Tag Futebol

Leeds United have been dealt a huge blow in their pursuit of a huge European star.

What’s the latest?

Although the Whites reportedly remain interested in his services, Fabrizio Romano has issued a crushing statement on Cody Gakpo and his future.

Speaking on his YouTube channel, the Italian transfer insider said: “Leeds were closing on the deal, but it collapsed.

“Leeds tried to keep the deal open for January, and are still dreaming of [signing] Cody Gakpo, but the situation has completely changed.

“Now, the feeling around the player and PSV Eindhoven is that Gakpo will not end up at a club like Leeds or Southampton.

“It’s probably going to be a different level (of club). Top, important clubs around Europe, and England especially, are monitoring Cody Gakpo.”

Bad news for Orta

Having tried so profusely to attain his services over the summer, Victor Orta’s failure now stands out even more given how the forward has excelled this season.

The fact he was so close to moving, as Romano notes, will make the pain even greater.

This campaign has seen the Dutchman truly explode, with the tricky winger having put up ridiculous stats in nearly every competition he has featured in.

He has scored nine and assisted nine more in 11 Eredivisie games, bagged three goals and assisted two in five Europa League fixtures and notched one and assisted two in one Johan Cruijff Schaal game too.

In total, that makes 26 goal contributions in just 17 games.

These numbers are distinctly unnatural, especially for a 23-year-old.

Leeds had their chance in the summer, but after performances like this, there is little chance they could tempt him. It is likely the very top of the game where he is destined now.

His performances and impact on the team have even led to Gakpo being named captain on multiple occasions this season; a glowing endorsement of his character as well as his quality.

This Romano update will be a hammer blow to Victor Orta, who tried his best but ultimately fell short over the summer to secure the deal.

Now, they will likely have to watch him go on to dominate European football and command fees the Whites could only dream of. It might be the Spaniard’s biggest blunder yet.

During his illustrious career, the new Aston Villa boss Unai Emery has managed some truly great stars, both young and old.

Whilst at Paris-Saint Germain he oversaw the transfer of both Kylian Mbappe and Neymar, meanwhile at Arsenal had a hand in the emergence of youngsters Emile Smith Rowe and Buyako Saka.

The latter name has been starring in the Premier League ever since, and to mark his return to England, the Spanish coach might once again look to Aston Villa’s academy to find his newest young gem.

Whilst the likes of Louie Barry and Cameron Archer might steal the headlines for the Villans’ youth setup, Jaden Philogene-Bidace will go under the radar as someone who could soon break through and be the next big thing.

Having already earned vital experience at senior level last season, the 20-year-old continues to excel in the Championship for his age, now at Cardiff City.

Boasting incredible versatility, the right-footed winger has featured on both flanks for both the Bluebirds and Stoke City last season.

Already having scored twice this season, he has doubled his tally from last campaign, marking a steady improvement for the London-born speedster.

His emergence somewhat mimics that of Saka, who only started with brief Premier League cameos and starts in the Europa League before he was scoring 11 and assisting seven under Mikel Arteta. 

This should be the target for Philogene-Bidace, who has seen first-hand the clear path that one can pave for themselves should one work hard and continue to perform when given the chance.

His appearances for the Potters last year led Michael O’Neill to label him “sharp”, “dynamic” and “brave”, three words that rather sum up Saka too.

These are qualities that are instrumental in the progression of any player, but to have them already at such a young age bodes well for the Villa loanee. Possessing the ability to “skip past tackles” – in the words of Ahmed Abdulla – he can also “come inside” in Saka-esque fashion.

Emery clearly boasts an eye for talent, so if anyone is to unleash him and help his transition into the first team, it will be the Spaniard.

With Saka one of the shining lights that radiate one of his greatest successes, Philogene-Bidace might be next on his list now he has taken up the Villa Park hot seat.

West Ham United insider Claret & Hugh have shared a behind-the-scenes update as manager David Moyes hatches a plan to tie down Craig Dawson.

The Lowdown: Dawson homesick?

Reliable reports near the end of the latest transfer window indicated that the veteran defender was eyeing a move away from east London.

