All posts by z3u9t.icu

Everton and their supporters have not had much to shout about this season having spent a lot of their Premier League campaign in the bottom half of the table and even towards the relegation zone.

In addition to winning just seven league games out of a possible 27, the Merseyside club were also knocked out of the Carabao Cup back in September after losing to QPR on penalties as well as more recently getting kicked out of the FA Cup earlier this month thanks to a 4-0 battering against Crystal Palace.

However, it seems as though the Toffees fans can breathe a sigh of relief over the immediate future of one of their star figures.

What’s the news?

A recent Twitter post from journalist and transfer expert Fabrizio Romano relayed comments originally shared by the agent of Dominic Calvert-Lewin to an Everton insider saying that the striker “has not agreed any deal, with any club,” despite being recently linked with a move away from the club in the summer.

They also added that the England international “is currently working very hard in training and is fully focused on finishing the season strong with Everton.”

Big boost for Everton

Since joining the Merseyside club back in the 2016 summer transfer window from Sheffield United, the 25-year-old has racked up 56 goals in 184 appearances across all competitions.

Having scored 16 league goals in 33 appearances last season, it’s safe to say that having missed a large chunk of this campaign through injury, Everton have badly missed his presence and goalscoring abilities.

As well as his goals, only Harry Kane (47) had more shots on target than the Everton star in the league in the previous campaign, showing how deadly he can be in front of goal among some of England’s top attacking talents.

Looking ahead, if the centre-forward can get some regular minutes under his belt from now until the end of the campaign and score enough goals to help his side avoid the drop, this will only further enhance the club’s need to keep hold of him for as long as they can.

Taking into account what his agent has come out and said, this will be a massive weight off the shoulders of Toffees boss Frank Lampard who may be worried about the striker’s future at Finch Farm.

If Everton are then able to stay in the top flight and keep hold of Calvert-Lewin over the summer, this would surely be a massive positive for Lampard as well as the supporters, providing them with a lot of confidence that they can go on to have a solid 2022/23.

In other news: Lampard may have found Everton’s new Rooney in “top quality” £7.2m-rated “boy wonder”

As per ESPN, Manchester United are at a crossroads with out of form forward Marcus Rashford regarding a new contract. 

The lowdown: Rashford’s demise at United

Having burst onto the scene in 2016 with a debut brace against FC Midtjylland, the academy graduate appeared to have the footballing world at his feet. Since then, the England international has accrued 93 times in senior football for his boyhood club, adding 58 assists in 298 matches.

As a remarkable 300th club appearance looms, the 24-year-old has endured a difficult 2021/22 campaign thus far and desperately needs to re-ignite a stalling career at Old Trafford.

However, where Rashford may ply his trade in the long-term remains in question…

The latest: Rashford contract confusion

According to sources who have spoken to ESPN, United ‘want’ the 46-cap England international – whose career is ‘at a crossroads’ – to sign a new deal with the club to replace his current contract, which expires in 2023.

It is claimed that United have an option to trigger a 12-month extension, although Rashford may decide to move on if the Red Devils aren’t ‘delivering’ for the versatile forward.

The report added that any newly-appointed manager could view the out-of-sorts attacker as a ‘problem’ and decide to cash in on him.

The verdict: Is it time to move on?

Whilst his ailing form would suggest that United would be wise to call time on Rashford this summer, it isn’t all that cut-and-dried given the proven track record and the history of the player.

So far this season, the Manchester-born attacker has scored just five times and provided two assists in 27 appearances, way short of the 36 direct goal contributions from last term.

Once hailed as ‘unplayable’ by ex-United favourite Louis Saha, the £63m-valued star should have enough credit in the bank to stave off talk of a departure, although there is no immediate need for a new deal just yet given the 12-month extension option that the club hold.

In other news, Manchester United are closing in on a managerial target. Find out more here.

[ad_pod ]

The Mirror reported on Sunday that Tottenham Hotspur are in the market for a new signing before the January transfer window slams shut on Thursday night, but it is more likely to be a younger player such as Leeds United’s Jack Clarke rather than a big name or a more experienced pro.

The Mirror report that Spurs remain keen on signing the 18-year-old winger who has enjoyed an impressive breakthrough season for the Yorkshire outfit, who remain on course to secure promotion back to the Premier League following their 2-1 win away against Rotherham United on Saturday.

Despite only making three starts in the Championship thus far for Marcelo Bielsa’s men, the attacker is being chased by a whole host of top flight clubs, as per The Mirror, and the north London outfit are hoping to get a deal done as they see him as a player for the future.

