All posts by rastrear-estafeta.com

With Southampton set to take on Burnley this afternoon after grabbing their first league victory of the season with a 1-0 win over Leeds United last weekend, Saints manager Ralph Hasenhuttl revealed that he has almost a full squad at his disposal apart from Jack Stephens, who is still recovering from a knee injury he picked up earlier in the season.

Taking this into account, it seems as though Hasenhuttl has a few big calls to make about who starts against the Clarets today.

On the chalkboard

One decision that we think should be fairly easy for him to make is to drop Mohamed Elyounoussi out of the team on this occasion.

The Norwegian started and played the majority of the match against Leeds, failing to register one shot on target or make one accurate cross or long ball. He also lost possession 19 times and racked up an average passing accuracy percentage of 68%, ultimately earning himself an uninspiring overall match rating of 6.3/10, making him the lowest-rated Saints player on the day according to SofaScore.

Given how the winger, who is currently valued at £10.8m by Transfermarkt, was taken out of the team for the 3-1 defeat against Chelsea, it seems as though he failed to restore the faith Hasenhuttl put in him when he started against Leeds, which says to us that he may not be good enough to play at this level on a consistent basis.

So far this season, the 27-year-old has made six appearances for the Saints in the Premier League but has only managed to score one goal, which came during their 2-2 draw against Newcastle United, proving that he is not a consistent threat in front of goal.

Looking ahead to today’s game, we feel that Southampton would probably have a better chance of beating Burnley without Elyounoussi in the starting XI, instead seeing if he can have a positive impact off the bench if needed. The numbers suggest that he has not been good enough to warrant a place in the starting XI, especially after the Leeds game.

In other news: Saints could unearth ideal Romeu heir with “excellent” 18 y/o ace, Ralph is a big fan – opinion

Sky Sports reporter Michael Bridge has hinted Tottenham Hotspur may look to sign Houssem Aouar by offering wantaway midfielder Tanguy Ndombele to Lyon in a swap deal.

Ndombele has reportedly told Spurs chairman Daniel Levy that he wants to leave the club before the transfer window slams shut at the end of the month.

The midfielder’s plea for a move comes after he was left out of the travelling party for Spurs’ midweek Europa Conference League trip to Pacos de Ferreira despite also being excluded from the matchday squad for the win over Manchester City on the opening weekend of the Premier League season.

Ndombele, 24, became the north London club’s record signing when he joined from Lyon in a £63million deal just two years ago.

But Bridge believes Ndombele could be set for a return to Lyon as Spurs remain keen on welcoming long-term target Aouar to the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium.

He told The Transfer Tavern: “I don’t know where Ndombele would go. Aouar is a proper No.10 who Spurs really need and they still haven’t replaced Christian Eriksen, in my opinion.

“I like Aouar and whether they can do some kind of swap with Ndombele, I don’t know.

“Ndombele is a YouTube player. He has the best showreel but the world is in a situation where people don’t really have a lot of money.”

Many Glasgow Rangers fans have been left slamming the display of Ianis Hagi despite their 2-0 win at home to St. Johnstone in the Scottish Premiership.

Giovanni van Bronckhorst’s team came home from Ibrox with all three points thanks to goals from Alfredo Morelos and Ryan Kent, but Hagi, making up the final part of the front three, was certainly not as influential.

The Romania international lost out on five of his duels in total, the joint-most out of any of his teammates on the pitch, and failed to score with all three of his shots (SofaScore).

He was also unsuccessful with all of his dribble and crossing attempts, while Hagi was guilty of losing possession of the ball on no fewer than on 18 separate occasions in the match, the second-most out of any Light Blues player (SofaScore).

Rangers fans slam Hagi

These Teddy Bears slammed his performance on Twitter, with one Gers supporter even going as far as to claim that he was ‘non-existent’:

“Good half but Hagi has been stinkin’”

Credit: @jaayfc

“Btw Hagi is useless wide. We need to stop this”

Credit: @RheiceMulgrah

“Still don’t get Hagi, would love to know how many times he loses possession in a game by just falling down”

Credit: @de5erteaglegreg

“What do people actually see in Hagi?”

Credit: @WilliamGrimes_

“Hagi out wide is utterly depressing just get Fash on”

Credit: @LeighamMacleod

“Hagi non-existent here”

Credit: @L8522Mac

In other news, find out what official RFC post has fans gushing here!

Flocking to Twitter, many West Ham United fans have erupted over transfer claims involving marquee Champions League striker Darwin Nunez.

