All posts by n8rngtd.top

Aston Villa head into the break for the 2022 World Cup in Qatar with two successive wins in the Premier League as they beat Brighton 2-1 away from home on Sunday.

Unai Emery has won both of his opening two matches in charge of the Villans after putting Manchester United to the sword with a 3-1 win in the top-flight last weekend.

Brighton took the lead in the opening minute of the match as Douglas Luiz was caught on the ball on the edge of the box and Alexis Mac Allister made the most of his chance to fire past his international colleague.

John McGinn then earned Villa the opportunity to equalise as he was taken down by Lewis Dunk in the box. Danny Ings dispatched the penalty, via a weak hand by Roberto Sanchez, to make it 1-1 heading into half time.

The English striker doubled his tally before the hour-mark as he jinked past Dunk before seeing his low effort deflect into the bottom corner after good work from Luiz to win the ball back.

Whilst the ex-Southampton man was the match-winner for Villa with his two goals, the real hero for Emery on the day was defensive midfielder Boubacar Kamara.

The French enforcer was a rock at the base of the midfield as he screened the defence brilliantly and made good use of possession when he had a chance to put his foot on the ball.

As per SofaScore, he completed 83% of his attempted passes and completed 100% of his attempted dribbles, despite Brighton pressing high and trying to push for an equaliser.

He kept his composure in the middle of the park and made sure that he found a teammate with his pass more often than not, giving the hosts fewer chances to come at the Villa backline.

The midfielder’s defensive work was particularly impressive as he constantly put pressure on the opposition and engaged to win the ball back for his side.

As per SofaScore, he won 72% (8/11) of his ground duels, whilst making five clearances and six tackles – only being dribbled past once in the process. This shows that he was solid in his play out of possession as he was able to dominate the opposition on the ground.

Therefore, the midfield machine – who had 46 touches in the game – was the real hero of the day for Villa as he put in a fantastic display that typified the battling, hard-working, nature of the team’s performance, which played a pivotal role in winning all three points.

Arsenal have come a long way under Mikel Arteta, largely thanks to his outstanding man management and cutthroat nature.

On the outside, the Spaniard boasts a beaming smile, a sparkling head of hair and a stylish jumper, but on the inside, there is a ruthless and mean side to his personality.

That very factor has seen the likes of Mesut Ozil and Pierre-Emerick Aubayemang banished from north London, while the likes of Shkodran Mustafi, Sokratis, Hector Bellerin and Alexandre Lacazette all met their end under the former midfielder.

However, there is one player at the club who despite his much-maligned performances and attitude in recent years remains in the capital; that of Granit Xhaka.

If anybody embodies the rise of the club under Arteta then it is the Swiss midfielder, who has gone from being jeered off the pitch by supporters to becoming a fan favourite this season.

Transformed from a deep-lying playmaker to a box-to-box maestro, it has been a remarkable turnaround in his Arsenal career.

He has run 11.43km per game this term, more than any other teammate while his goal and shot-creation numbers have risen considerably. Indeed, Xhaka ranks in the top 15% of Premier League midfielders for shot-creating actions per 90 minutes this season, a metric he ranked in the best 19% for last term.

Furthermore, he ranks in the top 37% of players for dribbles that lead to a shot attempt and in the best 18% for goal-creating actions. Compare that with his stats in 2021/22 and there is a huge amount of difference. Last term saw the 30-year-old rank in the worst 29% of players for the first statistic and then in the worst 45% of players for goal-creating actions.

This is a man on a mission but it also demonstrates why the Gunners need back up for the former Borussia Monchengladbach man in the middle of the park.

Without him or Thomas Partey, Arsenal look a shadow of the team they are with them playing but they could find that much-needed depth in William Carvalho.

Reports from Spain suggest they have the Portuguese midfielder in their sights and he could be a superb option for Edu in the transfer market.

That’s because there are arguable comparisons. Indeed, Xhaka’s most comparable player in FB Ref’s similar players model is former Arsenal man Matteo Guendouzi.

The Marseille midfielder, who is part of Didier Deschamps’ World Cup squad for Qatar is also compared to Carvalho by FB Ref, with the Frenchman being the sixth most similar player.

Guendouzi left the club in controversial circumstances after a falling out with Arteta with it left to be seen who has the final laugh. Both parties have thrived since that exit but in Carvalho, Arsenal could find a similar player with perhaps a better personality and mentality.

Their expected goals are practically identical with the Portugal international hitting 0.17 in comparison to the France international’s 0.16.

Furthermore, they are alike in their pass completion with Carvalho proving successful with 85.7% of his passes to Guendouzi’s 84.4%.

