All posts by z3u9t.icu

West Ham are likely to spend big on a new striker in the January transfer window, according to former England striker Kevin Phillips.

The Lowdown: Slight dip for Hammers

David Moyes’ side have enjoyed a superb start to the season, sitting fourth in the Premier League and reaching the last 16 of the Europa League. However, the Hammers have lost back-to-back league games since the international break, suffering defeats away to Wolves and Manchester City.

[web_stories_embed url=”https://www.footballtransfertavern.com/web-stories/west-ham-developments-2/” title=”West Ham developments” poster=”” width=”360″ height=”600″ align=”none”]

This mini-slump needs to come to an end at home to Brighton on Wednesday if the Irons are to avoid slipping out of the top four and scuppering their chances of bettering last season’s sixth-placed finish.

The Latest: Phillips tips new striker to come in

It could be that fresh blood is required to take the team forward in January, as the fixtures come thick and fast and squad depth is tested, especially with European commitments in the early months of 2022 as well.

Speaking to Football Insider, Phillips tipped West Ham to sign a big-money striker in order to ease the burden on sole centre-forward Michail Antonio. He said:

“They need to invest in a striker in January. I know there will be plenty of people who argue they don’t need to because they have done very well considering but they haven’t got any backup for [Michail] Antonio.

“When it gets to the second part of the season, the weather changes and the games come thick and fast. Players pick up knows after playing so many games.

“It would be sensible to look at that area to bring someone in. Sign someone who will push and cover for Antonio.

“I know Kretinsky has said there won’t be lots of spending but I’m sure there will be money available. If David Moyes goes and says, ‘I’ve identified a player who can come in and challenge in that area.’ Then the club will back him.

“Why wouldn’t they considering what he has done and where they are? They could potentially finish in the Champions League spots.

“It wouldn’t surprise me if they went out and splashed £20-25million to bring in competition for that area.”

The Verdict: Would be a wise decision

It could be a grave error if another striker doesn’t come in at West Ham during the January window, potentially costing the Hammers dearly both domestically and in Europe.

As Phillips has said, it is unfair to rely too much on Antonio, who has had injury problems in the past and is now 31 years of age. The Jamaican’s form has also tailed off significantly since a sublime start to the season.

Basel striker Arthur Cabral is someone who has been linked with a move to east London and he could be perfect, offering Moyes an extra option who’s young and in red-hot form, having scored 14 Swiss Super League goals already this season.

In other news, West Ham have been linked with signing a Premier League player in January. Find out who it is here.

A major update has emerged on Jacob Murphy and it could lead to a transfer masterclass from Southampton CEO Martin Semmens.

What’s the talk?

According to The Sun, the Saints are among a number of clubs interested in a deal to sign the 26-year-old from Newcastle this summer. The report claims that Leeds, Burnley, Galatasaray, Porto and Bayer Leverkusen are also keen on the former Norwich man.

Murphy is out of contract at the end of next season and could soon be available on a free transfer if he opts against signing an extension at Newcastle. Steve Bruce is said to be keen to keep him at the club and Newcastle are working hard to tie him down to a new deal amid interest from elsewhere.

Back in October 2020, Bruce praised the “matured” 26-year-old, highlighting his physical development in recent years. He told the Shropshire Star: “I never contemplated it (a loan move) from the first week he was back. He was a different player. Certainly physically he’s come back in really good condition.

“We all know he’s a good athlete and he certainly looks like he’s matured. He had been practicing free-kicks on Thursday in training and I was thinking ‘let’s see if he can do it again’.”

Semmens masterstroke

Southampton CEO Semmens could be about to pull off a masterstroke if he can land Murphy.

The Daily Mail reported earlier this week that Saints boss Ralph Hasenhuttl wants to sign a right-back to challenge Kyle Walker-Peters this summer and Murphy could be the perfect addition to the squad to fill that role. He is capable of playing at right-back as well as on the wing and could be a cheap, versatile option for Southampton to bring in.

