All posts by h79snht.top

Celtic defender Josip Juranovic looks increasingly likely to be heading for the exit door in the New Year, amid rampant speculation over the Croatian’s future at Parkhead.

What’s the word?

Transfer guru Fabrizio Romano has only recently revealed that the Scottish champions are “open” to offers for the 27-year-old after a stall in contract negotiations, with West Ham United having been mooted as a potential destination of late.

The latest suggestion is that the Hoops would be looking for more than £5m if they are to part ways in January, although reports over the summer stated that the full-back’s valuation could be closer to £15m, amid interest from Manchester United, Chelsea and Atletico Madrid.

Journalist Dean Jones – speaking to GIVEMESPORT – has now provided an update on the former Legia Warsaw man’s current situation, with the transfer insider suggesting that a departure could well be on the cards – potentially to the Premier League.

The respected source stated: “It’ll be interesting, there is a pretty good chance that he leaves, I’m told that.

“And there’s no doubt he could end up in the Premier League because there have been two or three clubs watching them over the course of the season so far.”

Time to cash in

If the Old Firm giants are able to recoup a fee close to that previous £15m valuation it could well represent an astute piece of business for Ange Postecoglou and co, with the club having signed the right-back for just £2.5m back in the summer of 2021.

Although it may well be something of a blow to lose a player who is so highly coveted, the £16k-per-week man has no doubt come under scrutiny for his form so far this season, having notably been dubbed as “too inconsistent” by pundit Tam McManus.

After laying on fallen off” this time around – according to McManus – with just one goal and one assist to his name this season in 15 outings.

In a side that relies upon its front-foot and aggressive approach, that return of goal involvements for the Zagreb-born ace is no doubt somewhat disappointing.

By contrast, teammate Anthony Ralston has already recorded three assists from just nine appearances in the 2022/23 campaign, while the Scotland international also thrived last term after netting five goals and registering nine assists.

With new addition Alistair Johnston to add into the equation – the Canadian gem having provided eight goal involvements in the MLS this year – Postecoglou’s side are already well-equipped in the right-back berth, hence the willingness to allow Juranovic to depart.

Although the latter man has been a solid performer for the Bhoys over the past year or so, there will likely be few tears shed if the club can rake in a sizeable fee in the winter window, such is the quality already at the manager’s disposal to help replace him.

Nottingham Forest signed 22 new players during the summer, with Evangelos Marinakis clearly putting in an ambitious effort to give the newly-promoted club their best chance at retaining their Premier League status.

However, despite spending £150m on a new army of players for Steve Cooper to mould into top-flight competitors, it hasn’t worked out as well as the owner would have hoped, with Forest spending the majority of their season so far in the relegation zone.

Marinakis did not rest on his laurels when addressing his recruitment team’s unsuccessful transfer window, sacking the head of recruitment and the head scout following a review of their summer business.

As a result, Cooper will head into the January transfer window with a new recruitment team to work with, and although the club will want to leave the disappointing transfer window in the past, there could be an opportunity to revisit some of the players on whom they missed out.

One player who was linked with a move to the City Ground and has continued to show just how talented he is in front of goal is Benfica striker Goncalo Ramos, who could be a great asset to the team if Forest are willing to rekindle their interest in him.

Across 11 Liga Portugal appearances this season, the 21-year-old has scored nine goals, delivered one assist and created one big chance, along with averaging one clearance, 1.5 shots on target and 3.7 successful duels per game, and his output this season is not just down to a good run of form.

The £25.9m-valued centre-forward – who was dubbed “prolific” by Jacek Kulig – has scored 55 goals and registered 19 assists throughout his career so far, with a goal contribution every 109 minutes, which is a consistent and reliable output.

Indeed, Forest have already signed a striker, with Taiwo Awoniyi joining the Tricky Trees in the summer, although it seems clear that Ramos would offer a better threat in front of goal compared to the ex-Union Berlin forward, who has only scored three goals this season so far.

With that in mind, signing Ramos would be a great piece of business for Nottingham Forest if they can pull it off this time; and if they could convince the player to join up with them in January, it could make a huge difference in their fight for Premier League survival in the second half of the season.

Much of the talk surrounding Celtic at present has been centred on the future of defender Josip Juranovic, with the Croatia international looking likely to be moving on from Parkhead next month when the market re-opens.

