All posts by n8rngtd.top

According to the Daily Mirror, via West Ham News, the Hammers have been offered a chance to land Red Bull Salzburg striker Patson Daka this month – prompting many supporters to beg GSB for the ‘best forward signing since Tevez’.

Daka has been linked with many top Premier League clubs, including Spurs in the summer, but now the Mirror report that West Ham could sign him this month as a replacement for Sebastien Haller.

The 22-year-old has stood out as an electric prospect in Austria and big clubs in Europe have taken note, but GSB could have to fork out in and around £25 million for his signature.

West Ham received around £20.25m for Haller following his confirmed move to Ajax, and it remains to be seen whether they do lodge a bid for Daka.

These supporters, however, appear desperate for his signing – find all of their best verdicts down below.

West Ham fans desperate for Daka signing

“Bringing this back since West Ham have been linked with Daka!

In a 3 with Bowen & Said feeding him, Rice & Soucek knocking things on or hitting long balls, this would be our best forward signing since Tevez”

Credit: @WhufcSloth

“@davidgold @jsullivanwhu @karren_brady @WestHam Please please please have a look at signing him”

Credit: @liamsouth007

“Him and Antonio together”

Credit: @whufc_rossjn3

“I’M ON MY KNEES”

Credit: @MuvSaid

“Omg I begggggg”

Credit: @joelitt78828048

“Pls do it”

Credit: @SznBenrahma

In other news: West Ham fans also flocked to this ‘best news’, find out more here.

“That’s where I’m trying to be – where Jack Grealish is at the moment. That’s the plan. I can already feel the love from the Villa fans, but I want to be in that bracket of being an icon for the club – a legend. That’s what I aspire to be.”

That was what Andre Green said back in January 2019 after he returned from a short-term loan spell at Portsmouth, vowing that he would be following in the footsteps of Villa’s talisman by really stepping up to the plate after gaining some experience elsewhere.

But fast forward almost two years later, and the 22-year-old now finds himself without a club, having been one of 14 players released by Villa over the summer.

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It’s quite telling that even whilst we’re in December, Green still hasn’t managed to find himself a new home, and it’s a far, far cry from the kind of potential and career that many had envisioned for him when he was first making his breakthrough.

In fact, back in April 2016, it was claimed that the likes of Arsenal, Tottenham, Manchester City and Liverpool were all keeping tabs on the then 17-year-old, and that they had sent their top scouts to watch his performances.

It was even suggested that he was rated by club staff as being an even better prospect than Grealish himself.

Hailed as an “exciting” talent by Lee Bowyer after Charlton had signed him on loan earlier this year, Villa must take some serious responsibility over how things have turned out for the winger.

In total, he made just 48 first-team appearances for the Premier League side before his release, and there’s a real argument that those involved in picking the clubs he was sent out on loan to, really failed him.

He could have been left at Portsmouth following his impressive start there (he scored five times in ten games), and then barely played at all for Preston North End last season, before eventually being sent to Charlton for the second half of the campaign.

It was just a case of complete mismanagement, and it’s criminal that one of their most promising talents wasn’t given the best tools to really prove his worth at the club.

Meanwhile, Aston Villa must reignite their interest in this Championship star.

Fulham were forced to settle for a point against Southampton on Boxing Day, with the game finishing as a 0-0 draw, but the Cottagers will surely see it as a missed opportunity to pick up all three points.

Whilst the visitors had two goals disallowed for offside in the second half, Scott Parker’s side created plenty of chances of their own but were unable to find a way past a resolute Saints defence.

One man who particularly disappointed with his performance was Portuguese winger Ivan Cavaleiro.

The 27-year-old was deployed as a striker for the game against Ralph Hasenhuttl’s side but was unable to trouble Alex McCarthy in the Southampton goal, and was also very wasteful in possession.

As per SofaScore, the former Wolves man picked up a disappointing 6.3 rating for his display, with only Bobby DeCordova Reid and Ruben Loftus-Cheek earning lower of the Fulham players who started the game.

During the game, Cavaleiro was successful in just two of his six dribble attempts, whilst he also missed a great opportunity to give Fulham the lead in the second half but headed over from Antonee Robinson’s excellent cross.

