All posts by z3u9t.icu

Aston Villa have suffered a major blow with the latest transfer update involving England international Jack Grealish.

What’s the story?

Villa’s club captain is currently on international duty with the Three Lions as he looks to enjoy his first taste of international tournament football this summer at the EUROs.

But, according to Football Insider, “Grealish has told friends he remains very interested” in a move to Manchester City, and that his “head has been turned by the strength of City’s interest behind the scenes”.

The report adds: “His future will not be resolved until after this summer’s European Championships but he is said to be very attracted by the possibility of a glamour move to the Premier League champions. Grealish wants to play regularly in the Champions League as well as develop his game under master coach Pep Guardiola.”

Fans will be gutted

Having gotten their transfer window off to the perfect start by beating Arsenal to the signing of Emi Buendia, Villa have now been struck by this reported blow.

Grealish’s importance to this Villa side is well known – in the 12 games that he missed last season in the Premier League, they won just three – and losing him this summer would be a hammer blow to their chances of breaking into the European places next year.

The England star has been with Villa through their time in the Championship and now in the Premier League, and as the side’s skipper, heis Dean Smith’s main source of inspiration on the pitch.

[snack-amp-story url=”https://www.footballfancast.com/web-stories/aston-villa-dean-smith-transfer-window-premier-league-villa-park-emi-buendia-gregg-evans-gossip-rumours-update-news” title=”Read the latest Aston Villa transfer rumours and news!”]

News that Grealish remains “interested” in a move to the Premier League champions will surely have Villa fans absolutely gutted as they quite rightly adore their home-grown superstar captain, the prospect of him playing anywhere else must be very painful for them to even consider.

Of course, Villa still have Grealish under contract and they could simply refuse to sell him, but in an age of player power, it could be very difficult to keep a player who’s seemingly had his head turned.

In a summer where Villa are hoping to develop and become a stronger side, the prospect of losing their best player to the champions seems very real and that will be a bitter pill for Villans’ fans to swallow if City do come knocking.

Meanwhile, Ashley Preece has dropped an exciting claim on Villa’s pursuit of James Ward-Prowse…

A number of Liverpool supporters cannot believe that Jamie Carragher hasn’t included Mohamed Salah in his Premier League Team of the Season.

It has been an extremely difficult campaign for the Reds, who went into the campaign full of confidence having just been crowned champions. Everything seems to have gone wrong, however, with endless injuries to key players halting their progress, while VAR and no fans in stadia have made for a poor spectacle.

[freshpress-quiz id=“355458″]

One man who has continued to perform at a high level is Salah, with the Egyptian scoring 29 goals in all competitions. He hasn’t been totally blameless when it comes to Liverpool’s profligacy in front of goal, but he has stood well above his teammates this season.

Bizarrely, Carragher decided not to pick him in his Team of the Season on Sky Sports’ Monday Night Football, instead opting for Phil Foden, Son Heung-min and Harry Kane in attack.

[web_stories_embed url=”https://www.footballtransfertavern.com/web-stories/all-the-latest-liverpool-news/” title=”All the latest Liverpool news!” poster=”” width=”360″ height=”600″ align=”none”]

Liverpool fans fume at Carragher

These Liverpool supporters were hugely frustrated with Salah’s omission, taking to Twitter to vent their anger at Carragher, who has attracted the ire of many Kopites in recent weeks for other viewpoints.

“Son had a great season individually sure but still not better than Salah. Victim of his own success”

Credit: @plus7end

“Oh, Carra”

Credit: @MexicoCityLFC

“Boo this man. Mo Salah walks into it. Fabinho has had a better season than Kante too although Gundogan should take the 3rd midfield spot”

Credit: @ShakirSH35dv5e7

“I reckon Mo Salah could be THE most underrated player ever in the Premier League”

Credit: @Kjones1892

“The Salah agenda is real”

Credit: @GerrardEra

“No Salah, and Mount? What a clown”

Credit: @salim9081

In other news, Liverpool have received a potential major blow ahead of their clash with Man United. Read more here.

In a recent interview, former Rangers defender Michael Ball has claimed that Steven Gerrard’s side could splash the cash in order to bring SC Heerenveen midfielder Joey Veerman to Ibrox this summer.

