All posts by z3u9t.icu

Tottenham Hotspur have been handed a huge injury boost ahead of their Premier League meeting with Newcastle United on Sunday afternoon.

What’s the latest?

Speaking in his pre-match press conference (via the official Tottenham website), Antonio Conte revealed that, despite withdrawing from the Wales squad ahead of their friendly against Czech Republic on Tuesday, Ben Davies will be available for tomorrow’s visit of the Magpies.

Regarding the current condition of the 28-year-old, the Spurs boss said: “Ben is okay. He had a little problem, but he’s available.”

Great news for Tottenham

Considering just how important Davies has been to this Tottenham side since Conte’s arrival in north London last November, the news that the defender has recovered from his knock in time for Sunday is undoubtedly great news for Spurs.

Indeed, following the 52-year-old’s move to the club, the £18m-rated left-back has featured in all but one of the Italian’s 27 games in charge, with 25 of these coming as starts, most often on the left of Tottenham’s three-man defence.

Of Davies’ 23 appearances as one of Spurs’ three central defenders this season, the £60k-per-week Welshman has impressed, averaging a WhoScored match rating of 6.81 – slightly better than his 6.79 rating over nine outings at left-back.

As such, the news that the 28-year-old will be fit to face Newcastle this weekend will certainly come as a huge boost to Conte and Tottenham, especially considering the club’s considerable lack of depth at left centre-back, with the position being one of Fabio Paratici’s priority targets in the summer transfer window.

AND in other news: Paratici plotting £59m bid for 24 y/o “appreciated by Conte”, he’s “perfect” for Spurs

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Reports in Italy claim Tottenham are keen to land Juventus ace Douglas Costa this summer, but would the Brazilian international be a good fit?

What’s the story?

Well, according to Calciomercato, Tottenham want to sign Costa this summer, and a stunning swap deal could be on the cards.

The report claims that if Spurs do make an approach, Juventus sporting director Fabio Paritici will attempt to lure Christian Eriksen in as part of the deal.

The Danish international has yet to pen a new long-term deal in North London, and his contract expires in the summer of 2020.

CheekySport’s Joel claims Spurs badly need to invest in January after not having “the balls” to beat Arsenal. Check out his uncensored opinion in the video below…

A huge mistake?

There’s no question that Costa is an electric player that would enjoy playing in the Premier League.

The 28 year-old already has five Ukrainian Premier League titles, two Bundesliga titles and one triumph in Serie A, and has proved himself at the Champions League level with both Juventus and Bayern Munich.

He is absolutely incredible with the ball at his feet, able to change pace at a moment’s notice and burst past defenders, and his crossing and shooting is far superior to most wingers of his calibre.

However, his levels have dropped off considerably this season, finding the net just once and adding two assists.

What is even more concerning from a Tottenham perspective is his controversial behaviour, as the 31-cap Brazilian served a four-game ban earlier this campaign for spitting directly into an opponent’s mouth.

Able to function on either wing, his versatility will definitely appeal to Mauricio Pochettino, but his work rate is questionable to say the least and losing Eriksen in an attempt to land the fiery winger would be betraying the very thing Pochettino has worked so hard to build.

The gaffer expects all his players to buy completely into the team philosophy, and Costa is the wrong man to target for a side that prides itself on grit, commitment and teamwork.

Flocking to Twitter, many West Ham United fans have raved over a transfer update involving exciting young attacker Fabio Carvalho.

The talented teenager has continued to thrive at Craven Cottage since breaking into Fulham’s first team in 2020, clinching the EFL Young Player of the Month in August whilst continuing to show his potential.

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His current deal at Fulham expires at the end of the season, prompting clubs to take a serious interest in the England youth starlet, with West Ham apparently among his many suitors according to TEAMtalk. Indeed, they claimed that the Irons, and by extension owners GSB, have Carvalho in their sights as talks over an extension stall at his current club.

The Hammers are joined by Spurs, Liverpool and Southampton in being linked with the youngster, with that trio also believed to keeping tabs on the 19-year-old with a view to making a move.

West Ham fans rave…

Amid this development, plenty of West Ham fans have raved on Twitter, and it’s not hard to see why given Carvalho’s performances and high ceiling.

Check out some of their best reactions to the news that their club want him below, with one Hammers fan labelling the player a would-be ‘fantastic signing’.

“I’d take Fabio Carvalho. He’s the sort of signing we should be making, lots of potential but already proving he can score and perform at that level. Once the transfer window opens for us in about 10 days time … hopefully we make a move.” 

