All posts by rastrear-estafeta.com

Tottenham Hotspur's summer business has not been surprising, largely for the plain and simple fact that their new manager is a quick thinker.

Ange Postecoglou's general rule of thumb at Celtic was that he'd act quickly and decisively in the transfer window, notably bringing in three players to Parkhead before the window for the January 2022 market had even opened.

They haven't acted that swiftly here, but they are making moves in the market, with a new transfer target now named; Marc Cucurella.

How much is Marc Cucurella worth?

Signed by Chelsea from Brighton for a fee of £60m last summer, the Spaniard could already be on the move after a tricky season.

Football Transfers note Spurs as one potential destination for the left-back.

It's claimed they are following his situation closely as they seek a replacement for the potentially outgoing Ivan Perisic.

The north Londoners are reportedly 'ready' to make a deal happen, something that could well materialise considering Mauricio Pochettino's side are 'desperate' to get rid of him.

Any deal could potentially cost around £48m, his expected transfer value, as per the same source.

How good is Marc Cucurella?

During his stint at Brighton, Cucurella emerged as a flying wing-back, one who looked every bit a La Masia graduate.

Barcelona's famous academy has housed some of the very best names in world football, from the likes of Lionel Messi, Xavi and Iniesta.

It's safe to say the 24-year-old isn't quite that good, but he has forged a successful career for himself.

In his one and only season with the Seagulls, the 2021/22 campaign, the full-back posted one goal and two assists. They are hardly outstanding numbers but when it came to marauding defenders that year, there were few better in the division.

Cucurella sat inside the top 14% of full-backs in the Premier League for touches in the attacking third and the top 12% for carries, via FBref. Not just competent going forward, he was in the best 8% for ball recoveries with 7.20 per 90 minutes.

Are those numbers worthy of a £60m price tag? Arguably not. That said, he was an exciting proposition and one at an age where only growth was surely possible.

Unfortunately for Spurs, they would now be getting a player who has shown his flaws. Only another two assists were registered by the Spaniard in a poor Chelsea side. This time out, he was only in the best 30% for touches in the attacking third and the best 20% for carries. If there was one positive, he still recovered the ball on a regular basis, making 6.46 recoveries per 90, marking him in the best 14% positionally.

That doesn't look dreadful but the truth of the matter is that he made a number of notable errors too. He was hooked after just 63 minutes against his former employers in what turned out to be a 4-1 loss.

Described as a "liability" by journalist Josh Bunting during a game with Villa, he notably cost the Blues in Europe. In both games against Real Madrid, he let them down a great deal. At Stamford Bridge, Cucurella came charging out of his position leaving a huge gap in behind down Chelsea's left-hand side. The end product was a goal.

Similarly, at the Bernabeu, he was caught out of position. Rodrygo turned the wing-back all too easily which left Ben Chilwell vulnerable in behind. The result? A red card for the England man who was rather hung out to try by his defensive colleague who attempted to make a last-ditch challenge.

Spending big money on a Premier League talent, therefore, has rather worrying echoes of Richarlison.

The former Everton man made his own £60m switch last summer after impressing in the lower reaches of the table.

However, like Cucurella, he was one of the worst signings of the season. In total, the Brazilian found the net just three times, one of which came in the top flight. Remarkably, the attacker had to wait until the 30th April to finally break his league drought.

That isn't to say that every transfer from a Premier League side works out poorly, but Tottenham must learn their lesson from 12 months ago.

Investing in Cucurella this summer would feel like a costly mistake. This is surely one to swerve for Daniel Levy and Co.

Tottenham Hotspur could be set to add some true defensive steel to their midfield this summer, with one top target having emerged…

What's the latest on Joao Palhinha to Tottenham Hotspur?

The latest comes from The Sun (1/7; page 67), who suggests that the Lilywhites are huge admirers of Fulham's Joao Palhinha, but will expect competition from West Ham United.

Having enjoyed a stellar debut campaign in the Premier League, the Portugal international has unsurprisingly earned widespread interest from some top clubs. However, the Cottagers will reportedly hold out for a mouth-watering £90m fee in an effort to ward those suitors off, likely viewing their midfield general at a similar level to the £105m-rated Declan Rice.

