All posts by z3u9t.icu

A number of Manchester City fans have reacted negatively to reports linking Declan Rice with a move to the Etihad Stadium.

The Athletic’s West Ham correspondent Roshane Thomas wrote in a mailbag for the website on Friday that there is “every chance” of the Premier League champions making a transfer offer in 2022 for the England midfielder, who was reportedly a target for the Cityzens this year as well. Man City fan feed @City_Chief later shared the update via Twitter.

A core presence in the Three Lions’ run to the Euro 2020 final in the summer, Rice has also drawn admiring glances from the likes of Chelsea and Manchester United, with some reports claiming that West Ham had placed a £100m price tag on him to ward off prospective suitors. Incidentally, that was the same amount which City paid to Aston Villa for his England team-mate Jack Grealish in August.

Despite his tender age, he has already captained David Moyes’ side on numerous occasions and exceeded 150 first team appearances. City reportedly want him as Fernandinho’s long-term successor at the Etihad, with Rice and Rodri potentially playing together or even vying for just one place in Pep Guardiola’s midfield.

Man City fans don’t want Rice

These City fans on Twitter weren’t overly keen on the idea of the club making a big-money move for the “overpriced” West Ham midfielder, with some stating their preference to see City academy starlet Romeo Lavia promoted to the senior squad instead and others believing Rice to be surplus to requirements given the presence of Rodri at the Etihad.

“Behave”

Credit: @pinner_stewart

“He’s so bad. Along with Southgate, Kane and Mount, one of the major reasons we didn’t win the Euros. Just promote Lavia”

Credit: @EthanGaffiney

“Oh my word, another English player. Gonna get overpriced”

Credit: @BuhleQavile

“One of the most overrated players I’ve ever seen. Rodri is 10x the player Rice is. This fella can’t make a progressive pass to save his life and is slower than a snail facing counters. Just promote Lavia or even get Kalvin Phillips who defo is better than Rice”

Credit: @JamesMcSilva

“Please no. We already employ Rodri who is 10x the player Rice is”

Credit: @mxnciteh

“Why? Good player but he won’t be the worth the stupid money we would have to pay + Rodri is better.”

Credit: @King_Kevin100

In other news: This development prior to the Club Brugge game had lots of Man City fans excited

Flocking to Twitter, many Chelsea supporters have been left excited following a Fabrizio Romano update involving rising star Aurelien Tchouaméni.

The AS Monaco prodigy, who started for France against Spain at the weekend in their 2-1 UEFA Nations League final victory, has been turning many heads throughout Europe.

Tchouaméni, starting nearly every Ligue 1 game for Monaco last season, made an extremely impressive 3.5 tackles per 90 on average and marked himself out as a real enforcer in front of the back four (WhoScored).

At just 21-years-old, the Frenchman also has plenty of years left ahead of him and could even reach a higher level than his current form – prompting Chelsea to take a swift interest.

According to reliable reporter Fabrizio Romano on his Here We Go Podcast (via Route1futbol), the Blues now have Tchouaméni on their list of targets as sporting director Marina Granovskaia eyes defensive midfielders.

Flocking to this claim, many Chelsea fans have been left overjoyed, with one suggesting he could even be a better signing than West Ham star Declan Rice.

Find all of their best verdicts down below.

Chelsea fans excited by Tchouameni claim…

“Bring him home”

Credit: @AVN54872570

“Tchouameni is the man not Rice.”

Credit: @walter81414191

“Praying for a Marina Masterclass”

Credit: @Prince_Havertz

“Marina should just hijack this deal fast!!!!!”

Credit: @nii4real_

“Marina get it done”

Credit: @CFC_kai

“On my knees”

Credit: @shina_oj

“we’re back”

Credit: @0shi_val

In other news: ‘Horrible’, ‘Sell him’, ‘Hugely disappointing’…Many Chelsea fans erupt over player after what they’ve seen, find out more here.

