All posts by z3u9t.icu

According to an update by Sky Sports journalist Matteo Moretto, writing on his Twitter, La Liga giants Barcelona are ‘thinking of’ signing Manchester City star Raheem Sterling this summer. 

The Englishman, who has made a stellar 292 appearances for the club overall since he signed from Liverpool in 2015, scoring 114 goals in that time, is the subject of intense speculation regarding his future.

Sterling has arguably underperformed somewhat when compared to previous years, with the 26-year-old scoring less than half of his 2019/2020 tally in all competitions last season (Transfermarkt).

Reports even suggested he could be used as a makeweight to sign Harry Kane this summer, with Sky reporter Moretto now sharing a twist that Barcelona are eyeing a move.

Reacting to this development, there have been no shortage of varying takes from City supporters – with some in disbelief over the amount of links emerging between Barca and City players.

Others, meanwhile, urged the Sky Blues to offload.

Find a flavour of their best takes down below.

Man City fans flock to Sterling development

“Take him pleaseee”

Credit: @gggd_MCFC

“They are going crazy now..they want every player from us”

Credit: @MancityBongola1

“Siiuuuuuuuuuuuu”

Credit: @SazMCFC

“So Barcelona want to sign our whole squad basically”

Credit: @Priceless_Silva

“This one I agree 100%”

Credit: @Mike_MCFC_

“This is crazy. At this rate, the next thing I will read is that: Barcelona are “thinking of” and are “actively pursuing” the idea of buying Manchester City Football Club.”

Credit: @King_Kevin100

“Give us Messi and it’s a deal”

Credit: @kdbking17_

“Take him”

Credit: @dickson_mancity

In other news: Man City fans absolutely livid at this news, find out more here.

Former Celtic striker and Football Insider pundit Frank McAvennie has been giving his thoughts on Conor McGregor’s recent off-field Hoops claim.

The Lowdown: McGregor’s ‘conversation’

McGregor posted on Twitter in the early hours of Monday morning, admitting that he has had a ‘conversation’ on acquiring shares from Celtic owner Dermot Desmond. The UFC star didn’t specify as to when those talks took place, adding that he would be interested in investing in a sports team, with Manchester United also name-checked.

The 32-year-old was revealed as the highest-paid athlete in the world in recent days, and it appears as if he is keen to make his mark away from the Octagon in the future with shares in a sports team.

The Latest: McAvennie stunned

McAvennie was talking to Football Insider regarding McGregor’s recent claim. The 61-year-old admitted that it ‘would be incredible for Celtic’ and dropped an inside claim on Desmond, revealing that he isn’t aware of the 70-year-old willing to sell his shares.

The former Hoops striker said:

“Nah, no chance. Not a chance.

“It’s all hype, good publicity. Conor is brilliant in his field and he’s got the brass neck that goes with that.

“I’m not sure if he’s got the money. He’s an intelligent guy, even if he has been battered around the ring a few times.

“I’m not sure someone his age wants to put money into Celtic, or any football club for that matter.

“It’s a labour of love and Conor is a man for making something happen. It would be incredible for Celtic but I don’t see it happening.

“I’ve never heard of Desmond wanting to sell his shares anyway.

“Can you imagine him walking into the boardroom doing his McGregor walk? It would be good fun.”

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The Verdict: Off-field changes could tempt McGregor?

Plenty of behind-the-scenes changes have been going on at Celtic Park recently. Dominic McKay is in as the new CEO with Peter Lawwell retiring over the coming months, head of football operations Nick Hammond has resigned and recruitment chief Gary Penrice also looks set to leave.

A new director of football and first team manager are yet to be announced, so with the off-field reshuffle, it wouldn’t surprise us if McGregor looked to reignite his bid to invest at Parkhead.

You’d expect the UFC superstar to boost the club’s profile and financial wealth, should he acquire shares in Celtic, but it seems as if Desmond has no interest in selling any just yet.

In other news: ‘Something happened with Lennon’ – McAvennie’s inside Celtic claim as news emerges on ace who wants out; find out more here.

