All posts by rastrear-estafeta.com

Arsenal have “held talks” to sign Southampton starlet Romeo Lavia, reports 90min journalist Graeme Bailey.

Which players are Arsenal signing in 2023?

The Gunners have been on fire in the transfer market so far this summer, splashing the cash to ensure their incredible 2022/23 season under Mikel Arteta is no flash in the pan.

The north Londoners have already announced the signing of Kai Havertz from Chelsea – a sure sign of the power shift in the capital – and deals for Declan Rice and Jurrien Timber are thought to be all but done.

Arteta and Edu’s work won’t finish there however, due to the fact that they are also set to lose some key players from the team that performed so well last term. Granit Xhaka has left the club to join Xabi Alonso’s Bayer Leverkusen while Thomas Partey is also thought to be likely to leave, so the addition of Rice may need to be accompanied by another new arrival in the centre of the park.

And that’s where Lavia could come in, with the Southampton youngster expected to depart after the Saints’ relegation from the Premier League. The 19 year-old is one of several midfield targets to be linked – the likes of Moises Caicedo and even Real Madrid’s Aurélien Tchouaméni have been mentioned – but the Belgium international appears to be the most advanced.

Are Arsenal signing Romeo Lavia?

Indeed, the Gunners have actually “held talks” to sign the former Manchester City starlet, reports Bailey, but they aren’t alone as Chelsea and Liverpool have also made the same steps.

Manchester City, Manchester United and Newcastle are also keeping an eye on the situation, with the teenager “emerging as one of this summer's most in-demand players”. Saints apparently expect to recoup £50m to sell their prized asset.

It’s hard to imagine Lavia coming in and starting week in week out for the Gunners – he is outperformed by Rice in all but three of FBRef’s key metrics for defensive midfielders – but he would be an excellent option to have in the building depending on the opposition, especially with tricky European ties on the way.

The three areas he actually betters Rice in are tackles, blocks and successful take-ons, painting the picture of a player who is excellent at shielding the back four, breaking up play and then weaving out of tight situations to retain possession once he has taken it.

With Rice sure to be striding forward and aiding the more attack-minded players in the XI, having a pure number six behind the England international in certain games would allow him to focus more on those attacking phases of play, and Lavia looks the perfect candidate.

You don’t need to look far to find plaudits for the tough-tackling ace either, with Pep Guardiola saying this earlier this year: “We had, and we have, an incredible opinion about him. We thought to keep him, but maybe he would not (get) enough minutes like he has in Southampton.”

Many pundits and fans alike have pointed out the similarities between the way Arteta’s team operates and Pep’s City, so it is no surprise to see the boss looking to recruit a player valued so highly by his former mentor, and the interest from various big six rivals shows exactly how Lavia is seen by those around the game.

Newcastle United are believed to be "preparing an offer" for Eintracht Frankfurt attacking midfielder Jesper Lindstrom this summer.

Who is Jesper Lindstrom?

The 23-year-old was an impressive performer for Frankfurt last season, scoring seven goals in the Bundesliga, as well as chipping in with two assists.

Lindstrom also made three appearances for Denmark at the 2022 World Cup, starting twice in the competition and playing 200 minutes in total.

The Dane's current Frankfurt deal expires in the summer of 2026, though he could be a wanted man during the current summer transfer window, with a move away potentially on the cards.

With Newcastle looking to sign numerous players this summer in order to make their squad even more formidable, it looks as though Lindstrom could be a target for the Magpies.

Are Newcastle eyeing move for Lindstrom?

According to Bild [via Sport Witness], Newcastle are "preparing an offer" for the attacking midfielder and have "expressed a concrete interest" in him, as is also the case with AC Milan.

Both teams are "seriously" thinking about making a move for Lindstrom and Frankfurt are "demanding" between €30-40m (£26-34m) for his services, while the player himself has hinted at a move away this summer, saying, "I said that I want to play where it’s fun and I think it’s fun to play in the Champions League and the big tournaments."

Frankfurt will be aware that they can earn good money for someone who is described as an "absolute top performer" in the report, so they may ultimately be open to the idea of him moving on when push comes to shove.

