All posts by z3u9t.icu

Dele Alli was once the next best thing. One chest, flick, swivel and volley cemented the Englishman among some of the best young players in world football. He was putting up numbers that even Steven Gerrard couldn't manage at his age. That's how good he was.

The key here is past tense, because Alli's career has taken the most unexpected nose dive. Suddenly, the player billed as the next best thing is on course to become the next big wasted potential – perhaps one of the biggest in Premier League history.

After beginning to struggle at Tottenham Hotspur during the ruthless tenure of Jose Mourinho, Alli made the move to Everton back in 2022 in a deal worth a reported £40m. And to say that move hasn't worked out would be a significant understatement.

Things got so bad that Alli was sent on loan to Besiktas. A fresh start away from the pressures of English football, surely this would be the start of a career revival? Think again. The former Spurs man had a season to forget and now returns to Everton under Sean Dyche, having seen his career reach some sort of standstill.

Former manager Mauricio Pochettino is keen to help, however.

What did Mauricio Pochettino say about Dele Alli?

Speaking about Alli's struggles, Pochettino said, via GOAL “I hope to have some time to call and see because he is a great guy and I want to talk a little bit with him and hear. I want to help him and see what is going on with him.

"He is still young. And for sure he has the mentality. Now it’s a long time since I spoke to him but I want to contact him again and see what is going on.”

Talking to the man who helped set the world alight for Alli and his career in the first place may be the perfect way to finally get things back on track, too, even if it is for the benefit of Everton, rather than Pochettino's new club, Chelsea.

At 27 years old, Alli should be playing at his prime right now. And he still has time to reach that level, too. It's simply a case of getting back on track. One thing that is for sure is that Dyche would have himself some player at Goodison Park if the midfielder gets back to his best.

What happened to Dele Alli?

It's difficult to pinpoint the exact moment that things began going so downhill during Alli's career. The failed loan spell at Besiktas was just the cherry on top of a disastrous few years.

The spell went so bad that the Besiktas president criticised Alli, telling beIN Sports: "He was a player we were very excited about when he came. He won't come back. We didn't get what we expected from him. I hope he recovers as a human."

The criticism is warranted when looking back at the Englishman's time in Turkey. In a total of 15 appearances in all competitions, Alli was involved in just three goals. For a player who once took the Premier League by storm to win the PFA Young Player of the Year, those are incredibly poor numbers, which sum up his downfall in recent years.

Insiders with information on the ongoing Manchester United takeover are 'adamant' that Sir Jim Ratcliffe's INEOS group are still in the running, according to journalist Ben Jacobs via GIVEMESPORT.

What is the latest news regarding Manchester United's takeover?

Indeed, with the Glazers starting to explore a potential sale back in November 2022, a lot has happened since then.

As it stands, there are two contenders for ownership of the club, with both British Billionaire Sir Jim Ratcliffe and Qatari Sheikh Hamad Bin Jassim submitting incredible bids that exceeded £5 billion in previous months.

Both bids still fall short of the Glazer families' valuation of the club, which sits at a mind-blowing £6 billion, and it is believed that neither Ratcliffe nor Sheikh Jassim is willing to cave to those demands.

Sheikh Jassim and the Nine Two Foundation seem to be leading the race for ownership of the Red Devils after reports emerged in the last week or so, but Ratcliffe could still swoop in and take ownership.

What has Ben Jacobs said regarding the takeover?

Ben Jacobs told GIVEMESPORT: "At the moment, nothing is progressing on the INEOS side even though it hasn’t been communicated to them that they’re formally out of the race. In fact, quite the opposite.

Many insiders are adamant that they’re still there. So, this would also suggest that Qatar can be somewhat more positive, but also sceptical because they’re in the dark as to the Glazers' intentions.

So, from Qatar’s perspective, they either think they’re going to win or it will be a no-sale and from Ratcliffe’s perspective, the group are going to have to work out how they can get board approval, if they are to proceed. Otherwise, they could be out of the race."

How is Manchester United's transfer business affected by the takeover news?

The uncertainty around the takeover is undoubtedly having an effect on the club's ability to conduct business this window.

The Red Devils are the only "big six" side yet to confirm a deal, however, the club have agreed a deal to sign two-time Chelsea Player of the Year Mason Mount in a deal that could rise to £60 million after having three bids rejected for the Englishman.

