All posts by rastrear-estafeta.com

As per reliable source The Athletic, an update from West Ham has emerged regarding central defender Angelo Ogbonna. 

The lowdown: Current situation

The 33-year-old was an ever-present in David Moyes’ starting line up during the opening weeks of the 2021/22 campaign and had played every Premier League minute prior to being injured against Liverpool at the London Stadium back in November.

[web_stories_embed url=”https://www.footballtransfertavern.com/web-stories/west-ham-newest-updates/” title=”West Ham newest updates!” poster=”” width=”360″ height=”600″ align=”none”]

Since then the experienced Italian has undergone successful surgery on a cruciate ligament injury but remains unlikely to make a full return to competitive action before the end of the season.

Out of contract in the summer (Transfermarkt), there had been questions as to whether Ogbonna might’ve played his final game for the club.

The latest: New deal incoming

According to the report, having returned to ‘light training’ the club are looking to reward the 13-cap Italy ace with a prolonged stay.

Therefore, West Ham are ‘expected to activate the one-year option’ to extend Ogbonna’s deal beyond the end of the ongoing season.

The east Londoners are also believed to be set to open ‘preliminary talks’ over a new contract for the man once described as ‘top-class’ by Garth Crooks following a team of the week worthy display against Everton.

The verdict: No brainer

Whilst it remains to be seen how the 6ft 2ins centre-back will come back from what was a serious injury, Ogbonna’s unerring quality was there for all to see as the ex-Juventus man helped Moyes’ side towards three clean sheets in 11 league outings early on.

Recruitment chief Rob Newman will be looking to further add to the defensive ranks, particularly as Issa Diop seems destined to move on to pastures new, but tying down the experienced Italian is undoubtedly a smart place to start the summer business.

Potential incomings aside, Ogbonna will be 34 when the new season begins and could be used in a rotation with fellow reliable veteran Craig Dawson to partner Kurt Zouma as West Ham attempt to fight on multiple trophy fronts once again.

In other news: Find out who the three worst West Ham players were against Burnley. 

Sunderland took the ultimate smash-and-grab from their match against Gillingham this afternoon, winning 1-0 and taking all three points as they now go unbeaten in their last five games, climbing back into the play-off positions in League One, one point ahead of Oxford United.

Despite having 80% possession, 25 shots, eight corners and three big chances, the Black Cats could not convert any of their opportunities against their stubborn opponents at the sunny Stadium of Light this afternoon within the regulation 90 minutes.

It was only when 69th-minute substitute Nathan Broadhead nodded the ball past the Gills goalkeeper from a cross delivered into the box by Elliot Embleton in the fifth minute of added time that Sunderland finally broke their stalemate, stealing all three points and an important win in their pursuit for promotion this year.

One player who had one of his worst performances in a Sunderland shirt this season was the current League One top scorer Ross Stewart, who dropped an absolute stinker in front of the home fans and almost cost Alex Neil’s side an important win with his complete lack of attacking output against the Gills.

According to SofaScore, Stewart was rated the worst player on the pitch (6.0) and with good reason, considering that his team had 25 shots and he didn’t have a single one on or off target throughout the day. He also lost 89% of his ground and aerial duels combined, failed with 100% of his dribbles and only had 25 touches of the ball.

The 25-year-old – who was hailed a “handful” by former Ross County boss Stuart Kettlewell – has scored 22 goals and contributed four assists in 39 appearances for his team in League One this season, so it was clearly just one of those off-days for the forward, who has scored more than anybody else in the league and recently earned his first call-up to the senior Scotland side for their international friendlies.

Sunderland are now in a great position to secure a second chance at promotion into the Championship after moving up to sixth this afternoon, just two points behind Sheffield Wednesday, and Alex Neil will be hoping that his side can continue their unbeaten run over their last six games of the season. Stewart will quickly need to put this uncharacteristic off-day behind him, though.

In other news: Sunderland will have nightmares over “surprise” 18-year-old, he’s the new Harry Kane

Crystal Palace are in the market for a new forward player before the current window closes, but they’ll have to move onto another target after missing out on PSV Eindhoven star Noni Madueke.

