All posts by z3u9t.icu

Leeds United boss Marcelo Bielsa could strike fear into the rest of the Premier League by signing Spain star Adama Traore this summer.

What’s the story?

Reports in recent days have suggested that the Whites are interested in signing the Wolves winger, with claims back in December revealing that Bielsa’s side were keen on luring him to Elland Road.

If the Yorkshire club can pull off a deal for the Spanish flier, then it could well help form a terrifying duo alongside Raphinha.

Imagine him and Raphinha

Dubbed a “machine” and someone who “scares defenders” by former Leeds man Rio Ferdinand, the £100k-a-week earning Traore has got the kind of game-changing pace and ability that could help form a terrifying duo with Raphinha at Elland Road.

Bielsa himself has previously admitted to how tough a player Traore is to mark, saying: “It’s better to follow the man than leave him to a team-mate. I believe, fundamentally, Traore likes to play out wide on the wings. If he dominates the ball on his side he’s difficult to start, so whoever’s marking him will need some support.”

Averaging an impressive 4.1 dribbles per game – the highest in the entire Premier League last season – and being fouled 2.3 times per match – the third-most in the division – Traore is as direct as they come, and never seems to stop wanting to take the full-back on.

Having someone like the Spaniard on the opposite flank to Raphinha would give Leeds a second exciting option for them to turn to and try and change a game.

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If teams even think of trying to double up on Raphinha, then the Whites can simply switch the play to Traore and let him wreak havoc. Managers would have a real hard time coming up with a game-plan that would see them deal that kind of twin threat.

It’s exactly why a move for Traore this summer would be an exciting one for Leeds.

Meanwhile, Bielsa could reunite with this former star at Elland Road…

Reputable journalist Ashley Preece has intriguingly suggested ‘Norwich want a deal done early’ regarding interest in Emi Buendia from Aston Villa.

The Lowdown

After a solid second season in the Premier League, the Lions are rumoured to be interested in the Norwich City talisman.

Aiding his team to promotion by winning the Sky Bet Championship, the £30m-rated Argentinian enjoyed a sparkling season in the English second-tier. Statistically, the 24-year-old registered a staggering 32 goal contributions from 41 fixtures; 15 goals and 17 assists [Transfermarkt].

The Latest

As Aston Villa look to build on their impressive 11th place Premier League finish, the former Getafe man could slot in perfectly on the right-hand side of attack. As well as the Midlands club, Arsenal have also been attracted towards his availability [Mirror].

Any deal for the creator will need to be completed swiftly, however Villa may hold an advantageous position in the battle for his signature, with the Gunners probably less likely to offer him a consistent place in the first XI, such is the form of the likes of Nicolas Pepe and Bukayo Saka.

According to Preece, via Twitter: “The added bonus is Norwich want a deal done early to rebuild their squad. It’s clear they’re willing to sell – but only on their terms/right price.”

The Verdict: Buendia would be a monumental Villa signing

Undoubtedly, Preece’s reveal signifies a golden opportunity for Dean Smith to acquire an international class player. Capable of creating and scoring in equal measure, he has registered a whopping 3.1 key passes per 90 minutes for Norwich City in 2020/21 [WhoScored].

To put that into context, no Villa player mustered more key passes than the Argentine this season.

Furthermore, his average of 2.8 shots per game conclude that he is a constant goal threat ready to pounce [WhoScored]. Paired up with attacking talent such as Ollie Watkins, Jack Grealish and Bertrand Traore, Aston Villa could be a force to reckoned with in 2021/22 should this deal come to fruition.

In other news, Aston Villa’s star man has received a prestigious nomination.

Nuno Espirito Santo is in ‘advanced talks’ to become manager of Crystal Palace, rather than Everton.

That’s according to John Percy, Midlands football reporter for The Telegraph.

Nuno left Wolves at the end of the 2020/21 season after leading them to 13th place in the Premier League.

He had previously steered the club to consecutive seventh-place finishes in the two years following their promotion from the Championship and memorably took them to the quarter-finals of the Europa League in 2019/20, so their most recent season went down as something of a disappointment.

Did Nuno fail to impress Everton?

After Carlo Ancelotti took up the vacancy at Real Madrid, Everton interviewed Nuno for the position at Goodison Park, but he’s now said to be close to replacing Roy Hodgson at Selhurst Park instead – indeed, the Portuguese has emerged as the Eagles’ ‘no. 1 target’.

According to a report from The Athletic, there were both ‘admirers’ and ‘doubters’ within the Everton hierarchy following talks with the 47-year-old.

