All posts by rastrear-estafeta.com

Manchester United are still interested in signing Sofyan Amrabat from Fiorentina this summer but reports of an official bid have been dismissed by Fabrizio Romano.

Is Amrabat joining United?

While not the most glamorous signing of the summer, a deal for Fiorentina's Amrabat would certainly be an excellent piece of business for any side willing to make a move for the defensive midfielder.

Having excelled at the 2022 World Cup with Morocco, helping his nation become the first African team to ever make a semi-final of the competition, Amrabat continued his fine form heading into the second half of a hectic campaign.

Fiorentina reached both the Coppa Italia and Europa Conference League final, losing both 2-1 as their first piece of silverware since the 1996/97 season narrowly evaded them.

Amrabat was crucial to La Viola's success and looks set to finally move onto bigger and better things this summer with a host of Europe's top clubs circling the 26-year-old.

The midfield enforcer has been long linked with Erik ten Hag's Man United and journalist Romano believes that the Red Devils retain a strong interest in him, albeit dismissing any rumours suggesting an official bid has been placed.

Speaking on his YouTube channel, Romano stated: "Also important guys to mention about midfielders – Sofyan Amrabat. Many of you asking me about reports of a bid from Man United. Guys, from what I'm hearing, Man United have not made an official bid for Sofyan Amrabat yet.

"Because as I told you days ago, I told you here on my platforms, Sofyan Amrabat is on the list at Manchester United. They like him, they want to negotiate for Sofyan Amrabat, but they know that Fiorentina want something around €40-35m [£34-30m].

"So, at the moment the priority at Man United is the new striker and then, after the Hojlund deal, they will focus on potentially new midfielder and new centre-back."

He added: "Outgoings are crucial. Man United are convinced that Fred will leave the club and so this could be the first step, and then they can have conversations for Sofyan Amrabat."

Given United are unlikely to move for a midfielder until they have sorted their striker situation, a deal for Amrabat could be some way off.

Fred has been linked with a move to Fulham and such a move could pave the way for Amrabat to make the switch to Old Trafford. Scott McTominay has also been linked away which would free up even more space for the Moroccan in midfield.

Who are Man United signing?

Now that deals for Mason Mount, Andre Onana and somewhat surprisingly Jonny Evans have been finalised, United are eager, as mentioned by Romano, to add Rasmus Hojlund to their ranks.

The 20-year-old Atalanta forward appears to be the Red Devils' priority but a potential fee of £86m means a deal is not nearing completion at present. Ten Hag is not willing to sanction such an expensive move for a relatively inexperienced player, with United hopeful of reducing La Dea's asking price.

Randal Kolo Muani or Dusan Vlahovic could be alternatives, although both would likely command similarly high transfer fees. However, both strikers offer more top-flight experience to Ten Hag than Hojlund.

There are of course other midfielders on Ten Hag's wishlist, with a bold move for Joshua Kimmich having even been touted, while his Bayern Munich teammate Leon Goretzka is also reportedly being followed by the Red Devils in what would prove to be a similarly difficult transfer to pull off.

Newcastle United have around six weeks left to finish their business for the summer transfer window as they prepare for the 2023/24 campaign.

Who have Newcastle signed this summer?

So far, the Magpies have snapped up Sandro Tonali from AC Milan to bolster their options in midfield, whilst Yankuba Minteh joined from Odense BK before being sent out on loan to Feyenoord for the season.

A third arrival appears to be on the way as it has been reported that English winger Harvey Barnes is set to sign for the club in a £38m deal from Leicester City, who were relegated to the Championship earlier this year.

That may not be the end of Newcastle's business this summer, though, as another striker could be on their list. The Magpies have been linked with a swoop for Sevilla centre-forward Youssef En-Nesyri to compete with Alexander Isak and Callum Wilson.

How many goals did Youssef En-Nesyri score last season?

During the 2022/23 campaign, the 26-year-old marksman plundered an impressive 18 goals across all competitions for the Spanish side.

