All posts by z3u9t.icu

With Liverpool admirably battling back from an at one stage 14 point deficit to take the 2021/22 Premier League title race right down to the wire with Manchester City, it needed the final ten minutes of action to finally separate Jurgen Klopp and Pep Guardiola’s sides, with the latter eventually winning out as they fought back from two goals behind in the game against Aston Villa to secure this years title by a single point.

For Liverpool, this is not the time to dwell on the obvious disappointment the team, and the fans will feel, from running the expensively assembled City squad right to the end of the campaign and then missing out by a single goal, as their full focus needs to be on their preparation for this coming Saturday’s Champions League Final against Real Madrid at the Stade de France.

With former England winger Steve McManaman knowing both clubs well from his time with each of them, he has conducted a couple of good interviews with Betway this week, explaining his memory of the competition and his own experiences in major show piece finals.

The media have certainly latched to the history between both sides here, with Liverpool losing out four years ago against the same opponents, but Liverpool also have a history with new manager Carlo Ancelotti given their clashes against AC Milan and Roma in previous years.

Both Egyptian wizard Mohamed Salah and Ancelotti himself have acknowledged that there might be a bit of needle between the sides given the history.  Salah said ahead of Madrid’s semi final clash:

“I want to play Madrid, I have to be honest. City are a really tough team, we played against them a few times this season. I think personally, I would prefer Madrid. We lost in the final to them so I want to play against them and hopefully win it.”

Adding after Real were confirmed as Final opponents:

“We have a score to settle.”

When asked about his words, Ancelotti answered.

“We have met many times. Losing with them was a tragedy with Roma in 1984 and 2005. Then the revenge, which Salah says, in 2007. I respect him a lot. One of the best experiences of my career is seeing the push Bernabeu or Anfield. In addition to the beautiful experience of being rivals with Everton. I like their history, that of Paisley, they have six Champions Leagues, only one less than Milan…that’s an extra motivation too. My Milanist friends tell me don’t let them reach seven.”

With mind games afoot, Klopp took a different approach when he met with press on Wednesday afternoon, rubbishing suggestions that revenge for 2018 would be a driver for his side.

“This was a harsh night for us – it was tough to take. But I don’t believe in revenge or think revenge is a fantastic idea. I understand what Mo said – he wants to put it right. But in Germany we say you always meet twice in life. If we get the chance to win it this time it will be a great story, but it will not be because of what happened in 2018.”

Whatever now happens, the stage is set for the Final to be quite the spectacle with the calibre of players that will be on show, and each side has players that are more than capable of winning it – so the neutrals should be in for a fantastic affair.

Photo by Unsplash

Everton are reportedly now set to lose Joao Virginia on a permanent deal in the summer.

The Lowdown: Sporting loan

Virginia was shipped out on loan to Sporting CP this season, but has only managed to play in eight games in total over all competitions.

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He is set to return from his loan spell after the campaign ends, with it not yet being clear whether the Goodison Park faithful are to play Premier League football.

The Latest: Under the radar departure?

As per Correio da Manha (via Sport Witness), in a ‘surprising’ story due to his lack of playing time while on loan, Sporting will reportedly now ‘trigger’ the buy option for Virginia, which would set them back €5m (£4.2m).

Other outlets are ‘still quiet about it’, but it looks as if the six-foot-three colossus could now be on his way out of Merseyside permanently.

The Verdict: Sell

Once dubbed ‘unbelievable’ by David Unsworth, Virginia had previously shown promise for the U23s, where he managed to keep a clean sheet every two games (Transfermarkt).

However, he has rarely featured for the senior team, and with England number one Jordan Pickford still in net, one has to question whether he would ever be able to establish himself as number one at the Toffees.

Frank Lampard’s side have also reportedly extended back-up goalkeeper Asmir Begovic’s deal, which suggests that they are willing to move Virginia on this summer.

In other news, find out what early Blues Team News has Sam Carroll ‘gutted’ here!

It is no secret that West Ham United have a dismal track record when it comes to making centre-forward additions in recent years, with the GSB era having been littered with bizarre and at times costly transfer mistakes.

Among a lengthy list which includes the likes of Mido, Lucas Perez and Jordan Hugill, to name just a few, is Ecuador striker Enner Valencia, the diminutive speedster having failed to truly make his mark in English football.

Signed for £12m in the summer of 2014 after hitting 18 goals in just 24 games for Mexican outfit Pachuca, the 5 foot 9 marksman was expected to hit the ground running at Upton Park, particularly having netted three times during a standout World Cup campaign in Brazil.

