All posts by n8rngtd.top

West Ham United secured victory over Bournemouth in controversial fashion on Monday, with David Moyes’ side the beneficiaries of potentially debatable refereeing decisions to help secure a much-needed win at the London Stadium.

The Hammers took the lead just before the interval following a header from Kurt Zouma, despite a possible handball from Thilo Kehrer in the build-up, before eventually sealing the points in second-half added time through Said Benrahma’s spot-kick after Cherries defender Jordan Zemura had been penalised by another contentious handball decision.

Despite the potential debate over those key moments, the Irons will likely care little, having managed to secure all three points. That result moves the east Londoners further away from danger amid what has been an underwhelming start to the campaign.

There will still be key points of concern for Moyes following that clash with Gary O’Neil’s side, though, with midfielder Tomas Soucek still something of a problem for the former Everton boss, having produced another frustrating display on the night.

On the face of it, the Czech Republic international made a positive contribution in last night’s encounter having provided the assist for Zouma’s opener, while also once again showcasing his defensive strength by winning five of his seven ground duels.

However, it is the other side to the 27-year-old’s game which remains an issue for the Irons at present, with the 54-cap dud having notably lost possession 12 times from his 57 touches, while enjoying a measly pass accuracy rate of just 76%.

That errant showing saw journalist Josh Bunting point to the midfielder’s “abysmal” record on the ball, having suggested that the 6 foot 4 brute is simply “just not good enough” to be deployed in that role in front of the back four.

The former Slavia Prague man has seemingly “struggled all season” – in the words of Bunting – having previously been tipped for a £30m departure from the club over the summer, amid a reported contract dispute involving himself and the club.

Having no doubt thrived upon his arrival in English football in January 2020 – scoring 13 league goals in his first 18 months with West Ham – the £65k-per-week titan has since suffered something of a decline of late, scoring just one top-flight goal this term.

He may be an imposing figure in the centre of the park as a result of his towering stature, but Soucek is perhaps unable to offer a more dynamic presence, notably ranking in the bottom 16% for pressures made among players in his position across Europe’s top five leagues over the past 12 months.

Although he has been a valued figure in the club’s rise in recent years under Moyes, it may well be time for the 59-year-old to take the Czech midfielder out of the side “for a period” – as per Bunting’s suggestion – in forthcoming games.

Julen Lopetegui looks set to arrive as Wolves’ new manager ahead of the World Cup and given the Old Gold’s shocking form in front of goal this season, he should consider unleashing Connor Ronan.

The Irish midfielder has been with the club since joining from Rochdale in 2014 but has rarely featured in the first team in the eight years since, making just 13 appearances for the first team.

Ronan has endured a number of loan spells away from Molineux to try and prove himself, including time in Switzerland with Grasshopper Zurich and Slovenia with DAC Dunajska Streda but has consistently been overlooked by Wolves’ managers.

After he featured in Bruno Lage’s squad for the pre-season tour of Spain it was perhaps expected that Ronan could play a part in the first team this term but he has either been left on the bench or omitted entirely in the club’s Premier League fixtures so far.

Last campaign saw the 24-year-old enjoy his most fruitful loan spell yet, as he contributed eight goals and five assists in 30 appearances for St Mirren, earning the Scottish side’s player of the season award for his performances.

Ronan clearly has what it takes to make a difference in senior football but he once again finds himself playing for Wolves’ academy side in Premier League 2.

He featured in the Old Gold’s 3-0 win over the Foxes in Monday’s Premier League 2 tie and showed his class with a superb curling effort which drew the attention of Wolves’ official Twitter account, as they lauded it “sublime”.

If Lopetegui wants to be a success at Wolves then he needs a way of adding goals to the team and Ronan looks to be one possible solution who is already waiting in the wings at Molineux.

His record of six goals and seven assists in 39 appearances for the U21s emphasises that he can be a threat in the final third and when you consider that Wolves’ other midfield options of Matheus Nunes and Joao Moutinho have no goals and one assist between them throughout 2022/23, there seems no reason why Ronan shouldn’t get a chance.

Lopetegui will no doubt assess the whole squad upon his prospective arrival at Molineux so perhaps Ronan should finally be given the opportunity to impress in the top flight, as his performances last season more than warrant it.

Manchester City have been dealt a potential injury blow ahead of tonight’s Champions League clash against Sevilla. 

The Lowdown: City vs Sevilla

Following on from their 1-0 win over Leicester City in the Premier League last weekend, the Manchester club take on Sevilla for their final group game of the Champions League at the Etihad Stadium.

Having kept four clean sheets in the five group games they’ve played in the competition so far this season, it’s safe to suggest that Pep Guardiola would want to see his side keep another one this time around.

