Transfer News

Subterms

    More stories

    • 213 Shares159 Views

      in Soccer

      Brentford line up Argentina wonderkid as potential Ivan Toney replacement in transfer boost to Arsenal and Chelsea

      by

      BRENTFORD hope to land teenage Argentinian star Santiago Castro in an ambitious swoop.The Velez Sarsfield striker, 19, is a major player for his nation’s highly-rated Under-20s side.
      Brentford hope to land teenage star Santiago Castro in an ambitious swoopCredit: Getty
      Bees chiefs were in South America last week and want to do a deal for the  prospect, who has four goals in seven games for Argentina’s young guns.
      It comes as Ivan Toney’s Brentford future remains up in the air – with SunSport revealing the striker is torn over a January move.
      The Brentford star will return to action after Christmas and is widely tipped to leave the West London club.
      Arsenal are thought to be at the front of the queue for his services with Chelsea also interested.
      READ MORE IN football
      But a source close to the player said Toney – banned for gambling offences – feels he has a “debt to repay” to Brenford and to the club’s manager Thomas Frank.
      It means any move could be held off until the summer.
      The source said: “A lot of people assume Ivan will be on his way after Christmas, but no deal has been done – and nothing has been decided.
      “Ivan is torn over his future. Brentford have stood by him and the club have been brilliant.
      Most read in Football
      FREE BETS – BEST BETTING OFFERS AND BONUSES NEW CUSTOMERS
      “Part of him wants to help them by hitting the ground running straight away in January and scoring the goals which will ensure they stay in the Premier League.
      “There are a lot of clubs interested in Ivan but his focus, for now, is getting back on the pitch at Brentford and doing the business for his manager Thomas Frank, to whom he feels he has a big debt to repay. The same goes for the fans.
      “He’s determined to get back in the England squad and Ivan fully believes in himself to make the first squad once he’s back playing football.”
      Ivan Toney’s future remains in doubtCredit: PA More

    • 225 Shares199 Views

      in Soccer

      Everton were foolish but they did NOT cheat – their ten-point deduction is a terrible decision for football

      by

      LET’S get one thing clear right from the start. As much as some would claim otherwise, Everton have not been found guilty of cheating.That jaw-dropping ten-point deduction is not a result of trying to defraud rivals.
      Everton were deducted ten pointsCredit: PA
      Not from welching on transfer deals. Not from defaulting on payments.
      It is down to overspending. It is because they have been foolish with their money.
      It is because they have run up bigger debts than their income allows.
      And it is because football is now run by independent panels and accountants.
      READ MORE IN FOOTBALL
      A sport where red tape, not refs, now calls the shots. One of back-door politics.
      Of course Friday’s ruling was a terrible day for Everton. But it goes far deeper than that.
      It was a terrible day for the game as a whole.
      One when the entire landscape changed irrevocably. A reason why it has become far easier to hate football than love it.
      Most read in Football
      FREE BETS – BEST BETTING OFFERS AND BONUSES NEW CUSTOMERS
      Because anyone who thinks this is a one-off, the sign that it will bring others to their senses and drag everyone into line, is living in another world.
      This is only the start, believe me.
      The swinging open of the door to a world where Premier League clubs are already running to teacher and snitching on rivals, like Chelsea and Manchester City for example.
      And a sport where the winners will ultimately be those who can afford the best lawyers and fight the most stringent and strongest defence.
      Something this column warned about in Everton’s case, incidentally, when Denise Barrett-Baxendale, Grant Ingles and Graeme Sharp were drummed out in June.
      CEO Barrett-Baxendale and chief finance and strategy officer Ingles were the two fighting the case. The only two in Goodison with the inside knowledge and expertise.
      When they left, there was no one with details of all the facts and figures — and know-how — to pick up the baton.
      Had they stayed, the outcome could well have been the same.
      ‘They haven’t cheated’
      But at least they’d have been better placed to fight their corner — then and now, with the appeal.
      There is no doubt Everton are a club that have been run abysmally. Farhad Moshiri can rightfully be accused of that. No one could possibly argue otherwise.
      Signings such as Andre Gomes, Alex Iwobi, Moise Kean . . . the list of big-money flops is endless. But they haven’t cheated.
      What they have done is over-spent, as simple as that.
      Well, either they’ve got no mirrors in the Premier League or those rivals who initially complained studiously avoid them.
      But what this ruling means is that effectively we now no longer know what we are watching or what the final table will be.
      No one going to a game will be able to say with certainty what that day’s result actually means.
      A 2-1 win? Where are we in the table now, then? Only there won’t be a definite answer.
      ‘This is a whole new ball game’
      It could be sixth but, then again, it might be third. Or perhaps as low as 15th.
      Football has steadily been edging away from the sport we all fell in love with as kids.
      One where it was all about the goals, the tackles, the saves, the matches. Those days are long gone.
      Yes, there have been points deductions in the Premier League before, but not in these circumstances.
      Portsmouth were docked nine in 2010 for going into administration.
      In 1997 Middlesbrough lost three for postponing a game against Premier League orders amid an injury crisis.
      But this is a whole new ball game. One decided by independent panels imposing rules that no one fully understands.
      Until the appeal is heard, there remains hope for Everton. Yet it doesn’t alter the fact that accountants have taken over.
      How long before it’s not about the top goalscorer but the top lawyer?
      Something all those rivals currently sniggering behind their hands would do well to bear in mind. More

