All posts by z3u9t.icu

Newcastle United enjoyed a tremendous 2022/23 campaign as they finished fourth in the Premier League to secure a Champions League place.

Who have Newcastle United signed this summer?

The Magpies have reacted to that success by adding to their playing squad ahead of next season in an attempt to bolster Eddie Howe's options.

Italy international Sandro Tonali, who played his first match earlier this week against Rangers in a friendly, has joined from AC Milan in a £55m deal.

Dan Ashworth is also reportedly set to add Leicester's Harvey Barnes and Southampton's Tino Livramento to the team for a combined £68m.

A central defender could also be on the cards as it was recently reported that the club are interested in signing Crystal Palace star Joachim Andersen.

How good is Joachim Andersen?

The 27-year-old titan's performances for the Eagles last season suggest that he is an excellent Premier League performer who could be a monstrous partner for Sven Botman moving forward.

He is four years younger than Howe's current right-sided centre-back – Fabian Schar – and could be the long-term option in that position.

Despite playing for a Palace team that finished 11th in the table, Andersen averaged a Sofascore rating of 6.98 across 32 outings.

When Newcastle ended the 2021/22 campaign in 11th place, Schar averaged a Sofascore rating of 6.90 over 25 matches. However, that score jumped up to 7.13 in his 36 Premier League outings last season in a thriving Toon team.

The Switzerland international's progression highlights what can happen when you place a player in a better environment, which suggests that Andersen has the potential to be an upgrade on him when you consider his impressive performances in an average Palace side.

He could be a monster alongside Botman at the back due to his ability to dominate opposition attackers at Premier League level.

The colossal Dane won an eye-catching 72% of his aerial battles last term – 5% more than Schar – as the 6 foot 4 tank was able to use his height to his advantage.

In fact, the Eagles titan ranks in the top 16% of centre-backs across the Men's Big Five Leagues and European competitions for aerial duels won per 90 over the last 365 days.

Andersen – once described as "underappreciated" by pundit Robbie Earle – also ranks in the top 1% of his positions peers for clearances made per 90 (6.08), which highlights his impressive defensive instincts and positioning.

Botman, who averaged a Sofascore rating of 6.99, won 66% of his contests in the air as Newcastle's left-sided centre-back throughout the Premier League season just gone.

These statistics show that both players, who play on opposite sides of a central defensive pairing, are dominant defenders who like to compete with attackers to win the majority of their battles.

Therefore, Howe could form a monstrous centre-back duo by signing Andersen – reportedly valued at £50m by his current club – to partner alongside the Netherlands international over the coming seasons.

The Danish brute, who did not make a single error leading to a shot or goal for the opposition last term, could compete with Schar for that right-sided central defensive spot to create strong competition for places.

Tottenham Hotspur are "considering a move" for Flamengo star Pedro with star striker Harry Kane's future uncertain, according to journalist Miguel Delaney.

Who will Spurs sign?

New manager Ange Postecoglou has been left delighted with some of the business Spurs have conducted so far this summer, England international James Maddison in particular.

The former Leicester City playmaker has officially joined Postecoglou's side with goalkeeper Guglielmo Vicario and winger Manor Solomon, with Tottenham's head coach expressing his excitement recently.

“Really excited to get James as part of the group," said the Australian.

"Any manager will tell you that part of the key to being a dominant team is having multiple attacking threats and having a midfielder who can score and create goals.

“I thought it was a really good fit for us to look for a player like James – even better if we could get James, so we ended up getting James."

However, Tottenham aren't though to be finished just yet, as links still surround the signing of a new first team centre-back. Indeed, Wolfsburg's Micky van de Ven. Meanwhile, Edmond Tapsoba of Bayer Leverkusen, Fulham's Tosin Adarabioyo, Barcelona's Clement Lenglet, Galatasary's Victor Nelsson and Bremer have all been linked with moves.

Spurs, with Kane's contract expiring in just 12 months, are also now being tipped to potentially source a replacement if their superstar doesn't pen fresh terms with the north Londoners.

There have even been suggestions that Napoli striker Victor Osimhen, who will command a large transfer fee, is a player of serious interest to chairman Daniel Levy.

Now, according to Delaney of The Independent, Spurs could look across the Atlantic for options as news emerges on Flamengo's exciting star Pedro.

