All posts by rastrear-estafeta.com

Transfer expert Fabrizio Romano has dropped a hugely encouraging update over the future of Harry Kane at Tottenham Hotspur…

What’s the word?

A lot has been made about the 28-year-old’s future in north London ahead of the summer window, with a lot of the noise and speculation suggesting that he needs to leave Spurs to add trophies to his goal-laden career.

Speaking during the international break, Kane remained coy, he told Sky Sports: “I’m fully focused on doing the job on the pitch from now until the end of the summer, and then we’ll see where we go from there.”

That comes one year on from a similar interview that saw the England skipper claim he’d be willing to leave Spurs if they weren’t progressing.

The likes of Roy Keane, Jermain Defoe and Michael Owen have all urged Kane to move on in recent months.

But according to Romano, it’s “difficult to see that happening. In an exclusive interview with GiveMeSport this week, he said:

“I think it’s difficult to see Harry Kane out of Tottenham. I know what he said in the last interviews and obviously, we are in March so at the moment there is nothing advanced, but what I’m told is that Tottenham are planning with Harry Kane as part of the team.

“They want to discuss about this contract in the coming months and let’s see when they will decide to do it but they’re planning with him so at the moment there is nothing advanced with other clubs and they’re happy with Harry Kane so let’s see what he will decide.”

Mourinho will be buzzing

This news should come as a relief to everyone at Spurs but not at least manager Jose Mourinho, given his increasing reliance on the £108m-rated talisman.

The Englishman, a product of the Hotspur Way academy system, has bagged a whopping 27 goals in all competitions and has even broken a Premier League record this season.

Spurs have scored a total of 49 times in the top-flight this campaign, in which Kane has scored or assisted 30 of them, meaning he has accounted for 61.2% of their goals.

It’s no wonder Heung-min Son has lauded his Lilywhites teammate a “monster” in the past.

Without him, Mourinho would clearly be at a massive loss, especially given his doubts over Benfica loanee Carlos Vinicius.

“Vinicius is a player with an incredible spirit but his understanding of how to press is something he’s still not comfortable with,” explained the Portuguese boss to BT Sport (via Goal) after snubbing the Brazilian forward against Chelsea in February, with Kane out injured.

Even last season, with the leading striker absent, Spurs crashed out of the FA Cup, Champions League and at one stage looked to be missing out on Europe until his sudden return.

If Romano’s words ring true this summer, then Mourinho can start planning an assault on ending that barren run without silverware, with Kane at the forefront of that quest.

At the same time, he could silence those who believe the 6 foot 2 beast is better off elsewhere.

Click here to see the full GiveMeSport interview with Fabrizio Romano

AND in other news, Imagine him & Kane: Why Spurs must swoop for this “remarkable” Bundesliga sensation…

Leicester City’s chances of UEFA Champions League football next season took what could be a devastating blow on Sunday with a 3-2 defeat against West Ham.

It was an utterly desperate defensive performance from the Foxes as the Hammers hit three within 47 minutes through a Jesse Lingard brace and another from Jarrod Bowen.

Two late goals from the in-form forward Kelechi Iheanacho was not enough for Leicester to stage a dramatic comeback as they fell to just their second away league loss of the season.

One of the main culprits of that defeat was centre-back Daniel Amartey.

Deployed in a back three in the absence of Caglar Soyuncu, who is still in self-isolation having tested positive for COVID-19 on international duty, the Ghanaian was utterly hopeless.

The 25-cap international did not contribute a single tackle or interception according to WhoScored as the hosts were allowed to run riot in the first-half. For context, striker Iheanacho managed to rack up a tackle.

Even more disappointingly, Amartey also did not manage to produce a block or a clearance and continued to look unconvincing throughout the majority of the first-half, failing to win a single defensive duel.

[snack-amp-story url=”https://www.footballfancast.com/web-stories/latest-leicester-city-news%2c-transfer-rumours-and-more-mcgregor-iheanacho-soyuncu-dewsbury-hall-rodgers” title=” Latest Leicester City news, transfer rumours and more… “]

Whilst the 26-year-old’s passing in general wasn’t too concerning having completed 92.6% of his attempted efforts, the highest rate of Leicester’s starting XI, there were a few occasions where he had to be bailed out by his teammates.

