All posts by z3u9t.icu

Arsenal are right in the mix challenging for the top four under new manager Unai Emery, who continues to impress in his first season over in English football.

The Gunners have put in some excellent performances at times, although once again inconsistencies have robbed them of a real chance of making a run at the top positions in the Premier League.

However, things are looking up in the long-term, and Emery will be confident of being a success with the Gunners as he continues to adjust to life on these shores.

With January very much a write off though in terms of new additions for the club, we here in the Tavern think the club need to start planning for the summer, and one man we feel would be a superb signing is PSV winger Hirving Lozano.

The Mexican winger, has been in quite superb form over in Holland this term, smashing in 15 goals and adding nine assists across all competitions, and his stock is definitely on the rise.

Lozano, who predominantly operates down the left, would be a superb addition for Arsenal, who often face a dilemma down that side of the field, with Aubameyang asked to fill the role or the under used Alex Iwobi sometimes slotting into the inside forward position.

The speedy PSV man would bring direct pace to the Gunners line up, something the team have lacked really since the days of Marc Overmars.

He’s bound to be a wanted man come the summer if he continues to perform as is, and Arsenal need to have their wits about them to ensure they sign the 23-year-old ahead of the competition.

Arsenal fans, what do you think? Good signing? Let us know in the comments!

When Tottenham Hotspur splashed £28m on the signing of Sergio Reguilon back in September 2020, the Premier League side would have been well aware that the 25-year-old left-back may not be at the club for the length of his five-year £68k-per-week contract.

Indeed, with Real Madrid possessing a £43m buy-back clause for the Spain international – something the LaLiga side are reportedly planning to activate this summer – the defender could already be moving onto pastures new after just two seasons in north London.

As a result, Antonio Conte and Fabio Paratici are reported to already be planning for life after Reguilon, with Genoa’s Andrea Cambiaso having recently been added to the 52-year-old manager’s list of potential targets to replace the £25.2m-rated Spaniard – according to Italian media outlet Alfredo Pedulla (via The Mirror).

And, considering how impressive the 22-year-old has been in Italy so far this season, it is not difficult to see why Spurs would be keen on landing the full-back ahead of 2022/23.

“He is a Paolo Maldini”

Indeed, over his 25 Serie A appearances in the current campaign, the ambidextrous left-back has been one of the few shining lights in a disappointing campaign for relegation-threatened Genoa, with the £4.5m-rated dynamo scoring one goal from an xG of 0.7 and registering four assists from an xA of 1.8, as well as making a highly impressive total of 330 pressures and 53 blocks over the course of the season.

In comparison, over Reguilon’s 23 Premier League outings this term, the 25-year-old who Jonathan Veal claimed looks “scared” when attacking has scored two goals from an xG of three and has provided three assists from an xA of four, as well as making a total of 275 pressures and 29 blocks in 2021/22.

Furthermore, Cambiaso’s agent, Giovanni Bia, clearly believes that the Italy U21 international has a huge future in the game, having stated of the £4.5k-per-week sensation back in February: “To make it clear, he is a Paolo Maldini.

“He can play on the right or the left as a full-back or in midfield. He is two-footed and has flexibility. I think he should be part of the new [Italy squad]. He has vision and quality – Italy needs players like that. We don’t have great full-backs at the moment. For me, he will be one of the full-backs of the national team for the next ten years.

“The boy is being watched by many teams. We will have to discuss with the club what is best for everyone. His contract is due to expire in 2023.”

As such, considering that is it being reported the Inter Milan, Juventus, Atalanta and Napoli target will be available for as little as €12m (£10m) this summer, should Reguilon indeed go on to re-join Real Madrid for £43m, it would appear highly advisable for Paratici to do all he can to land the Italian prodigy as the Spaniard’s replacement.

Indeed, not only does Cambiaso look to have a much higher ceiling than the 25-year-old, but he would also seem to be a much better fit for Conte’s tactical setup at Spurs.

AND in other news: Conte can unearth his next 243-goal talent in THFC prodigy who “runs over every blade”

Even though Wolves’ technical director Scott Sellars recently played down the prospect of major spending from the Midlands club during the current January transfer window, one potential deal that they could realistically pull off in the coming weeks would be to bring Matt Doherty back to Molineux from fellow Premier League club Tottenham Hotspur.

Earlier this month, it was reported by Football Insider that Wolves had expressed an interest to Spurs that they would like to sign the Irishman this month.

Since then, journalist Pete O’Rourke has said that Doherty “would seriously consider” joining Bruno Lage’s squad and leaving the north London club.

Since joining Spurs back in the 2020 summer transfer window in a deal worth a reported fee of £14.7m, Doherty has made 41 appearances across all competitions with only 21 of them coming in the Premier League, suggesting that he has not been a first-choice player for the Lilywhites, especially with just four appearances and no starts in the league this season.

