All posts by z3u9t.icu

The transfer window can bring up all sorts of emotions, from both fans and players. Supporters will go through their very own breakup, starting with tears, and ending with the loudest boos you’ll hear at every game a former player features in from then on. If you think we’re joking, see Raheem Sterling and Liverpool fans.For players, however, the heartbreak can sometimes be worse. A key part of their dressing room could be departing – a close friend moving on. Even worse, that player could be the dressing room DJ.Yet, even with the heartache, players move on, and goodbye posts are sent on various social media platforms, with several memories looked back on. And, usually, these messages come straight from the heart, and not a social media team, right?Well, this wasn’t the case with Marcus Rashford’s goodbye post to David de Gea…

What’s the latest on David de Gea?

Following the expiration of his Manchester United contract, De Gea leaves the club a modern-day legend, despite a few moments to forget in recent years.

The Spaniard was the last member of the current squad to have won a Premier League trophy, using that experience to guide the Red Devils out of moments they don’t exactly look back on with fondness.

There was a stage in which he could have been considered the best goalkeeper in the world, and if it wasn’t for a dodgy fax machine, he would have found himself at football’s pinnacle in the Bernabeu, playing for Real Madrid.

As for what’s next for the 32-year-old, he must choose his next club wisely. Not getting any younger, De Gea struggled at times last season, particularly when asked to play out from the back. If his next club asks him to play that role, his reputation may take another downward dive.

Marcus Rashford has social media blunder

Saying goodbye to the goalkeeper that has been behind him every step of the way, as he rose to stardom on a random Europa League night that no one could have predicted, Rashford’s post was meant to come across as heartfelt.

Instead, however, the England international was caught out with quite the blunder, as his social media team accidentally left in the instructions for the Instagram post, suggesting what should be said in the caption.

It perhaps draws back the curtain of what social media life is actually like for players. The majority perhaps stay away, with a social media team in place, which can lead to positives and negatives, of course. Who could forget Victor Anichebe’s “Tweet something like”.

Rashford has had a similarly embarrassing moment, with his post, now deleted and reposted with the correct format, saying: “Caption ideas:”

Before then adding the pre-planned message: “You were here from my breakthrough, good luck with your next step, brother.”

To make things even worse, however, De Gea himself, also had an awkward social media encounter in the aftermath of his recent departure.

Indeed, when replying to a Liverpool fan mocking him for losing 7-0 at Anfield last season, the goalkeeper replied with: “I already leave and I’m still waiting for you to win the league.”

It seems as though he’s trying to mock the fan for his club’s inability to win the league. But something tells us that De Gea has a short memory, given Liverpool’s Premier League title win in the 19/20 season, putting an end to their 30-year title drought.

After all this, maybe United players should keep away from social media for a little while.

Following the nightmare De Gea had, fans took the chance to mock the goalkeeper one last time. Here are a few reactions…

Online rumours suggesting that Arsenal or West Ham United have walked away from the protracted Declan Rice deal are "not correct", claims transfers expert Fabrizio Romano.

Arsenal transfer news – What's the latest on Declan Rice?

The Gunners have been perhaps the biggest shock of the transfer window so far this year, with the Premier League runners-up coming out swinging in the market and displaying a willingness to spend not often associated with the north Londoners.

A £65m deal to secure the services of German international Kai Havertz was completed last month, with a £40m deal for Ajax's Jurrien Timber incredibly close to being finalised as well.

However, the big one, and the first proper transfer saga of the summer so far, has been the deal to sign West Ham's captain Rice for a reported fee of £105m, a new transfer record for a British player.

While the deal is said to be almost complete, the lack of movement over the last few days may have left Arsenal fans a little nervous, especially given the club's recent record with securing the signature of their first-choice targets.

However, fans of the north London club shouldn't be too worried as online rumours suggesting that talks have broken down and the clubs have walked away are false, per Fabrizio Romano.

He explained the situation on his YouTube channel, saying:

“What I can say guys is this is really close. Trust me, really, really close for Declan Rice to Arsenal."

"Arsenal and West Ham are speaking about the payment terms, so the rumours circulating today on social media about Arsenal or West Ham walking away from the deal at the moment I am told this is not correct while I am speaking.

"But the negotiation is very advanced it's really at the final bits they are discussing the final points of this story, the medical has not been booked yet, but it will happen in the days if everything goes to plan."

How do players cope with such significant price tags?

With the immense amount of money in the modern game and transfer records broken seemingly on a yearly basis, it can be easy to forget that these players being bought and sold for astronomical sums are still human and are sometimes deeply affected by their own perceived value.

