Chelsea Still Keen On Signing £67k-A-Week Player

Chelsea are still "lurking" for the signing of Inter Milan goalkeeper Andre Onana in the summer transfer window, according to a new update.

Is Onana a target for Chelsea?

The Blues have struggled in various facets of their game this season, with both results and performances simply nowhere near good enough.

While much has been made of their attacking struggles, with a lack of an elite striker hurting them, they have also been disappointing between the sticks. Both Kepa Arrizabalaga and Edouard Mendy has found themselves under scrutiny and there is an increasing feeling that a big upgrade is required in that area of the pitch end of the season.

One player who has been linked with a move to Stamford Bridge is Onana, who has helped Inter reach the Champions League semi-finals this season. The £67,000-a-week 'keeper has started all ten games in Europe's biggest club competition in 2022/23, as well as 22 in Serie A. Despite this, the Italian giants could be happy to see him leave in the summer, which is where Chelsea may be ready to pounce.

Andre-Onana-Inter-Milan

What's happening with Onana currently?

According to Tuttosport [via Sport Witness], Onana's displays for Inter "have not gone unnoticed" by Chelsea, who "continue to monitor" him. A €60m (£52m) offer for him "could not be refused" by Inter, so the Blues know exactly how much money would be required to prise him away.

That being said, the report doesn't confirm that the west Londoners are willing to pay that amount for the 34-cap Cameroon international's services, after a report from TuttoMercatoWeb said Todd Boehly is only ready to offer €40m (£35m).

Onana could be an ideal goalkeeping addition by Chelsea at the end of the season, coming in as an upgrade both Kepa and Mendy, at least one of whom should leave the club. At 27, he still has many years ahead of him at the top level, especially for a player in his position, and he has been hailed as both "excellent" and "brilliant" by Serbia stopper Vanja Milinkovic-Savic.

He has the experience to come in and make an immediate impression, having been part of the superb Ajax team that reached the Champions League semis in 2019, but he could also become an even more impressive player given 'keepers typically mature late, which could only bode well for Chelsea. It is a now a case stumping up the cash if the Blues really think he is worth it, hopefully snapping up a top-quality signing in the process.

Leeds United: What Is Leif Davis Doing Now?

Leeds United fans will have been happy to see Georginio Rutter on the scoresheet as the U21 side sealed their return to the Premier League 2 with a 3-0 win over Nottingham Forest on Monday night.

The Frenchman required game time and a much-needed confidence boost after his lack of minutes since joining from Hoffenheim during the January transfer window for a club-record £35.5m fee.

In total, the 21-year-old has mustered just 235 minutes of Premier League action, with nine of his ten Premier League appearances coming from the bench, with the youngster not really afforded a chance by any of Jesse Marsch, Javi Gracia or Sam Allardyce thus far.

However, after his goal on Monday, fans will be hoping to see him return to the first team and make a real impact in the future, something he is primed to do given his potential, irrespective of whether that's in the Premier League or Championship.

For now, however, he is viewed as failed signing. Victor Orta, who left the club in recent weeks, was certainly guilty of some shocking decisions in ther market during his time at Elland Road, with the likes of Jean-Kevin Augustin and Daniel James both proving to be a huge waste of money considering their lack of impact and minutes in a Leeds shirt.

Indeed, the former only managed 48 minutes of football during his time at Elland Road while the latter has found the net on just four occasions in 40 outings since his £25m arrival.

It is perhaps the £1m sale of talented youngster Leif Davis, however, which could go down as one of the Spaniard's worst decisions.

Where is Leif Davis now?

He was allowed to join Ipswich Town for a minimal fee and was one of the best players in League One as Kieran McKenna's side earned promotion back to the Championship.

Despite making 14 first-team appearances for the Yorkshire outfit following his arrival from Morecambe and impressing out on loan, Davis wasn't deemed to be good enough and was allowed to depart last summer.

