All posts by z3u9t.icu

Before even hitting the halfway point of the month, Aston Villa have been very busy with their transfer activities with a loan deal in place for Philippe Coutinho, negotiations underway for the potential signing of Everton’s Lucas Digne, as well as moving Wesley onto another loan deal and saying goodbye to Axel Tuanzebe.

One other thing the Midlands club have done this month is recall young right-back, Kaine Kesler-Hayden, from his loan spell with Swindon Town after joining on loan back in August in his first loan spell away from Villa.

Described as having “serious talent” by Swindon journalist Jonny Leighfield, Kesler-Hayden made a total of 21 appearances for the League Two club in which he managed to score one goal and provide two assists in the process.

Prior to joining Swindon, the 19-year-old had racked up 43 appearances across Villa’s U18 and U23 sides, scoring six goals and providing two assists, as well as making one senior appearance in the first team in their 4-1 FA Cup defeat against Liverpool back in January last year.

Looking ahead to the immediate future and what it could hold for the £225k-rated defender, there’s an argument to be made that another loan deal, possibly to a side higher up the pyramid than Swindon would be a suitable next step for Kesler-Hayden.

However, his last appearance for the League Two side came during their 4-1 defeat against Manchester City in the FA Cup, where Kesler-Hayden, despite the result, managed to put in a solid performance against the reigning Premier League champions that earned him a match rating of 9/10 from Total Swindon.

They said that he “was brilliant in keeping [Gabriel] Jesus quiet and almost raised the roof as much as Swindon’s goal did with his tracking back tackle on Kevin De Bruyne in the 65th minute.”

This shows that despite his young age and lack of Premier League experience, he can still do a good job against tough opposition when given the chance.

If Steven Gerrard suggested that Kesler-Hayden joins the senior squad at Villa Park so that he could learn from some of the senior players around him and get any minutes under his belt that he can, this could be an exciting alternative for the youngster rather than going out on loan again.

Should that happen, then it’s something that could potentially save the club millions in potential future transfer fees this January and beyond.

In other news: Aston Villa “close” to signing “exceptional” £110k-p/w star, Gerrard would love him – opinion

Rangers had no issue getting past their opposition in their latest SPFL match on Saturday with a 3-0 win thanks to goals from Alfredo Morelos, Joe Aribo and an own goal from Ryan Sweeney.

Other than Morelos and Aribo, one Rangers player that featured in the win over Dundee at Ibrox that deserves a lot of credit for his performance today was left-back Borna Barisic.

With 90 minutes under his belt on this occasion, Barisic showed Rangers manager Giovanni van Bronckhorst just what a crucial figure he can be for the team in a defensive and attacking regard.

From a defensive point of view, Barisic managed to make one tackle, one interception and five tackles as well as winning all six of the duels he was involved in, showing just how vital he was in Rangers keeping a clean sheet on this occasion.

In an attacking sense, Barisic also managed to show off his talents by making two key passes, two accurate crosses and having one shot on target, showing how he ran the show for Rangers up and down the pitch today.

This overall display earned the defender an impressive overall match rating of 8.1/10, making him the joint-second highest rated Rangers player on the day according to SofaScore.

FootballScotland also picked up on the full-back’s solid display by saying that he “provided a good outlet on the left-flank and supported [Fashion] Sakala well.”

With Barisic being praised in the past by former Rangers midfielder Alex Rae for having “terrific quality,” the defender certainly had that quality on display this afternoon for everyone to see.

Looking at the season so far as a whole, with 18 appearances and two assists under his belt across all competitions, this shows just how important he is for Rangers and how significant he can be under van Bronckhorst going forward.

Additionally, with his performances in the nine league appearances he’s made this season earning Barisic an overall rating of 7.27/10, making him Rangers’ third-highest rated player according to WhoScored, this shows just how impressive he has been for them.

Moving forward, if Barisic can continue delivering performances like the one he produced this weekend, he could give Rangers a great chance of securing the league title once again by keeping the team sturdy at the back but dangerous going forward as well.

