All posts by z3u9t.icu

Giovanni van Bronckhorst has enjoyed a sensational start to life at Ibrox with a string of wins in charge of Rangers since taking over from Steven Gerrard.

The Dutchman has won eight of his nine matches since arriving in Glasgow, with the Gers conceding just two goals in that time.

He has done this with the help of the squad Steven Gerrard sculpted during his time in Scotland, with the likes of Ryan Kent, Joe Aribo and Ianis Hagi all coming in under the ex-Liverpool man.

Masterstroke

Aribo, in particular, has been excellent this term and the club pulled off a masterstroke when they landed him in the summer of 2019. Gerrard brought him to Ibrox from Charlton on a free transfer, a few months before current sporting director Ross Wilson came in.

This season, Aribo has averaged a WhoScored rating of 7.39 in the Premiership across 20 appearances. In that time, the midfield wizard has produced six goals and three assists, which proves that he can perform to a high level consistently whilst also chipping in with vital contributions in the final third.

Last term, he averaged a WhoScored rating of 7.40 as he managed six goals and four assists in 26 Premiership outings. This highlights how remarkably consistent he has has been over the past 18 months and why he is a crucial member of the side.

His former Charlton teammate Ezri Konsa once was effusive in his praise of the gem, saying: “Having Gerrard as his manager at Rangers, that has made him go up another level.

“Joe’s style is unique. When I was with him at Charlton he did remind me for a while of a left-footed Yaya Toure. But you don’t get a lot of midfielders like Joe, there aren’t many around.

“Like Toure, for a tall guy he’s got such great feet. But that languid style he’s got is actually fairly unique in the game.”

At the time of writing (29/12/21), Transfermarkt value him at £5.85m. This suggests that the Gers could make a hefty profit on him if they do decide to cash in, whether that is in January or next summer.

Therefore, former Gers chief Mark Allen pulled off a masterstroke with his deal to sign him in 2019.

He brought in a player capable of being outstanding for the club in the Premiership, with the potential to be a valuable asset in the future to sell on for profit-making it a win-win in both the footballing and financial aspects of the move.

AND in other news, Bye-bye Goldson: Rangers can seal dream replacement with “proven” 6 ft 3 powerhouse…

Even though the 2022 January transfer window has now opened, allowing clubs to bring new players in where they see fit, it seems as though Aston Villa have made their first big decision of the year by bringing a familiar face back to the Midlands club.

According to a recent Twitter post from Villa journalist Gregg Evans, it appears that Villa have recalled young striker Louie Barry from his loan deal with League One club Ipswich Town.

Despite saying in his tweet that Barry will now “return to train with the U23s” at Villa and that “another loan move will be arranged before the end of the month” for the 18-year-old, it could be worth Gerrard giving the teenager his chance to integrate himself in the senior squad.

Even though he only made six appearances for Ipswich since arriving back in early August, it may be beneficial for the player to get used to the training procedures and overall feel of what it’s like to be coached by Gerrard from now until the end of the season rather than go out to another club and risk not getting much playing time again.

Although there wouldn’t be a big chance of him playing regularly at Villa this season ahead of the likes of Ollie Watkins or Danny Ings given their experience at senior level, it could be argued that learning from these players and the manager would be useful for the young attacker in the long-term if he wants to get closer to breaking into the team.

Having been praised by former Arsenal and Crystal Palace striker Ian Wright after scoring a “clinical” goal against Liverpool in Villa’s 4-1 FA Cup defeat last year in his first and only senior appearance for the club, Barry could even be a useful option off the bench in some games, especially with reports linking Wesley with an exit from Villa Park this month.

Moving forward, whatever the club decides is the best next step for Barry, it’s safe to say that getting him out of Ipswich early was a good move and that he can now do something more constructive with his time, whether that be with Villa’s U23s or in the senior squad or at another club.

But if Johan Lange wanted to help Gerrard save some money in potential transfer fees this month, it could be worth the teenager staying at Villa Park and learning what he can in the senior squad.

In other news: NSWE can blow AVFC fans away with swoop for £63m-rated gem who’s the “total package” – opinion

Some Wolves fans have been left buzzing over some transfer news involving Adama Traore and Ousmane Dembele.

As per Sport (via The Daily Express), FC Barcelona are now planning to offer the latter to Bruno Lage’s team in exchange for the Spain international, as both players continue to refuse to sign a new deal at their respective clubs.

While Traore still has 18 months left on his, Dembele’s contract is up in the summer, and so it may now be an option for both to move elsewhere.

Comparing their stats in their respective domestic leagues so far this season, Traore has recorded no goals or assists, while Dembele only has two assists to his name (WhoScored).

The Frenchman is also however averaging more shots (2.8), key passes (1.7) and crosses (1.8) per game (WhoScored), and is one year younger than Traore, suggesting that a swap deal could well be a good move for the Midlands club.

Wolves fans on Dembele transfer news

These WWFC supporters buzzed as the transfer news was shared on Twitter, with one even going as far as to claim that it would be ‘incredible’:

“Would be incredible”

Credit: @ethanlilley1877

“Make it happen!”

