All posts by z3u9t.icu

Andy Gray believes Tottenham would have already sacked Jose Mourinho if he was delivering the same results as Nuno Espirito Santo, claiming what the latter has done so far is ‘unacceptable’.

The Lowdown: Spurs struggling

After winning their first three Premier League games of the season 1-0 (Sky Sports), Spurs have since embarked on a terrible run of form.

They have been defeated in each of their previous three league outings, conceding three apiece against Crystal Palace, Chelsea and Arsenal.

The Latest: Gray makes Mourinho claim

Speaking on beIN SPORTS, former Sky Sports pundit Gray, 65, believes Mourinho would have already been given his marching orders were his side on the same run of form. He said:

“If Mourinho had been in charge for these six games he wouldn’t be in a job, he wouldn’t be in a job.

“Then to lose 3-0, 3-0 and then 3-1 against Arsenal would have been unacceptable for Tottenham fans with Jose Mourinho in charge.”

The Verdict: Time needed

Gray’s sensationalist comment doesn’t quite ring true. Under Mourinho, Spurs’ worst record was four defeats in a row, shipping ten goals during that period (Transfermarkt). That run came in March 2020 and, while the early stages of the pandemic may have alleviated the pressure on the Portuguese boss, he remained in charge when the 2019/20 season resumed.

There are certainly big problems at Tottenham. However, Nuno cannot be blamed for all of them – it is hardly his fault that star player Harry Kane is out of form after failing to secure a move away from north London during the summer, failing to score a Premier League goal so far this campaign.

Ten matches in all competitions is hardly a long enough period to judge the new boss on and, unless Spurs want to get into a vicious cycle of instability, they must give him time to turn things around.

In other news, Espirito Santo provides this injury blow.

Last season was a torrid one for everyone associated with Wolverhampton Wanderers.

Wolves weren’t relegated but they seemed to be hit by a plethora of injury blows on a regular basis.

Two ACL issues in eight months for Jonny got the ball rolling before Raul Jimenez sustained a horrific fractured skull after a clash of heads with David Luiz. Marcal missed large periods and Daniel Podence was also absent at various parts of the season.

Pedro Neto even broke his kneecap in the final stages of the campaign, ruling him out until at least October.

However, just as Jimenez returns to the fray, he could be banned by FIFA.

It’s currently the international break but a host of players who would be travelling to red list countries to link up with their national teams have been stopped from doing so by the FA.

However, because of this, FIFA could impose a five-day ban on those players at the end of the international break, according to The Athletic. That means that Jimenez could miss Wolves’ next game with Watford on September 11.

This would be a colossal blow for the Old Gold, not just because he’s only just returned from a lengthy lay-off, but because he’s been their top scorer for so many years.

The Mexican has found the net on 48 occasions since arriving in the summer of 2018 and it was evident how much of a huge miss he was last season. Their top scorer was Neto but he only ended up finding the net on five occasions as Wolves slumped to a 13th-placed finish.

His absence will also be felt hard against Watford. The Molineux outfit have played some exciting offensive football under Bruno Lage but they are yet to pick up a single point or score a goal. That’s despite having no fewer than 56 shots in their opening three matches of the Premier League campaign.

Jimenez might have struggled himself, but considering his goal record for the club, losing him for a match will hardly help their cause in the penalty area.

After struggling so much when he was absent in 2020/21, fans should be gutted that he could receive a short ban.

They have just signed Hwang-hee Chan on loan but it would be a surprise if he’s up to speed with Lage’s style of play by the time that match rolls around.

AND in other news, Wolves may have their own Renato Sanches in rarely-seen 18 y/o who “catches the eye”…

In an exclusive interview with Football FanCast, former Everton striker Marcus Bent has backed Salomon Rondon to deliver at Goodison Park this season when called upon.

Rondon joined Everton from Dalian Professional on deadline day to reunite with Rafael Benitez, who managed him at Newcastle United during the 2018/19 campaign.

The 31-year-old is likely to play second fiddle to the impressive Dominic Calvert-Lewin, with the England international picking up from where he left off last term.

He has scored three goals in three league outings so far, which comes after a season where he scored 16 in 33.

