All posts by z3u9t.icu

Steven Gerrard has been handed a significant boost at Ibrox this week as Rangers star Ianis Hagi has been left out of Romania’s squad for the Olympic Games this summer, which should mean that the winger is available for the start of the new club season.

Rangers were reportedly set to prevent their player from representing his country at the Olympics in Tokyo this summer due to the clash with the Champions League qualifiers.

Whilst Gerrard’s side had no obligation to allow Hagi to leave, there was perhaps a worry among some Ger fans that it would cause a dispute between the 22-year-old and the club at a time when he is attracting interest from abroad.

The likes of Lazio and Sevilla are said to be interested in the former Genk man, who impressed in his first full season as a Rangers player, winning the club’s 2020/21 Young Player of the Season award for his performances.

However, fortunately for Gerrard, Hagi has now been left out of Mirel Radoi’s Romania squad, which should hopefully bring an end to any dispute between Rangers and the winger as he should now be fully focused on the season ahead at Ibrox.

The Gers kick off their Premiership title defence with a game against Livingston on 31 July, whilst their first pre-season friendly sees them take on Partick Thistle on Monday evening, so it is good news for Gerrard that Hagi will be available for selection.

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Last season saw the winger contribute an impressive eight goals and 15 assists in all competitions for the Light Blues, so his creativity will surely be key for Rangers next season if they are to retain the Premiership title and challenge in the Champions League.

Gerrard is certainly a big fan of the youngster, as he sang his praises in the 2019/20 season during his initial loan spell at Ibrox, saying: “Ianis is an outstanding talent and that stage was made for him.”

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Therefore, it is a huge boost that the Romanian will now be available for Rangers rather than travelling to Tokyo for the Olympics, and Gers fans will be hoping to see him carry over his form from last season into the new campaign.

In other news… Gerrard could be set for huge Rangers boost with “immense” Ibrox “mountain”

An update has emerged on Rangers loanee Cedric Itten, regarding a potential change in style for the Ibrox forward under Giovanni van Bronckhorst.

What’s been said?

Responding to a fan’s question about loan players suiting van Bronckhorst’s squad, The Athletic’s Jordan Campbell named the attacker as an ‘interesting case’.

The report claimed that he was told Itten had been training to play in a similar way to Tottenham’s £108m-rated striker Harry Kane, in the way that he drops deep to receive the ball.

He said:

“Cedric Itten is an interesting case. When I watched him at St Gallen, it was obvious he was not a target man primarily. But Gerrard tended to start him from the right as a way to play towards him diagonally.

“I don’t think it played to his strengths and I was told in the summer, in the lead-up to the Malmo first leg he had to start because Alfredo Morelos was suspended, that Itten had been working on dropping deep in a way that replicated the role Harry Kane has carved out at Tottenham.”

Unleash him

The Gers have a number of players currently out on loan and van Bronckhorst may want to run the rule over them heading into January, in case he decides that he wants to recall them to utilise their talents in the second half of the campaign.

Instead of asking Ross Wilson to splash the cash on expensive additions to the squad, the Dutchman could bring Itten – for example – back to Ibrox and look to make him a success. This could save the club millions in the transfer window and make for an intriguing tactical tweak in the coming months.

The £14k-per-week gem, who was once dubbed “superb” by ex-Gers boss Steven Gerrard, could slot perfectly into the way van Bronckhorst’s team has set up since his arrival if he is able to play in a similar way to Kane.

If Itten can drop deep to receive the ball on the half-turn before spinning and firing the ball into the space he vacated then it could be a masterstroke by the Dutchman.

Ryan Kent and Fashion Sakala, who played in the wide roles vs Hearts, have pace to burn and could make runs inside their full-backs into the space Itten leaves – latching onto the Swiss striker’s passes to go through on goal. Scott Arfield and Joe Aribo have also made a similar run from deep that could suit this style of play, with both scoring goals by making runs past the attacker.

Itten scored 36 goals in 63 games for St Gallen, showing that he has the ability to be a regular goalscorer to go along with his potential stylistic suitability to van Bronckhorst’s side, but he is yet to fulfil his potential for Rangers.

By bringing him back to the club in January and utilising him in this new role, the ex-Feyenoord coach could get the best out of him.

AND in other news, Forget Tavernier: “Terrific” Rangers beast with 51 duels won is already Gvb’s key man…

Sunderland enjoyed a busy January transfer window as Kristjaan Speakman brought in a number of players to bolster then-manager Lee Johnson’s squad.

