All posts by z3u9t.icu

Ianis Hagi could miss the start of Glasgow Rangers’ Champions League campaign as he may be called up to Romania’s Olympic squad.

The Lowdown: Champions League on the horizon

The Gers have secured qualification for Europe’s premier club competition after strolling to the Premiership title.

They will start in the third qualifying round, with the first leg to be played on either the 3rd or 4th August and the second leg a week later.

The Latest: Hagi could be missing

The Tokyo Olympics will take place this year after they were originally postponed for 12 months due to the ongoing coronavirus pandemic.

Romania have qualified for the football tournament and, as per Glasgow Live, Hagi could be called up to represent his country. Should they reach the semi-finals, he would be unable to play in the first Champions League game.

The Verdict: Dilemma

This represents a dilemma for Hagi. Having the opportunity to represent your country on a stage such as the Olympics comes around once in a lifetime. While the current health situation means it is unlikely to be an event of the usual glitz and glamour, all eyes will still be on Tokyo this summer.

However, Hagi has played a big role in helping the Gers reach the Champions League – he has managed seven goals and 13 assists in 43 matches in all competitions (Transfermarkt) – and could contribute to help the Gers progress to the promised land of the group stages. It remains to be seen what the £5.4m-valued 22-year-old (Transfermarkt) chooses when faced with this difficult decision.

In other news, Alan Hutton believes the Gers could replace Filip Helander with this man.

Former Leeds United midfielder Carlton Palmer has told Football FanCast in an exclusive interview that Marcelo Bielsa bringing Sergio Aguero to Elland Road would be a gamble.

Aguero, who will leave Manchester City in the summer after 10 years at the club, was being linked with a move to Leeds.

However, it has recently emerged that Barcelona are now in talks to sign the 32-year-old striker, with BBC Sport’s Guillem Balague claiming that it is a deal that all parties are keen to get over the line.

Aguero’s proven pedigree in the Premier League could have made him a brilliant addition to Bielsa’s squad, though Palmer feels he would have been a gamble given his age and injury record.

Speaking exclusively to FFC about Leeds’ reported interest in the Manchester City forward, the retired England international said:

“I think he accepts he’s not finished yet, but his better days are past it. So in terms of him playing and playing regularly, he’ll probably be able to do that more on the continent. The Premier League’s a tough, tough league.

“Is it three seasons now where he’s been just struggling with injuries and he comes in and goes out? Listen, let me tell you, if he could still contribute over sort of 25-30 games, there’s no way Man City would be allowing him to go.

“So I think it’s a gamble for anybody to take him in the Premier League; it’s a gamble just over his fitness. There’s no doubt about his quality and his ability to score goals if he’s on the football pitch.”

Aguero has struggled with injury this season, so perhaps that could be one factor behind Manchester City’s decision to allow him to go.

According to a report by Spanish news outlet AS, Tottenham Hotspur and chairman Daniel Levy have ‘knocked on the door’ of ex-Juventus boss Massimiliano Allegri.

The Lowdown: Allegri linked to Spurs

Since former Lilywhites boss Jose Mourinho was dismissed by Tottenham last month, a plethora of managers have been linked with the vacancy, and Allegri is one of them (Evening Standard).

The 53-year-old, currently without a club, has also been linked with a move to Real Madrid and comes as a potentially fruitful appointment for any interested party.

Unemployed, he presents a cheap option as well as someone who possesses real experience in clinching silverware.

The Latest: Levy approach made for Allegri

As per AS, Tottenham and chairman Levy have now ‘knocked on the door’ of Allegri amid the saga over his next managerial role.

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However, it is claimed that the former AC Milan head coach has rebuffed this for the time being and ‘wants time to think’ – with AS hinting he is holding out for a move to the Bernabeu.

He has also ordered his representatives to ‘appease the interest’ of interested clubs who come enquiring, at least temporarily, while he waits to see ‘what happens’ with Real Madrid.

