Burnley: Kompany Could Turn To Man City For £11m ‘King Of Assists’

After sealing promotion to the Premier League with plenty of time to spare, Burnley must now compile a squad strong enough to remain in the division.

A new full-back is said to be on Vincent Kompany's list of targets, with The Sun reporting that he may just get a helping hand from Manchester City in a possible transfer merry-go-round.

City are said to be interested in signing Raphael Guerreiro, who is out of contract at Borussia Dortmund this summer, which would pave the way for Sergio Gomez to depart for Burnley.

Who are Burnley looking to sign?

Burnley have been linked with a whole array of players since earning promotion nearly two months ago, including the likes of Cody Drameh, Jack Clarke, Habib Diallo and now Gomez.

Having completely transformed the club's style of play since taking charge 12 months ago, Kompany has also shown he can spot a talent when he sees one.

Indeed, from the £11m earned from Nick Pope's sale to Newcastle United, the Clarets recruited seven players in his place who played their part in a sensational campaign.

Kompany has put his City links to good use, too, with Taylor Harwood-Bellis coming in on loan last season – and possibly staying on this term – and CJ Egan-Riley arriving permanently.

Furthermore, Kompany managed Gomez during their time at Anderlecht, so it is a transfer that would make sense in more ways than one.

How has Gomez performed at Man City?

After being brought to the Etihad Stadium from Anderlecht for a fee of £11m, Gomez has frustratingly been restricted to just ten starts in all competitions this season, only two of those in the Premier League.

In classic Pep Guardiola fashion, the £50k-per-week earner has showcased his versatility across those matches by appearing at left-back six times, as per WhoScored, as well in a left-sided forward role and central midfield.

Oleksandr Zinchenko of Arsenal

It is that ability to play comfortably not just at full-back but also further forward, even in a central position, that led to Guardiola hailing Gomez as a "perfect" player for City and likening him to Oleksandr Zinchenko, who has continued to show his versatility at Arsenal.

It would be fair to say Gomez has not exactly had a proper chance to demonstrate his talents at City, reflected by his solitary assist and no goals across 23 appearances, the vast majority of those from the substitutes' bench.

But it was the six goals and 13 assists Gomez managed in 26 games for Anderlecht in 2021-22, and his seven direct goal involvements for Spain at U21 level, that persuaded City to splash out an eight-figure sum.

Described as a "full-back, playmaker, king of assists and winger" by football talent scout Jacek Kulig, the 22-year-old – who has also previously represented Barcelona B and Borussia Dortmund – will no doubt be eager for more regular football in order to hit something close to those figures again.

It is at Burnley under Pep protégée Kompany that his chance to truly shine in English football may arrive.

فوز الأهلي والزمالك وسبورتنج في ثاني جولات دور الـ8 لتصنيف دوري سيدات الطائرة

أقيمت على مدار اليوم، السبت، الجولة الثانية من دور الـ8 للتصنيف بدوري سيدات الكرة الطائرة الممتاز للموسم المحلى 2023/2024 على صالة حسن مصطفى بالسادس من أكتوبر التى تستضيف المنافسة على مدار يومين.

وشهدت منافسات الجولة الثانية فوز، سبورتنج على الشمس 3/0 وسموحة على الصيد 3/0، والأهلي على الزهور 3/0 والزمالك على وادي دجلة 3/0 .

الفرق الأربعة الفائزة من مجموع اللقائين في كل مجمعة تصنف في المستوى الأول، والفرق الخاسرة ضمن المستوى الثاني، لتحديد أطراف الدور المقبل “البلاي أوف”.

اقرأ أيضًا.. ياسر قمر وعمرو مخلوف يخوضان انتخابات الاتحاد الإفريقي للطائرة.. وترشيحات مصرية أخرى

وحدد الاتحاد المصري للكرة الطائرة، برئاسة المهندس ياسر قمر، موعد كأس السوبر المحلي للكرة الطائرة للرجال والسيدات، والذي تقرر أن يقام على صالة اتحاد الشرطة.

