All posts by z3u9t.icu

Celtic fans have been relishing in Rangers’ misery after it was announced that their Old Firm rivals have lost over £11m in the past year.

Of course, Rangers are no strangers to financial mismanagement as the club were relegated forced out of the top division after their woes back in 2012.

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There is still a lot of controversy around that as some Celtic fans refuse to acknowledge that the current iteration of the Glasgow club is the same as the one that won over 50 league titles due to the fact that they went into liquidation.

The history isn’t that relevant to this update as Rangers remain Celtic’s closest rivals in terms of competing for the Scottish title.

Bhoys supporters were buzzing to hear this news, some were hoping that this update spells disaster for the club once again, while others were just happy to see that they’re not in the strongest of positions.

Here’s what the Celtic Park faithful have been saying on Twitter…

A selection of Liverpool fans have been reacting on social media after Jurgen Klopp praised Trent Alexander-Arnold and Andrew Robertson for their offensive contributions, as he shared his assessment of the full-backs.

The pair are joint with Mohamed Salah and Roberto Firmino for the most assists in the Premier League by a Liverpool player this season with three, while Alexander-Arnold ranks top for minutes between key passes with one every 24.8.

Only Kevin De Bruyne at 19.7 minutes, Robbie Brady at 22, Callum Hudson-Odoi at 22.2, Marc Albrighton and Riyad Mahrez at 22.9 are averaging a faster rate of key passes in the Premier League this term from players to have featured for more than 100 minutes.

Alexander-Arnold also ranks second for big chances created in the top-flight with nine to De Bruyne’s eleven, and has delivered the second-most accurate crosses with 29 to the Manchester City midfielder’s 30.

Robertson, meanwhile, has delivered 12 accurate crosses and created four big chances so far this season.

The Reds full-backs’ form is nothing new either, as they set a Premier League record last term as the first two defenders from the same team to ever record double figures for assists in the same campaign.

Klopp could not help himself but to praise the duo as he spoke to the assembled media ahead of Sunday’s clash with Manchester City, as he delivered a glowing verdict of their efforts.

“Modern football is like this, that you have to be really strong on the wings, however you do it, because the goal is in the centre of the pitch and the area around the goal is the most crowded area,” he said, via quotes by the official Liverpool website. “So you have to find a way to go through – that’s in behind, you pass it on the wings or you try to find little spaces between their lines. That’s how football is.

“The wider you make the pitch, the bigger the spaces in the centre. That’s why we try, you have to be a force from pretty much everywhere. We try to use the skills of the two boys – good crosses, speed, very lively, very brave and very fit endurance-wise, so they can do the defensive transition as well.

“They are pretty good players, so they’ve done well so far.”

Here are some of the messages shared from supporters reacting to Klopp’s comments…

Chelsea centre-forward Nicolas Jackson has enjoyed a strong start to the season in the Premier League under new head coach Enzo Maresca.

The Senegal international has racked up four goals and three assists in six appearances in the division so far this term, after a return of 14 goals in 35 outings in the 2023/24 campaign.

However, his 18 goals in the Premier League since the start of last season have come from xG of 23.3, which suggests that the striker has not made the most of his opportunities in front of goal.

That may be why Chelsea are reportedly still in the market to add another number nine to their squad in the upcoming January transfer window…

Chelsea's interest in Bundesliga star

According to Calcio Mercato, the Blues are one of a number of teams lining up a bid to sign RB Leipzig centre-forward Benjamin Sesko after the turn of the year.

The report claims that Chelsea, Arsenal, and Liverpool are all prepared to splash the cash to sign the Bundesliga star to bolster their respective attacking options.

It states that the current feeling is that a fee of around €80m (£67m) will be needed to secure his services, whether that is in January or next summer.

Calcio Mercato adds that AC Milan have also been tracking the Slovenia international in recent years but that his price tag is unlikely to be affordable to any teams in Italy, which could give Chelsea a boost in their pursuit of the marksman.

