Man City fans flock to Dusan Vlahovic claim

Flocking to Twitter, a number of Manchester City fans have raved over a fresh transfer claim involving Fiorentina striker Dusan Vlahovic.

It is no secret that City’s sporting director Txiki Begiristain set his sights on signing a centre-forward in the summer transfer window, coming up short in reported attempts to bag Harry Kane and Cristiano Ronaldo. Borussia Dortmund’s Erling Haaland was also linked with the Premier League champions earlier in the year and that seemingly remains the case.

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

After the departure of club legend and Premier League icon Sergio Aguero, Pep Guardiola’s side are left with just one natural senior striking option in Gabriel Jesus, although the Brazilian has often been deployed out wide this season.

Makeshift options like Ferran Torres and Raheem Sterling are at Guardiola’s disposal as well as promising youngsters like Liam Delap, or he may even revert to the false nine system which brought City so much joy last season. However, that hasn’t stopped City, and by extension Begiristain, from looking at future options.

As reported by La Nazione (via Sport Witness), the agents of Vlahovic have a ‘super offer’ from City in their hands said to include a €6m (£5.09m) salary per season for the player. It is said that this offer is tempting and that City are now the favourites for his signature ahead of ‘second line’ Atletico Madrid.

Flocking to his claim, many Sky Blues supporters have erupted in excitement – check out some of the best reactions from Twitter below.

Man City fans flock to Vlahovic claim…

“LET’S GOOOO”

Credit: @Kushagra9320

“Finally getting a striker”

Credit: @Nathan3ii

“OH MY”

Credit: @mcfckacper

“This is my top target for City. Harry Kane is a waste of our negotiating energy. Haaland’s agent will make next summer miserable. Go get a target. Wrap it up before preseason, let’s play football.”

Credit: @skramerwrites

“Get it done”

Credit: @Remysenpaii

“yes please”

Credit: @MCFCYoungboy

“Praying”

Credit: @BernardoTouch

“Sign him and Haaland, c’mon”

Credit: @Daniiiily

In other news: ‘Yessss’, ‘Actually crazy’, ‘Genuinely insane’…these Man City fans go wild as ‘huge’ news drops, find out more here.

Tottenham eye Graham Potter

According to The Sunday Mirror (10/10; page 71), via The Boot Room, Nuno Espirito Santo’s spell at Tottenham is already in heavy danger, with Daniel Levy prepared to pay the £15m compensation package needed to hire Graham Potter.

The Lowdown: Nuno under pressure

Nuno was hired to replace Jose Mourinho as the next permanent Spurs manager in the summer, but things have not gone too well for him so far.

After winning each of his first three Premier League games 1-0, Spurs have won just two of their seven matches since then, including a 3-1 loss to Arsenal in the north London derby (Sky Sports).

The Latest: Levy eyes Potter

As per this latest report, Levy already has a replacement lined up for Nuno if the two go their separate ways.

The Spurs chairman will move to try and take Potter to the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium and is prepared to pay £15m in compensation to prise him away from Brighton, who are concerned that an approach from the north Londoners is inevitable.

The Verdict: Right target

Given the job Potter is doing on the south coast, it is not hard to see why Levy is interested in the 46-year-old. So far this season, Brighton have won six of their nine matches, which works out a win percentage of 67%, and have lost just once. The Seagulls duly sit in a very respectable sixth place in the Premier League.

£15m is a large fee, of course, but having the right manager is just as important, if not more so, than the players in his charge. Potter has earned the right to move to a club with larger chances of success and bigger budgets, although it is not sure whether he would be eager to make the move.

In other news, Jose Mourinho’s stance on this Spurs player has been praised

Wolves fans love tweet after Villa Park win

A number of Wolves supporters have erupted with glee in response to a post on the club’s official Twitter channel following the incredible 3-2 win at Aston Villa yesterday.

Bruno Lage’s side enjoyed one of their most memorable Premier League victories of all time on Saturday afternoon as they made a dramatic return to action following the international break.

It looked as though Wolves were going to suffer a disappointing defeat for much of the game, with Villa leading 2-0 late on.

However, the visitors produced a remarkable comeback, with goals from Romain Saiss, Conor Coady and Ruben Neves completing a stunning turnaround in the final 10 minutes.

After the game, Wolves’ official Twitter channel posted a brilliant photo of the celebrations after the Portugal midfielder’s winner, the image captioned with the word ‘iconic’.

