Tag Futebol

Celtic are reportedly leading the chase to sign Stal Mielec forward Said Hamulic.

The Lowdown: Hamulic profiled

The 22-year-old is primarily a centre-forward who can also play on the left wing. The Dutchman made the move to Polish club Stal Mielec in the summer and has been in fine form this season, contributing to 13 goals in 19 appearances.

Talent scout Jacek Kulig has hailed the player for his pace, power and finishing, and it seems as if a move to Parkhead could be on the cards.

The Latest: Celtic lead Hamulic transfer race

The Scottish Sun relayed reports from Poland in the last 48 hours regarding Hamulic.

They described him as the unexpected star of the season and claimed that it is the Hoops who are leading the chase for his services, with Stal Mielec president Jacek Klimek accepting that they are set to lose the striker this month.

The Verdict: One to watch

Much of the talk regarding Celtic’s search for a new forward has been centred around Cho Gue-sung, but it seems as if Hamulic could be a name to keep an eye on in the coming days.

He appears to be at the peak of his powers with a career-high Transfermarkt valuation, and you’d like to think that he’ll only get even better in years to come.

Any forward who comes to the Premiership champions may end up replacing Giorgos Giakoumakis after contract talks broke down, with FC Midtjylland interested in the Greek striker’s services.

Leeds United are thought to be ‘interested’ in signing Villarreal left-back Alfonso Pedraza.

The Lowdown: Wober links

The Whites appear to be on the hunt for a new left-back in the New Year and seem to have an eye on RB Salzburg’s Maximilian Wober.

Fabrizio Romano has claimed that Leeds are preparing an offer for the 24-year-old, who can play as a centre-back or as a left-back. It seems as if Wober isn’t the only defensive target, though, with links emerging to a former Elland Road loanee.

The Latest: Pedraza news

According to Football Espana on Twitter, both Leeds and Inter Milan are ‘interested’ in signing Pedraza in January.

They add that the Spaniard has been a ‘standout’ for the La Liga side over the last 18 months.

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The Verdict: One to watch?

Pedraza, who played alongside Luke Ayling, Liam Cooper and Stuart Dallas during his loan spell in the 2016/17 season, can also operate as a left-midfielder or left-winger and has scored 23 senior goals at club level.

Therefore, you could make an argument that both Pedraza and Wober could be of use to Jesse Marsch. They would both be able to challenge Pascal Struijk and Junior Firpo at left-back, while also providing cover in other areas, so a move for Pedraza, described as a “machine” by Simon Harrison, could be one to watch.

Tottenham Hotspur are now eyeing a move for Barcelona forward Ferran Torres, according to a new report.

The Lowdown: Tottenham targeting forward

Fabrizio Romano recently told GIVEMESPORT that Tottenham manager Antonio Conte has identified the need for both a centre-back and a forward in the January transfer window, with both of these positional equally likely to be filled.

However, with the recent news that Richarlison has sustained a hamstring injury on World Cup duty with Brazil, a new attacking option is perhaps now more of a pressing concern, with fears that the striker could be out for at least a month.

The Latest: Torres in Conte’s sights

Spurs have now emerged as one of the interested parties in Torres, according to a new update from BILD, with Barcelona looking to cash-in on a player who does not feature regularly in the starting lineup.

The deal would not come cheap, given that the La Liga club spent an initial £46.7m on the 22-year-old December 2021, while it is also pointed out that Spurs may have to do battle with arch-rivals Arsenal for his signature, who are in pole position due to Mikel Arteta’s existing relationship with the player.

The Verdict: Get it done?

The Spaniard does have some prior Premier League experience from his time with Manchester City, but given the amount of attackers available to Pep Guardiola, he never really managed to cement his place in the first 11.

When the £62k-per-week earner was given game time, he normally impressed, registering 13 goals in 36 appearances in the 2020-21 campaign, also weighing in with three assists.

In 196 career games, the Spanish starlet has amassed 38 goals, however it must be noted that he has often been utilised on the wing rather than as an out and out forward, only featuring centrally in nine of his last 50 outings.

Former manager Guardiola has previously described Torres as being ‘clinical’, and so it is at striker where he would surely flourish for Tottenham, perhaps as the perfect back-up option for Harry Kane to allow Richarlison more game-time on the flanks.

