All posts by z3u9t.icu

Getting a deal over the line in modern-day football can involve more steps than ever, with agent fees, small contract details, and in the case of Arsenal and Declan Rice… a shirt number.Of course, the deal has reportedly been completed, with just the formalities to come, such as the presentation of the midfielder, after his medical – which will happen today (Friday 7 June). But, it remains to be seen whether all of Rice’s demands have been met.At West Ham United, the England international wore the number 41 shirt, which has since become his famous number. There’s just one issue, however, and that’s a certain Arsenal rule which may bring the end to the midfielder’s tradition.

What’s the latest on Declan Rice and Arsenal?

Rice to Arsenal is all but done. Barring a miracle, according to reports, he will be playing at The Emirates next season in a transfer that should significantly improve Mikel Arteta’s side.

There was some early doubt about whether the move would take place, with Manchester City getting involved and reportedly placing a bid worth £90m, before seeing it rejected.

The treble winners dropped out of the race when Arsenal saw their bid of £100m plus £5m in add-ons accepted by the Hammers. And, so, here we are, with Rice set to line up for the Gunners next season.

He has received a lot of praise ahead of the move, too. His new teammate, Emile Smith Rowe told The Sun, via Sportskeeda: “I can’t speak highly enough of him. I remember my first camp, and I was surprised with how good he actually was. He was the best in training. Just his level, intensity, technically, everything he was doing. A real leader and still so young. He was really, really good.”

The North London side are also close to completing a deal to sign Ajax defender Jurrien Timber this summer. According to Fabrizio Romano, the Dutchman is set to undergo a medical at the club soon as well.

All of a sudden, With Timber, Kai Havertz, and Rice added to the mix, Arteta’s side may do more than just compete for the Premier League title next season.

One thing’s for sure, though, Rice will want to lift any trophy whilst wearing his famous number.

What is the rule that Declan Rice could break at Arsenal?

As of right now, according to Arsenal Youth expert Jeorge Bird on Twitter, the club doesn’t allow players in the first-team to wear numbers over 36.

He said: “Mika Biereth has been given the number 41 shirt. It will be interesting to see if he’s asked to give it up for Rice. Arsenal don’t normally allow first-team players to have numbers over 36 (Iwobi had to give up 45) but they could make an exception for Rice.”

It would certainly be an interesting move from Rice, if he were to instantly break a rule at the club upon making the move. From the club’s perspective, they may simply hope that he isn’t entirely attached to the number, and is happy to move onto something else.

Whichever number he is given, though, we’re sure the midfielder will make it iconic all over again.

Rumoured Newcastle United transfer target Kieran Tierney hasn't yet discussed his future with Arsenal this summer, according to a fresh claim.

Have Newcastle been linked with Tierney?

The left-back, on a big £110,000-a-week salary, may have been part of a Gunners squad that came so close to winning the Premier League title last season, but he struggled to ever become a key starter throughout the campaign.

In total, Tierney only actually started six of Arsenal's 38 league games, going to show what a bit-part player he generally was, due to both injuries and simply not being picked.

This lack of football has left the Scot's future in north London up in the air and he may feel that this summer is the right time to move somewhere new. Newcastle have constantly been linked with a move for the 26-year-old, as Eddie Howe looks to increase the squad depth at his disposal before the 2023/24 campaign gets underway.

Now, a new update has emerged regarding the current situation, as the Magpies hope to hear that Tierney wants to leave Arsenal this summer.

What's the latest on Tierney to Arsenal?

According to Football Insider, Tierney has "yet to hear" from the Gunners over whether they intend to keep hold of him in the coming weeks and months, with his future "up in the air". It is stated that there is a "high" probability of Tierney moving on to pastures new, however, even though Gunners manager Mikel Arteta has backed him.

Newcastle are believed to be in "pole position" to sign the Scotland international, should he move on, although Manchester City are also mentioned in the report.

Tierney, who shares the same agency as Nick Pope, could be the exact kind of signing Newcastle could do with this summer, coming in as a potential starter and acting as a completely different option to fellow left-back Dan Burn.

At 31, the current Magpies man isn't getting any younger, and does have limitations in the role, for example, he has registered just one assist in 60 Newcastle games, whereas Tierney has registered 51 assists for Celtic and Arsenal combined, showing he could provide more attacking flair.

The former Hoops man has a great attitude and team spirit, often coming across as a very down-to-earth footballer who hasn't forgotten his roots – Kris Boyd has hailed him as "unbelievable" alongside Andy Robertson for Scotland, too – and he could be a popular figure from the off at St James' Park.