Attacking midfield looks to be an area where Newcastle are looking to bring in reinforcements this summer, with James Maddison and Dominik Szoboszlai both seen as targets who they have missed out on.

Lindstrom could be a strong alternative for the Magpies having registered 27 goal contributions (14 goals and 13 assists) in 77 appearances for Frankfurt, as well as being compared to Bayern Munich and Germany legend Thomas Muller.

At 23, he is a young player who could develop greatly under Eddie Howe at St James' Park, alongside superior players to those he works with every day at Frankfurt. The fact that he has played on either flank as well as centrally should be seen as a bonus in terms of giving the manager even more depth across several positions.

Tottenham Hotspur have tabled a "crazy offer" for Galatasary duo Victor Nelsson and Nicolo Zaniolo, according to reports out of Turkey.

Who will Spurs sign after Maddison?

The Lilywhites have surprisingly got a couple of deals over the line already, and new manager Ange Postecoglou will be thrilled.

Spurs confirmed the signing of goalkeeper Guglielmo Vicario from Empoli recently in a deal worth around £17.2 million, and just days later, playmaker James Maddison joined for £40 million from Leicester City.

Maddison in particular is a pretty big coup for £40m, especially considering he was the Foxes star player last season and racked up an impressive 19 top flight goal contributions (10 goals, nine assists).

It is believed Spurs aren't done there, though, with the north Londoners chasing a star centre-back to plug their leaky defence which conceded more league goals than any other side above 15th last season.

The likes of Edmond Tapsoba (Bayer Leverkusen) and Wolfsburg's Micky van de Ven are reliably thought to be of interest with talks ongoing, but according to a piece of news from the continent, Nelsson is also still on their radar.

Turkish news outlet Milliyet (via Sport Witness) has an interesting update on the Dane, and his teammate Nicolo Zaniolo, with Tottenham apparently making a "crazy offer" in an attempt to sign the Galatasary duo.

Galatasaray vice-president Erden Timur has apparently travelled to London for talks, where Spurs are mentioned, and it is believed he "sat at the table" with Tottenham to discuss both players.

In what is a very unique bid, Postecoglou's side apparently lodged an offer of two to three of their own players plus €30-35m (£26m-£30m) in cash for Zaniolo and Nelsson, thought there is no mention as to which Spurs stars were sacrificed.

Timur is allegedly eager to negotiate player exits and raise funds, and while he was not happy with Tottenham's proposal, talks remain ongoing.

The Galatasary chief originally valued both players together at around £52 million.

What's been said about Nelsson and Zaniolo?

Reşit Ömer Kükner, a member of the Galatasary board, holds Nelsson in very high esteem with the centre-back being called a "Danish lion" and model "athlete".

Meanwhile, former Spurs keeper Paul Robinson praised Zaniolo during his previous links to Tottenham – branding the Italy international a "steal".

The ex-England international even likened his potential transfer to the likes of Rodrigo Bentancur and Dejan Kulusevski, who have done well since singing for Spurs.

"Perhaps he could be the next Kulusevski or Bentancur – a steal from Italy in the January window," said Robinson to Football Insider.

West Ham United target Habib Diallo could be an upgrade on current first-choice forward Michail Antonio as David Moyes looks to strengthen his squad following their Europa League Conference triumph.

West Ham latest transfer news – Habib Diallo identified

With a return to the Europa League waiting for them next season, the Hammers have been busy looking at ways to strengthen their side across the pitch.

Talisman Declan Rice's likely departure still looms, and the east Londoners will have a huge hole to fill once the skipper does leave, so they've been targeting several noticeable names already this summer.

Recently-relegated James Ward-Prowse is a talent the Hammers are interested in, and they could potentially use any money generated on the back of a Rice sale to fund the move.

Moyes' side have also been linked to Juventus' Denis Zakaria, with Fabrizio Romano revealing they'd enquired about a possible deal, with the midfielder reportedly not wanted at the Italian side.

