All posts by z3u9t.icu

Celtic have been dealt a late injury blow concerning Kyogo Furuhashi ahead of their upcoming Premiership clash on Monday evening.

What’s the latest?

According to a report by The Scottish Sun, the 26-year-old centre-forward, who suffered a recurrence of a hamstring injury in Celtic’s 3-1 victory over St. Johnstone on Boxing Day, looks set to be ruled out of action until at least next month, missing tonight’s clash with Hibs as a result.

The report claims that the Japan international is a doubt for the Old Firm clash on February 2 – despite the fact that Ange Postecoglou claimed after the St. Johnstone win that the striker’s injury was “nothing major,” leading us to believe he could return after the break.

The report went on to state that Kyogo will not link up with the Japanese national team for their World Cup qualifiers against China on January 27 and Saudi Arabia on February 1 due to his fitness concerns, as well as revealing that the forward has not been training with Celtic upon their return to Lennoxtown after the winter break.

Postecoglou will be fuming

Considering just how important a part of the Celtic side Kyogo has become since his £4.6m move to Parkhead last summer, the news that the centre-forward looks set to miss the fixture against Hibernian, as well as a number of other extremely important games in the coming weeks, is sure to have left Postecoglu fuming.

Indeed, over his 14 Premiership outings so far this season, the £4.95m-rated man has already scored eight goals, registered two assists and created four big chances for his teammates, as well as taking an average of 2.1 shots and making 1.1 key passes per game.

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These returns have seen the £18k-per-week striker average a SofaScore match rating of 7.03, ranking him as Postecoglou’s 11th-best performer in the top flight of Scottish football – of the players who remain in the Greek-Australian manager’s first-team squad.

The Japan international has also bagged a further two goals and three assists over his five Europa League appearances, three goals over his four Europa League qualifying fixtures and three goals in three games in the League Cup – taking his total to 16 goals and five assists over just 26 appearances for the Hoops.

As such, being without Kyogo for any extended period of time will undoubtedly come as a huge blow to Postecoglou and his side, who will need to keep the 26-year-old fit and firing over the second half of the season if Celtic are to have any chance of going on to reclaim their Scottish Premiership crown come next May.

In other news: Ange must unleash Celtic’s £1.44m-rated “dream” on Hibs, he’ll give Maloney nightmares

Wolverhampton Wanderers are plotting a move to bring Renato Sanches to Molineux in the January transfer window.

What’s the talk?

That’s according to John Percy’s recent report for The Telegraph, with the journalist revealing that Bruno Lage and Jeff Shi are planning to revive their summer interest in the LOSC Lille midfielder this winter.

Percy goes on to claim that Wolves are keeping a very close eye on the situation of the 24-year-old ahead of a potential January swoop, with Lage keen to bring in reinforcements to bolster his options in the middle of the park for the second half of the campaign.

He’d solve Wolves’ biggest issue

Following the departure of Morgan Gibbs-White on a season-long loan deal this summer, it was clear for all to see that Wolves were desperately lacking in a more attacking option in central midfield, with none of Ruben Neves, Joao Moutinho or Leander Dendoncker being particularly forward-thinking on the pitch.

Rather predictably, this has caused Lage something of a problem so far this season, as the 45-year-old manager has been heavily reliant on his forwards for both creativity and goals – with only 16% of Wolves’ six Premier League assists coming from midfield, while just 9% of the club’s 11 league goals have come from the middle of the park.

As such, it would certainly appear advisable for Shi to bring in a more attack-minded central midfielder this winter, with Renato Sanches looking to be a very attractive option.

While the Portugal international has suffered from a series of niggling injuries since his £18m move to Lille back in the summer of 2019, the 24-year-old’s returns in Ligue 1 would nevertheless suggest he could well be the creative spark Wolves are crying out for.

Indeed, over his 19 Ligue 1 appearances in 2019/20, the £27m-rated man scored three goals, registered one assist and created five big chances for his teammates, with these returns seeing the midfielder earn a seasonal SofaScore match rating of 7.06.

