All posts by z3u9t.icu

Glasgow Rangers head coach Michael Beale has made a host of early moves in the summer transfer window in an attempt to bolster his playing squad at Ibrox.

The Light Blues failed to win a single trophy during the 2022/23 campaign and the English head coach has reacted to that by bringing in five new signings so far.

Dujon Sterling, Jack Butland, Abdallah Sima, Kieran Dowell and Sam Lammers have all come through the door, whilst Cyriel Dessers is poised to become the sixth after the club reportedly agreed a deal with Serie B side Cremonese last week.

Lammers is one of the more interesting additions so far as the Dutch centre-forward has only scored five league goals since the start of the 2020/21 season, throughout spells in the Serie A and Bundesliga.

His recent struggles in front of goal are a cause for concern but Beale could unlock the former PSV starlet by bringing Malik Tillman back to Glasgow.

What's the latest on Malik Tillman's future?

It was reported last month that Bayern Munich are open to sending the American out on loan again next term and that the Light Blues are still in the race for his signature, although they could face competition from Premier League sides.

Securing a deal to sign the 21-year-old for a second spell at Ibrox would be a fantastic piece of business as Rangers would be snapping up an excellent player who could make a huge impact on his own, whilst also being able to help Lammers find his feet in the final third.

Tillman averaged a Sofascore rating of 7.09 across 28 Scottish Premiership appearances last season, which placed him eighth in the squad, and chipped in with ten goals to go along with four assists.

He also created an outstanding 12 'big chances' for his teammates, more than Todd Cantwell (five), Ryan Kent (nine), Rabbi Matondo (four), and Fashion Sakala (one) managed from wide positions.

This suggests that Tillman, who journalist Jonny McFarlane claimed has "telescopic limbs", possesses the ability to be Beale's main creative threat from midfield, meaning he could be perfect for Lammers, who has previously showcased his ability to be a lethal scorer.

The Dutch marksman averaged a Sofascore rating of 7.24 as he plundered 16 goals in 30 Eredivisie starts during the 2018/19 campaign, whilst the new Gers signing also scored 30 goals in 63 matches for PSV at U21 level.

No Rangers forward scored more than 14 Premiership goals last term and these statistics suggest that the potential is there for Lammers to be a prolific number nine for the club.

As such, Tillman's return could play a crucial role in his revival as the £13k-per-week talent has the creative ability to provide the striker with the chances he needs to find the back of the net on a regular basis again.

Newcastle United's transfer business is slowly starting to come together ahead of their first foray into the Champions League group stage in some two decades.

Sandro Tonali's imminent arrival from AC Milan is dominating headlines, while another move for a somewhat lower-profile player – albeit potentially just as exciting if the past is anything to go by – also looks set to go through.

Are Newcastle United interested in signing Tino Livramento?

According to Sky Sports' Keith Downie and Pete Graves, Newcastle are in talks with recently relegated Southampton to sign right-back Tino Livramento in a £15m deal.

The Telegraph have claimed the Saints want close to double that amount, but Newcastle could offer out-of-favour Ryan Fraser to help push through the transfer.

Landing a player as highly rated as Livramento for what is a bargain fee in the current market would be considered a coup of sorts for Newcastle, who are eager to comply with Financial Fair Play regulations.

What can Tino Livramento offer Newcastle United?

Livramento is coming off the back of a hugely frustrating campaign in which he made just two Premier League appearances, totalling 26 minutes, owing to a long-term injury lay-off.

However, after coming off the substitutes' bench in Southampton's final two games, the 20-year-old will have a chance to get back to full fitness across pre-season in time to hit the ground running in 2023-24.

The Chelsea academy player, who many were surprised to see leave for Southampton two years ago, showed enough in his debut top-flight campaign to suggest he can more than provide competition for Kieran Trippier next season.

