All posts by rastrear-estafeta.com

Writing on Twitter, Le10 Sport journalist Hadrien Grenier has relayed a West Ham United transfer update involving Paris-Saint Germain goalkeeper Alphonse Areola.

The Lowdown: West Ham in goalkeeper hunt…

Despite current number one Lukasz Fabianski recently signing a contract extension at West Ham, manager David Moyes has been tipped to target his eventual successor this window (football.london).

Before the links to Areola, West Ham were eyeing a move for West Bromwich Albion ace Sam Johnstone, but news then emerged of their interest in the Frenchman as Foot Mercato broke news of a possible loan-to-buy deal.

The Latest: Grenier relays Areola update…

Writing on Twitter, Grenier has now relayed a claim from L’Equipe detailing an update on the Hammers’ pursuit of Areola this summer.

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

It is in fact ‘100% confirmed’ by the big French news outlet that West Ham have in fact entered into discussions for the 28-year-old.

However, while West Ham would like to agree an initial loan with the option to buy, PSG are said to want a straight sale as they look to shift their deadwood.

“It’s 100% CONFIRMED by L’Equipe: West Ham has entered into discussions with PSG for Alphonse Areola,” relayed Grenier on his social media.

“The English club would like a loan with an option to buy when Paris would prefer a sale. Negotiations will continue.”

The Verdict: Priority?

While finding Fabianski’s eventual heir is important, we believe West Ham should be prioritising the signing of a striker – especially given Michail Antonio’s worrying injury record last season.

As well as this, Areola is on a reported £147,000-per-week according to Salary Sport, so the Irons may have some work to do when it comes to agreeing on suitable personal terms.

The new season officially begins a month from now and it’s safe to say GSB still have plenty of work to do in terms of incomings.

In other news: ‘I beg you’, ‘Please sign him’…West Ham fans plead for ‘crazy bargain’ after update, find out more here.

Young West Ham goalkeeper Nathan Trott would be a solid signing for Sheffield Wednesday, says The Transfer Tavern’s EFL insider.

Having seen the popular Keiren Westwood released at the end of last season, Darren Moore will be looking to add another goalkeeper to his ranks.

Moore currently has Cameron Dawson and Joe Wildsmith at his disposal, with those two sharing the workload in the Owls’ opening few pre-season friendlies.

The pair have been in and out the team over the course of the last few seasons, but Wednesday haven’t had one regular first-choice goalkeeper.

Meanwhile, Trott has made just one senior appearance for the Hammers as a late substitute in the FA Cup last season, but spent last season mainly playing for the Under-23s – and desperately needs to be playing men’s football.

The shotstopper’s only experience of regular first-team football came when he played 26 times for AFC Wimbledon during a loan spell in 2019-2020.

And the EFL spy exclusively told The Transfer Tavern that he’s been impressed with Trott’s progression:

“He’s got a very good profile for a keeper and made great strides last season with the U23s.

“He’s good with his feet so would be a good addition to the Wednesday squad.”

Tottenham Hotspur winger Erik Lamela looks on course to leave the club this summer.

What’s the talk?

That’s according to a claim made by Italian journalist Gianluigi Longari, who revealed in a post on Twitter (via Sport Witness) that Fiorentina are ready to “pounce” over a move for the 29-year-old in the summer transfer window.

It has been reported that both the Argentina international and Spurs themselves have agreed that it would be best for the forward to move onto pastures new this summer, with the Serie A club appearing to be the most likely destination.

Fans might be pleased

Having not performed at a level anywhere near his best over the past few seasons in north London, reports that Lamela’s time at the club appears to be nearing an end could come as a relief to fans of Tottenham.

Indeed, over his 23 Premier League appearances last season, the £14.4m-rated man scored one goal, registered no assists and created two big chances for his teammates, along with averaging a mere 12.2 completed passes per game.

The winger, who was deployed in midfield 12 times in 2020/21, also averaged just 0.3 interceptions and 0.7 tackles and won 2.5 duels per league fixture.

These returns saw the man Jose Mourinho dubbed a “fantastic” player earn a disappointing seasonal SofaScore match rating of 6.65, ranking him as the club’s third-worst performer in the top flight.

