Tag Futebol

Newcastle United have been linked with Galatasaray midfielder Nicolo Zaniolo this summer, but now another key update has emerged regarding their interest in him.

Do Newcastle want Nicolo Zaniolo?

The Magpies made a sensational start to their Premier League season on Saturday evening, dispatching of Aston Villa 5-1 at St James' Park in a thrilling contest.

It was an early sign that Newcastle fans could be in for another treat of a campaign, with some superb football on show, not to mention new signings Sandro Tonali and Harvey Barnes both finding the back of the net.

Read the latest Newcastle transfer news HERE…

While the performance and result against Villa were memorable, it is still important that the Magpies continue to kick on this summer, bringing in some more new faces. Not many signings are needed, considering how strong the squad now looks, but a couple of additions would be the icing on the cake.

One player who has been linked with a summer move to Newcastle is Zaniolo, who is currently at Galatasaray, having joined them earlier this year. The Italian is also wanted by Villa, with a switch away from the Turkish giants on the cards.

Now, a new update regarding his future has dropped, however, and it looks as though a move to St James' is out of the question.

What's the latest on Nicolo Zaniolo to Newcastle?

Speaking to Give Me Sport, Jacobs claimed that Newcastle signing Zaniolo doesn't look on the cards this summer, with their interest in him never particularly strong:

"I don't think there's been too much with Zaniolo and Newcastle in terms of any action. I know that we've had him linked before, but he has obviously suffered quite a tough two years with injuries and then his relationship with Jose Mourinho before eventually moving to Galatasaray."

Zaniolo is a high-quality footballer who has won 13 caps for Italy, scoring twice in that time, so in many ways, seeing him in a Newcastle shirt would have been exciting, giving them something different in attacking midfield after being called a "decisive" player by Claudio Ranieri.

That being said, as Jacobs alludes to in his update, the former Roma man has suffered terrible luck with injuries down the years, so there would be a concern that he would break down continually in a Magpies shirt, ultimately not proving to be worth the money spent on him.

It could be argued that Zaniolo has now overcome the worst of his issues, and is still a young player who can prove his worth for another decade or so, but it would feel like a risky signing when there are other good options out there.

With Newcastle's interest in him seemingly non-existent at this point, it is important that they now turn their attention elsewhere, look to snap up someone with a similar ability to link the deeper midfielders and the attack, coming in as someone may be rotated with the likes of Tonali, Bruno Guimaraes and Joelinton, making the Magpies' squad even more formidable and enhancing their hopes of back-to-back top four finishes in the Premier League this season.

Chelsea have tabled a "formal bid" in the hope of signing Brighton and Hove Albion goalkeeper Robert Sanchez this summer, according to reliable journalist Fabrizio Romano.

Is Robert Sanchez leaving Brighton?

The Spain international is an academy graduate of the south coast side having carried out two loan spells at Forest Green and Rochdale only to return to get promoted to their first-team back in 2020, and during his three years in the senior fold, he’s gone on to become a regular feature.

In the Premier League last season, Roberto De Zerbi’s shot-stopper started 23 games having spent the final five top-flight matches on the sidelines through injury, and having established himself as the club’s official number one between the sticks, Todd Boehly has had his eye on him for quite some time at Stamford Bridge.

Read The Latest Chelsea Transfer News HERE…

Speaking to GiveMeSport in January, Simon Phillips, who is a reporter for the Blues, revealed that the 25-year-old was a keeper that was “high up on the list” of targets in the capital and it’s believed that chiefs were “taking a closer look” at him alongside Brentford’s David Raya, but obviously a deal failed to come to fruition at the time.

However, if the following update is to be believed, The Amex outfit are now looking to sanction a permanent exit for their first-choice which could give Mauricio Pochettino the perfect opportunity to take a second bite at the cherry and secure the club’s long-term focus, even though he still has two years remaining on his contract.

Are Chelsea signing Robert Sanchez?

Taking to Twitter, Romano revealed that Chelsea have made an opening offer for Sanchez and are in discussions with Brighton regarding a summer deal, whilst also delivering an update on their pursuit of his defensive midfield teammate Moises Caicedo. He wrote:

"Chelsea have sent formal bid for Robert Sanchez to Brighton. Negotiations are ongoing — told Sanchez has already accepted Chelsea as destination. #BHAFC Brighton hope for Sanchez to leave this summer. Chelsea and Brighton remain in talks also for Moises Caicedo."

