All posts by z3u9t.icu

Celtic saw a lot of players come in and out of Parkhead during last summer’s transfer window.

One big departure which took place in the summer was Scott Brown’s exit from the club after 14 years with the Hoops.

During that time, the midfielder racked up a total of 611 appearances for the Bhoys across all competitions. Over those 14 years, the veteran scored 46 goals and provided 63 assists along the way.

Given the impact that he had at the club both on and off the pitch, along with the trophies he won there, it’s safe to say that his exit was a big moment for the Hoops.

In addition to seeing numerous players leaving the club last summer, the Bhoys also brought in a raft of new signings.

One player in particular who was signed last year and could potentially fill the massive shoes of Brown since his departure is Liam Shaw.

Shaw could be Brown 2.0

Signed from Sheffield Wednesday in February 2021, the midfielder made the move to Parkhead in the summer.

After making just two appearances for the Hoops earlier in the campaign, the 21-year-old joined fellow Premiership side Motherwell in January on loan until the end of the season.

Upon Shaw’s arrival at Fir Park, the Well’s assistant manager Keith Lasley said: “Liam’s in training with us and he has been for a few days now. He looks a good athlete and he looks technically good.”

Since then, the former Wednesday starlet has gone on to make five league appearances for his current club.

Labelled by journalist Dale Johnson as a player who “could turn out to be the real deal”, Shaw has made nine tackles in total for Motherwell, showing the defensive capabilities he has despite not being a regular figure in the team.

Next season could be the ideal time for Ange Postecoglou to finally give the young midfielder a proper chance to shine and play regularly in the league for Celtic after getting his first taste of Premiership football in the current campaign.

While it may take him some time to reach his full potential, the club may well find themselves with an ideal long-term replacement for Brown, along with saving millions in potential future transfer fees.

In other news: Postecoglou can finally axe “unacceptable” Celtic dud with move for “class” £1.6m star

Aston Villa manager Steven Gerrard should be looking to strengthen his wide attacking options in the upcoming summer transfer window, according to journalist Josh Holland.

The lowdown: Current incumbents

At present, the 41-year-old has Leon Bailey, Emi Buendia and Bertrand Traore at his disposal out the wide, with injuries and poor form affecting those players throughout the season.

A combination of a lack of options and misfiring wingers has led Gerrard to operate primarily with a formation focused on central areas, as John McGinn, Jacob Ramsey and Philippe Coutinho spearhead the midfield.

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However, the Villa manager could well be on the lookout for influential wingers before the start of the 2022/23 campaign, with the boss himself recently saying that he needs to “fix” some issues within the squad…

The latest: Holland names a potential target

Speaking to GiveMeSport, Holland talked up the idea of Villa targeting Crystal Palace star Wilfried Zaha.

He outlined: “Someone like Wilfried Zaha, who can play out wide, sit behind or play ahead (would be a good signing).

“But winger-wise, they could do with someone as well, yet the system that Gerrard played against Spurs, for example, didn’t have any wingers. At some points, you see Watkins go on the left and Coutinho on the right, but mainly it’s a 4-3-1-2.”

The verdict: Winger addition vital

Having allowed Trezeguet and Anwar El Ghazi to leave in the January transfer window, Villa’s remaining natural wingers Bailey and Traore have made 26 combined outings this season across all competitions, scoring just once.

However, whilst Zaha – who has 13 goals and two assists this term – would undoubtedly be an upgrade on the current wide options for the Villans, he might not represent good value. At the age of 29 and valued at £36m by Transfermarkt, the Ivory Coast star would be an expensive outlay for the club, and there could almost certainly be smarter alternatives sought elsewhere.

Whether Gerrard does move for Zaha over the summer remains to be seen, but either way it appears inevitable that the man in the Villa Park hot seat will attempt to address an obvious area of weakness in the squad.

In other news, journalist refuses to rule out Villa move for La Liga star. Read more here.

Charlie Eccleshare has dropped an update on three outgoing Tottenham Hotspur transfers in the summer transfer window.

What’s the talk?

In a recent post on Twitter, The Athletic journalist revealed that Antonio Conte is looking to move all three of Steven Bergwijn, Giovani Lo Celso and Tanguy Ndombele on at the end of the current campaign.

