All posts by rastrear-estafeta.com

Frank Lampard has made the best first impression he possibly could at Goodison Park on Saturday leading his Everton side out in a convincing 4-1 win, in the team’s highest-scoring victory of the season so far.

If we take one thing away from Lampard’s approach to setting up his first Everton side, it’s the higher pressing 3-4-3 formation and overwhelmingly offensive play that made the difference in the players, and with that being said, it would be no surprise if the ex-Chelsea boss will want to further strengthen that strategy by adding players in the summer who understand his philosophy.

One player who has been linked to a move to the Toffees in the coming months is Armando Broja, with the Chelsea loanee becoming a hot prospect thanks to his performances for Southampton this season, scoring five top-flight goals.

However, Lampard could have the upper hand on any other club looking to sign the £8.1m-rated star who was hailed “dangerous” by current manager Ralph Hasenhuttl, thanks to their relationship at Chelsea.

Ironically, the 43-year-old Toffees manager gave Broja his senior debut in the Premier League in 2020 against Everton, and with the advantage of working together before, the former midfielder’s appointment has now potentially strengthened the Toffees’ chances of securing his signature in the summer.

Transfer insider, Dean Jones, has also weighed in on the potential move for Broja to work with the midfielder turned manager again, telling GIVEMESPORT:

“Broja, there’s no way Lampard doesn’t come into that conversation straight away. He knows him, think he gave him his debut. If he was genuinely available, Lampard would look in his direction.”

Imagine him & Alli

Despite Everton already having a strong attacking force with the likes of Richarlison, Demarai Gray and Dominic Calvert-Lewin having a huge presence in the team, the potential signing of Broja could be something explored if the club did decide to cash in on Calvert-Lewin this summer, as the 29-year-old forward has been strongly linked with a move to Arsenal for months.

Lampard wasted no time strengthening the creative attributes of the team by signing Dele Alli on Deadline Day, and will surely be hoping to find the perfect match to work with the attacking midfielder in the long term, and Broja could be the answer.

The Saints loanee also offers much more than just goal involvement, with the 6 foot 2 beast using every inch of his stature to impose himself on defenders, winning 47 aerial duels in the opponents half which is the seventh highest in the Premier League this season according to One Versus One.

His height and hunger for goals make him not only the perfect partner for Alli to serve up chances for, but also the perfect young replacement for 6 foot 1 forward, Calvert-Lewin, should he move on in the summer.

In other news: Yerry Mina proves Lampard wrong with outstanding performance

Antonio Conte must consider offloading one of Tottenham Hotspur’s struggling stars this January as he looks to change their fortunes in north London…

January approaching

The winter transfer window will be the first true sign of what the ‘Conte era’ could look like at Spurs as he’ll be able to make some additions of his own and perhaps shift on those that he does not want at the club.

Currently, his 3-4-3 system only accommodates a certain number of players, so some may find themselves frozen out as an unfortunate consequence of the Italian’s tactics.

Furthermore, the north London outfit have to be somewhat realistic, meaning they may well have to sell before they buy, at least if the 52-year-old and sporting director Fabio Paratici are looking at multiple additions.

Someone who could fit the bill as a potential money-spinner is Giovani Lo Celso, who has failed to set the ground alight in over two years at the club.

Lo Celso’s struggles

Indeed, the Argentina international cost a joint-club-record £55m in August 2019, arriving from LaLiga outfit Real Betis and with Christian Eriksen’s contract situation rumbling on in the background, there was huge hope that he would be the natural heir to his playmaking throne.

But that has not been the case, despite glimpses of promise.

Across 79 appearances for Spurs, the £25m-rated attacking midfielder has only provided eight goals and five assists, averaging a direct goal contribution once every 338.5 minutes – or once every six games, as per Transfermarkt.

When your supposed creative influence isn’t delivering in a shorter space of time than every six games, especially when leading the squad for key passes per 90 (2.1) this term, then it’s a problem and it suggests that the player isn’t performing to a good enough standard.

