All posts by h79snht.top

Leeds United chief Victor Orta could transform Jesse Marsch’s attack with a cunning double swoop this month…

What’s the word?

According to The Express journalist Ryan Taylor, the Yorkshire giants are one of the teams to have bid for Angers SCO attacking midfielder Azzedine Ounahi.

“I know they put in a bid for around about £17.5 million,” he told GIVEMESPORT before revealing that the likes of Napoli, Marseille and Almeira were also keen to sign him before the January 31st deadline.

It comes after Foot Mercato first revealed that the Whites had submitted an offer, though his current £10k-per-week deal isn’t set to expire until 2026 and that – combined with his sensational exploits at the World Cup in Qatar – puts the Ligue 1 side in a very strong negotiating position.

Some reports in Italy suggest he’d be available for €25m (£22m).

Imagine Ouhani and Rutter

If Orta were to stun the rest of Europe by landing Ouhani, then he could well hand Marsch some much-needed impetus in the final third, where the American has struggled with injuries – namely to top talisman Patrick Bamford and summer signing Luis Sinisterra – and inconsistencies.

The Moroccan, 22, is an “elegant” and industrious midfielder capable of making things happen in transition, having been lauded as a “little protege” by Corentin Bouchard, his former assistant manager at Avranches.

“He is a beautiful player, an elegant player, the kind of player people go to the stadium to see. I just hope he continues to amaze everyone,” he further claimed to Sky Sports.

Indeed, Ounahi ranks inside the top 1% of all midfielders across Europe’s top five divisions for successful dribbles per 90 (2.48) and has similar statistical traits to that of FC Barcelona duo Frenkie de Jong and Gavi, according to FBref’s model.

He could, therefore, be an ideal addition to the engine room on top of mooted striker target Georginio Rutter, who has emerged as a likely signing in the coming days, with Sky in Germany revealing that Leeds were closing in on a club-record £35.3m deal for him.

The France U21 international is a versatile attacker capable of playing through the middle and out on the left. Whilst his returns of two goals from 15 appearances in the Bundesliga this campaign aren’t anything to shout about, he did deliver 13 goal contributions for Hoffenheim last term in what was a breakthrough season.

Rutter is described by talent scout Jacek Kulig as a “complete striker” and a “clinical finisher” with “blistering pace,” which bodes well for his chances of being a success for both Leeds and in the Premier League, whilst journalist Joe Donnohue has also waxed lyrical about the 20-year-old.

“He’s physical, beats players 1-v-1, packs a punch with his shooting but equally, is unpolished and as with any transfer above a certain threshold, a calculated risk. That said, think his profile is the type of addition Leeds need in their forward line.”

Both Ounahi and Rutter would be worthy additions this month, so Orta must do all he can to secure the pair of them as on the above evidence, they would clearly add tenfold to Marsch’s struggling side.

Leeds could well form one hell of an exciting duo for years to come by signing both the Angers midfielder and the Hoffenheim striker before the deadline on January 31st.

AND in other news, Forget Firpo: Leeds’ “desperately poor” 104-touch dud was an “absolute joke” vs Cardiff…

Newcastle United transfer target James Maddison wants to be playing European football in order to boost his England chances, according to CBS Sports journalist Ben Jacobs.

The Lowdown: Endless Maddison rumours

In recent times, few players have been linked with a move to St James’ Park more intenstly than the 26-year-old, who could be looking to leave Leicester City.

Maddison has been a great servant for the Foxes, scoring 52 goals and registering 36 assists in 185 appearances, along with being described as ‘one of the best in the world’ at free-kicks by Kieran Trippier.

It remains to be seen whether Newcastle can get a January deal over the line for the 26-year-old, but a significant claim has now emerged in that regard.

The Latest: Maddison wants European football

Speaking to GiveMeSport, Jacobs claimed that Maddison wants to join a club who are playing European football on a regular basis, which could be crucial for the Magpies in their pursuit of the player.

