All posts by rastrear-estafeta.com

Liverpool fans were livid with the performance of Jordan Henderson during their 3-2 victory over Atletico Madrid on Tuesday.

The Reds were in action in Madrid in the Champions League, and they picked up an important three points away from home in a thrilling encounter.

Going 2-0 up early on thanks to goals from Naby Keita and Mohamed Salah, a brilliant brace from Antoine Griezmann levelled things up. The France international was then sent off, however, and Salah grabbed the winner to given Jurgen Klopp’s men the victory.

Captain Henderson started in the middle of the park, but he did not put in his best display. He won the ball back in just one duel in his entire 90 minutes on the pitch (SofaScore), and lacked the usual leadership and composure we have become used to seeing from him, surrendering possession ten times.

The fans were from happy with the performance of the England midfielder, and they took to social media platform Twitter to share their thoughts.

Let’s see what the fans had to say about Henderson below

“Henderson was horrible and was worse than Keita In fact.”

Credit: @ninawiththe9

“Henderson was atrocious. he should’ve been cutting off the line of pass to griezmann but was caught behind the ball. As a no.6 for the game he didn’t recognise his role and was all over the place and poor in possession.”

Credit: @i98NDK

“Both goals came from the right side, are you not gonna say anything about TAA? What can you say about Milner and Henderson who were equally shambolic. As for the defining game for his career at LFC, not your call, you are not Jurgen.”

Credit: @LNdzabe

“Henderson has been garbage and Milner is an old man. Both should be replaced down the line.”

Credit: @AlucardKing7

“Henderson should never have gotten a contract”

Credit: @LFCShafic

“He was overplayed. Guy played all of his international team games and the game at Watford. Henderson was also very poor.”

Credit: @TemnoLFC

In other news, these were Liverpool’s best three players against Atletico.

Celtic are edging closer to completing a deal to bring Riley McGree to Parkhead in the January transfer window.

What’s the talk?

That’s according to a report by the Daily Record, who claim that Ange Postecoglou has already wrapped up a deal to sign the Charlotte FC midfielder this month after Celtic found a resolution in their talks with the Major League Soccer side regarding a £3m move.

The report goes on to state that Birmingham City – where the 23-year-old had spent the last 14 months on loan – had hoped to extend the Australia international’s stay at St. Andrew’s further, however, the Championship side look to have been beaten to the signing of the midfielder by the Bhoys.

Finally, it is claimed that Postecoglou was personally involved in the negotiations for McGree due to his previous relationship with the player at international level, while it is also said the Hoops are hoping to get the paperwork and visa regarding the transfer in place in order for the 23-year-old to link up with the 56-year-old’s first-team squad as quickly as possible.

Postecoglou will be buzzing

Considering Postecoglou’s and McGree’s previous relationship, in addition to the midfielder’s impressive form in the second tier of English football this season, the fact that Celtic appear to have wrapped up the signing of the Charlotte FC midfielder in such quick fashion is sure to have left the Greek-Australian manager buzzing.

Indeed, over his 13 Championship outings for Birmingham in the current campaign, the £540k-rated man scored two goals, provided two assists and created three big chances for his teammates, as well as taking an average of 1.8 shots and making 1.4 key passes per game.

[snack-amp-story url=”https://www.footballfancast.com/?post_type=web-story&p=664142″ title=”Check out the latest Celtic news!”]

The £5.7k-per-week midfielder who Tim Cahill claimed has “amazing feet” also impressed in metrics more typical of his position, making an average of 1.3 interceptions, 1.2 tackles, 22 passes and winning 4.8 duels per fixture.

These returns saw the Australian earn a very respectable average SofaScore match rating of 7.02, ranking him as the Blues’ sixth-best player in the league so far this season.

As such, it would very much appear as if McGree will make a fantastic addition to Postecoglou’s current options in the middle of the park, with the 56-year-old’s side already looking much healthier following the earlier arrivals of Reo Hatate, Yosuke Ideguchi, Daizen Maeda and Johnny Kenny this January.

