All posts by n8rngtd.top

An update has emerged on Nottingham Forest and their attempts to bolster their midfield options before the summer transfer window slams shut tonight.

What's the latest Nottingham Forest transfer news?

According to Spanish outlet Sevilla ABC, the Tricky Trees are 'pressing' ahead with a late swoop to sign Real Betis central midfielder Guido Rodriguez.

The report claims that the club have already had one offer of €7.5m (£6m) turned down for the Argentina international and are now prepared to raise their offer to secure his services.

It states that these next few hours are important after talks between Betis and the experienced ace, as it now remains to be seen whether or not he will move on before the deadline passes.

How good is Guido Rodriguez?

The 29-year-old has proven himself to be an excellent combative midfielder in LaLiga over the last few years and could form an outstanding partnership with Ibrahima Sangare in the middle of the park.

Forest have reportedly agreed a £30m deal to sign the Ivory Coast international from Dutch giants PSV and he could be a dominant force alongside Rodriguez for Steve Cooper's side.

In the Eredivisie last season, the 25-year-old giant caught the eye with an average Sofascore rating of 7.24 across 29 appearances as he scored five goals and made 3.1 tackles and interceptions per game for his side.

Rodriguez, meanwhile, averaged a Sofascore rating of 7.07 across 34 LaLiga outings for Betis as he showcased his ability to break up play to win possession back for his side on a regular basis.

The £28k-per-week ace made a phenomenal 4.6 tackles and interceptions per match for his team and displayed his physical strength with a duel success rate of 60%, which shows that he came out on top in the majority of his physical contests.

He also averaged a Sofascore rating of 7.05 over 32 Spanish top-flight outings during the 2021/22 campaign and made an impressive four tackles and interceptions per appearance. This shows that the Argentine brute has been able to deliver a high standard of defensive performances over a prolonged period of time.

Comparatively, no Forest central midfielder managed more than Remo Freuler's 2.5 tackles and interceptions per game in the Premier League last season.

No player in any position averaged a Sofascore rating higher than 6.99 for Cooper's side as they avoided relegation back to the Championship, which illustrates how impressive the two potential deadline day recruit's performances for their respective clubs were last term.

Indeed, Rodriguez, who was once described as a “defensive monster” by analyst Marcus Bring, has the potential to be an outstanding addition to the squad due to his knack for winning the ball back more frequently than any of the manager's current options have the capability of doing.

Therefore, the current Betis star could form a monstrous partnership with Sangare as they are both able to be destroyers in midfield with their physical strength and their quality out of possession to be rocks in front of the defence.

Tottenham Hotspur may be flying of late under Ange Postecoglou, but it has been a long and arduous road to finally recapture that feelgood factor that had been absent for so long.

With the seven acquisitions funded by the sale of Gareth Bale arguably kickstarting the chain of events that has transformed the club's trajectory, Mauricio Pochettino’s appointment helped to turn a period of ridicule into relative success.

Although no silverware was claimed, the Argentine led them back into the Champions League, even reaching the final, whilst also coming close to the Premier League title on occasion too.

Despite that, Daniel Levy clearly still craves a trophy to end his 15-year hoodoo, yet cycling through Nuno Santo, Jose Mourinho and most recently Antonio Conte failed to bring what he desired.

Now, it is the Australian tasked with not only striving for that elusive silverware but also forging a play style that can get fans falling back in love with football again.

However, the squad he has inherited still needs work, with the Lilywhites still reeling from various financial missteps by regimes of the past, notably after selling a certain Gareth Bale.

Who did Spurs buy with the Gareth Bale money?

After years of thriving in north London, announcing himself as one of the top players in the entire country, when Real Madrid came calling it was a proposal impossible to deny.

The £85m gained from Bale's sale marked an astronomical fee at the time, shattering the previous world record transfer including Cristiano Ronaldo, and the thought process was clearly to reinvest this across the entire playing squad rather than on a sole successor to the Welshman.

As such, a host of players were brought in across the 2013 summer, which has since been rather questionably dubbed ‘the Magnificent Seven’.

The likes of Paulinho, Roberto Soldado, Vlad Chiriches, Nacer Chadli and Etienne Capoue all largely failed to make an impression, whilst Christian Eriksen was the obvious standout who grew into a key figure at White Hart Lane.

