All posts by z3u9t.icu

Manchester City are set to make a bid to sign Brighton & Hove Albion full-back Marc Cucurella in the coming days.

What’s the news?

In a recent Twitter post from Fabrizio Romano, the journalist and transfer expert had this to say on the matter.

“Manchester City are now set to submit opening proposal to Brighton for Marc Cucurella. First bid ready to proceed in advanced talks in the next days. #MCFC

“Cucurella is still Man City top target as left back, Pep Guardiola really wants him. Work in progress.”

Great news for Guardiola

After starting his career in Spain having spent time in Barcelona’s youth ranks and playing for clubs such as Eibar and Getafe, the defender then made the move to England last summer and signed for Brighton in a deal worth £15m.

During his debut season with the Seagulls, the Spaniard ended up playing more minutes than any other outfield player at the club.

In his 35 appearances, the 23-year-old won more tackles (62) and made more interceptions (72) than any other Brighton player.

He also racked up the highest number of crosses (94) and the third-highest number of shot-creating actions (78) in Graham Potter’s squad.

His overall performances earned him a season rating of 6.94/10, making him the second-highest rated player at the south coast club to start more than eight league games according to WhoScored.

This all shows just how impressive he was throughout the season and how capable he is up and down the pitch.

Taking all of this into account and the fact that Romano said in his post that Pep Guardiola is rather keen to bring the Brighton full-back to the Etihad Stadium this summer, the City boss will surely be buzzing that the club are readying a move for the player.

Having already secured deals for Erling Haaland and Julian Alvarez, their interest in adding Cucurella to their ranks shows that the Manchester club are looking to strengthen their defence whilst also adding another attacking dynamic to their side from the full-back position.

Off the back of his impressive debut campaign in England, securing a deal for the Brighton star could be a great bit of business for the Citizens, especially if he can improve his game at the club.

In other news: MCFC now in talks to sign “marauding” £18m-rated maestro, just imagine him and Haaland

Frank Lampard is currently taking on his first full transfer window at Everton and the club is desperate for players who can come in to make a positive impact, and now an update has emerged on a potential transfer target.

What’s the latest?

According to Football.London, Everton are one of nine clubs who have made contact with Christian Eriksen’s representatives with interest in signing the free agent this summer.

As per the report, West Ham United, Newcastle United, Leicester City, Ajax, Tottenham Hotspur, Manchester United, Everton and one unnamed La Liga club are interested.

Frank will love him

There is absolutely no doubt that Lampard would love to have a player like Christian Eriksen at Goodison Park, especially when you consider his impact on Brentford following his highly anticipated return to the Premier League in January.

The Bees were winless in eight league games when the Danish midfielder signed on a six-month contract at the beginning of 2022, but it wasn’t long before Thomas Frank’s side went on a run of form.

In the ten appearances when Eriksen started and played a full 90 minutes, Brentford won seven, drew one and lost two proving that he made an instant impact in the team and has been hugely influential on the side’s comfortable 13th place finish in the Premier League.

This instant impact and positive influence is something Lampard will be desperate to inject into his team ahead of next season after a horrendous season for Everton who were only saved from relegation on the penultimate game of the campaign.

Eriksen offers unrivalled Premier League experience with 305 appearances for Tottenham Hotspur, scoring 69 goals and contributing a whopping 90 assists during his time in north London, with a goal contribution every 151 minutes from his midfield position.

The £18m-rated gem who was hailed “untouchable” by football writer Andrew Gaffney, would be a major coup for the Toffees and a great piece of business for Kevin Thelwell who will be looking for these golden opportunities to sign free agents this summer amid reported financial troubles at the club.

With that being said, Everton will need to make a really attractive offer to Eriksen to compete with the other Premier League clubs that have their eye on the incredible midfielder this summer.

AND in other news: “Understand…”: Journalist drops major Everton transfer news that’ll worry supporters

Leeds United’s move for Paris Saint-Germain forward Arnaud Kalimuendo could be ‘a goer’, according to Beren Cross.

