Tag Futebol

Leeds United’s Victor Orta has had largely a successful time at Elland Road since his appointment in 2017.

The Spanish director of football has been a vital cog in their promotion and continued presence in the Premier League, with his shrewd business vital in upgrading a squad that last season narrowly avoided the drop.

Across that campaign, few players bolstered their legacies at the club.

Raphinha naturally stole the headlines, as he was the club’s top scorer who had more than earned his £55m move to Barcelona.

However, arguably just behind the Brazilian in importance was Jack Harrison.

Having been brought in on three successive loan deals, in the summer of 2021 Orta made it a permanent move for £11m.

Although, claims just last week have emerged that are now linking the 26-year-old with a Premier League switch to Newcastle United, after their two failed summer bids for his services.

Alan Hutton noted in the report: “I think if Newcastle come calling, somewhere that you can see what they are doing they are trying to build something, you would definitely want to be a part of that”.

After surviving the bombardment from the Tyneside outfit, the Whites slapped a price tag of at least £35m on their mercurial wide man.

To lose him would be a huge blow, but with the recent emergence of Crysencio Summerville, it poses an interesting decision for Jesse Marsch to make.

The American was reliant on Harrison last season however, as he scored eight goals including the all-important goal in a final-day win at Brentford.

He has started this season in a similarly impressive fashion, already boasting four goal contributions in 13 games.

Having spent nearly four years in Yorkshire, fans at the club will have witnessed his transformation into the “beast” he is today, as dubbed by Beren Cross.

They would surely regret seeing him leave, even if it was for such a mouth-watering fee.

But, as aforementioned, with four goals in his last four games, the 21-year-old Summerville could more than compensate for his output should he maintain this form.

It might be a big risk given how they still remain just two points clear of the relegation zone, but one which might tempt Marsch into selling.

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.

West Bromwich Albion may not have a new manager in place this weekend after Steve Bruce’s sacking, reliable journalist Joe Chapman has claimed.

The Lowdown: Bruce sacked as West Brom boss

On Monday morning, the 61-year-old was relieved of his duties as Baggies boss following a dire run of form which has seen Albion drop to 22nd in the Championship table.

Saturday’s limp 0-0 draw at home to Luton Town proved to be the final straw for West Brom’s owners, with a change badly needed to alter the course of their season.

The search is now on for a new manager, although it appears that The Hawthorns faithful shouldn’t hold their breath for Bruce’s successor…

The Latest: Chapman shares managerial claim

Taking to Twitter shortly after Bruce’s sacking, Chapman admitted that a new permanent manager may not be confirmed by the time the Baggies head to Reading this coming Saturday, with the club’s under-21 boss Richard Beale in line to oversee next weekend’s clash.

The Birmingham Live reporter tweeted:

“No guarantees that Albion will have a new man in place by Saturday. Rich Beale, who has filled in as caretaker boss at Blues before now, on standby to oversee Reading game. Recruitment process starts now but no instant appointment is expected.”

The Verdict: Sooner rather than later, please

The crucial thing now for West Brom is to act quickly, getting the right man in to succeed Bruce and oversee a huge improvement on the pitch as the season progresses.

Roy Keane has emerged as a front-runner and could be a good option, ironically replacing his former Manchester United team-mate.

However, while the Irishman has previous of taking over a team in the Championship relegation zone and getting them promoted in the same season (Sunderland in 2006/07), he hasn’t managed a team since leaving Ipswich Town in January 2011.

Whoever comes in must be viewed as a long-term solution and not a quick fix – somebody who the club firmly believe can take them back into the Premier League in the near future and keep them there.

Leeds United once again failed to turn in a swashbuckling performance such as those witnessed earlier this season against Aston Villa on Sunday afternoon, with Jesse Marsch’s side ultimately having to settle for a point in a largely drab goalless draw at Elland Road.

Indeed, with the Whites currently on a four-game winless run – including a 1-0 defeat to Brighton & Hove Albion, a 1-1 draw with Everton, a 5-2 defeat at Brentford and Sunday’s stalemate with Villa – August’s high-octane 3-0 win over Chelsea now feels as if it were a lifetime ago.

However, with Leeds’ U21 side securing their sixth win from seven games in 2022/23 on Tuesday evening – a particularly enthralling 5-3 Papa John’s Trophy victory over Tranmere Rovers – perhaps it may be wise for Marsch to take a closer look at some of his up and coming starlets in a bid to inject some fresh impetus to his senior side.

