All posts by z3u9t.icu

Celtic’s first summer under Ange Postecoglou is meant to be about rebuilding the Hoops and ensuring a better future at Parkhead.

It’s supposed to be a story of exiling old faces in Paradise in the shape of Scott Brown and bringing through new ones like Liam Shaw and Osaze Urhoghide.

However, just a few hours before the latter arrived at Celtic for a nominal fee, the Bhoys announced a surprising piece of news.

On the chalkboard

As the calendar rolled over into the month of July, it looked for all of the world as though Leigh Griffiths would be following Brown out the door on a free transfer. However, step forward Celtic social media, who set off a frenzy on Thursday after they revealed that the 30-year-old had signed a new one-year extension.

The news was greeted positively by a certain amount of fans but the vast majority of supporters were baffled and angry by the decision to hand him a new deal.

One individual claimed it was burning the goodwill which had been built up at the club, while another said it was a waste of time and resources by keeping the striker in Glasgow. Another dejected supporter commented that Celtic were a shambles.

There has been a better atmosphere surrounding the club since Postecoglou arrived but a rather peculiar decision like this has to go down as Dominic McKay’s first clanger since replacing Peter Lawwell as CEO.

McKay has been snapped with the new manager on a number of occasions and has talked a good game alongside the Australian. However, this is the time to look towards the future, not back to the past.

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Griffiths has often been revered as one of the best finishers at the club. It’s unlikely many will dispute that considering his haul of 123 goals in the famous green and white, but at the age of 30, his career is only heading one way – downhill.

The experienced forward has already been handed several chances to prove himself at Parkhead but recent years have been plagued by inconsistency. He scored just seven times last term, a solid tally for someone playing second fiddle to Odsonne Edouard, but if the Frenchman leaves, Celtic could be in real trouble from an attacking perspective.

Postecoglou has already hinted at using the academy more but keeping players like Griffiths in their ranks will only put a dent in the chances of younger talents coming through.

This felt like the perfect time to cut ties but McKay has handed him a new deal instead. A segment of supporters are right to feel aggrieved.

AND in other news, Forget Vuskovic: Postecoglou must seal Celtic swoop for “incredibly fast” 24 y/o brute…

West Ham United could discover another Jarrod Bowen this winter.

The Irons may be set to raid his former club, Championship outfit Hull City, for a second time in January after a very reliable source revealed interest in one of their emerging talents.

Speaking on this week’s edition of ‘The West Ham Way’ podcast, Hammers insider ExWHUemployee claimed that Keane Lewis-Potter was an attacker that David Moyes could take a look at next month.

“A player in the Championship who West Ham could look at in January is a forward for Hull called Keane Lewis-Potter,” he said.

“The Hull fans talk of him in the same breath as they do Jarrod Bowen. He’s got the same work ethic, the same potential. He has shown similarities to Bowen and if that’s the case, he might be worth a more serious look at.”

Indeed, there are plenty of comparisons to be made between the current Tigers star and the man he has seemingly replaced at the MKM Stadium.

Both are capable of playing anywhere along the frontline and that is something which has proven to be increasingly valuable to Moyes in east London, as Bowen has often been deployed up front in a bid to rest Michail Antonio or whenever the Jamaica forward is absent through injury or suspension.

Lewis-Potter is yet to prove himself outside League One or the Championship, very much like Bowen prior to his £22m move on deadline day in January 2020.

So far this term, the 20-year-old gem has provided Grant McCann – who was in charge when Bowen was still at Hull – and the Tigers with five goals and four assists in 22 appearances across all competitions, building on last season’s tally of 15 goals and six assists, per Transfermarkt.

He has done so primarily at left-wing but he has also featured as a striker, in the no.10 role and on the other flank too.

The 5 foot 7 dynamo has been dubbed a “special talent” by his boss at Hull, with McCann telling the club’s official website last year:

“Keano will play a huge role this season. The kid’s a special talent. Wherever we play him across that frontline, he’ll create and score goals.

“He can be anything he wants to be. He’s quick, he’s getting stronger. If you see him physically now compared to where he was this time last year, he’s head and shoulders above in terms of his physique. He’s got all the tools to be anything he wants.”

