All posts by rastrear-estafeta.com

Southampton have not had a particularly good start to their 2021/22 Premier League campaign, with four draws and three defeats in their opening seven games.

One player who has yet to get his season up and running for the Saints and who Ralph Hasenhuttl should be putting in his starting XI to face Leeds United in their next Premier League match is Stuart Armstrong.

On the chalkboard

Having returned to team training prior to Southampton’s previous Premier League game against Chelsea at Stamford Bridge after struggling with a calf muscle issue, we feel that the Scotland international should be in the starting XI to face Marcelo Bielsa’s side next week if he is fit enough to feature for his first match of this season.

Southampton signed Armstrong back in the 2018 summer transfer window from Celtic on a four-year deal for a fee of £7m.

Since then, the 29-year-old – who is currently earning a weekly wage of £50k-per-week according to Spotrac – has made 104 appearances for the Saints across all competitions, in which he has managed to score 14 goals and provide 11 assists.

Last season saw Armstrong, who was once labelled as a “role model” by Hasenhuttl, score four goals and provide five assists in the Premier League, ultimately earning him an overall season rating of 6.82/10, making him Southampton’s sixth-highest rated player according to WhoScored.

Looking ahead to the Leeds clash, we feel that he should definitely be in Hasenhuttl’s starting XI if he’s fit enough to play. He could even provide the team with a suitable replacement for James Ward-Prowse, who was given a red card in the Chelsea game, resulting in him being given a three-match ban.

Only three players contributed to more goals for the Saints last season. One is the suspended club captain and another is Danny Ings, who is no longer at St Mary’s. Therefore, the Austrian manager would certainly be wise to call upon the Scotland international to provide a cutting edge in the final third.

If Armstrong does play a part in the Leeds game and has a positive impact on the team in terms of contributing to a goal, we feel that he could potentially be the player to keep Southampton away from the relegation zone and save their season – if he is trusted to play regularly throughout the rest of the campaign and can match or exceed his 2020/21 goal contributions return.

Nonetheless, whether or not he plays a part against the Whites, we feel that this could still be a great opportunity for Southampton to grab their first league win of the season considering that Marcelo Bielsa’s team have also had a difficult start to their campaign.

In other news: Ralph could solve big Southampton issue with £12m “special talent”, fans would love it – opinion

Lots of Manchester City supporters have been buzzing with the latest rumours linking Jude Bellingham with a move to the club.

The 18-year-old has impressed at Borussia Dortmund since moving to Germany in July 2020 and he could eventually follow the path of former City academy star Jadon Sancho and return to England in the future.

Bellingham already has more than 50 appearances for BVB and was part of Gareth Southgate’s Euro 2020 squad as England reached the final, with the Stourbridge-born midfielder making three substitute appearances at the tournament.

According to the Daily Star [via City Chief on Twitter], Pep Guardiola has identified the teenager as ‘being the best potential candidate around Europe’ to replace Fernandinho, who is now 36.

Bellingham’s performances in the Bundesliga have caught the eye of the City manager, with the teenager featuring in every game so far this season, scoring and assisting in the 3-2 victory over Hoffenheim.

With Jack Grealish being City’s only major signing over the summer, Bellingham – who is valued at £49.5m by Transfermarkt – could be the perfect future transfer for Manchester City.

Man City fans want Bellingham

These City fans have taken to Twitter to react to the rumours of Bellingham’s links with a move to the Etihad Stadium.

“I approve this transfer”

Credit: @jaycity316

“Better than Rice”

Credit: @riszuan17

“God I hope this is true! Gonna be a star”

Credit: @LeoriPetrou

“Excellent talent, hope we can get him”

Credit: @R_Jeeem

“Get Jude and Haaland and we’re sorted”

Credit: @dasilvarito

“make it happen”

Credit: @rkmcr6

In other news, former City defender claims club never attempted to sign world-class star. Find out more here.

BBC 5 Live pundit Don Hutchinson has been full of praise for Leeds United midfielder Kalvin Phillips after his performance against Fulham.

The Lowdown: Impressive Phillips

The England international played the full 90 minutes and scored his penalty as Leeds progressed to the next round of the EFL Cup with a penalty shoot-out win over Championship side Fulham.

Phillips played in an unusual centre-back position, alongside Charlie Cresswell, and looked at home in defence, winning three of his five aerial duels and completing 80 per cent of his passes.

Tuesday’s victory is Phillip’s sixth straight full game as he continues to prove his importance to Marcelo Bielsa’s side.

The Latest: Best player on the pitch

Speaking to BBC Radio 5 Live Sport, Hutchinson was stunned by Phillips’ talent and claimed the 25-year-old was the best player at Craven Cottage ‘by far’.

He said: “By far, Kalvin Phillips was the best player on the pitch. You watch him play, he glides through games and he sees the picture right in front of him.

