All posts by z3u9t.icu

West Brom were relegated back into the Championship last season as they were unable to retain their Premier League status. It was a disappointing year which saw them finish 19th, 13 points off safety.

The Baggies were second in the Championship in the 2019/20 campaign. It is a division they know very well. This time the club will be hoping they can claim the title as well as promotion back into the lucrative land of the Premier League.

The Midlands club have made a positive start to their season. They have won seven of their opening 13 matches, which leaves them second in the standings, behind only Bournemouth. West Brom have English Championship betting odds of 17/10 for the title. They are odds-on at 2/5 in the promotion betting, such is the confidence behind them.

Valerien Ismael’s side have lost just two games so far through the opening three months of the Championship season. They lost 0-1 to Stoke in a tight Midlands derby, while more recently they were defeated by Swansea City.

Summer Signings Have Bolstered The Squad

West Brom did some smart business during the summer and they have added players who have not only strengthened the squad, they have also added depth in all areas. Alex Mowatt was one of their new additions. He arrived on a free transfer from Barnsley to hook up with his former head coach again.

Mowatt has been impressive for the Baggies, scoring three goals in the league. He has scored two fantastic goals, both of which could be contenders for the goal of the season. Those strikes came from outside the box and have been on the volley. They are a great example of how technically gifted the midfielder is.

Another notable signing for the Baggies came through the loan market. They signed Norwich’s Jordan Hugill until the end of the season. The forward played an instrumental role in helping Norwich win the Championship title last year. He played 31 games for the Canaries during their promotion campaign.

Goals Spread Amongst Team

Unlike some of their promotion rivals, West Brom have shared the goals amongst their squad so far this season. This means they are not reliant on one player. Karlan Grant leads the way with six Championship goals. He is a striker who is proven in this division as the last time he played in the second tier, he scored 19 goals for Huddersfield.

Callum Robinson and Matt Phillips have both had good starts to the season. They have supported Grant well, operating as a front three in many games. Both players have lots of experience of playing in the Premier League so should find this level much easier.

At the other end of the pitch, West Brom did well to retain goalkeeper Sam Johnstone over the summer. He was their Player of the Year last season. If they can make a quick return to the Premier League, he will get to prove himself again as one of the best ‘keepers in England.

Promotion is the minimum aim for West Brom this season but if they can do it as the champions this time, it will be the cherry on the cake at the end of the campaign.

According to a report by Centotrentuno (via Sport Witness), Cagliari midfielder Nahitan Nandez is now ‘at the top of [Fabio] Paratici’s wishlist’ and it is believed the player is now open to joining Tottenham Hotspur.

The Lowdown: Spurs in Nandez chase…

There have been no shortage of claims over the past week linking Tottenham with a swoop for the Uruguay international.

Fabrizio Romano and Sky Sports are just two reliable sources who say Spurs are indeed eyeing a swoop for Nandez as they make an approach to Calgliari.

Meanwhile, Calciomercato state that Paratici has even made an offer to sign him on loan with an obligation to buy – an operation totalling around €30 million (£25.5m).

Now, another claim from Italy has emerged with Paratici now seemingly pinpointing Nandez as a priority target.

The Latest: Nandez ‘top of Paratici’s wish list’…

As per Centorentuno (via Sport Witness), the Italian transfer chief has placed Nandez at the top of his wishlist this summer and a Tottenham bid could come soon.

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Spurs are apparently very keen on signing the 25-year-old this summer and ‘confirmations from London are constant’ over the player.

It is said that the Lilywhites are ‘attracted by the versatility and characteristics’ of Nandez that ‘perfectly match the style of the team’.

In another enticing claim, Centorentuno believe that the midfield ace ‘would like’ Spurs as a viable destination and wouldn’t say no to a move.

The Verdict: Get it done…

The 41-cap star could certainly come as a real bargain for Spurs and Paratici, especially considering he can also play as a right-wing back and solve their lack of depth defensively on that side.

This report claims Spurs could seal a move to sign Nandez for just a paid loan of €10 million (£8.5m) with a future fee of €15-20 million (£12.7m-£17m) – arguably pocket change for a player who has been called ‘powerful’ and a ‘machine’ by Serie A critics (Conor Clancy to This is Futbol).

At just 25, Nandez also holds the potential for plenty of sell-on value in years to come.

In other news: Nuno U-turn: Spurs pull plug on move away for player as source shares news, find out more here.

Tottenham Hotspur centre-back Joe Rodon is attracting increasing interest ahead of the January transfer window.

What’s the talk?

