Tag Futebol

Tottenham Hotspur last won successive victories in the Premier League right before Christmas, defeating resilient Everton 2-1 in the capital.

The ebb and flow that has since prevented Ange Postecoglou's side from cementing a spot in the top four stem from some poor away form, last week's trip to Goodison Park resulting in a draw after Jarrad Branthwaite's last-gasp header.

Four wins on the trot at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium is impressive, however, and Saturday's visit of Brighton & Hove Albion presents a fantastic opportunity to return to winning ways, with Roberto De Zerbi's side yielding just four victories from 17 Premier League fixtures.

Fourth-placed Aston Villa, two points and one place above Spurs, host improving Manchester United on Sunday too, and Tottenham must now ensure they secure three points to reclaim their place in the top four.

Key players are returning from international duty and Postecoglou could make four changes to the team that drew against the Toffees last time out.

1 GK – Guglielmo Vicario

Guglielmo Vicario has started every game in the Premier League since transferring from Empoli for an initial £17m last summer and that's not going to change tomorrow.

He's been excellent and will be crucial in preventing the free-scoring Joao Pedro from stifling Tottenham's progress.

2 RB – Pedro Porro

Pedro Porro will star at right-back as per, having arguably been Tottenham's best player this season. He won the club's goal of the month for that strike in the FA Cup against Burnley but his all-encompassing displays truly have been a thing to behold.

As per Sofascore, the Spaniard has registered seven assists across 22 matches in the Premier League this season, completing 80% of his passes and averaging 1.8 key passes, 2.9 tackles, 5.5 ball recoveries, 2.5 clearances and 5.1 successful duels per game.

3 CB – Cristian Romero

It's a shame that injuries and suspensions have inhibited Cristian Romero from playing with regularity this season; the Argentine is undoubtedly one of Europe's first-rate centre-halves.

The 2022 World Cup winner has been heralded for his "Rolls-Royce" role in the rearguard by pundit Martin Keown and has completed 92% of his passes and succeeded with 68% of his duels in the top-flight this year, imposing and dynamic.

4 CB – Radu Dragusin

The first half of the 2023/24 campaign illuminated the desperation in Tottenham's need for a new centre-back, so the £27m transfer of Radu Dragusin from Genoa came as a surprise to no one.

Hailed for his "complete & dominant" defending by talent scout Jacek Kulig, the 21-year-old has played three times in the Premier League so far but is yet to start, and could now be handed his first opening berth against Brighton, his aggressive qualities shining.

Romero and Micky van de Ven are the undisputed starters in central defence but cannot be expected to start every game.

5 LB – Destiny Udogie

Destiny Udogie is enjoying an exciting first campaign in English football and plays with the electric alacrity of a seasoned superstar, such is the innate ability buzzing at his core.

The Italian full-back ranks among the top 19% of positional peers across Europe's top five leagues over the past year for goals scored, the top 15% for pass completion, the top 10% for progressive carries, the top 9% for successful take-ons and the top 12% for tackles and interceptions per 90, as per FBref.

6 CM – Yves Bissouma

Yves Bissouma has only just returned to England after Mali's quarter-finals African Cup of Nations exit earlier in the week but the 27-year-old played only 30 minutes in the knockout phase and will be raring to go for the Lilywhites.

7 CM – Pape Matar Sarr

One of the brightest emerging talents in the Premier League, Pape Matar Sarr will benefit from Bissouma's return and Postecoglou will be eager to rekindle the partnership that found such success over the early months of the campaign.

Pape Matar Sarr: Key Characteristics

Strengths

Weaknesses

Passing

Finishing

Ball retention

Crossing

Defensive contribution

Long shots

Source: WhoScored

8 RW – Dejan Kulusevski

Dejan Kulusevski was benched for the first time this season last time out but he will likely return from the outset against the Seagulls, with his energy and penetrative presence on the right flank crucial against De Zerbi's men, who are only behind Manchester City for most possession in the division this term.

