All posts by z3u9t.icu

Tottenham Hotspur could be set to revisit an old acquisition, seeking to make a questionable loan permanent.

What's the latest on Clement Lenglet to Tottenham Hotspur?

That's according to Spanish publication Sport, who suggest that Ange Postecoglou is keen to add Clement Lenglet to his squad for the foreseeable future, despite the French defender having struggled in north London.

The club have reportedly reaffirmed in recent months their satisfaction with his performances in a Spurs shirt, and therefore their willingness to strike a deal with Barcelona.

With three years left on his whopping £200k-per-week deal at the Spanish club, and the Catalan giants once again strapped for cash, they are seeking out a figure of around €12m (£10m) to recoup a portion of the €36m (£31m) they first invested.

Would Clement Lenglet be a smart signing for Tottenham Hotspur?

Whilst such a small fee would represent good value to add some depth to the squad, his performances for the Lilywhites were nothing short of abysmal in their most recent term.

Although it had been claimed so back in 2020, he really proved journalist Roy Nemer correct this season, who had branded him a "defensive liability". It could even be argued that the 27-year-old was even worse than Eric Dier, who acted as something of a lightning rod for criticism under Antonio Conte.

The England international may have been poor, but his 6.86 average rating was a far cry from the left-footed flop that Lenglet turned out to be. This figure was upheld by his 86% pass accuracy and 1.1 interceptions, 0.9 tackles and 3.3 clearances per game in the league, via Sofascore.

For comparison, the former Sevilla stopper saw his average rating plummet to 6.65, made worse due to his positional culpability and failure to dominate as expected. He would only muster 0.7 interceptions and 2.6 clearances per game in the league, also per Sofascore.

Even at the Nou Camp, his most recent year saw an average rating of 6.67 maintained too.

Despite this, it was the former Everton youth product that was most often lambasted, with talkSPORT pundit Darren Ambrose grouping him up with others who were "not good enough" for the club. He has become an easy target for ridicule in recent years.

It seems an easy excuse to rush at Dier for his failures, forgetting that the 29-year-old has been an ever-loyal servant to this club, making 361 appearances and enjoying some truly impressive spells. As recently as the 2021/22 season did he record a 7.01 average rating.

For all his shortcomings he at least deserves some credit, especially ahead of this loanee whom he actually outperformed during their most recent torrid campaign.

Lenglet could mark a bargain, but if he performs consistently like he did last term, at a level way below one of the club's most polarising figures, then it is a deal not even worth spending £10m on.

Liverpool have "lots of work to do" with Darwin Nunez next season, according to Redmen TV presenter Ste Hoare.

The Uruguayan international joined Liverpool in the summer of 2022 for a club-record fee of £85m, but the Liverpool expert believes that the enigmatic forward isn't the best player available in any frontline position at the club.

Has Darwin Nunez had a good first season?

After arriving from Benfica, Nunez has had an interesting first season on Merseyside, with incredible highs balanced out with embarrassing lows.

The 23-year-old made 42 appearances for Liverpool across all competitions, and registered 15 goals and four assists, with his highlights being a brace in the Reds' historic 7-0 victory against arch-rivals Manchester United, as well as a fantastic opening goal in Liverpool's first-leg clash against LaLiga giants Real Madrid.

However, it hasn't been all positive for the former Almeria whiz, with moments such as his debut red card against Crystal Palace at Anfield, whilst a whopping 20 big chances missed in the Premier League gives further cause for concern.

The 6 foot 2 forward has found himself falling down the pecking order as well following the arrival of Cody Gakpo in January in tandem with the return from injury of both Diogo Jota and Luis Diaz, with the striker only starting three of the club's final 12 league games.

What has Ste Hoare said about Darwin Nunez and Liverpool?

Speaking on Nunez's situation at the club, the Redmen TV presenter told Football FanCast:

"There’s a question mark of how he fits into the team. Because he isn’t the best left option. And he isn’t the best forward option.

"Jota and Diaz are both better than him on the left, and at this moment in time, Gakpo and Jota are both better than him up front, so I think there is lots of work to be done on Darwin Nunez, to be honest with you."

What does the future hold for Darwin Nunez in Liverpool?

Liverpool won't give up on the £140k-per-week star just yet, with manager Jurgen Klopp stating before the Red's clash with Nottingham Forest in April that the situation is a "long-term project".