However, one of the more polarising additions of the bunch was Erik Lamela, who too stood the test of time, but despite flashes of brilliance was far too inconsistent to merit widespread praise.

The Argentinian would make 256 appearances for the club, scoring just 37 and assisting a further 45. Given the money expended to bring him in, this was far from a desirable return.

Andre Villas-Boas’ time in north London is now largely remembered for his failure to reinvest those funds wisely, with the 31-year-old having since departed with little fanfare.

Pundit Alex McLeish sought to sum up Lamela’s time at Spurs as his exit neared, noting: “Everybody knows the guy’s got heaps of talent. When you say about his injuries and his inconsistency, he never quite made it to the level of the player we expected.

“He was one of the players that replaced Gareth Bale. There were four or five players, weren’t there, that came in when Bale left. It was to try and fill these gaps.

“I’m not saying he was that player but he certainly had the ability to do things out of the ordinary. That’s the frustrating thing for managers, when you think you’ve got a diamond and the diamond only shines now and again.”

Lamela’s tenure arguably personifies such a tumultuous period in the club’s history, which could have fast-tracked the progression they would eventually enjoy once Pochettino was brought in.

How much did Spurs pay for Erik Lamela?

As the last to join during that busy 2013 summer, Villas-Boas was forced to unload £25.8m to bring the current Sevilla man from AS Roma to England.

It was a fee that turned heads, but given he had scored 15 and assisted five in the Serie A alone the season prior, there was a method to the madness.

All fees via Football Transfers

He would seldom enjoy a Premier League campaign even close to that level across his eight years at the club before a swap deal with Sevilla was engineered to bring Bryan Gil in as his replacement.

How much has Erik Lamela earned in his career so far?

Earning various lucrative contracts across the three top clubs he inhabited in Europe, it is no surprise that the trickster has amassed a pretty ridiculous figure from football.

With the biggest deal coming courtesy of Spurs, an £80k-per-week contract, and the lowest during his earlier days in AS Roma, at just £31k-per-week, it is a wonder how he managed to accumulate such continued interest throughout a career that never really hit the heights many thought it would.

Despite that, Lamela will likely not be too bothered, given his total career earnings from wages alone sits at €51.83m (£44.5m), via Capology. It is worth noting that €38.93m (£33.4m) of that came solely from the north London club.

Did Erik Lamela deserve to earn £80k-per-week?

Although his spell with the Lilywhites was filled with some standout moments, on the whole it would be hard to argue that Lamela was good value for what he ended up costing the club. After all, when adding his total wage expenditure to his transfer fee, in total his period there saw £59.2m lost.

Despite this, fans will remember his two rabona goals with fondness, the second of which won them the north London Derby and him the 2022 Puskas Award.

But for £80k-per-week and that aforementioned fee, to score just 37 goals, meant that for every time he found the back of the net during his eight years in England he cost them £1.6m.

How much did other Spurs players earn?

What made his tenure even more ridiculous is the calibre of player that he actually earned more than, with his wage matching that of Hugo Lloris' in 2013, who would go on to become a Spurs captain and legend.

Other players whom he looked down upon on the wage bill table were Eriksen, Kyle Walker, Mousa Dembele and a 19-year-old Harry Kane, with the latter being understandable as he was yet to make his big breakthrough.

Even the man he was signed to replace, who had just left for a world record fee as one of the game's most revered talents, was on a mere £20k-per-week more the year before he left.

Lamela's lucrative contract served as an insult to the players who performed consistently, with this deal going under the radar as one of the worst in the club's recent history.

Life does not appear to be getting any easier for Manchester United, with Erik ten Hag's side facing a stern test away to Bayern Munich this evening in what is a mouthwatering start to this season's Champions League group stage.

The Old Trafford outfit will go into tonight's encounter in Bavaria having slipped to three defeats from their opening five Premier League games, with it is safe to say that the club are now in something of a "full-blown crisis", according to Manchester Evening News journalist Samuel Luckhurst.

What is the Man United team news for Bayern?

With the season reaching a new low following the 3-1 defeat to Brighton and Hove Albion at the weekend, Ten Hag was likely in need of some positivity heading into the trip to Germany, albeit with it having since been a story of further setbacks in recent days.