However, it appears as though the City manager may be without one figure in his squad who has played a big part in their Champions League journey this season.

The Latest: Akanji missing from City training

According to a recent Twitter post from journalist Simon Bajkowski, Erling Haaland isn’t the only notable absentee at training, as City defender Manuel Akanji was not spotted in Tuesday’s session either.

Bajkowski also added that Kyle Walker was not there, with the full-back still recovering from surgery.

The Verdict: A potential worry for Guardiola

Bearing in mind how City have kept three clean sheets in the four Champions League games that Akanji has played in, it’s safe to say that he has been a prominent and useful figure for the team in this competition.

In fact, the 27-year-old is in the top three at City for the number of clearances (8), blocks (4) and successful tackles (5) he has made in Europe this season.

This highlights how much of an effective figure the £180k-per-week unit is at the back and why he could be a big miss for his side this evening.

Moving forward, if the Blues do have to get through tonight’s game without Akanji, everyone at the club will undoubtedly be hoping that he won’t be missing any other games or else it could be a big worry for Guardiola.

Liverpool have been dealt a double injury setback ahead of tonight’s Carabao Cup clash against Derby County.

The Lowdown: Liverpool in Carabao Cup action

Having won the trophy last season, Jurgen Klopp’s side will take a step closer to regaining the Carabao Cup if they secure victory over the League One club at Anfield.

This will be the Reds’ penultimate game before the World Cup break, which – after this weekend’s clash against Southampton – will see Liverpool return to Premier League action in late December.

Looking ahead to tonight’s showdown against the Rams, it appears as though the Merseyside club will be without two players who may have been likely to feature in the game.

The Latest: Double injury blow for Liverpool

Speaking to the media on Tuesday ahead of tonight’s clash at Anfield, Liverpool assistant manager Pep Lijnders shared news on the (non-)availability of midfield duo James Milner and Naby Keita.

He stated: “Millie will definitely be ready for Southampton but this game [against Derby] comes too early for tomorrow. Naby will be difficult, he’s still training individually. Let’s see for Southampton.”

[web_stories_embed url=”https://www.footballtransfertavern.com/web-stories/latest-liverpool-transfer-news-35/” title=”Latest Liverpool transfer news!” poster=”” width=”360″ height=”600″ align=”none”]

The Verdict: Frustration for Klopp

Bearing in mind how Liverpool also have the likes of Diogo Jota, Luis Diaz, Arthur Melo and Joel Matip out of action through injuries, not having Keita and Milner available for this game – where rotating players may be on the cards – will surely be a source of frustration for Klopp.

Assuming that the Premier League is the priority for the Reds, the manager may look to keep as many of his important first-team players fit and fresh for Saturday’s game against Southampton.

With that in mind, we could see a few faces in tonight’s starting XI who may not have had much of a chance to play regularly this season, such as Irish goalkeeper Caoimhin Kelleher.

Either way, Klopp and the Liverpool fans will still want to see their team beating Derby and progressing to the next round of the Carabao Cup, hopefully avoiding any more injury issues in doing so.

West Ham United could be eyeing a January swoop for a powerful defensive midfielder…

What’s the latest?

As per Brazilian publication UOL, Sao Paolo midfielder Pablo Maia has highlighted his dreams of playing in Europe, throwing his future in his homeland up in the air.

The Hammers are name-dropped in the report as holding long-term interest and will likely have to battle with Fulham for the 20-year-old starlet.

It is therefore expected that these two will come in again for the youngster who has been excelling across the Série A and Copa do Brasil, with a fee of around €10m (£9m) expected to be enough to secure his services.

Ditch Soucek

Were they to reignite their interest in January, Maia could provide a solution for both the present and future to sit alongside Declan Rice, with Tomas Soucek having been out of sorts lately.

He would join a long list of Brazilians to have made the switch to the Premier League with success, such as Bruno Guimaraes, Gabriel Jesus, Richarlison and more.

Normally these assets find themselves at a European club before they earn a big money move to England, but David Moyes could skip the middleman and cut straight to the stopper who could help turn his side’s form around.

Described by Football Talent Scout Jacek Kulig as a “Mini-Casemiro”, the strengths listed seem never-ending. 

He names “passing, vision, tackling, positioning, anticipation, work rate” as his key attributes, which are all attractive assets for someone in his position, and admittedly what the Czech Republic international has lacked this campaign.

Having joined as a holding midfielder with an eye for goal, he earned widespread praise for his goalscoring prowess as he enjoyed a ten-goal first full season.

He has since struggled to surpass five goals and has been lambasted for his “awful mentality” at times during the season, particularly by journalist Alan Rzepa.

Although Maia only boasts 61 total senior appearances, it is clear that he is well-thought-of around Europe.

