All posts by z3u9t.icu

Manchester United haven’t quite been as active during the summer transfer window as many of the supporters would have wished, making just one signing so far, that of Mason Mount from Chelsea.

Goalkeeper Andre Onana does appear to be on his way to Old Trafford in a deal which will see him become the new number one at Old Trafford and perhaps Erik ten Hag is just going about his business in a strategic way, as opposed to making unnecessary signings.

Improving the defence must surely be one of his main priorities and having stripped Harry Maguire of the captaincy recently while West Ham United show interest, he could be heading out of the club.

Ten Hag could also ditch Victor Lindelof this summer, especially with United being linked with Bayern Munich defender Benjamin Pavard of late according to Sky Germany reporter Florian Plettenberg.

How much will Benjamin Pavard cost Manchester United?

According to FootballTransfers, Bayern may allow the Frenchman to depart for a fee of just €30m (£26m) this summer and this could turn into a shrewd investment by Ten Hag should he go ahead with any potential swoop.

Manchester City and Juventus will offer some stiff competition for the World Cup winner however and this transfer battle may go on for quite a few weeks yet.

What could Benjamin Pavard offer Manchester United?

First things first, he could offer some defensive versatility, as the 27-year-old not only operates as a right back (his favoured position) but is also more than able to perform as a centre-back, like he's done for the Bundesliga giants recently.

Secondly, he could offer United an upgrade on Lindelof and with Champions League football gracing the Old Trafford pitch for the first time since 2021/22, some added quality will be vital.

Indeed, Pavard made more tackles per 90 (2.44 to 1.48), more progressive passes per 90 (7.59 to 3.43) and more progressive carries (1.31 to 0.52) than the current United defender over the previous 365 days.

These statistics even ranked Pavard in the top 6%, top 1% and top 9% across Europe’s top five leagues respectively, suggesting that even though he played primarily in a position that isn’t his strongest, he still outperformed the Swede, who didn’t rank in the top 40% for any of the metrics.

The former Stuttgart defender even provided an unlikely goal threat, scoring seven times across all competitions, including twice in the Champions League while the entirety of the United defence scored just four goals between them and this could give Ten Hag a solid threat from the back next term.

Thomas Tuchel even heralded him as “underrated” and given just how impressive he has been over the previous 12 months; perhaps greater things should be said about him.

Ten Hag would likely slot him into centre-back, especially with the inevitable departure of Maguire and due to how much of an upgrade he is over Lindelof, yet if a chance arose at right-back, there is no doubt he would sparkle just as well there.

Celtic are thought to be interested in a move for Dinamo Zagreb goalkeeper Dominik Livakovic, according to Sky Sports reporter Anthony Joseph.

What’s the latest Celtic transfer news?

The Hoops have been working hard behind the scenes ahead of Brendan Rodgers’ first season back as manager, with two new players already signed at Parkhead.

Norwegian midfielder Odin Thiago Holm has arrived from Valerenga and winger Marco Tilio from Melbourne City, with the pair both agreeing to five-year deals in Glasgow. More new faces could soon be on the way, especially after Celtic lost Jota, who has signed for Saudi Pro League champions Al-Ittihad in a deal worth £25m.

An attacking player who could come in for the Portuguese winger is Gangwon FC forward Yang Hyun-jun, with a fee of just over £2m now agreed between the two clubs. Another South Korean player who could follow Yang to Glasgow is Busan I-Park midfielder Kwon Hyeok-kyu. The Hoops have been tracking the player for some time and even made an offer in the winter window, but it looks as if they could now get their man after making an improved bid.

Celtic also still have their eyes on the European market, and by the looks of things, Livakovic could be the latest player the Hoops make a move for.

Joseph took to Twitter on Friday evening to share a further transfer update from Parkhead, this time on a new goalkeeper. The club are thought to be eyeing Livakovic, who is into the final 12 months of his Dinamo Zagreb deal.

“Celtic are in the market for a goalkeeper this summer. It’s understood one target being monitored closely is Croatia & Dinamo Zagreb No1 Dominik Livakovic, who has a year left on his contract.

“Fiorentina’s interest has cooled recently. Villarreal & Fenerbahce are also keen.”