The club is also in the market for a goalkeeper after the expiry of David De Gea's contract, and Andre Onana appeared to be the first choice for Erik ten Hag. According to a report from the Mirror, however, United may have to pivot from the Cameroonian to cheaper alternatives due to FFP rules.

It remains to be seen if the club will pursue a new striker this window as well, with names like Harry Kane, Rasmus Hojlund and Goncalo Ramos all being linked with big-money moves to the side, but with the FFP restrictions, these targets may well be out of their price range.

As what is a crucial summer for the club continues on, all involved will be hoping that the takeover is completed soon, so they can attack the market and try to build from a successful last campaign.

Arsenal are pushing to sign Ajax defender Jurrien Timber, as Mikel Arteta bids to bolster his defensive depth this summer.

The Gunners enjoyed a joyous campaign last season, which they will aim to continue next term with sufficient reinforcements.

Depth in defensive areas was a title-costing problem last campaign, however, is a topic that can be made positive this transfer window.

What’s the latest on Jurrien Timber to Arsenal?

As reported by Fabrizio Romano via his Youtube channel, Arsenal will "bid again" for Timber with their opening offer of £30m rejected.

The Gunners have an ‘agreement with the player’, who is ‘excited’ by the project at the Emirates, as stated by Romano (04:59).

The Athletic’s David Ornstein first reported the news, claiming that Ajax want a fee in the region of £50m for the defender, a price that Arsenal are optimistic to strike a compromise to lower.

What could Jurrien Timber offer to Arsenal?

Following the injury to William Saliba in March, Arteta opted to deploy Rob Holding in his place, in a switch that left the side pining for the Frenchman’s return.

The Englishman was called a “Championship defender” by former Premier League ace Gabriel Agbonlahor, via talkSPORT, and exposed Arsenal’s weaknesses in not having the depth to allow for the absence of Saliba.

Disappointing performances when called upon could signal the end of the 27-year-old’s time in north London this summer, particularly with news emerging regarding Arteta’s ploy to sign Timber.

The Dutchman would be a significant upgrade on Holding and could be the individual to cut the underperforming centre-back loose from the squad, giving Arsenal the chance to bolster their squad with undeniable quality.

Praised as “special” by U23 scout Antonio Mango, Timber would be a leap in the right direction for the Gunners to expel the deadwood from their side, adding assured quality in numbers to allow for the challenges that come in a Premier League season.

The 22-year-old excels in a variety of areas in comparison to Holding, particularly in terms of his ability to get the ball forward from the back with similar attributes to Arsenal’s favoured centre-back William Saliba.

As per FBref, Timber averages an assured pass completion rate of 91.6%, with Holding averaging behind with 87.6% over the past year.

Taking into consideration his progressive play, Timber could equip Arsenal with another Saliba-style star in place of Holding, with the Englishman averaging 4.35 progressive passes to the Dutchman’s monstrous 8.62 per 90.

Defensively, the 22-year-old comes out on top over the Gunners centre-back, making 1.40 tackles to his 1.07 per 90, as well as 1.25 interceptions to the 27-year-old’s 0.69 per 90, showing the upgrade Arteta could introduce.

With just one year remaining on his contract, Holding’s time at Arsenal could be coming to a close, however, the Gunners are showing indications of progression in their efforts to sign Timber, who has shone as one of the bright stars in Europe this term.

An interesting development has emerged on Glasgow Rangers and their chances of landing a deal to bring Malik Tillman back to Ibrox for the 2023/24 campaign…

What's the latest on Malik Tillman's future at Rangers?

According to Sport1, via Sport Witness, the Light Blues are still in with a chance of securing a swoop for the USA international on another loan next term.

The report claims that Bayern Munich are willing to sanction another temporary deal for the young attacking midfielder after they decided to activate a clause that stripped the Scottish giants of their €6m (£5m) option to sign him permanently.

However, there is said to be interest from Premier League teams and that could make it difficult for Michael Beale to convince the 21-year-old magician to come back in the summer transfer window.

How did Malik Tillman perform last season?

Tillman enjoyed an incredible campaign with the Gers and his impressive performances for the club mean that the manager could get Ibrox rocking by snapping up the exciting talent again.

Rangers supporters would surely love to see him back in a blue shirt in 23/24 as the Bayern prodigy has already proven himself to be an exceptional option at Scottish Premiership level.

The right-footed whiz averaged a Sofascore rating of 7.09 across 28 league appearances and made a huge impact in the final third, whilst playing out wide and as a number ten.