Tottenham Hotspur have two new names on their centre-back shortlist, according to journalist Fabrizio Romano.

Which new names have been added?

Ange Postecoglou has his work cut out to get Tottenham's defence in order next season, with just one summer to fix a porous backline.

That will likely mean making some additions to his squad, while possibly moving on some of those who were culpable for last season's disastrous defensive displays.

One name that has been continually mentioned in recent days is Bayer Leverkusen's Edmond Tapsoba, who could be available for as little as £26m, although, speaking on his Here We Go podcast, Romano suggested a fee closer to £50m.

Romano added later in the podcast that Tapsoba is not the only player Spurs appreciate, with two new names being added to the growing centre-back shortlist.

He stated: "I can tell you there are two more names in the list. Two more who I think, I will say one more name because I'm still checking with my sources, but I think tomorrow I will call one more name for Tottenham. So, I still need to do some checks."

"But there is interest in two more players, it is not only Tapsoba – Tapsoba is one of them. Tosin Adarabioyo from Fulham is a player they discussed, but in this moment, from what I understand, is not a priority."

He added: "Tottenham are not in concrete negotiations for Tosin. He is a player they like in terms of being informed and the conditions of the deal, but they are not advancing on anything for Tosin, and then we will see for these other options. So, Tapsoba priority, but it is not only Tapsoba."

Due to only having one year left on his contract and having rejected an extension, it is thought Adarabioyo could be available for as little as £13m this window. The 25-year-old had an average 6.89 Premier League rating on Sofascore, adapting well to life in England's top tier.

A cut-price deal for the former Manchester City youngster could be an astute piece of business from Postecoglou and save money for investment in other areas of the team.

Who is the other centre-back?

Romano is yet to reveal who the other centre-back is since releasing the podcast episode, but the day before had linked Tottenham with Wolfsburg's Micky van de Ven, so it is possible that the Dutchman is the other defender on the list.

The 22-year-old is currently playing for the Netherlands at the U21 European Championship and has been impressive at the tournament so far.

The left-footed, 6ft3 centre-back has attracted interest from Liverpool as well this summer, and has already spoken about his desire to play at a higher level.

While speaking with HITC (via the Mirror), he said: "Of course, I read everything. I have good contact with my agent, so I know what’s going on. I’ll see where it will lead. Hopefully, (a big transfer after the Euros) would be nice. The Premier League? Maybe, yes."

With Van de Ven ready to make the step-up, Spurs would be foolish not to establish the parameters of a potential deal with Wolfsburg.

West Ham United have their sights set on Joao Palhinha and are now preparing to make an initial offer for the player, according to Fabrizio Romano.

Are West Ham United signing Joao Palhinha?

The Portugal international, who currently stars for Fulham, had an excellent first campaign in the Premier League in 2022/23. The Cottagers surprised many by not battling near the relegation zone after their promotion from the Championship and instead bursting into the top ten in the top flight. Palhinha had a key role to play in that success, as he featured on 35 occasions for the club in the league and even bagged three goals along the way.

Not only did he produce a joint-best individual year in terms of his goal haul but he also had plenty to contribute in defence too. When you compare Palhinha to others in his position amongst the Men's 'Top Five' big leagues in Europe, he is one of the most eye-catching prospects out there at the moment. With a superb rate of 4.26 tackles per 90, it means that he sits in the top one percent in that area for midfielders. With 2.06 aerials won too, he also sits in the top eight per cent for that category.

The 27-year-old then has certainly caught the eye of other clubs and it's the Irons who are the most heavily linked. According to reliable journalist Romano, an initial opening bid be made soon. He states that the Hammers are lining up an offer and that he is seen as a good replacement for Declan Rice, who appears to be heading out of the exit door.

Romano said: "West Ham are preparing their first approach for João Palhinha. Not an easy deal with Fulham but he's top of the list for West Ham to replace Declan Rice. Edson Alvarez remains in list but Borussia Dortmund are pushing to agree personal terms after proposal sent."

What is Joao Palhinha's transfer value?

There is no potential fee or asking price mentioned in terms of a bid and although CIES Football Observatory suggest that his value could be about 20 million Euros (or £17m), one would expect that to be much higher in reality considering the Cottagers paid £20m for the player last summer and he's only gotten better since.

