Tag Futebol

Leeds United fell to a narrow 2-1 defeat against Manchester City in their first game under Sam Allardyce and the experienced manager must inspire a big turnaround in the final three games in order to keep the Yorkshire outfit in the Premier League.

Should results go against Leeds on Monday, with the likes of Everton, Nottingham Forest and Leicester City all in action, the Whites could find themselves back in the bottom three.

In truth, it could have been far worse for Allardyce's side at the Etihad had Ilkay Gundogan not missed a penalty and Erling Haaland not been in a generous mood against his hometown club, but they did keep themselves in the game and showed a resolve that many wouldn't have predicted given the number of goals shipped under Javi Gracia in recent months.

Allardyce's main priority should be on improving their defence but the 68-year-old must also find a way of properly replacing the influential Luis Sinisterra, who was ruled out for the season due to injury.

What's the latest on Sinisterra's injury?

It has been a difficult first season in English football for the former Feyenoord man, who joined Leeds in a £21m deal from the Eredivisie outfit last summer.

Although he has produced some memorable moments and boasts seven goals in all competitions, including five in the Premier League, he has only appeared in 19 games in the top flight, meaning he has missed half of the campaign due to various ailments.

Gracia confirmed after a 1-1 draw with Leicester City that the Colombia international would miss the remainder of the term, which undoubtedly comes as a blow for the Whites given that only Rodrigo has more goals in the top flight.

The likes of Patrick Bamford, Crysencio Summerville and Jack Harrison have all struggled for consistent form this term, while Wilfried Gnonto cannot be expected to be Leeds' saviour at the age of 19, so Allardyce may have to look elsewhere for a new source of creativity and goals at Elland Road.

He could potentially find his answer in 17-year-old talent Archie Gray, who has caught the eye with his performances in the academy and has regularly trained with the first team this year.

Despite playing against players far more senior than himself, the teenager boats one goal and three assists in just nine Premier League 2 appearances so far this campaign, having also notched one goal and one assist in the same competition when he was just 16 last season.

Gracia suggested earlier in 2022/23 that Gray was a realistic option to replace the stricken Tyler Adams, while journalist James Marshment has previously described the attacking midfielder as an "unreal" talent, so it seems as if he is destined for a big future at Leeds.

It would be a big call for Allardyce to promote the teenager into the first team as Sinisterra's replacement but given the woes of Leeds' attacking players, it could be a gamble that pays off.

Aston Villa have reportedly set their sights on a move for Manchester City star Kyle Walker.

What’s the latest transfer news on Villa and Walker?

Walker, primarily a right-back who can also turn out as a centre-back if required, will turn 33 in May and is out of contract at the Etihad Stadium in 2024.

The England international, hailed as “fantastic” by Pep Guardiola, has made 240 appearances for City, 25 of which have come this season. Walker has seemingly fallen out of favour in recent months, though, starting just one Champions League game and 15 of City's 30 Premier League fixtures. He has won 11 major honours with City, but it looks as if a summer exit could be on the cards, with Villa Park seemingly a possible destination.

Football Insider reporter Wane Veysey shared an Aston Villa transfer story in the last 48 hours, claiming the club are ready to back Unai Emery, with the manager looking to bring in a right-back.

Walker is thought to be on Villa’s radar, with Emery believing he could slot straight into the club’s starting XI after falling out of favour under Guardiola.

Could a move to Villa Park make sense?

Matty Cash and Ashley Young are Villa’s current right-back options, with the latter of the two out of contract at the end of the season. Therefore, you can see why Emery would want to bolster his right-back ranks, with Walker previously turning out for Villa in the early stages of his career, making 18 appearances for the club and contributing to five goals during the 2010/11 season.

The £175,000-a-week defender has gone on to gain plenty of experience at the highest level for club and country and has come in for praise from Kylian Mbappe, with the Paris Saint-Germain forward labelling the full-back as a “tank once he hits his speed”.

Walker is on course to surpass 20 Premier League appearances for the eighth season in succession, and his versatility at the back, along with his speed and experience could make him a solid signing heading into Emery's first full season in charge.

Who knows, the club could be preparing for European football next season after their fine form in recent weeks, which again would mean that Villa could do with a larger squad, and with Villa seemingly having doubts about Cash, Walker could take over as the new first choice full-back in the latter stages of his career.

Arsenal are thriving on the pitch of late, and even despite their collapse at Anfield they remain in the driving seat to claim the Premier League title.

