Category Uncategorized

Manchester City fans are buzzing over a ‘serious’ transfer option for manager Pep Guardiola in the form of Brighton star Alexis Mac Allister.

The Lowdown: City linked…

The Premier League champions have been linked sporadically with a move for Mac Allister after his sensational performances at last year’s World Cup.

Brighton’s attacker seriously turned heads in Qatar and stood out as a key player under Lionel Scaloni, which even prompted club legend Sergio Aguero to rave over the South American.

The 24-year-old is thought to be attracting real attention from across England with the likes of Newcastle, Spurs, Liverpool and Chelsea also credited with interest.

It’s reported that he is seriously considering a summer exit from Brighton and City are thought to be major contenders for his signature.

The Latest: Fans buzz over Mac Allister update…

According to journalist Ariel Helueni of TNT Sports, as also shared by City Xtra, Guardiola has personally held talks with the attacker over a possible move to Man City.

It’s added that Mac Allister is a ‘serious option’ for the Blues, with Helueni stating: “Pep Guardiola had talks with Alexis Mac Allister and he is a serious option for Manchester City in the next summer window.” 

In reaction to the update, supporters have shared their joy on social media, with a few even believing Mac Allister could be the perfect player to succeed captain Ilkay Gundogan (whose contract expires at the end of the season):

Fans exclaimed:

“Bring him to the etihad” – @hulisuncle

“My dream Manchester City signing” – @R1631230011R16

“Yessssss.. good signing.” – @MAVIPHA

“If it’s a decent price go all in for him quality player” – @AaronBu86845579

“Lets trust pep with this signing” – @Sundayokeme1

“Perfect gundo replacement if he leaves” – @Vignesh63732505

The Verdict: Phenomenal player…

Mac Allister’s stats this season tell you all you need to know about his quality and just how crucial he is for Brighton boss Roberto De Zerbi.

As per WhoScored, the midfield maestro has scored more league goals than any current Brighton squad member and has averaged more attempts at goal per 90 than anyone bar the departed Leandro Trossard.

Indeed, Mac Allister also ranks in Brighton’s top three for best-performances by average match rating also, clearly showcasing his ability as a proven Premier League player.

If Gundogan does in fact depart Eastlands after many years of faithful service, Mac Allister could well be a decent shout to replace the German.

Tottenham Hotspur and Antonio Conte’s time together in north London is now appears to be coming to an end, with the Italian expected to leave at the end of the season, according to reporter Dean Jones.

Will Antonio Conte leave Spurs before the summer?

The 53-year-old is only contracted at Spurs until the end of the current campaign and there are reports suggesting neither party are looking to extend.

Reports are already suggesting names which could potentially succeed Conte with the former manager Mauricio Pochettino a name being touted as a possible option.

Despite the Lilywhites’ struggles in recent weeks, it does seem as if Conte could still see out the remainder of the campaign with just a few months remaining on his deal.

Speaking on the Ranks FC podcast, insider Jones has claimed there is now an expectation within Hotspur Way that Conte will leave the club in the summer:

“I’m told that Antonio Conte, this is his last season, he’s going to wait until the summer, it sounds like. But this is going to be his last season. That’s almost every person around Tottenham is saying that right now. So prepare for the rebuild. How soon it comes, who it is, we’ll have to wait and see.”

Should Spurs sack Conte now?

There is certainly a case to be made for Spurs parting ways with a manager who – according to reports – does not want to remain in the job ahead of next season.

Despite the negativity hanging around the club, Spurs need to clinch a spot in the top four as it will provide them with more room to spend over the summer.

And the results in the Premier League are still proving inconsistent as they have been since the turn of the year.

Next up for Spurs is a huge Champions League game against AC Milan with the north Londoners chasing a one-goal deficit with a spot in the quarter-finals at stake.

It will be interesting to see what happens if Conte – who returns to the sidelines on Wednesday – is unable to turn around the tie in north London.

If Spurs do crash out of the Champions League, there will be no other opportunity for Conte to get his hands on silverware at Tottenham and it will raise the question as to what is his motivation for the remainder of the campaign.