With that kind of figure unlikely to stir Ange Postecoglou into action, the fact he remains keen on the player could see him seek to negotiate, in an effort to build a fine platform for his new signing James Maddison to truly thrive.

How good is Joao Palhinha?

For what was his first year in English football, the 27-year-old took to the physicality demanded of him with ease, showcasing his ability to consistently snatch back possession in that engine room with huge success. Even as early as August did commentator Steve Wilson brand the midfielder "outstanding", as a sign of the imperious presence that would go on to dominate many games.

In fact, the former Sporting CP metronome finished quite comfortably as the division's top tackler, with his 147 tackles dwarfing the competition. Moises Caicedo recorded the next best, with 100, and Pierre-Emile Hojbjerg was nowhere near with his tally of 56.

Given the Denmark international could be set to depart this summer, Palhinha could represent a fine replacement who boasts that additional bit of defensive steel and athleticism to allow him to screen a back four all on his own.

That being said, Spurs' 27-year-old ace did maintain a 7.11 average Sofascore rating last term in the league, marking a slight improvement on the 7.00 of his potential successor.

However, a gulf in class is not made apparent in their underlying statistics, as whilst the former recorded an 89% pass accuracy, 0.9 key passes, 1.6 tackles and 1.7 clearances per game (via Sofascore), Palhinha would instead maintain an 83% pass accuracy, 0.2 key passes, 4.2 tackles and 1.7 clearances per game of his own, via Sofascore.

Should Postecoglou opt to enact this transfer switch around, he would sacrifice the added offensive impetus that Hojbjerg offers for more solidity, likely aiming to give his true creative threats the best possible environment to exert their will on a game and win matches on their own.

Few within the Premier League could offer what Marco Silva's main man would, thus explaining his astronomical price tag. However, should it be slashed at any point, Spurs must swoop to secure what would be the perfect all-action defensive midfielder to underpin their new manager's high-octane philosophy.

Tottenham Hotspur have identified several defensive targets for this summer, but one homegrown asset could be the standout…

What's the latest on Marc Guehi to Tottenham?

That's according to The Athletic, who detail various targets that Ange Postecoglou could swoop for in his first transfer window since joining.

Despite links in recent months suggesting a move for Manchester City's Aymeric Laporte, they could instead invest in youth and stump up the £50m Crystal Palace are set to demand for Marc Guehi with the defender believed to be a target.

After all, he boasts an impressively high ceiling, with his malleable nature making him the perfect foundation for which the Australian head coach can build his dynasty in north London. He has been a long-term target of the club, seemingly way before the arrival of the former Celtic boss.

Is Marc Guehi better than Aymeric Laporte?

The key differences between these two defensive stalwarts are their age and minutes played, with one having starred for a mid-table outfit, whilst the other has played a supplementary role in an unprecedented achievement in Manchester.

The Spain international made just 24 appearances in all competitions last term, with 12 of those coming in the league. For all his quality during his time at the Etihad, this lack of influence must surely be a factor in Postecoglou's thinking.

Not to mention that he is set to turn 30 next year, whilst Guehi is still just 22 years old.

Already an England international, and having starred for an uninspiring yet solid Palace side, even during a campaign where they were at points threatened with relegation, he still maintained a 6.94 Sofascore average rating. This was matched by Laporte in the league too, although he did play 25 fewer matches for a far greater team.

To further emphasise the impressive form of the Chelsea academy graduate, it is worth emphasising his 85% pass accuracy and 82% dribble success rate he upheld in his most recent season, to match his outstanding 3.6 clearances per game, via Sofascore. For context, no player made more clearances a match in the entire Spurs squad.

A true ball-playing leader, yet with the solidity needed to improve this struggling squad, it is no surprise to see former England U21 teammate Josef Bursik had branded him an "absolute tank", and a "brick wall" to have in front of him as a goalkeeper.

It is also worth outlining that, in Opta's player radars, he is shown to truly excel when it comes to touches of the ball and possession won. Able to wrestle back possession with his immense strength, but combining it with imperious technical quality, makes him something of a physical marvel.