However, nothing short of perfection will see them claim the ultimate prize over Pep Guardiola's imperious Manchester City.

Whether they fail or succeed, one thing is for certain: the Gunners will have to continue improving if they are to maintain their stay at the apex of English football once more.

Therefore, investment will be demanded this summer to bolster a squad already laden with talent.

There has been plenty of noise surrounding the undecided future of Folarin Balogun, as someone who could potentially bolster the north London outfit without them having to spend big. However, the 21-year-old is reportedly keen on remaining a first-choice forward, and that future might seem unlikely should he stick around at the Emirates.

With Gabriel Jesus already in his way, and a summer where another top forward could well join, the New York-born ace might seek to join pastures new. However, should Mikel Arteta manage to sign Jonathan David in his place, this will be of little worry to the Spaniard.

Do Arsenal want to sign Jonathan David?

Having first shone in Belgium, earning his move to LOSC Lille, the Canadian finisher has since become one of Europe's most lethal strikers in recent years for a side that has seldom challenged for elite honours.

Across 128 appearances for the French outfit, the 23-year-old has an outstanding 53 goals alongside posting a further nine assists.

This season also sees him top the Ligue 1 scoring charts alongside a certain Kylian Mbappe, further exacerbating his pedigree. Such is the continued brilliance of David, podcaster Tony Marinaro even labelled the 5 foot 9 speedster: "One of the best strikers in the world."

All of these facets culminate to justify Arsenal's interest in the ace, reported by Italian media. However, with an asking price of €50m (£44m) to overcome, this will not be an easy deal to iron out.

These funds, while likely available for a side returning to Champions League football at the very least, would still mark a huge outlay. However, with the number of suitors for Balogun only growing, it seems this young loanee could be the key to ensuring this move goes through.

With the youngster enjoying a fine goalscoring season in senior football, boasting 18 league goals, this still is below David's tally in the same division. The Gunners need instant impact if they are to continue their battle with the Cityzens over the next few years, which is what this Canada international brings given his consistent scoring record.

Should a big offer land for their on-loan superstar, it would be a no-brainer for Arteta to sanction the exit if it meant he could secure Jesus such an imposing striker to compete for a spot with.

Chelsea have distanced themselves from the reputation they had a few years ago of having a seemingly endless number of young players out on loan.

The likes of Matt Miazga, Lucas Piazon and Marco van Ginkel would all spend a number of years at Chelsea without ever really featuring for the first team but have all finally left Stamford Bridge on permanent deals.

However, one forgotten man from Chelsea's loan army is still contracted by the club, with Baba Rahman currently on loan with Reading in the Championship in what is remarkably the 28-year-old's seventh separate spell away from the west London club.

How long has Rahman rinsed Chelsea?

Chelsea signed the left-back from Augsburg in 2015 for a fee of £14m, which could have raised to £20m had he made more than 100 appearances for the Blues.

Considering his last appearance for the Stamford Bridge outfit came in the 2015/16 Premier League campaign, it seems unlikely that the Bundesliga side will ever see that £6m.

The Ghana international was expected to be a replacement for Filipe Luis when he made the move to Chelsea and he was something of a regular in his first season at the club, making 23 appearances in all competitions, contributing no goals and two assists. These would be the only showings he would make for the Blues.

He has since spent time with Schalke, Stade Reims, RCD Mallorca, PAOK and finally Reading, with his 49 appearances for the Royals the most of any club he has played for in his career.

A cruciate ligament injury that Rahman suffered at Schalke was seemingly the end of his hopes of making it at Chelsea, and his lack of appearances since then makes it difficult to understand why the £86k-per-week earner is still contracted at Stamford Bridge.

Ahead of his first loan spell with Reading in the summer of 2021, the Blues opted to extend his deal until 2024, perhaps in the hope that some strong performances in England would encourage a club to pay a fee for him, yet they sent him back out to the Berkshire side again last summer.

He has made 18 appearances for Paul Ince's side this season in the Championship, averaging a woeful 6.43 rating from WhoScored for his performances, which well and truly hammers home that the Ghanaian won't ever be playing for Chelsea again.

Although his game time at Reading has allowed him to become a regular for the Ghana national side, it seems as if he hasn't impressed there either, with journalist Ohene-Bampoe Brenya dubbing him "terrible" during the World Cup.

Chelsea surely cannot allow Rahman to go out on loan again this summer, so Graham Potter must finally bring an end to his 2,788-day stay at Stamford Bridge.

