All posts by rastrear-estafeta.com

According to La Gazzetta dello Sport, Tottenham Hotspur now want Lazio powerhouse Joaquin Correa with chairman Daniel Levy told to pay €40 million (£34.4m) for his signature.

The Lowdown: Striker search?

As per Sky Sports, the Lilywhites are not expected to take up the £36m loan-to-buy option to sign Carlos Vinicius permanently this summer.

The Brazilian barely featured in the Premier League for Spurs over 2020/2021, starting just three games and scoring one goal, and he now looks set to return to parent club Benfica when his temporary spell expires on June 30.

As such, Tottenham have been touted to look for new forward additions alongside prioritising the problem position of centre-half.

The Latest: Tottenham now want Correa…

Now, as explained by La Gazzetta, Spurs have joined the race to sign 6 foot 2 Lazio powerhouse Correa in a bid bolster their attacking options.

[web_stories_embed url=”https://www.footballtransfertavern.com/web-stories/spurs-latest-updates-2/” title=”Spurs latest updates!” poster=”” width=”360″ height=”600″ align=”none”]

The Argentine notched 11 goals and assisted six others in 38 appearances throughout all competitions over 20/21 (Transfermarkt), often providing former Lazio boss Simone Inzaghi with a useful outlet up front.

London rivals West Ham United and Arsenal are also said to be interested in a move for the South American, but like Levy, they’ve been told to fork out £34.4m for his services.

As it stands, the trio of interested sides including Spurs aren’t willing to match that price tag – specifically not willing to go over €20m (£17.1m).

The Verdict: Move on…

Given Vinicus’ loan-to-buy option costs in and around the same amount Lazio are demanding for Correa, we believe Levy and new managing director Fabio Paratici should look elsewhere.

Indeed, despite being dubbed a ‘formidable player’ recently by Inzaghi for his contribution (Lazio official website), Tottenham should definitely eye some alternatives.

Any forward signed by Spurs as things stand will be playing second fiddle to star striker Harry Kane throughout the 2021/2022 season and the Lilywhites need an option who represents good value for money.

However, it will be a challenge finding someone with proven quality who is also willing to play a bit-part role.

In other news: ‘Tottenham are now planning’…Fabrizio Romano relays big transfer news at Spurs, find out more here.

Mick McCarthy is interested in a deal to bring Callum Elder to Cardiff City this summer.

What’s the talk?

That’s according to a report by Football Insider, who claim that a source has revealed that the Bluebirds, along with Derby County, Preston North End and Huddersfield Town, are keen on a move for the Hull City left-back this summer – with the 26-year-old heading into the final year of his contract at the KCOM Stadium.

Forget Bennett

With the future of Cardiff’s current first-choice left-back, Joe Bennett, looking rather uncertain at present, as the 31-year-old has not yet put pen to paper on a new deal at the Cardiff City Stadium, with his contract set to expire next month, the argument could easily be made that the signing of Elder would actually be an upgrade on the Bluebirds’ defender.

Over Elder’s 44 League One appearances for Hull this season, the £720k-rated man highly impressed going forwards, scoring one goal, registering nine assists and creating 13 big chances, as well as making an average of 1.7 key passes per game.

The left-back has also been solid in a defensive capacity too, helping his side to keep 18 clean sheets and making an average of 0.9 interceptions, two tackles and 2.3 clearances per game in the league.

These metrics saw Elder earn a seasonal SofaScore match rating of 7.28, ranking him as Grant McCann’s second-best performer in Hull City’s title-winning campaign, as well as securing the defender a place in the League One Team of the Season.

In contrast, Bennett was much less of an attacking threat over his 28 Championship appearances for Cardiff, scoring one goal, providing two assists and creating two big chances, as well as making an average of 0.4 key passes per game.

Elder also seemed to slightly better the 31-year-old’s defensive output, with Bennett helping the Bluebirds to keep seven clean sheets while making an average of 1.1 interceptions, 1.4 tackles and 1.4 clearances per game.

These returns saw the left-back earn a seasonal SofaScore match rating of 6.80, ranking him as Mick McCarthy’s joint 14th-best performer in the second tier.

