All posts by rastrear-estafeta.com

Journalist Mark Hendry has shared an update surrounding Celtic striker Albian Ajeti and what the remaining weeks of the summer transfer window could hold for his future.

What’s the news?

In a recent post on Twitter, responding to a question regarding the possibility of Ajeti making a move away from Parkhead, Hendry said that the striker is “very likely to move on” this summer.

Celtic signed the centre-forward in the 2020 summer transfer window from West Ham United in a deal worth a reported fee of £4.5m.

Since then, the 25-year-old has made 48 appearances for the Bhoys across all competitions but has only managed to find the net nine times and deliver just five assists along the way.

Celtic fans will be buzzing

Last season saw the striker start just six of the 17 games he appeared in across all competitions. In those appearances, he scored just three goals in total, showing that not only is he not a first-choice option for Ange Postecoglou, he also isn’t particularly reliable in terms of scoring goals.

In fact, out of the three league games that Ajeti played the full 90 minutes in, Celtic only won one of them.

Also, with just nine shots at goal throughout his seven league appearances, only four of them were on target, which further highlights his ineffectiveness in front of goal.

Taking all of this into account, it’s easy to see why the club could be looking to move the Swiss international out of the club and it’d also be safe to assume that lots of Celtic fans would be buzzing to see the former Hammers hitman wave goodbye to Parkhead.

Bearing in mind what he’s delivered for the club since his arrival in terms of goals and assists, it’s not hard to argue that Ajeti has been a disappointing signing for the Hoops, especially considering the money they paid to get him.

Now that Hendry has revealed the likelihood of seeing the striker leave Celtic before the summer transfer window closes, if the Hoops can pick up a decent fee for him, and subsequently bring in a suitable replacement that can be a more reliable figure in front of goal, this would surely benefit all parties.

AND in other news: “On the radar”: Journo drops behind-scenes transfer claim Celtic supporters will love

Crystal Palace could be ready to raid one top Bundesliga club, if reports are to be believed…

What’s the word?

According to French publication Foot Mercato, the Eagles are very interested in Guinean midfielder Ilaix Moriba.

With Patrick Vieira having already made personal contact to convince the midfielder, it is clear that he is valued highly by the powerbrokers at the Premier League club.

Under contract until 2026, RB Leipzig still hold all the power as Palace look to pry the 19-year-old from the German outfit.

Some much-needed depth

Vieira has very quickly transformed a lethargic Roy Hodgson side into one of the more promising teams in the league, with young exciting talent across the pitch.

Adding another youthful midfielder to the squad would only reinforce this philosophy further, building the next layer for what could be a sensational team in the near future.

Last season the teenager made 24 appearances across spells at both RB Leipzig and Valencia, featuring 14 times in La Liga for the latter during his loan spell.

Dubbed “brilliant” by journalist Alex Brotherton, Moriba has earned praise for his combative performances in the middle of the park.

He ranked in the top 2% for pressures per 90 among positional peers in Europe’s top five leagues last term, and this relentlessness in the engine room for Palace could replace what was lost when Conor Gallagher returned to parent club Chelsea.

Whether he’s selected off the bench or from the first whistle, this hard-working midfielder would appear to have plenty to offer Vieira’s side. He also outlined his defensive credentials last season, with 3.15 tackles and 2.17 aerial duels won per 90, whilst still managing 1.77 shots per game.

Moriba could be the Eagles’ quintessential all-action midfielder, and both club and player could end up being a “perfect” match for one another.

The £25k-per-week dynamo would likely command a modest fee, judging by his modest £8.1m Transfermarkt valuation, but it could be another shrewd piece of prospective business as he could slot nicely beside Cheick Doucoure.

His arrival would certainly add much-needed depth at Selhurst Park, and with Vieira having reportedly spoken to the player himself, the Palace boss must hold him in high regard. That should be enough to convince fans of his suitability to this Eagles crop.

West Ham United are interested in a deal to bring Julian Weigl to the London Stadium this summer.

What’s the talk?

That’s according to a report by Portuguese publication Record (via Sport Witness), who claim that Rob Newman has made contact with Benfica regarding a potential move for the defensive midfielder, with the West Ham head of recruitment believed to have been informed that the Germany international will cost around €20m (£17m) including add-ons.

