All posts by z3u9t.icu

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

Many Wolves fans have been left fuming as an update emerged on their game at home against Brentford in the Premier League at Saturday lunchtime.

As per the official website of the Premier League, Stuart Attwell has now been appointed as the VAR official for the match.

He has already caused controversy in a game earlier on in the season involving the Midlands club, as he failed to give them a penalty in their 1-0 home loss to Tottenham Hotspur, which was heavily ridiculed by some members of the Molineux faithful.

Attwell has also given more yellow cards and yellows leading to reds to the Wanderers over any other side in his career so far (Transfermarkt), suggesting that they have not had the best of luck whenever he has been officiating.

Wolves fans on Attwell news

These WWFC supporters were left fuming as the update involving Attwell was shared by Talking Wolves on their Twitter page:

“Omg Attwell on VAR AGAIN”

Credit: @Pinhead1210

“Mad VAR decision incoming then”

Credit: @chayward_9

“The PL are trolling us hard with Attwell on VAR”

Credit: @UltimateJeffShi

“Might as well unplug VAR now as it won’t be needed with that clown”

Credit: @Johnboy42370177

“What is it with us and Attwell on VAR?”

Credit: @Wrightgal80

“This making me feel Att-unwell”

Credit: @Tom_Parker12

In other news, find out which ‘powerhouse’ Wolves could sign in January here!

The £100m release clause in Jack Grealish’s Aston Villa contract was surprising, says Express & Star journalist Luke Hatfield.

Grealish joined Manchester City last week after the Premier League champions had a £100m bid accepted, making him the most expensive player in British football history.

Shortly before, Sky Sports reported that they expected City’s offer to be accepted, and it turns out that Villa had no choice but to sanction a deal, with CEO Christian Purslow later revealing that Grealish had a release clause in his contract.

Having managed to keep it under wraps, it was a revelation that surprised many, including Aston Villa journalist Hatfield.

“It was a little bit of a surprise,” the reporter told FFC. “I think Villa always kind of kept those details very close to their chest. They don’t want knowledge of a release clause touted about left, right and centre just because it makes it much easier for buying clubs.”

It will be interesting to see if it is something Villa do in the future with other players. It is something some fans may not like, knowing that some of their assets, perhaps very important ones, will effectively always be for sale.

However, it may make enticing high calibre players to Villa Park, who can help the team to progress during their time there, an easier task.

Tottenham Hotspur are looking to move Serge Aurier on before tonight’s deadline…

What’s the word?

According to the Sky Sports Transfer Centre (30th August, 15:37), the north London outfit are trying to find the 66-cap Ivory Coast right-back a new home so that they can sign Emerson Royal from Barcelona.

Italian outfit Genoa are the latest side to become interested in the 28-year-old, whilst Lille and the aforementioned La Liga side have also been mooted in the report.

It remains to be seen if Aurier will depart the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium today – and for how much – with Transfermarkt currently valuing him at £18m, some four years on (to the day) from a £23m move from Paris Saint-Germain.

Paratici masterclass

This is a move that should have new sporting director Fabio Paratici absolutely lauded from the hilltops and it is one that will undoubtedly leave many buzzing in north London.

The Italian has only been at the Lilywhites for a couple of months now but he’s already identified Spurs’ problems and has looked to rectify them – out has gone several of the club’s long-serving players that have frequently let them down, such as the injury-prone Erik Lamela and the regressing Moussa Sissoko, among others.

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Aurier would be the next obvious candidate to face the chopping block and so he should after his revelation earlier in the window.

He told French publication L’Equipe of his intentions to leave Spurs this window, claiming: “Everyone knows that if I wanted to extend my contract at Tottenham, I’d have already done so. I’m not going to do that in six months’ time. I’ve experienced the Premier League and a Champions League final. I’ve reached the end of a cycle and it’s time to look elsewhere.”

On that evidence, it’s clear that Aurier does not want to be at the club, which is perhaps the reason why he is yet to feature for Nuno Santo this season.

