All posts by rastrear-estafeta.com

Everton fans have reacted to the reports from The Athletic that the club had the chance to sign Andy Robertson, Erling Braut Haaland and Harry Maguire.Each one of these players have gone on to become successful in their own right. Robertson has become one of Europe’s best left-backs, whilst Maguire broke the world record for a defender when he signed for Manchester United for £80m.As for Haaland, the 19-year-old has bagged an incredible 26 goals in just 18 appearances for Red Bull Salzburg this season and would no doubt be useful for Everton right now.Over the past couple of years, the likes of Sandro Ramirez have signed for the club and gone on to score just one goal in 16 appearances. So, as you would expect, some Everton fans are not best pleased about this recent report.One fan said it “reeks of Everton” as another supporter simply stated, “it doesn’t surprise me”.However, not all fans are furious with the news, with some followers happy with the likes of Yerry Mina and Lucas Digne.

Here’s what a select few have had to say on the reports…

Arsenal are plotting a “potential big-money” move for a player who once commanded a price tag of around £137 million, and the presence of manager Mikel Arteta could be a very enticing draw for him.

Arsenal prepare to face Tottenham with transfer plans ongoing

Arteta is busy in full preparation for Arsenal’s all-important North London Derby clash away to Tottenham on Sunday, and the Spaniard has a few selection headaches to deal with ahead of the mouthwatering encounter.

Arteta confirms "great news" for Arsenal ahead of Spurs with injury update

A key player looks ready to feature against Tottenham.

1 ByEmilio Galantini Sep 14, 2024

While Gabriel Jesus, Riccardo Calafiori and Martin Odegaard are in contention to feature at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium, with Arteta refusing to rule out their inclusion, Arsenal will certainly be without both Mikel Merino and Declan Rice.

Merino is sidelined with a shoulder injury, after he collided with Gabriel Magalhaes in his first ever London Colney training session, while Rice is set to miss Tottenham through suspension – following his sending off at home to Brighton a fortnight ago.

Tottenham (away)

September 15

Man City (away)

September 22

Leicester City (home)

September 28

Southampton (home)

October 5

Bournemouth (away)

October 19

Odegaard was thought to be out for weeks, after he was hauled off with an ankle problem in Norway’s 2-1 win over Austria, but a real boost for Arteta is that his club captain could actually be available for Sunday, depending on a last-minute assessment.

“We need some more tests,” said Arteta on Odegaard’s potential availability for Tottenham.

“Let’s see what happens in the next day or so. This afternoon probably. Let’s see the extent of the injury and how quickly we can get him back. He’s super positive about everything. Martin wants to be here every day, but we have to wait and see.

“He’s willing and he wants to be present in every game, especially a big game like this one. We need to make sure we know first how good he can be or not.”

As Arteta devises how best to set his team up against Spurs, sporting director Edu Gaspar and co are already making transfer preparations for 2025. Arsenal are frontrunners for Jonathan David, according to some reports, with the Lille striker able to agree pre-contract terms in January ahead of a free summer move.

Meanwhile, there are claims that Arsenal have already made contact over Benjamin Sesko as they eye another swoop for the Slovenian (CaughtOffside), coming after they failed to tempt the forward with an offer this year.

Arsenal plotting marquee move for Bayern Munich star Leroy Sane

According to GiveMeSport, former Man City star and Bayern Munich winger Leroy Sane is on their list of targets for next year too. The once-£137 million forward, who earns around £325,000-per-week at the Allianz Arena, would still be a costly operation for the Gunners despite Sane’s contract expiring next summer.

The Germany international’s salary would make him Arteta’s highest-paid player, but it is believed that Arsenal are plotting a “potential big-money” move for Sane regardless, alongside fellow Premier League side Newcastle United.

Arsenal could have an advantage over the Magpies due to Arteta, with Sane expressing just how highly he regards the tactician.

“I can just say positive things about Mikel Arteta. Since we started working together, he helped me a lot on the pitch,” said Sane on Arteta in an interview with The Independent.

