All posts by n8rngtd.top

Jurgen Klopp reportedly sees AZ Alkmaar midfielder Teun Koopmeiners as an ‘ideal candidate’ to replace Gini Wijnaldum at Liverpool.

It look increasingly likely that Wijnaldum will move on at the end of the season, following five exceptional years in a Reds shirt.

While Liverpool are well-stocked in midfield areas, the void that the Dutchman could leave may lead to Klopp delving into the transfer market.

Klopp eyes up Koopmeiners as Wijnaldum replacement

The Reds have been linked with signing Alkmaar star Koopmeiners in the recent past and another report has now emerged regarding the 22-year-old’s future.

According to AS [via Sport Witness], the Dutchman is someone Klopp rates and he sees him as the ‘ideal’ potential replacement for Wijnaldum.

Roma, Inter Milan, Napoli and Sevilla are all mentioned as potential suitors, though, with Koopmeiners excelling this season, scoring 15 goals in 28 Eredivisie appearances with two other strikes coming in European competition.

Transfer Tavern take

The youngster looks an extremely talented prospect, with his goal return this season exceptional, especially as he can often play as a defensive midfielder.

His output in the final third suggests he possesses Wijnaldum’s versatility – the Liverpool star is far more attacking for his country – so he could be a shrewd addition this summer, having averaged 2.8 tackles per game in the league in 2020/21 while still showing an eye for goal.

In other news, some Liverpool fans have been rejoicing about the Reds being linked with a hugely exciting young player. Find out who it is here.

According to transfer reports, Leeds are serious about making a summer move for Sampdoria defender Omar Colley.

What’s the story?

It has been suggested in recent weeks that Marcelo Bielsa’s side are interested in signing the Gambia international in the upcoming summer transfer window as they look to strengthen the centre of their defence.

Italian publication Il Secolo XIX have claimed (via Sport Witness) that Leeds’ scouts have been left impressed by Colley and that they are now serious about signing him.

The report added that an “offer is now ‘ready’ and that Sampdoria’s request of €12m-13m (£10m-11m) ‘wouldn’t be a problem’ for the Premier League club, ‘considering higher figures have been spent on far less performing defenders’.”

Could be Leeds’ own Van Dijk

Given that Leeds signed two established centre-backs in the shape of Robin Koch and Diego Llorente just last summer, it seems somewhat surprising that Victor Orta and co are looking to sign another proven central defender – especially when they also have club captain Liam Cooper and the likes of Luke Ayling and Pascal Struijk, both of whom can fill in there too.

This season has seen Colley win 2.9 aerial duels per match, which would rank him second among Leeds’ squad for 2020/21, with only Cooper averaging higher with 3.9 per game.

Indeed, as per Whoscored, his average of 2.6 interceptions per game would rank him first in the entire Whites squad, while his 4.2 clearances per match also sees him comfortably above any of Bielsa’s current options.

Leeds only have to look at Liverpool to see the kind of transformative impact a dominant centre-back signing can have, with Virgil van Dijk playing a key role in turning the Reds into Premier League and Champions League winners since joining from Southampton.

While Colley isn’t in that same bracket perhaps just yet, the 1.92m (6 foot 3) powerhouse appears to have the kind of defensive strengths which would make him a formidable opponent for opposition attackers to overcome – in fact, his average of only being dribbled past 0.3 times per game is better than any Leeds player this season.

[snack-amp-story url=”https://www.footballfancast.com/web-stories/latest-leeds-transfer-rumours-and-news” title=”Latest Leeds transfer rumours and news”]

Colley is a brick wall, and while a move is slightly surprising given Leeds’ current options at centre-back, it’s one which could see the Whites land their own version of Van Dijk.

Meanwhile, Bielsa could mould his next Roberto Ayala in this Leeds starlet…

Leeds are one of a number of Premier League sides interested in signing Barnsley striker Daryl Dike this summer.

What’s the story?

The 20-year-old has been in fine form since joining the Championship side on loan back in the January transfer window, netting five goals in league games.

According to TEAMtalk, Marcelo Bielsa’s side are among the clubs interested in signing the 20-year-old, with the likes of Manchester United and Chelsea also said to have been impressed.

The report adds that as it stands, it’s Everton who are the most interested in Dike, and that the only way Barnsley would be able to keep the striker on a more permanent basis, is if they earn promotion – they currently lie in fifth in the Championship table.

