Tag Futebol

Fabrizio Romano has shared a Tottenham Hotspur transfer update involving Bayer Leverkusen defender Piero Hincapie.

The Lowdown: Spurs target centre-back…

The north Londoners are reliably believed to be targeting a central defender heading into the summer window.

Crystal Palace star Marc Guehi and Inter Milan defender Alessandro Bastoni are rumoured to be on the agenda as Antonio Conte’s side look to sign two new centre-halves.

The Premier League top-four chasers have conceded more goals than any side in the top ten, making the need for reinforcements all the more prevalent.

The Latest: Romano shares Hincapie to Spurs claim…

Leverkusen defender Hincapie has also been linked with a move to N17 with Romano, a reliable transfer source, now backing claims that Tottenham are eyeing a move this summer.

He explained:

“Understand there’s no release clause included in Piero Hincapié new contract with Bayer Leverkusen.

“Many clubs remain keen on signing the Ecuadorian CB in the summer including Tottenham — but Bayer Leverkusen will decide the price, no buy out clause.”

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The Verdict: Great option…

After signing a new deal, Hincapie will almost certainly be a more expensive option.

The Ecuador international has been a revelation in Germany for Leverkusen, earning praise for his sky high potential even if he is still a bit ‘raw’.

Bundesliga expert Kevin Hatchard claims that Hincapie is a ‘tremendous’ central defender, albeit a work in progress, and we believe Spurs could secure a real gem with his signing.

He starred for Ecuador at the 2022 World Cup in Qatar last year, averaging their joint-highest rate of tackles per 90 and second highest rate of clearances over three tournament starts (WhoScored).

Hincapie’s brother, according to the player himself, has also told the centre-back that he is ‘a lot like’ Spurs defender Cristian Romero.

There are certainly incentives to make a move given Leverkusen were swift to move for the player at first glance after spotting huge potential.

Newcastle United have been slammed by TalkSport’s Simon Jordan, who has claimed the Tyneside club are not on the same level commercially as some of their Premier League rivals.

What’s the latest on Newcastle’s commercial deals under PIF?

The Magpies are currently sponsored by a United Kingdom-based company that will no longer feature on the front of the club’s shirt from next season.

It is believed the Magpies will now be looking to land a much larger deal with another company ahead of next season as the club look to work their way around the FFP limitations.

During the January transfer window, those within the club made it very clear their hands were tied over how much they could spend during the month because of FFP.

And speaking on TalkSport, Jordan has slammed the Toon as being nowhere near the same level as the other sides in the ‘big six’ of the Premier League:

“Newcastle have got 20 years to catch up with the brands of Chelsea and Manchester City, and Liverpool and Arsenal in the Premier League.

“Right now, Newcastle are doing very well in the league, but as a commercial operation, with global eyes on the prize, they ain’t anywhere near the ideals behind Chelsea and Man City and Liverpool and Arsenal and Spurs and Manchester United.

“You are a big club in Newcastle. You’re not a big club on the world stage. You will be.”

What would new sponsors mean for Newcastle?

It is apparent the Newcastle owners are looking to grow the club off the pitch as well as on it with the club having already landed a Saudi Arabia-based sleeve sponsor since PIF’s arrival.

It is believed the current deal Newcastle are in with their shirt sponsors is bringing in around £6.5m to the Tyneside club per season.

And this shows the huge gap between the likes of Manchester City who are reportedly bringing in a revenue stream in the region of 10x that figure.

When reports are now suggesting Newcastle’s sleeve sponsor is bringing in more than their main sponsor, this shows where the issues lie.

However, in terms of Jordan’s comments, Newcastle do not currently seem to have the worldwide following that some of their rivals do.

Although followers on social media do not determine the size of a Premier League club, it is something which will carry value with potential interested sponsors.

For instance, Manchester United have in the region of 35m followers on Twitter in comparison to the 2.4m that Newcastle have.

So there is certainly some substance to what Jordan is saying, however, it will be interesting to see whether Newcastle’s owners look to source a Saudi-based sponsor which could prove to be incredibly lucrative for the Toon.