Unsurprisingly, the report adds that Marcelo Bielsa’s men have no intention of losing their teen sensation by the deadline, meaning Tottenham would not only likely have to offer a huge fee for Clarke, but also agree to loan him back to Elland Road for the remainder of the campaign.

The 18-year-old may have only played 579 minutes of league football for Leeds during the current campaign, but he has already shown that he has the quality and potential to have a huge future in the English game.

Spurs don’t have a great deal of pace and depth in wide areas right now aside from the likes of Lucas Moura and Son Heung-Min, and even though they still have Georges-Kevin Nkoudou on their books and making appearances right now, he certainly didn’t look up to the task during the 2-0 defeat against Crystal Palace in the fourth round of the FA Cup on Sunday.

Meanwhile, Clarke is averaging one shot, 0.9 key passes and 1.4 dribbles per game, as per WhoScored, right now for the automatic promotion hopefuls, and he is a winger that is making a difference when he is on the pitch or when he comes off of the substitutes’ bench.

Pochettino has obviously helped talents who impressed in the lower leagues previously in Dele Alli and Harry Kane become top-class Premier League players and even ones well-renowned across world football, and if the Argentine intends to stay with Spurs for the foreseeable future then he can certainly do the same working with Clarke.

Arsenal’s Hector Bellerin may be out for the season but it’s given him a chance to show off his new accessory. Check out the video below to see for yourself…

Over the past couple of years since Leeds United made their way back to the Premier League after a 16-year absence when they won promotion from the Championship at the end of the 2019/20 season, the Yorkshire club have shown that they are capable of splashing the cash when it comes to signing new players.

One player that the club paid a substantial amount of money for is Rodrigo, who joined Marcelo Bielsa’s side from Spanish club Valencia in a deal worth a reported fee of £26m, making him the Yorkshire club’s record signing.

Since arriving at Elland Road, the Spaniard has not had the best of times in terms of scoring goals and registering assists on a regular basis with just nine goals and two assists in 45 appearances across all competitions, as well as having a spotty injury record that has disrupted his playing time.

Rodrigo’s time at Leeds has been the subject of criticism from Kevin Phillips who has described it as “disappointing,” suggesting that the club may have made a mistake in spending so much money on bringing the 30-year-old to Elland Road.

Taking this into account, it could be argued that Rodrigo has not been able to repay the significant amount of money that the club shelled out for him.

With all of that in mind and the fact that the club has recently been linked with a move for Lazio attacker Vedat Muriqi, who is reportedly close to leaving the Italian club this month, this could potentially lead to Rodrigo leaving the club to make way for Muriqi.

The 27-year-old, who is currently picking up a weekly wage of £52k-per-week according to Salary Sport, has a total of 83 goals in 296 club appearances throughout his career, highlighting the experience he has and the ability he has at finding the back of the net, which could be crucial for Leeds throughout the remainder of the season with Patrick Bamford struggling with injuries.

With a week left until the January transfer window closes, if Lazio’s €17.5m (£15m) signing is close to leaving Rome, this could be a situation that Leeds and Victor Orta can pounce on to bring the attacker to Elland Road.

Hailed as a “dominant” figure by Smarter Scout, Muriqi could help bring an extra bit of firepower to the team and potentially push Rodrigo out as well.

In other news: Huge blow: Phil Hay relays another worrying Leeds injury update, fans surely fuming – opinion

Tottenham will be without midfielder Oliver Skipp for this evening’s clash with Aston Villa, Alasdair Gold reports.

The Lowdown: Villa looking to bounce back

Steven Gerrard’s side have struggled in recent weeks, losing their last three Premier League games.

[web_stories_embed url=”https://www.footballtransfertavern.com/web-stories/aston-villa-latest-developments/” title=”Aston Villa latest developments!” poster=”” width=”360″ height=”600″ align=”none”]

They have dropped into the bottom half of the table as a result, with their most recent defeat coming at the hands of rivals Wolves.

Despite their poor form, Villa know that a win against Antonio Conte’s side will take them back into the top ten, and Spurs have now been handed an injury blow for the clash.

The Latest: Skipp setback

Skipp, who Conte seems to love, has been missing since February, with reports last weekend suggesting he was ‘very close’ to making a return.

However, as relayed by Gold, Conte confirmed that Skipp won’t be ready for the trip to the Midlands due to a setback.

The Verdict: Boost for Gerrard

Of course, seeing a player out with a long-term injury shouldn’t be celebrated, but Gerrard may welcome the news of not having to face Skipp later today.

