All posts by z3u9t.icu

According to Andalucia Informacion, via Sport Witness, West Ham’s Fabian Balbuena is already in talks with Real Betis after it was confirmed he will be leaving the club when his contract expires at the end of this month.

The Lowdown: Balbuena out the door…

The Paraguayan defender will be departing east London when his deal runs out on June 30, with the club sharing this news on their retained list of players.

Balbuena started the 2020/2021 season well, often slotting in to good effect, with talk of a possible new deal even surfacing at one point. 

However, as the season went on, the likes of Craig Dawson and Issa Diop jumped ahead of the 29-year-old in manager David Moyes’ pecking order.

The Latest: Reunion with Pellegrini?

Now, as per Andalucia Informacion, Balbuena is ‘already negotiating’ with the La Liga club as he plans life away from the London Stadium.

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It is said that Manuel Pellegrini’s side have made him a ‘firm offer’ to play at the Benito Villamarín Stadium next season with signing a capable centre-half their main priority before pre-season.

As such, Balbuena is considering their offer but also had other proposals on the table from ‘various’ sides.

He is apparently demanding more money for his services from Betis even though he is keen on a move to the club.

The Verdict: Good move…

After life with West Ham, seeing a familiar face in Pellegrini and plying his trade at one of the biggest leagues in Europe comes as an enticing proposition.

The 14-cap international proved his worth for the Hammers at points this campaign and could be a very shrewd signing for Betis given their apparent need for a centre-back.

Moyes apparently wants to plug his own gaps in defence with the acquisition of a fresh centre-half – alongside trying to secure a permanent deal for Jesse Lingard and, of course, signing a striker (Claret & Hugh).

We believe securing Balbuena for another year would have helped to shore up Moyes’ defensive options without the need to sign a new defender, but supporters will still be wishing him well upon his departure.

In other news: ‘Buzzing isn’t the right word’…Many West Ham fans rave as news emerges, find out more here.

Southampton’s hopes of signing Nantes striker Randal Kolo Muani this summer have suffered a blow after Crystal Palace reportedly joined the race to sign the Frenchman.

According to Le10 Sport (via Sport Witness), Southampton and Crystal Palace are in a ‘tussle’ to sign the young striker this summer, whilst Watford and Lyon have also been credited with an interest.

The £6.3m-rated forward has impressed with the Ligue 1 side this season, making 36 appearances in the French top flight, in which he has contributed eight goals and four assists, averaging a solid 6.89 rating from WhoScored for his performances.

This is enough to rank the 22-year-old as the second-best performer in Antoine Kombouaré’s side so far this season, which emphasises just how important he is for Nantes.

Considering that Les Canaris could still go down this season, as they currently occupy a relegation play-off spot, Muani’s goal return is very impressive for someone so young and suggests that he could be an excellent addition to Hasenhuttl’s side this summer.

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However, now that Crystal Palace are interested in the Frenchman, who has been likened to PSG sensation Kylian Mbappe, it may force a bidding war between the two clubs. That could be bad news for Southampton, as Ralph Hasenhuttl has already suggested that the Saints will target players under £10m this summer, and Nantes may well take advantage of the interest being shown in Muani by raising his asking price.

The Frenchman recently rejected the offer of a contract extension at the Stade de la Beaujoire, which suggests that he will be on the move this summer, and Southampton must try and be the team to capitalise.

With Danny Ings’ future still uncertain, a new striker such as Muani should definitely be on Hasenhuttl’s list ahead of next season, and Muani appears to have a great deal of potential.

Therefore, Saints vice-chairman Martin Semmens should definitely act quickly to try and secure a deal for the French striker ahead of next season, as he is clearly a man in demand and Southampton may end up missing out if they fail to land him.

In other news… Semmens can repeat Reed masterclass with Southampton swoop for 21 y/o wonderkid

Many West Ham United fans have been reacting to the news that David Moyes believes a combined fee of £45m for Jesse Lingard and Tammy Abraham would be fair.

The Hammers have enjoyed a fantastic campaign, finishing in sixth place in the Premier League – that means they will be embarking on a Europa League run next term. As such, Moyes and the rest of the club will need to plan ahead and start thinking about new signings they can add to the squad.