Livramento, although described as "top-class" by scout Jacek Kulig, does not have as much of an end product as Trippier – he was directly involved in just two league goals in 32 appearances in 2021-22, compared to ten for the latter – but that will likely come with age.

Besides, there are plenty of other similarities, such as the pair finding the target from a similar number of shots (25% for Livramento v 23.5% for Trippier), their pass-completion percentage (74.1 v 71.6), and the number of tackles they win (1.19 v 1.32), as per FBref.

Newcastle supporters will also need no reminding that one of their greatest-ever players – arguably second only to Alan Shearer – also moved from Southampton to St James' Park over 40 years ago.

Indeed, a certain Kevin Keegan was at a far more advanced stage of his career at that point, and had already landed a couple of Ballon d'Or titles, but the omens are certainly positive from Newcastle's perspective when choosing to invest from the Saints.

It was always Keegan's plan to play for Newcastle one day, which while that may not exactly be the case for Livramento, it will certainly provide the youngster with a huge platform to properly establish himself in the top flight.

'King Kev' scored 48 goals in 78 appearances for Newcastle and would of course later return for two spells as manager – the first stint more memorable than the second.

There is also the Shearer link, with the club's all-time leading scorer – now immortalised with a statue outside the ground – also having played for Southampton before joining Newcastle further down the line.

That is not to say Livramento is on his way to becoming one of Newcastle's all-time greats, but the Magpies have certainly had success signing players with Southampton roots in the past.

In Livramento, they have a player who looks every inch a modern-day full-back, one who is capable of initially challenging and filling in for the overused Trippier, before becoming a regular down the right for years to come.

Described as a "really talented player" by Southampton colleague Kyle Walker-Peters, it is now over to England U21 international Livramento to write his own passage in Newcastle folklore.

No pressure.

Arsenal have identified the Southampton midfielder Romeo Lavia as a summer transfer target as they look to update their options in the middle of the park.

How old is Romeo Lavia?

Despite the Gunners enjoying an impressive 2022/23 campaign, it seems as if Mikel Arteta and Edu Gaspar are looking to overhaul their midfield this summer.

Indeed, it is believed Granit Xhaka could be heading for the exit doors this summer with reports of interest coming from Bayer Leverkusen.

And on top of the potential exit of the Swiss midfielder, it has now recently been suggested that Thomas Partey could be another name who could be set to depart for a new opportunity over the coming months.

These are two players who played huge roles in Arsenal's starting XI last season with Xhaka making 37 appearances in the league and Partey making 33 league appearances.

Despite this, the Gunners are believed to be seriously interested in bringing Declan Rice to north London this summer to bolster than midfield with a bid already lodged for the 24-year-old.

And speaking on his YouTube channel, Fabrizio Romano has now claimed the Gunners could look to make a move for the 19-year-old from Southampton, Lavia:

"It's true that Romeo Lavia from Southampton is one of the players they have in the list, it's correct.

"They like him, they consider Romeo Lavia a top talent. Man City have a buy-back clause on the player but only in summer 2024. Not this summer and the clause would not be valid in the future; it's only valid in 2024 for Man City, not now.

"So Arsenal are interested Chelsea are also interested."

How much is Romeo Lavia worth?

The 19-year-old played a significant role in the Southampton side last season having made 29 appearances in the Premier League alone (via Transfermarkt).

Of course, it was a hugely underwhelming campaign for the Saints which saw them finish rock bottom of the Premier League table.

However, it was not a wasted campaign for the Belgian who was even dubbed as an "absolute monster" by some in the media for one of his displays earlier in the year.

And this can be seen through his returns over the last year with the youngster ranking in the top fourth percentile for blocks made across all midfielders in the top five European leagues (via FBef).

As a result of his impressive displays, it is believed the Belgian has garnered interest from a number of clubs including Liverpool.

But it is apparent any club who is looking to acquire the young talent will have to dig deep this summer with the Saints reportedly placing a £50m price tag on their young star.

