All posts by z3u9t.icu

[ad_pod ]Newcastle fans have taken to Twitter in annoyance after it was revealed by The Chronicle that Atletico Madrid winger and January target Gelson Martins snubbed an offer to talk to the Magpies about a move to Tyneside.The struggling Premier League club submitted a loan offer to the Spanish club for the Portuguese international’s services, which was accepted by Atletico.However, after Ligue 1 side Monaco made an offer of their own, Martins decided to join them and help their battle against relegation to Ligue 2 – they are currently languishing in 19th place in the French top-flight.Newcastle are still in talks with the French club over a deal for Italian left-back Antonio Barecca, but will be disappointed by their failure to lure the former Sporting Lisbon attacker to St James’ Park, especially after having an offer accepted.Be sure to check out the incredible story of the man who rose from a Tanzanian refugee camp to become one of Australia’s biggest football stars in the video below…Martins’ decision to not hold talks means that the Magpies are still yet to see a new signing arrive this month, with a report from the Telegraph suggesting that Rafa Benitez will walk away from the club in the summer if he does not get bodies through the door.They will be used to this kind of disappointment by now, but let’s see how Newcastle fans reacted to missing out on Martins on Twitter…

Tottenham are battling their Premier League rivals Arsenal in the race to sign Middlesbrough defender Djed Spence in the summer transfer window.

What’s the story?

The Evening Standard’s Jack Rosser initially revealed on Twitter: “Djed Spence will move this summer with Arsenal, Tottenham and Bayern Munich all in the race. Boost for all involved as the fee could be as low as £12m, though given the interest a bidding war could see that go up. #THFC #AFC”

In a follow-up article, he added: “A number of clubs are tracking Spence, who will have a year left on his Boro contract come the end of this campaign. Senior figures at the Riverside Stadium know they will not be able to keep hold of the player this summer.

“As well as north London rivals Arsenal and Spurs, German giants Bayern Munich are also keeping a close eye on Spence’s progress.”Conte will be buzzingSpence became the talk of the town earlier this calendar year when he helped to knock out Arsenal in the FA Cup third round – a performance which saw Ian Wright waxing lyrical while on punditry duty.The Gunners icon said: “Let me say, that was one of the best right-back performances I have seen for a very long time. A very long time. I have not seen a combative, technical, swashbuckling performance like that for a very long time.”With Spurs’ own right-back Emerson struggling badly since his big-money move last year – he has even been dubbed a “liability” by some fans – Antonio Conte could well find his ideal replacement in Spence.Indeed, former Spurs defender Jonathan Woodgate recently claimed that the flying full-back would come in and immediately be an upgrade on Emerson.He said: “If you play in La Liga like Emerson Royal has, balls don’t really go into the box that much to the back post.  You don’t need to do that much defending. In the Premier League, it happens week in, week out. I’ve watched Emerson Royal and Djed Spence for Nottingham Forest, and Spence looks a different level, compared to him.”The 6 foot machine could be an exciting addition to this Spurs team, and one which would have Conte absolutely buzzing.AND in other news – Sold in 2020, now worth £34m: Spurs suffered double disaster over 26 y/o “machine”

Kevin Phillips has claimed that Sunderland were hard done by for the second goal scored by Wycombe Wanderers in their League One clash on Saturday lunchtime.

The Lowdown: Incident packed

Wycombe against Sunderland was certainly a game that lived up to its expectation as both teams fight for automatic promotion up to the Championship.

It was a match full of goals and incidents, as Ross Stewart was not adjudged to have committed a foul as he headed home the Black Cats’ opening goal very early on, which has since been ruled as own goal for Wycombe goalkeeper David Stockdale.

Nonetheless, the first half produced four goals in total in what was a fast start by both sides. The match eventually ended 3-3, with both Stewart and Joe Jacobson scoring in second-half stoppage time.

The Latest: Phillips on Vokes goal

Speaking on Sky Sports (13:24-13:25pm) in his first-half analysis, former SAFC striker Phillips has claimed that the goal scored by Sam Vokes to put Wycombe 2-1 in front should not have stood, as he feels Brandon Hanlan was obstructing goalkeeper Anthony Patterson, and was in an offside position:

“First and foremost, is it a foul on the goalkeeper? If there’s VAR, the goal doesn’t get given because he’s obstructing the goalkeeper.

“Could the goalkeeper be stronger? I think when Vokes heads it, it looks like it’s possibly offside.

“As soon as Hanlan’s arm goes over the top of the goalkeeper, for me it’s a foul.

“I think with VAR, it’s not given for me.”

