All posts by z3u9t.icu

Sheffield Wednesday are still very much in financial turmoil and with Darren Moore still unsure over what his budget will look like for this summer’s transfer window, he could do a lot worse than to bring in now free agent Joe Pigott, according to former Sheffield Wednesday defender, Jon Newsome.

The Owls will know that they are likely going to have to box smart this summer if they want to bring in some quality additions to their now League One squad and someone they have been linked with is Pigott, who led the line for AFC Wimbledon last season.

He certainly knows where the net is having netted 20 goals – and 22 in all competitions – during his final season spent with Wimbledon which saw them stay clear of the relegation zone, so he would certainly be able to complement someone like Josh Windass who could stay with the club for their season in England’s third tier.

League One is now littered with former big clubs of English football such as Portsmouth, Ipswich Town and Sunderland, so to get out of the league Moore will have to recruit players who know the league and how to do a job, something Pigott would certainly add. That’s according to Newsome, who spoke exclusively to Transfer Tavern:

“If we are able to afford him, then I think he is somebody who would undoubtedly add something to the club if he’s scored goals at that level before.

“He knows what that level is like and he would be one of many that we need to get through the door.”

Sheffield Wednesday don’t have time to be licking their wounds from relegation into League One as it is certainly an unforgiven league that is difficult o get out of, but even more so, very challenging to then remain out of it.

This is because clubs build their squads to get out of League One, however, the jump into the Championship is massive so Moore must try and strike that balance of players suited to League One but also capable of making the step up.

West Ham flop Felipe Anderson is somehow a wanted man this summer…

What’s the word?

According to Corriere dello Sport, the 28-year-old winger dreams of a return to former club Lazio, where he is likely to be considered by newly-appointed manager Maurizio Sarri.

It’s thought that the Irons are willing to sell their one-time £35m club-record signing, who is now valued at just £9m by Transfermarkt, but for the time being, he’s set to return to the London Stadium following an unsuccessful loan spell at Porto.

The Brazilian has struggled throughout his time in the Premier League and current manager David Moyes is said to not be a fan of his, so it seems his future at the club is in jeopardy.

Time to go

Anderson returns to East London on the back of only ten appearances and 663 minutes of action for the Portuguese giants, in which he provided the one goal contribution, as per Transfermarkt.

That’s hardly done himself any favours, with the likes of Said Benrahma and Jarrod Bowen way ahead of him in the pecking order. If the Hammers’ hierarchy can offload him this summer, then they absolutely should get rid.

His record since arriving from the Italian side in the summer of 2018 has been pretty abysmal. He was a regular under Manuel Pellegrini last season before he was sacked, yet could only end the league campaign with one goal and four assists.

By comparison, Jesse Lingard was signed in January and finished this year with nine goals and four assists, as per WhoScored.

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GSB have been paying the price for Manuel Pellegrini’s costly decision to sign him ever since.

Anderson is believed to be amongst the highest earners at the club, raking in a cool £85k-per-week and when you factor in the total £42m fee it cost to sign him, you begin to realise just how much has been wasted.

Overall, when excluding the stint at Porto this season, he has cost the club nearly £52m, which equates to £4.3m per goal scored (12 total) and a little over £722k per appearance (72 total).

Moyes isn’t the only Hammers-related man against the winger either. Former striker Frank McAvennie slammed him during an exclusive interview with Football FanCast, where he said:

“He’s got to go. Let the boy go.

“They bought him in and he’s a luxury player. I’ve never seen him go into a tackle, never mind win one. Talent in abundance, but he’s gone to Porto on loan, but has done the same there – just strolled about.

“He can’t come back to West Ham; they’ll want him off the wage bill.”

It’s time for Moyes to show no mercy and axe Anderson from the club this summer.

AND in other news, Moyes can ease the Hammers’ devastating Lingard blow with swoop for £18m-rated “special talent”…

It’s set to be a pivotal summer transfer window for Manchester United over the coming months, as Ole Gunnar Solskjaer attempts to close the gap to Manchester City.

The Red Devils finished 12 points behind their local rivals in the Premier League standings last season, highlighting the gulf in quality between the two sides.

