All posts by z3u9t.icu

This article is part of Football FanCast’s Pundit View series, which provides opinion and analysis on recent quotes from journalists, pundits, players and managers…

Sky Sports pundit Charlie Nicholas believes Everton’s visit to St Mary’s could bring the curtain down on Marco Silva’s reign as the Toffees boss.

What did he say?

Silva has been under pressure in recent weeks and could be facing a defining fixture on Saturday. The club now sit 17th in the table and their clash with 18th place Southampton could potentially go some way to determining the futures of both managers.

Should the Blues lose on the south coast, Nicholas suggested it could be Silva’s final game as Everton boss.

The Scot said in his Sky Sports predictions: “Southampton have come back a little bit in terms of credibility. They have not played badly in the two games against Man City for which they gained credibility, but what did they get? Nothing.

“It got rid of the embarrassment and anger, whereas Everton are still so vulnerable away from home.

“Danny Ings and Nathan Redmond will carry a threat, but this could be Marco Silva’s last game in charge if he loses – I think David Moyes would be a target if it goes badly for Everton.”

Ominous sign

There is a possibility that as we reach December, Everton could be second from bottom. A loss to Southampton would just about keep them above the drop zone, but if they lost to Norwich soon after, Silva could be embarrassed.

These next two games are simply must-wins for the Everton boss. Perhaps he is already on borrowed time as it is, but more dropped points would surely be too much to justify his stay on Merseyside any longer.

After these two fixtures, the Blues face off with Leicester City, Liverpool, Manchester United, Chelsea, Arsenal and Manchester City within 30 days.

In truth, based on their current form it is tough to see them claiming many points from those games, so it’s no surprise Nicholas can see the end looming for Silva ahead of a huge clash for both sides.

This article is part of Football FanCast’s Pundit View series, which provides opinion and analysis on recent quotes from journalists, pundits, players and managers…

Glen Johnson has criticised Tottenham Hotspur’s handling of the contracts of their senior players after Danny Rose confirmed he would run his down, per The Debate via HITC.

What’s he said?

The England left-back told The London Evening Standard that he intended to leave the club only when his deal expired, the date of which will come at the end of next season.

Of course, Spurs have had this problem with a number of players. Christian Eriksen, Jan Vertonghen and Toby Alderweireld all have deals that expire in the summer, while Eric Dier and Victor Wanyama have contracts that are up in 2021.

And Johnson believes that, while the strategy of handing youngsters long-term contracts is “clever”, it has come back to bite Spurs chairman Daniel Levy.

He said: “When they sign the young players they put them on six-year deals, which is clever because they don’t need to negotiate with the player every two years.

“They get to a point where they don’t perform as well as they first thought and they stay on that contract or they do outperform what they’re expecting, but they don’t need to give them a new deal because they’ve got four years left.

“But they seem to get in this position towards the end too often with their starting players.”

Payback time

This has been coming.

Spurs adhere to a strict wage policy and, per Spotrac, they only have six players who earn £100,000-per-week or more. Vertonghen is one of them, with Alderweireld on £80,000 and Eriksen is on £75,000. Rose earns £60,000-per-week.

Compare that to Manchester City and Liverpool; 25 players earn £100,000 per week or more in those two squads.

One has to imagine that the contract rebels at Spurs could, at least, double their salaries with a big move, and it is not a surprise that they are willing to run their deals down.

Not only will they receive a bigger wage packet, but they will also receive a signing-on bonus from moving as a free agent.

At a time in which Spurs are playing in a stadium that has cost £1bn, and they are starting to lavish more funds on signings such as Tanguy Ndombele, there is a legitimate question to be asked surrounding the lack of wage rises.

At the end of the day, Rose, Eriksen, Alderweireld and Vertonghen only have Levy to blame.

The Spurs chairman could have put his hand in his pocket but he has refused to do so and now the inevitable has happened, with players looking for pastures new.

He shouldn’t be surprised.

Celtic fell to defeat for the first time in any competition this season as they were hammered 7-1 by Borussia Dortmund in the Champions League on Tuesday night.

