All posts by rastrear-estafeta.com

While West Bromwich Albion have started life under Valerien Ismael well, with the Baggies having lost just one of their 11 Championship fixtures under the Frenchman, there have nevertheless been questions raised regarding Albion’s lack of an out and out goalscorer.

Indeed, while Ismael did secure the services of Norwich City centre-forward Jordan Hugill on a season-long loan deal this summer, the 29-year-old is yet to find the back of the net over his seven second-tier appearances for the club.

That’s something that has caused West Brom problems at times, none more so than when the Baggies failed to win three consecutive fixtures against Millwall, Derby County and Preston North End – with Albion scoring just two goals in these games.

As such, it would appear likely that Ismael is already starting to consider entering the January market for further additions up top, however, perhaps the 46-year-old could find a solution to his problem much closer to home.

Lukaku 2.0

West Brom have developed something of a reputation for developing promising young players in recent years, with the likes of Aston Villa’s Louie Barry and Crystal Palace’s Nathan Ferguson both being graduates of the Baggies academy.

However, unfortunately for the Championship side, they have often been unable to keep hold of their most exciting prospects, with many leaving The Hawthorns on free transfers, while others have been picked up by Premier League teams for a relative snip.

And, it would now appear as if West Brom have yet another diamond on their hands, this time in the shape of 17-year-old Reyes Cleary – who is already reported to be attracting the interest of Borussia Dortmund as well as many others.

Indeed, it is not difficult to see why there is significant interest in the teenager, as, over his four U18 Premier League appearances for Albion this season, Cleary has scored a brace in each fixture – which just so happen to have been against Chelsea, Crystal Palace, Fulham and Tottenham Hotspur.

The teenager has also bagged two goals over two appearances for the Baggies’ U23 side, taking his total haul so far this season to ten goals – in addition to one assist – in just six games.

Furthermore, it is not only transfer interest that Cleary is attracting, but also extremely high praise, with West Brom’s U18 coach Peter Gilbert dubbing the striker a “powerful” player who is an “excellent” finisher – while the youngster has also been compared to former Baggies loanee and current Chelsea star, Romelu Lukaku.

Considering Ismael’s reputation for involving up and coming talents in his first-team squad, in addition to Hugill’s distinct lack of goals, it would seem a wise move for the Frenchman to begin exposing Cleary to senior football before potentially dipping into the transfer market this winter – as the teenager could well go on to save Albion millions in transfer fees.

In other news: “In talks” – Journo drops fresh West Brom claim on £30k-p/w beast, Ismael must act

The January transfer window doesn’t open for another few days but Everton are already believed to be closing in on their first acquisition of the winter.

It’ll be timely for the Toffees who have struggled in recent months for form and with the fitness of their star players.

What’s the word?

Everton have been in discussions with Ukrainian side Dynamo Kiev over the last week or so as they aim to bring full-back Vitalij Mykolenko to Goodison Park.

According to Fabrizio Romano, the defender is now on the verge of completing that move as the transfer journalist issued an exciting update on the progress of the deal on Boxing Day.

Commenting on Twitter, he said: “Vitalij Mykolenko has successfully completed his medical as new Everton player one week ago, no doubt. Paperworks are ready between clubs to announce the deal for the Ukrainian left-back.

“Here we go confirmed, statement expected soon.”

Fans buzzing

Mykolenko isn’t exactly a household name but his imminent arrival in Merseyside should no doubt leave Everton supporters delighted.

It’s safe to say the Toffees didn’t get their recruitment altogether spot on with Marcel Brands in charge of things alongside Farhad Moshiri but after his exit a few weeks ago, they have needed very little time to adjust to new methods.

It’s timely for several reasons. Not only have Benitez’s side won just once since September but they have suffered a number of injury problems and Lucas Digne has fallen out with the manager.

The Frenchman hasn’t been seen in the squad since the very first day of the month and with Mykolenko now arriving, it would be a surprise if we saw him in Everton colours again.

What’s pleasing for fans, however, is the swiftness with which Benitez and co have reacted to the situation.

After all, with the defender out of the reckoning for now, it leaves them with no out and out left-back in the squad.

