All posts by h716a5.icu

An update has emerged on Tottenham Hotspur and their interest in Inter’s Stefan de Vrij in the summer transfer window…

What’s the talk?

Journalist Paul Brown has claimed that the Dutchman, alongside Villarreal gem Pau Torres, is a player the club have their eye on.

Fabio Paratici is plotting a swoop for a centre-back this summer and the reporter believes that the Inter gem is one of Tottenham’s top targets for that position.

He told GIVEMESPORT: “In terms of defenders, there is still De Vrij at Inter – who Conte is a big fan of – and also Pau Torres, I think, is someone they’ve liked for a long time.

“Those two would look to be in pole position, but there’s plenty of names and I think a few more might crop up in the next few weeks.”

Conte’s new Leonardo Bonucci

The Spurs head coach has managed some extraordinary teams throughout his career in management and worked with world-class players along the way.

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He has managed Juventus, Italy, Chelsea and Inter, among others, and no centre-back has played more times under him than Bonucci. The machine – who has won nine Serie A titles – made 136 appearances under Antonio Conte for Juventus and Italy combined over the course of five campaigns.

In De Vrij, the Italian manager can find his new version of the Old Lady tank by working with him in a second team after managing him at Inter. The Spurs boss previously called the Dutchman “important” and “like Bonucci” and must now snap him up for £15m this summer.

He was once dubbed a “monster” by his former Lazio teammate Mauricio and his statistics in the Serie A in recent seasons back that up.

In the last seven league campaigns in Italy, De Vrij has only averaged a SofaScore rating lower than 7.03 in one year – playing for Inter and Lazio. He has shown remarkable consistency as he has proven that he can produce excellent performances week-in-week-out in Italy.

With Conte at the helm in the 2020/21 campaign, the centre-back averaged a score of 7.03 and played 32 times in the Italian top flight. He won 60% of his duels and helped the team to keep 11 clean sheets as he made himself a player the manager can rely on.

The pair can now reunite at Spurs and De Vrij can be the manager’s new version of Bonucci, becoming a pillar at the back for him in a second team.

AND in other news: Conte could land Spurs masterclass in deal for “explosive” £30m gem, he’s Foden-esque…

Sunderland journalist and podcaster Philip West has been left thrilled by some ownership news that has emerged from the Stadium of Light.

The Lowdown: Ownership reshuffle

As per the official website of the Wearside club, Kyril Louis-Dreyfus has increased his ownership stake to 51%, and Juan Sartori 30%.

In turn, Charlie Methven has sold all of his shares, and Stewart Donald has sold his stake down to 19%.

It was reported that cryptocurrency group The Fans Together (TFT) were ‘moving closer’ to a takeover deal for the Black Cats, but that bid now looks to have collapsed judging by the latest update.

The Latest: West thrilled

Taking to Twitter, West, who writes for Roker Report, was left thrilled by the news, claiming that it is ‘massively positive’ for the club:

“Massively positive news today, with Charlie Methven’s departure and the worrying spectre of the TFT group removed from the equation as well. Hopefully we can now ramp up the planning for next season & get ready for the challenges to come!”

The Verdict: Step forward

Methven selling all of his shares and Donald reducing his significantly is certainly a big step forward for SAFC.

Finance expert Kieran Maguire has previously labelled the pair as an ’embarrassment’ after the club dropped down to League One and only last season bounced back up, while he also claimed that the TFT bid was ‘nonsense’ and giving an ‘illusion’ to the supporters of what they want to hear (Football Insider).

Nonetheless, Alex Neil’s side can put all of that behind them now and concentrate on making a good start to life in the Championship.

Leeds United are going in strong for Paris Saint-Germain forward Arnaud Kalimuendo, according to Italian outlet Tuttomercatoweb.

The Lowdown: Bid made?

The Whites appear to have turned their attention to signing a new striker after securing deals for Brenden Aaronson, Rasmus Kristensen and Marc Roca.

Kalimuendo could well be the player to arrive and rival Patrick Bamford, with reliable reports claiming last week that Leeds have made an offer in the region of €20m (£17.1m).

PSG would want a buy-back clause in any transfer, but it looks as if Andrea Radrizzani and co are still keen on the Frenchman.

The Latest: Kalimuendo update

Tuttomercatoweb shared a story regarding Kalimuendo and Leeds on Monday afternoon.

They claimed that the Whites are ‘strong on Kalimuendo’, with their information stating that PSG’s valuation is actually €20m – the figure that Leeds have reportedly already matched.

Perhaps, then, we’ll see this one moving on towards personal terms fairly swiftly.

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The Verdict: Get it done

Still just 20 years of age, Kalimuendo could be the perfect addition at Elland Road alongside the likes of Bamford and Joe Gelhardt. The PSG man has been labelled as ‘clever’ by Frank Haisethe and a modern forward at ‘the highest level’ by Cameron Smith.