Maresca could now land an upgrade on Jackson, and an excellent partner for Christopher Nkunku by securing a deal to sign Sesko in January.

Why Chelsea should sign Sesko

Firstly, the Slovenian star stands at 6 foot 5 and provides an imposing presence at the top end of the pitch, which could complement Nkunku – who stands at 5 foot 10 – well.

Sesko has won 67% of his aerial duels in the Bundesliga this season and could offer physicality in the number nine role that would then allow a smaller player, like the Frenchman, to shine in possession without having to worry about his lack of strength in those duels.

Alongside his physical attributes, Sesko is also a terrific finisher who could come in and offer more than Jackson as a goalscorer for Chelsea, based on their respective performances over the last 14 months or so.

Appearances

36

41

xG

8.57

23.3

Goals

16

18

Big chances missed

9

28

As you can see in the table above, the 21-year-old star has outperformed his xG by just over seven goals since the start of the 2023/24 campaign.

Whereas, Jackson has underperformed his xG by just over five and this suggests that Sesko is far more clinical in front of goal, and more likely to make the most of the chances that Chelsea create.

Sesko, who was described as a “monster” by U23 scout Antonio Mango, could then create an exciting partnership with Nkunku, who has scored seven goals in ten games in all competitions this season.

97% pass accuracy: Chelsea's 100-touch star failed his big audition vs Gent

The Blues maintained their winning form on Thursday evening…

ByRobbie Walls Oct 4, 2024

The France international, who has lost 53% of his duels in the Premier League this term, lacks physicality and the Slovenian giant could come in to offer quality in that side of the game, to free up the 26-year-old to shine with his finishing qualities.

After a rough start to this season, which saw them lose to Arsenal and Newcastle United, Tottenham Hotspur appear to have found their rhythm again.

Ange Postecoglou’s side scraped past Coventry City in the League Cup last week, but on the weekend, they put in a seriously impressive performance to beat a Brentford side that gave Manchester City a run for their money the week before.

However, there’s no time to reflect on the victory as the North Londoners kickstart their Europa League campaign with a home game against Azerbaijani giants Qarabağ FK this evening.

While Postecoglou might be tempted to go with the same team that won on the weekend, he shouldn’t. Instead, the Australian should look to rest several important first-team players like club captain Son Heung-min and start some of the club’s incredibly talented youngsters.

Why Son should be dropped

So, we’ll just cut right to the chase with this one, as it’s not his form that should see Son dropped to the bench for tonight’s game, but his fitness.

The South Korean superstar might not have started this season in scintillating fashion, but he’s undoubtedly one of the most important players in Postecoglou’s squad, both for his on-pitch exploits and leadership qualities, although at 32 years old, his minutes need to be managed.

Following this evening’s game, the North Londoners have a must-win clash with Manchester United on Sunday, a tricky away game against Hungarian giants Ferencvaros on Thursday, and then another seriously challenging away clash with the high-flying Brighton & Hove Albion on Sunday before another international break halts the season for just under two weeks.

Of the next four matches, tonight’s is probably the only one in which the manager can afford to rest the former Bayer Leverkusen star due to the level of the opposition and the fact that it is at home. So, with the intention of keeping Son fit and firing for the following three games, he should be on the bench.

Why Mikey Moore should start

Yes, 17-year-old Mikey Moore, one of the club’s most talked-about and exciting young talents, should make his first competitive start for the Lilywhites tonight.

For example, in his 33 appearances across the various junior sides, the “exceptional” talent, as dubbed by U23 scout Antonio Mango, has scored 20 goals and provided 15 assists, equating to a sensational average of a goal involvement every 0.94 games.

Moreover, the Southwark-born gem, whom Mango claims was “born to play football,” hasn’t just been impressive for the North Londoners’ youth teams.

In 34 games for the England U15, U16, U17, and U19 sides, the right-footed dynamo has scored 18 goals and provided seven assists, meaning he’s averaging a goal involvement every 1.36 games in the national set-up.