Newcastle boss Steve Bruce has suffered a major transfer blow in the chase for Arsenal midfielder Joe Willock this summer.

What’s the story?

Reports in recent days had suggested that the Gunners youngster, who was on loan at St James’ Park for the Premier League season just gone by, is open to making the move to Tyneside.

Now, Football Insider claim that the Magpies may not even have the finances to pull off such a deal.

The report reveals that Bruce has been informed by the club that he will receive a budget of just £10m and that Newcastle owner Mike Ashley is refusing to spend big while takeover talks continue.

It’s added: “The bombshell rules out the possibility of Newcastle signing Joe Willock permanently from Arsenal after his dazzling loan. That is now a non-starter unless United cash in on one of their few stars capable of generating a £20m-plus transfer fee.”

Fans will be fuming

After seeing him score on his Newcastle debut against Southampton earlier in the Premier League campaign, Bruce claimed that Willock has the style of play from which his side could really benefit.

He said: “It was a classic midfield player’s goal from the ability to arrive in the box, and that’s what he’s brought us. He can go box-to-box, he’s a terrific athlete, the kid, a typical modern-day midfield player who has the ability to get up and down the pitch quickly and has that added ability to score a goal.”

And, when you look at the rest of the Newcastle midfield, Willock really does solve a major Bruce nightmare.

The 21-year-old’s eight goals from midfield are far more than what the rest of Newcastle’s midfield options have managed this season, with Jeff Hendrick the next closest with just the two in the league.

It’s exactly why then that news that Bruce will have such a measly budget to work with in this transfer window will surely have fans fuming at Ashley and his reluctance to open up his chequebook to strengthen the squad.

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A move for Willock in particular isn’t a typical transfer gamble given what he’s already shown while on loan, and it makes the Newcastle owner’s decision to not at least release the funds to just sign him on a permanent basis incredibly baffling.

Meanwhile, Newcastle must land this defender who bullied Ivan Toney…

Tottenham Hotspur have been dealt several blows in their pursuit to find a viable successor to Jose Mourinho but there is one intriguing option out there – and he’s out of work.

What’s the word?

Spurs chairman Daniel Levy reportedly had the likes of Brendan Rodgers and Julian Naglesmann atop his wishlist following the Portuguese’s departure two weeks ago, but both were quickly ruled out of the running.

Ajax boss Erik ten Hag then emerged as a serious contender before he signed a contract extension with the Eredivisie champions.

And now it has been revealed that ex-RB Leipzig manager Ralf Rangnick is being considered by the club’s hierarchy, according to the Daily Mail.

Revolutionary figure

The 62-year-old would be an interesting candidate to take the helm in north London.

He is largely responsible for the rises of Hoffenheim and Leipzig in the Bundesliga and is widely regarded as one of the pioneers of the sort of playing style that we have seen with Jurgen Klopp at last season’s Premier League champions, Liverpool.

Rangnick also has a proven track record in spotting talent, buying cheap and selling them on for a profit – something that’ll undoubtedly appeal to Levy.

However, it is a combination of all these factors that could suggest someone of the German’s calibre is exactly what is required to transform the Lilywhites after a tough few months.

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The veteran, who has also managed Stuttgart and Schalke, has been nicknamed the “football professor” due to him championing the high-pressing brand of football we very often see in this day and age.

For example, he was one of the first coaches to abide by an “eight-second rule”; the idea that most goals are scored within a few moments of winning the ball back.

Also dubbed an “architect” following the transformation of Leipzig up the leagues, Rangnick had another rule that contributed to his and the club’s success. He did not sign anyone above the age of 23, as per the BBC.

These players would be keen to develop under his stewardship and would eventually go onto make the club a nice bit of money.

Examples of this are endless – just look at the likes of Timo Werner and Naby Keita in the Premier League right now, and even mooted transfer target Marcel Sabitzer, among others.

