Tag Futebol

Injury expert Ben Dinnery has claimed that Newcastle United are making out Allan Saint-Maximin’s injury is more serious than it actually is.

The Lowdown: Setback

Speaking to the media before the St. James’ Park outfit’s 1-0 win at home to Everton in the Premier League on Wednesday night, Eddie Howe confirmed that Saint-Maximin had suffered a third setback on a hamstring injury, and admitted that they may have to be careful with him with regards to his potential return.

Howe added that they ‘hope’ that he can play before the FIFA World Cup starts in Qatar in mid-November.

The Latest: Injury played down

Speaking to Football Insider, Dinnery, who runs the Premier Injuries site and has a background in injury and data analysis, has suggested that the North East club are making Saint-Maximin’s injury sound worse than it is, and fully expects that he will be involved before the World Cup:

“It’s easy to get caught up with the media narrative as to what’s going on.

“This latest issue is very minor. It’s more of an irritation than a full-blown tear or strain.

“Ordinarily it would be one where you would take him out of training and reduce his load for seven or ten days. Then they can reintroduce him.

“He’s already coming off the back of a hamstring problem where he has already suffered a decent reaction and reinjury. The club is being uber cautious in regard to this.

“I would fully expect Saint-Maximin to be involved before the World Cup. It’s one of those ones that they assess gameweek to gameweek.

“Hamstring problems have a high reoccurrence rate, particularly with the likes of Saint-Maximin with his style of play, the explosive pace and quick turns of direction. There is a lot of force going through his legs and that’s why they cannot afford any corner-cutting.

“It’s just the club being super cautious in his management.

“Clubs are very clever these days in terms of their PR. Under promise and over-deliver. Don’t put any pressure on the player’s timeframe.

“If you say it’s mid-November then if he returns within seven to 10 days then everyone’s happy. Supporters are hailing the medical department and calling Saint-Maximin a warrior and a robot. It’s a bit of a game.

“In terms of the injury itself, it’s nothing too serious.”

[web_stories_embed url=”https://www.footballtransfertavern.com/web-stories/newcastle-news-7/” title=”Newcastle news!” poster=”” width=”360″ height=”600″ align=”none”]

The Verdict: Promising

Dinnery’s verdict on Saint-Maximin’s latest setback is certainly promising.

The winger made a brief comeback in the 5-1 win at home to Brentford earlier this month, but has not put a run of games together since August (Transfermarkt).

However, the prognosis does not seem as serious as him potentially being missing until after the World Cup, and so supporters should expect his return over the next few weeks.

Saint-Maximin remains a key player for the Magpies, ranking as their third-best performer in the top flight with one goal and two assists so far this season (WhoScored), and so there is hope that he can still play a part within the next few fixtures.

Sunderland sporting director Kristjaan Speakman was a busy man throughout the summer transfer window as he brought a number of players into the Stadium of Light.

He signed the likes of Daniel Ballard, Ellis Simms, Jack Clarke, Edouard Michut and Aji Alese, among others, to bolster the squad ahead of the 2022/23 Championship campaign.

What may go unnoticed, or unappreciated, during a transfer window is the big decisions Speakman has to make over which players to pursue on the list of targets provided by the scouts.

For example, one player the club opted against a deal for was American international Matthew Hoppe. The Black Cats were reportedly keen on a swoop for the then-Mallorca forward but they never took their interest any further and Middlesbrough ended up signing him.

He signed a permanent four-year contract with Sunderland’s Championship rivals for an initial fee of £3m, which could reach £5m if add-ons are reached.

Former Boro boss Chris Wilder admitted that he was a player who the club had brought in with one eye on the future but also claimed that the opportunity was there for him to burst into the first team this season.

However, the striker has not impressed enough to force his way into the senior side on a regular basis. He has played 35 minutes of Championship football across three appearances, after playing five times in La Liga for Mallorca last season and 22 games in the Bundesliga for Schalke the year prior to that.

American insider Matt Stepp dubbed him “brash and arrogant”, whilst adding that teams need that sometimes. However, the attacker’s mentality has not helped him out on the pitch as of yet.

The 21-year-old has plenty of experience at the top level, including scoring six goals in 26 games for Schalke, but that has not translated into him making an impact in the second tier of English football, despite Boro sitting 20th in the table.

You could use his age as a reason behind his struggles but he joined Middlesbrough for a hefty sum of money and Josh Sargent, who is his compatriot and elder by one year, is the joint-top scorer in the Championship with eight goals for Norwich City.

For the money spent on him and the games that he has played in the top divisions of Spanish and German football, supporters could be excused for expecting Hoppe to score goals in the second division in England. However, he cannot even get his name in the starting XI.