In other news: Big boost: Rangers receive fresh injury update which is sure to have fans buzzing – opinion

Manchester United are reportedly one of several Premier League clubs who have enquired about Atletico Madrid forward Joao Felix as the January transfer window fast approaches.

What’s the story?

According to Spanish outlet AS, the Red Devils are interested in securing the highly-rated 22-year-old’s services over the coming months, although there is set to be a four-way tussle for his signature.

The report states that fierce rivals Liverpool, Arsenal and Newcastle United are also keen to prise Felix away from the Wanda Metropolitano Stadium, with the Magpies currently offering the highest fee following their Saudi-backed takeover.

Joao Felix could be outstanding for Man Utd

Felix burst onto the scene during 2018/19 after rising through the ranks at Benfica, scoring 20 goals and providing a further 11 assists in just 43 appearances as he fired the Eagles to the Primeira Liga title.

His outstanding exploits for the capital club saw him claim the Golden Boy award at the end of the year, awarded to the most promising player under the age of 21, seeing off competition from Jadon Sancho and Kai Havertz.

It capped a magnificent year for the Portugal international, who also became the fifth most expensive player in history behind Neymar, Kylian Mbappe, Philippe Coutinho and Ousmane Dembele after sealing a €126 million (£113m) switch to Atleti in July 2019.

However, the youngster has struggled to replicate his best form since switching to Spain, replicating his goals and assists output from his Benfica days in over double the number of outings.

Despite his struggles, though, Felix has still shown flashes of his truly world-class potential, with manager Diego Simeone hailing a particularly eye-catching display as “complete”, while Liverpool boss Jurgen Klopp dubbed him “outstanding” ahead of a Champions League clash.

But there is no denying the fact that the £63m-rated gem has fallen down Simeone’s pecking order at Los Rojiblancos over the last 18 months.

During Atleti’s title-winning campaign last term, Felix started just 14 La Liga fixtures, and the return of Antoine Greizzman has seen his game time reduced even further this time around, opening the door to an imminent exit.

A fresh start at United under the tutelage of Ralf Rangnick could be the ideal scenario to get Felix’s career back on track then, and there’s no doubt he could flourish once more at Old Trafford due to the German tactician’s reputation with young stars.

And, in other news…Forget Greenwood: Man United beast who won 82% duels took his chance vs Young Boys

A number of Wolves supporters are delighted after Jonny was pictured in training as he continues to work his way back from a serious injury.

Bruno Lage’s side are currently in the middle of the final international break of the year, with the players off representing their respective countries.

Wolves lost 2-0 at Crystal Palace last weekend, bringing an end to a positive run of form, but the hope is that they get back on track when the players reconvene next week for the visit of West Ham to Molineux.

One player who continues to work hard on his injury recovery is Jonny, with the 27-year-old suffering cruciate ligament damage back in April.

On Thursday, Wolves’ official Twitter channel posted a photo of the Spanish defender doing fitness work outside on the training pitch, suggesting that his return is edging closer.

Wolves fans react to Jonny latest

These Wolves fans took to Twitter to show their appreciation for the 27-year-old as he nears a long-awaited return to action, with one supporter describing the pictorial update as “lovely”.

“Amazed and happy by this picture. Technology eh “

Credit: @flipflo36521997

“Another Don back on grass”

Credit: @SmithyWolves

“Lovely. Thing is with Jonny he can easily play right-back too so very good depth for right-back and left-back when he’s back”

Credit: @Alfiewwfc_

“Let’s go!”

Credit: @MrR1g4t

“This is the content we like to see”

Credit: @PortuWolves

“Yes, come on”

Credit: @JonMoss89615310

In other news, some Wolves fans have been gushing over this contract news. Read more here.

David Moyes has plenty of decisions to make as his West Ham side kickstart a busy festive period with the visit of Brighton and Hove Albion to the London Stadium this evening.