Sporting director Dan Ashworth could finally replace Chris Wood by securing a deal to sign the Morocco international, who scored eight goals in 17 LaLiga starts last term.

Newcastle allowed the former Burnley man to leave on loan in January and that led to a permanent transfer to Nottingham Forest this summer, which has left the club with Wilson and Isak as their only senior number nine options.

Eddie Howe's men will be competing across four competitions over the next nine months due to their involvement in the Champions League to go alongside their domestic commitments. This could mean that a third striker is needed to share out the minutes and avoid burnout.

Wood scored four goals in 35 Premier League appearances (19 starts) for Newcastle between the 2021/22 and 2022/23 seasons following his move to Tyneside from Burnley in January of last year.

The New Zealand international also failed to register a single assist in that time as the experienced titan struggled to offer much of a threat at the top end of the pitch for Howe, which led to his switch to Forest.

En-Nesyri, however, has showcased his quality in recent years for Sevilla and could come in to provide the English head coach with an excellent option to compete with his current first-choice strikers.

The £58k-per-week talisman, who journalist Josh Bunting once described as "dangerous", could be fantastic for the Magpies if he is able to rediscover his 2020/21 form.

During that season, En-Nesyri found the back of the net 18 times in 23 LaLiga starts and scored six goals in eight Champions League matches, which shows that he has the quality to be a reliable scorer at that level.

Callum Wilson (18) was the only Newcastle player who scored more than 11 Premier League goals last term. This suggests that the potential is there for the Sevilla star to provide Howe with an additional goal threat up front.

He could offer far more than the now-Forest titan did during his time at St. James' Park, based on their respective goalscoring output, whilst also possibly being able to be one of the manager's most prolific options.

Therefore, Ashworth would finally replace Wood as Howe would have three superb strikers who all have the quality to be relied upon as the club prepare to compete on all fronts.

An update has emerged on Sunderland and their pursuit of further additions to the playing squad ahead of the 2023/24 campaign…

What's the latest Sunderland transfer news?

According to Foot Mercato, the Black Cats are one of a number of teams interested in signing Manchester United winger Noam Emeran during the summer transfer window, as Tony Mowbray eyes up the left-footed wizard.

The report claims that Anderlecht, Vitesse, Strasbourg, and Coventry are also in the running to sign the 20-year-old Frenchman, who could be in line for a contract extension at Old Trafford.

It states that a loan move could be on the cards for the exciting attacker and that would take up one of the club's two Premier League loan spots for the upcoming season.

How good is Noam Emeran?

He is yet to make his senior competitive debut and that makes it difficult to say with confidence that the Red Devils youngster would be a good player for Sunderland.

However, the potential is there for him to come in as Amad Diallo 2.0 for Mowbray after the Ivorian international spent the 2022/23 campaign on loan from United as a left-footed winger.

The ex-Atalanta starlet produced 14 goals to go along with three assists in 39 Championship matches, which made him the club's top scorer in the division.

Diallo was able to make an instant impact at the Stadium of Light and made himself a key player for the head coach throughout the season, which has set the standard for Emeran to follow.

Both of them featured for United in their pre-season clash with Leeds United earlier this week and the French maestro came out on top.

The £1.5m gem replaced Diallo on the right flank at half-time and showcased his talent at the top end of the pitch. As per Sofascore, Emeran completed four dribbles, created three chances for his teammates, and ended the match with one goal to go along with one assist.

That came after the Ivorian talent produced one key pass, three dribbles, and failed to directly contribute to a goal in the opening 45 minutes of the game.

Whilst it was only a pre-season outing, the 20-year-old ace showed plenty of promise with his performance – particularly in comparison to the former Sunderland man.

Emeran also caught the eye for United's U21 side last term with five goals in 15 Premier League 2 appearances, which works out as a strike every three games on average, whilst Diallo managed one every 2.79 matches.

The 5 foot 10 dynamo, who has been hailed as "athletic" by journalist Josh Bunting, displayed his creative ability during his time at U18 level with five goals and six assists over 16 league outings, which suggests that the potential is there for him to replicate Diallo's creativity alongside the goalscoring impact.

