All posts by rastrear-estafeta.com

Tottenham Hotspur are now reportedly eyeing up a move to sign Dejan Kulusevski, who may leave in the January transfer window.

The Lowdown: High praise

Kulusevski received high praise from none other than his former teammate and world superstar Cristiano Ronaldo for his performances last season, as the now Manchester United striker described him as an ‘excellent’ player who is a ‘great talent’ with ‘great potential’ (90min).

The Sweden international managed to score seven goals and make a further seven assists in 47 games in total over all competitions last term with Juventus (Transfermarkt).

The Latest: January move?

As per Calciomercato, Kulusevski is ‘very popular’ at Spurs, and Juve are considering selling him in January in order to fund a move for another Lilywhites target in Dusan Vlahovic.

Of course, that means any move from north London to sign the Swedish starlet would be as an alternative to Vlahovic, with whom they have been heavily linked.

There are a number of clubs in Italy also looking at Kulusevski’s signature, and the winger’s priority is to play for a team in the UEFA Champions League.

The Verdict: Sign

If the Lilywhites can fend off the competition, then they must look to do a deal for Kulusevski.

He has already shown that he can perform at the highest level for the Old Lady, and at just 21 years of age, still has so much potential – you don’t play 47 games in a season in Turin if you aren’t ready to compete at the highest level.

Nonetheless, it is pretty rare that a player of his quality becomes available in January, and so THFC should sign him to help push Nuno Espirito Santo’s side up the table in the Premier League.

In other news, find out which £51m-rated colossus Tottenham are eyeing here!

Mikel Arteta cannot be blamed for everything and Arsenal players such as Granit Xhaka need to take some responsibility, says former Premier League midfielder Carlton Palmer.

Arsenal are currently rock bottom of the table with 0 points and 0 goals scored, which has seen Arteta come under intense scrutiny from many, including ex-players.

Last time out, the Gunners were thrashed 5-0 by Manchester City at the Etihad in a game that saw Xhaka shown a straight red card for a two-footed tackle.

With Arsenal players producing moments of madness like that, Palmer believes Arteta is not solely to blame for the club’s disappointing start to the season.

“Obviously the manager can’t help when a player does a reckless challenge like that,” the ex-Leeds United player said to FFC. “It’s absolutely senseless. Arteta can’t be blamed for that. That’s not something he can be responsible for.”

Following a couple of tough games against Chelsea and City, two favourites for the title, Arsenal have a decent run of fixtures.

They next take on Norwich City before travelling to Burnley, so they may see that as a good chance to get some points on the board before the north London derby at the end of the month.

Celtic return to domestic action this weekend with a few scars after a dramatic night for the Hoops in Europe a few days ago.

The Bhoys were exceptional in the final third as they scored three times against one of the most dominant teams in La Liga on Thursday night. However, the opposition’s quality against Celtic eventually told when Real Betis won the game 4-3.

Ange Postecoglou’s side travelled to Spain with an injury-hit squad but the Australian should have a few faces back when they face Livingston on Sunday afternoon.

It’s a game they should be winning but how will they line up? Here’s what we’re predicting…

We are tipping Celtic to make three changes from the side which lost to Betis in the Europa League.

The first change is on the flanks, where Liel Abada comes back into the team at the expense of Adam Montgomery.

Abada missed the clash in Seville due to religious reasons but is all set to play this weekend and should take the Scottish teenager’s place in the team.

A further alteration is in the middle of the park where Postecoglou is optimistic about Callum McGregor’s chances of returning.

He didn’t play on Thursday night because of a small knock but the £20k-per-week earner has now seemingly recovered and should come in for Ismaila Soro.

The Ivorian was withdrawn early last time out after a number of tackles saw him fortunate not to be red-carded. Therefore, McGregor’s return should be a welcome boost.

The final change is in defence, where Carl Starfelt is axed after an increasing number of dodgy performances. Stephen Welsh returns to partner Cameron Carter-Vickers.

Postecoglou is likely to resist the temptation of moving Josip Juranovic to his favoured role at right-back.

Anthony Ralston did score against Betis but was woeful from a defensive point of view. However, he should have an easier ride against Livingston, and after his impressive start to the season, he plays again.

