All posts by z3u9t.icu

Celtic are likely to be dealt a blow well in advance of next summer according to emerging reports.

According to Dan Sheldon at The Athletic, there is a belief at St Mary’s Stadium that Hoops loanee Mohamed Elyounoussi will come good as a player who could potentially make his mark in the Premier League.

He claims that the Saints hierarchy pushed through a return to Celtic Park very swiftly due to pressure from the Scottish champions, so there’s a very high chance the £16m signing gets a crack under Ralph Hassenhuttl in 2021.

Therefore, Bhoys chief Peter Lawwell and head of football Nick Hammond ought to be on the lookout for a successor now they know such news.

Perhaps the answer lies with a target they’ve already looked at during the latest transfer window – Newcastle United outcast Christian Atsu.

It’s thought that the 28-year-old will depart the Magpies on loan before Friday’s domestic deadline and it appears that his time is done in the northeast as he enters the final portion of his £30k-per-week contract.

As per the Chronicle, Atsu is set to be released at the end of the season, so that should give Celtic a chance to pounce having enquired about him earlier this summer.

One major positive to this is the fact that the Ghanian winger is on half of the reported £60k-per-week wages of Elyounoussi, so Lawwell would be saving a ton of money even if he was able to keep hold of the Southampton ace.

Atsu seems like a viable alternative having averaged 1.2 shots, 1.1 dribbles and one shot per game across the course of his career, via WhoScored – and that’s without being able to settle anywhere either.

The 28-year-old misfit has been lauded as a “wonderful” player by Ghana assistant Maxwell Konadu in the past whilst former Bournemouth teammate Adam Smith hailed him as a “talented player” with plenty of speed.

Parkhead has proven to be a solid foundation for forgotten players to revive their careers as seen with Fraser Forster and Scott Sinclair, so a move for Atsu could well work out for all parties next summer.

It has to be considered, at the very least.

AND in other news, Celtic chief Peter Lawwell must tie £40k-p/w MONSTER down ASAP…

Liverpool have been linked to a move for Red Bull Salzburg’s Hee-Chan Hwang ahead of next season.

According to Sky Deutschland (relayed via @LFCTransferRoom), the Reds are interested in bringing the South Korea international to Anfield this summer. However, RB Leipzig are also reportedly looking into him as a potential replacement for Timo Werner.

Hwang has had a very impressive season in Austria, tallying 11 goals and 11 assists in 25 league appearances so far. His total count for the 2019/20 campaign is 16 goals and 21 assists across all competitions (via Transfermarkt).

If Liverpool want to sign up the 24-year-old, he will reportedly cost about €10million (£9m), which is a very low amount for such a clinical goal-getter. It seems Reds fans are already on board with the idea and have taken to Twitter to urge the club to bring him in.

A couple of supporters have lauded the ‘bargain’ asking price, with one commenting ‘What a steal’ and another suggesting he would be ‘better than Werner’ as a signing due to being much cheaper. Another fan has recalled Hwang was ‘incredible against us’ after Salzburg played Liverpool in the Champions League earlier this season. The striker scored and assisted against the Reds back in October (via Transfermarkt).

Read some replies from the Anfield faithful here:

Do you think Liverpool should sign Hwang this summer, Reds? Have your say in the comments below!

Portsmouth boss Kenny Jackett has revealed that he is unsure of securing a return for Birmingham City’s Steve Seddon this summer.

The 22-year-old arrived at Fratton Park during the January transfer window, sealing a short term loan deal from the Championship side.

Helping Pompey to a play-off place, the left-back was involved in the League One play-off semi-final which ended in defeat against Oxford United, thus ending the club’s chances of gaining promotion to the Championship.

Making 12 appearances in England’s third tier with Portsmouth, Seddon made a good impression, netting two goals and gaining one assist despite being a defender by trade.

However, a potential permanent deal or second loan has become a difficult one with The News reporting that Jackett’s side are not in a position financially to pursue a move.

Valued at £135,000 by Transfermarkt, Seddon’s future has now been discussed by his former temporary boss.

He told The News: ‘We would need and do want a new left-back. We are working towards having two specialist left-backs for next season.

‘We haven’t got anyone else in the squad with the experience other than Lee.‘Steve Seddon has obviously gone back and is a Birmingham player now.‘I don’t know what the circumstances are with them, but there are a number of players we are working towards and considering.‘By the start of the season, getting two specialist left-backs is something we will look to do.’

