All posts by h79snht.top

Leeds United enjoyed an impressive summer transfer window, with Victor Orta bringing in no fewer than nine fresh faces to Elland Road in a bid to rejuvenate Jesse Marsch’s squad after a disappointing 17th-place finish in the Premier League last time out.

Although the Whites are only six matches into the 2022/23 campaign, a number of the club’s summer additions have already started to catch the eye, with Marc Roca, Tyler Adams, Rasmus Kristensen, Luis Sinisterra and Brenden Aaronson all ranking in Marsch’s top 12 performers in the top flight football so far this season.

However, it has been the €17m (£14.7m) capture of former RB Leipzig midfielder Adams which appears to have been one of Orta’s best of the summer, as the 23-year-old has wasted no time in making one of Marsch’s two central midfield roles his own.

Indeed, over his six Premier League appearances – all of which have come as starts – this season, the midfielder has highly impressed. He has played 1.3 key passes, completed 50.3 passes (at a success rate of 83%), made 1.3 interceptions, won 4.7 tackles (the most of any player in the league) won 6.3 duels (at a success rate of 55%) per game.

These returns have seen the USA international average an eye-catching SofaScore match rating of 7.00, ranking him as the Whites’ fifth-best performer in the league so far in 2022/23. That is no mean feat considering how recently he moved to Elland Road.

As a result of these returns, the 23-year-old currently has a market valuation of £26m – a whopping 77% greater than the fee Leeds were reported to have paid Leipzig for his services a little under 11 weeks ago. That proves just how much bang for his buck Orta got when signing the American.

As such, considering his impressive returns and spike in value, it would very much appear as if Orta hit the jackpot when bringing Adams to LS11 this summer. The midfielder is not only a hugely reliable option in the heart of Marsch’s side, he could also represent a significant payday for the club further down the line.

Sheffield United are one of a host of clubs who are interested in signing former England international Fabian Delph, according to a new transfer rumour.

The Lowdown: Delph without a club

The 32-year-old departed Everton at the end of last season, with his contract expiring and a new deal not coming his way.

Delph failed to find a new club during the summer transfer window but he is still on the lookout for a fresh challenge during the autumn years of his career.

A move to the Championship could be on the cards, which is where the Blades come into play.

The Latest: Blades eye up move

According to Football League World, United are looking at a potential move for Delph, seeing him as someone who can aid their promotion push this season.

They are far from alone in showing an interest, however, with Middlesbrough, Sunderland, West Brom, Reading and Rangers all thought to be in the mix, too.

The Verdict: Shrewd free signing

Delph may not be the force he once was during his younger years – he won 20 caps for England and made 204 Premier League appearances – but he still possesses great leadership and experience.

For that reason, he could be the ideal man for the Blades to bring in for the rest of the season, not necessarily starting every match but proving to be an influential part of the dressing room and someone who can produce mature cameos and manage games.

Delph has been described as ‘outstanding’ by Pep Guardiola in the past, which says a lot about his ability, and bringing him on a free would be exciting given his pedigree. If it doesn’t work out, it’s not as though a big fee will have been wasted on him.

Wolves could allow Ruben Neves to leave the club if a £50m offer is tabled this summer, according to transfer expert Dean Jones.

The Lowdown: Neves exit likely

The future of the Portuguese midfield maestro has been a big talking point of late, with Barcelona among the clubs linked with snapping him up.

It feels as though Neves is more likely to leave Wolves than stay put, and the 25-year-old may simply feel that he has come as far as he can at Molineux.

Wanderers will only entertain big-money offers for the Premier League midfielder in order to use those funds on replacing him with a similarly top-class player.

[web_stories_embed url=”https://www.footballtransfertavern.com/web-stories/all-the-latest-from-wolves-6/” title=”All the latest from Wolves!” poster=”” width=”360″ height=”600″ align=“none”]

The Latest: Jones drops £50m Neves claim

Speaking to Give Me Sport, Jones provided an update on the matter, saying that a bid in the region of £40m to £50m for Neves could be accepted by Wolves, despite reports of a £70m price tag. He claimed:

“I think £70million is unrealistic for Ruben Neves and Wolves will know that, but I can see it settling out at £40million to £50million.

“Manchester United will definitely be in the conversation. They will be linked with him again.”

[freshpress-poll id=“388780″]

The Verdict: Time to say goodbye?

The idea of Neves leaving Wolves is a depressing one – he has been lauded as an ‘amazing’ player by team-mate Jose Sa – but it is a scenario for which the Old Gold faithful should be prepared.

The lure of playing for a club of Barcelona’s size and stature is too great to turn down for many players and that could be no different for the 25-year-old, as he looks to play in the Champions League.

