Tag Futebol

Tottenham Hotspur remain interested in a deal to bring Josko Gvardiol to north London.

What’s the talk?

That’s according to a recent report by Football Insider, who claim that, after being heavily linked with a move for the Red Bull Salzburg centre-back this summer, Fabio Paratici has once again sent scouts to watch the 20-year-old in action this season, ahead of launching a potential move for the Croatia international either this winter or at the end of the current campaign.

The report goes on to state that Chelsea are also keeping a close eye on the situation of the defender – who is reported to possess a minimum fee release clause in the region of £44m.

Extraordinary deal

Considering the undoubted potential Gvardiol clearly possesses, should Paratici manage to seal a £44m deal for the centre-back in either the January or summer transfer window, it would most certainly represent an extraordinary signing by the Spurs’ sporting director.

Indeed, over his 29 Bundesliga appearances last season, the £95m-rated talent was in sensational defensive form, helping his side keep seven clean sheets, in addition to making an average of 1.8 interceptions, 1.6 tackles, 1.9 clearances and winning 5.9 duels – at a success rate of 58% – per game.

The £21k-per-week defender also impressed going forwards, scoring two goals, providing two assists and creating four big chances, as well as completing an average of 59.3 passes, 3.4 long balls, 1.3 dribbles and taking 0.8 shots per fixture.

These returns saw the player who Ivica Olic dubbed “extraordinary” average a simply astonishing SofaScore match rating of 7.10, ranking him as Leipzig’s fourth-best performer in the top flight of German football last time out.

The 20-year-old has also caught the eye over his two appearances in the Champions League in the current campaign, helping his side keep one clean sheet, in addition to making an average of 2.0 tackles, one interception, 5.0 clearances and winning 3.5 duels – at a success rate of 70% – per fame.

These metrics have seen the left-footer who Stefan Bienkowski claimed is “thriving” average an extremely impressive SofaScore match rating of 7.10, currently ranking him as Leipzig’s third-best performer in Europe’s most prestigious club competition.

As such, considering his remarkable returns at such a young age, his ability to play at left centre-back in a back three or four, as well as the fact his release clause is a whopping £51m lower than his current market valuation, it is clear to see that, should Paratici manage to get a £44m deal over the line for the 20-year-old, it would undoubtedly represent an extraordinary signing for the Italian and the north London side.

West Ham United manager David Moyes has shared an update on attacker Jarrod Bowen, who sustained an injury during their 2-0 victory over Wolves on Saturday.

The Lowdown: Hammers’ much-needed win

After a disappointing start to the Premier League season, the Irons got back on track at the weekend as they claimed their second top-flight win of the campaign, beating their visitors 2-0 at the London Stadium.

Goals from Gianluca Scamacca and Bowen ensured three points for the Hammers, who climbed out of the relegation zone and up to 15th after the victory.

However, the win was spoiled for the second goalscorer, who picked up a nasty finger injury during the match. This was treated by the medical team on the pitch, enabling him to see the game out.

The Latest: Bowen’s injury

Despite playing on for the rest of that game, the 25-year-old’s injury seemed to cause concern for West Ham’s medical team afterwards.

Speaking after the match, Moyes shared an update on the winger. As quoted by The West Ham Way, the Irons manager said of Bowen’s injury: “He’s just told me and actually, the physio just came over and said he’s done something to his finger and said it was pretty bad.”

[web_stories_embed url=”https://www.footballtransfertavern.com/web-stories/west-ham-latest-news-5/” title=”West Ham latest news!” poster=”” width=”360″ height=”600″ align=”none”]

The Verdict: Hopefully nothing too serious…

After a poor start to the season, West Ham fans will surely be hoping that Bowen’s injury isn’t serious, as the attacker has proven to be vital to the Hammers’ success in recent years.

Having ranked in the 86th percentile for non-penalty expected goals and the 84th percentile for non-penalty goals among wingers in Europe’s top five leagues over the past 12 months (via FBRef), the former Hull City man has been crucial in finishing off the Irons’ attacking play in the final third.

Bowen ended the 2021/22 Premier League season having ranked as West Ham’s top scorer and assists provider, while according to WhoScored he was also their best-performing player, having earned an impressive 7.14 average match rating.

Hailed as ‘unbelievable’ by Liverpool manager Jurgen Klopp prior to the Irons’ visit to Anfield in March, news of Bowen’s injury will come as a blow for Moyes, who will be hoping that the recovery period is swift for the reliable winger.

