All posts by z3u9t.icu

[ad_pod ]Liverpool attacker Sadio Mane has told LiverpoolFC.com that the team aren’t putting any pressure on themselves in the Premier League title race, and Reds fans have been quick to react to his comments on Twitter.

The Merseyside outfit recovered from the minor blip of losing consecutive fixtures against Manchester City and Wolverhampton Wanderers – in the top flight and FA Cup respectively – at the beginning of 2019 to record successive victories against Brighton & Hove Albion and Crystal Palace.

The latest thrilling 4-3 win against the Eagles left them four points clear of City at the summit, while they are also nine above third-placed Tottenham Hotspur in the standings ahead of the final 15 fixtures of the season.

Speaking to LiverpoolFC.com, Mane highlighted the professional mentality in the dressing room:

“We have experience now.

“Of course we are confident if we’re winning – but not too much, we know what can happen. We are still professional footballers and we’re still going to try to take it game by game.

“The season is long and we have many games. Making pressure for ourselves doesn’t help. Why not just try to win games until the end of the season?”

The FA Cup exit to Wolves means Jurgen Klopp’s men have an 11-day gap to prepare for their next Premier League fixture against Leicester City at Anfield on Wednesday, where they will hope to pick up their 20th top flight win of what has been a brilliant campaign to date.

Liverpool supporters took to social media to give their thoughts on their 26-year-old attacker’s defiant message, and while one said he’d “better tell Lovren and Lallana that”, another said the Senegal international has an “elite mentality”.

Here is just a selection of the Twitter reaction…

Are the media letting Jurgen Klopp off lightly for his lack of silverware? The Pl>ymaker FC squad have their say in the video below…

According to reports out of Spain, as shared by Sport Witness, there has been an update on Southampton’s pursuit of Union Berlin striker Taiwo Awoniyi.

The Lowdown: Semmens eyeing summer moves…

Ahead of what could be an interesting 2022 summer window, the Saints, and by extension their transfer chief Martin Semmens, have been tipped to bolster Ralph Hasenhuttl’s options.

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

It is believed the south coast side are still in contention to sign England goalkeeper Sam Johnstone with links also emerging to some lesser known names like South Korea international Son Jun-ho.

The striker position is another area Southampton could strengthen as news comes to light involving Bundesliga forward Awoniyi.

The Latest: Report makes Awoniyi claim…

As per Spanish sources (via Sport Witness), Semmens and the club have ‘set their sights’ on the striker who could cost around £21 million.

The report also claims Southampton, alongside West Ham and Newcastle, will ‘bid for Awoniyi’ with a summer attempt to sign him on the cards.

The Verdict: Great option…

Members of the media, like journalist Stefan Bienkowski, have praised the Nigeria international for his ‘remarkable’ season in the Bundesliga with the in-form attacker coming as a good option for Hasenhuttl.

Union Berlin have previously heaped praise on their ‘hero’ who has played a major role for them this season, having scored 12 goals in 25 appearances in the German top flight this season.

He comes as a solid alternative to loanee Chelsea striker Armando Broja this summer as Semmens reportedly casts one eye on the 2022/2023 season now his club are clear of relegation for another year.

In other news: ‘It is true’ – Southampton backed by close source as they also eye ‘star’ international, find out more here.

As per reliable reporter Alasdair Gold, writing for football.london, there has been an update on Tottenham Hotspur’s pursuit of yet another Juventus player in USA international Weston McKennie.

The Lowdown: Tottenham’s Serie A shopping spree?

Over these final days of what has been a dramatic January transfer window at Spurs, it appears transfer chief Fabio Paratici has set his sights on raiding former club Juve.

[web_stories_embed url=”https://www.footballtransfertavern.com/web-stories/tottenham-latest-news-2/” title=”Tottenham latest news!” poster=”” width=”360″ height=”600″ align=”none”]

The Lilywhites are apparently in advanced talks over moves for both Dejan Kulusevski and Rodrigo Bentancur, meanwhile the Old Lady’s on loan striker Alvaro Morata has also been linked with a north London move.