وسيقام سوبر الرجال يومى 25 و27 فبراير الجاري، بمشاركة 4 فرق، وهي الأهلي والزمالك وطلائع الجيش وبتروجيت.

فيما سيقام السوبر المحلي للسيدات يومي 29 فبراير الجاري و1 مارس المقبل بمشاركة فرق الأهلي والزمالك وسبورتنج والصيد.

Arsenal Staff Member in Spat With Former Gunner

Well-known Arsenal photographer Stuart MacFarlane has slammed an unnamed ex-reserve player after he was "trolled" in a message for not winning the league.

How many days were Arsenal top of the league?

It was a tough weekend for the Gunners as they lost by a single goal away at Nottingham Forest in the Premier League.

As a direct consequence, rivals Manchester City were able to win the title race without actually having to kick a ball on Sunday – though they still picked up all three points against Chelsea in their own match.

Sadly, Arsenal's failure to lift the league trophy means they set a new record as the team that spent the most days at the top of the table (248) without managing to go on and win the division.

In light of their defeat, it seems one gleeful ex-Gunner could help but rub the club's disappointment in the face of one of their loyal staff members.

Indeed, as revealed by MacFarlane on his personal Instagram page, a former Arsenal academy man had been in his DMs asking like a : "Baby".

The photographer explained: "Tough evening in Nottingham but ultimately very proud of what the players and staff have achieved this season. Getting trolled on my DMs by an ex reserve player for us not winning the league is hilarious, will he ever grow up and move on…I doubt it #baby."

Who is Stuart MacFarlane?

The chief photographer and lifelong fan came to the attention of many fans last year when he delivered a rousing speech ahead of the North London Derby win over Tottenham Hotspur – as captured in Amazon's All or Nothing documentary.

At the time, Mikel Arteta explained his importance, saying (via The Sun): "This guy, for the last 30 years has captured emotions, emotions and teams.

"I want you to hear from him, how he feels about you. And about our club."

And so it's clear that MacFarlane has a deeply personal link with Arsenal and one former player thought it would be best to personally seek him out with a message to rub salt in the wounds as the club's title challenge came to a disappointing end.

It might be unfair to speculate too much on who this individual might be but TalkSport host Jamie O'Hara is one player that comes to mind. After all, he came through the academy but went on to play for Spurs and has been vocally revelling in the Gunners' struggles at every opportunity this season.

Still, that is just a guess, so perhaps it's best not to jump to any major conclusions just yet.

موعد والقناة الناقلة لمباراة الزمالك وأم صلال اليوم في الإمارات

تعرف على موعد والقناة الناقلة لمباراة الزمالك وأم صلال القطري اليوم.

يلتقي فريق الكرة الأول بنادي الزمالك مع أم صلال القطري، مساء اليوم الأربعاء، ضمن منافسات بطولة الوحدة الودية الدولية.

الزمالك يلاقي أم صلال، في مباراة تحديد المركز الثالث والرابع بالبطولة الودية المقامة في الإمارات.

ويخوض الزمالك معسكراً في الإمارات من الفترة 20 وحتى 24 يناير الجاري بمشاركة أندية الوحدة الإماراتي والاتفاق السعودي وأم صلال القطري.

ولعب الزمالك أمام الوحدة في مباراة دور نصف النهائي، وخسر بثلاثة أهداف مقابل هدف، بينما فريق أم صلال هُزم من الاتفاق.

طالع | عمرو أدهم: فيتوريا سهل مهمة الزمالك في حل أزمة القيد موعد مباراة الزمالك وأم صلال القطري اليوم ودياً

تقام مباراة الزمالك مع أم صلال القطري، اليوم الأربعاء 24 يناير 2024، في تمام الساعة 3:10 مساءً بتوقيت القاهرة، 4:10 بتوقيت السعودية. القناة الناقلة لمباراة الزمالك أم صلال القطري

تنقل مباراة الزمالك وأم صلال، على قناة أبو ظبي الرياضية.

