Tag Futebol

Despite his re-emergence as a starter at Manchester United, it seems as if Wolves still have a lot of interest in Aaron Wan-Bissaka this month, and the right-back could solve a big problem in Julen Lopetegui’s side.

Ahead of the January transfer window, Wolves were linked with signing the former Crystal Palace defender, who had lost his starting spot under Erik ten Hag at Old Trafford.

However, the injury picked up by Diogo Dalot at the World Cup forced the United boss to utilise the right-back against Burnley just under a month ago, and his fine display in their 2-0 Carabao Cup win (7.6 Sofascore rating) has seen him keep his place in the team for each of the subsequent five league games, with United dropping just two points in that time.

It might prove difficult to prise him away from Old Trafford, as he has averaged an impressive 6.95 rating from WhoScored for his performances in the top flight, which is bettered only by Ruben Neves in Wolves’ squad.

Speaking to Football FanCast, journalist Dean Jones suggested that the Molineux outfit could still look to bring in Wan-Bissaka during this month’s transfer window.

He said in relation to the United defender: “We know there’s been interest from Wolves and Palace. If United sign a new right-back, if they can find the right fit, it might become doable. But without that coming onto the table, I really don’t see how they can let Wan-Bissaka go at the moment.”

Lopetegui may well be praying that United can find a new right-back to compete with Dalot this month, as Wan-Bissaka’s impressive form suggests that he could be a big help to the Old Gold in their battle against relegation if he comes to Molineux, especially given their problems at right-back.

Wolves’ main options in that role, Nelson Semedo and Jonny, have both struggled for consistent form this season, averaging disappointing ratings of 6.43 and 6.54 respectively from WhoScored and contributing to only one goal between them.

Lopetegui has promoted Dexter Lembikisa to the first-team squad but the 19-year-old – who has just four senior appearances – hardly looks ready to be a regular in the Premier League, particularly in such a high-pressure situation at the bottom of the league.

Therefore, while it could be a difficult deal to pull off given Wan-Bissaka’s “fantastic” recent performances – in the words of talkSPORT commentator Micky Gray – Lopetegui should do all that he can to try and bring the 25-year-old to Molineux this month.

As with any transfer window, rumours always persist surrounding the future of Harry Kane at Tottenham Hotspur.

The England talisman is starved of the silverware that his goalscoring exploits and talismanic nature deserves but he’s a Lilywhite at heart.

That said, no one would ever blame him for leaving, should that day ever arrive – and he’s got plenty of suitors.

CBS Sports reporter Ben Jacobs recently provided a huge update on the situation to Caught Offside.

Bayern Munich and Real Madrid are two interested parties from abroad but there’s a belief that the 29-year-old will want to remain in the Premier League, to which the reliable journalist said:

“I think at the moment he does want to re-sign with Spurs. But if that changes, I think Manchester United and Chelsea could come into the conversation.

“The Chelsea ownership are huge admirers of Harry Kane, but that doesn’t mean he’ll be bought or sold.”

If Kane were ever to leave north London, then it doesn’t appear as if Spurs would be well prepared. However, there is a young striker making waves in the youth setup in Will Lankshear.

Despite being only 17 and potentially behind Troy Parrott and Dane Scarlett in the pecking order, the free-scoring forward could well be Kane’s heir apparent instead.

Indeed, the former Sheffield United gem has been called up by manager Antonio Conte to first-team training on a few occasions, so the Italian head coach has clearly already been impressed by his potential.

After being prolific for the youth setup at Bramall Lane, the promising teenager has already found the net seven times across 11 appearances, including a hat-trick against West Ham U18s and a goal against Sporting CP in the UEFA Youth League.

Such form has seen him dubbed a “complete finisher” and “phenomenal” by insider John Wenham to Football Insider.

The “highly-rated” Lankshear – in the words of Sky Sports reporter Lyall Thomas – could therefore be the heir to Kane’s throne at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium and given the fact that he’s already here, having cost as little as £2.5m, he’ll save chairman Daniel Levy millions in future transfer windows.

It’s surely only a matter of time before the “hotshot” – as described by journalist Nathan Hemmingham – is in and around Kane on a daily basis as his advice could be invaluable as Spurs look to find his true long-term successor.

AND in other news, Conte could finally land his £48m “Rolls-Royce” by ditching £62k-p/w Spurs “liability”…

Leeds United target Viktor Gyokeres is someone Victor Orta is keeping an eye on, according to Phil Hay.

The Lowdown: Striker next up

After Leeds managed to address one key area very early on in the January transfer window by bringing in Maximilian Wober, the next priority appears to be a new striker.

Leeds have been linked with moves for players such as Gyokeres and Che Adams in recent times, with Jesse Marsch looking to add greater depth up front.

