All posts by n8rngtd.top

Arsenal have been graced with many fantastic Spaniards in the modern era of the game, ranging from the exuberant Cesc Fabregas early in his career to their current boss and ex-skipper Mikel Arteta.

But one player they haven’t really been able to replace yet is Santi Cazorla, who departed the club in 2018 after six years.

The little magician regularly racked up goals and assists in an attacking midfield role under Arsene Wenger before injuries blighted his Gunners career. Across the 2013/14 and 2014/15 campaigns, Cazorla notched a total of 11 goals and 21 assists across the Premier League and the Champions League, via WhoScored.

Best of the Decade: Top scorers & creators – Can you name them?

World Class score: 95% | Expert score: 80% | Veteran score: 65% | Intermediate score: 45% | Amateur score: 30% | Try Again: 5%

That void is still felt today with the north Londoners knocked out of the Europa League and sat in ninth place in the top-flight.

This week, Sky Sports have claimed that Arteta is an admirer of Valencia midfielder Carlos Soler, who was once dubbed the next David Silva – a player very much in the mould of Cazorla.

Soler could cost Arsenal around £36m, which is a price mentioned by the Express in a recent report.

His addition would mean that the Gunners wouldn’t be making Dani Ceballos’ loan move permanent this summer – something mooted by the Daily Star, but they do race interested from a couple of La Liga clubs, too.

The Madrid man hasn’t really done anything of note since his full debut against Burnley, those two assists have been his only since whilst he hasn’t got on the scoresheet either. Ceballos also went missing in big games against Liverpool and Manchester United, failing to recorded above a 6.51 WhoScored rating.

Allowing Ceballos’ loan to come to an end and swooping for Soler could be the best solution for Arteta to fill that playmaking void, especially given the 23-year-old’s exploits this term.

He’s bagged three goals this term, including one against Chelsea, which bodes well for his chances of making a better impact than his national counterpart.

One scout report has lauded Soler’s skilful natural ability along with other attributes such as his ‘smart positioning, good dribbling and ability to combine in a tight space.’

That sounds exactly like a certain Cazorla.

Arsenal can surely do no wrong in swapping Soler for Ceballos this summer.

AND in other news, Arsenal fans would happily SWAP Pepe for this winger…

Celtic fans have been discussing one of their former players on social media this week, and evidently, he is someone that they wish was still playing in the green and white hoops.

One account on Twitter asked fans to give their thoughts on ex-defender Erik Sviatchenko, who left the club in the summer of 2018.

The single toughest football logo quiz of all time…

World Class score: 95% | Expert score: 80% | Veteran score: 65% | Intermediate score: 45% | Amateur score: 30% | Try Again: 5%

The 28-year-old recorded 63 appearances across his two seasons in Glasgow before returning to FC Midtjylland initially on loan before making the move permanent.

He’s now the captain of the Danish side and has featured 24 times this season, including their two Europa League qualification games against old rivals Rangers.

Most of the Bhoys faithful have been lauding him as an underrated figure during Brendan Rodgers’ reign, one that should still be around at Celtic Park.

Neil Lennon currently has several options in the centre-back role, including Kristoffer Ajer, Christopher Jullien, Hatem Abd Elhamed and Jozo Simunovic.

Here’s what fans have been saying about their former star…

AND in other news, Celtic fans discuss Mohamed Elyounoussi future…

A recent report from Football Insider has caused a divide amongst the Tottenham Hotspur faithful this week.

They claim that the north London side would be keen on taking Barcelona attacking midfielder Philippe Coutinho on loan this summer – rather than a permanently.

Spurs appear to be one of several clubs closely monitoring the situation of the former Liverpool star, although they have some reluctance to pay his £200k-per-week wages alongside a transfer fee.

Some supporters appear to be all for it…

The 27-year-old has been out on loan at Bundesliga giants Bayern Munich where he has provided nine goals and eight assists from 32 appearances in all competitions, via Transfermarkt.

Which appears to be his best campaign since the 2017/18 season – his first at the Nou Camp following a whopping £142m move from the Reds.

But there are many in north London that would rather not see Coutinho make a return to the Premier League next term – or at least in the white strip of Spurs.

