All posts by h716a5.icu

An update has emerged on Liverpool and their interest in signing central defender Levi Colwill in the summer transfer window…

What’s the latest on Levi Colwill to Liverpool?

According to Football Insider, the Reds are tracking the Brighton centre-back, who is on loan from fellow Premier League side Chelsea, ahead of the 2023/24 campaign.

The report claims that Liverpool coaches have been seriously impressed with the England youth international’s performances in the top flight this term.

Arsenal are also said to be plotting a move for the defender, who the Blues are not actively looking to sell at this time. Jurgen Klopp is also monitoring his situation with the defender valued at around £25m as recently as last summer.

Could Colwill be Virgil van Dijk’s heir?

Liverpool could land the long-term heir to their current first-choice left-sided centre-back Virgil van Dijk by convincing their Premier League rivals to part ways with Colwill in the summer.

The 20-year-old’s contract at Stamford Bridge expires in the summer of 2025 but Chelsea have signed Wesley Fofana, 22, and Benoit Badiashile, 22, in his position this season with their presence potentially set to block his pathway to the first-team in Graham Potter’s side.

This could, therefore, open the door for the Reds to swoop in for the England U21 international if the defender decides that he needs to move on from the Blues.

Van Dijk, who turns 32 this year, has been a reliable performer yet again for Liverpool this season – averaging a Sofascore rating of 7.10 across 22 league matches – and predominantly plays on the left side of the centre-back pairing, despite being right-footed.

Colwill, who was once hailed as “outrageous” by talent scout Jacek Kulig, also lines up on the left of the defence as a naturally left-footed player and the youngster could well be the long-term heir to the Dutchman’s place in the team.

Both players rank in the top 15% of centre-backs in Europe’s top five leagues over the last 365 days for passes attempted and pass completion rate. Van Dijk (4.77) and Colwill (5.06) also excel at progressing the ball via carries and passes per 90 with these statistics showing that they are both ball-playing defenders who can start attacks for their sides on a regular basis.

They are also both in the top 14% of players in their positions for aerial duels won per 90 over the last 365 days – managing 2.82 or more – an indication that they are aerially dominant and can tower over attackers to win the ball.

Stylistically, the Chelsea man could be a like-for-like replacement for Van Dijk if the English defender can develop his game and perform to a high level consistently over the course of a campaign – instead of in just seven Premier League matches so far.

At the age of 20, the enforcer has plenty of time left ahead of him to grow and improve and Klopp’s coaching could help him to become the long-term successor to the club’s current Dutch star.

Real Madrid were imperious yet again as they breezed past Liverpool to reach the Champions League quarter-finals, and one moment stood out in particular.

It was already notable that 37-year-old Luka Modric was starting, and the Croatian superstar rolled back the years with a remarkable bit of skill, almost leaving defender Trent Alexander-Arnold in tears.

Real Madrid’s squad delivered yet another dazzling display, with the likes of Vinicius Junior and Eduardo Camavinga turning on the style, but it was Modric who really had Real Madrid fans off their seats, and the standing ovation he received later on was fully deserved.

The midfielder flicked the ball over the right-back, who was helpless as he watched Modric then put an almost-perfect cross into the box, which was headed over by Federico Valverde. This was the icing on the cake in what was another accomplished performance by the veteran, and fans were quick to highlight Modric’s greatness.

The five-time Champions League winner is widely regarded as one of the best midfielders of his generation, and fans are now arguing that he should be placed alongside the likes of Xavi, Andres Iniesta and Zinedine Zidane as an all-time great.

Some of the reaction can be seen below…

Everton have become renowned for their transfer disasters under Fahad Moshiri’s ownership with over £500m spent and little to show for it.

The Toffees are enduring another relegation scrap this season with Sean Dyche the seventh permanent manager appointed by the unpopular owner challenged with the task of turning things around at Goodison Park.

In more recent transfer windows, Everton have found themselves having to tighten their belts due to financial concerns after the reckless spending on numerous transfers took its toll.

Indeed, at the rate that the club were turning over players Moshiri was bound to get it right at some point and the controversial sale of Lucas Digne back in January last year is the perfect example.

It was a troubling time at Goodison Park with Rafael Benitez struggling to get the best out of his squad and with every game came another protest against both the manager and owners.

Behind the scenes, it was quickly revealed that Benitez had fallen out with Digne as the pair disagreed on the training pitch which led to the Frenchman being isolated and dropped from match-day squads.

Ultimately this fractured relationship would be the end of Digne’s career with Everton and the player was sold for £25m in the January transfer window to Aston Villa.

