Tag Futebol

Nottingham Forest have not had the Premier League return the supporters would have dreamed of as the side have spent the majority of the season so far in the relegation zone due to their struggle for consistency on the pitch.

Steve Cooper will be frustrated that the World Cup break came when it did as the Tricky Trees started to find their feet in their last five fixtures ahead of the prestigious international tournament – picking up eight points from a possible 15.

Alas, the manager will be hoping that his team can come back after Christmas and pick up where they left off in the top flight when they head to Old Trafford for their clash with Manchester United after Christmas.

Forest made 22 signings over the summer spending an ambitious £150m to build a team that can compete at the highest level to retain the club’s Premier League status and establish themselves comfortably in the league, however, it hasn’t worked out as of yet.

Although a flurry of new faces at The City Ground was something the club was in desperate need of with so many players departing at the end of last season, many of those players who remained at the club were quickly overlooked as to what they could offer the team in the top tier.

One player who is quickly proving Cooper wrong whilst flourishing on loan with Toronto FC in the MLS is forgotten man Richie Laryea.

The talented 27-year-old was shipped off back to his native Canada this summer but has been proving the Forest boss wrong for not including him in his squad by displaying glimpses of his capabilities and talents in Toronto.

Over ten league appearances, the versatile full-back has registered three assists, created four big chances and tallied up a 91% pass completion rate, as well as averaging 1.3 key passes, 1.4 tackles, 1.2 clearances and 6.2 duels per game, proving that he is having a positive impact in both attacking and defensive play.

Not only that, Laryea shined in Qatar during his World Cup performance for Canada against Belgium and was the highest-rated (7.3) player on the team according to Sofascore.

Over his 74-minute performance, the Canadian talent had two shots on goal, made four key passes, won two tackles and completed 100% of his long balls and crosses.

With that being said, there is no doubt that Cooper has made a mistake by not giving Laryea the chance to be part of his Premier League squad this season but if they do manage to pull off survival this season the manager should consider reinstating him in the Forest back-line.

Aston Villa have been boosted in their pursuit of Borussia Monchengladbach winger Marcus Thuram, following a recent transfer report.

The Lowdown: Villa linked with Thuram

Unai Emery is still adjusting to life as Villa’s new manager and it is understandable that he will want to make new signings to suit his system.

One player who has been linked with a move to Villa Park is Thuram, who continues to impress in Monchengladbach’s attack this season.

The 25-year-old has scored 10 goals in just 15 Bundesliga appearances in 2022/23 so far, the latest of which came in his team’s 4-2 win over Borussia Dortmund on Friday night, not to mention providing three assists for good measure.

The Latest: Thuram could be sold

According to Sky Sports Germany [via Sport Witness], Monchengladbach may have to sell Thuram in January, seeing it as the ‘last chance’ to receive a fee for him before his contract expires in the summer.

It means that Villa could get him for a ‘fraction’ of the price that they may have to had to pay previously, with the Bundesliga side ‘dependent on prior player sales’ in order to make new signings.

The Verdict: Great option for Emery

Thuram could be a fantastic prospective signing for Villa – he has been hailed as ‘phenomenal’ by former Monchengladbach team-mate Denis Zakaria – with his aforementioned goalscoring efforts this season showing how much firepower he could bring.

Emery might see the Frenchman as an upgrade on the likes of Philippe Coutinho and Emiliano Buendia, who have only one league goal between them all season, offering more pace and natural width to give the Villans a new dimension.

The fact that Monchengladbach are willing to sell further plays into Villa’s hands, so signing Thuram for a discounted price feels like an absolute no-brainer for NSWE and co.

Celtic have set aside “significant” cash to make a marquee midfield addition in 2023, Football Insider reports.

The Lowdown: Spending under Postecoglou

Ange Postecoglou has had three transfer windows at Parkhead, with the Hoops extremely proactive during that time.

Celtic have signed a number of players under the Australian’s leadership, spending just under £45m in total. The Hoops have brought in just under £35m through player sales, and it looks as if the club will be active in 2023.

The Latest: Transfer update

FI reporter Wayne Veysey shared a story on Tuesday morning regarding Celtic’s transfer plans.

He stated that the Hoops have set aside “significant” cash to sign a proven central midfielder after Postecoglou made it clear behind the scenes that he wants to strengthen the squad in the new year.

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The Verdict: Good news

It seems as if Postecoglou wants a certain type of midfielder who can shield the defence – something that appears needed in Glasgow.