Brendan Rodgers’ side went 1-0 down to a penalty from Emre Can but very quickly equalised through Daizen Maeda, from a sublime cross from Arne Engels.

After that, it was all Dortmund and the hosts found themselves 5-1 up by half-time, thanks to a hat-trick from Karim Adeyemi, before adding another two in the second half.

There were a number of poor performers on the pitch for Celtic and one player who will be disappointed with his display is the captain – Callum McGregor.

Callum McGregor's performance in numbers

The former Scotland international anchored the midfield for the Hoops and endured an incredibly difficult night as Dortmund cut through the middle of the pitch with ease.

He simply did not do enough to help out Liam Scales and Auston Trusty, who were left woefully exposed to the pace and quality of the German side’s impressive forward line.

McGregor completed 92% of his attempted passes, making 59 in total, and created one chance for his teammates. However, his work on the ball meant very little when Dortmund were allowed to do so much offensively.

The veteran midfielder was dribbled past as many times (two) as he completed tackles (two) and this shows that the opposition found it too easy to get the better of him in the middle of the park.

However, he was not the worst-performing midfielder on the pitch for Celtic. Paulo Bernardo was given a huge chance to impress ahead of Reo Hatate in the starting XI, but failed Rodgers’ big test.

Paulo Bernardo's struggles against Dortmund

The Portugal U21 international earned his place in the team with a goal and an assist from the start against St Johnstone on Saturday, which convinced the manager to select him over the Japan international.

Bernardo struggled badly against Dortmund, however, and was handed a player rating of 3/10 by the Daily Record, who wrote that he was ‘taught a lesson’ in midfield.

The former Benfica man was withdrawn from the action at half-time and could have no complaints after a dismal showing in the opening 45 minutes.

Minutes played

45

90

Passes completed

6

59

Duels won

3/6

5/7

Tackles

0

2

Interceptions

0

1

As you can see in the table above, Bernardo only completed six passes in 45 minutes and did not make a single tackle or interception in the middle of the park, as Dortmund scored five goals.

Whereas, McGregor at least managed to win the majority of his physical duels and did get on the ball to complete a decent number of passes on the night, even if his work out of possession was not good enough to prevent the home side from running riot.

The Portuguese ace’s inclusion from the start was a big test from Rodgers to see if he is ready to start big matches for Celtic over Hatate. Bernardo failed that test.

Manchester City are considering tabling a huge £83m+ offer for an “exceptional” new attacker, according to an eye-catching new transfer report.

Man City still top after Arsenal drama

Pep Guardiola’s side played out a thrilling 2-2 draw at home to Arsenal on Sunday afternoon, as they just about managed to stay top of the Premier League table. Having taken the lead through a brilliant Erling Haaland goal, things unravelled for City when Rodri picked up what looked like a serious injury. Goals from Riccardo Calafiori and Gabriel turned the game on its head, but thankfully, John Stones equalised in the dying seconds after a painful second half.

It means the Cityzens top the pile by a point ahead of Liverpool and Aston Villa, as well as retaining their two-point advantage over Arsenal, with Guardiola’s men still very much the team to beat in the title race this season.

Away from the on-pitch action, players continue to be linked with moves to the Etihad, with 17-year-old Sporting CP ace Geovany Quenda reportedly being eyed up as a long-term replacement for Bernardo Silva. Meanwhile, Barcelona centre-back Ronald Araujo has been backed to move to City in a swap deal involving Haaland, but it would surely be a shock if the striker left any time soon.

Man City considering £83m+ bid for Musiala

According to TEAMtalk, Manchester City are weighing up making an £83m+ bid for Bayern Munich superstar Jamal Musiala, having been linked with him during the summer transfer window.

The Premier League champions are said to be “firmly in the race” to snap up the Germany international, with Real Madrid providing stern competition. It is the Blues who are described as the “most informed” team in the report, however, suggesting Txiki Begiristain stands a good chance of getting his man.

Musiala is one of the world’s most exciting young players currently, so the idea of him joining Guardiola at City is so exciting. The 21-year-old already has three goals in four appearances in the Bundesliga this season, while Bayern sporting director Christoph Freund has heaped praise on him.

