All posts by rastrear-estafeta.com

Out of sorts, out of the team and still out of England reckoning. Dele Alli could be feeling a sense of deja vu at Tottenham Hotspur this season.

Had Jose Mourinho remained in charge in north London, then there was always going to be a chance that the 25-year-old had moved onto pastures new but after the Portuguese’s sacking, he was given a new lease of life under new manager Nuno Santo.

And after starting their opening six league games, it certainly looked as if the England midfielder was going to be an influential figure under the 47-year-old.

However, he was a half-time casualty during their embarrassing defeat to arch-rivals Arsenal in the north London derby several weeks ago and has not featured since.

In his absence, Spurs have won back-to-back matches, ending a run of three straight heavy defeats with him in the side.

The £27m-rated star was restricted to only 1,355 minutes across all competitions last season, in which just 617 were in the Premier League as Mourinho did not favour him whatsoever – hardly a surprise after dubbing him “lazy” in more colourful terms during training, as seen in their ‘All or Nothing’ docuseries.

Football Insider even reported in September that Spurs were considering selling him, with sources claiming that he is ‘difficult to manage behind the scenes’ and is an ‘inconsistent trainer.’

Alli was a player known for bringing goals and creativity from midfield and at just 25, he should be continuing to elevate his game heading into the peak years of his career.

Back in 2016/17, the 6 foot 2 dynamo provided 18 goals and seven assists in one Premier League season alone. By comparison, he has delivered only nine goals and five assists since the start of the 2019/20 season, as per WhoScored.

His old form earned serious comparisons to the likes of Paul Scholes and Steven Gerrard but after clinching 37 caps, he has not been called up by Gareth Southgate in over two years – his last appearance coming in the UEFA Nations League third-placed playoff in June 2019.

Lilywhites legend Darren Anderton described Alli as a “freak of a talent” who is “a real joy to watch” after that lucrative goalscoring campaign, yet we’ve not seen such returns in a long, long time.

Nuno’s recent decision to axe him from his regular starting XI must be a major cause for concern for Alli, even more so as the side appear to be winning without him and Tanguy Ndombele’s recent form certainly makes his chances of breaking back in even more difficult.

Heading into the winter transfer window and beyond, the 25-year-old star may well be fighting for his future in N17.

AND in other news, Paratici could land Nuno’s next Neves in Spurs swoop for £18.9m-rated “special player”…

An update has has emerged on Sunderland and their interest in Hamilton centre-back Jamie Hamilton…

What’s the talk?

According to TEAMtalk, the Black Cats are one of a number of teams looking to sign the defender as his contract with the Scottish sides runs out in the summer.

The report claims that Liverpool, Middlesbrough, Celtic, Aberdeen and Newcastle are among the other sides keen on a pre-contract agreement this month.

Masterclass

Lee Johnson could seal a masterclass by swooping to land Hamilton on a pre-contract deal as it could end up being a bargain for the Black Cats. They would only need to worry about a tribunal fee, rather than negotiating a transfer with the Scottish side, and this means that they could end up paying a nominal price for a player with vast potential.

Sunderland are on course to achieve promotion from League One and return to the Championship and Hamilton could arrive in time to bolster their squad for a crack at the second tier in England. The defender has shown promise in Scotland and he could be a player Johnson works with over time and looks to develop by offering him first-team chances at the Stadium of Light.

He played 27 times in the Scottish Premiership last season between the ages of 18 and 19, winning 59% of his duels and making 2.7 tackles and interceptions per game.

Hamilton boss Brian Rice previously lauded the defender’s improvement, saying: “I think you saw in young Jamie Hamilton today. Absolutely outstanding for an 18-year-old, absolutely fantastic. He needs the help of the experienced lads. It’s trying to get the blend right. I think we are nearly there.

“Jamie has certainly improved with Aaron Martin alongside him, Lee Hodson, talking to him.”This highlights his potential and why this could be a masterclass of a deal from Johnson, as the teenager has plenty of room left to improve and grow as a player. He has already shown that he can hold his own in the top division in Scotland despite his age and this suggests that he could make an impact at Sunderland in the short term, whilst also being an investment for the future.It is now own to the Black Cats boss to convince the Wdefender that a move to the League One outfit will be more beneficial to him than joining another club where he may not get as much game time.

AND in other news, Johnson must land SAFC deal for “sensational” £450k-rated beast, he’s “some finisher”…

Leeds United could finally land themselves a new creative gem this summer…

What’s the word?