The Hammers are having to cope with mounting injury problems as January looms, with David Moyes tipped to reinforce a number of needed positions in the squad.

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

The Evening Standard back the news line that West Ham’s manager will be granted the funds to swoop for a striker as an alternative to mainstay Michail Antonio, along with a centre-back to cope with their lack of depth in that area.

It is news on the former position which has many Irons fans talking, however, as the east London club join the race to sign Benfica frontman Nunez.

The marquee forward, who said to have a release clause of around €150m (£128.3m), is attracting West Ham’s interest as they join Brighton in the race for his signature.

West Ham fans erupt…

Reacting to this claim by The Argus, as they cite reports in Portugal, many Irons supporters have erupted over the news, with some believing he could be an excellent addition.

Tipped to become ‘the best in the world’ by his manager Jorge Jesus, the 22-year-old is certainly rated highly and already has two goals in just six caps for Uruguay. Scoring three times in five Champions League outings this season, he also put on a stunning performance against Barcelona over the autumn.

Taking this into account, it’s little wonder so many West Ham fans are talking, with their club reportedly interested in the flying Benfica striker. Check out some of their best reactions below:

“Interesting”

Credit: @ghzst

“Him Lingard and Ake in January & we’re winning the quadruple”

Credit: @VintageLanzini

“Huge potential”

Credit: @louieewade

“Would actually be someone the fans would love & versatile too. Is like a hybrid of Suarez & Cavani, like most  players he is an absolute workhorse. His G/A contribution is getting better too. Luis Suarez loves him too which should be another indication of the talent Nuñez has”

Credit: @mhare641

“Yes please”

Credit: @NathWHU_

“Please god be true”

Credit: @BoormanB

“Could be a great buy! Finishing & 1st touch can be erratic & could improve but he’s young, big, quick, 6ft 1, strong, works hard (when he wants) who links up well & can play ST, wide & CAM! Could be Cavani MK2… Plus at Almeria he was no stranger to getting on the weights”

Credit: @WhufcSloth

In other news: West Ham could now back Moyes with £17.1m bid to sign 6 foot 3 powerhouse in January, find out more here

The Birmingham Mail’s Ashley Preece has delivered a teasing transfer claim on Aston Villa’s pursuit of Southampton captain James Ward-Prowse.

What’s the story?

Reports in recent weeks and months had suggested that Dean Smith’s side had made Ward-Prowse a key target of theirs this summer as they look to strengthen their options in the middle of the park.

But, The Athletic’s David Ornstein then revealed that the Midlands club had had a bid rejected by the Saints, and that Ralph Hasenhuttl’s club had no intention of letting him go.

But now, Preece has delivered a 12-word update on where things currently stand from a Villa point of view.

He said: “All I’ll say is JWP could well happen. It’s not dead yet.”

Villa fans will be excited

Having already sealed deals for the likes of Emi Buendia, Leon Bailey and Danny Ings, among others, Villa have enjoyed a fruitful summer transfer window thus far, with the obvious caveat of losing Jack Grealish, of course.

But sealing a deal for Ward-Prowse, an England international and a captain of a Premier League rival, would be fantastic business for Villa, and it’s no surprise that it’s received a lot of backing from the likes of former Three Lions goalkeeper Paul Robinson.

He said: “He would be a great signing for Aston Villa though and in truth, Villa are moving forward faster than Southampton. They are a bigger club as well.

“If he moved I think it would enhance his international opportunities and for that reason I think it is a move the player will try and push through. Southampton will not want to do business but they are a club that will do business at the right price, of that I’m sure. I think Villa can get the deal through if they are willing to pay.”

And that claim from Robinson that Villa are “moving forward faster” than the Saints is the one that really stands out and tells a big picture about the kind of exciting project the Midlands club are building under NSWE’s ownership.

They have been quick out of the blocks with their summer recruitment, and while only time will tell how much of a loss Grealish leaving will be, have done virtually everything possible to try and still take that next step.

It’s exactly why Preece’s latest claim that a move for Ward-Prowse may not be dead should have Villa fans drooling at the prospect of another hugely exciting signing arriving at Villa Park this summer.

Meanwhile, Gregg Evans has dropped an Aston Villa transfer update…

Celtic have begun talks with Hajduk Split over a move for defender Mario Vuskovic, according to The Scottish Sun.

The Lowdown: Vuskovic profiled

Vuskovic is 19 years of age and is valued at £5.85m by Transfermarkt. He has six caps for Croatia at Under-21 level and has already racked up 44 appearances at club level for Hajduk Split.

