All posts by h716a5.icu

Neymar has sent a defiant “no pain, no gain” message as he works his way back from an ACL injury, but he remains some way off a return to action.

Article continues below

Article continues below

Article continues below

Knee ligament damage suffered in September 2023South American taking in long road to recoveryUnclear when he will be able to play againWHAT HAPPENED?

The 32-year-old forward suffered knee ligament damage while on international duty with Brazil in September 2023. He left a 2-0 defeat to Uruguay in tears, with it quickly revealed that he would be forced to undergo surgery before starting a lengthy rehabilitation programme.

AdvertisementTHE BIGGER PICTURE

Neymar is working his way through that – after four months on the sidelines – and is putting work in behind the scenes in order to ensure that he is back as quickly as possible. For now, the Samba star is being restricted to gym sessions.

WHAT NEYMAR SAID

He has posted a “no pain, no gain” update on social media, with the South American prepared to push his body to its limit in order to return raring to go once more. The former Barcelona and Paris Saint-Germain superstar joined Saudi Pro League side Al-Hilal on a two-year contract in August 2023.

ENJOYED THIS STORY?

Add GOAL.com as a preferred source on Google to see more of our reporting

WHAT NEXT FOR NEYMAR?

It remains to be seen when he will play for them again, as questions are asked of his future at club level. The expectation is that the unfortunate injury will prevent him from figuring for Brazil at the 2024 Copa America tournament that will take place in the United States this summer.

Liverpool look set to lose defender Joe Gomez as Aston Villa manager Steven Gerrard wants to boost his squad ahead of next season.

What’s the word?

That’s according to The Mirror, who have revealed that the 24-year-old is a transfer target for Villa as their Liverpudlian manager plans a major overhaul of his defence.

Villa were linked with a loan move for the England defender in the January transfer window although nothing materialised, but Gerrard is aiming to get his man in the summer.

[snack-amp-story url=”https://www.footballfancast.com/web-stories/read-the-latest-liverpool-news-transfer-rumours-gossip-salah-gnabry-isak-romano” title= “Read the latest Liverpool news!”]

With Gomez’s market value currently set at £19.8m and his contract not expiring until 2024, the Midlands club might need to lash out a significant sum to sign him.

Jurgen Klopp could face Liverpool disaster over Gomez

Klopp has led Liverpool to the brink of one of the finest club seasons there has ever been, with a chance to win an unprecedented quadruple.

His excellent use of the transfer market and ability to rotate the squad effectively has worked wonders in their chase for glory.

Gomez has only made 20 appearances for the Reds in all competitions as he has slipped down to fourth choice centre back, with Joel Matip and new signing Ibrahima Konate above him in the pecking order to partner Virgil van Dijk.

The ex-Charlton man has provided adequate cover at right-back for Trent Alexander-Arnold this season, and this is where the bulk of his appearances have been made. The £85k-p/w defender is still only 24 and arguably yet to hit his peak.

Klopp is a big fan of the Englishman and has described him as a “sensational player”, while the club would need to spend big in order to replace him, so it makes sense for him to continue his development at Anfield.

Compared to his positional peers in Europe’s top five leagues, Gomez sits in the 99th percentile for aerial duels won (4.37 per 90 minutes) and the 94th percentile for interceptions (2.69), proving that whenever he plays, he is an important figure at the back for Liverpool.

Kopites would be livid if the 24-year-old were allowed to leave, and it may very well take a significant bid from Villa for Klopp to even consider it.

AND in other news: “I’m told” – James Pearce drops major Liverpool claim that’ll leave supporters buzzing

Journalist Alex Crook has delivered an exciting update regarding West Ham United’s interest in Arsenal striker, Eddie Nketiah…

Whats’ the word?

Speaking to GIVEMESPORT, the talkSPORT reporter insisted that the Englishman would be interested in a move to the London Stadium this summer, with the 22-year-old set to be out of contract at the end of the season.

