All posts by rastrear-estafeta.com

Aston Villa midfielder Jacob Ramsey could well be facing up to six weeks out after picking up an injury in the 4-1 defeat to West Ham on Sunday.

That’s according to reliable reporter Ashley Preece, and, as to be expected, a number of Villa fans have been giving their thoughts to the latest setback on social media.

Ramsey’s ninth Premier League appearance of the campaign was cut short after 15 minutes against the Hammers, with the 20-year-old appearing to go over on his ankle after colliding with Tomas Soucek.

Danny Ings, Douglas Luiz, Morgan Sanson, Jaden Philogene-Bidace and Bertrand Traore all missed the meeting with David Moyes’ side, and Ramsey is the latest to join them on the sidelines ahead of the trip to Southampton on Friday.

Villa fans react

Preece posted the estimated six-week time frame regarding Ramsey on Twitter on Monday lunchtime.

The AVFC Faithful shared Preece’s update, which led to these fans interacting with both posts, with one labelling it as ‘more injury worries’.

“Remind me of the area that Villa are really struggling in, again. That’s another central midfielder out for the foreseeable future…”

Credit: @KevHughesie

“Just goes from worse to terrible.”

Credit: @amc89avfc

“More injury worries. JJ now out for possibly up to 6 weeks McGinn & Mings one booking away from a ban too”

Credit: @TheVillaHome

“Looking doom and gloom”

Credit: @FinchTheyer

“Sack the medical team”

Credit: @OcBen

“Remember over the summer when everyone could see central midfield was a weak area for us and needed improving? And we just chucked in low ball bids for players. Now we have Ramsey out, Luiz potentially out and Sanson who’s never fit. Top work lads”

Credit: @andrewstone85

In other news: ‘Bigger issue than Mings’ – Many Villa fans slam ‘useless’ player v West Ham

According to German news outlet SportBILD (via Sport Witness), Liverpool are still paying close attention to Borussia Dortmund midfielder Jude Bellingham. 

The lowdown: Long-standing admirers

The Reds have long since been credited with an interest in the 18-year-old and have often been among the clubs most reliably linked with the former Birmingham City starlet. It’s even believed Jurgen Klopp has held secret conversations behind the scenes about signing the England sensation.

Having recently made an 84th appearance for the Bundesliga outfit, Bellingham’s stock continues to rise on the continent, with the report from Sport Witness detailing how he has become the star of the show and a leader at Signal Iduna Park.

Now it appears that Liverpool could be considering stepping up their levels of interest, though BVB will hold out for a huge price.

[web_stories_embed url=”https://www.footballtransfertavern.com/web-stories/latest-liverpool-transfer-news-29/” title=”Latest Liverpool transfer news!” poster=”” width=”360″ height=”600″ align=”none”]

The latest: Bild drops exiting update

As per the report, translated by SW, the Anfield club are believed to be ‘watching his development closely’, alongside similar interest from Real Madrid.

The report claims that the 12-cap England international will ‘soon’ become the next player to leave Dortmund for a fee in excess of €100million (£83million).

Furthermore, the German newspaper states that the teenager once described as possessing ‘scary’ ability for someone so young by Roy Keane has already become the ‘world’s most expensive’ player for his age.

The verdict: At all costs

Seldom do generational talents such as Bellingham come along, let alone ones that Liverpool hold a genuine opportunity to sign in the not too distant future.

Whilst Klopp’s former employers will be reticent to lose both the midfield star and Erling Haaland in the same window, bids of anything in the region of the aforementioned mooted fees would likely force their hand this summer.

As things stand the Reds are relatively blessed in the midfield department, but with Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain’s future never more in doubt and Jordan Henderson, Thiago and James Milner all the wrong side of 30, adding the next midfield general to the Merseyside ranks would be a shrewd move.

Even at the suggested price point, the early signs would suggest that Bellingham, who is equally adept in conventional positions as well as attacking roles, is going to be an elite-level performer for the next decade and beyond, therefore providing extraordinary value for money, potentially marking newly appointed sporting director Julian Ward’s arrival with an instant statement.

In other news, one Liverpool player has been backed to leave this summer. Find out who it is here.

Merry Christmas, Celtic fans!

Ange Postecoglou’s Christmas came early after he won his first piece of silverware as Celtic manager last weekend following a 2-1 win over Hibernian at Hampden Park in the Scottish League Cup final.

Kyogo Furuhashi, their number eight and record signing under Postecoglou, scored twice as the Hoops won for the first time under Postecoglou after conceding first.

We’ve prepared a Celtic-related quiz for you which will give you the chance to break up your day.