Tailor-made for the Premier League

Despite being 20, Dike already looks like a real handful as a striker, standing at an imposing 6 foot 2, and bullying Championship defences already.

A player profile done by SBNation noted: “A physical striker, Dike is more than a bruising finisher. His ‘delicate touch’ and high level of technical ability belie his size, enabling a confidence in possession with both passing and dribbling. That said, he scores a lot of goals in a variety of ways. Headed finishes, short-range placement, and long-range bombs, the 6’2” attacker can do it all.”

His teammate Jordan Williams meanwhile said: “Daryl has got a rocket of a right foot. I think he’s similar to Lukaku. He hasn’t scored as many goals yet, but he can hit a ball just as hard. He’s only 20 years of age. It’s amazing.”

Apart from having surprisingly good technical ability for a player of his size, it’s his temperament that has really got some of his former mentors talking.

[snack-amp-story url=”https://www.footballfancast.com/web-stories/latest-leeds-transfer-rumours-and-news” title=”Latest Leeds transfer rumours and news”]

His former coach at Virginia, George Gelnovatch, raved: “But one of the things about him that nobody ever talks about is relentlessness. He is a relentless competitor, a ruthless guy on the field. You put that inside a body like his, and it’s pretty impressive.”

Given his natural physical attributes, and the fact he seems to have the perfect mentality, Dike seems tailor-made to succeed in the Premier League.

Bielsa could help Leeds wreak havoc in the top-flight next season by signing the powerful centre-forward this summer.

Meanwhile, Leeds must keep this man at all costs this summer…

The Gunners centre-back has taken her game to the next level over the past few months, and with others out injured, she should get her chance to start

There was plenty for Arsenal boss Jonas Eidevall to be happy about following his side's emphatic 3-1 victory over Manchester United in front of a Women's Super League-record Emirates Stadium crowd on Saturday. Following a shock defeat to West Ham, as well as an FA Cup exit at the hands of Manchester City, the Swede has been under pressure recently, and the welcome win moved the Gunners back to within three points of leaders Chelsea with eight games to play.

Cloe Lacasse seriously impressed on a rare start, Beth Mead was unplayable at times and Lia Walti ran things in the middle of the park. But at full-time, Eidevall made sure to give his makeshift back four – disrupted by Leah Williamson and Amanda Ilestedt being absent – special credit for the victory, singling one player out in particular.

"We had to rejig and you could see Laia Codina, for example, she has been training really well so she was ready to play. But it is still a new back four to play together. But in that unit we have to acknowledge a player like Lotte Wubben-Moy. We have to acknowledge the level she is playing at this season and seeing how she develops," he said.

"A performance like she has today is incredible. I think it is something the whole club should be very proud of because she is Arsenal through and through. She is coming from our academy, our community and to see her excel the way she does at Emirates Stadium, it is fantastic. I am really, really happy for her and the club to see that."

• Getty Images
  

  Stepping up last season

  Her manager's glowing appraisal after Saturday's huge result has been echoed by most onlookers throughout the current campaign. Almost every Arsenal fan would agree that Wubben-Moy is firmly in the conversation for the Gunners' Player of the Season award, while a spot in the WSL Team of the Year also seems likely if she continues on her current trajectory.

  Wubben-Moy's emergence as a key player has not come out of the blue, though. Following Leah Williamson's devastating ACL injury last season, and with other starting centre-back Rafaelle missing a decent chunk of the 2022-23 campaign too, she stepped up when it mattered, playing near enough every minute of her side's congested run-in.

  Forming an unorthodox partnership with Steph Catley at the heart of the defence, she chipped in with a string of vital contributions; none more so than in her side's Champions League semi-final second leg against Wolfsburg, where she provided the pinpoint cross for Jen Beattie's headed equaliser that sent the game to extra-time.

  Heartbreakingly, it would be Wubben-Moy's tired error in that additional period that would eventually gift the German side their place in the final, but she did not let this setback affect her performances for the remainder of the season, scoring in Arsenal's victory over Everton a few weeks later, a result that went a long way to sealing their spot in the Champions League for the following campaign.

Advertisement

• Getty Images
  

  Reaching new heights

  New heights have been reached since then, though, with few defenders enjoying better WSL seasons so far. And it was telling that when Williamson did return to the WSL starting line-up in February against West Ham, it was World Cup star Ilestedt that dropped to the bench, not Wubben-Moy, suggesting that the Englishwoman has risen to the very top of the defensive pecking order.