This has been a common theme for Lamela in recent years, earning an average SofaScore match rating of 6.79 in 2019/20, 6.89 in 2018/19 and 6.79 in 2017/18.

As such, if the £80,000-per-week man does go on to seal a move away from the club this summer, it would be hard to argue against his sale being a fantastic piece of business for Spurs. It would not only clear out some of the deadwood at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium, it would also free up a considerable chunk of the wage budget for Nuno in the summer transfer window.

In other news: Spurs dealt transfer blow over “important” £73k-p/w target, Paratici will be livid

Newcastle United could sign their new Kevin Nolan in Chelsea midfielder Conor Gallagher amid an exciting transfer update.

What’s the story?

According to recent reports from journalist Alan Nixon, the Magpies have got their eye on the 21-year-old starlet, with the midfielder having spent the previous campaign on loan at fellow Premier League side West Brom.

Now, The Northern Echo’s Scott Wilson has said that Steve Bruce’s side have discussed a possible loan move for Gallagher this summer, and that the Newcastle boss is understood to be hopeful over pushing through an agreement.

Newcastle’s new Nolan

In his time with the Magpies, Nolan was best remembered for helping to fire the club back into the Premier League, and also for that superb hat-trick against arch-rivals Sunderland when they thumped them 5-1 in October 2010.

In total, he managed a very impressive 30 goals in 91 games for the Tyneside club, including 17 in the 2009/2010 season when they earned promotion back to the top-flight with the English ace reveling in a freer role.

Nolan’s ability to break into the box and all-around dynamism are exactly what they would be getting from Gallagher.

During his time at Swansea, Sky Sports pundit Keith Andrews lauded the “unbelievable” energy Gallagher possesses, even comparing him to Chelsea and England legend Frank Lampard, arguably the best the Premier League has seen in terms of runs into the box.

He said: “But the one thing he has got is a fantastic engine, much like Lee Bowyer or Frank Lampard – it’s amazing, the resemblances between those two in their younger years particularly. But for me, he’s a classic No 8; he has an unbelievable energy, he does the ugly side of the game, but you have to let him off the leash and let him get forward.”

Despite not getting too many opportunities at Stamford Bridge, Gallagher has been widely praised during his loan spells, with former Charlton boss Lee Bowyer even calling the £13.5m-rated midfielder a “jewel” that was “impossible to replace.”

If the Magpies can tie up a deal for the 21-year-old, then Newcastle could well be looking at the player to take over from Nolan’s mantle.

Meanwhile, Newcastle are tracking this Champions League winner…

Steve Howey reckons that selling Isaac Hayden would be a major loss for Newcastle.

A knee injury might have forced the midfielder to miss the final nine Premier League games, but the former Arsenal academy graduate had already been one of the Magpies’ better performers in a largely disappointing campaign.

Prior to his season-ended injury, Hayden had started 22 of the 29 league matches, forming a solid partnership with club captain Jonjo Shelvey.

However, whilst the 26-year-old’s form proved pivotal for Steve Bruce’s side last season, it could land Hayden a move away from St James’ Park.

According to the Daily Mail, Southampton are interested in the midfield man, who penned a six-year contract with the club last September, with Newcastle valuing the Englishman at around £12m.

Asked whether losing him would be a blow to Bruce, Howey exclusively told Football FanCast:

“Yes, because I think he had a very solid season last season, obviously got injured towards the end. Newcastle cannot afford to lose players without getting players in.

“I understand that it’s a catch twenty-two that the manager might be thinking ‘I need to offload players to get some funds’, but the funds that you get, they’re not going to be massive funds.”

Whilst Hayden might not score the goals like Callum Wilson or have speed like Allan Saint-Maximin, he’s an underrated figure in the middle of the part, proving himself as a vital part of this Newcastle team in recent years.

And at just 26, with the ability to play in several positions, he would be tough to replace for Bruce.

Manchester United defender Axel Tuanzebe has been heavily linked with a loan move away from Old Trafford this summer.

What’s the story?

According to the Manchester Evening News, fellow Premier League side Newcastle United are in pole position to sign the 23-year-old over the coming months, although Aston Villa are also interested in securing his signature.

