Category Uncategorized

Manchester United’s hopes of securing a place in the semi-finals of the Europa League were dealt a big early blow in their second leg against Sevilla.

The Red Devils had been 2-0 up and cruising in the first leg at Old Trafford last week before a miracle from the visitors ensured the game ended all square on the night.

It was two moments of misfortune for Erik ten Hag’s men with both Tyrell Malacia and Harry Maguire scoring own goals.

Maguire’s was particularly bad as the ball ballooned off his rather large head before bouncing past a hapless David De Gea.

However, the Spanish stopper didn’t do his teammate many favours this time around as Sevilla took the lead in the tie for the first time.

What happened to Harry Maguire against Sevilla?

Just eight minutes into the second leg, Youssef En-Nesyri found the net to make it 1-0 after some rather comical defending from United.

De Gea had the ball at the back and then laid it into the feet of Maguire who was on the edge of the area.

However, the England star was quickly caught out by not one, not two, but three players in white who helped to bully him off the ball.

The defender lost possession all too easily and the hosts were then left with a simple finish to open the scoring inside the Estadio Ramon Sanchez Pizjuan. Ten Hag, unsurprisingly, stood with a face like thunder on the touchline.

In truth, it was a typical Maguire moment, with the centre-back having been in the spotlight again of late having notably been dubbed a “walking disaster” by MEN’s Samuel Luckhurst during the win over Nottingham Forest last week.

His major mistake in Seville on Thursday understandably drew plenty of reaction from the football world, with the best of the reaction from Twitter below…

Manchester City manager Pep Guardiola is urging Etihad officials to sign RB Leipzig defender Josko Gvardiol this summer, Football Insider report.

What’s the latest on Man City and Gvardiol?

It could well be a busy summer for City chiefs, with a new midfielder possibly on the agenda to replace Ilkay Gundogan. The German is out of contract in Manchester at the end of the season and has reportedly held talks with Barcelona. City have Bundesliga duo Jude Bellingham and Florian Wirtz as potential replacements for Gundogan, and it appears as if a new centre-back is of interest as well.

The club are willing to sell Aymeric Laporte after falling out of favour under Guardiola, with the City boss seemingly identifying his top defensive target. Football Insider provided a Manchester City update they have heard regarding Gvardiol in the last 48 hours, revealing that Guardiola is a big fan of the player and has personally urged the club to sign the centre-back.

Chelsea and Real Madrid are also interested in Gvardiol, who will have a £97m release clause in his deal from 2024. As a result, there could be a rush to secure the player’s services this summer.

Has Guardiola already laid the groundwork?

Guardiola had the chance to watch Gvardiol in action in Manchester City’s last 16 Champions League tie with Leipzig, with the 21-year-old scoring a first-leg equaliser in Germany. The player admitted that he had a conversation with the City boss after the second leg in Manchester but refused to go into detail, saying:

"I extended my hand to Guardiola and congratulated him on advancing in the Champions League. Guardiola, a great coach, threw a few words at me, but I will keep them to myself."

Therefore, Guardiola may have already laid the groundwork and hinted to the player over a potential summer move to the Etihad.

The left-footed centre-back recently starred at the 2022 World Cup in Qatar for Croatia and has been called 'sensational' by members of the media. Former midfielder and pundit Owen Hargreaves has also declared that Gvardiol will be "the best centre-back in the world one day", which highlights his potential, which he may end up fulfilling in Manchester.

Should Laporte depart as speculated, Gvardiol could prove to be a brilliant long-term replacement, looking to establish himself as a regular ahead of the likes of Ruben Dias, Nathan Ake, John Stones and Manuel Akanji.

West Ham's summer of 2022 is quickly looking like one to forget from a transfer perspective.

The likes of Maxwel Cornet, Gianluca Scamacca and Thilo Kehrer have failed to live up to expectations at the London Stadium, due to various problems with injuries, fitness and poor form.

However, David Moyes' worst signing looks to have been Flynn Downes, as the midfielder has barely featured since his move from Swansea City.

Should West Ham ditch Flynn Downes?

The Hammers confirmed the signing of Downes in July 2022, with the 24-year-old joining for £12m having been a regular for Russell Martin's side in the Championship the season prior.

Downes had only joined the Swans in the summer of 2021, having progressed through Ipswich Town's academy, where he would make 99 appearances in total, contributing three goals and four assists.

