All posts by rastrear-estafeta.com

Sunderland have enjoyed a strong start to life back in the second division of English football and currently sit fifth in the Championship table as they head into October.

Kristjaan Speakman dipped into the transfer market to bolster the squad in the summer by signing the likes of Ellis Simms, Daniel Ballard, and Edouard Michut.

However, some of the players who helped to secure promotion out of League One in 2021/22 have been among their top performers this term.

Ross Stewart, Alex Pritchard and Luke O’Nien are all in the top-seven players at the club in terms of average SofaScore ratings this season.

Sunderland’s work in the market has been superb in recent seasons and O’Nien is one of the signings they played a blinder with when they snapped him up four years ago.

The Black Cats signed him from Wycombe for an undisclosed fee in the summer of 2018, with the midfielder – who signed a two-year deal – describing it as an “honour” to sign for the club. Transfermarkt valued him at £135k at the time of the move and that is a valuation he had held since August 2016.

The £5k-per-week battler was previously hailed by former manager Jack Ross. The Scottish boss said:

“He ticked a lot of boxes and then even when we did one-v-one stuff in training, he is awkward to get past, he is physical, competitive, and he doesn’t like people going by him. He has been a revelation in that respect, and credit to him for how he has faced that challenge.

“When you play him in the middle of the pitch, he covers so much ground because you are involved all the time in the game.”

O’Nien quickly established himself as a key player for Sunderland as he played 40 League One matches – including the play-offs – and chipped in with five goals and six assists.

In the following three seasons, he averaged a SofaScore rating of 7.02 or higher in the third tier as he amassed another 104 appearances in the division, which shows that he consistently delivered quality performances on the pitch for the club at that level.

His form led to Transfermarkt updating his valuation to £1.08m at the end of June 2022. This means that his value has rocketed by 700% since 2016 and this explains perfectly why Sunderland played a blinder by bringing him in back in 2018, as he has developed and improved during his time on Wearside whilst being a crucial member of the squad.

Since making the step up to the Championship, O’Nien has averaged a SofaScore rating of 6.92 across nine appearances – making 3.7 tackles and interceptions per game. Hopefully, he will now continue to prove his worth and increase his value as he continues to excel in the second tier for the Black Cats.

Newcastle United are currently enjoying a solid start to the new season with five draws and one win from their opening seven league games, with manager Eddie Howe having impressively stabilised the club following his appointment last year.

After the turbulence and doom and gloom that surrounded his predecessor Steve Bruce’s stint in charge, the former Bournemouth boss – as well as a change of ownership – has renewed belief among both the club and its supporters, with the Magpies no longer merely looking over their shoulder.

For all the plaudits that the 44-year-old has been receiving of late – having been praised for the “top-class job” he has done by Manchester City boss Pep Guardiola – there is still a long way to go before the newly-ambitious Tynesiders can truly begin to threaten at the top half of the table.

Despite having only recently signed Alexander Isak for a club-record fee to help bolster their attack, the northeast side still appear somewhat light on attacking options, with far too much responsibility still on the shoulders of the mercurial, Allan Saint-Maximin, who led the way last term for the club with ten goal contributions in all competitions.

The Frenchman had enjoyed a fine start to the season prior to his recent injury absence, with one goal and two assists from his opening four league games, with his average match rating thus far of 7.53, as per Sofascore, the highest among the Newcastle squad, as well as the eighth-best record in the Premier League.

The former Nice man offers a real potent threat down the left flank as a result of his devastating speed and sheer unrivalled trickery, with his innate quality in possession seeing him rank in the top 1% among those in his position across Europe’s top five leagues for dribbles completed.

The £36m-rated ace could well benefit from having another figure to also chip in creatively, however, with Miguel Almiron seemingly not a natural fit on the right flank, with a potential icon from the past in Hatem Ben Arfa one man that may well have been a possible solution in his prime.

Although it may appear something of a creative overload to have two maverick talents in the side in the form of the former France international and his compatriot Saint-Maximin, the latter man’s importance to Howe’s side would seemingly illustrate that the Magpies boss would also allow Ben Arfa to flourish.

The now-veteran playmaker had originally been signed by the St James’ Park outfit on an initial loan deal back in August 2010, with manager Chris Hughton bringing him to England from Ligue 1 side Marseille.