The report goes on to state that the likes of Eintracht Frankfurt, Borussia Monchengladbach, Hertha Berlin, AC Milan and Atalanta BC have also made an enquiry with the Liga Portugal side regarding the 26-year-old, although Weigl’s £49k-per-week wage is said to be the reason no clubs have submitted an official bid for the player as yet.

Dream Onana alternative

While another of West Ham’s reported defensive midfield targets, LOSC Lille talent Amadou Onana, is undoubtedly an extremely exciting prospect, considering that the Ligue 1 side are demanding a figure of around €40m (£34m) to part with the Belgium international this summer, Weigl could well be West Ham’s dream alternative to the 20-year-old.

Indeed, the £19.8m-rated German was in remarkable form over his 29 Liga Portugal appearances last time out, scoring two goals, registering three assists and creating three big chances for his teammates, in addition to taking an average of 0.7 shots, making 0.6 key passes and completing 0.7 dribbles per game.

The former Borussia Dortmund starlet who Marc Bartra claimed is “very similar to Busquets” also impressed in metrics more typical of his position, making an average of 2.0 tackles, 1.4 interceptions, 57.4 passes – at a success rate of 91% – 4.3 long balls and winning 4.9 duels – at a success rate of 57% – per fixture.

These returns saw the 26-year-old average an extremely impressive SofaScore match rating of 7.06, ranking him as Roger Schmidt’s 14th-best performer in the top flight of Portuguese football last time out.

For comparison, while Onana is very much in the infancy of his professional career, Weigl bested the £9m-rated talent in almost every metric, with the 20-year-old scoring one goal and creating three big chances over his 32 Ligue 1 appearances in 2021/22, as well as making an average of 1.5 interceptions, 0.9 tackles and winning 3.4 duels – at a success rate of 54% – per game.

These metrics saw the £5.5k-per-week midfielder average a very admirable SofaScore match rating of 6.85, ranking him as Lille’s joint ninth-best player in the top flight of French football last season.

As such, while it would appear extremely likely that Onana will go on to enjoy a fantastic career, considering the fact that Weigl will cost half the price of the Belgian this summer, in addition to the German having played almost five times the amount of professional games as the youngster – 322 to 67 – should Newman fail in his pursuit of the 20-year-old, the Benfica centrocampista would appear to be something of a dream alternative for the Hammers.

Tottenham Hotspur midfielder Giovani Lo Celso could now be fast approaching an exit as journalist Alessio Lento shares a major update.

The Lowdown: Spurs eyeing exit deals…

The Premier League outfit have signed and sealed six major incomings with Ivan Perisic, Fraser Forster, Yves Bissouma, Richarlison, Clement Lenglet and Djed Spence arriving at N17.

In terms of outgoings, the biggest first team names who have managed to secure departures are arguably defender Joe Rodon, who recently completed a temporary move to Rennes, and Netherlands international Steven Bergwijn, who joined Ajax (Transfermarkt).

However, there are still a few names who Spurs need to offload with Tanguy Ndombele, Harry Winks, Sergio Reguilon and Lo Celso not thought to be in Conte’s plans.

The Latest: Lento shares big Lo Celso update…

Taking to social media, Italian reporter Lento has shared a big update on Lo Celso’s chances of leaving north London.

[web_stories_embed url=”https://www.footballtransfertavern.com/web-stories/tottenham-latest-3/” title=”Tottenham latest!” poster=”” width=”360″ height=”600″ align=”none”]

The Argentine is apparently ‘fast approaching’ Villarreal and is ‘very close’ to making a return to Spain this summer.

Lento explained (via Twitter):

“Giovani #LoCelso is fast approaching #Villarreal : the Argentine is very close to returning to Spain, while the track #Fiorentina is fading. This is based on a dry loan from #Tottenham , but the formula is still being discussed”

The Verdict: Good call?

While this potential exit looks to be a loan, getting Lo Celso off the books even just for this campaign will come as a boost for sporting director Fabio Paratici.

The South American enjoyed a brilliant spell on loan in La Liga with Villarreal last campaign and it appears to be a match made in heaven, so perhaps another year there will even increase his value despite it taking 12 months off his contract.

