All posts by z3u9t.icu

A transfer update has emerged on Rangers and their plans to bring a new goalkeeper to Ibrox…

What’s the talk?

According to the Daily Mail, the Gers have prepared a pre-contract offer for Dundee United shot-stopper Benjamin Siegrist.

He is out of contract at the end of the season and Rangers are hoping to swoop in to land him on a free transfer to bolster their squad.

Masterstroke

Gio van Bronckhorst could pull off a masterstroke this month by securing a deal for Siegrist to join upon the expiry of his deal at the end of June.

The club are in a difficult position heading into the summer as their two first-team goalkeepers, Allan McGregor and Jon McLaughlin, are both out of contract. This means that they could lose both of their shot-stoppers for nothing and be left without a first-choice or a back-up ahead of the 2022/23 campaign.

Therefore, bringing in a new number one without spending a penny on transfer fees would be a masterstroke from van Bronckhorst. They could then promote Robby McCrorie into a secondary role to replace McLaughlin and have Siegrist as the go-to option for the Dutch head coach, meaning that both outgoing veterans are not sorely missed and the Gers do not have to spend much in the market.

Micky Melon, who once dubbed Siegrist a “monster”, previously hailed his goalkeeper, saying:

“He’s a top drawer goalkeeper. At the end of the day, you have to be good enough to beat him and he’s made some terrific saves.

“To come to a place like Hibs and get a result, you need a good goalkeeper and he’s done that today.”

The 29-year-old has saved 73.1% of the shots against him this season after saving 78.2% in the Premiership last term. McGregor, meanwhile, has saved 74.2% of shots domestically and 66.3% in the Europa League, suggesting that Siegrist would come in and provide a similar level of quality to the experienced Scot.

Therefore, binging him in would be a masterstroke as it could be a seamless transition in the goalkeeping department heading into next season. He has the requisite Premiership experience to hit the ground running and his statistics suggest that he will be up to the task in terms of his individual quality, which is why this could be a fantastic deal for the club.

AND in other news, Deal considered: Rangers must seal swoop for 105 G/A predator who won’t cost a penny…

Basel striker Arthur Cabral would be an ideal signing for West Ham in the January transfer window, according to former Premier League man Kevin Campbell.

The Lowdown: Cabral on fire

The 23-year-old is having a magnificent season for Basel, scoring 14 Swiss Super League goals in as many starts in 2021/22 to date.

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In fact, that means Cabral has scored more times than Jarrod Bowen, Said Benrahma and Michail Antonio combined (13) in the Premier League.

The Brazilian has been linked with a move to the Hammers in the past, as David Moyes looks to bolster his squad next month.

The Latest: Hammers urged to sign striker

Someone who thinks Cabral would be an ideal January signing is Campbell, who told Football Insider that he sees him as a perfect understudy to Antonio:

“They’ll have to be clever with Antonio, and Cabral could be that answer.

“He’s so physical, so all-action, strong, aggressive, and quick. But if he gets injured, they are seriously going to miss him.

“Getting someone else in who can take the strain off Antonio if you wanted to rest or rotate him at times, oh my, that would be a really shrewd move for David Moyes in January.”

The Verdict: Perfect January acquisition

There is no doubt that a striker needs to arrive at the London Stadium next month if West Ham are to mount a genuine top-four bid, as well as go far in the Europa League.

At the moment, there is too much onus on Antonio, who at 31 can’t play every game and has had injury problems in the past.

Cabral would represent a hugely exciting young alternative – someone who can add squad depth, quality and goals from the bench, and also be a long-term signing with great potential, given his goalscoring exploits this term at the age of just 23.

In other news, a fresh West Ham transfer claim has emerged. Read more here.

Tottenham Hotspur may still be without Sergio Reguilon on Thursday as Antonio Conte’s depleted side head to the Midlands to face Leicester City…

What’s the latest?

That’s according to the ever-reliable football.london reporter Alasdair Gold, who delivered a fresh update on the Spaniard’s situation ahead of the game, having been absent since his withdrawal just 22 minutes into the win over Norwich City ten days ago.

The 24-year-old posted on social media after the match that it wasn’t anything to worry about and that he would be back soon, though that does not appear to be the case now.

