All posts by z3u9t.icu

New Tottenham Hotspur manager Nuno Espirto Santo will want to get his own ideas across to the group of players he has inherited at the club, and also bring in his own players, but former Spurs captain Graham Roberts has admitted he’s never heard of reported target, Takehiro Tomiyasu.

Working alongside Tottenham’s new Director of Football, Fabio Paratici, who left his role of chief football officer at Juventus, Espirito Santo will be hoping the club can make additions to the playing staff this summer.

One name that Tottenham have been linked with is, Bologna defender Tomiyasu, with Bologna chief Riccardo Bigon confirming to football.london that they have received a bid from Spurs.

Tomiyasu featured Olympic games with Japan.

When asked by Transfer Tavern about the signing of Tomiyasu, former Spurs skipper Roberts said: “I’m not sure, I think we should go for two really out-and-out, proper centre-halves.

“If they cost £30m, £40m each, you go and buy them, but we don’t know what this lad’s like, I’ve never heard of him”.

New Director of Football Fabio Paratici would have seen Tomiyasu play whilst with Juventus, and Roberts thinks Paratici must rate him highly, saying: “I’m sure somebody, you know Paratici would have seen him in Italy when he was with Juventus, so he must think a lot of him, to go back and try to get him”.

Many Everton fans have been left to flock to a big manager update on Christophe Galtier.

As per football journalist and transfers expert Duncan Castles, the Goodison Park faithful have been in contact with his agents over a potential move to the Merseyside club after Carlo Ancelotti left to go and manage Real Madrid.

Galtier has just come off the back of a very impressive Ligue 1 title win over the previously dominant PSG, and former sporting director at LOSC Lille, Luis Campos, has claimed that he has ‘all the qualities’ to coach in English football, and believes that he would be a good choice for the Blues as their next permanent boss.

Nonetheless, the update has certainly drawn a lot of excitement from several Toffees supporters, who see him as the ideal fit to manage them ahead of the new season.

Everton fans on Galtier manager update

These EFC fans flocked to the manager update as it was shared on Twitter:

“I’m all for this…go get him”

Credit: @Snakepl08350140

“Please!!!!”

Credit: @stevekendrew

“I’m all aboard the Galtier train! Someone get him a room with Contract Dave!!”

Credit: @markoos01

“Sign the dotted line Christy”

Credit: @Tiernancusack21

“Please be true.”

Credit: @mattcardus16

“Beg we just do something right and get him”

Credit: @Georgeharper250

In other news, find out what big Everton manager claim has been dropped here!

Former Leeds United striker Noel Whelan believes that Pablo Hernandez knew it was time to call an end to his fantastic Whites career.

The Lowdown: Superb servant

The 36-year-old has been a wonderful player for Leeds, playing a big role in them returning to the Premier League with a nine-goal haul in their promotion-winning campaign and shining with his quality.

Hernandez has scored 36 goals and registered 41 assists in 174 appearances for the Whites, becoming a hugely popular individual in the process, with journalist Phil Hay describing him as ‘unreal’.

Despite still having a year remaining on his current deal, the midfielder will leave Elland Road at the end of the season, bringing an end to his time at the club.

The Latest: Whelan discusses Hernandez decision

Whelan spoke about the decision to Football Insider, saying that Hernandez’s lack of game-time this term will have played a part in him wanting to move on:

“He’s not needed by Leeds, he’s served his purpose.

“He’s done his job, he’s been a great servant, a fantastic player. He has entertained us for sure and been an integral part of our promotion and push to where we are now.

“I think when you look at his age, look at the players that are coming through now at Leeds and the players they’ve brought in, you’ve got to say he is third choice. Maybe even further down the pecking order now.

“Another player that will be held as a legend of the club for absolutely the right reasons. A player that has been a massive part of our growth to where we are today. I think everyone would thank him for that.”

[web_stories_embed url=”https://www.footballtransfertavern.com/web-stories/latest-leeds-united-news-3/” title=”Latest Leeds United news!” poster=”” width=”360″ height=”600″ align=”none”]

The Verdict: Right time to leave

Hernandez could easily have run down his contract at Leeds, but it is admirable that he may still be eyeing up regular football elsewhere at the age of 36.

