All posts by n8rngtd.top

Wolverhampton Wanderers are keen to fix their striking options as soon as possible…

What’s the word?

talkSPORT journalist Alex Crook recently made a short but sweet statement about Wolves’ upcoming business to GIVEMESPORT.

He claimed: “They’re working on it and they’re ideally looking to bring someone in on loan with Premier League experience.”

Having been linked with a host of strikers, to have it confirmed that a forward is potentially inbound at Molineux will be fantastic news for the Wolves faithful. 

It’s smart business

With something of a gap to fill up front, Bruno Lage has had this glaring issue facing him ever since Raul Jimenez was dealt a serious injury blow in pre-season.

His deputy from last season, who did not score in any of his 22 Premier League appearances, Fabio Silva has since been sent out on loan. This has left Wolves scrambling for any sort of presence up top, and this news suggests they are working to find that man.

One man who they have been linked with is Edin Dzeko, who certainly fits the bill when it comes to Premier League experience. The Bosnian striker featured 130 times for Manchester City and scored 50 times.

However, at the age of 36, he still has proven he has an eye for goal. Just last season he bagged 17 times in all competitions as Inter Milan narrowly missed out on the title.

Another player of interest is Ben Brereton-Diaz, however he would be more of a wildcard decision for Lage. To sign the Chilean would be to put the parts in motion to replace Jimenez, who admittedly did only score six times last season and is 31 years old.

The 23-year-old conversely rattled in 23 league goals for Blackburn Rovers and has certainly earned a step up to the Premier League.

Whilst this would be something of a risk compared to Dzeko, it could have huge implications on the future of the Midlands club, as they could secure a fine forward for many years to come.

Regardless of who Lage turns to, the simple fact is that he needs a striker before the season starts in a week’s time. The news that they are in the market will please supporters, and it would make for very smart business to plug that gaping hole up front.

AND, in other news: Wolves could seal a “top player” by signing £153k-p/w goal machine in late swoop.

Nottingham Forest boss Steve Cooper can land his dream heir to Lewis Grabban by signing Borussia Monchengladbach striker Alassane Plea this summer.

According to a recent report in L’Equipe (via RMC Sport) Forest are one of several clubs in talks with the representatives of the forward – who has just entered the final 12 months of his contract in Germany.

They face competition from fellow Premier League side Everton as well as French sides Marseille and the player’s former club Nice. Plea will cost around £7m which is an affordable price for the Garibaldi.

However, the reports state that the Frenchman would prefer a move back to Ligue 1 which would appear to put the English clubs behind in the race to sign him.

It’s not a surprise that Cooper wants to strengthen the striker position at the club following the loss of Lewis Grabban who was so crucial in their promotion success last season.

He scored 12 and assisted four in 32 appearances for Forest in the league last season but has since left the club due to his contract expiring. In four years at The City Ground, he appeared 147 times and became the first player since 2002-03 to score over 20 goals in a single campaign.

The 34-year-old will be a huge miss for the club next season, but given his age, it might be a blessing in disguise that allows Forest to plan ahead for the future.

Cooper has recently signed Taiwo Awoniyi from Union Berlin for a club-record £17m but could add even more quality and competition by signing Plea.

The Monchengladbach star made 32 Bundesliga appearances last season and was directly involved in 15 goals. Signing him would replicate the experience that has been lost with Grabban’s departure and would be another addition who is proven in a top division.

He’s a player who’s been dubbed “phenomenal” by Statman Dave and his numbers prove exactly why.

Given the small fee Plea is available for, it really should be a no-brainer for Cooper to try and sign him, it could also potentially weaken rivals Everton who are a club Forest could be competing with in a relegation battle next season.

AND in other news: “In the next hours”: Sky Sports journo drops NFFC transfer update supporters will love

Journalist Josh Bunting has shared his verdict on the news linking Sunderland with a double swoop for strikers Nathan Broadhead and Troy Parrott.

The Lowdown: Need a striker

The Black Cats’ lack of options up front were highlighted on Tuesday night as Ross Stewart was rested for the 2-0 defeat pre-season to Bradford City.

