All posts by h79snht.top

According to a new update coming from Sky Sports, AC Milan are ready to enter the race to sign Bayern Munich’s Jerome Boateng and challenge Arsenal for his signature.

What’s the word, then?

Even though he is slowly but surely heading towards the end of his journey, Boateng still seems to be a player in high demand.

Sky Sports in Germany have revealed that the Rossoneri want to challenge Mikel Arteta for his target as the 31-year-old defender wants a transfer away from the Bundesliga in the winter.

Quickfire Quiz: How much do you know about Arsenal’s history in the January transfer window?

Bayern Munich don’t really have that many options for their backline, as the same source explains, seeing how they are still dealing with the injury of Lucas Hernandez, but would accept an offer around €15m (£12.8m).

Looking at Milan’s current situation, they could certainly use some experience and solidity at the back.

Verdict

The Rossoneri have been all over the place defensively in 2019/20 season.

So far, they have conceded a total of 24 goals in their first 19 games played and are far too leaky for their own good.

Not to mention that with the long-term injury to Leo Duarte, one of their fresh signings, and Ricardo Rodriguez, they are also rather thin at the back and a quality addition such as Boateng could be exactly what the doctor had ordered.

The 31-year-old German is also quite versatile and capable of playing both as a centre-back and as a full-back, according to the games Transfermarkt have in their database for the player in question.

This season, however, he hasn’t seen as much action as usual, seeing how he can only boast with 587 minutes across nine games played in the Bundesliga.

£12.8m for an experienced and proven defender like Boateng still feels like a steal and something the Rossoneri could definitely use to boost their 2019/20 campaign.

Meanwhile, one of Arsenal’s huge targets has received glowing endorsement from those who know him best…

Aston Villa are hoping to sign Steven Nzonzi on loan before the end of the January transfer window, as reported by The Mirror.

The midfielder, who is on the books of AS Roma, has been suspended by Galatasaray after a row during training, which has alerted Villa to the possibility of bringing him in on loan.

With the 31-year-old open to a Premier League return, and Villa able to bring multiple loanees in from overseas, there is a possibility that the move could materialise.

Watch Aston Villa Videos With StreamFootball.tv Below

This could prove to be an important acquisition for Dean Smith’s side, adding defensive solidity to a team that had already conceded 43 times in the league this campaign before the weekend’s fixtures – only Norwich City had conceded more.

Looking at Villa’s most predominant holding midfielders, they have not exactly been the embodiment of safety in recent times.

Douglas Luiz gave the ball away against Leicester City, which started the move that saw Kelechi Iheanacho score the Foxes’ equaliser in the Carabao Cup semi-final first leg.

Call yourself a Premier League expert? How much did each of these big-money January signings cost?

Marvelous Nakamba has not been without fault either, putting an opportunity on a plate for the prolific Danny Ings during the defeat against Southampton.

Considering Villa are in the relegation zone, despite having outscored anyone who is 11th or lower, they could use some defensive reinforcements – in addition to their need for another striker – and Nzonzi’s statistics in the Champions League show he could be of use.

In the Turkish Super Lig, some may argue that Nzonzi wouldn’t be coming up against high-level opposition, making it easier to defend.

However, these stats come from matches against Paris Saint Germain, Real Madrid and Club Brugge.

The Frenchman may have given away 1.6 fouls per game, but making a combined five contributions across the other four categories in the infographic shows how he can impact the opposition’s play.

This indicates that he could definitely be a useful presence in the middle of the pitch for Villa, as they hope to maintain their Premier League status past the current campaign.

Meanwhile, Alan Hutton has suggested that one Villa man has played his last game for the club.

According to Alan Nixon of The Sun, West Brom are moving in for Sheffield United striker Callum Robinson ahead of Friday’s transfer deadline as Slaven Bilic looks to bolster his frontline.

What’s the word?

It was revealed last week that Baggies boss Slaven Bilic wanted to add two new signings to his squad as they were linked to Dinamo Zagreb winger Mislav Orsic.

And now Nixon has mooted a fresh target as the Blades’ frontman appears to fit exactly what they require – a striker with pace.

Robinson only joined the Premier League newcomers in the summer for a record fee believed to be between £6-8m from Preston North End. He’s made 19 appearances this season, scoring just twice.

