All posts by z3u9t.icu

Celtic take on St. Johnstone in the SPL tomorrow at home as they look to extend their lead at the top of the table.

Before then, however, manager Brendan Rodgers would like to see some more signings arrive with transfer deadline day fast approaching, though there is still a lot of work that needs to be done if that is to happen.

The Breakdown

According to the Daily Record, the Celtic boss is desperate to add at least one new full-back to his squad with Borussia Dortmund’s Jeremy Toljan one player he hopes his superiors can land ahead of Thursday’s deadline.

With Mikael Lustig’s contract set to expire at the end of the season, Celtic definitely need to start looking at names for that position with Toljan being a great one.

However, even if the Bhoys fail to sign the German right-back or any other player for that matter before Thursday, they can still be pleased with the work that has been done this month.

The additions of Timothy Weah and Oliver Burke are quickly proving to be very good ones, while the Glasgow club still have Vakoun Issouf Bayo to come into the team.

Ultimately, Celtic now look to have the necessary firepower to win yet another SPL title, and thus can afford to be patient in their pursuit of a new right-back.

A Tottenham Hotspur insider has shed some light on rumours of Gareth Bale potentially returning to Spurs in the January transfer window.

The Lowdown: Conte wants Bale

According to journalist Eduardo Inda, Antonio Conte has asked for the North London club to sign Bale once more in the winter.

Of course, he was with the Lilywhites on loan last season, and managed to score 16 goals and make a further three assists in 34 games in total over all competitions (Transfermarkt).

Bale ended up as their third-highest scorer behind only Harry Kane and Son Heung-Min, and so it is not a surprise that Conte would like him to return once more, given that THFC are currently the Premier League’s second-lowest scorers with just nine goals in 11 games so far.

The Latest: Insider sheds light

Speaking to Football Insider, Tottenham insider John Wenham, who regularly breaks news about Spurs on his Lilywhite Rose social media channels, has shed some light on the rumours of Bale’s potential return, and thinks that he would be a ‘brilliant’ signing in January:

“The stats speak for themselves.

“I have seen some ridiculous statements that joked Bale was using Tottenham as a gym ahead of the Euros.

“Actually, he scored 11 league goals in very minimal playing time. He scored the same amount of league goals as Aubameyang and Mane.

“He scored more than Antonio and Firmino and he barely played.

“People were asking what he did in the cups, he didn’t play. Mourinho, for whatever reason, did not play him.

“He then had a real purple patch under Mason and scored a brace on the last day of the season, a result that earned us European football over Arsenal.

“I had hopes we were going to extend his loan after last season because I think we have missed his goals.

“Would I welcome him back? Absolutely, he’s a Tottenham legend. He ticks a lot of boxes. It would be brilliant.

“I hope we look at that. However, Alasdair Gold said there was basically nothing in it, so at the moment I think it’s just a rumour.”

The Verdict: Bring him back

Bale’s impact in North London during his loan spell last term is nothing to be sniffed at, and there is no doubt that he can make the same impact again.

Of course, he is 32 years of age now, but is still playing at the highest level with Real Madrid.

Nonetheless, as Wenham puts it, he is simply a legend at the Lilywhites, being part of the team that won the League Cup in 2008 and winning Player of the Year in the 2012/13 campaign (Transfermarkt), and would thus be a signing that would help get the fans onside during what could be a potentially tricky next few months.

In other news, find out what transfer boost Conte has been gifted here!

Wolverhampton Wanderers midfielder Luke Cundle is training with the first team ahead of Wolves’ upcoming Premier League fixture.

What’s the latest?

That’s according to a claim made by Tim Spiers, with the journalist revealing in a post on The Athletic that the 19-year-old did not feature in the U23’s 5-0 mauling by Norwich City on Monday evening as the central midfielder is training with the Wolves senior squad ahead of the visit of Burnley on Wednesday evening.

In his post, Spiers said: “Poor night for the U23s, diddled 5-0 by Norwich at Aggborough. A mismatch of a team missing quite a few players (like Cundle who’s with the first team) and fielding some academy youngsters was torn apart defensively.”

Fans will be buzzing

Considering just how exciting a prospect Cundle quite clearly is, in addition to the fact that Bruno Lage’s side have been desperately lacking in both creativity and depth in the middle of the park this season, the news that the teenager could be in line for a spot in the matchday squad against Burnley is sure to have left fans buzzing.

Indeed, the 19-year-old – who has already been appointed the U23s captain – has highly impressed over his 43 appearances for James Collins’ side, scoring four goals and registering nine assists for the youth team.

The manager himself also clearly feels as if the £180k-rated academy graduate is ready for first-team football, recently stating of Cundle: “He’s ready for that step up. Whether that’s with our first team or whether that’s a loan, because watching him [against Birmingham City U23s], I thought he was magnificent.”

