All posts by rastrear-estafeta.com

Glasgow Rangers winger Josh McPake is reportedly now set for a ‘shock’ move away from Ibrox.

The Lowdown: Lost his way

The 20-year-old is a player who has been ‘very highly’ regarded at his parent club.

That is according to former Morecambe manager Stephen Robinson, who dubbed him a ‘really exciting’ signing last July when they brought him in on loan.

However, that was already McPake’s fourth loan spell away from Rangers (a subsequent stint at Tranmere made it five); and given that he has only ever made one senior appearance for the Light Blues, his long-term future has to be put into doubt.

The Latest: ‘Shock’ move?

As per Football Scotland, McPake has now emerged as a ‘shock’ transfer target for Israeli club Hapoel Be’er Sheva.

In what has been described as a potentially ‘sensational move’, Hapoel are ‘keen’ to bring him in on loan with an option to buy for next season.

The Verdict: Interesting

Given that Hapoel finished second in Israel’s top flight last term and have qualified for the Europa Conference League second qualifying round (Football Scotland), a move there for McPake could well be beneficial in terms of playing regular competitive football.

It would certainly be interesting for him to move from Scotland to Israel, but he may enjoy a different climate and a change of scenery.

Nonetheless, at 20 years of age, something now has to give with McPake, and this prospective loan move could determine whether or not he still has a future with the Light Blues.

In other news, find out which Rangers gem ‘will’ leave next month

Tottenham Hotspur correspondent Alasdair Gold has now shared a ‘big’ transfer update in which he makes a claim involving Juventus midfielder Weston McKennie.

The Lowdown: Spurs set to be busy?

The Lilywhites are set to back manager Antonio Conte as the summer window officially opens for business, coming after he guided Spurs to a previously unprecedented finish in the Premier League top four.

Champions League qualification was swiftly followed by a £150 million equity increase and two confirmed arrivals.

Ivan Perisic and Fraser Forster recently joined the north Londoners on Bosman deals and reports suggest they’re far from done there.

The Latest: Gold shares ‘big’ update involving McKennie…

[web_stories_embed url=”https://www.footballtransfertavern.com/web-stories/tottenham-latest-developments-2/” title=”Tottenham latest developments!” poster=”” width=”360″ height=”600″ align=”none”]

Football.london journalist Gold, sharing a ‘big’ update on Twitter, claims club chief Fabio Paratici is expected to make an approach to sign McKennie from Juve this summer.

Writing in his piece, the reporter explains Tottenham’s sporting director is a big fan and talks were held in the January window over a move.

The Verdict: Get it done?

As Conte reportedly eyes midfield moves, we believe the USA international could be a real asset, especially taking into account his brilliant performances beyond club level.

McKennie shines for his country, as explained by 90min MLS expert Chris Smith, who has lavished the ‘supremely underrated’ star as a ‘machine’ who can become an ‘elite’ player (Twitter).

Valued at around £34 million, his price tag is also an attainable one for Spurs as the 23-year-old also would come with a long shelf life and many years ahead of a promising career.

In other news: ‘What is this witchcraft?’ – Media thrilled by ‘great transfer news out of Tottenham! Find out more here.

Celtic’s heavy amount of business during the previous summer transfer window ended up paying dividends for the Bhoys as Ange Postecoglou guided the club to the SPFL title.

Heading into the upcoming summer window, it seems as though a clue has emerged regarding the possibility of one particular transfer deal taking place at Parkhead that would surely have lots of fans jumping for joy.

What’s the talk?

Speaking to Football Insider, Noel Whelan had this to say about the current situation surrounding the possibility of Celtic securing a permanent deal for the centre-back.

“I think happiness to a player is very important, feeling wanted and belonging in a place. I think he’s definitely got that from Celtic as a football club and the fans.

“I think Celtic and Carter-Vickers will be trying to do everything to make it happen, for him to stay there.”

Great news for Celtic fans

The Hoops signed the defender on a season-long loan deal from Premier League side Tottenham Hotspur back in August.

With 45 appearances under his belt across all competitions, more than any other team he’s played for throughout his career, the American chipped in with four goals and one assist.

