All posts by rastrear-estafeta.com

Tottenham Hotspur are in advanced negotiations with Paulo Fonseca over their vacant manager’s role, according to Fabrizio Romano in the Guardian.

It’s thought that the 48-year-old, who was replaced by Jose Mourinho at AS Roma in May, is incoming sporting director Fabio Paratici’s preferred candidate and the two parties have held discussions over a potential three-year deal.

Both chairman Daniel Levy and the Italian, who won 19 trophies in 11 years during his time at Juventus, are thought to be keen on an experienced manager capable of working with the existing squad.

Fonseca failed to surpass fifth in the Serie A with Roma but won three successive league and cup doubles in charge of Shakhtar Donetsk in Ukraine, where he blew Pep Guardiola away. Whilst his record in his native country Portugal is also pretty respectable.

But what will he bring to Spurs? Football FanCast takes a look into his tactical system…

On the Chalkboard

On the face of it, this appointment seems pretty uninspiring and when compared to the likes of Antonio Conte, Erik ten Hag and Mauricio Pochettino, it does somewhat present a lack of ambition.

However, Fonseca does meet a key criteria that has been floating about ever since Levy pulled the trigger on Mourinho – his next head coach must play attack-minded football.

The Portuguese ended his tenure at the Stadio Olimpico having deployed a wing-back system, which primarily saw a three-man defence look to play out from the back, with support from the two wide men. And similarly to the ‘Special One,’ this also involved a low-block. This is effectively the side sitting deeper to allow the opposition time on the ball.

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

His heavy-possession approach saw them rank 12th-best across Europe for attacking. By comparison, Spurs ranked 30th and eighth in the Premier League, so there’s the potential for a clear improvement in that sense.

“I’d put them with Atalanta and Sassuolo as the league’s entertainers,” claimed The Athletic’s James Horncastle, via Tifo Football, whilst Alex Stewart described his style as “exciting.”

And he will get some interesting players at his disposal in Sergio Reguilon and Matt Doherty, who could slot right in on each flank, and of course, the likes of Tanguy Ndombele, Heung-min Son and Harry Kane can help their fortunes in front of goal.

The Athletic have likened his style to that of former Arsenal boss Unai Emery, who has just clinched the Europa League title over Manchester United and Fonseca’s Roma, who were knocked out in the semi-finals this year.

In fact, his playing style makes him 99.3% similar to Spurs’ old arch-nemesis, with the website also describing his Roma as a “formidable attacking side” but there are plenty of question marks over his defensive nous.

Roma were played off the park by United, losing 8-5 on aggregate, and their 58 goals conceded in the Serie A this campaign was comfortably the worst of any side that finished inside the top ten.

After their Europa League exit, Portuguese journalist Alex Goncalves still backed Fonseca to go onto big things.

“It’s a bad result for Paulo Fonseca today, a 6-2 defeat to Manchester United. His managerial CV is exceptional, & his managerial ability matches it, but his time at Roma may be coming to an end. A talented manager who plays stylish football likely to be available this summer,” he tweeted.

Considering one of Spurs’ biggest problems is at the back, Fonseca could have one hard task at his hands, though. Both individual mistakes and a lack of cohesion have been the major cause of their downfall in the last 12 to 18 months.

If Levy and Paratici want their many to be a success, then he’ll need to be backed in the transfer market, particularly with new defenders. Otherwise, this could be destined to fail from the start.

Fonseca could well become Spurs’ own Emery, whether that’s from his tumultuous time at the Emirates Stadium or his successful stint in charge of Villarreal will largely boil down to those above him in the hierarchy.

AND in other news, Daniel Levy on verge of Spurs mistake amid Steve Hitchen claim…

Jamie Carragher warned Liverpool’s Sadio Mane about his behaviour during the first half of Sunday’s Merseyside Derby at Anfield. 

The lowdown

Tensions boiled over late in the first half after Everton midfielder Abdoulaye Doucoure fouled opposite number Fabinho.

