All posts by n8rngtd.top

An update has emerged on Rangers and Giovanni van Bronckhorst’s pursuit of an attacking midfielder in the summer transfer window… 

What’s the talk?

Rangers insider The 4th Official has revealed that the Ibrox club are optimistic over their chances of signing midfielder Angelo Fulgini.

They Tweeted: “Rangers confident that they will get both the Angelo Fulgini & Rabbi Matondo deal over the line soon. The source I spoke with is confident Rangers will soon come to an agreement for Matondo. Talks going on for some time now before news leaked yesterday.”

Ross Wilson has brought John Souttar and Antonio Colak to Ibrox this summer and is now looking to add these two talents to the squad ahead of the 2022/23 campaign.

Van Bronckhorst’s Kevin De Bruyne

The Dutch head coach can land his own version of the Manchester City superstar by securing a deal to sign Fulgini in the coming weeks.

FBRef lists the Belgium international as one of the most similar players to the Angers gem, based on their underlying statistics over the last 365 days in Europe’s top five leagues.

He ranks in the 94th percentile or higher – within his position – in dribbles completed, touches in the opposition box, and progressive passes received. De Bruyne, meanwhile, ranks in the 99th percentile in the latter two and the 85th when it comes to dribbling.

These statistics show that both players are central midfielders who excel at breaking forward into the final third, whether that is through their own dribbling or their teammates feeding them the ball.

In the last two Ligue 1 seasons, Fulgini has produced 12 goals and eight assists, showing that he has the potential to make a big impact in the final third. He can provide a big threat from the number eight role and this means that he can ease some of the pressure on the strikers by popping up with important goals for the Gers next season.

It has been reported that Angers want a fee in the region of €7m (£6m) for the French maestro, who is in the last year of his contract. It remains to be seen how much Rangers are willing to pay for his services but the fans will not mind what the figure is if he can be their version of De Bruyne scoring and creating goals from midfield…

AND in other news, Gvb can find his dream Ramsey replacement in “unplayable” 16 G/A Rangers “talent”…

Journalist Pete O’Rourke has shared an interesting Tottenham Hotspur transfer update as the club continue to eye a move for marquee RB Leipzig defender Josko Gvardiol.

The Lowdown: Tottenham’s busy summer…

Ahead of Antonio Conte’s first full Premier League season in charge of the north Londoners, Spurs have been working over time to appease the Italian whilst ensuring that he is fully backed.

ENIC’s £150m equity increase after the Lilywhites’ qualification for next season’s Champions League has seemingly propelled the club to new heights in the summer market, having enjoyed a very busy last few weeks on that front.

A plethora of major additions have already been confirmed, with O’Rourke now making an interesting claim on Gvardiol, who has been mentioned as a Spurs target for Conte’s back three.

The Latest: Spurs want to sign a potential ‘big, big player’…

Indeed, the journalist claimed that the Bundesliga colossus remains a key target for Paratici.

He added that Leipzig are attempting to price Spurs out of a move for the Croatia international, and while the deal may be too expensive to pull off, Gvardiol is apparently ‘among’ the top choices for Conte.

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O’Rourke explained to GiveMeSport: “He fits the bill; he’s among their top targets. The problem for Tottenham is that RB Leipzig do not want to sell the Croatia international, and they are trying to price him out of a move.

“So, this one might just be too expensive for Tottenham this season, but he’s a left-sided centre-back who’s young with huge potential to become a big, big player in the future as well.”

The Verdict: Keep pursuing…

O’Rourke’s rave review of Gvardiol goes some way to explaining why Leipzig value the Croatian at around £80m (Nabil Djellit, via DR Sports).

While this deal would be an expensive one, the 20-year-old has many years ahead of what looks like a promising career, with German football expert Manuel Veth of Forbes even saying that the youngster ‘will be a monster’ in the years to come (Twitter).

Gvardiol starred for Leipzig last term, making more interceptions per 90 than any of his team-mates and finishing 2021/22 as their third-best player by average match rating (WhoScored).

Indeed, this may well be one for Spurs supporters to keep an eye upon over the coming days and weeks.