    • 188 Shares139 Views

      in Soccer

      Sunderland line up transfer for Uruguay U20 World Cup hero to replace £8million Ross Stewart

      by

      SUNDERLAND want Uruguayan striker Luciano Rodriguez from Liverpool of Montevideo.Head of recruitment Stuart Harvey was in South America last week trailing the teenager.
      Sunderland want Uruguayan striker Luciano Rodriguez from Liverpool of MontevideoCredit: Getty
      Ross Stewart moved to Southampton for £8million in the summerCredit: PA
      The 19-year-old, looks an ambitious target but the Black Cats have funds from selling Ross Stewart to Southampton for £8million in the summer.
      Rodriguez hit the  winner when Uruguay beat Italy 1-0 in the Under-20 World Cup final in June and is keen on a move to Europe — so Sunderland want to be in a position to move fast.
      Meanwhile, Sunderland are set for a transfer battle with fierce rivals Middlesbrough over rising star Nathaniel Adjei.
      The race for the talented 21-year-old is not solely limited to these two bitter rivals.
      READ MORE IN FOOTBALL
      Fellow Championship promotion rivals Preston North End also keen on the Ghanaian defender.
      All three want the blossoming centre back on loan in January to help give their chances of reaching the Premier League an extra push.
      Adjei is currently with Swedish top-flight side Hammarby but has alerted scouts in England after already being tracked by Scottish giants Celtic and Rangers.
      Rangers sent scouts to watch him play last month.
      Most read in Football
      CASINO SPECIAL – BEST CASINO WELCOME OFFERS
      But his options could come from far wider than just the UK, with teams in Belgium and Italy also interested.
      Adjei is enjoying a fine breakthrough season, having helped Hammarby reach sixth in the table after 29 games.
      A regular starter, he has played in all but nine league games to date, as well as in both of their UEFA Champions League qualifiers.
      Sunderland and Middlesbrough are interested in rising star Nathaniel AdjeiCredit: Getty More

    • 188 Shares179 Views

      in Soccer

      Wolves keeper Jose Sa headhunted for huge £40m Saudi transfer as club begin replacement search

      by

      WOLVES goalkeeper Jose Sa is the latest Premier League star to be headhunted by Saudi Arabia’s mega-rich clubs.The Portuguese international, 30, only signed a new deal at Molineux in September.
      Jose Sa is the latest Premier League star to be headhunted by Saudi Arabia’s mega-rich clubsCredit: Getty
      But Sa could now be in for a much bigger pay day in the Middle East.
      Wolves’ goalkeeping coach Neil Cutler has already started looking at replacements abroad.
      Molineux chiefs would get a big fee for Sa — possibly around £40million.
      Meanwhile, ex-Wolves boss Julen Lopetegui wants a Prem return and is taking in games as he awaits the call.
      READ MORE IN FOOTBALL
      He enjoyed it there and only left amid unhappiness with their financial cuts.
      Lopetegui later admitted to being reduced to tears as he left Wolves.
      Opening up on his Molineux departure, he told The Athletic: “Something changed.
      “And once things changed, more than I could have thought, it was then a case of deciding what to do.”
      Most read in Football
      CASINO SPECIAL – BEST CASINO WELCOME OFFERS
      He then continued: “It was not easy for me. It was a pity. I remember a lot of workers, and us too, we were crying.
      “The environment and the commitment that we have created at Wolves in a short time is not normal. And I remember this with a big, heavy heart. This was special.”
      On what happened to make him leave, he added: “[It’s] for the club, not for me. They have their reasons and I respect all of their reasons.
      “They decide what they want, but they can decide this and I can decide my future and my life.”
      Ex-Wolves boss Julen Lopetegui wants a Prem returnCredit: PA More