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For comparison, Eriksen managed a goal or assist every 151.6 minutes across six-and-a-half years in N17.

The 25-year-0ld has been a passenger at times, coasting through matches without any sort of involvement, and elements of his game have been woefully poor, such as at set-pieces. It’s been so disappointing that even a social media account highlighting his mistakes has emerged in recent months.

When you consider the amount chairman Daniel Levy paid for him over two years ago and his reported £100k-per-week wages, then the Argentine has cost the club around £850k per appearance, around £5.2m per contribution, and around £8.3m per goal.

It’s hard to argue against him being one of the biggest flops of recent times.

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For instance, Dele Alli often cops a lot of flak and is even thought to be one player that is available for transfer in January, per The Athletic, but he should not be sold over someone like Lo Celso, based on the above evidence.

Even more so as Conte has publicly revealed his admiration for the Englishman, who was frozen out by both Jose Mourinho and Nuno Santo, whilst another former manager, Tim Sherwood, has backed Alli to become the main no.10 under the Italian.

At just 25, Lo Celso could offer some sort of value if there are any interested parties this January and as such, he must be ruthlessly axed by Conte.

AND in other news, Spurs eye “explosive” £34m-rated gem likened to Lampard, he’s way better than Lo Celso…

A number of Liverpool supporters are furious that Mohamed Salah only finished seventh in the Ballon d’Or voting on Monday evening.

The 29-year-old has arguably been the greatest player of the Jurgen Klopp era at Anfield, producing world-class brilliance on a consistent basis.

This season, Salah has been as good as ever, scoring 17 goals already and being called the world’s best player by some.

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From a Liverpool perspective, there was hope that the Egyptian superstar could scoop the prestigious Ballon d’Or on Monday following a memorable year.

As relayed by the club’s official Twitter channel, though, Salah could only finish seventh in the voting, somehow finishing behind sixth-placed Cristiano Ronaldo. The Liverpool star has 18 goal contributions in the Premier League already this term compared to the Manchester United forward’s six, along with netting 15 goals from January to May 2021.

It was Lionel Messi who scooped his seventh Ballon D’Or and the hope is that Salah can take it home this time next year.

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Liverpool fans angry at Salah ranking

These Liverpool fans on Twitter reacted angrily to Salah’s final ranking in the award standings.

“Absolute joke this. If Mo played for Barcelona or Real Madrid he’d be the winner! Sour grapes from the powers that be! Fix! Corrupt! Congratulations though Mo..we love you. You are ours.”

Credit: @Paulieb668

“An absolute disgrace”

Credit: @DoddzyYNWA

“FIFA robbed him, he should have finished ahead of CR7”

Credit: @Tracy_Kesh

“What a joke”

Credit: @emmmmmmmzy

“Best player on the planet rn finishes 7th”

Credit: @Jack8Richards

“Easily the most disrespected player on the planet”

Credit: @Olly_Boulton

In other news, some Liverpool fans are excited about a Reds transfer rumour. Read more here.

An update has emerged on Manchester City winger Cole Palmer, regarding Newcastle’s interest in his services…

What’s the talk?

According to The Athletic, the Magpies have made a loan approach to sign the England under-21 international for the second halff of the campaign.

The report claims that their initial attempts to land him have been knocked back by Pep Guardiola’s side, but does not state whether or not Newcastle will go back in with another effort.

Snap him up

Newcastle boss Eddie Howe must do everything in his power to snap him up by convincing the Premier League champions to send Palmer on loan to St. James’ Park. He could be a terrific addition to the squad who could help them avoid relegation down to the Championship.

The £12k-per-week wing wizard has already played 12 games in the first-team for Manchester City, scoring twice, and has been capped four times by England at under-21 level.

Guardiola was previously effusive in his praise of the young attacker, saying:

“Cole has a special quality in front of the box, a talent that is difficult to find. When he has the ball there, most of the time it ends up in the net. It’s difficult to find that.

