All posts by rastrear-estafeta.com

Stuart Taylor has dropped an update on the future of Jamie Hamilton amid the midfielder’s links with a move to Ange Postecoglou’s Celtic side in the January transfer window.

What’s been said?

In recent comments cited by the Daily Record, the Hamilton Academical manager stated his belief that the 19-year-old’s links with a transfer to Celtic this winter are nothing but pub chat in a big twist to their supposed pursuit of the player.

Although he did go on to admit he wouldn’t be surprised if the Bhoys were keeping a very close eye on the centre-back ahead of a potential swoop in the future.

On the Hoops’ reported interest in the youngster, Taylor said: “Nobody has spoken to me directly, but that would be normal. Other clubs don’t always go to the manager. But I’ve certainly not spoken to Allan [Maitland, the club chairman] in the last 24 hours about outgoings.

“I do expect there will be interest in Jamie and I expect there will be interest in a lot of our players, especially the younger ones. But going on websites it’s very easy to punch in names of teams and players, and it goes under the category of what I’d call ‘pub chat’.”

Postecoglou must move

While it would appear from Taylor’s latest comments that Celtic are yet to make an approach for the defender in the January transfer window, considering the sheer amount of potential Hamilton quite clearly possesses, it would appear highly advisable for Postecoglou to do so before another interested party does.

Indeed, despite having only turned 19 last year, the Scotland U21 international has already established himself as a first-team regular at the rather aptly named Fountain of Youth Stadium, making 16 Championship appearances so far this season, in addition to a further four outings in the League Cup.

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

Furthermore, the £360k-rated man highly impressed in the club’s 1-1 draw with Rangers last February, with then-Hamilton manager Brian Rice stating of the centre-back’s display:

“I think you saw in young Jamie Hamilton today. Absolutely outstanding for an 18-year-old, absolutely fantastic. He needs the help of the experienced lads. It’s trying to get the blend right. I think we are nearly there. Jamie has certainly improved with Aaron Martin alongside him, Lee Hodson, talking to him.”

As such, with the likes of Liverpool, Brighton & Hove Albion, Brentford, Newcastle United and Burnley also reported to be interested in the youngster this winter, should Postecoglou wish to give himself the best possible chance of landing Hamilton, he simply must act as quickly as possible – as the 19-year-old will not likely be an Accies player much longer.

In other news: Ange can finally axe “explosive” £12.5k-p/w Celtic flop with Jan swoop for 22 y/o gem

Everton ended their eight-game winless run in dramatic style, securing a 2-1 victory over Arsenal in the Premier League thanks to Demarai Gray’s stunning injury-time strike.

On a miserable night in Merseyside, the visitors took the lead on the stroke of half-time when Martin Odegaard steered home Kieran Tierney’s cross after an uneventful and uninspiring opening 45 minutes.

Things improved in the second period, though. Star striker Richarlison twice had efforts ruled out for marginal offsides before the Brazilian finally levelled things up via a well-taken header.

And under-fire manager Rafa Benitez saw his struggling side secure all three points just minutes before the final whistle blew when Gray rifled home a stunning strike from 20 yards out.

The end result could have been different if Eddie Nketiah hadn’t hit the post with a gilt-edged chance when the scores were level and if substitute Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang had been able to slot home with the final kick of the game.

But, in truth, the Toffees deserved a slice of luck for their battling and determined to display after a torrid run of form in recent weeks.

Despite Gray’s last gasp heroics, it was arguably Richarlison who really stepped up to the plate in what felt like a critical moment in Benitez’s Goodison Park tenure.

As per SofaScore, the 24-year-old received a match rating of 8 out of 10, the highest total awarded to any Everton player that featured on Monday night.

During his time on the pitch, Richarlison won a whopping eight duels, made four key passes to his grateful teammates, completed three of his four attempted dribbles and also pulled his weight defensively, making three tackles.

And Liverpool ECHO journalist Adam Jones was also impressed with the versatile forward’s eye-catching showing.

