All posts by z3u9t.icu

Manchester United have been rejected by Leeds United midfielder and summer transfer target Kalvin Phillips.

What’s the story?

That’s according to the Daily Mail, who claimed that the England star will snub a move to Old Trafford this summer out of loyalty for his boyhood club, with the two teams sharing a fierce rivalry.

However, the Whites will listen to offers in the region of £60m for the 26-year-old.

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Ten Hag will be furious

Although the new Manchester United boss has stated that he wants to be left alone by club officials until he takes up his new role in the summer, with his current club Ajax still in the hunt for the Eredivisie title, he will certainly be furious to hear of Phillips’ snub.

The 52-year-old is set to lead a major squad overhaul this summer as part of a serious rebuilding job required at Old Trafford, with numerous players set to leave.

It has already been made clear that the likes of Nemanja Matic, Paul Pogba, Edinson Cavani, Jesse Lingard and Juan Mata will depart the Red Devils, and plenty more could follow suit.

Therefore, new recruits are vital, and Phillips would certainly have been an excellent addition to the Manchester United squad, with the midfielder now an England regular and a kingpin for Leeds.

In fact, the 26-year-old was named men’s senior England player of the year for 2021 after a breakthrough year which saw him become a key cog in the Three Lions’ run to the final of the European Championships last summer.

However, this season will have certainly been a frustrating one for the midfielder, who has been limited to just 15 Premier League appearances due to a hamstring injury keeping him out of action for almost four months.

Whilst Phillips was on the sidelines, fan favourite Marcelo Bielsa was sacked as Leeds manager with the Yorkshire club’s top-flight status in serious jeopardy, with American coach Jesse Marsch coming in and subsequently steadying the ship at Elland Road.

Whether or not the England midfielder – who was labelled a “baller” by Nigel de Jong – will want to be a part of the 48-year-old’s long-term plans in Yorkshire next season is still to be learned.

What does seem certain, though, is that Phillips’ rejection of Manchester United will leave Ten Hag furious ahead of taking the reins at Old Trafford.

AND in other news: “Made contact…”: Journo drops huge MUFC transfer update, supporters will be buzzing 

Former Celtic striker Frank McAvennie believes Rangers’ fatigue could play into the Hoops’ hands in their crucial Scottish Premiership meeting.

The Lowdown: Massive game at Parkhead

Arguably the biggest league game of the season takes place at Parkhead on Sunday afternoon, as Ange Postecoglou’s side host their biggest rivals.

Celtic are six points clear with four matches remaining this season, so victory for them this weekend would surely mean them regaining their league crown.

It promises to be a nerve-shredding occasion between two of world football’s biggest adversaries.

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The Latest: McAvennie discusses Rangers weakness

Speaking to Football Insider, McAvennie claimed that Rangers’ midweek Europa League makes the Hoops the resounding favourites on Sunday:

“I’m fairly optimistic we will get a result on Sunday. Celtic are well-rested and Rangers won’t be so we have to exploit that.

“I’m hoping we can blow Rangers away and I think with the crowd behind us then we will. Rangers just defended for their lives against Leipzig so that should tire them out.

“But the last time they faced us after a European game they won so we have to be at our best to get something. Hopefully there are goals, Kyogo will want an Old Firm goal to his name for sure.

“I think it will be a good game with lots of goals because Rangers need the win. If they commit men forward it will open them up at the back and we can swarm them.  Ange will want a bit of revenge after that cup loss as well but I do think we will get the job done.”

The Verdict: Celtic undoubted favourites

McAvennie makes a fair point, with Giovanni van Bronckhorst’s side getting through a huge amount of work on Thursday night, as they lost 1-0 away to RB Leipzig.

On the flip side, Celtic have had an entire week to prepare for the match, affording Postecoglou time on the training ground with his players, as well as keeping them fresh.

This certainly plays in their hands going into the game – it’s now a case of proving that they have more legs and quality, as they look for a priceless three points.

In other news, a pundit has reacted to a key Celtic transfer update. Read more here.

New Manchester United manager Erik ten Hag may look to sign Tottenham winger Steven Bergwijn this summer, according to The Athletic’s Charlie Eccleshare.

The Lowdown: Bergwijn hints at Old Trafford move

Ten Hag was announced as Manchester United’s new manager last month, penning a deal through to 2025.

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He looks set to make final decisions on transfer targets ‘in the coming weeks’, with numerous players linked with a move to Old Trafford.

One of those has been Bergwijn, who hinted earlier this month that a move to United could be on the cards.

Labelled as an ‘important player’ with ‘good fitness’ by Antonio Conte, the Dutch winger can play anywhere across the front three but has made just four Premier League starts this season.