The Irons have been heavily linked with moves for both Lingard (Daily Mail) and Abraham (The Athletic) this summer. According to West Ham website Claret & Hugh, Moyes believes that both players could be signed permanently for a combined fee of £45m.

Lingard has just one year left on his deal at Manchester United (Transfermarkt), while Abraham’s exclusion from the Champions League final squad for Chelsea indicates that he is not a part of Thomas Tuchel’s plans.

The former excelled on loan at West Ham this year, scoring nine goals in 16 games, while the latter was Chelsea’s joint-top scorer for the season with 12 goals despite often being overlooked by Tuchel.

The news was shared on Twitter by @WestHam_Central and it duly attracted plenty of attention. These fans took to the social media platform to share their thoughts on the development – one said that David Sullivan should get an ‘owner of the year award’ if the Irons pull off this double coup for £45m.

Let’s see what these fans had to say about Moyes’ stance

“That’s fair because Jesse is 28 on the last year of his contract and Abraham didn’t even get into the 23 man squad last night for Chelsea”

Credit: @ConorWHUFC

“That’s a good deal for them both”

Credit: @1bbyWHU

“Yes now get it done”

Credit: @JameswhufcJones

“Both would be big signings for West Ham hope they get it done”

Credit: @TylerDub93

“If we get Lingard and Abraham both for £45 million, David Sullivan should get Owner of the year award.”

Credit: @CLARETnBLUESguy

“I don’t think so, £35m alone will be for Lingard”

Credit: @theveryintrepid

In other news, many West Ham fans were livid over this snub.

Plenty of Aston Villa supporters have hit out at Tyrone Mings on social media for his display against Manchester United on Sunday. 

Villa fell to a 3-1 defeat against Ole Gunnar Solskjaer’s side, missing out on the chance to return to the top half of the Premier League.

Dean Smith kept with the same starting XI which beat Everton at Goodison Park last week, with Mings making his 33rd Premier League start of the campaign.

It wasn’t one to remember in the eyes of some Villa fans, though, who vented their anger at the centre-back on Twitter. Mings once again partnered Ezri Konsa at the heart of the defence, and things started well for the hosts, who went in 1-0 up at the interval thanks to Bertrand Traore’s goal.

However, in the space of five second half minutes, Villa found themsleves behind. Bruno Fernandes converted a penalty before Mason Greenwood rolled Mings and fired past Emiliano Martinez to put the visitors in front.

Edinson Cavani added a late third for United before Ollie Watkins was shown his marching orders after picking up two yellow cards.

Villa fans react

Here is what these fans had to say on Twitter regarding Mings, with one supporter describing him as ‘shocking’ and another wanting the club ‘to get rid’ of the defender if the club are to progress.

“Need to get rid of Mings if we actually want to progress”Credit: @archie_cullum”I’m throwing the towel in, I cannot defend Mings anymore man.”Credit: @JordAVFCx”Mings has been absolutely humiliated there. Very poor.”Credit: @_porsalin”Shocking from Mings”Credit: @avfc741″Konsa is so clear of Mings it’s unbelievable”Credit: @jackxlynch”Pathetic defending, Mings what are you playing at. “Credit: @HidesGeorgeIn other news: Villa make contact for in-demand defender, find out more here. 

According to a report in the paper edition of the Sunday Mirror (16/5; page 73), via The Boot Room, Tottenham Hotspur and, by extension, chairman Daniel Levy are now eyeing Southampton striker Danny Ings.

The Lowdown: Spurs in striker hunt

Recent reports have suggested that Tottenham want to sign a new striker this summer alongside the problem position of centre-half.

Sky Sports revealed that Spurs will not take up the option to make Carlos Vinicius’ loan deal permanent and will instead be on the hunt for a new forward at a cheaper price.

Tottenham will need to adopt a sell-to-buy policy, as per reliable sources like Alasdair Gold, with this upcoming transfer window under the rule of a new manager set to be an interesting one.

The Latest: Spurs and Levy now eyeing Ings

As per the Sunday Mirror, Tottenham are among the clubs interested in signing Southampton striker Danny Ings alongside the likes of West Ham, Manchester City and Everton.

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The 28-year-old has scored 12 goals and supplied four assists in 25 Premier League starts over 2020/21, less than his scintillating 22 top-flight strikes last term. However, Ings has suffered from various injury absences this season, halting his momentum (Transfermarkt), and these clubs appear to still be interested given his quality.