Midfield isn't the only area West Ham are keen to strengthen, though, with L'Equipe now revealing their interest in Senegalese striker Diallo, but they are among several other clubs currently weighing up a move for the 28-year-old, including top-flight rivals Newcastle United and Burnley.

What would Hamid Diallo bring to West Ham United?

There's no sugarcoating West Ham's woes in front of goal last season.

With just 42 league goals, they were outscored by two of the three relegated sides, Leeds United (48) and Leicester City (51). The club's top scorers last year were Jarrod Bowen and Said Benrahma, with just six goals apiece.

The lack of firepower was largely responsible for their struggles in the Premier League, and with a Europa League campaign awaiting them next season, it's a problem they're going to have to fix if they want to have any level of success in the competition.

Bringing in Diallo, who has been hailed as a "complete striker" and "one of the best" in France by former Senegal international Kader Mangane, could be the perfect remedy for that, though, with the 28-year-old already proving himself as a natural, prolific goalscorer in Ligue 1 last season.

With 20 goals for Strasbourg last season, Diallo is the firepower that the Hammers need if they're to significantly strengthen their forward line and even provide an upgrade on Antonio.

While he's had a fine tenure with the Hammers and was vital in their Europa League Conference success last season, with seven goals in the tournament, over the course of his eight-year stint at West Ham, Antonio has never managed to score more than 14 goals in all competitions.

In fact, this last season was actually his most prolific for the club with 14 goals in all competitions, but just five of those came in the Premier League and at 33 years of age.

Having heavily relied on his pace in the past, it's fair to assume that the former Nottingham Forest ace won't be able to replicate the goal-scoring form he displayed in Europe last season for much longer.

Diallo's regular availability also provides an upgrade on Antonio, who has struggled to stay fit in the past.

The Strasbourg forward played in all but one league game last year, offering a consistent level of health that West Ham would benefit from, thus making him a viable and suitable frontline upgrade this off-season.

Arsenal are closing in on their first signing of the summer transfer window as Kai Havertz is nearing a switch to the Emirates Stadium, according to reports…

Arsenal transfer news – Kai Havertz

Sky Sports Germany reporter Florian Plettenberg has provided a fresh update on the Gunners' pursuit of the Chelsea star as he took to Twitter on Sunday morning:

"News #Havertz: He‘s very close to join @Arsenal now! All depends on the final offer from Arsenal.

"Havertz, keen to join #Arsenal now as personal terms are almost agreed. Arteta loves to see him in addition to Jesus.

"Bayern inquired about conditions in the last days but the negotiations with Arsenal are too advanced – Bayern informed. Therefore no offer/hijack from Bayern yet.

"Transfer fee package expected: at least around €80m [£68m] all in."

How good is Kai Havertz?

The north Londoners have endured a mixed bag when it comes to signing players from their capital city rivals over the years.

Petr Cech has perhaps been the most successful arrival, whilst the likes of Willian, David Luiz and William Gallas have certainly divided opinion amongst the Gunners' faithful.

Havertz is more than likely to fall into the latter category.

The German international has been something of an enigma since his £72m arrival in English football back in August 2020.

At Bayer Leverkusen, the 24-year-old was utilised largely as an attacking midfielder or false nine, with his 46 goals and 31 assists from 150 appearances being the very reason behind the Blues stumping up such a hefty sum, but he hasn't really been able to replicate that since.

Just 11 games shy of the aforementioned appearance total, Havertz has managed 14 fewer goals and 16 fewer assists, largely being deployed as a sole striker under an array of different managers, as per Transfermarkt.

It seems likely that Havertz would be deployed in a similar role at the Emirates, given Mikel Arteta's 'love' for him to be an alternative to current no.9, Gabriel Jesus.

The Brazilian is actually a comparable player when using FBref's player comparison model and what the Chelsea star lacks in terms of goal threat, he more than makes up for in and out of possession – in some ways similar to Jesus.

When compared to other forwards across Europe's top five divisions over the past year, the £150k-per-week talent ranks inside the top 6% for pass completion, the top 9% for progressive passes, and the top 10% for tackles, all per 90 via FBref.

