All posts by z3u9t.icu

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.

Manchester United are ready to step up their efforts to sign Mason Mount and will offer Chelsea £55m to get a deal done, according to a report from the Daily Mail.

Who is signing Mason Mount this summer?

The Blues playmaker has struggled to hit the same heights and the same numbers that he managed during the last Premier League campaign, with both he and his club faltering in the top flight. Whilst Chelsea have dropped to 12th in the standings ahead of their clash at Old Trafford on Thursday, Mount's tallies have also dropped, with the player managing only three goals and two assists in 24 games.

It's a far cry from last time around, when the England international had a career-best campaign. With 11 goals and ten assists in 32 appearances, the midfielder managed a superb average of 0.80 goals or assists per 90 minutes. It helped dragged the Blues to third and put the 24-year-old on the radar as one of the brightest talents in the division.

Even though he has struggled to achieve the same feats this season, it hasn't put off any other teams. With the player's deal set to expire next summer, teams are now queuing up to add him to their ranks – as long as the Blues are prepared to cash in on Mount for a fee rather than risk losing him for nothing next summer and fail to agree a new deal with him.

One of the interested parties is Man United, with a report from the Daily Mail stating that the Red Devils are prepared to initiate talks over a potential transfer for the midfielder. In terms of a fee, it adds that Erik ten Hag's side would be willing to offer Chelsea £55m, and whilst that falls short of what the club are thought to be demanding – they want around £30m more than that total – it is believed United could up their offer as they are keen to try and bring the England international to Old Trafford.

Are Man United signing Mason Mount?

If the Red Devils do manage to pull off a deal for Mount – who was hailed as "unbelievable" by Joe Cole last season, it could vastly improve their midfield options – and add to their creativity up front.

Even in a side that has faltered this campaign, the midfielder remains a player capable of using his expert vision to pick out a pass. For example, his rate of 1.3 key passes per game ranks him as the best among his teammates who have featured in 15 games or more.

Meanwhile, his tally of three goals is still the joint-third best in that area, and although that isn't a great amount, it shows he is at least contributing as one of the better players in the side during what has been a tumultuous campaign.

If Mount did end up at Old Trafford, it could potentially allow him to get back to his previous figures if he is at a side that are flourishing. It could therefore be worth splashing out the cash required to sign the player.

Armando Broja has been heavily linked with a move to Everton this summer, but the Toffees will face competition after a new update has emerged on the player’s potential options ahead of the transfer window.

What’s the latest?

According to Daily Mail, West Ham United have now joined the race to sign the Southampton loanee and Chelsea forward this summer.

As per the report, Broja has interest from Newcastle, Everton, Napoli and Inter Milan with the Hammers joining them recently in hope that they can snap up the youngster ahead of next season.

Calvert-Lewin 2.0

Following reports of Dominic Calvert-Lewin’s potential departure from Goodison Park this summer, it could be the perfect opportunity to sign a new striker that has the potential to succeed the Toffees forward if they can get a deal done for Broja during the transfer window.

Newcastle United are speculated to be preparing a bid for the Everton goal machine, and Farhad Moshiri must do everything he can to ensure the club isn’t caught short next season, something he could plan for by signing the Chelsea youngster.

Everton should be in a good position to sign the striker as Frank Lampard previously worked with Broja and even gave him his Premier League debut when he was managing Chelsea, so the Toffees boss has clear knowledge of the player’s talents, strengths and capabilities making it easier for him to deploy him effectively in the team.

You can draw some comparisons from 6 foot 1 Calvert-Lewin in the 6 foot 2 youngster, as they both use their height to successfully win aerial battles and dictate play with their stature in the final third, something that Broja in particular has excelled in during his loan spell at Southampton.

The £25m monster who was hailed “powerful” by journalist Josh Bunting ranked third for aerial challenges won in the Premier League this season, and ranks fourth for aerial challenges committed, unsuccessful in just 53 out of 302 which is extremely impressive and proves he is completely fearless in winning the ball at any cost.

With that being said, Broja would be a like for like replacement with the potential to emulate Calvert-Lewin’s success at Everton should he leave this summer and Frank Lampard must use his influence and relationship with the player to get him signed up at Goodison Park ahead of next season.

