Tag Futebol

Journalist Dean Jones has shared an update on Tottenham Hotspur’s pursuit of Sporting CP defender Pedro Porro.

The Lowdown: Spurs prioritise Porro move…

The Lilywhites have been prioritising a move for Porro almost all transfer window with reliable reporter Fabrizio Romano claiming he is top of the list for Spurs and manager Antonio Conte.

However, the difficulty of this deal lies in Sporting’s firm stance in negotiations, with the Liga Portugal giants holding out for his €45 million (£39.4m) release clause or nothing.

Spurs recently made an opening bid for Porro which included a player and ‘guaranteed money’, but Sporting have rejected this formula with talks over a move set to continue.

Speaking to GiveMeSport, reporter Dean Jones has shared his own update on both the player’s stance and how Tottenham hope to get around the release clause roadblock.

The Latest: Porro ‘sold’ on joining…

The journalist has backed other reports surrounding the 23-year-old’s eagerness, claiming Porro is indeed desperate to join Tottenham and is ‘sold’ on the idea of a move.

In terms of the exit clause, Jones believes Spurs could be trying to set up this deal in a way that they won’t have to pay the entire £39.4m fee up front.

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He stated:

“From everything I know about this one, it sounds very much like Porro is sold on the idea. I think he’s keen to make the move to Tottenham, but Spurs want to avoid this release clause.

“I think they’re trying to work out if they can set up this deal in a different way without paying up all of that release clause.”

The Verdict: Perfect player?

Sporting appear the only roadblock to get a deal done for Porro.

If Spurs can arrange a way to pay his clause through instalments or make a breakthrough with an alternative structure, there is little denying the former Man City defender would be a real coup.

As per WhoScored, Porro tops Sporting’s charts for assists in the Portuguese top flight this season and also ranks in their top two for key passes made and attempts at goal per 90.

By comparison to Spurs’ current squad, Conte’s most regularly-selected option at right-wing-back, Emerson Royal, ranks nowhere near their best in both the latter regards.

Emerson has also just one assist to his name all season in the Premier League – backing Spurs’ obvious need for a wing-back alternative going forward.

Porro’s brilliant attacking stats back football analyst Marcus Bring’s verdict that the Spaniard is ‘creative’ and could be exactly what Spurs need at wing-back.

Newcastle United sporting director Dan Ashworth is believed to be keeping tabs on Mallorca starlet, Kang-in Lee, according to reports in Spain.

What’s the word?

As per Marca (via Sports Witness), the Magpies are said to be one of the clubs who are keen on signing the 21-year-old, although the northeast side will seemingly face competition from both Aston Villa and Burnley in the race for the South Korea international.

The report suggests that the La Liga outfit would require the youngster’s €17m (£15m) release clause to be met if they are to part ways any time soon, with that figure said to be ‘perfectly acceptable’ as far as the Tynesiders are concerned.

Although no offers have yet been lodged for the ten-cap sensation – who arrived on a free transfer from Valencia back in 2021 – the suggestion is that the player’s current side are fearful that he could be snapped up sooner rather than later.

Almiron 2.0

The 5 foot 8 dynamo has alerted the attention of Ashworth and co as a result of his standout form in recent times, having notably provided six goal contributions in his 16 league outings so far this term.

Such impactful displays have seen the devastating prospect rank in the top 17% in Europe among those in his position for assists, as well as in the top 1% for dribbles completed to illustrate his dynamic brilliance in possession.

The “outstanding” talent, as lauded by Valencia academy director Luis Vicente Mateo, would also offer Eddie Howe invaluable versatility due to his ability to feature on the flanks or in an attacking midfield.

That flexibility – combined with the fact that he is a diminutive, left-footed creative asset – ensures that Lee bares more than a passing resemblance to current St James’ Park talisman, Miguel Almiron, with the 5 foot 9 Paraguayan also able to thrive in a central role or in a wide berth.

The 28-year-old menace is currently enjoying a remarkable campaign on both a collective and individual basis thus far, proving simply lethal cutting in off the right flank having scored nine goals in 18 Premier League appearances.

Such a hot streak has ensured that the former Atlanta United man is frankly “unstoppable” at present, as per journalist Chuma Nnoli, with the playmaker proving vital in the club’s push for Champions League qualification.

