All posts by h716a5.icu

Tottenham Hotspur midfielder Bryan Gil is ‘very close’ to joining RCD Mallorca on loan with talks advancing, according to reports.

The Lowdown: Gil watches on…

The Spaniard has been forced by manager Antonio Conte to watch on from the sidelines with Gil struggling for Premier League game time.

Signed from Sevilla in a swap deal with Erik Lamela in 2021, Gil came to Spurs with much potential and comparisons to footballing legend Johan Cruyff.

Praised as a ‘wonderful prospect’, Conte still claims he isn’t physically ready for the robust nature of English football and another loan move could well be on the cards this winter.

The Latest: Gil ‘very close’ to Mallorca…

As per reports out of Spain, it appears Gil is edging close to a move back to La Liga with Mallorca.

Diario de Cadiz reports journalist Thierry Enric’s claim the 21-year-old is ‘very close’ to joining the direct rival of Cadiz and the Balearic club are in ‘advanced negotiations’ over a loan deal.

[web_stories_embed url=”https://www.footballtransfertavern.com/web-stories/tottenham-latest-news-3/” title=”Tottenham latest news!” poster=”” width=”360″ height=”600″ align=”none”]

The Verdict: Get it done…

A loan move for Gil to develop his all-round game is arguably much-needed and the player is better served moving away again than sitting on the Spurs bench.

Sporting director Fabio Paratici, however, may need to source a potential replacement from the January transfer market given the large volume of games from now until the end of the season.

Manchester City will be looking to keep their title hopes alive when they take on Leeds United at Elland Road on Wednesday evening.

Pep Guardiola’s side, who are the victims of the latest Christmas kick-off, fell eight points behind Arsenal at the top of the Premier League table when the Gunners defeated West Ham United 3-1 on Boxing Day.

The Citizens showed no signs of rustiness after the World Cup when they defeated Liverpool 3-2 in the Carabao Cup last week and will be looking for a similarly positive result when they take on Jesse Marsch’s side this evening.

Here is how we at Football FanCast expect City to line up on Wednesday, with six changes to the side that started against Liverpool last time out.

After being rested in midweek, it seems likely that Ederson will return to the starting side in between the sticks, with Stefan Ortega dropping to the bench.

There are three changes in defence, as Kyle Walker starts at right-back despite Rico Lewis’ impressive display against the Reds, while Joao Cancelo also comes back in at left-back, with Nathan Ake dropping out.

Aymeric Laporte is partnered by John Stones in the heart of the defence, with Manuel Akanji dropping out after starting in midweek, while Ruben Dias is still sidelined with injury.

After a superb performance against the Reds, Kevin De Bruyne unsurprisingly keeps his place in the midfield, with Rodri and Ilkay Gundogan also starting at Elland Road.

There are two changes out wide, as, while the “unbelievable” Riyad Mahrez scored a lovely goal against Liverpool, he has struggled in the Premier League this season, averaging a disappointing 6.59 rating from WhoScored for his performances, so Phil Foden replaces him.

Fellow England star Jack Grealish is also handed a start on the left-hand side, replacing Cole Palmer, while Erling Haaland will hoping to haunt his city of birth with some more goals against the Yorkshire outfit this evening.

Manchester City return to Premier League action on Wednesday evening as they take on Leeds United at Elland Road, and Pep Guardiola should unleash Jack Grealish.

The Citizens made a winning start to life after the World Cup last week as they defeated Liverpool 3-2 in the Carabao Cup but now the focus will be fully on keeping their title hopes alive against Jesse Marsch’s side tonight.

Arsenal moved eight points clear of Guardiola’s side with their 3-1 win over West Ham on Boxing Day, while Newcastle United have also moved ahead of City into second place, so three points are a must at Elland Road against a struggling Leeds side.

Last season saw City completely dominate against a defensively woeful Leeds side, as they cruised to a 7-0 win at the Etihad, with Grealish scoring a rare Premier League goal for the Citizens and enjoying one of his best performances since his £100m switch from Aston Villa.

After scoring with a great header in the first half, the England international was described as a “constant threat” by Manchester Evening News’ live blog.

They also wrote: “Grealish has come in for a lot of stick in recent weeks but he looks on it this evening. His goal, the end of a 10-game drought, is sure to bring a confidence boost. He has just gone past a defender with ease and played a great ball into the box, but no one was there to take advantage.”

