Tag Futebol

Qatari investors looking to complete a takeover at Manchester United are growing in confidence over a deal, according to Football Insider.

The Lowdown: Takeover plans

Reports last month suggested that Qatari investors were planning a mega-money swoop at Old Trafford and had big plans.

The Qatari group wanted ‘things done quickly’ so they could help Erik ten Hag with transfer funds heading into the summer, with stadium redevelopment and fan engagement also at the heart of their bid.

The Latest: Positive update

Adam Williams, FI’s finance and governance correspondent, shared a story in the last 48 hours regarding Qatari investors.

The title of the story claimed that the Qatari investors are in pole position to buy Manchester United, adding that they ‘are growing in confidence as fewer bidders than expected have met the Glazer family’s deadline for offers’.

[web_stories_embed url=”https://www.footballtransfertavern.com/web-stories/latest-man-utd-news-11/” title=”Latest Man Utd news!” poster=”” width=”360″ height=”600″ align=”none”]

The Verdict: Record-breaking?

The Glazers value the club at around £6billion, which could see United become the most expensive sports team ever ahead of the Denver Broncos.

However, none of the bids received have matched their valuation yet, so a takeover could need some work despite this positive feeling involving Qatari investors.

Reports elsewhere suggest that a takeover is more likely to happen in May, so it looks as if speculation may continue over the coming months, but Ten Hag will have all of his focus on playing matters, with the Red Devils still in three more competitions after winning the Carabao Cup.

Wolverhampton Wanderers have enjoyed considerable success since monumentally clinching promotion from the Championship in 2019, since enjoying a European campaign and a resounding period in the club’s distinguished history.

While the lion-share of the outfit’s endeavours have been fruitful, with a stark decline into relegation peril this season combated by the fantastic managerial appointment of Julen Lopetegui, there is one trick missed on the transfer front that could have bore fruit for the Midlands club.

Indeed, in 2019, one season after winning the second tier and returning to the Premier League, Wolves were interested in a deal for Brentford defender Ezri Konsa, but the Express & Star reported that a deal was unlikely in the weeks preceding the centre-back’s £12m move to Midlands rivals Aston Villa.

With The Times previously reporting the Midlands side were heavily interested, club owner Jeff Shi must be red in the face about an inability to get the deal over the line, with Konsa now worth as much as £36m, according to Football Transfers.

Konsa has been an ever-present for Villa since his arrival, forging 121 displays, scoring six goals and serving two assists, and he has indeed been a big part behind the club’s efforts in cementing top-flight status and now pushing for an ascension towards the upper end of the table.

And this term, he has started 20 of the 21 fixtures in the Premier League, unwavering in his position for Unai Emery’s resurgent Claret & Blue.

As per Sofascore, the 25-year-old has recorded a solid average rating of 6.83 in the league this year, making 3.1 clearances and 1.3 tackles, completing 87% of his passes and incredibly winning 87% of his ground duels.

This robust nature encapsulates the demeanour that Old Gold defenders have held on the pitch since the Premier League revival; Conor Coady, now on-loan at Everton, has been the “leader” – as hailed by Ross Gregory – for the club, while Roman Saiss and Willy Boly were tenacious and imposing presences.

And Konsa, who stands at 6-foot, is the “unflappable” force – as once dubbed by Mat Kendrick – that the club could have utilised to full effect.

While Wolves have enjoyed success without Konsa within the ranks, he might have flourished within former boss Nuno Espirito Santo’s system, and certainly would make an impact for the club at present, under Lopetegui.

While the Old Gold have endured, Konsa could have signed for just £12m, and now worth as much as £36m, it is a missed deal that the hierarchy will indeed rue.

Manchester United take on Reading in the FA Cup on Saturday in a fixture that could further embolden a thriving squad under the tutelage of Dutch manager Erik ten Hag.

While Reading play their football a division below Premier League giants United, the Red Devils will need to ensure any shred of complacency remains a distance away from Old Trafford, with the club facing a glorious chance of creeping closer to clinching silverware for the first time since 2017.

Indeed, after a dreadful campaign last year, United have reintroduced the spark and guile that used to be embedded within the DNA of one of the game’s most prestigious outfits of all time.

And with success still attainable across every possible front, reaching the fifth round of the FA Cup would be a perfect continuation of the good work, with the club having won ten of their past 12 matches across all competitions.

While rotation will likely be utilised amid the incessant swarm of fixtures that will not abate as the season stretches on, Ten Hag will look to field a starting line-up capable of flourishing, but there is indeed one player scarcely seen within the Theatre of Dreams this season that might take to the stage once again.

