All posts by n8rngtd.top

Arsenal have been linked with a shock move for Youri Tielemans.

According to Goal journalist Charles Watts, the Gunners have held talks with the Belgian’s representatives over a potential switch to the Emirates Stadium this month.

The 24-year-old midfielder has just 18 months left to run on his current £120k-per-week contract at Leicester City and it’s thought that his agents have already had a meeting with the north London outfit at their London Colney training base in recent weeks.

Valued at £49.5m by Transfermarkt, Tielemans would not come cheap but he would be worth every penny to Mikel Arteta, who must be absolutely desperate for a new midfielder.

Both Mohamed Elneny and Thomas Partey are at the Africa Cup of Nations, whilst the club recently sanctioned Ainsley Maitland-Niles’ loan move to AS Roma, leaving the Spanish head coach very light on options.

But in the Foxes dynamo, Arsenal could well find the perfect partner to accompany a powerhouse like Partey.

Tielemans is capable of adding goals and creativity from a deeper midfield role, very much akin to Santi Cazorla towards the end of his time in Islington.

He played an integral role for Brendan Rodgers’ side last season as they clinched the FA Cup trophy.

Overall, he provided nine goals and six assists, including the match-winner against Chelsea in the final and that form has continued into the current campaign as he currently sits on six strikes and three assists, as per Transfermarkt.

Cazorla may have been a more technically-gifted playmaker but it’s that creative and goalscoring presence that Arsenal have desperately lacked from midfield ever since his departure.

Tielemans, who stands at a slightly taller 5 foot 9, could prove to be the perfect solution, and he’d need no time to fit in thanks to his stint at the King Power.

In the past, the Leicester machine has been lauded as an “outrageous talent” by football scout Jacek Kulig, whilst The Athletic’s Rob Tanner accredits him as being the “creator” for Rodgers.

The Belgian is capable of driving the Midlands outfit forward with his range of passing and dribbling ability. Last season, he was said to be ‘contributing strongly to Leicester creating scoring chances,’ for example.

Therefore, despite not seemingly being a little magician, it could indeed be Tielemans who hands Arteta and the Gunners a new Cazorla-like playmaker in midfield.

Edu Gaspar and the club’s recruitment staff must work harder to force this deal through this month. He’d be a mighty fine addition to Arsenal.

AND in other news, Fabrizio Romano delivers major Arsenal transfer update…

Flocking to Twitter, many West Ham United fans have reacted with their opinions as the club now confirm some player news involving bright young midfielder Conor Coventry.

In terms of their young prospects, the Hammers have been active in their decisions so far in January with the board also re-calling defender Frederik Alves from his originally intended season-long loan at Sunderland.

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West Ham did the same with Coventry amid his previous lack of game time at Peterborough United, with the 21-year-old starting just four Championship matches before being brought back to Rush Green this month.

It wasn’t long before he became linked with another loan move away, as first revealed by ExWHUemployee, with the Irons now confirming he has gone out on a temporary spell with MK Dons for the second half of 2021/2022 (Twitter).

West Ham fans react…

There has been no shortage of opinions on Twitter in regards to this decision, with one fan even calling it a ‘strange’ one, potentially due to the notion he could be better served staying at West Ham, learning from stars such as Declan Rice and fighting for a place in the side.

Coventry impressed in pre-season, with the youngster even drawing comparisons to Rice, and some Irons supporters have suggested that their club could have used him as needed cover in that position.

Alas, with the starlet now on his way out again, many West Ham fans have plenty to say – with some also worried he may never get a chance under Moyes in the senior squad.

Find all of their reactions down below:

“All we ever hear is players going out.

