All posts by z3u9t.icu

Mauricio Pochettino could make a stunning return to Tottenham Hotspur this summer, according to emerging reports…

What’s the word?

The Sun claim the 49-year-old is ‘seriously considering’ a switch back to North London nearly 18 months after being sacked by Daniel Levy.

It’s thought that the Argentine is unhappy at Paris Saint-Germain, where he was only appointed in January this year.

His side stumbled to defeat in the Champions League semi-final last month whilst at the weekend, they witnessed Lille clinch the Ligue 1 title, ending a three-year run of league dominance.

Levy is said to massively regret the departure of his former boss, reportedly telling those close to him that it was the ‘worst mistake of his career.’

Redemption

The fact that the Spurs chairman is admitting this is huge – and quite rare. Although, he gets a chance at redeeming himself by putting pride aside to bring the fan-favourite back to the club.

Pochettino arguably overachieved in North London, guiding the side to a Champions League final in 2019 just a few months before his fateful exit.

He certainly wasn’t backed as much as Jose Mourinho in the market, as the ‘Special One’ clinched the return of Gareth Bale, on top of signing Pierre-Emile Hojbjerg, Matt Doherty, Sergio Reguilon and Steven Bergwijn.

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At one point, Pochettino went 18 months without an addition and that was only after they lost in the final to Liverpool.

Other names in the running for the vacancy at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium include Ajax boss Erik ten Hag, who recently signed an extension to remain at the Eredivisie champions and would cost a fair chunk in terms of compensation.

He would be the dream candidate for Levy as he deploys a vastly expansive, attack-minded system, and has a proven track record in developing young players to sell them on for mega profit (Donny van de Beek, Matthijs de Ligt, Frenkie de Jong to name just a few).

However, if Pochettino is available, then it’s surely a no-brainer to move on from the Ajax head coach and bring the Argentine home.

Similarly, The Sun also link Graham Potter to the role but Levy has doubts over him being ready for the step up, which again, should put Pochettino at the top of the list as sensational as it would be.

This fresh twist could well delight the fanbase too, with many gutted he left in the first place, back in November 2019.

Levy must look to right his biggest mistake by rehiring the 49-year-old hero.

AND in other news, Alasdair Gold drops exciting claim on Spurs’ manager search…

Sunderland have been dealt a fresh setback ahead of their upcoming League One clash with Rotherham United on Tuesday evening.

What’s the latest?

Speaking in his pre-match press conference (via Rotherham’s official website), Paul Warne revealed that, despite a number of his first-team squad picking up knocks in the 2-1 victory over Oxford United on Saturday afternoon, he has no fresh injury concerns ahead of tomorrow’s meeting with Sunderland – suggesting he will be able to pick from the same group of players available at the weekend.

Regarding the current state of his squad, the 48-year-old said: “We’ve got no major concerns, you always have a few aches and pains the day after a game, but I don’t think any of that is going to change who is available on Tuesday night. I think we’ll have the same players available to us.”

Neil will be gutted

Considering the importance of picking up all three points against the second-placed Millers on Tuesday evening, the fact that Warne has no fresh injury concerns is undoubtedly news that will have left Alex Neil gutted.

Indeed, Rotherham have been in fantastic form throughout their 2021/22 League One campaign, so far confounding pre-season predictions of a sixth-place finish by occupying one of the automatic promotion spots – with a victory over the Black Cats on Tuesday, coupled with a Wigan Athletic draw or loss at Portsmouth, being enough to see the Millers claim top spot in the division.

This favourable league position has largely been thanks to the efforts of centre-forward Michael Smith – 19 goals and six assists over 43 appearances – goalkeeper Josh Vickers – 12 clean sheets and 3.1 saves per game over 20 outings – central midfielder Daniel Barlaser – nine goals and six assists over 42 fixtures – and centre-back Michael Ihiekwe – 19 clean sheets over 40 matches.

Having said that, with Warne’s side having lost three of their last five league outings, Neil will be confident that, as long as Sunderland play to the best of their ability at the Stadium of Light, his side have a chance of taking all three points from the meeting.

However, the news that Rotherham have no fresh injury worries, coupled with the fact that the Mackems now look set to be without both Dennis Cirkin and Carl Winchester due to knocks picked up against Cambridge United, will certainly come as a blow to Neil and his side – who simply must secure a victory in order to give themselves the best possible chance of sealing a top-six spot of their own come the end of the season.

