All posts by z3u9t.icu

According to Daily Mail reporter Sami Mokbel, Antonio Conte believed he could turn Tanguy Ndombele’s Tottenham career around, but that is now no longer the case.

The Lowdown: Ndombele booed off…

The club record signing has been at the centre of reports linking him with a move away from Spurs after he was booed off during the Lilywhites’ 3-1 FA Cup third round win over Morecambe.

[web_stories_embed url=”https://www.footballtransfertavern.com/web-stories/spurs-latest-updates-5/” title=”Spurs latest updates!” poster=”” width=”360″ height=”600″ align=”none”]

Ndombele slowly walked off the pitch and headed straight down the tunnel, drawing the wrath of Tottenham’s home supporters as he refused to vacate the pitch with any real haste.

The Frenchman, among other players who could potentially leave, has his future up in the air under manager Antonio Conte with the Spurs head coach now making a major decision behind-the-scenes.

The Latest: Conte performs Ndombele U-turn…

According to Mail reporter Mokbel, the former Chelsea manager is ‘no longer convinced’ by Tottenham’s midfield man despite originally thinking he could ‘get a tune’ out of the player.

In his report, the journalist explains that Conte ‘had originally planned for Ndombele to stay at the club’ but is now ‘ready to cut his losses’ this month – greenlighting his January exit.

The Verdict: For the best?

Averaging more completed dribbles per 90 than any Spurs player in the Premier League last season (WhoScored) whilst proving his undoubted ability in flashes, doubts have mostly surrounded his application and attitude.

On a reported £200,000-per-week, one of the club’s highest earners, chairman Daniel Levy and managing director Fabio Paratici could be looking for ways to cut the club’s expenses and fund much-needed new additions by offloading Ndombele this month.

If a willing buyer comes in, it would arguably be foolish of Tottenham not to entertain selling before January 31 and indeed cut their losses on a player who has already been given time to prove his worth.

In other news: Spurs agree £33.4m option for sensational player after loan spell with EPL rivals! Find out more here.

West Ham ended their Europa League with their first defeat of the competition as Dinamo Zagreb recorded a 1-0 victory at the London Stadium on Thursday evening.

David Moyes’ much-rotated and youthful-looking Irons outfit were badly let down by some of the team’s senior stars, most notably Andriy Yarmolenko, who disappointed with yet another lacklustre diasterclass.

His time in the claret and blue is surely creeping towards an end, if it wasn’t already. The 32-year-old dud has no right to still be at the club, particularly with him raking in the second-highest amount of wages at £115k-per-week.

Furthermore, having picked up 106 caps for Ukraine, he would have been expected to be a leader as many of the club’s academy prospects featured, including Jamal Baptiste, Sonny Perkins and Harrison Ashby.

It was the former Borussia Dortmund star who was at fault for the Croatian’s only goal of the game. He did absolutely nothing to thwart Mislav Orsic as he cut inside to make the Hammers’ young backline pay with a sensational strike from range.

‘Still can’t kick with his right foot’ and ‘lazy’ is exactly how football.london reporter Tom Clark described Yarmolenko after the game, whilst it is a rather telling tale that it was Moyes’ 17-year-old striker shouting at the veteran to actually move whilst still on the pitch.

His lack of influence was reflected by the fact that he recorded fewer touches (24) than any starter for either team. Even West Ham goalkeeper Alphonse Areola managed 27 touches, with substitute Said Benrahma (36) also eclipsing the Ukraine international with ease, too.

Similarly, the versatile 6 foot 2 attacker managed only nine successful passes, comfortably the worst of the Irons’ starting XI. Again, Benrahma doubled this tally in half the time, having come on after the break. He also failed with all three of his crossing attempts, echoing Clark’s comments on his poor delivery on the right flank.

As revealed by the Evening Standard’s Jack Rosser, who even dubbed him “shocking”, Yarmolenko was even booed off by sections of the London Stadium faithful.

On a night where the result did not matter, that reaction is damning.

Not only was the 32-year-old lazy and uninterested but he was also weak and rather lightweight, having lost four of his seven duels (57%), on top of losing possession 11 times from his 25 touches – once every 2.3 touches, as per SofaScore.