  Delving into the statistics, it's not hard to see why. Earlier in her career, there were concerns that Wubben-Moy was not as effective in possession as some of her club and international colleagues. But this campaign, no outfield player has completed more long balls or racked up more progressive passing distance than her in the WSL.

  She is also carrying the ball effectively; just five WSL players (Anna Patten, Maya Le Tissier, Laia Alexandri, Alex Greenwood and Jess Carter) have racked up more progressive distance than Wubben-Moy's 1766 yards this season. And of those players, just Greenwood has registered fewer minutes than the Arsenal star.

  Wubben-Moy has always excelled at bread-and-butter defending too, and this has continued recently. Bunny Shaw, Sam Kerr and Rachel Daly are among the top-class centre-forwards that she has kept scoreless this season, and she is yet to make an error that's led to an opponent having a shot this term. Meanwhile, only Liverpool's towering forward Sophie Roman Haug has won more aerial duels.

• Getty Images
  

  Struggling for international recognition

  But amid this excellent run of form, Wubben-Moy has found international recognition under Sarina Wiegman hard to come by this season. She made her Lionesses debut back in 2021, coming on as a substitute during an emphatic friendly victory over Northern Ireland, eventually earning a maiden start in her side's infamous 20-0 thrashing of Latvia in November that same year.

  Since then, she's been a near ever-present in England squads, only pulling out of a few camps due to injury. Despite this, her playing time has been frightfully limited. In fact, since that Latvia game, she's only managed a single start, a 45-minute outing in a friendly against Belgium in June 2022.

  Thus, while she has a Euro 2022 winners' medal, and was a part of the Lionesses' impressive run to the 2023 World Cup final and Finalissima triumph, it all came as a spectator. That will surely change in the upcoming fixtures against Austria and Italy, though.

ENJOYED THIS STORY?

Add GOAL.com as a preferred source on Google to see more of our reporting

• Getty Images
  

  Timing is everything

  In the past, it's been easier for Wiegman to ignore Wubben-Moy. During the Euros, Williamson and Millie Bright were always going to be impossible to displace at the heart of defence. And at the World Cup, Greenwood and Carter each emerged as deserved starters as the England boss flipped between a back-three and back-four.

  But in this camp, Bright and Williamson are unavailable due to injury, and it's hard to argue that Carter and Esme Morgan – who has taken a lot of Wubben-Moy's potential minutes in recent times – are in anything like the same form as her at club level. The same can also be said of United pair Le Tissier and Millie Turner.

  With all of that in mind, and with two low-stakes games for Wiegman to experiment in coming up, it is surely time for Wubben-Moy to seize her opportunity.

In an exclusive interview with Football FanCast, Steve Bull, who made 13 appearances for England, believes Fabio Silva’s misfortunes in front of goal are down to his long hair after he missed late headers against both Newcastle United and Liverpool in recent weeks.

Wolves bought Silva from FC Porto for £36 million and in 27 appearances he has managed just two goals with the 18-year old getting more minutes than he maybe expected due to Raul Jimenez’s extended spell on the sidelines.

Bull did joke about Silva’s ‘locks’ but admits he believes that is one of the reasons why he struggles with his headers as the ball slides off his long hair and he’s not able to make good contact with the ball.

Speaking on Silva’s struggles in front of goal and if the exposure to a lot of first-team football will be impacting the 18-year old negatively, Bull told FFC exclusively:

“I think the more football and experience he gets, the better it is for him.

“I think if I had him in front of me, the first thing I’d say to him is get your hair cut because when he’s heading the ball it isn’t hitting him directly on his head, it’s hitting him on the side where his hair is and he isn’t getting the power behind it.

[snack-amp-story url= “https://www.footballfancast.com/web-stories/exclusive-andreas-sondergaard-wolves-premier-league” title=”Exclusive! Andreas Sondergaard talks all things Wolves”]

“Seriously, that’s not me being funny. Think when you head a ball at full power it’s off your forehead but when it comes to him, it’s gliding off his locks.

“The amount of time he’s getting I think is good the way Nuno is doing it. I just think that you’ve got to introduce players especially with a big price tag into the team gradually.”

Bull is Wolves’ all-time top scorer with 306 goals so, Silva may feel cutting his hair extreme but he could learn a thing or two from the Wolves legend.

Before he signed for Wolves, Silva had played just 21 games for Porto, finding the net three times so, the Midlands club have put a lot of faith in the striker.

