All posts by z3u9t.icu

Leeds United have reportedly lost interest in signing Chelsea striker Michy Batshuayi this summer, with a potential deal now off the table.

The Lowdown: Leeds linked with Batshuayi move

The Whites will be looking to make inroads in the next transfer window, perhaps focusing on quality over quantity, in order to push on again next season after a brilliant first campaign back in the big time.

One player Leeds have been linked with is Batshuayi, with the Belgian unwanted at Chelsea and spending last season on loan at Crystal Palace.

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The Latest: Fresh update emerges

According to Goal’s Chelsea transfer update, the Whites have ceased their interest in bringing the 27-year-old to Elland Road, with Chelsea demanding £15million for his services.

It looks likely that Marcelo Bielsa will now look elsewhere for attacking reinforcements, in order to provide more competition for Patrick Bamford.

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The Verdict: Right decision by Leeds

Batshuayi has definite pedigree, having scored 22 goals in 34 caps for Belgium, but he also hasn’t performed well at the top level for a sustained period now.

The striker managed just two goals in 18 Premier League appearances for Palace in 2020/21, and he hasn’t reached double figures in a league campaign since 2015/16, when he was at Marseille.

Leeds signing Batshuayi would have represented an expensive gamble, so it makes sense to look at alternative options.

In other news, Leeds United are reportedly eyeing up a move for a relegated Premier League player. Find out who it is here.

If Saturday afternoon marked Ryan Christie’s final outing in a Celtic shirt then he bowed out of one the country’s most famous clubs in typical fashion.

The Hoops forward has been anything but convincing this season and as the Bhoys laboured to a 0-0 draw, it summed up not only his timid campaign but the entire team’s.

Christie was devoid of creativity, not clinical in front of goal and lacked a presence when shoved into a wide area he’s been so abject in for the last few months.

Instead of ending the term in style, Celtic brought their campaign to a close in a game that summed up the last nine months of their existence.

The team selection, one that was missing Karamoko Dembele and Adam Montgomery, was strange considering this was the last game of the season. There were no experiments from John Kennedy who placed his faith in a number of players who have only been too willing to let the coaching staff down.

The Glaswegian side travelled to the capital but failed to score at Easter Road, enduring a goalless draw with Hibernian in Scott Brown’s final Celtic game.

If supporters are lucky, this will also have been Christie’s final outing in the green and white. Linked with a move away in the winter, the Scot’s contract runs out in January 2022.

Therefore, this summer represents the final opportunity they can receive a fee for his services.

The £12k-per-week earner will be lucky to earn a Premier League move, though. After all, he’s played out a distinctly average campaign at Parkhead.

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He finished the 2020/21 season with just seven goals for his troubles, 13 fewer than he managed in 2019/20. If anything summed up his lack of productivity, it was the game with Hibs on Saturday.

Christie was ineffective again, losing the ball every five touches he took; a statistic that sums up a season where he’s been surrendering possession all too easily.

The Scotland international has had a nasty habit of shooting from range, rather than looking to be creative and find a pass when someone else is in a more promising position.

His ability to find a teammate was lacking again this week, failing to provide a single key pass for anyone in the Celtic side.

The Bhoys were crying out for a moment of magic, but typically, they didn’t receive that from Christie. The winger didn’t provide an accurate cross during the contest, firing two shots off target as well.

His performances have been poor but you have to question the manager’s decision to consistently play him out of position.

As demonstrated in Celtic’s 4-0 win over St Johnstone last midweek, the 26-year-old is more effective when playing centrally, just behind the striker.

That being said, after such a dismal season, it would be a surprise if we saw him in competitive action for the club again. Like many of the playing staff, it’s time to cut ties.

AND in other news, Celtic must sign 5ft 8 beast who gets “in people’s faces”, he’s perfect for Eddie Howe…

Daniel Levy could be about to make a massive mistake at Tottenham Hotspur…

What’s the word?

According to Football Insider, Spurs are planning to sell midfielder Dele Alli despite him featuring in the final five matches of the 2020/21 Premier League season.

A source told the website that the North London outfit will still listen to offers for the £26m-rated star this summer.

