All posts by z3u9t.icu

Glasgow Rangers are interested in signing defender Archie Brown this summer as Michael Beale aims to continue his rebuild at the Ibrox side.

What’s the latest on Archie Brown to Rangers?

According to the Scottish Daily Mail (page 79, May 26), Rangers are interested in making a move for the Lausanne left-back this summer, and he could cost the Gers a fee in the excess of £2m in order to prise him away from the Swiss club.

The report also goes on to state that Celtic have also run 'checks' on the Englishman ahead of the summer transfer window, and there could be a battle over the coming weeks.

Who is Archie Brown?

The 20-year-old graduated from Derby County’s academy before making the move to the continent in 2021 for a fresh challenge, and Beale could potentially uncover an ideal Borna Barisic heir.

The Croatian defender is entering the final year of his current contract and will turn 31 a few months into the forthcoming campaign, suggesting that the future lies with someone younger – and it looks as though Beale is planning ahead.

Across 29 Premiership matches this term, the 30-year-old has demonstrated his attacking qualities, registering nine assists, creating 12 big chances and playing 2.4 key passes per game as he clearly loves to get forward as much as possible and create plenty of chances from the left wing.

Defensively, he isn’t quite as effective, losing possession 19.4 times per game and keeping nine clean sheets. Beale may therefore be willing to sacrifice attacking intent for someone who is slightly more stable defensively.

Brown does still offer an attacking threat for the Swiss side, registering nine goal contributions – five goals and four assists – across 33 games in the Swiss Challenge League.

He also shone during his spell in the youth academy at Derby, recording 18 goals and 14 assists throughout the various age groups, and his positional versatility could also be a major bonus for Beale heading into next season, as the youngster is equally adept at playing further up the field at left-midfield or even at the heart of the defence, which could be beneficial if there are any injury problems.

The 42-year-old will need to start thinking about a future without Barisic sooner rather than later, and with Ridvan Yilmaz not exactly setting Ibrox alight so far following his £5m move due to various injury and form issues, Brown could be an interesting signing that may get a chance in the first team if he signs.

Chelsea face the unenviable task of battling recently crowned Premier League champions Manchester City at the Etihad Stadium this afternoon.

The hosts are in ruthless form, having won their last 11 domestic fixtures, whilst the Blues have only triumphed in one of their last nine games.

Today’s clash represents two sides are vastly different ends of the scale and the west Londoner’s defence will need to be faultless if they stand any chance.

Pep Guardiola’s men have netted an incredible 92 league goals this term and Frank Lampard may need to consider dropping Trevoh Chalobah, who has struggled against superior opposition throughout the season.

Should Chelsea drop Trevoh Chalobah vs Manchester City?

As the incoming Mauricio Pochettino attempts to shape a hideously bloated squad, there any many question marks surrounding the 23-year-old, who has struggled for consistency and minutes.

The £50k-per-week man has failed to nail down a consistent starting spot and has only begun 15 top-flight games this term.

As a defender he lacks tenacity, physicality and power – this is showcased by the fact that he ranks in the bottom 34% in Europe’s top five leagues among his positional peers for tackles per 90, as well as the lowest 35% for interceptions per 90, according to FBref.

Chalobah's reading of the game can also be questioned, as he has only registered 0.79 blocks per 90, which means he resides in the bottom 8%.

His lack of defensive acumen was recently ruthlessly exposed by Rodrygo in the second leg of Chelsea’s Champions League game against Real Madrid, when he stupidly lunged in on the winger, who eventually finished the move to open the scoring.

This view has been echoed by talkSPORT Alan Brazil, who has previously labelled the Blues academy graduate and some of his backline peers as "diabolical" back in January of this year.

Furthermore, despite his massive 6 foot 4 frame, the homegrown star dismally resides in the lowest 42% for aerials won per 90, to underline his faltering capabilities as a commanding and dominant defender.

The thought of the irrepressible Jack Grealish running at Chalobah with his immense pace, trickery, and technique is a frightening prospect, as the attacker has forged a formidable reputation for pinning back his marker.

Indeed, only Crystal Palace stalwart Wilfried Zaha (2.9) has been fouled more times per game than Grealish (2.8) in the Premier League this season, according to WhoScored.

