Tag Futebol

An update has emerged on Newcastle United and their interest in Andrey Santos ahead of the January transfer window…

What’s the talk?

Transfer insider Dean Jones has revealed that the Magpies are keeping tabs on the Vasco da Gama defensive midfielder, who has been valued at more than £20m by his club.

Although, the reporter has also stated that Newcastle are not the only team in the race for his signature and has not confirmed whether or not he is a priority target.

Jones told GIVEMESPORT: “I think he is one that they’re looking at. There are quite a few clubs doing that, though.

“It’s the same old situation at Newcastle whereby they have various people with different ideas of the style and type of player that would fit in.

“But, yes, he is one of the names that I’ve been told they have got an eye on.”

Excitement for Eddie Howe

The Toon head coach should be excited by this news as Santos is an incredibly talented young player who could be a future star at St. James’ Park if he joins the club in the next transfer window.

In the Serie B this year, the defensive midfielder has caught the eye by bagging seven goals, as well as making an average of 3.9 tackles and interceptions combined per game across his 31 appearances. The 18-year-old has shown that he can chip in at the top end of the pitch whilst consistently winning the ball back for his side defensively.

Football talent scout Jacek Kulig once described him as a “pressing machine” and wrote that he is a “perfect player for a high intensity and pressing team”, which suggests that he would suit Howe’s style of play.

The Magpies boss wants his team to press aggressively to force mistakes out of the opposition high up the pitch and Kulig’s analysis of Santos indicates that he would be a dream player for the ex-Cherries manager to work with.

His statistics in the Serie B show that he is capable of winning possession back on a consistent basis, which illustrates the benefit of his pressing style, and he is strong in physical battles – in spite of his age – with a success rate of 61% in his duels this year.

Therefore, Howe should be excited by the thought of Santos coming in as he has the profile of a player who would be perfect for his system at Newcastle.

At the age of 18, he is also a gem who the coach can work with over the course of a number of years. The Brazilian dynamo would not come in with an instant expectation of being a star in the Premier League and, instead, could be someone Howe develops in the seasons to come, which could be an exciting prospect for the Englishman.

The Athletic’s Patrick Boyland has shared a fresh injury update regarding Everton midfielder Abdoulaye Doucoure ahead of Saturday’s Merseyside derby.

The Lowdown: Doucoure’s injury

During the Toffees’ second game of the Premier League season in which Frank Lampard’s side saw defeat to Aston Villa, the 29-year-old Mali international was forced off the pitch in the first half after sustaining a hamstring injury.

With the Blues boss initially hoping that the extent of the injury was not that serious, the midfielder is yet to feature in Everton’s match-day squad since the incident, having missed their previous three league games.

The Latest: Boyland’s update

With Everton preparing for Saturday’s Merseyside derby against Liverpool, Boyland has now shared an update regarding Doucoure’s injury, revealing a positive boost for the Toffees.

Taking to Twitter on Friday, the reliable journalist claimed:

“Doucoure trained today for first time since injury but too early to be involved tomorrow.”

[web_stories_embed url=”https://www.footballtransfertavern.com/web-stories/everton-news-7/” title=”Everton news!” poster=”” width=”360″ height=”600″ align=”none”]

The Verdict: Great news

When looking at his underlying stats, the Malian’s importance for Lampard’s side is illustrated far more than one would initially assume.

As per FBRef, compared with positional peers across Europe over the past year, Doucoure ranks in the 86th percentile for pressures and in the 81st percentile for tackles made.

In the Premier League last season, the 29-year-old averaged 2.5 tackles, 1.1 shots and 0.9 interceptions per game – demonstrating a wide skill-set in the middle of the park for Everton.

Having made 190 appearances in the English top-flight, Doucoure will also be an influential figure who can help new signing Amadou Onana, who is only 20 years old. With his wealth of experience, he will be able to help the youngster to adapt to life in the highly physical Premier League, and the sooner the duo can start together the better.

Manchester United target Antony may not play for Ajax this weekend and it’s being ‘discussed internally’, reports Fabrizio Romano. 

The lowdown

United have signed three new players so far this summer – centre-back Lisandro Martinez, left-back Tyrell Malacia and midfielder Christian Eriksen.

