All posts by rastrear-estafeta.com

With West Ham United rejecting the latest big-money bid for Declan Rice, this time from Manchester City, it is clear the Hammers are being serious with their £100m valuation of the midfielder.

While that saga continues to drag on, with the ball now firmly in Arsenal's court, West Ham will no doubt be on the lookout for midfield recruits of their own.

What is the latest with Monaco midfielder Youssouf Fofana?

Monaco midfielder Youssouf Fofana is one of those to have been touted as a target for David Moyes' side earlier this month, but they have now been joined in the race by Premier League rivals Arsenal and Newcastle United.

According to L'Equipe, it is likely that Fofana will be sold to the highest bidder, with a fee of around €35m (£30m) possibly enough to prise him away from the Principality club.

That may seem like a high valuation for a player with a year left to run on his contract, but Monaco have the option to extend that by a further 12 months, so they are not in desperate need to sell.

Is Youssouf Fofana a good option for West Ham?

First things first: No matter which midfield target West Ham sign this summer, they will not tick as many boxes as outgoing Rice. Then again, none of their targets will cost a nine-figure sum.

Fofana is the same age as Rice, the pair play in the same central-midfield position and they were each regulars for teams in Europe's top five leagues, so comparing the two only makes sense.

Rice added an attacking edge to his game last season, and that reflects in the statistics as he averaged 0.16 goals and assists per 90 minutes, as per FBref, compared to 0.09 for Fofana.

There are plenty of similarities in other areas, however, such as their number of shots on target (23.9% for Rice and 24.6% for Fofana), their shot-creating actions per 90 minutes (2.54 v 2.41), with that metric factoring in passes and take-ons leading up to a shot, and tackles won (1.26 per 90 v 1.30).

The pair also won a very similar number of aerial duels (58.3% for Rice, compared to 56% for Fofana), which all suggests the Monaco man would be a good like-for-like replacement alongside Tomas Soucek, or indeed another new midfielder Moyes brings in.

Fofana is not exactly an under-the-radar gem, having already been capped ten times by France at senior level. Indeed, the Paris-born midfielder showed he can more than hold his own alongside some of the game's biggest names, with Statman Dave hailing his "exceptional" debut against Austria last September.

That game showcased many of Fofana's qualities, as he completed 100% of his dribbles, won 12 out of 14 ground duels and played one key pass. It is in terms of take-ons Fofana arguably brings something a little different to Rice that West Ham could do with, completing 1.36 per 90 last season to the Englishman's 1.02.

Potentially available for less than a third of the sum they will get for Rice, West Ham must ensure they are ahead of their Premier League rivals in the race to sign the talented Fofana.

The summer transfer window officially opened for business earlier this month and Aston Villa have made one signing ahead of the 2023/24 campaign so far.

Youri Tielemans is set to join on a free transfer from Leicester City and Unai Emery could be looking to make further additions to his side to make the most of the lure of European football.

A seventh-placed Premier League finish last season ensured that the club will be playing Europa Conference League football next term and they must use that to their advantage to tempt top-quality players into making the switch to Villa Park.

Juventus attacker Federico Chiesa is a reported €60m (£51m) transfer target for the Villans this summer and Emery could land a big upgrade on Emi Buendia by securing the Italy international's services in the coming weeks.

What is Federico Chiesa's style of play?

Since arriving at the club from Norwich for £38m in 2021, Buendia has struggled to provide consistent quality in the final third. The Argentine scored four goals and provided six assists in 35 Premier League matches in his first campaign with Villa before his return of five goals and two assists in 38 outings in 22/23.

He has produced 0.07 assists per 90 over the last 365 days in the Men's Big Five Leagues which places him among the bottom 13% of his positional peers in those competitions.

Chiesa, on the other hand, has recorded 0.42 assists per 90 for Juventus in the Men's Big Five Leagues and European competitions over the last 365 days, ranking the Italian dynamo in the top 4% of players in his position.

This suggests that the 25-year-old could offer more creativity from an attacking midfield or wide position than Buendia, as he has provided his teammates with assists far more frequently than the Villa magician.

The Old Lady wizard's form in the Serie A prior to his ACL injury also indicates that the potential is there for him to be a greater goal threat than the former Canaries star.

Chiesa, who former teammate Gianluigi Buffon once lauded as "impossible to stop", averaged a Sofascore rating of 7.19 and chipped in with nine goals and nine assists in 33 league outings in 20/21, showing that the £153k-per-week hotshot has the quality to make telling contributions in the final third with regularity.