Whilst on the face of it, Nunez has had a mediocre campaign, his underlying numbers paint the picture of a player with all the potential to become one of the most feared attackers in European football.

His non-penalty expected goals + assists per 90 is 0.97, which according to FBref, is among the top 1% of forwards across Europe's top five leagues, showcasing that should Nunez become more clinical and decisive, he could be contributing almost a goal a game.

Liverpool supporters will be hoping that the Uruguayan has a similar trajectory as his time at Benfica, where after a disappointing first campaign, the Uruguayan attacker burst to life, having scored 34 goals in 41 games across all competitions.

Leeds United will lose around £80m in television revenue after being relegated from the Premier League, according to a new update.

Has it been a nightmare season for Leeds?

The Whites started the 2022/23 season with high hopes that they could kick on after avoiding relegation from the top flight, but instead, a disastrous campaign unfolded.

Jesse Marsch ultimately proved to be out of his depth as manager and was replaced by Javi Gracia, but he lasted very little time in the Elland Road, with Sam Allardyce coming in to hopefully rescue things. He didn't manage to do that, however, having had so little time to work with his squad, and Leeds' fate was sealed last weekend, following their 4-1 loss at home to Tottenham Hotspur.

Not only have the club had to deal with the misery of heading back to the Championship but also the recent bombshell regarding owner Andrea Radrizzani reportedly looking to use Elland Road as a way of funding his takeover of the Italian club Sampdoria.

It's fair to say that this isn't a happy period for Leeds currently and a fresh update isn't likely to improve the mood of the supporters, either.

How much is Premier League survival worth?

According to Football Insider, the Whites' 19th-place finish and subsequent relegation means that they are "set to lose £80million in television payments alone after being relegated to the Championship". It is described as a "devastating financial hit", with money given to EFL clubs for TV rights "significantly less" than in the Premier League.

For that reason, there will now be a "major impact" on Leeds' revenues in 2023/24, showing how crippling it can be to be relegated from the top flight.

This is clearly a big blow for the Whites, even though it is one that they will have known was coming, and it goes to show how precious playing in the Premier League is. The biggest hope is that the potential 49ers Enterprises' takeover of the club still goes through this summer, in order to soften the blow of this update, considering the financial boost it could hand them.

It is imperative that Leeds make a swift return to the top of the English game rather than languish in the Championship for a number of years, but having the money to make good signings and redevelop the club is vital to that. Some good news is certainly badly needed in the coming weeks.

Arsenal deserve huge praise for the way in which they returned to the apex of English football, putting their trust in Mikel Arteta and remaining with him through the good times and the bad.

It is a method that has been so successful that clubs such as Everton, Aston Villa and even Chelsea sought to emulate it, placing their faith in a younger coach to lead them into the future. However, given that Frank Lampard, Steven Gerrard and Graham Potter have now all been dismissed, it is clear that the Gunners invested wisely in their young tactician.

The Spaniard has retained the glorious free-flowing play style that the Emirates had become accustomed to, but finally harnessed some of the solid players to remove the weakness that often plagued the club.

Despite only finishing second, this has been a campaign of rapid progression.

Now, in an attempt to stride into this summer window and acquire more players in this steely yet silky mould, Hakan Calhanoglu has emerged as an outstanding option for Edu. His tireless work rate is paired with unparalleled creativity, making his €40m (£34m) valuation a seemingly fair price.

How good is Hakan Calhanoglu?

The Turkey international's key assets could see the Gunners replicate Manchester United's success with Christian Eriksen, having converted the former number ten into more of a number eight, with his defensive assets called into action.

It did not take long for the 31-year-old to prove his worth, with his debut year in Old Trafford seeing him maintain an 85% pass accuracy, 1.3 key passes and 1.8 duels won per game, via Sofascore. The injection of 12 goal contributions from deep is an added benefit too.

Meanwhile, for Inter Milan, the 29-year-old has maintained a 7.31 average rating this term, bolstered by his 2.2 key passes, 1.4 tackles and 2.9 duels won per game, via Sofascore.

Just last season also saw him record 21 goal contributions of his own, showcasing how these former attacking midfielders have moulded their styles to adapt to the modern game, without losing that touch of offensive class.

FBref serves to support this comparison too, with Eriksen featured among the former AC Milan gem's similar players list.