It is imperative that Wolves fill the void that Neves will leave once he goes, spending the money wisely on an adequate replacement. Wanderers-linked Joao Palhinha could be one such candidate to pick up wherever his fellow countryman leaves off.

In other news, a new player is now reportedly a Wolves transfer target. Find out who it is here.

BBC Radio Five Live pundit Alan Hutton has urged Liverpool manager Jurgen Klopp to not risk the fitness of Mohamed Salah ahead of the Reds’ Champions League final.

The Lowdown: Salah’s injury setback

The 29-year-old was forced off the pitch during last weekend’s FA Cup final against Chelsea with what appeared to be a groin injury, and suffering this setback also meant that he was ruled out of action for Tuesday night’s 2-1 Premier League victory over Southampton.

The German boss confirmed earlier this week that the Egyptian might have an outside chance of making the bench for the season finale against Wolves on Sunday, but with just under a week between that game and the Champions League final, Hutton is not so sure.

[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: Hutton’s message to Klopp

Speaking during an interview with Football Insider, the former Premier League full-back reiterated that there isn’t any need for Klopp to risk his star man, saying the ‘big thing’ is being ready for the clash against the Spanish giants.

“It looked like a groin issue, I’m led to believe. The thing is that the Champions League final is not until May 28th.

“Obviously, it’s Liverpool’s last game at home on Sunday. If he’s ready and he feels good, he could maybe play 10, 15 minutes in that one.

“I don’t think you have to risk him. That’s the big thing. For these games, they’ve got players who can come in and do a job, to a high level may I add.

“Keep Salah, because fully fit, he plays. It’s quite as simple as that. Keep him fit and get him ready for the Madrid game.

“These are big games they’re going to be playing in. They have won two trophies. As a winner, you’re desperate to go on and pick up even more trophies.

“They’ve got a decent squad, I think Jurgen Klopp rotates at the right times. For the bigger games, he reverts back to what he knows and thinks will do the job on the day.

“They only have a few games left so I think they will be more than capable. I don’t think that should be a massive issue.”

The Verdict: Liverpool’s star player

The 82-cap international first arrived at Anfield in a £34m move from Roma back in 2017, and he has since gone on to become perhaps the key cog in the Merseyside machine.

During his five years in the top-flight, Salah has so far made 252 appearances for the Reds, registering an outstanding 218 goal contributions, as per Transfermarkt, showing just how prolific he can be in the final third.

Despite being such an influential player on the pitch for Liverpool, if the striker isn’t declared fully fit in time to face Madrid, then the Reds do at least have options to rotate in after the January capture of Luis Diaz and return to fitness of Roberto Firmino, so risking Salah vs Wolves would indeed feel a bit foolish.

In other news… a Sky Sports pundit has backed the Reds to complete a surprising swap deal this summer.

Sky Sports reporter Keith Downie has made an intriguing claim regarding Newcastle United’s interest in Leeds United midfielder Kalvin Phillips…

What’s the word?

Speaking to GIVEMESPORT, the trusted insider hinted that striking a deal to sign the England international could be a possibility, particularly if the Elland Road outfit are to suffer relegation.

Having been discussing a potential move for Tottenham star Pierre-Emile Hojberg, Downie revealed that a move for Phillips may be more likely: “I don’t know what his [Hojberg’s] contractual situation is actually with Spurs, but I’d be surprised if that one happened. I would say [Kalvin] Phillips would probably be a more workable deal for the club.”

This follows recent reports that suggested the Magpies were keeping an eye on the 26-year-old, with the £38k-per-week gem rumoured to have a £30m relegation clause in his contract should Jesse Marsch’s side be unable to avoid the drop.

Howe will love him

That will no doubt be welcome news to Newcastle boss Eddie Howe, with the 44-year-old seemingly keen to bolster his playing ranks again this summer, having already recruited successfully in the January window.

Despite rumours linking the club with the likes of Ibrahim Sangare of PSV, in Phillips, the northeast side have a player already accustomed to life in the Premier League, while he has also earned rave reviews for his displays at international level.

A key component of the Three Lions’ squad that reached the Euro 2020 final last summer – featuring in all seven games – the £45m-rated star was dubbed “the best modern midfielder” by iconic coach Fabio Capello.

Even amid a frustrating, injury-hit campaign that has contributed to Leeds’ tumble down the table, the defensive midfielder has still recorded some impressive statistics, averaging 2.7 tackles per game, 1.1 interceptions and 0.8 clearances in his 19 league outings.

Equally, compared to those in his position in Europe’s top five leagues, the 5 foot 10 machine also comes out favourably, ranking in the top 1% for pressures made, the top 2% for tackles made and the 4% for blocks made.