The Lowdown: Kalimuendo rumours

The Independent reported last week that the Whites had made an offer for Kalimuendo in the region of €20m (£17.1m).

PSG would like to insert a buy-back clause in any exit for the forward this summer, and reports in Italy have actually suggested that rumoured opening offer may even be enough to meet the Parisians’ price tag.

Kalimuendo has been labelled as a player with ‘a beautiful palette’ and enjoyed a successful loan spell with Lens last season, scoring 12 goals in 34 Ligue 1 games.

The Latest: Cross shares update

Cross replied to a Whites fan in a LeedsLive Q&A on Monday afternoon regarding a possible move for Kalimuendo.

The journalist said that Leeds do ‘like’ the forward but admitted that rumours of an offer may well be ‘wide of the mark’. Cross did add that a transfer ‘could well emerge as a goer’, though.

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“Kalimuendo is one Leeds are understood to like, but talk of a formal bid may be wide of the mark. He’s a striker on a lot of clubs’ shortlists, we are told. He’s not the number one target, but one that could well emerge as a goer.”

The Verdict: One to watch…

A striker appears to be next on the agenda at Elland Road, although Cross has claimed that Leeds could now ‘pause to assess their next step’ after securing three transfers relatively quickly.

It is vital that Victor Orta and Co get an attacking addition spot on to rival the likes of Patrick Bamford and Joe Gelhardt ahead of Jesse Marsch’s first full season, especially following Bamford’s injury struggles and just four sides scoring fewer goals than Leeds last season.

Kalimuendo is seemingly on the list despite a deal not being as advanced as many believe, and he could be a smart addition. Yes, he doesn’t have Premier League experience, however, he appears to be a future star with 21 senior club goals to his name, and would also be able to play on the left or in a deeper role if required.

In other news: Orta now working on signing 31-goal striker for free; famous Leeds fan may help Elland Road move. 

Leeds United are lining up a move for Manchester City midfielder Darko Gyabi, according to Phil Hay.

The Lowdown: Phillips news

The Whites look set to lose star midfielder Kalvin Phillips to Manchester City. The Premier League champions have been heavily linked with a move for the 26-year-old and have now agreed on a fee with Leeds.

The Athletic revealed on Friday evening that a transfer will be worth an initial £42m that could rise to £45m with add-ons.

The Latest: Gyabi update

Hay took to Twitter on Friday evening to share the news regarding Phillips. The Leeds correspondent then added that the Whites are ‘lining up’ a move for Gyabi ‘with Phillips leaving’, who could undergo a medical and sign a four-year deal next week.

The Athletic’s David Ornstein has claimed that a move for Gyabi is separate from the Phillips move, with a £5m fee being discussed by Victor Orta and Co.

Hay has since added that the Whites are also after Club Brugge star Charles De Ketelaere and view the Belgian as a forward, so one would have to assume they plan to bring both players in alongside each other, rather than it being a case of either/or.

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The Verdict: Senior signing needed ASAP

Leeds made a good start to their summer business with three quick signings in Brenden Aaronson, Rasmus Kristensen and Marc Roca. However, with this news on Phillips, Victor Orta will need to act fast and secure a senior replacement as soon as possible.

Gyabi, described as ‘a player who catches the eye with his skill in tight areas and ability to dribble through midfield’ and an ‘ideal number 8’, could break through into the first team setup over the coming years and may prove to be a shrewd signing in the long run.

However, it is vital that a marquee midfielder comes in for Phillips, preferably over the coming weeks to avoid Leeds taking a big backwards step.

Newcastle United showed during the January transfer window that they are not averse to securing deals for players from fellow Premier League clubs.

For example, the winter window saw the Magpies bring in the likes of Matt Targett, Chris Wood and Dan Burn to St James’ Park to help the club avoid relegation.

However, one man who was brought in from outside the UK during this period was Bruno Guimaraes.

Signed from Lyon on a four-and-a-half-year deal worth an initial £35m, the Brazilian ended the 2021/22 season with 17 Premier League outings to his name. In those appearances, the midfielder scored five goals and provide one assist.

