All posts by rastrear-estafeta.com

Nottingham Forest face a daunting trip to Anfield to face Liverpool on Saturday, and ahead of that game they are being linked with a move for an exciting European player, according to a recent report. It has been a good start to the Premier League season for the Reds as they are unbeaten in their first three league games, with their 11 new signings strengthening the squad significantly.

Nottingham Forest player suffers international duty injury; he's had tests

Nuno Espirito Santo and Nottingham Forest have suffered a blow during the international break.

ByBrett Worthington Sep 11, 2024 Nottingham Forest injury news

Saturday’s game against Liverpool represents a difficult afternoon for Forest, as they face a side who have won all three of their league games so far and look to be in very good form, not even conceding a goal. Nuno Espirito Santo will want his players to be at their very best and will hope he has as much of his squad available as possible.

However, the Premier League side didn’t manage to get through the international break without receiving bad news. Defender Willy Boly suffered a calf injury while on international duty with the Ivory Coast, as confirmed by his international manager. Boly didn’t feature in his country’s first game against Zambia, and Emerse Fae has revealed since that the player has suffered a calf injury in training.

Fae told reporters: “Regarding the absence of Willy Boly, I will simply explain to you: he was unfortunately injured in training just before our match against Chad. Examinations revealed a calf injury, and he is therefore unavailable. He returned to the club to recover.”

It is unclear how long the 33-year-old will be out for, but it appears as though he will be unavailable for the Liverpool match and possibly some of the games that follow. While all eyes for Nuno are on Anfield however, it appears the club's recruiting department are getting a head start on their 2025 business.

Nottingham Forest ready to pay £13 million release clause for 19 y/o

According to El Periodico, relayed by Nottingham Forest News, Forest want to sign young forward Adrian Liso in January and are ready to pay the £13 million release clause. His club, Real Zaragoza, would even give in and welcome the approach, seemingly hoping to turn some profit from a promising academy talent.

Forest are keen on striking a deal in the upcoming January transfer window and it is claimed that Zaragoza are “buzzing” about the are interest, although they also face competition from La Liga side Getafe so Zaragoza may be wishing for a bidding war.

Apps

16

Goals

2

Assists

1

The 19-year-old winger came through the academy at the Spanish side and, so far, he has played more games for the academy than he has for the first team. Liso, who can operate on the left or up front, has scored three goals in 26 appearances for Zaragoza’s second team. He would of course be a risky signing for Forest, as he is only 19 and has yet to establish himself at senior level, but the scouting department are clearly impressed by what they've seen so far.

One Manchester City star who has been described as “remarkable” by manager Pep Guardiola has revealed that he will soon be having conversations with the club over his contract situation.

The Blues had a relatively quiet transfer window this summer, but that hasn’t stopped them from making another strong start to the Premier League season. Guardiola’s side have won their first three league games of the campaign, with their latest victory coming against West Ham United.

Man City have struck gold on a "magician" who's worth way more than Palmer

He did not cost them anything

ByJoe Nuttall Sep 1, 2024 Manchester City’s summer transfer window

As stated, the club was rather quiet this summer, making just two new additions. One of those was in the form of Savinho joining from French side Troyes and the other saw midfielder İlkay Gündoğan re-join from FC Barcelona.

Savinho

Troyes

İlkay Gündoğan

FC Barcelona

However, the club did see a lot of players leave, with the most high-profile departure being forward Julian Alvarez, who left to join Atlético Madrid. As well as the Argentine, City also let João Cancelo, Taylor Harwood-Bellis, and Sergio Gomez leave on a permanent basis.

Despite signing just two new players, City were said to be looking at some new faces as the window came to a close. Brighton & Hove Albion striker Evan Ferguson was linked and is expected to be a target in 2025, though he could cost up to £70m.

As well as potentially looking to sign Ferguson, City were also said to be interested in Celtic forward Kyogo Furuhashi, with Guardiola said to be a “huge” fan of his. The 29-year-old impressed for Celtic in pre-season against City and was at it again in his side's win over Rangers on Sunday.