The struggling outfit are set to be without a raft of first-team assets against Thomas Tuchel's men, with the likes of Mason Mount, Raphael Varane and Sofyan Amrabat all not included in the travelling party due to injury.

The Red Devils have also been hampered by the loss of both Aaron Wan-Bissaka and Harry Maguire following the clash with the Seagulls, leaving Ten Hag's options in the backline particularly stretched with Jonny Evans the only option in reserve.

There will, however, likely be another start for summer signing Rasmus Hojlund after the towering Dane was withdrawn on the hour mark on Saturday, with United needing to get their £72m addition firing if they are to have any hope of enjoying a successful season.

Will Hojlund start vs Bayern?

If not for a matter of millimetres, the 20-year-old may already have a first United goal under his belt, albeit with teammate Marcus Rashford having agonisingly run the ball out of play in the build-up to Hojlund's disallowed strike last time out.

That pull-back from the Englishman was, in truth, one of few occasions when he looked to find his new strike partner against Roberto De Zerbi's men, with the 25-year-old showcasing something of a selfish streak in the second half, in particular, after lashing an effort into the side-netting rather than picking out the former Atalanta man.

If the 6 foot 3 speedster is to truly become rather unplayable in attack then he will be reliant on quality service from those around him, particularly from the flanks, although with Rashford – who scored 30 goals last season – looking to fire himself, Ten Hag may need to consider pepping up the attack with another exciting asset, such as young Facundo Pellistri.

Will Pellistri play against Bayern?

With both Antony and Jadon Sancho currently sidelined, it had looked almost a certainty that the Uruguayan would start at the weekend, albeit with Ten Hag instead favouring a midfield diamond that included Scott McTominay on the right-hand side.

That decision not to unleash the 21-year-old whiz was deemed "inexplicable" by Luckhurst, with the former Penarol menace arguably the only orthodox right-wing option among the available crop of forwards.

That may suggest Ten Hag has little faith in the diminutive talent – who has made just 13 senior appearances for the club – although the "spectacular" gem, as described by compatriot Ronald Araujo, may be required to provide a much-needed spark this evening.

Such a bold inclusion could be particularly crucial for a figure like Hojlund, with Pellistri – who was praised for his "direct" nature by pundit Ally McCoist during the World Cup in Qatar – regularly looking to pick out his teammates from the right flank.

That was apparent on a rare outing last season at home to Real Betis in the Europa League, with the wideman producing a "scintillating" surge into the box, as per journalist Alex Turk, before pulling the ball across to eventually find Wout Weghorst, following McTominay's initial deflected effort.

While just a mere flavour of his ability, that solo run and impressive end product showcased that Pellistri could well be a striker's dream if given a consistent run in the side, with the natural right-footer likely to favour a cross or a threaded pass, over cutting onto his weaker side for a shot – as would be the case with Antony, as well as Rashford on the other side.

There may be those who would see it as too much of a gamble to thrust the 14-cap international into the fray against the Bundesliga giants, yet it could prove the key to not only unlocking United as a whole but also the hungry Hojlund.

West Ham United are set to be without another squad member for their looming Premier League clash away to Arsenal, alongside star midfielder Lucas Paqueta, who’s already been ruled out due to a fresh ankle injury.

West Ham travel to Arsenal as Graham Potter searches for second win

Since taking the reins from his predecessor Julen Lopetegui, Hammers boss Graham Potter has guided the east Londoners to just a single win in all competitions, and the Englishman faces his toughest task yet in search of his second victory in charge.

Graham Potter dealt Evan Ferguson blow as West Ham explore £25m replacement

An update has surfaced on the Irishman.

By
Emilio Galantini

Feb 19, 2025

West Ham travel across London to the Emirates Stadium on Saturday, where they will face off against Premier League title-chasing Arsenal, with Potter looking to both upset the Gunners’ title hopes and secure a much-needed three points for the travellers.

Unfortunately for Potter, news emerged earlier this week that Paqueta suffered a new ankle problem in Rush Green training, and it is now confirmed that the £150,000-per-week Brazilian is set to miss their game against Arsenal as a result.

“It was a training incident. Just an innocuous one, he went over on his ankle in a collision with Aaron Wan-Bissaka. He has rolled his ankle,” said Potter in a pre-match press conference today.

