All posts by rastrear-estafeta.com

Alasdair Gold has delivered a potentially exciting transfer claim surrounding Tottenham Hotspur ahead of the 11pm deadline this evening…

What’s the word?

Speaking on Twitter, he said:

“Spurs yet to completely rule out more movement today but an expectation at this stage that the two new arrivals could be the only ones. With that, here’s a look at the intricacies of today’s deals in and out, the reasons why but also the problems ahead.”

In an accompanying article, he then added:

‘football.london understands that while Paratici is continuing to scour for opportunities in the market in the final hours of the window, and the club have not yet ruled out further movement, there is an expectation that, at this current moment, Bentancur and Kulusevski will be the only new faces this window.’

Late deals to be done?

With a mere matter of hours left on deadline day, this development from Gold is certainly going to provide Spurs fans with some hope that more business can be done before time runs out.

Rodrigo Bentancur and Dejan Kulusevski are currently the only incomings at Hotspur Way this evening, both signing from sporting director Fabio Paratici’s former club, Juventus.

Meanwhile, there has been a flurry of departures already, if not inbound. Tanguy Ndombele has gone to former club Lyon, Giovani Lo Celso to Villarreal, Dele Alli is expected to sign for Everton, whilst Bryan Gil has also gone out on loan.

The arrival of the Uruguay midfield beast certainly bolsters Conte’s engine room, whereas the Sweden dynamo hands the Italian a very versatile and exciting option anywhere in the attack.

But he could still do with a new right wing-back and potentially a left-footed centre-back as reports suggest that he has little faith in his current options of Matt Doherty and summer signing Emerson Royal due to their lack of threat in the final third.

Whilst left-back Ben Davies has been deployed in a back three as the only natural left-footed option available.

Either way, those around north London will surely be buzzing by Gold’s latest update.

AND in other news, talkSPORT drop exciting Spurs transfer claim on deadline day…

Glasgow Rangers manager Giovanni van Bronckhorst has dropped a teasing update on the fitness of Aaron Ramsey ahead of the Gers’ upcoming Premiership clash.

What’s the latest?

Speaking in his pre-match press conference, the 47-year-old revealed that the club’s deadline day signing has been progressing well in training, suggesting that the Juventus loanee could be in line to feature against Hearts on Sunday.

Speaking about the fitness of the 31-year-old, the Dutchman said: “Ramsey is looking good.”

Fans will be buzzing

While it is undeniable that Ramsey has not been at his best in Italy this season, the midfielder nevertheless boasts huge ability, so his potential involvement in a huge match in Rangers’ Premiership campaign is sure to have left the Ibrox faithful buzzing.

Indeed, over his 22 Serie A appearances last term, the £4.5m-rated Wales international demonstrated that he still has what it takes to impress in one of Europe’s big five leagues. He scored two goals, registered four assists and created six big chances for his team-mates, averaging 1.1 shots and 1.4 key passes per game.

These returns saw the £175k-per-week midfielder earn a seasonal SofaScore match rating of 6.97, ranking him as Juve’s 12th-best performer in the Italian top flight in 2020/21.

As such, should Ramsey be able to rediscover this level of form during his temporary spell with Rangers, or even improve upon it, the former Arsenal playmaker will certainly provide the Dutch manager with an excellent creative option in the middle of the park. That is something which Van Bronckhorst and Gers fans will undoubtedly be hoping to witness when the champions welcome Hearts to Ibrox tomorrow afternoon.

In other news – “Gers will be keen”: Update emerges on “dynamic” £14k-p/w Ibrox ace, Van Bronckhorst would be fuming

Tottenham defender Ben Davies has returned from international duty as a precaution after picking up a minor injury, according to football.london’s Alasdair Gold.

The Lowdown: Davies’ importance to Spurs

The Welshman has become a prominent figure under Antonio Conte’s management, slotting in as the left-sided central defender in Spurs’ back three.

Since the Italian arrived at Hotspur Way in November, the 28-year-old has started all but two matches for the Lilywhites.

Consequently, Davies has been very complimentary of his boss, saying: “To have the opportunity to work under a world class manager is always nice as a player.”

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

The Latest: Davies withdraws from Wales squad

Davies withdrew from the Wales squad after playing 90 minutes in his country’s 2-1 win over Austria on Thursday evening. However, Alasdair Gold has now revealed the specifics on his withdrawal, claiming in an article for  football.london that it was due to precautionary measures.

Taking to Twitter, he shared the article and captioned the story: “Good news on Ben Davies it seems.”

In the article, Gold shared that the defender had picked up a minor injury whilst on international duty. Due to feeling tightness in one of his quad muscles, the Wales international returned to Tottenham as a precaution.

As a result, he should be available for Spurs’ upcoming clash against Newcastle on Sunday.