However, several star names have been heavily linked with a move to Old Trafford in recent weeks, and their arrivals could make for an intriguing title battle.

Key positions such as centre-back, right-wing, and holding midfield are thought to be high up on Solskjaer’s wish list, while a new contract for star man Paul Pogba has also been muted.

The World Cup-winning maestro excelled for United last season, but with just 12 months remaining on his current deal, there are fears he could depart this summer.

With that in mind, if Ed Woodward does manage to secure the club’s key transfer targets, how could Solskjaer’s starting XI look next season once the summer transfer window has concluded?

Here’s our prediction…

The Norwegian tactician has a huge decision to make when it comes to his first-choice goalkeeper. Dean Henderson was given the opportunity to impress at the backend of last season, but after making a string of errors, David de Gea was reinstated, and he may get the nod again for the start of 2021/22.

Ahead of the Spain international is likely to be a rather familiar back four, just with one key addition. Luke Shaw, Harry Maguire and Aaron Wan-Bissaka all impressed throughout the recently concluded campaign, yet doubts remain over the suitability of Victor Lindelof.

Real Madrid centre-back Raphael Varane has been touted as a possible replacement for the 26-year-old, yet the left-footed Villarreal defender Pau Torres has also caught United’s eye. The 6 ft 3 beast has a £55 million buyout clause in his contract and would be the ideal partner for Maguire.

In midfield, we fancy Pogba to commit his future to his boyhood club in an attempt to drag them to some silverware next season. He could be joined by West Ham United Declan Rice after a stellar campaign for the Hammers.

His £100m valuation could be a major stumbling block, though, yet with the possibility of Jesse Lingard moving in the opposite direction, it’s a deal that we think can still be made.

Marcus Rashford and Bruno Fernandes will almost certainly take up their customary positions in the starting XI, and with football’s longest-running transfer saga appearing to be drawing to a close, Borussia Dortmund’s Jadon Sancho should be joining them.

The 21-year-old England international is expected to join the Old Trafford outfit in a £73m deal after a 12-month long pursuit, while the experienced Edinson Cavani will be hoping to get the nod over Mason Greenwood and Anthony Martial up-front.

And, in other news…Heir to Mata: Woodward must complete MUFC swoop for 20 y/o ace, Ole will love him 

Tottenham Hotspur’s chances of bringing Mauricio Pochettino back to the club aren’t dead and buried just yet…

What’s the word?

In a stunning new twist, The Sun claim that there is still hope that the North London outfit could secure their former manager but it boils down to one of two likely factors.

Amongst an article suggesting that Brighton and Hove Albion boss Graham Potter has rejected the opportunity to take the vacancy, it’s reported that a return for Pochettino could still happen this summer, weeks after a move seemed to be ruled out due to Paris Saint-Germain’s reluctance to let their manager leave.

The Sun claim that if PSG are able to persuade either Zinedine Zidane, who left Real Madrid at the end of the 2020/21 season, or Didier Deschamps to join after Euro 2020, where France have just been knocked out in the Round of 16 stage, then they could still let Pochettino go back to Spurs.

There’s hope yet…

After suffering blow after blow throughout this long process, this would be some encouraging news for Daniel Levy as well as the Lilywhites faithful.

Names like Julian Naglesmann, Antonio Conte, Paulo Fonseca and now Potter have rejected the chance to take over at the club.

It is thought that the Spurs supremo believes that replacing Pochettino with Jose Mourinho was his biggest-ever mistake since taking charge at the club, the fact he’s reportedly told friends this speaks volumes.

Some of the key criteria set out by the chairman seems to match up with the 49-year-old immensely.

According to the Guardian very early on in the search, he was looking for an attack-minded head coach that could commit to the development of their youth players.

Basically, a Pochettino 2.0.

Therefore, there cannot be a better candidate out there than the man himself.

After all, he did overachieve with such little resources, leading Spurs to three consecutive top-three finishes and even at one stage, he went 18 months without a first-team arrival.

When reports first emerged linking Pochettino with a quite sensational comeback, the Tottenham fanbase was sent into raptures over the prospects of seeing their favourite back.

