Tag Futebol

West Ham can look to next season with huge excitement and optimism. Their first major trophy in 43 years secured Europa League football and makes them a compelling option for any footballer looking to challenge themselves at a higher level.

After their £166m outlay last summer, David Moyes has demonstrated he isn’t afraid to be active in the transfer market, and the club is set for a busy summer.

One player who has been linked to joining the Hammers at this fruitful time is Brennan Johnson, who has been one of Nottingham Forest’s most consistent and productive players since their promotion back to the Premier League.

What’s the latest on Brennan Johnson to West Ham?

According to the Daily Mail, the 22-year-old is set to be the subject of an intense transfer battle between Everton and West Ham.

This outlet details that the Welshman is valued at £40m due to his massive effort to keep his side away from relegation.

However, with the added attractive option of European football, the East London outfit may have the edge to secure this talent.

How would Brennan Johnson fit in at West Ham?

The tricky attacker has been an indispensable component of a Reds side that gained promotion and kept their Premier League status.

In the 2021/22 campaign, the forward recorded 25 contributions in 46 appearances in the second tier and followed this up with 11 goal involvements in his debut season at the top level of English football.

Johnson appeared in every single domestic game and his manager Steve Cooper is a massive fan, saying: “He’s a fantastic player, we know he’s got qualities and is a great finisher.”

One of his most impressive attributes is his chameleonic ability to play across the frontline and his potential link-up with the dazzling Lucas Paqueta is a mouth-watering prospect.

The dazzling Brazilian ranks within the best 7% in Europe’s top five leagues among his positional peers for progressive passes per 90, and has averaged the second-most dribbles per game (1.2) in the West Ham squad.

Described as “simply sensational” by CBS’ James Benge, the former Lyon star’s impudent vision, skill, and passing, coupled with Johnson’s endless running and commendable athleticism could be a devastating method of attack next term.

The way Paqueta expertly slipped in Jarrod Bowen to win the final last night is a teaser of how Johnson can benefit from his creativity.

The 18-cap international was born in Nottingham and has been in the youth ranks at Forest since 2009 – to tempt Johnson to leave his boyhood club will take a humongous proposal.

The £30k-per-week man’s current deal expires in 2026, so it would certainly be an audacious swoop for the high-flying Hammers.

Mason Mount's Chelsea future looks like a transfer saga that will drag on right until the end of the summer window.

Manchester United remain eager to sign the England international, but there is a big gap between both sides' respective valuations, with the Red Devils supposedly only willing to offer £50m.

Chelsea want closer to the £70m mark for a player about to enter the final year of his contract, but allowing the rigmarole to continue deep into the summer would be damaging for the Blues.

Instead, it may be a case of accepting United's offer now and looking for a replacement – or indeed searching within their ranks for a ready-made alternative of sorts.

Who is Chelsea youngster Cesare Casadei?

In Cesare Casadei, Chelsea appear to have a midfielder who is ready to step up and play in the Premier League under new head coach Mauricio Pochettino.

According to the Evening Standard, Pochettino is weighing up whether to include the 20-year-old as part of Chelsea's pre-season training camp after he caught the eye at the U20 World Cup with Italy.

Casadei ended the tournament as top scorer with seven goals – this as a midfielder, remember – to follow in the steps of the likes of Lionel Messi, Erling Haaland and Sergio Aguero.

But rather than having the next Messi on their hands, Chelsea will settle for something close to the next Frank Lampard, a player who scored a club record 211 goals for the West London side.

With eight goals in nine appearances for Italy at U20 level, Casadei will now look to get close to the mark Lampard managed for England U21 when scoring nine goals in 19 caps.

The youngster is not strictly one of Chelsea's own, having been recruited from Inter Milan in a reported £16m deal last summer, before then being loaned out to Championship side Reading in January.

Casadei scored one goal in 15 appearances for the relegated Royals as he made his first foray into senior football. While he caught the eye with his goals at the U20 World Cup, it was more the defensive aspect of the youngster's game that stood out at Reading.

He averaged 1.87 blocks per 90 minutes, as per FBref, which was the third-most of any Reading player, while also ranking highly for the percentage of aerial duels won with 70.6 – again, only two others bettered that figure.

For comparison, Mount averaged 1.31 blocks per 90 minutes in the Premier League last season and won 29.1% of his aerial duels.