Ironically, it wasn’t long before the former Real Madrid boss followed Digne out of the door as he was sacked just five days later, nevertheless Moshiri surprisingly still had the last laugh on the sale.

How much is Lucas Digne worth now?

The move to Villa Park was a great opportunity for Digne to have a fresh start and move on from the seemingly sinking ship he was leaving behind under Benitez.

Under the management of one of Benitez’s player prodigies, Steven Gerrard, at first it looked like Digne was a key player in the young manager’s set-up playing 90 minutes in 13 of the remaining 18 games of the season.

However, shortly into the current campaign things began to unravel for Digne when he suffered an ankle injury in September 2022 that left him side-lined for 40 days.

During that time Villa found themselves edging closer and closer to the relegation zone and when the left-back returned in late October, Gerrard had been sacked.

With a new manager comes a new perspective, a fresh style of play and commonly a change of favour when it comes to selection and under Unai Emery, Digne has become a fading feature.

Digne has not played a full 90 minutes since New Year’s Day and the arrival of Spaniard Alex Moreno has only added insult to injury as the former Villarreal boss clearly doesn’t see the player in his future plans.

In fact, there are claims that the 29-year-old – dubbed "poor" by Luis Miguel Echegaray – could be on his way out this summer and with his market value plummeting 72% to (€8m) £6.9m compared to what they paid just 16 months ago – as per CIES Football Observatory – it’s safe to say Everton hit the jackpot.

With that being said, although the sale of Digne was met with fury from supporters, in hindsight, Moshiri made the right decision at the right time in a very rare transfer masterclass.

Celtic are confident that manager Ange Postecoglou won’t leave the Scottish Premiership to join Tottenham Hotspur, according to reports in the last 48 hours.

The Lowdown: Spurs interest

The Australian’s contract at Parkhead is set to expire at the end of the season as he’s on a 12-month rolling deal and he’s already been linked with an exit on several occasions given his level of success.

Premier League clubs Leeds United, Brighton and Hove Albion and Leicester City have all previously been credited with an interest in the 57-year-old and Spurs are the latest club to join that list.

Speaking to beIN SPORTS, journalist Gary Jacob claimed that the N17 outfit are looking at the Hoops boss as a potential replacement for Antonio Conte who seems set to leave following an outburst during his post-match interview on Saturday.

The Latest: Celtic’s stance on Ange

According to Football Insider, Celtic are ‘confident’ that Postecoglou won’t leave the club for Tottenham or any other team in the English top flight during the middle of the season.

The Bhoys reportedly ‘do not expect’ to lose their manager at this unusual stage of the term and feel ‘convinced’ that he will decide to stay in charge until the summer at the very least.

Glasgow supporters have experienced ‘fear’ that the coach could jump ship but it was just last month that he reaffirmed his commitment to the club amid exit links.

The Verdict: New deal deserved

Postecoglou has been an absolute revelation since joining Celtic so it’s no surprise that clubs are looking at him, and it would be a massive boost if he was to sign a new deal.

The 4-3-3 attacking boss has an unbelievable record north of the border having won 76, drawn ten and lost just 16 of his 102 games in charge, averaging 2.33 points per match (Transfermarkt).

The Nea Filadelfeia native has also led his side to plenty of silverware, twice bagging the Scottish League Cup trophy and once the Premiership, while he looks set to secure a second consecutive one of those very soon.

Sky Sports reporter Dharmesh Sheth believes that Tottenham-linked Mauricio Pochettino will assess his options heading into the summer.

The Lowdown: Spurs speculation

Antonio Conte’s position in north London appears to be in real jeopardy, with the Spurs squad believing it is just a matter of time until he leaves the club.

Pochettino has been linked with a return to Tottenham, should Conte depart, with Sky Sports stating in the week that many of Tottenham’s squad have already been in contact with the Argentine, who would take the job if offered it.

The 51-year-old has been out of work since the summer after leaving Paris Saint-Germain, but it looks as if it could be 12 months before he makes his return to the dugout.

The Latest: Sheth’s comments

Sheth was talking to GiveMeSport regarding Spurs and Pochettino in a story shared in the last 24 hours. The Sky Sports reporter believes that the former Tottenham boss will be assessing his options ahead of the summer, name-checking Real Madrid as a potential destination should Carlo Ancelotti depart the Bernabeu:

“You’ll find that a lot of these big-name managers who Tottenham will be looking at, they tend to say, ‘I’ll just keep my powder dry until the summer, then I’ll assess all of my options’. That’s definitely the information we’re getting with regard to Mauricio Pochettino.

