West Ham summer signing Gianluca Scamacca has been linked with an exit as reports from Italy make a surprise claim.
The Lowdown: Hammers player exodus?
Members of the Irons squad have been linked with potential moves away this summer.
The most obvious of these names is midfield sensation Declan Rice, who has been attracting serious interest from Man City, Arsenal and Chelsea.
Meanwhile, the agent of West Ham forward and current Torino loanee Nikola Vlasic has reportedly explained that the Croatia international would like to remain in Serie A.
The Latest: Scamacca eyeing West Ham exit…
Now, Italian news website PLANETAMILAN.it have shared an update involving Scamacca, as the 24-year-old allegedly ‘wants to return’ to play in Serie A.
Indeed, the striker has found it difficult to fully break into manager David Moyes’ starting eleven and is now eyeing a summer exit.
However, as AC Milan take an interest, West Ham won’t let him go for cheap – with this report claiming they will demand around £44 million for his services.
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The Verdict: Pinch of salt?
Just half way through his first season at West Ham, Scamacca is currently still finding his feet again after an injury lay-off and it could take more time for him to adapt life in the Premier League.
The Italy international suffered a knee problem mid-way through January, just after he scored in West Ham’s 2-2 draw away to Leeds, and it’s been difficult for him to fight his way back into Moyes’ eleven since.
That being said, Scamacca has netted seven goals in all competitions this season, and a hot streak of form towards the end of this campaign could seriously bring up those numbers.
Called a ‘quality’ player by members of the media, we believe the former Sassuolo star still has plenty to prove in claret and blue.
Glasgow Rangers are reportedly eyeing up a potential move to bring striker Josh Maja to Ibrox on a free transfer this summer.
The Lowdown: Morelos replacement?
Alfredo Morelos is set to leave Rangers this summer, with his contract expiring at the end of the season.
The Gers reportedly held talks over signing Maja in 2020 when Morelos was close to leaving, and so could look to revisit a deal once the Colombia international departs this time around.
The Latest: Maja interest
As per Football Insider, Michael Beale’s side have a ‘genuine interest’ in Maja, who is out of contract at Ligue 2 side Bordeaux in France at the end of the season.
He is being ‘monitored’ by the Light Blues, with Ross Wilson leading their transfer plans, and is ‘highly regarded’ at the club.
Maja could come in as a replacement for Morelos, whose future is said to be in ‘major doubt’.
The Verdict: Shrewd business
Signing Maja on a free transfer would certainly be a shrewd piece of business from the Teddy Bears ahead of next season.
The striker has scored an impressive 12 goals and made a further three assists in total over all competitions so far this term, and also has notable experience in English football, including playing in the Premier League with Fulham (Transfermarkt).
At 24 years of age, Maja has not reached his full potential yet, and Rangers would also be landing a potentially sizeable resale asset should they sign him for free this summer.
Newcastle United picked up their 11th draw of the season in their Premier League clash with Bournemouth at the Vitality Stadium tonight, and there is no doubt that Eddie Howe will be frustrated despite being unbeaten in their last 17 top-flight outings.
The Magpies had the opportunity to go four points clear of fifth-placed Tottenham Hotspur this evening, but the 1-1 draw means that they only widen the gap by one more, tallying four more draws than any other team in the top flight so far this season.
Despite having 67% possession, more shots on goal (15 v 11) and far more passes completed (462 v 180), Newcastle lost possession of the ball 171 times to the hosts’ 145, won fewer tackles (15 v 21) and duels (53 v 64) and completed fewer clearances (13 v 29), which suggests that their defensive performance was surprisingly below par.
The visitors conceded on the half-hour mark when Marcos Senesi found the net to give Bournemouth the lead, and the troubles kept coming when Joe Willock went off injured in the 36th minute, Anthony Gordon replacing the former Arsenal midfielder.