Credit: @RockyWhu

“Yes plz”

Credit: @IronsJoes

“Baller”

Credit: @jakewhu16

“please please please please”

Credit: @3ndtroducing

“This would be a fantastic signing.”

Credit: @WestHamUtdScout

“Wanted him years ago, would be perfect for Lanzini back up.”

Credit: @Icevain7

In other news: West Ham source: Newman makes move to sign ‘devastating’ forward after price plummets by £32m, find out more here.

West Brom’s reputation as a “yo-yo” club could have been ended if the club made different transfer decisions to improve their squad over the years.

Having spent more than £240m on transfer fees alone in the last decade, it is hugely disappointing for Baggies fans to still find themselves an unestablished Premier League side, with them even struggling to push for promotion from the Championship this year.

They have lost a number of their talismans throughout recent years, like Brazilian playmaker Matheus Pereira, who left at the start of this season for Saudi Arabian side Al-Hilal for £16.2m.

Albion could have made a club-transforming transfer back in 2011, as according to the Daily Mail, then-Baggies manager Roy Hodgson was targeting a move for a teenage Wilfried Zaha, who subsequently became a hero at Crystal Palace under the English coach for years to come.

He has made 420 appearances for the south London club, scoring 78 goals and providing 73 assists as he has consistently helped the team remain in the top tier of English football for nine years and counting.

Eagles assistant manager Osian Roberts praised the Ivory Coast international earlier this season for his positive influence off the pitch – something which would have greatly benefitted a “yo-yo” team in helping them secure Premier League survival.

Roberts said: “I can only go on personal experience of the last few months, and I think Wilfried is a top professional, who is hungry for success. He wants to be successful as an individual, and he wants to be successful in a team environment, and in order to do so you have to push yourself and you have to push your teammates.

“Patrick [Vieira] is always saying to our group of players ‘you must demand more from each other’ and Wilfried is one of the first to do that.”

Ranking in the top 9% of wingers and attacking midfielders in Europe’s top five leagues and continental competitions for dribbles attempted per 90 (4.86), top 11% for carries into the penalty area per 90 (1.84) and top 12% for pressures per 90 (21.75), the former Manchester United winger has proven himself to be one of the Premier League’s top forwards in recent years.

If West Brom had signed a clinical forward like Zaha, who would have not only got The Hawthorns crowd on their feet but kept them in the top flight right up to the present day, they could have shed their status as a “yo-yo” team by now. Instead, they’re left watching on as he’s done just that with Crystal Palace.

In other news: WBA could face disaster on “accomplished” 28 y/o who’s “getting better all the time”

Glasgow Rangers have been hit with a European concern ahead of the 2022/23 campaign…    

What’s the talk?

The Glasgow Times have dropped an update explaining what Villarreal’s progress in the Champions League could mean for teams in Scotland.

If the Spanish outfit go on to win the European title this season then it is would mean that Gers would need to go through the qualification stages in 2022/23 – if they were to win the Premiership title.

As it stands, the winners of the Scottish top-flight will immediately qualify for the group stages of the Champions League next season. This would result in a major £40m bonus for competing in the competition, but that is now under threat.

Their automatic qualification will be taken away if a team wins the tournament this year whilst failing to finish in the top four of their domestic league. Villarreal are on their way to doing this as they are in the semi-finals whilst currently sitting seventh in LaLiga.

Gio van Bronckhorst will be sweating…

This update will leave the Gers head coach sweating buckets as it gives him another Champions League concern to worry about.

Firstly, he is nearing the end of an exciting – for the neutrals – Premiership title battle as the Light Blues are attempting to catch up with Celtic in the table. They are six points behind their rivals as it stands and will not be giving up on their attempts to lift the trophy for the second season in a row.

Whilst it may seem unlikely due to the current gap between the two teams, all Rangers can do is continue to win games in the league and hope that the Hoops drop points along the way. If they can claw it back and secure a stunning title win then that would put them in a fantastic position to qualify for the Champions League, but that is now in danger.

Van Bronckhorst will now have to keep a close eye on results in the competition and root for Liverpool in the semi-finals against Villarreal. He will be desperate, as will Ange Postecoglou, for the Spanish side to fail in their efforts to win the tournament as it would dampen Rangers’ chances of hitting the £40m jackpot later this year.

Although they will still have the opportunity to access that cash fund if they make their way through the qualification phase, the Dutch head coach would surely prefer to go straight into the group stage instead of enduring the stress of play-off football.

AND in other news, From £4.5m to £25m: Wilson had huge Rangers howler over “remarkable” 12-goal gem…

A club insider, sharing news within the last 48 hours, has now broken one big twist in the ongoing saga of West Ham United star Declan Rice’s future.

