Tag Futebol

Tottenham Hotspur manager Antonio Conte is having to cope with a Lucas Moura ‘problem’ ahead of their Premier League clash with Liverpool.

The Lowdown: Spurs injury woes…

Earlier this week, Spurs star winger Son Heung-min had to undergo surgery after suffering a head injury against Marseille in the Champions League – putting his 2022 World Cup involvement in doubt.

That added to the woes of Conte with Cristian Romero and Richarlison already declared unavailable for today’s blockbuster encounter against Jurgen Klopp’s side.

The Lilywhites could further cement their status as real top-four favourites with victory against Liverpool in London this afternoon but their lack of options in certain areas could be seen as a concern.

The Latest: Conte dealt Lucas ‘problem’…

Speaking ahead of Tottenham’s match, Conte has shared an update on Lucas with some bad news for him and supporters.

The Italian says his winger is in ‘really bad’ pain with the player himself ‘really worried’ – yet Conte has requested that Lucas try to make himself available for Liverpool.

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He explained (via Alasdair Gold):

“The problem with Lucas Moura is having different faces for his pain. Today it was really bad and they said he was really worried for this. I asked him to try to be available.”

The Verdict: Bad news…

The 30-year-old being in agony before Liverpool certainly comes as some bad news and supporters will be hoping it has subsided since and he has indeed made himself available for this afternoon.

As per WhoScored, Lucas can be a real threat on his day, with no Spurs player averaging more completed dribbles per 90 than the South American last season. He can be a really good option to call upon and Conte will not want to add another name to the injury list.

West Ham United head into Sunday afternoon’s Premier League meeting against Southampton in excellent form, with David Moyes’ side currently on a run of four consecutive wins in all competitions.

However, with Hammers’ still 13th in the top-flight standings after a poor start to the 2022/23 campaign, the 59-year-old will undoubtedly be hoping to make it five victories on the spin against the 18th-placed Saints.

While £35.5m summer signing Gianluca Scamacca is beginning to find form in front of goal, bagging three over his last four outings in all competitions, it is another West Ham striker who Moyes must unleash on Sunday, namely Michail Antonio.

Indeed, while the 32-year-old is reported to have a 75% chance of being fit to feature at St Mary’s after falling ill in the week, the striker’s record against the Saints should be enough to convince the Irons manager to hand him a start on the south coast.

Having faced Southampton 16 times in his career, the £9m-rated forward has proven a constant threat for the Saints’ centre-backs, finding the net on four separate occasions and providing his team-mates with a further two assists.

Furthermore, the £70k-per-week hitman has also been in impressive form over his nine Premier League outings so far this season, scoring two goals, registering one assist and creating one big chance for his team-mates.

The Jamaica international has also taken 1.4 shots, made 0.6 key passes and completed 0.8 dribbles per game, with these returns seeing Antonio average a SofaScore match rating of 6.83, ranking him as Moyes’ joint-eighth best performer in the league.

Scamacca is a very talented striker, but considering Antonio’s history against the Saints, coupled with his impressive returns in the top flight this term, it would seem wise for Moyes to give the 32-year-old the nod ahead of the Italian on Sunday.

Indeed, with Ralph Hasenhutll’s side having already shipped 17 league goals this season, unleashing the player who 90min’s Toby Cudworth dubbed “utterly sublime” will undoubtedly give the Southampton defenders nightmares.

Dean Jones has dropped a claim on the future of Aston Villa-linked manager Mauricio Pochettino.

What’s been said?

In a recent interview with GIVEMESPORT, the transfer insider claimed that, after reports suggested that the 50-year-old would be interested in a move to Villa Park in the event that Steven Gerrard is relieved of his duties, the former Tottenham Hotspur and Paris Saint-Germain manager is indeed interested in a move back to a Premier League club.

Regarding Pochettino’s presence at England’s 3-3 draw with Germany on Monday, Jones said: “Pochettino is very keen to be at games at the moment as he wants to be as ready as possible when a job opportunity crops up and so wants to see top players in person. I wouldn’t read too much into him being at the England match beyond the fact he is serious about returning to the Premier League soon.”

Real coup

Considering the fact that Gerrard has survived the two-week international break – typically a time when a club’s owners decide to part with their coaches – it would appear as if the 42-year-old job at Villa Park is safe, for now at least.