Speaking after the game, Sunderland manager Alex Neil said: “I’m naturally concerned by the fact that we’ve currently got one centre-forward in the building.

“There is a lot of work going on behind the scenes to try to make sure we remedy that. That situation hasn’t changed over the last few weeks.

“I don’t want to do my business on the last day in August – I want to get my business done as quickly as possible. But as I say, the simple fact, unfortunately for us, is that we’re not on control of that.”

The Latest: Bunting’s verdict

According to The Shields Gazette, two forwards that Sunderland have been monitoring are Everton’s Broadhead and Tottenham’s Parrott.

Weighing in on the Wearside club’s striker rumours, Bunting took to Twitter to share his verdict.

The Sunderland-supporting journalist claimed: “If we get Nathan Broadhead I think we need Troy Parrott as well, adds that competition up front and doesn’t only do that it will be key for squad rotation. Really hope we do manage to get both in the door, Parrott is very intelligent with his link up play so that will be key #SAFC”

The Verdict: They’d be good signings

With just one forward remaining at the Stadium of Light, it is imperative that Sunderland bring in at least one extra body to add depth up top this summer.

With the greater physicality and higher standard of the Championship, Neil should be doing all that he can to bring in a couple of additions to the final third.

The likes of Broadhead and Parrott would add two talented youngsters, who have been receiving Premier League-level training on a daily basis, to the Black Cats’ squad. They could use the opportunity to show their parent clubs what they can do when playing first-team football, while for Sunderland they would provide alternative attacking outlets for tactical selections.

Whether these arrivals join on permanent contracts or loan deals is irrelevant; the focus is on securing new strikers ahead of the 2022/23 season at the Stadium of Light.

Aston Villa will be set to begin their first full season with Steven Gerrard at the helm in the next few weeks following his appointment at the Midlands club last November.

One player in Villa’s ranks who the 42-year-old will undoubtedly be hoping will be an important figure for the team going forward, just as he was last season, is John McGinn.

With 35 league appearances to his name last term, the Scotsman ended the campaign with more successful tackles (61) and more shot-creating actions (96) than any other Villa player.

This highlights just how crucial the 27-year-old is for the Villans in terms of both his defensive talent and attacking output.

While the Premier League club have already brought in a new midfielder in the shape of Boubacar Kamara, there is still time left before the summer transfer window closes for Gerrard to add some more strength and depth to that position.

One midfielder with whom the Villans have been linked and who would give the 42-year-old the opportunity to form a potentially frightening duo alongside McGinn is Ibrahim Sangare.

In 87 appearances for his current club PSV Eindhoven, the Ivorian has found the net five times and delivered six assists.

In his 29 league games for the Eredivisie club last season, the 24-year-old ended the campaign with more interceptions (72) and more successful tackles (64) than any other player at PSV.

From an attacking point of view, only three other PSV players took more shots at goal than Sangare (42), which backs up why he was described as a “dangerous” player in front of goal by analyst Aad de Mos.

This highlights the sattributes that the Ivory Coast international has in common with McGinn and why having the pair together in the same team could be a huge asset for Gerrard and his side in terms of having two midfielders who can be tough opponents without the ball, as well as offering a reliable attacking threat.

Despite having a rather hefty reported price tag of €40m (£34m), this would certainly be an investment worth making for NSWE this summer, as the Ivorian midfield machine definitely has the talent to be as important to Villa as McGinn has been.

AND in other news: Gerrard can unearth his own Marcelo if Villa sign 37 G/A gem who’s “one of the best”

Tottenham Hotspur do not appear to be finished when it comes to attacking reinforcements…

What’s the word?

According to Daily Express journalist Ryan Taylor, the Premier League outfit are keeping tabs on the progress of RB Salzburg forward Benjamin Sesko ahead of a potential move.

The Slovenia international is thought to be the next big talent to come through the system at the Austria side and is set for further minutes due to Karim Adeyemi’s switch to Borussia Dortmund.

