Category Uncategorized

After securing their first Premier League win of the season over the weekend with a 1-0 victory against Leeds United, Southampton have another big game on the horizon with Burnley making the trip to St. Mary’s to try and get their first win of the campaign.

Southampton are set to be without James Ward-Prowse as a result of the three-game ban he picked up during the Saints’ 3-1 defeat against Chelsea before the recent international break, as well as defender Jack Stephens after he picked up a serious knee injury during the club’s 0-0 draw against Manchester City.

Thus, Ralph Hasenhuttl will have to make do with the players he currently has at his disposal as they try and grab their second win of the season.

However, it seems as though there could be one positive thrown their way ahead of the match at the weekend that could be a big boost for the team.

What’s the latest?

Saints midfielder Will Smallbone recently played the full 90 minutes of Southampton’s U23 match against Wolves, the first time he has done so since he damaged his ACL back in January.

As a product of Southampton’s youth academy, Smallbone made his senior debut for the Saints back in January 2020 during a 2-0 win over Huddersfield Town in the FA Cup after working his way through their youth teams.

Specifically, the 21-year-old, who is currently valued at £1.8m according to Transfermarkt, has made 52 appearances for the U18 side, scoring six goals and providing seven assists, 41 appearances for Southampton’s B side, scoring seven goals and providing five assists along the way.

Smallbone also has 13 senior appearances under his belt, scoring once and adding two assists to his career tally, showing he is a very useful midfielder in terms of creating and scoring goals.

This also highlights just how devastating the injury he suffered was given how promising he’d become for the club beforehand.

Taking all of this into account, we feel that it would be massive, not just for Smallbone, but for the Southampton fans who would be thrilled to see him potentially get back on the pitch, especially considering how long he was out of action for.

Looking ahead to the Burnley match, if Smallbone is fully fit enough to play a part in the game against Sean Dyche’s side, we feel that it would be good for him to get some time on the pitch, but not too much considering the severity of his injury so it would therefore probably be best for Hasenhuttl to gently ease him back into it rather than throw him in from the start.

In other news: Signed for £5m, now worth £22.5m, Saints hit the jackpot with “important” club beast – opinion

An update has emerged on Rangers managerial target Russell Martin, regarding his thoughts on a possible move to Ibrox.

What’s the talk?

According to The Athletic journalist Stuart James, the former Norwich and Gers player is ‘committed’ to his work in Wales with Swansea in the Championship.

He Tweeted: “Any interest in Russell Martin not surprising. But it’s understood that he’s totally committed to the work that he’s started at Swansea.”

Gutted

This update will surely leave Rangers fans feeling gutted as Martin could have been a shrewd appointment by Ross Wilson, given the work he has done with Swansea this season and his time with MK Dons before that.

He is in the early stages of his managerial career, much like Gerrard was, and has shown some promising signs as a budding coach.

As James claims that Martin is committed to his work at Swansea, he is also committed to his style of play and footballing values.

Whilst at MK Dons, the retired Scotland international made it clear that he was not going to give up on his attempts to play progressive football by building out from the back. He said:

“I’m all in on it. The players want to play like that. If you want football like we played in the first half against Rotherham, then we’ll have to keep working on that.“We’re not going to have it all one-way, but with the quality of the goalkeeper we’ve got, I believe we can play that way. Now we have to put a performance together where we dominate the majority of the game, and that will come.”He added to that earlier this year after joining Swansea, saying:”We’re not stupid. We know we need to win matches and we’re not here just to put a team that looks good out on the pitch,” he says.”We want a team that’s able to win, but we’re not going to compromise on stuff that’s important to us.”This shows that the young head coach clearly wants to play attractive football and put out a team to excite fans, whilst also being capable of winning matches.Therefore, he is not a manager who would come in and park the bus or play an attritional style of football that could bore supporters and leave them heading to Ibrox each week without any excitement to look forward to.That is why fans will be gutted by this update on Martin as his progressive system is now unlikely to be in place at Rangers any time soon, with this claim seemingly ruling him out of the running for the job.Hopefully, Rangers will be able to lure another manager who is similar to the Scot in terms of the footballing principles he holds in the way he wants his team to play on the pitch.

AND in other news, Wilson could land Rangers an “exceptional” Gerrard replacement in “modern” 48 y/o boss…

Celtic manager Ange Postecoglou has confirmed that the Hoops are in talks with right-back Anthony Ralston over a new deal, as per The Daily Record.

The Lowdown: Konur’s claim

Turkish journalist Ekrem Konur took to Twitter on Friday morning to share details regarding contract discussions with Ralston. He claimed that the Hoops have begun talks to extend the 22-year-old’s deal, which is currently set to expire at the end of the season.