During his loan spell at Bournemouth last term as they were promoted from the Championship, he was described as an "animal" by Scott Parker, so he was perhaps always going to be a star in the third tier with Ipswich.

That certainly proved to be the case, as his phenomenal 7.36 rating from WhoScored saw him ranked as the best player in the entire division after notching three goals and a remarkable 14 assists.

In fact, only Kevin De Bruyne and Lionel Messi have more assists in Europe's top leagues this season, which suggests that Davis certainly could have been an asset in a Leeds squad where Jack Harrison leads the way with just seven assists to his name.

Considering the left-back woes at Elland Road, which continued over the weekend with another diabolical Junior Firpo display that included a penalty conceded and a red card, it would have been the prime time to give a talented youngster such as Davis regular first-team minutes.

Instead, Leeds could now find themselves up against the 23-year-old next season in the Championship, where Orta's mistake could well and truly be hammered home.

تشكيل منتخب مصر أمام موزمبيق في كأس أمم إفريقيا 2023

تعرف على تشكيل منتخب مصر أمام موزمبيق في كأس أمم إفريقيا 2023

أعلن البرتغالي روي فيتوريا المدير الفني لـ منتخب مصر، تشكيل الفراعنة لمواجهة موزمبيق، في المباراة التي تجمع بينهما اليوم الأحد، ضمن منافسات كأس أمم إفريقيا 2023.

منتخب مصر يواجه موزمبيق، في إطار منافسات الجولة الأولى من عمر مباريات المجموعة الثانية لـ كأس أمم إفريقيا المقامة بكوت ديفوار.

طالع | موعد والقنوات الناقلة لـ مباراة مصر وموزمبيق اليوم في كأس أمم إفريقيا 2023.. والمعلق

منتخب مصر يتواجد في المجموعة الثانية لـ كأس أمم إفريقيا 2023، بجانب الرأس الأخضر وغانا وموزمبيق.

ويشهد تشكيل منتخب مصر أمام موزمبيق في كأس أمم إفريقيا، تواجد الثنائي حمدي فتحي وأحمد سيد زيزو في الوسط مع محمد النني.

ويقود الهجوم الثلاثي محمد صلاح ومصطفى محمد ومحمود حسن تريزيجيه. تشكيل منتخب مصر أمام موزمبيق في كأس أمم إفريقيا

حراسة المرمي: محمد الشناوي.

خط الدفاع: محمد هاني، أحمد حجازي، محمد عبد المنعم ومحمد حمدي.

خط الوسط: حمدي فتحي، محمد النني وأحمد سيد زيزو.

خط الهجوم: محمد صلاح، مصطفى محمد ومحمود تريزيجيه.

يذكر، أن منتخب مصر صاحب الرقم القياسي في التتويج بـ كأس أمم إفريقيا برصيد 7 ألقاب.

Predicted Liverpool XI, team & injury news vs Arsenal

Liverpool will host Mikel Arteta's incredibly on-form Arsenal side at Anfield for their Premier League showdown this afternoon and Jurgen Klopp will surely be desperate to give the home support something to believe in following a disappointing campaign so far.

The Reds are 13 points adrift of the Champions League qualifying spots inside the top four ahead of their clash with the Gunners, whilst their opponents will be heading to Merseyside with one thing on their mind – improving their lead in the top spot to avoid Manchester City closing in on them over the remaining fixtures of the season.

Indeed, Klopp knows exactly what it feels like to be looking over his shoulder for Pep Guardiola's formidable side, so attempting to put a dent in the North London club's challenge for the title will likely present a tough game for the Merseysiders.

In terms of injuries, Calvin Ramsay, Stefan Bajcetic and Naby Keita remain unavailable for selection, whereas Luis Diaz is continuing to build his fitness to get back to action but is confirmed to be unlikely to appear until the Leeds United game.

However, Klopp did hint in his pre-match press conference that two key players could make an appearance today, with the long-awaited return of Thiago Alcantara imminent and Virgil van Dijk ready to play following a bout of illness:

"Virgil, completely normal, he was back in training,"

“Luis and Thiago training completely normal too. The plan with Luis is that he will be available 100 per cent for Leeds (on April 17)."

