All posts by n8rngtd.top

An update has emerged on Tottenham Hotspur and their plans to snap up the next Dejan Kulusevski in the summer transfer window… 

What’s the talk?

Daily Star journalist Paul Brown has revealed that Fabio Paratici is in the market for another attacker to bolster the squad ahead of the 2022/23 campaign.

The reporter has claimed that it may be a player similar to the Swedish international to come in and offer a threat at the top end of the pitch.

He told GIVEMESPORT:

“It’s quite possible, or maybe someone who can play maybe a bit like Kulusevski as a third midfielder who likes to bomb forward.

“So, it does sound like they’re looking for a runner from midfield or someone who can sub in minutes in that forward line.”

Antonio Conte will be buzzing

The Spurs head coach will be buzzing with this news for multiple reasons.

Firstly, it shows that the club remain interested in bolstering their attacking options despite the recent signing of Richarlison from Everton.

[snack-amp-story url= “https://www.footballfancast.com/web-stories/read-the-latest-spurs-news-transfer-rumours-gossip-much-more” title= “Read the latest Spurs news, transfer rumours and more!”]

Paratici has snapped up the Brazil international; Yves Bissouma, Ivan Perisic, and Fraser Forster this window, and it appears as though he is not ready to stop there.

Conte will be delighted by this as Tottenham will be competing in the Premier League, the FA Cup, the League Cup, and the Champions League in the 2022/23 campaign. This means that they will need as many players as possible to rotate the team whilst remaining competitive across the board.

The boss will also be buzzing because the prospect of another gem like Kulusevski coming in is an exciting one for him.

Spurs signed the Swedish wizard on loan from Juventus in January and made an instant impact in the Premier League. He produced five goals and eight assists in 18 top-flight appearances, including 14 starts, as he proved that he has the quality to be a key player for the club.

The 22-year-old averaged a SofaScore rating of 7.21 in those matches and created six ‘big chances’ for his teammates, whilst providing 1.4 key passes per match.

Now, imagine if Tottenham can bring in another player who has the ability to enjoy a similar start to their career in London. It would leave the club with a frightening set of attackers in their squad and Conte will be delighted with the ambition to make it happen.

AND in other news, Deal agreed: Fabrizio Romano drops big Spurs transfer claim, Conte will be buzzing…

Manchester United seem set to finally get their main target, as a deal for Barcelona’s Frenkie de Jong draws near. 

What’s the word?

That’s according to Sky Sports journalist Florian Plettenburg, who tweeted the following on Wednesday: “Ten Hag wanted him, he will get him! De Jong is on verge to join MUFC!

“Been told that de Jong could be presented at the weekend. But that’s not 100% safe now. There are plans to present him in the stadium.”

Supporters will be delighted

In what seems to have dragged on for months, United finally will look to get their main man and hopefully the missing piece to the puzzle that is their midfield.

Forcing Barcelona’s hand due to their significant financial muscle, the Red Devils will sign a player who is often lauded by pundits and managers alike for his abilities.

Only three weeks ago former Manchester United boss Louis van Gaal was quoted stating that “Frenkie de Jong does bring an extra quality, of course. That is why he is also worth 112 million.”

Not only that, but Rafael van der Vaart also stated “This is Frenkie de Jong. Frenkie is a different level.”

Supporters of United have been patient for the club to begin their transfer business, and with an average SofaScore rating of 7.08 last season in La Liga, they have plenty to be excited about in what could be their first signing of the summer.

His underlying numbers also show him to be an outstanding performer, as his stats on FBref show a sea of green positive attributes. He sits in the 94th percentile for progressive carries and the 92nd percentile for pass completion per 90.

As a central midfielder, his willingness to attack and be creative whilst also averaging 12.11 pressures per 90 means he will dominate the midfield, and facilitate not only Bruno Fernandes but any other midfielders that United might sign.

The Old Trafford faithful can finally relax and rejoice in the knowledge that they appear to be tying up the deal for their main target. He is sure to get supporters out of their seats, and marks the first of what will likely be many forays into the market for Erik ten Hag.

AND, in other news: “I keep hearing…”: Fabrizio Romano drops MUFC transfer update, supporters will love it.

Crystal Palace are unlikely to re-sign Selhurst Park graduate Aaron Wan-Bissaka this summer.

What’s the word?

