Category Uncategorized

The upcoming summer could be the most transformative window in Chelsea’s recent history as the club prepares to shape the overloaded squad under Mauricio Pochettino.

The Argentine faces the unenviable task of attempting to pinpoint the correct additions and find the correct blend of youth and experience to maximise the chance of progression next year.

Gabri Veiga is a name that has been suggested to reinvigorate and revamp Chelsea’s midfield.

What’s the latest on Gabri Veiga to Chelsea?

According to the Guardian, Chelsea have entered the race for the Celta Vigo talent as a replacement for Kai Havertz, who has expressed a desire to leave.

The outlet details that Pochettino is “prioritising additions in midfield” but faces stiff competition from Barcelona and Liverpool for the 21-year-old’s signature.

Veiga’s current contract contains a €40m (£34m) buyout clause – a modest fee for a player of extraordinary potential.

The West Londoners have already lost N’Golo Kante and Jorginho, whilst Mateo Kovacic, Ruben Loftus-Cheek, and Mason Mount are all heavily linked with departures.

Is Gabri Veiga like Juan Mata?

The signing of the spritely Spaniard would be a magnificent start to his new era and can mirror the influence that his fellow countryman Juan Mata had in the capital.

Although Mata was only at Chelsea for two and a half seasons, he undoubtedly left his mark.

At the business end of the 2011/12 season, the playmaker won the man of the match in the Blues’ 2-1 FA Cup final victory over Liverpool then assisted Didier Drogba’s famous equaliser in the Champions League showdown against Bayern Munich, which allowed the club to go on and clinch their first major European trophy.

In his second campaign, the diminutive creative hub dismantled the top flight as he notched 28 goal involvements.

As recognition for his consistency, quality, and stardom, the former Valencia ace was crowned Chelsea’s Player of the Year on consecutive occasions.

Veiga has the opportunity to make the same switch as his compatriot from La Liga to the Premier League.

His side avoided relegation by just three points, owing to a final-day victory over Barcelona in which Veiga scored twice.

Despite playing for a side that has struggled throughout the term, the "Baby Kaka" – as per one journalist – ranks within the highest 12% in Europe’s top five leagues among his positional peers for progressive carries and successful take-ons per 90, as well as the best 11% for touches in the attacking penalty area, according to FBref.

That certainly outlines him as Mata-esque, with the gifted prodigy finishing the season with 15 goal involvements.

Hailed as “amazing” by Football Scout Jacek Kulig, Chelsea must accelerate their attempts to land this generational gift and at such a reasonable price it would be one of Todd Boehly’s best purchases.

Arsenal and Manchester City are both targeting Michael Olise following the end of the 2022/23 Premier League season which saw Pep Guardiola's side lift the title.

City have officially won their first trophy of the season but still have their sights set on two more, the FA Cup and Champions League finals still to come on the 3rd and 10th of June respectively.

Transfer plans have already begun for the league champions and Michael Olise is one man under consideration for Man City.

What's the transfer latest news on Michael Olise to Man City?

According to journalist Ekrem Konur, Arsenal and Manchester City have "great interest" in signing the Palace star. This season, he scored three goals and assisted 11, according to Transfermarkt and is now a target for the best teams in England.

Olise has four years remaining on his contract with Palace so the Eagles are well-placed to hold their ground in negotiations. Should Olise, leave he will command a transfer fee reportedly in the region of €40m (£34m), as per Konur.

Guardiola wants Olise to reinforce his midfield options with the Spaniard well-known for rotating his squad to ensure the team stays healthy. Ilkay Gundogan and Bernardo Silva could both leave the club this summer and so City are considering how to invest into their midfield.

Olise is seen by both Arsenal and Man City "clear about the player's qualities and are willing to make an economic effort to ensure his signing."

The midfielder and his "entourage" will ultimately decide where his career will go next.

How could Olise fit in at Man City?

21-year-old Olise is a promising player for the future but he has already demonstrated himself to be one of the most creative players in the Premier League.

