All posts by z3u9t.icu

Glasgow Rangers have been dealt a huge blow in their bid to bring goalkeeper Sam Johnstone to Ibrox this summer.

What’s the Word?

That’s according to a report by Football Insider, who claim that sources close to Johnstone have revealed that the shot-stopper wants to join Premier League side Tottenham Hotspur on the expiration of his West Bromwich Albion contract at the end of the current campaign.

This is sure to come as a huge blow to Rangers, as Giovanni van Bronckhorst is looking at a replacement for Allan McGregor – who himself looks increasingly likely to be leaving Ibrox this summer.

The Light Blues have shown interest in the England international who has kept 15 clean sheets in 36 Championship matches so far this season as West Brom has struggled.

With the likes of Newcastle United, West Ham United, and Southampton all linked with the highly-rated stopper in recent weeks, it’s clear to see why missing out on Johnstone could send Rangers into panic mode.

A potential replacement for McGregor?

Allan McGregor has so often been the saviour for Rangers over the years, producing big moments and penalty saves exactly when the side needs them, but this campaign has looked like a step too far.

There have been far too many mistakes as the Ibrox side has slipped behind in the title race, and the keeper has cost the club a fair few points since January.

As such, signing Johnstone on a pre-contract would be an excellent move. With three caps for England and still just 29 years of age, Giovanni van Bronckhorst could do no wrong in making a move for the shot-stopper.

Indeed, with the ‘keeper having been omitted from West Brom’s previous two matchday squads due to his contract running down, Rangers are in as good of a position as any to offer him terms.

With a market value of £7.2m, any side that secures the services of the 29-year-old could also make a solid profit in the future if they decide to sell him on, making this move an absolute no-brainer.

AND in other News: Wilson could land new £13m talent as Rangers plot bid for £180k-rated sensation

When the summer transfer window opens, Nuno Espirito Santo and Jeff Shi will be chomping at the bit to bring some added quality into the Wolves squad.

A plethora of injuries have wreaked havoc with the Molineux outfit, so bringing in more bodies should definitely be at the top of their agenda.

What’s the word?

Wolves have already been linked with the likes of Lucas Ocampos and Goncalo Guedes, but they now have a defensive name on their radar. According to Own Goal Nigeria, the Premier League side are interested in signing Porto left-back Zaidu Sanusi this summer.

The report suggests that they’ve singled him out as a target in the coming months and have already been in contact with the 23-year-old’s representatives.

Sanusi only signed for the Portuguese giants last year so it’s unclear whether Porto will be willing to sell. If they are, it may take as much as €20m (£17m) to prise him away.

Fixing a problem

Wolves have four left-backs on their books at the moment but none of them have been able to make their mark this term.

Ruben Vinagre spent the first half of the season on loan at Olympiacos and then the second half at Famalicao. As for Marcal, he has only played 14 times since being signed from Lyon due to calf and groin problems.

Rayan Ait-Nouri has been exposed defensively, while Jonny has also played very little football.

[snack-amp-story url= “https://www.footballfancast.com/web-stories/read-the-latest-wolves-news-and-views-lingard-leao-jimenez-mir” title= “Read the latest Wolves news and views!”]

The Spaniard has been imperative for Wolves since they were promoted to the Premier League but he is now undergoing rehabiltation on his second anterior cruciate ligament injury in the space of a year. As a result, the flying wing-back is now set to spend up to a minimum of six months on the sidelines.

With that in mind, signing someone like Sanusi would go down well in the Midlands. At 23, he has room to grow and he is a very attack-minded defender. The Nigerian can play at left-back or further forward on the wing, which makes him perfect for Nuno’s preferred 3-4-3 system.

You only need to look at comparisons made throughout his career to understand the kind of player Wolves could be getting.

Speaking in September, the defender commented: “The left-back I look up to in the world is David Alaba of Bayern Munich, many, many people say that I play like Alaba but I want to be myself, I like him so much.”

Sanusi added: “Alaba can defend and attack and I’m like him. It’s very difficult for a left-back to attack and defend but Alaba does that very well.”

A quick and vibrant full-back, the Porto gem has plenty of desirable traits in his locker. So far this season, Sanusi has won 1.8 aerial duels which is impressive for a player in his position. He has also prevailed in 1.9 tackles per match and dazzled in forward areas, with 1.2 dribbles per game in Europe.

