All posts by z3u9t.icu

Tottenham Hotspur Managing Director Fabio Paratici has called summer signing Pape Matar Sarr ‘one of the most talented in Europe’ but also revealed intense interest in the prodigious young talent.

The Lowdown: Sarr a star for the future

The defensive midfielder joined Spurs in August from Metz, where he will spend the rest of the season on loan. Sarr, 18, played 25 times for the French club last season, scoring four times and followed Emerson, Bryan Gil, Cristian Romero and Pierluigi Gollini into the door at the club.

Spurs already have Oliver Skipp in that defensive midfielder slot, but the arrival of Sarr adds competition to that position in the future, once his loan spell comes to an end in June.

The Latest: A great investment

Speaking to the club’s media, Paratici spoke highly of the teenager and confirmed his vision of looking forward to the future of the club.

When asked about his thoughts on Sarr, he said: “I think Pape is one of the most talented in Europe.

“Our job is not to look just at tomorrow, but maybe also part tomorrow or next year. This is our job, and I think we made a great signing,” he said.

“In all of Europe they speak about this, a lot of teams were interested, a lot of teams were there to sign (him), so we made a very good signing.

“He needs experience, he needs to play games, to stay in one team and play regularly – a great investment for the Club, and a great vision for the future.”

The Verdict: The future is bright

The purchase of Sarr, and the fact he has been immediately loaned out, tells the story of this transfer – Paratici and co very clearly see a future superstar and do not want to risk stagnating his development on the bench in north London.

His former academy manager at Metz, Olivier Perrin, labelled the midfielder ‘a top player’ and even compared him to the highly-decorated Miralem Pjanic.

If all goes well, Sarr will be pulling the strings for Nuno’s men in years to come, though Paratici’s comments suggest they may have to fend off interest from other clubs as the youngster begins to fulfil his potential.

Manchester United made a solid start to the new Premier League campaign, picking up seven points from a possible nine before the international break, and several of their top performers have continued to shine for their countries on international duty.

Summer signing Cristiano Ronaldo broke the men’s international goalscoring record with a fabulous brace against the Republic of Ireland, while Jesse Lingard notched up two goals and an assist in an impressive display against Andorra.

However, both were arguably outperformed by Bruno Fernandes after the 27-year-old magician fired his nation to a comfortable 3-0 victory over Azerbaijan in their World Cup qualifying fixture.

The Portuguese ace set up Manchester City’s Bernardo Silva for his nation’s opening goal in their Group A encounter after just 26 minutes and continued to be at the heart of proceedings for the remainder of the night.

As per SofaScore, Fernandes received a match rating of 9 out of 10, the highest total received by anyone on the pitch in the Baku Olympic Stadium.

And when taking a look at his underlying numbers, it’s easy to understand why. He made a whopping six key passes for his teammates during the 90 minutes, created two big chances and had two shots on target.

The United maestro also recorded a passing accuracy of 80%, pulled off two successful dribbles and had a whopping 110 touches, highlighting his importance to Fernando Santos’ side.

Red Devils manager Ole Gunnar Solskjaer will be hoping his talismanic attacker can bring this sort of form back to Old Trafford over the weekend, with Newcastle United the next opponents to visit the Theatre of Dreams.

And, in other news…Bye-Bye VdB: Latest Man United transfer update could spell the end for £40m Dutchman 

A journalist has now dropped some enticing insight into the upcoming Newcastle United takeover case.

The Lowdown: CAT case

The Competition Appeal Tribunal (CAT) case between Mike Ashley and the Premier League over the stalled takeover deal with the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia (KSA) consortium is set to take place next Wednesday 10:30 am.

This is separate from the arbitration hearing, which should now commence next year after further delays.

The Latest: Case insight

Journalist Simon Zekaria has now given some insight into the CAT case, claiming that both the St. James’ Park faithful and the English top flight have issues to do with confidentiality:

“I have learnt that the Premier League and NUFC are deep in confidentiality issues. Even for next week’s hearing, which has a narrow legal focus, there is lot that they don’t want to be revealed.”