FootballFanCast General: Subscribe and never miss what matters Stay ahead in the world of football analysis, commentary, and fan insights with FootballFancast.

---

Subscribe By subscribing, you agree to receive newsletter and marketing emails, and accept Valnet’s Terms of Use and Privacy Policy. You can unsubscribe anytime.

The Swede's return to the starting line-up will mean Brennan Johnson must return to the bench, the Welshman hooked after an hour against Everton and handed a 4/10 match rating by football.london's Alasdair Gold following an ineffectual effort.

9 AM – James Maddison

A few weeks ago, James Maddison returned from an ankle injury that had ruled him out for two months but you wouldn't know it.

The England international has produced some masterful creative performances over the past few weeks and continues to flourish as one of Europe's superlative playmakers since his £40m move to Tottenham last summer.

10 LW – Timo Werner

Timo Werner returned to the Premier League on loan with Spurs last month and has started all three matches thus far, bagging two assists on the way and impressing with his pace and energy, albeit displaying some signs of ring rust.

Heung-min Son's South Korea fell to a surprise defeat against Jordan in the Asia Cup semi-finals on Tuesday but the club skipper will likely start from the bench tomorrow.

Goals, goals and more goals. Football is many things to many people, but the one thing that matters more than anything else when it comes to the game is goals.

It is what we watch the sport for. It can be the deciding factor in our mood for the day, the weekend or longer, depending on the magnitude of the game. Some goals go down in footballing folklore: the Hand of God, "corner taken quickly", Dennis Bergkamp's turn against Newcastle United and many, many more.

We even have the Puskas Award every year to nominate and congratulate those who score the most impressive ones every year, but only one can win that award.

So, with that in mind, Football FanCast has created a list of the best Puskas-nominated goals to miss out on the top prize for you to enjoy.

10 Robin van Persie v Spain – 2014

The 2014 World Cup in Brazil is one of the greatest-ever editions of the tournament, with countless moments that still live on to this day, like James Rodríguez's strike for Colombia or Germany's 7-1 semi-final demolition of the hosts.

But, there is one goal that, for us, stands above the rest – Robin van Persie's diving header.

Spain's clash against the Netherlands was one of the tournament's most eagerly anticipated group games; it was a repeat of the previous final, after all. The Spanish were, unsurprisingly, favourites going into the clash, but a resurgent Dutch side blew the reigning champions out of the water and won 5-1.

It was the Spanish that scored first and looked to be going into half-time 1-0 up, but Van Persie had other ideas. Daley Blind had the ball on the halfway line and saw the Manchester United striker making a run, and played a world-class cross into the box – a cross that Van Persie flew through the air to get his head on, which resulted in the ball looping over the head of Iker Casillas and into the net.

If anyone can find us a better-headed goal, we would love to see it.

9 Theo Hernandez v Atalanta – 2022

Now, what's better than running half of the pitch to score a screamer? How about running the entire length of the pitch?

Well, that is precisely what AC Milan and France full-back Theo Hernandez did before scoring his wonder-goal against Atalanta in a Serie A match in May 2022.

He picked up the ball from just outside his own penalty area, beat three players and then drove his shot hard and low to nestle it into the far corner.

The only reason it isn't higher on the list is due to some genuinely woeful defending from Atalanta…

8 Lionel Messi v Athletic Bilbao – 2015

You cannot have a list like this and not include Lionel Messi, and so for his contribution, we have chosen his goal against Athletic Bilbao in the 2015 Copa del Rey final.

The Argentina legend picked up the ball from the halfway line before accelerating down the wing, beating three men out wide before cutting in, beating another and then lashing the ball into the near corner to open the scoring for Barcelona – they would eventually win 3-1, and he would score another.

The goal was a real demonstration of Messi's close control and technical ability, but it was also a great display of his decision-making, as before he starts the move off, you can see him standing with the ball at his feet, assessing whether he should pass or run – and we are thankful he chose the latter.

