All posts by rastrear-estafeta.com

The Athletic reporter Jordan Campbell has revealed the Gers would rather let Connor Goldson leave for free next season than sell him for a reduced price this campaign.

The Lowdown: Goldson future up in the air

Goldson has just one year left on his contract at Ibrox (Transfermarkt), and the Gers are reportedly eager to get him tied down to a new three-year deal (Football Insider).

However, there is interest in his services from the Premier League, with West Ham said to have an eye on him.

The Latest: Campbell drops bombshell

Writing for The Athletic, Campbell has provided an update on Rangers’ Goldson stance.

He says the 55-time Scottish champions would rather let Goldson go for free and have him for one more year than sell him for a reduced fee this term.

The Verdict: Good choice

Of course, Goldson is a strong asset for the Gers. He is valued at £6.75m (Transfermarkt), considerably more than the £3m they paid for him (Sky Sports), and at 28 years of age he still has a good few years left ahead of him.

However, due to the coronavirus pandemic and the ensuing impact on the football world, the Gers are unlikely to get a fee big enough for the former Brighton man who Steven Gerrard called “immense” earlier this year (via The Scottish Sun).

Rangers are targetting a place in the Champions League group stages this coming term and, given he played every single minute of every single campaign last term, Goldson is likely to play a big role once more. If the Gers do qualify for Europe’s premier club competition and Goldson plays an important part, keeping him will have been worth every penny.

In other news, Rangers fans are livid at this pre-season news.

A big update has emerged on Newcastle United’s efforts to land a director of football…

What’s the talk?

According to The Athletic’s Brighton reporter Andy Naylor, the Magpies have held talks with Brighton’s technical director Dan Ashworth over a move to St. James’ Park.

The report claims that a decision is not believed to be imminent on his future, whilst mentioning that the Seagulls gave permission to Newcastle to speak with him.

Buzzing

Newcastle fans will surely be buzzing with this news as it suggests that they are inching closer to landing a director of football. Whilst it may not be happening in the immediate future, it shows that the wheels have been set in motion and PIF are looking to the future in terms of where they want to go with the club.

Ashworth could be the man to come in and sculpt the side moving forward with decisions on matters on and off the pitch, whilst working alongside Howe to create a successful team. That is why this is such an important move for the new owners and why supporters will be delighted that they are making progress in their efforts to bring the Brighton man in.

Seagulls reporter Aden-Jay Wood previously Tweeted: “If Dan Ashworth goes (which I think he will), it will be a huge shame. Ashworth has almost singlehandedly changed Brighton’s approach both on and off the field and would be very, very difficult to replace.”

This suggests that he is the right man for PIF to appoint as he has managed to achieve success in turning a club around with Brighton, and that is yet a further reason why the Toon Army will be pleased with this news.

Nick Hammond has already been appointed to oversee the January window, which means that there is no rush for a deal to be completed for Ashworth. The ex-Reading chief has arrived on a short-term basis to assist the manager this month as the Magpies attempt to bolster their squad and he has got off to the best possible start.

Kieran Trippier is poised to sign on a permanent transfer from La Liga champions Atletico Madrid, six months after starring for England as they reached the final of the European Championships. The former Tottenham full-back averaged a WhoScored rating of 7.20 and provided six assists in the league last term for the Spanish side, showing the quality he possesses as a right-back.

This shows that Hammond is doing a fine job, so far, and Newcastle don’t need to rush Ashworth’s appointment and can, therefore, bide their time with him. Whether this means that he remains on the south coast until the end of the campaign or joins the Toon at the end of the window remains to be seen, but the fact that there have already been talks between the two parties will surely excite the supporters.

AND in other news, “Under discussion..”: Luke Edwards drops big NUFC transfer claim that’ll excite fans…

As per Fanatik, an update has come to light on Tottenham Hotspur’s transfer plans involving Fenerbache defender Kim Min-jae.

The Lowdown: Tottenham target centre-half…

The Athletic recently revealed that Spurs and manager Antonio Conte have a new central defender in their sights this summer with a number of key targets already shortlisted.

[web_stories_embed url=”https://www.footballtransfertavern.com/web-stories/tottenham-newest-updates/” title=”Tottenham newest updates…” poster=”” width=”360″ height=”600″ align=”none”]

According to their information, Joško Gvardiol, Alessandro Bastoni, Sven Botman and Nico Schlotterbeck have all been identified for possible attempts this summer as club chief Fabio Paratici gets to work on the 2022/2023 campaign.

