All posts by z3u9t.icu

Leeds United have finally started to get the ball rolling ahead of their Championship campaign with a full take-over confirmed and Daniel Farke appointed to take on the challenging head coach role at Elland Road.

Not only that, their recruitment plans and strategy is starting to take some shape; not only in identifying key targets who could improve the team next season but also allowing the players who are not sold on staying to compete in the second tier.

Robin Koch is the first first-team player to make an exit with the defender leaving on a season-long loan to Eintracht Frankfurt in the Bundesliga, whilst a number of others like Jack Harrison, Wilfried Gnonto and Crysencio Summerville have been linked with moves away from the Whites.

As a result, Farke has a huge task on his hands to ensure his team can compete comfortably to earn an instant return to the top flight and whilst the quality of their Premier League-proven stars will be important, it will also be essential to bring in some talent who have experience of the Championship.

One player who has been recently linked with a move to Elland Road is Nottingham Forest's Sam Surridge, a striker who not only has the experience to make an impact in the second tier but is also a youthful prospect that could be a worthy heir to Patrick Bamford.

The Athletic's Leeds reporter Phil Hay has claimed that Leeds are interested in a number of players to fill key roles in the squad next season and Surridge is named as a potential option for the club.

Would Sam Surridge be a good signing for Leeds?

If Leeds can acquire the right players to bolster key positions in the team and retain the services of some of their most important components, there is no reason why the club won't be in contention to follow in Burnley's footsteps to secure automatic promotion next season.

Farke has twice masterminded Championship promotion during his time at Norwich City which puts the west Yorkshire outfit in a great position to achieve their goal.

The signing of Surridge would be a great opportunity for Leeds to bring in a player who has been a huge presence in the league in the past and if he can make a similar impact next season he could easily challenge Bamford for the future spot in the number nine role.

Over 27 appearances last season, the 24-year-old – once hailed "clinical" by journalist Callum Castel – scored three goals and registered two assists and despite being out of favour for the most part, he tallied up a goal contribution every 148 minutes.

In the Championship, the £15k-per-week machine has experience playing in the centre-forward role for Stoke City, Swansea, Bournemouth and of course, Nottingham Forest with 87 appearances, 17 goals and four assists, promoted once due to his efforts through the play-offs with the Tricky Trees in the 2021/22 campaign.

Bamford has struggled to offer a consistent output over the last two seasons with injuries limiting his game-time and an inability to get into a consistent run of form – scoring just 11 times over the most recent two campaigns – so now Surridge could be a competitor for the 29-year-old Leeds striker needs to improve his performances next season.

With that being said, if Leeds can strike up a deal for Surridge it would be a good piece of business for the club and with consistent minutes at Elland Road it could provide Farke with a worthy heir to succeed Bamford in the future.

Chelsea are reportedly interested in Sporting CP ace Goncalo Inacio, as Mauricio Pochettino eyes a rebuild at Stamford Bridge ahead of his first season in charge.

The Blues are expected to have a new look ahead of the 2023/24 campaign after a disastrous year in the Premier League seeing them record their lowest league finish since 1994.

With just 11 wins and 38 goals in 38 games, the Argentine will have a busy summer in west London with another spending spree on the horizon after Todd Boehly’s £600m gamble across last season’s windows.

What’s the latest on Goncalo Inacio to Chelsea?

As reported by news outlets in Spain, relayed by CaughtOffside, Chelsea are ready to challenge Liverpool for the signature of Sporting CP centre-back Goncalo Inacio.

The report claims that the two Premier League clubs are ‘two of the candidates’ interested in the 21-year-old, with Real Madrid and Paris Saint Germain also listed.

It’s reported that the central defender has a release clause of €45m (£39m), with his contract running until 2026 in Lisbon.

What could Goncalo Inacio offer to Chelsea?

After allowing Kalidou Koulibaly to depart to Saudi Arabia in a deal with Al-Hilal worth £20m, the Blues will be a centre-back short going into the new season, sparking rumours that they will eye a new defender this window.