The Verdict: Most prestigious contender…

Given his prestige and brilliant record, Allegri arguably comes as the most high-profile coach linked to Spurs since Mourinho’s dismissal in April.

Not only has Allegri dominated Italy with Juve, winning five Scudettos, four Coppa Italias and two Supercoppa Italiana titles (Transfermarkt), he has also reached the Champions League final twice. 

Losing on both occasions with the Old Lady, Allegri still possesses plenty of experience on the world’s biggest stages and has also worked wonders in other jobs.

AC Milan’s last domestic league title came during Allegri’s tenure in 2010/2011, with the San Siro side then going on to win a Supercoppa Italiana of their own soon afterwards (Transfermarkt).

Lauded as a manager who is ‘perfect for Tottenham’ by journalist Ben Ransom (Sky Sports Football Podcast), Levy could be disappointed over Allegri holding out on a move to Madrid.

In other news: Sky journalist drops ‘interesting’ Harry Kane claim, find out more here.

Former Everton star Michael Ball has told The Transfer Tavern that the club will have to pay through the nose to sign Norwich City right-back Max Aarons this summer.

The Toffees have been heavily linked with a potential summer move for the England U21 international.

Aarons has been in brilliant form for Norwich thus far this season, as the club have won the Championship title at a canter.

He has made 45 Championship appearances this season, scoring two goals and laying on five assists.

The Independent have reported that Everton are keen on a swoop, and that he would cost around £30m to sign this summer.

Ball believes that Carlo Ancelotti’s side have been tracking Aarons for some time, and will have to make a decision on whether they are willing to invest heavily to bring him in, as a long-term replacement for Seamus Coleman, or sign a budget option.

He told TT: “I think Everton have come quite strongly for Max Aarons. I feel they’ve probably been looking at Max Aarons for the last 18 months or so, wanted to bring him to the football club.

“Norwich, rightly so, want top dollar. Everton need to try to figure out how they’re going to prioritise that position and whether they’re going to look at a cheaper option for the next year or two years.”

According to a report by Italian news outlet La Stampa, Tottenham Hotspur now represent the ‘most attractive offer’ for ex-Chelsea boss Antonio Conte as chairman Daniel Levy continues the hunt for a new manager.

The Lowdown: Conte quits Inter…

As announced yesterday evening, the 51-year-old has left Inter Milan and the belief is that the separation was due to differences in moving the club forward.

Conte, on the one hand, desired new signings and a ‘clear project to win again’, while the Nerazzurri need to offload players and recuperate €80 million (£69.1m) through sales to combat their dire financial situation (Fabrizio Romano).

As such, the Italian has departed the San Siro with immediate effect and is now available for hire.

The Latest: Spurs ‘most attractive offer’ for Conte…

Just before Conte decided to part ways with Inter, with it seeming inevitable even before the official announcement, La Stampa dropped a rather promising claim on the links between him and Tottenham Hotspur.

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The Italian news outlet boldly said that Spurs have proposed a lucrative contract offer to the ex-Juventus manager worth close to €20 million (£17.3 million) in a ‘pharaonic engagement’.

Meanwhile, lifting the lid on Conte’s stance when it comes to a possible Spurs move, La Stampa believe that the Lilywhites represent the ‘most attractive offer’ for him.

This is due to Spurs representing a huge stimulus for Conte in terms of turning their results around, with the ‘offer of recruitment’ also an enticing draw.

Levy’s alleged £17.3m salary offer is another reason and is said to be a ‘very convincing argument’.

The Verdict: Huge opportunity…

Now that Conte has officially quit the Inter post, his availability should force Levy to do all he can to bring him to Tottenham.

There will be big clubs across Europe knocking on the door, including Real Madrid given the news on Zinedine Zidane, with Spurs needing a proven serial-winner to turn their fortunes around.

It would arguably be foolish not to lodge a serious attempt for Conte in light of his Serie A exit, especially considering he has won four Serie A titles, two Italian Super Cups, the Premier League and FA Cup (Transfermarkt).

