Tag Futebol

Crystal Palace are monitoring Middlesborough forward Chuba Akpom ahead of a potential move, according to The Daily Mail.

The Lowdown: Fine form

Akpom, sponsored by Nike, has been on the books at the Riverside Stadium since 2020 and has made 60 appearances for the Championship side.

He has been enjoying one of his best seasons in front of goal in the second tier, netting 13 times in 19 appearances – more than any other player in the league.

The former Arsenal forward now has 59 senior career goals to his name and is out of contract in the summer, and it looks as if Steve Parish and Dougie Freedman could be interested in a move.

The Latest: Palace interest

The Daily Mail shared a story on Monday regarding Akpom and a possible January transfer, with the player now in-demand.

They said that Palace, along with Premier League rivals Everton and Southampton, are monitoring the 27-year-old following his impressive displays under Michael Carrick.

The Verdict: New forward needed?

Palace are currently the lowest scorers in the top 15 sides in the Premier League, scoring just 17 times in 16 games. Wilfried Zaha is the only player to score more than five goals, however, his future is up in the air with his Selhurst Park contract set to expire in the summer.

Therefore, bringing in a new forward for Patrick Vieira this month could be a wise idea, and someone like Akpom could be a name to watch.

Sunderland manager Tony Mowbray has shared his thoughts on the injury picked up by Elliot Embleton during the Wearside club’s recent 1-1 draw against Hull City in the Championship. 

The Lowdown: Sunderland draw against Hull

Sunderland were denied a victory on Saturday as Ross Stewart’s 74th-minute opener was cancelled out by Ozan Tufan’s equaliser eight minutes later.

The Black Cats suffered a blow earlier on in the second half when Embleton was forced off the pitch on a stretcher with a suspected injury which came from a high-boot challenge which earned him a red card from the referee.

This led to Mowbray sharing his thoughts on the matter regarding the midfielder’s injury blow.

The Latest: Mowbray on Embleton injury

Speaking after the match (via Chronicle Live), Mowbray had his say when asked about Embleton’s injury.

The Black Cats manager said: “He’s gone to hospital. He’s gone in an ambulance to hospital, he was in a lot of discomfort.

“I don’t really want to comment on what we think it is. Our club doctor was here and he thought it was serious enough for him to go to hospital.

“He was in a lot of pain and hopefully whatever he needs doing, he will get looked after well. It looks like a bad injury. Let’s wait and see what the true diagnosis of that is.”

The Verdict: A blow for Sunderland

With Embleton boasting the joint-highest number of league appearances (23) to his name this season of any Sunderland player, this highlights how important the 23-year-old has been for the club.

To highlight what the midfielder has offered the Black Cats this season, only two players in Mowbray’s squad have made more key passes (16) and landed more shots on target (nine) than Embleton.

In addition, only three Sunderland players have completed more dribbles than the Englishman (13), further showcasing his attacking prowess.

Since the match against Hull, journalist James Hunter shared on Twitter that Embleton has reportedly broken his leg, although any official confirmation to this effect is yet to be delivered.

If that is the case, this will undeniably be a big blow for him and Sunderland, who may need to continue through the remainder of the campaign without him.

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.

Sheffield Wednesday will be looking to book their spot in the FA Cup third round on Saturday afternoon as they take on Mansfield Town at Hillsborough.

Darren Moore’s side earned their place in the second round with a 2-0 win over Morecambe and will be confident once again this weekend as they take on lower-league opposition after some strong recent displays.

The Owls may well be prioritising an automatic promotion push in League One but this represents an excellent opportunity for a potentially money-spinning cup run, so Moore should pick a strong side against The Stags.

Here is how Football FanCast expects the Owls to line up at Hillsborough this weekend, with five changes from the team that started last weekend’s 1-0 win over Shrewsbury Town.

Sheffield Wednesday XI (4-3-3): Dawson, Palmer, Ihiekwe, McGuinness, James, Vaulks, Bakinson, Bannan, Mighten, Wilks, Gregory

After missing the first round with a concussion, second-choice goalkeeper Cameron Dawson should be given an opportunity to start on Saturday, with David Stockdale dropping to the bench.

Dominic Iorfa limped off against Shrewsbury Town so the “man mountain” isn’t risked despite some strong recent form at right-back, with Liam Palmer replacing him.