Indeed, Dawson allegedly wishes to move further north in order to be closer to his family, with the 32-year-old making that crystal clear to West Ham, who remained desperate to keep the centre-half.

He ended up staying at Rush Green, however, even despite late internal talks with both personal issues and a reported offer from Wolves nearly resulting in an exit.

Losing Dawson would have been a blow for the Premier League side given their recent injury woes in defence, but now reports suggest Moyes could now attempt to tie down his man.

The Latest: Moyes hatches contract plan…

Club insider Claret & Hugh claim the Scotsman is personally ‘ready to try tempting’ the former West Brom star into signing a new deal at West Ham with his current contract expiring in 2023.

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Moyes is apparently determined not to lose Dawson, who was in great form last season and has just recovered from a thigh injury this campaign.

The Irons head coach is allegedly planning to offer the defender a year’s extension with an attached 12-month option with a C&H source telling the outlet it is a ‘more than probable likelihood come January’.

The Verdict: Get it done…

If Moyes and West Ham chiefs can convince Dawson to remain and sign a new deal, it would be a brilliant move.

The Englishman was an ever-present in the Irons starting eleven last year, playing the seventh-most top flight minutes out of any West Ham player whilst starting 30 games (WhoScored).

Dawson can also be a real threat when it comes to set pieces and Tomas Soucek is the only West Ham player to win more aerial duels per 90 out of their squad.

A no-nonsense centre-back, he made more blocks per 90 than any of his teammates over 2021/2022 and fell only behind partner Kurt Zouma in terms of clearances (WhoScored).

The numbers back why Moyes is keen to tie down Dawson and we believe it would be a major boost for West Ham.

When Dean Smith was sacked as Aston Villa manager last season, there were no shortage of candidates to replace him and the club may have missed a trick in not appointing Denmark manager Kasper Hjulmand.

The 50-year-old manager was one of several names linked with the vacant position in November of last year, with Sky Sports reporter Rob Dorsett confirming live on air that the Danish boss was under consideration.

He said: “The Denmark boss Kasper Hjulmand is also on their list. He’s very well known by the sporting director [at Aston Villa], Johan Lange, who himself is Danish. I expect him to be interviewed – but I suspect he’s a bit of an outsider for the role, as I see things at the moment.”

However, the Villans would opt to appoint former Rangers boss Steven Gerrard in a move that has perhaps backfired, as the former Liverpool star continues to struggle despite some star-studded additions.

As it stands, Gerrard has a poorer win rate of 36% than predecessor Smith (40%) and Steve Bruce (45%), which suggests that the appointment has not gone to plan so far.

While recent results against Manchester City and Southampton have eased the pressure on the Villa boss, their start to the season has not been good enough, when you consider that the club will have had European ambitions following the impressive additions of Diego Carlos, Boubacar Kamara and Philippe Coutinho under Gerrard’s tenure.

In Hjulmand, they could have signed a manager who has seriously exceeded expectations with Denmark in recent years.

The former Mainz manager has won 21 out of 31 of his games in charge of Denmark, including in the build-up to the World Cup, which saw the Danes win nine out of ten of their qualifying fixtures, scoring 30 goals and conceding just three.

Hjulmand also memorably led Denmark to the semi-final of Euro 2020, despite the adversity faced by the squad in the opening fixture against Finland when Christian Eriksen collapsed, which emphasises his ability to unite a squad.

Denmark captain Simon Kjaer was full of praise for Hjulmand’s influence during that tournament, saying:

“Kasper has been absolutely fantastic in the way he has handled it all in having full focus on that we should continue to play football but that people were in different places mentally. And at the same time he has had to deal with himself.

“It has been very impressive. He has been a fantastic coach and leader of the team also externally. I can only praise him. I am very grateful to have him as a coach.”

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While Gerrard impressed at Rangers domestically, his side always struggled in big games in Europe, with the Scottish side only qualifying for the Champions League following his departure.

His less than impressive spell at Villa thus far suggests that he still might be out of his depth in the Premier League dealing with top-quality players, whereas Hjulmand has already shown an ability to get the best out of top talents with Denmark, so the Villans may well regret not appointing him last year.

