All posts by rastrear-estafeta.com

As per journalist Sebastian Staszewski of Interia Sport, taking to Twitter, some very interesting Manchester City transfer news has emerged involving Bayern Munich star Robert Lewandowski.

The Lowdown: Man City make Haaland offer…

According to reliable reports in recent days, the Sky Blues have tabled an offer for long-time target and Borussia Dortmund sensation Erling Braut Haaland.

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

Following on from rumours that City have a deal in place already, Sky Sports journalist Gianluca Di Marzio doesn’t quite go that far but has insisted that Pep Guardiola’s side have offered Haaland a €30m (£25m) per year salary package.

As City and sporting director Txiki Begiristain reportedly make a major move already, Haaland isn’t the only striker to have received an offer from the Premier League champions, at least according to Staszewski.

The Latest: Man City also table Lewandowski offer…

According to the Polish reporter, Lewandowski has had an offer from City, with both Liverpool and Paris-Saint Germain also tabling proposals for the Bayern superstar.

However, Staszewski goes on to say that the 33-year-old has chosen Barcelona, outlining: “Robert Lewandowski has an agreement with Barcelona. The deal is to cover a 3-year contract. There were also offers from PSG, City and LFC. Does this mean summer transfer? Not necessarily. But the info sent to Bayern is clear: the Pole wants to change the club.”

The Verdict: Interesting news…

As widely reported, Haaland is City’s main centre-forward target, but that doesn’t mean that Begiristain and co should take their eyes off other targets.

The Premier League champions have also been linked with Lautaro Martinez (Inter Milan) and Darwin Nunez (Benfica) in recent weeks as Guardiola seemingly weighs up alternatives.

There is much competition for Haaland’s services, leaving little surprise that there have been proposals from City for forwards elsewhere, especially for a player like Lewandowski.

Valued at around ‘€140-150m’ (£117m-£125m) last year according to Di Marzio, the prolific forward has been described as ‘unplayable’ by Sky analyst Statman Dave for his performances this year.

Given he has just one year left on his Bayern contract, the Bundesliga giants could even be forced to sell for less than what they were demanding in 2021.

However, with Lewandowski allegedly choosing Barcelona, it appears that City will have to consider alternatives elsewhere if they cannot seal a move for Haaland.

In other news: Man City discussions held as ‘unbelievable’ £33m star decides he wants to join Pep! Find out more here

Former Premier League striker Nigel Jemson has hailed Jordan Henderson after the Liverpool captain signed a new contract at the club.

The Reds skipper has put pen to paper on a new deal that ties him to the club until 2025.

The 31-year-old, of course, is one of the key players under Jurgen Klopp, and is one of the first names on the teamsheet.

His new deal will keep him at the club until he is 35 and Jemson believes that he is actually an unsung presence in the team because he so rarely grabs the headlines.

But Jemson believes he has a legacy of excellence at Anfield and is delighted, as a Reds fan, that he has committed his future.

Henderson, indeed, has made 399 appearances for the club, winning the Premier League and the Champions League, and also earning 66 caps for England.

And Jemson said after being asked about Henderson’s new contract: “I think Jordan Henderson was a must. He’s been a real unsung hero to a certain point. You talk about Van Dijk, about Firmino and Salah, they’re the ones that grab the headlines but Jordan Henderson was one of the first on the list.

“He’s not underrated because I think what he does is amazing, and even for England what he does is fantastic.”

Sky Sports reporter Michael Bridge says that Arsenal’s priority on transfer deadline day is going to be outgoings rather than incomings.

Mikel Arteta’s side have spent more than anyone else in the Premier League, but their starting line-up hasn’t been massively strengthened, with many of their signings coming in as squad players.

Arsenal’s five summer additions have cost more than £130m, but their business hasn’t helped their early-season results.

Following their 5-0 hammering at Manchester City on Saturday, the Gunners head into the international break rock-bottom of the Premier League table on zero points, with nine goals conceded and they are yet to find the net themselves.

