All posts by h716a5.icu

Tottenham Hotspur are interested in a deal to bring Memphis Depay to the Premier League this summer.

What’s the talk?

That’s according to a report by Spanish publication SPORT, who claim that, following Fabio Paratici’s negotiations with Barcelona regarding a loan deal for Clement Lenglet, the Italian sporting director has now enquired about the possibility of signing the centre-forward from the LaLiga giants as they edge closer to his signature.

The report goes on to state that Xavi’s side would be willing to part with the Netherlands international for a figure in the region of €20m (£17m) this summer, with the Catalan club said to have informed the 28-year-old he is free to leave the Nou Camp ahead of the 2022/23 campaign.

An “unreal” coup

Considering just how impressive Depay was for Barcelona last season, should Paratici go on to get a £17m deal over the line for the Dutchman in the coming weeks, it would almost certainly represent one of the biggest coups of the summer transfer window.

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Indeed, over his 28 LaLiga appearances in 2021/22, the £34m-rated talent was in fantastic form, scoring 12 goals, registering two assists and creating five big chances for his teammates, as well as taking an average of 2.2 shots, making 1.6 key passes and completing 1.6 dribbles per game.

These returns saw the £158k-per-week forward who Usher Komugisha dubbed “extraordinary” and Liam Canning labelled “unreal” average an extremely impressive SofaScore match rating of 7.26, ranking him not only as Xavi’s fourth-best performer in the league but also as the joint 10th-best player in the division as a whole.

Furthermore, according to FBref data, the 28-year-old also ranks in the top 1% of forwards in Europe’s big five leagues for passes attempted per 90, in addition to the top 3% for progressive carries, the top 3% for progressive passes received, the top 6% for shot-creating actions, the top 6% for progressive passes, the top 8% for dribbles completed and the top 15% for xA over the last 365 days.

As such, considering that SPORT were reporting back in March that Barcelona would be demanding a €40m (£34m) fee for Depay this summer, should Paratici be successful in his bid to tie up a £17m move for the 80-cap international, not only would the Italian be adding an extremely talented forward to Antonio Conte’s attacking arsenal, he would also be sealing an unreal piece of transfer business for Spurs.

AND in other news: Paratici could unearth Mount 2.0 as Spurs plot bid for “unbelievable” £30m target

Nottingham Forest have been linked with a move for Neco Williams, and now a new update has emerged from a reliable source on the club’s progress in their pursuit of the player.

What’s the latest?

Sports journalist for The Daily Express, Ryan Taylor, has revealed that Nottingham Forest have had a bid turned down by Liverpool for defender Neco Williams.

Taylor tweeted on Wednesday lunchtime: “Liverpool have rejected an opening offer from Nottingham Forest for Wales international right-back Neco Williams.”

Cooper will be gutted

The right-back role is something that needs to be addressed at Nottingham Forest with the departure of Djed Spence who took on the role during his season-long loan at The City Ground, so Steve Cooper will surely be gutted to see a bid turned down to source a replacement.

Forest have been linked with a move for Spence, however, Tottenham Hotspur have shown a strong interest in the player, clearly prompting the club to look elsewhere hence their bid for Williams.

The Liverpool player struggled for game-time at Anfield with Trent Alexander-Arnold comfortably covering the right back role in the team but was given the opportunity to show off his talents and ability during a six-month loan in the Championship with Fulham.

Williams scored two goals, delivered two assists and created two big chances, making one key pass, 2.6 tackles, 1.3 interceptions and 1.6 interceptions, whilst completing the majority of his duels (53%) and being successful in the majority of his dribble attempts (51%) over 14 league appearances.

The 21-year-old’s performances have proven he has the potential to be a great asset in any team when given the opportunity to play consistently, something Nottingham Forest will be able to provide if they manage to get a deal done with the Champions League finalists this summer.

If not, Cooper will need to identify another player to come in and strengthen his defensive line ahead of their long-awaited return to Premier League next season, as losing Spence will leave a big hole in the team.

With that being said, the powers at The City Ground must not give up on Williams and come to an agreement that will suit Liverpool’s demands, otherwise they could be weakened in their first season back in the top flight.

