All posts by rastrear-estafeta.com

Manchester United saw their hopes of securing Champions League football next season dealt a significant blow following the loss to Newcastle United on Sunday afternoon, with goals from Joe Willock and Callum Wilson handing the hosts a deserved win at St James' Park.

A major issue for United boss Erik ten Hag following that "lifeless" defeat – as per Manchester Evening News journalist Samuel Luckhurst – is the midfield ranks, with the Dutchman failing to settle on a suitable partnership in the absence of the suspended Casemiro.

With Christian Eriksen also yet to return from injury, the former Ajax head coach opted for a trio of Bruno Fernandes, Scott McTominay and Marcel Sabitzer for the trip to Tyneside, despite the fact that the Red Devils had "barely had a midfield" while utilising those same three players in the FA Cup win against Fulham, as per The Athletic's Adam Crafton.

With the only other senior option that of the polarising Fred – who has been branded "not good enough" by club legend Roy Keane – the Old Trafford outfit are rather limited in that department, hence the latest suggestion that a new 'number eight' could be a priority this summer.

Although such a statement signing is likely needed ahead of next season – amid apparent interest in both Frenkie de Jong and Jude Bellingham – in the short-term Ten Hag may need to look to the academy ranks to find a potential solution, with 18-year-old, Dan Gore, one standout candidate.

Who is Dan Gore?

A shot of life at senior level has yet to emerge for the teenager in his United career to date, although the midfield maestro does appear to be in the manager's thinking, having been called up to first-team training throughout the campaign.

The combative and composed ace – who notably irked Anthony Martial with a crunching, training ground challenge earlier in the season – has been hailed as "one of the most talented youngsters" in the club's academy set-up by talent scout Jacek Kulig, with that sign of the potential gem that Ten Hag has on his hands.

The England youth international was notably "superb" as part of the FA Youth Cup-winning side last term, according to MEN's Steven Railston, and has gone on to make "excellent progress" in the current campaign, notably registering two assists in 14 games for the U21s in Premier League 2.

That fine run included a standout showing as captain in the recent draw with Arsenal in that latter competition, having been hailed as the "catalyst for creativity" in that 1-1 stalemate with the Gunners, as per Railston.

The £1.4k-per-week youngster's quality was also on show during the club's brief EFL Trophy run earlier in the campaign, with Gore averaging 1.3 tackles and 1.3 interceptions per game from his three outings to illustrate his tenacious approach, while also averaging one successful dribble per game.

That ability both on and off the ball was only recently praised by youth coach Mark Dempsey, who hailed the young 'leader': "I think he’s a proper footballer, good with the ball, good without the ball, and he can travel with it. His final pass has to improve for me, that’s the last bit for him, but the rest is great.

"I like to see him play football because he’s one of them to get fans off their seats. He smashes into people, technically he’s fantastic and he’s been terrific all season. He’s been captain a number of times and personality-wise, he’s a quiet boy, but he’s a leader.

"He leads by example. He’s a local lad, he loves the football club and you see that in the way he plays. Whether he’s playing at Old Trafford, a three-a-side at Carrington or at The Cliff, it’s the same performance from the kid and we’ve all got a lot of time for Daniel."

Such traits will likely go down well with both United supporters and with Ten Hag, with Gore's all-round attributes potentially making him a dream candidate to fix the club's current midfield woes.

Chelsea are reportedly interested in signing Brighton and Hove Albion midfielder Alexis Mac Allister this summer and the Argentine could be a big upgrade on Mason Mount at Stamford Bridge.

Could Chelsea sign Mac Allister?

According to journalist Fabrizio Romano, the midfield maestro will depart the Amex Stadium early in the summer transfer window, with Chelsea, Manchester United and Liverpool all said to be keen.

The three clubs are all said to have approached the Seagulls over a potential deal for the 24-year-old, who was reportedly valued at an eye-watering £70m for the 24-year-old, who has caught the eye with his performances for club and country this season.