This suggests that Speakman dodged an expensive flop by avoiding a deal for Hoppe. Transfermarkt have Will Grigg down as the only player the club have spent £3m or more on since the start of 2018/19 and this suggests that spending £3m on a player who seemingly does not have the quality or consistency to make an instant impact would have been a huge mistake, given the finances involved.

Glasgow Rangers travel to Edinburgh in today’s Premiership fixture to take on Hearts as the Ibrox side aims to go back to the summit of the league table with a victory.

It’s been a tough September for the Light Blues, winning just one match from four and being humiliated in three successive thrashings to Napoli, Ajax, and Celtic which saw the team concede 11 goals and score zero.

The international break will hopefully have recharged a few batteries as the club faces an important part of the season before the 2022 World Cup halts proceedings for over a month.

What sort of line-up will Giovanni van Bronckhorst select today? Here is what we are predicting…

Allan McGregor should keep his place between the posts due to Jon McLaughlin’s injury, with a back four consisting of James Tavernier and Borna Barisic, and Connor Goldson being partnered with summer signing Ben Davies, who will make just his fourth appearance for the team today.

The midfield will see the biggest changes from the win against Dundee United. John Lundstram will be partnered with 19-year-old Charlie McCann, who journalist Josh Bunting dubbed “very sharp”, in the heart of the Gers midfield. Scott Arfield, in his last year of his £8.2k-per-week contract, will drop to the bench in favour of Rabbi Matondo on the right wing, while Ryan Kent will take up his usual spot on the left wing.

Tom Lawrence should hopefully be fit enough to return to the squad and slot in behind Antonio Colak, who has netted nine goals already this season, as Van Bronckhorst aims to add an extra dimension to his attack with the inclusion of the Welshman.

Hearts currently sit third in the Premiership table and will be aiming to continue their solid form, having won their previous two matches, including one in the Europa Conference League.

The last time Rangers faced Hearts, they won 2-0 and secured their first Scottish Cup in 13 years, another result like that would surely please the Ibrox faithful and allow them to leapfrog Celtic at the top of the table.

Huddersfield Town are looking at a potential move for former Manchester United coach Michael Carrick, according to Alan Nixon.

The Lowdown: Plenty of names mentioned…

The Terriers parted ways with Danny Schofield on Wednesday following defeat to Wigan less than 24 hours earlier.

Since then, a number of names have emerged to come in, including former manager David Wagner and Plymouth Argyle boss Steven Schumacher. Another new name has popped up ahead of the weekend, with Dean Hoyle seemingly looking at Carrick.

The Latest: Carrick interest

Reliable EFL reporter Nixon took to Twitter on Thursday lunchtime to provide an update on Huddersfield’s hunt for a new manager.

He stated that Carrick is in the ‘Huddersfield frame’, sharing a story on his Patreon account.

The Verdict: Gamble

Carrick’s only senior managerial experience came last year when he won two of his three games as caretaker of Manchester United.

He likes to play a 4-1-4-1 system, according to Transfermarkt, and has assisted both Jose Mourinho and Ole Gunnar Solskjaer at Old Trafford.

Therefore, it would be a gamble by Hoyle, should he decide to bring the 41-year-old to The John Smith’s Stadium, and perhaps fans would prefer a slightly less high-risk option.

West Bromwich Albion have had a fairly low-key summer transfer window in terms of the number of players who have moved in and out of the Championship club.

Having seen the likes of Andy Carroll, Sam Johnstone and Romaine Sawyers wave goodbye to The Hawthorns, the Baggies have brought in Jed Wallace, John Swift and Okay Yokuslu, all on free transfers.

With deadline day fast approaching, West Brom manager Steve Bruce could have the opportunity to end the club’s summer transfer window with a bang by securing a deal for one player in particular.

Earlier in the summer, it was reported that Albion were interested in signing Aston Villa striker Cameron Archer. Their hopes were then dashed after it was then claimed that a move away from Villa Park would not be happening for him this summer.

However, it has now been hinted by Villa manager Steven Gerrard that the striker could be sent out on loan before the transfer window closes.

With that in mind, the Baggies should do all that they can to convince their Midlands neighbours to send Archer to The Hawthorns for the rest of the season.

In 108 appearances at senior and youth levels, the 20-year-old has scored 34 goals and provided ten assists, showing how useful he can be in front of goal.

During his spell in the Championship on loan with Preston North End for the second half of last season, the Englishman found the net seven times in 20 appearances, showing how capable he is of providing a goal threat in the second tier.

Praised by journalist Tom Barclay for his “clinical” finishing on the international stage at underage level, netting four goals in as many England under-21 outings in June, Archer could be just what the Baggies need to push them towards promotion.

Despite only Norwich City (86) taking more shots at goal than West Brom (74) in the Championship so far this season, there are seven teams with a higher percentage for shots on target than Bruce’s side (37.8%).

This suggests that adding a player like Archer to their ranks who can find the net on a regular basis could be just what they need in order to have a successful campaign, especially with Daryl Dike currently out injured.