AND in other news: NFFC expected to “entice” £9m-rated “spectacular” star, Cooper can “turn his head”

Leeds United are interested in a deal to bring Moses Simon to Elland Road in the summer transfer window.

What’s the talk?

That’s according to a recent report by French publication RMC Sport (via Sport Witness), who claim that, with Raphinha looking set to join Chelsea in a £60m deal, Victor Orta has now turned his attention in the transfer market to sourcing a replacement for the winger – with the FC Nantes forward believed to be one of the Spaniard’s primary targets.

The report goes on to state that OGC Nice have already agreed a deal with Nantes for the 26-year-old, while the Canaries CEO, Franck Kita, has handed any other suitor a green light, saying that the Nigeria international will be sold “if there are very interesting offers” submitted for his services this summer – with €15m (£13m) reported to be enough to get a deal for the winger over the line.

“Unplayable”

Considering just how impressive Simon was for Nantes last season, it is not difficult to see why Orta has identified the attacker as a replacement for Raphinha in Jesse Marsch’s first-team squad.

Indeed, over his 30 Ligue 1 appearances in 2021/22, the £9m-rated talent was in electric form, scoring six goals, registering eight assists and creating 13 big chances for his teammates, as well as making an average of 2.2 key passes, taking 1.4 shots and completing 1.4 dribbles per game.

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These returns saw the £29k-per-week forward who Oma Akatugba dubbed “unplayable, unstoppable and unbelievable” and Jack Collins labelled “absolutely sublime” average an extremely impressive SofaScore match rating of 7.08, ranking him as Antoine Kombouare’s second-best player in the league last time out.

The 26-year-old also stole the show for Nigeria over his four Africa Cup of Nations fixtures earlier this year, scoring one goal, providing one assist and creating one big chance, in addition to taking an average of 2.3 shots, making 1.5 key passes and completing an enormous 4.3 dribbles per outing.

These metrics saw Simon average a simply sensational SofaScore match rating of 7.42, not only ranking him as the Super Eagles’ second-best player in the competition but also as the fifth-best outfielder in the tournament as a whole.

As such, with the Nantes sensation quite clearly being a talent who is incredibly deadly in front of goal, exceptional in his progression of the ball and possesses an excellent eye for a killer pass, it would very much appear as if the attacker would make a fantastic replacement for Raphina in Marsch’s side – leading us to believe that Orta must do all he can to land the forward ahead of Nice this summer.

AND in other news: “It’s understood..”: Beren Cross drops big Leeds transfer update, Victor Orta must act

Manchester City forward Julian Alvarez will remain at the Etihad Stadium next season despite numerous loan offers being made for him, according to reliable journalist Fabrizio Romano.

The Lowdown: New addition at Man City

On January’s transfer deadline day, City announced the signing of Alvarez, having agreed a fee in the region of £14m for the Argentina international. The 22-year-old signed a five-and-a-half year deal at the Etihad before heading back to River Plate for the remainder of the season.

The striker has an impressive record in Argentina, having scored 52 goals in 116 appearances, leading to him earning nine caps for his national team (via Transfermarkt).

The Latest: Romano’s news on Alvarez

Romano has now shared the latest news on Alvarez, who has been gaining lots of interest involving potential loan moves ahead of next season.

Taking to Twitter, the journalist claimed: “More than five European clubs have approached Man City since February to sign Julián Álvarez on loan for the next season, including Premier League clubs too. #MCFC

“Always same answer: no way, he’s staying. That’s why Man City are prepared to sell Gabriel Jesus and Sterling.”

The Verdict: Huge potential

The arrival of Alvarez in Manchester is an exciting proposition for Sky Blues fans, given the huge potential that the 22-year-old has been touted to fulfil.

The striker was awarded a stunning 8.63 average SofaScore match rating in the Argentine top flight in 2022, topping his club’s charts by some distance.

With Pep Guardiola’s side prepared to let go of both Sterling and Jesus, according to Romano this must say something highly complimentary about Alvarez, as City have rarely been a club to allow their stars to leave in deference to promising youngsters.