“I am told that Sergio Reguilon is not fully training yet after that one (his injury against Norwich), he is on his way back but I just wonder if Thursday might come too soon,” Gold claimed on his YouTube channel.

Big blow

The young left-back has been a vital player for Spurs this season, particularly under the Italian as his wing-back system has allowed him to thrive in both attack and defence.

He had started 13 games in the Premier League prior to injury, with WhoScored ranking him as Conte’s fifth-best player so far. Defensively, he has chipped in with a squad-high 1.9 interceptions and 1.5 tackles, whilst in the final third, he leads the way for assists (three) and has also averaged one key pass per game.

Reguilon’s importance to the 52-year-old head coach is reflected by comments from the player himself just last month. He told the Evening Standard:

“I’ve never played five at the back before. I have to learn quickly. The gaffer has told me he wants me to be solid in defence but at the same moment I have to arrive in the box, help the strikers, score goals, give assists. Now I have more of a chance to score goals and give assists. So let’s work.”

Now, if he is unavailable on Thursday, it remains to be seen exactly who could replace him in the starting XI because Conte has not had his full squad available due to a virus outbreak at the club’s training ground.

That has put pay to two fixtures thus far and no players have been named. If everyone is available, then he is likely to turn to Ryan Sessegnon, who was sent off in his first start under Conte, as Ben Davies is a left-sided centre-back in this system.

On the above evidence, not having the £22.5m-rated dynamo back involved is certainly a gutting blow to Spurs and one that should leave the manager concerned.

AND in other news, Conte could sign an even better Moses at Spurs with “unplayable” £27m-rated “machine”…

Steven Gerrard has identified the number one priority for his Aston Villa squad ahead of the January transfer window.

What’s the talk?

That’s according to a report by The Sun’s Alan Nixon, who claims that the 41-year-old will be targeting a leading left-back in the winter market, as the manager believes that the current first choice in the position, Matt Targett, is not of the standard required at Villa Park.

The report goes on to state that, although Gerrard’s left-back at Rangers, Borna Barisic, has been linked with a move to the Premier League side, Villa’s scouts are looking at targets in the Premier League and in Europe.

Fans will be buzzing

Considering just how poor Targett has been for Villa so far this season, the news that Gerrard has already identified a new left-back as his priority target in the January transfer window is sure to have left Aston Villa fans buzzing.

Indeed, over his 11 Premier League appearances this term, the £15.3m-rated man has helped his side keep just two clean sheets, as well as being dribbled past by an opponent an average of one time per game and losing possession of the ball an average of 16.2 times per fixture.

These returns have seen the defender average a disappointing SofaScore match rating of just 6.72, ranking him as Villa’s 12th-best performer in the top flight of English football.

As such, it is clear to see that, should Gerrard wish to mount a charge towards the top half of the Premier League table this season, the 26-year-old is undoubtedly a player that he will need to upgrade upon in the January transfer window – something that, following the latest reports, it would seem as if the former Liverpool captain is more than prepared to do this winter.

In other news: Grealish 2.0: Gerrard could save AVFC millions with 18 y/o sensation dubbed “the best”

Leeds United are reportedly interested in signing Juventus midfielder Aaron Ramsey in January, with a loan move potentially in the offing.

The Lowdown: Ramsey struggling at Juve

The 71-time capped Wales international has not had the happiest time of things at Juve of late, starting just once in Serie A so far this season.

It has led to rumours linking him with a move away from the Italian giants, with Ramsey struggling to settle there ever since joining from Arsenal in 2019.

With Leeds potentially eyeing up new midfield signings in January, it appears as though the 30-year-old is considered a target.

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The Latest: Leeds linked with move

That’s according to Calciomercato, who claim that a loan move to Elland Road could take place next month.

It is stated that Everton and Newcastle United are also seen as possible suitors and that paths to both them and the Whites ‘remain valid’ currently.

The report also claims that Leeds could possibly sign Ramsey permanently in the summer if he joined on loan initially.

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The Verdict: Proven top-level pedigree

At 30, Ramsey doesn’t necessarily represent the long-term future for Leeds, but if a player of his quality is available they would be wise to make a move for him.

The former Arsenal man has been described as ‘world class’ by Wales teammate and Tottenham defender Ben Davies and he has a Serie A title and three FA Cup winners’ medals to show for that quality.