The rest of the back four remains the same after the Owls’ resolute defence kept yet another clean sheet against the Shrews last time out.

There is one change in midfield, as Will Vaulks comes back into the team alongside Barry Bannan and Tyreeq Bakinson, with Fisayo Dele-Bashiru dropping out.

Alex Mighten’s strong recent form sees him keep his place on the wing, with Malik Wilks earning a rare start on the other side in the likely absence of Josh Windass, who also limped off last time out.

They support Lee Gregory up front, as the veteran striker replaces Michael Smith after being on the bench for recent fixtures.

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.

Leeds United have been dealt a fitness setback ahead of their Premier League meeting with Leicester City this evening.

What’s the latest?

Speaking in his pre-match press conference, Jesse Marsch revealed that, despite Adam Forshaw “feeling really good” in his recovery from an ankle injury, the central midfielder will not be fit for the trip to the King Power tonight.

Speaking about the current condition of the 31-year-old, the American manager said: “Adam’s coming back from injury but feeling really good.”

Additionally, injury analyst Ben Dinnery claimed in a post on Twitter that, despite the 48-year-old coach previously suggesting that Forshaw could be in line for a return to action this weekend, the Liverpool-born talent is still a couple of weeks away from featuring once more for the Whites.

In his post, Dinnery said: “Adam Forshaw is ‘feeling good’ although he is still a few weeks away.”

Bad news for Marsch

With central midfield not exactly being a position in which Leeds possess fantastic depth, coupled with how impressive Forshaw was in the heart of the Whites side last season, the fact that the 31-year-old looks as if he will remain sidelined for the foreseeable is undoubtedly bad news for Marsch and his side.

Indeed, at present, the 48-year-old has the options of Marc Roca, Tyler Adams and Mateusz Klich in the middle of the park – meaning that Leeds are just one injury or suspension away from being completely down to their bare bones in central midfield.

And, while it is true that a series of lengthy injury layoffs have seen his game time somewhat limited at Elland Road, the midfielder has nevertheless proven that, when fully fit and firing, he is an incredibly important part of the Whites’ squad.

Indeed, over his 22 Premier League appearances last season, the £2.6m-rated talent made an average of 2.4 tackles – the sixth-most in the Leeds side – 0.9 interceptions, 0.5 clearances and won 4.1 duels – at a success rate of 51% – per game.

The £20k-per-week engine also impressed going forwards, providing his teammates with one assist, in addition to completing an average of 31.4 passes – at an 84% success rate – finding his man with 2.4 long balls and making 0.6 key passes per game.

These returns saw the 31-year-old – who Jonathan Woodgate dubbed “the best player on the pitch” in a 4-2 defeat against Manchester United earlier this year – average a very respectable SofaScore match rating of 6.73, ranking him as Marsch’s 13th-best performer in the top flight of English football in 2021/22.

As such, it is clear to see that Forshaw’s continued absence for the trip to Leicester will come as a blow to Leeds, as not only does the midfielder provide fantastic cover for the likes of Adams and Roca in the middle of the park, he can also make a real impact for the Whites when called upon.

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.

Sunderland are reportedly eyeing up a potential move for Chester FC goalkeeper Wyll Stanway.

The Lowdown: Busy week

The Stadium of Light outfit confirmed the signing of Costa Rican winger Jewison Bennette on their official website this morning, as he joins from Costa Rican side C.S. Herediano for an undisclosed fee.

He becomes their seventh signing of the summer transfer window, after Daniel Ballard, Leon Dajaku, Aji Alese, Jack Clarke, Alex Bass and Ellis Simms, but it looks like they aren’t finished yet.

The Latest: Stanway next?

As per The Sun, the Wearside club have ‘looked at’ Stanway ahead of a possible move, while he has also attracted interest from West Ham United, Nottingham Forest, Huddersfield Town, Sheffield United and Wigan Athletic.

The younger brother of Lionesses hero Georgia Stanway, Wyll interestingly switched from being a central defender to a goalkeeper last season, and has never had any proper goalkeeping training.

The Verdict: Sign

With only two senior goalkeepers in Alex Neil’s squad at the moment, the Black Cats could do with a third in what is a long season in the Championship with extra cup competitions.

Hailed as ‘really exciting’ and a ‘real asset’ by Chester manager Calum McIntyre ahead of the new season, Stanway made 11 appearances in the National League North last term, and given that a number of Premier League clubs are interested in him as well as in the Championship, the six-foot-three colossus is clearly highly rated.

