All posts by rastrear-estafeta.com

Everton are still at risk of being relegated down to the Championship at the end of their current Premier League campaign.

Despite their unfortunate position in the league table, it seems as though a potential clue has been dropped over one deal the Toffees could look to get done at Finch Farm during the upcoming summer transfer window.

What’s the talk?

Speaking to GIVEMESPORT, journalist and transfer insider Pete O’Rourke had this to say about the possibility of Everton offering midfielder Fabian Delph a new contract in the summer when his current deal expires.

He said: “Potentially, it could maybe have Everton have a rethink on what they’re going to do with Fabian Delph.

“I think before that game, many people would have expected Delph to leave on a free transfer when his contract is up, but he came in from the cold against Manchester United and performed really well in that midfield role.

“For Everton right now, he’s obviously out of contract. He’s not getting any younger either, so, it’s going to be hard for him to turn things around and get a new deal at Goodison Park.”

Fans would be furious

Since arriving at the Merseyside club back in the 2019 summer transfer window, the Englishman has made just 37 appearances for the Toffees across all competitions and is yet to score a goal or provide an assist.

Having picked up a significant number of injuries since moving to Goodison Park, Delph hasn’t been the most reliable of figures in Everton’s squad over the past few years.

However, as O’Rourke mentioned, the 32-year-old did put in a solid shift against Manchester United in the 1-0 win between the two sides earlier this month.

Despite this, the midfielder has failed to impose himself as a solid option for the Toffees in the Premier League this season, with WhoScored giving him a rather uninspiring overall performance rating of just 6.46.

With that in mind and the fact that Delph didn’t exactly hit it off with the Everton supporters when he got involved in a social media spat with one of them back in the early months of his time as a Toffees player, it presumably wouldn’t please a lot of those fans to see him get given a new deal.

In other news: Lampard can now axe “reckless” Everton dud with move for “powerful” £27m-rated machine

Liverpool’s James Milner has made more fouls per 90 minutes than anyone else in this season’s Premier League, WhoScored data shows.

Milner has started three top-flight matches so far this term, lining-up in midfield for the opening day win at Norwich and then slotting in at right-back against Crystal Palace and Manchester City in the absence of Trent Alexander-Arnold.

Should Milner’s fouls have led to a red card?

He was at the centre of controversy against his former club City last time out. After being booked in the 42nd minute, he escaped a sending off for a challenge on Bernardo Silva in the second half. Pep Guardiola said after the game that he believed Milner should have been given his marching orders.

Jurgen Klopp has said that he hopes to have Alexander-Arnold back available for selection after the international break, when Liverpool are due to travel to Watford before facing Atletico Madrid in the Champions League.

Fan feed Anfield Edition relayed the statistic about Milner’s foul concession, and here’s what some Reds supporters made of it, with one fan describing his tendency to give away free kick as an “accident waiting to happen”.

Liverpool fans express Milner concern

“He is lucky we weren’t down to 10 against City. Thank God the refs were shook off Anfield.”

Credit: @MauUprising

“Great servant and incredible work ethic but we need to move on from him.”

Credit: @ReneOuld

“Never…I would never have guessed…an accident waiting to happen.”

Credit: @Dazmay66

“He will cost Liverpool precious points this season which is why he mustn’t be used as a full back.”

Credit: @johnhak7

“That’s because he’s old and slow. Coaching role methinks.”

Credit: @StephenMcCaig2

“Get rid of him”

Credit: @LaVillanelle

In other news, many Liverpool fans were left livid as this Reds ace was snubbed.

According to ESPN (via Marca), AC Milan are closing in on the signing of James Rodriguez from Everton before the end of the transfer window.

The Lowdown: Rodriguez’s time at Everton up

The Colombian only made the move to Goodison Park 12 months ago, but it seems that his time at the club is already up.

With Carlo Ancelotti departing Merseyside to make a return to Real Madrid, Rodriguez has made it clear that he does not want to stay with the Toffees, who have no European football this season.

The Latest: Close to Milan

As per this report, the 30-year-old is closing in on a move to Champions League side AC Milan, who are back in Europe’s primary club competition after a seven-year absence.

ESPN’s Vito de Palma has even claimed [via Marca] that terms have been agreed, calling the deal a “bombshell”.

The Verdict: Unprofessional

Rodriguez showed his ability in flashes at Everton. In 23 Premier League matches, he scored six goals and provided five assists (Transfermarkt), and was even called a “joy to watch” by talkSPORT’s Adrian Durham. However, he has let himself with his conduct in recent times – he has not hidden his desire to seek pastures new and even said he had no idea who Everton were playing prior to their recent clash against Leeds (talkSPORT).