7 Patrik Schick v Scotland – 2021

The 2020 European Championship was a strange tournament; it took place across the continent, was played in front of half-filled crowds, England made it to an international final, and it wasn't even played in 2020, but there were, at least, a lot of excellent goals, chief amongst them Patrik Schick's effort against Scotland.

It was the team's first game of the group stages, and with the Czech Republic 1-0 up, you might think they would be playing it safe to see out a win, but that was not the case.

With Scotland going all-out to find an equaliser, the Czechs won the ball back and got it to Schick on the halfway line. The Bayer Leverkusen man took two steps before looking up and spotted that David Marshall was off his line, so he took a first-time shot and put just enough power behind it that the ball sailed over Marshall's head and under the crossbar to double their lead.

Hampden Park fell silent – well, apart from the pocket of travelling fans behind the goal who proceeded to go absolutely potty, and who could blame them?

6 Mario Balotelli v Goztepe – 2022

He might be better known for outlandish parties and crazy hi-jinks, but Mario Balotelli has always been a supremely talented footballer, and his goal for Turkish outfit Adana Demirspor against Goztepe is the perfect reminder of that.

He picked up the ball on the edge of the penalty area and completed eight stepovers – yes, eight – before getting past his man and finishing into the far corner with a rabona.

Only Balotelli could score such a frankly outrageous goal in a competitive match, and we love him for that.

5 Andre-Pierre Gignac v Pumas – 2020

This is the only nomination on our list from the Mexican League, and it sure is a cracker.

Veteran French striker Andre-Pierre Gignac joined Mexican giants Tigres in the summer of 2015 and has been playing there ever since, but his best goal for the club came in 2020 in a league game against fellow giants PUMAS.

The goal itself was a stunning overhead scissor-kick, but that description alone does not do it justice.

It was impressive because he was on the edge of the PUMAS box, surrounded by three defenders and had to control a cross delivered from the halfway line, but he made it look easy.

4 Dimitri Payet v PAOK Thessaloniki – 2022

Few things in football elicit quite the response that a thunderous long-range effort does. There is just something in all of us that when we see someone lining up a shot from outside the area, we can't help but shout 'shoot!', and in the case of Dimitri Payet here, he duly obliged.

It was in a game for Marseille against Greek side PAOK late last season, and to call it a thunderbolt would be an understatement.

The former West Ham star was standing about 30 yards away from the goal while his side took the corner. The ball came to him, and he absolutely leathered it on the half-volley, giving the 'keeper no chance of stopping it.

Top bins doesn't do it justice, and if there has been a better long-range effort in the last five years, we have yet to see it.

3 Richarlison v Serbia – 2022

On to our last inclusion from last year's nominations, and it's a doozy.

The World Cup was brimming with brilliant goals from the word go, right up to the final whistle in December. Still, for our money, the best goal of the tournament was Brazil's second goal against Serbia, scored by Tottenham Hotspur's Richarlison.

FootballFanCast General: Subscribe and never miss what matters Stay ahead in the world of football analysis, commentary, and fan insights with FootballFancast.

---

Subscribe By subscribing, you agree to receive newsletter and marketing emails, and accept Valnet’s Terms of Use and Privacy Policy. You can unsubscribe anytime.

The Spurs forward made a run into the box, got into the best position he could in the time he had, and when Rodrygo's cross came in, he scored an outstanding bicycle kick.

There are few sights better in football than a beautifully acrobatic bicycle kick, and the fans seem to agree as the official goal was voted as the goal of the tournament.

Unfortunately, FIFA won't let you watch the goal here, but here it is if you're desperate to see it again…

2 Wayne Rooney v Manchester City – 2011

Come on now, we couldn't do a list of Puskas nominees and not include Wayne Rooney for his out-of-this-world effort against Manchester City in 2011.

The goal was a thing of beauty. The cross from Nani was pinpoint-accurate, and the acrobatic leap to get into position from Rooney was equally perfect, only to be rounded off with a strike so sweet that Joe Hart could barely even move before the ball sailed past his head into the far corner.

It truly is the perfect example of an overhead/bicycle kick goal, and the fact that it was scored against United's local rivals and title rivals at the time only makes it that much more impressive.