However, the Hoops may need to be quick if they are to sign the shot-stopper, with Fabrizio Romano since claiming that Fenerbahce are close to a move and have agreed on personal terms.

Who is Dominik Livakovic?

Livakovic, on £15,000-a-week, is 28 years of age and has been with Dinamo Zagreb since 2015. The Croatia international is valued at €12m by Transfermarkt and has made 283 appearances for Zagreb, keeping an impressive 131 clean sheets.

The club captain has won eight major honours during his time with Zagreb and he has also played in two World Cups, helping Croatia to the final against France back in 2018.

He also starred in a penalty shootout in Qatar last year against Brazil, where he was praised by some major figures in the game, including former Bayern Munich chief Oliver Kahn, who called him a “hero”.

"The man who stopped Brazil will always be a hero to me,

"Livakovic is worthy of praise. Such a goalkeeper must play at a top club. I have no doubt that this will be the case in the new season, but at the same time, he is not within the scope of our interests."

Should Livakovic move to Celtic Park, he would bring plenty of experience at the highest level to Rodgers' side, and at the age of 28, you’d like to think he has plenty of years left in the tank, so could be a long-term replacement for Joe Hart, who turned 36 in April.

Southampton are set to demand "£50m plus" for midfielder Romeo Lavia this summer amid heavy interest from Premier League clubs in his services, according to Sky Sports journalist Dharmesh Sheth.

How much will Romeo Lavia cost interested suitors?

£50 million is the figure that Southampton are 'holding out' for before considering sanctioning a departure for Lavia from St Mary's Stadium this summer amid interest from Liverpool, Arsenal, Chelsea and Barcelona in his services, according to Football Insider.

The outlet claim that Liverpool are frontrunners to bring in the Belgium international and indicate that a move to Anfield would be his preference ahead of other options on the table.

Manchester City, Manchester United and Newcastle United are asking to be kept informed on Lavia's situation as speculation surrounding the 19-year-old's future ramps up, according to 90min.

Earlier this year, transfer expert Fabrizio Romano took to Twitter to confirm that Lavia's former club Manchester City have a buyback clause for the youngster at the £40 million mark that activates in 2024, stating: "Romeo Lavia will be one to watch in the summer. Man City £40m buy back clause, valid in 2024. Chelsea [wanted him last summer] and Arsenal [still keen on Caicedo too] among clubs interested – Southampton hope to keep him."

Contractually, Lavia is tied to Southampton until the summer of 2027 and earns £25,000 per week on the South Coast, as per Capology.

Speaking to GIVEMESPORT, Sky Sports journalist Sheth has belief that Southampton will hold out for a minimum of £50 million for midfield talent Lavia.

Sheth said: “Southampton, even though they’ve gone down to the Championship they know what they’ve got in Romeo Lavia and all the noises are suggesting that it’s going to be £50m plus to prise him away from St Mary's.

"So maybe one that goes later in the window once a number of clubs have got all of their positions sorted, and then they’ll have a look whether they can actually realistically do a deal for someone like Lavia. I think that might happen later in the window.”

Will Romeo Lavia leave Southampton?

It's looking very likely that Lavia will leave Southampton at this point due to their relegation to the Sky Bet Championship; however, they should be very well compensated for the Belgium international if he finalises a move elsewhere between now and the close of play.

The former Manchester City star had a promising campaign last term, registering one goal and a solitary assist in 34 appearances across all competitions, as per Transfermarkt.

Lavia also showed his penchant for getting stuck into tackles last season and won an average of 2.1 challenges per match in the Premier League, according to WhoScored.

Driving forward from the middle of the park, the 19-year-old also successfully conjured up 41 shot-creating actions, demonstrating that he can also help to fashion chances for his side, as per FBRef.

Now, it looks like the question on everyone's lips is where will Lavia end up come the end of the transfer window, with several elite sides keen to take him on board due to his potential.

Southampton won't care about the destination too much as their sole focus will be accumulating a hefty financial reward before letting him depart St Mary's.

Arsenal are reportedly interested in RB Leipzig defender Benjamin Henrichs, as Mikel Arteta and Edu set their sights on bolstering the squad this summer.

