All posts by z3u9t.icu

Manchester City have been heavily linked with Sassuolo midfielder Manuel Locatelli in recent months and after a superb display for Italy at Euro 2020 against Switzerland earlier this week, Txiki Begiristain and Pep Guardiola should look to bring him to the Etihad this summer.

City have regularly been credited with an interest in the former AC Milan man, with Italian football journalist Fabrizio Romano claiming recently that the Etihad outfit have scouted him for a long time.

However, it seems as if Juventus are currently leading the race for the 23-year-old, whilst Arsenal and Chelsea are also keen on a deal, so the Citizens will have to act quickly if they want to bring him in this summer.

It certainly seems likely that the Italian will depart Sassuolo this summer, as they could only muster an eighth-place finish in Serie A last season and a player of Locatelli’s quality deserves to be playing in the Champions League.

He showed his class in the opening game of the Euro 2020 Championships as Italy beat Turkey 3-0, earning a solid 7.02 rating from WhoScored for his performance but he was exceptional in their most recent game against Switzerland, scoring twice and earning an excellent 8.69 rating in another 3-0 win.

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The young midfielder first spread the play beautifully with a left-footed volley to Sassuolo teammate Dominico Berardi before bursting into the box and tapping in his cutback, before doubling the Italians lead with an emphatic finish from outside the box.

Following the game, Dion Dublin was full of praise for Locatelli on the BBC analysis of the game, suggesting that the “intelligent” midfielder was key to Roberto Mancini’s side’s victory and their progression to the last 16.

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His performances for Sassuolo last season, where he averaged an impressive 7.08 rating from WhoScored in Serie A, certainly suggest that he could be a stellar addition to Guardiola’s side this summer and if he continues to impress at Euro 2020, then there seems no reason why City shouldn’t look to bring him to the Etihad ahead of next season.

And, in other news… Txiki could be heading for Man City transfer disaster with “unbelievable” beast

West Bromwich Albion are believed to be one of a number of teams keen on signing Newcastle United midfielder Matt Longstaff on loan [Chronicle].

The Lowdown: Baggies prepare for 2021/22 title challenge

Moving into 2021/22, the Baggies will undoubtedly be eyeing up a Sky Bet Championship title charge as they look to bounce back from relegation in a positive manner.

Though they haven’t yet ventured into the transfer market, they have been heavily linked with moves for Sam Clucas and Dwight Gayle respectively.

However, could the energetic 21-year-old Geordie be the first Hawthorns import this summer following recent reports?

The Latest: West Brom eye Longstaff; numerous other teams interested

As it stands, West Brom are said to be interested in a loan swoop for Longstaff, who is available for a temporary move away from St James’ Park [Chronicle].

Manager Steve Bruce is set to let Longstaff explore regular first team football next season – he has admiration from Belgian side Anderlecht, accompanied by Norwich City, Middlesbrough and the West Midlands club [Chronicle].

Serie A outfit Udinese were also monitoring his situation heavily last summer [talkSPORT].

The Verdict: Longstaff would be an excellent addition to the Baggies

In need of some fresh impetus heading into the forthcoming campaign, Longstaff would be a shrewd addition for West Bromwich Albion.

Labelled as ‘terrific’ by former Newcastle United star Malcolm McDonald [Chronicle], he burst into prominence owing to a stunning strike from outside the box for the Magpies in a famous 1-0 triumph over Manchester United in 2019 [BBC].

Only making five senior appearances on Tyneside in 2020/21 [Transfermarkt], a move to the second tier could be the perfect tonic for the youngster after an injury hit season with his parent club.

West Bromwich Albion should be doing all they can to get the deal over the line.

Swansea City have made contact with Michael Appleton regarding him taking over at the Liberty Stadium this summer.

What’s the talk?

That’s according to a report by Football Insider, who claim that, with Steve Cooper being linked with both the Crystal Palace and Fulham managerial positions, the Swans have made an approach to Lincoln City regarding the availability of their 45-year-old head coach.

Appleton had already been in talks with West Bromwich Albion this summer regarding the job at The Hawthorns, however, the Albion hierarchy ultimately decided they did not want to pay the compensation fee the Imps were demanding to allow the former Oxford United boss to leave the club.