"Thiago looks slightly different. He was not out that long, trained now three or four times with the team and he might be available. But we have to check how he feels."

How could Liverpool line up vs Arsenal?

Kloop could make as many as six changes to the team that drew with Chelsea earlier this week, maintaining his classic 4-3-3 formation.

The first of which may see a complete overhaul of the defensive set-up, with only Ibrahima Konate retaining his spot in the back four alongside Virgil van Dijk, Trent Alexander-Arnold and Andy Robertson, who will reprise their roles at Anfield.

Unlike his fellow returnees, the £100k-per-week Scotland captain – once hailed "clever" by Gary Neville – did make a 24-minute cameo against Chelsea after Kostas Tsimikas was hooked for a disappointing display.

Premier League, Liverpool, Liverpool news, Liverpool latest news, Liverpool update, Liverpool team news, Liverpool analysis, Liverpool vs Arsenal, LFC team news, LFC news, LFC injury news, LFC update, Thiago Alcantara

The fourth and fifth changes may come in midfield after the side found themselves overrun in the middle third on many occasions in west London, with Thiago and Harvey Elliott joining Jordan Henderson to complete the midfield.

The sixth and final change is an inevitable one with Egyptian goal machine Mohammed Salah returning to the starting eleven alongside an otherwise unchanged attacking force completed by Roberto Firmino and Darwin Nunez.

Predicted Liverpool XI (4-3-3): Alisson; Alexander-Arnold, Konate, Van Dijk, Robertson; Thiago, Henderson, Elliott; Salah, Nunez, Firmino

£110k-p/w Newcastle Transfer Target Has Role Outlined

Insider Dean Jones has claimed Newcastle United would look to play James Maddison "off the right as a creative outlet" if a transfer is completed this summer.

What's the latest on James Maddison and Newcastle?

It's no secret that the Magpies have been chasing the Leicester City star for some time now. After all, last summer they even put in a few bids, which were reported to be in the region of £50m for the Englishman.

However, those offers were turned down and the 26-year-old even remained with the Foxes even through the recent January transfer market as well.

With that in mind, it remains unclear if Eddie Howe will definitely try to sign Maddison at the end of the season. However, when speaking on the latest episode of Chasing Green Arrows, Jones claimed "there is a chance" that it happens.

What's more, the journalist explained where the midfielder would operate if he did end up joining Newcastle.

In full, Jones said: "There is a chance. They're looking at it. It's a big call for Maddison, where he goes next.

"I think he likes the ambition that Newcastle show. I think there's an obvious role in that team for him.

"From what I understand, Eddie Howe would see him playing off the right as a creative outlet."

Soccer Football – Premier League – Wolverhampton Wanderers v Leicester City – Molineux Stadium, Wolverhampton, Britain – October 23, 2022 Leicester City’s James Maddison celebrates scoring their third goal Action Images via Reuters/Andrew Couldridge EDITORIAL USE ONLY. No use with unauthorized audio, video, data, fixture lists, club/league logos or ‘live’ services. Online in-match use limited to 75 images, no video emulation. No use in betting, games or single club /league/player publications.

Will Maddison be an upgrade on Sean Longstaff?

There has been talk in the media that Newcastle could improve their starting XI by replacing Sean Longstaff. For instance, Gabby Agbonlahor told Football Insider what he thinks needs to happen to help the club go one step further.

He said: “I just feel that if Newcastle can sign a couple of players, maybe a centre-midfielder to go along with Guimaraes, someone else in there with him.

“At the moment, they play Longstaff and he’s done OK, but they can upgrade him."

If Howe feels the same way, he may well view Maddison as the perfect player to come in. After all, the Leicester City man has nine goals and five assists in 21 league games this term, while the Toon midfielder has one goal and three assists in 26.