The Gunners have already penned a deal with Kai Havertz, and with Declan Rice set to be announced imminently, the clubs’ two former players could be planning something special at the Emirates.

Arteta’s side battled well last campaign, surpassing expectations by taking the title race to the wire, however, a lack of squad depth signalled a time for refurbishment this summer.

Signing Henrichs could be a leap in the right direction in terms of boosting the depth of the squad, in a player that shows shades of a fellow Premier League gem.

Journalist Florian Plettenberg revealed earlier this week that ‘talks’ between the German’s management and the north Londoners had taken place.

Plettenberg added that Arsenal are ‘considering’ the versatile full-back as a ‘backup target’ this summer.

Valued by Football Transfers at €9.2m (£8m), the 26-year-old could be a solid option for the Gunners to consider.

Where could Benjamin Henrichs play at Arsenal?

Hailed as a “talented” player by former Monaco vice-president Vadim Vasilyev, the 26-year-old has played at the top level for the majority of his career, working his way through the ranks at Bayer Leverkusen.

The versatile defender departed his boyhood club for Monaco in 2018, before returning to the Bundesliga with RB Leipzig, where he has cemented himself as a valued member of the squad.

In signing Henrichs, Arsenal could get their hands on a widely versatile defence-minded player, with capabilities of playing both on the right side of defence and in central midfield.

The German international has contributed to 66 career goal contributions over 327 appearances, having an eye for a pass as well as being a sturdy figure at the back.

Averaging three tackles and 1.44 interceptions per 90 in the Bundesliga last campaign, Henrichs has excelled defensively, as well as showing his abilities on the ball, averaging 4.48 progressive passes per 90 at right-back, via FBref.

Having a versatile full-back is something that the Premier League has become accustomed to, with Arteta reaping the benefits of having both Ben White and Oleksandr Zinchenko capable of contributing to offensive play.

Despite arriving as a side to watch last term, Arsenal still saw a gap between themselves and champions Manchester City, however, the Gunners could provide an answer to one of City’s sensations by signing Henrichs.

Lauded as a “versatile and tactical genius” by members of the media, John Stones has been a revelation under Pep Guardiola, emerging last season as having the talent to be deployed as a deep midfielder.

Averaging 1.12 tackles and 4.92 progressive passes per 90, via FBref, the Englishman showcased just how far the depth of his versatility goes, acting as the complete player for City.

Like Stones, Henrichs has the ability to venture into midfield, described by talent scout Jacek Kulig as being a player that ‘dictates tempo’ in central areas.

Averaging 3.78 passes per 90 into the final third, the 26-year-old has room to grow and flourish around the field, displaying strengths in his distribution and reading of the game.

Arteta could take another page from Guardiola’s book by signing a defensively equipped versatile player, replicating past notes that have seen the revolution of how the Spaniard orchestrates his back line.

Declan Rice's future continues to dominate the transfer columns, but West Ham United may well have already found an ideal replacement for their departing captain.

England international Rice is certain to move on this summer – chairman David Sullivan confirmed as much earlier this month – but United are continuing to haggle over a fee for a player they value at a nine-figure sum.

It seems likely they will get their wish, with Arsenal now joined by Manchester City in the bidding, meaning plenty of money will be available to bring in a new central midfielder.

What's the latest on West Ham's hunt for Declan Rice's replacement?

According to The Sun reporter Alan Nixon, David Moyes is hopeful of raiding former club Everton for in-demand Amadou Onana, who is also being eyed up by Chelsea and Manchester United.

Moyes is said to have missed out on Onana last summer when Everton signed him from Lille for £30m, and his valuation has now climbed to as much as £50m.

Given that will potentially be just half the amount they get for the sale of Rice, it surely makes sense for West Ham to move quickly and bring in the Belgium international, rather than being left stranded come the second half of the transfer window.

Is Amadou Onana a good replacement for Declan Rice?

Onana has taken no time at all to settle into the Premier League, as reflected in a number of key metrics. For example, he ranked in the top 10% of all midfielders across Europe's top five leagues for aerial duels won last season, as per The Analyst.

