All posts by z3u9t.icu

Lots of Glasgow Rangers fans have been left lauding Stephen Kelly for his display in the 0-0 draw with Brighton and Hove Albion in a friendly on Saturday.

The Scotland U21 international gave an interview after the game, which prompted a lot of members of the Ibrox faithful to send praise to him for his performance.

Kelly has only ever made one senior appearance for the Gers, and will be hoping that Steven Gerrard will give him a run in the first team come the new 2021/22 season.

However, the central midfield area is one that the champions are very stacked in at the moment, so the 21-year-old may find it difficult to get regular game time.

Nonetheless, if he can continue to put in performances like the one against the Seagulls, Gerrard will surely have to think about giving Kelly more minutes.

Rangers fans on Kelly display

These Gers supporters lauded Kelly’s performance on Twitter, with one even going as far as to claim that he was ‘excellent’:

“Excellent today young fella……and a level of maturity for one so young not often seen at this level in Scotland……huge future ahead”

Credit: @theboysof609

“He looked pretty good today”

Credit: @Rangers1728

“Dominant, controlling, confident player … hope he can get 10-15 starts this season, looks a really good one”

Credit: @boxing_rugby

“Love this wee guy, massive future ahead!”

Credit: @Alfergie78

“Brilliant player”

Credit: @taylorscott72

“Superb”

Credit: @Frankiemc86_

In other news, find out what transfer ‘mistake’ Rangers may be making here!

A number of Crystal Palace fans have been reacting to the club’s official Twitter post to left-back Patrick van Aanholt.

The 30-year-old has just a number of weeks remaining on his Palace deal and was actually included in the Eagles’ initial released list which came out earlier this month.

Reports have suggested he won’t be offered new terms and will leave Selhurst Park when his contract expires.

Van Aanholt is currently away with the Netherlands at Euro 2020 and started under former Palace manager Frank de Boer in a 3-2 win over Ukraine.

He played just over an hour of the Group C fixture but was branded a ‘poor defender’ by Gary Neville after getting on the wrong side of Andriy Yarmolenko in the first half.

Palace tweeted a recap regarding their internationals on Monday morning, leading with van Aanholt’s involvement in the Netherlands’ weekend victory.

Palace fans react

It’s safe to say their post didn’t go down too well, though, with a selection of responses available to view below.

“Icl I don’t think I can forgive u guys for this summer so far”Credit: @SellyMenace”No no he’s done here thanks”Credit: @HenryKerrG”dear me……”Credit: @TimHardingham”He was awful, Gary Neville called him a terrible defender!”Credit: @BLCBOB”Have a look at Holland’s manager. I think he’d suit us well”Credit: @joelcpfc_”He still our player?”Credit: @SWPalace

In other news: ‘This is massive’, ‘Great appointment’ – Many CPFC fans erupt as ‘fantastic’ news comes to light, find out more here. 

Celtic are thought to be interested in signing Barcelona youngster Mika Marmol, according to reports from Spain.

The Lowdown: Marmol profiled

Marmol appears to be a rising star for the Catalan giants. The 19-year-old, primarily a left-back, can also play as a central defender.

He has five caps for Spain at Under-20 level and was a regular for Barcelona’s B side in the 2020/21 campaign.

The teenager has a total of 27 appearances under his belt for Barcelona B, with 14 at left-back and 11 as a centre-back this season.

It seems Marmol, who has over two years left on his Barca deal, has caught the eye of the Hoops, but they aren’t the only side interested.

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The Latest: Hoops make approach

According to Mundo Deportivo, cited by the Daily Record, Celtic have made an approach for Marmol.

It is unclear if the Hoops have enquired over a loan or permanent deal, however, Spanish sides Getafe and newly-promoted Mallorca are also interested in Marmol’s services.

The Verdict: Down to recent Laxalt U-turn?

Marmol is highly thought of at the Nou Camp, so a possible deal for the defender could be a shrewd one by new CEO Dominic McKay.

In our opinion, Celtic may have looked at the youngster after making a U-turn regarding loanee Diego Laxalt.

The Hoops reportedly ‘abruptly changed their mind’ regarding a permanent deal for Laxalt at the end of the campaign.