Neither are too offensive, so it’s in their defensive metrics where the true comparisons lie with the former making 1.46 tackles per 90 minutes to the latter’s 1.54. They also make an identical number of clearances – 0.68.

A safe pair of hands in the centre of the park, the aggressive £22m-rated Betis midfielder has been dubbed a “machine” by football writer James Nalton and “extraordinary” by current South Korea boss Paulo Bento.

Just two glowing reviews, it paints the picture of how good he could be with the Gunners no doubt requiring another pair of hands in his region of the pitch if they are to continue their challenge for the Premier League title.

They could just unearth their next Guendouzi as well if a deal can be done this winter.

Tottenham Hotspur have told attacking gem Thomas Bloxham that he is free to find a new club and his departure ‘could be accelerated’, according to reports.

The Lowdown: N17 academy talent…

N17 has paved the way to a plethora of homegrown talent in recent years, with a handful of them either being tipped for greatness or going on to shine in the first team.

The likes of Oliver Skipp and Dane Scarlett have most recently emerged from Spurs’ academy ranks with great potential, the latter having even been likened to Manchester United star Marcus Rashford.

However, some promising names like Jayden Meghoma have left in favour of better pathways to first-team football, so not all of Spurs’ homegrown crop are making the cut in north London.

The Latest: Bloxham ‘told to quit’…

As per Football Insider, another talent in Bloxham has been ‘told to quit’ by Spurs as he heads out on trial to other clubs.

The forward has been informed that he will not be offered a professional contract at the end of his two-year scholarship deal, and the 17-year-old’s departure ‘could be accelerated’ as he begins the search for a new club.

[web_stories_embed url=”https://www.footballtransfertavern.com/web-stories/tottenham-latest-news-3/” title=”Tottenham latest news!” poster=”” width=”360″ height=”600″ align=”none”]

The Verdict: Another one…

Following the exits of Meghoma and Sam Amo-Ameyaw recently, it appears that Bloxham will soon follow them out the Spurs door.

The Republic of Ireland under-18 international has appeared 29 times for Tottenham’s under-18s, scoring six goals, but that hasn’t been enough to secure his future in north London.

It will be interesting to see if his name either fades away or grabs headlines over the next few seasons.

West Ham United soared high in the 2021/22 campaign, reaching the semi-finals of the Europa League and finishing seventh in the Premier League.

However, this campaign has been rather more difficult for David Moyes’ men who are languishing down in 16th place, just a point above the relegation zone.

A host of their star names have not been up to scratch with Michail Antonio finding the net on just two occasions in the top flight.

As for Jarrod Bowen, his form over the last 12 months or so rather encapsulates the Hammers as a whole.

The winger registered 18 goals and 13 assists in all competitions throughout the last season but in 2022/23, has only scored five times while failing to pick up an assist.

It might be harsh to suggest that Moyes will drop him but in a player they have targeted of late, the Scot could source a tool that gives him the ability to drop Bowen.

That just so happens to be Mohammed Kudus. The Ghanaian was touted at a price of £15m during the summer but after some sparkling form at the World Cup in Qatar, it’s now thought a fee of £30m will be required.

It’s not astronomical but considering what he was valued at only a few months ago, it’s a big price.

That is warranted though, particularly with the way he’s performed throughout the ongoing term.

For Ajax, the right winger, who like Bowen enjoys cutting inside onto his stronger left foot, has scored ten times and assisted twice.

Capable of playing as a centre forward or out on the right, it’s in that wide area that he’s thrived for his nation in the Middle East this Autumn, rotating with Inaki Williams and Andre Ayew in the forward areas.

Indeed, Kudus has made history in the last few weeks by becoming the first Ghanian to score two goals in a single World Cup match.

Although the African nation were knocked out in the group stages, he more than played his part by racking up some sensational numbers.

The young attacker has been the 11th-best player in the entire tournament according to Sofascore’s average match ratings, for which he has achieved a 7.70 for his displays.

Furthermore, he has been more efficient with his dribbles per match (3.3 at a 71% success rate) than a certain Kylian Mbappe (3.3 at a 50% success rate) and Lionel Messi (2.3 at a 56% success rate).

The term generational might be pushing the boat out a bit but he is clearly on his way to becoming an elite talent and it is only a matter of time before he gets a move to a bigger side.

That may well put West Ham out of the conversation to sign him but what is for certain, is that if Rob Newman was able to persuade him to come to east London, he’d possess the quality to oust Bowen in a wide area.

Fortunately for the Englishman, Kudus’ versatility does mean that they may well still be able to thrive in the same side but either way, Bowen better watch out.

