All posts by z3u9t.icu

Bruno Lage has only been in charge of Wolverhampton Wanderers for a matter of hours but he’s already begun work on his first signing at Molineux.

With a number of players potentially heading for the exit door, he’s had to move swiftly in order to identify replacements.

What’s the word?

Taking to Twitter in the aftermath of Lage’s arrival, renowned reporter Fabrizio Romano confirmed that Wolves were in talks to sign Jose Sa.

The Old Gold are in danger of losing Rui Patricio to Roma and are trying to land the Olympiacos goalkeeper as his replacement.

Sa is rated at just £6.7m by Transfermarkt so could be a bargain for Wolves in the transfer market.

Lage may be forced to spend smaller fees in the window this summer due to a lack of finances at Molineux.

Capable replacement

This move would tick all of the boxes if you’re Fosun and Jeff Shi.

Sa is Portuguese, a client of Jorge Mendes and is one of the most underrated goalkeepers in Europe.

The 28-year-old initially caught the eye of Wolves all the way back in 2019 after a string of impressive performances in the Champions League.

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Olympiacos lost 2-0 to Bayern Munich but it would have been a lot worse if it wasn’t for Sa who produced a mind-boggling nine saves. It was a performance that earned congratulations from a certain Manuel Neuer, who was quick to applaud his opposite number.

Sa is still playing in the Greek league and his numbers this term are actually more impressive than Patricio’s.

The Wolves ‘keeper had a clean sheet ratio of just 27% this term which was streets behind his potential replacement who kept 51.7% in the league.

His displays caught the eye in Europe again, producing a save success rate of 77.4% in the group stages of the Champions League.

Once more, this statistic usurps Patricio who saved 68.6% of his shots in the English top-flight.

Standing at a colossal height of 6 foot 4, Sa also has a bigger reach than the 33-year-old Wolves stalwart.

Portugal’s number 1 stands an inch shorter which could make all the difference when saving shots heading for the corner or when coming out to claim crosses and set plays.

With Wolves lacking financial muscle this summer, getting the Olympiacos star would be a smart piece of business.

AND in other news, Better than Vitinha: Wolves must sign £13.5m-rated gem who was nicknamed Maradona…

Rangers ensured that they would finish the league season unbeaten and achieve over 100 points for the first time in their history as they won 4-0 at Ibrox on the final day, with Steven Gerrard’s side providing a superb end to a monumental season.

One man who may have played his final game for the Gers during the drubbing of Aberdeen on Saturday was Jermain Defoe, as the veteran striker’s contract is currently set to expire at the end of May.

If the former Tottenham Hotspur man is to leave Ibrox this summer, then he will be glad to have finished his time there in typical fashion, as he came off the bench to score Rangers’ fourth goal of the game with a consummate finish.

The 38-year-old was found by fellow substitute Greg Stewart – another who is likely to leave this summer – and after some calm touches, he calmly slotted the ball past Joe Lewis, emphasising the immense quality that he still possesses.

As per SofaScore, Defoe would earn an impressive 7.4/10 rating for his performance, with only Allan McGregor (8/10) and Kemar Roofe (8.3/10) rated higher of the Rangers players who featured in the game, despite the veteran forward only being on the pitch for just 28 minutes.

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The Athletic journalist Jordan Campbell, who covers Rangers and Scottish football, was full of praise for Defoe on Twitter, saying:

“Jermain Defoe with another exquisite finish. Similar to last week, that feint to change the angle and get the defender to lean is just a killer move. Unreal how sharp he still is in those situations.”

Defoe also completed two dribbles, one key pass and won two duels during his brief time on the pitch, which highlights that doesn’t just contribute inside the box and can be a creative threat as well as a goalscoring one.

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Although recent reports suggest that a new Rangers contract could be on the cards, as things stand, he will leave Ibrox at the end of this month, but at least if he does leave, he was able to sign off with another goal and another excellent cameo performance.

And, in other news… Gerrard handed huge boost with “frightening” £1.8m-rated beast, Wilson must deliver

Whoever the new manager at Celtic is, they will face a huge rebuilding job in order to take the Hoops back to their former glories.

They will, however, potentially have to do that without players like Odsonne Edouard.

The Frenchman is one of a number of individuals at Parkhead touted with the exit door.

On the chalkboard

Another face who will definitely be heading for the departure lounge is Scott Brown.

The 35-year-old’s time at Paradise is coming to an end this summer as the midfield veteran winds down his career in Glasgow and heads to Aberdeen.

Brown will become a player coach under Steven Glass at Pittodrie but will leave behind a considerable void in the middle of the park.