If it isn’t clear we need at least 3 in then I give up”

Credit: @regdoow1

“Hopefully he gets game time now”

Credit: @StefGoodridge

“Always thought he impressed whenever I saw him and it’s not exactly we are too well off in the middle of the park”

Credit: @mickyginn

“Hopefully they’ll acc play him this time”

Credit: @CNHD_

“I’m scared he may end up like Cullen, always looks decent in pre season then never gets a chance in the first team”

Credit: @antoni_dad

“Noooooooooooooooooooo!!! I’m going to go cry profusely now excuse me”

Credit: @whueamon

“Strange move imo”

Credit: @smithy_jack1

“We should just sell now, had more loans than Wonga. Good luck Conor”

Credit: @dan31604340

In other news: ‘Yes’ – ExWHUemployee backs reports with West Ham now ready to bid for ‘phenomenal’ player, find out more here.

West Ham United are currently failing in a bid to bring Darwin Nunez to the London Stadium on transfer deadline day.

What’s the talk?

That’s according to a claim made by David Ornstein, who revealed in a recent article for The Athletic that, despite it being reported West Ham had agreed a fee with Benfica regarding the transfer of the 22-year-old, Nunez has informed David Moyes that he has no intention of joining the Irons this month, and he is hoping to move to a Champions League side in the summer.

In his report, the transfer insider wrote: “West Ham also enquired about Benfica’s Darwin Nunez, but sources have told The Athletic that the player was not interested in the move and is hopeful of joining a Champions League club in the summer.”

Fans will be furious

With the clock ticking down to Monday evening’s transfer deadline, the news that West Ham have failed in their bid for Nunez is sure to have left the London Stadium faithful furious with Moyes.

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Indeed, while the Benfica hitman would have made a fantastic addition to the 58-year-old’s first-team squad, in truth, a deal to sign one of the hottest prospects in European football never appeared to be overly likely – with ExWHUemployee even revealing at the time of the Hammers’ bid that the club’s chances of landing the £28.8m-rated striker were extremely slim.

And, with Moyes undoubtedly being aware that this was the case at the time of his bid for the Uruguay international, exactly why the Scot left making a move for a striker, when he himself admitted the position was his upmost priority this month, until the final day of the window is beyond us.

Indeed, should West Ham fail to bring in a new centre-forward over what remains of the January transfer window, it would undoubtedly come as a huge blow to the club’s top-four chances this season – a setback that Moyes could quite easily have avoided.

In other news: “We have…”: WHU insider drops huge deadline day development, Moyes is finally acting

Marcelo Bielsa could be about to make a very big mistake at Leeds United this January transfer window…

What’s the word?

According to German publication Bild, Hamburger SV are pursuing a loan move for the Whites’ U23 gem Crysencio Summerville before Monday’s deadline.

It’s thought that the 2.Bundesliga outfit view the 20-year-old as a perfect fit as the club has been looking for a speedy upgrade to their flanks.

The Dutch U21 international joined the Yorkshire side in September 2020 in a £1.3m deal from Feyenoord but has struggled to cement his place in the first-team with several key stars ahead of him in the pecking order.

Big mistake

Indeed, Summerville has been restricted to only eight senior appearances since then, including just five Premier League games this term despite the injury crisis facing the Argentine head coach.

But that issue is exactly why he cannot afford to let anyone go from Elland Road this week, especially if they fail to bring in any new additions, having been pegged back in their attempts to sign RB Salzburg midfielder Brenden Aaronson.

The young winger has excelled for the U23 side in recent times, providing nine goals and eight assists across 24 appearances, via Transfermarkt.

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In any other season, there is certainly a case to be made in the fact that Summerville needs regular game time at the professional level and a move to HSV does seem rather appealing given they regularly challenge at the top of the German second tier.

The likes of current top scorer Raphinha (eight goals), club-record summer signing Daniel James and Jack Harrison are all ahead of the 5 foot 5 dynamo but all it’ll take is one injury to any for him to be needed.

And that has to be a distinct possibility given the absolute crisis Bielsa has had to face – for instance, eight of his nine substitutes against West Ham in the Premier League earlier this month were academy prospects.