He was a regular in December and January, with Spurs winning five Premier League games and drawing one. Their unbeaten run came to an end against Chelsea, Skipp’s last game prior to his injury.

Conte will once again have just three central midfield options to choose from, making the latest update on Skipp a blow for Spurs.

In other news: Gerrard tells another Aston Villa star he can leave in shock Bodymoor Heath development. 

Following on from their impressive 1-0 win over Manchester United at Old Trafford in the Premier League last Monday, Wolves are in FA Cup action this afternoon with a clash against Championship side Sheffield United at Molineux. 

With Wolves having the likes of Jonny Otto, Pedro Neto, Yerson Mosquera and Hwang Hee-chan out injured and Romain Saiss away on international duty getting ready to take part in the Africa Cup of Nations, Bruno Lage will have to make do without several members of his senior squad.

On the other hand, with Wolves recently recalling Dion Sanderson and Ryan Giles from their respective loan deals in the Championship and securing a deal for Japanese midfielder Hayao Kawabe, these players could feature prominently today.

Taking all this into account, here’s how we feel Wolves could line up for their FA Cup clash against the Blades. We anticipate as many as seven changes from the side which started in the win at Old Trafford.

In goal, even though Jose Sa has kept eight clean sheets in his 19 Premier League appearances this season, we think Lage will take him out of the team on this occasion and give John Ruddy the chance to play.

In a back three, we can see the familiar duo of Conor Coady and Max Kilman starting, but with the recently-recalled Sanderson coming in for the absent Saiss to see if he can impress the manager and convince him that he deserves to be in the squad on a regular basis.

For the wing-back positions, on the right we think Lage will drop Nelson Semedo and give Ki-Jana Hoever a runout, with Rayan Ait-Nouri coming back in on the left after being on the bench against the Red Devils.

In the two central midfield positions, it’s entirely possible that Lage gives Monday’s match-winning hero Joao Moutinho a rest to save him for their next league outing against Southampton, with Leander Dendoncker coming in to take his place next to Ruben Neves.

With the front three, we can see Lage bringing in Adama Traore and Fabio Silva for Francisco Trincao and Raul Jimenez, who is currently earning £100k-per-week according to Salary Sport but is without a goal in his last six games, in order to freshen up the attack next to Daniel Podence.

In other news: Journalist drops 19-word Wolves update which will surely have a lot of fans fuming

Rangers, and by extension their sporting director Ross Wilson, are preparing to make a six-figure bid for Aberdeen starlet Lancelot Pollard, according to The Scottish Daily Express.

The lowdown

Pollard, a 15-year-old attacker, has worked his way up through the youth ranks with the Dons, even featuring for their under-18 side.

Having won the club’s Young Talent of Month award in October, he’s regarded as one of the leading talents in their academy.

Rangers are planning for Giovanni van Bronckhorst’s first summer transfer window at the helm after he took over from Steven Gerrard in the autumn.

[web_stories_embed url=”https://www.footballtransfertavern.com/web-stories/rangers-news-3/” title=”Rangers news!” poster=”” width=”360″ height=”600″ align=”none”]

The latest

Reliable reporter Scott Burns, a long-serving journalist for The Scottish Express, says that Rangers are ready to submit a six-figure offer for Pollard to win the race for his signature.

They know that there’s ‘big interest’ in the player and therefore feel pressure to get the deal over the line.

Liverpool are actively pursuing Pollard, while Manchester United have been monitoring him too.

The verdict

The fact that six-figure fees are on the table for a player so young speaks to his potential, as does the interest of three heavyweights.

Pollard is seemingly levels above the other players in his age bracket, hence Aberdeen’s decision to fast-track him.

If Liverpool were to match Rangers’ offer, then it could come down to which club can offer the player the clearest long-term path to first-team football.

While he’s unlikely to be in the senior picture for a good while yet, it’s definitely a name worth remembering.

In other news, Frank McAvennie reacts to transfer developments involving Rangers and a PL club.

A number of Liverpool supporters have reacted to David Ornstein’s claim that Sadio Mane and Roberto Firmino may not sign new Reds deals.

The attacking pair have become legendary modern-day figures at Anfield, winning both the Champions League and Premier League during their time at the club.

Along with Mohamed Salah, fellow superstars Mane and Firmino have forged one of the greatest attacking units in Liverpool’s history, wreaking havoc with their brilliance.

[freshpress-quiz id=“375258″]

While plenty of focus is currently on Salah’s Reds future, it is easy to forget that his teammates’ current deals also expire in the summer of 2023, with time now running out on their contracts.