They have agreed a deal for a fourth in Real Madrid no. 6 Casemiro as they look to strengthen a struggling squad.

The Red Devils also offered £67million for Antony this week, but saw the bid rejected by Erik ten Hag’s former club and have since been linked with a cheaper alternative in Cody Gakpo.

The latest

Romano tweeted that United ‘plan to try again’ for Antony after their offer was rebuffed.

‘They feel that Antony really wants’ to make the move to Old Trafford, and that could work in their favour.

The journalist has ‘been told’ that the Brazilian may be left out of the starting line up for Ajax’s trip to Sparta Rotterdam on Sunday. It’s ‘still [being] discussed internally’.

If United can’t land the 22-year-old, they may indeed turn to a ‘cheaper option’ in PSV Eindhoven’s Gakpo.

[web_stories_embed url=”https://www.footballtransfertavern.com/web-stories/latest-man-utd-updates-5/” title=”Latest Man Utd updates!” poster=”” width=”360″ height=”600″ align=”none”]

The verdict

United need to be wary of paying over the odds for Antony.

His record last season – 12 goals and ten assists in 33 appearances – was clearly impressive, and he’s started the season in good shape too with four goal contributions in his first three matches.

In justifying the potential outlay, United could also point to the fact that he has nine caps for the top-ranked international side Brazil.

But the step-up from the Eredivisie to the Premier League is significant, with the former ranking seventh in the UEFA coefficient and the latter topping the pile.

Some players will struggle to make the leap, as United found when they signed Memphis Depay for £31million in 2015 and sold him for around half the price just 18 months later.

Wolverhampton Wanderers are ‘preparing medical tests’ for Valencia winger Goncalo Guedes ahead of his move to Molineux, according to reliable journalist Fabrizio Romano.

The Lowdown: Guedes’ arrival

After Bruno Lage’s side lost their opening game of the Premier League season 2-1 to Leeds United, news broke that the Old Gold had made their move for the Portugal international.

According to Gols Media journalist Hector Gomez, Wolves made a £29.5m offer (inclusive of potential add-ons) for the 25-year-old forward, following on from the club’s first defeat of the 2022/23 campaign.

Sport Italia journalist Gianluigi Longari then revealed that the player was close to agreeing personal terms with the west Midlands club.

Following the news, Valencia manager Gennaro Gattuso was quoted saying: “The club told me they’ve received a huge proposal for Guedes from a Premier League club”.

The Latest: Romano’s update

Romano has shared an update regarding Wolves’ pursuit of Guedes, revealing that a deal in the region of €30m-€32m (£25.3m-£27m) is now approaching its final stages.

Taking to Twitter on Monday afternoon, the reliable journalist claimed: “Wolves are preparing medical tests for Gonçalo Guedes to join the club this week. Fee will be around €30/32m plus add-ons, long term contract ready in order to get the deal signed. #WWFC

“Documents are being prepared as Valencia accepted Wolves bid.”

The Verdict: Fantastic news

The arrival of Guedes at Molineux will provide Lage with a pacey winger who carries an almighty attacking threat.

Compared with positional peers across Europe’s top five leagues over the past year, the 25-year-old ranks in the 95th percentile for progressive passes, the 94th percentile for dribbles completed and the 93rd percentile for progressive carries (via FBRef).

He chipped in with 11 goals and six assists in La Liga in 2021/22, scoring nearly twice as often as Wolves’ top scorer Raul Jimenez in the Premier League, so that influx of goals would surely be welcomed by Lage.

After the news of the 25-year-old’s impending move to Molineux emerged, talkSPORT’s European expert Andy Brassell heaped praise on Wolves’ possible new addition, stating: “For Wolves I think Guedes will be absolutely fantastic, they need that little bit of extra bang upfront, maybe they could be in a bit of trouble if they’re not scoring goals.

“He’s someone who can play as a striker or as a winger, lightning quick, on his day as good as it gets.”

Therefore, with seemingly only a few minor details needing to be sorted now, Wolves could soon welcome a fantastic signing to Lage’s squad.

Newcastle United have reportedly now ‘started talks’ over the potential signing of Callum Hudson-Odoi.

The Lowdown: Chelsea raid?