Not that he warrants a place in the starting XI anymore, with Japhet Tanganga impressing in the role in recent matches.

Furthermore, the Mauricio Pochettino signing has regularly been lambasted for his performances on the pitch – for example, after defeat to Man City in the Carabao Cup final, Jamie Carragher described him as “one of the biggest liabilities in Premier League football.”

Indeed, it’s not the first time that the full-back has come in for criticism over his calamitous ways – former Spurs midfielder Jamie O’Hara once brandished him “an absolute liability” on Twitter.

Spurs have since defeated the defending champions in his absence and whilst that may only be a coincidence, it’s a struggle to think he would’ve helped Nuno’s side at all.

Therefore, if Paratici can move him on before tonight’s deadline, then it’ll be a great move for all parties. This update from Sky Sports should leave many in north London thrilled.

AND in other news, Paratici dealt Spurs transfer blow over £22.5m-rated “young Pogba”, fans surely gutted…

Rangers travel to Dundee in the Premiership this afternoon as they attempt to return to winning ways in the league.

The Gers were held to a 1-1 draw by Motherwell in their last Premiership outing, but they did beat Livingston 2-0 in the League Cup on Wednesday. Steven Gerrard will now be hoping that his side can use that positive momentum to beat Dundee and get their pursuit of another league title back on track.

However, one change that he could make to the team which came out on top against Livingston is bringing Steven Davis back into the starting XI.

The 36-year-old is a key figure in Rangers’ side and Gerrard must unleash him for this match after leaving him on the bench against Livingston. Davis has started all six of the club’s Premiership games this season and deserves a return to the team after being handed a much-needed rest in midweek.

He has averaged an impressive SofaScore rating of 7.03, making one key pass and 1.7 tackles per game from midfield whilst also completing 88% of his passes. This shows that he has been a consistent performer in the middle of the park this term and is a reliable option for the manager to call upon.

Earlier this year, Gerrard lauded the midfielder’s influence and explained why he is a role model to his teammates. The 41-year-old said: “Steven embodies professionalism and continues to set the standards required to be a Rangers player. He has been instrumental this year, playing a key role in our league success.

“Ross (Wilson) and I have enjoyed open dialogue with him, and acknowledge how he has handled this contract extension. Steven is low-maintenance and has much more to give our team, not only for the rest of this season but beyond.

“He is a role model to his team mates and continues to strive to be a better version of himself. I am very pleased to have a player with Premier League and international experience on board as we look towards next season.”

The £18k-per-week beast can change a game with the way he links the play and uses the ball in pockets of space. His high passing accuracy shows that he is effective in possession and does not gift the ball back to the opposition on a regular basis, which allows him to dictate games and control the tempo.

Therefore, Gerrard must bring him back into the XI for today’s clash at Dundee as his quality and experience could be valuable on the pitch. The ability to change games by dictating the flow of the match could be vital for Rangers, as he can slow the play down when holding on for a win or speed it up if they are searching for a crucial goal.

AND in other news,  Wilson must avoid Rangers nightmare over “unique” gem, Gerrard would be fuming…

Former Leeds United midfielder Carlton Palmer can still see Dan James leaving Manchester United this summer despite Marcus Rashford undergoing surgery on his shoulder.

The England forward is now set for a spell on the sidelines, meaning Ole Gunnar Solskjaer may need James to play a bigger role at the start of the season.

James is the subject of long-term interest from Leeds, with The Athletic’s Phil Hay claiming that Marcelo Bielsa tried to bring him to Elland Road before the capture of Raphinha.

The Argentine is said to still have an interest in the player, and Palmer is refusing to rule out a transfer to Leeds this summer.

Asked by FFC if Rashford’s shoulder surgery had scuppered the Whites’ chances of landing James in this transfer window, the retired England international said:

“I don’t think so. I don’t think it’s a problem for him to let him go. He’s made a lot of signings this summer, so he’s been pushed down the pecking order.