He showed just how imperious he is from a defensive point of view in the Champions League against Chelsea. Across two quarter-final matches, the defender won an eye-catching 13 ground duels.

Sanusi has already shown he can cope against the might of English football and he would be an astute acquisition for Wolves this summer. Molineux chief Shi must bring him to the Premier League.

AND in other news, Wolves should replace Nuno with 45 y/o “football expert”, he may be the next Mourinho…

Graham Roberts has exclusively told Football FanCast that Tottenham should have kept Kyle Walker-Peters instead of signing Matt Doherty.

Following a number of problems since the departure of Kyle Walker to Manchester City almost three years ago, the arrival of Doherty from Wolves was meant to solve Spurs’ ongoing right-back issues.

However, the Republic of Ireland defender hasn’t managed to become Jose Mourinho’s first-choice on the right, with Doherty mainly playing second-fiddle to Serge Aurier throughout the campaign after 24-year-old Walker-Peters joined Southampton.

Doherty has made just 12 Premier League starts this term, and has made a further 12 appearances in European and domestic cup competitions.

Part of his struggles have been down to the fact he was mainly deployed as a wing-back at Molineux, whilst he’s played almost the entire season at Tottenham at full-back.

And Roberts told Football FanCast that it was a strange addition:

“Doherty is not a right-back, he’s a right wing-back, so why would you buy a right wing-back? You might as well have kept Walker-Peters, that’s what I don’t understand.”

There was a great deal of excitement following Doherty’s arrival, but it simply hasn’t worked for either party, so much so that he’s already been linked back to Wolves less than 12 months after his departure.

Manchester United have not been making much progress in terms of incoming players during this transfer window so far, but that could all be about to change with a fee reportedly agreed with Ralf Rangnick to bring a star player to Old Trafford.

What’s the word?

The Mirror have reported that interim manager, Rangnick, has verbally agreed a £33m fee with RB Leipzig for Amadou Haidara, who is currently away at AFCON representing Mali.

According to the report, Manchester United are not the only club chasing down the Bundesliga star, with Newcastle United interested in securing his signature by the end of the transfer window.

With that being said, Rangnick is reportedly keen to sign the player from his former club and is high on his wish list, as the German coach remains keen to bolster his midfield options at Old Trafford this month, according to The Mirror.

However, the Premier League giants are yet to make an official bid for Haidara, and as a result run the risk of losing the player to another club.

Fans will be buzzing

The fact that any progress, even a verbal agreement, has been made for new players to join Manchester United this month will come as a huge relief to fans of the club, with the side dropping points in their last two games that has now made their race for a top four spot seem even further out of reach, with West Ham United currently five points ahead in fourth and if they win this afternoon, the Hammers could go eight points clear of them.

Fans have taken to social media to share their thoughts on the potential signing of Haidara, with many desperate to welcome the 23 year old to the club, one fan tweeted: “Haidara is such a beautiful talent man. Man United need him I swear.”

Haidara offers versatility in his position which is something Manchester United desperately need from their players, especially in Rangnick’s 4-2-2-2 formation.

From his defensive midfield position, he offers fantastic offensive attributes, scoring two goals in 13 appearances, and has been successful in 72% of his dribbles this season so far in the Bundesliga, proving that he is effective in being progressive in his play, which is essential for the pressing style Rangnick adopts at Man United.

With Newcastle also reportedly keen to sign the young Malian midfielder, it is imperative that Rangnick moves fast to secure his signature at Old Trafford during this transfer window. Should he move then fans will be delighted.

In other news: Offer rejected for Andreas Pereira from Flamengo

For all of the world, it looked as though Eddie Howe was going to walk through the door at Parkhead this summer and become the new manager of Celtic.

However, in a remarkable turn of events, the deal fell through on Friday, with the Hoops now turning their attention elsewhere.

What’s the word?

The Celtic hierarchy are now in advanced talks with Australian manager Ange Postecoglou. He currently manages in Japan but took control of his homeland’s national team between 2013 and 2017, leading them to Asian Cup glory in 2015 and managing them at the previous year’s World Cup.

That said, he’s not the only one who is now interested in the vacancy, as a certain Roy Keane has re-emerged in the conversation.

That’s according to The Sun’s Alan Nixon, who took to Twitter on Saturday to reveal: “Keane wants it badly. But people in power there don’t want him. Shame. Would have been fun.”

Should Keane get the job?