Fan feed The Toffee Blues relayed Percy’s report, and here’s how fans reacted, with many unconvinced by Nuno after a regressive campaign at Molineux.

Everton fans express relief as Nuno nears Palace

“Thank god”

Credit: @Michael89770191

“Good!”

Credit: @hehitthepost

“Good. Never wanted him.”

Credit: @RayMazen

“I’m made up”

Credit: @andy_francis2

“Great news!”

Credit: @efac1878

“Please, if there’s a god out there please please please”

Credit: @willwallis6

In other news, a former Everton star expressed scepticism over this managerial link.

Football Insider have shared numerous demands Sunderland striker Charlie Wyke has made to Celtic ahead of a potential cut-price move to Parkhead.

The Lowdown: Wyke ‘very keen’

Wyke, who scored 30 goals in 53 appearances last season, is out of contract at the Stadium of Light in a matter of days.

The Hoops began talks with the 28-year-old last week, with a new forward the club’s priority.

Wyke was thought to be ‘very keen’ over a move to Glasgow, but a number of demands have now emerged regarding a possible Scotland switch.

The Latest: Wyke’s demands

According to Football Insider, who have been informed by a Celtic source, Wyke is holding out for a deal until 2025.

He’s on £6,400-a-week with Sunderland and reportedly wants his pack packet doubled, should he put pen to paper on a Celtic deal.

Finally, Wyke also wants a multi-million-pound signing-on fee.

The Verdict: What should McKay do?

With no director of football in place, you’d expect new CEO Dominic McKay would be leading discussions with Wyke.

There would be no transfer fee required, but with Wyke wanting a big signing-on fee and a possible £12,800-a-week long-term deal, a move could cost the Hoops over £2.5m in wages alone across the four years.

Wyke, who former Black Cats boss Phil Parkinson described as ‘excellent’, showed in League One that he can find the back of the net with ease, and with Odsonne Edouard still expected to leave the club, the Hoops may be happy to take a punt on Wyke despite being forced to pay a pretty penny for his services.

In other news: Ange Postecoglou already in talks for first Celtic signing as Glasgow arrival sparks action, find out more here. 

Writing on Twitter, journalist Sacha Tavolieri, as translated by Sport Witness, has dropped an intriguing claim involving Tottenham Hotspur-linked boss Roberto Martinez.

The Lowdown: Martinez linked to Spurs

The 47-year-old is a manager Spurs apparently like with some outlets even going as far as to say that the Lilywhites have already held extensive discussions (Football Insider).

Elsewhere, reliable correspondent Alasdair Gold believes that while he is a boss Spurs do admire, he is not currently a priority candidate for chairman Daniel Levy.

The Latest: Journalist makes intriguing Martinez claim

Writing on social media, Belgian football journalist Tavolieri has now claimed that Martinez’ agent, Pini Zahavi, was ‘trying to convince Roberto Martínez to sign at Tottenham with the help of Daniel Levy’.

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The reporter also states this story ‘will be interesting’ to follow after the European Championships, perhaps indicating that the Spaniard’s move to Spurs could possibly happen deeper into the summer.

He also appears to suggest that Levy is an admirer of Martinez and personally wants him in north London.

The Verdict: Underrated candidate…

While Tavolieri doesn’t state what Martinez’ stance is on a move to Spurs, he could be a very underrated candidate judging by his record.

Guiding the Red Devils to only their second ever World Cup semi-final back in 2018, where they narrowly lost out on a final appearance to France, Martinez also has a domestic trophy to his name in England.

Indeed, his Wigan Athletic side upset Manchester City at Wembley eight years ago to clinch a first major honour for the Latics – and one can’t help but wonder whether he could bring silverware back to Tottenham.

His record stands at a fairly solid 217 career wins in 498 matches, averaging 1.56 points per game (Transfermarkt).

It’s clear that Spurs could do worse given what he has managed to achieve and the fact he encourages an open style of attacking football.

In other news: ‘I can report’…Journalist lifts lid on transfer development involving Spurs, find out more here.

Frank McAvennie has exclusively told Football FanCast that he doesn’t expect West Ham to pursue a deal for Norwich’s Max Aarons this summer.

The talented right-back has been on the radar of some of Europe’s clubs for some time following his emergence from the Canaries academy, including both Barcelona and Bayern Munich.

Tottenham are also keen on the 21-year-old, although reports suggest that the Hammers have emerged as surprise contenders for Aarons’ signature – with Norwich demanding £30million for his services.

