All posts by h716a5.icu

Wolverhampton Wanderers are reportedly keen on signing Osasuna defender David Garcia in January and the Spaniard could be the man to finally replace Conor Coady at Molineux.

Reports from Spain have suggested that Wolves have already met Garcia’s €20m (£17.2m) release clause, as Julen Lopetegui looks to strengthen the defensive options at his new club.

The Old Gold lost influential centre-backs Romain Saiss, Willy Boly and Coady during the summer transfer window, with only Nathan Collins brought in as a replacement, and a lack of experience at the back has already cost Wolves on a number of occasions this season.

After looking so strong at the back under Bruno Lage in the last campaign, the Midlands club have been one of the worst in the division this term, having shipped 24 goals in just 15 games so far.

It is clear that Lopetegui is looking for another centre-back as he attempts to turn Wolves’ season around following the World Cup break, and Garcia would arguably be a far better option than fellow reported target, Felipe.

The 33-year-old Brazilian has managed just three appearances in all competitions for Atletico Madrid this season and looks to be well past his best, whereas Garcia has been a mainstay in Osasuna’s impressive campaign thus far, with Los Rojillos currently sitting seventh in Spain’s top flight.

In 12 La Liga appearances, the Spaniard has contributed one goal and has averaged a solid 6.77 rating from WhoScored for his performances, which would rank him as the second-best performer in the Wolves’ squad – behind only the talismanic Ruben Neves.

Felipe, meanwhile, has averaged a 6.66 rating across his two appearances in the league and managed a shocking 6.52 rating last season, which suggests that he is well past his best.

Garcia has also averaged significantly more interceptions than Felipe (1.6 vs 0) and clearances (4.5 vs 3.7) per game this season and is a far better long-term option in Lopetegui’s side given that he is five years younger.

Therefore, when Wolves are considering their options to find a replacement for Coady at Molineux, Garcia should be well above Felipe on the list.

Manchester City have been heavily linked with AC Milan left-back Theo Hernandez in the past, and Txiki Begiristain should definitely try and bring him to the Etihad Stadium after a sensational World Cup.

It was suggested during the summer that the Citizens were planning a £100m swoop for the France international as Pep Guardiola looked to add to his full-back options, with Kyle Walker set to turn 33 next year.

City currently have Joao Cancelo and Sergio Gomez at left-back, with Josh Wilson-Esbrand also seemingly on the verge of breaking into the first team at the Etihad, which suggests that Guardiola is not currently short of options in that position.

However, Hernandez has proven himself to be a world-class left-back in recent years with AC Milan, contributing five goals and six assists in Serie A last season as the Rossoneri won the Scudetto.

Milan legend Paolo Maldini has tipped the left-back to surpass even his legacy at the San Siro, singing his praises last season.

The Rossoneri technical director said: “If Theo plays just a third of the matches I played, he will surpass me. This is very clear, I was never much of a goalscorer. If he were to surpass me, I’d be happy, because I’d enjoy these goals as well.

“Theo is a very special full-back. He’s absolutely a full-back, but what he does isn’t done by anyone else, above all for his ability to finish, to assist and burst forward.”

He has also been hugely impressive in Qatar with France, contributing one goal and two assists en route to the final as Didier Deschamps’ side aim to win consecutive World Cup titles by defeating Argentina on Sunday.

The 25-year-old was arguably the star performer on Wednesday night as France defeated Morocco 2-0 to seal their place in the final, and Begiristain should definitely consider a January move for the full-back after such an eye-catching display.

As per Sofascore, Hernandez earned an 8.2/10 rating for his performance against the Atlas Lions, which ranked him as the best player on the pitch.

The former Real Madrid man opened the scoring with an acrobatic finish, which emphasised his ability in attack. He was also extremely solid in defence and nullified the threat of Morocco’s danger man Hakim Ziyech, who earned a shocking 5.9/10 rating after completing none of his five dribble attempts.

Hernandez also contributed four tackles and won seven of his eight duels, with a success rate of 88%. That is a significant increase on the 1.8 tackles he has averaged per match with AC Milan this season, which emphasises how much he raised his game on Wednesday night.

Therefore, Begiristain should definitely look at bringing Hernandez to the Etihad next month, as it seems clear that he could be a world-class prospective addition to Guardiola’s squad.