[snack-amp-story url= “https://www.footballfancast.com/web-stories/read-the-latest-spurs-news-transfer-rumours-gossip-much-more” title= “Read the latest Spurs news, transfer rumours and more!”]

Sesko is widely regarded as the ‘next Erling Haaland,’ as per the report.

AC Milan are also said to be keen and sporting director Fabio Paratici is set to continue to scout him over the coming months.

Next Erling Haaland

If the Italian chief likes what he sees, then he could well secure Spurs a top future talent, one to rival Manchester City’s move for the aforementioned Norwegian colossus.

Valued at just £9m by Transfermarkt, Sesko is already thought to be a serious player, having provided ten goals and seven assists in 36 appearances last season, in which only 15 were starts.

At 6 foot 4, he is certainly in the Haaland mould but he’s also quick on his feed, registering speeds similar to that of Paris Saint-Germain superstar Kylian Mbappe (36.1km/h), who is some five inches shorter.

“My teammates at the club tell me that Haaland and I are very similar, especially in terms of speed. Most of them even tell me that I’m better than him!” the striker himself once told reporters in his home country (via Goal).

With his towering frame and explosive pace, there’s no denying that Sesko is a mouthwatering prospect and one that Spurs should really try to secure for their long-term ambitions.

Harry Kane, whilst still at his peak, isn’t going to be around forever and the Salzburg gem could well be the ideal candidate to take his place one day.

It’s easy to see why scout Jacek Kulig has dubbed the 19-year-old as “the new Erling Haaland” and a “killer in the making,” given his attacking exploits and physical attributes.

Spurs fans may have to wait a while for this transfer to come to fruition but it’s surely one that leaves many around N17 absolutely excited. Sesko would be a top acquisition for the north Londoners.

Paratici can certainly seal the new Haaland with a move for Sesko.

AND in other news, Paratici in talks to sign “extraordinary” £17m Spurs target, it’d be an “unreal” coup…

Crystal Palace look to be closing in on Swansea’s young midfielder Flynn Downes.

What’s the word?

That’s according to Football.London, who notes that Patrick Vieira seems to have beaten out the competition to secure his signature.

Both Wolves and Southampton are referenced as potential suitors, but Palace was the only option.

They had tried to sign him back when he played for Ipswich, noting their long-time interest in the player. Swansea are reportedly demanding £12m for the player.

Vieira will love him

Vieira appears to be crafting quite the versatile midfield, having already secured the signing of Cheick Doucoure, and constantly linked to several other midfielders all with different profiles.

However, with Downes, he is guaranteed a workmanlike midfielder who can graft alongside another of his new signings.

One benefit to signing this Swansea youngster is his reliability, as he featured in 37 Championship games last season. Despite being more of a ball-winning midfielder, he still managed to chip in with a goal and two assists.

This led to his solid SofaScore rating of 6.83, which given the context of his long season and Swansea’s sub-par 15th placed finish, is not bad at all.

Both fans and manager alike have been quick to praise his intelligence and hard work, with Russell Martin claiming: “Flynn was incredible, it’s difficult to single people out, but he does the dirty work perfectly well”, after a man of the match display early in the season.

This dirty work and his overall play is best exemplified in his defensive actions, where he averages 1.3 tackles, 1.1 interceptions and 1.1 clearances per game.

Downes is everywhere on the pitch, and in his quest to cover every blade of grass he loves to get stuck into opposition attackers.

With him, Vieira can further bolster his options as the new Premier League season draws near.

After what was a surprisingly impressive season last year, the French boss will want to continue moving forward, and signing young hungry Championship talent is a move proven to work for this club.

He will love it if they can tie down the midfielder and have a repeat of their previous successes.

AND, in other news: Vieira can unearth his next Gallagher as Palace plot bid for “sensational” £20m talent.

Liverpool have made three signings so far in the transfer window with Calvin Ramsey, Darwin Nunez and Fabio Carvalho all joining the Anfield outfit, but they have in an equal measure lost a number of players this summer.

Divock Origi, Taki Minamino and Sadio Mane have all left the club to take on new challenges elsewhere, with Mane’s unexpected exit the most likely to cause disruption in the team following his fantastic number of goal contributions.