It could well be worth splashing out big though when you consider how well he has performed. He's been hailed for his form in the Premier League for example, with football journalist Josh Bunting calling the midfielder "outstanding" and adding that he is "top class" in a variety of different areas. David Moyes then would no doubt love to add such a fantastic player to his side and if he can get a deal done, the worries over a Rice departure might ease for the Hammers.

Manchester United are in pole position to sign Inter Milan goalkeeper Andre Onana, according to reports.

What’s the latest Man United transfer news?

The Red Devils could be extremely busy during the summer transfer window despite the ongoing takeover saga, with rumours of moves for players all over the pitch.

A new striker appears to be high on the agenda, with those at Old Trafford plotting a move for Atalanta’s Rasmus Hojlund. When it comes to a midfielder, Chelsea’s Mason Mount is seemingly the top target, with a £40m offer made for the England international.

A new defender has also been speculated, with reports previously claiming that Napoli’s Kim min-jae agreed to move to Manchester, although he now looks on course to move to the Bundesliga with Bayern Munich.

To finalise the transfer rumour mill, a new goalkeeper in Onana for Erik ten Hag’s side had also been rumoured, and a further update has emerged. According to The Evening Standard, Chelsea have pulled out of the race to sign the Inter Milan goalkeeper and will move on to other targets.

As a result, Manchester United are in pole position to sign Onana, who is expected to cost around £50m, where he could be reunited with Ten Hag.

Is Andre Onana better than David De Gea?

Onana, a Cameroon international, made 145 appearances under Ten Hag at Ajax and joined Inter Milan last summer. The 27-year-old starred in his first full season in Serie A, keeping 19 clean sheets in 41 appearances.

Manchester City manager Pep Guardiola is also a fan of the £67,000-a-week player, hailed the shot-stopper’s ability on the ball following the Champions League final earlier this month.

“When you have a goalkeeper like Onana who can read perfectly where everyone is to pass to, with Calhanoglu and Barella, then the strikers hold it up and move the ball around. It is very, very difficult. It would be a tiny bit easier without this goalkeeper, but still very tough.”

There is a bit of history between Ten Hag and Onana, though, with the manager leaving the goalkeeper out of a cup final with Ajax last year before they both moved on, but with the futures of David de Gea and Dean Henderson up in the air, signing someone like Onana could be a wise move ahead of the new season, and by the looks of it, United are in a good position to get a deal over the line.

Tottenham Hotspur forward Dejan Kulusevski may have to win over new manager Ange Postecoglou who, as things stand, is "not too convinced" by him.

Who could leave Spurs this summer?

Chairman Daniel Levy finally landed on Postecoglou to replace Antonio Conte last week, after over two months of searching for the Italian's replacement.

The 57-year-old set to officially start work on July 1, and Levy has explained exactly why he opted for the ex-Celtic boss in an interview with the club's official website.

“Ange brings a positive mentality and a fast, attacking style of play," said Levy.

"He has a strong track record of developing players and an understanding of the importance of the link from the academy – everything that is important to our Club. We are excited to have Ange join us as we prepare for the season ahead."

Tottenham are now tasked with backing Postecoglou in the transfer market whilst reshaping the team in his image, with the club identifying targets for their goalkeeping, central defensive and attacking midfield positions.

However, there are a few faces who could also depart N17 to make way, and it will be very interesting to see who Postecoglou does and doesn't fancy.

Hugo Lloris, Ivan Perisic, Davinson Sanchez, Ryan Sessegnon, Lenglet, Eric Dier and Ben Davies have all been tipped for the axe. Meanwhile, Spurs are also thinking of selling Giovani Lo Celso, Sergio Reguilon and Harry Winks with Tanguy Ndombele's future uncertain (The Telegraph).

According to a new report by 90min, they are not the only ones, with defender Eric Dier's talks over a new deal stalling. As well as the Englishman, there is a very interesting line concerning Kulusevski, who starred under Conte during the 2021/2022 season.

As per their information, the Sweden international "may have to win over Postecoglou", with the Australian "not too convinced" by him right now.

Kulusevski's loan-to-buy deal from Juventus is still yet to activated and the 23-year-old is still very much there on a temporary deal.

Who is Dejan Kulusevski?

The forward, despite a mixed 22/23, seriously impressed under Conte the season prior after signing in January of that year.

From February 2022 onwards, Kulusevski chipped in with five goals and eight assists as Tottenham secured Champions League qualification.

The former Parma star has showcased his serious ability on more than one occasion and we believe he'd be a useful asset for Postecoglou.