“He wants to assess all of his options in the summer, because, you know what, there’s another big job that could be coming around as well. There’s lots of talk about Carlo Ancelotti going from Real Madrid to the Brazilian national team come the end of the season and then suddenly, you’ve got the biggest job, you could argue in world football, for a manager available.”

The Verdict: Short-term appointment?

If Conte departs over the coming weeks, it could be worth looking at a short-term option until the end of the campaign, should Pochettino and other possible candidates be looking at a return in the summer, as Sheth claims.

London rivals Crystal Palace have done just that by bringing in Roy Hodgson for the remaining Premier League fixtures, and it seems as if Spurs have also considered a similar move, with Ryan Mason name-checked as a potential caretaker option.

Conte’s astonishing post-match Southampton rant could result in Mason taking over until the end of the season, which may help the club in their pursuit of a long-term appointment, possibly Pochettino, although Bayern Munich’s decision to sack Julian Nagelsmann has seen another possible twist, with Tottenham possibly making contact for the now available manager.

Newcastle United midfielder Bruno Guimaraes was left stunned by the performance of Sven Botman in their Premier League victory on Sunday afternoon.

Can Newcastle end their Champions League drought?

The Magpies are certainly making big strides towards returning to Europe's top table with their last appearance in the competition coming back in 2003.

And the fresh faces brought in under Eddie Howe's reign are quickly becoming local heroes with the likes of Guimaraes and Botman proving to be key figures in this new era on Tyneside.

The victory against the Red Devils not only provided the Toon Army with a taste of revenge following their Carabao Cup defeat last month, but also sees them leapfrog United into third spot.

Newcastle's time in third may be short-lived with Tottenham Hotspur travelling to Goodison Park on Monday night, however, the clash on Merseyside will restore their two-game advantage over the Londoners.

On the back of being handed the Player of the Match award himself, Guimaraes took to Botman's post-game Instagram image to praise the £90k-per-week defender's display:

How good was Botman on Sunday?

Howe's side have been rock solid at the back this season and boast the Premier League's tightest defence having only conceded 19 goals.

To put that into context, Manchester City – who have the second-best record – have conceded seven more goals and league leaders Arsenal have conceded eight more.

And the summer signing, Botman, has been at the centre of this stunning form having now played 25 times in the Premier League this term (via Transfermarkt).

In the Red Devils, Newcastle were coming up against one of the league's most in-form forwards with Marcus Rashford returning to the fold.

However, it proved to be a muted 90 minutes for the 26-year-old who had just 29 touches of the ball and registered no shots at all (via SofaScore).

In comparison, Botman – who's been labelled a "Rolls Royce defender" by journalist Jordan Cronin – racked up three interceptions, one block and one clearance as the Magpies limited the visitors to just one shot on Nick Pope's goal (via SofaScore).

What has been equally impressive is Botman's disciplinary record having received just one yellow card in over 2000 minutes of league action (via Transfermarkt).

Botman was not included in the Netherlands' 2022 World Cup squad late last year and his form in his first Premier League campaign is certainly making a mockery of that decision.

But it is apparent the 23-year-old's efforts are not going unnoticed by his teammates with Guimaraes full of praise for the Dutch defender.

Despite the current success under the PIF regime, prior to that Newcastle United had not always been astute operators with regard to transfer dealings, having notably moved on a handful of key figures somewhat prematurely.

Current Premier League stars Ivan Toney and Aleksandr Mitrovic are just two of those whom the Magpies have let slip from their grasp in the recent past, with the pair having particularly shone so far this season, scoring 18 and 11 top-flight goals, respectively, for Brentford and Fulham.

One other former St James' Park asset who is enduring a far more difficult campaign in the top tier, however, is Southampton's Adam Armstrong, with the Tynesiders having seemingly been vindicated in their decision to sell the 5 foot 8 marksman back in 2018.

How is Adam Armstrong getting on now?

The former Newcastle academy ace had been a highly-rated figure at the club during his time in the northeast, with the local lad having even been the subject of praise from then-England skipper Wayne Rooney back in 2015, after shining for the Three Lions at youth level.

The diminutive marksman had been handed a chance to impress during that 2014/15 campaign for the Magpies after making 15 appearances in all competitions, albeit with the young striker failing to find the back of the net in any of those outings.

That limited involvement ultimately saw Armstrong go on to join Coventry City for the following campaign, with the young Geordie making his mark after netting 20 League One goals, albeit while scoring just six times in the 2016/17 season for Barnsley in the Championship.

