All posts by h716a5.icu

Nottingham Forest are ‘really close’ to signing Wolves defender Willy Boly and personal terms are even finalised, according to reputable journalist Fabrizio Romano. 

The lowdown: Major overhaul

Following promotion to the Premier League via the playoffs, Forest have added no fewer than 18 first-team players to Steve Cooper’s squad already this summer.

In total, the City Ground hierarchy have already shelled out £141.35million on the ranks in an attempt to ensure the Reds remain in the top flight and there appears to be more to come yet.

With free agent defender Serge Aurier seemingly on the brink of a switch to Forest, now one well-informed onlooker has confirmed that a move for the ex-Tottenham ace’s compatriot Boly could follow soon after…

The latest: ‘Really close’

Speaking to Give Me Sport, reputable journalist Romano has claimed that the 13-cap Ivory Coast international is also heading towards an arrival in the Midlands.

He said: “They’re waiting to complete the deal for Boly to Nottingham Forest. That is really close.

“They’re discussing it today because the player already agreed personal terms with Nottingham Forest, so now they’re discussing the fee.”

The verdict: Shrewd buy

Holding an estimated market value of £5.4million (Transfermarkt), signing Boly for anything close to a reported £2.25million fee would have to be regarded as a smart piece of business from Dane Murphy and Evangelos Marinakis.

Albeit the towering centre-back has had a waning impact in recent time, primarily due to injury woes, the 31-year-old still has all the attributes required to be a major asset in Cooper’s side and the quest for survival.

Standing at an imposing 6 foot 5, Boly – who was lauded for his ‘outstanding’ assets by Joleon Lescott in 2020 – also boasts 312 outings worth of top-level experience that could prove to be invaluable as the season wears on.

Tottenham Hotspur could be closing in on the signing of Dan James…

What’s the word?

According to verified journalist KeryNews, the north London outfit are in ‘advanced talks’ with Leeds United over a deal for the 23-year-old winger.

“Tottenham are in advanced talks with Leeds United, and they are confident of signing Welsh winger Daniel James,” they tweeted.

At this stage, it remains to be seen how much the Wales international would command, considering he cost the Whites around £30m last summer and the fact that he continues to regularly start matches under Jesse Marsch.

Deadline disaster

This would be something of an underwhelming, if not disastrous, signing from sporting director Fabio Paratici as it is hard to envisage exactly what the lightweight winger would offer Spurs.

It’s true that the need for attacking reinforcements could increase before Thursday’s deadline as Bryan Gil is set to depart on loan and Lucas Moura remains injured but the arrival of James before 11pm would be a tragedy waiting to happen, one that would not go down well with the Lilywhites faithful.

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“He hasn’t exactly done that well at Leeds in a team that is struggling,” Telegraph journalist Luke Edwards suggested to the Transfer Gossip Daily Podcast (BBC).

“Whenever I’ve seen him play, I’ve not been overly impressed. To get a move to Tottenham on the basis of what he’s done at Leeds I find strange.”

Indeed, the wide man – who has recently been lambasted as being a “headless chicken” – has only scored or assisted nine goals from 39 appearances at Elland Road, at a rate of one contribution every 313 minutes.

That’s hardly inspiring form and should be enough for Paratici and co to be put off.

By comparison, Juventus loanee Dejan Kulusevski has already delivered six goals and ten assists from just 26 outings, managing a direct goal contribution every 108 minutes. He only joined the Premier League in January and is clearly a world apart from the underperforming James.

Even Moura has managed a goal or assist every 180 minutes in a Spurs shirt, so James really would not be an upgrade or a sufficient alternative to anyone in Conte’s squad right now.

Therefore, if he were to sign, then Spurs would be making a major mistake indeed.

AND in other news, Paratici eyeing last-minute Spurs masterclass as transfer insider drops exciting claim…

Everton have signed plenty of deadweight during Farhad Moshiri’s reign, with over £500m spent and almost nothing to show for it.