And this could follow similar steps to what Manchester City have done with the backing of the United Arab Emirates-based company Etihad Airways.

BBC pundit Chris Sutton has claimed the future of Tottenham Hotspur star Harry Kane is in doubt now that he has become the club’s record goalscorer.

What’s the word?

It was a pretty good weekend for the Spurs striker as he helped his team pick up an important win in the Premier League. Indeed, the 29-year-old scored the only goal of the game in a 1-0 win over Manchester City.

However, not only did that goal help Tottenham pick up all three points and move just one point and one place behind Newcastle United in the Champions League places, but it also saw Kane reach an important milestone.

Indeed, the England captain netted his 267th goal for Spurs, meaning he has now supposed Jimmy Greaves to become the north London club’s all-time top scorer.

However, having achieved this goal, Sutton has wondered if that could be enough to convince Kane that this summer will be the right time to finally leave the club for pastures new.

Speaking live on BBC 606, he said: “I mean, it does beg the question, doesn’t it?

“Now that, you know, he’s got the record at Spurs, what happens in the summer? I mean, are there Spurs fans out there who think that he could be lured away? I don’t know.”

Next challenge

With Kane yet to win a major trophy at Tottenham, he has had to become a club legend by setting personal records and now that he arguably has the most important individual accolade a player can have at a club, he may feel the time is right to seek a new challenge.

What’s more, he will be turning 30 in the summer and with his contract expiring in 2024 this might be the best chance to leave Spurs while he is still in his prime years.

The likes of Manchester United and Bayern Munich are both often touted as possible destinations and it’s certainly reasonable to think he would have a better chance of winning silverware with those clubs.

It’ll certainly be interesting to see how it all plays out in the summer. For now, though, Kane seems pretty happy to have beaten this record at Tottenham.

Indeed, speaking after the game, he BBC Match of the Day: “When you look at the names who have been here, to overtake Jimmy Greaves – one of the greatest to play the game – I’m extremely grateful.”

Transfer guru Fabrizio Romano has suggested that Wolves could be in with a chance of signing Aaron Wan-Bissaka if they place an ‘important bid’ this winter.

What’s the word?

The Manchester United defender has long been expected to leave his club in January but in recent weeks he has reminded manager Erik ten Hag of his quality again.

Indeed, the right-back has been playing with Diogo Dalot suffering from injury issues and he certainly impressed in the Manchester derby as the Red Devils beat their biggest rivals 2-1.

And with United playing well of late, Romano has explained that the club won’t be looking to alter their dressing room much in the remainder of the window, but a key bid could yet tempt them into a sale.

Speaking on his YouTube channel, the journalist said (11:00): “Look, from what I’m told, they’re [Manchester United] really happy with the team they have right now. They’re doing great, so they don’t want to change the atmosphere they have in the dressing room.

He did add, however: “If an important bid will arrive for Wan-Bissaka keep an eye on Crystal Palace and Wolves.”

A key upgrade?

As mentioned by Romano, Crystal Palace have also been strongly linked with the right-back this January – which is no surprise as they are Wan-Bissaka’s former side.

However, Wolves may well feel as though the player is good enough to fight for even if a bit of a bidding war ensues. After all, he impressed against the Molineux outfit recently, picking up a 7.5 match rating (via SofaScore) as the Red Devils won away from home, keeping a clean sheet too.

Nelson Semedo has been the club’s first-choice right-back option this season but his average SofaScore performance rating is down a 6.65 – compared to Wan-Bissaka’s 6.96 – and so this could be viewed as an upgrade.

Still, it feels as though this deal won’t be easy to comply with Palace also lurking and United potentially now reluctant to sell amid the recent turnaround in form.

Leeds United are closing in on a deal to bring Maximilian Wober to the Premier League in the January transfer window.

What’s the latest?

That’s according to a report by Austrian publication Salzburger Nachrichten (via Sport Witness), who claim that an ‘agreement will be reached’ between Red Bull Salzburg and Victor Orta in negotiations for the versatile defender with a move now seemingly reaching a conclusion.