Ball spoke to The Transfer Tavern about the 22-year-old, who has been linked with a move to Rangers ahead of the summer transfer window, saying:

“They know the Dutch, how they are trained, and how they come through the youth system. His numbers are fantastic.

“He will probably cost more than Ryan Kent maybe, or around the same amount of money, so if Steven wants him as number one target, I feel the club will 100% back him.”

It is no surprise that Rangers are taking an interest in Veerman considering his superb performances in the Eredivisie in recent seasons.

Last season saw the young midfielder contribute four goals and five assists in 22 Dutch top-flight appearances, earning an excellent 7.27 average rating from WhoScored across the season.

He has improved on that further in the 2020/21 campaign, with seven goals and 10 assists under his belt in just 31 appearances, which has helped him average an incredible 7.40 rating from WhoScored.

Reports have suggested that Rangers would have to pay around £8.5m to Heerenveen if they were to bring him to Ibrox this summer but given that Gerrard will be looking to add some Champions League quality to his side ahead of next season, it is easy to see why Ball has backed the club to sign him.

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

Another former Rangers man, Michael Mols, was full of praise for Veerman recently when asked if he would be a good fit at his old club, saying:

“He is perfect with the ball and in possession, he’s a really great player. His passing and movement with the ball is really relaxed in a good way.”

Given that Rangers have arguably struggled for goals and assists from midfield this season, with Steven Davis, Ryan Jack, Glen Kamara and Scott Arfield mustering just seven goals and seven assists between them in the league, adding someone with Veerman’s quality could help take Rangers to a new level.

[freshpress-quiz id=“593776″]

Therefore, if Ball is correct and Rangers will pay Heerenveen’s reported asking price, then Ross Wilson will be handing the 40-year-old manager a huge boost ahead of next season.

And, in other news… Gerrard must axe Rangers’ “exciting talent” after his huge setback

Former Everton striker Marcus Bent has exclusively told Football FanCast that Moise Kean isn’t worth £40m.

Kean is currently enjoying a productive loan spell at PSG, who are keen on securing a permanent deal this summer, with the Toffees now reportedly open to selling him at a price starting at €50m (£43m).

Everton signed the young forward from Juventus as a teenager for £27.5million, but Kean failed to live up to expectations at Goodison Park, scoring just four times in 37 outings, and half of those came against EFL sides in the Carabao Cup.

But Kean has performed brilliantly in the French capital, netting 12 times in 23 Ligue 1 outings, whilst scoring three further goals in the Champions League to help Mauricio Pochettino’s team progress to the semi-finals.

Learning from Kylian Mbappe and Brazilian star Neymar is clearly helping the Italian, although Bent still reckons he must perform far better to justify a £40million price-tag.

He told Football FanCast:

“I think he’s looking for a new contract, but I’m not sure Everton are going to give it to him.

“He’s a good, skilful, young player, but for them to move him on it depends on the price tag.

“From what I’ve seen he’s not worth £40million, he’ll have to do a lot more to go for £40million, but the price tags on players nowadays are a lot!”

Liverpool are ready to reignite their interest in Trabzonspor goalkeeper Ugurcan Cakir this summer, according to a report from Turkey.

The Reds have been linked with the 25-year-old in the past, with a move to Anfield mooted this time last year. Cakir ended up staying put at Trabzonspor, though, where he has made 35 Turkish Super Lig appearances this season, helping them sit fourth in the table currently.

Leicester City’s head of recruitment Lee Congerton once described him as “one of the best goalkeepers [Cakir] I have seen in my life”, highlighting his pedigree.

[freshpress-quiz id=“355458″]

Liverpool keen on signing Cakir

According to Fanatik [via Inside Futbol], Liverpool are keen on acquiring Cakir’s services in the summer transfer window, viewing him as a superior backup option to Adrian.

The Reds will reportedly have to pay approximately €20m-25m (£17.4m-£21.7m) if they want to sign the seven-cap Turkey international.