That is according to Tom Barclay, who said that such a deal will most likely not happen due to the 24-year-old’s wages.

However, the journalist has claimed that he would not rule anything out completely, even though he believes that the chances of Wan-Bissaka returning to Selhurst Park are rather slim.

Speaking to GIVEMESPORT, Barclay stated: “Palace, I think, for the size of his wages, it’s probably unlikely. I never rule anything out, but the noises I’m getting is that it’s probably unlikely. I’d be surprised with Palace.”

Vieira will be gutted

A return to link up with his former club and partake in their project under Patrick Vieira could well be a tempting proposal for Wan-Bissaka, while a move for their former player would appear to be a no-brainer from a Palace perspective.

The 24-year-old’s lack of offensive participations at United have been a source of frustration, with just two goals and 10 assists in 126 appearances. However, under a manager like Vieira at Palace who does not utilise his full-backs in the same way, he would have been granted the freedom to concentrate on the defensive side of the game, where he is strongest.

There would be room for Wan-Bissaka to again become a first-team regular at Selhurst Park, with Nathan Ferguson having struggled with injuries, playing just eight minutes of football for the Eagles since July 2020, duly rendering ageing pair Nathaniel Clyne and Joel Ward as his only real competition.

In terms of performance metrics, the United defender’s average of 2.69 blocks per 90 makes this a standout feature of his game, whilst his match average of 2.64 interceptions also places him among the top 7% of right-backs in Europe’s top five leagues over the past 12 months.

There is no doubt that Wan-Bissaka offers solidity at the back, as evidenced by those figures, so the latest claim from Barclay will surely come as a blow to Vieira and the Palace faithful.

Unfortunately, with the 24-year-old’s £83k-p/w wage at Old Trafford superior to all but two players at Selhurst Park, it’s understandable that finances could be an issue for the Eagles in terms of a return to south London for their former protege.

In other news: “I was told…”: Journalist drops huge Palace transfer update, supporters will be buzzing

Leeds United’s move for Paris Saint-Germain forward Arnaud Kalimuendo could be ‘a goer’, according to Beren Cross.

The Lowdown: Kalimuendo rumours

The Independent reported last week that the Whites had made an offer for Kalimuendo in the region of €20m (£17.1m).

PSG would like to insert a buy-back clause in any exit for the forward this summer, and reports in Italy have actually suggested that rumoured opening offer may even be enough to meet the Parisians’ price tag.

Kalimuendo has been labelled as a player with ‘a beautiful palette’ and enjoyed a successful loan spell with Lens last season, scoring 12 goals in 34 Ligue 1 games.

The Latest: Cross shares update

Cross replied to a Whites fan in a LeedsLive Q&A on Monday afternoon regarding a possible move for Kalimuendo.

The journalist said that Leeds do ‘like’ the forward but admitted that rumours of an offer may well be ‘wide of the mark’. Cross did add that a transfer ‘could well emerge as a goer’, though.

[web_stories_embed url=”https://www.footballtransfertavern.com/web-stories/latest-leeds-united-news-45/” title=”Latest Leeds United news!” poster=”https://www.footballtransfertavern.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/04/cropped-2022-03-10T184055Z_1834933207_UP1EI3A1FW561_RTRMADP_3_SOCCER-ENGLAND-LEE-AVA-REPORT-1-scaled-1.jpg” width=”360″ height=”600″ align=”none”]

“Kalimuendo is one Leeds are understood to like, but talk of a formal bid may be wide of the mark. He’s a striker on a lot of clubs’ shortlists, we are told. He’s not the number one target, but one that could well emerge as a goer.”

The Verdict: One to watch…

A striker appears to be next on the agenda at Elland Road, although Cross has claimed that Leeds could now ‘pause to assess their next step’ after securing three transfers relatively quickly.

It is vital that Victor Orta and Co get an attacking addition spot on to rival the likes of Patrick Bamford and Joe Gelhardt ahead of Jesse Marsch’s first full season, especially following Bamford’s injury struggles and just four sides scoring fewer goals than Leeds last season.

Kalimuendo is seemingly on the list despite a deal not being as advanced as many believe, and he could be a smart addition. Yes, he doesn’t have Premier League experience, however, he appears to be a future star with 21 senior club goals to his name, and would also be able to play on the left or in a deeper role if required.

In other news: Orta now working on signing 31-goal striker for free; famous Leeds fan may help Elland Road move. 