The Irons have lost back-to-back Premier League matches but have maintained their place in the top-four, for the time being, having been defeated by Wolverhampton Wanderers and defending champions Manchester City in the last two weeks.

It’s their third game in the space of a week and they’ll continue to come thick and fast, with Chelsea at the weekend, Dinamo Zagreb a week Thursday and another four games before Christmas day.

Therefore, the Scot must be considering rotation, especially as he has been dealing with injuries to one key area of the squad but what sort of lineup could we see in east London tonight?

Here’s what Football FanCast are predicting…

There could be four changes from the side that tasted defeat at the Etihad only a few days ago.

In goal, veteran shot-stopper Lukasz Fabianski is expected to maintain his place, with PSG loanee Alphonse Areola only utilised in the cup competitions, though his backline will look a little different.

Aaron Cresswell is a major doubt ahead of kick-off and it’s unlikely that he will be risked, given how many matches are upcoming. Instead, we could see Ben Johnson switch sides and Vladimir Coufal returning at right-back.

[snack-amp-story url = “https://www.footballfancast.com/web-stories/west-ham-news-transfer-updates-rumours-gossip-david-moyes-gsb-premier-league” title=”Read the latest West Ham news, transfer updates and much, much more!”]

The £18m-rated Czech international, dubbed a “machine” by skipper Mark Noble, has been usurped by the aforementioned academy gem ever since his injury, so this would be a good opportunity to stake a big claim.

Whilst, Craig Dawson may be rested in favour of Issa Diop, who partners fellow compatriot Kurt Zouma in the middle.

Moyes has a massive decision to make on Tomas Soucek amid his poor and inconsistent form struggles. He may well keep his place for now, alongside vice-captain Declan Rice.

Further up the pitch, we’re expecting to see Jarrod Bowen return to the starting XI, with Pablo Fornals occupying the other flank, whilst Said Benrahma could be axed for Manuel Lanzini after the Argentine’s goalscoring impact up in Manchester.

Michail Antonio has also struggled lately, scoring once in eight games, but as their only centre-forward – one that can flick the switch at any time – he should remain up top.

AND in other news, West Ham eye bargain £12m swoop after injury blow…

Things are looking increasingly on the up for Celtic under the leadership of Ange Postecoglou, with the Bhoys currently being on a run of five consecutive victories in all competitions.

However, should the Hoops boss wish to give his side the best possible chance of reclaiming their Premiership crown come the end of the season, it would appear wise for him to consider bringing in some fresh faces during the January transfer window.

Indeed, this is a belief which would appear to be shared by Postecoglou himself, with the manager recently revealing that he is already working on a number of deals ahead of the winter market.

Speaking about his January transfer plans, the 56-year-old said: “It’s no secret we still need to add to the squad. We were never going to do it in one transfer window, especially when you look at the significant exits we had.

“It was always going to be a two or three window process so we’re looking at January at the moment. We know the areas we need to bolster. It’s about getting more players that I believe can play the type of football we want to play. That’s what we’re trying to target. We will definitely be adding something to the squad.

“We’ve identified targets and begun discussions before we get to January so that we can conclude deals a lot quicker than we did in the previous window.”

Once such player Postecoglou is believed to have identified is Yokohama F Marinos centre-forward Daizen Maeda, with The Times reporting that Celtic already have a move lined up for the 24-year-old.

Considering how impressive the Japan international has been so far this season, it would indeed appear as if Maeda is a player for whom Michael Nicholson simply must secure a deal in January.

Indeed, over his 31 J-League appearances this term, the £990k-rated marksman has scored a whopping 17 goals, registered three assists and created three big chances for his teammates, as well as taking 2.4 shots and making 0.9 key passes per game.

These returns have seen the striker average a SofaScore match rating of 7.03, ranking him as Yokohama F Marinos’ 11th-best performer in the Japanese top flight.

As such, it seems clear to see that Maeda is a player who is more than capable of finding the back of the net on a regular basis. Also, with Celtic having parted ways with a prolific centre-forward in Odsonne Edouard, this summer, perhaps the 24-year-old can be the man to replace the Frenchman’s goals in the Celtic attack.

