All posts by z3u9t.icu

Rangers have a rare weekend off from competitive action as international matches take over this week ahead of a return to the Premiership against Hearts on 16 October.

Whilst Gers fans may be twiddling their thumbs waiting for their club to play again, the international break provides an opportunity for them to watch players in a different setting whilst playing for their countries.

It also affords the players a chance to show Steven Gerrard, assuming he keeps track of their international performances, that they deserve a place in the Rangers XI. One player who may have needed this boost is attacking midfielder Ianis Hagi, who has failed to register a goal or assist in his last three appearances for the Scottish giants.

The 22-year-old lined up for Romania against European giants Germany in a World Cup qualifier on Friday night and put in a superb performance to put himself firmly in Gerrard’s thoughts ahead of next weekend.

The Gers playmaker was unable to help his team to victory as Romania succumbed to a 2-1 defeat, but his performance stood out as he scored the opening goal and caught the eye with the rare moments he had on the ball throughout the match.

He stunned the home crowd with a sensational goal to open the scoring on the night. He weaved inside and out of several Germany players, nutmegging Chelsea’s Antonio Rudiger, before unleashing a pinpoint left-footed effort into the bottom corner past the despairing dive of Barcelona’s Marc-Andre ter Stegen. This meant that he completed 100% of his attempted dribbles in the game, picking his moment with perfection to punish Germany.

Along with his goal, Hagi put in lots of hard work defensively. As per SofaScore, he won 75% of his duels as well as making one interception, one clearance and one tackle for Romania. This shows that he was not afraid to track back and put his foot in despite playing out wide, proving that he has a willingness for the more industrious side to the game.

Gerrard will surely have been impressed with this performance from Hagi as it shows what he can do in matches where his team may not dominate possession, in the Europa League for example. The 22-year-old proved that he can produce moments of magic whilst also being disciplined defensively, which could increase his chances of starting at Ibrox next week.

AND in other news, “From what I hear”: Insider drops big Rangers injury update, Gerrard will be buzzing…

Many Everton fans have been left fuming over a fixture change that has been shared by the Goodison Park faithful.

As per the official website of the Merseyside club, their Premier League game away at Tottenham Hotspur is now scheduled to take place on Monday 7th March at 8pm to be shown live on Sky Sports, after originally being scheduled for Saturday 5th March at 3pm.

Of course, this now makes it a lot more difficult for away supporters to attend the match, given the travel restrictions for a midweek fixture with a late kick-off time, and the fact that the majority would have work the next day, so it is no surprise at all to see so many Toffees left furious after reading the update.

Everton fans on fixture change

These Blues were raging as the news of the fixture change was shared on Twitter, with one EFC supporter even going as far as to claim that it was ‘disgusting’:

“Absolute disgrace that”

Credit: @efcjosh___

“Joke”

Credit: @FitzyA83

“Rotten”

Credit: @jackfairhurst17

“Absolute weekend wrecker”

Credit: @bennywel999

“Disgusting”

Credit: @NolanBarnes75

“Unbelievable when the last train back has well gone before the game ends. Don’t know why it angers me anymore, known for years the match going supporter is worthless these days”

Credit: @priceyefc1

In other news, find out what big Everton manager update has emerged here!

Writing for a piece for The Independent and sharing his update on Twitter, journalist Miguel Delaney has lifted the lid on a major Harry Kane update for Tottenham Hotspur.

The Lowdown: City eye Kane move…

As reported by Sky Sports, City’s supposed ‘next bid’ for the 28-year-old superstar amounts to a fee of around £127m (via Football Daily), a figure which chairman Daniel Levy has no interest in accepting.

Beforehand, Fabrizio Romano claimed the Premier League champions lodged a £100 million bid for Kane back in June and were open to discussing player exchanges as part of a potential deal.

While these approaches and figures haven’t been enough, reliable sources like Sam Lee and Charlie Eccleshare believe that Levy could entertain offers closer to £150m (The Athletic).

Bearing that in mind, journalist Delaney has now brought a major update on what City are willing to do next.

The Latest: Delaney drops major Kane update…

As per the reporter, City are yet again prepared to increase their bid for Kane as they eye a replacement for club legend Sergio Aguero.

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Not only that, but Delaney believes the Sky Blues are now open to tabling an offer of around £150m – a figure tipped by many to turn Levy’s head.

“Man City prepared to go to £150m for Kane, which many believe would at least get Spurs talking,” the reporter explained on Twitter.

Indeed, sharing more information in The Independent, the journalist believes that Pep Guardiola’s side could now go as high as that figure in the last two weeks of the transfer window.

He also explains that ‘many sources’ are now saying that ‘could be enough’ to bring Tottenham to the negotiating table.

