All posts by z3u9t.icu

Wolverhampton Wanderers are reportedly interested in Montpellier forward Elye Wahi, with reports from France linking the player to Molineux.

If speculation is to be believed, it could be a marquee signing for the Old Gold, as Julen Lopetegui faces the task of bolstering his front line this summer.

The Spaniard pulled off an impressive feat in keeping Wolves up last season, after the club sat rock bottom on Christmas Day.

Despite his hard work, there is still a long way to go for the Midlands side should they wish to return to familiar heights in the league, with a lack of goals weighing heavy on the minds of Molineux.

While Wolves managed to free themselves from the bottom of the Premier League table, they were unable to rise from the ashes of the goal-scoring table, ending the 2022/23 campaign as the league’s lowest-scorers.

Lopetegui could solve his issues by signing Wahi, who was speculated to be wanted by the Midlands club as per journalist Mohamed Toubache-Ter late last month.

The journalist claimed that Wolves’ interest is ‘real’ with Jorge Mendes reportedly keeping a ‘hand on the file’ of the player, who has a price tag of around £30m.

How good is Elye Wahi?

Lopetegui must target a goalscorer this summer, which was rumoured to have been in the works earlier this summer when the Old Gold were linked to Coventry City striker Viktor Gyokeres.

It’s now expected that the Championship marksman will sign for Portuguese outfit Sporting CP, meaning that Wolves must continue their pursuit of a goalscorer.

Links to Wahi are promising, especially after the disappointment of missing out on Gyokeres who had proven his worth in the second-tier last season, scoring 21 goals in 46 league appearances for the Sky Blues.

Despite flexing a superior goal tally over the Frenchman, the Swede played 11 more games than the 20-year-old, who scored 19 goals in Ligue 1, a league packed with some of the best talent in the world.

Averaging a goal every 133 minutes in the top-tier of French football, Wahi could prove to be a stronger option for Lopetegui to look to, possessing qualities that could suggest he has the edge on Gyokeres in terms of his suitability for Wolves.

Hailed as “incredible” by talent scout Jacek Kulig, the rising star has been identified as having strengths in his pace and “explosiveness” by journalist Fintan O’Reilly, via Total Football Analysis.

The youngster's acceleration and clinical nature in front of goal could be vital for Lopetegui, who must get his side firing next season.

Wolves have plenty of creative outlets, with the likes of Daniel Podence averaging 1.90 passes into the penalty area per 90 last season, as per FBref, highlighting just how useful an energetic and clinical presence could be up front.

At just 20 years old, Lopetegui could capture the signature of a player established in leading the line against some of Europe’s elite, packed with confidence and precision in front of goal.

Wahi could provide the Spaniard with a chance to forget Gyokeres, by continuing his goal-scoring success at Molineux.

There’s always the worry that AI will take over, before descending in robot chaos, forcing us all to live our lives doing our best impressions of an action movie protagonist. But, even if that does one day occur, one thing that’s safe from the takeover is football chants. Talk about saving the essentials, right?As things turn out, AI is yet to crack the code of what makes a football chant so great. Of course, it could be said that some fans are yet to crack that code, too, with the occasional team name taking centre stage as a club’s song of choice.For instance, the hilariously simple: “Chelsea, Chelsea, Chelseaaa!”That one-phrase chant is still better than what AI came up with for new Liverpool signing Dominik Szoboszlai, however.

What’s the latest on Dominik Szoboszlai and Liverpool?

Joining the Reds for £60m after they triggered his release clause at RB Leipzig, Szoboszlai joins looking to help transform Jurgen Klopp’s midfield.

Signing a five-year deal, the 22-year-old told the club in his first interview: “It’s really, really good. I enjoyed the last [few] days and I’m looking forward to knowing everybody better.

“The last three or four days went really long; it was not that easy. But at the end I’m here, I’m happy and I can’t wait to get started.

“[A] really historic club, really good players, good coach, everything is good. For me it was perfect to make the next step in a club like this. The fans, the stadium, everything is really good.”

The midfielder is Liverpool’s second signing of the summer following Alexis Mac Allister’s arrival from Brighton & Hove Albion at the start of the window.

Klopp isn’t stopping there, either, according to Fabrizio Romano, who reported that Liverpool are also in contact over a potential move for Southampton’s Romeo Lavia.

What is the AI song for Szoboszlai and Mac Allister?

Attempting to replicate the song created by AI for Mac Allister, DaveOCKOP posted the Szoboszlai song, which goes as follows to the tune of Don McLean’s American Pie.

