All posts by z3u9t.icu

Rangers central midfielder Joe Aribo has been hitting the headlines with some impressive performances for the club of late.

The ex-Charlton man has one goal and one assist in his last two Scottish Premiership outings for the Gers – against Motherwell and Dundee FC, achieving SofaScore ratings of 8.3 and 7.6, respectively.

Against Motherwell, he created an eye-catching six chances and was successful with 100% of his three attempted dribbles. He was able to showcase his quality on the ball and the level of end product he is capable of producing for Steven Gerrard’s side in the Premiership.

Aribo signed for Rangers from League One side Charlton in the summer of 2019 on a free transfer. He was valued by Transfermarkt at £180k at the time of the transfer, which – for context – would place him as the second-lowest valued player in the current first-team squad at Ibrox, only ahead of Andy Firth.

The midfielder has gone on to play 104 competitive matches for the club in just over two years since the move, helping Rangers win the Premiership title last term. In the 2020/21 campaign, Aribo averaged a sublime SofaScore rating of 7.13 in the league, scoring seven goals and assisting four in 31 appearances.

He is now valued at £5.85m by Transfermarkt. This is a whopping 3150% increase on the £180k that he was valued at upon his arrival at Rangers. That is a staggering progression to make in just two yeas at Ibrox, highlighting the genius work Gerrard has been able to do.

Gerrard placed his faith in the Nigerian international and helped him develop into being a key member of Rangers’ starting XI, impressing in midfield with his ball-playing skills.

The Gers head coach has been able to help Aribo fulfill his potential and become a player capable of performing week-in-week-out, with the former Charlton man now being a valuable asset to the Glasgow club.

Not only has Gerrard been able to snap up a bargain in the transfer market to bolster his squad, but he has also been able to oversee a terrific development in the last two years to make Aribo what he is today.

Hopefully, the pair will continue to work well together and Aribo’s value will keep rising as he performs for Rangers this season.

AND in other news, Gerrard must make major Rangers call over £27k-p/w “warrior”, fans would be buzzing…

Sheffield United failed in their bid to bring Alex Collado to Bramall Lane due to the winger’s representative’s unrealistic financial demands.

What’s the talk?

That’s according to a claim made by Andy Giddings, with the BBC journalist revealing in a post on Twitter that, despite both Barcelona and Sheffield United being happy for the deal to go ahead, the 22-year-old’s move to the Championship side broke down due to the financial demands of the player’s representatives.

In his tweet, Giddings said: “Understand SUFC pursuit of Barca midfielder Alex Collado broke down at the 11th hour due to ‘unrealistic financial demands’ from the player’s representatives. Told both clubs are happy for the deal to be concluded.”

Jokanovic will be fuming

Considering just how short Slavisa Jokanovic’s side is in the wide attacking areas of the pitch, in addition to the sheer amount of potential Collado appears to possess, the fact that the Blades’ move for the right-winger fell through at the 11th hour due to something as trivial as the demands of the player’s representatives is sure to have left the 53-year-old manager fuming.

Indeed, following the closure of the summer transfer window on Tuesday evening, Jokanovic has been left with no players who are natural options on either the left or right-wing in his first-team squad, meaning that, until January, the Serbian will have to make do with fielding one of his centre-forwards out of position on the flanks.

Furthermore, while Collado has struggled to break into the Barcelona first team, making just two appearances for the LaLiga side, the £4.5m-rated man’s form for Barcelona B clearly illustrates exactly why Jokanovic wanted to secure his signing.

Indeed, over the 22-year-old’s 83 appearances for the reserve side, who play their football in the third tier of Spanish football, the winger has scored 18 goals and registered 11 assists, while also bagging four goals and one assist over his 20 fixtures for Barcelona’s U19 team.

As such, it would certainly have appeared as if the youngster would have made a very useful addition to the Sheffield United side prior to Tuesday’s transfer deadline, however, after missing out on his signing, Jokanovic will now have to make do with the options he has been left with in his squad – something that would not appear to bode overly well for the club’s Championship campaign, considering how poorly it has started.

In other news: “Deal agreed”: Journalist reveals SUFC transfer development that’ll have fans buzzing

Celtic icon Frank McAvennie is keen to see more of new signing Cameron Carter-Vickers, following an impressive debut against Ross County last weekend [Football Insider].

The Lowdown: Carter-Vickers enjoys stellar debut

Linking up with Scottish giants Celtic on the last day of the summer transfer window, the 23-year-old will be looking to secure regular football after being on the fringes at Tottenham Hotspur.

Of course, the Unites States international has made a brilliant start to life at Parkhead. In his first start, Carter-Vickers managed to score, keep a clean sheet and also pick up the official Celtic man of the match award [BBC].

Former Bhoys man McAvennie was pleased with what he saw from the central defender, whilst he would like to see how he will get on against tougher opposition.

