Tag Futebol

Tottenham Hotspur may have been handed a potential transfer blow over Weston McKennie, who is now believed to be firmly on the radar of Aston Villa and Bournemouth.

What’s the latest?

The American midfielder has been linked with a potential move to Spurs for a number of months, with Fabio Paratici believed to have an eye on the man he initially brought to Juventus in 2020.

And McKennie continues to be a reported Spurs target amid the January transfer window, with the Serie A side expecting Spurs to potentially put forward an offer for the 24-year-old.

However, speaking on the House of Champions YouTube channel, reporter Fabrizio Romano has now suggested Spurs may face competition from other Premier League sides, with two clubs already holding talks with his representatives over a possible move to England.

He said: “Weston McKennie could be one of the players to leave. There are conversations ongoing – as you mentioned – with Bournemouth, also with Aston Villa; there was a call a few days ago to explore the potential conditions of a deal.”

Move now or miss out

McKennie has made 12 appearances for Juventus in Serie A this season, with 10 of those coming in the starting XI under Massimiliano Allegri (via Transfermarkt).

However, on just three occasions in the Italian top flight has the midfielder lasted the full 90 minutes of the game, with Adrien Rabiot – also linked to Spurs – replacing him after 67 minutes on Wednesday evening.

It is believed Spurs are looking to add another midfielder to their squad, with the likes of McKennie, Rabiot and Sofyan Amrabat linked with potential moves to N17 in recent weeks.

In comparison to Pierre-Emile Hojbjerg and Rodrigo Bentancur, the American has provided fewer goals, fewer assists, fewer tackles per 90 and even fewer shot-creating actions this season (via FBref).

Fabio Paratici, however, has successfully raided Juventus before with the additions of Bentancur and Dejan Kulusevski, who have both thrived since leaving Turin behind for Tottenham.

Therefore, the Italian’s judgement may count for more than the statistics on show from this season so far, with Paratici clearly a fan of the 24-year-old having previously signed him from Schalke.

However, what will be interesting to see is whether the performance of Pape Matar Sarr on Wednesday night against Crystal Palace influences Tottenham’s search for a midfielder.

The Senegalese youngster came on as a substitute at Selhurst Park for a 24-minute cameo in place of Oliver Skipp in which he impressed journalist Alasdair Gold:

“Another bright cameo from the bench. He replaced Skipp on 66 minutes and looked calm and composed in his second Premier League game. Made an important interception late on to stop Edouard running through and preserve the clean sheet,” he wrote.

And with some of Spurs’ youngsters impressing, it will be intriguing to see if the Lilywhites allow McKennie to be snapped up by another side and potentially focus their attention on other areas this month.

The Everton hierarchy are yet to sign off on a new contract for Toffees goalkeeper Jordan Pickford. 

The Lowdown: Pickford’s contract situation

As things stand, the Englishman’s contract at Goodison Park is set to expire in the summer of 2024.

This season has seen the 28-year-old, who is one of the club’s top earners with a wage of £100,000 per week, feature in all but one of Everton’s games in the Premier League.

However, some concerning behind-the-scenes details have emerged ahead of the upcoming January transfer window regarding Pickford and his future on Merseyside.

The Latest: Behind-the-scenes issues

According to a report from the Daily Mail, Everton are yet to sign off on the new five-year contract that Pickford apparently agreed to sign before the World Cup.

The report adds that this delay has led to increased doubt over the shot-stopper’s future at Goodison Park and has alerted the likes of Manchester United, Tottenham Hotspur and Chelsea to the situation.

The Verdict: A mistake from Everton

Even though Frank Lampard’s side have had a tough season in terms of their league results, Pickford has shown how important figure he is for the team.

For example, having faced the fourth-highest number of shots on target in the Premier League (81), the Englishman has made 62 saves, the second-highest of any goalkeeper in the division.

This has given him a save percentage of 79% – the fourth-highest in the league – in addition to his overall performance rating of 6.93/10 from WhoScored, making him the third-highest rated player at Everton.

Overall, we feel that if the Goodison Park board have delayed giving the green light to Pickford’s new contract, this has been a big mistake on their part, especially if the 28-year-old ends up having his head turned by one of the prospective suitors mentioned in the report.