It was reported by The Daily Mirror on Saturday night that the St James’ Park club have entered advanced talks over signing Timo Werner on loan, with an obligation to buy at the end of the season.

If that deal materialises along with Hudson-Odoi, then it could be a double raid of Thomas Tuchel’s Blues.

The Latest: Hudson-Odoi ‘talks’

Taking to Twitter, journalist Rob Pratley – who has featured on the BBC and is the author of The Chelsea Social – has revealed that Newcastle have now ‘started talks’ over potentially signing Hudson-Odoi, but it would take a ‘significant’ transfer fee to sign the 21-year-old.

Pratley tweeted: “Newcastle have formally started talks with Chelsea over a potential signing of Callum Hudson-Odoi. The fee would be significant, and Chelsea are pondering over trying to include a buyback clause.”

The Verdict: Risky

Signing Hudson-Odoi, especially for a big fee, would be very risky for the Tynesiders.

The Englishman has a bad injury record and earns a whopping £120,000 per week at Stamford Bridge.

Furthermore, his goal contribution record is not great for a winger, with just 16 goals and 22 assists in 126 games for the Blues over five seasons (Transfermarkt).

They should be looking to move on to other targets, with the likes Jack Harrison and Maxwel Cornet also being linked with moves to St James’ Park.

Werner has at least shown that he can score goals regularly from his time at RB Leipzig, so he could be a better option than Hudson-Odoi, especially if he would only be signed on loan.

Alexandre Braeckman has dropped an update on reported Leeds United transfer target Charles De Ketelaere.

What’s the talk?

In a recent post on Twitter, the Belgium RTL journalist revealed that, following recent reports suggesting that AC Milan were set to up their initial bid for the Club Brugge KV forward, an offer of €30m (£24m) plus Andreas Kristoffer Jungdal and Emil Roback has now been lodged by the Serie A side – with the Jupiler Pro League said to be considering the proposal.

This is sure to come as a huge blow to Victor Orta and Leeds, as the Spaniard is reported to have made his own bid totalling €37m (£31m) for the 21-year-old, however, the Belgium international is now thought to have his heart set on a move to the San Siro this summer.

In his tweet, Braeckman said: “The point at the end of the day on the Charles De Ketelaere file: The second offer (€30m with Jungdal and Roback) has arrived. Brugge are analysing it. Verbal agreement for a 5-year contract. Milan wants to accelerate and conclude quickly.”

Orta will be fuming

Considering the fact that Leeds’ reported offer for De Ketelaere is considerable higher than Milan’s, in addition to the forward very much apperaing to be an incredibly exciting prospect, Braeckman’s latest update is sure to be news that will have left Orta fuming.

Indeed, over his 39 Jupiler Pro League appearances last season, the £27m-rated talent was in breathtaking form, scoring 14 goals, registering nine assists and creating 16 big chances for his teammates, as well as taking an average of 2.0 shots, making 1.8 key passes and completing 1.4 dribbles per fixture.

[snack-amp-story url= “https://www.footballfancast.com/web-stories/read-the-latest-leeds-united-news-transfer-rumours-gossip-and-much-more-2″ title=”Read the latest Leeds news, transfer rumours and more!”]

These metrics saw the £17k-per-week attacker average a simply sensational SofaScore match rating of 7.25, not only ranking him as Alfred Schreuder’s fourth-best player in the league but also as the 13th-best in the division as a whole.

Furthermore, De Ketelaere also highly impressed over his six Champions League outings last time out, providing one assist and creating one big chance for his teammates, in addition to taking an average of 1.5 shots, making 1.8 key passes and completing one dribble per fixture.

These returns saw the 21-year-old average a SofaScore match rating of 6.98, ranking him as Brugge’s second-best performer in the tournament – a rather extraordinary feat considering the Blauw-Zwart were in a group alongside Manchester City, Paris Saint-Germain and RB Leipzig.

As such, it is clear to see just how talented a prospect the Belgian sensation is, leading us to believe that Milan’s seemingly imminent capture of the eight-cap international will come as a gutting blow to Orta and his transfer team at Elland Road.

AND in other news: Insider reveals not “widely known” transfer update, it’s a “£30m” blow for Leeds

Newcastle United could make a surprise signing at striker this summer, claims reliable journalist Mark Douglas.

