All posts by z3u9t.icu

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.

Celtic had a rampant start to the 2021 summer transfer window but Ange Postecoglou hasn’t exactly been busy at Parkhead yet this time around.

What’s the word?

The Hoops have been looking into completing permanent deals for Cameron Carter-Vickers and Jota during the off-season but a new exciting transfer rumour has emerged.

It concerns Schalke youngster Rabbi Matondo who could be moving to Scotland this summer.

That’s according to Wales Online who suggest that Celtic and their Old Firm rivals have now opened talks with the German side regarding a move.

Matondo joined them from Manchester City but spent last term on loan at Cercle Brugge.

Cercle are understood to be keen on keeping the winger at the club, while their own rivals in Club Brugge are believed to be interested too.

Transfermarkt values the player at £3.6m.

The next Sane?

Does an exciting young winger with ties to Manchester City and Schalke remind you of anyone? Well, look no further than a certain Leroy Sane, someone who took the opposite career path to Matondo.

While the German wide man, who signed for Bayern Munich for £54.8m, started his career at Schalke, he went on to enjoy a hugely successful stint with the current Premier League champions.

It was at City where Matondo learnt his trade before joining Sane’s former employers where he even spoke of the Germany international’s talent.

Upon signing for the recently-promoted Bundesliga outfit, he said: “Mesut Özil, Ivan Rakitic & Leroy Sane all took big steps in their careers here.”

Matondo’s career hasn’t quite taken off in the same way as the aforementioned trio, scoring just twice in 32 games for Schalke, but his stint on loan in Belgium last term was particularly impressive, with the winger bagging ten goals and registering two assists in all competitions.

With that in mind, it’s hardly a surprise to see him praised relentlessly, with Ryan Giggs previously hailing his “electrifying pace.”

That attribute is also synonymous with Sane, someone who uses his speed and trickery to make himself a real nuisance for defenders.

With 1.7 dribbles per game to his name throughout 2021/22, the 21-year-old is evidently also particularly dangerous in possession of the ball while his 32 career goals make him deadly inside the penalty area too.

With all of that said, it’s clear that Matondo would be a very exciting addition should he make the switch to Parkhead over the summer.

Celtic have some captivating options in their forward line already but the Wales international would surely complete the set.

AND in other news, Ange can land his own Denayer as Celtic eye £7k-p/w gem who has “fire in his belly”…

Nottingham Forest have secured promotion back to the Premier League for the first time in 23 years, and now they have a boost in their attempts to build a squad that can compete in the top flight.

What’s the latest?

According to 90min, Nottingham Forest are planning to keep as much of their squad together ahead of next season, and are keen to keep James Garner at the club when they join the Premier League.

As per the report, Forest are already aware they won’t be able to keep the Manchester United loanee on a permanent deal but it is confirmed that the newly-promoted side would be given the opportunity ahead of anyone else if Erik ten Hag agrees to let the youngster go back on loan next season.

Supporters will be buzzing

Garner has been a key player for his team this season in the Championship and has been proving himself to be an impressive player that Manchester United will surely be keen to further develop, so supporters will be excited at the prospect that he could return for Forest in the Premier League.

The midfielder has been a reliable force in the centre of the pitch scoring four goals, delivering eight assists and creating seven big chances, making two key passes, 1.4 interceptions and 1.8 tackles on average per game, winning the majority of his duels combined (53%) and proving successful in the majority of his dribble attempts (58%).

This output is clearly something Steve Cooper wants to emulate in the Premier League next season by securing a loan deal again for Garner and deploying him in the team could be massively effective in their pursuit to maintain their status in the league going forward.

However, it is clear the better the 21-year-old gets the more likely Man United will want to let go of the player in the long term, so for Forest, the player is only a short term solution in midfield and the club needs to be aware that they could risk leaving a hole that will be hard to fill if he is called back to Old Trafford.

With that being said, in their first season back in the Premier League securing another season-long loan deal for Garner would be a massive coup for Forest and he would surely continue to thrive in the team and will definitely benefit from gaining the experience of playing first-team football in the top flight.

