All posts by n8rngtd.top

Telegraph journalist Jim White has claimed that Everton will “probably” be bought by an American consortium after owner Farhad Moshiri puts the club up for sale.

What’s the word?

It’s been a pretty mad week for the Toffees so far with Frank Lampard first getting the sack amid a woeful run of form in the Premier League.

This big news was then followed up by reports that Everton are officially up for sale, with Moshiri now looking for offers of more than £500m to do business.

While speaking about it all on BBC Transfer Gossip Daily, White said that this is a decent price for the club as they will soon have an exciting new stadium and so he expects plenty of interest.

He explained: “I think it would probably be an American consortium, maybe the Middle East. But you know this would mean that three of the big northwest clubs are up for sale simultaneously.

“Everton is a lot cheaper than either Liverpool or Manchester United. And they’ve got a new stadium in the most spectacular setting, alongside the Mersey, 50,000 seater stadium.

I think that’s a good buy for somebody coming in. £500m is a lot less than some of the other asking prices that are around about.

So I wouldn’t be surprised, if it’s true – and let’s just put a little caveat in there for Everton supporters – if it’s true that he wants out, I don’t think he’ll be short of people looking.”

Good business?

As mentioned by White, both Liverpool and Manchester United are also reportedly up for sale right. However, these two Premier League giants are expected to be valued at roughly £3.3bn and £5bn respectively.

This is quite the jump up in price from Everton and that’s somewhat understandable when you consider that the Toffees have spent this season and last season fighting relegation and could well spend their next campaign in the Championship.

However, with Lampard now gone, the club will hope to hire a manager who can steer them to safety. If they can achieve that, a new owner could be buying a Premier League club for a very good price – one that will soon have a big new stadium in a brilliant location.

It’ll certainly be interesting to see what sort of parties become interested in a potential deal over the coming weeks and months.

West Ham United are looking for an opportunity in these final hours to bring in a centre-back from another Premier League side.

What’s the latest?

The Hammers are one of the clubs who have had a fairly quiet Jauary transfer window with their only senior addition this month being the signing of Danny Ings.

However, they have seen the experienced centre-back, Craig Dawson, leave the club for Wolverhampton Wanderers but have not brought in a direct replacement.

There have been links to the likes of the Udinese centre-back Rodrigo Becao but there is also a belief they would ideally like to find a Premier League-proven defender.

Indeed, speaking on the Ranks FC Patreon page, insider Dean Jones has suggested the final hours of this window could see the Irons looking to bring in a loan signing:

(24:00) “I think from everything I’ve gathered, they would actually prefer the centre-back to just come from within the Premier League. So that might be something to look out for.”

Late loan opportunity

The clock is certainly ticking on the Hammers who have lost a hugely experienced centre-back in Dawson who played a massive role in their side last season.

Across the 2021/22 campaign, the Englishman racked up 50 appearances across all competitions including a regular starting spot in the Europa League side (via Transfermarkt).

And given the Londoners are believed to be looking for a loan deal, it will be interesting to see what could potentially become available for David Moyes’ side.

What is worth mentioning is West Ham’s defence has not been the issue for Moyes this season with his side – despite their league position – having conceded the fifth-fewest number of goals this season.

With this in mind, there could certainly be the notion that the Hammers could potentially wait until the summer to delve back into the market and find a permanent solution.

However, Kurt Zouma has had issues with his knee in recent weeks and Nayef Aguerd has also had a long-term injury which has only recently seen him return to action.

So there is definitely the worry Moyes’ options could be hit over the final months of the season through injuries which could leave them short at the back.

But at this stage of the window, the Irons could well be relying on an opportunity to present itself with just hours remaining until the 11pm deadline.

The San Francisco 49ers will still complete a takeover at Leeds United even if the club are relegated to the Championship and are planning a 10-15 year stay in Yorkshire, according to Football Insider.

The Lowdown: Big spenders

The Whites were busy in the winter window, bringing in three marquee players for Jesse Marsch’s first-team squad.