The 27-year-old has notably been linked with a move to West Ham United in recent times as well as fellow Premier League outfit Chelsea, while reports in Spain have even suggested that La Liga giants Barcelona could be eyeing a swoop for the World Cup star.

This rampant speculation comes following reports that the Old Firm outfit are open to a sale for the former Legia Warsaw man in the New Year, with negotiations regarding a new contract having seemingly hit an impasse.

Although Ange Postecoglou and co are likely not attempting to push the “immense” asset out the door – as described by writer Zach Lowy – there may well be a general acceptance that a departure is in the best interests of all parties, particularly if the Hoops can seal a sizeable profit on their initial £2.5m investment.

One man who the Glasgow side should be more actively looking to sell, however, is Republic of Ireland international, James McCarthy, with the 32-year-old having become something of a forgotten figure at Celtic Park of late.

Reports back in October suggested that the Scottish champions would be open to offers for the former Crystal Palace midfielder in the New Year, with the club likely looking to get his £14k-per-week salary off the wage bill.

There has as yet been no noise with regards to where the 43-cap dud could end up, however, with the Bhoys hierarchy potentially rueing their “strange” decision – in the words of pundit Alan Hutton – to give the Glasgow-born playmaker a four-year deal at the time of his arrival back in the summer of 2021.

That lengthy contract may well ensure that the one-time Everton man proves difficult to shift, although Postecoglou must surely do all he can to ditch an asset who simply appears to have no place in his plans.

The experienced figure has been restricted to just free transfer 18 months ago, having notably made just five substitute outings totalling only 62 minutes so far this season.

For the 5 foot 11 man to not even earn a start in the League Cup is a sign of his standings in the squad at present, with the recent absence of fellow midfielder and club captain Callum McGregor having also not afforded McCarthy a greater role in the side.

Amid talk that a new addition could be on the cards to help strengthen the midfield ranks – with Tunisia’s Aissa Laidoini a reported target – it does appear that the former Wigan Athletic star will only be shunted further down the pecking order.

As such, the best solution would be to seal a swift exit next month – be it permanently or on loan – with it seemingly no good to anyone to have McCarthy merely languishing on the periphery.

Sky Sports pundit Paul Robinson has backed Sunderland in their reported pursuit of Aston Villa striker Cameron Archer in the January transfer window.

The Lowdown: Registered interest

As per Football Insider, ‘sources’ have revealed that the Stadium of Light outfit have ‘registered their interest’ in a potential deal for Archer in January.

The striker has been limited to just 51 minutes of first-team football at Villa Park so far this season, and so could seek a move away in order to get more game time.

The Latest: ‘No-brainer’

Speaking to Football Insider, Robinson has claimed that Archer would be a ‘great signing’ for the Wearside club, and that a dela in January for him is an ‘absolute no-brainer’:

“Archer has proven he can do it in the Championship.

“He would be great signing for them. He is a different profile of a striker to what Tony Mowbray has currently got. I could see that one happening.

“Look at where Sunderland are. Archer is more than capable of scoring goals at that level. If they can attract him it would be an absolute no-brainer. I really think he would do well there.

“It would be a good move for the player as well. Sunderland are a massive club with a great stadium and great support. There is potential for him to grow there as the club does. It is a move that would make sense.”

The Verdict: Get it done

Tony Mowbray’s side are in need of sufficient cover for both Ross Stewart and Ellis Simms, who have each suffered from injury problems this term, with the former being out since seven games with a toe injury between September and October.

When he was on loan at Preston North End last campaign, 21-year-old Archer managed an impressive seven goals and one assist in 20 matches in the Championship (Transfermarkt), showing that he can play at that level despite his relatively young age.

Nonetheless, the Englishman would surely relish getting more game time at the Black Cats, and so this is a deal that could work out for all parties.

Tottenham Hotspur have been handed a solution to their recent injury blow…

What’s the word?

According to the Daily Mail, the north London outfit have been offered the chance to sign Memphis Depay from FC Barcelona in the January transfer window.

Reports in Spain have also suggested that the Netherlands international has been proposed to Premier League rivals Newcastle United, with the LaLiga giants keen to offload him this winter as his £159k-per-week contract expires at the end of the current campaign.

