All posts by h79snht.top

A late injury-time goal from Pascal Struijk kept Leeds United’s hopes of remaining in the Premier League alive heading into the final game of the season after a 1-1 draw with Brighton and Hove Albion at Elland Road.

Jesse Marsch’s side went behind to an early, albeit well-deserved, goal from Danny Welbeck but a raucous home support just about saw the Yorkshire giants over the line.

Whites striker Joe Gelhardt, who had gone close to an equaliser himself, bundled the ball across goal for the Belgian-born colossus to slot home and the draw meant that Leeds moved one point clear of the relegation zone.

[snack-amp-story url= “https://www.footballfancast.com/web-stories/read-the-latest-leeds-united-news-transfer-rumours-gossip-and-much-more-2″ title=”Read the latest Leeds news, transfer rumours and more!”]

However, Burnley have a game in hand in midweek, so they could be two points behind heading into the final game of the 2021/22 season.

It could have been an all too different story in west Yorkshire, though, as Marsch’s attacking struggles continued once again and that can’t be too much of a surprise as he constantly persists with the inclusion of Rodrigo, who has been nothing short of a flop.

On an afternoon where he managed fewer touches (40) than all but one fellow starter, including goalkeeper Illan Meslier (52), he failed to contribute anything of note in the final third in another “anonymous” outing.

Throughout the 90 minutes, the Spaniard failed to register a single shot on target, also failing to do much with the ball as he made just 68% of his 28 passing attempts, via SofaScore.

Rodrigo also appeared to be lightweight in his battles, winning only 30% of his ten duels and also losing possession of the ball 12 times, once every 3.3 touches.

LeedsLive journalist Beren Cross also noted the £13.5m-rated passenger’s poor display in his post-match ratings column, where he wrote: ‘Gathered himself after the break with one delightful, arced pass in behind, but the standard was set low in an abject first period which would have warranted a half-time bath.’

Perhaps Marsch should have hooked him at the break as his struggles in the final third almost cost the side dearly against the Seagulls.

The £100k-per-week has started the majority of matches under the American, so heading into the final game of the season, he must stop persisting with the out-of-sorts forward.

AND in other news, Marsch could already have Leeds’ next Liam Cooper in “really strong” 17 y/o colossus…

Leeds United winger Raphinha has now agreed on personal terms with Barcelona ahead of a summer move, according to reports.

The Lowdown: Final home appearance?

The Whites travel to Brentford on Sunday for the final game of the season, with relegation back to the Championship still a major possibility for Jesse Marsch’s side.

[web_stories_embed url=”https://www.footballtransfertavern.com/web-stories/latest-leeds-united-updates-3/” title=”Latest Leeds United updates!” poster=”https://www.footballtransfertavern.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/04/cropped-2022-03-10T184055Z_1834933207_UP1EI3A1FW561_RTRMADP_3_SOCCER-ENGLAND-LEE-AVA-REPORT-1-scaled-1.jpg” width=”360″ height=”600″ align=”none”]

Leeds managed to take a point in their last home game of the campaign against Brighton which took them out of the bottom three for the time being, with Burnley set to travel to Aston Villa on Thursday night.

Raphinha played the entirety against the Seagulls and came back out to an empty Elland Road following the final whistle, sitting on the turf, with some believing that was his final home appearance for the club.

The Latest: Terms agreed

Goal Brazil provided an update regarding Raphinha and Barcelona on Tuesday. They claimed that the winger has now agreed on personal terms ahead of a move to the Nou Camp which will see his current salary doubled through to 2027.

The Catalan giants will be able to sign the 25-year-old for €25m if Leeds are relegated and are yet to put an official offer on the table, as reports have recently suggested.

The Verdict: Sunday huge

Raphinha has made it clear to Leeds chiefs that he wants to depart this summer, so a transfer to the Nou Camp seems to be a matter of when and not if, following Laurens De Bock as the second man out of the door after the left-back signed a one-year deal with Zulte Waregem.

However, if the Whites manage to remain in the Premier League, they’d hold the cards when it comes to a deal. You’d expect that the attacker would go for much more than €25m if Leeds avoid the drop, another reason why Sunday’s trip to Brentford is absolutely huge both in the short and long term.