According to a number of reports (via One Football), the 24-year-old defender is being monitored by both West Ham United and Newcastle United ahead of a potential swoop for the Wales international in the winter market.

An earlier report by Football Insider claimed that a Spurs source had revealed the centre-back “100%” wants to secure a move away from the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium in January, after Antonio Conte informed the defender that he views him as backup to Eric Dier in the club’s defensive pecking order.

Paratici heading for disaster

While Rodon has been a bit-part player for Spurs since his £11m move to North London – starting just 13 games for the club thus far – it is undeniable that the Welshman is a player who possesses the traits to become an extremely important part of Antonio Conte’s side.

Indeed, despite only featuring in 12 Premier League fixtures last season, the £17m-rated man nevertheless impressed, helping his side keep two clean sheets, as well as making an average of 1.8 interceptions – the most of any Spurs player – 1.2 tackles, 31.5 passes and winning 73% of his duels per game.

These returns saw the player who BBC reporter Rob Phillips dubbed a “colossal” talent earn a seasonal SofaScore match rating of 6.97, ranking him as the club’s seventh-best player in the league, as well as their second-best performing centre-back behind Toby Alderweireld.

So, Rodon’s efficiency in passing, interceptions and tackles would appear to make him a fantastic candidate for a starting role in Conte’s back three, leading us to believe that, should Fabio Paratici go on to sanction the departure of the centre-back in the upcoming January transfer window, it would undoubtedly be something of a disaster on the part of the managing director.

In other news: Paratici must seal Spurs swoop for £287k-p/w “phenomenon” who’s “better than Mbappe”

Reports have suggested that Leeds United star Kalvin Phillips could favour a move to Liverpool instead of Manchester United, due to the Whites’ rivalry with the latter club.

The Lowdown: Phillips on the move?

The 25-year-old has matured into one of the most influential midfielders in the country, not only thriving for Leeds but also winning England’s Player of the Year award and playing a central role in their run to the final of Euro 2020.

Phillips’ quality, couple with the Whites’ struggles so far this season, may suggest that his head could potentially be turned by a move at the end of the campaign.

The Leeds midfielder has been tipped to join Liverpool in the past, and a fresh rumour has now emerged regarding the situation.

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The Latest: Liverpool over United?

According to The Daily Star, Phillips believes that a mooted £60m move to Manchester United would leave too much bad blood at Leeds, considering the dislike that both clubs have for one another.

It is mentioned that Liverpool could duly be viewed as a better option, with the midfielder potentially joining the Jurgen Klopp revolution at Anfield.

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The Verdict: Hard to keep him

While it is painful for any Leeds fan to accept the idea of Phillips wanting to move on – England manager Gareth Southgate has hailed him as ‘magnificent’ – he may feel that he has come as far as he can at Elland Road.

His loyalty cannot be questioned and it wouldn’t be a massive shock if he saw out his contract until 2024 out of respect for the Whites, but it feels most likely that he will move elsewhere soon.

Having acquitted himself so well on the big stage for England during the summer, Phillips belongs at a Champions League-playing club in order to go up another gear. Liverpool would be ideal, with their pressing and possession-based game perfect for the Leeds hero, who is averaging an 83.7% pass completion rate and 2.6 tackles per game in the league this season.

In other news, another Leeds player has been tipped to join Liverpool. Find out who it is here.

Leeds United are interested in Rangers midfielder Glen Kamara this summer, according to Give Me Sport.

The Lowdown: Kamara profiled

Kamara has been with Rangers since 2019 and has made over 100 appearances for the club, 51 of which came last season.

The 25-year-old, who Neil McCann described as ‘lightning-quick’, is under contract at Ibrox until 2023.

He played at Euro 2020 for Finland over the summer and the defensive midfielder, who can also play in a central role, appears to be on Leeds’ radar.

The Latest: Leeds’ interest

According to Give Me Sport, who shared a story on Monday evening, Leeds are keen on deals for both Kamara and long-term target Ryan Kent.

The report claims the Whites are considering moves for the pair as they chase European qualification this season.

Huddersfield’s Lewis O’Brien and Manchester City’s Yangel Herrera are two central midfielders linked with a move to Elland Road recently, but it seems as if Kamara could be on the club’s list as well.

The Verdict: Sign

With Kamara capable of playing in a defensive and box-to-box role, he could be a perfect addition at Elland Road.

He is at the very top of his game, with his Transfermarkt valuation standing at a career-high £5.4m.

A central midfielder is a “priority” (Phil Hay) to strengthen Marcelo Bielsa’s squad, and Kamara can also cover Kalvin Phillips in front of the back four when required.

