All posts by rastrear-estafeta.com

Many Wolves fans have been left lauding the performance of Rafa Mir as Spain beat Ivory Coast 5-2 at the Olympic games in Tokyo.

As per Sky Sports, the striker was substituted on and scored a late equaliser to force extra-time against the Ivorians, and then went on to score two more to complete a very impressive hat-trick.

Mir has reportedly rejected a new deal at the Midlands club, and as such a number of teams around Europe are interested in his signature before the summer transfer window shuts.

However, his recent display has shown what he is capable of, and as such several members of the Molineux faithful applauded the 24-year-old and have called for him to stay.

Wolves fans on Mir hat-trick

These WWFC supporters lauded Mir as details of his performance for his country were shared by Talking Wolves on their Twitter page, with one even going as far as to claim that he is a ‘baller’:

“He’s actually a baller, shame we probably won’t keep him”

Credit: @OliRobinson26

“Wow”

Credit: @wwfcglover

“Woah”

Credit: @AdamWWFC_

“What are Wolves playing at? Bring him back!”

Credit: @IrishWolvesFans

“Beast”

Credit: @xavier34087714

“HAS to be above Fabio Silva in the pecking order. #WolvesAywe”

Credit: @bradwilko1

In other news, find out what Bruno Lage comments Wanderers are worried by here!

Everton’s hunt for a new manager has now been a month-long pursuit.

A host of managers have been in the frame according to odds shown at coral offers at the signup but only one target still seems to be standing.

What’s the word?

The Toffees have been linked with the likes of Nuno Santo and Christophe Galtier but the head coach that looks set to arrive is Rafa Benitez.

The Spaniard has been in talks with Everton over the last couple of weeks, with negotiations reportedly starting to come to a close.

However, an article written by Paul Joyce in The Times shares a rather shocking revelation on the thought process of Alisher Usmanov, one of the club’s big sponsors, and Farhad Moshiri.

Joyce revealed the following: “The two billionaires are not oblivious to the fans’ reaction but have simply chosen to ignore the outpouring in the belief they are hiring a good coach, with a strong tactical understanding and someone who can improve players.

“They are tired of “losing”, according to sources, although the hire ’em, fire ’em policy and haphazard manner in which previous managerial appointments have been conducted means Everton have been their own worst enemy in terms of on-field progress since Moshiri came on board in February 2016.”

Supporters will be appalled

2021 appears to be a game of ‘which owners can upset their club’s supporters the most’.

Earlier this year, the Premier League’s big and now greedy six, attempted to break away from UEFA’s continental competitions – the Champions League and Europa League – to join a brand new European Super League.

[snack-amp-story url= “https://www.footballfancast.com/web-stories/read-the-latest-everton-manager-transfer-nuno-conte-wood-marcelo” title= “Read the latest Everton manager and transfer news!”]

They were going to be joined by the continents biggest and best teams but that fell by the wayside after significant fan pressure.

Protests were held outside stadiums and social media campaigns were started that threw smoke in the faces of the likes of Daniel Levy at Tottenham, Stan Kroenke at Arsenal and The Glazers at Manchester United.

On this occasion, fan power won. It told the billionaires in charge of their respective clubs that supporters hold a great stronghold over what goes on behind the scenes.

Although their initial ploy to break away acted as a crime against football, the way they immediately pulled out spoke volumes.

Of course, the situation now unravelling at Everton is a very different set of events but Moshiri and co had an opportunity here to demonstrate that they do care about their own supporters by not hiring a manager with connections to their fierce rivals.

The Goodison Park faithful have protested against the idea of Benitez becoming their new manager due to his allegiances to Liverpool but the board don’t seem to care about that.

If the 61-year-old is successful on the blue side of Merseyside then surely all be forgiven. Unfortunately for Benitez, he might not be given the platform to achieve his goals by the crowd.

The fans should be appalled by what’s occurring.

AND in other news, Brands could seal huge Gomes upgrade at Everton by signing “world-class” £30m star…

Newcastle United are reportedly keen on a move for Romain Perraud in the summer transfer window.