The Verdict: Enticing

It is certainly set up to be an enticing case, as both sides will feel as if they have strong arguments to suggest why the proposed takeover stalled and the direction in where it is heading.

The North East club seem to feel that the Premier League are the ones keeping information to themselves, as they released statement on their official website back in July citing the need for ‘transparency and fairness in football governance’, and also called for the arbitration proceedings to be made public, suggesting that they have nothing to hide.

Nonetheless, the results of the forthcoming case should give a clearer picture over the takeover’s direction, and the Toon Army will be hoping that it is a positive one for the Tyneside outfit heading into arbitration in 2022.

In other news, find out which former Magpie is in line to become their next U23’s boss here!

Crystal Palace journalist Matt Woosnam insists that Christian Benteke was not given the correct amount of service last season.

The Eagles endured a difficult season under manager Roy Hodgson, finishing in the mid-table mediocrity of 14th.

Benteke struggled for goals throughout the first few months of the campaign, scoring just six goals in the first 26 games of the campaign.

The Belgium international then enjoyed a flurry of goals, as he netted four times in his final four appearances of the season, and he has now signed a new two-year contract.

Woosnam thinks that the former Liverpool striker struggled at points because Palace simply decided against putting enough crosses into the box, for the big man in the area.

Of course, Benteke has been prolific previously, scoring 15 goals in 36 games in 2016/17 but since then he scored just six times in three seasons, prior to 2020/21.

And Woosnam said: “I think that was a really interesting one because you look at the reasons behind why he wasn’t scoring and it would be too easy to just point it at the tactics. It wasn’t just that but that definitely played a significant part in it.

“When I analysed the crosses that Palace put in, they crossed the fewest times, I think, of any Premier League club under Roy Hodgson and you look at the goals that he scored in his debut season for Palace and a lot of them were from crosses.

“They weren’t necessarily headers but they were from crosses. Everyone knows how good he is in the air, as well.”

Benteke will be hoping to hit the back of the net this weekend, when Palace take on Chelsea.

Matheus Pereira has been linked with a move away from West Bromwich Albion this summer, but there is still a small chance he stays at The Hawthorns, according to Express & Star journalist Luke Hatfield.

The Express & Star have reported this week that the Baggies are hoping for a bidding war with the clubs from the Premier League and the Bundesliga among those experessing an interest in the 25-year-old star.

Hatfield told TT: “There is of course still the chance that Pereira does stick around, it could happen.

“It’s very unlikely because he will want to play at the top level possible, but if nobody matches Albion’s bid and they think that they can do without the money of that sale, then he will stick around”.

Pereira still has three years left to run on his Albion contract, but it is no surprise why clubs are interested in him after he managed 12 goals and six assists in all competitions last season.

Aston Villa, West Ham and Leeds United were clubs touted as being interested in Pereira earlier this month, with new West Brom Valerien Ismael telling The Mirror: “It’s not a secret that Sam (Johnstone) and Matheus can maybe leave the club”.

With the amount of reported interest in the midfielder and his return last season, it is clear that West Brom will command a big fee for one of their star assets.

Liverpool Echo journalist Paul Gorst thinks it will be ‘after the September international break’ that Virgil van Dijk and Joe Gomez start Premier League games for Liverpool. 

The lowdown

Van Dijk and Gomez both made their first appearance following long-term injuries in Liverpool’s pre-season defeat to Hertha Berlin on Thursday. They were given a run-out for the final 20 minutes of the game.

Van Dijk hadn’t played since suffering a cruciate ligament injury away to Everton back in October, while it was Gomez’s first outing since the November international break when he sustained a patella tendon rupture.

Joel Matip has started the Reds’ last two friendlies alongside new £36million signing Ibrahima Konate.

Liverpool open the season away to newly-promoted Norwich City on 14 August and face Burnley and Chelsea before the season’s first international window.