As relayed by This is Futbol, one fan claimed that it would be “like Christmas Eve” even if there was a “2% chance” of it happening, whilst another added that he was “salivating uncontrollably” over the thought of seeing the Argentine back, with one further member of the Spurs fanbase deeming it a “madness.”

Although this is a small sample size, it really does convey the general feeling in North London. So many would be delighted to see Pochettino back, so this latest claim should have many absolutely buzzing.

This also has to be seen as a big boost for Levy’s chances of rectifying his major blunder, so he must look to try and force PSG’s hand now.

AND in other news, Fresh twist emerges in Spurs’ manager search, it’ll surely leave fans buzzing…

Leeds United have been heavily linked with a move for PSV winger Noni Madueke recently and if he were to join Marcelo Bielsa’s side this summer, it may well lead to Raphinha’s departure from Elland Road.

According to the Evening Standard journalist Jack Rosser, Leeds have enquired about the English youngster’s availability, with Crystal Palace and Borussia Dortmund also said to be interested.

The 19-year-old has established himself as a regular with the Eredivisie side since leaving Spurs’ academy in 2018, making 36 appearances for the first team, contributing an impressive nine goals and eight assists.

Last season saw the teenage wonderkid contribute seven goals and four assists in just 24 Eredivisie appearances, of which just seven were starts, so it seems clear that he has a huge amount of potential and could be a good fit at Leeds United for the long-term future, so Victor Orta should definitely do all he can to bring him in.

Former England U’21 boss Aidy Boothroyd certainly seems to rate Madueke highly, as he said:

“He’s certainly a very talented young man, really excited to be called up by the Under 21s, and a little bit like Phil (Foden) last time, nobody had really heard of him until he came and played in the tournament.”

If the £14.4m-rated winger were to make the move to Elland Road, it is unlikely that he would come cheap, as he is contracted at PSV until 2024, so we may well see some of Leeds’ first-team players leave in order to fund a move for the England U21 international.

One of those players could be fellow winger Raphinha, who has reportedly attracted the interest of Premier League giants Manchester City and Liverpool following his sublime first season in the top-flight with Bielsa’s side.

The Brazilian was rated as the best performer in Leeds’ squad last season, as he averaged a superb 7.22/10 rating from WhoScored for his performances, contributing six goals and nine assists in 30 appearances in the top-flight.

Whilst it would be a huge blow to see the former Rennes man leave, Jack Harrison has already joined on a permanent deal and the potential signing of Madueke would lead to a surplus of wingers in Bielsa’s squad, and given the interest being shown in him, the Englishman’s arrival could well be the catalyst for Raphinha leaving Elland Road.

And, in other news… Pundit prediction on “sensational” Leeds ace will surely leave LUFC fans buzzing

The Athletic have dropped a worrying update on West Ham target Joe Worrall…

What’s the talk?

The Athletic’s Paul Taylor has dropped a concerning update for West Ham in their pursuit of Nottingham Forest centre-back Joe Worrall. The Hammers are reportedly keen on signing the English defender this summer, but he does not appear to be in any rush to leave the Championship outfit.

In a Q&A this week, Taylor revealed that Worrall is not demanding to leave Forest and the club will only cash in on him if the right offer comes in for his services. The Athletic reported earlier this summer that it would take a fee of £10m, paid largely upfront, to prize him away.

He said:

“A few weeks ago, the answer to this would have been a definite yes. Now it does not feel 100 per cent certain. You still get the sense that, if the right offer comes along, Forest will give serious thought to selling — but it would have to be the right offer.

They have already turned down offers for Brennan Johnson, although they were at a low level and the suggestion is that Joe Worrall is not kicking down doors demanding to be given the opportunity to move.”

Moyes will be gutted

David Moyes will be gutted by this latest update as it could negatively impact West Ham’s chances of being able to land Worrall this summer. If the Englishman is not willing to push for a transfer away from the City Ground then the Hammers will not be able to negotiate a better deal with Forest as they will be unable to use the threat of them keeping an unhappy player. This news seemingly shows Forest that they can keep Worrall at the club without him kicking up a fuss, which could allow them to be tough in negotiations.