The journalist said:

“From Maddison’s point of view, we also have to consider whether a mid-season move comes at the right time for him. He’s coming back from this knee injury and he doesn’t know what he’s walking into.

“James Maddison sees himself as a Champions league footballer, and he believes, as I’m told, that Champions League football or at least regular European football will be the difference between being selected for England and not playing and being selected for England and playing.

“That’s a key consideration for him ahead of the next Euros and the 2026 World Cup.”

[web_stories_embed url=”https://www.footballtransfertavern.com/web-stories/newcastle-news-7/” title=”Newcastle news!” poster=”” width=”360″ height=”600″ align=“none”]

The Verdict: Newcastle looking well set

In the past, a claim like this would have effectively ruled Newcastle out of the running, but they are now serious European contenders this season, as Eddie Howe continues to thrive as manager.

While a top-four finish is still a big ask, it would be a big disappointment if the Magpies didn’t qualify for Europe at all given their current position of third, and it could also potentially put paid to signing Maddison.

[freshpress-quiz id=“418867″]

However, the Leicester maestro may be willing to take a gamble and join Newcastle in January, backing himself to aid the Tynesiders’ European push between now and May.

Given the club’s vast wealth, they could go on to be regulars in the Champions League or Europa League for the foreseeable future, with Maddison perhaps playing a key part in the Howe revolution if PIF can lure him to St James’ Park.

A claim has emerged on Glasgow Rangers attacker Ryan Kent and his short-term future at Ibrox during the January transfer window…

What’s the talk?

Journalist Pete O’Rourke does not believe that the potential signing of Todd Cantwell from English side Norwich will speed up an exit for the Gers winger.

The reporter has also stated that the Englishman is expected to remain in Glasgow until the summer, when his current contract is due to expire.

He told Football FanCast: “I don’t expect Cantwell’s arrival to push Kent out of the door.

“They are slightly different players. Kent is more of a winger whilst Cantwell is a central midfielder, but I think Ryan Kent is still on to stay at Rangers until the end of the season.”

Imagine Cantwell & Kent

Keeping Kent and signing Cantwell this month could leave Michael Beale with the chance of forming a frightening attacking pairing for opposition defences in the Premiership to fear during the second half of the season.

The current Gers attacker has proven himself over the course of a number of years in the Scottish top flight and is a nightmare for defenders to deal with.

Since arriving at Ibrox from Liverpool, initially on loan, in the summer of 2018, the Englishman has racked up 25 goals and 32 assists in 120 Premiership appearances for the club, with 32 goals and 54 assists in 202 matches for the Light Blues in all competitions during that time.

The flying dynamo has proven that he has the quality to be a big threat in the final third, both in terms of scoring and assisting goals, and he could be exciting to watch alongside Cantwell if the club are able to strike an agreement to sign the Canaries man in the coming weeks.

Although the Norwich midfielder has failed to score or assist a single league goal since the start of last season, his form in the 2019/20 and 2020/21 campaigns offers hope that he could be an exceptional addition to Beale’s attacking options.

The 24-year-old struck six goals and assisted two in the 2019/20 Premier League season and followed that up with six goals and six assists in his club’s Championship promotion campaign the following year.

These statistics show that the £25k-per-week gem, who was once hailed as “magic” by Radio Norfolk presenter Rob Butler, has the quality to score and assist goals, like Kent, if Beale can get him back firing at his best.

Therefore, Cantwell and the current Gers left winger could frighten Premiership defenders with their technical ability and quality in the final third to form an exciting partnership for the fans to enjoy watching on the pitch.

Newcastle United have been handed a boost in their bid to bring Nicolo Zaniolo to the Premier League in the January transfer window.

What’s the talk?