“Put a lot of effort in and affected the game well, particularly when dropping back in and looking for possession. Finally his goal came and it was well deserved after two unfortunate offside calls,” wrote Jones after awarded him an eight out of 10.

After picking up their first three points since 25 September, Everton and Benitez will be able to breathe a huge sigh of relief after their win over the Gunners, and Richarlison was instrumental in their victory.

And, in other news…“My understanding is”: Alan Myers drops Everton DoF update that’ll have fans intrigued

2022 is nearly here, which means the January transfer window is soon on the horizon.

Tottenham Hotspur have had mixed success in the market, especially during the winter.

Will Antonio Conte get the backing he needs to steer this sinking Spurs ship around? That remains to be seen.

Some of the Lilywhites’ signings over the years have etched their way into folklore, whilst others… the less said, the better. But how many of these obscure signings from yesteryear can you actually name?

If you think you’re a die-hard Spurs fan, old or new, then this quiz will certainly be a tricky test for you.

So sit back, enjoy your Christmas dinner and take on this not-so-very festive transfer quiz from us here at Football FanCast.

There are ten players to get right, so do you know your Grzegorz Rasiak from your Heung-min Son?

We’ll be surprised if you get more than 70%. Go on, give it a go…

Following on from their disappointing 1-0 defeat against Huddersfield Town at the weekend, West Brom are back in Championship action tonight as they take on Blackpool away from home.

On the chalkboard

In terms of which players Baggies boss Valerien Ismael could pick for his starting XI on this occasion, one player that featured at the weekend that should keep their place in the team this time around is Taylor Gardner-Hickman.

During the game against Huddersfield, Gardner-Hickman managed to show Ismael just how much of a useful figure he is for the team in an attacking and defensive sense.

In the full 90 minutes he was on the pitch for, Gardner-Hickman had a total of 93 touches of the ball, completed 34 passes with one of them being a key pass, one of them being an accurate cross and three precise long balls. He also registered two shots at goal, highlighting his attacking intentions and passing range.

As well as this, the 19-year-old did not shirk away from his defensive duties as well having made four tackles, two interceptions and one clearance in the process, ultimately earning himself an overall match rating of 6.8/10 according to SofaScore.

With former West Brom manager Sam Allardyce previously claiming that Gardner-Hickman could become an “important” player for the Midlands club among a number of other young players at West Brom, it seems as though the teenager is proving to Ismael that he is a player that the current manager can rely on this season. That’s perhaps even more so than Darnell Furlong, who came on as a late substitute against Huddersfield but was ultimately unable to secure even a point for the Baggies.

The youngster also managed to impress in West Brom’s recent 1-0 win over Hull City where Birmingham Live said that he “was mostly measured on the ball and made a couple of eye-catching forward passes while possessing plenty of energy.”

Taking all of this into account, Gardner-Hickman’s inclusion in the starting XI tonight would give the Baggies a great chance of securing a positive result with his defensive capabilities giving West Brom some strength at the back as well as his attacking prowess providing the team with some energy going forward to terrify Blackpool, who have scored seven goals less than the Baggies and conceded five more than them.

In other news: Callum Robinson must start against Blackpool

Tottenham insider John Wenham believes that Celtic may only need to pay a maximum of £3m to sign Cameron Carter-Vickers on a permanent basis.

The Lowdown: £10m reports

The American defender made the move to Parkhead in the final hours of the summer transfer window, penning a season-long loan which includes an option to buy.

[web_stories_embed url=”https://www.footballtransfertavern.com/web-stories/celtic-updates-18/” title=”Celtic updates!!” poster=”” width=”360″ height=”600″ align=”none”]

Since his move to Scotland, the centre-back has made 18 appearances in all competitions, becoming a mainstay in Ange Postecoglou’s side.

Rumours emerged earlier this month that a permanent move could end up costing the Hoops £10m due to add-ons, but Wenham has dismissed those reports.