He could leave for as little as €15m (£13m) as it’s the last chance for the Catalan side to garner some sort of income from his departure.

Richarlison replacement

Depay could be the perfect replacement for Richarlison, who picked up a gutting setback during his involvement for Brazil at the World Cup. Reliable football.london journalist Alasdair Gold recently revealed that the versatile frontman faces at least five to six weeks out with a hamstring issue.

He had already missed a month of action before the international break with a similar problem, so this will certainly be a concern for manager Antonio Conte. It also comes at the worst time, given Spurs’ return to action on Boxing Day against Brentford.

Matches against a resurgent Aston Villa, Crystal Palace, arch-rivals Arsenal and defending champions Manchester City also fall in that six-week period.

Therefore, it could be crucial for sporting director Fabio Paratici to seek reinforcements and the Dutchman fits the bill as just like Richarlison, he’s capable of playing anywhere along the frontline.

FBref compare the 28-year-old, in terms of statistical profile, to players like Sadio Mane, Riyad Mahrez and Marcus Rashford, all of whom are proven, versatile talents in the Premier League, which bodes well for the former Manchester United flop.

Across Europe, Depay ranks inside the top 6% of all forwards for non-penalty goals (0.50 per 90), as well as the top 5% for total shots per 90, too.

His 12-goal campaign last term was also accompanied by an average of 1.6 key passes per game, which suggests that he could offer Conte a lot more than just goal returns. That level of creativity is only matched by the Italian’s first-choice trio of Dejan Kulusevski, Heung-min Son and Harry Kane.

It’s also why he has been described as a “magician” by journalist and presenter Deji Faremi, as well as an “artist” by Opta analyst Duncan Alexander.

Given Richarlison’s current blow and frequent injury troubles this season, it would make sense to find an alternative and one that would come at a cheap price.

There won’t be many better options than the out-of-contract Depay heading into January.

AND in other news, Conte could finally ditch Moura as Spurs eye “the biggest talent in the world”…

Having endured a torrid 21/22 campaign, Everton manager Frank Lampard would have taken solace from a fantastic run of form in the dying embers of the campaign to stave off the threat of relegation and a promising transfer window, bolstering the proud football club ahead of a fresh slate.

Offensive issues remain the sticking point, but a fresh face to instil further assurance and stability among the backline would go down a treat; Stoke City’s Harry Souttar might just be the answer.

According to a report from the Daily Mail earlier in December, Stoke might now be looking to cash in on a player that has seen a sizeable lift in transfer value following his efforts at the 2022 World Cup in Qatar, with Everton and Tottenham Hotspur the two leading contenders for his signature.

And last year it was reported from The Sun that the Toffees had scouted the Australian colossus, clearly etching his name into the club’s transfer wish list for a considerable amount of time now.

Everton’s own Van Dijk

Souttar has only made four appearances for the Potters this term, returning in the weeks preceding the World Cup following a major injury suffered to his ACL last year.

Despite finding his feet moments before his nation’s exploits, he showed little sign of ring rust as he played a pivotal role in the triumphant qualification from a group stage holding the likes of France, Denmark and Tunisia.

As per Sofascore, the 23-year-old recorded an average rating of 6.97 in Qatar, playing every minute of the three group fixtures and the round-of-16 tie against Argentina, where the Aussies fell to defeat despite a valiant collective effort against the eventual world champions.

Souttar impressed with his physicality and presence in front of Matthew Ryan’s goal, helping to keep two clean sheets and making 1.5 tackles and 5.5 clearances per match, also displaying a passing prowess that will only further the piqued interest from potential Premier League suitors.

Speaking to BBC 5Live, pundit Pat Nevin praised the titan for his aerial ability, proclaiming he has a “magnet in his head”, and his command of the space above the heads of those around him is just another factor that hints towards a momentous career at a top-flight outfit.

He bears semblance to Liverpool’s esteemed central defender Virgil van Dijk in this regard, who signed for the Reds in a then-world record £75m deal for a defender, with the Dutch sensation a master of assurance, composure and domination in the air.

Down the Merseyside Road at Goodison Park, the Toffees can emulate the success of their detested neighbours with a swoop for Souttar, who ranks within the top 5% of defenders playing in the ‘next eight’ leagues for aerials won over the past year, as per FBref.

