All posts by h716a5.icu

Leeds United are enduring a tough season, in which Javi Garcia has been handed the unenviable task of rescuing a team that was in freefall under Jesse Marsch.

The Spaniard was only gifted the job following the conclusion of the January transfer window, so inherits a squad largely made up of players purchased by the previous two managers.

It seems that a lack of urgency to correct the big issues in the squad was the downfall of both Marcelo Bielsa and Marsch, with the former refusing to bolster his thin squad and the latter wasting huge amounts of money on several players who are yet to make an impact.

Despite this contrast, one huge let-down that springs to mind of the Argentine’s tenure is Daniel James, who was signed from rivals Manchester United back in the summer of 2021. 

The Welsh speedster was expected to supplement an already free-flowing Whites front line, however, it quickly became apparent that he lacked the quality and cutting edge to be relied upon at the lower end of the table. 

It resulted in a gruesome relegation battle, in which survival was only earned on the final day of the season.

How much has Dan James cost Leeds in total?

His acquisition was not cheap, as the Whites were forced to stump up £25m to tempt James from Old Trafford.

It was not the first time a player had made the switch between these two bitter rivals, but it certainly left the Manchester club delighted having only signed the winger two years earlier for £15m.

Having been handed a mouth-watering £50k-per-week wage, with hindsight it was a foolish move to reward a player who had done little to warrant such a huge expenditure.

The 25-year-old would then make just 40 appearances for the club, scoring four and assisting just five before being forced out on loan to Fulham. He is poised to return at this season’s conclusion; something which Gracia will hardly be eagerly awaiting.

When factoring in his wage for his sole year in Yorkshire alongside his transfer fee, in total he has already cost the club £27.6m. What makes it worse is that this is a figure that is only set to increase.

Bielsa did many great things for the club, but convincing Andrea Radrizzani to make this move was not one of them.

Journalist Tom Dutton put it best when he wrote on Twitter: “Dan James is a pace merchant with poor final ball and awful decision making. Not sure how he ever got a move to United.”

That burning question still remains, as his move to Leeds seems equally perplexing given its failure thus far.

Insider ExWHUemployee has slammed the West Ham United board, who are supposedly hesitant to sack manager David Moyes and hire a new boss due to the financial cost of his compensation.

What’s the latest on David Moyes and WHUFC?

After a humiliating 4-0 drubbing at the hands of Brighton in the Premier League over the weekend, the Hammers’ season took another step in the wrong direction.

Indeed, they now sit just one point above the relegation zone and understandably club manager Moyes is under an ever-growing amount of pressure.

However, the latest reports suggest that the board remain by the 59-year-old. While talking on The West Ham Way podcast, Ex confirmed this but also revealed that this was partly due to financial reasons.

He explained: “The words I have been given is he’s under pressure but still 100% backed. So they’re still behind him.

“They think there’s very few alternatives out there and any process to get an alternative – I.e. sacking Moyers and having to pay compensation and then either having to pay the compensation for a manager that’s got a club or pay high wages for a top manager that hasn’t got a club – is beyond what the finances they want to spend.

“Which really is ridiculous because obviously, the loss of finances by getting relegated would far outweigh that.”

What does the West Ham board’s stance on Moyes mean?

It feels as though Moyes has lost a big section of support from within the club’s fanbase. After all, at Brighton the away end sang toward their own manager: “You’re getting sacked in the morning”.

That certainly doesn’t bode well and even while the board may want to stand by him, if the supporters all turn, it won’t take long before things really become toxic at West Ham.

As per Transfermarkt, Moyes has a contract that runs until 2024, so he would have to be paid a decent chunk of compensation if he is sacked. And obviously, whoever they bring in to replace him will cost a pretty penny regardless of their current situation (unless they opted to make an internal hire by promoting an assistant coach or someone like that).

But even though it might cost the club in the short term to change managers, if the board do nothing and allow the Hammers to drop out of the Premier League, that would no doubt be far more damaging financially.

Transfer expert Dean Jones says that Conor Coady could leave Everton after his loan spell ends, even if they stay up in the Premier League.