Lo Celso’s likely exit before September 1 could also free up squad space and alleviate Spurs’ wage bill – assuming his hosts take some of that burden – so this possible agreement could really assist Conte’s side towards the end of this window.

Manchester United are interested in signing Borussia Monchengladbach goalkeeper Yann Sommer, according to Fabrizio Romano.

The Lowdown: Sommer at Monchengladbach

Sommer, labelled as ‘superb’ by journalist Josh Bunting, has been with Monchengladbach since 2014 but is set to be out of contract next summer.

The 33-year-old has made a whopping 326 appearances for the Bundesliga side, keeping 86 clean sheets. He’s begun the current campaign as first choice and has captained the club in the opening two Bundesliga fixtures, but it looks as if a move to Old Trafford could be on the cards.

The Latest: United keen

According to Romano, United are ‘interested’ in signing Sommer before the deadline.

The transfer expert states that there is interest from other Premier League clubs, while Monchengladbach have offered the Switzerland international a new deal.

The Verdict: Busy few weeks

David de Gea had an afternoon to forget last time out against Brentford, so it seems as if Erik ten Hag wants some serious competition for the Spaniard.

Sommer, who is in ‘excellent shape’ according to Adi Hutter, could be a smart signing due to his experience at the highest level for both club and country, with Hutter also claiming he’s ‘one of the best goalkeepers in the Bundesliga’.

However, United also appear to need multiple outfield additions before September 1, so a new goalkeeper may not be top of the agenda at this moment in time in what should be a frantic few weeks.

Nottingham Forest return to Premier League action this afternoon as they travel to Goodison Park for their 3pm kick-off against Everton.

Having picked up their first three points of the season last Sunday, the Tricky Trees will travel to Merseyside full of confidence that they can get something against a Toffees team who are ravaged by injuries in attack.

Last week’s win over West Ham United also saw Taiwo Awoniyi open his goalscoring account for the season, which will also please Steve Cooper alongside the clean sheet.

The 42-year-old is unlikely to change much, although since that victory against the Hammers, he has brought in an additional four players, bringing his tally of summer arrivals up to 16.

The question is, will Cooper throw any of the newcomers straight into the mix? Here’s how we think Forest might line up against Everton today…

Dean Henderson was back to his best last week and was instrumental in closing out the Hammers, making numerous saves including denying Declan Rice from the spot. It will be a struggle to displace the Manchester United loanee all season unless circumstances drastically change.

It would also be a surprise to see Cooper alter the solid back three which helped Henderson in front of him, so Joe Worrall, Moussa Niakhate and Scott McKenna will likely retain their places.

Neco Williams offered a huge threat down the right flank with his wonderful whipped crosses (three executed), and he is expected to remain in the team, with Harry Toffolo occupying the left-hand side.

Midfield is where we could expect one significant change, with new signing Remo Freuler a good option to come straight into the team in the place of Orel Mangala after the 30-year-old’s £7.6m switch from Atalanta.

The hard-working Swiss “leader” was previously captain of the Nerazzurri and could use this authority to marshal his young midfield partner Lewis O’Brien. Mangala could be the one to miss out after he posted a lowly 66% passing accuracy against West Ham, also losing five of his eight duels.

Jesse Lingard will likely be a mainstay for the season just behind the strike force of Brennan Johnson and Taiwo Awoniyi, although we can expect a cameo off the bench from another new signing in Emmanuel Dennis at some point in today’s match.

Leeds United will be looking to extend their unbeaten start to the new Premier League season to four games when they travel to the south coast to face Brighton and Hove Albion this afternoon.

Jesse Marsch’s men sit third in the standings after stunning Chelsea with a 3-0 victory at Elland Road last weekend, making it two wins and one draw from their opening four matches.

The Seagulls too remain unbeaten, so the Yorkshire giants are in for a tricky encounter, particularly with leading striker Patrick Bamford likely to miss out through injury.

Marsch will surely be tempted to stick with a winning lineup, one that saw Daniel James return to the side but that could be a mistake waiting to happen as the Wales international ought to be benched in favour of someone like Luis Sinisterra, who is yet to make his full starting debut.

The 24-year-old speedster, who cost the Whites around £25m from Manchester United last summer, was cut a passenger in that win over the Blues before he was hauled off in the 70th minute for the aforementioned Colombian.