Interestingly, he posted better statistics in the Premier League at right-back for Newcastle than Walker-Peters did for the Saints. Murphy averaged an impressive WhoScored rating of 6.9 in 13 starts in that role, scoring twice and setting up another goal. Walker-Peters averaged a slightly lower score of 6.84 in 30 starts, failing to score a goal but setting up two for his team-mates.

This suggests that Murphy is on a par with Walker-Peters, if not slightly better, and could provide him with some excellent competition next season.

The two could battle it out for the starting spot at right-back in Hasenhuttl’s team and help each other raise their game in the process. Competition for places is important to avoid complacency and Murphy could keep the Saints full-back on his toes if he arrives at St Mary’s.

The £25,000-per-week dynamo can also play on the wing and he hit 17 Championship goals across two separate campaigns for Sheffield Wednesday and Norwich whilst playing in a forward position. This means that Hasenhuttl could also utilise him in a more advanced position if he is unable to break into the team at right-back.

Murphy could be a superb signing for Southampton and Semmens could pull off a masterstroke by bringing him in.

AND in other news, Semmens masterclass: News emerges on “unfortunate” £10m flop, Saints fans will love it…

Many Aston Villa fans have flocked to an update on Ross Barkley that was relayed on Twitter by journalist Ashley Preece.

Preece recently wrote an article about Barkley and his situation at Villa and the journalist shared it on Twitter.

The article from Preece called for more support for Barkley, saying that his confidence has taken a dent over the last few months at Villa and instead of constant abuse, the England international deserves more support from the fans.

The 27-year-old has made 22 appearances in all competitions this season, contributing to five goals as well. His campaign was disrupted by a hamstring injury – his last start for Villa came back in late February against Leicester (as per Transfermarkt).

As many as 13 Villa players have picked up better average match ratings than him, which shows that his loan stint at the club hasn’t exactly gone to plan, but also that the general standard at Villa Park now is just extremely high.

Preece’s tweet about Barkley drew the attention of many Villa fans, who made their views clear about the midfielder.

What do Villa fans make of Barkley’s situation?

“I think it would be difficult to criticise him if his work rate was high but coming on as a sub late in second half and ambling around like he did really isnt up to scratch. He has to help himself too, being a passenger and not creating chances isn’t going to boost his confidence.”

Credit: @GVillans

“Best of luck to him but can’t have passengers like that at Villa. We’ve worked hard to rid the club of players who lack the desire and work ethic but are happy to pickup vast sums of cash each week – let’s learn from our previous mistakes.”Credit: @GV18271″Ash, I agree that players need backing and support. He has lost confidence and we all know how that feels. But the bare minimum is hard work and dedication, yet he is showing nothing. He has done absolutely nothing to show the fans he wants to make it right. Its his own doing IMO.”Credit: @Chrsmo”There is no doubt that the lad has plenty of ability, but the bear minimum is hard work and one example he should be following is Trezeguet he gets plenty of stick from our fans, but never for his lack of work rate.”Credit: @WayneDawkins2″There’s out of form and there’s lack of effort and that’s simply not on. Even our worst performers look like they care, Barkley doesn’t and I think he’s burned too many bridges now.”Credit: @brummyste”Sorry Ashley I disagree he should practice in someone else’s time not waste ours and at a huge cost to the club. Hard lesson learnt back to Chelsea please. Onwards and upwards.”Credit: @LG23392173In other news, Villa source lifts lid on huge offer expected for ‘brilliant’ £22.5m-rated AVFC star – report

Eddie Howe enjoyed a fantastic January transfer window with Newcastle United as he brought in a number of quality additions to his side.

Kieran Trippier, Dan Burn, Matt Targett, Chris Wood and Bruno Guimaraes all came through the door and have played a part in the club’s sensational form since the turn of the year.

Since the 1st of January, Liverpool are the only team with more Premier League points than the Magpies and this highlights the phenomenal impact their work in the market has had on the team – along with Howe’s coaching on the training pitch.

