All posts by z3u9t.icu

Liverpool currently have a solid selection of midfield options in their squad such as Jordan Henderson, Fabinho, Thiago Alcantara, Naby Keita, Curtis Jones, James Milner, and Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain.

However, it seems as though the Merseyside club have their eyes on a new addition for that role.

What’s the news?

It has recently been reported by Spanish media outlet El Nacional (via Liverpool Echo) that Liverpool are apparently interested in signing Barcelona’s 17-year-old midfielder Gavi at some point in the future.

Gavi, who is a product of Barcelona’s youth academy, made his senior debut for the club back in August in a 2-1 La Liga win over Getafe.

Since then, the midfielder has made seven appearances for Ronald Koeman’s side across all competitions this season in which he has played in a number of positions across the pitch such as central-midfield, left-wing, right-wing, left-midfield and attacking midfield, showing just how versatile he is at such a young age.

In addition to making his debut at club level, Gavi recently made his debut for the Spanish national team in their recent 2-1 win over Italy in the semi-final of the UEFA Nations League.

After his performance in the win against Italy, Spain head coach Luis Enrique said Gavi’s performance was “fantastic” and the he is “something exceptional.”

Taking all of this into account, it’s easy to see why Liverpool have been mentioned with a potential move with the young star.

Future Red?

If Liverpool were to sign Gavi at some point in the near future, we feel he could well go onto be a long-term option for the Reds, given his age and perhaps take over from Henderson if he ends up leaving the club when the new four-year contract he signed over the summer runs out in 2025, which could therefore allow Gavi to take a more prominent role in the team should he make the move to Anfield at any point before then.

However, it would be understandable for Barcelona to be reluctant to potentially sell their youth star after only just making his breakthrough in their team.

On the other hand, given the widely reported financial issues at the Spanish club at the moment, there could be a situation where cashing in on a player like Gavi could be the best option for Barcelona if a club such as Liverpool were willing to come in and pay a significant transfer fee for him.

In our view, if Liverpool are interested in signing Gavi, they should probably wait until the next summer transfer window at the earliest before approaching Barcelona so they can have a better idea of the player he can develop into based on what he does throughout the remainder of this season.

In other news: £180k-p/w Liverpool “problem” sees his value crash £45m in nearly 2 years under Klopp – opinion 

Arsenal are yet to sign anyone in the January transfer window, but that could soon change…

What’s the word?

According to reliable Daily Express journalist Ryan Taylor, those around the Emirates Stadium should expect something to happen before Monday night’s deadline.

“Expecting movement at Arsenal in coming days,” he tweeted following Calum Chambers’ exit to Aston Villa on Thursday.

Worryingly thin

Gunners boss Mikel Arteta has been left hugely light on options heading into the second half of the season as the English defender’s departure was their fifth of the window so far.

The north London outfit saw a game postponed earlier this month due to the lack of players available, yet they continue to let the bulk of their backups leave the club.

Players like Chambers, Sead Kolasinac and Ainsley Maitland-Niles aren’t going to set the starting XI alight but one or two injuries would’ve seen them required and they would’ve certainly done a solid job.

Elsewhere, Arsenal’s attempts to bring in new additions has been frustrating as they continue to miss out on targets. For instance, the club were prepared to splash out on the highly-coveted Dusan Vlahovic but he has instead opted to join Serie A giants Juventus.

It also appears as if another target in Real Sociedad striker Alexander Isak isn’t keen on a move to the Emirates Stadium either, as per transfer insider Dean Jones.

The Gunners are running out of time to bolster Arteta’s playing squad and a new striker has to be among the priorities given the uncertainty surrounding Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang, Alexandre Lacazette and Eddie Nketiah.

However, Taylor’s latest claim should provide worried Arsenal supporters with some encouragement heading into Monday night. They have left it late but the belief that there should be some business completed is certainly exciting to hear.

AND in other news, Arsenal eye “phenomenal” £25m dynamo with “quick feet”, he’s shades of Thierry Henry…

Journalist Ekrem Konur has revealed that Serge Aurier has been offered to Arsenal despite only leaving rivals Tottenham Hotspur three days ago.

The Lowdown: All change at N17

Aurier departed Spurs on transfer deadline day following the arrival of Emerson Royal from Barcelona, leaving the former-PSG man third choice in Nuno Espirito Santo’s side.