Wolverhampton Wanderers transfer target Joao Palhinha’s move to Fulham is said to have stalled.

What’s the word?

That is according to a report from reliable journalist Bruno Andrade who claims that Palhinha’s move to Premier League rivals Fulham has been delayed because of close club contact Jorge Mendes.

Taking to his personal Twitter account, Andrade issued an update on the situation: “Business of €20m is stopped because Jorge Mendes received from Sporting last season the power of attorney to exclusively discuss the future of the midfielder in the English market, believing in an agreement with Wolverhampton.

“Who arranged the (forwarded) transfer of Palhinha to Fulham, however, was another agent: Hernan Reguera. The problem is that Jorge Mendes now charges €2m for being out of the current negotiation, as he had priority in intermediation.

“At first, Sporting is then responsible for paying the €2m to Jorge Mendes to unlock the sale of Palhinha to Fulham.

“There is currently no agreement between Palhinha and Wolves. Sporting believed back there that a negotiation could arise, so it handed over the power of attorney/authorization to Jorge Mendes.”

Lage surely buzzing

It seems as though super-agent Mendes has once again flexed his muscle in the transfer market, holding up the transfer of Palhinha to league rivals Fulham and consequently creating a potential opening for Wolves to swoop in and hijack the deal.

Mendes looks as though he holds the cards at this moment in time, so a last-minute switch to Wolves is most certainly not impossible.

The 26-year-old would be a welcome addition to Lage’s engine room, chipping in with an average of 3.04 tackles per game, and an elite average of 32.42 pressures per 90 surpassing that of Ruben Neves’ average of 2.45 tackles and 18.95 pressures per 90.

Considering he could depart this summer, those metrics would be incredibly useful in the midfield at Molineux.

Mendes has carved open a last-ditch chance for Wolves to seal a deal for the Sporting CP midfielder and they must act pronto. Should they get a move over the line, it would no doubt leave the manager a very happy man.

AND in other news: Lage given green light for £15m Wolves target who “will explode”, he’s Ruben Dias 2.0 

Manchester United have been linked with a move for Atletico Madrid winger Yannik Carrasco recently, and the Belgian could be a big upgrade in Erik ten Hag’s side next season.

What’s the word?

According to Spanish news outlet AS, the Red Devils, plus Chelsea and Tottenham Hotspur, are all keen on signing the 28-year-old this summer after his impressive performances in Diego Simeone’s side last season.

They claim that the Atletico manager sees Carrasco as a big part of his plans at the Wanda Metropolitano and won’t budge on the €60m (£51.5m) release clause in the former Monaco attacker’s contract.

Better than Rashford?

If United were to meet the winger’s release clause, they would be signing a player who has just enjoyed two of his best seasons in an Atletico shirt.

Last term saw him contribute six goals and six assists in 34 La Liga appearances for Los Colchoneros, with WhoScored awarding him an impressive 7.08 average rating for his performances in Spain’s top flight, including five man-of-the-match displays.

For comparison, Rashford managed just four goals and two assists in 25 Premier League appearances in 2021/22, averaging a shocking 6.35 WhoScored rating for his performances.

The United academy graduate also averaged just 0.9 shots, 0.4 key passes and 0.9 dribbles per game in the top flight last term, whereas Carrasco managed 1.5 shots, 1.6 key passes and 2.6 dribbles per match in La Liga, so it seems clear that he would be an upgrade on the 24-year-old.

Given the England international’s sharp decline in form last season, Ten Hag may well be looking for more consistent options out wide, as United were far too reliant on Cristiano Ronaldo for goals in 2021/22.

Carrasco would almost certainly provide an attacking output that the majority of United’s wide players have failed to consistently produce, as he has 80 goals and 80 assists in his club career thus far.

After hitting a hat-trick against Granada in 2016, Simeone was full of praise for Carrasco, saying: “He is a very complete player, with a bright future ahead of him.”

Although the 28-year-old would be an expensive option for the Glazers, it seems as if United are definitely interested in bringing him in; and if his statistics last season are anything to go by, he would surely be an upgrade to Ten Hag’s current options out wide.