He tweeted:

The right addition?

Given the Baggies’ reported pursuit of attacking additions this month, it seems as if Bilic simply doesn’t trust what he already has at his disposal despite adding two strikers in the summer to Hal Robson-Kanu.

Kenneth Zohore, who joined for £8m, has failed to live up to his price tag having netted just three goals in the league all season, two of which were penalties.

Charlie Austin, who was a £4m signing, has found the net seven times but not for seven games now. Robson-Kanu has the same tally with the majority coming in substitute appearances.

Their new transfer target was quite prolific in the division for the Lilywhites last season, bagging 12 goals in 24 starts whilst also averaging 3 shots, 1.4 key passes and 1.3 dribbles per game, via WhoScored.

Only Matheus Pereira can get anywhere near the 24-year-old’s shot total (2.1).

Who the heck is that?! Can you name all of these obscure West Brom players…

It’s clear to see that Robinson would be an excellent addition at the Hawthorns as he could add goals as well as the sort of link-up play that Bilic would want to see – something he’s not been getting from the likes of Austin and Zohore.

And in other news, West Brom can resolve their defensive issues by upgrading Semi Ajayi with this colossus…

West Brom’s bid for promotion took another damning dent on Monday evening as they suffered a loss on the road, giving up their top spot to title rivals Leeds United.

The Baggies were defeated 2-1 at Cardiff City to make it seven straight league games without a victory.

Callum Paterson pounced on a rebound to give the home side the lead early in the second half before substitute Lee Tomlin won the game with a fine free-kick in the 76th minute, 15 minutes after Charlie Austin had equalised from the penalty spot.

And with the wheels quickly coming off their title quest, fans have taken to social media to vent their anger.

Young winger Kyle Edwards was one target, so here’s what they have been saying…

A recurring theme throughout the reaction was that the 21-year-old wasn’t good enough to put on the Albion shirt – words like “abysmal,” “terrible,” and “poor” were used to emphasise just how bad his performance was in their eyes.

One supporter singled out his crossing and claimed that he would struggle to deliver a pizza nevermind a cross whilst another labelled him a “one trick pony.”

Per SofaScore, Edwards lost possession 16 times, managed to swing in one successful cross from four attempts and only had a passing accuracy of 73%, so maybe some fans have a case to argue.

An extreme point of view was that the wide man would struggle in League Two.

Others started to make comparisons to other members of the Baggies squad…

One acknowledged that they were a weaker side without Grady Diangana, but the bigger problem was the fact that Edwards was his backup, describing him as the “most ineffective winger” he’s ever seen at the Hawthorns.

Another supporter added that he would rather see Chris Brunt at left midfield instead.

And finally, one last fan urged the club to hurry up and complete their transfer business so that they didn’t have to play the academy graduate ever again.

Edwards is reportedly due to sign a new lucrative contract extension in the near future.

Are you a Championship expert? How much did each of these big-money signings cost?

While in other news, Alan Nixon claims West Brom are moving in on this Premier League striker…

Thursday’s press conference at Thorp Arch was heavily focused around one man, Jean-Kevin Augustin.

Marcelo Bielsa did have a lot to talk about when it comes to the Frenchman’s start to life at Leeds United, and it was all incredibly interesting.

Before this chat with the media, you’d be forgiven for thinking the Argentine doesn’t rate the 22-year-old that highly because he has not appeared in a matchday squad yet.

However, his comments on Thursday indicate that he thinks he’s a top-quality striker.

What’s been said then?

The gaffer spoke very highly of his new loan signing.

Watch Leeds United Videos With StreamFootball.tv Below

“With his background, his skills and his characteristics, if he was playing then he would cost £30 million or £40 million,” Bielsa said.

So how on earth did Leeds manage to land him on loan? Well, the simple answer is that he hasn’t played much this season, he’s started just two games since the start of the campaign, and the Argentine believes that has led to him being captured without having to pay the huge fee the manager mentioned.

“You know that. Everyone knows that. If he arrives here it’s because he has to resolve a problem — that he wasn’t playing,” he continued.

Trigger his option to buy

While Bielsa may not want to play him at the moment due to his questionable fitness levels, it seems as though the 64-year-old has big plans for the Frenchman once he’s at the required standard.