Liverpool lost against Everton at Anfield for the first time since 1999 at the weekend, but there was controversy, which was, in part, caused by VAR. Former Premier League referee Mark Halsey has given his view on the incident.

Halsey speaks out on VAR in Merseyside derby

During the second half, referee Chris Kavanagh awarded a penalty to Everton as he deemed that Trent Alexander-Arnold had fouled Dominic Calvert-Lewi. However, Kavanagh was instructed by VAR Andre Marriner to go to the monitor to check his decision. However, after going over to the monitor for literally a few seconds, he moved away and stuck with the penalty.

A lot of questions have been asked about the time Kavanagh spent at the screen and speaking exclusively to The Transfer Tavern, Halsey discussed that incident:

“We need to hear the conversation between the referee and Stockley Park, we need to know what is going on, because we don’t know, nobody knows, we are just second guessing.

“I think Chris was adamant that he wasn’t going to change his mind, you can tell by his body language and the way he’s got over to that monitor. You can tell he’s thinking “what is this for? This is not a clear and obvious error”. You can tell by his body language as he gets to the screen and as he came away that quickly, you just knew that he was going to stick with his original decision. Full respect to him. We can’t criticise him (for sticking to his guns).”

Halsey identifies a clear issue with VAR

The only people who know how Kavanagh came to his final decision so quickly are himself and the VAR and this leaves fans confused and unsure, which can be very frustrating.

Therefore, as Halsey says, it would be great if we could hear the conversations that the officials have as it would, perhaps, help the clear confusion caused by such incidents.

Liverpool have already felt quite hard done by on many occasions this campaign, and this latest issue will not help them feel any better at all.

When performances are not at their best, which is proven by the fact they have lost their last four games in the division, then it can feel like everything is going against you and it seems like this is happening for The Reds at the moment.

In other news, Klopp and Pep Lijnders are reportedly very impressed with this centre-back.

Cristiano Ronaldo posted his mood on Instagram ahead of Al-Nassr's AFC Champions League second leg against Saudi rivals.

Article continues below

Article continues below

Article continues below

• Ronaldo relaxed ahead of crunch tie
• Al-Nassr in AFC Champions League action
• Al-Feiha stand in the way

• WHAT HAPPENED?

  A clearly relaxed Ronaldo captioned his post 'good vibes' two days before Al-Nassr are due to face fellow Saudi Arabian club Al-Feiha in the last 16 of Asia's Champions League this week.

Advertisement

• Getty
  

  THE BIGGER PICTURE

  Ronaldo and Co. hold a slender 1-0 aggregate advantage from the away first leg last week and will be confident of progressing now they are at home for the second. Al-Feiha are not one of Saudi Arabia's traditional giants and finished 11th out of 16 teams in the domestic league last season, having been in the second tier as recently as 2021. But they enjoyed a remarkable run to win the 2021/22 edition of the King's Cup to qualify for the 2023/24 AFC Champions League and then made it through the group stage despite being a struggling team in the Saudi Pro League.

• DID YOU KNOW?

  Al-Hilal (1991, 2000, 2019, 2021) and Al-Ittihad (2004, 2005) are the only Saudi Arabian teams to have been crowned club champions of Asia. Al-Nassr are yet to win the competition, best finishing as runners-up in 1995 when they were losing finalists to Ilhwa Chunma, now known as Seongnam FC, of South Korea.

ENJOYED THIS STORY?

Add GOAL.com as a preferred source on Google to see more of our reporting

• getty images
  

  WHAT NEXT FOR RONALDO & AL-NASSR?

  With a 39-year-old Ronaldo spearheading the team by scoring 30 goals in 31 games across all competitions, Al-Nassr are targeting trophies on multiple fronts this season. They won't believe that a seven-point gap to Al-Hilal is too big to close in the Saudi Pro League title race when there are 14 games left, while they are also into the semi-finals of the King's Cup, as well as looking good to progress to the last eight of the Champions League.

Manchester City coach Pep Guardiola has revealed that Jack Grealish, Bernardo Silva and Josko Gvardiol could be set for spells in the treatment room.

Article continues below

Article continues below

Article continues below

• Guardiola confirms triple injury blow for Man City
• Grealish suffers muscular problem in Copenhagen
• Silva & Gvardiol sustain ankle injuries

• WHAT HAPPENED?

