All posts by n8rngtd.top

Liverpool have built an impeccable reputation for their savvy recruitment since the arrival of Jurgen Klopp and, despite losing highly-rated sporting director Michael Edwards last summer, the club have still managed to secure unbelievable talent.

The Reds have struggled to maintain their high standards with every opportunity to win another trophy this season out of sight and the nightmare of missing out on Champions League football next season is becoming a reality with just six games left to close the gap to Newcastle United and Manchester United inside the top four.

The inconsistent performances and poor Premier League form have led to scrutiny in key areas all over the pitch and supporters have made their feelings clear about the business performed by FSG, which has left the squad without a midfield signing since Thiago Alcantara's arrival in 2020.

Despite the desperate need for reinforcements in the centre of the pitch, Liverpool have made fantastic progress in reinventing their forward line following Sadio Mane, Divock Origi and Takumi Minamino's departure in the summer They have even prepared for the imminent exit of Roberto Firmino, forming the next generation to take over from the tenacious and successful front three of the past.

Indeed, record-breaking signing Darwin Nunez is taking a little longer to settle in although the Uruguayan has delivered 15 goals and four assists in all competitions this season.

However, fellow newcomer Cody Gakpo has quickly become a trusted key player since his arrival in January and has been adapting his former role on the left wing for PSV Eindhoven to a more central role on Merseyside, transforming into the ideal Firmino replacement ahead of next term.

How much is Cody Gakpo worth?

The Netherlands international has consistently featured in the starting XI upon joining the Reds from PSV and, despite having a slow start which can be attributed to Liverpool's lack of confidence and poor form alongside his need to build connections with his teammates, has finally started to flourish in front of goal.

Over 15 Premier League appearances, the 23-year-old – who was dubbed "magnificent" by journalist Josh Bunting – has scored six goals and registered one assist.

A relentless attacking menace, the Dutchman has also successfully completed 61% of his dribbles, as well as averaging one key pass, two shots on goal and winning 4.7 duels per game, proving that he is developed into a huge threat in front of goal.

The Liverpool boss has been a huge admirer of his newest signing, recently lavishing praise on the young forward's ability to adapt to a new role and team:

“Cody is 23 years old, he was captain of his former club – I had no clue how that happens that early and then when he arrived here you realise, ‘Ah OK, he’s a super-smart kid, really open and a real team player’ and stuff like this. On top of that, a really good footballer.

“He can play this position, can play wide, can play the centre. The real nine, a bit higher up, he can play that as well; double striker, can play that as well."

The versatile goal-scorer has had an outstanding season for both teams he has played for at club level – bagging 17 goals – and became a key player for the Netherlands during their 2022 World Cup campaign where they progressed to the quarter-finals in Qatar at the end of last year.

All of that has contributed to the huge increase in Gakpo's market value. According to CIES Football Observatory, despite signing for just £35m just a few months ago, the Liverpool star is now worth €90m (£80m) which is a 128% increase.

With that being said, there is absolutely no doubt that FSG have hit the jackpot with the acquirement of Gakpo and, if he continues to thrive in the Liverpool team, will become a massive asset to the club in years to come.

Glasgow Rangers could face a mass exodus of first team players this summer, with seven in total all seeing their contracts expire at the end of the current campaign.

Players such as Allan McGregor, Steven Davis and Filip Helander will all be expected to depart; however, Michael Beale may try and convince Alfredo Morelos, Ryan Kent, Scott Arfield and Ryan Jack to remain at Ibrox, with the latter being one of the key members of the squad.

The Scot has been one of the better players this term, with his passing ability in the middle of the pitch a key strength, across 22 Premiership matches, he has averaged a 91% pass success rate while taking 58.6 touches per game.

Another key facet of his game is his defensive solidity and the 31-year-old loses possession only 6.6 times per game while making 1.3 tackles and 0.6 interceptions each match, suggesting he is an important cog in the midfield.

Losing him would be a major blow and although that will happen sooner rather than later, Beale can still get another season or two out of him.

The Englishman will be looking towards the future however and the Light Blues have recently been linked with Liverpool youngster Leighton Clarkson according to Football Insider.

