Tag Futebol

[ad_pod ]

This article is part of Football FanCast’s Transfer Focus series, which provides opinion and analysis on recent transfer news…

Celtic are aiming to sign Linfield sensation Charlie Allen ahead of some of Europe’s elite sides, according to Football Insider.

What’s the story?

The treble treble winners are joining a whole host of clubs in showing interest in Linfield’s 15-year-old attacking midfielder, with Neil Lennon’s men ready to hijack Tottenham’s bid for the youngster.

In trying to outbid Spurs, the Celts join the likes of Liverpool, Manchester United, Manchester City and Leicester in chasing the prodigious talent, per the report.

The youngster made his debut against Coleraine in April and has received attention since. Celtic believe they can tempt Allen to the club by showing a clear pathway from academy to first-team, something that isn’t as obvious at the Premier League sides.

This becomes the second transfer battle between the Champions League finalists and Lennon’s men in this window, with Tobi Oluwayemi choosing to come to Parkhead over staying in north London.

Encouraging signs

The ploy of showing a youngster the pathway from academy product to first-team player is precisely how the Bhoys lured Oluwayemi to Celtic Park successfully, according to a previous Football Insider report.

The fact that Celtic can poach youngsters from clubs like Spurs, and now compete with them in the market, is a sign of how talented young prospects view the club, and history suggests they are right to think that way.

Academy graduates Kieran Tierney, James Forrest and Callum McGregor have been fixtures in the club’s recent history and it doesn’t stop there for pertinent examples of the successful process. Youngsters Mikey Johnston and Karamoko Dembele are just beginning to find their feet at the club.

The myriad of academy products flooding the first-team at Parkhead is likely a key reason as to why the likes of Oluwayemi and Allen are even considering moves to the club.

The Premier League may have the glitz, glamour and life-changing amounts of money swirling around. Yet, at Celtic, the youngsters have something they may not get south of the border – a real chance of becoming a senior star.

[ad_pod ]

كشفت تقارير صحفية ألمانية، أن نجم بايرن ميونخ ديفيد ألابا ينوي الكشف عن قراره النهائي بشأن مستقبله، اليوم الثلاثاء.

ومن المقرر أن ينتهي العقد الحالي للظهير النمساوي مع بطل الدوري الألماني في الصيف المقبل.

ورغبت إدارة البافاري في إقناع ألابا بخطوة التوقيع على عقد جديد، ولكنها فشلت في التوصل إلى أي اتفاق معه.

وحسب صحيفة “بيلد” الألمانية، فإن ديفيد ألابا ينوي الكشف عن قراره المصيري بشأن مستقبله اليوم.

وأوضحت أن ألابا سيعلن أنه ينوي الرحيل مجانًا عن بايرن ميونخ نهاية الموسم الحالي، بمجرد انتهاء عقده.

وأشارت إلى أن ألابا يستقطب اهتمام العديد من الأندية الأوروبية، مثل ريال مدريد وليفربول ومانشستر سيتي وتشيلسي وغيرهم.

اقرأ أيضًا.. كلوب يرد على أنباء استقالته من ليفربول

وأفادت أن ريال مدريد يُعد الوجهة المنشودة لـ ألابا، رغم اهتمام كبار أندية إنجلترا بضمه.

[ad_pod ]

This article is part of Football FanCast’s Pundit View series, which provides opinion and analysis on recent quotes from journalists, pundits, players and managers…

In an interview with Football.London, Arsenal legend Ray Parlour has urged his former side to make a move for Bournemouth winger Ryan Fraser this summer.

What’s he said?

Having seen the Gunners’ most natural wide players Henrikh Mkhitaryan and Alex Iwobi struggle to really deliver big numbers last season, it’s been no surprise to see Unai Emery target a new wide-man this summer.

Reports in recent weeks and months had suggested that the club would be looking for a move for Fraser, particularly with the Scotland international’s contract expiring next year. Now, Parlour has given his seal of approval on a potential move for the 25-year-old.

Watch the video below to see the most insane overhead kick you will see this week…

He said: “I’ve watched him a few times last year at Bournemouth, he’s always positive, he runs at players, he creates chances so sometimes you’ve got to take a punt on players and take a gamble and certainly he’s impressed me when I’ve watched him.

“I think Fraser would do a great job for Unai Emery. They’ve got to take a chance on him. The number of assists he creates is impressive.”

Proven Premier League quality

Valued at £27m by Transfermarkt, Fraser’s numbers in the Premier League were amongst the best. Scoring seven goals and providing a further 14 assists, the winger had a prolific campaign for Eddie Howe’s men last season.

Watch Arsenal Live Streams With StreamFootball.tv Below

The diminutive winger struck up a fine partnership with Callum Wilson and showed all the characteristics Emery will be hoping to add this summer. Pace, directness and an end product. It is perhaps a damning statement of both Iwobi and Mkhitaryan that Fraser alone comfortably bettered their combined output in the top-flight last year.