Only one of their five signings in Martin Odegaard was involved at the Etihad Stadium and he was hooked after 70 minutes with Arsenal trailing 4-0.

Despite their need for players, Bridge told The Transfer Tavern that their business today is likely to revolve around moving players on rather than adding to their squad:

“There’s nothing coming out at the moment. They have spent a hell of a lot of money. Unless something comes out of the woodwork, it’s outgoings for them – Bellerin, Maitland-Niles and Nketiah.

“I have not heard anything in terms of incomings since their double signing of Odegaard and Ramsdale.”

An update has emerged on Southampton centre-back Jack Stephens, regarding his knee injury.

What’s the latest?

Southampton manager Ralph Hasenhuttl has confirmed that Jack Stephens could be out of action for up to three months with a knee injury.

The centre-back came off in the first-half against Manchester City at the weekend and Hasenhuttl has now revealed how long he is set to be out for.

He told the Independent: 

“His tendon on the knee is disrupted. I don’t know how long, it could be 10 to 12 weeks, but it will take quite a serious time.”

Fans will be devastated

Southampton fans will be devastated by this news as it is a big blow for the club and for Stephens, given how he worked his way into the side this season.

He had started all five of the club’s Premier League matches and will now be forced to watch on from the sidelines without being able to impact the play on the pitch.

Stephens played 18 times in the Premier League last term, averaging a solid SofaScore rating of 6.71. He made 1.9 tackles and 1.6 interceptions per game, showing off his defensive quality at the heart of the back four, which he carried into the current campaign.

Hasenhuttl lauded the central defender earlier this season, telling the Daily Echo: “When Jack works on his defensive duels and is aggressive there, and nasty, then he is a very good centre-back.

“He is like a leader at the back at the moment, he has really fought for his position and doesn’t want to give it away so easily.

“I think at the moment he shows how important he can be for this club and this is what I need, a guy who is good on the ball but also wins his duels.

“This was sometimes the problems with Jack, that he is a little bit too nice, too calm and a little bit too less aggressive, now when he is defending forward he is strong and this is what I demand of the player, and what he needs to do consistently.”

This illustrates how important to the Saints the £50k-per-week beast has been of late, with Hasenhuttl singing his praises for his improvement at the back.

Therefore, fans will be gutted that he will not be able to continue his development as he now needs to recover from a big injury, leaving the Saints without their first-choice centre-back for the foreseeable future.

AND in other news, Ex-ref makes bold claim on “fantastic” Saints gem that’ll leave fans feeling relieved…

West Ham United will be looking to break into the top-six in the Premier League when they welcome local rivals Tottenham Hotspur to the London Stadium this afternoon.

David Moyes’ side extended their 100% record in the Europa League on Thursday night after defeating Belgian outfit Genk 3-0, so they will head into kickoff buoyed by confidence.

And one of the standout performers from that encounter ought to feature today in Issa Diop.

The 24-year-old centre-back has slipped down the pecking order even more since the arrival of fellow countryman Kurt Zouma in the summer transfer window but he has been given opportunities outside of the Premier League and has pretty much impressed each time.

Diop’s four appearances across the Europa League and Carabao Cup have returned four clean sheets. By comparison, the Hammers have kept just two in their eight league outings so far this campaign.

Therefore, it could be wise to unleash the Frenchman with the likes of Harry Kane and Heung-min Son heading to east London.

As per WhoScored, the £13.5m-rated colossus has been their fourth-best player in Europe, where he is averaging two tackles (second-most) and 2.6 aerials won (third-most) per game.

Neither of Moyes’ first-choice league pairing of Zouma and Angelo Ogbonna are managing more than 0.9 tackles per outing. That will need to improve if they are to stop Kane and Spurs’ top-scorer, Son.

