Tag Futebol

When Ange Postecoglou sat down as Celtic’s new manager for the first time last month, he had a promise that will have delighted the supporters.

The Hoops have been scared to blood their young talent over the last few years and that was no more apparent than when Neil Lennon and John Kennedy refused to hand Karamoko Dembele his first senior start.

Postecoglou, however, looks set to change the tide.

During one of his first interviews, the Australian said: “I’m a big believer that, if you can produce homegrown talent and players who have come through the club, there’s extra meaning to represent that football club for the player. For the supporters, they see one of their own out there and I think that’s very important.”

Celtic may not have had much choice in pre-season given their limited options but the head coach has already blooded plenty of young talents.

Dembele netted in the club’s win over Charlton Athletic last weekend, a strike that followed Owen Moffat’s impressive goal-scoring outing just a few days earlier against Sheffield Wednesday.

The Bhoys started nervously in that clash and conceded early on. However, once the young players gained their footing, they looked a different class.

Moffat has been banging on the first-team door for a while now after some vibrant performances for the reserves.

An energetic attacking midfielder, he found the back of the net with a wonderful half volley last week.

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“It’s still no really sunk in that I’ve scored for Celtic. But it was an unbelievable feeling at the time. My phone’s no stopped going since,” he said post-match.

Moffat’s introduction to first-team life has come at an ideal time with their club’s options wearing thin in offensive areas.

The 19-year-old started the game up front before moving to the right of midfield. However, it’s in a number 10 role where the teenager usually thrives.

With that in mind, he could be the long-term successor to Ryan Christie. The Scot endured a torrid campaign in 2020/21, scoring 13 fewer goals than he managed the term before.

His contract expires in January and with Crystal Palace and Sampdoria chasing his signature, the emergence of Moffat could give Celtic license to grant his exit from Paradise.

The youngster is capable of playing in similar areas and already looks wise beyond his years.

Conor McGregor has certainly been left impressed. The Scottish midfielder remarked recently: “Obviously a mention for young Moffatt, his attitude has been first class.

“I remember watching him at the end of last season, training on the astro himself.”

McGregor added: “Every day they would do finishing and I remember thinking ‘he’s got a finish on him’. I wasn’t surprised yesterday when it dropped and he half-volleyed it into the net.”

It’s important not to throw too much hype towards Moffat but it’s vital that Postecoglou continues to hand more minutes to the young players coming through.

It may just save them a small fortune in the transfer market.

AND in other news, Celtic begin talks to sign “extremely dangerous” £6.3m-rated beast, Ange needs him…

Millwall have been dealt a blow in their bid to bring Josh Windass to The Den this summer.

What’s the talk?

That’s according to a claim made by The Sun journalist Alan Nixon, who revealed in a post on Twitter that Sheffield Wednesday are demanding a fee in the region of £5m in order to part with the midfielder.

Nixon added that the price the Owls are requesting for the 27-year-old is likely to rule Gary Rowett’s side out of a potential move, with the Lions unlikely to be able to afford a deal for Windass.

Rowett will be gutted

Considering just how impressive Windass was for Sheffield Wednesday last season, the fact that the recently-relegated side are demanding a fee five times greater than what Millwall were reported to have offered for him is sure to have left Rowett gutted.

Indeed, over his 41 Championship appearances for the Owls last term, the £1.44m-rated man scored nine goals, provided six assists and created seven big chances for his teammates, as well as taking 1.9 shots and playing 0.7 key passes per game.

These returns saw the £10,000-per-week man earn a seasonal SofaScore match rating of 6.80, ranking him as Darren Moore’s seventh-best performer in the second tier of English football.

As such, with the midfielder dubbed an “explosive” player by his father Dean only being outscored by Jed Wallace in terms of Championship goals in the Millwall side last season, as well as registering more assists than any Lions player, Windass certainly would have seemed a fantastic addition to Rowett’s squad this summer.

However, unless the 47-year-old Millwall manager can raise the £5m fee required to sign Windass through player sales, or unless Wednesday lower their asking price for the 27-year-old, it would appear that a deal to bring the midfielder to The Den this summer is dead in the water.

In other news: Transfer update emerges on “faultless” £3.4k-p/w gem, Millwall fans should be buzzing

Dean Windass has offered some advice to Aston Villa, regarding their reported interest in West Brom’s Matheus Pereira.

What’s the talk?

Former Premier League midfielder Dean Windass has claimed that Dean Smith will not want West Brom attacker Matheus Pereira at Aston Villa this summer. Villa are reportedly looking at Pereira as a potential signing and Windass does not believe that he has the work rate Smith requires from his players in the Premier League. He told Football Transfer Tavern:

“I can’t see that because he’s not a Dean Smith sort of player, compared to Jack Grealish who always tracks back and Pereira doesn’t do any of that.

