All posts by rastrear-estafeta.com

Spurs youngster Alfie Devine has been tipped to earn more game time in the first-team next season by football.london reporter Alasdair Gold.

The 16-year-old prodigy was named among six other emerging prospects as players who could save Daniel Levy and the club millions in the transfer market, and it’s easy to see why.

Devine is already a record-breaker at the club, which should stand him in good stead.

He first became the youngest-ever player to feature in a competitive game, and then went one better when scoring on that senior debut, coming off the bench to find the net against Marine in the FA Cup.

Gold believes Devine is too young to send out on loan next season, so he’s likely to feature more next term, particularly in cup competitions.

The teenager’s chances of doing exactly that could be bolstered depending on the futures of some first-team players, including Harry Winks, who is thought to be wanting an exit from the club this summer.

According to Sport (via Sport Witness), the out-of-favour Englishman will insist on a summer departure, with La Liga a potential destination.

Whilst Dele Alli is another who could move on, according to the Telegraph. And Moussa Sissoko is getting no younger; he will be 32 at the start of next season.

In Devine, Spurs could unearth their next Michael Carrick, which would be a fine reward for their £300k investment in someone so young.

At his former club, Wigan, he was lauded as a “very talented” player with “huge potential” by academy manager Gregor Rioch and chief executive Jonathan Jackson.

Similarly, Sky Sports pundit Jamie Carragher was gutted to see him leave the League One outfit, dubbing him “top-class” on Twitter.

Devine has even already made his presence felt amongst the first-team, aside from scoring on debut, Japhet Tanganga has praised his impact in training. The fellow Spurs youngster told the Independent:

“He’s trained a few times with us and every time he’s come up he’s looked a real spark,” before adding: “He’s shown he can hustle, he’s shown what he can do, so hopefully from here he can kick on and get more appearances for the club.”

Carrick, albeit a little older at 23, didn’t come through the system at Hotspur Way. Instead, the club splashed out £3.5m to sign him from London rivals West Ham United.

And some similarities can be drawn here.

‘Imposing box-to-box style’ is how the Guardian described the 16-year-old gem in their ‘Next Generation’ list for 2020 and that’s how one could describe the former United midfielder. He was more defensively-minded and ‘imposing’ as his career went on, but could still get up the pitch when need be.

Carrick also played under the Special One at United (43 appearances), so that could help Devine in terms of playing style as he continues to develop at this quick rate.

If – and when – Mourinho unleashes Devine next season, Spurs could well unearth their next Carrick.

AND in other news, Imagine him & Ndombele: Levy must sanction £38m Spurs swoop for “breathtaking” dynamo…

Many Everton fans have been welcoming the news that the South American FIFA World Cup qualifiers due to take place in March have been cancelled.

As per Sky Sports, the South American Football Confederation (CONMEBOL) has decided to suspend March’s double header of qualifiers for Qatar 2022 amid concern over the impact of the global pandemic and quarantine restrictions.

The tightening lockdown and quarantine regulations mean that numerous European-based players will be unable to travel, which may come as a benefit for the Goodison Park club.

The likes of Allan, James Rodriguez, Richarlison and Yerry Mina would have all joined up with Brazil and Colombia if not for the restrictions, which now means that they will all get two weeks’ worth of rest instead.

It means that the Merseyside club will be able to have all of their players fresh and ready for the end of the 2020/21 campaign as Carlo Ancelotti’s men look to chase automatic qualification for the Champions League for next season.

Everton fan reaction to South America news

These Toffees supporters lauded the news on Twitter, with one Blues supporter even going as far as to excitedly claim that it was the ‘best news ever’:

“Yaaaas.”

Credit: @JohnDiazTheOne

“Perfect”

Credit: @cjohno1001

“Huge. Absolutely huge, for our season.”

Credit: @GrantyBoy78

“Wonderful! They could all use a rest and get fully fit!”

Credit: @MrSherminator8

“This is a blessing”

Credit: @ComedianConn

“Best news ever!”

Credit: @Eric_Howell

In other news, find out which two Champions League aces Ancelotti wants to sign!

Many Liverpool fans have been left to flock to a transfer admission from Sasa Kalajdzic.

