All posts by z3u9t.icu

Leeds United boss Marcelo Bielsa may be making a real howler over Sam Greenwood this summer as news emerges from Thorp Arch about the club’s potential plans for him.

What’s the story?

The 19-year-old only joined the Whites’ youth system last summer, but he has been a revelation for the club’s U23s, helping them to the Premier League 2 Division 2 title.

However, it now appears that his immediate future could lay outside of Elland Road, with The Yorkshire Evening Post’s Graham Smyth revealing that he could be sent out on loan.

He said: “Leeds may also listen to loan offers for striker Sam Greenwood, signed from Arsenal last summer, who scored a dozen times in 18 Premier League 2 fixtures this season.

“The YEP understands there was Championship interest in the 19-year-old’s services during the campaign but head coach Marcelo Bielsa wanted him to develop at the club.”Deserves a first-team chance

In his first season with the club, Greenwood managed 12 goals in 18 games, playing in a number of different roles, including up front, behind the striker and further back as a central midfielder.

The Athletic’s Phil Hay has previously been very vocal in his praise of the youngster, saying: “He’s started really well at Leeds and he was very well thought of at Arsenal, and they weren’t rushing to get him out (of) the door this summer. From what we’ve seen of him so far, his movement and his finishing and everything else, he looks like a very natural striker.”

Meanwhile, Leeds Live’s Joe Donnohue said: “He may have hit the ground running at Thorp Arch, but he has only been here for a matter of months. His start may have been excellent, so imagine how much better he could be with consistent football.”

Rather than sending the highly-exciting prospect out on loan, could Greenwood be offered the chance to prove himself in the first-team during pre-season and seeing whether he can cope with Bielsa’s demands?

The teenager made the switch from Arsenal to Leeds after failing to break through at the Emirates, and a loan deal just seems like the kind of thing that would have happened had he stayed in north London.

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A better pathway to the first-team is surely one of the things that the Whites would have offered Greenwood when they initially signed him, and they can live up to that end of the bargain right now.

Given how Leeds fans are already on board with the 19-year-old, it surely wouldn’t have them happy seeing him just fade out of the spotlight by heading on loan.

Meanwhile, Bielsa is close to clinching his first permanent signing…

Sheffield Wednesday have been boosted by the news that key pair George Byers and Liam Palmer should be fit for the crucial clash with Fleetwood Town.

The Lowdown: Huge game for Owls

The Owls were beaten 1-0 away to Wycombe Wanderers on Saturday afternoon, in what was a damaging defeat in the League One promotion battle.

The loss leaves Darren Moore’s side in seventh place and outside the playoff places ahead of Tuesday evening’s massive trip to struggling Fleetwood.

Wednesday had to make do without both Byers and Palmer for the Wycombe game – they didn’t come off the substitutes’ bench – with the pair key players this season, having started a combined 54 league matches.

The Latest: Key duo return

Speaking to the media on Saturday [via Football League World], however, Moore confirmed that he expects the duo to return to the fold at Fleetwood, having rested them at Adams Park:

“It has been a big week. The likes of George and Liam Palmer have played twice this week and we decided to rotate. Now we get them back and ready for Tuesday.

“We have suffered a lot of injuries this season from over misuse and fatigue and tiredness from games. I was able to rejuggle the pack and get ready for Tuesday.”

The Verdict: Massive boost for Wednesday

This is a huge boost for anyone of an Owls persuasion, given the enormity of Tuesday’s potentially make-or-break trip to Highbury.

Victory there would leave playoff destiny in Wednesday’s hands, taking them above Plymouth Argyle and Wycombe, and possibly Sunderland, too, if they don’t win at home to Rotherham on Tuesday.

Both Byers and Palmer would surely both be in Moore’s strongest possible XI and them being back in the team enhances the Owls’ hopes of securing a top-six place, ahead of the final game against Portsmouth at Hillsborough next weekend.

Byers has brought quality and poise to Wednesday’s midfield, scoring five league goals, while Palmer is a model of consistency, having now made 342 appearances for the club.

In some senses, Celtic failing to appoint a new manager yet could be a blessing in disguise.

As the season unravels and club owners quickly begin to realise they won’t achieve their objectives, it opens the door for the Bhoys to appoint some recently sacked head coaches.

What’s the word?

Celtic are looking to take advantage of this by appointing Jose Mourinho as their new manager.

The Sun reported last week that the Portuguese was ready to make a swift return to the game after being sacked by Tottenham.

The Hoops have reportedly been in contact with Mourinho but unfortunately, rumours of a move have been quashed already.

Speaking on the Go Radio Football Show, journalist Mark Guidi made a worrying claim about Celtic’s interest.

