All posts by h79snht.top

Jesse Marsch’s Leeds United head into tonight’s Premier League meeting with Chelsea knowing that, should they wish to give themselves the best possible chance of avoiding the drop this season, they simply must pick up some kind of result at Elland Road against Thomas Tuchel’s third-placed Blues.

However, with right-back Luke Ayling being shown a straight red card in the 2-1 defeat at Arsenal last time out, in addition to the form of several of the Whites’ regular first-teamers having fallen off a cliff in recent weeks, the 48-year-old manager has a number of big calls to make concerning his starting XI.

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One such call will undoubtedly be in central midfield, a position in which, following Adam Forshaw’s season-ending injury, the American manager has struggled to find a suitable counterpart to the unflappable England international, Kalvin Phillips.

At The Emirates, Marsch started Mateusz Klich alongside the 26-year-old, however, with the 31-year-old turning in yet another abject display against the Gunners, it would appear an extremely wise move for the 48-year-old to drop the Poland international for what could well be a season-defining fixture this evening.

Indeed, over his 45 minutes on the pitch last time out, the £3.6m-rated midfielder was something of a passenger in the middle of the park, enjoying just 33 touches of the ball, completing 79% of his passes, ceding possession for his side on eight separate occasions, being beaten by an opponent twice and losing five of his six duels – a failure rate of 83%.

These returns saw the £34k-per-week player who The Short Fuse dubbed “embarrassing” and one prominent Leeds supporter dubbed “awful” average an extremely disappointing SofaScore match rating of just 6.0 – the joint third-worst score of any player to feature in the match – with Marsch hooking the 38-time capped international at the break.

As such, with Lewis Bate having highly impressed upon replacing Klich last time out, and while it is true that the likes of Raphinha and Jack Harrison also failed to make any sort of mark against Arsenal, it is the Pole who Marsch simply must axe from his starting XI against Chelsea, as the midfielder could cost the Whites big-time against the Blues.

AND in other news: Marsch must finally unleash “standout” 19 y/o Leeds talent v Chelsea, he “isn’t afraid”

Sky Sports pundit Kevin Campbell has seen three reasons Nottingham Forest will gain promotion to the Premier League, speaking ahead of their Championship play-off semi-final fixture against Sheffield United.

The Lowdown: Top four finish

The Reds narrowly missed out on an automatic promotion place, having secured a fourth-place finish. They now have to battle it out in the playoffs, starting with the first leg against the Blades on Saturday afternoon before the reverse fixture which is set to take place at the City Ground the following Tuesday.

Even though it will be a difficult task trying to secure victory over a side who were in the top-flight just last season, the former Arsenal striker believes that Forest have more than enough in their squad to get the job done.

The Latest: Campbell backing Forest

When speaking during a recent interview with The Athletic (via Nottingham Forest News), Campbell listed three specific factors he’s spotted, praising the manager, playing squad and togetherness while saying the club is simply ‘too big’ to stay down.

“It’s too big a club, the history is too vast and it’s been too long.

“It’s time for these young players to take the reins. They have the right manager, camaraderie and talent.”

The Verdict: Cooper’s unbelievable record

Steve Cooper was first appointed Reds boss last September after leaving Swansea to take over as Chris Hughton’s successor in the east Midlands.

And the 42-year-old achieved more than anyone probably thought possible during his first season in charge, having won 25 of his 42 games across all competitions this term, as per Transfermarkt, not to mention the fact that there is still a strong chance that he could take them to the Premier League before the end of May.

The Welshman has built a squad that is full of young players with massive potential, and whilst it won’t be easy coming up against Paul Heckingbottom’s sturdy and perhaps more experienced side, there’s no reason why Forest can’t be the team booking their place at Wembley on May 29th.

Journalist Craig Vickers has hailed current Hearts and incoming Rangers defender John Souttar for his display in the Scottish Cup final.