Bringing in a young player like Marmol to rival Greg Taylor instead of signing Laxalt, who is on £57,000-a-week, could be smart.

Of course, there’s plenty of work to be done over any potential deal yet, but it’s good to see the Hoops taking a proactive approach when it comes to summer acquisitions.

In other news: Celtic win race for versatile teenager, find out more here. 

Amid all the talk of Gjanni Alioski being offered a new contract and the potential arrival of a new left-back, Leeds United manager Marcelo Bielsa might want to consider looking closer to home for someone who could really nail down that role for years to come.

Niall Huggins made his first team debut for the Whites when he came on as a second-half substitute in the 4-2 defeat to Arsenal in the Premier League last season, while he has been a consistent performer for the under-23s.

The 20-year-old played 17 times in Premier League 2 Division 2, scoring twice and assisting once, helping the Whites’ youngsters clinch the title and promotion.

After a particularly impressive display earlier in the season for the under-23s, Leeds Live’s Joe Donnuhue waxed lyrical about the starlet, even suggesting that he could be set for some first team football sooner rather than later.

He wrote: “In the second half, Huggins tucked back in to left-back as Leif Davis was withdrawn at the break. His effort levels were a class above, as he is almost every week. If he continues in this vein, he will not be far off more regular first-team squad involvement.”

Kalvin Phillips is also a fan of the 20-year-old, revealing that he could be set for a first team role in the  not too distant future. The England midfielder commented last summer: “We’ve got a few younger lads called Niall Huggins and Alfie McCalmont. They’re really good young players as well. They’ll be in the team in the next year or so, definitely.”

Meanwhile, Huggins himself has said: “To push that step forward at Leeds, you have to be able to run, do everything intense, everything is done as fast as you can. They want you to be at the top of your game, and for them, that means they want you to be on target weight type, body fat is low, to be able to keep that intensity up for the full 90 minutes.

“And if you’re not, then unfortunately, you could end up not playing. It’s that strict.”

Dubbed as someone with “pace to burn”, the Welsh youngster clearly knows what it will take to make his mark in the Premier League with Leeds under Bielsa, and he just needs an opportunity to impress.

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While Alioski might be the talk of the town right now as the club consider giving him a new deal, the left-back slot may be Huggins’ to lose in the years to come.

Meanwhile, Radrizzani must avoid Bielsa’s wrath with this big Leeds decision…

Leicester City are set to complete the signing of RB Salzburg striker Patson Daka in the coming days.

What’s the story?

According to well-respected journalist and transfer expert Fabrizio Romano, the Foxes have had an official proposal accepted for the 22-year-old and will announce his arrival next week.

Daka had been linked to several top European teams after an impressive 2020/21 campaign with the Austrian champions, but it seems as though Leicester have won the race to secure his signature.

Fans will be buzzing

The Zambia international bagged an incredible 34 goals in 42 appearances for Salzburg last season, adding a further 12 assists as Jesse Marsch’s men secured a domestic double.

His arrival will add significant strength in depth to Brendan Rodgers’ first-team squad as the former Celtic and Liverpool boss aims to build a side capable of fighting on multiple fronts.

While Jamie Vardy has been crucial to Leicester’s past success, the 34-year-old is starting to look his age and suffered a significant drop-off in form towards the backend of the recently concluded campaign – he scored just four goals in his last 16 Premier League games after coming back from a groin injury.

Therefore, the arrival of Daka will surely have the club’s supporters buzzing. He’s a forward known for his electric pace, willingness to make clever runs in behind the opposition, and smart finishing, making him the perfect heir to Vardy.

The Midlands outfit have continually punched above their weight in recent years, largely thanks to smart work in the transfer market.

Young stars have been bought for relatively low prices, before being sold for astronomical profits, and then the proceeds are reinvested to start the process all over again.

Daka could well turn out to be the most exciting purchase of them all, though. He has the potential to play for football’s biggest clubs and compete for the sports major prizes, so securing his services will be seen as a significant coup by Leicester.

Rodgers will be aiming to bring Champions League football back to the King Power Stadium next term, and the addition of Daka may just be enough to earn the current FA Cup holders a place at Europe’s top table.