The defender is on £5,500 per week at Parkhead, and it appears as if Konur’s claim regarding Ralston is accurate.

The Latest: Postecoglou’s confirmation

The Daily Record shared a story on Sunday morning, claiming that Postecoglou has confirmed that talks are underway with Ralston over a new deal.

He labelled the right-back as ‘fantastic’ and revealed that interim CEO Michael Nicholson is leading discussions. Postecoglou said:

“In terms of Tony, Michael Nicholson (interim chief executive) is in charge of that area.

“My focus is trying to make sure that Anthony continues his development because he’s been fantastic.

“Contract negotiations will take care of themselves. There’s very little need to feel angst about it.

“The club has a lot of faith in Tony. That’s why they gave him a new contract before I even started here.

“I gave him a chance and you’d have to say he’s grabbed it with both hands so far.”

The Verdict: Over to you, Nicholson…

As Postecoglou mentioned, it is now over to Nicholson to get a new contract over the line. Hopefully that won’t prove too difficult, as Ralston has been a regular for Celtic this season, making 19 appearances in all competitions and missing just two games.

You’d expect the full-back could be in line for a pay rise as he has been the club’s best-rated performer in the Premiership, per WhoScored, so it could be a situation to keep a close eye on over the coming days.

In other news: Lost the ball 46 times, 0 shots on goal, 14 duels lost: Celtic’s worst 3 players vs St Johnstone. 

Liverpool are reportedly showing “strong interest” in signing Juventus and Italy star Federico Chiesa in the near future, but they face competition to sign him.

The Lowdown: Chiesa excelled at Euro 2020

There were a number of excellent performers at Euro 2020, but Chiesa was undoubtedly one of the attacking standouts, winning the tournament with Italy.

The 23-year-old ran England ragged at times in the final and ended up scoring twice overall during the competition, being hailed as “world-class” by former Azzurri defender Alessandro Pierini.

[freshpress-quiz id=“359326”]

The Latest: Liverpool linked with Chiesa move

Liverpool could be looking for a new attacking signing soon, and according to Calciomercato, they are among several huge clubs who are keen on acquiring Chiesa’s signature.

Chelsea and Bayern Munich are also believed to be keen, with the winger scoring 15 goals in 47 appearances for Juventus. Indeed, the report claimed that the Blues had been ready to table an offer of roughly €100m (£85.6m) for the Euro 2020 winner over the summer.

[web_stories_embed url=”https://www.footballtransfertavern.com/web-stories/latest-liverpool-transfer-news-4/” title=”Latest Liverpool transfer news!” poster=”” width=”360″ height=”600″ align=”none”]

The Verdict: Chiesa would be a sensational signing

Chiesa seems to be an exceptional prospect and he could be a perfect signing for Liverpool at a time when fresh blood is required in the attacking areas of Jurgen Klopp’s squad.

He is fearless on the ball, running at players with pace and energy, and with Sadio Mane still looking a shadow of his former self, the Italian gem could be viewed as an ideal long-term replacement for the 29-year-old at Anfield.

In other news, some Liverpool fans were unhappy with one Reds player against Brentford. Find out who it is here.

Michael Clarke called Australia’s performance “brilliant” in the win over Pakistan in the second ODI

Cricinfo staff25-Apr-2009Michael Clarke called Australia’s performance “brilliant” in the win over Pakistan in the second ODI but the stand-in captain wants more from his team when the series switches to Abu Dhabi on Monday. The five-match contest is level at 1-1 following the encounters in Dubai, where Australia hit back after their disappointing opening loss.”It was a very important game,” Clarke told AAP following the six-wicket success. “We had a really good chat after the [first] game and then the batters got together yesterday after our training just to talk about a few things and come up with a few ideas.”The meetings worked and Andrew Symonds showed he could still perform in the international arena following his suspension from the side. He picked up 2 for 12 in a couple of overs as Pakistan were restricted to 207 and then top scored with 58 in the run-chase. Clarke also chipped in with an unbeaten 39 to finish the game.Australia are touring with a new-look team, with Doug Bollinger and Ben Laughlin playing in Dubai, and are missing senior players in Ricky Ponting and Michael Hussey. Despite the changes in personnel, Clarke has high expectations for the outfit.”We expect a lot as the Australian cricket team because we expect to win every single time we play,” Clarke said. “Guys have been out of the team for a long time or haven’t played much international cricket, it’s hard against very good opposition to come in and expect to do well straight away.”But that’s the standard we set, that’s why we want to be the best we can be, that’s probably why we are as good as we are. I don’t think we can look too deep into it, we played brilliantly here, it’s 1-1 in the series and we’ve still got a lot of work to do to win this series.”Younis Khan was impressed with Australia’s performance and said they remained the best team in the world, even though their current ranking is No. 3. “They have a couple of good allrounders and they still have a batsman like Symonds, now he’s in form,” he said. “So I think they’re still the best team in the world.”