Valued at around £12m according to The Sun, Irons recruitment chief Rob Newman could well secure Moyes his next Bowen with a January swoop for Lewis-Potter.

AND in other news, Fewer touches than Areola: West Ham flop who made only 9 passes badly betrayed Moyes on Thursday night…

Everton took a huge win from their clash against Manchester United at Goodison Park yesterday, with the side embroiled in a difficult relegation battle this season the three points couldn’t have been more crucial for Frank Lampard.

With reports that sources from Everton had claimed the Toffees boss would be sacked if he didn’t take points from Ralf Rangnick’s side on Saturday, Lampard definitely put up a fight to prove the doubters wrong in his pursuit to lead Everton to safety this season.

Although the manager can’t take all the credit, the team performance from Everton was outstanding in a rarely-seen impressive defensive display from the whole team who put in a shift to hold onto a clean sheet following Anthony Gordon’s 27th-minute goal.

Despite having less possession than the visitors, the Toffees made more tackles (18) and over twice as many clearances (35) throughout the game, with Jordan Pickford a clear contender for man of the match after making four saves and two clearances in a fantastic performance.

There was one player who did make an important return and huge impact on the team following his selection in the starting line-up alongside Alex Iwobi and Allan, with Fabian Delph proving that the side desperately missed his experience in the centre of the pitch.

According to SofaScore, the 32-year-old midfielder won 100% of his duels, made six clearances, three tackles and two interceptions, as well as offering up a pass completion rate of 80% (24/30) before he was taken off in the 84th minute to be replaced by Abdoulaye Doucoure.

Delph who was hailed a “leader” by Gerard Houllier, recently returned to full fitness following a number of injury issues this season including a hamstring injury that has seen him unavailable for selection for the entirety of 2022 so far, and he surely made up for it in his seventh appearance this season against Man United.

Lampard was full of praise for the £92k-per-week midfielder following the victory, claiming that they “missed him” in his post-match interview;

“Yeah we’ve missed him.

“Delph gave us a sense of calm, his positional behaviours — like when a centre-back is out of position he falls into the backline.”

Everton may have found the key to unlocking survival in the Premier League this season by unleashing Delph in midfield and Lampard will be hoping the former Man City star can continue to lead and dominate in midfield ahead of the remaining fixtures this season to give the side their best chance of staying up.

In other news: Fewer touches than Pickford: Everton’s 9-pass flop was “wasteful” once again vs United

In recent comments cited by Birmingham Live, West Bromwich Albion manager Valerien Ismael suggested that, despite having played a bit-part role at The Hawthorns so far this season, Kenneth Zohore could well still have a role to play for the Baggies.

Speaking about the centre-forward’s standing in his squad ahead of the January transfer window, Ismael said: “At the minute it’s early – you never know what can happen. You see with Kean [Bryan], that situation. In the next game, there could be another situation and the player is involved in the game.

“Just patience, work, he wants to play every time with the U23s which is a good sign. He wants to stay in the rhythm. He trains well. He is our player so everyone needs to be involved, stay focused and involved and you never know.”

Zohore must go

While Ismael’s suggestion that Zohore could still prove to be a useful part of his Albion squad if one of his favoured forwards becomes unavailable due to injury or suspension is perhaps sensible, it is nevertheless an unavoidable fact that, so far in his West Brom career, the 27-year-old has simply not been good enough.

Indeed, after making an £8.01m move to the Baggies back in 2019, the £1.8m-rated man failed to impress over his 17 Championship appearances in his debut campaign, scoring three goals, providing no assists and missing four big chances, as well as hitting the target with an average of just 0.6 shots per game.

These returns saw the player who Neil Warnock once dubbed an “outstanding” talent average a SofaScore match rating of just 6.67, ranking him as Albion’s fourth-worst performer in the league that season.

The £16.5k-per-week striker then endured an equally disappointing loan spell at Millwall last year, scoring two goals over 17 Championship appearances for the Lions, before returning to The Hawthorns this summer.

