All posts by z3u9t.icu

A Newcastle United scout was in attendance for FC Porto’s game this weekend, according to Portuguese newspaper O Jogo (via Sport Witness).

The lowdown

Newcastle only made one first-team signing during the summer transfer window, with Joe Willock’s loan move from Arsenal made permanent for a fee of £26.46million.

But they may feel the need to improve their squad at the mid-point of the campaign, with their poor start raising the prospect of a relegation battle.

Newcastle are winless after seven matches and find themselves 19th in the table.

If Porto players are indeed under consideration, then they’ll have the benefit of seeing how they measure up against Premier League opposition.

Liverpool are in Porto’s Champions League group and after the Reds ran out 5-1 victors in Portugal last week – they’ll meet again in November.

The latest

A Newcastle official apparently took in the Primeira Liga action at the Estadio do Dragao on Sunday. Porto went up against Pacos Ferreira, the team Spurs knocked out of the Europa Conference League.

It’s not clear how many players were being studied.

What we do know is that Porto fell behind early on to a Nuno Santos goal, but were level before the break after Luis Diaz’s sixth goal of the season.

Left-back Wendell then scored what proved to be the winner seven minutes into the second half.

The verdict

It’s tempting to speculate. Who exactly were Newcastle watching? Well, we heard during the transfer window that Steve Bruce was keen to add a centre-back and a defensive midfielder.

Sergio Conceicao selected two veterans at the heart of his defence – 38-year-old Pepe and 34-year-old Ivan Marcano.

The star of the show most weeks for Porto at the moment however is Diaz, who was strongly linked with a Premier League move to Everton this summer, perhaps the Magpies are planning a January hijacking?

In other news, Lee Ryder has offered encouragement to those calling for Bruce’s head.

Liam Kennedy has dropped some worrying insight from Newcastle United takeover sources.

The Lowdown: Delays

According to The Chronicle, the Competition Appeal Tribunal (CAT) claim over the stalled takeover deal between Mike Ashley and the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia (KSA) group has now been delayed until September.

This follows the delay of the separate arbitration case filed by the St. James’ Park faithful against the Premier League over their decision-making process with regards to the failed bid, which is now not due to take place until early next year.

The Latest: Takeover insight

Writing in his latest piece for Newcastle World, Kennedy has shared that the proposed takeover in the North East by the KSA consortium is now ‘hanging by a thread’, according to sources.

It is thought that the recent legal delays have potentially further strained relationships, and the parties involved in the consortium are said to be shocked at the news that the arbitration hearing has been delayed until early 2022.

The Verdict: Worrying

It is certainly worrying to hear that the proposed takeover could well be on the cusp of collapse, especially given the constant delays that the consortium have had to face.

[web_stories_embed url=”https://www.footballtransfertavern.com/web-stories/newcastle-updates-5/” title=”Newcastle updates! (5)” poster=”” width=”360″ height=”600″ align=”none”]

They have had to be very patient with the top flight up until this point, and the cases should give a much clearer picture over the direction of where the deal is heading.

Still, one can understand if their patience is slowly dying out, and so the North East club need to make sure that there are no further delays to both cases and that they can be finalised swiftly.

In other news, find out who NUFC are now ‘on the lookout’ to sign here!

A number of Wolves supporters have hailed Daniel Podence’s Twitter post following an excellent performance in the 1-0 win over West Ham.

Bruno Lage’s side returned to Premier League action on Saturday afternoon, looking to respond from the 2-0 defeat at Crystal Palace before the international break.

They came up against an in-form Hammers team sitting third in the table before the game but the hosts came away with all three points at Molineux.

A tight game was eventually decided by a Raul Jimenez goal in the second half and one player who stood out throughout proceedings was Podence.

On his first league start for nearly two months, the Portuguese forward played three key passes, had two shots on target and provided the assist for the goal. After the game he posted on Twitter, simply saying: “Always delivering” followed by emojis including the number 3 and a check mark.

Wolves fans laud Podence

It was a fantastic performance from the winger against West Ham, and these Wolves fans took to Twitter to shower him with praise, with one supporter calling him an “absolute baller” and others imploring Lage to start him consistently.

“I proper love Danny P”

Credit: @GladonK

“Absolute baller today lad”

Credit: @Cal_Wood1990

“Postman Pod”

Credit: @wwfcscott

“Maybe not always but today when it counted. Great to have you back: love to see you at your best. UTW”

Credit: @dobspoon

“Great game lad”

Credit: @jlewwfc

“The most underrated Wolves player. Bruno should start him every match. Oi Oi Podence!”