That’s according to a report by Italian publication Gazzetta dello Sport (via Sport Witness), who claim that the AS Roma midfielder has now asked to leave the Stadio Olimpico at the earliest possible opportunity, to which Jose Mourinho’s outfit have responded by categorically placing the 23-year-old ‘on the market’ – with the Italian’s asking price set at €40m (£35m).

This is sure to come as a huge boost to Eddie Howe, as the Magpies have recently been linked with the Italy international, however, it was previously suggested that a move for the midfielder was ‘not conceivable’ in the January transfer window, and that the Premier League side would have to wait until the summer to stand a chance of landing the 23-year-old.

“Unreal”

Considering the sheer amount of ability and potential Zaniolo undoubtedly possesses, the argument that the Italian sensation would be an unreal signing for Howe to get over the line this month is an extremely easy one to make.

Indeed, according to FBref, the £12m-rated talent currently ranks in the top 4% of midfielders in Europe’s big five leagues for shots per 90, in addition to the top 17% for non-penalty xG, the top 12% for progressive passes received and the top 12% for touches in the opposition penalty area – proving just how dangerous the 11-cap international is in the final third.

Furthermore, FBref also rank the £79k-per-week playmaker in the top 6% of forwards in Europe’s big five leagues for dribbles completed per 90, as well as the top 13% for shot-creating actions, the top 13% for xAG – xG which follows a pass that assists a shot – and the top 39% for progressive passes – highlighting Zaniolo’s creativity when on the ball.

The 23-year-old also clearly puts the work in defensively, with FBref also ranking the former Inter Milan starlet in the top 23% of European forwards for blocks, the top 28% for tackles and the top 44% for interceptions per 90.

Aside from his evident technical ability, the player who journalist Nick Mercadante dubbed both a “monster” and “unreal” is incredibly versatile positionally, with the Italian being able to operate in central and attacking midfield, on either wing, as a support striker and even as an out and out number nine.

As such, should Howe manage to get a deal over the line for Zaniolo this winter, it is indeed easy to argue that the Romanista would represent an unreal signing for a club of the Magpies’ current standing – and would undoubtedly help to play a part in Newcastle launching an assault on the top four in the Premier League table come the end of the campaign.

Journalist Pedro Sepulveda says that Cedric is going to leave Arsenal on loan to Fulham ‘in the next hours’.

The Lowdown: Talks held

It has been reported that Fulham have been in talks with Arsenal to try and sign Cedric in this window.

The 31-year-old has only made four senior appearances all season so far, and has been left out of the last three matchday squads in the Premier League.

The Gunners have been strongly linked with a move for fellow right-back Ivan Fresneda, which suggests that Cedric is surplus to requirements at the Emirates Stadium.

The Latest: ‘It’s done’

Taking to Twitter, Sepulveda says that Cedric is set to leave ‘in the next hours’, claiming that his loan move to Fulham is a ‘done’ deal:

“It’s done. @Arsenal accepted the offer from @FulhamFC for Cedric Soares. Loan with no option to buy included. #Fulham will cover 100% of his wages. Contracts are being prepared and will be sign in the next hours.”

The Verdict: Right call

The decision to let Cedric go is certainly the right one from Mikel Arteta and Edu.

Aside from his lack of game time, the Portuguese veteran is also on a reported £100,000-per-week at the Emirates, which would make him one of the highest earners at the club.

His departure would free up a significant amount of money on the wage bill, which Arsenal could then use to try and bring other signings in before the end of the week.

Given that he is 31 now as well, and the Gunners already have Ben White and Takehiro Tomiyasu to cover at right-back in the squad, they would have likely preferred a permanent sale, but if he performs well at Fulham, then this is a deal that they could explore in the summer.

Arsenal could repeat their William Saliba masterstroke as they set their sights on a young defensive sensation…

What’s the word?

According to Fabrizio Romano, the Gunners have held talks over signing Real Valladolid CF right-back Ivan Fresneda, who was once on the books of Real Madrid.