Could Rangers sign Leighton Clarkson this summer?

The 21-year-old has spent the current season in the Premiership, turning out for Aberdeen and Beale will know all about his qualities having coached him at youth level when he worked at the Anfield side.

He has shone for the Dons this term, averaging a Sofascore rating of 7.14/10 and he was one of the standout performers in their recent 2-0 win over Rangers last month, Aberdeen’s first at home against the Glasgow side in seven years.

During that performance, Clarkson made three key passes, grabbed an assist, created one big chance, and made a staggering six tackles throughout the tie, nullifying Rangers across the midfield area.

His defensive metrics have actually been better than Jack’s this term, as the youngster has made two tackles and 0.7 interceptions per game and in terms of going forward, the Liverpool starlet offers a much more creative output than Jack.

Clarkson has registered seven assists, made 1.5 key passes per game and created seven big chances, with the Scot grabbing only two assists, 1.2 key passes per match and has created just two big chances, proving that not only would Clarkson be the ideal heir for Jack if he were to replace him, his statistics from this season show he could be an improvement.

Liverpool assistant Pep Ljinders waxed lyrical about Clarkson when he was just 17, claiming the player could “dictate play” and “speed up the tempo of the positional play” and there is no doubt he has a bright future in the game.

With the transfer window just around the corner, Beale should be making his move sooner rather than later.

It’s been a strong year for Aston Villa who have turned their relegation woes at the start of the campaign to European dreams as the 2022/23 Premier League season comes to a close.

Unai Emery has been highly praised for turning Villa’s form around since his appointment back in November following the sacking of Steven Gerrard.

The Spaniard has improved the playing quality of the squad, and most notably has transformed the seasons of a number of individuals to get the most out of the promising team he inherited from Gerrard.

With a finish in a European spot still in reach, Emery will look towards the summer transfer window to improve his squad, however there is more focus than just the first team when it comes to club improvements.

Villa may not need to look further than their academy for inspiration in attack in years to come, with one name, that of Rory Wilson, stealing the headlines in the U18’s Premier League.

Who is Rory Wilson?

When Villa captured the signature of 16-year-old Scotsman Rory Wilson from Rangers last summer, not many were aware of just what the club were getting out of the deal.

In his final season in Scotland, the youngster netted 49 goals for club and country, being known as one of the most prolific around for his age group.

When his contract expired at Ibrox – where he had been since the age of eight – Villa Park was his next destination as the Villans beat a number of clubs to secure the promising marksman.

Since signing, the now 17-year-old has scored eight goals in nine appearances in the U18s Premier League, as well as contributing four in Premier League 2, a competition typically above his age group.

The sky is the limit for the young star, however such form and consistency at such an embryonic stage of his career has prompted talk about just how far the Scotsman can go.

What is next for Rory Wilson?

Described by Scotland coach James Grady as being “obsessed with becoming the best”, the striker is seemingly fearless when it comes to doing what he does best.

Upon signing for Villa, he was lauded by academy manager Mark Harrison as having a “good thirst” and a strong “mentality to improve”. Indeed, that all stand him in good stead to "play for the first team" one day, as Harrison has predicted.

The youngster is on course to have his name in lights, taking the academy Premier League by storm without requiring time to adapt to his new surroundings.

Naturally, with gifted young players come comparisons to the greats at the club, Villa’s top scorer this season Ollie Watkins has been discussed in relation to the two players’ strengths, however, Wilson’s potential could go further than merely a comparison.

At 27 years old, Watkins has ten years on Wilson who is at the start of his career, however having only signed for the club last year, could the Scotsman one day threaten his senior figure’s place in the starting XI? Judging by his goal record, it wouldn't be a surprise.

Grady explained to the Birmingham Mail the young striker's desire to be “the guy, the top goalscorer” and assuming that Villa Park’s current top goalscorer will deplete with age, Premier League fame could be on the horizon for the young Scot.

Under Emery, Wilson has a coach that will enable him to progress at the highest level, as he did so confidently with Bukayo Saka at Arsenal, introducing the youngster in the Europa League and not stopping his growth by withdrawing him due to age in other domestic competition.