Do sing along if you can: “My my, Dominik Szoboszlai, he’s the wonder from the Bundesliga, Hungary guy. With him in midfield, we’ll win every time, singing Dominik, we’re happy you signed, Dominik, you’re one of a kind.”

Unsurprisingly, we don’t think this one is going to catch on quite as well as Allez Allez Allez did a few years ago. Anfield will likely be sticking to their usual chants, hoping to power Klopp’s side onto bigger and better things than last season, with a new-look squad on the way.

You can hear the Mac Allister tune here to compare:

Aston Villa have been linked with Athletic Club attacker Nico Williams and journalist Dean Jones thinks that the Spaniard would be a 'good fit' under Villans boss Unai Emery.

What's the latest transfer news involving Nico Williams?

As per 90min, Aston Villa have opened discussions regarding a deal to bring Athletic Club forward Williams to Villa Park as Emery eyes an addition on the flank.

The report states that the £57k-a-week ace is 'very highly-rated' at the West Midlands based club and Arsenal, Manchester City and Newcastle United are also monitoring Williams' situation this window.

According to The Athletic, Real Madrid are also keen on Williams, who is believed to have a €50 million (£42 million) release clause in his present terms at Athletic Club.

Williams has one year left on his deal and has emerged as a target for Aston Villa following their failed pursuit of Marco Asensio earlier this summer, as per FootballTransfers.

Manchester United winger Jadon Sancho is another player of interest to Aston Villa as they look forward to Europa Conference League football next term.

Speaking to Football FanCast, journalist Jones thinks that Williams has a bright future, though may need to refine some parts of his game to reach the very top.

Jones told FFC: "In terms of Nico Williams who is another target, I really like Nico Williams, I think that I can understand why Emery would feel that he's a good fit for him personally.

"In terms of the Premier League, I would worry a little bit about how he would fit. I see a lot of him at Athletic Club and he's a really good talent. He's got a lot of skill, but his decision-making in the final third just often falls a bit flat."

Would Nico Williams be a good signing for Aston Villa?

Williams is a highly talented youngster – and has been hailed a "sensation" by some in the media – that could add an extra layer of exuberance to Aston Villa's attack under Emery should they capture him this summer.

In 2022/23, the Pamplona-born star notched an impressive nine goals and six assists in 43 appearances across all competitions, as per Transfermarkt.

FBRef detail that Williams was a key presence for Athletic Club this campaign in terms of chance provision and successfully completed 105 shot-creating actions in La Liga.

His ability to drive past his marker and make things happen has also caught the eye of clubs around Europe, evidenced by the fact he averaged around 2.3 dribbles per match in the Spanish top-flight during the season, according to WhoScored.

Aston Villa manager Emery will be keen to add some quality this window to take his side to the next level and Williams would be a statement addition at Villa Park who has bags of exciting potential.

However, whether he would be able to adapt quickly to the English game may be another question.

West Bromwich Albion midfielder Jason Molumby is a wanted man, according to reports.

Leeds United are reportedly interested in the 23-year-old star, as per The Sun journalist Alan Nixon.

Now, pundit Carlton Palmer – who played for both the Baggies and the Whites – has commented on the situation and believes that their star player would only be sold due to the club's perilous financial situation off the pitch.

What is the news regarding Jason Molumby?

Nixon claimed that the recently relegated Premier League side were interested in moving for the former Brighton and Hove Albion midfielder as they prepare to retool their squad ahead of their first season back in the Championship.

Another report from the local media states that whilst West Brom would prefer to keep Molumby at the club, the club is in such a poor financial position to where they have to consider any reasonable offers they receive as they look to balance the books.

This news coincides with reports that the Baggies manager Carlos Corberan has made the shortlist for the job at Leeds, which could help push the move through with Corberan previously having been full of praise for the midfielder, stating after their win against Stoke City in April: “I think the personality and the goals that he has are very huge.”

Will Jayson Molumby stay at West Brom?

It is difficult to see how Molumby stays at West Brom, given the club's financial position.

The Baggies narrowly missed out on promotion last campaign, and as such their last parachute payment of around £30m was swallowed up.

The club have since received a four-year, £20m loan from American private investment company MSD should keep the club ticking over however if the club wants to attack the transfer market, they will have to sell players to fund moves.

Speaking to Football League World, Palmer expressed his bewilderment behind the news, stating:

“This is a strange one, for me, Why would West Brom want to sell one of their best players? Maybe the uncertainty of the ownership of the football club and the financial positions that they’re now finding themselves in, maybe that’s forced their hands.”

Molumby made 43 appearances for the club in the Championship last season, notching up eight goal contributions and recording an average rating of 6.56, according to WhoScored.

