Tag Futebol

Aston Villa have begun their new era under Unai Emery in solid fashion, with the Spaniard leading his new side to victories over Manchester United and Brighton and Hove Albion before the World Cup break halted momentum.

Nevertheless, it’s a positive start and Emery will be aiming to add a few new faces to his squad during the January transfer market in order to assert his own stamp on the team.

The club have been linked with a move for Eintracht Frankfurt midfielder Djibril Sow recently, and a move for the 25-year-old – who is likely to cost around £26m – will give Emery the licence to ditch Morgan Sanson.

Emery can ditch Sanson

The Frenchman arrived at Villa in January 2021 from Marseille for a £14m transfer fee, however, he hasn’t come close to justifying the large outlay during his time at the club.

The £45k-per-week midfielder has made just 21 appearances across all competitions for the club and has played a grand total of one minute of football so far this season, proving that his time at Villa is surely coming to an end.

Emery can replace him by signing Sow, who featured for Switzerland at the World Cup in Qatar as they bowed out in the last 16 with a defeat to Portugal.

The midfielder played in all four matches, averaging a solid if unspectacular Sofascore rating of 6.63, while providing one assist, making 0.8 key passes, and winning 56% of his total duels, proving that he can be effective at both ends of the pitch.

The £34k-per-week gem has netted twice in 15 Bundesliga appearances this season, while across Europe’s big five leagues, Sow ranks in the top 12% for interceptions made, clearly demonstrating his ball-winning abilities to excellent effect.

He was described as “combative” by reporter Sam Smith and this type of personality is exactly what Emery needs in the heart of his Villa midfield.

Despite the encouraging start from the former Villarreal manager, the club remains in a precarious position. By signing players of quality such as Sow, however, the 51-year-old might just begin to build a team that is capable of staking a claim for the European spots next season.

Tottenham Hotspur could be set to move on an old target who has admitted to an interest in the Premier League…

What’s the latest?

With Calciomercato reporting in late November that Fabio Paratici was a big fan of Adrien Rabiot, his recent comments will sound delightful for the Italian.

The 27-year-old claimed: “I have always said that I’d like to play in England in my career. I still have that desire. I’d like to evolve in the Premier League.”

This has spurred transfer insider Dean Jones to issue his own thoughts and add some context on a potential move to GIVEMESPORT: “It’s interesting that Rabiot has admitted he is open to the Premier League because clubs like Spurs have had a look at him in the past. 

“Manchester United did too and while I still think it was the right choice not to sign him, he could be a good fit in the right club.”

He will be available for a reported €20m (£17m).

Spurs’ own Bellingham

Whilst Jude Bellingham has earned all the plaudits for his sensational displays in the World Cup, there has been plenty of other admirable performers worth talking about.

It seems the Borussia Dortmund man will only be available to a handful of Europe’s elite who could afford his enormous value, with Spurs certainly not being one of them.

However, in this move for Rabiot, they could secure their own version of the former Birmingham City man for a fraction of the price.

Already regarded as an “elite level midfielder” by journalist Dominic Booth, he has proven this with his combative displays for France, displaying Bellingham-like qualities to galivant the central areas.

Where there was panic due to the absence of Paul Pogba and N’Golo Kante, the 6 foot 2 maestro has more than deputised for them both.

He is averaging a 7.16 rating, having scored once and assisted another in his five games. This is further supported by his impressive defensive stats, where he records 1.4 interceptions and 2.0 tackles per 90, via Sofascore.

This is neatly paired with an 86% pass accuracy that outlines him as a truly exceptional all-around midfielder who would offer Antonio Conte plenty.

These statistics are not all that far away from England’s 19-year-old prodigy, who too has only scored and assisted once, but has a 7.34 average rating and recorded 3.2 tackles a game, via Sofascore.

There is a reason why Bellingham is rated at £214m by CIES Football Observatory, yet Rabiot would not offer much less.

It could be a stroke of genius to save themselves nearly £200m by signing a player who lacks the same remarkable ceiling but could definitely perform immediately at the highest level.

Leeds United are thought to be in contact with the representatives of Rangers defender Jack Wylie.

The Lowdown: Leeds linked with Wylie

The Whites have been extremely proactive in adding to their Thorp Arch academy ranks since returning to the Premier League, with Darko Gyabi and Sonny Perkins the two high-profile academy arrivals over the summer.

Rumours emerged in October regarding Wylie and Leeds, with reports suggesting that the Whites joined Arsenal in the race for the full-back, who will turn 16 in January.