In other news… United can land Ten Hag his own Robertson with bid for “exceptional” £30m target

Celtic are set to confirm the signing of winger Jota on a permanent deal by the end of this week, according to reports in the player’s homeland.

The Lowdown: Jota a key man for Hoops

The Portuguese maestro was one of the Hoops’ most prominent attacking players last season, hitting the ground running after joining on loan from Benfica.

Jota registered 15 goal involvements in just 21 Scottish Premiership starts – seven goals and eight assists – with his pace and trickery out wide proving to be a nightmare for opponents.

Celtic have reportedly been working on a permanent move for some time and it appears to be getting closer to being completed by the day.

The Latest: Permanent move close

According to Record [via Sport Witness], a deal could be struck ‘by the end of the week’, as the Hoops secure the long-term services of a rising star in Jota.

Celtic have triggered the 23-year-old’s release clause and it is now just a case of agreeing some personal terms.

The Verdict: Big piece of business

Signing Jota on a permanent basis was of the utmost importance for Ange Postecoglou this summer, with the attacker such a potent player for Celtic in 2021/22.

Had they failed to get their man it would have felt like a crushing blow, but instead, his arrival will feel as important as any new face that comes in before the start of next season.

Jota has been hailed as ‘unbelievable’ by Postecoglou himself, which shows how much he admires him, and he could become a future superstar at Parkhead.

In other news, Celtic are reportedly eyeing up a move for one player. Find out who it is here.

According to the Express and Star, Wolves star Joao Moutinho is now edging closer to putting pen to paper on a new deal at the Molineux.

The Lowdown: Moutinho’s contract expiration

The Portugal international first arrived in the Premier League when he joined Wanderers in a £5m move from Monaco in 2018, and has gone on to become a fan favourite at the club, making 176 appearances to date.

The 35-year-old will be out of contract this month when his current agreement expires at the end of June, but despite previous interest from AS Roma, the Midlands outfit now appear confident that the midfielder will commit his future to the club after a positive update.

The Latest: Wolves in talks over new deal

In a new article published by the Express and Star, it’s claimed that Wolves have been ‘in talks’ with Moutinho ever since the season ended, with the maestro now ‘edging closer’ to signing a new contract.

The source further states that even though there was an initial ‘sticking point’ over the length of deal during negotiations, it’s now believed that ‘both parties’ are very close to reaching an agreement.

It’s reported that Bruno Lage is ‘keen to keep’ the 145-cap international, whose representatives have ‘worked on the deal’ during the player’s time away with his country over the last two weeks.

The Verdict: European ambitions

Given the fact that Wolves are currently in talks to sign Joao Palhinha from Sporting CP, this just shows that the boss views the midfield area as a summer priority, especially if Ruben Neves leaves.

Lage clearly sees the £100k-per-week gem as an integral part of his starting XI after proving to be a regular feature for Wanderers last season, playing 46 times across all competitions, and so will want to do everything within his power to retain his services for the next campaign and beyond.

Moutinho, who was once hailed as Portugal’s “player of the decade” after Cristiano Ronaldo by World Soccer Mag Portugal correspondent Tom Kundert, will undoubtedly be a big part of Wolves’ plans in 2022/23 and could play a pivotal role in trying to help his club regain that all-important place in Europe.

In other news… Wolves are reportedly in negotiations to sign an exciting new striker.

Newcastle United avoided falling through the Premier League trap door in the 2021/22 campaign as they achieved a comfortable midtable finish in the top-flight.

Eddie Howe led the team out of trouble after staring relegation in the face in the first half of the season and will now be looking to push on next term.

Dan Ashworth has been appointed as the club’s sporting director and the pair will now be working with each other to improve the squad in the coming months.

One player the club have been linked with a move for is Sassuolo striker Gianluca Scamacca and the club must ensure that they can strike a deal for him.

Andy Carroll 2.0

The 6 foot 4 Italian can be the new Carroll – 6 foot 3 – for Newcastle as he is a well-rounded centre-forward who can be the focal point of Howe’s attack next season.