Primarily a centre-back, Vuskovic can also play as a defensive midfielder and a right-back and stands at 6ft 2.

His current contract runs until 2024, but reports have suggested that Split chiefs have decided to cash in on the teenager this summer.

The Latest: Latest report

The Scottish Sun lead with a title that the Hoops are closing in on the Hajduk Split star.

Postecoglou’s appointment and Wednesday arrival in Glasgow has sparked Celtic into action.

A £5m fee was touted in the report, adding that Vuskovic could now become Postecoglou’s first signing as Celtic boss.

Hoops scouts know all about Vuskovic after watching him on multiple occasions last season, and it seems as if the new Celtic manager is happy for a move to materialise.

The Verdict: A much-needed addition

Central defensive additions appear to be required at Parkhead, so the potential arrival of Vuskovic could ease Postecoglou’s centre-back worries.

Kristoffer Ajer has made it clear he wants to leave Celtic this summer, so should he seal a move away, that would leave Postecoglou with Stephen Welsh and the injured Christopher Julien as the club’s only senior options.

That isn’t exactly ideal, especially with a Champions League qualifier a month away, so it could be handy to get defensive reinforcements through the door as soon as possible.

It seems as if that is what the Hoops are trying to do with Vuskovic, and if the latest update is anything to go by, they have a real chance of bringing him to Scotland.

In other news: Leeds make bid for Celtic defender, find out more here. 

Everton come into their weekend clash full of confidence and with a swagger in their step.

Rafa Benitez’s appointment was a strange one after Carlo Ancelotti departed Goodison Park but the board’s decision making has so far been proved right.

The Toffees have dropped just two points from a possible 12 available and have discovered some new fan favourites in Demarai Gray and Andros Townsend.

However, it’s not all sunshine and rainbows for Everton as Dominic Calvert-Lewin will miss their clash with Aston Villa on Saturday evening.

It will be an exciting affair between two clubs who could be on the periphery of the European places this season.

How could Benitez’s side line up on Saturday evening?

We’re tipping the manager to make just one change to the team which beat Burnley 3-1 last Monday. That being said, we do anticipate a system change with an extra attacker brought into the fray.

Calvert-Lewin will be absent for another few weeks with a quadriceps issue, so we reckon that Salomon Rondon will be selected in attack.

Richarlison led the line last time out but didn’t fare too well against a bullish defence, completing just 64% of his passes. He may feature in a number 10 role behind Everton’s new £4.5m-rated striker who is set to earn his first start for the Goodison Park outfit.

As a consequence of moving to a 4-4-1-1 formation, Yerry Mina drops out of the starting XI. His height and aerial ability (nine headers won) was useful against Burnley’s long ball approach last week but he could miss out on this occasion.

That means that Michael Keane gets another chance to prove himself to Benitez. The English defender was hopeless in the early weeks of the season and proved to be a real liability at the back.

However, he has improved drastically in the last two matches against Brighton and the Clarets. He scored against the latter and won 100% of his defensive duels while keeping a clean sheet against the Seagulls, so he may get the nod ahead of the Colombian this evening.

AND in other news, Everton may have their new Godfrey in rarely-seen 17 y/o who Unsworth dubbed “superb”…

Manchester United made a solid start to the new Premier League campaign, picking up seven points from a possible nine before the international break, and several of their top performers have continued to shine for their countries on international duty.

Summer signing Cristiano Ronaldo broke the men’s international goalscoring record with a fabulous brace against the Republic of Ireland, while Jesse Lingard notched up two goals and an assist in an impressive display against Andorra.

However, both were arguably outperformed by Bruno Fernandes after the 27-year-old magician fired his nation to a comfortable 3-0 victory over Azerbaijan in their World Cup qualifying fixture.

The Portuguese ace set up Manchester City’s Bernardo Silva for his nation’s opening goal in their Group A encounter after just 26 minutes and continued to be at the heart of proceedings for the remainder of the night.

As per SofaScore, Fernandes received a match rating of 9 out of 10, the highest total received by anyone on the pitch in the Baku Olympic Stadium.

And when taking a look at his underlying numbers, it’s easy to understand why. He made a whopping six key passes for his teammates during the 90 minutes, created two big chances and had two shots on target.

The United maestro also recorded a passing accuracy of 80%, pulled off two successful dribbles and had a whopping 110 touches, highlighting his importance to Fernando Santos’ side.

Red Devils manager Ole Gunnar Solskjaer will be hoping his talismanic attacker can bring this sort of form back to Old Trafford over the weekend, with Newcastle United the next opponents to visit the Theatre of Dreams.