His 11 assists this campaign are the result of his consistent creativity and vision.

Data from Fbref shows that Olise was expected to be in the 85th percentile for assisted goals (xAG). In reality, he over-performed projections by reaching 11 assists, placing him in the 91st percentile for assists by an attacking midfielder or a winger.

Clubs like Arsenal and Man City, who employ data gurus to analyse potential transfer targets, will have been watching Olise this season and looking at the stats to back up their decision to pursue him.

Following their tense Premier League title battle, both clubs will be hoping for a win in the transfer market as well.

Newcastle United are set to send scouts to watch Sporting CP midfielder Manuel Ugarte this weekend ahead of a potential switch to the Premier League, according to reports.

What's the latest on Manuel Ugarte to Newcastle?

The Athletic have reported that Eddie Howe is set to enter the upcoming transfer window in search of a new number six, and with the 22-year-old being Ruben Amorim’s top-performing defensive player and third overall with a WhoScored match rating of 7.08, Ugarte has seemingly been identified by the manager as an ideal deep-lying target on the market.

Back in April, Record claimed that the Jose Alvalade Stadium outfit could be forced to cash in on some of their most prized assets at the end of the season to create funds for new signings and the Magpies were credited with a “growing interest”, off the back of which they are believed to have promised to submit an official proposal ahead of the 2023/24 term.

Who is signing Ugarte?

According to Portuguese newspaper Correio da Manha (via Sport Witness), Newcastle and top-flight rivals Liverpool will both "have representatives" in Lisbon this weekend to "focus" on Ugarte during Sporting CP's fixture vs Benfica on Sunday.

As it stands, it's currently unknown which of the two suitors are leading the chase, but it's worth noting that the midfielder has a €60m (£52m) release clause included in his contract, alongside the fact that Aston Villa are claimed to have already held contact regarding a deal, as per A Bola.

Newcastle are clearly serious about securing the services of Ugarte, first to have promised to table a proposal and now to deploy officials to assess him in action, and should they be able to get a deal over the line for the defensive midfielder, it would be a massive coup for PIF and Howe.

The World Cup participant ranks in the 99th percentile for tackles having made 114 this season which is higher than any other member of his squad, as per FBRef, and the 98th percentile for interceptions so loves to get stuck in and win back possession for his team.

Sporting’s “warrior”, as dubbed by talent scout Jacek Kulig, who has the versatility to operate slightly higher up in central midfield alongside his natural position, is also capable of contributing to efforts at the opposite end of the pitch having provided three assists and scored one goal since joining, so this really is a no-brainer of a move to pursue should the opportunity present itself.

Aston Villa have had a season to remember under Unai Emery, sparking excitement ahead of the 2023/24 campaign in what will be the Spaniard’s first full term with the club.

The Villains have had their season transformed since the 51-year-old’s arrival in the Midlands, taking them from relegation candidates under Steven Gerrard to European hopefuls with just three games remaining.

With the end of the season in sight, transfer rumours begin to take centre stage as the summer transfer window beckons with teams looking to strengthen their squad with new recruits.

Villa have already been the subject of a number of rumours regarding potential new signings, and news emerging over the weekend has revealed the club's intentions to bring in a Premier League midfielder to boost their ranks in the position.

What is the latest on Joao Palhinha to Aston Villa?

News reported by transfer expert Pete O’Rourke for Football Insider has revealed that Villa are “willing to match” Fulham’s £60m price tag for star midfielder Joao Palhinha this summer.

The 27-year-old is the talk of many clubs after his outstanding contributions to Fulham’s midfield this season in the Premier League, however, according to reports the Midlands club are “confident” that they can compete with the big six for his signature.

After making such an influence in a short time at Villa, the board are expected to back the financial asks of the Spaniard to take the club to the next step.

What could Joao Palhinha bring to Villa?

When speaking to The Athletic last month, Emery was insistent on his plans for a “stronger squad” and highlighted having depth in each position to “add performances and get better as a team”.

While Villa’s season has been emphatic since the four-time Europa League winners’ arrival, there is always room to improve.