Tottenham are apparently "considering a move" for the 26-year-old, who was called up to Brazil's squad for the 2022 World Cup in Qatar.

While he struggled at Fiorentina four years ago, there is a feeling the big move came too early and he is now ready to ply his trade in Europe's top five leagues once again.

He is one of many options they're weighing right now, as Kane leaving is now seen as much more realistic given the uncertainty surrounding his contract.

How good is Pedro?

The Rio-born forward boasts a fine scoring record for Flamengo in the Brazilian top flight, having netted an impressive 93 goals and a further 23 assists in 141 Brasiliero Serie A appearances (Transfermarkt).

Pedro has also been praised by footballing icon Ronaldo, not just as a "quality striker", but also the "best player" in America right now.

"The top scorer and Craque of the Brasileirão will be Pedro," said Ronaldo.

"Also the best player in America in 2023. Pedro is a quality striker who makes the difference in Flamengo's attack, he has a huge future ahead of him, with a future also in the national team".

Arsenal could be set to hijack the pursuit of a Premier League rival, and in turn, massively bolster their own attacking ranks.

Who are Arsenal signing this summer?

Despite Aston Villa's continued efforts to tempt Moussa Diaby to join Unai Emery, recent claims have surfaced that now link the Gunners with a potential swoop.

Having finally announced deals for Declan Rice and Jurrien Timber over the weekend, to supplement the earlier signing of Kai Havertz, an exciting age is now being ushered into north London by Mikel Arteta. Should he now capture this French speedster too, it poses a true threat for the rest of the Premier League.

Speaking to GIVEMESPORT, writer Christian Falk has since noted: "Arsenal have been focusing on him since a month ago, perhaps even a year. Newcastle also, so they for me at the moment, are the two clubs, which are really, really hot.

"Aston Villa would be so interesting for him at the moment, and it's a chance to show the Premier League what he can do. Diaby’s club have now signed Jonas Hoffman, a German national team player, and he’s playing in his position.

"So you see that now they know that Diaby will leave, they want to sell him to get money from this transfer. So I think this is also a player who is getting hot in the next weeks.”

What positions can Moussa Diaby play?

The 24-year-old would arrive as an ideal asset to integrate into this Gunners squad, given his billing as a highly versatile winger who can play on both flanks, up front and even drop into attacking midfield.

However, it is much more than just this ability to cover multiple roles that make him such an exciting and well-admired prospect.

Last season for Bayer Leverkusen he would record 14 goals and assist a further 11 across all competitions, matching Bukayo Saka's league tally for that campaign too. Given how celebrated the England international has been, these are impressive figures for a man featuring in a side that only finished sixth in the Bundesliga.

Such a stellar season could often be written off as a fluke though, had he not posted an even more impressive 31 goal contributions the year before that. His rapid development into one of Europe's most sought-after wide men has been meteoric, with a move to north London sure to compound that elevation.

Journalist Aaron Stokes emphasised this superiority as he willed the Magpies to make a move, writing on Twitter: "31 G/A in 42 games last season, electrifying pace, good with both feet + fearless on the ball. A remarkable deal if they persuade Bayer to sell + the player to join."

For the reported £50m that the German club will demand, this surely marks a no-brainer for Arteta, especially given that the two have already completed one deal this summer by allowing Granit Xhaka to join Xabi Alonso's side.

Whilst the Swiss international endured a turbulent period at the Emirates, in the end, he came good to actually become something of a fan favourite. His 14 goal contributions in his final league season went a long way towards repairing any fractures that remained after his 2019 dispute, as he turned around a career that at times seemed lost.

Having brought him in from the Bundesliga in 2016 on a £30m deal, in a move that can now be described as a masterclass given how instrumental he has been throughout Arteta's steady revolution, a swoop for Diaby from this same division could see this replicated as they once again seek to strike up a deal with Leverkusen.

Celtic kick off their 2023/24 Scottish Premiership campaign at home to Ross County at Parkhead on the fifth of August and there could be a few new faces for the crowd to watch.

The Hoops have made two signings so far in the summer transfer window and they still have plenty of time left before the deadline to make further additions to their squad.

Northern Irish tactician, Brendan Rodgers returned to Paradise to replace Ange Postecoglou last month, after leaving Leicester City earlier this year, and has been able to bring in Odin Thiago Holm along with Australian international Marco Tilio so far.

