All posts by z3u9t.icu

Many Glasgow Rangers fans have been left erupting as some comments emerged from Steven Gerrard.

Speaking in his pre-game press conference ahead of the match at home to Hibernian in the Scottish Premiership on Sunday afternoon, the English manager has now claimed that the club need to ‘spend big money’ in transfer windows in order to be able to compete, citing that in the last two windows they ‘haven’t spent a penny’.

This comes after the Light Blues lost 1-0 away at Sparta Prague in the UEFA Europa League on Thursday night, after losing their opening game 2-0 at home to Lyon in the competition (BBC Sport).

They have also drawn and lost a match in the SPFL already as well, and so question marks have been raised over their performances this season compared to last.

Nonetheless, several Light Blues seemed to be taken back by his subtle dig at the board.

Rangers fans on Gerrard comments

These Gers supporters erupted as the comments were shared on Twitter:

“That’s a statement and a half”

Credit: @TobyJamieson4

“First time we’ve heard him express his disappointment at the transfer business we have done. Sounded like a wee dig at the board.”

Credit: @FacelessRanger

“Is that a dig at the board for us not spending any money?”

Credit: @CarrieCummings4

“The board won’t be too happy with that last comment, but he’s correct.”

Credit: @Motor_Ted

“Steven Gerrard making it clear to EVERYONE you need to spend money to improve and challenge in European competitions. Money he hasn’t been given in the last 2 transfer windows so why should we expect this team to keep doing it, year after year?”

Credit: @CF3Loyal

“2 poor transfer windows. Not spent a penny. Manager having a dig at the board here?”

Credit: @TheFamousRFC

In other news, find out whose display against Prague left RFC fans fuming here!

Speaking to Football Insider, Tottenham Hotspur ‘insider’ and club source John Wenham has made an exciting claim on young talent J’Neil Bennett.

The Lowdown: Barely seen at Spurs…

The 19-year-old, whilst currently shining out on loan at Crewe Alexandra, has only made one senior competitive appearance for Spurs.

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Indeed, Bennett even scored his first goal for The Railwaymen last weekend – marauding down their left hand-side and driving an arrowed shot into the far corner against Burton Albion.

Despite not amassing many chances at Tottenham, it appears the teenage talent is making plenty of impressions elsewhere on his temporary stint away, with Lilywhites insider Wenham now making an exciting claim.

The Latest: Spurs source makes Bennett claim…

Speaking to FI, the club source, who regularly breaks news on his Lilywhites Rose social media page, has been left blown away by Bennett and insists he is ‘very gifted’.

“J’Neil is a really interesting player,” he explained.

“He came onto my radar as a 15 or 16-year-old, he was playing up with the Under-18s. He is very, very gifted.

“I have been really impressed with him. He has a signature move where he runs down the left, cuts in and bends it into the far corner.

“He went on trial to Crewe earlier in the summer and clearly impressed them, which is why he joined. He has such an unpredictability about him.

“I’m really pleased for him, I hope next season he can come back and maybe get another loan into the Championship or maybe challenge in the squad.”

The Verdict: Exciting times for Spurs academy…

By the sounds of Wenham’s exciting claim, Bennett can be added to the long list of talents emerging from Spurs’ academy.

There have been no shortage of them, either, with Oliver Skipp, Dane Scarlett, Nile John, Joshua Oluwayemi all turning heads in recent times.

Given Tottenham’s struggles financially due to COVID, posting losses of around £63.9 million last year alone, they may be more reliant than ever when it comes to their starlets breaking through and saving millions in transfer fees.

In other news:  Spurs now want ‘outstanding’ 29 y/o who Pochettino wanted to make one of his highest earners, find out more here.

An update has emerged on reported Aston Villa transfer target Pape Sarr regarding the interest in his services so far this summer.

What’s the talk?

Metz president Bernard Serin has confirmed that there have been no offers for the 18-year-old so far in this window, stating that Sarr “hasn’t received any serious offer”.