Apart from his own record, the Italian may feel there is very little left at Spurs to get him up for the remaining Premier League games given he is believed to want out of the club.

And that could certainly prove a concerning thought for Daniel Levy and it would be interesting to see if elimination from Europe may just turn the chairman’s hand.

Leeds United announced Javi Gracia as their new manager earlier this week and the Spaniard faces a tough job if he wants to keep the Whites in the Premier League this season.

The Yorkshire outfit sit in 19th position after a woeful run of form, which saw Jesse Marsch lose his job at Elland Road recently, and the 52-year-old will have to have an immediate impact ahead of the remaining fixtures.

Fortunately for the former Watford boss, he looks set to welcome back top scorer Rodrigo ahead of schedule, with a recent report suggesting that the 31-year-old is progressing well with his recovery from injury.

What is the latest news on Rodrigo’s injury?

In a recent interview with LeedsLive, the Spain international revealed that he was targeting a return to action next month, despite initial estimates suggesting that he could be sidelined until April.

The experienced forward would pick up his injury in the FA Cup win against Accrington Stanley late last month and underwent surgery on his ankle after coming away with bone and ligament damage.

However, the surgery was clearly a success and Rodrigo feels that he can return early to aid Leeds in their battle against relegation.

He said:

“Feeling much, much better.

“Things are progressing better than I expected, to be honest. We are trying to shorten the recovery period.

“I’m happy about that. Injuries are always a frustrating moment for a football player, but I understand that’s part of football as well. I’m trying to do everything I can to be back as soon as possible.”

Could Rodrigo keep Leeds in the Premier League?

Rodrigo has comfortably been Leeds’ most dangerous attacking player so far this season, leading the way with 10 goals in the squad, with Crysencio Summerville ranked second with a measly four goals.

He is also ranked as the second-best performer in Leeds’ squad according to WhoScored, with only Pascal Struijk bettering his 6.82 average rating across the campaign thus far.

The Whites have just two goals in their last five fixtures, both of which came in the away draw against Manchester United, which suggests that they are clearly lacking an attacking threat in their side.

Rodrigo has averaged 2.9 shots per game in the top flight so far this term, which is comfortably the most of any Leeds player, so it seems fair to suggest that they will look far more dangerous going forward when he returns to action.

Sky Sports pundit Micah Richards was full of praise for the former Valencia forward after his phenomenal start to the season, saying (via TEAMtalk):

“Four goals in three now, he’s absolutely on fire. He’s a man playing with confidence.

“When Raphinha goes, you’re looking for someone to step up to the plate and he really has. Not just his goal, he got an assist as well and his whole game. He pressed from the front, absolutely brilliant.”

Therefore, it can only be good news for new manager Gracia that his £100k-per-week forward is nearing a return, as his goals might just be enough to keep the Whites in the Premier League this season.

Wolverhampton Wanderers had a busy winter transfer window, but the Premier League outfit’s greatest coup of the season comes in the form of head coach Julen Lopetegui.

What’s the word?

Having largely impressed since clinching promotion from the Championship in 2017/18, qualifying for the Europa League in their first season back in the top-flight and reaching the quarter-finals, Wolves have been exceptional in grinding out results and maintaining a largely unwavering level of resilience.

This season, however, past concerns of mid-table mediocrity were replaced by genuine worry that a relegation scrap might be on the cards, concerns that proved true and resulted in the dismissal of head coach Bruno Lage in the season’s early phase.

With the ensuring managerial appointment of Europa League winner Lopetegui in November, the Old Gold were presented with a first-rate manager who could turn the fortunes around, and thus far results have been promising.

It is unsurprising, therefore, to hear transfer insider Dean Jones suggest they are in a far better position with the 56-year-old at the helm.

Speaking to GIVEMESPORT, Jones said: “They’ve reached their target for the month; the squad is in much better shape now. Speaking to the club, they feel like a completely different club now from two months ago.

“They feel that this transfer window has been a real success, and they’re very confident not only of steering clear of relegation now, but actually trying to push their way up towards the mid-table.”

A game-changing appointment

Having clinched seven points from a possible 15 with the Spaniard at the helm, the Midlands outfit now perch outside the league’s relegation zone on goal difference, having previously languished within the bottom three.