Ramsey’s ability to score goals from midfield would give Leeds a different option in the middle of the park – 20 goals for Wales speaks volumes – with Kalvin Phillips, Adam Forshaw and Stuart Dallas yet to net once between them in the Premier League this season.

In other news, a journalist has backed Leeds to sign one specific player in January. Read more here.

Crystal Palace must move for wantaway Arsenal striker Alexandre Lacazette over the winter window, providing new manager Patrick Vieira with some genuine strength in depth.

What’s the story?

The 30-year-old is out of contract at the Emirates Stadium next summer and is already attracting interest from several potential suitors in the Premier League and overseas.

It was recently reported by 90min that Lacazette is set for an imminent exit from north London, with neither the player nor the club keen to reach an agreement.

The report stated that: “90min understands that talks between the Gunners and the player’s representatives have taken place, but there has been no offer of a new contract. What’s more, neither club nor player appear keen to try and reach an agreement, leading to a parting of ways.”

Since that initial link, it’s become increasingly apparent why Eagles chairman Steve Parish could do with signing a player of his talents.

Vieira needs him

Vieira oversaw a successful squad rebuild during his first few months at the Palace helm as several exciting young acquisitions replaced multiple experienced campaigners.

And although it’s been a promising start to life at Selhurst Park for the Frenchman, there are still some obvious gaps within his first-team squad.

While a more attack-minded right-back and a natural right winger may take priority for Vieira over the next few months, the opportunity to snap up a proven Premier League goalscorer may be too good of an opening to turn down.

After bagging a remarkable 129 goals and providing a further 43 assists in just 275 appearances for boyhood club Lyon, helping them win the French Cup along the way, the versatile forward earned himself a £46.5m move to Arsenal back in July 2017.

During his four-year stay with the Gunners, Lacazette has continued to find the back of the net on a regular basis, scoring 68 goals and laying on a further 29 assists in 175 outings in all competitions, claiming one FA Cup crown during his time on English shores.

Former Arsenal Arsene Wenger previously lauded the £19.8m-rated attacker for having the knack of being in the right place at the right time, saying: “Scoring goals is about being in the right place, and Lacazette has that quality.”

That’s an attribute that Vieira certainly needs in his squad.

And, in other news…Journalist drops worrying claim over £40m-rated Palace dynamo, fans will be concerned 

With 17 games played in their Championship campaign, West Brom are currently eight points behind league leaders AFC Bournemouth and six behind Fulham in second place with Valerien Ismael’s side having won nine, drawn five and lost three of their 17 matches.

In addition to the points difference, West Brom have also scored fewer goals than the two clubs currently above them in the league table, four fewer than Bournemouth (31) and 17 fewer than Fulham (44) and have failed to score on three occasions in the league this season in their games against Derby County, Stoke City and Fulham.

Looking ahead to the next stage of the season and beyond, we feel that one way Ismael could fix West Brom’s issue of not scoring as many goals is to freshen up his side’s attack. He may want to dip his toes into the winter market but we think he should hand youngster Mo Faal some first-team minutes instead.

Since joining West Brom’s U18 side back in November 2019, the 18-year-old striker has made 26 appearances for their U18 side in which he has managed to score eight goals and provide three assists in the process.

Additionally, Faal has managed to score four goals and provide two assists in 15 appearances for their U23 side, showing just how capable he is of finding the back of the net. With that in mind, he could become a useful figure for Ismael’s side going forward.

Faal has had a taste of first-team action for the Baggies having made one appearance for them which came during their 6-0 defeat against Arsenal in the Carabao Cup back in August where he replaced Kenneth Zohore in the second half but was unable to get on the scoresheet against the Premier League side.

Moving forward, with on-loan Baggies striker Jordan Hugill only managing to score one goal in 13 appearances in the Championship for West Brom so far this season, we feel that it could be a good opportunity for Ismael to shake up his side somewhat.

Faal, who has been described as a “physical presence” that “links the game up well, scores goals and is an aerial threat” by U18s manager Peter Gilbert must be handed an opportunity to prove himself in the first team ahead of Hugill. If he takes that chance and performs well, he could save Albion millions on potential transfer fees in the next market.