The report states that Tuanzebe feels he deserved more opportunities to impress last season and received a lack of recognition for his performances, meaning a temporary move away from his boyhood appears to be something he is keen on.

He’s not good enough

Tuanzebe found regular game time hard to come by in 2020/21, making just 19 appearances in all competitions for the Red Devils.

He received widespread adulation for his outstanding performance against French giants Paris Saint-Germain in the Champions League group stages in what was his first start for a year, but the youngster started just eight more matches throughout the campaign.

And with the imminent arrival of World Cup-winning centre-back Varane expected to push Tuanzebe even further down United’s pecking order, a loan move may be the best solution for all parties.

The former England Under-21 international’s lack of first-team minutes likely indicate that Ole Gunnar Solskjaer doesn’t believe he’s good enough to be a regular for the 20-time English champions at this stage in his career.

Therefore, the Norwegian tactician must let the £7.2m-rated Tuanzebe leave this this summer, allowing him to prove his worth and showcase his quality week in week out.

Newcastle manager Steve Bruce signed the pacey defender in back-to-back seasons while at the helm of Villa during their time in the Championship, meaning a move to either St. James’ Park or Villa Park would offer a comfortable setting with some familiarities.

Whether Tuanzebe can ever force his way into United starting XI on a regular basis remains to be seen, but a temporary transfer away from the Old Trafford spotlight is certainly a wise decision for the player’s future prospects.

He’s not been good enough to get regular game time for United, but that could change in the fututre if he can get a full season of Premier League football under his belt.

And, in other news…Man Utd suffer potential blow over “incredible” £63m-rated beast, Ole will be gutted 

An update has emerged regarding Roma’s interest in reported Aston Villa transfer target Andre-Frank Anguissa.

What’s the talk?

According to Calcio Mercato, Roma are interested in signing the Fulham midfielder, with the Cottagers said to want a fee in the region of €25m (£21m) for him.

The Daily Mail reported earlier this summer that Villa, Everton and Arsenal are all keen on a deal for the 25-year-old following Fulham’s relegation back down to the Championship.

Upgrade on Luiz

Johan Lange must react to this news by sanctioning a deal to sign Anguissa. With Roma now circling around the Cottagers ace, Villa must act now to avoid losing out on him as the Giallorossi could snap him up before the Villans have a chance to strike if they dawdle in the coming days and weeks.

Anguissa impressed in the Premier League for Fulham despite their relegation last term and he could prove to be an upgrade on Douglas Luiz in Villa’s starting XI. The Brazilian averaged a WhoScored rating of 6.67 across 33 appearances, whilst making 2.8 tackles and interceptions along with 0.6 key passes and 0.7 dribbles per game for Dean Smith’s side.

Meanwhile, the Fulham man averaged a fine WhoScored rating of 6.99 in the top flight. He made 3.8 tackles and interceptions per game, whilst also completing an eye-catching 2.7 dribbles and 0.8 key passes per match. This suggests that Anguissa could offer more quality defensively and offensively for Villa than Luiz, whilst also performing to a higher standard week in, week out, having proven that he can do so whilst playing in the same division as the 23-year-old.

Joachim Andersen, who recently left Fulham, has heaped praise on Anguissa in the past. He said of the Cameroonian: “He’s a top player. He’s a machine in the midfield. He’s winning so many balls and driving forward with it.”

Toni Conceicao, the 25-year-old’s manager at international level, said: “He’s a quality player. In football, the collective is the most important, so you have to have players that work for the team. And although Anguissa is not a Messi or Ronaldo, he’s a player that has a lot of capacity to influence the match. He brings a lot of tactical culture and rigour to the team.

“He has got a really good passing ability, long and short, and is one of those players that makes the team tick without necessarily being the standout. As a coach and with all due respect to Fulham, which I know is a great club, Anguissa can reach an even higher level.”

Therefore, Lange must land the £70k-per-week beast to improve Smith’s squad this summer. Even if he does not immediately replace Luiz in the side, he could provide excellent competition before eventually taking a place in the starting XI.

AND in other news, “Going nowhere”: Journalist drops big Aston Villa transfer update, fans will be fuming…

Newcastle United are now reportedly ‘desperate’ to sign Oliver Skipp before the summer transfer window ends.

