All posts by z3u9t.icu

Aston Villa haven’t had the greatest start to their 2022/23 campaign under Steven Gerrard, winning only twice in seven Premier League matches so far, with the international break coming at a perfect time.

Since joining Villa in November 2021, Gerrard has won just 12 league matches and despite some impressive summer transfer business – bringing in the likes of Boubacar Kamara and the injured Diego Carlos – it hasn’t quite clicked for the 42-year-old this season.

Following his move from Glasgow Rangers to the Midlands, there was always going to be speculation regarding how many players would he attempt to sign from the Ibrox side – with Ryan Kent the first player to be linked.

However, one of his poorer decisions was to not pursue a move for Glen Kamara, as he could thrive in the Premier League.

Imagine him & John McGinn

Kamara was the second Rangers star after Kent to be linked with a move to Villa after Gerrard moved down south.

The 42-year-old had bought the Finnish international from Dundee for a mere £50k in January 2019, and he went on to become an integral part of his team that won the Premiership title in 2020/2021.

Last season, Kamara received an extremely impressive SofaScore match rating of 7.01, adding three goals and three assists too, proving he can be a goal threat from the heart of the midfield.

His passing was excellent – boasting a 91% pass success rate in the league – while he also made 1.3 key passes per match – displaying his ability to circulate the ball to a very high standard.

Kamara would have formed an effective duo with current Villa captain McGinn in the sides engine room, complementing each other’s skills well.

Kamara could have utilised his passing ability to dictate play from the base of the midfield and allowed McGinn to push further forward and generate goal-scoring opportunities. Kamara had 16 shots on target last season, suggesting that, with a bit of luck and composure he should have had more than just three goals.

Gerrard could have had landed the perfect balance of defence and attack with these two players in his team. However, it looks as if the 42-year-old has now missed his best opportunity to land the £30k-per-week “monster” – as Gerrard himself dubbed Kamara back in 2019.

An update has emerged on Sunderland and their interest in signing Sam Hoskins ahead of the January transfer window…

What’s the talk?

According to Football League World, the Black Cats are one of a number of teams eyeing up a swoop for the Northampton attacker at the start of 2023.

The report claims that Middlesbrough are another Championship club taking a look at him, whilst Derby County, Sheffield Wednesday, and Barnsley are among the League One outfits vying for his signature.

However, it is not stated how open Northampton are to cashing in on him or how much it would cost to pry him away from the fourth-tier side.

Patrick Roberts upgrade

Kristjaan Speakman brought in Patrick Roberts to bolster the club’s attacking options last season and the Englishman has been a classy operator out wide with his silky ability on the ball.

However, his end product has left a lot to be desired at times throughout 2022. In League One last term, he scored two goals and provided one assist in 17 matches and he has matched that tally in seven Championship outings so far this season for the Black Cats.

The winger, who can also play as an attacking midfielder, has created one chance per game across his Sunderland career at league level, and Speakman could bring in Hoskins as a potential upgrade in the final third.

In League Two this season, the 29-year-old has racked up a phenomenal 11 goals and one assist in ten matches for the Cobblers, averaging a SofaScore rating of 7.81 – higher than any Black Cats player has managed in the Championship.

Journalist Josh Bunting claimed that he is scoring “all sorts of goals” and his record indicates that he is playing below his level, as he is finding it far too easy to find the net in the fourth tier.

The attacker, who can play on either flank, up front, or in a number 10 role, also caught the eye in 2021/22 as he averaged a score of 7.25 across 46 appearances – bagging 13 times and assisting nine, whilst creating 1.7 chances per match.

It would be a gamble by Sunderland to bring him in as it is a big step up from League Two to the Championship but it is a high-risk high-reward transfer.

If he can translate his current form into the second tier then he would be a fantastic signing and would add a huge goal threat to Tony Mowbray’s team, which is something Roberts has been unable to do.

Everton are renowned for their disastrous transfer decisions, however, over the last few months it has looked as though the recruitment strategy has taken a turn for the best following a difficult relegation scrap for the Toffees last season and financial concerns plaguing the club.

Following the departure of Brazilian forward Richarlison who was last season’s top goal-scorer at Goodison Park, the future wasn’t looking bright for Frank Lampard’s side but after making eight new signings, Everton are in a fantastic position in the Premier League.

After eight league outings, the Toffees match their fierce local rivals, Liverpool, for points and are currently just four points off the top four after going unbeaten in their last six games picking up four draws and two wins, something supporters would never have dreamed of at the end of last season.

Indeed, Everton were linked with a lot of players over the summer after their struggle over the last campaign but there was one player, in particular, that they dodged a bullet on, former Manchester United star Jesse Lingard.

