All posts by z3u9t.icu

Sunderland have been handed a major boost regarding the fitness of Denver Hume.

What’s the latest?

In recent comments cited by Chronicle Live, Lee Johnson revealed that the left-back, who has not featured for the Black Cats since their semi-final first-leg play-off defeat against Lincoln City last season, is close to returning to first-team action after recovering from his hamstring injury – although the fixture against Fleetwood Town this weekend will come too soon for the 23-year-old.

However, the 40-year-old manager claimed that Hume could be set to feature for the club’s U23 side on Monday, stating: “There could be a chance. I’d have to speak to Denver and to the physios, but there is a possibility of that [him being involved].

“The question is whether it would be more beneficial for him to have 30 minutes for the U23s or to have a good hour, hour and ten minutes, training session with the first team.

“Probably at this stage, it would be better for him to have more minutes in training and then maybe the week after we will look at integrating him into those games.”

Fans will be buzzing

Considering just how important a part of the Sunderland team Hume has been in recent seasons, the fact that the 23-year-old looks to be nearing a return to first-team action is sure to have left Johnson buzzing.

Indeed, over his 24 League One appearances last term, the left-back highly impressed for the Black Cats, scoring one goal, registering two assists and creating two big chances for his teammates, as well as taking an average of 0.7 shots and making 1.3 key passes per game.

The defender also impressed in metrics more typical of his position, making an average of 0.6 interceptions, 1.3 tackles, 0.7 clearances and winning 4.1 duels per match.

These returns saw Hume earn a seasonal SofaScore match rating of 6.94, ranking him as Johnson’s 11th-best performer in the third tier of English football.

As such, it would certainly appear as if the sooner the 23-year-old returns the better for the Black Cats, with the player’s addition to the club’s current options only appearing to strengthen Sunderland’s promotion credentials this season.

In other news: Alan Nixon drops update on off-field Sunderland development, it’s more good news

Liverpool have enjoyed a perfect start to their Premier League campaign with six points out of a possible six from their opening two matches.

The Reds beat newly-promoted Norwich 3-0 in their first match, at Carrow Road, before hosting Burnley at Anfield in a 2-0 win a week later.

They now face Champions League holders Chelsea, who have also won their games 3-0 and 2-0, on home soil on Saturday in their first big test of the 2021/22 campaign.

On the Chalkboard

One change Klopp could make to his team from the win over Burnley is in the midfield area of the pitch. He should unleash Spanish international Thiago Alcantara after he played the final 10 minutes against the Clarets last week, as he could terrify Thomas Tuchel’s side.

At the start of the 2020/21 campaign, Thiago made his debut for the Reds in the second half of a 2-0 win against the Blues and enjoyed a sensational 45 minutes of football. Despite his limited time on the pitch, he completed a whopping 74 passes and created one chance – dictating the play from midfield.

Jorginho and N’Golo Kante both started the match and were unable to get to grips with Thiago’s movement off the ball and excellent selection of passing to beat the press, which is why Chelsea could be worried if the midfielder is selected this weekend.

The £27m-rated dynamo was once hailed as extraordinary by Barcelona and Spain legend Xavi. He said: “I think he is an extraordinary player.”

“Thiago is not just a player for the future, but he is someone who can make an impact right now as well.”

Harvey Elliott started in the midfield three for Liverpool against Burnley and showed some promising signs, but with Thiago now back fit and available – with a track record of performing against Chelsea – he should now be dropped for the Spaniard. Elliott was given a SofaScore rating of 6.9 against the Clarets, with three key passes, but lost possession 17 times as his inexperience at the top level showed.

Thiago, meanwhile, averaged a SofaScore rating of 7.16 in the Premier League last season, averaging 2.5 tackles and 1.3 interceptions whilst also creating 1.3 chances per game. This shows that he is able to put in consistent performances and can be relied upon by Klopp, which is another reason why he should be thrown in against Chelsea ahead of the inexperienced Elliott.