The Spaniard has only managed two starts in the league this season and Marcelo Bielsa will be looking at summer signings, potentially sending him even further down the pecking order, as Whelan had feared.

Now is a good time to depart for all concerned and Hernandez deserves to be remembered as a true modern Leeds hero. Hopefully he will get a fitting send-off from the Elland Road faithful in today’s season-ending clash at home to West Brom.

In other news, Leeds have reportedly agreed a deal to sign a player this summer. Find out who it is here.

Portsmouth could be heading for a disaster as former midfielder David Norris says he expects Ronan Curtis to depart the club this summer.

What’s the talk? 

Ex-Portsmouth player Norris has admitted that Curtis will likely want to play at the highest possible level and that could lead to him leaving the club to join a Championship side. He told Football League World:

“The player’s probably eventually going to want to move on and probably earn more money and play as high as he can.

“And then, at the same time, he’s not walking away on a free so the club can bring in some decent money.”

Curtis is under contract at Portsmouth until 2023, with Reading, Derby County, Cardiff and Blackburn all tracking the Republic of Ireland international, according to GetReading.

Heading for disaster

After missing out on promotion from League One this season, it is crucial for Portsmouth to retain as many of their best players as possible for another push next term, with Curtis being one of them.

Curtis was a revelation for Portsmouth in League One, producing 10 goals and seven assists in 36 starts. He added a further four goals and three assists to his overall tally in the various cup competition throughout the campaign, taking him to 14 goals and 10 assists in the 2020/21 season.

His creativity could prove incredibly difficult to replace in the transfer window if he were to depart. Curtis created 1.5 chances per game in League One, the most by any player in the Portsmouth squad, and that is alongside his 10 strikes – second to John Marquis.

Earlier this season, Cowley claimed that the “brilliant” Curtis is going to become a top player if he can control his emotions on the pitch. He told The News:

“There’s a lot of work to do on that because he’s going to be a top player – and to become a top player you must always be in emotional control otherwise the opponent is going to see that as a weakness and try to exploit that.”The higher level you go, the more emotional it is and the more you’ve got to show control.”We are working really hard with Ronan. He is so willing and keen to want to improve in that area and he was brilliant on Saturday.”The £3.7k-per-week attacker averaged an exceptional WhoScored rating of 7.10 for Portsmouth. This was the highest average score by any player in the Pompey squad, with centre-back Sean Raggett the only other player over the 7.0 mark on 7.02. Curtis’ goal contributions and overall performances, therefore, were key for Portsmouth as they just missed out on a place in the play-offs – finishing eighth in League One.This suggests that keeping hold of Curtis could prove key as his displays in the third tier, coupled with Cowley improving the squad in other areas, could allow Portsmouth to challenge for promotion.He has already shown that he can be a quality option at League One level and selling him could weaken Pompey’s chances of going up and failire to get promoted next season could be a huge disaster for a club the size of Portsmouth.

Alasdair Gold has dropped an exciting transfer claim as Tottenham Hotspur embark on a new era…

What’s the word?

Writing on Twitter, the ever-reliable football.london reporter claimed that it would be a “big summer of change” in North London following the appointment of Fabio Paratici as managing director of football.

It’s a role that has not been filled since Franco Baldini departed in 2015, so it certainly is an interesting new approach from Spurs chairman Daniel Levy.

Gold linked to his latest column and wrote:

“The latest as I understand it on Paulo Fonseca, with talks progressing, Fabio Paratici’s arrival and a big summer of change at Spurs as I understand, a number of players have now been told they can leave and their agents instructed to find moves.”

Spurs’ new era

This latest development is hugely encouraging news as it shows that the Italian has already been working on Spurs’ summer business before he officially starts on July 1st.

He has one mighty task on his hands, too.

The Lilywhites finished seventh in the Premier League – their worst placement since 2008/09 – and have not won a major trophy since clinching the League Cup in 2008.