The Lowdown: Rangers vs Hearts

Rangers took to Hampden Park to face off against Hearts in the Scottish Cup final, just three days after their agonising loss to Eintracht Frankfurt in the Europa League final, having missed out on penalties.

Both sides went into half-time goalless, having each failed to capitalise on respective excellent chances. Ellis Simms hit the post for Hearts, whilst Amad Diallo headed over from six yards for Rangers.

Whilst coming close numerous times in the second half, including Scott Wright hitting the bar in the third minute of extra time, Rangers were held to a stalemate within the 90 minutes.

However, Rangers came out all guns blazing for extra time, and in the 93rd minute, Ryan Jack smashed home to give the Gers the lead.

Just four minutes later, Wright emphatically doubled the score, sending Rangers to their first Scottish Cup victory in 13 years.

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The Latest: Vickers lauds Souttar

During the January window, Rangers announced the signing of Hearts defender John Souttar on a pre-contract agreement.

Taking to the field for the cup final, Souttar set about playing his last game in a Jambos shirt.

Freelance journalist Craig Vickers was very complimentary of the soon-to-be Rangers man, clearly impressed with the Glasgow club’s free signing. Taking to Twitter, he was stunned by the player’s ability on the ball.

“Souttar is so good stepping into midfield with the ball. Going to be interesting to see how GvB uses that next season because it’s something Goldson lacks despite his quality passing range.”

The Verdict: Good addition

Described by Hearts ace Josh Ginnelly as a “world-class player”, Souttar’s arrival at Ibrox will prove to be a massive addition to van Bronckhorst’s squad.

According to SofaScore, the 25-year-old has been rated Hearts’ best player this season, having averaged a sensational 7.30 rating.

Therefore, if the Scotland international can maintain this form going into next season, the free transfer will prove to be a massive piece of business for Rangers.

In other news: Rangers: Paddy Kenny issues summer transfer warning

TalkSPORT journalist Alex Crook has hinted that Leeds United midfielder Kalvin Phillips may have a relegation release clause in his Elland Road deal, GiveMeSport report.

The Lowdown: Man City links

Phillips may have played his final game at Elland Road as a Leeds player and stayed out after the full-time whistle on Sunday with Raphinha.

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The England international has now been linked with a move to Manchester City, with Pep Guardiola viewing the 26-year-old as an ideal replacement for Fernandinho.

City will face competition from Aston Villa and West Ham for Phillips, however, they could triple his current wage at the Etihad.

The Latest: Crook’s comments

Talking to GMS, Crook said that an exit for Raphinha is ‘most likely’, with reports suggesting the winger has agreed on personal terms with Barcelona.

It’s no secret that Raphinha has a €25m relegation release clause in his Whites deal, however, Crook then added that ‘there’s a suggestion’ Phillips also has one.

“I think he’ll go anyway, whether they stay up or go down. I think he will probably end up at Barcelona – that looks the most likely outcome.

“They’re going to struggle to keep Raphinha and Kalvin Phillips whatever happens. I think there’s a suggestion they’ve both got release clauses in their contracts if they do go down.”

The Verdict: Interesting

There haven’t been any concrete reports from those close to Elland Road regarding Phillips and a relegation release clause, so this claim is certainly an interesting one.

Hopefully, Jesse Marsch’s side remain in the Premier League over the weekend, which will put an end to any relegation release clause speculation on the boyhood Whites fan.

Leeds chiefs would then be able to demand larger fees for Raphinha and Phillips, who are both valued at £40.5m by Transfermarkt, meaning the club could pocket close to £100m for the star duo, making Sunday’s trip to Brentford even more crucial.

In other news: Radz and Orta have had enough of Leeds ‘liability’; now set to be released from Elland Road. 

Aurelien Tchouameni is more likely to join Real Madrid over Liverpool in the summer transfer window, according to journalist Fabrizio Romano.

The Lowdown: Battle to sign Tchouameni

It looks set to be a two-way battle to sign the Monaco midfielder, with both Madrid and the Reds seemingly working hard to get their man.