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Although his arrival seemed something of a coup at the time, it quickly became apparent that the club – and then-manager Sam Allardyce – had fallen for the age-old trap of signing a player off the back of some impressive yet fleeting displays at a major tournament.

A stunning goal on his full league debut against Hull City looked like it would be the start of a bright spell in the Premier League for the versatile forward, but that early-season effort would be just one of four league goals that he scored in his first campaign in east London.

The former Emelec man would go on to score just four more league goals in 2015/16. albeit having spent much of the season on the treatment table due to injury, before being shipped out on loan to Everton in August 2016.

However, despite being labelled “strong” by then-Everton manager Ronald Koeman, he fared little better on Merseyside. He was waiting until January 2017 to score his £14.5m.

During that stint on loan, Valencia also sparked controversy for appearing to fake an injury during a match for his country, leaving the field in an ambulance in order to escape the clutches of the police, who were pursuing him for failing to pay child maintenance bills.

Unsurprisingly, following his return to east London at the end of the 2016/17 season, the 70-cap Ecuador international was subsequently sold on to Tigres in a deal worth between £6m and £7m, with the Irons taking a loss on their initial investment.

In the end, the Hammers would likely have just been wishing to get the £40k-per-week dud off their books as quickly as possible, having cost them £1.5m per league goal in relation to his transfer fee.

After three seasons back in Mexico – where he scored 34 goals in 118 appearances in all competitions – the £2.61m-rated man was signed by Turkish club Fenerbache on a free transfer in the summer of 2020, with the 32-year-old netting 24 goals in 67 appearances since then.

A reliable goalscorer elsewhere, it simply didn’t work out for him in England, with West Ham left to look back on what was simply an expensive mistake.

In other news, West Ham eyeing swoop for “aggressive” £45m-rated warrior, just imagine him and Rice

Everton are in desperate need for big changes this summer and if they stay up in the Premier League at the end of the season it will only better their opportunities to strengthen the team to avoid another relegation battle in the future.

There are many areas of the pitch that will need Farhad Moshiri and Frank Lampard’s attention when the season draws to a close with changes specifically needed to improve the defensive play of the team, with the side conceding 19 more goals than they have scored in the current Premier League campaign.

With that being said, it may be time for Lampard to finally axe Seamus Coleman and start considering his options to replace the 33-year-old Everton captain who will be out of contract in June 2023, Finding the £68k-per-week defender’s successor could make a huge difference and relieve some pressure.

One player who could be the perfect replacement for the Irish defender who was labelled “poor” by journalist Josh Bunting, is Norwich City’s Max Aarons, who was linked with the club back in the January transfer window. Now he has been relegated once again Lampard could capitalise on the opportunity to snap up the youngster.

The 22-year-old was praised earlier this season by former Manchester United and England defender Rio Ferdinand on his YouTube channel, saying:

“He has got huge potential. He has got big, big potential.

“Lots of games, a lot of experience for someone so young, and he is just going to keep on improving.”

It is no wonder the young player has been attracting recognition when you consider his defensive statistics this season in the Premier League in a team that has struggled throughout. Aarons has put in impressive performances and shown his hard-working attitude despite the position the Canaries have found themselves in.

According to SofaScore, the English right-back has won the majority of his aerial and ground duels combined, making 2.1 clearances, 1.9 tackles and 0.8 interceptions on average per game accompanied by two big chances created and one assist in his 32 league appearances this season.

Ultimately, with the chances of Everton staying in the top-flight for another season they cannot afford to make the same mistakes and must make ruthless decisions to benefit the team going into the next season and signing up Aarons this summer could be a great start for the Toffees much needed rebuild.

AND in other news: Shocking Everton dud who lost ball every 4.7 touches cost Lampard big time yesterday

Injury expert Ben Dinnery has ruled Leeds United captain Liam Cooper out of this weekend’s meeting with Arsenal.

The Lowdown: Cooper’s late withdrawal

Cooper made a long-awaited return to action last month and helped the Whites concede just once in three games, with Jesse Marsch’s side picking up five points against Southampton, Watford and Crystal Palace.

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The 30-year-old was due to start against Manchester City last weekend but pulled out during the warm-up with a knee problem that required a scan.

Midfielder Mateusz Klich replaced Cooper at Elland Road, and it looks as if the centre-back may well miss the trip to the Emirates on Sunday too.