[web_stories_embed url=”https://www.footballtransfertavern.com/web-stories/liverpool-latest-news-and-updates/” title=”Liverpool latest news and updates!” poster=”https://cdn.footballtransfertavern.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/04/2021-01-02T123739Z_1934422778_UP1EH120Z2RVI_RTRMADP_3_SOCCER-SCOTLAND-RFC-CEL-REPORT-2-640×853.jpg” width=”360″ height=”600″ align=”none”]

Transfer Tavern take

The key to a potential move happening could be whether or not Cakir will be willing to be second-choice at Anfield, with Alisson one of the most important players at Jurgen Klopp’s disposal.

If he is, then he would arguably be an upgrade on Adrian, who started well at Liverpool but has fallen away, producing a terrible performance in last season’s Champions League exit at the hands of Atletico Madrid. Inside Futbol reported of ‘lingering doubts regarding the Spaniard’s ability to be a proper backup for Alisson’, hence the Reds’ renewed interest in Cakir.

With Adrian’s contract expiring in the summer, it makes perfect sense to move him on and bring in a younger, more suitable option such as the highly-rated Turkish stopper.

In other news, a reliable journalist has provided a key update on Ibrahima Konate. Read more here.

Leicester City manager Brendan Rodgers has been lavishly praised for his work with the East Midlands club – and justifiably so.

The former Liverpool and Celtic manager has dragged the Foxes from the doldrums of mid-table mediocrity to consistent challengers for the UEFA Champions League positions and an FA Cup semi-final in just a couple of seasons.

The Northern Irishman has now received the ultimate compliment, with World Cup-winning coach Luiz Felipe Scolari saying that Rodgers in on track to be “one of the greatest managers in the world”.

Judging from his managerial CV so far and his immense experience within the game despite his tender years, it is hard to argue with that assessment.

But for a few tricky appointments in his formative years, Rodgers has established himself as an elite coach at every level.

He created a fantastic team at Swansea City, earning the Welsh outfit promotion to the Premier League for the first time with an attractive style of play which earned him the Liverpool job.

At Anfield, the 48-year-old developed the careers of Philippe Coutinho, Luis Suarez and Raheem Sterling among many others, whilst also going so close to guiding the Reds to their first Premier League crown, only to miss out to Manchester City.

After his tenure on Merseyside ended, his long wait for silverware came to an end with Celtic. He masterminded two Scottish Premiership title wins, one of those being a stunning unbeaten campaign, whilst also scooping five cup wins.

Having celebrated his 100th match in charge of Leicester City, Rodgers’ influence at the King Power Stadium cannot be understated.

Whilst he may have to go some way to prove that he is one of the elite coaches in the world, a task which will certainly be helped with the addition of more silverware, Scolari’s assessment that the 48-year-old is firmly on the correct route to achieving that status is not far wrong, and it’s praise which is certainly justified.

AND in more news, read why Jamie Vardy’s England decision was absolutely correct…

In an exclusive interview with Football FanCast, Steve Bull, who made 561 appearances for Wolves, doesn’t believe John Terry is the right man for the vacant Sheffield United job and that he should stay with Dean Smith at Aston Villa.

Sheffield United are still on the hunt for Chris Wilder’s successor after he departed last month and Terry has been linked with making his first step into management with the Blades.

Unlike his former England teammates Frank Lampard, Steven Gerrard and Wayne Rooney who have taken step into management much sooner, Terry has been working under Smith at Villa, mainly working with the defence.

Speaking on why it’s not the right time for John Terry to become a manager and what he should do instead of taking the job, Bull told FFC:

“It’s too soon for him I think because he needs at least another year at Villa. Frank Lampard tried to do it at Chelsea and it didn’t end up working out for him.

“‘I’d wait a bit longer at Villa and learn some more from Dean Smith and then see where he goes from there.”

Terry has been with Villa since they were in the Championship back in 2018 and the effect he has had on players such as Tyrone Mings is clear for everyone to see.

Villa still have hopes of qualifying for Europe after an impressive 3-1 win against Fulham, whereas Sheffield United were beaten 2-1 by Leeds United last week.

Premier League side Wolverhampton Wanderers could be looking to re-sign Matt Doherty in the upcoming summer transfer window.

Wolves sold Doherty to Tottenham in the summer of 2020, but it now seems as if they could be keen to sign the Irishman only a season after letting him go.