The Verdict: No goal

As Phillips rightfully points out, Hanlan was obstructing Patterson as he attempted to try and claim the ball before Vokes headed it, and was in an offside position, so the goal should not have counted.

If VAR was available, it probably would have been ruled out, and so Lee Johnson’s team could feel very hard done by that the decision went against them.

Stewart thought he had come to the rescue for the Stadium of Light faithful and ensured the controversial incident against Patterson didn’t matter, but Jacobsen levelled things with seconds to spare, leaving a bitter taste in Sunderland mouths.

In other news, find out what Johnson update has Black Cats buzzing here!

Everton will need to get better at taking the chances they create as they have conceded more goals than they have scored this season, leaving them 15th in the Premier League going into the new year.

The attacking prowess at Goodison Park has been spectacularly flat since the arrival of Rafael Benitez in the summer, which can be put down to injuries to key attacking players like Dominic Calvert Lewin, as well as inconsistencies in the squad.

Despite the struggles Everton has faced in the first half of the season, two of the signings that Benitez made in the previous transfer window, Demarai Gray and Andros Townsend, are currently the two top scorers for the club this season. Therefore, the Spanish manager definitely has an eye for what can work in attack and should use that nous when dipping into the transfer market this month.

One player who has been linked to the club is former Arsenal star, Aaron Ramsey, who has been reported to be leaving Juventus in a matter of days, with the Welshman only going back to Turin to say goodbye to his team-mates.

It was reported earlier this week that a swap loan deal for out-of-favour Lucas Digne could be on the cards, but it now looks like Ramsey will be making different plans in the coming days and weeks, and the Toffees manager should be capitalising on the 31-year-old’s impending departure from Serie A.

The attacking midfielder has an impressive 148 goals and assists throughout his career, compared to current Everton midfielder Tom Davies, who despite being eight years Ramsey’s junior can only boast 19 goal contributions from 190 career appearances.

Davies’ team-mate Abdoulaye Doucoure would thrive with a player like Ramsey by his side, as the pair could form a deadly midfield partnership to take the Toffees back where they belong in the top half of the table by the end of the season.

Doucoure’s strength in positioning is one of his best attributes, as well as his ability to offer creativity and goals from midfield, with two goals and four assists so far this season.

Combining those strengths with Ramsey’s consistently outstanding passing accuracy from playing in many midfield positions, and his experience of elite competitions, could be a huge threat for Everton’s opponents in the second half of the season. Benitez must do everything he can to try and make it happen this month.

In other news: Everton start given green light to return as training pictures emerge

Since Steven Gerrard was appointed as Aston Villa’s manager back in mid-November, the former midfielder has used a total of 24 players at the Midlands club so far.

One of those 24 players is midfielder Morgan Sanson, who, alongside Ashley Young, has made six appearances for Villa under the Liverpudlian, all of them coming in the Premier League.

The Frenchman has started two of the six league games he’s played in so far this season under Gerrard, the first of which came in their 3-1 defeat against Chelsea followed by their recent 2-2 draw against Manchester United.

Even though the 27-year-old has only made 16 appearances for the Villans since arriving from French club Marseille back in the 2021 January transfer window in a deal worth a reported fee of £16m, his future at Villa Park should be starting to come into consideration based on what he’s managed to deliver for the club.

His performances in the Premier League so far this season have earned the midfielder an overall rating of 6.34/10, currently making him the lowest-rated player in Villa’s squad at the moment that has started more than one league game according to WhoScored, suggesting that he has let Gerrard down when given the chance to show what he can do.

In the game against the Red Devils at the weekend, not only did Sanson give the foul away that led to the free-kick that Bruno Fernandes scored his first goal of the game from but the French maestro also gave the ball away in the second half that led to United’s second goal. All of that culminated in him reacting badly when he was substituted off, which he had to apologise for on social media afterwards.

In addition to his underwhelming performances, Sanson has struggled with injury issues since he made the move to the Midlands club, which former Villa manager Dean Smith described as “frustrating,” which shows that he hasn’t been a particularly reliable player for the team.

Moving forward, if Sanson doesn’t start delivering for Villa on the pitch until the end of the season, then Wes Edens and Nassef Sawiris must seriously consider cutting their losses with the player in the next summer transfer window to see if they can reclaim any of the money they paid for him.

Also, with young Villa midfielder Carney Chukwuemeka apparently not happy with his playing time at the club, potentially axing Sanson, who is currently picking up a weekly wage of £59k-per-week according to Salary Sport, from the team could give him a clear path to regular game time to see if he would be a better option than the struggling Frenchman.