Max Wober was the first to arrive in an £11m deal, whereas Weston McKennie joined late in the window on an initial loan deal which will include an option to buy for £30m in the summer.

Meanwhile, Georginio Rutter joined in a club-record deal at Elland Road, with the 49ers influential in the transfer. The 49ers Enterprises have the option to take full control of the club from Andrea Radrizzani until January 2024 in a £400m+ deal, and it looks as if that will happen.

The Latest: Takeover update

FI reporter Adam Williams shared a story regarding the 49ers and Leeds on Thursday.

He revealed that the 49ers ‘expect to be in control in Yorkshire for 10-15 years once they complete a full takeover of the club this summer’, adding that relegation would not stop a takeover as they are ‘pursuing a long-term capital appreciation model’.

The Verdict: Exciting…

It looks as if it is just a matter of time until we see ownership change hands at Elland Road, and we have seen the potential of the 49ers recently in regards to the move for Rutter.

Without their backing and pushing, the French forward may still be a Hoffenheim player, and if the club avoid the drop this season, we could see more high-profile transfers in the summer.

Development of Elland Road could also be on the 49ers’ to-do list after Radrizzani made plans to expand capacity to 55,000, so it appears to be an exciting time to be a Leeds supporter, especially with the 49ers planning for the long run.

Injury expert and Sky Sports contributor Ben Dinnery has given his verdict on the ‘long-term’ injury to West Ham United defender Kurt Zouma. 

The Lowdown: Injury concern

Zouma is currently out with a hamstring injury which he suffered at the end of last month. Indeed, the Frenchman missed the Premier League club’s last game in a FA Cup clash with League One outfit Derby County.

The 28-year-old has been a go-to option for David Moyes in the league this season, having featured and started 15 times in the 2022/23 campaign.

This season summer switch in 2021 from Chelsea on a four-year deal.

The Latest: Not available

Speaking on Premier FPL Injuries, Dinnery claimed that Zouma may have suffered a soft tissue-related setback which is why he’s unavailable.

He stated (43:01), “He looks to be out, only recently returned from that long-term problem. Not uncommon to see players pick up soft tissue injuries when they come back.

“And sure enough that’s what’s happened with Zouma so he’s not available for now.”

The Verdict: A big miss

We believe the injury to Kurt Zouma is a big blow for the Irons, it leaves a lot of uncertainty in the centre-back position.

West Ham does have Nayef Aguerd and in our view, he deserves to start following his successful World Cup with Morocco. The defender has been very unlucky with his injury blows at the start of the season.

Roshane Thomas of The Athletic claimed Aguerd played a ‘leading role’ at the back for the African nation against Croatia and Belgium.

The issue will be who sits alongside the Moroccan at the back? Summer signing Thilo Kehrer has been shaky since making the move to east London and Angelo Ogbonna has raised concerns for some fans and pundits for a number of years.

Moyes and the board should’ve looked to add a new centre-back last month in our view, with the Hammers in and amongst the battle for relegation any game-costing defensive errors could have a massive impact on their Premier League status.

Journalist Mark Ogden has claimed that Premier League clubs may not want to speak out against Manchester City following the charges made towards the club over breaches of financial rules.

What’s the word?

Man City were hit with charges of improper financial conduct dating back over 10 years ago by the Premier League earlier this week, and there has been talk that an eventual punishment could go as far as a points deduction or even relegation.

City have won six Premier League titles since they were taken over by Sheikh Mansour in 2008, and have spent over £1bn on transfers since.

Speaking on Sky Sports News, Ogden revealed that the attitude of City’s Premier League rivals is hesitant towards them for now as they wait to see what happens next.

He said: “From people I’ve been speaking to at clubs, the big clubs certainly, don’t want to say anything.

“They don’t want to be seen as victimising City or ganging up on City. Their view is the less that they say, the better, because there’s nothing they can do now.

“It’s the Premier League, an independent inquiry, they cannot get involved, they can’t influence it. So they’re quite happy for Man City to basically find a way to defend themselves because there’s nothing they can say or do.

