All posts by h716a5.icu

Leeds United are considering a move for Blackburn Rovers forward Ben Brereton Diaz, according to transfer insider Dean Jones.

The Lowdown: Bamford injury

The Whites continued their unbeaten start to the season on Saturday with a 2-2 draw at Southampton. Rodrigo netted twice in the second half after Jesse Marsch moved the Spaniard into a centre-forward role after another injury to Patrick Bamford.

Marsch confirmed after the game that Bamford was suffering with an abductor issue, while Joe Gelhardt also missed the trip with a minor injury.

The Latest: Jones’ comments

Jones, talking to GiveMeSport in a story shared on Saturday evening, said that Brereton Diaz is on Leeds’ list and that a move is being considered.

“There’s a few backup options for them, Brereton Diaz is one of them and he’s one they’re considering.”

[web_stories_embed url=”https://www.footballtransfertavern.com/web-stories/latest-leeds-united-updates-7/” title=”Latest Leeds United updates!” poster=”https://www.footballtransfertavern.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/04/cropped-2022-03-10T184055Z_1834933207_UP1EI3A1FW561_RTRMADP_3_SOCCER-ENGLAND-LEE-AVA-REPORT-1-scaled-1.jpg” width=”360″ height=”600″ align=”none”]

The Verdict: Get it done

Saturday just emphasised that a new forward is needed at Elland Road before the deadline, and Brereton Diaz could be a shrewd signing.

He’s primarily a centre-forward but can also play on either wing if required, so could fit Marsch’s narrow formation with inverted wingers perfectly.

The Chile international, who journalist Josh Bunting has called ‘sensational’, has just come off the back of his best season in front of goal with 22 Championship goals in 37 appearances during 2021/22 and even scored against West Brom on Sunday.

Brereton Diaz is still just 23 years of age, so you’d like to think he can still improve on his already impressive game, and a move to the Premier League seems inevitable, especially as he is into the final 12 months of his Ewood Park contract.

All the transfer talk concerning Scottish champions Celtic appears to be centred around whether or not Chelsea midfielder Ross Barkley will make the move to Parkhead.

What’s the word?

Recent reports have suggested that the Old Firm giants are interested in signing the 28-year-old before the September deadline, albeit with a host of Premier League clubs also in the race for his signature.

Journalist Pete O’Rourke – speaking to GIVEMESPORT – has given his backing to the idea of the Englishman joining the Glasgow side this summer, albeit while outlining the potential risk that could come with it due to his failings at Stamford Bridge of late.

The transfer insider stated: “It would be an exciting signing, just because of who he is. He’s a top player, he’s played in the Premier League for Everton and Chelsea, although his career has stalled in the last few years, so it would be a gamble in some respects if Celtic were to sign him.”

The 33-cap playmaker – who has just a year remaining on his current deal in west London – appears to be surplus to requirements under Thomas Tuchel after having not been handed a shirt number for the new season.

Sensation

While there may be those at Celtic Park questioning the wisdom of signing a player who made just a solitary league start last season, the overriding feeling seemingly mirrors that of O’Rourke, with huge excitement as to the potential impact he could have in the Scottish Premiership.

Pundit Kevin Campbell has certainly given his backing to the switch, stating that: “I think he’ll be a sensation up there I really do. A strong side like Celtic, the way they play, his dynamism from the midfield, the way he can dribble, shoot, beat players, I think he’d be a revelation at Celtic.

“I think that could be good for him. He could go up there for a year, do the business, and then he’s a free agent. I think he’ll do great up there.“

As has proven the case with Barkley’s former Three Lions teammate, Joe Hart, a move north of the border can well inspire a new lease of life for a player of undoubted talent who is undergoing a tricky spell in their career.

While it has been an extended stint without regular football for the former Everton man of late, having made six just league outings last season, he has still managed to rack up a respectable tally of 12 goals and 11 assists in his 100 appearances in the English capital thus far.