His versatility as a number six or number eight could work well in Yorkshire, so it’ll be interesting to see if Leeds firm up their reported interest with an official offer soon.

In other news: ‘We have been in contact with Leeds’ – Source drops big update involving ‘integral’ 25-goal ace. 

Crystal Palace have interviewed Swansea City manager Steve Cooper and are split on whether to offer him the Selhurst Park job.

And, as to be expected, a number of Palace fans have been giving their thoughts on the off-field development on social media.

According to Football Insider, who were informed by a source, the Eagles board were impressed with the 41-year-old.

However, the report adds that the Palace hierarchy are 50/50 on whether to hand the Welshman the job. Some believe he is the perfect man to take over from Roy Hodgson, however, others want a boss with Premier League experience.

Cooper has been at the Liberty Stadium since 2019 and has taken charge of over 100 games as Swansea boss, leading them to the Championship playoff final last year.

Palace fans react

@CPFCtransfersHQ shared the news on Cooper on Wednesday evening. This is what these Eagles supporters had to say in reply, with a number of fans against a deal for the Swansea boss.

“Please no anyone but him”Credit: @erictwigs”NO PLEASE NO”Credit: @Thomas01568186″Why are we going for him for why?”Credit: @cpfcjj89″Ygxchjjfdmjjcxsawhkm CXXKKZSSZ JUST DO SOMETHING PALACE”Credit: @TheEagleDC”Hopefully we never get linked with wasteman like this ever again now the penny’s dropped parish has realised there’s far better out there like Favre.”Credit: @JA9baller”Will get a Brentford season ticket if this happens”Credit: @Char_uk1

In other news: 63-year-old another Palace target, fans react, find out more here. 

Many Everton fans have been left buzzing as an update emerged involving Richarlison.

Writing in his latest piece for The Times, Paul Joyce has now revealed that the striker will be exempt from being blocked to play in the Goodison Park faithful’s next game in the Premier League, following an ongoing row with the Brazilian Football Association.

They have asked FIFA to enforce rules preventing eight Brazilian players from five teams in the top flight from playing this weekend, which will also affect the UEFA Champions League fixtures next week.

This marks an increase in tensions between Brazil and those sides who blocked their players from travelling to the country due to concerns over restrictions due to the global pandemic.

Among the clubs most affected are Liverpool, who are now set to be without Alisson, Fabinho or Roberto Firmino against Leeds United, while Rafa Benitez’s team are unaffected due to ‘good relations’ with the federation – Richarlison did his part by playing in both the Copa America and Olympic Games.

Everton fans on Richarlison updateThese Toffees supporters buzzed as the update was shared on Twitter, with some taking joy in mocking their Merseyside neighbours:

“Smell the fuuuuume”

Credit: @Abstrakt_tweets

“We are massive”

Credit: @Owen__EFC

“Yessss, up the corrupt Blues.”

Credit: @Dandan217

“Things you love to see”

Credit: @karlriley_1997

“Cos we’re the super sound Toffees”

Credit: @1986_legend

“Heeeesssss Brazilian …..”

Credit: @ARobbo17

In other news, find out what transfer update has Blues bemoaning here!

Some Liverpool supporters are unhappy that Nat Phillips has signed a new deal with the Reds, with many claiming that it makes no sense.

The 24-year-old became something of a cult hero at Anfield last season, having been thrown into the team by Jurgen Klopp.

A host of long-term injuries to the likes of Virgil van Dijk, Joe Gomez and Joel Matip meant that Phillips was called into action more than expected, but he helped Liverpool finish third in the Premier League.

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With those key centre-backs fit again and Ibrahima Konate signed from RB Leipzig, though, Phillips now finds himself as fifth-choice in his position.

Despite this, Liverpool confirmed on Tuesday [via the club’s official Twitter account] that the Englishman has signed a new long-term deal at Anfield, with no other clubs willing to buy him on transfer deadline day despite him being linked with an exit in recent weeks.

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Liverpool fans unhappy with Phillips update

These Reds fans took to Twitter to show their unhappiness at Phillips being given a new contract amid an absence of new signings on deadline day.

“Love you Nat but this club is gonna throw me off the edge”

Credit: @MoThiagoA6_

“Sorry, what?”

Credit: @dpgingo1

“This club is just laughing at the fans today aren’t they?”

Credit: @jayreid1987

“I’m tired of this club”

Credit: @twlsjf

“Nah I’m speechless”

Credit: @monsutaendo_

“This is the nail in the coffin”

Credit: @fcDavee

In other news, one Liverpool player is set for a deadline day exit – find out who it is here.

