All posts by n8rngtd.top

It would be something of an understatement to say that the heart of the West Ham United defence has been a problem area for David Moyes so far this season – with Angelo Ogbonna being ruled out for the remainder of the campaign with an ACL injury, Issa Diop’s form having fallen off a cliff and Kurt Zouma clearly being impacted by a very much self-inflicted off-field issue.

And, while the Hammers have somehow scraped five points from their last three fixtures against Watford, Leicester City and Newcastle United respectively, it is an unavoidable fact that over the Irons’ last eight league games – only one of which has come against a so-called big-six side – they have conceded 13 goals.

As such, it is clear to see why a new centre-back was one of the 58-year-old manager’s priority positions in the January transfer window. However, after failing to bring a fresh face to the club this winter, perhaps it would now be a smart move for the Scotsman to take a closer look at one of the Hammers’ most exciting up and coming defensive talents – in the shape of Jamal Baptiste.

“He’s got everything”

Despite being just 18 years of age, there is already a considerable amount of hype surrounding the future of the young defender – and it is not difficult to see why.

Indeed, the teenager is already a regular in West Ham’s U23 side, having featured in 16 Premier League 2 fixtures so far this season, scoring three goals along the way, as well as appearing in all three of the youth side’s Papa John’s Trophy matches, over which Baptiste provided his teammates with one assist.

Furthermore, the £180k-rated centre-back is clearly a player whom Moyes is aware of, with the 58-year-old having handed the youngster his first-team debut in the 4-0 FA Cup win over Doncaster Rovers last season, as well as starting the defender in the 1-0 Europa League loss against Dinamo Zagreb back in December.

However, it would still appear there is a great deal more to come from Baptiste, with the former West Ham academy manager previously stating of the 18-year-old: “One of the finest young prospects at the club, without any doubt, is Jamal Baptiste who, believe me, is going to be a monster player in the Issa Diop mould. I see him as exactly that – the new Issa Diop.

“He’s got everything – height, power, pace and is already, at such a young age, making a serious impact on the U23s. They’re going to be a lot of clubs after him but when he sees players coming through into the first team that counts for a lot.”

As such, with the £67k-per-week Diop’s place in the West Ham first team looking increasingly uncertain, with the former France U21 international having been heavily linked with a move away from East London in January, it would appear highly advisable for Moyes to finally unleash “the new Issa Diop” more regularly over the remainder of the season – as it is clear that Baptiste is a player who has an exceptionally bright future in the game.

In other news: “Astonishing” £18m-rated titan will be haunting Moyes, he’d be “perfect” for West Ham

Speaking in a football.london Q&A, journalist Rob Guest has made a damning claim involving Tottenham Hotspur defender Joe Rodon.

The Lowdown: Rodon on the fringes…

The Wales international, even despite never letting himself down when given a chance at Spurs, has been somewhat left out in the cold by manager Antonio Conte.

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Rodon has started just four matches in all competitions with all of them coming in the UEFA Europa Conference League earlier this season.

The centre-back, playing just 78 minutes in the Premier League, wasn’t even fancied during in-form defender Eric Dier’s time on the sidelines – potentially throwing Rodon’s future at Spurs into uncertainty.

The Latest: Guest makes claim…

When asked if Rodon could come in amid the mixed performances of summer signing Cristian Romero, football.london reporter Guest explained that his chance may have simply ‘come and gone’.

“Antonio Conte made it clear last year that Joe Rodon is Eric Dier’s deputy when he is out, yet it’s only in the FA Cup game vs Morecambe when he has started,” Guest said.

“Rodon has worn the captain’s armband before for Wales so he certainly has leadership qualities, something Spurs dearly lack at the back when Dier has been missing as it’s not something Davinson Sanchez or Cristian Romero possess at present.

“However, the fact Conte hasn’t started him in Dier’s absence suggests that he doesn’t really fancy him unfortunately.

“Rodon has never let himself down when he has played for Spurs and a regular run in the team is what he needs to show that he has a part to play for the club.

“As Conte admitted last week that he is hopeful Dier will be back for the Man City game, Rodon’s chance may have simply come and gone.”

The Verdict: Harsh?

Having donned the captain’s armband for Wales at just 24-years-old, amassing 22 caps in total, there is no question he could come in as viable option for Spurs.

Rodon also earned high praise from ex-boss Jose Mourinho last season, with the Portuguese even calling him a ‘perfect’ player, with the defender’s omission under Conte coming as a real mystery at this point.

In other news: ‘Big’, ‘Very important for Conte’…Sky pundit thrilled by news out of Tottenham, find out more here.

Sam Carroll has praised the performance of Abdoualye Doucoure despite Everton losing 1-0 at home to Manchester City in the Premier League on Saturday.