Speaking to Sport Bild, the Stuttgart striker admitted that he would find it hard to turn down a move to the Anfield faithful should the Merseyside club come in with a bid in the summer window.

Kalajdzic has scored no fewer than 13 goals and made a further four assists in 26 games in total over all competitions so far in the 2020/21 term (Transfermarkt), and has a whopping six-foot-six-inch frame, which would certainly offer Jurgen Klopp’s team something a little bit different in the attacking third of the pitch.

Given that he is so tall, the Austria international should have no problems at all whatsoever coping with the physical demands of the Premier League, and so he may be a player that the Reds should certainly want to keep an eye on.

Liverpool fan reaction to Kalajdzic transfer admission

These Kopites urged LFC to go out and buy the 23-year-old on Twitter after his transfer admission:

“Oh my god this would be a dream move aaaaahhhhh”

Credit: @Bennet24_LFC

“Take him all day to add something to our game.. when things aren’t happening on the floor we can go long an he’d be a threat on corners. Looks like he knows we’re the net is as well”

Credit: @Paul_Dicko_LFC

“Sell Origi and get this guy in”

Credit: @HarrisonLukeW

“If we signed a 6ft7 lad and had Trent whip high balls in we wouldn’t lose a game”

Credit: @ROBSON_THE_RED

“200cm striker get him”Credit: @DannyZuko03″Don’t fail me LFC.”Credit: @salim9081In other news, find out what Liverpool man is nearing a return from injury here!

When Noni Madueke left Tottenham Hotspur as a 16-year-old in 2018 it was undoubtedly seen as a blow but few would have perhaps predicted how much of a meteoric rise he would enjoy in the next few years.

He joined PSV Eindhoven on a free transfer and in the two-and-a-half years since he has established himself as a key player with a Dutch side.

This season, in particular, has seen the youngster impress, as he has contributed six goals and six assists in just 15 Eredivisie games. The England U18 international was superb with both the U19 and U21 sides at PSV so it is no surprise that he has been promoted to their first team.

He is now valued at £8.1 million by Transfermarkt and if his performances with PSV continue it would not be a surprise to see him return to the Premier League in the future.

Considering Spurs’ current right-wingers are all struggling for form, with Steven Bergwijn, Lucas Moura and Gareth Bale having all disappointed with their performances in the Premier League this season, the North London club will perhaps be frustrated that they couldn’t convince Madueke to stay with the club, considering his quality performances on the right-wing with PSV.

The youngster has averaged a superb 7.15 rating for his performances in the Dutch top-flight, which would be enough to rank him as Spurs’ fourth-best player in the Premier League this season if he produced the same level of performances in Jose Mourinho’s squad.

Therefore, it is clear that Madueke is extremely talented, something that Spurs will have surely noticed during his time in the academy, so perhaps they could have done more to assure the youngster he would have first-team opportunities in the future.

Former PSV midfielder Tommie van de Leegte was full of praise for the youngster last year:

“He’s fast and has the capability to trick his opponent. He brings creativity and is very explosive in his actions.”

Madueke quotes former Manchester City winger Jadon Sancho as an inspiration for leaving Spurs in the hope of finding regular first-team football elsewhere, which suggests that the lack of opportunities for young players is not just a problem with the North London club, but throughout the Premier League’s bigger clubs.

Former Spurs manager Mauricio Pochettino did hand plenty of Spurs youngsters their debuts during his time in charge but it seems as if Madueke felt he was best served by moving elsewhere, a decision that certainly looks to have paid off.

And, in other news… Bye-bye Vinicius: Levy can find Kane’s Spurs partner in “outstanding” £18m-rated beast

Glasgow Rangers have been one of several sides across Europe credited with an interest in Sheffield United midfielder John Lundstram in recent months. However, there has recently been a new development regarding Lundstram’s future.

What’s the word?

Reports have emerged over the past week revealing that the 26-year-old has no interest in joining Rangers, which will no doubt be a mammoth blow for Steven Gerrard as he seeks to bolster his midfield options before the start of next season.

And now, former Premier League striker Kevin Campbell believes Lundstram, who has been described as a “real menace to other teams” by his captain Billy Sharp, will not be short of suitors in the summer.

He said: “I think there’d be suitors in the Premier League for him. He’s a combative midfielder, good energy, puts his foot in and can run all day.