Since joining the club in the summer of 2021, the 27-year-old has managed just seven goals and four assists in all competitions, with just one goal and no assists to his name so far this campaign.

It is clear that he needs a confidence boost and must start contributing more in attack, otherwise, he risks being labelled a flop and wasting his chance at the Etihad.

However, only Joao Cancelo has contributed more dribbles per game in City’s squad this season, which suggests that Grealish could be extremely dangerous if he can be left one-on-one against Leeds’ defence on Wednesday.

Guardiola has emphasised that it is not all about goals and assists for Grealish, as he waxed lyrical about the former Villa man’s overall performance in a 1-1 draw with Southampton last season.

He said: “The best game he has played since he has been with us, by far. This was an exceptional performance. He played really, really well. I’m talking about when he has the ball, what he has to do. In a team that is so tight, they defend so narrow, it is not easy. He played exceptionally.”

After such an impressive display against the Yorkshire outfit last season, Guardiola must consider handing him a rare start on Wednesday night, in the hope that he can deliver again against a struggling defence, and head into the new year in a more confident mood.

Injury expert Ben Dinnery has hinted that Emile Smith Rowe could make his Arsenal return in the FA Cup next week.

What’s the word?

The Englishman has been absent for most of this season with an injury he picked up in September, but could be set for a highly anticipated return to action as the league leaders begin their FA Cup campaign away to Oxford United.

Arsenal face Newcastle in the Premier League before then, but that game might come too soon for the 21-year-old, who will aim to make a huge impact in the second half of the season.

Speaking on the Premier FPL Injuries YouTube channel, Dinnery – who features on Sky Sports – explained when Smith Rowe could return.

“Emile Smith Rowe, back in more or less fully with the group, but I think maybe the FA Cup is a more realistic opportunity for him to get minutes within that team.”

Like a new signing

Smith Rowe’s return will be a welcome boost for Mikel Arteta as the Gunners seek to maintain their lead at the top of the Premier League table.

He faces a battle to fight his way into the starting XI when considering the excellent form of Gabriel Martinelli and Martin Odegaard, but he can provide attacking output off the bench and quality depth while Arsenal aim to compete on multiple fronts.

The England international scored 11 goals in all competitions last season and the 22-year-old has been a shining light in the Arsenal side which has made so much progress under Mikel Arteta.

Able to play on either wing or in midfield, Arteta has even talked about his ability to play as a false nine, and it remains to be seen whether this will be considered in the absence of Gabriel Jesus.

Liverpool will head to the south coast tomorrow in their FA Cup third-round clash with Brighton and Hove Albion and now Jurgen Klopp has given an update on the latest injury blow to the squad.

What’s the latest?

The Liverpool boss took to his pre-match press conference this afternoon to give an insight into the timeframe of Virgil van Dijk’s hamstring injury blow.

Klopp told the press:

“It’s not a short-term and I had longer-term injuries as well in my career as a manager. So, it’s somewhere in between.

“He will be out for a few weeks, definitely.”

It’s a huge blow for Klopp

There is no doubt that losing Van Dijk over the coming weeks will be a huge blow for Klopp as he attempts to improve the performances on the pitch following a disappointing start of the season.

The Reds are currently sixth in the Premier League table after their first 17 outings and have already been knocked out of the Carabao Cup by Manchester City with the upcoming FA Cup fixture and Champions League tie with Real Madrid next month looking like the only hopes of a trophy this season.

Liverpool have had numerous injury issues to key players with Van Dijk joining Luis Diaz and Diogo Jota on the list of long-term sideliners, so it will be a massive concern for the German coach who will be desperate to not only compete for trophies but improve the league form to climb up the table to be in contention for a Champions League qualifying spot.

Van Dijk has been integral to the success at Anfield since joining the club back in 2017 in a world-breaking £75m deal and has tallied up a win percentage of 70.73% – losing just 32 games over 205 appearances, proving that he has been a reliable and consistent presence throughout his tenure.

With that being said, there is no doubt that Liverpool will be at a loss without the Dutch defender leading the back-line, however, Klopp will be hoping he will have enough in his squad to inspire a positive result in the FA Cup this weekend and beyond.

Manchester City have made contact to sign Sevilla goalkeeper Yassine Bounou, according to reports.

The Lowdown: World Cup hero

The Moroccan recently made a huge name for himself after being one of his nation’s standout performers at the World Cup, where his side made it all the way to the third-place play-off game.

