All posts by z3u9t.icu

Since the departure of Sir Alex Ferguson back in 2013, one man at Manchester United has taken the brunt of the blame more than anyone else: Ed Woodward.

The executive vice-chairman of the Red Devils has long been held responsible by a majority of the club’s supporters for their apparent failings in the transfer market, and lack of real direction in regards to recruitment.

In an interview with The New York Times, Liverpool’s chief executive Peter Moore appeared to take a thinly-veiled dig at his counterpart at Old Trafford, by insisting there is a certain way about going about things.

He said: “The modern game of football still has C.E.O.s running football clubs and also doing the transfer business and negotiating with agents. That’s not how I believe a modern club should work.”

After hearing Moore’s comments, United fans flooded to Twitter to voice their thoughts on the matter.

Many supporters of the Manchester side appeared to suggest that the Liverpool CEO got it “absolutely spot-on” with his assessment, and insisted he spoke a lot of sense.

Check out some of the reaction of United fans below:

Newcastle United will be hoping to have a better season this term compared to 2023/24, where they missed out on the top four in the Premier League while exiting Europe before Christmas.

Key to their success will be whether Alexander Isak can maintain the form he displayed last season, as his presence will be key for Eddie Howe if the club wishes to finish in the European spots.

Despite being only 24, Isak has scored 108 goals during his senior career, not a bad statistic at all.

Newcastle have had plenty of players in recent years who have managed to notch up a fair number of goals in their careers, some with the club and several elsewhere.

One player who has enjoyed an excellent career after leaving the Magpies is defender James Tavernier, who has even more goals than Isak.

How much Newcastle sold James Tavernier for

After making just ten appearances for the Toon during the early part of his career, Tavernier sought a club where first team opportunities would be at a premium.

Wigan Athletic came in for him during the summer of 2014, paying a fee in the region of just £90k to lure him to the club, although he would only play 13 times for the club.

While he clearly wasn’t in any future plans at Newcastle, it is evident the club have endured a howler by letting him go for so little, especially considering the impact he has had north of the border at Glasgow Rangers.

James Tavernier’s statistics at Rangers

The Light Blues signed Tavernier in 2015 as Mark Warburton was aiming to return the club to the top flight after a spell in the lower divisions.

It soon proved to be an inspirational signing, as the right-back registered 38 goal contributions in all competitions for the Gers, sealing a top-flight return and reaching the Scottish Cup final.

Season

Games

Goals

Assists

2023/24

58

24

12

2022/23

55

18

10

2021/22

58

18

17

2020/21

46

19

16

2019/20

46

3

16

2018/19

57

17

20

2017/18

46

9

9

2016/17

44

2

7

2015/16

50

15

23

The next few years would see the club struggle to acclimatise back in the Premiership, suffering back-to-back third-place finishes, before Steven Gerrard took the reins.

Under the former Liverpool captain, Tavernier would begin to accumulate more goals and assists, eventually helping his team win their first league title in a decade during the 2020/21 campaign.

While he may be struggling so far this season, overall, the 32-year-old has scored a remarkable 133 goals throughout his senior career, with 125 of those coming with Rangers.

Add in another 138 assists, and it is clear Tavernier has more than left his legacy at the Light Blues over the previous nine years, winning three major trophies and leading them to the 2022 Europa League final.

He has more club goals than Isak, which is no mean feat considering the Swede’s attacking prowess. While moving away from Newcastle was the right move back in 2014, it has become clear the Magpies messed up by ditching the defender too soon.

Sold for £500k: Newcastle must rue losing ace who's worth more than Tonali

The club certainly made a mistake in allowing him to leave.

1 ByEthan Lamb Sep 6, 2024

Arsenal would sign a £200,000-per-week forward before deadline day if they could, and it is claimed he'd be open to joining them.

Arsenal looking at last-minute chance to sign forward after Merino

As per reliable media sources like journalist Fabrizio Romano, there is a belief that Arsenal are looking at "last-minute" opportunities to sign a new forward as we fast approach the transfer window cut-off.

Arsenal monitoring £179k-per-week Nketiah replacement with late bid possible

The Gunners have just sold him to Palace.

2 ByEmilio Galantini Aug 29, 2024

Bayern Munich winger Kingsley Coman has been heavily linked with a late switch to Arsenal in the last week, with GiveMeSport even writing that the Frenchman was offered out to the Gunners at some point recently.

While Mikel Arteta has the likes of Gabriel Martinelli, Leandro Trossard, Reiss Nelson, Kai Havertz and Bukayo Saka at his disposal, who are all capable of playing out wide, the Gunners and sporting director Edu Gaspar could enter the market for an alternative Saka.