Considering Arsenal are looking to spend big money on Rice and potentially also Kai Havertz, this could prove to be another significant financial layout for the Gunners this summer.

Chelsea remain interested in adding another striker to their ranks after completing a deal to sign Villarreal star Nicolas Jackson in the summer transfer window.

What's the latest on Chelsea's interest in Victor Osimhen?

According to 90min, the Blues remain keen on pursuing a possible deal to sign Napoli centre-forward Victor Osimhen to solve their woes in front of goal.

The London giants only found the back of the net 38 times in 38 matches in the Premier League in the season just gone and that came after they struck 76 times in the division in the previous campaign.

90min's report claims that the club are closing in on the signing of Jackson from the La Liga outfit for a fee in the region of £30m to bolster their forward line, but the Senegal international could be joined by Osimhen.

It is stated that Napoli are looking for a fee well in excess of £100m and are aware that the Italian side's valuation of the prolific marksman could prevent them from being able to complete a deal.

They also mention that Tottenham Hotspur and England striker Harry Kane was explored as a potential option for Mauricio Pochettino before they moved for Jackson.

How did Victor Osimhen perform last season?

The £90k-per-week ace enjoyed a phenomenal campaign in front of goal for the Serie A champions and his form in Italy suggests that his arrival at Stamford Bridge would go a long way to solving their problems at the top end of the pitch.

Osimhen, who was hailed as a "goal-scoring machine" by journalist Josh Bunting, averaged a Sofascore rating of 7.21 across 32 appearances in the league for Napoli, which would have placed him third in the Chelsea squad in the Premier League.

The 24-year-old racked up an outstanding 24 goals and four assists in the Italian top flight as he proved himself to be a reliable scorer in a major European league. In fact, the incredible forward ranks in the top 1% of strikers in the Men's Big Five Leagues for non-penalty goals per 90 (0.87) over the last 365 days.

These statistics show that the talented dynamo is one of the best number nines in Europe on current form and would, therefore, be a sensational addition to Pochettino's squad after Kai Havertz ended the 2022/23 campaign as Chelsea's top scorer in the Premier League with seven strikes.

Osimhen has also showcased his ability to make an impact on the European stage. The 6 foot 1 finisher fired in five goals in five starts in the Champions League as Napoli made their way to the semi-final of the competition, which shows that the exciting gem has the quality to be a big player for the club if they are able to return to a continental tournament for 2024/25.

Arsenal could be set to immediately bin one of the club's recent failures, with another big-money move, but this time of Mikel Arteta's choosing.

What's the latest on Samuel Chukwueze to Arsenal?

That's according to CalcioMercato, who claim that the Gunners are battling with many clubs over Villarreal's star winger Samuel Chukwueze.

With AC Milan and Real Madrid also in the race and contact expected to be made soon, it will take an almighty task to tempt this Super Eagles star to the Emirates ahead of such European royalty. This hefty competition likely aids the €80m (£68m) asking price that continues to be referenced by the Spanish club.

Such an astronomical fee will likely have fans of the north London outfit worried that this left-footed right-winger might follow down the same path that Nicolas Pepe took, having struggled since his £72m move in 2019.

In fact, it has been revealed that Edu is currently seeking out a buyer for their Ivory Coast flop, as he aims to trim their squad starting with their biggest duds. Another potential transfer howler is a situation the club simply must avoid.

Is Samuel Chukwueze better than Nicolas Pepe?

Pepe's drop-off since moving to the Emirates was nothing short of astronomical, and was made all the more apparent when Unai Emery later admitted it was a deal he did not sanction.

Given he would go on to play just 121 times, scoring 27 goals, it is clear to see that this once impressive wide man was a fish out of water in England. Especially considering how in his final year before moving from Lille he would notch 23 goals and assist a further 12 in all competitions, nearly equalling that aforementioned tally across four whole years in north London.

