All posts by rastrear-estafeta.com

Former Leeds United goalkeeper Paul Robinson has spoken of his disappointment after rumours emerged that Marcelo Bielsa is set to sign another one-year deal at Elland Road.

The Lowdown: Bielsa staying on

The Whites are enjoying a glorious period in their history, returning to the Premier League and establishing themselves as one of the most entertaining teams in the country.

That is largely down to Bielsa’s vast influence as manager, with the Argentinian transforming the club’s fortunes in recent years.

Recent claims (via David Anderson, The Mirror) suggest the 65-year-old will stay at Leeds for another year, but he won’t be committing his future beyond that for the time being.

The Latest: Robinson frustrated by news

Speaking to MOT Leeds News, Robinson admits it is a frustrating situation, due to the same doubts surrounding Bielsa’s future returning next year:

“I’m really disappointed that it’s only one year. I’m disappointed it’s not two years.

“He usually signs one-year deals, we know that, but what it means is around Christmas or January every year we end up talking about Bielsa’s contract again.

“I’m disappointed it’s not two years. It’s obvious what he’s brought to the club, we’ve waxed lyrical about him all the time.

“When he does finally leave he can pick the corner of Elland Road he wants his statue on, he’s had that much of an impact.

“But it’s disappointing it’s only one year for me. It means we’re going to get to January no matter how well we’re doing next season and just talking about Bielsa’s future.”

[web_stories_embed url=”https://www.footballtransfertavern.com/web-stories/latest-leeds-united-news-3/” title=”Latest Leeds United news!” poster=”” width=”360″ height=”600″ align=”none”]

The Verdict: He has a point

In fairness, Robinson has a point, but in many ways, it is all a huge compliment to Bielsa, such is his enormous overall importance at Leeds.

Anyone of a Whites persuasion would like him to remain as manager for many years to come, bringing stability to proceedings and a bigger likelihood of future success.

Bielsa’s process has to be respected, however, and assuming he does extend his stay by a year, the hope is that the same happens next summer, too.

In other news, a huge European club are reportedly keen on signing one Leeds star this summer. Find out who it is here.

Noel Whelan believes Oli McBurnie could be “dynamite” for Glasgow Rangers if he were to make the move north of the border.

The Lowdown: Gers linked to McBurnie

The Gers have been linked with a move for Sheffield United striker McBurnie (The Daily Mail), who is known as a boyhood Rangers fan.

As of yet, there appears to have been no official bid from the 55-time Scottish champions for the 6 foot 2 colossus.

The Latest: Whelan urges Gers to make signing

Speaking to Football Insider, Whelan has suggested the capture of McBurnie would be a great signing for the Ibrox outfit. He said:

“He won’t be cheap for starters.

“He’s not had a good time at Sheffield United. There are a lot of question marks over him. 

“But Steven Gerrard will get the best out of any player who moves to Rangers, he won’t sign a player unless he thinks they can improve his side. 

“Defoe won’t give you a full season anymore and McBurnie gives you something different to Alfredo Morelos and Kemar Roofe. 

“He’s a focal point. He can play long balls up to him, he’s like Odsonne Edouard at Celtic. Players like Kent can then play off him. It could be dynamite.

“He’s strong and good in the air, they don’t have a forward who can do that at the moment. 

“It will be a smart move from Rangers if they can get him at the right price.”

The Verdict: Debatable

£10.8m-valued McBurnie (Transfermarkt) has displayed his goalscoring ability in the past. He had a marvelous record for Swansea’s youth sides, scoring 34 goals in 36 games in Premier League 2, and he even managed to strike 22 times in the Championship during the 2018/19 term (Transfermarkt).

However, his move to the Blades has not gone well, managing just seven goals in 65 outings.

It has been reported the Yorkshire outfit would want £15m to let him depart – an absurd amount for Rangers, whose record signing remains the £12m they spent on Tore Andre Flo at the start of the century (via The Daily Record). For that amount of money, they can surely do better than McBurnie.