Credit: @Joeybrainsgood

In other news, some Wolves fans have bemoaned a transfer rumour that has emerged. Read more here.

Manchester United face Villarreal in the Champions League this evening in what will be their first fixture since former manager Ole Gunnar Solskjaer was sacked.

The Red Devils slumped to a humiliating 4-1 defeat to newly-promoted Watford over the weekend, proving to be the final straw in the 48-year-old’s two-and-a-half-year reign.

Barring a curtain-raising thrashing of fierce rivals Leeds United, the Old Trafford outfit had been hugely disappointing throughout 2021/22, with Saturday’s loss their seventh of the campaign in all competitions.

It was meant to be the season that Solskjaer returned United to the top of English football following the arrivals of Cristiano Ronaldo, Jadon Sancho and Raphael Varane, but things haven’t gone to plan.

The managerless outfit currently sit in eighth place in the Premier League table, six points behind fourth-placed West Ham United and 12 behind league-leaders Chelsea.

However, interim manager, Michael Carrick, could become an instant hit in the United dugout by axing Nemanja Matic following his dismal display against the Hornets last time out.

Throughout the torrid 90 minutes at Vicarage Road, the £120,000-per-week midfielder constantly relinquished possession to the opposition, losing the ball on a whopping 19 occasions, as per SofaScore.

Matic also recorded a passing accuracy of just 83% during Solskjaer’s final fixture, significantly adding to United’s woes.

The Serbia international also put in a shaky performance against Southampton earlier in the campaign, leading to Sky Sports pundit Roy Keane suggesting that Solskjaer didn’t know his best midfield options.

“I think if you’re going to play in central midfield for a big team and a big club, you have got to hang your hat on someone to say he’s brilliant at going forward or he’s brilliant defensively, or he’s got a goal in him, or he’s a great athlete,” said Keane. “I don’t see any of [those qualities] in Fred.

“I think McTominay has got a chance of being that player, Matic, you know… would any of these players get in the Man City, Chelsea or Liverpool teams? I don’t see it, so I wouldn’t know what their best combination is – so that’s a problem.”

With United needing three points against Villarreal to secure their passage into the last 16 of Europe’s elite cup competition, Carrick must be brave in dropping one of his most experienced players.

And, in other news…Luckhurst drops huge six-word Man United manager update that’ll leave fans buzzing

Oli McBurnie looks set for the exit door at Sheffield United after poor form on the pitch and numerous disciplinary problems off it but one place he shouldn’t heading is West Ham, according to Dean Windass.

McBurnie really struggled this season, like most of the Blades’ squad, as he played 23 games in the Premier League scoring just one goal, however that has not stopped reports linking the Scotland international with a move to West Ham.

The Irons will certainly be looking to add to their squad this summer with their upcoming Europa League claim, especially in the attacking third with Michail Antonio’s hamstrings unlikely to allow him to able to play in the Europa League and Premier League, as well as the uncertainty over Jesse Lingard’s future.

Despite David Moyes wanting to improve his squad and its depth this summer, McBurnie is nowhere near good enough for the Hammers or even the Premier League according to Windass, who spoke exclusively to Transfer Tavern:

“Not for me because I think in my opinion, everybody has a level and I don’t think McBurnie is a Premier League striker, I think he’s a Championship striker.

“I can’t see that happening but it’s up to David Moyes if he wants to sign McBurnie but for me, he’s a Championship striker.”

McBurnie has never managed to establish himself as a top striker at either Swansea City or Sheffield United having managed to score just 33 goals in 127 combined appearances for both clubs.

If West Ham are to be challenging at the right end of the Premier League table again next season they must surely be targeting for players of higher quality than McBurnie, otherwise they will struggle to fire on all fronts.

James Rodriguez will struggle to reclaim the respect of his team-mates and Everton supporters following recent comments he made on social media, according to former England midfielder Carlton Palmer.

Prior to Everton’s stalemate with Leeds United last month, Rodriguez claimed he did not know who the Toffees’ next opponents were on his Twitch account.

The admission infuriated Everton supporters and came after the Colombia international, who won the Golden Boot at the 2014 World Cup, had been told he does not feature in Rafa Benitez’s plans.

