All posts by z3u9t.icu

Leeds United are enjoying a strong run of form in their returning Premier League campaign. Thanks to numerous solid performances and Marcelo Bielsa’s steady hand on the throttle, the Whites are in a more than respectable 10th place in the table, one point ahead of upcoming opposition Arsenal.

Victor Orta and co didn’t utilise their option to splurge in the January transfer window, but could have some surprises up their sleeve leading into the summer. The future of Jack Harrison still remains unknown, but Leeds have the opportunity to bring him to Elland Road permanently for a fee of £10million.

Phil Hay recently confirmed that the club officials are keen on activating this clause, but if something goes wrong with the deal, Harrison will depart the club in the summer upon the expiry of his loan contract.

This is very similar for the manager himself. Bielsa is into the last six months of his deal with Leeds and no talks as of yet have emerged regarding an extension. However, Hay has one again come up with the goods and has delivered some very telling comments regarding Bielsa’s future.

In the latest episode of The Phil Hay Show, he discusses the Argentine and his role at the club. The Athletic reporter revealed that Bielsa is happy where he is, despite only penning a one-year deal back in September.

For fans, this will be a delightful piece of news. The 65-year-old is hugely respected by the Leeds fanbase and is held in high regard after he took them back to the Premier League following 16 long years away. Whites supporters will not want to see their boss go anywhere any time soon.

Even Andrea Radrizzani recently expressed his desire to see Bielsa stay at the club. He clearly fits the club very well and his results so far have been admirable for a side fresh up from the Championship. The fans, players and club officials would no doubt be elated if Bielsa decided to commit his future to Leeds.

In other news, Raphinha footage shows Leeds struck gold on the transfer market…

According to a report by Italian news outlet Calciomercato, defender Nicolas Nkoulou is one of the players who will almost certainly leave Torino at the end of the season – with Andrea Radrizanni and Leeds United eyeing a move for the Cameroonian whose contract is set to expire. 

Indeed, the 30-year-old looks set to leave on a free transfer at the end of the season according to this report, with the Whites keeping close watch as they plot a swoop.

Nkoulou wanted by Leeds

Calciomercato say Leeds boss Marcelo Bielsa is a big fan of the 72-cap colossus with a plethora of experience on the international stage as the Africa Cup of Nations winner attracts attention from Elland Road.

He also possesses experience playing in the Champions League for both Lyon and Marseille, with Nkoulou and Bielsa previously working together at the latter club.

Indeed, the centre-back is a player who Leeds’ boss knows very well and is now keen on reuniting with in Yorkshire – coming as the defender’s Serie A exit looks inevitable.

Transfer Tavern take

Radrizzani and co could snap him up for free in the summer in a bid to bolster Bielsa’s Premier League options, with the lack of a price tag potentially being a main attraction amid financial uncertainty caused by COVID-19.

In other news: Phil Hay has dropped a Robin Koch update, find out more here.

In an exclusive interview with Football FanCast, former Sheffield Wednesday frontman Dean Windass been discussing Jordan Henderson’s recent injury.

The England midfielder had missed just four of Liverpool’s Premier League matches this season, but is now facing a spell on the sidelines following a groin problem sustained in last month’s Merseyside derby at Anfield.

Henderson was replaced by Nathaniel Phillips just 30 minutes into the Reds’ 2-0 defeat, and whilst the Liverpool Echo revealed that the Liverpool captain is expected to play again this season, the club are yet to comment on when he might return to playing action.

However, the Echo confirmed that Henderson won’t feature before the upcoming international break, meaning he’ll miss Premier League games against Chelsea, Fulham and Wolves, plus their Champions League second leg against Leipzig.

And Windass told FFC that Liverpool have lost their “back-bone” with Henderson out the side. He said:

“They’ve missed him in midfield, they talk about Van Dijk, he’s been the biggest one, they haven’t had a settled back-two because Robbo [Andy Robertson] and Trent have always been the right back and the left back.

“Jordan is a good organiser, he learnt everything through Stevie, and went on to captain and win the Premier League, so the back-bone of the team has slipped away. The biggest loss is that Jordan’s been out of the midfield. It’s a blow for Liverpool, but the defence has always been a problem since Van Dijk has been injured.”

