All posts by z3u9t.icu

Much to the relief of Eddie Howe and the club’s fans, Newcastle United finally secured their first win of the season at the 15th attempt with a 1-0 defeat of Burnley at St James’ Park this afternoon thanks to a goal from Callum Wilson.

With the 29-year-old on the scoresheet and the defence able to keep a clean sheet, another man who impressed on the day was Jonjo Shelvey.

In his 90 minutes on the pitch, the midfielder had 62 touches of the ball, making 35 accurate passes, three key passes, three crosses and seven long balls, highlighting his range of passing ability. The midfielder also had two shots at goal and completed one dribble, showing his attacking prowess as well.

From a defensive point of view, Shelvey made one clearance and won three out of his six duels, helping his side to keep their first clean sheet of the season.

This latest performance for the Toon earned the midfielder an overall match rating of 7.6/10, making him the second-highest rated player on the day after Wilson according to SofaScore.

Labelled a player who Howe feels could be an “important” one for the Magpies, Shelvey certainly repaid the faith put in him by his manager on this occasion.

With some Newcastle fans previously sharing their criticism of the 29-year-old in the past for his performances, with some even calling for him to leave the club altogether, it seems as though Shelvey could be starting to get some of the doubters back on side with this performance against Burnley.

Moving forward, if he can continue playing regularly for the Toon and putting in this sort of solid display in an attacking and defensive sense, whilst adding some goals and assists to his tally, he could potentially save Newcastle from relegation and finally prove himself to the club and their new owners.

However, with Newcastle having to face off against the likes of Leicester City, Liverpool and the two Manchester clubs this month, Shelvey and the rest of his teammates will need to be at the top of their game to build on today’s breakthrough victory.

In other news: PIF must seal dream NUFC move for “exceptional” 114-goal magician who Howe would love…

According to Dan Sheldon of The Athletic, another loan spell at Southampton is unlikely for Broja, but a permanent move is possible in the summer.

The Lowdown: Broja’s outstanding form at Southampton

The 20-year-old has quickly established himself as one of Southampton’s most important players since arriving on a season-long loan from Chelsea.

The striker has made 17 Premier League appearances this season, nine of which have come as part of the starting XI.

Broja has scored five goals and produced one assist under Ralph Hasenhuttl, which makes him Saints’ second top scorer in the league behind James Ward-Prowse.

The Latest: Broja permanent transfer possible

Hasenhuttl has previously stated that talks are taking place between Martin Semmens, Southampton’s club’s chief executive, and Marina Granovskaia at Chelsea over the Albanian’s future.

According to fresh reports from Dan Sheldon and The Athletic, ‘as it stands’, another loan move for Broja is unlikely. Therefore, this means that the loanee will either leave Chelsea on a permanent transfer this summer or will remain at Stamford Bridge in a bid to fight for his place in Tuchel’s side.

This is fantastic news for Saints fans, as it is also said that Broja is enjoying his time at Southampton and that he has developed a good relationship with Hasenhuttl, meaning if a fee can be agreed the player certainly seems keen to stay put at St. Mary’s.

The Verdict: Massive for Saints fans

The possibility of a permanent deal coming to fruition will arouse excitement amongst the Saints fanbase, who are desperate to keep hold of the 20-year-old beyond the summer.

Broja is scoring a top flight goal every 175 minutes this season, a fantastic rate for a player who had rarely stepped foot on a Premier League pitch before 2021.

The fact that the player has a good relationship with the manager will give the club a big boost in negotiations over a permanent transfer, as this could influence Broja into pushing for a return move.

Hasenhuttl would clearly love for the striker to return, having described the striker as ‘dangerous’ in front of goal. Therefore, it likely all depends on whether Southampton have the finances needed to meet Chelsea’s asking price.

Tottenham Hotspur have seemingly made pre-summer contact over signing a brand new defensive target with Napoli defender Kalidou Koulibaly now in their sights.

The Lowdown: Conte eyes new centre-half…

According to The Telegraph, Spurs’ head coach is placed a central defender on his summer transfer wish-list among his five other requests to the club board.

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As well as a centre-back, it is believed that Conte has his eyes on a reserve goalkeeper, right-wing-back, two midfielders and a new forward.