If the 30-year-old can produce a display similar to the one he managed at Stamford Bridge last year, then Liverpool could have a great chance of coming away with the three points – just as they did on that day.

AND in other news, Gini 2.0: Edwards must sanction £40m Liverpool swoop for “exceptional” powerhouse…

Flocking to Twitter, many West Ham United fans have been left fuming over an official announcement regarding star striker Michail Antonio.

The 31-year-old, who has enjoyed a blistering start to the season already under manager David Moyes, will be a crucial talking point for West Ham over 2021/2022.

Antonio’s sensational four goals and three assists in just a trio of Premier League starts highlights just how crucial he will be for the Hammers as they aim to build upon their European qualification last campaign.

His attacking threat and overall importance to West Ham cannot be overstated, with the striker averaging a phenomenal 5.3 shots at goal per 90 so far – more than any other player in England’s top flight (WhoScored).

Now, as an announcement drops, Irons supporters have been left fuming over news that he has been called up by Jamaica for their FIFA World Cup qualifier against Panama this Sunday (whufc.com).

Given his extensive injury record over the last few seasons (Transfermarkt), and the fact West Ham failed to sign a back up striker during the summer window, you can understand why there is a real degree of concern for his fitness.

One supporter also lamented the fact he is no longer an option for England.

Find all of their verdicts on Antonio’s call up for the Reggae Boyz, in response to West Ham’s official Twitter account, down below.

West Ham fans fume over Antonio news…

“Absolute joke. How we’ve not selected our man for England is a joke!!!!”

Credit: @RoyalDocks8

“cancel cancel cancel cancel cancel”

Credit: @aidxn_10

“Incoming hamstrings injury”

Credit: @billy_wesson

“Injury crisis this”

Credit: @JackRising3

“Bad news”

Credit: @irons80

“Disaster”

Credit: @DavidPlatt87

“There goes his hamstring”

Credit: @akelly1988

“Injury incoming!”

Credit: @vicsinghb

In other news: ‘Really stupid’, ‘Terrible from us’…Some West Ham fans rage at ‘ridiculous’ club decision, find out more here.

Everton are a club who often aren’t afraid to splash the cash but under new manager Rafa Benitez, Goodison Park has a very different feel to it.

They have added the likes of Demarai Gray and Andros Townsend to their ranks but further bodies are essential if they are to find themselves in European football again.

What’s the word?

Everton were linked with a move for Chelsea midfielder Ruben Loftus-Cheek back in June as the Blues planned a mass exodus after winning the Champions League.

The England international spent last term on loan at Fulham but was relegated during his time with the Cottagers.

However, according to a fresh report, his parent club are set to loan him out again in a bid to help him get his career back on track.

It’s thought that Germany remains a big option for Chelsea when considering the 25-year-old’s next destination.

Rafa must sign him

Even if the Toffees can’t secure his signature on a permanent basis, landing him for a temporary stint in Merseyside would undoubtedly be a wise move.

Everton look unlikely to spend anywhere close to some recent sums in years gone by and thus, Loftus-Cheek would be a shrewd option for Benitez.

They sit in a position where the likes of Fabian Delph, Tom Davies and Andre Gomes have all been linked with the exit door and if they lose a trio of central midfielders, the head coach will undoubtedly need to find replacements.

However, what makes Loftus-Cheek such an appealing signing is his box to box nature.

Everton have a rich history when it comes to goal scoring midfielders; all you need to do is think of Tim Cahill or Marouane Fellaini leaping high to head home.

The Chelsea midfielder isn’t as dominant in the air but he’s a robust individual capable of offering something completely different to Benitez’s midfield.

At the moment, they currently have a host of more defensive-minded players in the middle of the park with Abdoulaye Doucoure and Allan usually being utilised in those areas.

They form a brutal bond in central positions but by acquiring the Chelsea man, they could score more goals from deep.

Loftus-Cheek, who was described as “exceptional” by Scott Parker last season, once netted ten times in a single campaign for the London side.

Injuries have since plagued the £150k-per-week earner but he is still a wonderful box to box player who could add plenty to their squad.