Newcastle United are reportedly ready to launch a January transfer move for Chelsea winger Christian Pulisic. 

The Lowdown: Pulisic’s time at Chelsea

Back in the 2019 January transfer window, Chelsea signed the winger from Borussia Dortmund for a fee of £57.6m before immediately loaning him back to the German club for the end of the 2018/19 season.

With 133 appearances for the west London club under his belt, the 24-year-old has scored 26 goals and delivered 21 assists, but hasn’t ever quite fully delivered on the excitement surrounding his initial arrival.

Having been knocked out of the World Cup with the USA in the round of 16 stage, the attacker can now focus again on his domestic future following a summer of transfer talk, when Fabrizio Romano claimed PIF are “obsessed” with the player.

The Latest: Newcastle ready to bid

According to a recent report from the Daily Mirror, Newcastle are looking to launch a move to make the Chelsea winger their ‘statement signing’.

The report claims that Chelsea want £40m for the American, and although the Toon are ready to bid, they expect to try and drive that price down.

[web_stories_embed url=”https://www.footballtransfertavern.com/web-stories/newcastle-news-7/” title=”Newcastle news!” poster=”” width=”360″ height=”600″ align=”none”] 

It’s also alleged that Pulisic would be tempted by the move on the premise he’d be getting regular playing time.

The Verdict: Worth a shot?

Having only started three of the 13 Premier League games he’s appeared in for Graham Potter’s side this season, it’s easy to see why he’d be looking to make a move away from Stamford Bridge to somewhere he’d have a better chance of playing regularly.

In terms of what he’d be able to offer Eddie Howe’s side, Pulisic has been able to rack up the second-highest rate of shots at goal per 90 minutes in the league this season at Chelsea (2.14) as well as the joint-fourth highest rate of shot-creating actions per 90 minutes (3.43).

Hailed for his “electric” performances at the World Cup by journalist Ben Wright, Pulisic would certainly add some extra attacking strength to Newcastle, bagging 67 senior goals for club and country aged just 24.

Looking ahead to January, we feel that it would definitely be worth Newcastle making an approach to Chelsea to see if they’d be willing to sell the winger for a price that would suit both parties.

Celtic already have a couple of more signings ‘lined up’ for January, according to manager Ange Postecoglou.

The Lowdown: After Kobayashi

The Scottish Premiership outfit announced that Yuki Kobayashi had penned a five-year contract with the club and was set to link up with his teammates for the first time next month, though reports have revealed that he won’t be able to play until January.

The World Cup break will present the hierarchy with the perfect opportunity to identify any potential targets that they want to add to their squad, and the boss has now hinted that there could be a few fresh faces walking through the doors in the New Year.

The Latest: Postecoglou’s comments

Speaking to the Daily Record, Postecoglou shared an exciting update for Hoops supporters revealing that he’s been watching players in action in Qatar, with a ‘couple’ ready to make the move. He said:

“I’ll watch it (the World Cup). It’s one of those events you get engrossed in when it comes around. There are always great stories and we’ve got a few participants in there. There might be a couple of others I’m looking at as well…

“It’s fair to say there’s a couple lined up.

“It’s how we’ve done things and how I believe we need to be. It’s how I’m built. I don’t like rushing around last minute. It’s not always the case. Matt O’Riley we did in three days last year.

“We saw an opportunity and moved really quickly. We need to be agile when we need to and when we don’t, we can methodically plan to make sure we get things done. If we can get guys early, once January 1 hits they are already part of this football club.”

[web_stories_embed url=”https://www.footballtransfertavern.com/web-stories/key-latest-celtic-updates-9/” title=”Key latest Celtic updates!” poster=”” width=”360″ height=”600″ align=“none”]

The Verdict: Correct decision

Celtic couldn’t wish to be in a better position than they currently are with a nine-point lead over their rivals at the top of the table, but the decision to bolster their ranks further is the right one.

There are still a significant number of fixtures remaining between now and the end of the season and you never know what kind of injuries may occur so you can never have too many in the building.

The Bhoys will only target players that they feel will strengthen their side, and Ange will be hoping that they can help contribute to earning him a second consecutive league title.

Tottenham Hotspur have ‘extra’ cash to spend in January thanks to their last 16 Champions League qualification, says ‘expert’ John Wenham.