Parting with such a hefty fee of £25m might seem somewhat off-putting, but with the likes of Yerry Mina and Michael Keane both considered dispensable and likely to be in the twilight stage of their career with Everton, Lampard must act with swift conviction to bring a Van Dijk-esque presence to turn the club’s ship around.

Niall Huggins has suffered yet another setback in his return from injury and Tony Mowbray must now consider ditching the Sunderland sick note for good.

The young defender joined the Black Cats from Leeds United in 2021, signing a four-year deal at the Stadium of Light, but injury issues have seriously limited his first-team appearances thus far.

In total, the 22-year-old has managed just five first-team appearances during his time in the northeast, with only one of those coming in the Championship so far this campaign.

Lyndon Gooch and Trai Hume have both moved ahead of the Welshman in the pecking order at right-back in Mowbray’s side and it seems difficult to imagine him getting too many more opportunities in the second tier this season.

Huggins has endured a plethora of injury issues over the past year and a half, with a back fracture keeping him sidelined for a significant period last season, while a knee injury has put him out of action in the current campaign.

Amid Sunderland’s current defensive injury crisis, which sees the likes of Gooch, Danny Batth, Denis Cirkin and Ajibola Alese all sidelined, Mowbray will have been relying on Huggins to be a viable option for him at full-back.

However, he once again let his manager down by picking up another knock ahead of the Black Cats’ game against Wigan Athletic, continuing a worrying trend for the youngster.

Mowbray said:

“Unfortunately Niall Huggins is injured, he’s agitated a little problem in his ankle. It’s not serious and it’s not a long issue – but he won’t be able to travel with us. That adds to our defensive issues, he did so well against Birmingham City before the break.”

The former Blackburn Rovers boss was certainly impressed when Huggins did make his Championship debut in that game against Birmingham City, signing his praises when he missed out on the squad to face Millwall after the World Cup break.

He said:

“Huggins didn’t even make the bench [against Millwall], but he has been out for a long, long, time and he was amazing against Birmingham.”

Football is a ruthless business and while Huggins has impressed on his rare opportunities in the team, Sunderland cannot afford to keep such a seemingly injury-prone at the club.

Therefore, Mowbray should definitely look to get rid of the 22-year-old in next month’s transfer window.

Pundit Tam McManus believes Tottenham Hotspur are “likely” to sign Sporting’s Pedro Porro.

What’s the word?

A right-midfielder, capable of playing as a wing-back or a winger, Porro has been linked with a move to North London, and could even replace Emerson Royal at wing-back, with the Brazilian reportedly set to leave.

The 23-year-old has scored twice and provided 10 assists in 21 appearances this season, and could help provide some attacking quality to the Spurs side.

Speaking to Football Insider, McManus claimed that Antonio Conte wants to add to his attacking options and that a deal for Porro looks likely.

“Harry Kane is carrying Tottenham at the moment,” McManus stated.

“Son isn’t scoring, Kulusevski has been injured, Richarlison is injured now as well, I would not be surprised if they went out and got this guy.

“Tottenham have a lot of options when everyone is fit and in form. Unfortunately for them only one of their players is fit and in form.

“Some new blood could be just what they need to get back up and running. I know they need defenders but Tottenham have to back Conte this window, he’s desperate for new players.

“If Porro is who he wants then they have to go out and get him. It would be a statement that the club are backing the manager.

“I would say that’s a likely transfer that could happen sooner rather than later because there is a lot of talk about it and Spurs could really do with a player like him.”

Extra output from wing-back

With Dejan Kulusevski and Richarlison both capable of playing on the right wing, it looks likely Porro would play as a wing-back should he come in.

Emerson and Matt Doherty have both been disappointing this season, with the pair providing just one assist between them all season.

Porro’s outstanding creative output can add a lot to the Spurs attack, providing extra creativity for Son Heung-min and Harry Kane, and at 23, he can be a signing for both the present and the future.

An update has emerged on Arsenal and their pursuit of talented youngster Mykhailo Mudryk during the January transfer window…

What’s the talk?

According to BBC Sport, the Gunners remain locked in talks with Shakhtar Donetsk over a potential deal to sign the electric winger before the end of the month.

