All posts by z3u9t.icu

Newcastle United have signed up Adam Wilson to a new deal as he has proved his fitness in time for the upcoming 2020/21 season, as per The Chronicle.

As per the outlet, the 20-year old has been struggling with injury woes and apparently attracted some interest from Blackburn Rovers a couple of years ago.

Wilson had made seven appearances in the Premier League 2 in the 2019/20 season before it was cut short by the global pandemic outbreak, scoring two goals, and the Tyneside club’s under 23’s won five of those seven games with him playing a part, according to Transfermarkt.

The midfielder has featured in a total of 69 matches for the Magpies at youth level, netting 11 strikes and making five assists, and he has also played four times for England at under 18 level (via the website).

Wilson has predominantly played on the left-wing.

However, the 23-year old has sometimes lined up a little deeper on the left flank when Steve Bruce has played a 4-4-1-1 formation, like he did when they beat Chris Wilder’s European-chasing Sheffield United 3-0 at St. James’ Park after Project Restart, with Saint-Maximin scoring the opening goal of the match.

Perhaps Wilson can learn from the Frenchman if he has an ambition of eventually breaking into the first-team squad, as NUFC seem to see a future for him at the club given that they have tied him down to a new contract.

Geordies, will Wilson ever make it in the first team? Comment below!

Leeds United are on the hunt for a new central defender and it appears they may have edged closer to landing one if reports are to be believed.

What’s the word?

According to The Sun, the Yorkshire giants are lining up a £15m swoop for Spurs defender Juan Foyth with Marcelo Bielsa believing his fellow Argentinian compatriot would improve the Premier League newcomers.

It’s also claimed that this won’t affect the club’s pursuit to land fan-favourite loan star Ben White on a permanent basis either, which will come as encouraging news to the Elland Road faithful.

Foyth has fallen out of favour in north London and is ‘set to quit’ the club in search of regular match opportunities.

The idea of playing under the 65-year-old is also of huge appeal after the centre-back claimed “[Bielsa is] one of the best coaches in the world and it would be nice to be coached by him.”

Bielsa headache alleviated?

There’s no denying that the Whites will need to bolster their squad in order to compete in the top-flight but no position will be more of a concern than in central defence.

Currently, Bielsa only has one senior option in the role in skipper Liam Cooper, so finding the right sort of target to fill such a void will undoubtedly provide the Argentine with his biggest headache in two years at the club.

Soon-to-be free-agent Gaetano Berardi has been ruled out of action until April 2021, so that’s put pay to any new contract, you’d imagine.

If they can clinch White from Brighton’s grasp after a stunning breakthrough year, it would be huge to their chances of longevity in the PL, but adding a player like Foyth alongside him would surely be the stuff of dreams.

The 22-year-old has been courted by Barcelona in recent months and despite a lack of regular game time at Spurs, plenty have heaped praise on him.

His former boss Mauricio Pochettino called him a “clever” player with “a lot of potential” whilst Jose Mourinho halted a loan exit in January, labelling Foyth “very solid” and “very calm”.

Leeds having a partnership of White and Foyth would be cetainly be a good way to kickstart their first top-flight campaign in 16 years. Solid.

AND in other news, Orta can land a dream Phillips successor in “exceptional” £27m beast…

Tottenham Hotspur and AC Milan remain far apart in their valuation of Serge Aurier, reports say. 

Although recent reports suggested AC Milan have stepped up their efforts to sign the 60-cap Ivory Coast international this summer, it is understood that the transfer is still a work in progress.

That’s according to The Evening Standard, as relayed by Ricky Sacks, who claim that Milan are only willing to spend £13m on the defender.

While Tottenham boss Jose Mourinho is trying to get rid of Aurier in the summer, Spurs want to sell him for something close to the £23m Daniel Levy paid Paris Saint-Germain three years ago.

Mourinho has wasted no time at all in finding a replacement for the right-back with Turkey full-back Zeki Celik firmly in his sights. However, he faces stiff competition from Premier League rivals Everton as the Toffees have reportedly already entered into negotiations with Lille to sort out a deal for the 14-cap Turkish international.

The Rossoneri remain keen on the Ivory Coast captain but want to drive down a deal. Stefano Pioli’s side are also considering PSV Eindhoven defender Denzel Dumfries as a possible alternative.

Aurier, 27, struggled for consistency last season, but is still the club’s only recognised right-back after Kyle Walker-Peters was sold to Southampton.