Rangers boss Michael Beale has made a winning start to life in the dugout at Ibrox, with the Englishman having claimed six points from his opening two Scottish Premiership games, after seeing off both Hibernian and Aberdeen in dramatic fashion over the past week.

Despite those successive victories – which have seen the Ibrox outfit score six goals in total – the 42-year-old will likely still be plotting ways to strengthen his ranks ahead of the January transfer window.

With former talisman Alfredo Morelos still yet to commit his future to the club – who only six months left to run on his deal – a new centre-forward addition may well emerge as something of a priority next month, as the Light Blues seek to close the gap on league leaders, Celtic.

One potential option that has been mooted is Sunderland ace, Ross Stewart, with Football Insider having reported earlier this week that the Scotland international is a target for the Gers, albeit with any deal likely to cost in the region of £10m.

This follows previous claims that suggested the Glasgow side – and their bitter rivals across the city – are ‘waiting in the wings’ should the Black Cats allow their prize asset to depart in 2023, with the 26-year-old also having just six months on his current contract, albeit with the option of a 12-month extension.

The addition of the former Ross County man – who was also a reported target for former boss Giovanni van Bronckhorst over the summer – would certainly help to bolster Beale’s firepower, with the 6 foot 2 gem having scored 35 goals in just 73 games during his time in England to date.

The hope would be that the “unbelievable” marksman – as described by teammate Alex Pritchard – could form a potent attacking partnership with Rangers playmaker, Malik Tillman, with the USA international currently delivering the goods in his free role behind the striker.

The on-loan Bayern Munich man – whom Beale has previously suggested he is keen to sign permanently – has showcased the full array of his talents since the return to action after the World Cup break, having registered two assists in the comeback triumph over Hibs.

That 3-2 victory saw the 20-year-old register four key passes a sign of his ability to make things happen in the final third, having notably played his part in Morelos’ winning goal after laying the ball on a plate to his Colombian teammate following some fancy footwork inside the area.

That quality was also evident on Tuesday evening as Tillman again proved integral in the win at Pittodrie, brilliantly beating his man down the right flank before delivering a dinked cross into the penalty area that eventually found its way to matchwinner Scott Arfield, who duly sealed the points at the death.

Such a prolific figure like Stewart – who has “got everything” according to Pritchard – would surely thrive off that type of elite service, with Rangers potentially having a fearsome duo in the making if the Scotsman can be plucked from the Stadium of Light.

Newcastle United strengthened their grip on a place in the top four of the Premier League as they beat Leicester City 3-0 away from home on Boxing Day.

Eddie Howe’s men are now second in the table, having played two more matches than Manchester City, and are seven points clear of Manchester United in fifth.

The Magpies enjoyed the perfect start to the game as Joelinton won a penalty in the second minute of the match. He was fouled by Daniel Amartey in the box and Chris Wood stepped up to rifle the ball down the middle of the goal to make it 1-0.

Miguel Almiron then doubled the lead in the eighth minute as he played a one-two with Bruno Guimaraes before gliding through the Leicester back four and slotting the ball into the bottom corner.

It was 3-0 before half time as Joelinton powered in a header from Kieran Trippier’s corner in the 32nd minute, towering over a Leicester defender to beat Danny Ward from six yards.

Whilst Almiron caught the eye with his ninth Premier League goal of the season, the main man for Howe’s side was the Brazilian midfielder Joelinton.

The £85k-per-week gem lined up on the left of a front three, instead of in his box-to-box midfield role, and provided physicality, skill, and enthusiasm in the final third.

Despite starting in an attacking role, Joelinton was a monster out of possession as he constantly put pressure on the Leicester defence and midfield in order to win the ball back for his side.

As per Sofascore, he won ten individual duels – more than any other Newcastle player – and made three clearances, one block, three interceptions, and one tackle, whilst only being dribbled past once. These statistics show that he was a monster off the ball as he bullied the opposition and played a key role in the side executing an excellent press to consistently win possession back in good areas.

He also completed 93% of his attempted passes and two of his four attempted dribbles to go along with his superb header and a piece of skill to win the penalty off Amartey. This shows that he made a big contribution in the final third when the Magpies did win the ball back, as he played a crucial part in two of the goals.

Therefore, the Brazilian was the main man for Howe. It was a phenomenal performance on and off the ball from the left wing position with the gem proving pivotal to what they wanted to do during the game, winning the ball high up the pitch and then punishing Leicester with quality in possessions.

