Tag Futebol

Aston Villa are interested in a deal to bring Nicolas Jackson to Villa Park in the January transfer window.

What’s the talk?

That’s according to a report by The Express, who claim that Unai Emery is targeting the signing of a new wide forward this winter, with one of the players on the 51-year-old manager’s shortlist believed to be his former Villarreal CF starlet.

However, the report goes on to state that the Spaniard is not alone in his interest in the right-winger, with a number of unnamed Premier League clubs also believed to be keeping a close eye on the situation on the 21-year-old – who is reported to have a release clause worth £27m written into his contract at the Estadio de la Cerámica.

Emery’s own Neymar

While it is true that Jackson does not boast a wealth of experience at senior level, having made a total of 47 appearances in the professional game, considering just how exciting a prospect the youngster very much appears to be, it is not difficult to understand why Emery would be keen on a deal to bring the flanker to Villa Park this winter.

Indeed, despite his tender age, the £13m-rated talent has already established himself as a regular part of the Villarreal starting XI this season, scoring two goals, registering two assists and creating four big chances over his 13 LaLiga outings, as well as taking an average of 1.2 shots, making 0.6 key passes and completing 0.5 dribbles per game.

These returns have seen the £12k-per-week sensation – who has been dubbed the ‘Senegalese Neymar’ – average a very respectable Sofascore match rating of 6.74, currently ranking him as El Submarino Amarillo’s 14th-best performer in the top flight of Spanish football – a rather remarkable feat for his first full campaign.

A further sign of Jackson’s potential was his inclusion in Aliou Cisse’s 26-man Senegal squad for the Qatar World Cup this winter, with the 21-year-old going on to make one appearance in the tournament – a 17-minute cameo in a 2-0 defeat to the Netherlands – which represented the winger’s international debut for the Lions of Teranga.

Emery is also evidently a huge admirer of the youngster, with the 51-year-old stating of Jackson during his time in charge at the Estadio de la Cerámica: “Nicolas Jackson is doing a very good job with the B team. He is a player with an interesting style of play. We will see how we can help him and what he can bring to us. He can play in different attacking positions.”

Furthermore, Senegal U20 coach Youssouph Dabo – the man who first called Jackson up to the international stage – also took the time to praise the winger’s style of play, stating: “He is a good profile with technical qualities who also tends to put on a show.”

As such, should Emery go on to seal a £27m move for the Villarreal wonderkid this winter, not only would the Spaniard look to have landed an extremely exciting prospect for the Premier League side, but he could also have discovered his very own Neymar-esque talent at Villa Park – something that is sure to be an incredibly tantalising prospect for supporters.

Wolves are reportedly keen on signing Middlesbrough right-back Isaiah Jones in January and the right-back’s potential arrival at Molineux could see Julen Lopetegui get rid of Nelson Semedo.

According to TEAMtalk, Wolves, Southampton, Crystal Palace and Leicester City are all keeping tabs on the versatile youngster, who is continuing to impress with his performances in the Championship.

So far this season, the 23-year-old has contributed an eye-catching three goals and three assists in 20 appearances in the second tier, which has helped him to a solid 6.85 rating from WhoScored.

Only Ruben Neves is ranked higher in Wolves’ squad for the current campaign, which emphasises how good Jones has been this season and the quality that he could add to Lopetegui’s squad.

The Middlesbrough man, who was dubbed “very talented” by former manager Chris Wilder, certainly caught the eye of Wayne Rooney after he starred in a win over Derby County last year.

He said: “He’s a very good player. The lad has a bright future ahead of him and it was because of Jones that we felt we had to set up differently.”

If we compare Jones to Semedo, who is the main right-back option at Molineux, it is clear that the Englishman would be a superior choice given their respective form.

The Portuguese full-back, who has been a “liability” from a defensive point of view on a number of occasions since his £36.8m switch from Barcelona in 2020, has averaged a shocking 6.31 rating from WhoScored so far this season.

His frailties at the back were emphasised in the recent defeat against Brighton, when he first lost Kaoru Mitoma for the Seagulls’ equaliser, before hauling down the Japanese winger to receive a red card.

Jones seems to have the edge on Semedo from both an attacking and a defensive point of view, as he has averaged more shots, key passes, dribbles and interceptions than the former Barcelona man.

