Tag Futebol

Celtic could reportedly look to sign Banik Ostrava forward Ladislav Almasi if they fail to land Cho Gue-sung.

The Lowdown: Almasi profiled

Almasi is 23 years of age and is an out-and-out centre-forward who has won two senior caps for Slovakia. He stands at 6ft 4’ and has netted 52 goals during his club career to date – 21 of which have come for his current employers.

The striker was linked with a move to Parkhead in the summer, and it looks as if recruitment chief Mark Lawwell and manager Ange Postecoglou may still look at a move in 2023.

The Latest: Transfer update

The Daily Record relayed an update from Rudolf Ludvik, who has a following for covering Banik Ostrava stories on social media.

He claimed that the Hoops could look at Almasi if they miss out on signing Gue-Sung, with the Slovakian potentially costing €2.5m (£2.2m).

The Verdict: Smart alternative?

Almasi appears to be a physical striker who knows where the back of the net is, so he could a shrewd alternative to Gue-Sung.

The Hoops seem to be on the hunt for a forward to replace Giorgos Giakoumakis in the long run after contract talks broke down between the two parties.

Gue-Sung may well be Celtic chiefs’ top target, but Almasi could still be a handy signing if they fail to sign the South Korean international, as you’d expect he still has plenty of room for improvement at the age of 23.

Newcastle United have been dealt a blow to their chances of securing a transfer deal for Adrien Rabiot during the upcoming January transfer window. 

The Lowdown: Newcastle linked with Rabiot

Earlier this month, it was reported that Newcastle are looking to sign the Juventus midfielder, who is set to see his current contract at the Italian club expire at the end of the summer.

The 27-year-old is preparing to take on Argentina in the 2022 World Cup final in Qatar with France after making five appearances for his country throughout the tournament.

With the January window approaching, the Magpies have been dealt a blow to their hopes of signing the World Cup finalist.

The Latest: Rabiot transfer blow

According to a recent report from Sport, Rabiot will not be considering a potential move away from Juventus during the January window and will instead leave as a free agent in the summer.

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The report also adds that the Frenchman would like to make a move to Barcelona despite having offers to play in the Premier League.

The Verdict: Disappointing for Newcastle

Going off this latest report, it appears that Newcastle have not only taken a blow to their chances of signing Rabiot in January but they now seem unlikely to land a deal for him at all.

The midfielder’s efforts in the World Cup so far have shown how much of a useful signing he could be for the Tyneside club from an attacking and defensive point of view.

For example, in terms of his attacking threat, only Kylian Mbappe (4.71) and Olivier Giroud (3.8) have a higher rate of shots at goal per game than Rabiot (1.86).

In addition to that, only Aurelien Tchouameni (40) has made more passes into the final third of the pitch than the Juventus figure (31).

Then from a defensive standpoint, only Theo Hernandez (11) has won more tackles than the midfield wizard (8), who has seen his performances in Qatar labelled as “outstanding” by journalist John Molinaro on Twitter.

Taking all of this into account, we feel that if Newcastle were to miss out on signing Rabiot in January or in the summer as a free agent, this would be a big disappointment for them.

Jordan Ayew is certainly a man who splits opinion among Crystal Palace fans but the experienced forward won the hearts of Ghana supporters on Monday as he produced a superb display in their win over South Korea at the World Cup.

The 31-year-old struggled as a substitute in the Black Stars’ 3-2 defeat against Portugal in their World Cup opener but was trusted with a start by manager Otto Addo for their vital game against South Korea this week.

He redeemed himself by playing a huge part in their 3-2 victory yesterday, which likely sets up a winner-takes-all game against 2010 rivals Uruguay in their final group fixture later this week.

As per SofaScore, Ayew would earn a strong 6.9/10 rating for his performance in Qatar, as he was instrumental in Ghana taking a 2-0 lead.

First, his beautifully-flighted free-kick would cause chaos in the South Korea box, allowing Southampton defender Mohammed Salisu to fire home the opener.

He then produced a similarly brilliant cross for Mohammed Kudus to head home the second, so it was no surprise to see Ghanaian journalist Owuraku Ampofo describe his first-half performance as a “masterclass.”

During his time on the pitch, the former Aston Villa man would register two key passes, an 88% pass success rate and two crosses, all of which were an improvement on his performances in the Premier League this season, where he has averaged one key pass, an 83.4% pass success rate and 0.2 crosses per game.