He certainly deserves praise for his display – even if he is not as easy on the eye as Almiron.

Journalist Ben Jacobs believes Arsenal could exit talks for Mykhaylo Mudryk if they can’t agree on a sensible transfer fee.

The Lowdown: Could abandon Mudryk pursuit

It looks like it could be one of the transfer sagas of the month, as Arsenal have already seen one bid rejected for top target Mudryk and recently returned with a second offer.

The winger is certainly not hiding his admiration towards the Gunners, having recently posted pictures of him watching their games and praising Mikel Arteta on social media.

However, with Shakhtar Donetsk reportedly wanting around £100m for Mudryk back in November, this will be no easy negotiation.

The Latest: Price tag too high

Jacobs, who’s spoken to Mudryk himself in the past, has claimed on The Done Deal Show that Arsenal could end up walking away from negotiations if Shakhtar don’t lower their asking price.

He said: “Arsenal are not going to get messed around here; Arsenal are not going to pay above what they believe to be the odds. Arsenal are not going to put all of their eggs in the Mudryk basket in the sense of only focusing on him.

“He’s very much the priority, but were Shakhtar to say, ‘no, £100m or nothing,’ Arsenal would walk away, but that’s not where we’re at, because privately, there is a real feeling that this one is going to get done.”

The Verdict: Arsenal must land Mudryk

Given how long the Gunners have been tipped to sign Mudryk and the fact the winger is clearly desperate for the move, it would be a shambles if they couldn’t get it over the line this month.

Perhaps if Gabriel Jesus was fit to play, the need for Mudryk may not be as great, but with the Brazilian set for a prolonged period of time on the sidelines, more goals and options are perhaps needed in order to sustain their title challenge.

Mikel Arteta can’t be expecting Bukayo Saka, Gabriel Martinelli and Eddie Nketiah to start and play pretty much all their remaining games every few days or so. Therefore, Mudryk could come in and provide depth and quality given his impressive start to the season with 18 goal involvements for Shakhtar.

Manchester United are eyeing Youssoufa Moukoko as a potential replacement for Cristiano Ronaldo during this month’s transfer window.

What’s the latest?

The Red Devils saw one of their striking options leave in the final weeks of 2022 as Ronaldo and the club decided to part ways following his explosive interviews with Piers Morgan.

United have been linked with a potential move for the Atletico Madrid forward in Joao Felix this month with the Portuguese star believed to be looking to leave the Spanish club.

However, Romano has suggested the Red Devils could be on of the clubs who look to make a serious move for the Borussia Dortmund striker, Moukoko:

“I think another big opportunity on the market is Youssoufa Moukoko who is a talented striker. He’s a very good player potentially available in January because at the moment he has an agreement with Borussia Dortmund.

“English clubs are asking about him. I would not be surprised if Man United decide to go for something like that. I think it would be really smart.

“At the moment. This is not the case because there are no negotiations, but he’s one of the players they’re following.”

Joao Felix alternative

Erik ten Hag’s side have already been linked with a possible move for the 23-year-old, Felix, with a potential loan deal believed to be a possibility until the end of the campaign.

But some reports also suggest the La Liga outfit are looking for a much bigger loan fee than what United are looking to pay for the forward.

According to the Daily Mail, Atletico are looking for £13.25m to see Felix move to Old Trafford until the end of the 2022/23 campaign.

In comparison, Moukoko, who has been hailed as the “biggest talent in the world”, has been subject of a reported £8.6m bid from Chelsea already suggesting he could be obtainable on a permanent deal for a similar fee to what Atleti are wanting for Felix.

Although Felix is still just 23-years-old, Moukoko would provide United will a real project to build from having only recently having his 18th birthday in November.

Despite his age, Moukoko has shown some signs of promise for Dortmund this season with a return of six goals and three assists in 14 appearances.

Felix has played just one game fewer than the German forward but has scored two goals fewer but provided almost double the shot-creating opportunities per 90 minutes that Moukoko has this season (via Fbref).

But with competition from Chelsea for Moukoko and Arsenal for Felix, United will be hoping they do not miss out on another target as they did with Cody Gakpo.

Liverpool have been linked with a move for Teun Koopmeiners over the last few weeks and now a new update has emerged on the club’s pursuit of the player during the January transfer window.

