All posts by rastrear-estafeta.com

Rumoured Liverpool transfer target Dusan Vlahovic will be available for ‘€70/75m’ in January, according to journalist Fabrizio Romano.

The Lowdown: Liverpool keen on signing Vlahovic

The Serbian is maturing into one of the most sought-after young attackers in Europe, scoring eight goals in 12 Serie A appearances this season.

Liverpool are one of the clubs who are reportedly keen on signing the 21-year-old as Jurgen Klopp looks to bolster his attacking options.

Fiorentina are understandably reluctant to let their prized asset go cheaply but his contract expires in the summer of 2023, so they are running out of time to get big money for him.

[freshpress-quiz id=“375258″]

The Latest: Romano provides fresh update

Taking to Twitter on Thursday, Romano claimed that the Serie A club are willing to let Vlahovic leave for €70m-€75m (£59.9m-£64.1m) in the January transfer window, should a bid for that amount come their way.

His tweet is aimed towards Arsenal, who are thought to be interested, but it is also stated that ‘many clubs’ are in the running.

[web_stories_embed url=”https://www.footballtransfertavern.com/web-stories/latest-liverpool-transfer-news-11/” title=”Latest Liverpool transfer news!” poster=”” width=”360″ height=”600″ align=”none”]

The Verdict: January move seems unlikely

Vlahovic looks like a special young talent with a huge future – Serie A expert Conor Clancy has hailed him as ‘incredible’ – so the idea of seeing him in a Liverpool shirt is exciting.

It is hard to envisage the Reds spending that much on a player midway through the season, though, at a time when Klopp has four top-class attacking players already, and considering the club’s relative frugality in recent transfer windows.

Next summer would feel more likely for a move to happen, but by that point, someone else may have swooped in for him.

In other news, some Liverpool fans have flocked to another Romano update on one player. Find out who it is here.

Sunderland sporting director Kristjaan Speakman is poised to endure a busy summer of work at the Stadium of Light at the end of the season.

Irrespective of what division the Black Cats are competing in next term, he will be tasked with putting together a squad for Alex Neil to work with – either to stay in the Championship or fight for promotion out of League One.

Speakman will also need to keep hold of the club’s talented young players to give Neil a pool of academy prospects to nurture with a view to them making their way through to the first team in the future.

One such gem who they are in danger of losing is 14-year-old Chris Rigg as Newcastle and Everton are reportedly keen on a deal for him this summer.

Rigg is already playing for the U18’s at the age of 14 and Sunderland are said to want £1m from any interested parties.

They must now avoid repeating the brutal disasterclass they endured when they sold teenager Joe Hugill to Manchester United for £300k. The striker has since been compared to England captain Harry Kane and is progressing through the ranks at Old Trafford.

Sky Sports News reporter James Cooper said this about the youngster: “Joe Hugill’s progress has come as a pleasant surprise to the coaching staff at Manchester United who recognised his potential when they brought him in from Sunderland.

“But the speed of that progress has exceeded expectations, bearing in mind he’s only been at the club for three months.

“Hugill was part of a recruitment drive that has seen some of Europe’s best young talent arrive at Manchester United in recent weeks to not only bolster the club’s Academy but also provide Ole Gunnar Solskjaer with more options further down the line.”

These quotes and the comparisons to Kane suggest that Sunderland dropped a clanger by allowing him to leave for £300k.

Speakman must now ensure that they do not repeat that mistake with Rigg. He cannot allow the talented youngster to leave the Stadium of Light and must do everything in his power to convince the teenager that staying at the club is the best option for him.

Sunderland fans do not want to be sat on their sofas in six years watching Rigg dominating in the Premier League and wondering how they only got £1m for him in 2022.

AND in other news, Fewer touches than Patterson: £2.7k-p/w SAFC gem with 87.5% duels lost flopped…

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

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!

[ad_pod ]

Liverpool’s Champions League knockout stage clash with Bayern Munich didn’t quite go to plan, with the two sides inseparable over the course of ninety minutes as the game finished 0-0.

