Category Uncategorized

A return to Newcastle United for midfielder Mikel Merino is unlikely, according to journalist Ben Jacobs.

What’s the word?

The Real Sociedad midfielder previously plied his trade at Newcastle before departing the Premier League in 2018, making 25 appearances for the club.

He was the one that got away for the Magpies, as he is now flourishing in La Liga, but has been linked with a sensational return to the Premier League, with Liverpool reportedly interested.

However, speaking on NUFC Matters, Jacobs claimed a move for Merino was currently not on the cards for Eddie Howe’s side and that Liverpool seems to be a more likely destination.

He said: “As I understand it, the Newcastle links are not likely.

“It actually is more Liverpool who are potentially looking at him for the summer, and it then would be about what the valuation is – and that’s the other factor from Newcastle’s perspective.

“When you had a player, not only do you know a bit more about them in terms of their value, their personality, but you also have to factor in whether or not you’re going to get any value buying them back.”

A top-quality addition

Merino has developed into a top-class midfielder in Spain and we feel he would be an excellent addition to the Newcastle side if they end up going for him.

He ranks in the top 10% of midfielders for assists, clearances, aerial duels and attacking penalty area touches in Europe’s top competitions, as per FBref, highlighting his all-round ability and technical supremacy.

With seven assists this season, his final ball would be a weapon for any side, and he would add a lot of creativity to an already-firing Newcastle team.

He originally left Newcastle as he wanted to leave England and is enjoying life in his native Spain, but if he can be convinced to return, it would be a major statement signing for Eddie Howe.

Tottenham Hotspur have got an eye on the Wolverhampton Wanderers centre-back Max Kilman ahead of the summer’s transfer window.

What’s the latest?

There has been reported long-standing interest from the Lilywhites in the Inter Milan defender Alessandro Bastoni which saw the Lilywhites enquire over the summer window.

However, the Italian made his stance pretty clear and chose to reject a potential move to north London claiming he was happy to continue playing his football at the San Siro.

And there is still the belief that a move for the Italian in this January window is not a possibility and even in the summer the centre-back could opt to remain at Inter.

“I don’t think a January move is likely at all, but I am intrigued by what’s happening with Alessandro Bastoni at Inter,” Alasdair Gold said on his YouTube channel in November.

With this in mind, journalist Ben Jacobs has been speaking on the Last Word on Spurs YouTube channel and suggested the Lilywhites do hold an interest in the 25-year-old, Kilman:

(1:05:50) “And the other name I would keep an eye on again for the summer, rather than for now is Max Kilman at Wolves.

“And I said this the last time we spoke too. Max Kilman has been firmly on Tottenham’s radar, but it’s about that period in the market when you can move.

“So there’s no point in wasting time and energy if you know that there’s no ability to sell, but now new manager and Wolves are still struggling and Kilman will be thinking about his aspirations personally.

“And he’ll have been at the football club since we last mentioned it for another year and come the summer it wouldn’t remotely surprise me even if you get some playing under Julen Lopetegui if Kilman suddenly decides that he would like to make a move.”

Move on

It does seem as if the future of Bastoni at Inter is in the balance and a potential move to north London could be completely shut down if the centre-back is to put pen to paper on a new and improved deal. As well as this, Piero Hincapie has been of interest to Tottenham, but there’s uncertainty over whether he is the right player for Tottenham.

The Italian currently has just over one year remaining on his current contract with Inter so the next few months could possibly be crucial in deciding whether he will remain at the San Siro or whether Inter may cash in on him in the summer.

However, in the Wolves defender, Spurs could potentially land themselves a player who was not so long ago reportedly being watched by their London rivals, Chelsea.

The 25-year-old does still have a few years remaining on his deal at Molineux and has played a huge role for Wolves this season having played every single second of Premier League action.

Valued in the region of £20m-£30m last year by journalist Tim Spiers (via Molineux.news), Kilman would potentially offer a cheaper alternative to Bastoni who was believed to be worth in the region of £50m last summer.

However, the lower price tag could be seen through the Wolves man producing fewer tackles, shot-creating actions and passes per 90 minutes across the 2022/23 campaign so far (via Fbref).

So it does seem in return, Spurs could potentially land a less effective defender, however, it may have to be seen as to what lies ahead for a potential move for either of these players.