Italy head coach Roberto Mancini was glad to see Casadei go out and get some regular football, and he now looks set to step up and feature for the U21 side during the 2023-24 campaign.

"Cesare Casadei is really good. He had already impressed me [before the U20 World Cup]," Mancini told Corriere dello Sport last week, via Football Italia.

"He went to England and played in the Championship, a tough and formative league, almost like the Premier League. If it wasn't for the U20 World Cup, he would be playing for the U21 side already."

Given Chelsea's hugely bloated squad, it may well be that Casadei has to be patient for his chance. But if nothing else, the past six months suggest the Blues have another talented midfielder on their hands, regardless of whether Mount stays or goes.

Chelsea are intrigued by the prospect of bringing Juventus striker Dusan Vlahovic to Stamford Bridge.

What’s the latest on Dusan Vlahovic to Chelsea?

According to ESPN’s Julien Laurens, the Blues have made the 23-year-old their top priority for the summer and have already made an offer of €80m (£69m).

The report also claims that the Serbian is “unhappy” in Turin and as such, he is supposedly keen on a move to the capital with the incoming Mauricio Pochettino setting his sights on a new No.9.

However, the 2021 Champions League winners are set to be challenged by Bayern Munich and Atletico Madrid.

Would Dusan Vlahovic be a good fit at Chelsea?

The 21-cap international has endured his least productive season since joining Serie A in 2018, having netted 14 goals in 41 appearances across all competitions. However, this term has been complicated by injury issues that have stalled his rhythm and consistency.

However, one quieter season isn’t enough to outweigh his previously glorious potency at Fiorentina and his early days with Juventus.

In the past three campaigns, the 6 foot 3 "monster" – as dubbed by Carlo Garganese – notched 45 goals in 73 league outings to establish himself as one of Italy’s most deadly and dangerous forces.

Meanwhile, the west London outfit has only found the net on 36 occasions in as many top-flight games as the disjointed and underperforming attack is one of the primary reasons for the club’s monumental decline.

Their offensive woes were epitomised in their last encounter with Manchester City as Raheem Sterling lacked a cutting edge, whilst Kai Havertz was borderline anonymous in the false nine role as Frank Lampard’s men failed to score for the 14th time in the league.

Indeed, Sterling (33) and Havertz (35) both had so few touches throughout the game that even goalkeeper, Kepa Arrizabalaga, registered more touches (43) during the contest.

The two aforementioned players are currently the Blues’ top finishers this term, however, sharing a measly nine goals a piece to underline the painfully obvious issue at Stamford Bridge.

Vlahovic possesses a profile that no other Chelsea player currently matches – a commanding focal point with an abrupt physicality and a keen eye for goal.

Micah Richards is a huge fan and when the frontman was in free-scoring form in Florence, the pundit described him as “lightning” and having “everything you need.” That should be music to the ears of the hierarchy.

A new striker is perhaps the most imperative upgrade within the Chelsea squad this summer and whilst other clubs may be deterred by the price tag, it is unlikely that the new ownership will feel the same. Indeed, the Serb one of the best options Boehly and co could find on the market this summer.

BBC pundit Alan Hutton has called into question some of the current backup defensive options at Celtic, telling Football Insider that it's a "worry" for boss Ange Postecoglou heading into the transfer window.

What happened in the Old Firm?

The Scottish Premiership side have once more conquered all-comers in the domestic league this campaign, with the club bagging first-place and the title for the second season in a row. Their current haul of 95 points has seen off second-placed Rangers and ensured that more silverware heads to Parkhead.

In addition to that, boss Ange Postecoglou has also claimed the Scottish League Cup again this campaign. It means the manager has now taken his trophy haul to a total of four in two seasons in charge – and he will no doubt be hoping to challenge again on all fronts when the next campaign rolls around.

However, their most recent fixture to Rangers ended in a humbling 3-0 defeat, with Celtic opting to make a number of changes to their starting eleven. The rotation didn't pay off though and the club were unable to pick up the three points.

Now, pundit Alan Hutton has spoken to Football Insider and feels that it perhaps showcases a need for better depth at Parkhead for next season – especially with the club set to compete in both domestic cups, the league and in Europe.

Speaking about the game and the changes, Hutton said: "There was not much on this game but it was an opportunity for the manager to assess the rest of his squad.