It’s obvious that Leeds are desperate to bring in a new striker as their only available options as things stand are Rodrigo and youngster Joe Gelhardt, so links to the in-form Gyokeres make a lot of sense from a footballing and business perspective.

The Latest: Gyokeres admired by Leeds

The Sweden international is thriving in the Championship having netted 12 goals thus far and has caught the eye of Leeds and Orta, as Hay confirmed on The Phil Hay Show.

He said: “He’s been linked before and Orta definitely has had an eye on him. He’s been kind of in the ether in the way that Che Adams at Southampton has been as well.

“To my mind, he clearly scores goals, clearly has something about him; to my mind [he] would kind of fit the model that Leeds tend to go for or tend to look at.”

[web_stories_embed url=”https://www.footballtransfertavern.com/web-stories/latest-leeds-united-updates-13/” 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: Orta must deliver a new striker

It would be crazy for Leeds and Orta to look at their squad and think a new striker isn’t necessary given Rodrigo hasn’t usually shown the form he’s on this season, so he could simply have been in a purple patch during the first half of the season.

In terms of Gyokeres, it would make a lot of sense for Leeds to target someone that’s impressed in England and could make an impact immediately if they came in.

Also, the fact that Gyokeres is in the best form of his recent career with 12 goals already in an average Coventry side shows he could arguably be a good piece of business for £20m, especially if he can become ‘unplayable’ in the Premier League as he has in England’s second tier.

Leeds United have again been linked with a deal for Torino’s Ola Aina ahead of the January transfer window.

The Lowdown: 2022 links

The Whites were linked with a move for Aina at the beginning of the calendar year and even reportedly initiated contact over a potential transfer in the summer, but as we know, an Elland Road deal failed to materialise.

Aina, hailed as “Mr Versatile” by Fulham podcaster Sammy James, is out of contract at the end of the current campaign, and rumours with Leeds aren’t going away.

The Latest: Transfer update

Sports Witness relayed an update from newspaper Tuttosport regarding Aina on Tuesday.

They claimed that the Whites could again ‘come forward’ to secure a deal for the 26-year-old and buy him now, or sign him for free in summer.

[web_stories_embed url=”https://www.footballtransfertavern.com/web-stories/latest-leeds-united-updates-12/” 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: Something to it?

The rumours aren’t going away when it comes to Leeds and Aina, so he seems to be a player who has been on Victor Orta’s shortlist for a while.

Should his contract situation remain the same, the club will have the chance to secure a pre-contract agreement in January for a player who has made 93 Serie A appearances.

They may see Aina, primarily a right-back but extremely versatile, as a smart signing to provide cover at left-back and in midfield if needed, so this could be one to watch once more.

Chelsea manager Graham Potter needs to get the cogs whirring at Stamford Bridge, having lost the past three matches in all competitions, and will hope that the midseason break, making way for the World Cup in Qatar, will breathe fresh life into the side.

One of the most notable areas requiring improvement is the tip of the sword, the frontline, with the Blues’ 17 goals scored in the Premier League this season the lowest of any squad in the top-half. 

And while a centre-forward remains a position at the top of owner Todd Boehly’s shopping list, Kai Havertz is reminding the club that he possesses the spark that can alleviate the club’s current woes. 

Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang might have been the short-term answer to the club’s centre-forward issues, signing from FC Barcelona this summer, but at 33 years old his presence at the front of the Chelsea ship will not last forever, and Havertz, ten years younger, possessing all the tools to flourish, if he can just unearth that vein of consistency.

Havertz, signed for £72m from German outfit Bayer Leverkusen, has only scored 27 goals and provided 14 assists in 112 appearances for Chelsea, failing to show quite the same goal-scoring prowess that saw him net 46 goals in just 150 outings in Germany. 

He did, however, score the winning goal as Chelsea defeated Manchester City 1-0 in the 20/21 Champions League final. 

And despite only scoring four goals in 20 appearances this season for the West London outfit, Havertz shone for Germany in Qatar despite a miserable group stage exit.

Boasting an impressive record of 12 goals in 33 outings for his country, the 23-year-old rebounded from a lacklustre display against Japan in the opener to star off the bench against Costa Rica.

Scoring twice in a 24-minute cameo, the £60m-rated phenom outperformed his expected goals metric of 1.36, as per Sofascore, hitting the target three times and missing the mark with a further two efforts.

Receiving a match rating of 8.9, and picking up a Man of the Match award, Havertz was a driving member behind the Germany comeback that oversaw a remarkable 4-2 victory, with his side 2-1 down when he entered the field of play. 

