All posts by rastrear-estafeta.com

While Ange Postecoglou’s Celtic side overcame a rather large hurdle in the Premiership title race on Thursday evening, securing a 1-0 win over third-placed Hearts, the victory came at quite a significant cost for the 56-year-old manager and his side.

Indeed, Jota, Stephen Welsh and Anthony Ralston all had to be substituted due to injury, while Carl Stafelt also appeared to finish the fixture with a knock to his knee.

As such, it looks as if Celtic will travel to Dundee United today with something of a depleted squad. However, speaking after the Hearts game, Postecoglou suggested that the injuries picked up by a number of his regular starters will, in turn, provide an opportunity for those who are yet to get many games under their belt this term.

The 56-year-old said: “We saw on Thursday night that Adam Montgomery had to come on and he has not played for four or five weeks. We still have a fair chunk of important games coming up after [Real] Betis so it makes sense to get some minutes into some of the other guys so that when we call on them they will have played in this period.

“James McCarthy, Mikey Johnston, Liel Abada and Nir Bitton all come into that category. There is an opportunity to get some minutes into their legs and have them ready when required.”

Postecoglou must unleash Johnston

One of the players Postecoglou mentions above, Mikey Johnston, would appear to be in more need than most for regular first-team minutes, as, since his return from injury earlier this season, the 22-year-old has started just once for the Hoops.

Indeed, the winger has endured a frustrating last couple of years at Celtic, with the £900k-rated man featuring in just 10 fixtures last season due to injury, as well as missing a large portion of the start of the current campaign with a knock.

However, the former Scotland U21 international has proven that, when he is fully fit, he can be an extremely useful player in the Bhoys’ attack, scoring six goals and registering six assists over 22 appearances back in 2019/20, as well as bagging five goals and one assist over 23 appearances in 2018/19.

Furthermore, Celtic captain Callum McGregor is quite clearly convinced of the £7.9k-per-week forward’s ability, with the 28-year-old midfielder stating: “He’s such a brilliant talent, bags of ability, bags of potential and he’s one as well that the manager’s asking a lot of him physically.

“He’s responding really well and the guys are doing some great work with him in the physio department and sports science to really get him to a level where he can go and make that impact. Against Hibs, I thought he was sensational.”

As such, with it being clear that Postecoglou simply must begin rotating his side more frequently if he is to avoid a catastrophic injury crisis at Parkhead, the 56-year-old must unleash Johnston against Dundee United this afternoon, as the winger could well prove to play pivotal in Celtic’s Premiership push this season – if given the chance.

In other news: Ange must seal Celtic deal for “prominent” £13m-rated beast who “stole the show” in EL

Aston Villa revealed on Tuesday that additional tickets for the home game against Manchester United next month are now on sale, and a number of Villa fans were quick to give their thoughts to the news on social media.

Villa’s clash with Burnley on Saturday was postponed just a couple of hours before the scheduled kick-off time due to an ongoing viral outbreak at Bodymoor Heath. The Premier League are set to continue playing through the festive period, though, after deciding against a circuit breaker on Monday.

Fans watching matches live at the stadium now need to provide NHS certification of either a double vaccination or a negative test prior to attending.

Villa shared details of tickets for the match against Manchester United on January 15, which comes just a few days after the clubs’ FA Cup third round clash at Old Trafford. Prices start at £29.50 for adults and go up to £55, with all the information available to view here.

Villa fans react

Here is what these Villa fans had to say in reply to the club’s official Twitter post regarding the ticket arrangements, with one labelling the prices as ‘absurd’ and others questioning why they are advertising it given the distinct possibility of the match being either postponed or playing behind closed doors.

“This is brave”

Credit: @DaleAC93

“Those prices are absurd”

Credit: @_Whittall

“Why? Someone explain, I’m confused lol”

Credit: @JoesVillaArmy

“Announcement on playing Boxing Day yet or not?? Some of us have lives to organise rather than getting cancelled 2 hours before due to depleted squad..”

