All posts by rastrear-estafeta.com

Newcastle United have confirmed a major injury setback to one of their players ahead of their Premier League clash against Sheffield United with Ryan Fraser now confirmed to miss the remainder of the season and him now being a doubt to be fully fit for the European Championships.

The Scotland international of course arrived from Bournemouth last summer, but has endured an injury-hit campaign that has seen him play just 18 times in the Premier League for his new side.

The winger has been out of action for Newcastle since the end of March when he last played for Scotland in a 4-0 win over the Faroe Islands, and after confirming his absence for the game against the Blades, also responded to reports Fraser will still be named in the Tartan Army’s squad for the EUROs this summer.

Speaking in his pre-match press conference ahead of the game against the Blades tonight, the Magpies boss said: “As for Ryan, it has been a difficult time for him. He does desperately need a pre-season. Pre-season will be huge for him.

“Whether he is going to be picked in the Scotland squad, I think that would be a gamble as he has not played the last six or seven weeks. He has had no real football football or trained (in that time). Pre-season will be key for him. He didn’t have a pre-season the year before and last season’s was a non-entity really.”With no goals whatsoever in the Premier League, Fraser hasn’t really been able to show Newcastle why they signed him last summer, and why he was such hot property after the 2018/2019 campaign in particular for Bournemouth – he bagged seven goals and provided a whopping 14 assists in the top-flight alone as he and now Magpies striker Callum Wilson struck up a superb partnership.The hope will be that Fraser is able to recover from his injury and use the summer to get back to full fitness ahead of the new campaign, but his involvement for Scotland, when he hasn’t been able to play a single minute since March, is certainly eye-brow raising, especially for Bruce and Newcastle.It’s the age-old club vs country debate, and it appears that Bruce will be losing this battle for now.[snack-amp-story url=”https://www.footballfancast.com/web-stories/newcastle-steve-bruce-premier-league-transfer-gossip-rumours-news-st-james-park-joelinton-shelvey-max-aarons” title=”Read the latest Newcastle transfer rumours and news!”]The Magpies boss will also be just as gutted that Fraser won’t get to return before the end of the season for the Magpies and at least show fans inside the ground a taster of what he can actually bring to the table when fully fit.Meanwhile, Steve Bruce is eyeing this 6 foot 5 titan…

As per Pianeta Genoa, as shared by Sport Witness, West Ham winger Andriy Yarmolenko has been linked with a move to Italian side Genoa, following the appointment of manager Andriy Shevchenko.

THE LOWDOWN: YARMOLENKO STRUGGLING FOR PLAYING TIME

The Ukrainian attacker has made just eight appearances in the Premier League this season, with all of his minutes having come as a substitute.

Yarmolenko, an experienced Ukraine international with 106 caps, has struggled for playing time under manager David Moyes due to a combination of Manuel Lanzini, Jarrod Bowen, Saïd Benrahma and Pablo Fornals all being preferred options on the wing.

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This has severely limited the number of opportunities the 32-year-old has had this campaign, pushing him out of the Hammers’ plans as more and more exit links pop up.

THE LATEST: YARMOLENKO EXIT CLAIM

As per Pianeta Genoa (via Sport Witness), Serie A club Genoa have opened talks regarding the possible transfer of Yarmolenko. The winger’s contract is due to expire in the summer, so this may mean West Ham are forced into selling him in the January transfer window for a small fee.

Pianeta Genoa claim that the talks are progressing well, although it is unclear whether Genoa are in talks with the player’s agents or with West Ham directly.

THE VERDICT: TIME TO LEAVE?

Following the arrival of Shevchenko at Genoa, it is evident from these talks that the manager was impressed with Yarmolenko whilst he was in charge of the Ukrainian national side.

This would indicate a good level of playing time for the West Ham player, who, at 32-years-old, would surely relish the chance of regular first-team minutes as he nears the end of his career.

When on top form, Yarmolenko can put in dazzling performances in the attacking third – just look at the quality he produced at Euro 2020. Fan favourite Declan Rice even labelled the Ukrainian international as ‘special’ (per Hammers. News), and raved about his technical ability.

Yarmolenko could prove to be an asset for Genoa if the Hammers choose to let him go in January, and this feels like a win win for all parties if the Irons can indeed bank a fee and let an unwanted fringe player move on.

Celtic have made contact with Jeando Fuchs regarding a deal to bring the 24-year-old to Parkhead.

What’s the talk?

In a recent interview with French media outlet Foot Mercato, the Dundee United midfielder revealed that he is considering his options before making a concrete decision on his future at Tannadice, with the Cameroon international’s contract at the Premiership side set to expire at the end of the season.