The report does, however, suggest that the Austrian Bundesliga side will not sell 24-year-old for anything less than €20m (18m) this winter.

“Real leader”

Considering just how impressive Wober has been for Salzburg so far this season, coupled with the defender’s ability to operate at both centre and left-back, it is not difficult to understand why Orta would be keen on a deal to add the 24-year-old to Jesse Marsch’s current options at the back in January.

Indeed, over his 15 Austrian Bundesliga appearances in the current campaign, the £11m-rated talent – who has primarily been deployed at left-back – has been in sensational attacking form, having already scored one goal, registered two assists and created five big chances, as well as taking an average of 1.1 shots, making 0.7 key passes and completing 0.4 crosses per game.

The £20k-per-week defender has also impressed in metrics more typical of his position, helping his side keep five clean sheets, in addition to making an average of 1.7 tackles, 1.2 interceptions, 2.1 clearances and winning 4.3 duels – at a success rate of 62% – per match.

These returns have seen the player who RB Salzburg sporting director Christoph Freund dubbed a “real leader” average a rather remarkable Sofascore match rating of 7.28.

That not only ranks him as Matthias Jaissle’s second-best performer in the league but also as the third-best player in the top flight of Austrian football as a whole so far this term, demonstrating his ability to very much lead from the front.

As such, with left-back having been something of a problem position for Marsch since his arrival at the club last year – with Junior Firpo coming in for heavy criticism since his move from Barcelona back in the summer of 2021 – the addition of a player who can operate on the left flank as easily as he can in the middle will undoubtedly come in very useful for the American manager.

So, it is clear for all to see that the news that Orta is now closing in on an £18m deal for the reported former Liverpool target Wober is certainly fantastic news for all involved with the Whites, not least Marsch himself.

Tottenham Hotspur defender Eric Dier has been criticised by journalist Kevin Palmer for his poor performance in the 2-2 draw at Brentford this afternoon.

The Lowdown: Tottenham held to a draw

Spurs’ old habits got the better of them again in their first Premier League game since the season resumed after the World Cup, conceding the first goal for the ninth successive match.

Vitaly Janelt opened the scoring for the hosts after just 15 minutes, before Ivan Toney added a second in the early stages of the second half as Dier gifted Brentford a corner with a badly mis-hit clearance.

Goals from Harry Kane and Pierre-Emile Hojbjerg rescued a point for the Lilywhites, but they no doubt would have been hoping for more.

The Latest: Dier slammed

Taking to Twitter during the match, Palmer delivered a scathing verdict about the 28-year-old England international’s performance at the Gtech Community Stadium.

The journalist stated: “It didn’t take long for Eric Dier to remind everyone he’s not good enough to play for a top 6 club.”

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The Verdict: Another poor error

In the Premier League this season, the 49-cap England international has made seven errors leading to goals, the eighth-highest figure of any player in the division, so Antonio Conte will be frustrated that the Englishman has made yet another costly mistake today.

With a SofaScore rating of 6.8, the centre-back was the joint-second worst performer of any outfield Spurs starter, with only Japhet  Tanganga scoring lower as defensive issues once again came to the forefront, costing Conte’s side what could be an important two points.

Dier showed some good signs in the match, winning five of the seven aerial duels that he contested and registering a 91% pass accuracy.

However, that counts for nothing when you make a silly mistake and lose the ball 10 times during the contest, so he will need to step up his game if he is picked in Spurs’ next match against Aston Villa.

Glasgow Rangers defender Borna Barisic earned his first World Cup appearance during the narrow victory over Japan on Monday as 2018 finalists Croatia edged into the last eight following a penalty shootout triumph.

Despite the jubilation of that eventual result, it did not prove a particularly encouraging outing for the Ibrox machine, as the 30-year-old appeared something of a liability for his side down the left flank.

With usual starter Borna Sosa – who has been linked with the likes of Newcastle United and West Ham United in recent times – out with a virus, the 6 foot 1 brute was thrust into the action by manager Zlatko Dalic, although struggled to take that rare opportunity to impress.

