All posts by n8rngtd.top

Celtic manager Ange Postecoglou will no doubt be sweating ahead of the January transfer window, with the 57-year-old likely to be fearing the potential exits of a handful of key players amid intense interest from elsewhere.

Journalist Fabrizio Romano revealed earlier this week that wing wizard Liel Abada has caught the attention of numerous Premier League clubs as a result of his sparkling form of late, with the 21-year-old having scored 24 goals and registered 15 assists in 79 games for the Parkhead outfit to date.

The indication is that the Old Firm giants will look to try and tie down the Israel international to a new deal in order to ward off any interest, with Southampton having been named as a standout suitor at present.

The fear will be that a concrete approach could emerge in the New Year, with the Hoops hoping to avoid any sort of setback which could derail their current momentum in the quest to retain their Premiership title.

The champions should be fearful of losing not just Abada, though. Fellow youngster Matt O’Riley is another at Celtic who could well be the subject of firm interest next month, with the Denmark U21 international having previously been linked with a host of Europe’s top clubs over the summer, as per ESPN.

The report suggested that the London-born ace – who arrived in Scotland on a £1.5m deal from MK Dons in January – could well command a fee of around £20m, with both Newcastle United and Leicester City named as the most likely clubs to make an offer.

The player himself – who has also reportedly been scouted by Manchester United – admitted that there had been interest from those two clubs, while reports earlier this season suggested that the Magpies were still watching him closely.

Pundit Tam McManus notably tipped the 22-year-old to exit Parkhead in the near future, with the former Hibernian man saying: “I do think he has the potential to be a Premier League player.”

Such claims have come amid O’Riley’s stunning form for the Bhoys in 2022, with the one-time Fulham youth asset having emerged as a real “top player” of late according to McManus after scoring four goals and registering ten assists in 45 games for Celtic.

The 6 foot 2 “magician” – as lauded by talent scout Jacek Kulig – particularly impressed during the club’s eventual Champions League disappointment, with Guillem Balague stating that the player “did not look out of place at all” against the likes of Luka Modric and Toni Kroos in the defeat to Real Madrid at Parkhead.

Such standout displays against Europe’s elite will have undoubtedly piqued the interest of further suitors, and it would be no surprise if offers start flooding in for his signature during January.

Nevertheless, Postecoglou and co simply can’t afford to lose such a crucial figure during the mid-season transfer window, with the £12k-p/w gem having started all but one of Celtic’s top-flight games so far this season. That rare substitute role notably came in the shock defeat away to St Mirren in September.

That illustrates just how vital O’Riley is to the Premiership leaders, with the Hoops needing to do all they can to ensure that he remains at Celtic beyond the end of next month.

Chelsea are ‘already negotiating’ with Benfica over the big-money signing of exciting youngster Enzo Fernandez, according to journalist Cesar Luis Merlo.

The Lowdown: Enzo strongly linked with move

The 21-year-old had a memorable 2022 World Cup with Argentina, not only winning the tournament but also scooping the Best Young Player award in Qatar.

Since then, Fernandez has become hot property and Chelsea have arguably emerged as the front-runners to sign him in the January transfer window.

Now, another update has emerged – one that further suggests that a move to Stamford Bridge could be on the cards very soon.

The Latest: New update emerges

Taking to Twitter, Merlo gave an update on the situation, claiming that talks over a €127million (£112.6m) transfer are fully underway:

“Chelsea and Benfica are already negotiating forms and structures around the offer of €127M for Enzo Fernandez. The fixed amount, bonuses and forms of payment must be established. It is not an easy operation but the English are bidding for it.”

Meanwhile, Record [via Sport Witness] also report that Fernandez is ‘tempted’ by a move to Chelsea, especially given the lure of the Premier League.

The Verdict: Midfield saviour?

Fernandez is understandably one of the world’s most sought-after young midfielders now and he is someone who could be a long-term colossus in the middle of the park for Chelsea.

With the likes of N’Golo Kante and Jorginho now in their 30s, fresh blood is required as soon as possible and the Argentine could be the perfect fit for Graham Potter.