Indeed, Fraser’s contract situation is only of added benefit to Arsenal and it will mean that they can potentially strike a deal for far less than what the 25-year-old would otherwise be worth. In an inflated market like today, a deal for Fraser makes both financial and footballing sense and Parlour is spot on in urging his club to make a move for the Premier League ready star.

[ad_pod ]

Friday’s West Ham transfer roundup was comprised of talks for a Bundesliga striker, the price set for a midfielder and interest in a La Liga ace. Today’s edition includes an update on a Championship forward, the potential departure of a 27-year-old and news on a targeted defender.

West Ham prepare huge pay rise for Maupay

Football Insider is reporting that West Ham are preparing to offer Brentford’s Neal Maupay a huge pay-rise in an attempt to convince him to move to the London Stadium. They will also offer the 22-year-old a five-year contract.

Hugill in exit talks

Once again according to Football Insider, the Hammers are in advanced talks with Preston North End in regards to the sale of striker Jordan Hugill. The former Port Vale man spent last season on loan at Middlesbrough, scoring six goals in 37 league games.

Maripan move stalls

West Ham’s move for Deportivo Alaves defender Guillermo Maripan appears to have stalled according to Mundo Deportivo. The 25-year-old Chile international played 23 games for the Spanish club last campaign.

[ad_pod ]

On Monday afternoon, Everton announced that defender Jonjoe Kenny will be joining Schalke 04 on loan for the 2019-20 campaign.

Kenny is currently with the England Under-21 squad preparing for the European Under-21 Championships, which get underway this weekend.

However, the 22-year-old will be leaving the Toffees ahead of the new season, with Schalke securing his services on a loan deal.

Kenny, who is a product of the Everton youth system, made 14 appearances for Marco Silva’s side during the 2018-19 campaign – including nine in the Premier League.

However, there is no question that Seamus Coleman is the undisputed first-choice right-back at Goodison Park.

Be sure to check out the incredible story of the man who rose from a Tanzanian refugee camp to become one of Australia’s biggest football stars in the video below…

The Everton fans have been on social media offering their views on the confirmed deal.

And it would be fair to say that a large number believe that the loan switch to Germany will stand Kenny in excellent stead going forward in his career.

A selection of the Twitter reaction can be seen below:

It has been a roller-coaster of a year at Sheffield Wednesday, hasn’t it Owls fans?

After a dismal start to the 2018/19 campaign under Jos Luhukay which saw the club edge perilously close to being dragged into a relegation battle, chairman Dejphon Chansiri’s decision to replace the Portuguese manager with Steve Bruce proved to be a masterstroke.

Since taking charge of his first game in February, the 58-year-old has had an incredible impact on the Owls’ fortunes as an eleven game unbeaten run saw them threaten to gatecrash the play-off party in April.

Although they would have to eventually settle for a 12th place finish in the Championship following a mixed end to the year, it is clear that with Bruce at the helm, Wednesday are heading in the right direction.

Yet in order for the club to launch a sustained push for promotion next year, they must address their attacking issues this summer.

Despite having a whole host of forwards to choose from at Hillsborough, it could be argued that Bruce doesn’t have a player who is capable of reaching the 20-goal a season mark and so he should consider spending big on a proper number nine in the transfer market.

Whereas Fernando Forestieri is better suited to the second striker role, both Steven Fletcher and Lucas Joao are far too injury prone to lead the line on a consistent basis for the Owls.

When you factor in Jordan Rhodes’ underwhelming loan campaign at Norwich City in which he only scored six second-tier goals for the Canaries, it is obvious that something has to change for Wednesday over the coming months.

By offloading one or two of their misfiring forwards, the Owls could bring in a player who has a track-record of performing in the Championship, such as Dwight Gayle for example.

A fantastic finisher, the 28-year-old managed to fire in 23 goals whilst on loan at West Bromwich Albion last season and could be the ideal target for Wednesday.

What do you think Owls fans? Should Bruce be aiming to add to his striking options this summer? Or is there other areas which he needs to be prioritising in the transfer window? Let us know below.

[ad_pod ]

The dust continues to settle on what has been a fantastic season for Jurgen Klopp and Liverpool, but their attention will soon turn to the upcoming campaign as they look to continue on from the past term’s successes. In terms of the transfer market, there are likely to be more outgoings than incomings, although one or two may be added to improve the squad even further. Here’s a look at the latest gossip involving the Merseysiders…

No move for Pepe

According to the Liverpool Echo, one of those potential new arrivals will not be Lille’s Nicolas Pepe. The 22-year-old Ivorian has had a fantastic campaign with the Ligue 1 side, notching up 22 goals and 11 assists, and will likely be on the move this summer. RMC Sport’s Mohamed Bouhafsi had reported that Liverpool were interested in the player, but the Echo has rebuffed those claims, saying the player is not under consideration.

German stay for Grujic?

Serbian midfielder Marko Grujic may be on this way to the Bundesliga, according to Goal.com. The former Red Star Belgrade player spent the past season on loan at Hertha Berlin, and the side from the German capital are looking to bring him in on a permanent basis. However, Eintracht Frankfurt and Werder Bremen are also interested in Grujic, who is valued at £25m by the Anfield club.