Are you good with player numbers? If so, take today’s quiz and try and see if you can get a full house regarding these former Hoops heroes.

We’ve given you four options for each player – all you have to do is select what number they wore during their time at Parkhead.

Some are fairly recent, while others will test your knowledge dating way back. Good luck, and remember to share your score once completed!

Tottenham Hotspur are close to finalising Hugo Lloris’ contract extension…

What’s the word?

That is according to the ever-reliable Alasdair Gold of football.london, who delivered what he described as “a positive update” on the current situation.

‘football.london understands that with talks finally having begun, Lloris’ new contract is expected to be finalised very soon, with the keeper keen to stay and what are believed to be modest demands from him deemed more than reasonable by the club,” he wrote in an accompanying article this week.

The 35-year-old’s £100k-per-week contract was due to expire at the end of the season, so this claim will serve as a major boost to manager Antonio Conte, the squad and the fanbase.

Conte will be delighted

Indeed, the Italian head coach will be loving this news from behind the scenes at Hotspur Way.

Conte’s history with goalkeepers suggests that he likes one solid option between the sticks across all competitions and that’s exactly what he gets with Lloris, who has proven to be a reliable and vastly-experienced choice over the years.

“Hugo today showed that he is at the top and he is always focused and for us, he is very important and I am sure that in the short time they can find a solution in the club because he loves Tottenham and Tottenham loves him,” the 52-year-old told reporters after the win over Watford on New Years Day.

The World Cup winner is on the cusp of joining the 400-club at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium – should things go their way, he will reach that feat in February, having played 394 times since arriving in a £12m deal from Lyon in September 2012.

In that time, Lloris has kept 134 clean sheets and whilst on the face of it, that’s not overwhelmingly exciting, he has not had a solid backline in front of him for several seasons now. If anything, his presence has stopped them from leaking even more goals in recent times.

“He is brave, performance, quality he showed he is one of the best in the world, no doubt,” once claimed former Spurs boss Mauricio Pochettino.

The fact that the club are close to agreeing on fresh terms is indeed positive and that should leave Conte a little less worried heading into the summer. He’ll be delighted to tie his no.1 down for the foreseeable.

AND in other news ,Spurs could sign next De Bruyne in “complete” £24.3m-rated gem, he bullied Pochettino’s PSG…

Leeds United are interested in signing Blackburn Rovers centre-back Darragh Lenihan, according to a fresh transfer rumour which emerged on Thursday.

The Lowdown: Lenihan shines for Blackburn

Tony Mowbray’s side are enjoying an excellent season currently, sitting second in the Championship and looking strong to seal promotion to the Premier League.

Lenihan has been an undisputed key man for Blackburn, starting 26 of 28 league games at the heart of the defence and being hailed as ‘special’ by his manager.

The captain’s performances appear to have alerted a host of clubs, however, with a potential move to the top flight now on the cards.

[freshpress-quiz id=“383507″]

The Latest: Leeds in the mix

According to a report from TEAMtalk (27/01/22), Leeds are one of numerous Premier League teams eyeing up a move for Lenihan, with Newcastle United, Aston Villa, Wolves and Everton also mentioned.

The 27-year-old’s current Blackburn deal expires at the end of the season, meaning the Whites could snap him up on a free transfer if he doesn’t extend his stay at Ewood Park.

Promotion could be a determining factor in convincing the Republic of Ireland international to stay put.

[web_stories_embed url=”https://www.footballtransfertavern.com/web-stories/latest-leeds-united-news-33/” title=”Latest Leeds United news!” poster=”” width=”360″ height=”600″ align=”none”]

The Verdict: Good squad acquisition

While the step up to the Premier League from the Championship is admittedly great, Lenihan’s performances this season suggest he could be a shrewd signing by Leeds.

The Irishman has won an impressive average of 5.1 aerial duels per match in the league this season, not to mention 4.9 clearances each game too.

To put that into context, Liam Cooper leads the way for the Whites in aerial duels with 3.6, highlighting the Blackburn skipper’s prowess in both boxes, while no Leeds player with more than one appearance boasts more clearances than Lenihan.

The fact that he would be available on a free takes out the financial risk element, too, so there is a little about the move that feels negative.

In other news, Leeds are reportedly considering another bid for one player. Find out who it is here.

With the absence of Virgil Van Dijk, Liverpool needed someone to inspire their unit against the dangerous Bayern Munich on Tuesday night.

Enter Jordan Henderson, who gave his answers to critics with a commanding performance.

