All posts by z3u9t.icu

Following on from their narrow 1-0 win over Wolves in their latest Premier League outing, Liverpool are back in Champions League action this evening with their away group clash against AC Milan.

On the chalkboard

With Liverpool having already qualified to the next stage of the tournament after their 2-0 win over Atletico Madrid back in early November, Reds manager Jurgen Klopp has the opportunity to rest and rotate some of his players on this occasion as he did by playing the likes of Neco Williams and Tyler Morton in their previous Champions League match against FC Porto.

On this occasion, one player that had a short but rather important cameo appearance in the recent win at Molineux that should be in the starting XI in midweek is Divock Origi.

With 22 minutes of the clash left to play against Bruno Lage’s side at the weekend, Klopp rolled the dice and put the Belgian on who then managed to fully repay the faith put in him by Klopp by scoring the winner.

The Belgian has previously shown his knack for bagging from the bench when he netted a consolation goal in their 3-2 defeat against West Ham United earlier in the season.

With this in mind, it would be a nice move by Klopp to give Origi the chance to shine from the start of the match against their Italian opponents tonight ahead of Diogo Jota, who should be rested ahead of Liverpool’s next league game against Aston Villa at the weekend.

Labelled as an “outstanding player” with “incredible” finishing abilities by Klopp after the Wolves game, the 26-year-old, who is currently earning a weekly wage of £82k-per-week according to Salary Sport, has scored 39 goals and provided 16 assists in 166 appearances across all competitions.

Looking ahead to the match in Milan, this match could be a great opportunity for Origi to show that he is more than just an impact player from the substitutes bench and has what it takes to put in a solid performance from the start.

If he does start this evening and manages to deliver an impressive display, there’s every chance that he could give himself a shot of starting their game against Villa as well.

In other news: Edwards must seal LFC swoop for £43m gem who Klopp dubbed “one of the biggest talents” – opinion

Glasgow Rangers have been dealt a fresh setback in their bid to bring John Souttar to Ibrox in the January transfer window.

What’s the talk?

That’s according to a report by the Daily Record, which relayed a claim made by Hearts manager Robbie Neilson stating that it would take a “crazy bid” for his club to part ways with the centre-back this month.

Giovanni van Bronckhorst’s side recently won the race to sign the 25-year-old on a pre-contract deal, beating the likes of Sheffield United and Blackburn to the defender’s signature for a free transfer at the end of the season, although it is reported that Ross Wilson is now weighing up an offer to bring the Scotland international to Glasgow in the current window.

However, in a recent statement, Hearts backed up their manager’s claim that they are firmly against letting Souttar leave Tynecastle in January, with the club announcing: “The club reiterates that John is an important member of the squad and will remain so until the end of the season unless a significant and satisfactory offer is made during the January transfer window.”

Van Bronckhorst will be fuming

Considering just how impressive Souttar has been for Hearts so far this season, in addition to the fact that Van Bronckhorst is currently experiencing issues in the heart of his defence – with Leon Balogun and Filip Helander out injured and Connor Goldson being free to discuss a move away from the club – the news that the Jam Tarts look set to play hardball over sanctioning the 25-year-old’s departure this month with have left the Dutchman fuming.

Indeed, over his 18 Premiership appearances in the current campaign, the £900k-rated defender has been in remarkable form, helping his side to keep five clean sheets, scoring three goals and creating three big chances for his teammates, as well as taking 1.1 shots and making 0.5 key passes per game.

The £3.1k-per-week centre-back has also impressed in metrics more typical of his position, making 1.5 interceptions, 0.8 tackles, 4.4 clearances and 44.9 passes and winning 71% of his duels per match.

These returns have seen the Scotland defender average an astonishing SofaScore match rating of 7.43, not only ranking him as Neilson’s best performer in the league, but also as the fifth-best player in the entire division.

As such, it is clear to see that bringing Souttar to Ibrox this month would undoubtedly provide Rangers’ chances of going on to secure a second Premiership title in two years with a considerable boost.

However, following the latest update from Tynecastle, it would appear as if Wilson has a lot of work to do if he is to get a deal over the line for the 25-year-old in the current window, while missing out on the centre-back in January would certainly come as a blow to Van Bronckhorst and his side.

In other news – Negotiations ongoing: Report delivers huge update on Rangers dud which will delight fans

Kevin Phillips has urged Glasgow Rangers target Jonson Clarke-Harris to move to Ibrox instead of transferring to an English Championship club.