It's perhaps why Gunners legend Thierry Henry made a glowing comparison to another former Arsenal forward – speaking on CBS Sports' Champions League coverage earlier in the year, he said:

"He reminds me sometimes, a little, of Robin [van Persie] – back to goal the way he can hold the ball. Now he needs to make sure he can transform that into more goals because you can play off him."

The 6 foot 4 "machine" – as once lauded by talent scout Jacek Kulig – would certainly be a bold risk for Arsenal to take during the offseason but if anyone can get him back to his brilliant best, it's Arteta.

There will also be plenty of question marks over the £68m price tag, especially after the failings of club-record signing Nicolas Pepe, but the Arsenal boss has proven that he must be trusted – if he wants the player, then sporting director Edu Gaspar should do all he can to secure him.

Aston Villa are expected to have a busy summer, with Sevilla sporting director Monchi set to join Unai Emery in the business room.

The Villans have been linked with a host of talent following the end of the Premier League season, as the transfer window officially opened on Wednesday.

News emerging this week linked a Bundesliga star with a move to Villa Park in a talent that could significantly improve Emery’s blossoming side.

What’s the latest on Manu Kone to Aston Villa?

As reported by the Daily Mail, Aston Villa have ‘registered an interest’ in Borussia Monchengladbach star Manu Kone.

The midfielder has been linked to Liverpool as well as Wolves from the Premier League, with his value reported to be in the region of £35m.

Having joined Monchengladbach in 2021, the Frenchman is contracted to the club until 2025, while his side have the option to extend by an additional year.

What could Manu Kone offer to Aston Villa?

Hailed as being a “one-man army” in midfield by talent scout Jacek Kulig, the 22-year-old has had an impressive individual season in the Bundesliga.

In 30 league appearances, Kone maintained a 54% success rate for total duels, averaging a monstrous 7.4 won per game, via Sofascore.

The young talent could be a revelation in Emery’s midfield in an area that has been transformed by the Spaniard at Villa Park, particularly through the form of Douglas Luiz.

The Brazilian maintained an average Sofascore match rating of 7.10 this past season, cementing himself as the controller in the engine room and ranking as the club’s best individual performer.

With the Bundesliga ace rumoured to be wanted at Villa Park, Emery could unleash a duo in deep midfield that could dominate the Premier League with their innate defensive ability in a critical area.

Kone averaged 2.5 tackles per game with Luiz averaging 2.0 in the English top tier, communicating the dominance the pair share when playing in midfield.

Slightly contrasting strengths suggest that the pair could complement each other perfectly in a partnership, with the Frenchman more skilled in progressive play, as conveyed through his average of 5.73 progressive passes per 90 to the Villa star’s 4.55 (via FBref).

Another dominating factor that the 22-year-old could bless Emery with at Villa Park is his dribbling ability, having been lauded as “magnificent” and “press-resistant” by U23 scout Antonio Mango for his talents on the ball.

Such praise is supported by the Colombes-born gem averaging 1.97 successful take-ons per 90 – numbers that rank him in the top 4% of midfielders in Europe in this area, making him an asset to have in defensive midfield.

The Borussia whiz has been linked to Liverpool ahead of the opening of the transfer window, though considering the pull factor the partnership of Emery and Monchi could bring to Villa, the future of Kone is one to track closely.

The future of Wilfried Zaha at Crystal Palace is yet to be determined, but the latest update in the saga may shed light on where the Ivorian winger will end up next season.

According to Fabrizio Romano, the Eagles star has not agreed terms with Saudi Pro League outfit Al Nassr, at this stage. He tweeted:

"Wilfried Zaha has not agreed terms with Al Nassr at this stage. Saudi club has approached him but nothing done.

"Understand Zaha’s priority remains European football, attracting strong interest from Champions League clubs."

Which clubs want to sign Wilfried Zaha?

Indeed, Zaha’s future is more likely to reside in Europe, with the winger prioritising European football at his next club.

Zaha signed a 5-year contract in 2017 worth an estimated £26 million, per Spotrac.

That £130k-per-week contract runs out this summer, and Zaha’s future is still up in the air. Palace have made their intentions clear that they want to keep the player and have tabled a whopping £150k-per-week offer for the club hero to stay on at Selhurst Park.