Spurs have not given a single minute of league action to a player U21, via the CIES Football Observatory, and their average squad age of 27 ranks them as the fifth oldest in the top-flight.

There are plenty of young players with bags of potential emerging from the academy system too, namely Oliver Skipp and Dane Scarlett. They are just two players that could thrive under the German.

Similarly, the club have rued the loss of former starlets, such as Marcus Edwards and Noni Madueke, because there has never been a direct pathway into the first-team fold barring one or two exceptions.

After the latest blow of losing out on ten Hag, it’s time to quickly forget about that and move on. Rangnick is potentially the best freely available candidate out there and given his methods and the evidence above, he could be the man to completely revitalise the struggling north London outfit.

AND in other news, Exclusive: Bundesliga expert backs Spurs move for Sabitzer

Israeli side Hapoel Be’er Sheva will make an approach for Celtic man Nir Bitton this summer.  

The Lowdown: Previous Bitton exit link

It’s not the first time Bitton has been linked with a summer exit this year. Back in February, reports claimed that Maccabi Tel Aviv were weighing up a move for the versatile Hoops man at the end of the season.

Bitton, who has made 233 appearances for Celtic, has been in and out of the Hoops side this season, making just 11 league starts, all of which have come as a centre-back.

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The Latest: Celtic set to receive Bitton approach

According to one outlet from Israel, cited by The Scotsman, Bitton is a target for Hapoel Be’er Sheva, who look set to make a move for the player Colin Watt described as ‘Mr Reliable’.

It seems as if Hapoel Be’er Sheva have a summer rebuild of their own to deal with over the coming months and Bitton is thought to be on their transfer wishlist.

The Verdict: Celtic have a decision to make

Should Celtic receive a bid for Bitton, new CEO Dominic McKay and the rest of the Hoops hierarchy may have a big decision to make.

Bitton, on £14,000-a-week at Parkhead, can play as a defensive midfielder and a centre-back, so his versatility could be handy for the Hoops going forward.

He still has over two years remaining on his Celtic deal, so we feel the club should be under no pressure to part ways with the player this summer.

It could be extremely important for a new director of football and manager to be through the door before the summer window opens, for them to then have a major say on Bitton’s future – buying or selling players before a new boss arrives feels like a recipe for disaster.

In other news: Odsonne Edouard Olympics update comes to light, find out more here. 

Many Glasgow Rangers fans were far from happy with commentator Stephen Craigan during their 4-0 win over Cove Rangers in the Scottish Cup on Sunday.

The Gers eased into the next round of the competition with a comfortable win over Cove at Ibrox. Kemar Roofe scored twice, while Jermain Defoe and Nathan Patterson also got themselves on the scoresheet. Their reward is a home tie against fierce rivals Celtic in the tournament’s fourth round.

The match was shown live on Premier Sports, and it was for that channel that Craigan was covering the match. Some Gers fans have had problems with his coverage in the past, and it was no different this weekend, with many appearing to criticise him about talking for talking’s sake. Clearly, they are not keen to hear him discussing their games again in the future.

These Gers supporters took to social media platform Twitter to share their thoughts on the commentator, who one irate fan described as a “fraud”.

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

“Listening to Craigan trying to talk up a third tier team is absolutely excruciating.”

Credit: @GoodCopBabcock

“I honestly wish Craigan would lose his voice”

Credit: @W_S_40

“He’s got some of the best assist numbers in the league . Craigan is a fraud man.”

Credit: @stuartwintonrfc

“He’s honestly so clueless, it’s painful to listen to”

Credit: @_Robynnnx

“Guy just doesn’t shut up”

Credit: @craigkrtb

“Can anyone tell me why Craigan still gets employed as a pundit? I don’t think I’ve watched one game regardless of team where I’ve enjoyed listening to him”

Credit: @MBS1872

In other news, Rangers have been urged to sign this striker in the summer.

With a swift click of the fingers, Pedro Neto’s outstanding season has come to a premature end.