It can be an awful lot of pressure to be worth tens of millions and even more so if you're responsible for breaking a club's longstanding transfer record, so much so that players in the past have described the negative impact such expectation had on their careers, with Arsenal new-boy Havertz telling the Guardian how it impacted him at Chelsea:

"For me, the price was a big thing. I was Chelsea's most expensive player. That brings pressure because people think you are Messi.

"I was still 20, 21. People don't see that; they see the price, so you have to be great from day one. You can feel it, the tension. You read it, hear it."

That said, where some players seem unable to cope with the added expectations and pressure that come with the tag of 'most expensive x', others relish that added pressure.

Jack Grealish became the most expensive British footballer of all time when he made his move to Manchester City in 2021 after the club paid his £100m release clause to get him out of Aston Villa, but that didn't seem to bother the then 25-year-old as he told the Guardian:

"I take it as a compliment. I actually like it [being Britain's most expensive signing], I think it is a good tag to have.

"I think when you see a club paying that much for a player it means they trust and value you highly and see so much potential there to work with. I see it as a good thing."

With Rice set to cost £5m more than his England teammate, it remains to be seen which camp he finds himself in, loving or hating the new record he'll hold.

Everton's troublesome financial situation is a well-documented one, and so their moves this summer must be frugal. Fortunately, they could have identified one target who fits within their transfer plan…

What's the latest on Ayman Kari to Everton?

According to one journalist in France, the Toffees are one of two English clubs reportedly vying for the signature of Ayman Kari.

The young midfield general has slowly begun his breakthrough into senior football of late, and Sean Dyche could seek to bring him in early and mould him in his image.

The report read: "Leicester and Everton are interested in Ayman Kari and have contacted Paris. PSG already have an agreement with Lorient. Loan + call option of around 5M € (£4m) + buyout clause for Parisians. Lorient has a head start but Ayman Kari has not made up his mind".

Who is Ayman Kari?

With Paris Saint-Germain unlikely to be patient enough to allow this 18-year-old to blossom, the Merseyside club could profit by bringing in yet another midfield general from Ligue 1.

If their last success is anything to go by, it is certainly a move worth making, given how instrumental Amadou Onana has immediately become since his £33m transfer from the French top-flight last August.

The 21-year-old maintained a 6.92 average rating in the league last term, as the fifth-best performer of those within the squad who played more than five games.

His was a figure upheld largely through his impressive defensive statistics, as he maintained 1.1 interceptions, 2.2 tackles and 1.1 clearances per game, via Sofascore. Only Idrissa Gana Gueye and Nathan Patterson averaged more tackles per game than the hulking Belgian, for context.

Whilst Kari is unlikely to come in and have as immediate an impact as this, with the space Tom Davies has just freed up, he could be the new promising young maestro who patiently awaits his opportunity, whilst using sessions alongside Onana and Abdoulaye Doucoure to mimic their starring assets.

When viewing his key attributes, as outlined by Football Talent Scout Jacek Kulig, it is clear this teenage sensation already boasts the physical prowess to adapt to the English game. After all, his pace, athleticism, work rate and tackling are all rated as 'very strong'.

Despite only mustering five senior appearances, transfer specialist Fabrizio Romano still noted him as a "talent" whilst announcing his loan spell to FC Lorient in January. It is there where, despite only averaging 21 minutes per game in Ligue 1, he has maintained 0.6 interceptions per game alongside a 92% pass accuracy, via Sofascore.

Whilst only a small sample size, it seems there are a number of key attributes he possesses that suggest a bright future is in store for Kari. Perhaps he could realise this potential at Goodison Park, walking the same path as Onana with hopefully similar success.

Arsenal are eyeing a move for Youssouf Fofana as an emergency alternative option to Declan Rice, according to a report from The Daily Mail.

Are Arsenal signing Declan Rice?

Arsenal are now close to sealing a £105m deal for Rice, with Manchester City dropping out of the race for the West Ham captain, however while talks are progressing, negotiations with West Ham United are still ongoing.

Fabrizio Romano reports the Gunners have offered to pay a £100m fixed fee over the course of four years, however West Ham want that amount to be paid within 18 months.

Although there is still some intricacies to sort out, CBS reporter Ben Jacobs reports an agreement between the two parties is expected within 24 – 48 hours, with the 24-year-old eager to remain in London.

According to report Jacob Steinberg, a deal for the England international is "close now", however the Gunners do have some alternative options if West Ham become unreasonable in their demands, with The Daily Mail reporting they are interested in Fofana.