Manchester United may have pulled off their best transfer window in recent memory, but the future of one of their star players remains up in the air.

What’s the story?

The arrivals of Jadon Sancho, Raphael Varane and Cristiano Ronaldo will hopefully propel the Red Devils’ first-team squad to new heights this summer, yet World Cup-winning midfielder Paul Pogba is still to commit his future to the club.

After entering the final year of his current contract, the 28-year-old was heavily linked with a move to Ligue 1 giants Paris Saint-Germain, although Lionel Messi’s shock arrival at the Parc des Princes priced him out of that particular deal.

However, according to well-known journalist Samuel Luckhurst, the Red Devils are reportedly hopeful that the arrival of five-time Ballon d’Or winner Ronaldo will be enough to convince Pogba to sign a new contract at the club.

“The feeling at hierarchical level at United is the return of Ronaldo is such a compelling statement of intent that it may persuade Pogba to stay,” his report read.

Fans could be buzzing

After re-joining his boyhood club in a then world-record £89 million deal back in 2016, Pogba has only won the League Cup and Europa League and has failed to add to those accolades over the last four seasons.

As a result, Pogba is not believed to have shown any concrete interest in putting pen to paper on fresh terms at United due to fears he could waste the remaining prime years of his career with the Old Trafford outfit.

Nevertheless, the recent improvements made under Ole Gunnar Solskjaer both on and off the pitch have brought renewed hope that the 20-time English champions could return to their former glory in the imminent future.

When asked about Ronaldo’s return to United, Pogba said: “Everybody knows [what he brings]. He’s already a legend at this club and he is coming back.

“Obviously, it’s good for us, he’s going to bring his experience and quality. When he comes, the level goes up. We’re really pleased he’s coming and the most important thing today was the win so that when he comes we keep this winning mentality and keep going.”

Only time will tell if Ronaldo’s presence is enough to convince Pogba to sign a new deal, but the United supporters could be left buzzing with excitement at this new wave of hope.

And, in other news…Man Utd make contact over £27m-rated “complete midfielder”, Ole would love him 

After a decent start to the season with four wins from their opening six Premier League games, Everton have been on a rather rough run of form by losing five and drawing two of their seven previous league outings.

In those seven previous games, Everton have managed to concede 13 goals in the process, highlighting their defensive frailties at the moment.

This could potentially have something to do with the fact that they’ve had centre-back Yerry Mina out injured with a thigh issue since October.

Taking this into account, now could be the best time for Benitez one of Everton’s young defensive talents who has hardly had a look-in so far this season.

19-year-old centre-back Jarrad Branthwaite has only played 57 minutes of action for Everton this season which came during their 2-1 win against Huddersfield Town in the Carabao Cup.

With recent reports suggesting that Everton will look to send the defender out on loan in January after securing him on a long-term contract, it could be the better option for the Toffees to keep him in the squad but give him some regular Premier League minutes instead of loaning him out

Not only would it be a good time to give Branthwaite his first taste of Premier League action this season to try and fix their recent defensive issues, but it would also give the teenager some useful experience of playing in the top-flight alongside his senior teammates after not making an appearance in the league last year and only making four the season before.

Also, given how Branthwaite has already had some experience of playing in the Championship when he joined Blackburn Rovers on a loan deal last season where he made a total of ten appearances

Labelled as a “terrific footballer” by Steven Pressley – Branthwaite’s former coach at Carlisle United – the defender should be given the chance to see if he can have a positive impact on the team and turn their fortunes around in the league.

If Benitez has no intention of playing him in the league anytime soon, it could be in Branthwaite’s best interest in terms of his development if he did go out on loan to another Championship club and got some regular playing minutes under his belt again.

However, it would be good for the Toffees if they were able to seal his signature on a new long-term deal beforehand as he could end up saving them millions of pounds in potential future transfer fees given his young age if they need to replace the likes of Mina and Michael Keane in the next few years.

