Tag Futebol

Arsene Wenger enjoyed a remarkable 22-year spell in charge of Arsenal, leading them to their finest ever era and becoming the first team to go an entire Premier League campaign undefeated, doing so in 2003/04.

It wasn’t just the winning that was enjoyable, but the swashbuckling style of football they played while doing so, swatting teams away with ease, with players such as Thierry Henry and Dennis Bergkamp enjoying plenty of freedom.

His final decade in charge of the Gunners was much less successful and his business in the transfer market became progressively worse, signing duds such as Lucas Perez and Marouane Chamakh who didn’t exactly improve the side as they only won three FA Cups during his final 12 years at the helm.

One of his poorest signings was that of French right-back Mathieu Debuchy, who failed to live up to the hype during his failed spell at the North Londoners between 2014 and 2018.

How much did Mathieu Debuchy cost Arsenal?

The defender joined the club in the summer of 2014 for a fee reported to be £12m and considering his performances for Newcastle United, making 46 appearances in 18 months and the French national side, featuring in the recent 2014 World Cup, he looked like a solid signing by Wenger.

Indeed, he even praised Debuchy highly upon his arrival, saying: "He has shown he can perform at the highest level with his club sides and also for France. He is a quality defender who has good Premier League experience and I'm confident he will fit in very well with us."

His spell would turn out to be a mistake, making just 22 appearances in his first 18 months at the club, largely due to a shoulder injury. The right-back would subsequently join French side Bordeaux for the second half of the 2015/16 campaign.

Returning to Arsenal ahead of the 2016/17 season, it looked as though Wenger was going to give him a second chance, yet he failed to take it, playing just once that term and only seven games the season after before sealing a move back to Ligue 1, joining Saint-Étienne in January 2018.

He clearly couldn’t quite cut it in England as after leaving for his homeland, Debuchy scored four goals during his first six months in France, even earning the player of the month award shortly after moving to the club, completing a sparkling turnaround.

His spell at the Emirates was a disaster and across his 156 weeks in London (not counting his loan spell), he rinsed the club for a total of £22.7m, combining his transfer fee plus the £10.7m he earned in wages.

He was even dubbed “terrible” by popular Arsenal fan site the Short Fuse back in 2016, having cost the club £760k every time he played, a staggering waste of money which could have been spent on other areas of the team.

It was a rare flop by Wenger, but when he made mistakes, they were often on a colossal scale.

Chelsea are reportedly interested in signing Inter defender Alessandro Bastoni this summer and the Italian could be a dream heir to Thiago Silva in Graham Potter's side.

Could Chelsea sign Alessandro Bastoni?

According to the Italian news outlet Gazzetta dello Sport, Chelsea and Manchester City are both keeping a close eye on the defender's contract situation at the San Siro.

Having recently lost influential centre-back Milan Skriniar to Paris Saint-Germain on a free transfer, the Nerazzuri are keen to avoid a repeat with Bastoni but are yet to agree to a new contract with the 23-year-old, whose current £88k-per-week deal is due to expire in the summer of 2024.

That could lead to a summer exit and Chelsea will patiently be waiting, with the report claiming that the Blues already asked about potentially signing the Italy international during the negotiations which saw Romelu Lukaku return to Inter on loan last summer.

Is Bastoni like Thiago Silva?

Todd Boehly has already spent big on centre-backs during his time at Stamford Bridge, with Kalidou Koulibaly, Wesley Fofana and Benoit Badiashile all joining the club over the past year.

However, the Blues could soon be back in the market for a defender, as 38-year-old Silva suffered knee ligament damage during the 2-0 defeat against Tottenham Hotspur last month, which at his age, may be tough to recover from.

The Brazilian does have another year left on his Chelsea contract but must surely be nearing the end of his career at the top level, while Koulibaly will also turn 32 in a few months, so he cannot be considered a long-term heir to the former AC Milan brute in the heart of Potter's defence.

In Bastoni, Chelsea would be signing a progressive young defender who boasts 148 senior appearances for Inter, as well as 17 caps for Italy, which suggests that he is far more experienced than his age would suggest.

This season has seen the left-sided defender make 21 appearances in Serie A, contributing two assists and averaging a solid 6.76 rating from WhoScored for his performances, while he has also been a crucial player for Simone Inzagi's side in the Champions League, averaging a superb 7.13 rating.

In an interview with Football FanCast last year, Serie A expert Conor Clancy delivered his verdict on the Inter star, amid links to Spurs.

He said: "He's the best Italian centre-back around. He's a phenomenon. He is going to be the next generation of Italian defence himself."

Silva and Bastoni average very similar numbers when it comes to tackles (1.7 vs 1.6) and long balls (both 4.8) per game, while WhoScored claims that both players' main strengths are their passing and concentration, which suggests that the Italian could be an ideal heir to the experienced Brazilian in Potter's squad.

