All posts by z3u9t.icu

West Ham United have entered talks with Fulham over a move for central midfielder Joao Palhinha, and they are hoping to prise him away for a fee of around £40m, according to a report from talkSPORT.

What's the latest West Ham transfer news?

West Ham are moving swiftly to ensure they secure a suitable replacement for Declan Rice, with it being reported they have already tabled an offer of €35m (£30m) for Fiorentina's Sofyan Amrabat, although the Moroccan is keen to stay in Italy.

David Moyes is "pushing' to sign Juventus midfielder Denis Zakaria, and there has now been a bid of €13m (£11.1m) submitted for the 26-year-old, with talks progressing between the two clubs, while Manchester United's Scott McTominay also remains an option.

A bid of around £20m is expected for Southampton's James Ward-Prowse, despite the Saints' desire to hold out for £40m, with the Hammers set to intensify their efforts to sign the England international over the next few days.

Earlier this month, club insider ExWHUemployee detailed that Palhinha is one of Moyes' priority targets for the summer window, and there has now been an update on West Ham's pursuit of the Fulham ace.

According to talkSPORT, the Hammers have now entered talks with the Cottagers over a move for the midfielder, with the hope of concluding a deal for a fee in the region of around £40m – although Jacob Steinberg of The Guardian says Fulham have now rejected a bid of that amount.

It has previously been reported that Fulham could look to hold out for as much as £90m, given that they have no pressing need to sell the Portugal international, as he remains contracted at Craven Cottage until the summer of 2027.

It remains to be seen whether the Irons are able to negotiate a lower fee, but it is clear they hold an active interest in the 28-year-old, and it will be interesting to see how talks develop in the coming days.

How good is Joao Palhinha?

The former Sporting CP man could have a number of offers on the table this summer, with several big Premier League clubs making their interest well-known, including Liverpool, with Sky Sports reporter Melissa Reddy recently naming him as a target for the Reds.

Tottenham have also been named as potential suitors for the central midfielder, so West Ham may have to fend off fierce competition from elsewhere if they are to win the race for his signature this summer.

Sporting CP boss Ruben Amorim has claimed the Portuguese maestro is "very good without the ball and with the ball", while also lauding him as a "special player", and his performances in the Premier League last season were second to none in some areas.

Palhinha made 47 more tackles than any other player in the top flight in the 2022-23 campaign, while he also averaged 1.3 interceptions per game, the fourth-highest figure in his squad.

As such, the Fulham star could be a fantastic replacement for Rice, considering the England international also flourishes defensively, and he could be a real bargain if Irons chiefs can keep the price close to £40m in negotiations.

Glasgow Rangers have made seven summer signings under Michael Beale, however, the summer overhaul could now see a few players departing the Ibrox side during the transfer window and Glen Kamara appears to be attracting interest.

Will Glen Kamara be a Rangers' player next season?

Transfer insider Dean Jones told GIVEMESPORT that “it does look like he will finally leave” amid the growing interest in Kamara from teams such as Southampton, Sheffield United, Stade Rennais and OGC Nice.

With the Gers reportedly slapping a £5m price tag on him ahead of any potential departure, according to Christopher Jack of The Herald, Beale stands to make millions on the midfielder who arrived at the Light Blues for a fee of just £50k back in January 2019, turning an impressive profit on the player.

According to Turkish outlet Sozcu, Besiktas are in the chase for the 27-year-old midfielder and the report claims that Kamara has asked to travel to Istanbul in order to thrash out a deal with the club.

Judging by the sheer volume of clubs who are interested in him, it certainly appears that he will finally depart the Gers after four and a half seasons at Ibrox.

What happened to Glen Kamara at Rangers?

The former Arsenal youngster was seen as one of Steven Gerrard’s finest signings when he arrived for the aforementioned £50k four and a half years ago from Dundee, adding some steel into the midfield at a bargain price.

After 18 months of bedding into the side, he became a key member of the team that went on to secure the 2020/21 Premiership title in record-breaking fashion, going the entire season unbeaten and conceding just 13 goals in 38 matches.