The Latest: Wenham’s comments

Wenham was talking to Football Insider regarding the recent £10m report. He labelled it as ‘ridiculous’, believing that it could instead cost Celtic between £2.5m and £3m to sign Carter-Vickers permanently.

The Spurs insider noted:

“I just cannot see that being the figure.

“I know for a fact Tottenham would have sold him for £2.5million in the summer.

“Tottenham were also happy to sell him for that much in the past. The club is realistic in their valuations. He has 18 months remaining on his deal after January.

“There is no way Tottenham are asking for £10million, that’s ridiculous.

“I reckon it will be between £2.5million or £3million. That £10million figure is totally wide of the mark.”

The Verdict: Great news…

Should Wenham’s claim prove accurate, Celtic would end up getting 70% off the rumoured £10m fee, making it even more of a no-brainer to complete a permanent deal for Carter-Vickers.

Labelled as ‘quick’ by his former Bournemouth boss Jonathan Woodgate, with one-time Parkhead record signing Alan Stubbs also impressed by the American’s pace, the 23-year-old has been praised by Postecoglou during his time at Parkhead and has proven to be a reliable member of the Hoops squad.

He has missed just one game in green and white, partnering the likes of Carl Starfelt, Stephen Welsh and Nir Bitton at centre-back.

On that basis, the Hoops may be wise to look into sealing a £3m move in January, with plans to make Jota’s loan permanent also planned before the end of the season.

In other news: Joseph drops huge transfer update with Celtic now set to make most expensive signing of Ange era

Newcastle United have now been backed to sign Dele Alli by Football Insider pundit Frank McAvennie.

The Lowdown: Alli on Newcastle’s radar

As per Football Insider, the Magpies are already making plans to bring three new faces to the northeast in the January transfer window.

One of those will reportedly be a central midfielder, as a recruitment source told Football Insider that Alli is one player listed for that position.

It remains to be seen whether Tottenham Hotspur would let the 25-year-old go to a Premier League rival, but it looks as if the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia (KSA) consortium will try their best to lure him to Tyneside.

The Latest: McAvennie reacts

Speaking to Football Insider, former Premier League striker McAvennie has urged the Magpies to sign Alli, admitting that it is a move he can see happening. The 61-year-old said:

“I think Dele Alli would be the ideal signing for Newcastle.

“If he went there, there would be nowhere to hide. He would play every game and maybe that pressure would help him find his form.

“He’s not played a minute under Conte so maybe he’s not convinced by him yet.

“Newcastle have this money to spend. Alli might be on his way out.

“If they want Premier League quality players, look no further. He’s brilliant on his day.

“Eddie Howe might have issues with his attitude. But if you can solve those issues, you have one hell of a player on your hands.

“I can see that happening if Alli doesn’t work his way back in at Spurs, which is entirely possible.”

The Verdict: Avoid

Alli is not the player he once was. He was absolutely top-class for Spurs between 2015 and 2018 in particular, when he managed 37 goals and a further 29 assists over three consecutive seasons in the Premier League, but those kind of numbers have since dried up for him (Transfermarkt).

Now he is not played a single minute yet under Antonio Conte.

With players like Allan Saint-Maximin, Miguel Almiron and Joe Willock at Eddie Howe’s disposal, it is unclear how Alli would fit into the Newcastle team, so spending on him in January could turn out to be a real waste of money.

With the likes of Adrien Rabiot and Philippe Coutinho also being linked, there are plenty of other midfield options out there for the Magpies to consider.

In other news, a former EPL goalkeeper has been speaking about this potentially ‘big’ NUFC transfer news

Football is a sport based around constant progression and that means that squads are constantly changing and evolving, and Rangers boss Steven Gerrard has overseen plenty of development on the pitch in his time at Ibrox.

He has brought in the likes of Ryan Kent, Ianis Hagi and Connor Goldson to Ibrox from other teams in the transfer market, but buying ready-made stars is not the only way to go about improving your team. Utilising the academy set-up can be a profitable and worthwhile method of acquiring talented players and Gerrard has been able to bring through young defender Nathan Patterson.