Captain Callum McGregor is currently sidelined through injury and the only out-and-out defensive midfielder on the books is loanee Oliver Abildgaard, who has played just 47 minutes of Scottish Premiership action this term.

Therefore, it is good news that Celtic chiefs seem willing to back Postecoglou once again in the new year, and it will be interesting to see who the club target.

Wolverhampton Wanderers are reportedly contemplating a move for Sevilla boss Julen Lopetegui, following the recent sacking of Bruno Lage at Molineux.

What’s the word?

According to journalist John Percy, in his piece for the Telegraph, the Spaniard has been a ‘previous target’ for the Midlands side over the years, with there a potential for the 56-year-old to be in ‘contention’ again this time around.

The report suggests that the Old Gold are looking to secure a replacement for the aforementioned Lage – who lost his job following the recent defeat to West Ham United – prior to Saturday’s Premier League meeting with Chelsea.

Lopetegui had been linked with a prior move to England last summer, having reportedly rejected an approach from Tottenham Hotspur to replace Jose Mourinho in the hot seat.

Disaster

A departure had seemingly become inevitable for Lage following what was a disappointing start to the new campaign, having slipped into the relegation zone after picking up just one win from their opening eight league games, scoring just three league goals in that time – the worst record in the division.

As Percy’s report also alluded to, the former Benfica boss’ exit had also come as a result of the poor end to the 2021/22 season, as the club failed to win any of their last seven league games to secure an underwhelming mid-table finish.

Turning to Lopetegui as the solution to the club’s current problems may not be the ideal choice, however, with the one-time Real Madrid man currently under fire himself following a miserable start to the season in Seville.

The La Liga side are just a point from safety at present after picking up only five points from their opening seven league games, ensuring the Spanish tactician has won 14% of his matches in the league this term. Meanwhile, they are currently bottom of their Champions League group having notably been held by FC Copenhagen last time out.

Such a slump has seen the former Spain head coach tipped for the sack at present, with journalist Colin Millar stating that the club’s supporters are now in “open mutiny” against the manager – as well as the board – after one win from their opening nine games in all competitions.

While any exit in the coming days would ensure that he is available to make the move to England, Wolves supporters likely won’t be enthused about the prospect of bringing in such a struggling manager, with such a move potentially a recipe for disaster as far as the Old Gold are concerned.

Tottenham Hotspur have thrown their hat in the ring as they eye a move for in-form Ajax attacker Mohammed Kudus, according to reports.

The Lowdown: Spurs making transfer plans?

Sporting director Fabio Paratici appears to already be making plans ahead of the January window after he orchestrated seven major signings in the summer.

Ivan Perisic, Fraser Forster, Yves Bissouma, Richarlison, Clement Lenglet, Djed Spence and Destiny Udogie joined Spurs in the last market – on top of a permanent deal for Cristian Romero from Atalanta.

However, the north Londoners are having to cope with an ever-congested fixture schedule as a result of the 2022 World Cup in November and added European matches to their regimen.

This could prompt Paratici to make mid-season moves as a report shares the latest on Kudus’ future at Ajax.

The Latest: Lilywhites join Kudus race…

As per Bild in Germany, via Sport Witness, it appears Tottenham are now contenders to sign the in-form attacking midfield ace.

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They claim Antonio Conte’s side ‘already’ have Kudus ‘on their list’ as they join the race alongside Everton and Bundesliga giants Borussia Dortmund.

The Verdict: Very exciting…

The Ghana international arguably stands out as one of Europe’s most exciting attacking players right now.

Called ‘world class’ by ex-Dutch footballer Jan van Halst, Kudus has now bagged four goals in eight Eredivisie appearances thus far whilst completing more dribbles per 90 than any current Ajax player (WhoScored).

Indeed, to reinforce his quality further, ex-Tottenham fan favourite Rafael van der Vaart is a ‘huge fan’ of the player by his own admission – a glowing endorsement from a formerly brilliant attacking asset at N17.

Newcastle United journalist Scott Wilson has now claimed that Eddie Howe could be the next England manager as Graham Potter looks set to join Chelsea.

The Lowdown: Potter appointment

As widely reported, Potter is now set to be appointed as the new manager at Chelsea following the departure of Thomas Tuchel.

The Englishman will leave his post at Brighton and Hove Albion, which has sparked a flurry of reaction on social media.

The Latest: Howe for England?