With survival almost secured, as they sit 15 points clear of the drop with five games left, focus can start to turn to next season and what the head coach will want to do in the next window.

One player the club have already been linked with a swoop for is Lyon’s central midfielder Lucas Paqueta, as the Toon are reportedly set to battle Arsenal for his signature.

Imagine him & Bruno

PIF and Howe must ensure that they can get this deal over the line as they can seal a terrifying midfield duo by reuniting Paqueta and Bruno Guimaraes.

The pair have played together 47 times for Lyon and Brazil in their careers to date and this shows that they would already have a relationship on the pitch. They would not need time to adjust to each other’s style of play and would be able to instantly connect at the start of 2022/23, which will allow them to hit the ground running as a first-choice pairing for Howe.

Paqueta’s form in Ligue 1 this season suggests that he will be able to make a huge impact on the team. Talent scout Jacek Kulig went as far as to describe him as a “pure joy to watch” earlier this year and his statistics back that up as he has averaged a SofaScore rating of 7.12 in Ligue 1 – scoring eight goals and providing five assists from midfield.

Meanwhile, Magpies fans already know what a joy Guimaraes is to watch as he has been in fantastic form since arriving in England. He has averaged a sublime SofaScore rating of 7.16 in the Premier League as he has produced three goals and one assist in six starts for Howe.

Now, imagine both of them consistently turning in exciting, brilliant, displays in the middle of the park together as they score and assist goals! It is a mouth-watering prospect for the Toon faithful and a terrifying one for any opposition team…

AND in other news: Howe can unearth his own Ginola in Newcastle’s rarely-seen 19 y/o “bright talent”

Former Leeds United striker Noel Whelan has lauded an “outrageous” moment from Raphinha in his side’s 2-0 defeat to West Ham, saying it sums him up as a player.

Marcelo Bielsa’s side were beaten at the London Stadium on Monday evening, leaving them in 11th place in the table with 11 matches remaining.

It has been a strong first season back in the top flight for Leeds, but four defeats in their last five league outings suggests they may just be running out of steam a little.

Whelan hails Raphinha

Raphinha has arguably been Leeds’ standout player so far this season, chipping in with five goals and assists apiece, wreaking havoc from out wide with his pace and trickery.

Speaking to Football Insider, Whelan lauded the 24-year-old, highlighting one acrobatic attempt against the Hammers as proof of his unique brilliance as a player, as well as praising his mentality:

“Raphinha was very quiet in the first 20 or 30 minutes of the game. Second half, when you need to show a bit of fight, we know he’s got that. It’s one of the thing things that I love so much about him. He gets upset by defeats. You can see that they hurt him.

“He was trying everything. The overhead kick that took a deflection, I don’t think any other player would have tried that in the Leeds United side.

“It goes to show the confidence and the belief in his own abilities that he has to try something as outrageous as that. It nearly came off.

“He’s one of these players that rise to the occasion and stands up to the fight. When you’re 2-0 down, his head doesn’t go down to the ground, his body language isn’t bad.

“He’s one of these players that wants to really fight and get something out of the game. We need these players at Leeds.

“But he gets that opportunity and he knows himself that he should have scored. Anywhere to the right or the left, it’s a goal. We’ve seen him bend them in two or three times this season.”

Transfer Tavern take

There is no doubt that Bielsa will be desperate to keep hold of Raphinha beyond this season, with the likes of Liverpool and Manchester United rumoured to be interested in signing him.

The Brazilian brings so much quality to this Leeds side and losing him would undoubtedly hamper their chances of building on this promising season and kicking on further in 2021/22 and beyond.

In other news: Phil Hay highlights major defensive issue at Leeds.

Ange Postecoglou faces the arduous task of trying to rebuild this devastated Celtic squad.

As he gears up for the biggest managerial job of his career, he heads into it knowing it won’t be easy at all.

On the chalkboard

Celtic have often had things all their own way over the last decade. They won nine league titles on the bounce before the Hoops’ fortunes came crashing back down to earth this season

The likes of Kristoffer Ajer and Odsonne Edouard look set for the exit door while Postecoglou will also need to replace their loanees.

