All posts by rastrear-estafeta.com

Loads of Manchester United fans have been left fuming as no supporters will be allowed into Old Trafford as Greater Manchester will be placed in Tier 3 restrictions after the national lockdown ends, meaning that sports events in the area must still be played behind closed doors.

As per Sky Sports, clubs in the Premier League who play in Liverpool and London, in addition to Brighton and Southampton, will be allowed to have some fans back into their grounds after the lockdown period is over, while the Red Devils, along with Manchester City, Aston Villa, Leicester City, Newcastle United, Leeds United, Sheffield United, West Brom and Wolves will be unable to have fans back in person.

Several Man United supporters have not taken the news well as they will not be able to go to the stadium to watch their club play, while others questioned as to why the rules are not the same across the country.

Manchester United fans react to news

These Man Utd fans fumed upon reading about the news on Twitter, with one supporter even claiming that it is a ‘joke’:

In other news, find out as to why fans are speculating that Cristiano Ronaldo could be returning to MUFC here!

It seems like Atletico Madrid are still more than just attentive to Alexandre Lacazette’s situation at Arsenal. We know that the Rojiblancos have been on a hunt for a new forward and it does seem like Mikel Arteta’s favourite is the chosen one to reinforce the squad.

Of course, they do have the likes of Alvaro Morata, Diego Costa and their future superstar Joao Felix but they have been frustratingly poor in front of goal. And this is not exactly the first time we hear about it but Marca claim Diego Simeone is still interested in Lacazette.

So much so that they are willing to offer the Gunners a swap deal in an attempt to snatch him up. And yes, Arsenal would be interested in getting Thomas Partey but that is one of the players the Rojiblancos simply don’t want to part with.

However, they would be willing to offer one of Thomas Lemar, Angel Correa or Vitolo as potential makeweight in the deal. Marca explain that this offer had already been put on the table back in January but Arsenal declined it.

But the circumstances of both clubs have changed since then so they believe there is an avenue in there somewhere that they can potentially explore. Arteta is clearly fond of Lacazette so this would certainly not be an easy deal to get over the line.

Still, with a choice of three stars in front of them, maybe the Gunners budge after all.

Verdict

It does seem unlikely that Arteta agrees to let Lacazette go regardless of how tempting this offer might be. Of course, this is not exactly the first time we hear the Frenchman’s name in transfer rumours and will likely not be the last either.

Arsenal are finally starting to click under the new coach and having the best possible squad for the upcoming 2020/21 Premier League season should be the priority.

And that, needless to say, includes Lacazette.

Tottenham Hotspur have been linked with pretty much every striker possible during this summer transfer window, though an interesting new name has emerged this week…

What’s the word?

According to Football.London reporter Alasdair Gold, Spurs have had a “strong, long-held, interest” in Southampton striker Danny Ings but the club has doubts over their chances of actually pulling off a deal.

It’s claimed that the 28-year-old would come with a hefty price tag, which Daniel Levy is unlikely to pay whilst the prospect of being second-fiddle to Harry Kane is also proving to be a stumbling block.

Ings is only valued at £18m by Transfermarkt and is thought to be the Saints’ highest earner on a reported £75k-per-week.

Kane foil

Whilst it’s undoubtedly an ambitious move, it’s one that Levy should actually consider given their lack of creativity in front of goal at the weekend – perhaps a change of system that could include both Ings and Kane would bring returns.

Last term, the Englishman netted 25 goals in 42 appearances and averaged 2.4 shots, 1.3 dribbles, 0.9 key passes per game, via WhoScored – often thriving in a system that has either Shane Long or Che Adams alongside him.

Kane’s more of a target man-like partner, so surely he could reap the rewards even more in north London.

Spurs know his exploits all too well after he picked apart Jose Mourinho’s men on New Year’s Day.

Per SofaScore, Ings bagged the winner and recorded four dribbles, six ground duels won and two shots at goal, bullying Toby Alderweireld, who had an off day with just one duel won from a total of six.

Former Gunners centre-back Martin Keown believes the Saints talisman is “outstanding” as he “presses really well” and is “hardworking,” which seemingly would make him a perfect profile for the sort of player Mourinho would ask for.

Whilst Clinton Morrison likened him to ex-Spurs man Robbie Keane, claiming “his movement is first class.”

Levy should splash the cash in order to help the squad get back on track as soon as possible.

