All posts by rastrear-estafeta.com

Celtic secured their biggest win under Ange Postecoglou on Saturday as the Hoops demolished their weekend opponents.

It was as comfortable a win as they come for the Bhoys who swept aside St Johnstone 7-0 at Parkhead.

It was a mightily positive victory for Postecoglou’s men but it’s not all sunshine and rainbows after Celtic were dealt with a crushing injury setback.

What’s the word?

Giorgos Giakoumakis found the net for the 13th time early in the clash on Saturday but shortly after he found himself back in the dressing room, limping off injured.

Sadly, there is no chance that he will now be fit to face Rangers in the Scottish Cup semi-finals next Sunday.

Speaking about the issue in his post-match press conference, the Hoops boss said: “I’m not too sure at the moment. He didn’t think it was too bad but he could feel something.

“It’s always a concern when players do that. He’s had an enormous load the last few weeks.

“It’s unfortunate for him but I’m hopeful he’ll still be available for us in the run-in.”

Major blow

This is a devastating blow for Celtic, primarily due to the timing of the Greek striker’s setback.

They may have defeated Rangers last week but there is no guarantee that they will do again without the summer signing next weekend.

After all, Kyogo Furuashi has only just returned from injury and Giakoumakis has been in stunning form this calendar year.

The 27-year-old has scored eight times throughout 2022, which rather incredibly includes two hat-tricks.

With Kyogo out and Daizen Maeda adjusting to life in Scotland, he needed to inject a spark into his Celtic career and that’s precisely what he’s done, playing a key part in the club’s bid for success.

The Glaswegian giants have already won the League Cup and are now favourites to win the Premiership but without Giakoumakis in seven days time, it could derail and flatten their hopes of securing a historical treble in Postecoglou’s first campaign at Parkhead.

What makes it even worse is that the Greece international has already been plagued with injury since arriving, missing several games in the first half of the season.

Celtic will be hoping for a swift recovery sooner rather than later.

AND in other news, Get rid: Ange must brutally axe Celtic’s £14k-pw “terrible flop”, he’s Shane Duffy 2.0…

Rangers have been hit with a fresh injury concern over Ibrox central midfielder Aaron Ramsey…

What’s the latest?

Gio van Bronckhorst has confirmed that the Wales international suffered a hamstring setback in the Scottish Cup win on Sunday.

The on-loan gem was forced off in the first half with the score at 0-0 as Scott Wright was pressed into action earlier than he may have expected, with the Gers going on to win 2-1 in extra time to make it to the final of the competition.

However, they could have to play in the showpiece clash without Ramsey if this knock rules him out for a number of weeks.

Journalist Phil Cadden quoted the head coach as saying: “He had a problem with his hamstring. It didn’t look really good. We will have to assess him, but of course it is a blow for us that he will be out. I don’t know for how long. We just have to assess him on Monday and see where he is.”

Van Bronckhorst will be infuriated

This is a huge blow for the Gers and van Bronckhorst will be furious with this latest injury issue for the midfielder as it has been an almost constant problem for him since arriving in January.

Ramsey has only started four matches in the Premiership and Europa League combined for the club as he has been dealing with his own fitness in recent months. The Juventus man has been unable to string a run of matches together and now looks set for another spell on the sidelines.

Until Rangers know the extent of the damage it is impossible to gauge how long he will be out for action for. Hamstring injuries can range from days to months to recover from depending on the grade of the tear and this means that he could be back next week or it could be his season over and done with.

Losing him for any number of matches will be a huge blow as he has shown that he does have the quality to make a big impact when he does play. He has scored two goals in his three Premiership starts, including one against Celtic in the Old Firm, and has averaged a SofaScore rating of 6.98 in the division.

Ramsey can score from midfield and has the experience in European competition that can be vital against RB Leipzig in the semi-finals of the Europa League. He has played for Arsenal and Juventus in Europe and this means that he knows what it takes to perform at that level, making his potential absence against the German side a sizeable concern for the head coach and that is another reason why he will be furious with this injury blow.

AND in other news, Forget Arfield: “Superb” £24k-p/w Rangers machine was “out of this world” today…

Tottenham Hotspur are expected to make a move for a new centre-back in the summer…

What’s the word?

That’s according to Daily Mail journalist Sami Mokbel, who delivered a rather exciting claim to GIVEMESPORT this week. When asked about the central defensive department, he replied:

“I think that is definitely an area they will look to strengthen in the summer.”

Colossal signing

Spurs are certainly going to need to make further additions to Antonio Conte’s playing squad when the transfer window reopens at the end of the season and finding a new centre-back would be a good place to start.