AND in other news: Lampard could unearth Everton’s very own Modric by signing “special” £17m dynamo

Everton have recently been linked with a move for Crystal Palace midfielder Luka Milivojevic, with the Serbian reportedly set to leave the Eagles this summer.

What’s the word?

According to Spor Time journalist Gerasimos Manolidis, the 31-year-old won’t be returning to Olympiacos, where he featured before his move to south London in January 2017, and is likely to depart Selhurst Park before next season.

Manolidis suggests that both Everton and Fulham are taking an interest in the Palace captain, whose contract is set to expire at the end of the 2022/23 campaign, which suggests that the Eagles may look to cash in on him this summer.

Worse than Klaassen?

Milivojevic was once a key player in the Crystal Palace side and won plaudits for his ability from set pieces, while he managed an impressive 12 goals and two assists for the Eagles in their 2018/19 Premier League campaign.

However, his performances have dropped in recent years, as suggested by his declining WhoScored ratings, and the 2021/22 campaign saw him make just 15 top-flight appearances under Patrick Vieira, in which he failed to score or set up a goal and averaged a disappointing 6.44 rating from WhoScored.

With the Frenchman having overseen a youthful transformation at Selhurst Park this season, it seems unlikely that he will re-integrate Milivojevic into his starting 11 next term, and Everton could take advantage by bringing the midfielder to Goodison Park.

However, the Serbian’s displays last season and in 2020/21, when he averaged a 6.55 rating from WhoScored for his performances, suggest that he wouldn’t be an astute addition to Frank Lampard’s squad.

In fact, it could be argued that he would prove to be an even worse signing than Davy Klaassen, who struggled throughout his spell on Merseyside, having joined from Ajax in 2017 in a £23.6m deal.

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The Dutchman would go on to make just 16 first-team appearances for Everton, in which he contributed no goals and just one assist. However, he has since returned to Ajax and been a success, hitting nine goals for the Dutch giants on their way to the Eredivisie title this season.

The Toffees were able to recuperate around half of the fee that they paid for Klaassen, but given Milivojevic’s age, it seems as if he would have very little resale value if he does make the move to Merseyside.

Lampard already boasts more mobile midfield options such as Allan and Abdoulaye Doucoure, with the Serbian’s lack of speed a real concern, as was pointed out by journalist Jack Collins in 2020.

He said: “He’s good at dead balls, but I think that Palace fans have started to turn on Luka Milivojevic a little bit, because he’s actually really slow, slows the game down a lot, commits quite a lot of fouls and basically, is only in for his dead-ball ability at times.”

Although Milivojevic boasts Premier League experience, his declining WhoScored ratings suggest that he looks to be well past his best; and if he does join Everton this summer, then it would not be a surprise if his signing proved to be even more of a disaster than the 2017 misadventure with Klaassen.

In other news… Everton in prime position to sign £19.8m-rated titan, he won’t cost a penny

Aston Villa midfielder Douglas Luiz is wanted by AS Roma, according to a report from the Daily Mail. 

The lowdown: Kamara in

Having secured the capture of Marseille starlet Boubacar Kamara on a free transfer earlier this week, Villa manager Steven Gerrard has wasted little time in kickstarting the summer transfer business.

The 22-year-old will arrive at Villa Park ahead of the 2022/23 campaign, and his arrival means that the midfield department is now well stocked, with John McGinn, Jacob Ramsey and Marvelous Nakamba, Morgan Sanson, Carney Chukwuemeka, Tim Iroegbunam and Luiz already in situ.

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However, at least one of those aforementioned first-team options could be heading away from the Midlands and is already attracting attention from a former Premier League manager…

The latest: Roma want Luiz

According to the Daily Mail, Serie A outfit Roma are ‘expected to step up’ their efforts to sign Luiz in the coming weeks.

It’s claimed that their manager Jose Mourinho has already ‘expressed interest’ in the five-cap Brazil international, with the Giallorossi set to step up their efforts to land the 24-yeer-old following tonight’s UEFA Europa Conference League final, in which they face Feyenoord in Tirana.