The Lowdown: Spurs sail through…

Over what was a dramatic Champions League group campaign for Antonio Conte’s side, Spurs sealed top spot of Group D on the very last matchday to the delight of Lilywhites supporters.

The north Londoners sealed a dramatic comeback against Ligue 1 side Marseille after going 1-0 down in France, courtesy of a Chancel Mbemba goal on the stroke of half time.

Tottenham’s resolve was tested but Clement Lenglet’s strike on 54 minutes handed the Premier League side some second-half momentum to grab a winner. Five minutes into added time, mainstay midfielder Pierre-Emile Hojbjerg nicked Tottenham’s victory-clinching goal with the last kick of the game – sending Spurs’ dugout into raptures.

The 2-1 victory at Marseille will gift sporting director Fabio Paratici a financial windfall as the Italian draws up his transfer plans ahead of January.

The Latest: Paratici set for ‘£8.2 million’ Spurs boost…

The exact fee, as shared by Spurs ‘expert’ Wenham, could potentially provide a small assist for Spurs and Paratici in the transfer market.

Conte arguably needs some mid-winter additions given their wave of injury problems and an ever-congested fixture schedule, largely due to the World Cup.

[web_stories_embed url=”https://www.footballtransfertavern.com/web-stories/tottenham-latest-news-3/” title=”Tottenham latest news!” poster=”” width=”360″ height=”600″ align=”none”]

“The game against Marseille was so important,” explained Wenham to Football Insider.

“The fact we have two league games before the World Cup in Liverpool and Leeds at home, to me, Marseille was the bigger game.

“Not only does it give us something to build upon and look forward to in the second half of this season, let’s call it a restart.

“It also gives us impetus in the January transfer window when we go to make new signings. We can offer Champions League football to whoever we want to sign.

“We will have an extra £8.2million, I understand that is the figure we earned for qualifying. So we have put ourselves in a really good position to grow as a club.“

The Verdict: Crucial game for Spurs…

Tottenham’s heroics have indeed put the club in a ‘really good position’, not least for the extra pulling power, £8.2m financial windfall and the potential to earn even more revenue in the knockout rounds.

Conte will also want to stay in charge of a Champions League regular, so their win in Europe could potentially be looked back on as one of their most important of the calendar year.

Glasgow Rangers secured their place in the last four of the League Cup on Wednesday evening, albeit with there likely to have been few positives for manager Giovanni van Bronckhorst as the Ibrox side looked unconvincing against the spirited second-tier outfit.

Veteran midfielder Steven Davis had given the Old Firm outfit the lead against Dundee inside the opening ten minutes after heading home on the rebound, although the home side were unable to build on that early lead amid what was a limp display on the night, with there having been audible boo’s at full-time around Ibrox at the manner of the display.

The Gers boss seemingly had few complaints about that reception from the home crowd as the Dutchman admitted that his side were “not good enough” – particularly in the closing stages – with that performance coming just a week on from the Glasgow side’s humbling defeat to Liverpool in the Champions League.

One man who again underwhelmed against Gary Bowyer’s side on the night was striker, Alfredo Morelos, with the Colombia international having endured a frustrating evening in front of goal to ensure his miserable run of form continues.

The 26-year-old – who has 114 goals to his name for the club since joining back in 2017 – has only netted twice in all competitions so far this term, having seemingly struggled to make an impact since returning from the thigh injury that ruled the dynamic marksman out of the tail-end of last season.

The 11-cap brute – who was dropped earlier this season amid concerns over his fitness and attitude – was not “the sharpest” against the Dark Blues, according to The Athletic’s Jordan Campbell, with the £11.7m-rated man squandering notable opportunities to get himself on the scoresheet.

One clear-cut chance saw the previously prolific menace fire straight at opposition ‘keeper Adam Legzdins after being played through by skipper James Tavernier, having failed to showcase the ruthless streak in front of goal that had previously been his trademark.

The £33k-per-week powerhouse would produce a tame header on goal just around the hour mark before being hooked for the final 15 minutes or so, having reportedly vented his frustration at his display by kicking out at a chair in the home dugout.

As Rangers Review journalist Jonny McFarlane noted in his post-match player ratings, Morelos currently ‘looks a long way off the man who bullied defenders left and right in his Europa League heyday of 18/19 under Steven Gerrard’, with it yet to be seen if the striker will be able to recapture his previous form.