In other news: Noel Whelan has reacted to this transfer update on another Man City player

Reliable journalist Graeme Bailey has dropped a Liverpool transfer twist regarding the future of Sadio Mane.  

The Lowdown: Mane wants Bayern move

The Senegalese star is one of the current squad’s longest-serving players since making the switch to Anfield from fellow Premier League side Southampton six years ago, becoming a fan favourite in the iconic front three alongside Mohamed Salah and Roberto Firmino.

However, as a result of only having just over 12 months remaining on his current contract on Merseyside, the 30-year-old’s future has been very much up in the air in recent weeks.

The forward reportedly wants to push for a move to Bayern Munich while the press in Germany believe a deal to join the Bundesliga champions is only a matter of time.

The Latest: Liverpool would be happy to keep him

In Bailey’s new column for 90min, it’s claimed that Liverpool have told both Mane and Bayern that they will ‘keep hold’ of the striker this transfer window ‘unless their valuation is met’.

The source states that the Bundesliga giants have already had two official bids ‘rejected’ for their target, the second being ‘worth up to £30m’, but the Reds want no less than £40m with extra add-ons.

The article reads that sources from both clubs are still ‘confident’ that the deal will happen, but that Jurgen Klopp’s men are ‘prepared’ to welcome the 89-cap international ‘back into their squad’ next season, regardless of Darwin Nunez’s arrival.

The Verdict: Time to let him go

If Mane were to end up staying at Liverpool, Klopp would have Nunez, Salah, Luis Diaz, Diogo Jota, Firmino and youngster Fabio Carvalho all available for selection alongside him as attacking options.

The £200k-per-week gem was unquestionably a standout performer last season, having scored 23 goals and provided five assists across all competitions, as per Transfermarkt, but as prolific as he is, the boss won’t want to have someone in his starting XI when he knows that’s not truly where he desires to be.

It’s hard to imagine Mane having a change of heart in the coming weeks so it’s probably the best option for the club to let him go and give the new players a chance to shine – after all, they are the ones who will become the future of Liverpool in years to come.

In other news… Fabrizio Romano has shared Takumi Minamino’s Liverpool exit ‘talks’.

Aston Villa may have completed four signings before the transfer window has even officially opened but it seems as if Steven Gerrard is still planning for a busy summer of incoming and outgoings, with Calvin Bassey reportedly still of interest to the Villa boss.

What’s the word?

According to Birmingham Live reporter Ashley Preece, Bassey remains “on the club’s radar” as Gerrard looks to improve the spine of his XI.

The Rangers man is well-known to Gerrard after his time at Ibrox and enjoyed a superb 2021/22 campaign which has attracted interest from plenty of sides across Europe.

Gerrard’s dream?

The former Leicester City man started his Rangers career as a left-back, so could provide cover for Lucas Digne, but some of his best showings for Giovanni van Bronckhorst’s side last season came as a central defender.

Bassey was particularly impressive in the Europa League final defeat against Eintracht Frankfurt, with BBC awarding him their man-of-the-match award, while Owen Hargreaves also sang his praises on BT Sport, saying:

“Calvin Bassey, my word, what a performance.

“That was astonishing, the energy and effort. Everything about his game was fantastic.

“Anyone watching that will be thinking: ‘That’s the kind of player I want in my team’.”

Gerrard has already waxed lyrical about Bassey during his time as manager of Rangers and he is someone that he clearly wants to work with at Villa in the Premier League.

Last season saw the young defender make 50 appearances for Rangers in all competitions, in what was a breakthrough campaign for him, considering he had only made 15 appearances in the previous campaign.

Therefore, it seems fair to suggest that he will only get better with more experience and playing time, and it is easy to see why Gerrard wants to bring him to Villa Park this summer.

Considering Villa have already spent big on fellow defender Diego Carlos, it will be interesting to see if they are willing to meet Rangers’ reported £25m asking price for Bassey. However, from what Preece suggests, they will definitely try and convince him to make the move south, something that would be a dream for Gerrard.

And, in other news… Gerrard now given green light for “fantastic” £10m Aston Villa move, Lange must act

Alasdair Gold has dropped an update on reported Tottenham Hotspur transfer target Romelu Lukaku.