However, it was his defensive work that made him a crucial figure for Postecoglou in their title-winning campaign.

In 33 league appearances, the 24-year-old made more interceptions (43) than any other Celtic player and ended the campaign with a higher average of clearances per game (4.2) than anyone in Postecoglou’s ranks.

His overall performances earned the Tottenham loanee an impressive season rating of 7.36/10 from WhoScored, making him the fourth-highest rated player currently in the 56-year-old’s squad.

Earlier this month, Carter-Vickers shared his wishes that he wants to bring an end to his time as a Spurs player once and for all this summer, which could be why Whelan has said the player will be doing everything he can to join Celtic permanently.

This could then give the Parkhead club a great chance to secure the defender on a permanent basis.

Now that Whelan has suggested that both Celtic and the player will be doing all they can to make this deal come to fruition, this will undeniably be great for the Hoops fans to hear.

Should the league champions secure the defender’s signature in the coming weeks, this would surely give the team a great chance of regaining the title and potentially being successful in Europe given his clear defensive talent.

In other news: Deal close: Big transfer update emerges that’ll have many Celtic supporters buzzing

West Ham are lining up a swoop for midfielder Florian Grillitsch as David Moyes looks to improve his squad ahead of next season.

What’s the word?

That’s according to Italian news outlet Area Napoli, who claimed that the Hammers are eyeing up a move for the 26-year-old, although Serie A club Napoli appear to be leading the chase.

He will soon become a free agent when his contract expires at Bundesliga outfit Hoffenheim, and West Ham could snap up a bargain.

Moyes may be confident that he can fend off the interest from Napoli for the Austrian’s signature ahead of next season.

He is the perfect Noble heir

West Ham will be left with a big void to fill next season, as fan favourite Mark Noble has announced that 2021/22 was his final campaign for the Irons.

Moyes will surely be working tirelessly to find an adequate replacement for the 35-year-old ahead of an important campaign at the London Stadium, and Grillitsch might just be the perfect heir.

The 26-year-old ranked fourth in the Hoffenheim squad in 2021/22 with an average WhoScored rating of 6.87, whilst he also won 1.3 aerial duels per 90 minutes during the course of the campaign.

One of his key attributes is his ball distribution, and his passing success rate of 89.4% was the highest in the Bundesliga club’s squad by some distance (excluding those who played 40 minutes or less), proving to be a crucial presence in the centre of midfield.

Grillitsch can also be an asset going forward, with the Austrian ranking in the top 1% compared to positional peers in the top five European leagues for shot-creating actions per 90 minutes (1.99), and in the top 4% for progressive passes (5.05 per 90).

This proposed move is a no-brainer for Moyes as he looks to add some bite into the centre of West Ham’s midfield.

Bayern Munich manager Julian Nagelsmann previously dubbed the £35k-p/w Grillitsch an “exceptional” player, and his statistics certainly suggest that the Hammers could land an excellent player on a free transfer this summer. Moyes will need to act quick, though.

AND in other news, “Another target…”: Ex drops big West Ham summer transfer claim that supporters will love

West Ham United are plotting a move for “promising” Real Madrid goalkeeper Andriy Lunin this summer.

What’s the story?

As reported in the Sunday Mirror (via Claret and Hugh), West Ham are expected to open talks with Real Madrid this week over a loan move for Andriy Lunin. Any deal could also include the option to buy the player.

The goalkeeping situation at The London Stadium is still undecided with Lukasz Fabianski the only one staying at the club at the moment. There is potential for Alphonse Areola to remain at the club following his loan spell.

[snack-amp-story url= “https://www.footballfancast.com/web-stories/read-this-weeks-latest-west-ham-news-transfer-rumours-gossip-and-more” title= “Read the latest West Ham news!”]

Moyes will be buzzing

Manager David Moyes will be buzzing at the opportunity to sign a goalkeeper as highly rated as Lunin, and if he can secure him permanently it will solve the position at the club once and for all.

The 23-year-old joined Madrid in 2018 for €14m (£12.3m) from Zorya Luhansk and signed a six-year deal with the Spanish giants. He has only made five appearances in total for the club, having spent a lot of time out on loan.