Diego Laxalt has gone back to Milan while Jonjoe Kenny is now in Merseyside again after a lacklustre stay.

The most difficult player to replace will be the enigmatic Mohamed Elyounoussi. The Norwegian was in good form throughout the 2020/21 campaign, scoring 17 goals in all competitions.

His tally was only second to Edouard but his performances dwindled towards the back end of the campaign.

Elyounoussi was found guilty of giving the ball away on a regular basis and was sloppy with his offensive play.

The winger found the back of the net only three times in his last 16 Premiership matches of the campaign.

Therefore, it feels unlikely they’ll bring him back for a third stint at Paradise.

The replacement

With Postecoglou now in the dugout, he will naturally be linked to a number of players hailing from the Southern Hemisphere and other areas of Asia.

Australian goalkeeper Mat Ryan has been linked but so have two Japanese players, one of which is Kaoru Mitoma.

The winger is one of the most electrifying players in the J-League and would go a long way to replacing the void of quality following Elyounoussi’s departure.

[snack-amp-story url= “https://www.footballfancast.com/web-stories/read-the-latest-celtic-news-faria-postecoglou-howe-elyounoussi” title= “Read the latest Celtic news!”]

Mitoma is a frantic dribbler and in the words of Juco James from the Huddle podcast, is the most “creative” player in the entire Japanese top-flight.

Compared to Jeremie Frimpong, the 24-year-old’s progression run rate per 90 minutes was ranked 12th out of 48,426 players in all senior competitions over the last 12 months.

He is ranked 27th for accelerations and in terms of creativity, Mitoma is 16th in Wyscout’s key pass metric.

The left winger has mesmerising dribbling and flair too. He records ten dribbles per 90 minutes and has the ability to score goals in abundance.

Mitoma has ten strikes to his name in 21 outings during the 2021 campaign, taking his overall tally for Kawasaki Frontale to 28.

A dazzler dribbler with an extremely productive output in the final third, Postecoglou can immediately upgrade on Elyounoussi by luring him to Scotland.

AND in other news, Postecoglou can seal instant Celtic masterstroke by axing £12k-p/w “laughing stock”…

Leeds United boss Marcelo Bielsa has been handed a major boost as some exciting news emerges from Thorp Arch about the club’s finances for the summer’s transfer window.

What’s the story?

The Whites enjoyed a superb end to the Premier League season, reeling off four wins in a row and climbing up the table and into the top ten. And that late run of form may have handed Bielsa a major boost, according to finance expert Kieran Maguire.

He said to Football Insider: “Leeds can certainly afford to spend more. They have had substantial financial developments. They finished 9th and probably budgeted to finish something like 16th.

“So realistically, they’ve got an extra £15-20m from that particular (prize money) pot. They were also chosen as the first picks for matches to be broadcast live on TV 24 times, so that’s an extra £14m. That’s because the first 10 picks are considered part of the overall deal and anything above that is an additional £1m per match.

“So we’ve automatically got around about £35m in the budget that they hadn’t originally budgeted for. The sponsors are very keen to get into bed with them too, so you’d imagine that Leeds will have a pretty good budget to work with this summer.”

Fans will be buzzing

With the Premier League’s prize money divvied up based on a team’s final finish, and scaling up for every place you end up higher, Leeds’ late flurry of victories has had a massive impact on the club’s finances for this summer.

As Maguire says, the fact they leapt up the table into ninth has given them an “extra £15-20m” based on that Premier League finish alone – after match-day 30, they were in 11th, with Crystal Palace and Southampton all within a couple of wins behind them.

Then, when you take into account the kind of money they should be getting for being selected as part of the TV coverage, things are looking very exciting for Bielsa and his plans for the summer transfer window.

Maguire himself thinks that Leeds should have around £35m more than they originally budgeted for, and when you think that sum of money is actually significantly higher than the club-record £26m they paid to sign Rodrigo, and you can see just how game-changing that could be.