The winger has enjoyed a scintillating breakthrough campaign at Wolves, putting a number of Premier League teams to the sword with red-hot dribbling and his devastating left-foot.

Neto is the club’s top scorer this season on five goals while he’s also Nuno Santo’s chief creator with six assists.

Those aren’t breathtaking numbers but it says a lot that at the age of just 21, he is the standout player in a top-flight side.

The Portuguese sensation has stepped up admirably in the absence of Raul Jimenez but like his Mexican teammate, he now faces a considerable period on the sidelines.

Wolves have had rotten luck with injuries this term and only last week Jonny was ruled out for the best part of a year with another ACL injury.

Neto won’t miss quite as much time, but he’s now set to miss the next six months with a significant injury to his knee cap that requires surgery.

On the chalkboard

The youngster will be a huge miss to Wolves between now and the end of the campaign and they will struggle to replace him.

After all, Nuno’s side have hardly been full of goals. Fabio Silva has only found the net three times this term while Willian Jose hasn’t scored at all.

They can take comfort from the fact that Adama Traore bagged his first Premier League goal since December 2019 in the win over Fulham but he has some way to go before rediscovering his best form.

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One player Wolves could turn to is a player in their academy; Theo Corbeanu.

The 18-year-old hasn’t made a single first-team appearance for the club but he was on the bench in both of their FA Cup ties this term while he’s appeared among the substitutes in the top-flight on six occasions.

He is yet to make a breakthrough but evidently, the Canadian is very much on Nuno’s radar.

A winger or centre-forward by trade, Corbeanu possesses many of the qualities that have made Neto such a stand out fixture in the Wolves starting XI.

He is a tricky individual with the ability to find the net and create. This season the teenager has five goals and two assists for the U23 side.

The forward has made a dazzling impact in James Collins’ team and has earned eye-catching praise along the way: “He’s athletic, tall, can head it, can defend, can dribble past people and score, he can shoot, he can pass, he’s both footed, he’s got a bit of everything,” Collins admitted.

“Theo can be anything he wants to be. He’s an outstanding prospect,” he concluded.

We saw the ruthless impact Corbeanu can have when he was given an opportunity to shine in the EFL Trophy against senior opposition. During that competition, the attacker managed 1.8 key passes per game and 2.3 successful dribbles.

Only Pedro Neto (2) has managed more key passes a match in Wolves’ Premier League side this term while only Traore trumps the youngster in terms of take-ons.

Clearly, the Wolves prodigy has plenty to offer to the senior squad. With Neto now on the sidelines, this feels like the perfect chance to hand him a first-team berth.

AND in other news, Wolves may have their new Jimenez in rarely-seen beast with an “assassin’s mentality”…

After he’d broken onto the scene at Leeds, there would have been a sense of sadness at seeing Jack Clarke move on so soon after showcasing what he could do.

The winger made the step-up to the Premier League with Tottenham back in the summer of 2019, before being sent back on loan to Elland Road for the entire season.

The £9m arrival was once dubbed a “huge talent” by former Leeds assistant Carlos Corberan whilst Marcelo Bielsa hailed him as someone who has “the capacity to create a difference”.

There’s no doubting that he looked a real prospect when he first burst onto the scene, with Noel Whelan waxing-lyrical about him back in 2019, saying:

“He has got a great ability to glide past players. I don’t think I’ve seen a winger really as talented as that, where it looks effortless, just to take somebody on and he really does get you on the edge of your seat, he’s one of those exciting players.”

In fact, after watching the then 18-year-old shine in an impressive 2-0 win against Derby County in the Championship, Gary Lineker took to Twitter to rave about the teenager.

He said: “Not the first Clarke to strut his stuff at Elland Road, but Jack Clarke looks a player. Another talented young English footballer born in 2000.”

But, things just haven’t quite worked out for him since his move to Tottenham, with just three first-team appearances to his name for the Lilywhites.

Clarke has spent most of his time in the past couple of years out on loan at the likes of QPR and Stoke, and it’s been no surprise that according to Transfermarkt, his value is now at a measly £4.5m – exactly half what Spurs paid.

