All posts by h716a5.icu

Celtic’s hunt for a new manager is approaching a month now but we’re still no closer to discovering who’ll be sitting in the Bhoys dugout next season.

Roy Keane was thought to be the favourite but in recent days Lucien Favre and Thierry Henry have both emerged on their radar.

What’s the word?

Another manager who had been on Celtic’s radar in the last few weeks was Chris Wilder.

The Englishman left Sheffield United with his team rock bottom of the Premier League and he now has no shortage of suitors.

Celtic were dealt a blow in their chase of Wilder last week when it was revealed that a potential sticking point in their pursuit would be his pay-off. The former Blades boss is set to receive money from the club over the next six months, a sum that would get smaller if he finds a new job.

However, in a fresh twist to the tale, they have been dealt another almighty blow. That’s because according to The Daily Mail, Burnley have now entered the race for Wilder.

Fortunately, that will only happen if Sean Dyche decides to finally leave his post in the summer.

The outlet claims that Wilder is set to become one of the hottest properties over the next few months, meaning Celtic will have to move quickly if they want him.

Bad news for the Hoops

Dermot Desmond hasn’t particularly had the easiest few weeks in the Celtic hierarchy.

Questioned over his future in Glasgow last week, he will be left tearing his hair out at the repeated setbacks in their quest to find a new manager.

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Jesse Marsch has already been ruled out of the running in what was the biggest blow to their aspirations yet. The American revealed he was honoured to be linked with the job but he has now been linked with Borussia Monchengladbach.

It seems as though the coaches that Celtic target are all in demand. Fortunately, however, they do have some breathing room between now and next season.

Wilder should have been one of the names at the top of their wish list though. He is a canny thinker, is astute defensively and has plenty of success under his belt; he took Sheffield United from League One to the Premier League.

Desmond will have to hope that Wilder doesn’t become one who got away.

AND IN other news, Reliable journo shares six-word update on Celtic manager hunt, fans should be buzzing…

Tottenham Hotspur midfielder Harry Winks was once touted to be the future at both domestic and international level.

In 2018, former Spurs boss Mauricio Pochettino backed him to become England’s Andres Iniesta, and the Englishman’s value soon soared to a career-best of £36m less than a year later.

“Harry has the profile of the perfect midfield player. His characteristics are perfect. When we talk about midfielders like Xavi and Iniesta, he’s like this type of player,” claimed the Argentine to the Evening Standard.

Value crash

Things have not gone to plan for Winks in the past 18 months or so.

Transfermarkt’s latest valuation update (18th March 2021) on the 25-year-old, who is soon to enter the peak years of his career, shows a drastic 45% decrease to £19.8m.

This merely emphasises how big a downfall he has had since the appointment of Jose Mourinho.

It now makes Winks the 12th-most valuable player in Spurs’ current squad, the 127th-most in the Premier League and the 352nd-most worldwide, via Transfermarkt. That’s not the levels you’d expect from someone who was once compared to a World Cup and five-time Champions League winner.

Out of favour

What’s to blame, though?

Well, Winks started Mourinho’s first game in charge back in December 2019 – a 3-2 win over West Ham United and even closed out the season as a first-choice option, starting and playing the full 90 minutes in their last six league outings.

But with the arrival of Pierre-Emile Hojbjerg in the summer and the re-emergence of club-record signing Tanguy Ndombele, he has found it hard to cement down a regular spot in the starting XI.

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Indeed, the 5 foot 10 academy product has been restricted to only seven league starts all campaign. Even when trusted, he’s failed to deliver, as the midfielder ranks amongst Mourinho’s worst-performers, with an average WhoScored rating of just 6.38.

No player who has started more games has delivered a poorer rating.

That has to be a major contributing factor towards his downfall.

England axe

A direct consequence of that has been his absence from Gareth Southgate’s recent England squads – a lack of game time plus inconsistent performances is a surefire way to see yourself axed from international duty.