West Bromwich Albion now look set to miss out on transfer target Joe Rothwell as talkSPORT correspondent Alex Crook revealed that the Blackburn ace is ‘on the brink’ of signing for Bournemouth.

The Lowdown: West Brom register interest

The 27-year-old first joined Rovers when he made the switch to the Championship from Oxford United, but failed to come to an agreement over a new deal at Ewood Park, meaning he will now become a free agent at the end of the month.

It was first reported by Alan Nixon that the Baggies had registered interest in the midfield maestro, alongside his teammate Darragh Lenihan, before the journalist provided a later update in May claiming that the Manchester-born talent was set to speak to all potential suitors ahead of deciding his next destination.

The Latest: Bournemouth set to sign Rothwell

In a new post on his personal Twitter account, however, Crook confirmed that it looks like Rothwell has chosen to join Bournemouth ahead of West Brom, after previously coming close to completing a move to the Cherries. He wrote:

“Six months after having a £2m bid rejected AFCB are on the brink of signing Blackburn midfielder Joe Rothwell as a free agent. Also working hard on other deals to strengthen the squad for Premier League return.”

The Verdict: Damaging for Bruce

With Scott Parker’s side now being able to offer Premier League football after recently gaining automatic promotion from the second-tier, it was almost an impossible battle for Steve Bruce to win as the opportunity of playing in the top-flight was too good of an offer for Rothwell.

Once dubbed a “super talent” by his former manager Tony Mowbray, the 27 year-old played 41 times in the Championship last season and provided ten assists, by far the most of any Blackburn player.

Bruce pulled off quite the coup in managing to bring former Reading starlet John Swift to the Hawthorns, but missing out on a Bosman deal for another player with such impressive creativity is certainly a damaging blow to his hopes of creating a promotion-worthy squad this summer.

In other news… West Brom have tabled an offer for one of Bruce’s main transfer targets.

Leeds United are reportedly readying an offer for Sporting CP attacker Gonzalo Plata.

The Lowdown: Plata profiled

The Whites have been name-checked with an interest in the 21-year-old this month as the club look to bolster their attacking ranks.

Primarily a right-winger, Plata can also play on the left and is valued at £4.5m by Transfermarkt.

The Ecuador international spent last season on loan at Spanish side Real Valladolid, where he scored six times and registered five assists, and that form appears to have caught the eye of Leeds chiefs.

The Latest: Transfer update

According to an outlet local to his temporary home, Diario de Valladolid (via Pucela Fichajes), Leeds are now preparing an offer close to €10m (£8.7m) for Plata.

The report adds that the Whites are also willing to offer the forward a salary in the region of €2m-a-year, which would work out at just over £33,000-a-week.

This comes despite news earlier this week that the player had suffered a serious injury while on international duty.

[web_stories_embed url=”https://www.footballtransfertavern.com/web-stories/latest-leeds-united-updates-4/” title=”Latest Leeds United updates!” poster=”https://www.footballtransfertavern.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/04/cropped-2022-03-10T184055Z_1834933207_UP1EI3A1FW561_RTRMADP_3_SOCCER-ENGLAND-LEE-AVA-REPORT-1-scaled-1.jpg” width=”360″ height=”600″ align=”none”]

The Verdict: Not waiting around

The Whites appear to be closing in on Bayern Munich midfielder Marc Roca, who is set to undergo a medical later this week.

It now looks as if Victor Orta is already working on a fourth transfer, with Andrea Radrizzani and the 49ers Enterprises willing to write another multi-million cheque.

Plata has been described as a player with a ‘huge amount of talent’, so it’ll be interesting to see how this unfolds, especially with Jack Harrison and Raphinha linked with Elland Road exits.

In other news: Next step now taken on Kalvin Phillips leaving Leeds in big development. 

Leeds United have been handed a huge boost in their pursuit of Chelsea defender Jake Clarke-Salter.

What’s the talk?

That’s according to a report by Coventry Live, who claim that, despite Chelsea possessing an option to extend the 24-year-old’s contract at Stamford Bridge for a further year, Thomas Tuchel has now decided against activating this clause.

That means the centre-back is set to leave west London on a free transfer at the end of the month, thus handing Leeds United a green light to sign him.