The Lowdown: Magpies’ striker pursuit

The Toon have been linked with a myriad of strikers this window with Eddie Howe looking to strengthen his side’s depth in the final third.

Newcastle were of course eyeing a move for Reims striker Hugo Ekitike, with a £33m agreement even in place at one stage. However, after protracted negotiations, the North-East outfit pulled out of the deal, with the player ending up on a season-long loan at Paris Saint-Germain.

More recently, the Magpies have been rumoured to be interested in signing the likes of Alexander Isak from Real Sociedad, Ivan Toney from Brentford and Dominic Calvert-Lewin from Everton.

However, huge transfer fees being quoted have sent Newcastle looking elsewhere, with the club desperate to add alternatives to Callum Wilson and Chris Wood up top.

The Latest: Douglas’ claim

After Douglas revealed that recent target Benjamin Sesko looks likely to remain at RB Salzburg, he then went on to drop an interesting claim about the Magpies’ striker pursuit.

Taking to Twitter, the journalist said: “Of course you never know with these things and anything can happen. (Sesko) Fits the sort of profile #nufc seemed to be looking at with Ekitike. Maybe one to watch?

“Suspect next #nufc target might come in off-the-radar…”

The Verdict: Absolutely necessary

Despite Wilson’s fantastic goalscoring record in a black and white shirt, having netted 20 goals in 46 games, the 30-year-old’s injury record raises doubts over his availability ahead of next season.

During the 2021/22 campaign, the forward missed 23 games due to injury, adding to his already extensive record on the sidelines during his time at Bournemouth.

Furthermore, with Wood only having scored two goals in 16 games for the club, Howe will be desperate to bring in a reliable and consistent striker as the Magpies look to challenge for mid-table and maybe even European places next season.

Celtic have been heavily linked with a move for Bristol City striker Antoine Semenyo recently and the Ghanaian could form a superb partnership with Jota in Ange Postecoglou’s side next season.

The Hoops have seemingly been tracking the 22-year-old forward for some time and could still make their move for him this summer, with Bristol City manager Nigel Pearson admitting that he wouldn’t stand in the youngster’s way should he wish to depart Ashton Gate.

Celtic have already brought in Benjamin Siegrist, Daizen Maeda, Alexandro Bernabei, Cameron Carter-Vickers and Jota on permanent deals this summer but Postecoglou is still arguably low on centre-forwards.

The 56-year-old manager has just Giorgos Giakoumakis and Albian Ajeti as natural options through the middle, and the latter really struggled for game time last season, so Postecoglou may still feel that another striker is needed.

It is no surprise that Celtic are looking at Semenyo considering his superb form last season in the Championship.

The 22-year-old contributed eight goals and 12 assists in 31 appearances in England’s second tier, averaging an impressive 6.97 rating from WhoScored for his performances.

Although he has managed just 19 goals in his senior career thus far, last season was a breakthrough for the Ghana international, and he would arrive at Celtic Park in a confident mood if Postecoglou can secure his services this summer.

Semenyo’s assist numbers suggest that he is very good on the ball and can link the play up as a striker, so he could combine well with Celtic’s new permanent signing, Jota.

The Portuguese winger joined on a permanent deal after a hugely successful loan spell that saw him contribute 13 goals and 14 assists in all competitions for the Bhoys.

The former Benfica man is capable of playing anywhere across a front three and emphasised his devastating ability on numerous occasions last season, with Postecoglou labelling Jota and Liel Abada’s attacking performance as “unbelievable” against Dundee United early last season.

Semenyo also earned a lot of praise from Pearson last season, with his manager saying:

“He is a real threat with his power and pace – he must be a nightmare to play against! His challenge now is to keep developing and adding elements to his game to make him even more effective.”

Therefore, it is clear to see what Semenyo would add to Celtic’s attack next season, and his ability in attack could see him form a nightmare combination with Jota under Postecoglou.

And, in other news… Celtic handed green light for “exceptional” new signing, supporters will be buzzing

According to reliable journalist Jonathan Shrager, Nottingham Forest could complete the signing of Dean Henderson as early as this week.

