All posts by z3u9t.icu

Flocking to Twitter, many Manchester City fans have gone wild over news involving young star Phil Foden after his mightily impressive 2020/2021 campaign. 

The 21-year-old enjoyed his most stellar season to date under manager Pep Guardiola and was lauded by the Spaniard as a ‘dynamic’ and a player who ‘never hides’ (mancity.com).

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This came after Foden played a pivotal role in helping City get past German giants Borussia Dortmund in the Champions League quarter-finals last year – scoring the winning goal in both the home and away legs.

He also netted nine goals and five assists in the Premier League last season and was subsequently rewarded for his fine form with an England call-up for Euro 2020.

Now, as the 2021 Men’s Ballon d’Or nominees become officially announced, news has now dropped that Foden makes the cut among the best players in world football.

Kevin De Bruyne, Ruben Dias, Riyad Mahrez and Raheem Sterling have also been named on the 30-man shortlist (mancity.com).

Flocking to this news, it’s safe to say many Sky Blues are absolutely overjoyed for their star academy product.

Find all of their best reactions down below, as one fan called it ‘huge’ news.

Man City fans go wild for Foden news…

“YUHHHH BEST YOUNGSTER ITW”

Credit: @nxomimcfc

“He deserve winning the whole thing”

Credit: @FodenCTID

“That’s massive”

Credit: @Jake_Nicklin

“Huge”

Credit: @jnr_koena_

“This is genuinely insane, and what’s even more insane is that I think we can all agree we saw this coming”

Credit: @zukmcfc

“Yessssssssss Phil”

Credit: @brianmcfc2

“Actually crazy so deserved though”

Credit: @robbie_4

In other news: ‘Manchester City ready to sign’…Journalist shares exciting transfer development out of Eastlands, find out more here.

Leeds United could still make a move for Derby County midfielder Jason Knight in the January transfer window, according to journalist Pete O’Rourke.

The Lowdown: Knight impressing at Derby

The Rams may be experiencing a torrid time off the pitch at the moment, with the future of the club even in doubt, but Knight has been a rare positive this season.

The 20-year-old has become a key figure at Pride Park, scoring two goals and setting up another two in 20 Championship appearances, not to mention captaining the team on a handful of occasions.

Leeds have been linked with a move for the Republic of Ireland international as they eye up midfield reinforcements this month.

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The Latest: Journalist talks up Leeds move for Knight

O’Rourke believes that this motted transfer could potentially happen, telling GiveMeSport that Knight could be a player who flourishes under Marcelo Bielsa at Leeds.

The journalist claimed: “He’s one that maybe could fit the bill for Leeds. If they get him now, they could then mould him into the type of player that Bielsa wants.”

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The Verdict: Strong long-term addition

Knight may not be the big-name midfield signing that Leeds are seeking in the final week of the transfer window, but he would be a long-term addition who can already add quality to the squad.

Derby manager and England’s all-time record goalscorer Wayne Rooney has even compared the youngster to himself as a player, which speaks volumes, and the fact that he is already captain of a Championship team at 20 says a lot about his maturity. Indeed, the Rams boss quipped of the youngster: “His attitude in training and his performances have been first-class.”

Knight is someone who could initially come in and make up for the loss of Kalvin Phillips to injury, perhaps becoming an eventual replacement for the England midfielder further down the line.

In other news, Phil Hay has confirmed a serious injury for one Leeds player. Find out who it is here.

Tottenham Hotspur’s chances of signing Lautaro Martinez have been dealt a significant blow this week…

What’s the word?

Earlier this month, The Times reported that Spurs had agreed a £60m fee to sign the Inter Milan striker, who would be signed to partner – rather than replace – Harry Kane up front.

Over the weekend, the same outlet claimed that talks between the two parties were ‘progressing’ well with less than two weeks to go in the transfer window.

However, in a new twist, it seems that the 23-year-old talisman will remain at the San Siro for the foreseeable future after his agent dropped a fresh claim to FCInterNews.