Credit: @fowls21wwfc

“YES”

Credit: @pjsaturday63

“Get this done now!”

Credit: @CremDeLaCrem86

“HAHAHAHAHAHA ANNOUNCE CHAMPIONS LEAGUE”

Credit: @wwfcglover

“Barcelona our feeders club. We are massive”

Credit: @samburts

In other news, find out who the Wanderers are now interested in signing here!

An exciting Newcastle United transfer update has emerged, regarding the club’s interest in Benfica’s Darwin Nunez…

What’s the talk?

Sky Sports reporter Pete Graves has claimed that the Magpies are keen on the 22-year-old forward, whilst they are also on the lookout for players with experience.

He Tweeted: “On second striker – #nufc rate Ekitike but nowhere near at the price they’ve been quoted. Some interest in Darwin Nunez as well but Benfica reluctant to sell. There’s a feeling amongst key members of the ownership that Premier League experience will be key in survival battle.”

Excitement

This update from Graves will surely excite Newcastle fans for multiple reasons. Firstly, it shows that they realise they need players who know how to perform in the English top-flight to get them out of the hole they are in.

The Magpies are 19th in the Premier League table and could be facing relegation unless they are able to turn things around quickly and pick up points to drag themselves out of the bottom three. This means that they need to sign players who can come in and hit the ground running.

Whilst it is possible for any new addition to do that, those who are already accustomed to performing in England’s top division will be able to instantly get going with no issues as they won’t need to adapt to the league. Whereas, someone coming in from a foreign division with no prior experience in the country may need time to find their feet and this could cost Newcastle points in the short-term.

However, there is a balance to be had and the claim that the club are keen on Darwin Nunez will surely excite the Toon Army irrespective of his lack of history in England. He has scored a whopping 13 goals in 14 league matches for Benfica in the Primeira Liga, showing that he can score on a consistent basis for the Portuguese giants.

The attacker has also scored three goals in two Champions League starts this season. This highlights his knack for finding the back of the net at the top level and suggests that he’d have a good chance of being a success for Newcastle, whilst he also has room to develop at the age of 22 and could be a signing for now and for the future.

Therefore, Newcastle could strike a balance between bringing in players with prior Premier League experience and finding talent from abroad with the potential to explode for Eddie Howe’s team in the coming months and years.

AND in other news, Imagine him & Wood: Romano drops big NUFC transfer claim that’ll infuriate Hammond…

Speaking live on talkSPORT’s Jim White and Simon Jordan show, as transcribed by their website, reporter Alex Crook has shared some transfer news out of West Ham United involving Hungary international Attila Szalai.

The Lowdown: West Ham in hunt…

As reliably reported elsewhere, West Ham, manager David Moyes and new head of recruitment Rob Newman have set their sights on the Fenerbahce centre-half.

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Sky Sports first reported that the Irons, Newcastle United and Serie A giants AC Milan are all interested in signing the 24-year-old who played every minute of his nation’s Euro 2020 campaign last summer.

Moyes and West Ham are in the market for new central defenders with talkSPORT reporter Crook now dropping his own update.

The Latest: West Ham in the race…

Backing Sky’s original claim, Crook claims he knows for a ‘fact’ that the Hammers have been following Szalai since as far back as last year and remain in the hunt for his signature.

“They’re in for the Hungarian international Attila Szalai, he was part of the team for last year’s delayed European Championship,” he explained live on talkSPORT.

“I think he played pretty much every minute, if not every minute, for Hungary. Plays his club football for Fenerbahce, would cost around £17million.

“He’s been linked with Chelsea in the past by the Hungarian national team coach [Marco Rossi], I know for a fact West Ham have been tracking him since last summer.”

The Verdict: Good option?

There have been no shortage of links to centre-back options since both Kurt Zouma and Angelo Ogbonna picked up serious injuries, and even though the former is nearing a return, it appears Moyes is still looking at potential signings for that area of his squad.

Liverpool’s Nathaniel Phillips, Burnley mainstay James Tarkowski and versatile Man City ace Nathan Ake have been among the most prevalent names targeted by West Ham (The Evening Standard), but Szalai could come as a solid alternative.

The 6 foot 3 powerhouse has drawn comparisons with Premier League star Virgil van Dijk and his fairly young age and seemingly affordable price tag come as other attractive incentives to bid.

In other news: ExWHUemployee backs reports with West Ham now ready to bid for ‘phenomenal’ forward, find out more here.

ExWHUEmployee has shared what he knows about West Ham United’s focus of interest in the remaining week of this January transfer window.

What’s the story?

The Hammers have been linked with a whole host of players this month, but are still looking to make a real marquee addition to their ranks as David Moyes plots a way for his side to finish in a Champions League spot this season.

Now, Ex has revealed that Ligue 1 has been Rob Newman’s – the club’s head of recruitment – main focus.

Via his Patreon, he said: “Another reported target in the French league is Stephy Mavididi of Montpellier. It is clear what league Newman and his team have been focusing their interest on since in post, aside from the domestic leagues in England, as we covered on the podcast.”