In other news, Kieran Maguire has made this Ibrox claim.

Paul Robinson has dropped an interesting Everton claim on Nuno Espirito Santo as a big update emerged on his future.

The Lowdown: Crystal Palace end Nuno talks

As per Sky Sports, Crystal Palace have ended talks over making Nuno their next permanent manager to succeed Roy Hodgson.

Discussions reportedly collapsed because of finances surrounding the deal, meaning that the Goodison Park faithful are now free to talk to him about potentially becoming their new head coach instead, following the departure of Carlo Ancelotti to Real Madrid.

Sky Sports also reported last week that the Merseyside club were set to begin negotiations with Nuno, before the Eagles seemed to emerge as frontrunners, but now the Toffees may look to revisit their previous interest following the latest update.

The Latest: Robinson backs Nuno to Everton

Speaking to Football Insider, Robinson, who is now a pundit after playing as a goalkeeper both in the Premier League and with the England national team, has backed the potential appointment of Nuno to the Blues:

“I’m still really surprised that Ancelotti left.

“I understand that you cannot turn down a global superpower like Real Madrid but it came somewhat out of the blue.

“I think he was starting to build something there and in flashes they showed signs of real improvement. He leaves them in a good place though. It is not as if they need a full rebuild.

“Nuno has shown his credentials at Wolves and I think he would be a superb appointment for Everton.

“The way that Nuno plays would suit Everton and that squad of players, I think, would take to him. With a couple of signings I think he could do very well there next season.” 

The Verdict: Do not jump the gun

Even though the summer transfer window has officially opened, EFC should not jump the gun on appointing Nuno as their new manager just yet.

Yes, the Portuguese boss has a lot of credentials for the position, given that he guided Wolves to two consecutive seventh-placed finishes in the top flight following promotion from the EFL Championship, as Everton look to push on themselves to try and qualify for European qualification.

However, his preferred three-at-the-back formation may not suit the Toffees, especially if it ends up turning into a five while defending, as they will surely be looking to score more goals come the 2021/22 season, having managed a mere 47 in the division in the last campaign, the fewest out of any team in the top half of the table by far (Sky Sports).

Nonetheless, there are other candidates out there at the moment who may well be better suited than Nuno to the role, and so there is no need for the Blues to rush into an appointment just yet.

In other news, find out what transfer update has been lauded by EFC fans here!

Football Insider pundit Dany Mills believes Tottenham midfielder Harry Winks could join Aston Villa this summer.

The Lowdown: Winks set for Spurs exit?

Winks has been with Spurs since 2016 and is under contract until 2024, however, it appears he could be on the move from north London in the current window.

According to Football Insider, who were informed by a source, incoming Tottenham recruitment chief Fabio Paratici will tell the central midfielder that the club will listen to offers for his services this summer.

The 25-year-old has made 173 appearances for Spurs, but it appears as if he may not add to that tally.

The Latest: Mills’ claim

Mills, 44, was talking to Football Insider and admitted he saw the England international playing golf at The Belfry, hinting at a possible house hunting trip to the Midlands.

“I don’t see him getting into that Spurs side.

“It depends who comes and goes this summer but he’s down the pecking order. He has been for some time now.

“He needs to get playing. I see him going to Wolves and Aston Villa. He was seen playing golf at The Belfry.

“Let’s assume he was house hunting. I can confirm he was there.”

The Verdict: Do Villa need him?

Should Villa be in for Winks this summer, it could prove to be a smart signing by Dean Smith.

Winks is capable of playing as a defensive or central midfielder and could end up bolstering Villa’s options in the middle of the park, should he seal a move.

Conor Hourihane is unsure where his future lies, whereas Manchester City are considering exercising their buy-back clause for Douglas Luiz. Should those two depart, a move for Winks may be good business.

In other news: Jack Grealish transfer update emerges, find out more here. 

Former Leeds United star Jon Newsome says that the club would be willing to sell Diego Llorente this summer provided the right bid is tabled.

Football Insider has claimed that the Whites are braced for big bids for the central defender this summer.