Aarons has made great strides at Carrow Road in the past three seasons, racking up more than 120 appearances already, and does have previous experience in the Premier League.

But with Vladimir Coufal and Ryan Fredericks in their ranks, McAvennie would be surprised to see West Ham bring in another right-back, especially for such a steep price.

He told Football FanCast:

“I don’t know if they’re going to sell the boy, but £30million for someone in the Championship is a bit much, because he might not do it in the Premier League.

“I don’t know if West Ham would want him because they have Coufal, and Fredericks and the boy Johnson can step in there as well.

“So, it’s a strange one, they’re not going to drop Coufal, he’s been a wonderful signing, so I don’t get why they would pay £30million for him to sit on the bench.”

Former Aston Villa midfielder and Sky Sports pundit Lee Hendrie has told Football FanCast in an exclusive interview that he would not swap Jack Grealish for Paul Pogba.

Speaking on the day of Manchester United’s postponed Premier League clash against Liverpool, Roy Keane claimed that he would swap Pogba for Grealish “tomorrow” if he had the opportunity to.

From a Villa perspective, though, Hendrie has made it clear that the above is not an idea that he would ever entertain.

Grealish had been in stunning form before his injury, picking up six goals and 10 assists in 22 Premier League appearances.

Responding to Keane’s comments on Grealish and £290,000-a-week man Pogba, Hendrie told FFC:

“Even if he was on £50,000-a-week, I wouldn’t choose to have Paul Pogba at Villa.

“He can be unplayable; there’s no doubt about that. [But] I think I’d rather have Grealish over Pogba at Villa, all day long. The two in comparison… Jack, certainly for me.”

If Grealish does decide he wants to try something new, then Manchester United’s rivals Manchester City look like a more likely destination right now.

Multiple reports, including from Football Insider, claim that this year’s Champions League finalists could look to make a serious push for the England international once the transfer window opens in the summer.

According to a report by Goal, Tottenham Hotspur are now keen on signing Crystal Palace dynamo Wilfried Zaha alongside Everton – with the report revealing chairman Daniel Levy ‘will look to pursue a deal’ this summer. 

The Lowdown: Zaha wants out…

The 28-year-old is said to be eager to exit Selhurst Park once again over six years after the Eagles re-signed him from Manchester United.

Zaha has been one of Palace’s key players for a number of seasons and has continued that form sporadically over 2020/2021, scoring 11 goals in 29 Premier League starts (WhoScored).

This has reportedly prompted interest from opposing clubs as Goal lift the lid on this development in the Zaha saga.

The Latest: Spurs now keen…

As reported by Goal, Spurs are now keen on signing Zaha alongside Everton with Levy aiming to rebuild the squad and compete over 2021/2022.

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Their new interest in the Ivorian star may have been prompted by his hesitation over signing a new deal.

His current deal expires in 2023 and the clock is ticking for Palace to sell Zaha for profit.

There is also a belief that he could be available for less than £40 million – arguably an attractive incentive for Levy to consider a deal with Spurs now keen.

Indeed, Tottenham will apparently ‘look to pursue a deal’ this summer and are currently monitoring his situation amid after this possible price drop.

The Lilywhites will especially have the means to make a move if superstar striker Harry Kane departs this summer.

The Verdict: Time to strike…

Signing Zaha for a fee below £40m comes as a real opportunity for Spurs to inject some much-needed creativity going forward.

As well as this, his arrival would provide Tottenham’s new manager with an alternative to Son Heung-min and more strength in depth overall.

Scoring 47 goals and assisting 41 others in 245 Premier League appearances overall (Transfermarkt), the attacker is currently in his prime and could really shine for Spurs.

Lauded as an ‘outstanding talent’ by Martin Keown (talkSPORT), fellow pundit Tony Cascarino told the same outlet that Zaha can be ‘nearly unplayable’ when at his very best.

The only caveat could be Zaha’s £130,000-per-week wages and whether he could demand more if Spurs come calling, with the Lilywhites’ financial problems well documented (Evening Standard).

If Spurs manage to pull off a deal, however, he certainly has the ability to justify every penny.

In other news: ‘I hear from a reliable source’…Journalist drops major Harry Kane claim, find out more here.

Reports by Corriere dello Sport, via Sport Witness, earlier this week claimed that Lazio are weighing up a potential summer swoop for West Ham defender Fabian Balbuena, which David Moyes cannot block without risking a major blunder.

The Serie A outfit are said to be considering a host of centre-back options to improve Simone Inzaghi’s squad, as he prepares to lose both Wesley Hoedt and Matteo Musacchio.