He impressed on loan at Lens last season, scoring 12 goals in 34 Ligue 1 games, so a fee in the region of £17.1m could be an excellent piece of business to bolster Jesse Marsch’s attacking options both in the short and long term.

In other news: Orta now working on signing 31-goal striker for free; famous Leeds fan may help Elland Road move. 

Celtic are keeping a close eye on Manchester City defender Taylor Harwood-Bellis regarding a potential summer transfer.

What’s the talk?

Speaking to GIVEMESPORT, Sky Sports journalist Anthony Joseph reflected on the current transfer situation at Lennoxtown and the Hoops’ interest in the Man City defender.

He said: “I think after getting [Cameron] Carter-Vickers, Celtic would like to add another centre-back, because I’d imagine they feel [Christopher] Jullien may leave, or may need to take time before he gets back to first-team level. Taylor Harwood-Bellis is someone who they’re closely monitoring.”

A graduate of City’s youth academy, which has produced players such as Phil Foden, Harwood-Bellis has made 77 appearances for the Manchester club across their youth and senior teams, scoring nine goals in the process.

The 20-year-old has also spent time away from the Etihad Stadium, having completed loan spells with Anderlecht, Blackburn Rovers and Stoke City.

During his latest loan spell, which saw him see out the second half of last season with the Potters, the Englishman played the full 90 minutes in all but one of the 22 Championship games in which he appeared.

In those appearances, the centre-back made 39 interceptions and won 16 tackles, in addition to ending the season with the second-highest average of clearances per game (3.5) out of players who ended the campaign at the club.

This highlights his clear defensive talent and presumably explains why the Hoops have such a keen eye on him.

Postecoglou will be thrilled

As Joseph mentioned, the Bhoys recently secured a permanent transfer for Cameron Carter-Vickers after he spent the previous campaign on loan at Parkhead.

Now that Joseph has revealed just how closely the Hoops are looking at the Man City defender, it will surely have Ange Postecoglou thrilled to see that the club are still looking to strengthen his squad at the back as they head into the next campaign.

If the Manchester club are willing to let their young defender go out on loan again or even on a permanent deal, this is something that the Bhoys should be all over given his young age and clear defensive capabilities.

In other news: Ange can replace £5m dud by landing 6 foot 5 titan who’d be a “great signing for Celtic”

Tottenham Hotspur are interested in a deal to bring Moussa Diaby to the Premier League this summer.

What’s the talk?

That’s according to a report by The Express, who claim that Fabio Paratici is keeping a very close eye on the situation of the Bayer 04 Leverkusen forward ahead of a potential move for the 22-year-old in the summer transfer window.

The report goes on to state that Manchester United also hold an interest in the France international, while The Telegraph claim that Newcastle United – who previously looked to be leading the race for the winger – are no longer pursuing a deal for Diaby, as the Magpies have been put off by his reported £60m price tag.

The next Mohamed Salah

Considering just how exciting a prospect Diaby clearly is, coupled with the fact that Steven Bergwijn is reportedly set to depart north London this summer, it is not difficult to understand why Antonio Conte would be interested in a deal to bring the Leverkusen starlet to the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium in the coming months.

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Indeed, over his 32 Bundesliga appearances in 2021/22, the £60m-rated talent was in remarkable form for Gerardo Seoane’s side, scoring 13 goals, registering 12 assists and creating 15 big chances for his teammates, as well as taking an average of 1.7 shots, making 1.9 key passes and completing 1.8 dribbles per game.

These returns saw the £48k-per-week winger – who can operate on either flank – average a highly impressive SofaScore match rating of 7.07, ranking him as Die Werkself’s fifth-best performer in the top flight of German football – playing a key role in the club securing an extraordinary third-place finish in the league.

For comparison, over Mohamed Salah’s 35 Premier League appearances for Liverpool this season, the joint Golden Boot winner scored 23 goals, provided 13 assists and created 18 big chances, in addition to taking an average of 4.0 shots, making 1.8 key passes and completing 1.5 dribbles per outing.

Furthermore, according to FBref data, Diaby also ranks in the top 9% of wingers and attacking midfielders in Europe’s big five leagues for non-penalty goals per 90, as well as the top 6% for assists and the top 15% for npxG+xA over the last 365 days – with these metrics seeing FBref compare the 22-year-old to – you guessed it – Liverpool’s Egyptian wing wizard.

As such, considering the duo’s extremely similar traits and returns in the final third, should Paratici manage to get a deal for the player Nils Petersen dubbed “incredibly dangerous” over the line this summer, the Italian could well have unearthed the next Salah for Spurs – something that is sure to be an extremely exciting prospect for both Conte and supporters of Tottenham alike.