Although, with Joe Gelhardt – the 20-year-old who the American left out of his 20-man squad to face Villa last weekend – being the two-goal hero for Michael Skubala’s side in midweek, the 48-year-old could well be left somewhat red-faced by crawling back to the youngster he spurned just a matter of days ago.

Indeed, if the £8.7m-rated talent hoped to send his manager a message at Prenton Park, he certainly did so, scoring two exceptionally well-taken goals, making two key passes, taking four shots at the Tranmere goal and drawing four fouls – with these returns seeing the England U21 earn a match-best SofaScore rating of 8.4.

The Yorkshire Evening Post journalist, Joe Donnohue, also awarded the striker a match-topping nine in his own player ratings, as well as stating of Gelhardt’s display: “Two very well-taken goals – power and placement. Worked hard off the ball from start to finish. Like [Wilfried] Gnonto, uses his body so well to his advantage.”

As such, with a testing trip to Crystal Palace up next for the Whites, it would appear an extremely wise move for Marsch to reverse his Villa decision on the £16.5k-per-week Gelhardt, as the player who Leeds Live’s Beren Cross claimed is “going to change games” could very much prove to do exactly this at Selhurst Park on Sunday.

Tottenham Hotspur enjoyed a largely successful summer transfer window, with Fabio Paratici managing to bring in a number of impressive signings who either provide Antonio Conte with greater squad depth or improve upon a player Spurs already owned in a particular position.

Indeed, with the likes of Richarlison, Yves Bissouma, Djed Spence, Ivan Perisic, Fraser Forster and Clement Lenglet all joining the club, as well as Paratici completing the permanent signing of Cristian Romero, the 52-year-old manager would now very much look to have the depth he infamously claimed he was lacking during the 2021/22 campaign.

However, with Tottenham’s only new addition at centre-back – a position it was widely reported Conte was extremely keen to strengthen this summer – being the season-long loan signing of Lenglet, it would appear highly likely that Paratici will once again be on the lookout for a permanent addition to Spurs’ backline over the course of the season.

As such, there is an argument to be made that the Italian sporting director should have pursued a deal for one of his defensive targets with slightly more urgency this summer – and, considering just how impressive Gleison Bremer has been for Juventus so far this season, it appears Paratici missed a trick in deciding against launching a £43m bid for the Brazilian.

Indeed, over his six Serie A appearances so far in 2022/23, the £31.5m-rated talent has been in imperious form in the heart of Massimiliano Allegri’s backline, helping his side keep two clean sheets, as well as making an average of 2.0 interceptions, one tackle, 3.7 clearances and winning 4.3 duels – at a success rate of 62% – per game.

The £153k-per-week centre-back has also impressed with the ball at his feet, enjoying an average of 83.3 touches of the ball, completing 66.7 passes – at a success rate of 93% – and finding his man with 4.0 long balls per game, in addition to having found the back of the net once.

These returns have seen the player who Ryan Taylor dubbed both “unbelievable” and “faultless” average a simply sensational SofaScore match rating of 7.28, not only ranking him as Juventus’ joint second-best performer in the league but also as the joint 15th-best player in the top flight of Italian football as a whole.

As such, with Bremer quite clearly being a player who is extremely solid at the back, exceptional in his reading of the game and incredibly talented with the ball at his feet, Paratici must regret his decision not to make a move for the 25-year-old defender this summer – as the Brazilian would have undoubtedly been an unbelievable signing for the Italian to get over the line.

Fulham are reportedly interested in signing Blackpool winger Josh Bowler this summer and the former Everton man could be a superb addition to Marco Silva’s squad.

What’s the word?

According to Ryan Taylor of The Express, Fulham, Nottingham Forest and Bournemouth are all in the race to sign the 23-year-old this summer after his superb performances in the Championship last term.

It has been previously reported that any deal for the tricky winger is likely to cost around £2.5m, although Blackpool could be forced to sell for cheaper if Bowler refuses a new deal with the club, as his current contract at Bloomfield Road is set to expire at the end of this season.

Would Bowler be a good signing?

Fulham’s focus this summer has seemingly been on improving the defence and midfield, with only Manor Solomon joining as a wide option thus far. This is perhaps unsurprising when you consider that Silva’s side scored 106 goals in the Championship last season, although they are now without Fabio Carvalho after he joined Liverpool.