“Lautaro wants to stay at Inter. He believes in the Nerazzurri project and aims to win another Scudetto,” he said. “A meeting with Inter is scheduled for Wednesday. We will do everything possible to stay in the Nerazzurri. Martinez is very well in Milan, he has an excellent relationship with his teammates and with the new coach.”

Gutting blow

After the Serie A champions sold Romelu Lukaku to Chelsea, this revelation should hardly come as a surprise, though it still deals Spurs sporting director Fabio Paratici a major blow.

Martinez is under contract until 2023, so the Italian giants are under no pressure to sell anytime soon.

He would’ve surely been regarded as quite the coup for Tottenham.

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As per Transfermarkt, the 28-cap Argentina international delivered 19 goals and 11 assists during their title-winning campaign, averaging a direct contribution every 108 minutes, which is ten minutes more than the record of Kane throughout his entire career in north London – that’s impressive.

Furthermore, Paratici could’ve sealed him for just £60m, which seems an absolute steal considering that he’s valued at £72m by Transfermarkt. Lukaku earned Inter around €115m (£98m) and he was just as prolific as his former teammate last term, scoring 30 times in all competitions.

Martinez’s international teammate Lionel Messi, who recently swapped Barcelona for Paris Saint-Germain, is a huge admirer of his.

“Lautaro is an impressive forward, especially because I think he is a very complete striker,” he told Spanish outlet Mundo Deportivo. “He’s spectacular. He has impressive qualities. You could tell he was going to be a great player, and he is showing that. He’s very strong, really good one on one, scores a lot of goals, and in the area he fights with anyone, holds it up, he can turn, scrap to win it all on his own.”

At 5 foot 9 in stature, the young goal machine would’ve been the perfect foil for Kane in the attack, and considering his age, he could’ve taken the full mettle and pressure when the Englishman does eventually move on.

This stunning development will surely leave Paratici and co absolutely gutted. They’ll have to look elsewhere if they are to secure Nuno Santo that second striker he’s desperately craving.

AND in other news, Imagine him and Romero: Spurs can form scary duo by signing £55m “extraordinary talent”…

The summer transfer window might have closed for English clubs, but there’s still a handful of European sides who are able to conduct some business over the next few days.

What’s the story?

One of the leagues still able to buy and sell is the Turkish Super Lig, and recent reports claimed that Fenerbahce were interested in securing the services of Liverpool striker Divock Origi.

The Belgium international has been linked with a move away from Anfield in recent months, but PA Media sports reporter Carl Markham has revealed that the 26-year-old is set to stay put on Merseyside for now.

He tweeted: “Contrary to reports in Turkey @LFC have had no approaches – from anyone – for Divock Origi”.

Jurgen Klopp will be gutted

Although losing Origi without being able to bring in a replacement would have left Reds manager Jurgen Klopp short of options in the final third of the pitch, he may still be gutted that a sale could not be secured.

The 19-time English champions were working with a limited budget over the summer and were only able to bring former RB Leipzig centre-back Ibrahima Konate as a result.

Several fringe players such as Xherdan Shaqiri, Harry Wilson and Marko Grujic departed Liverpool, duly raising substantial funds for the club, but director of football Michael Edwards was either unable or unwilling to bring in further reinforcements with the money those sales generated.

However, selling the £10.8m-rated Origi may have topped up the club’s coffers enough for Klopp to secure his top targets in January, while Diogo Jota and Takumi Minamino provided cover and competition for the famed front three.

Instead, Origi faces another few months warming the Liverpool bench as the club’s hierarchy watch his market value plummet even further, a situation that both parties would surely rather have avoided. A return of one goal in all competitions last season illustrated just how much his stock has fallen since his glorious 2019.

It remains to be seen whether the former Lille hitman eventually departs over the remaining months of 2021, but Klopp will certainly be looking for a solution to the Belgian’s prolonged Anfield struggle.