“He tried to improve my football; he told me what I did good and what I did wrong, and he tried to work on it. Next to Pep, they both really helped me and improved me, to bring me to the next level.

“Even now, at Arsenal, for me you can see he’s doing a great job. You can see he has a concept, a way that he wants to play, a way that he wants his team to play, and obviously it will take some time until everybody really understands it. I think he will do a great job as a [head] coach too.”

Aston Villa manager Unai Emery has made some superb signings since arriving in the Midlands nearly two years ago, which has helped power the club to the Champions League.

Players such as Amadou Onana, Ian Maatsen and Moussa Diaby certainly signalled a major statement of intent by the Villa Park side.

The Spaniard wasn’t the only one to make excellent signings, however, as Dean Smith managed to acquire some wonderful players during his time in charge of the club.

One that stands out is Emiliano Martinez, who joined in September 2020.

How much Aston Villa paid to sign Emiliano Martinez

The goalkeeper cost just £17m four years ago, making the move north in order to gain more first-team opportunities at Villa.

Since then, he has made over 150 competitive appearances for the club, leading them to the promised land of the Champions League.

His form has also earned him international recognition, as he starred for Argentina in their three major tournament victories over the previous three years – the 2021 Copa América, the 2022 World Cup and the 2024 Copa América.

It doesn’t look like Emery will replace him anytime soon, as he is a solid choice for the club between the sticks.

According to Transfermarkt, his valuation currently stands at €28m (£23.5m), which means Emery could make a profit should he sell him in the near future.

He isn’t the only Smith signing who has seen their valuation increase since moving to Villa, as Ezri Konsa is now worth much more than what they paid for him.

Ezri Konsa’s market value at Aston Villa

Having secured promotion to the Premier League via the playoffs in 2019, Smith spent that summer significantly bolstering his squad for the rigours of the top flight that lay ahead.

This saw Konsa join from Brentford for a fee of just £12m, which looked like a bargain given his vast potential to develop.

Smith later described the defender as a “Rolls Royce of a player” midway through last season, but in 2019, he was untested at Premier League level.

Over the next five campaigns, however, Konsa missed just 27 matches in the Premier League, becoming a regular under the likes of Smith, Steven Gerrard and now Emery.

Metric (per 90)

Premier League

Conference League

Accurate passes

51.4

62.9

Tackles

1.5

1

Interceptions

0.8

0.3

Ball recoveries

4.1

4

Possession lost

6.8

5.5

He even ranked third in the squad for accurate passes per game in the top flight last season, while also ranking third for interceptions and fifth for tackles per game, showcasing his defensive skills.

At the time of writing, his current valuation, according to Transfermarkt, stands at €35m (£29.5m), which is more than double what the club paid to sign him five years ago.

Indeed, this is also worth more than Martinez’s valuation, proving that Smith certainly hit the jackpot with the in-form defender who played for England at Euro 2024.

If Emery can make a few more signings like this, he will be able to generate millions in profit over the coming years.

Cost £0, now worth more than Duran: Aston Villa struck gold on talented ace

The club have conducted some shrewd business over the last couple of seasons.

1 ByEthan Lamb Sep 5, 2024

Still searching for a solution for their goalscoring problem, Chelsea have reportedly turned their focus away from Victor Osimhen amid his eye-watering wage demands and towards a Premier League striker.

Chelsea transfer news

The Blues have once again been one of the busiest clubs in the summer transfer window, welcoming as many as 10 fresh faces. Yet, still, they remain without a clinical out-and-out goalscorer to lead the line for Enzo Maresca. Reports have linked those at Stamford Bridge to the likes of Jhon Duran and Samu Omorodion, who was seemingly close to a move before it suddenly collapsed, but remain without a rival to Nicolas Jackson.

After Felix: Chelsea in the race for the "next Eden Hazard"

Enzo Maresca could add to his ten summer signings before the end of the window…

ByRoss Kilvington Aug 25, 2024

It's still a situation to keep an eye on, however, especially after Napoli reached an agreement to sign Romelu Lukaku on a permanent basis at long last according to Fabrizio Romano to open the door for Osimhen to complete his departure.