As per Italian outlet Calciomercato, it appears Tottenham Hotspur chief Fabio Paratici is now plotting something rather exciting amid the mounting pressure on new boss Nuno Espirito Santo.

The Lowdown: Paratici era underway…

One of the transfer chief’s first jobs was landing a new boss as part of his new era at Hotspur Way, and after a long search, he and the club finally settled on former Wolves boss Nuno.

[web_stories_embed url=”https://www.footballtransfertavern.com/web-stories/spurs-developments/” title=”Spurs developments!” poster=”” width=”360″ height=”600″ align=”none”]

However, after a fine start to the season where he even won a Manager of the Month award for August, it appears the honeymoon period is well and truly over.

Battered by three of Tottenham’s London rivals over his last three Premier League matches, the pressure is certainly on Paratici’s new head coach, but it appears the Italian is now plotting something quite exciting to save both him and Spurs.

The Latest: Exciting rumour emerges on Paratici plan…

According to Calciomercato, Spurs and Paratici are now willing to shell out over £100 million on an audacious double swoop for both Dejan Kulusevski and Matthijs de Ligt.

Indeed, as the sporting director sets sights on raiding his former club Juventus, it is claimed that Tottenham are now willing to bid €35 million (£30.1m) for Kulusevski and a whopping €100 million (£82.2m) on signing de Ligt.

As Spurs suffer on the pitch, it appears Daniel Levy’s summer off-field appointment is looking to showcase his worth to the club.

The Verdict: Exciting rumour…

Given the amount of money rumoured in this report, unheard of for Spurs given their club record signing cost £53.8 million, this certainly comes as an exciting claim.

Tottenham fans will be looking for any shred of positivity at the moment given the lacklustre month of September and all the unrest surrounding Nuno already, and it’s fair to say capturing two rising talents from Paratici’s old home would certainly bring back a sense of optimism.

In other news: Talks ongoing: N17 source leaks Spurs development as news emerges on ‘priority’ for Levy, find out more here.

كشفت تقارير صحفية، أن الدولي البرتغالي كريستيانو رونالدو مستعد لتخفيض جزء كبير من راتبه للرحيل عن مانشستر يونايتد الإنجليزي.

كريستيانو رونالدو يرغب في الرحيل عن مانشستر يونايتد الإنجليزي، من أجل أن يلعب بطولة دوري أبطال أوروبا الموسم المقبل، والذي لن يتأهل له النادي الأحمر بسبب احتلاله المركز السادس في الدوري الموسم الماضي.

خورخي مينديز وكيل كريستيانو رونالدو، يبحث عن نادٍ جديد لموكله ومواطنه البرتغالي، مع وجود أندية أقل من طموح الهداف التاريخي لدوري أبطال أوروبا.

طالع أيضًا.. إذاعة كتالونية: وجهة مفاجئة لـ ديباي حال رحيله عن برشلونة

رونالدو كان لديه عرض من السعودية، ولكن البرتغالي هدفه ليس الأموال، لذلك تجاهل ذلك العرض من أجل الاستمرار في أوروبا.

مراسل شبكة “CBS” الأمريكية، بن جاكوبس، أكد أن أتلتيكو مدريد ليس في وضع مالي جيد للتحرك تجاه كريستيانو رونالدو.

وشدد بن جاكوبس، على أن رونالدو مستعد لتخفيض راتبه بشكل كبير يصل إلى 30%، من أجل الرحيل عن مانشستر يونايتد، وإيجاد نادٍ كبير يشارك في دوري أبطال أوروبا.

وأشار جاكوبس، إلى أن اللاعب البرتغالي يريد أن يكون في أفضل حال قبل بطولة كأس العالم 2022 خاصة وأنها ستكون الأخيرة له قبل الاعتزال.

رونالدو الموسم الماضي سجل 24 هدفًا في جميع المسابقات، كأفضل هداف لـ مانشستر يونايتد، في موسمه الأول بعد العودة.

البرتغالي لعب لـ مانشستر يونايتد منذ 2003 وحتى 2009، قبل أن يرحل إلى ريال مدريد ثم يوفنتوس ويعود في 2021 إلى الشياطين الحمر من جديد.

MatériaMais Notícias

Na preparação para enfrentar o Vitória no próximo domingo, o meia Zé Rafael, que foi integrado ao Bahia no início da temporada já tem experiência em clássicos Ba-Vi. Um dos destaques do time tricolor no Campeonato Brasileiro, o jogador afirma que a equipe deve estar atenta as jogadas de bola parada do maior rival.

