All posts by z3u9t.icu

Chris Hughton will make a decision over Joao Carvalho’s Nottingham Forest future this summer.

What’s the talk?

That’s according to a recent claim made by Sarah Clapson, with the Nottingham Post journalist reporting that the Forest midfielder will have a lot of work to do in order to convince Hughton that he should be kept at The City Ground this summer.

However, Clapson goes on to state that the 62-year-old will take a look at the attacking midfielder in pre-season, if UD Almeria, where the 24-year-old has spent the season on loan, do not take up their option to buy the £3.6m-rated man.

The journalist said: “If Almeria don’t take up the option to buy him, Chris Hughton will have a look at him in pre-season. Trying to find other moves for him, in the current climate, could well be difficult. I still think he’d have a lot to do to really convince Chris Hughton.

“On his day, he can be brilliant, but he lacks consistency. He can be hit and miss, and he does go missing in games. In the Championship, particularly if you’re pushing for promotion, you can’t afford that. You need somebody who’s going to be on it the majority of the time.

“With the way the manager plays, he also wants the team to be really defensively solid. Even as an attacker, you need to help out defensively. That’s not one of Carvalho’s strengths – it wasn’t while he was at Forest and it hasn’t been while he’s been on loan at Almeria. He’d have to do a lot to convince Hughton he can do that job.

“He faces a big pre-season if nothing happens for him before then.”

Fans will be divided

Having moved to Nottingham Forest from Benfica in what was a club record £13.2m deal back in the summer of 2018, it would be a fair claim to make that Carvalho has not quite lived up to his price tag so far in his career with the Garibaldi.

Over his total of 67 appearances for the club, the former Portugal U21 international has scored six goals and registered nine assists.

The £15k-per-week 24-year-old has also failed to impress over his 32 LaLiga 2 fixtures for Almeria this season, scoring no goals, providing three assists and missing three big chances, as well as taking an average of 0.8 shots and making 1.1 key passes per game.

These returns have seen the midfielder average a SofaScore match rating of 6.76, ranking him as Rubi’s 16th-best performer in the Spanish second division – with Almeria’s campaign not over just yet, as they face Girona in the semi-final of the LaLiga 2 play-offs.

As such, with Carvalho having not pulled up any trees since joining Forest three years ago, either for the Reds or while on loan, it would appear unlikely that many of the Forest fanbase would be willing to welcome the 24-year-old back to their first team this summer.

Having said that, considering how much money the club paid for attacking midfielder, and how much promise he appeared to have before joining up with Forest, perhaps some factions of The City Ground faithful would like to see Hughton give the Portuguese man a chance in the starting XI next season.

Either way, the future of Carvhalo at Forest appears to be extremely uncertain at present, and only time will tell which way Hughton eventually leans regarding the midfielder this summer.

In other news: NFFC dealt transfer blow over £10k-p/w “leader” that will leave Hughton devastated

Giovanni van Bronckhorst has given the Glasgow Rangers’ youth players a chance at Ibrox since replacing Steven Gerrard back in November.

In his very first press conference, the Dutchman mentioned that chances would be given to players regardless of age, and so far, he has stuck by that mantra in his six months in charge.

Opportunities have fallen to youth starlets such as Alex Lowry and Charlie McCann, with the two being deployed in the earlier stages of the Scottish Cup to great effect.

Lowry came on for Ianis Hagi against Stirling Albion and made an immediate impact, scoring in front of a raucous Ibrox crowd.

Meanwhile, former Manchester United youngster McCann emerged from the bench in the next round against Annan Athletic and suitably impressed.

This has led many to push for young striker Tony Weston to be given a chance in the first team, especially considering the fact Alfredo Morelos is out for the rest of the season through injury.

Weston signed for Rangers from Blackpool in the summer of 2020 on a three-year contract and has continued to impress ever since – scoring goals aplenty for the B team – 21 in the Scottish Lowland League alone this season – and pushing towards a first-team opportunity.

Rangers youth coach Steven Smith sang his praises earlier on in the season, dubbing him “clinical” following a double against Dalbeattie Star.

These goals have given the striker the perfect platform to impress Van Bronckhorst with the final furlong of the season approaches.

And, considering his impressive goalscoring record for the B team, Rangers could well have the next 355-goal Ally McCoist in their midst, and if Weston was even half the player that Super Ally was, then the Gers have got something special on their hands.

