All posts by z3u9t.icu

Wolves midfielder Ruben Neves is likely to leave the club this summer and Barcelona are keen on signing him, according to reliable journalist David Ornstein for The Athletic.

The Lowdown: Neves’ Wolves future in doubt

The Portuguese maestro has stood out as one of the Old Gold’s best players this season, recapturing some of his best form and making 26 starts in the Premier League.

Unfortunately, Neves has been linked with an exit from Molineux this summer, with the 24-year-old potentially eyeing up a new challenge at an elite European club.

A fresh update has now emerged which appears to further increase the probability of him moving on from the Black Country.

[freshpress-poll id=“388780″]

The Latest: Ornstein provides Neves latest

According to The Athletic’s Ornstein, Barcelona look like the most likely club to snap up Neves this summer, with discussions currently underway over his future. The journalist reported:

“However the campaign ends, it is expected to be another summer of change at Molineux — with uncertainty over the future of some key players, such as Ruben Neves and Joao Moutinho.

“There is an acceptance that after five years of fine service, Neves may be sold if a suitable offer arrives and gives him a chance to play Champions League football.

“Discussions are taking place between intermediaries and at present the most likely destination is said to be Barcelona, though Premier League teams are known to be keen and Wolves would gladly sign him to a new contract.”

[freshpress-quiz id=“388797″]

The Verdict: Matter of time?

Sad as it may be to accept, Neves does look likely to leave at the end of the season, having given five years of great service to Wolves and making 207 appearances overall.

As he approaches 25, the midfielder – who has been described as ‘fantastic’ by Molineux team-mate Jose Sa – may feel that now is the right time to enjoy a new chapter in his career.

It would be hard to begrudge Neves a move to a club of Barcelona’s legendary stature, and should it happen, finding the right replacement then becomes pivotal for Bruno Lage to ensure that Wanderers continue their upward trajectory.

In other news, Wolves have been linked with a move for one La Liga winger this summer. Read more here.

According to Calciomercato, there has been an interesting Tottenham Hotspur transfer update as they eye a permanent deal for loanee attacker Dejan Kulusevski.

The Lowdown: Decky shines at Spurs…

The winger, who is nicknamed ‘Decky’, has shone for Spurs since joining the club on an 18 month loan-to-buy deal from Juventus in January.

[web_stories_embed url=”https://www.footballtransfertavern.com/web-stories/tottenham-newest-updates/” title=”Tottenham newest updates…” poster=”” width=”360″ height=”600″ align=”none”]

Indeed, Kulusevski has gone on to bag three goals and six assists in 11 Premier League appearances, becoming a key part of Antonio Conte’s front three alongside Harry Kane and Son Heung-min.

Following his brilliant run of form, reports have since emerged of Spurs moving to make his deal permanent already, with Calciomercato now sharing the latest out of N17.

The Latest: Conte pushes for permanent Kulusevski deal…

As per their sources, Conte personally ‘pushes’ behind the scenes at Tottenham to make Kulusevski’s deal a permanent one, with the club – and by extension Spurs chiefs – ‘considering’ the move which would cost €35m (£29m).

The Lilywhites are apparently ‘very happy’ with the Swedish gem, and Spurs chairman Daniel Levy may well back Conte by making Kulusevski an indefinite Tottenham player.

The Verdict: Get it done…

For just £29m, transfer chief Fabio Paratici could back Conte with one of the most promising starlets in European football, going by Kulusevski’s start to life at Spurs.

His goals and assists tally since arriving in the English capital provide a glimpse as to how he could evolve into a capable Premier League star for years to come.

Still only 21 years old, the Sweden international has already dazzled fans with some brilliant performances, prompting Conte to lavish praise on Kulusevski to the media.

A match made in heaven so far, this moves surely seems like a no-brainer, with ex-Tottenham goalkeeper Paul Robinson also claiming a permanent deal for Kulusevski looks like a ‘real bargain’.

In other news: Conte unhappy with ‘perfect’ Spurs player behind-the-scenes, he’s now set to leave! Find out more here.

According to a recent report from The Daily Record, Lewis Morgan looks like opting for a January move to Sunderland. The 22-year-old currently plays his football at Scottish giants Celtic and has done so since leaving St Mirren back in January 2018, although struggles for regular game time under Bhoys manager Brendan Rodgers has plunged his future at Parkhead into doubt.