The Latest: Wylie transfer update

Football Insider reporter Pete O’Rourke shared an update on Wylie, claiming that the Scottish giants are ‘rolling out the red carpet’ to try and convince the youngster that he should stay at Ibrox.

He added that Rangers are aware of interest down south, with Leeds one of three English clubs who have ‘registered their interest’ and are in ‘dialogue with the player’s camp’.

[web_stories_embed url=”https://www.footballtransfertavern.com/web-stories/latest-leeds-united-updates-11/” title=”Latest Leeds United updates” poster=”https://www.footballtransfertavern.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/04/cropped-2022-03-10T184055Z_1834933207_UP1EI3A1FW561_RTRMADP_3_SOCCER-ENGLAND-LEE-AVA-REPORT-1-scaled-1.jpg” width=”360″ height=”600″ align=”none”]

The Verdict: One to watch?

Leeds have had great success when it comes to bringing some of the best young footballers in the UK and beyond to Yorkshire and turning them into first-team players.

The likes of Illan Meslier, Pascal Struijk, Leo Hjelde, Sam Greenwood, Crysencio Summerville and Joe Gelhardt are all considered first-team players after initially plying their trade in the Thorp Arch academy.

You’d expect that Victor Orta and co will be presenting a plan to Wylie over a possible move to Elland Road, but it seems as if Rangers are desperate to keep the teenager in Scotland.

Chelsea went through a rough spell in the Premier League before the break for the World Cup, failing to win a match since the middle of October and Graham Potter already finds himself under pressure such is the nature of the role.

The 47-year-old will be using the break to assess exactly where he needs to strengthen during the January transfer window, and there might be a player who has stood out for him already in Qatar.

Brighton and Hove Albion midfielder Moises Caicedo was linked with a move to Chelsea over the summer and despite the south coast side slapping a £100m price tag on the 21-year-old, it’s a move Potter should be seriously looking into.

Caicedo impressed in Ecuador’s opening World Cup match against Qatar where he had 54 touches of the ball.

Throughout that encounter, he was incredibly composed in possession of the ball with a 92% pass success rate, while he was superb defensively, winning 67% of his duels, and making two interceptions as they secured a comfortable 2-0 victory on the opening night.

The Ecuadorian has been compared previously to French midfielder, N’Golo Kante, and thus he could be Chelsea’s new version of the combative World Cup winner.

Indeed, their playing styles are extremely similar, with South American football expert Tim Vickery lavishing praise on him last year while speaking to talkSPORT: “He is a terrific athlete who makes football look easy. A box-to-box midfielder.

“A year ago he was saying that Kante of Chelsea is his role model but he is already more than that. He already offers more in the final third.

“That kind of box-to-box midfielder that’s very much in the tradition of the England game. Strong, quick, intelligent, and cool. He really does look like the genuine article.”

in just eight appearances under Potter for Brighton last season, he achieved a WhoScored rating of 7.07, ranking him first in the squad. He won two tackles and made 1.3 interceptions per game, while also contributing going forward, taking 1.3 shots, and completing 0.9 dribbles per game, certainly justifying the comparisons to the Frenchman.

Ecuadorian football historian Enrico Castro-Montes also lauded Caicedo while speaking to Het Niuewsblad (via Sport Witness), saying: “In his own country, he is really seen as the crown jewel of a new generation.

“Caicedo really has everything to become the best Ecuadorian footballer of all time. I think that off the ball, he is indeed somewhat reminiscent of Kante, but on the ball, he resembles Paul Pogba with his flair and his technique.”

With Kante out of contract next year, Potter might be aiming to secure a move for Caicedo sooner rather than later, especially if he continues to impress for his country at the World Cup.

Leeds United all-rounder Stuart Dallas may not return to full fitness until the 2023/24 campaign.

What’s the latest?

That’s according to Beren Cross, who stated his belief in a recent Q&A on Leeds Live that, despite the versatile right-back currently possessing a predicted return date of January 1 after fracturing his femur against Manchester City earlier this year, taking into account the severity of his injury, the 31-year-old may struggle to get back to 100% match fitness before next season.

In response to a question from a supporter asking for an update on the Northern Ireland international, Cross said: “All bets really do need to be off with Dallas. There is no overstating how serious that injury was. It really could have ended his career had it been any worse. Let’s start by getting him fit and on the pitch again before predicting how he will be used.