How many clean sheets has Robert Sanchez kept?

In the 2022/23 Premier League season, Sanchez kept six clean sheets from 23 top-flight games which is a decent return having shared the gloves with Brighton’s number two Jason Steele, and Chelsea are clearly serious about signing him to make an official approach, so should they be successful in their attempt, it would be a huge boost for Pochettino.

The Seagulls’ 6 foot 6 “monster”, as dubbed by former manager Graham Potter, made 47 saves from 71 shots on target against during the previous campaign, giving him a success rate of 64.8%, via FBRef, which was higher than Edouard Mendy’s 64.1%, showing he’d be an upgrade on the goalkeeper who recently joined Al-Ahli.

Sanchez, who pockets £25k-per-week, won’t assume that he’d become number one straight away if he was to put pen to paper, but there’s no doubt that he’d be the perfect candidate to challenge Kepa for his spot heading into the start of the new campaign.

Liverpool are "actively working" on bringing Romeo Lavia to Anfield despite there being "nothing advanced" between the Reds and Southampton at present, according to Fabrizio Romano.

Is Lavia joining Liverpool?

Jurgen Klopp has barely had a moment to catch his breath this summer. Alongside sporting director and compatriot Jorg Schmadtke, the Reds boss has been busy in the transfer window already and his hectic schedule shows no signs of slowing down as the beginning of the season edges closer.

Liverpool have already signed Alexis MacAllister and Dominik Szoboszlai having lost Naby Keita, Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain, James Milner and Roberto Firmino on free transfers.

The Reds have also been busy finalising loan deals for a number of the club's young prospects including Fabio Carvalho, Sepp van den Berg and Calvin Ramsay.

But Klopp has already made it clear that he is far from done in the market as his squad still looks some way from being able to rediscover the blistering form exhibited in previous seasons.

With Jordan Henderson having all but left for Al Ettifaq and Fabinho potentially on his way to Saudi Arabia too, Klopp will need to bolster his midfield even further in the transfer window.

Therefore, Liverpool's interest in Romeo Lavia could materialise into a transfer this summer, with the 19-year-old Southampton midfielder destined for a return to the Premier League off the back of a wonderful season on the south coast.

According to transfer expert Romano, Liverpool are still working on a deal to bring the Belgian to Anfield but there are is nothing concrete in place between the Reds and Southampton.

Speaking on his YouTube channel, he said: "Mentioning Liverpool, let me say again that nothing is advanced in terms of bids and club to club negotiation, but Liverpool keep working on Romeo Lavia deal.

"Liverpool are keeping contacts with his agent, are still discussing to understand the final price tag. Southampton always wanted around £50m but Liverpool are still hoping for a different fee at the end of the story. So, Liverpool are still there for Romeo Lavia. He's not the only target but for sure he's a target and is a concrete one."

He added: "Liverpool actively working on that on player side. Let's see what happens on that one."

Links with Lavia had gone somewhat quiet in recent days but this will come as positive news to Liverpool fans hopeful of securing the teenager's signature this summer.

Lavia would be an obvious replacement for Fabinho should he leave the club and at 19-years-old could be a starter for the Reds for years and years to come, but Klopp may have to fend off interest from Chelsea and Arsenal to land his target.

How good is Lavia?

Lavia made 29 Premier League appearances for Southampton last season following his arrival from Manchester City and continually shone in an often pitiful Saints side.

A defensive midfielder with a great reading of the game, Lavia averaged 2.43 tackles, 1.9 blocks and 1.34 interceptions per 90 minutes in the league last season, despite often being left woefully exposed by those around him.

At times he was required to be one-man midfield and performed admirably in such a role, especially given it was his debut season in the Premier League, and the one-cap international averaged a 6.8 Sofascore rating last campaign.

At 19-years-old he may not be ready to start 40+ games for Liverpool next season, which is one dilemma Klopp faces if he brings the inexperienced prodigy to Merseyside, but his potential makes him a tantalising prospect at a relatively low price point.