Laporte has been impressive for so long, but his age would make him a short-term signing in an attempt to force instant success. Guehi poses a fine alternative in terms of instant impact but arguably has well over a decade to continue his growth into a huge figure in the Postecoglou revolution.

Tottenham Hotspur do hold an interest in Conor Gallagher this summer but it is not something which is close at this stage in the window.

How old is Conor Gallagher?

Spurs look prepared to press the reset button this summer with a seriously underwhelming 2022/23 campaign now behind them which saw finish in a miserable eighth spot.

Ange Postecoglou has now come through the doors as their new manager as Daniel Levy has finally solved his managerial hunt following Antonio Conte's departure.

However, there are still some glaring areas which are in need of improvement considering the Lilywhites were unable to even secure a spot in the Europa Conference League for the upcoming campaign.

It is believed the north London outfit have identified the Leicester City star James Maddison as a potential option for the summer window with expected competition from Newcastle United.

But another name which is also seemingly on their radar is that of the Chelsea midfielder Gallagher who is also believed to be a target of the Toon.

Speaking on his YouTube channel, Fabrizio Romano has claimed someone at Spurs appreciated the Chelsea midfielder but at the moment their attention is on Maddison:

"It's true that also someone at Tottenham appreciates the player. But, at the moment, it's not something concrete and Tottenham's focus is on James Madison."

How many years does Conor Gallagher have left on his contract?

The Chelsea midfielder did not have a campaign he will be wanting to remember in a hurry having only been able to provide a return of three goals and one assist in the Premier League (via Transfermarkt).

And this is a position where Spurs have been in dire need of some creativity and dependability in returning goals and assists.

Tottenham's highest scoring midfielder over the 2022/23 campaign was Rodrigo Bentancur with a total of six goals across all competitions.

But to put that figure into perspective, the Uruguayan has been out of action since February after sustaining a season-ending ACL injury which resulted in him undergoing surgery.

With his 2022/23 returns in mind, perhaps Maddison would prove a safer option for Tottenham considering he was able to provide an impressive 10 goals and nine assists for Leicester City (via Transfermarkt).

And despite having just two years remaining on his deal at Stamford Bridge, reports from Germany (via football.london) suggest Chelsea could still be looking for around £44m for the 23-year-old.

Liverpool are interested in signing Southampton prodigy Romeo Lavia this summer, hoping to capitalise on the south coast club's Premier League relegation.

What's the latest on Romeo Lavia to Liverpool?

According to Football Insider, while Jurgen Klopp's Reds are considering lodging a formal offer for the Belgian teenager, they do not wish to be dragged into a bidding war with rival suitors Chelsea this summer.

The 19-year-old is reportedly available for around £45m-£50m, though if multiple outfits prove desperate to secure his signature, such a valuation could balloon, which would effectively end the Reds' interest.

Sporting director Jorg Schmadtke will be working diligently to add to the recent £35m acquisition of Alexis Mac Allister after the departures of James Milner, Naby Keita and Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain, and Lavia might just be the perfect rising star to be nurtured to prominence in their wake.

How would Lavia perform at Liverpool?

It's a strange old atmosphere at Anfield right now, with Liverpool nursing the wounds inflicted throughout the 22/23 campaign, failing to qualify for the Champions League, but holding an embedded sense of optimism that the dismal midfield and defensive displays will be rectified this summer.

The energetic Mac Allister is undoubtedly a stunning signing to pave the new foundation, but the club are expected to target two further additions in midfield and Lavia could be the shiny new anchor to hold the centre together with an iron-clad grip for years to come, already hailed as "incredible" by Manchester City manager Pep Guardiola.

Despite a terrible collective season with Saints, Lavia's pedigree shone through in coruscating light, having made 35 appearances across all competitions, scored one goal and assist apiece and earned a respectable Sofascore league rating of 6.8 after completing 86% of his passes and making 2.1 tackles per game.

It is unlikely that the one-cap star's positional peer on Merseyside, Fabinho, will be displaced for the forthcoming campaign despite sitting at the epicentre of Liverpool's seasonal strife, having rekindled some of his former vigour towards the business end of the campaign.