The Lowdown: Permanent deal expected

It was reported last month that Everton ‘expect’ to sign Coady on a permanent deal this summer, as they have a £4.5m option to buy in his contract.

They ‘fully intend’ to trigger the option, and Sean Dyche is thought to be a ‘big admirer’ of the central defender.

Coady himself is ‘very happy’ at Goodison Park, and would be ‘eager’ to stay rather than go back to Wolves.

The Latest: Uncertain future

Speaking to GiveMeSport however, Jones says that there are ‘doubts’ Coady will stay if the Merseyside club are relegated, but contrary to reports, staying up does not necessarily mean that he will stay either:

“If Everton go down, there are definitely doubts about him staying, even if they stay up, I’m not wholly sure if he’s going to be staying either. It’s a strange one, but Conor Coady is an uncertain situation.”

The Verdict: Keep him

Coady may have lost his place in the starting line-up in recent games, but Dyche’s team should still be looking to keep him beyond this season, with £4.5m a potential bargain for what he could offer.

The England international has actually been one of the Toffees’ standout performers, ranking highly among his team-mates for average aerial duels won, as well as clearances, blocks and passes per match, while he has contributed a goal and an assist at the other end of the pitch (WhoScored).

He has also been lauded as having ‘quality‘ and leadership skills by pundit Noel Whelan, and is a great character to have in the dressing room, regardless of whether he starts games or not.

Wolverhampton Wanderers could take a big step towards Premier League safety on Saturday afternoon as they take on Leeds United at Molineux.

Julen Lopetegui's side will be desperate for three points against their relegation rivals and the Spanish manager can give his side the edge by unleashing talented winger Pedro Neto.

Should Pedro Neto start against Leeds?

The former Lazio man has missed much of this season after picking up an ankle injury in October but made his return to action earlier this month, playing 45 minutes against both Tottenham Hotspur and Newcastle United.

Like several other attackers in Wolves' squad, the 23-year-old has failed to score or assist in any of his 11 Premier League appearances this season but deserves an opportunity to rediscover the form that established himself as one of the brightest prospects in England just a couple of years ago, with Alan Shearer labelling him a "huge talent" after a goal against Southampton.

The 2020/21 campaign saw Neto register an impressive five goals and six assists in 31 Premier League appearances, with WhoScored awarding him a strong 7.11 rating for his performances.

He has struggled immensely with injuries in the two subsequent campaigns but now that he is back to full fitness, he will be hoping to play a big part in Lopetegui's side for the remainder of the season, as the Old Gold look to avoid relegation back to the Championship.

Saturday's game against Leeds represents an ideal opportunity for Neto to make his mark, as the Whites possess one of the poorest defensive records in the division, with only Bournemouth, Leicester City, Nottingham Forest and Southampton conceding more.

Javi Gracia's side have something of a liability at left-back, with Junior Firpo having struggled at the back since joining the club from Barcelona, with WhoScored awarding him a disappointing 6.59 average rating so far this term.

Paul Robinson didn't hold back in his criticism of Junior Firpo on BBC Radio 5 Live (26/2, 12:52) after Leeds lost against Tottenham Hotspur last season.

He said:

“Kulusevski picked the ball up in the corner, he was one-on-one with Firpo. All the defender had to do was put in a simple tackle. It is terrible, schoolboy defending. Inexcusable.”

Should Lopetegui deploy Neto on the right wing at Molineux, he could cause Firpo all sorts of problems by cutting in on his stronger left foot, as it will force the Spaniard to defend with his weaker right foot.

Wolves have struggled to create and score chances this season but must start on the front foot against a Leeds side low on confidence, and unleashing Neto against a struggling Firpo could be the key to Lopetegui's side earning all three points this weekend.

Journalist Steve Bates says that Arsenal could ‘definitely’ sign Manchester City defender Joao Cancelo if he is made available in the summer.

The Lowdown: Unhappy at Bayern

There have been reports that Cancelo is already unhappy at Bayern Munich, who he was loaned out to by City in the January transfer window.