In other news… Edwards can redeem himself at Liverpool with January move for “devastating” maestro 

Crystal Palace must move for Everton midfielder Tom Davies as new manager Patrick Vieira aims to complete the overhaul of his engine room at Selhurst Park.

What’s the story?

According to Football Insider, the Eagles are monitoring the 23-year-old’s situation at Goodison Park ahead of a potential offer.

The report states that: “A Palace source has told Football Insider that Davies is on their radar going into next year and his situation at Everton will be monitored.

“Intriguingly, Davies is out of contract in the summer of 2023 and there has been no progress in talks over an extension.”

Patrick Vieira needs him

Palace replaced several ageing campaigners with fresh faces over the summer following Roy Hodgson’s departure, including two central midfielders.

Conor Gallagher arrived at Selhurst Park on a season-long loan from Chelsea and has already made a huge impression in south London, while Will Hughes is yet to make an appearance following his switch from Watford.

Despite the acquisition of the duo, Vieira may still feel the need to freshen up his options in the centre of the pitch, given the profiles of his alternative choices.

Club captain Luka Milivojevic is 30 years old, James McArthur is 33 and Cheikhou Kouyate is 31, combine those ages with the fact that Gallagher may not return for a second spell next season and it’s easy to understand why Davies is needed.

The former England Under-21 international would bring energy, youthful legs, and a tenacity to the midfield that has been lacing in south London in previous years.

Under former Everton boss Carlo Ancelotti, Davies played a bit-part role during 2020/21 but did put in several standout displays, catching the eye of the Italian tactician against Manchester United.

“I think, first of all, Tom is a really professional player, really focused on what he is doing,” Ancelotti said. “He has a strong sense of belonging to this club, and this is also really important.

“The only thing I said to him is to simplify his work and his style of play. He plays in a position where tactically you have to be really focused. Watching the game against United, I think tactically; he was perfect.”

However, the youngster appears to have slipped down the pecking order under Ancelotti’s successor Rafael Benitez. Davies has only featured in 17 minutes of Premier League action in Everton’s opening six fixtures the current campaign, throwing his future at the club into doubt.

Therefore, chairman Steve Parish must swoop for Davies, providing Vieira with a long-term solution to his engine room conundrum.

And, in other news…Palace can repeat Olise masterclass by signing 26y/o beast, he’s got a “great future” 

Newcastle United correspondent Chris Waugh has revealed that Allan Saint-Maximin was ‘desperate’ for Joe Willock to return to Newcastle. 

The lowdown

Willock has now sealed his permanent switch from Arsenal and will be available for the trip to Aston Villa next weekend (via nufc.co.uk).

The 21-year-old has inked a six-year contract and joins for a fee in excess of £20million (via BBC Sport).

During his loan spell last season, he was instrumental in the Magpies’ late surge up the table. He scored in their final seven matches as they climbed from the brink of the relegation zone to 12th place.

The latest

Waugh reports that a number of Newcastle players had kept in contact with Willock, and that Saint Maximin was ‘especially’ keen for him to extend his stay at St James’ Park.

The Frenchman’s public plea – he said Willock ‘can be really great for the team and me’ – was interpreted as ‘a clear indication’ that he’d be more inclined to stay if he was playing alongside the former Arsenal man. Intriguingly, Waugh says he wasn’t alone in that sentiment.

The dressing room has been left ‘relieved and enthused’ by the news, though there is still a feeling that further signings are needed.

The verdict

Willock and Saint-Maximin may have an excellent relationship, but it’s probably less about personnel than it is ambition. A player of the Frenchman’s quality needs to feel like he’s battling for more than just pure survival.

Turning the loan into a permanent signing will be regarded as the bare minimum for Newcastle in this year’s market, but it should help them steer clear of any relegation bother.

Get a couple more quality additions through the door in the remaining weeks of the window, albeit on loan, and an assault on the top half may not be out of the question.

For now though, the news that Saint-Maximin may be more inclined to stay thanks to Willock’s arrival is surely the cherry on top of the excitement around the signing.

In other news, could this be Newcastle’s next signing?