He commented: “I would say absolutely next to no chance. He normally wouldn’t get out of his bed for less than 8 million quid unless he’s willing to take a serious pay cut. But with the greatest of respect to Celtic, it’s a non-starter.”

Gutting news

The sorry story of Celtic’s hunt for a new manager has been summed up by a whole host of setbacks in the last two months.

Eddie Howe had been in advanced discussions with the Bhoys but a move for the former Bournemouth boss has fallen flat in the last few weeks.

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A number of issues have emerged regarding his backroom staff while a key problem is that he doesn’t actually want to return to football until the summer.

Celtic have no such issue with Mourinho but unfortunately, a move is very much a fantasy for the time being.

It’s hardly a surprise to hear a swoop for the self-proclaimed special one is a non-starter but it will represent another mighty blow to majority shareholder Dermot Desmond.

A whole eight weeks have passed since Lennon walked out of Paradise and they haven’t even come close to discovering a successor.

Mourinho is undoubtedly the biggest name to be linked with Parkhead and judging by his history alone, it would have been a spectacular appointment.

He is a multiple Champions League winner, a manager who has won eight titles in Europe’s top five leagues. He has won FIFA’s Manager of the Year award and is one of the most iconic figures in the game.

Unfortunately, Celtic have very little chance of securing his services. Desmond will have to look elsewhere.

AND in other news, Dramatic Celtic manager claim emerges, Dermot Desmond will be livid…

Former Celtic transfer target Fernando Henrique looks set to secure a move in the January transfer window.

What’s the talk?

That’s according to a report by Goal Brazil, who claimed that the defensive midfielder could be set to leave Gremio this month, with Al-Ain of the United Arab Emirates appearing to be closing in on a $5m (£3.7m) deal for the 20-year-old.

Previous reports had claimed that Celtic had opened talks with the Brazilian regarding the potential of a move to Parkhead back in October, with The Scotsman stating that Ange Postecoglou was interested in Henrique as none of Ismaila Soro, James McCarthy or Nir Bitton provided the 56-year-old with adequate cover for Callum McGregor.

Postecoglou must finally move for Henrique

While it is true that Celtic have already secured the central midfield signings of both Reo Hatate and Yosuke Ideguchi this month, the fact that Postecoglou was interested in a further deal for Riley McGree would appear to suggest that the Hoops manager still believes he requires greater depth in that position.

As such, with Henrique appearing to be available in the current transfer window, it would seem advisable for the 56-year-old to finally make his move for the Gremio starlet, who would undoubtedly make a fantastic addition to Celtic’s current options in the middle of the park.

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Indeed, over his four Brazilian Serie A appearances last season, the £1.35m-rated man – who Almanaque Esportivo claimed is similar to Manchester United midfielder Fred – made a strong impression, averaging a whopping 2.3 interceptions, 2.8 tackles and 0.5 clearances and winning 5.8 duels (with a success rate of 52%) per game.

These returns saw the youngster earn a seasonal SofaScore match rating of 6.92, ranking him as Gremio’s eighth-best performer in the Brazilian top flight in 2021.

As such, considering that Henrique only turned 20 last summer, it would very much seem that he is a talent with a very bright future in the game. We believe that Postecoglou must this month reignite his interest in a move for the youngster who Everything Celtic dubbed a “strong” player, particularly if he is available for as little as £3.7m.

In other news: Postecoglou drops transfer claim on £5.7k-p/w dynamo, Celtic fans will be fuming

Frank McAvennie has slammed Glasgow Rangers striker Alfredo Morelos as he has only just returned to Scotland ahead of the new campaign.

The Lowdown: Morelos taking a break

Morelos spent the summer competing at the Copa America with Colombia, with his country reaching the semi-finals before finally finishing in third place.

Following the end of the tournament, Morelos returned to his homeland Cerete for a break. He arrived back in Glasgow over the last couple of days, and Steven Gerrard said he is due back “at some point” without giving a specific time frame.

The Latest: McAvennie slams Morelos

Speaking to Football Insider, McAvennie has hit out at Morelos. He said:

“I don’t know what’s happening with Morelos.

“He’s a law unto himself that boy. He’s not come back yet, has he?

“Stevie Gerrard doesn’t know when he’s coming back yet, does he?

“That is an utter embarrassment to Rangers. It’s a terrible situation and terrible from a player.

“I think he may find Gerrard will just lose interest in him. I have no idea how that will play out.

“It must be affecting the whole club. Can they cash in on him just to get rid of him.

“If some of the prices I’m seeing in the papers are right, he’ll be gone.

“You can’t be doing that, it’s an embarrassment to Rangers. He’s not bigger than the club.”

The Verdict: Harsh

Over his time at Rangers, Morelos has certainly not helped himself at times, even with a goalscoring record of 92 goals in 184 games for the club (Transfermarkt).