Ex-manager Jose Mourinho wanted to sell the 25-year-0ld in the last transfer window but a reunion with Mauricio Pochettino at Paris Saint-Germain was blocked by Levy – now he appears to have changed his stance.

Huge mistake

A lot is likely to happen at Spurs this summer, not at least because they need to find their next manager, first and foremost. He should then probably be the one to make the decision on Alli, not Levy or anyone else in the club’s hierarchy.

Alli showed glimpses of life in these final few matches and that should not result in him being put in the shop window.

Given the situation surrounding his teammate Harry Kane, he’s likely to be very much needed next season as Spurs cannot afford to lose all of their top talents.

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It’s thought that the 27-year-old is pushing to leave the club after another season ended without silverware, with both Manchester clubs – who are in each of the European finals – mooted with interest, as per Sky Sports.

Without their leading talisman, Spurs are a far weaker prospect and are less attractive to any new manager – take out Alli, who still is nowhere near reaching his peak, then there aren’t many pegs to build a team around.

He was once lauded as a “freak of a talent” having pocketed a second successive Young PFA Player of the Year award and scored a whopping 18 goals from midfield during the 2016/17 season.

And interim head coach Ryan Mason found a way to reintegrate him after Mourinho left him as an outcast for the majority of the season.

Alli started their last five games for the very first time this season and even provided an assist. He had only started twice before that, as per Transfermarkt.

You can’t help but feel that Kane’s future is out of Levy’s hands right now, so he really needs to be keeping around players like Alli for the new manager.

To sell a player before the new manager has had a chance to look at him and speak with him would be a disastrous decision by Levy and is one that he should not make.

AND in other news, Fresh twist emerges in Spurs manager hunt, Levy can right big mistake…

Plenty of Crystal Palace supporters have been reacting to an update regarding AS Roma manager Paulo Fonseca on social media.

According to reliable reporter Nicolo Schira, Fonseca will leave his role with the Italian giants at the end of the season.

Fonseca has reportedly held talks with the Eagles in recent weeks, and Schira claimed that the 48-year-old’s agent ‘has offered him to Crystal Palace’.

Roy Hodgson’s Palace deal expires in a matter of months and it seems as if the club are now lining up his replacement, with the likes of Burnley’s Sean Dyche, Celtic target Eddie Howe and former Chelsea manager Frank Lampard on a three-man shortlist to become Hodgson’s successor last month.

Palace fans react

Schira shared the update regarding Fonseca on Twitter in the early hours of Saturday morning.

As to be expected, a number of Palace fans had their say on the news, with many excited at the possibility of the Portuguese taking the reins at Selhurst Park.

“Either him or Lampard will take over from Roy in the Summer”Credit: @lukeyCPFC34″Just make it happen”Credit: @Sumo08112″Ok this is getting me excited”Credit: @localpla9tic”It’s gonna happen lads”Credit: @CPFCMax03″Some of the replies…”Credit: @RRcpfc”I think he has the biggest range of success to failure. If he does well with us, we’ll do very well but if he fails, we’ll go down, likely bottom. The other options like Dyche would be anywhere between 13th-17th imo. But that risk with Fonseca is one we need to take to progress”Credit: @Callum_CPFC_

In other news: Many CPFC fans react to Wilfried Zaha development, find out more here. 

Former Celtic man Frank McAvennie believes Eddie Howe is back in the running for the vacant Hoops job.

The Lowdown: Howe edging closer to Hoops move?

It’s safe to say that Celtic fans have been on an emotional rollercoaster over the last six weeks when it comes to Howe taking over from Neil Lennon.

It seemed as if the 43-year-old was set to land the job at the beginning of April after verbally agreeing on a move to Parkhead.

He had second thoughts, though, and even reportedly spoke to Crystal Palace about possibly succeeding Roy Hodgson.

It seems as if a move to Scotland is now back on, with a story at the end of April suggesting he was finalising his Parkhead backroom staff.

The Latest: McAvennie’s Howe claim following club statement

Celtic actually released a statement five days ago regarding their search for a new boss, admitting they are ‘doing all they can’ to land the ‘best candidate’.

McAvennie, talking to Football Insider, was asked for his thoughts on the club’s recent statement. The 61-year-old, who remains closely connected to Celtic, appeared to drop an inside claim on Howe.