United are still dealing with an array of injury problems and losing any of the aforementioned wide trio would deal Bielsa a devastating blow. He would instantly regret the decision to loan out Summerville.

Dubbed a “bag of tricks” by former EFL boss Chris Powell and a “nightmare to mark” by teammate Jamie Shackleton, the 20-year-old talent is worth keeping around for the remainder of the season.

But amid these reports, Bielsa could well be about to make a mind-blowing mistake.

AND in other news, Bielsa could finally replace Saiz with Leeds swoop for “unplayable” 19 y/o sensation…

Celtic ran riot against their Glasgow rivals on Wednesday night, with a 3-0 win at Parkhead taking them back to the top of the Premiership.

Ange Postecoglou’s side sealed the three points in the opening 45 minutes, with January signing Reo Hatate scoring twice before setting up Liel Abada for a third in front of an electric home crowd.

We’ve delved into the numbers from statistical website SofaScore to analyse the Hoops’ three best performers from those to have played at least 45 minutes of action. No prizes for guessing who one of them was, but who else stood out?

Reo Hatate – 8.8/10

Hatate is first up with an incredible match rating of 8.8/10. Alongside his three goal contributions, the 24-year-old also made 24 passes, including one key pass, and won four duels.

He contributed defensively in a three-man midfield too, making two tackles and one interception during his 73-minute display.

Greg Taylor – 8.1/10

Next up is left-back Taylor, who put in a solid display up against new Rangers loan signing Amad Diallo in the opening 45 minutes.

The Scot won 12 of his 14 duels, made a whopping eight successful tackles and also completed five interceptions.

Taylor also recorded three clearances and completed 25 of his 32 passes, ending with a match rating of 8.1/10.

Josip Juranovic – 7.7/10

The third and final inclusion is right-back Juranovic, who didn’t seem to put a foot wrong last night.

The Croatian won four duels and made three tackles, two interceptions and two clearances. He also completed 28 passes, including one key pass, ending with a score of 7.7/10 – the same as Abada.

In other news: ‘I can tell you…’ – BBC Radio 5 Live pundit shares key on-air info regarding ‘unbelievable’ Celtic ace

A massive update has emerged in Newcastle’s search for a director of football…

What’s the talk?

Daily Mail reporter Craig Hope has revealed that the former FA chief will pen a deal with the Magpies to work with Eddie Howe at St. James’ Park.

PIF brought in Nick Hammond on a short-term move in December to assist the club in the January transfer window and they are now set to provide a long-term solution to that position with the ex-Seagulls supremo.

Hope Tweeted: “Understand Dan Ashworth will join NUFC after resigning from his role as Brighton technical director.”

He followed that up with: “Ashworth was offered the Newcastle role on Friday & club hope to confirm his appointment in due course.”

PIF masterclass

This is a major piece of news and represents a masterclass from PIF as they are on the verge of pinching a huge part of Brighton’s success in recent years.

Seagulls journalist Aden-Jay Wood previously Tweeted: “If Dan Ashworth goes (which I think he will), it will be a huge shame. Ashworth has almost singlehandedly changed Brighton’s approach both on and off the field and would be very, very difficult to replace.”

Wood’s comment suggests that the Englishman will be able to sculpt Newcastle’s future on the pitch and off it, working alongside Howe – leaving the former Bournemouth boss delighted. The Magpies head coach will surely love to work with a sporting director of Ashworth’s pedigree, much like Gareth Southgate did with England.

The Three Lions boss once showered him with praise for his work with the national team set-up, as he created a winning culture throughout the ranks, saying:

“I told Dan (Ashworth) as we walked in that he should feel really proud. The last time we came to one of these it was in St Petersburg three years ago but this time we walked in as world champions at U17 and U20 and we’ve been to a seniors’ semi-final, so we deserve our place at the table.

“That is a great credit to everyone involved, the backing the FA has given us in building St George’s Park and investing in the teams, to the work being done in youth development and to Dan in particular for putting those plans in place, which we have seen pay off for Spain, Germany and France. It’s up to us now to continue the work that’s been started.”

