Tag Futebol

Aston Villa have shot up the table since the appointment of Unai Emery in November, with European football still a possibility for the Villans.

The Spaniard has taken the club from relegation dwellers to solid Premier League competition in six months, and with three games to go, things could get even better for the Midlands outfit should results go their way.

With the summer transfer window fast approaching, the 51-year-old will have the chance to build the squad to his liking, strengthening in areas to take Villa to the next level next season.

It’s not only moves in the first team that are drawing attention, but in the academy also as a host of players wait to find out their destiny with reference to their futures at the club.

One of which is 18-year-old Charlie Lutz, who has been stealing the headlines in the U18 Premier League this season.

Who is Charlie Lutz?

The English striker has enjoyed a high-scoring season for the U18s, finding the net eight times in nine appearances, as well as contributing two assists.

Playing predominantly as a wide forward, the youngster can also lead the line and has shown his goal-scoring prowess as being joint top-scorer alongside teammate Rory Wilson.

The teenager is one of a host of academy players who have their futures in question as to whether they will renew and continue their stay at Bodymoor Heath.

Lutz is certainly one for the future, described by his Father as being "razor-sharp focused" on what he wants out of his footballing career, and the youngster is hitting heights in Villa’s academy and could be one to follow in the footsteps of fellow academy graduates.

Jack Grealish is the most famed star to come out of the academy set up at Bodymoor, the 27-year-old is a regular for Manchester City and England and has written the story that many youngsters in the academy wish to follow.

The most recent big move for an academy star was Carney Chukwuemeka’s move to Chelsea in the summer. The midfielder has made 11 Premier League appearances for the Blues at just 19 years of age.

Chukwuemeka’s dream became a reality, which could happen for Lutz too who, like the 19-year-old, has been impressing in the U18s Premier League.

The Austrian-born England international had a strong season in the same league before playing in the Premier League 2, then graduating to gain his first-team debut in the 2020/21 season, before signing for Chelsea last summer.

Having made nine appearances in the league this season, Lutz will turn 19 in October, which opens a new door to the Premier League 2, where so many have made a name for themselves in both England and Europe.

A journey such as Chukwuemeka’s are steps that any young player can make if they continue to perform; Lutz has been a consistent performer for the academy, and should Villa keep hold of him, he could be the club's next big prospect.

نفى إريك تين هاج المدير الفني الهولندي لفريق كرة القدم الأول بنادي مانشستر يونايتد، وجود أي خلافات بينه وبين المالك المشارك الجديد السير جيم راتكليف.

راتكليف استولى على 25% من أسهم نادي مانشستر يونايتد، وسيكون هو المختص بشأن كرة القدم، وسط شائعات عن رغبته في إقالة إريك تين هاج.

طالع أيضًا.. برشلونة يرغب في ضم جرينوود بعد نهاية الموسم

وقال الهولندي في تصريحات بمؤتمر صحفي اليوم،: “إنهم يردون العمل معي وأنا أريد العمل معهم، ستكون لدينا العديد من المحادثات والاجتماعات في المستقبل”.

وأضاف تين هاج: “الجدول الزمني للمباريات مكثف للغاية، ولم يكن لدي الوقت حتى الآن للتحدث معهم، لكن الوقت سيأتي وسنتحدث عن كل شيء”.

وأكمل: “أنا أركز على المباراة القادمة الآن، لذلك لا أريد التشتيت في أشياء أخرى، وفي الأيام والأسابيع المقبلة سيكون هناك وقت لكي أعرف المزيد من الهيكل الجديد”.

واختتم: “في مواجهة أستون فيلا أظهرنا أن هذا الفريق قوي، ولدينا لاعبين أقوياء ويعرفون ماذا يريد كلًا منهم، نريد أن نواصل بهذه العقلية دائمًا”.

Tottenham Hotspur's search for a manager rumbles on, as it will likely continue to do so until after the conclusion of this season; or at least until they find a successor to Antonio Conte.

Having been relieved of his duties earlier this week, the Italian departs north London having failed to bring the success expected, and it now marks the second time that Daniel Levy has opted for a more experienced boss with a history of winning trophies only to fail in that venture whilst setting the club back years.

It is clear that there is a mentality issue running throughout the core of the establishment, and although the manner in which the former boss outlined them was wrong, many fans would struggle to disagree with most of what Conte said.

