All posts by rastrear-estafeta.com

Chelsea may already be well stocked at the back even after Kalidou Koulibaly's exit, but new head coach Mauricio Pochettino is no doubt eyeing a replacement before the summer transfer window closes.

Juventus centre-back Gleison Bremer has been strongly linked with a switch to Stamford Bridge, though Chelsea and Manchester United appear to now face fresh competition from fellow Premier League side Tottenham Hotspur.

That's according to the Daily Mail, who suggests Spurs boss Ange Postecoglou is hoping to bring in the Brazilian, meaning Chelsea must speed things up if they are indeed interested in the player.

Is Gleison Bremer a good choice for Chelsea?

Bremer only joined Juventus from Torino last year, having caught the eye across three seasons as a regular with their city rivals, especially in 2021-22 when being named Best Defender in Serie A.

As a full Brazil international and with four years still to run on his Juve contract, it is reported that it will take a bid of around £50m to tempt the Turin giants to cash in.

For those unaware of Bremer's style, FBref's player comparison tool provides a good indication. Based on their statistical profiles, Liverpool's Virgil van Dijk is rated as the eighth-most similar defender to the Juve star across Europe's top five leagues.

Bremer would be a long-term partner for Benoit Badiashile at Chelsea, but it is likely to be the more experienced Thiago Silva he links up with in the heart of defence next season should he join.

The international colleagues have similarities and differences, with the most notable being Bremer's ability to score goals, as reflected in the four he scored last season. That ranks him in the top 4% of all defenders across Europe's top five leagues, whereas Silva is in the bottom 16% (no goals).

That is further highlighted in the shots and touches in the box metrics (top 5% and top 8% for Bremer respectively; top 36% and top 34% for Silva), though the former AC Milan defender does come out on top for tackles won per 90 (0.99 v 0.71), as per FBref, and percentage of aerial duels won (71.2% v 62.4%).

While Bremer is 12 years younger than his compatriot, he can certainly hold his own. As former Torino team-mate Mergim Vojvoda explained last year: "[Bremer] is very strong, an animal. He is also fast, he is tall and has made a great leap in quality on a technical level, with the ball at his feet."

That is reflected in the stats, with Bremer completing 89.7% of his passes across all competitions last season – a very similar figure to Silva's 90.7% at Chelsea.

Ultimately, it appears the Brazilian duo can complement each other well in the short term, providing a springboard at the back for what Pochettino will hope is a successful first campaign in West London.

Leeds United have had a tough few months with a lot of uncertainty surrounding the future of the club, however, things are starting to get back on track ahead of their Championship campaign.

The 49ers have completed their full takeover at Elland Road, buying out Andrea Radrizzani and are now working on finalising an appointment of a manager who can lead Leeds out of trouble and back into the Premier League as soon as possible.

Not only that, the American owners intend to reinvest in talent to refresh the squad during their next chapter and ambitious pursuit to establish the West Yorkshire club as a top-flight side that can comfortably compete without falling into the same patterns and repeating their mistakes again.

Indeed, without a manager it is difficult to recruit the right players without knowing the philosophy and style of play that will be implemented over the challenging 46-game campaign next season, however, it hasn't stopped them from being linked with potential targets upon the arrival of football advisor Nick Hammond last week.

One player who has been recently linked with a move to Leeds is West Bromwich Albion midfielder Jayson Molumby, a young and energetic player who could emulate Kalvin Phillips at Elland Road.

Would Molumby be a good fit for Leeds?

It is no secret that a number of players in the Leeds squad are reportedly set for an exit this summer after suffering relegation from the Premier League last month.

Both Tyler Adams and Marc Roca have been strongly linked with moves, whilst loanee Weston McKennie has gone back to Juventus after struggling to make a positive impact during his six-month stint with the Whites.

As a result, there is a real opportunity to strengthen and rebuild with vital financial backing from the owners and a sound recruitment strategy that can identify new additions to make a genuine impact next season and lead the club to better days.

Molumby has thrived under the management of former Leeds assistant coach Carlos Corberan whilst largely being deployed in the defensive midfield role, a position Phillips also thrived in when working with Corberan at Elland Road before getting a huge move to Manchester City last summer.