He is thought to be ‘frustrated’ at his lack of game time of late, having only started in four of seven games since arriving in Germany, with no starts coming in his last three matches in all competitions.

Pep Guardiola has already admitted that he does not know what will happen with Cancelo after his loan spell ends, citing his frustration at his lack of game time at City as well, he was left on the bench on Premier League games before moving to the Allianz Arena.

Bayern themselves are thought to be hesitant about paying the €70m (£61m) option to sign Cancelo on a permanent deal, so it will be interesting to see where his future lies.

The Latest: Arsenal could ‘definitely’ sign Cancelo

Speaking to GiveMeSport, Bates says that Arsenal would be one of the clubs who could ‘definitely’ sign Cancelo in the summer, if City allowed him to leave:

“I’ve seen reports that Bayern Munich may not pursue him at the end of the loan deal.

“They don’t have an agreement obligating them to sign him, and if he’s not pulling up any trees at the moment, then I can’t see them pushing ahead with that.

“Chelsea and Arsenal have been linked with him and there’s no doubt that if he was to be sold by Manchester City, then a lot of Premier League clubs in the top four or five would definitely be after him, as would many of the top clubs in Europe.

“I think Real Madrid have been looking at him as well.”

The Verdict: Why not?

The Gunners have already signed Gabriel Jesus and Oleksandr Zinchenko from City with the help of their former assistant manager Mikel Arteta, so Cancelo is another player who could thrive in a different environment in North London.

Hailed as a ‘special player’ by journalist Josh Bunting, the Portugal international has already helped City win two Premier League titles, among other accolades.

Nonetheless, his ability to play at both right-back and left-back would also offer the Gunners extra versatility in those areas, and so this deal seems like a no-brainer if it can be done.

Manchester United goalkeeper Dean Henderson looks set to leave Old Trafford on a permanent basis over the coming months, Football Insider report.

What’s the latest on Dean Henderson’s future?

The Red Devils shot-stopper is currently out on a season-long loan with Premier League rivals Nottingham Forest having not played a single minute under Erik ten Hag after he took over.

The 26-year-old has made 20 appearances in all competitions under Steve Cooper, keeping six clean sheets, but has been out through injury since the end of January, resulting in Forest bringing in Keylor Navas from Paris Saint-Germain until the end of the season.

Despite this, Forest are still reportedly keen to sign Henderson on a permanent basis over the coming months, providing they remain in the Premier League, with Tottenham also thought to be interested in his services.

There was previous speculation suggesting that the goalkeeper is ‘unlikely to be welcomed back to Old Trafford when his loan at Nottingham Forest expires after criticising Ten Hag’, and a further update has emerged.

Reporter Pete O’Rourke shared a transfer column for Football Insider and touched on Henderson’s future at Old Trafford, saying that it is ‘over’. Henderson has reportedly accepted his fate and is pushing for a permanent exit as a result. He is also aware that United are in the market for a new goalkeeper to rival David de Gea, and not willing to play second fiddle, wants regular first-team minutes elsewhere, looking to force his way back into the England setup.

Will United regret selling Henderson?

Henderson has made 29 appearances for the Red Devils, and at one point, was mooted as De Gea’s long-term replacement at Old Trafford. However, De Gea swiftly returned as first choice and has remained so under Ten Hag during the current campaign.

Henderson, hailed as "insane" by former teammate Sander Berge, has been solid at the City Ground this season, keeping six clean sheets. He could have been a shrewd option to rival De Gea, however, his criticism of Ten Hag and desire to play regularly appears to have made the club’s decision relatively straightforward.

Only time will tell if United are right to cash in on the goalkeeper, however, what is important is that a new shot-stopper arrives this summer to challenge or cover for De Gea, especially as Jack Butland is only on loan from Crystal Palace and 36-year-old Tom Heaton is out of contract in the summer.

Manchester United are believed to be "monitoring" Barcelona youngster Ansu Fati ahead of a potential summer move, according to a new update.

Could Fati leave Barcelona this summer?

The Red Devils may have a more formidable look to them these days, but it is still clear that further reinforcements are needed at the end of the season. Recent defeats away to Liverpool and Newcastle United have shown that United still have some flaws and that squad depth needs to be improved moving forward, in order to become genuine Premier League title challengers again.