Liverpool are continuing their negotiations with Roberto Firmino over a new contract at Anfield, according to Fabrizio Romano. 

The Lowdown: Firmino’s contract situation

The Reds attacker is currently in the final year of his deal at the Merseyside club, meaning that unless he puts pen to paper on a new one, he’ll be leaving Anfield as a free agent at the end of this season.

However, it was reported earlier this month that the Reds have been in talks with the 31-year-old over the possibility of him signing a new one or two-year deal at the club.

Now though, some extra behind-the-scenes details have emerged on the matter.

The Latest: Romano’s Firmino update

In a recent Twitter post, Romano shared an update on the contract situation surrounding Firmino, starting by relaying recent comments from Jurgen Klopp on the matter, who confirmed he wants the forward to stay.

“Negotiations are ongoing on [a] potential short-term deal, but Firmino has to decide his future as Liverpool idea is very clear.”

[web_stories_embed url=”https://www.footballtransfertavern.com/web-stories/latest-liverpool-transfer-news-35/” title=”Latest Liverpool transfer news!” poster=”” width=”360″ height=”600″ align=”none”] 

The Verdict: Firmino should sign

Taking into account what Klopp had to say about him during his latest press conference, it’s clear that the Liverpool boss still sees him as a vital player in his squad.

Bearing in mind how the Brazilian has scored seven goals and delivered three assists in 13 league appearances this season, his attacking talent has been vital for the team.

In addition to that, the veteran currently has the highest percentage of shots on target (60.6%) in the squad, highlighting how clinical he is in front of goal.

With Romano revealing that Firmino has yet to decide whether he wants to continue with Liverpool or not, we feel that he should sign a new deal with the club given how highly thought of he is at Anfield.

Manchester United will be on red alert after hearing that one of their top offensive targets hailed the Premier League as the premium division in European football, amid heated interest in his services. 

What’s the word?

In comments cited by The Independent after Canada crashed out of the World Cup in the group stage, LOSC Lille striker Jonathan David lauded the “best league in the world”, suggesting that he would like to play in England someday.

When asked about the interest in his services, the 22-year-old said: “I am aware of nothing (interest in him).

“When I am at the World Cup I am just focused on trying to enjoy the World Cup and enjoying the moment, and what happens after I do not know, we will have to see.

“The Premier League is the best league in the world and I think every player would want to play there someday.”

With United reportedly interested in the player since last season, a move could certainly be revisited in the coming weeks, as the anticipation before the January transfer window increases, magnified by the 2022 World Cup in Qatar. 

And with reports from France reaffirming the club’s stance in recent weeks, there truly could soon be a new centre-forward in Manchester ready to take the division by storm. 

Solskjaer 2.0

With United’s offensive edge looking oiled and refined, David could enter the fold and have an instant impact at Old Trafford, with his sharpshooting prowess and slick movement going in tandem with the style that the support at this esteemed club demands. 

But with the acrimonious departure of Cristiano Ronaldo last month, the club are in need of firepower up front, with Marcus Rashford’s eight strikes this term doubling anyone else in Ten Hag’s squad.

Solskjaer might not have enjoyed the most fruitful spell as United manager – averaging a mere 1.79 points per game during his tenure as the Red Devils’ permanent boss – but he was certainly a resounding success as a player of the club, netting 126 goals and serving 50 assists in 366 appearances and winning a plethora of major honours, including the Champions League.

Like the Norwegian, David is a “predator in the box” – as heralded by football writer Austin Ditlhobolo – and would flourish with the likes of creative maestros such as Bruno Fernandes behind him.

The “beast” – as dubbed by Gregg Evans – would certainly be capable of providing a devastating impact within Ten Hag’s team, with his goal record simply sublime.

With 41 goals and eight assists across 111 appearances in total for Lille, and a remarkable 22 in 37 for his national side, the “silent assassin” is well on the way to becoming a lethal presence at the forefront of the game.

And with nine goals and three assists in 15 appearances for Lille this season, David is proving that he is improving with the turn of each season. 

As per FBref, he ranks within the top 10% for pass completion of forwards in Europe’s big five leagues over the past year, an indication that he can contribute effectively in the offensive manoeuvres, which would serve Ten Hag and his free-flowing philosophy well.