The Latest: McAvennie eager to see more of the United States international

Speaking in an interview with Football Insider, the 61-year-old said: “I was in contact with a few Celtic people at the game and I heard from them. They were saying Carter-Vickers was massive at the back, a big rock.

“He brought a shape to the defence, a solidity. Keeping a clean sheet is always a good thing and apparently he was a big part of that.

“The goal was pretty lucky but if you don’t shoot you don’t score so fair play to the boy. It sounds like a brilliant debut by all accounts.

“We need a player like him, he could be huge for us.

“It was a pretty easy test though, I’m interested to see what happens when he comes up against better sides”.

The Verdict: Carter-Vickers has the platform to become a key player at Celtic

Correctly, popular ex-pro turned pundit McAvennie is quick to point out that sustaining his good form over an extended period of time is paramount for Carter-Vickers.

However, he enjoyed an excellent loan spell at Bournemouth in 2020/21. Solid at the back, the Tottenham youth product managed to make an average of 3.6 clearances per fixture across last term [WhoScored], helping the Cherries to the play-offs.

If the American can continue his form across the campaign, he could well be a major part in the Hoops’ chase for Scottish Premiership title glory.

In other news, Celtic have sent a player to an injury specialist. Find out more here.

Former All Leeds TV presenter Joe Wainman feels Leeds United were never in the running to sign Matheus Pereira, contrary to reports.

Pereira swapped West Bromwich Albion for a big-money contract with Saudi Arabian outfit Al Hilal earlier this month.

The move came after the Baggies suffered relegation to the Championship despite the Brazilian winger notching 12 goals and six assists last season.

A number of clubs were keen to keep Pereira in English football, with Leicester City and West Ham United being named as two of the interested parties.

According to ESPN Brazil, Leeds were also courting the 25-year-old. The report suggests Aston Villa and Crystal Palace joined the race to sign Pereira before he opted to join Al Hilal.

However, JustJoe Football Show anchorman Wainman has rubbished claims a move to Elland Road was ever on the cards, although he does question why boss Marcelo Bielsa did not raise an interest in the winger.

He told Football FanCast: “I was quite surprised when we heard from Pereira’s agent that Leeds had not been in contact at all.

“I know some Premier League clubs were but the fact that we never actually opened up dialogue was a little bit surprising because I think he would have fit in nicely.

“I understand why he has gone abroad – it is what it is. It’s money for him and that kind of money can’t be sniffed at.”

The Express and Star’s Matt Maher has dropped an update on Aston Villa transfer target Axel Tuanzebe.

What’s the story?

Reports in recent weeks have claimed that the Manchester United defender could be making a return to Villa Park this summer as Dean Smith looks to strengthen his centre-back options.

Football Insider revealed: “A Villa source has told Football Insider that the club have been given encouragement that United are planning to let Tuanzebe go in the current window.”

Maher has now confirmed that Villa have registered their interest in signing Tuanzebe, although fellow Premier League side Newcastle are also said to be keen on him.

Villa fans will be buzzing

Maher’s update that Villa are in for Tuanzebe will surely have fans buzzing, especially considering that Smith is desperately short of genuine quality cover in terms of his centre-back options.

Former England goalkeeper Paul Robinson has already thrown his backing behind a potential Villa move for the Manchester United defender. He said: “At 23, if you’re not getting a sniff at your own club, it’s not a good sign. The under-23 league that’s been brought in gives people a false sense of security that you’re going to be a footballer at 23.

“If you’re 20 or 21 and you’re not training with the first team at that point, you’ve probably missed the boat. He’s got quality. But I think for him, at this stage in his career, he’s not at Man United level. So he probably needs to move elsewhere. Somewhere like Aston Villa would be perfect for himself and for the good of his career.”

With Smith and Villa already aware of Tuanzebe’s quality given his previous loan spell at the club, featuring 28 times in their promotion-winning 2018/19 Championship campaign, the defender should be able to hit the ground running at Villa Park.

Fans will likely be buzzing at the prospect of the 23-year-old once again donning a Villa shirt for next season.

Meanwhile, Ashley Preece has confirmed some exciting Aston Villa transfer news…

Liverpool midfielder Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain would ‘definitely suit’ West Ham, Kevin Campbell has told Football Insider.

The lowdown

ExWHUEmployee revealed in July that West Ham were considering a possible loan move for Oxlade-Chamberlain.

According to The Athletic, the Hammers have expressed a particularly strong interest in Manchester United’s Jesse Lingard following his 2020/21 loan spell, but the player has told Ole Gunnar Solskjaer that he wants to stay and fight for his place at Old Trafford.

Oxlade-Chamberlain could be an alternative to the 28-year-old. The Liverpool man was limited to just two Premier League starts last season, making a further 11 substitute appearances (via WhoScored).