Wilson eyed by Bundesliga

Harry Wilson could be following Grujic out of the door this summer, according to the Daily Mirror. Following a successful season with Derby County in the Championship, the Reds are prepared to let the 21-year-old leave for £21m. Some of the interest is coming from abroad, with Hoffenheim and RB Leipzig keeping an eye on the Welshman, but Leicester and Aston Villa are also interested alongside Valencia and Getafe.

It has been a great year to be a Barnsley supporter, hasn’t it?

Following the disappointment of relegation last season, the Tykes have bounced back admirably under the guidance of Daniel Stendel who has completely transformed the club’s fortunes since being appointed manager in 2018.

The German’s faith in possession-based football has paid off massively as his side finally fought off the intense competition demonstrated by Portsmouth and Sunderland to secure automatic promotion in midweek.

Although Stendel will be focusing entirely on trying to secure a first third tier title for Barnsley in 64 years on Saturday, it would not be at all surprising if he is already making plans for the summer transfer window.

Despite the vast majority of his squad being more than good enough to make the step up to the Championship next season, it may be time for the Tykes to cut ties with Lloyd Isgrove.

Having initially impressed on loan for the Yorkshire-based outfit, the winger has failed to make any sort of impact since making a permanent move to Oakwell in 2017.

With the likes of Mamodou Thiam and Jacob Brown offering intense competition in Isgrove’s position this season, he only managed to make two appearances for Barnsley before joining Portsmouth on loan in January.

Whereas his time with the Tykes could be described as frustrating, his spell on the south-coast has been utterly disastrous. Despite Kenny Jackett’s side playing an expansive style of football, Isgrove has not made any impression at all for Pompey as he has been consigned to the substitutes bench at Fratton Park.

With it being overwhelmingly clear that the £225k-rated ace (via Transfermarkt) is nowhere near good enough to play in the second tier next season, Stendel should put the 26-year-old up for sale when the transfer window opens in July.

What do you think Barnsley fans? Should Stendel cut ties with Isgrove in the summer? Or is it worth giving the midfielder another chance to impress? Let us know below.

Leeds United have had their fair share of troubles with the goalkeeping position this season, haven’t they Whites fans?

Having began the year with Jamal Blackman and Bailey Peacock-Farrell as his two main shot-stoppers, Marcelo Bielsa must have been fairly confident that they could provide the necessary levels of performance required to help the club sustain a push for promotion.

However, whereas the former was forced to return to his parent club Chelsea after breaking his leg in November, the latter’s tendency to make mistakes eventually culminated in his Argentine manager taking decisive action in the January transfer window by signing Kiko Casilla from Real Madrid.

Since making his debut for Leeds in a 2-1 victory over Rotherham United, the 32-year-old has been fairly impressive for his new side, keeping five clean sheets in 16 games.

Yet it could be argued that a lack of competition from Peackock-Farrell may be holding back Casilla somewhat as he knows that unless he makes a catastrophic blunder, he will almost certainly be the first name on Bielsa’s team sheet.

Therefore, in order to keep the Spaniard honest next season, the Whites must consider re-igniting their interest in Emiliano Martinez in the summer, a player who they were linked with earlier this year (via the Daily Mail).

With the Argentine keeper’s loan deal with Reading set to expire at the end of the month, reports in the Sun suggest that he is ready to leave Arsenal due to a lack of first-team opportunities at the Emirates.

A commanding presence in goal, Martinez has been one of the main reasons for why the Royals have managed to avoid relegation to the third tier this season.

If the Gunners do indeed put him up for sale when the transfer window reopens in July, Bielsa must do all he can to convince the 26-year-old to relocate to West Yorkshire as he has all the qualities needed to succeed at a higher level.

What do you think Leeds fans? Should Bielsa consider swooping for Martinez in the summer? Or are there other areas that the Argentine needs to prioritise? Let us know below.

Leeds United got themselves back into pole position to take second spot in the Championship this weekend with a fine 1-0 win over Sheffield Wednesday.

The Whites have been superb throughout the season and a topsy turvy battle with Sheffield United at the top of the table has made for entertaining viewing for the neutral fan.

And while nothing is settled yet in terms of the Whites pipping Chris Wilder’s men to second, we here in the Tavern feel this weekend was a defining moment in the season as thew Whites moves three points clear of the Blades with only 12 to play for.

There was other factors too which mean it is in Leeds’ hands now, with the Blades suffering injuries to key men like Billy Sharp and Chris Basham, and influential defender John Egan also set to serve a one match ban due to a red card in the draw with Millwall.

It could all prove too much this time for Wilder’s men to come back from, and Leeds will be quietly confident in their ability to see the job off with minimal fuss.

Their next set of games are all winnable affairs too, as they take on Wigan at home, before a trip to Brentford is also a game they’ll be confident of taking the maximum points from.

Of course, anything can happen in the Championship and there is bound to be another twist or turn you would assume, but for this weekend at least, you would have to think that Leeds have more or less got things tied up as they finally make their return to the top flight.