Transfer insider Dean Jones has said that Everton are ‘definitely’ in for James Garner amid reports of a deal being close on Wednesday morning.

The Lowdown: Midfielders wanted

Following the imminent arrival of Idrissa Gueye from PSG, and the fact that they are ‘hopeful’ of signing Leander Dendoncker from Wolves, it is clear that Frank Lampard would like to strengthen in the middle of the park before the transfer window closes.

Both Allan and Andre Gomes have been linked with late moves to AS Roma in the Serie A, and if the pair were to leave, then the Goodison Park outfit would need to bring in at least a couple of midfielders to replace them.

The Latest: Garner rumours are legitimate

Speaking to GiveMeSport, Jones has shared that the Merseyside club are ‘definitely’ in the conversation to sign Garner, as Sky Sports report the Toffees are closing in on a deal:

“They are definitely still in that conversation for Garner as well.

“So, we’ll find out very quickly where Everton are going to be in terms of shaping up this season because if they don’t get three people through the door, Frank Lampard knows that he’s in a relegation battle.”

The Verdict: Get it done

Hailed as ‘outstanding’ by journalist George Smith last season while on loan at Nottingham Forest, Garner scored four goals and made a further ten assists in 49 games in total over all competitions (Transfermarkt).

He played a key part in helping Steve Cooper’s side win promotion from the Championship up to the Premier League, even ranking as one of their best five players for the entire season.

[web_stories_embed url=”https://www.footballtransfertavern.com/web-stories/everton-news-7/” title=”Everton news!” poster=”” width=”360″ height=”600″ align=”none”]

The 21-year-old is yet to make an appearance for United this term, and with the arrival of fellow central midfielder Casemiro from Real Madrid, it is likely that the Red Devils will let him leave before the deadline.

In an update this morning, The Athletic journalist Laurie Whitwell has reported that Garner is actually ‘close’ to joining the Toffees in a deal rising up to £15m with add-ons, and so this is certainly one to watch as the hours progress.

An intriguing Tottenham Hotspur claim has emerged on the club’s plans for the remainder of the summer transfer window.

What’s the talk?

Sky Sports reporter Michael Bridge has predicted that Spurs may look to bring in two more players in the coming weeks.

Fabio Paratici has been busy throughout the window so far, bringing in the likes of Yves Bissouma, Ivan Perisic, and Richarlison, among others.

He told GIVEMESPORT:

“I’ve said for the last couple of weeks, I think they’ll look for an attack-minded midfielder and, potentially, another central defender.”

Antonio Conte could love it

The Italian head coach could love it if this prediction became reality and Paratici brings in a quality attacking midfielder and a centre-back. 

[snack-amp-story url= “https://www.footballfancast.com/web-stories/spurs-latest-transfer-news-gossip-rumours-conte-paratici-premier-league” title=”Read the latest Spurs news, transfer rumours and more!”]

He may be keen for the former, particularly, as he does not have a wealth of goals and assists flooding in from his options in the middle of the park. 

In the Premier League last term, no Tottenham player in that position averaged more than 0.9 key passes per game or produced more than two goals or four assists. 

This suggests that creativity is not a big strength for any of the players currently at Conte’s disposal in that position, although they are not relied upon to provide it in the 3-4-3 system as they have wing-backs and the three forwards to link up attacks.

By signing a player who can unlock doors from that area of the pitch, the Italian head coach has the freedom to alter the system and the way his team plays depending on the opposition at hand. 

For example, if he decides that he wants to go with a back four in a match then bringing in a number 10 or a number eight with attacking qualities could allow him to do so effectively. 

Leicester gem James Maddison is a midfielder who has been linked with a move to the club this summer and he is a player who can provide a spark at the top end of the pitch.

In the Premier League last season, the Englishman scored 12 goals and set up eight. He created 11 ‘big chances’ and averaged 1.4 key passes per match, after averaging 1.7 per game in the 2020/21 campaign for the Foxes.

This proves that he has the quality to be a difference-maker in the final third in the top-flight, as he can find the back of the net on his own whilst also creating chances for his teammates on a regular basis.

Therefore, he could provide something different to Conte’s midfield options and that is why the Italian could love for Bridge’s prediction to come true, as Maddison – or another player of that ilk – coming in would be a boost to the squad. 

