All posts by z3u9t.icu

James Trafford pulled off a remarkable double save for England, saving a last-minute penalty, as his country won the UEFA European Under-21 Championship final.

Who won the UEFA European Under-21 Championship?

Coming up against Spain in the last stage of the youth competition, the young Three Lions claimed a narrow 1-0 victory at the Batumi Arena in Georgia on Saturday evening.

England took the lead on the cusp of halftime when Cole Palmer’s free-kick deflected off Curtis Jones and found the back of the net – technically going down as a goal for the Liverpool midfielder.

Lee Carsley’s men were yet to concede going into the final, and so if they could maintain that record, they would win the whole tournament.

However, in the sixth minute of injury time, after a check from VAR, Chelsea’s Levi Colwill was adjudged to have fouled Abel Ruiz inside the box.

The Spanish captain who’d won the penalty stepped up to take it but his effort was brilliantly saved by Manchester City starlet Trafford who guessed the right way.

The drama wasn’t over yet, though, as the England goalkeeper then had to get up to save the rebound before the ball was eventually blasted over the bar.

With that crucial intervention, Trafford had not only kept a clean sheet in the game, but it also meant he’d won the tournament for England without conceding once throughout the UEFA European Under-21 Championship.

You can see the footage below via Channel 4 Sport.

Of course, that wasn’t the only drama on the day as former Chelsea man Ashley Cole managed to get himself sent off on the sidelines after clashing with the Spanish bent in the aftermath of Curtis Jones’ first-half goal. While Morgan Gibbs-White was also handed a second yellow card right at the end of the match.

In the end, though, the England players and staff won’t care one bit as they’ll get to celebrate wildly tonight having secured this great achievement.

Who is James Trafford?

Interestingly enough, Trafford’s name has been in the news a fair bit of late. After all, the Manchester City goalkeeper looks set to complete a move to Burnley this summer for £19m.

The 20-year-old was loaned out to Accrington Stanley in the first half of the 2021/22 season before switching to Bolton Wanderers for the second half of the campaign, he then spent the most recent campaign at the same club and has clearly done enough to impress with Bolton to all but secure a big money move to Burnley.

Some may have felt that that fee of nearly £20m is an awful lot to pay for a goalkeeper who has yet to actually play a senior game for Man City, but after this miraculous late double save, some may now think it’s a bit of a bargain.

Of course, you can’t forget that he also didn’t concede a single goal throughout the whole UEFA European Under-21 Championship, so it’s fair to say this has been a great tournament to help enhance his reputation.

Understandably, fans were blown away by the moment of high drama and praised the 20-year-old. Here are some of the best reactions on Twitter.

Celtic manager Brendan Rodgers will be given a 'Champions League transfer budget' at Parkhead as he looks to continue the Hoops' success in 2023/24, according to Sky Sports reporter Anthony Joseph.

What's the latest transfer news involving Celtic?

The Scottish Sun reported when Rodgers was hired as Celtic's new manager that the 50-year-old would inherit a contract worth £3 million per annum.

Regarding his potential spending power, the former Liverpool boss has also been handed a transfer kitty of around £30 million to 'satisfy his ambitions in Scotland and Europe', which is something that the Irishman sought assurances over before taking the reins at Parkhead.

Intriguingly, Rodgers may now have even more spending power following confirmation that Portuguese winger Jota has completed a big-money move to Saudi Pro League side Al-Ittihad for a fee in the region of £25 million, as per Sky Sports.

Jota's former club Benfica will receive 30% of the transfer fee due to having inserted a sell-on clause in his initial agreement; nevertheless, the 24-year-old's exit still represents a tidy profit for Celtic on the back of his permanent move to the Hoops one year ago.

Celtic have already made moves in the transfer window and have signed up Norwegian midfielder Odin Thiago Holm and Australian winger Marco Tilio from Valerenga and Melbourne City, respectively.