Speaking on Sky Sports News [via LFC Transfer Room on Twitter], Ornstein said there was no guarantee that Mane and Firmino would extend their respective stays at the club:

“I’m not sure Firmino is going to be renewed, I’m not sure Mane is going to be renewed.”

[web_stories_embed url=”https://www.footballtransfertavern.com/web-stories/latest-liverpool-transfer-news-17/” title=”Latest Liverpool transfer news!” poster=”” width=”360″ height=”600″ align=“none”]

Liverpool fans fume at Mane and Firmino claim

These Liverpool fans took to Twitter to react negatively to the news.

“The day Firmino leaves I’ll cut all ties”

Credit: @mxskiii

“What a well run club, having to replace two midfielders and 2 attackers (maybe 3) in one season”

Credit: @Virgilxnte_

“Oh my”

Credit: @Trxvis2002

“Embarrassing! @LFC gotta do better”

Credit: @SILondonO

“The FSG model is working well”

Credit: @thiagothursday

“This is worrying cos we know we are sell to buy, if they don’t renew they go for free? Who we going to get then?”

Credit: @CousinCAH

In other news, some Liverpool fans have called for the Reds to sign an England international. Find out who it is here.

Celtic are thought to be eyeing a move for midfielder Ahmed Kendouci from Algerian side ES Setif, according to reports, relayed by The Daily Record.

The Lowdown: Kendouci profiled

Kendouci is just 22 years of age and is valued at £1.17m by Transfermarkt, making him his agency’s most valuable star by a considerable distance, so they’d surely be delighted to facilitate a big move.

[web_stories_embed url=”https://www.footballtransfertavern.com/web-stories/celtic-updates-copy/” title=”Celtic updates!! (Copy)” poster=”” width=”360″ height=”600″ align=”none”]

He’s capable of playing as a left midfielder as well as in a defensive, central or attacking midfield role, offering the sort of versatility that any manager would love to have in their squad.

Kendouci has made ten appearances in Algeria’s top flight this season, scoring three goals, and it seems as if he is now on Celtic’s radar after a move for Riley McGree broke down.

The Latest: Celtic links

The Daily Record relayed reports from Algeria regarding Kendouci in a story on Wednesday.

It is believed that the Hoops are looking at a potential move for the versatile midfielder and have even contacted former Rangers man Madjid Bougherra for more information on Kendouci.

The Verdict: Strange…

It seems extremely bizarre that a former Rangers man would be willing to help Celtic when it comes to possible signings.

However, it does seem as if Ange Postecoglou wants another midfielder brought in given the collapsed move for McGree, so there could be some truth into the latest rumours.

The Hoops boss has admitted previously that he’d be willing to explore niche markets when it comes to signings, so perhaps this is one to keep a close eye on even with the strange name-checking of Bougherra.

In other news: Scott Burns drops Celtic transfer update as Postecoglou gets his way once more. 

Celtic centre-back Cameron Carter-Vickers could opt for a move to the Premier League over the Hoops this summer, according to journalist Dean Jones.

The Lowdown: Carter-Vicker shines for Celtic

The 24-year-old has been an influential performer for Ange Postecoglou’s side this season, having joined on loan from Tottenham last summer.

[web_stories_embed url=”https://www.footballtransfertavern.com/web-stories/key-latest-celtic-updates-2/” title=”Key latest Celtic updates!” poster=”” width=”360″ height=”600″ align=”none”]

Carter-Vickers has often been a rock at the heart of Celtic’s defence, making a total of 28 Scottish Premiership starts and averaging 4.2 aerial duel wins per game.

The Hoops are keen on signing the American permanently this summer but he is not without suitors, acting as a possible stumbling block.

The Latest: PL move likely?

Speaking to Give Me Sport, Jones says that a move to the Premier League would appeal most to Carter-Vickers this summer:

“In terms of Carter-Vickers, the player has not made a decision yet. It sounds to me like he would rather be in the Premier League if possible, but he needs to see what opportunities genuinely open up.”

The Verdict: Potential huge blow

Given the level of performances Carter-Vickers has produced, and the manner in which he has fitted in under Postecoglou, seeing him move elsewhere this summer would be a massive blow.

In fairness to the defender, the lure of the Premier League is often too great to turn down for players, given the quality of football, worldwide popularity of the division and the money on offer.

The hope is that Carter-Vickers sees Celtic as the most sensible option – somewhere where he will be a key starter week in, week out, rather than a potential squad player – and joins permanently at the end of the season.

In other news, a financial expert has made a key Dermot Desmond claim at Celtic. Read more here.