He twice played a short backpass that was almost picked off by Hammers’ forward Jesse Lingard.

Whilst Amartey was not at fault for any of the West Ham goals, it was still an utterly atrocious performance from the defender and he was eventually substituted at half-time for youngster Luke Thomas.

Rodgers will surely not believe that he is the centre-back solution in the absence of Caglar Soyuncu based on the horrendous showing against West Ham at the London Stadium.

AND in more news, take a look at our Leicester player ratings in the West Ham defeat…

In an exclusive interview with Football FanCast, former Newcastle midfielder Rob Lee has urged the Magpies to not offer Jacob Murphy a new contract, despite the winger only having one year left on his current deal.

Murphy has been deployed as a right wing-back in Newcastle’s last four games with the 24-year old impressing at both ends of the pitch, which has led to Steve Bruce claiming he wants the winger to be handed a new deal.

Since arriving from Norwich City in 2017, Murphy has struggled for consistency on the pitch which has seen him experience two loan spells since joining the Magpies, however he appears to be playing with much more confidence without the pressure of 52,000 fans on him.

Speaking on why Murphy doesn’t deserve a new contract and what Newcastle United have to be wary of going forward, Lee told FFC:

“I like Jacob Murphy, but we’ve got to be very careful because has he played well all season? I don’t think he has and you’ve got to be consistent to earn a new deal.

“He’s been excellent in the last few games but I think with the way Newcastle are dishing out long contracts at the minute, we surely need to see consistency from the players before we start giving them new deals.”

Murphy has proved himself to be one of Newcastle’s most willing runners with the ball as well as one of the most creative players on the ball, averaging 1.9 carries into the final third per game as well as creating 2.37 shots per game, with both stats putting him third at the club.

It has been reported that the £25,000-per-week winger is a target for both Rangers and Southampton, however news of a potential new deal on the table this summer may scupper any potential St. James’ Park exit.

West Brom seem destined for an instant return to the Championship next season, and that leaves Luke Dowling and the Baggies hierarchy with an important decision to make this summer.

Sam Allardyce is contracted until 2022, but his contract includes a break clause should he suffer his first-ever relegation from the Premier League. This allows Albion to replace him, should they see fit, at the end of the current campaign.

A similar situation happened with Alan Pardew, although his reign quickly turned toxic to the point of him being put on gardening leave before the season’s conclusion. Whilst the 66-year-old isn’t on that level just yet, any confirmed relegation prior to their final game could see the Midlands outfit follow suit.

Names like Chris Wilder, who was recently sacked by Sheffield United, have already been mentioned, but according to The Athletic’s Steve Madeley, the Baggies’ former under-23 boss Michael Appleton is an ‘obvious contender.’

The 45-year-old has also been touted as Big Sam’s successor by former Birmingham Mail reporter Chris Lepkowski. He told The Liquidator podcast last week:

“I’ve always been really impressed by Michael Appleton. He’s a very progressive coach, he doesn’t rest and he’s not a [Tony] Pulis. He has evolved as a manager and introduced different styles,” he said, before adding: “I know he’s worked with Luke Dowling before, quite harmoniously I believe which certainly helps his credentials in that respect. I would be quite excited to see what he would offer.”

Appleton’s experience at Championship level is rather sparse – his last managerial gig at that level was a short-lived stint at Blackburn Rovers in 2012/13, a season after being sacked by a Blackpool side in freefall, and two seasons after a similar story with Portsmouth.

He has since rebuilt his coaching reputation.

Currently, Appleton’s Lincoln City side are among the League One promotion chasers, sitting in fourth place behind some big clubs in Sunderland and Hull City. However, as Lepkowski mentions, his roles at The Hawthorns would stand him in good stead, should Albion hand Allardyce his P45 in the near future.

A lot of the players he coached at academy level are still in and around the first team, namely Dara O’Shea and Kyle Edwards, although this appointment could be dynamite for faltering prospect Rekeem Harper.

Ever since making his senior debut in 2017, the 21-year-old has struggled to live up to expectations – and his potential. Neither Allardyce nor Slaven Bilic fancied him despite all of the Baggies’ midfield struggles earlier in the campaign.

It resulted in a loan move to Birmingham City, where he has continued to flounder, and that will do his long-term West Brom career no favours.