He was also able to complete just 13/21 of his attempted passes, resulting in a disappointing pass accuracy rate of 62%.

The winger, who earns £60k per week at Fulham, was wasteful when he received the ball in promising positions, as none of his six attempted crosses would find a Fulham shirt, whilst he also lost possession a remarkable 28 times during the 90 minutes.

It was clear that the Southampton defenders got the better of the 27-year-old during the game at Craven Cottage, as he was able to win just 10 of his 28 duels during the game.

With the Cottagers facing a tough run of games over the next month, with games against Tottenham Hotspur, Burnley, Chelsea and Manchester United to come, Parker will no doubt be disappointed that Cavaleiro, amongst others, failed to earn Fulham the win against Southampton on Boxing Day.

And, in other news… Fulham must avoid signing trouble-maker who’s flopped in the PL before in January

Speaking to football.london ahead of the highly anticipated north London derby tomorrow, reliable Spurs correspondent Alasdair Gold has revealed a ‘concern’ surrounding Pierre-Emile Hojbjerg as they gear up to take on arch rivals Arsenal. 

Hojbjerg, who has arguably been Spurs’ best summer signing so far this season, starting every Premier League game under Mourinho, could be a cause for concern ahead of Arsenal due to this flurry of appearances.

Hojbjerg concern for Mourinho

Gold, speaking to fellow football.london correspondent Chris Wheatley, has explained a slight worry surrounding Hojbjerg as he played the full 90 minutes against LASK on Thursday night.

The Dane has featured very regularly this season in all competitions amid a serious injury crisis hitting the English top flight, with the summer lockdown and lack of a proper pre-season now appearing to take its toll on player fitness.

Despite this, Mourinho played Hojbjerg for the whole game against LASK despite Arsenal being firmly on the horizon – with Gold now explaining this could become the boss’ one concern.

Transfer Tavern take

Indeed, given the amount of match action this season, Hojbjerg could potentially be in danger of becoming overworked as Gold hints that he could be a slight ‘concern’ after he played 90 minutes in the Europa League.

Even though the summer signing did feature, the odds are heavily in favour of him starting against Arsenal as Spurs look to clinch derby day glory and cement their place at the top of the table. 

Currently the Lilywhites are locked in a battle with Chelsea and Liverpool for the summit and Saturday’s results could dictate who will take a slender advantage heading into a busy December period.

In other news: Tottenham look set to lose this ace in January, find out more here. 

Former Manchester City and England defender Danny Mills has suggested that the Magpies could suffer without the presence of goalkeeper Martin Dubravka after details emerged over his injury setback.

It had been reported that Dubravka is facing an extended injury lay-off with his return to action from a heel injury pushed back until at least December, due to the issue not healing correctly after surgery, per The Times.

In Dubravka’s absence, it has been Karl Darlow who has stepped up into the number one position. The former Nottingham Forest keeper has finally been given the chance to impress after spending the last two seasons out of the side, which he is so far taking after pulling off a number of impressive saves.

Darlow has made the most amount of saves in the Premier League so far this term with 28. Against Manchester United, the keeper was forced into action on eight occasions including the save he made to deny Bruno Fernandes’ penalty. That brought his average saves per game so far this term to 5.6 (via Sofascore), which also shows just how many quality chances the Magpies are allowing.

Speaking to Football Insider, Mills suggested that not having Dubravka available will be a major blow for the Magpies over the next few months, clearly believing Darlow’s superb form cannot last.

He said: “He is a big loss for Newcastle. He was magnificent last season. Absolutely superb.

“Over the course of the last 10 years we have seen the rise of the goalkeeper. It is such an important role.

“He has made some vital saves and has been crucial to that team. Dubravka’s a fantastic shot-stopper. He has been probably their best player.

“A good goalkeeper gives the defence confidence and belief and allows them to play with freedom and confidence. That flows all of the way through a team. It is so important to have a good goalkeeper.”

Dubravka absence a major blow if Darlow form dips

Last season it was Dubravka who made the most amount of saves in the Premier League with 140, averaging an impressive 3.7 saves per game (via Sofascore).