Credit: @JohnGallett

“Why do this when it’s probably going to be behind closed doors?”

Credit: @k2_villa

“Lockdown by then”

Credit: @TSJ671

In other news: ‘Is he really’ – Many Villa fans erupt as journalist says £27k-p/w ‘carthorse’ may join Gerrard

Leeds United midfielder Kalvin Phillips is a long-term target for Aston Villa, according to The Athletic’s Gregg Evans.

The Lowdown: Midfielder wanted

Villa have enjoyed a fairly productive transfer window this month, bringing in four senior players with Calum Chambers the latest to arrive from Arsenal.

However, the club were looking to bolster their midfield ranks during the winter window, with bids made for Yves Bissouma and Rodrigo Bentancur.

Evans revealed at the beginning of the month that Villa still admire Phillips after attempting to sign the Whites star in 2019.

The Latest: Evans’ tweet

Evans took to Twitter on Sunday morning to provide an update on Villa’s pursuit of a midfielder.

He revealed that the club won’t pay Brighton’s asking price for Bissouma, while a deal couldn’t be agreed for Bentancur. The reliable reporter added that Phillips is ‘also’ a long-term target.

“Aston Villa have been after Yves Bissouma since the summer but won’t pay the price Brighton are asking. Kalvin Phillips is also a long-term target as reported last month. Bentancur scouted but couldn’t agree a deal. DM search may now go into next season…”

The Verdict: Ambitious…

Phillips, who shared his love for Steven Gerrard over the summer, has also been linked with a move to Liverpool and Manchester United in recent months, so you could argue that a possible move to Villa Park would be an ambitious one.

West Ham were quickly shut down in their late pursuit of both Phillips and Raphinha this weekend, so the 26-year-old could be a player in demand ahead of the 2022/23 campaign.

Should Villa and numerous other sides firm up their interest, that could spark a bidding war in excess of the £50m the Hammers were preparing to offer this month, meaning he could become Villa’s club-record signing by some distance.

In other news: ‘Oh my days’, ‘Are you joking?’ – Many Aston Villa fans erupt at late exit update. 

A Sunderland training ground development has emerged, regarding versatile gem Luke O’Nien…

What’s the latest?

The Chronicle Live have reported that the midfielder is back out on the field on Wednesday as he looks to complete his comeback from an injury.

O’Nien has been out of action since November due to a shoulder problem and he is now easing his way back to full fitness.

Buzzing

Sunderland fans will be buzzing with this news as the return of O’Nien could be a big boost to manager Lee Johnson for the second half of the season.

The Black Cats are working hard to battle their way out of League One and having as many of their players fit and available as possible could help them to achieve their goal. The midfielder is a proven performer at this level as he has previously shown that he can consistently deliver quality displays in a number of positions, which is why this update could delight fans and Johnson.

Wigan and Wycombe are the two teams above Sunderland in the table as it stands, with the latter sitting top and one point above them and the former having a whopping four games in-hand but currently level on points. This shows how tight it is at the top of the table and why every little advantage the Black Cats can accrue could be crucial in the coming months.

Only Ross Stewart and Tom Flanagan have averaged higher SofaScore ratings than O’Nien in League One this season and this illustrates his importance to the team as he has been one of their top performers this term. He has averaged a score of 7.11 across 16 appearances, playing in a plethora of roles throughout the XI – highlighting the versatility he brings as he can play at centre-back, right-back, right midfield, central midfield and in a holding position.

The ex-Wycombe man has won an impressive 65% of his duels and made 3.3 tackles and interceptions per game in the third tier. Fans will surely be delighted to see his tough-tackling midfield performances again in the coming weeks and this is why they will be buzzing with the news that he is back in training and working to shake off his shoulder injury.

AND in other news, Johnson must secure SAFC deal for £3.1k-p/w gem who has “all the raw tools to succeed”…

Pundit Paul Robinson has given his reaction to the news of Everton hiring Ashley Cole to join Frank Lampard’s backroom team.