With that in mind, if Howe wants a more "creative outlet" in his midfield three, it's easy to see why the England international – who currently makes £110,000 per week – is an appealing option.

What's more, Maddison provides great versatility having played in a number of roles over the years, so he could also play on either wing or even as a second striker if needed.

Arsenal tracking Borussia Dortmund midfielder Julian Brandt

Journalist Fabrizio Romano says that Arsenal are still tracking Borussia Dortmund midfielder Julian Brandt ahead of a potential move this summer.

The Lowdown: Arsenal interest

It has recently been reported that Arsenal are ‘hot’ in the race for Brandt this summer, along with another potential suitor.

Brandt is thought to be ‘open’ to moving to the Emirates Stadium, and a move to the Premier League would ‘appeal’ to him.

The Latest: Brandt tracked, but no fresh contact

Writing in his latest column for CaughtOffside, Romano says that Brandt has ‘always been tracked’ by the Gunners, but he is ‘not aware’ of any fresh contact over a potential summer move, and Dortmund have not decided on his future yet:

“Julian Brandt has always been tracked by Arsenal. I’m not aware of fresh contacts at this stage, nothing new; also because Borussia Dortmund have still not decided on Brandt’s future. New attacking signings will depend on many factors, nothing is decided on summer plan yet.”

The Verdict: Great addition

Brandt would certainly be a great addition in terms of adding to Arsenal’s squad depth for next season.

The Germany international has recorded an impressive nine goals and five assists in all competitions so far this term, and can play on both wings as well as in midfield (Transfermarkt).

Sharing a similar playing style to the Gunners’ own playmaker Martin Odegaard, Brandt ranks in the top 15% of all midfielders in Europe’s top five leagues for a number of key metrics over the past year (FBRef), and at 26 years of age, is about to enter his prime.

Nonetheless, Brandt is only going to get better, and could thrive under Mikel Arteta.

Liverpool transfer news on Anton Stach

Liverpool have reportedly scouted Mainz midfielder Anton Stach ahead of a potential move this summer.

The Lowdown: Bellingham unrealistic?

Liverpool’s primary midfield target for this summer remains Borussia Dortmund and England star Jude Bellingham, but it is looking less and less likely that they will be able to sign him.

After the 5-2 thumping at home to Real Madrid in the first leg of their UEFA Champions League last-16 tie, the Reds face an almighty battle to turn the tie around in the second leg at the Santiago Bernabeu.

They are also currently seven points off of the top four places in the Premier League, albeit with two games in hand, and are at major risk of missing out on Champions League qualification for next season.

If they do not qualify, Bellingham may look elsewhere in terms of a move, which would force the Merseyside club to look at other targets.

The Latest: Stach scouted

Writing in his latest piece for 90min, transfer expert Graeme Bailey says that Liverpool are one of a number of teams that have sent scouts to watch Stach in action in 2023, along with Newcastle United, Tottenham Hotspur and West Ham United.

The 6 foot 4 Germany international is primarily a defensive midfielder, but is also capable of playing as an eight or a ten.

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The Verdict: Needed

Liverpool’s midfield has been criticised virtually all season, and so a major refresh is needed in the middle of the park.

At 24 years of age, Stach has not hit his prime yet, but has still been one of the best-performing midfielders in Europe’s top five leagues over the past year.

The six-foot-four colossus ranks in the top 20% for a number of key metrics, including shots, assists, progressive carries, successful take-ons, touches, interceptions and aerials won per game.

Nonetheless, he would be a shrewd buy for next season, hopefully alongside Bellingham, and not instead of.

Liverpool could land dream signing in Neves

Liverpool have been linked with a move for Ruben Neves, and a new claim has been made by a reliable source on the club’s pursuit of the player ahead of the summer transfer window.

What’s the latest on Liverpool’s interest in Neves?

Journalist and transfer expert Dean Jones has claimed that the Wolverhampton Wanderers midfielder would be a much-needed addition at Anfield.