Equally, in what was arguably his only regular run in the side under Maurizio Sarri during the 2018/19 season, the £10.8m-rated ace recorded an impressive haul of five goals and six assists in 48 games in all competitions, proving that perhaps all he may need is the faith of a manager.

Once likened to compatriot Wayne Rooney during his time at Goodison Park – where he netted 27 goals and provided 28 assists in 179 games – the £96k-per-week man no doubt has unquestionable natural talent, with the Liverpool-born gem simply needing a new stage to show it.

If handed the chance, he could well become a ‘sensation’ for Celtic boss Ange Postecoglou.

Leeds United have been linked with a move for Tottenham defender Japhet Tanganga in the last 24 hours.

The Lowdown: Tanganga profiled

The 23-year-old is primarily a centre-back who can also line out at right-back.

Valued at £10.8m by Transfermarkt, the Englishman has made 43 senior appearances for Spurs after progressing through their academy, 19 of which came last season.

He’s under contract in north London until 2025 but reportedly wants to leave the club in search of more game time.

The Latest: Leeds linked with Tanganga

Tuttomercatoweb shared a transfer update regarding Tanganga on Monday evening following links of a move to AC Milan.

They said that, ‘in the last few hours’, Leeds have joined the race for the defender alongside Everton and Newcastle.

[web_stories_embed url=”https://www.footballtransfertavern.com/web-stories/latest-leeds-united-news-50/” title=”Latest Leeds United news” poster=”https://www.footballtransfertavern.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/04/cropped-2022-03-10T184055Z_1834933207_UP1EI3A1FW561_RTRMADP_3_SOCCER-ENGLAND-LEE-AVA-REPORT-1-scaled-1.jpg” width=”360″ height=”600″ align=”none”]

The Verdict: Avoid?

It appears as if Victor Orta has looked into a move for Tanganga following the impressive 3-0 win over Chelsea on Sunday, although a move for the defender doesn’t appear to be necessary at this moment in time.

Jesse Marsch has plenty of options at centre-back and right-back, but you could say that left-back is an area where the club are somewhat light with Junior Firpo still sidelined.

Tanganga, who BBC pundit Alan Shearer labelled ‘magnificent’, has only played at left-back on four occasions, and with a new forward also required at Elland Road before the 1 September deadline, it could be wise for Leeds to look elsewhere for new arrivals in the final few days of the transfer window.

Manchester United could potentially make a late swoop for Barcelona defender Sergino Dest, thus freeing up Aaron Wan-Bissaka to depart Old Trafford.

What’s the word?

That’s according to journalist Dharmesh Sheth, who wrote on Twitter: “Manchester United exploring the possibility of late deal for Barcelona right-back Sergino Dest. If they can secure a move, they will allow Aaron Wan-Bissaka to leave – West Ham United and Crystal Palace interested. Dest played under Erk ten Hag at Ajax.”

There has been a suggestion that the £50m United flop could be used as part of a swap deal for the United States international, while the Englishman’s former club Crystal Palace are also believed to be keen on a reunion, amid talk of a possible cut-price swoop.

The Red Devils are seemingly unwilling to fork out the potential €20m (£17m) fee it could take to prise Dest from the Camp Nou – hence the talk of a swap deal – although some reports have suggested that the La Liga side may sanction a loan exit.

Unreal signing?

While there has been talk that the Old Trafford outfit have ‘rebuffed’ recent interest in Wan-Bissaka due to the difficulties of securing a replacement so late in the day, the often hectic end to the window could spring a surprise, with Dest no doubt offering a fine addition if a deal can be struck.

Much like recent addition Antony and Lisandro Martinez, the 21-year-old right-back is a player well known to Erik ten Hag having featured under the Dutchman during his time at Ajax, making his breakthrough during the 2019/20 season before earning a swift move to Catalonia.

While it has been a mixed spell with his current side since then – with the £16.2m-rated gem failing to make an appearance so far this season – he has still racked up 72 appearances in all competitions to date, scoring three goals and providing five assists in that time.

Although now on the fringes under Xavi Hernandez, the iconic Spaniard had lauded the youngster for his display against Valencia back in February, insisting that he was “spectacularly good” in the 4-1 triumph.