While the “majestic” fleet-footed star – as dubbed by journalist Liam Canning – was not able to remain consistent during his time at the club, for a brief time he was simply a true genius, notably registering 11 goal contributions in just 26 league games during the 2011/12 season.

The former Lyon man – who had been snapped up permanently by Alan Pardew in January 2011 – notably netted a stunning solo goal in a win over Bolton Wanderers in April 2012, picking the ball up from inside his own half before expertly weaving his way through the opposition.

With the club already having a figure such as Saint-Maximin who can produce such moments of quality, it would pure, joyful attacking carnage to also see Ben Arfa terrorising defences with his sheer brilliance, with it a mouthwatering thought as to having both men lining up on either wing.

Of course, the latter man’s time at the club ultimately ended in frustration as he struggled for form and fitness, before departing in 2015, although supporters would likely jump at the chance to have a peak version of the now-35-year-old back at Newcastle.

Former Watford manager Rob Edwards is seen as a ‘strong contender’ to replace the departed Chris Wilder at Middlesbrough, with the 39-year-old set to be ‘interviewed this week’ for the role, according to John Percy.

The Lowdown: Wilder sacked by Boro

On Monday, it was confirmed that Wilder had been sacked as Boro manager following a disappointing run of results in the Championship.

Saturday’s 1-0 defeat away to Coventry City proved to be the final straw for the Teesside club’s owners, with the team sitting 22nd in the table after having early-season hopes of being promotion candidates.

The search is now on for a new manager, and one name has already been thrown into the ring as a possible candidate.

The Latest: Edwards emerges as a candidate

Taking to Twitter on Monday morning, Percy confirmed Wilder’s sacking and said that Edwards was being looked at for the vacant manager’s job at the Riverside Stadium, with an interview for the role seemingly imminent.

The journalist tweeted:

“Chris Wilder sacked by Middlesbrough. 21 points from the last 20 games so its been coming. Rob Edwards, sacked by Watford last week, to be interviewed this week and viewed as a strong contender to replace Wilder. Gary O’Neil situation at #afcb also worth keeping an eye on.”

The Verdict: Good young option

There would be a clear element of risk in hiring Edwards, considering that he is still only 39 years of age, inexperienced at Championship level and was only recently sacked himself at Watford, not that such an occurrence is unusual at Vicarage Road these days.

That said, he could bring fresh ideas to the Riverside and act as a long-term hire rather than an ageing quick fix brought in solely to avoid relegation.

Edwards shone during his time at Forest Green Rovers, securing promotion to League One last season and winning the League Two Manager of the Year award, so Boro could do worse than taking a punt on him.

Wolverhampton Wanderers could well be set to have to wait to name their successor to former boss Bruno Lage, according to recent reports.

What’s the word?

As per talkSPORT reporter Alex Crook, the Midlands outfit are currently in talks regarding a deal for ex-Sevilla boss Julen Lopetegui, although any appointment is not set to be made in time for this weekend’s clash with Nottingham Forest.

Writing on Twitter about the ongoing search for a new head coach, amid negotiations with Lopetegui, the journalist stated: “Talks well underway but told it is unlikely at this stage Wolves will have a new manager in the dugout this weekend.”

The 56-year-old – who had been a target for the Old Gold back in 2016 – is seemingly the preferred candidate for the club at present, having only recently become available after being relieved of his duties by the La Liga side.

Real frustration for Fosun

It will no doubt be a real source of frustration for the Molineux faithful and the club’s ownership group, Fosun, that the managerial search is set to drag on, particularly amid a hectic run of fixtures that could well see the club’s current slump continue unless a change is made at the helm.

Wolves are currently languishing in the relegation zone after picking up just six points from their opening nine Premier League games, with the now-departed Lage having been sacked following the defeat to West Ham United a few weeks ago after recording just one win in 15 top-flight games stretching back to last term.

That miserable run of form has left the club now fearing for its safety in what is their fifth successive season back in the top tier, with a return to the Championship seemingly unfathomable for a club who were competing in the latter stages of the Europa League just a few years ago.

As such, a fresh face in the dugout is no doubt needed sooner rather than later to help reverse the club’s fortunes, with Fosun likely hoping to see the cliched managerial bounce effect come into play as a result of a new appointment.

An ideal first meeting for an incoming coach – be it Lopetegui or another – would seemingly have been Saturday’s encounter with fellow strugglers Forest, with that crucial clash with Steve Cooper’s side likely to have offered a great chance to claim a debut triumph.