As such, should Bennett indeed go on to depart the club this summer and if Cardiff manage to bring in Elder – whom McCann dubbed an “excellent” player – when considering each of the players’ league form this season, in addition to the significant difference in their age, it would not appear to be an outrageous claim to make that the Hull City defender would be an upgrade on the Bluebirds’ current left-back – leading us to believe that McCarthy should do all he can to land the 26-year-old this summer.

In other news: Cardiff handed huge transfer boost over £8m “leader” that’ll surely have fans buzzing – opinion

Reading have been dealt a blow to their chances of keeping Michael Olise at the Madejski Stadium this summer.

What’s the talk?

That’s according to a report by TEAMtalk, who claimed that French champions Lille have joined the race for the £10.8m-rated attacking midfielder ahead of a potential move in the upcoming transfer window.

The 19-year-old looks set to be one of the transfer stories of the summer, with Chelsea, Arsenal and Leeds also reported to be keen on a move for the former France under-18 international.

It has been reported that the Reading star could be available for a fee of around £8m due to a release clause in his contract, although this claim is disputed.

Paunovic will be gutted

Considering just how impressive Olise has been for the Royals this season, the news of yet more interest in the midfielder is likely to come as a blow to both Veljko Paunovic and fans of the club alike.

Over his 44 Championship appearances this season, the 19-year-old scored seven goals, registered 12 assists and created 10 big chances for his team-mates, as well as averaging 1.6 shots and 1.9 key passes per game.

These metrics saw the player Sam Baldock dubbed as “fearless” earn a highly impressive seasonal SofaScore match rating of 7.21, ranking him as Reading’s best performer in the league by a considerable distance.

As such, it would very much appear that the winger will be an important part of Paunovic’s plans for the Royals going forward, as the 43-year-old manager looks to build a side capable of going one further than his team managed in the Championship this season and secure a play-off position next term.

However, with such a great deal of interest in the £2,200-per-week youngster, and from clubs who will be playing Champions League football next season, the possibility of Reading keeping hold of the midfielder appears to be rather slim, something which will undoubtedly be a big blow for Paunovic.

Former Premier League striker Marcus Bent has exclusively told The Transfer Tavern that Marko Arnautovic would be in Crystal Palace’s price-range.

The Eagles have a number of attacking players out of contract this summer, including two of their three recognised strikers in Christian Benteke and Michy Batshuayi, whose loan deal expires.

Meanwhile, Jordan Ayew, who was one of Palace’s standout players last season, has managed just one goal, meaning reinforcements are going to be needed.

And reports believe that former Hammers striker Arnautovic is on Palace’s wish-list, with the Austrian strongly linked with a move back to England.

Arnautovic has a proven record in the Premier League having enjoyed success with both Stoke and West Ham before making the switch to Chinese Super League outfit Shanghai Port, where he’s scored 20 times in 36 appearances following his move back in 2019.

And whilst Bent believes that the striker’s West Ham exit could raise question marks, he would be willing to give him another chance to prove himself.

He told The Transfer Tavern:

“He’s 32. You don’t want someone in your your squad creating a harsh environment, but Palace could afford him. He’s been consistent in China, and it’s a top division in China.

“West Ham probably got rid of him for his attitude, he went to China for the money, but having the right manager might calm him down.”

Tottenham Hotspur hero Graham Roberts is worried that Son Heung-Min may look to leave the club, telling Football FanCast that Harry Kane’s potential exit could have a devastating knock-on effect.

Sky Sports News has reported that Kane has asked to leave the club in the summer transfer window after growing tired of their inability to win trophies.

Spurs are facing a real fight to qualify for Europe this season and Kane is said to already be at the centre of a transfer fight; Chelsea, Manchester City, and Manchester United are all said to have made enquiries towards his availability, per the report.

Son has enjoyed an exceptional season, scoring 22 goals in all competitions and laying on 17 assists, but he has yet to sign a new contract at the club despite reported protracted negotiations.

The £140,000-a-week South Korea international’s current deal expires in 2023 and Roberts is concerned that he may hesitate to put pen to paper if Kane does leave.

He told FFC: “The problem you’ve got is Heung-Min Son, we need to keep him.

“They’re talking about him signing a new contract.

“If you’re Son and they get rid of Harry Kane, what’s the ambition there?”

Life for Celtic is never simple; the Bhoys and everyone associated with Parkhead have found that out the hard way this season.