[snack-amp-story url=”https://www.footballfancast.com/web-stories/leeds-united-marcelo-bielsa-transfer-gossip-rumours-news-elland-road-rodrigo-de-paul” title=”Read the latest Leeds transfer rumours and news!”]

Bielsa will surely be buzzing with Maguire’s claim and insight, as will the Leeds supporters who will be keen to see their club make a splash in the transfer market this summer as the Yorkshire side look to push on from an excellent first season back in the top flight.

If Leeds do have more money available than they’d budgeted for, as Maguire suggests, then their chances of getting more transfer business completed this summer will surely have increased, and that’ll be music to the ears of the club’s loyal supporters.

Meanwhile, Marcelo Bielsa is eyeing a reunion with this Leeds United hero…

Mike Ashley must sanction a summer swoop for Newcastle United to re-sign Adam Armstrong from Blackburn Rovers.

What’s the word?

According to TEAMtalk, Toon chiefs are ready to push on with plans to lure Armstrong back to St. James’ Park at the end of the season, regardless of what division they are in.

United presently sit just two points above the Premier League drop zone, having only won two of their last 18 games to see a 10-point lead over Fulham be almost entirely eliminated.

Armstrong left Tyneside for Blackburn in 2018 for £2m in a deal sanctioned by Rafa Benitez but has excelled at Ewood Park to now be worth a reported £25m after scoring 19 goals in 33 Championship appearances this term.

Yet Newcastle could land Armstrong in the summer for far less, as the Magpies included a 40% sell-on clause in their agreement with Rovers. As such, the 24-year-old is expected to be available to Ashley for around £16m.

The Toon hierarchy seemingly believe that Armstrong represents good value for that sort of money, as they are said to be ready to present the forward with a path back to where his career began.

[snack-amp-story url=”https://www.footballfancast.com/web-stories/latest-newcastle-news” title=”Latest Newcastle news!”]

Armstrong would be interested in a return to his former academy side, per Chronicle Live, but he has endless respect for Blackburn boss Tony Mowbray for offering him the chance to reset a career stagnating under Benitez.

Newcastle are not alone in tracking the free-scoring second-tier star, also, as David Moyes is said to have marked Armstrong as West Ham United’s top striker target while Southampton, Everton and Fulham have previously been linked.

Should Newcastle sign Blackburn’s Armstrong?

Newcastle holding a 40% sell-on clause for any fee Blackburn pick up for Armstrong will undoubtedly prove beneficial should United look to bring the West Denton-born frontman back to St. James’ Park at the end of the season.

The Toon certainly ought to be exploring a reunion, as Steve Bruce is not seeing anywhere near the needed level of competition for places from Dwight Gayle, Andy Carroll and Joelinton to leave 10-goal top-scorer Callum Wilson carrying the burden.

Gayle, Carroll and Joelinton each have scored just once in the Premier League this season, to extend appalling records of netting only five in 31, one in 35 and three in 61 games respectively over the past two campaigns combined.

Armstrong would be expected to offer a much higher level of competition for Wilson in the top-flight next term, should he be signed and Newcastle stay up, or fire the goals that secure United an immediate return from the second-tier.

Only Ivan Toney (28) and Teemu Pukki (22) have scored more often in the Championship this season than Armstrong (19), but each play for sides in Brentford and Norwich who have a chance of securing automatic promotion while Blackburn are 16 points adrift of the play-off places.

Yet Rovers boss Mowbray has no doubt in Armstrong’s talent, noting last month how the forward is “special” and has “Premier League quality”. It’s that type of quality that Lee Charnley should be working to bring back to St. James’ Park and Ashley must sanction the signing.

AND in other news, Newcastle are tracking a 20-year-old talent who has “played out of his skin”…

Everton’s hopes of securing European football next season took a huge boost on Sunday afternoon.

The Toffees were excellent as they swept aside West Ham 1-0 at the London Stadium.

Dominic Calvert-Lewin popped up with yet another goal before the defensive work from Carlo Ancelotti’s men won them the game.