Taking to Twitter after hearing the update with regards to Potter’s imminent appointment, Wilson has claimed that Howe could now be next in line to take over from Gareth Southgate as manager of England, and even goes so far as to add that he could take charge as early as this winter:

“Brighton learned this week how a sudden turn of events can wreck the best-laid plans. Eddie Howe wasn’t in the running for Chelsea – but I’ve got a feeling the #NUFC boss could be England’s next manager. And it might be this winter…”

The Verdict: Bold

It is certainly a bold claim from Wilson that Howe could be the next Three Lions manager, but one that has some substance.

If Southgate fails to deliver over the next World Cup and Euros, where England reached the semi-finals and final respectively last time out, it will not be seen as progress, and after a poor start in the UEFA Nations League, he could be set for the chopping block.

Howe has been backed to be a future England manager before, and given his success at the Magpies so far, where he is currently averaging 1.56 points per game, the second-most in his managerial career, it would not be a surprise to see him take the post one day, perhaps after Southgate departs.

Aston Villa defender Tyrone Mings has now been dealt another setback, according to reports…

What’s the latest?

The Daily Star claim that the 29-year-old centre-back is facing a fight to get back into Steven Gerrard’s starting lineup after being banished to the bench for their Premier League season-opening defeat at newly-promoted AFC Bournemouth.

It’s thought that a scan has revealed a groin injury that could now keep him out of training for several days and that’ll surely put his chances of a return to the XI in grave danger.

The England international also missed their final pre-season friendly against Stade Rennes and faces an almighty battle to regain his spot in Gareth Southgate’s squad for this winter’s World Cup.

Another problem lingering

Dropped by England, dropped as Villa skipper and dropped from the starting lineup.

These three events are enough to test the mental fortitude of even the strongest character and it appears that Gerrard has another problem lingering around Bodymoor Heath as the 6 foot 5 colossus is dealing with injury troubles.

That will only increase the pressure on Gerrard, who has overseen just two wins from his last 12 matches in charge.

The decision to relinquish Mings of the captaincy is certainly looking like an early-season blunder and it’s one that has been slammed as a “big mistake” by beIN SPORTS presenter Richard Keys, who claims that it has split the dressing room – not that it’s a slight on John McGinn.

Truth be told, Villa rarely win without Mings involved. In the 12 league gamers that the Englishman has missed, the Midlands outfit have lost a whopping eight times, winning on just two occasions.

Gerrard’s recent remarks on the matter won’t have helped the situation or the furore surrounding his future at Villa Park either.

“I’m confident and have full belief [that] when Tyrone is back at his best and looks me in the eye and shows me he’s ready to play, he’ll get opportunities,” said Gerrard to the BBC West Midlands reporter Steve Hermon.

Meanwhile, Villa legend Paul McGrath has suggested that the £80k-per-week star “ticks all the right boxes” for the club and questioned the bold decision. “So how do you lose the Armband and your place in seconds . You don’t, so who said what to who, No one cares get him in the team,” he tweeted.

“Titan” and “maverick” is also how presenter Dan Bardell has described the centre-back in the past.

With Mings facing fitness troubles and Villa struggling for form, Gerrard is under immense pressure and he’s only going to get another big problem on his hands the longer he’s absent from the team.

Regardless of holding the captain’s armband or not, Mings must start for Villa.

AND in other news, “I’m sure..”: Journo claims Aston Villa could launch late swoop for “unplayable” £20m “wizard”…

Tottenham Hotspur have been handed a huge boost in their bid to bring Memphis Depay to the Premier League in the summer transfer window.

What’s the talk?

That’s according to a report by Spanish publication SPORT (via TEAMtalk), who claim that, following several reports linking Fabio Paratici with a move for the 28-year-old centre-forward in recent weeks, Barcelona have now lowered their initial €20m (£17m) asking price for the Netherlands international to just £12m.

This is sure to come as a huge boost to Spurs, with AS previously reporting that Paratci was prepared to offer the LaLiga side a figure in the region of €17m (£14.5m) in order to bring the striker to the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium this summer.

“Huge signing”

Considering just how impressive Depay was for Barcelona last season, the news that Barcelona now look to have given Paratici the green light to make a £12m move for the 28-year-old is undeniably fantastic news for the Italian sporting director.

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Indeed, over his 28 LaLiga appearances in 2021/22, the £34m-rated Dutchman was in breathtaking form for Xavi’s side, scoring 12 goals, registering two assists and creating five big chances for his teammates, as well as taking an average of 2.2 shots, making 1.6 key passes and completing 1.6 dribbles per game.