Eccleshare then went on to state that, in order for Fabio Paratici to finance the large number of incoming signings Tottenham are hoping to bring in ahead of 2022/23, the club will be willing to accept lower offers for the aforementioned trio this summer.

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In his tweet, the journalist said: “Expect to see Spurs accepting lower fees than previously on players who want to move on, in order to finance the large number of players they want to bring in. Bergwijn, Lo Celso and Ndombele all fitting into that category.”

Supporters will be buzzing

While some Tottenham supporters may well be disappointed at Conte’s decision to call time on the £27m Bergwijn’s stay in north London, the same will not likely be felt regarding Lo Celso’s and Ndombele’s departures from the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium.

Indeed, over Ndombele’s nine Premier League appearances this season, the £63m signing was well below-par, scoring one goal, providing one assist and creating one big chance for his teammates, as well as making an average of just 0.1 interceptions, 1.1 tackles, 25.6 passes and winning 3.6 duels per fixture.

These returns saw the £120k-per-week midfielder average a quite horrendous SofaScore match rating of 6.58, ranking him as Spurs’ joint second-worst player in the top flight.

Meanwhile, over Lo Celso’s own nine league fixtures this term, the £55m signing was equally disappointing, scoring no goals, registering no assists and creating two big chances for his teammates, in addition to making an average of just 0.1 interceptions, 0.9 tackles, 13.9 passes and winning 2.7 duels per game.

These returns saw the £100k-per-week Argentina international average a SofaScore match rating of 6.72, ranking him as Conte’s joint sixth-worst performer in the Premier League.

As such, while it would appear extremely unlikely Tottenham will recoup anywhere near their combined £145m outlay on the three outbound players, the news that Paratici is looking to bring in a number of fresh faces this summer, as well as shipping out a large chunk of the club’s deadwood, is certainly an update that will leave Spurs supporters buzzing.

AND in other news: Antonio Conte could land the next Dembele as Spurs plot bid for “unreal” £68m signing

Tottenham Hotspur bolstered their late bid for a top-four finish with an emphatic victory over arch-rivals Arsenal in the north London derby on Thursday evening.

Antonio Conte’s side moved to within one point of the ten-man Gunners in the Premier League standings and with two games left to play in the 2021/22 season, it is still somewhat out of their control.

Harry Kane ran rampant, as he often does in this fixture, with a brace which started with a spot-kick in the 22nd minute, prior to heading Spurs into a 2-0 lead before half-time.

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In between the two goals, Arsenal centre-back Rob Holding received his marching orders for a foul on Heung-min Son, who eventually added a third and arguably, he stole the show at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium.

He absolutely terrorised the 26-year-old, leading to him seeing two yellow cards in the space of seven minutes, and it would have surely given Mikel Arteta overnight.

The South Korean sensation was lauded as a “dream” by Sky Sports pundit Gary Neville during commentary duty [Thursday 12th May, 21:06pm] and it’s easy to see why.

In the 72 minutes he was on the pitch, Son managed to contribute four key passes, despite only registering 17 accurate passes overall and 31 touches, meaning he recorded a decisive creative action once every four passes, as per SofaScore.

Elsewhere, the £72m-rated dynamo proved to be strong in his battles, winning five of his six duels (83%), whilst drawing a whopping five fouls and only losing possession four times, only further proving to be an utter nuisance against that Gunners backline.

‘Involved in all three goals and the sending off as he continued his superb form and moving to within a goal of Mohamed Salah in the race for the Golden Boot. The Premier League player of the run-in?,’ wrote the Evening Standard’s Dan Kilpatrick in his post-match ratings column.

Had he stayed on the pitch, Son would perhaps have bagged himself a couple more goals, but with Burnley at the weekend, he’ll be fresher than most to give another Premier League side trouble.

It was Sonny’s night in N17 on Thursday, he stole the show for Spurs to keep them firmly in the race for the top four.

AND in other news, Conte could land his new Kante as Spurs eye £17m signing who’s “absolutely everywhere”…

Journalist Josh Holland has made an Aston Villa transfer claim regarding Atletico Madrid midfielder Geoffrey Kondogbia, as per GiveMeSport.