Newcastle United are reportedly set to return for Braga winger Roger Fernandes in the January transfer window.

The Lowdown: Talks held

The St. James’ Park outfit reportedly held talks with Braga over a potential move for Fernandes in the summer, but a move never materialised in the end.

After breaking onto the scene last season, where he became Portuguese football’s youngest player and scorer, the 17-year-old has surprisingly not featured at all this term, and could look to seek a move away in January.

The Latest: Newcastle return?

As per Portuguese news outlet A Bola, the new manager has not fancied Fernandes this campaign, after he made 11 senior appearances in total over all competitions last season, scoring three goals (Transfermarkt).

The Magpies ‘intend to return’ for his signature, after previous negotiations ended in ‘failure’, but both Ajax and Atletico Madrid have also ‘lined up’ to potentially sign him.

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The Verdict: Another exciting talent

After signing young Australian talent Garang Kuol, who featured for his country in their first group stage game of the FIFA World Cup and is set to move to the North East in January, the Tynesiders could bring in another starlet in Fernandes.

Hailed as a player with a ‘huge future’ by Toon podcaster Dave Harvey, he has even been touted as the next Luis Diaz, a player that has made a big impact in the Premier League with Liverpool having moved from Portuguese football.

Nonetheless, with his lack of game time at Braga, this is a deal that looks possible for Eddie Howe’s side, should they be able to negotiate a suitable fee.

West Ham United have been backed to secure a transfer deal for Blackburn Rovers attacker Ben Brereton Diaz. 

The Lowdown: West Ham’s interest in Brereton Diaz

The east London club were linked with a move for the Blackburn star during the previous summer transfer window.

Recent reports have then claimed that the Hammers are plotting a move to sign the Chile international during the upcoming January window.

With that in mind, it now appears that David Moyes’ side have been touted to bring Brereton Diaz to the London Stadium once the winter transfer window opens for business.

The Latest: West Ham touted to sign Brereton Diaz

Speaking to Football Insider, former Premier League player Alan Hutton, who now contributes for the BBC as a pundit, had this to say on the matter. He said:

“I think every manager will tell you they want as many strikers as possible. Especially ones that can score goals so it does not surprise me. There has been interest before. I think he is probably ready now to take that next step.

“I think the likes of West Ham would be a good club for him. [Gianluca] Scamacca has come in and done well, [Michail] Antonio has had to be on the bench recently.

“I think you always want options especially in the Premier League. I think it would be a good buy if they can get him for the right money.

“He has proved himself in the Championship so it is time to go and have a crack at the big league and I am sure he is more than capable.”

The Verdict: Could save Moyes’ job

Hailed as an “elite” player by Gary Brazil, Brereton Diaz has scored 52 goals in 209 club appearances at senior and youth levels prior to Rovers’ clash against Burnley on Sunday lunchtime.

West Ham got a good idea of the goal threat that the 23-year-old carries as he scored the late equaliser in the recent 2-2 draw between the Hammers and Blackburn in the EFL Cup.

With pressure reportedly mounting on Moyes, adding a figure like Brereton Diaz, who has racked up more attempts at goal (61) in the Championship this season than any other player in the division and scored nine goals in doing so, could be just what the Scotsman needs to get his side firing and take away the pressure on him.

Moving forward, with January in mind, it could be a wise move for West Ham to do all they can to sign the Blackburn star and bring him to the London Stadium.

Everton have enjoyed a much more comfortable start to their 2022/23 Premier League campaign after making eight new signings in the summer, and now transfer targets are starting to emerge ahead of the winter market opening in 2023.

What’s the latest?

According to Football Insider, Everton are plotting a swoop for Wolverhampton Wanderers forward Daniel Podence in January.

As per the report, it is claimed that the winger’s agent Jorge Mendes is on the hunt for a new club for his client despite Podence becoming a regular first-team starter at the Molineux – with Farhad Moshiri and Everton believed to be strongly interested.

He’s exactly what Everton need

There is no doubt that there have been improvements in the performances on the pitch compared to last season – when the side endured a difficult relegation scrap at the bottom of the table.