It seems clear that Ancelotti’s presence at Goodison Park convinced £25.2m-valued Rodriguez (Transfermarkt) to make the switch, but his reaction to the Italian’s departure has been unprofessional. While he may be a very special player, few Evertonians will mourn his departure if he completes his move to Milan considering his off-field conduct.

In other news, many Everton fans are delighted with this transfer update.

Olivier Bernard has dropped a big claim on the potential takeover of Newcastle United by the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia (KSA) consortium.

The Lowdown: Cases await

Mike Ashley is currently awaiting two cases against the Premier League over his stalled takeover deal with the KSA group.

One is the upcoming Competition Appeal Tribunal (CAT) hearing, which is set to take place on Wednesday at 10:30 am, and the other is the separate arbitration proceedings, which are set to commence next year after further delays (The Mag).

The Latest: Bernard on takeover

Speaking to The Chronicle, former Magpies player Bernard has now claimed that he still thinks that the proposed takeover will happen despite delays in proceedings, but admits that he cannot put a timeframe on its potential completion:

“There’s a lot of going on at the club in terms of selling to new owners. I suspect everybody feels the same way, some will feel it’s quite imminent but at the same time quite far.

“Everybody chooses to go week by week hoping for a better tomorrow. Even the owner has said himself it should be done in the next few months.

“It’s coming, I think there will be a takeover, the problem is when? It’s not clever for the owner to put money in when he thinks he’s sold the club.

“That leaves a difficult situation on the pitch because we as fans want more quality on the pitch. But at the same time, we all want the club sold and hopefully now the Premier League can decide if this takeover takes place or not.”

The Verdict: CAT case key

The upcoming CAT case is likely to be key in terms of the direction of where the potential takeover is heading.

A positive result for the St. James’ Park faithful would give them supreme confidence going into the arbitration process, whereas a negative one may even cancel the proceedings.

Nonetheless, the focus now should be about the team getting results on the pitch after a tough start that sees the North East club low down in the Premier League table, as relegation could spell the end of the takeover dream.

In other news, find out what double injury blow NUFC have suffered here!

Speculation has been rife regarding the possible transfers Newcastle could pull off in the January window following PIF’s takeover of the club.

The likes of Raheem Sterling, Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang and Timo Werner are just a few of the many names linked with a switch to St James’ Park after Mike Ashley sold the club to the Saudi Arabian consortium.

However, the focus must now be drawn to the players who could lose their game-time as a result of incoming transfers as it would be beneficial to have some out the door before bringing in new arrivals, due to limitations on the size of the squad and preserving harmony among the group.

One player who should be sold in the January window is midfielder Jonjo Shelvey. The 29-year-old has been a liability for Newcastle in the middle of the park and should be replaced by PIF, or whoever the manager is come the opening of the transfer market, with an upgrade in that position being signed instead.

Whilst Shelvey has the silky skills on the ball and the ability to switch the play with his excellent range of passing, he often lets himself down with a lack of work off the ball and his poor decision-making. Despite playing in central midfield, he has a career average of just 0.9 interceptions and 1.2 tackles per game, showing that he does not put the hard graft in defensively.

He has picked up 27 yellow cards and four reds during his time at St James’ Park, with the latest dismissal coming in last weekend’s 3-2 defeat to Tottenham. Shelvey was brought off the bench by Bruce to help rescue the game and instead ended up being sent off for two silly challenges, giving his teammates a taller mountain to climb.

In two Premier League appearances this season, racking up 94 minutes of play, the former Liverpool man has completed one tackle, made zero interceptions, blocks or clearances and received three yellows cards, with two of them leading to a red on Sunday. On the ball, he has not been his useful self either, as he failed to complete a single dribble and provided just one key pass.

Tellingly, the 29-year-old has recorded the lowest average WhoScored rating of anyone in the Magpies’ squad this season with a paltry 5.22, being by far the worst player in a team occupying a place in the Premier League relegation zone. That does not paint a pretty picture of his form.

With Steve Bruce reportedly set to be sacked, the £70k-per-week dud’s time at St James’ Park could also be up after his dismal cameo appearance against Spurs. If Newcastle’s next manager was watching that game, he may have already jotted down a mental note to get rid of Shelvey at the first possible opportunity.

He proved himself to be a liability and that is not the sort of character or player you want to have around when trying to rebuild the club to lead them into a future of positivity and success. Therefore, it could be time for the Magpies to ruthlessly axe Shelvey by cashing in on him in the next transfer window, based on both his style of play generally and his disciplinary record, which was highlighted against Tottenham.

AND in other news, “Sources say”: Craig Hope drops major Newcastle claim that’ll delight supporters…

Leeds United are eyeing a late transfer window swoop for Club Brugge starlet Noa Lang.

What’s the story?

According to recent reports from The Telegraph, Marcelo Bielsa’s side have been been watching the 21-year-old ahead of a potential move this summer, although they are set to face intense competition to try and land him.