These returns saw £158k-per-week talent who was labelled a “huge signing” for Barca and Liam Canning dubbed “unreal” average a simply sensational SofaScore match rating of 7.26, not only ranking him as the Catalan club’s fourth-best performer in the league but also as the joint 10th-best player in the Spanish top flight as a whole.

As such, should Paratici manage to get a £12m deal over the line for Depay this summer – a figure that is a whopping £22m lower than the centre-forward’s current market value – it would undoubtedly represent an enormous coup for Spurs, who could well land one of the bargains of the summer in the 28-year-old attacker.

AND in other news, Paratici set to bid for “unreal” £76k-p/w Spurs target, he’s Conte’s dream 7th signing…

Everton look set to miss out on another long-term transfer target this summer, as Chelsea striker Armando Broja is reportedly close to signing for West Ham United.

What’s the word?

After an impressive first taste of senior football in England with Southampton last season, the Albanian forward has been a man in demand this summer, with Everton amongst those most heavily linked with him.

However, it appears as if the Hammers have won the race to sign the exciting 20-year-old, as David Ornstein shared the latest development in his transfer saga on Twitter.

He wrote: “West Ham close to agreement with Chelsea for Armando Broja. Currently working towards permanent. Personal terms in place but contract length undetermined. Deal didn’t develop at #CFC request but his wish for regular 1st team starts.”

Supporters will be gutted

Considering Everton received £60m for Richarlison earlier in the transfer window, they clearly aren’t short of transfer funds, and Broja could have been an excellent like-for-like replacement for the Brazilian.

After hitting nine goals in all competitions for Southampton last season, the young forward is likely to go from strength to strength in a side like West Ham, and Everton could seriously regret not signing him in the future if he lives up to his obvious potential.

Despite a disastrous 2021/22 campaign that nearly saw Everton relegated, Frank Lampard’s side have arguably weakened their side so far this summer, with only James Tarkowski joining on a free transfer so far.

The Toffees kick off their season against Chelsea in less than three weeks and supporters will be extremely concerned that they could be in for another tough campaign unless the team is strengthened in the near future.

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Lampard currently has just Dominic Calvert-Lewin and Salomon Rondon available as natural striker options in his squad and considering the former’s injury issues and the latter’s goal-scoring record, it is clear that a new striker must arrive at Goodison Park.

Therefore, supporters will rightfully be gutted that a deal couldn’t be done for Broja, and they will be desperate to see the Toffees wisely reinvest the Richarlison money as soon as possible.

AND, in other news: Everton looking to sign £17m “phenomenon”, it could be bye-bye to £120k-p/w dud…

Aston Villa have been linked with a summer move for West Ham United midfielder Tomas Soucek.

What’s the news?

According to a recent report from The Sun, the Villans, along with fellow Premier League clubs Everton and Newcastle United, are interested in signing the midfielder, with the Irons willing to entertain offers around the £30m mark for the Czech Republic star.

After making 157 appearances for his previous club Slavia Prague, in which he scored 40 goals and delivered 14 assists, the 27-year-old joined West Ham on an initial loan deal in January 2020. In the following summer’s transfer window, the Irons signed Soucek permanently on a four-year deal worth £15m.

The £47k-per-week midfielder has made 102 appearances for David Moyes’ side in all competitions, scoring 18 goals and supplying two assists.

With Soucek making 35 Premier League appearances last season, Declan Rice was the only outfield player at West Ham to rack up more minutes than the Czech midfielder, highlighting his importance to the team.

His overall performances earned him a solid season rating of 6.98/10, making him the third-highest rated player in the squad according to WhoScored.

Gerrard would love him

Hailed by Kevin Phillips as a “superb” player and a “master of arriving late into the box”, Soucek won 41 tackles and made 49 blocks, 55 interceptions and 119 clearances last season in the Premier League last term, highlighting his defensive capabilities.

In addition, only three other West Ham players had more shots at goal than the former Slavia Prague colossus (45) throughout the campaign.

Taking all this into account, it’s safe to say that it would be a very exciting prospect for Steven Gerrard to have a player like Soucek in his squad who can be just as useful in front of the opposition’s goal as he is at helping to guard the one behind him.

Bearing in mind how Villa conceded more goals than the likes of Burnley, Crystal Palace and Brighton last season, having a defensive-minded midfielder like the 27-year-old West Ham tank in their team could be just what they need in order to become a tougher opponent.

If the east London club could be tempted to sell the Czech Republic international this summer, then Villa should definitely be at the front of the queue to secure a deal for him.

In other news: Villa now in the mix to sign “elegant” £106k-p/w machine, imagine him & Carlos