Now, with news emerging on another defensive candidate out of Turkey, it appears Conte has personally approved a move for Kim.

The Latest: Conte green-lights move…

According to Fanatik, Tottenham and Everton have ‘taken action’ over Kim with Lilywhites officials scouting the player and recommending him to Conte.

Subsequently, the Italian has now personally approved a move for the South Korea international defender by giving the ‘green-light’.

The Verdict: Right call?

The 52-year-old wants to see new additions at N17 over the summer as he seeks to improve Tottenham further over his first full season in charge next year.

Kim, who could cost around €23 million (£19m), certainly comes as an affordable alternative to fellow targets on the list with the defender also being called a ‘monster’ in his homeland.

The 6 foot 3 powerhouse, branded one of the stars of the transfer window this summer by Fanatik, may well be one to watch out for if Spurs can’t offload players like Tanguy Ndombele for a profit.

In other news: Tottenham official dispatched as Conte identifies ’emerging superstar’ signing, find out more here.

Celtic are hopeful of offloading goalkeeper Vasilis Barkas in January, according to The Athletic’s Kieran Devlin. 

The lowdown: Record breaker

Celtic signed Barkas as recently as July 2020, parting with £4.5million to recruit him from AEK Athens.

That actually made him the most expensive goalkeeper in the Hoops’ history.

But after clocking up 22 appearances in his debut season, he’s only featured once this term (in the first leg of the Champions League qualifier against Midtjylland back in July).

The 27-year-old still has three years to run on his contract at Parkhead, but his Transfermarkt value has fallen to £2.52million.

The latest: Time to cash in

A source in Greece has revealed (via The Athletic) Celtic want to sell Barkas in the mid-season window and if that fails, they’ll look to secure a loan move.

Should he leave, Tobi Oluwayemi would likely be promoted to third choice behind Joe Hart and Scott Bain.

The verdict: Forgettable

It’s no surprise that Celtic want to cash in on Barkas, who’s of little use to them at the moment and on a frankly ridiculous £13,500-a-week.

However, they’ll surely struggle to get much of a return on their 2020 investment after he has slipped so far down the pecking order.

Ultimately, the record move has to be regarded a failure for the previous Celtic scouting department, one that Michael Nicholson and co will have to learn from the next time they look to recruit a true no.1.

In other news, Celtic have received a boost ahead of the League Cup semifinal.

Noel Whelan has been left fuming at what he has now heard from an Everton source involving Richarlison in the build-up to the clash with Leicester City.

The Lowdown: Agent talk

Speaking to Football Insider, a source from the Goodison Park faithful has revealed that Richarlison has now told his agent to find him a new club in the summer as another crucial fixture looms this evening, when the Toffees welcome Brendan Rodgers’ Foxes to Goodison Park.

[web_stories_embed url=”https://www.footballtransfertavern.com/web-stories/everton-news-4/” title=”Everton news!” poster=”” width=”360″ height=”600″ align=”none”]

The Brazil international still has over two years left of his contract remaining on Merseyside, but given how the season has gone, it looks as if he wants to bail out now.

The Latest: Whelan fumes

Speaking to Football Insider, Whelan, who regularly used to feature as a pundit for the BBC, fumed when he heard the news, claiming that ‘it’s not right’ that Richarlison is ‘plotting’ a way out of the Toffees when they are struggling near the bottom of the Premier League:

“That doesn’t surprise me at all.

“I’ve said all along that I wouldn’t want to be in the trenches with him, and that just proves my point.

“You just knew all along, once Everton got into this struggle, he would be sitting at home and plotting his way out.

“That’s not commitment to me. That’s not fighting for the cause. It’s not right.

“Will he get the move? Of course he will. He’s Brazil’s number nine, and he had Barcelona at his door only a couple of years ago.

“I’m sure he’ll get the move he wants, but it won’t be cheap. Everton will hold on for what they think he’s worth – provided they’re still in the Premier League.”

The Verdict: Sell

Richarlison has often been criticised for having problems with his attitude, and this seems no different as he reportedly looks to force his way out of the club.