As far as Spurs are concerned, if Milan do meet the asking price, they will sell him in the summer. Therein lies the problem, as the Lilywhites will not let him leave for a cut-price deal. Mourinho faces an uphill struggle to find a solution, as it will be difficult to fill the position in such a short space of time before next season begins, and it may be best for the club if Aurier stays for at least another year.

Tottenham fans, should Levy sell Aurier this summer or hold firm for another while? Let us know your views in the comments below!

With a total of 67 goals conceded throughout 2019/20 in the Premier League, it is becoming painfully obvious that Aston Villa will simply have to improve their defensive record for the upcoming season.

Dean Smith might have managed to evade relegation somehow but without some heavy tweaking and improvements on all fronts, especially at the back, the Villains are bound to struggle once more in 2020/21.

And now, according to a new report from The Telegraph, Smith has identified Atletico Madrid’s Kieran Trippier as the solution to their defensive woes.

Needless to say, this would indeed be a shock transfer and one that’s likely to be much more difficult to pull off than Villa might expect. Of course, the full-back is a former Tottenham Hotspur man and has also played a role in eliminating Liverpool from the Champions League as he started that incredible 2-3 game at Anfield.

His quality is not in question here but rather the availability and Villa’s power to actually lure him out of the Spanish capital and back into English top-flight.

The 29-year-old joined the La Liga titans last year and has been a big part of Diego Simeone’s squad since then. Smith wants him either on loan or permanently, whatever is more possible at the moment, and he would effectively serve as competition for Frederic Guilbert and Ahmed Elmohamady.

Despite suffering a niggling injury at the start of his stint in Spain, Trippier has played a total of 33 games across all competitions last season and would be a fairly difficult target to attain.

Verdict

Debating Trippier’s quality is not exactly the main question here at all. The full-back has shown to be capable of playing at the highest of levels so it goes without saying that he would indeed be a welcoming reinforcement.

However, is Smith trying to bite off more than he can chew here? Only time will tell but it does seem so at first sight.

Schalke 04’s midfielder Weston McKennie seems to be a really wanted man at the moment. The recent reports from 90min say that the 21-year-old talent is currently being chased by five different Premier League clubs.

Of course, given his young age and potential, this doesn’t exactly come as a surprise. Among the clubs mentioned are also Aston Villa but if the same source is to be believed, they will face tough competition in Everton, Southampton, Newcastle United and West Ham United.

The Saints seemed to be the first ones on the scene, looking for a replacement for Pierre-Emile Højbjerg after the player’s move to Tottenham Hotspur but now that the other four clubs have seen their attempt, they are all interested as well.

Schalke were previously said to be looking to get at least £22.5m for their in-demand midfielder but with so many different suitors potentially knocking on their door, that could indeed spark a bidding war.

Villa, for one, can’t exactly afford to splash too much in the ongoing summer transfer window so Dean Smith will have to approach this wisely. Of course, this is true for practically every club out there but if the German outfit succeed in bumping McKennie’s price tag significantly, this could quickly turn into a much too expensive venture for the Villains.

90min, however, claim the 21-year-old’s priority is to move to the Premier League so there is hope but it might come with a cost.

Verdict

McKennie believes his time at Schalke has come to an end and following a disappointing 12th place finish to the 2019/20 campaign, he wants to move to greener pastures. However, Smith has to decide whether the 21-year-old really is his priority.

Villa have struggled defensively throughout the previous campaign and while McKennie might be a bet for the future, there seem to be more pressing matters that need to be attended at the club.

Kepa Arrizabalaga’s future with Chelsea currently resides with a question mark as the club push to find his replacement. 

A move that started out with potential in abundance has become arguably one of the worst record-breaking moves in transfer history. Despite winning the Europa League with the Blues, Kepa’s Premier League career has failed to live up to expectations.

Maurizio Sarri helped orchestrate a £71million swoop for the Spaniard’s services back in 2018, smashing the record for most money spent on a goalkeeper (via BBC Sport). This record still stands, with not even Liverpool’s appointment of Alisson going beyond the hefty price tag.

Now, just two years into his tenure, Frank Lampard has planned for a future without Kepa. The Spain international disappointed his manager after a poor run in the Premier League, conceding a total of 47 goals.

Chelsea are yet to sign a replacement but are eager to strike a deal with latest target Edouard Mendy, with an agreement thought to be close.