That door may not be open for a move to Stamford Bridge, however, despite Lukaku's pending departure. According to The Sun, Osimhen's staggering £500,000-a-week wage demands have forced the Blues to look elsewhere amid reluctance to make the forward their highest-paid player by almost £200,000-a-week.

Searching for cheaper alternatives, those in London are reportedly looking closer to home. According to The Sun, Chelsea are now eyeing a move to sign Dominic Calvert-Lewin following Osimhen's demands late on in the the summer transfer window.

The Everton forward knows all about finding the back of the net at his best, but question marks over his injury history would undoubtedly come to the fore if he sealed a move to Chelsea this week.

"Excellent" Calvert-Lewin may not solve Chelsea's problems

If Chelsea were chasing Calvert-Lewin's signature fresh from the 2020/21 campaign, in which he scored 21 goals in all competitions, then they'd be receiving deserved applause for their transfer strategy. The truth is though, Calvert-Lewin is not that same, clinical striker three seasons later amid injury struggles and poor form, with just seven Premier League goals last time out.

Given their history of underperforming strikers – from Fernando Torres all the way to Alvaro Morata and Lukaku – Chelsea cannot afford to get things wrong once again; they're in no position to take a risk on Calvert-Lewin.

What's more, Everton boss Sean Dyche won't be keen to let the England international leave, even if he is yet to replicate his form of three seasons ago. Dyche was full of praise for Calvert-Lewin after he scored in a shock Merseyside derby victory over Liverpool in the last campaign, telling BBC Sport: "I thought he was excellent. His physical performance was outstanding."

"This season has not been too bad on the injury front. But it shows it does take time mentally and physically to clear your mind of that and start to play freely again."

Glasgow Rangers are closing in on securing yet another summer signing, with striker Cyriel Dessers looking set to move to Ibrox.

What’s the latest on Cyriel Dessers to Rangers?

That’s according to Fabrizio Romano, who tweeted: “Understand Rangers are closing in on deal for Cyriel Dessers. Agreement now imminent with Cremonese for Nigerian striker — here we go soon.

“Clubs have agreed on final fee and all documents are being drafted.”

The chase for the Belgian-born striker has been a long one, but it certainly appears as though Michael Beale has finally secured a deal for the player, bolstering his attacking options in the process.

Does Antonio Colak have a future at Rangers?

The Ibrox side saw Alfredo Morelos depart after six seasons which saw him gain cult hero status in Glasgow having netted 124 goals for the club, and Beale knew signing a like-for-like replacement was imperative this summer.

Antonio Colak remains the only natural out-and-out striker at the Gers, however his future may potentially lie away from Scotland, especially after the update regarding Dessers.

German outfit Werder Bremen are interested in signing the Croatian frontman after just one season at Rangers and Beale may consider moving him on, especially considering he started just six times under the 42-year-old throughout the second half of the season.

Dessers may not be in a similar mould to Colak, yet there is no doubt he could add some serious firepower to the side. The 19k-per-week gem scored ten goals last term, which was eight less than Colak, however his all-round game is slightly better, making more key passes per game (0.9 to 0.5) and registering more assists (two to one) than the 29-year-old managed in the league last term.

Having been hailed as a player who is “Just so awkward to play against with his strength” according to journalist Josh Bunting, he can cause plenty of problems in the opposition box and across Europe’s top five leagues, the striker ranks in the top 8% for touches in the attacking penalty area per 90 (6.52), suggesting he is in the right place at the right time fairly often.

His dribbling ability is also top class, ranking in the top 10% across the big five European leagues for carries into the penalty area per 90 (1.36), meaning he likes to drop deep and link up with the midfielders, showing a different side to his game than just scoring.

Beale will be demanding goals of course, yet having a number nine who is capable of connecting well with the players behind him suggests he will be a much more fluid option than Colak, who may depart the Gers after just 12 months.

Liverpool are battling a top flight rival to sign Fiorentina midfielder Sofyan Amrabat, with the Reds now ready to stump up the money to sign the World Cup breakout star, according to a report from Firenzeviola.it via Sport Witness.