He scored ten goals and created 12 'big chances' for his teammates throughout the Premiership campaign. Meanwhile, Ryan Kent – on the other flank – scored three goals and provided his fellow attackers with nine 'big chances' in 29 outings for the Light Blues prior to his move to Fenerbahce this summer.

The USMNT starlet also endeared himself to the supporters with his work rate out of possession and willingness to get stuck in for the team. No Rangers player averaged more tackles per game (two) in the top flight than Tillman and this shows that the hard-working wizard is able to provide usefulness on and off the ball.

These statistics, of his ability at both sides of the game, indicate that the 21-year-old prospect would be able to hit the ground running next season as he already knows what it takes to be a consistent performer for the club.

Therefore, Beale could delight the Ibrox faithful by signing the £13k-per-week ace, who was hailed as "phenomenal" by teammate John Lundstram, for a second loan spell this summer due to his pre-existing relationship with the supporters and his proven quality on the pitch.

Arsenal hold an advantage in the race to sign PSV Eindhoven star Xavi Simons thanks to great ties with his agent, according to reports.

Who will join Arsenal this summer?

The summer transfer window is in full flow and reports claim that manager Mikel Arteta is refusing to rest on his laurels, despite fiercely contending for the title last season and securing Champions League qualification.

Arsenal appear determined to end their near-20 year wait for a Premier League title and reports suggest they're set to be very ambitious this window.

Two bids have already gone in for West Ham United star Declan Rice, and although they were rejected, it is believed Arsenal will lodge another offer for their top target.

Meanwhile, some sources have claimed that the north Londoners could spend in and around £300 million this window, with talks ongoing for Ajax defender Jurrien Timber and Southampton's Romeo Lavia alongside Rice.

As per reliable reports, Arsenal have already sealed a £65 million deal to sign Chelsea forward Kai Havertz, who will join the club as their first major signing of the summer.

However, despite adding a versatile attacking option in the German, Dutch news outlet De Telegraaf (via Sport Witness) claims they're well in the race to sign Simons from PSV.

Arsenal are joined by a host of rivals, including Manchester United and Tottenham, but it is the Gunners who have an edge and may be in pole position.

Indeed, this is because they already have "good" ties with Simons' agent, Darren Dein, who is the son of their former director, David Dein.

However, Arsenal will need to formalise their interest fast, as PSV are currently in discussions with Simons and his agent over fresh terms.

How good is Xavi Simons?

The 20-year-old, despite his young age, was truly a star in the Eredivisie last season.

Simons, according to WhoScored, even managed more attempts at goal and key passes completed per 90 than anyone in PSV's squad over 2022/2023.

Scoring 19 top flight goals and weighing in with eight assists over that time, former Spurs star Rafael van der Vaart has also tipped him for stardom.

"When I look at his potential, I see that he can become the best soccer player in the world,” said van der Vaart.

"Believe me: In a few years we'll all be saying: 'It's good to be able to have this kid in our national team.’"

Leeds United are working behind-the-scenes to make the important decision on who will become the next manager to lead the club back to the Premier League and now a new claim has been made by a reliable source.

What's the latest on Leeds' interest in Brendan Rodgers?

According to The Athletic's Phil Hay, Brendan Rodgers would "suit" the 49ers if they can complete a takeover and secure the former Leicester City coach's signature this summer.

Hay claimed on Twitter:

"Someone like Brenden Rodgers would suit 49ers Enterprises down to the ground – but the likelihood of him being drawn into the Championship is minimal."

Would Brendan Rodgers be a good fit for Leeds?

After a dreadful campaign in the Premier League, Leeds will be hoping that they can follow in the footsteps of Burnley and achieve an instant bounce back to the top flight, so bringing in a manager who can comfortably achieve that will be no easy task for the club's hierarchy.

Whilst it might seem far-fetched that the former Liverpool boss could make a move to Elland Road this summer, it could be an incredible appointment if the 49ers can give the Northern Irishman the freedom to not only bring in some much-needed quality reinforcements but present a project that provides a clear plan for returning to the Premier League.

The 50-year-old manager – who was hailed as "unbelievable" by West Ham striker Michail Antonio – has tallied up a number of honours in his career with two Scottish Premiership league titles and three Scottish league cups earned at Celtic, alongside a monumental FA Cup victory with Leicester City.

One of the most attractive traits that Rodgers boasts is his longevity in managerial positions – with his average term 2.17 years – an attribute that would be massively advantageous to the West Yorkshire club who have suffered constant instability in their appointments since the departure of Marcelo Bielsa.