One standout attribute that the Irishman shares with his treble-winning positional peer is a consistently outstanding pass completion rate, with Phillips tallying up a 92.3% accuracy last season despite limited game time, whilst Molumby came in strong with 86% which was, in fact, the best pass accuracy percentage in the entire West Brom squad of those who had more than one appearance last season, according to WhoScored.

Beyond his passing ability, the 23-year-old – hailed an "insane talent" by journalist Rudi Kinsella – has displayed a number of great attributes with four goals scored, four assists and four big chances created, proving he can be a real attacking threat for opponents from his deep-lying position.

He also averaged one shot on goal, 1.4 tackles and won 3.1 duels per game over 43 Championship appearances, demonstrating further that, like Phillips, he is a real workhorse with the ability to make an impact on both defensive and progressive play.

With that being said, it would be a big coup if Leeds could secure the services of Molumby this summer and if he could make the impact that Phillips had on Leeds in the Championship there is no reason why he couldn't become the second coming of their cult hero.

Chelsea have placed Rasmus Hojlund on their list as a potential striker they could move for this summer, according to a report from Evening Standard.

Are Chelsea signing Rasmus Hojlund?

The 20-year-old currently plays his football in Italy for Atalanta and helped the side to a fifth place finish in Serie A this campaign thanks to his goals and assists. Having been played more times this year than ever before in his career – he featured in 32 league games for the side – he was able to produce his best ever goal haul of nine, and had two assists to boot.

In addition to that, when compared to some of the other strikers across the Men's 'Top Five' big leagues in Europe, he emerged as a leading attacker despite his youth. Hojlund's non-penalty xG rate of 0.47 per 90 for example led to him being ranked in the top 16% in his position over the course of the year – an excellent feat considering his relative inexperience and age.

With eleven progressive passes received per 90 too, he actually ranks in the 99% percentile for that figure. It shows that not only is he adept at hitting the back of the net but is able to make clever runs, get into good positions and receive the ball in dangerous areas.

This has led to interest from Manchester United in the Premier League but it appears they could now have a rival in their race to sign the player. That's because according to a report from Evening Standard, the player is on Chelsea's radar as a striker they could sign should other deals not materialise. Boss Mauricio Pochettino is looking at potential forwards to sign and Hojlund's name has cropped up as an alternative to Nicolas Jackson, who is mentioned in the same report.

When does Rasmus Hojlund's contract expire?

With the player's deal only running out at Atalanta in 2027 – having only arrived in Serie A at the beginning of the campaign – they won't be too keen to let him go and could demand £65m for his signature according to this report.

However, his performances have clearly caught the eye of those at Stamford Bridge – and he's also impressed many in the game too – talent scout Jacek Kulig stated that the player is a "complete forward" and an "absolute monster". If the Blues desire a younger striker to lead the line for the club and to help Pochettino get the side back to winning ways, it appears as though that could be Hojlund.

Glasgow Rangers have agreed a deal to bring Jose Cifuentes to the Scottish Premiership, according to reports.

Is Jose Cifuentes leaving Los Angeles FC?

The Los Angeles FC midfielder has made 115 appearances for Steve Cherundolo’s side since joining back in 2020, but with his contract set to expire at the end of the calendar year, there’s a strong chance that he’s already looking to find his next destination.

Speaking to GiveMeSport, Fabrizio Romano had name-checked the Light Blues as a potential suitor and claimed that conversations regarding a move were “going well”, and the journalist’s remark was soon backed up by a big development.

The Herald recently reported that the 24-year-old was poised to quit the Major League Soccer to fly over to Glasgow and complete a medical to finalise his move to Ibrox, a formality which sounds like it may have since been wrapped up if the following update is to be believed.

Are Rangers signing Cifuentes?

According to Football Insider, Rangers are “set to announce” the arrival of Cifuentes on a pre-contract agreement “soon”. The Ecuador international and the Teddy Bears have made a “breakthrough in talks” and the club are therefore “close” to publicly unveiling him as Michael Beale’s latest signing.

Cifuentes is naturally a central midfielder but is much stronger in the offensive aspect of his game, and having been dubbed the “beating heart” of a team by South American expert Tim Vickery, he would be a top-class recruit should he put pen to paper at Rangers.

The World Cup participant, who pockets £5k-per-week, ranks in the 98th percentile for successful take-ons by players in his position and has recorded a total of 49 shot-creating actions so far this season which is the second-highest in his squad, as per FBRef, with this desire to drive forward resulting in him having three assists to his name in 13 MLS appearances.