In other news: Radz and Orta have had enough of Leeds ‘liability’; now set to be released from Elland Road. 

Reliable journalist Alan Nixon has revealed that Derby’s deal for Pride Park ‘still needs doing’, but has suggested that Chris Kirchner now has some ‘power’ behind the move.

The Lowdown: Kirchner confirms the deal is done

The Rams first entered administration last September amid ongoing financial problems at the club, but the American businessman was later named as the preferred bidder to swoop in and come to their rescue.

In a fresh update earlier this week, the 34-year-old expressed his delight in a Twitter post from his personal account confirming that the deal is done after exchanging contracts for the sale of the club with administrators Quantuma, with Kirchner now having until May 31 to complete the finer details after being granted conditional approval from the EFL.

However, it had previously been claimed by Sky Sports reporter Rob Dorsett that the new owner would be reluctant to proceed with the deal if he was unable to reach an agreement with Mel Morris over the sale of Pride Park, and Kirchner is still allowed to withdraw his plans to buy the club if he’s unhappy with the stadium situation.

The Latest: Nixon shares Pride Park update

When responding to a fan question on Twitter about whether the potential Pride Park roadblock would still be an issue in the takeover, Nixon wrote:

“The deal still needs doing… only thing is now Chris Kirchner has some power behind his move…”

The Verdict: Significant progress

The latest development means that the American is now funding the running of Derby, and that is hugely significant when it comes to the club being able to make progress in the short term.

Of course, there is still very much a chance that Kirchner could have a change of heart about making the final move if he fails to come to an agreement with Morris over Pride Park, but with every day that passes, it’s starting to look more and more likely that the takeover will be completed before the end of the month deadline.

As all of this is going on behind the scenes, Wayne Rooney will no doubt be starting to prepare his squad for their new chapter in League One where they will be hoping to make the immediate bounce back up to the Championship at the first time of asking.

In other news… a journalist has revealed that Derby are set to be handed a huge boost ahead of the start of the new season.

Manchester United are keen on securing a summer transfer for Barcelona midfielder Frenkie de Jong.

What’s the news?

According to a recent report from Spanish outlet Sport, United are gunning after the 24-year-old more than any other club at the moment and have been in contact with the player over a potential summer move to Old Trafford.

After making 89 senior appearances for Ajax, the midfielder joined Barcelona in the summer of 2019 as the Spanish giants secured a January deal for him worth a reported £65m.

[snack-amp-story url= “https://www.footballfancast.com/web-stories/read-the-latest-man-united-news-transfer-rumours-gossip-and-more-nunez-ten-hag-nkunku-richarlison” title=”Read the latest Man United news!”]

Since joining the La Liga giants, the Dutchman has gone on to make 139 appearances across all competitions, scoring 13 goals and delivering 17 assists along the way.

Labelled a “genius” by current Barcelona boss and former player Xavi, De Jong reportedly has a price tag of £85m.

Fans would be thrilled

This season has seen the 25-year-old play in all but six of Barcelona’s matches across all competitions, showing just how important he is to the team and why they may be reluctant to let him leave this summer.

To highlight the talent that he has, no other midfielder in Barcelona’s squad with more than 1,000 passes in the league can boast a higher pass completion percentage than De Jong (89.9%). He is also listed in the top five for shot-creating actions (73) and successful pressures (89) for Barcelona in the league this season, once again highlighting his effectiveness on and off the ball.

Taking this into account, and with United having a lower passing success percentage than the likes of Arsenal, Liverpool and Tottenham Hotspur this season, it’s easy to see why the Red Devils and Erik Ten Hag would be so eager to have such a capable ball-playing midfielder like De Jong in their team.

This reported contact to the player should fill a lot of United fans with excitement over the level of player that the club are looking to sign this summer.

It would be even better for them if the Red Devils are able to bring the Netherlands international to Old Trafford and see him pit his wits against some of the Premier League’s top midfielders.

In other news – Bid incoming: Sky Sports journalist drops MUFC transfer update, Ten Hag will be thrilled

Journalist Pete O’Rourke has had his say on the Celtic pursuit of highly-rated Bristol City striker Antoine Semenyo. 

The lowdown: Hoops’ interested

A February report from Bristol World claimed that the Hoops had sent scouts to watch Semenyo in action with a view to making a possible move in the summer transfer window.