The Lowdown: Newcastle need starting left-back

Jamal Lewis found himself out of favour with Steve Bruce towards the end of the 2020/21 season, having been left on the bench by the former Aston Villa and Sunderland manager in the Magpies’ last 12 matches in the Premier League, and only coming on for a mere six minutes in total during that time (Transfermarkt).

With Paul Dummett also in the frame, it is not clear who is going to be the starting left-back come the start of the 2021/22 campaign, so it would be a wise idea by the St James’ Park club to go out and buy a new left-back over the summer.

The Latest: Newcastle keen on Perraud

As per L’Equipe (via Sport Witness), Newcastle are keen on a move for Perraud, along with both Leeds and Southampton.

[web_stories_embed url=”https://www.footballtransfertavern.com/web-stories/newcastle-updates-4/” title=”Newcastle updates! (4)” poster=”” width=”360″ height=”600″ align=”none”]

However, any deal would have to exceed €10m (£8.6m), and the Saints are currently leading the hunt for his signature.

Nonetheless, there is still time for the Magpies to scupper Southampton’s plans to sign him, should they decide to act on their interest.

The Verdict: Newcastle must sign Perraud

Newcastle must look to beat off the competition from their rivals in the Premier League and sign Perraud at all costs.

The Frenchman scored three goals and supplied a further seven assists in 36 games in Ligue 1 last season (‘quality’.

He would also be an upgrade on both Lewis and Dummett, given that he averaged more tackles (1.7), interceptions (1.3), shots (1.3), key passes (one), dribbles (0.9), crosses (1.1) and long balls (2.3) per game in their respective domestic leagues last campaign (WhoScored).

At just 23 years of age, Perraud still has a lot of potential, and now may be the perfect opportunity for Newcastle to tempt Brest into a sale.

In other news, find out what big Newcastle transfer claim has been dropped!

Leeds United boss Marcelo Bielsa may be worried after the latest transfer update to come out of Thorp Arch.

What’s the story?

The Whites enjoyed a superb return on their first season back in the Premier League, finishing in ninth place, and picking up some impressive results along the way – not least ending on a four-match winning streak.

But, it appears Bielsa’s side are set for a quiet start to the summer transfer window, with Leeds Live’s Beren Cross admitting that fans shouldn’t expect a “flurry” of incomings for now.

And, via his official Twitter account, Cross said: “The transfer window officially opens today, but don’t expect a starting pistol and a flurry of eight-figure deals. Leeds remain hopeful signings will be made before pre-season. #lufc”

Bielsa may be worried

When a transfer window opens, one of the main things managers will have stressed to the club is the importance getting deals done as soon as possible.

That can help in a multitude of ways, not least ensuring they don’t go late into the window stressing about what they still need to do, and it also allows the players who do arrive to join up with pre-season and get to know their teammates and manager better so that they can hit the ground running when the season starts.

It’s no surprise that Victor Orta himself meanwhile has recently admitted that he will do everything in his power to try and ensure Leeds’ business gets done as quickly as he can.

Speaking on The Phil Hay Show back in May, he said: “It’s a strange market, I think obviously I want all the new players to start pre-season. I still have a long month of June and obviously, I hope that (in) the month of June we can finish the job.

“We can put our effort but it is not always just our side. Perhaps from our side, it is all done but there are a lot of people involved and it is out of our control.”

[snack-amp-story url=”https://www.footballfancast.com/web-stories/leeds-united-marcelo-bielsa-transfer-gossip-rumours-news-elland-road-rodrigo-de-paul” title=”Read the latest Leeds transfer rumours and news!”]

With it now approaching mid-June, and Leeds still looking no closer to clinching their first signing of the summer, let alone the rest of their business, Bielsa may be starting to get worried about when the Whites will kick things into gear.

Meanwhile, a journalist has dropped an exciting transfer update on this Leeds target…

Rafa Benitez has been in the Everton job for just over two days but he already has some big decisions to make.

