All posts by z3u9t.icu

Manchester United appear to hold an advantage in their pursuit of Inter goalkeeper Andre Onana as Erik ten Hag eyes his first summer signing.

What’s the latest on Andre Onana to Manchester United?

According to The Guardian, Onana would favour a move to United this summer over joining Chelsea, who are also keen on the Cameroonian.

Inter are demanding a fee in the region of £50m, and with the added benefit of playing in the Champions League group stages next term, it’s no wonder that the Old Trafford side appear to be his preferred choice.

Could Manchester United sign Andre Onana?

Signing a new ‘keeper is certainly at the forefront of Ten Hag’s mind, especially with the uncertainty surrounding David De Gea and his future.

The Spaniard may find himself on the bench more often next season as Ten Hag appears to be searching for a new No 1, and if he does sign an extended contract, the 32-year-old may have to reduce his staggering £375k-per-week salary that he currently earns.

Onana enjoyed an excellent season for the Serie A side, helping them reach a first Champions League final since 2010 while claiming the Coppa Italia for a second year in succession.

During the stunning run to the final of Europe’s premier club competition, the 27-year-old conceded only 0.8 goals per game, keeping eight clean sheets from 13 matches and making 3.6 saves per game – a success rate of 81%.

These performances meant he ranked first out of the Inter squad in terms of overall rating (7.41/10) via Sofascore, and although his side were defeated in the final by Manchester City, it took a solitary Rodri goal to settle the tie.

Pep Guardiola even lavished praise upon the former Ajax star before the game, describing the player as “exceptional with his feet” – and his distribution abilities could make him fit into Ten Hag’s side with ease.

Indeed, over the past year, Onana ranks in the top 11% across Europe’s big five leagues for touches per 90 (43.81) while also ranking in the top 10% for passes attempted per 90 (35.46), suggesting that not only is he comfortable in possession of the ball, he can also pass out often from the back to generate attacks.

He may cost around £50m, but Ten Hag must make his move for the shot-stopper as soon as possible. With the Red Devils facing stiffer competition next term due to the Champions League gracing the Old Trafford pitch once more, it’s evident that improving their goalkeeping options could be vital, and Onana could be a wonderful acquisition.

The wait goes on at Elland Road to see just who will be named as Leeds United’s next permanent manager, with the position currently vacant following the departure of Sam Allardyce following his short-term stint in charge.

The experienced Englishman had been the final man in charge amid what proved a wholly turbulent campaign for the Whites, with the Yorkshire side succumbing to relegation after seeing both Jesse Marsch and Javi Gracia dismissed from the dugout.

With the newly-relegated side now preparing for life in the Championship next season, supporters will no doubt be keen to see a quick resolution to the club’s search for a new head coach, with a protracted pursuit likely to hamper any early transfer business.

According to Football Transfers, one man who is already in talks regarding the vacancy at Leeds is out-of-work boss Steven Gerrard, with the 43-year-old – who is also on the radar of Leicester City – having been without a job since being axed by Aston Villa back in October.

While that short stint in charge at Villa Park – in which the Englishman won just 13 of his 40 games at the helm – may have somewhat soured his reputation, the Liverpool legend’s previous success at Rangers should spark excitement among the Leeds faithful.

Should Leeds appoint Gerrard?

The former England international worked wonders during his first managerial post at Ibrox, having led the Old Firm giants to the Scottish Premiership title in the 2020/21 season following what was an “incredible season” for the club, according to pundit Alex McLeish.

That triumphant year saw the Gers go unbeaten throughout the entire league season, having ultimately finished 25 points clear of Celtic at the summit to end their rivals’ hopes of securing what would have been a historic tenth successive league title.

Having initially taken on the role in the summer of 2018, it evidently took time for the up-and-coming coach to truly make his mark in Glasgow, with that gradual build-up to success having been described as “kind of similar to Jurgen Klopp at Liverpool”, in the words of McLeish.