Asked about the Gunners academy graduate potentially joining the Hammers in the upcoming window, Crook stated that: “Yeah, I do [think he would be interested], because obviously he’d still be in London, still a big club, could go there and be the main man, play European football. I think that would appeal to him.

[snack-amp-story url= “https://www.footballfancast.com/web-stories/read-this-weeks-latest-west-ham-news-transfer-rumours-gossip-and-more” title= “Read the latest West Ham news!”]

“How do you find a role for him and [Michail] Antonio in that team? I think because Antonio is not a natural centre-forward and his goals have dried up a bit since the turn of the year, I think that [bringing in Nketiah] would still work.”

The £9m-rated forward has previously turned down the offer of a contract extension at the Emirates, raising the possibility that he could be available on a free transfer in the coming months.

Supporters buzzing

He could well prove to be the answer to the Irons’ prayers – and on a bargain deal too – with the club having been crying out for a new centre-forward addition ever since the departure of club-record signing Sebastian Haller in January 2021.

Left with just Michail Antonio as the sole recognised centre-forward in the squad, that lack of depth has proven a notable issue in recent months, with the Jamaica international having scored just two league goals this calendar year.

The former Nottingham Forest man had himself previously admitted that he would welcome the new addition of a striker, with – as Crook suggested – the club in need of a more prolific presence in front of goal.

Although Nketiah had been starved of opportunities for much of the season, in recent months he has showcased his finishing prowess, netting four goals from his last seven league starts – the only starts in the competition he has had this term.

A record-breaker at England U21 international, the youngster clearly has a knack for finding the back of the net, having also chipped in with five goals in just five games in this season’s Carabao Cup.

The defensive side of his game is also not found wanting – something that will be vital to make it in Moyes’ side – as he ranks in the top 13% for pressures made and the top 7% for tackles made among players in his position across Europe’s top five leagues.

The “phenomenal” striker – as he has been dubbed by Mikel Arteta – could be the man to finally end the long-running centre-forward curse in east London, with supporters set to be crossing their fingers in the hope of a deal being done.

IN other news, Cost £1.5m per goal: GSB made a colossal blunder on “strong” £40k-p/w West Ham flop 

Manchester United are ‘prepared’ to sell centre-back Eric Bailly this summer, according to Fabrizio Romano.

The Lowdown: Wan-Bissaka update

It looks set to be a busy few months at Old Trafford under Erik ten Hag, who has already made a head start on the United job by recently terminating his Ajax deal.

[web_stories_embed url=”https://www.footballtransfertavern.com/web-stories/latest-man-utd-news-2/” title=”Latest Man Utd news!” poster=”” width=”360″ height=”600″ align=”none”]

A number of players are out of contract at the end of June, while others, like Aaron Wan-Bissaka, aren’t in the new manager’s plans.

Sky Sports revealed that United will listen to offers for the right-back as a result of Ten Hag’s decision, with a return to Crystal Palace rumoured earlier this month.

The Latest: Romano’s claim

Romano took to Twitter on Thursday afternoon to provide updates on both Wan-Bissaka and Bailly.

He revealed that United are ‘prepared’ to let the defenders leave this summer but said it ‘depends on the proposals’.

The Verdict: Right call?

Bailly, who Gary Neville labelled as ‘really poor’ back in 2018, has made just seven appearances this season. His form since 2018 has dipped massively, with his Transfermarkt valuation dropping from £31.5m to just £7.2m.

The Ivory Coast international will be entering the final two years of his deal in the summer, and with his lack of game time this season, it does seem to make sense to part ways.

Ten Hag has been linked with a number of centre-backs since taking the United job, including Jurrien Timber, Sven Botman, Kalidou Koulibaly, Goncalo Inacio and Alessandro Bastoni, which may show what he thinks of Bailly and others already at the club.

In other news: Major Frenkie de Jong to Man Utd claim; Ten Hag looks set to get his way. 