Speaking to GIVEMESPORT, Sky Sports reporter Joseph has revealed that Rodgers will have a 'Champions League transfer budget' to conduct his business with at Celtic this window.

Joseph stated: “I’ve been given some rough figures. My understanding is there will be a transfer budget of around £30m this window. This is described as a Champions League transfer budget.”

Who have Celtic been linked with as they look to strengthen this summer?

Sky Sports reporter Joseph has also detailed some other Celtic transfer activity on Twitter surrounding Gangwon winger Hyun-jun Yang, stating: "Celtic are stepping up their efforts to sign Gangwon FC winger Hyun-jun Yang. The Hoops made an approach for the 21yo last month, but the K League side are reluctant to sell during their season. It’s understood Yang has now told club chiefs that he wants to move to Celtic."

Young Boys midfielder Fabian Rieder is another name that has been tentatively mentioned in relation to a potential move to Parkhead this summer, as per Football Scotland.

Celtic have also moved to secure star striker Kyogo Furuhashi on a new four-year contract amid interest from the likes of Tottenham Hotspur, Nottingham Forest and Crystal Palace in his services.

The Scottish Sun have claimed that Arsenal defender Kieran Tierney wouldn't completely rule out a sensational return to his boyhood club on loan this summer, though a considerable compromise would need to be found regarding his wages and Celtic would additionally have to pay a significant loan fee.

Pre-season has dawned at Lennoxtown and Celtic players not recently involved in international duty have already started preparations for this term. Rodgers is set to offer an opportunity for fringe players to stake their claim for first-team action, as per Football Scotland.

Right now, it is a waiting game to find out who Celtic may add in the next few weeks; however, it shouldn't be too long before we know who the Glasgow giants plan to sign, keep and ship out of Parkhead.

Crystal Palace are willing to submit an offer to bring Leeds United forward Wilfried Gnonto back to the Premier League, according to reports.

When does Wilfried Gnonto's contract expire?

Gnonto is a left-sided winger who currently plies his trade at Elland Road having moved there from FC Zurich last summer, and he's quickly become a regular feature of the first-team, registering 28 appearances in his debut season.

The Italy international’s contract isn’t set to expire for another four years, but having suffered relegation, he and a number of other prized assets will likely want to leave so that they can continue competing at the highest level.

The Athletic’s Phil Hay, who is a reporter for the Whites, revealed earlier this month that the 19-year-old is a player that the hierarchy will “battle to keep” should he start attracting interest during the ongoing window, which is exactly what has happened if the following update is to be believed.

Are Crystal Palace signing Gnonto?

According to The Mirror, Crystal Palace “will make a move” for Gnonto should they lose the services of Wilfried Zaha. Brighton, West Ham and Everton are also keen to strike a deal for the Leeds attacker, and despite his value rising to £30m, several clubs are “willing to bid” for him.

Premier League scouts from all of the potential suitors named above are also claimed to have been in attendance to watch their target during Italy’s U21s game vs Switzerland on Sunday.

£30m would represent a record signing for Palace, ahead of current most expensive arrival Christian Benteke.

As the source states, Gnonto will only be able to nail down a regular place in Roy Hodgson’s starting XI should Zaha depart which at this stage is unknown, but should he leave, Leeds’ talented prospect could be a promising long-term successor for the future.

The Verbania native posted 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 despite not always playing 90 minutes, as per FBRef.

The Puma-sponsored ace, who has “scary” pace according to talkSPORT pundit Gabby Agbonlahor, 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 in the midfield, so he could be a great option for the manager to have at his disposal.

Gnonto is already making a name for himself on the international stage having made ten senior appearances for Roberto Mancini’s Italy, which is hugely impressive at just 19 years of age, so there’s no doubt that he’ll have a massive future ahead of him.

Newcastle United will be looking to enrich the ranks this summer after sensationally qualifying for the Champions League this year, and have earmarked Galatasaray's Lucas Torreira as an option for transfer.

What's the latest on Lucas Torreira to Newcastle?