While £85m summer signing Antony has divided opinion since his arrival, and must improve swiftly, Jason Sancho is the player that could most richly benefit from being given a platform to perform at the centre of United’s forthcoming outing.

Sancho, who has not played a minute of competitive action since United’s 1-1 draw with Chelsea in October, returned to first-team training this week, and an encounter against the likes of the Royals could be the perfect starter for a successful recipe across the coming months.

Arriving in Manchester for a lucrative £73m from Borussia Dortmund in 2021, the 22-year-old has not quite sparked into life as many expected, having only scored eight goals from 52 appearances since his debut, but he featured regularly under Ten Hag’s wing since the start of the season before falling absent due to “physical and mental issues”, as per his manager.

But with his 20/21 campaign – his swan-song with the Yellow Wall – the “robust” gem, as he was once heralded by Dortmund sporting director Michael Zorc, plundered 16 goals and 20 assists across 38 appearances, flourishing as one of football’s most prodigious young talents with devastating regularity.

As per WhoScored, the phenom has maintained a career passing accuracy of 85.1%, while averaging 1.2 shots and 1.7 key passes per outing, and should he channel the very best of his output once more, he could yet send the Old Trafford faithful into rapture.

If Man United stick to the script that has ushered in the vibrant purple patch since the conclusion of the World Cup, Ten Hag will take the club a step closer to FA Cup glory and maintain the current fight across all fronts, and with Sancho’s inclusion, prospects will only be more fruitful, both for the football club and the player himself.

Liverpool hosted Chelsea in their Premier League clash at Anfield this afternoon and Jurgen Klopp will be disappointed with yet another lacklustre display that left the score-line at a stalemate 0-0.

This is the third time in a row the two teams have failed to score against each other within 90 minutes and the fifth consecutive draw when the sides have met in all competitions.

Despite a disappointing result, Liverpool have moved up to eighth in the league table following a point earned in the clash which will be barely a consolation for the Reds as they could be 12 points adrift of the top four if Newcastle United win their game against Crystal Palace tonight.

Over the performance, Klopp’s side had less possession (48%), fewer big chances created (1 v 3) and fewer accurate passes completed (373 v 428), however, the Merseysiders did have more shots in total (15 v 11) and more shots on target (3 v 2) than Graham Potter’s side but ultimately didn’t have enough to steal the game.

In the first half, it looked like Liverpool were set to concede another early goal in the fourth minute when Kai Havertz found the back of the net but it was quickly overturned by VAR as offside leading into an otherwise uneventful half.

In the second half, despite having 10 shots on goal, Liverpool continued to struggle to find the back of the net whilst Chelsea stagnated with no threats on target for Alisson Becker to worry about, leaving the two teams to share the spoils in the foggy North West at 0-0 on the final whistle.

It was a poor performance across the pitch and on both sides but there was one player in particular who failed to get stuck into his role for Liverpool today and ended the game with fewer touches than Alisson.

Over his anonymous 82-minute performance, Harvey Elliott – who was dubbed “miscast” by journalist Tom Reed – made just 24 accurate passes, lost possession of the ball every 3.5 touches, failed to complete 100% of his crosses and lost 50% of his duels combined, as well as making no dribble attempts, taking no shots on goal and no tackles throughout his display on the left wing.

Indeed, the youngster was playing out of position with Elliott more commonly occupying a role on the right wing or attacking midfield roles, however, the poor work rate displayed by the player today will surely leave his German coach frustrated.

With that being said, the chance of finishing in a Champions League qualifying spot is becoming more and more difficult for Liverpool as each fixture passes and now Klopp will need to look to the next game for another opportunity to close the gap and climb the table before it’s too late.

Liverpool have been linked with a move for Youri Tielemans for almost a year now, and a new update has emerged on the club’s pursuit of the Belgian.

What’s the latest?

According to TEAMtalk, the Reds are tracking several Premier League midfielders this month, including the Leicester City star.

As per the report, Liverpool will have competition from Arsenal, although it is claimed that if the Merseyside club can meet Tielemans’ wage demands, the 25-year-old will become their signing.

Bargain Bellingham alternative

It is no secret that the powers at Anfield love a bargain when recruiting for their successful squad, and former sporting director Michael Edwards was an expert in not only getting a good price for outgoing players but also identifying signings who could make a credible impact in the team for the right price.

Liverpool are in a period of transition when it comes to their midfield personnel, with a number of their current crop either out of contract at the end of the season or reaching the latter stages of their careers, and the need for change couldn’t be more glaringly obvious when reflecting on the team’s performance’s so far in 2022/23.