The Sunday Mirror claimed that there is a growing belief he will sign a new deal at St Mary’s but, if he chooses to leave this summer, he would command around £30m.

The Verdict: Perfect for Spurs…

Homegrown and in his prime, Ings could come as the perfect rotation option to star striker Harry Kane and at a cheaper price than the loan with an option to buy deal for Vinicius (£41m, Goal).

When comparing the Southampton striker to players in the Tottenham squad, only Kane (3.9) has averaged more shots per game than his counterpart (two) this season in the Premier League.

Spurs pundits have voiced their approval of signing Ings upon previous links, with podcaster Lee McQueen telling Last Word on Spurs near the end of last year that the 28-year-old is ‘absolutely phenomenal’ . Meanwhile, former Lilywhites midfielder Jamie O’Hara dubbed him the ‘perfect’ fit for Spurs when speaking to talkSPORT in January.

Therefore, if Levy can win the race for his signature, Ings could come as a real coup for Tottenham.

In other news: Tottenham favourites to appoint this ‘perfectionist’, find out more here.

Umar Sadiq endured a difficult loan spell at Rangers in 2018 but is now reportedly wanted by Bayern Munich, which suggests that Steven Gerrard failed to get the best out of him during his time at Ibrox.

Sadiq joined the Gers on loan from Roma in the summer of 2018 but was promptly sent back to the Serie A side in December after failing to impress Gerrard with his performances.

During his time at Ibrox, the Nigerian forward made just four senior appearances in all competitions for the Light Blues, failing to contribute a single goal or assist in that time.

He subsequently joined Partizan Belgrade on a permanent deal after an initial loan spell, before moving to La Liga 2 side Almeria in last summer’s transfer window.

His performances with the Spanish club this season have been hugely impressive, with 17 goals and five assists to his name in just 32 appearances, which has led to Champions League holders Bayern Munich being linked with him in recent weeks.

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However, if they want to sign him this summer, it seems as if they may have to pay his reported €60m (£52m) release clause, which could rise to €80m (£69m) if Almeria earn promotion to the top-flight this season.

It seems remarkable that the Bundesliga champions would be keen on someone who failed to get into Gerrard’s side at Rangers just three years ago, but his performances since leaving Ibrox have been excellent, which makes you question why he wasn’t given more of a chance in the 2018/19 season.

The Nigerian international played a full 90 minutes just once for the Gers, in a 1-0 defeat against Aberdeen in the League Cup, whilst his other three appearances came from the bench, totalling just 26 minutes.

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He was never really given the chance to impress in Gerrard’s side, who arguably failed to properly unleash his obvious potential during his time in Scotland, and it now seems as if the striker is destined for a move to an elite club in the near future.

In other news… Gerrard should unleash 20 y/o gem next season, he’s a “manager’s dream” 

Former Leeds United defender Danny Mills has talked up the Whites’ chances of signing Alex Moreno this summer.

The next transfer window could be an exciting one at Elland Road, as Marcelo Bielsa looks to fine-tune his squad moving forward.

This is a wonderful opportunity for Leeds to kick on from an excellent first season back in the Premier League, so it is vital that they don’t sit still a crucial time.

Looking at the latest transfers being rumoured, one player who has been linked with a move to the Whites is Moreno, who has made 20 La Liga appearances for Real Betis this season, including 18 starts.

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Mills discusses Leeds signing Moreno

Someone who thinks a move for the 27-year-old makes perfect sense is Mills, who told Football Insider that he could improve further under Bielsa:

“His [Bielsa] scouting network, his network of players, his due diligence is absolutely superb. He fully understands players he brings in and understands what needs to be done to improve them.

“Again, you would assume without a doubt there’s a great opportunity to pick up, not a bargain, but a good player who can be improved.”

Transfer Tavern take

Moreno looks an excellent option for Leeds, with left-back an area that will need reinforcements, given the imminent exit of Ezgjan Alioski.

The Spaniard capable of excelling in a left wing, too, which is an added bonus, with his versatility potentially making him even more of a valuable asset, as is the case with Manchester City match-winner Stuart Dallas.

Moreno turns 28 this summer, so he is at an age where he has lots of experience, but can still hone his skills further under a top manager.

