All posts by z3u9t.icu

Arguably one of the best managers in Tottenham Hotspur history, Mauricio Pochettino had to give the best interview of his career in order to make those at Chelsea forget about his former club, upon taking charge at Stamford Bridge. His approach? Well, it appears to be one where he talks down about his former club with some less-than-subtle digs about how the Blues have been better than Spurs for years… The Argentine has got some mess to clean up in London, too, and he hasn’t got long to do it. So far this summer, Chelsea have endured quite the clear-out, mainly shipping players off to Saudi Arabia in a bid to finally make some space in a dressing room previously filled to the brim.As for incomings, the Blues have so far welcomed Nicolas Jackson and the long-awaited arrival of Christopher Nkunku, with plenty more time to potentially welcome more fresh faces this summer.

What did Mauricio Pochettino say in his first Chelsea interview?

Speaking to the club for the first time, Pochettino said all the right things from a Chelsea perspective, but potentially all the wrong things if you support Spurs. After all, he suggested that the Blues have been better than Tottenham for more than a decade, even when he was in charge.

Indeed, in part one of his interview, he said: “‘I think it’s important and it’s a culture of winning. In the last 10, 12, 15 years, Chelsea is the greatest team in England. I know very well the Premier League and what the culture of Chelsea means. I think our fans are excited to again be on the road of trying to win.

“Of course, we are excited. We are excited to work with a very young team, with a different approach than in the past. But I think we all need to understand that we have to work really hard and create a very good atmosphere at the training ground to build success for the team in the next few years.

The new manager then went on to say in part two: “I know very well that we need to build this relationship. Our past is our past, we respect and are proud of our past, but now is time to build at a new club, with different fans that behave and are different to other clubs.

“That is our responsibility to build a very good relationship with our new fans. We hope we can create as soon as possible this good feeling, but I know very well we need to create this good feeling around the signals the team sends to them.

“We need to be team that shows togetherness, cares about the club, cares about the fans, and that fights until the end for the badge. That’s the most important thing. The fans need to feel that all the players involved in the game are going to die for the club. That is the most important thing to create this good feeling and for sure feel proud of each other.”

How did the fans react?

It seems as though the interview managed to win Chelsea fans over, with many left excited after Pochettino’s first words as the new boss.

Some took to Twitter to share their thoughts as they were evidently left delighted by the dig aimed at their London rivals:

Tottenham Hotspur fans, meanwhile, were not happy with Pochettino, to say the least. No doubt, they would have been particularly upset with his claim that in the last “10, 12, 15 years” Chelsea have been the “greatest team in England”.

After all, he was coach of Spurs during this period, so he’s essentially admitted that the Blues were better than his former team even when he was calling the shots in north London.

Chelsea have been one of the busiest clubs on the continent in terms of transfer activity so far this summer, with Kai Havertz and Mateo Kovacic the latest big names to depart.

Edouard Mendy, N'Golo Kante and Kalidou Koulibaly have all moved to clubs in Saudi Arabia, meanwhile, and it looks likely that Ruben Loftus-Cheek will be next out the Stamford Bridge exit in a move to AC Milan.

Mauricio Pochettino is no doubt eager to replenish the squad, which was in clear need of a facelift, having so far brought in only Christopher Nkunku from RB Leipzig – a deal sanctioned well before he arrived at the club.

Who is Chelsea target Angelo Gabriel?

According to Nizaar Kinsella in a report for the Evening Standard, Chelsea are in advanced talks to sign Brazilian winger Angelo Gabriel from Santos in a deal worth around £15m.

It is unclear whether Angelo will slot straight into Chelsea's first-team squad ahead of the 2023-24 Premier League season, or instead go out on loan to affiliate club Strasbourg in Ligue 1.

As someone with 129 senior games to his name despite not turning 19 until December, it might well be that Pochettino – a coach well known for giving youngsters a chance – decides to see what the teenager is all about during pre-season.

Is Angelo Gabriel a good fit for Mauricio Pochettino?

Angelo, as he is known, has been on the radar of major clubs such as Real Madrid and Liverpool ever since becoming the youngest goalscorer in Copa Libertadores history at the age of 16 two years ago, a record that Madrid-bound Endrick has since taken.

In terms of his playing style, Angelo plays out wide and thrives when it comes to beating his opponent, as highlighted by his 4.55 successful take-ons per 90 minutes over the past year. Indeed, as per FBref, that places him among the top 1% of attacking midfielders and wingers across the eight leagues most similar in quality to the Brasileiro Serie A.