All in all, the opportunity to play regularly and remain in the Midlands could be a move which benefits all parties, making it something that the Baggies should go all-out to get done as soon as possible.

Fulham have made official contact to sign Sao Paulo defender Luizao, according to a Brazilian outlet.

The Lowdown: Luizao contract running out

The 20-year-old has now entered the final six months of his contract with the Serie A outfit, and as a result of his deal expiring on January 31, is free to sign a pre-contract agreement with any potential suitors.

The centre-back has been a bit-part player for Sao Paulo in recent times, only making five league appearances last season, and therefore has been linked with a summer move away from Rogerio Ceni’s side, with one Premier League name in particular cropping up.

The Latest: Fulham make contact

Brazilian website Globo Esporte (via Sport Witness) report that three European clubs have ‘made approaches’ for Luizao to discover more information on his transfer situation, with Fulham, alongside Benfica and Porto, among those name-checked.

It’s stated that the Cottagers ‘aren’t only interested in signing him as a free agent next year’, but have ‘checked the possibility of a negotiation’ during the current window.

The Verdict: One for the future

Marco Silva has already made six summer signings, with Shane Duffy the latest new arrival to walk through the doors, and Luizao would be a bargain to follow in his footsteps and secure on a cut-price deal.

The 6 foot 1 colossus is still at such a young age and the boss has always been one to throw up and coming talents into his squad – there’s no reason as to why he couldn’t do the same with this exciting prospect.

Luizao could bring his height and athleticism to the heart of Silva’s backline, attributes that suit the style of play in the Premier League, and could prove to be a clever signing for the club in the long-term.

Wolves were linked with signing Paris Saint-Germain midfielder Georginio Wijnaldum earlier in the summer transfer window, and it seems as if Bruno Lage has now been given the green light to swoop for the former Liverpool and Newcastle United midfielder.

What’s the word?

The Old Gold were among a host of Premier League clubs linked with signing the Netherlands international, who looks to be surplus to requirements in Paris after just one season with the Ligue 1 champions.

His time with Les Parisiens almost certainly seems to be up, as it was confirmed on Friday that he has been left out of their squad for the pre-season visit to Japan, as there is a strong belief that he will be moved on.

It was also reported on Saturday morning that the 31-year-old is being offered out by his current club, with AC Milan one potential destination for the Dutchman.

Lage would love him

If Wolves could bring in a player of Wijnaldum’s quality this summer, they would undoubtedly look a lot better in midfield next season.

The Old Gold have only made one new signing so far this summer, as Nathan Collins joined from Burnley, and supporters will surely be desperate for further additions ahead of their season opener against Leeds United in a few weeks’ time.

Wijnaldum proved himself to be a top player during his time in England, making 217 appearances in the Premier League with Liverpool and Newcastle, in which he contributed 27 goals and 16 assists.

The Dutchman was a big part of Jurgen Klopp’s team’s success in recent years, with his memorable brace from the bench instrumental in the Reds’ famous 4-0 comeback win against Barcelona in the Champions League in 2019.

While Lage has a lot of quality in his Wolves midfield, with Ruben Neves and Joao Moutinho looking likely to line up alongside each other again next season, neither of the Portuguese maestros offer the same goal threat as Wijnaldum, who could add more potency to the Old Gold’s midfield. That would be very much appreciated by supporters, given Wolves’ struggles in front of goal over the last two seasons.

Therefore, given that the experienced Dutch midfielder now seems available for transfer, Wolves should act upon their apparent interest and bring him to Molineux, as he is surely the sort of player that Lage would love to have in his ranks.

AND in other news: Shi can sign Lage his own Harry Kane with Wolves swoop for “incredible” goal machine

Wolverhampton Wanderers have been dealt a major blow in their pursuit of Sporting CP midfielder Matheus Nunes, according to Portuguese newspaper O Jogo (via Sport Witness). 

The lowdown: Slow-moving

Despite ongoing speculation linking Nunes with a move to Molineux, the protracted transfer deal is proving to be a drawn-out process as Bruno Lage attempts to strengthen his squad.

The 23-year-old is clearly a top target for the Wanderers having performed beyond his years for some time now, amassing 99 first-team outings for the Lisbon-based giants and earning senior international recognition in the process.

Whilst all roads have seemingly pointed towards the arrival of Nunes, a fresh report emerging from Portugal has thrown a potential spanner in the works…

The latest: ‘Some resistance’

As per O Jogo, transcribed by SW, Wolves are facing ‘some resistance’ from the player regarding the mooted switch to the Midlands.

It’s claimed that the eight-cap Portugal star wants a Premier League club ‘of a superior level’ to the Old Gold and super-agent Jorge Mendes is still working on ‘the best solution’ for his client this summer.