The report added that Villa owners NSWE are ‘likely to consider offers’ for the player who Ian Wright described as ‘underrated’ amidst previous transfer interest from Arsenal in 2020.

The verdict: Time could be up…

Unfortunately, it seems as though the end could be nigh for the 24-year-old’s time at Villa, having spent three years at the club after joining from Manchester City.

Luiz scored twice and provided three assists in 34 Premier League outings this season, contributing 1.7 tackles, one interception and winning 4.4 duels per game, earning a 6.89 Sofascore rating in the process.

Despite that impressive form, the Brazilian is heading towards the final year of his contract with the club, and therefore he could feasibly be sold this summer in order for Villa to avoid losing a £31.5m-rated asset for nothing in 12 months’ time.

In other news: NSWE now eyeing another defender; Villa chiefs sent to club after Gerrard approves

Fabrizio Romano has dropped an update on the future of Tottenham Hotspur manager Antonio Conte.

What’s the talk?

In a recent post on Twitter, the Italian journalist revealed that, following Tottenham securing a top-four finish in the Premier League on the final day of the season, Antonio Conte is now set to meet with Daniel Levy and Fabio Paratici in order to discuss his future in north London in the coming days, with talks between the two parties expected to progress quickly.

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In his tweet, the transfer insider said: “One to mention: what incredible work by Antonio Conte. Tottenham are now back to Champions League thanks to their manager, masterpiece by Fabio Paratici to convince him 6 months ago. Antonio will meet with Spurs board in the coming days. Talks will progress soon.”

Supporters will love Romano’s update

Considering just how impressive Conte has been since his arrival at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium last November, Romano’s update revealing that Levy and Paratici are set to meet with the 52-year-old in the next few days in order to discuss his future at the club is sure to be news supporters will love.

Indeed, taking over a team who were languishing down in ninth place in the Premier League standings, the Italian turned Tottenham’s form on its head, with the club picking up 56 points from a possible 84 over their last 28 league fixtures – results which saw the Lilywhites secure fourth place and, subsequently, Champions League football in 2022/23.

Furthermore, Tottenham’s Conte-inspired January signings of Dejan Kulusevski and Rodrigo Bentancur both proved to be huge hits, with the former scoring five goals and registering eight assists over his 18 top-flight appearances, while the latter provided four assists and created six big chances over his 17 league fixtures – returns that saw the duo rank as Spurs’ fourth and third-best performers respectively this season.

As such, the prospect of the 52-year-old having a summer transfer window and full pre-season in order to mould his squad into one fit for his extremely high standards will undoubtedly be an incredibly exciting thought for everyone involved with the north London club.

AND in other news: Conte can finally axe “shocking” £32m dud as Spurs eye “extraordinary” £43k-p/w target

Aston Villa under-23s manager Mark Delaney will leave the club at the end of the season, according to Gregg Evans for The Athletic.

The Lowdown: Delaney’s CV as Villa under-23 boss

The 45-year-old has been in charge of the development side at Bodymoor Heath since 2015 and has helped a number of academy players break through to the first team.

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He has also had success with the under-23s, guiding the club to their first FA Youth Cup triumph since 2002 last season as they defeated Liverpool in the final at Villa Park, but it looks as if his association in the Midlands will come to an end over the next few months.

The Latest: Evans shares Delaney update

Evans, who is Villa’s correspondent for The Athletic, shared a story on Saturday revealing that the 45-year-old is to leave his current role in charge of the under-23s over the summer.

Delaney has already been informed of the planned change by NSWE, with Birmingham Live describing it as a ‘shock’ decision when reporting the news.

The Verdict: Interesting…

Villa have made a number of academy additions over the last 12 months, one of which has been Tim Iroegbunam, who is already considered a member of Steven Gerrard’s first-team squad after penning a new contract.

There’s no questioning the enormity of the young talent on the books at Bodymoor Heath, so it will be interesting to see who NSWE bring in as Delaney’s replacement over the coming months to potentially work closely with Gerrard.

The under-23s finished 10th in Premier League 2’s second tier, so perhaps Villa believe that a new coach will get more out of the starlets and take them up a division to face the likes of Manchester City, Arsenal and Liverpool on a regular basis.