Manchester United striker Wout Weghorst has been torn into by TalkSport’s Jason Cundy for his display in their victory over Barcelona.

How did Weghorst play against Barcelona?

The Dutchman started the game for Erik ten Hag’s men, however, he was withdrawn at half-time with the Red Devils trailing by a goal in the break.

Weghorst was replaced by the Brazilian Antony who, ultimately, provided United with the winning goal to secure themselves a spot in the next round of the Europa League.

But it was apparent the Dutchman’s first half was not good enough and it could potentially put his spot in the starting XI at risk ahead of the Carabao Cup final on Sunday.

Indeed, speaking on TalkSport, Cundy absolutely ripped into the 30-year-old striker suggesting he was exposed during the game against the Spanish giants:

“Weghorst got exposed tonight unfortunately for him, he got exposed. He’s nowhere near the quality. When you’re at that elite level. That’s level that’s a Champions League game. When you’re at that level, you [Jamie O’Hara] and I were talking and watching him I felt for him. He was like a fish up a tree, wasn’t he?”

What does this mean for Weghorst’s future at United?

Weghorst is technically playing for his future at Old Trafford despite only arriving in the January transfer window having only signed from Burnley on a short-term loan.

He is yet to find his goalscoring form in the Premier League with no goal to his name in his six appearances which has seen him rack up 457 minutes (via Transfermarkt).

However, this may not tell the full story with United having only lost one of their 11 games with Weghorst in the side which came against the league leaders, Arsenal, last month.

And the Dutchman has recently received a lot of praise from the Sky Sports pundit Gary Neville who has hailed Weghorst’s influence off the ball:

“What Weghorst does, he’s very good in transition. He’s very good defending set-pieces. He’s very good when they’re in shape and he’s watching space. He’s doing a vital job for a team that has got a lot of attacking talent,” he said.

But it has to be said his 45-minute appearance on Thursday night against Barcelona left a lot to be desired with United significantly better when he had been replaced.

During his first-half display, the Dutchman only recorded 12 touches in total and he gave the ball away on seven of those occasions (via SofaScore).

And given he failed to provide Ten Hag with any attacking intent, it will be interesting to see whether he is selected for the starting XI at Wembley on Sunday.

The January transfer window may have come and gone, although Everton could well have the chance to finally make a mid-season acquisition by dipping into the free-agent market, amid recent links to Spanish playmaker, Isco.

According to The Times, the Toffees are believed to be interested in signing the 30-year-old following the collapse of his proposed move to Bundesliga high-flyers, Union Berlin, while more recent claims in Italy have suggested that the player would be open to making the move to Goodison Park.

On the face of it, it may well appear something of a coup for the relegation strugglers to be able to snap up a five-time Champions League winner who previously racked up 353 games during his time at Real Madrid.

Equally, there is no doubt that the midfielder is a player who can produce “something special” when in possession – as per pundit Lianne Sanderson – having provided 110 goal contributions during his glittering spell at the Bernabeu, while he also ranks in the top 17% for progressive passes among his European peers.

That being said, however, there may well be those who would question the wisdom of signing a player who only recently saw his contract ripped up by Sevilla after just a matter of months, having only made three starts for Los Blancos last season.

Furthermore, there may also be a feeling that the diminutive maestro is not actually suited to new boss Sean Dyche’s style of play, with journalist Paul Brown recently outlining his reservations over that possible move, stating to GIVEMESPORT:

“I fail to see how a player like Isco could possibly fit at Everton under Sean Dyche. He is just not a Sean Dyche type of player at all.”

The signing of such an asset no doubt evokes memories of another high-profile figure to have arrived from Spain in the recent past in the form of Isco’s ex-Madrid teammate, James Rodriguez, with the mercurial playmaker having flattered to deceive during his solitary season at the club.

The Colombian was snapped up by the Toffees back in the summer of 2020 during Carlo Ancelotti’s time in charge, with the fleet-footed wizard getting off to a dream start after racking up six goal involvements in his first five Premier League appearances.

That bright spell did not last, however, as the one-time-Monaco man ultimately endured an injury-hit remainder of the season, while he was notably criticised by talkSPORT pundit Gabby Agbonlahor, who described the forward’s work rate as “non-existent.”

While Isco may fair better than his former colleague in that regard – as he ranks in the top 6% for interceptions – he would mirror Rodriguez in being something of a “luxury player”, as per pundit Noel Whelan, with that no doubt at odds with Dyche’s typically hardworking approach.

