All posts by rastrear-estafeta.com

Liverpool trio Trent Alexander-Arnold, Naby Keita and Luis Diaz stole the show as the Reds overcame Benfica 3-1 at the Estadio da Luz in the first leg of their Champions League quarter-final. 

Jurgen Klopp’s side came away from Portugal with an all-important two-goal cushion ahead of the second leg at Anfield in a week’s time.

[web_stories_embed url=”https://www.footballtransfertavern.com/web-stories/latest-liverpool-transfer-news-27/” title=”Latest Liverpool transfer news!” poster=”” width=”360″ height=”600″ align=”none”]

Despite it being far from a vintage Liverpool display, the quadruple-chasing men in yellow were clinical at pivotal moments as the hosts afforded their visitors plenty of opportunities in front of goal. Ultimately goals from Sadio Mane, Luis Diaz and a first for the club for Ibrahima Konate saw Klopp’s side leave Lisbon with a healthy scoreline.

As per stats from Sofascore, whilst some of the usually exemplary stars fell below their best, three players in particular stood out on the night.

Trent Alexander-Arnold (7.6)

Back in the team following a minor hamstring niggle which ruled the 23-year-old out of contention for England recently, the marauding right-back was certainly back up to speed in Portugal.

Showcasing a sublime range of passing once again, the Liverpudlian completed 55 of his 64 passes (86%) on the night and was so often the man to unlock a well-drilled Benfica backline. Alexander-Arnold provided two key passes –  including one raking ball which led to the second goal – and completed 11 of his 13 long balls.

Not content with an attacking masterclass from full-back, the young defender also proved his defensive acumen with three clearances, one tackle and one interception. While Mane matched his overall rating, the right-back comes third on our list as, unlike the Senegal star who was substituted on the hour, he played almost the entire match.

Naby Keita (7.9)

So often the man to be replaced on the hour mark by Klopp, it was telling that the Guinean was left on the pitch on this occasion as Thiago was instead sacrificed.

The 27-year-old was a pivotal cog in the engine room for the Reds and an impressive all-around display was underpinned by a 102-touch tally for the energetic midfielder – the most by any Liverpool player.

Keita ended the evening with one assist and two key passes to add to a 55.5% ground duel success rate (won 10 out of 18).

Luis Diaz (8.1)

Diaz received the highest rating at the Estadio da Luz from both sides as the Colombian yet again proved to be a superb January transfer window capture.

The 25-year-old was at the heart of everything in an attacking sense from Klopp’s charges and the ex-FC Porto forward marked his return to Portugal with a goal and an assist. Completing three of his six dribble attempts and creating one big chance on a plate delivery for Mane, this was yet another stellar outing from the flying winger.

In truth, it could’ve been even better for Diaz as the newest Kop icon squandered a big chance to further cement a nigh-on perfect European night for Liverpool.

In other news, Liverpool target could be set for summer exit. Read more here.

Liverpool will have their sights set on the Merseyside derby on Sunday at Goodison Park, with Everton looking to get revenge after Divock Origi’s last-minute winner at Anfield. 

Jurgen Klopp has managed to turn a number of quality players into stars during his time at Liverpool, which has been one of the main reasons behind the Merseyside club’s success in recent times.

Interestingly, it appears as if FSG may have the opportunity to secure a special talent for a bargain price in the summer transfer window, as according to Bild and kicker (via This is Anfield), Julian Brandt could be available for just €25 million or £21.6 million as he negotiated a release clause when signing his extension at Bayern Leverkusen that can be activated at the end of this campaign.

The Reds were linked (as per Calcioinsider) with a move for Brandt back in the summer transfer window but nothing materialised, so the Reds should go in for him in the summer after catching wind of his release clause.

Indeed, the German has been hugely impressive in the current campaign, having produced seven goals and 10 assists in all competitions. He predominantly features out wide but has previous experience through the middle and Jurgen Klopp could definitely transform him into more of an attacking midfielder, with Mohamed Salah and Sadio Mane already working wonders out wide. So, he could finally be the answer to Liverpool’s search for Philippe Coutinho’s replacement.