No Villans midfielder managed more than six goals or seven league assists last term while Buendia has not averaged a Sofascore rating higher than 6.95 in the Premier League since joining the club.

Douglas Luiz (7.10) was also the only player in the squad with a Sofascore rating higher than 6.99, meaning that Chiesa could come in as one of the top performers on the roster if he can recapture his previous form.

This, therefore, suggests that Emery would be improving his attacking options in the middle of the park by convincing the Italian marksman to sign for his team.

Aston Villa are thought to be preparing a €30m transfer offer to sign Napoli winger Hirving Lozano.

What’s the latest Aston Villa transfer news on Hirving Lozano?

Unai Emery looks set to be backed by owners NSWE this summer with a “huge” transfer budget. The Villa manager sealed a brilliant turnaround in the Midlands last season after taking over back in November, with the club finishing seventh in the Premier League to guarantee Europa Conference League football next season.

As a result, new signings appear to be on the agenda, with an agreement already reached with Youri Tielemans. A new attacker appears to be next on the wishlist, with transfer rumours of a move for Lozano circling in recent days, and it looks as if Villa are ready to take the next step.

One Spanish outlet shared an Aston Villa transfer update on Friday regarding Lozano. The report stated that Villa Park is viewed as one of the most attractive options for the player, with Emery’s side ready to make their move after missing out on Marco Asensio to Paris Saint-Germain.

An offer worth €30m (£25.6m) is being prepared by Aston Villa, with the story saying that ‘Lozano would be a huge boost for Aston Villa as he would add speed, skill and goal to their attack’.

Who is Hirving Lozano?

Lozano, sponsored by Nike, is primarily a right-winger but can also turn out on the left if needed. The Mexico international actually shares the same agency as Villa midfielder Jacob Ramsey and has been with Napoli since 2019.

During that time, the 27-year-old has made 155 appearances for the Serie A side, scoring 30 goals and registering 17 assists, helping the side to the Italian title last season. Journalist Derek Clark described Lozano as "frightening" earlier this season, and he could be a player that fits the bill for Emery’s side.

As per FBref, Lozano ranks in the 99th percentile for crosses into the penalty area, something star striker Ollie Watkins could thrive from, and he also contributes defensively for an attacking player. He ranks in the 97th percentile for blocks and the 92nd percentile for tackles made in the attacking third.

Emery tended to play either a 4-4-2 or 4-2-3-1 system last season, so Lozano could occupy a role on the right-hand side next season as the Villa boss looks to take the club to the next level, and with a bid being readied, it looks as if a deal is one to keep an eye on.

Arsenal are reportedly eyeing a move for Leicester City defender, Timothy Castagne, with the Belgium international potentially up for grabs following the Foxes' recent relegation.

What's the latest on Castagne to Arsenal?

According to journalist Sacha Tavolieri, the Gunners have opened negotiations regarding a summer swoop for the 27-year-old, with the former Atalanta ace viewed as a potential alternative to fellow right-back target, Ivan Fresneda.

Writing on Twitter, the transfer insider stated: "#ArsenalFC now going for Timothy #Castagne ! Considered as a number 2 target behind I.Fresneda for the right-back position, #AFC started the talks with #LeicesterCity in order to find a deal for the #DiablesRouges.

"I understand things could develop quickly. Wait & See."

The versatile full-back has just two years left to run on his existing deal at the King Power Stadium, having previously been snapped up by the Midlands outfit on a £21.5m deal back in the summer of 2020.

Should Arsenal sign Castagne?

There may be Arsenal supporters who would doubt the wisdom of signing a player who has only recently suffered relegation, although the north Londoners only need to look to the success of Aaron Ramsdale to firmly quash any such concerns.

In the case of the latter man, the Englishman was snapped up on a £30m deal back in 2021 after suffering not one, but two successive relegations for Bournemouth and Sheffield United, respectively, with pundit Danny Mills notably summing up the thoughts of many after branding that deal "bizarre".

Since those early doubts surrounding the young goalkeeper, however, Ramsdale has certainly made his presence felt at the Emirates after establishing himself as the club's first-choice option, with pundit Jamie Carragher stating that he has "never been more wrong" than he has been about initially questioning the 25-year-old's signing.

Now "up there" among the club's best signings of the decade – according to journalist Pete O'Rourke – the 6 foot 2 ace now looks like something of a steal due to his rise over the past two years, with CIES Football Observatory valuing him at around £51m.

That soaring valuation is another indication of what a successful signing Ramsdale has been for Arteta, with the hope being that Castagne can follow suit and also shine in the capital over the coming years.