He has received seven red cards during his spell at the 55-time Scottish champions, and has therefore come in for plenty of criticism. However, in this case, it seems McAvennie is being overly harsh.

Morelos had played a long (and impressive) season in Glasgow and then went straight to compete with his country. While he may not have been a regular starter for Colombia, he was still in a high-pressure, competitive environment, and could not rest.

Gerrard looked frustrated at the constant questions surrounding the 25-year-old’s future rather than when he arrived back in Glasgow. In this case, Morelos deserves a bit more slack.

In other news, Rangers fans were livid with this man’s article criticising the club.

Steven Gerrard has been handed a big injury boost to Ryan Jack ahead of next season, with the Rangers midfielder undergoing successful surgery earlier this week, which should hopefully see him fit to return to the Ibrox pitch in the near future.

The former Aberdeen man has been sidelined since February with a calf injury which ended up ruling him out for the season and Euro 2020 this summer due to a number of complications.

He was sent to London to see a specialist, who recommended that an operation was required in order to fix the 29-year-old’s issue and have him back fit in time for next season.

Fortunately, Jack confirmed on Instagram earlier this week that the operation was a success, saying: “Just letting everyone know I had a successful operation yesterday morning and I’m now on the road to recovery. Can’t wait to be back for the start of next season and getting back doing what I love. Thanks to everyone for the messages it’s much appreciated. All focus now is on 56!

The midfielder was very impressive in Gerrard’s side earlier in the season and was one of the main pillars behind their incredible defensive record – in the 19 Premiership games in which he appeared, the Light Blues conceded just twice.

He averaged a solid 7.03 WhoScored rating for his performances, and whilst Rangers were able to seal the title without him, they have definitely looked more vulnerable defensively in his absence, conceding 11 goals in the 16 league matches he has missed this term.

Rangers assistant manager Gary McAllister was full of praise for Jack back in 2019, saying: “For me, he has been unbelievable from day one.

“He has improved no-end, and you are seeing a midfield player gathering loads of information, experience and being given a bit of responsibility he’s maybe not had in the past.”

This has certainly continued to be the case this season, so to have him back in time for next term will be a huge boost for Gerrard and his hopes of securing another Premiership crown in 2022, whilst hopefully also impressing in the domestic and European cup competitions.

In other news… Gerrard handed major boost with 23 y/o dubbed “the best”, Wilson must deliver

Leeds United boss Marcelo Bielsa is eyeing a move for Celtic starlet Leo Hjelde this summer.

What’s the story?

The 17-year-old joined fellow Scottish side Ross County on loan, and the club’s boss, John Hughes, has admitted that he could have linked up with Marcelo Bielsa in the Premier League instead.

He said: “Leo is going to be the next Van Dijk – trust me on that. The quality he has shown, the physical challenge, playing real men’s football and standing up to it – it’s been a wonderful experience for Leo.

“Before he came, Leeds United were after him. I think he had to sign an extension to his contract for the loan to go through.”

Recently, The Yorkshire Evening Post’s Graham Smyth revealed that the club are “monitoring” the centre-back and that Hjelde is “is one of several youngsters on the domestic scene and abroad who are on Leeds’ radar, with three or four signings anticipated.

“Leeds are keen to add a centre-half to the Under 23 side this summer, with Oliver Casey likely to depart the club for a permanent move to Blackpool.”

And now, Football Insider claim that Leeds have opened talks with Celtic over signing the defender, and that “a Leeds source has told Football Insider the club are now negotiating a deal for Hjelde as they step up plans to recruit top-quality youngsters.”

One for Leeds’ future

While he may only be 17, Hjelde is clearly someone with a lot of potential, and Hughes has placed a lot of faith in him by using him in multiple positions, including at left-back and further forward in left-midfield.

And, after seeing him score his first professional goal against Kilmarnock earlier last season, the manager was quick to shower him with praise.

He said: “He found himself out of the team a little bit, then came on there and got his goal. He’s destined for big, big, big things. He won’t be far away from the Celtic first-team when he goes back, but this is what he needs to be doing.”

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Given that Bielsa has wanted him before, news that the club are continuing to follow his progress and that he is again on their radar ahead of a potential summer move, will be music to the ears of the Leeds boss, especially if they can pull it off.

Buying players for the here and now is all well and good, but signings like this are the ones that can set up the club’s future, and Hjelde could certainly be that. It’s exactly why Bielsa will be buzzing at the latest transfer update on the 6 foot 2 powerhouse.

Meanwhile, this star could be incredible alongside Raphinha…

Leeds winger Raphinha made his debut for Brazil during the international break as he featured in their matches against Venezuela and Colombia.

The Whites forward picked up two assists against Venezuela and racked up four chances created over the course of the two games.