The right-back hadn’t featured for the north London outfit since their 3-1 defeat at Leeds United in May and has found minutes hard to come by at the start of the 2021/22 season, with Nuno choosing to go with Japhet Tanganga in all three of their opening league games.

Following his release, Aurier is now free to move to a new club and Arsenal could be a likely destination for the 28-year-old given their troublesome start to the campaign.

The latest: Talks can begin

Konur stated on his Twitter that Aurier ‘has been offered to Arsenal’ and the Gunners can ‘start talks with the player’, despite Tuesday’s deadline.

After loaning Hector Bellerin out to Real Betis, Arsenal have only Cedric Soares to play at right-back, with Calum Chambers filling in when required.

The journalist’s claim that the former-Spurs man has been offered to Arsenal, after making over 100 appearances for the Lillywhites, will come as a shock to both sets of fans in north London.

The verdict: Short-term solution

The potential arrival of Aurier at the Emirates Stadium is a quick fix for Mikel Arteta’s side, who have leaked nine goals in their opening three games and sit bottom of the table.

Since his arrival from Southampton, Cedric has failed to add that security needed whilst Chambers’ best position is at centre-half.

With Bellerin’s departure confirmed, the arrival of Aurier would add experience and quality to a struggling backline for the North London side.

And while the former PSG man may be an upgrade on the current options available to Arteta, Spurs fans would surely enjoy seeing their cast-offs brought in to rescue Arsenal’s perilous early season form.

Crystal Palace have had a £5m offer for Watford midfielder Will Hughes rejected, according to The Sun (August 17, page 51), cited by CPFC Transfers HQ on Twitter.

And, as to be expected, a number of Palace fans have been reacting to the development on social media.

The 26-year-old is into the final 12 months of his Vicarage Road contract and has rejected a new five-year deal with the Hornets earlier this summer.

It is thought that the central midfielder’s representatives are actively looking at alternative options, with Hughes demoted to the club’s Under-23s last month.

The Eagles want a midfielder and two forwards between now and the end of the month to bolster Patrick Vieira’s squad, and it appears as if they have firmed up their interest in Hughes.

Palace have had an opening offer of £5m turned down but have no intention of increasing their bid, with the report claiming Watford are holding out for £12m.

Palace fans react

@CPFCtransfersHQ shared the development regarding Hughes on social media on Tuesday morning.

This is what these Eagles supporters had to say in reply…

“That asking price will fall. We’ll get him on deadline day for £8m, he’s in the final year of his deal.”Credit: @liamb0117″Yup this is 100% a deadline day deal”Credit: @DrizzyCPFC”If we spend £12m on Will Hughes after not spending a little extra on Armstrong I will be fuming. Look elsewhere please. A midfielder is not top priority, and he doesn’t drastically transform our midfield anyway.”Credit: @Nick_CPFC”pay the 12m”Credit: @Mattyyyyy10″No thanks”Credit: @palacejoe_”Come back to him in a week. Lookman is waiting”Credit: @Sumo08112

In other news: ‘Exactly what we’re crying out for’ – Many CPFC fans react as ‘great’ transfer news is confirmed. 

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According to West Ham insider ExWHUemployee on Twitter, Middlesbrough are keen to make West Ham striker Jordan Hugill’s stay at the Riverside Stadium permanent, with the fee believed to be between £6m-£7m.

The former Preston North End hitman joined the Hammers last January but played just 22 minutes of Premier League football, according to Transfermarkt, before securing a loan move to Boro in the summer – things are looking up for the 26-year-old now, though, as he finds his shooting boots again in the Championship.

With seven goals and an assist to his name in all competitions, the local boy is proving a good signing for Tony Pulis’ side but, with Lucas Perez having moved to the London Stadium in the summer and a deal for Maxi Gomez reportedly almost complete, as per Sky Sports, Hugill’s career in claret and blue may already be over.

Having commanded a fee of £10m a year ago, according to the BBC, West Ham stand to lose out on the centre-forward if the mentioned price is deemed good enough, however they have a plethora of striking options available so it makes sense to lighten the wage bill if possible.

Here’s how Irons fans reacted to the news on Twitter – it’s fair to say they wouldn’t feel too aggrieved by the departure…

Who is West Ham’s worst ever signing? Check out the video above for a pretty strong candidate for the dubious honour…

Many Everton fans have been left buzzing as some news emerged on their proposed new stadium at Bramley-Moore Dock.