The Lowdown: Cole hired

The Goodison Park faithful confirmed on Thursday that Cole has joined Lampard’s backroom staff, thus leaving his role as assistant manager of England’s U21s.

Of course, the appointment will reunite the two men once more, as they both played with each other for Chelsea and England, while Cole also played under Lampard at Derby County.

The Latest: Robinson reacts

Speaking to Football Insider, Robinson, who regularly appears on Sky Sports, has claimed that hiring his former international teammate is a ‘great’ appointment from the Merseyside club:

“Everything I’ve heard about Ashley’s coaching has been positive.

“I have shared a dressing room with him and let me tell you, he’s a very knowledgeable player.

“He was probably the best left-back this country has ever had. If he can give some of that knowledge to the Everton players then it would be great.

“Ashley has a great reputation in the game. In the short time he’s been coaching, he seems to have found his role.

“It is great to see some of my generation taking on roles at big clubs.”

The Verdict: Clever

It was certainly a clever and shrewd piece of business from the Toffees to bring Cole in to work alongside Lampard.

Not only will they have chemistry from their playing days, but the former will also relish the chance to further show what he can do at a coaching level, having previously worked with Chelsea’s youth team as well as England’s U21s.

Described as a ‘fantastic‘ coach by pundit Jamie O’Hara, who did his UEFA coaching badges with him, Cole is someone who will instantly gain respect from the squad given his own accomplishments, and together with Lampard could form a formidable team.

In other news, find out who the Blues are in ‘pole position’ to land as their new DoF here!

West Ham United have been dealt a major setback in their bid to bring Gabriel Barbosa to the London Stadium in the January transfer window.

What’s the talk?

That’s according to Fabrizio Romano, with the journalist confirming in a recent post on Twitter that West Ham have indeed made an approach for the Flamengo centre-forward in the past few days, as has been reported, however, that the Brazilian side rejected the Hammers’ offer of an 18-month loan deal for the 25-year-old.

In his post, Romano said: “There’s still nothing advanced for Gabigol to Premier League. Been told West Ham approached Flamengo days ago to ask for [an] 18-month loan but Flamengo are not accepting this kind of deal. There’s nothing else atm – and no way for Flamengo to accept a straight loan.”

Fans will be fuming

Considering the fact that David Moyes’ West Ham side are in desperate need of attacking reinforcements in the January transfer window if they are to have any hope of securing a top-four finish in the league this season, the news that the club have seen their offer for the forward nicknamed Gabigol rejected by Flamengo is sure to have left the London Stadium faithful fuming.

Indeed, with the 58-year-old Hammers manager currently only having Michail Antonio as an out and out centre-forward in his first-team squad – a player who has a particularly patchy injury history – it is clear for all to see that Moyes’ requires greater depth in the position if West Ham are to keep pace in the Champions League race.

And, when taking into account how impressive Gabigol has been in Brazil in recent seasons, the 25-year-old would very much appear to fit the bill for the East London side.

Indeed, over his 18 Brazilian Serie A appearances last time out, the £23.4m-rated striker scored a whopping 12 goals, registered five assists and created seven big chances for his teammates, as well as taking an average of 3.6 shots and making 1.1 key passes per game.

These returns saw the £49k-per-week man earn an extraordinary seasonal SofaScore match rating of 7.21, ranking him as Flamengo’s fourth-best performer in the top flight of Brazilian football last season.

Aside from his remarkable league form, the former Inter Milan hitman also bagged a further 11 goals, provided four assists and created five big chances over his 13 Copa Libertadores outings, returns which saw the Brazil international average an even more impressive SofaScore match rating of 7.57.

As such, it is clear for all to see that Gabigol would make a fantastic addition to Moyes’ attacking options at the London Stadium, however, following Romano’s latest update, it would appear as if the Hammers will have to significantly improve their offer if they are to get a deal over the line for the 25-year-old this winter.