This is why Diop must be considered, perhaps taking the place of the latter, as he and the Champions League winner looked excellent together against Dinamo Zagreb.

Jose Mourinho once dubbed the £22m signing a “monster” in September 2018 for dominating Paul Pogba and co, but performances of that calibre have been far and few between ever since then.

However, that looks to be changing.

“I thought Diop was absolutely magnificent,” claimed Irons assistant manager Stuart Pearce, via The Athletic, after their 1-0 win over Manchester United in the Carabao Cup.

“The longer the game went on the more of a colossus he looked at the back and he’s still in relative terms, a very young man for a central defender so we’re absolutely delighted to have Issa at this club.”

Son has bagged four goals already this campaign, also averaging 2.9 shots and 1.4 dribbles per game, whilst Kane is threatening to add to his solitary strike with an average of 2.4 shots per match, via WhoScored.

Evidently, Moyes needs a rock at the back to put a stop to the pair running riot at the London Stadium, which is why Diop should be selected this afternoon.

AND in other news, Moyes must axe “special” £18m West Ham passenger v Spurs, he’s been abysmal for months…

At the beginning of the summer it looked as though Ruben Neves was a certainty to follow Nuno Santo through the exit door and leave Wolves.

However, current boss Bruno Lage will be thanking his lucky stars that he’s been able to keep the Portuguese ace at Molineux.

Neves initially appeared expendable with a variety of teams interested and Wolves keen to make money on the central midfielder.

Arsenal had been keen on him at one stage while Manchester United are still thought to have him on their radar.

Bruno Lage admitted last week that every player has his price but after Wolves’ 1-0 defeat to Tottenham, he will be doing everything in his power to keep in the Midlands.

Neves didn’t find the net with a long-range thunderbolt that we’ve become accustomed to seeing throughout the years but this was still a virtuoso performance.

Against Champions League regulars Spurs, the 24-year-old was simply outstanding in the middle of the park, glueing things together with an admirable work rate. Going forward he was a constant threat with his vision and when the visitors countered, he was often there to break it up.

It was a display worthy of interest from the Premier League’s elite and this should increase speculation surrounding his future.

Combative in the middle of the park, Neves won a whopping six tackles and was only dribbled past on one occasion. Considering that Nuno wanted his Spurs team to play on the counterattack, this was especially eye-catching.

When he got on the ball, the £58k-per-week earner was outstanding. He strode forward to complete five key passes, one of which Adama Traore really should have found the net with.

Neves found himself in a vacant pocket before threading an inch-perfect ball into Traore who stuck his shot straight at Hugo Lloris.

Their Spanish roadrunner was a constant thorn in the heart of the Spurs backline and did everything but score as the Old Gold somehow spurned 25 attempts at goal.

What specifically caught the eye was the range of passing in Neves’ locker. The Portugal international was successful with 16 of his 19 long balls, ultimately completing 81% of his passes in general.

This was a display that will have Lage delighted. If Wolves can finally start tucking away those balls from Neves then they will become a force to be reckoned with again.

AND in other news, Wolves make enquiry to sign “fearless” 6ft5 colossus, he’s a big upgrade on Saiss…

An update has emerged on winger Albert Gudmundsson, regarding interest from Glasgow giants Rangers in bringing him to Ibrox.

What’s the talk?

According to The Telegraph, the Gers are eyeing up a pre-contract swoop for the forward, whose deal at AZ Alkmaar expires at the end of the season.

The report claims that Celtic are also interested in signing him and the two Old Firm clubs are set to battle it out for his signature on a free transfer next month.

Bye-bye Kent

Giovanni van Bronckhorst could land a dream replacement for Ryan Kent by securing a deal to sign Gudmundsson in January. The former Liverpool man has been touted with both Aston Villa and Leeds ahead of the January window and that leaves the door open to the possibility of him departing from Ibrox in 2022.

This would leave a huge gap in the Rangers XI out wide as the forward has been a key figure for the club in recent years, with his ability to score and create goals for the club.

