard manages to leave Old Trafford on a free at the end of this season, he may well come as a stellar free agent signing.

The 29-year-old enjoyed a fantastic spell on loan at the London Stadium last year, bagging nine goals and four assists, and it is believed that the player favours a move back down south over St. James’ Park as things stand.

This could boost West Ham’s chances of a free summer deal at least and it would most certainly be an astute bit of business.

Former England international Paul Robinson is certainly in agreement, calling Lingard a would-be ‘massive signing’ for Moyes who could add ‘another dimension’ going forward (Football Insider).

In other news: ExWHUemployee backs reports as West Ham now willing to bid for ‘phenomenal’ man, find out more here.

Newcastle United are closing in on a move for Aston Villa left-back Matt Targett.

That’s according to journalist Pete O’Rourke, and as to be expected, a number of Villa fans have been reacting to the news on social media.

Villa have bolstered their left-back ranks with the signing of Lucas Digne from Everton this month. The Frenchman has since replaced Targett in the team, and it seems as if the latter could now be on his way to St James Park on a temporary deal.

According to O’Rourke, Newcastle are closing in on multiple signings, with Targett set to be the latest on loan. Should that move go through, Steven Gerrard would be left with Digne and Ashley Young as left-back options for the remainder of the season.

Villa fans react

Here is what these Villa supporters had to say in reply to O’Rourke’s post, with many not exactly thrilled at the update and one labelling it as ‘ridiculous’ given that Targett was a near-constant starter prior to Digne’s arrival this month. Another fan even described it as ‘the dumbest move in existence’.

“Surely not a loan”

Credit: @FHG10VTID

“Surely got to be kept for depth, or sold? Be an awful decision to let him go on loan.”

Credit: @mcartlidge275

“Ridiculous to get rid of him on loan!”

Credit: @Villacallum

“on loan would be the dumbest move in existence”

Credit: @EliAVFC

“This is bizarre to me. Cashing in is one thing but loan? Felt like we had genuine depth there for the first time in a long time. Guess Targett just doesn’t fit SGs plans”

Credit: @TomC2312_AVFC

“LOAN?”

Credit: @AVFCTranstweet

In other news: ‘No way’ – Lots of Villa fans flock to journalist’s deadline day hint

Leeds United appear to be confident in signing Brenden Aaronson this summer…

What’s the word?

The Yorkshire outfit saw two bids of £15m and £20m rejected by RB Salzburg for the American midfielder but according to Yorkshire Evening Post journalist Graham Smyth, they are likely to try again at the end of the season.

“They’ve got to be at a valuation which isn’t extortionate, remains good value for the club, and isn’t eye-wateringly more than what they would pay in the summer – which, in the case of Aaronson, looks like possibly the way they’ve seen it,” he said to ‘The Blue, White and Yellow’ podcast.

“[Leeds] definitely could have offered more money for Aaronson this month, but they feel that with all those factors thrown into a big pot, they feel that it’s better to wait for him in the summer.

“I don’t think there’s going to be any issues with Aaronson himself as a player and personally wanting to come to Leeds. But in terms of negotiating with Salzburg, Leeds clearly believe that a summer move for him is going to make more sense for the club as a whole moving forward.”

Positive news

Whilst the Whites failed to sign anyone during the January transfer window, much to the disappointment of the fanbase and likely Marcelo Bielsa too, it is certainly encouraging to learn that the club are confident of landing one of their top targets at some point.

Aaronson is a huge talent and has impressed during his time in Austria.

As per Transfermarkt, the 21-year-old gem has delivered three goals and seven assists across all competitions this season, including vital goals in the Champions League and also taking his total to ten goals and 12 assists across 51 appearances.

His domestic form has seen him capped 15 times by the USMNT, also earning the nickname of ‘The Medford Messi’ and comparisons to fellow countryman Clint Dempsey.

Aaronson has been a star performer in UEFA’s top competition this term , too. He ranks amongst the top 1% of midfielders for pressures in the final third (27.84 per 90), which results in a forced turnover of possession 8.55 times per 90, as per FBRef.