What’s the latest?

In a recent Q&A on football.london, the journalist revealed that, following a number of reports linking Spurs with a move for the Chelsea centre-forward this summer, the 29-year-old is a player who Antonio Conte is a great admirer of – before suggesting that anything could happen in the transfer market.

However, Gold went on to state that it would appear unlikely Thomas Tuchel’s side would be willing to do business with a direct rival, as well as suggesting that the Belgian may not feel he would be a guaranteed starter in north London with the likes of Harry Kane, Son Heung-min and Dejan Kulusevski already at the club.

When asked whether there was any truth to the Lukaku rumours, Gold replied: “Conte loves him but I’d have my doubts over whether Chelsea would deal with Spurs and also whether Lukaku would feel he’d get to play week in, week out with Harry Kane at the club. He wouldn’t be the main man.

“They may well be able to play together but what that would mean for Son and Kulusevski I don’t know. It’s a lot of money for a player who hasn’t had the happiest time back in the Premier League. I just can’t see Chelsea dealing with a London rival and their former manager, but who knows what could happen in this crazy summer.”

Conte will be gutted

Considering just how much success Conte enjoyed with Lukaku during his two-year stay at Inter Milan, Gold’s suggestion that Chelsea may not be open to doing business with Tottenham this summer, in addition to the journalist’s claim that Lukaku himself may not be keen on a switch to north London, is sure to have left the 52-year-old gutted.

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Indeed, over Lukaku’s 95 appearances for the Italian coach, the £76.5m-rated forward scored an incredibly impressive 64 goals, as well as providing his teammates with a further 17 assists – meaning the £350k-per-week striker averaged a direct goal involvement every 96 minutes of football played under the current Spurs boss.

Furthermore, with 24 of these goals and 11 of his assists for Inter coming over the Belgium international’s 36 Serie A appearances in 2020/21, it is clear to see just how important the 29-year-old was within Conte’s Scudetto-winning side last season – form which, if repeated at Tottenham, would undoubtedly help to take Spurs to another level in 2022/23.

However, following Gold’s latest update, it would now appear as if a Tottenham move for the former Manchester United and Everton centre-forward this summer does not look overly likely, an outcome that is sure to come as a gutting blow to the 52-year-old Spurs manager.

AND in other news: “There is an option…”: Gold drops exciting Spurs update, supporters will be buzzing

West Ham have been linked with a move for Watford attacker Emmanuel Dennis recently and the Nigerian could be a superb addition to David Moyes’ side this summer.

What’s the word?

According to journalist Dean Jones, the Hammers will look into bringing the striker to the London Stadium ahead of next season, following Watford’s relegation back to the Championship.

Jones told GIVEMESPORT: “It’ll be interesting. There are loads of names that West Ham are looking at at the moment. People like Emmanuel Dennis, I’m sure that they’ll be looking into situations like that because they always explore good opportunities, but we’ll have to wait.”

A no-brainer for the Hammers?

Although Watford succumbed to relegation last season, Dennis was one of their star performers in the top flight, particularly in the first half of the season and arguably showed that he is capable of forging a successful career in the Premier League.

The 24-year-old contributed an impressive ten goals and six assists in 33 appearances for the Hornets, averaging a solid 6.89 rating from WhoScored for his performances, which was enough to rank him as their top performer across the season.

The Sun have previously reported that he could be available for as little as £20m this summer, and with West Ham desperately in need of attacking reinforcements after once again failing to bring in a striker in January’s transfer window, this is a deal that would make a lot of sense for Moyes.

Claudio Ranieri was full of praise for Dennis during his short spell at Watford last season, saying:

“[Dennis] is a very talented player. He’s fast, has good skill, always runs straight to the goal – I love these kinds of players.”

If the Hammers are to progress next season then they certainly need more strength in depth and Dennis could be the ideal man to level up Moyes’ attack, as his versatility allows him to play anywhere across a front three.

He is proven in the Premier League, still young and will surely be keen to avoid a season in the Championship, so Moyes should definitely look to bring him in.

And, in other news…West Ham can sign their own Vardy in “fearless” 22 y/o

West Ham United are believed to be monitoring Lille midfielder Amadou Onana, according to reports coming out of France.