To be able to find their next version of Almiron in the form of the Mallorca ace would represent a real coup for Newcastle, with the onus now on Ashworth to fork out what appears a relative bargain fee for a player of undoubted quality.

Chelsea boss Graham Potter is searching for a new left-sided centre-back with credentials of the highest class to kickstart his tenure at the club.

What’s the word?

With intense speculation over the future of Croatia’s World Cup star Josko Gvardiol over the past several weeks, it seemed Chelsea were going to unleash the heavy artillery on the precocious ace. 

While that remains in question, The Athletic are now reporting that AS Monaco’s Benoit Badiashile is the frontrunner for a move to Stamford Bridge, with the Blues said to be keen on the defender.

A fee of roughly £30m has been quoted, which is dwarfed by the lucrative €100m (£85m) demands of RB Leipzig for Gvardiol, consequently bolstering Badiashile’s hope of joining the west London giants. 

“Complete”

Since Todd Boehly assumed the ownership role at Chelsea earlier this year, there has been a clear discernible trend to the transfer activity – with the onus on signing talented young prospects and developing them at Stamford Bridge. 

Badiashile, 21 years old, is an imposing 6 foot 4 colossus who exhibits ball-playing prowess and fearsome physicality in abundance, the key attributes for a prosperous modern defender at a top outfit.

Having made 135 appearances for Monaco since rising through the youth ranks, Badiashile has netted six goals and served three assists, distinguishing himself as one of Europe’s most promising youngsters.

With Potter’s desire to play slick, fluid transitional football, it is paramount that the titan’s at the back can contribute toward the offensive drives at the opposing net, and Badiashile, hailed as a “complete defender” by talent scout Jacek Kulig, indeed fits this bill.

As per FBref, the Frenchman ranks within the top 7% for progressive passes and the top 9% for non-penalty goals when compared against positional peers across Europe’s major leagues this past year. 

There is a clear indication that Badiashile boasts the specific set of attributes required to flourish at this current Chelsea side, and the Blues would indeed notch up a gear with his deployment into the starting fold. 

He would be a worthy alternative to Gvardiol; the 20-year-old Leipzig ace is certainly one of the premier defenders in the game right now, but with a transfer fee almost certainly doubling – at least – what Boehly could clinch Badiashile for, it is really a no-brainer in which move Chelsea should forge, consequently leaving ample funds to target other areas of the pitch.

With Andreas Christensen and Antonio Rudiger both departing the Blues on free transfers last summer, moves were made to replace the dynamic duo – Wesley Fofana arrived from Leicester City in a deal worth up to £75m, and Kalidou Koulibaly from Napoli for £33m.

Despite these acquisitions, Chelsea have failed to find the level of defensive resilience that has gone in tandem with the club’s success for many years now, currently languishing in seventh place with just 17 points from 14 matches, in part due to Fofana’s injury problems and the 31-year-old Koulibaly’s inconsistency, and Badiashile could alleviate such concerns with swift conviction.

Newcastle United will need Champions League football to lure James Maddison to Tyneside after a report on Financial Fair Play limitations emerged, according to pundit Frank McAvennie.

The Lowdown: Magic Maddison

A haul of 12 goals and eight assists from 35 Premier League appearances for Leicester last season somehow went unnoticed for the most part by Gareth Southgate, but a follow-up return of seven goals and four assists from 13 league games this term proved too good to overlook, with Maddison rightly included in England’s World Cup squad.

His failure to make an appearance for England in Qatar now seems cruel, though it will surely fire the Leicester City man up an extra notch or two going into the resumption of the Premier League.

And with the focus now back on his domestic future, reports have claimed the Foxes have slapped an enormous £60m price tag on their star man amidst interest from the Magpies.

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The Latest: McAvennie reacts

Following the emergence of that whopping Leicester demand, The Daily Mail revealed that FFP will limit Newcastle’s spending in January, making a move for Maddison ‘extremely unlikely’.

And whilst the England international is out of contract in the summer of 2024, former West Ham striker McAvennie believe the Magpies have no chance without proper European aspirations.