Everton were reportedly in contact with the out-of-contract player over the summer and were even reported to have submitted him an offer to join the squad on Merseyside. However, the 29-year-old decided to sign for Nottingham Forest instead which turned out to be a huge blessing in disguise for Lampard.

Lingard has not registered a single goal or assist for the Tricky Trees yet, in fact, the attacking ace hasn’t scored a goal in 381 days since he struck against his former loan club West Ham United for Man United in the Premier League last September.

At Nottingham Forest, the playmaker has been a flop in his first seven appearances, creating no big chances and becoming anonymous in his position on the pitch averaging just 30.9 touches per game.

He has also proven unsuccessful in 60% of his dribble attempts and lost 64% of his duels so far.

Everton already made the mistake once of giving an opportunity to a player who has been in the spotlight for their struggles at a top six club with Dele Alli joining the club in January from Tottenham Hotspur after Lampard gave him the chance to prove himself at Goodison Park.

However, it was very quickly obvious that Alli was not going to reignite his career with Everton making a loan move to Turkish side Besiktas this summer after playing just 367 minutes for the Toffees.

Indeed, Lingard who was comedically dubbed “Mr Instagram” by former Man United full-back Paul Parker could have had a similar fate as his spell at Forest so far demonstrates.

With that being said, there is no way Lampard will be losing any sleep over Lingard’s decision to move to the Midlands instead as the recruitment at Everton has been hugely impactful and the future is looking promising for the club.

Leeds United have registered their interest in Rangers defender Jack Wylie, according to Football Insider.

The Lowdown: Academy additions

The Whites have been extremely busy in recent months when it comes to youth additions, with a number of players brought into the Thorp Arch academy.

Darko Gyabi and Sonny Perkins were the two high-profile academy arrivals from Manchester City and West Ham, whereas Max McFadden and Charlie Crew also joined from Colchester United and Cardiff City and Wilfried Gnonto arrived from FC Zurich, although the Italy international appears to be more of a first-team signing.

The club also recently secured the services of goalkeeper Rory Mahady from Celtic, and it appears as if another Scottish youngster is now on their radar.

The Latest: Leeds keen

FI shared a story on Saturday morning regarding Wylie, claiming Leeds have made a move. They revealed that the Whites have joined Arsenal in the race to sign the teenage full-back and have registered their interest in his services.

The report adds that Wylie has caught the eye of Leeds scouts, who may hold an advantage over agreeing a deal due to the club’s ‘big focus on youth recruitment under director of football Victor Orta’.

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The Verdict: January move?

Wylie turns 16 in January, when he will then be able to sign professional terms, so a New Year move to Elland Road could be on the cards.

The youngster has impressed in Rangers’ academy and for Scotland’s U16s, so could be another shrewd Thorp Arch acquisition, should Leeds get a deal over the line.

The club have reaped the rewards at first-team level with some smart academy signings, with the likes of Illan Meslier and Pascal Struijk regular starters under Jesse Marsch, so Wylie could follow in their footsteps in years to come.

After a long season of ups and downs, Wolverhampton Wanderers are on their way back to cementing themselves as a threatening Premier League side once again.

Sitting in the relegation zone in October, Bruno Lage was dismissed from his role as manager after just 15 months in charge.

The sacking came as a blessing in disguise for Wolves, who have since seen a lot of progression under the stewardship of Julen Lopetegui, who confirmed the club's safety and continues to edge them closer to the top ten.

This summer will be the Spaniard’s first chance to make significant changes to his squad, with players expected to depart and arrive at Molineux this transfer window.

The club have been linked with a number of stars, providing both attacking and defensive options for Lopetegui to consider, with news emerging this week that the former Real Madrid manager is eyeing a striker from La Liga.

What’s the latest on El Bilal Toure to Wolves?

UD Almeria striker El Bilal Toure is reported to be one player on Wolves’ radar this summer, according to the Daily Mail.

The former Stade de Reims forward is reportedly attracting interest from three Premier League clubs, including newly-promoted Burnley and Brentford.

At just 21 years of age, the Mali striker has netted six goals in the Spanish top-flight this season, gaining 19 appearances for Almeria, who sit 14th in the standings.

It's thought that the LaLiga side will demand a fee in the region of £25m for his signature heading into the transfer window.

What could El Bilal Toure bring to Wolves?

Likened in terms of statistical profile to Aston Villa's Ollie Watkins, as per FBref, the forward ranks among his club's top five performers this season, averaging a Sofascore match rating of 6.80.