James struggled to have any footing in the match, managing only six successful passes and 24 touches throughout his time on the pitch, as per SofaScore, which was the fewest of anyone to start. Even substitute Adam Forshaw managed the same number of passes in a 29-minute cameo.

He was wasteful in possession too as only 50% of his 12 passing attempts were accurate, whilst he only managed to provide one accurate cross from three attempts. Furthermore, he lost possession nine times and lost four of his seven duels in an awfully lightweight manner.

We certainly witnessed some of the exact reasons why ex-Tottenham Hotspur striker Darren Bent once dubbed him “headless”.

Marsch’s three other attackers – Rodrigo, Jack Harrison and Brenden Aaronson – all found themselves on the scoresheet, by contrast.

[snack-amp-story url= “https://www.footballfancast.com/web-stories/read-the-latest-leeds-united-news-transfer-rumours-gossip-more-2″ title=”Read the latest Leeds news, transfer rumours and so much more!”]

That has largely been the story of James’ time at Elland Road. He is yet to provide an attacking contribution this campaign, whilst in 2021/22, the Welshman found himself without a goal in his last 14 appearances in a time that Leeds, who were battling relegation, needed him most.

As such, the American head coach must look to axe him from the starting XI this afternoon. He’ll offer nothing against the Seagulls, who have conceded just one goal from their opening trio of games – the lowest in the English top-flight – so far.

AND in other news, Marsch handed double injury boost…

West Ham United are reportedly closing in on a deal for Lyon midfielder Lucas Paqueta after personal terms edged headed in the right direction, according to L’Equipe. 

The lowdown: Moving fast

The Hammers have well and truly stepped up their pursuit of Paqueta over the last few days as David Moyes looks to strengthen the midfield department at the London Stadium.

Subject to interest from Newcastle, Arsenal and Manchester City, the 24-year-old Brazil international has been highly sought after and as such, West Ham are hellbent on getting a transfer wrapped up swiftly.

Now, having had two bids reportedly rejected for Paqueta, it seems as though the switch is closer than ever as fresh claims from France emerge…

The latest: Personal terms ‘very close’

As per L’Equipe, West Ham and Lyon are believed to have ‘come closer’ due to the player’s talks with the Irons.

While the Ligue 1 side haven’t accepted anything yet, it’s claimed that Paqueta and the Irons are ‘not far from finalising the details’ of a deal that would see the creative Brazilian sign a deal to stay in east London until 2027.

The French media believe a ‘contractual agreement’ is ‘very close’, which could force Lyon’s hand somewhat.

[web_stories_embed url=”https://www.footballtransfertavern.com/web-stories/west-ham-latest-updates-2/” title=”West Ham latest updates!” poster=”” width=”360″ height=”600″ align=”none”]

The verdict: Statement signing

Adding a player of Paqueta’s proven quality to the West Ham ranks will be a huge statement of intent from GSB, particularly following what has been a disappointing start to the 2022/23 campaign.

Albeit the midfield combination of Declan Rice and Tomas Soucek has worked well previously, it’s a pairing full of industry and endeavour, with little in the way of creativity, an area the Brazilian’s arrival could solve immediately, perhaps alongside the arrival of Club Brugge captain Hans Vanaken.

Last season, the former AC Milan sensation scored 11 times and provided seven assists in 44 appearances across all competitions, earning a 7.13 average SofaScore rating whilst winning 7.3 duels, successfully completing 2.3 dribbles and making 1.2 key passes on average per game, showcasing impressive attacking and defensive acumen in the process.

Dubbed ‘really really good’ by former Arsenal and Everton striker Kevin Campbell and a potential ‘incredible signing’ amid links to Newcastle by Frank McAvennie, there can be little doubting that West Ham will have pulled off a major coup if this deal gets over the line.

Following Alex Neil’s departure as Sunderland manager, Alan Nixon has revealed three candidates being considered for the vacant position at the Stadium of Light.

The Lowdown: Neil’s departure

The Black Cats confirmed on Sunday that the 41-year-old, who only joined the Wearside club in February, had left his role in the northeast to join fellow Championship side Stoke City.