The likes of Ben Godfrey and Fabian Delph have been used in that role throughout their careers but neither are long-term options.

That’s where Mykolenko comes into play. Importantly, he’s a particularly strong defender and has amassed some pretty consistent numbers for club and country.

According to WhoScored, the 22-year-old has registered 1.8 tackles and 2.2 interceptions per game which demonstrates he’d be a wise addition.

With Digne being phased out, it makes even more sense to bring him in next month. The Goodison faithful should be elated as a result.

AND in other news, “Our understanding” – Boyland drops exciting EFC transfer update, fans surely buzzing…

An insider has dropped a big transfer claim on Tottenham and their interest in Paulo Dybala…

What’s the talk?

Former Palermo sporting director Rino Foschi has claimed that Spurs may be in the race with Inter to land the Argentine international on a free transfer this summer.

Foschi dealt with Fabio Paratici when he sanctioned the sale of the forward to Juventus from Palermo and he is not ruling out the Italian attempting to snap him up again.

He told 1 Station Radio, via FCInterNews: “In November there was talk of certain figures for which everyone agreed, while in January they (Juventus) offered him less, taking back the not so much the player, the more the entourage did not go down with this change of offer, and tried to pique the interest of some European teams, including Inter.

“As of today, the Nerazzurri track seems to be the most accredited, but I would not rule out Tottenham, given how much Paratici is crazy about the Argentine.”

Antonio Conte will be excited

This claim will surely leave the Spurs head coach delighted as Dybala would be a terrific addition to the squad to further bolster his attacking options.

[snack-amp-story url= “https://www.footballfancast.com/web-stories/read-the-latest-spurs-news-transfer-rumours-gossip-martinez-dybala-spence-conte-2” title= “Read the latest Spurs news!”]

He already has Heung-Min Son, Harry Kane and Dejan Kulusevski delivering the goods in the final third and throwing the Juventus man into that mix is an exciting prospect because of the quality he possesses.

The attacking midfielder has proven his ability in the Serie A as he has been a key player for the Old Lady for a number of years. In 285 appearances for the club, he has scored 113 goals and provided 48 assists in all competitions as he has been able to provide direct goal contributions on a regular basis.

He scored three goals and registered one assist in five Champions League outings this term and this shows that he would be a useful player to have if Spurs finish in the top four. He has proven that he can do it in Europe’s premier competition and is, therefore, a player Conte can rely upon next season if they are able to qualify this term.

Overall, Conte will be excited by this claim because of Dybala’s immense talents in the final third and Paratici’s relationship with him making a deal realistic. The Argentine attacker would bring quality and experience at the top level to the side, whilst costing Tottenham £0 in transfer fees to get it over the line.

AND in other news, Talks underway: Paratici in negotiations for £41.5m deal, it’d be a big coup for Spurs…

Tottenham Hotspur made some ruthless decisions during the January transfer window as the club looks to transform Antonio Conte’s playing squad.

The north London outfit sit just two points outside of the top four with two games in hand on Manchester United and having lost just one league game under the Italian, there’s every chance of the team battling for a place in the Champions League ahead of next term.

Spurs announced the arrivals of Rodrigo Bentancur and Dejan Kulusevski in a double swoop from sporting director Fabio Paratici’s former club, Juventus, on deadline day.

Whilst no fewer than four players saw an exit, with Tanguy Ndombele, Bryan Gil and Giovani Lo Celso departing on loan and Dele Alli ending a seven-year stint in N17 after he signed for Everton permanently.

So what is left of Conte’s squad and exactly what is his strongest lineup heading into the second half of the season? Here’s how Spurs could look with their new additions, starting with an FA Cup clash against Brighton and Hove Albion this weekend.

Both Bentancur and Kulusevski are likely to be part of Conte’s starting XI going forward. It would be foolish to not involve them after bolstering the squad as demanded.

They could slot right in, meaning academy graduate Oliver Skipp is likely to make way with the Uruguay international becoming Pierre-Emile Hojbjerg’s new partner. The Dane has played more minutes than the Spurs youngster, so Conte surely favours him more.