As pointed out by his former coach Betinho in an interview with Goal in 2021, Angelo "is like Neymar in terms of his dribbling at speed and his change of direction". Neymar, it is worth pointing out, did not make his Santos debut until a year after Angelo.

That is not to say Angelo is necessarily on the same path as his compatriot, who has starred for both Barcelona and Paris Saint-Germain, but Pochettino appears to be the dream manager to ensure he lives up to the hype.

After all, there are plenty of previous examples of Pochettino getting the most out of big-money players and indeed forwards looking to make their way in English football, arguably the biggest of all being Son Heung-min at Tottenham.

Son joined Spurs from Bayer Leverkusen for £22m in 2015 and initially struggled, but he became one of Europe's hottest talents in his four years working with Pochettino.

As Son said in 2016, he is "very grateful" that Pochettino persuaded him to stay at Spurs and become the player he is, with the South Korean going on to find the net 145 times for the Lilywhites to date, 75 of which came under the new Chelsea boss.

Known for his fleet-footed nature, it's easy to see how he and Angelo are alike.

Being compared to Neymar and Son means Angelo has a lot to live up to, but if he remains patient and takes the advice on board, Pochettino can make him a Premier League star.

An update has emerged on Celtic and their plans to bolster their attacking options in the summer transfer window…

What's the latest on Benie Traore to Celtic?

According to journalist Alan Nixon's Patreon (25/06/2023), the Hoops are one of a number of clubs showing an interest in Hacken centre-forward Benie Traore.

The report claims that the club have been trying to green-light a swoop for the 20-year-old marksman for over a week as Brendan Rodgers attempts to land his second signing of the summer, after the arrival of Norwegian midfielder Odin Thiago Holm.

It states that Premier League side Sheffield United and fellow Scottish outfit Rangers are also keen on the young attacker, who is set to be available for a fee in the region of £5m.

Who is Benie Traore?

The Ivorian could be a terrific addition to the club's squad as his form in Sweden this year suggests that he has the potential to be a dream heir to Kyogo Furuhashi at Parkhead.

Burnley, who have been promoted to the top-flight of English football ahead of next term, are reportedly interested in signing the Japan international and Celtic may have to start thinking about what life will look like after the 28-year-old moves on.

He has been a phenomenal performer for the Hoops since joining in the summer of 2021 and has proven himself to be a reliable Scottish Premiership goalscorer.

Kyogo averaged a Sofascore rating of 7.11 and plundered 27 goals in 31 league starts last season and that came off the back of 12 goals in 16 starts during his debut campaign in the division. As such, the exceptional finisher has scored once every 1.2 league starts on average for the club over the last two years.

These statistics suggest that it will be a tough task to replace his output in the final third. However, Traore's goalscoring record in Sweden indicates that the 20-year-old prospect could come in and enjoy similar success.

Indeed, the Hacken centre-forward, who was hailed as "talented" and a "jewel" by talent scout Jacek Kulig, has averaged a Sofascore rating of 7.25 across 13 Allsvenskan appearances and contributed with 12 goals and three assists.

Traore also produced three goals and three assists in six Svenska Cupen outings earlier this year on the way to helping his team win the competition.

At the age of 20, the star of the Swedish top-flight would come in as a player with long-term potential as well as being a striker who could make an instant impact at Parkhead, given his incredible form since the turn of the year, if he is able to adapt to Scottish football.

His goalscoring record in 2023 is extraordinary and Rodgers could, therefore, find the dream heir to Kyogo by bringing the prolific number nine to Celtic.

Liverpool are prepared to splash the cash to bring in Nicolo Barella it seems, with Italian journalist Marco Barzaghi, via Caught Offside, reporting that the Reds could offer up to £77m to bring the player in this summer.

Has Nicolo Barella been good this season?

The midfielder has been with Inter for four seasons now and has been able to help them to a Serie A title and a Champions League final along the way. This year, they almost conquered Europe but their league campaign led to only a third place finish.

The 26-year-old was once more an important part of the side and featured in 35 Serie A outings for the club over the course of the 2022/23 campaign. Even though he plays in the middle of the field, he was also able to chip in with six goals and six assists – his second-best goal contribution rate over the course of his career with 12.

A look at his FBRef scouting report also proves that the player is one of the best in his position in Europe. When you look at how he compares to others in midfield across the Men's 'Top Five' big leagues, there is a lot to like about Barella. He has a 0.22 non-penalty goal rate per 90, which puts him in the top eight percent in that category, and he also has 3.65 shot-creating actions per 90 too (88th percentile).