Over his 23 appearances in the following campaign, Sanches once again impressed, scoring one goal, providing three assists and once more creating five big chances for his teammates, metrics that saw the former Bayern Munich man earn a seasonal SofaScore match rating of 6.90.

And, despite having failed to find the back of the net or register an assist over his five Ligue 1 appearances this season, the £51k-per-week man has made an average of 1.5 key passes per game – a statistic that would rank him top of the Wolves’ midfielder charts.

As such, it would seem a very wise move indeed for Shi to once again pursue a deal for the man who Mats Hummels dubbed an “irresistible” talent this winter, as Sanches could well be the answer to Lage’s midfield.

In other news: Lage could save Wolves millions with “authoritative” £14k-p/w beast, he’s Coady’s heir

Manchester United’s steady progress under Ole Gunnar Solskjaer has come to a sudden and tumultuous halt in the opening weeks of the current campaign.

What’s the story?

The Norwegian tactician’s precarious position at the helm of the Red Devils has seen multiple managers linked with replacing him, with Paris Saint-Germain’s Mauricio Pochettino’s amongst the potential successors.

“Mauricio Pochettino also has admirers at Old Trafford but is under contract at Paris Saint-Germain until 2023 after signing an extension in the summer,” ESPN recently reported.

However, despite the 49-year-old’s commitments in the French capital, United’s hierarchy must consider an approach for the highly-regarded head coach if they want to get the club firing once again.

The Glazers can get Man Utd firing again

During his time at previous club Tottenham Hotspur, Pochettino was often lauded for his work in north London after helping them punch well above their weight during his five-year stay.

The South American arrived from Premier League rivals Southampton in July 2014 and guided Spurs to the League Cup final in his first full season in charge, while two third-placed finishes sandwiched by a runners-up spot in the Premier League in 2016/17.

However, Pochettino’s greatest achievement with the capital club was leading them to the Champions League final in 2019. Although they fell to a 2-0 defeat at the hands of Liverpool, it was a remarkable feat under the circumstances. 

Pochettino was forced to contend with playing home games at Wembley for 18 months while the club’s new ground was built, and Tottenham also become the first Premier League side to make no new signings in a transfer window under its current format since 2003.

Therefore, his accomplishments at Spurs are all the more impressive, and current Everton winger, Andros Townsend, lauded his former manager as the ‘best in the world’ last season due to his work at the Lilywhites.

“Because it didn’t end with a trophy, for some reason, the general public don’t give him any credit for taking Tottenham from also-rans to the Champions League final,” he said on TalkSPORT.

“He’s one of the best managers, if not THE best manager in the world, name me one other manager who can do what he did in a five-year period with Spurs, taking them from mediocrity when he took over to the envy of Europe and to the Champions League final.

“I don’t think any other manager can do what he did so, for me, he is the very best,” Townsend concluded.

At PSG, Pochettino has broken his trophy duck, claiming the French Cup and French Super Cup last season, and his appointment should be one the Glazers carefully consider if Solskjaer is unable to turn things around in the red half of Manchester. Now with major silverware under his belt, he could certainly be the man to get the Red Devils firing again.

And, in other news…Journalist reveals big twist in Man Utd manager saga that’ll have fans buzzing 

Newcastle manager Eddie Howe has some big decisions to make ahead of this weekend’s clash with Burnley at St James’ Park.

The Magpies remain the only team in the Premier League yet to win a single match in 2021/22 after their 1-1 draw with Norwich earlier this week and are in desperate need of a positive result against the Clarets.

Sean Dyche’s side could move six points clear of Newcastle in the table with a win, whilst the Canaries would do likewise if they pick up three points against Tottenham on Sunday, and that would leave Howe’s team in a dire situation.

Unleash Almiron

One change that the 44-year-old could make in order to secure his first win in charge of the club is unleashing attacking midfielder Miguel Almiron from the start on Saturday.