AND in other news: Van Bronckhorst can brutally axe “shaky” Rangers dud in deal for “annoyingly brilliant” £0 machine

During Liverpool’s 1-1 draw with Newcastle United at Anfield this afternoon, many Reds supporters didn’t appear impressed with the performance of Reds star Diogo Jota, with some fans claiming he was ‘shocking’ and had a ‘disasterclass’.

The 24-year-old started as one of a front two alongside Roberto Firmino, with manager Jurgen Klopp having faith in the Portuguese to deliver in what was an eventful game.

Over the 90 minutes, both teams had a number of chances to rustle the net as Mohamed Salah opened the scoring for Liverpool early on, but they couldn’t put the game to bed, with Joe Willock equalising for Newcastle in the last minute.

Sadio Mane’s numbers from the day summed up the Reds’ frustration, with the Senegal ace getting just one of his six shots on target.

Indeed, Jota could not add to the Reds’ slender advantage during a nervy 90 minutes for the Reds, with SofaScore rating him among the lowest performers in the team with a 6.7/10. He also lost the ball 16 times and won just two of his nine ground duels against the Magpies before being taken off by Klopp midway through the second half.

As a result, many Liverpool supporters were critical of his performance – find some of their verdicts below.

Liverpool fans slam Jota

“Jota was awful today”

Credit: @Lew_LF_C

“Jota was worse than Mane”

Credit: @ionjutaran

“This Jota disasterclass”

Credit: @SilverDeGeneral

“Jota was horrible today. So sloppy”

Credit: @SeekNDestroy21

“Wow Jota’s passing is outright horrible”

Credit: @europhic

“Jota has been shocking today. Worse than Mane which is hard to do”

Credit: @HabibaDaGold

“Jota has been very poor.”

Credit: @StrawHatShonen

“Jota terrible today”

Credit: @AndrewJNicholls

In other news: Many Liverpool fans flocked to this transfer rumour, find out more here.

Leeds United are now in advanced talks to sign Valerenga goalkeeper Kristoffer Klaesson this summer.

What’s the story?

Reports in recent days had suggested that the Whites were eyeing up a move for the 1.89m (6 foot 2) ace as they look to bolster their goalkeeping ranks following the departure of Kiko Casilla on a season-long loan.

Football Insider have now delivered an exciting update on the situation.

They claimed that a Leeds source has revealed: “Klaesson is now the top keeper target and discussions are progressing well over a potential deal. The Premier League outfit have offered a contract to the Valerenga number one and a deal is edging closer.

“Leeds have already applied for a work permit for the youngster, who is not yet a full Norway international. However, he has represented his country all the way through the age groups up to Under-21 level and United are confident of their application being successful.”

Bielsa will love it

Having given the green light for Casilla to join Elche for the upcoming season, Leeds are left short in terms of goalkeeping backup to first-choice shot-stopper Illan Meslier.

In Klaesson, the Whites can go a long way to not only securing a viable rotation option, but also someone who could potentially challenge Meslier for that number one jersey in the years to come, especially given that he’s only 20 years old.

Valerenga sporting director Jørgen Ingebrigtsen has already spoken about the kind of work Victor Orta has put in behind the scenes, saying: “The best clubs, and the best environments, work long-term with player recruitment. There, Victor is one of the brightest in the subject. Leeds arrived on the field in the summer of 2019 and have been very good. We have had a good dialogue with them.

“They obviously saw something of Kristoffer early that they liked, and have been good at updating themselves on developments.”

Not only will Bielsa love that the Whites are acting so decisively in addressing a potential concern in his squad, but Klaesson’s age makes him someone who is a perfect fit for the long-term at Elland Road.

Meanwhile, Leeds could sign their new Pablo Hernandez in this star…

Paul Stewart reckons that Liverpool will be looking to sell Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain this summer having failed to live up to expectations at Anfield.

The former Arsenal midfielder has won four trophies during his four years on Merseyside, including both the Champions League and Premier League in consecutive seasons.

However, a serious ACL injury towards the end of his first campaign has seen the £120,000-a-week man kill his chances of making himself a regular in Jurgen Klopp’s team after that.

As a result, the 27-year-old made just Premier League 19 starts across the last three seasons and has already been strongly linked with a move away from Merseyside, with West Ham keen, whilst Borussia Dortmund have also been mentioned as a potential destination for the England midfielder.

Having played 246 minutes in the league last season, it’s obvious that to play more regular first-team football, Oxlade-Chamberlain will likely have to end his four-year spell with the Merseyside club.