Celtic target Cho Gue-Sung is attracting interest from Europe, according to his representative. 

The Lowdown: Red-hot form

Having asserted himself as the top scorer in the K-League, Cho has built on this stellar bout of momentum by continuing his goalscoring prominence at the prestigious Qatar World Cup. 

22 goal contributions from 31 K-League appearances was already an impressive feat, yet two goals from four appearances on the World Stage in Qatar makes his star rise that bit more. 

It is no wonder the Korean gem has already caught the eye of Ange Postecoglou, with The Daily Record reporting he is indeed a ‘target’ for 2023.

[web_stories_embed url=”https://www.footballtransfertavern.com/web-stories/key-latest-celtic-updates-9/” title=”Key latest Celtic updates!” poster=”” width=”360″ height=”600″ align=“none”]

The Latest: Representative reveals all

Whilst a move to Turkey or France had been touted, Cho’s representative was keen to shut those two options down.

According to The Daily Record, who have relayed the update via Korean outlet Khan and name-checked the Bhoys, Cho’s representative revealed: “The rumour that these two clubs are interested in Cho Gue-sung is not true. 

“It is true that clubs in Europe are interested in Cho Gue-sung. It is certain that (clubs in) the European leagues are keeping an eye on Cho Gue-Sung at the World Cup.”

The Verdict: Go for it?

Contract talks have stalled with Georgios Giakoumakis and Postecoglou will not be satisfied with the Hoops’ over reliance on Kyogo Furuhashi, so an additional striker is necessary. 

If the club can get their hands on Cho, who has scored 51 goals throughout his career so far, we could be looking at goals galore in Parkhead. 

Cho’s current side Jeonbuk FC created a decent amount of threat with 52 big chances in the K-League last season, but that is less than half of the amount that Celtic conjured up last term. You can only imagine how many goals would result from Cho being in a side who created 115 big chances last season.

This one looks really exciting.

Tottenham Hotspur could be set to save £20m in their transfer deal for Eintracht Frankfurt midfielder Daichi Kamada.

The Lowdown: Spurs targeting Kamada

According to Bild (via Sport Witness), Spurs have joined other Premier League clubs – along with Borussia Dortmund – in the race for Kamada, who recently competed at the World Cup with Japan.

Frankfurt are said to be concerned about the prospect of losing the 26-year-old for nothing next summer, when his current contract ends, so they are keen to reap a transfer fee for him while they still can.

However, Spurs could now capitalise on this expiring deal, with a view to bringing the attacking midfielder to the club next season…

The Latest: Spurs could save on Kamada

Tottenham expert John Wenham has now indicated that the club may be drawn to the Japan international, who scored against them in the Champions League in the autumn, due to his availability on a free pre-contract agreement in January.

Speaking to Football Insider, he said of Kamada: “Tottenham have had the opportunity to watch him twice this season and he scored against us in one of those Champions League games,”

“Clearly we liked what we saw. He’s a bright midfielder, a good age, has lots of experience and he would be coming in on a free. It’s a bit like the links to Marcus Thuram.

“It’s a signing I could see Tottenham making in that we get him on a free and save £18m or £20m before he even comes through the door.

“I can see us looking at that deal and the story came from BILD who are a very reliable German outlet. So that’s one we’ll have to keep an eye on.”

[web_stories_embed url=”https://www.footballtransfertavern.com/web-stories/tottenham-latest-news-3/” title=”Tottenham latest news!” poster=”” width=”360″ height=”600″ align=”none”]

The Verdict: Get it done

The possibility of the £26m-rated gem being available without any monetary cost is a fantastic opportunity for Antonio Conte to strengthen his squad without breaking the bank.

Reporter Karl Matchett has previously lauded the Spurs target as being ‘excellent’, and he has been exactly that in the Bundesliga this season, registering seven goals and four assists in 13 outings up to this point.

The playmaker also displayed his defensive abilities in Japan’s 2-1 win against Germany at the World Cup, winning four of his five ground duels in that game.

While Conte is already blessed with an array of attacking options, the opportunity to sign a player of Kamada’s calibre on a free transfer cannot be dismissed.

League leaders Celtic are back in action at home to Livingston in the Scottish Premiership this evening, with the Old Firm giants hoping to re-establish their nine-point advantage at the summit following Rangers’ triumph on Tuesday evening.

Ange Postecoglou’s men picked up where they had left off prior to the World Cup break after claiming victory over Aberdeen at Pittodrie on Saturday afternoon, with the fit-again Callum McGregor firing in his first league of the season to seal the win late on.