Even last season, talkSPORT pundit Ally McCoist was blown away by some of his showings, even calling Kulusevski "absolutely different class" after a performance against Chelsea in February.

Coventry City are interested in bringing in Wrexham midfielder Thomas O'Connor in the summer window, according to a report from the Mirror.

Who is Thomas O'Connor?

O'Connor came through the Southampton youth system after joining the club in 2015 from the Republic of Ireland, where the highlight was captaining the Southampton under-21 side throughout the majority of the 2018/19 season.

The Irish midfielder enjoyed two separate loan spells at then-League One side Gillingham across both the 2019/20 and 2020/21 campaigns, where he made 67 appearances, scoring one goal and assisting six. O'Connor began to show his versatility throughout this loan spell, making appearances at left-back, left midfield, central midfield, and central defence.

Despite a positive loan spell, Southampton decided to release O'Connor at the end of the 2020/21 season and Burton Albion picked up the midfielder on a free transfer, where he signed a two-year deal to continue playing at the League One level.

The Irishman only made 21 appearances during his six-month spell at Burton, where he began to demonstrate his goal-scoring prowess, before sealing a January 2022 deadline day move to Wrexham, who were competing in the National League at the time.

The 24-year-old's Wrexham career has been very stop-start, making just 36 appearances out of a possible 79 across his 18-month spell with the Welsh club which has resulted in promotion to the Football League.

Despite his injury problems, the number 22 has received praise from journalist Mark Griffith, who noted that the player had begun to put in 'heroic' performances after settling into the club.

Would O'Connor be a good signing for Coventry City?

Coventry just narrowly missed out on promotion to the Premier League last season, losing on penalties in the play-off final to Luton Town, and as a result are expected to lose a number of key players this summer including Gustavo Hamer and Viktor Gyokeres.

O'Connor has shown in the past that he can perform when he faces Championship level opposition, with his 8/10 performance against Sheffield United in the FA Cup this season where he recorded a goal and an assist a testament to his quality and level of performance.

There will be question marks about if the Irishman would be a success at the Championship side, however, his positional versatility and his previously impressive performances in League One should give manager Mark Robins the confidence that should he be able to get over his injury problems, the left-footed midfielder could well be a success at the Sky Blues, and can potentially replace Hamer.

West Ham United have made themselves known to hold an interest in bringing Villarreal striker Boulaye Dia to the Premier League, according to reports.

Are West Ham signing Boulaye Dia?

The Senegal international is owned by Villarreal having joined back in 2021 but spent last season out on loan at Salernitana, who do have the option to buy him available, and it’s fair to say that he made quite the impression during his time at the Arechi Stadium.

During his 33 appearances, the 26-year-old established himself as both Paulo Sousa’s overall and offensive top-performing player with a WhoScored match rating of 6.88, and this impressive form has seemingly grabbed the attention of David Moyes.

Back in May, Italian outlet Calciomercato reported that the Irons had shown an admiration in the centre-forward and were in pole position to secure his services, with the plan being that Salernitana would permanently purchase him to immediately sell him on for a profit where his expected price tag has now been revealed.

According to Corriere dello Sport (via Sport Witness), West Ham, alongside top-flight rivals Everton and Serie A side Fiorentina, have all "come forward" to sign Dia ahead of the 2023/24 term. The Irons do indeed hold an "interest" in the striker, but Salernitana will "try to resist" offers for their prized asset and are likely to demand "at least" €30m (£25m) to sanction his sale.

The Nike-sponsored star has recently undergone surgery on a knee injury, though it's stated that he'll only be on the sidelines for four weeks and therefore will be fully fit in time for the start of pre-season.

Should West Ham splash the cash on Dia?

In January, Michail Antonio reportedly told one of his close friends that he could have left West Ham in the closing stages of the transfer window, so there’s always a chance that he may depart over the summer, and should that be the case, Dia could be the perfect replacement, so it’s definitely worth the board testing the waters with an offer.

The Africa Cup winner was a force to be reckoned with at Salernitana, racking up a remarkable 22 goal contributions (16 goals and six assists) in 33 appearances where his outstanding form was rewarded by receiving four man-of-the-match trophies.

The Oyonnax native, who is a “handful to deal with” according to journalist Josh Bunting, is also always looking to produce moments of quality even if he’s not on the scoresheet having recorded 64 shot-creating actions last term which was the second-highest total throughout the whole of his squad, as per FBRef, so should the opportunity present itself, this really is a no-brainer of a deal to complete.

