All posts by n8rngtd.top

Injury expert and Sky Sports contributor Ben Dinnery has given his verdict on the injury suffered by Leeds United’s Liam Cooper.

The Lowdown: Cooper misses training

Phil Hay of The Athletic said that the defender wouldn’t be available for their Premier League match with Brentford last Sunday, but that manager Jesse Marsch was hopeful he will be back training next week.

Cooper has played 12 league games this season for the Whites, scoring his only goal of the campaign in Leeds’ tight 4-3 victory against Bournemouth back in November.

Prior to his latest setback, the Whites skipper had put together a decent run of games before suffering an injury in training last week, which saw him miss Leeds’ FA Cup replay against Cardiff City.

The Latest: Dinnery gives Cooper injury verdict

Speaking on the Premier FPL Injuries YouTube channel, Dinnery touched on the injury suffered by Cooper and claimed that Marsch had initially expected him to be involved against the Bees.

He stated: “Liam Cooper was out of the matchday squad. Jesse Marsch had spoken about this minor issue he picked up while warming up in training, said he fully expected him to be involved.

“However, when he tried to put him through his paces in training on the Saturday, he felt that, and that’s why January signing Max Wober came in for his full Premier League debut.

“The expectation is that he will be on the training pitches this week; he could start in the FA Cup, but again, that remains to be seen.”

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The Verdict: Stick with Wober

New signing Maximilian Wober, who joined at the start of the month from Red Bull Salzburg for around £11m, was given the nod by Marsch to start in Leeds’ latest Premier League clash.

The Leeds boss has raved about his new January addition in a recent press conference (via Leeds Live), stating that the player has fitted in ‘seamlessly’ at Elland Road.

We believe that Whites should stick with Austrian in the centre-back position going forward, as he excels over Cooper in most defensive areas.

Wober averages 2.74 tackles per 90 minutes over the last year as well as making 2.15 blocks, while Cooper’s numbers in those categories come out at 2.02 and 0.75 respectively.

Leeds have shipped 33 league goals this season, the fourth-worst total in the Premier League. If they want to tighten up at the back, we believe Wober is a better option than Cooper, as his evident ability to stop the opposition on the ball and willingness to get his body in the way are the types of traits the club will need in a relegation fight.

Hopefully, the new Whites ace will be more reliable from a fitness point of view, too.

Manchester United have reportedly been ‘offered’ the chance to sign Juventus striker Dusan Vlahovic.

The Lowdown: Points deduction

Juve have received a 15 point deduction in the Serie A after an investigation into past transfer dealings, and will appeal the decision made on Friday.

It leaves them in ninth place in the table, and crucially 14 points off of the UEFA Champions League places, so if they lose their appeal, the Old Lady will find it very difficult to reach those positions come the end of the season.

The Latest: Vlahovic ‘offered’

Taking to Twitter, transfer expert Graeme Bailey says that United have been ‘offered’ the chance to sign Vlahovic, as they consider striking options:

“Dusan Vlahovic offered to Man Utd as club consider striking options.”

Expanding in his corresponding article for 90min, Bailey adds that Champions League football is ‘important’ to the Serbia international, and he would like to play in the competition next year.

United are looking good to qualify, given that they are in the top four at the moment, and are ‘planning’ to sign a first choice striker before next season.

Chelsea, Arsenal, PSG and Bayern Munich have also been offered Vlahovic, but Juve do not want to sell him for less than the €80m (£70m) that they paid to sign him from Fiorentina.

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The Verdict: Get it done this summer

With Wout Weghorst only on loan from Burnley, and Anthony Martial too injury-prone to lead the line regularly, the Red Devils will be focusing all of their attention on signing a new striker this summer, and Vlahovic could be their man.

Lauded as a ‘beast‘ by journalist Siavoush Fallahi, he has already scored a total of 78 senior career goals for both club and country combined by the tender age of just 22, and more importantly, could be easier to obtain given Juve’s current situation.