Although Kamara was impressive domestically, he took his game to the next level when appearing in Europe, and during the 2021/22 campaign, he was excellent in the stunning run to the Europa League final, ranking in the top ten across the squad for accurate passes per game, interceptions per game and key passes per game.

His form was already slipping domestically towards the end of that season, however, with Rangers Review journalist Joshua Barrie having dubbed him as “terrible” and he struggled again during 2022/23.

He made just 11 Premiership starts all season, falling out of favour with Giovanni van Bronckhorst and then the returning Beale, whilst his Champions League performances were a major disappointment given how solid he had been on the road to Seville.

Kamara was the worst player in the squad in Europe’s premier club competition with regard to overall Sofascore rating (5.9) and also ranked 15th for accurate passes per game, seventh for interceptions per game and key passes per game, clearly proving he was out of his depth at this level.

The £21k-per-week liability must now make the move away from Ibrox in order to get a fresh start to his career elsewhere. The talent is certainly there, displaying it across his first three years at the club, however, he doesn’t quite fit Beale’s tactical system.

Generating £5m for the midfielder would allow Beale to pursue other targets and significantly boost his squad for the challenges ahead next term.

The future of Chelsea defender Levi Colwill will become clearer by the "end of next week" following conversations with manager Mauricio Pochettino, according to Sky Sports' Paul Gilmour.

Is Colwill still a Chelsea player?

Despite spending last season on loan at Brighton & Hove Albion, making 22 appearances in all competitions, Colwill potentially still has a big future at Chelsea.

With a contract running until 2025 at Stamford Bridge, the Blues are in no hurry to sell the 20-year-old phenom, nor do they want to in the slightest.

Brighton have already seen a £30m bid rejected by Chelsea, who have frequently reiterated that they have no desire to lose yet another high-potential academy talent.

After a thoroughly impressive U21 European Championship with England in which he helped the Three Lions to the trophy without conceding a single goal in six matches, Colwill's price tag has understandably had a few million added to it as Chelsea fend off interest.

Speaking after England's final victory over Spain, which enjoyed a chaotic end that Colwill was at the heart of, he said (via Liverpool Echo):

"I’ll speak to my family, speak to everyone I need to and make a decision. I’ve got to play at the end of the day to hopefully get there [England senior team] and go to the next camp."

Pochettino has already scheduled talks with the youngster to convince him to stay at Stamford Bridge but potential suitors will be eagerly awaiting any fallout from possible discussions over playing time.

Gilmour told Sky Sports: "His future is still uncertain but it should become clear by the end of next week. We know Brighton where he spent last season on loan are still firmly interested in him. They had a £30m bid rejected earlier this summer by Chelsea who see the England U21 defender as part of their long-term plans.

"Mauricio Pochettino could be key in all of this. He is expecting Colwill to be on tour when Chelsea depart for America next week and he expects to hold talks with him. Colwill also keen to hold talks and both parties keen to get an understanding of, certainly from a Colwill perspective, where fits into the team this season.

He added: "From a Pochettino perspective, I guess it is a selling of the project and what's ahead and convincing him that he is firmly part of these plans. So, those talks expected to happen next week when Colwill returns."

As Colwill has said himself he is desperate to play regular football next season, something that may not always be possible at Chelsea as he has to fend off competition from Benoit Badiashile, Wesley Fofana, Trevoh Chalobah and Thiago Silva.

A move to Brighton or Liverpool, the latter showing interest, in Colwill in recent days, may result in more regular minutes with both clubs having extra European football next term.

A team with Chelsea's unwillingness to sell may make it a hard deal to pull off even for the expert recruitment teams of Brighton and Liverpool.

How good is Colwill?

One of Colwill's great strengths is his versatility. A left-footed centre-back who is very comfortable in possession and stepping into midfield, he can also be shifted to left-back as well as playing in a standard back two.

Despite only playing 17 times in the Premier League last term, Colwill made a phenomenal impact for the Seagulls.