The Lowdown: Kondogbia linked with Villa

NSWE have already made a head start on their summer business prior to Steven Gerrard’s first full season in charge by securing Phillipe Coutinho on a permanent deal.

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The Villa manager wants a ‘specialist No.6’ and personally watched Kondogbia in action against Manchester City in the Champions League last month. Reports then suggested that NSWE were ‘very confident’ of getting a deal over the line and labelled the 29-year-old a ‘serious target’.

The Latest: Holland’s comments on Kondogbia

Speaking to GiveMeSport, Holland was asked about a number of midfielders who have been linked with a move to Villa Park, including Kondogbia, Ibrahim Sangare (PSV Eindhoven) and Boubacar Kamara (Marseille).

He described the Atletico powerhouse as a ‘veteran’ compared to Sangare and Kamara, saying that a holding midfielder is a ‘priority’ for Villa:

“Kondogbia, I think everyone knows his performances in the Champions League for years now have been noted.

“He’s a bit on the veteran side compared to the other two (Sangare and Kamara), but he’s done it at a higher level than obviously PSV and Marseille. So, I do think that a CDM was probably their priority.”

The Verdict: What about Phillips or Bissouma?

It looks as if NSWE will back the manager by signing at least one holding midfielder this summer, and it appears that Villa have a long list of names for that position.

Gregg Evans stated that Leeds United’s Kalvin Phillips was one of the first names mentioned in transfer discussions with Gerrard, while Villa also had a bid rejected for Brighton’s Yves Bissouma in January.

They both have plenty of Premier League experience, so perhaps it would be wise to bring in either Phillips or Bissouma along with one of Kondogbia, Sangare and Kamara to provide Gerrard with three strong defensive midfield options alongside Marvelous Nakamba.

That’s because talks haven’t progressed with Douglas Luiz, and with his deal set to expire in just over 12 months’ time, he could end up moving on.

In other news: Villa and NSWE now eyeing ‘very talented’ 6 foot 3 powerhouse for Gerrard

Aston Villa will be amongst the Premier League clubs battling to sign Liverpool midfielder Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain this summer with the 28-year-old falling down the pecking order at Anfield.

Earlier this month, the Daily Mail reported that the Englishman is considering his future in Merseyside and now former Scotland defender Alan Hutton has backed the Villans to be amongst the clubs targeting Oxlade-Chamberlain’s signature.

Speaking exclusively to Football Insider it was revealed that Villa could be one of the teams in the race.

Speaking about the matter, Hutton said: “West Ham, Newcastle, Aston Villa, even the likes of Everton and Palace, all these teams are building for the future. They’re building something special as well and why would you not want to be part of that?

“He could be an integral cog for one of these teams moving forward. He’s still got a lot to give, plenty of time. The only question mark is the injuries.”

The 28-year-old has been limited to just nine Premier League starts this term and it is hard to see his current position in the Liverpool pecking order improving.

Villa should sign Oxlade-Chamberlain

It is no secret that Villa boss Steven Gerrard is planning a major squad overhaul this summer with the Englishman set to take charge of his first summer transfer window in the West Midlands ahead of his first full season.

Recently, the Villans have been linked with a plethora of midfielders with the likes of Boubacar Kamara, Kalvin Phillips and Yves Bissouma all reported targets. Therefore, it is clearly an area of the pitch that Gerrard wants to strengthen significantly.

Out of the current crop of John McGinn, Douglas Luiz, Marvelous Nakamba and Jacob Ramsey, it could be argued that only the latter will be a long-term servant for the Villans in the middle of the park.

The 20-year-old has had a stellar breakthrough campaign this term making 32 Premier League appearances whilst scoring six goals and providing one assist.

Moreover, his manager is a strong admirer, having been a world-class midfielder, stating: “I want him to make his own headlines with his football. He is a top talent, I’m loving every moment of working with him.”

However, adding experience to the midfield would be shrewd and Oxlade-Chamberlain certainly possesses that, having racked up 374 club appearances having won the Premier League, Champions League, FA Cup four times and the League Cup.