The Paraguayan came on for 13 minutes against Norwich in midweek and looked sharp in his short cameo. As per SofaScore, he won three of his four duels, won one tackle and completed 100% of his passes. He was also fouled twice as he alleviated pressure for his team and showed his value in and out of possession with his work rate.

Last year, his former boss Steve Bruce lauded him as ‘bright’ and said that he is a dream for a manager with the way he trains. 

The ex-Magpies coach said: “Almiron is a manager’s dream. He’s bright, he’s tough, he trains every day and he’s been carrying a thigh injury but doesn’t want to tell anybody.

“The last 20 minutes on Sunday (against West Ham United) he was limping about the pitch. In 18 months he’s proved to be a really top, top player.”

Along with his showing against Norwich, this summary from Bruce highlights what Almiron contributes off the ball for the Magpies. He is willing to put in 100% on the pitch and play through injury to give his all for the club, which could be useful in what could be a physical battle against Burnley due to it being a relegation scrap.

The £15.75m-rated gem has 13 goals and five assists during his time at Newcastle. Whilst this is not an incredible record in 104 matches, it does show that he has the capabilities to make a contribution in the final third and it could be worth the gamble in this huge match.

Therefore, he should be unleashed by Howe from the start against Burnley. His energy, work rate, and ability on the ball could help the Magpies to pick up three points and finally kickstart their season as they attempt to stave off relegation to the Championship.

AND in other news, NUFC must seal move for “extremely gifted” £35k-p/w gem with a “real football brain”…

Liverpool fans have been weighing in on the feasibility of a landmark swoop for Kylian Mbappe, who one supporter believes would be ‘Klopp’s dream signing’.

Journalist Duncan Castles said on the Transfer Window Podcast that Liverpool would be Mbappe’s preferred destination were he to move to England.

22-year-old Mbappe showcased his stratospheric potential once again last month with a hat-trick at the Camp Nou as PSG routed Barcelona 4-1 – Europe’s elite sides know that signing him could be the key to a period of dominance.

For Liverpool, a blockbuster deal could preclude a drop-off when their present front three begin to decline. Mohamed Salah and Sadio Mane will turn 29 this year, while Roberto Firmino will turn 30.

According to the CIES Football Observatory, it would take somewhere between €120million and €150million to capture Mbappe this coming summer, but that price tag is slowly falling because Mbappe’s contract expires in June 2022, leaving PSG to sweat.

The deal may become viable for Liverpool as he nears the end of that term, but one has to assume it would still take a colossal fee.

Is Mbappe to Liverpool realistic?

“Good thing I’ve spent more in Tesco than FSG do on transfers”

Credit: @ftbled16

“Is it go fund me time again ?”

Credit: @LFCMATTHEW96

“How I wish this becomes a reality sooner than never.”

Credit: @laurelsudeep

“I believe, Klopp had him in mind before he signed for us. He’s been a fan of Mbappe for years and believe he’s Klopp’s dream signing. I would be very surprised if we didn’t put a bid in for him, It’s why I’ve not been mad at us not spending.”

Credit: @JadeKiimberly

“The club would make the transfer money back through merchandise and shirt sales”

Credit: @davep3370

“We need the boy”

Credit: @IsaacNgulube17

“A MAN CAN ONLY DREAM”

Credit: @kabaklfc

“No smoke without fire”

Credit: @NA8Y_LAD

In other news, fans react to Jurgen Klopp’s update on Diogo Jota and Fabinho.

A lot of Everton supporters have flocked to the latest tweet involving an update from Carlo Ancelotti which recently emerged on social media.

The official Everton Twitter account posted some comments from Ancelotti and he talked about the fitness status of Tom Davies and James Rodriguez ahead of the Toffees’ Premier League game against Chelsea on Monday evening.

Ancelotti said he is hopeful that Davies recovers in time for the Stamford Bridge clash, but he revealed that Rodriguez might not be available and he might need to check his situation. However, the manager believes that the Colombian will be fit for the next game against Sean Dyche’s Burnley.