“Jamal Musiala is a world-class player, an exceptional player. Jamal is a player that spectators go to the stadium for because of the way he plays. He can decide games, he’s an absolute team player. He is an exceptional player. He can become one of the best players in the world. Both FC Bayern and Germany are lucky to have him.”

Meanwhile, Ilkay Gundogan is believed to want Musiala with him at City, following his return to the club on loan from Barca, and there really are few negatives to them snapping him up.

Worse than Dias: Pep must drop 3/10 Man City star who had a "stinker"

The Cityzens defender could find himself out of the team after that performance.

1 ByDan Emery Sep 22, 2024

Assuming he avoids serious injury, there is no reason why the Bayern maestro can’t go on to have a legendary career, and he would be an upgrade on the likes of Jeremy Doku and Jack Grealish on the left wing, given his status as a truly world-class footballer with years ahead of him.

Manchester City have monopolised football in recent seasons, buying some of Europe’s best talents as they have dominated the Premier League. It has certainly reaped the benefits.

The Citizens have won the Premier League in six out of the past seven years, with their four consecutive titles a new record. They also won their first Champions League back in 2022/23.

Pep Guardiola’s men have had some of Europe’s best players in that time. Arguably the best of the bunch is Kevin De Bruyne, who has played 388 games for the club, scoring 103 goals and registering 171 assists. In recent years, there has been another player who has arguably become even more important than De Bruyne, however.

Erling Haaland’s Manchester City record

The player in question here is City’s Norweigan striker Erling Haaland. The 24-year-old has been simply extraordinary since joining the club from Borussia Dortmund in 2022, and cannot stop scoring.

He has played 104 games for City so far and has scored an incredible 99 goals, grabbing 14 assists, too, which gives him more than one goal involvement per game. He has also scored 11 hat-tricks in all competitions in the sky blue of City.

In the Premier League, the Norway international has eight hatp-tricks and is now just four behind Sergio Aguero who currently has the most in Premier League history, with 12.

Player

Games

Hat-tricks

Sergio Aguero

275

12

Alan Shearer

441

11

Robbie Fowler

379

9

Erling Haaland

70

8

Theirry Henry

258

8

Harry Kane

320

8

Michael Owen

326

8

Haaland has won the Premier League Golden Boot in both of his completed top-flight seasons. In the 2022/23 campaign, he scored 36 goals in 35 games and scored 27 goals in 31 games last term.

City’s number nine is simply extraordinary and does not seem like stopping any time soon. Incredibly, the eight-time Premier League winners almost signed a player back in 2019 who is now arguably better than their star striker, Kylian Mbappe.

When Man City missed out on Kylian Mbappe

Yes, that is right, the Citizens wanted to sign the player many regard as the best in the world, back in 2018.

According to a report at the time from The Sun, Guardiola wanted the club to bid £200m for the Frenchman in January 2019, with his then-club Paris Saint-Germain potentially facing consequences for Financial Fair Play breaches.

The striker now plays at Real Madrid, after a long-awaited summer move from the French giants on a free transfer. He has already made a superb start to life at the Santiago Bernabeu, winning a trophy, the UEFA Super Cup, and scoring five goals in seven games.

His record at PSG was exemplary, and he became their all-time top goalscorer in March 2023. The France captain left the club having played 308 times, scoring a whopping 256 goals and grabbing 108 assists. As football statistician Statman Dave said, Mbappe is “inevitable”.

Had they signed the great forward in January 2019, the Citizens could have seen him eventually form a deadly partnership with that man Haaland.

The Real Madrid number nine enjoys playing on the left wing and with Haaland central, it could have proven to be a formidable duo, with fluid rotations, smart link-up play and lots of goals.

Nowadays, the pair have both been nominated for the 2024 Ballon d’Or. They are set to go up against current club teammates Vinicius Junior and Phil Foden for the esteemed prize, which neither have won at this stage of their career.

As City fans watch Haaland bang in the goals week in, week out, they might well sit there and think about what could have been if, four years ago, Guardiola had convinced the club’s ownership to break the world record transfer fee and sign Mbappe.