Everton are now 12th in the Premier League standings and, currently sitting four points clear of the bottom three, which will undoubtedly delight Frank Lampard. However, there is still some room to improve in one particular area of the pitch.

Defensively, the Toffees look extremely assued, with Conor Coady and James Tarkowski forming a formidable centre-back partnership. However, compared to teams above them in the table, going forwards, the Blues have scored the joint-least amount of goals (11) this season so far.

Indeed, Everton did lose the services of Richarlison in the summer, while Dominic Calvert-Lewin has also been out with a number of injury issues over the last 12 months, so it comes as no surprise that the side are struggling for goals, although this is an issue that should’ve been addressed in the summer transfer window.

As a result, the signing of Podence could be just what Everton needs due to his versatile attacking capabilities and Premier League experience, meaning he could be a ready-made solution to the side’s goal-shy approach to their games.

The 27-year-old dynamo – who was hailed “clever” by former manager Bruno Lage – has scored two goals and created two big chances, as well as making an average of 1.6 key passes and taking 1.7 shots per game over 12 league appearances in 2022/23.

One of the Portuguese winger’s most notable attributes that would be hugely beneficial to Lampard is his versatility in positioning, with Podence more than capable of playing across the front three and even in a deeper advanced midfield role.

With that being said, if the powers at Goodison Park can secure a good deal for Podence in January, it would certainly appear to be a worthwhile investment when looking for ways to improve their attacking threat over the second half of the season.

Manchester United have asked for information regarding Inter Milan striker Lautaro Martinez after his performance against Barcelona in the week.

The Lowdown: Goal and an assist

Martinez, who ex-Red Devils striker Romelu Lukaku has called a ‘beast’ previously, starred in the Champions League on Wednesday night.

The 25-year-old helped Inter to draw 3-3 against Barcelona, scoring a fine goal and providing an assist. The Argentina international took his senior goal tally to 126 for club and country, and it looks as if his performance caught the eye of Old Trafford officials.

The Latest: Martinez transfer update

Sport Witness relayed an update from Gazzetta dello Sport regarding Martinez on Saturday. They claimed that United and PSG are at the front of the queue for the Argentine, with the Red Devils asking for ‘first-hand information’ on the forward.

The report adds that the Premier League giants have an ‘open channel’ to the player, with information possibly useful as Erik ten Hag continues to overhaul his forward line.

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The Verdict: One to watch?

The Red Devils may well be on the hunt for a new centre-forward in the January transfer window, especially if Cristiano Ronaldo leaves the club as rumoured.

Therefore, Martinez – who has plenty of experience at the highest level for club and country – could be a shrewd target.

He is primarily a centre-forward who can play in a deeper role if needed and appears to be approaching the prime years of his career at the age of 25.

United may well be keeping tabs on the player at the World Cup after their recent approach, so this could be one to watch heading into 2023.

Leeds United midfielder Adam Forshaw has suffered another injury setback ahead of this afternoon’s Premier League clash with Aston Villa at Elland Road…

What’s the latest?

The Athletic’s Phil Hay relayed the news from manager Jesse Marsch’s press conference, he said:

“Marsch starting on injuries: Forshaw has a twisted ankle and will miss the weekend.”

Another setback for Marsch

The long-serving 30-year-old has featured four times for the Yorkshiremen this season, including a start in their League Cup win over Barnsley, and is the only true backup to starting duo Marc Roca and Tyler Adams.

Marsch clearly views the former Middlesbrough man as a very big part of the squad as he considers him one of five players in the leadership group behind the scenes.

“He’s set up a leadership group with us five and Rodrigo,” Forshaw told the Daily Mail recently. “He sees the importance in the lads who have experience.”

Indeed, Forshaw played an essential role in Leeds’ relegation battle, with his leadership and tenacity proving crucial in the absence of the now-departed Kalvin Phillips.

After the arrivals of Roca and Adams in the summer, Marsch reiterated Forshaw’s importance to both him and the squad, he told reporters (via LeedsLive):

“Adam’s an important player for us. He’s a big leader for us. He helped set up [a] couple of goals with some of the plays he made. He’s a very reliable leader and player for us. No question.”

Since arriving in the dugout, the American has suffered from numerous injury problems, including some devastating ones to his key stars, ranging from captain Liam Cooper to leading talisman Patrick Bamford.