“You can’t read into that.

“Even if they have someone in mind they have to cover themselves. The whispers I’m hearing up here are that it’s Eddie Howe.

“Even if they have got Howe, they need to keep their options open. They are too big a club to not do that.

“They can’t be left in the lurch if something was to happen whether it be Howe or someone else.

“They have to keep their options open.”

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The Verdict: Howe to be announced at the end of the month?

In our opinion, it looks as if a matter of when and not if Howe will sign with Celtic.

He had been looking at three members of staff on the books of his previous employers, Bournemouth, and their involvement in the Championship playoffs may be a factor in a delay.

Should the Cherries progress to the playoff final at Wembley, that may keep those staff members busy on the south coast until the end of May.

Potentially, a semi-final exit for Bournemouth could work in the Hoops’ favour, as it may then give the club the chance to secure deals for Howe’s wanted staff members.

In other news: Celtic source admits John Kennedy is in the dark over Hoops future, find out more here. 

David Moyes is anxiously awaiting updates on Declan Rice’s fitness after the West Ham United midfielder was ruled out of Monday’s trip to Wolverhampton Wanderers.

That’s according to The Telegraph, who note that Rice sustained a serious knee injury while representing England against Poland during the international break.

Rice’s hopes of featuring at this summer’s European Championships are now in danger, with the current timeframe on a return expected to be four to six weeks.

Rice is claimed to have been wearing a protective brace on his knee to prevent any further damage and will undergo scans to determine the severity once the swelling has subsided.

It is currently unclear if the 22-year-old will need surgery, which would come as a huge blow for Moyes and England manager Gareth Southgate who are awaiting updates.

Rice is said to have sustained the issue around an hour into the Three Lions’ 2-1 win over Poland last Wednesday, but remained on the field to deliver a Man of the Match display.

A worst-case scenario could see Rice miss the remainder of the season and potentially Euro 2020, should he require an operation, while a best-case outcome will still be expected to see him miss clashes with top-four rivals Leicester City, Chelsea and Everton.

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Rice has been in outstanding form all season and has played an instrumental role in the Irons’ challenge for Champions League qualification, having yet missed a second of Premier League football.

The £60k-per-week star will now miss his first top-flight match since May 2019 when the London Stadium natives visit Wolves on Monday night, looking to claim a first victory at Molineux since August 2009.

Moyes will be extremely concerned over how West Ham’s season will end if Rice is to play no further part, and will have to face his own fears over how to live without the midfielder.

The Hammers boss stated back in November that he was fearful of becoming too reliant on Rice, but had stretched the £100m midfielder’s run of Premier League starts to 68 in a row prior to the international break.

“He is such an improved player,” Moyes said, via quotes by the Independent. “I really think he is doing a great job as a player and we are building up hope that he will be an outstanding captain.

“The role, his responsibility he takes on the pitch because of his young age, his leadership qualities will build. He has learned from Harry Kane and Mark Noble. My biggest concern – and I know he is young – would be that I don’t want us to rely too heavily on him.”

Moyes will now have to rely on Noble standing in for Rice over the next month or so with the 33-year-old the only central midfield cover available, which could see the Irons captain start successive Premier League games for only the second time this season.

Noble struggled to keep up with the pace of the opposition during his most recent start, with Manchester United’s Mason Greenwood turning the veteran inside out with a run Peter Crouch would describe as “scandalous”.

Noble will now have to step up and shake off the cobwebs if West Ham are to be without Rice for much of the rest of the season, and ensure his side are no worse off if they are to qualify for Europe.

AND in other news, West Ham trail a Premier League rival for a five-goal, seven-assist star once labelled an “exciting prospect”…

According to a report by Football Insider, GSB have ‘made progress behind the scenes’ in recent days as they look to sign Celtic star Odsonne Edouard – with West Ham United now climbing into pole position. 

GSB making progress for Edouard

The Frenchman has bagged an impressive 20 goals in all competitions for the Hoops and continues to attract serious interest as a result, including from GSB and West Ham.

Edouard has been scoring goals prolifically north of the border for many seasons, totalling 57 SPFL strikes since the 2017/2018 campaign – as well as assisting his teammates 25 times (Transfermarkt).