Speaking to GIVEMESPORT, the reliable transfer guru said:

“At the moment, it is not that easy. But it’s true that Arsenal had conversations with his agents and it’s true that Arsenal are interested.

“It’s going to be important to understand what they can offer because Real Valladolid are prepared to accept less than the release clause.

“The release clause is €30million, but they’re prepared to accept around €15million and they want the player to stay until the end of the season to help Real Valladolid to fight and stay in LaLiga.

“Borussia Dortmund are offering that.”

Saliba repeat

For just £13m, the 18-year-old starlet could be an absolute bargain and if the LaLiga outfit want him back for the remainder of the season, then surely it’s a no-brainer.

Mikel Arteta already has two solid options at right-back in Benjamin White and Takehiro Tomiyasu, so it’s hard to see the young Spaniard breaking into the starting lineup anytime soon.

He could continue his meteoric rise by remaining at the Pucelanos, where his impressive form and talents have clearly caught the eye of Arsenal.

Indeed, Fresneda is performing at quite the elite level considering it’s his first real breakthrough into the men’s senior game.

Per FBref, the former La Fabrica gem is averaging 3.39 tackles, 3.16 clearances and 1.52 interceptions per 90. Such returns see him rank inside the top 2%, 4% and 11% when compared to his positional peers across Europe’s top-five divisions.

It’s why he has been lauded as a “very special talent” with a “beastly” crossing ability by both ESPN UK editor David Cartlidge and journalist Juan Arroita.

Perhaps the Gunners could take inspiration from the signing of Saliba, who in July 2019 joined the club in a £27m deal from Saint-Etienne, only to be loaned back for the season.

He’d go out on loan two more times before finally making his mark in north London and now, he’s an integral part of Arteta’s league-leading backline, one that has conceded the second-fewest goals behind Newcastle United.

There is a slim chance that Fresneda makes an instant impact to the squad if signed before Tuesday’s transfer deadline but in the long run, he’s a player that would benefit Arteta’s system and the club’s vision.

As such, Edu must look to replicate the Saliba blueprint with a late swoop for “one of the revelations of the season so far in LaLiga” – as recently lauded by Spanish football expert Matt Clark.

In signing Fresneda ahead of Dortmund, the north London giants could repeat an absolute masterclass, so the Brazilian must now get to work on getting this deal over the line.

AND in other news, Arsenal eye bargain Caicedo alternative in £52m “playmaker” who’s “the new Busquets”…

Some of Everton’s hierarchy could be keen on appointing Sean Dyche as their new manager, David Ornstein has claimed.

What’s the word?

The Toffees are in a crisis as they find themselves flirting with relegation and facing fan protests against the board. Everton sacked Frank Lampard as manager and now face a crucial decision as they look to appoint a coach who can save them from the drop.

There have been links with Marcelo Bielsa, while ex-Burnley boss Dyche is another who has come into contention, with both managers currently unattached.

They are two coaches with very different playing styles, with Bielsa deploying a high-energy, attacking style at Leeds United and Dyche favouring a more defensive approach at Burnley – and both could have different impacts on this Everton side.

Speaking on Sky Sports News (via Football Daily), Ornstein claimed that some within Everton may see Dyche as an easier appointment to make than the Argentinian and prefer the Englishman as someone who can take charge of the squad immediately.

He said: “I suspect there will be some [at Everton] in favour of somebody like Dyche to get them out of this mess and try to rebuild. He would come with a smaller staff, and I think it would be a less complicated deal to strike.”

Dyche could be more adaptable

Bielsa has built a reputation throughout his career for his strong, and often stubborn, philosophical approach to management, but may also bring chaos to an already unstable environment.

The Argentinian once left his role at Lazio after just two days due to differences between him and the club, so it could be a steep task for Everton to appease his demands with just days remaining in the transfer window.

Dyche, meanwhile, could come in as a quick fix and help give Everton a boost by solidifying their leaky defence which has shipped 28 goals in 20 league games, and could even be someone to take the team forward beyond the end of the season should he keep them up.