Having said that, should NSWE ultimately decide that the former Glasgow Rangers manager is not the man who they want to take Villa forwards, bringing Pochettino to the club would undoubtedly represent a huge coup for a club of Villa’s current standing.

Indeed, having taken over a below-par Southampton side back in 2012, the Argentine had an immediate impact on the Saints’ fortunes, comfortably guiding the club to survival over his 16 fixtures in charge in 2012/13, before leading the South Coast club to a quite extraordinary eighth place finish in his first – and only – full season at St. Mary’s.

As a result of the remarkable results he achieved at Southampton, Tottenham chairman Daniel Levy decided to take the 50-year-old to north London in the summer of 2014, with Pochettino leading Spurs to a fifth-place finish in his first campaign with the club, before recording an extraordinary four back-to-back top-four finishes in the Premier League.

However, it was not only domestically that Tottenham impressed under the Argentine, as the 50-year-old also masterminded the club’s run to the 2018/19 Champions League final – in which they narrowly lost out to Liverpool.

As such, considering his undoubted ability to develop under-performing Premier League clubs into top-half regulars, as well as serious contenders for European trophies, should Villa indeed manage to convince the former PSG coach of a move to Villa Park, it would certainly represent a real coup for a club who were playing Championship football as recently as 2019.

Manchester United have churned out a whole host of top-class talent from their academy set-up over the years, boasting an impressive record for continually discovering gem after gem who have gone on to thrive in the first-team.

That being said, like at any side, not every exciting prospect that has been on the club’s books has gone on to star in the senior ranks, as for every success story, there is a notable tale of woe. For every Paul Scholes, there is a Ravel Morrison…

The latter man is arguably one of the greatest examples of what might have been, with the Wythenshawe-born starlet having sparkled in the Red Devils’ youth ranks, earning rave reviews from all across the game for his obvious talent.

Although he was subsequently unable to fulfil that unique potential – making just three first-team appearances during his time at the Theatre of Dreams – to this day his former teammates and coaches still speak glowingly about his rare gift as a footballer.

Having played a key role in the club’s FA Youth Cup triumph in 2011 – as part of a team that included both Jesse Lingard and Paul Pogba – Morrison has since been dubbed as the “best player of that generation” by former United midfielder Quinton Fortune.

The now-retired ace had been asked if the playmaker was better than teammate Pogba, before subsequently stating: “Not even a question. It was effortless. It was a once-in-a-lifetime talent. It was like watching Xavi, Iniesta, Neymar, all those guys put together. We were mesmerised by him.”

Former club scout Phil Brogan has also insisted that Morrison “was better” than the World Cup-winning Frenchman, with the club’s other young stars having been in “awe” of a talent who looked “destined to be the best.”

Club legend Gary Neville notably likened the 5 foot 9 ace to the great Paul Gascoigne due to his quality in possession, while even the great man himself Sir Alex Ferguson had seemingly never encountered a talent such as the then-youngster’s.

Unfortunately for all concerned, the midfielder’s tough upbringing and off-field lifestyle appeared to simply get the better of him – in the view of Ferguson – as he has since struggled to ever truly perform at a string of clubs across the globe.

Now something of a journeyman, the 29-year-old is at the 13th professional club of his career, having departed the Red Devils permanently back in 2012 to join West Ham United, with the aforementioned Pogba also moving on to Juventus in that same summer.

While the 91-cap France international has gone on to win major honours and be recognised as one of the best in his position in the world, it is a somewhat sad state of affairs that Morrison has been unable to enjoy a similar career trajectory.

Having left the east London outfit in 2015, the Jamaica international has endured stints in Italy, Sweden, Holland and Mexico – as well as at other clubs in England – although has rarely ever managed to nail down a consistent run of games.

Arguably his most fruitful spell came following a reunion with former United teammate Wayne Rooney at Derby County last season as he netted five goals and four assists in 38 games in all competitions for the Rams – the most appearances he has ever made at one club – before following the former England captain to MLS side DC United back in July.

The £450k-rated man has since netted once in 12 games for the American outfit, with it yet to be seen if he will buck the recent trend and remain with the club for longer than just a solitary season.