His form at Parkhead has prompted West Ham to prepare a swoop as they lay the groundwork and enter pole position, according to Football Insider, and the outlet even claim he could leave for as little as £8 million. 

As explained, GSB have allegedly ‘made progress behind the scenes’ as they hope to get a deal in place before the window opens.

Transfer Tavern take

Former boss Neil Lennon, often blown away by Edouard’s performances before his dismissal, most recently called him ‘magnificent’ after a wonderful outing away to Hamilton (Glasgow Live).

And we believe the striker definitely has what it takes to be a success in the English top flight judging by his consistent goal return over the last few seasons.

If Football Insider’s information on the ridiculously cheap price tag of £8m comes to fruition, signing Edouard seems like a real no brainer for West Ham and manager David Moyes – even if he didn’t step up to the plate in England, there is little risk involved.

Arguably, going by this fresh update, Edouard should even be up there with the likes of Tammy Abraham and Ivan Toney as a priority Hammers striker target.

In other news: West Ham gifted injury boost over ‘sensational’ ace, find out more here.

David Sullivan should fund a move for West Ham United to sign Goncalo Guedes in the summer transfer window as Valencia reportedly look to sell the Portuguese forward.

What’s the word?

According to AS, Valencia’s dire financial outlook has seen the La Liga giants slap a for-sale sign on Guedes and teammate Maxi Gomez.

The Mestalla Stadium natives are willing to listen to offers for the pair as they look to drum up vital funds, with owner Peter Lim facing losses of €26.5m (£23m) and challenges to meet Spain’s Financial Fair Play limit.

Reports in Spain last month had touted West Ham as a potential destination for Guedes, with David Moyes said to have an eye on the 24-year-old’s uncertain outlook.

A deal to sign Valencia’s record signing, for whom they paid Paris Saint-Germain £36m in 2018, was claimed to be possible for just €15m (£13m), sparking interest from the Irons as well as Napoli and AS Monaco.

West Ham could look to couple the Portuguese’s arrival with a revived pursuit of Gomez, with AS adding that Valencia are open to selling the striker for €18m (£15.5m) just two years on from the Hammers reportedly agreeing to pay Celta Viga €50m (£44.5m).

Gomez has scored 15 goals in 67 games across all competitions since rejecting West Ham’s interest for a move to Valencia, while offering eight assists.

Guedes has 20 goals and 20 assists in 126 games for Valencia, including during his initial season on loan, but has only started 17 of a possible 28 La Liga fixtures this term.

Should West Ham sign Valencia’s Guedes?

West Ham looking to capitalise on Valencia’s dire financial outlook and raiding the Mestalla for Guedes could see Sullivan fund a move for a forward who Javi Gracia lauded as “decisive” and may only need a fresh start to rediscover the form which saw PSG demand £36m.

Guedes lit up La Liga in the 2017/18 campaign during his year on loan with five goals and 11 assists, but abductor and groin issues arose in the following season to kick off his decline and 14 games out with a sprained ankle last term ensured it continued.

This year has been a massive challenge for Valencia as a whole, with Gracia overseeing just eight wins in 28 top-flight games, to sit closer to the relegation zone than Los Murcielagos are to the European places.

Given their struggles, it is no wonder that Guedes has also lost his form, but a fresh start could see that talent return, similar to how West Ham have benefitted from Jesse Lingard since his arrival on loan from Manchester United.

Lingard had not featured in the Premier League this season before moving to the London Stadium in the winter market, but has five goals and three assists to his name from seven appearances in claret and blue.

It’s the 28-year-old’s best return in front of the goal since the 2017/18 campaign, when he registered a career-best eight goals and six assists, but it took 33 games and three times as many minutes as he has played this season for Lingard to reach that tally.

Moyes had the key to unlock Lingard’s best form of his Premier League career, and may have the ability to unlock Guedes’ maximum potential as well.

AND in other news, West Ham are adamant a deal to sign a £100k-p/w “revelation” will be reached…

Ibrox legend Alex McLeish has predicted that Glasgow Rangers midfielder Ryan Jack may not be fully fit until the start of the 2021/22 campaign.