Fuchs went on to claim that a number of clubs have already made contact with him regarding a potential switch next summer, including the likes of Celtic, Rangers, VfB Stuttgart, a plethora of EFL clubs and an unnamed Premier League side.

Regarding the interest in his services, the midfielder said: “I am at the end of my contract in May. I’m waiting to see something concrete and see if I have a choice to make at that time. I am not in a hurry.

“There has been contact with Blackpool, Peterborough and Wigan. Stuttgart have taken information since the summer. There has been contact from Celtic and Rangers as well, but nothing more. A Premier League club as well. England would be good.”

Disaster

While there are undeniable traits in Fuchs’ game that would suggest the defensively-minded midfielder is a very decent player in the middle of the park, whether or not the 24-year-old is up to the standard required to be a starter for Celtic is another matter altogether.

Indeed, over his 15 Premiership appearances so far this season, the £720k-rated man has made an average of two interceptions – the joint-highest in the league – 2.3 tackles – the joint eighth-most in the division – and won an impressive 5.8 duels per game.

However, the £3.1k-per-week midfielder’s passing – something that is an incredibly important factor in the way Ange Postecoglou likes his side to play – leaves a lot to be desired, with Fuchs completing a mere 20.9 passes – with a success rate of just 71% – per fixture.

It is more than likely this shortcoming that has contributed to the former Deportivo Alaves player averaging a disappointing SofaScore match rating of 6.74, ranking him as Thomas Courts’ 13th-best performer in the top flight of Scottish football.

As such, considering the options that Celtic currently have in his position, such as Ismaila Soro, Nir Bitton, Liam Shaw and James McCarthy, it would very much appear as if signing the man who the Dundee United boss dubbed a “top player” would be something of a disaster for Postecoglou, as the Cameroonian would not seem to be much of an upgrade – if any – on the current crop at Parkhead.

In other news: Ange can save millions with “Roy of the Rovers” who’s got a “big future at Celtic”

Merry Christmas, City fans!

Following a historic 2021, Pep Guardiola’s Sky Blues are soon set to draw the curtain on what has been a thoroughly entertaining year at Eastlands.

City clinched a fifth Premier League title and third under Pep Guardiola, enjoyed yet another Carabao Cup win and played in a first-ever Champions League final, all whilst dazzling supporters with enthralling football and breaking even more records. Off the pitch, the Sky Blues and sporting director Txiki Begiristain smashed City’s transfer record by signing England star Jack Grealish for £100m.

It’s also been a phenomenal year for the academy as even more more top talent emerged following Phil Foden footsteps, with many of them making their senior debuts at the back end of the year.

As a thank you for reading our content as The Transfer Tavern aims to report only the most engaging news possible for Citizens, we’ve prepared a City-related quiz to break up your festivities.

Are you good with ex-players’ nationalities? If so, this challenge will really put your trivia to the test.

We’ve given you four options for each question in a multi-choice format – you just have to correctly select the home country of each of the following ex-Man City players. Starting off fairly easy and becoming harder and harder, some will make the hardcore Cityzens stand out.

Good luck and remember to share your score!

Swansea City’s automatic promotion hopes suffered another blow as they fell to a 1-0 defeat against Cardiff City in the South Wales derby on Saturday evening.

Aden Flint’s early goal for the visitors was enough to settle the game at the Liberty Stadium, which ensures that the remarkable statistic of neither side having completed a league double over the other will continue for another season at least.

Watford’s comfortable win over Birmingham also means that the Swans slip further behind in the race for second place in the Championship, as they now sit six points behind the Hornets with nine games remaining.

One man who particularly disappointed in his derby performance was left wing-back Jake Bidwell.

As per SofaScore, the former QPR man picked up a 6.4 match rating for his display, which was the worst of any player from both sides to start the game.

Despite having 40 touches of the ball, the 27-year-old managed just 10 passes during the game, which was the fewest of any Swansea player on the pitch including goalkeeper Freddie Woodman (17) other than Conor Hourihane, who was substituted off injured in the opening 20 minutes. [SofaScore]

Remarkably, Bidwell also played fewer passes than substitutes Yan Dhanda (12), Jamal Lowe (14) and his replacement at left-back Ryan Manning (11), despite all three having less than 15 minutes on the pitch. [SofaScore]

This emphasises just how little influence Bidwell was able to have on the game, which will surely be a massive cause of frustration for manager Steve Cooper, as the defender has been one of Swansea’s most consistent performers this season.

The wing-back also struggled in his battles with Cardiff players, as he was able to win just three of his nine duels during the game, with Cardiff left wing-back Joe Ralls winning seven of his 11 duels by comparison.

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Despite being rarely involved, Bidwell still managed to lose possession on 15 occasions during his time on the pitch and was also unsuccessful in both of his dribble attempts, to compound what was a truly woeful display from the 27-year-old.