Brandt would be the perfect man to fill the Brazilian’s void as he’s shown that he can score goals and provide assists in the final third, as well as being able to cause havoc with his skill, dribbling ability and pace. And, the 22-year-old can use both feet and would take Liverpool’s attack up another level with the ability to pick the final pass and create more space for the Reds’ dangerous front three.

What do you think Liverpool fans?

Aston Villa have not been reluctant in bringing new players to the Midlands during the January transfer window, with Lucas Digne, Robin Olsen, Calum Chambers and Philippe Coutinho all making their way to Villa Park in the past few weeks.

However, it appears as though the Villans have put an end to the possibility of one particular deal being struck before the 11pm deadline arrives.

What’s the latest?

According to a recent report from the Daily Mail, Villa have “decided against pursuing a deal” for Brighton midfielder Yves Bissouma this month.

Having been linked with the Mali international earlier this month, with a reported bid of £25m rejected by the Seagulls for their midfielder, it seems as though the Midlands club will not be making any further attempts to try and lure him to Villa Park before the end of the transfer window.

Furthermore, with Brighton reportedly wanting a fee in the region of £50m for Bissouma, this could be a factor as to why Villa have seemingly given up their attempts to sign the 25-year-old after already splashing out £25m to bring in Digne from Everton.

NSWE are taking a big risk

Even though it would take a club-record transfer fee from Villa to sign Bissouma this month, it would be a big risk in the short-term for the club owners Wes Edens and Nassef Sawiris not to secure the Brighton maestro given how Marvelous Nakamba is out of action through injury, and after missing out on signing Rodrigo Bentancur this month as well.

Thinking on a long-term basis, with Bissouma being young but experienced in the Premier League and recent reports casting speculation over the futures of Douglas Luiz and Carney Chukwuemeka, adding the Brighton star to their ranks could be a great investment for the Villans for the foreseeable future.

With that in mind, depending on how Villa’s midfield situation looks at the end of the season, they should definitely try and make a move to bring Bissouma to the Midlands during the summer transfer window, if Brighton would be willing to negotiate a suitable deal for him.

In other news: Gregg Evans drops big AVFC deadline day update which will surely leave fans thrilled

Dele Alli and Anwar El Ghazi may not be Everton players next season, if fresh reports are to be believed. 

The lowdown

The Toffees signed Dele from Tottenham on January’s transfer deadline day, while El Ghazi made a loan switch from Aston Villa midway through the month.

Under the terms of the agreement they reached with Spurs, Everton will only have to pay the north Londoners a £10m fee once Dele has made 20 appearances in blue. The fee could rise as high as £40m according to Sky Sports, depending on whether various performance-related add-ons are triggered.

As for El Ghazi, the Toffees negotiated a €10m (£8.4m) purchase option with Villa.

[web_stories_embed url=”https://www.footballtransfertavern.com/web-stories/everton-news-3/” title=”Everton news!” poster=”” width=”360″ height=”600″ align=”none”]

The latest

Sports journalist Pete O’Rourke has told GiveMeSport that Dele could leave Goodison Park in the summer, stating: “It’s a possibility, if Everton have got that clause in his contract, that they could let him go without having to pay Spurs anything. It would, obviously, save Everton some money if that were to happen.”

Meanwhile, Football Insider reported that the Blues aren’t interested in a permanent deal for El Ghazi, who has ‘struggled to make an impression’ on Frank Lampard and his coaching staff since he joined the Merseyside outfit.

The verdict

This news shouldn’t come as too big a surprise regarding either player.

Dele has yet to start a single game since he arrived at Everton and, if anything, he is falling further down the pecking order. Having come on from the bench in seven straight league matches, he has now been an unused substitute in the last two games.

El Ghazi, who was signed while Rafael Benitez was still in charge at Goodison Park, has barely had a look-in under Lampard. He has played a mere 11 minutes of Premier League football in a blue shirt and may already be considering his next move.

Everton signed five players in January as they looked to turn their season around, but so far it has made little difference – they remain just three points above the relegation zone with 10 matches to play.

In other news, Jonathan Woodgate accuses one Everton star of throwing his toys ‘out the pram’.

A big Newcastle United update has emerged on Brighton midfielder Yves Bissouma…

What’s the talk?