As they prepare to take on David Martindale’s men later today, the Scottish champions will no doubt go into the match full of confidence, having run out 3-0 winners when the two sides met at the Tony Macaroni Arena back in late October.

Ahead of tonight’s meeting at Parkhead, here’s how Football FanCast predicts that the hosts will line up…

Postecoglou has received a welcome boost for that clash with summer signing Sead Haksabanovic believed to be fit to feature once again, although James McCarthy and Stephen Welsh – who has been linked with an exit of late – are still out through injury.

With that in mind, we predict that the title-winning coach will make just two changes from the side that edged past the Dons at the weekend, with the defensive unit likely to remain the same as Croatian star Josip Juranovic has been given time off to recover from his recent international exploits.

There are also unlikely to be any notable changes in midfield with Matt O’Riley and Reo Hatate set to partner the aforementioned McGregor in the centre of the park once again, with the only alterations set to lie in the forward ranks.

It would seemingly be no surprise to see Japanese international Daizen Maeda drop to the bench after the 25-year-old was hooked at half-time last time out, with the diminutive speedster set to be replaced teammate Liel Abada on the right flank.

The Israeli international – who has been lauded for his “aggressive” approach by his manager – notably made a real difference after entering the fray against Jim Goodwin’s men, having been “excellent” in the words of John McGinley.

With the ever-lively Jota set to retain his role on the opposite side, the only other tweak could come in the centre-forward berth, with Kyogo Furuhashi potentially set to give way.

While the 27-year-old is a “midfielder’s dream”, in the words of John Collins, due to his impressive work ethic, the former Vissel Kobe ace appears to lack that cutting edge in attack at times, having missed a guilt-edged chance to take the lead against Aberdeen.

That fact should well see Giorgos Giakoumakis return to the starting lineup, with the Greek international hoping to add to his tally of eight goals so far this term.

Leeds United are seemingly looking to strengthen ahead of the January transfer window, with manager Jesse Marsch in need of further recruits to help in the bid to stave off the drop.

One area that the Whites could well look to address is at full-back, with 90min having reported earlier this month that sporting director Victor Orta has shown ‘interest’ in signing Aaron Wan-Bissaka from rivals Manchester United.

The 25-year-old – who made the move to Old Trafford on a £50m deal back in 2019 – is seemingly set to be allowed to depart in the New Year, with the likes of Wolverhampton Wanderers, West Ham United and the defender’s former club, Crystal Palace, all named as potential suitors.

While pundit Jamie Carragher previously lauded the Englishman as the “best one-on-one defender for a full-back in the world” back in 2020, the former Selhurst Park starlet has endured a real fall from grace since then, with it perhaps unwise for Orta and co to pursue a move.

The Croydon-born dud has been unable to nail down a regular role in the side for the Red Devils this season, having made just two appearances in all competitions under Erik ten Hag thus far.

Although the right-back did register an assist on his return to the starting lineup against Burnley last week, he has rarely offered much in an attacking sense in recent years, with only two goals and just 11 assists to his name in 128 games in total.

Those woes no doubt stem from the defender’s struggles in possession, with the £90k-per-week man having been branded “useless on the ball” by Paul Scholes last year, as he ranks in just the top 33% for pass completion among those in his position in Europe, as well as in only the bottom 10% for progressive passes.

Leeds will no doubt be wary of poaching any more seemingly unwanted figures from their foes at the Theatre of Dreams, with the Yorkshire side having been stung by their recent capture of Dan James.

The pacy Welshman – who had come close to moving to Elland Road in January 2019 – was snapped up by Marcelo Bielsa on a £25m deal last summer, albeit with that switch having subsequently failed to bare fruit.

The 25-year-old scored four goals and registered five assists in 37 games in all competitions last term, although struggled to truly warrant that hefty price tag, having been on the receiving end of stinging criticism from former Leeds defender, Ian Harte back in March:

“Let’s be honest, if he didn’t have the pace, he wouldn’t play in the Premier League. He doesn’t have the knowledge or the know-how. It’s just head down and run. He’s got unbelievable pace, but like Adama Traore, he needs to learn to slow his legs down to get the cross in.

“The majority of games I’ve seen, they end up going over and across the crossbar. Signing him from United for £25m when they had him for four million – he’s done ok, he’s got raw pace but I’m not a massive fan.”

That verdict appears to have been shared by both Marsch and Orta, with James having subsequently been shipped off on loan to newly-promoted Fulham during the recent window – just a year after joining his parent club.

The decision to prise the former Swansea City speedster from Manchester has seemingly already backfired for the club, with those at Elland Road potentially set to repeat their mistake if they opt to turn to Wan-Bissaka in 2023.