“There are plenty of teams who could do with a midfielder like that.

“I just think it’s been a great shop window, playing at Sheffield United.

“But believe you me, you don’t turn down Rangers if you haven’t got someone looking at you in the background. So I’m sure he has suitors in the Premier League.”

There’s no denying the fact that these recent turn of events are a big blow for Rangers in their pursuit of the midfielder. At one stage, all the signs seemed to indicate that a move to Ibrox could be on the cards. But, with Lundstram apparently having already made up his mind, Ross Wilson may have to look elsewhere instead.

Ryan Jack to the rescue?

At first glance, it’s fair to say that Rangers have no shortage of midfield options for their ever-changing system, with Steven Davis, Bongani Zungu, Ryan Jack, Glen Kamara and Joe Aribo all battling to bag a space in the starting line-up. And that’s not to mention the injured Scott Arfield, who has made 20 top-flight appearances so far this season.

While Rangers have been on an encouraging run of form that has seen them surge to the top spot in the Scottish Premiership, they still need to invest in the right areas in the summer. Signing a holding defensive-minded midfielder should be at the top of their list of priorities.

Given his age, Davis won’t be as dominant nor as effective as he is now for much longer, so it’s about time they started planning for his long-term successor, hence the reported interest in Lundstram.

In the meantime, however, Gerrard may need to rely on Jack to act as the base for his midfield in the near future. Zungu is still struggling to make much of an impression at Ibrox despite having spent nearly five months in Scotland.

Thankfully for Gerrard at least, the £2m-rated 28-year-old seems to have shaken off any lingering issues and has been able to hit the ground running after recovering from injury. If we compare the aforementioned duo since the start of this season, there’s almost no comparison to be made.

Jack is currently averaging 1.1 tackles per 90 in the Premiership while Zungu is averaging just 0.1 tackles per game. Perhaps most importantly, he is also dribbled past on fewer occasions, too, as he is only beaten by an opponent 0.4 times per 90. Zungu, on the other hand, is beaten at least once per game.

It’s becoming clearer and clearer that the Scotland international is streets ahead of the Bafana-Bafana midfielder and as such should be trusted to provide cover and competition for Davis for the time being.

AND in other news, Rangers star Kemar Roofe banned for dangerous tackle and will miss next two games…

Speaking exclusively to Football FanCast, Dean Windass has opened up on the possibility of Leeds United signing Phil Jones from Manchester United.

The Whites currently have an extremely depleted defence which was only worsened by an injury blow to Liam Cooper on Sunday evening.

Heading into their clash with Man United last weekend, they were already without Robin Koch and Diego Llorente so Cooper was the only fit senior central defender in the entire squad.

The length of his spell on the sidelines is unknown but it could be a chance for the likes of Pascal Struijk to impress for a few weeks.

Of course, the January transfer window is now just a matter of weeks away and Leeds could look to solve their defensive crisis by exploiting the market.

And one player they could look to move for is English defender Phil Jones. Asked about the possibility when talking to FFC, Windass wasn’t too convinced. He said:

“I don’t think so. I think he’s another one now coming to the end of his career. You know, I think the short term you can get younger centre backs out there now. Leeds at the back need pace, and Phil Jones now is coming to the end of his career.”

“Side point, him alongside Liam Cooper. Yeah experienced but you need pace now in the Premier League. And I’m not saying Phil Jones is slow but he’s coming to the wrong end of his career. So, I might be wrong, they might try signing him.” 

Leeds have been linked with Chelsea defender Fikayo Tomori on loan but Jones could be a more long-term solution for Marcelo Bielsa and Victor Orta.

Jones’ contract doesn’t expire until 2023 and even then, United have the option for a further year. However, considering he hasn’t played all season, the exit door surely beckons.

The 28-year-old is currently valued at £5.4m via Transfermarkt and earns a pretty meaty weekly salary of £75,000.

Having played 200 Premier League games, he’s certainly what they’re looking for in terms of experience but his injury history isn’t the best. He has picked up 18 separate issues since penning terms at Old Trafford.

Orta needs to consider this one carefully.

AND in other news, Leeds could have their NEW Ben White if Orta sanctions swoop for “huge talent”…

Tottenham Hotspur are still without star midfielder Giovani Lo Celso ahead of their clash with Fulham this evening, as manager Jose Mourinho revealed in his pre-match press conference.