The Lowdown: Henderson agrees Forest deal

The 25-year-old experienced a significant lack of game time at Manchester United last season, making zero appearances in the Premier League, something which has seen him be linked with a move away from Old Trafford in recent weeks, with serious interest coming from the City Ground.

It was reported by The Athletic on Thursday afternoon that the goalkeeper has agreed a deal to join the Reds on a season-long loan, subject to a medical, and if all goes well, the switch could be imminent.

The Latest: Next 48 hours crucial?

Taking to Twitter, Shrager confirmed that there is a strong belief that Henderson’s move to Forest could be sealed in the next couple of days.

“There is a confidence that Dean Henderson’s loan move from Manchester United to Nottingham Forest will be completed this week. No option to buy included.”

The Verdict: Samba replacement

With the chances of Brice Samba staying at Forest getting slimmer by the day, Steve Cooper will be desperate to bolster his ranks with a new addition between the sticks, and Henderson has all the attributes to be the man to take the number one jersey, even if it is only on a temporary basis.

The shot-stopper has plenty of experience at a high level under his belt, having kept a total of 48 clean sheets across all competitions during his spells with Sheffield United and Manchester United – his teammates at Bramall Lane even called him ‘insane’.

The former Blades man will be keen to move to a club where he knows he is likely to get regular minutes, and he is pretty much guaranteed exactly that in the Midlands if Samba starts.

This feels like a win-win for all parties involved.

West Ham United have been handed a boost in their bid to sign Chelsea striker Armando Broja…

What’s the word?

As per talkSPORT reporter Alex Crook, the Hammers are not set to be joined in the race for the 20-year-old’s signature by fellow Premier League outfit Southampton, despite the Albania international having impressed on loan at St Mary’s last season.

Writing on Twitter about the forward’s future, the transfer insider revealed that the potential financial package has put the Saints off, meaning the Irons are now in pole to secure his signature: “Understand #SaintsFC are not competing with #WHUFC for Armando Broja. They view wages and transfer fee as too high. Don’t think his form in the second half of the season helped either.”

This follows reports that GSB are set to make a £30m offer to the Blues for their academy product, albeit with possible involvement in Thomas Tuchel’s first-team squad next term at Stamford Bridge having also been mooted.

Payet 2.0

David Moyes and co have seemingly identified the highly-rated prospect as the man to solve their centre-forward woes, with the £19.8m-rated ace having caught the eye during that spell on the south coast, netting nine times in all competitions in what was his first full, Premier League campaign.

Prior to that, Broja had spent a year on loan with Dutch outfit Vitesse Arnhem during the 2020/21 season – netting solitary first-team appearance at his parent club, with that coming under Frank Lampard over two years ago.

That relative lack of experience may be a concern, although his eyecatching form under Ralph Hasenhuttl has illustrated just what a talent he is, with the £8.5k-per-week brute having been dubbed “devastating” by his national team assistant coach, Sergio Porrini.

The powerful, 6 foot 3 “machine” – as described by Simon Peach – proved himself a real handful up against top-flight defences last term, notably netting a stunning solo goal in his side’s 3-1 win over the east London outfit in the FA Cup back in March.

That lethal impact in the final third could see the Slough-born marksman blossom into something of a talisman for the Irons over the coming years, with that role having previously been assumed by French playmaker, Dimitri Payet.

Although it may be somewhat hard to compare the physical, young striker with the 35-year-old, creative genius, the pair are in fact noted as similar players, according to Football Transfers, with such likeness likely to set pulses racing at the London Stadium.

While his time in English football may have been brief, Payet certainly left his mark both on the Hammers fanbase and the league as a whole, serving up multiple moments of jaw-dropping quality, be it that outrageous rabona assist for Michail Antonio, or the gravity-defying, looping free-kick at Upton Park against Crystal Palace in April 2016.

In a class of his own, the 38-cap “magician” – as he has been dubbed by Carl Anka- was a truly joyous player to watch in his pomp, with the only sour note having been the nature of his swift departure in January 2017, just 18 months after joining the club.

The hope will be that young Broja can make a similar, yet longer-lasting impact in a claret and blues jersey, with the Payet case proving that West Ham can be a platform for top-class talent to truly shine.

IN other news, Moyes plotting move for “special” £45m “baller”, he’d be a “superstar” for West Ham