A video has now been shared on the official Twitter page of the Goodison Park faithful, which showed and explained the starting process of building the new ground, speaking to the principle engineer responsible for its construction.

As shared by the Merseyside club’s website, sand dredged from the Irish Sea is now being pumped into Bramley-Moore Dock as construction begins on building the new stadium.

Just watching the footage and reading up on the information has made it all so real for several Toffees supporters, who have been left very excited by the starting of the construction.

Still, there is a long way to go until the process is complete, but it is certainly good to see that construction has begun on their new home.

Everton fans on Bramley-Moore Dock news

These Blues were left buzzing as the video was shared on Twitter, with one EFC fan even going as far as to claim that it was ‘massive’:

“Massive step”

Credit: @D_Hart11

“Fascinating and worthy of a @SmithsonianChan doc. Let’s get that done.”

Credit: @WiscoMorty

“This is genuinely insane, the intelligence of the people orchestrating this is mind-boggling! On another level this project mate.”

Credit: @KevTweet13

“Love this”

Credit: @SavEliiz2014

“Can’t wait for this”

Credit: @ARobbo17

“Great stuff!!”

Credit: @CathyMcAlle

In other news, find out what club news has Evertonians gushing here!

An update has emerged on Newcastle’s pursuit of Lyon beast Lucas Paqueta ahead of the January transfer window…

What’s the talk?

According to Le10 Sport, the Magpies have placed a £34m (€40m) bid for the Brazilian gem and are willing to go higher if needed.

The report claims that the midfielder has turned down the chance to sign for them as it stands, but does not rule out an attempt from the Premier League side to change his mind.

He only signed for the French club around 18 months ago in a deal worth £19m.

New era

Newcastle could start their new era under PIF’s ownership with a bang by tempting him to make a U-turn on his decision next month.

The 24-year-old midfielder has been in sensational form for Lyon in France and his arrival could provide a major lift to the squad, both in terms of his ability and what he could bring on the pitch and the PR his move would provide the club.

He is a player who is currently excelling in Ligue 1 and convincing him to join a relegation battle could be a signal of intent that convinces others to make a similar switch.

He has averaged a sublime SofaScore rating of 7.17 for this season, producing six goals and three assists in 16 league matches whilst also making 2.1 tackles per game. This comes after he averaged the same score last term, bagging nine goals and providing five assists in 30 appearances in Ligue 1.

The manager of Brazil – Tite – previously compared him to two other players from his country, saying: “Lucas thinks about football in the same way as Neymar and Coutinho.

“When we played against El Salvador he had a series of exchanges with Neymar, practically without having seen him before and without playing together. They linked up with their eyes closed.”

Milan and Brazil icon Kaka has also been full of praise for Paqueta in the past. He said:

“He’s a player who has a bright future ahead of him. He’s already been called up to the Brazilian national team, but it’s better for him that we don’t make comparisons. I’ve seen so many of them in recent days, with me, with [Alexandre] Pato, with Ronaldinho, Cafu, Rivaldo… with all the Brazilians who have been part of Milan’s history.”

Meanwhile, talent scout Jacek Kulig went as far as to describe him as a “pure joy to watch” earlier this year.

This highlights the pedigree he would arrive with, whilst his statistics for Lyon show that he is putting in the performances to warrant the hype.

Therefore, his arrival could kickstart the PIF era with a bang as he would surely have a huge impact on the pitch with his consistently excellent displays in midfield and he could be the trailblazer in terms of high-profile names making their way to the Toon.

AND in other news, Move over Ashworth: NUFC must consider “irate” DoF whose “behaviour’s been a disgrace”…

The Liverpool Echo journalist Adam Jones was left hailing Alex Iwobi for his display as Everton beat Manchester United 1-0 at home in the Premier League.

The Lowdown: Huge win

The win and three points for the Merseyside club at Goodison Park are simply huge for their chances of avoiding relegation down to the Championship.

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It has moved Frank Lampard’s team four points clear of Burnley in 18th place in the table, with just eight games for them left to play.

The Latest: Iwobi hailed

Taking to Twitter, Jones was left hailing Iwobi’s performance, in particular the energy and hard work that he showed on the pitch:

“Alex Iwobi’s energy today, absolutely fantastic.

“He’s a changed man under Lampard in terms of that off-the-ball work, I’d argue.”

The Verdict: Big shift

Iwobi certainly put in a big shift for his side, as the winger once again played in an unnatural position in the centre of midfield.