Albian Ajeti keeps his place in attack with Kyogo Furuhashi still ruled out through injury. The Swiss striker has been in good form, with three goals in his last two outings.

AND in other news, Imagine him & Jota: Celtic must unleash “dangerous” £2.7m-rated Hoops dynamo today…

Manchester City right-back Yan Couto has his heart set on a move to Celtic, according to The Daily Record.

The Lowdown: Parkhead VIP

Reports over the weekend suggested that the Hoops were still holding out hope to sign Couto on a season-long loan from the Premier League champions.

The 19-year-old received the VIP treatment at Parkhead on Thursday night for Celtic’s 3-0 win over Jablonec.

Couto spent last season on loan at Spanish side Girona, who also want to land the Brazilian again during the current transfer window. However, it appears as if Celtic could well be the player’s next destination going off a report late on Saturday night.

The Latest: Saturday night update

The Daily Record revealed that Couto sees Celtic Park as his next destination following Thursday’s visit as he wants to play European football.

He is now pleading with Manchester City to grant a temporary move to Glasgow, with the Premier League champions rejecting an offer from an English Championship club for the South American.

The Verdict: Celtic’s relationship with City to shine through again?

With Couto now wanting to make the move to Scotland, you’d think that the Hoops have a real chance of securing a deal over the coming days.

Celtic appear to have a good relationship with City after moves for Patrick Roberts, Olivier Ntcham and Jeremie Frimpong in recent years, so that could help this time around.

Who knows, a positive campaign on loan at Parkhead for Couto could potentially lead to another, just as Southampton did with Mohamed Elyounoussi.

In other news: ‘Hopefully this is true’ – Many Celtic fans react as ‘good’ exit news emerges.  

Celtic are looking to make it six wins in a row as they face St Mirren in the Premiership this weekend after beating AZ Alkmaar 2-0 earlier in the week.

Ange Postecoglou’s Hoops have won their last five matches in all competitions. They beat Jablonec 4-2 and 3-0, Hearts 3-2, Dundee 6-0 and AZ Alkmaar 2-0, scoring 18 goals in those five games.

The Australian will be hoping that his side can continue their eye-catching form to secure a second successive win in the league to pile the pressure on their arch-rivals Rangers.

On the Chalkboard

Despite beating AZ Alkmaar without conceding a goal, there was one negative to come out of the game, as unfortunately Liel Abada was unable to make the most of his opportunity to impress. Postecoglou brought him into the starting XI after missing the two games prior to the Europa League clash and the winger failed to justify his head coach’s decision.

The teenage winger was given the lowest FotMob score in the starting XI as he was handed a rating of 6.5/10. In 58 minutes on the pitch, he did not create a single chance for his teammates and lost four of his seven duels. This, along with his withdrawal before the hour mark, suggests that he had a poor outing.

Therefore, the youngster should be taken back out of the spotlight for this match against St Mirren. Postecoglou should give him a chance to work hard in training to ensure that he is 100% ready to take his next opportunity, rather than picking him this weekend and potentially causing him to try too hard in an attempt to make up for the Alkmaar showing.

Celtic’s manager should now unleash Odsonne Edouard on St Mirren after the Frenchman dropped out of the XI in midweek. He is a proven performer in the Premiership and he should return to the team, with Kyogo Furuhashi moved back into a wide position to support the 23-year-old.

Former Hoops forward Frank McGarvey commented on Edouard last year and claimed that he ‘magic in his feet’. He said: “I just love watching Edouard. He has that bit of magic in his feet, and he reminds me of Charlie Nicholas.

“You just know if he gets the ball just outside of the box the other team are in trouble. Edouard has that ability to produce something out of nothing because he has such quick feet.”

The £19k-per-week dynamo has used that magic to score 58 goals and provide 26 assists in 102 league matches for Celtic in his career. This illustrates the level of quality Postecoglou has to call upon and why he should reinstate Edouard into the starting XI following Abada’s frustrating display against AZ Alkmaar.

AND in other news, Celtic must seal deal for 6ft 3 colossus who can “cause havoc”, Ange would love him…

Noel Whelan has offered his thoughts on Aston Villa’s reported interest in Axel Tuanzebe…

What’s the talk?