With his club asking for £43m, he will not come cheap, but should Man Utd snap him up, he could slowly be integrated into the fold and prosper as an offensive demon for years to come, taking a page out of Solskjaer’s book and taking the league by storm.

Liverpool forward Luis Diaz is making positive progress in his return to fitness after a lengthy spell on the sidelines, according to injury expert Ben Dinnery.

The Lowdown: Diaz a long-term absentee

The Colombian has been absent since October, when a knee injury forced him off in the 3-2 defeat away to Arsenal in the Premier League.

It was a major blow for Liverpool at the time, with Diaz arguably one of the standout players at that point in the season, scoring three goals and registering two assists in the league.

With the Reds on a break due to the ongoing World Cup and set for an imminent warm-weather training camp in Dubai, it now looks as though the 25-year-old is edging towards a return to action.

The Latest: Positive injury news on Diaz

Speaking to GiveMeSport, Dinnery confirmed that Diaz’s progress in his injury battle is currently positive and that he should take part in the training camp.

The injury expert said:

“With Diaz, it’s good news. He’s progressing as planned and he will be a part of the club’s tour of Dubai for some warm weather training.

“He will be training with the squad, so the intentions are fully that Diaz will be there for Liverpool once those Premier League fixtures kick-off again.

“That has gone relatively smoothly and, in terms of the timeline, we’re bang on schedule.”

[web_stories_embed url=”https://www.footballtransfertavern.com/web-stories/latest-liverpool-transfer-news-36/” title=”Latest Liverpool transfer news!” poster=”” width=”360″ height=”600″ align=“none”]

The Verdict: Huge boost for Liverpool

This is an enormous boost for Liverpool, with Diaz such an influential player for them ever since joining Porto last January, adding a spark to their attack and scoring 10 goals in 38 appearances so far.

The Colombia international possesses speed, quick feet, directness and end product, all of which have the potential to terrify opponents, and the Reds have looked imbalanced out on the left wing without him.

To have Diaz available when Liverpool return to league action on Boxing Day would feel huge, and he is someone who is capable of inspiring a return to top form for Jurgen Klopp’s side in the second half of the season.

Over what has been a tumultuous season thus far for West Bromwich Albion, few have actually improved their standing in the game with the recent form of the club.

Before Tuesday night’s win, the Baggies had won one of their last 12 Championship games, and despite gaining three points most recently, still sit three points adrift in 23rd.

Relegation form such as this for a club that was in the Premier League just over a season ago was unthinkable, and for Steve Bruce his position became untenable.

Carlos Corberan will now enter looking to see what players he can rely on to get them safe, first and foremost, before dreams of a return to the top flight can become possible.

Few names spring to mind, but one that has held his own during the tough times is 23-year-old Dara O’Shea.

At a time when experience is often favoured over youth, he has proved that he boasts a maturity far beyond his years.

It even led Bruce to label him a “future captain” with a “bright future” at the club.

The qualities that have helped him to stand out this season have been outlined in his average SofaScore rating of 7.06, bettered only by John Swift, who has upheld the majority of the creative burden for the side.

The Republic of Ireland international has played every minute of their league campaign this season, which makes the fact that he is averaging 3.2 clearances, 2.1 interceptions and 1.1 tackles per game even more impressive.

O’Shea has been a defensive stalwart at a time when the club was in desperate need of any shining light.

His exploits at such a dark time have likely led to his sharp increase in value, which has gone from just £810k in October 2020 to £3.6m in October 2022: a mammoth 344% increase in just two years.

West Brom certainly struck gold with this academy graduate who has quickly become a mainstay at the club.

With the new manager now in place, any success he gains in the future will likely be built off the solid foundations that the youngster brings.

Celtic head into Saturday afternoon’s Premiership meeting against Hibernian off the back of a disappointing 2-0 defeat against RB Leipzig in midweek, a result which means the Hoops can no longer qualify for the knockout stages of the Champions League.

As such, Ange Postecoglou will undoubtedly be hoping that his side can immediately return to winning ways in the league.

However, as has become something of a recurring theme for the Bhoys in Europe, the 57-year-old must address his side’s wastefulness in the final third if they are to take all three points at Parkhead this weekend.