Newcastle United are believed to be tempted by the prospect of signing Atletico Madrid defender Renan Lodi, according to reports.

What’s the word?

As per 90min, the Magpies are said to believe that the chance to sign the Brazilian ‘may be too good to pass up’, with the club now ‘considering’ whether to make a bid for the 24-year-old in the upcoming window.

The report suggests that despite the good form of loanee Matt Target – who joined on a temporary deal from Aston Villa in January – the northeast side may snub a permanent move for the Englishman in favour of submitting an offer for the Atleti star.

The belief is that the latter man’s ‘Champions League experience’ could be a factor in the decision to choose him over the Villa man, with a fee of around £42m seemingly enough to prise him from the Wanda Metropolitano.

Forget Targett

There may be those who view it as harsh to shun Targett in favour of a new face, although the former Southampton man was perhaps simply always a mere solid, short-term fix at left-back, while Lodi offers a more exciting, marquee, long-term fit.

In 16 Premier League appearances at St James’ Park, the former England U21 international failed to register a single goal and assist, having only provided 12 goal contributions in 142 outings across his time in the division.

By contrast, the potential new addition provided four goals and five assists in the 2021/22 campaign alone across all competitions, notably netting in a 1-0 win over Manchester United at Old Trafford back in March in the Champions League last-16.

Such is his attacking talent, the £22.5m-rated gem even labelled himself as like “another striker” when he plays for his country, having made 15 appearances to date for the Selecao.

Equally, he also compares favourably to those in his position across Europe’s top five leagues, ranking in the top 2% for progressive passes received and the top 7% for touches in the attacking penalty area, showcasing his relentless willingness to get forward.

Although that is helped by the £64k-per-week speedster often lining up in a wing-back role under Diego Simeone, it is no less impressive, particularly when compared to the statistical record of Targett, who ranks in just the top 74% for those same two metrics.

All the evidence points to PIF and Howe needing to be ruthless to go and get their man from the Spanish capital, even if that means turning their back on a player who has been a solid servant over the last six months.

IN other news, Eddie Howe can now help NUFC sign “spectacular” £64m “nightmare”, he’s better than Saint-Maximin

Lisandro Martinez is among the players that Erik ten Hag and Manchester United have identified as a summer target. 

That’s according to Paul Hirst, Manchester football correspondent for The Times.

The lowdown

Ten Hag is preparing for his first season in charge at Old Trafford after he was appointed permanent successor to Ole Gunnar Solskjaer. The 52-year-old enjoyed great success at Ajax, winning the Eredivisie title and KNVB Cup twice each.

He selected Martinez at centre-back 37 times across all competitions over the course of the recently-concluded season.

Valued at £28.8m by Transfermarkt, the Argentine is under contract at the Johann Cruyff ArenA until the summer of 2025.

[web_stories_embed url=”https://www.footballtransfertavern.com/web-stories/latest-man-utd-updates-2/” title=”Latest Man Utd updates!” poster=”” width=”360″ height=”600″ align=”none”]

The latest

Hirst wrote for The Times that Martinez’s name features on Ten Hag’s transfer shortlist at United, along with team-mates Jurrien Timber and Antony.

Juventus centre-back Matthijs de Ligt and Barcelona midfielder Frenkie de Jong, two Dutchmen who previously played under Ten Hag at Ajax, are also ‘candidates’ for a summer move to Old Trafford.

Away from the Netherlands, Villarreal centre-back Pau Torres is also the subject of admiration from the Red Devils.

The verdict

Based on his interest in Martinez, Timber, De Ligt and Torres, it seems that Ten Hag has decided that he needs an upgrade in the heart of defence. He appears dissatisfied with his existing options, which include Harry Maguire, Raphael Varane and Victor Lindelof, who all featured in a team which shipped 57 Premier League goals this season.

According to FBRef, Martinez boasts a similar playing style to Manchester City’s Ruben Dias, ranking in the 99th percentile among positional peers in the major European leagues for both progressive passes and tackles per 90 minutes. It’s no surprise that the 24-year-old is exceptionally comfortable in possession, given that he has also operated as a defensive midfielder during his career.