Despite this impressive achievement from the former Rennes man, another Leeds forward may have caught Marcelo Bielsa’s eye with his performances on international duty.

Welsh winger Dan James found his best form for his county over the break, with the summer signing from Manchester United excelling against the Czech Republic and Estonia.

In the first match against the Czech Republic, James was given the highest SofaScore rating in the game as he recorded a score of 8.2. He scored a goal in the 2-2 draw with a crisp finish from the right-handside and, per SofaScore, created an eye-catching four chances for his teammates.

On top of that, he also won 50% of his duels and completed 100% of his attempted dribbles – causing constant problems for the Czech defence.

James followed up on that display by putting in another solid showing against Estonia on Monday night. He completed 50% of his attempted dribbles and won four of his seven duels. Once again, he created another four chances for his teammates. This shows that he was sharp in the final third of the pitch and smart with his pass selection as he created multiple openings for other players to score.

Over the course of the two games, he scored once and created eight chances for Wales over the international break, whilst Raphinha failed to score and registered two assists from four key passes.

Therefore, James showed more than the Brazilian in the final third for his country and stole the show for Robert Pages’ men.

Bielsa will surely be delighted with James’ displays for Wales as it could give him a confidence boost heading into the next batch of Premier League matches. The forward is yet to pick up a goal or assist for the Whites since joining from Manchester United, making five appearances, and his superb form for his country could help him get off the mark against Southampton on Saturday.

The thought of him and Raphinha linking up together is now becoming a mouth-watering one.

AND in other news, £11.5m profit: Leeds pulled off transfer blinder with “first-class” £50k-p/w colossus…

A number of Manchester City fans are fuming with La Liga president Javier Tebas after he suggested that the Citizens have lost €270m (£230.1m) during the global pandemic and could only sign Lionel Messi via financial doping.

The Citizens are preparing for a new season in which they will once again aim to win the Champions League after May’s final defeat to Chelsea in Porto. There is likely to be plenty of business done at the Etihad Stadium, and with Messi now a free agent after departing Barcelona following the end of his contract (Sky Sports), City may have him on their radar.

However, according to Tebas, it would be impossible for the Citizens to sign him. He even said it would be “incredible” if the Premier League champions are able to bring him to the Etihad.

The news was shared on Twitter by @CityXtra, and it did not go down well with the supporters – many believed Tebas was making up the figure, and given their financial backing, City are one of the few clubs who probably could afford the 34-year-old.

These fans took to the social media platform to share their thoughts on the matter.

Let’s see what these fans had to say about the comments from Tebas

“This guy is obsessed”

Credit: @Leslley20

“Rent free”

Credit: @bdeanMCFC

“Tebas is getting nervous now, things I love to see.”

Credit: @Cityzen932

“This guy is obsessed, can’t we just sue him”

Credit: @DenisDuff8

“Pep owns you”

Credit: @baldyprop

“He’s deflecting so hard, using City as some sort of scapegoat as they are in serious danger of being wiped off the map financially.”

Credit: @Vhero

In other news, lots of Man City fans weren’t happy with these Kevin De Bruyne comments.

Eredivisie side Cambuur have been linked with a late swoop for Leeds United right-back Cody Drameh, according to Omrop Fryslan journalist Andor Faber.

The Lowdown: Summerville interest

Drameh isn’t the first Leeds player the Dutch side have shown an interest in this summer.

Crysencio Summerville, who made the switch to Elland Road last September, was linked with a season-long loan move to the newly-promoted side back in July.

As we know, the Dutch winger has stayed in Yorkshire and has been on the bench in all three first-team games this season.

Even though they missed out on Summerville, it seems as if they may try their luck with a move for Drameh, described as ‘fantastic’ by Ben Parker.

The Latest: Faber post

Faber took to Twitter on Monday evening to share Cambuur’s interest in the 19-year-old.

He revealed that the Dutch side are looking at the full-back, however, a deal could be complicated due to the possibility of playing time under Marcelo Bielsa.

Drameh was included in Bielsa’s matchday squad for just the second time in the 2-2 draw with Everton on the weekend.

The Verdict: Keep

Even though the teenager could head, presumably on loan, to the Netherlands and play regular first-team football, it would make sense to keep Drameh in Yorkshire.

The Whites chose not to add to their right-back ranks this summer, showing faith in both Drameh and Jamie Shackleton.

Drameh continues to be a regular for the Under-23’s and is reportedly knocking on the door over an England Under-21 call-up.

If he can continue to impress at Thorp Arch, he may well become a regular in Bielsa’s matchday squad, and who knows, could take over from Luke Ayling in years to come.

In other news: Orta now looking at late Leeds swoop for ex-Man United trialist; he’s recently changed position.