All posts by z3u9t.icu

With Lee Johnson’s Sunderland side having highly impressed so far this season, picking up 16 points over their opening seven fixtures of the 2021/22 League One campaign heading into Saturday’s fixture against Bolton Wanderers, the 40-year-old Mackems manager would more than likely have been expecting another dominant display against the Trotters.

And, while Ian Evatt’s side put up an extremely resolute fight in the fixture, besting Sunderland in possession of the ball, shots at goal and passes completed, Carl Winchester’s 17th-minute strike proved to be the difference in the match, with the Black Cats extending their unbeaten run to seven games in all competitions, seeing off Bolton 1-0 at the Stadium of Light.

In terms of individual performances, despite the fact that the overall display was not Sunderland’s best of the season by any stretch of the imagination, there were nevertheless a number of players who impressed, none more so than the match-winner himself.

Six interceptions

Having returned to the side after being rested for the 2-0 Carabao Cup victory over Wigan Athletic in midweek, Winchester dominated from right-back, demonstrating exactly why he is currently keeping the Leeds United loanee, Niall Huggins, out of the team.

Indeed, over his 90 minutes on the pitch, the £180k-rated man highly impressed in defence, making three clearances, six interceptions, four tackles, blocking two shots and winning five duels.

The 28-year-old also looked good going forwards, scoring one goal, making one key pass, completing one cross and drawing one foul for his side.

These returns saw the man the Sunderland Echo journalist James Copley dubbed a “winner” receive a SofaScore match rating of 8.0, with no player from either side achieving a higher score than the £2.4k-per-week defender.

As such, while Huggins did impress while filling in for Winchester in the Carabao Cup win on Tuesday, it is clear to see why the Northern Ireland international is still Johnson’s first choice in the position, as the right-back ran the show against Bolton.

In other news: Johnson drops update on talks with £4.3k-p/w “nightmare”, SAFC fans will be buzzing

Former Premier League striker Dean Windass believes that Cristiano Ronaldo will play as a centre-forward for Manchester United.

The Portuguese international returned to Old Trafford last month from Juventus, in a deal worth around £12.87m plus a further £6.86m in add-ons according to Sky Sports.

Cristiano Ronaldo scored 118 goals for the Red Devils in his previous spell with the club before joining Spanish giants Real Madrid for a then record dee of £80m, scoring 450 goals and providing a further 132, before joining Juventus and scoring 101 goals in just 134 games.

Ronaldo is a pure goal machine and Windass believes that he will feature as the central striker for Manchester United, telling Football FanCast: “I think he’ll play as a number nine but as you say he can play on the right, he can play on the left, but I think in my opinion, Ole has bought him as a number nine.”

Manchester United had a brilliant summer transfer window, as alongside bringing Ronaldo back to Old Trafford, the Red Devils also completed the signings of Jadon Sancho, Raphael Varane and goalkeeper Tom Heaton.

Making world-class additions to their squad and having made an unbeaten start to the new Premier League campaign, everybody connected with Manchester United will be hoping that they can challenge major honours this season and put some major silverware in the trophy cabinet once again.

Rangers have been boosted ahead of their Europa League clash with Lyon, with three of the Ligue 1 side’s players ruled out of the game at Ibrox.

The Lowdown: Rangers face tough European challenge

The Gers open their European group stage account next Thursday, with Lyon making the trip to Ibrox for an intriguing clash.

Steven Gerrard’s men have to get over the disappointment of not getting into the Champions League, instead enjoying a strong run in domestic football’s second-biggest European competition.

The Latest: Gers boosted ahead of game

With perhaps the most enticing encounter of the group looming, Gerrard has been boosted by the news that Lyon trio Lucas Paqueta, Bruno Guimaraes and Tino Kadewere have been refused permission to play, as confirmed by journalist Robin Bairner on Twitter.

The Scottish Government has stepped in and put its foot down, due to the players performing in ‘high-risk countries’ during the international break.

Paqueta, in particular, is described as ‘indispensable’ for Lyon, so he will be a huge miss for the visitors.