Fulham have ‘offers on the table’ for four central defenders, according to Sky Sports reporter Dharmesh Sheth. 

The lowdown: Fulham’s summer so far

Since earning promotion back to the Premier League as Championship winners, Fulham have already signed Joao Palhinha, Andreas Pereira, Kevin Mbabu and Manor Solomon.

The Cottagers have spent £31.5m all told whilst also recouping funds from the sales of Andre Zambo Anguissa to Napoli and Fabio Carvalho to Liverpool as Marco Silva attempts to ensure top-flight safety for the west London club.

Despite the hive of activity at SW6, the centre-back department remains in need of reinforcements, and one reputable source has now shed some light on the possibility of further incomings…

The latest: Offers ‘on the table’

Taking to Twitter, Sheth has claimed that Fulham have ongoing bids to sign as many as four centre-backs, including West Ham United ace Issa Diop and Chelsea youngster Malang Sarr, along with Arsenal goalkeeper Bernd Leno.

The Sky Sports reporter stated: “Fulham have offers on the table for FOUR central defenders – including West Ham United’s Issa Diop & Chelsea’s Malang Sarr. Fulham increasingly hopeful of completing a deal for Arsenal keeper Bernd Leno before start of the season. #IssaDiop #MalangSarr #Leno #FFC #SSN”

The verdict: Fingers crossed

Signing a centre-back before the September 1st deadline is imperative if Silva is to stand the best possible chance of keeping the Cottagers in the Premier League.

As things stand, Tosin Adarabioyo, Terence Kongolo and a 34-year-old Tim Ream make up the only natural central defensive options at the Portuguese coach’s disposal, a worrying lack of depth heading into the new campaign.

Fulham conceded 53 goals during their last Premier League campaign in 2020/21, an issue which could go someway to being addressed by the seemingly imminent capture of Leno from Arsenal.

In addition to the German ‘keeper, the admiration of Diop – who was dubbed a ‘monster’ by Jose Mourinho in 2018 – is nothing new. The Frenchman has been on the radar at Fulham for a prolonged period and after two previously rejected bids, so there will be hope that a transfer can finally be completed to bring him across London.

The 25-year-old made 24 appearances across all competitions for West Ham last term, earning a 6.69 Sofascore rating whilst winning 2.4 duels, making 3.2 clearances and completing 31.2 passes per game.

Earning a reported £67,000 per week (Spotrac), Diop would be an expensive capture for Fulham all told, but one which could be wholly necessary.

Celtic could pip other clubs to the signing of Tottenham youngster Japhet Tanganga this summer, according to former Scottish top-flight striker Noel Whelan.

The Lowdown: Tanganga linked with Celtic

Ange Postecoglou may still be eyeing up new signings ahead of the new Premiership season as he looks to make his squad even more formidable.

One player who has been linked with a move to Celtic recently is Tanganga, who has made 43 appearances for Spurs to date but has never been a first-team regular in north London.

However, the Hoops are joined by other clubs in the race to sign the 23-year-old, including AC Milan, Bournemouth and AS Monaco.

The Latest: Celtic backed to sign Tanganga

Speaking to Football Insider, Whelan claimed that the lure of Champions League football could give Celtic the edge over some clubs, tipping them to snap up Tanganga this summer.

The 47-year-old said:

“It’s an attractive proposition [Champions League football], isn’t it? You also know you’re going to be up there fighting for every competition domestically and playing in front of 60,000 every week.

“We’ve seen Carter-Vickers go from Tottenham to Celtic, and we’ve seen it work. I’m sure they’ll have had chit-chats about what it’s like if this interest is real.

“Playing in the Champions League is a massive plus and will be a massive temptation for any player, whether they currently play in the Premier League or not.”

The Verdict: Great squad option

Tanganga would be an exciting signing by Celtic if he were to depart Spurs, having been hailed as an ‘amazing’ player by Jose Mourinho, under whom the defender played for the best part of 18 months in north London.

The Englishman could provide stiff competition to the likes of former N17 colleague Cameron Carter-Vickers and Carl Starfelt at the heart of the defence, while also being capable of playing at right-back.

At 23, Tanganga is slowly edging towards the peak years of his career, and he may see a better chance of enjoying regular playing time at Celtic than Spurs, where his current deal expires in 2025.

West Ham United appear to be the frontrunners to sign Juventus defender Luca Pellegrini, according to reports coming out of Italy.