He has not exactly been on top form either this season so far, with just six goals to his name in the top flight, and at 24 years of age, Frank Lampard’s team could demand a sizeable fee for him this summer.

Nonetheless, the Blues could then use that money to strengthen in other key areas of the pitch, so letting a player go who is seemingly unhappy would not be the worst thing.

In other news, find out which ‘fantastic specimen’ EFC are now eyeing here!

Crystal Palace extended their unbeaten run to three games in the Premier League after securing a draw against Arsenal at the Emirates Stadium on Monday night.

It could have been even better for the Eagles, though, as Patrick Vieira’s charges were just moments away from securing all three points before Alexandre Lacazette struck deep into injury time.

The Gunners started the game brightly and dominated the opening 20 minutes, deservedly taking the lead after Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang reacted quickest to a Vicente Guaita save following Nicolas Pepe’s curling effort.

But Palace improved after a slow start and began to dominate possession against their north London rivals, although they struggled to create any real chances in the first half. 

However, that soon changed following the interval. Christian Benteke continued his good record in games against Arsenal with a well-taken equaliser, smashing the ball into the corner of Aaron Ramsdale’s net after Jordan Ayew robbed Thomas Partey of possession. 

The visitors once again stole the ball off their hosts to take the lead, with Conor Gallagher dispossessing Albert Sambi Lokonga in his own half before executed a perfect counter-attack, resulting in Odsonne Edouard hammering in a shot via the underside of the bar.

It was an impressive performance from Vieira’s charges despite Lacazette’s late equaliser, and there was a surprise star of the show leading the line for the capital club.

As per SofaScore, Benteke was awarded a match rating of 7.6 out of 10 for his efforts, the highest total received by any player on the pitch. And when taking a closer look at his underlying numbers, it’s easy to understand why.

The Belgium international struck the target with both of his shots during the 90 minutes, successfully completed both of his dribbles and won eight of his ten duels (80%), highlighting his effective and efficient performance at the top end of the pitch.

He bullied the Arsenal defence with his monstrous presence and not for the first time, beat the goalkeeper at the Emirates Stadium.

Benteke hadn’t found the back of the net all season until Monday night, but his expertly taken strike will fill him with confidence in the weeks ahead and provide Vieira with another viable source of goals.

And, in other news…Parish must seal Palace move for “phenomenal” £5.85m-rated gem, fans will be buzzing 

Former Tottenham captain Graham Roberts has told Nuno Espirito Santo to play Harry Kane or let him go.

Kane made his long-awaited return to competitive action at Wolves on Sunday – replacing Heung-min Son off the bench for the final 18 minutes at Molineux.

His late cameo appearance came just days after the striker was overlooked for the victory against Manchester City and UEFA Conference League tie against Pacos de Ferreira four days later.

But Santo ignored the ongoing links with Pep Guardiola’s side and cited Kane’s lack of match fitness as the reason for his absence for the opening two games of the season.

It’s unclear whether Kane will start the second leg tie on Thursday evening or the Premier League clash with Watford on Sunday. He has, however, stated that his intention is now to stay at Tottenham.

Santo may not want to change a winning team against the Hornets, but Roberts exclusively told Football FanCast that Kane must return to the starting XI as quickly as possible:

“Harry Kane is a Tottenham player so he should play him. If we’re not going to pick him, then you might as well let him go. He’s the best striker in the world, so play him.

“Don’t keep putting him on the bench, saying he’s unfit, he isn’t going to get fit coming on for 10 minutes.”

Flocking to Twitter, these Liverpool fans have voiced their opinions as a fresh update emerges on their pursuit of Barcelona star Frenkie de Jong.

The Catalans maestro has been linked with a move to Anfield recently with the club, and by extension owners Fenway Sports Group, seemingly eyeing moves to bolster Jurgen Klopp’s options in the middle of the park.

Borussia Dortmund sensation Jude Bellingham is another midfielder to have been mentioned alongside the Reds but it’s news on de Jong which now has some Liverpool fans talking on Twitter.

Indeed, according to Spanish media outlet Sport, the 24-year-old is not happy at his current club and there are ‘several’ clubs, including Liverpool, who are ‘crazy’ about signing him.

However, as his future hangs in the balance, it will depend on the player himself with Barcelona under some pressure to convince him that their project will eventually be a winning one.