However, when Carlo Ancelotti was brought in it seemed like things might be starting to change. A summer of rebuilding saw a brand-new midfielder enter the fray, with Abdoulaye Doucoure finally giving in to years of being linked to Goodison Park by moving for £20m.

It seemed like a smart piece of business, taking a strong, physical yet technically brilliant player from the recently relegated Watford.

He was a midfielder with an eye for a goal yet has only shown this on a few occasions for the Merseyside outfit. Indeed, the Mali international has just five goals in 71 appearances for the Toffees.

The 29-year-old has also suffered with injuries during his stint at the club, which combined with his less-than-impressive form has unsurprisingly seen his value plummet.

Stolen for what seemed like a £20m bargain, CIES Football Observatory now rate him at just €10m (£8.9m). This marks a worrying 55.5% decrease in value.

Whilst featuring for the Hornets, journalist Matt Spiro questioned why nobody had gone for him sooner. He listed the attributes in which he thought he excelled, labelling him: “Strong, technical, great engine, uses ball well, scores goals.”

However, since moving to Goodison Park he has seldom shown these qualities to the fullest effect.

With Frank Lampard having completed a similar midfield overhaul this summer, having brought in Amadou Onana, Idrissa Gana Gueye and James Garner, now might be time to move Doucoure on following his ultimately disappointing spell. 

He has shown flashes throughout the early parts of his Everton career, with Ancelotti often relying on the relationship he and Allan struck up to pin down his 4-4-2 system.

However, his inability on the ball often let him down for other managers. He ranks in the 28th percentile for pass completion percentage for midfielders across Europe’s top five leagues and averages a measly 2.83 progressive passes per 90, a stat that puts him in the worst 21% of players.

Injuries at the wrong time and a lack of stability at the helm have hindered Doucoure’s career on Merseyside, and despite his performances having tailed off with regard to quality more recently, he will likely be remembered fondly by Evertonians as a reminder of an era that promised so much under the legendary Italian boss.

Harry Kane’s quest to become the Premier League’s all-time record goalscorer could see him stay at Tottenham Hotspur, according to Sky Sports reporter Dharmesh Sheth.

The Lowdown: Kane linked with Spurs exit

The 29-year-old’s future has been a big talking point of late, with reports linking him with a move away from Spurs in the not-too-distant future. Bayern Munich have stood out as potential suitors, but a shock switch to Chelsea also hasn’t been ruled out, should Kane desire a new challenge away from N17.

There is plenty of hope that the England captain will stay out and sign a new deal, though, especially with him eyeing up Alan Shearer’s Premier League record.

The Latest: Sheth thinks Kane could stay

Speaking to GiveMeSport, Sheth claimed that Kane’s focus on topping the scoring charts could be a big factor in him possibly extending his stay at Spurs..

The journalist stated:

“The other thing I would say is we can’t underestimate the ambition of Harry Kane to become the Premier League’s highest ever goalscorer.

“He’s chasing down Alan Shearer’s record of 260 goals and he probably thinks he can make that; he probably thinks he’s got enough seasons in him at the top level to be able to break that record.

“To move to Bayern Munich or to move away from the Premier League, even for one or two seasons, that would effectively end any kind of hope he would have of becoming the Premier League all-time record goalscorer. So, I think that is another aspect that you’d have to look at as well, when a club comes in for him.”

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The Verdict: Motivation to stay at Spurs

While Kane has never won a trophy in his career and will clearly want to change that soon, he is also a player who seems hugely driven by individual statistics.

He may be obsessed with beating Shearer’s tally of 260 Premier League goals, and with the Spurs hero on 189 and still at his peak, the target feels comfortably within reach at this point in his career.

For that reason, it would be a big surprise if Kane were to suddenly move abroad when he could be on the cusp of something special, while moving to a local and positional rival in Chelsea seems incomprehensible.

Despite the ongoing rumours over his future, he could yet commit his future to Tottenham, for the reasons that Sheth has stated.