The Latest: Eccleshare’s claim

Reliable reporter Eccleshare shared a story for The Athletic regarding Bergwijn on Thursday. One source believes that Bergwijn will “100%” leave north London at the end of the season, with Eccleshare stating that a possible solution could be a move to Manchester United.

Ten Hag is thought to be a fan of the 24-year-old and made multiple attempts to bring the forward to Ajax, however, Eccleshare added that there is nothing concrete from Old Trafford as of yet.

The Verdict: One to watch?

Ten Hag wants to be heavily involved when it comes to signings, sales and new contracts, so if he personally wants to bring Bergwijn to Manchester, it could be a deal to keep a close eye on.

He hasn’t had the best of times in the Premier League with Spurs, scoring just eight times in 80 games, but Ten Hag will know all about his qualities after coming up against the winger at PSV.

Bergwijn is still just 24 years of age, and with Spurs seemingly looking to offload the player, United may well be able to secure his services for a relatively low fee which would bolster Ten Hag’s attacking ranks.

In other news: Ten Hag wants Man Utd to hijack Spurs move for ‘difference maker’; could replace ‘useless’ flop. 

Manchester United could land their very own Kevin De Bruyne with a move for Lazio star Sergej Milinkovic-Savic, as Erik ten Hag looks set for a busy summer ahead of his first season as Red Devils manager.

What’s the word?

In his recent Caught Offside column, Italian super-agent Roberto de Fanti wrote: “I believe this summer could be the time that Milinkovic-Savic leaves Lazio and I wouldn’t be surprised if the destination is Manchester United. I can say for sure that there are already whispers in the industry that he could move to Old Trafford in time for next season.”

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The club has been linked with the midfielder as of late, but Lazio have confirmed that he isn’t for sale as United aim to bolster their squad ahead of next season.

Ten Hag could unearth United’s own De Bruyne

Incoming manager Ten Hag has a massive rebuild ahead of him if he wants to take United back to winning trophies and competing in the Champions League.

With Paul Pogba’s contract set to expire in the summer and the ever-increasing likelihood that he will depart the club, with Juventus set to offer him a contract, the onus is on the 52-year-old to replace him.

A move for Milinkovic-Savic would make a lot of sense for the club, as he is very similar in style to De Bruyne (as per FBRef); and with the success the Belgian has had at the blue half of the city, Ten Hag may want to break the bank for the Serbian.

Both players have reached double figures for league goals this season, Milinkovic-Savic has 10 in Serie A whilst De Bruyne has netted 15 times in the Premier League, proving that the Serbian can be a goalscoring threat from the centre of the midfield, something that United are severely lacking. Aside from Bruno Fernandes (10), no Red Devils midfielder has reached the five-goal mark in the league this term.

The 27-year-old earns £75k-p/w at Lazio and will surely enjoy a pay rise if he moves to Manchester; and with Sky Sports reporter Anton Toloui dubbing him a “complete midfielder”, this prospective transfer makes perfect sense.

It could be an exciting summer ahead for the Old Trafford faithful, particularly if United can entice the Serbian monster to the Premier League.

AND in other news, Man Utd eyeing move for £130m-rated genius, just imagine him & Ronaldo

Sunderland face off against Wycombe at Wembley in the League One play-off final on Saturday with a place in next season’s Championship on offer to the winner.

Alex Neil is in with a shot of securing promotion to the second tier after joining the club midway through the campaign to replace Lee Johnson.

The club were unable to fight their way into the automatic places and Kristjaan Speakman may look back at the business done in the market ahead of the season and wonder what he could have done differently.

It was reported, last summer, that the Black Cats were one of the teams in the race to land Welsh centre-forward Sam Vokes from Stoke.

He ended up signing for the club’s rivals, Wycombe, and has enjoyed a phenomenal season for the Choirboys under Gareth Ainsworth.

Former Potters boss Nathan Jones previously dubbed him a “marquee” player and he has lived up to that tag in League One this season.

He has racked up 17 goals and seven assists in the third tier as he has averaged a sublime SofaScore rating of 7.25 across 45 appearances. The experienced forward has won a whopping 10.7 aerial battles per game as he has provided his team with a focal point at the top end of the pitch.

Vokes has consistently delivered in the final third with all-round performances and goal contributions to lead his team to the final of the play-offs. He is capable of finding the back of the net, assisting his teammates, and beating defenders in the air to hold the ball up or win flick-ons for his fellow attackers to run onto.

Ainsworth claimed that it is “ridiculous” that Wycombe have a player of Vokes’ talents and his aforementioned statistics prove that the word sums up his ability at this level. He has been terrific and Sunderland may now be wondering what a striker partnership consisting of him and Ross Stewart would look like.

Instead of him firing in the goals alongside the Scot, he may be scoring the goal that consigns the Black Cats to another season in the third tier on Saturday.