“I think by talking about or briefing about it, it almost makes City’s case stronger in a sense that they can say, ‘look, everybody’s ganging up on us, everybody wants us out’.

“There’s almost like this omerta of silence amongst the bigger clubs that they just want to let the Premier League get on with it.”

Would clubs want a harsh punishment?

Whilst relegating City from the Premier League could damage the overall brand of the competition, it would not be a huge surprise if, further down the line, other clubs in the league support harsh punishments.

City’s financial wrongdoings, if found guilty, saw them beat competitors to major trophies, which included marginal title wins ahead of Liverpool, as well as using their financial muscle to take some of the best talent from the rest of the league.

If they are proven to have acted improperly and are set to be punished, their rivals at the top, as well as teams near the bottom, may then call for the league to set a precedent about financial conduct.

But we understand Ogden’s claim about the clubs’ supposed stance, as there is plenty of apparent evidence against the current champions that actively seeking a heavy punishment in spite of this could end up being counter-productive.

There is little doubt that City being expelled from the top flight would be of benefit to the other Premier League clubs – particularly the big guns – but being seen to influence matters could easily throw this scandal into even murkier waters.

Newcastle United manager Eddie Howe has almost promised Allan Saint-Maximin a run in the side amid the recent suspension of Bruno Guimaraes.

What’s the latest?

Howe’s options have been stretched somewhat over the last week following the red card picked up by the Brazilian in their Carabao Cup game against Southampton.

Although Guimaraes and Saint-Maximin do not play in the same position, this has seen Joelinton return to the midfield from his position at left wing.

And after a run out of the team, Saint-Maximin returned to the fold on the weekend against West Ham United after being selected by Howe to start.

Speaking on his YouTube channel, journalist Lee Ryder has claimed this is a dilemma to watch ahead of their game on the weekend with Howe almost promising the Frenchman that spot on the left:

(1:30) “But then you’ve got people like Allan Saint-Maximin still coming back to fitness. He has been almost promised a run in the team by Eddie Howe. So that’s certainly one to watch.”

Dilemma for Howe

The 25-year-old has certainly endured a difficult 2022/23 campaign to date with just five starts to his name in the Premier League.

Although he did start in the game against the Hammers on the weekend, he was dragged off after 69 minutes for the new signing Anthony Gordon.

It was apparent the Frenchman was not quite having the impact many would have wished for with only one successful dribble, no successful crosses and no shots to his name (via SofaScore).

And there lies the dilemma for Howe ahead of the trip to Bournemouth on the weekend. Does he stick with Saint-Maximin or does he start Gordon?

The new signing came on with just over 20 minutes to play and made an almost instant impact after providing Callum Wilson with a golden opportunity to retake the lead.

And given he was such a big-money signing who is already adapted to the league, there will likely be a clamour from the fans to see Gordon start.

If this is the decision Howe makes, it will likely be a damning indication of where Saint-Maximin’s future lies at St. James’ Park ahead of the summer.

Liverpool are believed to have Red Bull Salzburg attacking midfielder Luka Sucic on their transfer radar ahead of the summer – and he could be available for as little as €15m (£13m).

The Lowdown: Sucic turning heads at Anfield

20-year-old Sucic is currently a regular starter at Salzburg and has notched four assists in all competitions so far this term.

While he is yet to bag this season, he showed his goalscoring prowess last year, scoring eight times in what was his first full campaign in the Austrian Bundesliga.

According to Football Transfers, journalist Jacque Talbot claimed that the Croatian could have a release clause of up to €20m (£18m).

The Latest: Jurgen Klopp ‘would like’ Sucic at Liverpool

Speaking on his YouTube channel, Talbot elaborated on his report by highlighting why Liverpool may have Sucic on their transfer wishlist going into the summer window.

He said: “[He is] on Liverpool’s list ahead of a summer move. So we’ve heard that the release clause is somewhere between €15-20m, but we need to stand that up with people at Salzburg.

