Category Uncategorized

Rumoured Leeds United transfer target Julian Draxler has reportedly made up his mind over his future, with the German set to leave Paris Saint-Germain this summer.

The 27-year-old was linked with a move to Elland Road in January in what would have been a major signal of intent from Marcelo Bielsa.

Instead, Draxler ended up staying put at PSG until the end of the season, but he has only managed a total of nine starts in Ligue 1 in the current campaign.

[freshpress-quiz id=“351040″]

Draxler makes key decision over PSG future

According to Sport1 [via Leeds Live], the 56-cap Germany World Cup winner has decided where his next destination will be this summer, but the report doesn’t specify which club he intends joining, leaving one major question unanswered.

Draxler’s current PSG deal expires at the end of the season, meaning that whoever snaps him will be able to sign him on a free transfer.

Transfer Tavern take

In truth, Draxler’s wage demands are likely to be too great for Leeds to justify, with the winger thought to be earning close to a staggering £363,000 per week at PSG. That is almost seven times more than what Rodrigo, who is the Whites’ top earner, takes home.

If Bielsa managed to work his magic, it would be a stunning piece of business given the player’s pedigree, but he is likely to head to a club which may be better placed to meet his current wages.

Were he to move to Elland Road, however, he could have the potential to elevate Leeds to an even higher level, inspiring those around him to duly raise their own standards. For instance, his passing success rate of 88% this term is bettered by only three members of Bielsa’s squad – all of whom have defensive roles and barely feature.

That alone suggests that Draxler would be a tremendous addition to the Whites if they can land him.

In other news, Leeds are reportedly ‘not expecting’ one player to stay at the club beyond this summer. Find out who it is here.

Liverpool appear to be edging closer to signing Ibrahima Konate at the end of the season, with two details holding the key to the move happening.

The Reds are expected to bring in a new centre-back in the summer following a host of problems in that position throughout 2020/21 with long-term injuries to Virgil van Dijk, Joe Gomez and Joel Matip.

Konate has emerged as the most likely player to come in, having caught the eye for RB Leipzig, making 13 Bundesliga appearances so far this season.

[freshpress-quiz id=“355458″]

Konate’s move to Liverpool edges closer

According to Anfield Central, Liverpool have ‘all but completed a deal’ to bring the 21-year-old to Anfield as Jurgen Klopp looks to make a key addition to his defence.

The report identified two major aspects in the deal which need to addressed, however, with the Reds needing to pay Konate’s release clause, as well as a medical having to be passed.

Once those compulsory requirements have been met, the Frenchman is set to become a Liverpool player.

[web_stories_embed url=”https://www.footballtransfertavern.com/web-stories/liverpool-latest-news-and-updates/” title=”Liverpool latest news and updates!” poster=”https://cdn.footballtransfertavern.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/04/2021-01-02T123739Z_1934422778_UP1EH120Z2RVI_RTRMADP_3_SOCCER-SCOTLAND-RFC-CEL-REPORT-2-640×853.jpg” width=”360″ height=”600″ align=”none”]

Transfer Tavern take

Konate looks set to be an exciting signing by the Reds, with the youngster already shining for a top European side at a very young age, making 94 appearances for Leipzig and being hailed by former Bundeslgia coach Ralf Rangnick as good enough to “play for Real Madrid or Barcelona one day”.

His injury record does mean that there may be a hint of nerves surrounding his medical, but you’d hope that Liverpool’s scouts have done enough research to believe that his fitness issues won’t be a problem moving forward.

Klopp desperately needs a centre-back he can rely on week in, week out alongside Van Dijk, with Gomez and Matip unreliable in that respect, particularly the latter.

In other news, Liverpool have discovered how much they will have to pay for a Reds-linked attacker this summer. Find out who it is here.

Frank McAvennie has exclusively told Football FanCast that West Ham cannot afford another transfer window without signing a striker.

Following the departure of record signing Sebastien Haller to Ajax in January, the Hammers were left with just the injury-prone Michail Antonio as their only recognised senior striker at the club.

But whilst West Ham’s form has improved since Haller left, David Moyes’ team are currently paying the full price for not replacing him, with Antonio now set to miss most of the season with a hamstring problem sustained at Wolves.

Jarrod Bowen has stepped into the role admirably as his deputy, scoring twice and assisting another two since Antonio hobbled off at Molineux,  but with the prospect of European football at the London Stadium next season, McAvennie knows the importance of Moyes adding another striker to the Hammers’ ranks.