The Irishman has been capped 20 times by the Republic of Ireland and has received plenty of praise for his play style, with current Baggies boss Corberan describing the 23-year-old as an “animal” earlier on in the season.

The former Brighton player has a market value of around €3.2m (£2.8m) and should Leeds be willing to negotiate to a price that exceeds that value, the Midlands club may have no other choice but to part ways with the midfielder.

Wolverhampton Wanderers are reportedly interested in a La Liga ace, if reports regarding their transfer activities are to be believed.

With the transfer window officially opening yesterday, Julen Lopetegui faces the challenge of making adequate reinforcements to his side white adhering to financial constraints following Wolves’ Financial Fair Play (FFP) concerns.

Putting financial woes aside, Molineux could see a new face this summer, with the latest link posing as a significant upgrade to Lopetegui’s current midfield.

What’s the latest on Geoffrey Kondogbia to Wolves?

As reported earlier this week by Turkish outlet Taktik Mania (via journalist Berk Bekgoz), Wolves are expected to ‘meet with’ Atletico Madrid ace Geoffrey Kondogbia.

The news was relayed by Express and Star Wolves correspondent Liam Keen, who stated that the club are ‘considering’ making a move for the 30-year-old.

Links between the club and the player have been ongoing since January, as revealed by transfer guru Fabrizio Romano, who claimed the Midlands club approached Kondogbia during the winter window.

What could Geoffrey Kondogbia offer to Wolves?

Ranking in the top 1% of midfielders in Europe in terms of interceptions made per 90 (2.41), the Central African Republic international has maintained his status as one of the stand-out defensive midfielders.

Despite only making 10 starts for Atletico this season in LaLiga, the 30-year-old powerhouse has kept his form intact, as shown by his high average of 62% of total duels won in the competition with an average of 3.8 per game, via Sofascore.

With 397 professional appearances under his belt, via Transfermarkt, the midfielder’s vast experience could be vital for Lopetegui’s midfield that will be forced into transitioning to cover the vacancy left behind by departing stalwart Joao Moutinho.

The Portuguese veteran has played his final season at Molineux following the expiration of his contract, after spending five years at the club.

Having been hailed as a ‘midfield maestro’ by his club, the 36-year-old will be sorely missed in the Midlands, however, his on-field efforts could be taken over by the capable hands of Kondogbia.

The £107k-per-week machine, who was once lauded as “world-class” by talent scout Jacek Kulig, has operated at a more impressive level than the departing star as told when comparing their statistics over the past year.

As per FBref, the Atletico brute averages 3.51 tackles per 90 with Moutinho falling short of the Molineux target in this area with an average of 2.58 per 90.

A similar pattern is highlighted in their passing attributes, with the Nemours-born star maintaining an audacious pass completion rate of 88.7% with an average of 61.71 passes attempted per 90, via FBref.

To put into perspective the calibre of player Wolves could replace the Portuguese legend with, Moutinho averages only 53.44 attempted passes per 90, with a completion rate of 80.4%.

Lopetegui may not have the capacity to spend big this summer, given the club's FFP issues, but Fosun and co must aim to make improvements after a disappointing campaign that steered towards relegation at times.

The Spanish head coach could, therefore, replenish his midfield following Moutinho’s departure with the experience and quality of Kondogbia.

Arsenal could be set to identify an alternative to Declan Rice, having been pushed back in their pursuit with a new competitor having emerged…

What's the latest on Romeo Lavia to Arsenal?

That's according to The Guardian, who suggest that the Gunners retain their interest in Southampton's young midfield general Romeo Lavia, alongside top-flight rivals Chelsea.

Having been relegated from the Premier League, his future on the south coast has been thrown into doubt. With Manchester City retaining their £40m buy-back clause, though it remains to be seen how much the Saints will actually charge should others come in.

However, the necessity for this pursuit comes following their rejected bid to sign their top target in Rice, to which David Ornstein recently revealed: "Man City now actively exploring own approach for 24yo".

Gunners chief Edu Gaspar and manager Mikel Arteta must either act quickly or move on to their other targets, and the 19-year-old presents an intriguing candidate.

Is Romeo Lavia as good as Declan Rice?

Coincidentally, although on paper the two are worlds apart in terms of quality, the youth and room for growth that the teenage sensation boasts makes him a similarly intelligent investment akin to the 24-year-old star.

After all, for what has been his first full season in senior football, Lavia has shone for a very poor outfit.

Recording a 6.80 average rating in the league, the Belgian maintained an 86% pass accuracy and a 68% dribble success rate, alongside 2.1 tackles and 1.1 interceptions per game, via Sofascore. He was a calming presence in possession, and a tenacious tackler when trying to win it back, with journalist Benjy Nurick even branding him a "monster".