They have surrendered their grasp on Scottish football and perfectly embody a medieval fort destroyed by onrushing troops. For Dermot Desmond, there is simply no rest as he tries to repair the rubble.

What’s the word?

Celtic have been in advanced discussions with Eddie Howe to find themselves a new manager but the process is becoming rather frustrating.

They have been dealt a number of setbacks with various coaches but the latest name to rear its head again is Jesse Marsch.

Unfortunately, it’s not good news for Desmond or the club’s supporters. That’s because the American coach is now being target by his former employers RB Leipzig according to Sky Germany (via Daily Record).

Marsch openly admitted a few weeks ago that it was an honour to be linked with the Celtic job. However, German reporter Christian Falk quickly revealed that he wouldn’t be heading to Paradise.

News of Leipzig’s interest, therefore, only puts further doubt on a move for the RB Salzburg manager.

A stressful situation

It doesn’t matter who the coach is, Celtic are being met by an unrelenting brick wall.

Their initial interest in Roy Keane fell flat on the ground while they are now having troubles with Howe, Marsch and Lucien Favre.

[snack-amp-story url=”https://www.footballfancast.com/web-stories/read-the-latest-celtic-manager-and-transfer-news-howe-favre-edouard-desmond” title= “Read the latest Celtic manager and transfer news!”]

Howe doesn’t want to return to management until the summer while he’s also issued some tricky demands relating to his backroom staff that the Hoops have reportedly said no to.

As for Favre, he’s attracted interest from Saudi club Al-Hilal, a team who may be better suited to paying the extortionate demands that the Swiss requires in order to return to the coaching scene.

Thus, news that Marsch is also a target for other clubs is unlikely to go down well with the Hoops hierarchy.

This saga has been a drawn-out affair and of all the managers to be linked, he is one of the standout candidates.

He has won over 67% of his matches in Austria and has overperformed with Salzburg in the Champions League. His team only just lost to Liverpool 4-3 in the group stages when the Merseysiders were the tournament’s holders.

The 47-year-old won the double in his very first season with the Austrian giants and appears to be improving as a coach all the time.

This was the man that Celtic should have gone all out for; not Howe. Desmond must be tearing his hair out.

AND in other news, Celtic flop who’s been “anonymous” should be licking his lips after £20m update arises…

Rangers could be set to receive a huge blow this summer as Leeds United have reportedly shortlisted Steven Gerrard as a potential replacement for Marcelo Bielsa should the Argentinian depart Elland Road in the coming months.

Speaking on Ask Ornstein, The Athletic’s Phil Hay name-checked Gerrard when discussing the Yorkshire club’s potential successors for Bielsa this summer, as despite an impressive campaign back in the Premier League, the legendary manager’s contract is currently set to expire at the end of the season.

The Whites are currently on track for a top 10 finish in the Premier League, having emphatically won the Championship title last season, so many Leeds fans would undoubtedly be disappointed if Bielsa were to leave.

However, given Gerrard’s impressive record at Rangers, he could prove to be an excellent replacement for the 65-year-old at Elland Road, and a return to the Premier League might just tempt the former Liverpool captain away from Ibrox.

Since being appointed in May 2018, Gerrard has helped transform the Gers, sealing their 55th league title earlier in the season after a superb campaign which has seen them remain unbeaten in the top flight with just four league games remaining.

The Light Blues also impressed in the Europa League, reaching the round of 16 before falling to a 2-0 defeat at home to Slavia Prague, and his European experience would likely make him an attractive candidate for a lot of clubs in the future.

Whilst you would hope that the prospect of managing Rangers in the Champions League next season would be enough to convince Gerrard to stay, the more success he enjoys at Ibrox, the more foreign clubs are going to take notice.

Earlier in the season, former Premier League manager Harry Redknapp was full of praise for Gerrard, saying: “A lot of people down here have been paying attention to the job Stevie has done because he’s done amazing.”

[freshpress-quiz id=“593776”]

Therefore, it would be a huge blow for Rangers chairman Douglas Park if Leeds were able to tempt Gerrard with an offer this summer, as it is difficult to see a new manager coming in and replicating the 40-year-old’s successes at Ibrox.