The Spaniard is said to be a 'huge fan' of the midfielder – as per Football Insider – and sees the Portuguese player as a 'direct upgrade' to his current options in the starting XI.

Looking at the current squad, Palhinha is a natural upgrade to John McGinn, who has seen a vast improvement under the new coach due to the added competitiveness to the squad.

When comparing the statistics of the two players, it’s clear to see why the 27-year-old is in demand and what he could bring to the Midlands.

Based on per 90 numbers provided by FB ref, McGinn averages 2.33 tackles and a pass completion rate of 77.7% in central midfield.

Palhinha dominates defensive attributes for midfielders in Europe’s top five leagues, however, ranking in the top 1% for tackles with 4.42 per game, and ranks in the top 8% for aerial duels won.

The "tackling machine" – as per teammate Harrison Reed – maintains a pass completion rate of 82.3%, as well as ranking in the top five for most interceptions in the opposition's half (132), showing that he is the complete midfielder in the engine room and would prove as a direct upgrade to Villa’s midfield, notably main enforcer McGinn.

Described by Liverpool boss Jurgen Klopp as being Fulham’s “connector” in a post-match interview, it’s clear why so many clubs are after the £50k-per-week earner's signature.

Only time will tell if Emery can get his man, but there are little doubts over the influence he could bring to any midfield.

With Mauricio Pochettino looking increasingly likely to take over the soon-to-be vacant hotseat at Chelsea, he may be expected to delve into the transfer market over the summer.

Sky Sports has reported that it could be as early as next week that a formal announcement is made over Pochettino, with Todd Boehly clearly aiming to get a deal done before the end of the season.

Chelsea spent £323m in January alone on players such as Enzo Fernandez, Mykhailo Mudryk and Benoit Badiashile, and despite the abundance of talent, the squad just hasn’t performed to the required standard this term.

Pochettino will surely look to bring the best out of the players in the current team before he eyes up any potential incomings – and one member of the first team could do with a new manager to reinvigorate him ahead of 2023/24 is Raheem Sterling.

How has Raheem Sterling performed this season for Chelsea?

A return of seven goals and three assists in all competitions this season is a modest total for the winger, and it could represent his worst season in terms of goal contributions since 2012/13, where he managed two goals and six assists during his breakout season in senior football for Liverpool.

His spell at Manchester City yielded an impressive 131 goals across a seven-year spell where he won four Premier League titles amongst a hatful of other trophies and his move to Chelsea last summer was an arguably surprising one given his success at City.

The £325k-p/w star has struggled to replicate this form he displayed under Pep Guardiola since moving to London, however, and perhaps an attack-minded coach like Pochettino could spark him into life.

The former PSG boss favours attacking formations, which could benefit Sterling, as he could be deployed on either wing to great effect similarly to the way Son Heung-min was at Spurs when Pochettino was in charge – the South Korean star scored nearly 70 goals under him during that spell.

The 51-year-old has managed nearly 600 matches in his career to date and his teams have scored a staggering 1,027 goals. It’s evident that he likes his players to get forward as often as possible to create chances and likes to utilise wingers who can score plenty of goals, suggesting that Sterling could thrive in this environment given his previous exploits.

Having been dubbed “frightening” by Tony Cascarino last season, he has perhaps lost an edge during a troubled few months under a number of different coaches, yet with Pochettino close to being appointed, it could be the catalyst he needs in order to succeed at Chelsea.

Everton are tantalising hints of brighter fortunes under the tutelage of Sean Dyche, having spent much of the past two campaigns languishing in-and-around the Premier League relegation zone.

The Merseyside outfit remain in danger as the 2022/23 campaign enters the business end, but the January appointment of the former Burnley manager has cultivated a sense of optimism that top-flight status can be preserved yet again.

Three places but only two points above the relegation zone, the Toffees have avoided defeat across their past three outings and have in fact only lost three times from eight top-flight outings since Dyche magnificently beat table-toppers Arsenal in his first match at the helm.