The £65k-per-week ace has certainly proven his worth despite Leicester's woes of late, having scored two goals and provided three assists in 37 league games from his full-back berth in 2022/23, after previously being described as a "constant threat" by journalist Josh Bunting.

Comfortable at right-back or on the opposite side, the 31-cap machine can also offer a real impact defensively as he ranks in the top 9% among his European peers for clearances and in the top 17% for aerial duels won, proving himself an asset at both ends at the pitch.

That all-action style has certainly made Castagne an attractive option for top-flight clubs, with Arsenal needing to ensure a repeat of their Ramsdale masterclass by signing the Belgian menace.

Everton chiefs are keeping tabs on Sunderland forward Jack Clarke ahead of a potential move to the Premier League, according to reports in the last 48 hours.

Who is Jack Clarke?

Clarke is naturally a left-sided winger who completed his permanent move to the Stadium of Light last summer from Premier League rivals Tottenham Hotspur, following a successful loan spell the season before. As per Transfermarkt, across both periods up north, he's made a total of 70 appearances to date, scoring 12 times.

In the Championship, the 22-year-old started all 46 games last season and firmly established himself as Tony Mowbray’s second overall best-performing player with a WhoScored match rating of 7.11, and this impressive form has been catching the eye outside of the northeast.

Football League World previously credited Glasgow Rangers, Brentford, Crystal Palace, Wolverhampton Wanderers and the Toffees all with an interest in the forward who is, as stated by the outlet, expected to be sold during the upcoming window, and Sean Dyche’s admiration has now once again been brought to the surface.

Are Everton signing Clarke?

According to iNews, Everton scouts are “paying attention” to Clarke’s situation and there is a definite “interest” in signing him ahead of the 2023/24 campaign. Sunderland are, of course, reluctant to lose their prized asset, but it’s stated that offers of around £15m could “prompt a conversation”.

The Black Cats attacker’s agent Ian Harte, however, has claimed that his client is “happy” where he is and currently has “no intention” of pushing for an exit. The one thing worth noting though is that “every player has a price” and neither the talented prospect, nor his representatives, have “any control” over whether the club decide to accept any offers that arrive at their door.

Should Moshiri splash the cash on Clarke?

Everton should be focusing on signing an out-and-out centre-forward this summer but any kind of positive attacking reinforcement can’t be turned down, and having been dubbed “unplayable” by journalist Josh Bunting, Farhad Moshiri should definitely empty his pockets to bring Clarke to Goodison Park.

The York-born talent racked up 20 goal contributions (11 assists and nine goals) in 45 Championship appearances last season, form which saw him collect six man-of-the-match awards, and even his displays were outstanding when he wasn’t on the scoresheet.

As per FBRef, the SMI Sports Management client recorded a total of 147 shot-creating actions which was more than any other of his fellow teammates, and whipped 96 crosses into the box which was the second-highest number, so he’s always looking to pose a threat in the final third and is a player that would make a significant difference for Dyche on Merseyside.

Despite making 92 points in the league this year, Rangers ended their campaign in second place, seven points behind their bitter city rivals.The club also failed to pick up any silverware in the country’s domestic competitions and suffered a pretty miserable Champions League campaign to boot.In a bid to improve their fortunes next year and challenge the Hoops for league glory, Micheal Beale’s side are interested in bringing Swansea City’s Morgan Whittaker north of the border, per Football Insider.

What’s the latest on Morgan Whittaker?

According to the report, the 6 foot 3 winger had already been the subject of ‘multiple’ failed bids from Rangers, reaching up to £1.5m.

It was around that time that Beale made his feelings towards the player crystal clear, labelling the wide-man “excellent” in an interview with Sky Sports Scotland.

Those comments came just after Whittaker had been recalled from a supremely successful loan spell with then League One side Plymouth Argyle, where he had been “quality”, per manager Steven Schumacher.

It was during his time with the Pilgrims that the Derby-born player burst onto the scene, scoring nine times and creating seven assists in just 25 league appearances, per Transfermarkt.

Despite his return to South Wales not going to plan, starting just two games since January, he is still a wanted man.

Unsurprisingly, Argyle are linked to the player, but their comparatively restricted finances make any deal unlikely.

The primary rivals for the players’ signature are Tony Mowbray’s Sunderland and Coventry City.

Having just lost the services of Manchester United youngster Amad Diallo, the Black Cats are on the lookout for an explosive winger and have the financial muscle to compete with the Gers.

Would Morgan Whittaker be a good signing for Rangers?

With the way the Rangers boss has been talking about Whittaker, it doesn’t sound like his miserable second half of the season with the Swans has put him off the player, nor should it.