He is also revered by other managers, with Andrea Pirlo dubbing him a ‘demon’ and the ‘best coach’ he has ever worked with (La Gazzetta dello Sport via FourFourTwo).

Meanwhile, Manchester City coach Pep Guardiola lauded Conte as a tactical ‘master’ during his time in England (Reuters).

Conte also has over 300 career wins under his belt as a manager (Transfermarkt) – could he be the saviour for Spurs?

In other news: Alasdair Gold says Spurs may now axe this ‘fantastic player’ who loves the club, find out more here.

West Ham United should be in for an exciting summer as David Moyes looks to bolster his playing squad ahead of a campaign in the Europa League next season.

It’s no secret that the 58-year-old needs additions right across the pitch, most notably up front, with Michail Antonio being his only senior striker since January.

There are also a lot of question marks over the future of Jesse Lingard, a player who has played an integral part in the Irons achieving a European finish.

The east Londoners would like to sign him permanently from Manchester United in the upcoming transfer window but, according to The Sun, there has been no contact between the two clubs over making that happen just yet, and there is a fear that the Red Devils could keep hold of him.

It means that West Ham should probably start considering other options, in which West Brom sensation Matheus Pereira features, whilst they have also been linked to Norwich City’s Player of the Season Emiliano Buendia.

Earlier this month, the Sunday Mirror (2nd May, page 72) linked the Hammers to the 24-year-old maestro but, since then, The Athletic believe that both Arsenal and Aston Villa are going toe-to-toe over his signature.

David Ornstein revealed that the Canaries expect him to leave in the summer window but it will require a fee in the region of £40m to sell him. That does seem like a huge price but his performances this season have been off the charts.

On their way to the Championship title, the Argentine playmaker has provided the Norfolk club with 15 goals and 17 assists, managing a direct contribution once every 106 minutes, as per Transfermarkt.

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By comparison, Lingard managed a goal or assist every 101 minutes since joining West Ham, although he registered just one assist in their final six matches of the season.

Moyes has had some very impressive names in the same role and he certainly hasn’t been afraid to dip into the lower divisions in English football to find the right man. For example, Tim Cahill was plucked from Millwall and quickly became one of the Scotsman’s most reliable and tenacious threats from midfield at Everton.

Only four other players have made more appearances under Moyes (277) but no man scored more than goals than the Australian talisman (68), via Transfermarkt.

In Buendia, the Hammers boss could well find himself another Cahill.

Recently lauded as a “special talent” by Norwich team-mate Ben Gibson, the 24-year-old has proven to be a source of consistency when it comes to creativity.

He averaged a whopping 3.1 key passes per game, a number which saw him top the charts across the Championship by quite some margin, and would also see him eclipse every single West Ham player by nearly double in 2020/21.

Also dubbed a “game-changer” by Norwich manager Daniel Farke, and “tenacious” and “very strong” by team-mate Max Aarons, it’s clear to see that the £20m-rated midfielder is destined for big things in the Premier League.

If Lingard proves to be out of reach, then Moyes should certainly look to repeat his successful trick with Cahill by plotting a swoop for the Canaries hotshot instead.

He would be a fine addition ahead of their Europa League campaign in the autumn.

AND in other news, West Ham could find next Antonio in explosive 23-goal “absolute predator”…

Everton are said to be lining up FC Porto manager Sergio Conceicao as their next boss after Carlo Ancelotti’s decision to join Real Madrid.

What’s the story?

Ancelotti’s surprise return to the Santiago Bernabeu has left the Toffees with a real dilemma, and it appears they have cast the net far and wide to appoint their next manager.

And, according to Football Insider, the Merseyside club have got their eye on Conceicao, with the 44-year-old still having yet put pen to paper on a new contract at Porto.

The report claims that the stand-off between the two sides has opened the door for him to move to Goodison Park, and that Everton are “keeping tabs” on his situation.