And, in other news…Rodgers can save millions by unleashing “incredible” rarely-seen Leicester colossus 

Queens Park Rangers have offered midfielder Tom Carroll a new deal at the club.

What’s the talk?

That’s according to a statement posted on the QPR website, which confirmed that both Carroll and Charlie Owens have been offered contracts to extend their stays at the Kiyan Prince Foundation Stadium.

The club also revealed that both Dillon Barnes and Marco Ramkilde will be remaining in west London until June 2022 after exercising extension clauses in the players’ current deals, while Paul Smyth and Aramide Oteh have been released.

Fans must be buzzing

While Carroll has not featured for QPR since mid-January due to a knee injury, the news that Amit Bhatia has offered the 28-year-old a new contract is likely to leave Rs fans buzzing, as the midfielder had started to become an important part of Mark Warburton’s side since joining the club back in September of last year.

Having featured in all but one of the Rs’ Champoinship fixtures prior to his injury, the former Tottenham man proved a very reliable option for QPR in the middle of the park, averaging 0.6 interceptions, 1.3 tackles and 1.1 key passes per game over his 22 appearances, culminating in a solid average SofaScore match rating of 6.74.

While it would be fair to say that Carroll has perhaps not lived up to the expectations placed on his shoulders while a youngster at Spurs, if the 58-year-old QPR gaffer can manage to consistently get the best out of the £1.8m-rated midfielder, the Rs could be in possession of a real talent who is in the prime years of his career.

As such, once he has fully recovered from his injury and with a full pre-season behind him, the player who Tim Sherwood once claimed had the ability to play for Barcelona could very much play a huge role in Warburton’s side mounting a push to secure a top six finish next term.

In other news: Warburton drops “staggering” update on £5k-p/w beast which will surely delight QPR fans – opinion

Fiorentina have slipped a €60 million (£52.2m) price tag on Liverpool target Dusan Vlahovic.

That’s according to Tutto Mercato journalist Niccolo Ceccarini.

The Reds are named as one of the Serbian’s suitors, alongside the likes of Manchester United and Inter Milan. Roma and Borussia Dortmund are said to have expressed the strongest interest up to this point.

Fiorentina are looking to tie-down the 21-year-old, but ‘everything is stopped on the renewal front’ at this moment in time.

He’s about to enter the final two years of his contract, so Ceccarini says the club could be forced to consider a sale if he refuses to pen an extension.

Why is Vlahovic attracting so much interest?

Vlahovic has netted 17 Serie A goals for Fiorentina this season – he only scored one in his first 10 outings, but he’s since then has burst into life.

According to WhoScored, the 6 foot 2 front man poses a particular threat from set-pieces and likes to do flick-ons.

Emiliano Bigica, who coached Vlahovic at youth level, likened him to Champions League winner Mario Mandzukic. He tipped him to go on to ‘become one of the best strikers around’.

Transfer Tavern verdict

Vlahovic is an out-and-out number 9, and while Liverpool have flourished without one, it may now be time to evolve.

An aerially imposing striker could theoretically excel with service from Trent Alexander-Arnold and Andrew Robertson.

Liverpool may be put off by the huge £52.2m price tag, but that could just be posturing from Fiorentina also.

If contract talks are going nowhere, then they’re actually in a fairly weak position and the Reds could use that to their advantage.

In other news, fans were ecstatic at the emergence of this training ground footage.

Former Premier League striker Kevin Phillips says it will be a “big boost” if Leeds United don’t have to fork out for Jean-Kevin Augustin this summer.

The Whites will be hoping to build on an excellent season back in the Premier League in the summer transfer window and having the funds available to make the required additions will be vital for Marcelo Bielsa.

Augustin could yet play a pivotal role in that respect. Leeds signed the RB Leipzig forward on loan back in January 2020 and had an option to sign him permanently at the end of the 2019/20 campaign.

He flopped at Elland Road, however, making just three appearances, but Leipzig claimed that the Whites’ failure to earn promotion to the top flight by June 30 meant they had an obligation to buy for £17.7m.