Having since been temporarily sent back to Ligue 1 last term, just six league goals are suggestive that their ridiculous investment continues to fall flat.

Meanwhile, in a division ranked as the second-best in Europe just behind the Premier League, as opposed to the fifth-place standing of France, Chukwueze has slowly been growing into a stunning footballer who seems ready to take that next step.

This year has comfortably marked his pinnacle thus far, with the 24-year-old having scored 13 and assisted 11 from that right flank.

Having also dressed that up with an immense level of finesse and flair, it even led his boss Quique Setien to claim:

"For a few weeks, he’s been giving us a lot, he’s a permanent threat. Not just in goals, but in passes, chances, he’s an extraordinary player, who is giving us a lot". This culminated in his status as a "crazy dribbler" too.

With Pepe seemingly already with one foot out the exit door, to spend big once again on another in his exact role would surely mean the end of an Arsenal career that promised much but delivered next to nothing.

Leeds United and their proposed takeover by 49ers Enterprises could happen 'quickly' at Elland Road, according to journalist Ben Jacobs.

What's the latest news involving Leeds United?

According to The Telegraph, Leeds United could be taken over formally by 49ers Enterprises by the end of this week, which would spell the end of Andrea Radrizzani's six-year spell at Elland Road.

49ers Enterprises currently own 44% of the Yorkshire outfit and are said to value Leeds United at around £170 million, coming as a consequence of the Whites being relegated from the Premier League.

Leeds United are in the hunt for a new manager to lead them into the Sky Bet Championship next season following Sam Allardyce's departure by mutual agreement last week.

Furthermore, there is a need for a new Director of Football at the club following Victor Orta's sacking earlier in the season, as per The Daily Mail.

There is also the concern that several players are likely to leave Leeds United this summer such as Jack Harrison, Brenden Aaronson and Rodrigo Moreno, which will give 49ers Enterprises a heavy agenda to press on with before the beginning of next term.

Speaking to Football FanCast, journalist Jacobs thinks that Leeds United changing hands at ownership level is likely to happen in the near future.

Jacobs told FFC: "For months, they've been talking about scenarios for both staying up and going down. It's now just a case of what the number is to acquire the football club based upon the relegation to the Championship. That won't be a new discussion, they will have discussed both scenarios, both options, both numbers, which is why the expectation is that 49ers Enterprises will still be able to move very quickly."

Who could Leeds United appoint as their new manager?

To steer any successful ship in football requires a good manager and bringing in a coach that can fire up Leeds United's squad of players ahead of their return to the Sky Bet Championship will be a main priority for 49ers Enterprises once they take the club over.

Former Leicester City boss Brendan Rodgers has been linked to the vacancy at Elland Road; however, The Sun report that the 50-year-old could be set to take some time away from the game before resuming his managerial career.

The Guardian report that West Bromwich Albion coach Carlos Corberan, ex-Fulham boss Scott Parker and Steven Gerrard are also under consideration for the post.

Journalist Alan Nixon has also claimed that Celta Vigo boss Carlos Carvahal is in the running for the job, signifying that Leeds United are doing their due diligence on multiple candidates as they look to find the right man to take them forward.

Chelsea's negotiations for Sporting Lisbon’s Manuel Ugarte are moving rapidly.

What’s the latest on Manuel Ugarte to Chelsea?

According to Dean Jones, who was speaking to GIVEMESPORT, the Blues are keen to get the deal completed for the 22-year-old as soon as possible, with talks having motored on in recent days.

Reputable journalist Dean Jones said: “It's certainly accelerated faster than I anticipated, to be honest. We'll now have to see how quickly it can continue to move forward and what the momentum is.

"We know Chelsea are interested, but the rate at which this has been moving forward makes me think that they're keen to get it done very quickly."

The Guardian has reported that the Uruguayan has a release clause of £52m and Chelsea have allegedly agreed personal terms with the player, who has a desire to compete in English football.