In addition to his effectiveness in front of goal, the 24-year-old also proved to be a useful defensive figure as he made 39 successful tackles, 27 blocks, 19 interceptions and nine clearances (FBRef).

With the current summer transfer window open, this could give Eddie Howe the chance to strengthen his squad even further, as they have done already by securing deals for Nick Pope and Sven Botman.

While the Magpies have already added more options at the back, one midfielder that they could look to bring in who would continue their recent track record of signing players from other Premier League clubs and give Howe the chance to form a scary duo alongside Guimaraes is Tomas Soucek.

Earlier this month, the Toon were mentioned with a potential £30m swoop for the West Ham United midfielder.

Similarly to the Newcastle midfielder, Soucek showed during his previous Premier League season how dangerous he can be in front of goal and how tough an opponent he is in terms of his defensive work.

Having played in 35 league games for the Hammers last term, the Czech Republic international ended up having 45 attempts at goal, five of which ended with him scoring. From a defensive point of view, the 27-year-old won 41 tackles and made 49 blocks, 55 interceptions and 119 clearances.

Praised by Kevin Phillips in the past for his “superb” performances for the Irons, Soucek was also labelled by the former England striker as a “master of arriving late into the box.”

This all suggests that, should Newcastle sign the Hammers star and get him in the same team as Guimaraes, this would give them two midfield options who can cause havoc up front and keep things tight at the back, a potential combination which should spring the Toon into launching a move for the 27-year-old.

AND in other news: Newcastle in the mix to sign “remarkable” £9.9m-rated sensation, he’s Wilson 2.0

A French journalist has dropped a big Glasgow Rangers transfer claim that will surely have left Giovanni van Bronckhorst buzzing as he looks to improve his squad further.

What’s the news?

Marc Mechenoua has tweeted about the Ibrox side’s interest in Welsh winger Rabbi Matondo, saying: “Rabbi Matondo is close to signing with Glasgow Rangers for a sum close to €2m. In Ligue 1, Lorient and Troyes have made offers for the player.”

This is yet more good news for Rangers as they continue to make some headway into the summer transfer market, and a deal for Matondo would be a shrewd move.

Van Bronckhorst will be buzzing

It’s no secret that the Dutchman has been looking to strengthen the attacking options available to him at Ibrox, with a right-winger being a key priority in this window.

The former Manchester City academy prospect joined Schalke for a €9m fee in 2019 but has struggled to ascertain himself into a key member of the German side during his stay, spending time on loan at Stoke and Cercle Brugge.

His form at the Belgian side last season saw Rangers linked with the winger, and it’s easy to see why. The 21-year-old scored 10 goals in 27 appearances, as well as adding a further two assists – and if there were any weaknesses in the Ibrox side last season, it was a lack of goals from either wing.

Having been linked with Rangers since the end of last season, it appears they have beaten off competition from Celtic, who were also seemingly interested in Matondo.

With Van Bronckhorst trying out numerous players on the right-wing last season to no great success, a player of Matondo’s talent should hopefully be able to slot into the position with ease and hit the ground running.

With the World Cup looming on the horizon for the youngster, regular game time at a club the stature of Rangers will do his international chances no harm at all as he aims to add to his 11 caps for Wales.

AND in other news: David Ornstein drops big transfer update that’ll have Rangers supporters gutted

An update has emerged regarding Tottenham’s chances of landing Kim Min-jae in the summer transfer window…

What’s the talk?

According to Corriere del Mezzogiorno, Spurs are among a number of clubs interested in signing the centre-back in a potential €19.5m (£16.5m) deal ahead of the 2022/23 campaign.

However, Fabrizio Romano has claimed that a Ligue 1 club is currently leading the race, tweeting: “Rennes are closing on Kim Min Jae as new signing. Napoli want him but Kim has now reached an agreement with Rennes on personal terms. #transfers Negotiations now ongoing between clubs with Fenerbahçe for €19.5m.”

However, Football.London has reported that the player is keen on a transfer to north London over other potential moves, giving Fabio Paratici the green light to snap him up ahead of the French outfit if he makes a move this week.