Since joining Brighton in 2019, Ashworth has overseen 16th and 15th-placed finishes in the Premier League. The south coast side is currently ninth in the table as it stands and this highlights the excellent work he has done at the AMEX, helping the club to continually progress.

This is why bringing him in will represent a masterclass from PIF as they have been able to secure a top-quality appointment from a Premier League rival who’s well ahead of them in the table. It shows the pull they have as an ownership group, as they have been able to tempt him away from what looks – on paper – to be an excellent job for him.

Howe will now be buzzing to work with him ahead of the summer transfer window when they will hopefully be looking to build on a successful relegation battle.

AND in other news, Imagine him & Burn: Howe must now unleash “big” NUFC gem who’s massively “underrated”…

Tottenham Hotspur will be looking to end a run of three straight defeats when they return to Premier League action later this evening but standing in their way are defending champions Manchester City.

The north London outfit have hit a rocky patch under Antonio Conte, conceding seven goals in the same timeframe, and it’s not going to get easier with a trip to the Etihad Stadium.

Last time out, Spurs were defeated at home by Wolverhampton Wanderers and much of their undoing happened within the first 20 minutes as the visitors romped to an early lead.

In the second half, they just could not find a way to break through the Old Gold defence, despite dominating possession (67%) and having ten total shots.

Not only are the Lilywhites struggling defensively but they have seemed lacklustre in the final third in recent weeks and the form of Lucas Moura is particularly concerning.

Across 21 appearances in the top-flight this campaign, the Brazilian winger has only delivered two goals and four assists, with just one of those direct contributions coming in the previous six outings, as per Transfermarkt.

After the defeat to Wolves, journalist Dan Kilpatrick described the 29-year-old as a “passenger” who was “ineffective” once again, before he urged Conte to drop him and try a 3-5-2 formation.

Indeed, this has been a regular occurrence throughout the season and against a team where opportunities will be limited, it seems pointless keeing the faith in the struggling attacker.

Valued at £18m by CIES Football Observatory, Moura has previously been described as a “nightmare” to train against by teammate Eric Dier but performances like that in the English top-flight have been far and few between for a very long time.

Spurs cannot afford to carry passengers against City, a team that seems likely to dominate possession and have a big share of the chances. If Conte’s outfit do break free and garner an opportunity, then you don’t want it falling to Moura over someone like Harry Kane, that’s for sure.

As such, the Italian head coach must be bold and ruthless in his team selection – he must drop the former PSG star today.

AND in other news, Antonio Conte’s future at Spurs could depend on summer business…

As per ESPN, there has been a Manchester City transfer update involving Tottenham Hotspur star Harry Kane as Pep Guardiola eyes the signing of a striker this summer.

The Lowdown: Kane bids rejected…

Last summer, it was absolutely no secret that City and sporting director Txiki Begiristain held a strong interest in acquiring the England international.

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Reliable sources claimed at the time that multi-million pound bids had been lodged but chairman Daniel Levy eventually held firm and refused to sanction the exit of Spurs’ talisman.

Since then, the Sky Blues have been sporadically linked with another move for the 28-year-old despite the potential availability of Borussia Dortmund sensation Erling Haaland later this year.

Now, ESPN have an update on the situation.

The Latest: City keep tabs…

According to the news outlet, Guardiola and co remain interested in Kane and continue to ‘monitor’ his situation amid all the noise surrounding his contract.

However, the report adds that they could also turn their attention to Haaland given he is likely to be granted an exit from Dortmund.

The Verdict: Go for another move?

The £200,000-per-week star recently put on a Man of the Match display against City at the Etihad Stadium and has recently improved his form under new Spurs boss Antonio Conte.

However, as he ever-so-slowly approaches the twilight phase of his career, Haaland could be a far better option despite Guardiola’s real praise for Kane in the past.