The latter has joined on a permanent deal from Melbourne City and will be hoping to bolster the manager's attacking options over the months to come.

He has the quality to be a goalscoring threat from out wide and Rodgers could get the best out of him by securing a deal to sign reported Celtic target Anastasios Douvikas.

How good is Anastasios Douvikas?

The Greek international, who has been valued at £6.9m by FC Utrecht, is a prolific centre-forward who also has the quality to be an excellent creator for his teammates, which could make him a very good addition to the squad.

Douvikas, who was once hailed as "sharp" by journalist Josh Bunting, showcased his ability to find the back of the net on a regular basis as he plundered 19 goals in 24 Eredivisie starts during the 2022/23 campaign.

Kyogo Furuhashi (27) was the only Celtic player to score more league goals than the Utrecht star last season, which suggests that Rodgers could land another excellent goalscoring option to bolster his attack by signing the 23-year-old marksman.

However, his creativity is what could set him apart from the club's current centre-forwards. Douvikas created seven 'big chances' and provided 0.6 key passes per Eredivisie game for his teammates last term.

Kyogo, meanwhile, managed half as many key passes per outing and only created one 'big chance', whilst Hyeon-gyu Oh produced one 'big chance' along with an average of 0.4 key passes per clash across his 16 league appearances.

This suggests that the Greek dynamo would be Rodgers' most creative number nine option, which is why he could be the dream striker for Tilio to be paired with as the Australia international could profit from his chance creation.

The 21-year-old winger racked up ten goals in 25 A-League starts last season, after five goals in 13 starts during the previous term, which – now that Jota has moved on to Al Ittihad – is the second-most goals of any current Celtic player from the campaign just gone, only behind Kyogo's aforementioned 27 strikes

Tilio could, therefore, be one of Rodgers' best goalscoring options in midfield, and playing with a striker as creative as Douvikas could allow the former Melbourne dynamo to thrive, as the Greek gem has proven himself to be far more capable of opening up opposition defences than the club's other number nine options.

This is why the Utrecht finisher could be the perfect signing to complement the left-footed wizard at Parkhead next season, although it remains to be seen whether or not the Scottish giants will go ahead with a deal to sign the forward.

Manchester United are confident that they can land Atalanta striker Rasmus Hojlund for under £45 million this summer despite his heavy price tag, according to journalist Dean Jones.

What's the latest transfer news involving Rasmus Hojlund and Man United?

According to The Sun, Manchester United are preparing a second offer to try and land Hojlund this summer which is said to be worth in the region of £40 million.

The report states that the Red Devils have already seen a bid of £30 million rejected for the 20-year-old, while Financial Fair Play regulations are set to make their quest to sign players this off-season more difficult.

As per The Daily Mail, talks continue over the prospect of Hojlund moving to Old Trafford between both parties. Eintracht Frankfurt ace Randal Kolo Muani has been identified as another target by Erik Ten Hag.

90min claim that Atalanta could demand as much as €80 million (£68.6 million) before sanctioning an exit for the Denmark international; however, Manchester United are only keen to pay a maximum figure of €60 million (£51.5 million) to seal a deal for Hojlund.

Tottenham Hotspur hitman Harry Kane and Napoli star Victor Osimhen have been heavily linked as high-profile arrivals at Manchester United over the course of the last few months, though both pursuits have since fallen by the wayside due to the estimated cost involved.

Speaking to GIVEMESPORT, journalist Jones thinks that Manchester United will hold optimism they can land Hojlund for under £45 million.

Jones said: "We have said for a while now that Hojlund is the forward most suited to United in the here and now. He’s better than Weghorst, but he doesn’t have much top-level experience yet and only got nine goals in Serie A last season.

"So he won’t be a goal machine, but he will open up gaps for [Marcus] Rashford to exploit. He will fit into the budget and that is a key to this. There have been some huge valuations put on him, but United are pretty sure this is a player that can be landed for under £45m."

Would Hojlund be a good fit for Manchester United and who could he replace?

Bringing in Hojlund, who has been hailed as a "scary" player, could help to boost a Manchester United forward line that is in desperate need of replenishing and the Danish wonderkid could offer a long-term striking option at Old Trafford.