Zaha has attracted interest from the Middle East, especially from Saudi Arabia.

Saudi clubs are set to splash the cash this summer, with Karim Benzema and Cristiano Ronaldo both signing for clubs in the Saudi Pro League in the last six months.

But Romano has stated that Zaha is more attracted to the prospect of playing in the Champions League than a move to Saudi Arabia.

Atletico Madrid are the latest European side Zaha has been linked with, as they look to rebound after a difficult 2022/23 season under Diego Simone.

What club should sign Wilfried Zaha?

The romantic ending to the Zaha saga would be for the winger to stay at Crystal Palace. But how realistic this is would be a different question.

Zaha has spent almost his entire career at Palace since breaking into the senior team through the academy in 2009.

The long-serving Eagles star helped fire Palace to promotion from the Championship in 2013, scoring two memorable goals in the playoff semi-final win over rivals Brighton. That season, Sir Alex Ferguson made Zaha the final signing of his tenure at Manchester United, but the transfer proved to be a failure.

Zaha made just two Premier League appearances for United and was loaned out to Cardiff City in 2014 where he made 12 appearances, per Transfermarkt.

In total, the 30-year-old dynamo has made 458 appearances for The Eagles, scoring 90 goals. Wilfried is a club legend and a fan favourite, and to see the winger finish his club career at his boyhood club would be part of the romance football is lacking in this current era.

Arsenal are eyeing a Premier League gem ahead of the transfer window, as Mikel Arteta prepares for a busy summer in charge at the Emirates.

The Spaniard will hope to continue the Gunners’ status as title contenders next campaign – something he could ensure of by signing a name that has been linked to the club since January.

What’s the latest on Moises Caicedo to Arsenal?

As reported by London World earlier this week, Arsenal are ‘preparing’ a new bid for Brighton & Hove Albion midfielder Moises Caicedo.

The 21-year-old has been on the north Londoners' radar since January, where the Seagulls rejected multiple bids for the ace.

London World suspects that the Gunners will bid around £75m for the midfielder, a fee that was rejected by the club in January.

The report states that Brighton’s stance is ‘clear’, as they have an agreement to sell the player due to his wishes.

What could Moises Caicedo bring to Arsenal?

Hailed as a “machine” by talent scout Jacek Kulig, the 21-year-old is sought by the Gunners for reasons that are extremely clear.

As per Sofascore, the midfielder has maintained an average match rating of 7.08, placing him among the club’s top five performers this campaign.

The Ecuadorian would be a valuable asset for Arteta to add to his midfield, especially with rumours surfacing placing Jorginho’s future at the Emirates in doubt.

The Italy international has won an average of 55% of his total duels this season with 4 per game – numbers that are less impressive in comparison to Caicedo, who averages 58% with 5.9 won per game, via Sofascore.

Despite rumours being premature regarding the 31-year-old’s future this summer, Arteta could replace and upgrade the former Chelsea ace with the Brighton gem, enforcing a new-found level of stability to his midfield.

The 21-year-old wins a huge average of 64% of his aerial duels per game compared to Jorginho’s 49%, suggesting that he would be a better option for Arsenal in terms of physicality alone.

Although identified for his passing abilities, the Gunners wouldn’t be missing the expertise of the Italian’s distribution as much as expected in replacing him with Caicedo.

As per FBref, the youngster has maintained a higher rate of pass completion than the experienced Jorginho this campaign, averaging a rate of 88.5% per 90, placing him in the top 6% of midfielders in the league in this area, with the Arsenal ace scoring 85.8%.

Arsenal have wanted the services of Caicedo for months, and with him due to become available this summer, Arteta must act fast to guarantee his involvement at the Emirates next season, with other clubs queuing to capture his signature.

Leeds United have been linked with a move for Philadelphia Union left-back Kai Wagner, Transfermarkt report.

The Lowdown: Wagner profiled

Wagner, valued at a cut-price £2.7m, has been with the MLS side since 2019 but is out of contract at the end of the calendar year, meaning he could move for cheap this summer.