Sky Sports reporter Keith Downie has revealed that the Magpies are keen on the Mali international heading into the summer transfer window, although he is not the only player in their sights.

Speaking with Football FanCast, Downie said: “I think Bissouma is a player of interest. I think that’s all it is at the moment.

“I think it’s going to be very much like January where they’re looking at a lot of players… a lot of players.”

Supporters will be delighted

Newcastle manager Eddie Howe and the club’s supporters will be delighted by this claim, as they would surely love to have Bissouma in the squad for the 2022/23 campaign.

The 25-year-old has been in fine form this season and Brighton reportedly valued him at £50m in January. This shows how highly his current club rate him and his statistics for the Seagulls this term back it up as he has consistently showcased his quality in the middle of the park.

In the Premier League, he has averaged a SofaScore rating of 7.06 across 21 matches, making a whopping 5.1 tackles and interceptions per game and winning 59% of his duels.

This is not a flash in the pan from Bissouma either, as he also caught the eye last season. In 2020/21, he averaged a SofaScore rating of 7.07 in 36 outings – making 4.7 tackles and interceptions per game and winning 59% of his battles – almost identical to his form in the current campaign.

These statistics show that he is a proven Premier League performer, as he has been able to consistently deliver quality displays on the pitch over the past 18 months or so.

Meanwhile, no central midfielder for Newcastle has averaged a Sofascore rating of higher than 6.95 (Bruno Guimaraes) this season in the top flight, while Jonjo Shelvey’s score of 7.04 was the highest in 2020/21.

Therefore, Howe will be delighted by PIF’s interest in signing Bissouma, who would be an upgrade on what the Toon boss currently has at his disposal. The Malian has been able to perform at a higher standard than the likes of Shelvey, Joe Willock and Joelinton, although it is hard to judge Guimaraes considering that he has only been at the Tyneside club for a few months.

At the age of 25, Bissouma also has room to grow and develop even further, and Howe may be eager to help the midfielder fulfill his potential. It is now down to PIF to work their magic…

AND in other news, “I’m hearing..”: Keith Downie drops big Newcastle claim which will infuriate Howe…

According to a report from Turkish outlet Fanatik (via the Liverpool Echo), Liverpool are interested in signing Getafe striker Enes Unal. 

The lowdown: Career so far

The 24-year-old has taken a rather nomadic path to stardom having moved to Manchester City from Bursaspor for £2million in 2015 (Sky Sports).

Since then, Unal has spent time on loan at Genk, NAC Breda and FC Twente before making a permanent switch to Spain. Having initially signed for the Reds’ UEFA Champions League semi-final opponents, Villarreal, the Turkey international was loaned to Real Valladolid ahead of a move to current club Getafe.

[web_stories_embed url=”https://www.footballtransfertavern.com/web-stories/latest-liverpool-transfer-news-30/” title=”Latest Liverpool transfer news!” poster=”” width=”360″ height=”600″ align=”none”]

Now, after finally finding some career stability, another move could be forthcoming for the well-travelled star…

The latest: Liverpool interested

As per Fanatik (via the Liverpool Echo), the Anfield club are believed to be keen on signing Unal as Jurgen Klopp prepares for life after popular cult hero, Divock Origi.

It’s claimed that the 26-cap Turkey ace is the ‘most suitable name’ on the list of targets as incoming sporting director Julian Ward attempts to replace the enigmatic Belgian in the Liverpool squad.

Described as ‘very good’ by legendary Brazil frontman and Real Valladolid president Ronaldo, Unal is currently under contract until 2025 (Transfermarkt).

The verdict: Worth the risk

This season has been a coming of age campaign for the Turkish ace and Liverpool have certainly developed a knock of plucking out the hottest talents just as they enter their prime, most notably the signing of previous Premier League flop Mohamed Salah.

So far this term, Unal has scored 15 times and provided one assist in 32 La Liga outings whilst also earning an impressive 7.04 average Sofascore rating in the process – the highest out of the entire Getafe squad.

Standing marginally over 6 foot, unsurprisingly Unal possesses strong aerial ability as well as finishing, long-range shooting and defensive contribution (WhoScored), making the Turkish centre-forward an ideal addition to Klopp’s ranks as a direct replacement for super-sub Origi.