That likeness to the German tactician is showcased by the fact that the ex-Borussia Dortmund also took time to lead the Anfield outfit to glory, having won his first piece of silverware – the Champions League – in 2019, just under four years on from replacing Brendan Rodgers in the dugout.

The 55-year-old has also led the Merseysiders to a Premier League title and a handful of domestic honours since then, establishing himself as “head and shoulders above everyone” – alongside Pep Guardiola – due to his coaching prowess, according to pundit Jamie Redknapp.

It is interesting to note then that Gerrard – who, like Klopp, typically utilises a 4-3-3 formation – has been earmarked as a potential successor to the current Liverpool boss in future, with former teammate Djibril Cisse hailing him as a “great leader” and someone he would “love to see” take charge of the Reds.

As far as Leeds are concerned, the appointment of Gerrard may take time to pay dividends – as was the case at Rangers – although the 113-cap ace could potentially emulate the success of Klopp in becoming a successful, long-term figurehead at Elland Road.

Daniel Levy's pursuit for a new Tottenham Hotspur manager appears to be coming to a head, and while Celtic's Ange Postecoglou is the frontrunner, Luis Enrique's 'interest' in the job is keeping the race alive.

What's the latest on Luis Enrique to Tottenham?

According to journalist Paul Brown, speaking to GIVEMESPORT, Enrique is "interested" in taking the reins at Spurs and is believed to be alongside Postecoglou and Sporting Lisbon gaffer Ruben Amorin on the candidate list.

Brown said: “Luis Enrique is a really interesting one. I think he's done great work at some of the clubs he's been at and with some of the teams that he's managed.

"I do believe he also is another one who's quite interested in the job, but as I say, I would prefer Spurs to be looking in a slightly different direction."

Despite this, following a long and onerous process that has yet to yield a desired new boss, Enrique could indeed take to the dugout with the transfer window less than two weeks from opening its gates.

Why should Tottenham appoint Enrique?

While Brown might think that the Lilywhites should seek a different solution to appointing the former Barcelona and Spain manager, he possesses a proven trophy-clinching pedigree and could inject a much-needed winning mentality in north London, having once been heralded as "remarkable" by Arsene Wenger.

Having dismissed Antonio Conte in March, Ryan Mason has led from the dugout at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium on a caretaker basis but is not expected to take the reins next season.

Enrique is a distinguished manager with an illustrious record, having won the European treble with Barcelona in his debut season, and his managerial style of astute tactical understanding and an awareness of both the team's philosophy and the individual roles could be exactly what Spurs need after an ending to the campaign littered in disarray.

For such an approach to be effectively implemented at Tottenham, he will need a midfield conductor capable of leading with conviction and serving diligently on the pitch, and Pierre-Emile Højbjerg could be his man.

According to CIES Football Observatory, the Danish machine is valued at £52m after signing from Southampton for just £15m in 2020, and despite his outfit's lacklustre year he has remained a solid performer in the middle.

As per Sofascore, he completed an impressive 7.11 average rating in the top-flight this term, scoring four goals, registering five assists, completing 89% of his passes, making 1.6 tackles per match and succeeding with 72% of his dribbles.

Should Enrique arrive, the £100k-per-week "monster" – as once hailed by former Denmark midfielder Morten Bisgaard – could adopt the role that Ivan Rakitic played so well for La Blaugrana with the 53-year-old at the helm, with the Croatian engine his outfit's workhorse to make the system tick.

He earned a glowing endorsement from Jose Mourinho for his feats in Catalonia, who said:

"He’s a fantastic player at every level. He does the defensive work on the right side to compensate for [Lionel] Messi. He runs miles.

"In ball possession he’s fantastic, he’s simple, he’s effective. He’s one of the most underrated players."

Having just won the Europa League with Sevilla, the 35-year-old boasts a career average pass success rate of 85% and 1.4 tackles on average, as per WhoScored.

