Tag Futebol

Journalist Fabrizio Romano says that Manchester United are ‘optimistic’ over a new contract for Alejandro Garnacho.

The Lowdown: Real Madrid interest

Relevo in Spain have reported that Real Madrid could potentially make a move for Garnacho, with the player yet to put pen to paper on a new contract at Old Trafford.

As per Manchester Evening News, talks with Garnacho about fresh terms on a new contract are progressing well, and The Sun has reported that he could be set for a tenfold salary increase, potentially signing a £50k-per-week deal.

The Latest: United ‘optimistic’

Speaking to GiveMeSport, United are ‘optimistic’ over Garnancho signing a new long-term deal with an ‘important’ salary, despite interest from Spain:

“With Garnacho, United are optimistic they are offering him a long-term contract and an important salary. We heard rumours from Spain about clubs interested.”

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The Verdict: Exciting

The fact that Garnacho is seemingly close to signing a new long-term deal is exciting for Red Devils supporters.

Hailed as having ‘huge potential’ by Argentinian legend Javier Mascherano, the 18-year-old has broken into United’s first team this season, scoring two goals and making a further two assists in 11 games in total over all competitions so far (Transfermarkt).

He is yet to make his debut for the national team, but his current trajectory suggests that his first caps will come in the near future.

Nonetheless, it is important for United to tie down their young talents for the long-term, and Garnacho certainly has a bright future ahead of him.

Despite links to Maccabi Tel Aviv gem Oscar Gloukh earlier this year, Celtic have not been in contact over a possible transfer, according to journalist Mark Hendry.

The Lowdown: Celtic previously linked with Gloukh

In September, it was reported by the Daily Record that Gloukh was firmly on the radar of Hoops manager Ange Postecoglou, having excelled for Israel at the European Under-19 Championship in the summer with three goals and two assists as his country reached the final.

Now that the January transfer window is fast approaching, Hendry has shared a fresh update on the youngster, who is said to have a £6m release clause written into his contract. 

The Latest: Hendry’s update

Taking to Twitter to issue the update, Hendry has addressed the claims which continue to circulate around Celtic and the 18-year-old Israeli gem.

The reporter tweeted: “For those asking, all I’ve heard on Oscar Gloukh is that Celtic have not been in contact. Things change fast, obviously, but any thoughts that it’s in the works is, to my knowledge, incorrect.”

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The Verdict: Wait and see

The statement of “things change fast” is entirely apt for this transfer rumour. 

Whilst Celtic have seemingly not been in contact for Gloukh, it doesn’t necessarily mean that they aren’t plotting a potential swoop for his services further down the line. 

This appears to be a wait-and-see scenario, with the 18-year-old still requiring further development if he is to come to Celtic and be a readymade first-team player.

This is a transfer rumour which could continue well into 2023, with Hendry not completely pouring cold water on the speculation.

Aston Villa head into the break for the 2022 World Cup in Qatar with two successive wins in the Premier League as they beat Brighton 2-1 away from home on Sunday.

Unai Emery has won both of his opening two matches in charge of the Villans after putting Manchester United to the sword with a 3-1 win in the top-flight last weekend.

Brighton took the lead in the opening minute of the match as Douglas Luiz was caught on the ball on the edge of the box and Alexis Mac Allister made the most of his chance to fire past his international colleague.

John McGinn then earned Villa the opportunity to equalise as he was taken down by Lewis Dunk in the box. Danny Ings dispatched the penalty, via a weak hand by Roberto Sanchez, to make it 1-1 heading into half time.

The English striker doubled his tally before the hour-mark as he jinked past Dunk before seeing his low effort deflect into the bottom corner after good work from Luiz to win the ball back.

Whilst the ex-Southampton man was the match-winner for Villa with his two goals, the real hero for Emery on the day was defensive midfielder Boubacar Kamara.

The French enforcer was a rock at the base of the midfield as he screened the defence brilliantly and made good use of possession when he had a chance to put his foot on the ball.

As per SofaScore, he completed 83% of his attempted passes and completed 100% of his attempted dribbles, despite Brighton pressing high and trying to push for an equaliser.

He kept his composure in the middle of the park and made sure that he found a teammate with his pass more often than not, giving the hosts fewer chances to come at the Villa backline.

The midfielder’s defensive work was particularly impressive as he constantly put pressure on the opposition and engaged to win the ball back for his side.

As per SofaScore, he won 72% (8/11) of his ground duels, whilst making five clearances and six tackles – only being dribbled past once in the process. This shows that he was solid in his play out of possession as he was able to dominate the opposition on the ground.