An update has emerged on Glasgow Rangers and their injury situation ahead of their UEFA Champions League play-off clash…

What’s the latest?

Gio van Bronckhorst has confirmed that both Ben Davies and John Souttar will not be available for selection against PSV tonight.

Kemar Roofe, who is yet to make an appearance this season, remains out and the head coach will now have to deal with two of his centre-back options being injured.

The club quoted him as saying:

“Roofe, Souttar and Davies didn’t travel with injury. Kamara travelled with the squad.”

Frustration for van Bronckhorst

This should leave the Ibrox boss frustrated as it leaves him short in the centre-back department, with Filip Helander a long-term absentee and Leon Balogun having been let go in the summer on a free transfer.

Outside of Connor Goldson and James Sands, youngster Leon King is his only other option in that position and he has only made two – substitute – appearances this term – after playing four times in the Premiership last season.

Van Bronckhorst clearly identified that area of the pitch as one that he wanted to strengthen as he moved to bring Davies and Souttar to the club.

This is one of the reasons why he should be frustrated with this update as he is now without two key signings for a gigantic match with Champions League qualification hanging in the balance.

He will be particularly unhappy after what happened in the first leg. The Gers conceded two goals from corners against the Dutch outfit and bringing in an experienced centre-back could have helped them tonight.

Last week, pundit Si Ferry stressed the importance of having one of them available, saying: “Over the last year, they’ve been very good but if you look at last night, James Sands, who is predominantly a central midfielder, was playing next to Connor Goldson.

“For the second leg, they need to get someone like Ben Davies or John Souttar in next to Goldson because although he done well last night, Sands can’t play at centre-back in Europe.”

Sands lost 67% of his duels in the air in the Europa League and 50% of them in the league for the Light Blues in 2021/22.

Meanwhile, Davies won 75% of his aerial battles in his one Premiership outing this season and won the majority of his duels in all five of his Championship campaigns in England. Souttar, on the other hand, won 72% of his aerial battles and made 3.9 clearances per game in the Scottish top-flight last term.

This suggests that both of them are strong in the air and could, therefore, improve Rangers’ ability to defend corners by adding their aerial ability into the box.

Instead, they will be watching on from home and van Bronckhorst will be hoping that their respective injuries do not end up being costly.

West Ham United are expected to keep chasing Belgium international Hans Vanaken, with Sky Sports reporter Dharmesh Sheth making a claim in that regard.

The Lowdown: West Ham in talks…

The Hammers and their manager David Moyes are said to be in talks for multiple players as they seek to bolster their options.

At the outset of what could be a crucial Premier League season, West Ham have started the campaign with two straight defeats, and the east Londoners will be looking to bounce back quickly.

Emerson Palmieri of Chelsea, along with Club Brugge’s Vanaken, are two players who are of serious interest to West Ham before the September 1 deadline, with Sheth sharing some news out of Rush Green on the latter.

The Latest: West Ham expected to go back for Vanaken…

Taking to social media, the Sky Sports journalist has made a claim involving the 29-year-old attacker.

Sheth stated that, after West Ham’s ‘opening bid’ – reportedly €10m (£8.4m) – was rejected, Moyes is ‘expected’ to make another attempt to sign the Belgium international.

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The reporter explained: “Club Brugge have rejected West Ham United’s opening bid for midfielder Hans Vanaken. Offer believed to be €10m. West Ham expected to go back in – growing feeling player wants to go.”

The Verdict: Make the move?

Vanaken has been prolific in Belgium’s top two divisions, racking up 145 goals in total since the 2009/10 season, and has also tallied 21 caps for a star-studded Red Devils national team.

Standing at a colossal 6 foot 4, the attacking midfielder possesses a physicality which seems tailor-made for the English top flight, with Moyes’ interest also justified by Vanaken’s impressive numbers going forward.

It will be interesting to see if West Ham can add the Club Brugge star to their ranks before it’s too late.

There has been an update regarding the future of Celtic defender Stephen Welsh…

What’s the word?

According to Football Scotland journalist Mark Hendry, while the Parkhead outfit have been approached by Toulouse regarding the 22-year-old, the discussions have not progressed past an initial enquiry.