If anyone ever asks what made Wazza so special, show them this video.

1 Jack Wilshere v Norwich City – 2013

The latter years of Arsene Wenger's Arsenal tenure might not have brought much to the club in the way of significant success – bar some FA Cups – but one thing that was always guaranteed under Le Professeur was beautiful football.

There may be no greater example of this fact in the Emirates era than Jack Wilshere's stunning goal against Norwich City 10 years ago. That said, it feels wrong to call it Wilshere's goal, given how much of its beauty is in the team play.

The move starts as Wilshere picks up the ball outside the Arsenal penalty area before two passes bring the play to the Canaries' box. A quick display of masterful interplay between himself, Santi Cazorla and Olivier Giroud play Wilshere into the area, where he gently finished past a dumbfounded John Ruddy in the Norwich net.

This goal is undoubtedly one of the best ever scored in the Premier League and perfectly encapsulates what Arsenal were all about under the eternal Wenger.

Manchester United are still suffering the consequences of their protracted takeover process as the search for a new number nine has resulted in "nothing at the moment", according to transfer insider Dean Jones.

The unintended side effect of this lack of progress in the market means that the prospect of Marcus Rashford being utilised as the club's "central striker" must now be "considered."

Manchester United transfer news – what's the latest in the club's search for a striker?

The Times reported earlier this month that regardless of the speed at which United's takeover is completed, it would be unlikely for the new owners to be in charge of the club before next season had begun.

It is perhaps no surprise then that transfer dealings have appeared somewhat more challenging for the club so far this window, though Chelsea's Mason Mount does look set to join.

However, it hasn't been easy as there was hope earlier this year that Harry Kane might make his way to Old Trafford over the summer, with the England captain entering the final 12 months of his contract in North London.

However, a tough stance from Daniel Levy ultimately made any negotiations untenable, so United pulled out.

What has transfer insider Dean Jones said about the search for a striker at Manchester United?

Jones was pessimistic about the progress the club has been making regarding the search for their new number nine and pointed out that the longer they delay, the more and more likely it'll be that Rashford has to be used down the middle.

Speaking to Football FanCast, he said: "There's nothing at the moment and the longer it goes on, the more you start to wonder, does Marcus Rashford end up having to be used as United's central striker next season? That wouldn't be ideal, but I think that that is something that has to be considered."

How good was Rashford last season?

It was a good year for Erik ten Hag's team last year; a Carabao Cup triumph and a top-four finish would have been the kind of level they were aiming for in preseason, and they have Rashford to thank for that success.

According to WhoScored, the Manchester-born-dynamo averaged a great match rating of 7.08 across his 35 appearances in the Premier League, scoring 17 goals and assisting a further five.

Ex-United striker Michael Owen was a massive fan of the 25-year-old's exploits last season, saying: "It's scary numbers we're looking at, and we're looking at a player that we're talking about at world-class level in years to come if he keeps this going."

His underlying numbers were equally outstanding and only go to prove – if it needed to be – that his season wasn't just a fluke.

FootballFanCast General: Subscribe and never miss what matters Stay ahead in the world of football analysis, commentary, and fan insights with FootballFancast.

---

Subscribe By subscribing, you agree to receive newsletter and marketing emails, and accept Valnet’s Terms of Use and Privacy Policy. You can unsubscribe anytime.

According to FBref, who compare players in a similar position across Europe's top five leagues, he sits in the top 1% for non-penalty goals and non-penalty expected goals, the top 2% for total shots, and the top 8% for touches in the oppositions penalty area, all per 90.

If United can't get their hands on a quality striker in time for the start of the season, Rashford should be able to provide high quality cover if required.

That said, if they want a repeat of his outstanding performances from last season, they need to keep him out wide and spend the cash required to get a central striker through the door.

Liverpool are the most interested party in the race to sign Fulham midfielder Joao Palhinha this summer, according to reports.