As per Crook’s report, however, it looks as if the interim figures of Steve Davis and James Collins will remain in charge for the visit of the Garibaldi, with that a frustrating scenario as far as the Old Gold are concerned.

West Ham United were forced to come from behind to secure a point away at struggling Southampton on Sunday afternoon, with David Moyes’s side reliant on a moment of magic from skipper Declan Rice, following a deflected first-half strike from Romain Perraud.

The Hammers skipper hadn’t scored in the Premier League for almost a year heading into the trip to St Mary’s, although ended that lengthy goal drought with a delightful curling effort just after the hour mark, with the away side having missed a number of chances prior to that to get themselves on the scoresheet.

While that profligacy came amid real dominance from the visitors – which saw them record 25 attempts on goal – the east Londoners were also left thankful for the display of veteran ‘keeper Lukasz Fabianski at the other end of the pitch to help keep the Saints at bay, with the former Poland international making a string of fine saves.

The 37-year-old – who was afforded his customary rest for Thursday’s Europa Conference League clash with Anderlecht – made 32 touches and a whopping seven saves against Ralph Hasenhuttl’s side, with his match rating of 7.7, as per SofaScore, the second-highest on the day for the Hammers.

Although it was teammate Rice who lead the way with his 8.o rating – with the Englishman also likely to be the man to make the headlines – had it not been for the former Arsenal man then Moyes’ men could well have been dead and buried in the first half, such were the importance of his impressive interventions.

That was the view of the Evening Standard’s Malik Ouzia, who awarded the 57-cap menace an 8/10 rating, while also stating: ‘West Ham could have been four down at the break if not for three superb saves from the Pole, including two from Adams.’

The £900k-rated gem had potentially been at fault during last week’s win over Fulham for failing to keep out Andreas Pereira’s strike, although was ‘absolutely superb’ this time around, as per journalist Jonty Colman.

Even with Alphonse Areola breathing down his neck, the £65k-per-week colossus proved just why he routinely keeps his place for league duty, with his saves having been “so important” in keeping his side in the game, as described by Colman on Twitter.

That “excellent” performance – as lauded by Ouzia – has illustrated that the ageing figure is showing no signs of slowing down at present, with West Ham having now conceded just 11 goals from their opening ten league games.

On a day in which all the talk will be about that man Rice and the end of his barren run in front of goal, it was Fabianski who was Moyes’ true hero.

Glasgow Rangers reportedly have their eye on another manager as they consider what life could look like at Ibrox after Giovanni van Bronckhorst…

What’s the talk?

According to Alan Nixon, via his Patreon, the Light Blues are looking at their former assistant manager, under Steven Gerrard, Michael Beale as a potential replacement for the Dutch head coach.

The report claims that the Gers have him on their shortlist as they ponder a swoop for the Queens Park Rangers boss if they ever decide to sack van Bronckhorst.

There is no indication that they are imminently set to part ways with the former Feyenoord boss but it appears as though Ross Wilson is drawing up a shortlist in case that situation does arise in the coming months.

Dream upgrade

Wilson could land a dream upgrade on the current manager by appointing Beale, whether that is now or in the future, as he is a man who knows the club inside and out.

It has been less than a year since he left Rangers in November 2021 and this means that he would be familiar with most of the squad, including the likes of Allan McGregor, James Tavernier, Borna Barisic, Ryan Kent, and many more.

Beale was Gerrard’s assistant at Rangers for over three years and played a vital role in the title success in 2020/21 as the club won the Premiership ahead of Celtic. So influential was the now QPR boss, that Jermain Defoe dubbed him a “genius.”

He followed the ex-Liverpool midfielder to Aston Villa before moving into management in the summer to take over at Loftus Road.

Upon arriving at Loftus Road, the 42-year-old outlined the principles he wanted his team to have, saying: “I want us to be a front foot and high-intensity team, in and out of possession. I want Loftus Road to be a real cauldron for us – I’ve been to games here and I know just how much the fans can impact the team on the pitch.”

This suggests that he wants his teams to be attack-minded and QPR’s 20 goals in 14 Championship matches backs that up, with his side currently sitting fourth in the table after the London club finished 11th last term.