Incidentally, Vlahovic shares a similar playing style to Old Trafford legend Cristiano Ronaldo, and at 22, still has plenty of time to reach close to the heights of the 37-year-old.

Chelsea have been linked with a host of right-backs this season, with standout performer Reece James shackled to the medical department for large proportions of the campaign and veteran skipper Cesar Azpilicueta approaching the twilight phase of his career at Stamford Bridge.

Multiple names have indeed been touted with a move to SW6, and Kyle Walker-Peters has become the latest addition to the rumour mill, with talkSPORT’s Alex Crook stating that the Blues are set to rival Manchester United for the Southampton full-back.

The Red Devils are said to be looking to replace Aaron Wan-Bissaka, who has been linked with a move away from Old Trafford, while Chelsea indeed need a player of top-class quality to bolster the right-back position given James’ recent injury woes. 

The 25-year-old has been catching the eye for the Saints since joining from Tottenham Hotspur in 2020 for £12m, after initially impressing out on loan with the south coast outfit. Meanwhile, Spurs are also keeping tabs on the player’s availability following his previous departure from the club, as per the aforementioned report. 

Southampton are currently confined to the Premier League relegation zone, having won just three of their 18 top-flight matches this season, but Walker-Peters can hold his head high after maintaining a solid level of performance amid the relative mediocrity at St Mary’s.

So far this season, the £20k-per-week defender has made 14 appearances in the league, scoring one goal, creating two big chances and averaging 0.7 key passes, 1.7 tackles and 1.4 clearances per match, as per Sofascore.

Displaying respectable numbers to his offensive game despite plying his trade for a languishing team who have scored just 15 goals in the league this term is a testament to his tenacity in seeking forward openings and always looking to improve the Saints’ fortunes.

A per FBref, the two-cap England international ranks within the top 3% of full-backs for dribbles completed, the top 11% for touches in the attacking penalty area and the top 27% for rate of non-penalty goals when compared to positional peers playing across Europe’s major leagues over the past year.

Chelsea boss Graham Potter must be licking his lips at the prospect of nurturing this innate offensive talent, providing him with a vivacious alternative to the injury-plagued James and an increased attacking impetus from the full-back areas.

Hailed as “outstanding” by Danny Higginbotham in 2022, Walker-Peters ought to be slowly edging towards a move to a European-challenging outfit considering his displays in a struggling team.

With Southampton attempting to stave off the threat of relegation, Potter’s mission to secure the marauding full-back could be made a whole lot easier should the Saints indeed fall into the Championship.

Insider ExWHUemployee has claimed that Qatar Sports Investments (QSI) are looking to invest in a football club and a side such as West Ham United could fit the bill.

What’s the word?

As per Sky Sports, it was recently reported that Tottenham Hotspur chairman Daniel Levy and QSI head Nasser Al-Khelaifi met last week and the subject of investing in the club was discussed among other topics – although Spurs have denied such reports.

QSI own PSG and recently took on 23% of Portuguese side Braga and are said to be looking at ‘football investment opportunities’ around the globe.

In a new update on The West Ham Way podcast, Ex has now explained that the group are looking to acquire a football club with land that could be developed.

He then explained that West Ham fall into that category though there have been no talks between QSI and the Hammers’ ownership at this stage.

He explained: “Qatar Sports Investment is something worth keeping an eye on. They’ve apparently had talks with Spurs about taking over them.

“They’re said to be interested in acquiring a football club or acquiring a football club that has land that could be developed. Of course, West Ham fall into that category.

“And in 2023, I think from April onwards, the board will not face a fine if they sell the club. Now, at the moment, there has been no offer.

“There’s been nothing that’s even looked like being an offer for West Ham. And it’s not even known whether we would actually entertain an offer with [Daniel] Kretinsky now there and [David] Sullivan, still enjoying what he’s doing.”