Last term, the 20-year-old was in fine goalscoring form, registering 16 goals and seven assists in 42 appearances combining his spells at Atalanta and former employers Sturm Graz, as per Transfermarkt.

As per FBRef, Hojlund has managed to excel over the past year in the field of progressive passes received compared to his positional peers across Europe's top five leagues, taking in around 10.99 per match across the last 365 days.

In terms of who Hojlund may replace, Anthony Martial looks to be the most likely candidate who is currently on the books of Manchester United.

The Daily Mail report that Martial could be moved on this summer due to being in the last year of his contract and Manchester United would demand around £25 million for his signature.

Newcastle United have been strongly linked with a move for Dominik Szoboszlai this summer and now a new update has emerged from a reliable source on the club's pursuit of the player.

What's the latest on Newcastle's interest in Szoboszlai?

According to Sky Sports' North East correspondent Keith Downie, Newcastle are now focusing their attention on the RB Leipzig attacker after Tottenham Hotspur progress their deal to sign James Maddison.

Downie took to Twitter on Tuesday evening to reveal: "Newcastle target James Maddison is in advanced talks with Spurs, report my colleagues @skysportspaulg & @skysports_sheth. "Cautious optimism” a deal will get done — small gap in valuation with Leicester. NUFC likely to look to RB Leipzig’s Dominik Szoboszlai as option."

Italian journalist and transfer insider Fabrizio Romano has also revealed the player's release clause and when it will expire:

"This is how Dominik Szoboszlai’s exit clause works. Only valid until June 30 — worth €70m (£60m)."

Would Szoboszlai be a good signing for Newcastle?

There is no doubt that Eddie Howe will be thrilled with the progress his squad at St James' Park has made during his first full season in charge, however, now the manager faces new and difficult challenges as the club prepares for Champions League football next season.

This will be the first time Howe has ever managed a side in Europe, and it's the first time that Newcastle have qualified in over two decades, so there will be a lot of work to be done in pre-season, as well as a strong transfer window to recruit new additions who can add quality and experience.

As a result, the signing of Szoboszlai – hailed a "future icon" by scout Jacek Kulig – would be a great opportunity for Newcastle to add some depth to their attacking threat as the versatile talent is prolific in a number of positions.

The 22-year-old has taken on many roles over his short career so far with a wealth of experience in countless positions including central midfield, attacking midfield, as well as taking up a more advanced role on the left and right wings of the forward line, making him a hugely valuable asset and potentially a much better alternative to Maddison.

Indeed, when comparing the Hungarian ace to his Leicester City positional peer, Szoboszlai outperformed Maddison in a number of key attributes including shots on target rate (48.3% v 32.5%), pass completion (79.9% v 73.4%), shot-creating actions per 90 (5.52 v 5.01) and goal-creating actions per 90 (0.63 v 0.47), proving that he is a more consistent performer in front of goal and a more creative option for Howe to deploy next season.

Another strength that Szoboszlai possesses over Maddison is a wealth of Champions League experience; with 25 appearances in the elite European competition – scoring eight goals and registering three assists.

With that being said, it would be a no-brainer for Newcastle to snap up the services of Szoboszlai this summer as he could be a real threat to opponents from a number of positions and would provide the club with a fresh perspective in the final third next season.

Leeds United have placed Scott Parker under serious consideration to be their new long-term manager, according to reports.

Where is Scott Parker now?

Parker is a former professional turned coach who has gradually built up experience over the years, having started out in charge of Tottenham Hotspur’s U18s before going on to take the helm himself at Fulham, Bournemouth and most recently Club Brugge, who he departed in March, as per Transfermarkt.

Following the 42-year-old’s exit from the Belgian Pro League, he is now a free agent on the market and waiting to embark on his next adventure, and it sounds like he’s got admirers within the hierarchy at Elland Road.

The Athletic’s Phil Hay reported that the Whites were set to interview Parker last week alongside Daniel Farke and Patrick Vieira, and the 49ers must have liked what they saw from him as he is firmly being thought about to return to the Championship.

Are Leeds appointing Parker?

According to Football Insider, Parker is “in the frame” at Leeds to be appointed as their new boss ahead of the 2023/24 campaign.

The Yorkshire outfit are “keen” to recruit someone who is currently out of work and that has experience in the top-flight, a criteria which all of the above mentioned trio meet, therefore making them the “leading candidates” for the job.