The players departing Stamford Bridge isn’t the only thought process regarding the future of the back line, with star player Thiago Silva turning 39 years old shortly after the start of the new campaign.

At just 21, Inacio could provide Chelsea with a long-term presence in central defence, and a player showing glimpses of being capable of taking the reins from the Brazilian veteran.

Hailed as a “complete” defender by talent scout Jacek Kulig, the young star has cemented himself as a firm starter in Sporting’s set-up.

With an average match rating of 7.01, the youngster contributed to seven clean sheets in 33 Liga Portugal appearances via Sofascore, just three clean sheets fewer than Chelsea recorded in the entire Premier League season (10).

Standing at 6 foot 1, the Almada-born gem is an assured presence in Sporting’s back line, flexing a 90% passing accuracy rate as well as sitting in the top 2% of centre-backs in the league in terms of progressive passes, with an average of 9.04 per 90, via FBref.

Praised by Kulig as “playing like an experienced 30-year-old veteran”, the youngster could, therefore, be a strong candidate to act as Pochettino’s heir to Silva. That is further backed up by his numbers this season.

The 21-year-old won 3.9 duels per game with a 59% win rate, as well as making an average of 1.2 tackles, 1.4 interceptions and 1.9 clearances per game, as per Sofascore.

Silva, on the other hand, won 1.5 tackles, 1.3 interceptions and 4.4 duels per match, rather similar statistics.

While Chelsea have some defensive talent in their arsenal, it would be a strong signing for Boehly should the Blues further their pursuit of Inacio, who at a price lower than familiar to the west Londoners, could prove to be a worthy investment for years to come.

Glasgow Rangers are lining up a move for Feyenoord striker Danilo if they are unable to get a deal for Cyriel Dessers over the line in the coming weeks.

What’s the latest on Danilo to Rangers?

A move for Dessers has stalled as Cremonese’s value of the player is too high an asking price for Michael Beale and this could mean making a move for an alternative.

According to Mail Plus, Rangers are looking at sealing a loan deal for Brighton and Hove Albion player Abdallah Sima, while Danilo has been touted as a potential alternative to Dessers during the summer transfer window.

Will Rangers sign another striker during the transfer window?

Beale has already lured Sam Lammers to Ibrox from Atalanta for a fee of around £3m as he begins to rejig the Gers’ attack, as Ryan Kent and Alfredo Morelos departed the club following the expiration of their contracts while Antonio Colak is being linked with a move away.

Dessers certainly has the attributes to fill the void left by Morelos, netting 30 goals over the previous two seasons, and in leagues such as the Eredivisie and Serie A, the Nigerian has proven he can cut it in some of the best divisions on the continent.

If Beale fails to secure his signature however, Danilo would be an ideal alternative, and he is coming off the back of a stunning campaign for Feyenoord, having scored 14 times across all competitions, including ten in the top flight as the Dutch side claimed their first league title since 2017.

The Brazilian only departed Ajax last summer, and he was praised by former manager Erik ten Hag, who said: “Danilo is the best finisher we have in the squad” and if he moved to the Light Blues, the club would be acquiring someone who certainly has a keen eye for goal.

Indeed, Danilo offers a more out-and-out scoring threat than Dessers, evidenced by the fact he scored more goals (12 to ten), had more shots on target per 90 (3.76 to 3.01) and took more touches in the opposition penalty area last term, suggesting he could be a more dangerous asset in the box.

Ultimately, missing out on Dessers might not be the end of the world for Beale if a player like Danilo is available.

Judging by the statistics, the £5.5m-rated Brazilian could replicate the goals of Morelos, while also offering the direct approach taken by Colak and with international recognition at U23 level, the Feyenoord hitman could take his game to the next level should he move to Glasgow.

Everton are targeting a deal to sign Jack Harrison this summer, according to Football Insider, as Sean Dyche prepares for his first full season at Goodison Park.

Everton transfer news – will they sign Jack Harrison?