Looking ahead to next season, in terms of quality and potential, Benoit Badiashile and Levi Colwill may well be ahead of the Englishman, who in two full seasons in the first team, has failed to fill anyone associated with Chelsea with any concrete confidence.

An agonising end to the season has blown Arsenal’s Premier League title hopes far from their reach after dominating the majority of the campaign.

Mikel Arteta’s side lead the pack for 248 days this term, yet a sour April and damning home defeat to Brighton & Hove Albion has all but shattered their dreams of claiming their first league title since 2004.

While it has been a successful season away from the title charge, claiming their first Champions League finish since 2015/16, the Gunners are reportedly looking to push on to new heights through the summer transfer window.

With just two games left, the club are turning their attention to business as the north Londoners hope to strengthen their squad ahead of a busy schedule next campaign.

Despite scoring goals not being an issue for the Gunners, they have been linked with a forward in the pursuit to improve in all areas.

What’s the latest on Moussa Diaby to Arsenal?

Bayer Leverkusen forward Moussa Diaby is reportedly a player on Arsenal’s radar according to L’Equipe (via the Daily Mail).

It’s speculated that Paris Saint-Germain could rival the Gunners for the winger’s signature, who is believed to be valued around £65m, according to Evening Standard.

What could Moussa Diaby bring to Arsenal?

The 23-year-old has maintained a Sofascore rating of 7.18 this season, ranking him as Leverkusen’s second-highest performer in the Bundesliga.

In 31 league appearances, the Frenchman has contributed to 17 goals through eight assists and scoring nine himself on the right flank.

Once described as “electrifying” by journalist Aaron Stokes, the Leverkusen dynamo is a player being monitored by a handful of clubs, as per the aforementioned sources.

The signing of Diaby could impact Arsenal in several ways, most evidently through depth and adding goals, but also by being introduced as a player that could seriously challenge Bukayo Saka.

The Englishman has had a formidable season at the Emirates, however, he has undergone a dip in form alongside his team, perhaps somewhat attributive to the absence of William Saliba, as highlighted through a graphic presented on Sky Sports.

Since March the forward’s rate of shots on target has dipped from 0.9 to 0.4 per 90 minutes, as well as his total shots minimising from 2.6 to 1.7.

With few options on the flanks, Saka has not lost his place in the starting eleven, which brings the topic of depth and ability to chop and change if players aren’t performing in order to boost their level of competition.

The success of competition is evident on the opposite flank, where after being dropped for Leandro Trossard against Aston Villa, Gabriel Martinelli was introduced and scored in a change that inspired the squad to win on the day.

Diaby, like Saka, has been integral to his side’s success this season, with the two players sharing many comparisons in their game.

Both enjoy being on the ball, with the Arsenal man averaging 54.5 touches per game to Diaby’s 42, and the Englishman maintaining a 48% successful dribble rate (1.7 per game) to the Leverkusen winger’s 51% (1.5 per game), relative to their appearances this season, as per Sofascore.

The signing of the Leverkusen "demon" – as once highly regarded by 'The Euro Expert' Alex Barker – would not only strengthen Arsenal’s squad but provide options for starting places to fuel competition amongst the forward’s to ultimately enhance performance, only time will tell if Arteta can get his man.

Fabrizio Romano has dropped an update on the future of Tottenham Hotspur winger Steven Bergwijn.

What’s the talk?

In a recent post on Twitter, the Italian journalist revealed that, with the 24-year-old having been heavily linked with a move away from north London this summer, Fabio Paratici will be demanding a figure in the region of €30m (£26m) in order for him to sanction the sale of the Netherlands international.

The transfer insider went on to state that Ajax are currently working on a deal with Tottenham but are yet to come to an agreement, while a number of other clubs are also believed to be keeping a very close eye on the situation of the winger ahead of a potential move of their own in the coming weeks.

In his tweet, Romano said: “Tottenham want around €30m to let Steven Bergwijn leave this summer. Ajax are working on it with an official proposal, still waiting to reach an agreement with Spurs. There are many clubs interested in Bergwijn – but Ajax are on it since January.”

Supporters will be buzzing

While it undeniable that Bergwijn is an incredibly talented player, considering just how little Antonio Conte has utilised the former PSV Eindhoven starlet since his arrival at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium last November, Romano’s claim that Spurs could receive as a much as £26m from the forward’s sale this summer is sure to have left supporters buzzing.