It’s rare to have a player you feel is worth over £30m, even in the Premier League, and if Augustin does reach the potential that Bielsa has touted him with then the €21m (£17.7m) option to buy clause involved in his loan deal will look like an absolute bargain.

Bielsa knows what he’s talking about when it comes to football, and if he says a player is worth that much then he must have something about him.

In other news, Leeds’ recent woes may be down to two things that have changed.

So the Mikel Arteta revolution could be set for a huge period this summer.

After sacking Unai Emery, the Gunners turned to their former player to help them guide through for the next couple of seasons at least. And whilst only picking up one win in the Premier League since he took over is hardly a great start to life, Arteta has certainly made the north London side more hard to beat, losing just once in all competitions.

Naturally, he will want to build a squad in his own image and with his set of ideals, and according to The Sun, that could see the likes of Mesut Ozil, Alexandre Lacazette and Pierre-Emerick facing the axe.

Watch Arsenal Videos With StreamFootball.tv Below

The report claims Arteta is planning a “major shake-up”, and that the aforementioned trio are all under threat of being sold. It adds the Gunners head coach believes the team needs a lot of work done in the transfer market, with head of football Raul Sanllehi making it clear that no-one will be allowed to run down their contracts and leave on a free.

After hearing about the report, Arsenal fans took to Twitter to voice their thoughts on the situation.

A couple of fans expressed their satisfaction at possibly seeing a “major shake-up” of the squad, with one supporter in particular admitting the side needed a “proper rebuild”.

Some supporters voiced their affection for Arteta in particular for coming to this reported decision.

Whilst losing three of the club’s most high-profile players may be seen as a disastrous step backwards, it could also help revitalise the Gunners and ensure they can plan more effectively for the future.

The north London side have an abundance of youth talent just waiting for their chance to shine – the likes of Reiss Nelson, Joe Willock, Eddie Nketiah and Emile Smith Rowe to name but a few.

Can you name all of these obscure Arsenal signings? Give it a go now!

Getting rid of their big-money stars, and pressing ahead with Arteta’s vision for what the team should look like, could be the key to restoring their place at the top of the tree again.

Meanwhile, Arsenal must seal a summer swoop for this starlet who looked up to Robin van Persie.

Zenit St Petersburg striker Artem Dzyuba has claimed that Tottenham Hotspur attempted to sign him in the January transfer window, per Russia 24 via The Daily Mail.

What’s he said?

Spurs were seeking a striker in the January transfer window after Harry Kane sustained a ligament injury that could rule him out until the final two games of the season, per manager Jose Mourinho.

Sources told Football FanCast that there was interest in signing a number of forwards, including Chelsea’s Olivier Giroud, Real Betis’ Willian Jose, and AC Milan’s Krzysztof Piatek, who eventually joined Hertha Berlin.

And Dzyuba has now claimed that Spurs also initiated contact with him.

He said: “This winter, I see someone saying something. But nobody knows anything. Indeed, when Harry Kane at Tottenham broke down, people contacted me. From Jose Mourinho, as I understand it. But it was the New Year holidays, so Zenit said no. And that’s all.

“If Tottenham really wanted me, then I think they would be more insistent. That said, the interest was really there.”

No clues whatsoever: Which seasons do these iconic Spurs images belong to?

Not the worst idea

This was not at all a bad idea.

The 31-year-old, of course, does not really fit the profile of prospective Spurs signings due to his advanced age.

But with his contract set to expire at the end of the season, this could have been a cheap, easy deal for Spurs to pull off.

He is a full Russia international with 42 caps, has scored a total of 65 goals in 165 appearances for Zenit, and has 13 goals to his name this season in 26 games. He has also registered 11 assists.

While he is perhaps right that, were Spurs serious, they would have pulled out all the stops, this does not feel like it would have been a bad signing at all, particularly as a short-term fix.

Meanwhile, Spurs have a star-in-the-making in their ranks!

Wolves legend Steve Bull is the latest name to comment on the apparent worry surrounding manager Nuno Santo and a new contract.

What’s he said?

The west Midlander’s record goalscorer wrote his Express & Star column over the weekend where he played down any doubts and hinted towards how the Portuguese boss may be feeling.