Historically under chairman Daniel Levy, the Champions League finalists have rarely been one to splash the cash. Indeed, this summer he broke the club’s record transfer fee, paying £55m for Lyon powerhouse Tanguy Ndombele amongst others.

Though this was the first time in over 18 months that he had actually purchased a player and £55m is a fee of norm in this day and age of top-flight financial power.

Is it Mido or Pedro Mendes? This Spurs quiz will separate the loyal from the fake…

World Class score: 95% | Expert score: 80% | Veteran score: 65% | Intermediate score: 45% | Amateur score: 30% | Try Again: 5%

There’s also the fact that there’s no idea of how severe the consequences of this pandemic will be to Spurs’ funds but either way, other members of the Hotspur fanbase took the chance to take a swipe at Levy himself.

Coutinho is still contributing at an elite level and it could be argued that he may well regain his best form back in the Premier League where he made his name, but for the time being, it remains to be seen whether these reports hold any truth.

AND in other news, Spurs fans react to Lucas Moura’s recent comments…

A number of Manchester City fans have welcomed the appointment of Gareth Taylor as the new Head Coach of the club’s women’s team in a three-year deal.

The club confirmed on its official website mancity.com that the 47-year-old has been given the task of succeeding Nick Cushing, who had been in the role for six years and won the Women’s Super League and two Women’s FA Cups. The news was later shared on the club’s official Twitter channel @ManCity.

As noted by mancity.com, Taylor moves into the role after three years in charge of the club’s under-18 side, having previously managed the under-16s at the Etihad Stadium. He had enjoyed a very successful spell with the older age group, winning two successive Premier League Under-18 Cups and guiding the team to the FA Youth Cup semi-finals and a 12-point lead in the Premier League Under-18 North division.

He is also a former Manchester City player, having played 55 times for the club between 1998 and 2001, featuring in their successive promotions from the third tier to the Premier League. [via mancity.com]

These City fans – and former player Paul Lake – took to Twitter to share their delight at Taylor being given the women’s team Head Coach position at the Etihad:

Man City fans, are you happy with Taylor being put in charge of the women’s team given his success at under-18 level? Comment below with your views!

The relationship between Jadon Sancho and Manchester United continues to provide new updates as a potential move could be on the cards.

By now it’s no secret the Red Devils are very keen on bringing Dortmund star Sancho to Old Trafford this summer. However, it seems it’s not just the club who are eager for a move.

According to a report from SportBild (via Sport Witness), the winger’s two ‘best buddies’ are already at United, and a move could benefit all three players in question.

Sancho has dominated the Bundesliga this season, scoring 17 goals and providing 17 assists, and has subsequently attracted a lot of interest from English clubs. Man United are very keen on his signature but Premier League giants Liverpool and Chelsea have also been named as potential suitors for the 20-year-old.

Ole Gunnar Solskjaer looks like he means business as the football world creeps towards the summer transfer window. The Norwegian has been linked to big money names including Kai Havertz and Harry Kane. But there’s something about the persistent nature of this Sancho link that looks extremely promising.

Now, with reports revealing Sancho could link up with his best friends Jesse Lingard and Marcus Rashford, it seems like there’s an even bigger incentive to make the deal happen.

There’s no denying Sancho’s ability is absolutely everything Man United need in order to re-establish themselves in the Premier League next season.

The Reds have some very strong names listed in their current midfield, however it seems Paul Pogba and Bruno Fernandes have clashing playing styles as they are yet to play together on the big stage. Adding Sancho to United’s attack and using both Rashford and Lingard in the same squad could heavily multiply the team’s chemistry.

If these three ‘best buddies’ know each other inside out like any other best friends do, surely it will create a formula for success on the pitch. Lingard has struggled to bag game time this season, playing just 20 matches (via Transfermarkt). But if he proves to work well with Sancho and Rashford, the manager may opt to feature him a lot more. Especially as it looks more and more likely Solskjaer wants to experiment with the team.

Do you think Jadon Sancho will link up with his Old Trafford friends this summer, Reds? Have your say in the comments below!