Indeed, of the 20 Premier League games in which the £16.2m-rated talent featured under the management of the 52-year-old, the 24-year-old was handed a start just once – playing a total of 275 minutes of league football for the Italian.

[snack-amp-story url= “https://www.footballfancast.com/web-stories/tottenham-hotspur-latest-news-updates-transfer-rumours-gossip-spurs-thfc-conte-paratici” title= “Read the latest Spurs news, transfer rumours and more!”]

Despite this lack of game time, the £73k-per-week winger still managed to catch the eye, scoring three goals over his aforementioned 20 league appearances for Conte – an average of one every 92 minutes – as well as bagging a further goal and assist over his three outings in the FA Cup and Carabao Cup.

However, with the joint Premier League Golden Boot winner, Son Heung-min, ahead of him in the manager’s left-wing pecking order, unfortunately for Bergwijn, his route to regular first-team minutes was very much blocked by the South Korean sensation – something that looks unlikely to change heading into 2022/23.

As such, it would appear that a parting of the ways this summer would best suit the player and the club, with the flying Dutchman undoubtedly looking forward to the prospect of becoming an important player for his new side, while Fabio Paratici will certainly welcome an additional £26m to his budget in the transfer market.

AND in other news: Conte could land the next Alba as Spurs now eye £15m “monster” who can “run all night”

Liverpool could be without four vital first-team players for the must-win Premier League clash with Wolves, Jurgen Klopp has confirmed.

The Lowdown: Final-day clash for Reds

The Reds welcome Wanderers to Anfield on Sunday afternoon, as the league season reaches its climax in potentially dramatic fashion.

Liverpool know that they must beat Wolves and hope that Manchester City drop points at home to Aston Villa, as Steven Gerrard looks to do them an enormous favour.

There are some injury problems heading into the game, however, so it is hard to guess what the Reds’ team will look like.

[web_stories_embed url=”https://www.footballtransfertavern.com/web-stories/latest-liverpool-transfer-news-33/” title=”Latest Liverpool transfer news!” poster=”” width=”360″ height=”600″ align=“none”]

The Latest: Four players could miss out

Taking to Twitter, journalist Neil Jones shared Klopp’s comments ahead of the game, with Mohamed Salah, Virgil van Dijk, Fabinho and Joe Gomez all injury doubts:

“Jurgen Klopp says Liverpool will not take any risks with Salah, Van Dijk, Fabinho, Gomez. ‘My preferred solution would be that they could play this weekend, for rhythm purposes, but if not then we will take it from there.'”

The Verdict: Key decisions for Klopp

Klopp has a big task on his hands on Sunday, with the German having to field a strong starting lineup but also not risk using injured players before the Champions League final.

If any of those in question are not 100 per cent fit, they should be left on the substitutes’ bench, possibly only coming if the situation is desperate and Liverpool need a goal, or if City are not winning.

Salah will no doubt be desperate to play as he looks to win the Golden Boot, but it would be criminal to start him, see him get injured and then miss out on another Champions League final against Real Madrid.

In other news, one player is edging closer to a Liverpool exit. Find out who it is here.

Leeds United winger Jack Harrison, who has been linked with a move to Tottenham, is open to the idea of leaving Elland Road this summer, according to The Telegraph.

The Lowdown: Spurs rumours

Harrison netted a late winner against Brentford on the final day, his 10th goal of the season, to guarantee Leeds’ Premier League status.

[web_stories_embed url=”https://www.footballtransfertavern.com/web-stories/latest-leeds-united-news-44/” title=”Latest Leeds United news!” poster=”https://www.footballtransfertavern.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/04/cropped-2022-03-10T184055Z_1834933207_UP1EI3A1FW561_RTRMADP_3_SOCCER-ENGLAND-LEE-AVA-REPORT-1-scaled-1.jpg” width=”360″ height=”600″ align=”none”]

The 25-year-old has been a regular over the last four seasons, making 166 appearances for the club. He eventually made his move from Manchester City permanent last summer, however, he has already been linked with a move away.

Tottenham view Harrison as a player who can turn out as a wing-back under Antonio Conte after a recommendation from Andrea Pirlo, who played with the Leeds man at New York City.