The report goes on to state that Leeds – as well as Coventry City, Sheffield United, PSV Eindhoven and Club Brugge – have all been keeping a very close eye on the situation of the former England U21 international, with it being expected that the defender will receive a host of offers upon the expiry of his Chelsea contract.

John Terry 2.0

Considering just how talented a player Clarke-Salter very much appears to be, the fact that Victor Orta has now been given the green light to make a move for the centre-back will certainly come as a huge boost to the Whites’ sporting director.

Indeed, the £1.8m-rated defender highly impressed over his 29 Championship appearances on loan at Coventry this season, helping the Sky Blues keep five clean sheets, as well as making an average of 1.2 interceptions, 2.3 tackles, 2.7 clearances, 40.1 passes and winning 6.6 duels – at a success rate of 61% – per game.

[snack-amp-story url= “https://www.footballfancast.com/web-stories/read-the-latest-leeds-united-news-transfer-rumours-gossip-and-much-more-2″ title=”Read the latest Leeds news, transfer rumours and more!”]

These returns saw the £5k-per-week talent average a SofaScore match rating of 6.90, ranking him as Mark Robins’ tenth-best performer in the second tier of English football – playing a crucial role in City’s impressive top-half finish in the league.

Furthermore, the former Chelsea and England captain, John Terry, is also a huge admirer of the 24-year-old, with the legendary centre-back previously claiming that Clarke-Salter reminded him of his younger self, stating after the defender’s debut for Chelsea:

“Jake has a great attitude. I remember watching him a couple of years ago being in control of the game and a really vocal player. He reminds me a bit of myself. He is doing great and I hope he goes on to take my position and get in the first team. It was great for him to make his debut.”

However, the fact that the player who Robins dubbed “absolutely outstanding” has now not made the grade at Chelsea should certainly not put Orta off a deal this summer, as the likes of Tariq Lamptey, Tino Livramento, Declan Rice, Eddie Nketiah, Tammy Abraham and even Leeds’ own Patrick Bamford all fall into this category.

Indeed, it would very much appear as if the Blues’ loss could once again be the Whites’ gain, as landing Clarke-Salter on a free would undoubtedly represent fantastic business for the Spaniard – with the 24-year-old certainly looking to be a player who boasts a great amount of potential.

AND in other news: Marsch can unearth the next Haaland as Leeds plot bid for “ice cold” 43-goal sensation

Celtic are reportedly close to confirming an official permanent transfer for Jota from Benfica.

What’s the news?

According to a recent article from the Daily Record, the Hoops “are set to take up their £6m option” to purchase the winger from the Portuguese club after his recent season-long loan spell at Parkhead.

During his time in Glasgow, the 23-year-old made 40 appearances in total for the Bhoys across all competitions. In that time, the winger found the net 13 times and delivered 14 assists, showing that it wasn’t any trouble for him to settle into the team and become a deadly attacking figure.

In 29 league appearances, Jota scored 10 goals and supplied 11 assists, which goes to show how important he was in Celtic’s Premiership title charge as they ended the season with more goals scored (92) than any other top-flight team.

Great news for Celtic

To further highlight how dangerous Jota was in an attacking sense, only Liel Abada finished the season with more shots and shots on target in the league than the Benfica youngster among Ange Postecoglou’s squad.

Also, no other Celtic player came close to providing the number of crosses that the Portuguese gem delivered for his side (229).

Taking this latest behind-the-scenes development into account, it will surely be great news for the Glasgow club and their fans to be able to secure the talented winger on a permanent transfer.

If they can do so, it would then give them the chance to focus on securing other potential transfers that Postecoglou may feel the need to complete.

While the Bhoys will undoubtedly be setting out to retain their Premiership title next year, they will also be looking to go as far as they can in Europe and win the other domestic trophies as well.

To maximise their chances of doing so, Postecoglou will need to ensure that he has the right balance of quality and depth in his squad so they can go out and achieve their targets.

Looking back to last summer’s transfer window, the significant amount of business which took place during that period will surely give a lot of Celtic fans hope that the upcoming window can be just as fruitful for them once again, with Jota’s proposed arrival on a permanent basis kicking things off.

In other news: Celtic can replicate O’Riley masterclass by signing 21 y/o gem who’s “right up there”

Rangers ended their 2021/22 campaign on a high as they won the Scottish Cup final to bring one trophy back to Ibrox.

The Gers missed out on silverware in the Premiership and the Europa League as they finished runners-up in both competitions.