And, while the youngster is predominantly a defensively minded midfielder, his return of 13 direct goal involvements during his time with the U23s would certainly appear to be a marked improvement on the attacking output of Lage’s current options in the middle of the park – with Ruben Neves, Leander Dendoncker and Joao Moutinho having scored just one goal and registered one assist over their combined 35 Premier League appearances this season.

Furthermore, in a recent poll ran on Football FanCast, the overwhelming majority of Wolves supporters made it clear that they would like to see the 19-year-old given a shot in the first team, something which, following Spiers’ latest update, would appear to be a very real possibility on Wednesday evening.

In other news: Hatfield drops Wolves transfer claim on “unplayable” £17m-rated dynamo, Shi must act

Reliable Aston Villa reporter Ashley Preece revealed on Thursday that winger Bertrand Traore is back training at Bodymoor Heath.

And, as to be expected, his update had a number of Villa fans talking on social media.

The 26-year-old is yet to feature under new boss Steven Gerrard after missing the last three months due to a thigh problem. It hasn’t been the best of years for Traore, who also had to have surgery on a groin issue over the summer.

However, he’s now back in training and has since been named in Burkina Faso’s squad for the Africa Cup of Nations, which is scheduled to get underway next month.

Although his wait for an appearance under Gerrard may go on, plenty of Villa fans were buzzing at the news of the winger’s return days before the Boxing Day fixture with Chelsea.

Before his injury troubles the former Blues man was in fine form, registering seven league goals and six assists last season, so it’s no surprise to see supporters delighted by this news.

Villa fans react

This is what these fans had to say in reply after The AVFC Faithful shared Preece’s update on Twitter, with one labelling Traore as a ‘huge miss’.

“Early Xmas present”

Credit: @BillyWhiz

“I’m in tears. The Burkina Faso king returns”

Credit: @Jtavfc2000

“Thank god, huge miss”

Credit: @Davidomahony18

“Return of the king”

Credit: @PhilipKeenan12

“Suiiiiiii”

Credit: @AttwoodOlly

“GET IN BERT!!!!!”

Credit: @AvfcRegan

In other news: Lange makes Aston Villa enquiry to sign ‘top’ midfielder in January; club have already responded. 

Tottenham Hotspur boss Antonio Conte has big shoes to fill after Heung-min Son suffered a devastating injury blow this week.

The 29-year-old is expected to miss the remainder of the month after he sustained a muscle injury during their Carabao Cup semi-final first-leg defeat to Chelsea in midweek.

It means he will miss this afternoon’s FA Cup third-round clash with League One side Morecambe, the return leg against the Blues on Wednesday and unfortunately, next weekend’s north London derby in the Premier League.

“It was a strange situation,” revealed the Italian during his pre-game press conference.

“Against Chelsea, I made two substitutions together, with Lucas Moura and then Son. But not for injury, the substitutions, but only to try to give them a bit of rest, 15 minutes of rest. Then the day after, he felt a bit of pain in his muscle, in his leg.

“He had a scan and now we have to make the right evaluation from the doctors. He has an injury. I don’t know, but probably he will stay without training sessions until the end of this cycle, before the international break.”

Son has been ever so crucial to Spurs’ fortunes so far this campaign.

The South Korean sensation has provided nine goals and five assists in all competitions, and also leads the way for goal contributions and chances created in the Premier League alone.

It leaves Conte with a major dilemma – just who can replace him? One contender will be Steven Bergwijn – once fit – as he has looked bright in his few appearances under the 52-year-old.

The Dutchman’s goal and assist against West Ham in the quarter-final of the Carabao Cup is what got Spurs into the next round. However, he is far too inconsistent and is often injured.

Instead, it could be Bryan Gil’s time to shine.

Valued at €40m (£34m) by CIES Football Observatory, the young Spaniard has been restricted to just 210 minutes of domestic action since joining in a £21.6m swap deal involving Erik Lamela from Sevilla in the summer.

The 20-year-old gem looked like a bright spark when he came off the bench in midweek, particularly in one moment where he twisted and turned Mason Mount inside out before creating a goalscoring opportunity.

After his arrival, football.london reporter Alasdair Gold tipped the Spanish playmaker for big things, even likening his potential to that of Christian Eriksen.

“I think we’re going to see a very talented young player coming to the fore. He’s kind of got a bit of everything: he can pass, he can dribble, he’s very creative, he has clever movement.

“They’ve just got to decide, is he a guy that can ultimately become the new Eriksen, because the more and more I watch him play, I think the ability’s there to do that. Some have even made a [Luka] Modric comparison and said, maybe he could end up coming even deeper and becoming that kind of player.”