Although referencing Hojberg, pundit Noel Whelan suggested that the Tynesiders are in need of a “very disciplined holding midfield player” in order to allow the likes of Bruno Guimaraes to thrive, with Phillips potentially the man to do the job.

It may not be a done deal just yet, although the 19-cap destroyer appears to be a player that Howe would simply love.

IN other news, PIF now plotting Newcastle bid for “complete” £34m monster, he’s “like Yaya Toure”

West Bromwich Albion could be set for a busy summer transfer window as Steve Bruce aims to take the Baggies back into the Premier League after their uninspiring campaign in the Championship.

The 61-year-old spoke previously about the number of changes to the squad that he wants to see happen in the coming months to give his team the best possible chance of reaching their objective.

However, it seems as though a big update has emerged behind the scenes regarding some players who have been mentioned with potential moves to The Hawthorns in recent weeks.

What’s the news?

According to a recent report from Joe Masi in the Express & Star, after being linked with moves for Aston Villa midfielder Conor Hourihane and Newcastle United duo Karl Darlow and Elliot Anderson, these three players are reportedly not targets for the Baggies this summer.

Good news for Albion fans

With Hourihane, while he would be available on a free transfer as a result of his Villa contract expiring, his 2021/22 season on loan with Sheffield United suggests that, even for free, he may not be the right player to come in and elevate West Brom to where they need to be.

He recorded a lowly WhoScored rating of 6.57, which put him 21st among Paul Heckingbottom’s squad, far from a glowing testament to the Irishman’s performances.

As for Darlow, having conceded 15 goals in eight Premier League appearances this season, the 31-year-old may not be the right figure for the Baggies either, especially with Sam Johnstone likely to leave in the coming weeks and a suitable replacement needed for him.

Finally, with Anderson only having regular senior football at League Two level under his belt, adding the 19-year-old to Bruce’s ranks could be a risk for Albion given his inexperience.

Taking all this into account, seeing these three players scratched off the list for potential summer transfer targets should be great news for West Brom fans.

With this Premier League trio out of the frame, it will presumably now give the Baggies the chance to move on and potentially look at other players who they feel will be the right options to come in and improve their squad.

In our view, with the Midlands club scoring fewer goals than the likes of Reading, Bristol City and Blackpool among others, adding a player who can find the net on a regular basis should be the first port of call for West Brom and their recruitment staff.

In other news: WBA can unearth ideal Sawyers replacement with 20 y/o gem who has “a lot of quality”

Everton are reportedly among the frontrunners to sign Burnley defender James Tarkowski this summer, as Frank Lampard looks to bolster his defensive options at Goodison Park.

What’s the word?

According to Dominic King in the Daily Mail, the Toffees and Aston Villa are the frontrunners to sign the 29-year-old centre-back on a free transfer, as he prepares to leave Burnley following their relegation to the Championship.

Fulham, Leeds United and Leicester City are also credited with an interest in the former England international but the Toffees will be hoping that they can attract him to Merseyside, and they may have the edge over Villa after the latter confirmed the signing of Diego Carlos from Sevilla earlier this week.

Would Tarkowski be a good addition?

Everton’s defensive woes were a key element in their fight against relegation last season and Lampard will surely be keen to add experience and quality at the back if his side are to steer well clear of the bottom three in the 2022/23 Premier League campaign.

The Toffees conceded 66 goals in the top flight, which was the fifth-worst of any side, while their top defensive performer according to WhoScored was Lucas Digne, despite the Frenchman leaving for Villa in January.

Tarkowski offers a wealth of experience, having made 194 Premier League appearances in his career thus far, in which he has contributed seven goals and five assists.

His performances have also earned him two England caps, and the £19.8m-rated centre-back will no doubt be aiming to reclaim his spot in Gareth Southgate’s squad with some strong performances next season ahead of the winter World Cup in Qatar.

Former Clarets boss Sean Dyche labelled Tarkowski “outstanding” after he made his Premier League debut in 2017 and the defender has gone from strength to strength since then, regularly averaging above a 7/10 rating from WhoScored for his performances across a top-flight season.

Considering that he is available on a free transfer, this signing would surely be an impressive one for the Toffees, so supporters will be hoping that the recent reports suggesting that Lampard’s side are in a prime position to sign him are true. Everton must now seize that apparent advantage and get this coup over the line ahead of rival Premier League clubs.

And, in other news… Everton can sign their own Lampard in 21 y/o wonderkid 

Manchester City have been linked with a move for Juventus defender Matthijs de Ligt ahead of the summer transfer window.

What’s the news?

According to a recent report from Calciomercato, the Premier League champions are one of the clubs to whom the Netherlands international could potentially move this summer, should the Bianconeri receive a suitable fee for him.