Vokes’ phenomenal form this season proves that Speakman had a howler by failing to snap him up last summer and a telling contribution at Wembley would represent kicking him whilst he is already down.

AND in other news, Speakman nightmare: SAFC had a disaster on “instrumental” 27 y/o who’s “outstanding”…

Financial expert Kieran Maguire has been reacting to more exit news from Manchester United, as per Football Insider.

The Lowdown: More exits at United

The Red Devils are set for a major summer shake-up under new manager Erik ten Hag both on and off the pitch.

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Executive vice-chairman Ed Woodward left Old Trafford in February, while chief scout Jim Lawlor and head of global scouting Marcel Bout are also leaving the club.

Head of corporate finance Hemen Tseayo and chief of staff Patrick Coyle are the latest off-field departures, as per The Daily Mail, with the latter becoming the PFA’s chief operating officer.

The Latest: Maguire reacts to United exodus

Maguire was talking to Football Insider regarding the number of Old Trafford exits, believing the Glazers are playing a ‘dangerous’ game, comparing it to the time that David Gill and Sir Alex Ferguson both left nine years ago.

The Sky Sports contributor outlined:

“It does feel like these exits have been coordinated.

“Because the club have underperformed, the Glazers feel they need to have a reset at senior management level. Hemen Tseayo was the person who authored Project Big Picture.

“There are a lot of people leaving at the same time. If we go back to when Woodward started in 2013, David Gill and Sir Alex Ferguson left at the same time.

“In any form of succession planning, you shouldn’t have the manager and the person who is responsible for corporate leave at the same time.

“It does look like a club that is lacking an overall strategy, and it can be dangerous for everyone to leave at once.”

The Verdict: Needed

It’s safe to say that things haven’t been running smoothly at Old Trafford for some time now, so it does seem to be the right decision to completely strip everything back and start from scratch.

Of course, the Glazers are still at the club, but there will likely be a new look both behind the scenes and in the dugout from the 2022/23 campaign.

Ten Hag has shown how committed he is to the task at hand by terminating his Ajax contract six weeks early, and he’ll need to sing from the same hymn sheet as the United board for the club to have any chance of completing a swift transformation.

In other news: Strong bid tabled as Man Utd and Ten Hag now make big move for ‘genius’ signing

Liverpool are reportedly interested in signing PSV Eindhoven’s defensive midfielder Ibrahim Sangare during the summer transfer window.

The Lowdown: Midfielder on the agenda?

Jurgen Klopp is sure to dip into the transfer market this summer as he looks to ensure that his Reds side remain in touch with Manchester City in the Premier League next season.

Midfield is certainly an area which could do with some fresh blood, with a number of Liverpool’s incumbents now in their 30s, including James Milner, Jordan Henderson and Thiago.

Monaco youngster Aurelien Tchouameni has been strongly linked with a move to Anfield, and now another rumour is doing the rounds.

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The Latest: Liverpool eye up Sangare move

According to Voetbal International [via Sport Witness], Liverpool have sent scouts to watch Sangare in action for PSV in recent weeks as the club’s FSG ownership weigh up a potential summer move.

The Ivorian has a release clause of €37.5m (£31.6m) which can be triggered at any time, and the Reds are believed to have him ‘firmly in their sights’.

The Verdict: Ideal Fabinho backup?

While Henderson can do a good job in place of Fabinho in the number six role, the skipper is 32 this summer. Sangare could represent a long-term deputy in that position, having been described as ‘extraordinary’ by former coach Aad de Mos.

The 17-cap Ivory Coast international has averaged 3.3 tackles and 2.6 interceptions per game across 29 Eredivisie appearances this season, highlighting his off-the-ball tenacity. Both of those averages are better than what anyone at Anfield has managed this term.

At 24, Sangare could mature into someone who eventually usurps Fabinho at the base of Liverpool’s midfield, perhaps even partnering Tchouameni for the Reds in a few years’ time.

In other news, a fresh update has emerged regarding one Liverpool superstar’s future. Read more here.

Everton are still waiting for defender Yerry Mina to decide his future as he prepares to enter into the final year of his contract at Goodison Park.

The Columbians former agent has recently spoken to Italian outlet L’Interista where he revealed that Mina has always wanted to play in Italy, and that there has been contact between the player and Inter Milan in the past.

However, he also said that this doesn’t mean the player won’t decide to renew his contract with Everton, and that he expects him to evaluate all the offers on the table and decide where he wants to play.

The £18m-rated defender struggled with injuries last season and missed 25 games, and his absence played a huge part in the club struggling to maintain their Premier League status.

If The Toffees are to avoid a relegation battle next season, then he will play a key part, so Frank Lampard needs to do all he can to persuade him to stay.

However, letting his contract run down is also a bad idea when Everton need to generate funds in order to be able to make new signings.