In other news, a journalist has claimed Leeds are considering a bid for a potential new signing. Read more here.

In an exclusive interview with Football FanCast, former Aston Villa midfielder Lee Hendrie revealed his admiration for Bournemouth star David Brooks, expressing his desire for the attacker to join his old side.

According to talkSPORT, Villa wanted to sign Brooks in the January transfer window but nothing materialised – a boost for now Cherries boss Jonathan Woodgate.

The 23-year-old has made a solid contribution in the Cherries’ Championship campaign and quest for promotion, producing five assists and three goals for his team.

Brooks has had his problems with injury in recent seasons, and this term has been no different, but that has not detracted Hendrie, who is in awe of the player’s quality.

Speaking exclusively to FFC about the Wales international, the ex-Villa player said:

“I’m a big fan of David Brooks. I’ve seen a fair bit of him this season and he’s an absolute talent, he really is. He’s a young man with bags of ability and I think if he comes into Villa, I think he’d be a great addition.

“He reminds me of Jack [Grealish]. He’s very slight, he’s very mobile and, again, he’s another player that could set the Prem on fire if he’s given a chance.”

During the 2018/19 Premier League season, Brooks was able to make an impact, finishing the campaign with 12 goal involvements, so the Bournemouth man could be an option worth exploring once again for Villa.

Some Manchester United fans have been left to fume at an update from Fabrizio Romano on the contract situation of Paul Pogba.

As per the Italian football journalist and transfer guru (via utdreport), there are currently no talks or agreements in place by the Red Devils to extend the former Juventus star’s deal at Old Trafford, and he is still looking for a new club.

While Pogba has certainly split opinion among the current fanbase, the central midfield player has upped his game in recent weeks, including scoring the winning goal at the San Siro against AC Milan to send Ole Gunnar Solskjaer’s team through into the quarter-final stage of the UEFA Europa League.

He can still be world class on his day, and MUFC should seriously consider trying to keep hold of the 28-year-old France international at all costs if they want to push on to try and win the Premier League and Champions League in the near future.

Manchester United fans on Pogba update

These Man Utd supporters fumed upon reading the update on Twitter:

“Stupid club, Bruno will wake up and leave soon once he realise we are going nowhere”

Credit: @UnclePogbaJr

“Man this club is gonna be the end of me, he’s going on a free isn’t he?”

Credit: @faruoeQ

“We’re so finished”

Credit: @muchuichris_

“Pain”

Credit: @ELLIS22SZN

“the end is near.”Credit: @Jimgroom92″We’re in the mud”Credit: @ksenguptaaIn other news, find out whose display against Milan was slammed by United fans here!

Many Crystal Palace fans are reacting to a big update at Selhurst Park which could suggest big changes are on the way in the imminent future.

According to the Evening Standard, and tweeted out by @cpfc_xtra, US-based investor Robert Franco has injected funds into the £20million redevelopment of Palace’s academy and has been listed as a person with “significant interest” in the club alongside chairman Steve Parish and American owners Joshua Harris and David Blitzer. One fan called this update ‘pretty big news’.

Looking to youth is something that the club need to start doing, as they had the second oldest squad on average in the league last season, (101 Great Goals). Palace do have a strong history when it comes to developing young players, with the likes of Wilfried Zaha, Aaron Wan-Bissaka, Victor Moses and Nathaniel Clyne all previously coming through their academy.

If this report is true, then the club could be set to have a very exciting future and it is understandable to see why this news is receiving a lot of reaction.

Here is how Palace fans reacted to the update:

“Another yank? Oh great! Coz we’ve done so well since the others have got involved haven’t we…”

Credit: @85Gilds

“Should never underestimate the importance of a good academy. We are a selling club and always will be and this is important for survival, regardless of what division we are in.”

Credit: @audreysprayer

“We have had our longest stretch in this top flight under various incarnations of this key owner (SP) and US investors. I’d say we have done quite well. Yes, I’d like to be polishing my passport but it’s Palace.”

Credit: @martinbrowni

“This seems like pretty big news”

Credit: @erictwigs

“20m injection into the academy? Huge if true”

Credit: @jaseiles

“Hello Mr Franco please buy the Sainsbury’s land”

Credit: @liamb0117

In other news, Palace fans reacted to this Zaha update!