During his time as a Wolves player in which he said he felt “privileged” by, loving life at Molineux, the 29-year-old racked up a total of 302 appearances across all competitions, with an impressive return of 28 goals and 41 assists along the way.

Wolves’ current right-wing back Nelson Semedo has been in impressive form in the Premier League so far this season, earning himself an overall performance rating of 6.77/10, making him their fifth-highest rated outfield player according to WhoScored.

That said, Lage could still strike gold by luring Doherty back to Wolves this month to give some competition to the Portuguese international in that position and depth for Lage in case of any potential injuries.

It would also presumably please plenty of Wolves fans to see Doherty back at Molineux given his experience of playing for them and helping them come up from the Championship to the Premier League.

Labelled as a “superb” player for his previous efforts in a Wolves shirt by Danny Mills, the £10.8m-rated defender could potentially receive a hero’s welcome this month if he were to move back to Molineux.

Wolves and Lage should definitely approach Tottenham in the coming weeks to see if they would be willing to let Doherty go for a reasonable fee. After all, the idea of him returning to the Midlands is a sweat one.

In other news: Journalist drops behind-the-scenes January update that’ll have Wolves fans sweating – opinion

Aston Villa have reportedly joined some Premier League and European behemoths in the race to sign Denis Zakaria.

The Daily Mail listed the defensive midfielder as a player of interest to Steven Gerrard’s side on Saturday evening, and it has since had a number of Villa supporters talking on social media.

Zakaria, who plies his trade with Bundesliga side Borussia Monchengladbach, is out of contract at the end of June. The 25-year-old is valued at £24.3m and has made 144 appearances for his current employers, attracting interest from the likes of Liverpool, Manchester United, Bayern Munich and Borussia Dortmund.

However, it now seems as if Villa are also keen on the Switzerland international as they look to bolster their defensive midfield ranks following Marvelous Nakamba’s injury. The Daily Mail named 10 players who are of interest to Villa, one of which was Zakaria.

Villa fans react

The AVFC Faithful shared the links on Twitter regarding the 6 foot 2 beast, whose 90.1% passing accuracy rate is better than any player to have started a league match for Villa this term. Here is what these fans had to say in reply, with many keen to see a move materialise.

“FINALLY, WHAT WE’VE BEEN MISSING”

Credit: @OP4C

“Please be true man”

Credit: @BallyLDM

“OHHH ITS MUSIC TO MY EARS”

Credit: @charliepowellm1

“WAIT WHATTTTTT”

Credit: @LordMillman29

“Things you love to see”

Credit: @K6Lion1874

“Exactly what we need”

Credit: @AJJ8Villa

In other news: Villa’s rivals now set sights on signing 6 ft 2 beast who has ‘put on a lot of weight’. 

West Ham United are reportedly interested in acquiring the services of Bayer Leverkusen striker Patrick Schick this month, with the Hammers looking to add depth to their squad given their participation in three competitions.

What’s the story?

According to Italian outlet Calcio Mercato, the East London club are looking to sign the Leverkusen forward this window, having not signed a striker since Sebastien Haller’s departure for Ajax last year.

The £36m-rated striker has been in exceptional form this term, having netted 18 goals in 16 Bundesliga appearances.

Schick joined Leverkusen in September 2020 from Italian outfit AS Roma, having spent the previous season on loan at their Bundesliga rivals RB Leipzig, where the Czech Republic international scored ten goals in 28 appearances.

Since his move, the striker labelled a “genius” by his national team coach Jaroslav Silhavy, has scored 31 times in 56 appearances, an astounding tally.

However, the 25-year-old could seek a new challenge and make the move to the Premier League by joining David Moyes’ side.

West Ham fans will love him

It is no secret that the East Londoners could do with a new striker with winger Jarrod Bowen being their main goal output of late.

Michail Antonio started the season excellently, scoring five goals in his first six Premier League games of the campaign. However, the Jamaica international has only scored three league goals since September.

With Moyes’ side still juggling three competitions and possessing genuine ambition of securing Champions League football by May, the Hammers will need a recognised goal scorer that they can rely on.

West Ham have managed to find goals from all over the pitch, scoring 41 in their 20 league games thus far. However, that may not prove sustainable and the Irons could do with adding a recognised goalscorer up front to help secure a top-four finish and progress in the Europa League and FA Cup.

Schick has had an immense start to the season, scoring more goals than games played. Should West Ham be able to find a fee suitable to bring the Czech from Germany to England, they could be a serious force during the second half of the season.

Moreover, the Irons have already had two Czech stars succeed at the London Stadium with Tomas Soucek and Vladimir Coufal being key contributors. Thus, fans would surely warm the forward pretty instantly should he make the move.

