All posts by h79snht.top

Wolves striker Diego Costa may not start for the club amid his current performances, claims Express & Star reporter Nathan Judah.

The Lowdown: Costa’s return

Wolves brought Costa back to the Premier League in September following his release from Brazilian side Atletico Mineiro in the hope he would add much-needed firepower to the Old Gold.

The Spain international previously bagged 52 goals and 18 assists in a three-year stint at Chelsea from 2014-2017, winning two league titles along the way.

However, at the age of 34, he’s unsurprisingly come back not half the player he once was, with him yet to score or assist in nine games since arriving at Molineux.

The Latest: Judah’s opinion

Following Wolves’ 1-0 defeat against Manchester United on New Year’s Eve – in which Costa started before being hooked off at half-time – Judah discussed the situation involving the striker and his £62k-per-week wages on the E&S Wolves Podcast.

He said: “I do like Costa, I think he’s added a bit around the training ground, but I can add a bit around the training ground and get paid half that money.

“I don’t think we’ll see him start – you talk about not starting again in February, you’d be surprised; I’d be surprised if we see him start again in January.”

The Verdict: Needs replacing

Costa’s move to the West Midlands has not worked, with him miles away from the player who once terrified defences up and down the country.

The blame can’t be solely put on him, though, with it hard to believe at 34 years old that he has started eight of the nine league games available.

A role that sees him come on late in games as an impact substitute could perhaps suit him a lot better, with him only completing 90 minutes nine months.

The arrival of Matheus Cunha and Raul Jimenez returning closer to full match sharpness with every passing game means Costa may not be required to start again for Wolves, but it does show just how ridiculous the whole situation has been for him back in England.

Chelsea have opened talks with Borussia Monchengladbach striker Marcus Thuram over a move to Stamford Bridge, according to Fabrizio Romano.

The Lowdown: Chelsea ‘charging’ towards Thuram signing

The Blues are looking to sign a new attacker in the January transfer window as Graham Potter seeks an upturn in fortunes after a poor run of results either side of the mid-season break.

A recent report claimed that Chelsea are ‘charging’ towards the signing of Thuram, who played a part in France reaching the World Cup final last month, making five appearances in the tournament in Qatar.

A fresh update has emerged from Romano, one which suggests the Blues could be closer to getting their man.

The Latest: Chelsea open talks with Thuram

Taking to Twitter on Saturday afternoon, Romano said that talks are now taking place over Chelsea potentially signing Thuram, with his current Monchengladbach deal expiring this summer.

The Italian tweeted:

“Understand Chelsea have opened talks to explore January deal for Marcus Thuram. The French striker’s on many top clubs list being a free agent in June, Chelsea exploring conditions for Jan.

“Thuram will take his time and consider all the options, as @Santi_J_FM called.”

The Verdict: Ideal attacking signing?

Thuram could be exactly what Chelsea need, with the Frenchman renowned as a scorer and creator in the final third who is very clever in his movement, as per a scout report from The Coaches’ Voice.

The 25-year-old has already scored 10 goals in 15 Bundesliga appearances for Monchengladbach this season, half of Chelsea’s Premier League tally. He has 41 goals in 119 games overall for the German club and has also been described as ‘world class’ by Wolfsburg sporting director Marcel Schafer.

Thuram could be an upgrade on an out-of-sorts Pierre-Emerick Aubemeyang and give Potter the reliable focal point that the Blues manager is craving at the apex of his attack.

Tottenham Hotspur will be looking to put a dent in the Premier League title ambitions of arch-rivals Arsenal when the two sides go head-to-head in this afternoon’s north London derby.

We’re certainly set for an exciting and tense encounter with plenty at stake for both teams and Lilywhites boss Antonio Conte will welcome the fact that his injury troubles are somewhat easing.

It does give him a big selection headache, however, so it will be interesting to see what sort of lineup he names come kickoff.

Here’s what we are predicting…

The 53-year-old suggested that Dejan Kulusevski would earn an instant recall to the side after he returned from a frustrating stint on the sidelines.

Although it seems unlikely that either Rodrigo Bentancur or Richarlison start. Despite also being involved in training post-injury, they haven’t played for nearly six weeks. Both are certainly big decisions to make as the pair of them are capable of making a big difference in a game of his magnitude.