The attacker, who earns £32.5k-per-week at Selhurst Park, would also play a big part from a defensive perspective, as he registered three tackles, one clearance and one interception, which again was an increase on his Premier League average of 2.2 tackles, 0.9 clearances and 0.2 interceptions per game.

Patrick Vieira will certainly hope that the forward can replicate performances like this when top-flight football in England resumes after Christmas, as Ayew has been largely disappointing for the Eagles so far this campaign, with no goals and just one assist to his name.

Therefore, it seems clear that Ayew was crucial to Ghana’s important win that gives them a real chance of securing qualification to the knockout stages, and he certainly redeemed himself in the eyes of fans after his disappointing cameo against Portugal last week.

Erik ten Hag is slowly but surely rebuilding Manchester United the way he sees fit, adding in some quality summer signings while losing some deadwood from the club.

This season will be seen as a transitional one, yet the building blocks are there for the Dutchman to succeed long-term and bring back the glory days to Old Trafford.

There is still a few areas to strengthen, however, with the goalkeeping department a prime concern. Since the start of last season, David De Gea has conceded a staggering 89 goals in all competitions, keeping just 19 clean sheets in the same period. The Spaniard’s contract expires at the end of the season, and Ten Hag is keeping tabs on his compatriot, Robert Sanchez who plays for Brighton and Hove Albion.

The goalkeeper could shine for Man United and journalist Pete O’Rourke has spoken to Football FanCast regarding if a move for the Brighton player would be a better fit for the Dutchman than De Gea:

“It will. Sanchez does tick a lot of the boxes for what Erik ten Hag wants from his goalkeepers.

“He’s very comfortable on the ball. He can play out from the back as well. And he’s also a very commanding goalkeeper.

“I think he has shown at Brighton in the last couple of seasons one of the top stoppers probably in the Premier League and it shows how much he has improved in recent seasons that he has taken David De Gea’s spot in this Spain squad at the World Cup as well.”

In comparison to De Gea over the same time period, the Brighton goalkeeper has conceded 64 goals while keeping 15 clean sheets, and aged just 25, he certainly has the potential to be a long-term solution for Ten Hag.

In the summer, Brighton slapped a massive £50m price tag on the Spaniard and with every excellent performance, this fee will continue to rise.

Will the Dutchman swoop for a new goalkeeper in the January transfer window? Or bide his time until the summer and allow De Gea to run down his contract? The next few weeks might be a nervy time for the Brighton faithful, and if Man United offer anything close to the £50m figure the club are demanding, then he could be saying goodbye to the south coast.

Leeds United centre-forward Mateo Joseph is set to be called up for England U20s.

What’s the latest?

That’s according to a report by Spanish publication AS (via Sport Witness), who claim that Ian Foster’s side are ‘very close’ to calling the forward up ahead of the U20 World Cup in Indonesia in May of 2023, with the Whites said to be expecting a phone call from England in order to request permission to speak with the 19-year-old.

The report goes on to state that the Leeds U21 sensation looks as if he could represent the latest talent Spain end up missing out on, with Manchester United’s recent breakthrough starlet, Alejandro Garnacho, having also declared for Argentina ahead of La Furia Roja earlier this year.

England’s next star

Considering the remarkable rise Joseph has enjoyed since his £900k move to Elland Road back in January – when Barcelona, Arsenal, Liverpool and Manchester City were reported to be keen on the attacker – the argument that the teenager could become both a future star of Leeds and England is becoming easier to make with each passing day.

Indeed, after scoring 44 goals in 56 appearances across the various youth age groups for Espanyol, the youngster enjoyed a decent debut campaign with the Whites in the second half of 2021/22, bagging one goal and registering one assist over four U18 Premier League fixtures and notching one goal over seven Premier League 2 outings last term.

However, the forward has truly exploded this season, with Joseph scoring 11 goals and providing one assist over his eight Premier League 2 fixtures and netting one goal over three outings in the Papa John’s Trophy.

These returns saw the player who Michael Skubala dubbed a “threat for any defence” earn a call-up to Jesse Marsch’s first team for the 1-0 Carabao Cup loss to Wolverhampton Wanderers earlier this month – a game in which, despite failing to score, the attacker looked “really bright” – as well as making his Premier League debut in the 4-3 loss to Tottenham Hotspur last weekend.

As such, should Marsch keep the faith in the £1.9k-per-week Joseph over the months ahead, as well as the Santander-born starlet agreeing to a switch to the Three Lions ahead of the U20 World Cup next May, Leeds could not only possess their next star in the forward, but also one of England’s next big attacking talents – something that is an incredibly exciting prospect.