And a recent report from The Daily Record suggests that the attacker, who has attracted interest from Jack Ross’ Sunderland and indeed Aberdeen, is set to choose the former over the latter this month in his bid for the regular first team football he simply isn’t going to get at Celtic Park.

And with Ross having worked with the highly-rated £675,000-rated sensation (as per Transfermarkt) at St Mirren, a reunion with the 42-year-old at Sunderland would go some way to enhancing the Black Cats’ League One promotion hopes.

The Breakdown

Ultimately, former St Mirren boss Ross swapped Scotland for the North East during the summer to take charge of a faltering Sunderland side who had just lost their Championship status – this all after only one season in the second tier.

As such, the 42-year-old was faced with a tricky task in arresting the slide and providing much-needed stability at the Stadium of the Light, and he has done that admirably given his team are currently sat fifth in the League One table, just four points adrift of the automatic promotion places.

And while his side have only suffered defeat on two occasions in the league this time round, their tally of 11 draws has very much hindered their progress in pursuit of the top two – in fact, four of their last five league matches have ended in draws.

As such, Ross may seek that star quality needed to turn those recurrent draws into more victories in the second half of the season, as doing so would see them climb the division and knock on the door of the promotion places – Morgan’s arrival might do just that.

The 22-year-old may well have struggled to break into Rodgers’ first team at Celtic this season, appearing just nine times in the Scottish Premiership for the seven-times defending champions, yet one mustn’t overlook his great form at St Mirren, under the guidance of Ross no less, to suggest that he has what it takes to seriously improve Sunderland’s attack.

The Scotland international, capped twice by his country last year, scored 18 goals and laid on 11 assists in just 42 appearances for the Scottish Championship side last term to help Ross’ men win promotion to the top-flight – only two players netted more than him (14) in the league.

And in bagging ten times and laying on six assists the campaign before for the Saints, it’s clear that Ross knew exactly how to get the very best out of the attacker – prior to his arrival, Morgan hadn’t shown even close to the level he produced under the 42-year-old.

Yet the Scotsman came on leaps and bounds under Ross to suggest that a reunion at Sunderland this season could be what Morgan needs to rediscover his best form – and from a Sunderland point of view, his arrival would give Ross another option in attack.

Significantly, such was the 22-year-old’s level under Ross in the past, reuniting with the Black Cats boss at the Stadium of Light would go some way to seriously enhancing Sunderland’s promotion hopes in the second half of the season.

Sunderland fans… what do you think? Let us know!

Aston Villa have seen many players move in and out of the club over recent years on loan and permanent deals, highlighting how active the Midlands club have been in the transfer market.

With the next summer window in mind, it seems as though the Villans could have the chance to get rid of one of their current outcasts and replace him with a new fresh-faced talent.

What’s the news?

According to a recent report from 90min, Villa are one of the clubs interested in signing Benfica striker Darwin Nunez.

The report claims that fellow Premier League sides Manchester United, Arsenal, Tottenham and Newcastle United have been in contact with Nunez’s representatives to check on the sort of deal it will take to land him.

The striker apparently has a release clause of more than £100m, but a deal worth around £65m is set to be enough to land his signature.

Time to axe Wesley

With Wesley spending the season on loan at Club Brugge and then Internacional in his homeland, it seems unlikely that he will have a future at Villa Park under Steven Gerrard.

With just one goal scored in 14 appearances in this campaign across three different clubs, it would be hard to see the £46k-per-week striker being able to make a name for himself back at the Midlands club.

This, therefore, could present the Villans with a chance to strengthen their attacking force by signing Nunez, who has racked up 40 goals and 14 appearances with Benfica, showing just what a capable striker he is at just 22.

To further highlight the youngster’s offensive prowess, he has managed to register more shots on target (35) than any other player in the top-flight of Portuguese football this season.

Labelled as a “predator in front of goal” who “holds the ball up well,” as well as being “tenacious” on the pitch with a “superb” work ethic by journalist James Dodd, Nunez could be an ideal replacement for Villa’s Brazilian outcast and really give some competition to the likes of Ollie Watkins and Danny Ings.

In other news: AVFC can land Gerrard’s own Grealish in “super-talented” gem who won’t cost a penny 

West Ham United are still interested in signing Burnley defender James Tarkowski, according to Daily Star journalist Paul Brown.