Furthermore, so far this season, Zohore has found himself left out of each of Ismael’s matchday squads since the second fixture of the campaign against Luton Town, a fixture in which the 46-year-old Albion boss was furious with the 27-year-old’s efforts upon his introduction to the game.

As such, considering the 6 foot 3 striker’s below-par performances and rather hefty weekly wage, Ismael simply must axe the centre-forward this winter, as he is undoubtedly becoming something of a burden for the club.

In other news: West Brom confirm exciting development which is sure to leave Baggies fans buzzing

The Daily Express journalist Ryan Taylor has now revealed the ‘latest’ on Newcastle United’s ‘interest’ in signing Darwin Nunez in the summer.

The Lowdown: On the list

Nunez is just one of a number of high-profile strikers that are reportedly on the St. James’ Park faithful’s shortlist for the summer.

It is no surprise given the kind of season that he is having, as his goal in the UEFA Champions League for Benfica against Liverpool in midweek was his 28th in total over all competitions so far.

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Even some Reds fans were left blown away by his performance, as Anfield Index podcaster Hari Sethi went as far as to claim that he is an ‘absolute beast’ who is ‘rapid quick’ and ‘really strong’.

Indeed, the North East club are sure to face some stiff competition for his signature.

The Latest: Nunez update

Taking to Twitter, Taylor has revealed that both Arsenal and Manchester United have consulted Benfica over terms for a potential deal, while West Ham United and Brighton and Hove Albion have seen bids rejected for Nunez, and even Championship Sheffield United have courted him in the past:

“Latest on Darwin Nunez as Arsenal & Man United consult Benfica over terms of deal. Courted by Sheffield United, Brighton & West Ham saw bids rejected. Asking price now £67m with agent Edgardo Lasalvia determined to beat Jorge Mendes to any sale.”

Continuing, Taylor also revealed that Nunez could potentially be out of reach for the Tynesiders, unless they pay a huge, club-record fee:

“There is still firm interest from West Ham & Newcastle, too. However, beginning to sense that Nunez could now be out of reach for both – particularly without UCL football – unless they’re prepared to pay huge, club-record £. Atletico leading race.”

The Verdict: Pay the money

As much as Nunez is going to cost, the Magpies simply have to pay the money if they want to move to the next level.

His scoring record speaks for itself, and at just 22 years of age, the Uruguay international has the potential to become one of the best in the world – in fact his former manager Jorge Jesus has even tipped him to become just that.

With the calibre of clubs also in for him, it will be difficult already to attract Nunez without European football to offer, and so the Toon must get him to believe in the long-term project, and make him the face of it.

In other news, find out who NUFC have now ‘moved’ to sign here!

With the likes of Sam Hutchinson, Dominic Iorfa and Lewis Gibson out injured, it seems as though this has forced Sheffield Wednesday into bringing in a new face to the club that could help boost their defensive strength and ease their injury crisis.

What’s the news?

It has recently been reported by Examiner Live that Wednesday have “offered a deal” to former Watford defender Adrian Mariappa, who is currently a free agent after leaving Bristol City during the previous summer transfer window.

As a product of Watford’s youth academy, the 35-year-old centre-back made a total of 340 appearances for the Hornets across all competitions which includes 100 Premier League appearances and 197 Championship appearances, highlighting how experienced he is and why Owls manager Darren Moore would seemingly want to add him to his squad.

Can he save their season?

During his time in the Championship with Bristol City last season, the defender managed to rack up an average of 3.6 clearances per game, 1.1 interceptions per game and one tackle per game which showed how capable he is at the back and why he could be a solid figure for Wednesday in League One for the rest of the season.

Given how former Watford manager Javi Gracia has praised Mariappa in the past for always being an “example for the rest of the players,” this demonstrates what a positive impact and influence he could have on the players at Wednesday if he joins them in the coming days.

In addition to this, Mariappa has been labelled as a “fantastic communicator” on the pitch by Dean Holden during his time at Bristol, which could make him a very useful figure for the Owls between now and the climax of the campaign.

If Wednesday have offered the defender, who is currently valued at £270k according to Transfermarkt, a deal, this could be an excellent piece of business from the Yorkshire club if he manages to improve the side from a defensive point of view. With Hutchinson, Iorfa and Gibson currently out injured, bringing in another body could potentially save their season.