Tottenham Hotspur have been dealt a huge injury blow ahead of their Premier League meeting with Liverpool this weekend.

What’s the latest?

That’s according to Dan Kilpatrick, with the Evening Standard journalist revealing in a recent post on Twitter that, after suffering a fracture around his eye in the 2-1 victory over Olympique de Marseille on Tuesday night, the 30-year-old is set to undergo surgery in the next 48 hours in order to repair his break.

In a further report for the Evening Standard, the journalist went on to state that the South Korean is a near certainty to miss the visit of Liverpool on Sunday, while it is also claimed that the forward’s availability for both the Nottingham Forest and Leeds United fixtures, as well as his participation in the World Cup, very much depends on his recovery from surgery.

In his tweet, Kilpatrick said: “Son to have surgery in the next 48 hours, with his hopes of featuring in the World Cup dependent on its success, his recovery & how quickly he is comfortable playing in a mask.”

“Huge blow”

Considering just how important a part of the Tottenham side Son has become since his £22m move to north London back in the summer of 2015, the news that the forward could be ruled out of the club’s next three Premier League fixtures, as well as the World Cup this winter, is undoubtedly a “huge blow” – in the words of Jim Bulley – for Antonio Conte.

Indeed, over his 344 appearances for the Lilywhites, the £67.5m-rated attacker has been a consistent source of both goals and assists, hitting the back of the net on 136 occasions and setting up a further 76 – averaging a direct goal involvement every 112 minutes of football played for Spurs.

And, while the £190k-per-week talent has not been at his deadly best over his 13 Premier League outings this season, he has nevertheless impressed going forwards, bagging three goals, providing two assists and creating two big chances for his teammates, as well as taking an average of 2.8 shots, making 2.2 key passes and completing 0.7 dribbles per game.

These returns have seen the 30-year-old average a simply sensational SofaScore match rating of 7.23, not only ranking him as Conte’s third-best player in the top flight but also as the joint 30th-best player in the league in its entirety.

As such, it is evident that the loss of the 105-cap international would come as a devastating blow for the Italian manager – who will undoubtedly be hoping for Son’s swelling to go down as quickly as possible in order for the forward to undergo successful surgery in the next two days – as the sooner the attacker goes under the knife, the sooner he will be back on the pitch.

Manchester City have been dealt a potential injury blow ahead of tonight’s Champions League clash against Sevilla. 

The Lowdown: City vs Sevilla

Following on from their 1-0 win over Leicester City in the Premier League last weekend, the Manchester club take on Sevilla for their final group game of the Champions League at the Etihad Stadium.

Having kept four clean sheets in the five group games they’ve played in the competition so far this season, it’s safe to suggest that Pep Guardiola would want to see his side keep another one this time around.

However, it appears as though the City manager may be without one figure in his squad who has played a big part in their Champions League journey this season.

The Latest: Akanji missing from City training

According to a recent Twitter post from journalist Simon Bajkowski, Erling Haaland isn’t the only notable absentee at training, as City defender Manuel Akanji was not spotted in Tuesday’s session either.

Bajkowski also added that Kyle Walker was not there, with the full-back still recovering from surgery.

The Verdict: A potential worry for Guardiola

Bearing in mind how City have kept three clean sheets in the four Champions League games that Akanji has played in, it’s safe to say that he has been a prominent and useful figure for the team in this competition.

In fact, the 27-year-old is in the top three at City for the number of clearances (8), blocks (4) and successful tackles (5) he has made in Europe this season.

This highlights how much of an effective figure the £180k-per-week unit is at the back and why he could be a big miss for his side this evening.

Moving forward, if the Blues do have to get through tonight’s game without Akanji, everyone at the club will undoubtedly be hoping that he won’t be missing any other games or else it could be a big worry for Guardiola.

Leeds United have held a long-standing rivalry with Manchester United for as long as many can remember, with the infamous Kevin Keegan rant in 1996 a microcosm for their connection as they both sought the title.

They have battled over trophies and players, but in 2002 the Red Devils got one over on them immensely when a particular transfer saga went their way.

Despite moving to Old Trafford in 2002 for £19m, the Whites had reportedly held an interest in Ruud van Nistelrooy way before this deal was concluded.

Had they managed to lure him to Elland Road instead, it could have vastly altered the varied landscapes of both clubs.

Having scored 77 goals in 90 appearances for PSV Eindhoven it was no surprise that he was drawing interest, however in Manchester, he was handed the perfect platform to earn superstardom.

Although, the Dutchman was prolific pretty much wherever he went.