The Lowdown: Unlucky to lose

The Toffees were certainly unlucky to lose the game against the reigning champions, who scored with just a few minutes to go after Phil Foden tapped home, which was followed by a controversial decision from VAR not to award the home side a penalty after a handball in the box by Rodri.

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Nonetheless, Frank Lampard’s team gave a good account of themselves against quality opposition, and there were many standout performers for his side on the night.

The Latest: Doucoure lauded

Taking to Twitter, The Liverpool Echo journalist Carroll was lauding the performance of Doucoure in particular, along with a few of his Everton team-mates.

The reporter gushed: “Doucoure has superhuman energy levels. Him and Richarlison superb.”

The Verdict: What a return

After just coming back from injury, Doucoure really put in a shift against City.

The central midfielder won four of his duels and also completed one successful dribble, two clearances, two tackles and one key pass, maintaining an 83% pass accuracy and having 54 touches of the ball in total, the second-most out of any of his team-mates (SofaScore).

He is certainly likely to be a key player for Lampard from now until the end of the season if the Toffees are to avoid relegation.

In other news, these were the Toffees’ three worst performers v City

According to reliable journalist Nizaar Kinsella of Goal, a very promising Tottenham Hotspur transfer update has come to light involving Championship starlet Djed Spence.

The Lowdown: Spurs make bid…

The 21-year-old was a major target for manager Antonio Conte in January as he sought the signing of a right-wing-back, as per reports at the time.

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ESPN even lifted the lid on multiple deadline day Tottenham bids, but to no avail, with transfer chief Fabio Paratici now having to wait until summer amid growing competition.

Bayern Munich are now apparently involved in the race, but luckily for Spurs fans, it appears their side still hold all the cards.

The Latest: Spurs ‘favourites’…

According to Goal’s sources, despite the many clubs interested, Tottenham are ‘favourites’ to sign Spence as they enter pole position.

They add that Spurs and Paratici ‘continue to scout him closely’ and north London is the ‘most likely landing spot’ for the in-demand player.

The Verdict: Finalise the move…

Having drawn plenty of acclaim already, Spence comes as a transfer target who could pay dividends in future seasons, with former Spurs right-back Alan Hutton in no doubt he is what Conte needs.

Speaking to Football Insider, the former Scotland international says he is ‘incredible’ and ‘massively fits the bill for Conte’ and this praise certainly has plenty of evidence to support it, with Ian Wright noting how he dominated Arsenal in the FA Cup earlier this year.

Reports suggest Middlesbrough value the current Nottingham Forest loanee at around £15 million, an arguably afford price tag for Spurs to make a move.

It appears there are far more incentives than barriers to attempt his signing this summer.

In other news: ‘I’m told’ – Journalist says super agent will offer ‘special’ £50m star to Tottenham, find out more here.

Leeds United’s medical staff have been particularly busy throughout the current Premier League campaign, with the Whites being hit by a number of injury blows.

Even though there are only a handful of games left to play before the season draws to an end, it seems as though Jesse Marsch will have to get through this period without one player in particular.

What’s the news?

In a recent post on Twitter, The Athletic’s Phil Hay revealed that Leeds midfielder Adam Forshaw will be out of action for the remainder of 2021/22 after fracturing his knee cap.

In his post, the journalist said: “A fresh injury setback for Leeds United as Adam Forshaw ruled out for the rest of the season.”

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Terrible news for Leeds

Since arriving at the Yorkshire club back in the 2018 January transfer window, the Englishman has gone on to make 78 appearances across all competitions, chipping in with three assists along the way.

With 22 league appearances under his belt this season, the midfielder has been a rather important figure for the Whites in this campaign.

The 30-year-old has been one of Leeds’ best passers of the ball in the campaign, with only Jamie Shackleton, Liam Cooper and Pascal Struijk having a higher pass completion percentage than Forshaw – out of players to have played more than one game.

And, taking into account how Leeds are quite light in the central-midfield position, as well as having only just seen Kalvin Phillips back on the pitch following his hamstring injury, this news on Forshaw will certainly come as a huge blow to Marsch and his side heading into the final stages of the season.

Also, with the Englishman having recovered from a very significant hip injury that kept him out of action for a total of 560 days between September 2019 and April 2021, this latest setback will also be a disappointing blow for him on a personal level.

Moving forward, with the Whites having some big games ahead of them against the likes of Manchester City, Arsenal and Chelsea, Marsch will have to make sure that his side can pick up as many points as possible so they don’t potentially end up at risk of getting relegated.

Then, for next season, everyone at the club will undoubtedly be hoping that Forshaw can make another recovery and play a big part in their campaign.

AND in other news: Orta must launch Leeds bid for “complete” £72k-p/w gem, he could be their Luis Suarez

Manchester United have reportedly reignited their interest in signing West Ham United’s French centre-back Issa Diop.

What’s the word?