In the most recent encounter, preceding the international break, Ellis Simms scored his first goal for the club in dramatic circumstances, restoring balance against Chelsea in the closing stages and earning the club a valuable point on the road, and with the 22-year-old finally unleashed after a string of loans since rising from the youth ranks, the prowess of Finch Farm academy is highlighted once again.

With this in mind, Everton's rugged boss would be wise to continue investing in youth and providing a platform for young stars to flourish, with one Jenson Metcalfe shining brightly ahead of an ostensible upgrade to the first-team fold.

Who is Jenson Metcalfe?

Hailed as "an energetic and technically-proficient central midfield player" by Everton's official website, Metcalfe has plied his trade at the outfit since he was 5-years-old, signing a new contract with the club in September 2022, keeping him on the books until 2026.

The 18-year-old has been impressing for the U18s, making 15 appearances in the U18 Premier League last season and scoring two goals and three assists from his industrious role.

The talented starlet suffered an anterior cruciate ligament injury last year and has subsequently seen his recent progress hampered, though he returned in recent months to make three appearances for the U18s before being swiftly upgraded to Everton's U21 unit.

Metcalfe is a self-professed admirer of Barcelona legend Sergio Busquets, with the club's website stating that the Spaniard is the prospect's "football idol".

Indeed, the teenager has previously stated: "I see myself as a tempo-setter, so I look up to Sergio Busquets. He’s so relaxed on the ball."

If the Evertonian, whose passing range is 'outstanding' – in the words of journalist Andy Hunter – can emulate the game of the 34-year-old, he will be in stellar stead to forge a career that will leave him a revered figure at Goodison Park.

Indeed, the great Spaniard has made an incredible 718 appearances for La Blaugrana, winning three Champions League trophies, eight La Liga titles and the World Cup and 2012 European Championships with Spain.

Busquets, whom long-time teammate Jordi Alba heralded for his "incredible leadership skills", has been the glue to hold his sides together over the years, scintillating in his robust and unnoticed work in the centre of the park, orchestrating as the anchor.

With WhoScored recording the 143-cap machine's average career passing accuracy at 90.8%, also making 2.5 tackles and 1.8 interceptions, there truly is no better positional peer for a "talented" – as praised by journalist Patrick Boyland – young midfielder such as Metcalfe to emulate the game of.

Sporting CP midfielder Pedro Goncalves would be a 'superb' signing by Aston Villa in the summer transfer window, according to journalist Ryan Taylor.

How's Goncalves doing this season?

The 24-year-old has been a talismanic figure for Sporting so far this season, catching the eye with his constant quality in the final third. He has scored 12 goals and registered six assists in 23 Primeira Liga appearances, as well as netting three times in four Europa League outings.

It is in Europe that Goncalves has produced his most eye-catching moment of the campaign to date, lobbing Arsenal goalkeeper Aaron Ramsdale from all of 50 yards in their eventual triumph over the Gunners. It was a moment that was described as 'incredible' by former striker Kevin Campbell, highlighting the brilliance at the attacking midfielder's disposal.

NSWE have recently been linked with a move to bring Goncalves to Villa at the end of the season, with the Portuguese maverick potentially jumping at the chance to head to the Premier League.

Could the midfielder be off to Villa?

Speaking to Give Me Sport, Taylor reacted with excitement to the rumours that the Sporting hero could head to Villa Park:

"I do think that is where Villa will be shopping. I know they played a 4-2-3-1 in their last game, and I think it was Ramsey that operated from the left. He’s not a winger as such, so I think that is where they will be looking at. Gonçalves would be a great signing, he was at Wolves and it didn't really work out, but he's really highly thought of in Portugal because of what he's done with Sporting.

"So I think that's the kind of player that would be superb for Villa."

The ideal summer signing for Villa?

Goncalves, valued at roughly £44m, has the ability to be a magnificent signing by Villa this summer, adding the guile and match-winning quality that is missing in attacking midfield areas currently. This season, Emiliano Buendia is the highest-scoring player in a similar position to him with five goals, showing how much of a difference he could make.