The storm clouds finally cleared for Howe’s side when Miguel Almiron produced a fantastic finish to deliver the equaliser just before the half-time whistle was blown, offering the travel support hope for the second 45 minutes.
In the second half, Newcastle players continued to drop like flies when Almiron left the pitch after hurting his arm in the 81st minute, with Allan Saint-Maximin quickly following him when he hobbled off just three minutes later.
Indeed, Howe will have a number of concerns not only with the injuries plaguing the team ahead of the Carabao Cup final at the end of the month, but also with the defensive performance put on at the Vitality Stadium, and Dan Burn was well below his best against Bournemouth.
How did Burn play against Bournemouth?
Across his 90-minute performance, the 30-year-old – whose display was dubbed “sloppy” by journalist Ahmed Shooble – was a complete liability, losing possession of the ball 14 times, making an error which led to a shot on goal and was dribbled past once.
Burn also lost 100% of his ground duels and made no interceptions or tackles all evening, proving that he wasn’t the dominating presence that Newcastle needed in order to take all three points from their visit to the south coast.
The Chronicle’s chief Newcastle United writer Lee Ryder gave the converted left-back a rating of just six out of ten, citing the player’s ‘late scare’ when Kieran Trippier had to clear the ball off the line following Burn’s mistake.
The Tyneside club have a number of difficult challenges ahead of them, with Liverpool up next in the Premier League – the only team to have taken all three points from Newcastle in their otherwise unbeaten top-flight campaign – and then Manchester United in the Carabao Cup final, so there is no doubt that Howe will be hoping the injury concerns from today will be quickly resolved before next weekend.
Journalist Jack Pitt-Brooke of The Athletic has been left thrilled by the Tottenham ‘statement’ signing of Pedro Porro from Sporting CP.
The Lowdown: Spurs complete Porro deal…
Spurs finally completed and announced the capture of Porro on January transfer deadline day after weeks of seemingly non-stop negotiations.
Warnings of Real Madrid summer interest apparently kicked Antonio Conte’s side into action as they successfully agreed a move to sign the Spaniard.
Porro has joined Spurs in an intricately structured deal with the Premier League top-four chasers even selling 15% of former player Marcus Edwards’ rights to Sporting.
The Latest: Pitt-Brooke thrilled…
Reporter Pitt-Brooke, writing on Twitter, has heaped praise on the Lilywhites for getting Porro over the line – calling it a ‘big statement’.
He also says that the signing is an ‘important’ one both ‘on and off the pitch’ – expanding on the latter point in his article for The Athletic by suggesting the move ends years of underdevelopment in that area of the squad.
The Verdict: Huge…
Conte’s need for an attack-minded wing-back option for his preferred back three formation cannot be understated.
Spurs have been bereft of forward quality on the right side, with first choice Emerson Royal only managing one assist in 16 league appearances all season (WhoScored).
Porro, still only 23-years-old, comes as both a long term signing after Conte’s reign has ended and a player perfectly suited to the Italian’s system. The former Man City starlet thrived going forward under Ruben Amorim at Sporting, racking up the Portuguese side’s highest number of league assists before joining Tottenham.
Porro also ranked in their top two for shots at goal and key passes made per 90 in the final third – very impressive statistics for a defender (WhoScored).
This signing, if all goes to plan, could even be the difference between mediocrity and another top four finish, and is sure to ease at least some of the unrest in the stands after fans once again chanted against Daniel Levy in the FA Cup win at Preston last weekend.
Arsenal are interested in a move for Barcelona winger Raphinha after missing out on the signing of Mykhailo Mudryk, according to Italian journalist Gianluigi Longari.
The Lowdown: Arsenal suffer Mudryk transfer blow
On Saturday, Sky Sports reported that Chelsea had pipped the Gunners to a deal for Mudryk, despite Mikel Arteta’s side having been in talks with the 22-year-old as recently as Friday.