Phillips discusses Clarke-Harris

Rangers have been heavily linked with a move for Clarke-Harris in recent weeks, but there is a growing list of competition for his services – West Brom, Sheffield United and Bournemouth have all been linked with a move for the 26-year-old (Bristol Post), as have Russian outfit CSKA Moscow (Daily Mail).

Speaking to Football Insider, Phillips seems to believe that the striker should prioritise a switch to Ibrox rather than the English second tier. When asked whether the 26-year-old would rather move to Rangers, the ex-Sunderland marksman said:

“I think he would to be honest.

“If you go there you’re going to be playing European football and in a team that is going to be creating chances week in week out and winning those games every week.

“If I was in his position, I would certainly look at Rangers. There’s going to be crowds in there next year and Ibrox is one hell of a place to play football. 

“He would opt for Rangers over a Championship side that’s pushing for promotion.”

Top signing

Clarke-Harris has been in top form for Peterborough so far this season. As it stands, he has 29 goals in all competitions (Transfermarkt), and he leads the goalscoring charts in League One (BBC). As per Bristol Post, his value is at least £5m – an acceptable fee for a player in his current rich vein of form.

As Phillips said, with Rangers he will likely have plenty of chances created for him, while he will also have the opportunity to show off his ability in European competition. That should really be more than enough to convince him to make the move to the 55-time Scottish champions.

In other news, Kieran Maguire has shared this worrying Rangers finance update.

Roberto Firmino may consider leaving Liverpool this summer due to Sadio Mane’s shift into the middle, says former top flight manager Alex McLeish.

The Lowdown: Firmino down the pecking order

The Brazilian has become an undisputed Reds legend since joining from Hoffenheim back in 2015, winning the Premier League and Champions League, not to mention leading the line superbly.

Firmino finds himself down the attacking pecking order these days, however, with Mohamed Salah, Mane, Luis Diaz and Diogo Jota all arguably seen as stronger options by Jurgen Klopp, especially since Mane moved to a central role after Diaz’s arrival in January.

The 30-year-old’s current Liverpool deal runs out at the end of next season and the idea of him leaving this summer hasn’t been completely ruled out.

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The Latest: Pundit casts doubt over future

Speaking to Football Insider, McLeish admitted that he could see Firmino moving on due to the shift Klopp has made in recent weeks with Mane, moving Firmino further down the striker pecking order.

Ultimately, he says, the decision will be up to the player himself:

“I think he’s still making an impact. You see him in games coming on and getting a couple of goals and assists. He’s still, I think, very integral to their success this season.

“Like everybody else, he will want to maybe play more football at the end. Who knows, maybe it suits him, the way it is just now. One thing’s for sure, Liverpool are a great club and will do the right thing by their players.

“They will do whatever Firmino wants to do, I would think. Maybe keep him on and keep doing his cameo. Or does the guy want to play more football? I think that would be in Firmino’s hands.”

The Verdict: Don’t leave, Bobby

While it would be understandable if Firmino decided to enjoy a fresh challenge this summer, the hope with the vast majority of Liverpool fans is that he stays put.

At 30, he still has a huge amount to offer, even if his best days are behind him, and he is a perfect foil for different styles of players around him in attack. If he is content being a squad player, the matter should be settled immediately.

Firmino isn’t a player who is reliant on pace, which further highlights why he can be a force for years to come, and the idea of such a popular player leaving doesn’t bear thinking about.

In other news, an exciting Liverpool transfer update has emerged. Read more here.

Phil Hay has singled out four players at Leeds United for praise in their 0-0 home draw with Chelsea in the Premier League at Saturday lunchtime.

As per a tweet from The Athletic journalist, he thought that Diego Llorente, Kalvin Phillips, Pascal Struijk and Tyler Roberts were all ‘impressive’ against Thomas Tuchel’s team.

Leeds impress defensively

Considering the form of the Blues going into the game, Marcelo Bielsa’s side certainly did well to keep them at bay at Elland Road.

Leeds’ two central defenders and central midfield players were vital in making sure that the ball did not hit the back of their net, with Llorente making the most clearances (three) out of any Whites player to have set foot on the pitch, while each of the other players recorded at least one (Sofascore).

Struijk blocked no fewer than three shots on his goal, more than any other Leeds players combined, while he also made three interceptions, as Phillips topped the tackling stats with four in total (Sofascore).

Each player did their bit own individual jobs for the team and, as a collective, they were pivotal in making sure that the Yorkshire club came away from the match with a point and a clean sheet.

In other news, find out which player’s Leeds career Hay claims is ‘over’.

Ange Postecoglou will arrive at Celtic, following his quarantine, with a certain set of habits.

The Australian will bring high pressing intensity to Parkhead and an attacking brand of football capable of frightening any opposition.