Indeed, despite creating eight big chances over their four Champions League games this autumn – including five in Tuesday’s defeat to the Bundesliga side – Celtic have so far found the net just twice in Europe’s most prestigious club competition, suggesting that the Hoops manager may need to change up his attack against Hibs.

How many alterations will Postecoglou make to the starting XI which lined up against Leipzig? Here’s how we think the Celtic team could look against Hibernian, along with the latest team and injury news…

Speaking in his pre-match press conference, Postecoglou revealed that all three of Jota, David Turnbull and Stephen Welsh are unavailable for Saturday’s fixture, alongside longer-term absentees Callum McGregor and Carl Starfelt.

The 57-year-old manager stated on Friday: “Jota’s not available for tomorrow again. We’ve just got to be a bit conservative with him and we expect him to be back in training next week at some point. David Turnbull picked up a bit of a knock on his ankle [against RB Leipzig] so he’s out tomorrow and [Stephen] Welsh also picked up a knock in training.”

With this in mind, we predict that the Greek-Australian coach will make just one change, as well as a slight tweak in formation, from the side which started the 2-0 defeat to Leipzig on Tuesday.

The back five remains intact, with Joe Hart starting between the sticks and Greg Taylor, Moritz Jenz, Cameron Carter-Vickers and Josip Juranovic making up the Bhoys’ back four.

In the midfield three, the “unbelievable” Oliver Abildgaard – in the words of David Sansun – finally makes his full Celtic debut in a holding role, allowing both Reo Hatate and Matt O’Riley slightly more licence to bomb forward and join the Hoops’ attacks.

In attack, Liel Abada is available after limping off against Leipzig, but with the winger currently being on a run of six games without a direct goal contribution, the 41-goal starlet drops to the bench.

Sead Haksabanovic moves out to the right-wing, while both Daizen Maeda and Kyogo Furuhashi keep their places on the left and up top respectively.

Aston Villa midfielder Douglas Luiz looked to be on the brink of leaving the club in the summer transfer window, with the likes of Arsenal and Liverpool linked with the Brazilian.

In the end, the former Manchester City man would remain at Villa Park, which could prove to be an error by Steven Gerrard as he is now set to leave the club next summer on a free transfer when his current contract expires, with foreign clubs able to begin talks with the midfielder in January.

With Boubacar Kamara now injured until after the World Cup, Gerrard has been forced to recall the Brazilian to his first team after handing him just two starts in the Premier League before last weekend’s stalemate against Leeds United.

The 24-year-old showed his qualities in that game, earning a superb 7.74 rating from WhoScored for his performance, so it may prove tough to replace him when he does leave, with reports suggesting that he has already decided to move on from the Midlands club when his contract expires.

Fortunately for Gerrard, he may have a ready-made replacement for the Brazilian in academy gem, Tim Iroegbunam.

The teenage midfielder broke into the first team last season, making his debut against Brighton, with a further three senior Villa appearances to his name since then.

The 19-year-old was subsequently sent on loan to QPR for the season and has made five appearances for Michael Beale’s side in the Championship, helping the Hoops to fourth place in the second tier.

It is no surprise that the former Villa assistant wanted to take Iroegbunam with him to QPR, as he was full of praise for him last season, saying:

“He is a top young footballer and a super impressive young man also. A very bright future ahead.”

[freshpress-quiz id=“659225”]

Gerrard also sang his praises after seeing him perform for the academy side, saying:

“I went to watch him for the under-23s in the week (vs Norwich) and he started a little bit slow and, obviously, got sent off at the end but in the middle bit of the game, he was outstanding and looked like a Premier League player. He’s one I’m excited to keep developing and keep polishing up. He’s a great kid, humble, and needs to keep working.”

Therefore, when Luiz leaves Villa, there seems little reason why Iroegbunam can’t step up as his replacement, especially if he can go on to have a fruitful campaign in the Championship this season.

A week on from their last outing, Tottenham Hotspur are finally back in action as they head to Portugal to face league runners-up Sporting CP in the Champions League.

Both teams will be looking to continue their hot start to the 2022/23 campaign and for Spurs, who remain unbeaten across all competitions so far this season, they can make it two wins from two with a victory at the Estádio José Alvalade.

Last time out, the Lilywhites defeated Ligue 1 outfit Marseille in a pretty drab affair in north London, where summer signing Richarlison stole the show by bagging a headed brace to secure all three points.