Club captain Hugo Lloris is set to continue as regular no.1 after Fraser Forster deputised in the FA Cup, whilst the back three in front of him could see Clement Lenglet preferred over Ben Davies, with Eric Dier and Cristian Romero partnering the Frenchman, meaning Davinson Sanchez and Japhet Tanganga are dropped.

Meanwhile, in the engine room, there could be returns for Pierre-Emile Hojbjerg and Yves Bissouma, who was set to start against Portsmouth last time out but picked up an injury during the warm-up. They’ll replace Pape Matar Sarr and Oliver Skipp, with the aforementioned Uruguayan machine taking a place on the bench.

Kulusevski then partners Heung-min Son and Harry Kane in the attack over the £83k-per-week “lightweight” Bryan Gil – as once dubbed by youth coach Harry Brooks – with Ivan Perisic and Matt Doherty taking up their usual places on the flanks.

A call that sees both Ryan Sessegnon and Emerson Royal drop to the bench, alongside his Brazilian compatriot, the returning Richarlison, in the ninth and final change.

Predicted Spurs XI (3-4-3): Lloris; Lenglet, Dier, Romero; Perisic, Hojbjerg, Bissouma, Doherty; Son, Kulusevski, Kane

AND in other news, Conte must bin Spurs’ £26m “complete liability” today, he’d get terrorised by Arsenal…

Journalist Lee Ryder has admitted that Newcastle United have been in contact with Ivan Fresneda’s agent within the last 24 hours.

The Lowdown: Recruitment yet to kick into gear

Newcastle have been very quiet this month with no players incoming and the only big exit which appears to be on the cards is Chris Wood who could soon become a Nottingham Forest player until the end of the season.

With less than two weeks of the transfer window remaining, however, that could soon change, with Toon links to the likes of Scott McTominay, Youri Tielemans and Fresneda, with the latter only seen as backup for Kieran Trippier at the moment.

Fresneda is said to be attracting interest from other big clubs including Arsenal and Borussia Dortmund, although it appears as though the English clubs may be ahead in the race as his agent has been in the country recently, according to Ryder.

The Latest: Progress being made on Fresneda

While speaking on the Everything is Black and White podcast, Ryder revealed that the club and Fresneda’s agent were in contact yesterday, which created a flurry of activity.

He said: “I think Newcastle are still very much active in that transfer. His agent is obviously over here now, and I think it’s caused a flurry of excitement with his agency and there was some contacts with them yesterday.”

[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: Fresneda would be a sign of the times

For so long under former owner Mike Ashley, Newcastle were building just for the here and now, if at all at times. Whereas, under PIF and the guidance of Dan Ashworth, they certainly have an eye on the future.

This has been highlighted by the signings of players such as Alex Murphy and Garang Kuol, as well as having interest in players like Chris Rigg from Sunderland and fellow youngster Fresneda from Real Valladolid.

Fresneda is still very young and has just 11 first-team appearances under his belt, but with a price tag of £13m said to be over his head, it seems to be a no-brainer as to why Newcastle are keen to land a promising young talent and get him learning from Trippier.

Newcastle United have discovered how much it will cost to bring Nicolas Gonzalez to the Premier League in the January transfer window.

What’s the talk?

That’s according to a report by Italian media outlet Calciomercato (via Sport Witness), who claim that, after reportedly seeing a €30m (£26.5m) bid for the ACF Fiorentina forward knocked back by the Serie A side, Eddie Howe will have to raise his offer to around €50m (£44m), as well as give the 24-year-old a deal worth €5m (£4.5m) a year, in order to land the winger this month.

The report goes on to suggest that, should the Magpies do as such, Fiorentina owner Rocco Commisso will ‘hardly have the strength for a new refusal’ regarding the departure of the Argentina international, while Leicester City are also believed to be keeping a close eye on the situation of the flanker ahead of potentially launching their own move this winter.

A magic signing

Considering just how impressive Gonzalez has been in Italy since his move from VfB Stuttgart back in the summer of 2021, coupled with the frequent injury setbacks suffered by Allan Saint-Maximin so far this season, it is not difficult to understand why Howe would be interested in a move to bring the Fiorentina sensation to St. James’ Park this January.