The report also states that Sporting manager Ruben Amorim would like to see the sale ‘aborted’ in order to keep the midfielder hailed for a host of ‘exceptional’ performances in 2021 by journalist Patrick Ribeiro.

The verdict: Plan ahead

Given Nunes’ ever-rising stock, admiration from Pep Guardiola and previous links to Manchester United and Manchester City, it’s no surprise that the cultured Portuguese ace would be potentially holding out hope for a move to a top-drawer club with the offer of Champions League football on the table.

However, as things stand it’s Wolves who are pushing hardest for the £31.5million valued starlet, who scored four times and provided five assists from 50 appearances across all competitions last season, predominantly operating as a box-to-box midfielder.

Albeit the speculation surrounding Ruben Neves has subsided somewhat and there will be hope that silence is indeed golden, should the Wanderers’ favourite move on as had been expected this summer then Lage and executive chairman Jeff Shi need to act fast and the arrival of Nunes would be the ideal reaction to such an eventuality.

Everton have reportedly now made a ‘pitch’ to Christian Eriksen to try and persuade him to sign for them this summer.

The Lowdown: Free agent

Eriksen is officially now a free agent again after his short-term contract at Brentford expired.

Dubbed ‘world-class’ by Bees manager Thomas Frank, the Denmark international is sure to have a whole host of clubs lining up for his signature, after scoring one goal and supplying a further four assists in 11 matches in the Premier League upon his comeback from a cardiac arrest during Euro 2020 (Transfermarkt).

The Latest: Eriksen ‘pitch’

As per iNews, the Goodison Park outfit have now made a ‘pitch’ to Eriksen over a potential move to Merseyside, while Chelsea midfielder Conor Gallagher is another player that Frank Lampard ‘likes’.

They will no longer be pursuing a deal or Harry Winks, after Lampard ‘cooled’ his interest in the Tottenham Hotspur ace.

The Verdict: No-brainer

Given that he would arrive on a free transfer, signing Eriksen is surely a no-brainer for the Toffees.

Called a ‘phenomenon’ by Blues midfielder and former Spurs teammate Dele Alli, the pair could well form a formidable partnership in the middle of the park once more.

[web_stories_embed url=”https://www.footballtransfertavern.com/web-stories/everton-news-7/” title=”Everton news!” poster=”” width=”360″ height=”600″ align=”none”]

Eriksen picked up three man-of-the-match awards in the top flight last term, on par with the most in Lampard’s squad despite only arriving in the January transfer window, while he also averaged more key passes (2.7) per game than any EFC player.

Nonetheless, after the sale of Richarlison to Tottenham, this would be a welcomed transfer by the supporters.

Crystal Palace have looked into possible summer swoops for Manchester United duo Aaron Wan-Bissaka and Donny van de Beek, according to transer insider Dean Jones. 

The lowdown

The English right-back came through the youth ranks at Selhurst Park, playing 46 times for the south London club and winning their Player of the Year award in 2018/19.

In 2019, United shelled out up to £50m to snap him up, making him the third most-expensive full-back in the history of the Premier League.

However, after featuring in the 2020/21 Europa League Squad of the Season, Wan-Bissaka has fallen down the Red Devils’ pecking order more recently, starting just six Premier League matches since the turn of the year.

Meanwhile, Van de Beek spent the latter half of the 2021/22 campaign on loan at Everton after playing a mere 68 top-flight minutes between August and January.

The latest

Writing for GiveMeSport, Jones insisted that there is a ‘genuine feeling’ that Wan-Bissaka could return to Selhurst Park this summer, following recent transfer links touting him to go back to Palace. Palace wouldn’t be able to afford a permanent deal for the 24-year-old right now but could sign him on loan initially.

Elsewhere, the club’s recruitment team have ‘explored’ the possibility of signing Van de Beek, although the expectation at this point is that he will stay at Old Trafford and reunite with his former Ajax boss Erik ten Hag.

The verdict

The £27m-rated Wan-Bissaka appears to be the more realistic signing of the United duo, but should Palace fans be excited about a potential second coming?

The 24-year-old’s offerings going forward are limited, with just two goals and 10 assists to his name after 126 appearances for the Red Devils.

However, he is regarded as a rock-solid defender in one-v-one situations, with team-mate Luke Shaw and Sky Sports pundit Jamie Carragher hailing him as the best in the world in that department, so it may all depend on what Patrick Vieira wants from his full-backs.

If the Frenchman’s priority is defensive security while other players in the team take on the creative responsibility, then Wan-Bissaka – who Jermaine Jenas claimed ‘must be so annoying to play against’ because his ‘legs are everywhere’ – is the man to target this summer.

Furthermore, with Van de Beek also struggling for game-time on loan at Everton after an injury-plagued spell, there may be some reservations about Palace possibly signing the Dutchman.

In other news, another target for Vieira has emerged.