It was something of a gamble by the Hammers to invest so heavily in a player that arguably wasn't pulling up any trees in the second tier, as he managed just one goal and two assists in 37 league appearances last season, averaging a disappointing 6.59 rating from WhoScored for his performances.

It is perhaps no surprise that he has struggled with the transition to the Premier League, making just four starts so far this campaign, with Moyes understandably preferring a midfield trio of Lucas Paqueta, Declan Rice and Tomas Soucek.

It says a lot that even with the Hammers languishing just above the relegation spots, Moyes has barely turned to Downes in this tumultuous campaign, with 393 minutes of Premier League action under his belt.

The Scottish manager made it clear that he was disappointed with the Englishman's impact earlier in the season, saying:

“The things I’ve seen of him, he needs to do better and we’re already [working at that] but we’ll get him a game when we can. All the players have to earn it and I have to find a way of winning most of the games.

“If it takes me putting the better players out to win, well I want to win. I’m not putting the boys out just to lose and say ‘I’m giving them a game.’ I want to win the games.”

If Downes were a young prospect who looked to have a bright future, then perhaps the attitude towards him would be different, but the reality is that he is a 24-year-old with plenty of experience in the lower leagues, and he wasn't cheap at £12m.

The £25k-per-week midfielder has to show a lot more at the London Stadium, otherwise, Moyes will surely soon be forced to get rid before his West Ham career has really even begun.

Chelsea's expansive Cobham academy has unearthed its fair share of talent over the years, but with such a steady flow of budding potential, several gems have slipped through before the club could tie them down to professional deals.

And none more regrettable than West Ham United phenom Declan Rice, who has forged his way into eminent standing on the Premier League scene and been instrumental in the Irons' ascension to European endeavours over the past few seasons.

Why did Declan Rice leave Chelsea?

Rice had spent much of his formative years earning his stripes among the academy ranks in west London, but, according to The Athletic, was released at just 14-years-old after concerns that his lack of physicality and vacillation from the coaches on where the young starlet's best position would be; indecisiveness and a heavy influx off players, resulting in his bitter termination.

Following a youth stint with Fulham, Rice found a home with West Ham where he earned his professional breakthrough and remains to this day.

Now 24 years old, the 39-cap England international has made 225 appearances for his east London outfit and scored 12 goals and assists apiece, and given the Hammers' qualification for Europe in both of the past two seasons, the club's rise to eminence coinciding with the emergence of the “monster” – as dubbed by ESPN’s David Cartlidge – comes as little surprise.

How much is Rice worth now?

How Chelsea must rue their decision.

Earlier this season, the £60k-per-week machine sent shockwaves through David Moyes' team by confirming to the club that he wishes to depart at the end of the season, hoping to taste coveted Champions League football for the very first time, and given his pedigree, his hopes of reaching the very top are probably justified, given the years he has devoted to ensuring West Ham return to the upper end of the Premier League.

Many of England's top outfits have expressed an interest, and among those Chelsea, who have reportedly been mulling over a move to complete their midfield with a superlative and iron-clad anchor, with his outfit demanding £100m to grudgingly grant his departure, although a fee of £70m now appears a more realistic proposition.

Hailed a "force of nature" by journalist Rob Blanchette, Rice could be the perfect cog to get the Stamford Bridge outfit whirring, with the Blues currently languishing in tenth place in the English top-flight and beset with a startling fall from grace.

As per FBref, the 6 foot 1 ace ranks among the top 7% of midfielders in Europe's top five leagues for pass completion, 11% for progressive passes, 11% for progressive carries and 5% for interceptions per 90, illustrating his refined scope and assurance as one of Europe's foremost industrious central engines.

Given Blues owner Todd Boehly has spent more than £550m on new signings since taking a seat at the head of Stamford Bridge's table last year, it would not come as a surprise to anyone if a formal offer were to be lodged.

But considering transfer funds needn't have been a discussion in the first place, had he just been granted time to continue his development and channel his ability into what it is at present, there will be an unequivocal and unanimous acceptance that the club had a nightmare on this particular prodigy.

Phil Hay has been speaking about the frustrations growing in and around Leeds United and the club’s fanbase due to the Whites’ prolonged managerial search.