What’s the word?

As per Foot Mercato, the Hammers have been keeping an eye on the 2o-year-old in recent times ahead of a possible move, with Premier League rivals Arsenal also believed to be credited with an interest.

The report suggests that despite only signing for the Ligue 1 outfit last year, the Belgian ace ‘could leave’ in the upcoming transfer window, with the French side potentially needing to cash in on their star assets after missing out on European qualification.

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Although no ‘concrete offer’ has been made by any interested party as yet, previous reports have suggested that the Senegal-born ace could be available for a fee in the region of £20m.

The next Tchouameni?

The report also named Monaco as one side who are interested in the former Hamburg man, with Philippe Clement and co eyeing Onana as a possible replacement for midfield talisman Aurelien Tchouameni, with the young Frenchman seemingly heading off to Champions League winners, Real Madrid this summer.

The fact that the Lille man has been identified as a possible replacement for the £54m-rated colossus is a sure sign of his talent, with Tchouameni currently one of the most coveted defensive midfielders in Europe such has been his stunning form of late.

The 22-year-old is arguably one of the best performing players in his position at present across Europe’s top five leagues, ranking in the top 1% for interceptions made, the top 13% for aerial duels won and the top 18% for tackles made, showcasing his steely quality in the centre of the park, despite his youth.

Equally, in an attacking sense the £19k-per-week brute is also no slouch, ranking in the top 13% for progressive passes and the top 15% for passes attempted, while he also netted three goals and supplied two assists in 35 league outings in the most recent campaign.

Although not at that level yet, Onana seemingly possesses similar attributes as the Madrid-bound star, with David Moyes and co potentially set to have their own, highly-coveted talent on their hands if a deal can be struck this summer.

The Belgium U21 international ranks in the top 6% for tackles made compared to his peers, while in the 2021/22 season he averaged 0.9 interceptions and 1.5 tackles per game, as well as winning a solid 59% of his total duels.

He may not yet be the man to come straight into the first-team at the London Stadium – having only started 11 league games in the most recent campaign – although he is already showing plenty of promise to suggest he can blossom into a standout regular in the future, potentially in the mould of the aforementioned Tchouameni.

That is an exciting prospect indeed for those of a West Ham persuasion.

IN other news, “Another target…”: Ex drops big WHU summer transfer claim that supporters will love

Crystal Palace are interested in signing Watford winger Ismaila Sarr, according to a report from French outlet Jeunes Footeux. 

The lowdown: Wanted man

Following the Hertfordshire club’s relegation from the Premier League, it’s widely anticipated that the 24-year-old will be the subject of plentiful interest during the summer transfer window.

Having previously garnered the attention of Liverpool, the Senegal international is expected to attract offers, with mega-rich Newcastle United also being heavily linked with him in recent days.

It now appears as though Palace manager Patrick Vieira could be about to make his own intentions known in the transfer market…

The latest: Palace linked with Sarr

As per Jeunes Footeux, the Eagles are said to be ‘especially’ interested in Sarr, whilst also citing interest from Everton, an unnamed German club and indeed Newcastle.

It is claimed that Vieira ‘greatly appreciates’ the 39-cap forward, who could be available for less than €35m (£29.8m) this summer.

The report added that Watford won’t stand in the way of Sarr, who was praised by Hornets team-mate Ben Foster for his pace and his “off the cuff” style of play, if an ‘interesting’ offer is forthcoming.

The verdict: Exciting addition

While the Selhurst Park ranks are blessed with skilful wide players in the shape of Wilfried Zaha, Michael Olise and the versatile Jeffrey Schlupp, adding Sarr would be a superb piece of early summer business from Palace.

Despite Watford’s relegation and his own trouble with injuries, the Senegal star ended the 2021/22 campaign with a respectable return of five goals and two assists in 22 appearances.

Boasting impressive dribbling and finishing abilities (WhoScored), at 24 he certainly has the ability to move onto the next level, and Vieira should relish the opportunity to bring the best out of a player whose pace and penalty box prowess are evident.

In other news, this Palace stalwart may leave in the summer