Jermain Defoe, Jack Clarke, Jay Matete, Trai Hume, Danny Batth and Patrick Roberts all came in to aid the club’s attempts to win promotion to the Championship this season.

One of those signings has already flopped as Defoe recently announced his retirement from football after playing seven League One matches for the club.

Kristjaan Speakman error

Another January signing who the club could end up making an embarrassing error over is attacking midfielder Patrick Roberts.

At the time of his arrival, Johnson said: “We hope that this is the place he calls home for a number of years.”

However, that may not transpire as he is attracting interest from elsewhere. TEAMtalk recently reported that Belgian side Union Saint-Gilloise are keen on a deal for the former Manchester City man at the end of the season.

They are set to have Champions League football to offer and want to tempt Roberts into making the switch just months after he signed for the Black Cats.

This is where Speakman must act quickly to avoid making this blunder. He was only able to agree a short-term deal with the forward until the end of the season and must now extend his terms to secure his future at the Stadium of Light.

At the very least, Roberts signing a new contract would allow Sunderland to recoup a fee for his services instead of losing him for nothing in the summer.

The winger has one goal and has averaged 1.3 key passes per game across ten matches in League One, starting four times, and has the potential to improve further at the age of 25. He still has his best years ahead of him as he is yet to reach his peak and he could enjoy that at the Stadium of Light if he stays.

Ex-Black Cats player Stephen Elliott dubbed him “sublime” recently and former Norwich head coach Daniel Farke also previously hailed the forward’s talents, saying: “He is a brilliant lad who is full of potential. He is the type of player who can change a game because he has this ability that he can create something in a one against one situation.”

These comments suggest that Sunderland are yet to see the best of the attacker and that is why they cannot lose him on a free. It would be embarrassing to lose a player of his talent without receiving payment for him just months after bringing him to the club, which is why Speakman must rectify his error to avoid making another one.

AND in other news, Cost £13.6m, now worth £1.8m: SAFC had a nightmare on dud who “lacked professionalism”…

A number Manchester City fans have, tongue in cheek, been ruing the absence of Paul Pogba from their upcoming clash with Manchester United.

On Sunday, the Red Devils suffered humiliation at the hands of Liverpool at Old Trafford as they were defeated 5-0 – Mohamed Salah was the man of the match as he picked up a hat-trick. As it stands, the Citizens are already six points ahead of their local rivals after just nine matches (Sky Sports).

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Ole Gunnar Solskjaer’s woes were compounded when Pogba received a straight red card for a poor challenge on the Reds’ Naby Keita. As a result, the 28-year-old will miss United’s clash with City on November 6 through suspension, but some City supporters have shared their displeasure.

With the Frenchman often flattering to deceive, some of the Etihad faithful joked that his suspension is actually worse news for the Premier League champions than for United.

The news was shared on @City_Xtra and it attracted plenty of attention from City supporters. These fans took to the social media platform to share their thoughts.

Let’s see what these fans had to say about Pogba’s suspension

“Gutted”

Credit: @joe_nolann

“Advantage United”

Credit: @BernardoTouch

“Oh no”

Credit: @Nazario_24_

“pain”

Credit: @ItsFodenTime

“Advantage United”

Credit: @100_MCFC

“That’s just not fair !!! Surely City can appeal this decision ?”

Credit: @MWeaver72139842

In other news, lots of Man City fans react to this Raheem Sterling news

Newcastle United striker Callum Wilson may not be ready to return from injury until ‘the last two or three games in the season’.

That’s according to Sky Sports reporter Keith Downie, who was speaking to GiveMeSport.

The lowdown

Wilson hasn’t played for Newcastle in 2022, having suffered a calf injury in the 1-1 draw with Manchester United on 27 December.

The £46,200-per-week frontman, who remains the team’s top scorer with six goals, has now been sidelined for 13 matches in total.

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The Telegraph’s Luke Edwards had reported in March that Wilson had an ‘outside chance’ of returning against Wolves. He said a comeback against Crystal Palace on April 20 or Norwich City on April 23 looked far more ‘likely’.

However, it now appears that the timeline has been extended further.

The latest

Downie has heard from his sources that Wilson won’t be ready until the May 8 trip to Manchester City at the earliest.

But he wouldn’t rule out the striker being kept back until next season.

“I think the best case scenario, from what I’m hearing, is he will maybe be involved in the last two or three games in the season, but by then they might be safe, so is there any need to do that?” he said.

“Are you better off just getting him into good shape for the start of next season?”

The verdict

Downie identifies an important consideration here. Journalist Pete O’Rourke has previously said that Eddie Howe will be eagerly awaiting the ‘welcome’ boost of Wilson’s return, but do they need to play the long game?