The report adds that the board are hoping to bring in their news boss over the course of the next week in time for the beginning of pre-season.

Leeds supporters will recognise that Parker is a younger candidate to be targeting compared to the likes of Javi Gracia and Sam Allardyce, but Manchester City boss Pep Guardiola lauded him as an “innovative” coach for his new ideas, so he could be an ideal fit for a team in need of a new dawn.

In the Championship, the Lambeth-born coach, whose preferred formation is an attack-minded 4-3-3, has won 48, drawn 25 and lost just 19 games from 92, taking 169 points from a possible 276, via Transfermarkt, which is an impressive track record.

During his time at Fulham and Bournemouth respectively, this consistent form saw him guide both clubs to promotion from the second-tier, so he will already know what it takes to compete and be successful at the necessary level, and when you consider that no compensation would need to be paid to acquire his services, this is a swoop worth taking a chance on.

Manchester United are in the midst of a potential takeover at Old Trafford and the 'fixation' on a preferred bidder being announced by the Glazer family during the process is 'unhelpful' to the process, according to journalist Ben Jacobs.

What's the latest ownership news involving Manchester United?

According to The Daily Mail, Manchester United may not enter new ownership before the start of the 2023/24 campaign as the Glazer family haven't identified their preferred bidder to take control at Old Trafford.

Sheikh Jassim bin Hamad al-Thani and the Nine Two Foundation alongside Sir Jim Ratcliffe's petrochemicals are still competing for different variations of control; however, the deadlock will not affect Erik ten Hag's £120 million summer transfer budget.

ESPN detail that several minority investment firms are also waiting to hear whether they have been successful in their bid to plough financial capital into the Premier League giants.

As per The Guardian, Manchester United staff are fearful for their job security due to the uncertainty surrounding the club's impending takeover due to a lack of information about the permutations of a change of hands at Old Trafford.

800-plus staff at the Red Devils are in the dark about their future as the ownership saga drags on at the club and it looks like they may have to wait a while yet to find out the new policies of whoever takes over from the Glazer family.

Speaking to Football FanCast, journalist Jacobs has dropped some fresh insight into the state of play at Manchester United regarding their ownership situation.

Jacobs told FFC: "Those running the process are working around the clock now with both groups to try and get both offers in shape, which is highly atypical.

"If the Glazers don't, until they pick a winner, provide a period of exclusivity, then they can obviously have maximum competitive tension. Then, if or when a winner is named, we then wait and see whether there is a short period of exclusivity to effectively go through the process of acquisition, but that would still be different to a preferred bidder in a period of exclusivity."

What now for Manchester United?

Manchester United look like they will be in the grips of a takeover stalemate for a while yet. Despite this, other matters will also need to take priority over the next few months, with recruitment likely to be a key focus at Old Trafford.

Chelsea midfielder Mason Mount is a target for Erik ten Hag and the Dutchman has already seen a bid of around £40 million rejected for the England international, though is expected to return with an improved offer in the region of £50 million, as per The Daily Mail.

The Evening Standard also report that Manchester United are now 'favourites' to sign Inter Milan goalkeeper Andre Onana this summer as rival suitors Chelsea have now dropped out of the race to acquire the Cameroon international.

But without a potential takeover, it will be intriguing to see how their transfer plans may be affected this summer.

Arsenal are eyeing Athletic Bilbao starlet Nico Williams and have held a long term interest in his signing, according to 90min and journalist Graeme Bailey.

Who could join Arsenal this summer?

Mikel Arteta and co must now prepare for what will be a crunch, all important transfer window. The Gunners missed out on their first Premier League title in nearly 20 years to treble-winners Man City last season, meaning this summer is a chance to both improve and strengthen in key areas.

Sporting director Edu has long been preparing, recently admitting as much to ESPN (via 90min), with plans already put in place as far back as April.

"Our planning has already been done," said the Brazilian.

"It has already reached the owners. Now, we're taking things step by step. We're focused on how we will finish the season, but we've put in the planning and I'm very excited."

Midfield signings are thought to be a real priority for Arteta, leading to serious interest and talks to sign West Ham star Declan Rice. Other targets for the position are Brighton star Moises Caicedo and Man City captain Ilkay Gundogan, who is yet to put pen to paper on a new deal.