Levy has apparently been ‘furious’ at the nature of some exit links surrounding Kane whilst remaining firm in his stance that the forward is not for sale, but there is also an ‘increasing feeling’ the situation is changing.

This is due to the player’s own handling of the situation which has made him slightly more unpopular with the fanbase, something which could make a sale more acceptable.

The Verdict: £150m? Sell…

Kane’s importance to Tottenham over these last few seasons cannot be understated, as highlighted by his most recent Premier League campaign where he bagged an incredible 23 goals and 14 assists (WhoScored).

However, if City do lodge a record-breaking £150m bid, it would be foolish for Spurs not to accept it – especially when taking into considering the player’s age.

Tottenham would arguably never receive a better offer for Kane again as he slowly approaches the twilight phase of his career and managing director Fabio Paratici may work wonders with a significantly bolstered transfer kitty.

Taking the striker’s own wishes for a departure into consideration, accepting an huge offer of that ilk would arguably be best for all parties involved.

In other news: Bid pending: Spurs offer now expected to sign ‘incredible’ player after behind the scenes talks, find out more here.

Speaking exclusively to The Transfer Tavern, former Premier League forward Dean Windass believes Brendan Rodgers would have found it hard to find a place for Jesse Lingard in Leicester City’s starting XI.

After an impressive loan spell with West Ham, where he scored nine goals in 16 appearances, Lingard reportedly caught the attention of Leicester.

Unsurprisingly, West Ham were also interested in signing the £75,000-a-week attacking midfielder, but in the end, he decided against pushing for a move and remained at Manchester United.

Had that not been the case, though, and Lingard did end up at Leicester, Windass thinks Rodgers would have had quite a dilemma.

“You’ve got Harvey Barnes on the left hand side who’s come back from injury, who’s an unbelievable young talent with pace to burn,” the ex-Hull City star said. “So where would you play Jesse Lingard if he had gone to Leicester?”

If James Maddison did depart to Arsenal, then perhaps there would have been room for another attacker like Lingard.

But with the likes of Maddison and Barnes, the above is certainly a good question to raise.

From Lingard’s perspective, though, he may need to leave for another club eventually, with game time at Old Trafford likely to be limited following the additions of Cristiano Ronaldo and Jadon Sancho.

Newcastle travel to face Wolves at Molineux on Saturday as they go in search of their first Premier League win of the season.

The Magpies are yet to acquire three points in one go this term and now come up against a Wolves side with two wins from their last three in the league.

Steve Bruce’s side were held to a 1-1 draw by Watford in their last game, with Sean Longstaff scoring at Vicarage Road seven days ago.

How many changes will Bruce make to his team for today? Here is our predicted XI…

We are predicting that he will make three changes to the side from Watford, with Fabian Schar, Jacob Murphy and Jeff Hendrick all coming in.

First of all, we believe that Bruce will revert to a 3-5-2, or 5-3-2 depending on how you view it, to match Wolves’ defensive set-up. Bruno Lage’s side lined up with three centre-backs and two central midfielders against Southampton and that could tempt Bruce into going with a similar setup to avoid being overrun in certain areas.

In order to make this tactical change, Newcastle will need to bring in a centre-back to play alongside Ciaran Clark, who we believe will start despite our article urging Bruce to drop him, and Federico Fernandez. This means Miguel Almiron could be axed from the team to facilitate another central defender, with the 27-year-old coming in for criticism for recent performances.

Changing to a 3-5-2 requires a wide player to be sacrificed and that means Joelinton or Almiron would need to be dropped to the bench for Schar to come in. We are predicting that the Paraguayan will face the axe as Joelinton, with his size and power, is more suited to playing in a front two alongside Allan Saint-Maximin.

Another change which could come as a result of the altered formation is at right wing-back. Murphy enjoyed a successful spell in that position last term, averaging a SofaScore rating of 6.73 in 26 appearances, providing two goals and three assists from defence. This means that bringing him in for Javier Manquillo could be a shrewd call if Bruce opts to go with wing-backs.

Finally, in the middle of the park, Hendrick could come in for Isaac Hayden. The latter had the lowest SofaScore rating (6.8) in the Magpies’ midfield against Watford and the switch to three/five at the back could mean that Bruce doesn’t require an out-and-out defensive enforcer in there. Therefore, Hendrick could come in and be given an opportunity to show what he can do alongside Joe Willock and Sean Longstaff.

AND in other news, Time’s up: Bruce must ruthlessly axe £35k-p/w Newcastle flop today, he’s been shocking…

Everton and mediocrity appear to go hand in hand at the moment.

After the Toffees finished in tenth place last season, Rafa Benitez has hardly set the world alight when it comes to strengthening their first team.

What’s the word?

