All posts by h716a5.icu

Crystal Palace look set to be without talisman Wilfried Zaha for a while after getting injured against Newcastle United at the weekend, so Patrick Vieira should aim to bring in transfer target Pepe from Porto.

According to reports from Portugal (via Sport Witness), the south London club sent scouts to the Estadio do Dragao recently to watch Sérgio Conceição’s side beat Familicao 4-1.

Pepe was thought to be the centre of Palace’s attention, with the Eagles having been linked with the 25-year-old in 2022; and considering his impressive performances so far this season, it is easy to see why Vieira would be keen on bringing him to Selhurst Park this month.

In 17 appearances for Porto, the winger has contributed two goals and four assists, averaging an impressive 7.13 rating from WhoScored for his performances.

Considering that this would comfortably rank him as the top performer at Selhurst Park had he achieved the same rating in a Palace shirt, there seems little to suggest that he wouldn’t be a good addition to Vieira’s squad this month.

Since the World Cup break, the Eagles have managed a measly four goals in seven games, so it seems clear that attacking additions should be a priority for the club this month, especially after Zaha’s injury last weekend.

The 30-year-old was forced off with a hamstring injury in the second half against Newcastle and he now looks set for a spell on the sidelines ahead of a tricky fixture period which includes games against Manchester United, Brighton, Liverpool and Manchester City.

Considering that no player in Palace’s squad has contributed to more goals in the Premier League so far this season, with Zaha leading the way with six goals and two assists, the Eagles could quickly find themselves slipping down the table if he is not properly replaced.

Therefore, signing a creative player such as Pepe could be crucial in keeping Vieira’s side away from any relegation battle in the second half of the campaign, as his strengths of key passes, dribbling and through balls (according to WhoScored) suggest that he could help to unlock the Eagles’ attacking potential.

The 25-year-old – who is becoming increasingly “important” to Conceição at Porto according to ESPN commentator Fernando Campos – is clearly a creative outlet, and Steve Parish should definitely consider bringing him to Selhurst Park this month following the bad news on Zaha.

Tottenham Hotspur’s transfer priorities seem to have shifted of late, perhaps spurred on by recent performances.

Whilst Antonio Conte initially seemed keen on signing additional wing-backs and perhaps even another attacker, ever since their loss in the north London derby, rumours have shifted to surrounding the future of club captain Hugo Lloris.

In fact, journalist Sami Mokbel even claimed after the defeat to Arsenal that it had sped up the process of engineering his exit, with the 36-year-old having seen his powers wane dramatically of late.

Three of his last five matches have resulted in a Sofascore rating of 6.0 or lower, exacerbated by the mammoth four mistakes he has made leading to a goal this season.

In his seniority, it seems frequent blunders are creeping in, and perhaps to save his legacy would be to find his replacement sooner rather than later.

One of those being touted to overtake the mantle is Brentford shot-stopper David Raya, who encapsulates everything needed to be a successful modern goalkeeper and could be available for just £20m.

The Spaniard’s acquisition could bear resemblance to the initial signing of Lloris in 2012, who joined in a £13m deal having impressed at Lyon.

Signed as a 25-year-old, just two years Raya’s junior, he was bought with the intention to hold down the spot for the foreseeable future. He has starred for the Lilywhites and France ever since, announcing himself as a “hero” in the eyes of journalist Jonathan Johnson for the latter.

This move could be a repeat, with the 27-year-old showing all the hallmarks of someone who could thrive in the Premier League for the next decade.

Averaging a 7.13 rating this campaign, he has played an integral role in the Bees’ sensational form in England’s top flight. He pairs impressive saves with composure beyond comparison, which culminates in a 74% save success rate and 22.9 passes per game.

Also boasting a competency as a sweeper keeper showcased through his 100% run-out success rate, there are seemingly very few outstanding flaws to his game.

His form has even spurred manager Thomas Frank to dub him “one of the best in the league” at what he does.

Finally a viable Lloris replacement seems to have come onto the market, with the qualities needed to thrive in the modern game. Spurs must not waste time in their pursuit, with the other Premier League clubs sniffing around. It is a deal they must make to secure the best possible successor, repeating their initial masterclass to sign him in the first place.

Arsenal have reportedly now rejected a bid worth €8m (£7m) from AS Monaco to sign Albert Sambi Lokonga.

The Lowdown: Midfield shake-up

Arsenal are planning a shake-up of their midfield, with a first offer of £60m for Moises Caicedo rejected by Brighton and Hove Albion, and the expectation that they will go in with an improved bid (The Sun).