However, he did not disappoint, especially defensively, as he won three of his duels, and also made two interceptions, one clearance and one tackle (SofaScore).

Iwobi also made one key pass and successful dribble (SofaScore), in an overall display that surely would have pleased the Toffees supporters, as well as Lampard.

Nonetheless, the Nigeria international now needs to keep up this level of performance for the rest of the season, as the Blues look to get themselves out of trouble.

In other news, find out what big EFC update this transfer insider has now ‘heard’ here!

Giovanni van Bronckhorst is reportedly leading the race to be named the new manager of Rangers following Steven Gerrard’s departure from Ibrox to Aston Villa last week.

According to The Athletic, discussions are ongoing between the two parties as the Dutchman attempts to piece together a backroom staff, as the ex-Liverpool man left alongside a number of key staff members.

If appointed, van Bronckhorst will be thrown in at the deep end as Rangers look to compete in the domestic cups, Premiership and Europa League in the coming months.

Save millions

He could also have key decisions to make when it comes to transfers. One call he could make in the January transfer window is to recall forward Cedric Itten from his loan spell with Greuther Furth in Germany.

Ianis Hagi and Alfredo Morelos have both been linked with Ibrox exits in recent months and Ross Wilson could need to dip into the transfer market to replace them if moves materialise.

However, van Bronckhorst could save the Gers chief plenty of cash by unleashing Itten and attempting to get the best out of him in Glasgow instead of splashing out on fresh additions to the squad.

The Swiss international was sent out on loan to Furth in the Bundesliga in the summer and has shown signs of promise for the German side. He has scored two goals in eight league appearances, starting six, and won 28 aerial battles, averaging 3.5 per game.

This highlights the physical quality he offers at the top end of the pitch, whilst also showing that he can score goals in one of Europe’s top divisions.

Switzerland under-21 boss Mauro Lustrinelli previously hailed Itten’s strength and work rate on the pitch. He said:

“Itten is a player with incredible physical strength and a great mentality.

“He proved to have a great mentality and personality. He worked a lot and never gave up.

“Cedric is very quiet and intelligent but on the pitch, he changes completely; he fights for every ball, giving everything for the team.”

This aligns with his impressive aerial success with Furth and shows the qualities van Bronckhorst could get from him.

The Dutch manager could bring him in from the cold over in Germany and reintegrate him into his side to unlock his full potential. His statistics in the Bundesliga suggest he has the quality to potentially be a key player for the Gers and the 46-year-old would surely come in and give him the confidence to hit his top form.

Therefore, the £14k-per-week beast who was once dubbed “superb” by Gerrard, could potentially end up saving Wilson and Rangers millions if van Bronckhorst is able to extract his quality and inject it into the XI at Ibrox.

If Itten is able to become a regular goalscorer for Rangers, as he was at St Gallen with 36 goals in 63 games, then they may not need to buy a replacement for Morelos, should he leave the club.

AND in other news, Deadline set: Report details Rangers manager timeline that’ll surely have fans excited…

Many Sunderland fans have been left buzzing over some news that has emerged involving Trai Hume.

As per the official website of the Stadium of Light faithful, they have now signed the youngster from Linfield for an undisclosed fee on a four-and-a-half-year deal, with the option of a further year.

He can play both at right-back and in midfield, and will now give Lee Johnson another handy option in his squad ahead of their promotion push.

Hume has previously been dubbed as one of the hottest properties in the Irish League, and had scored three goals and made a further two assists from 17 games this season (Transfermarkt) before moving to the North East.

Nonetheless, at just 19 years of age, he is no doubt an exciting prospect, and one that can Johnson can now integrate into his team.

Sunderland fans on Hume transfer news

These Black Cats buzzed as the transfer news was shared on Twitter, with one SAFC supporter claiming that they were ‘delighted’ while another even went as far as to say that he will be a ‘cracking signing’:

“Yes lads, this fella’s going to be a cracking signing for us.”

Credit: @stuorr

“Delighted with this, people only seem to have positive things to say about both his ability and attitude. Welcome on board kidda, go make yourself a legend!!!”

Credit: @Blackcatlife197

“5 and a half years essentially. Love to see it.”

Credit: @adamguest

“I love you”

Credit: @1879Fans

“Get in!”

Credit: @GazJFisher

“Things you love to see”

Credit: @callumwoodley2

In other news, find out what fresh injury update Johnson has dropped here!