In other news: Celtic make offer for 41-goal dynamo who’s a “Jota-type trickster”, he’s a big upgrade

Leeds United correspondent Graham Smyth has provided an update on winger Ian Poveda and a return to Blackburn Rovers.

The Lowdown: Poveda’s Leeds career

Poveda was brought to the club by Victor Orta back in 2020 and has gone on to make 20 appearances for the first-team at Elland Road, 14 of which came in the Premier League last season.

[web_stories_embed url=”https://www.footballtransfertavern.com/web-stories/latest-leeds-united-updates/” title=”Latest Leeds United updates!” poster=”https://www.footballtransfertavern.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/04/cropped-2022-04-02T155252Z_391313781_UP1EI421841M9_RTRMADP_3_SOCCER-ENGLAND-LEE-SOU-REPORT.jpg” width=”360″ height=”600″ align=”none”]

The 22-year-old was sent on loan to Blackburn Rovers for the 2021/22 campaign, however, he has been out through injury since November.

The winger has been recovering at Thorp Arch in recent months, but now looks set to make a return to Ewood Park.

The Latest: Smyth’s post

Smyth took to Twitter on Monday to provide an update regarding Poveda and a return to Blackburn.

He confirmed that Poveda will ‘return’ to Blackburn ‘this week’, labelling it as a ‘trial of sorts’ with Tony Mowbray to decide if he wants the Leeds man around for the final three Championship games.

“Ian Poveda will return to Blackburn Rovers towards the end of this week for a trial of sorts, to see if his loan spell can resume.

“A chance to finish the season on a high, after a lot of potential and promise was dashed by injury.”

The Verdict: Caution needed

Poveda has returned to the grass in recent weeks but hasn’t played competitively in 2022, so there could be a risk of a new injury occurring if Rovers overload the winger in the coming weeks.

However, you can see why Blackburn want to see Poveda in action, especially as they have continued to pay a percentage of his salary while he has been sidelined.

Blackburn’s playoff hopes are also fading quickly as they are without a win in five, so they may see Poveda’s return as a welcome boost as they look to turn things around and finish in the top six.

In other news: Leeds and Orta want ‘extraordinary’ ace in Bosman move; same agent as Bamford. 

Everton’s season hit a new low this afternoon as they lost 2-1 to Norwich City, who came into the match with just two wins and eight goals from their 20 Premier League games this season.

Frankly, it was an embarrassing performance from the visitors at Carrow Road – experienced players like Andre Gomes, Seamus Coleman and Jordan Pickford all ranked lowly according to Sofascore – and it was one which could get Rafael Benitez the sack.

Everton put the ball in the net to break the deadlock, but it was at the wrong end of the pitch, with Michael Keane scoring an own goal in the 16th minute. Adam Idah quickly doubled the lead to put the home team comfortably in front in Norfolk.

Richarlison returned to action for the Toffees in the second half, giving the visiting fans some hope with an impressive overhead kick in the 60th minute, but it wasn’t enough for the Toffees to push on and take a point, with the game ending 2-1 to Dean Smith’s side.

Keane disasterclass

Keane had an absolute nightmare performance in particular, scoring an own goal and failing to redeem himself over the rest of the game, lacking in defensive impact and quality throughout his performance.

According to SofaScore, the £69k-p/w flop lost 66% of his duels, gave away four fouls and picked up a yellow card as a souvenir for his awful efforts, along with losing the ball 11 times. This horrific display from the Everton defender could have just cost Benitez his job at Goodison Park.

Rafa out?

Benitez has been treading a tightrope ever since he took the job at Everton due to his previous success at Liverpool, and after losing their 10th game out of 19 in the Premier League this season against a team who were bottom of the table, it is hard to see how the Spaniard can recover from this result.

Many of the away fans at Carrow Road today made clear their dissatisfaction with the 61-year-old, with the fume also evident on social media as some called for Benitez to be sacked. Inside the ground, one Everton fan invaded the pitch in an attempt to confront the Toffees manager.

Indeed, talkSPORT have reported that Benitez could be sacked as early as tonight, so it will be interesting to see what steps will be taken in the coming days, or whether Moshiri will stick by the Spaniard due to the ongoing transfer window.