Therefore, should Wolves complete a move for Jones, it would surely see Lopetegui ditch Semedo after his shocking performances of late, which can only be a good thing for the Old Gold’s hopes of avoiding relegation.

It has been with us for a while now and for the vast majority of football fans in the English Premier League, it shows no signs of actually improving, improving the game and not simply being another way for incompetent referees to unfairly influence a game in favour of the media big boys.

Yes, we are talking about the Video Assistant Referee technology, although the use of the word technology is meant in the loosest sense. We have seen how well VAR can work in European leagues previously, but for some reason when it comes to the Premier League and the Champions League it seems like an endless kerfuffle of mistakes, contradictions and absolutely infuriating moments that simply serve to further diminish the raw passion and emotion of our beautiful game.

The latest controversy came in the midweek Champions League clash between Tottenham Hotspur and Sporting Lisbon. Spurs manager Antonio Conte saw red and was sent off after England striker Harry Kane saw his stoppage time potential winner ruled out for an offside, which in turn delays their qualification through to the last 16 but you will get good a sportingbet sign up offer on not letting this result effect their chances.

Ranting to the media following the full time whistle, the 53-year-old Italian was simply perplexed as to how such an obvious mistake could be made, as in his mind, such mistakes should be impossible under VAR itself.

“What happened in the last game was incredible. You score, you are already qualified for the next round, you are celebrating and then you have to stay for five minutes to look at the situation with VAR and you take the decision and you don’t know if it’s right or wrong. For me it’s impossible to make a wrong decision with VAR and also to take four, five or six minutes to make it. To stay there five or six minutes already means you have confusion in your mind. It’s incredible.”

Conte was so incensed his proper post game press conference lasted a single question.

“This is not football in this way also because you cut the emotion, the emotion of everybody and especially the players because you don’t know. You score a goal and you don’t know what happens later. Did someone commit a foul one minute before? Or discover a foul one minute before and then they go to disallow this? It happened but it only happened when they want it to happen. This is the difference. But when I stay at home and I see the image, I am watching another game and I see the image, the VAR, then for me it is easy to take the best decision.”

I think most will agree with what Conte was subtly trying to say.

Photo by Unsplash

Tottenham Hotspur’s recent defeat to Newcastle United saw talisman Harry Kane continue his fine start to the new season, with the England captain having now netted ten times in just 12 Premier League games thus far.

The ever-dependable marksman has repeatedly delivered the goods for the Lilywhites for almost a decade now, with his total club tally now standing at 259 goals and 61 assists in 402 games across all competitions.

Lauded as the “best centre-forward in the world” by Sky Sports pundit Paul Merson just a few months ago, the prolific 29-year-old – who also boasts a haul of 51 goals in just 75 games for his country – has enjoyed a remarkable rise over the years, having originally come to wider attention during the 2014/15 campaign under Mauricio Pochettino.

That breakthrough season – in which the £81m-rated ace scored 21 league goals – had come after a difficult few years out on loan in the Football League, with former teammate Scott Parker notably one of those who admitted their doubts at whether the Spurs academy graduate would make it at first-team level.

While something of a late bloomer, having not scored his first top-flight goal for the club until the age of 20, the London-born ace quickly took his opportunity when handed a chance in the senior ranks, somewhat proving that is never too late for an academy asset to make their mark.

The hope will be that young Harvey White can replicate his current colleague and force his way into Antonio Conte’s plans on a regular basis, with the 21-year-old having only featured on the bench under the Italian so far this term.

The playmaking midfielder has made just two senior appearances for Tottenham to date, with both of those having come in the 2020/21 campaign during Jose Mourinho’s time in charge, with the youngster featuring in the FA Cup against non-league Marine, as well as in the Europa League against Ludogorets.

The diminutive ace – who spent time on loan at Portsmouth during the second half of that season – had seemingly caught the eye of that man Mourinho, with the former Chelsea and Manchester United boss notably dubbing him a “talented kid” as a sign of his quality.

Conte, too, has seemingly been impressed by what he’s seen of the promising starlet, with the Italian having namechecked the 5-foot-6 ace as a player who is “improving a lot” at the end of last season, while also naming the former England youth international in the matchday squad for Sunday’s loss to the Magpies.