“I know how it works with young players. We have to be calm and patient. His position is the second team but at the same time he trains with us and works with our principles. I am happy with the goal. He could have done a few actions a little bit better, but that is normal. It is experience.”

His record at U23 level for City is phenomenal. He has scored 19 goals and provided 10 assists in 27 games, having found the back of the net 20 times – whilst managing eight assists – in 32 matches for the U18s previously.

This, along with his exposure to first-team football under Guardiola, suggests that he could have the quality to provide a lift to the Magpies team. Callum Wilson (six) is the only Newcastle player with more than three Premier League goals and Allan Saint-Maximin (three) is the only player with more than two assists, highlighting the need for more forwards who can contribute at the top end of the pitch.

Therefore, Howe must work hard to change City’s mind and get them to send Palmer to the club on loan. He could come in and offer an added bit of quality in the final third, if he is able to translate even a fraction of the form he has shown for City at youth level into the first team.

AND in other news, Downie shares NUFC update after speaking “to the consortium”, fans will be thrilled…

Marcel Brands should repeat Everton’s success of signing Seamus Coleman for a bargain fee with a move for Crystal Palace’s in-demand Jesurun Rak-Sakyi.

What’s the word?

According to the Daily Mail, Rak-Sakyi is set to leave Selhurst Park at the end of the season after rejecting the offer of a professional contract with the south London side.

The 18-year-old whizkid is highly-rated by talent spotters and regarded as the brightest prospect to emerge in Palace’s academy since Aaron Wan-Bissaka, who sealed a £50m move to Manchester United in 2019 after playing 46 first-team games under Roy Hodgson.

Rak-Sakyi has scouts from a number of clubs on alert after turning in a string of impressive performances in the Eagles’ U18 and U23 squads, where he has excelled in an attacking midfielder role as well as on the wing.

And he looks increasingly likely to leave Crystal Palace this summer after snubbing a two-year pro deal, making his services available for just £150,000 in compensation for his development.

The Bundesliga appears the most probable destination for the teenager as he looks to follow the trend of young English players finding a path into the senior game in Germany, with Borussia Monchengladbach and FC Schalke 04 keen.

Rak-Sakyi also has suitors in Celtic, West Ham United and Everton, but each lag behind their continental opponents after his representatives held ‘very positive’ discussions with some of the youngster’s potential clubs.

He is expected to prioritise a pathway into the first-team over anything else, having grown concerned about what opportunities he will be given should the former Chelsea trainee stay at Crystal Palace.

Should Everton sign him?

Rak-Sakyi is still an unproven talent in the senior game with no appearances outside of the academies of Crystal Palace, Chelsea and Brighton & Hove Albion, but he clearly has a lot of potential as top sides begin to turn their eye to his imminent availability.

Creativity has not been an issue for the 18-year-old in Eagles colours, either, with the Crystal Palace official club website showing he boasts six goals in 11 appearances for the U18s this season and has already struck the back of the net once in three games for the U23s.

The coaching staff at Selhurst Park are also noted to have been impressed with Rak-Sakyi’s technical ability and awareness, as well as his eye for goal, that could now be available for a mere £150,000 as he questions what future lies in store in south London.

Given that doubt and the talks with German sides, Everton’s Director of Football Brands should be doing his utmost to convincingly present the path to the first-team at Goodison Park, as he managed when overseeing Niels Nkounkou’s move from Olympique de Marseille last year.

Everton have previous for signing would-be stars for bargain sum too, having paid Sligo Rovers a mere £60,000 for Coleman in 2009, who has since gone on to captain the Blues and make 340 appearances in all competitions.

It’s too early to say Rak-Sakyi will follow Coleman’s footsteps and one day lead Everton out at the club’s proposed 52,000 capacity new stadium at Bramley-Moore Dock, but it is fair to assume they could regret missing out on seeing what his potential is all about if he goes elsewhere.