His primary body of work came from his time in the Southwest, so it would make sense to judge him based on that.

According to WhoScored, the tricky winger averaged an impressive rating of 7.02 and earned four Man-of-the-Match awards in just 19 starts in the league.

He clearly made an impact on former boss Schumacher, who lauded the player back in December, saying: “He has a left foot to die for.”

The expected departures of Ryan Kent and Alfredo Morales this summer should also make it easier for the player to play his way into Beale’s starting lineup.

The Teddy Bears also need some attacking reinforcements, as their top goalscorer in the league this season is defender James Tavernier with 15 in 33 games, just six more than Whittaker achieved at Argyle in eight fewer games.

The signing would also give the Scottish giants some much-needed flexibility as the England youth international has frequently played across the wings and in attacking midfield.

Leeds United have reportedly enquired about the availability of Barcelona starlet Ez Abde, according to Spanish newspaper Sport (via Sport Witness). 

The lowdown: Top talent

Signed by Barcelona B in 2019 from Hercules, the 20-year-old winger progressed into Xavi’s first-team plans during the 2021/22 campaign.

Abde ended the season with 11 senior outings for the Catalan giants, having scored twice and provided seven assists in 20 appearances for the B team.

Despite seemingly having a bright future in Spain, it appears that Leeds are keen on bringing the Moroccan to the Premier League…

[web_stories_embed url=”https://www.footballtransfertavern.com/web-stories/latest-leeds-united-news-44/” title=”Latest Leeds United news!” poster=”https://www.footballtransfertavern.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/04/cropped-2022-03-10T184055Z_1834933207_UP1EI3A1FW561_RTRMADP_3_SOCCER-ENGLAND-LEE-AVA-REPORT-1-scaled-1.jpg” width=”360″ height=”600″ align=”none”]

The latest: Leeds interested in Abde

As per Sport, translated by Sport Witness, Leeds have ‘mentioned’ the name of Abde whilst discussing other deals with Barcelona – perhaps the widely-speculated transfer of Raphinha to Camp Nou.

It is suggested that Wolves – who loaned Adama Traore to the La Liga club in January – also enquired about the possibility of signing the 20-year-old.

Under contract at Camp Nou until 2024 (Transfermarkt), the report makes no mention of a desire from Barcelona to sell the youngster, who was hailed as ‘extraordinary’ by Xavi following a 2-2 draw against Osasuna in which the versatile attacker scored and also completed five successful dribbles in a 7.2-rated performance from Sofascore.

The verdict: Smart move

Equally adept on either wing, signing Abde amidst the possibility of either or both of Raphinha and Jack Harrison departing would be a smart piece of business from Jesse Marsch and Victor Orta.

The talented starlet completed 3.4 dribbles per game during 10 La Liga outings in his breakthrough season at that level, highlighting a penchant for beating defenders which would be welcomed with open arms at Elland Road, where nobody averaged more than two successful dribbles per match in 2021/22.

Boasting stylistic similarities with the likes of Crystal Palace star Wilfried Zaha, Sevilla ace Lucas Ocampos and the aforementioned Traore (Fbref), Abde is certainly one to watch as the next generation of talent comes through at Barcelona, and Leeds would be wise to remain attentive to the possibility of this capture.

In other news, Leeds are eyeing up another signing after Aaronson. Find out who it is here

Celtic were crowned Premiership champions this month to cap off what has been a successful domestic campaign for the Hoops and Ange Postecoglou.

With 29 wins, six draws and just three defeats in the top flight, the Bhoys ended up scoring 92 goals along the way and only conceded 22 times.

However, one man who didn’t contribute much to their title-winning season is left-back Boli Bolingoli.

Celtic signed the defender from Rapid Vienna in the summer of 2019 in a deal worth a reported £3m.

The Belgian featured in a mere eight matchday squads for the Hoops across all competitions this season and only played in two games.

In 2020, the defender effectively threw his Celtic career under the bus when he broke the government’s guidelines during the pandemic by not quarantining after a trip to Spain, which led to him being charged by the SFA.

Having been called “arrogant” by newspaper columnist Bill Leckie for his actions, the 26-year-old has reportedly been training on his own in Belgium for the past number of weeks, which doesn’t say much for his chances of redemption at Parkhead.

According to a recent report from Sky Sports journalist Anthony Joseph, Celtic will be looking to move the full-back out of the club on a permanent basis this summer, which to us feels like the right decision for all parties.