With January fast approaching, it could be time to finally offload the wretched £18m signing. He badly betrayed Moyes and the fanbase this week.

AND in other news, David Moyes dealt triple West Ham blow as injuries pile up…

West Ham United make the short trip across London to face Arsenal in the Premier League this evening and manager David Moyes has plenty to think about in terms of team selection.

The Irons drew 0-0 to Burnley on Sunday and they struggled to create much in attack, managing just three shots on target all game.

It could mean that the Scotsman shakes things up in the attack but it remains to be seen just how much he can do after alluding to potential injury problems during his pre-game press conference.

He is also having to deal with a defensive injury crisis, too.

So what sort of line-up could we see at the Emirates Stadium this evening? Here’s what Football FanCast are predicting…

There could be just two changes from Sunday’s stalemate at Turf Moor as Moyes opts for a different formation.

His backline should remain largely unchanged due to the lack of options available, with the likes of Ben Johnson, Kurt Zouma and Angelo Ogbonna all injured.

However, we could finally see a return for Aaron Cresswell, who must be facing a late fitness test before kick-off after Moyes hinted that he was trying to get him back for this game. He has been missing since the defeat to Man City, where he picked up a back injury after colliding with the post.

The 31-year-old may then start in a back three alongside Craig Dawson and Issa Diop, in front of usual no.1 Lukasz Fabianski, which means Arthur Masuaku and Vladimir Coufal are deployed as wing-backs.

In midfield, the ever-present duo of Declan Rice and Tomas Soucek should remain.

The final change comes in the attack as £18m-rated dynamo Pablo Fornals returns to the starting XI after being dropped from it two games ago. He is likely to replace an out-of-sorts Said Benrahma, with Manuel Lanzini also making way for the aforementioned switch in tactics.

He will join Jarrod Bowen just behind striker Michail Antonio.

AND in other news, Moyes must axe £22.5m-rated West Ham passenger vs Arsenal, he’s now holding them back…

Steven Gerrard is dreaming of bringing Villarreal centre-back Pau Torres to Aston Villa, according to Spanish outlet Fichajes. 

The lowdown

The 24-year-old is enjoying a first taste of Champions League football with Villarreal this season, having helped them defeat Manchester United to win the 2020/21 Europa League. He featured in the tournament’s Squad of the Season in recognition of his performances on the road to triumph in Gdansk.

Torres also earned a call-up to the Spain squad for last summer’s European Championship, featuring in all six of their matches as they reached the semi-final, where they lost on penalties to eventual champions Italy.

Javi Calleja, one of his former coaches, has marvelled at his ‘extraordinary talent to construct the play’, which saw him occasionally used as a midfielder. Another mentor, Miguel Alvarez of Villarreal B, has spoken of his ‘barbarous natural talent’ (via The Athletic).

For an idea of his playing style, he boasts a similar profile to Manchester City’s Aymeric Laporte, former Arsenal defender David Luiz and Chelsea’s Antonio Rudiger (via FBRef).

The latest

The report from Fichajes stated that Torres is a player with whom Gerrard ‘completely falls in love’.

The Villa manager apparently intent on upgrading at centre-half, with captain Tyrone Mings and Axel Tuanzebe adjudged to be in a ‘significant slump’ of form, and Gerrard knows he has ‘a lot of money’ at his disposal in his new position to strengthen the squad.

However, Villa will apparently need to shell out €50m, which equates to around £42m, to persuade Villarreal to part with Torres. His name has been mentioned in connection with Real Madrid and Manchester United, but there is a feeling that he’s not quite reached the elite level just yet.

The verdict

Signing Torres would be quite some coup for Villa. He has not only held his own against United but also, Calleja says, against the likes of Karim Benzema, Lionel Messi and Luis Suarez.

He’d be a real asset to Gerrard when it came to building attacks from deep – his passing success rate of 89.1% is better than anyone who has started a Premier League match for Villa this term.