Phillips hopeful over Augustin saga

Speaking to Football Insider, Phillips gave his thoughts on the saga, discussing the importance of Leeds not having to pay for Augustin. He said:

“It would be a big boost if they do not have to fork out for that because they can use that money somewhere else.

“They can use it to strengthen in key areas this summer with a striker one of the main things I think they need. I think it is something they will be looking at.

“If they can avoid paying that £15million or so it could go a long way to helping them pursue their summer targets.

“It did not work out with Augustin so let’s hope they do not have to pay it. It would be a big boost for the club.”

Transfer Tavern take

It certainly appears as though Leeds are in a strong position as per a recent update from Beren Cross, but it would be a setback if they have to eat into their summer transfer budget by stumping up the aforementioned fee for Augustin.

Bielsa no doubt has his eyes on potential reinforcements this summer, but having to suddenly find the money to pay for the 23-year-old could seriously hamper the club’s progress.

It looks like that might not happen, though, so Leeds should instead be able to focus on signing individuals they believe will take them up another level.

In other news, a reliable journalist has made a key claim regarding Leeds’ interest in one experienced player. Find out who it is here.

Many Everton fans have been left to buzz following a transfer update from the Daily Mail on Sergio Romero.

The report has since been shared by @EvertonNewsFeed on their Twitter page, and has gained a lot of reaction from the Goodison Park faithful.

As per the news outlet, both the Merseyside club and Juventus are interested in signing the Manchester United goalkeeper, who is keen to leave he Red Devils.Ole Gunnar Solskjaer’s team will let the Argentinian leave on a free transfer, which presents a bargain opportunity for the Toffees.With Robin Olsen currently heading back to AS Roma after his loan spell with Carlo Ancelotti’s side ends, the Blues need another ‘keeper to challenge Jordan Pickford.Given his past experience of playing in the Premier League and the fact that he is available for free, Romero would be an ideal signing, as funds can still be made available to be spent in other positions. Everton fans on Romero transfer update

These EFC supporters buzzed as the transfer update was shared on Twitter:

“Better than Olsen, would take him any day of the week. Unselfishly hope he goes somewhere to be the number 1 after his treatment at United, would be wasted as a number 2”

Credit: @bluesofgoodison

“Decent experienced gk. A very able backup. Better than Olsen in my opinion.”

Credit: @PaulHayes1878

“No brainer on a free”

Credit: @dpatto69

“Wanted us to sign him 3 years ago and I still think he’d be a great signing now. Shame United didn’t let him go last season”

Credit: @adxm1878

“If we’re bringing in a second goalkeeper then it’s an easy decision for me. Romero over Olsen every day of the week and twice on Sunday.”

Credit: @terrymcallister

“All day”

Credit: @Davies1525

In other news, find out what latest transfer rumour has Toffees talking here!

Kevin Campbell has claimed that he does not think that Jesse Lingard will be at West Ham United next season.

Speaking to Football Insider, the former Arsenal, Everton and West Brom striker believes that the East London club will struggle to sign him on a permanent deal from Manchester United in the summer transfer window:

“I think West Ham will struggle to sign him in the summer.

“At the end of the day, he is a United player. It is not as if he has never performed for Manchester United before.

“There is nothing worse than sending someone out to go and get some game time and the next thing you know he is ripping it to pieces. Ole Gunnar Solskjaer will be thinking, ‘He could be doing that for us.’ 

“West Ham are benefitting now but I cannot see him being there next season.”

West Ham must sign Lingard

David Moyes’ team need to do all that they can to try and sign Lingard permanently at the end of his loan spell from the Red Devils.

The England international has been nothing short of a revelation at the London Stadium, scoring no fewer than six goals and making a further four assists in just eight games in total in the Premier League so far in the 2020/21 term (Transfermarkt), which also earned him a recall into the Three Lions squad by Gareth Southgate for their 20222 FIFA World Cup qualifiers.

Former Irons striker and pundit Ian Wright described (Premier League Productions via HITC) him as both ‘devastating’ and a ‘danger’ after he helped them win 2-0 against Leeds United in the top flight in March, and it is clear that the 28-year-old still has a lot left to offer in a Claret and Blue shirt.

In other news, find out who WHUFC fans want to sign as a potential ‘Noble replacement’ here!