All posts by z3u9t.icu

Manchester United have suffered a potential setback ahead of their Premier League clash with Newcastle United after it was revealed that Cristiano Ronaldo may not be available to play.

What’s the word?

The five-time Ballon d’Or winner made a dramatic return to his former club in the closing stages of the summer transfer window after flirting with the prospect of joining United’s local rivals Manchester City.

After returning from international duty early due to a yellow card picked up against the Republic of Ireland which saw Ronaldo suspended for his nation’s subsequent World Cup qualifier; the 36-year-old was expected to make his second Red Devils debut over the weekend.

However, according to The Sun, the United fans may have to wait until Tuesday to catch a glimpse of their returning hero as he will have only had one day’s training with his teammates after having to isolate for five days due to Covid regulations.

Solskjaer will be absolutely gutted

The Old Trafford outfit may have picked up a very respectable seven points from a possible nine in the opening weeks of the new Premier League campaign, but unconvincing performances against Southampton and Wolves have left a lot of work to be done.

Therefore, United manager Ole Gunnar Solskjaer will be absolutely gutted that he may not be able to call upon Ronaldo’s services when the Magpies come to visit on Saturday afternoon.

It’s claimed that after the Norwegian tactician gave fellow summer signing Raphael Varane two weeks to settle into his new surroundings, it’s unlikely that Ronaldo will be thrown into the starting XI after such a short time to adjust.

United’s relatively low-key Champions League group stage clash against BSC Young Boys in midweek has instead been outlined as the date when the Portuguese legend may be seen turning out for the 20-time English champions once again, something everyone associated with the club will be eagerly anticipating.

And, in other news…Murtough made his first MUFC error over £27m-rated “complete” gem, Ole will be gutted 

The January transfer window is fast-approaching and Rangers manager Giovanni van Bronckhorst will have his first opportunity to bring players of his own to Ibrox.

He has been working with a squad built by his predecessors but will now be able to make a few additions, if any at all, to stamp his own mark on the team.

The Dutchman may also have to deal with departures of current first-team stars with interest hotting up heading into the final days of December.

How could Rangers look come the end of the January transfer window? Here is our predicted XI…

We are predicting that it could be a busy month for Rangers, both in terms of players leaving and others coming in from elsewhere.

Although Ianis Hagi has been linked with an exit, amid interest from Turkish giants Galatasaray, he appears set to remain in Glasgow. His father, Gheorghe, has confirmed that his son will not be leaving in the next transfer window, which should come as a big boost to van Bronckhorst’s plans.

However, one player who could be on his way out is Ryan Kent. He has been touted with a switch to Aston Villa to reunite with Steven Gerrard and it could make sense given that he was the man to bring the forward to Ibrox in the first place.

This would leave Rangers with a spot to fill out wide and the recently-linked Andreas Skov Olsen could be the man to come in. FFC recently published an article explaining why he could be the perfect replacement for Hagi, but the latest update on his future suggests that Kent is the player Olsen could replace – not the Romanian.

At centre-back, John Souttar may be signed to come in for Connor Goldson. The ex-Brighton man’s deal expires next summer and January may represent Rangers’ last chance to cash in on him before he leaves for nothing.

Souttar, who was previously dubbed as “aggressive” by Craig Levein, could replace the defender as his contract at Hearts running out at the same time as Goldson’s. Rangers have been linked with a swoop for the Scottish beast and they could take advantage of his situation in the same way other clubs may do with their own defensive rock.

Finally, Dutch midfielder Joey Veerman could arrive from Heerenveen. He is reportedly a target for van Bronckhorst heading into next month and he could add some extra attacking quality to the midfield.

The 23-year-old managed seven goals and ten assists in 31 games in the Eredivisie last term and is currently on three goals and six assists in 16 games this season. This shows the level of impact he could potentially have if deployed in the number 10 role in the second half of the 2021/22 campaign.