In other news, an expert has made a Liverpool transfer claim. Read more here.

Leeds United have been handed an injury boost concerning central midfielder Lewis Bate.

What’s the latest?

In a recent post on Twitter, the 19-year-old shared an image of himself back in Leeds United first-team training – something which would appear to suggest that the England U20 international could now be back in contention for the trip to Crystal Palace on Monday evening, having been out of action since picking up an ankle injury in March.

[snack-amp-story url=”https://www.footballfancast.com/web-stories/read-the-latest-leeds-news-transfer-rumours-gossip-marsch-raphinha-dest-philhay” title=”Read the latest Leeds news!”]

Marsch will be buzzing

While it is true that Bate is not exactly a first-team regular at Elland Road – so far making just one Premier League appearance this season – the fact that the midfielder has made a return to training at Thorp Arch will nevertheless have left Jesse Marsch buzzing.

Indeed, hopes for the Whites’ £1.58m signing are extremely high, with the former Chelsea starlet having already earned a considerable amount of praise for his performances with the club’s U23 side – none more so than from Jermaine Beckford, who said of the teenager earlier this year:

“I’m a huge fan of his. He’s got a low centre of gravity which means he’s able to turn and get away from players quickly.

“He likes to pick the ball up in awkward and tight situations, so it gives Leeds United opportunities to give someone the ball who isn’t afraid to get the ball in tight areas and drive with it. He can also deliver a great cross-field pass which is something else to look forward to.”

Furthermore, Marcelo Bielsa also appeared to be extremely excited about the £900k-rated midfielder’s future at Elland Road, with the Argentine manager saying of the 19-year-old talent:

“He performs better every time in the games he’s a part of. He’s a player who is constantly managing the ball and he doesn’t lose it very often. He has a good sense of a pass. He can thread it through the eye of a needle.”

As such, considering the sheer amount of potential those in the know believe Bate possesses, it would very much seem as if the return of the midfielder is indeed great news for Marsch and his side – particularly ahead of the run-in of the current campaign.

Indeed, while a recent upturn in form has seen the Whites move away from the relegation zone, the American manager’s outfit could still use at least one more win to make their Premier League status in 2022/23 much more concrete.

AND in other news: Orta could now seal “dangerous” £45k-p/w Leeds target, he’s “extraordinary at his age”

Crystal Palace have been given a huge boost ahead of their match with Arsenal as £1.3m-rated midfielder James McArthur is expected to return from injury.

The Scotsman was out for 12 weeks earlier this season after he suffered a hamstring tear, before picking up another injury when returning in February.

He has been a key player for the Eagles since he joined from Wigan in 2014 for £7.9m. The 34-year old has made 242 appearances in a Palace shirt and is the vice-captain at Selhurst Park.

His return will be huge for the dressing room, especially considering Palace are without their star forwards Michael Olise and Wilfried Zaha who picked up injuries of their own whilst on international duty.

McArthur’s leadership qualities will be useful against a strong Arsenal side with Vieira describing him as “valuable” and “a warrior” when being interviewed earlier in the season.

The Eagles will be looking to better the result in the reverse fixtures at the Emirates Stadium where it finished 2-2. McArthur featured in that game but was lucky not to be shown a red card after ‘channelling his inner Vieira’ in a crunch tackle on Bukayo Saka.

His defensive attributes can be pivotal in stopping the Gunners, with the veteran midfielder ranking inside the top 10% in the past year across Europe’s top five league for blocks, clearances and recovering loose balls.

While Palace supporters are full of praise for McArthur’s impact, he is one of those players that go under the radar for those who aren’t followers of the club.

He may not be the most entertaining, but he fights and does the work that perhaps some other players are reluctant to.

Despite not featuring much this campaign, his impact has shown he is a player who picks up the ball a lot and has tallied 511 touches in the Palace midfield third, which is higher than Cheikhou Kouyaté who has featured a lot in his place.

Whether he will start in tonight’s game remains to be seen, he might only be partly fit, but as soon as Vieira can use him he should.

He could play a key part in making sure Palace finish as high as possible in the Premier League, meaning his manager will be delighted to have him back fit and firing.