It was a clear blow for Arsenal, with the Ukrainian an attacker of huge promise who had accrued 18 goal contributions in as many games this season and could cost Chelsea as much as £88.5m, and it means that the club may now turn their attention elsewhere.
The Gunners were linked with a move for Raphinha last summer prior to him joining Barcelona, and it looks as though their interest in the 26-year-old hasn’t gone away.
The Latest: Raphinha back on Arsenal’s radar
Taking to Twitter, Longari claimed that Arsenal could now see the former Leeds United winger as a viable alternative to Mudryk.
Sharing a corresponding article from Sport Italia which stated that ‘exploratory contacts’ have been made but no offer yet forthcoming, the reporter tweeted:
“Arsenal are still interested in Raphinha from Barcelona after Chelsea’s Mudryk deal.”
The Verdict: Strong option for Arteta
Raphinha has struggled to impress consistently since joining Barcelona, managing only seven starts in La Liga, scoring just twice, and not necessarily looking like a key part of Xavi’s future plans.
For that reason, a return to the Premier League could appeal to the 26-year-old, who scored 17 goals and registered 12 assists during his time at Leeds, including a penalty in the 2-1 win at Brentford which ultimately spared them from relegation last year.
Raphinha would add competition for places in attack at the Emirates Stadium, allowing Arteta to rotate more effectively. His wand-like left foot is always capable of wreaking havoc, having been hailed as a ‘magician’ by former Whites team-mate Dan James and regularly scoring with his left.
The overarching sense of positivity immersing Aston Villa since the appointment of Unai Emery as head coach at the back end of October has been so profound that the club’s endearing faithful demanded victory against Wolverhampton Wanderers.
It wasn’t to be, and for over three-quarters of the Midlands affair in the Premier League, defeat was on the cards following Daniel Podence’s early opener for Villa’s heated rivals.
With thanks to Danny Ings’ emphatic finish, parity was restored in the 78th minute with an emphatic move that justified the ramping of the gas in the second half, maintaining Emery’s impressive record of just one defeat from five league outings since his first game at the helm.
And victory could’ve been the card that was dealt, adding the Old Gold to the likes of Manchester United, Brighton & Hove Albion and Tottenham Hotspur in falling to Emery’s hand for his present outfit, if not for Leon Bailey’s inexcusable open-goal blunder in the dying embers of the affair, a strike that would have given the Claret and Blue three points and inched them closer to a tantalising, if unlikely, European finish come the end of the term.
While Ings steals the headlines for clinching the equalising goal during the 1-1 draw, his seventh of the season, it was centre-back Tyrone Mings that truly stole the show, impressing with defensive assurance and dazzling with his attacking edge that prevented a defeat on home turf that could only be viewed as a detrimental setback against a team in the Premier League drop-zone.
Indeed, the 29-year-0ld found Ings after trailing for the majority of the encounter with a delectable threaded pass and exhibited his leadership and composure with aplomb.
As per Sofascore, Mings’ impressive 7.7 match rating was bettered by no other starting player for either side, and his assist rounded off a refined display; making 90 touches and succeeding with nine of his 15 long balls, ending the clash with a tidy pass completion rate as a result.
The 17-cap England ace was a figure of ball-playing prowess from the back, imitating the offensive waves from deep within the side’s system.
He also won both his ground duels and one of his three aerial battles, refraining from making a foul throughout the entire evening, also making four clearances and two interceptions.
It is a promising sign considering Mings’ last several performances in the Premier League have not exactly evoked confidence in his superiors, failing to clinch a rating reaching 7.00 for five divisional outings, before Wednesday’s resounding display.
The “maverick”, as lauded by Dan Bardell, has been a regular presence in Villa’s side since his £20m arrival from AFC Bournemouth in 2019, starting 16 of the 18 league fixtures this campaign.
If he can continue to dazzle with “delightful” performances, with Bardell once again waxing lyrical about the titan following the recent draw, then he will assert his position as inflexible in Emery’s ambitious set-up, and steer the club toward success.