Indeed, over his 33 Serie A appearances in 2021/22, the £19.5m-rated talent was in electric form going forwards, scoring seven goals, registering six assists and creating seven big chances for his teammates, in addition to taking an average of 2.2 shots, making 1.1 key passes and completing 1.7 dribbles – at a success rate of 50% – per game.

The £55k-per-week winger – who can operate anywhere across the front three – also impressed in a defensive capacity last time out, making an average of 0.6 tackles, 0.6 interceptions, regaining possession 0.5 times and winning 7.3 duels – at a success rate of 54% – per match.

These returns saw the player who statistician OptaPaolo dubbed “magic” average a simply sensational Sofascore match rating of 7.13, not only ranking him as La Viola’s best performer in the league but also as the joint 30th-best player in the top flight of Italian football as a whole last season.

Furthermore, former Stuttgart manager Pellegrino Matarazzo previously praised Gonzalez’s drive to succeed, with the American coach stating of the 24-year-old forward: “He’s got a lot of qualities, but what I like best about him is that he’s a winner. He wants to win at all costs. He always gives 100% and gets stuck in. He’s very important for us.”

As such, with Gonzalez quite clearly being an attacker who is extremely efficient in the final third, is incredibly hard-working and boasts a winner’s mentality, the argument that Howe simply must raise his offer for the 21-cap Argentine this winter is an easy one to make – as the Fiorentina winger would undoubtedly add a bit of magic to an already sparkling Newcastle attack.

Chelsea are considering a move for Everton’s Anthony Gordon this winter, and could clinch the winger’s signature after failing in a bid last year…

What’s the talk?

Last summer, the Blues were reportedly willing to pay up to £60m for the Toffees star, having seen an initial bid of £40m-£45m rejected by the Merseyside outfit.

Since then, Everton have been attempting to tie their ace down to a new deal, but a snag in negotiations has left owner Farhad Moshiri resigned to allowing suitors to return with offers, with the likes of Aston Villa and Newcastle United interested in a potential £30m deal.

But now, the Blues indeed seek further firepower to bolster the flanks despite the lucrative fees spent over the past year, with the Telegraph’s Matt Law hinting at a “frantic” end to the window for the Blues, stating that the club could reignite their interest in the Liverpudlian, who would be permitted to return to Goodison Park on loan until the end of the campaign.

Dream Ziyech heir

Chelsea, led by manager Graham Potter, have been unrelenting in the transfer market this winter, making a raft of signings to bolster the squad after the lucrative summer spending spree.

After completing the signings of wide players Mykhaylo Mudryk for £88.5m and Noni Madueke for £29m this month, technical director Christopher Vivell could land Boehly a dream addition in Gordon, who could fit like a glove into Potter’s system.

Having made 78 appearances for the Toffees, the 21-year-old has only scored seven goals and served eight assists, although he has largely been plying his trade across the maiden period of his career with a wayward outfit offering little sign of life.

Hakim Ziyech has been repeatedly linked with an exit from Stamford Bridge; having signed for Chelsea for £33.3m in 2020, the Moroccan whiz has made 98 appearances, plundering 14 goals and 11 assists, often failing to earn a regular starting berth and consequently seeking pastures new.

And with the likes of Everton and AS Roma interested in his services, Chelsea could look to recuperate a portion of the fee used to land the gem and in turn throw at a deal for a new wide player.

And with Gordon, who is Everton’s second-highest goalscorer this season, averaging 1.6 shots and 0.5 key passes per game in a lowly outfit who have outscored only Wolverhampton Wanderers in the Premier League this season, the platform is ready for expansion as he seeks clarity over the trajectory of his development.

Dubbed “frightening” by Boreham Wood boss Luke Garrard, the former England U21 intenrational would also bring a wealth of defensive experience to provide a multi-dimensional approach to his play with the blues, ranking among the top 1% of positional peers in Europe’s top five leagues for blocks and the best 3% for tackles, as per FBref.