The Esmeraldas native, who’s sponsored by Nike, would also provide Beale with wonderful versatility having operated in seven different positions since first bursting onto the scene, including four in the midfield and even all across the frontline, so is a great option for the manager to have at his disposal should any unexpected injuries occur.

Rangers have already completed the signings of Norwich City’s Kieran Dowell, Chelsea’s Dujon Sterling and Crystal Palace’s Jack Butland, and it would appear that Cifuentes is set to follow in their footsteps to become the fourth summer arrival walking through the doors at Ibrox.

Liverpool target and OGC Nice midfielder Khephren Thuram is being pushed by his father to complete a move to Anfield, according to journalist Jacque Talbot.

Is Khephren Thuram leaving Nice?

The France U21s international still has another two years remaining on his contract at the Allianz Riviera, but having impressed during his 30 Ligue 1 starts last season, has grabbed the attention of FSG and Jurgen Klopp.

Writing in his column for CaughtOffside, correspondent Jonathan Johnson revealed that the 22-year-old is one of several central candidates being “looked at” as the boss aims to replace the departing James Milner, Naby Keita and Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain.

Back in May, L’Equipe reported that the Reds have already held a positive meeting with the 6 foot 4 giant's representatives, and Football Transfers have since claimed that the two parties are now in “advanced” talks and Jurgen Klopp is a “huge fan” of his target.

Are Liverpool signing Thuram?

According to Talbot in his column for NUFC Blog, Thuram’s father and advisor, Lilian Thuram, is “pushing a move” to Liverpool ahead of the 2023/24 campaign. The Merseyside outfit are believed to be “progressing” towards completing a deal, and whilst there is other interest from Premier League rivals Newcastle United, it sounds as if it’s the former who are currently in pole position.

Liverpool are expected to complete the signing of Brighton and Hove Albion’s Alexis Mac Allister before the end of the week, and Thuram, praised for being an "energetic" and "tenacious" player with "excellent technique" by talent scout Jacek Kulig, looks to be an excellent complement to the versatile Argentine.

The Reggio Emilia native, who currently pockets £14.5k-per-week, naturally sits just in front of the backline and is a protector of the defence, which is proven by him averaging 1.5 tackles and 1.1 interceptions per league game last season, via WhoScored.

The Reds target, however, is also capable of contributing to efforts at the opposite end of the pitch having posted ten goal contributions (eight assists and two goals) across all competitions during the previous term, not to mention that he recorded a total of 84 shot-creating actions which was more than any other of his fellow teammates, as per FBRef.

Finally, like Mac Allister, Thuram would add wonderful versatility to the squad with his ability to operate in four various roles, including anywhere across the midfield, so the board should definitely consider tabling an offer to bring him to Anfield.

Leeds United are reportedly interested in making Brendan Rodgers their next manager, according to a fresh update regarding the situation at Elland Road.

Has Allardyce left Leeds post?

The Whites have had a tumultuous season for so many reasons, suffering relegation from the Premier League in the process, following three years in the top flight. The managerial situation has been particularly problematic, with Jesse Marsch, Javi Gracia and Sam Allardyce all in charge at different points of the campaign.

None of them did enough to prevent Leeds from returning to the Championship, and on Friday morning it was confirmed that Allardyce had left the club, following a short stint in the Elland Road hot seat.

It means that those high up at the club are now searching for the veteran's successor, in what will be an important appointment, as the Whites look for some much-needed stability. One name has emerged in a new update, ahead of what could be a busy period.

Could Rodgers be an option for Whites?

According to The Daily Star, Leeds are eyeing up Rodgers as their potential new manager, with owner Andrea Radrizzani reportedly a "huge admirer" of the 50-year-old, adding him to his "shortlist of candidates" to come in as the new Whites boss.

The Irishman was most recently in charge of Leicester City, winning the FA Cup with them back in 2021, although things ended in disappointing fashion and he played a part in the Foxes ultimately being relegated alongside Leeds.

Rodgers may have had a disappointing end to life at the King Power Stadium, but he could still be an exciting capture by the Whites, given his pedigree during his career. He came agonisingly close to winning the Premier League title with Liverpool back in 2013/14, playing some wonderful football with a team made up of the likes of Steven Gerrard, Luis Suarez, Raheem Sterling, Daniel Sturridge and Philippe Coutinho, and he won two Scottish Premiership titles during his time with Celtic.