“When you play in the Premier League, you can’t carry anybody so I don’t think that will happen.”

Earlier this year, Kevin Campbell said that Pereira had been “disappointing” for West Brom in the Premier League. He told Football Insider:

“I think the football club expected Pereira to have a hell of a season because he took the Championship by storm. They thought they had a match-winner in him because he can score and create goals.

“Let’s be honest though, he has been pretty disappointing. You need your better players to step up, especially at the top end of the pitch and we haven’t seen him do that.”

Smith would hate it

NSWE must avoid making an error by opting against a deal for Pereira this summer. Looking at his statistics from an attacking sense, it is clear to see why clubs would be interested in him. Pereira recorded 11 goals and six assists in a West Brom team struggling at the bottom of the table, which suggests that he has the ability on the ball to perform at Premier League level.

However, there are two sides to the game and Pereira’s defensive numbers are disappointing. As Windass explained, Pereira does not engage in the defensive side of his responsibilities and that is something Smith will not allow his players to avoid next season.

Pereira averaged 0.8 tackles and 0.9 interceptions per game, whilst also allowing opponents to dribble past him 1.3 times per game. This highlights the £39k-per-week midfielder’s lack of effort against the ball, as he did not want to work hard to help his team out.

Recent Villa signing Emi Buendia, on the other hand, has the attributes Smith will want from his forwards. In Norwich’s 2019/20 Premier League campaign, Buendia averaged 2.3 tackles and 0.6 interceptions per game for the Canaries, which increased to 2.4 and 1.1 respectively in the Championship season just gone.

Jack Grealish, meanwhile, managed 1.2 tackles per game last season and was only dribbled past an impressive 0.3 times per game.

This shows why Pereira would not fit in at Aston Villa and why NSWE must avoid bringing him to the club this summer. He does not have the defensive awareness to effectively operate in Smith’s side, which is also why the Villa boss would hate having him on the wing. it would open up his fullbacks to increased pressure due to a lack of protection in front of them.

AND in other news, NSWE could land Aston Villa’s next Paul Merson in “extraordinary” £20k-p/w dynamo…

According to The Daily Mail, Wolves have rejected a £1m bid from Sunderland for central defender Dion Sanderson.

The Lowdown: Sanderson impresses on loan with Black Cats

Sanderson spent last season on loan at the Stadium of Light, and impressed at the heart of the back four, so much so that Wolves fans were desperate to bring the youngster back when the season ended.

As such, the Black Cats want to see him return to the club permanently ahead of next term.

The Latest: Sunderland make Sanderson bid

Now, it has been reported that the north-east outfit have made a bid of £1m for the 21-year-old.

Wolves, though, swiftly rejected the offer – they are looking for a fee of £2m for the defender.

Sheffield United are also interested, but are yet to make a concrete approach.

The Verdict: Top target

There is no doubt Sanderson should be a top target for Lee Johnson and co. Of the 26 matches he played some part in last term in League One, the Black Cats lost just four (absence through to injury.

Johnson even called him a “Rolls-Royce” earlier this year (The Chronicle Live).

He proved himself to be an important player for Johnson throughout the campaign and, as Sunderland aim to earn promotion to the Championship, the signature of Sanderson could prove to be key. It remains to be seen whether the club can get their man this summer.

In other news, Sunderland hope to sign this in-demand winger.

Ange Postecoglou has already set out his priorities as the new manager of Celtic.

That’s if you believe the various news outlets that have linked the Hoops to several new goalkeepers in the last few days.

What’s the word?

The Bhoys are believed to be keen on reuniting Brighton and Australia stopper Mat Ryan with Postecoglou this summer but there are other ‘keepers on their radar.

They could revive their chase for Robin Olsen while Benjamin Siegrist is a topic of conversation again.

Celtic have been tracking the Swiss over the course of the season with a move initially thought to be a possibility last winter.

A move didn’t materialise but the Hoops may well take part in a bidding war for the Dundee United man this summer.

That’s the word of journalist Alan Nixon who took to Twitter to say the following: “Ipswich want him but Dundee United will try for an auction … and Celtic may take part.”

Exciting news

Siegrist might not have the international or Premier League pedigree of Ryan but this is still incredibly exciting news for supporters.

The 6 foot 4 colossus is proven in the Premiership and would arrive at a time where Celtic are desperate to sign a new goalkeeper.

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Vasilis Barkas signed for a fee of £4.5m last summer but was particularly error-prone, eventually being ousted in favour of Scott Bain.

The Greek only started two games after the January period but Bain hardly covered himself in glory throughout the season either. He made a succession of errors against Sparta Prague in the Europa League and didn’t offer much authority.

Siegrist is the polar opposite and is one of the most commanding goalkeepers in the Scottish game.