Aston Villa were handed a British transfer record when Manchester City offered £100m to acquire the services of Jack Grealish.

The 27-year-old, who was a proud graduate from their academy, had captained his boyhood club to promotion from the Championship and security within the Premier League.

He was their poster boy and was impressed with his consistently dangerous performances off the left wing.

In total, the England international featured 213 times for the club whilst contributing to 32 goals and 43 assists.

Steven Gerrard could now look once again to his academy, as there might be a player brewing who could be the direct replacement for their former skipper.

Whilst Louis Barry might be the main name emerging from the youth setup, there could be another who might surpass even him.

Ben Broggio is a 15-year-old midfielder who is highly rated within the club and has featured twice for England U16s.

There is great expectation that the attacking midfielder can be their next true star and the fact that he has begun this season featuring for Villa’s under-18s marks a huge step up.

One goal in his opening two games is also indicative of his faith he has in his own talent, which clearly he possesses in abundance.

BirminghamLive reporter Ashley Preece is one of many who also has high hopes for the youngster, and actually likened him to their recently departed hero.

Speaking to GIVEMESPORT, he said:

“Ben Broggio, is only 15 and plays for the England U16’s.

“He’s a bit of an attacking midfielder, a bit of a Jack Grealish type, dare I say it? Villa rave about him.”

Preece went on to label him a “big prospect”, concluding his praise.

Having seen Jacob Ramsey break into the first team more recently, there is clearly a pathway for youngsters to make the step up from youth football.

Also, the sale of Carney Chukwuemeka might provide hope that if he can develop at a similar rate, he will be given chances, and if not the club will be willing to see you depart.

If Broggio can have half the impact on the club that Grealish did, he will certainly be considered a success. He has taken to under-18s football well, so if he can continue this trajectory he will be destined for big things.

Fabio Paratici has had a great deal of success in the transfer market since arriving at Tottenham.

The Italian has thrived in his new role and alongside Antonio Conte, Daniel Levy has formed a super team that looks like threatening the elite of the Premier League.

While it might be a step too far to suggest Spurs could challenge for the title this term, they do look like one of the most likely teams to threaten Manchester City in 2022/23, something that has been brought about by Paratici and Conte.

The Italian duo have carved out a more bullish style in recent months with Harry Kane spearheading a team that currently look nailed on for a top-four place.

Tottenham perhaps haven’t been at their best this season but it feels only a matter of time before they truly kick into gear.

Last season they snatched Champions League football away from their arch-rivals, Arsenal, largely thanks to Paratici’s first few additions in Rodrigo Bentancur and Dejan Kulusevski. The latter, in particular, has been a breath of fresh air with six goals and 11 assists in 29 outings for the Lilywhites.

His loan move is set to become a permanent deal in the near future, a decision that will lock down the right-hand side of Tottenham’s team for many a year. Yet, there is a player who Paratici has brought to north London that has rather gone under the radar.

The player in question is Destiny Udogie, someone who could lock down the left-hand side of the Spurs side.

The talented 19-year-old joined in the summer for an initial fee of £15m, potentially rising to £20m, before he was loaned back to Udinese in Serie A.

He has been a rampant force in Italy, producing performances that bear similarities to a certain Gareth Bale.

Indeed, that’s because Udogie has been playing at left wing-back, demonstrating qualities that a young and rampant Bale once did at Tottenham.

The Welshman initially broke through at left-back before becoming an electrifying forward and one of the most expensive footballers ever.

Playing as a full-back in 2009/10, the flying Wales international only scored three times but registered an eye-catching 11 assists before truly exploding the following campaign, scoring 11 times and supplying ten assists in a more offensive position on the left flank.

It’s a career progression that rather mirrors that of the young Udogie, with the Italian finding the net on five occasions last season while racking up three assists from a combination of left-back and left midfield.

In his eight appearances to date in 2022/23, he has been “on fire” in the words of talent scout Jacek Kulig, with the teenager playing slightly further forward and scoring twice so far. Those numbers aren’t jaw-dropping by any stretch of the imagination but his ability to influence play from the left-hand side is scarily similar to Bale.