Since then, the 22-year-old has remained sporadically linked with a move to the Glasgow giants as Ange Postecoglou looks to strengthen the options at his disposal at Lennoxtown.

Now as the window prepares to kick into gear, one reputable journalist has had his say on the prospect of Semenyo arriving at Celtic Park…

The latest: ‘Good piece of business’

Speaking to Give Me Sport, O’Rourke suggested that the capture of the talented forward could perhaps replicate that of Moussa Dembele’s signing back in 2016.

He explained: “He’s done well at Bristol City, whether he could have the same impact as Moussa Dembele had when he arrived from Fulham, that’s up for debate because Dembele was a real top signing for Celtic when they did get him.

“He showed that with his goals under Brendan Rodgers that helped them win so many trophies and also played in the Champions League as well. So, I think Semenyo does look a good player, and if Celtic could land him, I think it could be a good piece of business.”

The verdict: Make it happen

Whether or not Semenyo has the capabilities to emulate Dembele is neither here nor there as the plethora of goal-scorers across the pitch means Postecoglou isn’t reliant on one regular contributor in the same way Rodgers looked towards the Frenchman.

In 2021/22, David Turnbull, Kyogo Furuhashi, Jota, Liel Abada and Giorgos Giakoumakis all reached double figures for the Bhoys, whilst January signing Daizen Maeda ended the campaign on eight strikes in just 22 outings.

During the same campaign, Semenyo scored eight times and provided 12 assists in 31 Championship appearances, showing an ability to find the net as well as turn provider for those around him.

Therefore, adding the youngster hailed as a ‘star in the making’ by Martin Keown following a FA Cup victory over Leicester City in 2019 to the squad would be a superb coup for Celtic.

In other news, a journalist has provided a key Celtic transfer update. Read more here.

An update has emerged regarding Glasgow giants Rangers’ chances of bringing a new winger to Ibrox in the upcoming summer transfer window… 

What’s the talk?

According to German outlet WAZ, Gers target Rabbi Matondo could be on the move ahead of the 2022/23 campaign.

The report claims that, after Cercle Brugge opted against a €3.5m (£3m) deal for him, the 21-year-old is a ‘clear candidate’ to be sold by Schalke 04, as he only has one year left on his contract with the Bundesliga outfit. They have put him up for sale amid interest from a number of clubs, with Rangers and their Glasgow arch-rivals both reportedly keen on the attacker.

DaMarcus Beasley 2.0

Rangers head coach Giovanni van Bronckhorst would love to have Matondo as an option in his squad next season, as the Wales international is an exciting young player who has the potential to be a speed demon at Ibrox.

Beasley was known for his pace during his career and enjoyed a fine spell with the Light Blues as he produced six goals and 12 assists in 43 appearances.

He was a quick forward with the ability to score and set up goals, and that is exactly what Matondo could be for Rangers next season.

Interestingly, the USA international played in Germany and for Manchester City, just like the 21-year-old Welsh wizard.

Commenting on Schalke’s move for the winger in 2019, City manager Pep Guardiola heaped praise on Matondo as he said: “They are interested in another young player. I know how good he is, incredibly fast winger, and a young talent. This club is working so good.”

Former Wales manager Ryan Giggs also lauded the youngster’s speed, saying: “Just like Dan James he has electrifying pace.”

In 2021/22, Matondo managed 10 goals and two assists on loan at Cercle Brugge as he proved that he can make a big impact in the final third at senior level. He also produced 11 goals and five assists in 32 games for Manchester City at under-23 level, highlighting the potential that he has at the top of the pitch.

Therefore, Rangers can land their new Beasley in a deal for the former Stoke loanee. The 21-year-old has the pace to burn past defenders, and his statistics suggest that he also has the quality to be a match-winner when he gets into advanced positions.

Ross Wilson must now ensure that he can beat Celtic to his signature and add him to Van Bronckhorst’s squad for next term.

AND in other news, Imagine him & Lundstram: Wilson must land Rangers deal for “fabulous” £28k-p/w maestro…

Newcastle United chief Dan Ashworth is now officially in his first summer transfer window as the club’s sporting director.