That's according to Turkish Football, who claim that Newcastle have joined the race for the tenacious midfielder, who has been valued at around €20m (£17m) by his club, also attracting the attention of Serie A outfits AC Milan and Lazio.

The Lions secured the Uruguayan's signature from Premier League side Arsenal for just €6m (£5m) last summer following a succession of loan spells, and he returned to emphatic form with his displays this year.

Newcastle's midfield was a force to be reckoned with this year but with the return to European competition, securing the signature of such a gritty central midfielder could ensure squad rotation does not squander cohesion or quality.

Should Newcastle sign Lucas Torreira?

The thriving Premier League outfit are on the cusp of sustaining a position among the big boys, with Eddie Howe's stewardship and technical director Dan Ashworth's diligent work on the transfer front combining to orchestrate the ascent.

Much of the work plied in bringing in fresh faces has been conducted without the concession of a lucrative transfer fee, and Torreira could continue this trend and add another dimension to a team that seemingly hit the mark on each occasion.

Torreira's energy has been illustrated in a bizarre vignette from former Arsenal teammate Sokratis, who said: “When he is off the pitch, he is so calm but when he is on the pitch, it is like ‘Transformers’, he becomes crazy!”

“He works very good, he is small but he is strong enough. I like him very much because he gives everything, he tries to defend every time and when we have players who do this work in front of us, it is very important.

The £75k-per-week gem has been in stellar showing in Turkey this year, and, as per Sofascore, has produced an average rating of 7.09, completing 88% of his passes and averaging 2.8 tackles and 1.3 interceptions per game, also winning 64% of his ground duels.

Such metrics would see him sit first in the Toon side for tackles last term and third for interceptions, highlighting the combative nature he could add at St James' Park.

Signing the 27-year-old would no doubt aid Newcastle's endeavours across multiple competitions and he would prove to be a "fantastic" component – as he has been called by Nigel Winterburn – but it could spell danger for Magpies ace Sean Longstaff.

The homegrown Toon midfielder was a success story on Tyneside last season and he has earned praise as his side's "unsung hero" by Paul Merson.

Having made 33 Premier League appearances this year, the 25-year-old has recorded an average Sofascore rating of 6.74 and while he has completed 83% of his passes, his 1.3 tackles and 0.5 interceptions per game are minnowed by the vibrant output of Torreira.

Longstaff will play a part next year, but Torreira's skill set would leave him in the lurch; this must not deter Howe and co as they seek success unseen in considerable time on Tyneside, and Torreira would only improve the chances of silverware.

Leeds United want to sign West Brom midfielder Jayson Molumby, according to reliable reporter Alan Nixon.

What’s the latest Leeds transfer news?

The Whites, and by extension new owners the 49ers Enterprises, are currently busy looking for a new manager, while also attempting to move some players on.

Out-of-favour forward Tyler Roberts and defender Diego Llorente could soon be joining Birmingham City and AS Roma respectively, whereas Robin Koch could be on course to leave Elland Road for free.

When it comes to midfielders, Adam Forshaw is set to be released this summer but has been invited back for pre-season training, whereas star man Tyler Adams is being linked with a number of clubs, including Liverpool, Manchester United and Newcastle United.

Therefore, new midfielders look set to be high on the transfer wishlist for Leeds and the 49ers, and by the looks of it, they want to go after proven Championship talent, with Molumby a target.

According to Nixon, via MOT Leeds News, those at Elland Road are keen on signing the West Brom man, who is available to leave The Hawthorns at the right price.

“Leeds United are keen on West Brom’s Republic of Ireland midfield enforcer Jayson Molumby.

“The Elland Road club are looking to recruit proven players to toughen up their team and Molumby is available at the right price.”

Who is Jayson Molumby?

Molumby is 23 years of age and is primarily a central midfielder who can also play in defensive and attacking roles if needed.

The Republic of Ireland international made a permanent move to the Midlands last summer from Brighton & Hove Albion and appears to be at the top of his game with a career-high €3.2m Transfermarkt valuation.