Villa have been touted with an interest in the midfielder in the transfer window, but Serin has made it clear that no club has come in with a concrete move.

When asked about his future, Sarr remained committed to Metz by outlining his aims for the Ligue 1 side next season. He said: “At FC Metz, our first objective is to keep the team in Ligue 1. But winning trophies with them is also part of my ambitions for next season.

“I want to have a better season than in the 2020/21 [campaign] and if possible, score more goals.”

Get it done

Johan Lange must get a deal done for Sarr before the end of the window. Villa have just under a month left to complete their summer business and a swoop for the midfielder could be a shrewd addition in the short- and long-term, which is why they must react to this update from Serin by making their move.

With no other clubs acting on their potential interest in the teenager, Villa could snap him up with little to no competition if they move swiftly. However, if Lange dawdles and waits until the end of the window, that could allow time for other clubs to become desperate and then enter the race for Sarr if they do not get their other targets.

Metz head coach Frédéric Antonetti recently claimed that Sarr “will go far” in the game and praised his hardworking nature on and off the pitch. He stated: “Pape Matar Sarr is elegance in the midfield, it’s talent, it’s making others play.

The club’s general manger Olivier Perrin added: “He will be able to go as far as he wants to go. He must work, be as he is there, modest, regular, hardworking. He must continue to love football and he will do like the great players, he will go far. I think he will go very far.”

This shows that he is highly-rated by his club and has the attitude required to continually improve as he progresses in his career. Therefore, this could be an excellent investment opportunity for Villa if they are able to bring him in for a reasonable price, as they could sign him and develop the midfielder over the course of the next few years, leading to him either being sold on for a profit or becoming a key player for Villa.

The 18-year-old averaged an impressive WhoScored rating of 6.82 in 22 Ligue 1 appearances for Metz last season, scoring three times. This shows that he is already able to consistently perform in the French top flight despite his young age, and he could arrive at Villa Park to provide competition in midfield whilst learning from the likes of John McGinn and Douglas Luiz to continue his development.

AND in other news, Lange must sanction dream Villa deal for £70k-p/w “machine”, he’s an upgrade on Luiz…

An update has emerged on former Barcelona manager Ronald Koeman, regarding interest from Glasgow giants Rangers.

What’s the talk?

According to Portuguese journalist Pedro Almeida, the Dutch head coach is a ‘possibility’ for the Gers as they attempt to replace Steven Gerrard at Ibrox in the coming days, following his move to Premier League outfit Aston Villa.

The reporter also claimed that ex-Rangers defender Giovanni van Bronckhorst is the favourite for the role, but Koeman could now be in the race.

Forget van Bronckhorst

Rangers chief Ross Wilson must forget about a swoop for van Bronckhorst if Koeman is a realistic option for the club in the next few days. If the Dutchman is available then the Gers director must make a move for him and attempt to bring him to Ibrox as he could be a terrific appointment.

He is vastly experienced and has managed some top clubs throughout his career; Barcelona, Ajax, Valencia, Benfica, Southampton and Everton among others. Koeman also managed his native Netherlands for 20 matches and averaged an impressive 1.9 points per game for the country.

Van Bronckhorst won an Eredivisie title with Feyenoord and averaged 2.03 points per game across 136 league matches in the Netherlands. This shows that he is a good candidate to replace Gerrard and proves that he is capable of setting a side up to win points on a regular basis, but Koeman’s statistics and experience eclipse him.

Koeman has managed 342 Eredivisie games and averaged 2.06 points per match, across spells with Vitesse, Ajax, Feyenoord and PSV – winning three league titles along the way, with nine trophies in his career overall. This suggests that he could be a better option than van Bronckhorst in terms of their experience in their home country.

However, the real edge for the ex-Barca coach comes with the fact he has proven himself outside of the Netherlands.

In three full Premier League seasons in charge of Southampton and Everton in England, the 58-year-old finished seventh, sixth and seventh – showing that he can achieve success in one of Europe’s top divisions.