He is faced with the potential departure of James Rodriguez, while Dominic Calvert-Lewin is also attracting interest from elsewhere.

What’s the word?

One of the most important decisions for the club this summer will be determining what happens with Moise Kean. The Italian striker spent last term on loan at PSG and he could head back to Ligue 1 for the upcoming season.

That’s the word of transfer guru Fabrizio Romano who took to Twitter on Thursday evening to report: “Paris Saint-Germain want Moise Kean back and it’s only loan negotiation with buy option included, as reported one month ago. NO permanent deal bid. Kean wants to join PSG. Leonardo is now waiting for Everton answer – it’s up to Rafa Benitez.”

Huge blunder

If Benitez sanctions a loan move for the young forward, it would be a mighty clanger within his first few days of being in the job.

If Everton are going to shift Kean on, they should be looking for a permanent move. Otherwise, they may as well give him another chance in the first team squad next season.

The Toffees were initially looking for a fee of £40m in order to relinquish him this summer, so to let him leave with only an option to buy feels like a rather peculiar decision. After all, this is the mighty PSG with which they’re dealing; they are not cash-strapped by any means.

[snack-amp-story url= “https://www.footballfancast.com/web-stories/check-out-the-latest-everton-news-benitez-kamara-romero-dumfries” title= “Read the latest Everton transfer news!”]

It’s a decision which has left plenty of supporters baffled and bewildered by the thought process at Goodison Park.

Reacting to the news on social media, one Everton fan said the club had dealt with Kean’s situation “absolutely terribly.” Another supporter claimed that the Toffees were becoming “easy to manipulate” in the transfer market, while a further individual fumed that it was an “absolute joke.”

You can certainly understand such anger. Kean had a breathtaking season in 2020/21, reviving his career after a disappointing first campaign in Merseyside.

After signing for Everton for £29m, he scored just four goals in 37 appearances before moving to France on a temporary basis. Since joining the Parisians, he lit up Ligue 1 and starred in Europe – he found the net on 17 occasions in PSG colours, even scoring against Barcelona.

At the age of 21, the Italy international has a very high ceiling. If Everton aren’t going to give him another opportunity, they may as well cash in on him now in order to fund a summer rebuild.

It would be a blunder from Benitez to agree to another loan move for the striker.

AND in other news, Everton eye swoop for “superb” 69-goal colossus, it could mean the end for DCL…

Crystal Palace are keen on hiring former Wolves manager Nuno Espirito Santo as Roy Hodgson’s successor this summer.

What’s the story?

According to The Sun, Palace are interested in talking to the 47-year-old to see if they can convince him over an immediate return to management.

The report claims that Nuno’s experience and style of play has seen him leapfrog other potential candidates on the Eagles’ wish list as they prepare for the 2021/22 campaign.

Parish could revive Palace

Nuno shocked English football when he announced his departure from Molineux after four hugely successful seasons with the Midlands outfit.

The Portuguese boss is thought to be admired by many clubs in England’s top flight and is being eyed up by the Palace hierarchy as chairman Steve Parish continues to search for the south London side’s new boss.

Other candidates such as Barnsley’s Valerian Ismael and Swansea’s Steve Cooper have been shortlisted for the vacancy, but their lack of familiarity with the Premier League may count against them.

Two seventh-placed finishes and a run to the Europa League quarter-finals were among Nuno’s highlights during his time with Wolves, earning praise from well-known journalist Tim Spiers, who said: “He’s done special things, he really has, to get to the cusp of a Europa League semi-final in three years, it’s a miracle – unbelievable.”

Whether the former Porto goalkeeper has the hunger and desire for such a quick return to the dugout may be the deciding factor in his proposed appointment.

A win rate of 48% over his managerial career is an impressive feat, but he may find life a bit trickier should he accept the capital club’s approaches.

Whoever replaces Hodgson will have to oversee an extensive squad rebuild over the coming months while working on a relatively modest and restricted budget.

Key players such as Gary Cahill, Christian Benteke and Patrick van Aanholt are among those approaching the end of their current contracts at Selhurst Park, meaning that a summer of change is set to occur.