Whilst Rice showcases more of an all-around skillset, his experience at the top of the game is shoulders above his potential alternative. In good time, surrounded by the top squad that Arteta has created, his evolution would surely be fast-tracked.

The England international managed 2.1 tackles and 1.7 interceptions per game in the Premier League, yet added one key pass per game and six goal contributions into the mix, via Sofascore. He is clearly the better player now, but for the £100m-plus touted fee, the value could be debated.

With Pep Guardiola having entered the fold to secure his services, his title-winning and trophy-laden pedigree is often a pull impossible to resist. To move to the Etihad is to ensure a vast trophy haul, and Rice would surely be an important cog in their system too.

However, it falls to whether the West Ham United captain wants to join a side already at the top or forge a dynasty that could topple such perfection.

If he chooses the former, then Lavia still represents a fine alternative for the Gunners to target, given the evidence above.

Liverpool are preparing to make an offer to bring Barcelona midfielder Franck Kessie to the Premier League, according to reports.

Who is Franck Kessie?

The Ivory Coast international first arrived at Camp Nou from AC Milan last summer and has made a total of 43 appearances during his debut season, but despite his contract not expiring for another three years, he could already be set to depart.

The La Liga star only made seven league starts under Xavi during the previous term and was limited to largely substitute appearances having been brought off the bench on 21 occasions, as per WhoScored, so he’s significantly out of favour in the senior first-team.

The Blaugrana currently have ongoing issues with Financial Fair Play that need resolving so they are expected to cash in on some of their valuable assets during the upcoming window, and the 26-year-old appears to be one of the first on the chopping block.

Are Liverpool signing Kessie?

According to Spanish outlet Sport (via The Daily Mail), Liverpool are “set to make a bid” of £30m in an attempt to secure the services of Kessie this summer. Barcelona view the midfielder as “one of the possible options” that they could get rid of to help aid their money problems and the Reds are “willing” to table the specified amount above to bring him to Anfield to join Jurgen Klopp.

Liverpool will know that Kessie hasn’t been given a fair chance to prove what he’s capable of this season, but having previously been dubbed a “warrior” by talent scout Jacek Kulig, Barcelona’s central midfielder could be a player worth taking a risk on.

The Champions League participant posted six goal contributions (three goals and the same number of assists) across all competitions last term and ranked in the 88th percentile for number of touches in the opposition’s penalty area by central midfielders, showing how he gets forward and impacts the game in the last third.

The Ouragahio native, however, is also strong in the defensive aspect of his game having won 60 per cent of his attempted tackles over the course of the previous campaign so isn’t afraid to get stuck in, commit to challenges and win back possession for his team.

Finally, Kessie would add wonderful versatility to Klopp’s squad having operated in five different positions since the start of his professional career, including four roles in the centre and even at centre-back, so he would be a great option for the manager to have at his disposal on Merseyside.

Celtic are on the lookout for a new head coach after Ange Postecoglou officially left the Scottish giants to join the Premier League on Tuesday.

The 57-year-old has put pen to paper on a deal with Tottenham Hotspur in England and this now pushes Peter and Mark Lawwell and Dermot Desmond into the market to bring a manager in to replace the Australian.

A number of bosses have already been linked with the vacancy and one man who is reportedly in the running for the job is ex-Leeds United coach Jesse Marsch.

The 49-year-old, who won two Austrian Bundesliga titles in two seasons with RB Salzburg earlier in his career, could revive a current Celtic outcast back to his former glory if the Hoops decide to appoint him heading into next term.

How did David Turnbull perform this season?

Parkhead attacking midfielder David Turnbull endured a difficult 2022/23 campaign as the Scotsman only started six games in the Scottish Premiership and zero times in the Champions League.

He made 27 appearances as a substitute in the two competitions combined but his lack of starts limited the impact that he was able to make in the final third. The gem ended the season with four goals and six assists in the league and in Europe combined, which shows that the ace was unable to make regular contributions in attack.

Turnbull is a number ten by trade and did not fit in with Postecoglou's 4-3-3 system, which required him to play as an eight or out wide, and thus could be revived by Marsch's preferred 4-2-3-1 set-up that would allow him to play in the hole behind a centre-forward.

The American's formation would provide the 23-year-old with two holding midfielders behind him to offer defensive protection and allow the ace to push forward to link up with the two wingers and striker to create and score goals at the top end of the pitch.

Celtic's Scotland international predominantly played as a number ten for Neil Lennon in the 2020/21 campaign, before Postecoglou's arrival, and enjoyed a terrific year in the Premiership, which the Australian later described as "outstanding".