He ranked in the top nine percent of league centre-backs per 90 last season for passes completed (75.76), progressive passing distance (551.43 yards), key passes (0.52), passes into the final third (5.75) and pass completion for long passes (70.8%). All of this highlights his wonderful technically ability and forward-thinking attitude, making him a perfect modern centre-back.

Nicknamed the 'new John Terry' and appearing in GOAL's top 50 NXGN wonderkids in 2022, Colwill has continually shone throughout his development at Chelsea and on loan.

The crowning achievement of his short career so far was lifting the U21 Euros with England, performing wonderfully in the final itself, and he earned himself a 7.4 average Sofascore rating throughout the tournament.

Arsenal forward Folarin Balogun has issued Mikel Arteta "an ultimatum" regarding his future at the club, claims journalist Paul Brown.

Arsenal transfer news – what's going on with Folarin Balogun?

After an unbelievable season with Ligue 1 side Stade Reims last year, Arsenal have a decision to make regarding the future of the exciting American prospect.

The New York-born player has made it clear to the wider footballing world that after getting a taste for regular first-team football in France, he doesn't want to go back to being a backup option, nor does he want to spend another year on loan – he either wants the number nine spot in North London, or he wants to leave, permanently.

While there was an assumption that this was how he felt after his comments about feeling "appreciated" upon switching his national allegiance to the US, it was made crystal clear after he spoke to reporters following a USMNT game.

"What I can say is that I definitely won't go out on loan again."

With Arteta favouring Gabriel Jesus as the team's main number nine, a sale of the player is now probably the most likely outcome, and with the price tag reported to be only £35m by football.london, there are plenty of suitors.

According to FootballTransfers, West Ham United have made the signing of the American star a 'priority' this summer as they look to solve their goal-scoring problems.

Outside the Premier League, Leipzig are said to be keen on the player, as are Champions League runners-up Inter Milan and cross-city rivals AC Milan.

Adding to all the drama, Balogun recently Tweeted “It is time!” alongside an egg timer emoji before then deleting the post from social media.

What has journalist Paul Brown said about Folarin Balogun's situation?

Brown made it clear that a decision must be made regarding Balogun this summer and that decision has almost been forced upon the club by the player himself as he is desperate to be the main man somewhere.

Speaking to Football FanCast, he said: "He did kind of issue them with a bit of an ultimatum by saying that he does not want to go out on loan again next season. So, it was kind of a play me or sell me really statement from Balogun, as he has thrown the gauntlet down to Arteta, and it'll be interesting to see what he does."

How good was Folarin Balogun last season?

All of this attention and speculation has come about as a result of a fantastic season for the American last year.

In just 37 Ligue 1 appearances for Reims, Balogun scored a seriously impressive 21 goals and assisted another three, giving him a goal contribution on average every one-and-a-half games.

According to WhoScored, he averaged a rating of 6.90 across those 37 matches, making it perhaps unsurprising that Arteta referred to him as "special" earlier this year.

The underlying numbers back up the Spaniard's assessment as well.

According to FBref, who compare players in a similar position across Europe's top five leagues, he sits in the top 7% for non-penalty expected goals, 9% for total shots, and 19% for touches in the opposition's penalty area.

It certainly looks like the US national team have a world-class talent on their hands, and whichever team takes him off of Arsenal's hands could have a bright future spearheaded by the American.

Before the time of social media, players and pundits didn’t get as many chances to go back and forth. A pundit would express their opinion and a player would have to hit back either through an interview or an awkward in-person interaction.Nowadays, however, pundits have to be careful just who they take aim at because it could result in a back and forth on Twitter late in the evening on a random Tuesday night. At least, this was the case recently for Chris Sutton and Todd Cantwell.

How did Todd Cantwell perform at Rangers last season?

Joining Rangers in January, Cantwell didn’t quite set the world alight last season, scoring just twice in 11 appearances as Rangers lost out on the Scottish Premiership title.

One positive to note, however, is the fact that the midfielder made four assists in those 11 appearances from midfield, which is something to take into the next campaign.

Cantwell will also be looking to get one over on their Old Firm rivals. Last season, with the Gers, he lost to Celtic in the Scottish League Cup, the Scottish FA Cup, as well as in the league with the title on the line – this is not a record that Cantwell will be keen to keep hold of.