Wolves ‘open’ to bringing Doherty back

Football Insider have stated that Wolves are open to signing Doherty in the summer, even if the club doesn’t part ways with Nelson Semedo. There’s a suggestion that Doherty could be sold by Spurs in the summer, along with Serge Aurier.

Wolves will be looking to sign their former right-back, if Spurs are willing to sell him for a lesser fee than what they signed him for.

The report states that both Doherty and Semedo happen to have Jorge Mendes as their agents and Mendes is also Wolves’ advisor. More than that, he also represents Spurs boss Jose Mourinho, and so could certainly play a role in facilitating a deal.

£18m-rated Doherty has played only 15 times in the Premier League for Spurs this season, getting two assists in seven Europa League appearances for the side (as per Transfermarkt).

Doherty move is a win-win

Doherty has struggled in north London – just last weekend he was crucified by fans on Twitter for his performance in the derby against Arsenal.

While Wolves fans may not appreciate his departure, it’s fair to say the 29 year-old would welcome a return to a club where he enjoyed much more success, and Spurs would get a player off their books who seemingly just doesn’t fit. This feels like a potential win for all parties.

In other news, Wolves could look to sign a Bundesliga ace – read more here.

Paul Robinson has dropped a big transfer claim on Karl Darlow as he told Football Insider that he thinks he will exit Newcastle United in the summer window.

The former Nottingham Forest man has recently lost his spot in the starting eleven for the St. James’ Park faithful, and Robinson believes that he will leave in the summer in search of more regular first-team football, given how close he was to receiving an England call-up under Gareth Southgate:

“I think he was in with a serious shout of getting in the England squad before he got dropped.

“It would have been between him and Sam Johnstone. Johnstone has been exceptional this season but so has Karl Darlow. His performances gave himself a great opportunity of getting into Gareth Southgate’s plans but Bruce dropped him after an indifferent performance at Manchester United.

“It is always going to be difficult for Darlow with someone of Dubravka’s quality behind him. Manager’s tend to have a loyalty to their number one goalkeeper. It is almost like a comfort blanket.

“Darlow was very highly rated when he was young but he has struggled for game time at Newcastle.

“I think the way he has played this season, and how close he got to an England call up will give him the hunger and desire to go and play regular football.

“I think regardless of whether Newcastle stay up, he will leave this summer.” 

Darlow should leave Newcastle

Given the injury that Jordan Pickford sustained which meant that he was not called up to the Three Lions squad ahead of their 2022 FIFA World Cup qualifiers, it was always going to be likely to be between Darlow and Johnstone over who was going to get the third goalkeeping spot as Robinson has claimed.

Darlow was on a decent run of form for Steve Bruce’s team before he was dropped for Dubravka, and since he has been dropped to the bench, the Tyneside club have not won a game, conceding five goals in the process (Transfermarkt).

The 30-year-old may not get a better opportunity to play for his country ever again over the course of his career, and so it may be a wise move for him to leave the North East in the summer.

In other news, find out what inside Mike Ashley claim Mark Douglas has dropped from takeover sources here!

According to a report by Tutto Bologna Web, also transcribed and shared by Sport Witness, West Ham United are eyeing in form star Lukasz Skorupski as they could look to strengthen the goalkeeping area of the squad.

Skorupski, who has been in fine form for Serie A side Bologna recently, grabbing one of the top performances by a goalkeeper in Europe’s top five leagues last weekend according to WhoScored, is now reportedly attracting interest from the Hammers.

West Ham eyeing Skorupski

Tutto Bologna Web tout West Ham as the side primarily looking at the 29-year-old, coming as a potential replacement for current number one Lukasz Fabianski – with back ups Darren Randolph and David Martin also beginning to reach the twilight stage of their careers.

After becoming Bologna’s first choice this season, he is starting to attract interest, with fellow Premier League sides Aston Villa, Brighton, Wolves and Crystal Palace also touted as sides who could be in need of new goalkeepers.

Transfer Tavern take

A fellow Poland international, the shot stopper could be an ideal option for West Ham as they contemplate a new player to either compete with or play deputy to Fabianski.

Whether or not they launch a concrete bid in the summer is yet to be seen, but as per this report, the Hammers are casting an eye.

In other news: West Ham fans flocked to this ExWHUemployee claim, find out more here.