However, it is crucial to keep in mind that Mariappa hasn’t played any football since he left Bristol City, meaning it could take him a while to get up to speed with the Owls if he does join them.

In other news: Big blow: Moore dealt injury setback at SWFC that’ll surely leave fans worried – opinion

Alan Hutton has been left slamming Salomon Rondon as he has failed to make a real impact since signing for Everton.

The Lowdown: Rondon struggling

Rondon has not really hit the ground running at Goodison Park so far, failing to score in any of his three appearances in total over all competitions (Transfermarkt).

He was criticised by some Merseyside club fans for his performance in the 3-0 loss away at Aston Villa in the Premier League on Saturday evening, as he had to fill in up top for the injured Dominic Calvert-Lewin.

The Latest: Hutton on Rondon

Speaking to Football Insider, former Aston Villa and Rangers right-back Hutton has not been impressed by Rondon’s start to life under Rafa Benitez, and suggested that he does not look fit:

“It’s a huge ask. He doesn’t quite look up to speed, yet, for me.

“For Everton, as any team, if you take out Calvert-Lewin, Richarlison, Pickford, you’re going to be a lot worse off.

“Taking your top players out, it’s going to be difficult. Rondon, I think, is a decent replacement if Calvert-Lewin is injured. I don’t think he’s playing at the level where he wants to be.

“He looks a yard off the pace. It’s difficult for him. They’ll be desperate to get Calvert-Lewin back, he’s a huge player for them.

“Rondon’s going to have to work harder to get to a level where he needs to be.”

The Verdict: More time needed

Of course, it is very early in his Toffees career, and so Rondon needs to be given more time.

If he can improve on his fitness and match sharpness, then he could certainly turn out to be a useful weapon, whether he is starting in the absence of Calvert-Lewin or coming on as an impact substitute.

Nonetheless, the Venezuela international has proven that he can score goals in the Premier League, and his time will surely come with a little bit of patience.

In other news, find out what transfer news has Blues raging here!

Sunderland have been handed a potential boost in their pursuit of Nottingham Forest’s Jordan Gabriel.

What’s the talk?

Nottingham Forest have officially completed the signing of right-back Jordi Osei-Tutu on a season-long loan from Arsenal, potentially opening up the door for Sunderland to land Jordan Gabriel before the end of the window.

The Sun on Sunday (8th August, page 67), reported earlier this month that the Championship side would be willing to cash in on the right-back if they are able to bring in a replacement. Football Insider reported Sunderland’s interest in his services, with Lee Johnson looking to improve his squad before the end of the month.

Fans will be buzzing

Now that Forest have sourced a potential replacement for Gabriel, in Osei-Tutu, Sunderland could now be clear to steam on ahead of and secure a deal for the defender. The second-tier outfit are now able to cash in on the right-back knowing that they have another body in the door, which means that Kristjaan Speakman should be ready to strike to swoop him up.

Sunderland fans will be buzzing as Gabriel could be a fantastic addition to the squad. He played 29 games for Blackpool as they won promotion to the Championship in the 2020/21 campaign, starting 18 of those matches. This shows that he played an important role in a team capable of getting out of the division, which should be Sunderland’s goal this term.

In those games, he averaged a solid SofaScore rating of 6.75. The 22-year-old made 1.7 tackles and interceptions per game, whilst committing zero errors leading to goals or shots in the entire campaign – suggesting that he is a reliable defender at League One level.

Former Liverpool coach Neil Critchley hailed Gabriel as talented upon signing him for Blackpool last season. He said:

“Jordan is a talented modern day full-back, and is someone I have been aware of from his early years at Arsenal and Nottingham Forest.

“He will bring athleticism to the right-hand side of the team, and he is very good defensively in one v one situations. He’s very highly thought of at Nottingham Forest and we’re thankful to them for allowing us to sign Jordan for the season.”

Therefore, the £2.1k-per-week dynamo could be a fine addition to Johnson’s squad. He has shown that he can be a good option in the third tier and that he knows what it takes to get promoted to the Championship.