What’s the story?

The Eagles were one of several Premier League clubs believed to be keen on securing the 19-year-old’s services this summer, but PSV have confirmed the teenager has signed a contract extension keeping him at the club until 2025.

Director of Football Affairs John de Jong expressed his delight that Madueke will stay longer in Eindhoven, saying: “There was a lot of interest from foreign clubs in Noni, but we wanted to connect Noni to PSV even longer.

“After good talks with Noni and his family, he succeeded in extending his contract until 2025. We as a club are very happy that Noni will stay, and we look forward to a successful collaboration.”

Patrick Vieira will be gutted

Madueke’s decision to remain at the Philips Stadion is likely to leave new Palace manager Patrick Vieira feeling gutted.

The capital club have failed to win even score a goal in the opening three games of the Frenchman’s reign and scoring goals is something the England Under-21 international has excelled at since arriving in Dutch football.

In 45 appearances for Roger Schmidt’s charges, Madueke has bagged 15 goals and laid on a further nine assists for his teammates, earning praise from several impressed onlookers, including former PSV ace Tommie van de Leegte.

“He’s fast and has the capability to trick his opponent. He brings creativity and is very explosive in his actions,” said Van de Leegte (via Goal).

With Andros Townsend departing Selhurst Park over the summer, Vieira is currently lacking a natural right-winger in his first-team squad, an issue he admitted he wants to solve before August 31st.

“When you look at the squad, we are maybe a little bit more light on numbers, and we are working hard to improve the squad [with] the window are still open. We will try to bring players that can improve our squad,” Vieira revealed in a pre-match press conference.

“I think where we are maybe a little bit more short is upfront and in the midfield, I think it would be good to reinforce those positions.”

However, the former Nice boss will have to set his sights on other options after Madueke committed his future to PSV, leaving him short on time to secure another forward’s signature.

And, in other news…Parish must sanction Crystal Palace move for £10.8m-rated gem, Vieira needs him 

Tottenham Hotspur defender Davinson Sanchez has been one of Nuno Santo’s best-performing players since the start of the new Premier League season, even if he’s recently landed himself in hot water over his international duties.

However, since his arrival in August 2017 from Eredivisie giants Ajax, the 6 foot 2 colossus has seen his value decrease at a very alarming rate.

The 25-year-old was signed for a then club-record £42m and he was soon talked up by former Spurs boss Mauricio Pochettino, who tipped him for some very big things.

It’s fair to say that his career has not panned out that way thus far.

“I like his personality and how he is aggressive, he is fast, he will fit for us very well. Davinson is with us because a lot of clubs were interested in him but he decided to join us,” he said to Sky Sports.

“It’s a massive opportunity because we believe he will be one of the best centre-backs in the world in the future. That is why we made the effort to try to sign him.”

Sanchez is now valued at just €20m (£18m) by CIES Football Observatory, meaning in the four years he’s been at the club, his total worth has decreased a whopping 57%, which is concerning considering he is yet to hit the peak of his career, particularly as a centre-back.

It’s even more shocking when taking into account Pochettino’s glowing praise but the reality of the matter is, the Colombian international just has not been good enough since arriving in north London.

Yes, his opening three games this campaign have been majorly positive and encouraging but that’s a needle in a haystack compared to the last few seasons.

Back in April, former Republic of Ireland star Kenny Cunningham dubbed the centre-back a “real liability” to his team following Spurs’ 2-2 draw with Newcastle, a game in which they threw away three points because of his defensive frailties.

Even more recently he has been getting plenty of stick – ex-Colombia manager Jorge Luis Pinto told ESPN F90 (via Spanish outlet Marca) that the Lilywhites defender “does not have the talent.”

Perhaps a little harsh given the £75k-per-week star has been one of Spurs’ standout players so far this campaign but it does highlight his previous and long-term struggles at the club.

Overall, chairman Daniel Levy made a big mistake with this transfer, though there is still plenty of time to salvage the decision, especially as he appears to be Nuno’s first-choice defender, despite the arrival of Cristian Romero.

