All posts by z3u9t.icu

The identity of the man behind the ongoing takeover attempt of Derby County has been revealed.

What’s the latest?

According to a report by The Sun, the former Manchester City CEO Garry Crook is the man behind an American takeover bid for the Rams.

The businessman is said to have been going through Derby County’s finances with the current owner Mel Morris, who is believed to owe money to HMRC, former players and staff, as well as £17.5m to MSD Holdings.

Fans will be buzzing

With Crook boasting an impressive record of signings during his time in charge of Manchester City between 2008-2011, bringing players such as Nigel de Jong, Vincent Kompany, Pablo Zabaleta and Carlos Tevez to the club, as well as appointing the eventual Premier League-winning manager Roberto Mancini, the businessman certainly has good stock in the game.

Indeed, the Birmingham-born man would very much seem to be a better choice of owner than Erik Alonso, who made a series of embarrassing faux pas after agreeing a deal to purchase Derby back in April, before Morris decided to pull the plug on that transaction.

And, with Derby facing a points deduction for breaking the EFL’s Financial Fair Play rules, with the sanctions likely to be less harsh if a takeover is completed in an efficient manner, both Morris and Crook will undoubtedly be hoping to conclude their business quickly.

This is sure to come as great news for fans of the club, who will very much be hoping to put this season behind them as fast as they possibly can, as well as praying that their club will back Wayne Rooney in the transfer market this summer, in order to mount a push towards the Championship play-off places at some point in the near future.

And, this would appear something that is all the more likely with Crook and his American financiers in charge of the Rams, with the businessman’s interest appearing to be a positive step for the club and something that will have fans buzzing about Derby’s future.

In other news: DCFC dealt transfer blow over “magnificent” £7.7k-p/w gem that’ll leave Rooney gutted

Leeds United striker Patrick Bamford could be fit for the final two Premier League games of the season despite initial fears he would not return this campaign.

The Lowdown: Bamford’s torrid season

The 28-year-old was arguably the Whites’ star man last season, scoring 17 league goals, but things have panned out very differently this time around.

Bamford has been hampered by injury problems throughout the campaign, being limited to just seven league starts, which has played a part in the Whites’ struggles.

The striker is currently out with a foot injury which was initially expected to make him miss the rest of the campaign, but Jesse Marsch has revealed he could now miss just the next three weeks.

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The Latest: Hay shares good news

Providing his thoughts in a Q&A for The Athletic on Monday ahead of Leeds’ trip to Crystal Palace, Phil Hay claimed that Bamford could return for the last two league games of the season, which are at home to Brighton and away to Brentford.

The journalist shared a prospective return date from the Whites manager which essentially means missing the next three weeks, claiming:

“Still no Patrick Bamford [v Palace] but Jesse Marsch thinks he might make it back for the last two games of the season.”

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The Verdict: Could be massive for Leeds

This is a potentially huge boost for Leeds, as they find themselves in danger of getting sucked back into a relegation battle between themselves, Everton and Burnley.

Bamford’s finishing ability means that just one chance could be needed in one of those final two matches, should Marsch’s side still not be safe at that point.

In many ways, the hope is that Leeds have avoided relegation by then and Bamford doesn’t need to be risked, but having him in contention would feel significant, providing the Whites with proven Premier League firepower.

In other news, Hay has dropped a Leeds transfer claim. Read more here.

Manchester United face Leeds United on Sunday afternoon aiming to rubber-stamp their place in the top-four.

Ole Gunnar Solskjaer’s Red Devils need another four points to guarantee a Champions League place and it goes without saying that a win at Elland Road would go a long way to achieving their goal.

One man who could certainly help them get a win is wideman Daniel James, who was infamously close to signing for Marcelo Bielsa’s men just months before arriving at Old Trafford.

He could definitely prove a point against Leeds should he be selected by Solskjaer from the start.

The winger, who earns £45k per week at Old Trafford, is in the midst of his most prolific season as a Red Devil having notched five goals thus far in all competitions, one more than he managed in the entirety of 2019/20.

That eye for goal then could certainly come in handy against a Leeds side who have found it tough to defend this season, having conceded 50 goals and kept just nine clean sheets – only keeping one shutout in their last seven games.

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However, it is his “explosive” pace that is more than likely going to come in the most useful at Elland Road. Should he be deployed on the right flank by Solskjaer, this would see the Welshman directly matched up against Ezgjan Alioski.

Whilst the Macedonian is a competent option at left-back for Bielsa, James would surely back himself to be able to get beyond him and cause problems for the Leeds defence.