The 29-cap full-back endured a difficult outing against the lively Junya Ito having struggled to deal with the rampant speed of his fleet-footed opponent, with BBC commentator Jermain Jenas notably stating that the Gers man had a “big problem” in trying to deal with the winger, having been unable to “get anywhere near him”.

The Independent’s Alex Pattle also noted in his post-match player ratings piece that Barisic had ‘really struggled’ to deal with the aforementioned Ito, while 90min’s Michael Graham was even more cutting with his assessment, suggesting that the Osijek-born ace was ‘nowhere near the level’ of teammate, Sosa.

Journalist Josh Bunting was also critical of the one-time Dinamo Zagreb man’s role in Japan’s opener – courtesy of Celtic speedster Daizen Maeda – having seemingly not done enough to prevent the initial cross into the box:

“For that Japanese goal, Borna Barišić has to close down the cross, stands off and that allows the cross to come in. Has given him far too much time and space to get that ball in for Maeda to score. Close the space and press the ball.”

While the defender’s blushes were ultimately spared by Ivan Perisic’s second-half header – and a string of tame spot-kick attempts from the opposition – the statistics also make for grim reading for the left-back, having notably lost possession on 20 occasions in his 120-minute showing.

Although the £18k-per-week man did record a solid 7.0 match rating – as per Sofascore – and win six of his aerial duels, he proved largely ineffective in a defensive sense having also only won three of his eight ground duels and committed five fouls.

Equally, the imposing asset also offered little going the other way after completing only four of his 11 crosses, albeit while registering one key pass as a minor indication of his attacking quality.

After a season in which he has largely been a solid presence back at club level after recording six assists in all competitions for the Old Firm side – while also recording the second-highest average match rating among the Rangers squad in the league (7.43) – it will have come as a real disappointment for the player himself not to have shown his worth on the international stage.

Equally, new boss Michael Beale may also be concerned regarding that display from the experienced defender, with it yet to be seen if Barisic will be able to retain his place in the side as the tournament progresses.

Journalist Pete O’Rourke has been reacting to Leeds United’s reported interest in Borussia Dortmund’s Raphael Guerreiro.

The Lowdown: Leeds preparing Guerreiro contract offer

Labelled an “amazing player” by Dortmund head coach Edin Terzic, the defender has been selected by Portugal for their World Cup squad later this month.

Recent reports have suggested that Leeds are preparing a contract offer to lure the left-back to Elland Road, with the 28-year-old set to enter the final six months of his deal at Signal Iduna Park.

Guerreiro has been with the Bundesliga giants since 2016 and has made 205 appearances for the club, contributing to 76 goals.

The Latest: O’Rourke’s comments

Speaking to GiveMeSport regarding Leeds and Guerreiro, O’Rourke said that it would be a ‘real coup’ if the Whites manage to secure the defender’s services, believing that he would be a ‘huge upgrade’ at left-back.

The journalist said: “I think he would be a huge upgrade for Leeds at left-back, which has been a real problem position for them for the last couple of seasons.

“If they’re able to lure Raphael Guerreiro to Elland Road, I think it’d be a real coup for the club.”

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The Verdict: Spot-on

Pascal Struijk has been the man to fill in at left-back in Junior Firpo’s absence and has been the club’s best-performing player this season, as per WhoScored.

However, the Dutch defender is primarily a centre-back, so bringing in a natural left-back like Guerreiro would allow Struijk to return to the heart of the back four.

Guerreiro is used to playing Champions League football and appears to possess plenty of attacking quality along with his defensive abilities, so as O’Rourke mentions, the thought of a move to Elland Road could be an exciting one for the Leeds faithful.

Speaking ahead of Leeds’ clash with Liverpool on Saturday evening, Jesse Marsch looked beaten.

His days as manager at Elland Road were seemingly numbered with segments of the stadium craving his exit from Yorkshire.