£55m Man City ace set to have contract conversations

Manchester City’s talisman Kevin de Bruyne has revealed that he will be having “conversations” with the club about his contract situation, as he is in the final year of his deal. De Bruyne cost the Blues £55 million in August 2015, and given what he has achieved at the club, it was worth every penny.

The Belgium superstar, who Guardiola described as “remarkable” after the club beat Southampton 4-1 back in April 2023, believes there will be conversations between him and the club once the season gets into full swing.

De Bruyne told journalist Mike Minay, via Manchester City News: “I haven’t spoken to anyone. There’s been a lot of noise and news. I said in the summer, I expected a quiet summer, and that’s actually what happened. I’ve been on holiday, came back, and started training. That’s it. Nothing to tell.

“Once the season goes on, I’m sure there will be conversations to be had. I just want to feel good, play good football, and this will come in the upcoming months. I don’t really feel the rush for the moment.”

The Belgian international was linked with a move to Saudi Arabia in the early part of the summer transfer window, but an offer didn’t arrive, and he has now entered the final year of his contract at the club, putting his future into doubt.

The transfer window is set to come to a dramatic close in just a matter of days, and plenty of teams are looking to conduct some last-minute business, including Manchester United.

The Red Devils have been incredibly busy this summer, bringing in many talented additions, including Matthijs de Ligt, Leny Yoro and even Manuel Ugarte, who should be announced any minute now.

However, it would appear that Sir Jim Ratcliffe and Co want to bring in even more new faces to help speed along their revolution, and one of the most surprising players to be touted for a move to Old Trafford in recent weeks has been Raheem Sterling.

The Chelsea ace has been frozen out of things at Stamford Bridge and could get back to his best at Old Trafford, which could happen if United also pick up the latest young star touted for a move to the club.

Manchester United transfer news

According to a recent report from Spain, United are one of several teams interested in Girona ace Miguel Gutierrez.

Alongside the Red Devils, the report claims that Arsenal, Liverpool, Chelsea and Borussia Dortmund are all keen on the talented left-back, while Real Madrid, who own 50% of his rights, have the option to come back in for him.

A price is not mentioned in the report, but the 23-year-old is valued at €24.5m – £20m – by Football Transfers, and while the La Liga side would undoubtedly want more than that, it does suggest that a move might not completely break the bank for a big club like United.

It could be a complicated and costly transfer to get over the line, but given Gutierrez's incredible form last season, it is one worth pursuing, especially if Sterling makes his way to United, as the young full-back could help revive the Englishman's fortunes.

Why Gutierrez could revive Sterling

Okay, so let's get straight to the point with this one. There is one reason, above all others, why Gutierrez might be able to help Sterling get back to his best at United: his attacking quality.

Yes, the five-capped Spaniard is a more than capable defender, and his ability to do so on the left would, in turn, give the Englishman more license to roam forwards, but it is his impressive level of output that would see him strike up a brilliant partnership with the former Manchester City ace.

For example, in his 40 appearances for Girona last season, the 23-year-old "weapon", as dubbed by U23 scout Antonio Mango, scored two goals and provided nine assists, meaning that he averaged a goal involvement every 3.63 games, which is unreal for a defender.

Appearances

35

5

Goals

2

0

Assists

7

2

Goal Involvements per Match

0.25

0.40

Moreover, according to FBref, which compares players in similar positions across Europe's top five leagues, the Champions League and Europa League, the former Real ace sits in the top 6% of full-backs for expected assists, non-penalty expected goals plus assists and pass completion, the top 16% for total shots and the top 18% for actual assists, all per 90.

This helps to show that he wasn't just running hot last season, and if anything, playing in a team with more talent around him could help his numbers improve further.

Just imagine a left-hand side with the 82-capped Englishman flying down the wings to get on the end of a brilliant pass from the Girona ace; it could provide another option to Ten Hag during hard-fought encounters.