“I did my shoulder on the last day of the season, dislocated. I had it pinned and I was back for the first game of the season, so I don’t think Rashford is going to be out for months and months on end.”

It remains to be seen whether Leeds’ interest materialises into anything in this transfer window. But if they got James, they would obviously be signing a winger who would bring so much pace to the side.

“I’d put myself top,” the Wales international said earlier this year when discussing who the fastest player at Old Trafford is.

Some Wolves supporters have been showing their happiness at a new photo of Jonny continuing to make positive progress in his injury recovery.

Bruno Lage’s side haven’t enjoyed the most entertaining of weeks, recording back-to-back 0-0 draws away to Norwich City and at home to Burnley in the Premier League.

That being said, Wanderers are still sixth in the table and are proving difficult to beat ahead of the tough-looking visit of Liverpool on Saturday afternoon. Jurgen Klopp’s men are absolutely flying at the minute, scoring 12 league goals in their last three games alone.

One player who will certainly be absent for Wolves is Jonny, as he continues to work his way back from a cruciate ligament injury suffered back in April.

On Thursday, however, the club’s official Twitter channel shared an image of Jonny running outdoors, suggesting that his return is edging closer.

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Wolves fans love Jonny photo

These Wolves fans took to Twitter to show their love for the left-back, with one calling for him to be restored to the team in place of Adama Traore when fit, given the Spain winger’s ineffectiveness in the final third this season.

“Grealish dreams about these calves”

Credit: @TomTonks

“JONNYYYYY”

Credit: @wwfcbilly

“The best LWB in the league”

Credit: @wolvesjoshh

“Man we need him back ASAP”

Credit: @cpj93070

“Don’t rush him, he’s a gem”

Credit: @Jandersonn94

“Play him over Adama at ST”

Credit: @TheWaddd

In other news, some Wolves fans have flocked to a transfer update. Read more here.

When West Bromwich Albion signed Conor Townsend for £750k back in 2018, it would have been safe to assume that the left-back was brought to The Hawthorns as back up to the England international, Kieran Gibbs.

At the time of his arrival, the 28-year-old had just enjoyed a fantastic season with Scunthorpe United, scoring four goals and registering five assists over his 32 appearances in League One, while Gibbs – who had joined Albion from Arsenal in a £6.75m deal a year earlier – was the club’s undisputed number one in the position, having featured 33 times for the Baggies in the Premier League in 2017/18.

This remained the case throughout Townsend’s debut season in West Bromwich, with Gibbs highly impressing over his 38 Championship appearances, scoring four goals and registering four assists, while the newcomer had to make do with just 12 second-tier fixtures.

However, the tide began to turn in the following campaign, with the £14k-per-week Townsend featuring in 27 Championship fixtures, over which he provided one assist and averaged a SofaScore match rating of 6.89. In comparison, the £30k-per-week Gibbs was awarded just 14 league appearances, over which he averaged a SofaScore match rating of 6.76.

Townsend’s usurping of the 32-year-old was complete last season, when, despite the Baggies’ ultimate relegation from the top flight, the 28-year-old highly impressed over his 25 Premier League appearances – helping his side keep five clean sheets, registering two assists and earning a seasonal SofaScore match rating of 6.86. Meanwhile, Gibbs averaged an extremely disappointing SofaScore match rating of 6.53 over his ten top-flight fixtures – before being released on a free transfer at the end of the season.

This term, the former Scunthorpe man has ensured that his reputation as a first-class left-back has continued to grow, having already helped his side keep five clean sheets, registered two assists and created three big chances over his 12 Championship appearances – with these returns seeing the defender average a SofaScore match rating of 7.01.

Furthermore, the player who Thierry Henry once dubbed “amazing” has also seen his Transfermarkt value rocket from £180k at the time of his signing to £1.8m today – a 10x increase – which, coupled with his ever-improving level of performance, proves that West Brom struck gold when signing the 28-year-old.

In other news: “Confident” West Brom dynamo who lost possession 32x stole the show vs Birmingham

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”

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.

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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.