Indeed, he demonstrated his ability on the ball in Ajax’s Champions League group stage victory over Besiktas last year, playing a pass in the build-up to the first goal which journalist Karl Matchett called ‘ridiculous’ and talent scout Jacek Kulig said ‘should be in the Louvre’.

He looks like a very good option for the new United manager to target this summer.

In other news, this insider has dropped a big claim on another Man United target 

Celtic are reportedly on the verge of finalising the signing of Bayern Munich youngster Christopher Scott, according to GhanaSoccerNet. 

The lowdown: Rising star

A product of Bayer Leverkusen’s youth system, the youngster was snapped up by the Bundesliga champions in 2020 and has since graduated through the academy setup at the Allianz Arena.

The 19-year-old attacking midfielder boasts a glowing record across youth and reserve team levels, scoring 44 times and providing 17 assists in 114 appearances.

Despite already making two senior outings for Bayern, it appears as though the Hoops could be set to land the talented teenager…

The latest: Celtic ‘closing in’ on Scott

As per GhanaSoccerNet, Celtic are ‘closing in’ on the capture of Scott as Ange Postecoglou attempts to strengthen the Lennoxtown ranks once again.

It is claimed that the Parkhead hierarchy must meet a £250,000 asking price for compensation in order to seal a deal for the Germany under-20 starlet, who has been stylistically compared to Chelsea star Kai Havertz.

The report added that the Hoops ‘remain favourites’ to sign the prospect described as possessing ‘good speed’ by Hansi Flick amidst reported interest from Brentford.

The verdict: Exciting times

Having already shown his outstanding eye for talent in the transfer market, the prospect of Postecoglou potentially bringing in a Germany youth international from Bayern Munich is enough to whet the appetite for what could be to come at Parkhead next season.

During the 2021/22 season, Scott lit up the German fourth tier and displayed a penchant for influencing matches from deep with seven goals and six assists in 24 appearances, playing across a plethora of positions to highlight a wide-ranging versatility in the process.

Following the departure of prolific midfielder Tom Rogic from Parkhead, signing the £1.08m-rated Scott would be a superb piece of business, especially for the mooted compensation fee.

In other news: Ex-BBC man makes ‘unbelievable’ Celtic claim, read more here

West Ham United have shown in recent years that they are not averse to making approaches to fellow English clubs to try and bring new players to east London.

Players such as Craig Dawson, Kurt Zouma and Said Benrahma, among others, have moved to the London Stadium from other clubs across the country in recent years.

One player that the Hammers brought in (from a club in the Championship) who has gone on to become a big success in east London is Jarrod Bowen.

Signed from Hull City in January 2020 in a deal worth a reported fee in excess of £20m, the winger has now scored 27 goals and delivered 23 assists in 104 appearances for David Moyes’ side.

Now that the summer transfer window has opened for business, this could give the Hammers the chance to replicate a similar sort of masterclass that they pulled off when signing Bowen, this time with another player who, as it stands, is set to play in the Championship next season – Emmanuel Dennis.

Earlier this month, it was reported that Watford are expecting interest from West Ham for the Nigerian after the Hornets were relegated from the Premier League.

Watford signed the attacker last summer from Belgian side Club Brugge on a five-year deal. During his debut season at Vicarage Road, the 24-year-old scored 10 goals and delivered six assists in 33 league appearances, so it didn’t take him long to settle into the English top flight and announce himself as a dangerous goal threat.

Along with delivering more goal contributions than any other Hornets player, the 24-year-old also racked up more shots at goal (61), shots on target (27), shot-creating actions (91) and successful dribbles (73) than any other player at the club throughout the campaign. This backs up why journalist Henry Winter labelled Watford’s signing of the Nigerian an “inspired” one.