Having picked up all ten of his Three Lions caps under the 50-year-old, Winks has not been seen since a 26-minute cameo against Iceland in November.

The latest squad even included a return for Jesse Lingard – not seen since the UEFA League Nations third-placed playoff win over Switzerland in June 2019 – and another call-up for 17-year-old wonderkid Jude Bellingham.

And when you consider it was missing the likes of James Maddison and Jack Grealish through injury, it’s hard to make a case for Winks returning before this summer’s European Championships.

Levy’s fury

Given everything mentioned above, it’s hard to see a long-term future for him at Spurs either, and this could result in chairman Daniel Levy looking to cash in whilst he still can.

But, understandably, he must be left reeling by his drastic dropoff in value, as he won’t be making as much as he would expect as say two years ago.

There have even been reports suggesting that Winks will insist on an exit this summer, that’s according to Sport (via Sport Witness), who also claim he is enticed by the idea of playing in Spain.

At £19.8m, Levy will have a hard task of driving up his price but if anyone can do it, then it’s certainly the tough negotiator himself.

AND in other news, Spurs dealt double injury blow ahead of Newcastle clash

Leeds United star Raphinha has been receiving more praise over the weekend following an excellent performance against Sheffield United.

The Whites picked up another win on Saturday afternoon as their impressive first season back in the Premier League continues. Marcelo Bielsa’s men saw off the bottom-of-the-table Blades 2-1 at Elland Road, with Jack Harrison finding the net and Phil Jagielka scoring an own goal.

The player who arguably stood out the most was Raphinha, however, with the Brazilian producing a superb display, including an assist for the opening goal. He also won seven duels and executed four key passes on a rewarding afternoon for the 24-year-old.

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Savage lauds Raphinha’s brilliance

Speaking on BT Sport Score [via MOT Leeds News] during the match, Savage waxed lyrical over the Leeds star, hailing his impact:

“Raphinha has been exceptional. I’m sure he’s in Jules’ fantasy football team. It’s great play [for the first goal], they’re relentless in the high press.”

Savage is just the latest pundit to laud Raphinha, with ex-Whites striker Noel Whelan describing him as “incredible” back in February in an interview with Football Insider.

Transfer Tavern take

The winger is a fantastic footballer and he was a joy to watch on Saturday, catching the eye with his elegant style and quick feet.

Amid reported transfer interest from Bayern Munich, the 24-year-old is someone Bielsa desperately needs to keep hold of beyond this summer in order for the team to continue progressing in a positive manner.

In other news, Leeds are believed to be keen on offering one player a pathway into the first-team. Find out who it is here.

Marcel Brands must increase his efforts to see Everton sign Lucas Vazquez this summer after AC Milan reportedly met with the Real Madrid forward’s agent.

What’s the word?

According to Calciomercato, Rossoneri technical director Paolo Maldini has held several meetings with Vazquez’s representatives over a free transfer to the San Siro once his Galacticos contract expires in June.

The Serie A giants are keen to see Vazquez put pen to paper on a deal with Stefano Pioli’s side, as the 30-year-old’s profile perfectly suits their desired checklist in being a mature player who is comfortable operating across the right-hand channel.

Vazquez’s priority is said to remain earning a new deal with Los Blancos, but there is a large gap between his request of a €5m-a-season (£83.5k per week) contract and the maximum €4m-a-year (£67k per week) terms offered by the Santiago Bernabeu hierarchy.

Milan are understood to face further competition from Manchester United, Bayern Munich and Inter Milan for the well-rounded dynamo, who reports in Spain have previously suggested marked Everton as his preferred destination should he leave Madrid.

Everton were claimed to have offered Vazquez a move to Goodison Park last month, as Carlo Ancelotti put plans in place to secure James Rodriguez’s continued commitment by reuniting the Colombian with a former Galacticos teammate.

Ancelotti and Brands clearly face a tough challenge to get Vazquez’s signature on paper, with the winger dismissing speculation over a move away from Real Madrid earlier this week.