AND in other news, Fabrizio Romano provides exciting Spurs transfer update…

Everton are reportedly closing in on the signing of Juventus midfielder Aaron Ramsey as new manager Rafael Benitez begins to make his mark on the first-team squad.

What’s the story?

The Toffees are one of a number of Premier League sides who have been linked with a move for the 30-year-old in recent weeks, with Crystal Palace and Newcastle United also credited with an interest.

However, it appears as though Everton have moved ahead of their domestic rivals in the race for Ramsey’s signature, with Italian outlet Calciomercato claiming he is “increasingly likely” to sign for the Goodison Park outfit.

The report also states that doors will “reopen” for the Wales international in January after he turned down several opportunities to leave Turin over the summer as the Blues prepare to “welcome” the creative talent to the club.

Everton fans will be buzzing

News that Ramsey could soon be joining Benitez’s revolution on Merseyside will surely have large sections of the club’s supporters buzzing with excitement.

His current contract doesn’t expire until the summer of 2023, but rumours suggest the Italian giants are eager to get his £187,000-per-week wages off their books over the winter window after falling down the pecking order under Massimiliano Allegri.

In a recent interview, Ramsey expressed his displeasure at how Juve staff have managed him regarding his persistent injury issues, claiming the national team setup knows how to get the best out of him.

“Philosophy and training methods are different in Juve compared to those carried out with the Wales national team,” said Ramsey.

“In the national team, there are people who have been used to managing me for years and who know how to bring out the best in me, helping me to play many consecutive matches, as I was able to demonstrate at Euro 2020.

“I feel good when I am managed correctly and when I have the opportunity to play regularly,” Ramsey concluded, leaving Juventus’ hierarchy reportedly open to his exit.

During his career, the former Arsenal ace has secured three FA Cups, one Serie A title and one Italian Cup, illustrating the quality that he would bring to Everton, and he could be an ideal replacement for the departed James Rodriguez.

With his potential successor already in the pipeline after just a matter of weeks, supporters will surely be thrilled. He is a proven Premier League talent who has thrived on the continental and international stages.

And, in other news…Signed for £1.7m, now worth £13.5m: Brands struck gold for Everton with £57k-p/w beast 

Aston Villa confirmed on Thursday lunchtime that they have sold out tickets for their first two home fixtures.

And, as to be expected, their update had a lot of Villa fans talking on social media.

Dean Smith’s side return to Villa Park on Saturday, looking to bounce back from an opening weekend defeat to Watford.

They’ll be taking on Newcastle United, who also lost their first league fixture of the new campaign.

Villa are again at home the following weekend against newly-promoted Brentford, and home tickets for the two Premier League fixtures have sold out.

It’ll be the first time Villa Park has been full since February 2020, with the club’s last packed-out home game before the pandemic coming against Tottenham.

Villa fans react

The club shared the news regarding back-to-back sell outs on their official Twitter page.

This is what these Villa supporters had to say in reply, with one labelling it as ‘awesome’.

“We are MASSIVE”Credit: @davidmooney26″wow heroes”Credit: @AVFCHarry_”Wow my club doing bits!”Credit: @Raheil_m94″Awesome!”Credit: @footballlover63″FULL HOUSE VILLA PARK!!! INJECT THAT INTO MY SOUL”Credit: @LilleyCashAVFC”Best fans ever”Credit: @Lol061220

In other news: ‘Bad move’, ‘Nooo’ – Many AVFC fans fume as ’embarrassing’ news is confirmed. 

Rangers manager Giovanni van Bronckhorst must avoid a major transfer mistake as no fewer than nine of his players are set to leave Ibrox for free in the summer upon the expiration of their contracts, one of these being goalkeeper Allan McGregor.

What’s the story?

The Gers have nine first-team players with contracts that are set to expire next summer, including first-choice goalkeeper Allan McGregor. Should any of these players fail to sign a contract extension before January, they will be allowed to speak to other clubs and sign a pre-contract agreement before joining for free in the summer.