“I think it’s not going to be a super big name. I don’t expect Arsenal to go for a central striker," said Romano on Men in Blazers (via TBR).

"There was some fear around the injury of Gabriel Jesus, but I’m told it’s quite positive. The idea of Arsenal is to sign a winger rather than a number nine, looking at a last-minute opportunity on the market."

This comes amid their attempts to bring in a new second-choice keeper to replace the departing Aaron Ramsdale after Southampton agreed a deal worth up to £25 million for the England international (BBC).

Arsenal have submitted a bid for Espanyol keeper Joan Garcia to fill the role, but the La Liga side want his full £26 million release clause to be paid in full, so it remains to be seen just how much the north Londoners will be able to splash out on a new winger as well.

It's been a very busy week at the Emirates Stadium, with Arsenal also announcing their capture of Mikel Merino, who will don the number 23 shirt and could make his Premier League debut this weekend.

Appearances

242

Goals

27

Assists

30

Yellow cards

56

Red cards

2

Minutes played

19,449

via Transfermarkt

Arsenal would sign Nico Williams before deadline day if they could

Speaking on the Ranks FC Ultras podcast, journalist Dean Jones says Arsenal are still very fond of Athletic Bilbao starlet Nico Williams, even if he doesn't look likely to be leaving any time soon.

Jones says that, if it were up to them, Arsenal would sign Williams "tomorrow", and he wouldn't say no to joining despite preferring Barcelona as a destination.

“Nico Williams, they still love up to right now. I think they would sign Nico Williams tomorrow if they could. There are problems more around his wages than an actual transfer fee that would be needed,” Jones said (via TBR).

“There’s also the desire of the player. I don’t think he doesn’t want to join Arsenal, I just think he’d prefer to join Barcelona. I’m waiting to see if that can crop up again for Arsenal.”

The £200,000-per-week player starred for Spain at the Euros, and there is a very serious case to be made that he's one of Europe's brightest talents right now.

Celtic are believed to have an agreement in place to sign a 20-year-old rising star on loan during the summer transfer window, according to an update from journalist Fabrizio Romano.

Celtic transfer news

The Hoops are still pushing to complete some late transfer business, with Arne Engels one of the latest players to be linked with a summer move to Parkhead. The FC Augsburg midfielder has reportedly begun talks with Celtic over a switch, as they look to bring him in alongside attacking midfielder Mateusz Bogusz.

The latter, who is currently playing for MLS side Los Angeles FC, is a rumoured target for Brendan Rodgers before the window slams shut later this week, and has some limited experience on British shores, making one Championship appearance during a spell at Leeds United.

Hammarby teenager Bazoumana Toure is another player who has been backed to bolster the Hoops' options in the Scottish Premiership and Champions League this season, but Crystal Palace, Eintracht Frankfurt and Bayer Leverkusen are also thought to be in the mix.

Celtic could also look for reinforcements at the heart of their defence this week, with Sheffield United centre-back Auston Trusty continuing to be looked at as a strong option. He is a two-time capped USA international, and could give Rodgers the extra depth that he may crave in a key area of the pitch.

Celtic reach agreement over loan move

Taking to X, Romano claimed that Celtic are set to complete the loan signing of Barcelona youngster Alex Valle, having signed an extension with the La Liga side. Another update from the reporter also says a medical is scheduled on Monday, although he confirms there will be no buy option included.

Not a huge amount may be known about Valle, given his age and lack of experience, but there should always be an element of excitement when any Barca player is linked with joining the Hoops. The 20-year-old is yet to make an appearance for the senior side, but he has enjoyed 22 outings for their B team, and won a combined tally of 17 caps for Spain at Under-19 and Under-18 level.

A left-back by trade, Valle could increase the competition for places at Celtic, not only putting pressure on Greg Taylor for minutes, but also ensuring that Rodgers has the depth to rotate his squad effectively, giving them the best possible chance of success across all competitions this season.

As for the player himself, he could see this as a wonderful opportunity to experience a different league and culture, allowing him to grow as a footballer over the next 12 months, prior to returning to Barcelona as a more rounded player.

Rodgers must brutally drop Celtic man who had fewer touches than Schmeichel

The Hoops attacker did not enjoy a successful afternoon against St Mirren on Sunday.

1 ByDan Emery Aug 25, 2024

That means the Hoops should hopefully be bringing in a player who is hungry to keep improving, which can only help them, showing his current employers that his contract extension is fully merited.

Tottenham Hotspur have no plans to sell Harry Kane in the summer transfer window, according to journalist Alasdair Gold.