Whilst the injury to Virgil Van Dijk has been well publicised following his impact in the last two seasons, Henderson’s absence is a major blow in more ways than one – their midfield and centre-back options are even more limited, whilst they’re also without their captain and biggest leader on the pitch.

Tottenham Hotspur legend Gary Mabbutt has told Football FanCast that Manchester United took inspiration from Jose Mourinho’s tactics to beat Manchester City at the weekend.

Ole Gunnar Solskjaer’s men won 2-0 at the Etihad Stadium, as goals from Bruno Fernandes and Luke Shaw ended City’s run of 20 successive victories in all competitions.

City’s last defeat before the game against United came in north London, as Spurs won 2-0.

Goals from Son Heung-min and Giovani Lo Celso proved decisive that day and the statistics are remarkably similar.

In north London, Spurs had 34% possession; United had 34% possession at the Etihad Stadium. Spurs had two shots on target, United had six.

Quite simply, both Spurs and United used their time on the ball better than Pep Guardiola’s side, as they utilised efficiency over possession.

Mabbutt believes that Mourinho’s tactics inspired United as they picked up all three points.

City did not fall into the same trap against Spurs at the Etihad, as they won 3-0.

Speaking exclusively to FFC, he said: “They go to Man City and basically they did to Man City virtually exactly what Spurs did to them in Man City’s last defeat, whereby you deny them space, they need that space to create their fantastic opportunities and to create their free flowing football.

“They were denied space by Spurs and by Man United, and both teams won two goals to nil.

“So yes, I mean, it’s just showing that every single team are fallible, every single team can be beaten. Get your tactics, right, which I thought Solskjaer did and, obviously, Jose did in the game at the new stadium at Spurs.

“And yes, so for me, it showed other teams that watch and go over those games, what do they do in those games that make it difficult for Man City, take those points and try and put that into when you play against them.”

Spurs will be aiming to repeat that 2-0 victory in the League Cup final when they take on City at Wembley.

A victory at the national stadium would end Spurs’ 13-year trophy drought, as they have not lifted a cup since their League Cup triumph over Chelsea back in 2008.

They have a blueprint to follow.

It’s fair to say that this season has been a particularly strange one for Moussa Sissoko at Tottenham.

The Frenchman started the campaign as one of Jose Mourinho’s trusted lieutenants in the middle of the park, even going on a run of starting 11 consecutive Premier League games from early October to mid-December.

The turn of the year has seen him fall out of favour somewhat, with Tanguy Ndombele’s real emergence onto the scene a key factor behind his French compatriot taking a back-seat – the former Lyon man had started the previous 13 top-flight games before being rested against Crystal Palace at the weekend.

In comparison, Sissoko hasn’t completed the full 90 minutes in the league since the 1-0 defeat to Chelsea in early February. But, with a crucial game against Dinamo Zagreb in the Europa League on Thursday night, the £16.2m-rated powerhouse should be restored to the starting line-up.

With the first leg at home, Mourinho wil,l of course, want to get off to a good start, certainly picking up a win before the return fixture. But, perhaps most importantly, is ensuring Zagreb don’t get a potentially damaging away goal and give themselves something to hold on to when they head back to Croatia.

Sissoko’s introduction into the side would give Spurs a bit more protection and energy in front of the back four, and help to ensure that Zagreb can’t catch the north London side slacking on counter-attacks or in transitions – the Frenchman averages over one tackle and interception apiece this season, with his 1.2 interceptions per game actually ranking him second among all his teammates.

Speaking just last season, Kevin Phillips raved about Sissoko’s ability, saying: “At one point Kane, Son and, Sissoko were the first names on the teamsheet. We keep speaking about Son and Kane and Sissoko goes under the radar. He is a superb player – power, pace and travels with the ball really well. He can take the ball in tight situations with his strength.”

In a piece for The Athletic last year, they wrote: “While he has never been famed for his distribution, Sissoko’s hunger to win the ball back in transitions also stood out last season. It’s tempting to put his skill at doing this down to athleticism alone but Sissoko also possesses a positional intelligence that is often — there’s that word again — underrated. That’s certainly the view of one of his former coaches, who points to the way he anticipates danger and makes tackles.”

That midfield control and protection is something Mourinho will absolutely need, particularly in European competitions, and Sissoko’s return to the side would help offer that. He could well be the Spurs boss’ game-changer, from a defensive standpoint in particular, when Dinamo come to town tonight.