With the former linked with a move away, the young Everton defender could be a viable successor.

In other news: Brands could solve Rafa’s big Everton issue by signing “intelligent” £19.8m-rated ace – opinion

Newcastle United have now reportedly agreed a deal to sign Joe Willock before the summer transfer window ends.

The Lowdown: Willock targeted

Willock is reportedly the priority target for the North East club in this window after putting in some very impressive performances during his loan spell at St. James’ Park from Arsenal in the 2020/21 term.

The central midfield player helped himself to eight goals in 14 matches in the Premier League while playing for the Tyneside club (Transfermarkt).

The Latest: Deal reportedly agreed

According to 90min, a deal has now been agreed for Willock to move to the Magpies, and he has been told by the Gunners that he can leave.

Steve Bruce’s team have proposed a permanent deal which could be worth up to £25m including add-ons, and presents a ‘significant’ investment as it exceeds their reported budget of £20m.

However, a deal is no closer because Willock himself has not decided yet if he would like to leave the Emirates Stadium.

The North London club have told the Magpies that they would be willing to accept a loan offer with an option to buy, but they would prefer to sign him permanently.

The Verdict: Sign

So long as Willock agrees to move to the Toon, then they should pay the £25m fee, as he will be worth it for them in the long-term.

He already proved how much of an asset he can be to them, as Allan Saint-Maximin dubbed him as an ‘amazing’ player after his loan spell ended.

Nonetheless, it is a no brainer to bring Willock back – he has a proven track record on Tyneside, a great relationship emerging on the pitch with Saint-Maximin and is adored by the fans.

In other news, find out which ‘manager’s dream’ NUFC want to sign here!

Liverpool’s recruitment team are admirers of rumoured Reds transfer target Jarrod Bowen, according to journalist Paul Gorst.

The Lowdown: Bowen linked with Liverpool move

The 24-year-old enjoyed an impressive 2020/21 season for West Ham, scoring eight goals and registering five assists in the Premier League.

Liverpool have been linked with a move for Bowen this summer, in what is a rumour that hasn’t been met with universal happiness by some Reds supporters.

[freshpress-quiz id=“359326”]

The Latest: Journalist provides update

Now, Liverpool Echo journalist Gorst has given a fresh update on the situation during a Q&A on Friday, admitting Bowen is admired by the Reds’ recruitment team:

“He was an ever present in a West Ham side that finished an impressive 6th last season. He might not be flashy or ‘a name’ but if Liverpool’s recruitment team like him, they have earned the right to be trusted haven’t they? “I think he is the right sort of profile for what the club want, age-wise, status within the game, someone who might be ready to take that next big step. A bit like Jota, yes.”

[web_stories_embed url=”https://www.footballtransfertavern.com/web-stories/the-latest-liverpool-transfer-news-9/” title=”The latest Liverpool transfer news!” poster=”” width=”360″ height=”600″ align=“none”]

The Verdict: Is he good enough?

There are question marks over whether or not Bowen is of the required standard for Liverpool, at a time when Jurgen Klopp’s men are aiming to win the Premier League title back from Manchester City.

The Englishman has only played top-flight football for one-and-a-half seasons, so there is an argument to say that a higher calibre of wide man is needed.

That being said, someone like Andy Robertson came in as a relatively low-profile name in 2017 and has gone to become a world-class left-back, so the recruitment team may need to be trusted.

In other news, some Liverpool fans have been lauding one moment that happened in the friendly with Hertha Berlin. Read more here.

Liverpool are reportedly weighing up a move for West Ham United midfielder Declan Rice, according to ExWHUemployee. 

The lowdown: Rice’s future left in limbo after significant update

Rice’s future with West Ham United remains somewhat ‘up in the air’ heading into the new Premier League season, whilst under the management of David Moyes.

The 22-year-old still has three years remaining on his contract with the Hammers, with Salary Sport reporting that he’s on wages of £62,000 per-week.