The 20-year-old has emerged as a first-team player over the past 18 months and is currently competing for the first-choice right-back spot with captain James Tavernier.

At the start of the year, Transfermarkt valued him at a measly £225k. This was after he made a couple of cameo appearances in the first-half of the 2020/21 campaign, with Gerrard easing him into the first-team picture slowly.

The Gers coach has been able to pull off a masterclass with the full-back by integrating him into the team bit by bit in 2021. Patterson has now made 20 first-team appearances in the Premiership, cup and Europa League to date and recently started and picked up an assist in a crucial 2-1 win over Hibernian in the Scottish Premiership. This has also led to him being capped five times by Scotland at international level.

Head of academy Craig Mulholland once heaped praise on the young full-back, saying: “Nathan has been fantastic for us this year.

“Again, we started the project five, six, years ago to get a level of player that we felt could go and compete in the Europa League, could go and compete in Old Firm games.

“And if you go and look at Nathan in the last 16 of the Europa League, if you look at him in the Old Firm game, it’s a great example for all the young players in here of what we’re trying to achieve.”

At the time of writing (18/10/2021), Transfermarkt value Patterson at £1.17m. This is a 420% increase from his initial £225k valuation back in January, perfectly illustrating his meteoric rise over the course of the year whilst working with Gerrard at Ibrox.

Therefore, the ex-Liverpool player and coach has pulled off a masterclass with Patterson. He has turned a talented young player into a serious first-team option and someone who could either earn the club a healthy payday, with Manchester United one of the clubs reportedly interested in the 20-year-old.

It is down to the Scottish international to keep working hard and ensure that he is constantly putting pressure on Tavernier. If he can earn a regular starting position in the team then his development could accelerate with the experience gained from minutes week-in-week-out.

AND in other news, Major update emerges on key Rangers figure that’ll leave fans worried…

Everton have had a questionable record in the transfer market in recent years, but director of football Marcel Brands has struck gold on a couple of occasions.

Back in January 2017, the Toffees splashed out £11m to bring in a largely unknown 19-year-old Ademola Lookman from Championship outfit Charlton Athletic.

The pacey winger had made just 49 appearances for his boyhood club when Everton came calling, illustrating the level of risk Brands was taking in sanctioning his signing.

“It feels great to be an Everton player. As soon as I heard about Everton’s interest I knew this would be the right place for me,” Lookman said at his unveiling.

“Everton has a big history, and I was also attracted by the manager. When you look at what he did at Southampton, and what he does with young players in terms of developing them, that was a big attraction.

“It was great playing in the Championship last season and for the last six months in League One, but I feel like I’m ready to make the step up to the Premier League,” he concluded. 

However, things didn’t go to plan for Lookman on Merseyside. The youngster made just four Premier League starts over the following 12 months, finding the back of the net on one occasion before being sent out on loan to RB Leipzig.

Lookman faired much better in Germany, though, bagging five goals and providing four assists in just 11 Bundesliga outings for the Red Bulls, prompting Everton to give him another chance at Goodison Park.

Much was expected of the former England U21 international at the start of the 2018/19 campaign due to his impressive exploits across the continent, but he once again found his playing time restricted upon his return to his homeland.

The versatile forward was awarded just 601 minutes of action throughout the entire season as he came off the bench 18 times in the top-flight, leading to growing frustrations.

Nevertheless, that didn’t stop Leipzig from returning for Lookman the following summer and ended his nightmare spell at Everton by securing a £22.5m deal for the attacker despite his limited game time.

And it’s a deal that’s looked better and better for Everton and Brands ever since. Lookman has scored just five goals and laid on four assists throughout spells with Leipzig, Fulham and Leicester City since the start of 2019/20 as he’s struggled to fulfill his potential.

While at 24, there’s certainly time for him to do just that, it appears the Blues’ hierarchy did well to double their money on a player who is yet to justify such a hefty price tag.