[snack-amp-story url=”https://www.footballfancast.com/web-stories/read-the-latest-liverpool-news-transfer-rumours-gossip-salah-gnabry-isak-romano” title= “Read the latest Liverpool news!”]

The Senegalese winger made the decision to leave the Reds just 12 months before his contract was due to expire with Mane joining Bayern Munich on a permanent move. Now, Liverpool could ask a favour of the Bundesliga champions in return.

The Merseyside club has been linked with a move for Serge Gnabry this summer, and despite playing predominantly as a right winger he can offer the goal contributions and attacking capabilities needed to replace Mane.

Gnabry has scored 64 times and delivered 40 assists in 171 appearances, impressively with a goal contribution every 105 minutes for Bayern, but it’s not just his goals and assists that have been attracting the attention of the powers at Anfield over the last season.

The £34m dynamo created a whopping 17 big chances, making 1.4 key passes, 1.4 tackles and taking two shots on average per game, as well as winning the majority of his duels combined (51%) and being successful in the majority of his dribbles (61%) over 34 Bundesliga appearances.

This season Gnabry ranked ninth for G/A contributions, shot-creating actions, and ranked seventh in the entire top five European leagues for key passes completed.

The Germany international has been the recipient of high praise, with Rio Ferdinand branding Gnabry “world class” on BT Sport (via Daily Mail);

“His stats are phenomenal. He’s sitting in the top level, world class.

“He’s come to Germany and set the place on fire, he was absolutely stunning tonight. His decision making has been extraordinary.”

With all considered, the former Arsenal man would be a great addition and a valuable asset to the team, especially if Mohamed Salah leaves next summer as he plays mostly on the right wing so it could be a win win situation for FSG ahead of next term.

AND in other news: Offer made: FSG closing in on Liverpool deal for “special” £35m gem, he’s Coutinho 2.0

Leeds United ended their turbulent 2021/22 Premier League season by managing to avoid the drop and keep their place in the top flight.

With 38 games played, the Whites won nine, drew 11 and lost 18, leaving them in 17th place with 38 points on the board, three points above Burnley who were unable to escape the relegation zone.

[snack-amp-story url= “https://www.footballfancast.com/web-stories/read-the-latest-leeds-united-news-transfer-rumours-gossip-and-more” title=”Read the latest Leeds news, transfer rumours and more!”]

Another aspect of Leeds’ latest campaign was the number of goals they managed to score compared to their prior season where they finished in ninth place.

Having found the net 62 times in the 2020/21 season, the Yorkshire club only scored 42 goals last time out.

Now with the summer transfer window open, the Whites have already been busy in terms of adding new players to their ranks in the shape of Brenden Aaronson, Rasmus Kristensen and Marc Roca.

One other figure that the club have been linked with that could help Jesse Marsch’s side get back to becoming a regular goalscoring side again is Armando Broja.

As a product of Chelsea’s youth system, the striker has scored 41 goals in 126 club appearances across senior and youth levels.

During his recent loan spell with Southampton, the 20-year-old found the net nine times in 38 appearances.

In his 32 Premier League appearances for the Saints, Broja racked up 48 shots at goal, highlighting how dangerous he can be at the top of the pitch.

According to FBref, one other recognisable name that is included on a list of similar players to the Chelsea centre-forward is Richarlison.

Taking into account how the Brazilian has scored 48 goals and delivered 18 assists in 173 Premier League appearances, the possibility of landing his own version of the Everton star in the shape of Broja should be an exciting one for Marsch and Leeds.

Labelled as a “dangerous” player by Southampton boss Ralph Hasenhuttl, the Chelsea youngster certainly has what it takes to add a bit of extra firepower to Leeds’ ranks.

With all of this in mind, despite having a rather hefty reported price tag of £58m, securing a move for the striker this summer could be just what the Leeds boss needs to make sure his side aren’t involved in another excruciating relegation battle next time out.