In theory, the more recovery time Wilson is afforded, the lower the risk of re-injury. Any setback could affect the no. 9’s preparations for the 2022/23 campaign.

This is a player whose lengthy injury record demands that he be managed with particular care.

And Newcastle may also have to consider bringing in a new no. 9 who can deputise more effectively than Chris Wood in the event of future problems.

Wood has only scored one non-penalty goal in his 12 appearances since he joined from Burnley.

In other news, read this transfer insider’s latest PIF claim.

Even though Wolves currently have the joint-second lowest number of players in their squad with just 24 across the current crop of Premier League clubs, it’s surprising that they have a significant number of players currently out on loan deals with other teams.

One Wolves player that is currently out on loan is 23-year-old attacker Patrick Cutrone who is spending his season with Italian club FC Empoli.

Despite being rather familiar with going out on loan away from Molineux, having spent temporary spells at clubs such as Fiorentina and Valencia, Cutrone finds himself back in Serie A to show what he can do. He signed for Wolves on a permanent basis back in the 2019 summer transfer window from AC Milan for a fee of £16.2m but hasn’t exactly set the world alight.

Things have not exactly been plain sailing for the Italian so far this season either. With seven appearances across all competitions and a total of 373 minutes under his belt for Empoli, Cutrone has yet to score a goal or provide an assist for them.

Cutrone’s last start for Empoli in Serie A saw him substituted in the second half of their 3-0 defeat against Sampdoria at home after the striker failed to register a single shot at goal and lost possession on ten occasions, ultimately earning him a rather uninspiring overall match rating of 6.6/10 according to SofaScore.

Taking this into account and the fact that Wolves manager Bruno Lage urged Cutrone to stay at the Midlands club this summer and prove himself there, he won’t be happy to see that his latest loan spell has gone the way it has so far.

Since joining Wolves, Cutrone, who is currently valued at £8.1m via Transfermarkt, has made 28 appearances for the Old Gold across all competitions in which he has managed to score only three goals and provide four assists in the process.

In our view, it’s safe to say that while Cutrone’s latest loan spell away from Wolves has not got off to a great start as of yet, there’s still a significant time left in the season for him to turn his form around and make the best use of the time he has there.

However, if the player doesn’t manage to do this, then he will put his place at Wolves at risk if they don’t feel like he’s good enough to be a regular figure for them in the Premier League.

On the evidence he’s provided over the last few years, they must get rid. Lage simply has to wield the axe on his Molineux career.

In other news: Forget Hwang: “Special” £41k-p/w Wolves ace who made 3 key passes ran the show vs NUFC

Newcastle United have now reportedly made an offer to try and sign Carles Perez before the summer transfer window ends.

The Lowdown: Winger needed

The St. James’ Park faithful currently only have three natural wingers in their squad at the moment (Transfermarkt), and one of them is Jacob Murphy, who may be seen more as a right wing-back when the new 2021/22 Premier League season starts.

Thus, if he, Allan Saint-Maximin or Ryan Fraser were to find themselves injured for a sustained period of time, it would leave Steve Bruce pretty short in that area.

The Latest: Perez offer

As per Italian football journalist Rudy Galetti, the North East club have ‘officially stepped forward’ to sign Perez, and have made an offer to AS Roma of around €10m (£8.5m) for his signature.

There are ‘ongoing evaluations’ between both teams as the Tyneside club look to strike a deal before the window closes.

The Verdict: Sign

Given the lack of depth in wide areas, it would be a smart move for Bruce and co to go out and sign Perez, especially if they can get him for a mere £8.5m.

Once praised by Lionel Messi while he was at FC Barcelona back in 2019, the Spaniard will feel as if he has a point to prove, and at just 23 years of age, still has a lot of potential.

His three goals and three assists in 31 games in total over all competitions last term (Transfermarkt) show that he can be deadly at times in front of goal, but is perhaps lacking a little consistency.

Nonetheless, £8.5m could turn out to be a steal for a position that needs filling for the Tyneside club.

In other news, find out which £12.6m-rated ‘phenomenon’ NUFC are keen on signing here!

A number of West Ham supporters are excited after the Hammers were linked with a January move for Sparta Prague striker Adam Hlozek.

David Moyes’ men were given a reality check in the Premier League last weekend, losing 1-0 away to Wolves and seeing their top-four hopes dented in the process.

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It has still been a wonderful start to the season for West Ham, though, and there is no reason why they can’t secure Champions League football next season.