Time for a change? 

As Ex makes clear, there is no guarantee that West Ham would even be considered as an option for QSI and so fans shouldn’t start to jump to any conclusions just yet – although, Simon Jordan did predict last year (via West Ham Zone) that the club might be sold in 2023.

As well as that, following the recent passing of joint-chairman David Gold, it would be wrong to speculate heavily on what direction the club will take in the near future at this stage.

It will be interesting to see what steps QSI take over the coming weeks though as they seek out a new project to invest in. Of course, Manchester United and Liverpool are both potentially up for sale and so those two Premier League giants may be viewed as more attractive options.

Newcastle United have held talks with the agent of the Real Valladolid right-back Ivan Fresneda over a potential move to Tyneside.

What’s the latest?

Eddie Howe’s side have noted the right-back spot as their priority position for this month’s transfer window and have identified the La Liga youngster as an option.

This is according to the reliable journalist Fabrizio Romano who has been speaking on the House of Champions YouTube channel about the Magpies’ interest in the 18-year-old.

However, the Italian journalist did caveat his comments by saying the Toon have not yet made an approach to the Spanish outfit yet and have only sounded out the player:

“At the moment, nothing is still advanced or close to being completed. But they’re working on some potential ideas.

“For example, Ivan Fresneda is a right-back from Real Valladolid, born in 2004. One of the most talented right-backs in Europe in this moment.

“They’re following him. They’re having some conversations with his agents. Let’s see if they will decide to proceed with an official bid at the moment it’s not a direct negotiation yet.”

Investing in the future

As well as claiming the Magpies have identified Fresneda as a target for this month, Romano hailed the transfer strategy of the Newcastle owners over the previous two transfer windows.

Newcastle have spent sufficiently over the first two windows with PIF at the helm, however, they have only made one signing worth over £40m in the addition of Alexander Isak.

And although they have still made some significant signings over £30m, considering the wealth of their owners, Newcastle have approached the transfer windows with a reserved approach given the financial backing behind them.

And it seems as if this summer could be an opportunity for Howe to bring in some young players who will provide Newcastle with quality for the future.

Although Kieran Trippier has that spot at right-back nailed down, it has to be said, Newcastle could probably do with more quality from the bench to back up the England international.

Currently, Javier Manquillo is Howe’s option from the bench at right-back with Emil Krafth currently sidelined through a long-term injury picked up last year.

However, the Spaniard’s contract at Newcastle is set to run out at the end of the next campaign and Krafth has been unable to provide anywhere near the return Trippier has in front of goal during his time on Tyneside.

And although Fresneda has just eight la Liga appearances to his name, it is apparent he is one to watch for the future with Romano clearly holding hue expectations for what Fresneda could become.

Manchester United have reportedly cast their eyes in the direction of Patrick Schick, with focus on bolstering the centre-forward position as the club look to rise up the ranks in the Premier League.

This is according to reports stemming from Spain, which chalk Schick’s name onto the list of candidates to take Cristiano Ronald0’s role in the side, after the legendary Portuguese forward came to a mutual agreement with the club to terminate his contract in acrimonious circumstances in November.

Offensive “genius”

United’s issues in attack have been laid on the table for all to see this season, with Anthony Martial and Marcus Rashford the only two established players capable of adopting the role.

Rashford has been in blistering form under Red Devils boss Erik ten Hag, scoring 12 goals and serving four assists from 23 outings across all competitions, but his most bounteous rewards are found when out on the left flank, while Martial has only scored eight Premier League goals since the beginning of the 20/21 campaign.

Last season was when the £94k-per-week Schick was thriving with form to rival any forward across Europe, with the 35-cap star recording an average rating of 7.26, as per Sofascore, exhibiting physicality and a clinical nature with aplomb, captivating with the sheer regularity of his net-breaking strikes.