Indeed, the former Leicester boss struggled in his final weeks and months at the King Power Stadium, however, there is no denying that during the majority of his four-year tenure at the Midlands club he laid vital foundations to continue the success of those before him and competitively challenged in the top half of the table with ease.

With that being said, should the opportunity arise to snap up Rodgers' services this summer it should be a no-brainer for the Leeds hierarchy, as he could make the instant impact needed next season to transform the nightmare that has unfolded at Elland Road in the last few months.

Ange Postecoglou is on the verge of winning the treble with Celtic this season but continues to be linked with becoming the new Tottenham manager.

The 57-year-old has recently rebuffed interest from Premier League clubs in an interview with Sky Sports but the rumour mill continues to run.

What's the latest on Ange Postecoglou to Spurs?

Sky Sports have now shared a worrying Celtic update regarding Postecoglou on Wednesday, stating that he is "the new preferred candidate to replace Antonio Conte" after Arne Slot refused the role. Sharing the news on Sky Sports, presenter Dharmesh Sheth said:

"We understand Celtic's Ange Postecoglou is emerging as the new preferred candidate to permanently replace Antonio Conte.

"Tottenham are still looking for a new permanent manager after Arne Slot declared he was staying at Feyenoord last week."

Spurs finished 8th in the Premier League, a finish Sheth reports is their worst in over ten years. The last time Tottenham finished lower was in the 2007/08 season when they ended the season in 11th place on 46 points.

Will Ange Postecoglou leave Celtic this summer?

The manager has been heavily linked with a move to the Premier League in recent weeks. The Daily Mail's Rob Draper reported last week that Postecoglou's "ultimate ambition" is to guide Celtic to the knockouts of the Champions League. This speaks to a desire to remain at the club long enough, although a move to Spurs this summer would make that impossible, of course.

Celtic are set to face Inverness in the final of the Scottish Cup on Saturday evening. A victory will seal a treble for Postecoglou in his second season and you'd expect that his future will likely become clearer following the end of the competitive season.

The Evening Standard reports that Postecoglou has "impressed Spurs chairman Daniel Levy", with the north London side searching for a new manager as well as a director of football and were preparing an approach for the Celtic man last week.

Celtic could find themselves virtually powerless to stop Postecoglou joining a Premier League club this summer. According to The Daily Mail, the 57-year-old is on a one-year rolling contract which does not contain a prohibitive release clause compared to the £17m release clause include in Arne Slot's Feyenoord terms.

The Hoops appear to be identifying possible replacements for Postecoglou as well, with reports suggesting that the club are keeping tabs on Enzo Maresca, and it looks as if Spurs could soon be in for the Australian, not ideal news for those at Parkhead.

Pundit Gabby Agbonlahor has claimed that Aston Villa manager Unai Emery will be backed financially this summer after securing European football.

What's the latest on Aston Villa and Europe?

On the final day of the Premier League season, the Villans managed to pick up a 2-1 home win against Brighton & Hove Albion thanks to goals from Douglas Luiz and Ollie Watkins.

Those three points weren't enough to see them reach the Seagulls who finished one point and one place above Villa, but they did help secure a Europa Conference League spot for Emery and co.

This is exciting news for the club as their 51-year-old manager has a great record in Europe, having won the Europa League four times over the course of his career.

However, if he wants to succeed, his side may need some key reinforcements this summer and Agbonlahor thinks that's just what will happen.

Indeed, when speaking on the TalkSport YouTube channel, the pundit said (4:33): "I do think Unai Emery is going to get the backing to bring in the players he wants. So you need to bulk up that squad. Been a few injuries this season.

"But he's experienced in it. You know, he's been managing in the Europa League for so long. He knows the amount of players he needs, the right players to rotate.

"So it's looking good for Aston Villa. Exciting times."

Who could Villa sign this summer?

Incidentally, Emery has already spoken about how qualifying for the Europa Conference League could change his club's transfer plans in the upcoming market.

After beating Brighton, he told BirminghamLive: "I will now start preparing for next season. I will speak to the club. The club is working and I’m keeping in touch with the possibilities we can add [signings] for next year; speaking about who we can add and take the decision with players we already have here.

"Today, it was very important to be focused for this match. But we’ll start now thinking about the next project and be stronger than we have been."

Of course, Villa only have to look at the way Premier League rivals West Ham United have performed in the competition this term, and trust that they too could potentially make the final next year.