Therefore, the midfield machine – who had 46 touches in the game – was the real hero of the day for Villa as he put in a fantastic display that typified the battling, hard-working, nature of the team’s performance, which played a pivotal role in winning all three points.

Arsenal are interested in a deal to bring Evan Ndicka to The Emirates.

What’s the talk?

That’s according to a report by Italian media outlet Il Romanista (via TEAMtalk), who claim that both AS Roma and Arsenal are keeping a very close eye on the situation of the Eintracht Frankfurt centre-back, whose current deal at the Deutsche Bank Park is set to expire at the end of the 2022/23 campaign.

However, the report goes on to suggest that it is Mikel Arteta’s side who currently appear to be leading the race for the 23-year-old’s signature, with the former France U21 international being able to sign a pre-contract with a potential new club upon the turn of the year – should he not sign a new deal at Eintracht in the time between.

Imagine him & Saliba

With Gabriel Magalhaes currently being Arteta’s only left-footed centre-back in his first-team squad – with William Saliba, Ben White and Rob Holding all being right-footers – it is easy to see why the Spaniard would be interested in a move for Ndicka, especially if he is available to sign on a free.

Indeed, since joining the Bundesliga side from AJ Auxerre back in 2018, the 23-year-old has quietly established himself as one of Europe’s leading defenders, with FBref ranking the £28.8m-rated talent in the top 4% of centre-backs in Europe’s big five leagues for blocks per 90, as well as the top 11% for aerial duels won, the top 19% for clearances, the top 14% for blocks, the top 30% for tackles and the top 40% for interceptions over the last 365 days.

However, it is not in defensive metrics in which the £8.6k-per-week starlet has impressed most, with FBref also ranking Ndicka in the top 5% of centre-backs for assists per 90, in addition to the top 19% for non-penalty goals, the top 27% for shots, the top 28% for dribbles completed and the top 39% for passes attempted over the last 12 months – proving his capability in the opposition penalty area and in bringing the ball out from the back.

As such, while Gabriel has been impressive in the heart of Arsenal’s backline alongside Saliba so far this season, it is undeniable that the player who Christopher Michel dubbed both a “leader” and “incredible” would make an exceptional addition to Arteta’s options at left centre-back – especially if he were to be available to sign on a free, just months after boasting a reported €28m (£24.5m) price tag.

And, with both Saliba and Ndicka being Frenchmen, the signing of the Eintracht star could well see the duo form something of a defensive French connection at the Emirates – something that will no doubt be an incredibly exciting prospect for everyone involved with the Gunners considering their history of impressive imports from across the channel in the past.

Leeds United transfer target Kai Wagner will ‘absolutely’ leave Major League Soccer for Europe in January, according to MLS insider Tom Bogert.

The lowdown

The Whites held talks over a deal for the Philadelphia Union left-back during the summer transfer window, as per CBS Sports journalist Ben Jacobs. Jesse Marsch, who has coached in MLS with New York Red Bulls and Montreal Impact, was apparently the ‘driving’ force behind the prospective deal.

Wagner’s contract with Phildadelphia is due to expire at the end of the calendar year, but his club have the option to extend it by a further 12 months.

The latest

Bogert says that Wagner will be on the move in the winter but it warned that it could be ‘difficult’ for Leeds to pull off the deal amid extensive competition.

He wrote on Twitter: “Sources: Expectation is that Philadelphia Union star LB Kai Wagner will ‘absolutely’ be sold to Europe this winter. Leeds United far from the only club interested, will be difficult for them now rather than the summer.”

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The verdict

Leeds lack specialist senior left-back cover for the injured Junior Firpo. Pascal Struijk has played there in the early part of the season but he is naturally a centre-back, while Leo Hjelde is only 19 and boasts a mere four senior Whites appearances.

Wagner could duly be the man to fill that glaring void in the Whites’ squad if Victor Orta can pull off a deal for the German defender.

Jacobs describes the 25-year-old as ‘very creative’, a label which is justified by his tally of eight MLS assists so far this season. That ranks him first in the Philadelphia squad, and joint-sixth in the division overall.

As Bogert warned, though, the timing may not work out in Leeds’ favour considering the added interest in the player.

Financial Fair Play regulations could cause Newcastle United an issue in their pursuit of Shakhtar Donetsk star Mykhaylo Mudryk, according to journalist Pete O’Rourke.

The Lowdown: Heavy competition

As per the reliable CBS reporter Ben Jacobs, the Magpies have joined the likes of Sevilla, Bayer Leverkusen and Ajax in tracking the 21-year-old winger, who is hoping for a move in January.