And while the six acquisitions made this January – notably on-loan Matheus Cunha, who could be tied down to a permanent transfer for an eye-watering €50m (£44m) – all possess the calibre to make a meaningful difference to the combative nature of the squad, it is the manager pulling the strings that will prove to be the difference in the fight to maintain coveted top-flight status.

Having lost only to Manchester City and Manchester United in the league since assuming his role, the Spaniard will be comprehensively impressed with the strides made across the maiden period of his tenure.

And indeed with a pedigree that stretches his influence over former outfits such as the Spanish national team, Sevilla – where he won the Europa League – and Porto, it is clear that given the right tools, he will be able to craft success with any side.

And with Wolves having entrusted him with the job of securing survival, providing a raft of fresh faces to spearhead the new chapter at Molineux, a promising period of football for the side’s owner Jeff Shi awaits.

The 56-year-old, should he succeed in guiding the English outfit away from their current mess, will strive for a return to prominence in the Premier League, having recorded a top-four finish in all but one of his full managerial campaigns to date, which bodes well for his new team’s aspirations.

Wolves will undoubtedly be delighted with the acquisitions made over the past several weeks, but it is in fact the man running the dugout that will have the most decisive say in their trajectory over the coming years.

Journalist Ben Jacobs has insisted that Tottenham Hotspur could soon face competition to land Pedro Porro.

The Lowdown: Spurs eager to sign Porro

For the majority of January, it appeared that Spurs were indeed keen on signing Porro from Sporting CP after the Spanish defender featured twice against Tottenham in the Champions League earlier this season.

And there appeared to be a breakthrough within the last few days, with Tottenham said to be willing to meet or at least get very close to Porro’s release clause – something Sporting had been insisting on all month. However, they are now reportedly dragging out negotiations, according to Sky Sports.

The fact that Spurs are seemingly closing in on Porro now makes sense given the fact that they could be set to sanction the exit of fellow right-back Djed Spence on a temporary basis, which would free up a space in Antonio Conte’s squad.

The Latest: Porro deal could be hijacked

Spurs hijacked Arnaut Danjuma’s deal to Everton this week, but they could soon be given a taste of their own medicine, with Jacobs claiming on The Done Deal Show that Premier League rivals Chelsea could soon move for Porro.

He said: “What complicates things late in the window is that you start with a target, and maybe some of your rivals are looking at other names, but for example, if Chelsea don’t succeed with Malo Gusto, then Tottenham could have a problem and Chelsea may enter later into the race for a player like Pedro Porro.”

[web_stories_embed url=”https://www.footballtransfertavern.com/web-stories/tottenham-latest-developments-3/” title=”Tottenham latest developments!” poster=”https://www.footballtransfertavern.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/02/cropped-tottenham-fans.jpg” width=”360″ height=”600″ align=”none”]

The Verdict: Tottenham have to move quickly

If Spurs were to lose out on Porro – who they’ve been interested in all month – that would surely only anger Conte and make him far less likely to sign a new contract than he reportedly already is.

Porro is said to be keen on making the move to Tottenham, and having been sold by Manchester City before he played a league game, he’ll likely be eager to finally test himself in the Premier League.

Tottenham need to get some business done pretty quickly as the Champions League is not too far away and Conte will want his new signings to adapt to his tactics and methods before that comes around, as they have a great chance of progressing having drawn Milan in the last 16.

Manchester United winger Antony has been slammed for his midweek performance by TalkSport pundit Gabriel Agbonlahor.

What’s the word?

United dropped crucial points as they attempted to go into second place in the Premier League, as Michael Olise’s stunning late free-kick meant Crystal Palace snatched a draw at Selhurst Park.

Midfielder Casemiro picked up a yellow card, meaning he is suspended for United’s game away at league leaders Arsenal this weekend, adding insult to injury.

United were below-par in attack and Brazil winger Antony was singled out for his display.

Speaking on TalkSport, Agbonlahor claimed the £86m signing has not been doing enough and compared him to Gunners flop Nicolas Pepe.