In truth, lessons should have been learned by the Rodriguez deal, with it unwise to be sucked in by the prospect of securing a glamour name who may well struggle to make a sustained impact in the side.

Manchester City have hired renowned barrister, Blackstone Chambers’ Lord Pannick KC, to defend them against their Premier League charges.

The Lowdown: City charged…

The Sky Blues have recently been charged with over 100 counts of alleged English top flight breaches with the governing body publishing it’s accusations on Monday morning.

City supporters have since been informed of the possible punishments if found guilty, sentences which range from  points deductions and fines to expulsion.

Unlike their UEFA case in 2020, there are zero time-bars when it comes to alleged breaches and the champions cannot appeal to the Court of Arbitration for Sport.

Nevertheless, City are reliably believed to be ‘confident’ in their position as their war with the Premier League begins.

The Latest: City make big behind-scenes ‘hire’…

According to The Lawyer, City have now turned to prestigious barrister Lord Pannick as they ‘hire’ the leading silk.

It is believed Pannick is ‘set to defend’ them in court after the Premier League’s charges – coming after he also leapt to their defence against UEFA during their 2020 appeal.

 The Verdict: Bold move…

The lawyer has amassed quite a reputation for his work in court – even advising former British prime minister Boris Johnson in relation to the Party-gate inquiry.

Lord Pannick is described as ‘one of the best barristers of his generation’, and that’s reflected in his potentially lucrative pay packets.

This report claims he could be paid up to £80,000-per-day for a case of this magnitude, which is around the same as star City midfielder Kevin de Bruyne earns at Eastlands.

Pannick’s presence representing City could not be a more ambitious move by the club going by his huge reputation and past clients.

Above all, this move signals City’s seriousness in fighting these charges and proving their possible innocence.

Chelsea have notoriously been somewhat ‘hit and miss’ in the transfer market over the past few decades, basking in resounding triumph on a regular basis and utilising their affluence to great effect, but there have been a few blunders along the way.

And with the club parting with esteemed long-time owner Roman Abramovich last year due to the fallout from Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, the introduction of Todd Boehly as proprietor of the west London giants has thus far been steeped in affluence, with the Blues indeed spending in excess of £430m since last summer – a figure that will only increase before the closing of the January transfer window.

With this in mind, the club must soon deal with something of a quandary regarding the future of Romelu Lukaku, who arrived for no less than £97.5m in 2021 after previously rising through the youth ranks years before.

However, after only scoring eight goals in the Premier League and giving an incendiary interview expressing his discontent at the club under the former manager Thomas Tuchel, he was permitted to re-join Inter Milan, from whom the Blues had signed him, on a one-year loan deal.

“Disasterclass”

This season, the 29-year-old has only scored twice from nine appearances, with his recent woes compounded by injury issues that have left him unable to rekindle the best of his form.

And amid this turmoil, his infamous performance at the 2022 World Cup was met with scathing criticism, with the talisman recording an abysmal 5.6 match rating – as per Sofascore – in the decisive group fixture against Croatia –  a 0-0 draw that ultimately severed the hopes of challenging for the trophy in the knockout phase.

In the affair, Lukaku missed four big chances and amassed an expected goals (xG) tally of 1.73, earning him the branding of a “disasterclass”, according to African writer David Hundey. That word would aptly describe his second spell in London too.

The nomadic behemoth has scored 268 goals and served 88 assists from 560 senior appearances at club level, also frequently dazzling on the international stage and plundering a remarkable 68 goals from just 104 outings for Belgium.

While there will be some affiliated with Chelsea that will urge the powers that be at the club to take a risk and welcome Lukaku back to the fold to spearhead the expansive pool of talent for the new era, it would be a decision unlikely to bear fruit, with the £350k-per-week “monster’, as he was once hailed by writer Thierry Nyann, unlikely to hold the same fear factor once within his grasp.

And despite the 33-year-old Chelsea striker Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang also failing to impress following his summer transfer from Barcelona, scoring just three times, it is Lukaku who simply must be moved on first.

After all, current Blues boss Graham Potter might be prudent to utilise the outfit’s wealth and target a younger, fresher new talisman than the pair of them.

Despite Lukaku’s remarkable goal record and high fee to re-join the ranks at Stamford Bridge, he must be moved on, there is a new dawn in west London, and the Belgian powerhouse must not be allowed to lead the line once again.

Newcastle United are interested in a deal to bring Youri Tielemans to St. James’ Park in the January transfer window.