The short answer to that question is no. Consequently, Celtic fans should be elated that those in the boardroom aren’t keen on luring him to Paradise.

A few months ago, Keane’s name came up before Eddie Howe was even in the frame, with the Irishman meeting with Dermot Desmond and undergoing an interview.

[snack-amp-story url= “https://www.footballfancast.com/web-stories/read-the-latest-celtic-manager-and-transfer-news-ajer-howe-lampard-wilshere-gauld” title=”Read the latest Celtic manager and transfer news!”]

However, shortly after that process took place, it came to light that he was no longer in a position to be hired by the board.

The Manchester United legend has a bond with the club from when he played in Glasgow, but he wouldn’t be suited for Celtic and what they require from a coach.

Keane’s hot-headed nature has transferred into his punditry and he does appear to be a good man manager. After all, Michael Chopra described the 49-year-old as an “unbelievable guy” following his spell at Ipswich.

The former midfielder earned promotion to the Premier League with Sunderland but his overall numbers don’t make for particularly pretty reading. That’s without considering his ten-year absence from the managerial game, either.

During his tenure with the Black Cats, Keane won 42% of his matches but that tumbled when he took charge of Ipswich. He prevailed in a measly 34.6% of his matches at the helm at Portman Road.

His irascible nature has also led to messy fallouts with players, with former Ireland international Jon Walters slamming the 49-year-old over some highly criticial comments.

With that in mind, it’s rather amazing that he was able to secure an interview in the first place.

Some Hoops supporters were left bemused by the idea of Keane arriving when interest first came to light, so they should be pleased that those at the top of the Celtic food chain don’t want him as their next manager.

AND in other news, Celtic could find their new Shaun Maloney with move for “complete” 20-goal wizard…

Tottenham Hotspur may be on the verge of securing a replacement for Harry Kane…

What’s the word?

According to Sport Klub, Spurs are leading the race to secure coveted Fiorentina striker Dusan Vlahovic this summer transfer window.

It’s thought that AC Milan, Atletico Madrid, Juventus and the North London outfit are interested in signing the 21-year-old but it is the Premier League, and subsequently, Spurs, he is closest to joining.

He is expected to cost in the region of €60m (£51.5m).

Ticks a lot of boxes

It would not be a surprise to see Daniel Levy spend big on a new forward before the start of next season and that’s because of the speculation surrounding Kane and his future in N17.

Back in May, Sky Sports reported that the England international had once again told the club of his desire to leave this summer. They, of course, do not want to sell him but this has alerted Premier League champions Manchester City and Champions League winners Chelsea among others.

In short, the 27-year-old wants to start winning trophies to back up his illustrious goalscoring record and he’s certainly more likely to do it at either of those clubs than he is at Spurs, who have not won anything since the 2008 League Cup.

He’s likely to command in excess of £150m, so Levy and newly-appointed sporting director Fabio Paratici would have a fair chunk to spend on his replacement and perhaps they have already found him in Vlahovic.

The 6 foot 3 talisman enjoyed a breakthrough year in Italy, where he found the net 21 times in 37 appearances, via Transfermarkt. And it’s no wonder he has caught the eye of many interested parties.

“[He’s] Incredible, and it really caught me by surprise because I’d seen him play in the flesh a few times and he scored a great goal against Inter and there was a lot of hype in Florence about him. People were saying this guy’s the real deal and I just couldn’t see it,” revealed Forza Italian Football editor Conor Clancy to This is Futbol.

“He’s just a complete number nine and I know it’s just off the back of one season, but he’s strong, can link play up, can hold the ball up and most importantly, he’s scoring goals. He’s one of those players that when he looks confident, you almost expect him to score every time he plays.”

Indeed, this glowing endorsement isn’t too dissimilar to what you’d expect with Kane – after all, he’s been a well-rounded beast for years, only recently adding a phenomenal range of passing and creativity to his game, having provided the most assists in 2020/21.

An average of 3.1 aerials duels won, 2.3 shots and 0.7 dribbles per outing in the Serie A certainly suggests that Vlahovic is capable of backing up such praise, as if his impressive form in front of goal wasn’t enough.

The Serbian international has also been lauded as being up there with the likes of Kylian Mbappe and Erling Haaland by Inter Milan legend Christian Vieri, who claimed: “I think that, after Haaland and Mbappe, he is one of the strongest in Europe. He has quality, technique. He is Serbian and they are all technically good.”