Liverpool have been strongly linked with a move for a number of weeks now, as they eye up a major midfield addition ahead of the start of next season.

It does feel as though Madrid are in pole position to sign Tchouameni, however, and a fresh update has further suggested as much.

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The Latest: Real favourites, says Romano

Writing for Caught Offside, Romano confirmed that the La Liga champions are the front-runners to pip Liverpool to the 22-year-old’s signature, even though the Reds are still battling:

“Aurelien Tchouameni told his teammates that his priority this summer is Real Madrid. Even sources inside Liverpool are sure that Tchouameni wants to give priority to negotiations with Real Madrid.

“There have been ongoing talks between Real Madrid and his agents for a contract until June 2027, but not yet a full deal with AS Monaco asking €80m for the midfielder: new talks are expected right after the Champions League final this weekend. Paris Saint-Germain remain interested until the end, but Real Madrid are leading the race.

“Liverpool remain alert to the situation before focusing on other targets. As I wrote in my recent column, the Reds have held direct talks with Tchouameni’s agent as well, but it seems he has now made it clear that his preference is to move to the Spanish capital.

“After signing Eduardo Camavinga last year, the addition of Tchouameni could give Madrid two great French midfielders that can form the spine of their side for the next decade or more. There’s no need for fans to worry about the future of the club’s midfield after Luka Modric and Toni Kroos.”

The Verdict: One that got away?

It would be an undoubted blow if Liverpool missed out on signing Tchouameni this summer, with the Frenchman described as an ‘amazing player’ by football talent scout Jacek Kulig.

The Monaco man looks tailor-made to come straight into the Reds’ midfield alongside Fabinho and Thiago, replacing the ageing Jordan Henderson and hit-and-miss Naby Keita in the regular starting lineup.

Sadly, it looks as though Tchouameni could be Madrid-bound, however, and Jurgen Klopp will have to eye up an alternative instead. Jude Bellingham could be that man, but the Reds would likely have to wait until 2023 to sign the Borussia Dortmund star, with the club not wanting him and Erling Haaland to leave in the same year.

In other news, Paul Joyce has dropped a key Liverpool injury update. Read more here.

Celtic’s recent dealings in the transfer market proved a key factor in the club’s return to Scottish Premiership glory, with manager Ange Postecoglou proving himself something of a master when it comes to recruiting new talent.

While Hoops’ supporters can likely have little complaint with the title-winning manager at present, one decision that both he – and the club – may be regretting is the sale of midfielder Ryan Christie, with the Scotsman having shone since his move to Bournemouth last summer.

Although the decision was largely taken out of Postecoglou’s hands – with just a year (or less) remaining on the 28-cap international’s contract – the former Yokohama boss may well have been regretting not pushing harder to keep his former asset at the club.

The 5 foot 10 playmaker had been plucked from Inverness Caledonian Thistle for just £500k in the summer of 2015, going on to win a plethora of silverware over the next few years and establishing himself as a regular at international level.

Despite starting the 2021/22 campaign as part of the Old Firm outfit’s squad – notably registering a hat-trick of assists in a 6-0 thrashing of Dundee – speculation was rife over his future due to his contract situation, before he eventually signed for the Cherries on a £2.5m deal on deadline day.

While the club were able to earn a tidy profit on his initial fee, losing such a key player late in the window was no doubt a significant blow, while the small nature of the fee seemingly did not reflect the quality of the player.

That has been made evidently clear with the 27-year-old recently enjoying a rise in valuation, as per Transfermarkt, with the player now worth £8.1m, having been valued at just £6.3m back in May 2021.

That ascent has been sparked by his impressive form in the recent campaign, as he scored three goals and registered eight assists in 38 games for Scott Parker’s side, playing a pivotal role in the club’s return to the Premier League.

Should the £23k-per-week gem – who has previously been dubbed “ferocious” by pundit Chris Sutton – continue to dazzle in the top-flight next term that valuation will no doubt soar again, with the player seemingly having been proven right on his bold decision to jump ship to a second-tier outfit.