But when needed to step in, Bent is expecting Rondon to also bring goals to the table. On the Venezuela international, the ex-Everton forward exclusively told FFC:

“Rondon can come in; of course he can. Richarlison, definitely. We were talking about Richarlison going to Real Madrid off of the back of losing a manager, but he’s still there. But Rondon can definitely come in and he can score goals.”

Everton did not splash out during the summer transfer window, but Benitez has to be relatively pleased with his business.

The Spaniard managed to strengthen out wide with the additions of Demarai Gray and Andros Townsend and now has cover for Calvert-Lewin thanks to Rondon’s arrival.

Leeds United have reportedly told decided against stumping up the £13m asking price for Sampdoria defender Omar Colley, according to the Daily Express.

The lowdown

The 28-year-old has been with the Serie A club since 2018 and has gone on to make 85 appearances in total for them, 30 of which came last season as they finished ninth in the league.

His strong performances evidently haven’t gone unnoticed, with Leeds reportedly rivalling the likes of West Ham to a potential deal for the Gambia international.

Colley has a transfer value of £5.4m according to Transfermarkt, with four years remaining on his current contract with Sampdoria.

The latest

Club Doria has now claimed (via Sport Witness) that Sampdoria are looking to obtain a fee in the region of £13m for Colley’s services, with the report stating that none of the interested clubs have matched their valuation of the 28-year-old.

With just under a month until the summer transfer window reaches a conclusion, it remains to be seen whether Leeds will submit a formal offer for the defender’s services at this stage.

The Daily Express have now claimed that the Whites aren’t prepared to match Sampdoria’s valuation of Colley as they look at alternative options instead.

The verdict

This will be a frustrating update for Leeds fans and the club’s hierarchy heading into the final three weeks of the summer transfer window.

The Whites could have benefitted from adding strength in depth to their defensive options, with the likes of Robin Koch and Diego Llorente previously struggling for fitness at times during the 2020/21 season.

Therefore, it makes complete sense for Leeds to target Colley, who has experience of playing at a high level with Sampdoria in the Italian top flight. However, if the fee is proving too prohibitive, it’s time to move on from this one and focus on more attainable transfer targets.

In other news: Leeds are in the mix for this ‘really bright’ Championship starlet

An update has emerged on Schalke beast Matthew Hoppe, regarding Everton’s plans to bid for his services.

What’s the talk?

According to Turkish journalist Ekrem Konur, Everton are preparing to make a £2m offer for Schalke attacker Matthew Hoppe this month.

He claims that Toffees officials met with the German side to discuss a potential deal and learn their demands for his services.

Benitez would love him

Everton must get a deal over the line for Hoppe as he could be a fine addition to the squad in the short, mid and long-term future. He is a talented young player with potential who could come in and provide solid back-up to the frontline options whilst having the scope to take on a more prominent role further down the line.

The 20-year-old was relegated from the Bundesliga with Schalke last season, but posted some impressive statistics in spite of his team’s struggles. He managed six goals and one assist in 15 starts, whilst taking 0.9 shots per game – showing an efficiency in front of goal.

This suggests that his tally could increase with better service from the players around him, as he was already able to plunder six goals in 15 starts without taking a high number of shots. Having the likes of Richarlison, Andros Townsend, James Rodriguez, Dominic Calvert-Lewin and Demarai Gray around him to create chances could increase his output in the final third.

The forward’s former academy director, Sean McCafferty, once said that the young talent is ‘of the highest level’.

He said: “In the Southwest Division you’ve got LA Galaxy, Real Salt Lake, two of the best academies in the country, and we were able to win the division. We’ve had tremendous consistency throughout the year, and we have the top goal scorer in the country in Matthew Hoppe. He’s of the highest level.”

This highlights the 6 foot 3  youngster’s potential, with McCafferty explaining how highly Hoppe was regarded as a young player in the USA. At the age of 20, Rafa Benitez would have the opportunity to coach him into becoming a better footballer, one ready to take the Premier League by storm.

Hoppe has also impressed former Spurs boss Christian Gross, who waxed lyrical about the striker, saying: “He’s a boy who’s unbelievably ambitious, has tremendous commitment and only thinks about Schalke. He wants to do whatever it takes to get us out of this situation. He really is a model professional. Even though he’s still very young, he doesn’t shy away from working extremely hard. Of course, he’s still very young and still has lots to learn in order to become a top-rate finisher, but we’re working on that.”