If this is to be the 61-year-old’s last match in charge of Everton, Keane’s dismal performance will have been a significant contributing factor to the downfall of his boss.

In other news: Benitez could form a deadly duo at Goodison by making a fourth signing this month

Rangers have the chance to return to winning ways today after the Ibrox club lost their place at the top of the Premiership earlier this week.

The Gers were beaten 3-0 by Celtic away from home, with Reo Hatate scoring twice and Liel Abada rounding off the scoring before half-time.

Gio van Bronckhorst tasted defeat for the first time in charge of the club and could look to make changes to the XI in order to make sure he does not suffer another loss.

Match-winner

One player he must unleash from the start against Hearts is January signing Aaron Ramsey. The Wales international is yet to make his debut since signing on loan from Italian giants Juventus and today could be the day Gers fans get to see him in action for the first time.

Van Bronckhorst must name him in the starting XI as he has the quality to be a match-winner with his knack for scoring and assisting goals from midfield.

Arsenal legend Martin Keown previously dubbed him an “outstanding technician” and it is easy to see why when you look at his club career. He managed 65 goals and 65 assists in 371 matches for the Gunners, before providing six goals and six assists in 70 games for Juventus.

This shows that he has the ability to make telling contributions in the final third and is a player who could pop up with a vital goal or assist. Therefore, he could be the difference-maker in tight games when Rangers are struggling to break a team down. His quality in possession could be decisive for van Bronckhorst and that is why he should be named in the starting XI today.

It could also make the atmosphere electric before kick-off when the crowd hears that he is in the team. His appearance could give everyone a much-needed lift after the drubbing against Celtic, which is another reason why he should start this match as the confidence his presence could bring may be important after such a dismal performance.

Joe Aribo could be taken out of the XI after the Nigeria international failed to create a single chance against the Hoops in midweek. He was given a poor SofaScore rating of 6.4 – the lowest in midfield – and could be placed on the bench to accommodate Ramsey as the attack-driven midfielder in the three.

AND in other news, Forget Barisic: GVB must brutally axe £6.4k-p/w Rangers dud who lacks “experience”…

[ad_pod ]

Chelsea face Tottenham Hotspur this week in a game that follows on from their epic exertions in the Carabao Cup final.

Maurizio Sarri’s side lost to Manchester City on penalties after a 0-0 draw across 120 minutes.

They have just three days rest before welcoming Spurs to Stamford Bridge on Wednesday in a game that could be decisive for both clubs.

Maurizio Sarri’s men are still outside of the top four and are battling to overhaul both Manchester United and Arsenal, while Spurs need to regain a foothold in the Premier League title race after losing to Burnley at Turf Moor on Saturday.

The two sides have met three times already this season, with Spurs winning twice – in the league and the Carabao Cup semi-final first leg at Wembley, though they were beaten in the second leg and ultimately exited the competition on penalties.

And Spurs fans are delighted that Chelsea have been forced to run the gamut of extra time ahead of this week’s encounter, seemingly believing it will be a key boost for their side.

Take a look at the best reaction on Twitter below!

With Liverpool only signing Ibrahima Konate during the previous summer transfer window, it seems as though the Merseyside club have their eye on signing another young talent from another of Europe’s big clubs in the near future.

What’s the news?

It has recently been reported by El Nacional (via Liverpool.com) that Liverpool manager Jurgen Klopp is a fan of Real Madrid midfielder Federico Valverde and that the Merseyside club could be interested in making a transfer move for the player in the future.

After working his way through the youth ranks at Real Madrid, Valverde eventually made his senior debut for the club back in October 2018 during a 2-1 win over Viktoria Plzen in the Champions League.

Since then, the 23-year-old, who is currently valued at £58.5m according to Transfermarkt, making him their second most valuable player, has made a total of 114 appearances for the Spanish club across all competitions, chipping in with five goals and seven assists in the process.

[snack-amp-story url = “https://www.footballfancast.com/web-stories/check-out-the-latest-liverpool-news” title=”Check out the latest Liverpool news!”]