Therefore, the French prospect is a player with the scope to come in and make a significant impact on Wearside if he is able to translate his youth and pre-season form to a first-team environment, in the same way that his current teammate was able to do last season.

Bayer Leverkusen star Edmond Tapsoba is “also” in talks to join Tottenham Hotspur amid their serious interest in Wolfsburg’s Micky van de Ven, according to Fabrizio Romano.

Who are Spurs signing this summer?

The north Londoners, much to new manager Ange Postecoglou’s delight, have sealed three major signings already in Guglielmo Vicario from Empoli, James Maddison from Leicester City and Dejan Kulusevski in a permanent deal from Juventus.

The trio will boost Spurs in their attempts to make a success of Postecoglou’s reign and, potentially, fight their way back into European football. The Lilywhites also haven’t won a major trophy since 2008, when they beat Chelsea in the League Cup final.

Both Maddison and Vicario’s arrivals were praised by Postecoglou, who claimed that the duo have a perfect mentality for the Tottenham team he is trying to build.

“It’s not just about the talent they bring as footballers,” said Postecoglou (Spurs official via football.london).

“Both those guys have got it in abundance. I could hear it in their voices when I spoke to them. I had a couple of chats with both of them before we signed them and I knew that they were the right types to bring into the dressing room.”

Spurs are also set to sign Manor Solomon on a free transfer, hijacking Fulham in the process, with Postecoglou’s side now chasing a star centre-back to shore up their leaky defence.

Tottenham conceded more top flight goals than any other side above Bournemouth in 15th last season, numbers which are clearly not good enough for an elite side.

Sharing a message on Spurs’ hunt for new defenders, reliable transfer reporter has some news on their links to Tapsoba, who is believed to be of interest.

Romano says that, as well as Wolfsburg defender Micky van de Ven, the Burkina Faso international is “also” in talks to join Tottenham this summer.

Despite reports that van de Ven has already agreed a five-year contract, the race is clearly an open once going by this update.

Who is Edmond Tapsoba?

The 24-year-old was an ever-present in Xabi Alonso’s Leverkusen side last season and seemingly undroppable, as only goalkeeper Lukas Hradecky played more German top flight minutes than the centre-back (WhoScored).

Called “top quality” by members of the press, the Bundesliga website have even likened him to former Bayern Munich defender Jerome Boateng.

The site wrote:

“The legendary Bayern Munich defender, who made 364 appearances across 11 seasons for the Bavarian giants, was as cool and calm as it gets both on the ball and in the tackle while he was also famed for his pinpoint long passing that set up many an attack for the record champions. Tapsoba has similar traits and such is his eagerness to start forward thrusts, he has often been referred to as a defensive playmaker.”

Glasgow Rangers are enjoying a productive transfer window that’s for sure, with Michael Beale signing five players already before pre-season and the onus will be for him to keep up with this momentum over the coming weeks.

With Jack Butland, Dujon Sterling, Kieran Dowell, Sam Lammers and now Abdallah Sima all arriving at Ibrox, there is a wide mix of talent which has freshened up the squad, something that was badly required.

Sima in particular could be an exciting signing, albeit only temporary, with Dean Jones lavishing praise on him upon his arrival.

Speaking to Football FanCast, Jones said: “Obviously he hasn’t really got going at Brighton but a very exciting talent that I think could thrive.

“Yeah, in that league and for Rangers.”

With a value of €12.4m (£11m) according to Football Transfers, there is no doubting the talent he has, the key thing now will be to put it to good use in a Gers shirt.

Could Abdallah Sima shine for Rangers?

During his time at Slavia Prague, Sima registered 23 goal contributions – 16 goals and seven assists – across just 39 matches which led to a big money move to Brighton in 2021.

His form has dipped somewhat since leaving the Czech Republic however, as he has scored just six senior goals across the previous two seasons, yet a fresh start at Rangers could allow him to unleash his talent.