What’s the word?

As per Spazio Juve, the Irons are said to be ‘very close’ to striking a deal for the 23-year-old, with the east Londoners currently in ‘pole position’ despite interest from newly-promoted Serie A outfit Monza.

The report suggests that the left-back – who still has three years left to run on his existing contract in Turin – could be worth in the region of just €10m (£9m), having been something of a bit-part player under Max Allegri last term.

This follows a previous report which suggested the London Stadium outfit were keen on a deal for the one-cap Italy international, albeit with the Serie A giants hoping to exploit that interest by trying to strike an agreement of their own for Jarrod Bowen.

Bye-bye Masuaku

That potential incoming could spell the end for one player’s West Ham career, with fellow full-back Arthur Masuka seemingly the man most likely to give way if Pellegrini is signed, having failed to ever nail down a regular role since his move from Olympiakos six years ago.

Despite often operating in an attacking, wing-back role in David Moyes’ side, the DR Congo international has a fairly dismal record with regards to his attacking output, having registered just two goals and ten assists in 127 appearances in all competitions.

Dubbed “terrible” by West Ham-focused analyst Carl Goodall, the 28-year-old has rarely looked like a player capable of performing on a consistent basis, failing to usurp first-choice pick Aaron Cresswell from his usual starting berth.

There have been suggestions that Moyes may seek to hand the £43k-per-week dud another chance in pre-season, with two years left on his existing deal plus the chance of a further extension. However, the hope may be that a new arrival could alter that situation, with the £4.5m-rated African having seemingly outstayed his welcome.

In Pellegrini, the Hammers would no doubt be able to acquire a young, hungry asset who can prove a more reliable deputy to the aforementioned Cresswell, while also potentially replacing the 32-year-old in the years to come.

Although it proved a frustrating campaign last time out at the Allianz Stadium – where he made just 15 league starts – the £8.1m-rated starlet has previously showcased his talent while on loan at Cagliari, recording seven assists in just 36 games for the club in all competitions during his 18-month spell.

Former Italy under-21 coach Paolo Nicolato has also lavished him with praise in the past, insisting that the £30k-per-week menace has “remarkable physical skills” and is “destined to have a great career”.

It looks like his race is run in Turin, although the Irons could no doubt offer him the chance to blossom “without pressure” – as Nicolato stressed – with the club’s place in the Europa Conference League potentially handing him the chance for regular game-time.

His arrival may not have an instant impact on the starting XI, although it could help to usher out a player in Masuaku who simply needs to move on.

AND in other news, Moyes plotting move for “special” £45m “baller”, he’d be a “superstar” for West Ham

Journalist Rudy Galetti of Sport Italia TV and Tribal Football has shared an exciting Manchester City transfer development involving Leeds United star Kalvin Phillips.

The Lowdown: City earmark Phillips…

Club legend Fernandinho has drawn the curtain on a glittering nine-year stay at Eastlands as manager Pep Guardiola targets possible midfield replacements.

The Brazilian will be remembered by Blues for his crucial contribution over City’s decade-long dominance of the Premier League and whoever comes in may have some big shoes to fill.

Guardiola and co, looking to build upon their dramatic final day title-win last season, have reportedly earmarked the possible signing of Phillips with things expected to develop in the coming weeks.

The Latest: Galetti shares exciting update…

According to reporter Galetti, sharing news on Twitter, talks are ‘progressing quickly’ to sign the 26-year-old with an ‘official offer’ set to be ‘presented soon’.

He explained:

“Next hours in Manchester, City side will be hot for Kalvin Phillips: the official offer to Leeds should be presented soon. As reported in preview in the last days, the negotiation is progressing quickly.”

The Verdict: Promising…

Valued at around £60 million and revered for some of his performances over the last year, we believe the dynamic England international could be an ideal heir to Fernandinho in front of City’s back four.

According to WhoScored, when fit and available, he averaged more successful tackles per 90 than any one in Guardiola’s squad over 21/22 with teammate Liam Cooper even branding Phillips one of the best in the world.

City’s interest is of no surprise ahead of what will be an interesting 2022/2023 campaign with the likes of Erling Haaland and Julian Alvarez already arriving.

In other news: Man City now a ‘dream’ destination for very exciting defender…find out more here.

Celtic and Ange Postecoglou showed during the previous summer transfer window that they can be ruthless when it comes to bringing players into the club and moving others out.