Celtic supporters saw this firsthand when his dominating performance led to a 0-0 draw with the Hoops that ensured Rangers wrapped up the title early.

As Dundee United earned a surprise point at Tannadice, Siegrist was in remarkable form as he made a sensational 12 saves.

He repeatedly denied Odsonne Edouard on what was a terrible day at the office for the Frenchman.

For a man who “trains like a monster” in the words of Micky Mellon, he’d be a first-class addition to Postecoglou’s ranks.

Supporters should be excited at the potential of seeing a new man between the sticks after their wretched campaign from a defensive point of view.

AND in other news, McKay must complete Celtic move for 42-cap beast who dubbed Postecoglou “intimidating”…

Plenty of Manchester City fans have been reacting to the news that Bukayo Saka could replace Phil Foden in England’s starting line-up for their clash against Czech Republic on Tuesday night.

The Three Lions face the Czechs as they continue their Euro 2020 campaign. They have already qualified for the round of 16 after picking up four points from their first two games (Sky Sports), but it is unclear in which position they will progress from the group – a win would see them finish top.

Foden has started both games for Gareth Southgate’s side at the tournament so far but he has been unable to make any real impact (WhoScored). According to Daily Mail journalist Sami Mokbel, he could be replaced by Arsenal youngster Saka for tonight’s clash.

The news was shared on Twitter by @City_Xtra, and it attracted plenty of attention from City supporters. These fans took to the social media platform to share their thoughts on Foden’s impending omission.

Let’s see what these fans had to say about the Foden news

“Hahahaha.. Let the drama begin. Twitter is going to be fun tonight.”

Credit: @lalitmanaswi

“Gareth Southgate.”

Credit: @dembyy

“Don’t ever replace Phil Foden, EVER”

Credit: @Lou_MCFC02

“What a joke”

Credit: @Matt_J_Benham

“It is finished then”

Credit: @_official_gee

“How can you start him in front of Grealish or Sancho, joke of a manager”

Credit: @Bruynetime

In other news, lots of Man City fans want the club to sign this Euro 2020 star in the summer.

West Bromwich Albion have been dealt a huge blow to their chances of bringing Okay Yokuslu back to The Hawthorns this summer.

What’s the talk?

That’s according to a report by the Express & Star, which relayed recent comments made by the 27-year-old midfielder in which he confirmed that he would like to play his football in the Premier League as of next season.

The same outlet had reported previously that West Brom were interested in a deal to bring the Celta Vigo player to the club on a permanent basis this summer, following a highly impressive loan spell with the Baggies.

However, after their relegation to the Championship, and with Yokuslu being linked with a move to Leeds United, a deal now appears out of the question.

Speaking about his transfer situation, the midfielder said: “I have a contract with Celta Vigo for two more years. I don’t have clear information about the financial situation of the club.

“But frankly, they can put me up for transfer. I want to stay in the Premier League. I had a good season there. But we don’t know what will happen.”

Fans will be gutted

Considering just how impressive Yokuslu was for West Brom this season, the fact that the player appears to be unwilling to make a move to the Championship is sure to leave fans of the Baggies gutted.

Indeed, after arriving at the club on a loan deal back in February, the £6.75m-rated defensive midfielder went on to provide one assist and create one big chance for his teammates over his 16 Premier League appearances for Sam Allardyce’s side, as well as making an average of 2.2 interceptions, 2.4 tackles and two clearances per game.

As a result of these metrics, the £31k-per-week Turkey international earned a seasonal SofaScore match rating of 6.99, ranking him as West Brom’s fourth-best performer in the top flight of English football.

As such, the fact that the player whom Kyle Bartley dubbed as “tenacious” does not look set to make a return to The Hawthorns this summer is sure to come as a huge blow to a team hoping to bounce straight back to the Premier League next season – a feat which would have undoubtedly been made a great deal easier with Yoksulu in the side.

In other news: Transfer claim on “exciting” £39k-p/w gem emerges that’ll leave West Brom fans gutted

Derby County striker Martyn Waghorn has been linked with a move to fellow Championship club Cardiff City this summer.

The Lowdown: Waghorn out of contract

The 31-year-old scored five goals and registered four assists in the Championship in 2020/21, doing his bit to keep the Rams in the division. His contribution on the final day of the campaign was nothing short of heroic, scoring twice in a 3-3 draw against Sheffield Wednesday when a defeat would have sent Wayne Rooney’ side down and kept the Owls in the second tier.

Like a number of Derby players, however, Waghorn’s contract at Pride Park expires in the summer, meaning that he is likely to move on to pastures new.

The Latest: Cardiff linked with move

According to Football Insider, Cardiff are eyeing up a move for the forward, looking to bring him in on a free transfer over the summer.

Waghorn, who earns £7,900 per week and has been described as ‘excellent’ by journalist Ryan Conway, could yet stay at Derby, with the club reportedly keen on giving him a new deal.