The Lowdown: Rice eyeing exit?

Reports over the past few months have suggested, after a lack-lustre January window and falling away in the top-four race, that Rice is open to leaving West Ham this summer.

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Various sources have claimed that he could leave in 2022, starting with The Telegraph, who stated in February that the manager David Moyes and GSB ‘face a battle’ to keep the England star this summer.

Since then, journalist Dean Jones has told GiveMeSport that Rice is ‘more open than ever’ to quitting Rush Green, with 90min reporter Scott Saunders going one step further and claiming he is ‘ready to leave this year’.

However, sharing a major twist, insider Claret & Hugh have now provided some good news for Irons supporters.

The Latest: C&H share Rice twist…

According to their sources, after ‘ongoing talks’ between the club, Rice and his agent/father, the 22-year-old has informed West Ham outright that he has no intention to hand in a transfer request and is focused on London Stadium life for the next 12 months ‘minimum’.

C&H go on to state that the Hammers have ‘zero concerns’ over his commitment as the summer window approaches.

However, there is a consensus that, if Rice can’t win anything in east London, he could look to move on next summer instead.

The Verdict: Big 2022/2023 ahead…

News of the England star’s commitment for next year at least comes as good news for West Ham, but going by this update, the 2022/23 season could be absolutely huge.

Much may well depend on GSB backing Moyes in the summer market and showing Rice that the club are indeed serious about building on their unprecedented success over the last two years.

It is believed that the Scotsman will have a £150m kitty at his disposal as West Ham potentially aim to make statements.

In other news: Blow for Moyes: Reliable journalist says ‘phenomenal’ West Ham player is now out for the season! Find out more here.

Manchester United eventually managed to secure all three points in a challenging clash with Norwich City this afternoon, with the game ending 3-2 – something which sees Ralf Rangnick’s side manage to get themselves back into the top four race.

Indeed, both Arsenal and Tottenham Hotspur lost their Premier League fixtures today, which gave the Red Devils an opportunity to get right back into the race for Champions League qualification.

However, they almost squandered their chance, but for Cristiano Ronaldo delivering not one but three goals against the bottom of the table Canaries.

Despite the hosts having more possession (61%) and over twice as many shots on target, Man United struggled to hold off Norwich who managed to bag two goals at Old Trafford.

The game started well for the home team, with Ronaldo opening up the scoring in the fourth minute, before doubling his tally in the 32nd minute – putting Man United comfortably ahead.

However, Norwich set out to respond and were able to break down United’s defence with ease in the final moments before the half-time whistle, with Teemu Pukki scoring in first-half stoppage time.

In the second half, the Canaries continued their pursuit to make a comeback and succeeded when Pukki scored his second in the 52nd minute to level up the scoreline, however, Ronaldo would go on to find the winner and complete his hattrick in the final quarter of the game.

One player who was key to the attacking threat Manchester United imposed on Norwich this afternoon was Anthony Elanga, with the youngster having a huge influence on the game – undoubtedly being Rangnick’s biggest winner on the day.

According to SofaScore, the winger hailed a “great talent” by Zlatan Ibrahimovic only came second to Ronaldo for the highest rating in the team – 7.8 – and for good reason.

The 19-year-old dominated in his position, taking 65 touches of the ball, making three key passes and four tackles, as well as recording a 92% pass completion rate – not to mention capping his impressive performance with an assist for the first goal.

Rangnick must now capitalise on the progress they have made in the league table following their top four competitors’ losses this weekend, now being just three points behind Spurs with a great opportunity to improve their Champions League chances in the remaining games of the season.

AND in other news: Ten Hag must ruthlessly axe “difficult” £31.5m-rated Man Utd star, he won’t fit in

An update has emerged on Rangers and their plans for centre-back Connor Goldson’s future…

What’s the talk?

According to The Scottish Sun journalist Derek McGregor, the Gers have decided that keeping the defender until the end of the season and losing him on a free would be more valuable than cash in on him this month.

The report claims that his importance to the squad could be crucial to their success this season, which could earn them £30m if they secure a Champions League spot.

English Championship sides West Brom and Nottingham Forest are both keen on landing him on a free transfer when his contract expires and could seal a pre-contract agreement before the end of the window.

It is also claimed that Hearts defender John Souttar has been earmarked as his successor for the 2022/23 season, as Rangers sealed a move to bring him to Ibrox in the summer earlier this month.