“His passing range is outrageous. He is very, very calm. Everything about him. His running game.

“Sometimes when you see a player and you think ‘he is going right to the very top’.”

The Verdict: Consistency is key

Phillips’ eye-catching performances are the reason why Gareth Southgate injected so much trust and belief into the Leeds midfielder for last summer’s European Championships, where he started every game as the Three Lions reached the final.

Links to Manchester City in the past are rightly deserved, with Phillips adapting to Premier League football nicely since the Whites earned promotion in 2020. Last season, he made 1.6 interceptions per game, 2.6 tackles per game and won over half of his aerial duels.

With the rise of Jude Bellingham, Phillips’ consistency will be key if he is to withhold his shirt in the England squad and potentially secure a move to a top-four club, likely banking Leeds an enormous profit in the process.

In other news, an ex-Leeds man has slammed the club for this reason. Find out more here.

According to Sky Sports, Chelsea defender Kurt Zouma is now West Ham United and manager David Moyes’ ‘primary target’ for centre back and it is believed he is ‘open’ to joining the club.

The Lowdown: West Ham in centre back chase…

ExWHUemployee first lifted the lid on West Ham’s new transfer priority in landing a capable central defender before August 31, even above signing any new attackers.

The club have been in negotiations for Nikola Milenkovic and Zouma over this past fortnight, with the former once very close to a London Stadium move.

It was even stated that Milenkovic’s bags were packed and a transfer was imminent, but those talks have since died down and Sky has now brought news on Moyes’ number one defensive target.

The Latest: Sky Sports drop Zouma update…

As per the reliable source, Moyes has now earmarked Zouma as West Ham’s ‘primary target’ and it is believed that the Frenchman is ‘open’ to joining the Irons this summer.

[web_stories_embed url=”https://www.footballtransfertavern.com/web-stories/west-ham-latest-news-3/” title=”West Ham latest news…” poster=”” width=”360″ height=”600″ align=”none”]

However, the only difficulty lies in valuation, with Chelsea apparently wanting around £25 million for his services.

Zouma’s wages also present an issue as well as the fact Tottenham are now interested in signing the 26-year-old as well.

If a move away cannot be agreed this summer, the towering defender is apparently happy to remain at his current club until the expiry of his contract in 2023.

The Verdict: Get it done…

West Ham need to finally land their central defensive target with the summer transfer window shutting fairly imminently.

Moyes has just two weeks to bag any more capable senior additions after signing goalkeeper Alphonse Areola on a season-long loan from Paris-Saint Germain.

We believe Zouma in particular would be perfect for West Ham going by his stats and praise off former Premier League legends.

The centre-back averaged a much higher pass accuracy (90.9%) than any Irons defender last season, pinpointing his composure and assurance on the ball as a real asset of his game (WhoScored).

Zouma also contributed going forward, having bagged five Premier League goals over 2020/2021, while ex-Chelsea defender and England star John Terry labelled him a ‘beast of a player’ when speaking on Instagram Live (via Tribuna).

In other news: West Ham source: GSB have now set sights on signing 6 foot 3 powerhouse for Moyes, find out more here.

Patrick Vieira will be looking for his first victory as Crystal Palace manager when his side take on Watford in the Carabao Cup this evening.

The Eagles bounced back from an opening-day defeat at the hands of Chelsea with a goalless draw against Brentford over the weekend, and they’ll be hoping to build on that with another positive result at Vicarage Road.

What’s the word?

Vieira awarded Palace debuts to summer signings Conor Gallagher and Joachim Andersen last time out but the French tactician is expected to ring the changes once again for this midweek encounter.

However, one player who won’t be available is club captain Luka Milivojevic. The Serbia international is yet to make an appearance this season and was ruled out of the Brentford clash due to personal reasons.

“Luka is not gonna be available. He had his personal reason,” Vieira revealed in Friday’s press conference.

Milivojevic has not yet returned to the first-team setup in south London, and therefore, is set for an extended time away from the pitch.

The likes of Martin Kelly, James Tomkins, Jack Butland and Jean-Philippe Mateta will all be hopeful of receiving a rare chance to impress from the off, though, as Vieira looks to award some fringe players valuable game time.

He made his intentions to field a strong starting XI against Watford clear following their draw on Saturday, meaning the youth players may have to remain patient for a chance in the first team.

“The young players need to have a chance obviously, but they need to earn it as well. I will use this cup game to build on the confidence. If (on Sunday) and Monday morning, every player is available it will be for me to pick the strongest team because we want to compete in this competition,” Vieira declared.

Patrick Vieira will be gutted

Although securing a place in the third round of the Carabao Cup may not be very high up on Vieira’s priority list for the 2021/22 campaign, the former Nice boss will still be gutted to be without talismanic midfielder Milivojevic.