McLeish makes worrying Jack claim

The 29-year-old has struggled with injuries throughout the campaign. He was ruled out of nine Premiership matches earlier this season with a knee issue, and he has missed the last three with a calf problem (Transfermarkt).

Speaking to Ibrox News, McLeish has suggested that Jack may not be ready before the next campaign. He said:

“It seems to be an ongoing saga for Ryan over this season.

“In terms of injuries and one particular problem, maybe it is calf or hamstring. He is certainly a player who has progressed under Steven Gerrard.

“As have all the midfielders, I’m not saying they miss Ryan, in certain games they do, but they do have tremendous cover.

“For Ryan’s peace of mind, I think it will be great if he could clear up all of these ongoing injury issues, and maybe that can happen for next season.”

Blow for Gerrard

While Jack has been in and out of the treatment term this season, he has still been an important player for the 55-time Scottish champions. He has played without the 29-year-old in the side.

Unfortunately, this is not the first time he has struggled with injury. As McLeish says, it is a recurring theme with Jack ever since he made the move to Ibrox from Aberdeen. However, when he is fit, he is a force to be reckoned with – Gerrard will be hoping he can get back to his best before July, at least.

In other news, this Rangers man slams both UEFA and FIFA.

David Sullivan must finalise David Moyes’ new contract, with the boss’ control at West Ham United undeniable amid claims that Felipe Anderson is due to be sold this summer.

What’s the word?

According to The Sun, the Hammers are ready to take a huge hit on the former club-record £36m signing in order to get Anderson’s vastly lucrative wage off the books.

It will come as the second sizable loss taken in 2021 after shifting Sebastien Haller in the winter market for £20m, a whopping £25m less than he cost when signed from Bundesliga outfit Eintracht Frankfurt in 2019.

Anderson is expected to head through the London Stadium exit door for the final time this summer, as Moyes has made it clear that the Brazilian does not feature in his future plans.

Moyes does not believe the winger has the work ethic that he demands of his players and wants to rid West Ham of his services, as the ex-Manchester United boss continues to stamp his mark on the squad partly assembled by Manuel Pellegrini.

Anderson has hardly featured for FC Porto this season while on loan at the Liga NOS giants and knows there is no chance of a permanent move to the Estadio do Dragao.

But a potential hurdle in West Ham’s plans to shift the 27-year-old is that Anderson earns an alleged £100,000-per-week, and he still has a year remaining on the terms sanctioned by Pellegrini and the Irons’ former Director of Football Mario Husillos.

Interest may also be hard to come by too, with other clubs having seen Anderson start just five of his mere nine Porto appearances across all competitions to date, playing for a total of 383 minutes since joining Sergio Conceicao’s side.

A sign of Moyes’ control

Sullivan and the West Ham hierarchy being willing to take another sizable hit on the fees paid for players during Pellegrini and Husillos’ time at the club comes a sign of Moyes’ control at the London Stadium, where his power is seemingly undeniable.

West Ham could have forced Moyes to stick with Haller in January and Anderson next season so that the club could try and rebuild their respective market values, but instead, they seem willing to back the Scottish coach in his drive to start anew with his own signings.

It’s a costly way to g,  having already lost £25m on Haller and previous reports claiming Anderson is now worth only £17m, although it is part of the greater good that has the Irons challenging for Champions League qualification just a year after avoiding relegation.

Yet the Hammers’ backing of Moyes must not stop at selling the flops acquired by his predecessor, as the manager’s London Stadium future remains up in the air with his current contract due to expire at the end of the season.

Claims by TEAMtalk over the weekend suggested West Ham are set to push through a deal to tie Moyes down long-term as his demands are not an issue, yet rival interest is building with Celtic said to be in contact via intermediaries to discuss a move to the Premiership.

Moyes also has interest from other Premier League clubs and sides from the continent, but cannot be allowed to leave east London given the turnaround he has managed, plus the belief that senior club figures evidently have in him.

While Anderson could be set to go either way this summer, Sullivan must seal Moyes’ new deal to keep the anchor of West Ham’s recent success at the London Stadium.

AND in other news, David Moyes has confirmed his intent for West Ham to sign a £42k-p/w brute this summer…