In other news: Lange could secure another AVFC transfer masterclass as claim emerges on £9m-rated ace – opinion

Celtic look set to make a considerable loss when it comes to parting ways with goalkeeper Vasilis Barkas, Football Insider report.

The Lowdown: Barkas open to exit

The Hoops look set to be in for a busy January window when it comes to incomings and outgoings, with Barkas possibly one of the latter.

[web_stories_embed url=”https://www.footballtransfertavern.com/web-stories/celtic-updates-19/” title=”Celtic updates!” poster=”” width=”360″ height=”600″ align=”none”]

The 27-year-old has made just one Celtic appearance under Ange Postecoglou and hasn’t been seen in a Scottish Premiership matchday squad since the opening weekend.

Barkas made an error against FC Midtjylland in a Champions League qualifier back in July, and it seems as if that could be his 23rd and final appearance for the Hoops.

Sky Sports reporter Anthony Joseph claimed earlier this month that a number of Turkish sides are interested in the 6 foot 5 Greek goalkeeper, who is ‘open’ to a loan or permanent exit in January.

The Latest: Hoops to make a loss

Football Insider shared a story on Sunday evening, with pundit Alex McLeish giving his thoughts on Barkas’ future.

The story cited Sky Sports’ claim before adding their own information that ‘any deal would represent a considerable shortfall on the £5million the Hoops paid for Barkas’ last year.

The Verdict: No surprise…

Barkas hasn’t exactly been a shrewd signing by the Hoops, with former boss Neil Lennon, who brought him to the club, believing he failed to settle in Scotland.

He’s clearly not in Postecoglou’s plans after being axed following a Parkhead blunder, with Joe Hart coming in and quickly becoming first choice.

Barkas’ Transfermarkt valuation has dropped to £2.52m during his time in Scotland, so recouping half of the £5m figure they paid AEK Athens could be the best Celtic can manage in any permanent move.

In other news: Devlin claims ‘special’ Celtic ace may have broken bone amid ‘conflicting’ info. 

Everton’s season has already had several ups and downs under Rafael Benitez, with their fast start to the Premier League campaign unravelling in recent weeks.

The Toffees got 2021/22 off to a blistering start, losing just one of their opening eight top-flight fixtures to spark hope of a genuine push for European qualification.

Summer signings Demarai Gray and Andros Townsend stole the headlines after bagging a combined eight goals in Everton’s first nine games in all competitions, but neither has found the back of the net in the team’s last four outings.

Injuries have played a significant part in the Toffees’ downturn in futures over the last four games, with the absences of Yerry Mina, Dominic Calvert-Lewin and Abdoulaye Doucoure contributing to their miserly total of just one point from a possible 12.

However, one player who has been relatively consistent throughout Everton’s rise and fall has been Michael Keane.

The centre-back has had to contend with lining up alongside a number of different partners at the heart of defence this season, including Mina, Mason Holgate and Ben Godfrey. He has been an ever-present in Benitez’s side, though, playing every minute of their topsy-turvy campaign.

Keane’s goal against his former club Burnley helped to seal a 3-1 victory, and although his two assists came in defeats against Watford and Wolves, they illustrate his attacking prowess in the opposition box.

However, it’s in his traditional defensive duties where Keane has really excelled. As per SofaScore, the 28-year-old has won a whopping 59 duels, made an astonishing 46 clearances and 30 interceptions, and completed 17 tackles and 14 blocks.

If Everton are to get back on track and revive their season, then the England international could well be key to their fortunes, and Benitez will be hoping that his unsung hero continues his current run of impressive form.

In other news… Brands could find Rafa’s next Pablo Aimar at Everton in “very clever” £22.5m-rated ace 

Rangers have been handed a fresh injury lift over John Lundstram…

What’s the latest?

Gio van Bronckhorst has revealed that the Gers midfielder trained on Friday and is set to be back in action in the Europa League on Thursday night.

Lundstram was taken off in the first half on Sunday in the Premiership as he struggled with a knock, but he has now recovered from that in time to be in contention to play in the European quarter-final second leg clash against Braga.

Speaking on Wednesday morning, the Dutchman said: “Lundstram is training today so hopefully available for tomorrow.”

Van Bronckhorst will be elated

This update will surely leave the Gers head coach feeling elated, as having Lundstram available will be a huge boost to his team.

The ex-Feyenoord boss may have been fearing the worst when the midfielder was forced off the pitch in the 26th minute against St Mirren on Sunday. Steven Davis was pressed into action in the first half of the 4-0 win and the Rangers chief may not have been expecting Lundstram to be back in action quite so soon.