That can be rubberstamped courtesy of some eye-catching statistics, with the Spurs loanee ranking in the best 7% of players in his position across Europe’s top five leagues for shots on target per 90 minutes.

Udogie also ranks in the top 14% for goal-creating actions over the last 365 days, while also ranking in the best 11% for touches in the attacking penalty area. He is also in the best 9% of players for carries into the opposition’s 18-yard box and to wrap things up, sits in the top 17% for dribbles attempted.

Those numbers are seriously impressive and only go to illustrate the Bale-like qualities that the teen possesses.

Just whether he’ll go on to become an £85m player remains to be seen but the “tenacious” talent – as dubbed by Kulig – certainly has the world at his feet.

Leeds United are still being linked with a move for Blackburn Rovers forward Ben Brereton Diaz.

The Lowdown: Late summer approach

The Whites left it extremely late in the summer to sign a new forward but eventually brought in teenager Wilfried Gnonto.

Leeds chiefs reportedly pushed to land Brereton Diaz on deadline day prior to signing Gnonto. Brereton Diaz, who is out of contract next summer, has continued to score goals in the Championship after a personal best tally last season, netting seven times in 14 appearances this term.

The Latest: New update

Sports Witness relayed an update from Spanish outlet Estadio Deportivo regarding Brereton Diaz.

They claimed that Almeria, Sevilla, Valencia, and AC Milan are in the race for the forward, but Leeds and Everton are also possible destinations for the Blackburn star in a potential free transfer.

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The Verdict: Shrewd addition

Leeds could well be on the hunt for another attacking addition next year, and providing Brereton Diaz’s situation remains the same, Victor Orta could look to lay the groundwork over a possible free transfer.

The 23-year-old, labelled ‘very intelligent’ by Chile manager Eduardo Berizzo, can play anywhere across the front three but is primarily a centre-forward, so could prove to be Patrick Bamford’s long-term successor.

Leeds will need to pip plenty of sides to Brereton Diaz’s signature, but it looks as if it will be one to watch over the coming months.

Tottenham Hotspur fan favourite and ex-boss Mauricio Pochettino could make a ‘return’ to north London, hints reporter Graeme Bailey.

The Lowdown: Conte era excites…

The north Londoners were guided back into a Premier League top four place last campaign by current manager Antonio Conte and could even climb to second with victory against Manchester United this evening.

Spurs have lost just once all season thus far and only rivals Arsenal and Man City have scored more goals than Conte’s side (premierleague.com), prompting optimism at N17 and a real hope for success in the future.

The Lilywhites have also reportedly been ‘working’ on a possible Conte contract extension behind-the-scenes and talks could ‘intensify’ in November during the World Cup.

However, talk of a possible reunion with Pochettino is still prevalent, with 90min journalist Bailey now hinting at the ‘possibility’ on social media.

The Latest: Bailey hints at Pochettino ‘return’…

The Argentine, who guided Spurs to a Champions League final in 2019, winning over countless supporters during his tenure, is currently attracting interest from Aston Villa.

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However, it is believed that Pochettino may be holding out for a return to Hotspur Way.

Bailey, making a statement on Twitter, hints a possible return for the 50-year-old is a ‘possibility’ amid his Villa links.

He explained:

“Mauricio Pochettino strongly linked with Villa but with the possibility of a return to Tottenham on the horizon – it would not be easy to land him.”

The Verdict: Fall-back option?

If, for whatever reason, Conte were to part company with Tottenham at the end of this season, we believe Pochettino should certainly be considered as a fall-back replacement for the Italian.

The former Paris-Saint Germain coach knows Spurs inside and out, enjoys a good relationship with fans and has proven to be fairly successful on a tight budget.

For now, though, Spurs chairman Daniel Levy should fight tooth and nail to keep Conte, who has seemingly transformed the mentality of the club.