[web_stories_embed url=”https://www.footballtransfertavern.com/web-stories/latest-liverpool-transfer-news-29/” title=”Latest Liverpool transfer news!” poster=”” width=”360″ height=”600″ align=”none”]

A ‘mini brawl’ ensued, in the words of one Sky Sports journalist, as players from both sides rushed to the scene.

Amidst the melee, Mane could be seen arguing with Allan and ‘pushing him in the face’.

Referee Stuart Atwell issued a yellow card to the Senegalese attacker, his seventh booking of the season in all competitions.

The latest

As he viewed the replay of the incident, Carragher slammed the forward.

“That’s just stupid from Mane,” the Sky Sports commentator said [17:17].

The verdict

You can understand why Carragher was frustrated with the £100,000-per-week man.

Indeed, he was arguably fortunate to avoid a red card following the incident, which would have made his team’s task far more difficult.

The laws of the game dictate that a player who deliberately strikes an opponent in the face with a hand or arm has committed violent conduct, unless the force is ‘negligible’.

That’s certainly up for debate, but you could argue that a player of Mane’s experience – this was his 258th Premier League match – shouldn’t be getting himself involved in such altercations, particularly when so much is at it stake for the title-chasing Reds.

In other news, this Liverpool superstar has been backed to sign a new deal. 

Roy Hodgson has been tipped to remain at Crystal Palace in a new capacity this summer…

What’s the word?

The 73-year-old veteran is out of contract at the end of the season after four years at the helm and is yet to make a public decision on his immediate future.

Back in February, Hodgson claimed to be “undecided” over whether or not he would remain at Selhurst Park past the current campaign but last month he hinted that a decision was close.

Former Eagles striker Marcus Bent has now backed the former England manager to take up a Director of Football role, should his managerial career not continue further.

Speaking exclusively to This is Futbol, he said:

“It would be good to have someone like that at your club that knows the ins and outs of the game. The fans would still adore him and whoever takes charge might need a word in his ear and some advice.”

Recipe for disaster

Hodgson has been in the coaching game for a vast 45 years, managing the likes of Inter Milan, Liverpool and West Brom but was involved as an advisor to A-League outfit Melbourne City prior to his arrival in southeast London, so the prospect of him moving upstairs isn’t out of the realms of possibility.

He is the oldest person to have ever managed in the Premier League and he’s done a pretty respectable job with the Eagles now an established top-flight outfit.

However, recently in the transfer market, Palace have made moves to refresh the playing squad with younger talent and some fans feel the same is needed in the dugout.

Well-known Eagles supporter Kevin Day, who writes scripts for Match of the Day 2 and is part of ‘The Price of Football’ podcast, claimed he “wouldn’t be upset” if this was Hodsgon’s final swansong and urged the club to play “more positive, attacking football.”

As evident above, there is a desire to see a better brand of football at Selhurst Park, especially if they continue to invest in their long-term future on the pitch following the arrival of Eberechi Eze and the emergence of players like Tyrick Mitchell.

Keeping Hodgson around would mean he still has some influence on the side and that won’t please many in southeast London.

A director of football would have a big say in transfers but Eze is just one exception to his usual signings, think Gary Cahill or James McCarthy.

If Palace are to move on from Hodgson, then it’s time to move on fully rather than moving him upstairs, especially as any new manager will be wanting to stamp down his own mark.

Having a second influence could well be a recipe for disaster, so Parish must avoid Bent’s suggestion this summer.

AND in other news, Crystal Palace dealt huge blow over potential Hodgson successor, Parish will be gutted…

Carlton Palmer has exclusively told The Transfer Tavern that it’s the right time for Everton to cash in on Andre Gomes.

The 28-year-old joined from Barcelona in 2018, initially on loan before signing permanently 12 months later, but hasn’t been able to live up to expectations despite arriving with a huge reputation.

Whilst a serious ankle injury following a tackle from Heung-Min Son in November 2019 saw the midfielder miss more than nine months, his record with the Toffees has been less than inspiring.