If given time to show his potential in the Premier League, or Europe if Villa should secure a place come the end of the season, Emery could have a threatening forward in the 17-year-old ready and waiting to replace Watkins.

Junior Firpo is fortunate that his careless red card didn't cost Leeds United a point in their recent draw against Newcastle United, although the Spaniard was at fault when he handballed Joe Willock's cross in the second half.

The former Barcelona man has certainly proven himself to be error-prone during his time at Elland Road and his red card may be something of a blessing in disguise for Sam Allardyce ahead of this weekend's game against West Ham United.

The Hammers are all but safe so this represents arguably Leeds' best chance to pick up three points in their fight for survival against Allardyce's former side, and while not having Firpo available may be seen as a blow, it could allow Pascal Struijk to make his return to the side at left-back.

Is losing Firpo a blow for Leeds?

This season has seen the 26-year-old make 18 appearances in the Premier League, contributing one goal and one assist, with a shocking 6.42 average rating from WhoScored for his performances.

Considering this ranks him as the 19th-best performer at Elland Road, while he has previously been dubbed a "liability" defensively by journalist David Anderson, it is something of a surprise that he has started both of Allardyce's games in charge thus far, given the Englishman's reputation as a defensive-minded coach.

He certainly didn't repay Allardyce's faith in him over the weekend against Newcastle, giving away the second penalty before earning a red card after bringing down Anthony Gordon when he was the last man late on, with his performance lambasted by the pundits on BT Sport following the game.

Gary McAllister said (via Daily Mail): "It's unexplainable why he goes so high with his hand, he gets himself in a terrible position, it's a desperate and wrong decision."

These are exactly the sort of decisions Leeds need to avoid in the final two games if they are going to retain their Premier League status, so Firpo's red card may actually work in the Yorkshire outfit's favour.

Should Allardyce unleash Struijk?

This leaves the English manager with two to choose from at left-back, and considering Max Wober has been featuring as a centre-back in recent fixtures, it would not be a surprise to see Struijk given the nod at left-back.

The former Ajax man may have struggled in the heavy defeats against Arsenal, Crystal Palace and Liverpool, earning below a 6/10 rating from WhoScored in all three of those fixtures, but he has still ranked as the third-best performer at Elland Road so far this campaign.

Dubbed a "ridiculous talent" by journalist Conor McGilligan earlier in the season, the 23-year-old can offer Allardyce physicality and defensive nous against West Ham, as he ranks second for tackles, fourth for clearances and fifth for blocks per game in Leeds' squad.

He could perhaps find himself unfortunate to have been dropped by Allardyce for his two games in charge thus far but the Belgian-born defender certainly has the quality to make a real difference and could be one to really benefit from Firpo's rash red card last weekend.

Arsenal seem set for a busy summer transfer window, to which they have seemingly already turned their attention towards…

What's the latest on Dani Olmo to Arsenal?

That's according to 90min, who noted that the Gunners were one of many clubs who oversaw Bayern Munich's Bundesliga title hopes drift away at home to RB Leipzig last Saturday.

With a host of desirable talent on display in the clash, representatives from Newcastle United, Liverpool, Manchester City, Manchester United and West Ham United all travelled to view first-hand some potential new signings.

Whilst some sought to watch Joshua Kimmich, and others were showing their desire to sign in Benjamin Pavard, it is noted that Edu had sent men to instead pay particular interest to RB Leipzig magician Dani Olmo.

It seems that despite Martin Odegaard's outstanding season, Mikel Arteta remains keen on bolstering in every area to avoid another potential disaster like this season with William Saliba's injury impacting the squad negatively. However, the €75m (£65m) release clause could prove troublesome.

Would Dani Olmo be a success at Arsenal?

Despite lacking the tangible success that the Gunners captain has enjoyed this campaign, it has still been a fruitful year for the Spain international, who has maintained a 7.02 average Sofascore rating alongside a consistent threat.

Despite scoring just twice and assisting a further four, he has recorded 1.4 key passes per game and upheld a 61% dribble success rate.