If the £36m-rated marksman going to be the next big thing, then Paratici must ensure it’s Spurs at the front of the queue to sign him and then maybe their likely blow to Kane won’t be as so devastating.

Levy must sanction a move for Vlahovic this summer.

AND in other news, Spurs have been dealt yet another cruel manager blow…

An update has emerged on Southampton target Junior Firpo, regarding Leeds’ interest in his services.

What’s the talk?

According to Spanish outlet Mundo Deportivo, Leeds United have joined Southampton in the race to land Barcelona left-back Junior Firpo. The defender is looking to leave the Catalan giants in the coming months and does not want to join another side in La Liga.

The report claims Southampton and West Ham are also interested in Firpo, whilst Italian sides AC Milan and Napoli are said to be keen. Barcelona are open to either a permanent deal or a loan with an option to buy at the end of the season.

Must act swiftly

Southampton CEO Martin Semmens must now act swiftly in order to stand a chance of landing the Spaniard this summer.

With a host of sides in England and Italy competing for his signature it could be difficult for the Saints to to snap him up, which is why Semmens has to move quickly. If the Premier League chief can get in ahead of the other interested parties then he could be able to wrap up a deal before Leeds, West Ham or Napoli are able to prepare their respective offers.

A year ago, former Barcelona defender Eric Abidal said that the 24-year-old has the talent to become one of the best left-backs on the planet, highlighting the quality of player Southampton could potentially be signing ahead of next season.

He told Diario Sport, as transcribed by Tribuna:

“He’s a player with a lot of potential. He could be one of the best left-backs in the world. I always tell him that he must work hard and be aware of the (style of) play. He’s going to get better, for sure. It’s always difficult to get started at Barca.”

The Athletic have reported that Southampton are closing in on the signing of Romain Perraud from Brest in Ligue 1 and this should not have any impact on a deal for Firpo. Ralph Hasenhuttl wants to add at least two fullbacks to his squad and that opens the door to the Barcelona man arriving at St. Mary’s after Perraud to bolster the Austrian’s defensive options.

Therefore, Firpo could be a much-needed signing for the south coast outfit. the £105k-per-week beast has experience playing in La Liga and the Champions League for Barcelona, whilst Hasenhuttl’s current back-up left-back Jake Vokins was only able to play four times in League One on loan to Sunderland in the second-half of last season.

This suggests that the top-flight side will be able to make a sizeable improvement to their squad by bringing the Barcelona fullback in to compete with Perraud for a spot in the team, whether that be on loan or on a permanent basis.

AND in other news, Semmens must sanction Saints swoop for “exceptional” 24 G/A wizard, Ralph needs him…

The international break has given Celtic a couple of weeks to rest and recharge ahead of an important run of games as Ange Postecoglou attempts to reclaim the Scottish Premiership crown from Rangers this season.

It gives a chance for players with injuries to recover and get themselves fit for the clash with Motherwell in the Premiership on the 16th.

What it also does is afford players the opportunity to go away with their country and put in strong performances away from Celtic to show Postecoglou that they deserve more minutes at club level.

One player who had a chance to benefit from this was Tom Rogic as he featured for Australia against Oman in a World Cup Qualifier on Thursday night.

This is particularly pertinent due to Postecoglou’s connection with the country, having managed the nation for four years after growing up in Australia despite being born in Greece.

The £16k-per-week midfielder, Rogic, has only started four of Celtic’s Premiership matches this term and has averaged 46 minutes per game across his eight appearances.

This comes after he started ten times in the league last season, featuring off the bench in a further 13 games. He has, however, started both of Celtic’s Europa League matches this season, averaging a dismal SofaScore rating of 6.40 against Real Betis and Bayer Leverkusen – creating zero chances.

So, did Rogic do enough against Oman to show Postecoglou, who may well have been cheering on his country, that he deserves more starts in the Premiership this season?

Unfortunately, he didn’t as he put in a worrying display for Australia despite their 3-1 win.

As per SofaScore, Rogic lost 100% of his duels on the pitch in 63 minutes. He lost his one ground duel and made zero tackles, interceptions, clearances or blocks. The attacking midfielder also gave away possession 12 times from 29 touches of the ball – once every 2.4 touches.

To his credit, Rogic did produce one moment of magic in the match. He made an impressive burst into the box and cut the ball back to a teammate, who saw his shot saved and rebounded by Martin Boyle to score the second of their three goals.