Under Sir Alex Ferguson however, he maintained a clinical brilliance that saw him win every domestic trophy available to him.

Along the way, he would score 150 goals in just 219 appearances before being sold on as a 30-year-old for a respectable £10m.

Real Madrid would then also reap the rewards, as he scored 64 and assisted 16 in 96 appearances.

To compare him with a Leeds great, Alan Smith only managed 54 goals in 223 games for them during a similar time frame.

He is one of a few that then made the move to Manchester, where he struggled. His whole career only yielded 70 goals, whereas van Nistelrooy was six goals shy of having scored over that for three different clubs.

The 70-cap star’s exploits led the legendary Scottish manager to label him a “fantastic goalscorer”, comparing him to the great Dennis Law.

It marks the highest of praise for the greatest of poachers and notes a huge transfer howler that the Peacocks will forever rue.

Whilst they suffered relegation in 2004, he was coming off the back of a season where he scored 20 in the Premier League and won an FA Cup.

How different things might have been had their interest materialised into something before their arch-rivals struck first.

Leeds United’s teenage defender Harvey Sutcliffe is set to be ‘sidelined for a number of months’ with an anterior cruciate ligament injury.

The Lowdown: Sutcliffe under Skubala

Sutcliffe, who signed professional terms at Elland Road over the summer, has been impressive under U21s manager Michael Skubala this season.

The 18-year-old has made five appearances so far, taking his U21 tally to 19. He has turned out at right-back and left-back, registering two assists in a 5-1 win over Nottingham Forest back in August.

Sutcliffe was forced off through injury against Sunderland on Monday, though, in what was ‘one of his best displays’ according to Leeds journalist Joe Donnohue, and it looks as if his knee problem is serious.

The Latest: ACL

The defender was on crutches and in a knee brace following the 1-0 win at the Stadium of Light earlier in the week.

LUFC Youth have since reported on Twitter that Sutcliffe ‘has suffered an anterior cruciate ligament injury and will be sidelined for a number of months’.

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The Verdict: Unfortunate

The Whites are fairly short of left-backs in the first-team, with Junior Firpo struggling through injury, so Sutcliffe may have been hoping to catch Jesse Marsch’s eye, especially with a Carabao Cup clash at Wolves around the corner.

He appeared to be improving all the time under Skubala, but it looks as if he may now be out for the rest of the year in what is a disappointing blow for Sutcliffe and the U21s.

Sutcliffe will be desperate to make a full and swift recovery, and hopefully, he won’t have any complications over the coming months and can be back playing in 2023, looking to win instant promotion with the U21s back to Premier League 2 Division 1.

Newcastle United are reportedly ‘confident’ that they can sign Vasco da Gama midfielder Andrey Santos, and are also eyeing his team-mate Eguinaldo.

The Lowdown: Signing young talent

It was reported last week that the St. James’ Park outfit are now looking to tap into South America as their next location for bright young talent.

This follows the signings of Garang Kuol from Australia and highly rated Irish defender Alex Murphy, as they look to build for the future with an extensive scouting network across the globe.

The Latest: Double Brazilian swoop?

Taking to Twitter, transfer expert Graeme Bailey has revealed that the North East club are ‘confident’ of signing Santos, and they have also ‘taken a liking’ to his team-mate Eguinaldo:

“Newcastle confident they can strike deal for Vasco Da Gama’s Andrey Santos. They have also taken a liking to his team-mate Eguinaldo – who has burst into the first-team this season.”

Expanding in his article for 90min, Bailey adds that Eddie Howe’s side are currently ‘in talks’ over the former, and Vasco have put a £20m price tag on him, as they believe him to be ‘one of the best young players in Brazil’.

They have also ‘enquired’ about Eguinaldo, who has recently been called up to Brazil’s U20 squad for the first time, but a deal for him is ‘not as far advanced’ as for Santos.

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The Verdict: Exciting

It is certainly exciting to see the Magpies snapping up the best young talents across the globe as part of their long-term project.

Hailed as a ‘monster’ physically by Brazilian legend Juninho, and likened to one of the greats of the game in Sergio Busquets (Goal), 18-year-old Santos has already played 33 times for Vasco, and has seven goals from midfield in 2022 (Transfermarkt).

Eguinaldo has also enjoyed a breakthrough season with the Brazilian club this year, with the forward scoring three goals in 15 matches (Transfermarkt) on his way to his Brazil U20 call-up.

Nonetheless, adding both of them to the likes of Kuol and Murphy certainly bodes for an exciting squad in the future.