He told Football FanCast:

“They’re talking about Tammy Abraham – he’s Rice’s pal from what I gather. I think he would be [first-choice striker] unless Antonio was there. Sometimes you can play with two, people forget Antonio was a midfield player – he can go all over the place.

“I don’t think Antonio can last. Sometimes you’re playing two or three games a week now, and if they get into Europe it will be difficult.

“I would love someone to come in and give Antonio a rest. Give him a complete rest. In the summer he needs two months off to get his legs sorted.”

Carlo Ancelotti will be anxiously awaiting the return of Ben Godfrey from international duty after the Everton defender failed a late fitness test.

That’s according to the Liverpool Echo, who note that Godfrey and Tom Davies were both unable to represent England’s Under 21s against Croatia on Wednesday.

The Young Lions medical team carried out late checks to see if either of the Toffees duo could feature in the Euro 2021 win, which dumped Aidy Boothroyd’s side out of the competition at the Group Stage.

Godfrey had played the full 90 minutes as England faced Portugal on Sunday to earn his ninth U21s cap, but required treatment during the 2-0 loss.

The 23-year-old centre-back had featured for the full fixture as England were beaten 1-0 by Switzerland last Thursday, too.

Only Tottenham Hotspur’s Oliver Skipp and Swansea City’s Marc Guehi also played all 180 available minutes among England’s outfield options over the defeats to Switzerland and Portugal.

Davies had started each loss but was withdrawn early in the second half against Switzerland and approaching the final quarter of an hour against Portugal, when earning his 23rd Young Lions cap.

[snack-amp-story url=”https://www.footballfancast.com/web-stories/the-latest-everton-news-gossip-and-views” title=”The latest Everton news and views!”]

Ancelotti will now be very concerned over the prospect of being without Godfrey and Davies when Everton host Crystal Palace at Goodison Park on Monday, looking to end a three-game losing streak across all competitions.

The Toffees have only won one of their last five games at home thanks to a 1-0 result over Southampton on March 1, while losing to Fulham, Burnley and Manchester City twice.

Ancelotti goes into the Eagles clash without star summer signing Abdoulaye Doucoure after the £20m former Watford midfielder was ruled out likely for the remainder of the season with a fractured foot.

Fabian Delph has also been sidelined of late and while Jean-Philippe Gbamin has returned to training, it remains to be seen if the 25-year-old will be called on to play his first game since August 2019.

Losing Godfrey will come as a huge blow to the Toffees in defence, having started nine of the Merseyside outfit’s last 10 fixtures in the heart of the backline – including eight of the last nine Premier League matches prior to the international break.

Everton have kept three clean sheets in the 11 top-flight matches that Ancelotti has fielded Godfrey in a centre-back role this season, which came in a three-game run against Liverpool, Southampton and West Bromwich Albion.

To now be without the former Norwich City enforcer will be particularly problematic for Ancelotti, who is said to consider the Toffees’ £20m summer signing as the best of his central defensive options.

Ancelotti will be expected to call on Michael Keane, Mason Holgate or Yerry Mina to protect Jordan Pickford’s goal against Crystal Palace, should Godfrey fail another fitness test.

AND in other news, Everton are tracking a £17m striker with “a wealth of talent”…

Jermaine Defoe’s contract with Rangers is set to expire at the end of the season and despite his lack of playing time under Steven Gerrard this season, Ross Wilson should give him a new deal to stay at Ibrox.

The former Tottenham Hotspur man joined Rangers from Bournemouth in January 2020 after an initial loan spell from Bournemouth and has contributed an impressive 29 goals and 10 assists in his 66 appearances for the Light Blues thus far.

Although the 38-year-old has barely featured so far this season, making just 14 appearances in all competitions, the majority of which have come from the bench, he has still managed four goals and two assists for Gerrard’s side.

In a recent interview, Defoe suggested that he was keen to play for another season so that he could finish his career in front of fans, which is something Gerrard and Wilson should definitely consider before they let the veteran forward leave the club on a free transfer in the summer.

Even if the former England international doesn’t feature much in Gerrard’s side next season, he could still have a big influence at the club in a player/coach capacity, as who better to coach Rangers’ current strikers and youngsters than one of the best finishers of the past two decades?

[snack-amp-story url=”https://www.footballfancast.com/web-stories/latest-rangers-transfer-rumours-and-news” title=”Read this week’s latest Rangers news, transfer rumours and more!”]