    • 275 Shares99 Views

      in Soccer

      Man Utd hire US firm to find top talent scout as Red Devils fear they’re falling behind two rivals in transfer market

      by

      MANCHESTER UNITED are using an American recruitment firm to find them a new top talent spotter.United have hired the Los Angeles-based Pace agency to sift through candidates for an ‘emerging talent scout’ role.
      Erik ten Hag’s Manchester United are using an American recruitment firm to find them a new top talent spotterCredit: Getty
      The Red Devils think that they are falling short in that department compared to neighbours Manchester City and Prem rivals Chelsea.
      But outsourcing rather than using their own people to discover someone suitable is a surprise move.
      The first stage of the interview process is also different.
      Candidates are interviewed via a computer before their answers are analysed.
      READ MORE ON MAN UTD
      It comes after Sir Jim Ratcliffe made his first major power play at United by axing the club’s chief executive Richard Arnold.
      Ineos supremo Ratcliffe is set to take control of 25 per cent of the Red Devils for £1.3billion from loathed US owners the Glazers.
      And his first move was to get rid of Arnold, who has spent 16 years at Old Trafford and took over from Ed Woodward as CEO last year.
      Former Juventus chief executive Jean-Claude Blanc, Ineos’ Sport CEO, has emerged as one of the favourites to take the role.
      Most read in Football
      CASINO SPECIAL – BEST CASINO WELCOME OFFERS
      He works closely with the Ineos director of sport Sir Dave Brailsford, the British cycling mastermind who is believed to have regularly visited United’s Carrington HQ ahead of Ratcliffe’s imminent deal, which will see the Brit billionaire take on sporting operations.
      Crystal Palace sporting director Dougie Freedman is in the frame for a similar role at United when Ratcliffe takes over sporting control at Old Trafford.
      He has helped Palace sign the likes of Eberechi Eze, Michael Olise, Joachim Andersen, Marc Guehi and Cheick Doucoure.
      Crystal Palace sporting director Dougie Freedman is in the frame for a United roleCredit: PA:Empics Sport More

    • 238 Shares179 Views

      in Soccer

      Arsenal tipped to replace ‘bizarre’ Kai Havertz with transfer for £74m star whose ‘footballing IQ is off the charts’

      by

      ARSENAL have been urged to ditch Kai Havertz just months after his £65million move from Chelsea.And they should instead upgrade to fellow German Florian Wirtz, whose “footballing IQ is off the charts.”
      Arsenal have been urged to ditch Kai Havertz months after his £65m move from ChelseaCredit: Reuters
      The Gunners have been told to move for Bayer Leverkusen star Florian WirtzCredit: AP
      Havertz, 24, was snapped up by Mikel Arteta over the summer after netting just 19 league goals in three seasons at Chelsea.
      Arsenal were convinced the forward would thrive in a new midfield position instead of up top.
      But after playing 19 times in all competitions for the Gunners, Havertz has just one goal and one assist at the Emirates.
      And former Arsenal youngster Jermaine Pennant reckons Arteta has messed up big time in the transfer market.
      READ MORE ON ARSENAL
      He does not understand what attracted Arsenal to Havertz after the player’s dismal form at Chelsea.
      And Pennant has urged the Gunners to move for an immediate replacement in Bayer Leverkusen playmaker Wirtz, who has been linked with Liverpool and Man City.
      The 20-year-old has six goals and 10 assists in 17 outings this term, helping his side to the top of the Bundesliga table.
      But Arsenal will have to dig deep once again, with Wirtz valued at £74million by Leverkusen.
      Most read in Football
      FREE BETS – BEST BETTING OFFERS AND BONUSES NEW CUSTOMERS
      Jermaine Pennant does not understand why Arsenal signed HavertzCredit: Getty
      Pennant told King Casino Bonus: “I need to talk about Kai Havertz. That signing hasn’t worked.
      “I thought I’d give him some time to settle in but that period is now over. I think he’s been a poor signing.
      “I don’t understand what he brings to the team as he’s not scoring or assisting. It’s bizarre as Arteta seems to believe in him.”
      On Wirtz, Pennant added: “I think Arsenal should have gone for Wirtz, his footballing IQ is off the charts.
      “He’s not a speed merchant but he’s clever on the ball and he seems to always pick the right pass.
      “His assists are great, he has an eye for goal and I think he’d be a fantastic addition to Arsenal, he’d fit in perfectly there.” More