AND in other news, Rafa Benitez can land dream Everton signing in “explosive” 29-goal animal…

Tottenham Hotspur have been handed a huge injury boost ahead of their Premier League opener this afternoon…

What’s the latest?

Nuno Santo will take the dugout for his first competitive game in charge of the North London outfit when his side welcomes defending champions Manchester City to N17 later today.

And he’ll be massively bolstered by the availability of summer signing Cristian Romero, who appears to be in contention to feature.

The 23-year-old signed on a season’s loan with a €55m (£46.5m) option to buy from Serie A outfit Atalanta and returned from Argentina’s Copa America triumph with a knee injury.

It’s believed that Romero picked up the problem during the final against Brazil, where he was forced off the pitch in the 79th minute. However, it seems that he has shaken off the knock and could now be available to Nuno for this massive fixture.

“Cristian’s injury was in the Copa America. He had his holiday, totally recovered and he’s been able to train,” claimed the Portuguese head coach to the club’s official website. “He’s doing well, but as I said, the players who haven’t had many sessions. We need to be very careful when we decide to put them on the pitch.”

A timely boost

It remains to be seen whether Romero is a contender to start, to feature on the bench or to not be involved at all but the fact that he is injury-free is certainly a major, major boost to Spurs right now.

Last season, the Lilywhites’ biggest problem was in their backline, which is why Fabio Paratici and co have secured a move for him this transfer window.

Indeed, they recorded the worst defensive record of any of the traditional ‘big six’ and that was largely down to a combination of a lack of leadership and individual mistakes.

[snack-amp-story url= “https://www.footballfancast.com/web-stories/spurs-latest-team-news-transfer-rumours-gossip-more” title= “Read the latest Spurs news, transfer rumours, gossip and much more!”]

After Spurs sanctioned the exit of Toby Alderweireld to Qatar, Nuno was left with only three centre-backs, of which one – Joe Rodon – is vastly inexperienced in the Premier League.

The other two, Davinson Sanchez and Eric Dier, were deemed one of the “worst” partnerships in the top-flight last season by former Spurs midfielder Jamie O’Hara. That’s who Nuno would be likely to start in the absence of Romero.

The 6 foot 1 monster led Serie A for interceptions per game (3.1) and was handed the division’s defensive MVP award for the 2020/21 season, leading to Italian football expert Conor Clancy dubbing him “phenomenal” to This is Futbol.

If the £31.5m-rated colossus can feature this afternoon, in any capacity, then it gives Spurs a better chance of pulling off a shock result. After all, the North London side finished 24 points behind the Citizens. Not to mention the Harry Kane saga that has since emerged.

As a result, Nuno will surely be buzzing by this latest development.

AND in other news, Imagine him & Romero: Spurs can form scary duo by signing £55m “extraordinary talent”…

Manchester United are set to receive another offer from AC Milan for defender Diogo Dalot over the coming days, reports reveal.

What’s the story?

According to well-known journalist and transfer expert Fabrizio Romano, the Serie A giants are plotting a fresh offer for the 22-year-old after a successful loan spell last season.

He tweeted: “AC Milan are preparing a new bid to Manchester United for Diogo Dalot. Loan with buy option to be offered again – but improving the loan fee #MUFC #ACMilan Man Utd want around €4/5m loan fee + buy option included. Ancelotti loves him but Real Madrid not an option, as of now.”

Fans should be concerned

Dalot has struggled for first-team opportunities since arriving on English shores back in 2018, making just 35 appearances for the Red Devils during his three-year stay.

The £50m arrival of Aaron Wan-Bissaka pushed the youngster further down United’s pecking order, and he was forced to go out on loan last season in search of regular game time.

However, after joining Milan for the entire 2020/21 campaign, Dalot thrived, discovering his best form at San Siro, helping Stefano Pioli’s side to a second-place finish in the top-flight standings.

His impressive performances earned him a late call-up to Portugal’s squad for Euro 2020 after Joao Cancelo tested positive for Covid-19, and the right-back ended up making his senior debut for the national side as a late substitute against France.