Rival Premier League clubs are said to hold an interest in signing Llorente after a fine first season in the top-flight.

The centre-back made 15 appearances in the league, scoring once, and he is also capable of playing at right-back and in defensive midfield.

Newsome thinks that Llorente could be available in the summer transfer window but only for the right price.

The Spain international has won eight caps and has a contract until 2024, while he is valued at £18m by Transfermarkt.

Speaking exclusively to The Transfer Tavern, he said: “Again, it’s another difficult one, isn’t it? You know, he didn’t have a great start to his Leeds career, he was injured for quite a considerable amount of time. In the back end of the season, he’s shown what he’s about.

“He’s comfortable on the ball. He’s got a bit of pace about him. I think he’s still getting to grips with the physical side of the game in England, the set pieces and that kind of stuff. So, I’d be surprised if the club moved him on.

“But again, it’s another one of those. If a real big number comes in, and it’s put on the table, everybody’s for sale at a certain price. So it just depends what that number is.”

Llorente is a former Real Madrid player and he battled with injury throughout 2020/21, dealing with groin and hamstring problems.

With Fabio Paratici set to take up his new role as Managing Director of Football at Spurs next week, they are being linked with someone he will know very well from his time at Juventus – Paulo Dybala – and despite trying to sign him once before, former midfielder, Paul Stewart believes that it would be a gamble for Spurs to sign him.

Tottenham Hotspur came agonisingly close to signing Dybala back in 2019, only for image rights of the player to halt the deal in its tracks, but reports have emerged suggesting that they could look to reignite the deal.

Dybala’s two seasons in Serie A leading up to his collapsed Spurs move saw him net 27 goals,  however, inconsistency has plagued his career in the last few years having scored four, 11 and five goals in his last three seasons respectively.

With Spurs not renowned for splashing the cash it would be interesting to see how any deal would be structured and because he would likely command a high fee and wage packet (currently said to be on £237,000 a week), Stewart believes that it would be an expensive gamble for the club, as he explained exclusively to Transfer Tavern:

“He would be expensive and a gamble but, where do you look? Because the usual names just keep coming up.”

Something that will be a huge bonus for Spurs is that Dybala is now back in control of his image rights, therefore, that would not be an issue if they wanted to sign the striker, unlike in 2019.

With Dybala’s current deal set to expire next summer, Juventus may look to offload him and bring in some much-needed money but the Argentine would have to be convinced that moving to Spurs is the right move for his career, considering they only qualified for the Europa Conference League last season.

An update has emerged on Blackburn’s transfer plans this summer and it could positively impact Southampton’s pursuit of Adam Armstrong.

What’s the talk?

According to the Lancashire Telegraph, Blackburn have identified Toulouse striker Rhys Healey as a replacement for Southampton target Adam Armstrong. The report claims that Blackburn are ready to swoop for Healey if they cash in on Armstrong in the coming weeks, news which could come as a boost to Southampton and to Raplph Hasenhuttl, who would love to add another goalscoring threat to his side.

Earlier this month, Football Insider reported that Southampton and Norwich are leading the race to sign Armstrong from Blackburn. Football Insider claimed that Blackburn are willing to sell Armstrong for £15m this summer as his contract expires in 2022.

Former Blackburn midfielder Richie Smallwood labelled Armstrong as a “special” player and claimed that he could do damage against any team in the Championship. He told the Lancashire Telegraph:

“He’s a special player with the ability to hurt any team in this league.

“He’s on fire at the moment, player of the month, and hopefully that continues.

“The lay-off to Adam was great – it had the perfect weight on it. The finish was brilliant.”

Mane 2.0

Southampton could find their next Sadio Mane by signing Armstrong this summer. Since Mane left Southampton to join Liverpool, the Saints have not been able to find another exciting winger who is able to regularly contribute in the final third of the pitch. Mane scored 21 goals in the two Premier League seasons for Southampton, whilst Stuart Armstong was the club’s top-scoring wide man with four in the season just gone.