The Magpies supremo has already signed Matt Targett on a permanent deal after the left-back’s loan spell at St. James’ Park last season and he will now be looking to add fresh faces to Eddie Howe’s team.

One attacker linked with a switch to Tyneside is Leipzig talent Christopher Nkunku, who is also catching the attention of PSG, Manchester United and AC Milan and is reportedly valued at €75m (£64m).

Their own Lucas Paqueta

By bringing Nkunku to St. James’ Park, Newcastle can land their own version of Lyon dynamo Lucas Paqueta – with a deal for the Ligue 1 gem seemingly off the cards.

Journalist Jacque Talbot claimed, earlier this month, that a deal for the Brazilian midfielder is “unlikely” due to his potential price and the Toon should now turn their attentions to the Leipzig star as his statistics show that he is worth paying a big fee for.

In the 2021/22 campaign, Paqueta managed nine goals and six assists in 35 Ligue 1 games for Lyon as he averaged a SofaScore rating of 7.13. This is an impressive return and one that makes him look like an excellent signing for the Magpies on paper, given that no Newcastle player hit those figures in the Premier League.

Nkunku, meanwhile, registered an outstanding 20 goals and 13 assists in the Bundesliga for Leipzig, averaging a rating of 7.59. This shows that he performed to a higher standard than Bruno Guimaraes’ former teammates in terms goals, assists, and all-round displays.

FB Ref lists them as similar players based on their statistics over the last 365 days, although the stats suggest that the Frenchman has the edge.

Both of them are capable of playing in a multitude of attacking roles and are players Howe could use in a variety of ways but Nkunku is more of a threat in the final third based on his form from the season just gone.

He was once dubbed “glorious” by journalist Andrew Dickson and former Leipzig boss Jesse Marsch previously heaped praise on the gem, saying: “Christopher has no weaknesses. He is young and still wants a lot more. Working with him is a lot of fun as he is really intelligent and has a lot of potential.”

These comments suggest that Nkunku, who turns 25 in November, also has scope to improve further and improve in the future. This means that he would be an excellent signing for the club in the short and long-term.

Therefore, the Magpies must snap up a deal for the Frenchman as he would be a dream alternative to Paqueta and be Howe’s own version of the Brazilian, given that they are both versatile, 24-year-old, attackers who can make a big impact in the final third.

AND in other news, Ashworth now preparing Newcastle bid to sign £21m sensation, he’s Luis Diaz 2.0…

Transfer insider David Ornstein has now revealed some worrying Everton news involving Richarlison.

The Lowdown: Everton’s saviour

It is safe to say that the 25-year-old was the Toffees’ saviour at the end of the season, as he scored six goals and provided a further two assists in his last 10 matches in the Premier League, including a goal in the 3-2 win at home to Crystal Palace which secured their top-flight status (Transfermarkt).

After Everton were involved in a relegation fight, there is bound to be some interest from top clubs in the Brazil international this summer, so Frank Lampard’s side may struggle to keep hold of him.

The Latest: Tottenham interest in Richarlison

Taking to Twitter in sharing a report from The Athletic, Ornstein – who regularly breaks transfer news and updates – has revealed that Tottenham Hotspur are now ‘interested’ in signing Richarlison, and that ‘some close to EFC’ think that a move ‘will happen’.

He tweeted: “Tottenham interested in signing Richarlison. No bid yet – will only do it at right price + have other options. Everton want more than reported €60m but need for funds likely to reduce fee + some close to #EFC think #THFC move will happen.”

[web_stories_embed url=”https://www.footballtransfertavern.com/web-stories/everton-news-7/” title=”Everton news!” poster=”” width=”360″ height=”600″ align=”none”]

The Verdict: Worrying

It certainly is worrying that Spurs could come in for Richarlison, especially given that fact that they can offer him Champions League football next term.

The 25-year-old is one of Everton’s most important players, having been their top scorer and highest-rated performer in 2021/22 (as per WhoScored), so he would not be easy to replace at all.

Moreover, as Ornstein reports, they may have to end up selling him for a reduced fee due to their need for funds, which would be another kick in the teeth in terms of trying to find a replacement.

In other news, find out who Everton have now ‘asked’ to sign

Tottenham Hotspur appear to be closing in on the signing of Brighton and Hove Albion midfielder, Yves Bissouma…

What’s the word?