Leeds United could be set to secure a like-for-like transfer swap this January if reports are to be believed…
What’s the latest?
That’s according to TuttoMercatoWeb, who suggest that Sasa Lukic is preparing to leave Torino following weeks of continued reports linking him with a move.
Although resigned to losing him, the Italian outfit will demand a fee of around €20m (£18m). This would be seen as ‘an offer that cannot be refused’.
With Mateusz Klich also ready to leave Elland Road, it could mark a sensational switch around that could see the Yorkshire outfit benefit.
Bye-bye Klich
Despite being a mainstay for large parts of Marcelo Bielsa’s reign, it seems that in recent seasons the Poland international’s influence has waned.
The 32-year-old has made 192 total appearances for the Whites, although over the summer Jesse Marsch was keen to revamp his engine room by signing Tyler Adams and Marc Roca.
As such, Klich has been limited to an average of 18 minutes per game. During that time, his average rating of 6.55 is indicative of his diminished stature.
This is not far from the equally disappointing 6.67 rating he received last season.
He has been a loyal servant to the club, with Sky Sports presenter David Prutton labelling him an “unsung hero”, but his time may be up.
His replacement in Lukic has proven himself more than dependable and has excelled in this campaign in Italy.
Having been handed a 6.96 average rating, the 26-year-old has established himself as a combative presence boasting a touch of class.
The Serbian pairs 1.4 tackles per game with 1.0 key passes, alongside an 89% pass accuracy, via Sofascore.
In whichever position he is deployed he can excel and given his youth and talent, he marks a sensational upgrade on Klich.
Although, Josh Bunting did note that he looked particularly “outstanding protecting the back three.”
It may be tough to see a fan favourite depart, but when the alternative is so impressive it certainly will soften the blow.
An update has emerged on Aston Villa and their interest in signing Roma centre-forward Tammy Abraham in 2023…
What’s the talk?
According to Italian outlet Calciomercato, the Villans are thinking ‘concretely’ about a swoop for the England international as Unai Emery looks to shape his squad during his first window in charge of the club.
The report claims that fellow Premier League side Chelsea have a €75m (£65m) buy-back option but it is ‘difficult to imagine’ them triggering it.
It is stated that only teams from England have the financial power to snap Abraham away from Roma. The Serie A side are open to cashing in on him, despite previously viewing the dynamo as ‘immovable’.
Big Watkins upgrade
Ollie Watkins has endured a rough season in the Premier League this term as he has struggled badly in front of goal. The Englishman has plundered two goals from 14 appearances in the top flight, averaging a SofaScore rating of 6.64.
This comes after he scored 11 goals in 34 league outings in the 2021/22 campaign while averaging a SofaScore rating of 6.90. This shows that his performances have dipped this season after a respectable return last season.
Abraham, who claimed that Jose Mourinho is turning him into a “monster”, is in a similar position in that he has only scored three goals in 12 Serie A starts for Roma after smashing in 17 goals in 37 matches last term – averaging a rating of 7.06.
These statistics suggest that the former Chelsea man would be a better option for Emery if both players are at their best, as his average performance level and goal return dwarfed Watkins’ in 2021/22.
The striker has also proven himself in the Premier League in the past, as he scored 21 goals in 37 starts during his final two top-flight seasons with the Blues before he made the move to Italy.
This shows that his form in the Serie A last season was not a fluke as he has shown that he can score goals on a consistent basis in England and Italy, with his current form looking like an anomaly on paper.
At the age of 25, Abraham also has plenty of time on his hands to improve and develop as a player and this means that he could be a great signing for the here and now and for the future, rather than being a short-term option.
Therefore, Villa must swoop to sign Abraham in the January transfer window or next summer as he has the potential to be a big upgrade on Watkins at the top end of the pitch.
Tottenham Hotspur may be in pursuit of quick silverware with Antonio Conte at the helm but recent reports suggest they could be planning for the long-term future, too.