AND in other news: NFFC plot bid for £20m ace who has the “world at his feet”, Cooper will love him

Sky Sports reporter Michael Bridge has admitted that it is a “surprise” to see that Tottenham Hotspur’s Eric Dier has been left out of the England squad following Gareth Southgate’s recent announcement.

The Lowdown: Dier not named in England squad

The 28-year-old has been capped 45 times for his country, but despite not playing any part in the England starting XI since November 2020, he has enjoyed a standout campaign with the Lilywhites under Antonio Conte. He has made 25 Premier League appearances since the Italian’s arrival in N17, offering hope that he might have had a strong chance of earning a recall under Southgate.

However, the Three Lions boss has denied the Spurs centre-back that opportunity by selecting the likes of Conor Coady, Marc Guehi and Ben White ahead of him, even though Aston Villa’s Tyrone Mings has also been omitted from the 27-man squad.

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The Latest: Bridge ‘very surprised’ by Dier omission

Bridge has admitted his disbelief at the fact that Dier had been overlooked by Southgate and suggested that the Tottenham defender deserved to be given a place in the England squad.

The journalist told GiveMeSport: “I’m surprised, very, very surprised. I thought he would be a shoo-in for this England squad, because for me, he’s my player of the year at Tottenham, but Gareth Southgate only seems to appreciate him in a back three.

“But I still believe if there was a World Cup next month, Dier would be in it. I could be completely deluded, although I’m very surprised, especially given how much he valued him at Under-21 level.”

The Verdict: Valuable experience at the back

Considering the form of some defenders who did make the cut, it does come as a bit of a shock to see the £92k-per-week Spurs star miss out on the Nations League fixtures. For instance, Dier’s WhoScored rating of 6.76 for the season matches that of Guehi and exceeds Coady’s 6.64, so it is understandable why Bridge has been left astonished.

The Cheltenham native has averaged four clearances and 3.7 long balls per league game in 2021/22, via WhoScored, showing not only his ability to be a rock at the heart of the Spurs backline, but also how he can create attacking moves for his team-mates at the other end of the pitch.

Dier has recorded a total of 16 clean sheets in the Premier League this term, which contributed to Tottenham successfully securing a Champions League place for 2022/23, and that experience is something that England will now miss out on ahead of their upcoming games against Hungary, Germany and Italy next month.

In other news… a huge Spurs transfer update has come to light involving one of the club’s ‘top targets’

Manchester City have been crowned champions of England again after a dramatic final day 3-2 victory over Aston Villa at the Etihad Stadium.

The Lowdown: 93:20…the sequel

Ten years on from Sergio Aguero’s dramatic smash-and grab-winner at home to Queen’s Park Rangers, which gave the Sky Blues their first Premier League crown, City have somehow repeated those heroics this afternoon.

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Steven Gerrard, who may have seemed fated to help his former club Liverpool with a result at Eastlands, was close to doing so after Villa found themselves two goals ahead courtesy of strikes from Matty Cash and Philippe Coutinho.

Cityzens could have been forgiven for thinking that the title had slipped out of Guardiola’s grasp, but much like what happened a decade ago, the script was far from written.

The inspired introduction of Ilkay Gundogan seemingly turned the game on its head as the German opened City floodgates with his header at the back post on 76 minutes. Just moments later, long-distance specialist Rodri slotted a brilliant finish past Robin Olsen from outside the area, gifting supporters in the ground hope of a 93:20-esque sequel.

In ensuring that the crown was back in City’s hands, Gundogan found himself at the back post yet again soon after, tapping home his side’s 3-2 advantage and sealing one of the best final day comebacks in football history.

The Latest: Aguero’s five-word message…

City legend and all-time top scorer Aguero, a man who knows all about title-winning drama, sent a candid five-word message to the club and their supporters after their phenomenal end to the 2021/22 campaign.

The Argentine said on Twitter: “Campeones campeones , I love you.”

The Verdict: Deserved champions…

City and Liverpool were locked in one of the fiercest races for domestic glory that supporters are ever likely to see, with barely anything separating Guardiola and Jurgen Klopp for the second time in four seasons after a similarly close-run finish in 2018/19.

While the latter can look forward to a Champions League final next weekend, safe in the knowledge that he has also won a domestic double this year, Sky Blues supporters will be more than satisfied with a near-carbon copy of the 93:20 heroics today which will live long in the memory.