The Lowdown: Long-standing interest

The Reds have Naby Keita, Arthur Melo, James Milner and Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain all out of contract at the end of the season, so reinforcements will definitely be needed in the upcoming window.

The Portuguese colossus made the move to Craven Cottage in July 2022 and has since taken the Premier League by storm, becoming Marco Silva’s top-performing defensive player.

Jurgen Klopp reportedly had the 27-year-old on his radar even before he joined the Whites and it appears that the boss is still keen to bring him to Anfield.

The Latest: Liverpool in pole position for Palhinha

According to The Daily Mail, FSG and Liverpool have emerged as the most ‘serious suitor’ at the front of the queue for Palhinha this summer, with several other vultures also ‘circling’.

The Cottagers are claimed to value their talisman at £60m, treble the £20m they initially paid for him, though they remain ‘confident’ that they will be able to retain his services for at least one more year.

[web_stories_embed url=”https://www.footballtransfertavern.com/web-stories/liverpool-transfer-news-and-rumours/” title=”Liverpool Transfer News and Rumours” poster=”https://www.footballtransfertavern.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/03/cropped-2021-03-07T155652Z_1459311687_UP1EH3718ASBK_RTRMADP_3_SOCCER-ENGLAND-LIV-FUL-REPORT.jpg” width=”360″ height=”600″ align=”none”]

The Verdict: Get it done…

Palhinha has been dubbed an ‘artist’ and ‘sensational’ by journalist Josh Bunting, and Liverpool need to act fast should they want to get this deal over the line ahead of their fellow competitors.

The Fulham star ranks in the 99th percentile for tackles but is also strong in the offensive aspect of his game having netted four goals during his debut season in the capital, offering the mixture of energy, physical prowess and quality on the ball that is sorely lacking in the Reds’ midfield ranks.

FootballFanCast General: Subscribe and never miss what matters Stay ahead in the world of football analysis, commentary, and fan insights with FootballFancast.

---

Subscribe By subscribing, you agree to receive newsletter and marketing emails, and accept Valnet’s Terms of Use and Privacy Policy. You can unsubscribe anytime.

The Lisbon native has also previously operated at centre-back, which will be an attractive attribute to Klopp given his side’s consistent defensive injuries.

Standing at 6 foot 2, Palhinha would add a different dimension to the midfield with his height, making him the perfect candidate to put pen to paper on Merseyside.

Newcastle United are interested in a deal to bring Ivan Fresneda to the Premier League in the January transfer window.

What’s the talk?

That’s according to Guillermo Rai, with the Spanish journalist revealing in a recent post on Twitter (via Sport Witness) that Dan Ashworth is ‘seriously contemplating’ launching a bid for the Real Valladolid right-back this month, with the Magpies’ chief scout, Steve Nickson, said to have met the 18-year-old’s representatives in the last few days.

Rai goes on to suggest that a number of Premier League clubs are tracking the Spain U19 international, however, Newcastle appear to be leading the race for the youngster’s signature, with Eddie Howe’s side said to be set to make an offer in the region of €15m (£13m) in the next few days – despite Fresneda possessing a €30m (£27m) release clause.

In his tweet, the journalist said: “About Ivan Fresneda. The Real Valladolid right-back expects an offer in the next few days (or even hours) from Newcastle between €10m and €15m euros, although his clause is €30m.

“Real Madrid is an option that he does not consider in the short term. Fresneda wants to grow (he is only 18 years old) and has received interest from five more Premier teams aside from Newcastle.

“In addition, his agent was meeting a few days ago with the chief scout for the Magpies, Steve Nickson, who is seriously contemplating the signing.”

“Beastly”

Considering just how exciting a prospect Fresneda quite clearly is, it is not difficult to understand why Howe, Nickson and Ashworth would be interested in a deal to bring the right-back to St. James’ Park this month.

Indeed, over his seven LaLiga appearances this season, the £2.7m-rated talent has been something of a revelation on the right of Valladolid’s back line, helping his side keep one clean sheet, in addition to making an average of 3.3 tackles – the second-most in the entire league – 1.4 interceptions, 2.9 clearances and winning 4.7 duels – at a success rate of 58% – per game.