Throughout his time in the Premier League, the former Toon striker has scored 24 goals with his left foot, 24 with his head and six with his right. This shows the level of versatility he has in front of goal as he offers a threat on the floor and in the air.

In his short career to date, Scamacca – who reportedly rejected a £35m move to Arsenal – has scored 12 headers, 19 with his right foot and two free-kicks

Ex-Italy U21 coach Luigi Di Biagio previously commented on his all-round game, saying:

“He can become a very high-level centre-forward.

“He has the technique of a 1.75 m tall player and the physicality of a 1.95 m tall player, like him. And then he is complete: right foot, left, head, he attacks from deep, but also plays on the edge for his teammates.”

These comments, along with their respective statistics, suggest that the Italian centre-forward can be the new Carroll at St. James’ Park.

His goalscoring record in the Serie A also proves that he can score goals on a regular basis, along with being a complete player. He scored 16 goals in 25 league starts for Sassuolo and this shows that he can be a huge signing for Howe.

Scamacca is a prolific scorer and can lead the line for the Magpies in the Premier League next season, much like Carroll did prior to his move to Liverpool.

Therefore, Howe and Ashworth must work hard to complete a deal for the number nine so that he can showcase his goalscoring talents whilst playing in black and white next season.

AND in other news, Howe can axe £25m NUFC flop by signing “frightening” £94m predator who’s “the future”…

Aston Villa will step up their efforts to recruit a new left-back after sealing the departure of Matt Targett.

What’s the word?

That is according to a report from The Mirror, who claimed that the Englishman’s reported £15m departure from the club will see that fee put towards recruiting a young, up-and-coming player who can develop as an understudy to Lucas Digne.

The club reportedly want to provide competition for the Frenchman, who has been entrusted with a starting role ever since his move from Everton in the winter transfer window.

Anderlecht full-back Gomez is rated at around £9m by Transfermarkt.

Better than Digne?

Gerrard’s ideology of signing a bright prospect like Gomez, rather than sitting on the sum received for Targett, is an astute one, made even greater by the level of competition that the 21-year-old Spaniard will hope to bring to Villa Park.

Gomez, who has been dubbed a “starlet” by Andrew Gaffney, was not given a chance at Dortmund, making just three appearances at Signal Iduna Park before departing for Vincent Kompany’s Anderlecht after a loan spell at Huesca.

The Barcelona youth product has found his feet in the Belgian top flight, chipping in with 12 assists in 34 appearances throughout his maiden Jupiler Pro League campaign.

Operating throughout Kompany’s 4-4-2 system as an offensive left-back, he has gathered more goal returns in the league this season than Digne has managed throughout the last two Premier League campaigns.

With 65 chances created, Gomez surpasses Digne’s squad-topping 52 chances at Villa, with the Spaniard’s 15 big chances created almost double that of Villa’s top ‘big chance’ creator Emi Buendia, with eight this season.

As a creative defensive asset this season, he can count himself as one of the best in Europe. As such, Gerrard would be quite right to reinvest in a prospect like Gomez, who can provide some very stiff competition for 28-year-old Digne.

In other news: Gerrard must pounce on Villa swoop for £263k-p/w “stallion” who supporters would love 

West Ham United are reportedly edging ever closer to announcing the signing of Rennes defender Nayef Aguerd, according to respected source ExWHUemployee.

What’s the word?

Speaking on the West Ham Way podcast, the club insider has revealed that the deal to bring the centre-back to the London Stadium is nearing completion, with the Morocco international believed to have gone as far as to pose for photos with a Hammers shirt.

While the transfer guru stated that the deal is not yet totally done, he believes that the 26-year-old is all but certain to be at the club next season (quotes via West Ham Zone): “I’ve spoken to a couple of people in the club who have all confirmed it [Aguerd signing].

“There were even photos taken of him with the shirt, so unless things have dramatically changed and this doesn’t happen, because I don’t believe it’s a done deal, but I would be surprised if he doesn’t sign. It may be even announced on the day that the kits are launched, whenever that is.”