When asked about the latest on the €60m (£55m) maestro, he told reporters, via football.london:

“He’s injured. For a few weeks.”

Early diagnosis before the New Year was that Lo Celso would miss their first few games of 2021, but now it looks as if he will be out for the remainder of the month.

It hands Mourinho one massive nightmare in terms of selection, even more so following their performance in the FA Cup third-round on Sunday night.

There are really only two names that can step up in the no.10 role – Tanguy Ndombele and Dele Alli, now both have had their controversies since the Special One took the helm in November 2019.

The Frenchman, who cost a club-record £55m, was heavily out-of-favour last term but has since turned that around to become a regular starter this season having started 12 of 15 league matches.

However, he’s still not able to complete a full 90-minute match too often. Indeed, he has only done so three times from 22 appearances in all competitions, which is hardly what you need from your superstar signing.

And then there is Dele Alli, who has almost done the reverse of Ndombele. His career looked to benefit from the arrival of Mourinho as he contributed towards six goals in Spurs’ first four Premier League games under his management.

Things have tailed off since as the 24-year-old hasn’t even made the matchday squad in ten of their 16 league outings, playing a total of just 74 minutes all season.

Against non-league minnows Marine in the cup on Sunday, he ran the show as we outlined here, so it now gives Mourinho something to mull over ahead of tonight’s encounter with Fulham.

Does he stick with Alli – after all it was only an eighth-tier side – or does he return to Ndombele, knowing he’s unlikely to play the full 90? It’s one major call to make.

Had Lo Celso been fit, then you’d imagine he’d be the one starting over either of the pair.

AND in other news, Spurs can find their next Jan Vertonghen in Jose Mourinho target lauded “phenomenal” by Messi…

Glasgow Rangers defender Leon Balogun will be an integral part of Steven Gerrard’s plans for beating Benfica in the Europa League, with the Light Blues centre-back keeping Sam Cosgrove in his back pocket throughout the game against Aberdeen at the weekend.

Rangers welcome Benfica to Ibrox on Thursday night and will be looking to extend their unbeaten start to the season, with the Gers throwing away a two-goal lead to draw with the 10-man Portuguese giants in Lisbon last time out as Filip Helander had a night to forget in Portugal.

Gerrard’s side stormed 11 points clear of Celtic at the top of the Scottish Premiership, after goals from Ryan Kent, Kemar Roofe, Scott Arfield and James Tavernier helped the Bears beat Aberdeen at home.

The result keeps the Gers atop the league table with a healthy lead over their arch-rivals, whilst Benfica were beaten by Braga in a 3-2 defeat before the international break, which saw them slip to third in the table with two wins from their last five fixtures in all competitions.

Rafa Silva struck the second of the Eagles’ goals in the second half to keep them in the game against the Gers, before Darwin Nunez scored in stoppage time to ensure that Jorge Jesus’ side will be brimming with confidence when they travel to Ibrox on Thursday night.

Silva has scored three goals and supplied four assists in ten games so far this season, as he continues to shine for the Portuguese side since his arrival from Braga, now with a tally of 40 goals and 26 assists to his name.

Gerrard will be well aware of the threat the right winger poses and will know that neutralising the 27-year-old will be pivotal to securing victory, but he should be buoyed by the fact that Balogun played an instrumental part as the Gers kept their 17th clean sheet in all competitions against Aberdeen.

Per SofaScore, the 32-year-old was a ballast at the back, combining with Connor Goldson to restrict the Dons to just three shots on target throughout the game, as he made two interceptions, won three out of four ground duels, was fouled twice, and won the penalty which was converted by the club captain, showing he was a useful attacking asset as well as he took 83 touches of the ball and completed 68 out of 76 passes (89%).

Gerrard made no attempt to disguise his delight after Balogun returned to the starting line-up against Lech Poznan in the Europa League, describing him as a “fantastic” beast who is “very quick,” as quoted by The Herald.

In contrast, it’s fair to say that Helander has struggled for consistency so far this season, whilst he was at fault for two of the goals against the Eagles.

No doubt the Ibrox boss will be hoping that Balogun can continue his fine form in recent weeks when Rangers face Benfica at Ibrox this Thursday.