Rice was only in the top 40%, though he does, of course, thrive in other areas. There are plenty of similarities between the two men, however, such as direct goal involvement (0.14 per 90 minutes for Rice, 0.11 for Onana), pass completion rate (86.5% v 83.3%) and take-ons attempted (1.73 v 1.88).

As per FBref, both players find the target at an identical rate (0.22 per 90 minutes) and, while Rice edges things in terms of shot-creating actions – which factors in passes and take-ons leading to a shot – at 2.75 per 90 to Onana's 1.63, the latter comes into his own in the tackles won per 90 metric (1.56 v 1.04).

As the Manchester Evening News reporter Tyrone Marshall put it in October, Onana is a "supreme athlete and very mobile", which would also be a good way to describe Rice.

Whoever is brought in by West Ham will have to hit the ground running if they are to come anywhere close to replacing fan favourite Rice. In Onana, they have a Premier League-ready option waiting to do exactly that.

Tottenham Hotspur could be set to add to their acquisition of Dejan Kulusevski this summer, but likely without the same fanfare his deal commanded.

What's the latest on Clement Lenglet to Tottenham Hotspur?

That's according to journalist Alasdair Gold, who spoke on his YouTube channel about Ange Postecoglou's first transfer window in north London.

Having already made the loan of their Swedish winger permanent, he claimed that they could be set to replicate this by bringing in Clement Lenglet from Barcelona, who spent last term in N17 too.

He noted: "Do you know what, speaking to people in the club, they haven’t ruled out going back for Clement Lenglet. I know they did a farewell last week, and as a formality they included Lenglet, so he just left at the end of his deal.

"Barcelona want him out, and there have been suggestions that he could be available for as little as £4-5m now."

Did Clement Lenglet impress at Tottenham?

Whilst this might seem a fine cut-price option for someone of his pedigree, his recent years in both Spain and England have proven why the Catalan giants are so keen to expel him from their ranks.

A 6.67 average Sofascore rating in his final season in Catalonia outlines such disappointment, which he carried over during his loan spell last campaign.

Under Antonio Conte, Cristian Stellini and later Ryan Mason, the Frenchman maintained a 6.65 average rating in the Premier League, recording just 0.7 interceptions and winning possession an abysmal 0.1 times per game, via Sofascore.

Such consistent mediocrity has been outlined by various journalists during a career which boasts four major honours including a piece of international silverware.

Back in 2021, writer Jonathan Johnson boldly wrote: "Lenglet. A complete & utter liability of a defender." A year later Muhammad Butt would supplement this, branding the 28-year-old as "terrible".

Whilst the permanent signing of Kulusevski made sense, given he had shown signs of true quality that he could bring to Postecoglou's team, Lenglet is without such performances.

During his first six months in north London, the 23-year-old dynamo recorded 13 goal contributions in just 18 league games, whilst Lenglet's final eight league showings only saw him surpass a miserable 6.8 rating on two occasions.

With the Australian manager still fresh in his new post, the fanbase remains hopeful that his new regime can be the one to finally turn this stuttering club around.

However, with a potential disaster signings such as this, essentially accepting their place as an average side, they seem set to uphold their failures and mirror the mistakes that led to one of their worst league finishes in over a decade.

West Ham United should reinvest some of the money they make off of a potential Declan Rice sale this summer on Southampton captain James Ward-Prowse, Dean Jones believes.

Following their relegation to the Championship, the Saints are expected to lose their skipper this summer, and there have been a number of sides taking an interest in the free-kick specialist.

The Europa Conference League champions have recently emerged as a team interested in acquiring his services, The Evening Standard has reported, but the Saints will only consider selling Ward-Prowse for the right price.

What's the latest West Ham transfer news?

Following their Europa Conference League win earlier this month, David Moyes' side have been busy looking at ways to strengthen their side as they prepare for a Europa League return next season.

With Rice's departure looming, they've identified a number of different potential successors for the Englishman, with L'Equipe recently reporting that Ligue 1 side Marseille are expecting the club to make a bid for former Arsenal man Matteo Guendouzi.

The Telegraph have also revealed that both Scott McTominay and Harry Maguire may potentially be on their way to West Ham, with Manchester United wanting to include the pair in a potential deal to land Rice.