AND in other news, Spurs given boost to sign one mooted summer target…

Borussia Dortmund are ‘expecting’ a £109m offer from Manchester United for Jadon Sancho – on one condition.

Sancho is Ole Gunnar Solskjaer’s top priority this summer as he looks to rebuild the Red Devils.

According to Bild, as per @utdreport, Dortmund believe they will receive a huge €120m bid from Man United, but only if they qualify for the Champions League.

Solskjaer’s side are still some way away from qualifying for the European competition.

United are currently in a three-way battle to qualify for the Champions League via the Premier League, with Leicester City and Chelsea also firmly in contention.

Ed Woodward is well aware reaching the Champions League could play a key part in persuading Solksjaer’s transfer targets to move to Old Trafford.

However, everything seems to hinge on whether or not the Red Devils will reach the top four at the end of the season.

Naturally, many United fans slammed the latest transfer “nonsense” on social media, with a supporter insisting the board should fix the “shambolic” defence instead. Solskjaer’s side have conceded four goals in the past three games. Another fan bizarrely suggested Sancho is “over hyped,” despite the fact he is Dortmund’s top scorer this season.

Scroll through some of the scathing reactions so far…

United fans, do you think Jadon Sancho will move to Old Trafford in the summer? Let us know down below!

There are not many worse situations than being a club in dire need of a revamp and a squad refresh and not having any money to do anything about it. At West Ham United, things may not be as bad or as critical as that but David Moyes also knows this absolutely has to be a busy summer transfer window for the Hammers.

But you also can’t exactly say that the London outfit are ready to splash the cash because, as it currently seems, there is not that much cash to splash at all. For that reason, we just might see a departure or two first that would make the incoming transfers possible in the first place.

According to the latest report from The Times, West Ham are looking to offload Jack Wilshere in the ongoing window so that they can primarily ease the wage bill that is also one of the issues at the club.

The same source claims the former Arsenal man is on around £100k-a-week and still has one final year left on his contract. However, the Hammers are not willing to wait that long.

If no offer arrives and no one decides to take the player off their hands, they just might buy that last year out.

The Times also go on to state that West Ham are even contemplating selling him for less than £100,000 a week and then potentially making up the difference in wages until June 30 next year when his contract officially comes to an end.

That way, they could ensure someone indeed does go ahead with the sale.

One way or the other, however, Wilshere is on his way out of the club.

Verdict

West Ham are adamant on making changes and Wilshere could indeed be one of the first sacrifices made for the upcoming 2020/21 Premier League campaign.

Another tough season is ahead and these are the kind of choices that will either make or break the Hammers’ journey forward. Moyes is doing the right thing but will it actually pay off?

It seems that Milan are still on the prowl for a new centre-back and according to Calciomercato, the Rossoneri’s priority is Barcelona’s Jean-Clair Todibo. But they are not the only ones monitoring the young talent as Southampton have also been reported as admirers. 

The Serie A club are very much focused on the opening of the January transfer window, which is closing in as we speak.

And one of the tasks on the agenda, as reported by Calciomercato, is still to find a reliable central defender. Barcelona’s Todibo is still very much the first name on their list, albeit not the only one, and the Italians would love to incorporate him if possible.

But they might face some competition as Southampton were reported to be on a lookout for the same player, as per an update from ESPN earlier this month.

Needless to say, both clubs could benefit from this transfer, as could the player, but for the Rossoneri, it might be an opportunity to plug a big hole in their backline.

Todibo is a great talent and that much we have already seen despite his rather low game time in 2019/20.

Just recently, he played an incredible game in the Champions League during Barcelona’s victory over Inter Milan on the final matchday of the group stage.

But even with all of that said, the 19-year-old has only managed to muster 167 minutes across all competitions for the Catalans and a transfer away could do him a world of good in terms of his development.

Milan could definitely use someone of his expertise.

Sure, they have the likes of Alessio Romagnoli and Mateo Mussachio to lead the line in their defence but a reliable third option to act as back-up is still missing.

Can you score at least 80% on this Ultimate Premier League Quiz? Test your knowledge now…

Of course, their still fresh recruit, Leo Duarte, has unfortunately suffered a serious injury and will likely be out of action for a long time. This is exactly where Todibo can come in and act as his substitute to fill a huge void that the 23-year-old defender has left behind him, supporting Milan’s first-choice centre-back pairing.