Hojbjerg could be a "phenomenal" and "intelligent" heir to his esteemed positional peer in Enrique's squad, as Mourinho also remarked of the 27-year-old, and with him at the centre, Spurs could whir into life at full throttle.

Journalist Alasdair Gold has claimed that Ange Postecoglou isn't right for the Tottenham Hotspur job as they should be hiring "a manager earlier in his career".

Who do Spurs want to hire as their manager?

The wait goes on to find out who will take charge of Spurs next term after links with Arne Slot suddenly came to an end this week with the Feyenoord coach ruling himself out of the running.

This comes after a number of names have been touted in the media but Daniel Levy hasn't been able to find the right man yet, with Julian Nagelsmann also looking like a strong contender at one stage before things swiftly changed.

Since then, however, reports in Scotland (via Record Sport) claim that Tottenham are now preparing to make their move for Celtic boss Postecoglou.

While talking about the 57-year-old on the Gold and Guest Talk Tottenham podcast, Gold seemed to suggest that a younger man would be a better fit.

He said (24:53): "I mean, look, I wouldn't say I'd be out there on the streets, kind of holding up placards if Postecoglou came in.

"Sure, he'd have a very certain style to him, but I don't know… maybe it's just this weird kind of thing within me now where I feel like they need this rebuild. And maybe rightly or wrongly a feeling it should be geared towards a manager earlier in his career.

"Someone that really desperately wants this job. I'm not saying he doesn't, I don't know whether Postecolgue does, but certainly a young manager that can really stamp their authority on this club.

"I'd rather say at the start of their career, near the beginning. Someone that can develop with the club, that's kind of what I want to see. It doesn't have to necessarily be a young manager, it could be an older manager, but I think it does have to be someone that's ready to grow."

Would Postecoglou be a good fit for Spurs?

It's not hard to see why Gold wants the new manager to be someone who is excited to be part of a project at Spurs – with former managers Antonio Conte and Jose Mourinho arriving with plenty of prior success already under their belts, which may have impacted on their appetite to really have the patience to develop Tottenham.

And maybe Postecoglou could be somewhat similar to them in the fact that he is now 57 years old and has won plenty of silverware with Celtic, as well as in Australia and in Japan.

However, he is yet to manage in one of Europe's top five leagues and so if he took charge in north London he may well be excited to grow alongside Spurs and help with the rebuild even if he's older than some other candidates like the more youthful Slot and Nagelsmann.

West Ham are one of several clubs believed to be keen on signing Liverpool youngster Fabio Carvalho this summer.

Could Carvalho leave Liverpool this summer?

The Reds experienced a poor 2022/23 season by their recent high standards, finishing fifth in the Premier League, with too many players struggling to find their best form. One player who joined last summer was Carvalho, who made the move from Fulham after playing a key role in helping them achieve promotion to the top flight, registering 18 goal contributions (10 goals and eight assists) in the Championship.

The £40,000-a-week attacking midfielder has really struggled to make his mark at Anfield to date, however, starting just four league games and scoring twice in 13 appearances in the competition overall. It has become increasingly clear that he has a lot of work to do if he is to make it at Liverpool, and it could even be that he is moved on this summer.

Whether that is on loan or permanently remains to be seen, but as things stand, it would be a surprise if he was part of the Reds' first-team plans next season. With West Ham eyeing reinforcements in the summer, it could be that the 20-year-old is a target for the Hammers in the coming months.

Are West Ham keen on move for Carvalho?

According to Football Insider, the "revelation" that Liverpool could allow Carvalho to leave on loan this summer has alerted a number of Premier League clubs, with West Ham mentioned as one of the clubs who are keen.

Brentford and Burnley are also believed to be "interested" in signing him, although the player himself "harbours concerns over whether he would earn regular minutes during a temporary stay at any of those clubs". Therefore, a move abroad could be a "more appealing next step" for Carvalho, with an unnamed foreign club showing an interest in him.