Although Darlow has started well this season, there is a concern that he might not be able to sustain such outstanding performances over a whole campaign. The keeper does not have much top-flight experience and therefore he may suffer lapses in form. That would leave the Magpies in big trouble if they continue to allow as many shots on goal as they are doing.

Newcastle fans, you can read more about Dubravka’s injury here and don’t forget to comment your thoughts down below!

Conor Coady had a dream game against Wales on Thursday evening after his 53rd minute strike opened up his international portfolio.

The Liverpool-born defender doubled England’s lead over their British rivals after Dominic Calvert-Lewin broke the deadlock with a diving header. Gary Lineker has praised the “admired” 27-year-old in a recent tweet, after Coady and his teammates emphatically celebrated his first goal for his country.

Wolves must tie Coady down

Since joining the club in 2015, the centre-back has risen into the spotlight as he continues to drive Wolves forward. Nuno Espirito Santo will be delighted with their recent run of form, if not disappointed to just miss out on a top six finish last season. Coady played every minute of Premier League football last term, proving to be untouchable in the heart of the club’s defence.

He helped pull off some incredible results, including a 2-0 win over then reigning champions Manchester City. Adama Traore was on song with a brace, but Coady equally grafted hard to ensure their blistering attack was kept at bay. Sergio Aguero, who finished the 2018/19 season on 21 goals, behind the triple Golden Boot winners from that season by just one (via Premier League), couldn’t get a sniff.

According to SofaScore, Aguero failed to register a single shot on target and made just nine accurate passes in 90 minutes. On the other end, Coady provided an impressive nine clearances, one tackle and completed 100% of his attempted duels.

Now he’s made a splash with his England goal, other clubs could have had their heads turned in his direction. The Fosun Group simply cannot allow their captain to be tempted by another team and must do what they can to keep him at Molineux.

In other news, Wolves make plans for the future with new Niall Ennis contract…

West Bromwich Albion are closing in on yet another signing and it is one that Luke Dowling has worked his magic over…

What’s the word?

According to the Express & Star, the Baggies have been negotiating over a deal to sign Huddersfield Town striker Karlan Grant as Slaven Bilic appears to finally be poised to land his man.

It’s claimed Albion would only have to pay a £5m loan fee upfront with a remaining £13m to come next summer should the Baggies keep their place in the Premier League.

Money is tight at the Hawthorns with the likes of Branislav Ivanovic coming in for free and Filip Krovinovic returning on loan.

Dowling masterclass

This is simply quite incredible business by the West Brom chief as he’s landed Bilic a new striker for a fraction of the price expected.

The 23-year-old is yet to feature this season amid uncertainty over his future but last season, he was one of the Terriers’ few bright sparks – per WhoScored, Grant bagged 19 goals and provided four assists in 43 appearances, also averaging 2.6 shots, 1.2 key passes and 1.1 dribbles each game.

It very much makes him seem like the perfect solo striker in Bilic’s system, someone who can bring others into play aside from finding the net himself regularly.

His former Charlton boss Lee Bowyer reinforces such a claim, suggesting Grant “causes problems and scores goals,” which is backed up by current teammate Tommy Elphick who believes “he’s got the world at his feet” and has “got everything.”

For an initial £5m, this move has all the hallmarks of being an absolute bargain – even more so if he keeps them up, the club will be quick to pay the rest of the fee next summer that’s for sure.

Callum Robinson can’t be the man to lead the line, especially if the likes of Charlie Austin and Kenneth Zohore aren’t in the Croatian’s plans.

Say bye to the former Saints man, it’s Grant season at the Hawthorns.

AND in other news, West Brom plotting shock move for former Premier League monster…

Newcastle United ace DeAndre Yedlin looks set to leave the Tyneside club on a free transfer before the summer window shuts, according to Roger Gonzalez.

As per a tweet from the CBS Sports journalist, multiple clubs from the MLS have continued to enquire about his availability, but whether Steve Bruce’s team decide to sell him is another question for now.