Would fire up Goodison Park

While Sky Sports have revealed the Toffees are set to undergo talks with former Wolves boss Nuno Espirito Santo, it’s his fellow Portuguese manager Conceicao who Farhad Moshiri and co should really be looking at.

Speaking to Goal, journalist Lidia Paralta Gomes, said of Conceicao: “They see him as a homegrown guy with the authentic Porto mentality – very passionate, very intense, very proud. There are claims that he is all about attitude and not sophisticated enough, but those are minority”.

That dedication and willingness to win is reflected in comments made by Real Madrid legend Iker Casillas, who played under Conceicao at Porto.

The Spaniard said: “Behind every serious and disciplined coach there is also a great person. During the three years with Conceicao I came to know a man who demands the maximum. He always wants to win and transmits this will to his players”.

Conceicao meanwhile himself admitted: “I am never 100 per cent happy. There is a dark side inside me, and it will never leave”.

Another key thing the 44-year-old will bring to the table is his ability to manage a squad of players, and his style should see him become a really popular figure at the club.

In a piece about his tactical philosophy, Football BH wrote: “Conceição garnered respect quickly. He introduced a fine blend of spirited charisma and tacit discipline to not only get the dressing room on-side but the despondent fans as well.

“Conceição has one intangible attribute all top modern managers possess. He is able to bleed an extra 5% out of every player in his squad, imploring them to pull in the same direction and pull hard.

“The authority doesn’t come from shouting the loudest or micro-managing every detail. It has grown from his honesty with the press, his public team-talks in front of the fans and jogging 24-miles home after losing a bet with his players.”

That ability to get his players leave everything on the line for him shows the remarkable man-management skills that Conceicao possesses, and that intensity and passion that people have raved about, should endear him to the Goodison Park faithful.

Toffees fans only have to look across to the red half of Merseyside to see the kind of impact a charismatic manager can have on an entire club. Conceicao appears to be built from that same never-say-die mould and would be a perfect fit for Everton.

If Moshiri wants to really kick-start things at Goodison, then he should turn to Conceicao instead of Nuno.

And in other news, Everton could find new Pienaar by signing this star player…

Many Everton fans have been flocking to respond to a manager update involving Rafa Benitez.

As per The Athletic, the Spaniard is willing to talk to the Goodison Park faithful about them potentially appointing him as their new boss, but his past associations with Liverpool make it difficult for the Merseyside club’s board to hire him.

It seems as if a lot of Toffees are split over whether they think Benítez is the man to lead them forward, as some do not want to hire a coach who used to manage and was so fondly remembered by Liverpool, given that he won the UEFA Champions League with the Reds back in the 2004/05 season (Transfermarkt).

However, the 61-year-old has won numerous other trophies at top clubs in European football, and has a vast amount of experience of managing in the Premier League (Transfermarkt).

Nonetheless, he is currently available at the moment, and it may be an ideal opportunity for the Blues to take advantage of that.

Everton fans on Benitez manager update

These EFC supporters seemed split as they flocked to the manager update on Twitter:

“Rafa would be perfect for us for where we are now. The board members with the problems need to swallow some pride and realise there isn’t a lot of proven premiership quality out there and he is the best one for the job. He’s had time away from them lot and would surely relish it.”

Credit: @martinEroberts

“If Benitez is the best available manager then we should go for him and forget about whether he was an ex Red.”

Credit: @leemolton

“I’d honestly have him me. Just need the fans on side”

Credit: @bluetom_tom

“Rafa is nothing more than a Spanish Allardyce, who has been given money and or inherited a decent squad. Did you not watch his Newcastle teams who by the way Bruce has bettered.. I couldn’t think of a worse appointment”

Credit: @peter12002547

“I’m not willing to get behind this one.”

Credit: @KStaff1878

“Nooooooooooo he’s a Red”

Credit: @cjmarston

In other news, find out the latest Fabrizio Romano has given on Moise Kean here!