He has made 125 appearances in the Championship and has an admirer in West Brom boss and Leeds target Carlos Corberan, who called Molumby an “animal” back in January after his display against Reading.

“It’s important for every player to go on to the pitch when they’re in the first XI with the mentality to compete, this is what Molumby is doing.

“He is working as an animal and that’s what football demands of you.”

It looks as if a transfer will be one to keep an eye on, especially if Corberan gets the job in Yorkshire, and who knows, Molumby may not be the only central midfielder to arrive at Leeds over the coming months.

Sky Sports have confirmed that a Manchester United takeover is no closer to completion, despite recent rumours of a deal involving Sheikh Jassim.

What’s the latest Man United takeover news?

It has been an eventful few days when it comes to Old Trafford takeover rumours, with speculation from Qatar suggesting that Jassim was successful in his bid to take full control from the Glazers.

As to be expected, that claim gathered plenty of attention in the media as claims emerged on both sides of the story, with journalist Ben Jacobs for example one of those arguing against the rumours on an agreement being reached, saying on Tuesday morning:

"Lots of speculation on the MUFC sale process, and an out-of-hours stock price surge reacting to that. But as of last night no group had been informed they are successful. Not expecting anything public or groundbreaking in the next few days. If that changes will update you."

Sky Sports have now confirmed that it was in fact Jacobs in the right and not the reports sending United fans wild, with chief reporter Kaveh Solekhol sharing news from “sources”. He said on Tuesday evening that the rumours regarding Jassim are false, adding:

"Man United fans will want an update on what is happening with a takeover. Is anything happening? Are we closer to any resolution?

"We’ve checked with all sides, with all our sources, and they’re telling us no update at the moment."

Jassim already planning Man United transfers?

Although Jassim is unaware if his fifth and final bid has been successful to take charge in Manchester, he already appears to be eyeing up a marquee signing for Erik ten Hag’s side.

Recent reports have claimed that the Qatar group are planning a stunning move for Paris Saint-Germain forward Kylian Mbappe. Jassim feels that the French superstar “belongs at Man United”, with PSG valuing the player at £170m.

However, with the transfer window now officially open, every passing day without a takeover resolution could impact United’s plans in the market. For example, back in March, some inside Old Trafford were worried that the ongoing saga would affect the club's planning in the window.

Hopefully, there will be a development soon for either Jassim or Sir Jim Ratcliffe, but no off-field news continuing could spell trouble for the Red Devils and cause unrest among the club's supporters.

Following Leicester’s relegation from the Premier League, The Foxes now have the task of choosing a permanent manager to try and guide the former Premier League champions back to England’s top division.

Per Mike McGrath of The Telegraph, former Fulham and AFC Bournemouth manager Scott Parker is named on the shortlist of targets that includes Manchester City coach Enzo Maresca, former Manchester United coach Scott McKenna and current interim head coach Dean Smith.

Who will be Leicester’s next manager?

According to McGrath, Smith has 'some support' from within the organisation despite his failure to keep Leicester in the Premier League.

The club have held talks with Smith over his future after the former Aston Villa manager achieved two wins and three draws in his eight matches in charge at the King Power Stadium.

Smith is a name on a long list of potential targets, including former Premier League manager Scott Parker.

According to McGrath, other targets include Man City first-team head coach Maresca, who was considered by Southampton earlier in the season as their potential head coach following the departure of Ralph Hasenhuttl.

Leicester will have to wait until after this weekend’s Champions League final if they want to speak to the 43-year-old.

McGrath names McKenna, the current Ipswich manager and former assistant coach at Man Utd, as well as former Villa and Rangers boss Steven Gerrard as potential candidates to become Leicester manager for the upcoming season too.

Should Scott Parker become Leicester manager?

It’s hard to think Parker would be a popular choice to become manager amongst the Leicester faithful.

Parker was sacked by AFC Bournemouth after a 9-0 loss to Liverpool at the end of August and moved to Belgium to manage Club Brugge following the disappointment with The Cherries.