The 30-year-old has played a crucial part in the capital club’s success in recent years, and his continued absence will undoubtedly have a negative impact upon Palace and their ambitions to progress in the competition.

And, in other news…Vieira must unleash “impressive” £11.7m-rated gem today, could be CPFC’s game-changer 

Celtic unveiled new signing James McCarthy on Friday afternoon after he penned a four-year deal at Parkhead.

As to be expected, a number of Hoops supporters were quick to share their delight at the news via social media.

McCarthy was announced as a Celtic player alongside Joe Hart on Tuesday afternoon, with the latter making his Hoops debut on Thursday against Jablonec. The Irishman didn’t travel with Ange Postecoglou’s side for the 4-2 Europa League qualifier win but was unveiled at Celtic Park 24 hours after the match.

McCarthy will wear the number 16 shirt in Glasgow, with the central midfielder describing the deal as a ‘dream come true’.

The 30-year-old is a boyhood Celtic fan and becomes the club’s latest number 16, following on from Lewis Morgan in the 2019/20 season.

Celtic fans react

Celtic posted the news regarding McCarthy on their official Twitter page on Friday. These Hoops fans were buzzing, with one describing a deal for the midfielder as ‘big’.

“My whole timeline is gonna hate me but I’ve honestly never been happier with Celtic”Credit: @Danielle_McG4″Tasty”Credit: @EuanCampbell_05″Big signing”Credit: @darrand_02″A brilliant signing, can’t wait to see him play for us”Credit: @Marion1888″Excellent signing, bring it home James”Credit: @Sligodamo32″Content I love to see”Credit: @currancharles1

In other news: Hoops linked with new right-back amid Aurelio Buta delay, find out more

Manchester United have suffered a potentially fatal blow in their hopes to sign Atletico Madrid defender Kieran Trippier this summer.

What’s the story?

The Red Devils have been linked with a move for the 30-year-old throughout the summer as manager Ole Gunnar Solskjaer looks to add some cover and competitions for first-choice right-back Aaron Wan-Bissaka.

However, it’s now looking increasingly unlikely that Trippier will return to English shores in the current window, with Spanish outlet AS claiming the La Liga outfit have informed United that he’s not for sale.

Their report states: “Strength at the back remains at the heart of the team’s identity and an asset which they don’t take for granted. Precisely for that reason, the club has made it clear that they are not prepared to enter negotiations with any club for Kieran Trippier.

“The answer from Atlético to every single inquiry about the English right-back has been a resounding No. Atleti have had to explain several times that Trippier is an important player for the team in their defence of the title and he isn’t for sale.”

It concludes by revealing the only way for any interested party can prize the full-back away from Wanda Metropolitano is by meeting the €60m (£51m) buyout clause in his contract.

Solskjaer will be gutted

Trippier has established himself as a top-class right-back in recent years following a string of impressive performances for both Tottenham Hotspur and Atletico Madrid.

The technically gifted workhorse has also made a name for himself on the international stage, scoring in England’s World Cup semi-final defeat against Croatia and catching the eye of the Three Lions boss Gareth Southgate.

“His quality on the ball is outstanding,” said Southgate following a pre-World Cup friendly against Nigeria back in 2018.

“There were two set-plays, the one just before the goal – a free-kick bang on the money – then the corner for Gary. It was a great delivery. But we also know his quality on the ball when he’s in the final third.

“Kieran has outstanding quality, and that kind of profile in that position is very important.”

Therefore, Solskjaer is likely to be gutted at this latest revelation. While Wan-Bissaka’s defensive qualities are unquestionable, the former Crystal Palace gem struggles with the attacking aspect of his game.

In the modern era, full-backs are judged on their attacking output as much as the one in and around their own penalty area, meaning Trippier would have been a very useful alternative option for the Norwegian tactician this season.

The Euro 2020 finalist would’ve been an ideal option to offer healthy competition to his fellow countryman at right-back and ultimately, that would have only helped push the club closer to their rivals in the title race this season.

As a result, Solskjaer could rue this development.

And, in other news…Ole must ruthlessly axe £7.2m-rated Man Utd flop this month, he’s been shocking 

The Celtic Way journalist Anthony Haggerty believes that Liverpool defender Ben Davies would “thrive” at Celtic.

According to the Daily Mail, Celtic manager Ange Postecoglou is keen on bringing the Reds centre-back to Glasgow this summer less than six months after he made the switch to Anfield on Deadline Day in January.

Davies was signed by Jurgen Klopp in a desperate attempt to solve some of Liverpool’s defensive problems after long-term injuries to Virgil van Dijk, Joe Gomez, and Joel Matip.

However, whilst the 25-year-old was on the bench on several occasions, the ex-Preston defender could leave Merseyside without playing a single minute during his short stay with Liverpool.

Celtic and then manager Neil Lennon were close to bringing Davies to Paradise back in the January window, but were pipped by Klopp’s team right at the last.