So far this season, Valverde, who has been described as a “phenomenal” player by teammate Casemiro in the past, has made 12 appearances for Carlo Ancelotti’s side across La Liga and the Champions League, predominantly playing as a central-midfielder but also as a right-midfielder and right-back on occasion, highlighting his versatility.

This is why he could prove himself to be a perfect heir for current Reds midfielder James Milner given the Englishman’s advanced age and the fact that he’s played in almost every position across the midfield and defence during his time at Liverpool.

Additionally, with Valverde racking up an average of 1.7 tackles per game in La Liga this season, this could make him a good defensive replacement for Milner who has an average of two tackles per game in the Premier League in his latest campaign with the Reds.

However, with Valverde’s current contract not set to expire until the summer of 2027, and the fact that fellow Real Madrid midfielders Luka Modric and Toni Kroos are both over the age of 30, it seems as though the club see Valverde as a long-term player for them and may not be interested in selling the player, which could make it a difficult deal to secure for Liverpool if they are interested in making a move for him.

Although, it still would be worth exploring the possibility of signing Valverde this summer, especially if Milner ends up leaving the club when his contract expires at the end of June.

In other news: FSG could seal perfect Salah heir at Liverpool with “unpredictable” £63m-rated machine – opinion

Rangers’ official Twitter channel has informed supporters of four changes to their 2022 fixture schedule.

Their clash with Hearts at Ibrox has been moved to 4pm on Sunday 6 February and will be broadcast live by Sky Sports.

Two further matches have been rescheduled later in the month as a result of the Gers’ progression to the Europa League knockout stages. Rangers finished second in their group, earning the right to play one of the Champions League group stage’s third-place teams for a place in the round of 16.

In last week’s draw, they learned that they would face Bundesliga side Borussia Dortmund, with the ties scheduled for 17 and 24 February.

Which games have been moved because of Rangers’ Europa League progress?

Their meetings with Dundee United and Motherwell have been shifted to midday and 3pm on the following Sundays, 20 and 27 February respectively.

However, most Rangers fans will probably be focusing on the clash with arch-rivals Celtic, with whom they may well battle for the title. The Hoops are now due to make the trip across Glasgow for a midday kick-off on Sunday 3 April.

While the European-enforced changes are understandable, some supporters were far from pleased with the Hearts clash in early February being moved to a 4pm Sunday kick-off amid fears that it could “cause chaos” in terms of travel to and from the match.

Rangers fans react to club’s fixture news

“Despise games being on a Sunday! That’s more games I’ll be missing. Saturday at 3, the way it’s meant to be!”

Credit: @Cassells777

“4pm on Sunday should be a crime”

Credit: @Innes1960

“4pm on a Sunday is horrible!”

Credit: @gazzagkl

“Time to scrap the TV deal”

Credit: @Robert39630284

“4 o’clock on a Sunday?? Na, I’m fighting.”

Credit: @ljt10x

“That 4pm game will cause chaos if Subway pulls its usual 6pm closure.”

Credit: @ibroxrocks

In other news, Noel Whelan has reacted to a ‘devastating’ blow for Rangers 

Jesse Marsch should attempt to lure Sergino Dest from Barcelona to Leeds United, according to transfer insider Dean Jones. 

The lowdown

In the words of ESPN senior writer Tom Hamilton, the 48-year-old has become ‘the most successful American coach in Europe’ and a ‘pioneer’ for his country.

He led Red Bull Salzburg to two league titles and two Austrian cups before earning a move to RB Leipzig, who were Champions League semi-finalists in 2020. The former New York Red Bulls coach is now taking on the Premier League with Leeds, having succeeded Marcelo Bielsa at the end of February.

[web_stories_embed url=”https://www.footballtransfertavern.com/web-stories/latest-leeds-united-news-41/” title=”Latest Leeds United news!” poster=”https://www.footballtransfertavern.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/04/cropped-2022-04-02T155252Z_391313781_UP1EI421841M9_RTRMADP_3_SOCCER-ENGLAND-LEE-SOU-REPORT.jpg” width=”360″ height=”600″ align=”none”]

Leeds are reportedly looking at 21-year-old Dest, with 17 caps for the United States, in addition to compatriot Brenden Aaronson, and the Whites believe that the former would be an ‘excellent addition’.