The Verdict: Good news

As Gold put it, this will come as “good news” for Conte, who will presumably slot the left-footer back into that left-sided centre-back position against Newcastle.

In the Lilywhites’ last five Premier League games, Conte’s side have won four and lost one, with the Welshman having nearly played the full 90 minutes on each occasion. To highlight how impressively he has been playing, former Spurs centre-back Michael Dawson said that Davies is “perfect” for the Italian’s system.

Therefore, given his importance to the Tottenham back line, Conte will be relieved to see the 28-year-old come back from international duty relatively unscathed.

In other news: Pete O’Rourke makes Paulo Dybala to Spurs claim

Ange Postecoglou has dropped an update on the injury sustained by Matt O’Riley in Celtic’s Old Firm victory last weekend.

What’s the latest?

In recent comments cited by The Herald, the 56-year-old manager revealed that, despite being withdrawn just 15 minutes after his introduction in the second half of the 2-1 win over Rangers, the 21-year-old does not appear to have sustained a serious injury.

Speaking about the current condition of the Denmark U21 international, the Hoops boss said: “Matty got a bit of a decent knock. He probably could’ve soldiered on but with the game being as it is and we’ve got a bench now that can make a difference, we thought we would take him off and just protect him.”

Great news for Celtic

Considering just how impressive O’Riley has been for Celtic since his £1.5m move to Parkhead back in January, the news that the midfielder does not look to have sustained a serious injury is certainly great news for the Bhoys.

Indeed, over his 11 Premiership appearances this season, the £405k-rated dynamo has been in fantastic form, scoring one goal, registering three assists and creating four big chances for his teammates, as well as taking an average of 1.2 shots and making 2.6 key passes – the third-most in the league – per game.

These returns have seen the 21-year-old who Kieran Devlin claimed has been “8/10” in every game he’s played for Celtic average a rather remarkable SofaScore match rating of 7.34, ranking him as the seventh-best player in the top flight of Scottish football.

As such, while it is true that the return of David Turnbull and the presence of Tom Rogic and Reo Hatate in the middle of the park means the loss of O’Riley would not exactly have been a disaster, Postecoglou’s claim that the youngster does not appear to have sustained any long-lasting damage is nevertheless fantastic news for the club – as the former MK Dons starlet has already proven that he is one of the most exciting young talents in the Hoops squad.

AND in other news: Ange could unearth Celtic’s next Hendry in 18 y/o prodigy who’s “making real strides”

Taking to Twitter, journalist Jack Pitt-Brooke of The Athletic has dropped a Tottenham Hotspur revelation as he makes a ‘big’ transfer claim.

The lowdown: Overhaul incoming?

Spurs manager Antonio Conte could be set to oversee a squad overhaul during the summer transfer window as the Italian attempts to strengthen the ranks at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium.

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

The 52-year-old has previously admitted frustration at the strength in depth within the squad and a busy summer could thus be on the cards.

Now an early budget update appears to have emerged from a reliable source…

The latest: Pitt-Brooke makes claim

Pitt-Brooke, made a bold claim on Twitter, implying that the north London club are willing to splash the cash on a new centre-back.

“Spurs tried for Pau Torres last summer but he said no, I don’t think he’ll be an option this time. Spurs want to spend big on this position – as much as they spent on Romero – but Gvardiol would be much more expensive than that. Imagine a lot hinges on CL football / Conte etc.”

Backing up a previous report stating that Tottenham are eyeing Josko Gvardiol,  Alessandro Bastoni, Sven Botman and Nico Schlotterbeck for the role, The Athletic reporter went on to reveal that a move for Botman is the ‘least likely’ option due to interest from AC Milan.

The verdict: Positive signs

Often criticised for a lack of transfer investment, having spent £42.5million on Romero (football.london), news of similar funds for Managing Director of football Fabio Paritici from Spurs’ ownership group ENIC will be music to the ears of supporters.

Whilst it remains to be seen whether or not Tottenham can land any of the aforementioned targets – particularly with the importance of Conte and indeed UEFA Champions League qualification mooted – mentions of such top talents and indeed a potential to spend ‘big’ on an important position can only be viewed as a positive.

At present, Conte has the likes of Eric Dier, Davinson Sanchez, Cristian Romero and Joe Rodon to call upon at the heart of the defence and the Italian coach has so far utilised a 3-4-2-1 formation since arriving at Tottenham, using Welsh defender Ben Davies as a makeshift left-sided operator.

Making just 19 Premier League appearances combined, Rodon and Sanchez could be fearing for their futures in north London following this latest revelation (WhoScored).

In other news: Sky Sports reporter drops claim involving Tottenham and Serie A star, find out more here.

Frank Lampard will need to make many difficult decisions at the end of the season in terms of the Everton squad, despite safety in the Premier League still uncertain it hasn’t stopped transfer interest mounting at Goodison Park ahead of the transfer window.