We are predicting that the rest of the side will remain the same, with Allan McGregor, James Tavernier, Calvin Bassey, Borna Barisic, Joe Aribo, Glen Kamara and Alfredo Morelos completing the XI. Although, the likes of Scott Arfield, Juninho Bacuna, Leon Balogun and John Lundstram, among others, will also be competing for places.

AND in other news, Rangers Insider drops huge 8-word Ibrox transfer update that’ll leave fans ecstatic…

A Rangers transfer claim has emerged on the future of Ibrox winger Ryan Kent and whether Giovanni van Bronckhorst will be able to keep him.

What’s the talk?

Transfer insider Pete O’Rourke has revealed that the winger has a release clause in his contract with the Glasgow giants and that he remains a long-term target for a club in England.

He told GIVEMESPORT: “The Ryan Kent one’s interesting; he’s been a long-term target for Leeds. Ever since they won promotion back to the Premier League, there was links with Ryan Kent.

“He’s had another good season for Rangers, impressed especially in their European run as well. If Leeds did follow up their interest, there is a release clause in his contract.”

Bad news for van Bronckhorst

This update spells bad news for Gio van Bronckhorst as it means that he will be helpless to stop Kent from leaving if a club comes in with an offer that triggers the release clause.

Without that contract stipulation, the Dutch head coach could urge Ross Wilson to reject any offers for Kent’s services unless an eye-catching amount of money was placed on the table. Instead, he will be forced to suffer in silence if Leeds, or any other team, stumps up the required fee.

This means that it may be a summer full of anxiety for the ex-Feyenoord boss as he hopes that no team decides to come in for him at the required price, with July and August allowing teams to swoop for him.

He will be desperate to keep hold of the Englishman as he has been a key player for the club throughout the campaign, domestically and in Europe. The forward has produced three goals and 17 assists for the Gers, including 11 assists in 24 Premiership outings and four in nine Europa League matches.

These statistics illustrate his importance to the team as he has been a regular source of creativity for the side. He has proven that he can do it in the Scottish top-flight and in European competition, which is why the head coach will be eager to retain him heading into the 2022/23 campaign.

Therefore, it is incredibly bad news for the Ibrox boss that Kent has a release clause that can be triggered in the coming months, especially with him being a long-term target for Leeds. Hopefully, they decide to look elsewhere and Rangers will be able to enjoy his talents for another year, at least.

AND in other news, Big blow: Rangers dealt worrying injury setback that’ll leave Van Bronckhorst gutted…

Rangers manager Steven Gerrard could have some tough decisions to make next summer as a number of players are due to be out of contract.

Connor Goldson, Steven Davis, Leon Balogun, Scott Arfield and Jon McLaughlin are just a few of the first-team names on the expiry list, although the club hold a one-year extension option for Balogun.

This means that Gerrard, along with Ross Wilson, could be set for some difficult conversations in the upcoming months as Rangers plot their squad for the 2022/23 campaign.

His time’s up

One player who the club should be looking to move on is Canadian international midfielder Arfield. Gerrard must make the tough decision and cut ties with the experienced ex-Burnley man as his time is up at Ibrox.

The 33-year-old has only played six times in the Scottish Premiership this term, with one start to his name to date, and has averaged a dismal WhoScored rating of 6.40. In the Europa League, he has played 12 minutes of football off the bench in the three group stage games against Lyon, Sparta Prague and Brondby combined.

This suggests that the £16k-per-week dud is not deemed good enough to play regularly in the Europa League or Premiership for Rangers. At the age of 33, he could still have a few years left in the tank to go somewhere else and play week-in-week-out, which is why Gerrard ruthlessly axing him from the squad could work for all parties involved.

In terms of how his departure would affect the squad, a replacement could already be in the works. TEAMtalk reported last month that Rangers are closing in on a deal to sign Joe Rothwell on a pre-contract deal in the January window.

This means that the 26-year-old would arrive at Ibrox on a free transfer in the summer, providing the perfect opportunity for Gerrard to allow Arfield to leave, with Rothwell taking up his place in the squad.