When asked about which Premier League clubs will be interested in the 25-year-old this summer, Jones told Football FanCast: “I mean he has been linked with nearly all of them at some point but you have to say that Liverpool would probably be the ones that are most in need of a player like this right now.”

Could Neves be the dream midfield signing for Klopp?

It is beyond doubt that pressure is mounting on the powerbrokers at Anfield to reinvest in the next generation of midfield talent at the club, with a number of players in that position either soon to be out of contract or reaching the latter stages of their careers.

Both Jordan Henderson and Thiago Alcantara are into their 30s and unlikely to be seen as the long-term future in the middle of the park, whilst Naby Keita, Arthur Melo, Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain and James Milner are all currently set for an exit from Liverpool when their contracts expire in the summer.

This leaves Jurgen Klopp with just Fabinho, Harvey Elliott and Curtis Jones as his most experienced midfielders under 30, with Stefan Bajcetic also breaking through to attempt to earn his place as a regular feature in the first-team, leaving the Reds with little depth and paving the way for a complete refresh in that area of the pitch.

Both Matheus Nunes and Jude Bellingham have been linked with a move to Merseyside this summer. However, getting in a player like Neves who not only offers longevity at 25 years of age but also a wealth of Premier League experience (162 games) would be massively advantageous in the club’s pursuit to rebuild the midfield.

Across 21 Premier League appearances this season, the £100m-priced titan – who has been dubbed “incredible” by team-mate Hugo Bueno – has scored five goals, completed 60% of his dribbles and tallied an 84% pass completion rate. He has also averaged 2.5 tackles, 2.6 clearances, 76 touches, 51 accurate passes and four successful duels per game, proving to be a huge presence both in progressive play and defensive transition for Wolves.

Furthermore, the Portugal international ranks among the top 21% of his positional peers in the top five European leagues for non-penalty goals, shots on goal, passes attempted, progressive passes, interceptions and clearances, displaying that he has one of the highest quality and most diverse skillsets in Europe.

Following Liverpool’s 1-0 victory over Wolves in the FA Cup last month, Klopp singled out Neves for praise, alongside team-mate and fellow Anfield target Nunes.

The German stated: “When you have Neves in the game it changes everything pretty much, and then when Nunes is on the pitch as well it’s twice as difficult.”

If Klopp could land Neves – and possible Nunes also – in the summer transfer windoe, it could be the dream signing to complete Liverpool’s midfield refresh and improve their performances next season.

Spurs: Dumfries is a dream Porro substitute

Tottenham Hotspur have seen their move to bring Pedro Porro to the Premier League collapse with less than 48 hours remaining of the January transfer window.

What’s the talk?

That’s according to David Ornstein, with the journalist revealing in his latest article for The Athletic that, despite Antonio Conte and Fabio Paratici having agreed a €45m (£39.5m) deal with Sporting Lisbon for the transfer of the right-back, the Liga Portugal side have now reneged on the terms of the 23-year-old’s proposed move to north London.

Subsequently, Fabrizio Romano revealed in a post on Twitter that talks between the two clubs will “continue today” in order to attempt to reestablish an agreement regarding the defender’s fee.

In his post, the Italian transfer insider said: “Pedro Porro – Tottenham had medical tests booked today in order to complete the deal, agreed on Saturday as player said goodbye to the fans. Sporting changed details/conditions of the deal right before signing documents. Talks continue today to resolve the issues.”

Forget Porro

While it is undeniable that Porro would represent a fantastic addition to Conte’s current options on the right of his backline at Tottenham, should Sporting continue to mess Paratici around heading into the final 24 hours of the transfer window, it would appear wise for the Italian sporting director to turn his attention back towards a long-term target: Denzel Dumfries.

Indeed, reports from Italy earlier this month suggested that Conte views the Inter Milan full-back as a dream alternative to the Spain international, with Tottenham said to be planning to ‘slingshot on Dumfries’ if ‘negotiations for Porro were to fail’ this month – with the Serie A side believed to be willing to part with the 26-year-old for a fee of €40m (£35m).