Despite the Spaniard calling Tottenham’s striker a player who ‘does everything’, with defender Liam Ridehalgh also calling Kane a ‘monster’, City also have to think about the long-term.

Haaland is still only 21-years-old and already has connections to Eastlands through his father, Alf-Inge, who used to play at Maine Road.

This, coupled with his reported €75 million (£62.5m) release clause which is set to become active in June, means the Norwegian’s transfer could be far easier to facilitate than another bid for Kane.

In other news: Man City now in talks to sign yet another Brazilian in £46.6m man! Find out more here.

Newcastle United won all three points in a real relegation six-pointer at Brentford, with a 2-0 win in the Premier League on Saturday afternoon.

They were helped by an early card for Josh Dasilva, as Joelinton and Joe Willock capitalised with goals in the first half, but in truth it could have been more as the visitors had no fewer than 26 shots on goal and 63% possession.

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As such, some players may have been disappointed with their own individual displays, and The Transfer Tavern have used statistical experts SofaScore to analyse who the three worst performers (to have played at least 45 minutes) were for the Magpies on the day:

Emil Krafth (7)

With an overall rating of seven, Krafth ranks as Newcastle’s third-worst performer, despite helping his team to keep a clean sheet.

The right-back lost out on six of his duels in total and failed to record a single dribble, tackle or accurate cross, while he also lost the ball 12 times.

Jacob Murphy (6.8)

Admittedly joint-worst in terms of rating (6.8), Murphy ranks second here as he did not play the entire game.

The winger lost five duels and never managed a shot on target, dribble or long ball, while he was also guilty of losing possession on 13 separate occasions in the match, the fifth-most out of his team-mates.

Chris Wood (6.8)

Also given a 6.8 rating, Wood ranked as the Magpies’ joint-worst player against Brentford, coming out bottom here as he had the full 90 minutes to influence proceedings.

The New Zealand international was unsuccessful in seven of his duels, the second-most out of any Newcastle player, while he could not score with any of his four shots on goal and lost the ball eight times in total.

In other news, NUFC are now ahead in talks to sign this ‘phenomenal’ Ligue 1 star

Aston Villa have not been shy when it comes to spending significant amounts of money on bringing new players to the club over the past few years.

As is the case with a lot of clubs who are particularly active in the transfer market, not every player that joins ends up proving their worth on the pitch.

One player that falls into this category for the Midlands club is striker Wesley.

He made the move to Villa Park back in the 2019 summer transfer window from Belgian side Club Brugge in a deal worth a reported fee of £22m.

His debut campaign in England turned out to be a very unfortunate one for him, after scoring just five goals in 21 Premier League matches, the Brazilian suffered a severe knee injury in January 2020 that kept him out of action for a whopping 15 months.

This season, after making a one-minute cameo in Villa’s 2-0 win against Newcastle United back in August, the striker returned to Brugge on a loan deal but only made six appearances before moving back to his home country in January for another temporary spell, this time with Internacional until the end of the campaign.

In December 2019, a few months after making his big-money move to the Midlands, Transfermarkt rated the 25-year-old’s value listed at £27m, but following a torrid few years, it now stands at just £5.4m.

That shows a significant decrease of 80%, presumably as a result of the lack of game time at Villa due to his injury as well as his disappointing spell back at Brugge.

Taking all of this into account, it’s safe to say that the centre-forward, who is currently picking up a weekly wage of £46k-per-week according to Salary Sport, has not exactly repaid the hefty transfer fee that Wes Edens and Nassef Sawiris splashed out for him.

Having been labelled as a potential “burden” for the club in the past by Paul Robinson due to his lack of consistency in front of goal, Wesley has a big challenge ahead of him if he wants to convince Steven Gerrard that he has a future at Villa Park and can be an important figure for them.

In other news: Lange plotting bargain AVFC swoop for “monstrous” £6m-rated gem, he’d be a big upgrade – opinion