He is represented by ICM Stellar Sports, whose clients also include Elland Road duo Patrick Bamford and Dan James.

The latest

Jones told GiveMeSport that Leeds face some pretty daunting competition for Dest, who made a ‘dream’ move to Barcelona in 2020, but he thinks that Marsch may be able to exert some pulling power.

The journalist claimed: “Sergino Dest has much bigger clubs interested in him right now. He’s got huge ambition and doesn’t even want to leave Barcelona because it was his dream move.

“But if Jesse Marsch has got any pull over him, then he should give it a go.”

The verdict

Dest started 10 of Barcelona’s first 11 La Liga matches this season, but since Xavi took over in November, the American has only been named in five starting line-ups. Injury problems have played a part, but his place looks considerably less secure than it did under Ronald Koeman.

If Marsch could tempt the £16.2m-rated wide man and Leeds could make an offer to Barcelona’s satisfaction, then there would be cause for celebration at Elland Road.

Dest, who can operate in both full-back positions and as a winger, was Ajax’s Talent of the Year in 2020 and also featured in the IFFHS Under-20 Team of the Year alongside the likes of Alphonso Davies, Erling Haaland, Phil Foden and Ansu Fati, so his potential is huge.

Indeed, Barcelona team-mate Dani Alves declared that ‘he has everything to be one of football’s greats’, so if Marsch does have any sway over possibly enticing the 21-year-old to Leeds, he absolutely must utilise it.

In other news, this Leeds man could leave the club after Marsch spoke to him about his behaviour. 

Paddy Kenny has been left gobsmacked by some transfer news he’s heard from Newcastle United involving Kepa Arrizabalaga in the build-up to today’s clash with Tottenham.

The Lowdown: Contemplating loan

As per The Athletic, the St. James’ Park faithful are now contemplating a loan offer for Kepa, as they look to strengthen their options in the goalkeeping department.

[web_stories_embed url=”https://www.footballtransfertavern.com/web-stories/newcastle-news-4/” title=”Newcastle news!” poster=”” width=”360″ height=”600″ align=”none”]

Manchester United shot-stopper Dean Henderson has also featured in early talks ahead of what looks to be a busy summer transfer window in the North East, with Martin Dubravka turning 34 next season and perhaps in need of some serious competition.

The Latest: Kenny reacts

Speaking to Football Insider, former Premier League goalkeeper Kenny has claimed that the Tyenside outfit ‘would be mad’ to sign Kepa, and instead should go for Henderson:

“You would be mad to sign Kepa in my opinion.

“He came with a big price tag but he’s never really shown why he is worth it.

“I lost all respect for him when he wouldn’t come off in the League Cup final.

“That was bang out of order. Chelsea spent all this money on him then they have had to go and buy another goalkeeper.

“Henderson is the one, for me. He’s stuck behind De Gea for the time being and what a prospect Newcastle is now.

“Henderson has his whole career ahead of him and I’m sure a move up to Newcastle would interest him.

“He’s a future England number one so for me it would be a great move.”

The Verdict: Henderson over Kepa

If the Magpies were to go for one of the goalkeepers in the summer, we feel they should indeed look to sign Henderson over Kepa.

As Kenny mentions, the latter comes with some baggage, after being fined £190,000 for refusing to come off of the pitch during the 2019 Carabao Cup final against Manchester City.

Of course, Chelsea spent a world-record £71m fee for a ‘keeper when they signed him back in 2018, but he has been displaced by Edouard Mendy as the number one choice at Stamford Bridge.

As such, that price tag now looks to be a big waste of money.

As for Henderson, once described as ‘insane‘ and ‘exceptional‘ by former Sheffield United teammate Sander Berge, he could be the heir to Dubravka, and in a World Cup year, he will no doubt be desperate for game time so that he can impress England manager Gareth Southgate.

In other news, find out which former Sunderland man NUFC have now ‘agreed’ to sign here!