He has been dogged by injuries since his arrival at Anfield back in 2017, missing a total of 74 matches, while West Ham are already said to be in talks with the Reds over a move for his team-mate Divock Origi.

The latest

Campbell has urged West Ham to pursue the move and thinks that Oxlade-Chamberlain may well be surplus to requirements at Liverpool.

“He’s the type of player that would definitely suit West Ham,” the former Everton striker told Football Insider.

“I’m not saying he’s a goalscorer in the same vein as Jesse Lingard but his game is speed. That’s huge in his game and he’s not playing at Liverpool.

“When you don’t play, there is always that risk you get sold or are forced to move on. He’d be a huge signing for West Ham.”

The verdict

On the face of it, this would be similar to the Lingard deal – a loan move for an out-of-favour English attacker at a Champions League club. The hope would then be that Oxlade-Chamberlain regains his stride in similar fashion to the Manchester United ace.

The 27-year-old is an exceptionally versatile player, capable of playing in central midfield, attacking midfield and on either flank.

However, would Liverpool allow another midfielder to leave given that Georginio Wijnaldum’s departure has already thinned out their squad?

The other news, fans raved over this display in Sunday’s friendly.

Tottenham Hotspur are reportedly keen to bring PSV Eindhoven winger Noni Madueke back to north London this summer.

What’s the story?

According to Sky Sports, Spurs are one of three Premier League clubs interested in securing the highly-rated 19-year-old’s services, with Leicester City and Wolves also credited with an interest.

The report states that PSV are set to demand between £30m and £34m for their prized asset, a valuation which could prove too costly for the English trio with less than two weeks remaining of the current transfer window.

Tottenham fans will be buzzing

Madueke, who was born in Barnet, came up through the youth ranks with Tottenham until he was released at the age of 16 and then moved to Netherlands back in 2018 when PSV came calling.

Since then, the England under-21 international has gone from strength to strength. After making his debut for the Eredivisie giants in 2019/20, Madueke enjoyed his breakout season last term.

In 32 appearances for Roger Schmidt’s side in all competitions, the skillful winger bagged nine goals and provided a further eight assists for his teammates, establishing himself as one of Europe’s most exciting young talents.

Sky Sports claimed that his impressive performances caught the eye of some of the continent’s top clubs, stating: “Last season, Paris Saint-Germain, Real Madrid and Manchester City were among the top clubs tracking his development, as he scored seven goals and created six more in the Eredivisie.

“And a string of scouts from Europe’s elite clubs – including Juventus – were said to have been watching him against Benfica on Wednesday night.”

The youngster has started the new campaign in scintillating form as well, contributing to six goals in just seven outings as PSV attempt to qualify for the group stage of the Champions League.

However, prising him away from the Philips Stadion may be a tricky task for Spurs chairman Daniel Levy, after Schmidt claimed that the talented teenager would be staying put this summer in a recent interview.

Speaking to ESPN (via Football.London), he said: “I’m not afraid [of Madueke leaving], why should I be? He will one day leave PSV if he continues to develop like he is now.

“I’m not afraid it will happen now. We can’t sell key players anymore. We’ve already done that with Donyell Malen, Denzel Dumfries and Pablo Rosario, so we can’t lose any more.

“And PSV is also a fantastic club for Noni to develop. He is very young, he can play a lot here, score goals and cheer with the team. I think he feels very good here.”

Potentially bringing Madueke back to north London could go down as some of the best business Levy has managed to pull off in years, and given the teenager’s obvious talents, it’s a coup which could have Spurs fans buzzing if the club chief gets it over the line.

In other news…Pundit cannot see £40.5m-rated ace leaving his club for Spurs 

Celtic have made a €2.5m offer for Royal Antwerp right-back Aurelio Buta, according to journalist Ekrem Konur.

The Lowdown: Buta profiled

Buta is 24 years of age and has been with his current employers since 2018.

The right-back, also capable of playing as a right-midfielder or a right-winger, is into the final 12 months of his Antwerp deal worth £4,500-a-week.

He’s made 107 appearances for the Belgian side, scoring twice and registering 18 assists.

Buta is actually ranked the 13th-fastest player on FIFA 21 with a pace attribute of 94, and it seems as if the Hoops now want to bring him to Parkhead.

The Latest: Celtic’s bid

According to Konur, the Hoops have offered Antwerp €2.5m (£2.14m) for Buta.

Ange Postecoglou wants a move for Buta to be completed ‘as soon as possible’, however, Antwerp are holding out for €3.5m – just shy of £3m.

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The Verdict: Pay the fee

Celtic are in dire need of right-back reinforcements with Anthony Ralston and Lee O’Connor Postecoglou’s only options at this moment in time.