Their next appointment must find someone that not only can be progressive and young, boldly leading them into a successful future, but have some experience with challenging for trophies too.

Whilst that narrows down their manager list exponentially, Eintracht Frankfurt's Oliver Glasner becomes a standout option.

What style of football does Oliver Glasner play?

Having earned widespread praise for his supposed overperformance with his current outfit, the Austrian manager has slowly been building up more and more of a reputation across the Bundesliga over the years.

First impressing with VFL Wolfsburg, since moving in 2021 he has crafted a fine attacking outfit filled to the brim with star power. The likes of Daichi Kamada and Randal Kolo Muani often steal the show with their trickery and impressive numbers – the latter has 16 goals and 14 assists this term – but it must be noted that they are often facilitated by the system in which they play.

Preferring three-at-the-back, the 48-year-old operates in a completely different manner to Conte in that he actually allows his players to flood forward. Whereas Spurs fans have become accustomed to a strict defensive style, Glasner allows his wing-backs to bomb forward so they can provide for a host of attackers.

Given his prior successes with Filip Kostic in such a role, there is cause to believe he can help Pedro Porro explode, having joined in January.

The £85k-per-week Spaniard was enjoying yet another fine season in Portugal before his move, boasting 13 goal contributions already at the mid-point. Having since scored once and assisted another in just five Premier League games, it has been a solid start for the youngster with the world at his feet.

Should the club swoop for this particular boss now or in the summer, there is hope this could be built upon to reach the heights of the dynamic Serbian who was so integral in their Europa League success last season.

Across all competitions, the defender recorded seven goals and 15 assists, including the vital delivery that saw them equalise in the final. The 30-year-old had impressed in seasons beforehand, but Glasner helped him truly reach his pinnacle.

The manager's self-proclamation will likely also leave fans of the Lilywhites pleased: "Our approach is clear,” the coach explained. “We want to cause problems for defences. Our strategy is to get forward and constantly keep them busy; it must involve causing problems to the opposition defence."

To appoint someone who is essentially the offensive alternative to Conte would actually mark an intelligent appointment for a change, with the Frankfurt coach boasting all the attributes needed to carry them towards success.

Journalist Rahman Osman has claimed that the uncertain future of Fabio Paratici could be key in the Tottenham Hotspur search for a new manager.

What's the latest on Spurs and their search for a manager?

It seems almost certain that Antonio Conte will leave Spurs in the summer at the very latest, and according to reports, he could even be fired this week.

With that in mind, the club will inevitably be considering options to come in and replace the Italian with the likes of Mauricio Pochettino and Thomas Tuchel tipped as favourites right now.

However, it remains to be seen if either man would be keen to take on the Spurs project, and Osman has warned that sporting director Paratici could be banned from doing his job, which would naturally have big repercussions.

While speaking on The Chris Wheatley Show, he explained: “The next Spurs boss will be really interesting in so many ways… Paratici's – who is the director of football – long-term future the club is up in the air; he's been banned in Italian football, he's appealing it.

"If he loses that appeal, it might extend to the whole of Europe. So you can't have a director of football [who has] been banned from dealing with football in Italy and maybe potentially the entire of Europe.

"So that will be a gamechanger at the club."

Is Paratici banned from working at Spurs?

As Osman mentioned, Paratici is currently on a 30-month ban from Italian football relating to an investigation of false accounting at Juventus, where he worked before coming to north London.

This ban could extend worldwide and so the Italian would no longer be able to keep his job with Spurs – though remains there for now.

No doubt, when any new manager is approached to take over from Conte, they will want to know who they will be working with behind the scenes.

Indeed, the head coach's relationship with a sporting director can be key to success if the two can see eye to eye on key issues such as incoming transfers.

However, if Daniel Levy can't even confirm whether or not Paratici will be in the job, the likes of Pochettino and Tuchel may feel wary of committing to the Premier League club.

All in all, it sounds as though Tottenham will want clarity on the sporting director's future as soon as possible. If not, it could potentially cost them their first choice manager option.

Arsenal started February failing to win any of their Premier League games, however, Mikel Arteta has since led the Gunners to three straight wins to have them five points clear of Manchester City at the top of the table.

The recent good run proves early February was just a blip and a first league title since 2003/2004 is very much within their grasp heading into the final months of the season.