While the report outlines that the Frenchman is currently viewed as an emergency back-up option for Rice, it also details that both Granit Xhaka and Thomas Partey could be on their way out of the club this summer, and Mikel Arteta is planning an overhaul of the midfield, so perhaps both signings are on the table.

Arteta may want to bring in multiple new central midfielders this summer with two likely departing, and the AS Monaco star could be available for a comparatively small fee, with previous reports indicating he could cost €35m (£30m).

Who is Youssouf Fofana?

Fofana has really started to make a name for himself over the past year, making his debut for France in September 2022 after impressing at club level, and he has since gone on to be capped ten times for his national side.

Lauded as "magnificent" by football scout Jacek Kulig, the midfielder is very strong defensively, ranking in the 85th percentile for interceptions per 90 over the past year, when compared to his positional peers.

An average of 2.56 progressive carries over the same time period ranks the France international in the 86th percentile, and his aptitude for winning back possession, as well as driving forward once he has it, indicates he is a similar player to Rice, who also flourishes in those areas.

With a deal for Rice now very close to completion, Arsenal may choose to hold off on their pursuit of Fofana for the time being, but he could be a fantastic option later in the window.

Burnley are interested in the services of promising centre-half Soumaila Coulibaly, per reports.

Burenly transfer news – Soumaila Coulibaly

According to Football Insider, the Clarets have submitted a loan offer for Borussia Dortmund's exciting central defensive prospect Soumaila Coulibaly as a potential replacement for the departing Taylor Harwood-Bellis at Turf Moor.

The publication reports that Burnley boss Vincent Kompany is a 'big admirer' of the 19-year-old, and the Lancashire club are 'in talks' with BVB over what would be best for the youngster's development.

The former Paris Saint-Germain gem is held in high regard at the Westfalenstadion following a successful spell with the club's reserve team.

However, a disastrous debut for the senior side in the Bundesliga has hurt his image somewhat, and so with three years left on his deal with the famous Black and Yellow, a loan could be a great option for all sides.

Would Soumaila Coulibaly be a good replacement for Taylor Harwood-Bellis?

The departure of Harwood-Bellis back to his parent club Manchester City is a real problem for Kompany's team.

He made 32 appearances in the Championship last season and, according to WhoScored, averaged an impressive rating of 7.07.

The Belgian is clearly one of his biggest fans, telling Lancashire Live:

"He really has an outstanding attitude, and he's got good habits of high-level professionals. His level is for everyone to see. I had him when he was at Anderlecht, and he's a better player now.

"The player he is now today, give him another year or two, he's going to be a much-improved player again because he has the right attitude. We're excited to be a part of his development."

That said, Coulibaly looks to have the attributes required to replace the returning City loanee well.

For a start, both players share a physical profile, with the Englishman coming in at 6 foot 2 and his potential replacement at 6 foot 3; their weights are also only 1kg apart at 82kg and 81kg, respectively, per Eurosport.

It's this 'imposing' build that has led to comparisons with the immensely talented Dayot Upamecano, and if that is the calibre of player he is already being likened to at just 19 years old, he could have a massive future ahead of him.

It's not just his physique that has led to that comparison however, he has also shown himself to be a good ball-playing centre-half, despite his limited minutes.

According to FBref, the Dortmund man produced 12.9 progressive passes per 90 last year, more than any Burnley player in the Championship.

The Championship winners also look to have already secured the perfect partner for Coulibaly with the permanent signing of Jordan Beyer, another promising youngster from the German topflight who spent the season on loan with the club last year.

With Beyer favouring his right foot and Coulibaly favouring his left, the club could have an incredibly balanced and exciting defence going into their Premier League campaign.

The only problem could come from the German runners-up not wanting to let him go on a permanent should he have a good season, as they described him as 'one of the most promising players.'

His manager at the Signal Iduna Park, Edin Terzic, also looks to be a fan, claiming: "He's been getting better and better and finding consistency."

There is a small element of risk in bringing in Coulibaly as a replacement for the consistent Harwood-Bellis, but based on what people have said about the player and his profile, there seems to be so much more upside to this deal.

Celtic are reportedly closing in on a deal to confirm Brendan Rodgers as the club's replacement for the recently-departed Ange Postecoglou.

The Hoops lost their Australian manager earlier this month as he opted to move down south to join Premier League side Tottenham Hotspur and majority shareholder Dermot Desmond is now in advanced talks to land his heir.

Rodgers is poised for a second spell at Parkhead after almost three years in charge of the Scottish giants before his switch to Leicester in 2019. He won seven trophies in that time and enjoyed great success that the Northern Irish tactician will now be hoping to replicate this time around.

The 50-year-old tinkerer will have the summer transfer window to bolster his side and one player he must swoop for is FC Utrecht star Anastasios Douvikas.