As per transfer guru Fabrizio Romano, the north London side are now “set to complete” the signing of the Mali international, with it seemingly only a matter of time before the 25-year-old is confirmed as a Spurs player.

[snack-amp-story url= “https://www.footballfancast.com/web-stories/read-the-latest-spurs-news-transfer-rumours-gossip-much-more” title= “Read the latest Spurs news, transfer rumours and more!”]

Writing on Twitter about the latest situation regarding the 18-cap gem, the Italian journalist gave his much-coveted green light to the deal: “Tottenham are set to complete Yves Bissouma deal, here we go! There will be final contacts with Brighton today on payment terms, then paperworks time. Medical already scheduled as expected.

“Agreement on €29m fee plus add-ons. Final details, then it will be signed.”

This follows reports that emerged earlier this week that suggested Antonio Conte’s side were close to getting their man, seemingly fending off reported interest from the likes of Liverpool and bitter rivals, Arsenal.

Paratici masterstroke

That impending arrival represents yet another astute piece of business from sporting director Fabio Paratici, with the former Juventus chief appearing to have worked his magic once again to bring in a “Champions League level” talent – in the words of Graham Potter – on the cheap.

With just a year remaining on his existing deal, Bissouma is set to make the switch to the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium for a fee of around £25m, with that figure appearing something of a bargain considering reports earlier this year had suggested he could be worth as much as £50m.

Having already brought in experienced Croatian, Ivan Perisic, from Inter Milan and reliable backup goalkeeper Fraser Forster from Southampton – both deals having been completed for free – Paratici has added instant quality and depth to a squad that had perhaps been too reliant on its core starting XI last summer.

Add in the January signings of Rodrigo Bentancur and Dejan Kulusevski – both of whom have hit the ground running for the Lilywhites – and it has proven a fairly impressive 2022 thus far with regards to incomings, with more additions seemingly on the way amid links to 21-year-old wing-back Djed Spence and Everton talisman Richarlison.

As for Bissouma, in particular, the imminent signing represents a major coup for the club, with the £31.5m-rated man arguably one of the most commanding, all-action midfielders in the Premier League, having averaged 1.8 clearances, 1.9 interceptions and 2.9 tackles per game in his 26 outings in the most recent campaign.

Equally, he compares favourably to those in his position across Europe’s top five leagues for his attacking capabilities, ranking in the top 9% for pass completion and the top 10% for dribbles completed, with his knack for surging forward from midfield making him a hugely attractive prospect.

If this deal is anything to go by, it looks as if Spurs supporters could well be in for a treat this summer, with the £29k-per-week machine’s arrival not likely to be the last Paratici masterstroke of the window.

IN other news, Paratici has “genuine interest” in sealing “magic” £47m Spurs deal, he’s Robben 2.0

Newcastle United have reportedly now made their approach to sign Christian Eriksen.

The Lowdown: Sensational return

Eriksen has made a sensational return to football after collapsing on the pitch for Denmark in Euro 2020, scoring one goal and making a further four assists in 11 games in the Premier League for Brentford last season (Transfermarkt).

Dubbed a player who is still ‘world class’ by his manager Thomas Frank, the Bees may now struggle to keep hold of him after only giving him a short-term deal back in January, as his contract expires at the end of the month.

The Latest: Newcastle approach

Writing in his latest piece for iNews, reliable journalist Mark Douglas has revealed that the St. James’ Park outfit have made an approach to try and sign Eriksen after submitting an enquiry.

However, they will face competition from Brentford, Everton and Manchester United for his signature, as a deal to stay with the Bees is ‘still very much an option’.

The Verdict: No-brainer

To get a player of Eriksen’s experience and quality on a free transfer is surely a no-brainer for the Tyneside club if they can convince him to move north.

His average rating of 7.37 in the top flight last term was only bettered by Kieran Trippier (7.38) in the Magpies squad, while none of Eddie Howe’s team averaged more shots, key passes or crosses per game than the 30-year-old.

Based on that evidence, Eriksen would be a superb signing for the Toon Army and add that sprinkle of creativity needed alongside the tenacity of Joelinton and Bruno Guimarães in midfield.