However, he was a part of the squad this season that lifted the La Liga trophy and most recently the Champions League after beating Premier League side Liverpool in the final.

He is currently contracted until 2024 and is paid £41k-per-week. The Mirror say he is valued at £13m, so Madrid could make their money back.

A recent loan spell with Real Oviedo saw him get a decent amount of game time, he made 20 appearances and kept 6 clean sheets. Moving to West Ham would see him tested at a completely different level and it would be good for his development.

It would be a surprise if the player didn’t want to leave, he might have dreams of succeeding Thibaut Courtois, but he needs to provide himself at a higher level first.

If West Ham are to keep up their exceptional form the in the league over the past couple of seasons then they can’t take too many risks. Would putting such an in-experienced goalkeeper between the sticks be a good idea?

Probably not, but he would likely come in as the second choice initially, and would likely get game time in the Europa Conference League and domestic competitions to prove himself capable.

AND in other news, Moyes eyes bargain West Ham swoop for £15m “cerebral” brute, he’s an upgrade on Dawson…

Leeds United are interested in a deal to bring Abdessamad Ezzalzouli to Elland Road in the summer transfer window.

What’s the talk?

That’s according to a report by Spanish publication Sport (via Sport Witness), who claim that the Barcelona winger is a player Victor Orta has mentioned as a potential makeweight in negotiations between the two parties for the proposed transfer of Raphinha.

[snack-amp-story url= “https://www.footballfancast.com/web-stories/read-the-latest-leeds-united-news-transfer-rumours-gossip-and-much-more-2″ title=”Read the latest Leeds news, transfer rumours and more!”]

However, the report goes on to state that Xavi has informed the 20-year-old that he will be a part of his first-team squad next season – something that could stand in the way of a potential switch to Elland Road this summer.

Orta’s next Raphinha

Considering the sheer amount of potential Ezzalzouli – commonly known as Ez Abde – quite clearly possesses, it is not difficult to understand why Orta is looking to include the winger as a part of Raphinha’s all but confirmed move to the Camp Nou this summer.

Indeed, the £12.5m-rated talent burst onto the Barcelona scene this season, making ten La Liga appearances – six of which came as starts – for the Catalan side, over which the 20-year-old scored one goal and created two big chances for his teammates, as well as taking an average of 1.6 shots, making 0.6 key passes and completing a quite remarkable 3.4 dribbles per game.

These metrics saw the £3k-per-week sensation average an extremely impressive SofaScore match rating of 6.90, ranking him as Barca’s joint 15th-best player in the league – outperforming the likes of Adama Traore, Gavi, Sergi Roberto and Philippe Coutinho.

The forward also caught the eye over his 20 Primera Division R.F.E.F. outings for Barcelona B this term, bagging two goals and registering seven assists for Sergi Barjuan’s side.

Furthermore, following the winger’s emphatic finish in a 2-2 draw with CA Osasuna back in December, Xavi heaped a considerable amount of praise on the former Hercules CF starlet, with the 42-year-old stating:

“Extraordinary Abde, Gavi and Nico [Gonzalez]. They are supporting the team in difficult moments. The effort is extraordinary. Young people make a difference and that is difficult to digest. It is positive and negative, because they will not always perform excellently because they are young.

“Abde’s game is spectacular, and also Nico and Gavi’s. Abde is a differential player. He can make a difference, it is not because of the goal. He is a dagger. A marvel. It is a surprise. It is great news. They are making the difference in a tremendous way.”

As such, considering his undoubted ability with the ball at his feet, his abundant creativity and his deadly eye for goal, should Orta indeed manage to convince Barcelona to part with the 20-year-old this summer, the Spaniard could well have unearthed his next Raphinha – as Abde certainly looks to possess the potential to make a huge impact in England next season.

AND in other news: Romano reveals a “decision has been made” that will leave Leeds supporters gutted

Alexander Isak is among the strikers being considered by Tottenham Hotspur ahead of the summer transfer window…

What’s the word?

That’s according to football.london reporter Alasdair Gold, who claims that the Real Sociedad forward is one of several potential targets on sporting director Fabio Paratici’s wishlist.