Indeed, plying his trade for Bayer Leverkusen in the German Bundesliga, the £26m-rated striker scored 24 goals from 27 league appearances – outscoring Erling Haaland’s 22 strikes – but he has fallen wide of the mark this term, netting only three times amid Leverkusen’s struggles; the club languish in 12th place after 15 matches, albeit with three wins on the trot.

United will be hoping he can emulate his feats of last season if technical director John Murtough can indeed instigate a transfer, combining the cogs to unleash a formidable machine against Premier League defences.

Despite the Czech forward’s current woes, a change of scenery might well spark the fire back in his belly, with his feats over the past several years evidence that he can prosper among any division, and bypass any defence.

Nearly signing for Juventus in a £26m deal in 2017 before failing his medical, the 26-year-old “genius” – as dubbed by Jaroslav Šilhavý – has indeed since gone on to successfully test his mettle against some of football’s finest backlines, and he would certainly flourish in a United team on an upward trajectory and holding a rekindled flame to alight their offensive drive.

Tottenham Hotspur fans have been provided an update on the future of Lucas Moura by transfer guru Fabrizio Romano.

The Lowdown: Moura’s Tottenham future

Moura’s Tottenham contract does not expire until June 2024, however he has evidently started to fall down the pecking order at the club, with Antonio Conte giving him far less game time than he has become accustomed to.

The winger made 34 Premier League appearances last season, but this term he has only been selected for a total of 90 minutes across eight league outings, being utilised as more of an impact player, in part due to a calf injury that ruled him out for eight games.

The Latest: Romano’s update

Romano took to Twitter to dispel the rumours from the last few weeks that the Brazilian has been in talks with boyhood club Sao Paulo, but he details that he could leave at the end of the season, saying:

“There are no talks between São Paulo and Tottenham for Lucas Moura, as things stand.

“Brazilian winger could stay at Spurs until the end of the season and then leave as free agent in June, this is the expectation.”

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The Verdict: Right move?

With Dejan Kulusevski being ruled out of the game against Aston Villa on New Year’s Day, it is the correct decision for Conte to keep Lucas at the club until the summer, as he is still a good back-up option to have

Lauded as ‘outrageous’ at his best by journalist James Ducker, the 30-year-old has averaged 0.32 assists per 90 over the past year, placing him in the 84th percentile compared to his positional peers, highlighting that he is still very much a threat going forward.

Moura is still injured at the moment, with Conte unable to provide any concrete date on when he is likely to return, but when he is back to full fitness, he will be a helpful player for Tottenham in their push for the top four, and the club can then sign a younger replacement in the summer.

Tottenham have identified England international Jordan Pickford as their ‘main objective’ to replace goalkeeper Hugo Lloris, according to reports.

The Lowdown: Spurs think to future…

Recent reports have suggested that Spurs boss Antonio Conte and sporting director Fabio Paratici are thinking of Lloris’ successor as the Frenchman enters his twilight years.

The World Cup finalist, now 35-years-old, could be nearing the end of what has been a stellar ten-year stay in the Premier League after his 2012 move from Lyon.

Conte and Paratici have reportedly identified their top target to succeed Lloris between the sticks, and it’s apparently Everton’s number one.

The Latest: Pickford ‘main objective’ for Spurs…

According to Italian sources, the former Sunderland shot-stopper has climbed to the top of Spurs’ transfer wish list with the club ‘already looking beyond’ Lloris.

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TUTTOmercatoWEB claim the saga could ‘take shape’ next season and Pickford is now the ‘main objective’ for Paratici and co.

The Verdict: Right man…

Pickford’s performances for the Three Lions in Qatar highlight just how dependable he can be and we believe the homegrown ace is a perfect target for Tottenham.

Called a ‘real leader’ by members of the media, he could take up Lloris’ role in that regard, not to mention his ‘world class’ distribution could be a real asset.

Valued at around £25 million by Transfermarkt, Pickford is still just 28-years-old and could serve Spurs for a long while after he is potentially signed.