Labelled as both “brilliant” and “dynamite” by manager Jurgen Klopp, the £125k-per-week Englishman needs to get his career back on track with his spell at Liverpool proving largely unfruitful.

A 16-month absence following a serious knee injury certainly did not help his cause in attempting to secure his spot as a regular starter for the Reds.

With bags of Premier League and Champions League experience whilst playing for England 35 times, the 28-year-old possesses the sort of pedigree that Gerrard wants to integrate into his squad and would make an excellent signing for the Villans. Just imagine him alongside the bustling Ramsey.

AND in other news: AVFC plot bid to sign “exciting” £34m talent, he’s a big upgrade on Ezri Konsa

After his performance in the League One play-off Final, Alex Pritchard could be a vital piece in Sunderland’s Championship campaign next season.

The Spurs youth graduate has enjoyed a prosperous campaign on a personal level, having chipped in with eleven assists in League One this season.

And whilst he was able to show consistency throughout a successful league season, he’s demonstrated that he can perform in the big games, starting three appearances in the League One play-offs and providing two assists to help the Black Cats realise their Championship promotion ambition.

The 29-year-old’s performance in the final had chief Sunderland writer Phil Smith waxing lyrical about the former Spurs man in his player ratings, giving Pritchard a rating of nine, making him the joint man of the match with Elliot Embleton also handed a glowing review.

Commenting on Pritchard’s performance, Smith said this as per Sunderland Echo: “Alex Pritchard – 9; Pressed really well and pulled into some excellent areas throughout the first half. Superb work rate and got his reward with the assist for Stewart’s fine second goal. What a moment. 9.”

Operating primarily as a central attacking midfielder in Alex Neil’s alternating systems of 3-4-1-2 and 4-2-3-1, Pritchard – who has scored 43 goals across the course of his career –  has managed to rejuvenate his career at the Stadium of Light and now finds himself as a Championship player once more, in a system that tactically fits him well.

One of the biggest difficulties for Sunderland and indeed the largest priority for Neil will be keeping hold of the core members of this squad.

Pritchard, who was dubbed “especially impressive” for his performance on Saturday, is one of those core players, and having garnered the majority of his experience in England’s second-tier, he knows exactly what it takes to survive at that level.

In the prime of his career at 29, he could be a vital piece for Sunderland in the Championship, and a player who consequently saves them millions of investment in the transfer market.

In other news: Forget Pritchard: £13k-p/w SAFC tank with 11 duels won was the real promotion hero 

West Ham United retain a ‘tremendous’ interest in signing Clermont Foot striker Mohamed Bayo, according to French outlet Foot Mercato (via Sport Witness). 

The lowdown: January target

The Hammers were originally linked with the Guinea international back in January when David Moyes was expected to strengthen the attacking ranks.

Ultimately, despite links to numerous options, no centre-forward arrived at the London Stadium and Michail Antonio finished the campaign as the only recognised senior frontman.

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Now, as Moyes looks to delve into the transfer market this summer in search of a striker to support Antonio, Bayo appears to be on the radar once again…

The latest: Major interest

As per Foot Mercato, translated by SW, West Ham, Eintracht Frankfurt and Marseille are all cited as holding an admiration for the 11-cap ace.

The report claims that the east London club ‘tremendously appreciate’ Bayo who was heralded for a ‘breakout sensation’ following a stellar first campaign in the top-flight by journalist Zach Lowy.

Under contract until 2024 (Transfermarkt), it’s suggested that Clermont Foot could accept bids in the region of a bargain €10-12milllion (£8.5-10million) for their talismanic forward this summer.

The verdict: No brainer

Signing the Guinean hotshot at the mooted price would represent superb value for money as Moyes and transfer chief Rob Newman attempt to bolster the entire squad.

During 2021/22, the 23-year-old scored 14 times and provided five assists in 32 league appearances for the newly-promoted outfit, matching the direct goal contributions of Paris Saint-Germain superstar Neymar in Ligue 1.

Standing at 6 foot 1, the France-born ace boasts stylistic similarities with the likes of Tammy Abraham, Andre Silva and previously linked Hammers target Boulaye Dia (Fbref).

Bayo would be a superb and cost-effective addition to the West Ham ranks.