"Alexis Mac Allister, expected to leave early this summer — understand there are three clubs in the race: Liverpool, Chelsea and Manchester United," the renowned transfer guru tweeted. "These clubs have approached player’s camp to discuss the project. #BHAFC will decide price tag soon."

Blues owner Todd Boehly has invested a remarkable amount of money during his time at Stamford Bridge but could be swayed by Mac Allister after he starred in Argentina's World Cup win in Qatar, where he contributed one goal and one assist in six appearances, earning a strong 7.11 rating from WhoScored.

His performance in the final against France was particularly impressive, with journalist Roy Nemer celebrating his display just a few days after Lionel Scaloni's side took home the trophy.

He said:

"Alexis Mac Allister was unplayable in the World Cup final. The intelligence, the technique. Incredible talent."

The former Argentinos Juniors man has also been a key factor in Roberto de Zerbi's side's success in the top flight so far this campaign, as he boasts eight goals and one assist with an average rating of 7.08 in the Premier League, which is better than everyone bar Reece James in Chelsea's squad.

Would Mac Allister be a Mount upgrade at Chelsea?

For this reason, he could be a big upgrade on Mount at Stamford Bridge next season, with the England international looking likely to leave amid a contract dispute with his boyhood club.

If you compare the two midfielders' performances in the top flight so far this term, it seems clear that the Argentina international would be the better long-term option for the Blues.

Mount boasts just three goals and two assists in 23 Premier League appearances this campaign, with a far less impressive average rating of 6.72 for his performances.

He has also averaged fewer shots (1.4 vs 2.5), dribbles (0.7 vs 1.2) and tackles (1.4 vs 2.2) than the Brighton maestro, which are all stats you would hope from an all-action, creative midfielder, and this suggests that Mount would not be missed at Stamford Bridge should Boehly bring in Mac Allister as his replacement this summer.

Manchester United target and Bayer Leverkusen defender Jeremie Frimpong is thought to be edging towards a return to England and is keen on a move to Old Trafford.

What’s the latest news on Man United and Frimpong?

Frimpong, previously on the books at Manchester City before moving to Celtic, appears to be a firm target for the Red Devils this summer. Sky Sports reporter Florian Plettenberg revealed earlier this month that the Red Devils have held “very positive” talks with Frimpong’s agent, with Erik ten Hag an admirer of the right-back.

Fabrizio Romano confirmed the meeting took place and added that United have been scouting the Netherlands international for a long time.

Sport Witness relayed an update from Bild in the last 48 hours regarding Frimpong and United. They claimed that Bayern Munich and Barcelona are also in the race for the 22-year-old, however, the player is edging towards a return to Manchester.

The report adds that the full-back is in love with the city after spending time with Manchester City’s academy and would like to join United, with a €50m (£44m) figure cited.

Should Man United splash the cash on Frimpong?

Luke Shaw has recently committed his long-term future at Old Trafford, so the club’s left-back ranks look to be nailed down for the foreseeable future.

There could be question marks over the right-back position, though, with Diogo Dalot and Aaron Wan-Bissaka battling it out at this moment in time. The club appear to be open to possibly moving Wan-Bissaka on this summer, so Frimpong could be viewed as his replacement.

It looks as if Ten Hag is a big fan of the Bayer Leverkusen star, who has been hailed as a “special player” by his manager Xabi Alonso. Frimpong has enjoyed his best-ever season when it comes to goal contributions so could bring a real attacking threat to United from right-back ahead of Dalot and Wan-Bissaka.

He has registered six Bundesliga assists this season, the same amount as Bruno Fernandes in the Premier League in three fewer starts. Frimpong has also been Leverkusen’s most fouled player and most successful dribbler, as per WhoScored, proving that he can be a real handful.

The Red Devils may have competition for his services across Europe, but following this update, it looks as if the club are in a good position to make an official move this summer, making this one to keep an eye on.

Fans online have reacted to the latest thrilling Wrexham encounter as manager Phil Parkinson was sent off in a fiery encounter this weekend.

What’s the latest drama at Wrexham?