Another loan to second-tier side Bolton Wanderers failed to prove fruitful as the former England U21 international scored just once in the league in the first half of 2017/18, before again flourishing in League One at Blackburn Rovers, after netting nine league goals in the remainder of the campaign.

Having failed to truly show his worth above the third tier, the Tynesiders made the decision to allow Armstrong to depart that summer, with the emerging talent moving to Ewood Park on an initial £1.75m deal, after making just 21 appearances back at St James' Park – all of which ended without a goal to his name.

Toon legend Malcolm MacDonald suggested in 2021 that it had been a "crazy" decision to let the centre-forward leave the club, while lauding the striker with notable praise: “Adam is an out-and-out goalscorer who reminds me of Tony Cottee — on the small side but very quick, very agile, always facing the goal and ice-cool in one-on-one situations."

Armstrong initially lived up to MacDonald's billing after scoring 49 Championship goals across his first three full seasons with Rovers, with that subsequently earning him a £15m move to St Mary's in the summer of 2021.

Since then, however, Newcastle's decision to sell has looked far wiser as the £55k-per-week flop has been unable to deliver the goods back in the Premier League, scoring just three goals in the competition since the start of last term.

The current campaign, in particular, has proven rather disappointing for the 26-year-old as he has scored just once in the top-flight for the relegation-threatened outfit, with that a smaller tally than what ex-Newcastle dud Chris Wood has achieved this term, the New Zealand international netting three times for both the Magpies and new club, Nottingham Forest.

That is an indication of the extent of Armstrong's struggles for the Saints, with the St James' Park faithful likely to be no longer pining for their former youth asset with Alexander Isak and Callum Wilson now fit and firing.

Talksport pundit Jamie O'Hara has slammed Daniel Levy for handing Cristian Stellini the Tottenham Hotspur interim manager role for the rest of the season.

What's the latest on Cristian Stellini and Spurs?

Three months before his contract came to an end, former boss Antonio Conte agreed with Spurs it was best he left by mutual consent.

In his absence, his 48-year-old assistant manager Stellini was asked to take charge of the club until the summer, with Ryan Mason stepping up as assistant head coach.

Since then, the club haven't exactly picked up much of a new manager bounce. Indeed, the new boss has one once, drawn once, and lost once in the three Premier League games since taking over.

That loss came at home against Bournemouth on the weekend, as Tottenham shipped a late goal to lose 3-2 – which could have catastrophic consequences in their pursuit of a top-four finish.

While speaking about Stellini on Talksport, O'Hara claimed he is no different than Conte, and doesn't have a clue.

However, he laid the blame on Daniel Levy for handing the reins to the Italian, saying (0:19): “Stellini, I don't know what this guy's doing. I don't know what he keeps seeing and what he's coming out and saying, he hasn't got a clue.

"All he is is Antonio Conte’s right-hand man. He's doing exactly what Antonio Conte did, the same players, the same tactics, the same old rubbish.

“I don't know what we were thinking, thinking this was going to be a good idea until the end of the season.

"And it just sums it up. Daniel Levy, again, lets the fans down. There's an opportunity to get top four, and we've thrown it away. Absolutely thrown it away.

"Because, you know, we're just Mickey Mouse when it comes to making the right decisions.”

Why haven't Spurs hired a new manager?

After that loss on Saturday, Spurs now sit fifth in the league, three points behind Newcastle United with just seven games to go.

Worryingly, seventh-placed Brighton have two games in hand on Tottenham and are just four points behind the north London outfit.

At the time, there was some surprise in the media that Stellini had remained why Conte had left. Indeed, journalist Jack Pitt-Brooke said: “Well, it's very unusual, isn't it? Off the top of my head. I can't think of any other examples of a manager leaving and his two assistants stay in place."

Levy, however, evidently didn't feel as though there was a better immediate option from outside the club to either come in as interim or full-time manager.

The chairman clearly wants to take his time before appointing Conte's replacement but if Spurs drop out of the top four, his plan could backfire.

It seems clear that whoever takes over at Chelsea in the summer has a huge job on their hands if they are going to transform the Blues back into challengers at the top of the Premier League.

The decision to appoint Frank Lampard as an interim manager has certainly not paid off after four defeats from four, which has left the west London outfit languishing in 11th position in the top flight, with no trophies to compete for.

The millions spent by Todd Boehly has not produced the expected results, while his gamble on Graham Potter did not pay off, which has left the American with a significant decision to make in the summer if he wants to restore Chelsea to their former glory.

