All posts by z3u9t.icu

Wolverhampton Wanderers have started their Premier League campaign with a bit of a whimper, winning just once in their opening six matches.

Their quest for another top-half finish under Bruno Lage has been made slightly more difficult due to their underwhelming start, but there is still time to spark the team into life after the international break and get positive results.

The Old Gold’s goalscoring woes from last season – only 38 league goals scored – have reared again this season, with only three goals scored in the Premier League.

It’s clear they need some added creative input, and although Lage brought in Goncalo Guedes and Matheus Nunes to his side, he might rue missing out on a player who has shone in Scotland…

Wolves made a blunder on Kent

Ryan Kent was linked with a move back to England this summer, with Wolves tracking the layer alongside Fulham, Leeds United, and Everton.

With the future surrounding Wolves winger Pedro Neto still unclear as Arsenal looked set to sign him during the summer transfer window, he might still move away in the near future, and Kent would have been an ideal heir.

The £20m release clause for the “lively” 25-year-old shouldn’t put Wolves off, considering the fees they spent during the summer and, if Neto does move on, they would be able to reinvest the money.

Although they missed their chance in the summer, with Kent’s contract set to expire in 2023, they might even be able to secure his services for free in January, or on a cut-price deal.

Neto spent the vast majority of last season injured, however, comparing the Portuguese winger’s stats to the Light Blues player from the 2020/2021 campaign proves Lage might rue not making a move for Kent in the transfer window.

With 19 goal contributions domestically, Kent proved that he can be a far greater goal threat than Neto (11 goal contributions), showcasing his attacking talents as Rangers romped to the Scottish Premiership title. The 25-year-old had 2.54 shots per game compared to Neto’s 2.19, as he demonstrated his willingness to shoot from a wide position.

What’s more, Kent missed eight big chances during the campaign, meaning he may have had even more goals, with Neto missing only four.

His former Rangers teammate Leon Balogun described Kent as a “wing wizard” and after watching his tricky and creativity on the flank during his spell at the Gers, he could easily translate that to performing at a high level in the Premier League.

Lage might have missed the perfect chance to sign Kent, but he could well try again in January.

West Bromwich Albion attacker Grady Diangana has won praise for his performance in Saturday’s Championship clash with Norwich City.

The lowdown

West Brom took a hard-earned point from high-flying Norwich City at Carrow Road to move just clear of the relegation places and bounce back from midweek’s torrid display.

Dara O’Shea’s goal inside the first 10 minutes was not enough to secure a three much-needed points for Steve Bruce, but it does still feel as though they have stopped the rot given the Canaries’ form before the clash.

Diangana’s made his eighth start in ten Championship matches, lining up on the left of the three behind focal point Brandon Thomas-Asante.

The latest

Elias Burke of The Athletic commended Diangana for one first-half moment that saw him beat a number of Norwich defenders, while Lewis Cox of The Express & Star hailed his display more generally.

Burke tweeted: “Diangana, that’s filthy. Dribbles past three or four players on the left and wins and free-kick, comes to nothing, unfortunately.”

And Cox said: “Diangana looks at it today. Sharp. Lightning feet. WBA fans loving it.”

The verdict

The stats (via SofaScore) show that Diangana did indeed have quite the afternoon at Carrow Road.

He won the majority of the ground duels he contested (11 of 19), completed 90% of his passes and contributed out of possession too by making four tackles.

His afternoon’s work was even more impressive when you consider that he was actually a doubt for the game.

As Cox reported before the game, Bruce faced a 50-50 call on whether to include Diangana as the 24-year-old nursed a groin issue.

If he reached this level without being 100 per cent fit, then he deserves extra praise.

Leeds United boss Jesse Marsch has previously suggested that summer signing Wilfried Gnonto is “not ready” for first-team action but his fifth senior cap for Italy this week would certainly suggest otherwise.

“No,” the American head coach said in response to one question on whether the 18-year-old would be ‘Premier League ready.’ He added (via LeedsLive): “I didn’t even know that that’s out there. But we know who he is. And with him, it’d be more of a long-term project.”

Since his bargain £3.8m arrival at Elland Road on deadline day, the Italian frontman is yet to register a single minute of game time, though he has featured for the U21s on one occasion.

However, after his cameo in England’s 1-0 defeat to Gli Azzurri, Marsch may well want to change his stance on the former FC Zurich talisman.

Italy boss Roberto Mancini has now called upon the teenager five times, the latest being this 27-minute stint from the bench against the Three Lions, where he certainly caught the eye.

It’s perhaps even fascinating to suggest that a player who has been capped on the international stage at senior level is not ready for the Premier League, yet others who have not done the same feat – Joe Gelhardt and Sam Greenwood spring to mind – are indeed ready.