The Cottagers have also started the season without the influential Harry Wilson, as the Wales international is sidelined with a knee injury, which suggests that Silva could do with another winger to choose from in his squad.

Bowler was in excellent form for Blackpool last season, contributing seven goals and three assists for the Tangerines as they comfortably stayed up in their first season back in the second tier.

In five games this season, the 23-year-old has scored one goal and averaged an impressive 7.08 rating from WhoScored for his performances, which is only bettered by Aleksandar Mitrovic in Fulham’s squad, which emphasises the quality he could add.

Everton coach David Unsworth was full of praise for Bowler during his time on Merseyside, saying:

“Josh Bowler was terrific. We need to get the ball to his feet in the final third and that’s where you see his magic.”

Indeed, Bowler would certainly be capable of moments of magic in Silva’s squad, as his shots per game average (3.8) is again only bettered by Mitrovic (5), while his dribbles per game average of 3.8 is far better than anyone in Fulham’s squad where Neeskens Kebano tops the tree with just 1.5.

Therefore, considering he is young, cheap and homegrown, Silva should definitely look at bringing Bowler to Craven Cottage this summer.

Everton have reportedly enquired about the availability of Benfica striker Goncalo Ramos ahead of a potential move.

The Lowdown: Man in form

Ramos is a man in form so far this season, as he scored a hat-trick in Benfica’s 4-1 win at home to FC Midtjylland in their UEFA Champions League qualifier, while the forward has also made three assists already (Transfermarkt).

He is carrying on where he left off from the last campaign, as he scored eight goals and supplied a further four assists in 46 matches in total across all competitions in a breakthrough season in Portugal (Transfermarkt).

The Latest: Everton enquiry

Co-writing in his latest piece for 90min, transfer expert Graeme Bailey has revealed that the Goodison Park outfit are just one of a number of clubs in the Premier League to have asked to be kept aware of Ramos’ availability.

Crystal Palace, Leeds United, West Ham United and Wolves have also enquired, while Newcastle United and Nottingham Forest have held talks over a potential deal, and PSG are also keen.

The Verdict: Get it done

Given the level of competition for Ramos’ signature, this is a deal that the Merseyside club need to get done as soon as possible if he’s the man Frank Lampard wants.

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Called ‘brilliant in the air, a real clever finisher & a proper grafter up front’ by BBC broadcaster Andy Sixsmith, Ramos possesses all of the qualities needed for a striker to be successful in the Premier League.

Nonetheless, he is only 21 years of age and already playing at a high level, so this window is likely the best time to snap him up.

Jesse Marsch is hopeful that Leeds United pair Luis Sinisterra and Adam Forshaw didn’t pick up serious injuries in their pre-season clash against Crystal Palace.

The Lowdown: Double injury concern for Leeds

The Whites drew 1-1 with the Eagles on Friday in their latest friendly of the summer as both clubs’ preparations for the new Premier League season continue.

There were two injury concerns during the match, though, as new signing Sinisterra and long-serving midfielder Forshaw were both forced to leave the pitch.

Leeds fans will no doubt be concerned over the severity of both issues, but a positive update has emerged regarding the situation.

The Latest: Marsch allays Leeds injury fears

Taking to Twitter, Hay confirmed that Marsch is hopeful that neither Sinisterra nor Forshaw are expected to be out for a long period.

The journalist relayed behind-the-scenes comments from the Leeds manager, stating:

“Marsch says Sinisterra has a ‘little hamstring injury’. Forshaw tweaked a knee. He’s hoping neither problem is a major issue.”

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The Verdict: Massive sigh of relief for Leeds

This is a relief for anyone of a Whites persuasion, with injuries to a number of key players completely derailing their 2021/22 season, with Liam Cooper, Kalvin Phillips and Patrick Bamford among those laid low by lengthy absences.

The manner in which Sinisterra went down with nobody around him was a big worry, while Forshaw’s well-documented fitness issues in recent years made his injury a big concern, too.

The pair could still be out for a while but the hope is that they will be available for the season curtain-raiser at home to Wolves on August 6 as Marsch looks for vast improvements from his squad in 2022/23.

Tottenham Hotspur left-back Sergio Reguilon looks set to depart north London this summer.