Ahead of next season, the former Norwich City man will be hoping to hit top form at Ibrox with Rangers looking to regain their crown in Scotland’s top flight. He has at least bought himself time to settle in by putting Sutton in his place, that’s for sure.

What did Todd Cantwell say to Chris Sutton?

Cantwell’s outburst aimed towards Sutton isn’t a complete surprise, given the BBC pundit’s previous Tweets aimed the way of the midfielder, in which the former forward took a swing at the Rangers man.

Cantwell sure holds grudges, however, as he bided his time before finally taking aim at Sutton, replying to a Tweet about the best pundit in Scotland, saying: “I can you [it] isn’t Chris Sutton.”

Replying to the Tweet, Sutton said: “Here is some balanced factual punditry from last season TikTok you may not enjoy…you joined Rangers on a free from the Championship and lost every meaningful game against Celtic and won nothing.”

Cantwell ended the spat with: “Twitter troll has his notifications on then.”

You can see the entire interaction below:

Manchester United look set to make an improved £50m transfer offer for Chelsea midfielder Mason Mount this week, according to reports.

What’s the latest Man United transfer news involving Mount?

It looks set to be a busy summer off the pitch at Old Trafford, with the Glazers still in charge despite an ongoing takeover saga.

The Red Devils have seemingly made Mount one of their top transfer targets this summer and have already agreed on personal terms with the England international.

Mount is entering the final 12 months of his Stamford Bridge contract, however, a fee between the two clubs appears to be proving tricky. Man United had an initial £40m bid turned down by their Premier League rivals recently, but it looks as if they are set to return quickly with an improved offer for the player who Chelsea value at £70m.

According to The Daily Mail in the last 48 hours, Man United are expected to make a £50m offer for Mount this week.

Those at Old Trafford are determined to sign the midfielder for Erik ten Hag and are the front runners, should they reach an agreement with the Blues.

How much money does Mason Mount earn at Chelsea?

Mount, hailed as "unbelievable" by Joe Cole, has progressed through the academy at Stamford Bridge, and as a result, his salary has increased over time. The 24-year-old was on £100-a-week back in 2015 and has been on £76,000-a-week since 2019 after breaking through into the first team.

It looks as if United are desperate to sign Mount, and if they succeed, he would offer a versatile option to Ten Hag’s side. He is capable of playing as an attacking midfielder, central midfielder or out on the left, with the majority of his appearances turning out in an advanced role.

He has contributed to 70 goals in 195 games for Chelsea and has 36 senior caps for England, so could come in and potentially play alongside Bruno Fernandes and Casemiro in a three-man midfield, possibly even replacing the former in an attacking role, should the Portugal international be rested at points throughout the campaign.

It’ll be interesting to see if United get their man, and by the looks of it, there will be further developments over the coming days.

West Ham United are set to make their first offer for Fulham's Joao Palhinha, according to reports…

West Ham transfer news – What's the latest on Joao Palhinha?

As per transfer expert Fabrizio Romano, the Hammers are set to make their initial approach to Fulham for the services of their midfielder Palhinha.

"West Ham are preparing their first approach for João Palhinha. Not an easy deal with Fulham but he's top of the list for West Ham to replace Declan Rice," the Italian journalist tweeted.

The recent confirmation from Irons chairman David Sullivan that club captain and midfield powerhouse Declan Rice would be leaving the club made the signing of new midfielders crucial this summer.

However, the east London outfit aren't the only side interested in the Fulham man.

According to Football Insider, Aston Villa are keen to bring the player to the Midlands and are 'willing to pay' the reported £60m asking price to get the deal done.

Would Joao Palhinha be a good signing for West Ham?

The short answer to this question is simple, yes.

However, whilst he would certainly replace the defensive output of Rice and then some, he won't replace the attacking threat the Englishman produced.

For example, according to FBref, Rice has created 2.75 shot-creating actions per 90 this season, whereas Palhinha has only created 0.87. The same trend can be seen with take-ons, where the West Ham man attempts 1.73 take-ons per 90 and the Fulham star just 1.13.