Is it a realistic signing? If the top clubs haven’t seen enough yet to take the plunge on him, and the Midlanders have the money, then it’s just a matter of persuading Torres to swap Villarreal for Villa.

Given that Villarreal are currently 12th in La Liga, they might not have the advantage of European football next season, which could be another factor in Villa’s hopes of luring him to England.

In other news, this is who Gerrard wants at left-back for Villa

Newcastle United have been sent a clear message by Philippe Coutinho’s entourage ahead of the transfer window. 

The lowdown: Record breaker

Coutinho still holds the record for the biggest transfer involving a Premier League club, having left Liverpool to join Barcelona in January 2018 for a fee of £121.5million.

He’s started five La Liga matches so far this season, making a further six substitute appearances. The 29-year-old has scored two goals from 22 shots and also recorded 16 shot-creating actions (via FBRef).

Coutinho is under contract until June 2023 and is valued at £18million by Transfermarkt. His £380,000-per-week salary makes him the highest earner at the Camp Nou.

New Barca manager Xavi adores the playmaker, saying Coutinho is a player he ‘likes personally’ and stressing that he possesses an ‘innate talent’ (via ESPN).

The latest: Fresh update emerges

Mundo Deportivo (via Sport Witness) have again named Newcastle in connection with Coutinho, perhaps unsurprising given his uninspiring time since leaving England and the Magpies’ new-found riches.

However, the position of the Brazilian’s camp ‘to this day’ is that ‘he will not move from Barca in January’.

The verdict: Assist machine, but too risky

Coutinho has racked up a series of honours in his career. He’s won the Champions League and Copa America, whilst at an individual level, he’s been named in the PFA Team of the Year and even led the way for assists at a World Cup.

But according to Xavi, he’s now facing ‘psychological’ obstacles, preventing him from demonstrating that ‘innate talent’.

When you also consider his eye-watering salary, perhaps it would ultimately be for the best if Newcastle missed out on signing him, as signing a hugely costly player who is down on his luck and confidence would be an incredibly risky first marquee signing of the new era.

In other news, Newcastle have offered a record deal to this big-six ace.

A number of Liverpool supporters are excited after the Reds were linked with a move for 18-year-old American sensation Ricardo Pepi.

Jurgen Klopp had a quiet summer in the transfer market, much to the frustration of some fans. Ibrahima Konate ended up being the only new face to arrive at the club, with the exciting young centre-back joining from RB Leipzig

[freshpress-quiz id=“375258″]

The hope is that Liverpool will be busier in the transfer market moving forward, and an intriguing rumour has emerged.

According to The Mirror [via Anfield Watch on Twitter], the Reds and Manchester United are among the clubs eyeing up a move for Pepi.

The teenage striker has scored three goals in just four appearances for the USA, also netting 16 times in 55 matches for FC Dallas in the MLS.

[web_stories_embed url=”https://www.footballtransfertavern.com/web-stories/latest-liverpool-transfer-news-8/” title=”Latest Liverpool transfer news!” poster=”” width=”360″ height=”600″ align=”none”]

Liverpool fans react to Pepi rumour

These Liverpool fans took to Twitter to react to the rumour, with many excited over the Reds’ links with the American prodigy.

“It’s happening”

Credit: @BleedGreenHive

“PEPI MY BOY!!!!”

Credit:@Kloppista_LFC

“No idea who he is but he’s a striker, make it happen!”

Credit: @NegusSabali

“Please”

Credit: @EliteQB4

“As an American Liverpool fan I’d love to see this, one for the future for sure”

Credit: @Cfarnes89

“Lewandowski type of player. Not 100% if he can play center forward. But Klopp did say he wanted a goal scorer last summer”

Credit: @9Erwinv

In other news, Liverpool reportedly ‘never opened talks’ with one player. Find out who it is here.

While things very much appear to be on the up for Celtic under the leadership of Ange Postecoglou, with the 56-year-old’s Bhoys side currently on a run of eight consecutive games without defeat, there are nevertheless a couple of issues that remain at Parkhead.

One such problem is at left-back, with Greg Taylor’s long-term injury highlighting Postecoglou’s rather considerable lack of both quality and depth in the position.