The 6 foot 3 shot-stopper’s contract in La Liga isn’t set to expire until 2025, but after generating plenty of interest following his performances at the tournament, could now be on his way to the Premier League.

The Latest: City make Bounou contact

According to Spanish outlet El Chiringuito (via CityXtra), the Sky Blues have ‘asked’ what Bounou’s availability is like after being impressed with what they saw in Qatar.

Pep Guardiola’s side have reportedly made a ‘proposal’ to Sevilla ‘in recent days’, though no information regarding what kind of deal they are after has been shared, so this could be one to keep an eye on over the next few weeks.

The Verdict: Ortega alternative

Stefan Ortega had a debatable night in the 2-0 Carabao Cup defeat to Southampton on Wednesday, so Bounou would provide an excellent second-choice alternative should he put pen to paper.

The Montreal-born ‘keeper has an excellent record between the sticks, having kept 53 clean sheets in 122 appearances for the Spanish giants, alongside averaging 5.5 long balls per league game.

Bounou has been dubbed ‘heroic’ by Morocco captain Romain Saiss, and whilst he wouldn’t necessarily take the shirt from Ederson, he’s still a reliable goalkeeping option to have in the building.

Journalist Craig Hope has claimed that Newcastle United are keen on a transfer for Ruben Neves but he might not be available this winter and possibly even in the summer.

What’s the word?

With a spot in the Champions League up for grabs and potentially a league title to even challenge for (depending on who you ask), Eddie Howe and co may well feel as though some key transfers are needed this winter.

The likes of Conor Gallagher and Ruben Loftus-Cheek have been linked with the Magpies aiming to upgrade their options in the middle of the park but it seems as though they’re also keen on Neves.

Indeed, while speaking on the True Faith NUFC podcast, Hope stated that the Wolves player is ‘on the list’ but his contractual situation may rule out a move any time soon.

He explained: “Neves is absolutely on the list. Like I said, it’s a long list but he is on there. He is someone whose situation they are monitoring.

“Now he’s got 18 months to run on his contract. The problem there to a degree is that there’s a deal to be done, I think Newcastle would be absolutely interested to move on it. The issue is I don’t think there’s necessarily a deal to be done in January, maybe not even in the summer.

He concluded: “I wouldn’t massively expect something to happen there. But nonetheless, the people I’d spoken to said, he is one they like, he is one they watch, and he’s one that they’re keeping very, very close tabs on.”

Upgrade needed?

It’s not hard to see why Newcastle might be keen on bringing Neves to St James’ Park this winter. After all, still only 25 years of age, the midfielder has a wealth of experience having played 236 times for Wolves and nearly 100 times for Porto before that.

If he was to come in, he could potentially replace Sean Longstaff in the middle of the park. Seeing as Neves has averaged a 6.98 WhoScored player rating per game in the league this season – while the NUFC man is down at 6.64 – he could be a decent upgrade.

However, as pointed out by Hope, the Portgual international won’t see his contract expire until the summer of 2024. That means, so long as Wolves are prepared to risk him leaving for free, they have no need to sell any time soon.

West Ham United’s deal to sign Danny Ings could mean that David Moyes stays at the club, claims Luke Edwards.

The Lowdown: Ings an Iron

The huge news for West Ham today is the £15m agreement reached with Aston Villa over the transfer of the striker (via Sky Sports).

The 30-year-old could prove to be a catalytic arrival in east London to steer them to safety after netting six Premier League goals from just eight starts this term.

Ings only joined Villa 18 months ago in a £25m deal from Southampton, but he has not made a start in the league since November when he scored twice in a 2-1 win at Brighton & Hove Albion.

The Englishman clearly isn’t in Unai Emery’s plans, leaving the Hammers to pick up a potential bargain if he can bring his goalscoring form to the London Stadium.

The Latest: Moyes future?

Speaking on Transfer Gossip Daily before news of the agreement emerged, Edwards hinted that Moyes’ future may still be safe as he questioned why West Ham would bring in one of the Scotsman’s key targets only for him to be potentially sacked in the near future.

He said: “West Ham are talking about signing Danny Ings – makes sense, perfectly behind that decision. But then there’s also stories today saying that David Moyes, the West Ham manager, could be sacked by West Ham if he loses to Frank Lampard’s Everton in the next game, but if he loses his job at West Ham, he will be the favourite to replace Frank Lampard at Everton.”