After all, the 23-year-old has already managed to have an impact against Leeds this season, netting in the 6-2 thumping of the Whites at Old Trafford back in December, once again vying up against Alioski.

Heading to a stadium where he could have been plying his trade had things gone differently, James will certainly want to prove a point and he has a great opportunity  to do that as United aim to seal their top-four place.

AND in more news, read about which former hero Solskjaer must bring back to Old Trafford…

Wolves are reportedly in talks to sign Jens Cajuste in the summer transfer window.

The Lowdown: One for the future

Cajuste is seen as the ‘future of Swedish football’ by Football Talent Scout Jacek Kulig, who also described him as ‘excellent’ in an impressive performance for FC Midtjylland against Brondby in a match in the Danish Superliga back in April, and went on to claim that he is a ‘great talent’.

He was a key player for his side in the 2020/21 term, making no fewer than 39 appearances in total across all competitions, and has played in five senior games for Sweden, including at Euro 2020 (Transfermarkt).

The Latest: Cajuste talks

According to SportExpressen, the Midlands club are currently in discussions with Cajuste’s representatives over his potential signing, along with Leeds United, Newcastle United and Crystal Palace.

They are also prepared to make a bid for the defensive midfield player, who is clearly in high-demand.

The Verdict: Wait on Neves future

Ruben Neves has reportedly been linked with a move to either Manchester United or Arsenal amid uncertainty over his future at Molineux.

If the Wanderers were to lose the Portugal international in the middle of the park, then Cajuste could prove to be an ideal replacement.

At just 21 years of age, the Swede clearly has a lot of potential, and his six-foot-one frame makes him ideally suited to the Premier League.

However, the signing may prove to be unnecessary if Neves ends up staying at WWFC.

In other news, find out what Tim Spiers news has Wanderers raging here!

West Bromwich Albion forward Matheus Pereira is considering an offer that would see him leave The Hawthorns this summer.

What’s the talk?

That’s according to a claim made by Joao Castelo-Branco, with the ESPN journalist revealing in a post on Twitter that, following a €15m (£12.8m) bid from Al-Hilal Riyadh, the 25-year-old is considering whether or not he would agree to a move to the Saudi Professional League.

Castelo-Branco goes on to state that, although the Brazilian would rather play in the Premier League, the salary offered by Al-Hilal is extremely tempting.

Finally, the journalist claims that West Brom themselves are looking for a fee much closer to £30m in order to sanction the sale of the winger this summer, however, if no other offers are made, Albion could well accept the Saudi club’s bid.

In his tweet, Castelo-Branco said: “Matheus Pereira considering Al Hilal offer. He would like to play in the Prem but salary is tempting. The Saudi club offered €15m to West Brom. They want £30m from PL clubs, but I would guess if no such offers are made they could accept at the end of the window.”

Fans will be devastated

Considering the fact that Pereira has been West Brom’s talisman for the past two years, if the club were to eventually sanction his sale for a fee as little as £12.8m, in addition to the winger moving to a league he is clearly far too good for, fans of Albion would surely be devastated.

Indeed, over his 33 Premier League appearances for the Baggies last season, the £13.5m-rated man scored 11 goals, provided six assists and created 11 big chances for his teammates, as well as taking an average of two shots and making 1.8 key passes per game.

These returns saw the £39k-per-week winger earn a highly impressive seasonal SofaScore match rating of 7.18, ranking him as the club’s best performer in the top flight of English football.

As such, losing the services of Pereira this summer would not only be a major blow to Valerien Ismael’s chances of going on to secure an immediate return to the Premier League next season, but, for a fee that is £700k below his current market value, it would also not appear worthwhile financially for the club.

However, with Castelo-Branco claiming that the Baggies could well accept this offer come the end of August, fans should start preparing themselves to wave goodbye to their star player for pennies on the dollar.

In other news: Imagine him & Mowatt: West Brom initiate talks for 26y/o, he makes a “big difference”

Leeds United are reportedly showing genuine interest in signing  Brest winger Romain Faivre, but other big clubs are also interested.

The Lowdown: Past interest in Faivre

Marcelo Bielsa is expected to make additions to his squad in the summer transfer window in order to ensure that they keep improving next season.

The Whites have been linked with a move for Faivre in recent months, with the 22-year-old scoring six goals and registering five assists in Ligue 1 this season.

The Latest: Leeds in the race for winger

According to Le Parisien [via Sport Witness], Leeds are showing ‘concrete interest’ in signing Faivre at the end of the season, but they aren’t alone in that respect.

Both Paris Saint-Germain and Borussia Dortmund are also in the mix, along with AC Milan, Bayer Leverkusen and Borussia Monchengladbach.