Indeed, while the emergence of 19-year-old Adam Montgomery has helped to cover for Celtic’s stricken defender, the youngster’s lack of first-team experience has often seen the Hoops boss fielding summer signing Josip Juranovic out of position on the left-hand side of his backline.

There is one other option Postecoglou could call upon in the position, that of Boli Bolingoli, however, the fact that the 26-year-old left-back has made just two appearances for Celtic this season, despite the club enduring something of an injury crisis in the position, speaks volumes of the manager’s opinion on the former Belgium youth international.

Indeed, after joining the club in what was a £3.01m deal back in the summer of 2019, the defender went on to make just 14 league appearances in his debut campaign at Parkhead, before Neil Lennon took the decision to loan the left-back out in September of last year after it was discovered Bolingoli had broken quarantine rules – with the Northern Irishman dubbing the 26-year-old “selfish” as a result of his actions.

Since then, it has been a downhill slope for the former Club Brugge man, being afforded just 180 minutes of game time under the management of Postecoglou, with some reports suggesting that the 56-year-old could be looking to move the £1.98m-rated defender on in January.

This would appear to be an extremely intelligent call, as, considering the fact that Bolingoli is reported to be earning a princely £16k-per-week at Parkhead, the Belgian is quite simply stealing a living in Glasgow at present.

In other news: Outrageous stat proves £1.8m-rated “menace” is closing in on 242-goal Celtic legend

Aston Villa are eyeing a move for Stoke City star Harry Souttar in the January transfer window, and Alan Hutton has given his seal of approval behind a move.

What’s the story?

Reports in recent days have suggested that Dean Smith’s side have got their eye on a new year swoop for the centre-back, and former Villa man Hutton has insisted Souttar would be a great signing for them.

He said: “I think when you look at the boys who are there, they’re all good in the air. I’ve worked with them, I know they can be physical but they like playing with the ball at their feet as well.

“I think it’s very good to have those different styles of footballers within your armoury. It gives you the option if you want. If somebody’s injured, you want to play four at the back, three at the back or something may happen, you’ve got room to manoeuvre. I think that was Dean Smith’s plan moving forward. The starting XI was very good but they needed to bolster the squad.

“I think that’s the situation that they’re in at the moment. He obviously ticks all the boxes. He’s very physical, he’s there to win the ball and it’s good to have someone like that in your backline.”

Shades of Tyrone Mings

Once described as a “Rolls-Royce” by Stoke stalwart Ryan Shawcross, the defender has been compared to a number of different big-name players, including the likes of Harry Maguire and Virgil van Dijk.

His manager at Stoke, Michael O’Neill, is clearly a big fan of the kind of modern, ball-playing centre-back that Souttar is, saying: “He’s a player blessed with great natural attributes. Obviously his height but also he’s got good game intelligence and he’s a great user of the ball as well. That’s something which I think will set him apart from the other defenders in this league.”

And, when you compare his physical attributes (he’s an inch taller than Mings at a towering 6 foot 6), as well as his key defensive stats to the Villa man, they favour well.

As per Whoscored, he averages a whopping six times the amount of tackles per game as Mings, while he also boasts more interceptions per match in the Championship too. Not only that, but Souttar also makes close to eighty passes per game on average for Stoke (29 more than Mings), and at a far better accuracy too.

The Stoke beast could bring some added physicality to Villa’s back-line and give Smith some extra depth in that centre-back role. His height, reading of the game and ability to play out from the back has got real shades of Mings.

Meanwhile, Ashley Preece has confirmed an Aston Villa “blow”…

After convincingly beating Watford 5-0 in their previous Premier League outing followed by a 3-2 Champions League win away at Atletico Madrid in midweek, Liverpool have a big game on their hands with Sunday’s trip to Old Trafford to face Manchester United, who are currently four points behind the Reds in the league table.

Jota should start

In terms of who Reds manager Jurgen Klopp could include in his starting XI this afternoon, we feel that Diogo Jota should definitely be in it.

Liverpool signed the Portugal forward in September 2020 from fellow Premier League club Wolves in a deal worth a reported £41m.