And writing recently on Twitter, The Athletic’s Phil Hay said: “They like Lang and that’s a genuine link but they haven’t actually made a concrete move for him.”

Now, Sport/Voetbalmagazine (via Sport Witness) claim that Leeds remain interested in signing Lang before deadline day, but that Brugge are looking for a massive bid to let him leave.

Bielsa will be buzzing

Able to play anywhere across the frontline, Lang showed Jadon Sancho-like abilities in his loan spell at Brugge last season, bagging 17 goals and providing a further 11 assists in just 37 games, including netting in the Champions League.

With that impressive goal-scoring record, and the fact he still remains very young at just 21, a move for Lang would be extremely exciting not just for Bielsa but for the club’s fans too.

Dubbed a “phenomenon” by Belgian journalist Peter Vandenbempt, the winger made history when he became the first player in 60 years to mark his debut with a hat-trick for Ajax, while his teammate at Brugge, Cyriel Dessers, has even admitted that Leeds’ interest in the flier is not the least bit surprising.

He said: “He is absolutely ready for the Premier League. He was fantastic last season. Then it is logical that there is a next step.  I would love to see him in the Champions League with Club Brugge, but he has shown that he is one of the best footballers in Belgium.

“He is a graceful footballer, but he also works very hard. I often sat on the bench, so I could keep an eye on him there. But the way he works, I didn’t know he had that in him. He has really taken a step. The interest does not come out of nowhere. I know how Leeds work.”

If the Whites can pull off a late transfer window deal for Lang, then Bielsa will surely be buzzing.

Meanwhile, Leeds are eyeing this Premier League record breaker…

Ludogorets’ Kiril Despodov is on Rangers’ list of targets, according to a report from Tema Sport. 

The lowdown

Despovodov, 25, is predominantly a right-winger, but he’s capable of playing across the frontline.

He only joined Ludogorets permanently last summer, having impressed the Bulgarian club during his loan spell from Cagliari.

Despodov has two and a half years left on his contract and is valued at £2.88million by Transfermarkt.

Rangers have only made one addition so far in January, loaning James Sands from New York City FC.

They have, though, recalled two attacking players in the form of Cedric Itten and Jake Hastie.

The latest

The report states that Despodov has attracted the interest of Rangers, as well as Super Lig outfit Istanbul Basaksehir.

But he apparently ranks only fourth in their list of priorities behind fellow right wingers Akinkunmi Amoo (Hammarby in Sweden), Brian Ocampo (Nacional Montevideo in Uruguay) and Robert Muric (Rijeka in Croatia).

The verdict

Despodov boasts an impressive record this season with nine goals and 12 assists in 29 appearances across all competitions.

Two of those goal contributions have come in the Europa League, though he wasn’t able to prevent Ludogorets propping up Group F.

How does he compare to the other names under consideration?

Well all of the players appear to be in a similar price bracket – Muric and Ocampo are valued at £2.7million, with Amoo a marginally more expensive £3.6million.

It’s Despovodov who leads the way for goal contributions in the most recent season though, with Amoo next on 18 overall (13 goals, five assists), followed by Muric (eight, seven) on 15 and Ocampo on 12 (four, eight).

It feels a little harsh, then, that he’s only regarded as plan D.

In other news, this ‘powerhouse’ could soon leave Ibrox.

Leeds United missed out on Ben Godfrey as a teenager amid comments that the centre-back was snubbed by the club following a trial…

What’s the story?

After being released by Middlesbrough as a youngster, Godfrey would then go on trial at Elland Road, Barnsley and Sheffield Wednesday, with none of them leading to a contract, thus leaving the defender contemplating his future in the game.

[snack-amp-story url=”https://www.footballfancast.com/web-stories/read-the-latest-leeds-news-transfer-rumours-gossip-marsch-raphinha-dest-philhay” title=”Read the latest Leeds news!”]

He said: “It felt a little bit like the dream was over. For them to say no was a massive confidence-breaker, really. It looked like the end of the journey.

“The moment that stands out massively is after that Leeds United trial. The coach told me they were not going to offer me anything but to go and prove him wrong. That stuck with me. I was desperate then. I could not wait to go and prove them wrong.”

Godfrey’s rise to the top

Daniel Farke, Godfrey’s former boss at Norwich, once tipped him to reach the very highest level, declaring: “Whoever signs Ben Godfrey can be unbelievably happy. It is no coincidence he is captain of the England Under-21s. This club has had some decent players in the past so to be rated the biggest transfer fee for a figure that is on the world level says everything about his potential.

“I am pretty sure he will play for best clubs in the world one day and he has the potential to captain England. That is what I wish for him. He is one of the best centre backs in the world in terms of potential.”