Armstrong has already proven himself at the Championship level. The former Newcastle man has scored 44 goals in the second tier since the start of the 2019/20 campaign, showing that he is far too good to not be playing at the top level.

He has a similar style to Mane in that he is electric with his movement and is able to make intelligent runs in behind to create chances for himself. Whilst Armstrong was mainly deployed down the middle for Blackburn, he has also played as a left-winger and this is where he could thrive for the Saints, as Mane did during his time at St. Mary’s.

The £14k-per-week dynamo could play in the left attacking midfield position in Hasenhuttl’s set-up and provide a far greater goal threat than the likes of Armstrong, Theo Walcott and Nathan Redmond. His goalscoring record at Championship level is phenomenal and if he can replicate even in the slightest in the top-flight, then Southampton could find their next Mane.

Saints must get a deal over the line as Hasenhuttl would love it if he is able to work with the dynamic forward next season.

AND in other news, Semmens should seal Saints swoop for versatile £14.4m-rated gem, Ralph would love him…

Football Insider pundit Paul Robinson has been reacting to Celtic’s reported interest in Tottenham defender Cameron Carter-Vickers.

The Lowdown: Carter-Vickers links

A source close to the player informed USA journalist Larry Henry Jr regarding the Hoops’ interest in Carter-Vickers.

Any possible move for the Spurs centre-back would reportedly be a permanent one, despite the 23-year-old having six loan moves during his time in north London.

Reports back in May suggested that Tottenham value Carter-Vickers around the £10m mark.

Celtic may well be in the need of defensive reinforcements, with Kristoffer Ajer unhappy with the Hoops after they rejected two bids for his services.

[web_stories_embed url=”https://www.footballtransfertavern.com/web-stories/celtic-updates-7/” title=”Celtic updates” poster=”” width=”360″ height=”600″ align=”none”]

The Latest: Robinson reacts

Robinson was talking to Football Insider regarding the links to the American defender.

The 41-year-old was asked if he would be a good addition for Ange Postecoglou, to which he said:

“I was impressed with him at Bournemouth last season. It was a good loan spell.

“He has got a good amount of experience behind him now. He could be a stabilising force at the back for Celtic next year.

“Obviously it did not work out for Shane Duffy last season and everyone expected him to be a big success when he went up there on loan so there are no guarantees.

“Postecoglou has got a lot of building to do up there but I believe he can get them going again. I like the appointment and I think he is a manager who can unite the club once again.

“Signing someone like Carter-Vickers would be a great start because he could sure up the defence. The quicker they get their back four and goalkeeper sorted out the better really.”

The Verdict: £10m way too much

Should Spurs still be wanting £10m for the defender, Celtic would have to make him their club-record signing.

Yes, they may have money to spend if Ajer gets his wish and leaves, but links of a £5m offer for highly-rated teenager Mario Vuskovic and claims they are monitoring £3.5m wonderkid Piero Hincapie could be wiser defensive moves, given their price and age.

Carter-Vickers has over 100 games experience in the Championship but is yet to feature in the Premier League, so £10m for the defender who has never proven himself at the highest level could be a costly decision.

In other news: Alan Nixon provides Aaron Hickey to Celtic update, find out more here. 

David Ornstein has dropped a major update in Crystal Palace’s managerial hunt, with a deal apparently agreed for Roy Hodgson’s successor

What’s the talk?

According to The Athletic’s David Ornstein, Crystal Palace have agreed a deal with Patrick Vieira to take over from Roy Hodgson heading into the 2021/22 Premier League season.

Vieira has been out of work since he left Ligue 1 side OGC Nice in December 2020 and is now set to take his first senior managerial role in England with The Eagles. The report claimsÂthat Palace swooped for Vieira after their attempts to bring Lucien Favre to the club failed earlier this month.

Fans will be frustrated

Crystal Palace fans will be frustrated by this news given other links to the vacant position.