The Hammers need to be realistic and look to sign a couple of players that, as a collective, can help the team move on from the departure of Rice.

With all that said, the former Sporting CP man has been fantastic in his debut campaign this year and would certainly go a long way in helping stabilise a new-look Claret and Blue midfield.

His biggest attribute this year has undoubtedly been his tackling numbers, tackling a whopping 147 players, the highest number across Europe's top five leagues by 19, per FBref.

Even more impressive is that these aren't just wild lunges at the opponent, as according to FBref, he is in the top 1% of players for tackles won in the top five leagues, per 90.

His constant involvement in the defensive side of the game hasn't gone unnoticed by his teammates either, with his midfield partner Harrison Reed referring to him as a "tackling machine."

Former players and pundits have been singing their praises for the player as well this season, with former Fulham man Steve Sidwell saying: "He has been absolutely sensational this season."

One of the top-flight's greatest centre-halves, Rio Ferdinand, has also been enthralled by the player, saying: "You need someone like that in front of you as a defender."

He isn't just a bruising machine at the centre of midfield, either. He has the ability to score the occasional wonder goal as well, with journalist Josh Bunting describing him as an "artist" for a particularly stunning finish during his time in Portugal.

It is also worth adding that despite the hefty fee that will inevitably be required to get this deal done, Palhinha's relatively modest wage of £50k-per-week in west London shouldn't be too much of an issue for the Hammers to improve upon.

West Ham would be making a very smart decision if they go and get Fulham's Portuguese star as David Moyes' perfect Rice replacement, but they better get a move on, as he won't be at the Cottage for long.

David de Gea is has been left off Manchester United's retained list but the club have stated that "discussions remain open" over a new contract.

When does David De Gea's contract expire?

The Spanish goalkeeper currently earns £375k-per-week but that deal expires at the end of the month on June 30.

With that being the case, negotiations have been going on for some time but it appears he will have to take a notable pay cut to remain at Old Trafford.

Indeed, Man United have already seen an extension offer worth £200k-per-week reportedly turned by De Gea who presumably wasn't happy with the terms.

However, with no agreement reached yet, at this moment in time it seems that he could well be leaving in just a matter of weeks now.

After all, the club released their official retained list this week and the goalkeeper was not included. Despite that, though, he wasn't among those – such as Phil Jones and Axel Tuanzebe – to be confirmed as a departure either.

Instead, the statement explained: "In terms of the goalkeeping department, discussions remain open with David De Gea over a potential new contract."

Will De Gea leave Man United?

Some of the club's departures have been known for some time. For instance, after 12 years at Old Trafford, Phil Jones penned an emotional goodbye message on Instagram at the start of June.

De Gea's situation, however, has been unclear for months and even after plenty of discussions behind the scenes, no final decision appears to have been made just yet.

The player wouldn’t have helped his hopes for a big new contract with some iffy displays last term – notably conceding a howler away at West Ham. Even so, he's still be a regular under Erik ten Hag, playing 38 league games and keeping 17 clean sheets.

And so, it's not hard to understand why the Red Devils don't want to offer him the same sort of wages he currently earns.

Indeed, if De Gea wants to earn that sort of cash, it looks as though he'll have to leave England this summer. According to 90min, interest from Saudi Arabia's Pro League could allow him to manage that.

Still, Fabrizio Romano told GIVEMESPORT just last month that the idea for Man United and the player is to "continue together" and negotiations are "very, very advanced.

He explained: "They wanted to reduce his salary but, at the same time, to have a different structure with the contract – maybe a longer contract with a different structure of the salary – so this is the discussion, but it's now very, very advanced.

"De Gea wants to stay and Manchester United want to keep De Gea, so the idea is to continue together. I think Erik ten Hag has been very, very clear on that. It's about the final clauses and then it will be completed soon."

With that being the case, even if they've missed this deadline, it does sound as though it could all be sorted just in time before his contract officially expires.