The “exquisite” Lavia – as he has been called by Jacob Tanswell – would be nurtured and integrated with care as he works towards a prominent role under Klopp's tutelage, and his ascent could coincide with Stefan Bajcetic's, who could form a devastating central partnership alongside the holding midfielder.

Liverpool's once imperious centre lost its sparkle this year after years of illustrious success, tired legs and sapped vitality playing their role in the decimation of an outfit once striking fear with a searing iron into opposition across Europe, but the prodigious Bajcetic entered the fold after impressing for the academy ranks and earned praise as an "incredible prospect" by journalist Tom Barnes for his energy and exuberance.

A robust enforcer, the 18-year-old Spaniard made 19 appearances for the Reds' senior side – scoring one goal – before injury cruelly ended his breakout year prematurely, but he is the future and with a pivot such as Lavia burgeoning alongside him over the next several terms, a fearsome duo could well be born.

Chelsea could target an experienced head in midfield to combat their exodus of players in the engine room at Stamford Bridge, according to journalist Ben Jacobs.

What's the latest news involving midfield exits from Chelsea?

As per Sky Sports, Manchester United are set to submit a formal bid to try and acquire Chelsea midfielder Mason Mount this summer as Erik Ten Hag looks to add some additional quality to his side.

The report states that talks are underway over a potential deal; however, there is a gap in valuation which will need to be ironed out to facilitate any notion of Mount moving to Old Trafford.

Renowned transfer guru Fabrizio Romano has also detailed that N'Golo Kante looks set to complete a move to Saudi Pro League outfit Al Ittihad on a two-year contract with the option of a third 12 months.

According to Gianluca Di Marzio via The Daily Mail, AC Milan are keen on Blues ace Ruben Loftus-Cheek; however, they are believed to have put the breaks on a move due to concerns over his age.

Cobham academy product Conor Gallagher has also been linked with an exit in SW6 and Liverpool, Newcastle United and Borussia Dortmund are all keen on the 23-year-old, as cited by The Daily Mail.

Mateo Kovacic has agreed personal terms with Manchester City and looks odds-on to join the treble winners from Chelsea, as per Romano once again.

In light of these prospective outgoings, journalist Jacobs thinks that Chelsea may elect to bring in an experienced head in midfield to balance out the know-how they would be losing by letting some of these stars leave the club.

Speaking to Football FanCast, Jacobs stated: “It wouldn’t surprise me if Chelsea, along with a player like Caicedo, surprise us on the midfield front and look for somebody that has leadership skills and proven Premier League experience because everyone kind of focuses on the younger players like Caicedo and Lavia.

“And of course that’s Chelsea’s project, but when you potentially lose Kovacic, Kante goes and when Jorginho goes then along with all of these youngsters, there is a logic that Chelsea may also want some experience whether that is experience by age or experience by Premier League games.”

Who could Chelsea target to provide midfield experience?

One report in Spain suggested last month that Tottenham Hotspur midfielder Pierre-Emile Hojberg could be targeted by Mauricio Pochettino this summer to help bolster his engine room before next term begins.

FootballTransfers claim that Southampton midfielder James Ward-Prowse has also been shortlisted at Stamford Bridge amid fierce competition for his signature from Tottenham Hotspur, Aston Villa and Newcastle United.

Although 24 years of age, Declan Rice has garnered a wealth of experience and is another target that Chelsea could look to bring in this off-season, as per Sky Sports.

Chelsea look set for a considerable turnover of midfield players this summer and it wouldn't be a surprise to see Pochettino make quite a few additions in that position to get his side ready for 2023/24.

The Daily Mail have now shared an interesting Tottenham Hotspur transfer update involving Wolverhampton Wanderers forward and current Barcelona loanee Adama Traore.

The Lowdown: Spurs eye January move…

The Spaniard was a serious Premier League transfer target for Spurs in the winter window, as backed by reliable sources like The Athletic, who revealed that manager Antonio Conte was eyeing him as a makeshift right-wing-back option.