Who is Anastasios Douvikas?

The 23-year-old striker is a reported transfer target for the Hoops and the talented Greek marksman could come in and be the manager's next Moussa Dembele.

During Rodgers' first spell at Celtic, the French centre-forward was a prolific scorer who was able to provide a reliable source of goals over the course of two seasons.

He racked up 51 goals and 25 assists in 94 appearances in all competitions for the former Liverpool coach and these statistics show that the experienced boss was able to rely upon the ex-Fulham dynamo at the top end of the pitch.

Douvikas, who is reportedly available for a fee of £6.9m, could be Dembele 2.0 for Rodgers as his form for Utrecht in the Eredivisie suggests that the young ace has the potential to be a lethal scorer for Celtic next season.

During the 2022/23 campaign, the Greek international, who journalist Josh Bunting once hailed as "sharp", plundered 19 goals in 32 appearances.

He started 24 of those matches and his exceptional return in front of goal in the Netherlands indicates that he has the quality to replicate the former Hoops star's impressive strike rate of more than one goal every other game.

The 6 foot 1 frontman also showcased his creative ability as a centre-forward.

In the Eredivisie, Douvikas registered four assists and created seven 'big chances' for his teammates, which shows that the prolific scorer has the awareness and passing ability to open up defences for his fellow attackers to go along with his own goalscoring threat.

Therefore, Rodgers must push for the club to go through with a deal to sign the Greek ace as his statistics indicate that the Utrecht centre-forward could be the manager's new star striker.

The impending rebuild at Liverpool is shaping up to be an extremely compelling and captivating process.

The Reds have already secured the signing of Alexis Mac Allister for a stunningly modest fee of around £35m and Jurgen Klopp is already planning his next method of attack.

The 2020 Premier League winners have endured a tricky season, that has seen them finish outside the top four for the first time since 2016.

One name that has been mentioned to get the club back to where it belongs is Federico Chiesa.

What’s the latest on Federico Chiesa to Liverpool?

According to Corriere dello Sport (via Football Italia), Liverpool and Newcastle are among the clubs interested in the 25-year-old.

The report details that the Italian “doesn’t feel at the centre of the project” in Turin and is considering a departure.

To fuel speculation, Gazzetta have revealed that the Bianconeri have already planned for his exit, meeting the agents of Nicolo Zaniolo and Wilfried Gnonto.

This outlet has also said that it will take offers of around €40m (£34m) for a potential transfer.

Who can Chiesa emulate at Liverpool?

Since signing for the Old Lady in 2020, the ex-Fiorentina man has been one of the club’s most influential and productive players.

Internationally, he also demonstrated his extraordinary talent as the winger appeared in every game of the Azzurri’s Euro 2020 campaign.

During this run, the attacker scored twice and showcased his formidable pace, trickery, and dynamism to the whole continent.

Italian legend Gianluigi Buffon heaped praise on his compatriot and his meteoric rise to prominence, saying: “When he arrived at Juve I didn’t think he was so good. I am honest. In the European Championship, he was unbelievable, in the final match with England, it was impossible to stop him.

“If you do those things at such a high level, then it means that you are really special.”

The 40-cap international has recorded 42 goal contributions in 94 Juventus games, and he can be Klopp’s answer to Raheem Sterling.

The Englishman left Anfield in the summer of 2015 for Manchester City, so his path never crossed in Liverpool with the trophy-addicted German.

However, before Klopp’s arrival in England, the frighteningly young forward was an integral part of the Merseyside outfit.

In 129 appearances, he notched 48 goal involvements, and his rapid, intricate, and direct profile is a style that Chiesa possesses in abundance, with the pair both typically operating off the flank.

The speed and innovation of their dribbling are why they are such devastating assets on the wing, with that shown by the fact that the Italian whiz has averaged 4.53 progressive carries and 2.26 successful take-ons per 90 across the last 365 days, while Sterling has enjoyed a relatively similar record after averaging 3.71 and 1.54 for those same two metrics, respectively.

For Liverpool to get back into the top four, the signing of Chiesa would be an excellent way to follow Mac Allister, while helping to bring a Sterling-esque talent back to Anfield.

Newcastle United plan to have an £80million-plus-sales transfer budget for this summer’s window, The Athletic’s George Caulkin says. 

The lowdown

Newcastle are gearing up for their first summer market since their Saudi-led takeover went through back in the autumn.

In January, the new owners sanctioned a record spend of around £90million on five new players: Bruno Guimaraes, Chris Wood, Kieran Trippier, Dan Burn and loan signing Matt Targett.