That is according to a fresh report from Foot Mercato, who claimed that Ralf Rangnick is keen to acquire the 25-year-old’s services on behalf of new Red Devils boss Erik Ten Hag.

David Moyes’ side would reportedly be prepared to let Diop depart in the summer for around €15m (£13m).

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Upgrade on Maguire

United have struggled in all areas this season, although it is their defence which has perhaps let them down the most.

With 52 league goals conceded this season, averaging a total of 1.5 conceded per match, the Red Devils have the sixth-worst defence overall in the current top-flight campaign.

Unsurprisingly, no defender has stood out for United, although Harry Maguire has been isolated for his performances by the media this season for some high-profile mistakes.

It is no wonder that Rangnick, who is set to take up a consultancy role with United next season, is eyeing up a move which would offer great value towards the club’s ambition of bolstering their defensive depth.

Diop, who has been described as a “rock” by Sam Tighe on Twitter, is not as tried-and-tested as Maguire when it comes to receiving the ball under pressure, although he does boast a record of zero errors per 90, which highlights his quality on the ball in stark contrast to the £80m liability.

The French centre-back has become something of a forgotten man when it comes to the Premier League, starting just 29% of West Ham’s top-flight games this season, although it is worth pointing out that injuries have played a massive part in him missing so much action.

As such, it may leave some of the United fanbase wondering exactly why Rangnick want to sign the £13m-rated Diop.

His performance in the Europa League clash against Lyon demonstrated exactly what the 6 foot 4 talent is truly about. He played an outstanding game at left centre-back which saw him make six clearances and three recoveries, all whilst maintaining his composure in possession as he achieved a respectable 86% pass accuracy.

Most importantly, he played a vital role in West Ham’s clean sheet in the second leg of that Europa League quarter-final in France as the Irons advanced to the last four of the tournament.

He could well prove to be a more reliable upgrade on Maguire at United, as evidenced by his lack of errors, although Ten Hag may prefer a left-footed centre-back.

In other news – Fewer touches than De Gea: Man Utd flop with just 12 passes must never play again

Florian Plettenberg has dropped an update on reported Tottenham Hotspur transfer target Konrad Laimer.

What’s the talk?

In a recent post on Twitter, the Sky Sports Deutschland reporter revealed that, while RB Leipzig are hoping to extend the central midfielder’s contract beyond its current expiry in the summer of 2023, the 24-year-old has his heart set on set on a move to the Premier League – with Tottenham heavily linked.

Plettenberg goes on to state that there are a number of English sides interested in the Austria international, two of whom are from the current top five, while Manchester United are also mentioned as holding an interest in the former RB Salzburg starlet.

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In his tweet, the journalist said: “Update Laimer: Leipzig want to extend beyond 2023 but the player still hesitates. He can really imagine to move in the Premier League. Several top clubs are interested, two from the current top five ‘intensively’. The interest of MUFC is ‘colder’.”

Supporters will love it

Considering just how impressive Laimer has been in Germany this season, in addition to the fact that the midfielder would appear to be something of a perfect fit for Antonio Conte’s set-up, the news that the 24-year-old appears keen on a move to the Premier League this summer is sure to be an update the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium faithful will love.

Indeed, over his 23 Bundesliga appearances this season, the £23.4m-rated talent has highly impressed in the heart of the Leipzig midfield, scoring four goals, registering four assists and creating four big chances for his teammates, as well as taking an average of 0.7 shots and making 0.7 key passes per game.

The £49k-per-week dynamo – who can be deployed in defensive, central and attacking midfield, as well as at right-back and in right-midfield – has also impressed in metrics more typical of his natural position, making an average of 1.6 tackles, 0.2 interceptions, 0.3 clearances and winning 3.1 duels per fixture.

These returns have seen the player who Adi Hutter dubbed “incredibly aggressive on the ball” average an extremely impressive SofaScore match rating of 6.94, ranking him as Domenico Tedesco’s eighth-best performer in the German top flight.

As such, it is clear to see that the “elite presser” would be something of a perfect addition to Conte’s current options in the middle of the park, leading us to believe that Fabio Paratici must do everything he can to land the 24-year-old Leipzig star this summer.

AND in other news: Paratici now plotting “serious” bid for £116k-p/w Spurs target, Conte would love him

Southampton media have been left slamming Jan Bednarek and Mohammed Salisu for their role in Yoane Wissa’s goal for Brentford this afternoon.

The Lowdown: Another loss

Ralph Hasenhuttl had to watch his team suffer yet another loss in the Premier League, which means the 1-0 win at home to Arsenal in April remains their only win since the beginning of March.

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They stay on 40 points, and if not careful, could yet be dragged into the relegation picture if Burnley and Leeds can put a couple more wins on the board.