[web_stories_embed url=”https://www.footballtransfertavern.com/web-stories/tottenham-latest-developments-2/” title=”Tottenham latest developments!” poster=”” width=”360″ height=”600″ align=”none”]

GiveMeSport even shared news that a move was very close at one point with both the Lilywhites and Traore’s representatives shaking hands on personal terms and agreeing to make him the club’s fourth-highest earner.

However, when the Catalans swooped in late-on, Tottenham’s plans were scuppered and Conte was left without a new-and-improved wing-back signing.

The Latest: Mail share interesting update…

The Mail, sharing news after Conte held crunch transfer talks with sporting director Fabio Paratici in Italy on Friday, now say that Traore has re-emerged as a target for Spurs.

Indeed, according to reliable reporter Mokbel, writing for the outlet, Tottenham’s boss has seemingly set his sights on a former flame.

The Verdict: Move on?

We believe, with some serious work, Traore could still be an asset for Conte as a makeshift attacking option on the right side of his defence – particularly considering he averaged a phenomenal 4.2 dribbles per 90 for Wolves before joining Barca (WhoScored).

It’s clear, when at his very best, the 26-year-old can be an extreme threat from out wide and members of the media seem to agree having watched him in England regularly.

Journalist Pete O’Rourke, commenting on the links to Spurs in January, raved over the ‘absolute world-beater’ who ‘nobody can stop’ with his pace and power.

Depending on Wolves’ asking price, it could well be a move Conte should consider.

In other news: Conte could see ‘one of the best in the world’ join Spurs after behind-scenes demand! Find out more here.

Leeds United’s time under Andrea Radrizzani has been plagued by mistakes in the transfer market, largely through a lack of spending or rueing that one that got away.

Of course, there have been numerous examples of success stories, namely the likes of Raphinha, Illan Meslier and Patrick Bamford.

But with every Raphinha, there’s a Laurens de Bock, Vurnon Anita or Jay-Rot Grot – a trio of weird signings that made only a total of 51 appearances combined.

Back in 2017, though, the Yorkshire giants missed out on one of Europe’s most frightening strikers and in a time where Leeds have missed last season’s top goalscorer Patrick Bamford and are staring down the barrel of relegation, they must be reeling.

[snack-amp-story url=”https://www.footballfancast.com/web-stories/read-the-latest-leeds-united-news-transfer-rumours-gossip-and-much-more” title=”Read the latest Leeds United news and rumours!”]

That man is Erling Haaland, who this week was announced as a Manchester City player.

The defending Premier League champions have signed the Borussia Dortmund forward in a €60m (£51m) deal, activating the 21-year-old’s release clause ahead of the summer transfer window, as per the BBC.

For a little over £50m, that has to be considered an absolute steal considering he’s valued at a whopping £135m by Transfermarkt.

But it could have been a different story for both Leeds and the Norway international.

Speaking on The Athletic’s ‘The Phil Hay Show’, football agent Hayden Evans revealed:

“He was at Molde, around about 17 [years old], and he was ripping it up but also fervently following Leeds United.

“We spoke to Victor [Orta, Leeds’ sporting director] and said, ‘Look, I can bring Erling to Leeds and the rest will be over to you,” before later adding:

“It went quite well, we went back, but the bottom line was that [Molde] wanted around four million pounds. Leeds were not in the stable [financial] position they are in now and he was not going to play, even the talent he was, he was not going to play first-team football at that age.”

After that move fell through, a young Haaland would go on to sign for RB Salzburg for around £7m in August 2018, where he quickly made a name for himself before completing a move to Borussia Dortmund, where he has consistently banged them in.

The Norwegian sensation netted a whopping 29 goals in 27 games in Austria and over the last two-and-a-half seasons for Der BVB, he’s bagged 85 goals in 88 appearances, as per Transfermarkt.

Such form and consistency has seen the 6 foot 4 talisman lauded as “a goal scoring cyborg” by journalist Alex Truica and a “one-man wrecking ball” by Gregor Robertson in The Times.

There’s no doubt that the 21-year-old is one of the most promising and lethal marksmen across the continent and Andrea Radrizzani’s failure to sign him for just £4m will be forever remembered as a catastrophic mistake.