The Ukraine international was strongly linked with a Premier League switch to Arsenal this summer, with their rumoured desire to make another swoop for him in the winter window, which the player has admitted would be a hard prospect for him to turn down.

Liverpool have also been touted with interest, potentially viewing the wideman as a replacement for Sadio Mane.

The Latest: O’Rourke’s claim

O’Rourke has warned Newcastle of FFP regulations getting in the way of their transfer business with Mudryk, as was often the case for the north-east outfit this summer.

When questioned over whether the Magpies’ spending power could give them an edge in the race for his signature, O’Rourke told GiveMeSport:

“Potentially, it could. Shakhtar are not an easy club to deal with, they‘re quite financially rich as well so it’s not like they need the money, so they will be looking for top dollar for Mudryk. Newcastle can pay that but they have got FFP regulations that maybe stopped them signing as many players in the summer as people expected.”

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The Verdict: Huge potential

At just 21 years old, questions would have been asked about whether the youngster is ready to compete at the highest level. However, in the Champions League this season, the Donetsk attacker has bagged two goals in his side’s opening two games, having also produced two assists.

Pundit Jack Collins has been full of praise for the Ukrainian after a number of his performances this season, having claimed he has been ‘absolutely unreal’ and that his ‘undefendable’ attacking ability means he is ‘going to be a star’.

Therefore, with such huge potential, his arrival at St. James’ Park would be a brilliant coup for the Toon as they look to build a squad capable of European qualification.

Southampton are reportedly interested in signing Bayern Munich striker Joshua Zirkzee.

What’s the news?

According to a recent report from Evening Standard, the Saints – along with fellow Premier League sides Bournemouth and Fulham – are in the mix to sign the striker, who reportedly favours a move to England after initially having talks with French club Rennes.

In 98 appearances for the German champions across their senior and youth teams, the 21-year-old has scored 50 goals and delivered 26 assists, which shows how deadly he can be in front of goal.
The centre-forward spent the 2021/22 campaign on loan in Belgium with Anderlecht, where he netted 18 goals and supplied 13 assists in 47 appearances.

Dream Adams heir

To further highlight his attacking prowess, across his 32 league games for Anderlecht, Zirkzee ended the campaign with more shots on target (30) than any other player at the Brussels club.
In terms of what sort of player he is, Bayern’s academy manager Holger Seitz had this to say about the youngster: “He’s the kind of player who is highly sought-after: a powerful striker who keeps his cool and doesn’t let himself be caught out. He has a great understanding of football and reacts quickly to different situations.”
In terms of a potential move to St Mary’s, the fact that current Saints striker Che Adams has been linked with a move away from the club this summer could make a move for Zirkzee a smart bit of business in case the Scotsman does depart.
Bearing in mind how Adams has been labelled a “powerful” player who also has an “imposing presence” and is “extremely strong and quick”, according to the PSFA, this highlights the similarities he has to the Dutchman and why he would be a suitable heir for the current Saints striker.
Also, with Ralph Hasenhuttl recently claiming that Southampton are looking to bring in a new striker before the summer transfer window closes, Zirkzee has definitely shown that he could be a great addition to the Saints’ squad and help the team to become a deadlier attacking force.
The south coast club should do all that they can to secure the young attacker’s signature, so that they can not only add an extra centre-forward option to the squad but also not worry as much if Adams ends up waving goodbye to the club in the coming weeks.

Pundit Paddy Kenny has been giving his thoughts on recent news involving Aston Villa midfielder Carney Chukwuemeka, Football Insider report.

The Lowdown: Contract demands

Chukwuemeka, who Steven Gerrard has backed to be “a big player”, is into the final 12 months of his Villa deal. He has been linked with an exit after rejecting a new contract and was left out of the squad that travelled to Australia for a pre-season tour.

FI revealed earlier in the month that the 18-year-old is holding out for a new contract worth £100,000-a-week and is attracting interest from both Barcelona and Paris Saint-Germain.

The Latest: Kenny reacts

While all the talk recently has been of Gerrard’s decision to hand John McGinn the armband instead of Tyrone Mings, Kenny is still in disbelief at the news on the young midfielder.

Talking to FI, the former Premier League shot-stopper labelled Chukwuemeka’s reported demands as ‘ridiculous’ and said that ‘football has gone crazy’ with the figures mentioned.

“They have to do everything in their power to keep him.

“But if you are paying an 18-year-old who is not at Premier League level £100,000-a-week, that’s another level, ridiculous.

“If it was bonus related, then I could maybe understand but that as a straight-up wage is far too much at that age.

“Villa will get something for him if he goes but obviously they could get a lot more if he signs that deal.