Stanway shares the same agent as three SAFC players, which could give them the edge in signing the 21-year-old, and his relative inexperience means a role behind two more senior figures at the Stadium of Light could be just what he needs for the next step in his development.

Rangers had to settle for a draw in their Premiership clash this afternoon in a match which saw two red cards and a late equaliser.

The Ibrox side came into the match having won their opening three league games, whereas Hibernian only had four points from a possible nine. A slow start from both teams was no indication of what was to come in a frantic second half, with James Tavernier’s penalty giving the visitors the lead.

Martin Boyle equalised from poor Rangers defending and Tom Lawrence quickly headed Van Bronckhorst’s side back in front before two incidents totally changed the nature of the game.

Firstly, John Lundstram was sent off for a poor lunge on Boyle, who was attempting to start a counterattack. Less than ten minutes later, Alfredo Morelos was also giving his marching orders following a wild swing of his arm into the face of Marijan Cabraja.

Rather inevitably, Hibs equalised in the final few minutes with a nice half-volley from Josh Campbell, who ensured that the points were shared at Easter Road.

Tavernier was Rangers’ brightest spark

The Rangers “legend” was arguably the best player for the Ibrox side, coolly slotting a first-half penalty to give Van Bronckhorst’s men a half-time lead.

His SofaScore rating of 7.3 was the joint-highest in the Rangers team alongside Lawrence and Borna Barisic, while his 87 touches during the game were the most among the visitors’ line-up, showing his urgency to get on the ball and begin attacks from the back.

The Gers captain also made three tackles and three interceptions and succeeded with both his attempted dribbles. He was again the leader that the Light Blues needed, despite the disappointment of conceding a late equaliser.

The Dutchman will be delighted that his captain has signed a new extension to his contract at the club, as today it was evident that his cool head, especially when his team are under pressure, will be absolutely crucial going forward.

Despite the costly equaliser, Rangers can head into the second leg of their Champions League play-off tie against PSV Eindhoven in a confident mood. If Tavernier can replicate his performance from today in the Netherlands in midweek, the Gers could be sampling group stage football in Europe’s premier club competition.

Transfer insider Dean Jones has claimed that Aston Villa have ‘explored’ the possibility of signing Espanyol striker Raul de Tomas this summer. 

The lowdown: Wanted man

Already linked with a move to the Villans in this transfer window, Bayern Munich, Arsenal, Newcastle, West Ham and Everton have all also been indexed to De Tomas.

However, despite the apparent major interest in his services, the 27-year-old Spain international is yet to secure a move away and has reportedly been awaiting offers from boyhood club Real Madrid, where he came through the youth ranks.

Having allowed Wesley to join La Liga outfit Levante on loan for the upcoming campaign, Steven Gerrard is believed to be on the lookout for additional firepower and one well-informed onlooker has shed some light on the perceived interest in De Tomas from Villa Park…

The latest: ‘Explored’

Speaking to Give Me Sport, Jones – a journalist for Eurosport – has claimed that Villa have ‘explored’ a deal for the four-cap star.

He said: “I think it’s one that’s been explored.

“I think that ultimately, Steven Gerrard needs to know for sure that it definitely elevates their goal output for next season. That’s what he’s trying to make sure of, there can be no risks taken here.”

The verdict: One needed

Albeit both Ollie Watkins and Danny Ings have proven to be capable operators in the Premier League on multiple occasions, injuries, dips in form and struggles when working as a pair detracted from their ability to lead the line last term.

Behind those two, Gerrard currently only has Keinan Davis and Cameron Archer at his disposal, two vastly inexperienced operators at anything like the level of the top flight, leaving room for at least one frontline addition, particularly given the manager’s preference to utilise a 4-3-3 formation.

A classic number nine also capable of playing across the front three, last season, De Tomas – who was described as possessing a ‘special elegance’ in the way he plays by reputable analysis site Breaking The Lines – scored 17 times and provided three assists in 34 Spanish top-flight outings.

Valued at £22.5million and under contract until 2026 (Transfermarkt), signing the talented Spaniard would be an expensive venture for Johan Lange and the Villa hierarchy – who are also attempting to tie Douglas Luiz down to fresh terms – but would certainly be a welcome addition as the new season looms.