In other news: “Looking at him”: Journo drops teasing WHU transfer claim that will leave fans buzzing

Wolves may have to accept that they will have to cash in on midfielder Ruben Neves this summer, according to journalist Pete O’Rourke.

The Lowdown: Neves’ future in doubt

The 25-year-old has been a fantastic servant for Wanderers down the years, dictating many midfield battles and scoring some spectacular goals along the way.

Neves has arguably enjoyed one of his best seasons yet at Molineux in 2021/22, bagging four goals, two assists and averaging 2.3 tackles per game.

There have been constant rumours linking the Portuguese with a move away this summer, however, with Barcelona among those keen on signing him.

[freshpress-poll id=“388780″]

The Latest: Journalist drops fresh claim

Speaking to GiveMeSport, O’Rourke admitted that Wolves may have to let Neves go at the end of the season:

“There are fears obviously that Wolves might have to end up cashing in on Neves this summer. He’s been such a good servant to them as well. He’s helped them establish themselves in the Premier League.”

[web_stories_embed url=”https://www.footballtransfertavern.com/web-stories/all-the-latest-from-wolves-2/” title=”All the latest from Wolves!” poster=”” width=”360″ height=”600″ align=“none”]

The Verdict: Matter of time?

While the idea of Neves staying on at Wolves is exciting, it looks increasingly likely that he will head off for a new challenge in the summer, given the number of reports emerging.

Some players simply hit a sell-by date at a club, and while the midfielder clearly loves playing for Wanderers, he may feel that it is time to test himself somewhere with loftier ambitions.

It would be hard to begrudge Neves a transfer after offering so much since joining in 2017 – he has made 207 appearances overall – and the key will be ensuring the vast money earned for his sale is spent wisely ahead of next season.

In other news, a Spanish source has dropped a key Wolves transfer claim.

Rangers will be looking to quickly wash away the pain of their Old Firm defeat at Ibrox on Sunday as Giovanni van Bronckhorst’s men return to action tonight.

The Gers are now set to turn their attentions away from the Premiership for now as they face the prospect of a European quarter-final.

They are due to clash with Braga in Portugal in the first leg of the last-eight tie before playing them at Ibrox in the second leg next week.

Rangers will have to do so without their star striker, though, as Alfredo Morelos has been ruled out for the remainder of the season with a thigh injury.

Forget Morelos

It is now time to forget about the Colombian, as he will not be playing for a number of months, and thus, they will need to work out how best to replace him.

Kemar Roofe produced a dismal display in his place against Celtic and the ex-Leeds man’s failure at Ibrox should convince van Bronckhorst to start Fashion Sakala through the middle.

The Zambia international has often been deployed out wide but is also capable of playing as a number nine and his physical attributes can make him a match-winning player for the Gers tonight.

Journalist Josh Bunting dubbed him a “danger” and claimed that his energy can make a “real difference” on the pitch for the Gers.

Former Ibrox fullback Alan Hutton has also praised the attacker’s pace and work rate in the past, saying: “He’s like a firework, isn’t he? You just light him and watch him go. He’s one of these players who plays at 100 miles per hour, he takes players on, he’s aggressive, he can get shots off.

“Sometimes you just wish he could slow down, but I think that’ll come with time and experience at a new club. As he plays with these players around him with intelligence – he’ll get on that same page. I like his energy and enthusiasm. He loves playing for Rangers and you can see that when he’s trying hard to score goals.”

These quotes suggest that he has the speed to cause real problems to opposition players. He has the movement to run in-behind and turn defences, which not only creates opportunities for himself but also opens up gaps for the likes of Ryan Kent, Joe Aribo and Aaron Ramsey to exploit.

His seven goals and one assist in nine Premiership starts also shows that he has the quality on the ball to be the difference-maker in the final third. Therefore, he can be a quality option through the middle with his physical and technical attributes.

Van Bronckhorst must axe Roofe and start Sakala to give his team the best chance of coming away from Portugal with a win in Morelos’ absence.

