All posts by n8rngtd.top

Wolves are yet to sign anyone in the summer transfer window and it seems as if Bruno Lage’s side are set to miss out on yet another target, with Swansea City midfielder Flynn Downes set to join West Ham United.

What’s the word?

Wolves and Crystal Palace have both been heavily linked with signing the 23-year-old midfielder in recent weeks but the Hammers have won the race, according to Sky Sports journalist Dharmesh Sheth.

He confirmed on Twitter that: “West Ham United close to finalising a deal for Swansea City midfielder Flynn Downes. Fee under discussion believed to be worth £12m. Told West Ham “increasingly confident” of completing move.”

Supporters will be gutted

Given the lack of action at Molineux so far this summer, fans would have been hoping to see Downes come through the door, but it seems as if Lage will have to turn towards other targets, with the new season less than a month away.

Downes is certainly a promising young midfielder and could have added some quality to Lage’s midfield, considering his impressive performances in the Championship last season.

The Englishman seamlessly made the step up from League One to the Championship, having signed from Ipswich last summer, and made 37 appearances in the second tier for Russell Martin’s side, contributing one goal and two assists.

Considering Swansea’s brave possession-based style of play, it is no surprise that WhoScored suggests that Downes’ main strength is passing, and his performances were clearly enough to catch the eye of plenty of Premier League sides this summer.

Swansea boss Martin was full of praise for the young midfielder last season, saying:

“Flynn was incredible, it’s difficult to single people out, but he does the dirty work perfectly well.

“He enables other people to do their roles brilliantly, he knows exactly what his role in the team is.”

Downes’ style of play could really have complemented Joao Moutinho and Ruben Neves in Wolves’ midfield next season, so supporters will be gutted to hear that they have missed out on him, as he closes in on a move to West Ham.

And, in other news… Imagine him & Ben Yedder: Lage must finalise huge Wolves swoop for “special” £30m gem

Newcastle United have initiated talks to sign Brazil international Raphinha, The Northern Echo’s Scott Wilson reports. 

The lowdown

Newcastle have finalised their third signing of the summer – Lille centre-back Sven Botman. He follows left-back Matt Targett and goalkeeper Nick Pope through the door at St James’ Park.

Manager Eddie Howe and director of football Dan Ashworth are now turning their attention to adding a right winger and a striker.

Raphinha is attracting a great deal of interest this summer, with Arsenal, Chelsea, Tottenham Hotspur and Barcelona all named as suitors.

The Gunners have already seen a bid rejected, but Leeds have indicated that they won’t stand in Raphinha’s way if their demands are met.

The latest

Wilson took to Twitter on Monday morning to share the ‘transfer latest’.

“NUFC hold an initial round of talks over Raphinha,” he wrote.

This comes after Bayer Leverkusen indicated to Newcastle that they intend hold onto Moussa Diaby this summer.

In the attached story, Wilson stresses that the Magpies won’t go ‘anywhere near’ Leeds’ reported £60million asking price, but they want to remain in the running. If the other interested parties drag their feet, they could pounce.

The verdict

Newcastle know how good Raphinha is – they have first-hand experience.

In September 2021, the Brazilian scored at St James’ Park, catching Newcastle out with a whipped effort that Sky Sports commentator Bill Leslie called ‘lovely’.

And beyond the 13th-minute goal, it was a strong performance, as he created three chances and pitched in out of possession with two tackles (via SofaScore).

It’s hard to see Raphinha choosing Newcastle over three sides who are in European competition, but if those clubs can’t reach an agreement with Leeds and move onto other targets, perhaps that will open the door.

Atletico Madrid are interested in signing Celtic right-back Josip Juranovic in the summer transfer window, according to Sky Sports journalist Lyall Thomas.

The Lowdown: Juranovic shines for Celtic

The Croatian has been an important figure for the Hoops since arriving from Legia Warsaw last summer, performing with consistency at right-back.

Juranovic started 23 games in the Premiership last season, helping Celtic to clinch title glory as he and Anthony Ralston shared the workload on the right-hand side of Ange Postecoglou’s defence.

However, a new transfer update suggests that the 25-year-old could be on the move this summer.

The Latest: Atletico linked with Juranovic

Taking to Twitter on Sunday, Thomas claimed that Atletico see Juranovic as a possible addition before the start of next season.

He revealed:

“Exclusive: #AtleticoMadrid are interested in signing #Celtic right-back Josip Juranovic. More on #SSN and online soon.”

The Verdict: Keep hold of him

Juranovic may not necessarily be Celtic’s most glamorous figure but he is one of those players who makes a team tick, bringing solidity and character to a defence which conceded a league-low 22 goals last term.

For that reason, losing him to Atletico this summer would be a big blow, just as Ange Postecoglou’s men are about to embark on an exciting Champions League group stage campaign.