In other news, Celtic can unearth a new Giakoumakis after submitting bid for “very strong” £2.5m gem

Tottenham Hotspur risk making a disaster amid mooted interest in Clement Lenglet…

What’s the word?

According to football.london reporter Alasdair Gold, the FC Barcelona centre-back features on Antonio Conte and Fabio Paratici’s defensive shortlist and as a left-footed option, he makes a lot of sense.

Spurs have also targeted Inter Milan’s Alessandro Bastoni and RB Leipzig’s Josko Gvardiol but could be priced out of a move for either.

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It’s thought that the Italian sporting director tried to sign the France international on loan during the early days of his tenure last summer but he wanted to remain at the Catalan giants.

However, their financial woes now mean that the 26-year-old could be expendable, though it remains to be seen how much he’d command. CIES Football Observatory value him at €30m (£26m).

Big mistake

Whilst the 6 foot 1 colossus fits the bill as the left-sided centre-back that Conte desperately needs, a move for him could spell disaster as he’s just not good enough to elevate Spurs onto the next level.

Lenglet started only seven LaLiga games during the 2021/22 campaign, often being sat behind the young duo of Eric Garcia and Ronald Araujo, which is a rather damning indictment of his quality.

That’s if his 6.3 average WhoScored rating didn’t tell enough – the worst of any Barca player to feature in over 500 minutes of game time.

During last summer’s European Championships, the 26-year-old’s defending was described as being “comically weak” by The Athletic reporter Liam Twomey.

When you factor in his £92k-per-week wages, on top of his current estimated value, this transfer swoop could indeed be something of a disaster from Paratici.

He delivered with Dejan Kulusevski and Rodrigo Bentancur but Emerson Royal and Bryan Gil have struggled to make much of an impact, and Lenglet would likely fit into the latter bracket, given his recent performances on both the domestic and international stage.

When you consider the other names on the shortlist, mainly the aforementioned pairing of Bastoni and Gvardiol, then you’d imagine the Frenchman is the weakest choice and Conte shouldn’t settle for that after sealing Champions League qualification.

He’d only hold back their ambition.

AND in other news, Antonio Conte’s centre-back summer wish list revealed…

Leeds United star Mateusz Klich is facing an uncertain future at Elland Road, having failed to deliver in recent months…

What’s the word?

That’s according to ever-reliable Mirror journalist David Anderson, who delivered his verdict on the Poland midfielder to GIVEMESPORT this week.

When asked if the 31-year-old was in doubt in west Yorkshire, he replied:

“I’d say so.

“He hasn’t quite done it, and don’t forget he’s someone that’s been singled out by the fans for abuse on social media. Remember after the Chelsea defeat just before Christmas, and he actually hit back at them, which isn’t what you really want to see.

“You look around that dressing room, and I think someone like Klich, he’s willing enough and he’s trying but he’s just not really delivering.”

Time’s up?

Klich has been ever-present in Leeds’ starting XI over the last few seasons and his regular involvement under former manager Marcelo Bielsa even led him to claim that he could play for “all the best teams in the world,” back in November 2020.

But that’s something that has since changed some 18 months later with the Pole struggling for form and consistency, albeit in a relegation-threatened Whites side.

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After Jesse Marsch’s arrival in the dugout, Klich only managed to play the full 90 minutes in two of his 12 league games in charge and he failed to start the final game of the season, the all-important 2-1 victory over Brentford, as per Transfermarkt.

WhoScored graded Klich as United’s 16th-best performer with a paltry average rating of 6.37. Only three players who started 15 or more games managed a poorer return.

Indeed, such performances led to some criticism, with Sky Sports pundit Clinton Morrison describing the £34k-per-week ace as “non-existent” and LeedsLive reporter Beren Cross suggesting that he got “bullied” by a relegated Watford midfield.