The Reds are currently sixth in the Premier League after a number of lacklustre and uninspiring performances which have seen them drop a number of points over their first 17 games, with defeats to the likes of Nottingham Forest, Leeds United and more recently Brentford.

Furthermore, the Reds have crashed out of the Carabao Cup after losing to Manchester City in the fourth round and await an FA Cup replay at Wolverhampton Wanderers after a 2-2 draw last weekend.

As a result, the need for reinforcements has perhaps never been so desperate for Jurgen Klopp since his arrival at the club in 2015, and Tielemans could be the perfect profile of player to be part of the midfield rebuild.

Liverpool have been heavily linked with a move for Jude Bellingham also, but with a £129m price tag on the Englishman, it would be an expensive commitment for FSG. It also goes against the kind of austere transfer business to which the club has been accustomed, so Tielemans could be a bargain alternative considering that he is set to be a free agent in the summer.

As per FBref, the £35k-per-week Foxes ace ranks in the top 20% of his positional peers across the top five European leagues over the last 12 months for shots on goal, shot-creating actions, progressive passes completed, tackles and blocks. This shows that he is both effective in defensive and attacking play, and he has continued to shine this season despite Leicester’s struggles.

Across 18 Premier League appearances in the current campaign, Tielemans – who was dubbed “one of Europe’s top midfielders” by his manager Brendan Rodgers – has scored three goals, registered one assist, created six big chances and successfully completed 71% of his dribbles. He has also averaged 1.1 key passes, 2.2 tackles, 1.2 shots on goal and 4.3 duels won per game.

Indeed, it is not hard to see why the Belgian midfielder is attracting attention from the likes of Newcastle United and Arsenal alongside Liverpool, as his hard-working attitude reflected in his output on the pitch would be a valuable asset to any club challenging near the top of the Premier League.

Signing Tielemans would be a major coup for Liverpool and could ultimately save them hundreds of millions if the club are unable to seal a deal for Bellingham this year.

An update has emerged on Tottenham Hotspur and their pursuit of Juventus midfielder Adrien Rabiot ahead of the January transfer window…

What’s the talk?

According to TUTTOmercatoWEB, Spurs are ‘moving decisively’ to secure a deal to sign the French international heading into the second half of the campaign.

The report claims that the player is not willing to put pen to paper on a new contract with the Old Lady and that fellow Premier League side Arsenal are also in the race for his signature.

Rabiot is set to leave the Italian giants upon the expiry of his current deal at the end of the season but it remains to be seen whether Tottenham are hoping to land him on a pre-contract agreement or in a cut-price January swoop.

It has been reported, by Corriere dello Sport, that Juventus would be willing to sell the Frenchman next month if an offer in the region of €15m (£13m) came in.

Arturo Vidal 2.0

Antonio Conte has worked with a number of talented midfielders throughout his career and Rabiot could be the next one to thrive under his management.

One player who caught the eye in the middle of the park whilst working with the Italian coach was Chilean enforcer Arturo Vidal, who played for him at Juventus and Inter.

He played 141 games across four seasons with Conte and produced 36 goals and 21 assists in that time, whilst he has a career average of 4.6 tackles and interceptions per game.

Vidal was a combative, quality, midfielder for the Spurs boss for several seasons and Rabiot could be the next version of the current Flamengo dynamo.

Italian icon Gianluigi Buffon once likened the gem to the Chile international, saying: “He is a fantastic mix, he has the physical strength of Pogba, who is like a wardrobe, has the personality of Vidal and potentially the dynamism of Marchisio. He is incredible, extremely strong.”

Rabiot, who plays for Vidal’s former team Juventus, has a career average of 3.3 tackles and interceptions per match and has chipped in with 32 goals and 26 assists in his club career.

In the Serie A this season, the 27-year-old has averaged a Sofascore rating of 7.29 across 11 appearances. He has scored three goals and provided two assists, whilst also making 3.0 tackles and interceptions and completing 86% of his attempted passes per outing.

These statistics show that the maestro is capable of delivering excellent performances on a regular basis and that he is – like Vidal was for Conte – a combative midfielder who can also produce moments of quality in the final third to win matches for his side.

Everton are in desperate need of reinforcements in their attacking third after losing Richarlison to Tottenham Hotspur in the summer and Dominic Calvert-Lewin’s constant suffering with fitness issues has left them struggling in the Premier League for the second consecutive season.

Indeed, the Toffees did sign Neal Maupay and Dwight McNeil in the summer transfer window but with just three goals scored between the pair, it is clear that the two forwards do not possess the quality and prolific finishing the team is crying out for.