[snack-amp-story url= “https://www.footballfancast.com/web-stories/read-the-latest-spurs-news-manager-gossip-transfer-rumours-team-and-injury-updates-and-much-more” title= “Read the latest Spurs news, manager gossip, transfer rumours, team and injury updates and more!”]

There is also the small matter of keeping superstar striker Harry Kane at the club amid reports after reports suggested that he has expressed his desire to leave this summer.

A lot of the current squad have remained since Mauricio Pochettino’s stint, so you could argue that those players that let him down in the wake of their Champions League loss were the exact same ones who were at fault for Jose Mourinho’s downfall.

So the fact that Paratici already knows that he must move several of these players on should come as a major source of excitement for many in N17. It’ll also help boost the transfer kitty, with ex-Roma coach Paulo Fonseca expected to be appointed in the coming week or so.

He and the Italian are both about to kickstart a new era at Tottenham Hotspur. And that must be aided by the departure of several fringe stars.

Also according to Gold, Serge Aurier has announced his intention to leave whilst Juan Foyth’s loan move to Villarreal is expected to be made permanent.

The likes of Lucas Moura, Erik Lamela, Moussa Sissoko, Harry Winks, Dele Alli and Davinson Sanchez are all potential candidates for the chopping block, having been linked with an exit in recent months.

As mentioned above, this should create funds to help Paratici bolster Fonseca’s playing squad ahead of next season and whilst he’s not been the preferred candidate, it should give many supporters huge confidence that things are changing for the better, at long last.

AND in other news, Fonseca can save Levy millions this summer by unleashing £16m-rated Spurs “big talent”…

After falling to defeat to last time out in the Premier League, Aston Villa will be hoping to bounce back to winning ways when they take on Everton on Thursday night.

Dean Smith’s side took the lead against Manchester United last weekend thanks to a superb strike from Bertrand Traore, but a contentious penalty call swung things in the away side’s favour, eventually resulting in a 3-1 loss.

The Villa boss has some major decisions to make in terms of his team selection, with the likes of Jack Grealish returning, and Ollie Watkins missing out through suspension.

And, with the top-flight season almost over, these last couple of games might present the perfect opportunity for him to hand some of the club’s academy stars a chance in the first-team.

So, with that all in mind, below is a look at how Villa might line up when Everton come to town.

In goal, Emi Martinez will be hoping to keep his 15th clean sheet of the Premier League season, and close the Golden Gloves gap to second-placed Edouard Mendy to just one in the process.

The back-four should also once again remain unchanged, with Smith likely to make changes further forward in midfield.

One of those could be a debut for 17-year-old Carney Chukwuemeka, who has surely been knocking on the door for a chance in the first-team given his performances at youth-team level – he even bagged a hat-trick against Newcastle in the last round of the FA Youth Cup.

[snack-amp-story url=”https://www.footballfancast.com/web-stories/villa-dean-smith-transfer-gossip-rumours-news-premier-league-buendia-berge-mcneil-trezeguet-villa-park” title=”Read the latest Villa transfer rumours and news!”]

The teenager could be joined by another one of the club’s young prospects in Jacob Ramsey, who has been one of the breakout stars of Villa’s season thus far.

The big news for Villa fans will no doubt be the return of Grealish, with The Athletic even claiming that “the attacker will be available to Villa for the first time since February and there is a good chance he will start the clash”.

The trio would all represent exciting changes from the starting line-up against United last week, and given their homegrown status, will have Villa fans excited too.

And up front, Keinan Davis is the man who is likely to replace the suspended Watkins, who received his marching orders late on at Villa Park.

Predicted XI: Martinez; Cash, Konsa, Mings, Targett; McGinn, Chukwuemeka; Traore, Ramsey, Grealish; Davis.

Meanwhile, Villa must axe this “stupid” ace tonight vs Everton…

Newcastle United have reportedly enquired about a potential move to sign Kristoffer Ajer from Celtic, according to CaughtOffside.

As per the news outlet, the Parkhead faithful are preparing for the Norway international to leave in the summer transfer window, with Norwich City also registering an interest in signing him.

The desire for both teams to sign Ajer is ‘strong’ and he is expected to leave Glasgow as he only has one year left on his contract, so it may just be a matter of who makes the better offer to the Hoops.