Leeds United fans may be of the opinion that Daniel James has already played his last game for the club, as he has struggled to have much of an impact following his £25m move from Manchester United.

However, should the West Yorkshire outfit suffer relegation on Sunday – with only a remarkable set of results likely to be enough to keep Sam Allardyce's side in the Premier League – James could return to Elland Road for the 2023/24 campaign and be an unlikely hero in the Championship.

How has Dan James performed at Leeds?

Leeds signed the Wales international under Marcelo Bielsa in 2021, with the speedy winger signing a £50k-per-week deal until 2026.

Although he managed four goals and four assists in 32 Premier League appearances in his debut season, his WhoScored average rating of 6.44/10 suggests his overall performances were far from good enough.

Bielsa obviously had a plan for the former Swansea City man, but once he was sacked, James struggled for regular game time under Jesse Marsch and mustered just four appearances at the start of this season before joining Fulham on loan.

Although he has not been a regular in Marco Silva's side, managing just five starts in the top flight, he does boast two goals and one assist, with his electric pace still a very dangerous asset for any side to have on the counter-attack.

The 25-year-old did enjoy a brief run of form when Bielsa selected him as a striker in 2022, with Micah Richards singing his praises on Match of the Day after a brace against Aston Villa.

He said (as per This Is Futbol): “He scored two before today’s game, he got another two today and I thought his all-round game was outstanding. We’ve talked a lot about Dan James – at Man United, he used to get into some very good positions and fluff his lines a little bit.

“But I’ve seen a measured, a more composed approach, his runs in behind – as a defender, it’s an absolute nightmare.”

Could James be an unlikely hero for Leeds?

After a few seasons of struggle in the Premier League, a return to the Championship could be exactly what James needs to kickstart his Leeds career.

The Welshman was young the last time he featured in the second tier with Swansea City, but impressed with his performances, notching four goals and seven assists with a strong 6.95 average rating from WhoScored.

James will likely be back at Elland Road for pre-season unless a Premier League side takes a gamble on signing him, and with three years to run on his deal, the new manager will surely want to take a look at him before making a decision on his future.

While the fanbase may be forgiven for writing him off at this point, there is no doubt that he could be a great option for Leeds if they find themselves in the second tier, and he could be an unlikely hero in any potential promotion challenge next season.

Rangers’ swashbuckling Europa League campaign came to a heart-breaking end last night as they lost to Eintracht Frankfurt on penalties in Seville.

Joe Aribo put Van Bronckhorst’s side ahead after 57 minutes only for Frankfurt to equalise 12 minutes later.

After 90 minutes followed by extra time, the scoreline stayed the same, leading to the penalty shootout which the German side conquered and ultimately won the trophy.

Despite the valiant efforts from van Bronckhorst’s players, one figure, in particular, failed to show up and deliver when it really mattered and let his manager down as a result.

Starting on the right-wing, 24-year-old Scott Wright failed to deliver the sort of performance that is required to win a top European final.

With just 24 touches of the ball and 11 passes made, the winger ended up having fewer touches than Gers goalkeeper Allan McGregor (51).

In those 24 touches, the Scotsman barely had any attacking or defensive input on the game before he was taken off by Van Bronckhorst at the 74th-minute mark to be replaced by Fashion Sakala.

From an attacking point of view, the winger failed to register even one shot at goal as well as failing to make one cross or successful dribble attempt.

In a defensive regard, as well as not making even one tackle or interception in addition to only winning 33% of the duels he was involved in, he arguably could have done more to prevent the cross coming in that led to Frankfurt’s goal.

This display ultimately earned Wright an underwhelming overall match rating of 6.5/10 from SofaScore, making him the lowest-rated Rangers player that started the game.

Sky Sports also picked up on his disappointing performance by saying that he “didn’t overly trouble the Frankfurt defence,” as well as saying that he “had to do better to stop the cross for the equaliser.”

Taking all of this into account, while the blame for the defeat should not solely be laid at Wright’s feet, everyone connected to the club would have undoubtedly been hoping that he could have had more of an impact during his time on the pitch.

With the Ibrox side now having just one more chance to get their hands on some silverware this season when they take on Hearts in the final of the Scottish Cup on Saturday, a big question will have now emerged over whether the Rangers boss decides to start Wright again or not.

In other news: Forget Aribo: “Astonishing” 93-touch Rangers gem who “eats up ground” was the standout