This follows a report last week that outlined that the east Londoners were ‘holding talks’ regarding a permanent switch, while the Telegraph’s latest update suggested that the club are ‘increasingly confident’ of securing the £13m move.

Supporters buzzing

That news will no doubt be music to the ears of Irons’ supporters, with David Moyes’ side having been in desperate need of new additions to help bolster the backline, with injuries hampering their progress in 2022 as the Scotsman was at times forced to name a makeshift backline.

That included having to start full-back, Aaron Cresswell, in the heart of the defence on occasion, while throughout the campaign the club had been far too reliant on the defensive pair of Craig Dawson and Kurt Zouma, following Angelo Ogbonna’s lengthy stint out with a serious knee injury.

With Frenchman Issa Diop also heavily linked with an exit after falling out of favour in recent seasons, the need for new recruits has heightened even further, with the aforementioned Aguerd set to provide real quality and at a relative bargain price to boot.

The most recent campaign saw the £10.8m-rated gem help the Ligue outfit to a fourth-place finish, having averaged four clearances, 0.9 tackles and 0.8 interceptions per game in his 31 league starts, keeping an impressive 13 clean sheets in that time and winning 62% of his total duels.

Not just a sound defensive presence, the £8.9k-per-week ace also has the quality in possession to make him a real force to be reckoned with in the Premier League, ranking in the top 10% for attempted passes and in the top 16% for pass completion among those in his position across Europe’s five big leagues.

Such impressive form has seen him compared to Liverpool’s influential rock, Virgil van Dijk, with the pair sharing a number of statistical and stylistic similarities, as per FBref.

That comparison alone will no doubt have caught the attention of Hammers’ supporters, although the former Dijon man has also been the subject of praise for his displays in France, having been dubbed a “cerebral person” by ex-Rennes boss Julien Stephen for his footballing intelligence.

The longer-term concern will be whether he can translate that form to the English top-flight, although at present the West Ham faithful simply have good reason to be getting excited.

IN other news, “Another target…”: Ex drops big WHU summer transfer claim that supporters will love

After a phenomenal week, it appears Tottenham Hotspur supporters have been boosted further after more ‘great news’ out of the club.

The Lowdown: Excellent last seven days…

After manager Antonio Conte guided Spurs to a top four Premier League finish, securing the riches of Champions League qualification in the process, the Lilywhites were then handed a major financial boost.

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The north-Londoners announced a £150 million equity increase which can be used for both transfer fees and player salaries, as explained by BBC reporter Simon Stone.

Conte could now be set for big backing this summer with Alasdair Gold also explaining that the ‘bulk’ of Tottenham’s new £150m will be ploughed straight into the Italian’s transfer kitty.

There were murmurs surrounding whether the ex-Chelsea boss would even stay for 2022/2023, but as backed by reliable reporters Charlie Eccleshare of The Athletic and Matt Law of The Telegraph, Levy has been handed a further boost by a big Conte update.

The Latest: Conte set to stay…

The 52-year-old, as explained by both reporters, is set to remain in what is more ‘great news for Tottenham’ after a brilliant week.

Eccleshare explained:

“Conte staying at #THFC. What a week it’s been for Spurs! Hard to remember anything quite like it.” – Eccleshare (via Twitter).

Law, after giving his own update the former Inter manager is staying, also gave his take – stating (via Twitter):

“This is not only great news for Tottenham but also great news for the PL. Conte is right up there with Guardiola, Klopp and Tuchel as one of the best managers in the world and he is box office for fans and journalists.”

The Verdict: Huge…

Conte guided Spurs to a previously unthought of place among Europe’s elite for next season, gifting the club a major pull in the transfer market alongside their financial windfall.

It comes as no surprise the Serie A winner was linked with a move to Paris-Saint Germain given his proven CV as a serial-winning manager, so this news Tottenham have him for at least one more year comes as an incredible uplift.

In other news: ‘Tremendous’, ‘Peak of his powers’ – Sky pundit thrilled as Spurs eye ‘superstar’ striker move..find out more here.