To claim that Wolves have been struggling for goals this season would be an understatement, charting themselves as the league's lowest scorers with just 30 goals in 35 games played.

The Midlands outfit's current strike options have scored a single goal between them in the Premier League this season, so Toure would be a likely – and perfect – successor to Raul Jimenez and Diego Costa, as shown by his numbers this season.

The Adjame-born gem averages 0.4 expected goals per 90 minutes in LaLiga, in comparison to the Mexican's 0.24, he also excels the Wolves forward in the air, winning an average of 3.5 aerials per game with Jimenez scoring 2.63 in this area – as per FBref.

Once described by his former manager David Guion as a "very complete" player, the 21-year-old marksman could be a worthy investment for Wolves to end their goalscoring woes in the summer transfer window.

Tottenham Hotspur have Sassuolo midfielder Davide Frattesi ‘on their radar’ ahead of the January transfer window, according to journalist Pete O’Rourke.

The Lowdown: Reports from Italy

As per reports from Italy, the north London club are keeping a close eye on the 23-year-old as they may decide to make an approach to sign him in the winter.

However, securing his signature could be made all the more difficult with competition from Manchester United and Brighton, with former Sassuolo manager Roberto De Zerbi keen on a reunion with the player at the Amex Stadium.

The Latest: O’Rourke’s claim

O’Rourke believes that Tottenham will be weighing up whether to make a move for the Italy international in January.

Speaking with GiveMeSport about Frattesi, the journalist claimed: “I’m sure he’s somebody who’s on their radar and that they’re looking at. They’ve had success in the past signing players from Italy so it’s been a successful avenue for Tottenham in the transfer window in the last couple of seasons.”

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The Verdict: Unsurprising with Conte

With Antonio Conte and Fabio Paratici at the helm, it is no surprise to see Tottenham being linked with a number of Serie A stars.

Over the past year alone, the north London club have welcomed five players from the Italian top flight, including the likes of Cristian Romero and Dejan Kulusevski, both of who have proven to be hugely successful since their arrival at Hotspur Way.

The Argentine defender has won praise from Jamie Carragher in recent months, while the Swedish winger boasts 17 goal contributions in just 29 appearances for Spurs.

Having been hailed as a ‘super talented’ midfielder by journalist Fabrizio Romano, Frattesi’s stylistic comparisons to the likes of Real Madrid’s Federico Valverde and Borussia Dortmund’s Jude Bellingham would suggest the 23-year-old could be a brilliant addition to the Lilywhites’ squad, if Paratici can win the race for his signature.

Journalist Graeme Bailey has backed a major managerial twist at Middlesbrough after ‘fresh talks’ with chairman Steve Gibson making a move.

The Lowdown: Boro search…

Over two weeks after Boro sacked former boss Chris Wilder, it now appears Gibson and the club’s hierarchy are edging closer to finding his replacement.

Indeed, there have been many names mentioned for the role, with the likes of Michael Carrick, Rob Edwards and Carlos Corberan all previously linked alongside ex-midfield favourite Lee Cattermole.

The Championship side are seeking to turn their fortunes around as they currently sit in the division’s bottom three with just three wins from 14 games.

The Latest: Journalist backs major Carrick twist…

In the last few days, there have been reports of a major twist involving one of the managerial candidates.

Carrick has allegedly made a ‘U-turn’ on taking the job as he edges closer to a Boro appointment, with reporter Bailey now backing this news with his own update.

He explained (via Twitter):

“Middlesbrough have offered their manager’s job to Michael Carrick. Fresh talks over the weekend have seen Steve Gibson make his move. Club confident he will accept and be in charge by the weekend.”

The Verdict: Good news?

Despite his lack of senior managerial experience, the former Man United midfield star and England international has been praised for a brief interim spell in charge of The Red Devils by Premier League legend Alan Shearer.

A big name like Carrick would also, arguably, command respect from a number of Boro’s players who most likely idolised the 41-year-old during his Old Trafford career.

While Gibson could be making a gamble with this move, it may well be one that pays off in the long run.

West Ham United have enjoyed a remarkable rise under current boss David Moyes in recent years, with the Scotsman having taken the club from relegation strugglers to European contenders in his impressive tenure thus far.

A key figure in that journey to date has been that of Jarrod Bowen, with the electric forward having proven a hugely reliable asset for the Hammers over the past few seasons, having been snapped up by Moyes for a reported fee of around £20m back in January 2020.

The former Hull City man had been somewhat untested in the Premier League prior to his switch to the London Stadium – having made only seven top-flight outings for the Tigers during the 2016/17 campaign – although made a relatively smooth transition to life at the elite level.