The report claims that the gem has attracted the interest of a number of other clubs across Europe, who have not been named in the article, and that Arsenal are looking to sign him following the injury to Gabriel Jesus.

It has been reported, by calciomercato, that the Ukrainian side are demanding a mega transfer fee of €100m (£88m) to tempt them into cashing in on their star man.

Forget Joao Felix

The Athletic’s David Ornstein claimed that Arsenal were “keen” on a deal to sign Joao Felix on loan from Atletico Madrid but Italian journalist Fabrizio Romano has confirmed that the Portuguese international is closing in on a move to Premier League rivals Chelsea.

He Tweeted: “Chelsea and Atlético Madrid are now completing final details of João Félix deal as Blues want to be fast and get it 100% sealed this week. #CFC Full agreement on personal terms as João has accepted Chelsea move — they will cover his full salary until June 30.”

The Gunners must now completely forget about Felix and do all that they can to complete a swoop for Mudryk as the Ukraine international could be a better signing than the Atletico man would have been.

Firstly, the La Liga forward is going on a straight loan deal to Stamford Bridge and this suggests that he may have only been a short-term signing for Arsenal if they had won the race for his signature.

Whereas, bringing Mudryk, who journalist Hrach Khachatryan hailed as “spectacular”, in on a permanent basis would be a long-term investment and potentially benefit Mikel Arteta over the course of a number of years, rather than just five months.

The 22-year-old’s form for Shakhtar this season also indicates that he has the quality to come in and make an immediate impact in the Premier League.

He has produced ten goals and eight assists in 19 appearances for the club in the Ukrainian top-flight and Champions League combined, with three goals and two assists in six European outings.

Talent scout Jacek Kulig lauded the dynamo as “on fire” earlier this season and Mudryk’s impressive statistics across multiple competitions suggest that it was an accurate comment.

Therefore, he could be a phenomenal signing for the Gunners and bringing him to The Emirates would allow Arteta and the supporters to forget all about Joao Felix.

The January transfer window is now in full swing and Glasgow Rangers have been linked with a number of potential signings to bolster their squad.

Michael Beale is taking part in his first window in charge of the club after taking over from Dutchman Giovanni van Bronckhorst during the break for the 2022 World Cup and is yet to make his first signing as first-team manager.

The English head coach may want to add to his ranks in order to improve their chances of achieving success, in the Premiership and the cup competitions, during the second half of the season.

According to a recent post from journalist Alan Nixon on his Patreon, the Gers are interested in a deal to sign Gue-Sung Cho from Jeonbuk Hyundai Motors.

However, they are set to face competition from MLS side Minnesota, Glasgow rivals Celtic, and Bundesliga outfit Mainz, which could make it a difficult deal to complete.

Beale could finally ditch one of the current liabilities within his Rangers squad – Kemar Roofe – by working with Ross Wilson to beat off interest from other clubs to secure Cho’s signature.

Bringing in a striker, to work alongside Alfredo Morelos, Fashion Sakala and Antonio Colak, could allow the Gers head coach to sanction an exit for Roofe, who was linked with Sheffield Wednesday last summer.

The Jamaican centre-forward is not a reliable option for the Light Blues as he has picked up consistent injury and fitness issues during his time at Ibrox.

Since the start of the 2020/21 campaign, Roofe has suffered seven separate problems that have kept him out of competitive matches for the club. He has been absent for a whopping 56 games in that time and this means that essentially, he has missed more than an entire season’s worth of games in the space of two-and-a-half campaigns.

Cho, meanwhile, has only been left out of three competitive outings due to injury since the start of last season and could be a better option to have in the squad, instead of Beale constantly worrying about whether or not Roofe will be available for selection.

The South Korea international’s goalscoring record also suggests that he has the potential to be an excellent addition to the Light Blues squad.

In the 2022 campaign, the 24-year-old, who was hailed as an “internet sensation” by The Athletic’s Daniel Taylor, scored 17 goals and provided five assists in 31 appearances in the K League 1, whilst averaging a Sofascore rating of 7.33.

The marksman, who scored twice at the World Cup, could provide an added goal threat to the side whilst also being a more reliable option than Roofe; that is as good a reason as any for Beale to ditch the ex-Anderlecht man by signing Cho in the coming weeks.