Aside from his outrageously impressive form, the other argument for starting the youngster in tonight’s game is that he needs to start playing for the first team more this season to help his development and illustrate that there is a path to regular football at the club, and while Qarabağ won’t be a walkover, it should be a far more forgivable fixture than most others this season.

Ultimately, Spurs need to rest Son tonight to keep him fit and firing for the tougher fixtures to come, and Moore deserves the chance to make his first competitive start for the club, so the youngster should come in for the captain.

Conte wanted Spurs to sign star now worth £62m but got Richarlison instead

The Premier League star would be incredible under Postecoglou.

1 ByJack Salveson Holmes Sep 25, 2024

Not even the most optimistic of Leeds United supporters would have predicted that the recipient of the August Player of the Month accolade for the Whites would be Brenden Aaronson before a ball was kicked this Championship season.

The American attacking midfielder has turned his failing Leeds story around already this campaign, with two strikes registered from five second tier clashes to date, after being chucked out on loan to Union Berlin for all of the 2023/24 season amidst his side’s demise from the Premier League.

Whilst he’ll be overjoyed with the drastic change in narrative, there are still a number of high-profile signings from the same time Aaronson was picked up that remain firmly in the Leeds bad books, including forgotten defender Rasmus Kristensen.

Kristensen's transfer to Leeds

There would have been excitement in the air when Kristensen penned a deal to sign for the West Yorkshire outfit back in 2022, costing the Whites a considerable £10m fee, with the bumper switch seeing the Danish full-back reunite with his ex-RB Salzburg boss Jesse Marsch in the process.

Now, however, with hindsight firmly on side, the Scandinavian goes down as a major transfer misfire, and another flop that former Leeds director of football Victor Orta has to take some accountability over.

Snapped up in the same disastrous window as the likes of Tyler Adams and Maximilian Wober were also signed, the 27-year-old did show flashes of his promise as an attack-oriented full-back at Elland Road, with three goals picked up from 30 games in total.

However, it would be his calamitous defending – lining up in a leaky Leeds side that conceded goals for fun on the way to relegation – that would leave a whole lot to be desired, with just one clean sheet registered from 26 top-flight appearances for the Whites.

He has since been moved on to AS Roma and now Eintracht Frankfurt on loan, with Leeds presumably desperate to get him off their roster for good soon, with Whites content creator Conor McGilligan even boldly labelling him as a “League One” standard defender during his difficult 2022/23 campaign.

Leeds might well be able to fulfil this wish soon, with his current short-term Bundesliga employers impressed by the Dane during the infancy of this new season so far, even with his poor time in England well documented.

Kristensen's time at Frankfurt

Kristensen could well have an exit route out of Leeds for good if he keeps up his promising displays in Germany, with Frankfurt sporting director Timmo Hardung notably pointing out the 27-year-old as a player who is of a “high quality” recently.

Although the brand new Frankfurt number 13 is finding it tricky to pick up clean sheets still – much like his Leeds stay – with zero amassed from three Bundesliga appearances, the numbers are far more glowing elsewhere.

Stat – per 90 mins*

Kristensen

Games played

3

Goals scored

0

Assists

0

Touches*

54.0

Accurate passes*

25.3 (79%)

Tackles*

2.0

Ball recoveries*

4.7

Clearances*

3.3

Total duels won*

4.3

Impressively, when looking at the table above, Kristensen has actually bettered Jayden Bogle’s own ball recovery total per clash for Leeds playing out in Germany, with the ex-Sheffield United man only averaging 2.4 per Championship game playing for Daniel Farke’s men contrasted next to the Dane’s superior 4.7.

Still, far too many bridges feel as if they’ve been burnt between the Orta signing and the Whites at this point in time, with Aaronson at least willing to fight for his space in the Leeds side in the second tier this campaign, over favouring another loan venture.

The American has managed to win back over Leeds supporters subsequently, whereas it’s likely now that Kristensen’s end at Elland Road is in sight, and he will go down as a sizeable waste of money.