What’s the latest?

According to Tutto Atalanta, Liverpool have made contact with the Atalanta midfielder’s representatives with an interest in signing the player in 2023.

As per the report, Jurgen Klopp is a big admirer of Koopmeiners and it is claimed that it would take just €40m (£35m) for Julian Ward and co to secure his signature.

He could save Liverpool’s season

There is no doubt that Liverpool are in some serious need of reinforcements in their team after a disappointing campaign so far at Anfield and the midfield in particular is becoming a pressing issue.

Liverpool are currently sixth in the Premier League after an inconsistent run of performances, were knocked out of the Carabao Cup by Manchester City and last night were subjected to an FA Cup replay due to a dramatic third-round clash with Wolverhampton Wanderers ending at 2-2.

Not only do the Reds need rapid improvements, but they are also in a position where they are set to lose at least three of their midfielders in the summer with Naby Keita, Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain and James Milner set to be out of contract.

As a result, the signing of Koopmeiners could save Liverpool’s season if they can snap him up this month, with the addition of a world-class central player no doubt needed at Anfield given their lack of depth and quality in that area of the field.

The talented 24-year-old ranks incredibly impressively compared to his positional peers in Europe’s top five leagues over the last year, sitting in the top 20% for shots on goal and shot-creating actions, suggesting he is a rather influential player in the final third.

Furthermore, he is also in the top 20% for touches and progressive passes received.

Over 16 Serie A appearances, the Dutchman – who was dubbed an “elite” talent by scout Jacek Kulig – has scored four goals, registered two assists and created three big chances.

On top of that, he has averaged 1.7 key passes, 1.5 tackles, 1.4 clearances and won 3.8 duels per game, proving he is both an attacking threat and defensively sound.

For context, of everyone in Liverpool’s squad to have started more than twice, only Mo Salah, Andy Robertson and Trent Alexander-Arnold can trump him for key passes per match.

With that being said, if Liverpool can secure the signing of Koopmeiners it would be a great piece of business ahead of the second half of the season. It would mark a seismic boost that the current squad needs in the centre of the pitch as they go in search of ultimately rescuing their campaign.

Sheffield Wednesday have received a double injury boost, with reliable journalist Alex Miller saying Barry Bannan and Ben Heneghan are back in training.

The Lowdown: Sheff Wed big misses

The Owls may be flying high in League One currently, sitting second in the division, but Darren Moore isn’t without some injury problems.

Both Bannan and Heneghan have been absent of late, with the former’s work rate and craft in midfield a miss, and the latter not being available since back in October.

It now looks as though the pair’s return could be in sight, however, following a key update.

The Latest: Positive update emerges

Writing on Twitter, Miller confirmed that Bannan and Heneghan are back in training for Wednesday:

“A belting surprise to see Barry Bannan and Ben Heneghan out on the grass at Middlewood Road – both doing individual work at different stages of their comeback.”

The Verdict: Major boost for Owls

This is a massive boost for the Owls, who find themselves in a relentless automatic promotion tussle with Plymouth Argyle and Ipswich Town currently.

Bannan has been a mainstay in the Wednesday side for a number of years now, racking up a total of 334 appearances for the club, and is also the team’s captain and leader.

Meanwhile, Heneghan will be a big player for Wednesday between now and the end of the season – he has won an average of 6.2 aerial duels per game in the league this season – especially with fellow centre-back Mark McGuinness set to return to Cardiff City.

For all the euphoria surrounding Manchester United’s recent derby day triumph, one sour note was that of Anthony Martial, with the Frenchman having been withdrawn at half-time after sustaining yet another injury blow.

The 27-year-old has already had a heavily-disrupted campaign after enduring numerous stints on the treatment table, with there perhaps a growing frustration that the former Monaco man simply cannot stay fit, nor is he seemingly willing to play through the pain barrier, as his teammate Marcus Rashford did on Saturday.

Even without that latest injury setback, however, the £250k-per-week man has still been somewhat uninspiring since the return to action following the World Cup break, with his only goal in that time coming in the win over Nottingham Forest.

Although the 30-cap marksman does boast a respectable haul of five goals in 13 games in all competitions this season, Erik ten Hag’s side are likely to need more from their centre-forward if they are to kick on and truly get back to the top in the coming years.