Ultimately, it could be a challenging transfer to get over the line, but if United really are going to bring Sterling in on some kind of swap deal this summer, then signing the incredibly exciting Gutierrez to help get the most out of him on the left seems like a brilliant idea.

Fabrizio Romano: Man Utd may make "last-minute" signing after Manuel Ugarte

The Red Devils may not be done yet.

ByCharlie Smith Aug 28, 2024

Wolverhampton Wanderers will be aiming to bolster their attacking options during the summer transfer window in order to improve on the meagre goal totals they have recorded during the two previous Premier League campaigns.

Under Bruno Lage in 2021/22, Wolves scored just 38 goals in 38 matches while they finished last term having netted just 31 goals across their fixtures, and it was clearly the ability to grind out wins under Julen Lopetegui from Christmas onwards which kept them in the top flight for another season at least.

With this in mind, there looks set to be an overhaul at the Old Gold this summer, as Adama Traore and Diego Costa have both departed following the expiration of their contracts and this could free up the wage bill for a few new additions.

Indeed, the Molineux outfit are interested in signing Sevilla winger Lucas Ocampos, who could be available for as little as €15m (£13m) this summer, which could become a very wise move by Lopetegui should he hit the ground running in England.

The Argentinian could form a dream duo with striker Raul Jimenez, who will be desperate to put the past year behind him and kick on during the 2023/24 campaign.

Could Wolves sign Lucas Ocampos?

With the 28-year-old not breaking the bank, he could be seen as an ideal option to add some dynamism to the Wolves side, which as mentioned earlier, struggled for goals during the league last term.

Lauded as “incredible” by Dermot Corrigan, the winger registered five goals and grabbed two assists for Sevilla across 29 games, having spent the first half of the season on loan at Ajax, yet his game is more than just goal contributions.

Across Europe’s big five leagues, Ocampos ranked in the top 14% for successful take ons per 90 (2.45) and in the top 17% for touches in the opposition penalty area per 90 (5.32), which is decent considering he started only 16 times across both La Liga and the Europa League.

Combining this with his ability to recover loose balls (ranked in top 8% across the big five leagues with 5.91 ball recoveries per 90) could allow him to flourish on the right wing and Jimenez could be the man to take advantage.

The Mexican striker played just 20 times for the Old Gold during 2022/23 due to suffering knee and hip problems, yet if he could replicate the form he showed during his first two years at the club, where he netted 44 goals, the supporters could be in for a treat.

Ocampos could use his ability to take the ball past defenders and create chances for Jimenez to tuck away and after a dry period in terms of goals since 2021, as another season like last might just condemn them to relegation.

Lopetegui must act swiftly to sign the Sevilla gem, and for £13m, it could be a bargain.

Arsenal are set to complete the deal to sign Chelsea forward Kai Havertz "this week", according to transfer expert Fabrizio Romano.

How much are Arsenal paying for Kai Havertz?

As per The Guardian, the Gunners have agreed to sign Havertz from Chelsea for a fee of £60m, plus £5m in add-ons, with Mikel Arteta said to be a long-term admirer of the forward, as the manager thinks he can help bridge the gap to Manchester City.

The £150k-per-week attacker likewise believes Arsenal is the best place to help him build his career, a view shared by Jurrien Timber, another player who the north Londoners have recently made an "official proposal" for.

It remains to be seen whether Ajax are willing to part ways with the defender, however the move for Havertz is now edging closer to completion, as reported by Romano on Twitter.

The transfer expert has now claimed the 24-year-old has "already completed the first part of the medical tests" to become an Arsenal player, with the deal set to be completed "this week".

All that remains before the move becomes official is the contracts to be signed on the club's side.

How many goals has Havertz scored?

The Germany international has not exactly been prolific since arriving at Stamford Bridge for £75.8m in 2020, recording just nine goals in all competitions last season, despite most commonly being utilised as a striker.

Having averaged just 0.2 goals per 90 over the past year, the former Bayer Leverkusen man has underperformed his expected goals by a considerable margin, indicating that he is a poor finisher, which is also reflected by the number of opportunities he wasted last season.