Seddon made a good impression at Portsmouth and he would be a superb permanent signing this summer, but finances and the salary cap introduction from the English Football League are making deals like this one very hard to pull off.

Whether or not a loan deal could be agreed does not seem to be mentioned in the reports over the last few weeks, but you would have to think that would be put forward.

Do you think Seddon could return to Portsmouth? Let us know in the comments section below…

Name: Joe McGlynn

Club: Burnley U18 

Date of Birth: 27 September 2002

Position: Centre-forward

Joe McGlynn – his career so far

Burnley have many young and talented youngster currently residing in their academy. One of them is definitely the 17-year-old attacking player, Joe McGlynn. The youngster has been regarded as one of the most interesting and exciting prospects the Clarets have in their midsts and could get even more attention in the coming years.

The Warrington-born lad has been with Burnley since he was aged only 12 as he joined the club back in 2014. After spending time in their youth system, McGlynn penned a two-year scholarship with the club at the end of the 2018/19 season, following several rather impressive seasons in their U15 and U16 squads.

He’s been quite successful for their U18s and U23s as well, banging in goals and even starting off 2019/20 with a bang, netting his first hattrick for the club as Burnley faced off against Preston in the opening game of Clarets Cup.

He was also called up to a training camp for Scotland in the 2018/19 season and has since featured for them once again, even scoring his first goal for the country against Cameroon as they tallied a 2-0 victory.

As of right now, however, McGlynn has not had any contact with the senior team of Burnley as he is, after all, just 17 years of age. Despite all the talent and the noise he’s been making while climbing the youth ladder, he might still have to wait for a bit longer to get an official chance with Sean Dyche’s troops.

But this very much feels like a ‘when’ rather than an ‘if’ and if he can keep progressing the way he has so far, the future will definitely look bright for the young forward.

Let’s see what he manages to do with it at Burnley.

Transfer latest

Even though there are no transfer rumours suggesting McGlynn could be in line for a promotion in the near future, he has been praised by the people within the youth systems and has been getting some attention from the media as of late.

Another great piece of Burnley news has definitely been his inclusion in Guardian’s Top 20 young talents from the Premier League outfits as McGlynn warranted a spot as his club’s most exciting prospect.

If all goes according to plan, however, the 17-year-old could very well be looking to give the first-team coach some food for thought once football and life return back to normal in the coming summer.

While it may be a little early to say he’ll definitely follow the steps of Dwight McNeil, the young Scottish international does seem to have all the necessary ingredients to succeed.

Player profile

With no exposure to the senior team of Burnley and due to the fact he’s still very much a scholar at the club, there is simply no data available on McGlynn as of yet. The youngster might start grabbing everyone’s attention and getting the spotlight rather soon but he’s still flying under the radar for the most part.

But upon analysing the limited footage and the odd-appearance that’s available, we can see the 17-year-old is a natural finisher and a deadly presence in the final third and especially inside the box.

He also has the ability to slot out wide when necessary, working brilliantly in a forward duo. His first touch and great awareness also mean he can take defenders by surprise and exploit space behind their lines with ease.

It also helps that he’s constantly on the move, swapping positions, working hard and reshuffling the opposition’s defence, quite literally leaving his heart on the pitch. Finally, even though he’s often playing with kids older than him, his physical presence enables him to tango with them and still end up victorious on most occasions.

Tottenham manager Jose Mourinho wants to fix his defensive problems sooner rather than later. 

Spurs have conceded more goals than Premier League champions Liverpool, newcomers Sheffield United and Manchester United this season.

Mourinho has made it clear that he wants to sign a new left-back, as Ryan Sessegnon has never looked particularly convincing, and Ben Davies remains the club’s only viable option in that position.

According to The Athletic, Tottenham are keen to sign Tyrick Mitchell, which doesn’t bode well for Danny Rose.

Mitchell hasn’t played a game for Crystal Palace this season, which makes his form hard to judge. However, the academy ace was a regular feature in the Eagles’ under-18 and under-23 teams which won their respective Professional Development League South divisions.

The 20-year-old oozes pace and is capable of handling himself in one-on-one situations. Although he picked up an injury at the start of the season, he made his first appearance in the senior squad against Brighton in December.

Earlier this month, David Ornstein revealed that Rose has agreed to extend his loan with Newcastle United for the rest of the season. The England international only played five games under Mourinho before being shipped to St James’ Park on a short-term loan in January.