The Liverpool man could be a shrewd signing by West Ham if they get a deal over the line this summer, with a loan move arguably the best option, should he struggle to make the grade in east London.

Carvalho has been described as "unbelievable" by Reds manager Jurgen Klopp, which says a lot about his ability, and he is capable of excelling in a central attacking midifeld role or out wide, with such versatility making him a real asset, in terms of squad depth.

There hasn't been enough end product from those attacking areas at West Ham this season, with Jarrod Bowen topping the league scoring charts with six goals and five assists, so Carvalho could bolster that area, as the Hammers try to improve on a fairly disappointing total of 42 goals in 38 matches.

Rangers boss Giovanni van Bronkhorst and Ross Wilson have been hit with a setback over Nikola Katic’s future at Ibrox heading into the summer transfer window…

What’s the talk?

According to Football Scotland, his loan club are unlikely to sign him on a permanent deal despite having a £3m option to do so in their loan agreement.

The report claims that the defender will now return to the Premiership club for pre-season in an attempt to impress van Bronckhorst and break back into the Rangers squad.

Supporters will be frustrated

This is a huge blow for Wilson and is one that will surely leave the supporters frustrated as it leaves the club £3m short of what they could have had and with an injury-plagued player remaining on the books.

Since joining the club, Katic has missed 58 competitive matches for the Gers and was ruled out for a whopping 358 days after suffering a cruciate ligament rupture in 2020.

Transfermarkt have no injury updates on his time in the Croatian top-flight in 2021/22 but the centre-back only managed 17 starts and 21 appearances for Split in the league. His statistics in the division do not suggest that his limited game time was down to form as he averaged an excellent SofaScore rating of 7.01 and won 64% of his duels in the 1. HNL.

After spending an extraordinary amount of time out injured, it is not a surprise to see that Katic did not rack up 30+ starts in Croatia. However, that does not take away from the fact that he is not a reliable option for van Bronckhorst to call upon.

His injury record means that he cannot start the season expecting to be a regular in the team as he is yet to prove that he can remain fit throughout the campaign.

This is why Split’s decision is a setback for Wilson as he would have been able to use the £3m fee to bring in a centre-back with a proven track record of fitness to bolster the team. Therefore, this update is a huge blow for the club, as it stands, and is one that will frustrate supporters who will surely want reliable options in the squad.

Of course, if Katic can come back and prove his fitness and enjoy a stellar season for the Light Blues next term then no one will be worrying about £3m. For now, though, his record suggests that he has a long way to go to get back on track with his availability.

AND in other news, Rangers can land dream Kent heir in deal for £1.5m “asset” who can “affect the game”…

This could be quite the summer for Liverpool who will be aiming to achieve something that very few will think is possible; becoming an even better team.

Although a Premier League title triumph is now against the odds for Jurgen Klopp’s side, the Reds could still come away from this season with a treble, something that would be finalised by winning the Champions League final in Paris against Real Madrid.

Liverpool will seek revenge for that horrible night in 2018 when Loris Karius endured a nightmare between the sticks but the two European heavyweights could go toe to toe in the transfer market too.

[snack-amp-story url=”https://www.footballfancast.com/web-stories/read-the-latest-liverpool-news-transfer-rumours-gossip-salah-gnabry-isak-romano” title= “Read the latest Liverpool news!”]

That’s because the pair are both interested in signing Kylian Mbappe.

The £144m-rated superstar is set to become a free agent this summer if he doesn’t renew his contract in the French capital, with Madrid believed to be one of the clubs keen to secure his signature.

Reports from France a few days ago claimed Klopp’s men had entered ‘the dance’ to sign the player and if he arrives in Merseyside, it would be an incredible piece of business.

Their title rivals Manchester City have already secured a move for Erling Haaland but this deal would surely one-up the Citizens.