Hoedt is expected to return to Southampton once his loan deal expires after failing to establish himself at the Stadio Olimpico, while Musacchio is likely to be released just five months on from his arrival from AC Milan.

Balbuena is claimed to have previously been a player Lazio have targeted to add depth to the centre-back group in Rome, and he could be the subject of future efforts should he leave West Ham at the end of his contract in June.

The Paraguayan is expected to have desires of testing himself in a new environment after three years at the London Stadium following a £6.5m move from Brazilian side Corinthians during Manuel Pellegrini’s maiden transfer window at the helm with the Irons.

He has been linked with a potential return to South America with a move to Flamengo touted, along with rival interest from Internacional, a Saudi Arabian side and a team from Major League Soccer.

Balbuena’s agent Renato Bittar also confirmed last month that he was already “talking with several teams” with a focus on securing a move to a European club, but the centre-back had rubbished speculation of previous interest from Lazio.

“I have never received anything from Lazio. I only read the rumours on social media,” Balbuena told Versus Radio, via quotes shared by La Lazio Siamo Noi, in February.

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It remains to be seen whether Lazio’s interest in Balbuena is genuine this time around, but Moyes cannot block him from leaving West Ham either way, with the 29-year-old having fallen heavily out of favour at the London Stadium in recent months.

Moyes suggested recently that the Irons may still explore awarding Balbuena a new contract as his exit was no guarantee, and heaped praise on the “brilliant” £4.5m-rated enforcer.

However, the Hammers’ 3-2 win over Leicester City last Sunday was the first time that Balbuena had been seen on the field for a Premier League fixture since December 27, having come on to replace the injured Aaron Cresswell early in the second half.

Balbuena had stated that he has been fit throughout his time on the fringes, but he was overtaken by Craig Dawson in Moyes’ pecking order and overlooked when Angelo Ogbonna sustained a high ankle sprain in February.

To now try and retain a player clearly out of favour would be seen as a huge blunder by Moyes, by locking West Ham into paying potentially another £2m in wages to a £40,000-per-week outcast seemingly fifth-choice in his central defensive pecking order.

With Moyes also on the hunt for additional options despite loanee Dawson triggering a £2m permanent move from Watford and Frederik Alves being backed for a senior role next term, the Paraguayan could even be the sixth or seventh-choice at the London Stadium.

Balbuena may feel he can still regain a prominent role at West Ham if he sticks around for another season, but Moyes should be directing him towards the exit door and urging him to join Lazio if the chance arises.

AND in other news, David Moyes could discover his Jesse Lingard replacement in a “gifted” £18m-rated maestro…

Having signed a goalkeeper in five out of the last six summer transfer windows, Crystal Palace could be set to repeat that trend once again in 2021.

According to Turkish outlet Takvim, the Eagles have been scouting Fenerbahce goalkeeper Altay Bayindir ahead of a potential move.

Steve Parish must make sure that Palace secure the stopper.

Whilst Vicente Guaita is the Eagles’ indisputable No.1 at Selhurst Park at the current time, the Spaniard is now at the age of 34, with the likes of Wayne Hennessey and Stephen Henderson both also over 30.

Jack Butland is also seemingly not a viable option having made just one appearance for Palace this season so Bayindir could be the perfect successor to Guaita.

The 22-year-old, who is rated at £12.5m, is enjoying an impressive season in the SuperLig with Fener. He has made 34 appearances for the Istanbul outfit in all competitions and has been a key reason behind the team keeping 12 clean sheets.

As a matter of fact, he has also been praised by former Arsenal man Mesut Ozil, who thanked the young Turk for a brilliant performance on his debut for the club.

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Intriguingly, whilst 12 years Guaita’s junior, Bayindir is outperforming the Spaniard this season.

He has conceded just 0.9 goals per game in the league whilst the current Palace stopper’s rate sits considerably higher at 1.7 according to SofaScore.

Meanwhile, Bayindir also has a very impressive save percentage. Whilst Guaita has produced more saves per game – 3.1 to 2.6 – that is surely a natural statistic considering that Fenerbahce are towards the top of their respective league whilst Palace find themselves firmly marooned in mid-table.

Bayindir saves 73% of the shots he faces, whilst Guaita can only prevent 65% of the shots he faces finding the back of the net.

Considering those performances then and his immense potential, he is a stopper that Palace simply must secure.

AND in more news, take a look at which Palace star could have his Selhurst Park career ended by a current World Cup winner…