Steve Bruce wants to keep him on Tyneside, as he has impressed for the Magpies so far, making two tackles per game and completing two clearances on average, with a passing accuracy rate of 79.9% (WhoScored).

Mourinho has made it clear that Rose is not a part of his plans for the future (via The Northern Echo). It remains to be seen if he will return to north London once the season is over, as he will be below the likes of Davies, Sessegnon and Japhet Tanganga in the pecking order.

Although he has previously insisted that he will run down his deal with the Lilywhites, it seems that the decision is entirely out of his hands. Newcastle believe that keeping him at St James’ Park is best for all parties involved.

Spurs’ interest in Mitchell suggests that Mourinho has already made up his mind and is planning ahead for next season. Whether or not Daniel Levy will be willing to splash the cash on an unproven youngster is another matter altogether.

Tottenham fans, should Levy sign Tyrick Mitchell? Let us know in the comments below!

Tottenham Hotspur’s season is effectively over, even when it returns to action – whenever that may be.

The north London outfit are out of all cup competitions and have sunk to seven-points adrift of the top four in the Premier League with only nine games remaining.

Jose Mourinho, who was only appointed in November, inherited the majority of this current squad – pretty much every player barring January additions Gedson Fernandes and Steven Bergwijn.

And with a few players seemingly headed for the exit door at Tottenham Way, this summer could spell the real start of the ‘Jose Mourinho era’ at Spurs.

The Portuguese chief would be wise to begin with a defensive overhaul, and where better to start than the marshal of the backline – the goalkeeper.

Hugo Lloris has been a frequent presence between the sticks for Spurs since joining eight years ago, he’s gone on to notch 316 appearances, but the long-serving stopper has been rather error-prone this campaign, and with him not getting any younger at 33, his replacement must be found soon.

According to Football.London, Burnley goalkeeper Nick Pope could be an option for Mourinho – a player that was once targeted by former boss Mauricio Pochettino, as per the Mirror.

Missing football!? There’s still plenty of Spurs discussion going on in the Vital Tottenham Forum! Click here to get involved!

The England international could be the perfect figure to spearhead a new-look defence next season as no other glovesman has kept more clean sheets in the Premier League than Pope (11).

Spurs have the worst defensive record of any side in the top ten with the north Londoners only managing four shutouts themselves between the Frenchman and his backup Paulo Gazzaniga.

Clarets boss Sean Dyche has described the 27-year-old as a “big monster” whose best asset is claiming crosses – something that Lloris has struggled with as seen at Villa Park when he spilt the ball for Mbwana Samatta to score back in February.

Premier League experts will get full marks: The ultimate quiz on top-flight transfer flops…

“A goalkeeper can bring a calmness to a team,” Dyche added, which is something Spurs have lacked in the Frenchman’s presence, and therefore, it makes Pope an ideal candidate to come in and take the reins.

Jan Vertonghen, Danny Rose and Kyle Walker-Peters could all be on their way out, but to lessen the void, Mourinho must bring in a shot-stopper of Pope’s quality.

AND in other news, Alasdair Gold update on Spurs’ link to Philippe Coutinho…

Liverpool fans have been reacting to a massive bombshell on Twitter this week after fresh reports emerged from France over the possibility of replacing one star with another.

According to Le 10 Sport, Reds boss Jurgen Klopp contacted the father of PSG superstar Kylian Mbappe in a bid to convince the forward to move to Anfield, but only if Sadio Mane departs the club for Real Madrid.

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The Frenchman is still yet to extend his contract in Paris beyond the 2022 campaign with his camp postponing talks for at least a year, although it’s also claimed that only a select few would be able to compete with the fee the Ligue 1 outfit would command – expected to be in excess of €200m (£175m).

Mane has been linked with a summer switch to La Liga for most of the season with The Sun recently suggesting the above situation could indeed follow suit.

There have been many mixed feelings amongst the Anfield fanbase, here’s what has been said…

AND in other news, Liverpool’s 20 biggest flops of the Premier League era

This article is part of Football FanCast’s Opinion series, which provides analysis, insight and opinion on any issue within the beautiful game, from Paul Pogba’s haircuts to League Two relegation battles…

Pep Guardiola was visibly livid during Liverpool’s 3-1 defeat of his Manchester City side at Anfield on Sunday.