The two-cap Portugal international is averaging 2.1 key passes per game in the league this season, which is more than any Villains player – Alex Moreno and Douglas Luiz lead the way with 1.3 per match – and at 24, there is no reason why he shouldn't find further gears in the coming years.

Unai Emery will surely feel that Goncalves is someone who could be a game-changer of a signing, improving those around him and becoming a firm favourite among the supporters, given his eye for the spectacular.

Tottenham Hotspur have crashed out of the FA Cup at the fifth-round stage against lower league opposition for the second successive year after they were beaten by Championship outfit Sheffield United on Wednesday night.

In the absence of manager Antonio Conte, the Premier League side were beaten by Iliman Ndiaye’s fine 79th-minute solo effort as the Senegalese midfielder weaved his way through Spurs’ backline before firing home past a helpless Fraser Forster.

The Lilywhites coaching team, led by assistant Cristian Stellini, made the bold call to drop leading talisman Harry Kane from the starting XI in what now appears to be a “farcical decision” – as described by iPaper journalist Oliver Young-Myles.

Richarlison started in his place, with Heung-min Son and Lucas Moura for support, and his utter disasterclass at Bramall Lane hardly helped matters…

How did Richarlison do against Sheffield United?

Having cost a whopping club-record fee of around £60m in the summer, the Tottenham faithful are yet to see the levels that the Brazil international hit at his former side Everton, the sort that made chairman Daniel Levy and sporting director Fabio Paratici sanction such an expensive move.

Yet to score in 16 top-flight appearances, it seems as if Richarlison’s poor form rumbled into the FA Cup, where he squandered numerous chances – namely one that nearly hit the corner flag – before being hooked shortly after the hour mark, with the aforementioned Kane finally entering the pitch.

As per Sofascore, the 25-year-old flop failed to get any of his three shots on target, whilst he was only able to muster 13 accurate passes from 21 attempts (67% accuracy) and from 32 touches, often trusting himself instead of playing in the likes of Son and Ivan Perisic.

Richarlison was somewhat bullied by the second-tier side, too.

He contested as many as seven duels, both in the air and on the ground, but was only able to come out on top in two of those, registering a success rate of just 28.5%.

That’s rather disappointing for a £90k-per-week star up against players like Chris Basham and Jack Robinson, who were relegated from the Premier League a little over 18 months ago.

Both he and Son were huge flaws in Spurs’ attack, with neither managing to earn a rating of better than 6.8 by Sofascore. The South Korean, who lasted the whole 90 minutes, managed just one more accurate pass than Richarlison and lost over half of his duels as well.

Such a display from the former Toffees man saw Sheffield Star reporter Danny Hall lambast the frontman, writing on Twitter: “Kane replaces Richarlison who’s had a stinker of a night in all honesty.”

Although they were sentiments echoed by writer Andrew Gaffney, who dubbed him “toothless,” and by journalist Delme Parfitt, who slammed him as “desperately disappointing.”

Indeed, Richarlison’s struggles continued at Bramall Lane and now with Spurs out of the FA Cup, it’ll take a lot to win the fanbase back, heading into the final few months of the campaign.

AND in other news, Paratici could land Son heir in Spurs move for £60m gem who’s a “real box of tricks 

Southampton are tracking Aberdeen striker Bojan Miovski for a potential summer transfer swoop, according to a recent report.

The Lowdown: Summer rebuild needed?

Reports throughout the January transfer window indicated Che Adams could exit St Mary’s, with Everton named as potential suitors late in the window, following links to Leeds United last summer.

Given that Southampton are currently in a perilous position in the Premier League, sitting four points from safety after a 1-0 defeat at Elland Road on Saturday, a summer rebuild may be needed, with James Ward-Prowse also tipped for a potential exit.

The Latest: Miovski profiled

According to a report from The Scottish Sun (via Football Scotland), the Saints are tracking Miovski ahead of a potential summer move, after his impressive form in the Scottish Premiership so far this season.