Gnonto is Italy’s youngest-ever goalscorer, breaking a record held since 1958, so it’s no mean feat to be involved and it certainly suggests that it isn’t down to a mere lack of options in the frontline role for the former Manchester City manager.

The Italian press lauded Leeds’ young forward for his impact, having replaced West Ham United’s Gianluca Scamacca, and it only adds to the glowing endorsements he’s received over the course of his short career to date.

“‘In some ways, like a boy, he’s unpredictable. It is a joy to see him play. In some ways, he is mature like a 25-year-old player. It doesn’t matter who he plays against,” once claimed Zurich’s sporting director Marinko Jurendic (via the Daily Mail).

Meanwhile, Whites’ director of football Victor Orta has dubbed him a “surprise” package and talent scout Jacek Kulig has also described the teen as a “real diamond.”

That unpredictable yet mature nature could be of big use to Marsch after the international break, particularly if any other injury issues arise with Patrick Bamford, who has been restricted to only 13 appearances since the start of the 2021/22 campaign.

If Gelhardt and co are ready, then who is the 48-year-old to say that Gnonto is not? Italy’s record-breaker could soon be unleashed after England got a taste of exactly what the 5 foot 5 gem can offer his team.

AND in other news, Orta hit the jackpot on “unbelievable” £15k-p/w Leeds ace whose value has shot up 445%…

Celtic attacker Liel Abada could be worth more than £15m in the near future after excelling at Parkhead, according to a report from Football Insider.

The Lowdown: Abada a superb signing

The Israeli marksman joined the Hoops from Maccabi Petah Tikva last year and he has already grown into a hugely important player under Ange Postecoglou.

Abada has scored 21 goals in 64 appearances for Celtic, along with registering 12 assists and being hailed as a ‘brilliant’ footballer by his manager.

At just 20, the Hoops striker is still very much a maturing player, and he appears to have an incredibly high ceiling judging by a recent revelation.

The Latest: Abada could be worth £15m+

According to Football Insider, sources close to Celtic believe that Abada will be worth ‘£15million-plus’ as soon as next year, such is his progress at Parkhead.

Those at the club have been ‘thrilled’ by his development since coming to Glasgow, having joined for a mere £3.5m.

The Verdict: Keep him or sell for huge profit?

This perfectly illustrates what a big future Abada potentially has, and if Celtic were to lose him, they can at least be able to demand a sizeable fee for his services and turn a massive profit.

If they were to reap £15m from selling the Israeli youngster, it would represent almost a five-fold increase on what they paid for him in 2021.

However, that would clearly be a less desirable scenario than keeping hold of the forward for many years to come, allowing him to develop into one of the Hoops’ best attacking players of the modern era.

There could inevitably be plenty of interest in Abada in the years to come – that could be a good thing in some ways, as it will mean he is performing well for Celtic – but for now, as the Premiership’s joint-leading scorer so far this season, keeping hold of him must be the club’s priority.

Glasgow Rangers have endured a slow start to their 2022/23 campaign, with Giovanni van Bronckhorst’s side currently trailing the Premiership leaders by two points and sitting bottom of their Champions League group after three comprehensive defeats.

Indeed, the Light Blues offered extremely little going forwards in their latest European outing – a 2-0 defeat at Liverpool – with the visitors taking a total of just six shots at goal, with only two of these attempts being on target.

It was a similar story in the 3-0 loss to Napoli – taking ten shots, three of which were on target – and the 4-0 hammering by Ajax – taking four shots, with one hitting the target – making it easy to see why Gers are yet to find the back of the net in the competition.

Furthermore, with the Ibrox outfit also having scored seven fewer goals than Celtic domestically so far this season, it is evident that Van Bronckhorst is somewhat lacking in the attacking department, something Ross Wilson could have addressed this summer.

Indeed, the sporting director was linked with a host of forwards over the course of the summer transfer window, with one of the 38-year-old’s targets reported to have been the 20-year-old Leeds United right-winger, Crysencio Summerville.

However, while a deal for the Netherlands U21 international failed to materialise, Wilson’s decision not to strongly pursue a move for the attacker already looks to have been something of a mistake, as the youngster is very much a player on the rise.

The £2.7m-rated talent is becoming an increasingly prominent part of Jesse Marsch’s first-team squad at Elland Road, having made three Premier League appearances for the Whites in 2022/23 – already half of the number he made throughout 2021/22.

Although, it was undoubtedly the flying Dutchman’s performance in a recent Premier League 2 meeting with Southampton that made many sit up and take notice of the £8.4k-per-week winger, as the 20-year-old was a continuous threat for the Whites.