Harper was linked with both Liverpool and Juventus in summer 2019, but Bilic managed to convince his “powerhouse” to stay. He signed a new three-year deal and has started only nine times for the first team, largely in cup competitions.

The young Albion midfielder currently ranks among the Blues’ three worst-performing players this season, drawing a 6.27 rating, as per WhoScored. If he’s not delivering in the Championship now, then there’s little to suggest that he’d be able to break into the starting XI at The Hawthorns next season.

Once likened to Patrick Vieira and lauded as “fearless” by ex-Baggies boss Darren Moore, Harper’s only chance at redemption could be if Appleton succeeded Big Sam thanks to their work together in the academy system.

If anyone can get the best out of him to finally meet the sort of potential that the Premier League winners were eyeing, then it has to be the Imps boss.

With the youngest squad in League One (average age of 23.3) and a pair of Albion youngsters performing regularly on loan there in Alex Palmer and Callum Morton, he surely is a viable candidate.

Dowling should consider Appleton as a firm option this summer.

AND in other news, Sam Allardyce repeating a big Slaven Bilic mistake at West Brom…

Many Liverpool fans reacted to the latest update regarding the future of midfielder Georginio Wijnaldum.

According to the Liverpool Echo, no further progress has been made between the Anfield club and the 30-year-old regarding a possible improved contract.

Wijnaldum’s current £90k-per-week deal expires at the end of June and clubs have been able to speak to the Dutchman regarding a potential pre-contractual agreement, with Inter Milan believed to be one of those sides interested.

Since his £25m move from Newcastle United in 2016, Wijnaldum has gone on to score 22 goals and provide 16 assists from 222 appearances and has embedded himself into Anfield folklore with his iconic brace against Barcelona in 2019.

Despite this, supporters have reached the end of their tether regarding the toing and froing, with some suggesting that the club should get rid of Wijnaldum in the summer.

Wijnaldum update doesn’t impress these fans

“I appreciate the memories, but it’s time to move on. He’s already 30. We need someone fresher as a long term option.”

Credit: @SchwarzHertz

“His heart has long gone, nothing new here”

Credit: @WolfbaneKelvin

“If that’s the case then Gini needs to make way for the future and now !!”

Credit: @13_bobster

“Just go”

Credit: @Sanin18508808

“Nicely good….he should move”

Credit: @laure4me

“Liverpool fans are no closer to caring”

Credit: @CeedeeLambTime

In other news, Liverpool fans reacted to Premier League announcement concerning Chelsea crunch clash.

Celtic have no manager at present but that doesn’t seem to matter to the club’s hierarchy, who are busy tying up some pre-contract deals.

Liam Shaw has already agreed a move with the Hoops while they’re also targeting Kyle Joseph from Wigan Athletic.

What’s the word?

It appears that the Bhoys are making an effort to bring plenty of young talent to Glasgow over the summer. That’s because fresh reports state that they’re targeting another teenager embedded within the English Football League.

GIVEMESPORT reported that Rochdale’s flying winger Kwadwo Baah is a target for Celtic ahead of the next window. The 18-year-old’s contract expires this summer and thus, the Hoops will be able to sign him on a free transfer.

However, they face competition from both Manchester City and West Ham to secure his signature.

Timely move

With Cameron Harper now back in America and Karamoko Dembele set to wind down his contract (via reports relayed by The Scottish Sun), securing some more young talent is a timely statement from the Hoops.

Dembele has long been the darling of the Celtic academy but, after finding first team opportunities hard to come by, he is seemingly on the hunt for chances elsewhere.

It will be a shame, especially given his glowing qualities. The teenager made his debut as a 16-year-old but hasn’t really built on what was a very early glimpse of his qualities.

[snack-amp-story url=”https://www.footballfancast.com/web-stories/latest-celtic-manager-hunt-stories-wagner-marsch-martinez-lennon-news” title=”The last stories on Celtic’s hunt for a new manager!”]

Signing Baah would therefore seem an excellent addition in order to replace him. The two players possess similar characteristics, too.

In League One this term, the Rochdale forward has scored three times and provided two assists, but one of the most eye-catching aspects of his game is the ability to take on and beat a defender.

Like Dembele, Baah loves to leave full-backs in a tangle, something his 1.6 dribbles per match signifies.

