All posts by rastrear-estafeta.com

The way in which Nuno Santo left Wolves behind was rather sad. He’d dedicated blood, sweat and tears to reviving the Old Gold and he did so with great success.

The Portuguese spent four years at the helm, taking them from the Championship to the Premier League and establishing them as the best of the rest.

They are on the periphery of the division’s top six and have already qualified for Europe since gaining promotion.

However, all good things must come to an end. A rift over recruitment occurred and the very next day, Nuno was preparing to pack his bags and leave the Midlands for good.

His replacement is an unknown quantity in English football, just as Nuno was, so his arrival will be met with great intrigue.

Bruno Lage arrives with a short but eye-catching CV. A client of Jorge Mendes, he won LIGA NOS with Benfica in 2018/19 and helped to produce some of the greatest Portuguese talent we’ve seen in the last decade.

Manchester City star Ruben Dias came through under his watch but the jewel in the crown is undoubtedly Joao Felix.

He was mesmeric under Lage, eventually earning a £113m move to Atletico Madrid, a club where he’s now won La Liga.

Felix only played 29 times under the new Wolves boss but scored 17 goals and registered ten assists while playing predominantly from an attacking midfield position.

Comparisons will naturally be made to the young players at Molineux. Can Lage have a similar impact on Pedro Neto or Fabio Silva for example? Only time will tell.

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However, Lage can go a long way to replicating that success by signing Kang-in Lee. The Valencia prodigy is just 20 years of age but has a hefty release clause of £71m.

That hasn’t deterred Wolves, though, who could prise him away from Spain this summer.

If he does arrive in England, he could well follow in the footsteps of Felix. After all, the South Korean is full of talent and has enormous potential.

Speaking about the attacking midfielder previously, South Korea legend Yoo Sang-cheol said: “He absorbs knowledge like a sponge. He is the ace of the team with excellent speed, shooting and defensive technique.”

Valencia academy director Luis Vicente Mateo added: “He is willing to learn every day, regardless of whether he is in first or second-team training. He is a player with outstanding talent.”

Compared to David Silva, the midfield magician is incredibly crafty in possession of the ball.

Lee produced 1.6 dribbles per match last season and was fouled 1.8 times an outing. If we compare that to Felix, there are clear comparisons.

The Atletico star performed one dribble per game in La Liga last term but was brought down by an opponent on 1.5 occasions.

His 13 goals in 2020/21 is streets ahead of Lee but in the way they receive possession and break forward, they are incredibly alike.

Lage could find his new project by luring the young South Korean to Wolves this summer.

AND in other news, Wolves eye swoop for “extraordinary” 23 y/o Mendes client, he may be their new Jimenez …

UPDATE: Shortly after the publication of this article, Gennaro Gattuso was named as the new Fiorentina manager.

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Newcastle United owner Mike Ashley could fire up his squad by hiring Gennaro Gattuso amid Fabrizio Romano’s major update.

What’s the story?

Reports in recent weeks have suggested that the Italian is someone the Magpies are interested in as they assess their managerial options ahead of the new Premier League season in a couple of months.

Now, journalist Fabrizio Romano has claimed that Gattuso will leave Napoli, thereby opening the door for Ashley to potentially bring in the fiery 43-year-old in the summer.

The news of Gattuso’s departure was then confirmed by the club’s owner Aurelio De Laurentiis, who said: “Dear Rino, I am happy to have spent almost two seasons with you. Thank you for your work and I wish you success wherever you go. A hug also to your wife and children.”

Could rock the Newcastle squad

Even in his playing days, Gattuso was the kind of tigerish midfielder that really set the tone with his intensity, and he’s brought exactly that style to his management career as well.

Back in November, Corriere dello Sport (via Daily Mail) reported that the Italian had clashed with his Gli Azzurri squad, with Gattuso angrily saying: “I’ve been talking about this for months now. I see an attitude I don’t like and it hurts me. We need to sort this aspect out as soon as possible.”

That never-say-die mentality is something he prides himself on, and he’s previously spoken of his disdain about the state of football right now, saying: “When I lost a match I broke down in frustration. Today players lose, take a selfie and put it on the Internet. They make me sick.”

Nicknamed a “snarling dog”, Gattuso could come into St James’ Park and really light a fire under the Newcastle players and leave them in no doubt that nothing other than 100% will do.