Everton have no doubt endured a miserable recruitment record over the years, having routinely made often bizarre and costly decisions in the transfer market, while also missing out on potential ideal signings.

One such figure that eluded them in the past was that of Peter Crouch, with reports back in 2010 suggesting that the Englishman was a potential target for Toffees boss David Moyes, with midfielder Steven Pienaar set to head in the other direction to join Tottenham Hotspur.

While the striker’s previous Liverpool connections may well have been a contentious issue among supporters, the towering marksman would likely have offered a reliable goalscoring presence in attack, having netted 13 times and provided nine assists during the 2009/10 campaign for Spurs.

A player whom Moyes was seemingly fond of – with the Scotsman having reportedly been keen to sign the unique asset during his later stint as Sunderland boss in 2016 – it could well have been an ideal deal for all concerned.

As it proved, however, no such move came to fruition – despite Pienaar securing his switch to north London – with Crouch ultimately staying put with the Lilywhites for a further season.

Amid that missed chance, the Merseysiders instead bolstered their attacking ranks with the free transfer capture of Jermaine Beckford, with the former Leeds United man subsequently going on to last just a solitary season at Goodison Park, having scored ten goals in all competitions during the 2010/11 campaign.

As for Crouch, the 6 foot 7 colossus would ultimately go on to join Stoke City a year later, enjoying a respectable spell with the Potters as he scored 61 goals and provided 27 assists in 261 games in all competitions.

The now-retired journeyman – who also turned out for the likes of Southampton, Queen’s Park Rangers and Portsmouth in a lengthy career in English football – may have never been truly prolific, although remained a real handful for any opposition as a result of his towering frame and aerial ability.

That latter strength ensured that the 42-cap menace still holds the overall record for the most headed goals in Premier League history with a tally of 40, while his tally of 108 league goals ensures he ranks 28th in the competition’s all-time scorers list.

A player who accumulated 199 goals at club level throughout his career, the Macclesfield-born sensation would no doubt have offered a real attacking threat to Moyes had he been snapped up all those years ago.

Just imagine the carnage that could have ensued with the former England international lined up in attack alongside Marouane Fellaini…

Carlos Corberan took charge of his first West Brom game on Saturday but could only watch on as his side fell to a 2-0 defeat against Sheffield United, a result that leaves the Baggies bottom of the Championship.

The Spanish manager was appointed on Monday but is no miracle worker, and his side were well and truly bested by the promotion-chasing Blades at the Hawthorns.

Corberan opted to start Jake Livermore in the midfield despite his less-than-impressive performances so far this season and the 32-year-old was substituted just before the hour mark after another disappointing display, with Birmingham Live awarding the experienced Englishman a dismal 4/10 match rating.

Since signing from Hull City in 2017, Livermore has gone on to make 211 appearances for the Baggies, contributing eight goals and 11 assists.

While there is no doubt that the club captain was once a reliable player for West Brom, his performances so far this season suggest that he is now well past his best, and Corberan should consider making a big call and dropping him if he wants to get the Baggies out of the dreadful position that they find themselves in.

WhoScored has awarded the 32-year-old a woeful 6.35 average rating for his performances in the second tier so far this term, which ranks him as the 15th-best player in Corberan’s squad, suggesting that he shouldn’t be starting.

Considering the former England international earns around £46k-per-week at the Hawthorns, a figure that makes him the best-paid player in the squad, you would hope that he would be one of the star performers, but sadly he has declined to a point where he can no longer be relied upon in the Championship.

Even last season, when his season rating of 6.57 wasn’t much better, Livermore was averaging more tackles (1.9 vs 0.9), interceptions (1.1 vs 0.9) and key passes (0.5 vs 0.3) per game in the Championship, which emphasises that he is steadily getting worse.

Fortunately for Corberan, Livermore’s contract with the Baggies is set to expire at the end of the current season, but if the Spaniard harbours any hopes of a positive finish in the Championship this campaign he must ditch the club captain from his starting XI.