Wolverhampton Wanderers are reportedly interested in signing Coventry City striker Viktor Gyokeres in next month’s transfer window and his potential arrival at Molineux could allow Julen Loeptegui to get rid of Raul Jimenez.

The Telegraph reported recently that the Sweden international was of interest to the Old Gold after storming to the top of the goalscoring charts in the Championship with the Sky Blues this season.

The 24-year-old is currently tied with Middlesbrough’s Chuba Akpom on 12 goals in the second tier, so it is no surprise that he is attracting so much Premier League interest ahead of the transfer window opening in a few days.

The report from the Telegraph also claims that Jimenez’s days at Molineux could be numbered, with the former Benfica man’s relationship with the club already frayed after he travelled to the World Cup in Qatar despite the injury issues that have kept him sidelined for most of this season.

Jimenez has managed just three appearances in the Premier League so far this season and wasn’t used on Boxing Day as Wolves claimed a vital victory over fellow strugglers Everton, which suggests that he isn’t a big part of Lopetegui’s plans, particularly after the addition of Matheus Cunha on a loan-to-buy deal.

Should Gyokeres arrive next month, it would surely spell the end for Jimenez at Wolves, as he has sadly never rediscovered his pre-injury form, and the Coventry City man looks like a big upgrade.

As well as obviously scoring far more goals this season, Gyokeres has also averaged far more shots (2.9 vs 2.3), key passes (1.3 vs 0.7) and dribbles per game (1.7 vs 0.3) than Jimenez, which suggests that he would be a big upgrade at Molineux.

Manager Mark Robins was full of praise for the young forward after an impressive performance against Middlesbrough earlier in the season.

He said: “I think that’s as good a performance as he’s put in. He’s been away with Sweden and he’s played a game and 30 minutes and he’s come back in a really good headspace, really sharp and you could see that today. He’s hungry for goals and that can only benefit him and the team.

“The goal that ended up winning the game deserved to because it was an outstanding move, an outstanding, powerful run and finish, but a brilliant ball from Fankaty [Dabo]. He destroyed them up at the Riverside last season too.”

Gyokeres certainly looks ready for a Premier League move and Wolves fans will be praying that the Old Gold can win the race for him next month, even if it means getting rid of former fan favourite Jimenez.

Manchester City are reportedly lining up an audacious swap deal for AC Milan superstar Rafael Leao and the Portugal international could be Pep Guardiola’s own version of Kylian Mbappe at the Etihad.

Reports from Italy have claimed that the Citizens are keen to offer Jack Grealish as a makeweight in any potential transfer for the former Lille man, who could be set to leave the San Siro before his contract expires in 2024.

Despite Grealish only joining the club in 2021 in a deal worth £100m, it seems as if the Citizens are less than impressed with his paltry return of seven goals and six assists in 57 appearances for the club, and want to replace him with a younger, more in-form winger.

Leao has been a key part of AC Milan’s return to the top in Italy, as he contributed an impressive 11 goals and eight assists in just 34 appearances last season, as the Rossoneri claimed the Scudetto.

German journalist Florian Plettenberg has previously reported on City’s interest in the 23-year-old winger but suggested that Milan wouldn’t budge from their asking price for Leao, which is reflected in his €150m (£132m) release clause.

Therefore, with City no doubt reticent to pay that fee given the Portuguese attacker’s contract situation in Italy, it is easy to see why they might want to offload Grealish as part of any potential deal.

Should Leao arrive at the Etihad in 2023 he could prove to be Guardiola’s equivalent of Paris Saint-Germain and France sensation, Kylian Mbappe, having been compared with the electric forward in the past.

Lille president Gerard Lopez dubbed him the “Portuguese Mbappe,” while his former coach at Sporting, Tiago Fernandes, likened him to Brazilian legend, Ronaldo.

He said:

“Rafael is a No 9, he’s almost always played as one. I’d say that he reminds me of ‘Fenomeno’ [The Phenomenon] Ronaldo for his pace, technique and the quality of his finishing.”

WhoScored suggests that both Leao and Mbappe excel at dribbling, finishing and long shots, while they both like to cut inside from the left, so it is easy to see why the Portuguese star has been likened to the PSG forward.

Guardiola has managed a wide range of world-class talents in his spells at Manchester City, Bayern Munich and Barcelona but the prospect of signing such a promising young talent, who has drawn comparisons to two world-class players, will surely still excite the Catalan coach.

Therefore, director of football Txiki Begiristain should definitely be looking at bringing Leao to the Etihad Stadium in 2023, as there seems little to suggest that he wouldn’t be a huge success under Guardiola at the Etihad.