And that’s exactly what Stewart exclusively told Football FanCast:

“He never fulfilled his potential that he had at Liverpool, and I think Liverpool will be looking to offload him.”

Get German Football News editor-in-chief Daniel Pinder has exclusively told Football FanCast that Wolfsburg striker Wout Weghorst would be a perfect replacement for Harry Kane at Tottenham.

With Spurs desperately after a back-up striker for the England captain last summer, the Dutchman was strongly linked with a move to north London, but Jose Mourinho ended up bringing in Carlos Vinicius from Benfica instead.

But the Brazilian has scored just one Premier League goal, whilst Weghorst has continued to be one of the most feared strikers in the Bundesliga, with only three players scoring more than his 20 goals, two of which are Erling Haaland and Robert Lewandowski.

Kane himself has been in outstanding form, although there are growing concerns surrounding his future, with Spurs already out of Europe and five points behind fourth-placed Chelsea, meaning Champions League football next season is becoming increasingly unlikely.

Should Kane move on, Pinder told Football FanCast that Spurs should replace him with Weghorst:

“I think he’d be a perfect replacement for Harry Kane, should he leave. Whether it’s because he’s Dutch or not, he’s got similar attributes to van Nistelrooy.

“He’s tall, strong, even though he’s really tall, possesses a great touch – his movement is underappreciated in the Bundesliga. His threat inside the area, his work ethic in pressing the opposition defence.

“His stats alone are evidence of why he’s well regarded at European clubs and is a wanted man this summer.”

Tottenham might be targeting a more high-profile name, but Weghorst has been one of the most prolific goalscorers in Europe in recent seasons, and they could do a lot worse than bringing in the Dutchman, who has a better than one-in-two record for the Bundesliga outfit.

As per Portuguese TV show Mais Transferencias (via Sport Witness), Porto should have no problem convincing Alfredo Morelos to leave Glasgow Rangers this summer.

The Lowdown: Porto want Morelos

25-year-old Morelos has been linked with a move to Porto in recent weeks, while the Gers have reportedly rejected a €8m (£6.8m) bid from Italian side Cagliari for his services (via Bruno Andrade).

Now, there has been an update on the Portuguese club’s pursuit of the Colombia international.

The Latest: Morelos eager to move

It has been suggested that Porto should have no trouble convincing Morelos to make the switch.

It is also being reported that the Gers are looking for a sum between €12m (£10.3m) and €15m (£12.8m) for his services, a big increase on Cagliari’s offer.

The Verdict: Not so easy

Porto, of course, are an attractive proposition. They are already guaranteed a place in next season’s Champions League and have a strong history of success – they have twice been crowned European champions, for example. However, it seems Morelos may have set his sights slightly higher.

In the past, Morelos has revealed his dream is to play in the Premier League (Radio Caracol), while he has also said he wishes to play in a more prestigious division (Goal.com). With all due respect to the Portuguese top flight, it is far from the most attractive league in Europe.

When it comes to the Champions League on offer, the Gers could also be competing in the group stages themselves if they make it through two prior rounds. Morelos may be looking for better than Porto, which is likely good news for the Ibrox outfit’s hopes of securing a big profit.

In other news, Rangers fans are livid at this update on their 55 celebrations.

Taking to Twitter, reliable reporter Roshane Thomas of The Athletic has now leaked another major West Ham United development out of Rush Green involving Vladimir Coufal.

The Lowdown: Eventful times at West Ham…

After West Ham confirmed the appointment of Rob Newman in the new head of recruitment role, a change which could have a big impact on transfers, it appears that more news has emerged out of east London, this time regarding fresh terms for Coufal.

[web_stories_embed url=”https://www.footballtransfertavern.com/web-stories/west-ham-developments/” title=”West Ham developments!” poster=”” width=”360″ height=”600″ align=”none”]

West Ham and GSB have been in talks over a new deal for their 2020 summer signing over these last few months, but an agreement had stalled over reported disputes regarding salary (Sky Sports).

The 29-year-old, who shone last season under David Moyes, is only one of the Czech Republic fan favourites subject to fresh terms at the London Stadium. His compatriot Tomas Soucek has also been touted with a blockbuster new deal, while the club also want to tie down star midfielder Declan Rice (Claret & Hugh).

In a major development, Thomas has now shared exactly how West Ham are getting on in tying down Coufal to a new contract.

The Latest: Coufal signs new deal…

As per The Athletic reporter, sharing the ‘great news’ on his Twitter profile, Coufal has now put pen to paper on a new three-year deal with West Ham, including the option for a further year.