The latest

Gorst believes the pair will make two more appearances in pre-season. Jurgen Klopp’s side have pencilled in two 60-minute games against Serie A side Bologna on Thursday before facing Athletic Bilbao and Osasuna at Anfield on consecutive days.

Though they are in the ‘final stages of the rehab process’, Gorst would be surprised if Van Dijk and Gomez were ‘trusted to start’ any of the first few league matches.

The verdict

The partnership of Konate and Matip, if it’s needed for those early games, hardly represents a massive downgrade downgrade. Matip is world-class when fit, while Konate is a rising star signed for the type of fee you would expect to pay for a regular starter.

In an ideal world, though, the youngster would have been integrated into the starting XI more slowly as he adapts to a new league. He’s being thrown straight in at the deep end, particularly if he starts against a sure-fire title contender in the form of Chelsea.

But ultimately, Liverpool can’t afford to take any risks with their returnees, so we wouldn’t be surprised if Gorst’s assessment is spot on.

In other news, this man was praised by fans for his impressive display against Hertha. 

Celtic are set to make an approach for Legia Warsaw defender Josip Juranovic after a loan move for Manchester City defender Yan Couto collapsed, as per Sky Sports’ Transfer Centre.

The Lowdown: Celtic look for further reinforcements

Following some good recent results, new Hoops manager Ange Postecoglou has left the impression thus far that no stone will remain unturned in his quest for domestic and European success.

One area which he may see as a priority is the right-back berth, with Anthony Ralston currently the only figure on the Parkhead books with first team experience in the position.

Could the Celts now be set to tick another recruitment box before the transfer window closes?

The Latest: Hoops look to Juranovic as Couto move collapses

Celtic are mooted to be readying an opening offer for Juranovic following the capitulation of their loan move for Brazilian youngster Couto, as per Sky Sports.

The Croatian full-back is said to be keen on the move, whilst is valued at a cool £2.5m by his current employers Legia Warsaw. [Sky Sports]

Juranovic will be a familiar face to many within Scottish football, as he played against Scotland for his native country in their 3-1 win over the Tartan Army at Euro 2020 [BBC].

The Verdict: Juranovic would represent a real coup for Celtic

Juranovic would seem to be a real coup for the Hoops should any move come to fruition, as he would add quality to Celtic in an attacking and defensive sense.

The 26-year-old excelled in Poland last season, registering nine goal contributions in 32 appearances with one goal and eight assists [Transfermarkt], a fine return for a defender. He is also renowned for his pinpoint crossing ability, something which Celtic could utilise when struggling to play through low-block defences.

Performing solidly in his two appearances at the European Championship over the summer, he managed to complete six ball recoveries and three clearances for Croatia during the finals [UEFA.com].

Given his wide range of attributes and their need for more experienced right-back depth, Celtic should definitely try to seize upon Juranovic’s apparent desire to join the Hoops and submit an offer to meet Legia Warsaw’s asking price.

In other news, Celtic are closing in on this 23-year-old defender 

An update has emerged on Sunderland target Hayden Coulson, regarding Ipswich’s pursuit of the defender.

What’s the talk?

According to TEAMtalk, Ipswich are closing in on the signing of Sunderland target Hayden Coulson. The Tractor Boys are said to be in pole position for the 23-year-old’s signature, although it is not clear whether it is set to be a permanent move or on a temporary basis.

Sunderland and Luton are also reportedly keen on landing the full-back from Middlesbrough, but Paul Cook’s side are seemingly poised to win the race.

Fans will be gutted

Fans will be gutted by this news as they are club are on the verge of missing out on a talented player to one of their rivals in League One. Coulson has Championship experience and plays in an area Sunderland are severely lacking in depth.

As of right now, the Black Cats have no natural full-back options contracted to the club heading into next season. Luke O’Nien is listed as a right-back by Transfermarkt, but played the majority of his games as a centre-back in the 2020/21 campaign.