The Hammers have an ageing group of central defenders at the club. Issa Diop is Moyes’ only option in that area of the pitch who is below the age of 29, with Angelo Ogbonna and Craig Dawson in their 30’s and Fabian Balbuena turning 30 next month. Therefore, signing a talented young centre-back, like Worrall, could be a shrewd piece of business by the club.

He only turned 24 back in January and could add some much-needed youth to the ranks. However, despite his young age, Rangers boss Steven Gerrard once hailed Worrall as a “leader” during his time on loan in Scotland and claimed that he will captain any team he plays for in the future.

He said:

“He will be a captain of whatever team he plays for.”

“He is a leader and he stepped up today.”

This goes some way to showing that Worrall has the mentality and quality to come into the London Stadium and be a good addition to Moyes’ squad and that is why the Scot will be disappointed by this update.

Hopefully, the situation changes between now and the end of the window and the club are able to snap him up for a reasonable price.

AND in other news, Moyes must act swiftly to land “explosive” goal machine, West Ham fans would love him… 

Pep Guardiola has reportedly made contact with Barcelona star Antoine Griezmann about a potential summer move to Manchester City, and the Frenchman could be a superb addition to his squad at the Etihad ahead of next season.

What’s the word?

According to French news outlet Foot Mercato, Guardiola has made a personal call to the former Atletico Madrid man and City are in ‘good contact’ with his agent.

The report suggests that City’s interest in Harry Kane has cooled due to Tottenham Hotspur’s asking price for the England captain and that they could look towards Griezmann as an alternative option.

Would he be a good signing for Man City?

Although Griezmann perhaps hasn’t hit the heights many expected of him when he completed a £107m move to Barcelona in 2019, he has still managed a decent return of 35 goals and 17 assists in 99 appearances for the Catalan side.

Barcelona included a £717m release clause in his contract when he signed, but they are now in a desperate financial situation and perhaps could look to cash in on the 30-year-old this summer, as a way of easing their substantial wage bill, with it claimed that he earns a ridiculous £594k per week at the Nou Camp.

Whilst City would surely have to negotiate a substantially lower wager should he move to the Etihad this summer, his performances last season, as well as at the Euros with France, suggest that Guardiola would be adding an extremely talented player to his squad.

In 36 La Liga appearances in the 2020/21 campaign, Griezmann would contribute an impressive 13 goals and seven assists, averaging a superb 7.17 rating from WhoScored for his performances.

He averaged the same rating for Didier Deschamps’ side at the European Championships, despite France’s shock quarter-final exit at the hands of Switzerland, which again emphasises how good he can be.

[snack-amp-story url=”https://www.footballfancast.com/web-stories/read-the-latest-manchester-city-transfer-rumours-and-news” title=”Read the latest Manchester City transfer rumours and news!”]

The French manager was full of praise for the forward earlier in the summer, saying:

“He is one of those players who is capable of changing games,” Deschamps told a news conference on Friday. “He is very creative, he has this ability to think outside the box, it is remarkable to watch.

“He beat a (starts) record. He is playing in consecutive games, wonderfully so for him. He may not be 20 anymore, but he takes very good care of himself.”You can see the influence he has with the goals he scores and assists he makes. Then add to that the capacity he has to change the game, while getting back and doing his defensive duties. He is one of the greatest players of all time, both in Europe and worldwide.”

Given that Guardiola played much of last season with one of Phil Foden, Kevin De Bruyne or Bernardo Silva in a ‘false nine’ role, Griezmann could be the ideal man to evolve his attack next season, as he excels at link-up play but can also be clinical in front of goal, which is something City arguably lack now that Sergio Aguero has left.

[freshpress-quiz id=“577936″]

Therefore, if a realistic deal can be done for Griezmann this summer, then Guardiola and Manchester City should definitely consider it.

And, in other news… Guardiola could be set for huge Man City boost with “incredible” star after Romano claim

Wolverhampton Wanderers have confirmed that Portugal international goalkeeper Rui Patricio has completed a move to Serie A giants Roma [BBC].

Enjoying a special career at Molineux, he made 127 appearances across three years in the West Midlands, registering 37 clean sheets [Transfermarkt].

