All posts by z3u9t.icu

It didn’t seem so long ago that Leeds United were looking forward to their return to the Premier League, and yet in a blink of an eye, the season is almost over.

Marcelo Bielsa’s side have enjoyed a quite incredible first season back in the top-flight, enjoying some truly special performances and results.

But this afternoon’s final day clash against West Brom might just be the cherry on the cake, especially given that fans will finally be allowed in at Elland Road to see their Premier League dreams right in front of their very eyes.

The Leeds boss also has some major decisions to make regarding a few players who are set to leave the club this summer, while he may also be tempted to hand out a few debuts too.

And, with that in mind, below is a look at how Leeds might line up when West Brom turn up to Elland Road on Sunday afternoon.

In goal, Illan Meslier will be hoping to end the Premier League season with a third successive clean sheet after shutting out Burnley and Southampton in the last couple of games.

With Diego Llorente out injured, the Leeds manager may opt to give Gaetano Berardi a send-off in front of the home fans.

Further ahead, if Bielsa decides to axe Gjanni Alioski from the starting line-up, then 19-year-old starlet Jack Jenkins could make his full debut for the club after coming on as a half-time substitute in the FA Cup clash against Crawley Town earlier this season.

The club also confirmed that Pablo Hernandez would be leaving the club in the summer like Berardi, and given everything the Spaniard has done for the Whites over the years, he surely deserves to have the chance to say goodbye to the Elland Road faithful.

[snack-amp-story url=”https://www.footballfancast.com/web-stories/read-the-latest-leeds-transfer-rumours-and-news” title=”Read the latest Leeds transfer rumours and news!”]

Hernandez could replace his fellow Spaniard, Rodrigo, with the rest of the line-up remaining the same.

Predicted XI: Meslier; Ayling, Cooper, Berardi; Phillips, Jenkins, Dallas, Hernandez; Harrison, Raphinha, Bamford.

Meanwhile, Leeds MUST start this man vs West Brom today…

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”

Celtic midfielder Olivier Ntcham is reportedly set to return to Parkhead after his loan stint at Marseille, meaning the Hoops will miss out on a £4.5m pay day.

Ntcham had left Celtic to join Marseille on loan in January in rather controversial circumstances, as Andre Villas-Boas had offered to resign as a result of the signing. It now seems as if the Frenchman’s ill-fated spell at Stade Vélodrome is set to come to an end in the summer.

Sampaoli doesn’t want Ntcham at Marseille

French outlet RMC Sport (via Sport Witness) have reported that Marseille boss Jorge Sampaoli has made his feelings clear on several players’ futures, including Ntcham.

Marseille had the option to sign him permanently in the summer for a £4.5m fee, but that is a profit that Celtic will now miss out on with the Frenchman set to return after Sampaoli’s decision.

During his time at Marseille, Ntcham has made only four Ligue 1 appearances, playing twice in the cup. His last appearance came against Montpellier earlier this month, but he played just a single minute (as per Transfermarkt).

Ntcham value falling; bad news for Celtic

Ntcham is currently rated at £3.15 million (Transfermarkt) and his value has only fallen since early 2020. That isn’t a good sign at all for the Bhoys, as it doesn’t seem like he has a future in Glasgow and the profit the club could earn from an exit is slowly but surely declining.

Ntcham’s current contract runs out in the summer of 2022 and he was once linked with multiple Premier League sides. With that in mind, we feel the Hoops should be desperately shopping him around to teams south of the border this summer, or they risk losing out on a decent pay day as his deal ticks down next season.

In other news, Celtic on alert as Premier League chairman sends agents for Parkhead star, claims source

Many Crystal Palace fans have been voicing their delight on Twitter after prominent COPA 90 journalist and Eagles supporter Harvey Wheddon suggested that the club will attempt to acquire PSV Eindhoven youngster Noni Madueke.

No stranger to English football, the London-born talent started his professional career at Tottenham Hotspur before swapping the Premier League for the Eredivisie.

There could now be a surprise twist in the tale according to Wheddon, who signified that a move to London could be back on as he tweeted:

“Noni Madueke from PSV.

“Heard a few rumours last night linking us with a potential move for him but wasn’t sure how legit they were…

“Have been told today that we are going to “test the water” with a bid for Madueke. #CPFC #PSV #Madueke”

Excelling with the Eredivisie runners up in 2020/21, the 19-year-old chipped in with 17 goal contributions in 32 outings for his current employers, with nine goals and eight assists to his name [Transfermarkt].