The likes of Darwin Nunez, Gabriel Jesus, Dominic Calvert-Lewin, Victor Osimhen and Lautaro Martinez are all also mentioned in the report.

It remains to be seen if the Sweden international is even attainable as the LaLiga outfit may not want to sell him, whilst Transfermarkt currently values him at £36m.

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

Conte’s next Martinez

Spurs’ plans to bolster Antonio Conte’s playing squad should come as little surprise as the club have lacked a solid alternative to Harry Kane for several seasons now.

It’s believed that they would like to find a viable backup, if not someone who could feature alongside him in the starting lineup or out wide, which would suggest that the Italian could alter his formation in 2022/23.

He had great success at Inter Milan with such tactics, deploying Romelu Lukaku and Lautaro Martinez as a partnership, where the duo bagged 41 goals between them on their way to the club’s first Scudetto in 11 years.

Over at Hotspur Way, Conte already has a Lukaku-type predator in Kane, although he can offer a lot more, especially with his passing range and tendency to drop deeper, so Isak could fit the Martinez role as someone a bit shorter in stature but one that brings pace to burn.

The 22-year-old has bagged ten goals across 40 appearances this season, some seven short of his tally last term, via Transfermarkt. In between, he impressed at Euro 2020, particularly catching the eye of Rio Ferdinand.

“This kid, Isak, he was a problem today for the defenders in the Spain team,” the former Manchester United defender said during BBC’s coverage of Sweden vs Spain (via football.london). “He was a nuisance. He showed today why he’s got Young Player of the Year in La Liga. He was the outlet.”

Fellow pundit Gary Lineker also lauded him as an “exceptional talent” during last summer’s tournament, where Sweden reached the round of 16.

In Isak, Paratici could well hand Conte his next Martinez. He and Kane would be an incredible duo to strike fear into Premier League, and potentially Champions League, defences next season.

AND in other news, Bid made: Paratici in talks for “underrated” £51m signing, he’d be “unreal” for Spurs…

Leeds United have held talks over a potential replacement for Raphinha, who seems set to depart Elland Road this off-season…

What’s the word?

According to Football Insider, the Yorkshire giants are working on a deal to sign Club Brugge winger Noa Lang after holding fresh discussions in recent weeks.

A recruitment source told the website that the Whites have continued to track the progress of the Dutch sensation and have laid the groundwork ahead of the summer.

[snack-amp-story url= “https://www.footballfancast.com/web-stories/read-the-latest-leeds-united-news-transfer-rumours-gossip-and-much-more-2″ title=”Read the latest Leeds news, transfer rumours and more!”]

AC Milan are also keen, though, and the player is keen to move to an elite league, so relegation could hamper their chances tenfold.

It remains to be seen how much the 22-year-old dynamo would command, with Transfermarkt currently valuing him at £19.8m.

Bye-bye Raphinha

Indeed, regardless of what happens in terms of relegation and survival, it does appear as if it will be Raphinha’s last season in a Leeds shirt. Reports in Spain suggest that he is in advanced talks to join FC Barcelona.

Lang would be a very interesting replacement for him, though.

Last season, he was in electric form on Brugge’s way to the Jupiler Pro League title as he recorded 17 goals and 11 assists, and they look certain to repeat such exploits with the Holland international a major part once again, managing nine goals and 14 assists, via Transfermarkt.

It’s no wonder he’s been lauded as a “phenomenon” by Belgian journalist Peter Vandenbempt.

The 5 foot 10 former Ajax dynamo has arguably been one of the best in his position across Europe.

As per FBRef, Lang ranks amongst the top 2% of attackers and wingers for progressive passes (6.15 per 90) and top 5% for progressive carries (9,91 per 90), meaning he is consistently trying to break into the penalty box to create chances for himself or his teammates.

Given the fact that Raphinha leads the way for goals at Elland Road, he has big shoes to fill and on the above evidence, the Brugge sensation could well be an ideal like-for-like successor.

Opening talks with him almost certainly means that Raphinha is on the way out as Leeds are pretty stacked for wingers if he were to remain.

Premier League safety must now be sealed as Lang would be quite the signing indeed.