According to Radio Kiss Kiss (via Tutto Napoli), the north London outfit are among the European giants interested in Fenerbahce prodigy Arda Guler, who is being considered as a ‘real coup’ despite being only 17.
Paris Saint-Germain and Napoli are also interested in the teenager.
Guler appears to be a real star of the future and that much is obvious by the fact that the Yellow Canaries have given him the famed no.10 shirt, which has a special meaning to supporters, having once been donned by club legend Alex de Souza for eight years.
Capable of playing anywhere behind the striker, the newly-capped Turkey international has delivered four direct goal contributions across 13 appearances, of which just three have been starts, this campaign.
A goal or assist every 75 minutes is good going for a teenager getting his first taste at the men’s game.
Guler’s future could lie in the very position that’s on his back, having already earned comparisons to Mesut Ozil, who was his teammate at the Ulker Stadium last season.
“A super goal. A super assist. Quality,” the former Arsenal maestro said of the 17-year-old after one game back in March. “I hope it will continue like this, brother. You will be a world star.”
Indeed, the early signs are there – not at least because of the clubs that have been linked with interest in the past. Per WhoScored, Guler is averaging 2.5 key passes, 3.3 tackles and 3.9 successful dribbles per 90 minutes across the Super Lig and Europa League this term.
It, therefore, comes as little surprise to have seen the young Fenerbahce gem described as “special” by his former youth coach Erol Tokgozler and “mature” by national team boss Stefan Kuntz.
This exposure to the first-team at such a young age will only bode well for his chances of coming to Spurs and making an impact under Conte, should their interest be genuine.
As such, Paratici and go must look to sign Guler as he’s certainly a future superstar, based on the evidence above.
Perhaps a similar sort of deal as the one for Destiny Udogie could be completed, in which the teenage wonderkid could remain in Turkey for the next six to 18 months to continue his remarkable development.
AND in other news, Spurs could find perfect Romero partner in £43.5m “monster”, he’s set to stun in Qatar…
Celtic head into the international break at the top of the Scottish Premiership table after their convincing 3-1 win over St. Johnstone at Parkhead on Saturday.
Their rivals Rangers had their clash with Dundee postponed due to a waterlogged pitch on Sunday, which meant that the Hoops ended the weekend one point clear – having played one more game than the team in second.
The Hoops still have the chance to secure two trophies before the end of the season as they remain in the Premiership title race and are set to play Aberdeen in the semi-finals of the SFA Cup last month.
Celtic manager Brendan Rodgers watches on.
They were knocked out of Europe in the group stages of the Champions League, and were dumped from the League Cup by Kilmarnock, during the first half of the campaign.
The Scottish giants may look to make changes to their playing squad to fare better across all competitions and in Europe next season, and there is one position that will need looking at as Joe Hart is set to retire.
Latest Celtic transfer news
Celtic will need to find a player to take the former England international's place between the sticks and Brendan Rodgers may have already found the dream replacement for him.
According to Dutch paper Algemeen Dagblad (17/03/2024), via SoccerNews, the Hoops have identified RKC Waalwijk goalkeeper Etienne Vaessen as a target ahead of the summer transfer window.
The report claims that the Glasgow-based side have already placed an offer on the table to sign the talented shot-stopper to bolster their squad.
His current contract with Waalwijk is due to expire at the end of the season and this has allowed Celtic to make him an offer to sign a pre-contract agreement.
Celtic manager Brendan Rodgers looks on.
However, the outlet states that Vaessen is in no rush to make a decision on his future. The 28-year-old star has his full focus on helping his current club to avoid relegation from the Eredivisie before deciding his next move.
Algemeen Dagblad reports that Dutch giants PSV are also interested in a possible swoop to sign the experienced shot-stopper, and that the interest from both clubs has not left him 'unmoved', which suggests that he could decide to make the switch to Scotland or across the Netherlands in the summer.