The ex-Newcastle boss could love moulding the American into the perfect player for his system, whilst also allowing him to learn from Calvert-Lewin and Richarlison. This is why this could be a shrewd piece of business for the Toffees. If Marcel Brands is able to bring him to Goodison Park for £2m then they could have one happy head coach in the building.

AND in other news, Forget Richarlison: £120k-pw Everton beast who won 11 duels had Goodison rocking again…

West Bromwich Albion ‘haven’t given up’ on signing Chelsea’s Trevoh Chalobah, according to a report from Birmingham Live journalist Joseph Chapman.

The lowdown

Chalobah spent the 2020/21 season on loan at Ligue 1 outfit FC Lorient, starting 24 games and making a further five substitute appearances.

He excels at dribbling, shooting from distance and above all interceptions, ranking in the league’s top 10 last season with 2.4 per 90 minutes (via WhoScored).

Chalobah, who can operate as a defensive midfielder as well as a centre-back, is said to be ‘realistic’ about his limited prospects at Stamford Bridge (via The Athletic).

He has two years left on his contract and is valued at £3.15million by Transfermarkt.

The latest

The report says that the Baggies remain hopeful of landing Chalobah during this summer’s transfer window.

The issue is that the player’s availability has apparently ‘alerted a number’ of potential suitors.

As a result, the competition for the 22-year-old’s signature is described as ‘stern’.

West Brom are closing in on another midfielder, though, in the form of free agent Adam Reach.

The verdict

It’s no surprise to see so much interest in a young talent like Chalobah, who shone in a Lorient side that only avoided relegation by two points.

In all likelihood, West Brom’s chances will depend on whether he’s been offered the opportunity to play regular Premier League football.

If not, then they’ll be able to land themselves an excellent replacement for Okay Yokuslu. And if they’re promoted, he should be able to make the step-up with them given his showings in the French top flight.

In other news, there’s fresh interest in this Baggies ace.

Leeds United have rejected a loan bid for young centre-back Charlie Cresswell from Sunderland, as they would rather he continued to develop at Thorp Arch [Sunday People via Inside Futbol].

The Lowdown: Leeds United look towards the 2021/22 campaign

Progressing towards the new campaign, Marcelo Bielsa will be keen to keep his talented squad together as they look to improve on their ninth placed finish last term.

Falling through the cracks, nine men have made the journey through the Elland Road exit doors including the likes of Barry Douglas and Ezgjan Alioski [Transfermarkt].

Despite this, one man who doesn’t look likely to leave the Yorkshiremen this season is 18-year-old Cresswell following recent reports.

The Latest: Whites reject Sunderland approach for Cresswell

Sunderland offered the 6ft ace the chance to be a major player in their promotion bid from Sky Bet League One, however were quickly knocked back by his parent club [Sunday People via Inside Futbol].

Leeds United have no plans to loan him out, whilst they also see him as their fifth-choice centre-back heading into the new season.

They are planning to offer him a long-term contract to reflect his value and potential to the side.

The Verdict: Leeds United should give Cresswell first-team openings this season

Excitingly for the Leeds United support, the news that the Whites have knocked back bids for the highly sought-after Cresswell can only be a good thing for his prospects at the club.

Already making an impact on first-team soil, he scored for Leeds United earlier in the week in a 2-1 pre-season loss away to Fleetwood Town [Leeds Live].

In 2020/21, he made 23 appearances combined for Leeds United and Leeds United Under-23’s, scoring twice [Transfermarkt].

Once described as having ‘great attributes’ by former Leeds striker Noel Whelan, his side should look to give him senior opportunities this campaign [Football Fancast].

In other news, Leeds United are interested in a 2-time Champions League winner.

Graham Smyth has dropped a teasing Leeds United transfer update that will surely excite fans.

What’s the story?

Writing initially on Twitter, Smyth said: “As the excitement over Junior Firpo dies down, it’ll all go a bit quiet for Leeds United in the summer transfer market for a little while. But Victor Orta is still very busy.”

Then, in a piece for The Yorkshire Evening Post, the journalist added: “Leeds, as they have been ever since the window opened, are tight lipped on their top target. They managed, somehow, to keep their interest in Firpo under the radar until they were suitably advanced in negotiations to be confident of getting their man, and they’ll hope to do the same for the next first-team signing.