Liverpool have reportedly been joined by Juventus in the race for Lyon midfielder Houssem Aouar.

Jurgen Klopp’s Reds have been linked to the Frenchman on numerous occasions, with Klopp reportedly keen to add to his midfield ranks especially with the expected departure of Georginio Wijnaldum.

However, they are set to be in a battle with Serie A giants Juventus for his signature according to TuttoSport.

Liverpool need to make sure they are victorious in their pursuit of Aouar.

At just 22 years of age, the midfielder has forged a reputation as one of the most promising players in Europe.

He has accumulated plenty of experience despite his tender years, racking up 163 appearances for Lyon, scoring 30 goals and providing 31 assists.

The £45m-rated midfielder has also already been afforded opportunities on the international stage, making his international debut in a 7-1 thumping of Ukraine in October 2020 – a game in which he racked up two assists.

Aouar’s performances have not just earned him admirers in the recruitment departments of some of Europe’s biggest clubs though. Even his fellow professionals are taking notice.

Following Lyon’s 3-1 victory at the Etihad Stadium in the UEFA Champions League group stages this season, Manchester City creator Kevin De Bruyne hailed the Frenchman’s “fantastic” performance.

So with Georginio Wijnaldum seemingly set to depart Anfield and Aouar only having two years left to run on his current contract, there does not seem a better time for Michael Edwards to move for the midfielder.

It will not be easy to combat the likes of Juventus in the transfer market but he needs to make sure that the Reds secure Aouar sooner rather than later or miss out on him to a European rival.

AND in more news, take a look at which Liverpool starlet has been handed a devastating injury blow ahead of the latest round of international games…

West Bromwich Albion have had an incredibly busy period behind the scenes since the club were relegated from the Premier League last season.

Having appointed Valerien Ismael as manager and brought in a number of players in the previous summer transfer window, the Baggies got rid of the former Barnsley coach after just seven months in charge.

Now with Steve Bruce at the helm, the Midlands club are currently sitting in 13th place in the league table.

With promotion out of the question, the Baggies will be facing another season in the second division.

Before that, the club have the chance to make some more changes to their squad during the upcoming summer transfer window, which is apparently on Bruce’s mind already.

What’s the word?

Speaking about the window and what sort of business they’ll be looking to do in it, Bruce had this to say on the matter:

“It’s what I’ve done for the past 20-years and I’m quietly confident that we can do it.

“I think they have seen the same players too often maybe. It’s not the players’ fault either. But we need to freshen the whole place up.”

“We are going to work as hard as we can. Not everyone is going to go and let’s be fair we have still got some good players for this division here. But the club needs to be freshened up.”There is a lot that have been here for a long time and I think the supporters want to see some new faces more than anything. And the players that do stay will respond to that. Absolutely they will. You can change the manager or the coach. But there is nothing like a new player, a good player, coming in. Maybe it will be three, four, five, six, maybe.”Great news for Baggies fansTaking what Bruce had to say into account, it seems as though there will be a significant amount of transfer activity going on at the Hawthorns this summer.This should therefore be an exciting bit of news for the Baggies fans and increase their hopes that next season will be much smoother than this current one.One area of the squad that the Midlands club should definitely look to strengthen is their attack given how they’ve only scored 47 goals in 44 league games. However, that will be smoothed out by the return of Daryl Dike after injury; someone that Bruce is surely relishing the opportunity to finally let loose.Combine him with a few new additions in the final third and their chances of promotion next term will look far brighter.Bruce has plenty of experience when it comes to signing players, and this could be vital for West Brom’s hopes of having a successful next campaign if they get their recruitment right.In other news: Bruce could now save WBA millions with £9m-rated “monster”, he’ll be key next season – opinion

Many West Ham United fans have been discussing a news update about Jesse Lingard that recently emerged on social media.

The Daily Mail have recently reported on Lingard’s situation at Manchester United, saying that West Ham are still very much keen on signing the Englishman before the end of the ongoing January transfer window. The report also states that the midfielder is considering his future at Old Trafford and he wasn’t in the squad for the club’s recent FA Cup win over Liverpool.

The report also claims that West Bromwich Albion and Newcastle United are also interested in Lingard, but they would both prefer a loan deal for him.

Lingard has previously worked under David Moyes during the Scotsman’s tenure at Man Utd. Moyes had managed the midfielder in some friendlies, before Lingard was loaned out to Birmingham and Brighton.

The 28-year-old seems to be out of favour under Ole Gunnar Solskjaer this season, as he is yet to play even once in the Premier League and has only played in the League Cup and the FA Cup. Even in the second half of the 2019/20 campaign, Lingard hadn’t played too much for the Red Devils and wasn’t in the squad for multiple games.