Is Sofyan Amrabat really that good?

The midfielder has been with Fiorentina for three seasons now, having initially caught the eye with Hellas Verona in the same division. He has gone on to appear in 83 Serie A games for the La Viola since that transfer deal.

In 2022/23, he managed 29 league outings as well as starring in their Europa Conference League campaign, showcasing how good he can be on the big stage. That's because, when compared to others in his position amongst the Men's 'Top Five' big leagues, he ranks very impressively. For example, his progressive passes rate of 7.93 per 90 puts him in the top eight percent in that category and his 88.8% pass completion rate has him in the 95th percentile in that figure too.

It shows that he rarely makes mistakes with the ball despite seeking to make dangerous and incisive passes – the numbers even put him on a par with Liverpool's own pass-master, Thiago Alcantara, who ranks slightly better for progression but slightly worse for accuracy.

Now, according to a report from Firenzeviola.it via Sport Witness, the player has suitors from other leagues. Both Liverpool and Newcastle have an interest in the midfielder it seems and both clubs are "ready to pay" the asking price that Fiorentina want to ensure Amrabat ends up in the Premier League.

They appear to be the only two clubs currently willing to pay the required amount to convince the Serie A side to flog the 26-year-old.

What is Amrabat's transfer value?

With Fiorentina having paid around 19.5 million Euros to bring him to Italy, they'll want to fetch even more than that in the next deal for Amrabat. No potential fee is mentioned here in regards to a transfer deal – so it is actually unclear how much Liverpool are prepared to pay for the midfielder – but Transfermarkt suggests that his value is around the 30 million Euro mark (or £26m). Whilst more than the Serie A side paid, it is still a relatively cheap deal for the player.

When you consider what has been said about him in the game too, it makes that amount as a potential fee seem low. Football journalist Josh Bunting for example called the player "outstanding" during Fiorentina's Europa Conference League game against West Ham, also adding that he "ran the game" for the Italian side, while his displays on the biggest stage of all, the World Cup, drew mass media acclaim.

Tottenham Hotspur are in talks with the agents of Leicester City star James Maddison as they attempt his summer signing, according to journalist Rudy Galetti.

Who will join Spurs this summer?

The domestic transfer window is now officially open for business, meaning Spurs can properly make moves for players based in the UK.

Maddison, who is also being chased by Premier League rivals Newcastle United, is believed to be firmly on their radar with new manager Ange Postecoglou personally green-lighting a bid for the attacking midfielder.

As well as the England international, Spurs are looking to shore up a variety of key positions, with long-serving goalkeeper and number one Hugo Lloris also admitting he could leave.

Brentford’s David Raya and AC Milan’s Mike Maignan have been mentioned for the latter position, while it is believed Postecoglou has given the go-ahead for chairman Daniel Levy to sign a star centre-back.

Going back to Maddison, reports have suggested that the 26-year-old is set to leave Leicester, coming after their relegation from the top flight.

The former Norwich City star could be a hot commodity this summer, especially given just how much he starred under both Brendan Rodgers and Dean Smith at the King Power Stadium last season.

Leicester’s drop to the Championship could potentially result in them having to lower their asking price for Maddison, adding further incentive for Tottenham to test their resolve.

According to journalist Rudy Galettti, sharing news on Twitter, there has been an update on Spurs’ advances as they open talks with his representatives.

They’re apparently set to go head-to-head with Newcastle, and while the Magpies are believed to have a slight advantage, the race is fully open.

Maddison, meanwhile, “wants the move” this summer.

Who is James Maddison?

The Three Lions ace could be worth every penny of the £51 million asking price if Spurs indeed opt to pay it.

According to WhoScored, no Leicester player made more successful key passes per 90 in the final third than Maddison, or had as many shots at goal.

Racking up an impressive 19 goal contributions (10 goals and nine assists) last season, Maddison was hailed as “unreal” for his form by BBC Sport analyst Statman Dave.