AND in other news, West Ham flop who lost the ball every 2 touches v Leeds may be costing Moyes top-four…

Nathan Ake and Jesse Lingard are both keen on the idea of moving to West Ham United, according to Eurosport. 

The Hammers are exploring the possibility of signing Manchester City centre-back Ake after serious injuries to Kurt Zouma and Angelo Ogbonna. David Moyes has publicly admitted that the double blow may force the Irons into the winter market.

The £28.8m-rated Netherlands international would reportedly be eager to make the switch to the London Stadium ‘if City show they are open to a transfer’.

Newcastle also hope that they can reunite the Dutchman with Eddie Howe, his boss at Bournemouth, but choosing a top-four race over a relegation battle is seen as a ‘no-brainer’.

Lingard heading back to WHU?

As for Lingard, West Ham intend to open discussions as soon as January trading commences.

The east London club have received encouragement that they’ll be able to bring back their former loanee, who is valued at £19.8m. There are a number of clubs monitoring the 28-year-old’s situation, but he ‘likes the set-up at West Ham’.

Twitter page West Ham Fan Zone relayed the news, and here’s what some supporters made of it, with one believing that the double coup would be “gargantuan” if it comes off.

West Ham fans bask in Ake and Lingard update

“Because we are absolutely gargantuan”

Credit: @leggy_lp

“Need to get them signed up in January”

Credit: @darters17

“Loooool we’re massive”

Credit: @Will_04_

“Add Martial and that is a superb January window!”

Credit: @MaxJones11966

“Money can’t make you massive”

Credit: @NathWHU_

“Relegation battle or top 4 battle? Tough choice”

Credit: @iglad80

In other news, West Ham are also pursuing this potential blockbuster deal

There has been lots to like about Crystal Palace’s start to the current campaign, but one player is perhaps being overlooked for his integral contributions.

Several new signings and existing stars such as Odsonne Edouard and Wilfried Zaha have received plenty of plaudits for their eye-catching displays in the final third of the pitch, yet it’s the solid performances at the back that have arguably been more important.

Joachim Andersen arrived at Selhurst Park over the summer after Palace splashed out £20m to secure his services, raising a few eyebrows after his relegation with Fulham.

However, the Denmark international has soon silenced his doubters after putting in a string of impressive performances alongside Marc Guehi in the heart of defence.

As per SofaScore, the 25-year-old has won a whopping 27 duels in his 11 Premier League appearances, made 26 clearances, 18 interceptions and 12 tackles, highlighting his domineering displays at the back.

But it’s not just his defensive contributions that have proved so pivotal to the south London outfit’s success.

Andersen’s ability with the ball at his feet is crucial to how Vieira wants to play, allowing the capital club to build from the back, or play more directly when the opportunity presents itself.

He’s regularly been found firing diagonal, crossfield passes to either wing in order to quickly shift play and start attacks, and his underlying numbers are evidence of how effective they’ve been.

According to WhoScored, Andersen has averaged 6.5 long balls per league game this term – the highest tally amongst his teammates – and has averaged 67.8 passes per game, achieving a passing accuracy of 84.2%.

In a recent interview with football.london, Vieira was quizzed over how vital Andersen was in helping the Eagles play his preferred style.

“He is massively important. Joachim played in France, he played in Italy, he was in the Premier League last year. He has this experience of moving around and going to a new club,” Vieira said.

“When you want to have possession, and you have a centre-back who is really comfortable having the ball at his feet, it’s quite important. He will be a massive help for Marc to build his confidence, and he is doing really well.”

While the likes of Zaha deserve huge amounts of credit for putting the ball in the back of the opposition’s net on a regular basis, Andersen and co. deserve just as much for keeping it out of Palace’s, and the Scandinavian gem has been doing a stellar job of that in recent weeks.

And, in other news…Huge boost: Palace handed injury lift ahead of Burnley, Vieira will be delighted

Liverpool are interested in signing dominant Torino centre-back Gleison Bremer in the summer transfer window, according to reliable journalist Neil Jones.

The Lowdown: Bremer shining at Torino

The Brazilian has become a key player for the Serie A side, starting 28 games in the league this season and proving to be a colossal presence, even being described as an ‘animal’ by teammate Mergim Vojvoda.

Indeed, Bremer has averaged a monstrous 4.1 aerial duel wins per game – Joel Matip (3.9) leads the way for Liverpool in the Premier League this season – as well as 3.4 interceptions per match.

Liverpool have been linked with a move for Bremer in the past and now a fresh update has emerged.