AND in other news, Marsch could already have Leeds’ next Liam Cooper in “really strong” 17 y/o colossus…

Rory Smith has dropped an exciting claim on the potential takeover of Leeds United by the San Fransisco 49ers.

What’s been said?

In recent comments made on 5 Live’s The Monday Night Club, The New York Times journalist suggested that, while it has become clear over the course of the current campaign that the Leeds United first-team squad is in need of a major overhaul in the summer transfer market, he is not concerned about the Whites’ ability to do so, as it looks likely that the 49ers will go on to buy a controlling stake of the club this summer.

[snack-amp-story url= “https://www.footballfancast.com/web-stories/read-the-latest-leeds-united-news-transfer-rumours-gossip-and-much-more-2″ title=”Read the latest Leeds news, transfer rumours and more!”]

Concerning Leeds transfer business and potential takeover, Smith said: “I think what has become clear is that there is a major overhaul of that squad needed. But I don’t worry, because I think they might get bought out by the San Fransisco 49ers.”

Supporters will be buzzing

With Leeds very much facing the possibility of dropping back down to the second tier of English football this Sunday – with FiveThirtyEight predicting that the Whites’ have only a 46% chance of avoiding relegation from the Premier League – it is clear to see that the investments made by Andrea Radrizzani and Victor Orta on incoming transfers over the past two years have not been overly successful.

Indeed, with the likes of the £13m Junior Firpo, the £26m Rodrigo, the £13m Robin Koch and the £18m Diego Llorente all being tipped for a move away from Elland Road this summer – all of whom it would appear extremely unlikely that Orta would be able to shift for a profit – this is £70m of investment that has not worked out for the Whites.

However, with the York family – who own the 49ers franchise, a 40% stake of Leeds and are worth $4b (£3.2b) – reported to possess an option to purchase the Whites in a £475m deal, it is clear to see that, should a takeover happen this summer, Leeds would indeed have no problem in funding a spending spree in the transfer market.

As such, Smith’s suggestion that a takeover looks likely is sure to be news that will have left the Elland Road faithful buzzing, particularly when considering their chants for Radrizzani to leave their club during the 1-1 draw with Brighton & Hove Albion last weekend.

AND in other news: Phil Hay drops major Leeds United update that will leave supporters devastated

Rangers find themselves in Premiership action yet again as Giovanni van Bronckhorst’s men attempt to end the league campaign on a high in spite of the imminent success of their rival.

The Gers are six points behind them in the table and any positive result for the Hoops tonight will mean that they are crowned as champions of the top flight.

Van Bronckhorst’s side, therefore, have little to play for in the sense that they are almost guaranteed to finish second barring a sensational slip-up from the leaders.

This means that the Dutch head coach can afford to rotate his team and hand out opportunities to the squad’s younger members in the last two league matches.

One youngster who must be unleashed from the start against Ross County tonight is central midfield gem Alex Lowry.

The academy prospect has not started a league match since January and must now be given a chance to show what he can do from the start.

He has played two matches in the Premiership this season and shown glimpses of the quality he has to offer to the team. The midfielder made six tackles and interceptions combined and created two chances in 116 minutes over the course of the two outings, illustrating his desire to make an impact at both ends of the pitch.

Lowry, dubbed a “big baller” by journalist Josh Bunting, was praised for his cameo off the bench in the 2-0 win over Dundee United recently. Athletic reporter Jordan Campbell picked him out on the day, Tweeting: “Every time Lowry plays he stands out a mile. Today been no exception. Pinging it around for fun.”

This shows that he is catching the eye when given minutes at senior level and that is why he must start against Ross County. These experiences will be invaluable to the 18-year-old midfielder as he heads into 2022/23 with the potential aim of becoming a first-team regular.

In terms of who may be dropped to accommodate him, on-loan gem James Sands could drop out after an underwhelming showing at the weekend. As per SofaScore, he lost six of his eight duels and failed to make a single tackle, interception, or block throughout the match – recording a rating of 6.6.

This may tempt van Bronckhorst into dropping the American and Lowry must be the player to walk into the XI in his place.

AND in other news, GvB can unearth Patterson 2.0 in “athletic” 19 y/o Rangers dynamo who’s “highly rated”…