According to Italian outlet 1000 Cuori Rossoblu, the Yorkshire outfit are among several teams interested in signing CF Montreal attacking midfielder Djordje Mihailovic when the transfer window reopens.

They are expected to face competition from Premier League rivals Newcastle United, as well as Bundesliga duo Bayer Leverkusen and Borussia Dortmund, and Serie A sides AS Roma and Atalanta.

[snack-amp-story url=”https://www.footballfancast.com/web-stories/read-the-latest-leeds-news-transfer-rumours-gossip-marsch-raphinha-dest-philhay” title=”Read the latest Leeds news!”]

Bologna could also be keen as they have the same owner, Joey Saputo, as the Impact.

The 23-year-old’s contract is set to expire in 2023 but it remains to be seen how much he’d command before then. Transfermarkt currently value the six-time USMNT international at just £5.4m.

Hernandez heir finally

After a campaign that saw Mihailovic provide four goals and a whopping 14 assists across 34 appearances, via Transfermarkt, it is no surprise to see so many of Europe’s top teams interested in his signature.

He has since continued that fine form this season, proving that it wasn’t merely a one-off, having contributed two goals and four assists in 12 games across the MLS and the CONCACAF Champions League.

As a versatile attacker, capable of playing on the left-wing and through the middle, the American could be of huge use to his fellow countryman at Elland Road as the Whites have failed to replace the likes of Samu Saiz and Pablo Hernandez in recent windows.

Indeed, Leeds have not signed a midfielder in eight transfer windows and in over four years, the last being Adam Forshaw’s arrival from Middlesbrough in January 2018.

Averaging an enticing 2.4 key passes per game in the MLS this term, it’s no wonder he has been lauded as a “gorgeous passer of the ball” by journalist Chris Smith, whilst a further average of 1.9 dribbles and 1.5 shots per game makes him a big threat in the final third.

Hernandez’s final full season in a Leeds shirt was during their title-winning run in the Championship, where he averaged 2.3 key passes per game. No one in the current side has managed to get anywhere near that in the Premier League, with Raphinha sitting on two chances created each outing.

Mihailovic could fit in well in England, especially after former Tottenham Hotspur midfielder Victor Wanyama’s glowing endorsement of him. “To me, Djordje is a great player. We understand his movement, he’s a top talent,” he told the MLS website.

With a total of 24 goals or assists in under two seasons – an average of one direct contribution every 162 minutes – it would be very wise for Victor Orta and co to launch their move for the Jacksonville-born sensation this summer.

Leeds could well finally replace Hernandez at long last.

AND in other news, Marsch handed double boost ahead of Palace clash…

Many Glasgow Rangers fans were left slamming referee Kevin Clancy after their 1-1 draw away at Aberdeen in the Scottish Premiership on Tuesday night.

It was a frustrating game for the Ibrox faithful as they dropped two points in their race for the SPFL title, as Ianis Hagi’s opener was cancelled out by a penalty from Lewis Ferguson after Alfredo Morelos handled the ball inside his own penalty box.

Clancy decided to give the Colombia international a yellow card for the incident too, which seemed harsh as he could not really get his hand out of the way of the line of the shot.

This was one of five yellow cards in total given to Giovanni van Bronckhorst’s team, including two to Ryan Kent which resulted in a red, again the second seemingly harsh for a minimal clip on former Celtic midfield player Scott Brown.

Nonetheless, a lot of Teddy Bears were left very unhappy with Clancy’s performance on the night.

Rangers fans slam Clancy

These Light Blues slammed Clancy on Twitter, with one Gers supporter even going as far as to call him ’embarrassing’:

“This referee is ridiculous a complaint should be made”

Credit: @linden1974

“Clancy gets paid for this? Absolute farce. Shouldn’t even be on a yellow, never mind a red”

Credit: @D_Boag

“Never a red ref tonight is shocking”

Credit: @gers_fan55

“Does Clancy have a pair of eyes?”

Credit: @_Ryan56

“Ref has lost the plot”

Credit: @real_god69

“Clancy is embarrassing as is Brown. Standard of refereeing is absolutely abysmal beyond belief how bad they are.”

Credit: @Kirky_8

In other news, find out who RFC are now targeting here!

A crucial update has emerged regarding Sunderland and their search for Lee Johnson’s successor as manager at the Stadium of Light…

What’s the talk?