The Premier League outfit have already sent club officials on a scouting mission to assess the striker, watching him in Aberdeen’s 4-0 thrashing at Celtic Park, in which he was substituted at half-time.

The Verdict: Get it done?

The North Macedonia international did not put in his best performance against the reigning Scottish champions, but he has otherwise been in electric form so far this season, netting 17 goals in 32 matches in all competitions.

With a tally of 15 in the Scottish Premiership, the 23-year-old poses the third-best scoring record in the division, averaging a goal every 143 minutes and a 32% conversion rate.

Southampton did strengthen in attacking areas during the January transfer window, but Paul Onuachu and Mislav Orsic have not impressed, both failing to score since their arrival at St Mary’s, with Orsic yet to rise to the tempo of the Premier League.

As such, bringing in a new striker makes sense regardless of what league the Saints are in next season, and Miovski, who has been hailed ‘outstanding’ by the media, is certainly a good one to keep an eye on.

One man who has been repeatedly linked with a return to Newcastle United since his exit back in 2018 is Brentford talisman, Ivan Toney, with the 26-year-old having blossomed into a fearsome and consistent attacking threat in his post-St James’ Park career.

Having been snapped up by the Magpies from Northampton Town at the age of 19 in the summer of 2015, the Englishman went on to make just four first-team appearances for the club over the next few years, with much of his time having been spent out on loan lower down the footballing pyramid.

The striker’s eventual permanent move to Peterborough United proved particularly fruitful as he bagged 49 goals in just 94 games across all fronts, having since netted 61 goals in only 110 games for the Bees – notably scoring 33 times to fire Thomas Frank’s side to promotion during the 2020/21 campaign.

Such prolific form has ensured that the “dangerous” marksman – as lauded by Chelsea boss Graham Potter – is beginning to attract interest from the Premier League’s elite clubs, with reports during the summer having linked the Tynesiders with a possible £30m approach for their former asset.

That was followed by further links at the tail-end of last year, despite Newcastle’s capture of fellow forward Alexander Isak, with it seemingly abundantly clear that he is a player on Eddie Howe’s radar.

Any hopes of re-signing the 6 foot 2 dynamo have now been boosted following claims made by transfer guru Fabrizio Romano, with the respected journalist revealing in his CaughtOffside daily briefing that a possible exit from west London could be on the horizon:

“There will be a chance to leave for Ivan Toney in the summer but only if the right proposal will arrive, Brentford will not sell for a ‘normal” price.”

The addition of such a ruthless presence could well prove bad news for current leading man, Callum Wilson, with the injury-prone striker having not been able to match Toney’s rampant top-flight form of late.

While the latter man boasts a haul of 25 league goals since the start of the 2021/22 campaign, including 13 goals in just 19 games so far this season, the aforementioned Wilson has just 15 top-flight goals to his name in that time.

Although the former Bournemouth man did net an early strike in the draw with West Ham United at the weekend, that was the 30-year-old’s first league goal since returning from World Cup duty, with persistent absences having become a theme of his spell on Tyneside.

Despite being a “hugely important” part of Howe’s side – according to his manager – there are lingering doubts over whether he – nor Isak – can truly be relied upon to deliver the goods, with pundit Stan Collymore stating earlier this week:

‘They both have their own attributes to offer, but I’m just not sure either player is the type to wear the iconic number nine shirt and bag 20-plus goals a season.’

Turning to Toney – who is the third-highest scorer in the division this term – could potentially prove something of an upgrade, with the one-time Shrewsbury Town loanee also providing the benefit of his creativity when leading the line after producing eight big chances already this season, compared to just two for Wilson.

Equally, while the latter man ranks in just the bottom 23% for aerial duels won and the bottom 15% for interceptions made among his European peers, it would appear that Toney is far more of a physical focal point in attack, as he ranks in the top 15% and that top 8% for those same two metrics, respectively.

Although Wilson has been a reliable servant in recent years who can be truly lethal when fit and firing, the possible signing of his compatriot could well see him fall swiftly down the striking pecking order.