    • 175 Shares159 Views

      in Soccer

      Arsenal set to move for Valencia’s wonderkid centre-back who scored HAT-TRICK for Spain U19s

      by

      ARSENAL are reportedly planning a transfer swoop for a defender that scored a HAT-TRICK for Spain’s Under-19 side.Mikel Arteta’s team are hoping to once again battle for the Premier League title this term as well as continue their progression in the Champions League.
      Yarek Gasiorowski scored a hat-trick from centre-half for Spain’s U19s this weekCredit: Getty
      Arsenal have been linked with a January move for the Valencia youngsterCredit: Getty
      He has been linked with a number of potential targets so far ahead of the January window opening.
      And a striker, with Brentford’s Ivan Toney believed to be top, is among his priorities.
      However, now a fresh report from Diario AS has claimed Valencia’s teen starlet Yarek Gasiorowski is wanted as well.
      Arsenal have tried and failed to land the 18-year-old centre-back in the past due to Brexit regulations regarding foreigners.
      READ MORE ON ARSENAL
      Premier League clubs are unable to sign players under 18 but they are said to have remained in contact with the Spaniard.
      And this update claims that they are preparing to try again as Arteta continues to try to secure reinforcements.
      Gasiorowski emerged through the youth ranks with Valencia and is now considered to be one of the best young centre-backs in Europe.
      He moved up into their first-team squad last summer and he has made a number of substitute appearances for the LaLiga side over recent weeks.
      Most read in Football
      FREE BETS – BEST BETTING OFFERS AND BONUSES NEW CUSTOMERS
      But he hit the headlines this week while on international duty for his country’s U19 team.
      He scored a hat-trick in Spain’s opening Euro qualification clash as they trounced Moldova 5-0.
      Gasiorowski is under contract at Valencia until 2025 and that package also has the option to be extended until 2027.
      It also contains a release of £17.5m, which will rise once he hits certain appearance milestones. More

    • 200 Shares159 Views

      in Soccer

      Roma boss Jose Mourinho plots transfer swoop for TWO Chelsea outcasts frozen out by Mauricio Pochettino

      by

      JOSE MOURINHO is reportedly plotting a double transfer swoop on Chelsea as he eyes up a pair of outcasts.The Roma boss has already reunited with Chris Smalling from Manchester United and plucked both Tammy Abraham and Romelu Lukaku from the Blues after taking the Serie A job.
      Trevoh Chalobah is a transfer target for RomaCredit: Getty
      Malang Sarr has been frozen out by Mauricio PochettinoCredit: Getty
      And now Calciomercato report he wants another two men from his former employers at Stamford Bridge.
      It is understood Mourinho has identified both Trevoh Chalobah and Malang Sarr as transfer targets.
      Neither player has even managed to make it into a matchday squad this season under new boss Mauricio Pochettino.
      England Under-21 ace Chalobah, 24, has been sidelined by a thigh injury while fellow centre-back Sarr continues to be overlooked.
      READ MORE ON FOOTBALL
      Chalobah came through the academy but there are suggestions he is being “forced out” of the club – with Manchester United, Borussia Dortmund and Thomas Tuchel’s Bayern Munich all monitoring his situation.
      Sarr, 24, does not even have a squad number and was left out of the Premier League squad but did not get sent out on another loan – after heading to Porto and Monaco in recent seasons since his free arrival from Nice in 2020.
      Instead, Poch has preferred the likes of Axel Disasi, Thiago Silva and Levi Colwill.
      Wesley Fofana also remains unavailable due to injury while Benoit Badiashile and Bashir Humphreys both have one Carabao Cup appearance.
      Most read in Football
      FREE BETS – BEST BETTING OFFERS AND BONUSES NEW CUSTOMERS
      But with £100,000-a-week Sarr out of contention and Chalobah facing a huge uphill task to get significant game time at Chelsea, Mourinho is keen to offer them an escape route.
      Roma sit seventh in Serie A – 13 points adrift of leaders Inter – but are well in contention of the Champions League places.
      Mourinho has tended to go with a back three of Gianluca Mancini, Diego Llorente and Evan Ndicka this term.
      Smalling only has three appearances this term but the possible additions of Sarr and Chalobah could suit the out-of-favour Chelsea duo – especially in a three-man defence.
      Jose Mourinho is trying to get Roma back into the Champions LeagueCredit: Getty More