All posts by z3u9t.icu

Former Everton star Michael Ball believes that the club may struggle to sign Denzel Dumfries this summer.

The Netherlands international has been in excellent form for his country at Euro 2020.

The right-back has scored two goals in two games, netting in the 3-2 win over Ukraine and the 2-0 victory over Austria, as they have sealed their qualification to the knockout stages.

Dumfries has been with PSV Eindhoven since 2018 and has emerged as a regular for the Dutch club, playing 124 times in total and scoring 22 goals, while registering 34 assists.

Ball believes that plenty of clubs will be monitoring the 25-year-old amid his exceptional displays at the tournament and he has been linked with the Toffees.

He is valued at £14.4m by Transfermarkt but Ball thinks that price will increase as clubs formalise their interest.

Speaking exclusively to Football FanCast, he said: “Marcel Brands will obviously know a lot about him, he is a good player but with the teams that will probably be showing interest, it could be a bidding war for him if he has a good Euros, and maybe Everton could be priced out if he carries on the form that he’s in right now.”

Ball played for PSV between 2005 and 2007 and knows Dumfries well, having watched him closely across the past few seasons in the Netherlands.

Sevilla defender and Arsenal target Jules Kounde is a “pretty special” player, La Liga expert Euan McTear has told The Transfer Tavern.

£54m-rated Kounde is currently attracting plenty of interest, with Arsenal said to be one team who are keen on signing the 22-year-old this summer.

According to Marca (via the Daily Express), the north London club could launch a bid for Kounde as Mikel Arteta looks to strengthen his defence, though they could face competition from Premier League rivals Chelsea and Manchester United.

Wherever he ends up if he does decide to leave Sevilla this summer, McTear is confident that club would be getting quite the centre-half.

“He’s only gotten better this season, especially in the Champions League. He’s had some good performances there, too,” the Spanish football expert said.

“He’s still so young, he’s got energy, great positioning too. All the centre-backs, not just in Spain I think, but if you look around Europe, he’s got to be one of the highest prospects. 

“To be playing for France who have countless centre-backs, if he’s able to get himself into that group, then, yeah, he’s pretty special.”

Looking at McTear’s assessment, and considering the fact that Arsenal have just lost David Luiz, Kounde seems like he would be a good signing for the Gunners.

If Chelsea and Manchester United are both interested in the Frenchman, though, both able to offer Champions League football, it is hard to see Arteta pulling this one off.

According to an update by reporter Jack Rosser on Twitter, of the Evening Standard, West Ham United are ‘keen to press on’ with a move to sign 2020/2021 loan sensation Jesse Lingard on a permanent deal.

The Lowdown: West Ham eye Lingard…

One transfer saga which is guaranteed to be ever-present this summer is Lingard’s possible switch to the Hammers.

The Englishman is said to be one of West Ham boss David Moyes’ major priorities for this window alongside the acquisition of a new striker and centre-back (Claret & Hugh).

Lingard really impressed whilst on a second-half season loan at the London Stadium from Manchester United, scoring nine goals and assisting four others in 16 Premier League starts (WhoScored).

The Latest: West Ham eager to make their move…

As reported by Rosser, sharing an update on the situation, the Irons are eager to make their move for Lingard but are waiting for him to make a decision on his Old Trafford future.

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West Ham are also not expecting any movement on that front until after the Red Devils finally seal the signing of former Manchester City academy star Jadon Sancho, who has been lighting up the Bundesliga.

Once Sancho arrives back in Manchester, Rosser believes this could change his position in regards to signing for the Hammers permanently, with Lingard thought to prefer staying at his current club as it stands (Evening Standard).

The Verdict: Anxious wait…

The 28-year-old’s practically unstoppable form at points in 2021 means West Ham should do all they can to seal a deal.

Sancho’s potential arrival at Man United could be a big boost for the Hammers going by this update and supporters will be hoping this will be enough to push Lingard out the exit door and down south.

Lauded as a ‘sensational’ by former West Ham man Nigel Winterburn (The Sun), it is clear signing Lingard permanently would be a real statement ahead of a busy 2021/2022 campaign.

In other news: Moyes tells West Ham hierarchy to sign this colossal 29-goal beast, find out more here.

Crystal Palace are interested in a deal to bring Conor Gallagher to Selhurst Park this summer.

What’s the talk?

That’s according to a report by The Sun, who claim that the incoming Palace manager Patrick Vieira will be looking to add a number of players to his squad in the summer transfer window, with the Chelsea central midfielder believed to be a potential target of Frenchman.