The Italian has often turned to full-back Ben Davies as the third man in his backline as he is the only natural left-footer capable of playing as centre-back. He alongside Cristian Romero, who is only on loan from Atalanta, and Eric Dier is likely to be the first-choice trio for the rest of the season.

There appears to be little faith in his three other options – Davinson Sanchez, Joe Rodon and Japhet Tanganga – with the latter two being linked with exits throughout the winter.

Perhaps aside from Rodon, it’s easy to see why the 52-year-old isn’t keen on the other two as they have often been calamitous and rather error-prone. That much is summed up by their mistakes in the three games against Chelsea last month.

Whilst it remains to be seen what sort of defensive signing the club will target, they have been linked to some rather exciting names in the past, including Conte’s former title-winning colossus at Inter Milan, Stefan de Vrij, and Juventus’ big-money signing Matthijs de Ligt.

Both of whom would offer huge upgrades on his current options.

A lot of Conte’s recent success in stints at the San Siro giants and Chelsea have been built from the back and having solid options will certainly help bring success back to the Lilywhites.

He will surely be buzzing to hear that a new centre-back is “definitely” on the agenda.

AND in other news, Imagine him & Hojbjerg: Conte has formidable Spurs unit with £15.9m “extraordinary talent”…

Transfer insider Dean Jones has made a claim on Manchester United star Bruno Fernandes and reported manager target Erik ten Hag.

The Lowdown: New Fernandes deal; Ten Hag talks

Fernandes looks set to pen a new five-year deal in Manchester, as first reported by Fabrizio Romano.

The transfer guru shared a ‘breakthrough’ in talks last week and added on the weekend that it is a matter of time until the contracts are signed.

The Red Devils star looks set to be a key member of the squad going forward under a new manager, possibly Ten Hag, after the club held ‘positive talks’ with the Ajax boss earlier this month.

The Latest: Jones’ comments

Talking to The Transfer Tavern, Jones had this to say on contract situations, such as Fernandes, and Ten Hag possibly coming in at Old Trafford.

“I think that players with their contract situations like Bruno Fernandes, for example, were led to believe that that Ten Hag was the path that they were going to go down. So I still think that it’s most likely to be Ten Hag.”

The Verdict: Interesting…

It seems as if players such as Fernandes have been getting the feeling that Ten Hag will replace Ralf Rangnick over the summer.

That could have possibly played a part in the attacking midfielder committing his future at the club, and United chiefs now need to tie up a move for the 52-year-old.

He has been approached by two more clubs following talks with the Red Devils, so the last thing United will want is to miss out on his services and possibly upset several players, including Fernandes.

In other news: ‘Absolutely shocking’ – Source reveals Man Utd star now wants to quit even if Ten Hag arrives

Manchester United are surely set to strengthen their squad heavily in the upcoming summer transfer window.

The Red Devils spent big last summer by bringing Fred and Diogo Dalot to the club. However, the Brazilian midfielder has struggled to make an impact at Old Trafford while the Portuguese is seen as a signing for the future despite some bright cameo appearances. After Jose Mourinho’s dismissal, Ole Gunnar Solksjaer has completely revitalised the United squad.

Their excellent form under the Norwegian’s stewardship has drastically increased his chances of landing the job on a permanent basis in the summer. Regardless of who is in charge, they will likely be backed by a transfer war chest as United look to challenge for the title yet again. Their budget will be bolstered by a host of fringe players who could leave the club.

One man United could target is Benfica wonderkid – Joao Felix. Valued at £13.5m by Transfermarkt, the attacking midfielder has progressed through the club’s academy after being released by rivals Porto in 2015. Felix has blossomed into a vital first-team player and is enjoying his finest season to date in Liga NOS.

The 19-year-old has been in lethal form in front of goal, finding the back of the net nine times already this season. Felix has also been the creative force for his side, registering six assists for his team-mates. The Portugal U21 international possesses excellent technical ability and pace to cause defenders problems – his expert vision allows him to constantly carve open opposition back fours.

The youngster is improving with each passing game – signing him in the summer could prove to be a masterstroke.

Manchester United fans, thoughts?

Celtic writer and podcaster John McGinley was full of praise for young forward Karamoko Dembele during the Glasgow Cup semi-final clash between the Hoops’ B side and Rangers B. 

The lowdown: Old Firm defeat

Following on from the senior side’s extra-time loss to their cross-city rivals at Hampden Park, the young Celts were unable to exact revenge.

Despite taking the lead in the away clash through Mikey Johnston, the Hoops were pegged back before the game was eventually decided on penalties as it finished 2-2 after yet more extra time tension.