Writing on Twitter about the situation, the respected source stated:

“As for Stephen Welsh, for those asking, there was a call made by Toulouse but that’s as far as it’s gone.”

This follows a report from Sky Sports which revealed that the Ligue 1 side had enquired about taking the Scotsman on loan for the upcoming campaign, albeit with manager Ange Postecoglou said to be unwilling to let the youngster depart.

The promising centre-back – who still has three years remaining on his existing deal – had been the subject of interest from Serie A side Udinese in January, although the offer was rebuffed by the Hoops.

Huge relief for supporters

That news will no doubt come as a huge relief to supporters, with it a welcome boost to know that there has been no real development in Welsh’s potential move to France, heightening the possibility that he will remain at Celtic Park this summer.

In truth, it would seemingly make little sense to sanction the loan departure of a player who had been a valued figure under Postecoglou last term, making 24 appearances in all competitions as the Old Firm giants claimed the league title.

While he was unable to dislodge the “immense” first-choice defensive pairing of Carl Starfelt and Cameron Carter-Vickers – as described by Chris Sutton – for much of the season, the £3.6k-per-week gem solidified his status as the third centre-back option, maintaining that role even after Christopher Jullien’s return from injury.

The recent arrival of German defender Moritz Jenz has undoubtedly provided increased competition, although ahead of a campaign that will see the club juggle domestic and European duties once again, having quality depth could prove integral.

Welsh, then, still seemingly has a key role to play next season for the champions, with it not beyond the realms of possibility that he could usurp one of his teammates in the starting XI, having averaged an impressive 2.2 clearances and 1.7 interceptions per game from his ten Scottish Premiership outings last term, recording three clean sheets and winning a solid 63% of his aerial duels.

A player who will seemingly only progress in the coming years, supporters will no doubt be desperate to see his development continue Postecoglou, rather than be shipped out on loan elsewhere.

At present, it looks as if there is no need for concern, with a departure not looking likely.

AND in other news, “Celtic were..”: Sky Sports journalist drops transfer claim that supporters will love

Fabrizio Romano has dropped an update on reported Tottenham Hotspur transfer target Jesse Lingard.

What’s the talk?

In a recent post on Twitter, the Italian journalist revealed that, despite a number of reports linking Fabio Paratici with a move for the former Manchester United forward this summer, at present Spurs have not made an offer to the 29-year-old free agent.

In his tweet, Romano said: “No proposal on the table from Spurs to Jesse Lingard, as things stand.”

Supporters will be gutted

While it is true that Lingard had fallen down the pecking order at United prior to his departure from Old Trafford last month – starting just two Premier League matches in 2021/22 – the former England international nevertheless proved that he still has what it takes to be a key player for a top-six team during a loan spell at West Ham United in 2021.

Indeed, over his 16 Premier League appearances for the Hammers in the season before last, the £16.2m-rated talent was in breathtaking form for the Irons. He scored nine goals, provided five assists and created three big chances for his team-mates, along with taking 2.6 shots, making 1.1 key passes and completing 1.1 dribbles per game.

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These returns saw the £75k-per-week attacking midfielder average a remarkable SofaScore match rating of 7.19, ranking him as David Moyes’ best player in the top flight in 2020/21 as he played an influential role in the Hammers sealing a sixth-place finish in the league that year, one ahead of Spurs in seventh.

As such, it is clear to see that, when given the opportunity, Lingard still has the ability to be a fantastic weapon in a top-six manager’s attacking arsenal.

Therefore, we believe that Romano’s suggestion that Spurs are yet to make a move for the 29-year-old is sure to have left the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium faithful gutted.

AND in other news – “I heard that..”: Sky Sports reporter drops Spurs transfer update, it would be a huge coup

TalkSPORT reporter Alex Crook doesn’t expect Liverpool to make further additions to the attacking department this summer, providing Mohamed Salah stays put. 

The lowdown: Salah saga

On the verge of entering the final 12 months of a deal at Anfield (Transfermarkt), the long-term future of Salah remains in doubt, particularly after the Reds sold Sadio Mane to Bayern Munich with the Senegalese star in a similar position.