“Although Orta has spoken with the player in question, things are not at such an advanced stage as to be considered imminent and things may go quiet for a period. As The YEP has reported previously, the signing of a winger may go even later into the window.”

Leeds fans will be excited

While as Smyth says, things may quieten down in terms of any public news, Leeds are still very much busy, with Orta working away behind the scenes to try and wrap up deals behind closed doors.

The swiftness of their move to sign Firpo from Barcelona is a really encouraging sign that the Whites have got their priorities in order, and are steering away from the public eye and distractions that come along with it.

Getting things done behind the scenes allows Orta and co to operate at their best, and away from media scrutiny. What’s also exciting is the fact that Leeds have spoken to their top target, and have thus put down the building blocks for a potential deal later down the line.

And, the news that a new winger could also be coming through the doors at Elland Road “later into the window” also suggests Leeds are recognising the need to strengthen Marcelo Bielsa’s first-team squad ahead of the new Premier League season, and not just settling for squad or academy players.

Given how quickly they signed Firpo, Leeds fans will no doubt be excited at the prospect of the club acting fast again in the transfer market and getting one or two more high-profile deals done.

Meanwhile, Leeds are closing in on a major agreement…

Crystal Palace have been linked with a move for RB Leipzig forward Ademola Lookman as Patrick Vieira continues to rebuild the first team squad at Selhurst Park.

What’s the story?

According to The Athletic, Palace are interested in acquiring the 23-year-old’s services this summer following an impressive loan spell at Fulham in 2020/21.

The report claims that the Eagles have held “persistent interest” in Lookman, and they could now look to make a move for the striker over the coming months.

Parish must swoop

With several experienced first team players departing the capital club last month, Vieira is expected to oversee a number of new signings ahead of the upcoming campaign.

Former Reading ace Michael Olise was the first purchase of the summer, while Chelsea’s highly-rated young centre-back Marc Guehi is set to follow shortly.

Adding Lookman to their ranks would be a coup for Palace, and he could perfectly offset the potential departure of Wilfried Zaha and the extended absence of Eberechi Eze through injury.

Although he was unable to prevent Fulham from suffering relegation last season, the former England under-21 international still caught the eye with a string of impressive performances. In 34 top-flight appearances for the Cottagers, Lookman bagged four goals and provided a further four assists for his teammates, drawing praise from his manager Scott Parker.

“You can see the quality the boy’s got. We knew that at the start of the window when he was the main one I wanted in – the main one I was calling for,” Parker revealed.

“I think you can see in a short space of time – at Brentford the other night and now here today – that the boy’s got unbelievable quality. He’s a big plus for us this year, and he’s going to be a big help for us. Hopefully, he can keep playing the way he is.”

The £9.9m-rated wing wizard was one of Fulham’s best performers throughout 2020/21, achieving a WhoScored rating of 6.92, bettered only by Andre-Frank Zambo Anguissa.

He would be an exciting addition to Palace’s revolution under Vieira, and the south London outfit could provide Lookman with the perfect platform to finally settle and showcase his ability on a consistent basis.

Eagles chairman Steve Parish must sanction a swoop for the youngster, helping to form one of the top flight’s most intriguing forward lines as a result.

In other news…Reliable journalist drops exciting Palace transfer update that’ll leave fans buzzing 

In an exclusive interview with The Transfer Tavern, former Wolves striker Steve Bull has hailed Burnley star Josh Brownhill as a “top-class player”.

According to TEAMtalk, Brownhill is someone who Wolves have recently scouted, though they are not alone, with the same report stating that the likes of West Ham and Aston Villa have also been monitoring the midfielder.

Brownhill had a solid season for Burnley, making 2.1 interceptions per game in the Premier League last term, more than any other Burnley player (via WhoScored).

The 25-year-old also proved to be a versatile asset for Sean Dyche, playing both in midfield and out wide.

On Brownhill, Bull told TT:

“He’s a top-class player. I think Burnley, if they want to be just below us, not in a bad way, stop where you are and you can be a big fish in a little pond.

“But if you want to come to Wolves and make yourself a big fish in [a bigger pond], he can come here all day long.”

It remains to be seen whether Wolves’ interest in Brownhill materialises into a bid this summer, but a midfield shake up at Molineux looks certain regardless.

Ruben Neves continues to be heavily linked with a move to Arsenal, with The Athletic reporting that contact has been made between the two clubs over a transfer.