Wolves fans love club tweet

Needless to say, lots of Wolves fans lapped it up, taking to Twitter to hail an “unbelievable” afternoon.

“Inject this shot all day long”

Credit: @OllieCaines

“What a photo!”

Credit: @nigelsutherland

“How can anyone not love football”

Credit: @SophieLloyd0

“Love this”

Credit: @OttoTheWise

“Oooooooo babyyyyyyyyyyyy”

Credit: @TomTonks

“Unbelievable!!!”

Credit: @tson0803x

In other news, some Wolves fans were left stunned by one player’s piece of brilliance. Read more here.

West Ham face competition for Paul Onuachu

West Ham face intense competition for one of their mooted transfer targets, and as a result, it could hand new head of recruitment Rob Newman his first disaster in east London…

What’s the word?

According to Sport Mediaset (via Sport Witness), the Irons’ top-flight rivals Southampton are the latest club to be linked with a move for Genk striker Paul Onuachu, joining the likes of Arsenal, Inter Milan and Atletico Madrid in the long list of potential suitors.

Interestingly, West Ham face the Belgian outfit in the Europa League later this week, so Newman and manager David Moyes will see firsthand the threat the 6 foot 7 giant can pose.

Just last month, Sport/Voetbal magazine journalist Peter t’Kint claimed that a good performance from the Nigeria international would practically seal his move to the London Stadium, but going by these latest developments, there are plenty of other teams now keen on him.

It’s thought that Genk would like around €26m (£22m) for his signature.

January disaster?

With so many clubs seemingly keen on the 27-year-old talisman, the Hammers may find it a hard task to seal any move, particularly amid interest from Atletico and Inter, who can offer Champions League football.

It would therefore be wise for Newman and the club’s recruitment team to act fast if they are to stand a chance at sealing Onuachu – and they should very much want to do so, given his goalscoring record.

During the 2020/21 campaign, the £19.8m-rated colossus scored 35 times and he has continued that lucrative form into the current season, where he has bagged 11 goals in just 14 appearances, as per Transfermarkt. In total, he has bagged 56 goals in just 84 games for the Belgian giants.

Onuachu has been described as a “goal king” by former Wimbledon star John Fashanu, whilst his towering presence makes him “impossible to stop,” according to his one-time FC Midtjylland teammate Alexander Scholz.

It was already a major risk to not sign another forward during the summer, so it would be inexcusable to not land one in January.

West Ham currently remain in all domestic cup competitions and are looking more than likely to advance in the Europa League, so their fixture list is going to remain hectic well into 2022.

With just one senior striker in 31-year-old Michail Antonio, who has dealt with plenty of injury problems over recent seasons, it’s a worrying prospect.

A move for the Genk sensation would not only provide much-needed cover for the Hammers talisman but could also offer a new threat, given his aerial qualities.

Newman must look to win the tussle for Onuachu, as otherwise he faces the prospect of making his first mistake at the London Stadium.

AND in other news, Moyes could save West Ham millions with 17 y/o gem who “could be the next Declan Rice”…

Newcastle keeping tabs on van de Beek

An update has emerged on Manchester United midfield Donny van de Beek, regarding Newcastle’s interest in his services.

What’s the talk?

According to The Metro, the Magpies are one of three teams tracking his situation at Old Trafford, with Everton and Juventus also keeping tabs on him.

The report claims that the Red Devils are open to letting the £35m midfielder leave in January and are willing to sanction a loan or permanent switch.

Unlock Willock

Newcastle’s owners, PIF, could pull off a masterstroke by signing van de Beek from Manchester United as it could help to unlock the goalscoring talents of Joe Willock.

The club’s only senior addition in the summer was the signing of Willock on a permanent deal from Arsenal for a reported fee of £26.46m. This came after he scored a sensational eight goals in 11 Premier League starts for the Magpies on loan in the second half of the 2020/21 campaign.

Instead of continuing his fine form, the ex-Gunner has failed to score in eight league matches for Newcastle and nine games in all competitions. He has been unable to reach his previous goalscoring heights and that is why the signing of van de Beek could be crucial.

Last season, United legend Rio Ferdinand claimed that he has the ability to help other players shine. He told BT Sport (via Tribal Football):

“I think he is the one player in this squad who is happy playing one-touch, two-touch, keeping it simple… sacrificing parts of his game to help other people flourish.