Judging by their ages – Dembele is also just 18 – they are at a similar stage of development, too. That being said, the Celtic target has far more senior experience and exposure to his name.

While the Hoops prospect has made just five senior appearances, Baah has featured on 37 occasions for Rochdale, being praised highly in the process. Speaking in December, Dale manager Brian Barry-Murphy said: “He’s a very special talent, he’s going to attract the headlines – and rightly so because he’s a very dangerous player.”

Barry-Murphy clearly rates him highly, commenting after Baah signed a new deal a year ago: “His talent is exceptional and he’s someone we’re very excited about for the future. He’s made a huge impact on the squad already.”

In terms of the impact made at senior level, Baah is already ahead of Dembele. That should be music to the ears of Hoops supporters.

AND in other news, 108 aerials won: Celtic could replace Edouard with “special” 6 ft 7 colossus…

Swansea City have just nine games left of the Championship season and with Steve Cooper’s side just six points behind Watford in second-place, automatic promotion is still a real possibility for the Swans.

The South Wales club enjoyed an excellent start to the Championship season which was built on an impressive defensive record as well as a dangerous partnership of Andre Ayew and Jamal Lowe up front.

The Swans looked on track for automatic promotion and a potential title challenge when they produced arguably their best performance of the season in the 2-0 win over table-topping Norwich City in early February, whilst the loan signing of Conor Hourihane in midfield added some real quality in the Swansea midfield.

However, instead of pushing on from this position, Swansea have fallen away in recent weeks, whilst a superb winning run from Norwich has all but sealed their promotion back to the top-flight, as they currently sit eight points clear at the top of the table.

Heavy defeats against Huddersfield Town and Bournemouth have emphasised that teams have seemingly figured out the key to unlocking Swansea’s previously imperious defence, whilst the goals have also dried up, with Lowe in particularly bad form at the moment.

Back-to-back defeats ahead of the international break, including a home defeat against South Wales rivals Cardiff City, have cast serious doubt on Swansea’s promotion hopes but they will be hoping that the international break means they can reset ahead of the remainder of the season.

Ahead of the run in, we’ve predicted the outcome of every Championship game that will be played to generate a predicted final league table:

Cooper’s side have a favourable run-in that sees them take on several relegation candidates including Birmingham City, Sheffield Wednesday, Wycombe Wanderers and Derby County, so we feel that they will come back into form.

However, they travel to Watford on the final day and with the Hornets in impressive form of late, we predict that the Swans will, unfortunately, suffer a final day heartbreak at Vicarage Road, with Watford finishing second behind Norwich, whilst Swansea end up finishing fourth, meaning they have to settle for a play-off position.

[freshpress-quiz id=“532484″]

Swansea will certainly have to improve their recent form if they want to take it to the final day but considering their fixtures, Cooper’s side could still be in with a chance of automatic promotion this season, but we predict a play-off semi-final clash with the Cherries is what’s in store for the Swans.

And, in other news… Swansea handed huge boost with £3.6m-rated “leader”, Cooper will be relieved

Although Leeds didn’t make much use of the January transfer window, they are still being linked to plenty of potential targets. One man they have found their name involved with is Tommaso Pobega, who has attracted a lot of attention with his rising performances.

According to Tuttosport, the Whites are in the running to sign the 21-year-old along with Leicester City, who are also looking to bolster their options in midfield (via Sport Witness).

Should Andrea Radrizzani look to loosen the purse strings in the summer, he will be spending upwards of €10million (£8.6m) on bringing Pobega to Elland Road.

Look out, Jamie Shackleton

Leeds will benefit from signing some more midfield options, as they currently field the same four in the engine room each game. Mateusz Klich is a leading performer in Marcelo Bielsa’s side, but having options to pivot is key.

The 2020 Championship winners have plenty of options out wide, but are short on central and attacking midfielders. Along with Klich, Leeds have just Pablo Hernandez, the injured Adam Forshaw and Jamie Shackleton on the roster. The latter has struggled for game time over the past two seasons, despite pushing to establish his place in the starting lineup.

As per Transfermarkt, Shackleton has featured just ten times in the Premier League this campaign. Only two of those appearances came as starts – he has been dropped since he was unable to make an impact in Leeds’ 4-1 loss to Leicester back in November.