Tottenham boss Antonio Conte is running out of time to improve his squad and make necessary adjustments as he aims to propel his new side back into the Champions League.

As such, Gold has now shared news on another Juve man who Paratici has made contact for.

The Latest: Tottenham talks held for McKennie…

According to the football.london journalist, the Spurs managing director has ‘also held talks’ in January with the entourage of their midfield maestro McKennie.

However, as explained by Gold, this potential move is deemed ‘unlikely’ despite Paratici being a ‘huge admirer’.

Turin boss Massimiliano Allegri is believed to be resistant over losing McKennie, who has starred for the Old Lady this season.

The Verdict: Blow for Spurs?

McKennie would have undoubtedly been a shrewd addition with the versatile 23-year-old possessing an abundance of desirable traits.

The Texas-born ace can play in a variety of roles across midfield including defensive, box-to-box, on either flank and even at centre-half – killing many birds with one stone.

It’s little wonder Juve reportedly value McKennie at around £35m, and if his plaudits are anything to go by, you could argue they’re within their rights to demand a greater fee.

Called an ‘outstanding talent’ by former Huddersfield Town boss David Wagner, who managed the player at Schalke, McKennie also lifted the lid on how his old coach in the States branded him a ‘little tank’.

Perhaps he is one for Spurs to revisit in future, but with the window nearing it’s closure, it appears the starlet is out of bounds for now.

In other news: Romano shares late Saturday night development as Spurs table ‘official’ bid for another player, find out more here.

Manchester United have not made much progress so far in their winter transfer window, despite many players being linked to the club over the first two weeks, but Ralf Rangnick could be set to make his first star signing as manager at Old Trafford.

Rangnick’s side have been struggling to get results in the Premier League since the new year began, with a defeat at home in their first game of the year against Wolves, and drawing in their second league game of 2022 with Aston Villa after losing a two-goal lead on Saturday evening.

These results and a clear lack of determination to see games out will only put more pressure on the interim manager to make signings who can make a positive impact and offer the side the quality they need to climb into the top four as they compete with West Ham United, Arsenal and Tottenham Hotspur for a Champions League qualifying place.

One player that could save Rangnick’s six months in charge at Old Trafford, is Ousmane Dembele who was hailed “better than Mbappe” by Barcelona president, Joan Laporta, recently.

The 24-year-old forward has not been playing a lot for the La Liga giants with only six appearances in the league this season so far due to a knee injury, and has been linked with a move to Manchester United this week, with the £287k-per-week gem out of contract in the summer, so a cut-price deal could be available if Rangnick feels it would be worth stepping up on the signings this month.

Dembele has a fantastic goal involvement record at Barcelona, despite only playing 58 minutes on average per game for the club so far, with a goal or assist every 141 minutes according to Transfermarkt.

Someone with consistent output would be a great addition to the Manchester United forward line, with the creative possibilities endless for the French attacker if he was to play alongside the second-highest goalscorer in the history of football, Cristiano Ronaldo.

Fans would also love to see Dembele add attacking depth at Old Trafford, with one fan even tweeting:

“What is the solution to make Man United a great club? Sign Dembele.”

Rangnick will be looking to find a way to get the fans back on side after some turned on the manager after the Aston Villa game on Saturday evening, so signing a star offensive player like Dembele could be a good way to get back in the good books of the fanbase for the German coach.

In other news: Rangnick has fee agreed for Amadou Haidara

Celtic were rather busy during the previous summer and winter transfer windows in terms of the deals they managed to complete.

Not only did the Hoops welcome a number of new players to the Parkhead club, but they also managed to move others out in the opposite direction.

However, they didn’t always end up signing every player that was mentioned with a move to Celtic Park.

One player, in particular, that was linked to the Hoops in the previous January window that didn’t end up joining was Callum Styles.