After an initial slow start in his new surroundings – in which the Englishman scored just one league goal in the tail-end of the 2019/20 campaign – the one-time Hereford United man has only gone from strength to strength since then, scoring 20 league goals across the last two campaigns combined.

Last season proved particularly profitable for the fleet-footed forward as he laid on 18 goals and 13 assists in all competitions, with that form having earned a long-awaited call-up from Three Lions boss Gareth Southgate in May.

The four-cap marksman – who has five goals to his name so far this term across all fronts – has unsurprisingly been tipped for a departure in recent times, with Liverpool believed to be one of those interested in the £37.8m-rated man.

Should the Irons lose Bowen any time soon, the club could well be able to find a suitable successor in the form of teenage sensation, George Earthy, with the 18-year-old playmaker having caught the eye in the club’s youth ranks of late.

By his own admission, the promising talent shares a likeness with the current West Ham star due to his role as a “creative” asset in the academy, with the hope being that he can go on to replicate the £60k-per-week man’s impact for the club in the coming years.

The young Englishman – who signed his first professional contract at the end of last season – has already made his presence felt for the club’s U18 side with 18 goals and eight assists in 45 games across all competitions, as well as one goal in nine games at U21 level.

Like Bowen, the versatile asset is able to feature all across the frontline in a variety of attacking roles, with such flexibility likely to prove invaluable to Moyes and co moving forward.

A lifelong Hammers fan, Earthy is certainly one young talent to be keeping an eye on.

Sunderland travel to Yorkshire to take on Huddersfield Town on Wednesday evening and Tony Mowbray should unleash Jewison Bennette for his first start.

The Black Cats will be without influential winger Jack Clarke due to suspension at The John Smith’s Stadium after he picked up his fifth booking of the season on Saturday, which opens up a spot on the wing for the exciting Costa Rican.

Since joining from C.S. Herediano during the summer, the teenager has been limited to seven appearances off the bench but has caught the eye with his performances, scoring a memorable equalising goal in the 2-2 draw against Watford.

Bennette would certainly have big boots to fill, as Clarke has been one of the standout performers on Wearside so far this season, with four goals and six assists to his name in the Championship.

Only Ross Stewart has earned a higher average rating in Sunderland’s squad from WhoScored, which emphasises how important the former Tottenham Hotspur man has become in Mowbray’s side, but Bennette deserves his chance to finally show what he can do from the start.

When the 18-year-old joined in the summer he was heavily praised by former manager Alex Neil.

He said: “He is a huge talent and an international player. Our model is to unearth the best young talent and try to develop them, so for everyone, it is very exciting.

“We need to be patient and allow him time to acclimatise to a new country and learn the language – he is certainly one for the future.”

Considering fellow wingers Leon Dajaku and Amad Diallo have both flattered to deceive in their performances so far this season, with their ratings seeing them ranked as the 16th and 23rd-best-rated players in Sunderland’s squad, it is surely time for Bennette to get his chance.

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With Mowbray searching for Sunderland’s first win in four games, it is time that the 58-year-old tried something different and rewarded Bennette with his first start for the Black Cats, in the hope that he can capitalise on the absence of Clarke by staking his claim for more regular football.

The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia’s (KSA) Public Investment Fund (PIF) are reportedly eyeing a move for AC Milan’s Charles De Ketelaere for Newcastle United.

The Lowdown: AC Milan struggles…

De Ketelaere is struggling at AC Milan since his big-money move to the San Siro from Club Brugge in the summer.

The attacking midfielder has no goals and merely one assist to his name in 15 appearances in total over all competitions so far this season (shone in Belgian football last term.

The Latest: Newcastle offer ready

As per Italian news outlet Calcio Mercato Web, the St. James’ Park outfit have already prepared an offer of €30m (£25.8m) to offer De Ketelaere a way out in the January transfer window, just a few months after he joined Milan.

However, the Serie A giants would be likely to reject that proposal if it were put on the table, meaning that the North East club would likely have to pay more up front if they are serious about signing him.

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The Verdict: Maddison alternative?

The Tynesiders have long been linked with a move for Leicester City star James Maddison in January, but De Ketelaere could provide an alternative and potentially cheaper option.

Yes, his form at Milan has no doubt been poor given what was expected of him upon his arrival, but the 21-year-old seems like a confidence player, and if Eddie Howe can help him regain that like he has done with others, then he could be a shrewd purchase.

Hailed as someone who possesses ‘stunning’ technical qualities, Belgian De Ketelaere has even been compared to Manchester City superstar and fellow countryman Kevin De Bruyne (BBC), and if he can have a similar impact in the Premier League, then the Magpies would be getting some player.