He may not set the world alight every game, but with the 25-year-old you are guaranteed a reliable performer who is capable of moments of magic. As someone who will only ever be an understudy to the exceptional Odegaard, this is arguably more than enough.

After all, the 24-year-old has enjoyed one of the outstanding seasons of his career, scoring 15 times and assisting a further eight on his way to a second-place finish in the league.

The former Real Madrid star has already drawn huge praise from Manchester City boss Pep Guardiola too, who branded him "an exceptional player, captain at his age in Arsenal in a short time there is because you have to be a special personality."

However, Olmo is seemingly also a favourite of the ex-Barcelona boss, who showered his compatriot with similar praise back in 2019: "He's a top player—he has a bright future, of course. The point is he is an incredible player and I am pretty sure he is able to play in the strong leagues in Europe."

Writer and podcaster Graham Ruthven even sought to laud the intelligence of the trickster just last year too, as his dark arts saw him branded an "evil genius". Perhaps that nastiness could be key in their mission to topple the Citizens next season.

It seems many across Europe recognise the immense talents of the former Dinamo Zagreb maestro, even if his statistics are not quite at the level of Odegaard's. Perhaps if put in the same squad, should Arteta make the move a reality, he could elevate that sole downside of his current game to forge him into a fine alternative to the captain.

Chelsea are interested in Juventus striker Dusan Vlahovic ahead of the summer transfer window as Mauricio Pochettino looks at bolstering his attacking options ahead of next season.

What’s the latest on Dusan Vlahovic to Chelsea?

According to agent Massimo Brambati, who spoke on TMW Radio, Chelsea are one of the clubs who are interested in signing Vlahovic this summer.

He said: “There are three teams that showed up. In my opinion, Juve will take these offers seriously. All of them have an important profile because they’re Chelsea, Bayern Munich and Atletico Madrid.

“I don’t know if the capital gain will be made, but after a year and a half of Vlahovic, they’ve already amortised a year’s gross salary and a good part of the amount invested too.”

No fee is mentioned, although he has three years left on his current deal and Juventus will surely be aiming to recoup some of the £66.6m they splashed out on him last year.

Would Dusan Vlahovic be a worthwhile signing for Chelsea?

Pochettino will be inheriting a Chelsea side which has scored just 36 Premier League goals all season at the time of writing and in urgent need of a player who could significantly bolster their attacking output next term.

The Serbian striker hasn’t had quite as prolific a campaign as he would have liked, scoring 14 goals across 41 appearances for the Serie A side, though this is hardly a true indication of his limitless talents in front of goal.

Across his previous two seasons for Juventus and Fiorentina, Vlahovic scored 50 goals in all competitions, lighting up the Italian top flight, in the process – and it’s no wonder Juventus came calling.

Journalist Carlo Garganese described the 23-year-old as “scary” and a “monster”, while he even reminded him of former Italy striker Christian Vieri – making him a potential dream first signing for Pochettino this summer.

Despite his relatively low scoring rate this season, he still manages a goal every 185 minutes, while taking 2.4 shots per game – one of the highest rates in the league amongst the top players – indicating that although he could be more clinical, there is no faulting his effort.

The striker doesn’t only add goals to a team, though, as he has grabbed two assists, created three big chances, and made 0.8 key passes per game, suggesting that he can create chances for others at a reasonable rate.

If Pochettino wants to win trophies at Chelsea, signing players in the mould of £220k-per-week hitman Vlahovic is the way to go, that’s for sure.

Leeds United's priority this summer, regardless of the division they find themselves in, will be finding a new manager to ensure that they can improve upon a disastrous campaign.

Sam Allardyce is currently the man in the dugout for Leeds but he was hired on a short-term basis to try and keep the Yorkshire club in the Premier League, and there would presumably be an uproar if he was hired permanently.

One man who was touted as a potential option for Leeds following the sacking of Javi Gracia was Jon Dahl Tomasson, and the Elland Road outfit could rediscover the identity they cultivated under Marcelo Bielsa by hiring the Blackburn Rovers boss this summer.