Having an experienced player such as Defoe in the dressing room could also be key to helping Rangers defend their title next season, as well as adding some Champions League experience to their ranks, so there seem to be very few reasons why the striker shouldn’t be offered new terms if he is willing to take a lower salary.

Back in 2019, Alan Hutton was full of praise for Defoe, saying:

“Honestly the guy is unbelievable, to be 36 and be that fit…to keep himself in that good shape to be called upon at any time to come on and score, to be honest, it amazes me what he has done.”

[freshpress-quiz id=“588789″]

Defoe is undoubtedly still in top shape despite his age and even though he might not be a regular in Gerrard’s side next season, Wilson should offer him a contract extension simply because of the influence he can have both on and off the pitch.

And, in other news… Bye-bye Edmundson: Rangers signing £1.08m-rated beast surely bad news for 23 y/o

Kris Boyd believes Glasgow Rangers must offer new deals to Steven Davis and Allan McGregor to keep them at Ibrox beyond the end of the season.

Boyd makes contract claim

Both Davis and McGregor are over 35 and are set to be out of the contract at the end of this season (Transfermarkt).

Speaking to Sky Sports (via Glasgow Times), Boyd has urged the 55-time Scottish champions to offer new deals to the duo. He said:

“There are some players in there who are out of contract – Allan McGregor, Steven Davis – and it’s important, I think, the club get them tied down.

“They have been crucial to everything Rangers have done this season, along with a few others.

“But it’s very, very important that you don’t stand still and you come back to win things.

“The recruitment in the summer is massive, to take Rangers on and consolidate that level of performance – or up it – and go again next season.”

Experience

Given they are fast approaching the end of their careers, Steven Gerrard will not be able to rely on the duo to play every single week. However, they have both played important roles this season as the Gers have ended their 10-year wait for a major trophy and still have something to offer.

The Gers could well be competing in the Champions League next season – McGregor and Davis are two of the few players in the squad who have previously played in Europe’s premier club competition. The advice and guidance they can offer to their younger teammates is priceless. As Boyd says, Ross Wilson and co must make sure the pair are still at Ibrox next term.

In other news, some Rangers fans slam comments from this politician.

Manchester United are readying a summer move for Aston Villa goalkeeper Emiliano Martinez.

That’s according to sources from Football Insider, who claim that the Red Devils are looking to sign two goalkeepers in the upcoming transfer window, with Martinez top of their wishlist.

Martinez’s impressive Villa campaign

The 28-year-old, on £47,000-a-week, has more than impressed during his first season at Villa Park following his £15.66m move from Arsenal in the summer.

He’s kept 14 clean sheets in 27 Premier League appearances, conceding just 28 times. The Argentine’s displays appear to have caught the eye of United officials, who are now seemingly readying a shock offer.

Transfer Tavern take

Martinez, valued at £22.5m by Transfermarkt, is under contract at Villa Park until 2024, so Villa are under no pressure to sell.

A huge offer will probably be needed for Villa to even consider parting ways with the Argentine, who has been getting regular game time for the first time in his career in the Midlands.

David de Gea and Dean Henderson have been used at Old Trafford this season, so there’s no guarantee Martinez would instantly become first choice under Ole Gunnar Solskjaer, even if one of those leave the Red Devils.

United may well be preparing a blockbuster bid, but we’re not convinced Martinez will be making the move to Manchester over the coming months.

In other news: 29-year-old who Villa bid for in January transfer-lised by side ahead of summer window, find out more here. 

Leeds United have been without Rodrigo and Kalvin Phillips in recent weeks, and Phil Hay has provided the latest injury update on the duo.

Phil Hay’s injury update

The journalist for The Athletic shared news from the pre-West Ham press conference, tweeting: “Not too much in the way of injury updates from Bielsa’s press conference. Needs to see how Phillips/Rodrigo go over the next couple of days,” perhaps implying the star pair are close to a return.

Rodrigo is taking part in an U23s match this afternoon against Wolves, via LUFC.

This is a boost for Leeds

This update is a lot more positive than ones in the past, which should excite fans. They are key assets to the club, especially £24.30m-valued Kalvin Phillips who is ‘integral’ to the way Leeds play.

He is a big reason why Leeds currently sit eleventh in the Premier League, as he has managed 2.7 tackles, 1.6 interceptions and 1.8 clearances a game (WhoScored). Phillips sits in the defensive midfield role and is so good at his job that it allows the other midfielders to have a lot more attacking intent.