Newcastle should sign Ajer

The St. James’ Park faithful should certainly try and bring the big central defender to the North East and thus fend off the competition from the Canaries.

Standing at six-feet-six-inches tall, he should have no problems whatsoever in adapting to both the physical and aerial demands of the Premier League, and he certainly has not struggled defensively in the Scottish Premiership so far in the 2020/21 term, winning no fewer than 5.8 of his duels while also averaging 3.4 clearances, 1.4 interceptions and 1.3 tackles per game, helping the Celts keep a mammoth 15 clean sheets in the process (Sofascore).

Former Tyneside club ace Lee Clark, who managed Ajer during a loan spell at Kilmarnock, dubbed him as an ‘outstanding’ player back in March, which is certainly high praise, and there seems to be no doubt that he would give Steve Bruce a great option to use in the heart of the defence.

In other news, find out what European Super League claim Liam Kennedy has dropped on the potential takeover here!

Tottenham Hotspur will be looking to bounce back after a dismal few weeks when they welcome already-relegated Sheffield United to North London this evening.

Last weekend, Spurs were defeated in yet another final as they were completely played off the park by Manchester City in the Carabao Cup, continuing a 13-year wait for silverware.

It came less than a week after Jose Mourinho’s surprise sacking, the Super League fiasco and supporter protests, so interim boss Ryan Mason could certainly do with another league victory today.

Spurs remain eight points behind the top four, so Champions League qualification seems a less than likely outcome in these final few games but they can put the pressure on West Ham and Liverpool for that fifth-place spot with a win over the Blades.

Mason will have to make some alterations from the starting XI that tasted defeat last Sunday and with Football FanCast already suggesting the inclusion of Tanguy Ndombele this weekend, one player needs to make way to accompany him.

The 29-year-old former midfielder must now do the reverse and axe Harry Winks for the Frenchman.

Winks had become a forgotten man under Mourinho, featuring in just six league games under him since November but Mason trusted him to start – and play the full 90 – against the rampant league leaders.

[snack-amp-story url= “https://www.footballfancast.com/web-stories/spurs-latest-managerial-update-transfer-rumours-levy-mourinho-sacked-gossip” title= “Read the latest Spurs manager updates, transfer news, gossip and more!”]

The intention to start him did have logic, as Spurs really needed to keep hold of possession against Pep Guardiola’s attacking riches but ultimately, it failed to pay dividends as it results in the north London outfit managing just one shot on target all game, whilst City enjoyed 62% possession.

It may have only been 1-0 but it was a rout for City.

Winks was sub-par in the middle, failing to register a key chance created, managing just one tackle and he lost 60% of his battles. It’s no wonder he couldn’t get in the side under the ‘Special One.’

Once dubbed a “perfect midfield player” and compared to the likes of Xavi and Andres Iniesta by Mauricio Pochettino, the Englishman is now at a career crossroad and has even been linked with a summer departure.

Currently, the £26m-rated midfielder – who earns a reported £75k-per-week – ranks as Spurs’ worst-performing player (of those that have started five or more games), with an average WhoScored rating of 6.35.

The alternatives, namely Giovani Lo Celso (6.55) and Ndombele (6.93) evidently offer up more consistency than Winks and furthermore, the former Lyon star has the ability to drive Mason’s squad forward from midfield.

He is averaging a squad-high 2.4 dribbles per game, in comparison to Winks’ squad-low 0.1 dribbles per match, via WhoScored.

Axing Winks for Ndombele seems like a no-brainer ahead of kick-off, especially after the 24-year-old’s masterclass against the Blades last time out.

If Mason wants to get Spurs back on track, then he must show no mercy and drop the Englishman from his starting XI tonight. He’s just no longer good enough for the Lilywhites.

AND in other news, the next Spurs boss may already have perfect Skipp partner in 19 y/o gem dubbed “a coach’s dream”…

Rangers have been credited with an interest in Aberdeen midfielder Lewis Ferguson recently, and should he make the move to Ibrox this summer, he could prove to be a superb addition to Steven Gerrard’s side.