The Verdict: Government do Gers a favour

A difficult assignment has undoubtedly been made easier for Rangers, with Paqueta’s absence a real boost for Gerrard and co – he scored nine goals and registered five assists in Ligue 1 last season.

The Brazil international has four goals for club and country already this term too, averaging a dangerous 2.5 shots and 1.5 dribbles per game in the French top flight.

A winning start to the group stage would be ideal for Gerrard’s side, potentially taking the pressure off later on in the round and allowing them to focus on Scottish Premiership commitments instead.

It looks like the government’s decision to stick to their guns and not make exceptions for elite athletes will benefit the Gers next week.

In other news, one Rangers player is set to miss his side’s upcoming games. Find out who it is here.

An update has emerged regarding the plans of reported Leeds target Okay Yokuslu between now and the end of the transfer window.

What’s the talk?

According to Marca, the Turkey international is working with his agent to secure a transfer to the Premier League from Celta Vigo. He has been left out of their latest friendly squad as he attempts to leave the Spanish club to return to England.

Leeds, Watford and Wolves are reportedly interested in signing the defensive midfielder, who is said to be valued at €6m (£5m).

Imagine him and Phillips

This update provides a boost to Leeds as it shows that Yokuslu is eager to seal a move to the Premier League, giving the Whites the edge over foreign clubs as they prepare for their second season back in the English top flight. However, there is still work to be done with Watford and Wolves also competing for his signature, which means that Victor Orta must act quickly to get a deal over the line.

If Leeds can bring him in, he could form a terrifying partnership with Kalvin Phillips in midfield. The Turk averaged 4.6 tackles and interceptions per game in the Premier League, a tally that no Leeds midfielder was able to match last term. This shows that he is adept at pressing the opposition and winning the ball back, which makes him ideal for Marcelo Bielsa’s style of play.

Phillips made 4.2 tackles and interceptions per game last term, averaging a WhoScored rating of 7.01. To this point, he was the only Leeds midfielder who managed a higher score than Yokuslu, who produced a WhoScored rating of 6.96 in 16 appearances for West Brom on loan.

His former Baggies teammate Kyle Bartley lavished praise on the enforcer last season, saying: “He’s been brilliant. He seems to have settled in really quickly which is always important for a player at a new club.

“You can see already that he’s a really good player. I thought he was great against Manchester United on his full debut and then he backed that up with another impressive performance on Saturday against Burnley.

“He’s tenacious. He’s good on the ball. He’s calm and composed. I think he’s made a big difference in there.”

These comments from Bartley, along with Yokuslu’s impressive statistics, suggest that the 27-year-old could be a rock-solid midfielder to play alongside Phillips – or in front of in a two – next season. Teams could struggle to break Leeds down if Phillips and Yokuslu are making an eye-catching 8.8 tackles and interceptions per game just between the two of them, should they replicate their 2020/21 performance levels.

This is why Leeds should be signing the Turkish powerhouse in the coming weeks. Supporters could enjoy his robust performances and strong tackles, allowing the forwards such as Raphinha and Patrick Bamford to weave their magic in the final third.

AND in other news, Leeds preparing offer for beast whose “fitness is incredible”, Bielsa would love him…

When Rafa Benitez was announced as Everton manager it was soon revealed that he’d be given a healthy transfer kitty in the ongoing window.

However, that seemingly couldn’t be further from the truth with the Toffees prioritising cost-effective measures instead.

What’s the word?

As a result, Everton are struggling to complete even the most basic of transfers.

They have secured three moves already but the net spend on those deals fails to surpass the £1.7m they paid for Demarai Gray.

In any ordinary window for the Merseyside club, they’d have probably wrapped up a deal for Denzel Dumfries already given how cheap he is.

The flying Dutch wing-back has been linked with the Toffees ever since his exploits at Euro 2020 but Inter Milan have stolen a march in the race to acquire his services.

That’s according to Fabrizio Romano who delivered the following update on Dumfries’ future to his Twitter followers:

“Inter are pushing to sign Denzel Dumfries from PSV. Talks opened for €12m bid – PSV want more as price tag, Everton are not progressing in negotiations for Dumfries since days.”