With numerous potential moves in their eyesight, Ward-Prowse was recently added to the list of potential midfielders that could join the Hammers as they lose their prized asset, and while Southampton's asking price for their skipper may have initially been a problem, the money made on selling Rice could be used in a deal, according to Jones.

What has Dean Jones said about West Ham and James Ward-Prowse?

While West Ham may not initially have the funds to match Southampton's asking price for Ward-Prowse, Jones believes the money generated from selling Rice this summer should be reinvested into a deal for the Saints captain.

Speaking to GIVEMESPORT, the journalist said: "There was earlier talk that clubs might try and get him for £25 million. I mean, that just can't happen. So West Ham, if they get the chance to reinvest the Rice money that they'll eventually get, then James Ward-Prowse would be a really good spot for them to push some of that cash.”

How does James Ward-Prowse compare to West Ham United's current midfielders?

The Southampton man would immediately become West Ham's best creative midfielder, if Rice is to leave, with Ward-Prowse's average pass success rate of 85.3, higher than every other midfielder in the side.

In terms of key passes made a game, the 28-year-old's average of 1.9 a game, dwarves everyone in the Hammers side, with Aaron Cresswell's 1.4 the closest.

With the Hammers scoring from 11 set pieces last season, adding a specialist like Ward-Prowse to the squad will only boost that number even higher and the club would reap the benefits almost immediately.

No one at West Ham scored more than the nine Premier League goals that the Saints captain bagged last season, and with goals being a huge problem for the club, he'd help fix that issue.

Labeled "exceptional" by former Southampton manager Ralph Hasenhuttl, Ward-Prowse would be a strong addition to the Hammers team and go a long way into replacing a club icon like Rice.

Aston Villa have been offered the chance to sign Benfica forward Goncalo Ramos, with the player’s agent approaching those at Villa Park.

What’s the latest Aston Villa transfer news involving Ramos?

Villa have already made a start on their summer transfer plans by reaching an agreement with Youri Tielemans, who will officially become a Villa player on July 1 when his Leicester City contract expires.

The club have now brought in former Sevilla sporting director Monchi as Villa’s president of football operations and he will work closely with manager Unai Emery.

A new attacker was previously the club’s top transfer priority, and it looks as if a new striker could arrive over the coming months to rival or possibly partner Ollie Watkins during Emery’s first full season in charge which will include Europa Conference League football.

According to The Sun, Portuguese super-agent Jorge Mendes is working hard to get Ramos a Premier League move, with Manchester United offered the striker’s services.

However, Mendes has also approached Aston Villa, Newcastle, Tottenham and West Ham, with Benfica set to demand £80m for Ramos, a figure which would smash the transfer record at Villa Park.

Who is Goncalo Ramos?

Ramos is just 21 years of age and is an out-and-out centre-forward who has seen his Transfermarkt valuation rocket from €8m to a career-high €50m over the past two years.

Sponsored by Nike and under contract until 2026, the Portugal international progressed through Benfica’s academy and has now made over 100 senior appearances for the club. He has scored 41 goals and provided 16 assists during that time, with 19 of his goals coming in Liga Portugal last season.

Ramos, dubbed a "monster" in the media, has also starred on the international stage, scoring a hat-trick in last year’s World Cup in Qatar after replacing Cristiano Ronaldo in the starting XI.

You can see why a move for Ramos could appeal to those in the Midlands, especially with Watkins linked with a move to Manchester United in recent days. Villa enjoyed a brilliant resurgence under Emery but scored just 51 goals in their 38 Premier League games in 2022/23, the fewest out of the top 10 sides.

Therefore, bringing in someone like Ramos to bolster the club’s attacking ranks could be an extremely shrewd move, however, should a move materialise over the coming months, you’d expect he would arrive at a big cost, with many expecting immediate results.

Arsenal legend and BBC pundit Ian Wright has had to deny allegations of being arrested after scammers used AI to create false images of him.

Was Ian Wright arrested?

The Match of the Day presenter has become a well-loved TV personality within the world of football since retiring – having been an adored player, too.

After all, he netted a whopping 185 goals in 288 appearances for the Gunners which was a club record until it was eventually beaten by Thierry Henry.