The Latest: Centre-backs slammed

Taking to Twitter, The Daily Echo journalists Alfie House and Benjy Nurick were left slamming both Bednarek and Salisu for their roles in Wissa’s goal for the hosts, which made it 2-0 to the Bees after just 14 minutes.

House was shocked as the duo were left on the ground as Wissa walked straight through:

“Bednarek and Salisu left on the ground. Brentford walk straight through and Wissa scores from the edge of the area. Wow.”

Nurick was baffled by how much space Wissa was given, labelling the defending from the pair as ‘disastrous’:

“How did Wissa have so much space to drive through the middle and shoot? Well, both Salisu and Bednarek ended up in a heap on the floor. Just disastrous.”

The Verdict: Must do better

After conceding early on already to Pontus Jansson’s goal, the Saints just needed to steady the ship, but conceded once again straight after.

Of course, they were not helped by Bednarek and Salisu, who both had poor games along with the rest of the defence.

They lost out on six of their duels between them, and only managed to block two of the shots on their goal, while Salisu failed to make any interceptions, and Bednarek recorded just one tackle (SofaScore).

On the ball, they were inaccurate with 11 of their attempted long balls combined, and gave possession away 17 times between them in total (SofaScore).

Nonetheless, they will now surely be sweating over their starting places with Lyanco sat on the bench.

In other news, find out which ‘class act’ SFC are now eyeing here!

Sky Sports News have now backed a big striker development out of West Ham United as some promising Premier League transfer news emerges.

The Lowdown: GSB set sights for Moyes…

The Hammers, and by extension owners GSB, could apparently back manager David Moyes with a £150 million summer window kitty, according to insider Claret & Hugh.

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If West Ham’s head coach gets to invest this much funding in his first team squad, one of the first key areas to see an upgrade may well be further forward as Moyes seeks to end the club’s long wait for a new striker (The Times).

Arsenal forward Eddie Nketiah, who is out of contract at the end of this season as things stand, is firmly on the agenda with The Daily Mail reporting that West Ham are in pole position and ‘will move’ if he does not pen new terms in north London.

The Latest: Sky Sports back development…

Now, backing those claims, Sky (Tuesday, 12:00) have shared their own update for Irons supporters – saying West Ham and GSB are indeed ‘set to make a move’ for the 22-year-old.

Nketiah’s ‘good form’ has attracted interest from east London and talks over a new deal are failing to advance.

The Verdict: Time to pounce?

Signing the Englishman on a free transfer is a fairly low-risk piece of business going by potential and recent plaudits.

His manager Mikel Arteta, having called Nketiah a ‘beast’ in training, has also drawn attention to his ‘powerful’ physical traits in the past with Arsenal’s head coach clearly being a big fan.

Meanwhile, following past links to the former Leeds striker, pundit Noel Whelan has lauded him as a potentially ‘fantastic signing’ for West Ham and even likened him to ex-Upton Park hero Jermain Defoe.

Taking this into account, Nketiah is a target who should, at the very least, be considered by Moyes.

In other news: ‘Evolving situation’ – Journalist says West Ham are eyeing a ‘massive signing’ for Moyes, find out more here.

Manchester United appears to be in pole position to sign Napoli striker Victor Osimhen as Erik ten Hag looks to revitalise his attacking options ahead of his first campaign in charge of the side.

What’s the word?

According to reports via Sport Witness, Man United are leading the race to sign the Napoli frontman in a hope that it will bolster their attacking arsenal next season.

One journalist stated that if Napoli were to receive an offer of €100m (£85m) then it would be considered.

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United could face competition from fellow Premier League side Newcastle for the striker’s signature and a battle will surely take place during the summer transfer window.

Ten Hag surely buzzing

It’s no secret that Man United have had a terrible campaign, with the club slipping further and further from the Premier League title as the years go on, the new manager has a massive job on his hands.

Thus, the idea of signing Osimhen will surely leave the Dutchman buzzing with excitement.

From a team that used to have world-class forwards in abundance, the decline of the Red Devils’ frontline has been painful. Out of all the forward options, only Cristiano Ronaldo has scored more than ten goals (24) during this season and this is a problem that ten Hag needs to solve quickly, otherwise it could be a tough start for the new man.

Osimhen could be the ideal solution, with the striker bagging 18 goals in just 31 appearances in Serie A and the Europa League.

Compared to positional peers in the big five leagues, Osimhen features in the 95th percentile for total shots per 90 minutes (3.85) and the 90th percentile for touches in the opposition box (7.08).

This proves that he is a constant attacking threat and is more often than not, present in the opposition area to cause chaos.

Having been described as a “thoroughbred bomber” by Napoli head coach Luciano Spalletti, it’s clear to see the 23-year-old has a bright future.

If Manchester United are serious about making progress next season, signing the Nigeria international will go a long way to aid the cause.

AND in other news, Deal close: Man Utd nearing the signing of £63m-rated “genius”, he’s better than Pogba