The latter's tireless nature is further emphasised through the words of his former coach Stefano Piolo, who claimed: "A lot of the credit goes to him, he’s a generous player with high quality, he works for the team."

Clearly a big fan of the Turkish trickster, on a separate occasion he also branded the £155k-per-week star a "leader on the pitch and "an intelligent player".

Calhanoglu clearly has all the assets needed to shine in the engine room, and when partnered with the defensive exploits of Thomas Partey, or even Declan Rice should recent reports come true, his career could reach new heights as Arteta seeks to push even closer to that coveted Premier League title.

Celtic have been named among the clubs interested in Union SG full-back Matthew Sorinola, according to a report from Wales Online. 

The lowdown: Career so far

A product of the youth system at MK Dons, London-born Sorinola made 46 senior appearances for the League One club, scoring twice and providing six assists.

In 2021, the 21-year-old left-back was snapped up by Belgian Jupiler Pro League side Union SG on a free transfer, where he is under contract until 2024 (Transfermarkt).

But, despite the lengthy time remaining on the deal, a host of clubs are paying close attention to the Englishman’s situation…

The latest: Hoops named

As per Wales Online, Celtic are ‘keeping tabs’ on the talented youngster, who was singled out for an ‘outstanding’ performance against Wigan by now Swansea City boss Russell Martin.

The report claims that Norwich City and Swansea are both in the ‘race’ to sign Sorinola and the former recently lodged an enquiry regarding his availability.

It’s also stated that ‘sources’ have suggested former Anderlecht boss Vincent Kompany could look to take the starlet to Burnley should the appointment be made official.

The verdict: Smart move

Hoops’ manager Ange Postecoglou appears determined to add an adequate left-back cover to the squad this summer having already been heavily linked with a move for Mohanad Jeahze.

That’s despite current incumbent Greg Taylor performing admirably during a successful 2021/22 campaign at Celtic Park. The 24-year-old earned an impressive 6.94 average Sofascore rating from 24 Scottish Premiership outings, winning 4.5 duels per game in the process.

Meanwhile, Sorinola rated just 6.65 in Belgium whilst making 14 fleeting substitute appearances in the arguably inferior league.

Despite that lack of regular action, the £315,000 valued ace’s form in England suggests he would provide a worthwhile addition to the Lennoxtown ranks, albeit perhaps as an understudy to Taylor from the outset.

In other news, a journalist has provided a key Celtic transfer update. Read more here.

According to reliable journalist Dan Kilpatrick of The Evening Standard, Tottenham Hotspur manager Antonio Conte could see a ‘cult status’ player leave as he eyes a double summer swoop.

The Lowdown: Spurs summer reshuffle…

A major revamp at The Tottenham Hotspur Stadium has been mooted ahead of Conte’s first full Premier League season in charge of the Lilywhites.

[web_stories_embed url=”https://www.footballtransfertavern.com/web-stories/tottenham-latest-developments-2/” title=”Tottenham latest developments!” poster=”” width=”360″ height=”600″ align=”none”]

After a summit with transfer chief Fabio Paratici in Italy on Friday, it is believed that a long list of transfer targets has now been drawn up, coming after Tottenham also announced a £150 million capital increase just before the summer window.

These are promising and exciting times to be a Spurs supporter, but according to Kilpatrick, the north Londoners still need to balance the books with outgoings.

Even in-form players aren’t safe from the possible axe as he shares who could leave Hotspur Way.

The Latest: Tottenham open to Emerson offers…

Kilpatrick, writing for The Standard, claims both Matt Doherty and Emerson Royal, despite the pair being Conte’s ‘biggest success stories’ and ‘achieving almost cult status’ by the end of 2021/2022, could be sold by Spurs.

He says Tottenham ‘will listen to offers for both’, coming as the Lilywhites head coach eyes a new full-back signing on each flank as his ‘top priority’.

Indeed, Conte would ‘ideally’ like a new addition on either side as he eyes a double-summer swoop.

The Verdict: Right call?

While Doherty’s form before his injury will raise question marks over the Irishman’s possible sale, we believe Emerson’s potential exit is all the more surprising.

Still just 23-years-old, he finished the season strongly as one of Tottenham’s top 10 performers going by average match rating – all while making the second-most tackles per 90 behind star defender Cristian Romero (WhoScored).