Worrying news

The final passage of Romano’s tweet should come as a particular concern to the adoring Goodison Park crowd.

With Seamus Coleman’s contract expiring in a year’s time, they will need a right-back primed and ready to take his place in the squad.

Crucially, that player will also need to be first-team ready and proven at some of the highest levels in the game.

Dumfries is that man and at the price tag mooted, it’s almost bewildering that talks haven’t progressed.

Marcel Brands sought a loan move earlier this week but that clearly hasn’t come to fruition despite his value sitting at a measly £15m.

Therefore, not being able to stump up the cash for a player so cheap will leave supporters fuming.

After all, when you consider the vast sums of money they’ve spent in recent years, this is a mere snip.

The Toffees have spent poorly on players like Alex Iwobi who cost around £34m, Jean-Philippe Gbamin for £25m and Davy Klaassen for £23.6m.

Consequently, not having the cash reserves in order to be able to sign Dumfries is peculiar.

At a price below £20m, he’d have been an exceptional signing. He scored twice for his country at the recent European Championships and has shown himself to have every trait associated with a modern full-back.

Everton supporters should be aghast that a transfer can’t be completed.

AND in other news, Benitez closes in on Everton’s 4th summer signing, fans must be angry…

AFC Bournemouth have reportedly joined Sheffield Wednesday and Birmingham City in the race to sign Burnley goalkeeper Bailey Peacock-Farrell on loan, according to journalist Alan Nixon.

What’s the story?

Sheffield Wednesday had previously been interested in a deal to sign Burnley goalkeeper Bailey Peacock-Farrell on loan for the upcoming 2021/22 season, according to journalist Alan Nixon.

It was revealed last week that Birmingham City were also keen on reaching an agreement to sign the Northern Irish international, although it remained to be seen as to which club was leading the race to land his signature.

However, Nixon has now revealed that AFC Bournemouth have entered the race to sign Peacock-Farrell, as they look to find a suitable replacement for Asmir Begovic, who recently departed in favour of a move to Everton.

Nixon has also reported that Burnley are looking to obtain a fee of £300,000 to send the goalkeeper out on loan this term, as he is their current second-choice option between the posts.

‘A very good asset’

Sheffield Wednesday’s interest in signing a goalkeeper of Peacock-Farrell’s quality made perfect sense, with both Joe Wildsmith and Cameron Dawson not exactly filling the club’s supporters with much confidence in recent months.

Nixon has claimed that Wildsmith could be set to depart if Sheffield Wednesday are to secure a deal to sign another goalkeeper this summer, which hints that his future lies away from Hillsborough.

The Owls conceded 61 goals in total in the 2020/21 Championship season, which certainly doesn’t make for the best of reading, and those defensive problems will have to be addressed at the earliest of opportunities this term.

Peacock-Farrell could be the ideal option to have between the posts for Darren Moore’s side this term, as he’s shown that he can perform to a high standard in the past, having kept ten clean sheets for Leeds United in the 2018/19 season, before heading to Turf Moor with Burnley.

Bournemouth will fancy their chances of striking a deal for the 24-year-old though, as they’re likely to be able to offer him regular minutes.

But Sheffield Wednesday can also offer that, and Darren Moore’s side should be pushing ahead with their interest in signing the shot-stopper on a temporary basis now that the Cherries are also rumoured to be keen on landing his signature.

Even though they’re playing their football in the third tier now, they should still be doing all they can to sign Peacock-Farrell on loan this term, and it would be somewhat of a coup for the Owls if they manage to do so this summer.

Marcelo Bielsa previously issued high-praise for Peacock-Farrell, and labelled him as a ‘very good asset’, which makes for good reading for the goalkeeper, with Bielsa establishing Leeds as a strong force in the Premier League since then.

“I think he is a very good asset for Leeds because he has been formed in the club, he is very young, he will play as a professional player for 15 years at least and if he takes advantage of the time positively, either playing or not, because when you play what you see is the limits you have, the mistakes you make.”

