All posts by z3u9t.icu

Frank Lampard didn't get many things right during his two managerial spells at Chelsea, particularly when taking charge as caretaker boss last season. But, this is still a man with veteran Premier League experience on the pitch. And, with that, likely comes the fairly natural ability to spot the next best thing, especially in midfield.

The Blues' transfer policy in the last year hasn't exactly looked like it's come from veteran experience, meanwhile, with the technique seeming more like throwing things at the wall, and seeing what sticks, more so than anything.

After going through three different managers, before landing on new boss Mauricio Pochettino, it's difficult to really decipher what exactly the plan is at Stamford Bridge.

As it turns out, though, on the rare occasion when Lampard should have been listened to in the technical area, he could have helped Chelsea sign a transformative player in Declan Rice.

What did Frank Lampard say?

Speaking on Steven Bartlett's podcast, The Diary of a CEO, Lampard said: "I wanted to bring in Declan Rice.

"I was like 'this kid is going to be the captain of Chelsea for the next 10 years'. It didn't happen, anyway, it is hard to dissect people's work."

The Premier League legend also spoke about his difficult spell as caretaker boss last season, saying: "The biggest thing about the low standards was the size of the squad. The motivation was tough with players outside the Champions League squad.

"When I came in, very quickly I noticed that some players were thinking about the season's going to peter out and what the future's going to look like and that was a difficult situation.

"When you have international players in a big number then of course you're telling internationals to stay at home and it's not easy, and to have the conversation with them every Friday and to get them lined up coming in is also not easy for your own energy."

On Mason Mount and his recent move to Manchester United, he said: "I think it's a great signing.

"So in terms of what he'll bring to Manchester United, it won't just be what Mason brings, he will bring loads of talent, but he's just going to go and (raise) the levels."

Is Declan Rice going to Arsenal?

Of course, even if Chelsea now wanted to sign Rice, they'd stand little to no chance, with the England international all but an Arsenal player.

According to David Ornstein of The Athletic, Rice has been given permission to take his medical, and an agreement has been reached with West Ham. It's now reportedly about the small details, before the deal can be officially confirmed by the Gunners. The deal will reportedly be worth £105m.

Chelsea, meanwhile, have so far welcomed Christopher Nkunku, and Nicolas Jackson to bolster their attack. In truth, however, it's been a summer focused on departures at Stamford Bridge.

So far, the Blues have waved goodbye to 12 players in total. Most notably, they have lost Kai Havertz to Arsenal, Mateo Kovacic to Manchester City, and academy graduate Mount to Manchester United.

After those deals that could strengthen their Premier League rivals, Chelsea may need to find some reinforcements themselves this summer if they are to make a return to the top six, at the very least, next season.

As things stand, it looks set to be a complicated first season for Pochettino.

Newcastle United forward Anthony Gordon was named the U21 European Championship Player of the Tournament after England secured the trophy in remarkable fashion on Saturday.

The former Everton prospect featured in all six of his country's matches on their way to success in the final against Spain, thanks to a goal from Curtis Jones, and has been recognised for his outstanding performances at the tournament.

He arrived on Tyneside from the Toffees in January and struggled to find his feet after his £45m move, with one goal and zero assists in 16 Premier League appearances during the second half of last season.

However, the winger was converted into a striker by England U21 manager Lee Carsley and could be like a new signing in that role for Eddie Howe over the coming years.

Who have Newcastle signed this summer?

They have enjoyed a relatively quiet summer transfer window so far as Sandro Tonali from AC Milan has been the only major addition, alongside youngster Yankuba Minteh – who is now on loan at Feyenoord.

The Italian joined on a permanent deal from the Serie A giants for a fee in the region of £55m to bolster Eddie Howe’s midfield options ahead of the 2023/24 campaign.

Eddie Howe can, however, find the solution to Callum Wilson’s long-term heir without dipping into the market to sign another striker to take his place in the future.