In 81 appearances, Gomes has scored just once and provided only five assists despite generally being a regular during his three seasons at Goodison Park.

Gomes, who reportedly earns around £110,000 per-week, which makes him Everton’s highest-paid player, has several years remaining on his contract, but is already attracting interest from Benfica and looks set to be one of many to leave Merseyside this summer.

Palmer exclusively told The Transfer Tavern:

“He’s not lived up to the hype and he’s earning an awful lot of money.

“So, I think it’s one of those, if they can get him out of the building, recoup some money, get him off the wage bill and use that wage bill more productively then it’s a good time to cash-in.”

According to The Daily Record, sources close to Glasgow Rangers striker Alfredo Morelos are not expecting an offer from Porto this summer.

The Lowdown: Speculation

So far this summer, there has been speculation surrounding the future of Morelos, with Portuguese outfit Porto believed to be the main side interested in his services.

The £10.8m-valued Colombia international (Transfermarkt) was even said to have agreed personal terms with the two-time Champions League winners (Antena 1), but nothing official has materialised.

The Latest: No Morelos bid expected

Now, as per this latest report, Morelos and co are not expecting an offer during this transfer window from Porto.

At the moment, at least, it seems as though he could be staying at Ibrox.

The Verdict: Still up in the air

Of course, Steven Gerrard and co will be eager to hold on to Morelos. The midfielder has managed 95 goals in 184 games for the club (Transfermarkt), while he showed even in the Gers’ 2-1 Champions League defeat to Malmo on Tuesday that he still knows where the back of the net is.

The problem is whether the Gers can match Morelos’ ambitions. He has previously stated his desire to play in a more prestigious league (Goal.com), and has revealed he dreams of playing in the Premier League (Radio Caracol).

The Champions League is also likely to be a big objective of his – the Gers will now not be competing in that competition this term. Even if Porto do not want to make a move for his services, another European outfit might.

In other news, Rangers fans rage at this SPFL move.

Everton’s inconsistent campaign came to an end in a simply disastrous fashion on Sunday afternoon.

The Toffees needed to win in order to give themselves a chance of qualifying for Europe but against the champions on Sergio Aguero’s Etihad farewell, there was only going to be one outcome.

The Manchester City legend scored twice from the bench as the Citizens wrapped up a stunning and dominating 5-0 win.

It was an embarrassing way for Carlo Ancelotti’s side to end the season and as a result, they will need to get the supporters back on their side swiftly.

One way they could do that is by securing the services of a player who lit up the Premier League’s final day; Gareth Bale.

The Welshman scored twice on his final appearance for Tottenham as Spurs secured continental football after beating Leicester 4-2.

This feels like a farfetched deal to complete but it’s one that’s been touted in the Spanish media with Ancelotti a strong admirer of Bale.

The duo linked up together when they were at Madrid, where the attacker racked up 39 goals and 31 assists under his stewardship.

Everton’s current manager clearly loves him, describing the veteran as one of Real’s most “dangerous” players when he was in the Spanish capital.

His wages of £250k-per-week might be hard to overcome but it’s a deal that’s also been given the green light by Marcus Bent, a man who has sources close to Goodison Park.

[snack-amp-story url= “https://www.footballfancast.com/web-stories/read-the-latest-everton-transfer-news-lukaku-leao-bissouma-berge-antony” title=”Read the latest Everton transfer news!”]

Speaking exclusively to Football FanCast this weekend, he said: “I think that would be his [Bale] kind of club. I think he’d be the headline player, which he needs to be for his confidence and he would play week in week out alongside some great players.

“As I’ve spoken about before, Everton is a family club, they would take him in and give him the love that he needs.”

The Welshman struggled to hit the ground running when he returned to north London on loan this season but found electrifying form in the New Year. He eventually ended the campaign with 16 goals from just 34 outings.

A ruthless flying winger, Everton could well and truly start their window with a bang by signing the Wales international.