He also spent time in his career with other former clubs such as Crystal Palace, West Ham, Nottingham Forest, Celtic and Burnley.

In recent times, he’s cemented his status as an all-round lovely guy by showing his class as a strong and vocal advocate for women’s football, and recently slammed the broadcasting issues ahead of the upcoming World Cup in Australia and New Zealand – with Fifa threatening a blackout because of low offers for the broadcast rights from the biggest European footballing countries.

With all that in mind, it must have come as a shock to some when images emerged online of him supposedly being arrested. Some friends of Wright’s were so stunned, he has since revealed people were calling him about it.

Well, in a new video shared on his Twitter account, he’s now clarified that it’s all a strange scam where people “superimposed” him into an odd situation.

Wright explained: “Listen, I’m getting so many calls. People think I’ve been arrested. They’ve superimposed me with handcuffs. Look at me [laughs] this is a scam! People are scamming you.

“I ain’t been arrested. I’ve not done anything to get arrested. Foolishness! Watch these people scamming you!”

He also shared some of the fake photos.

It’s certainly a bizarre story and perhaps a little worrying that some of his friends did seem to be convinced by AI that these images were actually real.

However, it’s good to see that Wright has responded in typical style, laughing it all off with a smile on his face.

The presenter recently made history with Shaun Wright-Phillips, becoming the first father and son punditry team to appear on Match of the Day.

So don’t worry, we’re far more likely to see him appear on TV in the future than in a prison cell.

"They go around the world buying up the best young players and they're going to carry on doing that,” reflected Sky Sports News chief reporter Kaveh Solhekol during Todd Boehly's excessive January spending at Chelsea.

The latest addition to enforce this strategy is Kendry Paez, who has joined the Blues from Ecuadorian club Independiente del Valle for £17m.

The 16-year-old will join his new club in the summer of 2025 when he reaches his 18th birthday.

Although given Chelsea’s mind-boggling and horrendous slump into mid-table mediocrity, the signing of a relatively unknown South-American entity may not provide the excitement that many fans are currently craving, but the youngster is an extraordinary talent, with a huge future ahead of him.

Who is Kendry Paez?

The teen is a record breaker and the new, up-and-coming jewel of Ecuadorian football. He is the youngster debutant and goalscorer of his nation’s top flight when he netted on this joyous occasion in a 3-1 victory in February.

Internationally, the playmaker has also excelled – at the 2023 South American U17 Championship in March 2023, he was captain of his side, scoring twice and assisting six. Due to his string of impressive performances, he was named the top talent at the Next Generation Trophy last year.

The teen was promoted to a higher age group and he recorded four goal involvements at this summer’s U20 World Cup.

His current manager Martin Anselmi has heaped praise upon the generational gift and said: “In Kendry we find someone daring. A boy who asks for it. He doesn’t care who is in front of him.

“He is a different type of player. It is not normal for a 15-year-old boy in the first division to have earned the respect of the soccer world in such a short time.

“He runs, recovers, interprets the game, he is very intelligent. All his movements are trained, he carries them out perfectly, understands the game very well.”

Is Kendry Paez shades of Jamal Musiala?

A mesmeric dribbler with impudent vision and magical close-control, as well as a youth career in West London – the two prodigies share an abundance of similar traits, but the minor difference is that Musiala left Chelsea at the age of 16, whilst his positional peer is joining at the same age.

The German has expertly displayed his incredible skill over the past two seasons and in a World Cup match against Costa Rica, he was at his untameable, hypnotic best.

The sensation recorded a ridiculous 13 successful dribbles, the second-most ever recorded in the tournament’s history and this type of raw ability is something that Chelsea have painfully lacked in forward areas and will hugely benefit Mauricio Pochettino.

Paez will have another two years to develop in his homeland and when he returns he is likely to be an unstoppable force.

To summarise his similarities to Musiala, the teen boasts "incredible class" – as lauded by scout Jacek Kulig – with an innate skill for unlocking a defence.

Like the German, Kulig notes Paez's strongest attributes as his technique, dribbling and ball control, all qualities that set Chelsea's former academy product apart in the current day.