“I do not think Bernabei is at it, I do not think he is ever going to dislodge Taylor. Kobayashi I thought struggled, he got out-muscled by [John] Souttar for one of the goals. Johnston has come in and really hit the ground running so it has been difficult for Ralston.

“I do not like using the term second string but it was a little bit and they could not quite match to the levels of who they are trying to replace. So it probably is a bit of a worry for the manager."

Will Celtic sign anyone over the summer?

The club will likely not lose too much sleep after the loss, with the title already wrapped up this season. However, Postecoglou may have been able to identify areas that he feels may need improvement in the upcoming transfer window and it may have given him a good action plan.

It means that, with the season coming to an end, the manager will be able to address any weaknesses and strengthen his squad where he feels it is necessary. The Scottish Premiership side have already been linked with Eduvie Ikoba, who currently plays in the Hungarian league and they've also been keeping an eye on Ryotaro Ito according to reports.

Ange Postecoglou and Mark Lawwell will know who they want this summer then and having seen where they need to improve, will be keen to get transfers done during the close season.

Tottenham Hotspur and chairman Daniel Levy by extension hold the most serious interest in signing Aston Villa goalkeeper Emiliano Martinez.

What’s the latest Spurs transfer news?

Spurs have a plethora of issues to resolve before the summer transfer window opens for business, namely who they will be their permanent manager and Antonio Conte’s full time replacement.

Ryan Mason has been placed in temporary charge until the end of this Premier League campaign with Europa League qualification still very realistic.

In the meantime, Levy has been scouring the market for appointments, as well as looking out for a new sporting director to replace the departed Fabio Paratici.

On top of all this, Spurs must think about a long-term successor to goalkeeping mainstay Hugo Lloris, who is entering the final 12 months of his contract alongside star striker Harry Kane.

Tottenham have been repeatedly linked to signing Lloris’ replacement this summer, with Napoli goalkeeper Alex Meret thought to be attracting serious interest.

As well as Meret, it is believed the likes of Mike Maignan (AC Milan) are in Spurs’ thinking, with a report by journalist Gaston Edul saying another shot-stopper is on the agenda.

According to the TYC Sports correspondent, writing on Twitter, Villa’s Martinez is a very serious target for Spurs and Levy with the north Londoners having a move “in the pipeline”.

Martinez, who helped Argentina to World Cup victory at the end of last year, could be on the move and Tottenham are very likely to go a ‘step further’ for his signature over rival clubs.

Edul explained:

What could Martinez bring to Spurs?

The 30-year-old has been praised for his form at Villa Park over the last 12 months, with defender Matty Cash summing up his quality perfectly.

Cash, speaking to the media (via The Shropshire Star), said:

“He (Martinez) normally buzzes off clean sheets. The first thing he said to me in the dressing room was: ‘I’m gutted we conceded’. He’s unbelievable. One of the best goalkeepers in the world. To have him there is really good for us. He has made so many big saves for us.”

To replace a figure as important as Lloris, this could be exactly the type of character needed at Tottenham, both in terms of goalkeeping contribution and elite mentality.

Members of the media have also called him “world class” for his exploits at international level.

Glasgow Rangers manager Michael Beale is believed to be plotting a move for Honduran winger Luis Palma ahead of the summer transfer window as he looks to strengthen his side.

What’s the latest on Luis Palma to Rangers?

According to Football Insider, Beale is ready to make a move for Palma sooner rather than later and the Ibrox side could be ready to table a €5m (£4.3m) bid for the player.

They face stiff competition from Belgian side Genk in order to prise him away from Aris in Greece and much will depend on what happens over the coming weeks.

Could Rangers sign Luis Palma?

There is no doubt that the club require some attacking reinforcements, especially with left-winger Ryan Kent in the final few months of his current deal.

Recently promoted Burnley are keen on landing him on a free transfer this summer, and it is looking increasingly unlikely that Rangers will retain his services, this triggering Beale into moving for another left-winger.

Palma certainly fits the bill and has enjoyed a “great season” for Aris according to Honduran outlet, Diario Diez and with 11 goals and seven assists across 33 matches, he poses a wonderful attacking threat from the wing that’s for sure.

He can also play through the middle if required and has also been known to even drop into an attacking midfield position too and this positional versatility could be useful for Beale next season.

Palma could form a dream partnership with Todd Cantwell, who has often been deployed on the right wing or just behind the striker since arriving at the Light Blues in January and the two could combine well.