Chelsea are believed to have been long-term admirers of Rice, with The Telegraph’s Matt Law previously claiming that the England international has turned down two contract offers from West Ham.

The latest: Liverpool enter the race to strike an agreement with Rice

Liverpool are the latest club to be credited with interest in striking a deal to sign Rice, with exWHUemployee reporting that Jurgen Klopp’s side are keen on reaching an agreement with the midfielder.

The Reds finished third in the Premier League last season, and are seemingly keen to fill the void left by Georginio Wijnaldum, with the Dutch midfielder leaving the club earlier this summer in favour of a move to French giants PSG when his contract reached a conclusion at Anfield.

The verdict: A nervy wait ahead for West Ham

Hailed by England teammate and former Red Raheem Sterling as an ‘animal’ after the recent win over Germany, Rice is quite simply too good for the Irons to sell.

He has been a key member of the West Ham squad for a number of seasons now, fast becoming one of the first names on David Moyes’ team-sheet when available for selection, starting 32 of 38 top flight matches this season.

He’s gained a considerable amount of praise whilst on international duty for England in the European Championships, and that’ll only heighten interest in his services this summer – Rio Ferdinand called him ‘tremendous’ following Sterling’s comments.

With Rice reportedly turning down two contract offers from West Ham prior to Liverpool’s interest in landing his signature, West Ham will face a nervy few months ahead.

Bruno Lage has had an incredibly difficult start to life as manager of Wolverhampton Wanderers.

He had to turn away bids and interest for his star players and after three matches in the Premier League, Wolves have failed to score or register a point.

That being said, the Old Gold have looked pleasing on the eye and there are certainly plenty of positives from his tenure so far.

In offensive areas, Wolves have a swagger to their play, something backed up by their 4-0 win over Nottingham Forest in the Carabao Cup.

That proves that once one goes in, the goals will start flowing for Lage’s team.

He will, however, need Adama Traore to step up. In possession of the ball, the human roadrunner has been nothing short of exceptional this season. The winger has amassed ten dribbles per match according to WhoScored, a tally that no one in Europe’s top five leagues can eclipse.

Yet, after the Wolves boss challenged him to improve his finishing, a new forward has arrived.

Hwang Hee-chan was introduced as a Wolves player during their defeat to Manchester United and following the international break, he will earn his first taste of English football.

The Molineux outfit have been hot on the collar of Hwang for a number of years now but they finally have their man, albeit on a temporary basis at first.

Fortunately, he looks like a man in form. The £53k-per-week earner was in vibrant touch as his South Korean side defeated Lebanon 1-0 on Tuesday.

Hwang was at the heart of everything good his country did with the attacking dynamo proving to be the supply line for the only goal of the game.

His creativity was first class as he provided three key passes during the course of the match.

Playing on the left-hand side, it gave the South Korean winger freedom to get at the defender and he duly undertook that task in excellent fashion.

Hwang attempted a colossal 11 dribbles of which he succeeded in five. That might not be the extraordinary levels we see from Traore but it proves that their talents can align in certain areas.

Furthermore, the new Wolves signing won ten of his defensive duels, suggesting he doesn’t shy away from a physical battle.

When it comes to facing mean-mannered Premier League defenders, that attribute will be vital if Wolves are to start scoring again.

If Hwang starts scoring on a regular basis for his new club, Traore better watch out.

AND in other news, Wolves must revisit swoop for “remarkable” £104k-p/w beast, he’s a big upgrade…

Ipswich Town must act swiftly to complete a deal to sign Rotherham United centre-back Clark Robertson as the defender has held talks with Portsmouth.

What’s the talk?

According to The Independent, Ipswich, Portsmouth, Aberdeen and Slask Wroclaw are all eyeing Robertson as a potential signing ahead of the summer transfer window. The report claims Robertson is poised to leave Rotherham at the end of the month upon the expiry of his current contract with the Millars.