And, in other news…Everton suffer potential injury setback after Doucoure, Benitez surely devastated 

Manchester United have reportedly stepped up their pursuit of former Real Madrid manager Zinedine Zidane as they line up Ole Gunnar Solskjaer’s replacement.

What’s the story?

According to well-known journalist Pedro Almedia, the 49-year-old has entered talks to take charge of the Red Devils, although his preference would be to become an international boss.

He wrote on Instagram: “Talks on between Zinedine #Zidane and Manchester United. Attention. The deal is difficult because the French coach’s preference right now is to coach a national team.”

Man Utd fans will be buzzing

News that Zidane is believed to be in negotiations with the United hierarchy over his potential appointment will leave large sections of the club’s supporters buzzing with excitement.

After two-and-a-half years of progress under Solskjaer, the 20-time English champions have now stagnated under the Norwegian tactician and are in real danger of regressing if things don’t change.

Embarrassing defeats to fierce rivals Liverpool and Manchester City in the Premier League have seen them drop down to sixth position in the table and nine points adrift of league leaders Chelsea.

And things haven’t been much better in the cup competitions. A 1-0 loss to West Ham United saw Solskjaer’s charges exit the Carabao Cup in the third round, while Cristiano Ronaldo’s heroics have single-handedly kept them in the Champions League.

It was meant to be the season that the Old Trafford outfit’s transitional period ended and their dreams of another title became a reality, but the opening weeks of 2021/22 have turned into a nightmare.

Just two clean sheets in their 16 fixtures in all competitions this season highlights their defensive woes, while the lack of a natural holding midfielder has once again been brutally exposed on many occasions.

And Solskjaer appears incapable of providing the solutions to United’s mounting woes.

Therefore, Almedia’s latest revelation regarding Zidane – a tactician who masterminded three consecutive Champions League victories during his time at Madrid – will be warmly welcomed by many fans in the red half of Manchester.

And, in other news…“In the last few hours..” – Journo drops big MUFC manager update, fans surely buzzing

Marcelo Bielsa is weighing up the idea of using Raphinha in a number 10 role for Leeds United moving forward, according to journalist Phil Hay.

The Lowdown: Raphinha shines for Leeds

The Brazilian has been a superb signing for the Whites, joining from Rennes last year and scoring nine goals in 38 appearances to date.

Raphinha has generally shone as a right winger, cutting inside onto his deadly left foot and wreaking havoc with his dribbling quality.

[freshpress-quiz id=“375277″]

The Latest: Number 10 role mooted

It could be that Bielsa looks into using the 24-year-old in a more central number 10 position, however. Speaking in a Q&A for The Athletic on Saturday following Leeds’ 1-0 win at home to Watford, Hay outlined the possibility of Raphinha’s role changing.

When asked by a supporter if Bielsa would try Raphinha in a role behind the centre-forward, the journalist replied:

“I’m told that they have been discussing the possibility of Raphinha as a 10 but it’s not something Bielsa wants to rush into without working on. I can see aspects of Raphinha which would suit 10 although a Bielsa 10 needs to do a lot of defensive work too.”

[web_stories_embed url=”https://www.footballtransfertavern.com/web-stories/latest-leeds-united-news-18/” title=”Latest Leeds United news!” poster=”” width=”360″ height=”600″ align=”none”]

The Verdict: Interesting move by Bielsa

It would be an ultra-attacking move to play Raphinha as a number 10, allowing both Jack Harrison and Dan James to start out wide, forming a speedy three-pronged attack behind Patrick Bamford or Rodrigo.

As Hay hinted, though, the Brazil international would need to produce a strong work ethic to thrive in that position, with Bielsa simply not accepting a luxury player there.

It still feels like Raphinha is best out wide – he has registered nine assists for Leeds – but it would be intriguing to see how he fares more centrally if the manager considers redeploying him.

In other news, one Leeds transfer target has a £10million release clause in his contract. Read more here.