All posts by n8rngtd.top

Liverpool will look to secure new contracts for Diogo Jota and Naby Keita this summer, according to a report from The Mirror. 

The lowdown: Ward at work

Following the departure of highly-regarded sporting director Michael Edwards, the passing of the baton to Julain Ward has seemingly proved to be a seamless transition.

So far in his first summer in the role, the 41-year-old has already secured the arrivals of Fabio Carvalho, Calvin Ramsay and the big-money capture of Darwin Nunez, the club’s record signing at £85m.

Ward has also overseen the departures of Takumi Minamino, Sadio Mane and the imminent exit of Neco Williams, along with successfully completing contract negotations for Joe Gomez and Mohamed Salah.

It now looks as though the man behind the deals is setting his sights on securing the future of two more current Reds…

The latest: Keita and Jota next

As per The Mirror, Liverpool are now turning their attentions to contract extensions for midfielder Keita and forward Jota.

It’s claimed that the Anfield club will look to open discussions in the ‘coming weeks’, with the Merseysiders ‘keen to extend’ the stay of the £22.5m-rated Guinea captain, who is already into the final 12 months of his Reds deal.

The report added that £54m-rated Jota, who was branded ‘exceptional’ by pundit Tony Cascarino earlier this year, is also ‘in line to receive a bumper pay rise’ following a brilliant start to life under Jurgen Klopp which has seen the 25-year-old score 34 times in 85 outings.

The verdict: Show of faith

Handing former Wolves star Jota a fresh contract is somewhat of a no-brainer, given the remarkable impact he has had since arriving at Liverpool, surpassing the expectations of most.

However, the decision to offer Keita a renewal at this juncture could still be considered a risk when taking into account the Guinean’s wretched injury record, having missed 62 matches following his move from RB Leipzig in 2018.

While there were signs of a marked improvement in terms of availability last season as the dynamic midfielder made 50-cap midfielder during the upcoming campaign.

That said, securing the futures of those within first-team plans will add to the stability that Klopp himself has enhanced when signing his own contract extension in April, and this is just another sign of the German getting his ducks in arow for the long-term at Anfield.

Liverpool have discovered the asking price required to sign Fenerbache youngster Arda Guler, according to a report from Turkish outlet Aksam. 

The lowdown: Hot prospect

Part of the youth system at Fenerbache since 2018, Guler has enjoyed a rapid rise to prominence through the ranks in his homeland and has already made great strides at senior domestic level.

Having provided 27 direct goal contributions in just 30 outings for the Turkish club’s under-19 side, the 17-year-old was handed a first-team debut in August 2021, providing an assist in a three-minute cameo against Antalyaspor on his Super Lig bow.

Previously linked with a move to the Reds, the Anfield giants have once again been credited with an interest as the fee required to sign Guler seemingly comes to light…

The latest: Asking price revealed

As per Aksam, Fenerbache would demand offers in the region of €25m (£21.5m) to sell their homegrown wonderkid.

It’s claimed that Liverpool, Arsenal and Lyon have all ‘made transfer offers’ to sign the 10-cap Turkey under-17 sensation previously.

The report added that Guler is ‘followed by many teams’ but it’s ‘especially Arsenal and Liverpool’ who have taken the most interest in the teenager tipped to become a future ‘world star’ by compatriot and former Premier League maestro Mesut Ozil.

The verdict: On trend

While Liverpool’s business for the summer is expected to focus predominantly on outgoings and contract renewals, allowing Julian Ward to snap up another talented youngster, particularly one who has seemingly been on the Anfield radar for some time, would be no surprise.

Recently, the Reds have shown a desire to sign the most prodigious young talent on the market, with the recent captures of Fabio Carvalho, Marcelo Pitaluga and Kaide Gordon just some examples of the future-proofing in order to strengthen the academy ranks while forming a smooth progression plan for years to come.

After scoring three goals and providing another three assists in 12 Turkish top-flight games last season, Guler certainly appears to be one for the future while also being of use in the present.

Therefore, Jurgen Klopp and co would be well advised to consider pulling the trigger on the newly-reported asking price.

Nottingham Forest are still trying to seal the signing of Liverpool youngster Neco Williams, according to BBC journalist Natalie Jackson.