The Dragons continued on their much-publicised push for National League promotion with an away match against Barnet on Saturday afternoon.

In the end, the hard-fought match finished all square at 0-0 and the most notable event came early on in the second half.

Indeed, Wrexham defender Callum McFadzean was sent off after 51 minutes when he appeared to leave a boot in on opposition goalkeeper Laurie Walker when sliding for the ball.

As the footage shows, he deliberately kicks out at the Barnet shot-stopper and while it wasn’t much of a whack, it was still in enough for referee Edward Duckworth to reach for his red.

Despite that, the away team held on for a point and now need just four more from their remaining three games to secure promotion.

When the full-time whistle blew, however, manager Parkinson was left infuriated as he rushed onto the pitch to confront Walker and managed to get himself sent off.

Speaking to BT Sport after the game, Barnet goalkeeper Walker explained what Parkinson’s issue was.

He told the press: “He was basically trying to say that I was cheating. But I’m sure you guys can see it, evidently, the geezer [McFadzean] has come straight through and kicked me in the face. So that’s all I’m going to say on it.”

Parkinson then had his own say on the matter, telling BBC Sport: “At the time (of the red card) I thought there’s nothing in it, I thought the ‘keeper made a meal of it. I’ve seen it back since and I think in 99 times out of 100 that’s not given as a sending-off, it’s a very soft incident.

“He has caught him with the trailing leg, but there’s no intent there.”

It seems as though a lot of fans weren’t impressed with The 55-year-old’s behaviour. They took to Twitter to make their feelings known.

Toys out of the pram https://t.co/FrgwFpfdOl— gc (@guyc_01) April 15, 2023

Some questioned the referee’s call, though.

And some just loved the drama…

Newcastle United's potential summer transfer targets will be enthusiastic over the prospect of joining the club due to their upward trajectory, according to journalist Dean Jones.

What's the latest news involving Newcastle United?

The Toon are in a great position currently and sit third in the Premier League table with just seven games left before the close of play, six points clear of Tottenham Hotspur in fifth in the race for Champions League qualification.

Unsurprisingly, the idea of the Magpies in Europe's elite competition has seen them linked with some high-profile summer signings. 90min report that Brighton & Hove Albion midfielder Alexis Mac Allister is among those they have a keen interest in, though it may cost upwards of £70 million for the Seagulls to sanction his departure in the off-season.

The Sun have claimed that Arsenal left-back Kieran Tierney is also a target that Eddie Howe is willing to pursue ahead of next term and it is said that the Scot looks 'increasingly likely' to complete a move to the North East in the forthcoming transfer window.

Chelsea midfielder Mason Mount is also believed to be on their radar; however, Football Insider have revealed that the Tyneside club expect their Premier League rivals Liverpool to beat them to his signature.

Despite the transfer rumour mill going into overdrive at present, it is reflective of how incredible Newcastle United's transformation has been over the last year or so.

Speaking to Football FanCast, journalist Jones thinks that the Toon Army's rise to prominence will have piqued the interest of some of their high-profile transfer targets ahead of the summer.

Asked whether prospective targets would sit up and take notice of their excellent form, Jones told FFC: "Definitely some players will; it's a really exciting place to be at the moment, St James' Park. It's obviously one of the best footballing environments you could ever be when things are going well.

"As a city, it's always buzzing; when the football team is doing well, it's pretty much the best place in the world. Players will be seeing that from afar at the moment."

What type of transfer strategy should Newcastle United adopt this summer?

Even with their well-documented financial power, most people in footballing circles would agree that Newcastle are probably ahead of schedule in their ascent to being a regular challenger for continental qualification and silverware.

The Magpies look likely to clinch a top-four spot this season and have been able to compete with the chasing pack without falling away like some expected, which begs the question, how do they go about their transfer business in order to reach even greater heights?

Since Eddie Howe arrived at the club, some of their best finds haven't necessarily been multi-million-pound acquisitions to the point of extremity, with examples such as Dan Burn, Kieran Trippier and Sven Botman coming in and proving to be good value for money on the face of it.