Despite reports suggesting that Liverpool won’t cash in on the 30-year-old during this transfer window, with claims that Salah wants to more than double a £225,000-per-week deal in Merseyside and owners FSG reluctant to break their wage structure for one player, a departure as a free agent in 2023 currently seems inevitable.

Jurgen Klopp has already added Luis Diaz and Darwin Nunez to the ranks as part of the succession plan, and one informed source has now claimed that the incomings in the frontline are over for the time being…

The latest: ‘Murmurings…’

Speaking to Give Me Sport, Crook has suggested that Liverpool will refrain from making further signings unless Salah decides to move on before the September 1 deadline.

He said: “I don’t think they’re overly in the market for another attacker because they’re fairly well stocked in that department assuming that Salah stays.

“There are still one or two murmurings that he won’t, but I expect him to be there at least until the end of the season.”

The verdict: Well stocked…

Klopp was certainly afforded an embarrassment of attacking riches last term as the Reds competed in every possible fixture during the 2021/22 campaign, falling narrowly short of a never before seen quadruple.

Ultimately, despite the glistening firepower at his disposal, the German boss had to settle for a domestic cup double of the FA and Carabao Cups, trophies that were won in no small part down to the exploits of the now-departed duo Takumi Minamino and Divock Origi.

As things currently stand, the Anfield attacking ranks are made up of Diogo Jota, Roberto Firmino, Diaz, Nunez and Salah, although new arrival Fabio Carvalho and youngsters such as Curtis Jones, Harvey Elliott and Kaide Gordon could well be called upon more frequently next term.

Albeit the likes of Nunez and Carvalho are relatively unknown in the Premier League, those aforementioned options are more than enough for Klopp to plot another challenge for silverware as FSG and Julian Ward continue in their behind-the-scenes attempts to tie Salah – who was hailed as ‘unstoppable’ by ex-Kop icon Dean Saunders last season – down to an extension on Merseyside without breaking the bank.

Phil Hay has revealed that Leeds United are now targeting the signing of attacking midfielder Sonny Perkins this summer.

What’s the talk?

In a recent article for The Athletic, the Leeds United correspondent revealed that Victor Orta is continuing to pursue a number of up and coming talents in the summer transfer market, with the Spaniard having now turned his attention to West Ham United’s Sonny Perkins.

Hay goes on to state that, with the Whites’ sporting director having spent steadily on youth prospects in recent seasons, it looks as if the 43-year-old will continue in this fashion in the coming months, with the 18-year-old starlet being one of Leeds’ primary targets to strengthen their U23 squad ahead of the new season.

“The next Declan Rice”

Considering just how exciting a prospect Perkins looks to be, it is easy to understand why Orta would be keen on a move for the England U18 international this summer.

Indeed, the £720k-rated talent highly impressed for both West Ham’s U18 and U23 sides this season, scoring four goals and providing one assist over his four U18 Premier League appearances, as well as bagging ten goals and registering one assist over 20 outings in the Premier League 2.

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These returns saw the teenager earn regular call ups to David Moyes’ first-team squad, with the midfielder – who can also operate up top – making three senior appearances for the Hammers in 2021/22 – two in the Europa League and one in the Premier League.

Furthermore, the hopes of those in the know at West Ham are extremely high for Perkins, with ExWHUemployee even suggesting in October of last year that the youngster could go on to become the club’s next Declan Rice.

Regarding the future of the 18-year-old, the Irons insider said: “One player to pay attention to is a West Ham youngster called Sonny Perkins. This is someone I’ve spoken about on the podcast before as a talent, and he’s really beginning to stand out now at academy level, really getting rave reviews.

“Obviously, he’s performing on the international stage as well for his age, and he is one to keep an eye on. From what I’ve heard in the academy circles, he could be the next Declan Rice. So just keep your eye out for his progression within the next few years.”

As such, should Orta go on to get a deal over the line for the Hammers starlet this summer, it would very much appear to be yet another fantastic piece of business by the Leeds sporting director – with Perkins undoubtedly possessing the ability to make a real mark on the Whites first-team in not too distant future.

AND in other news: Journo reveals Leeds are “planning talks” with “unbelievable” talent, Marsch must act