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“What I concentrate on is the present. I’m really enjoying myself this season because I’m playing and that’s what makes me happy,” he said, via quotes shared by Goal. “A contract extension? I was and will always be a Real Madrid man.”

Should Everton sign Real Madrid’s Vazquez?

Milan meeting with Vazquez’s agent once again will come as a blow for Ancelotti in his efforts to bring the Real Madrid forward to Everton on a free transfer this summer, but the race is not yet over for Brands to move Goodison Park to the front of the queue.

The Toffees’ director of football still has time on his side to sing the Merseysiders’ praises and land Ancelotti a cog in the Italian’s plans to retain Rodriguez, should the Colombian still have any doubts over his future in royal blue.

Signing Vazquez could also strengthen two positions in Ancelotti’s squad, as the £13.5m-rated winger has proven throughout the campaign that he is able to thrive and not just cover for the perennially-injured Dani Carvajal at right-back.

Vazquez has featured 19 times as a wide defender for Zinedine Zidane’s team this season compared to 14 appearances on the wing, while offering five of his seven assists across all competitions from full-back.

After scoring and assisting in a 2-0 La Liga win over Celta Vigo in January, Zidane also praised Vazquez’s contributions in an attacking role. “It’s not the fact that I like him so much, it’s that he’s doing very well,” the Galacticos boss said, via quotes shared by One Football. “He’s very reliable, very committed and I’m happy with what he’s doing.”

If Real Madrid are unwilling to offer Vazquez the contract that he feels he deserves, their loss could be Everton’s gain if Brands is able to edge out the widespread rival interest.

AND in other news, Everton have landed a huge boost in the race to sign an 11-goal striker subject to a potential £21.5m bid…

Former Sheffield United star Keith Gillespie has told Football FanCast that he does not believe that a new manager will come into the club until the end of the season.

The Blades and Chris Wilder parted company earlier this season, with the Blades rooted to the bottom of the Premier League table.

They have taken just 14 points from their 32 games and have won just four times all season, with relegation confirmed following their defeat against Wolves on Saturday evening.

They have lost all of their last five Premier League games, including at Molineux.

There has been precious little movement when it comes to the appointment of a new manager, and Gillespie thinks that the club ought to wait until the end of the season, as no manager will want to jump into the role with games still to play.

He told FFC: “I don’t think we’ll see the new manager until next season, until this season’s over. Who would want to take that job now?

“We know they’re going to be playing Championship football next season, but you don’t want to be coming in as a manager, to a club, and you’re just getting hammered every week.

“Next season, you’re starting afresh in the Championship, you’re not expected to be losing every week, because that’s what everyone expects now.”

Gillespie also believes that confidence is at an all-time low at Bramall Lane, and was unsurprised by the fact that Arsenal thumped them earlier this month.

He added: “We didn’t expect them to beat Arsenal. But that was easy for Arsenal. And, that’s what happens when there’s so little confidence.”

Marcel Brands could hand Carlo Ancelotti a second Richarlison-type player by signing rumoured Everton target Cyle Larin from Besiktas this summer.

What’s the word?

According to FotoMac, the Black Eagles have slapped a €9m (£8m) price tag on Larin ahead of the summer market, having doubled his value in less than a year.

The Turkish giants considered the Canadian international to be worth €4m (£3.5m) at the start of the season after an impressive campaign on loan with SV Zulte Waregem saw Larin score nine goals and offer 11 assists across all competitions for the Belgian side.

He has since carried that form with him back to Istanbul, with Larin offering Sergen Yalcin 19 goals and four assists – including a role in 19 Super Lig goals (15 scored) in 33 games to help the Vodafone Park side sit atop the table.

But Besiktas are vulnerable to losing Yalcin as the 26-year-old will enter the final 12-months of his contract in June, so intend to entertain approaches if reasonable offers are made.

That will come as a huge boost for Everton after FotoMac credited the Goodison Park outfit with an interest in Larin earlier this month, but claimed the Premier League’s side proposed player-plus-cash swap deal involving Cenk Tosun failed to appeal to the Black Eagles.