Ben Godfrey was in excellent form as the Everton defence combined well to deny their opposition a single shot on target.

The vast majority of Ancelotti’s team performed admirably but there were a few shaky outings that will have left the manager with something to think about.

Richarlison completed five dribbles but was accused of running down blind alleys on a regular basis while Gylfi Sigurdsson wasn’t at the races either.

The Iceland international was strong defensively, winning three out of his four duels, but from an offensive point of view he was completely anonymous.

Writing at full-time, Liverpool Echo journalist Phil Kirkbride commented: “Eerily similar performance to the one he served up at Arsenal recently. Had his eye in from set-pieces, in the first-half, but influence in possession lessened after the break.”

It’s hard to argue against that sentiment when you consider the efforts he displayed in east London.

[snack-amp-story url= “https://www.footballfancast.com/web-stories/read-the-latest-everton-transfer-news-coutinho-ancelotti-hawng-sarr” title=”Read the latest Everton transfer news!”]

Although he was keen to track back, whenever he got forward he never really looked like having a strong influence over the contest.

With James Rodriguez still missing, he’ll need to step things up if he wants to remain in the team.

After all, Ancelotti has now shown that he’s ready to tinker after moving to a three-man defence against the Irons on Sunday.

During the course of the match, Sigurdsson had fewer touches of the football (28) than goalkeeper Jordan Pickford (33). On top of that, the attacking midfielder completed just 13 passes all match.

Furthermore, he failed to attempt a single dribble and managed only the one shot on target.

This was an afternoon to forget for the 31-year-old, a player who has struggled for consistency towards the closing stages of the season. Sigurdsson has contributed to 17 goals in all competitions this term but only two of those involvements have come in his last eight outings.

The forward’s performances have waned in the last few months which after an arduous performance is certainly forgivable.

That being said, with Everton targeting a winger ahead of the summer transfer window, he needs to show more to merit his place in the side.

AND in other news, Move over Gordon: Everton have a future star in never-seen 15 y/o, he’s a big “threat”…

Barcelona are reportedly keen on signing Aymeric Laporte on loan from Manchester City this summer – but it would be a huge mistake by Pep Guardiola to let him go.

What’s the word?

According to Spanish news outlet Sport (via Sport Witness), the centre-back wants to leave the Etihad Stadium this summer after a lack of first team opportunities last season, and despite the current financial issues at the Catalan club, Barcelona has been touted as a potential option.

The Nou Camp outfit are currently in a huge amount of debt, which has cast doubt over their ability to register new signings, whilst they also had to release club legend Lionel Messi after failing to agree a new deal with the Argentine icon.

Could Laporte sign for Barcelona?

Therefore, it seems difficult to see why Laporte would want to switch Manchester for Barcelona this summer, even if it meant guaranteed first team football.

[snack-amp-story url=”https://www.footballfancast.com/web-stories/read-the-latest-manchester-city-transfer-rumours-and-news” title=”Read the latest Manchester City transfer rumours and news!”]

It would also be difficult to see why Manchester City would let him leave on loan, for although Ruben Dias and John Stones solidified their positions as the first-choice centre-backs last season, Laporte is still an immensely talented player and is very much appreciated by Guardiola.

Due to the Englishman’s lack of fitness, the Spain international started next to Dias for City’s 5-0 thrashing of Norwich City last weekend, scoring a goal and producing a near-perfect display which led Guardiola to sing his praises after the game, dubbing him the best left-footed centre-back in the world.

It is not the first time the City manager has made that claim, as he also suggested it in January 2020 whilst hailing the “incredible” impact the 27-year-old has made at the club, so it seems very unlikely that he would want to let him leave, especially on loan.

[freshpress-quiz id=“577936”]

Given all the factors involved, it would be extraordinary if we saw Laporte join Barcelona on loan this summer, and it would be a huge mistake by Txiki Begiristain if he lets a player of such quality leave the Etihad.

In other news… Offer made: Man City make approach for “very strong” starlet