Speaking to Football Insider, he said: “He was sought after by a lot of clubs, he is that good a player.

“He is in the England squad, he has been having a great season. Wherever he goes it will be a top club.

“He would do a job at Newcastle but I do not think it is the right time to go there. He will be looking to win Champions Leagues, I do not think that is there at Newcastle and will not be there for the next few years.

“I think Maddison will be at one of the top clubs, I think he is that good. If Newcastle were challenging for the Champions League spots then maybe. But they are not there as yet. “

The Verdict: Why not?

While Maddison is certainly capable of plying his trade for a top European outfit, he still seems to still fly under the radar.

We saw it in the ongoing World Cup tournament, in which the 26-year-old failed to play a single minute – a sign of where the Leicester talisman sits in the eyes of the English footballing hierarchy.

A move to an awaking giant in Newcastle United, with the home comforts of a coach similar in tactical style to Brendan Rodgers in Howe, may just appeal to the star that bit more – especially if the side are to remain on track in securing Champions League qualification.

Newcastle United are reportedly unlikely to launch a move to sign Leicester City midfielder James Maddison during the upcoming January transfer window. 

The Lowdown: Newcastle linked with Maddison

The Tyneside club were linked with a move for the Leicester midfielder during the summer but didn’t end up signing him after seeing a £50m bid rejected.

Since then, the 26-year-old has scored seven goals and provided four assists in 13 appearances in the Premier League and even found himself alongside the likes of Nick Pope and Callum Wilson in England’s World Cup squad.

Now that the January transfer window is approaching, it seems as though an update has emerged regarding the Magpies’ interest in the midfield maestro.

The Latest: Newcastle unlikely to launch Maddison move

In a recent post on Twitter, journalist Luke Edwards discussed Maddison, Newcastle’s interest in him and the likelihood of seeing the club trying to sign him in January.

He said: “#nufc “highly unlikely” to move for James Maddison in Jan according to well placed sources. There could be signings made but not going to be huge month for recruitment and that deal is very, very expensive and difficult to do. Still like the player though and remains of interest.”

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The Verdict: Newcastle should wait until the summer

Not only has Maddison been incredibly effective in terms of his goal contributions at club level this season, he has also made more key passes (31) and had more shots at goal (39) than any other Leicester player.

In addition, his overall performances have earned the Englishman an impressive season rating of 7.39/10 from WhoScored, leaving only six players in the entire division with higher.

With a January move for the Foxes star unlikely according to Edwards’ update, we feel that it would definitely be worth waiting until next summer for Newcastle to take action.

Bearing in mind how Maddison’s current contract at Leicester is set to expire in June 2024, next summer could be an ideal time for the Midlands outfit to cash in on him if he wants to move away and join a club like Newcastle.

Arsenal have submitted an official offer to Shakhtar Donetsk for Mykhaylo Mudryk.

What’s the talk?

That’s according to Mirko Di Natale, with the Radio Bianconera and TuttoJuve journalist revealing in a recent post on Twitter that Edu has now submitted an official €60m (£52m) bid for the 21-year-old winger ahead of the January transfer window.

In his tweet, the Italian reporter said: “Arsenal are serious for Mudryk: official offer from €60m. Confirmed the indiscretion of a few days ago. Now the ball passes to Shakhtar.”

“Absolutely unreal”

Considering the generational talent that Mudryk very much looks to be, should Edu manage to get a deal over the line for the Shakhtar starlet this winter, it would undoubtedly represent an absolutely unreal signing for the Gunners.

Indeed, over his nine Premier Liga fixtures this season, the £13m-rated sensation has been in breathtaking form in the final third, having already hit the back of the net on five separate occasions, in addition to providing his teammates with a further five assists – averaging a direct goal involvement every 64 minutes of football played.

The 21-year-old was also in astonishing form over his six Champions League appearances this term, scoring three goals, registering two assists and creating one big chance for his teammates, as well as taking an average of 1.5 shots, making 0.8 key passes and completing 1.7 dribbles per game.