Therefore, United supporters should be concerned at the latest revelation regarding Dalot’s future as the Red Devils could be about to lose an extremely promising young full-back.

While Wan-Bissaka is undoubtedly an exceptional one-on-one defender, the 23-year-old has limited attacking attributes, severely hampering the Old Trafford outfit’s ability to make meaningful forrays forward down the right-hand side.

United have been heavily linked with a move for Atletico Madrid’s Kieran Trippier in recent weeks as a result, but they could already have the perfect solution within the club.

Selling Dalot may be a decision Ole Gunnar Solskjaer and co. come to regret in years to come, and the Norweigian tactician could be digging his own grave by letting the highly-rated gem depart.

And, in other news…MEN drop promising update on Man Utd’s £54m-rated “monster”, Solskjaer will be buzzing 

Aston Villa have confirmed the signing of West Brom starlet Finn Azaz to add to their exciting youth ranks.

What’s the story?

The 20-year-old joins Dean Smith’s side from The Hawthorns, although the Midlands club have revealed that he has immediately been sent out on loan for the upcoming season to League Two side Newport County.

Academy manager Mark Harrison said: “Finn is a clever, creative, technically astute, attack-minded player, who had a successful loan at Cheltenham last year.

“When we were made aware he was available on a free transfer and discussing possible moves to other clubs, we decided to pursue his signature and we are delighted that he has signed for us.

“With his loan to Newport he will be able to continue his development under the watchful eye of Adam Henshall and Mile Jedinak, who are overseeing our loan strategy and will provide feedback to the first-team coaching staff.”

Fans will be buzzing

Having already seen a former West Brom starlet end up at Villa Park in Louie Barry, Smith has now enticed yet another hot prospect from their arch-rivals make the move across.

Last season saw the Baggies sent the 20-year-old out on loan at Cheltenham and he became a regular presence for the Robins as they clinched the League Two trophy and promotion.

Azaz, a central midfielder by trade but equally capable of playing out wide, played 44 times in all competitions last season for Cheltenham, scoring three goals and providing two assists.

As much as Villa should get a ton of credit for the signings of first team stars like Emi Buendia, Ollie Watkins and Emi Martinez in recent summers, their work in landing a bunch of exciting young talents is equally as important and impressive.

The club brought in Barry from Barcelona, while they also signed a promising star in Feyenoord’s Lamare Bogarde.

Villa’s future appears to be in great hands thanks to their exceptional recruitment at academy level, and it’s exactly why this latest news of Azaz’s capture from West Brom should have fans absolutely buzzing once again.

Meanwhile, Ashley Preece has dropped a major update on the future of this Villa man…it’s not Grealish

Many Aston Villa fans have been venting on Twitter following a post from the club detailing the disappointment suffered by Villa duo Jack Grealish and Tyrone Mings after England’s crushing Euro 2020 final defeat to Italy.

Plenty of discourse centred around the lack of utilisation in relation to Grealish, who registered 19 goal contributions in 26 appearances for the club in 2020/21 [Transfermarkt].

In the 172 minutes that he played at the Euros, the 25-year-old contributed with two assists in five outings [UEFA.com] and played a cameo yet important role in England’s run to the final.

Meanwhile, Mings started the first two group games at the finals but played just 11 minutes thereafter and was not utilised at all in the knockout stages [Transfermarkt].

The comparative lack of involvement for the Villa duo at Euro 2020 duly had many of the club’s supporters venting at England manager Gareth Southgate.