Cantwell may not have the pace or goal-scoring eye that the Honduran star possesses – scoring just twice for the Gers to date – yet his intelligence in creating space for the winger could allow him to get into more attacking positions across the duration of a season. The Englishman has averaged 1.6 key passes this term while succeeding with 62% of his attempted dribbles and these attributes could allow Palma to flourish.

The 5 foot 10 dynamo could be a worthwhile addition to the Rangers first team, despite the near £5m price tag that it could cost them, yet in order to improve, Beale will likely need to spend some money this summer.

Cantwell and Nicolas Raskin have both been "playing well" since joining the club in January – according to Beale – and Palma has the talent to replicate their impact at the Light Blues.

Leeds United could reportedly decide to sell goalkeeper Illan Meslier in the summer transfer window to offset any finacial difficulties associated with relegation.

Is Meslier having a good season?

The Frenchman has been a key figure for the Whites for a number of years now, performing with great consistency despite his tender years. He has been the undisputed first-choice between the sticks over past few seasons, racking up 124 appearances and counting.

This season has been a struggle for Leeds, however, with their 2-1 defeat away to Fulham on Saturday lunchtime leaving them in 16th place in the Premier League by the end of the weekend. Meslier arguably hasn't been at his best during the campaign, which hasn't helped matters, with the 23-year-old making errors at Craven Cottage that sum up a hit-and-miss year for him.

His current Whites deal runs until the summer of 2026, but a fresh update suggests that he may have left Leeds well before that date arrives, following rumours he could quit the club if they are relegated.

Will Leeds cash in?

Speaking to Give Me Sport, journalist Pete O'Rourke said that Leeds may now take it upon themselves to cash in on Meslier at the end of the season:

"It's a potential exit that could happen, especially if Leeds get relegated. I don't think Meslier will want to drop down to the Championship after enjoying a couple of years in the Premier League with Leeds.

"They might be forced to balance the books if they suffer relegation. Meslier is probably one of their most sellable assets right now."

This is a tricky one for Leeds because Meslier remains a highly impressive young player with a potentially big future ahead of him, with Micah Richards describing him as "excellent" in the past. He could even be a future No.1 for France, such is his ability, which suggests that the Whites would be wise to keep him.

That being said, his form this season has been patchy as mentioned, and the club are in a strong bargaining position where they could earn big money for Meslier's services. If a huge offer came in, it could be hard to turn down – relegation may give them no other option – as those funds could be used to invest in several players and fit the whole squad ready for a promotion charge.

It is a big decision that may have to be made in the coming weeks and months, and it will only be proven to be right or wrong in the future, as £30,000-a-week Frenchman's career continues to develop.

Newcastle United are reportedly eyeing up a summer move for exciting Lyon youngster Rayan Cherki during the summer transfer window.

How is Cherki doing this season?

The 19-year-old is a hugely talented young player who is already makes waves in France, becoming a key member of Lyon's attacking unit. This season, he has scored three goals and registered four assists in 25 Ligue 1 appearances, as his stock continues to rise.

Cherki is someone who is unlikely to remain at his current club for too much longer, with bigger teams possibly circling ahead of the summer window. Paris Saint-Germain are one of those sides in question and Kylian Mbappe has endorsed the teenager in the past, which highlights his potential. His current deal expires at the end of next season.

Now, it looks as though Newcastle could look to snap him up, following a new update.

Could youngster be off to Newcastle?

According to L'Equipe [via Sport Witness], the Magpies are ready to "get active" with regards to the possible signing of Cherki this summer. Eddie Howe sees him as a strong option to bring in and bolster his squad, ahead of what could be a very productive window for the club.

It is stated that the player himself would rather join PSG, however, with the lure of playing alongside Mbappe something that could be too big to ignore, so it may not be easy for Newcastle to get their man.

Cherki looks like a sublime talent – one who has been described as "incredible" by football talent scout Jacek Kulig – so the idea of him in a Magpies shirt next is mouthwatering. To already be such a key figure in a top league at such a young age says a lot about how good he is, and he should only improve in the coming years, as his all-round game matures both on and off the ball.

Newcastle could do with more squad depth moving forward, allowing Howe to rotate more effectively in the process, and Cherki could come in as a great option and someone who can become one of the first names on the team sheet over time. It is essential that competition for places gets more fierce all the time at St James' Park, allowing the Magpies to go up another gear next season and potentially even push for more of a title charge in the Premier League.