Appleton could continue Cooper’s legacy

While losing a manager who has secured consecutive top-six finishes in the Championship would undoubtedly be a huge blow for Jason Levien and Swansea City, should Cooper indeed move onto pastures new this summer, Appleton would appear to be a fantastic candidate to replace the 41-year-old boss.

Not only did Appleton match Cooper’s achievement of reaching a play-off final with an unfancied Lincoln side last season, the 45-year-old also achieved the feat while putting an emphasis on the development of young players, with the Imps squad ranking as the third youngest in League One.

Indeed, since Appleton’s arrival at Lincoln back in September of 2019, the Imps have seen the average age of their squad drop from 30 to 23, a decision that the progressive manager took in order to build a side capable of long term success, rather than prioritising immediate glory.

This is something that Cooper has also earned plaudits for, with it being reported that, due to the England U17 World Cup winner’s reputation for developing youth prospects, Premier League clubs now offer Swansea their starlets on loan deals before putting them on the general market – something that has been reported to occur with Lincoln City too.

As such, while losing the services of Cooper is rightly a worry for Swansea fans this summer, if Levien goes on to land Appleton as his successor, it would very much seem as if the club will be in the hands of a perfect replacement for the Welshman, as the 45-year-old’s philosophies would see him continue Cooper’s fantastic work at the Liberty Stadium.

In other news: Major update drops about “outstanding” £25k-p/w Swansea target, fans will be gutted

Leeds United’s rumoured interest in signing Chile forward Ben Brereton is ‘absolutely fake’, according to a fresh report which has emerged.

The Lowdown: Leeds linked with Brereton move

Marcelo Bielsa may be interested in adding a wide forward to his squad this summer in order to provide competition for the likes of Raphinha and Jack Harrison.

One player who has been linked with a move to Elland Road is Brereton, having scored seven goals and registered four assists for Blackburn in the Championship last season.

Not only that, but the 22-year-old has also been impressing for Chile at Copa America, scoring his maiden international goal against Bolivia last week.

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The Latest: Fresh update emerges – and it’s not good for Leeds

According to BioBioChile [via Sport Witness], Leeds’ interest in Brereton is ‘absolutely fake’, with a club source providing the quote which rather emphatically downplays the transfer link.

The idea of the rumour being used as a smokescreen for the Whites signing another Chile player is also denied.

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The Verdict: He would be a good fit for Leeds

Brereton could be a shrewd addition by Leeds – he has been hailed as ‘absolutely fantastic’ by Blackburn manager Tony Mowbray in recent months – so it is a blow to see cold water seemingly thrown on the transfer link.

At 22, he is at an age where he should mature as a player in the coming years, especially if he is working under a manager of Bielsa’s stature, while he has been earning rave reviews from Chilean supporters for his performances at the Copa America.

His ability to thrive on the left wing would make him a good alternative to Harrison, allowing the Whites to rotate effectively in attacking areas and keep individuals fresh throughout the campaign. Hopefully the Leeds hierarchy may reconsider their reported stance on the Chile international.

In other news, a worrying report has claimed that one huge Leeds figure is wanted by another club. Find out who it is here.

According to Football Insider, West Ham have enquired about Glasgow Rangers’ Connor Goldson as the Gers aim to give him a new contract.

The Lowdown: Gers eye new Goldson contract

Centre-back Goldson, who moved to Rangers in 2018, has just one year left on his current deal at Ibrox (Transfermarkt).

As such, the Gers are eager to offer him a new deal, and sources say they are confident the defender will put pen to paper on a three-year agreement.

The Latest: West Ham interested

That update comes amidst reports the Hammers are interested in the defender.

The report says the Europa League outfit have enquired about the availability of the former Brighton man.

However, Ibrox sources confirm that negotiations are still ongoing to extend Goldson’s deal after talks stalled earlier this year.

The Verdict: Too important to lose

A number of players will attract interest from other clubs after the Gers won the Premiership last term but, while Steven Gerrard will be eager to keep all of his star players, Goldson is one player he can not do without.

Incredibly, Goldson played every single minute of every single game in every single competition for the Gers last term – that amounted to 56 matches. Much of the Gers’ success was built on their impressive back line – they conceded just 13 Premiership goals (thefishy.co.uk) – and Goldson was at the heart of that.