The Lowdown: Williams expected to leave Liverpool

The 21-year-old looks likely to leave Anfield on a permanent basis this summer following the arrival of Calvin Ramsay from Aberdeen earlier this month as right-back cover for stalwart Trent Alexander-Arnold.

Williams’ playing time is set to be very limited at Liverpool, and it was for that very reason that he was sent out on loan to Fulham for the second half of the 2021/22 campaign, a decision that his national team coach Robert Page described as “brave” by the youngster.

Forest have been strongly linked with a move for the 21-cap Wales international recently, and it looks as though they could snap him up imminently.

The Latest: Forest working on Williams deal

Taking on Twitter on Saturday, Jackson claimed that the newly-promoted Premier League club are making a significant effort to sign Williams from Liverpool.

She said that Steve Cooper’s Forest are “doing everything they can to sign Liverpool defender Neco Williams” over the coming days.

[freshpress-quiz id=“398089″]

The Verdict: Ideal summer move

This would be a perfect summer move for Williams, allowing him to be a regular for a Premier League team ahead of the World Cup in Qatar later this year.

While Liverpool is arguably a level too high for him, given his sparsity of game-time, Forest could be an ideal destination, playing a rich brand of attacking football which allows their full-backs to get forward, as Djed Spence showed last season by chipping in with six goal contributions and averaging one key pass per game.

[freshpress-poll id=“399042″]

There is no reason why Williams can’t blossom into a formidable player at the City Ground, and it would benefit all parties for the transfer to be completed as soon as possible.

An update has emerged on Newcastle United and their interest in Armando Broja in the summer transfer window… 

What’s the talk?

Journalist Ben Jacobs has revealed that the Magpies are eyeing up a potential deal to sign the Chelsea centre-forward, who may be available for £25m, ahead of the 2022/23 campaign.

The English-born Albanian international spent last season on loan at Southampton and Dan Ashworth is now hoping to bring him to St. James’ Park.

He tweeted: “Some NUFC news. Botman announcement imminent following arrival in Newcastle. Ekitike deal is now off. Newcastle frustrated by agent demands. PSG interest in French forward is genuine. Newcastle looking at Broja along with West Ham. Tuchel wants to assess him first in pre-season.”

Eddie Howe would love him

The Toon head coach would love to have the Blues striker at the club on a permanent deal as he would be an exciting addition to the squad in the short and long term.

In the immediate future, Broja can provide another goalscoring option for Howe to call upon. The Magpies struggled to find consistent scorers last term, with Callum Wilson the only player able to find the back of the net more than five times in the Premier League.

Meanwhile, the 20-year-old produced nine goals in all competitions for Southampton, including six strikes in 21 top-flight starts.

Albania’s assistant manager, Sergio Porrini, was previously full of praise for the attacker, saying: “From last year to this he has grown a lot, and at Southampton, he has exploded.

“His greatest qualities are in progression, especially the ball and chain. (He’s) less good, on the other hand, with his back to the goal, in the construction of the action. But, in the spaces, he is devastating!”

These comments suggest that Broja is still developing and this means that Newcastle would be bringing in a player with the potential to become better. Whilst six goals in the Premier League may not give fans hope that he will be the go-to man up front next term, he is growing and can improve over time and can be someone Howe works with to help him hone his skills.

Hopefully, he can gain more experience in the top flight and develop into a player who is capable of scoring 15-20 goals, given that he has already shown promise at such a young age.

Howe would surely love to have the chance to coach a promising, young, talent like Broja at St. James’ Park and it is now down to Dan Ashworth to get a deal over the line.

AND in other news: Offer made: NUFC in talks to sign “world-class” 110-goal “magician”, Howe needs him

TuttoMercatoWeb journalist Alessio Alaimo has shared an exciting Tottenham Hotspur transfer development involving Inter Milan striker Lautaro Martinez.

The Lowdown: Conte eyes striker move…

The Lilywhites are said to be eyeing even more summer signings for manager Antonio Conte after already securing early deals.

Spurs are said to be keen on a new striker to partner or rotate with star man Harry Kane with the north Londoners even having kept an eye on Premier League forward Gabriel Jesus (The Telegraph).