AND in other news, Smith endured big Rangers howler over “world-class” £7.5m gem who was “admired by all”…

It has been widely speculated that Rafael Benitez has fallen out with Lucas Digne, and news coming from the Everton camp on Friday afternoon appears to suggest that the pair can’t resolve their issues.

What’s the story?

Renowned journalist Fabrizio Romano gave an explosive transfer insight regarding the Toffeed, taking to his Twitter profile to drop this exclusive to his millions of followers:

“EXCL: Ukraine left back Vitaliy Mykolenko is currently undergoing his medical as new Everton player, here we go! 🔵🇺🇦 #EFC”

“He’s set to join Everton from Dynamo Kiev on a permanent move, final price around €21/23m. Personal terms agreed.”

The medical may further fuel rumours of an irreparable fall-out between the Everton manager and the French left-back, who has not been in the matchday squad since the Merseyside derby.

As recorded by WhoScored, since his arrival to the Premier League. no left-back has earned a higher rating than Digne, winning 28 aerial duels and 52 tackles in his 15 appearances for the Toffees this season. He also scored against Queens Park Rangers in their Carabao Cup tie.

According to The Athletic, Digne became frustrated in conversations with the Everton manager and continuously challenged Benitez, with the pair having reportedly ‘rarely seen eye to eye’ – specifically when it came to tactics – and tensions allegedly boiled over just ahead of the Arsenal match a couple of weeks ago.

Fans will be gutted

Digne has established himself as a fan favourite, with the left-back speaking out about the reaction that many fans have had to him since he joined the club, saying: “They have even written a song for me, and I want to say thank you to them for that. We have something special in this club.”

Quite a few Everton fans have taken to Twitter to express their feelings and thoughts on the news shared by Romano. One fan tweeted; “If we sell @LucasDigne we are stupid, @everton you need to sack that fraud @rafabenitezweb #rafaout”

Another wrote: “I’ll be so, so angry if Digne is forced out of Everton in January. Angry at Rafa, and at the club by default, as with most things these days.”

It’s clear that some fans aren’t happy about potentially axing the £119k-p/w left back from the side, and with squad depth already thin and injuries piling up, Benitez cannot afford to lose any more players. Freezing out Digne could come back to bite the manager unless Everton can complete the mooted signing of Mykolenko, and even then the Ukrainian may have a hard act to follow.

Either way, his impending arrival seems to suggest that Benitez intends to move on from Digne, who might have already played his last game for the club.

In other news: Benitez could solve big issue at Everton by signing this gem

Many Sunderland fans have been left raging over some transfer news that has emerged on Jermain Defoe before the Portsmouth clash.

As per The Northern Echo, Lee Johnson is reluctant to sign the former Glasgow Rangers striker in the January transfer window, despite the board giving the green light for a deal to go through.

Defoe himself would prefer to move to the Stadium of Light, but Johnson has reservations over his match fitness and what exactly his squad role would be.

With Nathan Broadhead currently injured at the moment, Ross Stewart is Johnson’s only striker option, and so it does seem strange that he would not want to bring another one in.

Defoe is also cult hero among the Black Cats faithful, having scored 37 times in 93 games in all competitions over three seasons (Transfermarkt), including a memorable winner at home to rivals Newcastle United in the Premier League back in 2015.

Sunderland fans on Defoe transfer news

These SAFC supporters raged as the transfer news was shared on Twitter, with one even going as far as to claim that they are ‘fuming’, while another simply called it ‘pathetic’:

“LJ not doing himself any favours here”

Credit: @safctim

“Trying to derail us or summit?”

Credit: @ColArmy86

“Johnson Out if we don’t sign him”

Credit: @Mustardinho

“The mind boggles. Fuming”

Credit: @ConnorBromley

“IF true, Johnson has just lost the fans”

Credit: @LewisGreaves1

“Pathetic”

Credit: @JHerra18

In other news, find out what exit claim has Black Cats gushing here!