Meanwhile £22.50m-rated Rodrigo has not managed to grab the amount of goals the club would have wanted so far as he has only scored three, but his attacking threat is definitely an asset that Bielsa wants at his disposal – Patrick Bamford has been noticeably isolated without the Spaniard.

In other news, Phil Hay has hinted at a potential return date for another Leeds star!

MatériaMais Notícias

“Eu não posso mais olhar para trás”. Esta é uma estrofe da música pedida por Robinho em um programa de TV dominical ao fazer três gols na vitória do Atlético-MG sobre o Tombense, no estádio Independência, neste domingo, pela sexta rodada do Campeonato Mineiro. E é assim que o atacante tem vivido a sua nova fase na Cidade do Galo.

Na saída do Campo do Horto, ele concedeu entrevista e até levou a bola do jogo para casa. Mas ele crê que o hat-trick não foi o mais importante no compromisso. O jogador enaltece a melhora física e o reencontro do Alvinegro com os triunfos.

– Vou levar a bola para casa, há muito tempo não faço isso. Feliz pelos gols e mais feliz pela vitória do time. Quem vê o resultado acha que foi um jogo fácil. A gente está melhorando fisicamente. Estou feliz pelo gol e pela vitória do Galo – afirmou o jogador.

RelacionadasAtlético MineiroDátolo, sobre críticas da imprensa: ‘Me dá mais vontade’Atlético Mineiro06/03/2016Atlético MineiroRobinho marca três e garante triunfo do Atlético-MG sobre TombenseAtlético Mineiro06/03/2016

Robinho fez o chamado hat-trick perfeito ao marcar de cabeça e com as pernas direita e esquerda. O Rei das Pedaladas enalteceu o fato de Diego Aguirre pedi-lo sempre para entrar na área em lances de bola parada.

– O professor (Diego Aguirre) sempre pede para entrar na área. Aproveitei o cruzamento do (mo escanteio do Marcos) Rocha. Agora é descansar e tentar uma vitória contra o Colo-Colo durante a semana – declarou.

Jairo Riedewald has signed a new three-year contract with Crystal Palace which will keep him at Selhurst Park until 2024.

While it’s a welcome boost for Roy Hodgson, the same can’t be said for James McCarthy, who faces an uncertain future in south London.

Riedewald scored a worldie of a goal after his 20-yard screamer took a deflection off Ciaran Clark to ensure the Eagles recorded back-to-back-wins in the Premier League for the first time since September as they overcame a spirited Newcastle United on their own home turf at St James’ Park.

He then marked the special occasion by putting pen to paper to a new deal to commit his future to the club.

McCarthy, on the other hand, has struggled for game time under Hodgson this season, with Luka Milivojevic and James McArthur often preferred in his place, having made ten appearances across all competitions, earning a rather disappointing WhoScored match rating of 6.36 overall for his efforts.

By comparison, the 24-year-old has been in superb form for Hodgson’s side since the start of the season, averaging a solid 6.44 for the Eagles in all competitions.

In fact, it’s fair to say that Hodgson’s midfield is pretty well-stocked at present. He’s got Milivojevic, McArthur, McCarthy and Riedewald at his disposal, with the first two making at least 37 appearances between them this season thus far.

And the Eagles also have Cheikhou Kouyate on their books, albeit the 31-year-old has shifted to more of a defensive role as of late.

With Riedewald now penning a new deal, you do worry that McCarthy could soon be deemed surplus to requirements by the south London club.

Hodgson previously praised McCarthy for his role in Palace’s 2-2 draw with Manchester City last season, saying: “He’s been excellent and he’s getting better and better. We knew it would take a little time. He was training with Everton, so when he came to us he was technically fit and there was nothing wrong with him but of course he was not that close to the first-team for periods of time, not knocking on the door if you like.

“I knew the more he did with us, the chances he would get, he would get stronger and stronger. The action he performed for our equalising goal was quite incredible. That amount of running at that point in the game and to produce that pass was a class act. My faith in him and his faith in himself and determination to get back to that level of football has been rewarded. When you get these serious injuries which take you out of football for a long period of time it’s not easy.”

Unfortunately for McCarthy, since those promising comments, he has still been forced to settle for a spot on the bench more often than not so far this season and with Riedewald seemingly here to stay, the Irishman may have to get used to a place on saidthe aforementioned bench.

If he can’t re-establish himself in the first team between now and the end of the season, then it wouldn’t be a a surprise at all to see him leave Selhurst Park in the summer.

AND in other news, Crystal Palace will rue not signing Bayer Leverkusen winger Demarai Gray…