It is no wonder Salzburg wanted to keep him ahead of their clash with Bayern Munich.

Valued at £10.8m by Transfermarkt, the maestro, who has been dubbed “silky” by ex-MLS star DeMarcus Beasley,  would be an exciting addition for the Elland Road faithful but they’ll have to wait until next season for that to come to fruition.

Smyth’s latest update after deadline day should provide plenty of encouragement.

AND in other news, Marcelo Bielsa dropped a huge transfer howler at Leeds this January…

Rangers boss Gio van Bronckhorst will need to make a big decision on Ibrox shot-stopper Allan McGregor in the coming months.

The veteran goalkeeper is out of contract this summer and the Dutchman will need to decide whether or not he wants to keep him as his number one heading into next season, assuming the Scot wants to continue his playing career.

At the age of 40, he is in the twilight of his Gers spell and it could be time to move on from him. Rangers must bring in a new goalkeeper to take over from McGregor for the 2022/23 campaign, whether that means that the current number one is released or made a backup player.

The Light Blues have been linked with a swoop for Dundee United goalkeeper Benjamin Siegrist, with the Swiss shot-stopper also out of contract this year. They are reportedly looking at a pre-contract deal for the 30-year-old and Ross Wilson must now ensure that he can secure a major deal for his services.

Rangers were given a front-row seat to his masterclass on Sunday as he sent a huge message to the powers that be at Ibrox.

He made a sublime close-range save after a clever header from Joe Aribo in the second half to keep his side 1-0 up at the time. Journalist Josh Bunting then described his stop from Fashion Sakaka, who turned out to be offside, as “unbelievable”, and he also stopped Alfredo Morelos from scoring with an excellent block at the near post.

Siegrist had no chance to stop Aribo’s leveller, but his impressive saves earned his team a point and Wilson will surely have raised an eyebrow at the shot-stopper’s performance.

Former United boss Micky Melon, who once claimed the 30-year-old is a “monster”, previously lauding the player, saying:

“He’s a top drawer goalkeeper. At the end of the day, you have to be good enough to beat him and he’s made some terrific saves.

“To come to a place like Hibs and get a result, you need a good goalkeeper and he’s done that today.”

Wilson and van Bronckhorst must now agree between them to sign the Swiss machine in the summer. He has shown that he is capable of being a difference-maker between the sticks in the Premiership and he could win vital points for the Gers next season if they are able to bring him in.

It will then be down to the club to decide whether they want him to replace McGregor or challenge him. Either way, Siegrist should be at Ibrox come the start of next season.

AND in other news, £5.6k-p/w wasted: Rangers liability has been ransacking Wilson’s pockets for 56 weeks…

Ange Postecoglou’s Celtic side return to European action this evening, with the Bhoys facing Bodo/Glimt in the play-off round of the Europa Conference League.

And, with the 56-year-old Bhoys boss and fans of the club alike undoubtedly hoping that Celtic can string together a European cup run this season, the Greek-Australian coach will be looking to select his strongest possible XI for the visit of the Norwegian side.

As such, one change that it would appear highly advisable for Postecoglou to make this evening is the reintroduction of Jota, after the Portuguese winger was dropped from Celtic’s starting lineup in the Bhoys’ 4-0 win over Raith Rovers last weekend.

Postecoglou must unleash Jota

With the likes of Kyogo Furuhashi, Josip Juranovic, Reo Hatate, Matt O’Riley and Liel Abada all having highly impressed since their respective moves to Parkhead this season, it is easy to forget just how important Jota’s arrival has been to Postecoglou and his side.

Indeed, over his 17 league outings this term, the Benfica loanee has been in remarkable form for the Bhoys, scoring seven goals, registering five assists and creating five big chances for his teammates, in addition to taking an average of 2.6 shots and making 1.4 key passes per game.

These metrics have seen the £4.95m-rated forward average an extraordinary SofaScore match rating of 7.35, ranking the Portugal U21 international as the seventh-best player in the Scottish top flight.