One area of the pitch could do with extra elite quality is in attack, with Marcus Rashford clearly in sensational form but the other options arguably not the greatest. Antony has contributed positively in his first season at Old Trafford but has also blown hot and cold, while Jadon Sancho continues to flatter to deceive in a United shirt, with the pair contributing just seven league goals between them.

A player who could potentially be available this summer is Fati, who has been linked with a move away from Barca this summer, having struggled to consistently nail down a place in Xavi's team this season, making only 10 starts in La Liga overall. Now, a fresh claim has emerged regarding the 20-year-old, who has a €1billion (£879m) release clause in his contract.

Are United an option for Fati?

According to Football Insider's Pete O'Rourke, United are "monitoring Fati’s situation" currently, as they weigh up a possible summer bid. Chelsea are in the same boat, however, as the Blues also look to make significant reinforcements in the summer window.

Manchester City have been put on "red alert", too, with the attacking youngster "frustrated with his game time at Barcelona and with his father "publicly speaking out about his anger towards his lack of minutes".

While Fati's reputation has dipped a little in recent times, with Pedri and Gavi the new lauded young pair at Camp Nou, he remains a footballer of incredible promise, having been hailed as "dangerous" by Xavi. He already has 97 appearances to his name for Barca, as well as seven caps for Spain, despite being just 20, so he could develop under Erik ten Hag.

A devastating wide man with pace and unpredictability in abundance, he could come in as a strong rival for both Rashford and Antony, possibly even playing with the pair if the former is moved to a more central role next season, depending on whether or not a new striker comes in.

Journalist Fabrizio Romano has name-dropped striker Dusan Vlahovic as a possible transfer target this summer for Manchester United.

What's the latest on Dusan Vlahovic and Man Utd?

It seems quite likely that the Red Devils will be in the market for a new centre-forward when the Premier League season comes to an end.

Indeed, Wout Weghorst's loan will not likely lead to a permanent transfer from Burnley, and so this could open the door to an exciting new arrival at Old Trafford.

Tottenham Hotspur ace Harry Kane has been widely mentioned in the media as a target but the club will of course have alternative options to consider.

With that in mind, it sounds as though Juventus 23-year-old Vlahovic could be one name to look out for over the coming months.

While speaking about the latest rumours on The United Stand, Romano explained his full understanding of the situation.

He said (8:10): I would keep an eye on Vlahovic too, for example. Vlahovic is another one who could be interesting.

"I think it's going to be a very interesting summer for strikers because Man United will be there, because for sure Paris Saint-Germian will be there for a striker.”

Would Vlavovic leave Juventus?

According to reports, Vlavovic is paid €249,231 per week at Juve around (£220k-p/w). While he only joined the Italian club in January 2022 for £66.6m.

With that in mind, if Man United do want to get a deal done, he certainly won't come cheap. What's more, with Romano mentioning PSG as well, it sounds as though this won't exactly be an easy deal to pull off.

Even so, despite still being just 23, he has already proven himself to be a top goalscoring. At Fiorentina, he netted 49 goals in 108 games, while at Juve he has 20 in 52.

Despite all that, there was talk this winter that the Serbian striker could leave Juventus in 2023. Indeed, journalist Ben Jacobs explained: "Told there is a very real possibility Dusan Vlahovic will leave Juventus in 2023. A January exit is not being ruled out by those close to him. Several top European clubs are in touch with his agent."

And while Vlahovic remains in Italy for the time being, it does sound as though he could be on the market this summer so it will be interesting to see if Man United try and pounce.

Aston Villa winger Leon Bailey has praised in-form teammate Ollie Watkins on Instagram after the striker impressed yet again this weekend.

What's the latest on Ollie Watkins and Aston Villa?

It's been a fine few months for the Villans under Unai Emery and this was well summed up with their Premier League win on Saturday.

Indeed, playing host to Champions League hopefuls Newcastle United, the home side brushed past the Magpies with a comfortable 3-0 win.