AND in other news, Carlo Ancelotti has set his eyes on bringing a £59m flop to Everton…

When Helder Costa completed his switch to Leeds United last summer, Marcelo Bielsa would no doubt have been hoping for some big things from his big-money signing.

With reports claiming that Leeds spent around £16m to sign him on a permanent deal from fellow Premier League side Wolves, it’d be fair to assume that Bielsa would have expected a lot more from one of the club’s most expensive signings in recent memory.

Instead, the 27-year-old has really struggled at Premier League level, managing just two goals in 19 top-flight games for the Yorkshire club, and playing less than 1000 minutes in the competition.

Now, CIES value him at just £6m, less than half of what the Whites actually paid Nuno Espirito Santo’s side to bring him to Elland Road permanently.

His performances this season have really struggled for any kind of consistency, and his recent form has been the perfect snapshot of that – after coming off the bench to score against Arsenal at the Emirates, he popped up with an assist against Southampton a couple of games later. Since then however, he’s delivered nothing, and was promptly dropped from the side by Bielsa for the 2-1 win over Fulham.

And, after a particularly disappointing display against Aston Villa back in late February, former Leeds man Noel Whelan tore into the winger for failing to take his chance.

He said: “Costa was given his opportunity and once again he did not take it. We are talking about a £16m player here who did not effect the game in any way shape or form. He needs to show consistency. You need to make that position your own when your manager puts his trust in you from the start.

“I saw absolutely nothing from him against Aston Villa. Nothing suggested to me that he has given Marcelo Bielsa a headache with that performance.”

Now, reports in recent days and weeks have claimed that Leeds are willing to listen to offers for Costa in this upcoming summer transfer window, with the club having earmarked him as someone who could be sold to raise some funds for improvements elsewhere.

Given how his market value has dropped considerably, it would certainly be a major surprise if Leeds got anywhere near the kind of money that they actually paid to sign him.

It surely has Andrea Radrizzani fuming about Leeds’ blunder to commit to paying such a large chunk of money for Costa in the first place.

Meanwhile, Leeds must unleash this starlet who’s shades of Raphinha…

Liverpool transfer target Kylian Mbappe is still considering his future at Paris Saint-Germain with his contract set to expire in the summer.

What’s the latest?

In an interview with French outlet L’Equipe (via The Liverpool Echo) PSG’s sporting director Leonardo said that Mbappe is “in deep reflection” and “hasn’t made a decision” with regards to his future at the club.

His contract expires in June and he is considered one of the brightest talents around so to lose him on a free transfer would be devastating.

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However, what is PSG’s loss could be Liverpool’s gain with the Reds linked to the Frenchman already with Get French Football News suggesting they are now the ‘most likely’ to acquire his services and turn his head.

Therefore, this new development is hopefully a sign when it comes to their chance of signing him.

A great replacement for Salah

He would be a great replacement for Mohamed Salah whose future at Liverpool is still in doubt with the forward yet to put pen to paper on a new contract at Anfield.

The Egyptian has been Liverpool’s standout player this season and is currently the top scorer in the Premier League with 22 goals. Of course, the Reds will hope that he stays and signs a new deal, but if he doesn’t then Mbappe could be the complete solution.

The World Cup winner’s statistics in Ligue 1 this season are insane. He has played 31 games and directly contributed to 37 goals. Yes, it’s undoubtedly not as tough as the top flight in England, but if he could replicate close to that in a Liverpool shirt then they wouldn’t miss Salah at all.

He’s been described as a “baller” by outlet Goal and Mbappe beats Salah in a lot of categories when you compare them both. He wins for the number of goal creating actions per 90 minutes 1 compared to the 29-year olds 0.87.

He also has slightly more combined goals and assists per 90 minutes with 1.25 compared to Salah’s 1.21. You can compare them both to each other all day long, but ultimately they are both incredibly exciting players, and Liverpool supporters will be a lucky fanbase if they get to say that both of them pulled on their club’s shirt.