However, that was his only key pass of the match as he failed with both of his cross attempts and his only long ball attempt, whilst completing just 67% of his passes.

Rogic may have shown a glimpse of quality in the build-up to the second goal, but the underlying statistics around his performance do not suggest that Postecoglou will be desperate to hand him more starts after watching his display. Therefore, the Australian failed to grasp his opportunity to impress.

AND in other news,  Celtic could have a new Turnbull in rarely-seen 19 y/o who’s an “outstanding talent”…

Nottingham Forest midfielder Fouad Bachirou is edging closer to an exit from the City Ground this summer.

What’s the talk?

That’s according to a report by Cypriot media outlet Sport FM, who claimed that Omonia Nicosia have identified the 31-year-old as their primary transfer target for an addition to their midfield, with the website dubbing the Comoros international as the Protathlima Cyta side’s “chosen one” this summer.

It would seem unlikely that Dane Murphy will stand in the way of the Cypriot club’s potential move, as it has previously been reported that the midfielder is not a part of Chris Hughton’s first team plans ahead of the new Championship season, with the 62-year-old informing Bachirou that he is free to find a new club in the summer transfer window.

Get him gone

Having joined Nottingham Forest from Malmo in a £603,000 move last summer, with Sabri Lamouchi giving the midfielder a two-year deal on a reported £18k-per-week, it would be fair to say that Bachirou has neither justified his transfer fee nor his rather hefty weekly wage during his time at the club.

Indeed, while a hamstring injury didn’t help, the 31-year-old nevertheless made just three appearances in all competitions for Hughton’s side last season.

Only one of those came in the Championship, with the midfielder dubbed an “important” player by the Nordic Football Podcast when coming on as a second half substitute in a 0-0 draw with Barnsley, despite his performance in the fixture earning him a disappointing SofaScore match rating of 6.50.

As such, considering his lack of involvement within Forest’s first team squad, plus Hughton’s comments regarding the Comoran’s future in Nottingham, it would indeed appear wise for Murphy to cash in on the midfielder while the interest is there. To put it bluntly, Bachirou has been nothing but a waste of money for the Championship club thus far.

In other news: Imagine him & Johnson: Murphy could solve big Forest problem with swoop for 19 G/A ace

An update has emerged on RC Lens fullback Jonathan Clauss, regarding Everton’s interest in his services.

What’s the talk?

According to French outlet HommeDuMatch, Everton and West Ham have both made enquiries over a potential deal for RC Lens right-back Jonathan Clauss this month.

The report claims that the Ligue 1 club, however, is not interested in parting ways with the defender at this moment in time.

Coleman 2.0

Whilst it is stated that Lens are not looking to sell Claus, that does not mean that a transfer is impossible for Everton. If Marcel Brands is able to offer the French club an attractive financial package then that could potentially change their mind and convince them to sell.

Why should Everton be looking to do this? Rafa Benitez has a glaring problem in his squad and that is the right-back situation. Seamus Coleman turns 33 in October and Carlo Ancelotti was forced to play the likes of Mason Holgate and Ben Godfrey at right-back at times in the Premier League last term.

This shows that the Toffees are in dire need of a succession plan in that area of the pitch. Coleman was limited to 18 league starts in the 2020/21 campaign, which means that bringing in a new first-choice right-back could allow him to play a reserve role and come in when needed at the back.

Clauss, 28, has a fair few years on the Irishman and could come in to be Benitez’s right-back for the next four or five years if all goes well. His form in France was impressive last season, with three goals and six assists for RC Lens in Ligue 1. Coleman’s highest assist tally in a Premier League campaign is five as it stands, which suggests that Clauss could add a similar level of creative threat down the right if he finds his feet in England.

The Everton stalwart has a career average of 2.7 tackles and interceptions and 0.8 key passes per game. Clauss’ career average, meanwhile, is 2.5 tackles and interceptions and 1.3 key passes per game. This suggests that they are fairly similar in quality defensively and offensively, although it is difficult to say for sure with the difference in quality between England and France/Germany.

Rafa Benitez would love for the club to essentially bring in a younger version of Coleman for him to work with. That would then mean that he has two, potentially, quality options at right-back for the 2021/22 campaign and would stop him from needing to worry about life after the former Sligo Rovers man.

AND in other news, Everton ready bid for versatile £27m-rated “revelation”, Benitez needs him at Goodison…