All posts by z3u9t.icu

In a fresh twist, it seems Tottenham Hotspur do still have a chance at reappointing Mauricio Pochettino…

What’s the word?

According to Le10 Sport, Paris Saint-Germain have already lined up a replacement for the 49-year-old in the event he leaves Les Parcs des Princes before the 2021/22 campaign in the from of Zinedine Zidane.

A little over a week ago, reports linked the Argentine with a sensational return to North London, with The Athletic claiming that both parties had held talks and were very keen for a reunion.

However, the Ligue 1 giants have held firm in their stance of keeping the former Spurs boss but this latest development throws further shade on the situation.

It’s thought that interest from the Lilywhites has led to tensions rising between Pochettino and sporting director Leonardo, and the French outfit are now dreaming of the recently-departed Real Madrid head coach.

A door opens?

Spurs’ manager search has gone down many different paths since the sacking of Jose Mourinho nearly two months ago, with the latest being a major setback over Antonio Conte.

The North London hierarchy turned their attention to the nine-time trophy-winning Italian after the blow to Pochettino but after reported ‘positive talks,’ both sides decided to walk away over concerns, as per the Telegraph.

What Spurs do next very much remains to be seen because, on the face of it, they appear to be back at square one – though this latest twist could open the door for another run at Pochettino.

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Zidane is available for free right now having left the Bernabeu at the end of the season, so it’s an easy and quick fix for PSG if the 49-year-old were to leave.

This news will leave many in North London absolutely buzzing because plenty of fans are desperate to see their former favourite back in the dugout, and when a move for him was effectively dead and buried, they were gutted beyond belief.

As relayed by This is Futbol, some supporters were hugely excited, with one suggesting it was “like Christmas Eve” whilst another claimed he was “salivating uncontrollably.”

But this quickly turned sour as a further member of the Spurs faithful described the blow in their bid to secure the Argentine as “embarrassing and pathetic” and again, some wanted the board and the chairman out, just weeks after many protested against the club’s hierarchy.

As described by reliable football.london journalist Alasdair Gold, Pochettino really is Tottenham’s “ideal candidate.” Therefore, if PSG are already planning to find Pochettino’s successor, then there’s every chance that Spurs have a clear shot at bringing him home.

On the above evidence, that’ll surely leave many delighted.

AND in other news, Spurs could wave goodbye to Kane if Levy hires “stubborn” 62 y/o flop with “no plan B”…

Newcastle must look to bring back Adam Armstrong this summer amid Steve Howey’s transfer claim.

What’s the story?

The 24-year-old was on the books at St James’ Park as a youngster, but after failing to make the grade on Tyneside, made the permanent switch to Blackburn Rovers.

And now, Howey has suggested that the striker would “relish” the prospect of making the move back to Newcastle, and it’s on Steve Bruce whether the Magpies make an attempt to sign him or not – reports earlier this year indicated that the club are actually leading the queue to do so.

Speaking exclusively to FFC’s sister site, TT, he said: “I think he’d relish the chance of coming back and he’d be desperate to score goals because he is a goalscorer and we’ve seen him score some excellent goals from Blackburn.

“I think he’d be desperate for the chance to come back but it’s just whether the club are prepared to make that move.”

Newcastle must strike

At Ewood Park, Armstrong has turned into a real goal-scoring sensation, and is realising the kind of potential that marked him out as a potential start back at Newcastle.

This season has seen him score a remarkable 28 goals in just 40 Championship games, despite Rovers finishing mid-table in the league and well off the play-off places.

It’s no surprise then that his manager at the club, Tony Mowbray, has waxed lyrical about the £14.4m-rated centre-forward, lauding the kind of explosiveness that really marks him out as a player.

Mowbray said: “He’s a goalscorer. He always has been. I took him to Coventry because I saw him score some amazing goals for England Under-19s. He scores off both feet, he’s electrically fast off the mark, he’s got all the attributes.

“As long as you’ve got players who can slide him in, put passes over the top, put the ball in space for him he’ll score goals. His explosive pace at the top end of the pitch allows you to play both ways. it’s a devastating effect for the team.”

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If the Magpies are looking for a proven “goal-scorer” this summer to help support Callum Wilson, then they should look no further than a man who they are wholly familiar with.