In other news… Fewer passes than McLaughlin: £3m Rangers dud let Gerrard down vs St Johnstone

In an exclusive interview with Football FanCast, Steve Howey, who made 99 appearances for Manchester City, believes that if Pep Guardiola decides to sign Erling Haaland, it will be the end for other teams being competitive in the Premier League for a few years.

Man City are on course to win the Premier League without a striker being their top scorer, the first time a team has done that since Yaya Toure finished top scorer for City in the 2013/14 season with 20 goals.

Haaland has continued to impress with every passing game in both the Bundesliga and Champions League. He became the youngest and fastest player to reach 20 goals after it took him just 14 games.

Speaking on why Haaland moving to the Etihad would make City too good for other teams to compete but admits City may not need a striker, Howey told FFC:

“I think if Man City get Erling Haaland it’s game over, we can forget about the Premier League for another few years.

“Sometimes I don’t think Pep plays with a traditional centre forward, he never really did when he was at Barcelona.

“He’s always trying to be inventive in terms of how to change things so it’ll be interesting to see who he is possibly looking at this summer.”

Man City have been linked with a move fpr both Haaland and Harry Kane this summer as they look to plug the hole which Sergio Aguero will be leaving this summer, after his future exit was announced this week.

It is midfielder Ilkay Gundogan who is City’s top scorer this season with 16 goals, as well as back-to-back player of the month awards in January and February respectively.

Former Rangers defender Graham Roberts has exclusively told The Transfer Tavern that he hopes Steven Gerrard’s men “shut a few people up” by going on to win the domestic double.

The Gers recently secured their first major trophy for a decade when Celtic’s draw at Dundee United last month handed them the Scottish Premiership title.

However, there’s still plenty up for grabs, with Rangers just four games away from going the whole league season unbeaten, although they’ll need to avoid defeat in the fourth Scottish Premiership Old Firm derby of the campaign at Ibrox next month.

But the two Glasgow rivals will meet before then, with the pair meeting in the fourth round of the Scottish Cup on Sunday.

Should Rangers get one over Celtic for the third time this season, they’ll be just three games away from a first double since 2008-2009.

And Roberts, who won two major honours during his two seasons at Ibrox, has urged his former side to go and silence the doubters.

“They haven’t lost a game in the league yet, so hopefully they can go all season without losing a game,” he told the Transfer Tavern.

“And now they’ve been draw at home to Celtic in the cup, so hopefully they can go on and win the double and might shut a few people up.”

Southampton take on Bournemouth at the Vitality Stadium in the FA Cup on Saturday and Saints manager Ralph Hasenhuttl should consider axing Ryan Bertrand for the game.

The 31-year-old has disappointed with his performances this season, averaging a poor 6.42 WhoScored average match rating for his performances in the Premier League.

Other than in the 2-0 win against Sheffield United, his recent performances have been nothing short of terrible, with the former Chelsea man failing to earn a rating of over 6.6/10 in eight of his last nine Premier League appearances.

The experienced defender is yet to sign a new deal with the club amid reported interest from Arsenal, with his current deal set to expire at the end of the season, which makes you question his commitment to Hasenhuttl’s side at the moment.

Bertrand has appeared in 27 of Southampton’s 29 top-flight fixtures so far this season, so he is firmly first choice left-back under Hasenhuttl despite his less than impressive form.

This is arguably due to a lack of natural back-up options to the Englishman, with Sam McQueen still sidelined through injury, whilst Jake Vokins was inexplicably sent on loan to Sunderland in the winter transfer window without a back-up being brought in.

However, Mohammed Salisu featured at left-back for Southampton’s 5-2 defeat against Manchester City at the Etihad Stadium earlier this month and, whilst he was run ragged by Riyad Mahrez, he can be a solid option in that position should Hasenhuttl decide to finally drop Bertrand against Bournemouth at the weekend.

Bertrand reportedly earns £70,000 per week at Southampton which seemed excessive for someone who has been one of Hasenhuttl’s poorest performers this season so far, which may make things difficult for both parties when it comes to negotiating a renewal.

Therefore, considering the 31-year-old might not even be with Southampton next season, Hasenhuttl should start preparing for life without him in his team, which means that Salisu or another Saints youngster should start at left-back for the game on Saturday.

In other news… Southampton potentially signing 11-goal beast could be bad news for 22 y/o gem who Hasenhuttl loves