That’s a real indication of just how much of a step backwards his career has taken since Spurs signed him, and exactly why Victor Orta and co made a genius call in allowing him to leave in 2019.

It now seems like Orta  cashed out at the perfect time, getting good money for a young talent who had played just a small handful of first-team games for Leeds.

Meanwhile, Victor Orta pulled off an absolute masterclass for Leeds with this signing…

Speaking to Football Insider, reacting to reports West Ham have made contact over a potential summer deal for Mislav Orsic, Sky Sports regular Paul Robinson has been left wowed by the 19-goal forward and his impressive show reel.

Orsic, primarily played on the left wing but can drive through the middle, has apparently been at the centre of West Ham interest recently – with GSB even making contact over a possible transfer for the 28-year-old according to another report by Football Insider.

Speaking to the outlet, Robinson has been left baffled by Orsic and his ability – with the pundit certainly rating him judging by what he’s seen.

Robinson stunned by Orsic

The Croatian’s stunning Europa League hat-trick dumped London rivals Tottenham Hotspur out of the Europa League, with Jose Mourinho unable to hold a two-goal first leg lead.

“His shooting ability was there for all to see,” Robinson told Football Insider.

“I mean wow, he scored some fantastic goals.

“He is not a player we know a lot about in England given that he’s playing for Dinamo Zagreb but those goals showed you a lot. I watched his showreel after that and I was impressed.

“He is clearly a player with an abundance of talent and with an eye for goal.

“He used that stage to put himself in the thoughts of Premier League teams.”

Transfer Tavern take

Whether or not West Ham end up doing a deal for Orsic this summer remains to be seen, but it seems Robinson would certainly approve of the switch.

Valued at just £6.75 million by Transfermarkt, it’s clear Zagreb may want much more for their star striker.

In other news: West Ham fans flocked to this transfer report, find out more here.

Airdrie manager Ian Murray has confirmed that winger Thomas Robert has had a trial with Celtic over the last two weeks, saying it is an ‘exciting’ time for the young talent amid links with the Hoops.

The 20-year-old, son of former Newcastle United star Laurent, was first linked with a move to Parkhead back in December when Neil Lennon was still leading the Celtic charge.

Nick Hammond reportedly watched the youngster in League One action prior to the New Year, and it seems as if he’s had a successful stint in and around the Hoops squad in recent weeks.

Robert has made 14 senior appearances for Airdrie, scoring four times and providing two assists.

Thomas at Celtic

Talking to the Daily Record, Murray said:

“I can provide clarity on Thomas being in with Celtic and training with them.

It’s brilliant for him personally and brilliant for the club because it shows that we are doing something right.

It was a no-brainer to let him go on trial with Celtic. It was a chance for Thomas to showcase himself and train with top level players and coaches.

He was in a top level training environment which is second to none. He was working with top players and for any footballer, it’s an exciting time to do that.

It’s testament to Thomas, his teammates and the club because we are starting to build those connections.

We are taking young players in and improving them which is our model. Thomas has grabbed lots of headlines and he’s a great asset to us.

Thomas is now back with us, he’s been tested and trained with us yesterday. He’s adapted to everything that we’ve asked him to do exceptionally well.”

Transfer Tavern take

The Hoops joined a host of sides in the race for Robert’s services before the January window, and it appears as if they may be at the front of the queue following his Lennoxtown trial.

He’s out of contract at the end of the current season, so Celtic could well take Robert to Parkhead on a long-term basis for a minimal fee.

The Frenchman appears to fit the bill in regards to the club looking to lure top young talent ahead of the summer window. A deal for Liam Shaw is already tied up, while Wigan Athletic striker Kyle Joseph appears to be another player of interest.

Robert may well be another youngster to make the move to Celtic Park, and it seems as if he’s done his chances no harm during his trial in recent weeks, going off Murray’s comments.

In other news, a former Hoops boss is advising on Celtic’s manager search, find out more here.