Meanwhile, the Swedish attacker is a ‘plug and play’ option in the final third, meaning he could be deployed anywhere, though it seems likely that he’s going to feature alongside Heung-min Son and Harry Kane, so that leaves the £18m-rated Lucas Moura – who was once dubbed a “nightmare” to train against by Eric Dier – the unlucky man to make way.

Speaking of which, the English centre-back should play with Ben Davies and Cristian Romero, once he returns from injury. That back three should sit in front of club captain Hugo Lloris, who signed a two-year contract extension during January.

Matt Doherty could even get the nod over Emerson Royal on the right flank. Conte sought a new addition in this role due to his lack of faith in the pair but evidently, it was to no avail. If the Italian wants a more attacking option, then the Irishman has a slight edge over the summer signing.

Meanwhile, Sergio Reguilon should remain on the other side with Ryan Sessegnon as a key backup.

Players like Harry Winks, Davinson Sanchez and Steven Bergwijn will all play their part, especially the latter, who could be seen as an alternative to Kane up top.

AND in other news, Alasdair Gold drops huge behind-the-scenes Conte claim at Spurs, fans will be ecstatic…

A number of Liverpool supporters are excited after journalist David Ornstein claimed the Reds are keen on signing Monaco midfielder Aurelien Tchouameni.

Jurgen Klopp’s side have enjoyed a good season so far, even though their Premier League title chances now appear to be hanging by a thread.

There has been a feeling that Liverpool’s squad is looking tired, however, with only one signing made last summer, and both injuries and COVID wreaking havoc of late.

[freshpress-quiz id=“375258″]

Midfield is arguably the Reds’ weakest area of the pitch at the moment, with Jordan Henderson and James Milner both heavily criticised in the draw at Chelsea last weekend, highlighting the need for summer reinforcements to come in in the middle of the park.

According to The Athletic‘s Ornstein [via Anfield Watch on Twitter], Liverpool are keen on bringing in Tchouameni this summer, with the 21-year-old arguably one of France’s most promising young players – his ‘defensive action’ map is quite remarkable, winning duels all over the pitch.

[web_stories_embed url=”https://www.footballtransfertavern.com/web-stories/latest-liverpool-transfer-news-16/” title=”Latest Liverpool transfer news!” poster=”” width=”360″ height=”600″ align=”none”]

Liverpool fans love Tchouameni rumour

These Reds fans reacted to the update on Twitter, showing their happiness at the claim.

“My top midfield target”

Credit: @TheKopEnd0619

“Please”

Credit: @nasir_l

“Tchouameni links finally”

Credit: @lfchpw

“Fantastic”

Credit: @NegusSabali

“This is definitely a good idea”

Credit: @Olufolarin9

“On my knees”

Credit: @kazwyv

In other news, some Liverpool fans have erupted over a transfer rumour. Read more here.

[ad_pod ]

The January transfer window has come and gone and Rangers added five new faces over the course of the month, so what is now Steven Gerrard’s best XI?

Rangers cruised past Kilmarnock in the Scottish Cup on Wednesday evening, winning 5-0 courtesy of a whopping four-goal haul from front man Alfredo Morelos.

The Colombian international has of course been the subject of much controversy since picking up his fourth red card of the season, but it’s easy to see why Rangers fans believe he is the best player in the league.

So with the no. 20’s spot pretty much nailed on, who takes the other ten places in Gerrard’s side? What is Rangers’ best starting XI?

Haven’t seen Paul Pogba’s latest strange photoshoot? You need to check out the video below…

The defence

Just like with Morelos, there are a few stars in defence who are nailed on to start whenever fit.

Allan McGregor, Connor Goldson and James Tavernier will all start when available, leaving just two spots to pick. Borna Barisic’s delivery makes him the most likely choice at left-back, but the other centre back is a little harder to choose.

None of Nikola Katic, Gareth McAuley or Joe Worrall have really impressed this season, but we here at Football FanCast believe Katic should get the nod, as the young Croatian has the highest ceiling, and could forge a long-term pairing with Goldson if given the chance.

Men in the middle

In midfield, Ross McCrorie deserves to start. The 20 year-old has had an inconsistent season, but at his best he is one of the country’s finest defensive enforcers, at least according to Scott Arfield, and his presence would afford the ever-reliable Ryan Jack more freedom to explore further up the pitch.