Van Bronckhorst, meanwhile, has only managed in China and the Netherlands.

His spell in China was also cut short after 23 games as he averaged a measly 1.22 points per game, which is another indication that Koeman could be the better option of the two and that is why Wilson must move for the former Saint.

AND in other news, “It’s understood..”: Journo drops update on Rangers’ manager hunt, fans will be gutted…

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 

Manchester City fans have been reacting to the news that Barcelona have met with the agents of both Ilkay Gundogan and Riyad Mahrez.

The past season was a mixed one for the Citizens. Of course, there was plenty of success for them to enjoy as they won both the Premier League and the League Cup, but the trophy they wanted the most, the Champions League, slipped from their grasp as they lost 1-0 in the final to Chelsea in Porto.

This summer, therefore, could well be a busy one at the Etihad Stadium, with both incomings and outgoings expected. Both Eric Garcia (fcbarcelona.com) and Sergio Aguero have made the switch to the Camp Nou, and now it seems the La Liga side are interested in both Gundogan (valued at £36m by Transfermarkt) and Mahrez (£37.8m) (via Jose Alvarez).

The news was shared on Twitter by @City_Xtra, 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 Man City fans had to say about news below

“WHEN WILL IT STOP”

Credit: @FodenEnthusiast

“Are we now an academy of Barca?”

Credit: @KukuMhlanga

“At this point we have to play with eds next season  we are getting relegated”

Credit: @jniinj

“Barca pls stop”

Credit: @AgueroProp

“City has become a shopping center, are we going to have any plays for next season??”

Credit: @MancityMaldives

“What is going on with Barca? Do they want to buy our whole club?”

Credit: @thecityzen06

In other news, Man City fans are livid at this Lukas Nmecha 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…

According to a report by journalist Alessio Lento (shared and translated by Sport Witness), Tottenham Hotspur are ‘getting closer’ to signing Cagliari star Nahitan Nandez on loan with an obligation to buy.

The Lowdown: Spurs in Nandez hunt…

As backed by numerous sources, Spurs do indeed hold an interest in signing the 25-year-old this summer and are actively pursuing his signature.

A report by Centorentuno (via SW) revealed that Nandez is ‘at the top of [Fabio] Paratici’s wish list’ and they also believe that the player himself is open to joining Tottenham.

Meanwhile, reporter Rudy Galetti states that Spurs are in ‘ongoing talks’ over the Uruguay international as they aim for an ‘onerous loan’.

The Latest: Spurs ‘getting closer’ to Nandez…

As another Italian reporter in Lento, Tottenham are now getting closer to signing Nandez as sporting director Paratici enters talks over signing him on loan with a purchase option.

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The journalist explained on Twitter (as translated by Sport Witness) that the midfield man is ‘getting closer to Paratici’s Tottenham in great strides’.

Indeed, Spurs are ‘negotiating with Cagliari for a loan (€5-6m) with a conditional obligation to buy (around €20m)’,

Judging by this update, it certainly appears Paratici isn’t finished in the transfer market just yet.

The Verdict: Move Paratici…

A versatile player, Nandez can be utilised in such a huge array of different positions across the pitch and solve many different issues for manager Nuno Espirito Santo.

As explained by Sky, the Serie A man can be deployed in ‘central midfield or on the right, including right wing-back’ – meaning he could even prove a solution to Tottenham’s lack of depth on the right-side of defence.

Lauded as a ‘machine’ by Serie A expert Conor Clancy (via This is Futbol), he could certainly do a job for Spurs whilst also saving money on a loan-to-buy.

In other news: Offer incoming: Levy readying Spurs bid to sign ‘amazing’ player who Nuno personally wants, find out more here.

Ben Foster has rubbished transfer rumours linking him with a move away from Watford this summer.

What’s been said?

In a recent interview with the Jude’s Journey YouTube channel (via Watford Observer), the 38-year-old goalkeeper played down rumours of a move to Manchester City in the upcoming transfer window, claiming that the links are nothing more than paper talk.