What’s the word?

Speaking to Football FanCast, journalist and transfer insider Dean Jones has named a key role Everton will be looking to recruit for this summer.

Jones revealed: “They obviously need centre backs, and I think they’ll probably sign a very good one in the summer to try and fix their problems.”

A move for Joe Worrall?

If Everton are looking to upgrade their defence this summer with a new centre-back, there’s a good chance that the club will further pursue Nottingham Forest star Joe Worrall.

He has been recently been linked with a move to Goodison Park after scouts were reportedly sent to watch him in the FA Cup this season.

Worrall has been enjoying his football in the Championship with Forest and making a huge impact on improving their chances of promotion to the Premier League six points behind Bournemouth in second and certain for a play-off spot with just three games left to go.

According to SofaScore, the 25-year-old who was dubbed “outstanding” and a “leader” by Steven Gerrard, has been a key player for Forest in his 32 appearances in the league so far with 1.9 interceptions, 1.7 tackles and 3.2 clearances on average per game.

Comedically hailed for being “made out of the same stuff as Wolverine” by Forest journalist Matt Davies, Worrall has also won the majority of his duels combined (62%), proved successful in 81% of his dribbles and kept 13 clean sheets.

The current defenders at Goodison Park have been significantly criticised for their poor performances this season, with Jamie Carragher claiming the current crop were a “Championship back four” after costing Everton on many occasions, and it would come as no surprise if Lampard was to overhaul the defensive line in the team this summer.

Everton will need to focus on their remaining eight games in the Premier League and securing survival from relegation before they make any transfer plans, but signing a player like Worrall would clearly be an upgrade in Lampard’s current squad.

In other news: Lampard must finally axe “poor” 28 y/o Everton flop who’s massively “costing the team”

According to Football Insider, Liverpool have been informed by Borussia Dortmund that Jude Bellingham is not for sale this summer. 

The lowdown: Interest building

Since making the switch to Germany, Bellingham has enjoyed a rapid rise to prominence and is now a regular for the Bundesliga side and England despite his tender years.

The Reds have been extensively linked with the 18-year-old midfielder for some time now and a big-money swoop had appeared to be on the horizon.

However, an immediate move may well have been taken off the cards if this latest update is anything to go by.

[web_stories_embed url=”https://www.footballtransfertavern.com/web-stories/latest-liverpool-transfer-news-29/” title=”Latest Liverpool transfer news!” poster=”” width=”360″ height=”600″ align=”none”]

The latest: FI drop a major update

As per an FI recruitment source, Dortmund have informed both Liverpool and Manchester United that the teenage sensation ‘will not be sold’ this summer.

The report claims that the Anfield club and arch-rivals United have made contact about signing the 12-cap England starlet.

But, as Jurgen Klopp’s former employers prepare themselves for the departure of Erling Haaland, there is said to be ‘no intention’ of allowing the midfielder once hailed as ‘phenomenal’ by Gareth Southgate to follow suit.

The verdict: Worth the wait

The prospect of no summer move being forthcoming for Bellingham is undoubtedly a disappointing one for Liverpool as Klopp and incoming sporting director Julian Ward are likely to attempt to strengthen the midfield department.

With current incumbents, James Milner, Jordan Henderson and Thiago all over 30 and Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain stuck on the periphery of matters, signing a truly supreme star of the future such as the ex-Birmingham academy prospect – who can operate in various roles – would’ve been the ideal option to bolster the Anfield ranks.

Now the recruitment team and indeed FSG face the dilemma of whether to move on to different targets or wait for the Englishman.

Statistics on this don’t lie and Bellingham has scored six times and registered 11 assists in 40 appearances this season – we feel he would be worth the wait.

In other news, one Liverpool player has been backed to leave this summer. Find out who it is here.

Celtic had one of their busier summer transfer windows last time out as Ange Postecoglou made a significant mark on the squad at Parkhead.

However, not every player that was brought in during that period has gone on to play a big part for the club in their latest SPFL campaign.

One player that fits into this category is defender Osaze Urhoghide, who made the move to Celtic Park from Sheffield Wednesday in a deal worth around £200k.

The 20-year-old made just one senior appearance for the Hoops which came during their 3-2 win over Real Betis in the Europa League before he joined Belgian club KV Oostende on loan in January.

In that game against Betis, the youngster managed to showcase the defensive talent he has whilst playing in the right-back position by racking up five tackles and three clearances as well as winning nine of the 15 duels he was involved in.

Since moving to Belgium, the £7k-per-week defender has played the full 90 minutes in each of Oostende’s six previous league games, all as a centre-back.

In the seven league games he’s played in, the Celtic loanee has won 12 tackles and made 22 interceptions, highlighting what he’s capable of when given the chance to play regularly.