If McCrorie and Jack are playing in the middle, then January signing Glen Kamara must take the number ten spot, as his low centre of gravity, vision and incisiveness will inevitably create chances and space for the forwards.

Ferocious front three

Finally, the forward lines pretty much picks itself, with Morelos flanked by Ryan Kent and Daniel Candeias, a front three packed with speed, creativity, skill and a little bit of a nasty streak.

4-2-3-1: McGregor, Tavernier, Goldson, Katic, Barisic, McCrorie, Jack, Candieas, Kamara, Kent, Morelos. Rangers fans, is this your best XI?

Manchester City fans are delighted with the news they are interested in signing Toni Kroos, and they want the Citizens to capture the Germany international.

The Citizens have made a good start to the season under Pep Guardiola. They are currently third in the Premier League table, just two points behind leaders Chelsea (Sky Sports), and have won all three of their matches in the Champions League group stages (mancity.com).

City are well-known for having a whole host of midfielders and, according to El Nacional, they are now interested in signing another talented technician.

They say the Citizens are looking to take £27m-valued Kroos (Transfermarkt) to the Etihad Stadium – the 31-year-old is one of the most decorated players in world football, having won the World Cup and numerous Champions League and domestic league titles.

The news was shared on Twitter by @City_Xtra, and it attracted plenty of attention from the supporters. They took to the social media platform to share their thoughts, with one fan calling it ‘interesting’…

Let’s see what the fans had to say about the Kroos news below

“Yes , 2 year contract,him x kdb in midfield is angelic”

Credit: @FlyStraight8

“Ngl dream signing, idc who he benches”

Credit: @mcfcdavid_27

“Well if we aren’t paying a penny then I don’t mind he would do bits here”

Credit: @RyanAsk66514735

“interesting”

Credit: @SilkyCyrus_74

“i aren’t ready for this man”

Credit: @JRxch01

“The De bruyne X Kroos Combination that’s surely illegal”

Credit: @CanceloMerchant

In other news, Man City fans are far from happy with this Manchester United news.

Journalist Pete O’Rourke has claimed that Aston Villa boss Steven Gerrard is sure to look towards his former club Rangers for potential new signings in the January transfer window.

What’s the story?

The former Liverpool skipper was appointed as Villa’s new manager following Dean Smith’s exit, and has presided over a superb turnaround in form, with their latest victory coming in the shape of a comeback win against Leicester in the Premier League.

Now, O’Rourke has suggested that with the January transfer window around the corner, Gerrard will be looking north of the border at some of his former players.

He told GIVEMESPORT: “He will definitely have his eyes on players from Rangers. These are players he knows, he can trust, he knows how they work, and they know how Gerrard works, so it would probably be attractive for them if they want to move to Aston Villa.”

Hitting the ground running under Gerrard

Given that Gerrard has taken over at Villa Park midway through the season – hardly the perfect time for any new manager given that they have no pre-season to work with the players – it’s absolutely imperative any business that does get done in January is able to hit the ground running.

Signing players who the new Villa boss has already worked with at Rangers would allow them to acclimatise far better and far quicker than anyone else, while the chances of that signing going horribly wrong also gets drastically reduced.

The last thing Gerrard needs is a Morgan Sanson-esque signing whereby they arrive as a complete newcomer to the Premier League and with no previous connection to the manager. Sanson has been a drastically poor signing, featuring on just 12 occasions following his arrival 11 months ago.

January signings always carry that element of risk, and Gerrard targeting players from Rangers would go a long way to neutralising that.

Villa fans will surely be excited by O’Rourke’s transfer claim.

Meanwhile, Villa are eyeing this French midfielder…

Tanguy Ndombele’s future at Tottenham Hotspur is by no means certain.

The 25-year-old midfielder, who cost a club-record £55m two-and-a-half years ago, has not featured for the club since being withdrawn early during their FA Cup third-round victory over Morecambe.

He slowly trudged off to a chorus of boos and jeers with his side down by a goal at the time. Since then, it has emerged that the club are trying to move him on and that he has reportedly been training alone at Hotspur Way.