Former Roma coach Paulo Fonseca was recently touted with a switch to Selhurst Park and his style of play has been described as “exciting” by The Athletic’s Alex Stewart.ÂHe could have been an appointment for the supporters to get behind due to his attacking approach.

According to The Guardian, Vieira hammered his players at half-time of one game last season, eventually leading to his sacking at Nice. He is quoted as saying “We had a catastrophic first half in every capacity. If I could, I would substitute you all apart from three of you. I don’t give a s**t about the score”. The article goes on to state that Vieira struggled to identify and implement a consistent style of play as he was unable to string together a convincing run of games with the French side in his final season before being dismissed.

This suggests that he would not be able to come in and install an attractive brand of football, which the appointment of Fonseca threatened to do, and that is why fans will be frustrated by this news. Some Palace fans have already taken to Twitter to voice their concerns:

These examples prove that there are some Palace fans are questioning the prospective move by the club. Vieira’s managerial record in comparison to Fonseca does not help the Frenchman’s cause, either.

The Portuguese bossÂaveraged 1.77 points per game across 101 matches in charge of Roma in the Serie A, after earningÂ2.37 points per game in 139 matches for Shakhtar Donetsk. Vieira, meanwhile, averaged 1.58 points per game at New York City and 1.42 in 89 Ligue 1 matches for Nice.

Steve Parish could be heading for disaster with this move. Vieira does not have an impressive managerial record and the analysis of his time at Nice in the Guardian article makes for grim reading if you are a Palace supporter.

This is why fans will be disappointed by this news and hoping that Vieira can prove doubters wrong and be a success in the Premier League as a manager.

AND in other news,ÂParish must sanction CPFC swoop for “outstanding†29 y/o enforcer, fans would love it…

Celtic’s first summer under Ange Postecoglou is meant to be about rebuilding the Hoops and ensuring a better future at Parkhead.

It’s supposed to be a story of exiling old faces in Paradise in the shape of Scott Brown and bringing through new ones like Liam Shaw and Osaze Urhoghide.

However, just a few hours before the latter arrived at Celtic for a nominal fee, the Bhoys announced a surprising piece of news.

On the chalkboard

As the calendar rolled over into the month of July, it looked for all of the world as though Leigh Griffiths would be following Brown out the door on a free transfer. However, step forward Celtic social media, who set off a frenzy on Thursday after they revealed that the 30-year-old had signed a new one-year extension.

The news was greeted positively by a certain amount of fans but the vast majority of supporters were baffled and angry by the decision to hand him a new deal.

One individual claimed it was burning the goodwill which had been built up at the club, while another said it was a waste of time and resources by keeping the striker in Glasgow. Another dejected supporter commented that Celtic were a shambles.

There has been a better atmosphere surrounding the club since Postecoglou arrived but a rather peculiar decision like this has to go down as Dominic McKay’s first clanger since replacing Peter Lawwell as CEO.

McKay has been snapped with the new manager on a number of occasions and has talked a good game alongside the Australian. However, this is the time to look towards the future, not back to the past.

[snack-amp-story url= “https://www.footballfancast.com/web-stories/read-the-latest-celtic-news-doig-nketiah-mccann” title= “Read the latest Celtic transfer news!”]

Griffiths has often been revered as one of the best finishers at the club. It’s unlikely many will dispute that considering his haul of 123 goals in the famous green and white, but at the age of 30, his career is only heading one way – downhill.

The experienced forward has already been handed several chances to prove himself at Parkhead but recent years have been plagued by inconsistency. He scored just seven times last term, a solid tally for someone playing second fiddle to Odsonne Edouard, but if the Frenchman leaves, Celtic could be in real trouble from an attacking perspective.

Postecoglou has already hinted at using the academy more but keeping players like Griffiths in their ranks will only put a dent in the chances of younger talents coming through.

This felt like the perfect time to cut ties but McKay has handed him a new deal instead. A segment of supporters are right to feel aggrieved.

AND in other news, Forget Vuskovic: Postecoglou must seal Celtic swoop for “incredibly fast” 24 y/o brute…