Such high praise for the full-back, who was also dubbed “unreal” by Gregg Berhalter, will no doubt have caught the eye of those back at the Theatre of Dreams, while Ten Hag will have seen first-hand the impact that the £97k-per-week starlet can have in an attacking sense, having previously recorded two goals and six assists in just 38 senior games during his time in Holland.

Even amid his current struggles with La Blaugrana, Dest still compares favourably to his peers among those in his position across Europe’s top five leagues, notably showcasing his ball-playing talent as the so-called “comet” – as labelled by ten Hag – ranks in the top 2% for both progressive carries and dribbles completed.

The current first-choice at United on the right of the defence, Diogo Dalot, only ranks in the top 44% and top 43% for the same two metrics, respectively, while Wan-Bissaka ranks highly with regards to dribbles completed (top 4%), yet is in just the top 39% for progressive carries.

It may be yet another case of Ten Hag opting for a familiar face in the transfer market, although Dest’s arrival could well help the 52-year-old in his attempts further implement his playing style. Should he do so, then it could an unreal addition for the Red Devils.

Newcastle United head of recruitment Steve Nickson travelled to Brazil to watch 17-year-old Santos forward Angelo Gabriel, according to The Athletic.

The Lowdown: Career so far

As a young teenager, Gabriel has already amassed an impressive CV in professional football.

Making his debut for Santos at just 15 years old, the winger surpassed Pele by 11 days to become the second-youngest debutant in the club’s history. He only came in behind legendary forward Edu, who crazily debuted as a 14-year-old.

The youngster has now made 85 appearances for the Brazilian giants; 43 of which have come in the country’s top-flight.

The Latest: NUFC monitoring

With previous rumours having touted the likes of Real Madrid and Liverpool with interest, it appears the Magpies are also keen on the 17-year-old.

According to a report by The Athletic, Nickson, who works as Newcastle’s head of recruitment, travelled to Brazil in July to watch Santos’ 2-1 loss to Flamengo.

Whilst the Tyneside outfit are yet to make a move for the teen prodigy’s signature, the report also states that the club continue to monitor his situation in Brazil.

The Verdict: Wonderkid

As the youngest ever goal-scorer in the Copa Libertadores, the winger could go on to become the most expensive sale in Santos’ history after a £52m release clause was inserted into the contract he signed on his 16th birthday.

Dubbed a ‘wonderkid’ by Brazilian youth scout Andre Noruega, Gabriel will likely make the move across the Atlantic in the near future, following in the footsteps of the likes of Neymar and Robinho.

With his current contract running through to the end of 2024 he will not come cheap, but can Newcastle’s new-found riches help them win the race?

Tottenham manager Antonio Conte has been told to ‘hold back’ by talkSPORT pundit Tony Cascarino after the Italian’s message on Eric Dier.

The Lowdown: Dier excelling…

The former Sporting Lisbon star has been shining as a member of Conte’s back three at Spurs, prompting England boss Gareth Southgate to grant him a recall to the national team squad.

Dier will travel with the Three Lions for their upcoming UEFA Nations League matches against Italy and Germany with members of the media even saying that his inclusion is ‘long overdue’.

The 28-year-old is one of just three Spurs players who have featured for every single Premier League minute so far this term, with Dier putting in another brilliant display yesterday against Leicester City.

The Latest: Cascarino criticises Conte after Dier message…

While Cascarino said that Dier has been brilliant over the last two months, the talkSPORT pundit has moved quickly to refute Conte’s latest message on the player.

Spurs’ head coach drew comparisons with Italian footballing legend Leonardo Bonucci, claiming that the Englishman can ‘replicate’ the Juventus captain.

After Conte’s statement, Cascarino has told the ex-Inter Milan boss to ‘hold back’, saying:

“He’s had a decent start to the season but comparing him to Bonucci is a bit of a long one for me at the moment, I’d hold back on that one.