  City breezed to a 3-1 win in their Champions League last-16 first leg against Copenhagen on Tuesday but the result was marred by Grealish suffering a suspected groin injury midway through the first half. Guardiola confirmed that the midfielder had suffered a muscular problem and also revealed that Bernardo Silva, who also had to be taken off in the second half, had hurt his ankle. He also disclosed that Josko Gvardiol will be out for up to three weeks after injuring ligaments in his ankle.

Advertisement

• WHAT GUARDIOLA SAID

  "Bernardo has a big knock. Looks like a muscular [injury] for Jack Grealish," Guardiola told. "It is a pity. He helped us to play at the right tempo. He felt it when he rolled on the grass. They know."

• Getty Images
  

  THE BIGGER PICTURE

  City were just approaching full strength again after suffering numerous injury setbacks throughout the season. They were without Kevin De Bruyne for five months, Erling Haaland for two months while John Stones has missed large parts of the campaign with separate issues. They all started at Parken Stadium on Tuesday night but now City have fresh injury concerns in midfield due to the likely absences of Silva and Grealish, while Gvardiol, who was not in the matchday squad against Copenhagen, leaves them with just one option at left-back.

ENJOYED THIS STORY?

Add GOAL.com as a preferred source on Google to see more of our reporting

• Getty Images
  

  WHAT NEXT FOR CITY?

  The injuries come at a key moment in the season for City and ahead of a daunting run of fixtures. Guardiola's side face an improving Chelsea in the Premier League on Saturday before hosting Brentford the following Tuesday. They then travel to Bournemouth and Luton before facing Manchester United in the derby and visiting Liverpool in a potential title showdown.

With Liverpool starting to flounder in the title race, they need something new to light up their momentum. Their current system is being found out by Premier League sides and Jurgen Klopp needs to try new things. With that in mind, introducing wonderkid Rhian Brewster into the fray can be a wise decision.

Brewster has been suffering from persistent injuries since his heroics at the FIFA U-17 World Cup, where he won the Golden Boot, helping the Three Lions lift the trophy. However, he is recovering pretty well and wishes to be a genuine option for Klopp. With not many sides knowing Brewster’s strengths, the German coach can find something different in him.

While the youngster is still a few weeks away from attaining match-fitness, when he does become available, Klopp should utilize him. Be it as only a substitute, Brewster’s pace and a fantastic eye for goal makes him a dangerous player for the Reds. He scored eight goals in the U-17 World Cup and has been prolific in the youth level competition for the Reds.

While not the biggest in frame, Brewster’s unpredictable movement and clinical striking ability make him an assured option for goals. He doesn’t miss much in front of goal and the way Liverpool create chances, he can blend into their system in no time.

The Reds need goals to overtake Manchester City’s superior goal difference. Brewster brings many goals with him and if utilized well, can be Klopp’s trump card into prevailing in this tight championship race. Perhaps this season is too soon, but if Liverpool are going to compete in the years going forward, Brewster can be a wild card.

West Ham United could make their third signing from Slavia Prague in the space of 18 months.

According to a report from insiders Claret & Hugh, Tomas Soucek and Vladimir Coufal ‘could easily be joined’ by striker Abdallah Sima this summer.

19-year-old Sima has scored 19 goals in all competitions this season. Four of those goals came during Slavia’s run to the last eight of the Europa League, in which he scored at the King Power as they stunned Leicester at the end of February.

‘Clubs notice’ talents like Sima

Premier League legend Petr Cech claims ‘there aren’t many players like’ Sima in Europe.

“When a player appears who, at such a young age, succeeds in senior football, starts scoring goals and produces in Europe, clubs notice,” he said, speaking to iSport.

The Senegalese international is valued at £9.9million by Transfermarkt, and Manchester United are also said to be monitoring him.

Transfer Tavern verdict

It’s clear that West Ham are looking to repeat the trick here – Soucek and Coufal have both been revelations since they moved to the London Stadium.

The former made his move permanent in the summer for a fee of £15million and he’s impressively netted 12 goals from defensive midfield in 49 appearances for the club (via Transfermarkt).

Coufal joined at the end of the window for just £4.5million and the right-back has been almost an ever-present, playing 90 minutes in all but one match, and has contributed five assists (via Transfermarkt).

Breaking The Lines’ James Lloyd wrote that the right-back could be considered ‘the bargain of the summer’.

The Irons may just have hit on a hugely effective recruitment strategy.

In other news, West Ham have made an enquiry for this ‘keeper.