All posts by n8rngtd.top

Steve Cooper will now be eyeing up various different signings to make having arrived in the Leicester City hot seat, to ensure the Foxes don't immediately slip back down to the Championship.

The one-time Premier League title-winners will, arguably, be the most confident of the trio that won promotion from the second tier up to the promised land of the top flight, after lifting the title in the division below as well with an impressive 31 wins registered.

The mastermind in the dug-out behind this success is gone now, however, with Enzo Maresca leaving for the allure of Chelsea after promotion was sealed, as Cooper now has a point to prove at the King Power Stadium, after leaving Nottingham Forest on sour terms in the Premier League.

Whether the Welshman is a success or not could rest on the incomings that Leicester are able to attract this summer, not wanting to rip apart the synergy of the squad from last season, but just adding in sprinkles of quality that can help make the East Midlands side an established top-flight team again.

Here is what next campaign's dream Leicester team could look like, therefore, with a face that has played under Cooper previously lined up to join the Foxes, amongst other notable deals…

1

GK – Mads Hermansen

Mads Hermansen will hope he can follow in the footsteps of fellow compatriot Kasper Schmeichel moving up to the Premier League with Leicester, with the 37-year-old an immortalised great at the King Power now, after competing in the EFL for large patches of his early footballing education.

The current Foxes shot-stopper was solid for the title-winners last campaign and will be trusted in-between the sticks moving up a league, amassing 13 clean-sheets from 44 second-tier clashes.

2

RB – Ricardo Pereira

Despite worries that Ricardo Pereira's head could potentially be turned in the midst of Leicester's relegation, the Portuguese defender remained situated in the East Midlands, even whilst playing in the division below, and shone.

Pereira would pick up three goals and three assists from the right-back spot, and will be eager to get going again in the Premier League now, having accumulated 102 appearances for his team in the elite division already.

3

CB – Joe Rodon

The first foray into the transfer market by the Foxes could see Cooper reunite with a former Swansea City face in Joe Rodon, with Rodon a wanted man currently, after a stellar loan spell with Leeds United.

He will be champing at the bit to test himself in the Premier League, and with Leicester needing more centre-back recruits arguably, the Welsh warrior could be the best possible buy available.

Rodon would take the Championship by storm last season, as his confidence on the ball stood out with 66 accurate passes averaged per match, alongside his no-nonsense ability to win duels, with 4.7 won on average.

4

CB – Jannick Vestergaard

Rodon could form a daunting duo with Jannick Vestergaard next campaign, as the towering Dane aims to rebuild his reputation in the top division with his employers, after making zero league appearances during the 2022-23 season.

He was a crucial figure at the back in the league below regardless, however, as the 31-year-old beat Rodon's average duels total per game at 4.6 successful duels per match.

Cooper will hope he can be as forceful in the Premier League, as Leicester aim to shut up shop in certain games, to get crucial points on the board.

5

LB – Wout Faes

Wout Faes could be permanently pushed out to the left-back spot next season to accommodate for the arrival of Rodon, with the Belgium international shining as a makeshift full-back in the Championship on occasion.

The 26-year-old played here six times on the way to the second-tier title being lifted, with three of those appearances coming during crunch games towards the very back end of the campaign.

He especially shone in this role during Leicester's penultimate league clash away at Preston North End, amassing 113 touches of the ball in the 3-0 victory, which saw him also whack the woodwork with an effort on goal.

6

CM – Harry Winks

The former Tottenham Hotspur central midfielder was key in the middle of the park for the promotion-winners last season, feeling revitalised and rejuvenated at the King Power in the process, after his time in North London fizzled out.

The calm 28-year-old missed just one Championship game all campaign long, and with 128 Premier League games under his belt across his full career, his importance to the cause could only be elevated if Leicester find themselves scrapping for their lives at the foot of the table.

7

CM – Sean Longstaff

Whilst Leicester will be pleased to have Winks around for the journey up a division, it looks increasingly likely that the Foxes won't be able to keep a firm grip on Wilfred Ndidi, who continues to be linked with a move away as his contract nears to its expiry date.

Leicester could go after Newcastle United man Sean Longstaff to fill a gap in the midfield department, therefore, having previously been rumoured with the £15m-rated talent.