In terms of his overall performances, Urhoghide has earned himself a rating of 6.81/10 from WhoScored, making him the second-highest rated player at the Belgian club, which emphasises the positive impact he’s had since joining.

Labelled as “great lad who puts his head in where it hurts,” by Neal Ardley as well as being a “brave” and “athletic” player that “will give you everything he’s got,” the defender could be an ideal option for Postecoglou at Celtic next season.

Taking all of this into account, it would definitely be worth giving the Englishman a real chance of showing what he can do to offer the team in the SPFL during their next campaign.

Also, with there being no guarantee as of yet that the Bhoys will be able to secure their current loan defender Cameron Carter-Vickers on a permanent deal from Tottenham Hotspur, having Urhoghide ready to be unleashed could end up saving Postecoglou and the club millions in potential transfer fees.

In other news: Sold for £2m, now worth £540k: Celtic struck gold on £17k-p/w dud who “had issues”

A lot has been made of potential incomings at Aston Villa this summer, although there should also be a consideration for those who need to be moved on, with a handful of players no longer warranting a place in the squad.

One such figure whose time is seemingly up at Villa Park is Anwar El Ghazi, with the Dutchman having slipped way down the attacking pecking order following Steven Gerrard’s appointment as manager back in November.

Having been deemed surplus to requirements by the former Rangers boss, the 26-year-old – who had originally joined the club on an initial loan deal back in 2018 – made a surprise switch to Everton during the winter window.

However, little has gone to plan for the two-cap international at Goodison Park, amid reports that he wasn’t even a preferred option for then-boss Rafa Benitez upon his arrival.

The sacking of the Spaniard has done little to change his fortunes, however, with his successor Frank Lampard also keeping the £9m-rated man out in the cold, resulting in the former Lille ace making just two appearances thus far on Merseyside in all competitions – totalling just 11 minutes.

Unwanted by a club scrapping for relegation, it would seem unlikely that he would have any future back with the Midlands outfit, despite having impressed prior to the current campaign – notably netting ten top-flight goals last term for the Villans.

As it is, he faces the double-whammy of missing out on a permanent deal with the Toffees, as well as looking destined to depart to his parent club – according to reports – with it no real surprise if Gerrard is keen to cash in during the upcoming window.

Once dubbed “unplayable” by former teammate-turned-pundit Alan Hutton, it has been a sad decline over the past year or so, for the £38k-per-week forward, with his future looking likely to be elsewhere ahead of next season.

In truth, he has perhaps been fortunate to have lasted this long, with reports last year suggesting that then-manager Dean Smith was set to sanction a sale, only for an injury to Trezeguet sparing him from the axe.

A repeat of that reprieve shouldn’t be the case this season, however, with Villa needing to ruthlessly let him go.

IN other news, Sold at £9.2m, then became the next Pirlo: AVFC will rue call on 32 y/o “specialist”

Football finance expert Kieran Maguire has given his reaction to the news that Sunderland have come under a renewed takeover bid. 

The lowdown: Takeover bid made

According to a recent report from the Daily Mail, British businessman William Storey has offered to buy a controlling share in the club.

Having previously tried to take control at the Stadium of Light before the arrival of Kyril Louis-Dreyfus, Storey has seemingly returned with a fresh attempt to take over the Black Cats.

However, Louis-Dreyfus is reportedly unwilling to leave his post despite what one knowledgeable onlooker thinks would be a smart financial decision…

The latest: ‘Very good price’

Speaking to Football Insider, Maguire – a regular contributor for Sky Sports – has claimed that the reported £42m offer represents a ‘generous’ bid given Sunderland’s current status.

The finnace expert said of the ongoing situation: “If they are in League One, that is a very good price because they’d be paying almost four times revenue.

“Given that we value clubs in the Premier League at around 1.75 to two times revenue, excluding the big six, I think that’s fairly generous. In the Championship, clubs are generally worth 1.3 times revenue.

“They will probably get to £30m in revenue if they are promoted, so again it would be a high price by Championship standards.”

The verdict: Stability needed

Widely accepted as something of a sleeping giant across the pantheon of football, Sunderland would see their value rise significantly over the coming weeks should Alex Neil be able to guide the club back to the second tier of English football following a 1-0 victory over Sheffield Wednesday in the first leg of their play-off semi-final.

In this instance, Louis-Dreyfus and the remaining hierarchy will have been justified in their decision to stand firm, whilst Storey’s offer will almost instantly fall short of the club’s valuation following promotion.

However, should Neil’s men miss out on promotion, a takeover appears more likely as those in situ might attempt to cut their losses and become more inclined to accept incoming bids such as the one reportedly presented by the British entrepreneur, who has made his money in energy beverages.

Overall, the ownership situation on Wearside has been a distraction for too long now, and Sunderland fans will surely want this entire matter addressed once and for all over the summer regardless of what league they are playing in next season.

In other news, Sunderland are now facing one big dilemma