Even before this summer’s transfer window has opened, the Hoops have said goodbye to two long-serving players in the form of Nir Bitton and Tom Rogic.

With that in mind and Postecoglou eager for his side to not only retain the Premiership title next season but also to go as far as they can in Europe and get their hands on even more silverware, the next few weeks could be a pivotal and very busy period for the club.

One man with whom the Bhoys have been linked in the past and who could be a solid addition to Postecoglou’s ranks this summer is Callum Styles.

With 121 appearances to his name for his current club Barnsley, the 22-year-old has scored nine goals and delivered six assists along the way.

This season saw the Hungary international feature in all but three of the Tykes’ matches across all competitions this season, playing in a wide range of positions across the midfield and attack but predominantly in a central midfield role.

This suggests that his versatility could make him a very useful option for Postecoglou and potentially fill the void left by the departures of Bitton and Rogic.

Furthermore, Styles could also be an upgrade on current Celtic midfielder Callum McGregor.

Better than McGregor

To compare the duo from their individual 2021/22 league seasons, the Barnsley ace racked up more shots on target, crosses, interceptions and tackles than the Celtic captain.

Labelled a “massive talent” by Oakwell team-mate Cauley Woodrow, Styles also had one of his goals for Barnsley last August described as a “rocket” by journalist Sanny Rudravajhala.

Taking all this into account, if the departures of Rogic and Bitton will force Postecoglou to add some new midfield options to his squad, then Styles’ name should definitely be near the top of his list.

With a reported asking price of £8m, securing a deal for the 22-year-old could be rather straightforward for the Hoops after the Yorkshire club were relegated from the Championship, meaning that a move to Scotland to try and win trophies and compete in Europe could be rather tempting for the player.

In other news: Postecoglou heading for big transfer error as Celtic eye move for £2m dud

Tottenham Hotspur are interested in a deal to bring Martin Satriano to the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium in the summer transfer window.

What’s the talk?

That’s according to a report by Italian media outlet TuttoMercatoWeb (via Sport Witness), who claim that Antonio Conte is keen to bring the centre-forward who he signed for Inter Milan back in 2020 to the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium at the end of the current campaign.

[snack-amp-story url= “https://www.footballfancast.com/web-stories/tottenham-hotspur-latest-news-updates-transfer-rumours-gossip-spurs-thfc-conte-paratici” title= “Read the latest Spurs news, transfer rumours and more!”]

The report goes on to cite an interview with the 21-year-old himself, in which the Uruguayan suggested that he was flattered by the interest of the 52-year-old Italian.

Regarding Spurs’ reported interest, the Inter starlet said: “I have heard and read about Tottenham, I am obviously glad that some teams have noticed me, but only because it means that I am doing well. I am young and I have to grow much.”

The next Broja

Considering the sheer amount of potential Satriano quite clearly possesses, it is unsurprising to learn of Conte’s interest in a move to bring the forward to north London this summer.

Indeed, having been sent out on loan to Stade Brestois in January, the £3.6m-rated attacker has highly impressed over his 15 Ligue 1 appearances, scoring four goals and averaging a SofaScore match rating of 6.81 – ranking him as Michel Der Zakarian’s joint tenth-best performer in the French top flight.

These metrics have led FBref to compare the youngster to a number of exciting talents in Europe’s big five leagues, such as Chelsea’s Armando Broja – who has scored six goals over 32 Premier League appearances while on loan at Southampton this season – Sevilla’s Rafa Mir and Lens’ Arnaud Kalimuendo.

Furthermore, hopes for the £9k-per-week talent are clearly extremely high at Inter, with the Nerazzurri and Uruguay central midfielder Matias Vecino stating of the 21-year-old:

“Already last year he trained a few times with the first team. The truth is that he deserves it because he trains well, he is a serious and humble boy.

“I have no doubt that everything that happens to him will be positive, whether here or playing somewhere else to gain playing time and then come back. He’s a humble boy who understands where he is, who keeps both feet on the ground and trains like a beast.”

As such, should Fabio Paratici be able to convince the 20-goal striker of a move to Tottenham this summer, the Italian sporting director would very much look to have landed an extremely exciting talent – perhaps even one who could go on to emulate Broja’s impact on the English top-flight in the current campaign.

AND in other news: Alasdair Gold drops huge behind-the-scenes Spurs update, supporters will be buzzing