The Celtic skipper’s performances were mediocre this term but one area of his game that remained unquestionable was his leadership.

Even if now feels like the perfect time for him to depart, the Hoops will miss his tough tackling nature and his commitment to the cause.

The replacement

The natural successor in the middle of the park feels like Ismaila Soro.

The Ivorian has struggled for game time since penning terms in January 2020 but like Brown, his tenacious attitude is infectious.

There are few better tacklers in the entire Celtic squad with Soro registering as many as ten successful challenges in one game against Lille last year.

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Liam Shaw could also arrive and fill the spot in midfield but there are other unorthodox options that the incoming Hoops boss has to consider.

One of them needs to be Kristoffer Ajer. The Norwegian could leave for the Premier League this summer but if he stays, he should be well suited to stepping up into midfield.

Ajer came through the ranks as a defensive midfielder and although he’s now been moved into the backline, he could become a genuine star playing further forward. After all, it’s a position he’s played in on 19 occasions throughout his career to date.

The 23-year-old is a marauding figure from centre-half, ploughing forward with an unrelenting amount of energy. He can beat players for fun and push them over in a devastating fashion.

In the words of ACSOM presenter Paul John Dykes, Ajer is a “man mountain” at the back for Celtic but it feels like he’s more than equipped to play further forward.

A commanding figure, his defensive attributes would still be important but it would give Ajer more of a platform to rampage forward and carry the ball; two attributes that define his play style.

The 6 foot 6 pillar would also be allowed to do so knowing he has cover behind him, something that evidently isn’t the case when he plays at centre-back.

With a pass success rate of 87.5%, he’d also be able to keep things ticking over safely. If there’s one area that never fails to let him down, it’s his ball-playing capabilities.

The Norway international might not be as tough in the tackle as Brown but his tall figure would do enough to scare plenty of opponents. He’d be a perfect fit for the midfield.

AND in other news, Celtic must sign “outstanding” 21-goal animal, he terrorised Scott Brown this season…

Whilst Rangers were able to celebrate a superb 4-1 win in the Old Firm derby at Ibrox on Sunday, it was not all good news for Steven Gerrard’s side, after influential left-back Borna Barisic was forced off through injury.

The Croatian international went down in agony after playing a pass and was taken off the pitch in some pain, which suggests that unfortunately, he could miss the final two games of the season as the Light Blues look to finish the league campaign unbeaten.

Following the game, Gerrard had this to say about the former Osijek man:

“I don’t know, it’s a quad issue, there’s certainly some tightness there.

“He seems a little uncomfortable at the moment so we’ll scan that in the coming days. We’ve got 10 days until the next game, hopefully that helps.”

As Gerrard suggests, Rangers’ next game isn’t until Wednesday 12th May when they face Livingston at the Almondvale Stadium, although given the non-contact nature of Barisic’s injury and how much pain he seemed to be in, it would be a surprise to see him feature again this season.

The 28-year-old left-back, who joined for £2.2m in 2018, has been one of Gerrard’s star performers in the Premiership this season, contributing one goal and five assists in 30 league appearances, resulting in a superb 7.35 average rating.

This is enough to rank him as the fifth-best performer in Rangers’ side so far this season, which emphasises just how important he is for the Light Blues and it is undoubtedly a huge blow that he seemingly won’t be available for the final two fixtures.

It is awful timing for Gerrard too, as second-choice left-back Calvin Bassey is also missing the final two games of the season due to suspension, which leaves the 40-year-old manager painfully thin in that position, which was clear to see on Sunday when Joe Aribo moved there after Barisic was forced off.

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Former Hoops defender Mark Wilson was full of praise for Barisic last season, saying:

Plenty of Crystal Palace fans waxed lyrical over the club’s Under-18 side following their 7-1 win over West Brom on Saturday morning.

The Eagles, who also thumped the Baggies 7-1 in the reverse fixture back in March, named a strong line-up for the vital clash. Forward David Omilabu and midfielder Jesurun Rak-Sakyi, both of whom have signed professional deals this season, started for Palace and both netted in a rampant victory.

Palace went behind early on but two goals from Omilabu along with strikes from Rak-Sakyi, Victor Akinwale, Maliq Cadogan, John-Kymani Gordon and Ademola Ola-Adebomi, ensured a big win.

The Eagles sit top of the Premier League Under-18 South table after completing all 24 fixtures and now have to wait on Fulham’s clash with Chelsea next week to see if they will end up in first place. The Cottagers need to defeat their west London rivals in their final game of the campaign to win the league.

Palace fans react

The club shared the full-time score on their official Twitter page just hours before Roy Hodgson’s first team defeated Sheffield United 2-0 at Bramall Lane.