Ultimately, Celtic B were unable to progress, but one starlet in particular caught the eye of those keen observers…

The latest: McGinley impressed

Taking to Twitter, football journalist McGinley was quick to credit the contribution of Dembele.

“Karamoko Dembele key in the build-up to Celtic’s first goal today and his assist for the second was pretty special.”

The 19-year-old has largely been an afterthought in Ange Postecoglou’s plans with just ten senior appearances in total, barely being seen by fans this season with just 20 minutes of first-team action across 2021/22.

The verdict: New deal pending?

Out of contract at the end of this campaign (Transfermarkt), standout performances such as this should encourage Celtic to do everything in their power to keep the talented teenager at the club.

Capped on 27 occasions at various youth levels by both England and Scotland, the London-born attacker clearly possesses plenty of potential and having already lost Ben Doak recently, the Hoops need to be careful not to let another star of the future walk away.

Albeit unlikely that Dembele appears again this season given the strength in depth at Celtic Park and the magnitude of each remaining game, next term could well be a breakthrough one for the starlet who has shone in Tommy McIntyre’s side.

In other news, former Celtic striker Chris Sutton has been left fuming. Read more here.

Leeds United are surely in line for a summer of change as manager Jesse Marsch looks to stamp down his mark at Elland Road following four largely joyous years under Marcelo Bielsa.

The Yorkshire giants moved five points clear of the relegation zone with a hard-fought point down at Crystal Palace on Monday night, keeping safety in the Premier League firmly in their own grasp.

Despite it being so early in his tenure, the American head coach hasn’t been afraid to trust youth at times, as evident this week as he turned to Sam Greenwood once again – the 20-year-old academy gem came on after just an hour with the Whites in need of an attacking spark.

Perhaps Marsch could find another interesting solution from the U23s set up in the form of Sean McGurk, 19.

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

Heading into the off-season, Leeds have been linked with renewed interest in RB Salzburg dynamo Brenden Aaronson, who was seemingly a target prior to the 48-year-old’s arrival in the dugout but given he has managed the USMNT international before, those rumours will only increase further.

But he could well already have a player capable of filling such a role in the Liverpool-born teenager.

Primarily a left-winger, McGurk is more than adept at playing on the right and through the middle as a no.10, just like Aaronson under Marsch – 17 of his 25 appearances came on the left, with the other eight being spread across the middle and right, as per Transfermarkt.

Whilst the Leeds gem is yet to taste action in the first-team squad, he has been a regular for the U23s in the Premier League 2 this campaign, where he has delivered three direct goal contributions from 17 appearances.

McGurk’s ability to press from the front with relentless energy will surely catch Marsch’s eye sooner or later and that’s exactly what you’d expect from his former Salzburg star, who ranks amongst the top 1% of his positional peers for pressures (27.23 per 90).

His performances at youth level for Wigan Athletic is what caught Leeds’ interest, whilst his U18s coach Peter Murphy has waxed lyrical about his potential, too. He told the club’s official website:

“Sean was brilliant, he’s been amazing. He had a slow start to his scholarship with an injury in the summer, but since he’s been fit, he’s got himself into the team and stayed there. He’s so effective in games, he sets things up, he scores goals and he’ll always do that because of his ability.”

Meanwhile, McGurk’s efforts in west Yorkshire haven’t gone completely unnoticed either – The Athletic’s Phil Hay deemed him “a cracking wee player”, whilst the Yorkshire Evening Post’s Lee Sobot dubbed the teen “a bag of tricks.”

On the above evidence, Marsch could well already have an Aaronson-like starlet within his ranks. The former Latics sensation ought to get a look in heading into next season.

AND in other news, Forget Meslier: Leeds titan who won 81% duels was Marsch’s one shining light at Palace…

Tottenham have held talks with a Championship club over an early exit agreement for striker Kion Etete, Football Insider report.

The Lowdown: Etete’s 2021/22

Etete, who made the move to north London from Notts County back in 2019, is currently on loan at League One side Cheltenham Town.

Labelled as ‘excellent’ by Harry Kewell, the 20-year-old has contributed to five goals in nine games.

Etete spent the first half of the current campaign with League Two side Northampton Town, where he netted six times, and it looks as if his natural progression will continue in the Championship next season.

The Latest: Source shares talks

Football Insider, who were informed by a Spurs source, shared a story on Etete on Thursday afternoon.

They revealed that Tottenham are lining up another loan move for the forward in the summer and have already held talks with a Championship side ahead of a possible early agreement.

The Verdict: Makes sense…

Etete appears to be making fine progress in the Football League, so a move to the second tier could well be the correct choice.