As his former Hammers boss Sam Allardyce stated, he was the “biggest waste of talent I ever worked with”, with that seemingly encapsulating what has been a frustrating decade for both the player and those that have had to witness such an undoubted talent fall by the wayside.

Nottingham Forest have already signed 16 new players this summer but are showing no signs of slowing down, and they could be set for a last-gasp swoop for a new potential target.

What’s the latest?

According to French news outlet Media Foot, the Premier League club are interested in signing Lyon playmaker Lucas Paqueta this summer.

As per the report, Newcastle United, West Ham United and Arsenal are all also interested in the attacking midfielder, but Forest are now set to compete with their fellow top-flight clubs for his signature.

However, a new update from Fabrizio Romano suggests that a spanner could have been put in the works for the Reds, as West Ham have submitted a second offer for the player.

The Italian tweeted: “Lucas Paquetá agents, in London to discuss with West Ham after new bid submitted. There’s still work to do on club’s side – West Ham want to push for Brazilian star.

“Paquetá dreams of Premier League football – but agreement has to be reached with OL president Aulas.”

Marinakis must act fast

With Paqueta’s agents already in London to discuss deals with potential suitors and West Ham pushing for his signature, Forest owner Evangelos Marinakis must act fast to secure a deal for the player before another club gets there first.

It comes as no surprise that the Brazilian is the subject of so much attention in England, as he has been a standout performer in an advanced midfield role for Lyon.

Compared to his positional peers in the top five European leagues over the last 12 months, Paqueta ranks in the top 1% for tackles, top 10% for aerial duels won, successful pressures and progressive passes received and top 15% for total shots and clearances.

The 24-year-old – who was dubbed “extraordinary” by his manager Peter Bosz – scored nine goals, delivered six assists and created nine big chances in 2021/22. He made 1.2 key passes and won 7.3 duels per game, while also successfully completing 69% of his dribble attempts, proving that he is a top-quality attacking threat.

Indeed, Forest have already signed Morgan Gibbs-White and Jesse Lingard this summer, both of whom play in a similar role to the Lyon star. However, considering the quality of Paqueta, it would be an ambitious statement set if Forest could seal a deal for the player, who comes with a reported price tag of €50m (£42.1m).

If Marinakis can beat Forest’s Premier League competitors to the signing of the Brazilian, it would be a massive coup and a big statement as to their intent to retain their top-flight status and challenge comfortably at this level.

Everton have secured two new signings this week with Conor Coady and Amadou Onana joining the side, and now a new update has emerged on a potential transfer target that could join the club before the transfer window closes.

What’s the latest?

According to 90min, Everton have registered their interest in Chelsea winger Callum Hudson-Odoi.

As per the report, sources have told the publication that the player is ready to push for a move after returning to full fitness and wanting first-team football, with Everton not the only club keen on securing the player’s signature this summer.

Newcastle United, Crystal Palace, Borussia Dortmund, West Ham United, Leicester City and Southampton are named as potential suitors for the player.

Imagine him & McNeil

Everton are desperate to identify the perfect striker signing over the coming days and weeks remaining in the transfer window following a hamstring injury that has seen Dominic Calvert-Lewin sidelined for over a month, but they could now turn to a goal-scorer who usually plays in a wider role.

The club are not just toying with the idea of bringing in another forward this summer, it has become an absolute necessity that a deal is done as soon as possible with Frank Lampard having to play Anthony Gordon in the central role against Chelsea last weekend.

Granted, Hudson-Odoi has only played in the centre-forward position eight times in his career so far but didn’t struggle to continue his goal-scoring consistency, netting four goals and delivering two assists over those performances.

The Champions League-winning forward doesn’t have any difficulty finding the back of the net scoring 47 goals and delivering 40 assists over his career so far, with a goal contribution in every 2.1 of his 187 appearances, but he has had difficulty getting game-time at Chelsea, something that shouldn’t be a problem at Everton right now.

The Everton boss is, of course, no stranger to the boyhood Chelsea talent managing Hudson-Odoi back in the 2020/21 season when he was head coach at Stamford Bridge and lavished praise on the player after scoring in the Champions League against Rennes:

“There are loads of great things about Callum and there are things he can improve in his game and he knows that. He’s a big player for Chelsea, he’s [got] a big future with us. I’m delighted for him, his all round game today on and off the ball was fantastic and he gets his goal.”