Indeed, Yedlin has racked up a fair number of games at St. James’ Park, playing a total of 116 times in the last five consecutive terms, managing to score three goals and make a further 10 assists (via Transfermarkt).

The £5.85 million-valued ace has also earned a quite impressive 62 caps at international level for the United States since his full senior debut back on the 1st February 2014 under Jurgen Klinsmann, and he has also represented the USA three times at youth level for the Under-20’s (per the website).

Yedlin certainly has pedigree, but with the likes of Javier Manquillo and Emil Krafth also available at the right-back position in the North East, perhaps his time with the Magpies would be limited in the 2020/21 season, and so maybe it is time to move him on.

However, the Toon will surely not want to lose the 27-year old on a free transfer as he should still hold some considerable value in the market, and so perhaps they could negotiate with some of the sides reportedly interested from the MLS to try and get a good fee for him.

Nonetheless, Yedlin is a player that NUFC should perhaps try and move on as soon as possible.

Geordies, would you let Yedlin go for free? Comment below!

According to The Sun’s Alan Nixon, Tottenham Hotspur are close to finalising a fee for Wigan Athletic wonderkid Alfie Devine. 

Recent reports suggested Tottenham had secured their first signing of the summer, although it seems they are still some way off.

Now, Nixon claims the move “should happen” and should cost Spurs £300,000 up front.

According to The Athletic’s David Ornstein, the midfielder travelled to north London to complete a medical and agree terms last weekend.

Devine, 15, has been tipped to become a Premier League star and one to watch for the future.

He was released by Liverpool at the age of 11 and the Premier League champions may live to regret their decision as he has been described as a “top class” prospect by Reds legend Jamie Carragher.

Spurs scouts have been monitoring the teenager ever since he featured in Wigan’s FA Youth Cup run this season. He has also played for Wigan’s under-23 side and has been capped by England for the under-16 development squad.

Devine will team up with Tottenham’s under-23s at Hotspur Way.

Wigan have entered administration which has left them desperately short of cash. One way of solving this is to sell key players to raise some much-needed funds, and they have resigned themselves to losing several members of the first team and youth players as a result.

The Lilywhites could also look to plunder the Latics for Joe Gelhardt and Jensen Weir, while Devine seems to be on his way out of the DW Stadium, amid interest from Leeds United, Celtic, Rangers, Brighton, West Ham and Chelsea.

Jose Mourinho is acutely aware he will not be able to spend “rivers of money” in the summer and he will have to resort to sorting out swap deals, signing free agents and hunting for bargains. He may choose to take advantage of the situation and make further additions to his squad.

Devine will be hoping to make an immediate impression in the academy to catch Mourinho’s attention. The Portuguese has show he is willing to give the youth plenty of chances to prove themselves, as Japhet Tanganga and Oliver Skipp have benefited from his policy this season, and the teen will be looking to follow their lead.

Tottenham fans, do you think Daniel Levy has made the right decision to sign Devine? Let us know down below!

Tottenham have already made a big signing in this transfer window, as they managed to acquire Pierre-Emile Hojbjerg from Southampton this week.

It is a sign of intent that Jose Mourinho will get backing from the board to build the squad that he wants in his first full season. We have also seen a departure from the club as promising striker Troy Parrott has gone on loan to Millwall. This means that Harry Kane is the only real centre-forward at the club.

Clearly this has been noticed by Spurs legend Jermain Defoe, who scored 143 goals in 361 appearances for the North London side, per Transfermarkt, as he has been asking a former teammate of his when he will join the club.

Defoe posted on

/CDyRFYopnPx/”>Instagram an image of when he scored two goals for England against Holland eleven years ago. However it is the comment section that will have Spurs fans intrigued as Bournemouth striker Callum Wilson commented on the post, raving over the goal, to which Defoe asked the question, ‘u going spurs or what bro’.

The club have been linked to the England international in the past, and he definitely would add some-much needed firepower as cover or to support Kane as the £18 million-valued ace has managed 41 goals in 142 Premier League games, which is very decent for a striker performing in a side of AFC Bournemouth’s level.

Spurs fans, would you like Wilson? Comment below!