Could Leeds hire Jon Dahl Tomasson this summer?

It was reported by Football Insider last month that those at Leeds were seriously impressed by the work that Tomasson has done in his first season at Ewood Park and considered him to be the next Bielsa at Elland Road.

While the more drastic option for Allardyce was taken in a desperate attempt to keep Leeds up, it seems likely that Leeds could revisit a move for the 46-year-old this summer when their future is more clear, especially if they rate him as highly as reports claim.

Under Tomasson, Blackburn would narrowly miss out on the playoffs in the Championship this term, as he averaged 1.5 points per game in the second tier, while the Lancashire outfit also just missed out on a FA Cup semi-final after losing late on against Sheffield United.

EFL pundit James Allcott lauded the "fast-paced, high press" style that Tomasson has implemented at Blackburn when they sat third in the table earlier in the campaign.

He said: "Blackburn's exciting pressing style has been very fun to watch this season because of how many goals and chances it yields. They play every game at a million miles an hour and have been overwhelming their opponents so far."

This style of play will certainly remind Leeds fans of the tactic set up by Bielsa when he took over at Leeds, with the Yorkshire outfit regularly outrunning and relentlessly pressing their opponents.

After the recent seasons which have seen that style abandoned for a less adventurous one, which has done very little to solve Leeds' defensive woes, fans would surely love to see a return of this mentality at Elland Road.

Tomasson had been linked to Feyenoord amid Arne Slot's potential move to the Premier League but after he confirmed he was staying put, Leeds now have an ideal chance to hire the Danish manager before his stock rises even higher.

Glasgow Rangers are willing to submit a fourth offer in an attempt to bring Swansea City forward Morgan Whittaker to Ibrox, according to reports.

Are Rangers signing Morgan Whittaker?

During his loan at Plymouth Argyle in the first half of the 2022/23 campaign, the 22-year-old was a real bright spark and attracted significant interest from Michael Beale who publicly admitted that he was a transfer target having been recalled by his parent club in January, dubbing him “excellent”.

Football Insider reported that the Light Blues had three bids worth up to £2m turned down by the Welsh outfit during the window at the start of the year, but it’s since been claimed that the Ibrox side have remained in contact with the winger’s agent. Despite the boss having so far failed to get a deal over the line, that hasn’t stopped him from wanting to take yet another bite of the cherry.

According to Football Scotland, Rangers "remain interested" in Whittaker ahead of the summer, with Beale having personally "retained a like" for his long-term target. The Teddy Bears would supposedly be "willing to lodge another bid" in the hope of securing his services, but a deal won't be at all easy to complete.

Swansea's manager, Russell Martin, is expected to imminently join Southampton and it's stated that as a result, they would "not be open" to approving any incomings or outgoings until they have a new permanent boss in place.

Should Rangers make another offer for Whittaker?

Rangers are clearly serious about signing Whittaker having made three attempts and now weighing up a fourth to land him, but having been lauded a “flamboyant” creative forward by talent scout Jacek Kulig, Beale having his sights set on him is no surprise so the hierarchy should 100% table another bid to bring him to Scotland.

Swansea’s £4.8k-per-week ace posted an incredible 16 goal contributions (nine goals and seven assists) in 25 League One appearances during his spell at Plymouth, not to mention he recorded a total of 79 shots which was the second-highest number throughout their squad, as per FBRef, form which saw him collect four man-of-the-match awards in that timeframe.

Finally, Whittaker is an extremely versatile operator having played in seven various positions over the grass since bursting onto the professional scene, including everywhere across the frontline and even three roles in the midfield, and with Ryan Kent and Alfredo Morelos leaving as free agents this summer, Whittaker could possibly be a shrewd signing at Ibrox.

Tottenham Hotspur may 'have the edge' in the hunt to sign Crystal Palace defender Marc Guehi because they will be able to offer him first-team football ahead of Euro 2024 next summer, according to journalist Dean Jones.

What's the latest transfer news involving Marc Guehi?

According to FootballTransfers, Tottenham are interested in bringing in Guehi this summer to bolster their defence, though they may have to pay a pretty penny to land the England international.