Tosun had re-joined the Istanbul powerhouse on loan in January, three years after being sold to the Toffees for £27m, but only featured four times before rupturing his patella tendon and requiring surgery.

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The more recent claims coming out of Turkey offer Brands an additional boost, as well, as it was thought Besiktas valued Larin at €15m (£13m) just a season after Zulte Waregem passed on a €2.5m (£2m) option to buy the forward.

Should Everton sign Besiktas’ Larin?

Given the contrasting valuations by the same publication, the precise fee Everton may have to pay Besiktas for Larin remains to be seen but that should not prevent their Director of Football Brands from launching a pursuit.

Everton are likely to be in the market for a new centre-forward this summer if Moise Kean is sold, and are also on the hunt for additional wide options with the Blues keen to acquire a player aged between 20-25/6.

Larin could solve both those problems in one, potentially £8m, swoop, by seeing Brands acquire Ancelotti a second Richarlison type capable of playing across the front line and provide a goal threat in each position.

Of Larin’s 19 goals across all competitions this term, eight have come from the left-wing, six on the right-flank and five through the centre while offering each of his four assists from wide positions.

Richarlison has similarly spread his goal contributions across left-wing and striker roles this season, with eight strikes and two assists from the side and four goals through the centre, along with one assist as an inside forward.

Larin has also been lauded by Canada head coach John Herdman as “an absolute predator,” after the Ontario-born forward added his 11th of 12 international goals with a hat-trick against Bermuda in a World Cup qualifier last month.

So, if Everton are to target a new centre-forward this summer, Larin should certainly be one on Brands’ radar to improve Ancelotti’s options.

AND in other news, Carlo Ancelotti could have Everton’s next Idrissa Gueye on his hands in a “terrific” academy talent…

Former Aston Villa midfielder Lee Hendrie has told Football FanCast in an exclusive interview that he expects Steve Bruce to remain at Newcastle United.

With the Magpies having found themselves in a relegation battle this season, some supporters have called for the 60-year-old to be sacked.

They have managed to find some form of late, though, picking up good results against Tottenham, Burnley and West Ham and no longer look to be in danger of going down – especially after Fulham failed to hold onto their 1-0 lead away at Arsenal.

Some fans may still not be happy, but Hendrie cannot see a change in the St. James’ Park dugout happening anytime soon.

Speaking exclusively to FFC about Bruce’s future, the ex-Villa player said:

“I don’t actually think Steve Bruce will go if I’m being quite honest. From sources that I know and speak to, they’ve got no thought of changing him at this current time.”

While Bruce’s short-term future at the club looks safe as Newcastle continue to remain out of the drop zone, it will be interesting to see what happens in the summer.

Talk of a takeover continues to rumble on. If one eventually does happen, the new regime may want a new man in the dugout.

Watford manager Xisco Munoz has refused to rule out a return to Spain.

What’s been said?

That’s according to Spanish outlet Las Provincias (via Sport Witness), who revealed that the Hornets manager is very much open to returning to LaLiga in the future, however, the former Dinamo Tbilisi boss did appear to be fully concentrated on the Watford job at present.

When asked whether he would like to return to Spain, Xisco said: “I wish. But right now, I’m just thinking about continuing to learn. The next objective is the Premier League, which is very exciting, in the best competition in the world.”

Xisco must not be another Jokanovic

Having taken over at Vicarage Road from Vladimir Ivic back in December, Xisco has guided a side who were sitting in fifth place in the Championship table to comfortably secure automatic promotion, winning 17, drawing three and losing just four of his 24 league games in charge of the club.

And, while it would appear unlikely that either Xisco or the Watford owners would be having doubts regarding his future at the club after such a magnificent second half of the season, the Hornets do have a history of making rash decisions immediately after success.

Upon their promotion to the Premier League back in the 2014/15 season, when Slavisa Jokanovic had guided the club to second place in the league, the Watford owners decided to part company with the former Chelsea midfielder that summer, subsequently appointing Quique Sanchez Flores to lead the team in their top-flight campaign.