The Toffees are reportedly looking to swoop in and bring Harrison to Goodison Park this summer after the Leeds United winger suffered relegation to the Championship last season.

As per the report, the 26-year-old dynamo's current contract at Elland Road includes a release clause of just £16m following their demotion to the second tier.

With such a low fee, the Merseyside outfit may need to act fast in order to secure Harrison's signature this summer, as they begin a rebuild which Dyche will hope ensures their Premier League safety and more in the coming campaign.

Will Jack Harrison replace Demarai Gray in Everton's line-up?

If Harrison does make the move to Everton this summer, then Demarai Gray should be concerned.

Since the arrival of Dyche, the former Leicester City winger has struggled to establish himself in a similar way that made him a key figure under former boss Frank Lampard, going from playing the full 90 in four consecutive games to being instantly benched in the new manager's first game in charge, against Arsenal.

The arrival of Harrison would only limit Gray's game time even more, too, given the fact that they are both wingers, primarily on the left flank, and the Leeds man is coming off the back of an impressive season in a struggling side.

During the 2022/23 campaign, the reported target was involved in 16 goals in all competitions, with six goals and 10 assists to his name as Leeds were relegated – pretty impressive returns considering just how badly the Whites struggled in front of goal.

Meanwhile, in comparison, the man that he could replace at Everton managed just seven goal involvements in all competitions – scoring six goals and assisting just one other. He also ended the season with a barren run, with nine straight games without a direct goal contribution.

That's not to say that Dyche wouldn't have a selection headache, however, as statistics show players of very similar potential and quality.

As per FBref, both players make over three progressive carries and have over 30% shots on target success per 90. The key difference, and the stat that should leave Gray worried about his place is Harrison's passing ability.

The Leeds man makes over double the amount of progressive passes per 90 than Gray, and as Everton look to finally find some goals in their side in a bid to change their fortunes on the pitch, this could be the key.

Harrison has certainly attracted praise in the past, too, even when struggling, with Kevin Phillips telling Football Insider:

"Harrison was quite brilliant last year.

"He hasn’t been anywhere near as effective as this season though which has surprised me.

“The second season is always more difficult though because people work you out, as a team and an individual. You need to come up with different ways of playing to combat that. The sign of a good player is one that is continually evolving and getting better.

"Harrison is undoubtedly a good player. It’s great that he got himself a goal. It will do his confidence the world of good."

The former Sunderland man was proved right as well, as Harrison – who was also once hailed as a "beast" by Leeds reporter Beren Cross – bounced back and could now be on his way to Everton in a move that may spark concern for Gray's future at Goodison Park.

West Ham must begin the unwanted task of preparing to replace the imperious Declan Rice.

One name who could fill this impending void is Ibrahim Sangare.

What’s the latest on Ibrahim Sangare to West Ham?

According to Get Football News, PSV Eindhoven are willing to let the midfielder leave having attracted interest from several top clubs.

The Dutch side value the player at around €37m (£32m), but a number of clubs are reluctant to pay such a price.

Tottenham, Liverpool and PSG have all been linked with a move in the past, but, the Hammers cannot be ruled out as a viable option for Sangare’s signature, as back in April, he was suggested as a possible replacement for Rice by the Daily Mail.

This followed news that last summer, the Irons were weighing up a £25m move for the Ivorian, but any chance of securing the titan was extinguished when he signed a new deal with the club in that window.

But, with the 2023 Europa Conference League winners set to receive a mammoth fee for their club captain, they could reignite their interest in this 6 foot 3 colossus.

How would Ibrahim Sangare fit in at West Ham?

The 29-cap international has made 133 appearances for PSV, including 45 outings in all competitions this term, whilst notching 11 goal contributions.

This season, across 29 Eredivisie games, the West African has averaged 2.3 tackles, 1.6 clearances, 81% pass accuracy in the opposition half, and 77% of his dribbles, according to Sofascore. Clearly a defensively resolute performer, this is also a player with technical elegance.