And with the arrival of Brenden Aaronson, a player that Marsch has worked with before at RB Salzburg, it does seem likely that the 38-cap international will be swept aside heading into 2022/23.

When you throw in the emergence of Lewis Bate and the likely return of Adam Forshaw from injury, then Klich could well be running out of opportunities at Elland Road.

His time is surely up now.

AND in other news, Fabrizio Romano: Leeds have “opened talks” to sign “the next Declan Rice”, could be Joffy 2.0…

Former Celtic striker Frank McAvennie firmly believes that Jota will seal a permanent move to Parkhead this summer.

The Lowdown: Jota impresses on loan

The 23-year-old left Benfica for Parkhead last summer, joining on loan as he sought regular playing time in Scotland.

Jota got exactly that, standing out as one of the Hoops’ best attacking players, scoring seven goals and registering eight assists from 24 appearances in the Premiership.

The Portuguese maestro has constantly been linked with a permanent move to Parkhead but an agreement still hasn’t been reached, which is worrying. However, as reported by the Daily Record recently, Celtic are in talks with Jota over personal terms as they aim to secure his signature outright.

The Latest: Permanent move predicted

Speaking to Football Insider, McAvennie iterated his firm belief that Celtic will get their wish and soon make Jota a permanent Hoops player. The 62-year-old said:

“Jota looks as if he is signing. Just from what has been said in the papers but it looks like that one will get done.

“He’s not on bad wages for a Scottish club, not bad at all. He played really well last year. Sometimes he would shy away and you can’t do that. But for the majority of the time, when he was on it, Celtic were on it.

“He was the catalyst for a lot of good performances last season and he will only get better if he has a full pre-season with Ange. I’ll be delighted if we get him over the line.”

The Verdict: Matter of time?

While there may be concerns that Jota could be snapped up by another club this summer, it does still seem likely that he will become a Celtic player outright in the coming weeks.

It would be a move which suits all parties, with Benfica willing to sell him, Ange Postecoglou keen to have him and the player himself flourishing in a Hoops shirt and wanting to remain in Glasgow.

If Celtic can sign Jota for good, it would arguably feel more important than any new player coming in, with the winger potentially being a key figure at Parkhead for many years to come, providing trickery out wide and delivering consistent end product.

In other news, Celtic are reportedly ‘in the market’ for one type of player this summer. Read more here

According to The Athletic’s Sam Lee, with the potential arrival of Kalvin Phillips, Premier League interest in Manchester City gem Romeo Lavia could see to the youngster depart this summer.

The Lowdown: City’s interest in Phillips

The Athletic have reported that Man City are soon expected to make Leeds an offer for Phillips, with the champions visualising an agreement in the region of £45m – £50m.

This follows the departure of Citizens legend Fernandinho, who will leave the Etihad at the end of the month upon the expiry of his contract, after spending nine years as a Blue.

As such, the 26-year-old Leeds man has been identified as Pep Guardiola’s preferred replacement.

The Latest: Lavia out?

According to Lee, Southampton and Leeds are interested in signing Lavia this summer.

He claims that despite how highly rated the 18-year-old is, a move away from City could happen during the current window – especially if it helps with Guardiola’s push to sign Phillips.

Taking to Twitter, Lee reported:

“Leeds and Southampton are interested in Romeo Lavia this summer and – despite how highly rated he is – a move could happen, especially if it helps with signing Kalvin Phillips.”

The Verdict: Huge potential…

As per The Athletic, Lavia is very well regarded at City, and some at the club believe that he will one day be at the level required to become a mainstay in the first team.

At just 18-years-old, the holding midfielder made his senior debut for Guardiola’s side in last season’s Carabao Cup against Wycombe Wanderers, before also featuring in the FA Cup.

Having been tipped as one of the academy’s brightest prospects, Lavia’s departure will be a big loss to City, given his huge potential, and they will surely be looking to insert some form of buy-back clause or first option on any future movement.

In other news: Raheem Sterling could be tempted by ‘fresh challenge’