Gil, who has also been dubbed a “big talent” by football talent scout Jacek Kulig, certainly has the qualities to fill Conte’s huge Son void. In LaLiga last season, he averaged 1.7 crosses and 1.9 key passes per 90 minutes.

Currently, the long-serving Spurs star is averaging 2.1 crosses and 1.9 key passes per 90 in the Premier League this term, via WhoScored, so the switch could well be a near like-for-like.

It’s time for Conte to turn to the promising Spain starlet, starting with today’s clash against Morecambe.

AND in other news, Spurs eye swoop for “explosive” £27m-rated dynamo, he could be Conte’s new Eden Hazard…

Tottenham Hotspur boss Antonio Conte is in line for a huge boost after a major behind-the-scenes update emerged on the future of first-choice goalkeeper Hugo Lloris this weekend…

What’s the word?

As preparations for their Premier League clash against Brighton and Hove Albion on Sunday were abruptly put to a halt, it has been revealed the north Londoners have opened talks with the Frenchman over a contract extension, as per Football Insider.

The 34-year-old’s current £100k-per-week deal is set to expire at the end of the season and it’s believed, according to an inside source, that he is keen to commit to fresh terms that would take him into his late 30s at the club.

Lloris is settled with his family in north London and is also thought to believe that there are good times ahead under the Italian.

Spurs are keen to tie him down before the new year, when the veteran shot-stopper is free to talk to foreign clubs and even sign a pre-contract elsewhere.

Conte boost

This should come as a massive boost to Conte, who has selected the 136-cap France international in all but one of his games in charge, and as club captain, he serves as a big influence in the dressing room.

It also means that the 52-year-old head coach will not have to target a new option between the sticks, when there are much bigger problems to solve, such as their lack of solid defensive options at centre-back, his lack of alternatives to Harry Kane or the need for a creative playmaker.

Lloris is currently Spurs’ longest-serving player, having racked up 388 appearances since arriving from Lyon in August 2012. And he was named skipper by Mauricio Pochettino back in 2015, so it’s clear to see that he’s been a crucial player for the club over nearly a decade.

Much of the Lilywhites faithful will be overjoyed by this latest development from Hotspur Way as recently, many fans were discussing the prospect of their leading glovesman remaining past the current campaign.

“Hope he stays” and “seems sensible” were just two reactions relayed by Spurs-Web.com this week.

Therefore, many around N17 will be buoyed by this behind-the-scenes update, not at least Conte, who clearly is a fan of his goalkeeper. This will come as a big boost to him, should the Frenchman agree to an extension in the coming weeks.

AND in other news, Worrying Spurs update emerges ahead of Leicester clash…

Celtic want to sign Brest goalkeeper Marco Bizot during the January transfer window, according to French outlet Homme du Match. 

The lowdown

The 30-year-old, who has been capped by Netherlands, only joined Brest from Eredivisie outfit AZ Alkmaar last summer in a £4.5m deal.

He has started all of their Ligue 1 matches so far, but boasts the second poorest shot-stopping record in the division. The Dutchman has conceded 4.8 goals more than his xG concession rate (via FBRef).

Indeed, Celtic have strengthened their goalkeeping ranks in recent months with the acquisition of Joe Hart, who has been Ange Postecoglou’s first choice in the role.

The latest

The report from Homme du Match stated that Bizot could make a swift exit from his new club, with Celtic lining up a January move.

The Hoops would like to sign the 1.93m (6 foot 4) goalkeeper on loan, but Brest will have ‘no interest’ in such a proposal unless it includes an obligation to buy in the summer.

The verdict

Perhaps the idea would be for Bizot to come in and apply pressure to Hart, keeping him on his toes. However, Celtic are already fairly well-stocked in the goalkeeping department, with Scott Bain, Conor Hazard and Vasilis Barkas all supporting Hart.

When you also consider the Dutchman’s alarmingly poor form in Ligue 1, it doesn’t seem like it would be the most prudent investment.

If they can avoid an obligation to buy, they could take him on a trial basis, which wouldn’t represent any great risk. Otherwise, though, Celtic should forget this one.

In other news, Frank McAvennie wants these two Celtic players sold

A major update has emerged on a Rangers transfer target, with a decision set to be made on a potential move to Ibrox under Giovanni van Bronckhorst.

What’s the talk?

According to STV journalist Raman Bhardwaj, Hearts defender John Souttar is on the verge of deciding his future, with his contact at the Premiership side up at the end of the season.

He Tweeted: “John Souttar has narrowed down his choice to Rangers and two English Championship clubs as to who he’ll sign a pre-contract with. He’s set to make a decision this week. A host of clubs are interested in the Hearts defender.”

Excitement

This news will surely leave Rangers fans feeling excited as it appears as though they will know sooner rather than later whether or not he will be playing for the club next season. A decision is not far away and the Gers are in the final three-team shortlist, which gives them a great chance of landing him.