In other news: Ange reveals fresh injury update on “outstanding” £16k-p/w beast, fans will be worried

Sunderland and Elliot Embleton’s representatives have started talks over a new contract at the club for the midfielder, according to Sunderland Echo journalist Phil Smith.

The Lowdown: Emerging talent

The 22-year-old has become a key figure in the Black Cats’ squad this season after helping Blackpool earn promotion to the Championship last term with two goals and four assists in 21 appearances while on loan at Bloomfield Road.

This season, the midfielder has already contributed to five goals (two goals and three assists) in eight League One games as Lee Johnson’s men sit top of the table, but his contract is set to expire at the end of the current campaign.

The Latest: New contract

According to Smith, who was talking on a Q&A for the Sunderland Echo, Embleton’s contract situation is a priority for the club.

The journalist said: “Elliot Embleton is the obvious priority and Sunderland have already made moves to start that process. Krisjaan Speakman is understood to have started talks with his representatives and at the moment, there seems to be a will on all sides to get that done.

“It’s by far the most important contract to get sorted at this stage, both in terms of protecting a real asset and also in retaining a player who has quickly become central to Lee Johnson’s plans.”

The Verdict: Needs to be done

Embleton showcased his talents last season for Blackpool and has continued his fine form into the current campaign since moving to the Stadium of Light. The midfielder has completed 81% of his passes and, as highlighted above, been a regular source of goals in terms of scoring them or setting them up, quickly justifying why the Wearsiders wanted to bring him in.

The left winger has formed a good partnership with Alex Pritchard and Aiden McGeady in Johnson’s 4-2-3-1 formation and has been a strong factor as to why they sit top of the table early in the campaign. Hopefully club and player can quickly come to a satisfactory resolution in contract talks, thereby securing his future at Sunderland for another few years.

In other news, Sunderland have received a boost ahead of this weekend’s game with Portsmouth. Find out more here.

With Wolverhampton Wanderers deciding to cash in on long-term goalkeeper Rui Patricio this summer, Bruno Lage was forced to splash the cash on a new first-choice option between the sticks, eventually bringing Jose Sa to Molineux in a £7.2m deal.

And, Sa has looked impressive over his eight Premier League appearances so far for Wolves, keeping two clean sheets and making an average of three saves per game – with these returns seeing the ‘keeper average a SofaScore match rating of 6.96.

However, with the Portuguese shot-stopper being 28 years of age, and Wolves’ second choice option, John Ruddy, being 34, the position may require slightly long-term thinking in the coming seasons – a problem which Lage may already possess the solution to.

Having joined the club from Wolves’ West Midlands rivals Aston Villa on a free transfer in the summer of 2020, Matija Sarkic impressed during a loan spell at Shrewsbury Town last season, with the £90k-rated man keeping nine clean sheets and making an average of 2.3 saves per game over his 26 League One appearances.

These metrics saw the shot-stopper earn a seasonal SofaScore match rating of 6.80, ranking him as the Shrews’ joint 11th-best player in the third tier of English football – with his performances ultimately convincing Lee Bowyer that the 24-year-old was ready to make the step up to the Championship, with Birmingham taking the shot-stopper on loan for the 2021/22 campaign.

Sarkic has continued his impressive rise at St. Andrew’s, so far making 12 Championship appearances for the Blues, over which the youngster has already kept five clean sheets and has made an average of 2.4 saves per game.

These returns have seen the man who Kris Boyd dubbed an “excellent” goalkeeper average a SofaScore match rating of 6.79, with his early-season performances convincing Bowyer that the Wolves’ loanee deserved to take the number one jersey away from the much more experienced Neil Etheridge.

So, should the Montenegro international continue his fine form in the Championship, having already impressed in League One, the next logical step would be to Premier League football, something that perhaps moves the 24-year-old closer to his own prediction that he will one day become Wolves’ number one between the sticks.