Celtic would find it 'tough' to finance a deal to sign Leicester City midfielder Wilfried Ndidi this window, according to transfer insider Dean Jones.

Will Celtic sign Wilfried Ndidi this summer?

Last month, The Daily Mail reported that Celtic were interested in making a move to sign Ndidi this summer following Leicester City's relegation to the Sky Bet Championship.

In 2022/23, Ndidi made 30 appearances for the Foxes in all competitions, as per Transfermarkt; however, he couldn't help to prevent Leicester City's slide into the English second tier despite his best efforts.

According to WhoScored, the 26-year-old still got through plenty of work in the engine room, making around 2.3 tackles per match in the Premier League.

Brendan Rodgers left Leicester City by mutual consent back in April and has since taken over at Celtic, bringing in Marco Tilio and Odin Thiago Holm as his first two additions of the window.

The Scottish Sun understand that the Irishman has a transfer kitty of around £30 million to play with between now and the close of play in the market, signifying that some high-profile signings could be likely to walk through the door at Parkhead.

Nevertheless, transfer insider Jones thinks that Celtic would struggle to finance a deal for Ndidi to bolster their midfield despite his obvious links to Hoops boss Rodgers.

Speaking to Football FanCast, Jones said: "Tough deal to do, in the best of times. I think financially and just through the links to Rodgers and Leicester being too obvious for me. I haven't heard anything that actually properly stands the story up. So again, it's one I'm holding with caution right now."

Who could Brendan Rodgers look to recruit at Celtic?

Given that Ndidi earns around £75,000 per week at Leicester City and would likely cost a significant transfer fee, Celtic will probably shift their focus to alternative targets as Rodgers looks to keep the Hoops at the top of Scottish football.

Names linked have been few and far between as the 50-year-old coach examines his squad in a pre-season training camp in Portugal; however, Celtic will surely spring to life in the next few weeks and start adding quality in key positions.

According to Ukrainian outlet Sport Novyny via 67 Hail Hail, Celtic are among the leading candidates to land Shakhtar Donetsk winger Tete, who spent last season on loan at Leicester City, as he intends to leave the club due to fears over his safety in the region.

Young Boys midfielder Fabian Reider has also been tentatively linked with a move to Celtic this summer; nevertheless, it is unclear how much these rumours have been substantiated as excitement over potential new arrivals reaches fever pitch in the Scottish media.

Football Scotland understand that Celtic have agreed a fee with Gangwon for talented winger Yang Hyun-jun, though they are keen to hold on to him for now due to being embroiled in a relegation battle and want to retain his services until later this year.

Working under the radar, it wouldn't be surprising to see Celtic announce some big arrivals in the not-too-distant future as they prepare to defend their Scottish Premiership crown in 2023/24.

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:

Wolverhampton Wanderers could make an 'interesting' move for Atletico Madrid midfielder Geoffrey Kondogbia this summer as part of an 'overhaul in their midfield' under Julen Lopetegui, according to transfer insider Dean Jones.

What's the latest transfer news involving Geoffrey Kondogbia?

As per AS via Sport Witness, Wolves courted Kondogbia in the January transfer window and have now decided to return to try and secure his signature this summer.

Old Gold boss Lopetegui is seemingly keen to strengthen his engine room in the off-season and Kondogbia has been identified as someone who 'fits' the bill at Molineux. It is believed that Atletico Madrid expect to accumulate between €5-6 million (£4.2-5.1 million) for the £113k-a-week ace.

According to RMC Sport via Get French Football News, Lyon are also targeting a move for Kondogbia as they look to acquire a defensive midfielder at the Groupama Stadium.

Nevertheless, Lyon will not compete in continental competition next term, which may put a spanner in the works for the French giants in their attempts to land the Central African Republic international.

Football scout and agent Berk Bekgoz recently spoke about the latest state of play involving Kondogbia's future on the Taktik Mania YouTube channel, which translated to:

"Geoffrey Kondogbia will meet with Wolverhampton this week. If an agreement could not be reached, the player's manager made an appointment with Fenerbahçe and Beşiktaş. He will come to Istanbul and the meeting will be held."

Speaking to Football FanCast, transfer insider Jones believes that Kondogbia would be an 'interesting' addition at Molineux this summer.