The Latest: Exit update

The Telegraph shared a story on Monday morning regarding the Whites after they survived in the Premier League.

They claimed that the club still have a task on their hands to keep hold of both Kalvin Phillips and Raphinha, adding that Harrison is also ‘open to the idea’ of an exit, labelling it as ‘one to watch’.

The Verdict: Decision needed

Harrison has proven to be an extremely reliable member of a mostly successful Leeds squad in recent years, contributing to 50 goals. He’s been a regular under Jesse Marsch and scored four times in the run-in which eventually helped the club secure safety.

However, it looks as if Leeds chiefs will now have a big decision to make as Harrison enters the final two years of his contract.

If he wants to leave, then perhaps now is the time Andrea Radrizzani and the 49ers should maximise his value and cash in with Spurs seemingly keen.

As The Telegraph mention, it looks like it could be one to keep an eye on in what could be an extremely busy summer in regards to incomings and outgoings.

In other news: ‘Listen…’ – Sky Sports man reacts as Leeds and Marsch now linked with ‘exceptional’ PL forward. 

Sunderland have joined the race to sign Hull City’s James Scott ahead of this summer’s transfer window.

What’s the word?

That is according to reports via Portsmouth.co.uk, who state that Sunderland, amongst the likes of Derby, Portsmouth, Accrington and Hibernian are all keen to secure his signature.

As per the report, the Hull man may get a chance to prove himself to boss Shota Arveladze, who reportedly wants to see the player in action before deciding the next chapter of his career.

Imagine him and Stewart

21-year-old Scott, who has scored 15 goals in his career so far, has endured a somewhat difficult start to his career as a professional.

After scoring £1.5m.

Having registered six returns in the form of terrific” by former Mackems boss, Jack Ross.

His first 16 appearances for the Edinburgh outfit saw zero returns for the club, but in the final few games, he has demonstrated his ability, having managed hat-trick against St. Johnstone in the final game of the campaign.

It means he has scored four goals in five fixtures in the Scottish Premiership Relegation Round and has given clubs like Sunderland the inclination to look towards the Scotsman, who could form a formidable partnership with fellow countryman Ross Stewart.

Despite his incredible haul of 59 chances, with nine of these classed as big chances this campaign.

Scott, who was described as “perfectly placed” for his second goal against St. Johnstone, has been operating in a Hibernian side that have drummed up just 33 big chances this term, whilst Sunderland have managed to create almost double that with a tally of 64.

It goes without saying, a two-man Scottish partnership between Stewart and Scott could make for an unstoppable duo who could bolster the Black Cats, offensively speaking.

Scott’s finish to this season bodes well for his start to the next.

In other news: Neil can save Sunderland millions by unleashing 19y/o who can “make something happen”

Derby County are set to be faced with a fresh threat ahead of the start of the 2022/23 season as the Rams could receive a three-point deduction heading into the new campaign, according to The Sun journalist Alan Nixon.

The Lowdown: Takeover update

The Rams entered administration back in September last year amid ongoing financial problems at the club, and despite a valiant effort after multiple deductions, Wayne Rooney’s side were relegated to League One.

Chris Kirchner was named as the preferred bidder for Derby in April, but even though most of the key areas of the takeover had already been arranged, a new roadblock appeared as it was reported that the American businessman was reluctant to proceed if unable to strike up a deal with Mel Morris for Pride Park.

However, Kirchner’s exclusivity period has now been extended by Quantuma after expiring last weekend, hopefully providing more time for negotiations to be agreed.

The Latest: Derby facing new threat

In a new report published on Nixon’s personal Patreon page after that update (via Football League World), it’s claimed that a new three-point deduction will come into action if the administrators fail to pay the player’s wages for the month of May, a term that would be triggered after being issued two years ago following Morris not paying the playing staff.

In addition, if it’s revealed that the County squad are not paid on time in June either, then there’s a possibility that the club could be dealt an extra three-point deduction on top of the original one.

The source states that the only way in which the club could avoid these punishments altogether is if all of the players and staff decided to defer their wages on a voluntary basis until there is a sufficient sum of money in the bank.

The Verdict: A never-ending saga

Fans of the Rams will have no doubt have been praying the constant points deductions was all over now that the Championship season has come to an end, but it looks like that’s far from the case.