Although it remains to be seen if the Maidstone-born sensation – who has just under two years left to run on his existing deal in N17 – can force his way into the side in the coming weeks and months, the example of Kane should showcase the potential benefits to the club of promoting from within.

Manchester City are currently not ‘panicking’ about Pep Guardiola’s future at the club, according to EPSN journalist Rob Dawson in the last 48 hours.

The Lowdown: Guardiola’s uncertainty

The Spaniard’s contract with the Premier League giants is set to expire at the end of the season, but he is yet to put pen to paper on fresh terms which would see him extend his stay.

Asked back in August whether or not he thought this could be his last year in charge, the 51-year-old avoided answering the question, leaving his future at the Etihad up in the air.

The Latest: Dawson’s update

According to Dawson, writing for ESPN, City aren’t worried about Guardiola’s next steps, though are aware that uncertainty is expected should he not commit soon. He claimed:

“No one at Manchester City is panicking about Pep Guardiola’s future as manager of the Premier League champions, but there’s an acceptance that it won’t be long before the questions start again.”

The Verdict: New deal earned

Guardiola more than deserves a new deal as a reward for his City success, and the hierarchy should act fast to tie him down before another club tries to prise him away.

The boss has won an outstanding 267 and drawn 41 of his 361 games in charge with the Sky Blues, losing just 53 ties across six years (Transfermarkt).

Pep has guided his team to multiple trophies, winning the Premier League and League Cup titles four times respectively, and the achievements would no doubt continue coming should he carry on his reign in Manchester.

Everton boss Frank Lampard is currently feeling the love at Goodison Park having seemingly lifted the doom and gloom surrounding the club since his arrival in January, helping to steer the Merseysiders away from safety last term after a dismal run of form under predecessor Rafa Benitez had sparked fears of relegation.

The former England international appears to have struck up a bond with Toffees supporters during his time at the helm, although it remains to be seen just how long that goodwill will last, with just one win from the opening seven Premier League games of the season.

While there have been encouraging displays thus far – notably in the goalless draw with bitter rivals Liverpool – the jury is still out on whether the 44-year-old has what it takes to make what is a hugely historic club competitive again.

There are lingering doubts over his quality as a manager, having failed to secure promotion with Derby County back in 2019 off the back of hefty investment, while he was unable to deliver the goods during his second season in charge at Chelsea, despite spending over £200m in the transfer market.

As such, there will still be concerns as to whether Lampard is the right fit in the long-term for the Merseyside outfit, with the club potentially having made a mistake in not doing more to land a certain Graham Potter following Benitez’s departure.

Reports at the time suggested that the former Brighton and Hove Albion boss was on the shortlist of potential replacements for the Spaniard at Goodison, having impressed fans and pundits alike for the work he had done during his time at the Amex.

Something of a “genius” – in the words of broadcaster Joe Thomlinson – the 47-year-old caught the eye during his time with the Seagulls due to his progressive and attractive style of play, with Manchester City boss Pep Guardiola having lauded his counterpart last term due to the south coast side’s “courage” and ability to play “like a top four or five team.”

Brighton notably secured a remarkable ninth-place finish under Potter’s watch last term, with arguably the high point of that impressive campaign having come at the tail end of the season as they hit Manchester United for four on home soil.

That form continued into the new campaign with the former Swansea City boss having guided the club to fourth place with 13 points from their opening six league games, once again overseeing a deserved victory over the Red Devils on the opening weekend at Old Trafford.

Even prior to his time in England, the coaching visionary had earned plaudits for the job he had done for Swedish outfit Ostersunds, guiding the club from the fourth tier to eventual Europa League participants, notably masterminding a shock, second-leg triumph over Arsenal at the Emirates Stadium in that competition back in 2018.

Such managerial brilliance has not gone unnoticed with the Englishman having only recently replaced Thomas Tuchel in the dugout at Chelsea, with that step up to an elite team a welcome reward for the work he has done in recent years.

It would appear that Everton have now missed the boat after being unable to land Potter during the winter, with it set to be a notable blow that they were unable to secure his services ahead of Lampard.

Everton have reportedly made contact with the representatives of Trevoh Chalobah over a potential summer move.