Portsmouth are said to be leading the race for his signature at this moment in time. Robertson has held positive talks with Pompey boss Danny Cowley and this has made the south coast club the favourites to land the Scottish defender this summer.

Rotherham manager Paul Warne waxed lyrical about “competitive” Robertson when he signed the defender from Blackpool in 2018. He told Rotherham’s official website:

“I think he’s a really good acquisition and I know that other clubs were after him.“We’ve had numerous conversations with him and his agent and we’re pleased to get it over the line.”He can step in and play out from the back, which the league we’re going into will allow a little bit more and he’ll bring us a bit of calmness.“I’ve known him for quite a while and he’s a left-sider, which is pretty unique. He can play and he was a huge part of the Blackpool team last year. He’s a good, strong, competitive centre half which fits in with what we’re looking for here.” Ipswich must act fast

Ipswich must act fast to secure a deal for Robertson. Portsmouth are currently leading the race so Ipswich will need to move quickly to make sure that they do not trip up and allow their League One rivals to snap Robertson up for free.

He is due to be a free agent next month and is allowed to speak with interested parties as clubs will not need to pay Rotherham a transfer fee, which is why Robertson has been able to hold discussions with Cowley over a potential move to Fratton Park.

Robertson has proven himself to be a solid centre-back option at Championship level during his time at Rotherham. He played 44 Championship games across two seasons in the second tier, averaging an impressive WhoScored rating of 6.78.

The Scottish defender also helped Rotherham win promotion from League One in between those two Championship seasons, as The Millers finished second in the 2019/20 campaign. Robertson averaged 4.3 aerial battles won, 1.2 interceptions and 4.3 clearances per game across the 44 Championship games he played, highlighting his strong defensive skilset.

The £3.4k-per-week beast knows how to get promoted from League One and how to perform well at Championship level – even if his teammates couldn’t – and this is why he could be an excellent signing for Ipswich. Paul Cook will be aiming to secure promotion from the third tier next season and Robertson is a player he could bring in for free who has what it takes to be part of a successful team at this level.

If he wants to do a deal, he’ll need to get a move on before the player makes a decision about joining Pompey.

AND in other news, Ipswich must complete deal for “go-to” £3.9k-p/w ace, Cook would be buzzing…

Some Wolves fans have been left to rage as a transfer update emerged on Rui Patricio.

As per Corriere dello Sport (via Sport Witness), Jorge Mendes is ‘working’ on a deal to bring the Portugal international to AS Roma, with general director Tiago Pinto teaming up with him to get it done.

Patricio would be available for a ‘reasonable’ fee, one that would be ‘lower’ than others demanded by other teams for their respective goalkeepers.

The 33-year-old only missed one game in the Premier League in the 2020/21 term (Transfermarkt), and so it would be silly to let such a key player go without a suitable replacement lined up.

Nonetheless, Patricio’s experience is vital both off of the pitch as well as on it, especially for the younger players coming through like Fabio Silva.

The Midlands club should really be looking to keep hold of their number one just for some stability, with question marks over the futures of their other key players given that they let the likes of Diogo Jota and Matt Doherty go in last summer’s window.

Wolves fans on Patricio transfer update

These members of the Molineux faithful raged as the transfer update was shared on Twitter:

“See a lot of our fans dismiss Rui as a keeper, personally think he’s solid and not even a position I’ve considered we needed to upgrade currently”

Credit: @Jandersonn94

“Not one we should be selling we aren’t going to get more for him than what we originally paid because of his age!”

Credit: @ACrowe87

“Please no”

Credit: @Vyoe_

“Pls no”

Credit: @eve_elizabethxx

“Hope Wolves learn buy first sell after. Still can say no. Got at least another year while we get goalkeeping experience under him. We do develop good goalkeepers”

Credit: @Darkowl1rush

“Sorry but our only goalkeeper going for peanuts to be replaced by who exactly for less money?”

Credit: @jaylittle84

In other news, find out what manager update has left Wanderers fuming here!