It is claimed that Leeds will have to pay between €15m and €20m (£12.95m-£17.26m) to acquire the Frenchman’s signature.

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The Verdict: Worth a punt?

Faivre might not the most high-profile name with whom Leeds have been linked, but his statistics suggest that he could thrive in this Whites team.

On top of his aforementioned 11 goal contributions in the league, he also averages 2.6 dribbles per game, highlighting his direct nature. That’s comfortably more than any Leeds player in the Premier League in 2020/21, with Raphinha (1.9) leading the way, going to show what an exciting acquisition he could be.

Indeed, the Brazilian was a left-field £17m signing from Ligue 1 outfit Rennes and has gone on to excel in Yorkshire, so the Whites could strike a similarly successful note with another raid on the French top flight if they sign Faivre.

In other news, one pundit has tipped a Leeds attacker to leave the club at the end of the season. Find out who it is here.

West Ham United remain interested in Youssef En-Nesyri this summer…

What’s the word?

That’s according to El Desmarque, who claim the Irons are willing to pay beyond the €40m (£36m) mark to sign the 24-year-old Sevilla talisman this transfer window.

It’s believed that the Morrocan international is among their priorities before the start of the new season, having attempted to bring him to the London Stadium in January following the departure of Sebastian Haller.

The Hammers are also said to have promised that En-Nesyri would be amongst their top earners should he agree to a move, though that may prove hard as it seems as though he doesn’t want to leave the La Liga outfit.

Sign him up!

With that in mind, West Ham’s hierarchy must be prepared to break the bank for someone who scored 24 times during the 2020/21 season as he’d be a dangerous addition to David Moyes’ barren frontline.

Right now, the East Londoners will be heading into a Europa League campaign with just one recognised striker, an injury-prone Michail Antonio.

At 6 foot 2, En-Nesyri would offer a different dimension to the 31-year-old, allowing the Scotsman to either play two up top, with the Sevilla star being the perfect foil for the shorter, more explosive forward or even deployed by himself, where he has quickly emerged as someone who can create chances for himself.

Speaking about his qualities to This is Futbol, La Liga expert Euan McTear waxed lyrical, also making a lofty comparison to one of the game’s current greats.

“He’s not someone that will move out wide and create a chance, he’s very much a centre-forward, if he’s moving out of the box to create something, it’s usually for his own good – a bit like Benzema, but he does that well and scores a lot of goals.”

Indeed, En-Nesyri has failed to provide a single assist at Sevilla but has found the net 30 times across 78 appearances, as per Transfermarkt.

An average of 2.5 aerial duels won per game suggests he’s more than capable to the physical demands of the Premier League, whilst an average of 2.1 shots per match would see him sit third in the current Hammers squad.

“When you look at his attributes, he’s as good in the air as anyone now. Not only is he tall, [but] he’s got that athletic ability to leap as well. He seems to really enjoy aerial challenges,” claims Sky Sports’ Spanish football commentator Terry Gibson, who also deemed him a “world-beater” at times.

If Moyes is to truly keep the Hammers competitive next season, then GSB needs to be making signings like this one. The £36m-rated machine must be secured this summer.

AND in other news, Moyes could take West Ham to next level by signing “dangerous” £18m-rated goal machine…

Rangers managed to reclaim their spot at the top of the Scottish Premiership table as they beat Hibernian 2-1 on Sunday.

Kevin Nisbet headed Hibs in front in the opening 10 minutes before Ryan Porteous was sent off in the 30th minute for a poor challenge on Joe Aribo.

The Gers were able to find the leveller in the 60th minute as Nathan Patterson put the ball on a plate for Kemar Roofe to nod home at the back post. Alfredo Morelos then won the match with his goal, assisted by Borna Barisic, in the 78th minute.

Roofe and Morelos may steal the headlines with their goals, but one player who was an unsung hero in the midfield was summer signing John Lundstram. He found a balance between defensive ballast and impressive play in possession to put in an all-around brilliant display.

Defensively, he was almost faultless for Rangers. Per SofaScore, he made four tackles, three interceptions and one block. He also won 62.5% of his duels on the pitch in the game, winning five of his eight 50/50 battles against Hibernian players.

This shows that he was able to snuff out Hibernian attacks with his defensive awareness and strength. He did not allow the opposition to pass by him easily, which allowed Rangers to dominate the game – contributing to the final result.

On the ball, he was composed and assured in possession to maintain the dominance. Per SofaScore, he had an eye-catching 118 touches of the ball – completing 99 of his 104 attempted passes (95%) and only giving the ball away six times from all of those touches.