Therefore, it is time for the former Premier League midfielder to leave Glasgow at the end of the season. The succession plan, with Rothwell, appears to be well underway and his lack of involvement on the pitch this term suggests that Gerrard does not rely on his footballing ability enough to warrant paying him £16k-per-week for another two or three years.

AND in other news, Sold for £203k, now worth £900k: Rangers had a transfer howler over “dream” battler…

Taking to Twitter, journalist Rudy Galetti of Sportitalia TV has made a Tottenham Hotspur transfer claim involving Inter Milan shot stopper Samir Handanovic.

The Lowdown: Paratici eyeing new keepers?

Even though it seems as if Tottenham number one Hugo Lloris is likely to pen a one-year extension at the club, the future of number two Pierluigi Gollini is up in the air.

[web_stories_embed url=”https://www.footballtransfertavern.com/web-stories/spurs-latest-updates-5/” title=”Spurs latest updates!” poster=”” width=”360″ height=”600″ align=”none”]

Reports even claim the Lilywhites could decide to cut short his loan spell and send him back to Atalanta despite having the option to sign him on a permanent deal at the end of 2021/2022 (L’Eco di Bergamo via The Spurs Web).

This comes amid ‘concerns’ those within Tottenham have over Gollini’s fitness as they weigh up making his move a permanent one (The Athletic), but it appears Spurs may also have their eye on alternative options already.

The Latest: Galetti makes Handanovic claim…

Taking to Twitter, reporter Galetti has shared news on a brand new target for Conte and transfer chief Fabio Paratici as news emerges on Handanovic.

The 37-year-old’s contract at the San Siro expires this year, meaning he is now free to negotiate pre-contract summer moves with overseas clubs.

Tottenham have apparently taken an interest in doing this and Handanovic now ‘could arrive’ in England as a free agent later in 2022.

It is also believed that Conte has personally ‘asked for’ his former keeper as Spurs keep tabs.

The Verdict: Right call?

Arguably solid for a quick-fix, the 81-cap Slovenia international is a player Conte certainly knows well and played regularly during his time at Inter Milan.

Over the last two seasons, Handanovic has been a mainstay in the Nerazzurri starting line up but came under-fire for some of his unreliable performances near the end of 2021.

He has, however, stood out with brilliant performances as well since then and his experience working under Conte could be of real benefit to Tottenham.

A seasoned and experienced shot stopper with plenty of time at the top level, he has also been called a ‘monster’ by his goalkeeping teammate Michele Di Gregorio, currently on loan at Serie B side Monza.

On a free deal, Handanovic certainly shouldn’t be dismissed as an option should Gollini leave.

In other news: ‘I’ve been told this morning’…Sky journalist shares ‘breaking’ Spurs transfer news on live TV, find out more here.

A number of Liverpool fans have been left stunned after Mohamed Salah lost out on the Premier League Player of the Month award to Cristiano Ronaldo.

Salah has enjoyed an incredible start to the season for the Reds, standing out as arguably the best player in the world on current form, producing a stunning performance at home to Manchester City last weekend.

The 29-year-old has chipped in with six goals and three assists in the Premier League, not to mention a further three goals in the Champions League.

[freshpress-quiz id=“375258″]

Despite Salah’s brilliance, he has somehow missed out on the Player of the Month award for September, which is a fan-voted prize.

Instead, Ronaldo took home the award, even though he only scored three times and didn’t register a single assist.

[web_stories_embed url=”https://www.footballtransfertavern.com/web-stories/latest-liverpool-transfer-news-6/” title=”Latest Liverpool transfer news!” poster=”” width=”360″ height=”600″ align=”none”]

Liverpool fans livid at Salah news

These Liverpool fans took to Twitter to show their outrage at the final result, claiming Salah has been robbed.

“Salah, arguably the best player in the world right now, who does everything for Liverpool can’t win PL player of the month because of Ronaldo. Feel bad for Mo”

Credit: @RebelYelliex

“That’s absolutely farcical, Ronaldo was useless in most matches he played but scored a few taps ins, Salah was far better than him this month”

Credit: @Corballyred

“Who else? Is that a joke?”