Van Bronckhorst had revealed prior to the game that there is yet to be a resolution regarding the player’s contract – which is up at the end of the season – with it perhaps best for all parties if the club ruthlessly moves him on sooner rather than later.

Sunderland lined up without a natural centre-forward in their starting XI for the fourth straight Championship match as they lost 2-1 to Swansea on Saturday.

Ellis Simms picked up an injury in the 3-0 win over Reading in September and joined Scottish striker Ross Stewart on the sidelines, leaving Tony Mowbray without an out-and-out number nine to call upon.

In the subsequent four matches, the Black Cats have picked up three points and scored just three goals – including one in their last three – as the likes of Amad Diallo, Jack Clarke, Elliot Embleton, and Alex Pritchard have been tasked with filling the void up front.

Mowbray has not dipped into the academy set-up to bring a youngster up to fill the hole left by Stewart and Simms but there are a few options in the youth ranks who have the potential to make the grade in the future.

Whilst they may not be able to help the club with their current problems at the top end of the pitch, Sunderland have a number of talented youngsters at the Academy of Light.

One player who could be the future heir to Stewart’s throne in the number nine position is 16-year-old academy phenomenon Tom Watson.

The attacker played 19 times in the U18 Premier League last season and caught the eye with eight goals and one assist, which is an impressive return given that he only turned 16 in April.

Journalist Josh Bunting picked up on his form shortly after his 16th birthday, Tweeting: “Tom Watson is a player to keep an eye on, he’s scored for Sunderland 18’s against Leeds this afternoon, that’s three goals in his last four games, makes it stick up top, only 16 so is very much new in 18’s football but has taken it to it like a duck to water, natural finisher.”

The forward has kicked on again this term and enjoyed a sublime start to the season. He has scored four goals and provided two assists in five U18 Premier League appearances, whilst he has also been called upon in two Premier League 2 matches for the U21s.

Watson, who can play out on the left or through the middle as a striker, has shown great promise at U18 level and is making big strides in the academy at such a young age.

Of course, it is not a certainty that he will be able to translate his stunning form to U21 or senior level but it does show that the potential is there for him to be a goalscorer for the club in the future.

If he can continue to develop and hone his skills as he gains more experience then he could grow into a player capable of replacing Stewart at the Stadium of Light if Mowbray decides to unearth his talent in a year, or in a few years, as he has shown glimpses of the goalscoring prowess he possesses.

Scottish champions Celtic are currently riding high following their brutal 9-0 thrashing of Dundee United away at Tannadice, with the Old Firm outfit continuing their remarkable 37-game unbeaten run in the league which stretches back to September 2021.

With five wins from five in the new season, it all appears to be running smoothly for manager Ange Postecoglou of late, with the Parkhead giants looking well placed to retain their league title.

That jubilant mood could well be somewhat dampened, however, amid reports that promising midfielder Matt O’Riley is attracting interest from clubs across Europe, with ESPN suggesting that Premier League duo Newcastle United and Leicester City are the most likely clubs to make an offer in the coming days.

While the report suggests that the Glasgow side are in no rush to sell the 21-year-old, it is believed that an offer of around £15m-£20m could well sway their thinking, as they face the prospect of losing a player who only joined on a £1.5m deal back in January.

Despite the obvious benefit of a major financial profit on the former MK Dons playmaker, any departure in the coming days could well be a sizeable blow to Postecoglou and co, particularly having already seen fellow midfielder Tom Rogic depart the club at the end of last season.

The Denmark U21 international has been tipped to be the successor to the Australian genius at Celtic Park, although supporters will no doubt be concerned by the player’s recent admission that there is a “lot of interest” in his services.

Having only arrived in Scotland during the winter window, the former Fulham youth product went on to make an instant impression in his new surroundings, scoring four goals and providing three assists in just 16 league games in the second half of last season.

The “intelligent” gem – as lauded by former boss Russell Martin – has carried that rich vein of form into the new season having laid on three assists in the opening five league games, two of which came in that thumping victory over the Tangerines on Sunday.