Indeed, a previous report by The Sun had claimed that the Eagles are preparing a £15m offer for the 21-year-old this summer, with it being said that Thomas Tuchel is unsure as to whether he believes the England U21 international as a future at the club.

Vieira must move

Considering just how much potential Gallagher appears to possess, as well as the fact that Palace are in need of a number of additions in the position this summer, it is unsurprising to learn that the south London side are considering a move for the Chelsea starlet.

Indeed, over his 30 Premier League appearances while on loan at West Bromwich Albion last season, the £13.5m-rated youngster scored two goals, registered two assists and created one big chance for his teammates, as well as taking an average of one shot and making 0.7 key passes per game.

The £17k-per-week man also impressed in more typical central midfield metrics, making an average of 0.9 interceptions, 2.7 tackles and winning a whopping 6.5 duels per league fixture, with these returns seeing Gallagher earn a seasonal SofaScore match rating of 6.74 – ranking him as Albion’s joint ninth-best performer in the top flight of English football.

For comparison, Crystal Palace’s outgoing centre mid James McCarthy failed to score a single goal, provide an assist or create a big chance over his 16 Premier League appearances last season, as well as making an average of 0.5 interceptions, one tackle and winning a mere 1.9 duels per league fixture, culminating in an average SofaScore match rating of 6.66.

As such, with Vieria having only the 33-year-old James McArthur as an option in central midfield at present, a move for the man Slaven Bilic dubbed a “massive” player would seem highly advisable for the 45-year-old this summer, as Gallagher would not only plug a gap in the Palace squad, he could also turn out to be the rock on which Vieira builds his Eagles’ midfield for years to come.

In other news: Bye-bye Sakho: Vieira must sanction Palace swoop for £17m-rated “leader” this summer

New Wolves boss Bruno Lage has been going about his business at Molineux in a remarkably quiet fashion.

It looked all doom and gloom on the transfer front initially, with the fear of Ruben Neves and Adama Traore potentially leaving hanging over them.

However, their window lifted off in some style on Sunday morning when they confirmed the signing of Trincao.

The Portuguese has signed from Barcelona on a loan deal with the view to signing him permanently in a year’s time.

Trincao was first linked with the club earlier this year but it looked as though their interest had gone dry. Though, work continued behind the scenes as Lage made the attacker his second acquisition of the summer.

The 21-year-old is a particularly tricky customer to deal with, completing 2.3 dribbles per match during the 2019/20 campaign at Braga.

He evidently loves taking players on and alongside Traore and Pedro Neto, he could prove devastating in the final third.

All Wolves need to find now is regular goals. Raul Jimenez has made a full recovery from a fractured skull but without his presence, they lacked someone who could find the net regularly.

Neto won the club’s Player of the Season award but he only beat the goalkeeper on five occasions.

Therefore, the arrival of a new striker could be exactly what they need to kick on under a new manager.

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Wolves have been linked with a move for Celtic attacker Odsonne Edouard in previous months and they may now have an ideal opportunity to sign him.

Leicester looked to have a deal wrapped up to bring him to the King Power for just £15m but they decided against that move and landed Patson Daka from RB Salzburg instead.

Lage has limited money to spend this summer so the price tag should be perfect, especially for a player of his talents.

Blessed with a wonderful first touch and the ability to run the channels, Edouard is a ruthless striker.

He scored 22 goals last term, taking his tally for the Hoops to 83 strikes in 186 matches. That’s a wonderful tally for a player who’s still young at the age of 23.

Speaking about the Frenchman’s game last season, ex-Celtic figure Frank McGarvey commented: “I just love watching Edouard. He has that bit of magic in his feet, and he reminds me of Charlie Nicholas. You just know if he gets the ball just outside of the box the other team are in trouble.

His former coach, Jean-Claude Giuntini, added: “He never doubts his qualities. But this behaviour can create panic – for the opposition defenders.

“He had an excellent sense of anticipation which gave him a remarkable ability to read play. And he had a considerable skill for shooting – his efforts were targeted, precise and powerful.”

Some may doubt whether he can transition smoothly from Scottish football to England but you only need to look at the impact of Virgil van Dijk since moving from Celtic.

Edouard would surely thrive in the Premier League and at £15m he would be a mere snip for a Wolves team lacking goals.

AND in other news, Bye-bye Coady: Wolves can find dream successor by signing “exceptional” £50k-p/w brute…

Aston Villa look set to sign West Brom midfielder Tim Iroegbunam after having an offer accepted for him, Football Insider have reported.