Everton have already concluded three deals this summer with Demarai Gray arriving from Bayer Leverkusen, Asmir Begovic from Bournemouth and Andros Townsend on a free transfer.

Those acquisitions will bolster their squad depth more than anything but Benitez appears to be on the verge of wrapping up a move of a similar calibre.

Recent reports dictate that the Merseyside outfit have stolen a march on Celtic in the race to sign Aurelio Buta.

The right-back plays his club football for Royal Antwerp in Belgium but Everton are set to lure him to the Premier League.

It’s thought a deal will cost as little as £3m.

How will it be received?

There is no doubting that Buta possesses immense talent and at the price tag mooted, you can’t really go wrong.

He has been described as one of the best full-backs in Belgian football by journalist Aster Nzeyimana, which will no doubt go down well with supporters.

You also can’t deny their need for more depth at right-back with Seamus Coleman’s contract expiring in a year’s time.

However, in a window where Everton have been linked to Denzel Dumfries, it would be strange if they left that interest behind.

After all, the Dutchman could be snapped up for just £15m this summer and would surely be a better investment.

He is proven on the international stage and in one of Europe’s top leagues.

You only need to recollect his form at Euro 2020 to understand why they have to sign him instead. He scored twice for the Netherlands and was a dominant force going forward.

Dumfries’ speed, energy and power were like very few full-backs in the modern game as he ran rampant on the flanks.

He looks destined to leave this month and with such a good opportunity to sign him, fans will surely be angry if they don’t chase up their interest.

Buta is adept at going forward, making 1.7 key passes per match this term, but he is not of the calibre of Dumfries.

This would be yet another strange deal to add to the collection at Goodison Park this summer.

AND in other news, Benitez could discover his new Xabi Alonso if Everton sign “complete” £35m titan…

Out of all the names that have played under the guidance of Marcelo Bielsa at Leeds United, one player that has been a regular figure for the Argentine with a total of 131 appearances for Leeds under Bielsa is midfielder Kalvin Phillips.

Having been linked with a move away from the Yorkshire club in recent months with fellow Premier League clubs Liverpool and Manchester United reportedly interested in him, it would be a disaster if Leeds were to say goodbye to their midfield star, especially to another top-flight side.

However, it seems as though Leeds have been handed a massive boost regarding Phillips and his future with the England international recently revealing that he would be willing to sign a new contract at Elland Road, even though his current deal isn’t set to expire until the summer of 2024.

He commented: “I just want to focus on getting back fit,’ he says. ‘But I speak to the owner regularly. I want a new contract. I’m very happy here.”

Phillips’ importance to Leeds was shown throughout last season with the Whites losing seven of the nine Premier League games he missed.

It’s been a similar story this season with Leeds failing to win any of the games Phillips hasn’t been involved in, highlighting just how crucial he is for the team.

In the 29 league games he played in Premier League last season, the 26-year-old, who is currently earning a weekly wage of £38k-per-week according to Salary Sport, managed to rack up an average of 2.6 tackles per game, 1.7 clearances per game and 1.6 interceptions per game, showing how important he is for the team, particularly from a defensive point of view.

With this in mind and his desire to sign a new deal with Leeds, Victor Orta now has the opportunity to start 2022 with a bang and delight plenty of Leeds fans by giving Phillips, who has been labelled as a “destroyer” on the pitch by former England manager Steve McClaren, what he wants.

Looking beyond that, another big hope for Phillips would be that he can get back to full fitness as soon as possible after picking up a hamstring injury earlier this month so he can help his side avoid relegation by the end of the season and not have to spend another campaign in the Championship.

In other news: Bielsa can finally axe Leeds’ “absolute disaster” by signing “spectacular” 5 ft 9 gem…

West Ham United have a number of attacking players in their squad that have all contributed to getting the side to where they are at this moment in time.

The trio of Jarrod Bowen, Said Benrahma and Pablo Fornals have scored 21 goals between them in the Premier League and provided 16 assists along the way.

The Hammers also have Michail Antonio, who has found the back of the net eight times and delivered seven assists for his teammates in 31 league appearances.

While there is still some time left until the season ends, it seems as though the east London club may have already got their eye on adding another attacking figure to their squad.

What’s the talk?

Speaking to GIVEMESPORT, journalist and transfer insider Pete O’Rourke had this to say about Union Berlin striker Taiwo Awoniyi and the potential interest that West Ham have in signing him.

“I’m sure West Ham scouts have been alerted to him. He’s a big, strong, pacey forward who could definitely come into that team and improve the West Ham options as well, and I think he’s got all the tools to be a success in the Premier League.

“So, I think West Ham, as well as several other Premier League clubs, will be keeping tabs on him this summer.”

Deadly duo inbound?