Is Kane leaving Tottenham?

It wouldn't be the summer transfer window without the usual stories linking Kane with a move away from Tottenham.

This summer has already seen links with Manchester United, Real Madrid and Bayern Munich, with the saga only likely to rumble on in the coming weeks and possibly months.

Despite Spurs' floundering Premier League performances last season, Kane still managed 30 goals in 38 games – a tally that would normally win you the Golden Boot in an Erling Haaland-less season.

It is understandable, therefore, why his stock is so high in spite of his advancing age.

Kane is still yet to win a trophy in his professional career and the general feeling among fans is that he is quietly desperate to leave Spurs in the hunt for some silverware.

But, according to Alasdair Gold, Tottenham have absolutely no plans to sell the forward, despite growing interest from Bayern in recent days.

"I was talking to the club today and people within the club," said Gold. "And the feeling still, most importantly within the club, is that it is not in the plans to sell Harry Kane."

He added: "So, I know we're looking at what, the last two days they've [Spurs] spent about £57m [Guglielmo Vicario & James Maddison], and obviously more to come as well."

"And that will lead some people to think it's a bit like Gareth Bale, 2013. Are they spending money that they're, you know, accounting for already that will come in? But I keep getting told that it's not the plan to sell Harry Kane."

This will come as good news to Tottenham supporters who will be desperate to hold onto their talisman for as long as humanly possible. God only knows where the Lilywhites would have ended up without his goals in recent seasons.

James Maddison and Guglielmo Vicario will also be relieved to hear Gold's news, having both arrived at the club in recent days, with the idea of joining a Spurs side without Harry Kane certainly a less attractive prospect.

What's the latest on Kane to Bayern?

Bayern reportedly submitted their first bid for Kane several days ago; a deal which proposed a £60m fee, excluding potential add-ons. Spurs understandably rejected Thomas Tuchel's attempt to lure Kane to Bavaria.

However, Bayern are expected to bid again for the English marksman, with Kane himself keen on a move to the Bundesliga champions.

It will be up to Spurs whether they are willing to entertain offers for their star man, but, given Kane turns 30 in July, Tottenham may be tempted to cash in on the centre-forward while they still have time.

Tottenham Hotspur are looking to bolster Ange Postecoglou's playing squad early this summer and with one deal complete, a move for David Raya is edging ever closer…

Tottenham transfer news – David Raya

According to Italian transfer guru Fabrizio Romano, the Lilywhites have agreed on personal terms with the Brentford goalkeeper ahead of a potential switch to north London.

He tweeted:

"David Raya: “I have ambitions to make the next step in my career. I want to try to win titles and to compete in Europe”

""There are options out there but it’s not just my ambitions, the club also needs to let me go”, told Times.

"Personal terms agreed with Tottenham."

It comes after Spurs announced the permanent signing of Dejan Kulusevski from Juventus following a successful 18-month loan spell in the capital. The 23-year-old has signed a five-year deal and is believed to have cost around £25m.

Now the north Londoners must look to strike a deal with the Bees, who are reportedly holding out for £40m for Raya, despite already signing his mooted replacement in Mark Flekken.

Will David Raya replace Hugo Lloris at Tottenham?

It's no secret that the no.1 spot is a contentious issue heading into the summer for Spurs and their new manager.

Long-serving stalwart Hugo Lloris, 36, has been inconsistent over the past few seasons, but his blunders this campaign particularly stood out amid the club's struggles under Antonio Conte and then two interim managers.

Only five teams conceded more goals than the Lilywhites in 2022/23, three of whom were relegated to the Championship.

The World Cup-winning shot-stopper confirmed earlier this month that he wanted to leave Tottenham for a new challenge, claiming: "It’s the end of an era" to French newspaper Nice-Matin (via the Guardian). He does, however, still have one year to run on his £100k-per-week contract.

Raya, 27, seems a sensible replacement as Postecoglou will look to get Spurs back into Europe at the first time of asking.

The Barcelona-born titan was ever-present for Brentford in the Premier League last season, playing every single minute of every single game. And his performances saw him rated as Thomas Frank's fifth-best performer with an average WhoScored rating of 6.97.

By comparison, Lloris earned a paltry 6.59 rating from his 25 league appearances, whilst only four teams conceded fewer goals than the Bees, all of whom finished in the top four.

Having been lauded as an "incredible" goalkeeper and capable of wearing "the number 10 shirt" by Liverpool boss Jurgen Klopp, the 6 foot 1 glovesman could be an ideal second signing after Kulusevski as Postecoglou will no doubt want to address Tottenham's shocking defensive record, sooner rather than later.