ويمكنكم مطالعة مواعيد ونتائج جميع المباريات لحظة بلحظة عبر مركز المباريات من هنا.

Tottenham: Spurs Insiders Eye "Fascinating" Manager Move

Tottenham Hotspur insiders admire Brendan Rodgers as Spurs continue their search for a permanent manager, according to reports.

What's the latest Spurs manager news?

The Lilywhites are still searching for Antonio Conte's long term replacement at N17 with chairman Daniel Levy making an absolutely huge decision on Monday.

Former interim head coach Cristian Stellini has been relieved of his duties after a dismal 6-1 battering at hands of Premier League top four rivals Newcastle – a result which leaves them playing catch up to the Magpies and Man United who are well out in front.

It's a truly dire situation at Spurs and Levy simply must get the club's next managerial appointment spot on, or risk further backlash from the fanbase who have already staged protests against ENIC's ownership.

However, there are options for Tottenham and many elite managers are readily-available for hire after leaving their most recent clubs.

Leicester City manager Brendan Rodgers looks dejected after the match

Julian Nagelsmann, formerly of Bayern Munich, and ex-Barcelona manager Luis Enrique stand out as potentially fruitful options – with Burnley boss Vincent Kompany and Feyenoord's Arne Slot also of interest to Tottenham.

However, according to 90min, the aforementioned quartet aren't the only coaches who have caught the eye of those 'inside the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium'.

Indeed., as per the report, another manager who is admired within the club is former Leicester City boss Rodgers – who was recently fired after leading the Foxes into a relegation battle.

As well as the 50-year-old, Thomas Frank (Brentford) and Oliver Glasner (Eintracht Frankfurt) also have fans at Spurs.

Should Spurs pursue Rodgers?

The way he departed Leicester has seen his stock fall slightly, but it wasn't long ago he won both the FA Cup and Community Shield, clinching both honours at Wembley in 2021.

Interestingly, he was also Levy's 'preferred choice' to succeed Harry Redknapp years ago (Football Insider), with Spurs now having a free run at Rodgers who could now join as a free agent.

We believe he could still have the capabilities to make a success of Spurs, with Sky journalist Rob Dorsett giving him a glowing endorsement on the ex-Celtic boss back in 2020. He said:

"Brendan Rodgers is an incredibly good coach, an incredibly good manager. Off camera, he talks about football matters and he's fascinating. He explains how he gets his team to press, why he wants to play out from the back, and it's a real footballing education."

Arsenal’s £115k-p/w Dud Was Their ‘Weak’ Link vs Liverpool

Arsenal let slip their two-goal lead yesterday, but still walked away from Anfield with a more than respectable 2-2 draw against a struggling Liverpool side.

Although Jurgen Klopp’s men might not have been in the most glittering of form, having won just two of their last eight games in all competitions, at their infamous home stadium they remain a tough task for any side.

Especially for the Gunners, who historically have struggled to topple the Reds in Merseyside; their last win in the league came in 2012.

There were plenty of impressive performers on the day, who stood up to arguably one of their toughest tests as they enter the run-in. However, such was the bear pit environment crafted by the hosts, some also wilted.

Surprisingly, one such figure who disappointed was Martin Odegaard.

Their Norwegian captain has been ever-dependable all campaign, boasting ten goals and eight assists on the way to leading the pack in the Premier League.

However, it was a day to forget for the 24-year-old, who underwhelmed before his eventual substitution.

How did Martin Odegaard play vs Liverpool?

Whilst Rob Holding might steal the headlines for true poor performers, having been handed the worst Sofascore rating of any of Arsenal’s starting side and giving away a penalty, he does not demand the same lofty standards as his midfield teammate.

The English defender is merely standing in for the injured William Saliba, and everyone clearly knows that; likely even the 27-year-old himself.

Therefore, the occasional poor display against a tough side like Liverpool can be somewhat excused, almost expected.