“In any great team you need players like that and he’s one player who will make other players tick, and make them play better.”

This suggests that signing the £100k-per-week beast could allow Willock to thrive in midfield alongside him and return to his goalscoring best.

Van de Beek recorded 19 assists in his final two seasons for Ajax and his unselfish play in the midfield could unlock the English youngster and end up forming a formidable partnership for the Magpies in the middle of the park.

Therefore, PIF must ensure that they are able to get a deal over the line for the Dutchman in January.

A loan with an option to sign him permanently in the summer could be an ideal move, with Newcastle able to see if he can help Willock flourish whilst also catching the eye himself in the top-flight before committing to a permanent switch.

AND in other news, Bruce’s legacy: “Immense” NUFC dynamo has seen his value plummet £9.9m in two years…

Man Utd should consider Zidane appointment

Manchester United are currently meandering towards a state of decline and despair after two-and-a-half years of progress under the tutelage of Ole Gunnar Solskjaer.

The Norwegian tactician has done a huge amount of good work during his time in the Old Trafford dugout and has brought the club to within touching distance of its former glory.

But the phrase ‘so close yet so far’ couldn’t be more apt for the current state of affairs in the red half of Manchester.

A successful mass overhaul of the first-team squad, consecutive top-four finishes for the first time since Sir Alex Ferguson retired and the re-sowing of United’s DNA throughout the club are all tangible marks of Solskjaer’s success.

However, a second-place Premier League finish and a Europa League runners-up medal is all the 48-year-old has to show for his efforts so far.

This season was meant to be different, though. The 2021/22 campaign was meant to be where the excuses stopped, the re-building process ended and the major trophies started to return.

Yet it hasn’t worked out that way in the early stages of the season. In fact, things have gotten considerably worse for Solskjaer and United.

Bar an impressive showing in the curtain-raiser encounter against Leeds United, the Red Devils have failed to put in a convincing display in any of their subsequent fixtures, losing five games in all competitions by the end of October.

Ronaldo’s summer arrival has arguably brought as many questions as solutions, and the Scandinavian at the helm appears incapable of finding the remedy. But one man who may have the answers is Zinedine Zidane.

The former Real Madrid boss was rarely considered for a job in England as it was believed he was holding out for the role of France’s national team manager or Paris Saint-Germain as he looked to return to his homeland.

However, El Espanol (as relayed by The Express), recently reported that Zidane turned down the role of Newcastle United manager as he was waiting for either the Manchester United role or the two aforementioned jobs.

Over his two spells with Los Blancos, the Frenchman won an astonishing three Champions League crowns, two La Liga titles, two Copa del Reys, two FIFA Club World Cups and two UEFA Super Cups.

The 49-year-old’s astounding achievements with Madrid earned praise from several plaudits, including for United and England defender Rio Ferdinand.

“The guy has incredible ability,” Ferdinand said. “He’s done it in a short time. He’s come in and collected trophy after trophy. Three Champions League titles as a coach? He’s phenomenal.

“He doesn’t have much to say, but he’s never had much to say as a player. He lets his football speak, and he’s doing the same as a coach.”

BT Sport pundit Steve McManaman was similarly effusive in his praise, saying: “He’s done an incredible job,” he said. “If he were any other coach, we’d be exhausted from applauding him.

“The fact that he’s so great, the fact he doesn’t want applause, the fact he’s nice and laid-back, people don’t think he’s a tactical genius, but he really is.”

Although some critics are yet to be convinced over Zidane’s credentials, his CV speaks for itself, and with bags of experience winning football’s most coveted prizes with a team full of superstars, United’s owners must consider his appointment if Solskjaer can’t turn things around in the weeks ahead. He stands a wonderful chance of getting Old Trafford rocking agin.

And, in other news…Man Utd suffer big injury blow ahead of Man City, Ole will be absolutely devastated

Kyogo is closing in on Larsson’s record

Upon his £4.6m arrival at Celtic this summer, fans of the Bhoys would be forgiven if they were not fully aware of exactly who Kyogo Furuhashi was, let alone knowing whether or not the 26-year-old was a good signing for the Hoops.

However, having previously managed in the J League, one man who certainly was aware of the ability the centre-forward possesses was Celtic boss Ange Postecoglou, who stated upon the Japan international’s signing: “He is a player of real quality and clearly someone I know well. I think he will add something special to our squad and I am sure the way he plays will excite our supporters.”