He said: “Watching him last night, he wasn’t happy when he got dragged [off]. He doesn’t do enough, for me. He’s giving me [Nicolas] Pepe vibes.

“[He does] tricks, he doesn’t really beat a player, and they need, for me, Garnacho to start against Arsenal.

“They need more options on the wing because Antony is not at it at the moment. Maybe he will [be] with time, but at the moment, he’s not doing enough.”

An anonymous display

The 22-year-old was almost completely ineffective against Palace, failing to create a single key pass or complete a single dribble, while he was dispossessed eight times, as per Sofascore.

He has had a mixed start to life at United, scoring five times in 18 appearances, but clearly needs more time to adapt to life in the Premier League.

United parted with a substantial fee to bring him to the club at the request of Erik ten Hag, and whilst he is yet to justify his fee, he has shown talent in flashes, although he has also drawn criticism for his showboating style, and he needs to start providing more output on a regular basis.

Glasgow Rangers maintained their 100% record under the new management of Michael Beale on Wednesday evening, with the Light Blues running out comfortable 3-0 winners over Motherwell in the Scottish Premiership clash at Ibrox.

Indeed, goals from Alfredo Morelos, Connor Goldson and Malik Tillman sealed all three points for the home side on the night, with the result ensuring Gers remain nine points behind league leaders Celtic ahead of Monday’s Old Firm derby.

Aside from the result, a number of the individual performances on display against the Steelmen will have offered Beale hope of a positive result against their Glasgow rivals next week, with the aforementioned Tillman particularly impressing on Wednesday.

After something of an indifferent start to life in Scotland under former boss Giovanni van Bronckhorst, the summer signing has quickly become a key player in Beale’s starting XI since the 42-year-old’s appointment at Ibrox earlier this month, with the 20-year-old arguably enjoying his best performance to date under the former Queens Park Rangers boss against Motherwell.

Indeed, over his 90 minutes on the pitch, the £13k-per-week starlet was in electric form going forwards, bagging Gers’ third of the night with an extremely well-taken drive from the right-hand side of the box, as well as creating two big chances – one of which came via a scrumptious backheel into Morelos – making two key passes and completing two of his three attempted dribbles.

The 20-year-old forward also enjoyed 58 touches, found his man with two long balls and completed 29 of his 36 attempted passes – a success rate of 81% – in addition to making four tackles, one interception, drawing five fouls and winning 11 of his 15 duels – at a success rate of 73%.

These returns saw the USA international who journalist Mario Reinoso dubbed “tremendous” and claimed is becoming an “indispensable figure” at Ibrox earn an extremely impressive Sofascore match rating of 8.1, ranking him as the second-best player to feature in the fixture.

Indeed, having now scored three goals – including the two in a 3-0 mid-season friendly victory over Bayer Leverkusen – and registered two assists under the management of Beale, it would indeed appear as if Tillman is already a key player for the 42-year-old, with it looking extremely likely the club will now make the attacker’s loan deal a €7m (£6m) permanent one next summer.

CBS journalist Ben Jacobs has shared a promising update on Liverpool’s chances of signing Borussia Dortmund star Jude Bellingham.

The Lowdown: Reds eye move…

It is no secret that the Reds are seriously interested in signing the England international who has been shining for the Three Lions in Qatar.

The 2022 World Cup ace has started every tournament game under manager Gareth Southgate and stands out as their second-best performer by average match rating, behind only Arsenal star Bukayo Saka (WhoScored).

Bellingham has completed more dribbles per 90 than any England player, notching a goal and assist over his outings, adding further fuel to the fire that he will be a superstar.

The Latest: Liverpool ‘frontrunners’ for Bellingham…

The 19-year-old has an array of suitors from the Premier League but is in fact the Reds and manager Jurgen Klopp who are in pole position for his signing.

As per reporter Jacobs of CBS, Liverpool are the ‘frontrunners’ for his signature after putting in ‘a lot of leg work’.

He explained (via Twitter):

“Liverpool are frontrunners for Jude Bellingham largely because they have put in a lot of legwork. As previously reported, signing a top young talent isn’t just about the fee but the courting process. #LFC have always been excellent at pitching to players.”