The Chelsea forward missed 14 big chances in the Premier League, and his finishing must improve if he is to be played as a striker by Arteta, however he does have other qualities, including his ability to bring his teammates into the play.

During his time with Leverkusen, the Aachen-born forward picked up 31 assists in 150 appearances, indicating that he could be a creative force in advanced midfield, should Arteta choose to play him in a deeper role.

Having been described as a "unique" and "physically commanding" player by members of the media, Havertz clearly has the talent to be a success in the Premier League, but he must improve his finishing if he is to displace Gabriel Jesus in the starting XI.

Aston Villa have added additional Spanish firepower to the club by recruiting Monchi as president of football operations, to work alongside former Sevilla colleague Unai Emery.

The duo are expected to have a busy summer at Villa Park, with a host of talent already linked to the club.

The Spaniard could unleash some magic in the Midlands by signing one player linked with Villa, if reports are to be believed.

What’s the latest on Jadon Sancho to Aston Villa?

As initially reported by Football Transfers last week, Aston Villa are speculated to hold an interest in Manchester United winger Jadon Sancho.

The report suggested that United would be willing to sell the Englishman for a fee around the £60m mark, with his current contract running until 2026 with an option for an additional year.

Earlier this week, journalist Rudy Galetti revealed to GIVEMESPORT that the 23-year-old is a “main target” for the club, in a move that could be monumental to Villa.

What could Jadon Sancho offer to Aston Villa?

Lauded as “unbelievable” by journalist Liam Canning, the misunderstood talent could be a revelation signing for the Villans, and perhaps their biggest one for years.

There’s little denying the talent that the Englishman possesses, despite his difficulty in finding his feet in the Premier League after making the switch from the Bundesliga in 2021.

In his two seasons in Manchester so far, Sancho has contributed 15 goals and assists in 55 Premier League appearances, numbers incomparable to his final two Bundesliga campaigns in which he recorded 54 in 58 appearances for Borussia Dortmund.

His first full breakthrough in the 2018/19 season saw him record 30 G/A, scoring 12 and assisting a monstrous 18, nearly double the number of goal contributions in one term than he has in two campaigns at Old Trafford, via Transfermarkt.

Something isn’t ticking for the Englishman in Manchester, making him a valuable target for Villa should Emery have the capability to unlock his talents in the Premier League.

Hailed as a “phenomenon” by talent scout Jacek Kulig, Monchi could deliver Villa Park with his first marquee signing in Sancho, who has all the ability to thrive under Emery as the leading man.

While the goals and assists haven’t arrived in the Premier League, in his game playing actions the numbers show glimpses of the player that graced Signal Iduna Park.

As per FBref, the Londoner averaged 4.70 progressive passes and 1.76 successful take-ons per 90 in the last year, highlighting his innate ability to act as a traditional wide player.

Emery identified the desire to equip Villa with a “specialist winger” in January, which he could land by signing Sancho, who is a player with all the attributes to thrive as a technician in Villa’s squad.

Taking a step back may be the best option in the search for his form, at a club where he would be regarded as an innovator under a manager that has a reputation for getting the best out of young stars.

Hearts will be hoping the Steven Naismith era will enable the club to reach the next level and perhaps even lift a trophy, with, aside from two Championship titles, the 2012 Scottish Cup remaining their last major trophy win.

He will have the entirety of the summer transfer window to sign players and vastly improve his squad, and with the qualifying stages of the Europa Conference League fast approaching, the 36-year-old may have to start his business sooner rather than later, especially if he wants the Tynecastle outfit to repeat their group stage heroics last term.

There is a good core to the Hearts side, with a reliable goalkeeper in Zander Clark, talents such as Toby Sibbick and Barrie McKay across the defence and midfield, while striker Lawrence Shankland scored 28 goals last season remarkably.

One player that will be hoping to have a more productive season in 2023/24 will be defensive midfielder Peter Haring, who saw his playing time last term limited due to suffering a concussion and missing 26 games across all competitions.

Will Peter Haring be a key player for Hearts next season?