Rangers’ hopes of signing Gary Cahill this summer have been given a boost after he officially confirmed his exit from Crystal Palace, meaning that Steven Gerrard could bring him to Ibrox on a free transfer.

What’s the word?

The Sun claimed last month that Rangers were keen on adding the 35-year-old to their squad this summer and were willing to offer him a big wage in order to tempt him to a move north.

The centre-back has spent much of the past decade living in London after spells with Chelsea and Crystal Palace and he certainly shouldn’t be short of offers in England after his exit from the Eagles was confirmed.

Should Rangers sign Cahill?

Cahill would offer Gerrard a wealth of experience at the back and could well be tempted with a move to Rangers due to the Champions League football that could be on offer at Ibrox this season.

The veteran centre-back will be well known by Gerrard from their time playing together for England and whilst he might only be a short-term option from a playing perspective, he could perform a similar role to Jermain Defoe in the future by offering his defensive expertise as a coach in Gerrard’s side.

Although the 41-year-old manager already has the likes of Connor Goldson, Filip Helander, Leon Balogun, Nikola Katic and Jack Simpson available as centre-back options in his side, the £1.35m-rated Cahill could be a leader for Rangers both on and off the pitch.

Former Palace boss Roy Hodgson lauded his leadership qualities last season, saying:

“He’s also brought us leadership qualities, he’s been very good leadership-wise. He’s the best type of leader; he’s the quiet leader people don’t see from Row Z in the stand. He’s the leader we see in training week to week.”

[freshpress-quiz id=“593776”]

Therefore, he could prove to be a very shrewd acquisition by Rangers this summer, so following the news that he is officially a free agent, Ross Wilson should definitely be looking to bring Cahill to Ibrox if his wage demands aren’t too excessive.

And, in other news… Dribbled past 0 times: “Outstanding” Rangers star was Gerrard’s star vs Livingston

Tottenham Hotspur are nearing a deal that would see Takehiro Tomiyasu make a move to the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium this summer.

What’s the talk?

That’s according to a report by Corriere di Bologna (via Sport Witness), who claim that Spurs have made a second offer totalling €23m (£19.5m) for the Bologna FC 1909 centre-back, with the negotiations thought to be coming to a close.

However, the report continues by stating that Spurs have not completed a deal for the defender just yet, as the Serie A side are determined to receive €25m (£21.5m) – or at the very minimum €20m (£17m) as an upfront fee – for the 22-year-old, in order for Sinisa Mihajlovic to make signings of his own this summer.

Paratici will be buzzing

With it being reported previously that Tottenham’s new director of football Fabio Paratici is very much the driving force behind the club’s interest in the centre-back, the fact that Spurs are seemingly close to getting a deal over the line for Tomiyasu is sure to have left the Italian buzzing.

And, considering how impressive the Japan international was for Bologna last season, it is easy to see why the director of football is keen to add the defender to Nuno Espirito Santo’s options in the centre of the Tottenham defence next season.

Indeed, over his 31 Serie A appearances for Mihajlovic’s side last term, the £18m-rated man helped his team keep four clean sheets, as well as making an average of 1.7 interceptions, 1.5 tackles, 3.3 clearances and winning 5.4 duels per fixture.

The £13k-per-week centre-back also impressed in an attacking capacity, scoring two goals, in addition to taking an average of 0.5 shots and making 0.3 key passes per league game.

These metrics saw the man Mitchell Dijks dubbed a “very strong” defender earn an average SofaScore match rating of 6.86, ranking him as Bologna’s joint eighth-best performer in the league.

As such, it would certainly appear as if Tomiyasu would be a very solid option for Espirito Santo to have at his disposal next season, and, with the latest report claiming that a deal is very nearly done for the 22-year-old, we would expect to see Daniel Levy and Paratici get Spurs’ first signing of the summer transfer window over the line in the not too distant future.