Whilst £40m may be a pretty penny to pay, there are few better alternatives available on the market this summer.

Manchester United are in the process of being taken over at Old Trafford; however, it is unlikely that minority investment firms will usurp either the Nine Two Foundation or INEOS, according to journalist Ben Jacobs.

What's the latest Manchester United ownership news?

According to Reuters, Manchester United 'is negotiating' granting exclusivity to Qatari businessman Sheikh Jassim bin Hamad al Thani and the Nine Two Foundation.

The report states that the bid from Sheikh Jassim is viewed as more favourable to the Glazer family than Sir Jim Ratcliffe and his petrochemicals firm INEOS' offer to assume control of the Premier League giants.

As per The Times, whoever becomes the new owner of Manchester United is unlikely to be in place before the new season begins at Old Trafford.

There is said to be an 'approval process' before any deal is concluded, something which could take between eight and 12 weeks to complete and consequently drag the timeline of the ownership battle on while vetting procedures are carried out.

ESPN understand that several minority investment firms are still waiting to find out whether they have been successful in their efforts to buy into Manchester United.

Speaking to Football FanCast, journalist Jacobs has indicated that it is unlikely that any minority investors will win the bidding war to invest in Manchester United.

Jacobs told FFC: "My understanding is that the minority investors are largely just waiting at this point. They now have a lower confidence that option will be one that the Glazers take. It looks like the focus is now on the two main groups INEOS and the Nine Two Foundation. Of course, no sale can ever be ruled out, but I wouldn't want to go in and paint to Manchester United fans that that is a likely scenario."

What now for Manchester United?

Manchester United boss Erik Ten Hag will be focused solely on trying to identify new recruits ahead of 2023/24 as the Red Devils look to build on a strong debut campaign under his stewardship.

Chelsea midfielder Mason Mount is a key target for the Dutchman; however, Manchester United were rebuffed in their first attempt to try and land the England international, in an offer that was said to be worth in the region of £40 million, as per BBC Sport.

The Daily Mail report that Atalanta striker Rasmus Hojlund is also on the radar at Old Trafford, though the Serie A outfit will demand around £86 million to sanction his exit.

Brentford goalkeeper David Raya is another name that has been mentioned in connection with Manchester United, who remain keen on the 27-year-old despite interest from Tottenham Hotspur, as per Telegraph Sport.

In a time of change at Manchester United, plenty of exciting developments could be set to occur at the Premier League giants over the next weeks and months.

According to Lancs Live, Burnley are interested in making a move for Leeds United full-back Cody Drameh this summer.

Who is Cody Drameh?

Spending last season on loan at Luton Town, Drameh played a key part in Rob Edwards' side as they defeated Coventry City in the Championship play-off final to secure promotion to the Premier League.

Drameh made 16 appearances in the Championship after completing the loan move to Kenilworth Road in January.

The young full-back started the play-off final, as the Hatters battled to eventually defeat Coventry on penalties. After a frustrating first half of the campaign with little game time at Elland Road, Drameh ended on a high at Wembley.

Foreseeing the success that Drameh would have at Luton after the deal was completed, Edwards told Luton Today:

“There was not much doubt really, all the attributes were there.

“A really good mentality, technically he’s a really good footballer and physically fantastic as well.

"They’re pretty good attributes to have, especially in this modern game now, so there wasn’t too much doubt from my point of view.”

Will Burnley sign Cody Drameh?

As reported by Lancs Live, Drameh is on the list of Vincent Kompany's Burnley targets this summer.

The Clarets boss may not make the deal his highest priority, however, given the form of right-back Connor Robers throughout a successful title-winning campaign last season. With that, Roberts would likely enter the season as first choice.

But how do Drameh and Roberts compare?

As per FBref, whilst Drameh made more interceptions per-90 last season, Roberts outperformed his younger counterpart in progressive passes, goals and assists per-90.

Defensively, however, Drameh stands out, having made more interceptions as mentioned plus more blocks, and tackles than Roberts. Although it must be said, this could partly be down to Burnley's possession-based playing style, rather than Roberts' defensive capability.

So, if Drameh did make the move to Burnley, he would likely go in as a deputy, rather than a starter.

The Leeds gem is not short on options, though, with Luton Town interested in turning their loan move permanent this summer, according to Fabrizio Romano.

The two interested parties leaves Drameh with a big decision to make this summer, added onto the fact that he could yet opt to stay at Leeds for next season.

Drameh's current Leeds contract expires this time next year, which will allow the 21-year-old to leave on a free deal.

This means that, if the Yorkshire club want to cash in, it must be soon.