He also has a tendency to employ the younger stars of tomorrow. During the 2021 J-League campaign, Postecoglou unleashed three teenagers for Yokohama Marinos.

For a Celtic side who have neglected their reserves, this bodes well.

That’s especially if you consider the words of the 55-year-old on his first day in the job.

Speaking in his opening interview with the Bhoys, Postecoglou said: “I’m a big believer that, if you can produce homegrown talent and players who have come through the club, there’s extra meaning to represent that football club for the player. For the supporters, they see one of their own out there and I think that’s very important.”

The new boss added: “The first step of that is to make sure the talent is being produced and nurtured at the club. I want to get really involved in the Academy process and see where they’re at. They’ve produced some fantastic footballers in recent times.

“My job is to give those footballers an opportunity and make them realise their potential. For me, age is irrelevant.”

This term, Neil Lennon failed to ever really bring through many young players with Karamoko Dembele playing just 71 minutes under the Northern Irishman.

John Kennedy made more of an effort to include the younger players in the squad with Adam Montgomery making his first-team debut.

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Dembele also had a chance to prove himself, scoring his opening goal in senior football on the penultimate weekend.

The lively winger has been the darling of the Celtic academy for some time and if Postecoglou is true to his word, he will finally get an opportunity for regular minutes next term.

The 18-year-old has had to wait patiently for opportunities but they haven’t been truly forthcoming. He made his debut as a 16-year-old but has still only played on eight occasions, failing to make a start.

This was a troublesome campaign for the teenager who was alienated from the squad for a period of time after refusing to go out on loan and develop his game.

Despite that disruption, he’s still a fabulous young talent, a player capable of beating defenders for fun.

Speaking after his first-team breakthrough, Ruud Gullit called him an “exceptionally good” performer.

That’s high praise from such an illustrious figure in the world of football, but it demonstrates why he needs to be given a bigger platform at Celtic. Hopefully, Postecoglou will finally give him that.

AND in other news, Postecoglou could revive Celtic with summer swoop for “phenomenal” 30-goal “machine”…

Fabio Paratici is looking to leave an instant mark on Tottenham Hotspur if emerging reports are to be believed…

What’s the word?

According to InterLive, Spurs’ newly-appointed director of football is planning a double raid on Serie A champions Inter Milan, identifying Stefan de Vrij and Marcelo Brozovic as key summer targets.

It’s thought that the Italian is prepared to offer €47m (£40m) for the pair of them, with €25m (£22.5m) of that being on the Croatian midfielder Brozovic, who is out of contract in 12 months time.

Shades of Modric

Spurs are pretty stacked in the midfield department right now but the futures of several fringe players are up in the air, with the likes of Moussa Sissoko and Harry Winks mooted with departures.

Brozovic would certainly be an upgrade on both of these players, so it’s no surprise to see Paratici interested.

The 28-year-old has been compared to legendary Premier League midfielder Frank Lampard due to his playing style, something that has since been reinforced by former Spurs boss Jose Mourinho as recently as this week.

Inter’s industrious dynamo can start from deep in the engine room and make late runs into the box but also carries enough aggression and ability to be a nuisance for the opposition’s attackers.

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Speaking to talkSPORT ahead of Croatia’s Euro 2020 opener with England, Mourinho claimed:

“Brozovic is the top of the top. He’s a fantastic player,” he said. “Aggression but at the same time, great technique and arrival in the box and coming from a more defensive position.”

Brozovic provided two goals and six assists, and averaged 1.6 tackles, 1.2 interceptions and 1.4 key passes per game this season, via WhoScored – further highlighting just how good a box-to-box playmaker he is.

He has been said to have a “compass in the foot” by former boss Luciano Spalletti, so perhaps Spurs would be getting their next Luka Modric or at least a player of that ilk.

It’s hard to recollect a time that either of Winks or Sissoko turned a game on its head with pinpoint passing and vision, something that the Croatian brought to White Hart Lane for many seasons and what Brozovic would undoubtedly add to the current squad.

Valued at £36m by Transfermarkt, Paratici must look to sanction this move this summer and if he does, Spurs’ team would once again be graced with the presence of an excellent Croatian midfielder, just like it was when Modric was running games at White Hart Lane.

AND in other news, Paratici could seal a dream signing in Spurs swoop for £45m-rated “monster”…

In an exclusive interview with Transfer Tavern, Wolves legend Steve Bull has admitted that Bruno Fernandes went under their radar and he would’ve expected Jorge Mendes to get him to Wolves before his move to Man United.