Should the Whites choose to bring in a new up and coming youngster of similar age to Shackleton, he could come under a lot of pressure in his fight for game time.

When comparing the two midfielders, Pobega already has the better statistics for this reason. According to WhoScored, the AC Milan loanee has averaged more passes and shots towards goal than Shackleton this season. Not only has he also banked more minutes in action, but he made easy work of netting three goals for loan side Spezia Calcio.

However, whilst Pobega looks a good and promising player from the outside looking in, Victor Orta will have a job on his hands to snap him up. The 21-year-old signed a hefty contract extension with AC Milan last summer, penning a new deal to keep him in Italy until 2025.

If Leeds are serious about bringing the playmaker to Yorkshire, they will have to drive a hard bargain to see the move through.

In other news, Leeds must look to cut their losses on Helder Costa…

Celtic have been tipped to replace Neil Lennon before the start of the 2021/22 campaign.

Beginning of the end for Lennon?

The Irish tactician has come under intense scrutiny during the 2020/21 campaign after a slow start in the Scottish Premiership and an early exit from the Europa League.

Mass protests and banners have been seen outside of the stadium, calling for the board to sack Lennon, who has won four league titles as a manager for the Bhoys, but the board have publicly backed him.

Despite these calls for change, Celtic made history at Hampden Park at the weekend after beating Hearts on penalties to win the Scottish Cup, securing an unprecedented quadruple treble.

However, speaking exclusively to Football Transfer Tavern, Windass believes that Celtic chief executive Peter Lawwell and majority shareholder Dermot Desmond will have a change of heart by replacing Lennon before next season gets underway.

“The main priority for Celtic Football Club is winning the league, getting into the Champions League,” he said. “That’s their main aim and if Lenny doesn’t achieve that, then I can’t see him being there next year.”

“I think he’s taken them as far as he can and they’ll look for some fresh ideas from a new manager”

Transfer Tavern Verdict

The only way for Celtic to change the minds of supporters is if they can overhaul the points deficit to Rangers and clinch a famous 10th title in a row.

Lennon’s cup triumph could be exactly what he needed. Although his side didn’t play exceptionally well, it could inject a new lease of life into his players.

The end of the season will spell his destiny at the club, and whether or not Lawwell or Desmond think he is worthy of a longer stay at Parkhead remains to be seen.

In other news, Celtic taking strong interest in “dangerous” talent who has more dribbles than Ryan Christie.

Celtic have endured a turbulent 2020/21 season and it is all but certain to end with arch-rivals Rangers lifting the Premiership trophy. An inconsistent run of form has driven a mammoth 21 point wedge between the reigning champions and their bitter neighbours.

Focus now shifts to next season, in which the Hoops will be back with a vengeance and hungry to take back their crown. But to do this, they must recruit smartly in the transfer window.

One man who would be a strong addition to the squad is January target Taiwo Awoniyi. Not only would the striker bolster Neil Lennon’s attacking options, but it would wound Rangers, who are also keeping tabs on him.

Celtic can punish Rangers with Awoniyi swoop

As it stands, the Bhoys are doing all they can to end their troublesome situation with Odsonne Edouard. The Frenchman is one of their key players, but is nearing the final 18 months of his current contract. Football Insider reports that the club have dramatically slashed his asking price in order to ensure Edouard doesn’t leave for free next year.

If, or more likely when he departs, Celtic will need to replace his raw talent and finesse in front of goal. Awoniyi is out of favour at Liverpool and is currently plying his trade in the Bundesliga. He has notched five league goals and two assists for loan team Union Berlin so far, more than Leigh Griffiths’ tally of four goals and one assist in the Premiership.

Not only would Awoniyi be a welcome asset to Celtic’s struggling attack, but Rangers would be disappointed to miss out on his signature.

According to 90min, Liverpool would be looking for a fee of about £5million for the Nigeria youth international. Whilst this is a relatively high fee for a Premiership side to consider, Gers would arguably be in the driving seat after bringing home the league title.

Celtic must strengthen their own assets if they want to take back their glory, but they must equally nullify their rivals’ chances of another runaway season. Snatching a player Rangers are keen on would be a very slick move from Nick Hammond and his entourage.

In other news, AC Milan’s Diego Laxalt offer could convince Celtic to sell Kristoffer Ajer…