The Lowdown: Leeds struggling to make an appointment

When Leeds decided to pull the plug on Jesse Marsch’s time at Elland Road, it would’ve made sense that they had someone lined up and ready to take the reins, but they are instead scrambling around for a new appointment over a week later.

The Whites now have just a few days until they travel to Everton in what will be seen as a must-win relegation six-pointer, but fans may not be too confident if they are still managerless.

Amid numerous difficulties in getting in the likes of Arne Slot, Andoni Iraola and Alfred Schreuder, it’s no surprise that there is a sense of frustration now growing at Leeds and amongst the supporters.

The Latest: Fans starting to get frustrated

Given how many managers Leeds have been linked with since sacking Marsch, it appears that fans are losing faith in the board to make the right choice.

Hay told The Phil Hay Show: “I do think there’s been growing dissatisfaction with the direction the club have been going in for the last year – there’s no doubt about that. And it goes back a little bit further than that as well, really to the start of Bielsa’s last season when you could feel the steam going out of the club’s impetus and the momentum that they’d built up in the previous three years under him.

“And I think there is frustration with the hierarchy, without a doubt frustration with the hierarchy. And I think there probably will be a certain shortage of trust in them to get this right.”

[web_stories_embed url=”https://www.footballtransfertavern.com/web-stories/latest-leeds-united-updates-copy-2/” title=”Latest Leeds United updates (Copy)” poster=”https://www.footballtransfertavern.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/04/cropped-2022-03-10T184055Z_1834933207_UP1EI3A1FW561_RTRMADP_3_SOCCER-ENGLAND-LEE-AVA-REPORT-1-scaled-1.jpg” width=”360″ height=”600″ align=”none”]

The Verdict: Orta can’t afford to get this wrong

Jesse Marsch was certainly a Victor Orta-led appointment that failed to materialise into anything close to success, and it has left the Whites perilously close to dropping back into the Championship after narrowly avoiding that fate last term.

Therefore, Orta simply can’t take too big of a gamble this time around. He must bring in a manager with safe hands and the capability to guide Leeds away from the bottom three, or it could be a disaster come May.

That’s not just for Leeds’s sake, but for Orta himself, as he would otherwise have made two unsuccessful managerial appointments in a row – which may even spell the end of his own tenure at Elland Road, so this is certainly a crucial period in Leeds’ recent history.

Celtic boss Ange Postecoglou wants to pair a right-footed centre-back with a left-footed one, according to Anthony Joseph.

The Lowdown: Centre-back conundrum

Postecoglou has been relieved to have been able to call on the reliable partnership of Cameron Carter-Vickers and Carl Starfelt at centre-back after fielding inconsistent pairings at the beginning of the season.

His 90-minute display against Livingston made it ten out of 11 starts at centre-back for Starfelt who only made three SPFL appearances in the opening 13 SPFL games, mainly due to injury, seeing him emerge as the American’s consistent partner.

However, Postecoglou opted to bring in centre-back Yuki Kobayashi from J-League side Vissel Kobe in January, with the deal confirmed in November (Sky Sports), adding another option to the backline.

The Latest: Joseph’s comments

Speaking on The Celtic Exchange, Sky Sports News journalist Joseph claimed that Postecoglou is looking to partner a left-footed option with a right-footed option at centre-back.

With Starfelt and Carter-Vickers both right-footed players and Kobayashi being an in-demand left-footed defender, there may come a change in the middle of defence, Joseph said:

(8:05) “Celtic play ridiculous amounts of games, so if you’ve got three main centre-backs, I think you ideally want four but I think you can see that it’s hard to keep four happy with what’s happened with (Moritz) Jenz and (Stephen) Welsh also looking for first team appearances elsewhere as well.”

“He was definitely looking for a left-sided centre back and will he replace Starfelt immediately? I’m not sure.”

“I think when you’re playing with inverted fullbacks which they have done most of the time, you kind of want your centre-backs to be left-sided and right-sided so if you’ve got a left-footed centre-back they can cover those wider areas which they quite often do when your left backs and right backs are so high up the pitch.”

The Verdict: Switch to Kobayashi?

Left-footed centre-backs are quickly becoming gold dust in football with Manchester United shelling out £56.7m (via Sky Sports) to sign Lisandro Martinez to add a left-footed option to their ranks, a prime example of how they’re quickly becoming key additions to teams.