And, the 56-year-old’s prediction that Kyogo would excite fans has already proven to be something of an understatement, as the striker has turned in exceptional display after exceptional display over his short time in Glasgow.

Indeed, over his 10 Scottish Premiership appearances this season, the £1.8m-rated man has already scored seven goals, registered two assists and created one big chance for his teammates, as well as taking an average of 2.1 shots and making one key pass per game.

These returns have seen the man who John Hartson dubbed a “menace” average a SofaScore match rating of 7.16, ranking him as Postecoglou’s eighth-best performer in the Scottish top flight.

However, it has not only been in the league in which Kyogo has been in devastating form, with the striker scoring a further three goals in Europa League qualifying, bagging two goals and one assist in the Europa League proper and one goal in the Scottish League Cup – taking his total haul so far this season to 13 goals and three assists in just 18 games played.

This means that, over his 18 fixtures in a Celtic shirt, the Japanese forward has registered an outrageous 0.89 goal contributions per game – something that would very much lend weight to the argument that the 26-year-old could be Henrik Larsson’s heir apparent at Parkhead.

Indeed, between the years of 2000-2004, the Celtic legend registered an astonishing 1.30 goal contributions per game, something that has written the man who scored 242 goals for the Bhoys into the club’s history books.

So, while Kyogo is still a little way short of Larsson’s record at present, the season is still extremely young, and, as the striker becomes more settled under Ange Postecoglou, we would not bet against him going on to match, or perhaps even better, the now-50-year-old’s returns come the end of the season.

In other news: Journalist drops exciting claim on “dream” Celtic transfer that’ll have fans buzzing

Spurs in pole position for Dejan Kulusevski

As per Tuttosport, via Sport Witness, there has been another update on Tottenham Hotspur’s pursuit of Juventus attacker Dejan Kulusevski.

The Lowdown: Paratici and Conte enter race…

Recent reports from Italy claimed that the Sweden international has been added to Spurs’ ever-growing list of Serie A targets. Indeed, as explained by TUTTOmercatoWEB, both Conte and Paratici admire the player a lot and see him as a gem with enormous potential – making Spurs a ‘credible candidate’ for his signature.

Taking to Twitter recently, reporter Daniele Longo also claimed that contacts are ‘in progress’ between Juve and Spurs. In another promising claim, the paper edition of Tuttosport said that Tottenham are very much in contention.

The Latest: Spurs ‘in first place’…

As per their sources, via Sport Witness, Tottenham are ‘in first place’ as they enter the race to sign Kulusevski amid his lack of game-time in Turin. They claimed that both Conte and Paratici adore the 21-year-old, and while they face stiff competition, it is believed that Spurs are the favourites in the transfer race as things stand.

It won’t be cheap to bring him to north London, though, as the Bianconeri apparently value Kulusevski at around €40m (£34.1m).

The Verdict: Gamble?

Despite primarily playing on the wing, Juventus’ talented ace can actually be utilised in the number 8 and number 10 roles according to a detailed scout report by Outside of the Boot. This could make him a far more viable transfer target for Spurs given they have still yet to replace the influence of former star Christian Eriksen.

Lauded as ‘incredible’ by Portuguese footballing veteran Bruno Alves, Kulusevski may well come as an outside contender to finally fill the void left by Eriksen’s departure.

Over his best Italian top flight season back in 2019/20 for Parma, the maestro averaged a very impressive 2.2 key passes and 2.1 completed dribbles per 90 – similar numbers to what the Danish playmaker managed during his best years in north London (WhoScored).

However, his relative inexperience at the top level, having just emerged over the past two seasons, could count against him in that regard, and £34.1m is a large gamble to bet on.

In other news: Spurs now close to signing ‘monster’ as Conte seeks to solve major problem, find out more here.

Spurs: Romano drops huge Dele Alli claim

Antonio Conte is said to be a huge admirer of struggling Tottenham Hotspur midfielder Dele Alli, who could be in line for a career revival in north London…

What’s been said?

That’s according to Italian journalist and transfer expert Fabrizio Romano, who dropped the intriguing claim on Rio Ferdinand’s ‘FIVE’ podcast this week.

“Talking about managers [and] the impact at Antonio Conte at Tottenham. I am told from sources close to the club that he wants to give big chances to Dele Alli, this is the idea of Antonio,” he revealed.