According to Fichajes and Calcio In Pillole reporter Ekrem Konur, Premier League rivals Newcastle United were interested in negotiating a loan deal for the creative midfielder, who has made just 26 appearances since joining Everton.

Despite the Merseyside club being desperate to get his £90,000-per-week salary off the books, Rodriguez will remain at Goodison Park until January at the earliest after failing to find a new club before the transfer deadline.

Palmer believes Rodriguez will find it difficult reintegrating into the squad.

He exclusively told Football FanCast: “I found it really hard to hear his comments. If you’re an Evertonian and read that, you think ‘how disrespectful’.

“He’s on a reported salary of close to £5million a year and he hasn’t really pulled up any trees since he’s been there, so it’s disappointing to hear that. They needed to get him off the wage bill because that is a lot of money for someone who is not performing at the highest level.

“It’s just not worked out but when a player comes out and says that, it’s disrespectful to the board, chairman, supporters and the rest of your team-mates.”

Luke Edwards has dropped a worrying claim involving Newcastle United and the chances of late transfer business.

The Lowdown: Low-budget deals

The St. James’ Park faithful have been linked with a number of low-budget deals involving players such as Hamza Choudhury, Mouctar Diakhaby and Lee Kang-In.

However, with only a few days left until the summer window ends, they need to seriously get a move on if anyone else is planned to arrive in the North East.

The Latest: Edwards on transfer

Writing in his official Twitter page, Edwards has claimed that now ‘there is a growing possibility’ that the Tyneside club will not add any more players to the squad before the deadline hits.

This is because the Magpies are saying that ‘there isn’t money to do it’, even on loan, meaning that they may need to sell players first.

The Verdict: Worrying

It is certainly worrying to hear for the Toon Army that they may not be able to bring anyone else in before the deadline.

Joe Willock has been the only player that has been brought in on a permanent deal so far from Arsenal, and he was in the squad last season anyway, albeit on loan.

Nonetheless, serious questions will need to be asked of the board and Mike Ashley in particular that Steve Bruce is not been given more money to spend in this window.

In other news, find out whose display against Southampton was criticised here!

Celtic’s interim boss John Kennedy has been urged to join Ross County if he leaves Parkhead.

Former County goalkeeper Michael Fraser told The Press and Journal that the 37-year-old would be well-suited to the managerial position at the Global Energy Stadium.

The lowdown

Kennedy took over from Neil Lennon when he resigned at the end of February, with Celtic’s title hopes having unravelled. Predominantly using a 4-4-2 diamond formation, he oversaw four victories, four draws and two defeats in total.

Celtic were 18 points adrift of Rangers when Kennedy took over and ended up 25 points behind their Glasgow rivals at the season’s end. The Gers also knocked them out of the Scottish Cup in the fourth round.

According to the Daily Record, Eddie Howe will be announced as Lennon’s long-term successor this week. He is also poised to bring backroom staff from Bournemouth with him, so it’s unclear whether there’ll be any place for Kennedy under the 43-year-old’s regime.

Ross County finished third from bottom in the Premiership this season. John Hughes kept them in the division but has not been offered a permanent deal.

The latest

If Kennedy is looking to move into management permanently rather than return to a behind-the-scenes role, Fraser says that County would be an ideal destination for him, telling The Press and Journal:

“Personally I think, John Kennedy, should he leave Celtic, would be a really good shout. He is highly thought of and it would be a good job for him to start off with.

“I am pretty sure a guy like John would like this job. He’s just a name that leapt out at me.

“Roy [Macgregor, chairman] might be looking at a more experienced manager, but going left-field John would be a good pick.

“He is highly-rated by ex-players and maybe he will want to come in and get his hands dirty by coaching them to play in the way he wants them to play.

“It’s maybe the best of the smaller clubs to achieve that because you will get support.”

The verdict

Howe may well deem Kennedy surplus to requirements at Celtic, partly as a symbolic ‘out with the old, in with the new’ move.

While Kennedy didn’t do enough in his time at the helm at Parkhead to suggest that he had credentials to be the permanent boss, he faced an unenviable task in trying to salvage the wreckage of the Hoops’ season.

Centre-back Kristoffer Ajer was also full of praise for his ‘fantastic’ coaching methods, and a club further down the Premiership would certainly be wise to give him a chance to prove his worth.

In other news, there’s an update on the future of Oliver Ntcham. 