Supporters will be particularly excited by this as Souttar could be a fantastic signing for Van Bronckhorst and solve a major issue in the summer. Connor Goldson’s contract expires this year and he could depart for nothing ahead of the 2022/23 campaign, leaving a huge hole in the middle of the club’s defence.

This is where Souttar could come in and plug that gap as he has proven that he has the quality to be a top performer at Premiership level.

Former Hearts boss Craig Levein was previously effusive in his praise of the enforcer, saying:

“I’ve known him since he was 12 years old and he’s just got better and better. When he came here from Dundee Utd, we just needed to give him time. He’s grown into the player that I hoped he would be and for me he’s the best centre back in Scotland.

“Just for the fact that he can do wonderful things. His passing of the ball Saturday was fantastic, but he is also now capable physically of competing with any centre forward. His pace is very, very good and he’s strong, focused and aggressive.”

In the Premiership this season, he has averaged a phenomenal SofaScore rating of 7.43. Souttar has won 71% of his duels and made 4.4 clearances per game, in comparison to Goldson’s 7.18 rating and 66% duels won.

This suggests that he could come in and prove to be an upgrade on the Englishman, which is why this latest update will excite supporters.

AND in other news, Bye-bye Morelos: Rangers can seal ideal replacement in gem who scores every 1.7 games…

Aston Villa have seen many players walk through the door at Villa Park over the years, either on loan or permanent deals.

However, as tends to be the case with most clubs, not all transfer deals that take place end up being particularly successful or worthwhile.

One questionable transfer that took place at the Midlands club was their 2015 move for striker Rudy Gestede.

During the 2015 summer transfer window, under the management of Tim Sherwood, the Villans secured a deal to bring the striker to Villa Park from Blackburn Rovers for a fee of £6m.

Having been described as a “menacing” figure on the pitch by Sherwood, the Benin international was anything but that for his side, finding the back of the net only five times in 32 Premier League appearances throughout the 2015/16 campaign.

Also, despite appearing in the majority of their league games, the attacker could only rack up 18 shots on target in total, which is fewer than the number of fouls (24) he committed, meaning he was more of a liability for his side than a capable attacking threat.

With fewer goals scored (27) than any other side in the top flight that season, Villa eventually found themselves at the bottom of the league table and destined for the second division.

After Villa’s relegation at the end of Gestede’s debut campaign with the Villans, things didn’t get much better for him in the Championship either.

In 18 appearances, the centre-forward only scored four goals before joining Middlesbrough in the 2017 January transfer window, bringing an end to his uninspiring time as a Villa player after just 523 days.

Even with his lack of regular goals at the Midlands club, it seemed as though they were right to let him go when they did, as the striker only managed to bag eight times in 71 appearances for Boro following his exit from Villa Park.

Taking all of this into account, it’s safe to say that Sherwood had a shocker by bringing Gestede to Villa, who ultimately wasted a total fee of £8.1m from his transfer fee and £28k-per-week wages by having him on their books for as long as they did.

In other news: Gerrard can now axe awful flop as AVFC eye bid for £50m gem with “bundles of ability”

Leeds United midfielder Tyler Roberts’ future at the club could be in doubt as they look to improve on him this summer, according to transfer insider Dean Jones.

The Lowdown: Roberts struggles to impress

The Whites have endured a season to forget in the Premier League, with Marcelo Bielsa losing his job and relegation still more than a possibility.

Roberts is one individual who has struggled to find a good run of form, scoring just once in 23 league appearances despite his attack-minded nature as a player.

Bielsa called him ‘very important’ and handed him 107 of his 108 Leeds appearances, but despite his fondness for the player there was speculation surrounding the Welshman leaving Leeds in the January transfer window.

[freshpress-quiz id=“383507″]

The Latest: Journalist makes fresh claim

Speaking to Give Me Sport, Jones claimed that Jesse Marsch may look to make an upgrade on Roberts this summer:

“You do get the feeling that his position is one of those that will be targeted in the summer to be strengthened.”

[web_stories_embed url=”https://www.footballtransfertavern.com/web-stories/latest-leeds-united-news-40/” title=”Latest Leeds United news!” poster=”” width=”360″ height=”600″ align=”none”]

The Verdict: Time to be sold?

While Roberts is still only 23 years of age, there is a feeling that he isn’t good enough for Leeds moving forward, particularly in terms of being a regular starter.

His record of nine goals in 108 Whites appearances is far from prolific and Marsch may feel he could bring in reinforcements that will provide more cutting edge.

Someone like rumoured Leeds target Brenden Aaronson could be perfect, with the American netting 12 times in 60 games for RB Salzburg in a similar role, bringing a level of midfield guile and end product that Roberts simply fails to.

In other news, one journalist has dropped a big Andrea Radrizzani claim. Read more here.