Of the defenders linked, there have been many, with recent claims heavily linking Tottenham and transfer chief Fabio Paratici to Torino’s star man Gleison Bremer.

However, as per Il Mattino (via Calcio Napoli 24), it appears a new target is now in their radar in colossal Napoli man Koulibaly.

The Latest: Tottenham make pre-summer Koulibaly move…

It is reported that Tottenham have now made contact for the 30-year-old and have started knocking on the door alongside Everton and Newcastle United.

It is believed that the Lilywhites sent a ‘request’ to sign Koulibaly, but for now, all discussions have been postponed until the end of the season.

The Verdict: Come back again?

Out of all Tottenham’s targets, we believe the Senegal international comes as a surprising one given his age and possible price tag – with Transfermarkt valuing him at around £40.5 million.

He’s also on a reported £183,000-per-week, wages that would put Koulibaly in and around Spurs’ top earners.

These could be heavy financial prices to pay from a Tottenham perspective given the 57-cap star doesn’t exactly come as a long-term solution to Conte’s lack of centre-back depth.

His quality cannot be denied, with former Salernitana manager Stefano Colantuono branding him an ‘extraordinary’ player earlier this season, but we believe Paratici may be best looking elsewhere for a cheaper and younger option.

In other news: ‘That’s for sure’ – Sky Sports reporter now backs big transfer news out of Tottenham, find out more here.

Liam Kennedy has dropped a reassuring claim on the potential takeover of Newcastle United by the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia (KSA) group.

Writing in his latest piece for The Shields Gazette, when asked whether the Public Investment Fund’s (PIF) interest in taking over at Inter Milan was genuine and what it would potentially mean for the original deal with the St. James’ Park faithful, the football journalist claimed that he has “not heard any information to suggest they do not retain an interest” in the North East club.

Kennedy also stated that “they have given guarantees to PCP Capital Partners”, the company in which Amanda Staveley, who is part of the KSA consortium, is currently head of.

He added that the evidence seems to suggest that PIF “aren’t going anywhere” for now, although he also claims that they “won’t wait forever” as they are still waiting for a path to be cleared in order to get themselves back onto the table.

PIF claim reassuring

Although there is an interest being held by PIF in buying Inter, it is reassuring to hear that they still hold an interest in buying the Tyneside club as well, providing that a pathway for them is cleared.

The pending arbitration case between the Magpies and the Premier League should give a much clearer picture in terms of where exactly the direction of the potential takeover is heading, and if the Toon were to win that legal battle, then it could well turn out to be a big step in clearing that path.

In other news, find out what light has been shed by Ben Jacobs on PIF and the potential takeover here!

Crystal Palace have enquired over the possibility of signing former Arsenal midfielder Aaron Ramsey.

That’s according to transfer expert Nicolo Schira, who claims that both the Eagles and fellow Premier League side West Ham ‘have asked info’ over the possibility of signing the Wales international.

Ramsey’s summer exit?

Schira believes Ramsey could leave Juventus in the summer, and it appears as if he is wanted at Selhurst Park. He’s made 61 appearances in Turin since leaving Arsenal in 2019 but has started just 12 Serie A fixtures this season.

Ramsey is still under contract in Italy until 2023 and is valued by Transfermarkt at £18m.

Transfer Tavern take

Some Eagles fans will still remember Ramsey’s injury-time winner for Arsenal against Palace seven years ago, and it’s safe to say he’s gone on to big things since then.

He won three FA Cups with the Gunners and already has two trophies under his belt in Italy.

To us, we can’t see a Palace move for Ramsey materialising. He’s reportedly on £187,000-a-week with Juventus – £57,000-a-week more than Palace’s top earner, Wilfried Zaha.

Journalist Matt Woosnam recently admitted that the club will look to reduce the wage bill this summer. It has also been suggested that there will be no significant funds available for transfers.

That said, if they could find a way to bring in the man with 40 Premier League goals and 51 assists to his name – and keep him fit – it would be one hell of a coup.

In other news: Many Crystal Palace fans react as ‘awesome’ transfer news emerges, find out more here. 

A major update has emerged on one of Charlton’s reported targets Todd Kane, regarding QPR’s plans for him this summer.

What’s the talk?