Even with the injected riches of Saudi Arabia on side, Longstaff has remained in and around the Magpies first-team for longer than anticipated.

He would make 35 appearances last season in the league, scoring an impressive six goals along the way, and might be another smart buy to complement Winks' experience in the division.

8

CM – Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall

Cooper will hope the only central midfield casualty his new side suffers is in the form of Ndidi, with Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall always touted for a major move away from the King Power when a transfer window comes into view.

In all competitions last campaign, the former Liverpool target would accumulate a staggering 27 goal contributions from just 49 games, with those at the King Power excited now to see how he can strut his stuff in the Premier League, if he sticks around.

9

RW – Abdul Fatawu

Leicester will want to make their loan capture of Abdul Fatawu a permanent one this transfer window, with talk suggesting such a deal will be done soon.

Fatawu shone in glimpses for the Foxes down the right wing in the Championship, with his most memorable showing coming against Southampton in April, bagging a hat-trick to help sink Russell Martin's Saints 5-0.

10

ST – Tammy Abraham

As much as Jamie Vardy is still blowing off the cobwebs with every season that comes his way for Leicester, the Foxes will need some reinforcements in the striker positions this summer, if they want to terrorise Premier League defences more, away from relying on their aggressive veteran.

Leicester have been linked with a swoop for AS Roma centre-forward Tammy Abraham, who – when fully fit – scares Serie A defenders with his goalscoring prowess, netting 17 goals during his debut season out in Italy.

The £26m-rated striker could be a worthwhile addition, therefore, if Cooper can get him firing on all cylinders again, after an injury-disrupted 2023/24.

Nottingham Forest have been heavily linked with a move for Morgan Gibbs-White this summer, and a new update has emerged on the club’s pursuit of the player.

What’s the latest?

According to The Mirror, the Reds remain interested in the Wolverhampton Wanderers midfielder and are targeting a move before the transfer window closes.

As per the report, Steve Cooper’s side are showing no signs of slowing down and have identified the talented midfielder as one of their top targets this summer.

Imagine him & Lingard

There is no doubt that Forest supporters will be delighted with the club’s intent on wasting no time or resources in ensuring that they build a team capable of competing in the Premier League this season, and the possible signing of Gibbs-White would be the perfect end to a fantastic transfer window for the Reds.

The £30m-valued Wolves magician, who was dubbed “instrumental” by Billy Sharp, has been going from strength to strength over his career so far and took his opportunity to shine with regular first team football at Sheffield United last season while on loan.

Over 35 Championship appearances, Gibbs-White scored 11 goals, delivered nine assists and created an impressive 16 big chances, making 1.6 key passes, winning 4.9 duels and completing 1.3 dribbles per game, ending the season as the second-highest scorer in the team from his midfield role.

It is no secret that Cooper is a huge admirer of the 22-year-old, as the Welshman has a great relationship with the player after working with him in the World Cup-winning under-17 England squad and taking him in on a six-month loan spell at Swansea City.

Thanks to the Forest manager’s experience with the player, it could be hugely advantageous to the team if they can secure a deal for Gibbs-White this summer, as the 42-year-old will know exactly how to deploy the player to get the very best out of him in their pursuit to retain their top-flight status this season.

The manager could even form an incredible new-look attacking partnership for the Reds between Jesse Lingard and Gibbs-White, combining the former Manchester United star’s Premier League experience with the young midfielder’s eye for goal could be a nightmare for opponents.

With that in mind, the signing of the 22-year-old would be a major coup for Forest; and if the player can emulate his attacking form and huge influence from the Championship, it would put Cooper’s team in a great position to compete in the top flight this season.

AND in other news: Cooper can land dream Garner replacement in Forest bid for “extraordinary” £30m target

Leeds United could look to reignite their interest in Ajax left-back Nicolas Tagliafico this summer.

The Lowdown: Left-back move

The Whites have been hard at work already in the transfer market, bringing in six new players at a cost of £95m.

Victor Orta and Jesse Marsch aren’t planning on stopping there, though, with a new forward, a left-back and an experienced goalkeeper on the agenda.