Worse than Savinho: 5/10 Man City star who lost 100% duels let Pep down

The Cityzens ace had a night to forget against Inter in the Champions League.

2 ByDan Emery Sep 19, 2024

Manchester United have already wrapped up their first piece of summer business ahead of next season, with the Red Devils having agreed a £60m deal to sign Mason Mount from Premier League rivals, Chelsea.

The signing of the England international will seemingly provide some much-needed quality and depth to a midfield department that has looked rather threadbare of late, with Marcel Sabitzer having made his return to Bayern Munich, while Fred has been heavily linked with a move to Fulham.

That fact could suggest that Mount may not be Erik ten Hag's only midfield recruit over the coming weeks, with reports in Spain having only recently claimed that the United boss has sent club officials to try and negotiate a deal for Real Madrid starlet, Aurelien Tchouameni.

The belief is that the former Monaco maestro – who only made the move to the Spanish capital for a reported fee of €100m (£85.3m) last summer – could make way following the signing of Jude Bellingham, thus opening the door for the Red Devils to pounce.

Having already snapped up Raphael Varane and Casemiro from the La Liga giants in each of the previous two summer windows, the Old Trafford outfit could now look to Tchouameni – who is valued at around €80m (£69m) – as their next high profile addition from the Bernabeu.

Would Tchouameni be a good fit for Man United?

Despite failing to truly establish himself as a regular starter under Carlo Ancelotti last season, the 23-year-old did still enjoy a positive debut campaign in Madrid, recording an average matching of 7.13 from his 33 league outings, as per Sofascore – a figure that would've placed him third among Ten Hag's squad last term.

Lauded as a "superb talent" by United legend, Rio Ferdinand, Tchouameni could well be able to replicate that level of performance in the Premier League were he to make the move to the Theatre of Dreams, with that rubberstamped by his apparent likeness to Brighton and Hove Albion sensation, Moises Caicedo.

The latter man has been on the Red Devils' in recent years with the club memorably missing out on his signature back in January 2021, while more recent reports revealed that Ten Hag and co had made contact regarding a possible summer swoop, albeit with a move to Stamford Bridge looking more likely for the 21-year-old.

To then be able to find an alternative to the Ecuadorian machine in the form of Tchouameni could prove to be a dream scenario for the Carabao Cup winners, with the pair seemingly sharing a number of statistical and stylistic similarities, according to FBref.

The two defensive-minded talents have proven themselves to be particularly effective at winning back possession in front of the back four, with the towering Frenchman ranking in the top 1% among his European peers for interceptions made, as well as in the top 22% for tackles, while Caicedo ranks in the top 11% and the top 13% for those same two metrics, respectively.

What also sets the two promising talents apart is their composure in possession and their desire to trying and dictate the tempo of a game from their deep-lying roles, with Caicedo ranking in the top 6% for pass completion and the top 15% for attempted passes, while Tchouameni ranks in the top 1% pass completion and the top 5% for attempted passes.

With Ten Hag seemingly keen on bringing in a younger midfielder this summer, both of those players would perfectly fit the bill, hence why the signing of the Madrid rock could prove a perfect alternative if the Brighton gem opts for a different destination.

Arsenal have submitted an "official proposal" to sign Ajax defender Jurrien Timber, according to transfer expert Fabrizio Romano.

Who is Jurrien Timber?

After progressing through the youth ranks at Ajax, Timber has gone on to establish himself as a key first-team player for the Dutch side, appearing in all 34 league games last season, and he has started to attract the attention of some top clubs.

Manchester United have been credited with an interest in the 22-year-old, but Arsenal appear to be leading the race for his signature, with Florian Plettenberg claiming they are on the "verge" of completing a deal, with Bayern Munich out of the running.

According to Romano, the Ajax star views the project at the Emirates Stadium as "perfect", and he is "really excited" about the move.

Taking to Twitter, the transfer expert has now confirmed that a second "official proposal" has been submitted by the Gunners, and they are aiming to get the deal done "this week", after having an opening bid of £30m rejected.