While Liverpool couldn’t get the job fully done against a gritty German side, Henderson’s output was nothing less than superb. The Liverpool captain not only kept an eye on to keep the tricky James Rodriguez quiet but also dictated the tempo of their game. He did so admirably, while also elevating the performance-level of Naby Keita and Georginio Wijnaldum.

Allowing his midfielders to press high up, Henderson displayed urgency and energy from his deeper role. Not only did he sniff out dangers and eliminate threat, but also tried to create from his deep role. Henderson played a stunning long-ball to Mohamed Salah in the early minutes, but the Egyptian couldn’t divert it towards goal.

While he was gutted not to gain an assist for that brilliant pass, Henderson kept his head down and claimed his authority in the game. He distributed possession really well, maintaining an 81% passing accuracy. However, his defensive work was brilliant, as he made three tackles and recovered possession eight times. (stats via Fotmob)

An encouraging, vocal figure in midfield, Henderson proved how important he is to Liverpool. He reaffirmed his ability to get the best out of those around him, while also saving his side from doom multiple times and prove himself as the undisputed leader of Jurgen Klopp’s side.

Newcastle United are among the Premier League clubs chasing FC Koln defender Timo Hubers, according to The Daily Mail. 

The lowdown: Hubers profiled

25-year-old Hubers is predominantly a centre-back, though he has played a handful of games as a right-back, left-back and defensive midfielder during his career, showing impressive versatility from a young age.

He made headlines in the UK in March 2020 when he became one of the first professional footballers to test positive for Covid-19.

He’s played 15 Bundesliga matches for Steffen Baumgart’s eighth-place side this season, including 12 of the last 13.

Significantly, his contract at the RheinEnergieStadion is due to expire in just over 14 months’ time, potentially putting pressure on Koln to cash in this summer.

Newcastle did strengthen the heart of their defence in January with the signing of Dan Burn from Brighton and Hove Albion, but clearly Eddie Howe wants further reinforcements.

The latest: Premier League interest

Journalists Chris Wheeler and Olly Allen write that Steve Nickson and Newcastle are ‘understood to be tracking’ Hubers ahead of the summer transfer window.

PL rivals Leeds United, Crystal Palace, West Ham United and Southampton are also in the frame in his signature, with Championship promotion hopefuls Fulham keen too.

He’s apparently likely to cost as little as £6million, in part due to his contract situation.

The verdict: A cheaper Salisu

What kind of defender is Hubers? Well, he looks to be very comfortable in the possession, ranking in the 82nd percentile (among positional peers in the ‘big five’ leagues) for passes attempted and the 95th for dribbles completed.

He also very much defends on the front foot, recording 11.58 pressures per 90 minutes (80th percentile) and reads the game well, as evidenced by his 4.12 interceptions per game (99th).

According to FBRef, he boasts a similar profile to Southampton’s Mohammed Salisu, another player Newcastle are said to admire. Indeed, The Telegraph’s Luke Edwards revealed that Newcastle considered a move for the Ghanaian in January.

But he’s valued at £13.5million by Transfermarkt, and Hubers could be available for only half the price. It may be a no-brainer, then, for Howe and his recruitment team.

In other news, this trio struggled most against Tottenham Hotspur.

Manchester United are on the verge of appointing Ralf Rangnick as their interim manager after failing to prise Mauricio Pochettino away from Paris Saint-Germain.

What’s the story?

That’s according to The Athletic’s David Ornstein, who claims the 63-year-old innovative tactician has reached a deal to become their interim boss.

He tweeted: “Man Utd reach agreement with Ralf Rangnick to become interim manager. 6mnth contract then 2yr consultancy.”

“Deal subject to Lokomotiv Moscow approval. Work permit process prevents 63yo leading #MUFC v Chelsea.”

Man Utd fans surely buzzing

After the likes of Luis Enrique, Julen Lopetegui and Erik ten Hag distanced themselves from the vacancy in the red half of Manchester, the club’s supporters will be buzzing to learn of this revelation.

The experienced campaigner is the forefather of the gegenpressing style that has so heavily influenced the likes of Jurgen Klopp, Thomas Tuchel and Julian Nagglsmann, and Rangnick is widely regarded as the founder of German football’s modern-day tactical approach.

[snack-amp-story url= “https://www.footballfancast.com/web-stories/check-out-the-latest-manchester-united-news-manager-solskjaer-pochettino-enrique-rodgers-psg” title=”Check out the latest Man United manager news!”]

He took Schalke to the Champions League semi-finals in 2011 before moving to RB Leipzig, fulfilling the roles of both manager and sporting director, signing the likes of Joshua Kimmich, Naby Keita, Dayot Upamecano and Timo Werner throughout his tenure.