A new left-back could be even higher up on Orta’s wish list following an injury to Junior Firpo, and Tagliafico – who was linked with a move to Elland Road last year – has come back up in conversation.

The Latest: Tagliafico claim

Leeds Live journalist Kyle Newbould looked at four left-back options that the Whites could target following Firpo’s latest injury. One of those was Tagliafico, who he claimed is still looking to leave Ajax in what could be a potential ‘bargain’.

The report states that the defender ‘could be signed for just £4-5million – although the left-back has plenty of suitors including Chelsea, Brighton and Barcelona’.

[web_stories_embed url=”https://www.footballtransfertavern.com/web-stories/latest-leeds-united-news-47/” 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 Verdict: Yes please

Tagliafico, who Kevin Campbell dubbed a “top-quality player”, is a 40-cap Argentina international who has plenty of experience at the highest level for club and country.

The 29-year-old is into the final 12 months of his Ajax contract and can also play as a centre-back or left midfielder if required.

Marsch appears to want his full-backs to chip in going forward, and with Tagliafico having 48 club goal contributions to his name, a move for him could be a brilliant piece of business by Leeds.

Sunderland have had a relatively quiet start to the summer transfer window since earning promotion back to the Championship.

They have signed Jack Clarke and Leon Dajaku on permanent deals following their loan spells at the Stadium of Light last term and the only fresh face to come through the door so far has been Daniel Ballard from Arsenal.

Kristjaan Speakman still has around six weeks left to complete business and the club have been linked with a number of players throughout the summer.

Last month, Football Insider claimed that the Black Cats are one of the teams interested in a deal to sign attacking midfielder Ravel Morrison ahead of the 2022/23 campaign.

He is currently a free agent after leaving Derby County and the club may now snap him up to bolster their midfield options, if they can beat off competition from the other sides eyeing him up.

Alex Neil’s own Paul Gascoigne

The head coach can now land his own version of Gascoigne by signing the £4.7k-per-week gem in the coming weeks.

Lee Clark compared him to the English icon back in 2014, saying: “He is the best footballer since Paul Gascoigne. If Paul Gascoigne had not done his knee he would have become the best player in the world.

“I played with Paul. I grew up with Paul. The only thing is that Ravel doesn’t know who Paul Gascoigne is! He has the pace of a wide-man. He has the balance but plays in the middle of the pitch because he can manoeuvre the ball.”

Whilst the attacking midfielder’s career has not quite reached the heights that Clark expected it to, Morrison did showcase his quality in the Championship last season.

The gem produced four goals and four assists – creating six ‘big chances’ in total – in 25 starts as Derby were relegated from the second tier.

He has also had his playstyle praised as Rio Ferdinand previously quoted Middlesbrough manager Chris Wilder as saying: “Rav – unpredictable, maverick, humble, a natural, and frustrating.”

Morrison is an exciting midfielder who is capable of coming up with magic moments, like Gascoigne, as proven by these comments and his statistics last season.

Therefore, Neil can land his own version of the former Tottenham man by signing the 29-year-old and must push Speakman to secure a deal before the start of the campaign.

AND in other news, Big blow: Sunderland dealt pre-season injury setback that’ll leave Alex Neil gutted…

Newcastle United manager Eddie Howe has voiced a teasing update regarding the Tyneside club’s transfer aims for the remaining weeks of the summer transfer window.

What’s the news?

Relayed on Twitter by the Daily Mail’s Craig Hope, the Magpies boss spoke about the current transfer situation after seeing his side secure a 3-0 pre-season win over 1860 Munich on Friday.

The 44-year-old said: “We are keen to add strength to certain areas. It remains to be seen whether we can get a deal done. It’s a difficult window, a difficult market, high prices & very limited availability. I’m sure we can hopefully a land a player who can make a difference.”

So far in the summer transfer window, the Toon have secured a permanent deal for Matt Targett following his loan spell at St James’ Park last season, along with bringing in Nick Pope and Sven Botman.

This shows that the Magpies have been keen on strengthening their defence ahead of the upcoming Premier League campaign.

Bearing in mind how Newcastle conceded 62 league goals last season, it’s easy to see why Howe has been eager to add some strength and depth to that area of his squad.