Indeed, Beale might just unearth another Amad Diallo, who arrived as a talented youngster on loan back in January 2022 when Giovanni van Bronckhorst was in charge.

The Manchester United starlet scored just a few minutes into his debut against Ross County, yet a stop start few months didn’t exactly do him any favours as he struggled to impose himself in the first team, despite his obvious talent. He only managed 13 appearances in his short spell, although he enjoyed a more successful stint at Sunderland last term.

The Ivorian scored 14 times in total for the Black Cats and looked rejuvenated and perhaps Sima could replicate this North of the border.

The “fantastic prospect” – as so dubbed by talent scout Jacek Kulig – could be used in a variety of ways under Beale due to his versatility, as the 22-year-old can operate on either wing or through the middle.

Like any signing, it represents a gamble, yet with no fee involved and with a player who is clearly hungry to succeed, it could work out well for both parties, and he could perhaps turn into the loan star which all the Ibrox faithful thought Diallo was going to be.

Everton have initiated contact to enquire about a summer deal to sign Leeds United forward Wilfried Gnonto, according to reports.

Is Wilfried Gnonto leaving Leeds?

The Whites’ left-sided winger only arrived in the Premier League from FC Zurich last summer and showed plenty of promising signs during his 28 appearances in his debut season, but after suffering relegation to the Championship, there’s a chance he could be on the move elsewhere.

The Italy international’s agent, Claudio Vigorelli, has publicly admitted that whilst his client is focusing on his displays for his country at this moment in time, he’s aware that he will have options to leave and is set to "talk" with the hierarchy at the earliest opportunity regarding his future at Elland Road.

Yorkshire Evening Post reporter Graham Smyth recently revealed that the club are yet to receive any bids for the 19-year-old and “hope to keep” him beyond the ongoing transfer window, but it sounds like Sean Dyche might have other ideas to try to entice him to Goodison Park.

Are Everton signing Gnonto?

According to Gazzetta Dello Sport (via Sport Witness), Everton have made contact to ask what it would take to complete a summer deal for Gnonto.

Leeds are believed to be demanding a fee of €15-20m (£12-17m) to sanction his sale. The Merseyside outfit have already made “concrete moves” for the teenager, but they aren’t alone in their pursuit, with Bundesliga club Freiburg also chasing him.

Would Gnonto be a good signing for Everton?

Everton have to remember that Gnonto is still only 19 years of age and has just one season of top-flight experience under his belt, but he’s definitely got bags of potential to offer so he could be a wonderful signing for the long-term future of the club.

The Puma-sponsored dynamo clocked up six goal contributions (four assists and two goals) in 24 Premier League outings last season and recorded 50 shot-creating actions, which was the fourth-highest total throughout his squad in LS11, as per FBRef.

Leeds’ “diamond”, as lauded by journalist Antonio Mango, is also a versatile operator having been deployed in seven different positions since the start of his career, including everywhere across the frontline and even three roles in the midfield, so he would be an excellent option for the boss to have at his disposal should any unexpected injuries occur, as he’d be able to cover in several other places for his teammates.

West Ham United have set their sights on a new defensive midfielder this summer – Manchester City's Kalvin Phillips.

Is Kalvin Phillips going to join West Ham?

After a debut season at the Etihad that was plagued by injury and fitness concerns, Phillips had to endure some tough times last campaign. For the most part, he could only sit and watch as his teammates went on to win the treble, managing only 593 minutes across all competitions for Man City.

Despite this, journalist Dean Jones has stated that West Ham are interested in signing the 27-year-old, perhaps offering him a second chance at a fresh start.

Discussing Declan Rice's potential move to the Premier League champions, Jones told The Football Terrace YouTube channel: "I think that is another factor that comes into this equation that we have to weigh up. And one that for West Ham it would absolutely appeal to. I know that we're talking about £100m here all the time in terms of the figure."

"Man City have a player that they're interested in. So maybe there is some manoeuvring that could be done here."

Whether Phillips would be used as a makeweight in Man City's push to sign Rice is unclear, but with Rodri already ahead of the Englishman in the pecking order, and Mateo Kovacic's imminent arrival at the Etihad, Phillips may consider a move away to aid his opportunities of getting first-team football.