Credit: @siaaannnnnn

“Ronaldo scored 3 goals, got 0 assists and failed to make the difference at home vs Aston Villa and Everton but wins POTM. As we’ve come to learn in the last few years, never trust a large pool of eligible voters to pick the right outcome. *cough* Brexit *cough*”

Credit: @AdamDoyleSport

“Absolute disgrace”

Credit: @_SalahSzn

“This is rubbish…pure rubbish…”

Credit: @ogbuefiubom

In other news, some Liverpool fans have reacted to a Salah-related contract update. Read more here.

Crystal Palace secured their first win under new manager Patrick Vieira last time out, seeing off Tottenham Hotspur 3-0 after putting in an impressive performance at Selhurst Park.

The Eagles will be hoping to pull off back-to-back upsets when they take on Liverpool over the weekend, and some added reinforcement in the centre of the pitch could improve their chances of doing just that.

A midfield comprising Conor Gallagher, James McArthur and Cheikhou Kouyate started against Spurs, but all three of the Eagles’ goals came after Luka Milivojevic entered the fray in place of Kouyate.

It was the 30-year-old’s first taste of action this season due to personal reasons, and it didn’t take long for the club captain to make his mark on proceedings.

His impact will have come as little surprise to Palace supporters who have seen the £7.2m-rated beast become a pivotal part of the club’s engine room since his arrival at Selhurst Park back in January 2017.

Milivojevic’s instant impact earned praise from former Eagles manager Roy Hodgson, who lauded his reliability and consistency after joining from Greek giants Olympiacos.

“From the moment I stepped through the door here he’s been absolutely excellent in every respect – outstanding,” said Hodgson (as relayed by the Daily Mail).

“Reliability and consistency of performance are two factors in a football player that I praise unbelievably highly. The reader might say ‘Shouldn’t all players be like that? Shouldn’t they all be consistent and have the ability to recover from injury and get out on the field again?’ But they can’t all do that. Luka can.”

His underlying numbers from last season perfectly illustrate his importance to the Palace midfield. As per WhoScored, the Serbian averaged 2.1 tackles, 1.1 tackles and 0.7 key passes per league game. Of all the other central midfielders on the Eagles’ books, only McArthur put up better figures.

Milivojevic did manage to pick out a teammate on more occasions than his Scottish colleague, though, recording a passing accuracy of 83% to McArthur’s 81.7%.

The return of Palace’s leader and key holding midfielder couldn’t have come at a better time for Vieira as he prepares to take his side to Anfield. The 45-year-old must unleash him at Anfield, providing the attack-minded Gallagher with cover and a solid foundation behind him, allowing the youngster the freedom to roam forward.

In other news… Sold for £26m, now worth £1.35m: Parish sealed a Crystal Palace masterclass with 32 y/o dud

Former Premier League striker Nigel Jemson insists that Leeds United are some way off being able to aim for a top-six finish in the Premier League.

The club have endured an inconsistent start to the season and are yet to pick up three points in the top-flight.

Leeds were utterly thumped in their opening game of the campaign, losing 5-1 to Manchester United at Old Trafford.

They followed that result up with a 2-2 draw with Everton and Jemson thinks that they have to improve immensely to be anywhere near the top six, suggesting Marcelo Bielsa has got things wrong in this opening part of the season.

Leeds, of course, enjoyed an impressive season last term upon their return to the Premier League and finished the campaign in ninth place, six points behind sixth-placed West Ham United.

Speaking exclusively to Football FanCast, Jemson said: “Sometimes they are like that, they’re very hit and miss.

“They can be phenomenal, the manager, I think he got it wrong. As much as a good side they are, they’re not a top-six team yet. There’s a lot of work still to be done to make them a top-six team.”

Leeds are next in action against Burnley this weekend, after beating Crewe Alexandra comfortably in the second round of the EFL Cup in midweek.

Giovanni van Bronckhorst continued his perfect start to life at Rangers with a 3-1 win in the Premiership on Sunday.