Speaking to the outlet, journalist Steve Kay said: "Spurs are interested in signing Marc Guehi in the summer. Palace want £65m. Spurs apparently won't pay that – they're looking at paying around £45m."

The Daily Mail also confirm that Spurs are keen on the 22-year-old; however, they also detail that Manchester United, Arsenal and Liverpool are monitoring his situation.

Crystal Palace won't make a decision on the future of the £50k-a-week ace among other players in their squad until a new manager is appointed at Selhurst Park.

ESPN claim that Tottenham and West Ham United have been offered the chance to sign Harry Maguire, which could also be an avenue Spurs go down as they look to bolster their backline.

Speaking to GIVEMESPORT, journalist Jones thinks that Guehi will be a serious option this summer at Tottenham alongside Maguire as Ange Postecoglou looks to get to work on potential additions.

Jones said: “The Harry Maguire interest is of course going to make headlines because of who he is and where his reputation is right now, but he is not the only option out there by any means. One of the other Premier League ones we should expect them to thoroughly look into is that of Marc Guehi.

"He is also admired by Arsenal, but Spurs might have the edge on them in terms of being able to offer regular first-team football, which is going to be vital in a season that leads into the European Championship as he will aim to be part of that England squad.”

Who would be a better signing for Spurs out of Harry Maguire and Marc Guehi?

Factoring in age, profile and long-term thinking, Guehi would appear to be a better fit for Tottenham as they look to improve on their disastrous 2022/23 showing.

This term, Guehi, who has been lauded as an "absolute tank" by England U21 teammate Joe Bursik, made 40 appearances in all competitions for Crystal Palace and scored a solitary goal in the process, as per Transfermarkt.

WhoScored show that Guehi completes 3.6 clearances on average per match in the Premier League this season, demonstrating his acute awareness to dangerous situations.

Furthermore, FBRef take into account that Guehi has also won 61.9% of challenges entered into across the campaign, indicating that he is a domineering presence in the backline.

Moving forward, bringing in Guehi would excite the Tottenham faithful and help Postecoglou to get off to a flying start in north London.

Everton are preparing a £20m transfer offer to sign Sheffield United forward Iliman Ndiaye, according to reliable reporter Alan Nixon.

What’s the latest Everton transfer news?

The Toffees managed to remain in the Premier League on the final day last season following a 1-0 win over Bournemouth and appear to be in the market for attacking reinforcements ahead of Sean Dyche’s first full season in charge.

That’s because the club scored just 34 goals in 38 top-flight games last season, with Wolves the only side to score fewer in the league.

Star forward Dominic Calvert-Lewin started just 15 Premier League games last season, missing large parts of the campaign with knee and hamstring issues. Meanwhile, Neal Maupay scored just once in 29 games in all competitions, and it looks as if Ndiaye is a player of interest to those at Goodison Park.

According to Nixon, writing for The Sun, Everton and Marseille are battling it out for the Blades forward, who is seen as a priority target

Jordan Pickford, Demarai Gray, Maupay, Mason Holgate and possibly Amadou Onana could all be sold this summer to raise cash, and funds could then go on Ndiaye, with Everton planning to go to £20m.

Who is Iliman Ndiaye?

Ndiaye, dubbed a “FIFA cheat code” by his former teammate Tom Graham, is 23 years of age and is primarily a centre-forward but can also play in a second striker or attacking midfield role.

The Senegal international has enjoyed a brilliant 12 months which has resulted in his Transfermarkt valuation increasing from €1.5m to a career-high €18m. He represented his country at the World Cup in Qatar last year and helped Sheffield United win promotion to the Premier League.

Playing a whopping 52 times in all competitions last season, Ndiaye, called “incredible” by Oli McBurnie, scored 15 goals and registered 12 assists playing in a variety of attacking roles.

He’ll soon be entering the final 12 months of his Bramall Lane contract as well, so Everton may feel they can persuade him to move to Merseyside, should his situation remain the same. It looks as if a transfer could be one to keep an eye on over the coming months, but as mentioned, Everton will need to battle interest abroad for their top target.