Forshaw himself has also had a miserable past with injuries, so this latest setback will be a gutting blow, having missed as many over 77 matches since his arrival in January 2018.

Therefore, his absence is frustrating news, both on and off the pitch, for the Leeds manager, the supporters and the midfielder, too.

AND in other news, Leeds had a shocker on £22m-rated “superstar” for whom “football is like Disneyland”…

Celtic will be without injured centre-back Carl Starfelt for Tuesday night’s Champions League clash with Real Madrid. 

The lowdown

Celtic open their UCL Group F campaign with a home game against the reigning champions of Europe.

Starfelt has started the Hoops’ last two Scottish Premiership matches, but only lasted 57 minutes in Saturday’s 4-0 Old Firm victory over arch-rivals Rangers.

Ange Postecoglou’s other centre-back options include Cameron Carter-Vickers, new arrival Mortiz Jenz and Stephen Welsh.

The latest

Speaking in his pre-match press conference (via Celts Are Here), Postecoglou revealed that Starfelt had sustained a knee injury against the Gers that will sideline him for the visit of Los Blancos.

“On the weekend, Carl Starfelt hurt his knee,” the Australian said. “We don’t have an exact diagnosis, but it’s nothing too serious.

“But it will probably keep him out for a couple of weeks.”

The player was unsurprisingly absent from training on Monday.

The verdict

This is definitely a blow to Celtic’s chances of upsetting Carlo Ancelotti’s side.

Starfelt was producing a solid performance against Rangers, winning three of the five duels he contested, completing 23 out of 26 passes and making five clearances (via SofaScore).

He was even better in the 9-0 win over Dundee United the previous weekend, capping off his performance by scoring the team’s final goal. That day, he also won seven of ten aerial battles, picked out team-mates with three of his four long passes and made two interceptions.

Across the entirety of the 2021/22 season, the Swede completed over 91 per cent of his Premiership passes and complete more passes per game than any other Hoops player.

You can get a sense, then, of what Starfelt offers – a strong aerial presence, a goal threat from set-pieces and above all superb distribution.

Celtic podcaster Ryan McGinlay hailed him as a ‘massive’ figure in the Hoops’ SPFL triumph last season and called for him to be made vice captain.

Fabrizio Romano has relayed an update regarding the future of Manchester City midfielder Bernardo Silva.

What’s the latest?

In a recent post on Twitter, Romano relayed comments made by City’s CEO Ferran Soriano, originally to El Chiringuito TV, when asked whether the 28-year-old will remain at the Etihad Stadium this summer amid rumours linking him to Barcelona.

In response, Soriano said that the Portuguese international is “of course” staying with the Premier League champions.

A recent report from The Athletic claimed that the player is now focused on staying with the Citizens, which – in addition to these latest comments from Soriano – should be a massive weight off the shoulders of not only a lot of City fans but Pep Guardiola as well.

Guardiola should be buzzing

City signed the Portugal international from AS Monaco in 2017 in a deal worth £43m. Since then, Silva has gone on to make 254 appearances for the Manchester club across all competitions, scoring 49 goals and supplying 51 assists along the way.

His latest goal ultimately rescued his side a point during their recent 3-3 draw against Newcastle United at St James’ Park.

To highlight how much adoration the City manager has for the player, Guardiola said about him following his performance against Burnley last October. “He is so intuitive; he always gives us the extra ball that we need. The performance of Bernardo has been extraordinary again.

“He is so generous and the effort and the way he plays is fantastic. We are so lucky to have him. He was an incredible signing for us. All I want is his happiness. He deserves the best. He is a joy to have as manager. When he doesn’t play he always tries to do his best.”

In terms of what Silva offers to the team, in 2021/22 no other player in Guardiola’s squad completed more live-ball passes which led to a shot at goal than the 28-year-old (100).

In fact, only Bruno Fernandes (109) and Martin Odegaard (105) delivered more of these passes than the City star in last season’s Premier League.

Taking all this into account, this latest update regarding the former Monaco gem’s future at the Etihad should hopefully put to bed any doubts over a potential exit this summer, which will surely be a massive positive for everyone connected to the club.