Others such as Alexander Isak and Bruno Guimares, have cost a good chunk extra; however, they have both played significant roles in the club's campaign thus far.

Competing in a European competition next campaign will likely require further squad depth, though it remains to be seen the direction they will take in the market in the off-season.

Tottenham Hotspur chiefs are 'talking to several candidates' as chairman Daniel Levy chases a quick managerial appointment, according to reports.

Who could Spurs appoint as manager?

It's been well over a month since Spurs mutually agreed to part company with ex-manager Antonio Conte and it's been quite the chaotic time for them since.

Former sporting director Fabio Paratici followed his Italian colleague out the door recently, having failed to appeal his 30-month worldwide ban from football.

Two interim managers have also taken the reins in Conte's absence, with Cristian Stellini sacked in the role after a humbling 6-1 defeat away to Newcastle United which more or less ended Spurs' top four hopes.

Man United are now miles out in front of the north Londoners with a few games in hand, meaning a Europa League spot is perhaps far more realistic for Tottenham and current temporary boss Ryan Mason.

In terms of coaching options for next year, the likes of Julian Nagelsmann – who recently left Bayern Munich – are on the agenda alongside Feyenoord's Arne Slot and Burnley's Vincent Kompany.

Hiring a new manager and soon is crucial for Levy after a turbulent last few months, especially with the summer transfer window fast approaching.

According to Football Insider, there has been some promising news on that front, with Spurs chiefs apparently 'talking to several candidates' as Tottenham up the ante in their pursuit.

It's added, amid these discussions, that Levy personally wants to make a 'quick' manager hire – and it's also reiterated that Nagelsmann, Slot and Kompany remain on Tottenham's list.

Who should Spurs appoint?

Now that former Spurs boss Mauricio Pochettino appears out of the picture, we believe the club should in fact go all out for Nagelsmann given his free agent status.

There have been suggestions that certain roadblocks like the lack of a sporting director could dampen Tottenham's pursuit, yet if Spurs manage to overcome that, he would be perfect.

His intense brand of high-pressing football would bring excitement back to the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium with Nagelsmann being revered for his coaching methods.

Bayern Munich star Joshua Kimmich, speaking just before Nagelsmann was sacked, even claimed he is among the top three best ever coaches he's worked with – explaining to the press:

“I can only say that Julian Nagelsmann is an outstanding coach. Really, I’ve had a lot of coaches and a lot of top coaches and despite that, I’d say he’s easily in the top three of my best coaches.”

Everton's remarkable 5-1 thrashing of Brighton & Hove Albion has left the Toffees in charge of their Premier League destiny as they continue to fight against the drop.

Sean Dyche faces a crucial last three games of the top-flight campaign as he aims to secure the Toffees' survival, and their heroics on the south coast will surely leave his side brimming with confidence ahead of a defining few weeks.

However, their next fixture sees them take on reigning champions and leaders Manchester City, before clashes against Wolves and Bournemouth determine their Premier League fate.

Football FanCast has previewed those three fixtures and how they are expected to pan out…

Everton fixtures 14 May: Man City (h) 20 May: Wolves (a) 28 May: Bournemouth (h) Everton v Man City

Who knows what's in store after the events of the last few days? Everton went to high-flying Brighton and picked up the result of their season, while Manchester City will come into this tie off the back of a pulsating Champions League battle with Real Madrid in sweltering conditions.

Everton, of course, also took a point from their trip to Eastlands earlier this season, and while there have been many changes since then, there are other reasons to suggest they could pull off yet another miraculous result.

The Toffees defeated City's title rivals, Arsenal, in Dyche's first game in charge at Goodison Park, while Pep Guardiola could well have an eye on next week's second-leg affair with Los Blancos. With Everton's players also benefiting from added rest and preparation for the game, we wouldn't be surprised for the masterplan to be well-drilled into the side at Finch Farm before Sunday's clash.