The 28-year-old is currently valued at £6.75m (Transfermarkt) – a considerable fee, and one the Gers could stretch if they were looking to sell. However, Goldson is just to important to let go. Whatever they do, they must get him signed to a new contract soon.

In other news, one pundit is shocked at this Alfredo Morelos claim.

A top football journalist has warned the Premier League could have a “silver bullet” waiting for Newcastle United in their arbitration case.

Liam Kennedy, a reporter for the Shields Gazette, has followed the trials and tribulations of the Magpies’ proposed Saudi Arabian-backed takeover which fell through last year.

The case is expected to be heard later this month, although reports suggest Newcastle have yet to be given a date by the Premier League.

Magpies owner Mike Ashley revealed his frustrations in an explosive statement last week, where he asked Newcastle fans, MPs and other high profile figures to urge the Premier League to allow the case to be heard in public.

The proposed takeover, led by Amanda Staveley, was not completed after the consortium rejected the Premier League’s offer of arbitration to determine who would own the club.

Kennedy admits it is difficult to determine whether the case will go in the Magpies’ favour because there are more questions than answers.

Speaking exclusively to Football FanCast, he said: “There’s a lot of water to go under the bridge. Predicting which way this deal will go is absolutely impossible.

“Will the arbitration fall in Newcastle’s favour and will it be green-lighted? That would be the ideal scenario because we’re kind of at that point now.

“Will the arbitration go against Newcastle? Will the cap case go against Newcastle and how long will that take? Will we then see disclosure and it played out in a public courtroom? Could it then go through? Will the Premier League fold?

“Will all of this evidence that Newcastle United have suddenly be blown out of the water by some kind of silver bullet sitting there with the Premier League? We just don’t know.”

Tottenham are confident that they will receive £5m for defender and reported Celtic target Cameron Carter-Vickers, according to Football Insider.

The Lowdown: Carter-Vickers keen on Celtic move

The 23-year-old has been linked with a move to Parkhead this summer, and contact has reportedly been made between Celtic and Spurs over a potential deal, with the defender keen on a move to Glasgow ahead of the new season.

Carter-Vickers, who was described as ‘quick’ by Jonathan Woodgate during his Bournemouth loan spell last season, has eight USA caps to his name but has made just four appearances for Tottenham.

The Latest: Source shares update

According to Football Insider, who were informed by a Spurs source, Tottenham triggered a 12-month extension in Carter-Vickers’ deal to protect his market value.

They have now doubled their asking price for the defender from £2.5m to £5m, with that figure not thought to be an issue over any summer transfer. Newcastle and Celtic are credited with an interest in Football Insider’s report over the weekend.

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The Verdict: Look elsewhere

Carter-Vickers has no Premier League experience and has never been valued higher than £2.25m by Transfermarkt. He has 12 months remaining on his Spurs deal, so Tottenham could be getting the better of any £5m deal.

They seem to be confident they’ll receive their asking price figure, but the Hoops could be better off allowing Newcastle to win the race for Carter-Vickers.

Celtic may well be better off spending that sort of money on another reported target such as Carl Starfelt, a Sweden international who has made more than 100 appearances in two separate top divisions.

In other news: ‘We’re a mess’ – Many Celtic fans fume as ‘mental’ news is confirmed. 

Leicester City are reportedly close to completing the signing of Schalke 04 defender Ozan Kabak.

What’s the story?

According to journalist and Bundesliga expert Chris Williams, the 21-year-old is set to join the Foxes following a relatively successful loan spell at Liverpool last season.

Williams tweeted [via Leicester Mercury]: “Schalke have given Ozan Kabak extra time off to sort out his future, they expect a deal to be finalised in the next week. Leicester City seems the final destination. Schalke have allowed the player to find a club, agree a deal in principle, then for that club to make an approach.

“Leicester have contacted the player’s management agency, if a deal can be agreed between them, #LCFC will make a formal approach, #S04 want €15m (£12.8m).”

Fans will be buzzing

Williams’ claims were backed up by The Daily Star newspaper in Turkey (via Leicester Mercury) after it revealed that Kabak is heading for the King Power Stadium.

They reported: “National football player Ozan Kabak is on his way to Leicester City. It was stated that Ozan Kabak, who was put on the sales list due to the German team’s relegation to a lower league, received offers from many teams, especially English clubs.”