To earn the earlier comparison to one of his legendary compatriots is glowing praise enough.

Perhaps the diminutive midfielder could add some speed and doggedness into the Hammers engine room, alongside the ever-improving talents of Rice. They could hold down that position for many years to come, should the Brazilian take to English football like so many before him have.

West Ham United have rejoined the race to sign Shakhtar Donetsk forward Tete amid his current loan stint at Lyon.

The Lowdown: West Ham interested in Tete…

The 22-year-old has previously been in thoughts of West Ham and their head of recruitment Rob Newman, as revealed earlier in 2022.

Reports claimed that David Moyes’ side had joined the plethora of clubs interested in signing Tete before he re-signed for Lyon on a temporary spell from the Ukrainian top flight.

The £22m-rated player seems destined to leave parent club Shakhtar on a permanent basis, though, as his deal is currently set to expire next year.

The Latest: West Ham rejoin Tete race…

As per reports from Italy, it appears that West Ham are back in contention to potentially seal a Premier League move for the former Brazil under-23 international.

Calciomercato claim that both the Hammers and Leicester City have taken a real interest in Tete ‘in recent months’, with Brighton manager Roberto De Zerbi also in the mix.

Alongside the English trio, it appears that Serie A giants AC Milan are also in the frame, and this report claims that the Rossoneri have already made an enquiry.

[web_stories_embed url=”https://www.footballtransfertavern.com/web-stories/west-ham-latest-news-5/” title=”West Ham latest news!” poster=”” width=”360″ height=”600″ align=”none”]

The Verdict: Make the move?

While he is estimated to cost around £22m by Transfermarkt, Shakhtar could be forced to agree a deal for less than that figure given Tete’s contract situation.

As such, West Ham could secure a relative bargain for a forward with a very positive reputation behind him.

The South American ace carries the nickname ‘Hurricane’, while Shakhtar CEO Sergei Palkin has even backed him to become a ‘big star’ one day.

While Tete is arguably yet to live up to that tag, with a decent yet unspectacular return of 38 goals in 132 club career games, at 22 there is still plenty of time to make it happen.

Everton have been dealt a fresh blow in their pursuit of a highly-rated European star…

What’s the latest?

Reports in Italy have linked the Toffees with a move for the Serbia international in recent weeks and now journalist Pete O’Rourke has delivered a worrying claim on the matter to Football FanCast.

“The only problem for Everton right now is probably the transfer fee, I think it might be out of their reach for January for Lukic,” he said.

“I don’t think Torino will be willing to sell for anything less than £30m and I don’t think Everton could go to that right now.”

Lampard will be gutted

Despite a summer overhaul which saw the midfield revamped, it still seems like something is missing in that position.

Whilst Idrissa Gana Gueye returned, it is clear that time has crept up on the Senegalese stalwart, and with Amadou Onana it seems like his best role is still unidentified.

Therefore, to have brought in this Serbian whose position is so clearly defined would have surely stabilised the Merseyside outfit who seem in freefall.

The 26-year-old has often operated on the left of a midfield three but can sit deeper to dictate the play. This seems to be what he is most comfortable with, having overseen a variety of roles across numerous managers at the Turin club.

Although he has suffered during his side’s World Cup campaign, in the Serie A this season he is thriving.

Boasting a 6.95 average rating, he is maintaining an 89% pass accuracy whilst also averaging one key passe and 1.4 tackles per game, via Sofascore.

These statistics paint the picture of a combative deep-lying playmaker who can play that killer pass which the Toffees’ current midfield lacks.

One particular display back in 2020 led journalist Josh Bunting to describe him as “outstanding protecting the back three”, and given how Frank Lampard often seems intent on that being his favoured system, it could have seen them move one step closer to it.

For this reason, and the general lack of stability surrounding his midfield, the 44-year-old will be frustrated that his side are likely to be priced out of a move.

With other clubs reportedly sniffing around too, it might be a step too far for Everton to complete this deal.

With Glasgow Rangers now not facing a match until December 15, thoughts will turn to the January transfer window and who might join the Ibrox side ahead of a crucial second half of the season.

It hasn’t exactly clicked this season, with the club nine points adrift of Celtic in the Premiership title race, while becoming the worst-ever Champions League group stage team, losing all six matches.

This has resulted in the club sacking Giovanni van Bronckhorst and his successor – which looks as though will be Mick Beale – will need to strengthen.

The midfield area is a particular point of concern and simply has to be bolstered in order for the Gers to even have a slim chance of catching Celtic.

The new manager might be able to lure summer target Billy Gilmour to Ibrox, with the youngster open to a loan move in January having failed to gain much game time at Brighton and Hove Albion since his £9m move from Chelsea in the summer.