As a result, there is no doubt that the powers at Goodison Park will be working alongside Frank Lampard to identify a forward who can transform the attacking threat and convert the goal-scoring opportunities handed to them.

One player on Everton’s radar since the summer is Benfica and Portugal striker Goncalo Ramos and the 21-year-old has now proved he is worth his weight in gold after a monumental performance for his nation at the World Cup last night.

The Portuguese talent was given the nod over none other than Cristiano Ronaldo to start in the round of 16 knock-out clash against Switzerland, and Ramos certainly didn’t let the pressure of filling his captain’s boots in front of goal stop him from stealing the headlines in the 6-1 victory.

Over his 74-minute performance, Ramos scored three goals, delivered one assist and made two key passes, as well as completing two clearances, and winning four duels, becoming the second youngest player to score a World Cup knock-out hat-trick behind only Brazilian legend Pele.

Ian Wright heaped praise on the young striker following his performance against Switzerland, hailing Ramos in his post-match analysis:

“It was very impressive, he played very well, scored a hat trick and takes all the headlines and rightly so,”

“He held the ball up brilliantly but the first goal it set the stall for him.”

Gary Lineker went on to dub his achievements as “remarkable” and on the evidence of last night, he’d be a mighty fine replacement for Richarlison – a man who with three goals of his own in Qatar has also been exceptional.

It was reported a few months ago that Ramos is valued at around £25m by Benfica, however, as he continues to shine and progress in the prestigious international tournament and interest grows, it would not be surprising to see that value increase astronomically.

With that being said, it is clear that Ramos is a huge talent and the striker could finally be the right replacement for Richarlison that Everton are desperately searching for, but they will need to make a tempting offer to secure his signature and fend off competitors.

Newcastle United are reportedly of interest to Liverpool boss Jurgen Klopp, sparking speculation that the German could open to a move to St James’ Park.

What’s the word?

That’s according to Football Insider, who claimed that the German is currently “obsessed” with the developments at St James’ Park, having been said to be enquiring about the Magpies’ transfer dealings and behind-the-scenes activities.

That interest has led to a belief that the 55-year-old could well be keen on taking on the job at the northeast side when he does eventually move on from Anfield, having previously admitted that it is almost impossible to compete with the uber-rich Tynesiders, as well as the likes of Paris Saint-Germain and Manchester City.

The report adds that despite the former Borussia Dortmund boss having only recently signed a new contract extension with the Reds – taking his deal to the summer of 2026 – there is growing uncertainty over his position amid a potential sale for the Merseysiders, as well as the impending exit of a number of key executives.

Better than Howe

Newcastle supporters are likely not contemplating a change at the helm due to the remarkable job that current boss Eddie Howe has done in his tenure thus far, with the Englishman having taken the club from fearing for their safety a year ago, to now dreaming of life in the Champions League.

While aided by strong investment – having spent over £100m this summer – the 44-year-old has notably impressed due to his knack for improving those already at the club, with the likes of Joelinton and Miguel Almiron having been obvious beneficiaries of the former Bournemouth man’s arrival.

Despite having done a “top class job” in reviving the Magpies – in the words of Pep Guardiola – it may prove difficult for Howe to keep his job if the aforementioned Klopp truly is interested in the role, with PIF likely to be tempted to bring in the latter man in the future.

The one-time Mainz boss is something of a coaching “genius” – as described by Adam Lallana – having worked wonders since his arrival in English football back in 2015, having helped to guide his side to Champions League and Premier League glory in recent years.

Such longevity at the elite level – having previously won the Bundesliga title twice during his time in Germany with Dortmund – has seen the enigmatic figure lauded as one of the best coaches in the world, having notably been named the FIFA Men’s Coach of the Year in previous years.

A “God at Liverpool”, in the words of pundit Jamie Carragher, Klopp has managed to do something “unique” in turning Liverpool from a club seemingly on the decline into regular contenders for both European and domestic honours.

Clearly a man who knows what is needed to build a team capable of challenging at the top of the table, the heavily experienced coach would surely prove too good an option to turn down despite Howe’s impressive work thus far, particularly with the latter man’s only piece of silverware as a manager to date coming in the form of the Championship title in 2015.

It would be a ruthless move, but PIF could well secure something of a dream appointment if they were to get Klopp in the door, with his quality arguably incomparable to that of the current Newcastle boss due to what he has achieved in the game.

Sunderland’s U21 side were beaten comfortably on Monday night as they were hammered 3-1 by Southampton in division two of Premier League 2.