Tottenham Hotspur could be set to keep hold of Harry Kane as Manchester United are "prepared to explore other options" in the summer, per transfer expert Fabrizio Romano.

​​​​​​Tottenham Hotspur transfer news – Harry Kane

Tottenham's all-time leading goalscorer has been linked with moves away from N17 before, but the recent links to United, coupled with his contract running down, felt different.

As dubbed by fellow striker Chris Wood (via Eurosport), the 'monster' has scored a ridiculous 280 goals in his 435 career appearances for Spurs, with 64 assists to boot.

This consistent output from the 6 foot 2 forward has led other clubs to monitor his situation, notably European royalty, Real Madrid.

The Spanish side have been reportedly interested in Kane since the departure of their own legendary striker, Karim Benzema.

The vacant number nine shirt at Los Blancos looked like the perfect opportunity for both Kane to move onto bigger things and for Spurs to avoid selling to a rival.

However, it appears like the Spanish club have pulled out of a potential deal because of the costs involved.

According to the Daily Mail, Spurs are looking for a fee of close to £100m for their number nine in the summer.

What has Fabrizio Romano said about Harry Kane to Manchester United?

Romano gave the update that United fans were dreading, and Spurs fans were hoping for this morning, the news that the Red Devils were prepared to cool their interest in Harry Kane.

Speaking on his YouTube channel, he said: "Harry Kane is considered the perfect striker by Erik ten Hag. He is a big fan of Harry Kane. He considers Harry Kane as the perfect kind of number nine for the idea of football that he has, but we always said it's not going to be easy to negotiate with Tottenham.

"And today [Wednesday], we can confirm that Manchester United, after internal meetings, are prepared to explore other options for a new striker because they believe that Harry Kane is a really difficult target."

Romano goes on to explain the two major roadblocks that United see with this deal: "They believe that Tottenham have no intention of negotiating with Man United, they don't want to sell the player to Manchester United, and so the feeling at the club is that it's better to maybe look at some other option."

The second issue is price, with Romano adding: "The price, because they feel in any case, even if Tottenham would open the door for the exit of Harry Kane, it's too expensive."

How good has Harry Kane been for Tottenham this year?

England's captain and all-time leading goalscorer has had a frankly ridiculous individual season this year.

It has been massively overshadowed by the inhuman exploits of Erling Haaland at Manchester City and by the generally poor showing by Spurs as a whole, but as an individual, he has been unreal.

According to WhoScored, the Walthamstow-born striker has averaged a seriously impressive rating of 7.51 across his 38 appearances in the league this year.

His underlying statistics are fantastic as well.

According to FBref, who compare players in a similar position across Europe's top five leagues, Kane ranks in the top 4% for progressive passes, the top 10% for shot-creating actions and the top 14% for expected goals, all per 90.

It's easy to understand why the club don't want to lose him this year, even if it means he leaves for free next summer.

An update has emerged on Newcastle United and their plans to bolster their midfield options in the upcoming summer transfer window…

What's the latest on Romeo Lavia to Newcastle?

According to The Telegraph, the Mapgies are eyeing up a possible swoop to sign Southampton central midfielder Romeo Lavia ahead of the 2023/24 campaign.

Dan Ashworth and Eddie Howe are said to be exploring potential deals to improve their squad by snapping up gems from the teams that were relegated from the Premier League this season.

The Daily Mail recently reported that the Saints are expected to demand a fee of up to £50m for the Belgian talent despite being knocked down to the Championship.

Would Romeo Lavia be a success at Newcastle?

Howe could finally unlock the best of Bruno Guimaraes' attacking talents in the middle of the park by securing a deal for Lavia as the 19-year-old could enjoy great success as a holding midfielder at St James' Park.

The former Manchester City gem enjoyed a strong first season in professional football in spite of Southampton's relegation and bringing in a player with his defensive attributes in the No 6 role would allow the manager to push the Brazilian ace further up the pitch.

In the 2022/23 campaign, the current Toon star made 36 appearances as a defensive midfielder and only one in a No 8 position, which resulted in four goals and two 'big chances' created in the Premier League.