The 30-year-old joined the Jambos back in 2018 and has since gone on to play over 100 games for the club, helping them reach three Scottish Cup finals during that time period, albeit losing each one.

During 2021/22, he showed his importance to the team by ranking in the top ten out of the whole squad for tackles (1.5), interceptions (0.7), clearances (1.2) and key passes per game (0.7), indicating that he was a vital member of the first team as they finished third in the Premiership.

Due to the aforementioned injury problems, he started just 15 matches last term which affected his performances as he achieved a Sofascore rating of 6.72/10, creating zero big chances and making only 0.4 key passes per game as he averaged 60 minutes a match.

Naismith will be hoping to get him back to his best following a full pre-season, and he lauded the 30-year-old as he signed an extended contract with the Edinburgh side.

He said: “Having played alongside Pete I know all about his strengths and qualities so it’s great news for the club that he’s going to be here next season. He was a big miss to the team when he was out injured but he’s come back and made an impact because he’s influential both on and off the pitch."

These words will surely give him a confidence boost and there is no denying how effective he can be in the midfield when fully fit. That is something Naismith will be counting on when the 2023/24 campaign kicks off in a matter of weeks.

Brendan Rodgers and Graham Potter could still be in contention to become Leeds United's next manager, according to a key update from journalist Ben Jacobs.

Who's likely to take charge of Leeds?

There is a constant search going on to find the Whites' new boss this summer, as they prepare for life back in the Championship after three years away.

A host of different names have been thrown into the hat over the past couple of weeks, whether it be Steven Gerrard, Carlos Corberan or Scott Parker, among others, and Rodgers and Potter have also been named as potential candidates to come in.

The pair were sacked by Leicester City and Chelsea earlier in the season, respectively, and will no doubt be champing at the bit to get back into management.

While it has appeared unlikely that Leeds would be able to entice either of them to Elland Road, given the Whites' relegation, a new update does give them some fresh hope.

Are Rodgers and Potter in the mix?

Speaking to Give Me Sport, Jacobs said that both Rodgers and Potter are still in the conversation to take charge of Leeds, even though their preference is to remain in the Premier League:

"There are obviously a few candidates that Leeds are looking at at the moment. We're hearing growing talk of names like Brendan Rodgers and Graham Potter.

"I think both of those would see themselves as Premier League managers, but Leeds are a big club and in a year might be in the Premier League again, which is why Leeds may feel that they have that opportunity."

To get either Rodgers or Potter would be a major coup for Leeds, considering they are arguably seen as two of the best British managers around, even if things didn't end well for them at Leicester and Chelsea.

In many ways, it could be a major show of their own self-confidence if they decide to take charge of the Whites, in terms of backing themselves to get back into the Premier League straight away, and accept that they will spend one season managing in the second tier of English football.

It does still feel likely that Rodgers and Potter will be more unattainable than others, though – Gerrard will be desperate to test himself again and Corberan is still young, for example – but it is encouraging to see their names in the mix still, highlighting how big a club Leeds are.

Chelsea have opened talks to sign Paris-Saint Germain superstar Neymar for Mauricio Pochettino, according to le10sport journalist Alexis Bernard.

Who could Chelsea sign this summer?

After a very underwhelming and regrettable 2022/2023 Premier League campaign, which saw the west Londoners finish in the bottom half, it is the task of Todd Boehly to back new manager Pochettino to turn the tide.

Chelsea are also without European football next campaign and must convince star players that they can become successful at Stamford Bridge.

According to recent reports, it appears they’re could be targeting upgrades in a variety of different postions, including a new goalkeeper, star striker and central midfield reinforcements.

The likes of Romeo Lavia, Moises Caicedo and Manuel Ugarte have been linked for the latter position most recently, while AC Milan keeper Mike Maignan is apparently among the targets for in-between their sticks.

Dusan Vlahovic and Tammy Abraham are attracting interest for the striker role, but according to a report by le10sport and Bernard on Twitter, it appears Brazil superstar Neymar is another big name on their radar.