With ex-players such as Dwight McNeil and James Tarkowski at the club already, there may be less of a transition from Lampard to Dyche’s methods than if Bielsa was brought in.

Aston Villa manager Unai Emery is expected to try and bed Jhon Duran gradually into the Premier League following Danny Ings’ departure.

What’s the latest?

It was a fairly quiet January window for Villa in terms of arrivals with only Duran and Alex Moreno coming through the doors at Villa Park.

However, there were a handful of departures and perhaps the most significant being the deal which saw Ings make the move to West Ham United.

On the back the striker’s departure, Emery brought in Duran to bolster his options at the top end of the pitch alongside Ollie Watkins.

And speaking to Football FanCast, journalist Pete O’Rourke has suggested he expects to see Duran slowly integrated into the Villa side:

“He’s a very highly rated young player. They have spent big money on him to bring him from MLS but I’m sure Unai Emery will try and bed him into the Premier League here as best he can rather than throwing him straight in because it’s a lot to [comprehend] at such a young age as well.

“I’m sure we will see Duran have a role to play for Villa between now and the end of the season.”

Taking the pressure off

The 19-year-old has certainly landed at Villa Park with some big expectations with the likes of Chicago Fire’s sporting director,  Georg Heitz saying:

“When we originally scouted Jhon as a 16-year-old, we knew that he had the potential to become one of the top young strikers in the world.”

Duran impressed in the last MLS campaign for Chicago where he was able to provide a return of eight goals and five assists in his 27 appearances (via Transfermarkt).

However, playing in the Premier League can prove a completely new experience with the likes of Newcastle United’s Miguel Almiron taking years to find his best form in England following his move from the US.

And he is stepping into fairly big boots left behind by Ings who had an impressive short spell under Emery before Villa sold him to the Hammers.

Despite making only two starts under the Spanish boss, Ings was able to provide a return of three goals and an assist in his 319 minutes of action.

But it will likely be a big step up for Duran and bedding him into the Villa side will potentially prove the best option for a player who will also be adapting to a new culture and environment.

And by dropping him straight into the XI, it could prove a huge amount of pressure on the shoulders of a player still so young.

While Manchester United continue to contend on all four fronts – having claimed a 2-1 win over Crystal Palace in the Premier League at the weekend – one point of concern for Erik ten Hag will be the loss of Christian Eriksen to injury, with the gifted Dane having been ruled out until the latter stages of the campaign.

While the absence of the 30-year-old – who sustained the ankle issue during the recent FA Cup triumph over Reading – has been somewhat eased by the deadline day arrival of Marcel Sabitzer, it remains to be seen how much of an impact losing such a key figure will have on the Red Devils in the coming months.

The fact that the playmaker’s injury has been a “huge blow” for the club – according to pundit Noel Whelan – is an indication of the impact that the former Tottenham Hotspur man has made since his summer move to Old Trafford, with the experienced ace having been a “massive” part of Ten Hag’s early improvement (as per Whelan).

It is fair to say that not everyone saw the wisdom in bringing in the 120-cap maestro on a free transfer at the time, with talkSPORT pundit Danny Murphy one of the most vocal about his reservations regarding the move, as well as the potential prospect of partnering Eriksen alongside Bruno Fernandes in midfield.

Last July, the former Liverpool and Fulham midfielder stated: “It’s a difficult one because I really like Eriksen. I’ve always admired him in terms of his creativity and the way he’s free with his football and tries things. Would it excite me if I was a United fan? He’s going to be a squad player, isn’t he? He’s not going to play instead of [Bruno] Fernandes.”

Asked if Eriksen is a world-class player, Murphy replied: “No. He’s a welcome addition to any squad because he has experience and he has quality, but if you’re looking at the big games where United compete with Liverpool, City and Chelsea, is he going to play in their first 11? No, is the answer, if they want to be competitive.