While Godfrey hasn’t exactly emerged as a real cornerstone of England’s defence, he has picked up a couple of caps for the Three Lions and earned himself a high-profile move from Norwich to Everton just a couple of years ago while Carlo Ancelotti was the manager on Merseyside.

Indeed, the 24-year-old’s potential and ability was on clear display just this past weekend, when the Toffees ran out 1-0 winners against Manchester United at Goodison Park. Godfrey was instrumental at the back, making a whopping game-high 13 clearances (more than double that of the man in second), and he wasn’t once dribbled past either.

Described as an “absolute baller” by Everton’s official Twitter channel, the £25m-rated Godfrey has certainly carved out a fine career for himself since that rejection from Leeds a number of years ago.

The 6 foot ace has proved not only the Whites wrong, but all those other clubs who snubbed him too.

AND in other news – Signed for £5m, now worth 700% more: Orta struck dream Leeds deal with “quality” 22-year-old

Spending significant sums of money is not something Crystal Palace have been able to do very often throughout their history, and when they have, it’s often gone wrong.

The likes of Mamadou Sakho and Christian Benteke were purchased for astronomical fees by the club’s standards, with little to show for the extensive outlay.

Things have changed somewhat since Patrick Vieira’s arrival over the summer, with a host of new and relatively expensive acquisitions already making huge impacts at Selhurst Park.

However, Palace’s history is littered with dozens of bargain buys who have helped them punch above their weight rather than record-breaking signings, and Jordan Ayew could be the best of them all.

Although the Ghana international might not be universally popular among some of the Eagles’ fanbase due to his lack of end product – he hasn’t scored a goal in any competition since 7 November 2020 – he has undoubtedly been outstanding value for money.

After enjoying a successful loan spell in south London throughout the 2018/19 campaign, Palace forked out a mere £2.5m to secure his services on a permanent basis from Swansea City.

“I am very happy to have returned. I really enjoyed myself last season,” he revealed upon his unveiling.

Previously, former Palace boss Roy Hodgson had said that Ayew had “played his part in the club securing its highest Premier League points tally in the last campaign”.

The following season, Ayew had arguably already paid back his lowly transfer fee, bagging nine goals and laying on a further two assists in 37 top-flight appearances, forming a promising partnership with Eagles talisman Wilfried Zaha.

Despite the goal contributions drying up since then, the £32,500-per-week wizard has seen his market value rise to £7.2m, meaning that Palace chairman Steve Parish could secure a healthy profit if he decides to part ways with Ayew next summer.

His intelligent pressing, incredible work rate and defensive contribution have made the Ghanaian a valuable asset to both Hodgson and Patrick Vieira, showing that Parish struck gold by picking him up for such a minimal fee.

In other news… 98% pass success: Palace beast shines on international duty, he’s now a “transformative force” 

Wolverhampton Wanderers are looking to sign Mexican forward Hirving Lozano from Napoli this summer.

What’s the story?

That’s according to Napoli Today, who claim that Wolves have been ‘following’ the 26-year-old for some time.

The winger joined the Italian club from PSV Eindhoven for a reported £36m in the summer of 2019 and hasn’t really lived up to the price tag with 25 goals and 12 assists in 110 appearances for the Serie A outfit.

However, Lozano could be reunited with current-Wolves striker and Mexico teammate Raul Jimenez at club level, with the latter making his desire to play alongside the forward, nicknamed ‘Chucky’, in Bruno Lage’s side.

Imagine him & Jimenez

Despite still being able to qualify for European football next season with Wolves sat in eighth, Lage’s men have struggled in the final third this term.

Only Brighton, Burnley, Watford and Norwich have scored fewer than the West Midlands outfit’s 33 Premier League goals this term in 32 matches.

Therefore, adding reinforcements to the attack would certainly be shrewd going into the new season as relying on the defence to be as colossal as it has been this campaign next is unsustainable.

Granted, the 26-year-old’s spell at Napoli has been incredibly inconsistent with his first season seeing the Mexican score five goals in 39 matches before a much-improved 15 in 43 matches last term before scoring just five all season this term.

However, having linked up with Jimenez on numerous occasions for the national team, Wolves could reap the rewards of reuniting the Mexico internationals at club level.

The £31.5m-rated 30-year-old has also endured a mixed season this term, scoring just six goals upon a miraculous return from a skull fracture.

Lozano has been subject to praise from his coach Luciano Spalleti, who called the winger “unique”, as well as midfield legend and Barcelona manager Xavi, who said he’s a footballer who is “capable of making a difference.”

There is certainly a risk by signing the 26-year-old, however, with the Mexican at a great age to still improve whilst also having plenty of experience and Wolves needing extra quality in the final third, it would certainly be a gamble worth making.

AND in other news: Forget Raul: Wolves must sign “special” 139-goal star who has the “mindset of a lion”