Emerson also improved going forward with the third-highest amount of crosses from out-wide out of Conte’s squad, backing pundit Kevin Campbell’s early-season theory that the Brazilian is a ‘perfect’ full-back (Football Insider).

That being said, if Conte has set his sights on upgrading the full-back areas, Tottenham should perhaps let him take the reins given he somehow guided them to Champions League football.

In other news: Conte could see ‘one of the best in the world’ join Tottenham after behind-scenes demand, find out more here.

Newcastle United supporters ‘will be disappointed’ with the news that the Magpies were the only Premier League club to have claimed furlough money two seasons running, claims football finance expert Kieran Maguire.

The Lowdown: Newcastle’s finances

On 16 May, Newcastle submitted a report on Companies House which showed that the club’s turnover had fallen from £153m to £140m in the year ending on 30 June 2021.

The Tyneside outfit attributed £40m of the lost income to the damaging effects of the Covid pandemic, with home supporters unable to attend matches.

The report also highlighted how the Magpies claimed £900,000 through the furlough scheme that year, with a further £1.15m claimed in 2019/20.

[web_stories_embed url=”https://www.footballtransfertavern.com/web-stories/newcastle-news-6/” title=”Newcastle news!” poster=”” width=”360″ height=”600″ align=”none”]

The Latest: Maguire’s claim

As a result, Maguire, featured on Sky Sports, has now asserted that Newcastle fans will not be happy with the club’s actions.

Speaking with Football Insider, he claimed:

“A lot of people will be surprised and fans will be disappointed that they took advantage of the coronavirus job retention scheme in both of the last two years.

“I certainly haven’t seen any other Premier League club take this route.

“We have seen the fans of certain clubs kick up a bit of a fuss about the owners trying to take advantage. But Mike Ashley was an immovable object.”

The Verdict: Under Mike Ashley…

Many Magpies supporters will be livid with the club’s actions, whereas others would have become so desensitised to Ashley’s actions whilst in charge, this sort of behaviour would have been expected.

Especially now with the colossal investment made by the Saudi Public Investment Fund, these actions may seem worse than ever.

Either way, Magpies fans’ opinion of Ashley will likely remain unchanged, and they can look to a brighter future under Eddie Howe, who has helped completely transform the mood on Tyneside.

In other news: Newcastle United: Magpies are already ‘looking’ at three ‘quality’ signings, claims pundit

Manchester United could target a ‘budget Declan Rice’ in the summer transfer window, according to transfer expert Dean Jones. 

The lowdown: Overhaul pending…

Incoming manager Erik ten Hag is expected to oversee wide-ranging squad changes in the summer as the Red Devils attempt to put a lacklustre 2021/22 campaign behind them.

With the likes of Paul Pogba, Edinson Cavani, Jesse Lingard and Juan Mata all out of contract in the coming months and Nemanja Matic also set to leave the club, the Old Trafford ranks will take on a whole new complexion over the course of the Dutchman’s early reign.

[web_stories_embed url=”https://www.footballtransfertavern.com/web-stories/latest-man-utd-news-2/” title=”Latest Man Utd news!” poster=”” width=”360″ height=”600″ align=”none”]

Having been heavily linked with a defensive midfielder as a priority, West Ham United star Rice, PSV Eindhoven sensation Ibrahim Sangare and Barcelona’s Frenkie de Jong – a former protégé of Ten Hag – have all been heavily linked with a move to Manchester.

The latest: Jones predicts ‘budget’ swoop

Speaking to GiveMeSport, Jones explained that the United hierarchy may need to find a cheaper alternative to Rice given the Englishman’s £150m reported price tag.

The journalist explained: “If it doesn’t (work out with Declan Rice), they’re going to have to look for a budget Declan Rice.

“And ultimately, that’s when Ten Hag’s nous comes in in terms of negotiating and spotting people that can do as good a job in a short space of time.

“Maybe it’s Sangare, it looks like they’re out of the running for Tchouameni at this point. So, whatever it is, they’re going to have to move fast on that deal, I think.”

The verdict: Reinforcements needed

Ultimately, the Red Devils need to add high-quality additions to the central midfield ranks, particularly in a defensive sense given their 56 Premier League goals conceded this season, the second-highest among teams in the top half of the table.