AND in other news: Forget Stewart: SAFC’s “complex” 141-touch star stole the show vs Cambridge United

Former Sunderland striker Kevin Phillips has tipped Pablo Hernandez to leave Leeds United at the end of the season following a great career at Elland Road.

The Spaniard joined the Whites back in January 2017 following an initial loan spell and has arguably become a modern-day legend at the club, with journalist Phil Hay once describing him as ‘unreal’.

Hernandez has made 172 appearances for Leeds to date, scoring 36 goals and registering 41 assists, not to mention helping Marcelo Bielsa’s side get back into the Premier League. Now 36, however, he has only made two league starts this season, and it appears as though his time at Elland Road is reaching its conclusion.

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Phillips expects Hernandez to leave Leeds

That’s certainly the opinion of one-time Premier League Golden Boot winner Phillips, who told Football Insider that he expects Hernandez to depart once the season ends:

“I think Hernandez will leave in the summer. From the players point of view, he is not getting any younger. He will want to go somewhere and play.

“He’s a brilliant player but there is too many players ahead of him in the pecking order at Leeds. I think he will want to play football and if he is not guaranteed that at Leeds, which he is not, I think he will look to go and play somewhere else.

“He could be a great signing for a team looking to get out of the Championship or a team dropping down to the Championship this season.

“He’s very talented on the ball so he could turn out to be a good signing. I will be interested to see where he ends up this summer.”

Transfer Tavern take

Considering that Hernandez’s current deal expires in 2022, this is the last chance for Leeds to earn a fee for his services, so allowing him to leave makes sense.

They could simply let his contract run down, but the midfielder may not be happy with less playing time next season and the club would lose out on transfer funds this summer.

What Hernandez has achieved at Leeds should never be forgotten, but as is the case with any player, there comes a point when you have to part ways, for the good of all parties.

In other news, there has been a fresh update regarding Leeds potentially signing a Premier League attacker this summer. Read more here.

Celtic and the word ‘surprise’ are rather synonymous with each other at the moment.

You only need to crawl back through the Hoops’ pursuit of a new manager to understand just how many twists and turns occur at Parkhead.

What’s the word?

The Bhoys have been incredibly active in the transfer window over the last week, attempting to finalise a number of deals. They’ve already welcomed Liel Abada to the club, while they are working on finalising a deal for Swedish defender Carl Starfelt and Rennes full-back Brandon Soppy.

However, when we awoke from our slumber on Friday morning, Celtic were suddenly on the verge of completing another move.

Ange Postecoglou has headed back to Japan and agreed to land Kyogo Furuhashi, who plays his football for Vissel Kobe.

A statement on the J-League club’s website, along with one from Celtic, revealed that an agreement has been reached for his transfer between the two clubs and he will now undergo a medical.

The move will now go through providing it passes international clearance and the medical assessment is successful.

Best signing yet

Although Furuhashi is not a household name, this is a move that has the potential to really lift Celtic supporters out of their seats.

Postecoglou has been incredibly busy behind the scenes but this could be his best move yet since arriving in Glasgow.

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That’s because Furuhashi isn’t only a proven international player, he’s also a ruthless goal scorer who’s even caught the eye of Spanish great Andres Iniesta.

The pair are teammates at club level and, speaking recently, the former World Cup winner said: “To be honest, he absolutely has the talent to play in Europe. He’s leading the J1’s scoring chart, but it’s not just that. He’s got strong technique, and I believe he can succeed in Europe.

“I’m sure he’s got scouts watching him already, but it’s going to be tough for us because he scores a lot of goals. It’ll be tough but if he goes to Europe I’ll be incredibly happy for him, because for Japanese players it’s a dream to play in Europe.”

With the threat of Odsonne Edouard potentially leaving still lingering over the club, signing another forward is of utmost importance to Celtic.

Fortunately, Furuhashi fits the bill. He has scored 15 times this season, which has taken his tally in Vissel Kobe colours to 48 strikes.

He’s not the most physical of forwards, winning just 0.4 aerial duels per match, but like Edouard, he’s capable of beating a man. This season, the 26-year-old has completed 0.9 dribbles per match.