For that to happen, a few reinforcements would arguably help in January, allowing Moyes to keep his squad fresh as the season goes on. That is especially the case in attack, where there is no natural centre-forward alternative to the injury-prone Michail Antonio.

According to Football Insider [via West Ham Fan Zone on Twitter], the Hammers are reportedly interested in signing Sparta youngster Hlozek, with the striker scoring 32 goals in 106 appearances for the Czech club despite only turning 19 in July.

West Ham fans love Hlozek rumour

These West Ham fans reacted positively to the rumour on Twitter, with some believing that the teenager would be an “excellent” signing in the winter transfer window.

“Now I’m liking this”

Credit: @MarcClimpson

“Lingard, Hlozek, Antonio, Bowen, Fornals, Lanzini & Benrahma when he comes back from AFCON… That’s a serious attack!”

Credit: @WhufcSloth

“Nice”

Credit: @callumwhu123

“This would be a huge deal! 6ft1, quick, strong, excellent finisher, great work rate & good in the air. At just 19, get him on Antonio’s weight training plan & we build an absolute beast…especially with pace & skill around him”

Credit: @WhufcSloth

“Please West Ham”

Credit: @LiamWHU1

“I really hope it happens”

Credit: @LedingtonJohn

In other news, another striker has also been linked with a move to West Ham. Find out who it is here.

West Brom have the chance to get their season back on track this weekend with an away clash against Huddersfield Town next up for the Baggies after a mixed bag of results in October and early November.

In terms of which players Baggies manager Valerien Ismael could select in his starting XI for the game on Saturday, one man who should be in the team on this occasion is Jayson Molumby.

Why Molumby must start

Since joining the Midlands club on a season-long loan deal from Brighton & Hove Albion, the midfielder has only started in three of his seven Championship appearances for the Baggies.

His previous appearance for West Brom saw the 22-year-old, who is currently valued at just £900,000 according to Transfermarkt, start and complete the full 90 minutes in their 1-1 draw against Middlesbrough as he managed to show what he can offer to Ismael’s side.

On that day, Molumby had 51 touches of the ball, completed 31 out of his 34 passes, won seven of his 14 duels and completed both of his dribbles. He also proved to be a helpful defensive figure by making one tackle, two interceptions and two clearances, ultimately earning himself an overall match rating of 6.8/10 according to SofaScore.

Furthermore, Birmingham Live said that Molumby was the “industry, energy, mobility and bite that Albion desperately needed” in the game against Middlesbrough, and those traits could terrify Huddersfield if he manages to demonstrate them again on Saturday.

The 22-year-old, who has previously been described as a “feisty” player by Millwall boss Gary Rowett, has racked up a passing accuracy percentage of 83.9% so far this season, the second-highest of any West Brom player below Robert Snodgrass. That highlights how adept he is at moving the ball around the pitch, which could be useful at the weekend even though Huddersfield are currently in the middle of the possession table with an average percentage of 48.7% compared to West Brom’s 52.7%, according to WhoScored.

With Molumby only on loan for the season, it would make sense for Ismael to get the most out of him while he’s at The Hawthorns. The 45-year-old should definitely consider keeping him in the team for the match against Huddersfield, especially since the midfielder showed what he’s capable of in his latest appearance for West Brom.

In other news: Lai could deliver WBA’s first January signing with “intelligent” £27k-p/w machine

The Celtic Way reporter Anthony Haggerty believes Albian Ajeti will be rejuvenated following Ange Postecoglou’s appointment as the Scottish giants’ new manager.

Ajeti joined Celtic from Premier League side West Ham United in a £5million deal last August.

The move came after the Swiss frontman failed to score in any of his 12 appearances for the Hammers.

Ajeti also struggled to find the back of the net regularly during his first season in Glasgow as he notched six goals in 30 appearances.

However, the former Basel striker has vowed to take advantage of his second opportunity to prove himself at Celtic, which has been granted by Postecoglou.

It comes after the Bhoys missed out on top transfer target Charlie Wyke, who opted to join Wigan Athletic from Sunderland rather than heading north of the border earlier this month.

Haggerty believes the 24-year-old Ajeti could prove to be like a new signing after what was a disappointing first campaign at Celtic Park.

He exclusively told Football FanCast: “I think Postecoglou is going to give Ajeti that chance so it’s up to him to grab it. He scored a couple of decent goals when he first broke in last August.

“It’s those consistency levels at a club like Celtic that you need. Strikers at Celtic are always judged on their goals return.

“This is another player we shelled a lot of money out for so they’re going to give him every chance to claim that jersey.”