Fellow goalkeeper Petr Cech has spoken out on the difficult situation at Stamford Bridge, suggesting that the Spanish international could still have a long term future in west London.

“Kepa struggled last season, that is unquestionable,” he said (via Daily Express). “But the club invested in him and gave him a long-term contract because they believe he has the qualities and attributes to be successful.”

The 24-year-old could re-establish himself as a first team player in the future, but for the upcoming season at least, it seems very unlikely Lampard will trust him as his first choice ‘keeper.

“Additions will be made to the squad, perhaps even in goal, and this is what is being discussed now,” Cech continued. “But nobody is giving up on Kepa and we all hope he has a great future.”

Do you think Kepa has a future at Chelsea? Join the conversation in the comments below!

Newcastle United are reportedly interested in signing Michael Cuisance in the summer transfer window, according to L’Equipe.

As per the outlet, the Tyneside club are showing some late interest in the Frenchman and are aiming to make up the ground on fellow Premier League rivals Leeds United as Marcelo Bielsa’s team had apparently held advanced talks with Bayern Munich last week.

The 2019/20 UEFA Champions League winners are looking for a transfer fee of £18 million to let Cuisance go, as Steve Bruce’s side may now face a battle with the Whites to get his signature over the dotted line before the market officially shuts.

Indeed, the 21-year old has been compared to Arsenal attacking midfield player Mesut Ozil in terms of playing style, while his former boss at Borussia Monchengladbach Dieter Hecking described him as being an “exceptional” player for his age (via the Bundesliga’s official website).

Cuisance certainly has a bright future and having already been part of the Bayern squad that won the treble in the last term, he will be hoping to add to his already luxurious trophy cabinet, whether that would be with the German champions or not.

Steve Bruce could certainly give him a platform to develop his game at St. James’ Park, as the sheer pace and physicality of the Premier League may well help Cuisance develop in stature as well as skill.

However, it looks as if the Magpies will have to fork out £18 million to beat off the potential competition from LUFC and secure his services.

Geordies, would Cuisance be a good signing? Comment below!

Former Liverpool striker Danny Ings showcased just how much progress he has made in the last 12 months after bagging his first goal for his country last night.

The Southampton star man led the line for England in a friendly against Wales in only his third ever international appearance. Gareth Southgate opted to deploy Ings alongside in-form Dominic Calvert-Lewin, who also got himself on the scoresheet.

Since his move from Merseyside last year, Ings has hit an astonishing upward trajectory. His hard work and dominant presence for his new club has more than paid off after pulling on his Three Lions jersey twice this year following a five-year absence.

Ings resurrecting his career

After a difficult four years at Liverpool, Ings made the decision to ply his trade elsewhere. Southampton came knocking for his services last summer and paid a respectable £20million for him, certainly an amount Ralph Hasenhuttl will see as very well spent now. Indeed, the 28-year-old will also see the move as one of the best career decisions he has ever made.

Ings was hammered by injuries during his time on Merseyside, spending a total of 498 days out of action with knee problems. After tearing his ACL in 2015, the forward missed 85 senior matches for the Reds and had fallen drastically down the pecking order once he did return (via Transfermarkt). The arrival of Roberto Firmino and with Daniel Sturridge next in line meant Ings saw very little action during his final years at Liverpool.

But his switch to Southampton seems to have sparked a whole new era in Ings’ career. Last season he finished as Hasenhuttl’s top scorer with an impressive 22 goals in the Premier League. The Winchester-born ace finished with the same amount of goals as Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang, just one behind Golden Boot winner Jamie Vardy (via Premier League).

Ings vs Wales

His recent form has kickstarted the fire many thoughts Ings had lost after his ACL surgery. After opening up his international account with a stunning bicycle kick against Wales, it’s going to be very hard for Southgate to ignore him as a glaring option moving forward.

Ings’ return to the England squad wasn’t just about his goal either. He had a solid performance alongside strike partner Calvert-Lewin and played the full 90 minutes, something that was perhaps unexpected.

The 28-year-old had 100% shot accuracy and made a further key pass in addition to his goal scored. He also won three out of his eight duels attempted, which is a respectable number for a striker (via FotMob).

It can only be expected that Ings will continue his upward climb this season for both club and country. After his strong performance against Wales, he could be in contention to take part in the upcoming EUROs.