To further highlight Bolingoli’s downfall, his market value was listed at £2.7m by Transfermarkt in February 2020, whereas it now stands at £1.35m, highlighting a drop of 50%.

Taking all this into account, it’s safe to say that Celtic’s deal for the Belgian has turned into a disappointing one up to now.

If Postecoglou can finally get the player out the door for good and his £15k-per-week wages off the club’s books, this would pave the way for them to bring in a suitable and hopefully reliable replacement.

With that in mind, reports have already emerged linking the Hoops with a summer swoop for Hammarby left-back Mohanad Jeahze.

Should the club secure his signature, it could well be the final nail in the coffin for Bolingoli’s chances of having any sort of a future in a Celtic shirt.

In other news – “Around that number..”: Big Lennoxtown transfer claim emerges, it’s great for Celtic

Wolves goalkeeping coach Tony Roberts is the latest individual to have tested positive for Covid at the club, according to reliable journalist Tim Spiers.

The Lowdown: Huge test for Wolves

Wanderers are back in Premier League action on Wednesday evening, as they welcome red-hot title favourites Manchester City to Molineux.

The match is not only important for City, however, with Wolves still in with a chance of qualifying for Europe next season, sitting eighth in the table and five points adrift of West Ham with a game in hand.

Bruno Lage will likely be absent from the game because of Covid – unless he can test negative in the next 24 hours – and now another update has emerged with even more bad news.

[web_stories_embed url=”https://www.footballtransfertavern.com/web-stories/all-the-latest-from-wolves-6/” title=”All the latest from Wolves!” poster=”” width=”360″ height=”600″ align=“none”]

The Latest: Roberts tests positive

Taking to Twitter, Spiers confirmed that Roberts, who filled in for Lage at the weekend, will also be isolating for Wednesday’s game:

“Covid continues to hit the Wolves staff. GK coach Tony Roberts has now tested positive.”

[freshpress-poll id=“388780″]

The Verdict: Another blow for Wanderers

While no players have been affected by Covid ahead of the visit of City, this can’t be helping their preparation ahead of one of the biggest tests they could ask for.

Fitness coach Carlos Cachada is on press conference duty and could, therefore, be in charge in the dugout on Wednesday, being given information by the housebound Lage throughout proceedings.

If Wolves manage to pull off a shock result without both their manager and the fill-in, it would not only keep their European dream alive but also act as a huge boost for Liverpool, who will be willing Wanderers on at Molineux.

In other news, Wolves have been backed to sign one attacking player this summer. Find out who it is here.

Rangers are back in action at Ibrox tonight as Giovanni van Bronckhorst turns his team’s attention away from the Premiership for a Europa League tie.

The Gers have a chance to reach the final of the competition in Seville but they will need to overcome a 1-0 deficit on aggregate to do so.

Van Bronckhorst’s men come into this match off the back of a 1-1 draw in the Old Firm on Sunday. The result leaves them six points behind their rivals with three matches left to go in the division, which means that the cup competitions are the club’s best opportunities to lift silverware this season.

How many changes will the head coach make to the team from that outing at Parkhead? Here is our predicted XI…

We are predicting that he will make three alterations to the side by bringing Leon Balogun, Kemar Roofe and Glen Kamara back in.

At the back, Borna Barisic may be axed by van Bronckhorst after a worrying display last time out. Former Gers man Derek Ferguson claimed that he was “spooked” against Celtic on Sunday as he let the atmosphere get the better of him.

The Croatian international was caught on his heels for Jota’s goal and must now be dropped from the team. This clash with Leipzig is a huge occasion and Rangers cannot afford to have a liability in their side, which is why the experienced Balogun should come in at centre-back and Calvin Bassey can slot in at left-back.

In midfield, we are predicting that Scott Arfield will be axed in favour of Kamara. FFC published an article explaining why the former does not warrant a starting place and van Bronkhorst may look to the Finland international to replace him.

Neil McCann, his former manager at Dundee United, previously dubbed him as “perfect” and the Gers boss seemingly rates him highly as Kamara has started nine Europa League matches this season. This indicates that he is trusted to perform in the competition, which is why he should start tonight.

Finally, Roofe may replace Fashion Sakala in the number nine role. He is an injury doubt for this match but a report from the Scottish Sun claimed that he will win the race to be fit and he could take the Zambian’s place in the team.

Sakala has failed to produce a single goal or assist in nine outings in Europe for the Gers. Roofe, meanwhile, has scored twice in four starts – including the winner against Braga in the last round – and this should give him the edge.

AND in other news, Rangers are now set to repeat their awful Gilmour disaster, Gvb will be livid…