The 18-year-old has also chipped in for his side going forwards, creating two big chances for his teammates, as well as making an average of 1.4 key passes, playing 1.9 long balls and finding his man with 0.6 crosses per match.

FootballFanCast General: Subscribe and never miss what matters Stay ahead in the world of football analysis, commentary, and fan insights with FootballFancast.

---

Subscribe By subscribing, you agree to receive newsletter and marketing emails, and accept Valnet’s Terms of Use and Privacy Policy. You can unsubscribe anytime.

These returns have seen the £2.7k-per-week starlet average a simply sensational Sofascore match rating of 7.04, currently ranking him as Pacheta’s second-best performer in the top flight of Spanish football.

Rather unsurprisingly, these displays have seen the teenager come in for a significant amount of praise, with Spanish journalist Juan Arriota dubbing Fresneda a “beastly” talent, while Football Talent Scout Jacek Kulig stated his belief that the youngster is a “superb” prospect who is “one of the most talented teenage right-backs in Europe.”

As such, considering the undoubted ability Fresneda already possesses, coupled with the defender’s exponential scope for future development, it is indeed easy to see why Newcastle would be interested in a deal to bring the wonderkid to the Premier League this winter, as the Spaniard would not only be a beastly addition to Howe’s ranks, but he could very much be the next big thing in European football at right-back.

Sunderland return to action in the Championship tonight as they travel away to Ewood Park to take on Blackburn Rovers after their 2-1 win over Wigan last time out.

Tony Mowbray’s side have only lost two of their last six matches in the division and will be looking to push into the top six with a win against his former team.

The Black Cats are two points behind Reading in sixth and three points, if other results go their way, could leave them in one of the play-off spots.

Mowbray does look set to be without one of his regular starters at Ewood Park, though, as he provided an injury update heading into the match, saying: “I don’t think Lynden’s going to be available, although it’s Lynden Gooch we’re talking about, so he might well come in and say he’s feeling great.”

This opens up a space in the team out wide and the Sunderland head coach must now unleash Amad Diallo, who is on loan from Manchester United, from the start.

The Ivory Coast international has only started one game in the Championship since completing his move to Wearside but could come into the team in place of Gooch.

Journalist Josh Bunting claimed that the forward injected a “spark” into Sunderland when he came on against Wigan and Mowbray can now energise his side again by naming the 20-year-old in his starting XI.

Bunting described his talent as “exceptional” and his statistics at youth level suggest that there is a very promising player ready to be unearthed there.

He scored six goals and provided four assists in five U21 matches for Manchester United, after scoring 37 goals and assisting 24 in 93 academy games for Atalanta.

FootballFanCast General: Subscribe and never miss what matters Stay ahead in the world of football analysis, commentary, and fan insights with FootballFancast.

---

Subscribe By subscribing, you agree to receive newsletter and marketing emails, and accept Valnet’s Terms of Use and Privacy Policy. You can unsubscribe anytime.

The wizard also found the back of the net three times in four Premiership starts on loan at Scottish giants Glasgow Rangers last season, which highlights his potential as a goalscorer at first-team level.

Diallo has the ability to make a big impact in the final third, with his goals and assists, and could spark the team into life with a contribution at the top end of the pitch. That is why Mowbray should bring him into the starting XI as he could be the difference maker for the Black Cats.

Wolverhampton Wanderers manager Bruno Lage can save millions by unleashing Adama Traore this season, he can be like a new signing after returning from his loan spell at FC Barcelona.

Speaking about the player on Football Daily, podcaster Zac Djellab said:

“He is a special player, he’s a guy that if [Lage] can get working in the right way, can really, really help [Wolves] out.

“Going and sending him on loan in January shows to me that Bruno Lage was like, I don’t want him.

“It doesn’t look like he’s going to be leaving, and so maybe he tries and gets a system where he can fit in and make it work.”