If this transfer was to happen we think it would require Salah to leave. The Reds would likely need him off their wage budget in order to afford the £144m-rated dazzling Frenchman.

IN other news: Sky Sports: Liverpool will need mega £55m to sign “unstoppable” gem, he’s Salah 2.0…

This has been an awful season for Celtic but things could be set to change in the coming weeks.

That’s if Dermot Desmond finally pulls the trigger and sacks Neil Lennon. A host of replacements have been talked about from Eddie Howe to Jack Ross, but a new name is now on their radar.

On the chalkboard

For Celtic, this has been a campaign completely out of the ordinary. They have had an almighty stronghold over Scottish football in the last decade, winning an impressive nine titles in a row.

Rangers haven’t even been in the equation until this season, but they have bounced back in tremendous fashion. The Hoops are 23 points behind their fierce rivals and are sinking without a trace.

Although Lennon’s management has to be questioned, undoubtedly their biggest problem on the field has been their defence.

With Christopher Jullien out for the next four months, things are only set to get worse for a side who have shipped 11 more goals than Steven Gerrard’s team. That’s despite playing three fewer games in the league.

Their defensive problems extended to Europe as well where they conceded a mighty 19 goals in just six outings. Thus, if they are to get themselves out of this rut, they must improve in that area.

Benitez to arrive?

Fortunately, the Bhoys could be on the verge of bringing a defensively adept coach to Glasgow.

Rafael Benitez has been linked with the Parkhead hot seat over the last few days and if Dermot Desmond is able to hand him the keys, it could be game-changing.

That’s because Benitez instantly revived the fortunes of Newcastle in his last major job in British football.

Although he was held back by the financial constraints of Mike Ashley, his impact was felt almost immediately in the northeast of England.

The Spaniard was brought to Newcastle in March of 2016 with the club staring relegation in the face. They still went down, but Benitez showed that he does have what it takes to turn round a crisis – bringing them back up the year following.

The 60-year-old failed to win his first four opening games but then went on an unbeaten run towards the end of the campaign where the Magpies were unbeaten in six.

In the process, they kept three clean sheets and conceded just once in a 5-1 rout of Tottenham. Considering they’d conceded 56 times in 28 games before his arrival, it spoke volumes about the type of impact Benitez can have.

This type of record has the potential to be huge for Celtic. Of course, they aren’t in a relegation battle but it’s evident that before addressing any other aspects of their play, they must sort out the defence.

Hoops pundit Russell Boyce said last month: “I would go all out for Benitez, I think he would be the absolute masterstroke. He would be ambitious and I genuinely think he would generate the club more money than he would cost them.”

For that, and for the fact he’s improved a disastrous situation before, he’d be ideal for Desmond. That’s without considering his European pedigree too.

AND in other news, Hammond could find Celtic’s new McGeady with swoop for “outstanding” 6-goal gem…

West Ham United are one of several clubs eyeing a raid for Josh Hawkes this summer…

What’s the word?

That’s according to TEAMtalk, who claimed that the Irons are among the clubs ready to swoop for the Sunderland gem, with the likes of Crystal Palace, Leeds United and Newcastle United also keen.

The 22-year-old midfielder was signed on a free transfer from Hartlepool and has played a crucial role for the Black Cats’ under-23 side in their run to the Premier League 2 Division 2 play-offs.

Hawkes rejected a move to Sporting Braga last summer, although Lee Johnson is yet to involve him in the first team picture.

Bowen 2.0

The Hammers have often had success when dipping into the lower leagues, most recently seeing their £22m gamble on Jarrod Bowen pay dividends this season as the young winger has featured regularly on their way to securing a Europa League berth. He provided eight goals and five assists in 38 appearances this term, as per Tranfermarkt.

For the young Black Cats this season, Hawkes has proven to be a reliable threat, registering 14 goals and seven assists, including important strikes against some well-respected academies in West Brom, Aston Villa and Reading.

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This form has led to plenty of glowing endorsements in recent times, with popular Sunderland fansite Roker Report dubbing him a “revelation” with a “pretty ridiculous goal record for a midfielder”.