Manager Eddie Howe has cooled any expectation of a revolution on Tyneside this summer, stressing that Newcastle will have to work within the constraints of Financial Fair Play rules.

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The latest

Addressing supporters on The Athletic’s matchday discussion board shortly before kick-off on Monday, Caulkin shared some insight on Newcastle’s likely spending power.

He says player sales could furnish Howe with a similar budget to the winter window and allow for another ‘transformative’ transfer season.

“Sources have told us it could go up to £80m,” he said. “Players will also leave. So let’s add that to the pot – another £20 million, say.

“That takes Newcastle’s spending power to within touching distance of January and January was transformative.”

The verdict

We can expect a large chunk of that initial £80million to be spent on a striker.

The I’s Mark Douglas has claimed that recruiting a new no. 9 is an absolute priority for the club this summer.

They’re said to hold an interest in Benfica’s Darwin Nunez, available for €60million (£50.4million) according to The Athletic.

If they were to spend more than 60% of their budget on the Uruguayan, then they may be forced to dip into the loan market or free agents pool to strengthen their squad elsewhere.

As for sales, Matt Ritchie, Isaac Hayden, Ciaran Clark, Dwight Gayle and Karl Darlow have been named as some of the players who could be moved on to clear space and raise funds.

In other news, Luke Edwards shares an exciting summer claim for NUFC.

Wolves goalkeeping coach Tony Roberts is the latest individual to have tested positive for Covid at the club, according to reliable journalist Tim Spiers.

The Lowdown: Huge test for Wolves

Wanderers are back in Premier League action on Wednesday evening, as they welcome red-hot title favourites Manchester City to Molineux.

The match is not only important for City, however, with Wolves still in with a chance of qualifying for Europe next season, sitting eighth in the table and five points adrift of West Ham with a game in hand.

Bruno Lage will likely be absent from the game because of Covid – unless he can test negative in the next 24 hours – and now another update has emerged with even more bad news.

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The Latest: Roberts tests positive

Taking to Twitter, Spiers confirmed that Roberts, who filled in for Lage at the weekend, will also be isolating for Wednesday’s game:

“Covid continues to hit the Wolves staff. GK coach Tony Roberts has now tested positive.”

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The Verdict: Another blow for Wanderers

While no players have been affected by Covid ahead of the visit of City, this can’t be helping their preparation ahead of one of the biggest tests they could ask for.

Fitness coach Carlos Cachada is on press conference duty and could, therefore, be in charge in the dugout on Wednesday, being given information by the housebound Lage throughout proceedings.

If Wolves manage to pull off a shock result without both their manager and the fill-in, it would not only keep their European dream alive but also act as a huge boost for Liverpool, who will be willing Wanderers on at Molineux.

In other news, Wolves have been backed to sign one attacking player this summer. Find out who it is here.

Former England striker Alan Shearer took to social media to laud Everton full-back Vitaliy Mykolenko for his ‘stunning’ strike against Leicester City this afternoon. 

The lowdown: Dream start for Everton

The Toffees made the perfect start to their crucial match at the King Power Stadium  as Frank Lampard’s side look to get themselves out of the Premier League relegation zone.

With just six minutes on the clock, following some last-ditch defending from Yerry Mina, Alex Iwobi picked out Mykolenko on the edge of the penalty area before the Ukrainian full-back crashed a powerful volley beyond the reach of Kasper Schmeichel.

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The visitors  couldn’t hold onto their goal advantage for long as Patson Daka levelled the score soon after before Mason Holgate restored the lead…

The latest: Shearer impressed by Mykolenko goal

Taking to Twitter in the immediate aftermath of Mykoelnko’s early goal, the all-time Premier League top scorer Shearer hailed the 22-year-old’s effort.

The Newcastle legend gushed: “Wow. What a stunning a strike from #Mykolenko for his first @premierleague goal #LEIEVE”

In fact, this was the 21-cap defender’s first direct goal involvement for Lampard’s team, having signed from Dynamo Kyiv in January.

The verdict: Mykolenko has done well

Even though Daka quickly cancelled out that early goal, the joy on Mykolenko’s face and indeed the pandemonium in the away end at the King Power was a pleasure to behold for Evertonians.

Since coming to Goodison Park for a reported £17m (BBC), the young full-back has endured the hardship of witnessing his homeland facing an invasion from Russia.

All credit should go to Mykolenko for being able to focus on the Everton cause, posting some decent performances so far and carving out a regular spot in Lampard’s first XI, and indeed coming up with such a special moment in a match of this magnitude.

In other news, find out what ‘serious upgrade’ Everton are now eyeing