The £150k-per-week England international is a firm favourite of Gareth Southgate's, but the England boss may have a dilemma over selecting him for the 2024 European Championship if he endures another season of minimal game time. This could be of benefit to West Ham, who could certainly promise him regular minutes.

Why would West Ham want Phillips?

Ignoring Phillips' stuttering performances last season, which were adversely affected by injuries, it is clear to see why West Ham would be interested in the holding midfielder. Dubbed the "Yorkshire Pirlo" during his time at Leeds United, Phillips quickly established himself as a top-quality Premier League player.

Analysing his debut Premier League season with Leeds, it is obvious why Manchester City, and now West Ham, love him so much.

While his short passing is only slightly above average (88.7% accuracy), his long and medium passing sets him apart from others. Compared to Premier League midfielders during the 2020/21 season, he was in the top 4% for long passes completed per 90 (8.15) and the top 20% for medium passes completed per 90 (21.61).

His ability to play long diagonal passes out to the wing made him a great asset for Leeds, and teamed with his defensive work it made him a phenomenal all-round midfielder.

Defensively, during the 2020/21 season, he was in the top 15% or higher per 90 for tackles (2.74), blocks (1.82), clearances (1.96) and tackles in the defensive third (1.41). Considering Phillips featured in a mid-table Leeds side during that campaign, it's obvious to see why the midfielder is in such high demand.

Watch more of The Football Terrace HERE!

Everton are in desperate need of reinforcements following another hard-fought Premier League relegation scrap and now a new update has emerged on a potential transfer target.

What's the latest on Everton's interest in Wilfried Gnonto?

Everton are in ongoing talks with Leeds United to sign their winger Wilfried Gnonto according to one journalist.

As per a report, it's claimed that Everton are keen to sign the young talent this summer, however, there is a need to compromise on the price of the player with a €30m (£26m) fee touted elsewhere.

Who would Gnonto replace in the Everton team?

There is no doubt that Sean Dyche will be keen to strengthen his attacking threat at Goodison Park this summer after failing to compete comfortably in the top flight last season.

The Toffees finished 17th with just two points saving them from a drop into the Championship and only Wolverhampton Wanderers scored fewer goals than the Everton side over the 38-game campaign, demonstrating a real need to improve the performances in front of goal.

It was reported by Sky Sports last week that Fulham are keen to sign winger Demarai Gray this summer and with just 12 months remaining on his current contract, it could be a real opportunity for the Merseysiders to cash in and earn a profit on their £1.7m signing, especially if they can secure a deal for Gnonto.

Over 24 Premier League appearances last season, the 19-year-old talent scored two goals, registered four assists and created three big chances, as well as averaging one key pass, 1.2 tackles and four duels won per game.

Coincidentally, Gray has been named as one of the most comparable players to Gnonto over the last 12 months – as per FBref – with the pair boasting a number of similarities.

When comparing the attacking duo's output throughout 2022/23 in the top flight, there are several key attributes that they match up on including shot-creating actions per 90 (3.32 v 3.37), goal contributions (6 v 5), shots on target (33.3% v 38.6%) and pass completion (72.3% v 69.1%).

Despite Leeds' troubles, the teenage sensation has attracted a lot of attention in his breakout season, with former Hibernian striker Tam McManus lavishing praise on the Italy international:

"He just looks like a little pocket rocket. He looks like he has a real low centre of gravity and he looks absolutely tremendous."

With that being said, if Dyche is happy to sanction an exit for Gray this summer then the signing of Gnonto would be a major coup and if the Italian can continue to develop his skills with consistent football at Goodison Park next season, there is no reason why he can't have a huge impact on improving the performances in front of goal.

Nottingham Forest are interested in signing Monza left back Carlos Augusto this summer, journalist Fabrizio Romano has claimed.

Who is Carlos Augusto?