In other news: Pep blown away by ‘phenomenal’ £25 million man as Man City become main bidders to sign him…find out more here.

Manchester City have the chance to secure their fourth Premier League title at the Etihad this week as Pep Guardiola aims to reign supreme again.

With 37 matches played in the league, the Citizens have won 28, drawn six and lost only three, scoring 96 goals and conceding a mere 24 along the way.

One player in Guardiola’s squad who has been a crucial figure for the team throughout the campaign is Rodri.

Having started in each of his 32 league appearances this term, only Ederson and Joao Cancelo have played more minutes than the Spanish midfielder.

Earlier in the season, it was revealed that Fernandinho will be waving goodbye to the club at the end of the campaign. More recently, it has been claimed that Ilkay Gundogan could be on his way out of the Etihad Stadium at the same time.

This could then leave Rodri with some new faces next to him in midfield, should the aforementioned duo end up leaving and the club then forced to bring in some replacements.

One man with whom the club have been linked and who could become part of a formidable midfield duo with the Spain international is Aurelien Tchouameni.

Since joining AS Monaco in January 2020, the 22-year-old has gone on to make 94 appearances for the Ligue 1 club across all competitions, scoring eight goals and providing seven assists along the way. One of his goals earlier this month was labelled “magnificent” by BT Sport on Twitter.

To highlight how a talented and all-round a midfielder he is, the Frenchman has not only the highest number of tackles (95), interceptions (110) and successful pressures (205) to his name at Monaco in Ligue 1, but also the third-highest number of goalscoring actions.

This shows that he is very capable of doing all the hard work required of a top midfielder in both an attacking and defensive sense.

Can’t get enough Manchester City football content? Watch Manchester City Live Streams  and other videos at StreamFootball.tv.

In terms of a potential move to City, if Guardiola were to have a player of Tchouameni’s talent in his squad, this could then give Rodri more freedom to keep playing passes around the field, as is his specialty with a passing accuracy rate of 92.6%.

It would also take some of the load off the Spaniard’s shoulders in terms of the defensive side of things, given the Frenchman’s ability off the ball.

With Tchouameni having a reported price tag of £60m, this is a potential deal which could be vital for City this summer, and one that they should definitely look at completing.

In other news: Reliable journalist drops big behind-the-scenes Man City update, it’s bad news for Pep 

A finance expert has now dropped a big claim on a potential takeover at Sunderland.

The Lowdown: Storey offer

As per The Daily Mail, William Storey wants to buy out all four shareholders at the Stadium of Light in a £42m deal.

The British businessman attempted to buy a controlling stake in the Wearside club back in 2020 before Kyril Louis-Dreyfus, and it is understood that the latter has rejected his advances.

However, the Madrox trio of Stewart Donald, Juan Sartori and Charlie Methven are all thought to be keen to sell up.

The Latest: Expert reacts

Speaking to Football Insider, finance expert Doctor Dan Plumley has claimed that £42m is a ‘fair price’ for the Black Cats, but the value could rise to as much as ‘£200m’ should they go all the way back up to the Premier League:

“I think it’s a fair price for where they are at the moment.

“I’ve done some digging on industry standards in the past. It’s not an exact science but all the metrics would value them at somewhere between £40m and £50m.

“That is very high for a League One club, but it is representative of their potential for growth. If they do go up, you could conceivably add another £10m or £20m onto that valuation. That would put them closer to £60m to £80m.

“So, it does vary depending on league status but the price does show the size and scale of the club.

“You have to put revenue into the mix. If they got to the Premier League, you are adding another £100m overnight. It could then become a £180m or £200m club.

“It’s got a considerable fanbase and a lot of infrastructure in place. That is why investors might be looking at them now. It’s a good proposition.”

The Verdict: Wait for final

SAFC should really be waiting until after the League One play-off final before entertaining any such offer from Storey.

If they were to get promoted up to the Championship, then the club would instantly be worth more money, and so they would need to get the highest value possible if they were to sell up.

Nonetheless, it seems as if Louis-Dreyfus will need some more persuading anyway, but it is good that they at least have options ahead of the new season.

In other news, find out who Sunderland are now courting this summer here!

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.

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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.”

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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.