Glasgow Rangers require some much-needed attacking reinforcements during the summer transfer window as they aim to fill the void left by Ryan Kent and Alfredo Morelos.

It won't be easy to replace them, however, Michael Beale is eyeing up a few players in the market who could arrive at Ibrox and make an impression. One such player was winger Luis Palma, who the club were interested in recently, yet reports this week have claimed that the deal is now off as Rangers aren’t willing to pay the £4.5m for the 23-year-old, and it appears as though Beale will now have to move on swiftly.

The 42-year-old may have already found an ideal alternative, with American. Brian Gutierrez being eyed up for a potential move according to the Daily Mail.

The Gers face competition for the teen however as Manchester United are also keeping tabs on him, yet securing a work permit may prove to be a stickler for any potential move this summer.

Could Brian Gutierrez improve Rangers?

The left-winger has enjoyed a wonderful start to his professional career at MLS side Chicago Fire, already racking up 75 senior appearances, registering 13 goal contributions across those games.

His creative talents have certainly been on show during the 2023 MLS campaign as the youngster has created four big chances, made one key pass per game and has succeeded with 1.5 dribbles per match – a success rate of 64% – showcasing all the attributes of a successful winger.

He even made more dribbles than Palma did during the entirety of the 2022/2023 season, while creating the same amount of big chances and failing slightly behind on key passes per game, with Palma managing 1.4, suggesting that the 19-year-old would be a fine alternative.

His coach at Chicago Fire, Frank Klopas, has lauded his player as someone who simply “has everything” before stating that he is “good with the ball, his work rate, key passes, ability to beat players, technical ability." And making a move for the winger should be a priority now that Palma is reportedly off the cards.

Gutierrez has plenty of experience for someone so young, and he could further develop his skills in Scotland, as he will be given plenty of game time under Beale if he did join the Light Blues.

With a void to fill on the left flank, the youngster has shown that he means business in the senior ranks and could be a gamble worth taking.

Blackburn Rovers are interested in signing Queens Park Rangers striker Lyndon Dykes, according to recent reports.

What's the latest Blackburn Rovers transfer news?

With the likes of Ben Brereton Diaz, Bradley Dack and Daniel Ayala all leaving Ewood Park in the coming weeks, it's set to be a busy summer for Rovers as they look to replace them.

After missing out on the playoffs by goal difference, Jon Dahl Tomasson's side has moved quickly, signing Plymouth Argyle striker Niall Ennis last month.

A lack of depth up front has been a cause for concern for the Lancashire outfit all year, with the departing Brereton Diaz (16) the only player to score in double figures for the side this season.

Rovers aren't finished there, though, and according to the Daily Mail, they are among a number of teams interested in QPR striker, Dykes.

The Lancashire Telegraph reports that the club will need to sell players to generate any finances for a transfer, though, with full-back Tayo Edun being linked with a move away from Ewood, with both Charlton Athletic and Cardiff City interested.

Will Lyndon Dykes join Blackburn Rovers?

With eight league goals this season in a struggling QPR side, the 27-year-old would add some firepower to a Rovers team that's been severely lacking it this year.

No Rovers player outside of Brereton Diaz scored more league goals than the Scottish international during the Championship's latest campaign and adding him will help alleviate any pressure on Sam Gallagher's goal-scoring output.

The 27-year-old talisman, once hailed "dangerous" by former Rangers boss Steven Gerrard shortly before his team faced Dykes and Livingston in 2020, excels as a big target man, winning 4.8 aerial duels a game according to WhoScored, almost two more than Rovers' current number nine, Sam Gallagher who wins three per game.

While Tomasson has prioritised a possession-based style of football, playing out from the back, his side has also shown a tendency to pick out a long ball whenever they identify space behind the opposition back line, firing 66 long passes a game, and having a forward like Dykes on the receiving end would see the £8k-a-week man almost certainly reap the rewards.

Rovers certainly aren't the only team interested in the Scottish international, though, with fellow championship outfit Stoke City and newly-promoted Burnley both also targeting Dykes, so the club have got their work cut out for them if they're going to lure the QPR man to Ewood Park.