After working his way through Ajax’s youth ranks, the centre-back went on to make 117 senior appearances for the Amsterdam giants across all competitions, scoring 13 goals and providing seven assists along the way.

In 2019, the defender joined Juventus for an initial fee of €75m (£67.8m), making him the most expensive defender in Italian top-flight history.

Since then, the player – who described himself as feeling “invincible” in the Eredivisie – has now made as many appearances for his current club as he did for Ajax.

The next Kompany

In terms of a potential move to the Etihad Stadium, the 22-year-old could become City’s new version of Vincent Kompany.

After 359 appearances and numerous domestic trophies, the Belgian left Manchester in 2019 as a club legend with a significant legacy to his name.

While these would certainly be big shoes to fill, De Ligt certainly has the defensive chops to be a solid addition to Pep Guardiola’s ranks.

During his time at Juventus, the Dutch centre-back has won 69 tackles, made 137 blocks, 87 interceptions and 371 clearances in Serie A.

Taking into account how Kompany was so impressive for City at the back and ended his spell in the Premier League with a tackle success rate of 75%, among hundreds of interceptions and clearances made, the Netherlands international could be an ideal long-term feature for Guardiola’s side given his young age and evident ability.

In February 2020, the late Mino Raiola described the £63m-rated defender as being like an “oil tanker” in terms of being hard to stop when he’s on form.

Even though City have the likes of John Stones, Nathan Ake, Aymeric Laporte and Ruben Dias in their squad, if Guardiola feels the need to add some extra strength at centre-back for the future, securing a deal for De Ligt could be a great bit of prospective business from the Citizens.

In other news: Pep can land his own Ronaldo as City eye move for “spectacular” £45m-rated “diamond”

Aston Villa have received an offer for Trezeguet, transfer journalist Fabrizio Romano reports.

The lowdown

Villa paid £9million to sign Trezeguet for Super Lig outfit Kasimpasa in the summer of 2019, ahead of their first season back in the top flight.

He enjoyed a decent first season, scoring six Premier League goals to help Dean Smith’s side in the Premier League.

In April 2021, however, Trezeguet would suffer a serious knee injury against Liverpool, sidelining him for a full 238 days and 25 matches.

He returned as a substitute in the 2-1 defeat against Brentford in January but would then be sent on loan to Istanbul Basaksehir for the remainder of the campaign.

Still valued at £9million by Transfermarkt, he has only 12 months remaining on his £32,500-per-week contract at Villa Park.

The latest

Romano tweeted at 21.22 on Thursday that Trabzonspor ‘have made an official proposal to Aston Villa’ for Trezeguet, and now ‘negotiations are set to begin’ between the two clubs.

They’re not the only Turkish outfit interested in Trezeguet, who has suitors ‘in different leagues’ too.

The verdict

If Villa’s aim was to get Trezeguet playing regular football again and drum up his value ahead of the summer, then the loan worked a treat.

He played 13 times for Basaksehir and was directly involved in ten goals, scoring six and laying on four assists.

Clearly, he impressed a number of sides in the division, and now they’re vying for his signature.

It’s tempting to wonder whether he could have forced his way into Steven Gerrard’s plans had he not been injured when the new manager arrived.

Villa podcaster Chris Dolan has raved about his ‘unbelievable’ work rate, and maybe that would have appealed to Gerrard.

In other news, Fabrizio Romano drops Aston Villa transfer news.

Journalist Pete O’Rourke has revealed that Everton are now ‘ready’ to sell Andre Gomes.

The Lowdown: Expensive dud

Gomes signed for the Goodison Park outfit from FC Barcelona for £22m back in the summer of 2019, and now earns a whopping £120,000-per-week on Merseyside.

It is safe to say that it has not quite worked out for the Portugal international, who has seen his game time limited by constant injury problems, and when he has been on the pitch, he has struggled to make any sort of real impact, scoring just two goals and making a mere seven assists over four seasons at the club (Transfermarkt).

The Latest: ‘Ready’ to sell

Taking to Twitter, O’Rourke has revealed that Frank Lampard’s team are now ‘ready’ to sell Gomes this summer:

“Everton are ready to offload Portugal midfielder Andre Gomes this summer.”

The Verdict: Get rid

Gomes is 28 years of age now, and so the summer provides the optimum time to get rid and get a decent fee for him.

[web_stories_embed url=”https://www.footballtransfertavern.com/web-stories/everton-news-7/” title=”Everton news!” poster=”” width=”360″ height=”600″ align=”none”]

When he has been available, Lampard has Richard Buxton has pointed out.

Nonetheless, the Blues already have plenty of options in the centre of midfield already, and so Gomes would not really be that much of a miss if he were to leave.

In other news, find out which ‘quality’ starlet EFC are now eyeing here!