He knows the Premier League, has scored more goals than any other Toffees player besides Dominic Calvert-Lewin this season and they have a manager who knows how to get the best from him.

If the Merseyside outfit are serious about getting into the Champions League, this is precisely the type of acquisition they need to be making.

AND in other news, Worse than Holgate: £32k-p/w Everton dud who lost 80% duels will have Ancelotti fuming…

Reliable reporter Alan Nixon has responded to a Celtic fan who asked about a possible move by the Hoops for former West Brom winger Kyle Edwards.

The Lowdown: Talks with Edwards

Reports from Football Insider earlier this week claimed that the Bhoys have opened talks with the wide attacker, who left the Baggies after his £2,000-a-week Hawthorns deal expired on July 1 and was linked with a move to Celtic Park in the winter transfer window.

Celtic are now working on a deal for Edwards, who has made 76 senior appearances during his career, in a deal which could cost the Hoops £300,000 in compensation.

[web_stories_embed url=”https://www.footballtransfertavern.com/web-stories/celtic-updates-8/” title=”Celtic updates” poster=”” width=”360″ height=”600″ align=”none”]

The Latest: Nixon’s claim

Nixon, who writes for The Sun, was quizzed on Tuesday afternoon about Edwards and a possible move to Parkhead.

He replied: “Celtic wanted a look in January… so it might have come up again… free now…”

The Verdict: Sign

Celtic have a lack of out-and-out wingers on their books at this moment in time, so signing Edwards – who can operate on either flank – for a cut-price fee seems to be a gamble worth taking.

He’s clearly a player on whom the Hoops have previously had an eye, and still just 23 years of age, you’d expect that Edwards has plenty of room for further improvement. He has already made 49 appearances for the Baggies in all competitions, five of which came in the Premier League.

Celtic don’t have many players with Premier League experience on their books, so Edwards could turn out to be a smart addition in the long run if they can snap him up.

In other news: UEFA Pro Licence coach keen to work with Ange Postecoglou at Celtic, find out more here. 

Liverpool face another tough task at the weekend with a trip to Old Trafford to take on Manchester United on Sunday afternoon in the Premier League after securing a big 3-2 Champions League victory over Atletico Madrid in midweek.

In the Spanish capital, goals from Naby Keita and a Mohamed Salah double were enough to secure the win in their latest group game despite two goals from Antoine Griezmann, who was later sent off, restoring parity for a while.

Ox was impressive v Atletico

Looking ahead to the weekend’s big match against the Red Devils, one Liverpool figure who played a part in midweek that we feel should be in the starting XI to face United is Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain.

On Tuesday night, the ex-Arsenal midfielder came on as a substitute in the second half to replace James Milner.

During his time on the pitch, the 28-year-old completed 14 out of the 15 passes he attempted, had one shot on target, completed one accurate long ball attempt, made two successful dribbles, won five out of his six ground duels, and made one interception and three tackles. Those efforts earned him an impressive overall match rating of 7.2/10 according to SofaScore, higher than a significant number of Liverpool players who started the game.

This not only shows how useful a midfield option Oxlade-Chamberlain is for Liverpool but also why he should be in the running to start against United on Sunday ahead of the likes of Keita and Milner, who both failed to impress in midweek.

Oxlade-Chamberlain joined the Merseyside club back in 2017 from fellow Premier League side Arsenal in a deal worth a reported fee of £35m.

Since then, the £120k-per-week midfielder (according to Spotrac), has made 111 appearances for the Reds across all competitions, scoring 14 goals and providing 12 assists in the process.

So far this season, while Oxlade-Chamberlain may have made seven appearances for Jurgen Klopp’s side across all competitions, he has only started twice, making him a bit of an outcast. That is something he has apparently acknowledged, as it was recently reported that he could seek to leave the club in the near future to find regular game-time elsewhere.

However, in our view, we feel that this next match against United would be a great chance for him to show why he should be a regular starter for the Reds rather than just an impact sub.