How could Manuel Ugarte benefit Chelsea?

The eight-cap international has been in magnificent form for Sporting CP this season, as he has averaged the most tackles (3.9) and interceptions (1.8) per game, to ruthlessly underline his status as a formidable defensive-minded midfielder.

As well as his tenacity, the pivot also possesses a brilliant athletic ability to glide around the pitch, showcased by his 1.8 dribbles per game.

Despite his spritely age, the South American has emerged as an impeccably well-rounded orchestrator, who is excellent at protecting the backline.

The beauty of possessing a selfless destroyer like this is that his qualities unlock the potential of more attack-minded players.

From a Chelsea perspective, this could be crucial to unleashing the maximum influence of Ben Chilwell and Reece James, who when fit and firing, are arguably the club’s most dangerous assets, providing 65 assists between them throughout their club careers.

Unfortunately for Thomas Tuchel, Graham Potter, and Frank Lampard, none of them have been afforded the luxury of being able to consistently start these two full-backs in the team together.

Both their seasons have been ravaged by injury, as the pair have started just 29 (15 and 14) Premier League games together. This problem has been one of the primary reasons why Chelsea have only netted 38 domestic goals.

Tuchel has previously lauded the irrepressible quality of his full-backs and their contribution to the attack.

He said: “We can have a bit of freedom with our offensive movements. The wing-backs can adapt to half positions to support our attackers. It's a matter of repetition and understanding. At the moment, they do very well no matter who plays.”

For the incoming Mauricio Pochettino, recapturing the best form of these defenders will be crucial if he is to succeed in west London and the signing of Ugarte, who has been hailed as a "monster" by writer Dave Hendrick, could be the perfect defensive step in doing this.

Newcastle United have "sent their scouts" to watch Napoli defender Kim Min-Jae live in action ahead of a potential move to the Premier League, according to journalist Fabrizio Romano.

Who is Kim Min-Jae?

Kim is a centre-back who currently plays his football at the Stadio Diego Armando Maradona having joined from Fenerbahce last summer, and having made 45 appearances during his debut season, quickly established himself as Luciano Spalletti’s third best-performing defensive player, with this form catching the eye of Eddie Howe in the northeast.

Spanish reports have claimed that the Magpies have joined Manchester United in the race to sign the 26-year-old and are planning to hijack a summer deal from underneath their top-flight rivals' noses, and his price tag has already been made public knowledge.

The South Korea international still has another two years to run on his contract, but with that deal including a £52m release clause, that is likely to be the fee needed to prise him away before his terms expire in Italy’s Serie A.

Are Newcastle signing Kim?

Speaking to GiveMeSport, Romano was asked whether Man United had any other challengers in the chase to secure the services of Kim ahead of the 2023/24 term, to which he responded:

“It’s just Newcastle, but at the moment, I wouldn’t say it’s concrete competition. It’s just Newcastle following the player and keeping informed on the release clause. They’ve sent their scouts multiple times to follow the player.”

Should PIF submit an offer for Kim?

Luciano Spalletti is a huge fan of the defender, having hailed Kim as doing "20 incredible things per game" and described him as the "best centre-back in the world".

Newcastle will likely be restricted in their budget in order to comply with Financial Fair Play regulations despite qualifying for the Champions League so £52m could be too much to ask, but should the opportunity present itself at an affordable price, PIF should definitely test the waters to see if they can bring Kim to St. James’ Park.

The World Cup participant was averaging 3.5 clearances and 2.6 aerial wins per league game last season, via WhoScored, which saw him dubbed an “iron barrel” by Napoli teammate Khvicha Kvaratskhelia, not to mention that he’s extremely calm and composed on the ball recording a pass success rate of 91%.

Kim, who has also previously operated at right-back, can additionally contribute to his team’s efforts at the opposite end of the pitch having posted four goal contributions (two goals and the same number of assists) in the Serie A during 2022/23, so it would be a massive coup should the hierarchy be able to tempt him into joining in the weeks and months ahead.