Gio van Bronckhorst will now have his first summer transfer window in charge to improve his team in order to go again next term with the hope of winning more than one trophy.

One position in which he is looking to strengthen is at centre-back as the club have been linked with a move for Cameron Humphreys.

The defender is set to leave Belgian outfit Zulte Waregem at the end of his contract this summer and Rangers are reportedly interested in signing him, alongside a number of teams from England.

Van Bronckhorst has a difficult situation to manage at centre-back as Leon Balogun and Connor Goldson are out of contract and Calvin Bassey has been touted with an Ibrox exit.

Imagine him & John Souttar

However, Souttar will be arriving from Hearts ahead of the 2022/23 campaign and he can form a dream partnership with Humphreys at the back.

The Scotland international is a proven, quality, Premiership performer who can slot straight into the team and lead the backline next term. In the top-flight this season, the 25-year-old averaged an exceptional SofaScore rating of 7.30 in 27 appearances.

He won a whopping 71% of his duels and made 3.9 clearances per game as he made himself a rock at the back for Hearts. Souttar has shown that he can deliver on a consistent basis and this means that he would be the perfect partner for a young player coming in from abroad – Humphreys.

The 23-year-old defender won 71% of his aerial battles and 62% of his duels in total in the top-flight of Belgian football in the season just gone, showing that he can be physically dominant and not be bullied by the opposition. He also made 2.2 tackles and interceptions and 2.9 clearances per game as he showcased some strong defensive instincts.

Humphreys is untested in the Premiership, though, and this is why pairing him with a proven quantity – Souttar – can make for the perfect blend at the heart of van Bronckhorst’s defence.

Former Man City coach Simon Davies once claimed that the gem can become a “real leader” and this highlights the potential he has from a mental standpoint. He can grow into a key figure on and off the pitch with his leadership skills, which can also be aided by Souttar’s presence – who has captained Hearts in the past.

It is now down to Ross Wilson to convince the Englishman to turn down interest from his home country to make the switch to Glasgow as it would be a dream deal for the club to solve their centre-back issues.

AND in other news, GvB can find Kemar Roofe 2.0 in Rangers swoop for “clinical” gem who “rarely misses”…

Leeds United journalist Beren Cross has confirmed outcast full-back Laurens De Bock is set to leave the club this summer. 

The lowdown: Lesser-seen signing

Signed as part of the ongoing Victor Orta led transfer regime at Elland Road in 2018, De Bock cost a reported £1.5million from Belgian side Club Brugge.

However, the versatile defender only made seven appearances for the Whites at the start of the 2018/19 campaign before being loaned out to KV Oostende and subsequently spending time at Sunderland and ADO Ten Haag prior to his most recent spell with Zulte Waregem.

[web_stories_embed url=”https://www.footballtransfertavern.com/web-stories/latest-leeds-united-updates-3/” title=”Latest Leeds United updates!” poster=”https://www.footballtransfertavern.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/04/cropped-2022-03-10T184055Z_1834933207_UP1EI3A1FW561_RTRMADP_3_SOCCER-ENGLAND-LEE-AVA-REPORT-1-scaled-1.jpg” width=”360″ height=”600″ align=”none”]

Now as the end of the current campaign comes to an end and with it the latest in a long line of temporary moves for De Bock, one reputable Leeds voice has delivered an update on the Belgian’s future…

The latest: ‘Finally’

Responding to questions in a Q&A for Leeds Live, Cross dealt with what happens next regarding the former Belgium youth international.

He explained: “De Bock’s deal finally expires this summer and he will walk away as a free agent.”

This confirms previous reports that the player is not expected to play again for Leeds.

The verdict: Best possible outcome

While it’s incumbent upon Leeds to deal with De Bock throughout the duration of his contract in Yorkshire, it’s felt for some time now as if the writing has been on the wall for the 29-year-old.

Despite the ongoing injury plight that has plagued the ranks this term, it’s perhaps telling that perennial loanee’s absence hasn’t been derided as this season the Belgian has made 30 appearances across all competitions in his homeland.

When the defender does leave on a free, additional funds should be made available for wages, something that could be key whether Jesse Marsch is attempting to attract players to either plot a Championship promotion push or a more successful Premier League campaign.

In other news: Orta now eyeing transfer move for exciting winger even if Leeds are in the Championship.