In truth, Martial has rarely proven a consistent goalscoring presence since his arrival in England back in 2015, having only reached double figures for league goals on three occasions, while scoring just five top-flight goals in the previous two seasons, prior to the start of this term.

After over seven years at Old Trafford, it does appear that the 5 foot 11 hotshot has had more than enough chances to impress at the club, with it no doubt time that the Red Devils hang their hat on someone else to deliver the goods through the middle.

According to ESPN, Ten Hag and co are set to look to the summer transfer window in order to find a new, long-term centre-forward recruit, with Napoli’s Victor Osimhen one of those to have been named as a potential target.

That has been followed by more recent reports in Italy that have claimed United are ‘already lining up’ a move for the Nigerian international at the end of the season, with the 24-year-old set to command an eye-watering fee of around €150m (£133m).

That would prove a sizeable outlay as far as those at the Theatre of Dreams are concerned, although Osimhen could well represent the missing piece of the jigsaw for Ten Hag, having emerged as a real “goal machine” in recent years, as per journalist Mimi Fawaz.

The £93k-per-week sensation has been a vital part of Luciano Spalletti’s high-flying outfit in Serie A this term, having scored 12 goals in just 14 league appearances to date, including a recent brace in the thumping 5-1 win over title rivals Juventus.

That has ensured that the forward’s overall tally for the Naples outfit now stands at 41 goals in just 79 games, after previously also netting 18 times in only 38 games at Ligue 1 side Lille, as well as 20 goals in 36 games for Pro League outfit Charleroi.

A player who has seemingly hit the ground running in Italy, France and Belgium, the Lagos-born star has an overall club career record of 79 goals in only 169 games, with that a far better hit rate than that of Martial, who has taken 368 games to reach just 100 goals in his career so far.

It is perhaps unsurprising that the latter man has never proven prolific during his time in the Premier League as he appears to rarely put himself in an ideal position to score, as he ranks in just the bottom 34% in Europe among those in his position for touches in the attacking penalty area.

Osimhen, by contrast, is a true out-and-out centre-forward and a far more proficient poacher, with that evidenced by not only his impressive goal return, but also the fact that he ranks in the top 9% for touches in the attacking penalty area, when compared to his positional peers.

With Martial currently failing to fire for Ten Hag, the Dutchman could finally ditch the long-serving asset in order to get the Napoli machine through the door this summer.

Celtic defender Alexandro Bernabei failed to impress journalist Tony Haggerty in the Bhoys’ 5-0 demolition of Greenock Morton in the Scottish Cup.

The Lowdown: Cup demolition

Ange Postecoglou’s side ran out easy winners at Celtic Park as the SPFL champions put the second-tier side to the sword.

Doubles from Aaron Mooy and Kyogo Furuhashi, as well as David Turnbull’s strike, saw Celtic progress to the fifth round of the Scottish Cup.

But despite the scoreline and lower-league opponents, one Hoops player was singled out for failing to grab his chance, with Bernabei flattering to deceive on Saturday afternoon.

The Latest: Haggerty’s rating

Following the full-time whistle, Haggerty posted his player ratings on The Celtic Way, with the majority of the side handed high ratings, while Mooy’s 9/10 rating saw him named as his Man of the Match.

However, the Argentinian left-back failed to match his teammate’s showings, with Haggerty seeing plenty in the 22-year-old’s game to improve on, rating his display at 6/10.

He said: “The Argentine full-back can be impetuous in his thinking at times, especially in terms of his crossing and passing. He does take up some decent positions in the final third but needs to work on his distribution big time if he is to make the most of the opportunity and enjoy an extended run in the side. He has youth on his side and it will come.”

The Verdict: Has to take chances

Postecoglou opted to leave Bernabei out for the whole 90 minutes, giving him ample opportunity to impress and force a way into the side.

Celtic unsurprisingly dominated the game, with them boasting 80% possession alongside 31 shots in total with 11 on target (via BBC), however, judging by Haggerty’s comments, Bernabei was unable to justify his manager’s backing.

Postecoglou also said during the week (via The Herald): “He’s somebody who we really believe has real potential, and I think he has shown that. I think he’s growing with every game.”

Greg Taylor is out injured and Josip Juranovic is on the verge of joining Union Berlin (via BBC), so you have to imagine Bernabei will have more chances to make that vacant left-back spot his own, but he’ll need to take his game up a level to do that if his latest performance is anything to go by.