Stoke City have been dealt a huge blow in their bid to bring Jonson Clarke-Harris to the bet365 Stadium this summer.

What’s the talk?

That’s according to a report by the Peterborough Telegraph, who claim that Michael O’Neill’s side have a self-imposed £2m transfer limit to spend on any one individual player, which would rule them out of a move for the Peterborough United centre-forward in the upcoming transfer window.

It has also been reported that a number of other Championship sides are extremely keen on a move for the 26-year-old, including West Bromwich Albion, Sheffield United and Bournemouth, with Posh believed to be demanding a fee of up to £8m in order to part with the striker this summer.

O’Neill will be gutted

Considering just how impressive Clarke-Harris was for Peterborough last season, the news that the forward looks likely to be out of Stoke’s price range in the upcoming transfer window is sure to leave Michael O’Neill feeling gutted.

Indeed, over his 45 League One appearances for Posh last term, the £225k-rated man scored 31 goals, registered three assists and created 11 big chances for his teammates, in addition to taking an average of 2.9 shots and making one key pass per game.

These returns saw the striker earn a seasonal SofaScore match rating of 7.24, ranking him as Darren Ferguson’s second-best performer in the third tier of English football – with his displays going a long way to help Peterborough in securing promotion to the Championship.

And, with only Nick Powell managing to break double-figure league goals for the Potters last season, up front is an area in which it would appear the Northern Irish manager must strengthen this summer if his side are to stand any chance of mounting a push for promotion next season.

However, after the latest revelation regarding Stoke’s approach to their summer transfer business, it would appear as if the man dubbed a “leader” by Ferguson will not be the answer to O’Neill’s attacking-addition prayers, an outcome that is likely to disappoint not only the manager but also fans of the club.

In other news: Transfer update emerges on “massive” £33k-p/w flop that’ll leave Stoke fans buzzing

West Ham United could revisit their interest in Hans Vanaken this summer, according to reports…

What’s the word?

Dutch website Voetbal 24 claimed that the Irons are still monitoring the Club Brugge midfielder ahead of a potential swoop in the transfer window, having wanted to sign him for just €15m (£13m) last year.

It’s thought that the 28-year-old may struggle to command in excess of €20m (£18m) after a season of poor performances on the pitch.

When the Premier League club were originally linked with Vanaken, it was claimed – by the same outlet – that he was enticed by the idea of joining the Hammers, and it’s hard to imagine his stance has changed much now that they have qualified for the Europa League.

Bargain price

With Vanaken’s value decreasing, it could be the perfect time for David Moyes to strike, so he must urge GSB to stump up the cash this summer as it could well be a bargain on their part.

A new central midfielder could be low in the priority list this window but they will certainly need to bolster right across the pitch if they are to remain competitive across a season which, with European commitments, could exceed 50 matches.

Vanaken, valued at just shy of £12m by Transfermarkt, presents a cheap but solid solution.

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He could well fit Moyes’ system like a glove as, like Tomas Soucek, he is capable of providing a goal threat from the engine room. His ten caps for Belgium have seen him find the net twice, whilst he scored 16 goals and provided seven assists in all competitions last season, via Transfermarkt.

Vanaken also captained Brugge in some key matches, including Champions League group games against Paris Saint-Germain and a Europa League knockout tie against Manchester United, so it’s no wonder Moyes appears to be keen on the 28-year-old.

“He has been one of the finest footballers in [the] Belgian league for several years,” claimed Sporza commentator Frank Raes. “Hans has good feet, is strong with the head, has insight and also his running and scoring ability are of high quality.”

Journalist Peter Vandenbempt added: “Vanaken gets better every year. He has everything Club Brugge wants: vision, technique, the right mentality and scoring ability.”

David Sullivan must look to add this goalscoring maestro to Moyes’ ranks at West Ham this summer, as he’d be an experienced option (464 club career games) and a potential bargain alongside Declan Rice and Soucek given his modest valuation.

AND in other news, West Ham set for huge boost as Rush Green update emerges…