Indeed, the starlet dubbed a “speed merchant” was arguably the standout performer in the 6-2 win, ending the fixture with a hat-trick of assists, winning a penalty after being brought down during a driving run into the Southampton box and finding the back of the net with an extremely composed finish of his own.

This performance saw Leeds Live’s William Jackson award Summerville a nine in his player ratings following the match, while the journalist also stated of the 20-year-old display:

“Clearly too good for this level. He bullied Southampton’s left-back all night with his ball control and skill. Scored Leeds’ second of the game with a smart finish before winning the penalty that led to Bamford’s second of the game.”

As such, with Rangers desperately in need of added creativity and threat in the final third, Summerville very much looks as if he could well have been the perfect addition to Van Bronckhorst’s attacking arsenal, as well as a huge talent for the future – leading us to believe that Wilson had something of a shocker when failing to move for the starlet this summer.

Aston Villa are still keen on signing Rangers forward Ryan Kent, according to The Sunday Mirror.

The Lowdown: Kent rejects new contract

Hailed as a ‘big-game player’ by journalist Andrew Dickson, the 25-year-old was linked with a move to Villa Park to reunite with his former Gers boss Steven Gerrard over the summer.

As we know, a transfer failed to materialise, although Kent has reportedly rejected a new ‘big-money’ deal at Ibrox and has set his sights on a move to the Premier League. His current deal with the Scottish giants expires at the end of the current campaign.

The Latest: Villa still want Kent

According to the print edition of The Sunday Mirror (2 October, page 71), as relayed by MOT Leeds News, Villa remain in the hunt for Kent and will watch him in action in the Champions League against Liverpool.

The report also states that the 25-year-old has snubbed a new contract at Ibrox and ‘will be a free agent next summer’.

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The Verdict: One to watch

Kent is currently valued at a career-high £15.75m Transfermarkt valuation, so he appears to be at the top of his game.

He can play in a variety of attacking roles and registered 11 league assists in each of the past two seasons, so he could definitely be a shrewd signing if he arrives at Villa Park on a free transfer.

Villa and NSWE will be able to discuss potential pre-contract terms for Kent in the New Year should his situation remain the same, so this could be one to keep a close eye on over the coming months.

Tottenham Hotspur are plotting a ‘surprise’ stadium development amid their reported talks with Google over the naming rights, according to reports.

The Lowdown: Spurs stadium naming rights hunt…

Back in 2019, chairman Daniel Levy confirmed the club’s interest in securing a mega-money naming rights deal after Spurs moved to their state of the art £1 billion stadium.

There have been past suggestions that the Premier League side are holding out for a £25 million-per-year agreement as club chiefs lead by Levy hold negotiations with blue chip companies like Amazon and Nike.

In their efforts to find a buyer for the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium naming rights, Levy and co turned to chief commercial officer Todd Kline – who came to north London in early 2021 with a stellar reputation in the world of sport’s finance.

The ex-NFL executive is rumoured to have orchestrated an 18-year naming rights deal for the Miami Dolphins stadium, worth a reported £180m, with Levy looking to take full advantage of his expertise and land his own mega-money financial windfall at Tottenham.

Now, the Lilywhites are in ‘meaningful talks’ with big name brand Google, and reports suggest they are also planning a ‘surprise’ stadium upgrade amid these discussions.

The Latest: Spurs plan ‘surprise’ stadium upgrade…

Amid these reports of Google and a potential breakthrough, it has now been reported that Spurs are planning a ‘surprise’ stadium development in the form of a pitch upgrade.

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Football Insider claim Tottenham are ‘already’ seeking to improve their retractable pitch which has set them back £20-30 million since it’s build.

The pitch, designed to slide back and reveal an artificial field for NFL use, apparently cost ‘two to three per cent’ of the total Spurs stadium investment.

SCX, a mechanical engineering specialist firm who helped to install the pitch, apparently expressed they are ‘surprised’ as Spurs seek improvements to the cutting edge technology.

The report also moots this could ‘dramatically’ raise costs.

The Verdict: Shock?

Spurs’ apparent willingness to upgrade an already state-of-the-art retractable pitch could hint at some financial confidence on the club’s part, and potentially positive talks over the naming rights.

The multi-million pound ground is arguably one of the best in European football and stands out as Tottenham’s most viable financial asset.

The ground-breaking stadium could be central to Spurs’ success over years to come but Levy will want to seal a lucrative naming rights deal soon to warrant these kinds of stadium technological investments.

West Brom have moved onto the formal interview stage with former Huddersfield Town manager Carlos Corberan.

The Lowdown: Another defeat

Caretaker Richard Beale failed to back up an away win at Reading on the weekend after falling to a 2-0 home defeat to Bristol City on Tuesday evening.

The Baggies could fall back into the relegation zone this evening, should results go against them, with Sky Sports reporter Rob Dorsett believing the midweek loss will accelerate the club’s plans to bring in Steve Bruce’s successor.