However, considering just how well Xisco appears to have slotted in at Vicarage Road, as well as the impressive levels of performances he seems to be able to get out of the current Watford squad, it would be an extremely unwise call to get rid of the Spaniard now, despite the fact the 40-year-old may be harbouring secret desires to one day return to LaLiga.

In other news: Bye-bye Deeney: Journalist drops transfer news on “magnificent” ace Watford must land – opinion

Lee Johnson’s Sunderland head into their penultimate fixture of the season this Saturday knowing that a win will secure a place in the League One play-off positions.

Following their 1-0 defeat to Blackpool on Tuesday, Johnson’s team now find themselves on a rather alarming run of seven league games without a win, with the Black Cats slipping from a team in contention for automatic promotion to one who are now at risk of slipping out of the top six in the space of a few short weeks.

However, despite this disastrous run, a win against Plymouth Argyle this afternoon would secure Sunderland’s spot in the play-offs, so will Johnson decide to make any changes to the side which started against Blackpool?

Here’s our predicted XI, along with the latest team and injury news…

With a host of injuries to deal with ahead of the trip to Plymouth, including Dion Sanderson, Arbenit Xhemajli, Tom Flanagan and Jordan Willis, Johnson has a number of tough decisions to make ahead of Saturday’s fixture.

However, with the potential return of Conor McLaughlin from injury, we expect the 39-year-old to make three changes from the starting line-up against Blackpool.

Firstly, the 33-year-old McLaughlin immediately slots back in a right-back, freeing up Max Power to move into his natural position of central midfield. The 27-year-old replaces Josh Scowen, who had something of a shocker on Tuesday – with no Sunderland player earning a SofaScore match rating worse than the midfielder’s 6.3 as he failed to register a single shot.

Meanwhile, Aiden O’Brien – who is without a goal in eight appearances – also drops out of the XI, with Jordan Jones coming in to partner Charlie Wyke up front.

In other news: Lost possession 22 times: Johnson surely furious with shocking £5k-p/w Sunderland ace – opinion

Sheffield United take on Crystal Palace at Bramall Lane on Saturday afternoon, with Paul Heckingbottom’s side looking to build some momentum ahead of their return to the Championship next season.

Although the Blades are rock bottom and already relegated, they showed some resilience with a 1-0 win against Brighton in their last home fixture and will be looking to re-establish Bramall Lane as a place to be feared ahead of next season, with their home form having been a key aspect of their promotion to the top flight and their impressive 2019/20 campaign in the Premier League.

There is likely to be plenty of changes from Heckingbottom after the Blades were thrashed by Tottenham in their last Premier League fixture, after a Gareth Bale hat-trick and Heung-min Son stunner earned the hosts a 4-0 win.

Here’s how Football FanCast thinks Heckingbottom will line up on Saturday, with two changes from the starting team which lost in north London…

Aaron Ramsdale keeps his place in goal, with the summer signing one of few players to escape this season with little criticism, as he has made some impressive saves and looks set for a bright future.

Due to a lack of defensive options, Heckingbottom goes with the same back five, as Ethan Ampadu and Jack O’Connell are still sidelined, with the latter having been a huge miss for the Blades this season after an excellent 2019/20 campaign.

There is one change in midfield as Sander Berge earns a start after making his return from injury as a substitute against Spurs. He replaces Ben Osborn, who struggled in North London, losing six of his 10 duels and giving the ball away 13 times.

David McGoldrick continues up front as Sheffield United’s main goal threat and he is partnered by the energetic Oliver Burke, who replaces Rhian Brewster. The youngster, who reportedly earns £27,500 per week at Bramall Lane, was anonymous once again in the defeat against Spurs, completing a pathetic total of three passes. The £23.5m signing is still awaiting his first Blades goal after 28 appearances.

In other news… Sheffield United should swoop for “top-class” £3.15m-rated gem likened to Messi