There were rumours circulating back in February that Derby had informed the EFL that they were close to completely running out of money, so it wouldn’t come as any surprise to see Quantuma fail to cough up the amount required to prevent this further sanction.

If Kirchner still has strong intentions to complete a deal for the takeover of the club, hopefully this is something that can be finalised over the coming days to kickstart the new chapter of Rooney’s Rams before the opening day of the new season.

Liverpool have been dealt a major blow regarding their pursuit of RB Leipzig forward Christopher Nkunku.

What’s the word?

According to L’Equipe [via Liverpool Echo], not even a bid of £85m for the Frenchman would be enough to take him off the Bundesliga club’s hands this summer.

Liverpool aren’t the only club linked with the 24-year-old either, with the likes of Manchester City, Paris Saint-Germain and Real Madrid all looking to sign him.

Jurgen Klopp might be priced out

Klopp is steering Liverpool to potentially their greatest-ever season, with an unprecedented quadruple bid getting closer to realisation every week. He already seems to be planning for the future too, with several of his players on the wrong side of 30, and replacements could well be signed sooner rather than later in order to bed in quickly.

However, the manager may need to look elsewhere for attacking options after the news regarding Nkunku, with the asking price for him approaching ridiculous levels.

At first glance, the Frenchman would make an excellent signing, having scored 32 goals and grabbed a further 20 assists from 49 matches this season.

freshpress-quiz ]

These are truly phenomenal figures, especially when you consider that he isn’t an out-and-out centre-forward but can play in a variety of positions, which include attacking midfield and featuring as a second striker.

The 24-year-old is one of Europe’s finest talents at the minute and former Leipzig manager Jesse Marsch described him as a player “who has no weaknesses”; and judging by Nkunku’s performances this season, it’s hard to argue against that notion.

Liverpool might just have to make do with moving towards other targets unless they feel that a fee of close to £100m is justifiable for the French predator.

Given FSG’s reputation for frugality at Anfield, it seems highly unlikely that such an amount will be spent on one player, so the news of Leipzig’s lofty asking price could leave Kopites gutted that their hopes of signing the prolific 24-year-old appear very slim.

AND in other news, Liverpool plotting mega offer for “dangerous” £19.8m-rated gem, he’s Klopp’s new Firmino

Barcelona are reportedly ‘very close’ over a summer move for Leeds United winger Raphinha.

The Lowdown: Deco at the Nou Camp

Raphinha has been heavily linked with a move to the Catalan giants this year, with reports suggesting earlier this month that Deco, the 25-year-old’s agent, flew out to the Nou Camp. He was looking to progress personal terms, with a contract until 2027 mooted at the time.

[web_stories_embed url=”https://www.footballtransfertavern.com/web-stories/latest-leeds-united-news-42/” title=”Latest Leeds United news!” poster=”https://www.footballtransfertavern.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/04/cropped-2022-03-10T184055Z_1834933207_UP1EI3A1FW561_RTRMADP_3_SOCCER-ENGLAND-LEE-AVA-REPORT-1-scaled-1.jpg” width=”360″ height=”600″ align=”none”]

The Brazilian, labelled as ‘unbelievable’ by Paul Merson, has remained a regular under Jesse Marsch, scoring his tenth goal of the season against Watford earlier this month.

The Latest: Spanish update

Sports Witness relayed an update from Spanish outlet Sport on Tuesday regarding Raphinha and Barcelona. They claimed that the La Liga giants now have an agreement in place with the winger, and a transfer is ‘very close’.

However, the report adds that striking terms with the Whites will be more difficult, with Barcelona possibly hoping Leeds go down to make a deal easier.

The Verdict: Next few weeks key

Marsch’s side aren’t safe yet on 34 points with five games remaining, so there’s a chance a return to the Championship could be on the cards.

Should that happen, Barcelona will be able to activate a €25m relegation release clause in the summer, something which would be a disaster for everyone at Elland Road.

There will be no clause if Raphinha helps Leeds stay in the top flight, though, making the next few weeks extremely important both on and off the pitch – stay up, and Victor Orta and Andrea Radrizzani can demand a huge fee for the wing wizard.

In other news: Radz and 49ers will now reward Marsch if he keeps Leeds up by moving for 29-goal forward.