The Lowdown: Iroegbunam profiled

Iroegbunam is 18 years of age and has been with the Baggies since under-8 level. He is primarily a central midfielder but can also play in a holding role and turned out on 39 occasions last season for West Brom’s youth side, scoring four goals and registering four assists.

The youngster, who was on the bench for the first team against Leeds United last season, has been described as an ‘important character’ for Albion by West Brom’s Under-18s boss Peter Gilbert.

Iroegbunam now looks set to become Villa’s fourth summer signing, joining Emiliano Buendia, Ashley Young and Josh Feeney through the door at Bodymoor Heath.

The Latest: Source shares update

According to Football Insider, who were informed by a Villa source, a deal for Iroegbunam has been agreed upon.

A six-figure compensation fee will go to West Brom, with the teenager rejecting a new Baggies contract in favour of moving across the Midlands.

The Verdict: Smart recruitment

It’s good to see that Villa are not only focused on strengthening their first team squad ahead of the new campaign. Feeney is England’s under-16 captain and Iroegbunam was Albion’s academy player of the year last season, so you’d expect that both will be shrewd additions to Villa’s youth ranks.

Villa won the FA Youth Cup for the first time since 2002 back in May, and who knows, both Feeney and Iroegbunam could help Villa defend that trophy next season. With a bit of luck, they might even get sporadic first team exposure in cup competitions, just like some of their colleagues did against Liverpool in January.

In other news: ‘We making moves’ – Many AVFC fans buzzing as ‘great news’ is confirmed, find out more here. 

Having only made the move to Fulham at the beginning of the month, new manager Marco Silva is already facing a battle to plug a significant and newly-emerged gap at Craven Cottage after the club lost the services of a key member of their first team recruitment setup.

James Ellis had been a senior scout at Fulham since his arrival at the club back in 2015, helping the Cottagers to recruit players both domestically and from the continent, often to great effect.

However, as an unfortunate result of this aforementioned success, the club will now no longer be able to rely on the eagle eyes of Ellis. The Leicester-based talent spotter has just secured a move to Premier League side Arsenal, where he will be responsible for the assessment and recommendation of UK-based players.

Silva will be gutted

While Silva may not have directly benefited from the work Ellis put into Fulham during his six years at the club, the exit of the scout feels like a significant blow to the Cottagers’ recruitment team, with his departure potentially leaving the newly-installed manager gutted to have lost a reliable backroom presence so early in his tenure.

Indeed, Ellis had played a key role in a number of Fulham’s most impressive signings of the past few years, with players such as Tom Cairney, Aleksandar Mitrovic, Alphonse Areola, Tosin Adarabioyo and Antonee Robinson all being targets who would have been run through him prior to a decision being made regarding a move in the transfer market.

With some of these players now having cult level status at Craven Cottage (Cairney and Mitrovic), while others are being touted for significant transfer fees this summer (Adarabioyo and Robinson), it would indeed appear that Ellis got many decisions right during his time in west London.

As such, with his departure leaving a considerable gap in the backroom team at Fulham, Silva – as well as Shahid and Tony Kahn – will need to act quickly to replace Ellis this summer in order to minimise disruption to the Cottagers’ transfer plans ahead of the club’s upcoming Championship campaign.

In other news: Fulham dealt transfer blow over “exceptional” £41k-p/w machine, Silva surely furious

David Moyes is risking a West Ham nightmare if emerging claims are to be believed…

What’s the word?

According to the ever-reliable ExWHUemployee, the Irons are yet to lodge a bid for the 58-year-old’s mooted top transfer target Tammy Abraham.

He claims that they are waiting for Chelsea to sign another striker before making their move, with the Blues believed to want in the region of £40m for his signature.

Their London rivals have been linked with some big-name signings, including Spurs’ Harry Kane and Borussia Dortmund wonderkid Erling Haaland, in recent weeks.

Dithering Dave

This latest update doesn’t make much sense at all.

If Chelsea need funds to help sign a new striker, then it would make sense to sell Abraham first. Even then, the Hammers sitting around waiting does very little to help their squad going into a potential 50-plus game campaign.

The new season gets underway in less than a month and, as it stands, Moyes will be heading into kick-off against Newcastle United still with only one senior centre-forward, an injury-prone Michail Antonio.

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He has only once started more than 24 league games in a season for the Irons since his arrival six years ago, so it would be a huge risk to rely upon him with the club also soon to be competing in the Europa League.

GSB failed to replace Sebastien Haller after his departure to Ajax during the January transfer window and Moyes would be foolish to sit back and wait for his reported number one target.