Here is what these Eagles supporters had to say in reply, with one describing the win as ‘unreal’.

“On another level this team! Incredible performance.”Credit: @ClintonDavey”All #ChelseaU18 fans next Sat aren’t we?! Buzzing for our young lads, what a performance!”Credit: @Rich789″Unreal”Credit: @FiachraFurlong”Get in lads! Unreal amount of talent there, everyone put in a shift! Future is very bright”Credit: @kade_bladeSE25″Excellent result and performance. Let’s hope a few of this talented team will progress to become regular starters in our 1st team for years to come.”Credit: @Bacoletplayer”So so good”Credit: @PrideOfSouthLDN

In other news: Many Palace fans fume at update on reported managerial target, find out more here.  

Manchester United have made a move for Crystal Palace recruitment specialist Jamahl Jarrett.

The Daily Mail shared the news on Friday, which led to numerous Eagles fans sharing their thoughts on the off-field development on social media.

According to the report, the Red Devils are set to bring in Jarrett, currently assistant head of academy recruitment at Selhurst Park, to be their lead southern scout.

Jarrett has been with Palace for 10 years, six of which have been in a full-time position.

But it now seems as if he will end his association at Selhurst Pak by making a move to the Old Trafford outfit.

The 32-year-old is highly thought of and was the co-founder of South London club Lambeth Tigers in 2010, where he has since helped more than 250 youngsters go on to join high-level youth set-ups around the country.

Palace fans react

@cpfc_xtra shared the Daily Mail’s report on Twitter on Friday. This is what some Palace supporters had to say in reply to the proposed move, with one describing it as ‘hilarious’.

“Bit late for April Fools….”

Credit: @_YTCP_

“I’m not surprised he wants to leave, Roy hasn’t used any of the youngsters regularly (AWB excepted and injuries forced that on him). Our promising lads just move on as soon as they can.”

Credit: @Cpfc1905Dh

“We have a recruitment specialist?!!!! Hilarious.”

Credit: @audreysprayer

“Didn’t even know we had a recruitment specialist”

Credit: @CPFC_GH

“So basically he’s gonna be getting all the best players from South London and taking them to United?”

Credit: @joelcpfc_

“why would players move across the country at such a young age for a worse academy?”

Credit: @ElGaeito

In other news: Many CPFC fans buzz at club’s summer plans, find out more here. 

Fans of Glasgow Rangers have been reacting to a post on Twitter, which relayed the comments of Alan Rough, who called for an extension to Glen Kamara’s ban.

Following the news that both Ondrej Kudela and Kamara have been handed bans by UEFA for their part in the incidents in the Gers’ Europa League clash against Slavia Prague – with Kamara’s three-game suspension coming as the midfielder was found to have assaulted Kudela after the match – Rough recently gave his opinion on the matter when speaking on the PLZ Soccer YouTube show.

However, rather surprisingly, the former Scotland goalkeeper actually called for Kamara’s ban to be extended from three to six games, as he didn’t believe the midfield’s current suspension “sends the right message.”

In fairness to the former Partick Thistle mainstay, he did also say he believes Kudela should get an even longer ban too, clearly feeling that UEFA have not stamped any authority on the incident.

That said, after one Rangers fan shared the comments of Rough on Twitter, fans of the club flocked to have their say on the matter, with many appearing, quite frankly, furious at the pundit’s remarks.

So, what exactly did these Rangers fans have to say in reaction to Alan Rough’s comments?

“He’s a nobody.”

@billyfaefife

“That’s disgraceful.”

@CraigSim

“What a disgrace.”

@iainmacrae

“Spoken like someone who is completely out of touch with modern society and football.”

@SandyG1410

“‘I don’t know maybe 6 or something’ – top quality punditry on PLZSoccer, maybe try and think before you speak? Absolutely disgraceful.”

@RangersRabble

“What the actual hell?”

@doolsy21

“What did I just hear? Absolute dinosaur. Shouldn’t be given a platform to speak on.”

@Sharpy1872

In other news: Gerrard set to pull plug as rivals near £300,000 move, claims Gers source – find out more here!

Gary Mabbutt has exclusively told Football FanCast that Dane Scarlett is good enough to compete in Tottenham’s first-team next season.

Scarlett, who doesn’t turn 17 until later this month, burst on the scene following a number of outstanding performances for Spurs’ youth sides, which have caught the attention of Jose Mourinho.

The teenager striker’s 22 goals in 18 matches led to him being called into the senior squad by Mourinho, where he made his Tottenham debut in the Europa League against Ludogorets back in November.

Following more excellent form for the U18s, including five goals in a single FA Youth Cup match against Newport, Scarlett was handed further senior appearances, one of which was his Premier League debut against West Brom last month.