Konur believes the Hoops boss wants a deal wrapped up ASAP, and should that be the case, Celtic should cough up another £850,000 to match Antwerp’s asking price.

Such a deal would be just short of £3m, still under Buta’s Transfermarkt valuation, so it could still turn out to be a shrewd move.

He would also give Postecoglou the option to play him further forward, with Buta even turning out as a centre-forward on one occasion during his career.

Celtic need to up their offer and get Buta through the door.

In other news: Celtic now offered fee more than Dembele’s for Edouard; reporter shares ‘evolving situation’. 

As quoted in a football.london Q&A, reliable correspondent Alasdair Gold has made an enticing Tottenham Hotspur transfer claim involving Bologna defender Takehiro Tomiyasu.

The Lowdown: Tottenham eye move…

As reported by Sky Sports, Tottenham lodged a £12.9m (€15m) bid, plus £2.6m (€3m) in add-ons, to sign the Serie A powerhouse recently but the offer was subsequently rejected.

As it stands, Spurs are still in negotiations for the Japan international, but both clubs must reach a compromise on his price tag. Sky Sports claimed that the Lilywhites are not far away from his valuation of £17.2m (€20m), with Gold now bringing an update on the situation.

The Latest: Gold makes enticing claim…

As quoted by football.london, there is a promising belief at Tottenham involving Tomiyasu and his price tag. Indeed, Gold has backed that the 22-year-old could be available for less than £20m in a market ravaged by the impact of the global pandemic.

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He also dubbed Tomiyasu a player who would fit Spurs ‘perfectly’, saying: “Tottenham want him and they want him to play in a defensive right-back role.

“The indications are that Tomiyasu will be available for less than £20m and Paratici has held talks with Bologna so I think they’ll try to push this through, amid some competition, for the Japan international.

“He fits their profile perfectly and it’s a good price for him.”

The Verdict: Get it done…

A mainstay for Bologna whilst averaging the joint-most clearances per game (3.3) out of anyone in their squad last season (WhoScored), we believe that signing Tomiyasu is too good of an opportunity for Tottenham to pass up.

That is especially the case for less than £20m, with Spurs needing to adopt a sell-to-buy policy amid difficult financial circumstances.

Indeed, Gold’s claim that Tottenham will try to push this deal through comes an enticing one.

In other news: Tottenham want ‘absolutely phenomenal’ 6 foot 6 beast, his club are already hunting for replacement…find out more here.

Leeds United fans will surely be gutted after Gjanni Alioski’s exit from Elland Road this summer was officially confirmed.

What’s the story?

Football Insider had initially claimed that Marcelo Bielsa’s team had submitted a new and improved deal to tie down Alioski, with a source revealing that the “club hierarchy are pulling out all the stops to keep him hold of the versatile left footer”.

The report added: “The Yorkshire giants are hopeful the improved, big-money offer will convince Alioski to stay at Elland Road. It would represent a major U-turn from the cult hero and fans favourite.”

However, the Whites have now confirmed that the North Macedonian has indeed now left Elland Road for good, with Victor Orta delivering a thank you message on the club’s official website.

He said: “I knew Gjanni was going to be special the moment he walked into the building. The emotion I saw in his face and the face of his parents when signed his contract here at Elland Road was a beautiful moment and I was sure he was going to give everything for Leeds United.

“Gjanni has been exceptional both on and off the field, his teammates will miss him greatly, as will all of the staff at Thorp Arch and Elland Road. We thank Gjanni for all of his efforts and we wish him every success for the future.”

Leeds fans will be gutted

While the 29-year-old had his moments of madness and questionable performances last season in the Premier League, the versatile ace’s commitment to the cause could not be questioned, with former Scotland boss Alex McLeish a big fan.

He said: “For me, he’s been amazing, that guy. Alioski was like a jumping jack, a firework, the way he would do some really clever things, run at people and get balls in the box. Then all of a sudden he’s been asked to become a defender and a wing-back.

“I’ve got to say Leeds’ season was a big success and he was one of the players that helped to make it a big success. He’s had a cracking season. He’s probably short of being a top-class wing-back but he’s made certainly made a great attempt at it. Alioski is a player who’s surprised me very much in the wing-back role.”

Alioski played 36 of the 38 games in the top-flight last season, with the only two games he missed coming in the opening five outings – in fact, the 29-year-old even chipped in with three assists in the final few weeks of the campaign to end on a real strong note.

Given that Leeds fans had already made their feelings clear about how they desperately wanted to keep Alioski, this latest news from Thorp Arch should have them absolutely gutted.

And, the fact he was a crucial and ever-present part of the first-team last season, and that Leeds reportedly pulled out all the stops to keep him, means this is a huge blow and setback for Bielsa and the club as a whole.

Meanwhile, Leeds could sign a dream De Paul alternative in this Premier League record-breaker…