Having described himself as a “baller”, Dennis now has 46 goals to his name throughout his career in 187 club appearances.

Taking all this into account, if West Ham were to sign the Watford star this summer, he certainly has the talent to be a solid addition to Moyes’ squad and potentially become as important to the team as Bowen now is.

In other news: Moyes could land dream Yarmolenko heir as West Ham now plot bid for “special” £18m “talent”

A club in the Premier League are reportedly now in advanced talks to take Glasgow Rangers striker Rory Wilson away from Ibrox this summer.

The Lowdown: Sensational season

Wilson has come off the back of a sensational season with the Gers’ youth teams, scoring over 40 goals while also notching up eight in 11 games for Scotland’s U17s (Football Insider).

Unfortunately for the Light Blues, this is sure to drive up interest in the youngster, who is such a hot prospect at just 16 years of age and is now set to leave the club when his contract expires.

The Latest: Villa talks

As per Football Insider, Aston Villa are now in ‘advanced talks’ to sign Wilson, and are ‘confident’ of securing a deal ahead of Brighton and Hove Albion and other clubs in the English top flight.

A source from Villa Park has revealed that they are ‘close’ to a breakthrough for Wilson, who is regarded as a ‘big talent’ at the Teddy Bears.

Ross Wilson and Giovanni van Bronckhorst have ‘failed’ to convince him to stay, and so he looks set to leave for a development fee of just £300,000.

The outlet describes the news as a ‘major blow’ for the club, who also lost the talented Billy Gilmour when he was the same age.

The Verdict: Major blow indeed

Of course, losing Wilson will be a big blow for RFC, especially given what looks to be a minimal fee that they will get for him.

The lure of the Premier League is sometimes too difficult to turn down, and the 16-year-old now looks set to continue his development in Villa’s Academy.

Nonetheless, Rangers may now need to try and find a replacement for their youth sides, and of course the much bigger implication is potentially missing out on a massive transfer fee down the line if Wilson fulfils his potential.

In other news, find out who Gers have now enquired over signing here!

Manchester United are eyeing a deal for Bayern Munich striker Robert Lewandowski as Erik ten Hag aims to boost his attacking options.

With plenty of areas on the pitch that needs improving, it’s arguably the attacking third that needs bolstered the most.

[snack-amp-story url= “https://www.footballfancast.com/web-stories/read-the-latest-man-united-news-transfer-rumours-gossip-and-more-nunez-ten-hag-nkunku-richarlison” title=”Read the latest Man United news!”]

Cristiano Ronaldo was the only United forward to score more than ten goals last season (24) and this is what contributed to the side finishing in sixth place in the Premier League. The overreliance on Ronaldo is something that needs changed going into next season, with the club only winning one match while he wasn’t in the squad.

This problem could soon be solved, with the Sun reporting that Man United have joined the race to sign Bayern Munich striker Robert Lewandowski this summer, but this will depend on Barcelona and their interest in the player.

The German heavyweights are demanding a fee of up to €80m (£68m) and this shouldn’t be much of a problem for the club.

Judging by his goalscoring record over the previous few seasons, it could well turn out to be a bargain, especially if he can settle into life in the Premier League.

The superlatives don’t do the player enough justice, he has been dubbed “extraordinary” by Tony Cascarino and “world-class” by former Borussia Dortmund manager Marco Rose.

He could certainly have the same impact as Ronaldo did when he joined last season and Ten Hag urgently needs goals, and to make a signing which would signal a statement of intent.

In 44 Bundesliga and Champions League matches last season, the Pole scored a staggering 48 times, double the number of Ronaldo.

The 33-year-old wants to leave Bayern this summer, despite having a year left on his current contract and Barcelona remains the favourites to secure the services of the striker.

If, and it’s a big if, Ten Hag can somehow pull off the move, it would surely rejuvenate the squad and get Old Trafford rocking again.

AND in other news, MUFC now in talks to sign £51m-rated “incredible talent”, he’s a huge Rashford upgrade…