Meanwhile, Bruce must avoid an unforgivable Newcastle howler this summer…

There have been reports suggesting that Manchester City could offer Tottenham Hotspur Gabriel Jesus as part of a swap deal for Harry Kane, but he must still add more goals to his game, according to former City full-back Michael Ball.

As clubs attempt to muster up enough money to buy Kane, a swap deal may not be a bad move for Spurs as they could soften the blow left by their star striker if he does depart, should they get a striker in return from Man City.

Jesus, who reportedly earns £90,000-a-week, was signed in 2017 and many expected him to become the heir to Sergio Aguero’s throne when he left City. However, despite the club’s all-time record goalscorer being set to depart this summer, it appears that Pep Guardiola wants another striker at the club thus not fully trusting Jesus.

Tottenham would be getting a totally different striker in Jesus as he does a lot of unselfish work and can play in several different positions, but he does need to add more goals to his game. These are the thoughts of Ball, who spoke exclusively to The Transfer Tavern:

“For a long time he looked like he was going to be the one to take over from Aguero but it’s never materialised. The pressure has been on him this year so I feel sorry for him as he’s not played as a number nine too much, he’s been pushed out wide because he’s an unselfish player.

“Jesus works a lot for the team and it often goes unnoticed. Obviously, he would like to add more goals to his game, but his all-round build-up play is top drawer and he’s clearly a wonderful player.”

The Brazillian striker has an impressive record for someone who has never been given regular game time and starts as he has found the back of the net 81 times in 193 appearances.

Kane delivered a damning verdict in his latest interview with Gary Neville where the 27-year old claimed that he would decide his own future, not Tottenham Chairman, Daniel Levy.

Plenty of Crystal Palace fans have hit out at the club’s reported interest in West Brom loanee Mbaye Diagne.

According to a report from Football Insider, who have been informed by a recruitment source, both Palace and rivals Brighton are monitoring the 29-year-old ahead of the summer window.

They have shortlisted the Senegal international as a potential attacking addition, with Diagne of course set to return to Turkish giants Galatasaray this summer following his temporary stay at The Hawthorns.

Sam Allardyce brought the forward to the Premier League in January, with Diagne scoring three times in 14 appearances since then.

The report claims a permanent move to the Baggies looks to be out of the window due to their likely relegation, with the striker still under contract with Galatasaray until 2023.

Palace fans react

@CPFCtransfersHQ shared the update on Diagne on Twitter on Tuesday afternoon, and it’s safe to say it didn’t go down well with a number of Eagles supporters.

Here’s what some had to say…

“I can’t do this anymore”Credit: @localpla9tic”Why would we want him, when we have 2 similar players that we don’t use?!”Credit: @benjiesta”Has been awful every time I’ve seen him play and in my heart of hearts I knew it was a matter of time until the rumours started.”Credit: @DPMoore88″Haha”Credit: @Kevbartleyy”There is Gallagher, AMN, Pereira, Diangana but no we want him”Credit: @bradhcpfc”Just a poor mans Benteke and we don’t need another striker”Credit: @CPFCMax03

In other news: Many CPFC fans react to James McCarthy transfer update, find out more here. 

Rangers winger Ianis Hagi has been linked with a switch to VFL Bochum recently and it would be a huge blow to Steven Gerrard if he were to leave Ibrox this summer.

The Romania international only joined Rangers on a permanent deal from Genk last summer but has been heavily linked with a move away from Ibrox, despite being a regular in Gerrard’s side throughout the season.

VFL Bochum, who are on the brink of promotion to the Bundesliga, are the latest side to be linked with the 22-year-old, with Sport claiming that the German side are plotting an ambitious move for the winger, who is also attracting interest from Sevilla and Lazio.

It would be something of a surprise to see Hagi switch Rangers and the Champions League for Bochum, who will likely be battling relegation in the Bundesliga next season should they earn promotion, however, it seems as if they are determined to strengthen their side ahead of a return to Germany’s top-flight with the signing of the Romanian.

It would be a huge shame to lose the forward after just one full season at Ibrox, as he has played a significant part in Rangers’ title win and impressive run in the Europa League this season.

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In 28 Premiership appearances, the youngster has contributed six goals and nine assists, earning a sold 6.93 average rating from WhoScored for his performances in the Scottish top-flight.