After recently securing the signature of Chelsea defender Marc Guehi along with Michael Olise from Reading, Palace fans will likely be excited for further summer acquisitions.

In light of these rumours, many Eagles fans took to Twitter to revel in this latest claim.

Crystal Palace fans react

Replying to the Palace-supporting journalist on Twitter, here is how some supporters summarised their feelings on the “mad” developments on Madueke:

“Would love to get him but I would be shocked if we do”

Credit: @SJLM_CPFC”Top top player”Credit: @caulfield7″Omdssss we are cooking”Credit: @cpfcbailey”This would be so mad, I’m on my knees @CEO4TAG”Credit: @PrideOfSouthLDN”here we goooo”Credit: @turkishcpfc”VAMOSSSS”Credit: @DrizzyCPFCIn other news, Crystal Palace are interested in this Premier League midfielder.

Derby County boss Wayne Rooney has spoken out on rumoured interest in some of his key players, in a recent interview (quotes sourced from Derbyshire Live).

What’s the story?

Derby County haven’t had the best preparation for the upcoming Championship campaign, with the Rams having a number of players on trial with the club this summer during pre-season.

But they’ve been unable to sign any of those players up until now, with the club being under a transfer embargo. However, the eFL have since made exceptional circumstances for Wayne Rooney’s side, as they’re considerably light on options at this moment in time.

That lack of squad depth hasn’t stopped some of Rooney’s key players being linked with summer departures though, with Lee Buchanan emerging on Nottingham Forest’s radar, whilst Nathan Byrne is reportedly being targeted by Celtic.

‘The two most important players’

Rooney has since poured cold water on any rumours of Byrne or Buchanan heading for the exit door anytime soon though, with the Derby boss revealing that they’re the two most important players in his team with the style he’s trying to implement.

“None of my players are going anywhere. Obviously, we haven’t got enough players as it is.

“The way we are trying to play, they are the two most important players on the pitch, so none of my players will be leaving the club this transfer window unless it is to benefit them, whether it is a loan, but that can only happen if we are allowed to bring players in.”

Byrne caught the eye with some strong displays for Derby in the 2020/21 season, in what was his first year with the club, having arrived from Wigan Athletic in September 2020.

The full-back had an average Whoscored rating of 6.81, which put him fifth in the list of Derby County’s best performers from a forgetful campaign last term.

Whilst Buchanan has been with Derby since 2010, and the club’s supporters will have been eager to see him stick around for the foreseeable future, and to not even entertain any interest from rivals Nottingham Forest anytime soon.

At the age of 20, he’s likely to still have his best years ahead of him, especially if the early stages of his development in senior football are anything to go by recently.

It’s been a worrying summer for Derby’s supporters, as they’ve seen their side struggle for numbers heading into matches, let alone having to even think about the quality of the players involved.

So, to hear that Rooney is looking to keep both Byrne and Buchanan this summer will be pleasing to hear for the Pride Park faithful, especially if they’ve got any ambitions of avoiding relegation into the third-tier of English football this term.

Dean Windass has exclusively told The Transfer Tavern that he’d put money on Watford signing Ashley Young this summer.

The 35-year-old, who added another trophy to his collection by winning Serie A title Inter Milan last weekend, is out of contract at the San Siro at the end of the season, and will be available on a free.

And transfer expert Fabrizio Romano confirmed that the Hornets have already opened talks about the possibility of bringing Young back to Vicarage Road.

Romano believes that should Inter decide against offering Young fresh terms, there is a “huge chance” that the former England international will return to Watford next season.

Young came through the Academy at Watford having joined as an eight-year-old and ended up spending four years there before joining Aston Villa.

His impressive form at Villa Park led to a dream move to Manchester United, where he ended up winning the FA Cup, Europa League and Premier League.

But Windass believes that it’s the right time for Young to return his old stomping ground.

He told The Transfer Tavern:

“He’s had a wonderful career. I’ll put a bet on at the bookies that he’ll end up at Watford. He’s still a relatively young man, probably wants to get back to London, where he started.

“That would be a great signing for Watford and a great signing for Ash. If the manager sees an interest in Ashley Young, I think he’d jump at the chance, especially now they’re back in the Premier League.”

Nuno Espirito Santo is ‘waiting’ for a decision from Everton and wants to become their manager, according to Fabrizio Romano.

Speaking on YouTube channel Don Robbie, Romano said the Blues had reached a verbal agreement with the former Wolverhampton Wanderers boss and that a deal was close.