The Latest: Dinnery’s claim

Dinnery, a sports injuries expert and analyst who contributes for Sky Sports, has six injury concerns for Leeds on his Premier Injuries website.

One of those is Cooper, whose current status is listed ‘ruled out’ with a knee problem – the site doesn’t even name a hopeful return date.

Meanwhile, according to Dinnery, striker Patrick Bamford has a May 15 return date following his foot problem.

The Verdict: Wait and see…

Marsch will more than likely provide an injury update to start his pre-match press conference at Thorp Arch later today, with Cooper’s condition obviously a concern.

He helped the Whites stop the rot at the back following his return from a hamstring injury and has been the club’s best-rated defender this season, as per WhoScored.

Therefore, it would be a boost for Marsch and Leeds if Cooper were able to travel to London, so fingers crossed Marsch shares different news to Dinnery.

In other news: Leeds officials sent abroad as Radz plots move for 56-goal attacker. 

The race for the top four in the Premier League is heating up heading into the final few matches of the 2021/22 season but for Tottenham Hotspur, it doesn’t get trickier than this evening.

Antonio Conte’s side travel to Merseyside to face an in-form and title-chasing Liverpool team at Anfield, who too are in need of points to keep the pressure on Manchester City, who were knocked out of the Champions League in agonising fashion in midweek.

Last weekend, Spurs bolstered their claims for European football next season with a resounding 3-1 victory over a heavily-rotated Leicester City side; their fifth win in seven.

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Just like Brendan Rodgers, the Italian head coach also tinkered with his lineup but only slightly, with Lucas Moura coming in for Dejan Kulusevski in the attack.

Ten minutes into the second half, the Brazilian winger was withdrawn for the Sweden international with the Lilywhites only holding a 1-0 lead, and Kulusevski quickly made his presence known by providing two assists for Heung-min Son to net a brace.

Moura has struggled for form and has lost his place in the starting XI to Kulusevski, so that change is ought to be one that Conte makes for this encounter.

Across 31 league appearances, the former Paris Saint-Germain ace has delivered only two goals and five assists – by comparison, the Juventus loanee has already usurped that with three goals and eight assists in only 14 games, via WhoScored.

Valued at £18m by Transfermarkt, the 29-year-old winger has previously been described as a “nightmare” to train against by team-mate Eric Dier, but we’ve seen anything but that from Moura in 2022, with his last league goal coming back in December.

Moura has also provided two assists since Boxing Day, despite only failing to make two appearances in that time.

Furthermore, Kulusevski is clear for creating chances, even if they do not get converted into a goal – his average of 1.6 key passes per game eclipses Moura by 0.7.

Therefore, it should be a no-brainer for Conte to make the ruthless call to axe Moura from the starting XI up against Liverpool. If there’s any game where he’ll go missing, it’s certainly this one. He is just not good enough to start for Tottenham.

AND in other news, Conte could land his own Jorginho in Spurs swoop for “extraordinary” £45m-rated titan…

Former Scotland defender Alan Hutton has delivered his verdict as Celtic near the permanent capture of Cameron Carter-Vickers. 

The lowdown: Deal close

This comes following an initial report from American news outlet SBI Soccer (23 April) claiming that the Hoops are nearing the signing of the 24-year-old USA international.

That was then backed up by football.london’s Tottenham Hotspur correspondent Alasdair Gold as the deal believed to be worth an initial £6million (rising to £10m) picked up significant pace.

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However, one ex-Scottish Premiership ace has questioned whether the transfer will go ahead…

The latest: Hutton unsure

Speaking to Football Insider, the BBC Radio 5 Live pundit has queried whether the Hoops will be able to fund the move, but says it would be a huge coup if they can.

“I watched him at the start of the season and he wasn’t exactly ripping up trees. I don’t think that was his fault, I think it was due to a lack of game time at the start of the season.

“He’s come up here and really shown his worth. He’s a man-mountain, very difficult to get past but also good on the ball.

“I think this is a more difficult one, especially when you consider the value. We could be talking be £7-10million here. Can Celtic afford to pay that?

“If the bigger teams in the Premier League are swooping, it’s going to be very difficult to hang on to him. Fair play to him. He’s come up here, he’s worked hard, and he’s made it happen for himself.”

The verdict: Windfall incoming

Whilst the hierarchy rightfully keep their cards close to their chest when it comes to budgets and so on, should the Bhoys secure a spot in next season’s UEFA Champions League group stages as now expected, then this kind of deal, and indeed the reported £6million permanent move for Jota, suddenly become far more plausible.