Parker would go on to manager Club Brugge after the Bournemouth sacking, but his stint in Belgium proved to be a disaster.

The former West Ham and Spurs midfielder, now 42, received his second sacking of the season in March following a 7-1 aggregate defeat to Benfica in the Champions League round of 16.

In a brief club statement, Club Brugge stated: 'In 12 games, the Briton could only win 2 times' – that's a win rate of just 16%.

The former England international has been without a club since his disappointing tenure in Belgium, but the opening at Leicester could present an opportunity for the Englishman to bounce back.

No matter who becomes The Foxes' next boss, they will have a serious rebuilding job on their hands.

The club confirmed the departures of Youri Tielemans, Caglar Soyuncu, Ayoze Perez, Tete, Ryan Bertrand, Nampalys Mendy and Daniel Amartey on Monday night.

It also looks likely that stars James Maddison and Harvey Barnes will be leaving the King Power Stadium this summer.

Liverpool could be in the hunt to sign Nice midfielder Khephren Thuram this summer as they eye midfield reinforcements, according to journalist Ben Jacobs.

What's the latest transfer news involving Khephren Thuram?

According to L'Equipe via The Daily Mail, Liverpool are keen on signing Thuram as part of a midfield overhaul this summer by Jurgen Klopp at Anfield.

The report states that Nice will try to command around £52 million before letting the 22-year-old depart; nevertheless, the Reds are said to have already met with his representatives over a potential deal.

As per 90min, Thuram has already commented on transfer speculation linking him with a move to Liverpool, stating in an interview: "I want to progress, go on the field, have fun. For now, I'm in Nice. It's going very well. I really like the club, so I still see myself in Nice. I am very well in Nice. There are noises, I hear, but I'm happy in Nice. I hope to grow with this club. I would like him [Didier Digard, manager] to stay because he brought a lot to this group when it was in a difficult period."

Cited by the same outlet, Liverpool have already 'opened talks' with the France international alongside Borussia Monchengladbach ace Manu Kone, with several additions expected in midfield for the Reds in the off-season.

Speaking to Football FanCast, journalist Jacobs thinks that it may take a significant fee to prize Thuram away from the Allianz Riviera this summer.

Jacobs said: "Thuram, we're hearing links. I think that still has to develop a little bit before we can say that there's anything concrete there. The thing about Thuram, for any suitors really, is that I sense that there might be a deal to be had at a relatively strong value, because I think Nice have to sell. We're hearing figures being banded around of £55-60 million, I think it'll be more like £50 million or slightly under. That's my sense, that's my feeling and that might be of appeal to a Premier League club."

Would Khephren Thuram be a good signing for Liverpool?

Thuram has enjoyed an impressive campaign over in France and would add some fresh legs to a jaded Liverpool midfield in need of surgery this summer.

In 2022/23, the 22-year-old has made 48 appearances in all competitions, registering two goals and eight assists in total, as per Transfermarkt.

WhoScored also take into account that Thuram is comfortable in possession and has managed to maintain a pass success rate of 86.9% in Ligue 1 this term.

FBRef report that Thuram is also capable of driving forward from midfield and has successfully carried out 106 shot-creating actions this campaign.

In what is set to be an exciting next few months at Anfield, bringing in Thuram could help to get optimism flowing among Liverpool supporters ahead of 2023/24.

Tottenham Hotspur are happy to listen to any incoming bids for Ben Davies this summer, according to reports.

Is Ben Davies leaving Spurs?

The Welshman first arrived in N17 from Swansea City back in 2014 and has since gone on to make a total of 310 appearances to date, making him Ryan Mason’s third longest-serving player slightly behind Harry Kane and Hugo Lloris.

The Lilywhites left-back has been a regular feature in the Premier League this season, registering 25 starts and five substitute outings, as per WhoScored, but despite him still having another two years to run on his contract, his future is currently uncertain.