It was also another off-night for Heung-min Son, who must now be in jeopardy of being dropped, particularly given the form of his Brazilian teammate; he has effectively played himself into being undroppable in this current run.

There was also an eye-catching cameo off the bench from Dejan Kulusevski, so it could well be time for manager Antonio Conte to make the bold and ruthless decision to axe the South Korean from his starting lineup.

The 30-year-old attacker has started all seven of Tottenham’s matches this term but has failed to deliver more than the one goal contribution, with his solitary assist coming on the opening day in a 4-1 rout of Southampton, leading to ex-goalkeeper Paul Robinson describing the winger as “very quiet” earlier this month.

When you compare that to last season, it’s a glaring worry as the Gangwon native was averaging a goal or assist every 104 minutes across all competitions as he scored 24 goals and laid on a further ten assists from 45 outings, as per Transfermarkt.

Against Les Olympiens, he was pretty much rendered anonymous and was ineffective for large parts before being hooked four minutes from time. Even shot-stopper Hugo Lloris (25) had more accurate passes than Son (22) and he had attempted as many as nine long balls from his own net.

Elsewhere, the £192k-per-week star – who was described as an “absolute beast” by AJ Tracey last season – couldn’t manage a single shot on target, whilst he lost possession 17 times from his 47 touches and won just three of his nine duels against the opposition, via SofaScore.

Whether his poor form comes down to fitness or not remains to be seen but given the fact that he’s started 100% of matches in 2022/23, he could be due a rest if his performances weren’t already a sign of why he should be sat on the bench this evening.

As such, Conte must remove him from the XI tonight as his side look to continue their impressive start to the new campaign.

AND in other news, Spurs could cash in on £80k-p/w dud by signing “ingenious” gem who’s “frightening”…

West Ham United are reportedly eyeing a move for Atalanta midfielder Ruslan Malinovskyi, with Premier League rivals Tottenham Hotspur also believed to be keen on his signature.

What’s the word?

According to Italian outlet Tutto Atalanta, the Hammers have emerged as a potential suitor for the 29-year-old, with the London Stadium outfit said to be ‘thinking about’ a possible approach for the Ukraine international.

The report does suggest, however, that it could take a fee of around €35m (£29.5m) for the Bergamo-based side to contemplate a sale, with that figure said to have proven somewhat prohibitive for Spurs.

As such, the report goes on to add that the chances of the 49-cap gem staying put are only increasing, particularly with the end to the window fast approaching.

Unreal signing

West Ham boss David Moyes has overseen seven major deals already so far this summer, although the indication is that there could be further incomings before the September deadline, with the club’s dismal start to the new season potentially set to force their hand in the market.

While the backline has been something of a concern amid mounting injury woes, the forward line has also come up short in the league thus far, having failed to score a single goal in the opening three games.

In Malinovskyi, however, the former Everton boss could well have found a solution to those attacking deficiencies, with the former Genk man offering a real potent threat in the final third.

Dubbed “decisive” by manager Gian Piero Gasperini, the £25.2m-rated playmaker – who largely operates in an attacking midfield role – has scored 30 goals and provided 27 assists in 130 games for his current side to date, having previously also recorded 62 goal contributions in 135 games during his time in Belgium.

Lauded for his “unreal” long-range shooting ability by journalist Carlo Garganese, the £21k-per-week sensation netted five of his six Serie A goals last season from outside the box, proving himself a real menace from distance.

Equally, his tally of 17 goal contributions in all competitions last term was only bettered by Michail Antonio (24) and Jarrod Bowen (31) in the Hammers squad – and level with Said Benrahma – with Moyes and co likely to be delighted to have another figure in tow who can produce a moment of magic.

The 5 foot 11 machine offers a real creative and forward-thinking presence in attack as he also notably ranks in the top 4% for progressive passes among those in his position across Europe’s top five leagues, with that figure notably better than the likes of Pablo Fornals (top 14%) and Manuel Lanzini (top 22%) – two men who currently operate in a playmaking role for the club.

With Champions League experience also under his belt, Malinovskyi could well be the quality attacking addition that Moyes and co are craving, with all the evidence pointing to a player who would simply be ‘unreal’ for the club were he to join before the window is out