Hopefully, Sunderland can strike a deal for him and he can taste back-to-back promotions in his career.

AND in other news, Forget Pritchard: Sunderland dynamo with 85% pass accuracy stole the show for Johnson…

An injury expert has now dropped a ‘hopeful’ Wolves claim involving Ruben Neves.

The Lowdown: Not as serious

Speaking to the media, Bruno Lage revealed that Neves’ injury setback was ‘not as serious’ as they initially expected.

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The Portugal international has been missing since March, but will now be hoping to make a swift recovery in time to play the final few games of the season.

The Latest: Dinnery reacts

Speaking to Football Insider, Ben Dinnery, who runs the Premier Injuries site and has a background in both medicine and data analysis, has claimed that he is still ‘hopeful’ that Neves will return in ‘early to mid-May’, despite this ‘new info’ from Lage:

“My understanding initially hasn’t changed a great deal even with this new info.

“We’re talking about an MCL here. The indication that it was a grade two.

“I was working on the premise that we could maybe see a return around early to mid-May. I am still fairly hopeful that is the case.

“It happened against Leeds. He tried to continue but he couldn’t. He then went out to Portugal for some rehab and recovery.

“The target was always going to be around game week 35. I think there is a strong possibility that he’ll play again this season somewhere around there.”

The Verdict: Big boost

The fact that Neves’ injury is not as serious as previously expected, and that he could return for the last few matches of the campaign, is certainly a big boost for the Midlands club.

He currently ranks as their fourth-best performer in the Premier League so far, scoring four goals and making two assists, while also picking up two man-of-the-match awards (WhoScored).

The 25-year-old also ranks highly among his teammates in terms of average tackles, interceptions, shots, passes, long and through balls per game (WhoScored), and will clearly be an important player for them if they are to finish the season strongly, and potentially challenge for a European place.

In other news, find out which ‘electric’ star the Wanderers now ‘want’ to sign here!

West Ham have made Sam Johnstone their number one target in this transfer window, according to reports…

What’s the word?

Football Insider claim that the West Brom shot-stopper is now David Moyes’ first-choice to bring to the London Stadium before next month’s deadline.

It’s believed that the Irons have submitted an £11m bid for the England international but have also held talks with Paris Saint-Germain over a potential deal for Alphonse Areola, who impressed on loan at relegated Fulham last term.

The Baggies are looking for £20m for Johnstone, although the report claims he could be available for considerably less, with Moyes in the market for a proven Premier League option.

Salthouse bargain

With current number one Lukasz Fabianski, now 36, entering the twilight years of his career, it would certainly make sense for the Scotsman to desire a long-term successor.

Despite suffering relegation at The Hawthorns, the 28-year-old was a standout player, which culminated in him taking a place in Gareth Southgate’s Euro 2020 squad, along with Declan Rice.

As per FBRef, no goalkeeper made more saves (161) than Johnstone las term, having faced an average of 6.16 attempts on target per 90 minutes. By comparison, the Polish veteran made just 96 saves and had a lower success rate, too.

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“He’s one of the best,” claimed former Irons boss Sam Allardyce to talkSPORT. “He’s right up there at the right level and he’d already saved more shots than anybody before yesterday.”

Similarly, current Newcastle United boss Steve Bruce waxed lyrical about his attitude off the pitch, dubbing him a “diamond” to work with.

The Hammers have a very strong chance of sealing Johnstone thanks to his agent Will Salthouse, who Football Insider have previously suggested is a preferred agent for David Sullivan and David Gold.

Indeed, several of his other clients are currently under contract at the London Stadium, including Said Benrahma, Michail Antonio, Aaron Cresswell, Ryan Fredericks and Darren Randolph.

You can argue that the majority of these names have been a success, so the Baggies star could be the next Salthouse bargain to come to East London.

Johnstone is currently valued at £7.2m and is reportedly earning just £32.5k-per-week, which presents incredible value for money for an England international.

Especially considering reports linking Premier League rivals Arsenal with a £32m move for Aaron Ramsdale. Johnstone would make that fee a mockery.

AND in other news, Moyes risks ruining his West Ham project by signing shocking £100k-p/w “liability”…