The Lowdown: West Ham’s previous interest

The Hammers have a long-standing interest in the 29-year-old. According to The Guardian, West Ham had multiple bids rejected by Burnley for the defender in summer 2020. It is reported that the east London club’s final offer amounted to a staggering £30m.

However, the centre-back’s contract is now set to expire in a couple of months. As a result, Tarkwoski has been linked with a number of moves away from Turf Moor.

[web_stories_embed url=”https://www.footballtransfertavern.com/web-stories/west-ham-latest-developments-4/” title=”West Ham latest developments!” poster=”” width=”360″ height=”600″ align=”none”]

The Latest: Brown’s claim on Tarkowski…

Brown believes that there is a ‘huge possibility’ that the defender could join David Moyes’ squad on a free transfer in the summer.

Speaking with GiveMeSport, he claimed: “I don’t think the Tarkowski interest [from West Ham] has gone away. Obviously, they could be in another division and forced to sell in the summer. I think there’s a huge possibility that that deal could still happen.”

The Verdict: Good prospective signing

Once labelled by his Burnley boss Sean Dyche as “outstanding”, Tarkowski would certainly appear to be a great addition to Moyes’ West Ham squad, given the club’s struggles with availability in the centre-back position over the course of this season.

According to FBRef, the 29-year-old ranks in the 99th percentile for blocks, clearances and aerial duels won among defenders in Europe’s top five leagues, illustrating his no-nonsense nature as a defender.

Therefore, with this phenomenal quality available on a free transfer, GSB securing Tarkowski could prove to be an amazing piece of business for the Hammers if it gets done.

In other news: ExWHUemployee drops triple transfer claim

Leeds United have had a bid knocked back for Brenden Aaronson this week, according to reports.

The Athletic claim that RB Salzburg have rejected the Whites’ offer of £15m for the 21-year-old midfielder and also believe they are intent on signing him before deadline day on January 31st.

Historically, the Austria Bundesliga champions have rarely hesitated to cash in on their biggest and brightest stars but they remain in the Champions League and Aaronson’s influence to the side makes him invaluable right now.

Therefore, the Yorkshire giants may need to turn their attention elsewhere and it’s another name that they have been linked with that could prove the be the perfect solution.

Forget Aaronson

Just last week, Foot Mercato editor-in-chief Sebastien Denis claimed Leeds were one of several teams looking at a potential move for RC Lens midfielder Seko Fofana

And what a signing he would be.

Soon after these links, the Ivory Coast powerhouse captained his side to a last-gasp victory over Saint-Etienne in Ligue 1, where he bagged the winner in one of his typical box-to-box runs.

It was his eighth goal of the campaign.

[snack-amp-story url = “https://www.footballfancast.com/web-stories/read-the-latest-leeds-transfer-rumours-and-news-2″ title=”Read the latest Leeds news, transfer updates and much, much more!”]

One of these strikes came during a 1-1 draw with financial giants Paris Saint-Germain, where he bullied Mauricio Pochettino’s engine room, leading to journalist Zach Lowry describing him as a “phenom”.

Fofana is currently Lens’ second highest-rated player (7.09), per WhoScored figures, whilst he’s averaged a squad-high 2.8 shots, 2.2 dribbles, 1.3 key passes, 0.8 tackles and 0.8 interceptions per game.

That only goes to show how well-rounded he is – not only is he getting forward and contributing in the final third with cutting-edge passes and an incredible ability to carry the ball but he is also putting in the dirty work in his own half, as evident above.

It’s no wonder his manager Franck Haise dubbed him “the most complete player.”

“On the pitch, he is able to stay organized to adjust the team’s balance. At the same time, he has a great ability to create and to be decisive on the last pass. He is also capable of scoring a few goals in a season,” he said (via Newcastle World).

Having begun his professional career at Manchester City, there have been interesting comparisons made to his former youth coach Patrick Vieira, who was an absolute box-to-box machine in his day at Arsenal, as well as Yaya Toure.

He’d only need to be half of either to be an instant hit at Elland Road. All of his attributes point towards him being an exciting fit for Bielsa and his high-intensity system.

Just imagine the £16.2m-rated dynamo sitting in front of an anchorman like Kalvin Phillips. He could really get forward to help Leeds in the final third, knowing that he has an international quality defensive midfielder behind him.