The former Premier League forward has urged Villa to go through with a deal to sign the Manchester United centre-back, who he feels would be a “brilliant signing” and add to their depth at the back.

Villa are reportedly interested in bringing the defender back to the club following his loan spell with Dean Smith’s side in the 2018/19 promotion campaign, and Whelan told Football Insider: “When you look at the strength in depth of centre-back, I don’t think they have enough.

“It depends if they’re going to go for a three and he goes straight into that. Maybe that is the thinking behind it. The fact he’s worked with him before, good background at Manchester United good age as well.

“You need to put pressure on two defenders there don’t really have a great deal of pressure behind them. You’ve got to start covering bases. If one of those picks up an injury or suspension, you need somebody that in there that’s going to handle the pressure.

“He covers bases in two positions for Dean Smith. I think he’d be a brilliant signing. Really young, up and coming, promising and covers two bases.”

Smith needs him

Johan Lange must sanction a swoop for Tuanzebe as Dean Smith is in need of reinforcements in that area of the pitch. Villa have just three senior centre-back options in their squad and one of them – Kortney Hause – only played seven times in the Premier League last season.

This suggests that they are lacking depth beyond their first-choice options, and that could become an issue if they pick up injuries or suspensions. As Whelan explained, there is little for Smith to choose from outside of Tyrone Mings and Ezri Konsa, which means that they do not have any great pressure on their position in the team and can play without much fear of being dropped.

Therefore, bringing in a defender like Tuanzebe who could seriously challenge the pair could do wonders for Smith’s squad as it keeps everyone on their toes. During his loan spell at Villa Park in 2018/19, the £38k-per-week powerhouse averaged a solid WhoScored rating of 6.75 across 28 appearances, showing that he already knows how to perform to a high standard within the 50-year-old’s system.

If Mings and Konsa know that they have Tuanzebe knocking on the door to start, it could motivate them to give that extra 10% in training and in matches to make sure they are fully concentrated and do not make any silly mistakes. Even if they do drop their standards, the 23-year-old could come into the side and provide a reliable option for Smith to call upon, which is why Lange must seal this deal before the end of the window.

In other news, Aston Villa must sell forgotten £40k-p/w man this summer; his time is up

The £100m release clause in Jack Grealish’s Aston Villa contract was surprising, says Express & Star journalist Luke Hatfield.

Grealish joined Manchester City last week after the Premier League champions had a £100m bid accepted, making him the most expensive player in British football history.

Shortly before, Sky Sports reported that they expected City’s offer to be accepted, and it turns out that Villa had no choice but to sanction a deal, with CEO Christian Purslow later revealing that Grealish had a release clause in his contract.

Having managed to keep it under wraps, it was a revelation that surprised many, including Aston Villa journalist Hatfield.

“It was a little bit of a surprise,” the reporter told FFC. “I think Villa always kind of kept those details very close to their chest. They don’t want knowledge of a release clause touted about left, right and centre just because it makes it much easier for buying clubs.”

It will be interesting to see if it is something Villa do in the future with other players. It is something some fans may not like, knowing that some of their assets, perhaps very important ones, will effectively always be for sale.

However, it may make enticing high calibre players to Villa Park, who can help the team to progress during their time there, an easier task.

Celtic are interested in signing right-back Josip Juranovic from Legia Warsaw, according to Sky Sports (via Football Daily). 

The Lowdown: Move for Buta

Celtic appear to be in the market for right-back reinforcements, with rumours over a move for Royal Antwerp’s Aurelio Buta gathering pace in recent days.

Reports have suggested the Hoops are on the verge of a £3m deal for the 24-year-old.

Should that go through, Buta would become Celtic’s fourth big-money signing of the summer after Carl Satrfelt, Liel Abada and Kyogo Furuhashi.

However, it appears as if Buta may not be the only right-back heading to Glasgow.

The Latest: Juranovic links

According to Sky Sports on Tuesday, cited by Football Daily, the Hoops are interested in Juranovic.

They suggested live on TV that ‘he’s on their list’, with the 5 foot 6 defender possible available to sign this summer.

Juranovic, who can also play as a centre-back or as a right-midfielder, is valued at £2.25m by Transfermarkt.