And, with the potential of another season of impressive performances under his belt, Sarkic could well prove to give Lage a major selection headache upon his return to Molineux ahead of the club’s 2022/23 Premier League campaign.

In other news: Lage could be set for huge mistake on “powerful” 5 G/A gem, Wolves fans will be fuming

Writing for football.london, Alasdair Gold has made a behind-the-scenes Tottenham Hotspur claim involving Oliver Skipp and new boss Antonio Conte.

The Lowdown: Conte era in full swing…

Two matches into a brand new era at N17 under the serial-winning Italian, there is plenty of excitement around Tottenham as the former Chelsea boss gets his reign underway.

Tipped to bring a high-intensity brand of football to north London by Serie A experts who have followed him, alongside a ruthless training regimen (football.london), these next few months will be key as to which Spurs players will make it under Conte.

There’s already been plenty of speculation as to who could make way with a report from Spanish news outlet AS claiming Conte is personally plotting to sell the likes of Lucas Moura, Steven Bergwijn, Dele Alli and Giovani Lo Celso.

In terms of favourites, it appears another Tottenham player has managed to blow away the 52-year-old after he previously waxed lyrical over Harry Kane.

The Latest: Conte in awe of Skipp…

As per reliable reporter Gold, Lilywhites midfield starlet Skipp has ‘already caught’ the ex-Inter Milan manager’s eye with Conte taking a ‘big shine’ to him in particular.

It is also believed that Conte agrees with the feeling inside Spurs that he will go on to become a revelation and lay down his mark at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium over the next few seasons.

As well as this, Skipp is apparently seen as a ‘coach’s dream’ who ‘gives everything’ both in training and on matchdays.

The Verdict: Future star…

Nuno Espirito Santo and Jose Mourinho were both also admirers of the 21-year-old and we believe it is little wonder Conte has now joined the Skipp fan club.

Former Norwich City boss Daniel Farke heaped praise on the tenacious midfielder during his loan spell at Carrow Road last season, branding Skipp a ‘perfect lad’ and ‘brilliant loan signing’ (Pink Un).

His Championship stats over 2020/2021 highlight why Farke just couldn’t get enough of the player, with Skipp finishing the campaign as Norwich’s second-highest tackler per 90 on average (2.2, WhoScored).

The England Under-21 international also made the joint-third most interceptions under Farke in that time and his numbers have remained impressive since returning to Spurs.

Making the joint-third most challenges per 90 out of Tottenham’s squad this season in the Premier League, he has also found the most passes to his teammates out of any regular with more than two starts – completing an impressive 90.2% accuracy (WhoScored).

Conte has every right to be wowed by Skipp and it’s safe to say supporters could get excited about what the future may hold for him.

In other news: Spurs hold meeting with club chiefs in London as they enter pole position to sign ‘crazy’ star, find out more here.

Aston Villa journalist Luke Hatfield believes Dean Smith could struggle to find a place for Leon Bailey if he decides to stick with a back three this season.

Villa have used a back three in their last couple of league fixtures in order to accommodate two strikers, Ollie Watkins and new signing Danny Ings.

Such a tactic leaves little room for wingers like Bailey who like to play extremely high up the pitch, with Smith so far preferring more defensive options like full-backs Matt Targett and Matty Cash for those wide positions in the system.

Bailey, however, was given a chance in the recent 3-0 win over Everton when he came off the bench and did not disappoint after managing to grab a goal. For Hatfield, though, in this current set-up, things are not going to be straightforward for the 24-year-old.

“It’s not to say we won’t see Leon Bailey starting regularly,” the Express & Star reporter said to FFC. “I think we could well do because he signed for big money and he’s obviously a very talented player.

“But it’s interesting when you’re playing three at the back because it’s going to be hard to find a place for him. It’s a real task for Dean Smith.”

With Bailey set to be out of action for the next three weeks due to injury, it is not something Smith currently has to worry about. But later down the line, it will be interesting to see how the former Brentford boss does fit in all these attacking options.