At present, Rangnick is the Head of Sports and Development at Russian outfit Lokomotiv Moscow, but is believed to be open to taking the United job on a temporary basis if certain conditions are met.

The Times report: “Rangnick is willing to leave his role as head of sports and development at Lokomotiv Moscow, but only if he is given a significant role at United beyond this season.”

Only time will tell if the United hierarchy are willing to accept the German’s terms and grant him a place in the upper echelons of the club from next season, yet much of the fanbase will be excited and encouraged by Ornstein’s latest update.

And, in other news…Big Man United manager update issued live on Sky Sports, fans will be concerned

According to sources close to The Daily Mail, there has been a very promising update as Tottenham Hotspur look to seal the signing of Wolves winger Adama Traore.

The Lowdown: Spurs in talks…

As explained by reliable outlets, Tottenham are in discussions to sign the Premier League forward by the end of January 31 with manager Antonio Conte already mapping out a role.

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

Indeed, the Spurs boss is apparently after Traore as he aims to re-mould the player into a right-wing back for Tottenham’s back-three system.

This comes as summer signing Emerson Royal fails to impress the Italian with transfer chief Fabio Paratici now tasked to bring Wolves’ ace to north London.

In an update, the Mail have just dropped some very promising news.

The Latest: ‘Strong’ chance of agreement…

As per their sources, chances of a Spurs agreement to sign Traore are now ‘strong’ with the Lilywhites ‘pushing to complete a £20 million deal’.

The Mail also back that Conte is planning to use the player as a right-wing back but also claim that Spain’s international ace could fill one of the two wide-attacking roles in a 3-4-3 formation.

The Verdict: Big update…

As Tottenham are now very likely to sign Traore this winter, we believe he could be a snip at £20m going by his age and plaudits in England’s top flight already.

There is a reason Wolves once valued the 25-year-old at around £50 million and Paratici should certainly take advantage of the attacker’s contract situation to sign him for £30m less.

His current deal is set to expire at the end of next season with no extension in sight, gifting Conte and the club an opportunity to bolster their ranks with a serious threat.

Wolves legend Steve Bull, speaking to FootballFanCast, even called him a ‘world-beater’ on his day and it’s safe to claim Traore would be an exciting first signing of the Conte era.

In other news: ‘This will get Tottenham fans excited…’ – Sky Sports drop major N17 transfer update on live TV, find out more here.

Crystal Palace slumped to their second consecutive defeat after Raphinha snatched all three points for Leeds United with an injury-time penalty in their Premier League clash at Elland Road.

The Eagles were looking to bounce back from their disappointing result against Aston Villa over the weekend and looked to be heading home with a point until referee Kevin Friend pointed to the spot in the 91st minute.

Summer signing Marc Guehi was adjudged to have handled the ball following an in-swinging corner, with the decision confirmed after the Video Assistant Referee advised Friend to go to the pitch-side monitor.

The result perhaps wasn’t a fair reflection of the game, though, with Palace having the better opportunities to win the closely fought encounter.

Substitute Christian Benteke had two golden opportunities to put the visitors ahead after Wilfried Zaha clipped a delightful ball to the back post before the Belgium international headed wide, and Illan Meslier just about kept out his effort after connecting with a long ball upfield.

However, the capital club’s backline looked suspect throughout the 90 minutes, not just when Guehi gifted Leeds a golden opportunity to claim their fourth top-flight victory of the campaign.

Experienced right-back Joel Ward struggled to cope with the pace of Dan James following the break, with the former Manchester United youngster playing two key passes and creating one big chance.

As per SofaScore, the 32-year-old was awarded a match rating of just 6.5 out of 10, the second-lowest total received by any of his teammates who featured from the off on Tuesday night, letting Vieira down as a result.

And when looking at his underlying numbers, it’s easy to understand why. Ward achieved a measly passing accuracy of 61%, won just 50% of his duels and had only 39 touches, one fewer than goalkeeper Vicente Guaita.

These figures highlight his underwhelming display, and Football.London reporter Mark Wyatt was equally disappointing with his sub-par showing.

“Solid outing in the first 45 minutes from Ward other than being booked, which means he’ll miss the next game against Manchester United. Less influential in the second period as Dan James got the beating of him on a couple of occasions,” wrote Wyatt after awarding him a lowly 5 out of 10.

With winnable fixtures against Everton, Southampton and Watford on the horizon for Palace, Vieira will be hoping one of his most experienced and reliable campaigners can get back to his best as soon as possible.

And, in other news…“I imagine”: Journo drops update over £7.2m-rated flop, Palace fans will be delighted