They can’t risk letting him go for free so making sure he commits his future with a new contract this summer is a must.

Mina moved to Merseyside from FC Barcelona back in 2018 for £27.2m and has made 91 appearances for the club, he’s a fans favourite and could lead the rebuild under Lampard and be guaranteed game time if he stayed.

If you look at his statistics for the 2020/21 Premier League season you can see just how good he can be. He showed composure with the ball ranking in the top 7% for touches in the defensive third and percentage of dribblers tackled.

In comparison to Everton’s two other main centre-backs Michael Keane and Ben Godfrey, he performs better in several areas. His pass completion percentage in 2020/21 was higher than both at an impressive 94%.

He’s been described as a “rock” by former Everton player Don Hutchinson.

We think he’s Everton’s best defender, and for a side who conceded the fifth most goals last season, keeping him at the club would be their most important signing this summer.

AND in other news: Everton eye £30m swoop for 21 y/o “special talent”, just imagine him and Gordon…

Tottenham Hotspur journalist Dan Kilpatrick of The Evening Standard has now shared a ‘looming problem’ for manager Antonio Conte in north London.

The Lowdown: Spurs summer reshuffle begins…

Having confirmed the signing of Ivan Perisic on a Bosman deal from Inter Milan, Spurs boss Conte has shown no sign of slowing down there going by recent reports.

The Italian’s transfer meeting with club chief Fabio Paratici in Turin last week revealed that the Lilywhites could strengthen in a number of key areas after their £150 million equity increase.

However, despite the seemingly never-ending good news recently, Kilpatrick has seen fit to remind supporters of a ‘looming problem’ facing Conte.

The Latest: Kilpatrick shares bad news…

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According to the reporter, as Spurs approve an exit for midfielder Harry Winks, the consequence is a real problem balancing the books in terms of homegrown quota.

He explained:

“Spurs have approved Harry Winks leaving the club and Conte wants a new midfielder. But the club has a looming problem with non-homegrown numbers.”

The Verdict: Dilemma…

Selling surplus-to-requirements assets like Winks will inevitably have this consequence but, luckily for Lilywhites supporters, the club does have an eye on English replacements.

The likes of Djed Spence and James Ward-Prowse, alongside Fraser Forster, may well come in given their serious links with a move to Hotspur Way.

Tottenham targeting homegrown players as part of Conte’s Premier League plans is a promising indicator that they do have this issue in mind at the very least.

In other news: Conte sets sights on once-£100m ‘game changer’ who once agreed personal terms with Spurs! Find out more here.

Sunderland ended their four-year spell in the third tier of English football as they won in the final of the League One play-offs last month.

The Black Cats will now be competing in the Championship next season after Alex Neil guided the team to a 2-0 win over Wycombe at Wembley.

Elliot Embleton and Ross Stewart scored the goals in the final after the club beat Sheffield Wednesday over two legs in the semi-finals.

Neil and Kristjaan Speakman will now be plotting deals to improve the squad with a view to being competitive in the second tier next term.

They have already been linked with a number of players and one gem who has been touted with a return to the Stadium of Light is central defender Dion Sanderson.

Sunderland are reportedly interested in signing him from Wolves, on a temporary or permanent basis, after his loan spell in the 2020/21 campaign.

Imagine him & Bailey Wright

Journalist Josh Bunting has claimed that he would be a “perfect” signing for Neil’s style of play. He is a defender who is comfortable in possession and this means that he can build up the play for the Scot from the back.

During his time with the Black Cats, the centre-back completed 83% of his passes, 93% in his own half, and completed 75% of his dribbles as he stepped out from the backline to start attacks.

Neil can pair him with Wright to form a solid defence in the Championship as their respective qualities can complement each other. Whilst the current Wolves man has the technical ability to be a ball progressor from centre-back, the Australian enforcer is a strong defender who can get stuck in.

In the 2021/22 campaign, the ex-Bristol City gem won an impressive 65% of his duels and made 3.2 clearances per game as he showcased his strength and positioning.

That is not to say that Sanderson is not a good defender, though, as he caught the eye for the club in the past. Josh Bunting dubbed the centre-back “absolutely superb” and his statistics for Sunderland in League One back that up. In 26 third-tier outings, Sanderson averaged an excellent SofaScore rating of 6.92 whilst playing for Lee Johnson.

The 22-year-old made 1.9 tackles and interceptions per game as he won 61% of his duels, showing that he – like Wright – has the quality to defend his own goal.

Now, imagine both of them lining up in Neil’s defence next season…

This is a deal the Scottish boss must get done in the coming weeks, whether that is on a permanent basis or on loan from the Premier League side.

AND in other news, Speakman plotting Sunderland swoop for “massive” 6 ft 3 colossus, Neil would love him…