He has shown himself to be simply above the level of the Dutch league as he ranks within the top 14% outside of Europe’s top five leagues for aerials won per 90, successful take-ons per 90, progressive passes per 90, and non-penalty goals per 90.

Sangare’s possible arrival could be a further setback from Flynn Downes, who has endured a difficult debut season in East London.

Despite Tomas Soucek’s patchy form, the former Swansea man only began seven top-flight games, but when he has sparingly featured he has largely struggled to show meaningful signs of his quality.

He dismally resides in the lowest 5% in Europe’s top five leagues among his positional peers for progressive passes per 90, progressive carries per 90, and successful take-ons per 90.

This has opened the door for Sangare, who has been described as “extraordinary” by former PSV and Ajax manager Aad de Mos.

Due to the pivot’s experience, Sangare has displayed the quality to be a regular starter for the Irons. Indeed, he would evidently be a far better option than Moyes' 2022 signing.

Aston Villa are interested in completing the signing of Manchester City centre-back Aymeric Laporte this summer, according to an update from journalist Dean Jones.

Is Laporte set to leave Man City?

City are still celebrating their impressive treble triumph in 2022/23, having beaten Inter Milan in last weekend's Champions League final. They also won both the Premier League and FA Cup during the season, cementing their place in the history of English football.

While many individuals have played enormous roles in City's success, whether it be Rodri, Kevin De Bruyne or Erling Haaland, one player who has had more of a bit-part job is Laporte.

The 29-year-old only started 11 of his side's league games throughout the campaign, and with the likes of Ruben Dias and John Stones playing so well, it could be difficult for him to win his place back moving forward.

For that reason, the £120,000-a-week-earning Laporte could potentially move away this summer in order to be a regular starter, which is where Villa come into play, having been linked with him in the recent past.

Do Villa want to sign Laporte this summer?

Speaking to Give Me Sport, transfer expert Jones claimed that Unai Emery is keen on acquiring Laporte's signature in the near future, although his exit is far from a given:

"There's definitely interest. There are a few options that Villa are looking at. Laporte is obviously potentially leaving Manchester City this summer, so that makes sense. Whether he would be willing to step down to Aston Villa remains to be seen."

Laporte, who was hailed as the "best in the world" back in 2020, would be a superb addition by Villa if they could get a deal over the line, with the Spain international someone who has won five Premier League titles with City, not to mention the Champions League now, among various other trophies.

Pep Guardiola has hailed the centre-back as "incredible" before and he could prove to be a step up from any other current Villa defender, for all the good form of someone like Tyrone Mings.

He would bring with him a winning mentality and so much quality in and out of possession, having enjoyed a 93.1% pass completion rate in the league in 2022/23, and averaged 2.5 clearances per game.

At 29, Laporte wouldn't represent the long-term future, which is a slight negative to the move, but the Villans should be able to get two or three years out of him at his top level, which could be ideal.

Real Madrid have put Tottenham Hotspur’s Harry Kane atop their list of potential Karim Benzema replacements.

With just a year left on his current deal, Harry Kane has attracted the attention of Europe’s biggest clubs, but it is perhaps Europe’s biggest that will end up taking him away from north London.

What’s the latest on Harry Kane?

According to Spanish Football expert Guillem Balague, Real Madrid have made Kane their new priority to replace the departing Karim Benzema.

The news comes on the back of the recent announcement that the club’s all-time leading goalscorer has left the club for a lucrative deal in the Saudi Pro League.

Before the Frenchman departed from the Spanish capital, the most likely destination for England’s record goalscorer looked like it would be Erik ten Hag’s Manchester United.

However, the new vacancy in Real’s attack has turned everything on its head.

The prospect of playing under Carlo Ancelotti and for a team that has made winning the Champions League a habit might prove too much to turn down for Kane.

What are the stumbling blocks?

The most significant barrier to this deal being completed is undoubtedly the hefty price tag that Daniel Levy has placed on his star man reported to be a minimum of £100m.