However, Nuno has the quality to revive this Palace side and propel them back up the Premier League table. He evolved his Wolves team during his time in charge, and although was backed with significant funds in the transfer market, he often bought well and sold players at the right time.

Bringing in Nuno would appear to be an astute move by Parish, and the 47-year-old’s potential arrival would likely be welcomed by Palace supporters given his track record in English football thus far.

In other news… Parish must seal swoop for £10.3m maestro, Palace desperately need him 

Celtic’s plan this summer should very be centred around exorcising the older players from the squad and bringing younger ones to Parkhead.

The likes of Scott Brown and Callum McGregor have proven to be liabilities at times this season while the experienced Vasilis Barkas has hardly pulled up trees either.

The Greek stopper fell down the pecking order quickly after his £4.5m deal and now hasn’t played since January, a 2-2 draw with Livingston.

That being said, the Hoops would be foolish to completely forget about experienced heads. After all, they will need a few helping hands when it comes to blooding the reserve players.

One player who could help achieve that is James Forrest.

The Scotland international will be 30 by the time the new season arrives but he is still vitally important to Celtic.

He has missed a great deal of the current campaign with injury but showed what a huge absence he’d been when he returned.

[snack-amp-story url= “https://www.footballfancast.com/web-stories/celtic-manager-transfers-eddie-howe-jesse-marsch-ryan-christie-siriki-dembele” title=”Read the latest Celtic managerial updates, transfer news, rumours and gossip!”]

Forrest scored in the 6-0 rout of Livi last month and then found the net in the Scottish Cup against Falkirk too.

If the new manager has any sense then he’ll be front and centre of Celtic’s rebuild. He did score 16 goals and register 22 assists last term after all.

Their attack could be a vibrant one next year if they add Celtic-linked Xherdan Shaqiri to their ranks too. With the 89-cap Switzerland international on one wing and Forrest on the other, it has the potential to be an exhilarating front line.

Similarly to the Scot, Shaqiri has creativity in abundance and has technique that could frighten the life out of Premiership defences. He is quick-footed and has a marvellous football brain, something that’s earned him spells with Bayern Munich, Inter Milan and Liverpool.

His 1.3 key passes per match for the Reds this season are only bettered by four players in the entire Celtic squad.

Speaking about what sets him apart, The Athletic’s Liverpool correspondent James Pearce commented: “I absolutely love watching him. He’s just a real rare breed, isn’t he? With that ability to create something out of nothing, just incredible intelligence as well as the breathtaking technique.”

Some of the things Shaqiri can engineer when the ball is at his feet are truly mesmerising. He once scored an overhead kick for Liverpool in pre-season, repeating a feat he had the audacity to successfully pull off at Euro 2016.

If an opportunity to sign him becomes available, Celtic must grasp it with both hands. His expertise could be valuable in bringing through the next generation at Paradise.

AND in other news, Celtic can axe McGregor by unleashing rarely-seen 20 y/o with a “wand of a left foot”…

Tottenham Hotspur are still on the hunt for a new manager but Paul Stewart, who won the FA Cup in 1991 with Spurs, has exclusively told The Transfer Tavern that he can’t see Mauricio Pochettino returning to the North London club.

Spurs legend, Graham Roberts, had claimed that Daniel Levy should be knocking on Pochettino’s door and asking him to come back despite only sacking the Argentine at Spurs in 2019.

There have been some outlandish reports recently that have suggested Pochettino is already under pressure at PSG after the Parisians were knocked out of the Champions League convincingly by Manchester City, and they will head into the final day of the Ligue 1 season one point behind Lille in the title race.

Pochettino managed to guide Tottenham to an unlikely Champions League final in 2019 but he was sacked just a few months after that feat was reached and when asked if he could see the South American returning to north London, Stewart told the The Transfer Tavern:

“No, no. At the minute we look miles away from a Champions League team so I get what Graham’s saying but for me he would just be working with the same players he had before and we just need fresh faces at the club.