The 28-year-old’s participation in training on Friday suggests that he is fit enough to feature against Braga, which will delight Van Bronckhorst as Lundstram’s recent form has shown that he is a key player for the club, particularly in Europe.

In the Europa League this season, only four other outfield players have averaged a higher SofaScore rating than the ex-Sheffield United man – Alfredo Morelos, Leon Balogun, Ryan Kent and James Tavernier.

He has averaged an impressive score of 6.97 in the competition across 10 appearances. In those matches, he has won 60% of his duels and made 2.9 tackles and interceptions per game, which shows that he has provided a solid defensive base to allow the attackers to go about their business in the final third.

In the Premiership, he has averaged a score of 6.88 across 25 appearances, starting 16 games. He has completed 90% of his attempted passes whilst making 2.2 tackles and interceptions per game, which shows that he has been consistently delivering solid performances domestically and in Europe throughout the campaign.

Therefore, Van Bronckhorst will be eager to be able to name him in the starting XI against Braga at Ibrox on Thursday night. The English midfielder has shown that he is built for the big occasion, netting a stunning goal against Borussia Dortmund, and the statistics suggest that he can have a big say in this upcoming quarter-final match-up.

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

Speaking to Football Insider, a Tottenham Hotspur source has shared some Saturday night exit news involving Matt Doherty.

The Lowdown: Conte overhaul begins?

Antonio Conte has been making his evaluations on the squad over the past few weeks as he assesses who should stay or leave north London in the winter window, as he candidly admitted to the press.

[web_stories_embed url=”https://www.footballtransfertavern.com/web-stories/spurs-latest-updates-5/” title=”Spurs latest updates!” poster=”” width=”360″ height=”600″ align=”none”]

There have already been a few names mentioned as possible departures in January, with the likes of Dele Alli, Giovani Lo Celso and Doherty all linked with a move away from N17.

Sharing the latest update on the Irish defender, a Lilywhites source has apparently lifted the lid on a weekend development.

The Latest: Conte and Spurs ‘will’ allow Dohery exit…

As per Football Insider, sharing news ‘on Saturday night’, Tottenham and Conte are now set to greenlight the Republic of Ireland international’s potential exit this month.

Indeed, Doherty ‘will be allowed’ to leave the club this winter, with Spurs allegedly open to either a loan move or permanent deal for the player.

The Verdict: Right call…

Since signing for Tottenham from Wolves in the summer of 2020, it’s safe to say things haven’t quite worked out for the former Molineux star in north London.

Making just 39 appearances in all competitions over a season and a half at Spurs, Doherty has never quite cemented his place in the first team under three separate managers in Jose Mourinho, Nuno Espirito Santo or Conte.

His market value has also dropped by £8m since last year, so we advise Spurs transfer chief Fabio Paratici and chairman Daniel Levy to find a buyer this month before that plummets any further.

Contracted until 2024, there is still time to cash in on the 29-year-old, and it’s safe to say that finding a buyer for Doherty should be one of Tottenham’s squad-trimming priorities this month.

In other news: ‘Absolute no-brainer’…Sky Sports pundit thrilled by ‘exciting’ transfer news out of Tottenham, find out more here.

Crystal Palace shared images of defender Nathan Ferguson on their official Twitter page on Thursday.

And, as to be expected, a number of Eagles fans were quick to react to the update on social media.

Ferguson was brought to Selhurst Park back in July 2020 after his deal with West Brom expired.

It has since been revealed that Palace have to pay just £900,000 in compensation to the Baggies, however, the 21-year-old is still yet to turn out in red and blue.

The defender has suffered multiple injuries during his time with Palace, with the latest coming back in May when he tore his achilles, but it seems as if Ferguson may well be close to finally making his Eagles debut after being pictured on the training ground.

Unsurprisingly, fans are extremely excited to see what will certainly feel like a new signing finally donning the Palace shirt.

Palace fans react

This is what these CPFC supporters had to say in reply to the club’s official post regarding Ferguson, with many happy and one labelling it as ‘fantastic’.

“Oh I’m emotional”

Credit: @Kevbartleyy

“OMG Today is a good day”

Credit: @DrizzyCPFC

“Fantastic to see – keep going Nathan”

Credit: @LukeRemnant

“Omggggggggg barclays ain’t ready”

Credit: @CPFC_Ollie_

“Things you love to see”

Credit: @SWPalace

“This makes me so happy to see! What a journey!”

Credit: @Tolcheey17

“Comeback SZN!”

Credit: @DeePalace_

In other news: ‘Would be mad’ – Many CPFC fans stunned as ‘stupid’ transfer news emerges.