This is in spite of the fact that the 6ft striker only has a year left on his deal, and according to Balague, this figure is something ‘Real would be reluctant to pay.’

Then there is the much-publicised desire from the player himself to break Alan Shearer’s Premier League goal record of 260 goals, only 47 more than Kane’s current tally.

Would Harry Kane improve Real Madrid?

The Walthamstow-born forward has been an integral part of every Spurs side he has played in and quickly established himself as one of the first names on an England team sheet.

He certainly has the approval of Pep Guardiola, who only this year described him as ‘one of the best strikers I have ever seen in my life.’

With praise like that, it shouldn’t be surprising to find out that according to WhoScored, Kane has averaged a rating of 7.51 throughout his 38 games in the Premier League this season.

Those 38 games have seen him rack up 33 goal involvements in a dysfunctional Spurs side.

In contrast, Benzema, the man he would be replacing in the Spanish capital, could only reach 22 goal involvements in LaLiga this term.

The underlying numbers are there as well. According to FBref, the Spurs man ranks in the top 10% for shot-creating actions, the top 4% for progressive passes and the top 14% for non-penalty goals per 90.

If Florentino Perez and Daniel Levy can figure out a way to make this deal work, Harry Kane could well end his career with a whole host of trophies in Madrid.

Referee John Brooks and his VAR team may have made a big mistake this weekend as they failed to punish Manchester City defender Rico Lewis for a handball inside his own box.

What's the latest on Man City vs Brentford?

The Cityzens sealed the Premier League title last weekend and so had nothing on the line as they made the trip to West London to take on Brentford.

And having lost to the Bees at the Etihad earlier on in the campaign, Pep Guardiola's men were once again not at their best when facing Thomas Frank and co.

In the end, a single goal from Ethan Pinnock – coming via a well-worked free-kick routine – was enough to seal all three points for Brentford who have now finished ninth in the league

However, the home side potentially could have won the game by an even greater margin had Brooks pointed to the spot when the ball clearly hit Lewis' arm inside his own box.

As you can see in the image below, taken from the Sky Sports highlights package, the Man City player is potentially lucky to get away with this one.

Was this a penalty for Brentford?

The incident occurs when Brentford come forward and Vitaly Janelt cuts a low ball into the box for Ben Mee to attack.

The defender takes a slightly heavy touch and then stretches to flick the ball towards goal but Lewis comes across to block it.

He does just that but uses his hand to stop the ball from continuing towards goal before City eventually clear their lines.

The commentator notes that "VAR are going to have to get involved" but referee Brookes was not advised to change his initial decision and so no penalty was awarded.

In the end, it wasn't too costly for Brentford as they still won the game and both teams could come away from the match with smiles on their faces with City obviously the league winners even before kick-off. Although Guardiola may have been disappointed as his team's run of 25 matches unbeaten in all competitions came to an end.

After the final whistle, Bees boss Frank spoke about how delighted he was for his team even if they couldn't quite secure a finish in one of the European spots.

He told Sky Sports (via BBC Sport): "The team deserve a lot of praise. [The win] sums up a fantastic season.

"Sometimes you need to look back where we've actually come from. To finish ninth with 59 points and the second-lowest budget is incredible. Now we want to have a rest and come back as strong as possible."

Celtic head coach Ange Postecoglou has been heavily linked with a move away from the Scottish Premiership with several English top flight clubs on the search for new managers.

The 57-year-old was asked by Sky Sports whether any of the speculation, particularly amid interest from Spurs, had come across his radar. To which he defiantly said: "And yet, I'm still here."

Adding more to his reply, Postecoglou said:

"Listen, it doesn't,""I think anyone that knows me knows that what is important for me is the here and now. I've never planned anything in my football career."My ambitions right now are to enjoy tomorrow and have a good game and try to win a cup final to have a special year. It's not every year that you get the chance to win a Treble. If anyone thinks that I am thinking anything other than that then they don't know me."

Celtic face Iverness in the Scottish Cup final and the manager appears focused on bringing the treble home for Celtic fans.