The likes of McGregor, Steven Davis, Connor Goldson, Leon Balogun and Scott Arfield are all players with deals due to finish in June 2022.

It’s a major issue for the Dutch manager who will have to make a decision on the immediate futures of nine players, particularly ‘keeper McGregor who has been instrumental at Ibrox.

Rangers must keep McGregor

Despite being 39-years-old, McGregor is still one of the Scottish champions’ key players, having kept eight clean sheets in 21 appearances across all competitions this season.

Furthermore, the £13k-per-week Scotsman was instrumental in the Glasgow club’s title charge last season, keeping 16 clean sheets in 24 Premiership appearances – 67% of his games.

The goalkeeper has received plenty of praise whilst at Rangers, particularly of late when Livingstone manager David Martindale labelled McGregor as “fantastic” after the Scotsman had made a “game-changing save” against his side.

If McGregor, who was dubbed a “great servant” by Kevin Phillips, was to leave Ibrox after joining from Hull City in 2018, then 34-year-old back-up Jon McLaughlin may be given a look in, or the Gers would look to purchase a new first-choice ‘keeper. Regardless, Rangers will need to buy a new goalkeeper if the 39-year-old was to leave.

A pivotal member of van Bronckhorst’s squad, the Scottish champions should look to keep McGregor on the books for at least one more season and then seek out a suitable replacement. Losing him now, especially when he’s still so important, would unquestionably be a blunder by the club’s Dutch manager.

AND in other news, “Pretty sure”: Athletic journo drops big Rangers transfer update that’ll delight fans…

Tottenham Hotspur are interested in signing Konrad Laimer, according to emerging reports…

What’s the word?

German outlet Sport Bild claim the 24-year-old’s performances for RB Leipzig this season have caught the eye of several Premier League teams, including the north Londoners.

It’s thought that the Austria international originally caught the eye of Spurs scouts during their two-legged Champions League clash in 2020 and he has remained on the radar ever since.

Laimer will soon enter the final 12 months of his current contract, though the Bundesliga outfit are keen to tie him down to an extension but that will not happen until the end of the season, and the player himself has left his future open to interpretation.

Bye-bye Winks

You’d imagine that a move for any new midfield option would push Harry Winks even further down the pecking order and it could even lead to his inevitable departure.

He’s currently sat behind winter signing Rodrigo Bentancur, Pierre-Emile Hojbjerg and Oliver Skipp under manager Antonio Conte.

Leeds United reportedly rejected the chance to sign the Englishman on loan during the January transfer window, whilst Football Insider pundit Alan Hutton has urged Winks to leave his boyhood club for the benefit of his career.

[snack-amp-story url= “https://www.footballfancast.com/web-stories/read-the-latest-spurs-news-transfer-rumours-gossip-martinez-dybala-spence-conte-2” title= “Read the latest Spurs news!”]

“If he can’t get into that side, he’s got to move on,” he said.

Despite being lauded as a “reliable” option by the Italian head coach, Laimer would be a considerable upgrade and would offer better suitability to the system in north London.

Aside from his passing ability, Winks offers very little to Spurs, whether that’s defensively or in the attack.

As per FBRef, he’s averaged only 1.61 tackles and 1.43 interceptions per 90 throughout the course of his domestic league career at the Lilywhites, which is fewer than that of Laimer (4.8 tackles and interceptions per 90) during his time in Saxony.

Elsewhere, Winks is lacking in the final third, averaging only 0.73 dribbles, 0.74 penalty box entries and 4.69 pressures per 90, leading to a disappointing xG+A of 0.08.

Thus, the £91k-per-week midfielder is effectively just passing the ball sideways and backwards without really getting involved defensively or in the attack either.

By comparison, the £23.4m-rated Laimer – who bagged his fourth and fifth goals of the season at the weekend – is a world apart, averaging 0.2 xG+A, 1.05 penalty box entries, 1.4 successful dribbles and 9.94 pressures per 90 across the course of his Bundesliga career, also via FBRef.