In other news… a transfer insider has claimed that West Ham are set to make an official ‘offer’ for one of their summer targets

Giovanni van Bronckhorst enjoyed a solid first season at Rangers, winning the Scottish Cup for the first time in 13 years and reaching the Europa League final.

Having arrived at the club in mid-November, the Dutchman was working with a squad that he didn’t build, and even though he added Aaron Ramsey, Amad Diallo and James Sands in January, these were all loan deals.

The 47-year-old will now have a full summer ahead to bring in some new faces and freshen up the squad following a hectic 2021/22 campaign. There has already been some news, with Steven Davis, Scott Arfield and Connor Goldson all signing new contracts to keep them at the Ibrox side for next season.

However, Jordan Campbell of The Athletic has dropped a teasing summer update which could well send the fans into overdrive.

He has reported that there is a deal on the table for Allan McGregor to extend his stay at Rangers beyond his 41st birthday, despite the fanfare at the Scottish Cup final as he was substituted on with a minute to go in what looked liked being his final appearance for the Light Blues.

With Van Bronckhorst aiming to rebuild the squad, this news might come as a surprise to some. Although many fans may be excited that McGregor could remain, judging by the rousing reception that he got at Hampden Park a couple of weeks ago, it might end up having a negative effect further down the line.

The 40-year-old made some high-profile mistakes this season, notably against Hearts and Ross County as the Premiership title drifted out of the Gers’ reach.

Having McGregor still involved at Rangers after his playing career was the scenario which looked most likely following the Scottish Cup triumph, potentially a coaching role.

This news has thrown a spanner in the works, though, and could it postpone the search for a new keeper? McLaughlin is 34 and has shown his talents in the past, whereas 24-year-old Robbie McCrorie is at an age where he needs regular first-team football to utilise his potential, having made just two senior appearances for the Gers.

Many of Ibrox faithful will likely be happy to see McGregor remain, but it remains to be seen what role he will have next season if a new deal is agreed.

AND in other news, Big blow: Behind-the-scenes Rangers development emerges that’ll frustrate Van Bronckhorst…

Inter Milan striker Lautaro Martinez could join Tottenham Hotspur this summer, according to journalist Jacque Talbot.

The Lowdown: Previous agreement

As per a report by The Times, the Lilywhites had agreed a £60m transfer fee with the Serie A club last August, only for Antonio Conte’s former side to go back on the proposed deal.

With Romelu Lukaku making a £97.5m return to the Premier League with Chelsea, Inter decided to end negotiations with Spurs over a potential move for the Argentina international.

Whilst the 24-year-old has signed a new contract keeping him in Milan until 2026, The Times have recently reported that Inter have now set a new £70m asking price for the striker.

The Latest: Talbot’s claim on Martinez

With ENIC having announced a £150m investment into the north London club, Talbot believes that some of these funds could be put towards a transfer fee for Martinez.

Speaking with GiveMeSport, he claimed: “I’m told Martinez would be coming into Spurs, and I think it’s good because it’s down to (Daniel) Levy wanting to appease (Antonio) Conte.

“And there was a little bit of concern, would he do it, is he going to invest loads of money? But then they’ve just got Champions League, and now they’ve just got £150 million extra investment.

“And they’ve got Son (Heung-Min), who’s just won the Golden Boot with (Mohamed) Salah, and Harry Kane, who looks to be signing a new contract, then they’ve got (Dejan) Kulusevski, who will be staying as well.”

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The Verdict: Great signing

In 135 appearances in the Italian top flight, the Argentine has netted an impressive 58 goals (via Transfermarkt), illustrating his clinical nature in the final third.

When compared with positional peers across Europe’s top five leagues over the past year, Martinez ranks in the 99th percentile for total shots taken and in the 90th percentile for non-penalty goals (via FBRef).

With the Inter marksman gaving established himself as one of the best strikers in European football, his international team-mate Lionel Messi piled on the praise, hailing the 24-year-old as a ‘spectacular’ player.

With the acclaim coming from one of the greatest footballers of all time, Martinez certainly must be the real deal. Therefore, this would be a fantastic signing for Spurs if they can get it done.

In other news: Fabrizio Romano drops significant transfer update on this reported Spurs target