Getting Rodgers – who has been dubbed a "football genius" – would be a big coup, considering he would be dropping down a division, but it says a lot about the lure of Leeds that someone could be willing to go into the Championship in order to take charge of them.

Rodgers isn't perfect, with some occasionally critical of his manner in interviews and lack of defensive nous, but he would bring an attack-minded brand of football to Elland Road.

Newcastle boss Eddie Howe will already have one eye on the summer transfer window with one Premier League game left in the campaign.

PIF have shown that they are willing to dip into their pockets to strengthen his squad as they brought in Bruno Guimaraes, Matt Targett, Dan Burn, Chris Wood and Kieran Trippier.

They may now look to invest again to take the club to the next level and they already have targets in mind if reports are to be believed.

One player the Magpies have been linked with a swoop for is Bologna left-back Aaron Hickey, with Brentford, Napoli, and Arsenal also eyeing up the gem – who Fabrizio Romano claimed is valued at up to £20m.

The club are reportedly wanting to sign Targett on a permanent deal and already have Trippier at right-back and this may cause fans to wonder why there is an interest in the Serie A gem.

Imagine him & Bruno

Well… that is because his future may not be at left-back. Scottish coach Austin MacPhee once compared the defender to a Barcelona defensive midfielder, saying: “He’s so young he could play a lot of positions. He could end up being like Busquets.

“Right now he reminds me of Jonny Evans, who I’ve seen in training with Northern Ireland. It’s the way he defends, moves and always wants the ball as a defender.”

Former Hearts boss Daniel Stendel dubbed him an “extraordinary talent” and backed up MacPhee’s claim as he said:

“Aaron as a player is like Philipp Lahm. For me at Hearts, he played as a full-back. He not only runs up and down the line, but looks for attacking moves like Lahm once did. And Aaron can also play in the central midfield.”

These quotes suggest that he is a player Howe can develop into being a dream midfield partner for Bruno Guimaraes at Newcastle.

The Scot’s statistics for Bologna in the Serie A at the age of 19 indicate that he has the potential to make it at the top level and two of his coaches have backed him to transition into midfield. In the Italian top-flight this term, he has averaged a solid SofaScore rating of 6.85 – making 2.1 tackles and interceptions per game.

He can provide a defensive, assured, presence at the base of the midfield and provide Guimaraes with a platform to break forward and work his magic in the final third. The Brazilian has registered five goals and one assist in ten starts for the Magpies in the Premier League and this shows that he has the quality to have a big impact in attack.

Therefore, they can work well as a pairing as Hickey sits deeper and protects the back four whilst the ex-Lyon man joins in with attacks and attempts to be a match-winner. This is why PIF must now seal this deal in the coming weeks or months.

AND in other news, Howe can get SJP rocking with NUFC swoop for £21m predator with the “scoring nose”…

Wolves failed to sign off from Molineux with a victory today as they were held to a 1-1 draw by already-relegated Norwich City in the Premier League.

The visitors took the lead through Teemu Pukki after 37 minutes before Rayan Ait-Nouri equalised early in the second half.

However, the West Midlands outfit were unable to find a winner and are now six games without a victory in the top flight.

To not be able to win in front of their own fans against a side whose fate has already been confirmed was incredibly poor with numerous passengers in the side.

Forward Hwang-hee Chan was certainly one of them after a quiet display against Dean Smith’s side.

The South Korean returned to the starting lineup having been on the bench against both Chelsea and Manchester City but struggled to make an impact.

With just one shot off target and another blocked, the forward made little impact in the final third whilst also giving the ball away on eight occasions, having made just 37 touches, meaning he lost possession once every 4.6 touches.

Moreover, there was little defensive contribution from Hwang as well with zero clearances, blocks and tackles whilst making just one interception.

As well as that, the South Korea international lost most of his duels at 64% having won four from an attempted 11.

Lage’s biggest area to improve on over the summer will be his attack, with the lack of goals scored being an issue all campaign.

Only three sides have scored fewer goals than Wolves’ 37 in 37 matches with two of them already relegated.

With the likes of Raul Jimenez, Fabio Silva and Pedro Neto, as well as Hwang, able to play up front, the Portuguese manager will have to find a solution to unlock the talents of his best possible partnership.