That acclaim echoed the thoughts of The Northern Echo reporter Nick Loughlin, who also lauded him as a revelation and provided further comments from Jeff Stelling during his time at Hartlepool.

“I’m sat next to Higgy [Craig Hignett] in the director’s box and Josh Hawkes is on the bench and I’ve said ‘for God’s sake we need Josh Hawkes on the pitch, a free spirit who can create’. Higgy has put him straight in and look at the difference.”

It remains to be seen how much Sunderland would command for a player who has only once tasted first team football for them, but if David Sullivan and co can secure the 22-year-old’s signature, it could well be another gamble which pays dividends – a masterclass from GSB again.

The 1.8m (6 foot) dynamo could be a bargain addition at West Ham this summer.

AND in other news, GSB must secure West Ham swoop for “hardworking” 34-goal beast who’s perfect for Moyes…

David Moyes can end his search for West Ham United’s next striker by landing another Michail Antonio in Blackburn Rovers star Adam Armstrong.

What’s the word?

According to Lancs Live, there is an acceptance at the Ewood Park outfit that Armstrong may have to be sold in the summer transfer window in order to fund their recruitment drive.

Rovers are in a position where they cannot rely on owners Venky’s investment to support their activity in the off-season, when boss Tony Mowbray will have several gaps to plug.

Blackburn are due to lose five players once their loan deals expire at the end of the season, and have close to a dozen players also out of contract in June.

The only position in which the Lancashire outfit are not expected to address is in goal, with 28-year-old Thomas Kaminski keeping eight clean sheets in 28 Championship appearances since penning a two-year deal with the option of a third last summer.

Given the situation, Blackburn are inclined to sell their top-talents like Armstrong for the right offer, with a belief that short-term pain could prove worthwhile long-term.

West Ham have been credited with an interest in Armstrong frequently since the turn of the year, though Moyes opted against tabling an £8m offer in January following Sebastien Haller’s exit, per The Sun.

The Irons boss is instead thought to want to see how Armstrong tackles the second half of the season, though could face competition from Everton, Fulham and Newcastle United this summer.

Should West Ham sign Armstrong?

It remains to be seen how Armstrong performs between now and the end of the season, but the striker hit the ground running coming out of the summer and has 19 goals in 30 Championship games to his name.

Only Ivan Toney (24) has found the back of the net more often than Armstrong this term, though the Brentford ace is playing in a side competing for automatic promotion while Blackburn are seeing their faint Play-Off hopes dwindle after five-straight defeats.

Armstrong fired home in two of those loses, and has earned vast praise from his manager, Mowbray, throughout the campaign.

“I think Adam Armstrong is asset rich. He’s lightning fast off the mark, he plays on the shoulders [of defenders], he can score with both feet – he can score all sorts of goals,” the Rovers boss said earlier this month. “He can shoot from distance, he can go round the goalie and he can side-foot it in with both feet; he’s very, very clinical.”

How much West Ham would have to pay to land Armstrong in the summer remains to be seen, with The Sun quoting a £10m+ fee for the £17,000-per-week frontman while Chronicle Live believe Blackburn valued the 2022 free-agent as high as £30m earlier in the term.

But Moyes and co-owner David Sullivan meeting the Ewood Park outfit’s demands, however much they may be, could see the pair bring another Antonio story to the London Stadium.

Antonio arrived at West Ham from Nottingham Forest in 2015 after one full campaign at the Championship side, where he struck 16 goals and provided 15 assists in 50 league games.

The striker is now a fans’ favourite in claret and blue, ended last term as the club’s top-scorer with 10 goals and has fired home six in 16 Premier League appearances this term.

Moyes needs another option behind Antonio after Haller’s exit and could do far worse than signing another in the mould of the Englishman.

AND in other news, David Moyes can discover West Ham’s next Dimitri Payet in a 24-y/o whose protected by a £258m release clause…