At the age of 32, the England international is heading closer to the final years of his career and is eight years older than Alexander Isak, meaning the club are potentially starting to think about what life will look like after his departure.

Instead of Dan Ashworth splashing the cash on a shiny new centre-forward to eventually replace the ex-Bournemouth marksman, Howe could convert Gordon into a number nine in the same way that Carsley did.

What position does Anthony Gordon play?

The 22-year-old has plenty of years left ahead of him to develop and develop he is doing having been phenomenal at the European Championships.

The talented youngster caught the eye with his performances and contributed with two goals to go along with one assist in five starts.

Wilson and Alexander Isak both scored regularly throughout the 2022/23 Premier League campaign but the latter's ability to play on the left flank could open the door for Gordon to play centrally in the future.

Indeed, the Sweden international scored ten goals and provided one assist in 17 league starts last term, a contribution every 1.55 starts on average – in comparison to Gordon's goal or assist every 1.67 starts at the U21 Euros.

Whilst the 23-year-old Swede boasts a better ratio in front of goal than the £21m-rated Gordon, the wide man's dismal form in that position suggests that Newcastle would be better off playing him centrally and the ex-Real Sociedad star out wide in attack.

In doing so, Howe could unearth the long-term heir to Wilson's position in the team as Gordon would be able to use his pace to stretch defences down the middle of the pitch while providing a threat as a goal scorer and creator alongside Isak.

There is no guarantee that the youngster will be able to replicate Wilson's 18-goal and five-assist haul that the former Bournemouth ace managed in 31 Premier League matches last term, but the "frightening" talent – as he was once dubbed by ex-Leeds goalkeeper Paddy Kenny, has the potential to be an excellent centre-forward, given his Player of the Tournament accolade at the Euros.

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.

Liverpool "could yet become involved" in the race to sign Brighton and Hove Albion midfielder Moises Caicedo, according to reliable journalist Sam Dean.

Is Moises Caicedo leaving Brighton?

The Ecuador international first arrived in the Premier League back in 2021 and has since gone on to become an integral member and regular feature of Roberto De Zerbi’s squad, starting 34 out of the 38 games in the top-flight last season, establishing himself as the top-performing defensive player at The Amex.

Back in January, Arsenal saw two bids for the 21-year-old rejected as he even penned an open letter on his social media channels expressing his desire to leave, as per Sky Sports, but despite wanting to embark on a new challenge, he then signed a new long-term contract keeping him at the club until 2027.

Speaking on his YouTube channel in February, Fabrizio Romano confirmed that the Reds and Chelsea were also following the Seagulls talisman but claimed that Jurgen Klopp hadn’t made a formal approach due to his top target at the time being Borussia Dortmund’s Jude Bellingham, but with that pursuit now over, they could have a change of heart over the south coast star.

Are Liverpool signing Caicedo?

Taking to Twitter, Dean revealed that Liverpool aren't yet fully ruled out of the running for Caicedo and could be tempted to try their luck should they feel his price tag is reasonable. He wrote:

"Brighton will demand significantly more than £70m for Moises Caicedo this summer. Chelsea, Arsenal and Manchester United have all shown interest — and Liverpool could yet become involved, depending on the eventual cost."

Should FSG make a move for Caicedo?

Liverpool will already have a strong existing relationship with Brighton due to the deal for Alexis Mac Allister, and with him completing a switch to Anfield, FSG should definitely enquire to see if the Argentine’s former teammate could follow in his footsteps to Merseyside.

The World Cup participant is naturally a defensive midfielder which is proven by him recording a total of 100 tackles over the course of the last campaign, higher than any of his fellow peers, via FBRef, alongside averaging 1.5 interceptions per top-flight game, so he’s a real rock and protector of the backline.

Brighton’s “Machine Man”, as dubbed by talent scout Jacek Kulig, would also add wonderful versatility to the squad, so could well be worth his "astronomical" price tag of well over £70m. He has previously operated at right-back and slightly higher up in central midfield alongside his usual role in front of the defence, so should the opportunity to sign him arise, the board shouldn’t even have to think twice about wrapping this one up.