Newcastle supporters will be buzzing

Now that the Magpies boss has shared his hopes of seeing a new player make their way to Tyneside this summer, this should surely have lots of Newcastle fans jumping for joy.

In terms of what sort of player the club could look to bring in before the transfer window shuts, the fact that the club have been entangled in a saga over a potential move for Reims striker Hugo Ekitike – who has now been linked with a move to Paris Saint-Germain – could suggest that the Toon want to sign a new attacker this summer.

Should the Magpies end up missing out on securing a deal for the Frenchman, this would allow the club to focus on other potential attacking transfer targets that they may want to sign.

If Newcastle end their latest transfer window with another player through the door who can improve Howe’s squad, this would surely tie up their summer transfer activity nicely and put them in good stead to attack their upcoming Premier League campaign.

AND in other news: PIF plotting Newcastle bid for £211k-p/w target, he’d be “one of the best” summer signings

Alfredo Pedulla has dropped an update on the future of reported Tottenham Hotspur transfer target Nicolo Zaniolo.

What’s the talk?

In a recent post on his personal website, the Italian journalist revealed that, despite Fabio Paratici’s reported meeting with AS Roma’s Tiago Pinto regarding a deal for the 23-year-old forward, the Italy international is currently prioritising a move to Juventus ahead of a switch to the Premier League this summer.

However, a further report by the Daily Express suggests that the Spurs sporting director could hold an advantage over the Old Lady in a move for the former Inter Milan starlet, as the 49-year-old possesses an excellent relationship with a number of Serie A clubs due to his own spell working in Italy.

An “unreal” signing

While it would appear as if Paratici will have his work cut out if he is to convince Zaniolo of a £60m move to north London this summer, should the Italian be successful in his pursuit of the nine-cap international, it would undoubtedly represent an extremely impressive piece of business by the sporting director.

[snack-amp-story url= “https://www.footballfancast.com/web-stories/read-the-latest-spurs-news-transfer-rumours-gossip-much-more” title= “Read the latest Spurs news, transfer rumours and more!”]

Indeed, over his 10 appearances in the Europa Conference League last season, the £34m-rated talent more than proved he is getting back to his best following two serious cruciate ligament injuries, scoring five goals, providing four assists and creating three big chances for his teammates, as well as taking an average of 2.0 shots, making 1.1 key passes and completing 0.8 dribbles per game.

These metrics saw the £75k-per-week forward who Nick Mercadante dubbed “unreal” and Cristiano Masitto labelled “ingenious” average a sensational SofaScore match rating of 7.11, ranking him as Mourinho’s sixth-best performer in the tournament – playing a key role in I Giallorossi going on to lift the inaugural Conference League trophy.

The 23-year-old also returned impressive numbers over his sixth-place finish in the Italian top flight.

As such, it is clear to see that Zaniolo would make an exceptional addition to Antonio Conte’s attacking options at Spurs next season, leading us to believe that Paratici simply must do everything in his power to beat Juve to the playmaker’s signature this summer.

AND in other news: “I’m told..”: Fabrizio Romano reveals Spurs transfer twist, supporters will be gutted

Leeds United have been dealt a huge boost in their bid to bring Mohamed Camara to Elland Road this summer.

What’s the talk?

That’s according to a report by The Argus, who revealed that, despite it recently being claimed that Brighton & Hove Albion are in pole position for the Red Bull Salzburg midfielder’s signing, Graham Potter’s side are simply keeping an eye on the situation of the 22-year-old – and are yet to make any sort of move for the Mali international.

This is sure to come as a huge boost to Victor Orta and the Whites, as the Spanish director of football is reported to be in direct contact with the former FC Liefering talent’s representatives in a bid to secure a £25m move for the midfielder ahead of the new Premier League season.

“Amazing signing”

Considering just how exciting a prospect Camara undoubtedly is, the news that Brighton are not actively pursuing a move for the 22-year-old at present is sure to have left the Elland Road faithful buzzing.

Indeed, based solely on his 572 minutes played in the Champions League last season, FBref rank the £24.3m-rated talent in the top 2% of midfielders in Europe’s big five leagues and European competitions for assists per 90, as well as the top 16% for tackles, the top 25% for xA, the top 25% for dribbles completed, the top 29% for progressive carries and the top 32% for shot-creating actions over the last 365 days.