Martinez meanwhile, who club chief Fabio Paratici tried to sign last year, is now back on the radar as Alaimo shares some exciting news for supporters involving the Argentine.

The Latest: Tottenham movement expected ‘in the next few days’…

As per the TMW reporter, sharing news on Twitter, Spurs movement for the 24-year-old is possible ‘in the next few days’.

[web_stories_embed url=”https://www.footballtransfertavern.com/web-stories/tottenham-latest-developments-2/” title=”Tottenham latest developments!” poster=”” width=”360″ height=”600″ align=”none”]

He explained:

“Tottenham after the contacts in February returns to think about Lautaro Martinez . Possible contacts in the next few days.”

The Verdict: Promising…

Martinez would undoubtedly upgrade Conte’s attacking options and keep Kane firmly on his toes.

As per WhoScored, the South American star bagged a brilliant 21 goals and three assists in Serie A alone last season whilst attempting the most shots at goal per 90 of any Inter player.

Martinez also finished 21/22 as Inter’s third-best performing player by average match rating and the Lilywhites potentially making contact to sign him imminently comes as quite exciting.

The Nerazzurri are thought to be in a position where they might have to sell their star striker and we believe Paratici should certainly take full advantage.

In other news: Club chief ready to offer £22.5 million-rated ‘beast’ in Spurs talks! Find out more here.

Sky Sports pundit Gabby Agbonlahor says he could ‘100%’ see Tottenham Hotspur re-signing Christian Eriksen during the upcoming transfer window.

The Lowdown: Spurs make contact with Eriksen

The 30-year-old arrived back in the Premier League when he joined Brentford on a six-month deal in January, but his short-term contract is set to expire at the end of June, making him a free agent for any potential suitors interested in securing his services.

A Lilywhites source has told Football Insider that Spurs have been in contact with the midfielder and they would be interested in bringing him back to north London.

Transfer insider Fabrizio Romano also revealed over the weekend that Thomas Frank’s side have submitted a ‘serious’ offer to the Dane, but he is considering his options with several clubs in the mix.

The Latest: Agbonlahor supports Eriksen move

Speaking to Football Insider on whether he could see Eriksen making the move back to Tottenham, Agbonlahor said: “100 percent.

“I don’t think he left on good terms to go to Inter Milan but he went to Inter Milan under Conte.

“Conte is going to know him well. I think he had a shaky start under Conte but then started to play under him.

“It’s an option, definitely. It just depends on what Eriksen wants to do with so many offers on the table.

“He might want to try something different. It’s just good to see clubs willing to take a chance on him now.

“You’ve got to give credit to Brentford as the first one who decided to take that chance. He can prove that he can be fine with the procedure that he’s had because he played so many games.”

[web_stories_embed url=”https://www.footballtransfertavern.com/web-stories/tottenham-latest-developments-2/” title=”Tottenham latest developments!” poster=”” width=”360″ height=”600″ align=”none”]

The Verdict: Perfect addition after Bissouma?

Spurs look set to secure the signing of Yves Bissouma in the coming days, with Gary Jacob reporting this week that the Brighton midfield enforcer is set for a medical in north London over a £25m move.

Eriksen meanwhile has already enjoyed a hugely successful spell with Spurs, having made a staggering 304 appearances for the club across all competitions, so it wouldn’t come as any surprise to see him come through the door next after Bissouma.

This season, the 115-cap international has been in impressive form for Brentford, with four assists and one goal to his name in just 11 outings, as per Transfermarkt, and he could add the sprinkling of creativity to the squad while the Seagulls star adds the steel deeper in the team.

With director of football Fabio Paratici said to have promised Antonio Conte up to six new signings as he looks to rebuild his squad ahead of the start of the new season, adding two fresh faces to a position that is expected to lose Harry Winks this summer would be excellent for squad depth.

In other news… a journalist has shared an exciting Tottenham transfer rumour that has come to light involving one of the club’s summer targets.

According to a number of recent reports, Leeds United are interested in a deal to bring New York City FC centre-forward, Valentin Castellanos, to Elland Road in the summer transfer window.

Indeed, 90min reported last week that Leeds officials – including Victor Orta and Angus Kinnear – were spotted in the United States, with the Whites believed to be in talks with the Major League Soccer side regarding a deal for the 23-year-old striker.