Celtic, if they win the race for his signature, have already found the dream replacement for Hart between the sticks as the Dutch giant has been in sublime form and could, possibly, arrive as an upgrade on the veteran Englishman.
Joe Hart's Celtic stats this season
The 36-year-old titan, who turns 37 next month, has kept ten clean sheets in 29 appearances for the Scottish giants in the Premiership so far this season.
Celtic won the league title in both of his first two years at the club, having joined from Tottenham Hotspur in the summer of 2021, and he will be hoping for a perfect treble before his retirement later this year.
Hart's performances in the league this season have improved in comparison to his displays under Ange Postecoglou during the 2022/23 campaign, which suggests that he is going out on a high this summer.
Joe Hart
22/23 Premiership
23/24 Premiership
Appearances
37
29
Goals conceded per game
0.8
0.8
Save success rate
65%
69%
Saves per game
1.5
1.7
Aerial duel success rate
86%
100%
Stats via Sofascore
As you can see in the table above, the experienced stopper's save success rate, saves per game, and aerial duel success rate have all improved, whilst he has conceded the same number of goals per match on average.
This suggests that the Hoops defence has allowed more shots against his goal this time around, but he has stepped up to ensure that their mistakes have not impacted the team.
Celtic goalkeeper Joe Hart.
However, Hart did leave a bit to be desired with his underwhelming performances in the Champions League as he conceded 1.7 more goals than expected based on the post-shot xG value of the efforts against him in six appearances, which was also the case during the 2022/23 campaign.
In total, the ex-Manchester City star let in 6.5 more goals than expected in 19 European matches for Celtic over the last three seasons combined, which shows that the goalkeeper struggled with the quality of finishes in Europe.
Why Etienne Vaessen could be a dream Joe Hart replacement
The Hoops could now land a dream replacement for Hart by beating PSV to Vaessen's signature this summer, as the Dutch colossus has been in fantastic form this season.
Despite his side battling against relegation, the Celtic target has caught the eye with 4.0 saves per game and a Sofascore rating of 7.31 across 22 appearances in the Eredivisie.
He has prevented a staggering 4.67 more goals than expected based on the xG of the shots against him this season, which suggests that the 28-year-old star has consistently made high-quality saves against high-quality efforts.
Per 90
Joe Hart – 23/24 Champions League
Etienne Vaessen – 23/24 Eredivisie
Post-shot xG minus goals conceded
-0.28
+0.15
Percentage of crosses stopped
1.2%
7.9%
Defensive actions outside the penalty area
0.17
1.54
Average distance of defensive actions
5.9 yards
15.2 yards
Save success rate
60.5%
72.3%
Stats via FBref
As you can see in the table above, Vaessen has outperformed Hart in a number of key goalkeeping metrics throughout the 2023/24 campaign so far.
Not only has the potential free agent significantly outperformed the Englishman as a shot-stopper, the Waalwijk hero has also been terrific at sweeping up behind his defence and at commanding his box to relieve the pressure on his backline.
Vaessen has the quality to consistently come off his line to either clear the ball from danger outside of his box or to collect a cross to prevent the opposition from getting a shot away.
Whereas, Hart ranks within the bottom 1% of goalkeepers in the Champions League this season for defensive actions outside the penalty area per 90 and the percentage of crosses into the box stopped.
These statistics suggest that the Dutch ace, who is eight years younger than the former England international, would arrive as a significant upgrade on the current Celtic number one, should he translate his performances over to Glasgow.
Celtic's 2023 target to replace Joe Hart is now starring for CL giants
The Hoops were reportedly interested in a deal to sign the Real Madrid starlet.
By
Dan Emery
Feb 23, 2024
Therefore, Rodgers may have already found his dream replacement for Hart with this offer on the table to land Vaessen at the end of the season, and it is now down to the Eredivisie star to make a final decision on his future.