With the west London outfit undergoing a systematic restructure, signing a young star of Gordon’s ilk could encapsulate the changing of the winds; while not expected to start every fixture right from the off, the Everton phenom could continue to nurture and develop his skills and finally emerge as a spearhead at the centre of an exciting new chapter at a club looking to win it all.

Sky Sports reporter Michael Bridge says that there is ‘no truth’ in Tottenham Hotspur renewing their interest in Everton winger Anthony Gordon.

The Lowdown: Tottenham ‘monitoring’

It was reported by The Mail on Sunday (via The Boot Room) that Tottenham are ‘monitoring’ Gordon’s situation at Goodison Park, with Newcastle United planning to test their resolve with regards to keeping him beyond the last few days of the transfer window.

Gordon had missed training three days in a row in order to try and force through a move to St. James’ Park, but he was spotted arriving at Finch Farm this morning, after the news that Sean Dyche is expected to become the new manager at the Merseyside club.

The Latest: ‘No truth’

Taking to Twitter, Bridge says that there is ‘no truth’ that Spurs have renewed their interest in signing Gordon:

“Am told there is no truth in any renewed Tottenham interest in Anthony Gordon.”

The Verdict: Should Everton cash in?

Being a homegrown talent, there will be a lot of Toffees supporters who will not want to see Gordon leave this month, but on the other side, his attitude towards the club could be questioned given that he has missed training in order to try and force through a move away.

Hailed as having the potential to become an ‘unbelievable player’ by former Premier League ace Paddy Kenny, Gordon has been one of the Blues’ standout performers in terms of average shots, key passes, dribbles and tackles per game in the top flight so far this season, but has lacked an end product, with just three goals scored and no assists (WhoScored).

Being English and just 21 years of age, Everton could demand a large transfer fee for him, and that money could be used to strengthen other areas of the squad.

Nonetheless, it may boil down to whether Dyche would want to keep him in the squad, or cash in to strengthen elsewhere.

Journalist Ben Jacobs believes that if it was up to Harry Kane, he would sign a new Tottenham Hotspur contract.

The Lowdown: Spurs have a big second half of the season ahead

If Tottenham are to convince Kane and Antonio Conte that they should commit their long-term futures to the club, a top-four finish and at least getting close to winning some silverware must surely be achieved this season.

Otherwise, Conte may well look at how he was only handed loan signings in January and believe that the club isn’t capable of being turned around under the stewardship of Daniel Levy.

Kane, on the other hand, could well end his career having not lifted a single piece of silverware which would be a huge shame and something that will likely be playing on his mind as he enters his thirties.

All this comes amid Spurs’ search for a major trophy hurtling towards 20 years.

The Latest: Kane open to staying

Despite Spurs being miles away from challenging for a league title and not even in the top four at the moment, Jacobs has admitted on his Twitter Space that the striker would like to stay with Spurs if it was purely his decision.

He said: “I’ve been saying since October like a broken record, Harry Kane’s priority – and Spurs fans, if you’re listening, shout it at the top of your voice – remains to renew at Tottenham.

“I said it in October, November, December and January, Spurs are calm about the situation. Of course, at the end of the season, if the project moves in the wrong direction, there’s always going to be opportunism, but if it’s up to Kane he wants to fire Tottenham into the Champions League and then renew at the football club – that’s his priority.”

The Verdict: Major boost for Tottenham

It will likely be quite surreal for Spurs fans and Levy that they have got Kane in their squad, as he’s one of the best strikers on the planet at the moment – and even more so that he’s seemingly willing to stick around despite a lack of success over the years.

Kane has indeed been linked with moves away in the past, with the likes of Bayern Munich and Manchester United said to be keen on the England skipper, although if his heart is set to achieve greatness with Tottenham, it may be hard for him to leave.

However, if Tottenham fail to kick on in the second half of this season, Kane may well feel as though he has to leave this summer to win silverware, but also to ensure Tottenham receive a transfer fee for him instead of leaving as a free agent in the summer of 2024.

Leicester City have picked out Sunderland goalkeeper Anthony Patterson as a major summer transfer target, according to a recent report.

The Lowdown: Leicester’s goalkeeper options

Leicester goalkeeper Kasper Schmeichel completed a move to Ligue 1 side Nice in the last summer transfer window after 11 years with the club, leaving Brendan Rodgers with Danny Ward and Daniel Iversen to choose from between the sticks.