West Ham United and England star Declan Rice is reportedly also a top target for the Gunners in the summer, but it looks as if they would like to strengthen in this window too if possible.

The Latest: Lokonga bid rejected

As reported by French news outlet Foot Mercato this afternoon, the North London club have now rejected an offer of €8m (£7m) from Monaco for Lokonga, whose contract at the Emirates Stadium does not expire until 2026.

He has only made 14 senior appearances in total so far this season, and has only started twice in the Premier League (Transfermarkt).

The Verdict: Wait for Caicedo…

Mikel Arteta’s side must wait for Caicedo or another midfielder to come through the door before jumping the gun and getting rid of Lokonga.

Even though he has not been able to start many games, the £50,000-per-week ace is still a valuable member of the squad, and has reportedly travelled with them ahead of their trip to Manchester City in the FA Cup fourth round tie tonight.

Arteta also expressed his concern over the seriousness of Mohamed Elneny’s latest injury setback in his pre-game press conference, while Thomas Partey has unfortunately been injury-prone in the past.

Nonetheless, Lokonga is needed at the moment for squad depth, but if Arsenal were able to sign another midfielder before the end of the window, then they may be tempted to cash in given his lack of game time.

Leeds United could now end their deadline day with a bang with one final deal…

What’s the latest?

That’s according to The Sun, who claim that the Whites are one of three Premier League clubs vying to attain Kalvin Phillips from Manchester City for the remainder of the season.

Having only left Elland Road in the summer for £45m, injuries have prevented the 27-year-old from having the chance to establish himself in Pep Guardiola’s team.

As such, in an effort to regain fitness and perhaps make more starts than he has done at his new club, a return to Yorkshire could be perfect for all parties involved.

That said, for the time being, the Citizens are unwilling to do business.

Phillips would be the icing on the cake

Having already enjoyed a wildly prosperous January transfer window, in which Weston McKennie has just yesterday been announced, this move could see a second midfield addition that would given them some unimaginable depth in the engine room for a club currently not far from the relegation spots.

To see the return of a player that was so revered amongst fans would surely be well received, especially after he had earnt them such a substantial fee in the summer which afforded their rebuild.

In fact, journalist Amos Murphy even noted that before his move that, should he be sold, he would remain a hero of the area. He wrote on Twitter:

“Kalvin Phillips has a mural in Leeds city centre and was part of the team that returned them to the Premier League. Regardless of if he leaves or not, think it’s safe to say his legend status is already secured.”

Despite not featuring much last campaign, upon their first season back in England’s top flight he truly showed what he was all about.

Earning a 7.21 average rating, he would record 2.6 tackles and 1.6 interceptions per game, pairing this with 1.2 key passes and an 85% pass accuracy, via Sofascore.

It was this form which earned him a place in Gareth Southgate’s starting squad for Euro 2020, where he would go on to garner further praise from the likes of Fabio Capello.

The former England boss spoke about the comparisons he had earned to Andrea Pirlo:

“Phillips is not like Pirlo and he will never be. He is a much faster and more aggressive player, of good quality but he is not Andrea’s heir. He reflects a lot the tactical qualities of Marcelo Bielsa.

“At Leeds with Bielsa, Phillips has really grown a lot and today he is the best modern midfielder I have seen on the pitch – but no one should compare him to Pirlo.”

Should he make a sensational return to Elland Road and recapture that aforementioned form, he could further cement his legacy by helping propel this ever-growing Leeds side up the table.

It would surely be the icing on the cake in what has been a solid January transfer window.

Liverpool are interested in a summer deal to bring Borussia Monchengladbach striker Marcus Thuram to the Premier League, according to reports.

The Lowdown: Soon to be a free agent

The Frenchman will be out of contract with Daniel Farke’s side at the end of the season, and having not yet put pen to paper on fresh terms, it was thought that he would secure a move away during the January window.

Chelsea were the frontrunners to sign the 25-year-old last month having held advanced talks regarding a move to Stamford Bridge, but a deal failed to materialise before the deadline.

The Latest: Liverpool eyeing Thuram

According to Spanish outlet AS (via Sport Witness), Liverpool are ‘showing an interest’ in Thuram ahead of the upcoming transfer window.

The Parma native is in the process of ‘assessing his options’, but it’s ‘essential’ that any potential suitor qualifies for the Champions League in order to convince him to join.

The Monchengladbach forward is keen to ‘combine his financial and sporting interests’, with the club able to meet both of those needs likely to be the one who wins the race for his signature.

The Verdict: Get it done…

The 6 foot 3 colossus is set to become a free agent in the summer, and it sounds like there are a whole host of new clubs in the top-flight wanting to snap him up.