With just 13 matches left, the race for the title will likely go down to the wire and Arteta must start with his strongest line-up every match, and with Thomas Partey making his comeback from injury against Everton in midweek, the 40-year-old must unleash him against AFC Bournemouth this afternoon.

Will Thomas Partey start against Bournemouth?

To prove how important Partey is to Arsenal, against Everton in their 1-0 defeat last month, the Ghanian was substituted off in the 59th minute and the Toffees scored a minute later.

He also missed the game against City due to injury, the final result? A 3-1 defeat. The North London side did win against Aston Villa, although they conceded twice without Partey in their midfield.

The 29-year-old managed 45 minutes against Everton in midweek and was incredible. He came on for Jorginho at halftime and averaged a Sofascore rating of 7.5/10 for his display, taking 66 touches while having a 93% pass success rate while making one key pass and creating a big chance.

Partey was also solid defensively, making two tackles and winning all three of his ground duels during his 45-minute cameo and it proves Arteta needs to start him today.

These statistics show that the battler made a huge impact on the pitch with his quality on and off the ball, which is why the gem should return to the starting XI now that he is fit.

Journalist Yaw Ampofo Jr claimed after the win that the enforcer “brings stability to Arsenal” and this was clearly evidenced throughout his performance while after the 1-1 draw against Brentford last month, he was dubbed an “absolute monster” by journalist Abhimanyu Bose and both these comments clearly suggest the midfielder makes a massive difference to the dynamic of the side when he is fit and firing.

The North Londoners look to have put their sticky spell behind them and will be hoping to secure their fourth win on the bounce against Bournemouth today. In order to do this, Arteta must start with Partey in the middle of the pitch as the gem holds the key to everything good Arsenal have done recently.

Reporter Alex Crook has revealed on TalkSport that Alejandro Garnacho is close to signing a new contract at Manchester United.

The Lowdown: A stunning breakout season

Manchester United are at the start of their revolution under Erik ten Hag, but some parts have undoubtedly progressed quicker than others as they find themselves in a title race and a Carabao Cup final.

Certain players have also taken major steps forward in their careers, with Marcus Rashford now one of the most in-form players across Europe and youngster Garnacho has proven himself more than capable of performing at this level.

The young winger is still on a basic contract given his age, and that prior to this season, he’d made just two first-team appearances. But now with eight goal involvements this season to his name, he looks set to be rewarded with a bumper deal.

The Latest: Garnacho set for a new contract

According to Crook, everything is edging closer to the Argentinian penning a new deal at Old Trafford which would likely see his wages take a significant boost.

[web_stories_embed url=”https://www.footballtransfertavern.com/web-stories/latest-man-utd-news-11/” title=”Latest Man Utd news!” poster=”” width=”360″ height=”600″ align=”none”]

He said: “Another player close to agreeing a new deal, I’m told, at Man United is young Alejandro Garnacho. That will be a long-term contract as well, and I was told yesterday progress is being made on that, so it might not be too long until we get an announcement that he’s committed his future to Manchester United.”

The Verdict: Smart move from everyone involved

It makes sense for Man United and Garnacho to get a new deal thrashed out as soon as possible as if he keeps performing at his current level this season, more clubs could start to take a keen interest in the winger, though talk of a new and improved deal would surely also give the teenager the confidence that Man United believe in him.

Garnacho has been afforded 13 league appearances this season, which may well have been unthinkable at the start of the campaign, but it’s a testament to the work he and Ten Hag will have done behind the scenes that he has risen to prominence at Old Trafford this term.

It has previously been reported that a new contract offer from Man United could see Garnacho go from a weekly wage of around £5,000 to £20,000, which will be life-changing for the winger, while the Red Devils won’t be ruining their wage structure by raising his salary.

Tottenham Hotspur are leading the race to sign Dario Osorio…

What’s the word?

That’s according to reports in Italy (via Sport Witness), who claim that Spurs have made the ‘most important’ and ‘best’ offer to sign the Universidad de Chile sensation before tonight’s 11pm deadline.

It’s thought that there is at least three deals on the table, including one from Serie A champions AC Milan and it’s thought that the next few hours are ‘decisive’ to his immediate future.

With Spurs on the verge of signing Pedro Porro ahead of the deadline, Osorio could be another interesting acquisition this late in the window.

Shades of Raphinha?