What's the latest on Ange Postecoglou's Celtic future?

In the last 48 hours, the Daily Mail's Rob Draper reported on behind the scenes news he's heard on Spurs' interest in Postecoglou in a promising boost for Celtic fans.

With Tottenham set to part ways with acting manager Ryan Mason following the end of the Premier League season, It's reported that Xabi Alonso, their initial no.1 candidate, had ruled himself out of contention while Postecoglou looks quite likely to commit to another year at Celtic.

For Spurs there wouldn't be an exorbitant exit clause due to the 57-year-old's one-year rolling contract with Celtic. Yet, the manager's desire is to remain at the club with his "ultimate ambition" said to be to guide Celtic through to the Champions League knockout stages.

Additionally, the current Celtic side has been "largely recruited by him" and so Postecoglou wants to yield returns on that faith shown in him by the club.

What is Ange Postecoglou's contract situation at Celtic?

As reported by the Daily Mail, Postecoglou is on a one-year rolling contract. This means that unless terminated by either the club or the manager, it will renew again and "roll" into another season.

For Celtic, it's a precarious situation as they can do little to prevent Postecoglou from leaving if he decided to due to the lack of a prohibitive exit clause.

For instance, another former Spurs managerial candidate, Feyenoord manager Arne Slot has a £17m release clause, while the Daily Mail claims Postecoglou's contract does not contain an "expensive" clause.

That said, Postecoclgou seems set for another year at the club with a European adventure in sight.

An update has emerged on Newcastle United and their attempts to bolster their midfield options in the summer transfer window…

What's the latest on Adrien Rabiot to Newcastle?

According to Calcio Mercato, the Magpies are one of the clubs eyeing up a potential bargain swoop to sign Juventus midfielder Adrien Rabiot in the coming weeks.

The report claims that the Old Lady powerhouse is yet to reach an agreement over a new deal with the Italian giants and this means that he is set to be a free agent at the end of June.

It is stated that Bayern Munich and Manchester United are also in the race for his signature, whilst the likes of Real Madrid and FC Barcelona could also join the growing list of suitors.

How has Adrien Rabiot performed this season?

The former Paris Saint-Germain maestro has been in terrific form in the Serie A for Juventus in 2022/23 and his arrival could be bad news for current Toon midfielder Sean Longstaff.

Newcastle's academy graduate has been a crucial cog in Eddie Howe's side in the Premier League – starting 27 matches – but his position in the starting line-up would be under threat with Rabiot in the building.

Longstaff has averaged a Sofascore rating of 6.74 and chipped in with one goal and 1.8 tackles and interceptions per match in the top-flight. The Englishman has also created 0.7 chances per game for his teammates and won 47% of his physical duels.

Rabiot, meanwhile, could offer more quality at both ends of the pitch and in his average performance level.

The 28-year-old has averaged a Sofascore rating of 7.06 across 28 Serie A starts and produced eight goals and 2.9 tackles and interceptions per game for the Italian giants. This suggests that the Frenchman, who has created 0.9 chances per match in the Italian top-flight, would be an improvement on Longstaff in terms of what he is able to provide in and out of possession.

Rabiot, who ex-teammate Gianluigi Buffon once hailed as a "wardrobe" due to his impressive physique, wins the ball back more frequently for his side and carries a great goalscoring threat, whilst they create a similar amount for their respective sides.

The France international has also averaged more progressive carries and successful take-ons per 90 (3.3) than the 25-year-old (1.04) over the last 365 days and this indicates that the Juventus star is better at bringing the ball forward and progressing the team up the pitch.

The £152k-per-week machine has also featured in 60 Champions League matches across his career, whilst the Magpies man has never played in a European game, and Howe could lean on his experience in the competition if they qualify for it in their last two Premier League outings.

Therefore, Longstaff should be concerned by the possible arrival of Rabiot as the Frenchman could take up his position in the starting XI and leave the English gem as a rotational option rather than a go-to starter.