Jones told FFC: "It's an interesting name to be thrown in there. I think that obviously Wolves are looking at a bit of an overhaul in their midfield this summer and so they need some new spirit in there and I think that that could potentially be a name that fits."

Would Geoffrey Kondogbia be a good signing for Wolverhampton Wanderers?

Kondogbia is an experienced figure – hailed a "monster" – who has starred at the elite level for the likes of Inter Milan, Sevilla and Valencia in the past and would be a potential bargain for Lopetegui as he looks to reshape his midfield at the Old Gold.

As per Transfermarkt, the 30-year-old enforcer made 27 appearances in all competitions for Atletico Madrid in 2022/23, registering two goals in the process.

WhoScored also takes into account that Kondogbia was strong in the tackle in La Liga and successfully won around 1.9 challenges per match for his side in the Spanish top-flight.

According to FBRef, the Nemours-born midfielder excelled in comparison to his positional peers across Europe's top five divisions concerning interceptions, nipping in to steal the ball 2.41 times per 90 minutes across the last 365 days, putting him in the first percentile for this metric.

Looking forward, bringing in Kondogbia may be a wise move from Wolves as they eye consolidation in 2023/24 following a close shave with relegation.

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.

Days after making a century on Test debut, Keaton Jennings has been named captain of England Lions for their tour of Sri Lanka next year. Jennings will be joined in the four-day squad by the man he replaced in the Test side, as Haseeb Hameed works back to full fitness after suffering a broken finger in India.Another man to have opened the batting alongside Alastair Cook in recent weeks, Ben Duckett, is also named in the Lions party, although only for the one-day fixtures. The Lions will play two four-day games followed by a five-match 50-over series in February and March 2017.England’s lack of Test cricket between December and July, when they host South Africa, means that the Lions tour comes at a good time for Jennings and Hameed, who required surgery after being struck on the hand in Mohali. It will also provide another opportunity for Duckett to press his white-ball credentials, having been left out of the limited-overs squads to play India next month after an impressive ODI debut in Bangladesh.The Lions have been in the UAE for the past few weeks, playing a four-day match against Afghanistan and three 50-over fixtures with UAE. Jennings scored a century on his Lions debut, too, and captained the team to victory in the first two one-day games.”The Lions play such an important role in bridging the gap between county and international cricket, and after a successful training camp in the UAE culminating in an excellent win against Afghanistan, this tour of Sri Lanka is a great opportunity for the players to gain experience of playing on the subcontinent,” James Whitaker, the national selector, said.”Keaton Jennings impressed everyone on the Lions programme, with his leadership skills as well as his batting. That has already led to his call into the England Test set-up in India, but the Sri Lanka tour offers him the chance to gain further captaincy experience as well as playing some high-quality cricket in different and challenging conditions.”Haseeb Hameed had also made such a promising start in Test cricket before it was cut short by injury. Like Keaton and Ben Duckett, who will be returning to the Lions after playing some brilliant innings for them in the home tri-series against Sri Lanka A and Pakistan A last summer, I know he will relish the chance of playing some quality cricket in Sri Lanka in the New Year.”Among a host of regular Lions selections, Warwickshire legspinner Josh Poysden has won his first call-up for the 50-over leg in Sri Lanka, while Middlesex quick Tom Helm is included in both squads after being fast-tracked from the Pace Programme in Dubai.The tour will take place between February 6 and March 13, 2017, with details of the fixtures to be announced in due course.England Lions four-day squad: Keaton Jennings (capt), Haseeb Hameed, Nick Gubbins, Tom Alsop, Tom Westley, Joe Clarke, Liam Livingstone, Ben Foakes, Sam Curran, Tom Curran, Toby Roland-Jones, Tom Helm, Craig Overton, Ollie Rayner, Jack LeachEngland Lions 50-over squad: Keaton Jennings (capt), Daniel Bell-Drummond, Tom Alsop, Ben Duckett, Joe Clarke, Liam Livingstone, Ben Foakes, Sam Curran, Tom Curran, Craig Overton, Tom Helm, James Fuller, Ollie Rayner, Josh Poysden

The West Ham board has been teetering for a while, endlessly agonising over David Moyes’ uncertain future.