With the transfer window set to open for business again once the season comes to an end, we think that the Bhoys should reignite their interest in the Barnsley figure and launch a move to bring him to Celtic.

Having racked up a total of 115 appearances for the Championship club prior to their match against Swansea City, the midfielder has scored eight goals and provided six assists.

This shows what a useful creative and attacking player he can be on the pitch.

One goal that the 22-year-old scored for his current side from outside the box was labelled as a “rocket” by journalist Sanny Rudravajhala, highlighting what he’s capable of on the ball.

The Hungarian has also racked up an average of 1.2 shots and 1.1 key passes per game in the league, putting him in the top five for each statistic in Barnsley’s squad.

Described as being a “massive talent” by teammate Cauley Woodrow, Styles has played in numerous positions across the pitch throughout his career.

This highlights how his versatility could make him a very useful squad member for Ange Postecoglou if the Hoops are able to sign the £2.7m-rated gem this summer.

Looking ahead to the summer, with Barnsley looking likely to get relegated as things stand, a move to Celtic could be rather tempting for the player rather than potentially playing in League One.

Also, with his contract at the Yorkshire club set to expire in the summer of 2023, this next window could be the ideal time for Barnsley to cash in on him should they get relegated and he doesn’t put pen to paper on a new deal.

In other news: Ange can finally axe “unbelievable” £18k-p/w Celtic flop with “aggressive” prodigy

Manchester United have been having a quiet transfer window in terms of incomings, but rumours have been spreading of fall outs and potential moves for many of the current squad, with the latest development one that would potentially be welcomed by fans.

What’s the word?

According to Sky Sports Italia, as cited by MilanLive, Eric Bailly is one of a number of defenders that AC Milan are interested in signing this January to replace Simon Kjaer.

The Serie A side are said to be looking for a quick fix to replace the Milan defender, who has been ruled out for the rest of the season, and Manchester United’s centre-back is one that they have reportedly ‘focused their attention’ on.

Fans will be buzzing

Bailly has been previously criticised for his poor performances when given his opportunity to play in the side, with Trevor Sinclair ripping into the “poor” player after the 2-0 defeat Manchester United sustained to local rivals, Manchester City:

“What is Bailly doing? That is poor defending,” he began.

“We’re not surprised, are we? He’s a rash defender and he seems like he’s always got a mistake in him,

“You can’t teach an old dog new tricks and the ship has sailed for Bailly. He’ll never be the composed defender Man United need.”

The £87k-per-week flop has had his ups and downs at Old Trafford over the last five and a half years, and has only been given seven appearances in all competitions this season. Thus, fans will surely be delighted to see the back of him.

According to SofaScore, Bailly has not helped his side keep a single clean sheet in any of the Premier League games he has played in this season, as well as averaging less than one interception per game while only winning possession 0.3 times on average over the season so far in the league.

It’s safe to say fans would not be sorry to see the central defender leave the club this January, with one fan simply tweeting: “Bailly can leave.”

Ralf Rangnick has had a number of internal issues going on this week, with Bailly named as one of 11 players who are rumoured to want to leave the club this season, and with the FA Cup game against Aston Villa coming up this evening it will be interesting to see who the German coach plays in his starting line up amidst the drama.

If he does, it will be a mistake. After all, the defender should be brutally axed from the Theatre of Dreams this winter.

In other news: Ralf Rangnick eyes a swoop for Rudiger

Wolverhampton Wanderers are looking to sign Mexican forward Hirving Lozano from Napoli this summer.

What’s the story?

That’s according to Napoli Today, who claim that Wolves have been ‘following’ the 26-year-old for some time.

The winger joined the Italian club from PSV Eindhoven for a reported £36m in the summer of 2019 and hasn’t really lived up to the price tag with 25 goals and 12 assists in 110 appearances for the Serie A outfit.

However, Lozano could be reunited with current-Wolves striker and Mexico teammate Raul Jimenez at club level, with the latter making his desire to play alongside the forward, nicknamed ‘Chucky’, in Bruno Lage’s side.