In other news, Neil Mellor has exclusively told FFC how Jurgen Klopp has changed Liverpool on the fifth anniversary of his arrival at Anfield…

Former Premier League striker Noel Whelan believes Aston Villa manager Dean Smith will find it tough to offload Anwar El Ghazi and Frederic Guilbert before the domestic transfer deadline passes.

Can Dean Smith find new clubs for the pair?

It was previously reported that both players have been told to look for new clubs as Villa seek to significantly reduce their wage bill.

The Midlands-based outfit have been busy this summer, spending a total of £74.12m (according to TransferMarkt) and bringing in a total of five players, including Ross Barkley on loan from Chelsea. This will have bumped up the cost of their wage bill, which Smith now must try and reduce before Friday’s deadline in order to balance the books.

El Ghazi has not featured for Villa since the final game of last season despite being a regular during the 2019/20 season and Guilbert has made just two outings this term, both of which have been in the Carabao Cup. As things stand, it’s difficult to see either having much of a part to play at Villa Park this season.

With this in mind, there is some doubt that Villa will be able to readily get rid of the pair. Speaking to Football Insider, Whelan was asked whether Smith will find it challenging to find suitable outfits for both players.

“They are indeed, absolutely,” he said. “Guilbert’s not been there that long so his contract’s probably got a couple of years left on it.

“I think for those sort of players if they’ve had the conversation with the manager, it’s about getting them out on loan.

“If it’s not going to be a permanent signing and they’re surplus to requirements at Aston Villa, which they will be now with the signings they’ve made, they’ve got to get out there and just try get them loaned out to some clubs and gets some wages off the bill.”

Dean Smith needs to get rid of unwanted deadwood

As we’ve seen so far this season, Villa are starting to go places despite barely retaining their Premier League status at the end of last term. The Villa Park faithful recently applauded the work that Smith has done since he arrived in the Midlands just over two years ago.

Currently second in the Premier League, Villa will likely look to shift some of the deadwood in their squad if they want to maintain their momentum.

However, Whelan is right. Finding clubs for fringe players like El Ghazi and Guilbert could be a tall order this week.

Villa fans, do you agree with Whelan? Will Smith opt to stick with Anwar El Ghazi and Frederic Guilbert or can he show them the door? Join the discussion by commenting below…

Having picked up a resounding 3-1 win over Burnley a couple of weeks ago, the international break arguably could not have come at a worse time for Newcastle.

Steve Bruce would have been hoping to keep the momentum going, but instead, has had to watch several of his first-team stars go off on international duty.

But with the Premier League resuming this weekend, the Magpies boss will be keen to ensure that his side picks up from where they left off, as they take on Manchester United at St James’ Park.

With Ole Gunnar Solskjaer’s side suffering a 6-1 thrashing at home to Tottenham, the obvious thought would be that United are there for the taking.

But Newcastle will have to be wary of a wounded Red Devils, and ahead of the game, are already facing a significant blow to their chances of picking up another famous victory just like last season.

Summer signing Jamal Lewis picked up a slight injury whilst off with Northern Ireland, with boss Ian Baraclough shedding light on the situation earlier this week.

Speaking ahead of their clash against Norway on Wednesday night, he said: “The only one who isn’t travelling is Jamal Lewis. He’s gone to have a scan on his ongoing Achilles niggle, but it’s nothing to worry about. It’s improving. He mightn’t be able to play the two games so quickly, so it’s something I felt Newcastle had in mind for the player anyway.”

If you’re of a Newcastle persuasion, then hearing the words “Achilles” and “scan” isn’t the most promising of news. And whilst Baraclough was keen to put a positive spin on things, there’s no taking away from the fact Lewis is surely a major doubt for the game against United on Saturday.

And when you look at the 22-year-old’s performances for his new side this season, it becomes that much more clear why Newcastle could struggle immensely in his absence.

He has featured in every single Premier League game this season for the Magpies, and has averaged an impressive 0.8 key passes per match – good numbers for someone at left-back.

And in games across all competitions, he’s averaged 1.5 tackles per match, and that ability to be effective for his team both going forward and going back gives Newcastle an added dimension. With United having players who can be devastating on the counter-attack with their places – the likes of Marcus Rashford and Anthony Martial to name a couple – ensuring the transitions are well dealt with is crucial is to the Magpies’ chances.

Losing Lewis would be the kind of blow that could have major consequences on Saturday.

And in other news, this Newcastle flop has thrived since his St James’ Park exit.