However, Everton weren’t 100% convinced and told Nuno they would need time to consider their options.

What’s the managerial situation at Everton?

The Blues are working to appoint a new boss after Carlo Ancelotti, who led them to a 10th-place finish in last season’s Premier League, left to join Real Madrid at the start of the month.

BBC Sport reported this week that, while Nuno remained a ‘candidate’, former Liverpool boss Rafael Benitez had emerged as the favourite for the post after holding three rounds of talks with the Everton hierarchy.

An announcement won’t arrive until next week at the earliest, Sky Sports’ Alan Myers says.

Fan feed The Toffee Blues relayed Romano’s Nuno claim, and here’s what supporters made of it.

Everton fans react to suggestion that Nuno is ‘waiting’

“Just get him in”

Credit: @Stu17666455

“Rather him than Rafa to be honest”

Credit: @TheBigBrown93

“Just do it”

Credit: @PabsH77

“Get him appointed !”

Credit: @AlHart07

“I’d take Nuno every day over a very divisive appointment like Rafa.”

Credit: @billbones80

“I didn’t want him, he’s not my first choice but I’m tenfold him over Rafa, if this was to happen now and he keeps Dunc on I’ll back him”

Credit: @smigger1878

In other news, could Dominic Calvert-Lewin be tempted by this move? 

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…

Axel Tuanzebe is open to the idea of making his loan move from Manchester United to Aston Villa permanent, according to Birmingham Live. 

The lowdown

In August, Tuanzebe his third loan move from Old Trafford to Villa Park.

He’s started three Premier League matches so far this season and may have kept his place for a fourth were he not ineligible to face his parent club last weekend.

Dean Smith has showered the defender with praise, calling him a ‘fantastic player’ with an ‘unbelievable attitude’. He even went as far as to say ‘there’s a future captain in there’.

Tuanzebe has just under two years left on his United contract and is valued at £7.2million by Transfermarkt.

The latest

A source close to the player has told the publication that Tuanzebe has ‘found his smile’ at Villa Park and is ‘loving football again’.

The 23-year-old ‘would be open to one day considering the West Midlands his home on a permanent basis’.

Smith’s recent shift to a back three has provided a ‘perfect pathway’ to the starting line-up for the Englishman.

The verdict

This move makes a great deal of sense for all parties, especially if the Villa boss intends to persist with that new shape.

Realistically, Tuanzebe is always going to be a little way down the pecking order at United, but if he shines on loan, the Red Devils can cash in.

The player himself will surely have forged a connection with the Villa faithful.

In other news, read Gregg Evans’ intriguing claim on this Villa midfielder.

West Bromwich Albion are interested in a deal to bring Taiwo Awoniyi to The Hawthorns this summer.

What’s the talk?

That’s according to a report by Goal, who claimed that the Baggies, as well as Stoke City and Mainz, are keeping a close eye on the situation of the Liverpool centre-forward ahead of a potential move in the summer transfer window.

An earlier report by the same outlet stated that Jurgen Klopp’s side would be open to parting with the 23-year-old this summer, with the Reds valuing the Nigeria under-23 international at a figure of around £8m.

Ismael must move

Considering just how much potential Awoniyi appears to possess, it is unsurprising to learn of Valerien Ismael’s interest in the young Liverpool forward.

Indeed, while the striker is yet to make an appearance for the Reds’ first team since arriving at the club from Imperial Academy all the way back in 2015, something which is largely down to the lack of a UK work permit until this summer, the 23-year-old has impressed over a number of loan spells away from the club, particularly at Union Berlin last season.

Over his 21 Bundesliga appearances for Urs Fischer’s side in 2020/21, the £4.5m-rated man scored five goals, registered two assists and created one big chance for his teammates, as well as taking 1.4 shots and making one key pass per game.

These returns saw the Nigerian, who former team-mate Mergim Vojvoda dubbed an “excellent” player, earn a seasonal SofaScore match rating of 6.62, playing a huge part in Union securing a highly impressive seventh-placed finish in the Bundesliga as the club qualified for the inaugural UEFA Europa Conference League next season.

As such, with Ismael known to be a fan of young, exciting and hungry players – as can be seen from his signings at Barnsley – the £7,600-per-week man would very much appear to fit this bill. That leads us to believe that the transfer of Awoniyi is one the Frenchman must do everything he can to complete this summer, as the 23-year-old could go on to thrive at The Hawthorns under the new Albion manager.

In other news: Percy confirms major West Brom transfer development, Ismael will be buzzing