AND in other news, Jesse Marsch drops Raphinha injury update ahead of Brighton…

Wolves could be heading for a major disaster over Ruben Neves, as the midfielder appeared to make a tearful goodbye to the supporters following yesterday’s 1-1 draw against Norwich.

The club have excelled since achieving promotion from the Championship in 2018, with Nuno Espirito Santo leading them to consecutive seventh-place finishes before a disappointing 13th place spot last year.

Nuno joined Tottenham Hotspur last season and Bruno Lage has responded well, securing a top-half Premier League spot with a match left to play.

Next season could see the manager having to undertake a rebuild of sorts. Replacing Neves will be key if the Portuguese midfielder does leave.

The 25-year-old has been linked with a move away from the Molineux, with Barcelona being one of the teams to state their interest in the player ahead of the summer transfer window.

Journalist Dean Jones explained to GIVEMESPORT: “I think £70million is unrealistic for Ruben Neves and Wolves will know that, but I can see it settling out at £40million to £50million.”

That’s a vast sum of money and a fee that could allow Lage to invest in signing another top-class midfielder to replace him.

Having had “sensational” praise lavished on him in the past by Tim Spiers and Lage won’t want to see one of his finest players leave the club, but if a big-money bid comes in, he would be hard-pressed to turn it down.

With a WhoScored rating of 6.86, Neves currently ranks fifth out of the Wolves squad this season, showing his importance to the team. He has also chipped in with four goals and two assists in the Premier League this season.

That tally of goal involvements is only bettered by Raul Jimenez this term so losing such a high percentage of their creativity and goal-scoring ability would be disastrous.

Neves has clearly been influential in the club’s resurgence into a top-flight mainstay over the previous four years and his departure would almost signal the end of an era.

Whatever happens, the player has made his mark on the club and hopefully, Lage can persuade him to stay for another season. If he can’t, then he will understandably be rather upset.

AND in other news, Mendes links: Wolves now plot bid for “exciting” 20y/o wonderkid, Lage will love him

Southampton are reportedly eyeing up a swoop for Middlesbrough midfielder Marcus Tavernier during the upcoming transfer window, according to Football League World sources.

The Lowdown: Tavernier profiled

The 23-year-old spent the majority of his youth career with Newcastle United before making the move to Teesside to join the Championship outfit at U14s level, where he has since progressed through the ranks to become a regular feature of Chris Wilder’s starting XI.

Boro recently missed out on securing a place in the play-offs following a 4-1 defeat to Preston on the final day of the season, which means that they have to be resigned to the fact that they could face losing some of their better players this summer.

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

Tavernier has just one year remaining on his current contract at the Riverside Stadium, so he is one of the Middlesbrough stars to have been in the headlines over the last few days, and it looks like there could be some interest from the top-flight.

The Latest: Southampton considering a move

In a new article by Football League World, sources have told the publication that the Saints are ‘taking a look’ at the possibility of a move for the midfield maestro, whose contract situation means he will not be a costly acquisition.

However, they  are set to face competition from fellow Premier League rivals Brighton and Wolves, alongside newly-promoted Bournemouth, which could start ‘a war’ in the race for his signature.

The Verdict: ‘Manager’s dream’

With Middlesbrough now confirmed to be playing in the second-tier of English football for at least another season, it would be no surprise to see the £3.15m-rated ace looking elsewhere in the coming months if he has ambitions of playing at the highest level.

Tavernier has been hailed a “special” player and a “manager’s dream” by his former Boro boss Neil Warnock, so Ralph Hasenhuttl would instantly be a big fan of the versatile hard-worker.

He has made 155 senior appearances for the club to date, making a total of 36 goal contributions during that time, via Transfermarkt.

If Southampton are able to complete a deal for the Leeds-born talent, there’s no doubt that he would be a great addition to Ralph Hasenhuttl’s squad and could go on to strike up a new partnership with James Ward-Prowse in the middle of the park.

In other news… a Saints veteran could be tempted into signing a new contract at St. Mary’s this summer.