It seems as though a dip into the transfer market will also be needed, which could spell trouble for the 26-year-old having only recently joined Wolves permanently from RB Leipzig after initially joining on loan from the Bundesliga outfit.

What is for sure is that Hwang will have to work hard over the summer and through pre-season to ensure he earns regular playing time at Molineux next campaign.

AND in other news: Wolves can get summer off to a blinder with “unplayable” £46k-p/w brute who Lage wants

Aston Villa have joined West Ham in the race to sign Burnley midfielder Josh Brownhill, according to 90min.

The Lowdown: Brownhill profiled

The 26-year-old made the move to Turf Moor from Bristol City in 2020 and has gone on to make 81 appearances for the Clarets.

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The £40,000-a-week midfielder, who was described as ‘fabulous’ by Lee Hendrie, is currently at the top of his game with a career-high £6.3m Transfermarkt valuation.

The 26-year-old was wanted at Villa Park last year during Dean Smith’s time in charge, and it looks as if he is still on the radar under Steven Gerrard.

The Latest: Villa interest in Brownhill

90min shared a story regarding Brownhill’s future on Friday, claiming that West Ham are readying a summer bid for the Burnley man.

The report also name-checks Villa, along with Everton, Leeds, Wolves Fulham and Bournemouth, with an interest in the midfielder, although it is the Hammers who appear to be leading the way.

The Verdict: Gerrard not impressed?

Gerrard was able to watch Brownhill up close on Saturday during Villa’s 3-1 win at Turf Moor. The Clarets ace didn’t exactly impress, though, finishing as Burnley’s worst-rated midfielder, as per SofaScore.

He lost all five of his duels, failed to make a tackle or clearance and committed three fouls, one of which resulted in a yellow card.

Brownhill was also unsuccessful with three of his four crosses and didn’t register a single shot or dribble, so based on that performance, Villa’s interest in him may cool heading into the summer transfer window.

In other news: Gregg Evans shares ‘very important’ behind-the-scenes AVFC news

Former England international Danny Mills says Jurgen Klopp’s new deal at Liverpool is a ‘big boost’ for everyone concerned at the club.

The Lowdown: Klopp signs new deal

Last week, Klopp signed a two-year extension at Anfield, meaning he will now remain as manager until the summer of 2026.

It was a significant moment in Liverpool’s recent future, with the German completely transforming Liverpool since taking charge back in October 2015.

Not only has he won the Champions League and Premier League, among other trophies, but he also has turned the Reds into arguably the world’s best club side, currently neck and neck with an incredible Manchester City squad to decide who deserves that title.

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The Latest: Mills reacts positively

Speaking to Football Insider, Mills, a BBC Radio 5 Live pundit, was unsurprisingly positive about the news, saying it should only improve the current feel-good mood at Anfield:

“The timing is probably aimed at giving the whole squad a big boost. I’m guessing these talks have been going on for four or five months. This is not something that comes about a few days before when they ask ‘Jurgen will you sign a new contract?’ And he says ‘Oh, go on then’ and it’s done and dusted.

“When you’ve got a little bit of speculation around other players’ contracts, Mane and Salah, to announce Klopp’s contract and to say ‘He’s the man’, it gives everyone a bit of comfort.

“For those players, they think ‘Oh he’s going to be here, we can plan’ and if they are not going to be there then there is still a plan and it settles down the fans.

“Why wouldn’t you sign him up? He’s an exceptional manager. But remember, managers can be sacked. It only takes two disastrous seasons and he will be out. Simple as that.

“I don’t envisage that happening in any way shape or form but it’s much easier to tie down a manager because you can always get rid of them with six months or a year’s pay-off.”

The Verdict: Best news of the season

For all the talk of Mohamed Salah and Sadio Mane’s futures and potential new signings, Klopp staying on for a further two years is more important than anything else.

The 54-year-old holds the key to Liverpool’s success and he is already a truly legendary figure at the club, masterminding a glorious period in the Reds’ history and making legends out of his players.

In an ideal world, Klopp would stay on well beyond 2026 but to have him for an extra couple of years is huge in itself – the fact that rival clubs will likely be upset by the news sums up his brilliance.

In other news, a journalist has dropped a huge £80million Liverpool claim. Read more here.