“I wouldn’t have that he’s as versatile as Bonucci, maybe he was a failed midfielder more than a midfielder, he didn’t pull up any trees.

“I think he’s not bad, I’m still reserved in my opinion over the course of a season on Dier.”

The Verdict: Too soon?

Dier has been fantastic for Spurs this season and deserves praise from both Conte and the media. That being said, the season is a long one, and before measuring the Englishman’s contribution overall, we must judge him based off a whole campaign.

However, the 28-year-old shone as part of Conte’s back three over 2021/22, making more clearances per 90 than any Spurs player whilst racking up the second-most blocks in that time (WhoScored).

In terms of likeness to Bonucci, it isn’t beyond the realms of possibility that Dier could replicate the 35-year-old’s leadership qualities in the Lilywhites dressing room – especially given his experience of 328 appearances for the club and 45 caps for England.

There has been plenty of interest from ‘many clubs’ in Tottenham Hotspur forward Son Heung-min, according to renowned journalist Fabrizio Romano.

The Lowdown: Son a modern Spurs great

While Harry Kane is often the go-to man for goals at Spurs, the South Korea star has been an incredible player in his own right in recent years.

The 30-year-old has scored 134 goals in 334 appearances for the north Londoners, not to mention chipping in with an impressive tally of 75 assists and tying for the Premier League Golden Boot last season.

However, while Kane has been the subject of megabucks transfer rumours in the past, there doesn’t appear to have been the same scale of interest in Son…although a fresh update suggests otherwise.

The Latest: Romano confirms interest

Writing in his email newsletter on Monday (7:34am, 26 September, via Caught Offside), Romano explained that multiple clubs have looked into the idea of acquiring the South Korean’s services.

The Italian said:

“I started today’s column talking about Harry Kane, but what about his hugely underrated strike partner Son Heung-min?

“Despite being such a top performer for Tottenham for so many years, he’s rarely someone we hear about on the transfer market.

“Well, it’s not due to a lack of interest – there have been many clubs who have looked at him, but he’s always been considered untouchable by Tottenham. When that is the case, it is almost impossible to negotiate with Daniel Levy.

“He’s also really happy in London, and that is why a move away has never been advanced.”

[web_stories_embed url=”https://www.footballtransfertavern.com/web-stories/tottenham-latest-news-3/” title=”Tottenham latest news!” poster=”” width=”360″ height=”600″ align=”none”]

The Verdict: Hope he stays for good

This is slightly worrying from a Spurs perspective, with the thought of losing Son a concerning one, especially with Kane’s future currently up in the air.

Antonio Conte has described the 100-cap South Korea icon as a player who any manager ‘dreams of having’ in their squad, and the hope is that the 30-year-old remains at Tottenham for the rest of his career.

The often-jovial Son seems happy at Spurs, especially after his sensational goalscoring return to form against Leicester City recently; and with his current deal not expiring until 2025, hopefully he won’t be going anywhere for a while.

Former Celtic striker Frank McAvennie believes the Hoops should turn down the opportunity to sign transfer target Oscar Gloukh.

The Lowdown: Gloukh linked with Celtic move

Ange Postecoglou’s side may be firing on all cylinders at the moment but that doesn’t mean that new players won’t be necessary during the January transfer window to reinforce the squad ahead of the run in.

One player who has been linked with a move to Parkhead is Gloukh, who is impressing for Maccabi Tel Aviv having scored six goals and registered four assists in 20 appearances. He is allegedly on a list of Ange’s targets going into 2023.

It would mean the 18-year-old linking up with countryman Liel Abada at Celtic, although that isn’t a scenario that is seen as universally popular.

The Latest: McAvennie negative about transfer

Speaking to Football Insider, McAvennie was asked about the Israeli link-up, claiming it could have the potential to create cliques within the squad – something that could be damaging:

“I think the manager’s got that covered because he’s got a team full of internationals from all over the world. Abada’s only 20, it’s still hard but you don’t want that in the dressing room. You want them all mixing. You don’t want to get cliques.

“I think they’ve got a good harmony in the dressing room.