The Gers swept Livingston away in what ended up being a fairly comfortable victory, despite some nervous moments in the first half.

Allan McGregor was forced into a couple of terrific saves, but goals from Joe Aribo, Scott Arfield and Fashion Sakala ensured that they came away with the three points.

Forget Tavernier

Whilst James Tavernier may grab the headlines with two assists from right-back, perhaps the real star of the show for the Gers was Alfredo Morelos.

The Colombian bulldozer led the line brilliantly and was crucial to everything Rangers tried to do going forward with his work rate and movement up front. He was constantly harassing the Livingston defenders and trying to hold the ball up, whilst making runs off the ball to create space for the likes of Ianis Hagi, Aribo and Scott Arfield to run through.

Arfield’s goal to open the scoring came from him sprinting through the middle of the pitch after Morelos dragged a centre-back over to the far side. This highlights how much of an impact he can have without even touching the ball in the move.

However, the 25-year-old also made his mark in possession. As per SofaScore, he created an impressive four chances for his teammates throughout the game, whilst completing 81% of his passes and managing one shot on target. One of the opportunities that he created led to Aribo firing them 2-0 up, with his clever first-time pass finding the ex-Charlton man in the box to sweep it into the top corner.

He also put in a shift defensively. As per SofaScore, Morelos won five duels, including four of his seven on the ground, and completed two tackles for Van Bronckhorst’s side. This shows that he was willing to put in the hard yards for his team to win possession back and hold his own against Livingston.

Therefore, he was able to piece together a complete performance by making an impact at both ends of the pitch, which is why he was the real star of the show for Rangers. The Gers’ number 20 may not have managed to get himself on the scoresheet, but he was still crucial to their play and led the line superbly today.

AND in other news, 35 G/A: Rangers secured dream £4m deal for “outstanding talent”, he’s a match-winner…

Flocking to Twitter, many West Ham United fans have been left overjoyed following news about midfielder Manuel Lanzini and David Moyes’ plans for him next season.

The Argentine had been tipped with a possible exit from east London this summer as West Ham gear up for what will be an interesting 2021/2022 season.

Moyes’ men have qualified for the Europa League group stages and there have been reports of just as many outgoings as incomings, with West Ham seemingly looking to oversee a squad overhaul.

It is believed that the club will listen to offers for the likes of Winston Reid, Andriy Yarmolenko and Xande Silva this summer (The Athletic), but the same cannot be said for Lanzini.

[web_stories_embed url=”https://www.footballtransfertavern.com/web-stories/west-ham-latest-developments/” title=”West Ham latest developments…” poster=”” width=”360″ height=”600″ align=”none”]

As explained by the Athletic, citing the 28-year-old’s rejuvenated role as a deep-lying playmaker, Lanzini looks set to feature in Moyes’ plans for 21/22 after all.

There was an original fear that Lanzini could be offloaded this summer according to this update, with the West Ham manager’s U-turn now exciting many supporters on Twitter who want him to remain.

Find all of their best verdicts, mostly in reply to West Ham News & Views, down below.

West Ham fans ecstatic after Lanzini update

“Great to hear Manu Lanzini might be staying at West Ham.

He showed a glimpse of his pre-injury self last season.

His coming into his prime years now, I think we would be crazy to sell him”

Credit: @_WHU_IRONS

“scenes”

Credit: @franknoble_

“I’m actually so glad he staying”

Credit: @HHickford

“Can’t wait for more of Manu dictating from deep”

Credit: @whu_sam13

“The Jewell”

Credit: @BradMackers

“SUIIIIIIIIIIIIIII”

Credit: @WHUJami

“I love Manu, do you love Manu? I love Manu”

Credit: @thompwanna74

“Good, he played well there before and solves the issue of finding a new CM, especially as Coventry is playing so well in pre season!”

Credit: @Markderry83

In other news: ‘Joke’, ‘No ambition’…West Ham fans erupt as Telegraph news emerges, find out more here.