The 25-year-old, who has 10 caps for Croatia, has turned out as a right-midfielder in Legia Warsaw’s Champions League qualifiers this season.

[web_stories_embed url=”https://www.footballtransfertavern.com/web-stories/celtic-updates-10/” title=”Celtic updates!” poster=”” width=”360″ height=”600″ align=”none”]

The Verdict: Versatility handy for Ange?

With right-back Juranovic capable of playing at centre-back or as a right-midfielder, that may appeal to Ange Postecoglou.

It seems as if Buta may be the next man in the door, so Juranovic could challenge him for a starting spot while also providing cover in alternative areas.

Strength in depth is always needed when competing on multiple fronts, and bringing in someone like Juranovic would only bolster Postecoglou’s options in several positions for the upcoming campaign.

In other news: Pundit drops verdict on left-back Celtic want to sign.

An update has emerged about defender Eric Lichaj, regarding Sunderland’s interest in his services.

What’s the talk?

According to the Sun journalist Alan Nixon, Sunderland are considering a swoop to sign free agent defender Eric Lichaj to bolster Lee Johnson’s squad this summer.

Nixon has claimed that the Black Cats could open talks with the full-back this week as they explore the possibility of signing the out-of-contract veteran. Lichaj left Turkish side Karagumruk last week and is now free to speak with any interested clubs.

He won’t cost a penny

Johnson must ensure that he is able to seal a deal for Lichaj in the coming weeks. Sunderland are in desperate need of a right-back following Max Power’s departure to Wigan and the ex-Aston Villa man could be the ideal solution to their problems. He ticks a few boxes for the Black Cats; he had experience, quality and comes at a low price.

For starters, the money Sunderland will need to pay to bring him to the club will be minimal. He is out of contract and that means the club will be able to avoid lavishing out on a transfer fee as they do not need to negotiate with another side to secure his services. Therefore, from a financial point of view, this could be a shrewd deal for Kristjaan Speakman.

Secondly, he has the quality required to be a solid addition to the team. Whilst at Nottingham Forest, Mark Warburton hailed Lichaj as an “outstanding” defender and explained why he picked the American to play for his side in the Championship.

He told the Nottingham Post:

“Eric is an outstanding one-v-one defender.”

Lichaj was good enough to put in excellent performances in the second tier, which could mean that he is able to thrive at League One level. He may not be able to provide exciting, lung-bursting, runs from the full-back position but he could be a lockdown defender who is able to protect the goal and help Sunderland to keep clean sheets.

The £9.3k-per-week beast is also vastly experienced. He has over 250 Championship games under his belt and has played in the Turkish top-flight as well as the Premier League.

He could bring experience to the dressing room and potentially, be a major help to the younger players in the squad if Sunderland secure promotion to the second tier, as he knows exactly what is required to perform at that level.

AND in other news, Johnson drops update on huge Sunderland transfer blow, fans will be very frustrated…

Get French Football News’ Adam White has questioned whether Paul Pogba and Eduardo Camavinga would work well together in the heart of Manchester United’s midfield.

Camavinga made 39 appearances for Rennes last season and has sprung to the attention of a host of big-spending clubs.

The 18-year-old is on Manchester United’s radar, although they face competition from Premier League rivals Chelsea.

With the France international midfielder’s Rennes contract set to expire next summer, it is thought the Ligue One side are open to negotiating a deal before the transfer window shuts at the end of next month.

Like Camavinga, Pogba is facing an uncertain future as his current Red Devils contract only has another 12 months to run. However, United are in the process of offering Pogba a bumper new deal, according to reports.

Fans are excited by the prospect of Pogba and Camavinga linking up, but White insists it could hinder the form of one of United’s stars.

Speaking exclusively to Football FanCast, White said: “It would certainly be an exciting prospect. I guess it depends on what Ole Gunnar Solskjaer’s plans are for midfield if Pogba stays and they do sign Camavinga. For them to play together, I think you would need to play a flat 4-3-3 and a holding midfielder to support them.

“That would suit Pogba and allow Camavinga a little bit more freedom to play a dynamic box-to-box role.

“But then where does Bruno Fernandes play? You’re already into a jigsaw puzzle there. I think, in theory, Pogba and Camavinga in the same midfield sounds great. But does it work?”