Liverpool fans react…

Reacting to news that their club are ‘crazy’ for the £81 million-valued man, while there are those who doubt whether Liverpool can afford his lofty estimated price tag, others would simply love him at Anfield.

Going by his statistics, it’s not hard to see why, with the defensive midfield sensation proving to be an adept, assuring presence.

According to WhoScored, whilst averaging an impressive 91.4% pass accuracy so far this season, he’s also completed more dribbles per 90 (2.4) than any Liverpool player – including superstars Mohamed Salah and Sadio Mane.

Taking this into account, it’s little wonder some supporters believe he would come as an ‘insane signing’ for the right price – find all of their reactions down below:

“Would be an insane signing if we could get for around 60m ish. If they want 80m though, I’d rather spend it on Bellingham ngl“

Credit: @LewYNWA

“I’d do anything for this transfer pleasseeeeee”

Credit: @DiogoJotaFC20

“Be a good signing this if it happens”

Credit: @garth_23

“Pleaseeeee”

Credit: @97HassanM

“He ain’t coming to Liverpool would cost too much”

Credit: @andy_shirlaw

“Think he suits a Klopp system tbf”

Credit: @BenHatcher19

In other news: ‘Yesssss’, ‘It’s time’, ‘Finally’ – Many Liverpool fans go wild for club’s teasing two-word message, find out more here.

Patrick Vieira has a very important game coming up this weekend at Selhurst Park against Everton, where the Eagles could really do with taking all three points after losing their last three games.

The south Londoners currently sit 14th in the Premier League table, just six points clear of the relegation zone. Whilst not appearing to be in immediate danger of the drop currently, it would be reassuring for Vieira if his team could pick up a few more points to go into the New Year full of confidence.

One player who will be hoping to come in and make a positive impact on the team this weekend is Will Hughes. The next game against Everton could be the perfect opportunity to refresh the side and offer starts to players who haven’t had much chance to make an impact. Especially during the current losing streak, making some changes could inject a new lease of life into Vieira’s side on Sunday.

Hughes was signed this summer, completing a move from Watford to Palace in a three-year deal believed to be between £6m and £10m, but he has failed to get much game-time so far with only one appearance in the Premier League this term.

The £6.3m-rated gem sustained a minor back injury in early November and also competes with James McArthur for a spot in the team. However, the Scot has picked up a hamstring injury, so Vieira will need to shuffle the pack and could give Hughes a rare start this weekend.

Vieira has been full of praise for the 26-year-old upon his arrival to the club, saying: “He’s a player that we know quite well. He’s really comfortable on the ball. He’s a really good link with the play going forward. I’m really glad and really pleased to have him in the squad.”

Unfortunately for Palace, if they lose to Everton they could fall as far as 16th, should Southampton and Leeds take at least a point from their games this weekend, and this is a position that Vieira will be hoping to avoid, especially with the advantage of being at home.

Hughes could offer a fresh impetus to the midfield for the Eagles this weekend, and if picked he would have a point to prove to his manager as he seeks to gain a more regular spot in the team.

In other news: Vieira must axe this Palace player in January

David Norris has criticised Ezgjan Alioski for turning his back on Leeds United in favour of a move to Saudi Arabia, claiming money was the decisive factor in his decision.

Alioski’s Elland Road career came to an end last month, when it was announced Leeds had been unable to agree fresh terms with the left-back.

His departure came having made 171 appearances since joining the Yorkshire club from Swiss side FC Lugano four years ago.

The 29-year-old, who played every minute of North Macedonia’s Euro 2020 campaign earlier this summer and got on the scoresheet in the defeat to Ukraine, has since completed a move to Al-Ahli.

His destination has been questioned in some quarters, with ex-Leeds right-back Danny Mills alleging Alioski has chosen to join the Saudi Arabian outfit to treble his wages.

Norris, who was on Leeds’ books between 2012 and 2015, believes the finances involved in joining Al-Ahli is the main reason for his Premier League departure.

Speaking exclusively to Football FanCast, he said: “It’s all to do with the money, 100 per cent.

“I don’t think you go to Saudi Arabia to develop your football career or try to win big trophies.

“He must be getting weighed in big on the financial side. I don’t think you leave Europe, or the Premier League, unless you’re getting massive dough to go to Saudi Arabia.”