Jurgen Klopp’s men uncharacteristically faltered under the Anfield lights as their finishing was lacklustre – on another day, the Merseysiders could have smashed their German opposition but, regardless, they will fancy themselves going to the Allianz Arena having avoided conceding an away goal on Tuesday.

With a huge game against Manchester United on Sunday, there is little time for the Reds players to switch off as they return their attention to the Premier League title race. They have closed the gap on champions Manchester City both literally and figuratively this season, with the two clubs level on points but also far more equal in terms of quality.

Who in the Liverpool ranks, though, has improved the most over the course of the season and who has declined?

Most improved: Fabinho

Despite having been slowly integrated into the starting XI, the Brazilian has become one of the Reds’ most consistent performers in recent weeks and his versatility has become indispensable to his side’s success amidst injuries and suspensions.

With Joe Gomez still not back to full fitness, Dejan Lovren also out of contention and Virgil van Dijk suspended, the former Monaco man stepped in alongside Joel Matip at the heart of defence against Bayern and hardly put a foot wrong.

A midfielder by trade, the 25-year-old looks likely to only get better and could hold down the base of Liverpool’s midfield for years to come.

Far removed: Trent Alexander-Arnold

A revelation last season, the England international has, unfortunately, been unable to improve on his stellar breakout season, with his performance against Bayern, in particular, of a standard far less than expected from the 20-year-old.

The 5-cap international wrote headlines with his inch-perfect crossing and delivery into the box and quickly forced his way into Gareth Southgate’s England considerations, although Crystal Palace’s Aaron Wan-Bissaka looks like more of a worthy pick for the Three Lions based on current form.

Is Jurgen Klopp a “serial bottler”? The fan in the video below certainly thinks so…

There is no denying the Scouser has an extremely bright future ahead of him but, while he has been set back by injuries, his 18/19 campaign has been underwhelming thus far.

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”…

Tottenham Hotspur could be gifted a second shot at signing Sasa Kalajdzic this January after a fresh report emerged this week…

What’s the word?

According to Fussball Transfers, there is a feeling around Stuttgart that they could be forced to sell their leading talisman, despite him nearing a return from injury.

His contract is set to expire in summer 2023 but there have been no concrete talks over an extension, and it’s thought that the right offer would see the Bundesliga outfit accept.

It means the door has seemingly opened for the north London outfit to strike, though it remains to be seen how much the 24-year-old would command, with CIES Football Observatory valuing him at £18m.

Sign him up?

Antonio Conte only has one senior centre-forward at his disposal in Harry Kane and we’ve already seen his struggles this season, having bagged just one goal in the Premier League from 11 appearances.

The 11-time Austria international would be an intriguing alternative to the England captain, not least because he stands at a whopping 6 foot 7 – the same height as former Spurs striker Peter Crouch, to whom Kalajdzic has been likened in the past.

[snack-amp-story url = “https://www.footballfancast.com/web-stories/tottenham-hotspur-latest-team-injury-team-news-updates-transfers-gossip-rumours-antonio-conte-thfc” title=”Read the latest Spurs news, transfer updates and much, much more!”]

“I have heard a lot of phrases and expressions! I’ve heard a comparison with [Zlatan] Ibrahimovic, Peter Crouch, anything from ‘tall and lanky’ to ‘tall’ and an ‘Ibrahimovic-Machine’! I’ve heard a lot of things,” he told Bundesliga.com.

“When I used to play holding midfield there was a player called Nemanja Matic at Manchester United who was a bit of an idol, he’s also Serbian and I have Serbian roots. I tried to compare myself to him.”

Interestingly, Matic is a player who Conte has managed before. The midfielder played a crucial role during Chelsea’s title-winning campaign in 2016/17.

Despite being so tall, the Austrian has proven to be a very adept and dynamic forward, as revealed by his manager Pellegrino Matarazzo, who said: “He’s a very good footballer. He links up well with his teammates, and communicates very effectively. He’s invaluable.”

Conte has often utilised big centre-forwards in his systems – think Diego Costa and Romelu Lukaku – so he would surely love Fabio Paratici to make a move for the Stuttgart sensation this winter.

AND in other news, “In discussions”: Journo drops big Spurs transfer claim, fans should be hugely worried…

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!