Although the previously reported £13.4million windfall from group stage participation won’t provide Ange Postecoglou with a war chest to splash out wildly, it does provide the Greek-Australian with the wherewithal to once again act savvily in the market.

At present, the record arrival to Parkhead stands at the £9.27million expenditure to bring Odsonne Edouard to Glasgow, topping previous deals for John Hartson and Chris Sutton (Transfermarkt).

With four goals and one assist in 42 appearances from centre-back across all competitions this season, landing Carter-Vickers should be at the very top of the list of priorities for Postecoglou this summer before other targets can be pursued, budget permitting of course.

West Ham United chairman David Sullivan has held talks with a top candidate to replace Graham Potter, with the tactician seemingly making his demands crystal clear.

The managerial candidates to replace Graham Potter at West Ham

Potter has recorded the second-worst win percentage of any West Ham manager in Premier League history, behind only Avram Grant, with pressure mounting on the Englishman as he faces a stay of execution.

David Moyes, who guided West Ham to successive European campaigns and ended their 43-year wait for a major trophy during his time at the London Stadium, could even be the man to put one of the final nails in Potter’s coffin this weekend.

In a real piece of irony, Moyes’ Everton side, who are faring much better than West Ham right now, may have a big say in whether Sullivan, Karren Brady and the Hammers board elect to hand Potter a P45.

9. Sam Allardyce

30.7%

10. Julen Lopetegui

30%

11. Gianfranco Zola

27.8%

12 Graham Potter

26.1%

13. Avram Grant

18.9%

via StatMuse

It is hard to see Potter remaining in the West Ham hot seat if they suffer a humbling defeat at the Hill Dickinson Stadium, with club insider ExWHUemployee previously reporting that, if he does survive past that point, the ex-Chelsea boss is likely to be sacked after their trip to Arsenal.

West Ham are deep into their contingency plans to replace Potter, and there are a number of very interesting names under consideration.

Sullivan, as ever, is dipping into the free agent market.

Former West Ham midfielder Gary O’Neil is a favourite for the potential job, according to Miguel Delaney, with another ex-Hammer in Slaven Bilic — who was in charge between 2015 and 2017 — also in the frame.

Bilic is even said to be making plans for his West Ham backroom, in the event he is chosen as a short-term option until the end of the season, and Sullivan is believed to be personally in favour of bringing the Croatian back to East London (Pete O’Rourke).

Managers who are already in work haven’t been definitively ruled out, either. West Ham have internally discussed the possibility of appointing Scott Parker, following his rise to the Premier League with Burnley, but one man stands out above all the aforementioned names.

Nuno Espírito Santo's demand after holding West Ham talks with Sullivan

Former Tottenham, Wolves and Nottingham Forest boss, Nuno Espírito Santo, is believed to be the favourite to succeed Potter as things stand.

As per the reliable ExWHUemployee, Nuno has already held talks with Sullivan over a potential move to West Ham if Potter leaves, and the Portuguese’s stock is at an all-time high after making history at Forest last season.

However, according to Sports Boom, West Ham face another roadblock in pursuit of Nuno, following some reports that ‘legal issues’ are delaying his arrival too (Pete O’Rourke).

The outlet reports that Nuno’s big wage demands are a hindrance to West Ham and could prove to be a real obstacle, with Bilic ready to join the Irons as an alternative.

Why West Ham must not give up on Nuno

Nuno guided Forest back to Europe for the first time since 1995, and if it wasn’t for a public fallout with Evangelos Marinakis, he’d still be at the City Ground now.

The appeal for West Ham is obvious. Nuno steered Forest away from the drop zone in his first season, transforming them into a robust, hard-to-break-down outfit with a clear counter-attacking identity.

He also helped to fix Forest’s glaring set-piece weakness, something which has really plagued West Ham this season, having conceded 7 of their 13 Premier League goals so far directly from corners.

Managing to get the best out of his players, Forest ended up being last season’s major surprise package thanks to Nuno’s work, and the 51-year-old’s availability as a free agent makes this potential appointment an arguable no-brainer.

West Ham United have made an offer for an “outstanding” midfielder, who is now keen on a move to a new Premier League club.

West Ham's midfield criticised amid slow start

There was some respite before the international break, with West Ham picking up a 3-0 victory against Nottingham Forest at The City Ground, but the 3-0 defeat at home against Tottenham Hotspur on Saturday underlined the fact that many problems still remain.