The Lowdown: Skipp impresses

Skipp was a key player in helping Norwich City get promoted back up to the Premier League from the EFL Championship in the 2020/21 season, missing out on just one game in the division, scoring one goal and making a further two assists (Transfermarkt).

It is not clear whether Tottenham Hotspur would be willing to sell him given his impressive loan spell, as he is likely to have plenty of admirers from now until when the window closes.

The Latest: Newcastle desperate

As per The Daily Mail, the St. James’ Park faithful are ‘desperate’ to bring in new midfield players, and Skipp is someone that they have expressed an interest in signing and seemingly high on their list of potential targets.

Steve Bruce is an admirer of the Spurs ace, but the Canaries are also keen on signing him back after being such a success at Carrow Road.

The Verdict: Sign

It is a no brainer that the North East club should be looking to bring in Skipp, as he could prove to be a real asset to the team.

Proving already that he is capable of playing in the top flight by making Championship football look too easy, he won no fewer than 5.7 of his duels per game as well as averaging 2.2 tackles, 1.1 interceptions and one clearance per match (Sofascore) last season. The Englishman could be a great alternative to Joe Willock, should the Toon not be able to sign him on a permanent deal from Arsenal.

Once dubbed a ‘phenomenal’ player by none other than former Lilywhites manager Jose Mourinho, the 20-year-old still has so much potential, and so the Tyneside club should be doing all that they can to secure his signature, especially if they cannot get Willock over the line.

In other news, find out which target NUFC have now reportedly agreed a deal for here!

Former Premier League forward Dean Windass is convinced Leicester City star James Maddison would jump at the opportunity to join Arsenal this summer.

Maddison continues to be linked with a move to the Emirates, with Sky Sports reporting at the end of last month that Arsenal are interested in signing the player.

It is a potential move, though, many have questioned due to where the two clubs currently are. Speaking on ITV (via football.london) during their coverage of the Community Shield, Manchester United legend Roy Keane warned Maddison joining the Gunners would be a backwards step.

It is not a sentiment shared by Windass, though, who stressed the size of Arsenal as a club in an exclusive interview with TT:

“Why wouldn’t you want to go to Arsenal?” the ex-Hull City striker said. “Listen, we talk about footballers now where it’s not about money anymore, it’s about winning trophies. Are Arsenal going to be in the top four next year? No. Are Leicester with Jamie Vardy? Yes.

“But a big club like Arsenal calling and he’s obviously open to it, reports saying he’d welcome the move.”

From Arsenal’s perspective, in terms of finances, it is a deal that could prove difficult to get over the line.

Leicester, according to Sky Sports, have slapped a £70m price tag on their English playmaker.

Caleb Chukwuemeka is reportedly on his way to Aston Villa from Northampton Town, according to Daily Mail journalist Adrian Kajumba on Twitter.

Enjoying a breakthrough season at the Cobblers, the 19-year-old striker registered three goal contributions in 28 appearances, two goals and one assist [Transfermarkt].

Now, he looks to be close to making a move to the Midlands following recent claims.

Speaking to his social media audience in response to a story from the Mail, Kajumba stated: “This one progressing again after Villa had previous bid rejected. Spurs were keen too, along with others, but feeling now is that Caleb Chukwuemeka is heading to Villa to join his brother Carney.”

Should a deal be concluded for the Englishman, it is said that the potential link-up with his sibling may be a pivotal factor in him choosing to ply his trade at Villa Park [All Nigeria Soccer].

Villa are said to be well ahead in the race for his services moving into the latter stages of the transfer window.

In light of this news, loads of Aston Villa diehards took to social media to sum up their feelings on the latest news.

Aston Villa fans react:

Replying to popular Aston Villa fan outlet villareport, here is what some fans had to say about the Chukwuemeka situation:

“Underrated”Credit: @keebo00

“Give him the arm band for scoring winner vs bloos”

Credit: @AVFC_Aston”Chuk and Ramsey brothers gonna tear up the prem”Credit: @Aston8210″The future is ours”Credit: @MerseMagic”Love that”Credit: @jackavfc1″Lovely”Credit: @TheWillRossIn other news, Aston Villa fans react to a coaching staff update.