In terms of forwards, Arsenal are thought to be keen on strengthening that area, with Chelsea star Kai Havertz becoming a serious target lately.

According to Bailey and 90min, though, the north Londoners are also eyeing a move for Bilbao forward Williams, and are thought to hold a long-standing interest.

The 20-year-old, who has already been capped at international level for Spain, is also attracting attention from Aston Villa with Unai Emery's side apparently opening talks.

It's clear Williams is a man in demand, as it's understood both Man City and Newcastle have enquired over the player in recent months too.

Who is Nico Williams?

Coming as a player of real potential, members of the media have heaped praise on Bilbao's starlet for his form last season, with journalist Zach Lowy listing him among his "breakout stars" of La Liga.

He is also "considered one of the top young attacking prospects in Europe", according to 90min again, with Williams' brother, Inaki, heaping praise on the winger back in September.

"[Nico] is a great player, he is in incredible shape and I think he can give a lot to Spain. He has shown it by giving Morata a good pass and I am very happy for him.”

Newcastle United are in pole position to win the race for touted transfer target James Maddison after failing with a £50m bid for his signature one year ago.

What's the latest on James Maddison to Newcastle?

That's according to the ever-reliable Athletic, who claim that the 26-year-old attacking midfielder's future 'almost certainly' lies away from the King Power Stadium following Leicester's relegation from the Premier League this season.

Arsenal, Manchester United and Tottenham Hotspur are all vying for his services themselves but it is Eddie Howe's Magpies who are the frontrunners.

Due to the Foxes' current situation and Maddison having just one year left on his current deal, 'several intermedieries' have priced the England international at just £40m – which could be an absolute steal as Newcastle look to consolidate their newfound stature.

How would James Maddison perform for Newcastle?

Make no mistake, despite playing a central role in a relegated outfit, Maddison is a "world-class" – as praised by England manager Gareth Southgate – midfielder and he has maintained a commendable direct return this term.

While Leicester's defence floundered like a fish out of water, the offensive efforts still held some air of cohesion, with Harvey Barnes and Maddison notably impressing.

Maddison would score ten goals and supply nine assists from just 30 appearances, and there is a case to be made that had injury not plagued the £110k-per-week phenom across the remaining eight clashes, his side would have discovered the two additional points needed to preserve top-flight status.

The fact he did not certainly plays into the hands of his suitors and while there is a vested interest from numerous angles, Newcastle's lingering interest could persuade him to don black and white this summer, with the enticing proposition of injecting superlative creativity and flair into a burgeoning outfit with a ceiling too daunting to conceive.

While it's clear that the two-cap gem would enhance the Toon's offensive calibre, let's delve a little deeper into the intricacies of just how this "football nut" – as manager Dean Smith heralded Maddison – would affect an outfit already boasting success beyond measure, given that just 18 months ago the Magpies fretted over their own battle against the claws of relegation.

The arresting element to his game is the goals, thumped from range, deftly guided from close; his assists, whipped, curled, placed with the perfect clarity of an innate artist.

But Maddison has proved that he is the all-encompassing and tenacious star Howe needs to continue to keep the club's togetherness and resilience woven, embedded into the squad's chemistry, without seam.

As per FBref, the one-time Norwich City ace ranks among the top 17% of attacking midfielders across Europe's top five leagues over the past year for rate of tackles per 90, while Sofascore illustrates his defensive work-rate by referencing his 1.7 tackles per game – in the Premier League this term – and his success in 57% of his contested ground duels – omnipresent in his work.

The "monster" – as dubbed by journalist Josh Bunting – would enrich the hopes of his teammates' individual success, and while his work across the field will provide variegated members with increased fortunes, none may flourish with richer support than that of prolific talisman Callum Wilson.

The 31-year-old Englishman has been in scintillating goalscoring form this term – his best Premier League season on an individual level – and has plundered 18 goals from just 21 starts.

The £46k-per-week striker ranks among the top 4% of positional peers for rate of non-penalty goals and the top 8% for rate of assists per 90, and given Maddison's own prolific nature, the two could meld gloriously to wreak havoc on their foes.

Maddison will bolster the whole gamut at St. James's Park, and given the success that the outfit have found this year, it must be terrifying for rival opposition to consider the leaps and bounds that may still be made.