Odegaard, however, has commanded such a spectacle surrounding each display, that when he underperforms it becomes a far greater story.

martin-odegaard-arsenal-liverpool-performance

From his 80 minutes on the field, the maestro could only muster 40 touches, completing 24 passes. He would subsequently lose possession ten times, and the only cross attempted would miss the mark, compounding an abysmal creative performance (via Sofascore).

Odegaard did play a role in advancing the ball forward for Gabriel Martinelli's opener, but that was as good as it got for the Norwegian, with journalist Sergio Santana even taking to Twitter to outline the “weak performance” posted by the 5 foot 10 wizard.

Often the former Real Madrid prodigy would make up for any attacking shortcomings with an unparalleled work rate. That also seemed missing in yesterday’s clash, as the £115k-per-week magician would record just one tackle as his sole defensive interaction. He would lose the other four duels competed in as per Sofascore.

Offensively inept and defensively work-shy, it was certainly an afternoon to forget for the usually reliable midfielder.

Odegaard has been instrumental in the current success of his outfit, but he will quickly want to dispel yesterday’s showing in order to return to the form that has led to such widespread praise.

West Ham United Send Scouts To Watch £25m Midfielder

West Ham United have sent scouts to watch Bristol City midfielder Alex Scott ahead of a potential move to the Premier League, according to reports.

What's the latest on Scott to West Ham?

The Robins starlet has worked his way up through the academy ranks at Ashton Gate to become a regular feature of Nigel Pearson’s first-team squad, making 86 appearances – catching the eye of David Moyes at the London Stadium in the process.

Football Insider reported in February that the Irons were readying a summer move for the 19-year-old and haven’t decided to waste any time. GiveMeSport claims that the E20 outfit have already submitted an enquiry to discover his availability, but any kind of deal will be far from easy to complete.

The Championship ace is contracted until 2025, which means they will be entering the market in a very strong negotiating position, but having set a £25m price tag, it’s clear that they would be open to letting him go should they receive their demanded fee.

According to the Daily Mail, West Ham are on the lookout for replacements for Declan Rice and believe that Scott has what it takes to fill the role. Irons scouts “continue to watch” their target and were even in attendance to assess him at England U20's game against France last week. PSV Eindhoven’s Ibrahim Sangare and Manchester City’s Carlos Borges are thought to be two other central players being monitored, but it appears that City's talisman is currently the preferred choice.

Bristol City midfielder Alex Scott.

Would Scott be a good signing for West Ham?

Scott is still a teenager, so viewing him as a possible successor to Rice right now may be too much pressure, but with the qualities that he possesses, he’s certainly got the potential to be his replacement in the long term.

The Guernsey-born talent is currently averaging 2.1 tackles per second-tier game so loves to get stuck in and win back possession for his team, but is equally as strong in the offensive aspect of his play. The Robins ace has provided five assists and scored two goals across all competitions this season (via Transfermarkt), whilst whipping 90 crosses into the box, highlighting his desire to create and put away chances.

Compared to positional peers playing at a similar level over the last 365 days, he also ranks in the 87th percentile for progressive carries and the 84th for successful take-ons, so isn’t afraid to beat his marker and make an impact in the final third (FBref).

Scott has been dubbed an “intelligent” midfielder by journalist Josh Bunting and we feel Moyes would be acquiring a real star in the making should the Irons successfully secure his services at the end of the season.

Everton had the last laugh on left-back’s £25m sale

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.

Premier League, Everton, Everton news, Everton latest news, Everton transfers, Everton analysis, EFC news, EFC latest news, EFC update, EFC analysis, EFC transfers, Goodison Park, Toffees, Lucas Digne

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.

West Ham eye ‘exciting’ Rice replacement

West Ham United chiefs have identified Nice midfielder Khephren Thuram as possible replacement for Declan Rice, according to reports.

The Lowdown: Rice exit looming?

The England international has been heavily linked with a move away from West Ham this summer with his deal expiring in 2024.

This summer could represent one of the last opportunities for David Moyes’ side to make any serious cash off Rice’s signature and reports suggest he isn’t short of suitors.