Jesse Lingard remains West Ham United’s top priority this summer, according to an ever-reliable source…

What’s the word?

The anonymous but trustworthy ExWHUemployee delivered a fresh update on the situation following a question from one supporter. He said:

“Nope Jesse is still the number one priority.”

In recent weeks, the Irons have been linked to a number of alternative options in the attacking midfield role, ranging from hardly-seen Liverpool star Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain to Aston Villa bound Emi Buendia – even relegated West Brom playmaker Matheus Pereira has been linked.

Furthermore, there have also been reports suggesting that the Europa League clinching Hammers could miss out on signing him due to his £100k-per-week wage demands, which would put him amongst the club’s highest earners.

As evident by the question posed to Ex, it certainly seems that many in East London were getting a little worried over their prospects of clinching the £20m-rated sensation on a permanent deal.

Fans will be buzzing

Given that uncertainty had started to creep in, it’s hugely encouraging to see Ex make this update.

Lingard has been one of David Moyes’ star performers since his arrival in January, so it’s no wonder the 58-year-old and the fans are absolutely desperate to see him join.

As per WhoScored, the Manchester United outcast provided West Ham with nine goals and four assists, which saw him graded as their second-best season across the campaign, with the 28-year-old recording a 7.22.

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He was only beaten on goals by Tomas Soucek and Michail Antonio (ten apiece), whilst it was the Czech monster who topped the rating charts (7.36).

His performances have drawn high praise indeed, with ex-Hammers centre-back Rio Ferdinand describing him as “amazing” whilst talkSPORT pundit Adrian Durham labelled him “absolutely phenomenal.”

Lingard’s form at the London Stadium even earned him a surprise recall to Gareth Southgate’s England squad – that’s how well he has been performing in recent months and whilst he did not make the final 26-man cohort for the Euros, he’ll have been delighted to have been back involved.

That also gives David Sullivan and co a huge boost as they can now begin talks with Lingard far sooner than expected and if Ex is bang on the money – as he often is – then the chances of seeing the attacking midfield dynamo back in the claret and blue seems quite high.

He’s their top target, so now it’s on the club to get this deal over the line.

AND in other news, Moyes eyes West Ham move for £13.5m-rated “absolute disaster”, he’d be shades of Nasri…

An update has emerged on Newcastle United and their interest in midfield gem Pierre-Emile Hojbjerg.

What’s the talk?

According to The Mirror, PIF are planning a bid to sign the Denmark international from Tottenham at the end of the season.

The report claims that they want to add the defensive midfielder to their team as he is high up on their transfer wishlist and are plotting a £30m swoop for his services.

Eddie Howe must get it done

The Magpies head coach must seal a deal for the former Southampton man as he would be a fantastic addition to the squad.

He is not a flashy, skilful, player who will get fans off their seats – like Allan Saint-Maximin – but he can be as important to the team, if not more so. Hojbjerg is a player who can provide a solid base for the attack-minded players to work from and has proven his quality at Premier League level.

Jose Mourinho, who knows a thing or two about winning in England, previously lauded the Dane’s style of play as he said:

“Physically he’s very, very strong and technically he’s much better than people think. Because sometimes people think the guy that is good technically is the guy that does the backheel. The guy that is good technically is the guy that does something wonderful. But these are not my words. These are words from coaches of 30, 40 years ago. Simplicity is genius.

“And the guy is so simple in everything he does with the ball. And I think he’s a phenomenal player. Congratulations, Mr. [Daniel] Levy [Spurs chairman].”

Hojbjerg, who has also been dubbed a “monster” by Morten Bisgaard, has been exceptional in the Premier League this season as he has averaged a superb SofaScore rating of 7.16 for Spurs. The 26-year-old has made an impressive 3.6 tackles and interceptions per game whilst completing 89% of his attempted passes, showing that he is reliable on the ball and excellent at winning possession back for his team.

He has racked up 178 appearances in the top-flight for Southampton and Tottenham combined and this means that he has experience as well as quality. Hojbjerg knows what it takes to perform in the division, as shown by his statistics this season, and he still has room to improve at the age of 26.

This is why he would be an excellent, sensible, addition to bolster Howe’s midfield. The midfield destroyer would be the ideal equaliser to the panache Bruno Guimaraes shows off in the middle of the park, with his simplicity, and the Magpies must now get this deal over the line.

AND in other news, Keith Downie drops exciting £50m Newcastle transfer claim that’ll delight supporters…