If the versatile 21-year-old did make a move to Merseyside this summer, the Everton manager could form a formidable forward-line partnership between Hudson-Odoi and new signing Dwight McNeil who is still finding his feet in the team.

Combining the two young player’s creativity skills in front of goal could amount to more goal-scoring opportunities with McNeil ranked in the top 25 creative players in the Premier League last season with 47 chances delivered.

Something McNeil does lack though is finishing skills scoring no goals last season, and that is where Hudson-Odoi comes in. The player’s ability to find the back of the net or make the last pass to deliver a goal has been improving, and the pair together could be a huge threat to opponents as a result.

With all considered, Lampard could now finish the development he started with the £25m-rated Englishman by bringing him in at Goodison Park to help with the challenge ahead of the Toffees in the Premier League, where he can gain the consistent game time he clearly desires.

Everton are considering a move for Borussia Monchengladbach forward Alassane Plea, according to French newspaper L’Equipe (via Sport Witness).

The lowdown

The Toffees have lost Richarlison, their top scorer last season, to Tottenham Hotspur, so they may be looking for a new striker to fill the void left by the Brazilian.

Plea has twice made the France squad, first in November 2018 and most recently in October 2019.

The 29-year-old is into the final year of his contract with Gladbach, who finished 10th in last season’s Bundesliga.

The latest

According to L’Equipe (via Sport Witness), Plea is apparently ‘hoping’ to leave Borussia Park this summer in an attempt to improve his chances of making France’s squad for the World Cup in Qatar.

The player’s agent is due to fly to Germany ‘on Monday’ to ‘clarify the situation’. Everton are aware of this and are ‘following the situation closely’ with a view to potentially making an offer.

Significantly, Plea is available for ‘no more than €8million’, which equates to £6.8m. It’s thought that a move could be arranged ‘before the Bundesliga starts up again in two weeks’.

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The verdict

Plea’s goalscoring return is reasonably good. He netted 10 goals last season for a mid-table outfit, also adding eight assists, while his overall record for Gladbach stands at 47 goals and 28 assists in 142 appearances.

He’s also a versatile player, capable of playing on both wings and in a more withdrawn role behind the striker.

However, perhaps the main reason that he appeals to Everton is that he’s available so cheaply as a result of his contract situation.

Transfer funds are in ‘short supply’ at Goodison Park this summer, so it’s all about Frank Lampard and co finding enough bang for their buck.

Wolverhampton Wanderers must do all they can to sign Vitoria de Guimaraes midfielder Andre Almeida this summer as he could be the perfect upgrade on Morgan Gibbs-White.

What’s the story?

A recent report in Portuguese outlet Jornal de Notícias (via Sport Witness) claims Wolves are one of the contenders to sign the midfielder who has just 12 months remaining on his contract which includes a €50m (£42.3m) release clause.

However, Vitoria have the option to extend it by a further 12 months which they could use to ensure he doesn’t leave on a free transfer next summer.

In a further sign that he is due to leave the club, the report states how he has not been included on the club’s captain’s list for next season as it quickly becomes ‘inevitable’ that he’ll leave. As a result, the Old Gold now have the green light to make their move for the midfielder.

He’s better than Gibbs-White

One player he would be competing for a spot in the team with is Gibbs-White who has been recently linked with a move away from Molineux. The 22-year-old who is an academy graduate at the club spent last season on loan at Sheffield United where he impressed massively.

In 37 league appearances for the Blades, he was directly involved in 22 goals and has since attracted interest from Premier League sides. If Wolves struggle to keep hold of him then Almeida could be the perfect replacement.

We think he’s better than Gibbs-White and if you compare the two you can see why. He had an 86% pass accuracy per game last season compared to the Englishman’s 73%.

Gibbs-White also lost possession 19.5 times last season which was a lot more than Almeida who only gave the ball away 6.8 times proving he is more reliable.

Both players are also the same age so Almeida would have plenty of time to develop and get even better playing for Wolves.

It’s a transfer that makes a lot of sense for everyone involved; it allows the player to move to a stronger league whilst playing under a Portuguese manager and for a club that has a strong contingent of players from the country.