After originally joining his current club on loan from Liverpool back in September 2020, the 24-year-old signed on a permanent deal last summer.

In 59 appearances for the German side, the striker has managed to score an impressive 22 goals and provide eight assists along the way.

With 26 league appearances under his belt this campaign, the former Liverpool youngster has found the back of the net 12 times, showing why Mergim Vojvoda called him “an excellent player with great qualities.”

In those appearances, the centre-forward has created three big chances and racked up an average of 2.1 shots and 0.8 key passes per game.

This also backs up why Steffen Baumgart labelled the attacker as a “dangerous” player on the pitch.

In comparison to Antonio, the Jamaica international has racked up 2.3 shots and 1.4 key passes per game, showing just how dangerous he can be in terms of scoring and creating goals for his side.

With all of this in mind, if West Ham were to strike a deal to bring Awoniyi back to England in the summer, this could undoubtedly give Moyes the chance to form a deadly attacking duo at the London Stadium to potentially push the team even further.

In other news: Huge blow: West Ham dealt fresh injury setback ahead of Lyon, Moyes will be sweating

Southampton are currently 13th in the Premier League this season and are currently three points from the top half of the table but in the same breath only five points clear from the relegation zone too.

The Saints have become an established Premier League club since promotion in 2012, and have sustained their Premier League status by promoting fantastic youth development and buying well during their time.

Speaking of youth development, one player that has caught the attention of everyone is James Ward-Prowse, who has risen through the ranks from Southampton’s academy, to first-team football and now, playing at international level with England.

The Saints star has made 334 appearances, with 34 goals and 42 assists with the club, and has gone from strength to strength in his career gaining his first England call up earlier this year.

England manager, Gareth Southgate, has been full of praise for the midfielder, and spoke out when he selected him for his initial Euro 2020 squad this summer;

“I’ve worked with James since my very first game in the Under-21s and it has been amazing to see his life progress, really.”

“To see him go from being a young player under Mauricio [Pochettino] to a great captain under Ralph [Hasenhuttl], it’s fantastic.”

Thanks to his individual performances for club and country, the £28.8m-rated gem became a hot target for a big move and Aston Villa put an offer on the table for the 27-year-old in the summer.

Aston Villa submitted a £25m bid for the England international, but it was quickly rejected and the player went into the new season with his boyhood club.

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According to Birmingham Live, Aston Villa could reignite their interest in Ward Prowse, and are in a much more attractive position to sign the player, thanks to the arrival of Liverpool legend turned Premier League manager, Steven Gerrard.

This could be a disaster for Saints manager, Ralph Hasenhuttl, as the side is already contesting with a potential relegation battle due to Southampton having a thin squad where quality players, like Danny Ings, were sold in the summer.

Saints can not afford to lose any more key players and making the call to cash in on James Ward Prowse could result in the ultimate nightmare of relegation to the Championship, especially with other relegation battling clubs like Newcastle, planning to spend and strengthen in the January transfer window.

Southampton face Liverpool this weekend at Anfield and will be hoping to cause an upset against the Merseyside giants by taking a three-point win away from home.

In other news: Jack Stephens injury boost ahead of Anfield clash

Sky Sports journalist Florian Plettenberg has revealed Aston Villa have made contact over a deal for Borussia Monchengladbach defender Matthias Ginter.

The Lowdown: Ginter profiled

Ginter has been with Monchengladbach since 2017, making 177 appearances for his current employers.

The 28-year-old, who shares the same agent as Villa midfielder Jacob Ramsey, is out of contract at the end of June.

The World Cup winner can also turn out as a right-back or in a holding midfield role, and it looks as if Steven Gerrard is keen on Ginter’s services.

The Latest: Plettenberg’s post

Plettenberg took to Twitter on Monday evening to provide an update on Ginter’s future. He revealed that Gerrard wants the centre-back, with Villa officials contacting the player’s representatives.

“News Ginter: Gerrard wants him! Aston Villa officials have spoken to his management. But Ginter has not made a decision yet. He waits for other options.”

The Verdict: Shrewd move?

It looks as if Gerrard is going to be in need of multiple defensive reinforcements over the summer, with recent reports suggesting that both Tyrone Mings and Ezri Konsa could be made available for transfer. Should both depart, Villa would be left with just Calum Chambers and Kortney Hause as senior centre-back options.

A move for Ginter could be a shrewd one due to his international and Champions League experience, something that could help Gerrard as he looks to take Villa to the next level in his first full season in charge.

Who knows, a deal may also be fairly straightforward, should the player want to move to England, as his agency was in positive talks with Villa last year when Ramsey penned a new long-term deal at Villa Park.

In other news: Gerrard and Lange ready to accept PL giants’ bid for Villa star who’s ‘a joy to watch’.