The Latest: Baggies interview

Reliable reporter Gregg Evans shared a West Brom update for The Athletic on Wednesday morning.

He said that Corberan is the first manager to be interviewed for the job, with Ron Gourlay and Ian Pearce now working their way through a number of applicants with more interviews likely to be conducted in the coming days.

The Verdict: Top target?

Corberan, hailed as ‘very talented’ by Marcelo Bielsa, could well be the club’s top target considering he is the first to be interviewed over the role.

He impressed with Huddersfield last season, leading them to the Championship playoff final against Nottingham Forest. The Spaniard, who averages two points per game against West Brom, resigned in the summer and spent just 11 games in charge of Olympiacos.

The 39-year-old likes to play an attacking 4-3-3 system and is currently a free agent, so it will be interesting to see if the Baggies go back to him after speaking with other shortlisted candidates.

Wolves’ decision to sign Willy Boly on a permanent deal sadly backfired as the centre-back was never able to really reproduce the levels of performance that he showed during his loan spell at Molineux.

The towering 6 foot 6 Ivorian centre-back joined Wolves on loan from Porto for the 2017/18 campaign and was a huge part of their Championship title-winning season. He made 36 appearances in the second tier, contributing three goals and two assists, and he earned a superb 7.52 rating from WhoScored for his performances.

This ranked him as the top performer in Nuno Espirito Santo’s side for that season, so it was something of a no-brainer for the Old Gold to sign him on a permanent deal ahead of their return to the Premier League, with Boly joining in a transfer worth £10m.

That fee looked to be something of a bargain when the Ivorian was one of Wolves’ outstanding players in their 2018/19 Premier League campaign, averaging a strong 7.12 rating from WhoScored for his performances.

Sadly, an ankle injury proved to be the beginning of the end for Boly the following season, as he was limited to just 22 appearances in the top flight, before making 21 in the subsequent campaign.

Ruben Neves spoke highly of the defender upon his return from injury in March of last season, saying: “He’s a great player, of course. I think we have a great squad. He’s been an important player for us and unfortunately got some injuries, but the players who were playing did a fantastic job as well.”

However, it was clear that, when Bruno Lage arrived at the club, the former Porto man became more of a backup. He made just 11 appearances under Nuno’s successor before he was sold to Nottingham Forest during the summer, with the Reds paying a mere £2.25m for his services.

Given Wolves’ defensive woes this season, which have arguably come about after the exits of important centre-backs such as Boly, Romain Saiss and Conor Coady, the Old Gold would have perhaps been better off keeping the Ivory Coast international at Molineux, especially considering that they made such a significant loss on him.

Everton have been enjoying a much more comfortable season in the Premier League so far, and Frank Lampard will surely be relieved that his side is showing signs of improvement during their promising start.

The Toffees are now 12th in the league table and are four points clear of the relegation zone which is a much better position than where they found themselves last season, only surviving the drop into the Championship in their penultimate game of the season.

Lampard will be thrilled with the impact that the eight new signings have made since they arrived at Goodison Park this summer, but it isn’t just the newly-appointed players who have been shining lights in the improved form that Everton have displayed in their 12 Premier League outings.

Anthony Gordon has often been highly praised for his contributions in the forward line, but his teammate Demarai Gray has been just as effective since he made the move to Merseyside for just £1.7m last summer.

Despite Rafael Benitez’s ill-fated tenure at the club, one of the only good things to come out of his short spell managing the Toffees was the signing of Gray, who has been a consistent and reliable performer when called upon to represent the club in the final third.

Only Richarlison (11) and Andros Townsend (seven) scored more goals than Gray (six) last season, with the talented winger netting more than striker Dominic Calvert-Lewin (five) overall, and this season he has continued to prove that he is worth his tiny transfer fee many times over.

Across 12 appearances this term, the 26-year-old has scored one goal and created one big chance, making 1.2 key passes, taking 1.9 shots and winning four duels per game, proving he is a trusted key player for Lampard as he has started and featured for 86 minutes on average in every single league outing so far.

Gray has been the recipient of high praise during his time with the Toffees so far, with BBC pundit Garth Crooks dubbing the winger a “real talent”.

Lampard has also expressed his admiration for the player after he scored a late equaliser against Nottingham Forest earlier this season, saying: “I was really pleased with Demarai’s performance and the goal.

“Against players that are committed to defend in numbers, you need players that open the game up. Demarai did that with his movement, with his speed and with his one-v-one stuff. The goal was fantastic.”

With that being said, it is clear that Gray has become a key player at Everton; and if he can continue to influence games positively,  there is no doubt that the team could enjoy a much more comfortable season than in 2021/22.