He said: “It’s the way that paper talk goes, you’ll always get linked with other teams and other things will come up but at the end of the day it’s all just paper talk.

“I’ve never heard a single thing about this and that’s what these media outlets need to do. They need to fill some column inches so they put two and two together and most of the time come up with six or seven.”

Fans must be buzzing

Considering just how important Foster has been since joining the Hornets from West Bromwich Albion in a £2.52m deal back in the summer of 2018, the shot-stopper’s suggestion that he will not be leaving Vicarage Road this summer is sure to leave Watford fans buzzing.

Despite his advancing years, over his total number of 179 appearances in all competitions for the Hornets, the England international – who ex-Watford manager  Nigel Pearson dubbed an “unbelievable” goalkeeper – has conceded 236 goals and has managed to keep an impressive 49 clean sheets.

The £33,000-per-week goalkeeper was once again in fine form over his 23 Championship fixtures this season, keeping 10 clean sheets and making an average of 2.1 saves and 0.5 clearances per game, as well as saving 50% of the penalties he faced, culminating in a seasonal SofaScore match rating of 6.90 – ranking him as Xisco Munoz’s joint 13th-best performer in the second tier.

As such, the news that Forster does not look likely to be moving on to pastures new this summer will delight not just fans of the club but also the Watford manager, as the 38-year-old’s Premier League experience – having featured 364 times in the competition – along with his obvious talent between the sticks should boost the Hornets’ chances of retaining their top-flight status come next summer.

In other news: Watford dealt transfer blow over “excellent” £450k-rated gem, Giaretta will be gutted – opinion

A transfer claim regarding Manchester United’s chances of signing Frenkie de Jong this summer has emerged…

What’s the word?

Super-journalist Fabrizio Romano provided an update on United’s pursuit of the former Ajax starlet, ahead of the upcoming summer transfer window.

Romano took to his Twitter page to relay the claim which read: “Barca manager Xavi shuts down rumours on Frenkie de Jong leaving & Man Utd links.”

The Italian’s tweet contained quotes from Xavi on the potential departure of de Jong, with the Barcelona manager saying this: “Frenkie’s a very important player for me and for the club. He has to mark an era.

“I’m happy with him. If it were up to me he’ll continue for many years at Barca.”

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Ten Hag will be gutted

With Ten Hag’s recent appointment at Manchester United amidst fluctuating game-time for Frenkie de Jong at Barcelona, it looked like this reunion was written in the stars for the Old Trafford side.

Since departing Ten Hag’s Ajax back in the summer of 2019, the Netherlands star has continued his development across his total of 136 appearances for the Blaugrana.

With Paul Pogba’s rumoured departure, a move for the 24-year-old looked like a sure-fire switch, with the Dutch coach enjoying unlimited success with de Jong – winning the Eredivisie title and Dutch Cup – in a season that saw Ajax reach the semi-finals of the Champions League in 2019.

The signing of the midfield maestro would have been the epitome of the next chapter for United, with the £63m-rated midfielder offering something completely different in the Red Devils’ engine room.

De Jong is quite simply a pass master, averaging an insane 90% pass completion total per 90, with an average total of 56 passes per match.

The Netherlands international is forward-thinking. His passing is productive and allows his side to progress the ball forward, whilst also creating a number of chances for his teammates – with his shot-creating actions total of three per 90 reflecting this.

Though, his style is much more offensive than defensive, with his metrics for the latter looking poor, considering his position.

As such, United may have had a lucky escape, as it is no secret that the lack of defensive solidity across the midfield has been one of the biggest issues for the side this season.

United need to identify a well-rounded and unselfish central midfielder who can cover both aspects of the game, as well as an outright central defensive midfielder who sits back and acts as the metronome.

It would have been nice to see de Jong reunite with Ten Hag, and although he may not be what the Red Devils need, it will be a big blow to the new boss nonetheless.

AND in other news: Ten Hag can instantly get OT rocking as MUFC plot bid for “top-class” £13.5m-rated gem – opinion