“Tottenham are looking for a solution to sell or loan out Tanguy Ndombele in January,” revealed Italian transfer expert Fabrizio Romano.

It’s hard to put up a case for Spurs keeping hold of their big-money signing as he’s been nothing short of a flop – as per Transfermarkt, he has delivered only ten goals and nine assists across 91 appearances.

If they are to move him on, however, manager Antonio Conte will be in need of a new central midfielder but perhaps he already has the answer at the club, somewhat.

Sarr solution?

During the summer, sporting director Fabio Paratici sealed the signature of promising Ligue 1 gem Pape Matar Sarr, who has remained on loan at Metz, for around €17m (£15m).

The 19-year-old midfielder has played in pretty much every role in the engine room for the French outfit this season, where he has made 19 appearances across all competitions.

Now valued at £18m by Transfermarkt, the Senegal international has struggled for consistency, averaging a rating of just 6.43, though there have been signs of encouragement and he is a player with undoubted potential.

“I am told this guy is really more than an interesting talent. He has real potential, [he’s a] fantastic talent,” claimed Romano to his YouTube channel in September.

“One of my sources told me he could become one style of [Paul] Pogba player. He has style, he has potential, he has skills, so we will see what happens with this guy.”

[snack-amp-story url = “https://www.footballfancast.com/web-stories/tottenham-latest-news-transfer-gossip-rumours-conte-paratici-levy-premier-league” title=”Read the latest Spurs news, transfer updates and much, much more!”]

A Pogba-like midfielder? That should be right up Conte’s street considering he managed the France superstar across 78 matches at Juventus before he rejoined Manchester United.

Sarr is certainly looking to contribute at both ends of the pitch, having averaged 2.2 dribbles, 1.7 successful tackles, one shot and 0.9 key passes per 90 minutes in the French top-flight, via WhoScored.

“Pape Matar Sarr is elegance in the midfield, it’s talent, it’s making others play.” once claimed Metz coach Frederic Antonetti.

So come the summer, Conte may not need to look far to find Ndombele’s replacement, thanks to Paratici’s decision in the summer. He seems primed for a shot in Spurs’ first team, especially under the stewardship of the Italian, who has already worked wonders with players like Oliver Skipp and Sergio Reguilon.

As such, he could also save the clubs millions as Sarr seems like the perfect replacement for the struggling flop.

AND in other news, Alasdair Gold drops exciting Hugo Lloris claim at Spurs…

Paddy Kenny has given his reaction to some transfer news that he has now heard from Newcastle United.

The Lowdown: Lewis turns offers down

As per Football Insider sources, Jamal Lewis turned down loan offers from both Stoke City and Birmingham City on Transfer Deadline Day.

The St. James’ Park faithful signed left-back Matt Targett on loan from Aston Villa, leaving his place in jeopardy, and that has been further cemented by the fact that he has now been left out of their updated 25-man squad for the second half of their Premier League season.

The Latest: Kenny reacts

Speaking to Football Insider, former top-flight goalkeeper and pundit Kenny has now given his reaction to the news that Lewis turned down loan offers, and the 43-year-old was quite frankly left baffled by what he called a ‘big’ decision:

“I find that really strange.

“Personally, if it was me, I would want to go out and get some game time.

“It’s that or I’m not playing. It’s not like you can be back in if there are a few injuries.

“You literally can’t play. It’s a big decision to make. It’s really strange.

“He will just be training every day for the next four months or so. That helps no one.

“Would you not rather go out there and prove the club wrong or try and earn a place for next season.

“Maybe he knows his time is up and are just waiting for a summer move, that’s the only reason I can think of.”

The Verdict: Wrong decision

Given his omission from the squad, Lewis has made the wrong decision not to go out on loan.

With the arrival of Targett, his game time was always going to be limited even before the squad decision, and he has not been performing well this season anyway, ranking in the bottom six Toon players in terms of performance in the Premier League so far this term (WhoScored).

Nonetheless, should he have impressed on loan, he could have then forced his way back into Eddie Howe’s plans for the next campaign, which promises to be a very exciting one should the Magpies stay up with their new riches.

In other news, find out which enormous ‘beast’ NUFC can now sign in June here!