Left for £7m: Orta struck gold by selling Leeds star who's now worth £843k

The Whites played a blinder by cashing in on the “bombastic” ace.

2 ByDan Emery Sep 18, 2024

West Ham United are currently in the driving seat when it comes to a potential deal for Yunus Musah, according to a report from CalcioMercato, via Sport Witness.

How many games has Yunus Musah played for Valencia?

The midfielder was given his league debut for current club Valencia back when he was just 17-years-old, which already showcases how much talent the La Liga outfit believed he had.

He went on to feature 32 times in that campaign, despite his age, as his side finished 13th. He has since gone on to establish himself as a regular member of their team and managed another 33 showings in Spain during the 2022/23 season, with two assists along the way. He has now racked up almost 100 appearances for the club – and is only just out of his teens.

Musah has also become an integral part of his national team too, playing 24 times for the USA. He did come up through the youth ranks with England, but opted to switch his allegiance to America and has been rewarded with regular minutes for their team.

Are West Ham United signing Yunus Musah?

Having become a key member of the Valencia team, he has now caught the eye of other clubs. West Ham have already been linked on a few occasions, as have other sides from the Premier League.

However, according to a fresh report from CalcioMercato, via Sport Witness, the Hammers are the team that are in "first place" in England in terms of securing his signature.

It won't be completely straightforward to land the American, with AC Milan also keen to snap him up. It seems the Italian side will be battling West Ham all the way for his signature, with the Serie A giants planning to use the funds from Sandro Tonali's sale to try and seal a deal for the 20-year-old. Valencia have set his asking price at just 20 million Euros (or £17.2m), so a fee will not be too steep for either team.

Musah is already highly regarded when you consider the praise he has received. Football talent scout Jacek Kulig called him a "jewel" for Valencia and added that he keeps getting "better and better" to boot.

Despite his age then, he already has shown his ability and the potential is clearly there for him to keep improving. If the Hammers can snap him up, then they could have both a player for the here and now and for plenty of years ahead too.

Aston Villa are reportedly interested in Juventus defender Gleison Bremer, as Unai Emery aims to bolster his squad this summer.

The Spaniard, along with compatriot Monchi has it in his sights to bring the glory days back to the Midlands, as Villa bid to sufficiently equip the squad in preparation for their European adventure.

With the likes of Pau Torres and Aymeric Laporte linked as central defenders that could head to Villa Park, Bremer has joined the list of potential targets with news in Italy naming the Villans as a club interested in the Juventus centre-back.

Last weekend, La Gazetta dello Sport, relayed by Calcio Mercato, reported that both Aston Villa and Tottenham are ‘ready to move’ for the 26-year-old with ‘official bids’ expected.

The report states that a fee exceeding the €50m (£43m) mark could force Juve to ‘seriously think’ about letting the Brazilian depart, after signing from Torino only last summer.

What could Gleison Bremer offer to Aston Villa?

This transfer window, Emery is expected to clear the deadwood at the club to allow for an efficient upgrade ahead of his first full campaign at the helm of Villa Park.

A thrilling first term at the club has opened doors for the Spaniard to compete in the market, with the four-time Europa League winner reportedly having a transfer kitty of £150m to spend, as per Football Insider.

As reported today by David Ornstein, the Villans have reached an agreement to sign Emery’s former player Pau Torres from Villarreal, and with Bremer also linked, it could signal a complete revamp of the back line ahead of next season.

With a host of talent speculated to be Villa bound, one name that could be ushered away from the Midlands is Calum Chambers, who has made just 25 league appearances since signing for the club from Arsenal in the 2022 January window.

Recording just two starts all season, the Englishman could be replaced in the squad by a talent as highly regarded as Bremer, who could add serious firepower to Emery’s back line in his place.

Lauded as a “monster” by journalist Maxi Angelo, the Brazilian ranked as Juve’s third-highest performer last campaign, with an average Sofascore match rating of 7.11 in 30 Serie A appearances.