Lundstram was efficient with his passing and did not give the ball away on a regular basis. Not only did this stop Hibernian from gaining the ball, but it also allowed Rangers to pile the pressure on the opposition goal and tire the midfield, which then created space for the Gers to work with.

Therefore, the midfield beast was Gerrard’s unsung hero in the match as he did the dirty work so that the forward players could shine in possession of the ball.

Hopefully, the summer arrival from Sheffield United will continue to perform to these standards and maintain his place in the starting XI to improve Gerrard’s side, which is – presumably – why he was brought to the club.

AND in other news, Gerrard masterclass: Rangers beast has seen his value soar 33.3% in less than 2 years…

Leeds United have reached a “total agreement” with Espanyol starlet Mateo Joseph, but a fee remains a stumbling block for the moment.

What’s the story?

According to recent reports from The Daily Mail, Marcelo Bielsa’s side are one of a number of teams interested in signing the 17-year-old forward whose contract runs out next summer.

Now, writing on Twitter, journalist Diego Balbontin, said: “Total agreement between club and player. The @RCDEspanyol considers insufficient the (formal) offer of the English (500k/clause of 1.5m). Free in 2022. It could be free if both clubs cannot reach an agreement.”

Another Victor Orta masterclass

One of the hallmarks and successes of Leeds United’s return to the Premier League, has been the incredible work that Victor Orta has done in the transfer market in signing players for relatively cheap, and seeing them develop into top-flight stars.

The likes of Illan Meslier and Pascal Struijk in particular came in for absolute pittance at Elland Road and have more than made their investment value for money.

In the 17-year-old, Joseph it would be yet another display of smart recruitment from Orta.

The Daily Mail claimed that along with Leeds, the likes of Barcelona, Arsenal and Liverpool are all interested in Joseph and have been keeping tabs on him ahead of a potential move.

For the Whites to jump ahead of the pack and swoop in for the teenager before those big clubs could put their claws in, is another sign of the quick-thinking and organisation that Orta and his transfer team work with.

It’s the nature of the modern game and how the scouting world has improved, that very rarely do young players slip under the radar – gone are the days of someone like former Arsenal boss Arsene Wenger being the first to a prodigious young talent simply because the French market had been left untapped.

Clubs, big and small, have massive recruitment teams stationed all over the world, so it requires much more work and speed of action for teams to be the first to sign the next big thing.

If the Whites can beat European heavyweights like Barcelona and Liverpool to Joseph’s signing, it would be another masterclass from Orta.

Meanwhile, Phil Hay has delivered an update on Leeds United’s Elland Road plans…

Southampton midfielder Mario Lemina has been linked with a move to Serie A outfit Cagliari [Gianluca Di Mario via Southern Daily Echo].

The Lowdown: Exits aplenty as Southampton prepare for 2021/22

Looking ahead to 2021/22, many Saints fans will be intrigued to see how Austrian boss Ralph Hasenhuttl improves his squad, and that may well begin with selling underperforming players before moving onto rebuilding.

Facing multiple senior departures already this summer, Ryan Bertrand, Angus Gunn and Wesley Hoedt have all left St Mary’s [Transfermarkt].

Now, the South Coast club could be set for further exit following recent reports.

The Latest: Cagliari in for Lemina according to reports

Presently speaking, Italian top-flight side Cagliari are said to be looking at a swoop for Gabonese midfielder Lemina ahead of the new season [Southern Daily Echo].

Last month, Southampton were allegedly looking to recoup around £4 million for the 27-year-old, who arrived in 2017 from Juventus for £18.1 million [Southern Daily Echo].

Newcastle United were also previously keen on his services, however the move has since ground to a halt due to the player’s age [Daily Mail].

The Verdict: Lemina’s ship has sailed

Evaluating the situation, it is probably best that Lemina moves on to pastures new after falling out of favour under Hassenhuttl in recent times.

In 2020/21, the Libreville-born anchor man spent the campaign with then divisional rivals Fulham, notching two goal contributions in 28 fixtures for the West Londoners; one goal and one assist [Transfermarkt]. He has also spent time on loan at Galatasaray [BBC].

Despite suffering relegation during his time with the Cottagers, he made an impression in the middle of the park as an enforcer, averaging 2.2 tackles per 90 minutes across the campaign [WhoScored].

Once labelled as a ‘top-four player’ by pundit Garth Crooks, he certainly has the ability to flourish within an ideal footballing environment given the chance [Saints Marching], but it is clearly not going to happen at St. Mary’s

A summer sale is likely the best outcome for both club and player – could Cagliari be the side to make it happen?

In other news, Southampton fans rage at an update on a key player.