It means that not only is he hitting the net a lot more often than other midfielders he is excellent at creating goalscoring opportunities too, both for himself and his teammates.

Are Liverpool signing Barella?

Now, according to a report from Marco Barzaghi, via Caught Offside, the Italian may have earned himself a big money move to England.

That is because Liverpool are could be willing to stump up a lot of cash to bring him to the Premier League. It's believed that the side are preparing to offer a huge amount of £77m to lure him to Anfield and whilst there is no official bid on the table yet, FSG are finally willing to spend big.

Barella is certainly an exciting asset to have in any team, with football journalist Josh Bunting stating that the midfielder is a "difference maker" and can play "beautiful" football with a "winner's mentality" to boot.

He has a lot of positive attributes then and could bring that to a Liverpool midfield in desperate need of rejuvenation. Even if the fee is relatively steep, it could be a price worth paying for the Italy star.

Liverpool are working on a midfield rebuild this summer with the signing of Alexis Mac Allister already confirmed, and now a new update has emerged on the club's next move.

What's the latest on Liverpool's interest in Tyler Adams?

According to TEAMtalk, Liverpool are one of the clubs interested in signing Leeds United midfielder Tyler Adams this summer.

As per the report, the player has told his recently relegated club that he wants to play in the Premier League next season and the Reds are one of the top-flight clubs who have checked on Adams' situation.

It is claimed that Manchester United and Newcastle United also have the midfielder on their radar and Leeds will command a £40m fee to part ways with one of their biggest assets.

Would Tyler Adams be a good fit for Liverpool?

It is no secret that Liverpool desperately need reinforcements after a difficult and disappointing season with the club failing to qualify for Champions League football for the first time since 2016.

Not only that, several mainstays will leave the club when their contracts expire next month as Naby Keita, James Milner, Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain and Roberto Firmino all move on, paving the way for Jurgen Klopp to build the next generation of success at Anfield.

As a result, the Liverpool boss could repeat the same transfer masterclass he performed with Andy Robertson by saving Adams from his relegated side and turning him into a player who can take his career to the next level by winning trophies.

Robertson's incredible journey from being relegated with Hull City in 2017 to becoming a Champions League and Premier League winner in just three years would surely inspire any player and if Adams could seal a move to Merseyside he could emulate the left-back's fairytale.

Despite Leeds' struggles, the American midfielder has been a standout performer at Elland Road this season and boasts a clear ability to play top-flight football.

Over 24 Premier League appearances, the 24-year-old ace – once hailed "top-class" by journalist Josh Bunting – tallied up an 82% pass completion rate and created one big chance, as well as averaging one key pass, 1.5 interceptions, 3.7 tackles, one clearance and six duels won per game, proving that he is a solid and reliable defensive presence in midfield.

Not only that – to highlight just how impressive Adams has been for the West Yorkshire outfit – the prolific defensive midfielder matched Casemiro for tackles won in the top flight this season (89), which is made even more impressive when considering he played four fewer league games than the Manchester United superstar. Impressively, he also came second for tackles completed per minute in the entire league (22).

The opportunity to sign Adams could not come at a better time for the Reds with Thiago Alcantara in the last year of his contract next season and Brazilian midfielder Fabinho starting to show signs of a decline this season. That means the USMNT star could not only provide strong competition in the deeper midfield roles but could succeed either.

With that being said, if the club's hierarchy strikes up a cut-price deal for Adams it would be a no-brainer to snap up his services this summer, as the American could be a real asset in midfield for many years to come.

Aston Villa have been offered the chance to sign Atletico Madrid forward Joao Felix this summer, and the club have refused to rule out a move, according to a report from Football Insider.

What's the latest Aston Villa transfer news?

Although talks with striker Ollie Watkins are reportedly advancing, Unai Emery remains keen on bolstering his attacking options this summer, having recently been linked with a move for Almeria forward Largie Ramazani.

Journalist Dean Jones reports that Emery is keen on signing a "top level striker" in the upcoming window, and the likes of Dusan Vlahovic and Ferran Torres are said to be on the manager's shortlist, although moves for both players would be very ambitious.

Tammy Abraham has also been touted for a sensational return to Villa Park, however he suffered an ACL injury on the final day of the Serie A season, which could make potential suitors think twice before launching a move.

According to a report from Football Insider, Villa have now been offered the chance to sign Felix, with the Atletico Madrid forward's agents trying to secure him a move ahead of next season, after recently spending time on loan at Chelsea.