Celtic ended their season with a big 6-0 win against Motherwell in front of their home fans after being crowned Premiership champions in midweek.

Kyogo Furuhashi and Giorgos Giakoumakis both scored two goals in the blistering win to lead the Hoops to their 29th league victory of the campaign.

Despite those doubles, it was another one of Celtic’s goalscorers who stole the show overall on this occasion and really gave the home supporters something to savour.

After coming on as a second half substitute on Wednesday against Dundee United, Jota found himself back in the starting XI on this occasion for what could well be his final game in a Celtic shirt for the Benfica loanee.

With the full 90 minutes under his belt this afternoon, the winger not only scored Celtic’s fourth goal of the game, he terrorised Motherwell all throughout the match.

As per Sofascore, the 23-year-old had 77 touches of the ball in total, completing 33 out of the 39 passes he attempted.

From an attacking point of view, the Portuguese star had four attempts at goal, with two of them being blocked, one off target and one testing the goalkeeper, while he also the woodwork.

He also completed two of the three dribbles he attempted, along with making two key passes and completing three crosses. This highlights just how much of a threat he was for Motherwell to try and handle.

The away side ended up fouling the winger four times, which shows that they started to run out of ideas for how to stop him.

Even from a defensive standpoint, the on-loan attacker did his bit by making two tackles and one interception.

This display ultimately earned Jota a sublime overall match rating of 9.1/10, making him the highest-rated Celtic player on the day according to SofaScore, even higher than the likes of Furuhashi and Giakoumakis who both had two goals to their names.

Having been described by Noel Whelan as a “mouth-watering” player, that’s exactly what the 23-year-old was for Celtic this afternoon.

Moving forward, with his loan deal from Benfica set to expire at the end of this month, it would be unthinkable for the Hoops to not at least try and sign him permanently this summer.

In other news: Big Lennoxtown claim emerges, it’s great news for Celtic supporters

A big Newcastle United claim has been made on their transfer plans for the summer…

What’s the talk?

Telegraph reporter Luke Edwards has revealed that the club will be looking to cash in on a number of players in the upcoming window.

Ahead of the Magpies’ 5-0 loss to Manchester City in the Premier League, Edwards Tweeted: “Think Howe will be looking very closely at players today. Man City is another barometer test Several came up short against Liverpool. They are all playing for futures in some respect, either to stay at club or to keep first team place. There’s going to be a summer clear out.”

After the match, he added: “Most of the starting XI will survive in terms of still being at the club next season but three or four of them will become back up not first choice. The main clear out is players who can’t get a game or haven’t even made squad. The money – or lack of it – they bring in is crucial.”

Supporters will be excited

The Toon faithful will surely be excited by these claims from Edwards as they suggest that the club are set for a busy summer of ins and outs.

They will be buzzing to learn that PIF and Howe are willing to axe the players who are not good enough for the team, whether that comes in the form of them being dropped from the XI or from them being sold or loaned out to another side.

Against Manchester City, Jamaal Lascelles, Emil Krafth, Martin Dubravka and Sean Longstaff all recorded SofaScore ratings of 6.3 or lower and were all at the club prior to the takeover from PIF. If they cannot prove that they are capable of putting in strong performances against the top teams in the division then they may be among the players axed in the upcoming window.

Fans will want to see underperforming individuals punished for their poor displays by being dropped or sold and that is why they will be buzzing and excited by Edwards’ claim. Not only will it mean that they will see duds move away from St. James’ Park but it will also mean that they have the prospect of new arrivals bringing fresh promise to the squad.

It is now down to Howe to decide on the players he wants to replace and who he wants to replace them with, as the Toon supporters look forward to the coming months with excitement.

AND in other news, Major blow: Howe hit with big NUFC injury setback that’ll leave supporters gutted…