“Whoever is the manager needs to be given time but unfortunately, time isn’t what managers get anymore in the Premier League. It’s the million-dollar question for owners, do you give a manager time?”

Despite reaching the Carabao Cup final, Jose Mourinho was relieved of his duties as Tottenham’s manager and since Ryan Mason has taken over they have lost just once in the league.

Spurs appear to still have an outside chance of qualifying for Europe as they head into their penultimate fixture of the season against Aston Villa, sitting sixth but just four points off Liverpool in fifth.

Former Southampton CEO Les Reed has recently admitted that Southampton were looking at signing Wilfried Ndidi in 2016 following the departure of Victor Wanyama.

Speaking to ThisisFutbol, Reed said:

“When Wanyama went to Tottenham Hotspur, Wilfried Ndidi was someone who was on our radar.”

Wanyama joined Spurs from Southampton in the summer of 2016 after making 97 appearances for the Saints between 2013-2016, so he was a big player for the South Coast club to try and replace.

Ndidi was at Belgian side KRC Genk at the time and would’ve been available for around £15m had Southampton looked to sign him in the same summer window, as he would join Leicester City for that price in January 2017.

Since then, he has made 176 appearances for the Foxes, contributing nine goals and 11 assists, in which time he has established himself as one of the best defensive-midfielders in the Premier League.

His transfer value has shot up during his time with Leicester City, with Transfermarkt now valuing the Nigeria international at £45m, which certainly suggests that he would have been a worthwhile signing for the Saints.

This season saw the 24-year-old contribute one goal and four assists in 26 league appearances for Leicester City, which helped him average an excellent 7.25 rating from WhoScored.

This ranked him as the best performer in Brendan Rodgers’ side this season as they fell narrowly short of securing a top-four spot, which emphasises just how good a player he has become during his time in the Premier League.

[snack-amp-story url=”https://www.footballfancast.com/web-stories/read-the-latest-southampton-transfer-rumours-and-news” title=”Read the latest Southampton transfer rumours and news!”]

Back in 2019, Rodgers was full of praise for his midfielder, saying:

“He is an incredible player. The offensive players get the credit but he does the dirty work.”

“He has this brain for the game, where he can smell danger and always finds himself there. The timing of his challenge is very good and he’s up there with the top players at winning the ball back.”

Therefore, it seems clear that Ndidi would have been a superb addition to Southampton’s side in 2016, and Saints fans will likely be fuming that their club did not pursue him further after Wanyama’s departure given how good he’s been for the Foxes.

And, in other news… Hasenhuttl can evolve his Saints attack with swoop for “unbelievable” star

Former Northern Ireland international Keith Gillespie believes that his countryman Stuart Dallas will undoubtedly be Player of the Year for Leeds United this season, and has told The Transfer Tavern that he would certainly not consider leaving the club this summer.

Dallas has been in superb form for Marcelo Bielsa’s side this term as Leeds have taken the Premier League by storm.

They are currently 10th in the Premier League table and have won as many games this season as they have lost.

There is no danger of relegation and Leeds will already be looking forward to next season and the potential of climbing the table still further.

Dallas has played every single minute of the Premier League season and scored a brilliant brace at the weekend as Leeds shocked Manchester City, winning 2-1 despite going down to 10 men.

Incredibly, the Northern Ireland international, who has won 52 caps for his country, has played in six different positions this season: left-back, right-back, attacking midfield, central midfield, defensive midfield and on the right of midfield.

Speaking exclusively to TT, Gillespie was asked if Dallas could step up to a top six club, and insisted that he will not even consider the prospect of exiting Elland Road.

He said: “I’ve no doubt, he’ll probably be the Player of the Year for Leeds again this year. He got it last year, so it shows you how important he is. I don’t think he would even be thinking about leaving that club now.

“He loves the place, what they’ve gone on to achieve in terms of getting promotion and now how well they’ve done in the Premier League.

“He’s a regular for Northern Ireland so why maybe think of going to a top-six club and leaving the club and then not being that regular?”