Given Traore’s impressive performances for Wolves in the past, it was surprising to see him sent out on loan in January, but with Barcelona not exercising the option to buy him permanently, it looks like he’s staying.

If that’s the case, then Lage must unleash him as he could help Wolves climb up the table and get closer to qualifying for Europe.

In 154 appearances for the Old Gold, Traore has been directly involved in 29 goals. It may not seem a huge amount but he’s put in some great performances in that time and can provide great competition.

His standout season came in 2019-20 when he assisted 12 – with journalist Tim Spiers describing one of them as “perfect”.

If you compare him to his teammate at Molineux Daniel Podence last season, there’s very little difference in quality. They both played a similar amount of games in the last campaign – with Traore performing better in many categories.

He tallied more goal-creating actions per 90 minutes with 0.31 compared to the Portuguese player’s 0.24, showing he has the ability to create more.

The Spaniard, once dubbed “unplayable” by Liverpool boss Jurgen Klopp, also had a higher successful press percentage at 29% compared to Podence’s 27%, proving how hard he works out of possession.

FootballFanCast General: Subscribe and never miss what matters Stay ahead in the world of football analysis, commentary, and fan insights with FootballFancast.

---

Subscribe By subscribing, you agree to receive newsletter and marketing emails, and accept Valnet’s Terms of Use and Privacy Policy. You can unsubscribe anytime.

He deserves a second chance, and at £46k-per-week Lage might as well use him, and Wolves can save millions by not buying someone else.

Ultimately Lage should see him as an asset with his best years yet to come, and he should offer him a new deal before they lose him for free next summer.

AND in other news, “Rumours that…”: Liam Keen drops huge Wolves transfer update supporters will love…

Wolves are plotting a bid for Vitoria Guimaraes midfielder Andre Almeida ahead of a crucial summer transfer window for Bruno Lage.

What’s the word?

Portuguese news outlet Jornal de Noticias (via Sport Witness) claim that Wolves are discussing a deal for Almeida as Lage plans a major summer rebuild for next season.

The player could cost £6.8m and at only 21 years old, would represent a shrewd investment.

With his contract due to expire at the end of next season, Wolves may take advantage and try to secure a bargain deal.

Dream Moutinho heir

Lage has had a very solid first season in charge of Wolves, leading the club to a top-half finish despite a poor final few weeks of the campaign derailing some momentum.

He faces a big summer ahead, with the futures of Ruben Neves and Joao Moutinho uncertain, fresh faces will be guaranteed.

In Almeida, Wolves could have the perfect heir to the 35-year-old maestro. Almeida plays slightly further forward in an attacking midfield role and despite not scoring any goals this campaign, an 86% passing accuracy stat is solid.

The midfielder can also contribute defensively, making on average 1.4 tackles per game and winning 56% of his total duels.

These are extremely similar to Moutinho’s, who has a slightly better pass accuracy (87%) and wins 2.1 tackles per match, although his dominance in duels isn’t as good as Almeida’s (43%).

FootballFanCast General: Subscribe and never miss what matters Stay ahead in the world of football analysis, commentary, and fan insights with FootballFancast.

---

Subscribe By subscribing, you agree to receive newsletter and marketing emails, and accept Valnet’s Terms of Use and Privacy Policy. You can unsubscribe anytime.

With that in mind, it’s easy to see why he’d make such a good replacement for the Portuguese veteran with his easy on the eye and accurate passing a key attribute when assessing the heir to his midfield throne.

For the aforementioned fee, Lage should be going all out to secure the youngster’s services, with Zach Lowy lauding him as “intriguing”, then it could certainly be worth the money.

AND in other news, Wolves can save millions by unearthing 22-year-old “diamond”, Lage will be ecstatic

Celtic have been given an injury boost on the double ahead of their next Premiership clash, with Sunday’s opponents deprived of two more players.

The lowdown

Fourth-placed Hibernian are due to welcome the Premiership leaders to Easter Road on Sunday lunchtime, but they will be without James Scott and Elias Melkersen, who have both joined an extensive injury list for the Edinburgh club.