Intriguingly, the 33-year-old moves to the Stadio Olimpico to work under Jose Mourinho, arriving in Rome as the Special One’s first summer signing at the helm of his new club.

Proactively looking to the future, Wolves look set to bring in fellow Portuguese goalkeeper Olympiakos stopper Jose Sa as a replacement, which is set to be confirmed in the coming days [BBC].

In light of this news, no wonder loads of Wolverhampton Wanderers diehards took to Twitter to pay tribute to their icon upon his departure.

Wolverhampton Wanderers FC fans react:

Replying to the Wolverhampton Wanderers FC Official Twitter account, here is what some supporters had to say upon hearing the recent developments surrounding Patricio:

“Thanks Rui, just a joy watching you in a Wolves shirt, never ever thought we would ever have a player of your calibre at Wolves. All the best at Roma”

Credit: @DNHALES”Hes been a brilliant goalkeeper for our club an gotta thank him for everythin he’s done for us. He will always be welcome back home to us anytime he will be missed. Good luck on ur new journey”Credit: @Jessy_Wolves”Thanks for everything Rui Off to curl up in a ball and cry”Credit: @TonyWilde99″This man is a totally class act, on and off the pitch. All the best Rui and thanks for 3 amazing years.”Credit: @tonybaloney36″Thank you! See you again”Credit: @PSG56413898″Thanks Rui you’ve been a legend and we won’t forget you”Credit: @lucychickkIn other news, Wolves have been told how much they’ll need to pay for a reported transfer target.

Joel Ward has re-joined Crystal Palace, signing a two-year deal at Selhurst Park.

The Eagles shared the news on Thursday afternoon, and, as to be expected, a number of Palace fans were quick to share their positive thoughts at the update on social media.

The right-back’s previous contract expired on July 1, so he was technically a free agent for over two weeks.

He was just one of 11 senior Palace players who were without a club at the beginning of the month and becomes the first to re-sign for the Eagles under new manager Patrick Vieira.

Ward, who has been at Palace since 2012, has made 273 appearances for the club.

He’s turned out 225 times in the Premier League, scoring five times and registering 10 assists in Palace colours.

Palace fans react

Palace posted on their official Twitter account regarding Ward’s new deal. These Eagles fans were delighted, with one describing the update as ‘outstanding’.

“Best news so far”Credit: @DDwasps”inject ittttttt”Credit: @notconnorlmao”Outstanding news. Clubs are built on pros like Ward. He hasn’t been on talksport gobbing off about himself, but I can guarantee it means a lot to him and he will give his best whenever called on. Great stuff”Credit: @ARJW78″SIUUUU Guehi next admin”Credit: @DrizzyCPFC”Brilliant news!! Club legend”Credit: @PeterHoward01″Let’s go”Credit: @joelcpfc_

In other news: ‘Oh my god’ – Many CPFC fans erupt at ‘sensational’ news from trusted reporter. 

Wolves fans have been flocking to a transfer update on Patrick Cutrone.

As per Sky Sport (via SampNews24), there have been contacts between the Midlands club and Sampdoria over the potential signing of the striker in the summer window.

Cutrone has not had the best of times while at Molineux, scoring just three goals in 28 matches in total over all competitions across the last two campaigns (Transfermarkt), and has consequently been shipped out on loan to both Fiorentina and Valencia.

Given that he is still just 23 years of age, the Wanderers could still demand a decent fee to sell the Italian, which could then be used to reinvest back into the squad.

Thus, it is not a surprise at all to see several WWFC supporters not against the idea of selling Cutrone if Sampdoria come up with a reasonable offer.

Wolves fans on Cutrone transfer update

These Wolves fans flocked to the transfer update as it was shared on Twitter:

“Braithwaite in, Cutrone out. I think that’s a good upgrade.”

Credit: @adenwwfc_

“I LOVE YOU @sampdoria_en”

Credit: @_tomwwfc

“COME ONNNN”

Credit: @Darrgrady_

“I will pay for the plane ticket myself.”

Credit: @wolvesrule18

“Sell him”

Credit: @satsomboon

“They can have him”

Credit: @RobertH48660018

In other news, find out what transfer update has Wanderers talking here!