A big Rangers setback has emerged regarding Ibrox gem Joe Aribo and his injury situation… 

What’s the latest?

Journalist Andrew Dickson has revealed that the Nigeria international will miss the final of the Europa League if he is diagnosed with a concussion.

The midfielder came off injured in the first half on Thursday night after he was struck in the face by a powerful free-kick, with doubt now surrounding his availability in the coming weeks.

Dickson tweeted: “McGregor didn’t have much to do but made a crucial stop in the second half when he needed to, could do nothing about Nkunku’s glorious finish. Bassey’s now a fixture in front of him. And I hope Aribo is okay after a fair bang on the head. If it’s concussion, he misses Seville.”

The reporter has confirmed that Aribo would not be able to play in the showpiece clash in Spain, although it remains to be seen whether or not the 25-year-old was concussed.

Supporters will be gutted

Rangers supporters will surely be gutted by this claim, as it leaves a gigantic cloud of doubt over the Nigerian’s availability for the Europa League final later this month.

The midfielder has been a reliable option for Giovanni Van Bronckhorst to call upon in Europe, and the Dutch head coach will surely want him to be fit to face Eintracht Frankfurt on 18 May. Aribo has started 12 matches in this superb European run, playing 14 times in total, and has averaged an impressive SofaScore rating of 6.95 as he has chipped in with three assists.

In the Premiership, he has averaged a score of 7.09, scoring eight goals and providing five assists from midfield. He has proven that he can make a big impact in the final third with his ability on the ball, and that is why losing him for the Seville showdown would be a huge blow for the Gers.

Aribo is a consistently brilliant performer who has the potential to be a match-winner for Rangers with his contributions at the top end of the pitch, and fans will be concerned by a potential concussion to the 25-year-old, as losing his talent will weaken the squad given what he has been able to do on the pitch this season.

Hopefully he is healthy and enjoying the celebrations after the win over Leipzig, and if that is the case then the focus will turn to assess whether or not he will be able to play in the final. For now, though, the Ibrox faithful will be gutted by his knock and desperately hoping that he is cleared for action on Wednesday week.

AND in other news, Forget Lundstram: Rangers’ £5.4m-rated “absolute baller” got Ibrox “rocking” last night…

Wolves manager Bruno Lage will miss his side’s Premier League clash with Chelsea after testing positing for Covid-19, journalist Tim Spiers has confirmed.

The Lowdown: Wolves host Chelsea

Wanderers are back in league action on Saturday afternoon, as they welcome Thomas Tuchel’s reigning European Champions to Molineux.

Last weekend was a hugely disappointing one for Wolves, who lost 3-0 at home to Brighton, and a response is needed in their quest to qualify for Europe.

Lage’s side are eighth in the table currently and sit three points behind West Ham with a game in hand, highlighting what a tight end to the season it could be.

[web_stories_embed url=”https://www.footballtransfertavern.com/web-stories/all-the-latest-from-wolves-5/” title=”All the latest from Wolves!” poster=”” width=”360″ height=”600″ align=”none”]

The Latest: Lage not involved

Taking to Twitter, Spiers has confirmed that Lage will play no part in proceedings, however, having tested positive for Covid:

“Bruno Lage sidelined with covid and missing the Chelsea game. Keepers coach Tony Roberts sitting in the chair.”

[freshpress-poll id=“388780″]

The Verdict: Must-win game

It will be a good chance for Tony Roberts to test himself in the Wolves hot seat, for what is undoubtedly an important game for Wanderers.

It would be a huge shame if their season ended up tailing off in the final weeks of the season, having worked so hard to get into the European picture.

Chelsea are not firing on all cylinders and lost at Everton last weekend, so Wolves must believe that they can pick up a precious three points at Molineux.

In other news, one Wolves player could leave the club this summer. Find out who it is here.