IN other news: CPFC plot bid for “super talented” 34-goal gem, just imagine him & Olise…

Patrick Vieira’s first season at Crystal Palace has been an encouraging one, which has seen the likes of loanee Conor Gallagher, homegrown star Tyrick Mitchell and summer-signing Marc Guehi develop into England senior squad members – having all received call-ups this international break.

With the likes of Jesurun Rak-Sakyi and Tayo Adaramola on the verge of a first-team breakthrough after showing impressive development at U23 level, the French manager could maintain his reputation for developing youth through next campaign too.

However, without European football, developing youth often comes with a cost – top teams with continental reputation circling around their talent – and this summer could spell disaster if Chelsea re-sign former prospect Guehi.

What’s the news?

According to The Daily Express, Chelsea have a ‘hidden clause’ to re-sign the Ivory Coast-born centre-back this summer, and will be allowed to match any bid that comes in which is accepted.

With Cesar Azpilicueta, Andreas Christensen and Antonio Rudiger all currently set to see their contracts expire with the current Champions League holders, it would make sense for them to go back in for their youth academy graduate, who has become a Premier League level defender across London with Palace.

A monumental loss for Vieira

Former England U21 teammate Joe Bursik and current teammate Gallagher heaped praise on the centre-back a year ago, describing him as “an absolute tank” who is “like having a brick wall in front of you, he’s massive.”

Guehi has certainly backed that up this season in the Premier League, averaging a 7.02 match rating according to SofaScore, The second highest out of the entire Palace team – with just Gallagher averaging higher with a match rating of 7.24.

James Tomkins and Joachim Andersen are the next best performing centre-backs at the South-London club, but neither of them have been able to replicate the England international’s form this campaign, and Vieira will be desperate to centre his backline around him for the foreseeable future.

Guehi, now rated at £27m by Transfermarkt, has become one of the world’s most exciting young talents, ranking among central defenders across Europe’s top five leagues and continental competitions in the top 2% for least times dribbled past per 90 (0.18), top 5% for least fouls committed per 90 (0.50), and top 16% for successful pressure percentage per 90 (40.1%).

It wouldn’t come as a surprise to Palace fans to find out one of their club’s most prized possessions is already the subject of transfer gossip – but Vieira will surely pull out all the stops in order to convince their star defender to stay at the club for the foreseeable.

However, if he does walk away after just a year, it will no doubt represent a huge summer disaster; he is far too important to the Eagles.

In other news: “There is a feeling..” – CPFC dealt big injury setback that will leave Vieira worried

New Manchester United manager Erik ten Hag wants to be in charge of incoming and outgoing transfers at the club, according to journalist Pete O’Rourke.

The Lowdown: New era at Old Trafford

The 52-year-old will head to Old Trafford at the end of the season, looking to bring the glory days back to United after a dismal few years for the Red Devils.

Ten Hag enjoyed great success during his time with Ajax, winning two Eredivisie titles, along with reaching the Champions League semi-finals back in 2018/19.

It is now nine years since United won a Premier League title and it is imperative that the rot stops sooner rather than later, with the 52-year-old hopefully the man to fix the club’s issues.

The Latest: Ten Hag makes key demand

Speaking to GiveMeSport, O’Rourke claimed that Ten Hag wants to have a big say in which players leave and which individuals arrive this summer. The journalist outlined:

“He wants to be involved in the incomings and outgoings at Old Trafford, alongside Richard Arnold.

“If Ralf Rangnick is still there in an advisory capacity as well, I’m sure they’ll all be working together to see if they can get the best players to Manchester United because it’s going to take a bit of a rebuild at Old Trafford this summer.”

The Verdict: Makes complete sense

Part of United’s failure in the post-Sir Alex Ferguson era is that it doesn’t always feel as though managers have had the final say over new signings.

That is something which simply has to change now, with Manchester City and Liverpool both perfect examples of allowing their managers to have a big say on transfer dealings. Painful as it is to admit for United, those two clubs are proof of that setup working.

It makes complete sense for Ten Hag to have exactly the players that he wants to work with, which could leave quite a few current Old Trafford individuals sweating going into the summer, given this season’s ineptitude.

In other news, United are expected to make an offer for a La Liga star. Find out who it is here.