“We have to believe it’s going to take him a long time to find consistency, even after that first game back. There will be a lot of niggles and a lot of managing his body for several months. We may not even seen an all-action Dallas again until 23/24 if he spends the second half of 22/23 working his way back into regular football.”

Huge worry for Marsch

Considering just how important a part of the Leeds side Dallas had proven himself to be since the club’s return to the Premier League back in 2020, the prospect of the right-back not being back to his best until the 2023/24 campaign will undoubtedly be a big worry for Jesse Marsch and his backroom staff.

Indeed, the £7m-rated talent was an ever-present feature of the Whites’ starting XI in the top flight back in 2020/21, being withdrawn just twice in his 38 league fixtures, over which he scored eight goals, registered two assists and created three big chances, in addition to making an average of 1.9 tackles, 1.2 interceptions and completing 84% of his passes per game.

These returns saw the 31-year-old average an extremely impressive SofaScore match rating of 6.94, ranking him as Leeds’ 10th-best performer in the top flight – playing a key role in the club’s ninth-place finish in the league that year.

It was a similar story for the £53k-per-week defender over his 34 Premier League fixtures last season, playing the full 90 minutes of every league game prior to his injury, over which he scored one goal, provided one assist and created five big chances, as well as making an average of 2.7 tackles, 1.7 interceptions and completing 79% of his passes per game.

These metrics saw the player who Charlie Austin dubbed “unreal” average a SofaScore match rating of 6.90, ranking him as the Whites’ fourth-best performer in the league – this time playing a pivotal role in keeping Leeds in the top flight of English football.

Furthermore, the Northern Irishman’s incredibly impressive positional versatility is also a huge loss for Jesse Marsch, with Dallas having featured in no less than eight different positions over his two Premier League campaigns with the Whites – including left-back, right-back, central midfield, attacking midfield, right midfield, defensive midfield, left midfield and on the right wing.

As such, it is clear to see just how important the “ironman” is within the Leeds side, meaning that the potential lack of a fully-fit Dallas until the 2023/24 campaign will undoubtedly be a huge worry for Marsch and his side – especially if the Whites find themselves in a relegation scrap once again this season.

The season is shaping up well, despite the strain on the schedule due to stymied by Her Majesty’s passing. Unlike in cricket, footie fans can’t quite be trusted to show their respects through songs and so matches have been pushed back to honour the county’s loss. Perhaps it is not out of disrespect for the Queen but disregard for Charles’s accession to the throne. Whatever, either way there are going to be some delays for September’s action!

Arsenal sit at the top of the table with 15 points, despite having taken a (more than light) beating from Man U. Well, the league table that is – the odds maker’s table is taking a different shape with Liverpool and Man City looking like two honchos ready for a showdown in June. It has to be said though that the gunners certainly didn’t leave the transfer window out gunned. With the sensational Gabriel Jesus presiding over the rest of a hundred million spend, Arsenal are not out of the running to finish the league victorious.

Tottenham (and their under twenty one secret weapon) really are looking hot this year in spite of their undeservedly blank victory history. These guys are the most likely out of the unexpected wins, meaning, who would make the cup-taking the most memorable whilst realistically having a shot. Sorry Leicester, it’s not that bringing back the magic of 2015-2016 would not be memorable, it just isn’t realistic. Yes, Leicester shaped up poorly – losing almost every game so far and winning none. Chelsea beat them despite being only ten men deep for over an hour – not a good look for Leicester. It must be said though, seeing these guys at their best and when morale is running high is such a joy, it would be a genuine shame to see them relegated… even if Hotspur and Forest show them the curb in the coming weeks.

As for the end game, will this be an old tale of vengeance and standing ground between the current (and usual) suspects Liverpool and Man City? Or will there be more to it?

Well, Man United might be the underdog of the top tier… And it doesn’t seem that long ago that that phrase would have sounded insane. I’m of course talking about the Sir Alex Ferguson years. Truly golden years when you look at the stats – United won the premier league 12 times in the past thirty years and once in the last ten. This contrast shows what is at stake and the legacy that fans dream will one day be lived up to. And slashing their odds in half after the Arsenal match (and let’s not forget beating Liverpool) equally shows how promising they are this season.

Speaking of Underdogs, Brighton and Hove Albion have been the unexpected stars by pillaging a whopping thirteen points. They may not be around the top of the table in the latter stages of  the season but, in football, nothing is certain. Graham Potter is an outstanding manager who has given Brighton an explosive start to the season. Unfortunately for the seagulls however he is… a little too good perhaps and has been snapped up by Chelsea. Brighton are currently looking at replacements and hoping for some consistency with the rest of the season.