Ben Davies upgrade

The Italian transfer chief must hijack Rennes’ deal to sign the centre-back, as Kim would be an upgrade on Tottenham’s Ben Davies for next season.

In the Premier League last term, the Wales international averaged a SofaScore rating of 6.88 as he played 29 games in the top flight. This was a lower score than Davinson Sanchez, Eric Dier and Christian Romero managed, suggesting that Davies is one of the weaker options in that position in N17.

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Meanwhile, the Welshman left a lot to be desired in Europe, as he averaged a SofaScore rating of 6.63 in the Europa Conference League. He lost a whopping 67% of his individual battles as he struggled badly in the competition.

In Kim, Spurs can land an upgrade on the 29-year-old. Sky Sports previously revealed that his nickname in South Korea is “monster”, and his statistics for Fenerbahce back that up.

The centre-back averaged a rating of 6.93 in the Turkish top flight last term and won 61% of his duels, showing that, unlike Davies, he has the strength to dominate the opposition.

He also caught the eye in the Europa League as he averaged a score of 6.97 and won 63% of his battles. The Korean made 3.2 tackles and interceptions per game in Europe as he showed that he has the quality to deliver consistently excellent displays domestically and on the continent.

Therefore, Kim has the potential to be an upgrade on Davies, as he has proven that he can maintain a high standard of performance across multiple competitions, whilst he is also four years younger than the Tottenham defender and has more to offer in the long-term.

This is why Paratici must go through the green light before Rennes close out a deal and it turns red for the rest of the transfer window.

AND in other news, Fabrizio Romano delivers frustrating Spurs update that’ll leave Conte & Levy fuming…

West Ham are showing an interest in Lille midfielder Amadou Onana, and are working hard to secure the signing.

What’s the word?

That’s according to journalist Pete O’Rourke, who told GIVEMESPORT that the club are working hard to sign the midfielder.

He said: “I think West Ham will be working around the clock to try and get a deal done as soon as possible to ward off interest from other potential suitors.

“A position that West Ham are looking to strengthen is central midfield and Onana fits the bill, I think, for the Premier League and also for West Ham.”

Imagine him and Rice

West Ham appear to be making huge strides in the transfer market this summer, in an attempt to convince their prized asset of their ambition.

Now it seems that Declan Rice could have a new midfield partner, and the two could prove to be a formidable duo in the centre of the park for the Irons.

Onana featured 31 times last season in the league for Lille, offering up a respectable 6.85 average SofaScore rating that is indicative of his consistency and willingness to do the dirty work.

The midfielder averaged 1.5 tackles and 0.9 interceptions per game, and is dribbled past just 0.2 times per 90. The 20-year-old is a strong, tough-tackling footballer with an ability to turn and propel his team forward.

He was labelled a “huge talent” by scout Jacek Kulig and he appears to have made huge strides in his career since then.

He and Rice could both occupy similar roles and could facilitate one another with regard to both defensive and offensive work, but the midfielder would cost over £25m, with the Irons already seeing bids rejected for his services.

In fact, he ranks in the 94th percentile for his tackles per 90, whilst also boasting 0.5 key passes per 90. He is not the most expansive but is liable to thread the needle every now and then.

However, it is his guardian role that could see Rice further propel his career, as his defensive shackles could be lifted to allow his ability to attack to flourish.

David Moyes must swoop to land this young Belgian, and potentially create one of the better midfield pairings in the league.

AND, in other news: West Ham eyeing move for “devastating” £30m-rated gem, he’s better than Antonio.

Everton have already seen a bid rejected for Morgan Gibbs-White this summer and now a new update on the club’s progress in signing the player has been revealed by a reliable source.

What’s the latest?

According to Italian journalist and transfer insider Fabrizio Romano, Everton remain interested in Wolverhampton Wanderers midfielder Morgan Gibbs-White this summer despite being knocked back in the original bid.

Romano tweeted: “Everton are still pushing to sign Morgan Gibbs-White after opening bid turned down by Wolves – Lampard, big fan.”