One of the Hammers’ main issues is their midfield, as pointed out by journalist and fan writer James Jones, who said: “It has been painfully clear that Potter’s side lacks pace, creativity and physicality in the middle of the park. A combination of James Ward-Prowse, Tomas Soucek and Guido Rodriguez does not equal a top quality midfield at this level.”

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ByJack Salveson Holmes Sep 12, 2025

Soucek, in particular, struggled in the thrashing at home against Tottenham, being shown a straight red card early in the second half, which arguably emphasised the importance of Graham Potter bringing in a new central midfielder during the January transfer window.

According to a report from Africa Foot, there could be an opportunity to do exactly that, with it being revealed West Ham have made an offer for Tottenham midfielder Yves Bissouma, who has now expressed his desire to remain in the Premier League.

Having suffered a knee injury, Bissouma has been ruled out until October and is set to remain in north London until the January transfer window, and there is no shortage of interest in the midfielder’s signature, with the likes of Newcastle United, Crystal Palace and Chelsea also making proposals.

Spurs are open to cashing-in on the central midfielder, who has previously been valued at £14m, but the north Londoners would prefer to sell him to a foreign club, with Chicago Fire, Galatasaray Spor Kulübü, Beşiktaş, Fenerbahçe and Lyon keen.

"Outstanding" Bissouma could be upgrade on Soucek defensively

There is no denying that Soucek has had a difficult start to the campaign, being dismissed against Spurs last time out, while also recording a 6.1 SofaScore match rating against Chelsea, the second-lowest figure of any outfield player.

As such, it could be worth bringing in an upgrade on the Czechia international, and there are signs the Tottenham ace could be exactly that, at least from a defensive point of view, given his ball-winning and passing abilities.

Average per 90 (past year)

Tomas Soucek

Yves Bissouma

Tackles

1.55

3.19

Interceptions

0.76

1.41

Pass completion %

74.5%

88.1%

The Mali international is also vastly experienced at Premier League level, having been lauded as “outstanding” by Statman Dave during his time with Brighton & Hove Albion.

There may be some concerns over the signing of Bissouma, having fallen out of favour under Thomas Frank, but he clearly has the talent to be a success at the London Stadium if his attitude is right.

Manchester United are believed to be in pole position to sign a £4m+ striker who has also been targeted by Real Madrid in 2025.

Man Utd looking at more transfers after Cunha

The Red Devils are preparing for their first summer transfer window under the co-ownership of INEOS and manager Ruben Amorim, and there is plenty of work to be done following a disastrous 2024/25 Premier League campaign.

Not just Bruno: Man Utd star in talks to leave in another McTominay repeat

Manchester United could repeat their Scott McTominay disaster by selling this star.

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A plethora of incomings and outgoings are expected at Old Trafford, and the first arrival ahead of Amorim’s first full season in charge is set to be Wolves attacker Matheus Cunha. Man Utd are set to trigger Cunha’s £62.5m release clause and give the Brazilian a five year deal at Old Trafford.

However, after Cunha, Man Utd are looking to make more additions to their squad, with Brentford star Bryan Mbeumo a serious target who could end up playing alongside the Brazilian behind a striker under Amorim.

At the back, Burnley goalkeeper James Trafford has been linked as a replacement for Andre Onana, and in midfield, Atalanta star Ederson is a man in demand with the Red Devils making contact over a transfer.

As shown over the last 12 months in deals for Ayden Heaven, Chido Obi and Patrick Dorgu, Man Utd are looking to build for the future by signing some of the best youngsters around, and they are now looking to sign a new teenage talent.

Man Utd in pole position to sign £4m+ striker who Real Madrid wanted

According to reports in Spain, relayed by Sport Witness, Man Utd are in pole position to sign Albacete forward Christian Kofane this summer.

It is claimed that the Red Devils, alongside AS Monaco and Erik ten Hag’s Bayer Leverkusen are leading the chase for the 18-year-old forward, who has a release clause of just €5m (£4.2m), following his ‘explosion’ at the Segunda Division side.

Interestingly, Kofane has also been targeted by Real Madrid after bursting onto the scene in 24/25 for Albacete, with ‘half of Europe’ keeping an eye on the Cameroon-born striker.

Games

19

Goals

8

Assists

1

Minutes played

1,175

As can be seen, the teenager has made quite an impact in Spain after scoring on his La Liga 2 debut back in November, and by the looks of things, a move to Old Trafford could be one to keep an eye on over the coming months.