Solskjaer recently gave an update about Lingard’s situation and said: “So, of course, he wants to play football, we will have to see and I will sit down with Jesse and make a decision on what we’re going to do. So far, he’s been the ultimate professional, trained well with a small group this morning that were not in squad.”

The news about West Ham’s interest in Lingard was relayed on Twitter by West Ham Central. Many Hammers fans made their views clear about it.

What did West Ham fans make of this news about Lingard?

“Got Everton bound written all over and they’re welcome to him.”

Credit: @ANDAMA73x

“Moyes worked with him before. Got to let him have the benefit.”

Credit: @Aaronskerritt1

“Loan with option would be good. I trust Moyes on this one.”

Credit: @77azulgrana_”As I said earlier, loan would be good.”Credit: @ohwutevernvm”Please.”Credit: @MuvSaid”Better than Lanzini, would definitely take.”Credit: @1999_JRD”Yess.”Credit: @WHUOmarIn other news, West Ham are set to push for the signing of a French striker – read more here.

Rangers have been linked with a move for Reading ace Josh Laurent ahead of next season and he could be a superb addition to Steven Gerrard’s side at Ibrox should he make the move north this summer.

According to The Sun, Rangers and Brighton are keen on signing the 26-year-old this summer after his impressive debut campaign with the Royals.

The report suggests that Gerrard is keen to improve the spine of his team by signing the powerful midfielder, who they estimate would cost Rangers around £8m this summer.

Laurent joined the Championship side on a two-year deal from Shrewsbury Town last summer and was a key player in Veljko Paunović’s side as they narrowly missed out on a playoff spot in England’s second tier.

The English midfielder would make 45 appearances for the Madjeski Stadium outfit, contributing three goals and three assists, earning himself a solid 6.88 rating for his performances from WhoScored.

He has been deployed mainly in a defensive midfield role by Paunović and has averaged two tackles and 1.4 interceptions per game in the Championship, with WhoScored suggesting that his defensive contribution is his main strength.

Gerrard will surely be looking to add depth in midfield ahead of next season, as Ryan Jack’s long-term injury this season has often forced the 40-year-old manager to rotate four players – Steven Davis, Glen Kamara, Joe Aribo and Scott Arfield – in his midfield three.

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Therefore, with Kamara also being heavily linked with a move to the Premier League, it seems likely that the Gers will add some midfielders to their squad ahead of next season, and Laurent could prove to be a very shrewd addition.

He was recently named as the supporter’s Player of the Season at Reading, which led Paunovic to sing his praises, with the Serbian manager saying:

“He’s had a fantastic season, I’m very happy for him and proud of his achievements. He’s worked hard and I think he has benefitted from the huge amount of personality he has.”

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Therefore, after his impressive debut campaign in the Championship, Laurent could definitely prove to be similarly effective at Ibrox next season, so sporting director Ross Wilson should definitely be looking to bring him in.

And, in other news… Rangers suffer huge blow with “fantastic” 20 y/o gem, Gerrard surely fuming

Plenty of Aston Villa supporters have hit out at Anwar El Ghazi on social media for his performance against Chelsea on Sunday afternoon.

Villa hosted Thomas Tuchel’s side in front of their supporters for the first time since February 2020, with Dean Smith knowing that his team will end the season in 11th position.

Smith stuck with the same side which beat Tottenham on Wednesday evening, with Emiliano Martinez and Matt Targett ensuring they have started every league game this season.

However, it was El Ghazi’s display which had a number of fans talking online in the first half, and not for the right reasons.

The winger was making his 17th start of the Premier League campaign and 31st appearance in all competitions. The 26-year-old was coming up against Chelsea’s Cesar Azpilicueta on the left-hand side of midfield, and struggled to get involved, crashing a header wide just before the interval as Villa led 1-0 at the break.

El Ghazi lost possession repeatedly, while his passing was also off-kilter throughout the match (SofaScore).

Villa fans react

Here is what these Villa supporters had to say about the ‘lazy’ El Ghazi, with one fan feeling he must ‘work harder’.

“El Ghazi and Traore just not good enough IMO”

Credit: @caguitar

“El Ghazi and Traore need to pull their fingers out man!”

Credit: @Eddie_Lambert95

“Midfield anonymous. Traore & El Ghazi offering no protection. Hause doing well.”

Credit: @wilsterdavies1

“El ghazi and Traore not tracking back, need to get that sorted but otherwise great and well done to the fans in the ground.”

Credit: @Martin45015565

“Traore and El Ghazi being lazy.”

Credit: @RHAVFC

“#Villa under the cosh . Traore and El G need to work harder “

Credit: @richardmills18

In other news: Villa fans buzz at Sky Sports reporter’s transfer update, find out more here.