AND in other news: “I just can’t see…”: Gold now drops huge Spurs transfer update, Conte will be gutted

Manchester United have been linked with a move for RB Leipzig sensation Christopher Nkunku recently and the Frenchman could be a superb addition to Erik ten Hag’s side this summer.

What’s the word?

According to the Daily Mail, United, Chelsea and PSG have all been put on red alert with the forward admitting that he was flattered by the interest being shown in him by some of Europe’s top clubs in a recent interview with ‘Telefoot’.

The £58.5m-rated star enjoyed a phenomenal season with the Bundesliga outfit, contributing a remarkable 35 goals and 20 assists in all competitions for Domenico Tedesco’s side.

A huge statement?

After a shocking season which saw United finish 6th in the Premier League, barely securing qualification for the Europa League, it would be a huge statement by the board to bring in one of Europe’s hottest properties in Nkunku.

The Red Devils managed just 57 goals in the top-flight last season. Nkunku contributed to 33 of his own in the Bundesliga, earning a fantastic 7.64 rating from WhoScored for his performances.

This was enough to rank him as the second-best performer in Germany’s elite division, behind only Robert Lewandowski, which emphasises just how big a signing it would be if United could convince him to swap Leipzig for Manchester.

Leeds boss Jesse Marsch was full of praise for the 24-year-old during his time at Leipzig, saying:

“Christopher has no weaknesses. He is young and still wants a lot more.

“It’s always a good thing when a young player listens to the things we say and also wants to implement them.

“Working with him is a lot of fun as he is really intelligent and has a lot of potential.”

Although Jadon Sancho is yet to set the world alight at United after excelling in the Bundesliga, contributing just five goals and five assists last season, it would still be a huge statement if the Glazers could get a deal done.

If United could attract Nkunku to Old Trafford ahead of Champions League clubs such as PSG and Chelsea, then it would surely cement the fact that they remain one of the biggest clubs in the Premier League, despite a lack of success in recent years.

And, in other news… Romano drops huge behind-the-scenes Man United claim

Leeds United have firmed up their interest in Birmingham City midfielder George Hall, according to The Daily Mail.

The Lowdown: Hall links

Hall, described as a ‘really exciting’ player who can ‘influence games’, was heavily linked with a move to Elland Road back in April.

The 17-year-old can play in midfield, on the wing or even as a centre-forward, and made two Championship appearances for the Blues last season.

The England Under-18 international was also attracting interest from Newcastle, but it looks as if Leeds chiefs are ready to land the highly-rated youngster following a move for RB Salzburg right-back Rasmus Kristensen.

The Whites are now confident of landing the Salzburg defender, so it’s no surprise to see them already plotting their next move…

The Latest: Leeds update

The Daily Mail provided an update regarding Hall and Leeds on Tuesday afternoon.

They claimed that Leeds have firmed up their interest in Hall and are willing to make a seven-figure offer in order to bring the versatile player to Elland Road.

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The Verdict: Next U23 addition?

Leeds have regularly looked to add to their Under-23 ranks since promotion to the Premier League and have reaped the rewards with Illan Meslier and Joe Gelhardt two prime examples of players establishing themselves as first-team regulars.

It appears as if Hall could be the next talent to move to Thorp Arch and aim to break through into Jesse Marsch’s first-team plans, with Brighton another side name-checked with an interest in the Birmingham teenager.

Hall is clearly a youngster in demand, but it looks as if Andrea Radrizzani and the 49ers Enterprises are willing to write a seven-figure cheque relatively soon, so this could be one to keep a close eye on.

In other news – £34m release clause: Leeds now interested in move for ‘special talent’ who Marsch loves

Leeds United have been dealt a setback in their pursuit of Morgan Gibbs-White.

What’s the talk?

That’s according to a report by The Sun, who claim that Southampton are now leading the race to sign the Wolverhampton Wanderers attacking midfielder – who is also reported to be a target of Victor Orta – this summer.

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The report goes on to state that Ralph Hasenhuttl’s side are willing to offer a figure in the region of £20m in order to land the England U21 international, while it is claimed that Wolves could be tempted into a big-money sale of the forward – despite recent reports suggesting that Bruno Lage has offered Gibbs-White a new contract at Molineux.

Imagine him & Aaronson

With Victor Orta having already sealed the extremely exciting signing of Brenden Aaronson this summer, the prospect of the Spaniard pairing the USA international with Gibbs-White in Jesse Marsch’s midfield will certainly be a mouthwatering one for the Elland Road faithful.