“He can play No 10, No 8, a variety of positions; relatively cheap, even if the release isn’t that – we believe it is [£20m].

“Fantastic player, tall, towering, can score goals, can do a lot of things. You can see why someone like Klopp would like him.”

[web_stories_embed url=”https://www.footballtransfertavern.com/web-stories/liverpool-transfer-news-and-rumours/” title=”Liverpool Transfer News and Rumours” poster=”https://www.footballtransfertavern.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/03/cropped-2021-03-07T155652Z_1459311687_UP1EH3718ASBK_RTRMADP_3_SOCCER-ENGLAND-LIV-FUL-REPORT.jpg” width=”360″ height=”600″ align=”none”]

The Verdict: Versatility could be key for Klopp

Given that Sucic has played across the midfield throughout his short career to date, he could provide a refreshing outlet for Jurgen Klopp if he was able to lure him to Anfield.

It has been well-documented that Liverpool’s midfield is in dire need of an upgrade, and with some players already looking close to the exit door, it is no surprise to see the Reds linked with players in this area of the pitch.

Sucic’s versatility is clearly not his only asset, as his evident threat through his goalscoring figures and height makes him seem like an all-rounder – while his reported asking price makes it almost too good to be true.

Indeed, Klopp has a history of searching for bargains in this area of the world, as he brought in Takumi Minamino for a measly £7.25m – and although the Japan international hardly set the world alight on Merseyside, it is clear that the production line at Salzburg continues to be impressive.

We may be some months away from the transfer window opening, but it is surely encouraging nevertheless that Liverpool have exciting plans in the offing ahead of the coming months.

An update has emerged on Tottenham Hotspur and their pursuit of a deal to sign James Maddison in the summer transfer window…

What’s the latest on James Maddison to Tottenham?

According to Football Insider, Spurs are in ‘pole position’ to secure the signing of the Leicester City attacking midfielder at the end of the season, as Fabio Paratici eyes a swoop for the 26-year-old.

The report claims that the England international wants to be a key player at his next club and that is said to be something that Antonio Conte’s side could offer him, whilst the London club are also on course to finish in the Champions League places in fourth – with the player aiming to compete at the highest level.

It is stated that a fee in the region of £70m could be enough for the Englishman and that Tottenham have the finances to compete with Manchester City and Newcastle, who are also interested in the gem, for his signature.

Could Maddison thrive alongside Harry Kane?

Antonio Conte could form a sensational pairing at the top end of the pitch by working with Paratici to get this deal for Maddison over the line ahead of the 2023/24 campaign.

The attacking midfielder could thrive alongside current Spurs superstar Harry Kane as the gem is adept at creating chances for his teammates on a regular basis and the England international is a phenomenal finisher.

Since the start of the 2014/15 season, the centre-forward has scored 197 Premier League goals from 173.84 xG and this means that the gem has been an above-average finisher in the last nine campaigns as he has scored far more than the quality of chances has suggested the marksman should.

Maddison, who was once lauded as a “magician” by analyst Statman Dave, has consistently shown that he has the ability to create high-quality opportunities on a regular basis.

The former Norwich City maestro has created 27.08 xG for his teammates since the start of the 2018/19 campaign and has provided 2.2 key passes per match in the Premier League so far this term, which suggests that the playmaker could rack up assists by playing alongside Kane.

Maddison’s finishing ability could also help the current Spurs man to improve his assist numbers. The Tottenham star has 14.76 xA since the start of last season but has only been rewarded with 11 assists.

Meanwhile, the Foxes sensation has scored a whopping 29 goals from 13.96 xG in the last three campaigns.

This shows that the 26-year-old is an excellent finisher from midfield and that he could make the most of Kane’s playmaking from the centre-forward position, whilst also providing the striker with chances of his own to score from.

Now, imagine the pair lining up – alongside Heung-min Son as well – in the Premier League for Tottenham next season…

West Ham United returned to winning ways in emphatic fashion this afternoon as they dispatched their Premier League relegation rivals Nottingham Forest on a 4-0 scoreline.