Usually such an upbeat character, the American admitted: “I’ve never lost this much in my career. I’m sick of it.”

Evidently, Marsch has the thirst to get Leeds out of their current predicament and we saw that at Anfield.

Virgil van Dijk hadn’t lost there in 70 Premier League matches, while the club as a whole had not tasted a league loss at home since March 2021.

With that in mind, there looked like there was little hope for the Whites going into that match. It’s what makes their 2-1 win even more staggering.

Leeds have been walking towards a relegation battle again but they looked revitalised against Liverpool, even if they did have to withstand a barrage of attacks. Rodrigo was gifted a goal early on and then Crysencio Summerville, who celebrates his 21st birthday today, popped up with a late winner that sparked incredible celebrations.

Although the Dutchman will take the plaudits, it was goalkeeper Illan Meslier that ensured Leeds won the game. Without the giant stopper, they’d have been dead and buried, with the Frenchman putting in arguably his best display in a Leeds shirt.

He made nine saves throughout the encounter, the most by a goalkeeper in a Premier League match this term and the highest number Meslier has made in a single game since he moved to English football.

One such save came from the boot of Darwin Nunez in the second half, as the 22-year-old raced out and smothered the attempt at goal. Another sharp stop from Jordan Henderson at his near post epitomised a remarkable performance between the sticks.

What makes it all the more incredible, is that during the game he completed zero passes from his 25 attempts. Leeds weren’t able to build from the back but it didn’t seem to matter, as the young ‘keeper put in a classic goalkeeping display, putting kicking to one side and instead relying on his hands, as one should when you don the number 1 jersey.

It was a performance late in the day that may well earn him a spot in France’s World Cup squad. Mike Maignan faces a race against time to be fit for the tournament and as the Athletic’s Adam Crafton suggests, the “potentially brilliant” goalkeeper will “be France’s no 1” in the future.

The 6 foot 6 behemoth is yet to be capped by his country at senior level but performances like this will only aid his cause. There could be a space in Didier Deschamp’s squad and Meslier should certainly be in with a chance of being Hugo Lloris’ understudy.

Having won 100% of his duels during the win over Liverpool, the youngster looked “shellshocked” at full-time, such was the performance. Dubbed “immense” by Leeds Live’s Will Jackson and “outstanding” by Graham Smyth, it was a display that will live long in his memory.

As statisticians SofaScore put it so well at full-time, he was well and truly their “Anfield hero” on Saturday night.

Tottenham Hotspur are back in Premier League action later this evening but manager Antonio Conte is facing plenty of team selection decisions as he contends with injuries and a hectic fixture list.

The Italian head coach and his side welcome a resurgent Everton to north London and will be looking to continue their progress in the race for a top-four finish.

Although Richarlison is doubtful, Emerson Royal is suspended and Dejan Kulusevski has been ruled out once again, so what sort of lineup could we see at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium, which could soon be sponsored by tech giants Google…

Between the sticks, captain and veteran Hugo Lloris is set to remain, though the versatile Ben Davies should slot back in alongside Eric Dier and Cristian Romero in Conte’s typical back three. It means Barca loanee Clement Lenglet makes way.

Out wide, Matt Doherty regains his spot from last weekend and he will be wanting to put in another impressive display in the Brazilian’s absence, whilst Ivan Perisic seems likely to be the left wing-back over Ryan Sessegnon after the 22-year-old “big talent” started in midweek.

With both Kulusevski and Richarlison likely absent, the Italian may deploy three central midfielders, so Yves Bissouma is in line to start over the doubtful latter. He’ll be in the engine room alongside Pierre-Emile Hojbjerg and Rodrigo Bentancur in what would be a fourth change from Wednesday.

That would leave Harry Kane and Heung-min Son to fend for themselves in the attack and the pair will be looking to build on their goalscoring efforts from only a few days ago.

Predicted Spurs XI (3-5-2): Lloris; Davies, Dier, Romero; Perisic, Hojbjerg, Bissouma Bentancur, Doherty; Son, Kane

AND in other news, Conte handed boost ahead of Everton…