[snack-amp-story url= “https://www.footballfancast.com/web-stories/read-the-latest-leeds-united-news-transfer-rumours-gossip-and-much-more-2″ title=”Read the latest Leeds news, transfer rumours and more!”]

If these metrics do not prove just how well-rounded the £2.9k-per-week midfielder is, then his returns in the Austrian Bundesliga last season certainly do.

Indeed, over his 25 league fixtures in 2021/22, the 22-year-old scored one goal, registered three assists and created three big chances, in addition to making an average of 1.3 interceptions and 1.0 key pass, completing 1.8 dribbles and 45.8 passes and winning 1.9 tackles and 6.4 duels per game.

These metrics saw the player who Jacek Kulig dubbed “indispensable” and claimed would be an “amazing signing” for a top Premier League side average an extraordinary SofaScore match rating of 7.20, ranking him as the 10th-best player in the Austrian Bundesliga.

As such, it is clear for all to see just how impressive an addition Camara would be to Jesse Marsch’s options in the middle of the park next season, leading us to believe that the fact Leeds now look to be leading the race for the Malian is undoubtedly fantastic for everyone involved with the club.

AND in other news: Victor Orta now plotting bid for “prolific” £19m Leeds target, he’s Jonathan David 2.0

Lyall Thomas has dropped an update on reported Tottenham Hotspur transfer target Cody Gakpo.

What’s the latest?

In a recent Twitter post, the Sky Sports journalist revealed that, following earlier reports linking Spurs with a move for the PSV Eindhoven forward, Fabio Paratici has now made contact with the Eredivisie club regarding a move for the Netherlands international. Roger Schmidt’s side are believed to be demanding a figure in the region of £26m in order to part with the winger this summer.

In his tweet, Thomas said: “Spurs have also inquired about PSV’s Cody Gakpo, I can exclusively reveal, but he is one of many Netherlands players told by Louis van Gaal he must be playing regularly to get in the World Cup 2022 squad.”

Supporters will love Thomas’ update

Considering just how exciting a prospect Gakpo undoubtedly is, and with Steven Bergwijn set to depart the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium in the coming weeks, Thomas’ claim regarding Paratici’s interest in a deal for the 23-year-old is sure to be one that the Spurs faithful will love.

Indeed, over his 27 Eredivisie appearances last season, the £27m-rated talent was in astonishing form for PSV, bagging 12 goals, providing 13 assists and creating 11 big chances for his team-mates. He also took three shots, made 2.6 key passes and completed 2.9 dribbles per match.

[snack-amp-story url= “https://www.footballfancast.com/web-stories/read-the-latest-spurs-news-transfer-rumours-gossip-much-more” title= “Read the latest Spurs news, transfer rumours and more!”]

These metrics saw the £7.4k-per-week forward average a quite remarkable SofaScore match rating of 7.51, not only ranking him as Schmidt’s best performer in the league but also as the fourth-best player in the entire Eredivisie.

The Netherlands international also impressed over his four Europa League outings in 2021/22, scoring two goals and creating two big chances, along with taking three shots, making 2.8 key passes and completing four dribbles per game.

These returns saw the player who Josh Bunting dubbed “extremely creative” and a “beautiful talent” average a sensational SofaScore match rating of 7.47, ranking him as the fourth-best player to feature in the competition.

It was a similar case over Gakpo’s five Europa Conference League outings last term, in which the winger bagged three goals, registered one assist and created one big chance, in addition to taking 2.2 shots, making 1.6 key passes and completing 2.8 dribbles per game.

These metrics saw the 23-year-old once again earn a remarkable SofaScore match rating of 7.42, ranking him as the joint 10th-best performer in the entire tournament as he played a key role in PSV’s run to the quarter-finals of the competition.

As such, considering his astonishing returns last season, it is clear to see just how talented a player the flying Dutchman really is, leading us to believe that the prospect of the forward linking up with Antonio Conte’s side next season is sure to be a hugely exciting one for everybody involved with Spurs.