The Reds have had an underwhelming start to the season and, at times, have been missing that prolific edge needed to see off games, but Thuram would be the perfect candidate to come in and change their fortunes in the final third.

The Nike-sponsored talisman has racked up a remarkable 17 goal contributions in just 19 appearances across all competitions this season and currently averages 3.4 Bundesliga shots per game.

Thuram has also been hailed a ‘beast’ by talent scout Jacek Kulig, and should Jurgen Klopp’s outfit be able to bring him to Merseyside on a free, it would be an absolute bargain.

Transfer expert Christian Falk has backed up reported interest from Everton in signing Hoffenheim central midfielder Dennis Geiger in the summer.

The Lowdown: Everton interest

It was reported earlier this week that Everton are interested in signing Geiger once his contract expires in the summer.

The Hoffenheim academy graduate, who ranks highly on FBRef’s assist and shot-creating metrics, is currently set to leave as a free agent, although a contract extension has not yet been ruled out.

The Latest: Interest ‘serious’

Writing in his latest column for CaughtOffside, Falk has backed up Everton’s interest in Geiger, saying that it is ‘serious’, but they face competition from both Frankfurt and Benfica for his signature:

“Dennis Geiger could become Sean Dyche’s first signing for Everton. There is serious interest there, he’s 24 and is set to become a free agent in the summer.

“Also, Frankfurt and Benfica are interested, so I think there will be competition between Frankfurt and Everton.

“Frankfurt has to act on the position and they need someone but Everton has a bit more money. I think Geiger’s future could be up to these two clubs.”

The Verdict: Get it done

Everton need to make sure that they get this deal done ahead of the competition, as signing Geiger could be a really smart piece of business on a free transfer.

No player in the in the Toffees squad currently averages more key passes per game in the Premier League than he does in the Bundesliga (1.7), while only Idrissa Gueye can match his 86.2% pass accuracy in terms of Blues midfielders.

Lauded as a ‘real live-wire‘ by his former team-mate Sandro Wagner, Geiger would bring a lot of energy into the midfield as well as guile, and at 24 years of age, the Merseyside club simply cannot go wrong with this deal.

An update has emerged on Aston Villa and their attempts to strengthen their squad during the previous transfer window…

What’s the talk?

According to Spanish outlet Marca, Real Madrid central midfielder Dani Ceballos rejected the chance to sign for Unai Emery’s Villans last month.

The report claims that the Spain international turned down offers from Villa and reigning Serie A champions AC Milan in order to remain with his current club, despite his contract expiring at the end of the campaign.

It is stated that the player is not interested in a return to playing in the Premier League, where he worked with Emery at Arsenal, as the gem would like to stay in Spain.

John McGinn upgrade

Being rejected by Ceballos was a big blow for Emery and Johan Lange during the January transfer window as the dynamo could have been a big upgrade on current midfielder John McGinn.

The £53k-per-week Real maestro is a technical wizard who combines quality in possession with hard graft and defensive contributions off the ball.

As per FBref, the 26-year-old ranks in the top 1% for take-ons and progressive passes while also sitting in the top 10% for overall passes and pass competition percentage per 90 over the last 365 days.

This suggests that the former Arsenal loanee has been one of the best central midfielders on the continent for building up play from the middle of the park, by either dribbling past opposition players or taking them out of the game with line-splitting passes to get his team up the pitch.

McGinn, on the other hand, only ranks higher than the top 49% of players in take-ons per 90 and is in the bottom 17% for pass completion percentage, which suggests that the Real Madrid gem would be a significant upgrade on the Scotland international in terms of what he offers in possession.

Along with that, Ceballos, who was once hailed as “ludicrously graceful” by journalist James Benge, ranks in the top 9% of midfielders for blocks and interceptions per 90, which shows that the Spaniard does not shy away from his defensive responsibility.

McGinn, meanwhile, ranks in the top 10% for tackles and interceptions, although he does not crack the top 40% for blocks per 90, numbers that indicate they are both very active defenders for their sides.

Therefore, Ceballos would have been an upgrade on the Villa skipper in midfield due to their similar defensive contributions and the massive gap in quality in what they offer in possession.

Journalist Charles Watts has been left excited by the latest injury update for Arsenal striker Gabriel Jesus as he nears a return.