Ironically, when using the FBRef comparison tool to seek out stylistic alternatives to Rice, Liverpool spoiler Fabinho and United’s own Scott McTominay are the closest matches to the Englishman. Further down the list are attainable such names as 21-year-old Khephren Thuram-Ulien and 28-year-old Mario Lemina, who both currently ply their trade at Ligue 1 outfit Nice.

Whilst either Sangare or Aurelien Tchouameni would represent viable options to bolster the Old Trafford ranks, Ten Hag and John Murtough may well need to get creative without the lure of Champions League football next term and could be looking beyond the traditional targets in order to bolster the squad.

In other news: Man Utd now eyeing move for ‘world class’ Premier League star. Read more here

Liverpool midfielder Fabinho is expected to win his battle to be fit for the Champions League final, The Daily Mirror’s David Maddock reports. 

The lowdown

Fabinho was forced off half an hour into Liverpool’s 2-1 Premier League victory over Aston Villa on Tuesday night with an apparent hamstring injury.

It’s since been confirmed that the 28-year-old will miss Saturday’s FA Cup final against Chelsea, as well as the Reds’ remaining league games against Southampton and Wolves.

That means that the no. 3 faces a race to be fit for the meeting with Real Madrid in Paris at the end of the month.

[web_stories_embed url=”https://www.footballtransfertavern.com/web-stories/latest-liverpool-transfer-news-32/” title=”Latest Liverpool transfer news!” poster=”” width=”360″ height=”600″ align=”none”]

The latest

Maddock, northern football correspondent for the paper, shared the ‘big news’ on Fabinho on Thursday evening.

The Brazilian ‘should be fit for the Champions League final’, he wrote, news which has now been confirmed by Jurgen Klopp himself.

The verdict

This would be a significant boost for Klopp and Liverpool. Fabinho is typically one of the first names on the team-sheet, starting 26 of the 30 Premier League games for which he’s been available.

What’s more, Klopp has previously hailed him as ‘the best’ defensive midfielder on the planet.

And with Fabinho on the pitch, Liverpool are outscoring the opposition by an average of 1.7 goals per 90 minutes.

Injury played a part last time Liverpool faced Real Madrid in the UCL showpiece, with top goalscorer Mohamed Salah forced off in the first half, and they won’t want it to be a factor this time around.

In other news, there’s been a ‘major development’ in the Aurelien Tchouameni race. 

Wolverhampton Wanderers could explore a move for Barcelona’s 20-year-old Moroccan winger Abdessamad Ezzalzouli.

What’s the word?

That is according to Catalan outlet Mundo Deportivo, via Sports Witness, who claim that the Hercules CF youth player could leave Barcelona in the upcoming transfer window.

The Moroccan international is not getting many chances with the Barcelona first-team and could lean towards a loan departure “or even a permanent sale in case a good bid arrives” from a Barcelona perspective.

Wolves could look to use Jorge Mendes’ link, with the young £7.2m-rated forward’s agent Javi Garrido said to have an “alliance” with Mendes.

Beneficial for all parties

Since Adama Traore’s departure, Wolves have missed a spark in their attacking play this season that even another Barcelona man in Trincao has not been able to fix, with Wolves having created just 35 big chances this season – the third lowest in the Premier League.

The resurgence of Ousmane Dembele at Barcelona amidst attacking options in Ferran Torres, Memphis Depay and Adama Traore have made it tough for the young Moroccan to achieve regular minutes with the Blaugrana, though he has managed to feature 12 cameo appearances.

Ezzalzouli’s defensive stats, despite operating as a forward, are solid and would allow the Barca starlet to fit in as a wing-back, given the nature of his game.

Though, as a forward, he has achieved some stats that bode well for his future, and with his average of 9.16 progressive carries per game capable of posing deep threat to the opposition.

His direct approach and match average of 3.26 crosses are a stand out factor of his game, with Raul Jimenez surely licking his lips at the prospect of an energetic winger who can create chances.

The Mexican has had a tough campaign in the Premier League this season, with his average of 2.08 shots per 90 a good indication that he is not receiving the support required to shine in his role as a forward.

Ez Abde, who was once labelled a “discovery” by Alex Truica can not only develop his game at the Molineux with regular minutes, but can also offer Lage an option to bolster the creative threat in his attacking line.

Let’s just hope he doesn’t become Trincao 2.0…

In other news: Better than Podence: Lage must sign £50m “jewel” who “gave Wolves so many problems”