Speaking about the move and Furuhashi’s game, reporter Dan Orlowitz commented: “That is a BIG move for Furuhashi, an astute signing by Ange, a signing that should absolutely excite the Celtic fanbase. One of the J.League’s best domestic talents, exciting on the ball, great finisher, has surely learned a lot from Andres Iniesta these last few years.”

Albian Ajeti has scored in pre-season but his first campaign at Parkhead was disappointing, scoring just six times in 2020/21.

Therefore, Postecoglou will hope to have better luck than his predecessor Neil Lennon in terms of centre-forward recruits. On the evidence provided by Furuhashi in his homeland, this could be the new manager’s most enthralling deal yet.

AND in other news, “Celtic want him”: Reliable journo issues exciting transfer update, fans surely elated…

Celtic have worked smartly in the transfer window to date, and even if arrivals have taken a while to come through, supporters must be impressed with the acquisitions which have been sealed.Liel Abada scored on his debut for the Hoops in the Champions League earlier this week and it won’t be too long before we see Kyogo Furuhashi get his first run out in the green and white.What’s the word?Postecoglou’s main priority at the moment has to be strengthening their defence. They are still severely limited with options at right-back, while Kristoffer Ajer’s departure and Nir Bitton’s red card in midweek should be cause for concern.However, with the threat of Odsonne Edouard leaving lingering in the air, adding options to their forward line must also be considered.According to a tweet from French journalist Sebastien Denis, Rennes attacker M’Baye Niang is a target.He said: “As reported in Italy, the Italian team from Venezia is very very hot on M’baye Niang for a dry transfer. Fenerbahce, Celtic, and Shanghai Greenland are interested in the Rennes striker but to a lesser degree.”An upgradeWhen he was coming through the ranks at Milan, Niang was regarded as a player who could challenge the elite. Scout Jacek Kulig once commented: “M’Baye Niang is getting better and better. He surely has the potential to become a world-class player.”However, his career has never lived up to the dizzy heights expected, touring around Italian and French football without too much success.[snack-amp-story url= “https://www.footballfancast.com/web-stories/read-the-latest-celtic-news-doig-nketiah-mccann” title= “Read the latest Celtic transfer news!”]The Senegalese forward has found a home for himself at Rennes, though. He has beaten the opposition goalkeeper on 30 occasions for the Ligue 1 side and, at the age of 26, he is now approaching the prime of his career.Niang scored just once last season but was in the form of his life during the 2019/20 campaign, finding the net on ten occasions.Capable of playing on the flanks or through the middle, he’d be an upgrade on a fair few players at Parkhead.Leigh Griffiths has signed a new deal at Celtic but his future could already be in doubt, with Sunderland interested in securing the Scot’s services on loan.Albian Ajeti has scored twice in pre-season but, after the form he demonstrated last term – netting six times – you have to question whether he’s up to the required standard.Furuhashi has 15 goals in the J-League throughout 2021 but time will tell how he settles into life in Scotland.Niang has already had a spell in British football with Watford, however, so should be well accustomed to the physical demands.However, it’s in aerial situations where the 6 foot 2 striker could really offer Celtic something different. Last season, he won 1.4 aerial duels per match, adding to the enormous tally of 3.4 per game he recorded the season prior.If we compare that to the attacking options in Postecoglou’s ranks, the difference is night and day. Last term, only Moi Elyounoussi from an offensive perspective managed a proficient tally when it came to beating players in the air.He won 1.5 aerial duels per match but you have to go back much further to find the next best tally. For instance, Edouard won just 0.8, while Griffiths and Ajeti only prevailed in 0.5 headed battles.On that evidence, Niang would be a wise signing. Not only can he score goals, he would also be a prolific threat when the ball is off the ground.AND in other news, Celtic could repeat their Shane Duffy nightmare by signing “superb” £8m ace…

Celtic’s hunt for a new manager is currently in its tenth week but a successor for Neil Lennon has yet to be announced.

The Hoops have considered a number of appointments but Dermot Desmond has been struck with plenty of sticking points.

What’s the word?

Eddie Howe has been linked with the job on a regular basis over the last month but a deal is thought to be reaching a conclusion.

That being said, Celtic may be forced to think again after a surprising piece of news emerged this week.