Daily Mail journalist Craig Hope has revealed that talks on Friday will play a key role in the club’s decision-making process as they look for their next head coach.

He tweeted: “Roy Keane is being interviewed today for Sunderland managerial vacancy. Interviews will conclude today before decision is made. Keane remains preferred choice of many, but today’s talks crucial as to which way things go. Grant McCann also in frame.”

Elation

This update from Hope will surely leave Sunderland fans feeling elated, as it suggests that a decision from the club is imminent and the supporters will not have to wait too much longer before finding out who the new manager will be.

Johnson was sacked after the 6-0 defeat to Bolton last week and the Black Cats are heading into a League One clash with Doncaster on Saturday without a permanent head coach in place. This could frustrate supporters, as every single match is important for the Wearsiders in their fight to land an automatic promotion place, which is why this latest claim will be music to the fans’ ears.

Sunderland are currently third in the League One table and looking up at Wigan and Rotherham ahead of them, with both sides having games in hand on the Black Cats. This means that they need to start stringing a run of wins together, and quickly, if they want to have a good chance of breaking into the top two.

Having a permanent manager in place could help them to do just that, as the players would know exactly what to expect and what their position in the squad is. As it stands, no-one knows who will be taking over and what their plans for the playing squad and the style of play will be, which could put a cloud of doubt in the heads of the players as they question whether or not they will be needed.

Therefore, fans will be elated by the club’s imminent decision to appoint a manager, whether that is Grant McCann or Roy Keane. Kristjaan Speakman is seemingly set to decide on the best candidate after the interview process on Friday, and supporters could be excited to see who he opts for in the coming days, whilst being delighted that it is not set to drag out much longer.

AND in other news, Reporter drops big Sunderland manager “appointment” update which will leave fans gutted…

[ad_pod ]

Tony Cascarino has ripped into Liverpool striker Daniel Sturridge in his latest The Times column following the striker’s cameo against Manchester United at Old Trafford on Sunday.

What’s the word, then?

Well, the Reds missed the opportunity to extend their lead over Manchester City at the top of the Premier League standings as they were held to a goalless draw against the Red Devils.

Sturridge wasn’t actually named in Jurgen Klopp’s starting XI but he replaced the injured Roberto Firmino just after the half-hour mark against Ole Gunnar Solskjaer’s men, but failed to make much of an impact in the final third.

Speaking to The Times, Cascarino said: “Daniel Sturridge was shocking when he came on and Mohamed Salah looked out of sorts.”

The 29-year-old was making his 21st appearance of the season for the Merseyside outfit, and he has scored four goals and provided a further assist.

Is he right?

While in some ways he may well have been right, it’s not exactly as though Liverpool were at their attacking best against United and Sturridge was simply the weak link.

The usually reliable duo of Sadio Mane and Salah also struggled to do what we have all seen them do so often before, and therefore it seems harsh to blame the England striker on this particular occasion.

It is never easy to come on in a game of this magnitude where both sides are largely cancelling each other out, and Cascarino should cut the former Chelsea and Manchester City man some slack.

Sturridge is still one of the best back-up centre-forwards in the Premier League, and he can still have a big part to play during the title run-in.

Following their successful start to an extensive rebuilding job, Crystal Palace aren’t expected to spend big money in the upcoming January transfer window.

What’s the story?

That’s according to Sky Sports journalist Michel Bridge, who believes the Eagles’ chairman Steve Parish will be satisfied with the work he conducted over the summer.

The likes of Odsonne Edouard, Marc Guehi and Conor Gallagher have made huge impressions at Selhurst Park in the opening weeks of the current campaign, and Bridge is adamant that Patrick Vieira’s winter budget will be restricted as a result.

He told GIVEMESPORT: “Knowing Steve Parish like I do, I don’t think he will go all out in January when things have gone well.

“It’s usually when they’re a bit worried and looking behind them that they would spend, but I don’t think they’re looking behind at the moment. They’re looking at what’s in front of them in a positive sense.”

Crystal Palace fans will be gutted

Despite the extremely positive start made by Vieira’s charges, a large section of the capital club’s supporters will be gutted that further acquisitions won’t be made over the coming months.

The south London outfit are currently on a six-game unbeaten run and have masterminded famous victories over Tottenham Hotspur and Manchester City to provide a new wave of hope and optimism following four years of pragmatism under Roy Hodgson.