But with Davies still out of favour at Liverpool, the Hoops are looking to bring him to Parkhead on loan for the season as they try to bolster their defensive department.

And Haggerty told Football FanCast that the defender would be a success in Scotland:

“A player like Ben Davies, having not played so much at Liverpool, could come up here and thrive and enjoy it. The adulation you get up here is incredible. I think someone like Ben Davies could fit the bill for Celtic.”

An update has emerged on Everton target Angelo Fulgini, regarding Angers’ valuation of the midfielder.

What’s the talk?

According to The Daily Mail, Ligue 1 side Angers are prepared to cash in on Everton transfer target Angelo Fulgini and have placed a £12m price tag on his head.

The report claims that Everton, Monaco, Newcastle, Crystal Palace and Southampton are among the clubs showing an interest in the central midfielder.

Fans will be buzzing

Everton fans will be buzzing with this news as it seemingly increases the club’s chances of being able to get a deal over the line for Fulgini.

The report indicates that Angers are willing to cash in on him and that could allow the Toffees to swoop in and take advantage of their financial position to sign him, as the French said are said to need the funds.

Rafa Benitez will be looking to improve his squad ahead of next season and one area which could need strengthening is the midfielder. Andre Gomes played in 28 of the club’s 38 Premier League games last term and averaged a dismal WhoScored rating of 6.46. He made fewer than two tackles and interceptions per game, whilst only providing one chance created every other game.

This suggests that replacing him could be a smart move by Brands and Benitez ahead of the end of the window. Gomes has not been able to produce week-in-week-out in the Englush top-flight and it could be time for him to be axed from the club.

Fulgini, meanwhile, enjoyed a sublime season in Ligue 1 for Angers, averaging a fantastic WhoScored rating of 7.13 across 33 appearances. In those games, he managed seven goals and four assists from midfield – whilst also scoring three times in the cup.

This shows that he has been able to consistently deliver top-class performances, which is something Gomes has been unable to do for the Toffees.

The Frenchman could be an improvement on some of Everton’s current options and he has the quality to come in and replace the ex-Barcelona man.

For £12m, Fulgini could be a terrific bargain addition to the squad and provide Benitez with a higher standard of player in the midfield mix to compete with the likes of Allan, Doucoure and Tom Davies.

AND in other news, Brands must sanction bargain £12.8m deal for “terrific” beast, Everton need him…

The Athletic have dropped a worrying update on West Ham target Joe Worrall…

What’s the talk?

The Athletic’s Paul Taylor has dropped a concerning update for West Ham in their pursuit of Nottingham Forest centre-back Joe Worrall. The Hammers are reportedly keen on signing the English defender this summer, but he does not appear to be in any rush to leave the Championship outfit.

In a Q&A this week, Taylor revealed that Worrall is not demanding to leave Forest and the club will only cash in on him if the right offer comes in for his services. The Athletic reported earlier this summer that it would take a fee of £10m, paid largely upfront, to prize him away.

He said:

“A few weeks ago, the answer to this would have been a definite yes. Now it does not feel 100 per cent certain. You still get the sense that, if the right offer comes along, Forest will give serious thought to selling — but it would have to be the right offer.

They have already turned down offers for Brennan Johnson, although they were at a low level and the suggestion is that Joe Worrall is not kicking down doors demanding to be given the opportunity to move.”

Moyes will be gutted

David Moyes will be gutted by this latest update as it could negatively impact West Ham’s chances of being able to land Worrall this summer. If the Englishman is not willing to push for a transfer away from the City Ground then the Hammers will not be able to negotiate a better deal with Forest as they will be unable to use the threat of them keeping an unhappy player. This news seemingly shows Forest that they can keep Worrall at the club without him kicking up a fuss, which could allow them to be tough in negotiations.

The Hammers have an ageing group of central defenders at the club. Issa Diop is Moyes’ only option in that area of the pitch who is below the age of 29, with Angelo Ogbonna and Craig Dawson in their 30’s and Fabian Balbuena turning 30 next month. Therefore, signing a talented young centre-back, like Worrall, could be a shrewd piece of business by the club.

He only turned 24 back in January and could add some much-needed youth to the ranks. However, despite his young age, Rangers boss Steven Gerrard once hailed Worrall as a “leader” during his time on loan in Scotland and claimed that he will captain any team he plays for in the future.

He said:

“He will be a captain of whatever team he plays for.”

“He is a leader and he stepped up today.”

This goes some way to showing that Worrall has the mentality and quality to come into the London Stadium and be a good addition to Moyes’ squad and that is why the Scot will be disappointed by this update.

Hopefully, the situation changes between now and the end of the window and the club are able to snap him up for a reasonable price.

AND in other news, Moyes must act swiftly to land “explosive” goal machine, West Ham fans would love him…