What matters most, though, is that Etete, who shares the same agent as Ryan Sessegnon, is playing regularly, as he has been this term.

Spurs have reportedly been left furious at Charlton Athletic’s handling of young midfielder Nile John, so if regular minutes can be guaranteed in the Championship for Etete, an early agreement could be a shrewd move.

In other news: Spurs now planning move for ‘brilliant’ player who left Pirlo amazed; valued at just £13.5m. 

Osaze Urhoghide is poised to leave Celtic this summer just a year after joining the club, according to Football Insider. 

The lowdown

The defender signed for Celtic in July 2021 following the expiry of his contract at Sheffield Wednesday. The Hoops paid just £207,000 in compensation to secure the signing, and he signed a four-year contract worth £790,400 in total.

[web_stories_embed url=”https://www.footballtransfertavern.com/web-stories/celtic-updates-23/” title=”Celtic updates!!” poster=”” width=”360″ height=”600″ align=”none”]

However, the 21-year-old made just one senior appearance in the first half of the season, and that was when Ange Postecoglou made 11 changes for a Europa League dead-rubber clash against Real Betis.

Urhoghide was allowed to join Belgian outfit KV Oostende on loan in January, and they will have the option to buy him at the end of the season.

The latest

A source told Football Insider that the expectation at Celtic is that Urhoghide will move on when the summer transfer window opens. If Oostende don’t exercise their purchase option or agree a contract, ‘he is likely to head elsewhere’, although the defender has admitted that he would like to remain with the Belgian club.

Postecoglou is willing to sanction the move because the 56-year-old has ‘better and more experienced options’ at his disposal.

The verdict

While the likes of fellow 2021 arrivals Kyogo Furuhashi, Liel Abada and Filipe Jota have flourished, scoring 34 goals and providing 19 assists between them, Urhoghide is one of the summer signings who hasn’t worked out so far for Celtic.

Football Scotland’s Euan Robertson thought that the defender was ‘fantastic’ on his Hoops debut and marvelled at his ‘great’ recovery pace, handing him an eight out of 10 rating for that performance against Betis, but evidently the manager hasn’t been all that impressed with what he’s seen so far from the 21-year-old given the sparsity of game-time he has enjoyed.

The same can arguably said for James McCarthy, who also arrived following the expiry of his contract south of the border (at Crystal Palace in his case). He has started just four of Celtic’s 31 Premiership matches this season, playing a mere 29 minutes of top-flight football since the turn of the year.

The future at Parkhead doesn’t look particularly bright for either of those two players.

In other news, there has been a positive update on Johnny Kenny

Leeds United will make a last-ditch attempt to sign Calvin Ramsay, according to reports…

What’s the word?

The Sun’s Alan Nixon claims the Yorkshire giants will “battle” Premier League rivals Liverpool over his signature this summer with the Reds eyeing him as cover for Trent Alexander-Arnold, though the Whites could offer a faster track to the first-team.

It’s thought that Aberdeen’s teenage right-back is available for around £3m as interest continues to rise across Europe.

The Dons are understood to have knocked back bids from Leicester City, Bologna and even Leeds in recent times, as per Goal.com.

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

Sign him up

If the 18-year-old gem is indeed available for as little as £3m, then his arrival should be an absolute no-brainer for director of Victor Orta and manager Jesse Marsch.

Tapping up a player with big potential like this for a fee as little as that could prove to be a masterclass from the Elland Road hierarchy.

His biggest qualities are those that he can provide in the final third, ranging from his excellent distribution through passes and crosses, his willingness to take on his man and his set-piece ability.

“His quality of delivery from set-pieces and open play has brought him plenty of assists for Aberdeen. For someone so young to come in and make the impact he has is a great credit to him,” former Aberdeen boss Derek McInnes told The Scotsman (via Goal).

Meanwhile, Dons chairman Dave Cormack believes Ramsay is “in the elite upper bracket, right up there, for a young right-back in Europe” – could the young Scot emerge as a major threat down the right flank for many years to come?

You’d imagine so given Marsch’s high-pressing attacking system.

The emerging sensation, recently dubbed a “wonderkid” by Goal on Twitter, has been likened to Man City’s Joao Cancelo in terms of playing style, largely due to his ambidexterity to play on either foot and thus, on either flank and his attacking prowess.

Further lauded as “so special” by scout Jacek Kulig, Ramsay could well become Leeds’ own Cancelo-like presence at right-back, should Orta and co manage to win the £3m race for his signature.

AND in other news, Scouting mission: Leeds eyeing 6 ft 3 titan who “fits the bill”, Marsch would love him…