The 19-year-old, capped at senior level for Chile, is a hugely promising talent and one that could see sporting director Fabio Paratici follow his past dealings, having brought in exciting prospects like Pape Matar Sarr and Destiny Udogie – the former featuring in and around Antonio Conte’s first team.

Standing at 6-foot, the versatile midfielder is primarily a dangerous winger, one that has earned eye-catching comparisons to that of FC Barcelona star Raphinha. He was once mooted with a switch to N17 before that move, according to The Athletic.

“I find him very similar to Raphinha; Barcelona’s Brazilian,” former Universidad de Chile ace Raul Toro claimed. “He is the jewel of Chilean soccer. At any moment, he can score a goal or provide an assist. In Chilean football, there is no one like him.”

The Hijuelas-born gem has already notched seven goals across 27 matches in the Chilean top-flight and has done so by playing anywhere across the frontline. He has also managed 1.1 key passes per outing and created a total of four big chances despite an average of 58 minutes per game, via Sofascore.

“Osorio shoots spectacularly and plays as if he were at home,” Universidad’s sporting director Manuel Mayo once suggested. 

Elsewhere, talent scout Jacek Kulig has compared the “flamboyant winger” to Angel Di Maria and revealed that his strongest attributes are his “pace, dribbling” and “creativity,” not to ignore his obvious “versatility” too.

All in all, it’s clear to see that Spurs would be getting one hell of a talent with a last-ditch deadline-day move for Osorio. In the 19-year-old prodigy, the north Londoners could well have their own Raphinha or Di Maria.

Given the evidence above, he surely has every chance of following in Sarr’s footsteps in making the big step up into the first team.

AND in other news, Spurs win race for “top goalscorer”, it’s a “fantastic” coup for Paratici…

Tottenham Hotspur manager Antonio Conte will be eagerly awaiting news over the fitness of Richarlison ahead of this afternoon’s fierce north London derby in the Premier League…

What’s the latest?

As relayed by Evening Standard journalist Dan Kilpatrick, the Italian has not ruled out either Rodrigo Bentancur or the Brazilian from featuring against Arsenal today, though has suggested it would be a gamble, putting their chances of starting in jeopardy.

“#thfc Team news: Conte says Kulusevski is “going to be ready to play” against Arsenal. He does not rule out Bentancur or Richarlison but suggests he it might be a “risk” to play them on Sunday,” he tweeted.

Conte needs him today

It’s certainly been a gutting blow to not have the £60m summer signing fit and available since domestic football returned following the World Cup as he’s capable of providing a new dimension in the final third.

Heung-min Son has been somewhat off-the-boil this campaign, with only one goal and two assists besides a hat-trick against Leicester City earlier in the season. It means 12 of his 16 appearances in the Premier League have seen him fail to register a direct goal contribution, which is uncharacteristic compared to past efforts.

On the other flank, Dejan Kulusevski has also battled with injuries and whilst he looks set to be involved today, his absence would have been substantially alleviated had Richarlison been available.

The former Everton star has shown in his little game time that he can do the business for Spurs, having delivered two important goals in the Champions League, on top of his three league assists, despite only starting five matches, per Transfermarkt.

Richarlison is also able to deputise through the middle for Harry Kane and whilst he won’t be replacing him anytime soon, he has more than enough reason to start a game of this magnitude, perhaps ahead of the underperforming South Korean, should he be passed fit to be involved.

Since his arrival in England, the 25-year-old has played the Gunners ten times across all competitions, winning 50% of those matches (more wins than defeats) and Richarlison has also made four goal contributions too, so he clearly likes playing against Spurs ‘ arch-rivals.

Therefore, Conte will be praying that the £90k-per-week “goal machine” – in the words of journalist and podcaster Philip Alimo  – can contribute to today’s encounter in some form because a talent of his in the final third is badly needed if the Lilywhites are to find a way past the rampant Premier League leaders.

AND in other news, Paratici “a big fan” of £40m “wizard”, he’d be a “breathtaking” January signing for Spurs…

Newcastle United are unlikely to make a move for wantaway attacker Leandro Trossard in the January transfer window, journalist Harry De Cosemo has claimed.

What’s the word?

Belgium international Trossard has been exiled from the Brighton & Hove Albion squad after a reported fallout with manager Roberto De Zerbi and looks close to leaving the club in the near future.