This means that Lee Johnson is in dire need of full-back additions in the coming weeks. Therefore, missing out on Coulson would be a cruel blow for the club, especially to a team that could be competing with them for promotion out of the third tier.

Supporters will be livid that Kristjaan Speakman has allowed Ipswich to steal a march on the defender, as he also could have been a quality addition to the squad.

Earlier this year, Middlesbrough boss Neil Warnock called the left-back a “breath of fresh air” and praised his ability in tight situations, following his spell out of position in midfield. He told Gazette Live:

“He does so well in training in that type of situation – tight areas with bodies around him. He’s the best player at the club in training in those tight situations.

“So we thought, why not give him a go at number ten. This opportunity came today.

“We didn’t have many options, but it was a good time to let him have a look at that position.

“And I think he revelled in it after the first five minutes. It looked like he was a breath of fresh air.”

In the 2019/20 season, Coulson played 30 games in the Championship and averaged a solid WhoScored rating of 6.76, making 2.8 tackles and interceptions per game.

This shows that he is a player capable of putting in good performances in the second-tier, which would make him a great signing for Sunderland in the short and long-term as it suggests he would be able to thrive in League One whilst holding the potential to make the step up if they secured promotion.

AND in other news, “Go and play for a big club like Sunderland” – Exclusive: EFL insider drops verdict on 25 y/o…

Marcus Bent has exclusively told Football FanCast that Everton are keeping their cards close to their chest regarding Moise Kean’s future.

The 21-year-old, who spent last season on loan at PSG, has scored just four times for the Toffees since making the switch from Juventus two years ago and hasn’t played for the Merseysiders since a Carabao Cup tie at Fleetwood last September.

But he impressed during that loan spell for Mauricio Pochettino’s side, epitomised by the fact only Kylian Mbappe outscored him for Les Parisiens, with is why PSG sporting director Leonard is desperate to re-sign Kean on loan again next season.

Transfer guru Fabrizio Romano confirmed that Kean’s future will be decided one Everton appoint a new manager, which could happen in the coming days, with Rafa Benitez set to be named.

Asked whether Everton are actively looking to sell the Italian striker, ex-Toffee Bent told Football FanCast:

“Not at the minute. Whether they don’t want to talk to me about it or not, sometimes they have got to keep quiet.

“Maybe there might be something going on, they don’t know about his future right now or it might be he’s trying to decide his future. I think there’s something going on, but I couldn’t tell you what it is.”

Derby County owner Mel Morris is still personally paying the Rams players’ salaries.

What’s been said?

That’s according to a claim made by The Sun journalist Alan Nixon, who revealed in a post on Twitter that Morris once again personally paid the wages of the Derby players for the month of June, something that has previously been reported to cost around £1.2m.

The owner remains in the midst of a battle to sell the club this summer, having already seen two takeover attempts fall through over the course of last season.

However, Nixon believes that, whatever Derby fans’ views are on Morris, the businessman deserves credit for his continued financial support, stating: “Mel Morris paid the wages yesterday. Whatever your views, the guy takes his responsibilities seriously.”

Morris will be fuming

While it may be nice to be praised for the efforts he is putting in to keep Derby afloat ahead of next season, the fact that Morris is still having to pay the Rams playing staff out of his own pocket is likely to have left the owner fuming.

Indeed, selling the club in the near future appears a rather monumental task, with Derby currently battling the English Football League over their alleged breach of financial fair play rules – with the club facing the very real possibility of relegation to League One if a decision is made efficiently on the matter – having an enormous amount of work to do in the summer transfer window – with just 16 players currently on the club’s books for next season – and generally being in something of a financial disaster.

As such, while Morris paying the players wages’ is enough to keep the club’s head above water at present, it is not a difficult scenario to imagine that, if the owner fails to find a new buyer in the very near future, he will eventually either run out of liquid capital to continue to do so, or simply just not want to have to keep coughing up every month – an outcome that would indicate a very bleak future for Derby.

In other news: Stone drops disciplinary commission update regarding Derby, Rooney will be relieved