If he wants to build for the long term, then former Bayern Munich boss Julian Nagelsmann could be the ideal man to take over from Potter at Stamford Bridge.

What's the latest on Chelsea's interest in Nagelsmann?

In a recent interview with GIVEMESPORT, journalist Dean Jones provided his thoughts on the potential appointment of Nagelsmann at Stamford Bridge.

He wrote: "Sources have explained how Nagelsmann is seen as an improved version of Graham Potter and that Chelsea believe his style of coaching could mean that groundwork already put in over past months is less likely to be abandoned under his leadership.

"They have put in work too to understand exactly why his Bayern Munich reign did not work out and learnings at this moment suggest they do not feel the reasons would impact on them if he took charge of Chelsea.

"Managing so many personalities and egos is a potential problem in this situation and as part of the process Laurence Stewart and Paul Winstanley have been undertaking key conversations around recruiting a manager that can handle this.

Would Nagelsmann get Chelsea back to their best?

Nagelsmann would certainly arrive at Chelsea with a big reputation, having first taken Hoffenheim to the Champions League before the age of 30, which saw him described as a "genius" by the Athletic's Raphael Honigstein.

The 35-year-old averaged 1.53 points per game in his time at Hoffenheim, before steering RB Leipzig to a hugely impressive 1.94 points per game in his time with the Bundesliga outfit.

That remarkably saw the club leapfrog perennial runners-up, Borussia Dortmund, into second place in the German top flight, suggesting he knows how to get the best from his players.

This earned him a move to Bayern and despite him averaging a phenomenal 2.31 points per game there, he was sacked earlier this year.

Nagelsmann had achieved great things again in Munich, leading the German powerhouse to the top of the league and a Champions League quarter-final.

Given Potter mustered just 1.42 points per game at Chelsea, it definitely seems fair to suggest that Nagelsmann would be an improved version of the Englishman, with his attacking style and youth policy – something seen at Leipzig – also making him an ideal target for Boehly who has invested so heavily in the stars of tomorrow.

Thus, if the German is given time to adjust to Premier League football and is able to trim the squad accordingly, then he could be the ideal man to get the best out of the incredible players Chelsea have at their disposal.

He has already proven in Germany he can do exactly that; it's now time to transfer and hone those skills in English football.

Crystal Palace has often been accused of being a side lacking creativity, potency, and an attacking verve this season. This is reflected by a tally of just 31 goals in 33 Premier League games, which is the 15th lowest of the division.

There has also been a continued narrative that has shrouded Wilfried Zaha in unassailable importance within the side and has left many to question how the South London outfit will cope if he decides to depart when his contract expires at the end of the season.

In Tuesday evening's loss against Wolverhampton Wanderers, and without their injured starman, the Eagles starting line up only boasted 14 goals between them across the campaign and failed to conjure any clear-cut chances.

Roy Hodgson’s side tried but failed to break down their opposition’s stubborn resistance. The performances of Jordan Ayew and Ousanne Edouard highlighted the club’s alarming lack of depth and quality in attacking areas.

One man who would have been perfect for this frustrating scenario in his prime is Yannick Bolasie, who used to emphatically decorate proceedings at Selhurst Park with immense pace, trickery, and dynamism.

How long did Yannick Bolasie play for Crystal Palace?

The winger joined the Eagles from Bristol City in 2012 and recorded 43 goal contributions in 144 appearances before departing in 2016.

During his first season with Palace, he achieved promotion from the Championship via the play-offs to secure his side their first top-flight campaign since 2005.

The 50-cap international was an indispensable component of the team that secured 10th, 11th, and 15th-place finishes in its first three years after promotion to cement the club as a sturdy and efficient Premier League outfit.

Perhaps what is most endearing about Bolasie was his carefree and experimental footballing style – a joyous technician that married ruthless skill and astute technique.

This was perfectly executed when Palace met Tottenham Hotspur at the end of 2014 and the DR Congo international left Christian Eriksen bewildered with a spell-binding piece of magic.

Bolasie, heading towards the corner flag, seemed to be destined for a dead end, but in a devastating split second, he pirouetted past the onrushing Dane whilst flicking the ball away from his opponent's advances.

He was a player that oozed self-dying belief and after this moment he said: “It is good to express yourself in the Premier League. It will only get tougher as the opposition look at me and take me even more seriously. But because my confidence is high, I feel I can do anything.”

The attacker has also been described as “electric” by journalist Sam Tighe and that injection of speed, end product, and chance creation is an ingredient that Palace will desperately require if and when Zaha departs. If only Bolasie was still in his prime.