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That kind of effort and passion from the side-lines would surely lift the crowd at Newcastle, and gets the fans onside too – you only have to look at how Liverpool fans have embraced Jurgen Klopp and his manic presence in the dugout to see the kind of impact a charismatic figure can have.

Meanwhile, Newcastle are heading for transfer disaster over this £15k-p/w star…

Liam Kennedy has said that Newcastle United will ‘likely’ need to find a replacement for Matt Ritchie in this summer’s transfer window.

The lowdown

The 31-year-old has made 169 appearances for Newcastle since joining from Bournemouth in 2016, scoring 24 goals and providing 31 assists in black and white. Last season, he featured 21 times across all competitions, including a run of nine consecutive starts at the end of the Premier League season.

Back in March, Ritchie was reportedly involved in a training-ground bust-up with Steve Bruce. He is alleged to have called the manager a ‘coward’, and been ‘physically confronted’ in response.

The Scot was an unused substitute in the three games which followed, but then regained the faith of his manager. Following the 4-3 defeat against Manchester City last month, Pep Guardiola singled out Ritchie for praise, admitting he was ‘so good as a taker’ of set pieces.

The latest

Kennedy was asked in a fan Q&A for Shields Gazette what areas should take priority for Newcastle in the transfer market.

He replied: “Centre-half and central midfield. United need to add at least one player in both positions. A Matt Ritchie replacement is likely to be needed as will a stand in for Wilson. Those four would be a start, moving forward.”

The 31-year-old still has two years left on his contract and is valued at £3.6m by Transfermarkt.

The verdict

Losing Ritchie would be a blow to Newcastle given his experience, dead ball quality and supreme versatility – he can operate in either full-back position and further up both flanks.

It could prove very tricky for the Magpies to find a player who combines all of those qualities, either from within the club or on the transfer market for a reasonable fee, considering reports of a paltry £10m-£12m summer budget.

In other news, another Newcastle ace is pushing for a way out.

According to a report by Italian newspaper Tuttosport, via Sport Witness, Tottenham Hotspur and Leicester City are both in a race for Lazio boss Simone Inzaghi as the Premier League duo display managerial interest.

The Lowdown: Inzaghi emerges as Spurs candidate

As yet another coach becomes touted with the Tottenham vacancy, Inzaghi has only entered the fray as an option very recently.

Indeed, whispers surrounding the 45-year-old have emerged this week with odds touting him as a new favourite to replace the departed Jose Mourinho (football.london).

He joins the long list of Italians linked to Spurs alongside Maurizio Sarri, Gian Piero Gasperini, Antonio Conte and Massimiliano Allegri (via TEAMtalk)

The Latest: Spurs and Leicester in race for Inzaghi

Now, bringing the latest, Tuttosport claim that Inzaghi is of interest to both Tottenham and Leicester as the two clubs enter a race for his possible appointment.

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Indeed, Lazio’s boss is said to be attracting the Premier League duo whilst he reflects on his future in the Italian capital – with the former Italy international still yet to make a firm decision.

It is believed by Tuttosport that Inzaghi will sit down with club president Claudio Lotito and discuss it at the end of the season.

The Verdict: The best outside candidate yet?

Inzaghi has garnered absolutely no shortage of praise since taking over at Lazio from Marcelo Bielsa back in 2016.

Being likened to Liverpool manager Jurgen Klopp by striker Ciro Immobile, who called Inzaghi ‘very similar’ due their motivational skills (Football Italia), he’s also been called ‘one of the best coaches in Europe’ by FIFA agent Claudio Anellucci (TUTTOmercatoWEB).

A fan favourite at Lazio, he has also clinched silverware with the club – winning one Coppa Italia and two Supercoppa Italianas over nearly half a decade in charge.

Arguably falling into the category of a young and dynamic coach allegedly wanted by technical performance director Steve Hitchen (The Daily Mail), he could a great option for Tottenham.

In other news: Levy in pole position to sign this powerhouse, find out more here.

Speaking exclusively to Football FanCast, former Premier League midfielder Lee Hendrie thinks moving for Bournemouth’s Asmir Begovic could be a good idea for Celtic, claiming that the 33-year-old is a “big player”.

Following Fraser Forster’s return to Southampton, Vasilis Barkas has spent some time between the posts for the Bhoys after joining the club from AEK Athens last summer.

However, the goalkeeper has really struggled, recently coming in for some strong criticism from Richard Foster.