Man City, Chelsea and Arsenal are among the Premier League clubs chasing a move for Rice and journalist Dean Jones has now shared who West Ham could target to replace their star.

The Latest: West Ham eye Thuram…

As per the reporter, writing for GiveMeSport, Irons chiefs appear to be making ‘early’ plans as they consider who could succeed Rice.

One name in the mix is Nice star Thuram, brother of Marcus Thuram, and West Ham have him on their radar ahead of this summer.

However, they could face competition from Borussia Dortmund for his signature.

[web_stories_embed url=”https://www.footballtransfertavern.com/web-stories/west-ham-latest-news-6/” title=”West Ham latest news” poster=”https://www.footballtransfertavern.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/11/cropped-david-moyes-premier-league-scaled-1.jpg” width=”360″ height=”600″ align=”none”]

The Verdict: Right man?

The 6 foot 4 powerhouse midfielder has been one of Nice’s shining lights over the 2022/2023 Ligue 1 season.

As per WhoScored, Thuram ranks among the French top flight side’s best-performing players by average match rating and specifically in their top five.

Also just 21-years-old, the Frenchman would come to the London Stadium as a signing of real longevity with members of the media also being highly impressed by his displays this season.

AS reporter Andrés Onrubia Ramos, for instance, has called Thuram an ‘exciting’ component of the Nice midfield and, if he continues this form, could keep on earning real plaudits.

His stock is well and truly growing in France, leaving little surprise West Ham are taking note.

West Ham: Moyes had a clanger with Cullen

In recent years, only Declan Rice and Ben Johnson have managed to establish themselves as consistent members of West Ham United’s first-team squad having come through the academy.

A number of promising youngsters have been on the fringes of the squad but far too many have been shipped out without any real opportunities; and given their development elsewhere, the Hammers may soon come to regret their decisions on a number of players.

One such example is Josh Cullen, who has seen his stock rise significantly since departing the London Stadium in 2020, with a return to Premier League football with Burnley looking almost certain this year.

Should West Ham regret selling Josh Cullen?

Cullen was a product of West Ham’s academy but spent much of his youth playing away from the club, enjoying loan spells with Bradford City, Bolton Wanderers and Charlton Athletic.

Despite a promising spell with the Addicks in the 2019/20 campaign, which saw him feature 34 times in the Championship, David Moyes clearly felt that Cullen wouldn’t cut it at the London Stadium, and he was duly sold to Anderlecht for a minimal fee.

After impressing under Vincent Kompany in Belgium, making 80 appearances in total, the Irish midfielder linked up with the Manchester City legend again in the summer, completing a move to Championship side Burnley.

He has since been a mainstay for the Clarets as they look set to run away with the title, contributing one goal and three assists in 35 appearances for the Lancashire outfit.

Kompany is certainly a fan of the 26-year-old and it would not be a surprise to see him keep his regular place in the team next season, when Burnley look certain to be playing in the top flight once again.

The Clarets manager said of Cullen: “I can’t be complimentary enough, but I think everyone can see what he does. The team appreciates it; his strength is that he’s the ultimate player that puts the team before himself.”

The Irishman’s impressive displays in Belgium and in the Championship have unsurprisingly seen his value rocket in recent years, with Transfermarkt now valuing him at €7m (£6.2m), which represents a mammoth 483% increase from his €1.2m (£1m) value upon leaving West Ham.

Given that West Ham occupy a relegation place in the Premier League, they could be leapfrogged by their former player this year. All the while, Moyes is stuck with expensive midfielders such as Tomas Soucek and Lucas Paqueta, who cost a combined £70.1m to sign and £215,000 in wages each week, with Declan Rice likely to depart regardless of the division in which the Hammers find themselves next season.

Therefore, this feels like another transfer decision that the under-pressure Moyes will end up regretting, (think of the £10m spent on the rarely-seen Jordan Hugill in 2018), and it perhaps highlights why more youngsters should be given opportunities in West Ham’s first-team, before they end up prospering elsewhere.

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