Ward has been the first choice for the Foxes, making 21 appearances in the Premier League, but Rodgers is now looking for a younger replacement for Schmeichel, with Patterson seemingly fitting the bill.

The Latest: Patterson targeted

According to a report from The Sun, Leicester have made the Sunderland shot-stopper a major target, although they will face competition for his signature, with Wolverhampton Wanderers said to be interested.

It is also claimed that the Black Cats could look to cash-in on their keeper for a fee of around £10m if they fail to get promoted from the Championship this season.

The Verdict: Get it done

In the top flight this term, Ward has shipped 37 goals, the second-highest total of any goalkeeper in the league, and while the Leicester backline is also culpable for the poor defensive record, there are indications that the Welshman is not up to the required standard.

Journalist Rob Tanner has suggested that the defence do not trust their goalkeeper, with this comment following the claim that he has had a ‘tough start’ replacing Schmeichel, and so the Foxes should look to bring in a younger option in the summer.

Hailed as ‘phenomenal’ by Nicky Crosby, Patterson has been in exceptional form for the Black Cats this season, recently making three saves from inside the box and receiving the highest match rating of any player in a 2-0 win against Middlesbrough.

The Sunderland youth product is averaging less goals against and a better save percentage per 90 than Ward over the past year, and given that he is just 22, he has plenty of time to develop into a top goalkeeper, capable of making the starting spot his for years to come.

Liverpool have been urged to complete a swoop for Crystal Palace stalwart Wilfried Zaha this summer.

What’s the word?

Speaking to Stadium Astro, Premier League champion Danny Simpson suggested that the Ivorian could be a good signing for the Reds.

He said: “I feel like Wilf plays better when he is the main man. I know he was a lot younger when he went to United, but if he goes to another top four top side he’s not going to be the main man.

The comments follow earlier revelations this season from Italian outlet Calciomercato, which stated that Liverpool are keen on a move and with the 30-year-old currently out of contract at the end of the campaign, a move could indeed arise.

“Game-changer”

Zaha has become something of a household name for fans of the English top-flight, with his delightful dribbling prowess and deft weaving in direct assault at the opposing defence has left little doubt that he is indeed one of the division’s most exciting and seat-raising forwards.

Partner that with the incremental gains made with his output in front of goal of the past several seasons, the refined and formidable star could make a marked improvement on a Liverpool team receiving widespread criticism for the lack of cohesion and offensive vigour.

Once hailed as a “game-changer” by former Palace boss Roy Hodgson, Zaha scored 11 goals in 2020/21 and registered 14 strikes last season. He now currently boasts six goals from 19 appearances this term, illustrating his clinical touch that has blossomed later in his career.

Indeed, having made 450 of his 467 professional appearances at senior level with the Palace, scoring 89 goals and 76 assists for the south London outfit, Zaha has indeed etched legendary status into the club’s folklore in securely sustaining Premier League status over his time at Selhurst Park.

The 30-cap Ivory Coast international has recorded an average career rating of 7.06, as per WhoScored, averaging 1.7 shots and 1.1 key passes per game.

And as per FBref, the £130k-per-week star ranks among the top 15% of wingers across Europe for successful take-ons and the top 25% for rate of non-penalty goals, and with former Liverpool phenom Philippe Coutinho listed as a comparable player to the Eagle, there is certainly a claim that he could emulate his positional peers resounding success under there Anfield lights.

Coutinho also possesses the fleet-footed wonder that only a select few professionals are capable of channelling, and his gliding gait with the ball at his feet from the left-hand side is eerily similar to Zaha, with the pair capable of cutting inside and unleashing havoc on any defence who tries to stop them.

The Brazilian has recorded a career average of 2.6 shots and 1.5 key passes per outing to date, with those numbers similar to the Ivorian who has managed 1.7 and 1.1 key passes.

As such, landing Zaha this summer could certainly prove to be a prudent deal indeed for Klopp’s beleaguered Liverpool; the Kop End yearns for a figure of blinding brilliance to lift the roof once more, and Zaha hold the key to unlock the cacophonous crescendo the club needs to find their feet again.