Since Wolves earned promotion back to the Premier League they have had an influx of Portuguese players, with eight currently in their first-team squad as well as just selling Diogo Jota to Liverpool last summer.

Fernandes has been a revelation at Manchester United since he signed last January and his influence on the pitch with dragging them closer to Manchester City on the pitch with 35 goals and 21 assists in 67 games for the Red Devils.

Speaking on how he went under the radar at Molineux and why he hopes Fernandes doesn’t speak to Pedro Neto, Bull told Transfer Tavern:

“I think he went under the radar for [Jorge] Mendes otherwise, I think he would have definitely been on our scale and we definitely would have had him all day long.

“They say things to each other on international camps because players talk, agents talk, everyone talks, and I can’t see any reason why Neto would want to go.”

Pedro Neto has been linked with a £50 million move to Manchester United this summer, however, Bull thinks it will require a fee closer to £80 million.

It was also reported that the £180,000 per week midfielder was going to try and convince Neto to make the switch while they were on international duty with Portugal.

Leicester City are expected to sign Lille midfielder Boubakary Soumare this summer, acting as an undoubted blow to Leeds United.

The Lowdown: Leicester keen on Soumare

Marcelo Bielsa is expected to add to his squad in the coming months, in order bring new quality to it and ensure the Whites go up another level next season.

Soumare is a player who has been linked with a move to Elland Road, having shone for Lille this season, making 30 appearances in Ligue 1.

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The Latest: Leicester set to swoop

Unfortunately, Leicester look set to swoop in ahead of Leeds, with ever-reliable transfer journalist Fabrizio Romano confirming as much on Twitter:

“Leicester are set to complete Boubacary Soumare deal also with last details – final fee will be around €23m to Lille. The agreement is imminent, medicals pending. Soumaré has accepted to join Leicester since February.”

The £20.7million-rated Soumare’s current deal expires in 2022, meaning this is Lille’s last chance to get a hefty fee for the 22-year-old.

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The Verdict: Undoubted blow for Leeds

Soumare is an extremely promising young defensive midfielder, so Leeds missing out on him has to be considered a blow.

Bielsa needs to sign someone who can battle Kalvin Phillips for regular starts, partly in order to give the Leeds star a rest from time to time and also to keep competition for places healthy.

Soumare’s defensive qualities in that deep-lying role could have made him an ideal addition – he has averaged 1.4 tackles and 1.2 interceptions per game in Ligue 1 this season – but Leeds must now look elsewhere to sign a similar type of player as Soumare looks to be heading to the King Power Stadium.

In other news, one Leeds player has been tipped to shine next season – find out who the individual in question is here.

Sheffield Wednesday’s transition from the Championship to League One has gone swimmingly so far and they currently sit second in the division during the first international break of the season.

Darren Moore’s side have shown few signs of a relegation hangover from their poor 2020/21 campaign, with three wins, one draw and one defeat in their first five League One matches.

The Owls beat Fleetwood, Doncaster and Rotherham, whilst drawing with Charlton and suffering their only loss against Morecambe in a 1-0 defeat.

With these strong results, Sheffield Wednesday have had a number of players who stood out with impressive performances on the pitch in the league. However, we believe that Moore’s key man in August was defender Sam Hutchinson.

The experienced enforcer averaged a sublime SofaScore rating of 7.20 across his three starts in League One, facing Charlton, Doncaster and Fleetwood. He missed the last two matches of the month due to injury, but the fact that Wednesday’s only loss came in those two games merely emphasises his impact on the team.

Hutchinson was near-perfect defensively throughout August as he proved himself to be a rock at the heart of Wednesday’s defence. As per SofaScore, he won an eye-catching 72% of his duels on the pitch, including a whopping 77% of his aerial battles. This highlights his dominance over his opponents, with the defender winning the majority of his duels to stop opposition players from gaining an advantage over him.

He made two interceptions and three clearances per game in League One, whilst he did not allow a single player to dribble past him in any match. Perhaps most impressively, Hutchinson did not make a single error leading to a shot or goal, showing how reliable he was at the back for Moore.

Sheffield Wednesday conceded zero goals in his three League One outings before going on to lose 1-0 to Morecambe with Hutchinson missing through injury. Given his excellent displays in the other matches during August, Moore’s side may have come away with a better result had the 32-year-old been fit for action.

His stonewall defending was key to the Owls starting the season strongly, which was important to build positive momentum following on from such a disappointing campaign in the Championship. This is why he was perhaps Moore’s key man during August and hopefully will continue to be for the rest of the campaign.

AND in other news, Moore makes claim on free agent market, it’s the right call…