Their progression since Beale came in is impressive and shows that he is capable of getting a team to play attractive and high-intensity football whilst winning matches. Journalist Josh Bunting recently described him as tactically “immense” and claimed that he has “taken QPR up levels” since joining them.

He would, therefore, be somewhat of a perfect alternative. His connections inside the club, his pre-existing relationships with a lot of the squad, and his promising start to the season with QPR in England should be huge tick marks for the Rangers hierarchy.

Glasgow Rangers stuttered to a 1-0 victory in their League Cup quarter-final tie on Wednesday evening against Dundee.

After a positive start which saw Steven Davis score what turned out to be the only goal, Giovanni van Bronckhorst’s men couldn’t find the right intensity or composure to break the Championship side down.

There were few positives to take from the match and Livingston awaits at Ibrox tomorrow in what will be a chance for the home to make amends and put on a display for the impatient Gers faithful.

The Dutchman will make some changes to his starting XI ahead of the tie, but Scott Wright must be unleashed again as he was one of his only bright sparks against Dundee.

On the chalkboard

Wright joined Rangers in February 2021 from Aberdeen and his Rangers career hasn’t really taken off. Before the start of this season, the 25-year-old had won Premiership and Scottish Cup winners medals (scoring the second goal in the final) while registering 13 goal contributions.

The winger has struggled this season, averaging a SofaScore rating of 6.81, grabbing just one assist, and taking just 31.4 touches per match.

Due to the poor performances from Ryan Kent – who has scored just once in the league this term, the £5.6k-per-week man was deployed on the left wing against Dundee, unfamiliar territory for him although he could cut in onto his right foot with good effect.

Wright started off quite well, constantly creating problems for the Dundee right-back and his shot in the tenth minute was parried by the goalkeeper from which Davis headed into the back of the net.

He combined with new signing Ridvan Yilmaz fairly well and was one of the only shining lights from a generally disappointing team performance under the Ibrox floodlights.

Football Scotland journalist Mark McDougall has dubbed Wright “impressive” in the past and while inconsistent at times, he more than deserves another spot in the starting XI against Livingston, this time, unleashed in his usual right-wing role.

Arsenal might be set to add another touch of magic to their side with a swoop that could truly challenge Martin Odegaard for the mantle of Mikel Arteta's creative master…

What's the latest on James Maddison to Arsenal?

That's according to The Mirror, who offered an update on the Gunners' summer plans with regard to both incomings and outgoings.

Although the rumours surrounding Thomas Partey's future dominate the report, there is a reference to Leicester City midfield James Maddison, who is reportedly on the radar of the north London club.

Given the widespread interest long-held by Newcastle United and Tottenham Hotspur, to snag this deal would be made even sweeter should it be from under the noses of their bitter rivals.

With a £50m touted fee, which could be set to decrease should the Foxes succumb to the drop, this potential coup could be a perfect start to what promises to be a transfer window of paramount importance.

How good is James Maddison?

Watching his remarkable exploits in a relegation-threatened team, the work of the England international is arguably made even more impressive given the lack of quality that surrounds him.

The 26-year-old has mustered ten goals and nine assists in the heart of midfield, yet boasts the versatility to play off either flank that Arteta will crave. As someone keen on his free-flowing philosophy, the Spaniard would welcome such a versatile star who could shift into numerous roles for the betterment of the system.

Having enjoyed a fine bout of early-season form, it led pundit Dean Saunders to suggest he was part of a "world-class" abundance of talent that England boasted in the run-up to the World Cup. Even before that, Statman Dave had branded the £110k-per-week ace a true "magician", with his showing against Southampton commanding such praise.

However, this campaign has been far from a fluke. The former Norwich City maestro has been a consistently impressive performer ever since his £20m move to the King Power, with his 30 goal contributions last year in all competitions only emphasising his superiority over the league, and ability to shine in good and bad moments.

Such creativity understandably draws comparisons with Odegaard, who too has enjoyed one of his most fruitful years since leaving Real Madrid permanently.

The Arsenal captain has scored 15 times and assisted a further eight, almost acting as a left-footed variant of Maddison.

He too seeks to use his technical superiority to dominate games, looking to shift the ball onto his stronger side after a series of neat movements often earns space.

Such similarities are only emphasised further when viewing their underlying statistics, as when compared to other attacking midfielders across Europe, the Norway international ranks in the top 2% for shot-creating actions, the top 15% for progressive carries and the top 10% for progressive passes per 90, via FBref.