For starters, the 23-year-old has been phenomenal in front of goal this term, finding the back of the net on 36 occasions, seven more times than Haaland. Mbappe also has a whopping 26 assists, 18 more than the Norwegian hitman.

With that in mind, it’s hardly a surprise to hear Jonathan Woodgate suggest he could take on a certain Virgil van Dijk and succeed.

Speaking to the BBC, the former defender once said: “The pace of Kylian Mbappe would frighten any defender, including Virgil van Dijk. He is that quick.”

The PSG attacker is in a world of his own when it comes to offensive threat and beating his marker for ease but there are parallels that can be drawn.

Indeed, the most similar player to Mbappe according to FB Ref is his fellow countryman Karim Benzema, a man with 44 goals in as many games this term.

A deeper look at the numbers tells you there are more parallels between the two than just goalscoring, though.

Both of them average 41% of their shots on target whilst their non-penalty expected goals per 90 sit between 0.53 and 0.56.

Their shot-creating actions are also similar with Mbappe managing 4.94 to Benzema’s 4.28 per 90 minutes. Finally, they take nearly the same number of touches on average too, with the PSG star taking 58 and the Real Madrid goal machine taking 53 every 90 minutes.

With that in mind, he’d clearly be an extraordinary acquisition and one FSG must seal if the Reds want to continue making more history.

AND in other news, “Will be leaving this summer” – Major Liverpool claim will have supporters gutted…

According to reports out of Spain, some major Manchester City transfer news has come to light involving Barcelona goalkeeper Marc-Andre ter Stegen.

The Lowdown: Guardiola set for summer reshuffle?

The Sky Blues could actually be set for a summer reshuffle as a fair few of Pep Guardiola’s stars become linked with a summer exit.

[web_stories_embed url=”https://www.footballtransfertavern.com/web-stories/man-city-latest-developments-3/” title=”Man City latest developments!” poster=”” width=”360″ height=”600″ align=”none”]

Raheem Sterling, Gabriel Jesus, Riyad Mahrez and now Ilkay Gundogan are at the centre of possible moves away with the likes of Frenkie de Jong becoming tipped as potential incomings.

The Premier League champions, after completing an agreement to sign Erling Haaland from Borussia Dortmund for the 2022/2023 season, are certainly not done there going by recent reports.

Now, a very interesting story has come out of the continent.

The Latest: ter Stegen linked…

According to Spanish sources, Barcelona number one ter Stegen ‘could end up’ at City and be the ‘second star signing’ after Haaland – coming as Guardiola feels it’s ‘necessary’ to provide real competition for Ederson.

It is believed that the £100,000-per-week Germany international is ‘tempted’ by a move to Eastlands, but if officials wish to make a move, Barca will reportedly demand a fee in excess of €60 million (£51m).

The Verdict: Make a move?

The presence of Ederson, an ever-reliable, and USA international Zack Steffen just behind him makes this report a surprising one to say the least.

City starlet Gavin Bazanu dazzled on loan at Portsmouth and comes as another shot-stopper turning heads in Manchester, so we believe Guardiola is more than stocked for capable deputies between the sticks.

While ter Stegan is a big name who has been called a ‘monster’, ‘beast’ and ‘phenomenon’ by members of the press (Alex Truica), we believe City certainly have bigger priorities, like sealing the signature of an heir to Fernandinho.

In other news: Fabrizio Romano lifts lid on Man City attempts to sign ‘world class’ £49.5 million-rated star! Find out more here.

An update has emerged regarding Newcastle United and their pursuit of Raphinha heading into the summer transfer window…

What’s the talk?

Fabrizio Romano has revealed that PIF are plotting a swoop for the Leeds United forward and will need to battle it out with an elite European club to land his signature.

Speaking on the Wondergoal Podcast (12:45), Romano said: “A player they (PIF) love is Raphinha from Leeds. We know that Barcelona are leading the race to sign to him, but Newcastle are exploring the possibilities for a long time.