The former Barcelona manager was in disbelief that his side were not awarded a penalty in the second half, complaining that it was the second time in the match that they had been turned down. He was presumably referring to the incident in the first-half when Trent Alexander-Arnold handled in the box.

What he conveniently failed to remember in that situation, though, was that the ball had touched Bernardo Silva’s hand first.

As such, the Citizens have launched an official complaint to the Professional Game Match Officials Board – or PGMOL for short – in regards to the performance of referee Michael Oliver, according to reports.

This news comes after Raheem Sterling was dropped from the England squad to face Montenegro on Thursday after an incident involving Reds defender Joe Gomez.

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What Guardiola and co hope to achieve by pointing at their frustration with Oliver’s display is up for debate. One thing is for sure, though – the Anfield outfit have their Premier League title rivals rattled, and it can only be good news for Jurgen Klopp’s team who clearly have the advantage.

In the last two terms, Manchester City have been the stand-out side in England’s top tier. In 2017/18, they amassed 100 points and were 19 clear of Manchester United, who finished second. Whilst they won by just one point last season, they still picked up 98 throughout the campaign, whilst they also triumphed in the League Cup and F.A Cup as well.

This time around, though, they have already lost three times in their first 12 games. To put that into perspective, they lost just six in their previous 76 league matches. Not only that, but the Citizens are behind both Leicester City and Chelsea in the table.

Klopp has made it clear that he is not worrying about City, but surely the situation at the Etihad Stadium is making him smile.

He will know that the champions are worried, and this complaint is just the latest example of them lashing out. At the moment, it seems they are doing the damage to themselves. Whilst Liverpool need to concentrate on their own matches and season, this news will come as a boost to their title hopes.

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…

Southampton striker Michael Obafemi has been speaking to The Daily Echo following the 2-2 draw against Arsenal at the Emirates on Saturday.

The Irish forward made his first Premier League start of the campaign against the Gunners, and proceeded to deliver an impressive display having made two key passes while also drawing two fouls.

Obafemi, 19, also could have scored were it not for Cedric’s mindlessly over-hit cross, when all he had to do was roll the ball into the teenager’s path.

What did he say?

Speaking to The Daily Echo, Obafemi said: “I was buzzing to be playing and I think I showed out on the pitch why I should be starting.

“I just kept my head down and kept working hard and waited for my chance to come. I feel like I am doing well at the moment, so hopefully I can carry on doing that.”

All depends on Ralph Hasenhuttl’s selections

Ralph Hasenhuttl has been a hard man to predict so far this season when it comes to team selections and formations.

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The Austrian has played Pierre-Emile Hojbjerg at left-back and Stuart Armstrong at right-back – both players are naturally midfielders – whereas the former RB Leipzig boss has used six different tactical systems in 13 Premier League outings so far this term.

Obafemi’s hopes of starting rest on whether or not Hasenhuttl opts to play with two strikers up front, with him going with a 4-3-3 formation at Arsenal at the weekend. The Republic of Ireland international seemingly only started because Moussa Djenepo – who has been one of the club’s most important players this term despite his lack of game time through injury – wasn’t ready having only just travelled back from international duty.

With Nathan Redmond often playing in the front two when it has been used so far this season, Obafemi still has a lot of work to do to work his way in. This is especially the case if Hasenhuttl sticks with the three up top tactic he deployed against Arsenal, as it will be tough to dislodge the in-form Danny Ings from the starting XI right now.

Obafemi did his chances of another start no harm in north London on Saturday, but his hopes may no longer rest in his hands.

Elsewhere, take a look at how Southampton fans responded to an unpopular figure eyeing up Hasenhuttl’s job…

Toni Kroos is by now a true legend of Real Madrid.

After all, we’re talking about a player who’s already played a total of 244 games donning the royal white of Los Blancos.

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During that time, even though that is nowhere near his primary role, he scored 15 goals and assisted further 61 under his belt in the process. By all means, quite an impressive tally for the German.

But just recently, the midfielder hit another great milestone by playing his 100th career game in the Champions League.

This arrived in the game against Galatasaray a couple of days ago and to make things even better, Kroos scored the only goal on the night that sealed the deal for Real Madrid and gave them the all-important three points.

Of course, shortly after, he took to Twitter to celebrate – as most players do these days – and many of the Madridistas were simply showering him with praise, congratulating him on this milestone and just drooling over him in general.

Check out some of their replies below: