All posts by rastrear-estafeta.com

Loads of Liverpool fans have been left furious on Twitter as reports claim a number of Reds superstars could miss as many as eight games due to the 2022 Africa Cup of Nations.

Mohamed Salah and Sadio Mane have been in simply blistering form so far this season, as the former became the first Reds player in history to score in nine consecutive matches thanks to his brace in Madrid on Tuesday.

The Egypt international has now bagged 12 times and added four assists in all competitions this term, while Mane has been no slouch either, chipping in with six goals.

Of course, fears have been prevalent amongst the Liverpool fan base about how many matches the pair could miss this winter, along with Naby Keita, and now The Athletic are reporting that number could be as many as eight.

According to the report from Adam Leventhal, AFCON participants will leave their Premier League clubs soon after the final whistle blows on the Boxing Day fixtures due to FIFA rules, and may not return until the second week of February.

With Harvey Elliott injured, this will leave Jurgen Klopp with few options in attack during the hectic winter fixture period, likely having to rely on the likes of Divock Origi and Takumi Minamino to deputise through January.

Reds fans erupt at AFCON update

Unsurprisingly, these Liverpool fans had plenty to say about the news as it was shared on Twitter by James Pearce, with one supporter calling it an ‘absolute joke’…

“2 games they said? Whats this 8 games rubbish, AFCON is a disgrace playing during normal leagues,every year”

Credit: @jaymgs12

“If it’s actually 8 games you might as well throw the season away”

Credit: @youraverag1

“So Salah and Mane likely to miss 6 PL games! Just concentrate on the Champions League then i guess. No way we’re coping without Salah especially for that long”

Credit: @AKayani07

“In a season where Mo is the best player in the planet and Mane isn’t far behind, them two leaving for the afcon will have the biggest negative impact on our title challenge, ever. We don’t have enough depth to lose both for over a month. But what alternative do we have ?”

Credit: @guycalledting

“What an absolute joke this is. Makes it even worse we didn’t bring in an attacker in the summer. Why on earth is this taking place in the middle of a league season”

Credit: @LFJFT96

“our season is finished we aren’t winning anything this season and will finish 4th”

Credit: @lfcd25

In other news, you won’t believe who the referee is for Liverpool vs Man United this weekend…

Frank Lampard is back in the mix to take over at Crystal Palace, according to London News Online.

The former England midfielder has been out of work since January following his sacking at Chelsea. He was a leading contender to replace Roy Hodgson back in May and was reportedly open to a Selhurst Park switch.

As we know, Palace are still on the hunt for a new manager after talks with both Nuno Espirito Santo and Lucien Favre broke down in the final stages.

It now seems as if Lampard is back in contention for the vacancy, with the 2021/22 season less than seven weeks away.

Palace fans react

@cpfc_xtra shared London News Online’s report on Twitter on Saturday afternoon and these Palace supporters all appeared to be in favour of a move for the 43-year-old, with one fan describing him as ‘the right man all along’.

“Please, I’m on my knees”Credit: @palace__dylan”This is key. Have to do whatever it takes”Credit: @BRL__18″The right man all along….”Credit: @gidleymike”Get this done.”Credit: @RICHPM14″Yessss my manager”Credit: @PrideOfSouthLDN”Best choice in my opinion”Credit: @cjbearcpfc

In other news: Palace express tentative interest in ‘Drogba-esque’ striker on £82,000 per week despite no manager, find out more here. 

According to Sky Sports (via Calciomercato), Nice are interested in signing on-loan West Ham star Jesse Lingard this summer.

Nice eye Lingard

Lingard made the move to the Hammers on loan in the winter transfer window and has impressed in east London, managing nine goals and four assists in 12 games for the club (Transfermarkt).

The Irons want to sign him permanently in the summer from Manchester United (Daily Mail), but it now seems that French club Nice are also eager to capture his services.

Unlikely

Nice have the finances to complete such a deal. British businessman James Ratcliffe is the club’s owner, and according to Forbes he has a net worth of $16.6bn (£12bn). The club is also situated in a picturesque setting on the French Riviera, making it an attractive destination.

However, London is also a desirable location and, from a sporting point of view, there is no reason why Lingard would select Nice over West Ham. The Hammers are currently fifth in the Premier League and are well in contention for European football next term, while Nice are languishing in 10th place in Ligue 1 and will not be playing continental football in 2021/22.

Also, the French top flight lacks the prestige of the Premier League, so while there is no guarantee that Lingard will remain at the London Stadium, West Ham are unlikely to lose out on him to Nice.

In other news, many West Ham fans want this man signed in the summer.

Rangers find themselves with an excellent group of academy players coming through the ranks at Ibrox at the minute, with Alex Lowry and Charlie McCann really showing their promise.

One of the most talked-about youth prospects is centre-back Leon King, who at just 18 years old, has featured on the Premiership sides bench a few times already this season and could be ready for a step-up next season.

King signed a new long-term deal in January which will take him up to May 2024, with Ross Wilson explaining that he was “delighted” the young defender will continue his journey at Rangers.

The move to offer him a new deal was a smart one, as his performances in the B team haven’t gone unnoticed, he was linked with a move to both Manchester United and Newcastle United before pledging his future to the Gers.

Steven Gerrard was the first to offer hints that King could be a key part of the Ibrox side’s future when the then 16-year-old was included in the first-team squad for their trip to Belgium to face Standard Liege in the Europa League in October 2020.

Since then, he went on to make his official debut against Falkirk in a League Cup tie before featuring for the Gers in league duty against Livingston in May 2021, long after the side had won the Premiership title.

This led Giovanni van Bronckhorst to promote him to the first-team squad in January and this experience will surely stand him in good stead.

The player has all the attributes to become the side’s next Richard Gough, a stalwart at the heart of defence who eventually went on to make over 300 appearances in Rangers blue. With former coach Gerrard labelling him as “superb” then the sky really is the limit for the talented defender.

Van Bronckhorst could save millions by utilising him in the next few seasons in what is an exciting time for the youngster.

AND in other news, Body blow: Van Bronckhorst now set for huge Rangers disaster over £27k-p/w “rock”…

Speaking exclusively to Football FanCast, former Leicester City winger Keith Gillespie believes that Kelechi Iheanacho’s recent goalscoring form has potentially saved his Foxes career.

Prior to his recent resurgence, the former Manchester City frontman had been mainly restricted to starts in the Europa League, and had to wait until early-February for his first Premier League goal of the season, which came against Fulham.

Since netting at Craven Cottage, Iheanacho has started seven games in all competitions, scoring eight times, including his first Premier League hat-trick against Sheffield United earlier this month, before firing the Foxes into their first FA Cup semi-finals for 39 years against Manchester United last Sunday.

And Gillespie has been impressed with Iheanacho’s revival in the absence of James Maddison, and admitted that Brendan Rodgers has a selection headache on his hands once the England midfielder returns from his recent his injury.

He told Football FanCast:

“He’s one that’s been lost a little bit. Big-money transfer to Leicester, but hasn’t really provided the performances. But he’s stepped up when they’ve really needed him to. 

“He’s had to stand up and produce performances, he scored a hat-trick against Sheffield United and is in a really rich vein of form, but he’s still very young.

“With him having this chance with Maddison out, I feel like if he didn’t produce those performances, Leicester were probably thinking about cutting-ties and bringing someone else in, because he’s been there a few seasons.

“But he has given Brendan a headache. When Maddison gets fit again, he’s got a headache because who does he play? It would be unfortunate for Iheanacho to be left out after the performances he’s put in.”

Iheanacho’s return to form has really come at an ideal time for Leicester. Their Premier League form was just starting to dip, but three victories on the bounce in all competitions means they look good value for a top-four place, and have every chance of adding the FA Cup to their trophy cabinet.

David Moyes could form a West Ham duo to be reckoned with if he signs mooted transfer target Adam Hlozek this summer…

What’s the word?

According to The Athletic’s Roshane Thomas, the Hammers boss has been recommended the Sparta Prague forward by his fellow Czech Republic internationals Tomas Soucek and Vladimir Coufal.

It’s thought that Moyes has reservations over whether the 18-year-old can make an instant impact in the Premier League but is aware of his potential as he looks to bolster his frontline before the next campaign.

Football Insider believe it will only cost £15m to lure the Czech starlet away from his home country, even though he’s been tied down to a long-term contract since the end of the 2020/21 season.

Imagine him and Soucek

Hlozek has struggled for minutes at Euro 2020, coming off the bench in all three of Czech’s group D matches, but there is plenty to be excited about amid the Irons’ reported interest.

His season was hampered by injury but he still managed to provide 15 goals and nine assists in 20 appearances across the Fortuna Liga and the Europa League. The teenage sensation averaged one goal contribution every 63 minutes on the pitch – just imagine what he could’ve done without the injury.

It’s no wonder he has received many glowing endorsements throughout his short career to date, ranging from his current Sparta manager Pavel Vrba lauding him as “hugely talented”, to being dubbed a “pure talent” by football scout Jacek Kulig.

He’s widely thought to be the Czech Republic’s biggest talent since former Arsenal midfielder Tomas Rosicky, and according to former Italy international Antonio Cassano, he is “perfect for 4-3-3” as “he has pace, he is strong technically, and has good heading ability. A very impressive talent.”

The £15.3m-rated teen could lead to the Hammers forming a frightening duo when they’re in the attacking phase. Think of Hlozek’s pace and tenacity in pressing many a Premier League backline and then fellow countryman Soucek pushing forward with his towering physical presence.

Both of the Czech stars could strike fear into plenty of top-flight defences next season, whether that be from open play or set pieces.

Moyes may have his reservations but he should have some faith in his own coaching ability to get the best out of Hlozek and, as he’s already got two fellow countrymen at the London Stadium, the teenager would likely have no problem fitting in.

GSB must seal the 18-year-old for a bargain £15m.

AND in other news, Moyes may already have West Ham’s perfect Mark Noble heir in 21 y/o “exciting talent”…

Writing on Twitter, pundit and former Premier League striker Stan Collymore has been left thrilled by major news out of Tottenham Hotspur with Nuno Espirito Santo appointed as their new head coach.

The Lowdown: Spurs manager search finally over…

After two months of searching in what has been a long and drawn out process, Tottenham finally have their man in former Wolverhampton Wanderers boss Nuno.

Before opting to appoint the Portuguese, Spurs had held talks with Mauricio Pochettino, Antonio Conte, Paulo Fonseca and Gennaro Gattuso – with all four sets of discussions amounting to nothing (BBC).

Now, though, Nuno’s appointment marks the end of a very long wait for Tottenham’s new boss and the club can start preparing for next season.

The Latest: Collymore thrilled by Nuno news…

Writing on Twitter, Collymore has dropped his take on the big news out of Tottenham and believes this is an appointment Lilywhites fans can get excited about.

[web_stories_embed url=”https://www.footballtransfertavern.com/web-stories/spurs-latest-updates-3/” title=”Spurs latest updates!” poster=”” width=”360″ height=”600″ align=”none”]

“Looking forward to seeing Nuno at Spurs!” explained the former Liverpool man.

“Flexible at Val and Por, then Wolves around 3-5-2. Loves attacking width which Spurs have, a grafter and 2 creative in MF which Spurs have and 2 up top or 1 and 1, which Spurs have!

“I’d be excited, Spurs fans.”

The Verdict: Correct?

One caveat which has been mentioned through the media is Nuno’s footballing philosophy and whether he will truly bring back the Spurs way of playing open, attacking football (football.london).

Collymore certainly believes that he could, and that is reportedly backed by managing director Fabio Paratici as well.

Football.london reporter Alasdair Gold claims that Paratici has faith Nuno will encourage an exciting brand of football and even managed to persuade chairman Daniel Levy over his appointment.

Lilywhites supporters will be hoping both Collymore and the Italian are correct, but we’re not sure there would be too many complaints if a rigid 3-5-2 is what it takes to get the club back into the Champions League.

In other news: Spurs in seven-horse race to sign this ‘special’ player, Levy will have to pay over £25.8m…find out more here.

David Moyes must put his foot down and reject a rumoured swap deal involving West Ham United midfielder Declan Rice and Chelsea’s Ruben Loftus-Cheek.

What’s the word?

According to the Express, Loftus-Cheek is one of three players the Stamford Bridge outfit may look to present in exchange for Rice’s signature this summer.

Chelsea failed to sign Rice last year when West Ham held firm at an £80m valuation, and the Irons are thought to have since increased their asking price to £100m.

Frank Lampard’s sacking was expected to bring a halt to the Blues’ interest in taking Rice back to south west London, yet Thomas Tuchel has not scrubbed his predecessors’ plans.

But the German is prioritising the arrival of a new striker and has Erling Haaland and Romelu Lukaku under consideration, which would leave the Blues clutching at straws to fund a pursuit of Rice.

As such, Chelsea are tipped to potentially offer West Ham their choice of Loftus-Cheek, Andreas Christiansen or Tammy Abraham in hopes of bringing down the Hammers’ asking price.

[snack-amp-story url=”https://www.footballfancast.com/web-stories/latest-west-ham-news-and-views” title=”Latest West Ham news, views and gossip!”]

The London Stadium natives have been linked with a potential move for Abraham recently, while £60,000-per-week Loftus-Cheek is considered to be a direct replacement for Rice.

Should West Ham accept Loftus-Cheek for Rice?

Rice’s services are bound to be highly sought-after among the Premier League’s established elite clubs this summer, after once again proving to be a key part of West Ham’s plans and further establishing himself on the international stage.

The 22-year-old was named as the Man of the Match during England’s recent World Cup qualifying wins over Albania and Poland, despite playing the closing stages of the latter tie with a lateral knee ligament injury.

Rice’s issue meant he missed West Ham’s wins over Wolverhampton Wanderers and Leicester City last week, the first Premier League games that the Irons’ vice-captain had sat out since May 2019 after 68 straight starts.

He already has interest from Manchester United as well, who could use Jesse Lingard to negotiate a lower fee, but reports by The Sun claim West Ham have no interest in selling one star to retain the one they have on loan.

Rival interest will also ensure the Hammers are not in a position where they must accept a downgrade to sell Rice to Chelsea – a player Moyes claims suitors would need “the Bank of England and the Royal Bank of Scotland” to sign.

Loftus-Cheek would certainly be a step down in quality for the Irons, and send out the wrong message to the rest of the squad and potential summer targets over their aspirations of sustaining this season’s remarkable challenge for European football.

The Chelsea man – who Gary Neville claims is “a massive talent” – has struggled to impress consistently this season while on loan with relegation-threatened Fulham, having offered just a single goal and no assists in 26 Premier League games for the Cottagers.

His defensive contributions pale into insignificance beside Rice’s, too, with Loftus-Cheek trailing for tackles (1.9 to 0.9), interceptions (2 to 0.2), fouls committed (0.7 to 1.1) and clearances (1.2 to 0.5) per game in the top-flight this term, per WhoScored.

If Rice is to leave West Ham at the end of the season, they need to be earning top-dollar to sign a ready-made replacement – not accepting discounted approaches for players that will stagnate their progress as a club.

AND in other news, West Ham eye 23-year-old talent once backed to become “world-class”…

Leicester City midfielder Youri Tielemans has been tipped to join Liverpool during the summer transfer window, with Kevin Phillips talking up the move.

The Lowdown: Superb performer for Leicester

The Belgian has been a standout performer for the Foxes in recent years, famously scoring the winning goal in the FA Cup final against Chelsea earlier this month.

The 24-year-old has made 108 appearances for Leicester, scoring 17 goals and registering 19 assists along the way and proving to be a key player under Brendan Rodgers.

It could be that a fresh challenge appeals to Tielemans this summer, though, with Liverpool linked with snapping him up.

The Latest: Phillips talks up move

Speaking to Football Insider, former Sunderland and England striker Phillips claimed that Anfield would be an ideal move for the Belgium international. He said:

“I think everyone is available for the right price. I don’t think Brendan Rodgers would want Tielemans to go but I think when Liverpool come knocking at your door and speak to your agent, then the player is going to listen and is probably going to want to go.

“Especially now that Leicester won’t be getting Champions League football next year after just missing out while Liverpool have, that’s a big, big draw for any player.

“So if Liverpool were to make enquiries and make an offer then it could be one of those where it’s hard to stop the player going and turn the deal down, so it will be an interesting one.”

[web_stories_embed url=”https://www.footballtransfertavern.com/web-stories/the-latest-liverpool-transfer-news-3/” title=”The latest Liverpool transfer news!” poster=”” width=”360″ height=”600″ align=”none”]

The Verdict: Ideal Wijnaldum replacement

Tielemans is a fantastic footballer and someone who could be a perfect replacement for the departing Gini Wijnaldum at Liverpool.

Not only did the Belgian chip in with six goals and four assists in the Premier League last season, he also averaged 2.3 tackles per game.

That highlights what an impressive all-round midfielder he has been, and Liverpool should certainly considering bringing him in this summer.

In other news, some Liverpool fans have been reacting to a brilliant tweet by a former Reds player. Read more here.

Newcastle United could be without striker Callum Wilson for another month, according to The Athletic’s Chris Waugh. 

The lowdown

The 29-year-old injured his quad muscle in the 2-2 draw with Southampton prior to the international break and was missing for the 4-1 defeat at Manchester United on Saturday.

The striker has scored twice already this season, finding the net against the Saints and on the opening weekend against West Ham United.

In 2020/21, Wilson led the way for both goals (12) and assists (five) in the Newcastle squad. Last December, Steve Bruce said that the ‘wonderful’ striker had ‘made the difference since he walked through the door’ at St James’ Park, sentiments which are backed up by the player’s goal contribution figures.

The latest

Wilson’s ‘initial prognosis was believed to be’ a six-week lay-off, according to Waugh, and he is only two weeks into that. Therefore, ‘there’s a chance’ that he won’t be back in action until after the October international break.

Newcastle host Leeds United on Friday before trips to Watford and Wolverhampton Wanderers, with their next three opponents all 13th or lower as the Magpies seek their first league win of the campaign.

The verdict

It’s only three more games without Wilson, but it could mean more pain for Newcastle. Last season, when he suffered the first of two hamstring injuries, the Magpies found themselves on a seven-game winless run.

The nadir came away to Brighton and Hove Albion in March, where a 3-0 defeat left Bruce’s side just two points above the bottom three.

Newcastle are already in the relegation zone this time around and it’s hard to see them escaping it without their attacking talisman.

In other news, Waugh has revealed the in-house reaction to this Steve Bruce move.