AND in other news: Reliable journalist reveals that a deal has “been agreed”; Spurs supporters will be buzzing

The Rangers Review and Sky Sports journalist Joshua Barrie has now revealed some key Glasgow Rangers news involving Ibrox legend Allan McGregor.

The Lowdown: Out of contract

McGregor is out of contract  this summer, and is not interested in moving into a coaching role at Ibrox.

The Sun reported that he has been offered a big-money move to the Middle East, and so these are decisive days ahead for his future.

The Latest: Contract ‘talks’

Taking to Twitter, Barrie has now revealed that McGregor is ‘not considering’ a move to the Middle East at this moment in time, and instead has held ‘talks’ with the club ‘this week’ over his future:

“I’m told that Allan McGregor is not considering a move to the Middle East. It’s suggested that he’s held talks with Rangers this week regarding his future, after returning from holiday.”

The Verdict: Relief

It will certainly come as a relief to supporters that McGregor does not want to move to the Middle East, and instead is open to signing a new deal with the Teddy Bears.

The veteran has been a key player for so many years, none more so than last season, where he played over 4,000 minutes of football in total over all competitions and kept 17 clean sheets.

In their memorable UEFA Europa League campaign, the Scotsman saved a penalty, made no errors leading to goals and averaged 2.9 saves per match (SofaScore), helping them reach the final against Frankfurt, and his efforts should really be rewarded by the Gers with a new contract.

In other news, find out what ’embarrassing’ RFC update has now emerged here!

Gianluigi Longari has dropped an update on reported Tottenham Hotspur transfer target Raphinha.

What’s the talk?

In a recent post on Twitter, the Italian journalist revealed that, following Arsenal’s first offer for the Leeds United winger, Fabio Paratici is now preparing his own bid for the Brazil international – believed to be around £50m plus £10m in add-ons.

The Sportitalia reporter also went on to state that, while Barcelona are thought to be the 25-year-old’s first choice destination, the LaLiga side are yet to reach an agreement with the Whites regarding a fee for the forward.

In his tweet, Longari said: “Raphinha situation: Also Tottenham want LUFC winger and ready to submit an offer (50m+10m).

“Arsenal just submitted a fresh bid as per David Ornstein. Barcelona always first choice but no agreement with LUFC. Raphinha hasn’t decided yet.”

Supporters will be buzzing

Considering just how impressive Raphinha has been for Leeds following his £17m move to Elland Road back in the summer of 2020, it is not difficult to see why Paratici would be keen on a deal to bring the Brazilian to north London ahead of the upcoming 2022/23 campaign.

[snack-amp-story url= “https://www.footballfancast.com/web-stories/read-the-latest-spurs-news-transfer-rumours-gossip-much-more” title= “Read the latest Spurs news, transfer rumours and more!”]

Indeed, over his 30 Premier League appearances in 2020/21, the £40.5m-rated talent proved an immediate hit for the Whites, scoring six goals, registering nine assists and creating 12 big chances for his teammates, as well as taking an average of 2.2 shots, making 2.1 key passes and completing 1.9 dribbles per game.

These returns saw the £63k-per-week winger average a quite extraordinary SofaScore match rating of 7.14, not only ranking him as Leeds’ second-best outfielder in the league – behind only Kalvin Phillips – but also as the joint 30th-best player in the division as a whole.

Furthermore, despite Jesse Marsch’s side’s struggles in 2021/22, Raphinha still managed to catch the eye over his 35 top-flight outings last season, bagging 11 goals, providing three assists and creating 10 big chances, in addition to taking an average of 2.5 shots, making 1.9 key passes and completing 1.8 dribbles per fixture.

These metrics once again saw the former Stade Rennais star earn an extremely impressive SofaScore match rating of 6.97, ranking him as the Whites’ second-best outfielder in the league – this time behind only the imperious Liam Cooper – with the Brazilian playing a key role in Leeds’ securing their Premier League status heading into 22/23.

As such, it is undeniable that, should Paratici go on to land the 25-year-old this summer, Raphinha would make an exceptional addition to Antonio Conte’s current options in attack – something which leads us to believe that Longari’s latest update on Tottenham’s pursuit of the winger is sure to have left the Spurs faithful buzzing.

AND in other news: “People within his camp…”: Gold drops big Spurs transfer update supporters will love