In other news: Levy makes private behind-the-scenes Spurs decision that will leave fans buzzing

West Ham have reportedly been ruled out of the race for Barcelona centre-back Clement Lenglet, despite the Frenchman being available on a loan deal that would surely benefit David Moyes.

What’s the word?

According to Spanish news outlet Sport, the Hammers and Everton were two teams who had previously been linked with the former Sevilla man, but it is claimed that he isn’t appealed by either side.

The Catalan side are desperate to raise funds by selling high earners at the Nou Camp, as they look to tie Lionel Messi down to a new contract despite huge financial problems, and Lenglet was tipped as one player who is likely to depart Ronald Koeman’s side this summer.

Despite his availability, it seems as if West Ham won’t be signing him ahead of the 2021/22 campaign, which will undoubtedly be a cause of frustration for Hammers fans who are yet to see their side make a signing. That’s despite the European football on offer at the London Stadium next season.

Moyes’ side looks to lack any real depth, and you worry that West Ham will seriously struggle to cope with the demands of playing in the Europa League and the Premier League unless reinforcements are brought in.

Would Lenglet have been a good signing for West Ham?

The Scottish manager currently has just Issa Diop, Craig Dawson, Angelo Ogbonna and Winston Reid available as senior options at centre-back, with the latter unlikely to feature regularly next season due to the injury problems he has struggled with in recent campaigns.

Therefore, you could definitely argue that central defence is an area that needs to be strengthened, especially when you consider that Dawson is 31-years-old and Ogbonna is 33-years-old, so long-term replacements should be brought in.

Lenglet is just 26 and has amassed plenty of experience in La Liga playing for Sevilla and Barcelona, whilst he has also been a regular in the French national side, earning 13 caps in his career thus far, with French manager Didier Deschamps dubbing him a “top player” in 2019.

The £22.5m-rated defender may have struggled under Koeman last season, but his previous performances in the Spanish top-flight and the Champions League suggest that he could have been a top addition to Moyes’ squad this summer.

Therefore, Hammers fans will surely be disappointed with this latest update on their interest in the defender, as they are rapidly running out of time to make new signings before the new season kicks off.

And, in other news… West Ham dealt huge transfer blow with “amazing” star, Moyes surely gutted 

Flocking to Twitter, many West Ham United fans are ecstatic after an official announcement by the club.

Over these last few weeks, the club have taken strides in either tying down promising young talent or bringing them in from elsewhere.

West Ham have already snapped up Thierry Nevers, Pierre Ekwah Elimby and Armstrong Oko-Flex with the exciting trio all putting pen to paper on a move to east London (football.london).

Meanwhile, from their own academy, West Ham have also tied down the likes of Jayden Fevrier to professional contracts, and it appears he isn’t the only one.

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Indeed, as announced by the club, talented young midfielder Freddie Potts has also signed his first professional deal.

The 17-year-old enjoyed a fine 2020/2021 season in the academy, featuring 21 times for the Under-18s before then being promoted to the U23s – scoring his first goal for the side soon after (whufc.com).

Son of former West Ham man and current youth coach Steve, Potts’ impressive form has resulted in the club rewarding him with a three-year deal until 2024.

Flocking to this official announcement, it’s safe to say many supporters were delighted – find all of their best verdicts down below.

West Ham fans rave over Potts professional deal

“Get him in. Love him already”

Credit: @spencer7ii

“If he’s even half has good as his old man , he’ll do for me”

Credit: @WHUFCGeezer

“Congratulations”

Credit: @SandieBarrick

“Aww delighted”

Credit: @Lorrain94741983

“Great genes his dad is one of my favourite players, so underrated. Wishing you all the best in claret and blue”

Credit: @TheChar10

“He caught the eye in a few latter epl2 games at the end of the season. Good luck Freddie.”

Credit: @Agarwoodgreen

“lad just knuckle down do the business you will get your chance in the first team in the near future”

Credit: @markwake15

“Brilliant news Freddie is a great asset to the club it’s great for us to get him on a professional contract.

I’m excited about this one”

Credit: @ZaynafamilyMary

In other news: West Ham fans fume at update over 28 y/o maestro, find out more here.