In other news: Body blow: Liverpool suffer huge setback before Man Utd clash, Klopp will be gutted

The days of big-spending at Queens Park Rangers have been consigned to the history books for a number of years now, but that’s arguably brought around as many positives as negatives.

Bi-annual pushes for promotion after a Premier League relegation may no longer be the norm at the Kiyan Prince Foundation Stadium as the club’s hierarchy now look for a more organic route to the top-flight, yet there’s plenty to get excited about.

As a result, several impressive homegrown talents have risen through the ranks of the west London outfit, while their work in the transfer market has also become far more astute.

QPR had almost become a byword for ageing high-profile stars looking for a final paycheque between 2010 and 2015, with the likes of Jose Bosingwa, Rio Ferdinand and Julio Cesar failing to produce anywhere near their best form for the Hoops.

Now though, the second-tier side have become an efficient force off the field and continue to make progress through solid signings bought using the proceeds of lucrative sales.

The sale of Eberechi Eze was the prime example of QPR’s new business model, but Luke Freeman’s departure 12 months earlier was perhaps the first significant exit.

Newly-promoted Sheffield United forked out a reported £5.04 million fee to prise the versatile midfielder away from Mark Warburton’s charges after an outstanding 2018/19.

In 48 appearances in all competitions, Freeman bagged nine goals and provided a further eight assists for his teammates, catching the eye of former Blades boss Chris Wilder.

“He’s one of the best players in the Championship, and he can play in a number of positions,” said Wilder at Freeman’s unveiling. “Luke is ideal to complement what we already have at the club, I think he will be a good fit for us.”

However, things didn’t work out as planned for the now 29-year-old after his move to Bramall Lane.

Freeman started just three top-flight fixtures during his maiden campaign in south Yorkshire before spending the entirety of 2020/21 on loan at Nottingham Forest in the Championship.

And although he’s been reinstated into Sheffield United’s first-team setup this term following their relegation, the Englishman finds himself on the periphery of Slavisa Jokanovic’s thinking having not been included in his last eight matchday squads.

As a direct consequence of Freeman’s lack of action and drop-off in form, his market value has plummeted to just £1.8m despite the engine room operator being in his prime years.

It will leave the QPR chiefs delighted that they sold the Premier League flop when they did, receiving what now appears to be a huge fee for a player that is already in decline.

And, in other news…15 duels won: £13k-p/w QPR beast who made seven tackles shone against Forest

A back-up striker is on Everton’s agenda in the summer transfer window, according to Sky Sports journalist Pete Graves.

The lowdown

Everton attempted to address this hole in their squad in January with the signing of Josh King from AFC Bournemouth on a short-term contract.

But King was limited to just 138 minutes of Premier League action and was unable to score before the end of the season.

He accused then-manager Carlo Ancelotti of ‘lying’ to him about the extent of his role.

The Norwegian has since joined newly-promoted Watford following the expiry of his contract.

The latest

Graves reports that Everton are keen on signing Burnley’s Dwight McNeil in addition to two other wingers in the form of Andros Townsend and Demarai Gray.

Rafael Benitez’s intention is apparently to ‘bolster the club’s natural wingers’ in order to improve the supply line to Dominic Calvert-Lewin.

And they’re ‘also likely to target’ a new no. 9 who can provide cover and competition for the Englishman.

The verdict

This is absolutely an area need to address. Moise Kean and Cenk Tosun may be back from their loan spells, but it’s difficult to see either of them having a future at Everton.

Perhaps the smart move would be the Toffees to recruit a striker of a different ilk to Calvert-Lewin.

Something of a ‘target man’, he relishes balls into the box and aerial battles with defenders, so they could look to recruit a plan-B who’d instead look to stretch defences with their pace and runs in-behind.

That was clearly the intention with the signing of King, but here’s hoping Benitez gets it right where Ancelotti faltered.

In other news, this Everton ace is closing on the exit door.