That’s because a new name has now emerged in their chase for Lennon’s replacement. That’s the word of Duncan Castles who shared the latest information that he’d been given on the Transfer Window podcast.

He said: “With Roma parting with their current coach Paulo Fonseca, obviously, a Portuguese legend in terms of his career, he has been offered to both Celtic and Tottenham Hotspur as replacements for Neil Lennon and Jose Mourinho.”

A twist on the cards

With Celtic flirting with Howe for so long, it would be an almighty surprise if they suddenly changed their plan.

That said, extraordinary circumstances appear in football that are sometimes simply too hard to refuse.

In terms of improving their status in Europe, Fonseca would certainly be a valuable hire for Dermot Desmond and co.

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He is set to be replaced by Jose Mourinho at Roma once the season comes to a conclusion but it’s been a successful one as far as Europe is concerned.

Fonseca has guided his side to the semi-finals of the Europa League and has shown himself to be a serial winner.

The 48-year-old took Shakhtar Donetsk to three league titles in a row, amassing a win success rate of 74%.

Used to dominating a domestic league and then adapting well in Europe, this could be a crucial skill for a Hoops side striving to do the same.

They have been usurped by Rangers domestically while their continental campaign this term was nothing short of a disaster.

Celtic were knocked out of the Champions League in the qualifying stages and then finished rock bottom of their Europa League group after conceding 19 goals in six outings.

Fonseca may have seen his team decimated 6-2 by Manchester United in the Europa League semi-finals a week ago but he has proved to be adaptable before that.

With Howe possessing no experience in Europe at all, perhaps the Celtic boardroom needs to look towards Fonseca instead. Nobody was really expecting Fonseca to be an option, but now he seemingly is, he could be an excellent selection for the Hoops.

It would not be a shock at all if Celtic decided to take a bit of time to assess Fonseca before they commit to Howe, or indeed any other candidate, so this information that Castles has passed along could very well lead to a further delay whilst the Hoops consider their options again.

AND in other news, Dominic McKay is already on the verge of his first major Celtic mistake…

Paul Stewart is hoping that Dele Alli’s lack of competitive minutes last season will be a wake-up call for the Tottenham man.

The 25-year-old was a guaranteed starter during his first five seasons at Spurs, but the arrival of Jose Mourinho saw Alli hit a bump in the road.

£100,000-a-week man Alli had been a regular under Mourinho pre-lockdown, but hardly featured following the Premier League restarting, although that was nothing compared to his fortunes last season.

He was picked to start against Everton on the opening-day but would be handed just one more league start before Mourinho departed in late-April, with most of his opportunities coming in Europe and the domestic cups.

Alli’s lack of game-time has also resulted in him losing his place in the England squad, with his last Three Lions appearance coming more than two years ago in the Nations League.

And with a new manager coming in this summer, Stewart exclusively told Football FanCast that he hopes Alli can get back to playing his best football again:

“I just hope he gets his head together and does what he did when he first burst on the scene playing in that false 10, and he could put his foot in, tackle. I don’t think his ability was questioned.

“I feel Dele needs to concentrate on football more, I know there was talk of him having personal or family problems, and I feel for him, but prior to that he was concentrating on advertisement and clothes, so hopefully it’s a wake-up call for him.”

Chris Sutton has been reacting to more Celtic injury news, this time on summer signing Giorgos Giakoumakis.

The Lowdown: Calf injury

Giakoumakis was included in a Celtic matchday squad for the first time on Thursday but failed to make his debut in a 3-0 win over Raith Rovers.

Ange Postecoglou confirmed after the game that the Dutch striker injured his calf in the warm-up and was sent for a scan as a result.

As a result, Giakoumakis looks set to join Christopher Jullien, Greg Taylor, Kyogo Furuhashi and Mikey Johnston on the sidelines, with captain Callum McGregor also missed the last three games.

The Latest: Sutton reacts

Sutton took to Twitter late on Thursday evening to give his thoughts on the striker.

He described the latest setback for Giakoumakis as a ‘nightmare’ for Postecoglou.

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The Verdict: Concerning…

Giakoumakis was brought in on deadline day to fill the void left by Odsonne Edouard and Leigh Griffiths.

However, he last kicked a competitive ball in May and seemed to be quite far off fitness-wise earlier this month.