“I would quite like to know what West Ham are going to do with their manager before I get too excited about who they’re going to sign.

“If they’re interested in Danny Ings and David Moyes wants him, why would you then sign a player and sack the manager within a few days afterwards?

“The idea of a manager losing to another manager to then replace the manager he’s lost to, that even blows my mind midway through a January transfer window.”

The Verdict: Reprieval for Moyes?

The incoming of Ings could signal more time for Moyes to turn the sinking West Ham ship around.

According to Sky Sports, the 59-year-old could be sacked if the Hammers lose against relegation rivals Everton on Saturday and could bring an end to his current four-year stint in east London.

However, the signing of Ings indicates more backing to Moyes, and the striker’s 68 Premier League goals show he’s fully capable of adding that firepower to their survival bid and potentially save the manager’s job.

Michail Antonio is unlikely to join Wolves in the January transfer window as West Ham do not want to strengthen their rivals, Pete O’Rourke has claimed.

What’s the word?

The striker has been linked with a move away from West Ham, as the arrival of Gianluca Scamacca in the summer window meant he was relegated from the starting XI.

A deal has now been struck to sign Danny Ings from Aston Villa, which could further limit Antonio’s minutes, but the 32-year-old may not leave the Hammers in January as they face a relegation battle.

Speaking to Football FanCast, O’Rourke claimed that West Ham’s precarious position means that they will be unlikely to help out a rival near the bottom of the table.

He said: “It would be a surprise signing, because obviously, we know West Ham and Wolves are both involved in this relegation battle, so I’m not sure West Ham would want to strengthen one of their relegation rivals as well.”

A necessary addition?

Given that Wolves have brought in Diego Costa and Matheus Cunha in recent months, in addition to having Raul Jimenez and Goncalo Guedes capable of playing through the middle, Antonio would be joining an already stacked squad in his position – albeit in an area the Old Gold are underperforming, as Julen Lopetegui’s side remain the lowest goalscorer in the Premier League.

Whilst bringing in a Premier League-proven striker could be of some benefit, he may not be necessary given the current options at the club, and signing an ageing player could mean he becomes deadwood before too long.

Meanwhile, given West Ham have domestic and European games to contend with this season, it looks highly unlikely that they will purposefully weaken themselves ahead of an important few months for the club.

The fact a relegation rival could directly benefit does indeed suggest it would be an act of self-sabotage if the Hammers were to sanction such a move, so we totally understand O’Rourke’s scepticism to the rumours.

Chelsea are now ‘pretty close’ to completing a deal to sign Lyon defender Malo Gusto, according to journalist Simon Phillips.

The Lowdown: Second offer prepared

The Frenchman has entered the final 18 months of his contract at the Groupama Stadium, and having not yet put pen to paper on fresh terms, his future is up in the air.

Fabrizio Romano recently reported that Graham Potter’s side were still in contact regarding a move for the 19-year-old after seeing their opening offer rejected, with the player having already agreed personal terms to make the switch to the Premier League.

Lyon president Jean-Michel Aulas has since publicly stated that the right-back won’t be leaving the club this month, but the Italian reporter has claimed that the Blues are ready to return with an improved proposal regardless.

The Latest: Gusto deal ‘close’

Speaking to GiveMeSport, Phillips revealed that whilst Chelsea and the Ligue 1 giants haven’t settled on a fee, the transfer for Gusto appears to be at its final negotiating stages.

He stated: “So, this one’s pretty close now. The fee has not been agreed yet, but personal terms with the player have been agreed. He’s really keen, he wants it done.”

The Verdict: James alternative

Reece James has been very injury-prone this season, so Chelsea need to sign a suitable alternative at right-back, and Gusto seems the ideal player to come in and be just that.

The Lyon full-back is currently averaging 2.1 tackles and 1.9 crosses per league game, highlighting his ability to have an impact on proceedings both defensively and offensively (WhoScored). Notably, that is level with James’ tackling average and almost twice as many crosses per match (WhoScored).

The French teenager also has the versatility to play higher up in midfield, in addition to his natural right- back role, which would makes him a useful option to have for the tactically flexible Potter at Stamford Bridge.

Gusto’s form has recently seen him dubbed a ‘very dangerous’ player going forward by journalist Bobby Vincent, so it would be a massive coup if Todd Boehly could get this deal over the line in the final week of the January transfer window.