In a ‘huge boost’ for Moyes, the 29-year-old has committed his long term future in east London after quickly becoming a fan favourite.

It is believed that Coufal even turns up to Rush Green on his days off and has helped change the culture at West Ham.

The Verdict: Absolutely massive…

One of the first names on Moyes’ teamsheet having started 34 league games last season, news of the right-back extending his stay is nothing short of massive for the Irons.

He finished his debut season in England as West Ham’s joint-highest tackler per game and attracted praise from club legend Mark Noble, who called him a ‘machine’ of a player.

His dynamism and application on that right-hand side is an absolute joy to behold at times and it’s arguable that he was the Premier League’s best right-back of 2020/21.

Moyes will be delighted that Coufal looks set to remain in the east end of London for a while longer.

In other news: Reliable reporter: West Ham fans should also be ‘excited’ by another big update, find out more here.

So far this season Southampton have drawn four and lost three of their opening seven Premier League games of the season, still searching for their first league win of the campaign.

With Ralph Hasenhuttl’s side entering the current international break after losing 3-1 against Chelsea at Stamford Bridge, it has not been a good period for the Saints.

Their next league outing sees them take on Marcelo Bielsa’s Leeds United, who are only ahead of the Saints by two points in the table.

On the chalkboard

One player that we feel Hasenhuttl should start in the match against Leeds is left-back Romain Perraud, who has only played four minutes of action for the Saints throughout their three previous league fixtures.

Southampton signed Perraud, who Hasenhuttl said is a “character that’s perfect” for the club, back in the summer transfer window from French club Stade Brest on a four-year deal, essentially replacing Ryan Bertrand who left St. Mary’s for a move to fellow Premier League club Leicester City shortly after the Frenchman arrived.

Since then, the 24-year-old, who is currently valued at £9m according to Transfermarkt, has made just five appearances for the Saints across all competitions.

With the Leeds match on the horizon, we feel that to try and turn their fortunes around in the league, Hasenhuttl should tinker with the starting XI that faced Chelsea and start by putting Perraud in at left-back instead of Kyle Walker-Peters. He has been playing in that position recently despite him predominantly being a right-back.

Perraud’s previous league start for the Saints saw him play the full 90 minutes in their 0-0 draw against West Ham United where the left-back caught the eye.

He was mightily effective in Southampton’s defence, making three tackles, two interceptions and one clearance, ultimately winning five out of the eight duels he was involved in. That earned him a very respectable overall match rating of 7.2/10, making him one of Southampton’s highest-rated outfield players on the day according to SofaScore.

Moving forward, we feel that if Perraud starts against Leeds and impresses, then he should be kept in the starting XI and viewed as Southampton’s first-choice left-back going forward. After all, his defensive attributes have the potential to be a real game-changer for the Saints in the wider picture of their season.

Factor in his previous links with Leeds and that could fuel another eye-catching display from the full-back.

In other news: Hasenhuttl could save Saints from relegation by signing “important” £7.2m-rated beast – opinion

Fleetwood Town confirmed on Tuesday evening that Aston Villa have signed defender Josh Feeney.

And a number of Villa supporters were quick to give their thoughts to the news on social media.

The 16-year-old has made the move to the Midlands in a deal that Fleetwood described as a substantial undisclosed fee.

Feeney, England’s Under-16 captain, already stands at 6 foot 3 and featured on the bench for the League One side on three occasions last season at the age of 15.

Villa seemed to have pipped Manchester United to a move for the centre-back, with the Red Devils also linked with the player last month.

Feeney visited Bodymoor Heath in June and were impressed following talks with academy manager Mark Harrison and a deal has now been confirmed by The Cod Army.

Villa fans react

Fleetwood’s Twitter post on Tuesday evening got the attention of these Villa supporters, with one describing the deal as ‘class’.

“we really aren’t messing around as far as the academy is concerned are we”Credit: @1874dan”you love to see it”Credit: @rad_nauseam”class”Credit: @DanAV___”We have a ridiculously stacked youth setup. This club is seriously going places.”Credit: @CBarker81″Premier League champions within 5 years”Credit: @OP4C”Another very highly rated young player joins Aston Villa. Massively admire the approach the club has taken by prioritising youth. Some of these players are going to be big names and will have us well set for the next decade. Villa are a club that’s going places.”Credit: @VillaNoFiller

In other news: ‘And so it begins’, ‘I knew changes would come’ – Many AVFC fans react as news is confirmed, find out more here.