The 26-year-old won 56% of his total duels, as well as averaging 1.4 interceptions, 3.8 clearances and 2.6 aerial wins per game, while contributing to 12 clean sheets in the league, via Sofascore.

On an average based on his appearances this term, Chambers fell far short in comparison to the commanding Itapitanga-born machine, winning just 47% of his total duels and being expelled down the pecking order at Villa Park.

Described as “poor” by journalist Josh Bunting during his time in north London, Emery could free up £52k-per-week by letting the Englishman go, making room for talents at a level to compete in Europe.

Tottenham Hotspur are interested in signing Udinese striker Beto this summer to ease starring talisman Harry Kane's workload, according to recent reports.

What's the latest on Beto to Tottenham?

That's according to one Spanish outlet, who claim that Spurs – alongside Bayern Munich, Napoli and Real Madrid – could secure the services of the formidable forward.

Beto is valued at €30m (£26m) by his Serie A outfit – the fee a clause in his contract – and with I Bianconeri unwilling to conduct business for a lesser fee, the interested suitors are yet to commence negotiations.

With recent reports that Bayern are pushing for the transfer of Kane, reaching an agreement in principle despite facing an obstinate hurdle in Spurs chairman Daniel Levy, the requirement to sign a new first-rate forward is only magnified.

Should Tottenham sign Beto?

While the emphasis at Tottenham this summer will be on bolstering the backline and restoring balance to the squad through eradicating the seasonal issues of a leaky defence, targetting a centre-forward is certainly not a bad shout.

Manager Ange Postecoglou will have his work cut out in replenishing Spurs after an eighth-placed finish confirmed European football to be outside the side's reach next year, and Beto would add a new dimension to the fold.

Standing at 6 foot 4, the £3k-per-week ace has maintained a steady rate of scoring in Italy, bagging ten times in Serie A last term before netting 11 strikes this time around.

The Brazilian menace would also add a new dimension to the fold, offering greater physicality than Kane and perhaps utilising his imposing stature to serve as a conduit, and a focal point from which the likes of Heung-min Son and Dejan Kulusevski could wreak havoc with well-timed inversions.

This is evidenced through FBref, with the 25-year-old ranking among the top 18% of forwards across Europe's top five leagues over the past year for successful take-ons, the top 11% for clearances, the top 26% for interceptions and the top 25% for aerials won per 90.

The consistency within the top quarter of positional peers across the aforementioned metrics illustrates an aptitude in physicality across the park.

And for all Kane's excellence – having scored 30 goals from 38 league matches this year – he ranks below the bottom 50% mark for each defensive statistic FBref has to offer.

Reporter Sam Tighe even said: "The way Beto spooks defenders is amazing. Chuck a ball into the channel for him to chase and even if he doesn't latch onto it, defenders panic under his pressure and end up making the craziest decisions or panicked clearances."

With statistical likeness to Alexander Mitrovic and Ollie Watkins, with the Fulham striker hailed as a "monster" by Andy Naylor while Aston Villa's goal-happy striker has been dubbed "lethal" by pundit Trevor Sinclair, the Lilywhites would secure a gem with qualities fit for Premier League football.

He would bring a brutish presence and a new angle for the attack, Kane is one of Europe's foremost forwards and deserves all the plaudits for his prolific brilliance and leadership skills, but perhaps what the club needs is a new striker to add something different when the situation demands it.

Leicester City are among a number of English clubs interested in making a move for Japan international and Fortuna Dusseldorf midfielder Ao Tanaka this summer, according to Mike McGrath and John Percy of The Telegraph.

What's the latest on Ao Tanaka to Leicester City

Following the appointment of Manchester City coach Enzo Maresca, Leicester can finally focus on rebuilding a squad capable of getting back into the Premier League at the first time of asking next season.

The Foxes will face a battle for the signature of Tanaka, however, with West Ham United and Fulham also interested in the midfielder.

West Bromwich Albion, meanwhile, saw their bid rejected by Dusseldorf in January.