Kobayashi would prove that but he’s so far had to bide his time given Starfelt’s and Carter-Vickers’ partnership proving fruitful, but giving the 22-year-old time to adjust to Scottish football, he will likely put pressure on the pair very soon.

With Carter-Vickers captaining the side for eleven games so far this season, it looks as this his place may be more assured but in his absence against St Mirren, Kobayashi partnered the Sweden international as the Bhoys ran out 4-0 winners proving their credentials together and potentially giving their manager a big decision to make soon.

Aston Villa are reportedly set to complete their first, and potentially only, big sale of the January transfer window as Danny Ings closes in on an exit from the club.

The former Southampton centre-forward is said to be on the verge of securing a transfer to fellow Premier League side West Ham for a fee of £15m.

It remains to be seen whether or not Unai Emery will be eyeing up a deal to sign a direct replacement for the English number nine but there is one position in which the Spaniard does want to make an addition.

The Times’ Charlotte Duncker has revealed that the Villans are in the market to improve their options out wide after bringing in Jhon Duran from Chicago Fire.

She Tweeted: “A right winger, which Emery has identified as a position they need to strengthen, still needed with Duran a centre-forward. Ings’ goal contributions will be a miss but #avfc had the chance to get around £15m for a player who isn’t in Emery’s long-term plans.”

Villa must now swoop to sign Villarreal winger Arnaut Danjuma to fill that gap in the squad as the Netherlands international has the potential to be an excellent addition to the team.

The Spanish outfit have given the forward permission to speak with interested clubs as they are willing to sanction a loan move for the second half of the campaign.

When asked about a possible move to Villa Park for the attacker, journalist Ryan Taylor told GIVEMESPORT:

“I don’t think there has been interest from Villa, whenever I’ve asked a question, it’s been shot down, but obviously, we know how good Danjuma was under Emery last year at Villarreal. So, hypothetically, that’s an avenue that could be explored.”

Emery must now explore a deal to sign the Dutchman as the pair worked well together in Spain and the forward could thrive under his management in the Premier League.

During their time at Villarreal, Danjuma, who journalist Casey Evans claimed is capable of conjuring “pure magic”, plundered 19 goals and four assists in 43 appearances in all competitions and this means that the winger averaged a goal contribution every 1.87 matches.

The former Bournemouth dynamo scored 16 times and assisted four in 27 starts in La Liga and the Champions League last season, averaging a goal involvement every 1.35 starts, and has, therefore, proven that he can make a big impact at the top end of the pitch whilst playing in Emery’s system.

Meanwhile, no Villa midfielder or winger managed more than six goals, or six assists, in the Premier League in 2021/22, something that indicates that Danjuma could be a big upgrade on the manager’s current options in those positions, which is why they must explore a deal to sign him.

Manchester City are reportedly considering a move for Arsenal centre-back Ben White and the England international could be the next John Stones in Pep Guardiola’s side.

According to CalcioMercato, City are in the market for another defensive signing in 2023 and White features alongside RB Leipzig star Josko Gvardiol on a two-man shortlist.

Given that Arsenal only signed the former Brighton and Hove Albion gem in 2021 for a fee of £50m, it would no doubt represent a huge deal for the Citizens if they were to prise him away from the Emirates this year, especially considering that the two sides are competing for the Premier League title this season.

While it might prove a difficult deal for City to do, White’s performances as both a right-back and a centre-back in Mikel Arteta’s side in recent seasons have been very impressive, with the 25-year-old earning a strong 6.92 rating from WhoScored for his performances in the top flight so far this campaign.

This ranks him ahead of all of City’s central defensive options according to WhoScored, so it is clear the quality that he could add at the Etihad should he join Guardiola’s side in the near future.

Should he complete a move to City, he could potentially emulate John Stones, who has established himself as one of the best in the league since his £47.5m switch to the Etihad in 2016.

Stones made a name for himself in the lower divisions, starting out at Barnsley before his move to Goodison Park, while White also impressed in the lower leagues on loan with Newport County, Peterborough United and crucially Leeds United, with whom he won promotion to the top flight in 2020.

Although he has featured mainly as a right-back this season, his performances at centre-back previously suggest he could be a big success under Guardiola.