Conversely, Maddison too ranks in the top 10% for shot-creating and the top 12% for progressive passes when compared against the same group, but perhaps lacks that dynamism that the 24-year-old boasts in terms of carries.

Clearly, these two are creative leaders not just for their respective teams but for the whole Premier League; to pair them in the same side could make for a petrifying proposition for the rest of the division as they seek to topple Manchester City next season.

The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia’s (KSA) Public Investment Fund (PIF) are reportedly eyeing up a Newcastle United move for Real Betis midfielder Nabil Fekir.

The Lowdown: Midfielder wanted

The Daily Mail’s North East reporter Craig Hope revealed last week that the Tynesiders are set to prioritise the signing of a central midfielder, as they search for an ally for Bruno Guimaraes.

The likes of Leicester City duo James Maddison and Youri Tielemans have been linked, as they could look to strengthen in the January transfer window, or next summer.

The Latest: Fekir interest

As per Spanish sources, the St. James’ Park outfit are preparing an offer for €45m (£39.4m) to try and sign Fekir in the summer.

However, they will face competition from fellow Premier League rivals West Ham United and Arsenal for his signature.

[web_stories_embed url=”https://www.footballtransfertavern.com/web-stories/newcastle-news-7/” title=”Newcastle news!” poster=”” width=”360″ height=”600″ align=”none”]

The Verdict: Too expensive

There is no doubt that Fekir is a quality player, with his goal against HJK Helsinki in the UEFA Europa League on Thursday night his injuries, and at 29 years of age, £39.4m is a lot of money to spend on someone that could be on the decline.

A FIFA World Cup winner with France, Fekir has had a decorated career, playing over 300 times for two high-profile clubs in Europe, Lyon and Betis, contributing to over 160 goals (Transfermarkt).

He could help attract other big names to the Magpies in the summer, but they should consider trying to negotiate a much cheaper price if they are serious about signing him.

Leeds United have had mixed success in the transfer market under director of football Victor Orta.

Since the Spaniard joined the Yorkshire outfit back in May 2017, following his departure from then-Championship rivals Middlesbrough, Elland Road has seen its fair share of absolute flops, as well as the odd diamond in the rough.

A couple to fall into the latter category include Raphinha, who has already moved onto pastures new at FC Barcelona, and current no.1, Illan Meslier, who is being lined up by Tottenham Hotspur as a potential successor to his French compatriot, Hugo Lloris.

But for every little gem, there have been a handful of disasters, epitomised by a recent story emerging in the media this week.

The likes of Jay-Roy Grot, Ouasim Bouy and Laurens De Bock are among Orta’s poorest bits of business but none have been as financially crippling as Jean-Kevin Augustin, who Leeds have been ordered to pay around £18m for after their appeal was dismissed by the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS), as per the BBC.

FIFA had ruled in July that the Premier League side must honour their ‘purchase obligation’ for the 25-year-old striker, who is now plying his trade at Swiss giants Basel, having stumbled at Nantes after leaving Elland Road.

CAS upheld that decision “in its entirety” and ordered the Whites to pay their first instalment, thought to be around £5.9m and whilst they intend to launch another appeal, they could be chasing a lost cause in what has been an utter nightmare signing under Orta.

Augustin played only 48 minutes across three appearances in a Leeds shirt. He managed just three shots, of which none were on target, and made a total of five passes, so for £18m, the Yorkshire club will have to pay Leipzig for £6m per outing, £6m per shot and £3.6m per pass.

Whatever the likes of De Bock and Grot failed to do for the club, they weren’t signed in as wretched financial deals as this one.

It’s a situation that has been lambasted by TEAMtalk editor James Marshment as an “absolute disaster,” also claiming that “someone should make themselves accountable there.”

Meanwhile, football finance expert Kieran Maguire has also chimed in with his thoughts on the matter. He told Football Insider:

“Leeds will have to pay interest on top of the cash flows that have been agreed for the transfer itself. That is not an insignificant sum of money and this is far from an ideal situation for Leeds to find themselves in.”

All in all, the signing of Augustin has proven to be a complete catastrophe for all those concerned and on the above evidence, it could well be the worst call that Orta has ever made whilst at the helm.

AND in other news, Orta eyes Leeds deal to sign 23 y/o gem who has “something extra”, imagine him & Adams…