Undoubtedly, the role in goal has proven to be a problem position for Celtic this season, and Hendrie believes a player like Begovic could be the solution – especially as the 6 ft 6 stopper is someone prospective new Bhoys boss Eddie Howe knows well from their time together at Dean Court.

The Sky Sports pundit told FFC in an exclusive interview:

“Begovic, you know, he’s a big player. Again, he’s had a very good season at Bournemouth.

“I do feel that, yes, the goalkeeping area is certainly a massive must for me. Begovic is a very, very good goalkeeper.

“There are lots of goalkeepers out there that would certainly be attracted to go into Celtic.”

The Bosnia and Herzegovina international had a spell at Chelsea between 2015-2017, where he was described as an “excellent ‘keeper” by former manager Jose Mourinho, so has experience playing for a demanding club where there are a lot of expectations.

Manchester United head into their UEFA Europa League quarter-final second-leg clash with Granada in an extremely comfortable position.

The Red Devils ran out 2-0 winners the last time the two teams came together at Los Cármenes, with goals from Marcus Rashford and Bruno Fernandes securing victory in Spain.

It goes without saying then that the visitors will need to attack in order to find a route back into the tie and this is where the inclusion of United wideman Daniel James could come into play.

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The 23-year-old missed the Premier League victory against Tottenham Hotspur last time out but should certainly be included in the starting lineup this time around.

James is currently in the midst of his most productive season in front of goal having scored five times for the Red Devils in all competitions throughout the campaign.

However, it’s in United’s defending where James might come in particularly handy against Granada.

With Diego Martinez’s troops expected to attack in order to find a foothold, this will see the United backline handed increased responsibility in keeping the ball out of the net.

With his pace though, the former Swansea City man could provide an extremely useful out-ball for the Red Devils on the right-flank, which could see United able to spring what could be lethal counter-attacks throughout the match.

Even Ole Gunnar Solskjaer himself has suggested that James’ pace causes problems for opposition by stating that he is “hard to play against”.

Indeed, to combat this, Granada may be forced to sit deeper to defend against any counter-attacks that could be terminal in their chances of staging a memorable comeback and progressing to the semi-finals.

As a consequence then, this would certainly relieve the pressure on the United backline and indeed open up more space in midfield for the likes of Bruno Fernandes and Paul Pogba.

Considering his characteristics, James seems a perfect candidate to start for the Red Devils as they attempt to get even more comfortable in the Europa League.

AND in more news, find out why David De Gea can once again prove his Man Utd doubters wrong…

Many Everton fans have slammed the performance of Andre Gomes despite their 1-0 away win against Arsenal in the Premier League on Friday night.

The Merseysiders managed to grab a crucial three points at the Emirates Stadium thanks to a bizarre own goal from Bernd Leno, despite not really being at their best.

One player who flattered to deceive was Gomes, who failed to record a single shot on goal, clearance, interception, key pass or cross in the match and was consequently subbed off by Carlo Ancelotti in the 66th minute for Fabian Delph (Sofascore).

The Portuguese midfielder will need to put in much better performances than the one against Mikel Arteta’s side if he is to stay in the starting XI for the rest of the season, especially as he has frequently been the target of Toffees’ fans vitriol in recent months.

Everton fans on Gomes display

These Everton supporters slammed his performance on Twitter, with one fan even going as far as to claim that he was a ‘joke’:

“That was depressing and the tactics were all over the place. Richarlison who has barely played on the right side is suddenly put there. No width on the left. Gomes is a joke of a player who needs dropping. James thinks he has an hour on the ball and is dispossessed so easy #efc”

Credit: @sicurrie

“Gomes giving it away like it’s going out of fashion. #ArsEve”

Credit: @Abelsouthall

“Remember when Gomes used to pass to a Blue shirt? No? Me neither. #ArsEve”

Credit: @nix4pool

“Does Gomes ever not bottle a tackle?!?! #arseve”

Credit: @EvertonOttawa

“Gomes offered nothing tonight”

Credit: @PaulFoy16

“Andre Gomes and Sigurdsson couldn’t tackle a paper bag”

Credit: @JDGEFC

In other news, find out what Fabrizio Romano transfer update has excited many Everton fans!

Former Premier League striker Kevin Campbell has urged Glasgow Rangers to sign Britt Assombalonga on a free transfer this summer.

Campbell urges Assombalonga move

The Gers have been linked with a move for the Congolese striker (GiveMeSport), who currently plays in the Championship for Middlesbrough.