The aftermath of Manchester United’s dismal defeat to rivals Liverpool has notably seen Portuguese playmaker Bruno Fernandes receive his fair share of flak for his performance at Anfield, with the typically talismanic figure having simply wilted on the day.

While not the only man to have disappointed in that 7-0 drubbing – with the experienced duo of Casemiro and Raphael Varane also performing well below par – Fernandes’ display has perhaps received the most scrutiny due to his role as captain, having been branded “embarrassing” and a “disgrace” by club legend and Sky Sports pundit Gary Neville during commentary.

That limp showing – in which the former Sporting CP ace won just three of his nine duels and lost possession 14 times – has led to speculation that the 28-year-old may not be the club’s preferred candidate to replace Harry Maguire as skipper in the long term, with the latter man looking destined to depart Old Trafford this summer.

Such talk is perhaps expected amid the post-mortem of such a crushing loss, although it is foolish to so quickly write off the stellar work that Fernandes has done at the club over the past three years, notably racking up over 100 goal involvements to date in all competitions.

That being said, it could well prove an ideal time to take the midfield maestro out of the firing line ahead of Thursday’s Europa League last-16 clash with Real Betis, with the £240k-per-week man arguably in need of a rest after starting 39 games already this season across all fronts.

If manager Erik ten Hag is to drop the experienced asset, however, the only issue will be as to just who could replace him in the side, with ideal candidates Christian Eriksen and Donny van de Beek both facing lengthy injury lay-offs.

As such, the former Ajax boss may be inclined to hand a chance to promising teenager, Zidane Iqbal, for the visit of the La Liga side, with the 19-year-old still waiting to build on his solitary first-team appearance for the club.

Who could replace Fernandes in the starting XI?

It is no doubt bizarre that the Iraq international has already made more senior appearances (two) for his country than he has for his club, with the playmaker’s only outing for the Red Devils coming in the Champions League dead-rubber against BSC Young Boys back in December 2021.

Despite having been “so impressive” on the club’s pre-season tour last summer, according to BBC Sport’s Simon Stone, there has since been no opportunity for Iqbal to prove his worth at first-team level, sparking suggestions that the youngster was angling for a loan exit in January.

With no such departure coming to fruition, the Manchester native must be afforded the chance of game time under Ten Hag in the coming months, with the midweek clash against Manuel Pellegrini’s side no doubt an ideal occasion to get back into the action.

Lauded as a “really exciting talent” by Manchester Evening News journalist, George Smith, the 5 foot 11 starlet clearly possesses the quality to be able to shine in the centre of the park, with Sky Sports reporter Melissa Reddy having stated last year:

“Zidane Iqbal has heaps of technical quality, skill and intelligence – importantly with the personality to match it. He demands the ball, moves, scans, never hides and is not scared of making a mistake in trying to execute what he feels is the right decision.”

The emerging prospect – who has made 11 appearances at youth level this season – was notably impressive in Monday’s Premier League 2 defeat to Chelsea, with MEN journalist Steven Railston noting that both Iqbal and fellow wonderkid Kobbie Mainoo had “shined” against the Blues.

Although Iqbal has typically operated in a more deep-lying role, the versatile ace – who can also feature on the flanks – would seemingly be more than comfortable operating in Fernandes’ advanced berth.

While Ten Hag has largely avoided the temptation to rotate in his Old Trafford tenure thus far, Sunday’s horror show may well lead to the Dutchman ringing the changes against Betis.

Newcastle United’s owners were spotted in the stands as their side lost in the Carabao Cup final which has encouraged journalist Craig Hope.

What went wrong for Newcastle at Wembley?

It will have been a bitterly disappointing evening for the Magpies who saw their opportunity to end their trophy drought slip through their fingers as Manchester United lifted the cup.

It was a fairly toothless display from Newcastle’s attackers with United showing their clinical side with a six-minute double to seal the win.

Throughout the game at Wembley, the Toon were only able to test David De Gea on two occasions despite claiming the majority of possession (via SofaScore).

And speaking on his YouTube channel, journalist Hope has suggested the club still need to spend significantly which is why he was glad the PIF representatives were there at Wembley to witness their struggles:

(5:20) “But ultimately, it’s probably going to come back to the quality of your players. And I think we’ve just seen since the turn of the year, a lot of Newcastle’s men revert to type probably the level they’re at.”

“I think to that end, it was probably useful the Saudi owners were there today. You look at it and think for them to take the next level, the next step they’ve got the manager in place and they’ve got 2/3/4 [top] players perhaps, but it’s going to take some significant investment to take them to that that next step to get back here [Wembley] next year and the year after.”

Who do Newcastle need to sign in the summer?