Pundit Jamie Redknapp was full of praise for the young defender on Sky Sports ahead of his England debut in 2022. He said (via football.london):

“Ben’s form for Arsenal has been fantastic. He’s really formed a good partnership at the back, you know, probably the best they’ve had for a long time at Arsenal.”

Like Stones, White is very much a modern defender who excels in possession, with FBref ranking him in the top 10% of centre-backs when it comes to progressive passes and shot-creating actions per 90.

Given the similarities between the two, and Stones’ obvious success at City in his six-year stay, director of football Txiki Begiristain would do very well to bring the Arsenal star to the Etihad this year.

Leeds United have been handed a second chance to sign a highly-rated target…

What’s the latest?

That’s according to Italian transfer guru Fabrizio Romano, who took to Twitter to issue an update on Nicolas Raskin.

The 21-year-old had been a Whites target over the summer, however, a move never materialised.

Given the recent update from the renowned journalist, it could now be a perfect time to reignite that interest.

“Nicolas Raskin, one to watch as talks on new deal with Standard collapsed: he has been sent to 2nd squad. He’s disappointed, wanted a smart solution for all parties,” he tweeted.

“Raskin, 2001 talented midfielder out of contract in June: UK, French, Italian, German clubs are tracking him.”

Phillips replacement

Although Tyler Adams and Marc Roca were both billed as replacements for Kalvin Phillips, it seems neither of them truly fit the mould of this young midfielder.

Having been profiled by journalist Bob Faesen, he wrote the following on the stalwart:

“He has really shone. He is a box-to-box midfielder. He can play in every position in the middle of the park. He is technically gifted, but he is also a bit of a pitbull. 

“He can run a lot, is powerful and has a good shot. He has been one of the big surprises in Belgium football this season and will be a key player for Liege.”

This admittedly could be describing Phillips during his prime at Elland Road, where he made a name for himself for his combative yet classy displays.

In his final injury-fee season at the Yorkshire outfit, he averaged a 7.21 rating upheld by his 85% pass accuracy and 2.6 tackles per game, as per via Sofascore.

Despite his youth, Raskin already boasts 96 appearances for the Standard Liege first team. He has become something of a creative presence this season too, having recorded five goal contributions across his 17 league games.

The Belgian dynamo pairs this with 3.3 tackles per game and an 84% pass accuracy, which culminates in his 7.01 average rating this season, via Sofascore.

For his age, he has already shown his dominance over his current league. Raskin has more than earned his big move, and with his availability now made apparent it could be the perfect time for current manager Jesse Marsch to strike.

It was clear that replacing Phillips was of the utmost importance to the American over the summer, but now they could be handed his long-term successor for a cut price.

Everton have gained a reputation for transfer disasters since Farhad Moshiri became the majority stakeholder at Goodison Park, but it is clear that Frank Lampard is keen to rectify the poor decisions of the past since his arrival in January.

Indeed, the Toffees signed eight new players in the summer but they also got rid of a lot of the deadwood either on a loan deal or permanent move away from the club and it remains to be seen whether the club have done enough to improve Everton’s fate in the Premier League after a difficult relegation scrap last season.

In the summer there were several players sent packing including Allan, Cenk Tosun, Dele Alli, Andre Gomes and Jean-Philippe Gbamin, and now the club must continue their pursuit to rebuild and redevelop the squad.

One of the players who was sent out on loan and could return to the club at the end of the season is Portuguese midfielder Gomes and has been recently lavished with praise for his performances over the last few months with OSC Lille.

French news outlet Le11 has dubbed the Everton player ‘outstanding’ and ‘perfect’ in a review of his loan spell at the Ligue One club so far and there is not doubt his performances have been good.

Over nine appearances, the 29-year-old – who was once dubbed a “walking red card” by The Athletic’s Greg O’Keeffe – has successfully completed 60% of his dribbles and tallied up an 85% pass completion rate, as well as averaging 1.7 tackles, one clearance and 3.7 duels won per game.

Gomes felt out of favour on Merseyside after failing to impress the former Chelsea boss when he arrived at the club in January and it became clear in the summer when Lampard signed James Garner, Amadou Onana and Idrissa Gana Gueye that the player is no longer in his plans.

Whilst Gomes’ performances have improved the powers at Goodison Park can seize the opportunity to earn some much-needed transfer funds for the January transfer window ahead, meaning that Lampard can finally ditch the player and reinvest any money made in fresh talent for the team.