However, it has not only been domestically that the 22-year-old has shone for Celtic, as, over his five Europa League fixtures, the £7.1k-per-week sensation has bagged a further two goals, provided two assists and created four big chances, as well as making an average of 1.8 key passes and taking 2.8 shots per game.

These returns saw the player who Portuguese football expert Aaron Barton dubbed “one of the brightest prospects to come out of Portugal in his age bracket” average an even more impressive SofaScore match rating of 7.40, ranking him as Celtic’s best performer in the competition.

As such, should Postecoglou wish to give Celtic the best possible chance of securing passage through to the next round of the Conference League, it would appear essential that the 56-year-old starts Jota from the off this evening, as the Portuguese magician has already proven he can blow European opposition away this season.

In other news: “Maybe it’s not 100%”: Guidi drops worrying Celtic transfer claim, fans will be gutted

Gio van Bronckhorst’s Rangers return to action in the Premiership away from Ibrox tonight as they look to end a frustrating run of results.

The Gers have been held to a draw in each of their last three competitive outings – including their last two in the league as they dropped points after having a two-goal lead at the weekend.

Van Bronckhorst’s men now come up against St. Johnstone in the Premiership this evening with the chance to draw level with Celtic in the table, if they arch-rivals lose to St. Mirren.

Out of steam

One player the Dutch head coach must brutally axe for this game is central midfielder and wide man Joe Aribo to hand the Nigeria international a much-needed rest.

He has one goal in his last 11 matches for the Gers in all competitions and his display against Motherwell suggested that he is in desperate need of a break.

The attacking gem does not look as sharp and dynamic on the ball as he did a few weeks ago, as he failed to create a single chance or manage an effort on target in 90 minutes – as per SofaScore.

This is not to say that he has been dreadful and is not putting in solid performances, but it feels like he is not playing to the best of his abilities and fatigue could be playing a role in that. His display against Motherwell was a cause for concern and his performance levels could get worse if he continues to be overplayed in the coming weeks.

Therefore, van Bronckhorst could benefit from axing him for this match as he appears to have run out of steam and he must avoid burning Aribo out heading into the clutch time of the campaign.

A game or two on the sidelines could do him the world of good after a busy period of football, with the midfielder playing week-in-week-out for the Gers after also heading out to play for his country in the African Cup of Nations back in January.

The midfielder was dubbed as having “unbelievable strength” by Cammy Bell earlier this year, but fatigue can affect anyone and Aribo is no exception.

He must now be dropped to the bench so that he can have a rest and make sure that he is able to return to the starting XI against Aberdeen at Ibrox at the weekend and get back to his very best form.

AND in other news, GvB must unleash “outstanding” £14k-p/w Rangers gem who plays with “smile on his face”…

Everton manager, Frank Lampard, is renowned in his managerial career for spotting and developing young talent, bringing them through the ranks at the clubs he has managed, and he could be onto his next big breakthrough at his current club.

Lampard famously gave Mason Mount, Reece James, Tariq Lamptey and Armando Broja their Premier League debuts at Chelsea, with all four young players going onto becoming some of the most talked-about stars in the Premier League, with both Mount and James integral in the Champions League winning campaign for Chelsea last season.

As a result of this successful development of young players in the past, there will be no doubt that the ex-Chelsea boss will be looking closely at the young talent thriving at Everton and youth player, Charlie Whitaker could easily be on Lampard’s radar this season if he continues to perform at the level he has been.

The 18-year-old attacking midfielder has been drawing attention to himself in the Everton U23’s team scoring five goals and bagging one assist in just 11 appearances in the Premier League Two, and this attacking output is not something new for the teenager, who last season scored 11 goals and assisted his teammates five times in the U18’s team, proving that his attacking capabilities are consistent.

The U23’s manager at Everton, David Unsworth, has made no secret of his praise for Whitaker, hailing the youngster “sensational” after scoring a hat trick against Southampton last year. The youth coach told Liverpool Echo:

“I’ve watched Charlie for a number of years and we always knew he had the quality in flashes.

“He has been sensational, he is a great trainer, great to work with and a great lad.”