The 25-year-old can also play as a left-midfielder and has made 104 appearances for his current employers.

[web_stories_embed url=”https://www.footballtransfertavern.com/web-stories/latest-leeds-united-updates-3/” title=”Latest Leeds United updates!” poster=”https://www.footballtransfertavern.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/04/cropped-2022-03-10T184055Z_1834933207_UP1EI3A1FW561_RTRMADP_3_SOCCER-ENGLAND-LEE-AVA-REPORT-1-scaled-1.jpg” width=”360″ height=”600″ align=”none”]

He’s scored four times and registered 13 assists while in America, and it looks as if Jesse Marsch is keen on a move for his services this summer.

The Latest: Leeds links

Transfermarkt shared a story regarding Leeds and Wagner on Thursday morning after being informed by a source close to the situation.

They claim that the Whites are keen on his services, where he could become an ‘important part of the club’s rebuild’ under Marsch, Victor Orta and Andrea Radrizzani.

Relegation rivals Burnley and Championship side Middlesbrough are also name-checked with an interest.

The Verdict: Firpo replacement?

If Leeds go down on Sunday, you’d expect there will be plenty of change over the summer with a number of high-profile exits, with Radz and Orta needing to revamp the squad to give Marsch the tools fit for the Championship.

Junior Firpo, the club’s marquee signing last year from Barcelona, could well be one to leave due to his poor first season in Yorkshire where he has picked up 11 yellow cards, so it looks as if Wagner may come in to replace him.

Leeds have a track record in recent years of getting left-back additions wrong, with Firpo and Laurens De Bock perfect examples, however, Wagner has been described as ‘one of the best left-backs’ in the MLS, so an under-the-radar move for the German could be shrewd and cheap when you look at his contract situation.

In other news: Orta now finally set to accept defeat as Leeds plot exit for Bielsa ‘mistake’ – opinion. 

Manchester United will reportedly be looking at out-of-contract stars to help aid Erik ten Hag’s proposed rebuild.

What’s the word?

That is according to a report from The Sun who claim that United do not have a huge war chest prepared for the Dutchman and will expect him to identify players who can be signed on a free this summer.

[snack-amp-story url= “https://www.footballfancast.com/web-stories/read-the-latest-man-united-news-transfer-rumours-gossip-and-more-nunez-ten-hag-nkunku-richarlison” title=”Read the latest Man United news!”]

In terms of attacking talent, stars such as Paulo Dybala and Ousmane Dembele have been touted as big names who are expected to become free agents this summer amidst their expiring contracts, though according to the report, it is currently unknown as to which potential free signing United could be eyeing up.

Dembele has previously been linked to United with reports last week stating that they have even offered him a contract.

A smart move?

As per the report, United’s budget has taken a hit due to their failure to qualify for next season’s Champions League, and with the potential free-signings that are on offer, ten Hag may resort to an option like £27m-rated Dembele who still has a lot to offer at the age of 24.

With his ability to progress the ball and recent development of his end product, the Frenchman, who has been dubbed a “superstar” by Liam Canning, could provide a real service to United and become their own version of Neymar – who is a similar player this season in terms of metrics according to FBref.

In fact, Josep Maria Bartomeu once went as far as saying that the Frenchman was “better than Neymar” as he hailed the winger’s talent.

With 18 goal returns in the form of 12 goals and six assists over 21 games, Neymar has achieved four more returns than Dembele, who has 14 goal returns in the form of one goal and 13 assists this season over the course of 20 La Liga appearances.

The Frenchman’s average of 5.11 shot-creating actions per 90, is not far off the Brazilian who has registered a match average of 5.91 SCA.

Though in terms of progressive carries, Dembele’s average of 14.03 per 90 surpasses that of Neymar who averages a, still exceptional, total of 10.66 per 90.

With Dembele’s contract expiring at the end of the season, United would be right to look at the free-signing of a player who has achieved very similar metrics to Neymar this season.

In other news: Man Utd plot bid to sign 24y/o who is “reminiscent of Beckham”, Ten Hag surely buzzing