His tenacious, high-octane display does not always grace Stamford Bridge with its presence, but his integral role in forcing the Germany comeback was a reminder of why he attracted such a lucrative fee in 2020. 

Despite the intensity of the affair, Havertz only lost possession four times, accurately spraying passes and instigating forward transitions, reaching a teammate with 82% of his attempted passes.

He will need to emulate his form in Qatar when he returns to London, with Chelsea’s woes in dire need of remedy.

But his towering, explosive performance against Costa Rica reaffirmed to the world that he has a goal-laden spell lurking just around the corner, and should he carry that golden touch back toward Potter’s team, he could finally unleash the potential clearly bubbling just beneath the surface.

The January transfer window looks as if it is going to be another huge one for Everton in their fight against relegation and Frank Lampard must get rid of Yerry Mina.

The Colombian centre-back has struggled to ever really become a consistent figure since joining the club from FC Barcelona in a deal worth £27m in 2018, with injury issues and poor form meaning that he has made just 93 appearances in more than four years at the club.

This campaign has seen the 28-year-old feature just twice in all competitions, with the summer additions of Conor Coady and James Tarkowski meaning that Mina has fallen well down the pecking order in Lampard’s squad, which suggests that a January exit could certainly be on the cards.

Journalist Paul Brown certainly feels that the centre-back could be on his way out of Goodison Park after the World Cup, as he spoke to GIVEMESPORT recently.

He said: “I think Everton would rather sell one of the other centre-backs [over Michael Keane] if they could.

“I think Yerry Mina’s age, injury situation and the contract situation mean he is someone they would accept an offer for.”

Mina had looked like a solid option for the Toffees in the 2019/20 and 2020/21 campaigns, as he averaged a 6.83 WhoScored rating in the former, making him their sixth-best performer and then a 6.85 rating in the latter, again the sixth-best of those at Goodison Park. Sadly, his performances have seriously declined since then.

Last season saw the giant defender average a disappointing 6.61 rating from WhoScored for his performances, while his two appearances this season have returned shocking 6.31 and 6.01 ratings.

Lampard was full of praise for the centre-back last season after a win against his old side Chelsea, saying:

“Yerry has leadership, presence, personality. We didn’t know if he was going to get back up in the second half, he sat down and then stood up, but I’m proud that he’s back and that he’s fine physically.’

“Yerry is a great leader for us, for the whole team. It’s good to see him back.”

However, Mina has rarely been able to show off these attributes in the Premier League and looks unlikely to ever be a regular at Merseyside again, so Lampard should look to move him on during the winter transfer window.

Manchester United are reportedly closing in on Manuel Ugarte after a "positive" meeting with Paris Saint-Germain.

Article continues below

Article continues below

Article continues below

United up the ante to sign UgarteWant a loan deal with an obligation to buyHave been involved in positive negotiations with PSG WHAT HAPPENED?

The Red Devils have been in pursuit of the Uruguayan international throughout the summer and are now making significant strides toward securing his signature. The discussions between the two clubs have moved forward, with a broad agreement on many aspects of the deal believed to be close, according to

AdvertisementGettyTHE BIGGER PICTURE

Despite earlier disagreements over the player's valuation, both sides have managed to find common ground, bringing the deal closer to completion. United's preferred structure for the transfer involves an initial loan deal with an obligation to buy, a proposal that has found favour with PSG. Meanwhile, the player has made it clear that he is eager to join United and is expected to agree to personal terms without any major complications.

DID YOU KNOW?

Although recent reports from Italy stirred speculation that United might be eyeing an alternative option in Atalanta's Brazilian midfielder Ederson Silva and have tabled a €50 million (£42m/$56m) bid for the player, Romano debunked these rumours and insisted that there is no truth to the claims.

However, reports that United have initiated with Fiorentina over the potential signing of Sofyan Amrabat, a player who would cost significantly less than Ugarte. Additionally, they continue to monitor the situation of Frenkie de Jong at Barcelona and could reignite their interest if the opportunity arises – given the financial struggles of the Catalan club.

ENJOYED THIS STORY?

Add GOAL.com as a preferred source on Google to see more of our reporting

AFPWHAT NEXT FOR UGARTE?

Amid the uncertainty surrounding his future, Ugarte has been sidelined from PSG's first-team activities. He was noticeably absent from their squad for the Ligue 1 season opener against Le Havre and could well be kept out against Montpellier as well over the weekend. The Uruguayan will be hoping that the clubs reach a complete agreement as quickly as possible so that he can start a new chapter in his career in the English top flight.

Tottenham Hotspur manager Antonio Conte is ‘very happy’ at the club despite doubts surrounding his future, according to Sky Sports reporter Michael Bridge.