In other news: Victor Orta now plotting Leeds bid for “beautiful” £26m target, he “has everything”

Leeds United will ‘really push’ to sign Wolves forward Adama Traore this summer, according to Dean Jones.  

The Lowdown: Traore linked with Leeds

Hailed as a ‘danger man’ by Noel Whelan, the Spain international has once again been heavily linked with a move to Elland Road this summer.

Leeds appear to be in the market for a new pacey forward after already making three signings, with Wolves willing to sell the 26-year-old for around £18m.

Reports in recent days have claimed that the Whites have made an approach for Traore, who has 18 senior career goals, and Jones has shared what he knows regarding the situation.

The Latest: Jones’ comments on Traore

Speaking to GiveMeSport, the journalist said that Leeds are looking to make a ‘breakthrough’ in their pursuit of Traore after going back in for the Spaniard.

Jones outlined:

“One of the things I have heard is that Leeds are back in for Adama Traore and they’re going to really push to see if they can get a breakthrough on this one.”

[web_stories_embed url=”https://www.footballtransfertavern.com/web-stories/latest-leeds-united-news-45/” title=”Latest Leeds United news!” poster=”https://www.footballtransfertavern.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/04/cropped-2022-03-10T184055Z_1834933207_UP1EI3A1FW561_RTRMADP_3_SOCCER-ENGLAND-LEE-AVA-REPORT-1-scaled-1.jpg” width=”360″ height=”600″ align=”none”]

The Verdict: A gamble?

Jesse Marsch already has a quick forward at Elland Road in Dan James, who has question marks when it comes to his end product, so looking to sign Traore could be a gamble by Leeds officials.

Despite his searing pace, the Spain international has also struggled in front of goal throughout his career, netting just eight times in 160 Premier League appearances for Wolves, Aston Villa and Middlesborough.

However, Victor Orta is a big admirer of the 26-year-old and signed him for Middlesbrough in 2016. Marcelo Bielsa was a huge fan of James and eventually got a deal over the line last summer, so it wouldn’t come as a shock if Orta gets his way and brings Traore to Yorkshire.

TalkSPORT pundit Gabby Agbonlahor has backed Liverpool to sell Roberto Firmino this summer after the new arrival of Darwin Nunez.

The Lowdown: Nunez signs

It was confirmed earlier this week that the Benfica striker has made the move to the Premier League after putting pen to paper on a six-year deal at Anfield, for what could rise to a club-record fee of £85m.

Firmino has been one of the Reds’ longest-serving players, having joined the Merseyside outfit in 2015, but he, alongside his strike partners Mohamed Salah and Sadio Mane, are all set to be out of contract with the top-flight giants next year, creating plenty of speculation surrounding their individual futures.

The Latest: Agbonlahor makes Firmino claim

Speaking to Football Insider, Agbonlahor insisted that Liverpool had to sign a new forward as a result of Manchester City securing Erling Haaland, but it leaves Firmino out in the cold:

“They needed to do it. Regardless of whether Mane stays or goes, they needed another attacker.

“Firmino is not good enough. He’s done well for Liverpool over the years but it’s time for him to go.

“You’ve got to keep up with other teams, you can’t stay still. It’s a big statement signing.

“I’m sure Man City were buzzing when they signed Haaland and now they’ve seen Liverpool get Nunez they will think it’s going to be a hard season and it’s hard to call.”

The Verdict: Ideal backup option

Firmino was definitely unlucky when it came injuries last season, having missed a total of 25 matches as a result of sustaining four separate problems, something which contributed to him slightly falling down the pecking order under Jurgen Klopp.

However, the Brazilian still managed to make 20 top-flight appearances and recorded nine goal contributions during that time, as per Transfermarkt, showing that he is still very much capable of producing the goods when given the chance.

There’s no way that the 30-year-old will consistently be chosen to be in the Liverpool starting XI ahead of Nunez or Diogo Jota for that matter, but he’s still a player who is good to have around the building and can make a hugely positive impact from the bench, so there would be no harm in keeping him around for a little bit longer.

In other news… a reliable journalist has dropped a Sadio Mane transfer twist.