“He will be missing for the [Arsenal] game and probably Leicester as well. We will see how he it is, but it is swollen a bit. We will take it day-by-day but I would imagine a week or two he will be away.”

The South American’s ingenuity in the middle of the park will be dearly missed at Arsenal, but he isn’t the only squad member who won’t be playing a part against Arteta’s side.

Coufal set to miss West Ham game against Arsenal through injury

Potter also confirmed that right-back Vladimir Coufal is missing from their matchday squad through injury as well, but the Czech Republic international could still play a part in their follow-up clash with Leicester City.

West Ham will be without Coufal for their trip to Arsenal, and while the 32-year-old is currently behind Aaron Wan-Bissaka in the pecking order, his professionalism and experience won’t be seen off the bench.

“This weekend will come too soon for Vlad,” said Potter. “He has got an outside chance for Leicester.”

The defender is likely to leave West Ham at the end of this season when his contract expires, but supporters will always remember how vital he was during their imperious 2020/2021 season.

“They are two fantastic honest pros and the most humble guys I have met in football,” said left-back Aaron Cresswell about Coufal and Tomas Soucek back then.

“Their work ethic, we’ll play a game on a Saturday, we recover on a Sunday and the lads will be getting massages and you look out the window and the two Czech boys are running around the pitch.

“They are brilliant, they will sit there and play head tennis for an hour on recovery day. They are fantastic guys and two fantastic signings.”

Manchester United are reportedly in “no rush” to tie teenage wonderkid Kobbie Mainoo down to a new long-term contract.

Article continues below

Article continues below

Article continues below

• Youngster thriving in Red Devils midfield
• Talk of senior international call-up
• Already tied to deal through to 2027

• WHAT HAPPENED?

  The 18-year-old midfielder is currently working on a deal that is due to run until 2027. That means there is no rush for the Red Devils to agree fresh terms. The Premier League outfit are, however, eager to reward his emergence as a first-team star.

Advertisement

• Getty Images
  

  THE BIGGER PICTURE

  Academy graduate Mainoo has taken in 19 appearances for United this season, scoring his first two senior goals, and has not looked out of place in the Old Trafford engine room. There has been talk of him earning an England call-up ahead of Euro 2024.

• WHAT ROMANO SAID ABOUT MAINOO

  There has also been speculation regarding an extended deal through to 2030, on an improved salary, but has explained why there is no sense of urgency on both sides of those discussions. He has said: “Manchester United have already opened talks with Kobbie Mainoo's camp over new deal since the beginning of February, as revealed. Discussions are taking place about salary rise, no rush as Mainoo is happy at United and club want to have Kobbie as one of new project faces.”

ENJOYED THIS STORY?

Add GOAL.com as a preferred source on Google to see more of our reporting

• Getty Images
  

  WHAT NEXT?

  With Mainoo “happy” as things are, and with there no immediate threat of him being lured elsewhere, United can afford to be patient and play the long game as they look to ensure that they are the ones to benefit from the undoubted potential in the hottest of prospects.

Liverpool are “really advancing” when it comes to making an important signing in the summer transfer window, according to a new update from journalist Fabrizio Romano.

Latest Liverpool news

The Reds secured their biggest win of the season on Sunday afternoon, beating Manchester City 2-0 at the Etihad to move 11 points clear at the top of the Premier League. That result, coupled with Arsenal’s 1-0 defeat at home to West Ham on Saturday afternoon, means it felt like a pivotal weekend in the title race, with Liverpool supporters now truly believing that Virgil van Dijk will be lifting the trophy in May.

Away from the Reds’ on-pitch brilliance under Arne Slot, it is also important that new signings are being lined up regardless of the situation around the out of contract stars at Anfield. Flamengo defender Wesley has been linked with a move to Anfield, with the club even making their first approach for him.

Meanwhile, Liverpool are also reportedly looking to pip Arsenal to the signing of Atalanta attacker Ademola Lookman at the end of the season. Formerly of Everton, he famously scored a hat-trick in last year’s Europa League final against Bayer Leverkusen, and could be seen as a replacement for the likes of Darwin Nunez and Luiz Diaz, should they depart.