Former Premier League striker and now talkSPORT pundit Gabby Agbonlahor has backed Bukayo Saka to sign a new contract at Arsenal, calling it a ‘no-brainer’.

The Lowdown: Full agreement ‘soon’

As per Football Insider, an ‘Arsenal source’ has shared that the 21-year-old’s proposed new contract will be worth around £52m in total, and a ‘full agreement’ will be reached ‘soon’.

Manchester City are reportedly monitoring his contract talks, with Saka’s current deal at the Emirates Stadium set to expire in 2024.

The Latest: ‘No-brainer’

Speaking to Football Insider, Agbonlahor has claimed that it is a ‘no-brainer’ for Saka to sign a new deal in north London as he is a guaranteed starter under Mikel Arteta, which he may not necessarily be at Man City.

The former Aston Villa striker said: “I think he will be happy with the club he’s at. It’s his club, he’s still young and they’re at the top of the league.

“He will look at Man City and think ‘I won’t start’. They’ve got Erling Haaland, Julian Alvarez, Phil Foden, Jack Grealish and Riyad Mahrez.

“He might look at it and think ‘I might not be a guaranteed starter’ but at Arsenal, he is. I think it’s a no-brainer, he signs a new contract at Arsenal.”

The Verdict: Sign the contract!

For Saka’s sake, his club are top of the Premier League and he has just come off the back of a strong World Cup, where he scored three goals in four appearances for England, ranking as his country’s best performer (WhoScored), so he is in a good place right now.

Still only 21, the winger does not need to rush into any big career moves just yet, so he should be signing a new contract at Arsenal.

With four goals and six assists in the top flight before tonight’s game at home to West Ham United, Saka is still such a crucial player for Arteta, so the Spaniard will be hoping more than anyone that the England gem puts pen to paper at the Emirates.

West Ham United could be set to move for one of the World Cup’s breakout stars…

What’s the latest?

That’s according to The Mail, who claimed that the performances of Azzedine Ounahi in Qatar have led to his reported £40m price tag.

His club Angers remain unwilling to part with him for any less than that, with interest from the Hammers, along with Premier League rivals Leicester City and Wolverhampton Wanderers, sure to drum up a substantial fee.

However, GSB hold reservations given the supposed gulf in quality between his performances for club and country.

The next step

Having finished in the European spots for the last two seasons, it is clear that David Moyes is looking for ways to continue bridging the gap between his team and the traditional ‘top six’.

The manager’s vast summer overhaul saw an expenditure of £158m, yet their current position of 16th will surely worry him. In order to turn the tide, he needs quality and depth in all areas, and central midfield has been lacking.

Declan Rice has been West Ham’s star man for many years now, shouldering the majority of the defensive burden in the engine room. However, his recent comments suggest that his ambitions might have outgrown the London Stadium.

Moyes will duly need to make a statement of intent in January, and spending £40m to give the captain this partner could be integral in taking that next step.

Such is Ounahi’s pedigree that Ray Parlour touted him for a move to Arsenal as he told talkSPORT (via Daily Mail): “Ounahi, the No.8, he is different class. Would I take him at Arsenal? Definitely!”

His displays alongside Sofyan Amrabat for Morocco have captured the imagination, with the perfect blend of defensive steel and attacking impetus once the ball has been reclaimed. 

The 22-year-old has recorded a 6.97 average rating across the tournament, recording 0.9 shots, 0.9 key passes and 1.3 tackles per game (via Sofascore). Even Jose Mourinho felt implored to praise the midfielder, labelling him “absolutely incredible”.

Although Ounahi’s average rating may be lower for his club, he arguably offers slightly more as his shots per game average increases to 1.6 and his key passes average is 1.2 per match.

For West Ham to place this beside their sensational captain who can also create and defend could be the catalyst for a sustained push for the Champions League places.