Tottenham have failed to fill the void left by Kyle Walker ever since he left for Manchester City. 

While Kieran Trippier had his moments, the former Spurs star struggled for form in his last season with the club after his heroics at the 2018 World Cup in Russia.

Although Serge Aurier is currently available, his conduct has come under scrutiny as he has been investigated by the Lilywhites for breaking the government guidelines during the nationwide lockdown.

Jose Mourinho has been left short of options at right-back and is now looking to make amends.

As per usual, Spurs have been linked to some of the biggest stars in the world as the transfer window approaches, but none have been as exciting as Norwich City’s Max Aarons this season.

Norwich have struggled to settle down in the Premier League and are surely set for a return to the Championship.

According to talkSPORT, Aarons will most likely not be joining them, which has handed Spurs a major boost.

Tottenham have been chasing the 20-year-old for a number of months now, amid interest from Arsenal, but it appears the Gunners have fallen short of Norwich’s asking price.

The Canaries are demanding £30m for the talented defender and Spurs are ready to resume their charm offensive when everything goes back to normal in the summer.

Mourinho is in the market for a new right-back as the club’s hierarchy have grown tired of Aurier’s antics.

While the 27-year-old has received a higher WhoScored rating than Aarons this season, the youngster has averaged more blocks per game and drawn more fouls.

As Aarons is still only young, he could turn out to be a shrewd investment in the future, as his valuation will surely increase if he continues to put in impressive performances.

Tottenham fans, should the board sign Max Aarons in the summer? Let us know down below!

Tottenham Hotspur have reportedly emerged as the front-runners to sign Roma star Nicolo Zaniolo in the summer. 

Tottenham have been linked to Zaniolo for several years now and it seems that they are one step closer to getting a deal over the line.

According to Correire della Sera, as relayed by Ricky Sacks, Spurs are favourites to sign the wonderkid this summer. The Lilwyhites have found themselves in the lead alongside Juventus and Inter Milan.

As is often the case with Spurs, though, there is an added catch, as Zaniolo wants to stay in Serie A for another season, but he risks being frozen out by Paulo Fonseca.

Roma face financial pressure to sell key players as the Giallorossi fear they could lose him cheaply in the transfer window.

The 21-year-old left Inter for the Stadio Olimpico for £4m in 2018 and it is fair to say that he hasn’t looked back ever since. He has played 22 games in Serie A this season, scoring five goals, supplying one assist, taking 1.7 shots, averaging one key pass and completing 1.9 dribbles per game on average so far (via WhoScored).

The versatile player, who has been compared to Steven Gerard, has established himself as one of Europe’s hottest prospects and Roma are confident that he can become Francesco Totti’s heir.

However, the Giallorossi are holding out for their £5om valuation, while the youngster doesn’t want to leave despite his public falling out with Fonseca (as per Correire della Sera).

Spurs struggled to score goals when Harry Kane succumbed to a hamstring injury and they have failed to fill the void left by Christian Eriksen. Jose Mourinho has used Giovani Lo Celso and Harry Winks in tandem to great effect in recent weeks, but he still wants to sign a new playmaker.

As it stands, Roma have not received a suitable offer, as they are aware that it could anger a large number of supporters if they let Zaniolo leave.

If the Lilywhites delay any longer, they may miss out on the attacking midfielder in the summer, as he may join one of their close rivals instead. Therefore, if they truly want him, they need to move quickly.

Tottenham fans, do you think Daniel Levy should sign Zaniolo? Let us know down below!

Leeds United have wasted no time at all in getting their transfer business started ahead of their first Premier League campaign in 16 years.

The Whites have already announced the permanent signing of Illan Meslier, and they’re also expected to announce Jack Harrison’s return on loan for a third time, with a re-negotiated option to buy at the end of the season.

United had the option to purchase Harrison for £8m this summer, but they’ve instead opted to move that to next year, keeping him on loan for one more season.

Watch Leeds United Videos With StreamFootball.tv Below

Understandably, they’ve had to re-negotiate the fee with Manchester City, and Phil Hay has now revealed just how much they will have to pay for him if they want to sign him permanently.

What’s been said then?