Tottenham Hotspur have been handed a potential boost in their bid to bring Isco to the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium.

What’s the talk?

That’s according to a report by Spanish publication Marca, who claim that Carlo Ancelotti has informed the Real Madrid attacking midfielder that he will be sold in the January transfer window, should an acceptable offer be lodged.

This could see Tottenham reignite their interest in the 29-year-old, with it being reported last summer that the Premier League side were monitoring the situation of the Spain international ahead of a potential swoop.

Indeed, a further report by The Sunday Mirror (via The Spurs Web) suggested that Spurs were willing to offer Madrid £14m in order to sign the forward earlier this year, as well as being prepared to offer Isco a three-year deal in north London.

Bye-bye Dele

While it is true that Isco has not enjoyed his finest form at Real Madrid in recent campaigns, the 29-year-old has nevertheless demonstrated in previous seasons that, when he is given the opportunity to do so, he can be one of the most influential players in what is one of the biggest clubs in the world.

Indeed, over his 30 LaLiga appearances back in 2016/17, the £13.5m-rated man scored a highly impressive ten goals, registered eight assists and created six big chances for his teammates, as well as taking an average of 1.1 shots and making 1.3 key passes per game.

These returns saw the player who Andres Iniesta dubbed a “fantastic player with an incredible talent” earn a seasonal SofaScore match rating of 7.17, ranking him as Los Blancos’ ninth-best player in the top flight of Spanish football that season.

And, although his metrics have not been quite as impressive over his seven league outings so far this term, the £211k-per-week midfielder has far from been in disastrous form, scoring one goal, creating one big chance for his teammates and averaging a SofaScore match rating of 6.97.

Furthermore, with it being widely reported that Antonio Conte is more than happy for Dele Alli to move onto pastures new in the upcoming winter window, a move for Isco would not only help to improve the Italian’s current options in attacking midfield, it would also very much appear to be the final nail in the coffin for the 25-year-old former England international in the capital.

In other news: Conte can finally axe Spurs’ £25m-rated “joke” by signing “devastating” £69k-p/w beast

Everton could take midfielder Fabian Ruiz from Napoli, according to Gonfia La Rete (via Sport Witness).

The lowdown

The Spaniard is valued at a hefty £49.5m by Transfermarkt but significantly his contract is due to expire at the end of next season.

If Napoli can’t tie him down in the next couple of months, they may view the summer transfer window as their last opportunity to cash in, knowing that Ruiz could negotiate pre-contract terms with foreign clubs come January 2023.

The 26-year-old has split his minutes so far this season between central midfield (20 games) and defensive midfield roles (12).

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The latest

The report from Gonfia La Rete (via Sport Witness) rates Napoli’s prospects of agreeing a contract extension with Ruiz.

They claimed that things could get ‘difficult’ for the Serie A title-chasers if Everton make an offer to ‘cover the Spaniard in gold’.

Newcastle United are also said to be interested and could present a counterproposal.

The verdict

Newcastle are one of the wealthiest clubs in the world, so Everton may not be able to compete with the kind of financial package that the Tynesiders can offer.

If the Toffees can win the race, though, they would be picking up a long-range specialist. Remarkably, all six of Ruiz’s Serie A goals this season have come from outside the penalty area – that’s as many as Everton have scored as a team.

One of those goals was a 94th-minute winner away to Lazio in February, which sports journalist Josh Bunting labelled ‘stunning’.

Ruiz has a penchant for the spectacular, although journalist Zach Lowy believes that his performances have also been ‘absolutely incredible’ in general.

This could be an early recruitment triumph for Everton director of football Kevin Thelwell if he pulls it off.

In other news, Ian Wright heaps praise on one Everton ace

An update has emerged on Rangers transfer target John Souttar with the Gers suffering a blow in their bid to bring him to Ibrox next year.

What’s the talk?

According to the Daily Record, the Hearts centre-back wants a move to England in the January transfer window, with the likes of Blackburn, Stoke and QPR, among others, keen on his services.