He is contracted at Ibrox until 2024, which suggests that those at Rangers have a lot of belief in his ability and potential to become a key player in Gerrard’s side in the future but he could well be tempted to depart this summer, given the serious interest being shown in him.

Gerrard was full of praise for Hagi after his winning goal against Hibernian last season, saying:

“Ianis is a top talent. I thought his performance grew as the game wore on…””He’s a brave player. He’ll receive the ball in any situation, in any area of the pitch. Even if he makes a mistake, he won’t shy away”It would be a significant blow to lose a player with Hagi’s obvious potential but as his exit rumours continue to intensify, there looks to be a chance that he won’t be at Ibrox next season. Rangers should be doing all they can to keep him.And, in other news… Gerrard could be set for huge Rangers boost after major development on “very dangerous” beast

According to a report by reliable Tottenham Hotspur correspondent Alasdair Gold, Spurs and chairman Daniel Levy have towering Fiorentina colossus Nikola Milenkovic on their radar for this summer – coming as the Lilywhites scour for a potential leader.

Indeed, as explained by Gold, signing a defender with leadership qualities who can marshal the Lilywhites backline is among Levy’s top priorities for the next transfer window.

Tottenham eyeing Milenkovic

Many names have been mentioned by Gold, writing for football.london, and one that stands out among them is Serie A powerhouse Milenkovic.

The 23-year-old, standing at a gigantic 6 foot 4, is said to be on Levy and Tottenham’s watchlist – especially considering his vast experience at international level despite his fairly young age.

He already has 28 caps for his native Serbia and is a regular for Fiorentina at club level, marking him out as a sure fire candidate to be targeted this summer.

The defender’s contract will have just one year remaining after the 2020/2021 campaign, coming as another bonus which could gift Levy plenty of negotiating room.

Transfer Tavern take

Pol Lirola, one of Milenkovic’s teammates at Fiorentina but currently on loan at Marseille, heralded the star centre-back in an interview on Instagram page ‘SOSFantacalcio’ – calling him ‘extraordinary’ and ‘ready for a great team’ (via XSport.news).

As well as this, a past report shed light on Jose Mourinho’s fondness for the player – with the Portuguese scouting him personally in 2018 alongside Sergej Milinkovic-Savic (The Sun).

Time will tell whether he becomes Tottenham’s main target above all others, but this reliable information from Gold indicates he is on the agenda.

In other news: Gold also dropped a big Tottenham stadium naming rights update, find out more here.

Fans of Sunderland have been reacting to a post on Twitter, in which the Black Cats relayed footage of the club’s centre-back, Bailey Wright, reflecting on the recent defeat to Wigan Athletic.

Following the 2-1 loss to relegation-threatened Wigan on Tuesday evening, a result which saw Sunderland fall five points behind Peterborough United in the race for automatic promotion, Wright, who had only just returned to the side following a lengthy spell on the sidelines, stated his belief that the Black Cats were not good enough on the night.

The 28-year-old claimed in his post-match comments that Sunderland are well aware of their capabilities, however, that Lee Johnson’s side “fell well short” of their own standards during the 90 minutes at the DW Stadium, before going on to say that, while the defeat “hurts”, he and his team now need to “regroup” ahead of “another important game on Saturday”.

However, after Sunderland relayed the footage of Wright on Twitter, fans of the club flocked to have their say on the matter, with many appearing furious with the defender’s remarks.

So, what exactly did these Sunderland fans have to say in reaction to Bailey Wright’s post-match comments?

“Humiliating when you hear that, twice they’ve beaten us this season and comfortably beaten us on both occasions.”

@Itssamnthat

“Pretty rattled he said Wigan are a good side.”

@Jack_Tomlinson2

“‘Remain optimistic’, ‘We will put things right’, ‘It’s not over’. Empty gestures. You can’t put it right. It is over. You’re making us fans pessimistic when you bottle it consistently, season on season. Be better.”

@WhatTheFalkPod

“‘They made it difficult, they’re a good side’. OUR players made it difficult for themselves. OUR players made them look good. What an awful mentality that is.”

@kylemurg

“And that interview just about sums up how and why we’ve bottled it. Woeful mentality.”

@AJohno_

“There were times tonight this lad didn’t just look unfit but like he’d never played a game of football before. We don’t have access to the fitness levels and only have hindsight, but do have to wonder if Johnson should have gone with a different option having access to that.”