The journalist was speaking on his podcast about the Harrison situation, going over the fact that he’ll be staying on loan for another year rather than signing permanently this summer.

Eventually, he got onto the fact that the fee will be slightly higher than originally agreed.

“If they take him on permanently next summer, which I expect them to, they will have to pay slightly more. You’d be looking at £10m rather than £8m, and it suits everybody to do that.” He said (The Phil Hay Show 24/2/20 23:30)

Great move

As things stand, Harrison is a winger proven at Championship level, and £8m for a player of that calibre doesn’t necessarily represent great value, but it would be a decent deal for Leeds to complete, considering the fees we’ve seen paid for the likes of Anthony Knockaert and Tom Ince in recent years, two players who haven’t produced at the same rate as Harrison this term.

However, Leeds do plan on being a Premier League outfit going forward, so having Championship standard players isn’t really what they’re going to be about, so if Harrison doesn’t show he’s up to top-flight standards next term, they can be rid of him with very little fuss, while if he does prove himself, £10m for a winger who can cut it in the Premier League is a great bit of business.

Everton haven’t had the best of seasons, but despite a poor campaign, they seem to be set up for a more successful year next time around.

The Toffees have one of the best managers in history at the helm with three-time Champions League winner Carlo Ancelotti tasked with guiding the Merseyside club back to the top half, but if he’s going to be successful he’ll need a few reinforcements.

Recent reports indicate that Ancelotti could be ready to reunite with one of his former players.

Watch Everton Videos With StreamFootball.tv Below

Serbian outlet Novosti are reporting that the Goodison Park outfit are interested in former Chelsea defender Branislav Ivanovic.

The 36-year-old is a free agent after his contract at Zenit expired at the end of the season, and it seems as though he could be on his way back to England.

Now, Nobody is going to claim that Ivanovic is still at the level he was when he was winning league titles and Champions League’s with Chelsea, but the 36-year-old has been there and done it all in England, and that type of experience will go a long way in the dressing room and on the pitch.

Everton lost Phil Jagielka last summer and Leighton Baines has just retired, so players with such a level of experience are no longer abundant in the dressing room.

The fact that Sheffield United are keen kept Jagielka on for another season due to his leadership abilities shows exactly what Everton lost when he left, and they could replace that with a 36-year-old Ivanovic who knows what it takes to play at the very highest level in this country.

Ivanovic may not be a bonafide starter week in, week out at his age, but his presence in the dressing room would be incredibly welcome.

Chelsea are close to offloading Emerson Palmieri and adding more funds to the transfer pot for this summer.

The left-back has been linked with a move away from Stamford Bridge and he could now be on his way out the door. According to Calciomercato (via Sport Witness), the Italy international has been hoping for a return to his native country and now Inter Milan may be about to grant him his wish.

Chelsea have been hoping to make about €25m (£22.4m) through the sale of Emerson, but the Italian media outlet’s report claimed that a deal of €20m (£17.9m) is more likely.

Inter are hoping to strike lucky with the defender and bring him back to Italy this summer. The two parties have reportedly already agreed on personal terms, which will see Emerson sign a five-year contract worth €2.2m (£1.9m) per year in wages. This will see him pocket a weekly sum of about £36,500 per week, a significant pay cut from his current £48,000-a-week Chelsea wage (via Spotrac).

Inter’s Serie A rivals Napoli are also interested in Emerson, so his next destination is currently still up in the air.

The Blues have already made two new signings this summer and have a few other names on their wish list. Major target Kai Havertz is close to being a done deal and Frank Lampard has also set his sights on Leicester’s Ben Chilwell.

Offloading Emerson will not only see Chelsea pocket some extra cash but it will free up a space in the left-back position. The Foxes have stated that they value Chilwell higher than record outgoing Harry Maguire, who joined Manchester United last summer for £80m (via BBC Sport).

It will cost the west Londoners a hefty amount of cash but, with a healthy income from Emerson plus Roman Abramovich’s £120m budget, they could be on their way to securing hot target Chilwell ahead of next season.

Do you think selling Emerson would be smart business for Chelsea? Join the conversation in the comments below!