However, further reports have claimed that West Ham United are also extremely interested in the former Argentina U23 international, with the Hammers believed to be willing to meet the forward’s £12.8m asking price this summer.

The next Carlos Tevez

Considering how exciting a talent Castellanos evidently is, in addition to the signing of a new centre-forward reported to be one of Leeds’ priorities in the summer transfer window, it is easy to see why the Kinnear would be keen on a move for the NYCFC starlet.

Indeed, over his 35 MLS appearances last season, the £10.8m-rated forward was in breathtaking form for Ronny Deila’s side, scoring 22 goals, registering eight assists and creating eight big chances for his teammates, as well as taking an average of 4.1 shots, making 1.1 key passes and completing 0.9 dribbles per game.

These returns saw the 23-year-old who Conor McGilligan dubbed both “exceptional” and an “absolutely perfect” fit for Jesse Marsch earn a quite remarkable seasonal SofaScore match rating of 7.28, ranking him not only as his club’s second-best performer in the league but also as the 21st-best player in the division as a whole.

[snack-amp-story url= “https://www.footballfancast.com/web-stories/read-the-latest-leeds-united-news-transfer-rumours-gossip-and-much-more-2″ title=”Read the latest Leeds news, transfer rumours and more!”]

It has been a similar story over his 11 league outings in 2022, with the £3.5k-per-week striker having already bagged seven goals, registered one assist and created four big chances, with these metrics seeing the youngster average an even more astonishing SofaScore match rating of 7.43.

As such, considering his clear eye for goal, his ability to create and the fact he hails from Argentina, it is easy to see why Castellanos has been compared to Carlos Tevez – the 38-year-old forward who scored 84 goals and provided 41 assists over 202 Premier League appearances for West Ham, Manchester City and Manchester United.

Indeed, should Kinnear manage to be able to tie up a deal for the NYCFC sensation this summer, and the former Montevideo starlet goes on to continue his remarkable rise at Elland Road, the Whites’ managing director could very well have unearthed the next Tevez – something that is sure to be an extremely exciting prospect for both Marsch and Leeds supporters alike.

AND in other news: “Final details…”: Romano drops huge transfer update, Leeds supporters will be gutted

An update has emerged regarding Sunderland’s interest in signing Dion Sanderson in the upcoming summer transfer window… 

What’s the talk?

According to The Northern Echo, the Black Cats are keen on a swoop to bring the 22-year-old back to the club as Kristjaan Speakman plots a bid to improve Alex Neil’s squad.

The report claims that the 6 foot 3 tank does not feature in Wolves’ plans for the 2022/23 campaign, with the Premier League club willing to let him go in the coming months.

Sunderland are now prepared to offer Sanderson a way out of Molineux and are open to either a loan or permanent deal for the defender.

He’ll get the Stadium of Light rocking

Bringing Sanderson back for a second spell on Wearside will get the stadium rocking, as he enjoyed an excellent time on loan at the club in the 2020/21 campaign.

The centre-back played 26 times in League One that season and averaged an excellent SofaScore rating of 6.92. He won 61% of his individual duels in total and made 1.9 tackles and interceptions per game as he caught the eye at the back, earning plaudits from his manager at the time.

Former Black Cats boss Lee Johnson previously lauded the defender, saying: “He’s a centre-half and at his age level he is an absolute Rolls-Royce.”

Sanderson’s statistics and his ex-manager’s comments suggest that the 22-year-old impressed during his time on loan at Sunderland two years ago, and that is why the fans would surely love to see him back. The stadium would be rocking with excitement to see him in action again, particularly after the club’s recent promotion.

The 22-year-old has Championship experience from his time on loan at Birmingham and QPR in the second tier last term. He recorded 26 appearances between the two clubs and made 2.8 tackles and interceptions per match as he picked up valuable game-time throughout the campaign, which means that he knows what it takes to perform at that level.

Sanderson also still has plenty of scope for further improvement as he is in the early throes of his career at the age of 22. He is a player with whom Neil can work over time on the training pitch to help him fulfill his potential as a centre-back.