Whitaker is no stranger to the senior side; the young player was chosen in a Premier League squad for the first time in October 2021, in Everton’s 1-1 draw with Manchester United at Old Trafford, but did not make it off the bench, so the new Toffees boss could in fact seize the opportunity to give him his first Premier League debut in the same way he offered it to the thriving young Chelsea players too.

When it comes to attacking midfielders, there’s no role in a team that Lampard understands better, and if he was to give the chance to Whitaker to prove himself in the senior team and the unrivalled coaching and experience he can offer a player of his calibre, he could mould the young talent into his next £100m-rated midfielder, emulating the successful development of the likes of Mount.

Everton are currently struggling to attack clinically, scoring 13 fewer goals than they have conceded in the Premier League this season, so if Lampard is looking to add a fresh attacking perspective in a player that he can coach and develop to his high standards, there is no better choice than the aforementioned teenager.

In other news: Lampard must ruthlessly axe Michael Keane

While central midfield is not exactly an area of Ange Postecoglou’s Celtic squad which is in desperate need of reinforcement, with the 56-year-old currently possessing nine senior options in the middle of the park, it would not be surprising to see some of these move onto pastures new this summer.

Indeed, the likes of Ismaila Soro, Nir Bitton and James McCarthy have not enjoyed a great deal of game-time under the Hoops coach so far this season, while the trio are also reportedly earning a combined £36.1k-p/w in wages.

Furthermore, while Callum McGregor and Yosuke Ideguchi are the two standout options in the more defensive role of Postecoglou’s three-man midfield following the departure of Scott Brown last summer, the Bhoys are somewhat lacking in a tough-tackling, play-disrupting option in that area of the pitch.

However, with the club having recently been linked with a move for Coventry City’s Gustavo Hamer in the summer transfer window, that could soon be about to change.

Celtic’s next Scott Brown

Making a £1.5m move to Coventry in 2020, Hamer arrived in England with a reputation of being something of a terrier in the middle of the park, with Dutch football expert and FootballOranje founder Michael Bell stating of the 24-year-old prior to his switch:

“He is a controlling midfielder. Has been through the Feyenoord academy, at Dordrecht and at PEC Zwolle too.

“He definitely loves a tackle and that’s why he has eight yellow cards this season in the Eredivisie, more than most in the league.

“However, he is so much more than a terrier and has a lot of technique and skill on the ball. He can spread passes around the pitch with ease and is an excellent set-piece taker. He is a strong player and fans will like his creativity and ability on the ball. He is still young too so has plenty of time to improve and grow as a player.”

These are all traits that the £2.25m-rated midfielder has demonstrated in abundance for the Sky Blues, with Hamer averaging 1.4 interceptions and 1.3 tackles and winning 2.9 duels per game over his 42 Championship appearances last season.

However, it was not only in a defensive capacity in which the former Netherlands under-20 international impressed. He also bagged five goals, registered three assists and created five big chances for his teammates, enjoying 57.7 touches of the ball, taking 1.8 shots and making 1.5 key passes per match.

These returns saw the player who Marko Marosi dubbed “unbelievable” earn a seasonal SofaScore match rating of 6.97, ranking him as Coventry’s best performer in the second tier of English football last term.

It has been a similar story over Hamer’s 29 Championship outings so far this season, with the £3.2k-per-week midfielder scoring three goals, providing six assists and creating nine big chances for his teammates. He has also averaged 1.5 key passes, 1.2 interceptions, 1.6 tackles and 1.6 shots and won three duels per game.

These metrics have seen the Dutchman average an even more impressive SofaScore match rating of 7.15, ranking him as Mark Robins’ second-best player in the league.

As such, while the 24-year-old would undoubtedly replace Brown’s hardman presence in the Celtic midfield, it is clear to see that Hamer would also add an extra bow to the Bhoys’ creativity from the middle of the park. That leads us to believe that the Coventry City ace would make an exceptional addition to Postecoglou’s current options in the midfield engine room.

In other news: Celtic handed fresh injury boost as footage emerges, Postecoglou will be buzzing