Aston Villa fans react:

Replying to Villa’s official Twitter account, here is what some Villa fans had to say about the lack of minutes for Grealish and Mings at Euro 2020:

“Don’t worry lads, Southgate will be gone soon enough and then you won’t have to put up with his pathological picking of his favourites. How Mount got more minutes than Jack is utterly beyond belief, last night was embarrassing and showed us just how inept Southgate is”

Credit: @CreaneyTom”Criminal that Grealish got less minutes than Mount, who got more minutes than Grealish, Sancho and Foden combined”Credit: @tom_avfc1″They were both mismanaged, get them back to VP under a proper coach Dean Smith”Credit: @ClassyHenri”No other country in the world would leave Jack on the bench. Very proud of how our captain conducted himself. #UTV”Credit: @AndyCWelch”Your Villa family are incredibly proud of you both.”Credit: @Helen_Villa44″Not sure how Mount is above Grealish in the England pecking order. Baffling tbh”Credit: @DMayLovellIn other news, many Aston Villa fans have been reacting to an update on this transfer pursuit.

Crystal Palace have joined the race to sign Schalke defender Ozan Kabak after his impressive loan spell at Liverpool last season.

What’s the story?

Jurgen Klopp’s charges had the option to sign the Turkey international for £18 million this summer but chose to bring in Ibrahima Konate from RB Leipzig instead.

As a result, several sides are thought to be interested in acquiring the services of Kabak, with Leicester City, Leipzig and Palace all keen, according to German outlet Der Westen.

Dream Cheikhou Kouyate upgrade

Due to injury issues and a lack of form, central midfielder Cheikhou Kouyate was forced to play at the heart of defence for the majority of last season.

And while the 31-year-old filled in admirably alongside Gary Cahill, he’s far from a long-term solution to the Eagles’ issues in that position.

Kabak was brought in by Liverpool halfway through the 2020/21 campaign due to a lack of options in Klopp’s ranks.

Fitness concerns involving Virgil van Dijk, Joel Matip and Joe Gomez meant the Reds needed extra bodies at the back, and the 21-year-old recovered from a shaky start to life in England to perform admirably.

His tally of 2.1 tackles per Premier League games outperformed Kouyate’s total of 1.6, and Kabak’s 1.3 interceptions per league game also bettered the Senegal internationals 0.9, as per WhoScored.

Although the youngster ultimately didn’t do enough to convince Liverpool to make his move to Merseyside permanent, his solid displays earned praise from several plaudits, including Klopp.

“Ozan came in at 20 from Germany, was a big prospect but wasn’t lucky with the last two teams he played for; one went down (Stuttgart), and the other will probably go down (Schalke). But nobody really doubted his quality,” revealed the German tactician.

Due to Schalke’s relegation from the Bundesliga and their precarious financial position, Kabak is believed to be available for considerably less than the £18m price tag previously available to Liverpool.

Therefore, Palace chairman Steve Parish could secure a bargain by bringing the £22.5m-rated gem to Selhurst Park this summer, upgrading the capital club’s centre-back options for next season.

And, in other news…Parish spends £48.5m, Zaha axed: Predicted Palace XI if Lucien Favre takes charge 

Sunderland fans are delighted after it was confirmed by the club that George Dobson has departed the Stadium of Light by mutual consent.

The Black Cats are preparing for an assault on promotion after narrowly missing out last term. So far, though, they have not made a single signing, with plenty of players instead departing such as Josh Scowen, Max Power and Grant Leadbitter (The Northern Echo).

Charlie Wyke, meanwhile, looks to be on the verge of a move to Celtic (Football Insider).

Now, Dobson has also departed (safc.com). Signed in 2019 from Walsall, the midfielder made 47 appearances for the club but spent last term on loan at Wimbledon (Transfermarkt). It hasn’t taken him long to find a new club, though – he has joined Sunderland’s League One promotion rivals Charlton Athletic.

The news was shared on Twitter by Sunderland’s official account, and it attracted plenty of attention from the supporters. They took to the social media platform to share their thoughts.

Let’s see what the fans had to say about Dobson below

“Good news”

Credit: @davis0688

“Today is a great day”

Credit: @igfield73

“What a start to the day”

Credit: @BoatsLaa

“Shut the door on the way out lad”

Credit: @GazJFisher

“yes!!!!!”

Credit: @LeeGamble1973

“What a waste of money that was”

Credit: @Bunney_91

In other news, Sunderland fans are delighted by this man’s exit as well.