What’s the word?

According to Football Insider, Rangers will launch a bid to sign the 21-year-old midfielder this summer, who is also being targeted by Premier League-bound Watford.

The Dons midfielder handed in a transfer request at Pittodrie earlier this week after the club received an offer from the Hornets, although they have rejected that request due to the “insulting” nature of Watford’s bid.

Would he be a good signing?

Since joining Aberdeen from Hamilton in 2018, Ferguson has been a key member of the Dons’ squad by making 124 appearances, in which he has contributed 21 goals and 22 assists.

The £2.7m-rated midfielder has impressed this season, with eight goals and two assists to his name in 30 Premiership appearances, which has helped him average an impressive 7.07 rating from WhoScored.

This is enough to rank him as the second-best performer to have made at least 10 appearances in Stephen Glass’ side this season, so it is easy to see why Aberdeen might be desperate to keep hold of the Scotland under-21 international this summer.

Former Aberdeen manager Derek McInnes was full of praise for Ferguson after he scored an overhead kick against Burnley in the Europa League in 2018, suggesting that he will “only get better”.

[snack-amp-story url=”https://www.footballfancast.com/web-stories/read-the-latest-rangers-transfer-rumours-and-news” title=”Read the latest Rangers transfer rumours and news!”]

He also praised the youngster back in the summer of 2020, saying: “Lewis is someone you can trust implicitly. In terms of being available, bringing a high level of performance every time and how he conducts himself in training and around the club, Lewis is brilliant.”

Ferguson has clearly demonstrated his ability over the past few seasons and it seems clear that he will depart Pittodrie this summer, despite his contract running until 2024.

After Watford’s derisory bid, Aberdeen may not be keen to deal with the Hornets, which perhaps presents an ideal opportunity for Ross Wilson to swoop in and bring him to Ibrox this summer.

[freshpress-quiz id=“593776″]

Ferguson’s performances this season certainly suggest that he could be a great player for Rangers next season, and at just 21, he would still have a lot of time to improve under Gerrard’s management.

In other news… Rangers suffer huge blow with “hugely impressive” beast, Gerrard surely fuming

After falling to a 2-0 defeat to Tottenham just before the international break, Aston Villa will be eager to get back to winning ways when they take on Fulham in the Premier League on Sunday.

Dean Smith’s side have seen their form in the top flight stall somewhat, coinciding with Jack Grealish’s absence from the team – they’ve won just once in their past six games without the skipper and have scored only three goals in that time.

The England international is back for the game against the Cottagers, though, after Smith confirmed the 25-year-old’s return to full fitness in his pre-match press conference.

Grealish’s reintroduction could be among a couple of key changes the Villa boss makes, and with that in mind, below is a look at how the team might line up when Fulham come to town on Sunday afternoon.

In goal, Emiliano Martinez will be hoping to bounce back to his usual form after dropping a clanger in the defeat to Spurs when his kick gifted Spurs their first goal.

The back four should remain unchanged, with Villa boosted by the news in midweek that Ezri Konsa has penned an extension to his contract and will remain at the club for the foreseeable future.

John McGinn – off the back of a superb overhead kick on international duty with Scotland – should keep his place alongside Douglas Luiz, but Morgan Sanson is likely to drop out for the return of Grealish. It would certainly be a big call to throw him straight back into the team after so many weeks out, but Villa could desperately do with a lift given their slump in form.

[snack-amp-story url=”https://www.footballfancast.com/web-stories/latest-aston-villa-transfer-rumours-and-news-copy-copy” title=”Latest Aston Villa transfer rumours and news”]

The £47,000-a-week earning Trezeguet could also come out of the starting line-up, with Dutchman Anwar El Ghazi pushing for a recall, especially with the former badly struggling for end product this term – he has scored no goals in the Premier League all season.

That will leave Ollie Watkins to lead the line once again as he seeks to maintain his ever-present status in the league.

Predicted XI: Martinez; Cash, Konsa, Mings, Targett; Luiz, McGinn; Traore, Grealish, El Ghazi; Watkins.

Meanwhile, Villa should go after this Premier League star…