AND in other news, Zungu beware: Glasgow Rangers midfielder Scott Arfield sends Steven Gerrard timely reminder…

In an exclusive interview with Football FanCast, former England midfielder Carlton Palmer has warned Tottenham Hotspur to not rush into a contract decision over Serge Aurier despite taking his game to a new level.

According to Football Insider earlier this month, Spurs chairman Daniel Levy is planning to hand fresh terms to the 27-year-old after an impressive turnaround in form this season.

It is claimed that the tough-negotiating chief would like to resolve his future before he enters the final 12 months of his deal next year, in order to not suffer a similar situation to Christian Eriksen.

In the summer, the Ivorian right-back very nearly left the club with Bayer Leverkusen and AC Milan keen on his services following the £15m arrival of Matt Doherty.

But under Jose Mourinho, Aurier has quickly established himself as the first-choice in the Premier League.

Speaking to FFC, Palmer revealed his worry about improving the former PSG star’s £120k-per-week wages on the basis of just four to five months of positive performances.

He said:

“I think it’s too early myself. I think that there’s no panic to be giving anybody a new deal. If you’re Spurs at the moment – and they’re flying high and doing as well as they are – you just keep the players being hungry, and at the right time, then you give them the contract.

“You’ve got to be very careful because you can dive in, depending on the player, as soon as you improve his wages, sometimes you put them back in the comfort zone.

“You see we’re a bit too quick in the UK, not just in football but everything – somebody shines and all of a sudden, they’re the best thing since sliced bread, and then they don’t do so well and we’re all of a sudden knocking them down.

“I’d like to see [Aurier] do that for another two or three seasons before we talk about [a new deal]. I do think he has taken his game to another level, but I’d like to see him do it for two or three seasons about how great he is.”

Indeed it has been quite the revival for Aurier.

Under Mauricio Pochettino, and even at times under Mourinho last term, he was lambasted as a “liability” – something that former Spurs striker Darren Bent once dubbed him as well as supporters too.

The £23m arrival has contributed to two goals in seven starts, whilst also averaging a whopping squad-high 4.1 tackles, 3.6 clearances, and 1.3 interceptions per game, via WhoScored.

Maybe Palmer is right, Levy and co should wait to see if the 27-year-old can keep this up going into 2021 first.

AND in other news, Levy could find Mourinho’s next IBRA in “tireless” 6 foot 6 workhorse…

Southampton are looking to improve on their 11th place finish from last season as they throw themselves into a new Premier League campaign. As it stands, the table is delivering a lot of surprises, with Everton and Aston Villa fighting for the top spot and Manchester United just three points above the relegation zone. In another dramatic twist, the Saints are currently level on points with Manchester City.

With a fiery Danny Ings leading the attacking line and new signings such as Theo Walcott ready to make waves, the south coasters look strong already. Fellow forward Che Adams recently gave insight to what might just be the key ingredient to their promising start.

“He [Hasenhuttl] is mad on stats. If we have done enough running, then the session will end, but obviously if we haven’t hit those targets, then we keep training until we do,” he told Hampshire Live. Whilst he admitted he isn’t too fussed on stat-based training himself, Adams has realised the importance of these kind of sessions.

Southampton looking to break the mould

With a top ten finish in mind, or maybe even a spot in Europe, Southampton will be looking to utilise every single member of the senior squad. Last season, the Saints conceded 60 goals – the fifth most in the Premier League. Hasenhuttl will be focusing on tightening up his defence whilst ensuring the midfield are striking the right balance between dropping back and getting forward.

The Austrian has also been experimenting with his squad this season, constantly moving his chess pieces to find the best combination. Jannik Vestergaard recently sprung into action after being benched in favour of Jack Stephens for the opening two matches of the term. Similarly, Nathan Redmond’s spot looks to be under severe threat, with Hasenhuttl sometimes preferring to opt for Moussa Djenepo on the left.

If he drives the Saints to meet their required targets in each training session, they will have more chance of performing to that standard on the pitch. With two wins, two losses and one draw so far, Southampton are certainly off to a solid start and will push to continue in this manner.

In other news, Ralph Hasenhuttl comments could mean new fate for Jannik Vestergaard…