However, with the likes of Joel Ward, James McArthur, Jordan Ayew, Christian Benteke and Cheikhou Kouyate all in their 30s and approaching the twilight zone of their careers, the squad overhaul is far from complete.

Further investment will be needed by Parish in due course, but that appears unlikely to come in the January window, with Palace fans being forced to wait until the summer to see any more fresh faces.

And, in other news…”At the moment..” – Journo delivers big CPFC update that should leave fans worried 

2021 has been a frustrating year for Sunderland as they ended another League One campaign without promotion back to the second tier.

Lee Johnson’s side were unable to fight their way back to the Championship and are currently battling through the 2021/22 season in hope of finally achieving their goal.

They currently sit third in the table after 22 games and have put themselves in an excellent position as 2021 comes to a close. Johnson’s men were also able to make it to the quarter-finals of the League Cup in 2021, losing 5-1 to Premier League side Arsenal recently as they failed to make it to the last four.

It remains to be seen what 2022 will bring for the club and its supporters, but we do know what has happened in 2021 so far.

So, take our massive, bumper, Sunderland quiz of 2021 and see if you can get 100% – only true Black Cats fans will get all of them right!

According to the Daily Mail, Everton defender Jarrad Branthwaite is a transfer target for Manchester United. 

The lowdown: Star in the making

Flourishing as part of the set-up at Finch Farm since 2020, the 19-year-old has burst onto the scene in the last 12 months having made the switch from League Two side Carlisle United.

[web_stories_embed url=”https://www.footballtransfertavern.com/web-stories/everton-news-4/” title=”Everton news!” poster=”” width=”360″ height=”600″ align=”none”]

Since arriving on Merseyside the teenager has represented England at Under-20 level and has made 11 first-team appearances for the Toffees.

However, the Blues could now face a battle to keep one of their most precocious talents.

The latest: Man United interested

As per the report from the Daily Mail, Manchester United are ‘keen’ on the talented centre-back and could look to make a move should Erik ten Hag be appointed as expected at Old Trafford.

It’s claimed that the Premier League giants are ‘monitoring’ the one-cap youth starlet who is under a fresh contract at Goodison Park until 2025 (Transfermarkt).

The report also states that Everton would be ‘reluctant’ to lose the powerful 6ft 5in ace who was described as being a ‘really skilful’ defender by former Blues boss Carlo Ancelotti.

The verdict: No deal

This is yet another case of the club needing to pull out all the stops in order to keep its brightest prospects.

Albeit Branthwaite is yet to earn a regular place in Frank Lampard’s side, the English teenager has certainly shown glimpses of an ability that has clearly caught the eye elsewhere in the Premier League.

So far this season, Branthwaite has made just six senior appearances, but was a star performer with the goal, two tackles and one interception (SofaScore), as a young Everton side held on for an unlikely 1-1 draw against Chelsea back in December.

In other news, Everton linked with Bundesliga midfielder. Find out more here!

Everton have now been gifted a huge injury boost involving central defender Yerry Mina.

The Lowdown: Back in training

As per medical expert Ben Dinnery, Mina is now back in action at Finch Farm, as he looks to step up his recovery from injury.

[web_stories_embed url=”https://www.footballtransfertavern.com/web-stories/everton-news-3/” title=”Everton news!” poster=”” width=”360″ height=”600″ align=”none”]

The Colombia international has not played for the Goodison Park faithful since early February, and will be hoping to return to the team as soon as possible.

The Latest: Lampard update

Speaking in his pre-game press conference ahead of the match away at West Ham United in the Premier League on Sunday afternoon, Frank Lampard has revealed that Mina will hopefully be back ‘in the next couple of weeks’.

The manager also confirmed that Fabian Delph is ‘another week or so away’.

Lampard was particularly excited about Mina’s return though, adding:

“He’s a big player for us, a player of stature and personality. I haven’t had much on-pitch time to work with him unfortunately. Centre-back is a crucial area and he’s been a big miss.”

The Verdict: Huge boost

Given that he has not been able to play for over a month, it is no doubt a huge boost for the Merseyside club that Mina could now be available in just a couple of weeks.

It means that he should be back by the time they play Leicester City at home on April 20th, before the big Merseyside derby the following weekend.

Four of the Toffees’ seven wins in the top flight so far have come when Mina is playing, suggesting that they are a far better side with him, and his comeback could well be crucial in their aim to avoid relegation down to the Championship.

In other news, find out what ‘real concern’ has now emerged for the Blues here!