The Scotsman has bought so much joy to East London. Incredibly, he managed consecutive top-seven finishes, as well as a commendable European excursion last season that was halted in the semi-finals by the eventual winners Eintracht Frankfurt.

This term, the Irons have gone one step further on the continent and made it to the Europa Conference League Final.

Moyes and his squad are on the cusp of immortality, but failure to win this competition could spell the end for the veteran coach.

According to the Guardian, the Hammers are giving fresh consideration to Moyes’ dismissal to heighten the pressure on the game on Wednesday evening in Prague.

His fate rests upon reversing history and securing West Ham’s first major trophy in 43 years.

However, as per Foot Mercato’s Santi Aouna, Brendan Rodgers is a “leading candidate”, should Moyes fail at the last hurdle.

Would Brendan Rodgers be a good fit at West Ham?

A victim of recency bias would wrongly discount the obvious quality of Rodgers. The 50-year-old has endured a difficult campaign, unable to stem Leicester City’s downward spiral that culminated in a surprising relegation.

The club only signed two players last summer to leave Rodgers exposed and unevenly supported.

Prior to this tumultuous year at the King Power Stadium, the Northern Irishman had deservedly developed a prestigious reputation as quite simply, an unbelievable coach.

He first announced his managerial brilliance to British football with Swansea, securing promotion to the Premier League in 2012 via the play-offs.

The tactician was then announced as the boss of Liverpool and although it didn't quite go according to plan there, Merseyside legend Steven Gerrard was one effusive voice, heaping praise upon his managerial style.

He said: “His one-on-one management is the best I have known. He makes you go out onto the pitch feeling a million dollars — full of confidence and belief. He is a very confident manager.”

In more recent times, Rodgers managed the Foxes to their first-ever FA Cup victory in 2021 and had the club on the cusp of Champions League football.

Jurgen Klopp has expressed his admiration for his peers' work and said: “Leicester are built like you would like to build a team. Brilliant team. What they do is really good. Exciting, fresh; defend well; play football and are especially threatening in counter-attacks."

After an £166m outlay last summer, Moyes conceded that the spending “has not worked as well” as he would’ve liked, and given Rodgers' ability to pinpoint a player’s best role and mould a squad, his arrival at the London Stadium could be the perfect scenario.

Described as “unbelievable” by Michail Antonio, a player he could end up coaching, the appointment of Rodgers would herald a new era that could reignite the squad and the fan base.

Burnley face a battle to land Georges Mikautadze this summer, with a report from Footmercato stating that AC Milan are also ready to launch a bid for his services.

Who are Burnley signing this summer?

The Clarets have had a superb Championship campaign under boss Vincent Kompany, with the former Man City man taking the side to the top of the second-tier table in his first season. They stormed their way to glory, too – racking up 101 points and losing only three times.

Now, with the club gearing up for life back in the Premier League, their manager will be on the hunt for players that can help keep this upward trajectory going. The side won't want to be dumped straight back down a division and will therefore need to invest wisely to ensure their stay in the top flight is not a short one.

One of the names that has already emerged as a potential target for Burnley now is Georges Mikautadze. According to Footmercato, the Clarets have been "won over" by the player's performances this season but they could now face a struggle to sign the Metz ace.

That's because the same report adds that AC Milan are now also in the race to land the 14-cap Georgia man and could offer €10m (£8.7m) in order to secure his signature.

Who is Georges Mikautadze?

The striker currently plays for FC Metz in France and has had a sensational season with the club, bagging himself 23 goals in 33 league starts for the side, including a current run of nine goals in eight games. In addition, he managed a further eight assists, which led to a per-90 goal contribution rate of 0.96. It's a large part of the reason why the French outfit are currently sat third in Ligue 2.

He's also been gathering plenty of admirers along the way, with football talent scout Jacek Kulig calling him "The Georgian Killer." That's because of his goal rate for the side, and considering his age – he is just 22 years old – it makes his record even more impressive.

It's not the first time he has hit double-digit goal figures, either, having managed 19 when he was in his teens in Belgium. It means that this campaign is not a one-off for the striker – and if he does join Burnley and repeat the feat, it could go a long way towards keeping them in the Premier League next season.