Imagine him & Jimenez

Despite still being able to qualify for European football next season with Wolves sat in eighth, Lage’s men have struggled in the final third this term.

Only Brighton, Burnley, Watford and Norwich have scored fewer than the West Midlands outfit’s 33 Premier League goals this term in 32 matches.

Therefore, adding reinforcements to the attack would certainly be shrewd going into the new season as relying on the defence to be as colossal as it has been this campaign next is unsustainable.

Granted, the 26-year-old’s spell at Napoli has been incredibly inconsistent with his first season seeing the Mexican score five goals in 39 matches before a much-improved 15 in 43 matches last term before scoring just five all season this term.

However, having linked up with Jimenez on numerous occasions for the national team, Wolves could reap the rewards of reuniting the Mexico internationals at club level.

The £31.5m-rated 30-year-old has also endured a mixed season this term, scoring just six goals upon a miraculous return from a skull fracture.

Lozano has been subject to praise from his coach Luciano Spalleti, who called the winger “unique”, as well as midfield legend and Barcelona manager Xavi, who said he’s a footballer who is “capable of making a difference.”

There is certainly a risk by signing the 26-year-old, however, with the Mexican at a great age to still improve whilst also having plenty of experience and Wolves needing extra quality in the final third, it would certainly be a gamble worth making.

AND in other news: Forget Raul: Wolves must sign “special” 139-goal star who has the “mindset of a lion”

Leeds United have long lacked a Samuel Saiz-like presence in midfield, but that could soon change.

Last month, the Sunday People reported that the Yorkshire outfit were tracking RB Salzburg midfielder Brenden Aaronson ahead of a potential move this January transfer window.

It’s thought that the USMNT international fits the athletic profile required to play under Marcelo Bielsa and he has impressed throughout his breakthrough in Austria.

Since then, further fuel has been added to the fire by journalist Pete O’Rourke, who delivered a fresh update to GIVEMESPORT this very week.

“With Aaronson at RB Salzburg, I know Leeds scouts have been watching him,” he revealed.

Of course, the priority at Elland Road appears to be in finding a new central midfielder before deadline day, and there’s a lot to like about the American dynamo.

Signed by Victor Orta in 2017, Saiz soon became a hit with supporters after scoring a hat-trick on his debut for the club. His tenacity and creativity in the engine room made him a very exciting talent but things just did not pan out.

He left after ten goals and 12 assists across 58 appearances (via Transfermarkt) and has never truly been replaced.

Enter Aaronson.

The Salzburg sensation, who former USA legend DeMarcus Beasley dubbed “silky”, has proven to be a major influence for both club and country. From midfield, he’s bagged five goals in only 15 caps, whilst in 51 appearances for the Austrian champions, he has delivered ten goals and 12 assists.

Valued at £10.8m by Transfermarkt, Aaronson has also been lauded as “young” and “exciting” by O’Rourke, and he could offer Leeds some valuable experience in the engine room, having featured in the Champions League numerous times now.

In his six appearances in the competition this season, the 21-year-old averaged two tackles, 1.3 dribbles, 1.2 shots and one key pass per game (via WhoScored), proving to be a major influence at either end of the pitch.

Also likened to Lionel Messi, Aaronsen has been dubbed the “future” of the American game by talent scout Jacek Kulig, who also touted him as “highly talented”.

On the above evidence, Orta could well discover his next Saiz with a move for the Salzburg sensation this month. It’s surely a deal that many around Elland Road would love to see happen, so he must get it done sooner rather than later.

AND in other news, Beren Cross drops positive Raphinha contract update…

Wolves’ transfer business over the last two seasons has been astute, to say the least.

The club are setting themselves up to challenge for European football season on season and their strategy in the transfer market is a big factor in the stability of their squad.

The Old Gold currently sit in eighth place in the Premier League standings, as well as boasting the fourth-best defence in the league with just 28 goals conceded.