That’s a mouthwatering partnership that could bring the Yorkshiremen so much success.

As such, Victor Orta and co must turn their attentions to Fofana before deadline day in a little over a week’s time.

AND in other news, Leeds could welcome back key injured duo earlier than expected…

Everton currently find themselves in an unnatural territory as they bid to avoid being relegated out of the Premier League and into the Championship.

With six games left to play, the Toffees need as many points as possible and hope the teams directly above them can slip up and fall behind.

However, it seems as though talks have been going on behind the scenes to try and secure one potential deal for the upcoming summer transfer window.

What’s the news?

According to a recent report from The Independent, Everton have had “productive meetings” with the representatives of Nottingham Forest midfielder Brennan Johnson over a potential summer transfer.

The same source suggests a fee in the region of £25m could be enough to secure his services.

Johnson has all the ingredients

As a product of Forest’s youth system, the 20-year-old has made a total of 105 appearances across their U18 and senior side as well as for Lincoln City, who he had a loan spell with last season.

In those appearances, the Welshman has racked up a combined total of 56 goals and assists, having found the net 33 times and delivered 23 assists for his teammates.

With 15 goals and ten assists to his name in this current Championship campaign, no other Forest player has been able to provide as many goal contributions as the youngster.

In fact, only six other players in the second division have managed to score more times than Johnson.

Labelled as a “special” player that is “destined for the top,” by Glenn Murray, Johnson has also received praise from Wales youth coach, Paul Bodin, who had this to say about the young talent.

He said: “He’s got all the ingredients, he’s got the right attitude, he’s got great family support, so the world is his oyster.”

Thinking about how Everton have struggled to score goals at times this season, with 11 league games in which they have failed to find the net, a player like the 20-year-old could be the exact sort of spark the Toffees need to freshen up their attack for next season.

Taking all of this into account, it’s easy to see why Everton have been in contact with Johnson’s representatives over a potential move to Goodison Park.

Whether the Toffees end the season in the Premier League or Championship, they should definitely do all they can to secure the Forest sensation’s signature in the summer.

In other news: Huge blow: Everton now dealt worrying injury setback, it’s terrible news for Lampard

With the end of the 2022 January transfer window on the horizon, it seems as though a clue has been dropped on a player that has previously been linked with a move to Wolves that could lead Bruno Lage to making a late transfer move.

What’s the talk?

Speaking to GIVEMESPORT, journalist Pete O’Rourke had this to say on the possibility of Wolves making a move to sign Barcelona youngster Riqui Puig, who has been mentioned with a move to Molineux in the past.

He said: “Riqui Puig is a talented young player at Barcelona and I’m sure Wolves would love to have him at Molineux if he is available.”

After working his way through Barcelona’s youth ranks, in the same way that legendary football figures such as Lionel Messi, Xavi and Andres Iniesta among many others have done, Puig has gone on to make a total of 51 appearances for the first team across all competitions, scoring one goal and providing three assists from central midfield.

Lage would be buzzing

Considering the young midfielder’s immense potential and Wolves’ lack of depth in a central area, Lage would surely be delighted if the club could land a deal for Puig this month.

Having only started two of the 12 appearances he’s made for Xavi’s side across all competitions so far this season, it suggests that the £13m-rated talent is not a particularly crucial player for Barca and could be better off moving elsewhere if he’d be guaranteed regular playing time to help his development.

Therefore, Wolves could be the perfect place to go and earn more minutes if a deal can be struck.

Given the fact that they have previous experience of negotiating with Barcelona in a loan deal for Francisco Trincao in the previous summer window and with Nelson Semedo, they could use those players to sell Wolves as an attractive place for young players to come and play football.

Those prior Barca connections should also make negotiations easier, meaning the Midlands outfit should test the waters for a potential deal for Puig either before the current January window closes or in the summer if his situation in Spain isn’t likely to change in terms of his first-team chances.

Labelled as a “spectacular” player by Gennaro Gattuso, Puig could learn a lot at Molineux under Lage’s tutelage as well as having the likes of Ruben Neves and the experienced Joao Moutinho to seek guidance from in their midfield roles as well as get to grips with playing in the Premier League.