Rodriguez wasn’t in the squad in their recent games against Southampton and West Bromwich Albion. Earlier in the season, the former Real Madrid man has missed games due to a groin injury and a calf problem (Transfermarkt).

He last played in the league against Liverpool, picking up an assist in a 2-0 win in the Merseyside derby. He also scored a goal each against Manchester United and Leicester City – two teams who currently occupy places in the top three (Transfermarkt).

While that is reflective of how important his contributions can be, some Everton fans made their views clear about Rodriguez’s litany of fitness concerns, which one supporter described as “annoying”.

What did Everton fans make of the news about Rodriguez?

“James is quality but so frustrating how often he’s injured.”

Credit: @shaun00012

“Unreal player James, but these phantom calf Injuries do become annoying.. Sir Gylfi is in good form tho.”

Credit: @seann1878

“Rodriguez isn’t somebody who only misses one game is he, yes he can pick a pass better than anybody else we have but I’ve always been a bit lukewarm on him, we need somebody who is available more often, dons tin hat.”

Credit: @Leeefc56

“Why tweet that this late and ruin my evening.”

Credit: @MattyArnoldEFC

“HOW IS HE INJURED AGAIN.”

Credit: @HamesBond19

“I love him, but when isn’t James hurt? Good lord.”

Credit: @tblick10

“Omg the man is literally made of glass. Shambles.”Credit: @harryreynolds96In other news, Everton are at the risk of losing a young star – read more here.

Wolves want to extend midfielder Joao Moutinho’s contract at the club beyond its expiry date this summer, according to reliable journalist Liam Keen.

The Lowdown: Moutinho out of contract

The 35-year-old has been a fantastic servant for Wanderers since joining from Monaco in 2018, making a total of 170 appearances for the club.

Moutinho is out of contract at the end of the season, however, and there have been doubts over whether or not he would extend his stay at Molineux.

Now, a hugely promising update has emerged, in that respect.

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The Latest: Huge news emerges

Taking to Twitter on Friday, Keen confirmed that Wolves wants to extend Moutinho’s time at the club, with the Portuguese also happy to stay put in the Premier League:

“Lage confirms that Wolves want to keep Moutinho and that he also wants to stay. Talks ongoing.”

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The Verdict: Get that deal signed

This is a massive boost for Wolves, with Moutinho’s experience and class in the middle of the park still vital, despite his advancing years. He averaged a 95.8% pass completion rate in the Carabao Cup this season, which speaks volumes about his class in possession.

With Ruben Neves potentially leaving Wanderers in the summer, it is doubly important that his compatriot remains at Molineux – losing both at the same time would feel like a hammer blow.

Moutinho may have to accept that he won’t play every week moving forward, given his age, but the idea of him signing a new deal feels significant for Bruno Lage and everyone associated with Wolves.

In other news, one player has been tipped to start for Wolves next season. Find out who it is here.

Leicester City keep up with the pack at the top of the Premier League table thanks to a hard-fought draw against Manchester United. The two battled out a 2-2 performance, sharing the spoils which sees them both secure themselves inside the top four.

United have made a dramatic comeback after struggling at the start of the season. They put Leicester to the sword with goals from Marcus Rashford and Bruno Fernandes, but an own goal in the dying moments would prove to be their demise and the Foxes managed to bag a point.

The likes of Harvey Barnes and Youri Tielemans were a thorn in the side of Ole Gunnar Solskjaer, but a couple of players also let their side down. Marc Albrighton was one man who was a weak link for Leicester, struggling to make an impact down the right-hand side.

Marc Albrighton vs Man United

According to Sofascore, the midfielder made just 19 accurate passes, which was less than Kasper Schmeichel’s 21. Albrighton also lost possession a worrying 20 times and failed to win 59% of his attempted duels.

Additionally, he wasn’t much help tracking back either. The 31-year-old was dribbled past twice and he failed to put in a single interception, block or clearance.