Elation

Gio van Bronckhorst will surely be left feeling elated by this news as it is a shrewd transfer ploy that could work out perfectly for the club. It appears as though Ross Wilson has put all the pieces in place to pull off a masterclass in the summer and the Dutchman will be buzzing by it.

The club were heading into a dangerous situation in January with Goldson out of contract at the end of the season as they may have been forced to cash in on the Englishman. This could have led to van Bronckhorst losing a key player midway through the current campaign, which could have then hampered their chances of winning the Premiership and caused them to miss out on the £30m payday.

Instead, they are set to keep hold of him as they have already managed to secure his replacement come July, with Souttar coming in to take his place.

The Hearts man will then have the entire summer to prepare to hit the ground running, rather than having a player come in and attempt to replace Goldson immediately this month.

In the Premiership this season, the current Gers enforcer has averaged a SofaScore rating of 7.15. This shows that he has been consistently delivering quality performances and that is why the head coach will be elated by the prospect of him staying to help the team win the Premiership in the second half of the campaign.

AND in other news, Rangers could finally axe “really poor” lightweight by landing £2.8m-rated playmaker…

Aston Villa have not been shy when it comes to identifying and signing players that they feel will improve their side, either as immediate first-team figures such as Danny Ings or young prospects that could work their way into becoming regular senior players in the future such as Louie Barry and Kerr Smith.

With a few days left until deadline day arrives, one fairly young player that Villa have been linked with that could come in and start making a claim to become a regular figure in Steven Gerrard’s team is Sunderland’s 20-year-old midfielder Dan Neil.

As a product of the Wearside club’s youth system, the midfielder has made a total of 42 appearances for Lee Johnson’s first team across all competitions, chipping in with three goals and eight assists along the way.

This season has seen the youngster play in all but one of Sunderland’s league games, highlighting how critical he is to the team.

As well as his goals and assists from midfield, Neil’s overall performances have also been note-worthy with WhoScored listing the Englishman as the fifth-highest rated Sunderland player to have played more than one league game so far this season with a rating of 6.86/10.

Despite it still being early days in his playing career, the Sunderland maestro has already been likened to a young version of Premier League legend Michael Carrick by talkSPORT commentator Ian Danter, which is a massive compliment given how highly regarded the former Manchester United midfielder is.

With that in mind, the opportunity to unearth the next Carrick at Villa should be a very exciting prospect for Gerrard and therefore persuade the Midlands club to launch a move to sign the Sunderland starlet, who has been labelled as a “diamond” by Phil Parkinson in the past.

Given how important he is to Johnson’s side, who are pushing for promotion back to the Championship, Villa may struggle getting them to agree a deal for Neil to leave before the end of the month.

However, with the lure of potentially playing in the Premier League with a big club like Villa under the management of one of the best midfield players of all time, this could be a very tempting next step for the Sunderland star should he feel like he’s ready to start a new chapter in his career.

In other news: “I’m hearing”: Insider drops “emerging” AVFC transfer claim, Gerrard would be furious – opinion

Journalist Rahman Osman believes Crystal Palace boss Patrick Vieira could drop Vicente Guaita to stick with Jack Butland against Chelsea this weekend.

The Lowdown: Palace’s run to the semi-final

Palace have enjoyed a solid and sometimes exciting first season under Vieira and are now preparing for a Wembley showdown with their London rivals.

The Eagles have defeated Millwall, Hartlepool United, Stoke City and Everton on their way to the last four, conceding just twice.

Butland has played every minute of domestic cup action this season, with Guaita first choice in the league, and Osman thinks the Spaniard, who Roy Hodgson labelled as ‘excellent’, will be dropped following the 2-1 loss to Leicester last time out.

The Latest: Guaita to be axed?

Osman shared a story on London World on Wednesday, looking at three Palace stars Vieira may leave out this weekend.

One of those was Guaita, with the reporter believing Vieira will ‘break the heart’ of the 35-year-old by sticking with Butland at Wembley.

The Verdict: Right decision?

Some managers decide to bring back their first choice ‘keeper in the latter stages of cup competitions, but it only seems fair for Vieira to leave Guaita out and stick with Butland – just look at how Caoimhin Kelleher rewarded Liverpool in the Carabao Cup final this year.

Butland made a big blunder against Millwall in the third round but hasn’t been troubled much in the FA Cup since then, though he could be a much busier man on Sunday.

We will soon find out what Vieira decides in regards to selection, however, bigger calls may have to be made outfield, especially with injury concerns to Tyrick Mitchell and Michael Olise.

In other news: Vieira now wants Parish to bring 25-assist star to Palace; club preparing to lose their player