Not only would it be of huge concern to lose the London-born ace ahead of the start of the club’s Champions League voyage, seeing the midfielder depart so late in the day would also be of huge frustration, as it would leave little time to acquire a replacement.

Celtic have previously felt the consequences of losing a key player towards the latter stages of the window, with academy graduate Kieran Tierney having joined Arsenal back in August 2019.

While the Scottish Premiership side were able to acquire a £25m fee for the marauding left-back, the relatively late nature of the move left then-boss, Neil Lennon, with little time to respond, with the club eventually scrambling to secure the signing of Greg Taylor a few weeks later on deadline day.

Although the addition of the Scotland international has eventually paid off, it was far from ideal having to act in the market so late on, while business completed towards the climax of a window can often lead to inflated prices and wage demands.

Equally, after a rocky first few seasons where he became the target of boo-boys, it is perhaps not until now that Taylor has truly begun to earn to impress following a strong start to the new season – having been praised by teammate Jota – with the Tierney-sized void proving difficult to replace in the seasons following his exit.

That could well be the case with O’Riley, with the Hoops unlikely to have foreseen the £2.07m-rated ace attracting such vast interest so soon into his stint at the club, with that fact potentially ensuring that suitable alternatives or replacements have not yet been lined up.

It would no doubt be a source of frustration if another exciting talent is to be poached from Parkhead by a Premier League club, with Celtic simply needing to hold firm to hold off any interest.

Sunderland have been dealt another injury blow ahead of their Championship clash with Sheffield United, with Carl Winchester ruled out with a back issue.

The Lowdown: Ballard out

The Black Cats have lost Dan Ballard for the foreseeable future, with the defender suffering a fractured foot in the 2-2 draw at home to QPR on Saturday afternoon.

Next up for Alex Neil’s side is Wednesday evening’s trip to Sheffield United, as Sunderland look to get back to winning ways with a tough away outing.

Their preparations have been dealt a blow ahead of the Bramall Lane clash, however, with a second injury concern emerging.

The Latest: Winchester to be examined on Wednesday

Taking to Twitter, journalist James Hunter confirmed that Winchester is out with a back problem and is set to see a specialist on Wednesday regarding the issue:

“Carl Winchester sidelined with a back problem. Due to see a specialist tomorrow.”

The Verdict: Injury problems mounting

This is far from ideal ahead of an important game, with Winchester admittedly not starting a league game this season but potentially in with a chance of playing at Bramall Lane after the problem for Ballard.

He enjoyed an 89.9% pass completion rate in his only appearance so far in 2022/23, against Sheffield Wednesday in the EFL Cup, and he has been described as a ‘cult hero’ by journalist James Copley.

The hope is that Winchester’s setback is not too serious, with long-term absences for both him and Ballard giving Neil a headache ahead of a busy run of fixtures.

Reliable journalist Christian Falk has revealed that Newcastle United are now ‘interested’ in signing Timo Werner.

The Lowdown: Chelsea struggles

Werner has not enjoyed the best of times at Chelsea, despite winning the UEFA Champions League.

Paid a whopping £268,000-per-week at Stamford Bridge, the Germany international has scored just 23 times in 89 games in total over all competitions for the Blues (inferior to what he was managing at previous club RB Leipzig.

Nonetheless, with the arrival of Raheem Sterling from Manchester City, Werner’s game time could be limited this season, and so it would not be a surprise if Thomas Tuchel’s side decided to part ways.

The Latest: Newcastle interest

Taking to Twitter, BILD Sport reporter Falk has revealed that the Magpies are now ‘interested’ in Werner:

“TRUE Newcastle is interested in @TimoWerner @ChelseaFC.”

The Verdict: Risky

Given his struggles in English football, along with his huge wages, signing Werner would be very risky, but could well pay off.

Nicknamed ‘Turbo Timo’ for his frightening pace, the 26-year-old offers a potentially deadly counter-attacking option for when Eddie Howe’s team need to sit back and soak up the pressure against the top sides in the Premier League.

Having scored once and made one assist in three games against the Tynesiders, winning all three matches (Transfermarkt), the Toon defenders will no doubt be aware of his threat in behind, and would be relieved if he lined up alongside them next term instead.

One of those – Fabian Schar – actually shares the same agent as Werner, and so perhaps he could play a part in speeding up the attacker’s arrival.