The £16k-per-week magician averaged a Sofascore rating of 7.47 and contributed with nine goals and six assists in 30 starts. He also created 12 'big chances' for his teammates and made 2.9 key passes per match, which is more than any Celtic player averaged in the league this year.

Therefore, Marsch, whose style was described as "aggressive" by journalist Josh Bunting, could revive the Hoops wizard by making him the attacking midfielder in his 4-2-3-1 system, which could allow the ace to thrive and get back to regularly scoring and creating goals in the Premiership.

Tottenham Hotspur are reportedly interested in making a move for Sporting CP sensation, Manuel Ugarte, albeit with the Lilywhites set to face stern competition for the midfielder's signature.

What's the latest on Ugarte to Tottenham?

According to journalist Rudy Galetti, the north London outfit are seemingly set to rival both Paris Saint-Germain and Chelsea in the battle for the 22-year-old, with the Uruguayan international believed to have a €60m (£53m) release clause in his existing deal in Lisbon.

Writing on Twitter, the transfer insider stated: "Manuel #Ugarte update. #Chelsea had the first contacts with #SportingCP and continue to push for him; #PSG – still interested – have to solve the topic of the coach before;

#Tottenham in the race, but – to date – their internal situation is quite complicated."

That 'complicated' situation may well be that Spurs chairman Daniel Levy is yet to name a permanent successor to Antonio Conte, despite having sacked the Italian at the end of March.

Who is Manuel Ugarte?

The promising midfielder has been a real standout figure for Ruben Amorim's side in recent times, with the 6-foot ace having been hailed as a "warrior" by talent scout Jacek Kulig amid his eye-catching form.

Lauded by journalist Raj Chohan as an "in-house" replacement for ex-teammate Joao Palhinha – who starred for Fulham this season after finishing top of the pile for tackles made – the emerging gem is evidently a truly monstrous midfield presence, offering the ability to provide an effective screen in front of the back four.

If Levy was to secure Ugarte's services ahead of next season, the Montevideo native could potentially represent something of an upgrade on current Spurs man, Pierre-Emile Hojbjerg, due to the younger man's superior ball-winning prowess.

That difference in quality between the pair is showcased by the fact that the Sporting star averaged a mammoth 3.9 tackles and 1.8 interceptions per game in the Primeira Liga in 2022/23, with Hojbjerg, by contrast, only averaging 1.6 and 1.4 for those same two metrics, respectively, in that time.

It was also Ugarte who ranked first in the Champions League for average tackles made per game (4.8), while the former Famalicao ace also appears a more composed presence on the ball as he recorded an average pass accuracy rate of 92% in the Portuguese top-flight, in contrast to just 89% for Tottenham's Danish asset.

The latter man has also been criticised for his lack of impact at N17 of late, with talkSPORT pundit Perry Groves stating that the 27-year-old – and teammate Oliver Skipp – are "like a double appendix" as they "don't do anything in the centre of midfield".

Those struggles have contributed to Tottenham's overall woes this term – having missed out on European qualification – hence the need to land an upgrade such as Ugarte ahead of the 2023/24 campaign.

Everton may be able to welcome back defender Ben Godfrey against Brentford on Sunday. 

The lowdown

Everton host Thomas Frank’s side at 16.30 on Sunday in their penultimate home game of the season.

If Leeds United fail to beat Brighton in the 14.00 kick-off, then Everton know that a draw will effectively secure safety and a victory will guarantee it.

But if the Whites and Burnley, who play Tottenham Hotspur at 12.00, both win, then they could kick-off in the relegation zone.

Godfrey sustained an injury while warming up for last month’s Merseyside Derby against Liverpool and hasn’t featured since.

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The latest

Patrick Boyland, Everton correspondent for The Athletic, relayed an update on Godfrey’s fitness on Friday.

He’s said to be ‘close’ and ‘could be in the squad’ against the Bees.

Meanwhile, on-loan Manchester United midfielder Donny van de Beek ‘also has a chance’ of being involved after missing the last four games with thigh problems.

The verdict

This is an important, and unexpected boost, for Lampard and Everton.

The manager admitted after the initial injury that Godfrey may not be able to play again this season.

But he may be able to return with three games remaining to strengthen his side’s survival chances.

Godfrey has started every Premier League game for which he’s been available this season, the clearest indication of his importance.

Team-mate Andros Townsend believes that the £77,000-per-week Norwich City man is ‘the real deal’ and boasts ‘massive potential’, and that’s why he’s backed him to go ‘to the very top’.

At his best, he’s a high-level defensive option for Everton.

In other news, a wealthy club are set to make a bid for this EFC star.