“We know Alli didn’t have his best time last year but Conte is convinced that Alli is a player for a top club, and he wants Dele to show his skills with a different attitude and a different attitude in the club.”

Only last month, The Athletic reported that the Lilywhites’ hierarchy was finally prepared to give up on the 25-year-old heading into the January transfer window, although that was under the stewardship of former Spurs manager Nuno Santo, who froze him out after the north London derby defeat.

On the chalkboard

This is certainly an interesting claim from Romano, and many supporters around N17 will undoubtedly be left excited by it given the Englishman’s history at the club. However, where Alli fits in Conte’s system right now is anyone’s guess.

The Italian tactician has so far deployed a 3-4-3 formation in both of his opening two games in charge, with Heung-min Son and Lucas Moura occupying the half-spaces and Sergio Reguilon and Emerson Royal bombing down the wings out wide.

[snack-amp-story url = “https://www.footballfancast.com/web-stories/spurs-latest-news-updates-transfers-antonio-conte-thfc” title=”Read the latest Spurs news, transfer updates and much, much more!”]

Alli is not a winger and he certainly isn’t a wing-back, nor is he a deep central midfielder, so he currently has no place in the side.

A switch to a 3-4-1-2, which is expected according to some reports, could accommodate him as a no.10, but you’d imagine that Tanguy Ndombele would be preferred right now.

Of Alli’s 263 appearances in a Lilywhites shirt, 200 have come in attacking midfield, which only goes to show where previous managers think his best position lies.

Therefore, if Conte truly wants to give the 25-year-old a ‘big chance’, then he may well need to tailor a system to fit him in, and having only provided three goals and five assists since the start of the 2020/21 season, that may not be a risk worth taking.

Once dubbed a “freak of a talent” by Spurs legend Darren Anderton following an 18-goal and seven-assist Premier League campaign in 2016/17, it will certainly be intriguing to see how the 52-year-old utilises the much-maligned sensation this season – only time will tell.

AND in other news, Conte could recall “perfect” £18m-rated Spurs star who was frozen out by Nuno and Jose…

Ange can save millions with Oluwayemi

Things very much look as if they are on the up for Celtic at present, with the Bhoys remaining undefeated over their last nine fixtures in all competitions, qualifying for the final of the Scottish League Cup and closing the gap on the current Scottish Premiership leaders to just four points.

However, despite the positives, there is still undoubtedly a great deal of work that Ange Postecoglou needs to do in the upcoming January transfer window if he is to keep Celtic firing on as many fronts as possible this season.

And, while Joe Hart has become the Hoops’ undisputed number one since joining from Tottenham Hotspur this summer, there is undeniably a significant lack of quality in depth behind the 34-year-old shot-stopper, with the prospect of the former England international picking up an injury being dubbed a “nightmare” scenario by Chris Sutton.

However, before splashing the cash on a new signing between the sticks in January, perhaps it would be wise for Postecoglou to take a closer look at one of Celtic’s up and coming youth products in the position – in the shape of 18-year-old Tobi Oluwayemi.

Oluwayemi can save Celtic millions

Having been selected ahead of Vasilis Barkas as part of Postecoglou’s matchday squad for the Bhoys’ 3-2 Europa League win over Ferencvarosi TC at the start of the month, it is evident that there are high expectations for Oluwayemi at Parkhead.

Indeed, the teenager has been impressing for Celtic’s B team in the Lowland League this season, with the reserve side’s coach, Darren O’Dea, stating upon the 18-year-old’s call up to the England U19 international squad: “We’re going to miss him for a couple of games but that’s a success. We thought he would be involved with the U19s team and then the added surprise of being involved with the first team is fantastic. It’s why we’re here, it’s why he’s here.”

Furthermore, Postecoglou is also known to be a personal fan of the former Spurs youngster, something which is largely down to the goalkeeper’s excellent ability with the ball at his feet – a crucial and perfect trait for a shot-stopper to possess in order for the 56-year-old manager to implement his particular brand of football efficiently.

And, with reports suggesting that Barkas could be on his way out of Parkhead in January, there would very much appear to be a space that requires filling in Celtic’s first-team squad for the second half of the campaign, a slot which Postecoglou could save Celtic millions of pounds in transfer fees on if he decides to place his trust in the teenager O’Dea dubbed a “really good” talent.

In other news: Huge blow: Celtic dealt injury setback ahead of Bayer clash, fans will be fuming

Game
Register
Service
Bonus