Meanwhile, Spurs played a blinder by selling this man for £17m…

Ex-Everton player Michael Ball has bemoaned The Toffees’ struggles at Goodison Park but admits he’s ‘used to’ such frustration.

The Blues were beaten 2-1 by relegation-threatened Burnley on Saturday evening in a blow to their top-four hopes.

Chris Wood and Dwight McNeil put the visitors two goals up inside 25 minutes, and Dominic Calvert-Lewin’s effort before the break was not enough to inspire a fightback.

Everton have now lost on home soil to the teams in 15th (Burnley), 17th (Newcastle) and 18th (Fulham) this season.

They sit eighth in the table, five points off fourth-placed Chelsea with a game in hand. Had they beaten those three struggling outfits, they would be within striking range of Manchester United.

Everton players need ‘kick up the backside’

Without supporters present, Ball fears that complacency may have set in. He lamented what he sees as a tendency for Everton to shoot themselves in the foot.

“The lads should be embarrassed by this home record,” he wrote in his Liverpool Echo column.

“We’re not the only team struggling on our own turf, and it probably is down to the fans not being there, but find a solution.

“Some players are getting away with it because there’s no-one there to give them a kick up the backside.

“The sad thing is that we’re used to this. We’ve got many home games coming up and we’ve got a find a way to stop this rot.”

Transfer Tavern verdict

After the initial frustration, Everton fans will find solace in perspective.

Yes, they have squandered opportunities, but they are still having an excellent season and remain in a strong position in the European race.

The key for Carlo Ancelotti going forward in this long-term process is to hone the different ways of playing.

Everton have been able to frustrate high-quality sides like Spurs, Liverpool, Chelsea and Arsenal, but it’s a different matter when the onus is on them to be constantly on the front-foot.

In other news, Everton fans are unhappy that this player was overlooked by his international boss.

Loads of Wolves fans have been talking about the latest tweet from Joe Edwards that recently emerged on social media, as the journalist shared news of Romain Saiss’ extended deal.

Edwards recently tweeted about Saiss, sharing an article about his contractual situation at the club. The versatile Frecnhman is now set for a a new 12-month deal at the club and that has been triggered by how many matches he has started this season for Nuno Espirito Santo’s side.

The journalist’s tweet described Saiss to be a key member of Nuno’s side while revealing that he will remain in the Midlands for at least 12 more months. The defender’s current contract at Wolves runs out in the summer transfer window and the club had the option to extend it by another year based on his impact this term, which has proved to be significant. One supporter described it as ‘great news’.

He had arrived at Wolves in the summer of 2016 from Ligue 1 side Angers, and the 30-year-old is now the longest-serving Wolves player after Conor Coady, who has been at the club since 2015.

Edwards’ tweet about Saiss’ contractual update drew the attention of lots of Wolves fans, who made their views clear about the player.

What did Wolves fans make of Edwards’ tweet?

“The guy is awesome pleased for him definitely rate him I reckon there’d be a queue for him if he was put up for sale.”

Credit: @DaveJon36562654

“Love the bloke, deserves his new contract and is an invaluable member of the squad but he can’t be part of our strongest starting 11 if we want to move forward next season.”Credit: @witdawit”Extended increase our value for him, he’ll move on.”Credit: @t_j_mcg”Great squad player to have, but needs upgrading in the summer.”Credit: @Russt_29″Great news.. great player to have around..”Credit: @davidellerton”Get in.”Credit: @cal_wolvesfc”Vital player. Sort of person we need to keep. Versatile and happy to play here and there.”Credit: @gav_dhaliwalIn other news, Wolves have been linked with a move for a former player – read more here.

Newcastle players have been granted a raft of days off despite their dismal defeat at Brighton, with players left stunned that Mike Ashley and Lee Charnley have not dismissed Steve Bruce.

A Daily Mail exclusive from Craig Hope claims that the Toon Army will report to Darsley Park on Tuesday for the first time since that 3-0 loss at the Amex.

That will kick-off a period of three days’ training, but there are then no sessions pencilled in between Friday and Monday.

The report says that players have become ‘increasingly concerned’ at the amount of time off they have been given in the midst of their battle to stay in the Premier League.

Hope also claims that parts of the squad are ‘shocked’ Ashley and Charnley haven’t pulled the trigger on Bruce after the loss to Brighton, with this latest raft of days off only adding to the sense of bemusement.