Lampard will love him

If Romano’s claim that Frank Lampard is a big fan of the player is true, then he will surely love to see the player join the ranks at Goodison Park and it shouldn’t come as a surprise that the Toffees boss is keen on Gibbs-White.

The Wolves midfielder, just like Lampard, dominates the centre of the pitch in order to get into space and create goal-scoring opportunities, while he is also confident in taking those chances for himself – something he proved to excel in whilst on a season-long loan at Sheffield United last season.

Over 35 Championship appearances, Gibbs-White scored 11 goals, delivered nine assists and created a whopping 16 big chances, as well as made an average of 1.6 key passes, took 2.4 shots and won 4.9 duels per game – proving that he is an absolute nuisance for his opponents in the heart of his team.

The £30m midfielder’s positive impact and impressive influence on the Blades didn’t go unnoticed, as he was named Player of the Year for Sheffield United and has received high praise from his team mates too.

David McGoldrick struck up a fantastic attacking partnership with the young talent over last season, and claimed his former teammate has “the world at his feet” in an interview following a victory over Cardiff last season (via Sheffield United News):

“Yeah he’s got the world at his feet. You know, great kid, great player. He’s got all the ability in the world. He just needs to play games and he’s doing that here. He’s expressing himself, got the license and free spirit to go out there.”

Game time is certainly something that Gibbs-White struggles with at Wolves, averaging just 33 minutes per appearance for the Old Gold, and Everton could give the player a golden opportunity to become a starter at Goodison Park to take the next step in his career in the Premier League.

With that being said, the signing of Gibbs-White would be a great piece of business for Farhad Moshiri and, if he can emulate the form he displayed at Sheffield United, it could put Everton in a good position to improve their performances in the top flight.

AND in other news: “Interested..”: Journalist drops Everton transfer update, it would be an ideal coup

Leeds United have been the ‘most active’ club in the race to sign Paris Saint-Germain forward Arnaud Kalimuendo, according to L’Equipe (via Sport Witness). 

The lowdown: In demand

The Whites have been credited with admiration of Kalimuendo throughout the duration of the summer transfer window as Victor Orta attempts to add a new striker to Jesse Marsch’s options.

However, the move for the 20-year-old France international is yet to gather pace after an impressive pre-season for the French giants increased the likelihood of a stay in Paris, while plenty of other clubs have shown interest too, most prominently Newcastle United.

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Now, as Leeds turn attention to alternative targets such as Mergim Berisha, it appears as though an exit could once again be on the cards once again for Kalimuendo and the Elland Road outfit are very much still among the leading protagonists…

The latest: ‘Most active’

As per L’Equipe, translated by SW, Leeds have been the ‘most active club for several weeks’ when it comes to making a transfer for the 12-cap Under 21 starlet happen.

In fact, it’s claimed that the Yorkshire outfit has ‘made an offer’ in excess of €20million (£16.7million) for Kalimuendo this summer, an amount deemed ‘significant’ by the French capital club, who are actually willing to part ways with their academy graduate.

The report suggests that Ligue 1 rivals Rennes and OGC Nice are also keen and a switch to Leeds isn’t considered a priority for the talented youngster, who was labelled an ‘incredible talent’ by European football expert Antonio Mango.

The verdict: Keep pushing

Signing a player of Kalimuendo’s potential would be a huge statement of intent from Orta and Andrea Radrizanni at Leeds, particularly having narrowly avoided relegation last season.

During 2021/22, the versatile attacker enjoyed a productive loan spell at RC Lens which yielded 13 goals in 34 French top flight outings whilst continuing to outperform his xG, having also done so in 2020/21.

Predominantly operating as a centre-forward, Kalimuendo would act as a much-needed natural understudy to Patrick Bamford alongside Rodrigo, Joe Gelhardt and Sam Greenwood, while an ability to play as a left-winger too should provide additional depth.

Holding a market value of £16.2million and under contract in Paris until 2024 (Transfermarkt), should the mercurially talented forward decide not to compete against the likes of Kylian Mbappe, Neymar and Lionel Messi for a starting berth then Leeds should be attentive to the deal and be prepared to up their current offer.