The Lowdown: Juventus interest

The Italian’s contract is set to expire at the end of the season, and having not yet put pen to paper on a new deal, his fate with the Premier League giants remains uncertain.

Recent reports have suggested that his former side Juventus want him back as a replacement for the under-pressure Massimiliano Allegri, and it’s claimed that the 53-year-old would be open to an Allianz return.

The Latest: Conte ‘very happy’ at Spurs

Asked on Twitter whether Conte will now feel a deeper connection to Spurs given the support shown over the devastating loss of Gian Piero Ventrone, Bridge responded:

“Good question. Only Antonio will know the answer to that. He’s very happy right now.”

The message seems to have gone under the radar due to being a reply in a thread rather than an organic tweet, with just two ‘likes’ from Bridge’s 74,000 followers.

[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: New contract deserved

Fabio Paratici will know just how much of an impact Conte has had since his arrival in the capital, and offering him fresh terms would be nothing less than he deserves given his impressive numbers in the dugout.

The Lecce-born coach has won 29 and drawn eight of his 49 matches in charge across all competitions, and was responsible for his side’s re-introduction to the Champions League earlier this season (Transfermarkt).

Tottenham are currently sitting top of their European group and are only four points off first place in the top-flight heading into this weekend, so the chances of the boss guiding his team to some silverware come the end of the campaign are high.

Celtic made a winning return to Scottish Premiership action on Saturday afternoon following the recent international break, securing a narrow 2-1 victory over Motherwell in what was an eventful encounter at Parkhead on Saturday.

The Hoops had succumbed to a first defeat in 38 top-flight games away at St Mirren two weeks ago, although were able to maintain their two-point advantage over Glasgow rivals Rangers at the top of the table following the win over the Fir Park outfit.

Goals from Japanese duo Kyogo Furuhashi and Reo Hatate helped to steer Ange Postecoglou’s side to all three points, with the hosts surviving a late scare following captain Callum McGregor’s dismissal to make it seven wins from eight in what appears to be a relentless defence of their title for the Old Firm giants.

A key performer in yesterday’s clash was that of the aforementioned Hatate, with the 24-year-old once again proving his worth to the Hoops boss after netting a stunning second-half strike to seal the win, after Josip Juranovic’s calamitous own goal had drawn the visitors level midway through the first period.

The one-cap gem – who arrived in Scotland for a bargain fee of just £1.4m last summer – picked up the ball just outside the box before unleashing a fierce effort past a helpless Liam Kelly, with that the midfielder’s tenth goal contribution in just 29 games for the club to date.

The diminutive ace had warned the away side prior to that fabulous effort having seen another fierce strike canon off the woodwork from distance, with the £2.25m-rated playmaker developing something of a knack for a long-range stunner, having produced similar heroics in the win over the Gers back in February.

The 5 foot 8 machine recorded a stunning 7.6 match rating as a result of his performance, as per SofaScore, with that by far the highest of any player for either side, despite squandering possession on 19 occasions.

As that latter metric showcases, there is still perhaps improvement to be made in the player’s game – with Postecoglou suggesting that there is still a “lot more to come” from his star asset – albeit with this recent triumph showcasing yet again just what a key figure he has become at Celtic Park in such a short space of time.

West Bromwich Albion have agreed a deal to sign Salford City striker Brandon Thomas-Asante, according to Sky Sports editor Lyall Thomas.

The Lowdown: Three-horse race

The 23-year-old has now entered the final year of his contract with Neil Wood’s side, making this the real final opportunity for him to make his big move.

The forward has been attracting plenty of interest from the Championship in the form of Birmingham City and Barnsley, but it appears that it’s the Baggies who have won the race for his signature.

The Latest: West Brom agree Thomas-Asante deal

Taking to Twitter, Thomas confirmed that West Brom have reached an agreement for Thomas-Asante and have beaten their fellow competitors to his services. He wrote:

“West Brom have agreed a deal in the region of £500k to sign Salford City’s Brandon Thomas-Asante, beating Birmingham and Barnsley to the striker.”

Sky Sports transfer centre later added that the player is ‘set to sign’ at the Hawthorns ‘pending a medical’.

The Verdict: Hidden gem

Whilst West Brom are renowned for signing experienced strikers, Steve Bruce will have no issue in making moves for players in lower divisions, and Thomas-Asante looks set to be an absolute bargain at just £500k.

The Milton-Keynes-born hotshot has scored 32 goals and provided 18 assists throughout his senior career, and has already netted four and assisted two in just six League Two matches at the Peninsula Stadium this season (Transfermarkt).

Thomas-Asante will need time to adapt to life in the second tier after making the jump up, but with guidance and exposure, he could prove to be the hidden prolific gem that the Midlands outfit have been searching for.