In other news: Gerrard now keen on signing ‘fabulous’ £40,000-a-week talent at the top of his game

A big claim has been made on Newcastle United and their pursuit of Stade Reims striker Hugo Ekitike…

What’s the talk?

Transfer insider Pete O’Rourke has revealed that the Magpies are looking to snap the Frenchman up at the end of the season and are set to lead the race for his signature.

He has claimed that they are not the only team from the English top-flight eyeing him up, but they are the frontrunners after missing out on him in the previous window.

O’Rourke told GIVEMESPORT: “The Reims president has come out and confirmed that Ekitike is likely to leave this summer and a number of clubs in the Premier League are interested in the Frenchman.

“Newcastle were very close to signing him in the January transfer window and they still remain very keen on the teenager, so you would probably say that Newcastle are favourites for him right now.”

Howe would love him

PIF being the ‘favourites’ to sign the forward in the summer is a huge boost to the club because it suggests that they will be one step ahead of other teams attempting to sign him.

This will delight Eddie Howe because the ex-Cherries coach would love him on Tyneside, given his talent and potential as a player.

Back in January, journalist Graeme Bailey hailed the striker when discussing a possible move to St. James’ Park. He Tweeted: “Outstanding talent – huge signing for Newcastle if they get it done, many in France believe he could be the next Mbappe.”

These comments from the reporter illustrate how highly rated he is in Ligue 1. The comparisons to Mbappe are particularly exciting, given what he has achieved in the game in recent years. Since bursting onto the scene with Monaco, the current PSG star has scored 131 goals and assisted 38 in 180 French top-flight outings – winning the World Cup for his country along the way.

There is no guarantee that Ekitike will be able to follow in his footsteps and score at that rate but the comparison does suggest that people who have seen him play believe there is a chance of it happening.

This is an exciting prospect for Newcastle as it means that they would be signing a player with huge potential, which is why Howe would love him as he will surely enjoy helping him to develop into a top-class forward.

The 19-year-old’s nine goals in 14 Ligue 1 starts indicates that he has a strong base to build his career on and the Magpies coach can attempt to help him to reach the next level.

AND in other news, PIF now heading for first major NUFC disaster on £55k-p/w colossus who “eats weights”…

Transfer expert Fabrizio Romano has provided a big update regarding the future of Aston Villa youngster Carney Chukwuemeka. 

The lowdown: Rising star

The 18-year-old graduated from the Bodymoor Heath academy to make the step up to senior football and has already made great strides in Steven Gerrard’s first team.

Despite his tender years, Chukwuemeka has made 13 appearances for the Villans, having scored 13 times and provided another 13 assists in 55 matches among various youth levels for the Midlands club.

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However, out of contract in 2023 (Transfermarkt), attention has already turned to where the talented England under-19 international’s future may lie…

The latest: Romano provides Chukwuemeka update

Taking to Twitter, reputable Italian journalist Romano stated that the Austria-born starlet ‘could leave’ Villa Park in the near future.

He outlined: “Carney Chukwuemeka could leave Aston Villa in the summer. His recent lack of game time has put a host of European clubs on alert – with Germany a likely destination as he enters the final year of his contract. Bundesliga clubs are already exploring this possibility.”

Villa boss Gerrard recently stated that there have been no discussions regarding a new deal for Chukwuemeka after fellow academy prospect Jacob Ramsey signed a contract until 2027.

The verdict: Worrying times

Losing the club’s most prodigious talents is never a good look and as such, the Villa Park hierarchy will no doubt be desperate for the five-cap England under-19 starlet to commit himself to the cause beyond 2023.

So far this season, Chukwuemeka – who has been a target for Liverpool in the past – has provided one assist in nine Premier League outings whilst also continuing his development in the under-23 setup.

Described as ‘outstanding’ by former Holte End favourite Paul Merson, Villa chief executive Christian Purslow must do everything in his power to keep the teenage sensation in the Midlands and stave off potential suitors this summer.

In other news, BBC man urges Aston Villa to sign ‘magical’ star. Read more here.