The Verdict: Keep hold of him

Waghorn still has enough quality to suggest that Derby should retain his services moving forward, with the striker scoring 30 goals in 123 appearances for the Rams, also registering 13 assists.

At 31, it would be remiss to think of him as an ‘old’ player. He still has plenty to offer, coming good when it mattered most at the season’s climax, while his Championship pedigree speaks for itself, having netted 75 times in the division throughout his career.

Waghorn might not be perfect, but he doesn’t stand out as someone Derby should be quick to jettison. Failing to offer him a new deal wouldn’t be much gratitude for scoring the goals which kept them up on the final day.

In other news, some Derby fans have been calling for one of Waghorn’s team-mates to be sold this summer. Find out who it is here.

تحدث خافيير جوري المدرب المساعد بالجهاز الفني الأسبق لمنتخب مصر بقيادة خافيير أجيري المدير، عن مواجهتي السنغال في المرحلة الأخيرة من التصفيات المؤهلة لكأس العالم قطر 2022، مؤكدًا امتلاك مصر حظوظًا قوية في الصعود لامتلاكه قاعدة جماهيرية كبيرة وأحد أفضل لاعبي العالم محمد صلاح.

طالع | نادر السيد لـ”بطولات”: لاعب الأهلي لن يفيد منتخب مصر.. وعمر كمال لديه نفس ميزة ماني

وقال جوري في تصريحات خاصة لـ”بطولات”: “منتخب مصر يملك قاعدة جماهيرية كبيرة”.

وأضاف: “يملك جماهير تُحب كرة القدم وتعشق منتخبها، شعرنا بذلك أثناء تدريب المنتخب في كأس أمم إفريقيا 2019”.

وأردف: “منتخب مصر دائمًا يملك حظوظ قوية أمام أي منتخب إفريقي، كما أنه لديه محمد صلاح أحد أفضل لاعبي العالم في الوقت الحالي، لذا بالتأكيد الفراعنة لديهم حظوظ قوية في الصعود لكأس العالم”.

وأتم: “لابد أن يستغل منتخب مصر الدعم الجماهيري في مباراة الذهاب، والمنتخب لديه لاعبين كبار قادرين على صناعة الفارق”.

Wolves are moving closer to appointing a new manager after Nuno Espirito Santo decided to leave Molineux behind.

It’s thought that only a work permit hearing stands in the way of Jorge Mendes client Bruno Lage becoming the new permanent boss, and the Old Gold have been smart in moving so quickly to find a replacement with the transfer window coming up – but have they been too swift in doing so?

Wolves have had a number of successors to Nuno in mind for a while now, so it may just be a case of knowing what they want. Jeff Shi and Fosun haven’t just considered those attached to Mendes, either.

The Athletic claimed that both Frank Lampard and Steven Gerrard have been considered by the Wolves hierarchy. The former Chelsea would seem a good addition for the sake of the young players coming through in the Midlands but it’s hard to dismiss the ex-Liverpool captain either.

The 41-year-old is currently in charge of Rangers, where he has masterminded a remarkable revival for the Light Blues. Celtic were vying for a tenth successive Premiership crown this season but were absolutely demolished by Gerrard’s men, who finished on 102 points as they went the entire league campaign unbeaten.

The standard of football is lower in the Scottish leagues but it’s hard to overlook an accomplishment like that, particularly after how long Rangers went without a league title.

What was most impressive, however, was his defensive record. Wolves were particularly abject in this department in 2020/21, keeping just ten clean sheets in their 38 league games. By contrast, Gerrard stabilised the Rangers backline as they shipped only 13 goals in the Scottish Premiership, keeping a remarkable 26 clean sheets. Across all competitions, they enjoyed a mightily impressive 34 shutouts.

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Wolves lacked goals this season with Raul Jimenez missing since November but they did not give themselves a chance at times with some lacklustre defending. A 4-0 drubbing at the hands of Burnley last month is ample evidence for where it has gone wrong.

The Liverpudlian could have a significant impact on the Wolves defence and he also carries himself brilliantly. Gerrard has always been a fabulous leader and that has transferred into his man-management as a coach.

Speaking about the former England international earlier this year, Sir Alex Ferguson said: “He’s done magnificent. He really has, both on and off the field.”

The multi-Premier League winner continued: “A press interview can lose you your job in management. But Steven’s press conferences are fantastic. He’s cool, he’s composed, he gives the right answers. He’s really top because it’s an art.”

The Rangers boss is not a master of his craft yet but, if this season has told us anything, it’s that Gerrard will likely develop into a top-class manager. Surely Wolves want a piece of that?

AND in other news, Fosun buy Toney in £110m spending spree, Neves axed: How Wolves may look under Lage…