According to West London Sport, QPR are preparing to axe Todd Kane from their squad this summer and there are clubs aware of his availability. QPR are attempting to sign Moses Odubajo on a free transfer from Sheffield Wednesday, which would then free Kane to depart from the club this summer.

The report claims QPR have not received any offers for Kane as of yet. Last month, London Football News reported that Charlton were one of three League One clubs interested in a deal for Kane, alongside Portsmouth and Sunderland.

Earlier this year, Kane was hit with a seven-game ban by The FA for allegedly discriminating against Brentford’s Sergi Canos due to his nationality. QPR issued a statement at the time, including this line on Kane falling below the standards the club sets:

“Todd knows this falls below the standards he sets for himself as well as the standards we set for our employees and is against the inclusive nature of the club.”

Sandgaard must avoid error

Charlton owner Thomas Sandgaard must avoid making an error by continuing to pass up on the opportunity to put a bid in for Kane. As the aforementioned reports stated, Charlton are interested in the former Chelsea man, but QPR are yet to receive any firm interest in his services. Sandgaard needs to make sure it stays that way from a Charlton perspective as signing Kane could be a mistake by the club.

The £7k-per-week dud has struggled big-time on the pitch.

Kane averaged a WhoScored rating of 6.51 in the season just gone for QPR, which is a slight improvement on the dismal 6.33 he managed in the previous campaign.

In the 2020/21 season, Kane failed to average a tackle or interception per game, with 0.8 and 0.7 of each defensive action per game respectively, which suggests that he was unable to make an impact on the defensive end.

This is worrying for a right-back and another reason as to why Charlton would be making a mistake by signing the defender.

And, given his seven-game ban too, Kane just doesn’t appear to be the right fit for Charlton’s values, not least his football ability.

AND in other news, Charlton suffer major blow over “all-action” £1.5k-p/w ace, Adkins will be gutted…

West Ham United are leading the race to sign talismanic striker Odsonne Edouard this summer…

What’s the word?

That’s according to Football Insider, who claim that Premier League rivals Leicester City are having second thoughts over making a bid for Brendan Rodgers’ former Celtic star.

It is thought that the emergence of Kelechi Iheanacho has made them reconsider their interest, bolstering the Hammers’ chances of securing him ahead of next season, having been said to be already laying the groundwork over a potential deal.

Edouard was valued at a whopping £40m last year but his price tag has plummeted, and with him out of contract in less than 15 months time, he could leave for as little as £10m.

Imagine him & Lingard

It’s no secret that the Irons need a new striker as they failed to bolster David Moyes’ armoury during the January transfer window, though they did manage to add Jesse Lingard on loan from Manchester United, and he’s been an instant hit.

In just ten league appearances, the England international has delivered nine goals and four assists, spearheading West Ham into European contention and it’s believed they will do whatever they can to secure him permanently this summer, as per Sky Sports.

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Well, if they do, GSB will need to add another forward to compliment his attacking exploits and they should look no further than Edouard.

The Irons sold Sebastien Haller whilst Michail Antonio’s latest injury is another reminder that you will not get 30 or more matches out of the 31-year-old dynamo each season.

Edouard’s goalscoring record speaks for itself, with his 20 goals in all competitions this term taking his overall tally in Scotland to 81 goals in 163 appearances, via Transfermarkt.

Neil Lennon hailed the Frenchman as “talismanic” and “outstanding” last term, and Bhoys and Hammers legend Frank McAvennie believes he’s a “wonderful talent.”

Interestingly, the east Londoners have been mooted as a potential destination for Chelsea outcast Tammy Abraham but ex-Villa man Gabby Agbonlahor believes the Celtic machine is a better player.

“I rate him higher than Abraham, Werner and [Olivier] Giroud,” Agbonlahor said to talkSPORT earlier this month. “I rate him highly.”

Just imagine the damage Moyes’ side could do next season – potentially in Europe – if David Gold, David Sullivan and Karen Brady manage to prise Edouard away from Celtic Park this summer.

The £13.5m-rated beast and Lingard would be a frightening attacking duo that is fit for any top seven side in the Premier League, so West Ham must get a deal for this “big talent” finalised.

AND in other news, Moyes could sign West Ham’s next Defoe in £26m-rated “goal machine” who’s “dangerous”…

Manchester United have been linked with a move for Raphael Varane, and the Real Madrid defender could prove to be Rio Ferdinand’s long-awaited heir if he joins the English giants this summer.