And, in other news…Bye-Bye VdB: Latest Man United transfer update could spell the end for £40m Dutchman 

A major update has emerged in Ipswich’s pursuit of Rekeem Harper, and it could lead to Mark Ashton striking gold for Ipswich.

What’s the talk?

According to the East Anglian Daily Times, Ipswich are in advanced talks with Championship side West Brom over a deal to sign the midfielder. The Blues have not sealed a deal yet, while the report claims that they could face competition from other interested parties, although no clubs are explicitly named.

TWTD have also reported on the news, claiming that Ipswich have made an offer of £500,000 for the former England youth international. The report adds that Ipswich CEO Mark Ashton was at West Brom earlier in his career and has put his connections to good use with this potential deal.

Former West Brom manager Slaven Bilic lavished praise on Harper back in 2020, claiming that Harper has “no limits” and is a powerhouse in midfield.

The Croatian told the Express and Star: “I never denied that I love him as a player – I love those kind of players, who are powerhouses but can pass the ball, that’s great.

“He’s in a good way, let’s be honest, but he cannot stop, he must keep working. It’s also my job to keep him like that.“If he continues to show what he’s been doing recently, then he’s got no limits.” Ashton masterclass

Ipswich CEO Ashton could be about to pull off a masterclass in the transfer window by bringing Harper to Portman Road. If Ipswich are able to get a deal over the line, they could strike gold as the 21-year-old is a talented midfielder with plenty of potential, which means that he could be an excellent addition in the short and long term for Paul Cook’s side.

However, it must be stressed that the deal is not complete yet and there appears to be a little way to go before he is holding up an Ipswich shirt and smiling for photos.

Harper has already played 48 games across Premier League and Championship level with West Brom and Birmingham, and this shows that he is experienced at a higher standard than League One. He started 13 games in West Brom’s 2018/19 campaign as they lost out on promotion to the top flight via the play-offs, highlighting the trust Bilic had in the youngster to perform at the top end of the Championship despite his tender age.

The £8,000-per-week beast could be a superb addition to Cook’s Ipswich squad as he is accustomed to playing at a higher level of football. Harper could flourish playing at a step down in the football pyramid, which is why this could be a masterclass from Ashton.

He also has time on his side to develop under Cook and progress as a player at Portman Road. He is only 21 and is a player who Ipswich could take along for the journey if they have ambitions to reach the Premier League, potentially allowing him to step up alongside the club as he improves as a midfielder.

AND in other news, Major update emerges on “influential” £1.9k-p/w dynamo, Ipswich fans will be buzzing…

Aston Villa picked up a healthy cash injection during the previous summer transfer window when they sold Jack Grealish to Manchester City in a record deal worth £100m.

Now that the next summer window is on the horizon, it seems as though a clue has emerged over the future of another key figure at the Midlands club in terms of a potential move away from Villa Park.

What’s the talk?

Speaking to GIVEMESPORT, journalist and transfer insider Pete O’Rourke had this to say about Villa goalkeeper Emi Martinez and the possibility of him leaving the club in the summer.

He said: “He’s on that long-term contract. He’s on a good deal at Aston Villa as well wages wise, so it would have to take big, big money to try and prise him away from Villa.

“I think Villa have no plans to let him go, either. They want to keep him and sort of build around the likes of Martinez going forward because Steven Gerrard wants to have a really competitive team.”

Fans will be delighted

Villa signed the shot-stopper back in the 2020 summer transfer window from fellow Premier League side Arsenal in a deal worth a reported fee of £17m.

Since then, the Argentine has become a significant figure for the club as their number one goalkeeper, making 70 appearances across all competitions.

In those appearances, the 29-year-old has managed to keep 25 clean sheets.

Having won the Supporters’ Player of the Season award at the end of his debut campaign at the Midlands club, this shows just what a great signing he has been.

To highlight how crucial he was for the Villans last season, only Nick Pope (77%) ended the campaign with a higher save percentage than the former Arsenal goalkeeper (76.8%).

Taking this into account and the fact that he’s made a total of 76 saves in 31 league games this time around, it will surely be music to the ears of plenty at Villa Park that the club have no intention of letting him leave this summer.

Also, the fact that the Argentina international’s current contract at Villa isn’t set to expire until the summer of 2027 should also put to bed any concerns there may be about his future.

In other news: Gerrard can land his own Pogba as AVFC plot bid for “impressive” £107k-p/w machine