The Verdict: Promising…

Called a ‘monster’ by other members of the media, Bellingham’s performances in the Middle East only highlight further why Klopp seems determined to bring him to Anfield.

Liverpool are arguably short of both quality and youth in the middle of the park and England’s newest sensation would certainly bring both in abundance.

There will be competition, but this latest update comes as a promising one.

Newcastle United are set to hold ‘decisive talks’ with SAUDIA over a potential £300m sponsorship deal, according to a fresh report.

The Lowdown: Mid-season tour sponsor

The Magpies are currently enjoying a mid-season break because of the World Cup in Qatar, allowing some of Eddie Howe’s squad to recharge their batteries.

Newcastle will make an imminent trip to Riyadh for a warm-weather camp and to face Al-Hilal in friendly, allowing the players to retain some match fitness.

SAUDIA have been confirmed as the sponsor for the tour, and a new update suggests that the airline could have an even bigger part to play in the club’s future.

The Latest: Permanent deal incoming?

According to Football Insider, talks are now planned over a permanent deal with SAUDIA – one which could be worth £300m over a 10-year period.

It is stated that the deal may not go through until the spring but the Public Investment Fund and representatives for SAUDIA will look to reach an agreement in the next week or so.

[web_stories_embed url=”https://www.footballtransfertavern.com/web-stories/newcastle-news-7/” title=”Newcastle news!” poster=”” width=”360″ height=”600″ align=“none”]

The Verdict: More financial power

While some detractors will, perhaps understandably, take issue with the source of Newcastle’s new-found wealth, this is undoubtedly another positive update for Toon supporters.

Howe’s team are flying on the pitch, mounting a genuine top-four challenge, and striking a deal like this should make even more funds available for new signings.

A couple of high-profile additions in the January transfer window could take the Magpies to another level, and if Champions League football is achieved this season, the sky really could be the limit in terms of who the club could attract.

Tottenham Hotspur journalist Alasdair Gold has shared some details regarding a behind-the-scenes meeting between Antonio Conte, Fabio Paratici and Daniel Levy ahead of the upcoming January transfer window. 

The Lowdown: Spurs’ transfer business under Conte

Since the Italian took charge of the north London club just over a year ago, he has been backed in the transfer market and been able to bring in numerous players.

Names such as Dejan Kulusevski, Rodrigo Bentancur, Richarlison and Yves Bissouma, among others, have all made moves to the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium.

With the January transfer window set to open for business shortly after the conclusion of the World Cup, it seems that some behind-the-scenes details have emerged regarding what may happen in the window.

The Latest: Gold shares behind-the-scenes meeting details

In a recent online Q&A on the Football.London website, Gold was asked what he thinks the priorities will be for Spurs in terms of strengthening the side in January and when a meeting between Conte, Paratici and Levy will take place to discuss the upcoming winter window.

In response, Gold said: “Personally I think an attacking midfielder and a centre-back are priorities plus any upgrades Spurs can find in the market. As I said below, a right wing-back might end up becoming a requirement depending on Conte’s decision when it comes to Djed Spence.

[web_stories_embed url=”https://www.footballtransfertavern.com/web-stories/tottenham-latest-news-3/” title=”Tottenham latest news!” poster=”” width=”360″ height=”600″ align=”none”] 

“The meeting between Conte, Levy and Paratici should happen after the head coach returns on November 28 when first team training resumes at Hotspur Way. Paratici and Conte speak most days so you would imagine they will still have some dialogue even during this rest period for the latter at some point.”

The Verdict: Reinforcements needed at Spurs

Given the hefty amount of deals that Spurs have been involved in since Conte took charge, this should fill a lot of supporters with confidence that the same thing can happen again this time around.

In terms of what areas of the squad Spurs may need to strengthen in January, the fact that they have conceded more goals (21) than the likes of Brighton (19), Crystal Palace (18) and Everton (17) this season, some extra defensive reinforcements is what Conte needs for his side.

Also, with only two clubs making more errors that have led to an opponent’s shot at goal than Spurs (8), this is something that the manager will want to work on with his current players and whatever new faces come in during the January window.