Speaking to Football Insider, Campbell believes that the £2.7m-valued 28-year-old would be a great signing for the Ibrox outfit. He said:

“I think he’ll score a lot of goals in Scotland.

“Morelos will be out. I’m sure he wants to move. Britt Assombalonga would be a handful up in Scotland. He’d be a great replacement. 

“He’ll do very well there. On a free too, good business, really great business.”

Gers step up striker drive

It seems that the Gers may be preparing for the departure of Alfredo Morelos as they look to bring in a new forward. The Colombia international has recently revealed that he is eager to play in the Premier League (Radio Caracol), so it may only be a matter of time before he departs the club.

Assombalonga isn’t the only striker the Gers are said to be monitoring – it seems that they are also in pursuit of Peterborough United’s Jonson Clarke-Harris. Either way, it is important Ross Wilson and co to plan for Morelos’ potential departure, as much as they will be eager to avoid such a situation.

In other news, an update has been provided on this Slavia Prague player’s claim.

Plenty of Crystal Palace supporters have been reacting to a social media post regarding defenders Joel Ward and Scott Dann.

Both Ward and Dann are out of contract at the end of the current campaign, but it seems as though they may not leave Selhurst Park over the coming months.

According to reliable BBC reporter Alex Howell, the pair are in talks with Palace in regards to extend their respective Eagles stays.

Ward, 31, joined the club way back in 2012 and has made 266 appearances for the club.

Meanwhile, Dann, who arrived in 2014, has turned out on 178 occasions for the club, with the pair becoming two of the more experienced members of Roy Hodgson’s squad.

Palace fans react

Howell shared the update on Twitter on Tuesday lunchtime, with the post receiving plenty of interaction.

This is what some Palace fans had to say in reply to the contract update on the pair, with many not impressed.

“shambles”

Credit: @cam_cpfc

“Is this a joke?”

Credit: @Dazzaedwardo

“Amazed at this”

Credit: @kpgardener61

“I think that about sums up our ambitions for next season”

Credit: @Raymond30952890

“Why are we wasting money on dann? Been a legend but time for him to go I’m afraid”

Credit: @JacobStockton

“This rebuild is a myth”

Credit: @danofthesouth_

In other news: Palace’s rivals join race for Eddie Howe following Eagles talks, find out more here. 

Rangers face their Old Firm rivals away from home on Sunday and, if Steven Gerrard wants to preserve the Ibrox outfit’s current unbeaten Premiership status, he should restore Filip Helander to his starting eleven.

The Swedish international was surprisingly dropped for Rangers’ 2-0 defeat against Slavia Prague in the Europa League in midweek and, after Leon Balogun’s disappointing display, Gerrard should revert to a partnership of Connor Goldson and Helander in central defence.

The former Liverpool captain may well be forced into taking action following the news that Nathan Patterson picked up a knock in midweek, meaning Balogun could move to right-back for Sunday’s game, allowing Helander to come back in.

Nikola Katic is still sidelined through injury, whilst Jack Simpson is unlikely to be handed his first start in a game of this importance, so it seems very likely that the 27-year-old Swede will be the man selected alongside Goldson in defence.

In 20 Premiership appearances this season, the former Bologna ace – who reportedly earns £10,000 per week at Rangers – has averaged an impressive 7.13 WhoScored average match rating, so has clearly been a big part of their title success.

The Gers’ impressive season has been built on a strong defence, with Gerrard’s side having conceded just nine goals in their 32 Premiership games so far this term, with the likes of James Tavernier, Goldson, Borna Barisic and Helander all rated in their top seven performers in the league by WhoScored.

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Helander’s impressive form for Rangers since signing has earned him a recall to the Swedish national team, with manager Janne Andersson full of praise for him earlier in the season, saying:

“He’s a reliable defender with a great sense of where to place himself on the pitch. Filip’s also a very tough player who won’t bow down.”

Now that they are out of the Europa League, Rangers’ focus should be on trying to finish the season unbeaten, a feat which was last completed by their rivals in 2016/17; and Sunday’s fixture is arguably the biggest challenge they will face in their hopes of attaining invincible status at the end of the campaign.

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Therefore, Gerrard should go with his best partnership in defence for the game on Sunday, and that means unleashing Helander alongside Goldson after his surprise exclusion in midweek.

in other news… Wilson can sign Rangers their ideal Defoe heir with swoop for prolific £6.3m-rated beast