“You can’t play him and Fernandes. He’s a number 10 or a number 8. [Paul] Pogba and Fernandes played together on occasion, but not very often and that’s why United were so easy to play against at times.

“If they have two holding players or get [Frenkie] De Jong in, Eriksen could temporarily play as a holding midfielder, but he’s not a holding midfielder. He’s not going to be instead of De Jong. They’ll go for someone like De Jong if they can’t get him. For Eriksen it’s a wonderful opportunity to be at a huge club again after everything he’s been through.

“I can understand why he’d go there, I understand why the draw of Man United would get him over the line, but in the cold light of day if they want to be competitive with Liverpool, City and Chelsea, that’s not the type of signing that United should be making.”

Murphy was not alone in his doubts regarding that deal, with United legend Rio Ferdinand also revealing earlier this season that he too had been “sceptical” about the signing, only to have subsequently admitted that he got it wrong.

While there may well have been concerns over Eriksen’s ability to thrive at the elite level once again – having suffered a cardiac arrest while on international duty just a year prior to his move to the Theatre of Dreams – the former Inter Milan ace had seemingly shown enough during his brief stint at Brentford last season to showcase that he remains a truly reliable creative presence.

After scoring once and laying on four assists in just 11 games during his six-month spell with the Bees, the 5 foot 11 “genius” – as described by Statman Dave – has since gone on to flourish even further for United, having more than proven Murphy and co wrong.

Prior to his recent injury woes, the £150k-per-week sensation has missed just one game all season, having chipped in with two goals and provided nine assists in 31 outings across all fronts, with 27 of those appearances coming from the start.

Lauded by United icon Paul Scholes as someone who “plays with intelligence”, Eriksen has formed a reliable midfield partnership with Casemiro of late, with the pair having brought ‘style and substance’ in the centre of the park, as per the Independent’s Rich Jolly.

Although the former Ajax gem has perhaps felt the toll of his regular game-time in recent weeks – having looked ‘tired’ according to Manchester Evening News journalist Tyrone Marshall – that has done little to detract from what has proven a truly astute bargain signing.

To put it simply, Eriksen has left Murphy eating his words.

Scottish champions Celtic are back in action at home to St Mirren in the Scottish Cup this evening, with Ange Postecoglou’s side hoping to maintain their bid for glory on all three domestic fronts.

Although the title-winning coach will likely be keen to put out a strong starting line-up against what remains the only team to have won against his side this season in league or cup – aside from the Champions League – this upcoming clash at Parkhead could well allow the chance for the 57-year-old to shuffle his pack.

One man who could be in line for what would be a rare start is long-serving gem, James Forrest, with the diminutive winger having been on the periphery since the Old Firm derby clash with Rangers at the start of last month.

That 2-2 draw at Ibrox was the 31-year-old’s last start in all competitions, having endured a rather torrid outing against Michael Beale’s men after losing possession on 11 occasions and enjoying a measly pass accuracy rate of just 65%, before being hooked on the hour mark.

The experienced speedster has since gone to make just two substitute appearances in the Scottish Premiership since then, having been unable to make it off the bench in each of the past three top-flight games.

While that may suggest that the £19k-per-week wizard has fallen way down the pecking order, tonight’s encounter could provide an ideal opportunity for the “special” talent – as lauded by teammate Callum McGregor – to prove his worth once again.

The Hoops academy graduate – who has scored five goals in all competitions so far this season – does boast an impressive record against the Buddies in his career to date, having scored seven goals and provided seven assists in just 19 meetings across all fronts.

The 5 foot 9 machine has also remarkably failed to taste defeat and been held to just one draw against the Paisley outfit to date, with that perhaps illustrating that he is something of a lucky charm when it comes to playing against the Saints.

Clearly a regular thorn in the side of today’s opponents over the years, the hope will be that Forrest can terrorise Stephen Robinson and co once again this time around.