The report claims the Gers and Celtic are both keen on the defender and are set to be let down by his decision to go south of the border.

Big blow

This news comes as a big blow to Rangers as it suggests that they will be unable to land the defender in the next transfer window.

He is out of contract at the end of the season and that means the English sides will be able to pin him down to a pre-contract agreement in the winter, whereas the Gers would need to wait until his deal officially expires next summer.

It will also leave fans gutted as they will have been excited at the prospect of him arriving at Ibrox. He has been in sensational form in the Scottish Premiership and could have been a major addition to the side, but now appears set for the Championship in England.

Former Hearts boss Craig Levein once heaped praise on the defender, saying: “I’ve known him since he was 12 years old and he’s just got better and better. When he came here from Dundee Utd, we just needed to give him time. He’s grown into the player that I hoped he would be and for me he’s the best centre back in Scotland.

“Just for the fact that he can do wonderful things. His passing of the ball Saturday was fantastic, but he is also now capable physically of competing with any centre forward. His pace is very, very good and he’s strong, focused and aggressive.”

Souttar has averaged a SofaScore rating of 7.39 in the Premiership for Hearts. Connor Goldson and Leon Balogun, meanwhile, have averaged scores of 7.05 each, which suggests that the Jam Tarts beast could be an upgrade on what the club currently have.

The 25-year-old has made 2.7 tackles and interceptions, along with 3.8 clearances, per game. He has also won an impressive 69% of his duels on the pitch throughout the campaign to date, with all of these statistics highlighting the defensive quality he could have brought with him to Glasgow. This is why fans will be gutted to read this update and why it is a big blow to the club ahead of the upcoming window.

AND in other news, 129 appearances: Rangers secured dream deal with £0 gem who “embodies professionalism”…

Crystal Palace could be handed a major boost ahead of this afternoon’s FA Cup semi-final against Chelsea with the return of both Michael Olise and Tyrick Mitchell.

What’s the story?

Speaking to the media ahead of Palace’s trip to Wembley, manager Patrick Vieira confirmed that both were in training.

“We had Tyrick [Mitchell] and Michael [Olise] who had some training on the field, individually yesterday, a little more today,” revealed the Frenchman.

“Then we have to wait tomorrow to see if there’s any kind of reaction. They will only get involved in the game if they are 100% fit.”

There hasn’t been a further update on how the pair reacted to training and where their fitness levels are at, however, the prospect of having two key players available for the Eagles’ biggest game of the season will delight supporters.

Huge boost

Both Mitchell and Olise have seriously impressed in red and blue this season, particularly the former who was handed his first senior England caps at the back end of last month.

According to SofaScore, the left-back has averaged a match rating of 6.89/10 in the Premier League whilst keeping nine clean sheets in 31 matches.

Moreover, the 22-year-old has been excellent defensively, averaging 1.2 interceptions, three tackles, and 2.5 clearances per game whilst completing over half of his attempted dribbles.

However, the Englishman was withdrawn after just half an hour in last weekend’s 2-1 defeat at Leicester.

As for Olise, the young Frenchman has also impressed in his first top-flight campaign in England after joining from Championship side Reading last summer for £8m.

The winger, who hasn’t featured since the international break, has netted four goals for the South London outfit this term, two of which coming in Palace’s FA Cup run to Wembley, whilst registering eight assists.

It’s been in the FA Cup where the 20-year-old has really shone, with standout performances against Millwall and Hartlepool United particularly memorable.

Olise’s creativity has made a major difference to Vieira’s side, with the youngster contributing five assists in the Premier League whilst also creating seven big chances and averaging 0.8 key passes a game in the top-flight.

Whether either player will be fit to start is yet to be seen, however, their return to training will certainly be a major boost as Palace look to reach their second FA Cup final in seven years and that should leave the French head coach absolutely delighted heading into kick-off this afternoon.

AND in other news: Vieira dealt setback as early Chelsea team news emerges, it’s a huge blow for Palace