The Latest: Reds eyeing up move

According to Goal‘s Jones on Twitter, the Reds are ‘tracking’ the 25-year-old ahead of a potential summer move. Inter Milan are the front-runners to sign him currently, however, with numerous clubs showing an interest.

His current Torino deal expires in the summer of 2024.

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The Verdict: Goodbye, Joe Gomez?

It looks as though Liverpool’s interest is genuine, given Jones’ reliability, which surely suggests that one current centre-back could be moving on this summer.

With Virgil van Dijk, Joel Matip and Ibrahima Konate all undisputed key men, that points towards Joe Gomez potentially enjoying a new challenge.

Reports have suggested that the 24-year-old could leave due to being desperate to make England’s World Cup squad, and it is hard to see that happening if he stays put, sadly.

Gomez is an excellent player but his current situation is unlikely to change unless injuries to others occur, meaning a summer exit makes the most sense.

In other news, an Italian source has made a Liverpool transfer claim. Read more here.

Taking to Twitter, Portuguese reporter Pedro Almeida has made a major Tottenham Hotspur exit claim involving winger Steven Bergwijn.

The Lowdown: Spurs exodus in January?

As manager Antonio Conte makes his squad ‘evaluations’ and decides who deserves to stay or leave, there are a fair few Tottenham players who could be shown the door.

Most recently, the likes of Dele Alli, Tanguy Ndombele and Matt Doherty have been most heavily tipped to leave north London before January 31 either on loan or in a permanent switch.

Bergwijn is another as Ajax table an official bid for the player, according to transfer journalist Fabrizio Romano.

In an update, reporter Almeida has now shared how advanced that move could be as he drops a major claim.

The Latest: Spurs exit agreement ‘close’…

Taking to Twitter, the reporter says that an agreement between Spurs and Ajax over Bergwijn is now ‘close’ with talks at the ‘final stages’.

He goes on to explain this will be a permanent exit from north London and not a temporary deal with the Eredivisie giants also close to offloading winger David Neres.

It is believed the latter man will join Shahktar Donetsk for €16 million (£13.3m).

The Verdict: Mistake?

Recently dazzling against West Ham in the Carabao Cup and drawing real praise from former boss Nuno Espirito Santo, who called Bergwijn ‘unique’, selling Bergwijn permanently could be a mistake.

Depending on the transfer fee, Tottenham and Conte could have been better served handing more chances to the Netherlands international who is still fairly young with room for improvement.

Conte has also previously praised the 24-year-old, calling him ‘quick’ and ‘quality’ with a real eye for goal, attributes the Italian could have used as he seeks to guide Tottenham into a top four finish.

In other news: Spurs agree £33.4m option for ‘sensational player’ after loan spell with EPL rivals, find out more here.

Following on from their disappointing 2-1 defeat against Norwich City, things didn’t go to plan when Southampton took on Liverpool at Anfield where Ralph Hasenhuttl chose to go with a formation of three centre-backs, two wing-backs, two central midfielders and three forwards, which ultimately led to a 4-0 defeat against the Reds.

Next up for the Saints is a midweek league clash against Leicester City who are currently five places and four points above them in the league table.

On the chalkboard

One player that didn’t start against Liverpool but managed to make a good cameo appearance off the substitutes bench that should now be in the team to take on Leicester from the start is Nathan Tella.

After replacing Che Adams at the start of the second half at the weekend, Tella did his best to make an impact on the game and managed to show his attacking and defensive capabilities.

Even though he didn’t have a shot at goal, Tella created goalscoring opportunities for his teammates by making two key passes and one accurate cross, creating one big chance in the process, a wonderful opportunity at the back post that Adam Armstrong somehow spurned.

[snack-amp-story url= “https://www.footballfancast.com/web-stories/check-out-the-latest-southampton-news” title=”Check out the latest Southampton news!”]

The 22-year-old, who is currently valued at £1.8m according to Transfermarkt, also did his bit from a defensive point of view in the second half against Jurgen Klopp’s rampant Reds by making two interceptions, one tackle and one clearance to stop Liverpool from scoring even more goals on the day.

Labelled as an “energetic” player in the past by Hasenhuttl, this latest performance earned Tella an overall match rating of 6.9/10 according to SofaScore, making him the highest-rated Southampton player on what was a rather disheartening day for the south-coast club.

Looking ahead to the Leicester match in midweek, not only would it be in Southampton’s best interest if Hasenhuttl didn’t go with the same formation that he went with against Liverpool, he should definitely reward Tella for his second-half contributions against Liverpool with a place in the starting XI on Wednesday.

With Armstrong failing to impress against Liverpool, missing that gilt-edged opportunity from Tella’s supply line, perhaps he could be the one to make way on this occasion.

In other news: Gao could replicate Adam Armstrong masterclass at Southampton with “elite” 16-goal ace – opinion