“I think they understand that they’re playing football. It’s a lonely place but there’s people at Celtic that have got that covered. Especially the manager. He treats them all like his sons and I can see that kind of harmony in the dressing room.”

The Verdict: Slight overreaction

While McAvennie’s argument possibly has some sense to it, with team spirit so vital in football, it does feel like an overreaction in general.

Gloukh and Abada should be professional enough to not cause a division in Postecoglou’s group and having his quality around would further increase Celtic’s chances of success.

The teenage attacker has been hailed as a ‘special’ player Gil Vermouth and could be considered a long-term addition who can grow into a formidable prospect into his 20s.

North East reporter for The Daily Mail Craig Hope has revealed that Graeme Murty is ‘in talks’ to take over as the new Sunderland U21 manager.

The Lowdown: Left Rangers

Murty left Glasgow Rangers as their Head of Elite Academy Development back in November of last year, as the club hailed him for his ‘outstanding’ service over five years in Scotland.

He had played a leading role in the development of their Academy players and practices, leading their development squad to success in the SPFL Reserve League as well as managing their first steps into the UEFA Youth League in 2019.

The Latest: Sunderland talks

Taking to Twitter, Hope has revealed that Murty is now ‘in talks’ to take over as U21 boss at the Stadium of Light:

“Understand Graeme Murty, the former Rangers manager, is in talks to take over as Sunderland Under-21s boss.”

The Verdict: Smart appointment

Given Murty’s previous success at a big club like Rangers, this seems like a very smart appointment by the Black Cats.

He had a six-month spell as Gers manager in the 2017/18 season, accumulating 1.9 points per game, while for their B team, he managed an even more impressive 2.14 points per match (Transfermarkt).

As a player, Murty made over 80 appearances in the Championship, and so knows the league well.

Nonetheless, the 47-year-old could excel as manager of the U21’s, before potentially being promoted up to the first team’s backroom staff in the near future, or earning himself another significant job away from the club.

Ralph Hasenhuttl’s managerial position at Southampton may ‘have been of interest’ to Nottingham Forest boss Steve Cooper, according to journalist Dean Jones.

The Lowdown: Hasenhuttl on brink of departure

According to a report by The Telegraph, the Austrian Saints coach is on the brink of facing the sack at the south-coast club.

It is believed Southampton desire a new manager who is better equipped at nurturing a squad of young talent.

Forest boss Cooper was reportedly included on a list of potential replacements for Hasenhuttl, but the 42-year-old has since signed a contract extension at the City Ground.

The Latest: Jones’ claim

Jones believes Cooper could be a brilliant appointment for Southampton, given his fantastic track record managing England at youth level.

With Forest bottom of the Premier League table, his job is also far from secure at the newly promoted club.

Speaking to GiveMeSport, the journalist claimed:

“At Southampton, you’ve already got the foundations. You need two or three changes in there and perhaps a bit of a re-jig with the formation.

“You look at what he was able to do with Forest last season in terms of lifting them from the bottom of the Championship to getting promoted. It’s easy to see him being able to improve this current Southampton team.

“So, if Steve Cooper had lost his job at Forest, I actually do think that Southampton might have been of interest to him.”

The Verdict: Tough start to the season

Having gained just four points from their opening eight Premier League games so far this season, Cooper’s side have not got off to the start they would have been dreaming of when they were promoted from the Championship for the first time in 23 years.

However, having welcomed 23 new faces at the City Ground this summer, the squad have had little time to gel with one another going into the new campaign. Consequently, a lack of familiarity is evident on the pitch.

As a result, Cooper’s circumstances this season were always going to be extremely difficult. Therefore, if the manager, who has been hailed as ‘fantastic’ by Grimsby boss Paul Hurst, is eventually relieved of his duties with the Tricky Trees, the 42-year-old could be a prime candidate to replace Hasenhuttl – who is now on his last legs at Southampton.

The fact that Cooper has signed a new contract at Forest may scupper his chances somewhat, but there is still a chance that he could leave if their poor form continues.