Whereas, nine of his starts came as an eight in 2021/22 and the maestro produced four goals and three 'big chances' created for his teammates.

These statistics suggest that Guimaraes' attacking output was stunted in 2022/23 because of his need to play in a deeper position in the midfield

Lavia, meanwhile, played 22 times as a defensive midfielder this season for Southampton and the "diamond" – as he was dubbed by talent scout Jacek Kulig – could provide protection to the back four and allow the Brazil international to have more of an impact in the final third.

The Saints star, who was hailed as "exciting" by journalist Dan George, ranks in the top 29% or higher for tackles, interceptions, and blocks per 90 amongst his positional peers in the men's top five leagues over the last 365 days, which suggests that the teenager excels at cutting out opposition attacks on a regular basis and may yet only improve given his age.

He could play at the base of Howe's midfield and provide the likes of Guimaraes, Joelinton, and Joe Willock a platform from which they can build their attacks from, as they would have an excellent defensive presence behind them to sweep up and stop the opposition from creating chances.

Everton are reportedly ready to assert their dominance in the summer transfer window, as the club have been linked to a prolific forward.

The Toffees confirmed their Premier League survival in dramatic fashion on the final day, after what was a dreary season both on and off the pitch for the club.

Now that the Blues have sealed their fate in the top division, Sean Dyche will look to get to work this summer to make essential improvements in the bid to push on from a tough campaign at Goodison.

Having netted just 35 goals this term, Everton recorded their lowest-scoring tally over the past five seasons, however, the club’s latest transfer link could solve all woes in the final third.

What’s the latest on Yuri Alberto to Everton?

As reported by GOAL earlier this week, Everton are reportedly interested in Corinthians forward Yuri Alberto.

The report states that the Blues are considering a proposal to the Brazilian club for the striker, with them currently “keeping an eye” on the 22-year-old.

As per CIES Football Observatory, the Corinthians talisman is valued at €30m (£26m).

What could Yuri Alberto bring to Everton?

Operating over 2022/23 in the unfamiliar Brazilian league schedule, the striker has scored a total of 13 goals and registered six assists in 38 appearances in the Brasileiro Serie A and Paulista Serie A1 competitions – as per Sofascore.

At just 22, the forward has already had experience in European football, spending a season on loan in Russia representing Zenit St Petersburg, in which he contributed to ten goals in 15 appearances, scoring six and assisting four.

Lauded as being “dangerous” by talent scout Jacek Kulig, the Brazilian has areas of expertise in most areas of his game acting as a number nine, with Kulig listing him as being a “complete forward”.

Everton have found joy in equipping a Brazilian forward to lead the line previously, with Richarlison having a similar feat in his homeland, scoring 11 goals and assisting seven for Fluminense before signing for Watford in 2017 – as per Transfermarkt.

The young striker could add so much to the Toffees squad, and even force Dyche to reconsider the solidity of Calvert-Lewin’s place at the club.

The Englishman enjoyed a formidable scoring run in the 2020/21 season, bagging 16 league goals, however since then has suffered prolonged injuries, leaving him scoring just seven goals over the past two seasons at Goodison – as per Sofascore.

While injury struggles are out of his hands, competition for starting places remain, and the introduction of Alberto would certainly raise the bar in terms of battling for the number nine spot.

When comparing the two players, the Brazilian showcases a higher threat on the ball than the Everton forward, averaging 2.62 shot-creating actions to Calvert-Lewin’s 1.85 per 90, highlighting his efficiency in attack.

A similar pattern is evident in terms of positioning and threat going forward, with the 22-year-old averaging 6.83 progressive passes received, to the Englishman’s 4.33 per 90 – all statistics as per FBref.

The most important thing for the club is to secure a goalscorer this summer, however, Alberto could offer a dynamic player with “killer instinct” to Dyche’s set-up.

A player that is still developing at just 22 could give Everton more than just goals, with the potential to be a leading name at the club should he continue to showcase his talent in the final third.

It could also mean the end of the road for the stricken Calvert-Lewin who is surely now running out of time to prove his worth in Merseyside.