What’s been said?

That’s according to Pete O’Rourke, with the journalist revealing in a recent interview with Football FanCast that, having been heavily linked with a move for the Leicester City central midfielder this month, Eddie Howe is indeed keen on a move for the Belgium international this winter – with the Foxes believed to value the 25-year-old around the £20m mark.

When asked whether he felt Newcastle could make a move for Tielemans in January, O’Rourke said: “Yeah. I think Eddie Howe is in the market for a central midfielder. James Madison was the top target, but he looks like he’s out of their range in this window. I’m sure Youri Tielemans, Maddison’s teammate, is on their radar.”

“Unreal”

Considering just how impressive Tielemans has been in a below-par Leicester side this season, should Howe manage to get a £20m deal over the line for the playmaker this winter, it would certainly represent an unreal signing for the Magpies.

Indeed, over his 20 Premier League appearances this term, the £45m-rated talent has been in fantastic form going forwards, having already scored three goals – outperforming his xG of 2.29 – provided one assist and created seven big chances, as well as taking an average of 1.2 shots, making 1.1 key passes and completing 0.6 dribbles – at a success rate of 73% – per game.

The £35k-per-week midfielder has also impressed in metrics more typical of his position, playing an average of 2.6 long balls, 2.4 chipped passes and completing 46 total passes – at a success rate of 84% – per match, in addition to making an average of 2.1 tackles, 0.8 interceptions, regaining possession 0.6 times and winning 4.2 duels – at a success rate of 58% – per outing.

These returns have seen the 25-year-old who talkSPORT’s Jack Johnson dubbed “unreal” average a simply sensational Sofascore match rating of 7.17, not only ranking him as Brendan Rodgers’ second-best performer in the league but also as the joint 33rd-best player in the top flight of English football as a whole so far this season.

As such, considering Tielemans has achieved these metrics while playing for a side that currently occupy 14th place in the Premier League standings, the thought of the Belgian plying his trade alongside Newcastle’s Champions League-chasing squad will certainly be an extremely tantalising one for all involved with the club.

And, with the midfielder looking to be available for a fee roughly £25m less than his current market valuation, the argument that the playmaker would be something of a steal at £20m is an extremely easy one to make – leading us to believe that Howe simply must do everything in his power to get a deal over the line for Tielemans prior to January’s transfer deadline.

Newcastle United do not have any transfer deals which are anywhere close to completion currently on Tyneside – albeit just a matter of days into the window.

What’s the latest?

Eddie Howe’s men continued their quest for a spot in next season’s Champions League with a seriously impressive result in their first game of 2023 away to Arsenal on Tuesday night.

On the back of the point picked up in north London, journalist Craig Hope took to his YouTube channel where he addressed the result and a number of news topics.

One of them was Dan Ashworth’s early work in the January transfer window, in which Hope suggested there is nothing close to being done at St. James’ Park just yet:

“I think Eddie’s [Howe] just said in his post-match interview that nothing is imminent transfer-wise. And that’s certainly the message that we’re getting back at the moment.”

Steady Eddie

What Newcastle have shown this season has been nothing short of stunning with just one defeat – which came in dramatic fashion – to their name having now played 18 games in the Premier League.

Almost halfway through the 2022/23 campaign, Howe’s men are showing themselves to be serious contenders for a spot in the top four as they sit just nine points off the top of the table.

There is the notion this impressive start to the campaign has put forward a big opportunity for Newcastle to strengthen whilst they are ahead this month to bolster their hopes to finish inside the top four.

And we do think that is certainly something which should be considered by the Newcastle owners who have backed Howe more than sufficiently since his arrival in 2021.

However, from what we have seen so far this season, there are very few signs shown by Newcastle to suggest that they need to act fast in this January transfer window.

Yes, the likes of Chelsea and Liverpool are looking to improve, but the Toon have more than shown their ability to compete with the best the Premier League has to offer having already taken nine points away from the ‘big six’ this season.

Given the Magpies have suffered from a few injury setbacks and there is some concern surrounding FFP limiting their spending, we don’t think there is much of a need to do much more than bring in a couple of options to boost the squad depth.

Howe should be boosted by the return of his £63m signing Alexander Isak who will feel like a potential boost given he has only played three games since signing back in the summer.

If Newcastle can get the Swede back on the pitch at some point soon, then this could feel like a new signing in itself and provide some relief up top with Callum Wilson having his own issues of late seeing him benched against Leeds.