Juranovic’s defensive nous would arguably be the biggest loss – he averaged 1.4 tackles and 1.5 clearances per game in the league last season, ranking in the top three of regular first-teamers for the former – but three goals and one assist are also proof of the attacking quality that he can offer.

The hope is that he stays put in Glasgow for many years to come, ignoring Atletico’s advances in the process.

Journalist Fabrizio Romano has shared some crucial information regarding Manchester United’s pursuit of Barcelona midfielder Frenkie de Jong in an interview with GiveMeSport.

The lowdown

The Red Devils’ new manager Erik ten Hag has made a deal for the 25-year-old his top priority, according to The Athletic.

De Jong was part of Ten Hag’s Ajax side which came within a whisker of reaching the 2019 Champions League final, having beaten Real Madrid and Juventus in the knockout stage. That team also won the Eredivisie, with the Netherlands international subsequently earning a move to Barcelona.

United believe that Barcelona’s ‘cashflow issues’ will make the sale of the Dutchman a necessity, but the Spanish giants are still holding out for a fee of around €80m, which equates to roughly £68.6m.

De Jong recently admitted that he was ‘flattered’ by links with the Premier League giants but insisted that he was content to continue playing for what he called ‘the biggest club in the world’.

The latest

While De Jong knows that Ten Hag is ‘pushing’ for his signing after holding ‘direct contact’ with his former boss, Romano says that the player is currently passive.

The journalist told GiveMeSport: “At the moment, the player has given no indication to anyone, he’s just waiting to see what happens with Manchester United and Barcelona.

“Frenkie knows that Ten Hag is pushing, and he had some direct contact with Erik ten Hag two weeks ago. So, he has no doubts on the interest from Manchester United, he knows about it, but he hasn’t decided on anything, he’s waiting on the clubs to decide.”

[web_stories_embed url=”https://www.footballtransfertavern.com/web-stories/latest-man-utd-news-3/” title=”Latest Man Utd news!” poster=”” width=”360″ height=”600″ align=”none”]

The verdict

De Jong would be a blockbuster signing to begin the Ten Hag era at Manchester United.

Just look at the 25-year-old’s list of individual accomplishments: Eredivisie Player of the Season in 2019, UEFA Champions League Midfielder of the Season for the same year and inclusion in the 2019 FIFPro Men’s World 11.

De Jong, who is similar in profile to the likes of Ilkay Gundogan, Bernardo Silva and Jordan Henderson according to FBRef, is privately said to be open to making the move to Manchester.

Therefore, if United can prevail in their ‘game of poker’ with Barcelona, then the rest of the deal may prove more straightforward.

In other news, Romano has also revealed United discussions over this defender

Football Scotland deputy editor Mark Hendry has provided an update on the Celtic pursuit of Lanus left-back Alexandro Bernabei. 

The lowdown: Celtic interested in Bernabei

Initially linked in a report from Football Scotland, speculation continues to surround the move as Ange Postecoglou attempts to strengthen the Hoops’ squad.

Having seemingly been on the brink of landing the 21-year-old from the outset, the deal is yet to materialise, and there has been concern following a rejected opening offer.

However, the reporter of the original links who broke the story has now acted to allay some of the worries as Celtic look to kickstart their summer business…

The latest: Ongoing talks

Taking to Twitter, Hendry confirmed that discussions are ongoing between the two clubs and a potential deal is still on the table to be completed.

The deal is now dependent on the Hoops hierarchy stumping up a figure that Lanus are happy with.

He said: “Things are now with the hierarchy to get a deal done. Celtic had an offer rejected but both clubs still willing to work on it.”

The verdict: Get it done

Finding additional left-back cover to supplement Greg Taylor continues to be a key area of recruitment strategy for the Bhoys, and in Bernabei, the club appear to have earmarked a top talent who fits the Postecoglou style of play.

To date, the Argentina under-23 international – who has reportedly already applied for EU citizenship with a view to a move to Europe – has made 84 senior appearances for Lanus, scoring four goals and supplying 10 assists during that time.

Predominantly operating as a natural left-back, Bernabei can also play in more advanced positions and was recently heralded as a ‘very complete winger’ and a ‘beast’ by Argentine reporter Ezequiel Liniado due to his versatility and a desire to work the entire left-hand side of the pitch.

Valued at £2.97m and under contract in Argentina until 2023 (Transfermarkt), the discrepancies over the transfer fee should be ironed out. Celtic must not dig their heels in and instead do all that they can to ensure that they can add the talented youngster to the Lennoxtown ranks this summer.

In other news… a Sky Sports reporter has delivered a huge update on Postecoglou’s Celtic future

Aston Villa have been linked with a move for Liverpool midfielder Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain recently and if he were to join Steven Gerrard’s side this summer he could prove to be his own version of Jude Bellingham.