Talks are "now advancing" between the two clubs, indicating the move is edging closer to completion, and everything is complete on the player's side, with a five-year contract already agreed.

How much will Jurrien Timber cost?

Ajax are believed to be holding out for £50m to sanction the departure of the defender, who is set to double his wages if he does complete a move to the Emirates Stadium this summer.

The Dutchman has been hailed as "exceptional" by football scout Jacek Kulig, while Liverpool's Virgil van Dijk also heaped praise on him last year, saying: “I was never that good at the age of Timber, he’s just 21… I can only praise him. His potential is so high, I’m sure”.

For a defender, the Ajax star is very assured on the front foot, placing in the 99th percentile for progressive carries, and in the 94th percentile for successful take-ons per 90 in the past year, displaying his eagerness to drive the ball into attacking areas.

Reports have suggested Ben White is going to be utilised in a central role next season, meaning a new right-back will be required, and Timber would be more than capable of filling in when necessary, having made 49 appearances in that area of the pitch.

As such, the Netherlands international could be an excellent addition to Mikel Arteta's squad, and the manager will be hoping that Arsenal's second offer is accepted by Ajax.

Leeds United have a great history of academy production, with a steady stream of top talents having emerged in Yorkshire and gone onto big things. James Milner, Fabian Delph and Kalvin Phillips are just a few who spring to mind.

However, following their relegation, they will likely need to rely on their youth more than ever given the financial implications a stint in the Championship can have.

Fortunately for them, they have a few readymade stars who have already shown their quality at this level, suggesting they could well play a huge role in earning an instant return to the Premier League.

One such example is Charlie Cresswell, who enjoyed a fine spell at Millwall last term, in which the Lions narrowly missed out on a playoff spot. His domineering displays at the back suggest a bright future for the combative 20-year-old colossus, but he will need the right guidance to ensure his growth is measured and consistent.

Given Patrick Vieira remains one of the top targets for the managerial vacancy, he would arguably be the ideal man to lead the youngster forward and develop him into one of the country's top defenders.

Who is Charlie Cresswell?

Having been at the Yorkshire outfit since 2013, the 6 foot 3 goliath has made just seven senior appearances for his boyhood club, suggesting a steady rise towards additional first-team opportunities.

However, after the year he has just enjoyed, that spot must now be a certainty.

Under the tutelage of Gary Rowett, the hulking centre-back would maintain a 7.13 average rating in which he would record 1.5 tackles and 3.1 clearances per game in the Championship, via Sofascore.

For comparison, were these figures put into Leeds' squad from last term in the top flight, he would be their top performer by some distance, and boast their joint-third-most clearances.

It is no surprise that Rowett would therefore wax lyrical about his on-loan star, noting:

"He has really calmed down and matured in how he thinks about the game. He’s getting the benefit from it because he has got amazing attributes for a young centre-back – aggression and desire, sometimes you can’t find them as much nowadays. Honing them is easier than finding them in the first place."

The justification for Vieira's expertise in nurturing young talent is best shown through Marc Guehi, whose rise to prominence is largely owed to the vision of the former Arsenal legend.

He was the one who tempted the 22-year-old to Selhurst Park, only to forge him into one of England's best young centre-backs.

Indeed, his 7.03 average Sofascore rating from the 2021/22 season serves to supplement this, as he went from Chelsea's academy to an England international in just one year under his stewardship.

His 92% dribble success rate, 87% pass accuracy and 3.5 clearances per game that year (via Sofascore) are just a small window into what the future might hold for Cresswell, as he will seek to emulate this ball-playing titan.

The defender will be well aware of Guehi's meteoric rise, and likely be hoping that Vieira is the chosen man to take over at his club.

Should he be hired, perhaps the Frenchman could sprinkle some more of his magic onto Leeds' top youngster, allowing him to flourish further in the second division before hopefully taking the top flight by storm as Guehi has.

Newcastle United are interested in signing Manchester United defender Harry Maguire this summer, according to reports.

What’s the latest Newcastle transfer news on Harry Maguire?