The 23-year-old is set to seek another move this summer, after previously clashing with Atletico boss Diego Simeone, potentially opening the door for a move to Villa Park.

The Villans have refused to rule out a move for the Portugal international, despite his hefty reported wage of £244k-per-week.

Should Aston Villa sign Joao Felix?

The Viseu-born attacker already has some experience in the Premier League, spending the latter part of last season on loan at Chelsea, where he managed to score four goals in 16 league games.

That return was not enough to tempt Chelsea into pursuing the attacker on a permanent basis, however he has previously demonstrated a keen eye for goal with Atletico, recording eight goals and four assists in 24 La Liga games in the 2021-22 season.

Not only that, the former Benfica man is also a very impressive dribbler of the ball, ranking in the 93rd percentile for successful take-ons per 90 in the past year, when compared to his positional peers.

Hailed as "sensational" by members of the media, Felix has all the attributes to be a success at Villa Park, however his goal return indicates that he is not an out-and-out striker, and he should be brought in to play a supporting role.

Inter Milan are reportedly believed to be interested in signing Chelsea defender Trevoh Chalobah during the summer transfer window.

Is Chalobah likely to stay at Chelsea?

The £50,000-a-week Blues youngster has more than held his own this season, trying his best in a team that has struggled hugely in the Premier League.

Chalobah started 18 of Chelsea's 38 league games, which is a good return for an emerging talent, and he also enjoyed six outings in the Champions League.

Whether Mauricio Pochettino sees the Englishman as a key figure at Stamford Bridge moving forward remains to be seen, however, with the Blues' incoming new manager set to take a close look at his squad when the player return for pre-season.

Chalobah's current deal runs until the summer of 2028, though, so any potential interest in him would likely have to see a sizeable bid tabled.

Could Inter snap up Chalobah this summer?

According to Football Insider, Inter have "made a move" to snap up Chalobah in the summer transfer, seeing him as an exciting option to bring in. They have reportedly "contacted the Londoners to register their interest in a potential deal", with the player himself "keen to hold talks if permitted by his club".

It is even stated that the upcoming Champions League finalists "made enquiries over his availability in January as they were keen on a deal back then", suggesting that they have been long-time admirers of the Chelsea man.

This is a tricky one for the Blues, mainly because Chalobah remains such a big prospect who could potentially be a key man in west London one day, having been described as "the future of this club" by teammate Thiago Silva. Former Manchester United and England centre-back Rio Ferdinand also once called him "unbelievable", which futher outlines what a talent he is.

Should a huge bid arrive for the three-time capped England Under-21 international, however, Chelsea must at least consider it, with Pochettino arguably needing to bring in genuinely elite defenders in their primes this summer, especially with both Silva and Kalidou Koulibaly now in their 30s (the former is almost 40, in fact).

Chalobah's contract situation puts the Blues in a strong position, and while keeping hold of him remains the preferable outcome, given his long-term potential, if the player wants to move in order to get more minutes, it is something that should be considered by the club.

Chelsea could give a newly relegated Premier League ace a lifeline, as the Blues have shown interest in the midfielder.

It’s been a difficult year at Stamford Bridge, however the good times could return sooner than expected with Mauricio Pochettino set to take the wheel.

One area that the Argentinian will hope to bolster is the side’s competitiveness in midfield, which he could do almost instantly in signing this gem.

What’s the latest on Romeo Lavia to Chelsea?

As reported by The Times, the Blues are one of the clubs monitoring the availability of Southampton starlet Romeo Lavia this summer.

A report from GIVEMESPORT with journalist Rudy Galetti claims that “talks” have started over the midfielder.

The Belgian has had a £40m price tag placed on him by the Saints, who signed him from Manchester City’s academy last summer for a fee in the region of £14m.

What could Romeo Lavia bring to Chelsea?

At just 19-years-old, Lavia was a stand-out performer for the south coast side in a dreary season at St Mary’s.

As per FBref, the midfielder ranks in the top 4% of players in his position in Europe’s top five leagues in terms of blocks per 90 in averaging 1.90, showing his innate reading of the game and ability to break up play.

Once hailed as a “diamond” by talent scout Jacek Kulig, the Brussels-born gem is a force to be reckoned with in the middle of the park, being competent in both offensive and defensive duties in the engine room.

If the Saints star is to make the move to Chelsea, it could be bad news for the club’s current midfielders, most prominently Conor Gallagher who is already on the fence between being a starter and a rotational player.