Scarlett was an unused substitute at Aston Villa on Sunday, and with Carlos Vinicius’ loan spell expiring this summer, Mabbutt says that the youngster has the potential to make the step up into the first-team.

The former Tottenham captain told Football FanCast:

“We have a lot of excellent youngsters out on loan – Oliver Skipp is doing well.

“We have a lot that have the ability to step up to the first-team, and Dane is exactly the same. He has got the potential and seems to be taking it all in his stride.

“If he’s comparing himself to Harry Kane, who did find it difficult to break through and went out on loan on a number of occasions, Dane will be a player that will be learning from that. If he continues to improve and continues to have the attitude that he has at the moment, he could be an amazing player for the future.

“Will he be there to challenge Kane next season? Of course, he will be one of those wanting to.”

Scarlett’s played just 17 minutes for Tottenham’s first-team, so it’s almost impossible to judge him. But even in that short amount of time playing with the seniors, he’s almost scored, assisted Vinicius against Wolfsberger, and despite his age, would appear one for the Spurs faithful to get excited over.

Newcastle medics fear that the after-effects of Covid-19 have hampered Federico Fernandez’s recovery from injury.

That’s according to The Athletic’s Chris Waugh, who offered an update on the Argentine on Tuesday afternoon.

Fernandez was a regular for Newcastle during the first half of the season, his only absence down to a positive coronavirus test back in December.

He then strained his thigh muscle, keeping him out from the middle of January until the beginning of March.

Fernandez setback gives Bruce headache

The 32-year-old returned to the bench for the goalless draw at West Bromwich Albion and remained among the substitutes for the Aston Villa and Brighton matches.

But there was no sign of him in the matchday squad last Sunday as Newcastle faced Spurs. He’s clearly struggling to build-up to full match fitness.

His return can’t come soon enough for the Magpies. Steve Bruce was forced to select Emil Krafth and Paul Dummett, two full-backs by trade, either side of Jamaal Lascelles in a back three at the weekend.

Krafth in particular found it a real struggle – Lee Ryder rated his performance a mere four out of ten, with Waugh commenting on The Athletic that Fernandez has been “huge miss”.

Transfer Tavern verdict

If Newcastle feel they can’t rely on Fernandez, it raises real doubts about his future. His contract is up in the summer, and at 32 a renewal seems unlikely if these problems persist.

It’s clear that we don’t yet fully understand the toll the pandemic is taking on certain players, and fans will be hoping the former Swansea man is back at full fitness as soon as possible.

In other news, Noel Whelan made this claim about a possible Steve Bruce replacement.

Mohamed Elyounoussi has endured a torrid run of form with Celtic recently, which suggests that he won’t be capable of making an impact at Southampton next season, so manager Ralph Hasenhuttl should consider axing him in the summer.

The Norwegian joined the Scottish Premiership side on loan for the second successive season during the summer but after a promising start, the 26-year-old’s form has dropped significantly and he now finds himself on the fringes of the first-team squad.

The winger has 13 goals in all competitions for the Bhoys this season but has now failed to score in any of his last 10 appearances, having found himself relegated to the bench for six of those following a 2-1 home defeat against St Mirren, before being restored to the starting line up for the 0-0 draw with Dundee United at the weekend – a result which saw Rangers secure the title.

Therefore, it is difficult to see the 26-year-old returning to Southampton and forcing his way into Hasenhuttl’s plans, as since signing for the South Coast club from FC Basel in 2018, he has managed no goals and no assists in 19 appearances.

Although his confidence might have been boosted earlier in the season when he was scoring goals fairly regularly, this latest run of form suggests that his goalscoring fortunes are unlikely to turn around anytime soon.

Considering Hasenhuttl has the likes of Moussa Djenepo, Nathan Redmond and Stuart Armstrong available as wingers in his squad, as well as Nathan Tella coming through, it is difficult to see where Elyonoussi would fit in.

Unfortunately for Southampton, his contract there is set to expire in 2023, so they should look to cash in on him rather than keeping him on their books for another two seasons.

The Austrian manager wasn’t really backed to make signings in the winter transfer window, perhaps as a result of the financial impact of the current viral outbreak, and therefore, if he wants to rebuild his squad this summer, then he may need to axe some of the deadwood in his squad.

Elyounoussi is valued at £10.8 million by Tranfsermarkt so holds some decent value, and therefore, it wouldn’t be a surprise if he is one of the first players out of the door during the off-season, as unfortunately, he has been a flop for Southampton in his time with the club.

And, in other news… Southampton signing £36m-rated beast would be shades of Graziano Pelle