So… City. Yes the Norwegian demi-god Erling Haaland has manifested in this year’s squad to score an almighty 12 EPL goals, having smote the back of ten nets in this nascent premier league. Who knows what the future brings, maybe he even has his boot aimed at Shearer’s record. His collection of golden accolades is certainly a testament to this twenty two year old. It’s clear from his goalless performance at community shield that Haaland needs his gang, the support to sail above the rest, and this year’s city squad (perhaps even Julian Alvarez alone) is more than enough for this Viking to thrive.

Liverpool obviously want to avenge their past selves and remedy the cigar-less and oh so close last season. Although they all went to Naples to get hammered 4-1, we can focus on the Premier League and ignore any unexpected blips. They may currently be seventh but are considered to have an edge even on City when it comes to end game favourites. Indeed, Klopp could well be the new king.

Just as predicting the league’s winner can be lucrative so too can predicting its losers. All the top gambling sites will sport relegation odds. In regards to relegation, Nottingham forest and Bournemouth (who may never recover from Liverpool’s thorough gutting) may be the ones having their own showdown. That is of course if Leicester doesn’t continue to make their lives a whole lot easier. Just as predicting the league’s winner can be lucrative so too can predicting its losers.

Photo by Unsplash

Wolverhampton Wanderers may have begun their Premier League campaign with a whimper, but they could be about to improve if their recent transfer activity is any barometer.

In recent weeks, Bruno Lage has signed Matheus Nunes and Goncalo Guedes, and the Old Gold are reportedly close to securing a deal for Boubacar Kamara, while also potentially bringing in another striker to cure their goalscoring woes.

These signings are a big statement of intent from Lage, but if they don’t start performing, questions will be asked. Losing their most recent top-flight game to Tottenham Hotspur was particularly cruel as they played well for the most part.

They drew another blank on the scoreboard, though, and the Wolves manager should be looking to change things up against Newcastle United today. Starting Raul Jimenez could well give the Old Gold a scoring threat from the opening whistle.

The Mexican was injured in a pre-season clash against Besiktas and was expected to be out for a few weeks, missing his team’s opening two matches. He made a return against Spurs, coming off the bench with just over half an hour remaining, and although he didn’t get on the scoresheet, he was successful with his only dribble attempt and won 60% of his duels.

He started against Preston North End in the Carabao Cup in midweek and scored his first competitive goal for the club since March.

With top league goalscorer last term, he is arguably their biggest offensive threat, and Lage should consider starting him against Eddie Howe’s side, especially as he appears to be a menace against teams managed by the Newcastle boss.

Jimenez has scored four goals against Bournemouth (one in every game) when Howe was over the Cherries, while last season he grabbed one goal and two assists against Newcastle, proving he has something of a glint in his eye when he takes on a team managed by the 44-year-old.

The £41k-p/w star, who was described as “special” by his former manager Nuno Espirito Santo, will be dying to get back into the goalscoring form which propelled the club to top-half finishes under the one-time Wolves boss.

Although Jimenez is just returning from an injury layoff, it could well be worth the risk by Lage to start the Mexican today, especially with the Old Gold desperately in the need of goals.

Southampton are interested in poaching a youngster from a Premier League giant…

What’s the word?

According to The Athletic’s Laurie Whitwell, Manchester United are open to permanent offers for James Garner, who spent last season on loan with Nottingham Forest.

Writing in his column for the Athletic, he notes that, as well as the Saints, Everton, Leeds United and Tottenham Hotspur are all also interested.

A departure is said to only take place if it makes sense for both player and club, with the midfielder valued at £14m.

Imagine him and Ward-Prowse

Garner impressed last season with his workmanlike midfield displays that led to Forest’s promotion, and despite United’s shortcomings in that area, they seem happy to allow this “talented” youngster to leave.

To sign for the Saints could be a stroke of genius for Ralph Hasenhuttl, who could form a brilliant partnership in the engine room with his captain James Ward-Prowse.

He would also battle well with Oriol Romeu while further adding another level of quality over the Spaniard.

Garner, who was dubbed “absolutely unreal” by WhoScored’s Josh Wright, featured 40 times last term for Forest, chipping in with four goals and eight assists during a breakout year.

However, it is his 1.4 interceptions, 1.8 tackles and 0.9 clearances that would be of particular interest to Hasenhuttl, as he would offer the perfect balance to Ward-Prowse’s box-to-box nature.