That said, City are purring in the league, and while they might not have it all their own way, they should show the mark of champions they have displayed all too often over the last few seasons.

Prediction: Everton 1-2 Man City

Wolves v Everton

Wolves' victory over Aston Villa last weekend means the Old Gold are now safe, which means attention may already be turning to the summer for Julen Lopetegui's side.

This can play into the hands of the Toffees, who will have plenty of heart to take from their previous away fixture – and hopefully, the subsequent meeting with Man City.

But while the clash against the Citizens may be seen as a free hit, the trip to Molineux will be anything but. If Everton are looking for omens, though, their last win over their opponents was on the penultimate day of the 2020/21 season – which put Carlo Ancelotti's side in a lofty position of 8th.

Dyche also has a remarkable record against Wolves, losing just one of his previous 11 meetings as a manager. Continuing that record could be what keeps the Toffees up, and their recent performances against Leicester and Brighton could even make them favourites for this one.

Prediction: Wolves 0-1 Everton

Everton v Bournemouth

Everton could even be safe heading into the final day, while the same will almost certainly be said for their opponents. That may not exactly make for a party atmosphere, but with the pressure off, players may have licence to have some fun.

Only Leeds United have a worse defensive record than the Cherries, and without the need for results at this stage of the season, Gary O'Neil's men could be there for the taking – which will be music to Everton's ears if they are still in trouble themselves.

The team stepped up when it mattered last season, and even if there are any lingering final-day nerves, with the support of the Toffees faithful, everything surely points to a home success here.

Prediction: Everton 2-0 Bournemouth

Predicted run-in points: 6/9 Predicted total points: 38

Journalist Paul Brown has claimed that possible future Chelsea manager Mauricio Pochettino will use a lot of young players in his first season.

What's the latest on Chelsea and Mauricio Pochettino?

After sacking both Thomas Tuchel and Graham Potter in the same season, only to see the Blues drop dramatically down the Premier League table, Todd Boehly will be hoping he gets his next big decision at Stamford Bridge correct.

This will no doubt relate to who he appoints as manager and for now it seems all but certain that former Spurs and PSG boss Pochettino will be hired.

Indeed, as per The Guardian, the Blues are close to agreeing a deal to bring the 51-year-old back to London for next season.

Perhaps the Argentine's biggest task will be handling the bloated squad he inherits and Brown seems to think that he may do this by giving youth a chance.

Indeed, when talking recently to GIVEMESPORT, the journalist said: "With Pochettino, I think he works best when he has a squad full of young, hungry, talented players who will work for him, listen and play to the system. I think that's possible at Chelsea. It's just that they have a lot of older, more experienced players with slightly bigger egos who have been around and won stuff as well.

"But I think you will see Pochettino use a lot of the younger players because they're the ones who he can work with and mould and really build a system around. So I think that could be quite exciting for Chelsea."

Who will Chelsea sell under Pochettino?

To be fair, it was Pochettino who got the best out of Dele Ali at Tottenham with the midfielder winning the Professional Footballers' Association Young Player of the Year award twice in a row under Pochettino.

And Chelsea certainly have some exciting young prospects that could be moulded into fine players. The likes of Lewis Hall, Omari Hutchinson and Andrey Santos all spring to mind.

What's more, After spending a mammoth £88.5m to sign Mykhailo Mudryk from Shakhtar Donetsk in January, Boehly will no doubt be desperate to see the best out of the 22-year-old in the near future.

However, Pochettino will still have to deal with the senior stars too, so perhaps the first order of business when he arrives will be offloading some potentially unwanted first-team members such as Hakim Ziyech, Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang, and Christian Pulisic.

Glasgow Rangers missed out on securing the Scottish Premiership title this season but they did have one of their players honoured at the PFA awards this month.

Attacking midfielder Malik Tillman was named the PFA Scotland Young Player of the Year for his exceptional performances in the division since arriving on loan from Bayern Munich last summer.

The American international has played 29 matches in the league to date and contributed with ten goals and four assists from a number ten position – averaging a Sofascore rating of 7.09.

At the age of 20, the dynamo has proven himself to be a reliable, consistent, performer in the Scottish top-flight and there is no doubt that the ace has been an excellent addition to the squad.

However, there is no guarantee that the Gers star will remain at Ibrox for the 2023/24 campaign. The club do have an option to sign him permanently this summer but Tillman has revealed that he will be taking his time before making a decision on his future.

This means that there is a possibility that Michael Beale will go into next season without the USMNT dynamo, which could open up the door for another player to burst onto the scene – Alex Lowry.

Who is Alex Lowry?

The 19-year-old attacking midfielder, who came off the bench in the recent 3-0 drubbing of Celtic, is a talented prospect who could be the heir to Tillman's throne at Ibrox next season.

He has only made five senior appearances for the club this term but his form for the academy side over the last two years indicates that the magician has the potential to be a first-team star in the future.

A knee injury at the start of the campaign caused him to miss 12 competitive matches.

However, the "master" of the ball – as he was dubbed by Scottish coach Andy Goldie – has still been able to rack up ten goals and one assist in 11 appearances for the B team – including six goals in eight Lowland League outings – and this shows that he has the scope to be a goalscoring midfielder like Tillman.

This comes after the teenager scored four goals and provided three assists in 15 matches for the first-team and academy combined in 2021/22. He can score and assist goals from an attacking midfield position and occupy similar spaces to the current first-team star, which suggests that the gem could be deployed in the same role next season.

Lowry, who was once hailed as "dangerous" by ex-Gers boss Giovanni van Bronckhorst, has two goals and two assists in 12 games for Rangers and has shown great promise as an attacking talent for the club.

His exceptional form at youth level this season indicates that the Scotsman could be ready to make the jump up to playing regular first-team football next term and Tillman's exit could present him with the opportunity to do just that.

Therefore, Beale could unearth his dream heir to the Bayern Munich loanee by unleashing Lowry week-in-week-out for the Light Blues next season instead of signing a replacement for the 20-year-old if he opts against a permanent deal at Ibrox.

Newcastle United could be set for a raid on Villarreal this summer, with reports from Spain via Sport Witness stating that the Toon have entered the race to sign Samuel Chukwueze.

Will Newcastle sign Samuel Chukwueze this summer?

The Premier League outfit have stormed into the top four this season and are on the precipice of securing a place in the Champions League for the first time in over a decade. The last time the club played in Europe was all the way back in the 2012/13 season, when they played Europa League football.

Now, with two games to go in the current campaign, Eddie Howe's side could bag their spot in the Champions League. If they do, then reinforcements will likely be needed this summer in order to help them compete both domestically and on the big stage too.

One way in which they could improve their team, according to a report from Spain via Sport Witness, is on the wing, with the club keeping an eye on Samuel Chukwueze. The report states that they are one of the latest sides to put him on their transfer radar and that with the player likely to look elsewhere rather than commit to current club Villarreal, a deal could happen.

It adds that the winger could specifically be signed to replace Allan Saint-Maximin at the Toon too. The Frenchman was superb when he first arrived in England, with three goals and four assists in just 23 starts. He reached his best ever total – ten league goal contributions – only last season, with the side finishing in eleventh. This campaign though, he has only managed eleven starts and has only one goal to his name.

Is Allan Saint-Maximin leaving Newcastle?

The maverick dribbling wizard could now find himself replaced at St James' Park by Chukwueze. The Villareal man has managed his best ever goal contribution haul in Spain this season, with six goals and five assists in 33 La Liga outings. The 23-year-old has also never dropped below a total of five goals or assists over the course of his career.

He's even been praised by coach Quique Setien for his role in the Villareal side, as he called the winger "an extraordinary player" who is helping the Spanish side enormously, so it certainly seems he has more to offer versus Saint-Maximin's flair.

Chukwueze then has earned a move to the Premier League with his outstanding displays over the last few seasons – but it could spell the end for a bit of a fan favourite on Tyneside if he does..