News that Brendan Rodgers is set to add another young, highly-rated centre-back to his ranks for a very reasonable fee will surely have the club’s supporters buzzing.

Kabak played nine Premier League games for Jurgen Klopp’s side in 2020/21, helping the Anfield outfit to a third-place finish following an injury crisis in the heart of defence, and he earned plenty of plaudits for his efforts on Merseyside.

Liverpool passed up the opportunity to make the youngster’s stay permanent for £18m, opting to sign Ibrahima Konate instead, although Schalke’s relegation to the second tier of German football has seen their asking price plummet.

Bringing in Kabak will significantly strengthen Leicester’s defensive options ahead of the upcoming campaign, allowing Rodgers the freedom to flip between a back four and a back five on a regular basis given the wealth of central defensive options at his disposal.

The departures of experienced duo Christian Fuchs and Wes Morgan left the Foxes looking threadbare at the back, but the arrival of Ryan Bertrand and the potential acquisition of Kabak will have quickly transformed their situation. It’s a situation which will surely leave Leicester fans buzzing at the defensive talent within their squad as the Foxes again try to break into the Premier League’s top four in 2021/22.

In other news… Leicester dealt possible blow in hunt for “wonderful” £30m gem, Rodgers will be gutted 

Liverpool will add ‘something fresh’ in terms of new signings in the summer transfer window, according to journalist Fabrizio Romano.

The Lowdown: Key summer at Anfield

The Reds need a productive time of things this summer, in order to provide stiff competition for Manchester City and look to wrestle back the Premier League title from them.

Ibrahima Konate has already arrived from RB Leipzig, with the centre-back a hugely exciting prospect, but other new faces also need to come in and help make Jurgen Klopp’s squad even more formidable.

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The Latest: Romano provides update

Speaking to Anfield Watch, journalist Romano has provided an update on Liverpool’s current situation, claiming he expects progress to be made in the coming weeks:

“I expect Liverpool to bring something new and something fresh in.”

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The Verdict: Two key areas to fill

This is an encouraging update from Romano, with a couple of additions so important at Anfield this summer, in order to bring a freshness to proceedings.

With Gini Wijnaldum joining Paris Saint-Germain, a new top-quality midfielder is needed – someone who possesses the Dutchman’s energy levels and consistency.

Not only that, but another attacking player wouldn’t go amiss, bringing quality in both wide and central areas, in order to keep Mohamed Salah, Sadio Mane, Diogo Jota and Roberto Firmino on their toes.

The former pair will of course depart for AFCON in January 2022, so an additional speedster on the wing is almost a necessity.

In other news, some Liverpool fans have been reacting to comments from one rumoured Reds transfer target. Read more here.

Aston Villa have completed the signing of West Bromwich Albion youngster Triston Rowe.

Rowe, an England Under-15 international, follows Tim Iroegbunam in leaving the Baggies’ youth set-up for their Midlands rivals.

Iroegbunam was fast-tracked to the Under-23s last season, and his performances earned him the Academy Player of the Year award (via Birmingham Mail). Villa will have to pay six-figure compensation after striking the deal.

And a third West Brom starlet could yet make the switch. Football Insider reported earlier in July that Villa had reached an agreement with 20-year-old midfielder Finn Azaz, and that move could be tied-up ‘soon’.

West Brom are back in the Championship after their Premier League return lasted just a single season. They amassed only 26 points over the course of the 38-game season, leaving them a full 13 points adrift of safety.

Fan feed WBA Report relayed the news about Rowe, and here’s what supporters made of it.

These West Brom fans as another youngster lured to Villa

“Brilliant, at this rate we’re not going to have any youngsters to develop”

Credit: @Matthew31241

“What on earth is happening to our academy?”

Credit: @Timmy_Tierney

“You can thank Luke Dowling for this, about 7 players and 8 academy staff gone to the Villa because of him!”

Credit: @MattHill821

“May as well close the academy and save the money, pointless wasting money on it at this rate!”

Credit: @ParsonsJR91

“Horrendous!!!…Villa youth team should be called WBA B team”

Credit: @gillpind

“At this point just close the academy”

Credit: @joecox1999

In other news, West Brom have approached a former ‘big six’ man.