Glasgow Rangers recorded a 3-1 victory over Motherwell on Saturday lunchtime, with the win moving the Ibrox outfit to within three points of the current Scottish Premiership leaders.

The Light Blues scored the opener after only 15 minutes, with James Tavernier swinging a cross in that eventually resulted in Motherwell’s Liam Kelly scoring an own goal, harshly denying Scott Wright.

Leon Balogun was sent off for the Gers after half an hour following a poor challenge and this initially swung the momentum to the home side, who equalised shortly after.

However, following the half-time interval, Rangers went up a gear and secured all three points with goals from the impressive Wright and Tavernier sealing the victory at Fir Park.

And, in the absence of both Kemar Roofe and Alfredo Morelos, the real hero for Giovanni van Bronckhorst’s side was Fashion Sakala, who terrorised the Motherwell defence throughout the tie.

Sakala passed Van Bronckhorst’s test

In possession, the Zambian was a constant threat in the final third, registering one shot, making two key passes, completing all four of his attempted dribbles and creating one big chance for his teammates – proving that he was extremely lively in Rangers’ attempts to secure the win.

However, the biggest moment came when the player Alan Hutton claimed “plays at 100mph” was through on goal and managed to win a penalty for Gers, giving Tavernier the chance to put his side two goals ahead, with the captain duly delivering.

The Zambian international also made two tackles, one clearance, and won eight of his 12 duels – a success rate of 67% – showing that he can get his hands dirty and help the team out defensively, this was vital when Motherwell had all the momentum after Balogun’s sending off.

Overall, Sakala was fantastic – something that was reflected in his 7.6 SofaScore match rating, the best of any Gers player on the day – with his performance undoubtedly pleasing Van Bronckhorst greatly, as the £10k-per-week hitman certainly passed the Dutchman’s big test ahead of the club’s upcoming Europa League semi-final.

AND in other news: Van Bronckhorst can brutally axe “shaky” Rangers dud in deal for “annoyingly brilliant” £0 machine

Fulham have agreed terms with Marco Silva regarding the vacant managerial position at Craven Cottage.

What’s the talk?

That’s according to a report by The Athletic, who claim that the 43-year-old has provisionally agreed a deal to become Scott Parker’s successor at the west London club.

Parker left the Cottagers on Monday after he and Shahid Khan came to a resolution regarding the 40-year-old’s compensation fee, with the outgoing manager subsequently being appointed the new manager of Championship side AFC Bournemouth.

And, despite being heavily linked with a move for the Swansea City manager Steve Cooper, it would now appear as if Silva will be the man leading Fulham out on the opening day of the season.

Fans should be furious

While Silva does have a history in the English game, having managed the likes of Hull City, Watford and Everton in his relatively short career in football management, there are a great many question marks regarding the Portuguese’s credentials for taking over at a Championship side.

During his spell at Hull back in 2016/17, Silva impressed during his 18 Premier League games in charge of the club, winning six, drawing three and losing nine fixtures, picking up 21 points along the way.

However, this was ultimately not enough to keep the Tigers in the top flight, with the club finishing the season in 18th place in the Premier League standings.

The 43-year-old was then awarded the Watford job the following season, going on to win seven, draw five and lose 12 of his 24 Premier League fixtures in charge of the club, before the Hornets parted company with Silva following a run of just one win in 11 games.

The former Sporting CP head coach continued what was now becoming a trend of failing upwards in 2018/19, landing the Everton job after Sam Allardyce’s departure at the end of the previous campaign.

His spell at Goodison Park proved to be his longest at a club in England, winning 15, drawing nine and losing 14 of his 38 Premier League fixtures in his first full season with the Toffees, enough to finish eighth in the Premier League table.

However, Silva once again found himself out of a job 15 games into the 2019/20 campaign, having picked up just 14 points in the league, with Everton languishing down in 18th place at the time of his dismissal.

As such, considering the sheer magnitude of the task at hand at Fulham next season, with the club very much expecting an immediate return to the top flight of English football, appointing a manager with no experience in the division, as well as what is quite a shaky record in the Premier League, would certainly not appear to bring with it any guarantees of promotion.

And, with a young, exciting and Championship-proven manager such as Steve Cooper clearly being interested in the job, should Khan indeed opt for Silva over the 41-year-old this summer, fans would be well within their rights to be furious with their owner’s decision.

In other news: Smyth drops transfer update on “immense” £9m-rated gem, Fulham fans should be buzzing