Last season, Kent produced ten strikes and nine assists in the Premiership as Rangers won the title, highlighting his influence and quality in the final third as he regularly chipped in with vital contributions. In the current campaign, he has two goals and one assist in 11 matches but his average SofaScore rating of 7.05 suggests that he is still putting in impressive performances on a consistent basis.

Since the start of the 2020/21 season, the Iceland international has produced 11 goals and five assists in the Eredivisie in 37 starts. This is compared to Kent’s 12 goals and ten assists in 47 Premiership starts over the same time period, suggesting that there is little between the two players in terms of end product – although it is difficult to make a direct comparison between the quality of Scottish and Dutch football.

Gudmundsson, who has 86 goals for club and country at youth and senior level, has shown that he can handle playing top-level football in the Netherlands and he may want to test his outstanding qualities in a new league. Outlining his best attributes, Max Huiberts said when he first signed for AZ:

“Albert is a creative, technically skilled and fast player who has proven that he can play in different positions in the attack,” the director said.

If he can carry over his form from his time at AZ Alkmaar then he could be a dream replacement for Kent and be van Bronckhorst’s new wing wizard, all whilst costing absolutely nothing next summer.

This is why the Dutch head coach must ensure that he can beat Celtic to the signing of the 24-year-old, whether that is as part of a pre-contract deal to bring him in for nothing or by offering Alkmaar a cut-price offer to take him off their hands in January.

AND in other news, Gvb heading for his first big disaster at Ibrox, it may be season-defining for Rangers…

Kalvin Phillips won’t be joining one of Leeds United’s biggest rivals this summer – for now…

What’s the word?

That’s according to The Sun journalist Alan Nixon, who delivered a 12-word update on his future at Elland Road amid reports linking him with a move away in the off-season.

The England international has been linked to several Premier League teams in recent weeks and months, ranging from Liverpool and Manchester United, to Newcastle United and Aston Villa.

Samuel Luckhurst of the Manchester Evening News claimed earlier this week that the Red Devils were working on a deal to sign the xx-year-old as a new defensive midfielder would be a priority under likely incoming boss Erik ten Hag.

However, Nixon has thrown cold water on those reports, suggesting that isn’t the case, at the moment.

“Manchester United DON’T have Kalvin Phillips on their wish list for now,” he told followers of his Patreon site.

Good news

Ultimately, this is a huge source of encouragement for anyone associated with Leeds, and not just because it’s the Old Trafford outfit being ruled out of a move.

Phillips is undoubtedly one of the Whites’ most integral players, even post-Marcelo Bielsa, and whilst he is yet to start for manager Jesse Marsch since returning from injury, he will surely play a key role going forward.

[snack-amp-story url=”https://www.footballfancast.com/web-stories/read-the-latest-leeds-news-transfer-rumours-gossip-marsch-raphinha-dest-philhay” title=”Read the latest Leeds news!”]

“I said it after the match that both [Phillips and Liam Cooper] will have a big effect on our group both on the pitch and off,” the American told reporters (via the Yorkshire Evening Post) after his comeback cameo against Southampton. He then added:

“And then to have Kalvin on the pitch, I think everybody saw that it brought poise to our group, that he helped settle the game down. I heard him say after the game that he didn’t do much but, just by being on the pitch for us, I think that that presence meant a lot.”

Also dubbed a “wonderful talent” by ex-Leeds man Michael Brown, there isn’t a player in the current squad that possesses the same skillset as Phillips – defensively a rock, averaging 2.1 tackles and 1.1 interceptions per game and he often starts many an attack, averaging 3.1 long balls and an 82.6% passing accuracy, via WhoScored.

Losing a player of that calibre, not just to any top-flight team, but an arch-rival rival like the Red Devils would be a bitter blow, following in the footsteps of Eric Cantona and Rio Ferdinand, whose reputation in west Yorkshire plummeted.