And, considering how similar the two players are in an attacking capacity – with Conte known to prefer his wing-backs to be predominantly forward-thinking rather than defensively focused – the argument that Dumfries would be a dream alternative to the Sporting star is an extremely easy one to make.

Indeed, over his 33 Serie A appearances in 2021/22, the £35m-rated Dutchman was in fantastic attacking form, scoring five goals, providing five assists and creating six big chances for his teammates, in addition to taking an average of 1.2 shots, making 0.8 key passes and completing 0.4 crosses per game.

The £54k-per-week right-back has been in similarly fine form over his 18 league outings this season, having already hit the back of the net once, registered two assists and created eight big chances, as well as taking an average of 1.1 shots, making 1.1 key passes and completing 0.4 crosses per match.

In comparison, over Porro’s 23 Liga Portugal appearances last season, the £22m-rated talent was also in eye-catching form going forwards, bagging four goals, providing four assists and creating 11 big chances for his teammates, in addition to taking an average of 1.6 shots, making two key passes and completing 1.8 crosses per game.

It has been a similar story over his 14 league fixtures this season, with the £10k-per-week Spaniard having already scored two goals, provided six assists and created eight big chances, as well as taking an average of 2.6 shots, making 2.4 key passes and completing 1.8 crosses per match.

As such, while it is true that Porro’s returns slightly better those of Dumfries over the last 18 or so months, considering the fact that the Dutchman looks to be available for roughly £4.5m less than the Sporting star, should Paratici fail in his negotiations for the 23-year-old, the Inter defender who Micah Richards dubbed “breathless” would indeed appear a dream alternative.

West Ham: Nicolo Zaniolo can be Payet 2.0

West Ham United could be set to further bolster their attacking options if reports are to be believed…

What’s the latest?

That’s according to Gianluca Di Marzio (via Sport Witness), who claim that the Hammers are in the picture for AS Roma’s Nicolo Zaniolo.

The 23-year-old has just 18 months left on his current deal, yet talks have not progressed to tie the Italian down. Therefore, it seems they have reluctantly opened the door for his sale.

Jose Mourinho’s side will hope for a fee of around €40m (£35m), with the player’s agent actively seeking options for the attacker to explore in the near future. David Moyes will be keen to jump at this opportunity.

Their next Payet

Having endured a tough season thus far, the West Ham faithful deserve something exciting to look forward to for the second half of this season.

In Zaniolo, they would certainly gain that, with this dynamic attacking midfielder expected to become a true star in the future.

Should this move materialise, it boasts shades of their signing of Dimitri Payet, who went on to become a sensational talisman for the east London outfit. The Frenchman etched his name in Premier League folklore with his free-kick prowess and flair, combined with incredible efficiency back in the 2015/16 season.

He would notch nine goals and assist a further 12 in the league, with his two assists against Manchester United at the end of the season imperative in winning their final game at the Boleyn Ground.

Despite the manner in which he left, few fans at the London Stadium will forget what he did for the club during his short stay.

Now, they could secure a long-term version of the midfielder in Zaniolo, who has shown flashes of brilliance that suggest he could occupy this maverick role that has since been vacant.

Only last season saw him notch eight goals and nine assists in all competitions, with his five goal contributions thus far this campaign also impressive given his youth.

It was even noted by journalist Nick Mercadante that, when in form, he is “a nightmare for the Serie A” as well as “The Answer for Italy” before labelling him “an absolute monster”.

A consistent goal threat from deep, he is further likened to Payet as he ranks in the top 4% of players in his position across Europe’s top five leagues for total shots. During the aforementioned campaign, the 35-year-old himself would average 2.3 shots per game too, as well as a mammoth 4.0 key passes.

There is a long way to go before Zaniolo can hit the heights of his potential predecessor, but with time and steady growth, there is reason to believe that he could well be the ‘answer’ to conjuring up some of the magic that has been lacking since the Frenchman’s departure.

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