Results are largely irrelevant at youth level in terms of the development of the players as the overall goal is for them to make the breakthrough into the first team, which they can do without being part of a successful youth team.

One positive to take away from the loss to the Saints was that 21-year-old right-back Niall Huggins started the match and played the full 90 minutes – his third appearance for the U21s in 2022 after recovering from a fractured back.

His last competitive outing for Sunderland came in a 5-0 win over Cheltenham in September 2021 and he has now returned to first-team training after just over a year away from the senior group.

Huggins played three games for the U21s as part of his rehabilitation and he is now closing in on being able to make a return for Tony Mowbray’s team, with the youngster now enjoying his first chance to impress the manager as Lee Johnson was in charge when he was last available for selection.

Mowbray could now strike gold by unearthing the starlet’s full potential as he showed great promise prior to his injury nightmare over the past year.

Indeed ex-Black Cats boss Johnson hailed the youngster’s talents after bringing him in from Leeds United last year, saying:

“Niall is an interesting player and tactically he’s very versatile – he is also very good physically in terms of his speed and acceleration and he’s a good dribbler, whether that’s playing left back or right back.

“He’s a bright kid and he’s had a very good education at Leeds, but now it’s the right time for him to step into that first-team environment. Niall is another one that we have added to our stable of quality young players, so we are very happy to have him and we’re looking forward to working with him.”

The £3.9k-per-week warrior, who was dubbed a “stunning” signing by journalist Josh Bunting, offered a taste of what he is capable of in a 2-0 win over Wigan in the EFL Cup last season. He recorded a SofaScore rating of 7.3 as he won five of his six individual duels and created two chances, registering one assist, in the match as he showcased his competitive nature and his ability on the ball.

Huggins, who is an international for Wales at youth level, was a regular for Leeds’ U21s prior to his move to the Stadium of Light as he played 17 Premier League 2 matches, scoring twice, in the 2020/21 campaign.

His performances for the Whites were good enough to convince Kristjaan Speakman and Johnson to sign him and the gem’s display against Wigan could be a sign of what is to come from him under Mowbray now that he has recovered from his injury.

Therefore, the Black Cats boss could strike gold by giving Huggins, who has plenty of time left to develop at the age of 21, opportunities to impress in the Championship, helping the youngster fulfil his undoubted potential and become a valuable member of the first-team squad.

Everton are struggling to come to an agreement with forward Anthony Gordon over a new deal, according to the Daily Mail.

The Lowdown: Gordon’s importance to Everton

Aside from his omission from Frank Lampard’s squad for Saturday’s trip to Tottenham due to a one-game suspension, the 21-year-old has featured in nine of the Toffees’ Premier League games so far this term, starting all but one.

This adds to last season’s 35 top-flight appearances (25 starts), illustrating the youngster’s reliability as an option for his manager, who has clearly dwelt upon him with great regularity as part of Everton’s attack.

However, Everton fans may have been fearing Gordon’s departure over the summer as Chelsea were linked with a £60m swoop for the winger.

The Latest: Gordon talks at an impasse

According to the Daily Mail’s official Twitter channel, Everton are ‘struggling to agree new contract terms’ with Gordon, with talks reaching an impasse as the two parties are struggling to agree upon terms.

Given Chelsea’s strong interest over the summer, the Toffees are looking to tie down the forward to a new long-term contract, with his current deal set to expire in the summer of 2025.

However, talks have seemingly stalled due to the 21-year-old’s wage demands; he is reportedly asking for £100,000 per week to reflect this previous transfer market value.

[web_stories_embed url=”https://www.footballtransfertavern.com/web-stories/everton-news-8/” title=”Everton news!” poster=”” width=”360″ height=”600″ align=”none”]

The Verdict: Big jump in wages

According to FBRef, Gordon currently earns a weekly wage of £10,000 at Goodison Park.

Whilst Everton are seemingly willing to reward him with a big increase in his wages, having solidified his position in the first team as a key player, a ten-fold increase seems an unrealistic proposal for the youngster to demand.

Whilst he may argue that this reflects the reported £60m interest held in him over the summer, that figure also seems rather inflated, with Transfermarkt’s updated market valuation coming in at £36m.

However, having been hailed as ‘superb’ by Sky Sports journalist Melissa Reddy and scored more league goals than any of his team-mates so far this season, Gordon remains an important player for the Toffees.

Therefore, the club should do all that they can to try and reach an agreement with the youngster amid possible fears of a Goodison Park departure, even if it means having to meet in the middle between their valuation and the 21-year-old’s.