Add a fresh calf injury into the mix, you’d expect he’ll miss Dundee United on the weekend, so it does seem a bit concerning in regards to the Hoops splashing £2.5m on the 26-year-old.

In other news: ‘Hopefully’ – Kieran Devlin shares ‘important’ area Celtic may add to next after McElhone. 

Salomon Rondon came in for criticism from some Everton fans for his first-half performance against Manchester United. 

Everton were looking to pull off their first Old Trafford victory since 2013 and move to the top of the Premier League table, for a few hours at least.

Manchester United had the same goal in mind and were also looking for a response to last weekend’s shock defeat to Aston Villa.

Rondon continues to lead the line

Rafael Benitez made one change from the win over Norwich City last time out, with Anthony Gordon replacing Alex Iwobi at left midfield in the 4-4-1-1 shape.

Rondon, then, kept his place up front amid the ongoing absence of Dominic Calvert-Lewin and Richarlison.

It was the Colombian’s third start since his summer move from Chinese Super League outfit Dalian Yifang.

Lucas Digne set him away in the early stages of the game, but he couldn’t get his shot away before Raphael Varane arrived and the ball was blocked behind.

According to the half-time stats, he touched the ball just 15 times in total during the first 45, fewer than goalkeeper Jordan Pickford (19).

These Everton fans unhappy with Rondon

“Why does rondon play for us?”

Credit: @jorgedwyer3

“It’s actually painful watching Rondon”

Credit: @DanBandell

“Surely Dobbin would be a better bet than Rondon”

Credit: @thebluescouse

“Rondon may as well be a mannequin”

Credit: @Cal1878

“I already dislike Rondon”

Credit: @SlendermanXXI

“We’re holding our own – until the ball gets near Rondon”

Credit: @LoveNHates

In other news, this ex-Everton man drools over an ‘absolute bargain’.

Tottenham Hotspur could begin the Nuno Espirito Santo era with a splash by securing a move for mooted transfer target Mikkel Damsgaard…

What’s the word?

The north London outfit have been linked with a move for the Sampdoria and Denmark sensation over the last few months, with the latest reports coming from SampNews24, who claimed in June that new sporting director Fabio Paratici has followed the 20-year-old gem closely.

It’s thought that the Serie A outfit may be forced into a sale if a fee of more than €20m (£18m) is offered in this transfer window.

With Nuno now through the door, Spurs should look to accelerate their interest in the Danish winger, who is currently starring at Euro 2020.

Next Neto

Many got a glimpse of what Damsgaard can do when he rifled home a stunning strike in Denmark’s win over Russia. It helped them qualify for the knockout stages, where they thrashed Wales 4-0 and have set up a seemingly favourable quarter-final clash with the Czech Republic.

The £26m-rated Denmark dynamo has displayed a combination of electric pace and the ability to torment the opposition from out wide throughout this summer’s tournament, but he’s merely continuing his fine domestic form.

As per WhoScored, Damsgaard provided Sampdoria with two goals and four assists last term, whilst averaging 1.5 dribbles and 1.2 tackles per game, proving to be quite the threat under former Leicester boss Claudio Ranieri.

It’s no wonder the Premier League title winner lauded his young attacker a “child prodigy”, and that’s not the first time that he’s received such glowing praise.

Some have compared him to Denmark great Michael Laudrup, whilst TV2’s football expert Martin Mikkelsen described him as “magical” earlier in the season.

Nuno has only been at Hotspur Way for a few days but part of the reason he was hired was because of his proven track record in putting faith in and developing young attacking stars – perhaps none more so than Pedro Neto, who reaped the brunt of the playing time at Molineux following the departure of Diogo Jota to Liverpool, going from playing 926 top-flight minutes in 2019/20 to 2,560 last term.

In 79 appearances for the club, the 21-year-old Portuguese gem has provided ten goals and 11 assists, and his value has duly soared from £6.3m to £31.5m in the space of just two years, via Transfermarkt, all thanks to the talented coaching exploits of Nuno.

The new Spurs coach could well get his next Neto with a swoop for Damsgaard, so Paratici and co must look to make the 20-year-old a priority as soon as his time at Euro 2020 comes to an end. He would surely be worth every penny.

AND in other news, Bye-bye Sanchez: Nuno can become an instant hit if Spurs sign “special” 5 ft 10 beast…