From Southampton’s point of view, this deal is also pretty much a no-brainer.

With 36 goals already conceded in the Premier League, the Saints have the leakiest defence in the English top-flight. Adding someone of Todibo’s talent could potentially help fix this teething issue.

Of course, the Frenchman is still young so maybe Southampton could do with someone more developed and able to offer an immediate fix rather than an option for the future.

But at this point, and taking their whole situation into consideration, they can’t really be picky. The Saints haven’t kept a home clean sheet against February, and their last against a current Premier League side was over a year ago, back in October 2018.

Barcelona have also reportedly been locked in discussions with the German outfit Bayer Leverkusen over a €10m (£8.4m) deal and it seems that a bid in that region could potentially be enough to make the Catalans let go of their talent.

Only time will tell, though.

In other news, Paris Saint-Germain should not be looking to part ways with Man United target that was once dubbed Riquelme’s heir…

Key Information about London Stadium

The London Stadium (formerly Olympic Stadium) was originally built to host the London 2012 Olympics, and it is not the home of Premier League side West Ham United in addition to UK Athletics.

The brand new state of the art stadium has a 60,000 all-seater capacity for football matches, and this figure can be increased to 80,000 for concerts. The London Stadium has a UEFA ‘Category Four’ stadium status and features the longest cantilevered roof in the world.

The ground is located in the east end of London, and comprises famous stands; the Bobby Moore Stand, the Sir Trevor Brooking Stand, and the East and West Stands.

A history of London Stadium

The London Stadium commenced construction in May 2008 which was three months earlier than scheduled, and the ground was completed in March 2011 which was on time and under budget. The stadium was built in different tiers, and during the Olympic games it was able to hold 80,000 spectators.

The base tier comprises 25,000 seats in a deeper bowl, and it is made up of low-carbon-dioxide concrete which is 40 percent less embodied carbon than conventional concrete. The second tier holds an impressive 55,000 seats, 60 meters above the ground level. The world’s longest cantilever roof covers two-thirds of the London Stadium’s seating, and the roof holds 14 lighting towers which feature over 500 individual floodlights.

In terms of the ground’s interior, it features a nine-lane Mondo 400 meters athletics track, and the pitch is a mix of ryegrass, smooth stalk meadow grass, and perennial ryegrass.

In the summer of 2012, the 25,000 seats and the grass from the lower tier were removed, and the athletics track was covered with a layer of recycled concrete to protect it from the construction work. Later that year, work began on removing the 14 floodlight panels, and two years later work commenced on installing new floodlights that are suspended from the roof rather than sitting on top.

The original black and white seating which was designed for the London Olympics was replaced with the Hammers notable white, blue and claret colours with West Ham United’s name on the East Stand, and the symbolic hammers designed on the lower tier stands. In addition to previous work, in 2016 further developments were made to the London Stadium to make it more homely to its new residents.

Tickets to Watch West Ham United at London Stadium

Adult West Ham United members can purchase single Premier League matchday tickets from £25-75, over-65s/under-21s/under-16s can all go for £13-75 – all prices depend on which stand and category is selected. Non-member tickets are typically priced at an additional £5.

Adult season tickets range from £320-1200, over-65s and under-21s range from £160-1200, and under-16 founder/s can purchase a season ticket from just £99.

Related Links

https://www.whufc.com/ – Official website of West Ham United

https://www.whufc.com/tickets/ – West Ham United Ticket Office

https://www.london-stadium.com/index.html – Official website of London Stadium

This article is part of Football FanCast’s Pundit View series, which provides opinion and analysis on recent quotes from journalists, pundits, players and managers…

Speaking on Sky Sports’ Monday Night Football, Manchester United legend Gary Neville has urged Ole Gunnar Solskjaer to be “selfish” in the upcoming January transfer window.

What did he say?

The Red Devils pulled off just three permanent summer signings in Daniel James, Aaron Wan-Bissaka and Harry Maguire. Despite losing a host of players, including the likes of Romelu Lukaku and Alexis Sanchez, United failed to bring in replacements.

And having seen the side’s young players go 2-0 down at Sheffield United before clinching a dramatic 3-3 draw, Neville insisted Solskjaer desperately needs to add more experienced players to the side.