Daniel Levy is reportedly planning a major squad overhaul this summer alongside whoever his new permanent manager will be, and with the 30-year-old not getting any younger, it would appear that he could be one of the first to get the chop if the following update is to be believed.

Are Spurs selling Davies?

According to Football Insider, Tottenham will "listen to offers" for Davies this summer no matter which manager is in the dugout ahead of the 2023/24 campaign. Spurs "recognise" that they need a squad transformation of the "core" of the first-team given the disappointment of this season, and the defender is one of the players that the board are "likely" to cash in on should they receive an offer of £15m as per a "well-placed source".

Tottenham are certainly in desperate need of a clear out having failed to qualify for any kind of European football this season, so despite being a great servant under the various managers over the years, Davies departing during the upcoming window would be the right decision moving forward.

The Spurs veteran is currently ranked by WhoScored as Mason’s 13th worst defensive player where he’s averaging just 0.8 tackles per top-flight game having won only nine of the 25 he’s made since the start of the term, poor form which has seen him. recently described as “weak” in one-on-one situations by journalist Nacho Gonzalez.

Davies, who is a natural left-back, has also played as a centre-back on 27 occasions this season so can’t even establish himself as the manager’s first-choice option in his usual role, therefore highlighting that the club probably want to enter the market for a fresh face in that area, meaning that he would only be out of favour should he remain beyond the summer.

Manchester United will be continuing their pursuit for dominance by bolstering key squad positions with quality in the summer transfer window and now a new update from a reliable source has emerged on the club's interest in a Premier League star.

What's the latest on Man United's interest in James Maddison?

According to CBS reporter and transfer expert Ben Jacobs, United are one of the clubs monitoring James Maddison's situation at Leicester City following their relegation from the Premier League this afternoon.

Jacobs took to Twitter on Saturday to reveal:

"A handful of other Premier League clubs also monitoring Maddison. #AFC have other priorities for now, but are aware of his situation. Same for #MUFC.

"Clubs looking at Mason Mount could turn more seriously to Maddison if they fail to land the Chelsea midfielder.

"Maddison price is unclear at this point. Leicester have consistently valued him around £60m, but suitors feel there's a deal to be had around £40-45m due to his contract situation."

Would James Maddison be a better signing than Mason Mount?

Despite a massively disappointing campaign for the Foxes, Maddison has been a stand-out performer in the squad and even earned a spot in Gareth Southgate's England World Cup squad at the end of last year due to his explosive start to the season.

Over 29 Premier League appearances, the 26-year-old ace – hailed a "creative genius" by statistic analyst Statman Dave – has scored ten goals, registered nine assists and created 12 big chances, as well as averaging 2.3 key passes, 2.8 shots on goal and 1.6 successful dribbles per game.

Not only that, when compared with other midfielders in the top five Men's European Leagues – as per FBref – Maddison ranks in the top 1% of his positional peers for non-penalty goals scored, assists, shot-creating actions and touches, proving that he is an incredible attacking presence.

Indeed, the versatile playmaker – dubbed "elite" by impressionist Al Foran – often floats between the midfield and forward line with no strict role in the Leicester team, but could be the perfect alternative for Erik ten Hag if they fail to complete a deal for reported target, Mason Mount.

When comparing the England duo's output over the season so far, it is clear that Maddison has outperformed Mount in a number of attributes including shot-creating actions per 90 (5.05 v 3.11), goal-creating actions per 90 (0.49 v 0.38), progressive passes completed (146 v 98), progressive carries (72 v 48) and shots on target (33.3% v 27.3%).

Defining Maddison's best role and harnessing his skills into a position that perfectly suits Ten Hag's system could save the club millions considering Mount has a reported £80m price tag this summer compared to the £45m valuation for Maddison cited by Jacobs in his tweets.

With that being said, the future is looking bright for Maddison with many clubs interested in snapping up his services and if Man United are serious about signing a player like Mount this summer to improve their attacking presence from midfield, then considering Maddison instead would make perfect sense.