According to the French reporter, Chelsea have opened discussions with PSG over the 31-year-old, and the Ligue 1 giants are willing to entertain their advances.

There has been “official contact” to sign Neymar, who are apparently open to idea of selling their forward, with Chelsea making moves behind-the-scenes.

Who is Neymar?

The former Barcelona star has over 120 caps for Brazil and is among their highest goalscorers of all time, having also won a plethora of honours at club level.

Called a “special talent” by pundit Danny Murphy, Neymar’s trophy cabinet boasts a Champions League winner’s medal, a huge array of European league titles and even an Olympic gold medal (Transfermarkt).

Pochettino, commenting on the attacker during his PSG managerial days, heaped real praise on Neymar for his contribution at the Parc des Princes – having been left “thrilled”.

“I’m very happy with his state of mind, his mentality, and everything he brings to the team,” Pochettino said of Neymar (Le Parisien via Tribuna).“He is a creative player, and, as with any creative player, you expect magic every time he touches the ball.”These players have a higher energy expenditure than others. It’s not easy and I’m thrilled with what he’s doing.”

Chelsea, despite all the riches expended since Todd Boehly's arrival, boast a squad far from the finished article.

Mauricio Pochettino is the man who has been tasked with solving the puzzle presented in west London, as a willing challenger to unearth the numerous high-potential stars at Stamford Bridge.

However, to do so he must first foster the correct environment, likely having assurances that he will be given time to work his magic. The success he earned in transforming Tottenham Hotspur did not come overnight, and the same is certainly the case for his latest managerial venture.

He will need to add some key additions of his own in the coming summer window to build upon a year where 17 new players were welcomed and two managers have been sacked.

Whilst investing in this high-risk high-reward strategy has allowed them to stockpile some of Europe's finest young talent, a few key positions remain bare.

Naturally, a centre-forward will be high on the list of priorities, but a true defensive midfielder will be just as imperative to unlock Enzo Fernandez. Therefore, it will please fans that earlier in the week it was reported that Chelsea had opened talks with Sporting CP over the signing of Manuel Ugarte.

The touted €60m (£52m) price tag would mark a small sum if it meant unleashing their British transfer record signing.

Would Manuel Ugarte be a N'Golo Kante upgrade?

In acquiring a player who operates with a defence-first mindset, the Uruguay international could act as a screen for the back four to allow their Argentine maestro to truly thrive.

Although his 7.17 average rating has been upheld by 1.1 key passes and 2.5 tackles per game, in pushing him from the six role into the eight, he could add to his two assists in 18 starts, via Sofascore.

After all, his potential new teammate has mustered 3.9 tackles and 1.8 interceptions per game too (via Sofascore) and therefore ranks in the top 1% for tackles and the top 3% for interceptions per 90 when compared to other midfielders across Europe.

Whilst writer Raj Chohan might have been lambasting the midfielder when branding his choices on the ball as "aggressive", it is this mindset that arguably makes him such a combative and frightening presence defensively in the engine room. Regardless, his 92% pass accuracy suggests otherwise.

Such defensive excellence could easily earn comparisons to the enigmatic N'Golo Kante, who is rarely seen around these parts nowadays due to his persistent injury problems.

The ageing ace has been ravaged with ailments since his move from Leicester City, yet when fit represents one of the division's most relentless midfielders.

Last season showcased this, as he started 21 games and managed to maintain a 7.12 average rating.

This was a figure supported by 2.3 tackles and 1.3 interceptions per game, which was impressive but highlighted a decline from times gone by, via Sofascore. He is admittedly nowhere near the level of his potential 22-year-old successor, who Pochettino will surely prefer.

Given the youthful revolution Boehly has seemingly planned, the 32-year-old is a prime example of those who need replacing in west London and the sooner the club can find his successor, the better because he cannot be trusted like the Kante of old, as evident above.

Few fit the bill more appropriately than Ugarte, to graciously take the mantle from this legendary midfield enforcer, who is a shadow of the player who managed 4.7 tackles per game back in the 2015/16 term.