Liverpool "really advancing" for signing

Speaking to Caught Offside, Romano claimed that Liverpool are now “really advancing” in their pursuit of a new centre-back addition this summer: “Liverpool are really, really advancing in the process to identify the centre-back they want to sign in the summer.

“Liverpool will go for an important centre-back. In an internal meeting they had with Richard Hughes, with people in the board involved and that includes Arne Slot too, they all agreed on bringing in an important centre-back in the summer transfer window.

“When I say important, it could be an important talent, could be an established player. But my information is that Liverpool want to invest on young players for the present and future.”

This is a hugely encouraging update for Liverpool fans, with centre-back such an important area of the pitch to focus on this summer. While Van Dijk remains as good as ever and Ibrahima Konate is in stellar form alongside him, the former is now 33 years of age and the latter is injury-prone. Joe Gomez also struggles to stay fit for long periods, while Jarell Quansah is a young player who is still raw.

It remains to be seen who the perfect choice will be to bolster Liverpool’s defence, but Bournemouth ace Dean Huijsen has been mentioned as an option, and could be a great addition. At just 19, he has already become an influential figure for the Cherries, and was highly-rated during his Juventus days, so he could come in as a great squad player, becoming a key starter over time.

As good as Salah: 8/10 Liverpool star may have just won Slot the title

Liverpool took a huge stride towards the Premier League title with a 2-0 win over Manchester City.

By
Ethan Lamb

Feb 23, 2025

There are other choices out there, including Crystal Palace and England ace Marc Guehi, but Huijsen is playing at an extremely high level, averaging 4.6 clearances and 2.1 aerial duel wins per game in the Premier League in 2024/25 to date.

United States women's national team star Trinity Rodman was suspended for the start of the NWSL season, so she spent it with some lucky fans instead.

Article continues below

Article continues below

Article continues below

• Rodman missed the Washington Spirit's NWSL opener
• USWNT star was suspended after red card last season
• So spent Sunday with some lucky fans instead

• WHAT HAPPENED?

  Rodman was sent off in the Washington Spirit's final game of 2023 and was therefore unable to be involved in her team's season opener on Sunday away at Seattle Reign. But instead of travelling with the team to the game, she stuck around in Washington and watched the match with some fans who certainly won't forget the experience.

Advertisement

• THE BIGGER PICTURE

  The Spirit suffered a 1-0 defeat in Seattle, with the game-winner scored from the penalty spot by Bethany Balcer with just three minutes on the clock. Rodman's return to selection will be a boost next week, then, as the team looks to get its first win of the new season.

• Getty
  

  DID YOU KNOW?

  Rodman was named Rookie of the Year and to the NWSL Best XI when she helped fire the Spirit to a first-ever Championship triumph in 2021. She was also rewarded with a new contract that made her the highest-paid player in the league at the time.

ENJOYED THIS STORY?

Add GOAL.com as a preferred source on Google to see more of our reporting

• WHAT NEXT FOR RODMAN?

  Rodman will be back in action on Saturday, when the Spirit welcome Bay FC to Audi Field for its home opener.

After missing out on the 23-man USMNT Nations League roster Wednesday, winger Alex Zendejas net a decisive goal for Club America.

Article continues below

Article continues below

Article continues below

• Club America defeat Chivas in CCC
• Zendejas nets decisive effort
• USMNT winger responds to Nations League snub

• WHAT HAPPENED?

  Winning 5-3 aggregate across two legs, Zendejas scored the second for Club America in a 3-2 loss to Chivas, but he served a decisive blow to their thrilling comeback effort. The strike wasn't pretty, but he made a timely backpost run to slam the ball into the net off a previous effort that was saved and turned back into the box.

Advertisement

• WATCH THE CLIP

• Getty Images
  

  THE BIGGER PICTURE

  Zendejas responded to his exclusion from the USMNT's 23-man roster for the CONCACAF Nations League with the strike. It was his second goal of their CCC run in 2024 and marked an impressive fourth-straight game with a goal contribution. Across all competitions for Club America, he has five goals and four assists in 15 matches.

ENJOYED THIS STORY?

Add GOAL.com as a preferred source on Google to see more of our reporting

• WHAT BERHALTER SAID

  When selecting his list for the March camp, Berhalter dubbed it the "most difficult roster" he has ever put together. When speaking on Zendejas, who was one of the final names cut, he added: “He is doing well, he is collaborating offensively and defensively. It was a difficult list to make, it was not easy at all and there is not much difference. In the end, it could well have been. I told him that he has done everything in a good way, to continue and an opportunity would soon come.”