Hibs already knew they would be without Paul Hanlon, Paul McGinn, Joe Newell, Demetri Mitchell, Harry Clarke and Kyle Magennis against Ange Postecoglou’s side.

Celtic have won all three meetings between the teams so far this season, prevailing 3-1 away from home in October before winning 2-0 at Parkhead last month in the Premiership. They also defeated tomorrow’s opponents in the Scottish League Cup final just before Christmas.

The latest

Speaking in his pre-match press conference, Hibs boss Shaun Maloney confirmed the fresh double blow, fearing that his side will miss the ‘speed’ and ruthlessness of Scott in particular.

As quoted by The Scotsman, he said: “Unfortunately, the same six players are still out, and they are senior players. We’ve also lost Elias and James through illness, which is a shame.

“It’s a shame because Elias was progressing, and James Scott brings something to us that I see as a coach. In certain moments in matches he brings that speed and that power to finish games.”

The verdict

Valued at £360,000 by Transfermarkt, Melkersen has yet to make his debut for Hibs following his January move from Bodo/Glimt, who knocked Celtic out of the Europa Conference League this week.

The absence of the £450,000-rated Scott is more significant given that he had featured in four of the last eight games, and Maloney seems to view the Hull City loanee as a potential game-changer off the bench.

FootballFanCast General: Subscribe and never miss what matters Stay ahead in the world of football analysis, commentary, and fan insights with FootballFancast.

---

Subscribe By subscribing, you agree to receive newsletter and marketing emails, and accept Valnet’s Terms of Use and Privacy Policy. You can unsubscribe anytime.

In truth, a severely depleted Hibs, who have only picked up five points from their last seven matches, may be dreading this clash with the league leaders, particularly with two more players added to their extensive missing list.

In other news, Celtic have been linked with someone who scored against them recently

The future of Crystal Palace forward Wilfried Zaha is still far from clear despite reports suggesting he’s set to be offered a new contract, according to journalist Tom Barclay.

What’s the story?

Zaha’s current deal is set to expire in the summer of 2023, leading to speculation that this season will be his last with the south London outfit.

However, The Sun’s Alan Nixon recently revealed that fresh terms were set to be placed on the table by Palace’s hierarchy, sparking hope that the capital club’s talisman will commit his future.

But there is no guarantee that Zaha will stay put, and Barclay claimed ‘it’s not clear’ what is going to happen next regarding the Ivory Coast international’s future.

Speaking about the 29-year-old’s contract situation to GIVEMESPORT, he said: “From what I’m told, at the moment, it’s not clear where we’re going to go with this. But what is clear is that his contract is winding down, so a decision is going to have to be made.”

Crystal Palace fans should be worried

The £13m-rated gem has established himself as Palace’s star performer since re-joining the club in 2014, scoring 51 goals and providing 42 assists in 253 Premier League appearances for his boyhood side.

And he’s thriving under Vieira’s tutelage in the opening weeks of 2021/22. Zaha has bagged four top-flight four goals already this season after benefitting from the arrival of several exciting acquisitions, but the feel-good factor surrounding Palace could soon end.

Zaha’s standout displays have seen him continually linked with a Selhurst Park exit amid interest from the likes of Arsenal, Tottenham Hotspur and Everton, and just last summer, he openly expressed his desire to have another chance at playing for a top team in order to compete for silverware.

FootballFanCast General: Subscribe and never miss what matters Stay ahead in the world of football analysis, commentary, and fan insights with FootballFancast.

---

Subscribe By subscribing, you agree to receive newsletter and marketing emails, and accept Valnet’s Terms of Use and Privacy Policy. You can unsubscribe anytime.

Only time will tell whether the creative talent chooses to seek pastures new over the coming months, but Palace’s fanbase will be hoping he puts pen to paper on a new deal soon. At the moment, however, they will be deeply concerned about their star man’s future.

And, in other news…40 duels won, 37 clearances: £18m-rated “absolute tank” has been pivotal for Palace