At the very heart of the display was Watkins who set up the first goal for Jacob Ramsey before getting his name on the score sheet with two second-half efforts.

The £75k-p/w star has been in fine form and it seems as though his teammates are happy to dish out the praise.

Indeed, Watkins took to Instagram to share a picture of himself with the caption: "2 goals, 1 assist and most importantly a huge 3 points."

Bailey then added his own comment, writing: "Out of this world atp!!!"

How many goals has Watkins scored for Emery?

With that being his 11th goal in his last 12 league games, Watkins has been symbolic of the brilliant form Villa have found under their new manager.

Indeed, under Emery, the 27-year-old has directly contributed to 17 goals in 19 matches (with four of those being assists).

Such form has understandably fired Villa up the table from being potentially relegation-threatened under former coach Steven Gerrard, to now within six points of a Champions League spot.

Watkins has more combined goals and assists since the turn of the year (14) than Erling Haaland (13). He explained his improved form when talking to the press recently (via BirminghamLive).

Indeed, he said: “I’m being smart with my runs. Before maybe I was running into the channels and into the corners and doing a lot of work for the team. Now I’m staying within the width of the box and timing my runs.

“I work on specific movements during the week and try to replicate it in the game. When the players get [the ball] I know what to do. I stay patient even if I’m not getting the ball because it only takes one moment to drop and you’ve got to take it. It’s about having a clear mindset and being ready when the opportunity comes.”

With all that in mind, it's little wonder Villa teammates such as Bailey are so happy to dish out the praise publically.

While Champions League qualification is the primary focus for Newcastle United at present, it won't be too long before the excitement begins to build regarding potential summer arrivals, with the rumour mill already starting to churn ahead of the upcoming window.

One notable piece of speculation in recent times has been the links to Leicester City winger, Harvey Barnes, with transfer insider Graeme Bailey reporting earlier this week that the Magpies have "done their homework" on the impressive Englishman.

In the attached piece for 90min, the report suggests that the 25-year-old is ready to leave the King Power Stadium at the end of the season – despite still having two years left to run on his existing deal – with the Tynesiders among those who are interested in securing his signature, as well as that of teammate, James Maddison.

The Burnley-born forward – who was previously hailed as a "real catalyst" by former boss Brendan Rodgers earlier in the campaign – has been a real shining light in an otherwise grim season for the relegation-threatened Foxes, with the hope being that the £40k-per-week man can replicate his standout form at St James' Park.

Would Barnes be a good signing for Newcastle?

The 5 foot 9 speedster has been a real consistent threat in recent years for the Midlands outfit, having scored 42 goals and provided 32 assists in 181 games in all competitions to date, having done much of his damage down the left flank in that time.

While the one-time West Bromwich Albion loanee has still only earned one cap for his country at senior level, the wide man is a truly "unbelievable" talent – as per Liverpool boss Jurgen Klopp – with a move to an ambitious outfit such as Newcastle having no doubt been warranted.

As far as Eddie Howe's side are concerned, it will be of interest that Barnes is said to share a number of stylistic and statistical similarities with Manchester United talisman, Marcus Rashford, according to FBref, with the pair both wreaking havoc down the left side for their respective clubs.

That likeness between the two compatriots is also showcased by their prowess in front of goal with the Leicester ace having scored ten Premier League goals this season, with Rashford – who has 28 to his name in all competitions – is slightly ahead having scored 15 times in the top-flight.

Equally, the two men also mirror each with their creative quality as Barnes has racked up 85 progressive carries and 65 progressive passes from 28 league games this season as a marker of his front-foot approach, while the Old Trafford star has recorded 66 and 62 for the same two metrics, respectively, from his 29 league appearances.

That comparison to Rashford will be of intrigue to those on Tyneside as the Red Devils ace has been in rampant form so far this season, having notably been hailed as "unstoppable" by manager Erik ten Hag due to his goalscoring exploits.

For Howe and co to find their own version of the devastating forward in the form of Barnes would be a real coup, with that potential signing likely to help bolster a forward line that is currently beginning to fire with Alexander Isak as the figurehead.