According to Football Insider, Villa have turned their attentions towards signing the former Arsenal man ahead of next season, with the 28-year-old reportedly available for a cut-price of just £10m, as he seeks regular first-team football away from Anfield.

Since joining the Reds in a £35m deal in 2017, he has gone on to make 133 appearances for Jurgen Klopp’s side, in which he has contributed 17 goals and 15 assists.

The strength of the German’s midfield meant opportunities were hard to come by for Oxlade-Chamberlain last season and it is perhaps no surprise that he is seeking a move away, and Villa could be the ones to benefit.

Although Villa fans might not take too kindly to a potential signing being compared to Bellingham, given that he started his career at fierce rivals Birmingham City, there seems little doubt that he will become one of the best midfielders in world football.

At 18, he is already a fully-fledged England international and a regular for Borussia Dortmund in the Bundesliga and the Champions League, with his performances in the German top-flight last season earning him an impressive 7.12 average rating from WhoScored.

FB Ref suggests that Oxlade-Chamberlain and Bellingham have very similar styles of play, with both excelling at progressive carries and dribbling, which suggests that the Liverpool man could add some real dynamism and counter-attacking threat to Gerrard’s side next season.

WhoScored also suggests that Oxlade-Chamberlain and Bellingham like to dribble, so it seems clear that both midfielders like to carry the ball and use their athleticism to go past opposition defenders.

Therefore, while the “fantastic” £16.2 million rated Liverpool man in the words of Gerrard, might have ten years on Bellingham, he could perform a similar role to the teenager in Gerrard’s squad next season for a much cheaper fee, so Villa should definitely consider bringing him in.

And, in other news… Gerrard already has his dream Watkins heir at AVFC in “bullish” rarely-seen 20 y/o

Bruno Lage has already confirmed there will be changes made for Wolverhampton Wanderers this summer, and with the transfer window fast approaching a reliable source has given an update on what lies ahead.

What’s the latest?

Wolves reporter for The Athletic Tim Spiers, has given an insight on what supporters of the club can expect from the summer transfer window.

Writing in an article for The Athletic based on Lage’s impact and vision for the squad, Spiers confirmed that the publication had been told that Wolves want a younger and fresher squad for 2022-23, something Lage instigated in his time at Benfica.

He cited the success of Joao Felix as potentially one of the reasons behind Lage’s new desire.

Supporters will be delighted

The Midlands club currently have the fourth oldest squad in the Premier League with an average age of 28.2 this season, so supporters will be delighted that there are steps being put into place to freshen up and add young players to the side this summer.

Wolves ended their campaign in disappointment after being in and around the European qualification spots in the league table for almost the entirety of the season, but the side failed to pick up a single win in their last seven fixtures of the season, leaving them five points off West Ham United in seventh and finishing tenth in the table.

In fact, despite their comfortable season in the top half of the table for the most part, Wolves had the lowest scoring top goal-scorer of all the clubs in the entire Premier League, with Raul Jiminez netting six goals in total.

As a result, Wolves have some work to do this summer to identify players who can come and make an instant impact when the season starts again in a few months’ time, and Lage has wasted no time in speaking out on his transfer window plans.

Lage admitted on the last day of the season (via Sky Sports): “Maybe we need two or three players to increase the quality and the number of players in the squad.

“It’s hard to replace Pedro [Neto], Max [Kilman], and in this moment we don’t know if [Romain] Saiss continues with us or not. He is still talking with the club. First, we need to bring two or three to increase, then if others go we need to replace them with the same quality.”

Saiss has indeed left the club now so that is certainly one gap that needs filling.

It’s clear that the manager has strong opinions and his mind set on what Wolves need to achieve this summer to compete at the level they want to by securing European football, but Fosun must now facilitate his vision by backing the manager in the transfer window if they want to see improvements next season.

That starts by handing a young squad who can help carve out a brighter future at Molineux.

AND in other news: Lage must brutally axe “poor” £20m Wolves flop who’s “gone backwards”, his time’s up

Tottenham Hotspur correspondent and reliable reporter Alasdair Gold has now shared a potentially big transfer boost for manager Antonio Conte.

The Lowdown: Conte summer in full swing…

Having already confirmed the signing of Ivan Perisic from Inter Milan on a Bosman deal, it appears Conte’s first summer window at Spurs is well and truly underway.

[web_stories_embed url=”https://www.footballtransfertavern.com/web-stories/tottenham-latest-developments-2/” title=”Tottenham latest developments!” poster=”” width=”360″ height=”600″ align=”none”]

After the Italian’s crunch transfer summit with club director Fabio Paratici in Turin last week, the Lilywhites are showing absolutely no sign of stopping there (The Telegraph).

The Premier League giants are said to be casting their eye towards Alessandro Bastoni (Inter Milan) and Gabriel Jesus (Man City) among other targets.