In the build-up to their match against Leicester City last week, he was asked about the situation despite only signing a new contract at the start of last season and revealed that he is yet to be offered a new deal.

Bull has since chimed in with his thoughts, he said:

“However, while it is understandable that some are concerned, Nuno and Fosun both know what they are doing. There is no immediate rush.

“Come the summer, I’m sure the situation will have been sorted out.

“Nuno, though, has made it clear that he loves Wolves. It is in his heart. He has revealed he is yet to receive the offer of a new deal, but there was no element of frustration when he said it.

“The Portuguese seems relaxed and does not come across as the type of person to complain about those kinds of things.

“Nuno is a down-to-earth person and really seems happy here. And I think if they did offer him a contract, he would love it.”

Steve Bull, ex-Wolves striker.

Plenty of time

Nuno still has around 16 months to run on his current contract, so there’s by no means any rush to get it sorted right this minute.

Wolves have the mere matter of playing in the Europa League knockout stages this week whilst also trying to continue to compete in the Premier League too.

As Bull mentions, this summer will be the ideal opportunity to sit down and thrash out any deal.

Of course, early-season reports linking him to the Arsenal job will have created some sort of uncertainty in the minds of some, but there is no need for panic just yet.

Obscure Footballers – Old School edition: Nobody can score more than 70% on this quiz…

And in other news, Wolves fans vent ANGER at this manager’s VAR comments…

Sunderland needed late heroics to keep their rich vein of form going on Tuesday evening.

The Black Cats drew 1-1 to Fleetwood Town at the Stadium of Light to make it five games unbeaten in League One.

Max Power’s strike in the 97th minute salvaged Phil Parkinson a point with his side remaining fourth in the division.

But fans were far from pleased with the showing as they couldn’t capitalise on 63% possession and a total of 16 shots, per the BBC match report.

Sunderland striker Charlie Wyke came in for the most criticism following the match.

Here’s what has been said…

The 27-year-old was lamented for having a “horrendous” first touch and for winning next to nothing in the air whilst one supporter labelled him a “waste of time and space.”

“Garbage” and “very poor” were two other reviews of his performance last night.

Watch Sunderland Videos With StreamFootball.tv Below

Per SofaScore, he lost possession 15 times, had no shots at goal and won just 36% of his duels both on the ground and in the air. He also recorded the lowest rating of any Sunderland player (6.3).

A further fan even joked that Wyke was still yet to make it off the pitch as he was walking in treacle while wearing lead boots.

It has led to calls to drop the striker from some sections of the Black Cats faithful.

And as a result, it has sparked debate over who should take his position – if Parkinson is brave enough to replace him in the starting XI anytime soon.

One claimed Will Grigg was ten times the player of Wyke while another believes Kyle Lafferty offers so much more than the 6 foot 2 frontman.

Wyke was even brandished as the “worst no.9” in the club’s entire history and that Lafferty looks a lot more hungry and speedy in comparison.

For away day veterans only: Can you name all of these defunct stadiums?

And in other news, this ex-Black Cat reveals who has been the CATALYST to their form…

Tottenham Hotspur fans have hailed Giovani Lo Celso’s performance against Burnley.

The Argentine started the game on the bench but was introduced at half-time, with Spurs trailing after Chris Wood had given Sean Dyche’s men the lead.

And the midfielder played a key role in helping Spurs rescue a point from the game, with Dele Alli netting the equaliser from the penalty spot after Erik Lamela was fouled in the area.

Lo Celso had 51 touches of the ball throughout his 45 minutes on the pitch, per WhoScored, laid on one key pass, chalked up a passing accuracy of 84%, and was central to most of what Spurs did well in the second half.

No clues whatsoever: Which seasons do these iconic Spurs images belong to?

Indeed, nearly every move appeared to flow through the 23-year-old and fans were in awe of his performance.

While it may have been a surprise to see him start the game on the bench, his impact was not unnoticed, with many believing his introduction turned the tide of the game.

Spurs had just one shot on goal in the first half but were much more dynamic in attack in the second, ending the game with 13 shots on Nick Pope’s net.

Lo Celso has played a role in every league game in 2020; expect that to continue if he keeps up his performance levels.

Meanwhile, Spurs will count the cost of Jose Mourinho’s demands!