Abraham is clearly out of favour under Thomas Tuchel at Stamford Bridge, having started only four matches in all competitions since the German replaced Frank Lampard at the start of the year.

Even still, the 23-year-old England international finished the campaign just one goal behind their top league goalscorer, Jorginho with seven, and the Italian – as we know very well – is their penalty taker.

Once lauded as a “goal machine” by his former academy teammate Kasey Palmer, Abraham has found the net 30 times across his entire Chelsea career, and given his experience in both the Premier League and across Europe, he would be a astute addition for Moyes this summer.

However, if the manager continues to dither and not even attempt to bid for the striker, then the Irons could be heading for an absolute nightmare by the time August 15 swings around.

AND in other news, ExWHUemployee drops exciting West Ham transfer update…

Brighton are not interested in signing Celtic striker Odsonne Edouard, despite reports suggesting they have tabled an offer for the Frenchman, The Argus report.

The Lowdown: Reported Brighton bid

Journalist Rudy Galetti posted on Twitter on Friday morning, claiming Brighton have made an offer in the region of €25m (£21.4m) for the 23-year-old.

Talks were thought to be ongoing between the two clubs, with Galetti, who described the situation as ‘evolving’, believing €25m could be enough to close a deal.

Edouard, who nearly joined Leicester City earlier this summer, still wants to leave Parkhead, but it seems as if links of a move to Brighton may not be accurate.

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The Latest: Source shares update

According to The Argus, this is the fourth successive window where Brighton have been linked with Edouard.

However, a well-placed source informed them that ‘reports that keep emerging are completely false’ – an interesting seven-word update.

The Argus mentioned the links regarding an initial bid, presumably from Galetti, but it doesn’t seem as if there is anything in them.

The Verdict: Hoops still need to sell

With Edouard, on £19,500-a-week, still looking for a Celtic Park exit, the Hoops could do with cashing in this summer.

He has less than 12 months on his Hoops contract, and should Celtic fail to move him on this summer, they’ll be left with a forward who seemingly doesn’t want to be there who could then discuss a pre-contract agreement in January.

Unfortunately, the £21.4m bid from Brighton doesn’t appear to be true, but if Celtic could get a fee close to Edouard’s £15.3m Transfermarkt valuation, it could still turn out to be good business.

In other news: Bid made: Celtic move for the 13th quickest player on FIFA 21.

Leicester City must snub Arsenal’s advances for key midfielder James Maddison this summer as Brendan Rodgers looks to build a side capable of finishing in the Champions League places.

What’s the story?

According to the Daily Mail, the Gunners would be willing to offer a number of unwanted fringe players in an attempt to land the 24-year-old over the coming months.

The report claims that a £50m offer from the north London outfit would not be enough to bring Leicester to the negotiating table, but Arsenal would allow the likes of Reiss Nelson and Ainsley Maitland-Niles to move in the opposite direction to help sweeten any deal.

Rudkin risks upsetting Rodgers

Maddison has been a central figure to Leicester’s success ever since he arrived at the King Power Stadium back in 2018. And he was rewarded for his impressive performances with a new four-year contract worth £100,000-per-week just 12 months ago.

Therefore, the Foxes are in an extremely strong bargaining position when it comes to the creative talent, and it could be a perfect opportunity for director of football Jon Rudkin to make a stand.

Much of Leicester’s recent success has been based upon their policy of selling one important player for a huge sum each summer, before wisely reinvesting the funds into the playing squad.

N’Golo Kante, Riyad Mahrez, Harry Magure, Danny Drinkwater and Ben Chilwell have all departed the Midlands outfit for astronomical profit in recent years, allowing the current FA Cup holding to continually punch about their weight.

However, after two consecutive fifth-place finishes under Rodgers, the time has now come to keep hold of their best places and make the final leap required to finish inside the top-four of the Premier League.

Unfortunately for Leicester, if the likes of Manchester City, Chelsea, Liverpool and Manchester United come calling for one of their prized assets and offer an acceptable fee, then there’s not much they can do, but Arsenal are longer in the same bracket as the aforementioned clubs.

The capital club have finished below Rodgers’ charges in the last two campaigns and face a season without European football for the first time since 1995.

If Leicester want to join the elite band of English clubs and keep their highly-rated manager happy, then Rudkin must reject any advance Arsenal make for Maddison, keeping the core of their impress squad together for at least another year.

And, in other news…Journo drops exciting Leicester update on £33k-p/w beast that’ll leave Rodgers buzzing