Nixon’s update will delight many around Elland Road, that’s for sure.

AND in other news, Signed for £5m, now worth 740% more: Leeds struck gold with £42m-rated “rare talent”…

Kjetil Knutsen could be an alternative to Giovanni van Bronckhorst for Rangers after impressing Ross Wilson, according to The Daily Record. 

The lowdown

Giovanni van Bronckhorst is said to be the frontrunner for the managerial vacancy at Ibrox right now.

However, he’ll apparently ‘only take the job if everything is right’, seeking assurances regarding his backroom team and financial backing.

The latter could be a particularly thorny issue after Rangers announced a ‘huge’ £23.5million loss.

53-year-old Knutsen is currently in his first managerial post at Norwegian outfit Bodo/Glimt.

He’s took charge of 141 matches up to this point, winning 79 of them (56%).

Knutsen led his side to the Norwegian title last year and they’re currently five points clear as they look to retain that crown.

The latest

Knutsen is said to be one of ‘a number of managers’ who have won the personal admiration of Wilson.

If Rangers were to pursue him, it’s possible they could face competition from Norwich City given that he features on their ‘final shortlist’ of Daniel Farke replacements.

The verdict

Knutsen is also delivering in Europe, with Bodo/Glimt sitting top of a Conference League that includes Jose Mourinho’s AS Roma.

In fact, they dealt Mourinho the biggest beating of his managerial career last month with a 6-1 home rout.

It surely won’t be long before he ascends the footballing ladder.

The New York Times’ Rory Smith reckons his 2020 exploits should have had him in the running for FIFA’s manager of the year, while Express journalist Will Lancaster says he’s transformed Bodo/Glimt from the ‘Norwegian resemblance of Burnley’ to a ‘Pep [Guardiola]-inspired’ outfit.

In other news, fans were buzzing over this manager update. 

Football.London reporter Alasdair Gold has provided an update on the future of Tottenham Hotspur winger Steven Bergwijn.

The Lowdown: January exit

The Netherlands international was at the centre of heavy transfer speculation during the January window.

Ajax were extremely keen on bringing the 24-year-old back to the Eredivisie and even had a £15m bid rejected for the player, with Spurs demanding closer to the £27m they paid for Dutchman in 2020.

However, this deal seemed to fall through and Bergwijn has warmed the bench ever since, barring one miraculous cameo in the win against Leicester City.

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

The Latest: Gold’s update…

In football.london’s latest QnA, Tottenham correspondent Alasdair Gold received questions over the future of Bergwijn.

In response, Gold claimed:

“I think it’s going to depend on Steven Bergwijn himself and perhaps how hard Ajax push for him this summer. Conte likes him a lot and if it was down to him, he would keep him. The Dutchman is full of confidence right now after his three international goals in two games and the strike against Newcastle but he’s just unfortunate that Spurs’ front three are flying at the moment.

“Opportunities will arise next season and there should be plenty of matches to be played, but for Bergwijn he will obviously want to be a regular starter rather than a bit part player.

“It would be Spurs’ loss if he were to go and Conte will no doubt attempt to convince him to stay, but much depends on where the player’s head is at and just how much Ajax can throw at a transfer they desperately want to make.”

The Verdict: Would be a big loss

Whilst the winger has now dropped to the bench since the arrival of Dejan Kulusevski in N17, Bergwijn would be a big loss to Antonio Conte, given his ability to come on and make an instant impact on a game.

This was illustrated in Spurs’ away clash at the King Power Stadium, when the attacker came off the bench in the dying minutes and scored two emphatic injury time goals to secure the Lilywhites a 3-2 win.

Furthermore, given Conte’s own assessment of Bergwijn being a “quality” player, a move away from Hotspur Way would comes as a big blow to Tottenham’s squad.

In other news: Tottenham Hotspur: Alasdair Gold drops verdict on the futures of Lo Celso and Ndombele