In other news: Big blow: West Brom suffer injury setback that will surely have fans worried – opinion

Everton’s transfer business in recent years has been patchy, to say the least, but last summer’s dealings have been surprisingly fruitful.

During the reign of current director of football Marcel Brands, the Toffees have spent huge sums of money with varying degrees of success.

For every Abdoulaye Doucoure there’s been an Alex Iwobi, and supporters of the Merseyside outfit must have been growing tired of the club’s frivolous spending.

However, financial restraints due to the ongoing coronavirus pandemic significantly limited Everton’s spending power in the most recent transfer window.

The likes of Asmir Begovic, Andros Townsend and Salomon Rondon joined the Blues on free transfers, while Demarai Gray arrived for a meagre £1.7m from Bayer Leverkusen.

“I’m delighted to be back in the Premier League at such a big club, and I’m excited to play with the team and get to work,” Gray told evertontv (as relayed by The Athletic).

“Speaking to the manager and Marcel Brands, I had a really good feel for the club, and I feel this is a place where I can continue to develop.

“The manager, with his ambition and what he has won in the past, is important, and we’ll look to push forward and compete with the top clubs. I think a club of this magnitude has all the potential to be right up there.”

Gray’s transfer fee was the only money that Brands forked out during the summer, meaning the Goodison Park outfit’s spending was at its lowest point since the 2010/11 campaign.

But the 25-year-old’s scintillating form has shown that what you invest your money in, rather than how much you cough up, is what really matters – especially in the world of football.

In just seven Premier League outings, Gray has already bagged three goals and provided one assist for Rafa Benitez’s charges, playing a pivotal part in Everton’s rise to fifth position.

Producing his early-season form on a consistent basis is now the task facing the former Leicester City winger, but the signs are promising, and Benitez could have a real gem on his hands.

The £57,000-per-week forward has exceeded expectations in the opening weeks of the campaign, with his market value rising to £13.5m last week as a result.

Only time will tell if Gray turns out to be one of Brands’ best buys, but the Everton chief certainly appears to have struck gold by bringing the versatile attacker back to English shores.

And, in other news…Brands must sanction Everton swoop for “gifted” 21 y/o gem, he’s an upgrade on Iwobi 

Now that Arsenal FC  has been on a bender of losing streaks, the uk football world is dwelling on when Mikel Arteta’s last day as a Gunner manager could be. Rumour has it that the ex football player turned manager has the upcoming 5 football matches to come up with a plan to save Arsenal’s Premier League performance.

Kicking off the season with a low blow defeat of 2-0 against newly promoted Brentford, has had a massive impact on the dressing room morale. UK online bookmakers have speculated that the manager and coach has lost the dressing room, and potentially his job is on the line.  Following more defeats against Tottenham and Chelsea seems to have sealed the deal for the doomed football manager.

We could all argue that Arteta should be given more time to place his reign and mark on Arenal, yet do we really have time in football? Not really, as time and lack of action could mean a Champions League spot and also relegation in football. Many times established teams have sacked and replaced managers and coaches mid season, and with good reason.  When Jose Mourinho was sacked from his top dog job at Manchester United, ex player and interim manager Ole Gunnar Solskjaer was appointed, and the team went on to secure winning streaks, comparing the newbie coach to his mentor Sir Alex Ferguson. It was evident that Jose aka The Chosen One, had lost the dressing room and Manchester United needed to act fast not to lose the legacy, the league and their reputation in the process.  Will the Jose saga be repeated again at Emirates Stadium?  And will Arteta suffer the same fate as his peers at the Red Devils?

English newspapers have already started speculating about Mikel Arteta being given until November to turn around Arsenal’s performance. True or not, the UK’s best bookmakers are taking note. Keeping in mind that the Gunner football manager has spent 100 Million in players for the season, a return is expected from the club, and this translates into the next 5 upcoming games.

The upcoming matches will decide Arteta’s fate at Arsenal, and next in line to take the job is of course Antonio Conte, the notorious yet respected ex football manager of Inter Milan. And for those of you questioning Conte’s capability, just know that Conte managed to get the team the top spot in the Italian league, and only walked away from the club because of financial debt and uncertainty that Inter Milan faced. Conte was never sacked from his role, and would be an ideal candidate to turn Arsenal’s performance from rags to riches.