Ditch Glen Kamara

Glen Kamara has been uncharacteristically poor this season, especially in the Champions League. The Finnish midfielder has a woeful average rating of just 5.9/10 while taking only 15 touches on average per game and winning a measly 25% of his total defensive duels.

The Ibrox side had the chance to sell him for £10m in the summer and this certainly looks like a missed opportunity with every passing match he plays.

As a result, Beale – if he is the man to arrive at Ibrox – should definitely be considering a move for Gilmour, even if it’s just a loan move until the end of the season.

The 21-year-old was one of Norwich’s better performers despite their Premier League relegation last season, taking 61.9 touches on average while making one key pass per match, showing that despite his young age, his maturity levels are excellent.

He has already won the Champions League and has 16 caps for Scotland, despite only turning 21 in June.

Roy Keane has also singled him out for praise, which is no mean feat, dubbing him “world-class” following an FA Cup performance against Liverpool in 2020. With that in mind, he just needs to find the right club to utilise his potential.

Rangers could be that side, and with Gilmour actually emerging through the youth ranks at Ibrox before moving to London in 2017, it could be the perfect homecoming for the midfielder, as well as representing something of a dream first signing for the new boss.

Indeed, signing Gilmour would give the new manager a perfect chance to ditch an alienated asset in Kamara, something that would be an ideal scenario.

Former Aston Villa striker Gabby Agbonlahor has been giving his thoughts on a possible Villa Park move for Crystal Palace star Wilfried Zaha.

The Lowdown: Zaha linked with Villa

Unai Emery is after a new A-list attacker in the New Year who can play anywhere across the front three, with Zaha’s name being floated around in recent weeks.

The 30-year-old has been linked with a move to the Midlands, with Villa Park thought to be the most likely next destination for the Ivorian at this moment in time.

Ashley Preece also recently teased a potential move for the Ivory Coast forward, telling Villa supporters to ‘keep an eye on Zaha’ when it comes to possible arrivals in the Midlands.

The Latest: Agbonlahor reacts to Zaha rumours

Speaking to Football Insider regarding a possible move to Villa Park for Zaha, the club’s former captain Agbonlahor seemed excited, saying that it ‘would be a great signing’ and calling the Palace forward a ‘top player’.

The talkSPORT pundit gushed: “Wilfried Zaha is a top player. Any club in the Premier League would love to have him.

“If Villa can get him on a free transfer it would be a great signing. He is what we are missing on that left side.”

[web_stories_embed url=”https://www.footballtransfertavern.com/web-stories/aston-villa-latest-updates-copy-2/” title=”Aston Villa latest updates! (Copy)” poster=”” width=”360″ height=”600″ align=”none”]

The Verdict: Why not…

Zaha can play anywhere across the front three, so heseems to fit the mould when it comes to Emery’s attacking requirements.

He also has plenty of experience in the Premier League, contributing to 110 goals in the top flight in 291 games in the division.

Therefore, a winter swoop could be a smart idea by Villa, or else they may decide to hold out until the summer, possibly hoping to sign Zaha for free when his contract at Selhurst Park expires, making this prospective move indeed one to watch going into January 2023.

Arsenal ‘will go ahead’ in their attempts to sign Mykhaylo Mudryk with an offer on the way, according to journalist Dean Jones.

The Lowdown: Gunners leading title race…

The Gunners are currently leading Premier League champions Man City in the race for England’s coveted domestic crown and it’s safe to say this is a pretty exciting time at the Emirates.

Mikel Arteta has gradually nurtured a real optimism around the north London club amid their rise to the pinnacle of top flight football yet reports suggest sporting director Edu could strengthen their squad mid-season.

The likes of Evan N’dicka are said to be of interest to Arsenal heading into January, but according to Jones, one player who will be at the centre of a transfer push is the heavily-linked Mudryk.

The Latest: Arsenal set for Mudryk transfer bid…

Speaking to GiveMeSport, reporter Jones claims Arteta’s side look certain to make a move with a bid potentially ‘soon’.

He explained:

“I know the avenues of getting this done are already very open, so I think we’ll see a bid soon, to be honest.

“I think Arsenal will go ahead with this and try to get it done if it’s absolutely everything they are aiming for and a player of this type.”

The Verdict: Get it done…

Called ‘special’ by members of the media like broadcast journalist Buchi Laba, Mudryk has bagged 10 goals and two assists across 18 appearances in both the Ukranian first division and Champions League combined (WhoScored).

He is quickly emerging as one of Europe’s breakthrough stars of 2022, attracting Arsenal’s interest as a result and potentially a wave of other top sides.

Taking this into account, it’s little wonder Shakhtar value their gem at a marquee £86 million.