What’s the latest on Gabriel Jesus’s injury at Arsenal? The Brazilian picked up a bad knee injury while away with his country at the 2022 winter World Cup and subsequently had to undergo surgery to solve the problem.As a result, the striker has yet to feature for Arsenal since the return of Premier League football with his last appearance coming way back in mid-November.However, in a positive update, manager Mikel Arteta recently told the press that Jesus is “doing really well”. He added: “He’s on the pitch, he’s been doing quite a lot of work on the ball already and so far his rehab is going well.”While speaking about it all on his YouTube channel on Wednesday morning, Watts was delighted with the update and added that it won’t be “too much longer until” the Brazilian returns.He said: “Brilliant news about Jesus from Mikel Arteta yesterday.Watts then quoted the manager before adding: “It’s a really positive update from Arteta there on Gabriel Jesus.”The fact he’s doing a lot of work with the ball already, that is very, very good. Fingers crossed, it’s not going to be too much longer until we see him.”What does this Jesus update mean for the Gunners?

Before his injury, Jesus was in fine form helping Arsenal go into the break for the World Cup sitting at the top of the Premier League table.

Indeed, in his first 14 league games for the north London club, he had contributed directly to 11 goals – scoring five while also setting up a further six.

With that in mind, it was a big blow for the Gunners when they learned they would be without him for such a long section of the season and the sooner he can get back, the better.

It remains to be seen as to when exactly he’ll be fit to play again for Arteta but it sounds as though an end to his injury woes is finally in sight.

Southampton remain interested in signing Terem Moffi, and have kept in contact with the striker’s agent, according to a report from Football Insider.

The Lowdown: Tried in January

At the beginning of the January transfer window, Southampton emerged as favourites to sign Moffi, amid interest from elsewhere, with fellow Premier League side West Ham United also said to be eyeing a deal.

However, the Saints were unable to tempt Lorient into a sale, despite bidding £20m, and the striker instead agreed to join Nice on a loan until the end of the season, with an obligation to buy.

The Latest: Kept in contact

As per Football Insider, Southampton have kept in contact with the player’s agent, and will continue to do so in the coming months, indicating a potential summer deal could be on the cards.

However, West Ham have also remained in contact, and so the Saints may face competition for his signature this summer, if he does become available.

The Verdict: Get it done?

It is very likely that any potential deal will depend on whether Southampton are able to stay in the Premier League this season, and considering they are currently four points from safety, they have a huge task on their hands.

After missing out on Moffi in January, former manager Nathan Jones chose to bring in 6 foot 6 striker Paul Onuachu, who scored 16 goals in 19 league games for Genk this season, and his Nigerian compatriot also poses a very good record in front of goal, netting on 12 occasions in 20 Ligue 1 matches this term.

As such, there are promising indications that the duo would be able to strike up a very good partnership in attack, given their respective goal records, and Southampton should continue to monitor the 23-year-old’s availability, after recently being dubbed as ‘deadly as they come’ by journalist Jacque Talbot.

Liverpool transfer targets Jude Bellingham and Mason Mount would both expect to be regular starters if they move to Anfield, according to transfer insider Dean Jones.

The Lowdown: Bellingham and Mount linked with Liverpool

The Reds endured another lifeless performance on Saturday evening, drawing 0-0 at Crystal Palace in an instantly forgettable Premier League clash.

It was another terrible performance by the midfield, further highlighting exactly why Liverpool have been linked with signing both Bellingham and Mount this summer.

There simply has to be a major rebuild in that area in order for the Merseysiders to return to the team that they once were under Jurgen Klopp.

The Latest: Both would expect to be regular starters

Speaking to GiveMeSport, Jones said that Bellingham and Mount would both expect to play almost all the time if they were to join Liverpool in the summer.

The journalist said:

“It’s a big squad change to bring in two players like this, not just into the squad but basically into the starting XI, because that’s what both are going to be expecting.”

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The Verdict: No-brainer for Liverpool

Frankly, it is a no-brainer that both Bellingham and Mount would demand to be star players if they arrive at Anfield, as they would be upgrades on the Reds’ current midfield options.

Bellingham’s 7.58 WhoScored rating this season far exceeds any Liverpool midfielder, while Thiago is the only player in that position at Anfield whose rating betters Mount’s 6.75.

They are also both vital figures for England, racking up 58 caps between them already at the ages of 19 and 24 respectively, and they would provide both the quality and the fresh legs that Liverpool so desperately need in the middle of the park.

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If the Reds manage to snap up both Bellingham and Mount, it would have the potential to completely transform the team, although a third midfield signing could also be required, such as the recently-linked Matheus Nunes.

Klopp can continue to build his team around the likes of Alisson, Trent Alexander-Arnold, Virgil van Dijk, Andy Robertson, Mohamed Salah and Luis Diaz moving forward. If a new midfield is secured, there is no reason why we can’t see a great Liverpool team again.