– Acredito que eles têm força na bola parada. Temos que tomar muito cuidado com isso. São jogadores fortes. Tenho certeza que essa semana a gente vai trabalhar muito para domingo fazer uma partida impecável e sair dessa zona – disse o atleta.

Por recomendação do Ministério Público da Bahia, o Esquadrão de Aço não poderá contar com o apoio de sua torcida no Barradão. Apenas torcedores do Vitória estarão presentes na arquibancada durante a partida. Ainda segundo Zé Rafael, o fator não vai interferir no desempenho da equipe em dentro de campo.

– Eu acho que, para nós, dentro de campo, fora de casa, não interfere em nada. Nosso ponto forte é jogar em casa com nossa torcida, que tem comparecido sempre. A gente fez um bom jogo contra o Grêmio, contra o Corinthians. O resultado não condiz com o que foi o jogo. Domingo a gente vai tentar fazer boa performance com o triunfo – finalizou o jogador.

Na expectativa para o confronto, o elenco tricolor continua com sua preparação para a partida. O treino desta quinta-feira será realizado às 15h no Fazendão. Sem jogos no meio da semana, o Bahia aproveita o tempo disponível desde a derrota por 1 a 0 para o Flamengo, no último domingo, para aprimorar suas jogadas e testar alterações. No Barradão, as equipes entram em campo às 16h.

The Athletic’s Phil Hay has confirmed that Helder Costa’s move to Valencia on a season-long loan deal includes an option to make it permanent.

The Lowdown: Busy Leeds

Costa’s move to Spain comes after Leeds signed Daniel James from Manchester United before Tuesday’s deadline. A busy transfer window for Leeds saw Jack Harrison make his move to Elland Road permanent, Junior Firpo swap Barcelona for Yorkshire and Kristoffer Klaesson brought in to add competition to Illan Meslier.

After making 22 appearances in Leeds’ return to top-flight football, the signing of James means Costa would find himself far down the pecking order.

The move provides the former Portugal international with the chance to re-invent himself and possibly earn himself another national side call-up.

The Latest: Final business

Via Hay’s Twitter, confirming the final business of the window at Elland Road, Costa will spend the 2021/22 campaign at José Bordalás’ side in La Liga and they have the option to buy the winger on a permanent deal at the end of the loan.

Following Harrison and James’ signings this summer, alongside the impressive Raphinha, Costa’s playing time at Elland Road would be restricted to the odd substitute appearance.

The former Wolves winger joins Valencia after going unbeaten in their opening three games, including a 3-0 win over Deportivo Alaves prior to the international break.

The Verdict: Good timing for both parties

Despite being instrumental in Leeds’ promotion to the Premier League in 2020, Costa’s importance within the squad has waned and this feels like smart business for both player and club.

Previously labelled ‘a very talented player’ by former boss Nuno Espirito Santo last season, Costa has warranted a chance to prove himself and deserves to play consistent first-team football after producing the goods for both Leeds and Wolves in his time in England.

With the addition of James from Manchester United, the loan move comes at a perfect time for both parties, and a successful temporary stint would aid Leeds’ transfer kitty next summer if Valencia take up the option to buy.

Pundit wowed by clever piece of business from Leeds this summer…

يرغب نادي الهلال السعودي، في تدعيم صفوفه خلال فترة الانتقالات الصيفية الحالية، استعداداً للحفاظ على لقب الدوري والمنافسة بدوري أبطال آسيا القادم.

الهلال توج ببطولة دوري كأس الأمير محمد بن سلمان للمحترفين الموسم الماضي، بعد منافسة شرسة مع اتحاد جدة.

ووفقاً لصحيفة “المواطن” السعودية نقلاً عن الموقع الإيطالي Calcio News 24، نادي الهلال يرغب في التعاقد مع صفقتين من الدوري الإيطالي خلال فترة الانتقالات الصيفية الحالية.

وأضافت: “يريد الهلال التعاقد مع البرازيلي جواو بيدرو لاعب نادي كالياري الإيطالي، والإيطالي أندريا بيلوتي لاعب تورينو السابق”.

طالع | تقارير تحسم موقف المعيوف والبليهي من الاستمرار مع الهلال السعودي

وتابعت: “الهلال دخل في مفاوضات مع نادي كالياري، والأخير يطلب مبلغًا ما بين 7 إلى 8 ملايين يورو للموافقة على انتقال جواو بيدرو، كذلك يرغب الزعيم في ضم بيلوتي الذي لعب 251 مباراة، وسجل 113 هدفًا وصنع 28 هدفًا”.