He said: “They haven’t got senior players to let them know the expectation of what’s required in a football team. They don’t know how to approach a Premier League away game. They don’t understand that it’s different playing at Old Trafford than away from home. They don’t have the experience or maturity. Ole Gunnar Solskjaer has to go and spend the club’s money for himself, on two or three experienced players.

“He must demand it, he’s not going to be there to see the fruits of the labour that he’s putting in because there’s a lot of good young players on that pitch that I enjoy watching, but unless they get the players in and around them quickly, they’ll not see the standard and won’t have the maturity.

“Ole’s going to have to be selfish. He’s going to have to have that ruthless streak that a (Jose) Mourinho has, or a (Antonio) Conte has, and he’s going to have to go and spend the club’s money in the January window and put two or three experienced players in that group and they could come alive.”

Needs must

Make no mistake about it, Solskjaer must address some of the key areas for concern in the January window. Waiting until next summer to do something about it would place even greater doubt on their ability to finish in the top four – they currently find themselves nine points behind fourth-placed Chelsea.

[ad_pod ]

If the United boss simply towed the club line and refrained from bringing in a new striker and midfielder in the summer, then he has to be more selfish in January as Neville alludes to. He has to stamp his authority and take the game to Ed Woodward, and demand that he backs him in the transfer market. The winter window promises to be a pivotal point in the Red Devils’ campaign, and it all rests on whether Solskjaer can really dip his toes into the water.

If he can embrace some of the cut-throat elements of Mourinho’s style of management, then he stands a much better chance of not having Woodward simply roll him over.

Meanwhile, find out how Manchester United fans reacted when Pep Guardiola delivered an injury update on key Manchester City man.

This article is part of Football FanCast’s Pundit View series, which provides opinion and analysis on recent quotes from journalists, pundits, players and managers…

News on Kiko Casilla’s potential ban has been hard to come by recently.

The deadline for his response to the charge came and went, and we’re still unsure on what is going to happen to the Spaniard.

For those who need a little refresher, the goalkeeper is facing a minimum six-game ban after being accused of racially abusing Jonathan Leko during United’s game against Charlton earlier this season.

While we’re not sure what’s going to happen with Casilla, Phil Hay believes that his ban will fall on the lenient side due to the outcome of a very similar case.

What’s been said then?

The journalist was talking on the latest edition of The Phil Hay Show (13/12/19), and he was asked whether or not he thinks Illan Meslier will be good enough to step in for Casilla.

Watch Leeds United Videos With StreamFootball.tv Below

“I think he’s going to be good enough for the short period he’ll be in.” Hay said (53:00).

“We’re talking six games or eight games. Well, it could be more, it could go to ten or 12 for Casilla if he is found guilty of this.

“The case is very similar to that of Forestieri at Sheffield Wednesday who ended up with six games, so I think we’d be looking in that ballpark.”

Mixed emotions

If Casilla is to be banned, to hear that he could get away with the shortest punishment he could possibly be handed is brilliant news for Leeds on the pitch.

The Spanish stopper has been key in Leeds’ assault on the top two this season as he’s kept 12 clean sheets in 21 appearances.

However, a number of fans stated that they wouldn’t want anything to do with the goalie if he is found guilty of racially abusing another player, so to see him get away with just a six or eight-game ban is a little disheartening from a moral standpoint.

What happens to Casilla remains to be seen, but if he’s found guilty there will certainly be mixed emotions across the fanbase.

Meanwhile, our writers have been pondering whether or not one of Leeds’ January targets would be a good signing.

Charlton fans have taken to Twitter to react to Lee Bowyer’s post-Millwall comments following the 2-1 defeat, and it is clear to see that they aren’t in agreement with him.

The 42-year-old Charlton boss said: “We were better than them, I thought, from start to finish. We should have won the game and to come away with nothing, is so disappointing.”

While on paper his words seem normal enough, it does seem strange of Bowyer to say that his side were better than Millwall from start to finish if you look at the statistics.

Gary Rowett’s side had more shots than the Addicks, completed more dribbles and had five more corners – the Lions also made one more key pass than their opponents, and won a substantial 27 more offensive aerial duels.

It really didn’t look like a game that Charlton dominated by any means, whether you were to have actually watched the game or look at the stats – Bowyer’s comments do sound inaccurate on the basis of how the game played out.

Significantly, that is a sentiment that some Charlton fans on Twitter agree with…