The £12,000-a-week defender was a key player for Monza throughout the 2022/23 season, starting 35 of his side's 38 Serie A matches mostly on the left of a back five. In that time, he scored six goals and registered five assists, highlighted his attacking pedigree from his defensive role, also winning four Man of the Match awards from WhoScored.

Augusto's performances throughout the campaign are likely to have caught the eye of a number of clubs – he led his squad in direct goal contributions and overall match rating from wing-back – and with his current deal expiring next year, he finds himself at a potential crossroads in his career.

It means his current club will either have to sell him this summer, in order to receive a healthy fee for his services, or risky losing him for free in 2024, should he fail to agree an extension.

That's where Forest come into play, as the Reds look to make significant reinforcements in the summer transfer window. They could soon have to replace loan star Renan Lodi, with reports suggesting they may miss out on a permanent deal for the Brazilian.

Are Forest signing Augusto?

Writing on Twitter on Sunday, Romano claimed that Forest are keen on the idea of signing Augusto, although Inter Milan are ahead of them in the pecking order:

"Inter will continue talks with Monza for Carlo Augusto next week. He’s concrete target as new left back — no issues on personal terms. Nottingham Forest also appreciate the Brazilian LB but Inter are now ahead."

Augusto could be a really shrewd signing by Forest if they could get a deal over the line, although the presence of Inter is clearly a possible issue, given their status as recent Champions League finalists.

At 24, the Brazilian would be arriving at the City Ground at a good age, with plenty of time to mature under Steve Cooper, and his aforementioned quality going forward could make Forest more of a force in the attacking area of the pitch.

That's not to say that Augusto isn't also an effective defensive player, however, averaging 2.1 tackles and clearances apiece in Serie A in 2022/23, so the Reds could be signing an impressive all-round package who could help take Cooper's side up a gear once next season gets underway.

Augusto looks like the perfect replacement for Lodi if Evangelos Marinakis cannot tie the latter down to a permanent stay.

Newcastle United are “informed” on the situation of Napoli defender Kim Min-Jae ahead of the summer, according to journalist Fabrizio Romano.

Is Kim Min-Jae leaving Napoli?

Since joining from Fenerbahce last summer, the centre-back has been a regular feature of Luciano Spalletti’s former side, making 45 appearances across all competitions during his debut season at the Diego Armando Maradona Stadium.

In his CaughtOffside Daily Briefing last month, Romano stated that the Magpies had sent scouts to watch the 26-year-old and suggested that Eddie Howe and Dan Ashworth could compete with Manchester United in the race to bring him to the Premier League.

Journalist Raimondo De Magistris has since claimed that the Red Devils have offered the South Korean a “huge salary” so the northeast outfit will have to act fast, but with his contract including a £52m release clause that’s set to become active next month, anything can still happen.

Are Newcastle signing Kim?

Taking to Twitter, Romano revealed that Newcastle are keeping close tabs on Kim as they weigh up a potential hijack this summer. He wrote:

“Manchester United have Kim Min-jae on their list since October and remains the main target. Release clause, only valid in July as United are in contact with agents; Newcastle are informed too. Understand Man Utd are also monitoring the French market for plan B options.”

Could Kim be a good addition for Howe?

Newcastle obviously hold a clear interest in Kim to be considering a swoop during the upcoming window, and having been dubbed a real “leader” by former professional Park Ji-Sung, the centre-back putting pen to paper would be a massive coup for PIF.

The Serie A champion averaged 3.5 clearances and 2.6 aerial wins per league game last season, alongside recording a 91% pass success rate, via WhoScored, which was higher than any of the black and white striped players, highlighting his calmness and composure on the ball.

The Nike-sponsored ace is also capable of contributing to his team’s efforts at the opposite end of the pitch having clocked up four league goal contributions (two goals and the same number of assists) in 35 appearances last term.

Finally, Kim has spent the majority of his career playing in the heart of the defence but he also has the versatility to operate out wide at right-back so he would be a great option for Howe to have at his disposal should rotation be needed as a result of an injury crisis, in a similar way to how the gaffer has used Dan Burn this season.