Rather understandably, these returns have seen the Ukrainian talent earn a significant amount of praise, none more so than from Jack Collins, who said of the youngster in a post on Twitter after Shakhtar’s 4-1 demolition of RB Leipzig back in September:

“Mykhaylo Mudryk is absolutely unreal. A goal and two assists, sure, but his explosiveness in small bursts is almost undefendable and his ability to keep the ball tethered to his foot, even at full speed, is Bernardo-esque. He’s going to be a star.”

In response to Sam Tighe’s claim that the 21-year-old is more similar to Jack Grealish than Bernardo Silva, Collins added: “His ball retention is better on the run. He’s got that tether thing to a tee – he’s not drawing fouls, he’s skipping past players for fun.”

As such, considering the sheer amount of hype surrounding the future of Mudryk – something that is completely understandable following his remarkable returns this season – it would indeed appear as if Arsenal would be gaining an unreal talent were they to go on and land the youngster this winter – something that will undoubtedly excite all involved with the north London side.

Sheffield Wednesday trio Jack Hunt, Dominic Iorfa and Mallik Wilks could all start against Leicester City Under-21s, according to journalist Dom Howson.

The Lowdown: Sheff Wed in cup action

The Owls have a brief respite from League One commitments on Tuesday night, as they host the young Foxes in an EFL Trophy clash at Hillsborough.

In truth, even Darren Moore would admit that this competition certainly doesn’t take precedence this season, although a win still isn’t to be sniffed at.

While numerous changes are expected to the starting lineup, it could be that Moore’s team is stronger than some expect.

The Latest: Trio could all start

Taking to Twitter on Monday, Yorkshire Live‘s Howson claimed that key trio Hunt, Iorfa and Wilks could all feature prominently against Leicester:

“There is a strong chance Jack Hunt, Dominic Iorfa and Mallik Wilks will be involved in Sheffield Wednesday’s Papa John’s Trophy dead rubber with Leicester City’s Under-21s tomorrow night.”

The Verdict: Needlessly strong?

This is an intriguing update from Howson, considering the EFL Trophy feels more like a competition to give youngsters playing time in, rather than risk senior figures.

An injury to an important player at Hillsborough would likely cause much frustration among the fanbase when they could instead have been at home recharging the batteries.

That being said, Wednesday do arguably have the biggest squad in League One and Moore will want to retain match fitness in his players, so Hunt, Iorfa and Wilks could all benefit from the minutes, retaining sharpness ahead of the bigger matches to come.

Holders Celtic marched on into the semi-finals of the League Cup with an emphatic victory over Motherwell on Wednesday evening, with Ange Postecoglou’s side putting four past their hapless hosts with a brutal showing at Fir Park.

Fresh from having hit Hibernian for six at Parkhead just a few days earlier, the Old Firm outfit were again in rampant mood against Steven Hammell’s side last night, with dynamic forward Liel Abada grabbing the headlines as a result of his clinical brace.

The Israel international put the visitors ahead inside the first half after rounding off a well-worked move involving the lively Greg Taylor, before calmly slotting home after the break following opposition goalkeeper, Liam Kelly’s, tame parry.

That showing has taken the 21-year-old’s tally to eight in all competitions so far this season, with such form seemingly backing suggestions that the flying winger could now be worth as much as £15m in the near future.

It was not only the promising youngster who caught the eye, however, with Japan international Reo Hatate once again proving a thorn in the side of the Steelmen, having helped secure all three points when the two sides met earlier this season.

That previous meeting had seen the 24-year-old lash home a stunning strike after Josip Juranovic’s own goal had cancelled out Kyogo Furuhashi’s opener, although this time around the diminutive ace picked apart the opposition in a far more silky manner.

The £14.5k-per-week sensation arguably ran the show from his midfield berth on the night, notably teeing up compatriot Kyogo early in the opening period with a threaded cutback, only to see the tenacious forward somehow put his attempt wide.

The creative gem would again play in his international colleague soon after only for the forward to see his close-range shot brilliantly saved by the aforementioned Kelly, as Postecoglou’s men enjoyed a seemingly unrelenting spell of pressure.

Hatate’s most telling contribution, however, would come just past the hour mark to put his side 3-0 up, with the one-cap starlet producing an outrageous piece of trickery inside the penalty area to calmly slot the ball home, having left Well to “look like schoolboys” in the words of journalist John McGinley.