A player with maturity beyond his years in a deep-lying midfield role, Fernandez enjoyed an 87.6% pass completion rate at the World Cup, as well as averaging an impressive 3.1 tackles per game, showing tenacity off the ball and class on it.

Arsenal transfer target Mykhailo Mudryk could move to Chelsea, journalist David Ornstein has admitted.

What’s the word?

The Gunners are in hot pursuit of the Ukrainian, having bid twice for the winger, but Chelsea are now monitoring his situation and Ornstein has stated that they cannot be ruled out of the race.

Arsenal want to add attacking firepower to their ranks, as they sit eight points clear at the top of the league, and the 21-year-old could provide quality depth and competition to Gabriel Martinelli and Bukayo Saka.

Speaking on Sky Sports News (via Football Daily), Ornstein claimed that it will be a case of waiting to see where Mudryk ends up.

“They’ll [Arsenal] look to do some business in the January market. They want a couple of players,” he stated.

“It’s been quite well-documented now, with Mudryk, Chelsea are monitoring the situation. I don’t know if they’ll beat Arsenal to him, let’s wait and see. Mudryk has been quite clear in stating his desire to join.”

A vital signing for Arsenal?

Although the reported price tag quoted by Shakhtar Donetsk for their prodigy is high, this is a signing that could help Arsenal win their first Premier League title since 2004.

The Gunners dropped their first points since October in a 0-0 draw with Newcastle, in a game where Mikel Arteta did not make any attacking substitutions.

Having a player with the quality of Mudryk to be able to replace Martinelli or Saka could gain them extra points in tough games, and they will need as much quality as possible to stay ahead of Manchester City.

If Chelsea significantly outbid the Gunners, then they may be faced with disappointment over the winger and may be forced to look elsewhere for reinforcements.

Crystal Palace are reportedly interested in signing Aston Villa striker Danny Ings this month and the prolific forward could help Patrick Vieira turn the Eagles’ fortunes around.

According to The Sun, Palace are set to rival Everton for the former England international, who has found game time hard to come by under new manager Unai Emery at Villa Park.

The 30-year-old would join the Villans from Southampton in a deal worth £25m in the summer of 2021 but has struggled to replicate his impressive form on the south coast with his new side, managing just 14 goals and eight assists in 51 appearances for the Midlands club.

However, his previous spells with Burnley, Liverpool and Southampton suggest that he could be the man to end Palace’s woes in front of goal, as he has more than 100 league goals to his name, with 68 of those coming in the top flight.

While last season was ultimately a disappointing one for Ings in front of goal, he would still manage seven goals and six assists in the Premier League, which was more than every player in Vieira’s squad bar Wilfried Zaha.

He also has six goals in just eight Premier League starts so far this campaign, which again is better than most at Selhurst Park have managed, with Zaha having also hit six in the top flight.

The last out-and-out striker to hit double figures and finish as Palace’s top scorer in the Premier League was Christian Benteke in 2016/17 which suggests that the Eagles have been reliant on Zaha for far too long and need to recruit a Premier League-proven goalscorer such as Ings.

Noel Whelan was full of praise for the Villa man when speaking to Football Insider last season, describing him as a “phenomenal finisher” and it’s that sort of ability that could finally see the Eagles’ striker curse ended.

Indeed, the likes of Jean-Philippe Mateta, Alexander Sorloth and Connor Wickham have all failed to deliver the goods at Selhurst Park across recent seasons and in Ings, Vieira could sign a striker who he trusts can find the back of the net on a regular basis, as was emphasised by his 22 goals for Southampton in the 2019/20 season.

Therefore, Vieira should definitely look to bring the £5.3m-rated Ings to Selhurst Park this month in the hope that he can break Palace’s recent striker hoodoo and fire the Eagles back up the Premier League table after some shocking recent results.

Everton were yet again on the wrong end of a result at Goodison Park today, as they welcomed the Premier League’s rock-bottom club Southampton and allowed a half-time lead to slip away.

Having scored with just six minutes left of the first half, there was a quiet confidence that Frank Lampard would be able to sneak away with a narrow victory over a team who gave as good as they got.

However, no less than 90 seconds after the interval, James Ward-Prowse stole in behind to finish past Jordan Pickford and stun the watching Evertonians into nervous silence.

That would continue until Anthony Gordon’s reckless foul allowed the 28-year-old a shot at goal from a dead ball. A notorious sharp-shooter from set pieces, the Saints captain made no mistake, leaving the goalkeeper rooted as he slammed in his 16th goal from a free kick in the Premier League.

With no characters to stand up for Everton when they were needed, the 2-1 scoreline would stand as the Toffees searched for a late equaliser to no avail. They had lost to a Southampton team enduring a six-game losing run in the league prior to today’s clash.

Whilst many players among the home side could be highlighted for their poor performances, Seamus Coleman stands out given his lack of attacking impetus, which duly left Lampard’s team hamstrung.

With the manager opting to continue with a 5-3-2 system, the club captain was forced to retain his place on the right flank due to Nathan Patterson’s injury.

However, it is clear that time has not been kind to the 33-year-old Irishman, who was handed a 6.5 rating for his display which saw him record just 49 touches and complete 14 of his 24 attempted passes (via Sofascore). For comparison, even Pickford touched the ball more often (58).

To outline what made Coleman so toothless today is to look towards his ball progression, having been unsuccessful in all three of his attempted dribbles, while only one of his three crosses found a team-mate.

It is a shame to see someone who was once such a dynamic presence for the club now neutered, and frankly a detriment to the team due to poor recruitment.

What further compounded his miserable afternoon was his defensive outlay, as he could only win three of his seven duels. He lost the ball 21 times and was substituted after 69 minutes, a damning indictment of his horrendous afternoon.

Whilst Coleman’s individual performance will be the least of the worries for Lampard, it will frustrate him all the same as his job security could now hang by a thread, having already been under pressure even before this dismal defeat.

Today’s result could be the final nail in the coffin at Goodison Park for the 44-year-old, who is slowly transitioning from a hero of last year’s burst to survival to a villain of the present-day relegation battle.

The immediate full-time aftermath was dominated by the sit-in protest organised by various fan groups, but when the blue smoke clears and Farhad Moshiri has some time to think, he might need to act upon a manager who has not steered his team to victory since October.

Aston Villa are undergoing a transformation under the guidance of Unai Emery, who assumed the role of head coach in October and has since steered the team away from dangerous territory in the Premier League, with sights firmly set on a top-half finish.

With some acquisitions already clinched and further activity likely to continue as the club search for a new winger, the central positions have yet to be enhanced, but reports have stated that a bid for Villarreal playmaker Dani Parejo could be forthcoming.

According to Birmingham Live (relaying information from Spanish media), Emery is searching for a reunion with one of his most beloved players once again, with an offer currently being prepared to match the Yellow Submarine’s €12m (£10m) asking price.

With the 33-year-old firmly on Johan Lange’s radar at Villa, signing him could represent a new-found sense of control in midfield, consequently bolstering the collective efforts of the entire team. For the fee quoted, it would perhaps be a prudent move for a footballer brimming with elegance, grace and footballing intellect, one who has already plied his trade under Emery at two clubs.

Parejo is a player that the Villa manager knows well, with the four-cap Spaniard having played under him 145 times – the joint-fifth most of any player across 51-year-old’s managerial career.

During their mutual time at Villarreal, Parejo set up Gerard Moreno’s goal in the 2021 Europa League final triumph over Manchester United as the Yellow Submarine won on penalties, with Emery clinching his fourth Europa League trophy in the process.

As per FBref, the former Valencia maestro still ranks within the top 9% of midfielders for rate of assists across Europe’s top five leagues over the past year, but it is the comparison to Toni Kroos which could most entice the Villa faithful.

Indeed, with the Real Madrid stalwart a stylistically comparable player to Parejo, Emery would be wise to try and mirror the commendable feats of the five-time Champions League winner by luring the Villarreal ace to Villa Park, with Parejo dictating the play and instigating promising manoeuvres from the heart of midfield.

As per Whoscored, since the 2009/10 campaign, Parejo has recorded an average pass success rate of 86.6%, chalking up 72 goals and 79 assists. In the same period, Kroos has racked up 57 goals, 119 assists and a supreme average passing accuracy of 91.6%.

Speaking to The Athletic, Gary Neville – who once managed Parejo at Valencia during an infamous stint at the Mestalla – said that the Spaniard was a world-class player with his technical ability, waxing lyrical over his attributes.

The former Manchester United defender said: “He’s an exceptional player. Dani is the type of player who could play for Pep Guardiola at Manchester City or could have played for Luis Enrique at Barcelona… he could play in a Pep Guardiola team – he’s that good.”

For a distinguished midfield force who “oozes class” – as remarked by journalist Josh Bunting – there seems little doubt that Parejo would bolster the Villa side, providing an added creative dimension from the middle of the park and injecting some high-level experience which could prove to be the difference in the pursuit of a top-half finish, perhaps evening wedging into a coveted European qualification berth.

Transfer insider Dean Jones has slammed the West Ham United ‘scattergun’ approach to the transfer market suggesting that it could negatively impact players wanting to join them.

What’s the latest?

With the winter window now open, the Hammers have been linked with a number of names already. For instance, they had been strongly linked with Terem Moffi before the club then pulled off a deal with Aston Villa for Danny Ings.
And while it remains to be seen if the club retain an interest in the Lorient forward, this latest development proves how West Ham like to have a number of deals going on at once.
And while this may help the Premier League side move from deal to deal quickly should they encounter any problems, they do run the risk of leaving transfer targets feeling as those they are just one name amongst many on a list – as opposed to being the one player the Hammers really want to sign.
While speaking on Chasing Green Arrows, Jones made this point, saying: “I mean, West Ham just look at too many players. It’s simple. They literally like scattergun across Europe and then they see where they land.
“And they genuinely do go after two or three players at the same time to see which one progresses in the way that best suits them, and then they’ll narrow it down and just start pushing them aside to narrow in on the one they actually want.
He continued: “Even for the players, I think it’s quite frustrating, because it sounds like, from agents I speak to, it is difficult to get a grasp on whether you’re the player they even really want or whether you’re just a player they might want.”

Too many options?

Of course, every team will have a list of primary targets they want and they will no doubt have alternatives should one transfer fall through for any reason, but it does seem as though West Ham perhaps take this method a little too far.
Still, with David Moyes’ men struggling down towards the very bottom of the league table, it’s no shock that reinforcements are wanted.
At least for now, Ings has arrived and has over 100 senior goals to his name at club level across the span of his career, the former Villan should at least bring some immediate firepower to the club’s ranks.
As for Moffi, well if Michail Antonio does leave this month – amid talks of a switch to Wolves – then perhaps the club will be glad to have another striker already lined up and ready to move for.

Wolverhampton Wanderers have improved under Julen Lopetegui, earning 1.4 points per Premier League game under him after five matches compared to 0.67 beforehand.

They are far from the finished article yet, though, and the Spaniard is using the January transfer window to great effect in order to preserve the Molineux club’s top-flight status.

Winter arrivals include Matheus Cunha, Mario Lemina, Pablo Sarabia and Craig Dawson as the manager looks to build a new-look spine to the team. At the same time, there have also been a few departures, most notably summer signing Goncalo Guedes, who has moved to Benfica on loan.

The Portuguese forward only netted twice in 18 matches for his parent club, and Lopetegui will now be actively looking for a replacement.

The Old Gold have been linked with a move for Udinese forward Gerard Deulofeu this month, with Fabrizio Romano discussing the player on the House of Champions YouTube channel and claiming that Lopetegui is a fan of the 28-year-old.

The Italian stated: “I think it’s about Udinese wanting to keep Deulofeu. For example, I’m told that also Wolves’ manager Lopetegui is [a] big fan of Deulofeu. So it’s true that Aston Villa like him, but also Wolves have been tracking him.”

Despite Wolves improving their ability to score under the Spaniard, with four in his five league games compared to just three in eight under Bruno Lage until his sacking at the start of October, he will be in the market for another forward who can add a different dynamic to his team, and Deulofeu could be the ideal player.

The ex-Watford forward would also be a major upgrade on Guedes too. The 5 foot 10 dynamo has not only registered more goal contributions (eight to two) than the 26-year-old this season, along with more shots (44 to 21), goal-creating actions (nine to one) and shot-creating actions per match (6.16 to 3.43), illustrating that he would be a much more effective attacking threat for Wolves.

Deulofeu’s excellent performances this term have seen him become one of the best in the continent compared to positional peers across Europe’s top five leagues, ranking in the top 10% for assists, shot-creating actions, passes attempted, progressive passes, dribbles completed and touches in the attacking penalty area.

His former Everton coach Roberto Martinez heaped praise on the player following an impressive performance against Barnsley in 2015, saying of Deulofeu: “He was outstanding when he came on. His pace, penetration, and ability in one-on-one situations was something that inspired our second-half performance.”

If Lopetegui could secure the 28-year-old’s signature this month, it would give Wolves another excellent attacking option and potentially play a big role in continuing the club’s recent resurgence.

Italian journalist Fabrizio Romano has claimed that Chelsea has made an approach for Everton midfielder Amadou Onana. 

The Lowdown: Chelsea step-up interest

The Times has reported that Graham Potter’s side have stepped up their interest in the Belgian and Premier League midfielder, with Enzo Fernandez of Benfica and Brighton & Hove Albion’s Moises Caicedo also listed as potential targets.

French outlet Foot Mercato has claimed that the Blues have put in an offer for the Toffees man, but Onana is said to have rejected them.

Everton signed the 21-year-old last summer from LOSC Lille and the club ended up paying £33.5 million for his services.

The Latest: Conversations held

Romano has claimed that Chelsea have held conversations with the Toffees, so they can understand the conditions of a possible deal when speaking to GiveMeSport.

He stated, “He’s on the radar of many clubs because, for example, Chelsea had conversations with his agents. They also approached Everton to understand the conditions of the deal for Onana.”

The Verdict: Talented player, steep price

We believe that Onana is a talented player, but the price tag Everton is asking for is simply too steep, it’s been reported that they would need £50 million in order to sanction his exit.

Former Belgium and Everton manager Roberto Martinez praised his former player at the start of the season, describing Onana as a player with ‘physical presence and dynamism’ when speaking to Het Laatste Nieuws.

He certainly has the potential to blossom into a real gem, but £50 million is simply too much for a player whose experience is fairly limited in the grand scheme of things in our view.

Having said that, there’s an argument to be made the prices paid by Premier League clubs are extortionate anyway, as names such as Romelu Lukaku, Harry Maguire and Kepa Arrizabalaga spring to mind.

Chelsea’s recent recruitment is seemingly to target mostly younger players, Onana definitely fits that bill and perhaps they will be willing to meet Everton’s demands for the midfielder.

Aston Villa are ‘yet to discuss’ a new deal for Tyrone Mings even though his current contract expires next year, according to journalist Ashley Preece.

The Lowdown: Mings’ contract running down

The 29-year-old has continued to be an important player for the Villans this season, making 18 Premier League starts and improving as the campaign has progressed.

Mings’ current Villa deal runs out in the summer of 2024, however, and it remains to be seen whether or not he will be offered an extension before then.

Now, a new update has now emerged regarding the situation.

The Latest: No talks yet

Taking to Twitter, Preece said that there are currently no talks going on regarding a new contract for Mings, but suggested that the club should get it done:

“Villa yet to discuss a new contract for Tyrone Mings who’ll have 12 months remaining on his #avfc deal at the end of the season. The centre-back’s form has been brilliant. Mings will be 31 by the time his current contract is up. New deal a no-brainer?”

The Verdict: Is it worth it?

This is a tricky one for Villa, considering Mings turns 30 next month and is already one of the biggest earners at the club, bringing in £80,000 per week.

[freshpress-quiz id=“418895″]

Offering him another big-money deal at his age would represent a risk, even though the 17-time capped England international remains a good player who has been called ‘fantastic’ by Steven Gerrard.

The best solution would be to offer Mings a shorter-term contract that doesn’t eat into his 30s too much – if he wants to accept it he can, but if not, a move elsewhere could make sense.

He should certainly continue to be an important and popular figure at Villa Park for the foreseeable future, though, so a summer exit from nowhere is not something Unai Emery would surely want.