A club source defended the plan, citing the ‘mental and physical wellbeing’ of the squad. The hope is that it will ease the feeling of the pressure ahead of the run-in.

Six senior players are currently away on international duty – Martin Dubravka, Emil Krafth, Ciaran Clark, Jamal Lewis, Jeff Hendrick and Ryan Fraser.

Transfer Tavern verdict

If you were a Newcastle fan, you would probably want to see your players on as strict a regime as possible over this break.

After all, there were signs in that Brighton game that certain players’ focus had wavered, and that is unacceptable in these circumstances.

It feels like the last thing this squad needs is more time for their focus to shift away from what really matters, which is likely what these increased days off will do.

In other news, Graeme Souness offered a bleak warning in the wake of Saturday’s game.

Celtic’s search for a new manager has really gathered pace over the last few days but unfortunately for majority shareholder Dermot Desmond, he still no closer to uncovering Neil Lennon’s successor.

Roy Keane has been the favourite in the last week but fresh claims have quashed those rumours.

What’s the word?

Last week, it quickly became apparent that Keane was leading the race to become the new manager of Celtic.

Football Insider revealed that discussions and an interview had even taken place. However, in a remarkable twist, it now looks like the Irishman is unlikely to head back to Parkhead.

The Times have sources close to Keane in Ireland who have revealed that a Celtic reunion is doubtful.

Keane turned down the Hoops job in 2014 and he looks set to miss out on the hot seat once again.

Amazing news for supporters

When it emerged that Keane was in the running to become the new manager of Celtic, it was not very well received by plenty of the club’s supporters.

Well followed Bhoys podcaster Paul John Dykes admitted that news of the Manchester United legend’s potential arrival had gone down like a led balloon with fans.

You can see why, too. Keane hasn’t managed for the best part of ten years and he didn’t exactly achieve a great deal during his time with Sunderland and then Ipswich.

[snack-amp-story url=”https://www.footballfancast.com/web-stories/latest-celtic-manager-and-transfer-news-roy-keane-nicky-butt-jesse-marsch-scott-brown” title=”Latest Celtic manager and transfer news!”]

He got the Mackems promoted but his win percentage during the course of his managerial career speaks volumes. The 49-year-old has a pretty disastrous win rate of just 38.7%.

The television pundit has taken guidance from Martin O’Neill during his three spells as assistant manager under him. However, with that in mind, it feels like Keane is more equipped to be a number two.

News that the former midfielder is now less likely to be given the reins at Paradise should be music to the ears of supporters.

Desmond can now turn to alternatives. Chris Wilder has been linked, a manager we’ve suggested is a better option for the Bhoys.

AND in other news, Bye-bye Edouard: Celtic must swoop for 28-goal “sensation” who’ll “go to the very top”…

According to recent reports, Tottenham Hotspur target Mike Maignan will be available for a fee of around €20m (£17m) this summer.

The report by Gazzetta dello Sport (via Sport Witness) claims that Spurs have set their sights on the Lille goalkeeper as a potential replacement for Hugo Lloris, who has been heavily linked with a move to Paris Saint-Germain this summer.

However, it is also claimed that, should Spurs indeed make a move for the £24,000-per-week 25-year-old, they may well face competition from AC Milan, as the Serie A side are also keeping tabs on the shot-stopper ahead of a potential summer swoop, largely because they have yet to reach an agreement with Gianluigi Donnarumma regarding a new deal at San Siro.

Finally, it is suggested that Christophe Galtier’s side would demand a fee of around €20m (£17m) in order to part with the France international come the end of the season.

Transfer Tavern Take

With it previously being reported that the Tottenham coaches Joao Sacramento and Nuno Santos are big fans of Maignan, a move by Jose Mourinho for the Lille ‘keeper is not a difficult scenario to imagine, should Lloris indeed leave Spurs this summer.

With the 25-year-old impressing over his 30 Ligue 1 appearances so far this season, keeping a remarkable 16 clean sheets and averaging a SofaScore match rating of 7.03, it would certainly seem as if the Frenchman is a very suitable candidate to replace his compatriot as Tottenham’s number one.

In other news: Levy is set to battle several PL clubs for the signing of ‘the next Zlatan Ibrahimovic’ – find out more here!