“It’s a tough one because how can an 18-year-old at Aston Villa ask for that much money? Football has gone crazy.

“It’s not like he has come in and scored 20 goals, he is an unbelievable player and I do think he will be a star.

“The only thing I can think of is that he really wants to leave as soon as possible, but then just say that instead of demanding the money.”

The Verdict: Crazy indeed

Chukwuemeka is clearly a potential future star with some of Europe’s biggest clubs keen on his services, however, he has only made two Premier League starts, so to start demanding a £100,000-a-week salary is, as Kenny says, crazy.

You’d expect that Villa will want to keep hold of the versatile midfielder, but they won’t be held to ransom and Gerrard certainly won’t go easy on such bizarre demands, so a summer exit could well materialise.

That may suit all parties as Villa would be in line to receive a fee and Chukwuemeka could get his big salary, but leaving it until the New Year would mean Villa could lose him for next to nothing.

Newcastle United are reportedly interested in signing Isco this summer, according to a report from Spanish newspaper AS (via Sport Witness). 

The lowdown: Memorial talent

Having come through the academy system at Valencia, Isco really broke onto the scene at Malaga before arriving at Real Madrid in 2013 as a prodigiously talented youngster.

The 30-year-old attacking midfielder went on to directly contribute to 109 goals in 352 outings for the Spanish giants, lifting the UEFA Champions League five times, the FIFA Club World Cup on four occasions and the La Liga title in three separate seasons.

However, following the expiration of a contract at the start of the month, the trophy-laden Isco is now a free agent having ended a nine-year affinity with Los Blancos…

The latest: Magpies ‘willing’

As per AS, transcribed by SW, Newcastle are believed to be ‘willing to put even more money’ towards the signing of the 38-cap Spain international.

It’s suggested that Galatasaray, Roma and Sevilla are all in the mix to sign Isco this summer, but it’s the Tynesiders who are featured heavily in this instance.

The report also states that ‘many things’ would need to change for the man once valued at around £100m by the Galacticos to move to Sevilla, despite the Spanish club reportedly finding an agreement for the capture.

The verdict: Worth a risk

Without what would one time have been an astronomical transfer fee, signing a player of this calibre, experience and undoubted innate talent would be a gamble worth taking from the Magpies’ hierarchy at this juncture.

Last season Isco – who was hailed as a ‘fantastic player’ by current Bernabeu boss Carlo Ancelotti in 2020 – made just 17 fleeting outings across all competitions, playing just 407 minutes in total for the Champions League winners.

Despite the clear issues in retaining anything like top form or fitness in recent times, should the balletic Spaniard rediscover his best form at St James’ Park, then Eddie Howe would have a genuine top drawer superstar at his disposal all for zero initial transfer cost.

Wolves look to be finally making some progress with regards to signing a new striker, with the latest reports suggesting that Goncalo Ramos could arrive at Molineux this summer.

What’s the word?

After a disappointing season in front of goal, which saw the Old Gold manage just 38 goals in the Premier League, signing a striker was always going to be the priority for Bruno Lage ahead of next season.

Raul Jimenez has sadly not been the same player since his fractured skull, while Fabio Silva is set to join Anderlecht on loan after failing to find the back of the net in 25 appearances last season.

However, it seems as if a replacement for the teenager could soon be on the way, with reports suggesting that Wolves are set to reopen talks with Benfica over a move for the 21-year-old Ramos.

Lage’s dream

Considering Lage worked at Benfica, with both the academy and senior sides, he will already know what Ramos is capable of.

The youngster was prolific in Benfica’s youth sides and has contributed an impressive 14 goals in his 59 appearances for the senior side thus far, including eight in all competitions last season.

Football Talent Scout Jacek Kulig was quick to spot Ramos’ ability in 2020, documenting his impressive goalscoring record for both the senior and youth sides, dubbing him “incredibly prolific”.

The Portuguese forward certainly knows where the back of the net is and considering Jimenez finished as Wolves’ top scorer in the Premier League last season with just six goals, Lage needs a player of Ramos’ ability at Molineux next season if his side are to progress.

Ramos is not just a goalscorer, however, as WhoScored suggests that his main strengths include holding onto the ball, dribbling and his defensive contribution, which suggests that he could be an effective target man in the mould of Jimenez at Molineux.

Given Wolves desperately need some attacking reinforcements this summer and Ramos is a player well-known to Lage, the 21-year-old could be the dream signing for the Old Gold manager, and supporters will be hoping that their side can strike a deal with Benfica.

And, in other news… Huge blow: Journalist reveals big Wolves transfer twist, Lage will be gutted