Unfortunately for Arsenal and for Arteta himself, the team has some tough games coming up.  Starting off with facing league winners Manchester City, followed by games against Norwich, Burnley, Tottenham and Brighton. Odds are that Manchester City will secure a win over Arsenal, hence Arteta would need to win the next 4 games following that, to at least be considered as keeping his job at the Emirates.

In the meantime, the Gunner bosses would need to see a significant change and turnaround from Arteta in leading his team to stardom. Sports commentators have also chimed into the Arteta sacking ordeal, and have deplored Arteta’s ameature skills against an out for blood Chelsea. Arteta’s plan just failed to materialise, and everyone in the sports and football worlds took notice. Arteta was not criticized for not having a plan of attack, a strategy if you will. The football world knows Arteta has a plan, yet the plan did not pan it. The question is: Does Arteta have any more tricks in the bag or is this all that he’s got to offer? This is the harsh decision that the Gunner bosses would need to take into consideration.

You can have a million star players on the football pitch, but if the manager’s plan is not a solid one, you have nothing. Plus, the game against Chelseas is a living proof of that statement. You can have a million Lukaku’s and a thousand Chaka or Mari’s, if the plan and strategy is not there, you have nothing.

One failed strategy after another as Arsenal sinks into misery

Of course sports commentators fault the manager when a team fails to perform well in a league. This is the norm, as in when all goes wrong, sack the team leader first and strive to get a new strategy going. Unfortunately the formation that Arsenal have adopted when facing their opponents in recent games, has failed to materialise in wins, and this only means one thing: the strategy is upright failing.

Arteta was blamed for not adopting the 3 at the back game formation, and of course this has resulted in losses rolling in one after another. The notion is simple, if you have a fortified back of the pitch, you will have a better defense. Arteta seems to go all in when it comes with attack and fails to acknowledge the back weaker side of Arsenal.

Head over to British bookies and place your bets on if Mikel Arteta turns the tables around at Arsenal. The future does look quite grim for the football coach, but with some fate and some new strategies every sport can be enhanced. Let us just hope that the ex football player has what it takes to make it in the coaching world.

With Mark Warburton having seen his Queens Park Rangers side endure a poor run of results in recent weeks, with the Rs losing their last three consecutive Championship fixtures, the 59-year-old will undoubtedly be hoping he can get things back on track at the Kiyan Prince Foundation Stadium on Tuesday evening.

However, with a host of injury concerns in his QPR squad ahead of the visit of Birmingham City, with Sam McCallum, Lee Wallace and Sam Field all ruled out of the clash, Warburton will have a number of tough calls to make regarding his starting XI in the fixture.

Warburton must unleash Adomah

Left-back is a position that will be a particular concern for the Rs boss, as the absence of both Norwich City loanee Sam McCallum and Wallace has left the 59-year-old with no natural option in the position.

And, considering Yoann Barbet did not enjoy his finest performance while filling in at left wing-back in the 2-1 loss to West Bromwich Albion last Friday, it would appear wise for Warburton to once again turn to a player he has previously fielded in the position – Albert Adomah.

Indeed, having been brought on at left wing-back in the club’s 3-3 draw with Reading towards the beginning of September, the 33-year-old highly impressed during his brief 18-minute cameo, providing one assist, making two key passes and creating one big chance for his teammates, returns which saw the winger earn a SofaScore match rating of 7.3.

The £13k-per-week man put in an equally impressive performance at right wing-back in the Rs’ 2-1 defeat to Bournemouth, making three key passes, three interceptions and three tackles over his 35 minutes on the pitch, seeing the player Dean Smith claimed causes full-backs “real trouble” receive a SofaScore match rating of 7.4.

Adomah once again turned in a fine display over his 25-minute spell at left wing-back against Bristol City, making three key passes, one tackle and winning three duels in the 2-1 loss, as well as earning a SofaScore match rating of 7.0.

As such, Warburton simply must unleash the 33-year-old in the position once more on Tuesday evening, as the winger’s clear ability going forwards, as well as his solidity at the back, would undoubtedly cause Lee Bowyer’s Birmingham side no end of problems – something that would certainly improve QPR’s chances of finally getting back to winning ways in the league.

In other news: Warburton drops seven-word injury update ahead of Blues clash, QPR fans will be gutted