The Lowdown: Out of favour

After the arrivals of Kalidou Koulibaly from Napoli and Marc Cucurella from Brighton and Hove Albion respectively, it seems as if Chalobah has fallen out of favour at Chelsea.

The central defender has been an unused substitute in all three of their games in the Premier League so far this season, and so his future at Stamford Bridge now seems uncertain.

The Latest: Everton contact

Co-writing in his latest piece for 90min, transfer expert Graeme Bailey has revealed that the Goodison Park outfit, as well as fellow Premier League rivals Leeds United, Nottingham Forest and Southampton, have all contacted Chalobah’s representatives ahead of a possible move.

He is also attracting interest from both Inter Milan and AS Roma in Serie A, who want to take him on loan, as he is unlikely to leave Chelsea on a permanent deal.

The Verdict: Not a priority

After already bringing in James Tarkowski and Conor Coady from Burnley and Wolves respectively, signing another centre-back should not be a priority for the Merseyside club.

[web_stories_embed url=”https://www.footballtransfertavern.com/web-stories/everton-news-7/” title=”Everton news!” poster=”” width=”360″ height=”600″ align=”none”]

Hailed as ‘unbelievable’ by legendary Premier League defender Rio Ferdinand after an impressive performance in the UEFA Super Cup last season, there is no doubt that Chalobah has quality, having made 30 senior appearances in total for the Blues.

However, with Dominic Calvert-Lewin out injured, the Toffees should really be looking for a striker instead to fill the void that he has left before conducting any other business.

Nottingham Forest have joined the race to sign talented Lyon midfielder Houssem Aouar this summer, according to a fresh transfer rumour.

The Lowdown: Aouar on the move?

The 24-year-old has been seen as a highly-rated prospect for some time now, flirting with moves to big clubs but ultimately staying put with Lyon.

Aouar has scored 29 goals and registered 23 assists in 162 appearances for the Ligue 1 giants, proving to be a creative spark and being described as ‘incredible’ by none other than Pep Guardiola.

The Frenchman’s current Lyon deal expires at the end of next season, however, and it could be that they cash in on one of their most prized assets this summer.

The Latest: Forest emerge as potential suitors

According to Foot Mercato [via Sport Witness], Aouar is ‘close to leaving’ Lyon, with Forest and Leicester City battling for his signature.

It is claimed that the Foxes ‘would like to double’ the offer made by Real Betis but the Reds are also monitoring the situation, seeing the midfielder as a strong summer signing.

The report states that Forest could submit an offer soon.

The Verdict: Hugely exciting option

Aouar’s reputation has been big for a number of years now and the thought of Forest buying would have been nothing more than a pipe dream during their time in the Championship.

Snapping him up this summer would, therefore, be an enormous coup and the France international has the ability to be a talismanic figure at the City Ground, raising the level of those around him.

Aouar scored six goals and chipped in with four assists in the league last season, as well as averaging 1.3 tackles per game, showing that he can shine both on and off the ball – something Steve Cooper demands from his players.

Liverpool’s status as one of the biggest clubs in world football can make it difficult for every player to get the appreciation that they deserve. The Anfield outfit have been full of world class stars for the majority of their history. 

Nowadays, under Jurgen Klopp, pretty much the entire starting 11 qualifies as world class – the current Liverpool side is the best version of the Reds that the Premier League has ever seen.

But this article intends to shine a light on Liverpool players, past and present, who somehow went underrated. Take a look below at Liverpool’s 10 most underrated players of the Premier League era. 

10) Danny Murphy

Danny Murphy never quite got the credit he deserved at Liverpool. An underrated member of the side, Murphy scored winning goals in three seasons out of four against Manchester United at Old Trafford and even broke into the England squad during his time at Anfield. Perhaps inevitably though, he was always overshadowed by a certain Steven Gerrard. 

9) Lucas Leiva

Lucas Leiva was always going to be a part of this list. The Brazilian is the pure definition of underrated. In a difficult era at Liverpool, Leiva made 346 appearances at the base of Liverpool’s midfield, winning the League Cup during his time at the club.

8) Fabio Aurelio

When the name Fabio Aurelio springs to mind, the first thing we think of is his free-kick at Old Trafford, as Liverpool smashed Manchester United 4-1. But the full-back was unfortunate enough to have featured for Liverpool before the era of appreciating those in his position, and was often overlooked for his contributions.