Eddie Howe and the Magpies are on the search for senior signings ahead of the 2023/24 season, with the club set for a return to the Champions League after a brilliant Premier League campaign.

Newcastle have already brought in teenage attacker Yankuba Minteh from Danish side Odense Boldklub, however, the promising talent will immediately head out on loan to Dutch side Feyenoord.

Another potential target is Inter Milan midfielder Nicolo Barella, with PIF thought to be in talks over a £50m move. It looks as if defensive reinforcements are also on the agenda at St James’ Park, with an update emerging on Maguire.

According to Football Insider, Newcastle are in the race to sign Maguire, with the England international having a decision to make on his Old Trafford future.

Alongside Newcastle, Aston Villa and Tottenham are also keen on the defender as well as clubs overseas. Maguire is happy at Manchester United currently, however, he could drop further down the pecking order if Erik ten Hag signs a new defender.

How much did Harry Maguire cost Manchester United?

Maguire cost the Red Devils £80m back in 2019 in a world-record deal for a defender and is on £200,000-a-week.

Now 30 years of age, Maguire has made 175 appearances for United, scoring seven goals. He has scored two goals at St James’ Park, one for Leicester and one for United, winning eight of his 12 games against Newcastle and has come in for praise from Magpies star Kieran Trippier while on England duty last year.

“First, Harry’s a fantastic leader in our group, a big player in our group and to reach 50 caps is an amazing achievement. He’s had a good start to the tournament and I can only speak positively of him, the boys love him.

“I think he does his talking on the pitch and every time he has stepped out in that English shirt he has performed. So long may that continue and hopefully that means many more caps for Harry.”

He would bring plenty of experience to Howe’s side, should a move materialise, and with Champions League football on offer at St James’ Park, a move could appeal to the player, making this one to keep an eye on over the summer.

Brendan Rodgers is just a "pipe dream" appointment for Leeds United, according to presenter Conor McGilligan.

Rodgers could potentially be set rejoin Celtic four years after departing the Scottish Champions for Leicester City, but there were reports that Leeds could make a late push.

What is the latest Brendan Rodgers news?

According to a report from BBC Sport, Celtic have advanced talks with Rodgers over a potential return to Celtic Park, and despite the fact no deal has been reached, the Northern Irishman is the club's priority appointment.

The former Liverpool manager enjoyed a stellar time during his last spell at Celtic, winning two Scottish league titles, three Scottish league cups, and two Scottish cups, including an invincible season and two trebles.

A report from Scotland stated that Leeds were attempting to hijack Celtic's deal for the recently sacked Leicester manager, however, a new report states that the recently relegated Whites will instead pursue other managerial targets as it was suggested that Rodgers is not willing to take the step down to Championship football.

What did Conor McGilligan say about the situation?

Speaking on the One Leeds Fan Channel, McGilligan hit back after hearing reports Rodgers is leaning more towards a potential return to Parkhead this summer:

"I think we knew all along, I’ve not been getting carried away with it, the lads behind the scenes on the debrief they have not been getting carried away with the Brendan Rodgers either, it’s a bit of a pipe dream, it always has been a bit of a pipe dream, to be honest with you.

"A manager of Liverpool finishing second in a title race, a manager who has won an FA Cup, a manager who has already battered the Championship, getting him back down to the Championship even on a big financial package was going to be difficult."

Would Leeds United be a smart move for Brendan Rodgers?

Leeds seemingly need an overhaul after a really disappointing campaign which resulted in relegation, with their defence being the worst in the league last season. Rodgers has a fantastic record in the Championship, with his Swansea side winning promotion via the play-offs the last time he competed in the division.

For Rodgers, who has been hailed as a "genius" in the past, the uncertainty around Leeds United with the pending ownership change and players who may want to leave following relegation in addition to the drop-down in divisions may turn the Northern Irishman away from the club, instead opting for a chance to win league titles and domestic cups in Scotland with Celtic to rebuild his reputation quickly.

Should the former Leicester City manager decide to join Leeds, it would be a major coup for the club, and surely make them one of the favorites to come straight back up.