@davis0688

In other news: ‘Incredible’, ‘Never tire of watching this’ – Lots of SAFC fans buzz as ‘unreal’ footage emerges – find out more here!

Newcastle United were reportedly close to signing Arkadiusz Milik, according to football journalist Vincenzo Morabito.

Speaking to Calcio Napoli 24, he claimed that the St. James’ Park faithful made a transfer offer of €20m (£17.3m), but Napoli considered his value to be around €25-30m (£21.6-25.9m).

It is not specified when the North East club made their offer, but what is for sure is that they were only a few million pounds away from matching their valuation and potentially securing his signature.

Newcastle should sign Milik

The Tyneside club should come back in for Milik in the summer transfer window should he become available to be purchased.

The Poland international is a born goal scorer, with a total of no fewer than 133 (Transfermarkt) senior goals scored for both club and country combined over the course of his footballing career so far.

His old manager for the Polish national team Jerzy Brzeczek described him as an ‘incredible’ player back in November of last year, and England fans may be able to take a better glimpse of him when they play each other in an upcoming 2022 FIFA World Cup qualifier.

Nonetheless, the 27-year-old could well serve as a decent back-up striker to Callum Wilson and thus ease the goal-scoring burden off of the former AFC Bournemouth ace, or even play in a front two together.

In other news, find out what big claim has been dropped on Rafa Benitez and the potential takeover here!

Celtic midfielder Olivier Ntcham looks set to return to the club this summer following his loan spell with Marseille.

That’s according to La Provence, cited by the Daily Record, who claimed that the Ligue 1 side will not take up their option of making Ntcham’s deal permanent at the end of the season.

Marseille could have forked out around £4.5m to sign the Frenchman on a full-time basis, but it seems as if that won’t be the case.

Ntcham’s woeful form

Ntcham hasn’t exactly had the most memorable of loan spells in his native country.

He sealed a move back to France on deadline day, but he has made just three starts for the club, being replaced at half-time in every one of those matches.

Transfer Tavern take

The news may come as a blow to the Hoops, who could also receive cash due to former striker Moussa Dembele this summer. They may have been hoping to receive £4.5m for Ntcham as well ahead of a Parkhead rebuild.

Ntcham is valued at £3.15m by Transfermarkt and will have just 12 months remaining on his Parkhead deal in the summer.

Celtic may then have a big decision on their hands ahead of the 2021/22 campaign – do they look to offload Ntcham in a cut-price deal, or include him in their plans for the new season?

In other news: Celtic defender unlikely to be at Parkhead next season, find out more here. 

Leeds could sign another Raphinha in Juventus winger Douglas Costa.

What’s the story?

With Marcelo Bielsa’s side enjoying an impressive return back to the Premier League, it’s no surprise that the club are getting linked with some real high-profile names.

And, according to Italian publication CalcioMercato, the Whites could well step up their interest in Costa, who is currently spending the season on loan at Bayern Munich.

The report claims that Bayern are unlikely to keep him beyond the end of this campaign, and that Bielsa is a big fan of the 30-year-old. It’s added that Juventus could ask for a fee of around £9.5m.

Orta could sign another Raphinha

Just like one of the stars of Leeds’ season right now, Raphinha, the £195k-a-week-earning Costa is also a tricky winger with bags of tricks in his locker.

The veteran winger has an impressive career average of 2.5 dribbles per game, including a high of 3.4 per match in the league with Juventus back in the 2017/2018 campaign – to put that into context, Raphinha is currently averaging 1.7 per match in the Premier League this season, while his highest over a single league campaign is 2.2 with Stade Rennes last year.

And Manchester City boss Pep Guardiola has previously spoken highly about the Brazilian, having worked with him at Bayern Munich. He said: “(Douglas Costa) is very strong in one against one or one against two or even in one against three situations.”

That ability to take players on one-on-one, or even beat multiple players like Guardiola suggests, could add another dimension to Leeds’ attack and make opponents think twice about trying to double up on Raphinha.

The duo’s skill and directness would make both wide areas as potent as the other, and leave teams struggling to come up with a genuine game-plan.

They could put on an incredible show at Elland Road if given the chance to play together, and that promises to be a mouth-watering combination if a deal can be done.

Meanwhile, Leeds boss Marcelo Bielsa must unleash this ace…