Chelsea boss Mauricio Pochettino could be set to re-enter the market in January for an exciting young talent to bolster his squad, according to recent reports.

International break news…

TalkSPORT journalist Alex Crook has given an update on whether Chelsea winger Raheem Sterling will be called up to Gareth Southgate's latest England squad on social media platform X, stating: "Bukayo Saka set to report for #ENG duty today despite Mikel Arteta telling talkSPORT yesterday he is not fit to play. Will be assessed by the FA's own medical team. Understand Raheem Sterling is not expecting to be called up as a replacement if and when Saka withdraws."

Cited by The Evening Standard, who have given a recent Chelsea injury roundup, Reece James and Benoit Badiashile could return to first-team action upon the conclusion of the international break following both players spending extensive time on the sidelines this term due to various concerns.

Cole Palmer and Mykhailo Mudryk are also expected to be available for selection for the trip to Arsenal in the Premier League on October 22nd despite their own struggles with minor knocks.

Chelsea summer signing Lesley Oguchukwu meanwhile has revealed how he has found his time at Stamford Bridge so far, and indicated that he has quickly settled into west London, stating to the club's official website: "It’s been really good. Everyone has been kind with me. I joined the squad in the U.S and from there we did pre-season. I am very happy to be part of this team. I’m close with the French players – and there are a lot in the squad! It’s helped a lot. When I speak with Malo or Axel, I can be natural [on the pitch]. If the ball goes right, I can say, ‘Axel, droit!’ So that has helped. I speak with everyone, though. There is a good mood here."

Palmeiras midfielder Luis Guilherme is believed to be a Chelsea transfer target in SW6 and reports claim that the Blues have had a bid in the region of €35 million turned down for the 17-year-old midfielder.

Chelsea transfer update – Xavi Simons

According to a report from Spain, the Blues are now monitoring RB Leipzig's Xavi Simons closely ahead of his return from his loan spell in Germany to parent club Paris Saint-Germain next summer.

Nevertheless, competition to sign the Netherlands international is fierce, with Barcelona, Manchester United, Manchester City and Bayern Munich also keen to offer the 20-year-old a new challenge amid indications that PSG would be open to selling Simons for the right price.

Former Barcelona youth player Simons has started the 2023/24 campaign in fine fettle for RB Leipzig, registering three goals and four assists from 11 appearances across all competitions (Simons' statistics – Transfermarkt)

Dubbed a "great player" by Netherlands boss Ronald Koeman, Simons has also managed to average around two shots per game, 1.3 key passes and 1.3 successful dribbles per match in the Bundesliga this term (WhoScored – Leipzig stats).

Chelsea already have a lot of creativity present within their squad, but you can never get enough end product in attacking areas, and Simons would provide just that.

Liverpool star Luis Diaz registered an insane assist during Columbia's victory over Spain on Friday.

Article continues below

Article continues below

Article continues below

• Colombia beat Spain 1-0
• Diaz registers assist for the goal
• Video goes viral

• WHAT HAPPENED?

  The 27-year-old was picked out by an inch-perfect through ball, before sizing up defender Dani Vivian and twisting him both ways. Diaz then drove towards the byline before firing a cross to the back post, which was met by Daniel Munoz with a stunning volley. Colombia would go on to win the game 1-0 at the London Stadium.

Advertisement

• WATCH THE CLIP

• THE BIGGER PICTURE

  Diaz has taken on added responsibility at Liverpool this season, after seeing his team-mates Mohamed Salah, Diogo Jota and several others all miss extended amounts of time through injury.

  The Colombian has scored eleven goals and added a further three assists throughout the 2023-24 campaign – and is now carrying this confidence onto the international stage.

ENJOYED THIS STORY?

Add GOAL.com as a preferred source on Google to see more of our reporting

• Getty Images
  

  WHAT NEXT FOR DIAZ?

  Colombia will face Romania in another friendly on March 26 before Diaz returns to domestic action with Liverpool. The Reds will host Brighton and Hove Albion at the end of the month in their first fixture back after the break.