“They know this is going to be more than complicated because Barcelona are already in advanced talks with the player’s side. It depends if Leeds will get relegated or not (as) it will be important to understand if the clause will be activated or not.”

Imagine him & Allan Saint-Maximin

PIF must work hard to win the race for Raphinha, as he would be an exciting addition to Newcastle’s squad for next season.

Premier League defenders will be trembling at the thought of playing against the Toon if Saint-Maximin and the Brazilian are both lining up on the wings for the Magpies, as they both have the technical ability to cause huge problems in the final third.

Whilst Leeds are struggling at the wrong end of the table, the 25-year-old attacker has been a shining light at Elland Road throughout the campaign.

As you can see from these statistics, via SofaScore, Raphinha – who joined the Yorkshire club for £20m – has been in electric form at the top end of the pitch, both in terms of scoring and creating goals.

He only has three assists to his name, in spite of him creating nine ‘big chances’, and his team’s failure to finish off the opportunities that he is creating could tempt him to make the switch to St James’ Park. Raphinha’s statistics prove that he is a quality player at Premier League level, and Leeds are not making the most of his creative talents.

The Athletic’s Patrick Boyland previously dubbed him “magic”, and the Brazil wizard’s 1.9 dribbles per game to go along with his chance creation figures would suggest that such praise is deserved.

Meanwhile, Saint-Maximin has completed a whopping 4.4 dribbles and 1.5 key passes per game in the current top-flight campaign. This shows that he has been a constant threat with the ball at his feet and that Eddie Howe would have a frightening wide duo if he can play him and Raphinha in the same team next season.

AND in other news, Howe can land the next Shearer as Newcastle “prepares” £59m bid for 68-goal “diamond”…

Former Tottenham manager Jose Mourinho is said to be eyeing up a move for Pierre-Emile Hojbjerg this summer, according to transfer insider Dean Jones.

The Lowdown: Strong connections

The Portuguese coach signed the 26-year-old when he was in charge of the north London giants just under two years ago, and a matter of months after Mourinho was confirmed as the new manager at Roma, it was reported that the Dane wanted to join him at the Stadio Olimpico.

The Mirror have recently claimed that Hojbjerg is attracting interest from Spurs’ top-flight rivals Newcastle United, with the £100k-per-week star being ‘high’ on Eddie Howe’s wish list, but it seems that a Serie A reunion between the midfielder and his former boss might be on the cards.

[web_stories_embed url=”https://www.footballtransfertavern.com/web-stories/tottenham-newest-updates/” title=”Tottenham newest updates…” poster=”” width=”360″ height=”600″ align=”none”]

The Latest: Jones’ comments on Hojbjerg

When speaking during an interview about Hojbjerg’s future at Tottenham, Jones told GiveMeSport:

“One thing I’m hearing on Hojbjerg is that Jose Mourinho quite fancies taking him to Roma.

“Next season Jose intends to ask the board to back his vision as he thinks they can make a real push at the top of Serie A – and Hojbjerg could be a great asset.”

The Verdict: Hojbjerg should stay at Spurs

Despite having a successful spell under Mourinho, who once dubbed the 54-cap Denmark international a “phenomenal” player, Hojbjerg has since settled into life at Tottenham, particularly under Antonio Conte, under whom he has started all but two Premier League games this season.

Roma have already failed to secure a Champions League place for next season with the 59-year-old in the dugout, whereas the Lilywhites still very much have a chance of finishing in the Premier League top four come the end of May.

The 6 foot 1 maestro has proven to be one of Conte’s most consistent performers over the course of the Italian’s N17 tenure, and should he have ambitions of playing any kind of European football at the highest level in the future, the best option for him would be to remain in north London and hopefully enjoy more success with Spurs in years to come.

In other news… sources have shared a huge update on one of Tottenham’s summer transfer targets