It was an all-important win which not only sees the Irons crawl out of the relegation zone, but also brings them to within just two points of today’s visitors to the London Stadium.

Having endured a quiet first half, it took a 15-minute flurry in which the Hammers’ 4-3-3 system finally bore offensive fruit. From minutes 70 to 85 they blew away the Tricky Trees, scoring four goals and putting the game to bed.

Whilst there were plenty of standout players from such a remarkable result for David Moyes’ side, Declan Rice will command particular praise for his stunning goal and well-earned 8.1 Sofascore rating, which he paired with four key passes.

However, it was the first two goals which proved the most important for West Ham, what is why the ice-cold Danny Ings must be handed much of the acclaim.

How did Danny Ings play against Nottingham Forest?

Having been doubtful to start in the build-up to the clash due to injury, the 30-year-old made his first Premier League start since his January move to east London, and did so in remarkable fashion.

His two goals completely changed the complexion of a game which was growing increasingly nervy, as the teams remained level with 20 minutes to go.

Stealing in just inside the six-yard box, he expertly dug out the opener from under his feet and past Keylor Navas, before bundling in a second just three minutes later.

His goals may have underpinned the bulk of his contribution to the team, but the 32-touch marksman’s all-round role was integral to the victory. He also completed b12 passes and proved a consistent aerial threat despite his diminutive frame, winning three of his five aerial duels (via Sofascore).

It was a performance which led journalist Jonty Colman to describe it as Ings “proving his worth” after the injury-prone forward had suffered since his £15m transfer last month.

What is beyond doubt is that West Ham fans saw the brilliant best of the man once dubbed “lethal” by Chris Sutton, and Moyes will be hoping that the 30-year-old can now find some consistency as the Irons look to fire themselves away from the Premier League drop zone.

Performances like today’s will go a long way towards achieving that mission, and should Ings remain fit and firing, the threat of relegation should soon diminish.

Leeds United have been slammed by Gabriel Agbonlahor following their recent victory on the weekend at home to fellow strugglers Southampton.

Are Leeds out of the relegation zone?

It really was three huge points on Saturday at Elland Road for the Yorkshire side who were able to pull themselves out of the bottom three.

The points were won on Javi Gracia’s first game in charge of Leeds which not only saw them pick up the points but put Southampton into more trouble.

Leeds have now been able to pull four points clear of the Saints who sit rock bottom of the Premier League table despite winning their prior outing against Chelsea.

But despite the win, TalkSport’s Agbonlahor has issued his concerns for the Whites after feeling they showed very little to provide optimism in the win, as well as hitting out at Bamford:

“Honestly, mate, it was painful. Leeds, for me, massive result you know getting a result today [Saturday] but I wouldn’t get carried away if I was Leeds because that was painful to watch today.

“Bamford couldn’t move. I don’t understand why they’re still starting him. Leeds and Southampton, for me, are still bang in trouble.”

Will Leeds be relegated this season?

One thing which is certain is the win on the weekend has not pulled the Whites out of danger just yet with just a one-point gap now opened on Everton.

However, they may see their next game against Chelsea as the perfect opportunity to open up a further gap on their relegation rivals with both Everton and Bournemouth facing Arsenal in their next games.

But consistency has not been their strength this season on the back of the five victories they have earned this season.

On only one occasion in the Premier League this season have the Whites been able to follow up a victory with another three points in their next game.

And although Agbonlahor was clearly not blown away by the performance from Leeds on the weekend, they did hold over 60% possession and record more shots on goal than Southampton (via SofaScore).

It’s fair to say that Bamford didn’t have the best of games as he struggled to get involved, having just 27 touches in 86 minutes, as well as losing eight duels and giving three fouls away.

It does have to be questioned whether Leeds fans will even be concerned with their club playing attractive football when they are in the position they are currently.

We are sure fans would happily take three points on a more regular basis if it means they have to settle for an uglier brand of football.