Leading the club to a fifth-place finish in League One, Neil delivered promotion for Sunderland via the play-offs, ending their four-year stay in the third tier of English football.

The Wearsiders even enjoyed a strong start to life in the Championship under his leadership, collecting eight points from their first five games of the season.

The Latest: Nixon’s news

With Sunderland now on the hunt for a new manager, amid a weekend revelation from Jeff Stelling that Tony Mowbray was set to be appointed, Nixon has revealed two other names being linked with the job, namely Liam Manning and Anthony Barry.

In response to a question on Twitter as to who may be appointed as the new Black Cats manager, the journalist claimed: “Mowbray is trying … Barry is interesting … so is Manning …”

The Verdict: Disappointing departure

With things finally looking up for the Wearside outfit after years of stagnation, uncertainty once again mounts at the Stadium of Light after the 41-year-old walked out on the club after less than seven months in charge.

Mowbray, who is currently deemed the favourite for the role in some quarters, left Blackburn in the summer after five years in charge at Ewood Park. He previously led West Brom to the Championship title and promotion to the Premier League in 2008, more recently winning promotion from League One with Blackburn four years ago.

Looking to the other candidates, Manning led MK Dons to a third-place finish in League One last season, two higher than Sunderland, before losing out in the play-off semi-finals to Wycombe.

Barry is also an interesting option, given that he is currently a first-team coach at Chelsea after he was hired during Frank Lampard’s stint as manager, having previously been an assistant to Paul Cook at Wigan Athletic and also worked with the Belgium coaching setup.

Whoever is chosen for the job, if it is indeed to be one of these three, let’s just hope they stay put for a bit longer than Neil did.

Former Newcastle United manager Rafael Benitez remains a popular figure among many at St James’ Park following his solid spell in charge of the club in the recent past, although one thing for which supporters won’t thank the Spaniard is his decision to allow compatriot Mikel Merino to depart four years ago.

The promising midfielder had arrived on Tyneside on an initial loan deal from Borussia Dortmund in the summer of 2017, with that temporary move quickly made permanent just a matter of months into his time in England.

The Spaniard had made a fine start with Newcastle and was lauded for his composed displays in the centre of the park, having notably been compared by Benitez to former Liverpool and Real Madrid star Xabi Alonso.

That strong beginning was somewhat disrupted by injury in the second half of the 2017/18 season, with the 11-cap gem eventually going on to make just 25 appearances in all competitions, scoring once and laying on only one assist.

After a frustrating yet promising debut season with the Magpies, it then came as something of a surprise that the 6 foot 3 playmaker moved on at the end of that campaign, having been snapped up by La Liga outfit Real Sociedad.

According to reports at the time, the San Sebastian club had activated a buyout clause of just £10m in the player’s contract to prise him away from the Premier League side, with the midfield maestro later admitting that the chance to return home had been too good to turn down.

Quite why Benitez and co sanctioned a release clause in his deal – particularly at a relatively low value – truly beggars belief, with Merino having since gone on to prove just what a stellar asset he is during his time in San Sebastian.

The £45m-rated ace has gone from strength to strength over the past four years, having notably been lauded as the “best player in La Liga” by coach Imanol Alguacil for his form of late.

The £65k-per-week genius – who has also been dubbed a “master” by one source – has racked up 159 appearances in all competitions since his arrival in 2018, scoring 16 goals and providing 17 assists from his midfield berth.

A defensive-minded player who boasts real quality in possession, the 26-year-old ranks in the top 3% for aerial duels won among those in his position across Europe’s top five leagues, while he also ranks in the top 17% for progressive passes, showcasing his forward-thinking approach.

His talents were most recently on show in the win over Manchester United at Old Trafford on Thursday, with the one-time Osasuna man notably registering six interceptions in that 1-0 victory, with his SofaScore match rating of 7.3 bettered only by team-mate Alex Remiro among those involved on the night.

Such is his quality, the Spain international had even been tipped for a move to Manchester City earlier this year, with reports having suggested that Pep Guardiola’s side were willing to meet his £50m release clause.

That valuation is a marker of just what a dismal mistake it was for Benitez to allow the midfielder to depart, with current Newcastle boss Eddie Howe likely to have loved the chance to work with such an undoubted talent.