Once as “incredibly aggressive on the ball” by his former boss Adi Hutter and compared to former Conte star N’Golo Kante, Laimer would appear to suit the Italian’s system down to a tee as he expects that sort of energy and work rate in the engine room at all times, especially when there’s just the two players.

‘Dirty work’ could be his middle name, according to Bundesliga.com, and that’s not something you’d associate with Winks, so perhaps this move could see the Spurs boss finally axe the long-serving, struggling academy graduate.

AND in other news, Alasdair Gold drops Sergio Reguilon update…

With 11 Premier League games played, Crystal Palace have found the back of the net on 15 occasions, which is more than several teams above them in the table have managed.

Nevertheless, it seems as though the south London club have their eye on securing a new attacking talent to add to their squad.

What’s the news?

According to Spanish journalist Rocio Rodriguez (via Sport Witness), Palace are interested in making a move to sign Real Madrid striker Borja Mayoral after apparently following the player since the previous summer transfer window.

As a product of Los Blancos’ youth academy, the 24-year-old has made 33 senior appearances for their first team, scoring seven goals and providing four assists in the process.

The Spaniard, who has been praised by former Real Madrid manager Zinedine Zidane after delivering a “complete” performance in the past, is currently on a two-year loan deal with Italian club AS Roma, which is set to come to an end in the summer.

During his time with Jose Mourinho’s side, the 24-year-old, who is currently valued at £12.6m by Transfermarkt, has scored 17 goals and provided eight assists in 52 appearances across all competitions.

Despite that decent return, his meagre tally of three appearances for them in Serie A so far this season – all coming off the substitutes’ bench – suggests that he is not a crucial player for the Giallorossi. That could potentially allow Palace to make a move for him in the summer when his loan spell comes to an end.

Also, given how current Palace striker Christian Benteke is now 30 and that his current contract at Selhurst Park set to expire in the summer of 2023, Mayoral could well be an ideal long-term replacement for the Belgian if the Eagles can secure a permanent deal for him in the summer.

This could well be a dream transfer move for Palace boss Patrick Vieira to pull off by the time the summer window comes around given the goalscoring experience that Mayoral has accumulated at a fairly young age.

In other news: Palace dealt potential injury setback ahead of Burnley, Vieira would be gutted

An injury expert has now dropped a ‘hopeful’ Wolves claim involving Ruben Neves.

The Lowdown: Not as serious

Speaking to the media, Bruno Lage revealed that Neves’ injury setback was ‘not as serious’ as they initially expected.

[web_stories_embed url=”https://www.footballtransfertavern.com/web-stories/all-the-latest-from-wolves-2/” title=”All the latest from Wolves!” poster=”” width=”360″ height=”600″ align=”none”]

The Portugal international has been missing since March, but will now be hoping to make a swift recovery in time to play the final few games of the season.

The Latest: Dinnery reacts

Speaking to Football Insider, Ben Dinnery, who runs the Premier Injuries site and has a background in both medicine and data analysis, has claimed that he is still ‘hopeful’ that Neves will return in ‘early to mid-May’, despite this ‘new info’ from Lage:

“My understanding initially hasn’t changed a great deal even with this new info.

“We’re talking about an MCL here. The indication that it was a grade two.

“I was working on the premise that we could maybe see a return around early to mid-May. I am still fairly hopeful that is the case.

“It happened against Leeds. He tried to continue but he couldn’t. He then went out to Portugal for some rehab and recovery.

“The target was always going to be around game week 35. I think there is a strong possibility that he’ll play again this season somewhere around there.”

The Verdict: Big boost

The fact that Neves’ injury is not as serious as previously expected, and that he could return for the last few matches of the campaign, is certainly a big boost for the Midlands club.

He currently ranks as their fourth-best performer in the Premier League so far, scoring four goals and making two assists, while also picking up two man-of-the-match awards (WhoScored).

The 25-year-old also ranks highly among his teammates in terms of average tackles, interceptions, shots, passes, long and through balls per game (WhoScored), and will clearly be an important player for them if they are to finish the season strongly, and potentially challenge for a European place.

In other news, find out which ‘electric’ star the Wanderers now ‘want’ to sign here!