So, Tanaka isn't exactly short on options in what could be a long summer ahead for Dusseldorf if they want to keep the 24-year-old ahead of next season.

Maresca could see the midfielder as an ideal replacement for James Maddison, who has attracted interest from both Newcastle United and Tottenham Hotspur this summer, according to Fabrizio Romano.

Currently valued at just €2.5m, according to Transfermarkt, too, a deal for Tanaka wouldn't eat away at Leicester's summer budget, either.

Should Leicester City sign Ao Tanaka?

Defeating Spain out of the 2022 World Cup with his controversial goal, Tanaka is a player on the rise and has more than earned interest from both the Premier League and the Championship.

For Dusseldorf last season, the 24-year-old was involved in four goals from midfield in all competitions, as his side failed to secure promotion back into the Bundesliga, finishing fourth.

Having shown plenty of potential, however, a move could come at the perfect time for the Leicester-linked man, who will be desperate to step things up a level after enjoying a successful World Cup, where he stunned the likes of UCL-winner Rodri and LaLiga champion Sergio Busquets with his winning goal to topple Spain back in December.

Switching from Germany's second division to England's may be a hard sell for the Foxes to make this summer, but working under Maresca could intrigue a number of players.

The majority, if not all the coaches to have initially worked with Pep Guardiola have gone onto achieve great things, from Mikel Arteta all the way to Xavi at Barcelona.

Now, it could be the turn of the new Leicester boss to shine and build a project that the likes of Tanaka will be keen to become a part of ahead of a crucial season in the Championship.

With a long summer ahead, the "exceptional" Japan international – in the words of UEFA A license coach Stevie Grieve – looks set to have a big decision to make.

Chelsea’s lack of goalscoring edge last season was their ultimate undoing across all competitions, but mainly in the Premier League.

They conceded 47 league goals, with only six teams conceding less, yet they managed to net just 38 times across 38 matches, with relegated duo Leeds United and Leicester City managing more, clearly showing where the problem lies at the club.

No player at the Stamford Bridge outfit netted more than ten goals while centre-forwards Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang and Armando Broja scored just three goals and one goal respectively, albeit the latter missed 30 games last term having suffered a cruciate ligament rupture.

The Blues have been linked with Danish sensation Rasmus Hojlund recently according to the Evening Standard and he could cost in the region of £86m as Atalanta don’t want to let one of their prized assets leave unless a substantial offer is submitted.

There is no doubt Mauricio Pochettino needs an out-and-out striker ahead of next term and by signing Hojlund, they could be making a very shrewd investment, as he should only get better and better.

Could Rasmus Hojlund replace Armando Broja?

The Dane enjoyed somewhat of a breakthrough campaign during 2022/2023, for both club and country. He scored 16 club goals, adding in another seven assists for good measure, while the 20-year-old also netted five in just five matches for Denmark, including a stunning hattrick against Finland in March.

Could he, then, be an upgrade on Broja ahead of next season? Especially with Pochettino’s need for someone who is much more clinical in the opposition penalty area.

Last season, Hojlund registered more shots per 90 (2.58 to 1.84), shot-creating actions per 90 (2.75 to 1.22) and goals and assists per 90 (0.64 to 0.31) than Broja, clearly suggesting he could be a vast improvement to what the Argentinian currently has at his disposal.

Hojlund also managed to make 0.8 key passes per game and created one big chance, with Broja only making 0.1 key passes per game and failing to create a single big chance, albeit he played fewer matches.

Lauded as “scary quick” by journalist Sacha Pisani, his pace would clearly be another key feature of his game which could endear him to the Chelsea faithful.

The Danish sensation has also been dubbed as a “monster in the making” by talent scout Jacek Kulig and with his skills being on full display during his brief time in Serie A with Atalanta, Chelsea obviously feel that a move to the Premier League could take his game to the next level.

The Blues need to vastly improve their attacking output if they want to challenge for trophies next term. Signing Hojlund this summer would give them a major boost.