A ‘key’ figure in that triumph – as per Glasgow Live’s Ben Banks – the former Kawasaki Frontale man has again shown just what an asset he is to the Scottish champions, with his reported £1.4m fee looking more of a bargain with each passing game.

Sunderland manager Tony Mowbray has enjoyed an excellent start to his life at the Stadium of Light with seven points from his first four Championship matches.

The ex-Blackburn coach arrived on Wearside after Alex Neil left to join Stoke City and has taken no time in adjusting to his new surroundings, winning two of his first three games 3-0 – against Rotherham and Reading.

He now has his first chance to fully evaluate all parts of the club during the first international break of the campaign, after being thrown in at the deep end.

One area in which he may look to explore is the youth set-up at the Academy of Light to see how close some of the players are to breaking into his squad.

Neil handed a group of academy prospects first-team numbers for the 2022/23 campaign last month and one of those gems was central midfielder Caden Kelly.

This resulted in the 18-year-old being given his debut for the senior squad outside of the EFL Trophy by coming on as a substitute in the 2-0 defeat to Sheffield Wednesday in the League Cup last month. The gem played 11 minutes in the match and completed 80% of his passes as the Black Cats were dumped out of the competition.

Journalist Josh Bunting previously described him as a “perfect” player for Neil and claimed that he could break into the first team this season. The reporter lauded the gem’s talents in the past, Tweeting: Caden Kelly is a very nice footballer for Sunderland, really technical, has excellent vision and that relates to good pass selection, plays through the lines with relative ease.”

Mowbray could now strike gold by handing the teenager an opportunity to show what he can do in the Championship, whether that is in the immediate future or further down the line.

The gem has shown promise as an attack-minded midfielder in the youth ranks in recent years. He has racked up ten goals and nine assists in 56 appearances for the U18’s and U21’s combined, which shows that he is a player who likes to get up the pitch to make an impact in the final third.

Neil’s faith in him, the praise he has received from Bunting, and his form for the academy suggests that there is a talented prospect in the U21s for Mowbray to unearth.

At the age of 18, he has many years left ahead of him to develop and hone his skills and Sunderland could strike gold by helping him to translate his attacking quality over to first-team level. They could have a valuable asset on their hands if Kelly can make the step up to the Championship and deliver goals and assists on a semi-regular basis from the middle of the park.

Manchester City have been known to splash out vast transfer fees to bring new players to the club over recent years.

One player for whom the club once broke their record transfer fee to sign is Rodri, who came in from Atletico Madrid in the summer of 2019.

With 155 appearances for the Citizens to his name, the Spaniard has scored 13 goals, provided ten assists and won two Premier League titles.

As the latest summer transfer window draws to a close, the remaining days until Thursday’s deadline could give Pep Guardiola the chance to bring in someone who could be their next version of Rodri.

One man who has been mentioned with a move to the Etihad Stadium recently and who could fit this bill is AC Milan midfielder Ismael Bennacer.

After making 77 appearances for Empoli, in which he scored two goals and provided six assists, the 24-year-old joined his current club in 2019. Since then, the Algerian has played 107 times for the Rossoneri across all competitions, chipping in with four goals and seven assists.

To give an insight into what sort of player Bennacer is and how he operates on the pitch, legendary former Milan boss Arrigo Sacchi had this to say about the midfielder earlier this month: “He’s always ready to press the opponents and shorten the space between the lines. Also, he is good at moving the ball quickly. The speed of touch is fundamental in modern football.”

Having also been described by Giuseppe Bergomias a figure who “dominates in the middle on the pitch due to his personality and technical qualities”, only Sandro Tonali (309) made more midfield pressures for Milan than the Algerian (213) in Serie A last season. 

In comparison, Rodri topped City’s list for the same statistic by making 254 pressures in the midfield third of the pitch.

Both players also came third in their respective squads in terms of the number of passes they played into the final third of the pitch, with Bennacer making 94 passes and the City star making 242.

Overall, as another young midfielder who is currently making a name for himself at one of Europe’s big clubs, a switch to the Etihad this summer for the Milan ace could mirror the Spain international’s 2019 move to City and give the Premier League champions their next version of the 26-year-old.