Vitoria will also get a good fee for him which they can reinvest themselves. It’s a no-brainer and Bruno Lage has to make it happen.

IN other news: Wolves plotting bid to sign “exceptional” £8.4m brute, just imagine him & Coady…

Leeds United are reportedly looking to tie down Crysencio Summerville down to a new deal at the Yorkshire club this summer.

What’s the news?

In a recent Twitter post, journalist and transfer expert Fabrizio Romano had this to say about the current situation regarding the winger and his immediate future at Elland Road.

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He said: “Nottingham Forest and AZ Alkmaar are interested in Crysencio Summerville with many clubs exploring this possibility, but Leeds are busy trying to keep the player at Elland Road by extending his contract. Negotiations ongoing to decide his future as soon as possible.” 

Back in September 2020, the Yorkshire club signed Summerville from Feyenoord’s U19 side. Since then, the 20-year-old has gone on to make 27 appearances for the Whites’ U23 side, scoring 13 goals and delivering eight assists in the process.

The winger has also appeared nine times for the Whites’ first team but has yet to find himself on the scoresheet or delivering an assist for any of his teammates.

All of those senior appearances came during the most recent campaign, with six of them coming in the Premier League, the latest of which came during their 3-0 win over Watford.

In those six appearances, the Dutchman managed to complete 50 passes, recover 16 loose balls, deliver four crosses, make five interceptions and win four tackles.

Leeds fans will be delighted

Even though Summerville has not become a regular figure in the first team as yet, nor has he managed to deliver a goal contribution, the fact that these two clubs that Romano mentions are after him shows how highly thought of the 20-year-old is.

Also, with Leeds looking to keep the player where he is for the foreseeable future, this demonstrates just how much they value him.

This would surely be music to the ears of a lot of Leeds fans that may feel the youngster has what it takes to become an important senior player in the team.

Moving forward, should the winger put pen to paper on a new deal at Elland Road and the club decides to not loan him out, their upcoming pre-season period could be vital for the player and his chances to impress Jesse Marsch and show that he has what it takes to be a useful squad option.

AND in other news: “Leeds are monitoring..”: Romano drops big transfer update, it’s great news for Marsch

The summer transfer window officially opens on Friday and Newcastle will be hard at work as they look to improve Eddie Howe’s squad for the 2022/23 campaign.

Dan Ashworth and PIF have already secured one deal as Matt Targett has agreed to join the club on a permanent basis after his loan spell in the season just gone.

Another player they must now target a move for is West Ham attacking midfielder Said Benrahma, who is reportedly available this summer.

Journalist Harry Roy has claimed that the club wanted the Algeria international and are keen on a deal for a player in his position.

He Tweeted: “Just read that West Ham are open to selling Saïd Benrahma this summer. NUFC were interested in him during his Brentford days, and are in the market for a winger. £12m-£15m is the rumoured price.”

New Hatem Ben Arfa

By reigniting interest in Benrahma and bringing him to St. James’ Park, PIF can find the club’s new Ben Arfa next season.

The Hammers gem is a silky playmaker with the ability to breeze past players with his trickery, much like the former Newcastle forward.

Brentford B’s assistant coach, Sam Saunders, once claimed that Benrahma “could nutmeg a mermaid” and this beautifully illustrates how much talent he has with the ball at his feet.

Interestingly, this exact phrase was previously used – by SPORTBible – to describe Ben Arfa as they posted a compilation of his best goals on Tyneside.

Whilst impressing with flash skills, the now-Lille winger also made a big impact in the final third. In the 2011/12 campaign, he produced five goals and six assists in the Premier League as he showed that he had end product as well as immense dribbling.

Benrahma, similarly, is also able to make telling contributions at the top end of the pitch. In 2021/22, he managed to score eight goals and provide six assists for West Ham in the top-flight, showing that he can be a match-winner as well as a crowd-pleaser.

Therefore, the 26-year-old magician can be the new Ben Arfa to entertain the supporters at St. James’ Park and PIF must swoop in to snap him up from the London Stadium this summer.

Howe would surely love to work with a proven Premier League attacker heading into the peak years of his career and fans would enjoy watching him nutmeg mermaids…

AND in other news, Ashworth now plotting NUFC bid for £20m gem with “no nerves”, he’s a huge Burn upgrade…