What’s the talk?

That’s according to a report by Spanish publication El Periodico Mediterraneo (via Sport Witness), who claim that, after Antonio Conte left the 25-year-old out of his squad for Spurs’ pre-season tour of South Korea, the Spain international has now been moved to Fabio Paratici’s transferable list this summer – with Sevilla reported to be keen on a move for the defender.

As a result, the report goes on to state that Paratici has now made contact with Villarreal CF regarding a move for Pervis Estupinan – the 24-year-old left-back who is believed to be available for a figure in the region of €15m (£13m) – with the Italian sporting director set to launch an official offer for the Ecuador international upon Reguilon’s departure.

“Underrated”

With Conte very much appearing to prefer Ryan Sessegnon to Reguilon on the left last season, it is easy to see why the Italian manager is reportedly willing to part with the 25-year-old this summer, while it is also not difficult to understand why Paratici is lining up Estupinan as the Spaniard’s replacement.

Indeed, over his 25 Premier League appearances – 16 of which came under Conte – in 2021/22, the £32m signing failed to impress at left wing-back, scoring two goals, providing three assists and missing three big chances in front of goal, as well as hitting the target with an average of 0.4 shots, losing possession 12.7 times and completing just 0.8 dribbles per fixture.

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These returns saw the £53k-per-week defender who Jonathan Woodgate dubbed “horrendous” average a disappointing SofaScore match rating of 6.91, ranking him as Tottenham’s 12th-worst performer in the league last time out.

In comparison, Estupinan appears a much more promising prospect, with FBref ranking the 24-year-old in the top 3% of full-backs in Europe’s big five leagues for interceptions per 90, as well as the top 27% for tackles, the top 28% for aerial duels won, the top 30% for blocks and the top 40% for pressures over the last 365 days.

The £26m-rated talent is also impressive with the ball at his feet, with FBref ranking the defender in the top 31% for dribbles completed per 90, in addition to the top 34% for passes attempted, the top 39% for progressive passes, the top 40% for touches in the opposition penalty area and the top 24% for progressive passes received over the past 12 months.

As such, should Paratici be able to move Reguilon on for anywhere near the £32m fee Spurs paid Real Madrid for his services this summer, making a £13m offer for the “underrated” – in the works of Jacek Kulig – Estupinan very much appears to be something of a no-brainer for the sporting director.

AND in other news: David Ornstein reveals huge Spurs transfer development, supporters will be buzzing

West Ham United are ‘leading the race’ to sign Watford forward Ismaila Sarr as David Moyes gears up for the 2022/23 Premier League season, according to reports.

The Lowdown: West Ham eye new forward…

It is reliably believed that the east Londoners have closed in on their first major signing of the summer window as Rennes star Nayef Aguerd puts pen to paper on a move, as per Fabrizio Romano.

Amid this development, it is also claimed that a permanent deal for West Ham loanee Alphonse Areola is ‘being worked on’ (Sky Sports), as Moyes and co apparently get moving behind the scenes.

A new forward is also said to be on the agenda, with club insider ExWHUemployee even backing links to Hornets winger Sarr. The Irons are apparently set to formalise their interest soon, with journalist Daniel Moroney now sharing another promising update.

The Latest: West Ham in pole position for Sarr…

The reporter, who covers Watford news for the likes of Back Page Football and Off The Ball, has claimed that Moyes and co are ‘leading the race’ to sign the Senegal international, as per his Twitter profile.

Moroney added that La Liga club Sevilla are also said to be ‘monitoring’ Sarr but could be put off by Watford’s potential asking price.

The Verdict: Get it done?

The 24-year-old, who had an asking price of £80m last August according to Sky Sports journalist Dharmesh Sheth (via Daily Express), could come as a real attacking upgrade for Moyes.

As per WhoScored, Sarr finished 2021/22 as one of Watford’s most threatening players, having averaged the joint-most attempts at goal per 90 minutes alongside team-mates Emmanuel Dennis and Juraj Kucka.

Former England international Ben Foster raved over the African late last year, branding Sarr ‘frightening’ and ‘phenomenal’, and Watford’s relegation to the Championship could mean it is unlikely that they will be in a position to demand extortionate fees for the player.

In other news: ‘It’s likely’ – Sky Sports journalist says West Ham agreement is ‘being worked on’ alongside Aguerd… find out more here