If that's the case, the club will likely need some new additions to help add real depth to the team. And one position that appears to be an area to strengthen is up top.

Indeed, earlier in the month Daily Express journalist Ryan Taylor explained to GIVEMESPORT that the Villans look to be targeting a "top-level striker".

West Ham United are safe. An inconsistent, erratic, and stressful season has seen the Irons occasionally flirt with the devastating fate of relegation.

However, the Hammers finished relatively comfortably in 14th position and have the Europa Conference final next week.

Whatever the result of that European showdown, the east London outfit will undoubtedly be active in the summer transfer window, especially when considering their £179m outlay prior to this campaign.

For the quality of the squad, their league place was unflattering, and their underwhelming nature in front of goal hindered their progression.

David Moyes’ side netted an uninspiring 42 Premier League goals in 38 outings, drawing blanks in 32% of their domestic fixtures.

Jarrod Bowen and Said Benrahma were the club’s top scorers, sharing six goals a piece, to underline a mind-boggling lack of potency.

As a result, the Guardian has reported that West Ham are interested in Leicester City’s Harvey Barnes, which would be a huge statement of intent to resurrect their offensive woes.

Why should West Ham sign Harvey Barnes?

The Englishman is deliciously talented and has offered fantastic levels of output in a hideously disjointed Leciester team that suffered relegation back to the Championship after Everton defeated Bournemouth.

The one-cap international scored 13 goals this season, which is more than Phil Foden, Son Hueng-Min, and Roberto Firmino.

From a wider perspective, this is even more impressive as the former West Brom loanee ranks in the top 6% in Europe’s top five leagues among his positional peers for non-penalty goals, which begs the mouthwatering question of what the winger could achieve in a more functional team.

Liverpool manager Jurgen Klopp has previously heaped noticeable praise on the £35k-per-week star and said: “Barnes is probably one of the biggest talents, I’m not sure if he is respected or appreciated as much as he should be, he is an unbelievable player to be honest, a proper Leicester product.”

Barnes’ explosive style of play, combined with his ruthless productivity and commendable judgement of when to run in behind is reminiscent of Bowen’s feats last term.

Although not exactly at the race this season, scoring just six league strikes, during the 2021/22 season, the 26-year-old was utterly phenomenal, recording 22 goal involvements in 34 starts, as he was an integral part of a Clarets side that came sixth and reached the semi-finals of the Europa League.

For the Irons to produce a more fruitful return in front of goal and reclaim a spot in the top half of the league, then the signing of £35k-per-week Barnes could be a stroke of genius and one that replicates Bowen, just from the opposite flank.

Paul Heckingbottom has delivered a Sheffield United injury update before the clash with Fulham, revealing that a return for Rhian Brewster could be on the cards sooner than expected.

The Lowdown: Out of action

The 22-year-old first joined the Blades from Liverpool back in 2020, for a club-record fee of £23.5m, penning a five-year deal with the club.

The England U21 international sustained a serious hamstring injury during United’s 2-0 victory over Peterborough in January, which ruled him out for the rest of the season.

The Yorkshire outfit also have a couple of other key first-team players, including the likes of David McGoldrick and most recently Oli McBurnie, facing spells on the sidelines, but it seems as though the most positive news to come out of Bramall Lane is surrounding Brewster.

The Latest: Promising signs

During a pre-Fulham interview with Yorkshire Live, the Blades boss admitted that out of all of the squad members on the injury list, it’s the former Liverpool starlet who has the best chance of staging a return in time for the start of pre-season.

He said: “Probably Rhian has the best chance. He has been on the grass for the first time.

“Others are touch and go and it will be a case of seeing how they go, but Rhian is the furthest down the line.”

The Verdict: One for the future

Despite only having made 16 appearances across all competitions for the Blades due to injury this season, the 5 foot 9 attacker has proven that he can be prolific in the final third, having made a total of 23 goal contributions in just 28 outings for Liverpool’s U23s side.

Given the fact that Heckingbottom’s side currently find themselves in the play-off places with one game left to play, there’s a strong chance that Brewster could be coming up against some of his former teammates next season, so the fact he will be able to ramp up his form and sharpness in the summer is great news.

Brewster has previously been dubbed a “magnificent” player by Reds legend Steven Gerrard, and for someone still at such a young age, there’s no doubt that he will prove to be a key player for United in years to come.

In other news… the Blades have pulled out of a move to sign a new shot-stopper.