Another name in right-wing-back starlet Djed Spence is repeatedly being linked at the moment and Gold now has a very promising update concerning the defender.

The Latest: Gold shares very promising update…

According to the football.london journalist, Spence is now ‘definitely’ tempted by a move to Spurs.

He explained:

“The latest on Spurs and Djed Spence as I understand it. The young wing-back is definitely tempted by a move to work with Antonio Conte but Tottenham have some decent competition for his signature.”

The Verdict: Big boost for Conte…

Able to help solve a ‘looming problem’ at Spurs in their homegrown quota, Spence’s potential signing would come as a boost for the north Londoners in so many ways.

His age and quality are obvious pulls given his phenomenal season in the Championship and just how crucial he was under manager Steve Cooper.

The Middlesbrough loanee was a fixture in Forest’s promotion campaign, starting 41 second tier matches and featuring over the sixth-highest amount of minutes in Cooper’s squad.

As well as this, forward Keinan Davis was the only Forest regular to complete more successful take-ons than the 21-year-old over the past season (WhoScored).

Spence also delivered the second-most crosses per 90 on the road to promotion, leaving little wonder members of the media have branded him an ‘exciting player’ (Marc Williams, Basford United head of media).

In other news: Tottenham now hopeful of signing ‘technically brilliant’ star amid internal talks! Find out more here.

Fabrizio Romano has dropped an update on the future of Tottenham Hotspur manager Antonio Conte.

What’s the latest?

In a recent post on Twitter, the Italian journalist revealed that, following Conte’s meeting with Fabio Paratici this week, it has now been confirmed that the 52-year-old will remain as Spurs’ manager heading into the 2022/23 campaign.

[snack-amp-story url= “https://www.footballfancast.com/web-stories/tottenham-hotspur-latest-news-updates-transfer-rumours-gossip-spurs-thfc-conte-paratici” title= “Read the latest Spurs news, transfer rumours and more!”]

In his tweet, the transfer insider said: “Spurs sources have been confident for days and it’s now decided: Antonio Conte will be Tottenham manager for the next season.”

Supporters will be buzzing

With Conte having inspired a quite remarkable turnaround at Spurs following his appointment as Nuno Espirito Santo’s successor in the Tottenham dugout last November, Romano’s update revealing that the Italian will remain in charge of the club in 2022/23 will undoubtedly have left Lilywhites supporters buzzing.

After taking over a team sitting ninth in the Premier League at the time of his arrival, Conte’s Spurs secured 17 wins and five draws over his 28 league games at the helm, picking up an impressive 56 points on his watch and securing a top-four finish on the final day of the season.

Furthermore, since the turn of the year, Tottenham’s return of 41 points from 21 games played sees them rank as the third-best team in the top flight, behind only Liverpool (51) and Manchester City (43).

As such, with a summer transfer window and a full pre-season for the 52-year-old manager to prepare this summer, it would very much appear as if this form could improve even further heading into the upcoming campaign, with the news that Conte is happy to remain in north London for at least a further year certainly being fantastic for everyone involved with the club.

AND in other news: Conte now plotting Spurs bid for “perfect” £60m target, he’s Jorginho 2.0

Everton are plotting a move for Burnley centre-back James Tarkowski as Frank Lampard looks to strengthen his defence ahead of next season.

What’s the word?

According to 90min, Everton and Leicester City have joined the chase for the Burnley defender following their Premier League relegation.

The 29-year-old is out of contract this summer and will surely remain in the top flight following the events of Sunday which confirmed Burnley’s exit after seven years.

Everton could face a mighty battle to secure his signature, with the events that happened this season, the Englishman may fancy a side that has a greater chance of European football.

Tarkowski can be an upgrade on Michael Keane

Everton conceded 66 goals in the league this season, the fifth-worst total and this is something both Farhad Moshiri and Lampard urgently needs to address if they don’t want a repeat of this season’s relegation battle next year.

By signing Tarkowski, they could get an immediate upgrade on fellow Englishman Keane. The Burnley defender has made and won more tackles (71 and 42) compared to Keane (49 and 35), whilst also applying more pressures (261 to 228).

With almost double the numbers of blocks (92 to 51) and more interceptions (72 to 62) it’s clear to see why the 29-year-old would be a better option than Keane.

Keane has a WhoScored average rating of 6.72 and wins on average, three aerials per match. Tarkowski on the other hand is ranked first in the Burnley squad on the average rating (6.97) and wins a mammoth 4.4 aerials per match.

The stats prove that on a free transfer, Tarkowski would represent a wonderful piece of business, especially with Everton’s defensive woes this season.

He has been described as a “rock” by Alex James in the past and if he does want a move to Goodison, he could well ask for a pay rise on his current £70k-per-week deal he has at the moment.

AND in other news, Lampard plotting Everton bid for £158k-p/w dynamo, he’d be a “joy to watch”