With not long to go on his contract, he has been linked with a number of clubs including Newcastle, but De Cosemo has claimed that the club look unlikely to pursue the 28-year-old.

Speaking on the True Faith Newcastle Podcast, the journalist claimed that the signing would not align with the current project at the club, while his falling-out with his manager may be off-putting.

“I’ve had a couple of conversations with people around that deal, and I don’t think that he’s one for Newcastle this month.

“I think Newcastle’s position on right-wingers has changed. I think that position, or left-wingers, or another forward, has changed in terms of desperation or going for it first; the [number] six has become more urgent.

“Also the carry-on with what he said, this situation with De Zerbi that’s happened, this statement that’s been released which is incredibly explosive – talk of reporting injuries that weren’t listened to and things like that – I just don’t think that that fits Newcastle in terms of the profile that they’re looking for, in terms of character.

“Character is absolutely crucial to what Newcastle are trying to do, that’s why it’s worked so well. And that’s why it’s been so seamless to sort of progress over the last year because everyone’s just come in and found their feet and just gone for it straight away.

“I’m not saying that Trossard wouldn’t necessarily do that. But I think that this whole publicity thing is likely to put a club like Newcastle off at this stage.”

An unnecessary signing?

Newcastle have typically targeted younger players such as Alexander Isak and Joe Willock in their current project, which has seen them shoot up the table, and any additions now should be top-quality level-raisers.

Although Trossard has had a good campaign, he would arguably arrive as a squad player to compete with Miguel Almiron, Callum Wilson and either Joelinton or Allan Saint-Maximin in the front three. Therefore, he would not necessarily be a long-term addition.

The club have also been linked with 23-year-old Bayer Leverkusen attacker Moussa Diaby, and if that deal was to happen, it would be one that arguably stands a better chance of helping Newcastle reach the next level over the next few years, rather than a more short-term buy in Trossard.

For Chelsea manager Graham Potter, the return to competitive action cannot come soon enough; in the weeks preceding the World Cup in Qatar, the Blues suffered the chastening ignominy of losing four fixtures out of five across all competitions.

Languishing in ninth place after the resumption of Premier League action on Boxing Day, Chelsea are in dire need of a clean slate after the seasonal pause, with the unthinkable prospect of missing out on Champions League football next term in danger of becoming a more concrete possibility with each passing match week.

Later today, Stamford Bridge will welcome newly-promoted AFC Bournemouth, who have admirably cast the cobwebs aside following the early-season managerial dismissal of Scott Parker aside and the hapless 9-0 loss at the hands of Liverpool to perch in 14th place after 15 matches.

An unlikely result for the Cherries would spark incensed concerns in west London, an event that simply cannot arise, and Potter will demand a convincing performance to partner a timely victory to kickstart a flagging season.

Unleash Sterling

One offensive whiz that the Blues’ former Brighton & Hove Albion manager has at his disposal is the perennial Raheem Sterling, who arrived at Stamford Bridge from league champions Manchester City in the summer for a reported £47.5m.

His time, and more precisely form, at the club has somewhat fluctuated, with five goals and two assists from 19 appearances – Sterling scored three times and one assist from his first five league appearances, and has since blanked across his past seven outings.

Regardless, his quality remains unquestionable, and when the cogs fall into place he can become a devastating force once more, with his 131 goals and 95 assists over 339 displays for Man City illustrating his presence among the division’s elite forward-minded players.

Couple that with an illustrious list of major honours: Sterling won four Premier League trophies, five League Cups and one FA Cup during his career with the Sky Blues.

Bournemouth will attempt to be resilient in their efforts, but Sterling could unravel their fortifications with his blistering pace and direct approach; as per FBref, the 28-year-old ranks within the top 11% for positionally similar players in Europe’s best five leagues for touches in the attacking area and the top 16% for progressive passes received.

With Chelsea’s centre-forward Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang 33 years old and yielding only three goals from 13 appearances for the club since his summer move from FC Barcelona, Sterling must grasp the opportunity and adopt the role as the team’s talisman, reminding the world of his supreme ability and impact he can have for side’s chasing success of the very highest level.

England manager Gareth Southgate once hailed Sterling as a “fighter”, words that can evoke confidence among the Chelsea ranks amid a situation that needs rectifying; the 82-cap international must step up to the plate, and send the ship flying to brighter horizons.