In terms of the attributes that are essential to being a strong defensive midfielder in the Premier League, the Englishman falls short of the young Belgian, as noted by their statistics based on this season’s averages.

The 19-year-old gem averages an 86% passing accuracy to the Chelsea man’s 85%, as well as making 1.1 interceptions to his 0.7 per game, as per Sofascore.

Most prominently, the teenager averages 2.1 tackles to the Englishman’s 1.3 per game, showing his ability to win the ball in a critical area.

Having been slammed as a “fish out of water” by Darren Bent on talkSPORT, Gallagher has struggled at times in Chelsea’s midfield in areas where Lavia has blossomed, with the Saints hero dubbed an “absolute monster” by journalist Benjy Nurick.

Pochettino must make changes to the team he will inherit, both significant and those that will improve the quality of the depth that Stamford Bridge has in its arsenal.

Keith Downie has now revealed some exciting Newcastle United transfer news regarding Renan Lodi.

The Lowdown: Left-back conundrum

The St James’ Park club have a conundrum over the left-back position in the summer as to whether they should sign Matt Targett on a permanent deal from Aston Villa or look for other targets.

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The 26-year-old has impressed during in his loan spell on Tyneside, so much that 97.5% of Toon supporters have expressed their desire for him to stay, but it will now be up to the board over whether they try and keep him on or perhaps aim higher up in the market.

The Latest: Lodi transfer latest

Taking to Twitter, Sky Sports journalist and northeast reporter Downie has shared the news that Newcastle have now ‘looked at’ Lodi as a potential signing this summer, noting that they already completed business with Atletico Madrid when they signed Kieran Trippier in January.

The reporter tweeted: “Understand Renan Lodi is a player Newcastle have looked at & could potentially form part of their summer plans. 15-times capped Brazilian international left-back. Newcastle have already done business of late with Atletico for fellow full-back Kieran Trippier.”

The Verdict: Exciting

It certainly is exciting for the Toon Army to be linked with a defender in Lodi who has title last season ahead of the likes of Real Madrid and Barcelona.

As Downie points out, the Brazilian has also been capped 15 times for his country, and at 24 years of age, he has not hit his prime yet.

Nonetheless, the Magpies’ board will now have to weigh up whether to sign Targett permanently or go for a player like Lodi in the summer.

In other news, find out who else NUFC are now ‘chasing’ this summer

Rangers are back in action at Ibrox tonight as Giovanni van Bronckhorst turns his team’s attention away from the Premiership for a Europa League tie.

The Gers have a chance to reach the final of the competition in Seville but they will need to overcome a 1-0 deficit on aggregate to do so.

Van Bronckhorst’s men come into this match off the back of a 1-1 draw in the Old Firm on Sunday. The result leaves them six points behind their rivals with three matches left to go in the division, which means that the cup competitions are the club’s best opportunities to lift silverware this season.

How many changes will the head coach make to the team from that outing at Parkhead? Here is our predicted XI…

We are predicting that he will make three alterations to the side by bringing Leon Balogun, Kemar Roofe and Glen Kamara back in.

At the back, Borna Barisic may be axed by van Bronckhorst after a worrying display last time out. Former Gers man Derek Ferguson claimed that he was “spooked” against Celtic on Sunday as he let the atmosphere get the better of him.

The Croatian international was caught on his heels for Jota’s goal and must now be dropped from the team. This clash with Leipzig is a huge occasion and Rangers cannot afford to have a liability in their side, which is why the experienced Balogun should come in at centre-back and Calvin Bassey can slot in at left-back.

In midfield, we are predicting that Scott Arfield will be axed in favour of Kamara. FFC published an article explaining why the former does not warrant a starting place and van Bronkhorst may look to the Finland international to replace him.

Neil McCann, his former manager at Dundee United, previously dubbed him as “perfect” and the Gers boss seemingly rates him highly as Kamara has started nine Europa League matches this season. This indicates that he is trusted to perform in the competition, which is why he should start tonight.

Finally, Roofe may replace Fashion Sakala in the number nine role. He is an injury doubt for this match but a report from the Scottish Sun claimed that he will win the race to be fit and he could take the Zambian’s place in the team.

Sakala has failed to produce a single goal or assist in nine outings in Europe for the Gers. Roofe, meanwhile, has scored twice in four starts – including the winner against Braga in the last round – and this should give him the edge.

AND in other news, Rangers are now set to repeat their awful Gilmour disaster, Gvb will be livid…