According to Tribal Football, the Red Devils are preparing an opening offer for the 28-year-old centre-back after reports revealed the France international is unlikely to put pen to paper on a new contract with Los Blancos.

Varane’s current deal is set to expire in 2022, meaning the £63m-rated ace could be available for a cut-price fee ahead of the upcoming transfer window, hence why he is attracting the attention of some of the continent’s top clubs.

The 6 ft 2 powerhouse has played a pivotal part in Madrid’s success both domestically and in European competition since arriving at the Bernabeu back in 2011.

During his 10-year stay in the Spanish capital, Varane has collected four Champions League crowns, three La Liga titles, one Copa del Rey and four Club World Cup trophies, but it appears as though he’s ready to start a new chapter in his illustrious career.

Despite Ole Gunnar Solskjaer’s side making clear progress this season, having reached the Europa League final and second place in the Premier League table, their defensive fragilities have often been exposed throughout the current campaign.

A pacey partner for Harry Maguire is often outlined as one of the Old Trafford outfit’s biggest priorities by pundits, and it’s an attribute that has been absent from several United centre-halves since Ferdinand’s exit.

The retired England defender was renowned for his ability with the ball at his feet and his incredible turn of pace, two key features that Varane has also built his game around.

WhoScored list passing as a key strength in both Ferdinand and Varane’s game, and the physical similarities are also clear for all to see, with both men boasting tall, strong and lean frames.

Although Ferdinand left the 20-time English champions way back in 2014, the likes of Chris Smalling, Phil Jones, Eric Bailly and Victor Lindelof have failed to adequately replace the United legend, but that poor record could be about to change with Varane’s potentially imminent arrival.

The 2018 World Cup winner earned praise from his current manager earlier in the campaign, as Zinedine Zidane hailed his compatriot’s leadership qualities, saying:

“He’s won a lot and shown his ability to be a leader, help others and show what he’s capable of doing out on the pitch.”

It could be United who benefits from Varane’s extensive array of impressive attributes from next season, though, and if Ed Woodward and Solskjaer have an opportunity to acquire the experienced defender, it’s an opportunity they can’t afford to miss out on.

And, in other news…former Red Devils’ star slams current United midfielder.

Lee Johnson has been handed a double injury boost ahead of Sunderland’s upcoming play-off semi-final.

What’s the latest?

Speaking in his pre-match press conference, Johnson hinted that both Tom Flanagan and Ross Stewart could make a return to the matchday squad for the Black Cats’ play-off semi-final against Lincoln City on Wednesday evening.

Stewart had missed the club’s final game of the regular season with a hamstring injury, an issue that also ruled him out of a behind-closed-doors friendly against the club’s U23 side on Friday, while Flanagan has not featured competitively for Sunderland since the Papa John’s Trophy final against Tranmere Rovers, also due to injury.

As cited by the Sunderland Echo, Johnson said: “We played against our U23s and Ross Stewart wasn’t involved in that but we are going to have a look at him over the next couple of days.

“We think he’s OK, and certainly if he gets through the final test, he would be ready to start, if we needed to.

“Tom has trained and it’s obviously something we’ve got to consider. He’s a top character, a top lad and he seems like he’s in good nick.”

Huge boost

With Johnson having lost a number of centre-backs in the closing stages of the season – with on-loan Wolverhampton Wanderers defender Dion Sanderson being ruled out for the rest of the season, in addition to Jordan Willis being sidelined for up to a further year after suffering a setback in his recovery from a knee injury – the news that Flanagan could feature in what is arguably Sunderland’s biggest game of the season so far is likely to leave Johnson buzzing.

Furthermore, while Stewart has not been a regular starter since joining the Black Cats from Ross County back in January, the centre-forward will provide the 39-year-old manager with another attacking option against Lincoln, something that could prove all the difference in the clash.

As such, things appear to be looking up at the Stadium of Light in terms of injuries, something that will undoubtedly provide Johnson and his players with a huge boost ahead of Wednesday’s massive fixture.

In other news: Johnson must finally unleash “exciting” SAFC gem in play-off semi, he’s a game-changer – opinion

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”…