Whilst Leicester come away with what must be viewed as a positive result against an in-form Man United side, they will be disappointed with performances from the likes of the £45,000 per week playmaker. Brendan Rodgers will have wanted to see much more creativity down the flanks to feed Jamie Vardy, who was unable to get involved in any of the goalscoring action this afternoon.

Focus now shifts to their fixture which is just two days away. Leicester will take on Crystal Palace in what they hope will be a win to keep them in the running for this season’s title.

In other news, Exclusive: Carlton Palmer waxes lyrical about Leicester’s transfer policy…

Southampton’s hopes of signing Manchester United full-back Brandon Williams this summer appear to have suffered a blow after it was revealed that West Ham and Norwich City are both keen on adding him to their squads ahead of next season.

According to The Sun, the Hammers and the newly-promoted Canaries are both interested in the 20-year-old, who has been regularly linked with a move to Southampton since the January transfer window.

After a failed loan move for the youngster in January, which left Ralph Hasenhuttl extremely short of full-back options at Southampton for the second half of the campaign, it seems as if the Austrian is desperate to not make the same mistake this summer and wants to bring the £9m-rated defender in on loan.

The Athletic suggested that Southampton are likely to return for the Manchester United academy graduate, who has struggled for regular game-time in Ole Gunnar Solskjaer’s side this season, due to the impressive form of Luke Shaw and the signing of Brazilian left-back Alex Telles in last summer’s transfer window.

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Southampton’s need for a left-back this summer will arguably be even greater than in January, as it now looks as if Ryan Bertrand will leave at the end of the season when his contract expires. It has also been suggested that Sam McQueen might never play football again, which currently leaves just Jake Vokins available as a left-back in the Austrian’s squad for next season.

Considering the 20-year-old has struggled to get game-time on loan with Sunderland in League One this season, it seems clear that the Saints will need to strengthen in that position this summer.

However, it looks as if they will face a battle for Williams’ signing this summer and Manchester United may well prefer to send him to West Ham, who look set to be playing European football next season and were boosted by the loan signing of Red Devils midfielder Jesse Lingard in the winter, which will surely have strengthened the relationship between the two clubs.

The 20-year-old, who was dubbed an “exciting young English talent” by Gary Lineker last year, looks as if he will be spoilt for choice of a loan club this summer, and it would be quite a blow for Hasenhuttl if Southampton were to miss out on him again.

In other news… Semmens drops huge claim on £20m Saints beast, Hasenhuttl must be buzzing

Leeds United have confirmed that elusive striker Rafa Mujica is set to part company with the Yorkshire club. That’s according to Radio Marca Lanzarote, who report that the 22-year-old has reached full agreement with the Whites amid advanced talks with Las Palmas.

The forgotten forward will return to his native country to represent the La Liga 2 outfit in what can only be described as an ideal move for all parties involved.

Las Palmas will gain a new attacking option, Mujica could finally be guaranteed regular first team minutes and Andrea Radrizzani no longer has to have him on his pay roll.

Leeds must have grown frustrated with the Spaniard after he joined the club back in 2019 on a free transfer from Barcelona. Eyed as a promising young up and coming talent, the Whites brought Mujica to Elland Road where he started in the youth ranks of the club.

However, he was never able to showcase his ability whilst in England. According to Transfermarkt, the striker didn’t make a single appearance for Leeds, senior or otherwise. This is hugely disappointing for a player with such potential, but with Patrick Bamford pulling the strings and the likes of Joe Geldhart vying for his opportunity in the first team, there was simply no room at the inn for the former Barca man.

Indeed, it seems Marcelo Bielsa wasn’t particularly wowed by his training performances as he never even gave him a cameo opportunity whilst at Leeds.

The forward, who was once dubbed to be a “satisfying” player by Villarreal B coach Miguel Alvarez, will now have to ply his trade with a new club. Regardless of his salary, Radrizzani will be pleased that he no longer has a deadweight player taking money from his pocket.

In other news, Phil Hay update on Alioski could turn Leeds away from transfer target…