A large part of this defensive discipline shown by Bruno Lage’s side is through their stability in midfield, with Ruben Neves one of the main components for Wolves when out of possession.

However, with the Portugal international looking as if he could be moving on to pastures new this summer, Wolves may well need a viable replacement for the 25-year-old.

What’s the word?

With Neves’ future at Wolves uncertain, the Old Gold need to find a well-rounded replacement who is as defensively capable as the aforementioned Portuguese maestro.

And, according to a recent report by Brazilian media outlet Globo Esporte, Wolves believe they could have found their answer in the form of the 17-year-old midfielder, Andrey Santos.

Santos has caught the eye of several big clubs across Europe, with the likes of Barcelona having already made a proposal.

There is a small caveat though. The young Brazilian has only made four appearances this season for Vasco, with all of his minutes coming as a substitute.

This has not put off the likes of AC Milan, Monaco, Benfica and Wolves, however, who are all reportedly keeping tabs on the €30m (£25m) talent ahead of a potential summer swoop.

Repeating Success

If reports are to be believed, it looks as though Wolves will continue down the same path that they trod when signing a young, relatively unknown defensive midfielder by the name of Ruben Neves.

It was an approach that paid dividends for the Old Gold last time, so do not be surprised if they use the same strategy again.

Especially due to the fact that there could be an option of a cut-price deal for Santos, with reports suggesting that Vasco Da Gama would be willing to sell their starlet for between €6m-€7m (£5m-£6m), despite his £25m buyout clause.

For a fee as low as £5-£6m, Wolves would be wise to take a risk on a youngster who could turn out to be Ruben Neves 2.0.

In other news: Fosun must finally sanction Wolves move for “quality” 179 G/A gem who “has everything”

Noel Whelan has been giving his thoughts to Football Insider on Celtic’s permanent moves for Reo Hatate and Yosuke Ideguchi.

The Lowdown: Long-term deals

The Hoops wasted no time in making a start on their winter business and announced a trio of moves for Hatate, Ideguchi and Daizen Maeda on New Year’s Eve.

[web_stories_embed url=”https://www.footballtransfertavern.com/web-stories/celtic-updates-20/” title=”Celtic updates!!” poster=”” width=”360″ height=”600″ align=”none”]

Maeda arrived on an initial loan deal with a compulsory purchase option, whereas Celtic handed both Hatate and Ideguchi four-and-a-half-year contracts.

Hatate has cost Ange Postecoglou’s side £1.38m and Ideguchi £684,000, and both are on the books until 2026.

The Latest: Whelan’s comments

Whelan, who regularly features as a pundit for BBC Radio Leeds, was talking to Football Insider regarding the moves for Hatate and Ideguchi.

He admitted that it was a ‘surprise’ to see the length of the contracts and described it as a ‘really big show of faith’ from the Hoops, saying:

“Obviously Postecoglou has seen that over his time working in Japan. He has highlighted these three players as potential players that can do what has been done from the start of the season, which is that progression.

“They’re trusting in these players because you don’t see too many signing four-and-a-half-year contract these days. It’s usually three, two-and-a-half, add-ons etcetera.

“So this is a surprise and a really big show of faith in these players. They don’t need to worry about a thing. Four years, they’ve got that.

“They just need to progress and show Celtic fans that they’re good players and they’re lucky to have them for the four years.”

The Verdict: Shrewd move by Celtic

Celtic have ultimately covered their backs when it comes to the pair by giving them lengthy contracts, especially as they are both still in their 20s.

Should they impress in Glasgow, similar to Kyogo Furuhashi, then the Hoops will be under no pressure to sell over the coming years. Even if the new arrivals struggle in Scotland, you’d expect that, if they wanted to, the club could be able to get their money back due to the length of their deals.

Hopefully the Hoops can reap the rewards over the coming years, with their relatively low transfer fees giving Michael Nicholson the scope to hand out deals running to 2026.

In other news: Celtic may also swoop for 6 foot 1 beast this month who had Sadio Mane in his ‘pocket’.