Indeed, over his 37 Championship appearances on loan at Sheffield United this season, the £9.9m-rated forward undoubtedly proved he is ready for top-flight football next term, scoring 12 goals, registering ten assists and creating 16 big chances for his teammates, as well as taking an average of 2.5 shots, making 1.6 key passes and completing 1.4 dribbles per game.

These returns saw the £1.5k-per-week talent who Pete Smith dubbed “dangerous” and Chris Basham claimed “glides past players” average a quite extraordinary WhoScore match rating of 7.14, not only ranking him as Paul Heckingbottom’s best performer in the league but also as the joint fifth-best player in the division as a whole.

As such, while it would appear as if Orta will face a tough battle in order to get a deal over the line for Gibbs-White this summer, the struggle would very much look to be worth it, as the 22-year-old would undoubtedly make an excellent addition to the former Red Bull Salzburg starlet in the Whites attack next season.

And, if he is available for a figure in the region of £20m, the England youth international would also represent something of a bargain, leading us to believe that Orta must do everything in his power to land the Wolves starlet in the coming months.

AND in other news: Jesse Marsch could unearth Rice 2.0 with 8-figure Leeds bid for “sensational” target

Tottenham Hotspur may have been handed a boost in their pursuit of former star Christian Eriksen, according to journalist Dean Jones.

The Lowdown: Lilywhites eye reunion…

The Denmark superstar’s return to the grass after suffering a cardiac arrest at Euro 2020 has been nothing short of a fairy tale story.

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Eriksen ended the 2021/2022 Premier League season in fine form on a temporary spell at Brentford with a return to Spurs becoming possible.

The Times add Antonio Conte’s former midfielder at Inter Milan is a target for the Lilywhites alongside Leicester City playmaker Youri Tielemans, and what’s more, he could be open to re-signing.

The Latest: Eriksen eyeing return…

According to Jones, speaking to GiveMeSport, if the right conditions are met, Eriksen ‘would be keen on a return’ to Spurs this summer as he eyes a move back to north London.

He adds that Tielemans, Weston McKennie (Juventus), Joao Palhinha (Sporting Lisbon) and Idrissa Gueye (PSG) are also potential midfield additions at Tottenham.

The Verdict: Get it done?

Eriksen has displayed flashes of his best Spurs form under Thomas Frank across London.

According to WhoScored, he finished the campaign as Brentford’s best all-round performer by average match rating – making the most key passes per 90 for the Bees and displaying real creativity.

Indeed, the ‘big name’ attacker will also be available on a Bosman deal as things stand – arguably a snip given Spurs themselves valued at him at £100 million just three years ago.

Taking all of this into account, it may well be a no-brainer to get it done.

In other news: Tottenham eyeing shock move for ‘unplayable’ star who Pochettino called ‘huge’, find out more here.

Early Sunderland team news has emerged as they prepare to face Wycombe in the League One play-off final on Saturday…

What’s the latest?

Alex Neil has confirmed that Bailey Wright and Lynden Gooch should be fine for the showpiece occasion at Wembley after picking up knocks in the semi-final tie against Sheffield Wednesday.

Aside from that, the Black Cats have no other fresh concerns to worry about heading into the game this weekend and look set to have the same squad available to them.

The 40-year-old told the club’s official website, via Sunderland Echo: “I think that we’ve come through both of those legs relatively unscathed, which is good.”We’ve got a couple of bumps and bruises, Bailey Wright got a bit of a split round his eye and I think Goochy had one on his head as well. But there’s nothing too significant, so we’re hoping that we can get the lads through this week so that they’re fine and firing and ready to go.” Supporters will be buzzing

Sunderland supporters will be buzzing by this news for multiple reasons.

Firstly, there are no new injuries to contend with, which is a huge relief as it means that all of the players who contributed to the semi-final win will also be available this weekend. It is a gigantic clash at Wembley with promotion on the line, and Neil will need as many of his players fit as possible to give them the best chance of making it back to the Championship.

The Stadium of Light faithful will also be delighted to hear that Wright should be fine after sustaining a knock against the Owls. Having him in the team against Wycombe will be a big boost, as he leaves it all out on the pitch and will put his body on the line for the club.

After the second leg against Wednesday, Roker Report writer Philip West heaped praise on the 29-year-old, tweeting: “Bailey Wright, what a warrior. Bloodstained shirt, blood trickling down his face, but he was an absolute rock tonight. That’s what playing for this club is about. Heart of a lion.”

The Australian was magnificent at the back that night, winning six duel and making one clearance, block and interception (as per Sofascore). That kind of performance, perfectly summed up by West, is what Sunderland will need on Saturday to see off Wycombe.

This is why Black Cats supporters will surely be buzzing with this update from Neil and will now be hoping that Wright is named in the starting XI at Wembley.

AND in other news, Sunderland make move to land first summer signing, Neil will be buzzing…