Last season the England international scored ten and assisted five, thriving with the defensive security of Romeu beside him.

The side as a whole would surely benefit more when adding Garner to the midfield, whose 2.0 key passes per game also mark him out as a creative outlet from deep rather than a pure enforcer.

United’s £20k-per-week maestro could be a huge upgrade on what is already at St Mary’s Stadium, and to add him to their ranks would surely help steer the Saints away from a potential relegation battle.

He could add a silkiness to take some of the creative burden from Ward-Prowse, whilst also giving him even more space and freedom due to the added ability beside him.

Wolverhampton Wanderers boss Bruno Lage will not rush to bring in another striker this summer after the injury sustained by star striker Raul Jimenez, according to Express and Star journalist Liam Keen.

The Lowdown: Jimenez’s injury

The 31-year-old suffered a knee injury during the Wanderer’s pre-season friendly against Besiktas on Saturday.

During the first half, after scoring the opening goal of the game, the Mexico international was forced off after over-stretching for the ball. Hobbling off the pitch, attention turned to Lage, whose team are preparing for their opening game of the Premier League season against Leeds United next weekend.

The Telegraph journalist John Percy then revealed Jimenez will be ruled out of action for at least a month, potentially missing up to eight weeks worth of football.

The Latest: Keen’s news

Following Jimenez’s injury, Keen has revealed Wolves’ plans as they head into the Premier League season.

Taking to Twitter, the reliable journalist claimed: “Despite Jimenez’s injury, Wolves won’t rush to bring in a striker who doesn’t suit the style. They are working on bringing a striker in before the end of the window but it may not happen before the season starts. Hwang, Podence or Neto are the likely fill-ins for now.

“Bruno Lage is very pleased with how the team is performing in pre-season. If Wolves have to take their time to bring in the right player, they will do.”

The Verdict: Worrying

With last season’s joint top scorer ruled out for the beginning of the new campaign, Lage will be worried about where his goals will be coming from, given the lack of depth in his attacking options having allowed Fabio Silva to be loaned out to Anderlecht for the 2022/23 season.

Jimenez has been a reliable starter in Wolves’ XI since his permanent arrival at the Molineux back in 2019 – only three other Wanderers players made more league appearances than the Mexican last season.

Therefore, in spite of Lage’s reluctance to dip into the transfer market so quickly after Jimenez’s injury, it is imperative that the club bring in a new striker for the start of next season; otherwise, we could be seeing Wolves in a relegation battle come Christmas time.

Nottingham Forest have already made four signings this summer and are currently on the cusp of signing Omar Richards and Neco Williams too, now Steve Cooper’s next transfer target has been identified by a reliable source.

What’s the latest?

According to Daily Express journalist Ryan Taylor, Nottingham Forest are now interested in signing Southampton striker Che Adams this summer.

Taylor tweeted;

“Nottingham Forest set to wrap up signing of Omar Richards from Bayern Munich in deal worth around £9m.”

“More: Che Adams among striker targets of interest to Steve Cooper but Southampton unlikely to sell.”

Imagine him & Johnson

Cooper is clearly looking to bolster his squad ahead of Forest’s return to the Premier League next season, and getting in players who have experience in the top flight would be massively advantageous, so Adams could be the perfect fit for the squad.

The 25-year-old centre-forward has scored 38 goals and delivered 13 assists over 123 appearances for Southampton, with a goal contribution every 165 minutes and last season in particular Adams has been a consistent attacking threat for the Saints.

In the Premier League, Adams scored seven goals, delivered three assists and created five big chances, taking 1.6 shots and winning 4.5 duels on average per game, as well as successfully completing the majority of his dribble attempts (57%) over 30 appearances.

The £15m Saints striker has been the recipient of high praise from his manager Ralf Hasenhuttl who hailed Adams as the “ketchup bottle phenomenon” in an interview via the club website.

“Maybe again we have the ketchup bottle phenomenon. A long time nothing, but then maybe everything comes at once. So let’s see,” he said.

If the Forest boss could seal a deal for Adams he could unlock a fantastic attacking partnership between the Scotland international and Cooper’s star player Brennan Johnson, it could be the perfect match to ensure the newly-promoted side can retain their top-flight status next season.

With that being said, the powers at Nottingham Forest would need to make a lucrative and tempting offer to tear Adams away from Southampton this summer, but if they could secure his signature the player would be a great addition to the team.

AND in other news: “Expected to…”: David Ornstein drops big NFFC transfer claim, Cooper will be buzzing