The question now would be whether or not the Spanish giants would be happy to let Puig leave this month or in the summer when he enters the final year of his current contract at the club.

If they do sanction a swoop, the manager at Wolves would surely be delighted. After all, he is clearly a player who could become a very able deputy to Neves and Moutinho.

In other news: “I’m sure..” – Journalist drops exciting Wolves transfer claim, fans surely buzzing – opinion

Speaking to Give Me Sport, journalist and transfer insider Dean Jones of Eurosport has dropped an encouraging update on West Ham United’s links to Aston Villa defender Kortney Hause.

The Lowdown: West Ham talks held…

According to Football Insider, sharing news in the past week, there has been a development in manager David Moyes’ hunt for a centre-half as the Irons and transfer chief Rob Newman target Villa’s defender.

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

As per their information, preliminary talks have been held over signing the 6 foot 3 powerhouse before January 31 with a reunion in east London now ‘on the cards’ if both the Villans and West Ham can reach an agreement.

In another update, FI state that Hause himself is ‘keen’ to link up with Moyes at the London Stadium with insider Jones now sharing what he knows on the situation.

The Latest: Insider makes encouraging claim…

According to Eurosport’s reporter, in an interview with GMS, a West Ham move to sign the 26-year-old is ‘definitely possible’ as he backs that the club hold an interest.

“It’s definitely possible,” he explained.

“It’s one that West Ham are looking at, I think in the last week it’s one that’s become clearer.”

The Verdict: Get it done?

The towering homegrown defender is also able to fill various roles across the backline, including at left-back (WhoScored), potentially strengthening Moyes’ options in an array of positions.

Still fairly young, Hause may also be an astute option to have at West Ham for years to come and it’s little wonder both Newman and the club are apparently weighing up a bid.

Valued at around £4.5 million by Transfermarkt, the left-footed ace has proven dependable and reliable when slotting in as a back up option for Villa this season – winning the second-most aerial duels per 90 on average out of their squad (WhoScored).

He’s also received praised for his cameos in the Premier League over 2021/2022 with Villa journalist Ashley Preece calling Hause ‘incredible’ (Claret & Blue podcast via This is Futbol).

We believe he could certainly come as a shrewd option for Moyes this transfer window.

In other news: ‘Please please please’, ‘Baller’, ‘Perfect’…West Ham fans rave as GSB eye ‘fantastic signing’, find out more here.

Blackburn Rovers boss Tony Mowbray has confirmed he has spoken to Leeds chiefs regarding Ian Poveda, The Lancashire Telegraph report.

The Lowdown: Poveda’s return from injury

Poveda, who Victor Orta signed for Leeds back in 2020, made the move to Ewood Park in the summer on a season-long loan deal. However, the 22-year-old has been out of action since November after requiring ankle surgery.

[web_stories_embed url=”https://www.footballtransfertavern.com/web-stories/latest-leeds-united-updates/” title=”Latest Leeds United updates!” poster=”https://www.footballtransfertavern.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/04/cropped-2022-04-02T155252Z_391313781_UP1EI421841M9_RTRMADP_3_SOCCER-ENGLAND-LEE-SOU-REPORT.jpg” width=”360″ height=”600″ align=”none”]

He has recovered back at Leeds’ Thorp Arch training base but did go and watch Rovers at Ewood Park on Saturday afternoon against Blackpool, suggesting a return to the second-tier side could now be on the cards.

The Latest: Mowbray’s comments

The Lancashire Telegraph relayed comments from Mowbray regarding Poveda on Thursday. The Rovers boss admitted he has ‘spoke to Leeds’ about the possibility of Poveda returning to the club for the Championship run-in.

He also confirmed that Blackburn have continued to pay their contribution to Poveda’s salary and are looking to bring him back next week before Leeds’ trip to Crystal Palace.

The Verdict: Caution needed

Poveda is back in training but hasn’t had any game time, so Leeds, Blackburn and the winger need to be careful over the coming weeks.

It’s easy to see why Rovers want Poveda back at Ewood Park as they seek a playoff place, however, Leeds know the risk of bringing a player back too early from injury.

Patrick Bamford now looks set to miss the rest of the season following his setback, so the club won’t want the same thing to happen for Poveda.

In other news: ‘Big’ – Journalist excited by who Orta and Marsch may now ‘bring’ to Leeds this summer.