In his debut season with the Merseyside club, the 24-year-old – who is currently valued at £40.5m by Transfermarkt – netted 13 goals in 30 appearances across all competitions.

So far this season, Jota – who has previously been described as a “monster” by Liverpool’s assistant manager Pep Lijnders – has scored three goals in seven Premier League appearances.

Furthermore, he has averaged 2.6 shots and 1.6 key passes per game, showing how much of an attacking threat he has been for the Reds in the Premier League. That illustrates how he could be a terrifying prospect for United’s defenders to face on Sunday.

Even though he didn’t start in midweek against Atletico, Jota came on as a second half substitute, replacing Sadio Mane just after the hour mark. He managed to win Liverpool’s penalty, won three out of his five duels and ultimately earned himself an overall match rating of 7/10, higher than most Liverpool players who started the match according to SofaScore.

In terms of who he could replace in the starting XI tody, we feel that Jota could slot in the team ahead of Roberto Firmino, who failed to impress against Atletico as he didn’t register even one shot on target.

Whether or not Klopp chooses to start Jota, the Reds will definitely be aiming to secure all three points to keep them towards the top of the league table, especially considering how Chelsea recorded a resounding 7-0 win over Norwich City yesterday.

In other news: Signed for nothing, now worth £7.2m: Klopp has struck gold on “unbelievable” LFC beast

Relaying a ‘message to Spurs fans’ from Nuno Espirito Santo, Alasdair Gold has shared what the Portuguese has now told him about one worry at Tottenham.

The Lowdown: Nuno in hot water…

After a hot start to the 2021/2022 season which saw early victories against the likes of Manchester City, it appears Spurs and Nuno have been dragged right back down to earth by their recent form.

[web_stories_embed url=”https://www.footballtransfertavern.com/web-stories/spurs-developments/” title=”Spurs developments!” poster=”” width=”360″ height=”600″ align=”none”]

Indeed, their latest loss in a resounding 3-0 London derby defeat had it’s slight positives, particularly in the first half, but the next 45 was certainly one to forget.

As they gear up for their second clash of the season already against Nuno’s old club Wolves, Gold has now relayed a message from the Spurs boss about one big worry at N17.

The Latest: Gold shares Spurs fan message…

Relaying a message to Spurs supporters from Nuno, Gold has shared what the Lilywhites head coach has now said about ‘the lack of attractive football’.

Chairman Daniel Levy wanted to reinstall the open, attacking style Tottenham are known for and even published that promise in an end of season letter (Sky Sports).

Alas, what fans have seen so far arguably doesn’t reflect Levy’s pledge, with Gold now sharing what Nuno told him about the matter in a press conference (via football.london).

When asked by the journalist if Nuno’s Spurs will score goals and show creativity, as well as being pragmatic, the 47-year-old responded.

“We have to find the balance Alasdair,” explained the Spurs manager.

“We have to find the balance in our game. If you want me to talk about the game against Chelsea, all the positives happened in the first half and we can share a lot of things that were ok and for sure the fans were happy.

“In the second half we didn’t do things. We opened ourselves. One concern we have is when we concede first we are not able to react. The team is not strong enough to go and give a good response.

“A lot of things that we have to improve on, but what we saw is what is moving us forward in the first half, this attitude, this willingness to go and really nice football, really nice football.”

The Verdict: Interesting times ahead…

Much was made of putting the regrettable Jose Mourinho era behind Tottenham and bringing back an exciting, entertaining brand of free-flowing football.

It is arguably too early in Nuno’s tenure to make a full judgement on his ability to do this and time must be awarded to a manager who guided Wolves to successive seventh-placed Premier League finishes straight after promotion from England’s second tier.

That said, the collapse in the second half against Chelsea is definitely cause for concern, and the fact the Lilywhites have barely created a clear-cut chance across their last two league matches certainly goes against Levy’s pledge for exciting football.

In other news: ‘Wow’, ‘Levy is a criminal’, ‘This can’t be real’…Many Tottenham fans flock to ’embarrassing’ claim, find out more here.