Hopefully Speakman can get this deal over the line and the fans can look forward to seeing him in Sunderland colours again next season.

AND in other news, “Expected imminently”: Sky Sports journalist drops big Sunderland claim, supporters will love it…

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

What’s the talk?

That’s according to a report by the Daily Mail, who claimed that Leeds are leading the race to sign the Birmingham City midfielder this summer. Victor Orta is said to have already made contact with the Championship side, while the Spaniard is also believed to be lining up a seven-figure bid for the 17-year-old.

The report added that both Newcastle United and Brighton & Hove Albion are also keeping a very close eye on the situation of the England under-18 international ahead of a potential summer swoop. The Blues are thought to be eager to keep hold of the teenager, who only signed a professional contract at St Andrew’s in November.

The next Bellingham

Considering just how exciting a talent Hall quite clearly is, coupled with Orta’s penchant for signing highly-rated prospects for the Whites (think Joe Gelhardt, for example), it is no surprise to learn of the Spaniard’s interest in a move for the Birmingham starlet this summer.

Indeed, the 17-year-old highly impressed for both the Blues’ under-18 and under-21 sides this season, scoring three goals and registering two assists over seven appearances in the Under-18 Premier League, also bagging three goals over 11 outings in Premier League 2.

[snack-amp-story url= “https://www.footballfancast.com/web-stories/read-the-latest-leeds-united-news-transfer-rumours-gossip-and-much-more-2″ title=”Read the latest Leeds news, transfer rumours and more!”]

This form saw Birmingham under-18s coach Martyn Olorenshaw heap a considerable amount of praise on Hall, stating of the youngster last November: “He is explosive, dynamic and has the prowess to influence games. He is a really exciting player that has the ceiling to achieve whatever he wants to achieve. He has received international recognition recently which is a huge achievement, a testament to all his hard work and a reflection of his character.”

With the midfielder having already made his first-team debut for the Blues, it looks as if the teenager is on course to be the next big thing to come out of St Andrew’s after Jude Bellingham, the Borussia Dortmund and England playmaker who is currently valued at £128m.

As such, it would seem quite advisable for Orta to do all that he can to land Hall ahead of Newcastle and Brighton this summer. Should the youngster go on to fulfil his potential at Elland Road, he could well prove to be the next Bellingham – something which will undoubtedly be a hugely exciting thought for Marsch and Leeds supporters alike.

AND in other news: Phil Hay reveals Orta has “eyes on” next Leeds signing, supporters will be buzzing

Sunderland are set to offer goalkeeper Anthony Patterson a new contract following his impressive performances in the play-offs, as per Chronicle Live journalist Matty Hewitt.

The Lowdown: Patterson’s current contract

The 22-year-old is approaching the final year of his Black Cats contract, having been promoted to the club’s first-team last summer.

The goalkeeper started the season on loan at National League side Notts County, where he kept three clean sheets in nine league appearances for the Magpies.

Upon returning to Wearside, the youngster took his chance after Christmas and made 22 league appearances for Sunderland, keeping a clean sheet in the recent League One play-off final win over Wycombe Wanderers.

The Latest: Sunderland could offer Patterson new deal

According to journalist Alan Nixon (via Chronicle Live), Sunderland are set to offer Patterson a new contract.

Taking to Twitter, journalist Matty Hewitt shared a link to his corresponding article, stating: “Reports claim Anthony Patterson is in line for a new deal at #safc after his performances at the end of the campaign.”

This contract offer comes as Patterson is now the only goalkeeper left at Alex Neil’s disposal, with Lee Burge released and Ron-Thorben Hoffmann returning to Bayern Munich upon the expiry of his loan deal.

The Verdict: Well-deserved

Patterson was handed the chance to impress against AFC Wimbledon in Neil’s first game in charge of the Wearside club, with both Hoffmann and Burge unavailable.

Impressively, the 22-year-old retained possession of the number one berth for the remainder of the season, with Neil hailing a number of his displays as ‘excellent’.

With such pressure on young shoulders in the play-off final, Patterson’s composed performance demonstrates why he deserves a long-term contract with the club, so hopefully the necessary paperwork will get sorted soon.

In other news: Sunderland are ‘ready’ for ‘offers’ for one of Patterson’s team-mates