Free agent manager Marcelo Gallardo may emerge as a late option for the Tottenham Hotspur job, according to recent reports.

Who could be the next Spurs manager?

The north Londoners are currently well into their search for a new manager with a few candidates still in the frame to replace Antonio Conte, who departed north London over two months ago.

Spurs chairman Daniel Levy is said to be leading the hunt for Conte's successor, coming as he also prepares for the summer transfer market and scours the market for a new sporting director.

Of the names still be believed to be contending for the Spurs job, perhaps most notable is that of Celtic manager Ange Postecoglou, who is rumoured to have emerged as a leading candidate in recent days.

The likes of Fulham's Marco Silva, Brighton boss Roberto De Zerbi and Graham Potter have also been mentioned in parts – with Levy also personally holding talks Luis Enrique talks.

Tottenham need to make an appointment and fast, especially with the summer transfer window looming and around the corner, and Spurs are apparently in danger of being left behind.

That is according to The Daily Mail, and reporter Sami Mokbel, who claim the Lilywhites have that issue to contend with but also drop an interesting line regarding Gallardo.

The 47-year-old, who is readily-available for hire after leaving River Plate, may "emerge as a late option" for Spurs in their managerial chase.

This is despite Postecoglou's chances of getting the job increasing significantly, but going by The Mail's update, his appointment is certainly no forgone conclusion.

Who is Marcelo Gallardo?

The South American boasts 10 pieces of silverware from his managerial career across the Atlantic, not to mention he deploys an attack-minded 4-3-3 formation – similar to that of former Spurs boss Mauricio Pochettino.

Called "elite" by members of the media like TUDN Mexico TV host Xavi Sol, Gallardo has also been praised highly by counterparts like Man City boss Pep Guardiola.

“What Gallardo has done with River is incredible,” the City boss said on Argentine television (via Planet Football).“Every year three coaches are named as the best in the world, and he’s never among them.“I can’t understand it. It’s as if there’s nothing else in the world apart from Europe.”

As a free agent, he could be an alluring option for Spurs, and it will be interesting to see if he does indeed come into the fold.

Leeds United are in a precarious position in the Premier League ahead of the final day of the season and Sam Allardyce has his work cut out to prevent them from facing a drop into the Championship.

The Whites will need nothing short of all three points from their Elland Road clash with Tottenham Hotspur tomorrow and will also need favours from Bournemouth at Goodison Park to have any chance of stealing the final survival spot.

Indeed, it is looking bleak for the West Yorkshire outfit as their top-flight journey has the potential to come to an abrupt end, but their problems go further than just spending a season in the second tier.

Sporting director Victor Orta has left the club by mutual consent, whilst Allardyce is unlikely to remain at the club beyond his short tenure, leaving Leeds with positions to fill on and off the pitch.

Despite the uncertainty in so many areas of the club, it hasn’t stopped them from being linked with potential targets ahead of the summer transfer window.

This week, it has been reported that Leeds could be a potential destination for Aris striker Luis Palma – a player who could become a hit at Elland Road if he joined forces with Wilfried Gnonto.

Who is Leeds target Luis Palma?

The 23-year-old has been attracting a lot of attention for his performances in Greece, with Burnley, Rangers, Fenerbahce, Olympiacos and Anderlecht named as other clubs interested in snapping up his services.

The Honduran goal machine has tallied up 15 goals and eight assists in 47 appearances, with a goal contribution every 107 minutes so far – an output that would be a huge asset to Leeds next season.

Earlier this month Aris boss Apostolos Terzis heaped praise on his forward after scoring two league goals that led to the side securing a spot in the Europa Conference League next season:

"Luis has done that all season. He has been a huge player for us. We know there has been a lot of interest in him and it's not surprising.”

According to Sofascore, Palma is the second-highest-rated player in the Aris squad this season and has averaged 1.4 key passes, 2.1 shots on goal, one successful dribble and 37.5 touches per game.

Although the Leeds squad is stacked with forwards, it has been the centre-forward role that has suffered the most, as Patrick Bamford has struggled with injuries and failed to deliver consistency in front of goal, which has contributed to their plight.

As a result, the signing of Palma could spark a new era at Elland Road and the next manager could benefit from forming a fantastic attacking partnership between the versatile forward and young talent Gnonto.

The Leeds winger has shown promising signs and glimmers of magic during his short time at the club but hasn’t had the consistent game time of late to positively impact the attacking threat. Meanwhile, questions have to be asked about whether they will be able to retain his services should they go down.

With that being said, no matter the outcome of Leeds’ season, there is an opportunity for a fresh start to be made after such a difficult campaign, and Palma could make a big difference in improving the forward line next season.