There has been long-standing interest, suggested by reports, in the Leicester City midfielder James Maddison which is expected to be reignited in the summer.

And a player of Maddison’s calibre could certainly provide Eddie Howe with a potential goal threat from the midfield having already scored nine and provided five assists in the league this season.

However, there have also been reports suggesting the midfielder has his eyes on playing Champions League football which could prove an issue for the Magpies.

Their grip on the top four has slipped since the turn of the year with just one win in their last seven league games seeing Tottenham Hotspur leapfrog them over recent weeks.

The Magpies still hold two games in hand over Spurs so are in control over their season but it is apparent their form must improve.

And it is believed Spurs are another club showing an interest in Maddison which could certainly prove interesting with the two sides battling it out for Champions League football.

Whether or not Newcastle chase Maddison in the summer, it is apparent they need a more consistent output up top with their lack of goals seriously harming their record in recent weeks.

The Toon have the league’s best defence this season, but three goals in their last seven league games is simply not good enough for a side that want to play Champions League football next season.

Perhaps the fact the likes of Amanda Staveley were there to see their attacking struggles on Sunday may prove significant ahead of the summer as they look for areas to improve.

Tottenham were apparently ‘close’ to signing Udinese winger Gerard Deulofeu and a deal was ‘very, very advanced’ in January.

The Lowdown: Spurs seal Danjuma and Porro…

Spurs made two major signings in the winter market, completing deals for winger Arnaut Danjuma, on loan from Villarreal, and another loan with the obligation to buy for Pedro Porro.

Antonio Conte has seen his Premier League squad strengthened with this duo as the Italian chases a second-consecutive top four finish.

Porro comes in to add attacking flair for Spurs on the right hand side and Danjuma provides an alternative option further forward.

The Latest: Spurs were ‘close’ to Deulofeu…

According to Fabrizio Romano, in a different world, Spurs could have signed former Watford star Deulofeu but an injury scuppered any chance of him joining.

Romano said:

“Gerard Deulofeu was close to joining Tottenham in January… then his injury changed the story. Deal was very, very advanced.”

The Verdict: Missed out?

Deulofeu, when fit and available, is Udinese’s undisputed star player going by the numbers.

According to WhoScored, the 28-year-old is their best-performing player by average match rating and has racked up six assists in Serie A – more than any of his teammates.

Not only this, Deulofeu also bests every Udinese player in terms of shots at goal, key passes made and completed dribbles per 90 in the final third.

The Spaniard is a certain threat on his day and could’ve certainly strengthened Conte’s options, with his injury coming as a real shame for supporters.

Alas, Danjuma comes as a solid alternative too given he starred for Villarreal under Unai Emery last season.

After the Deulofeu blow, it was a stroke of genius to hijack Everton’s move for the Netherlands international.

Burnley are interested in signing Chelsea youngster Xavier Simons during the summer transfer window, according to a new transfer update.

The Lowdown: Simons an exciting young talent

The 19-year-old is a highly-rated young prospect at Stamford Bridge currently, making 30 appearances for the Under-21s, as well as one for the first team, mostly as a defensive midfielder.

Simons was loaned out to Hull City back in September but he has only managed two Championship appearances totalling nine minutes this season, although Liam Rosenior described him as ‘outstanding’ in the recent FA Cup defeat to Fulham.

It could be that a permanent move away from Chelsea eventually comes to fruition, which is where Burnley come into play.

The Latest: Burnley keen on signing

According to The Evening Standard [via Football League World], the Clarets are interested in signing Simons this summer, with Chelsea yet to make a decision over his long-term future and his contract set to expire once this campaign ends (club option – one year).

Hull are also keen on keeping hold of him on a permanent basis, while Millwall and Bristol City are mentioned as potential suitors too.

The Verdict: One for the future

Simons has yet to properly prove himself at senior level but he is someone who would be viewed as an exciting long-term signing by Burnley, as Vincent Kompany builds for the future.

Petr Cech praised his debut for Chelsea, saying it was a ‘special moment’, and he is someone who possesses all-round quality in midfield, as highlighted by three goals and six assists at youth team level.

Patience would be required with Simons if he did join Burnley, as he continues to mature as a player, but it is refreshing to see Kompany looking at emerging talent as well as experienced signings for the present.

Liverpool are in a period of transition in terms of their midfield personnel at Anfield and Jurgen Klopp will surely be hoping that FSG will give him an opportunity to rebuild and refresh the centre of the pitch in 2023.

The Reds are currently ninth in the Premier League after a string of inconsistent and uninspiring performances in the top flight this season and are ten points adrift from the Champions League qualifying spots inside the top four ahead of the second half of the season.

Indeed, the powers at Anfield did already dip into the transfer market this month with the acquisition of Netherlands forward Cody Gakpo early into the window but it remains to be seen whether Liverpool will further strengthen prior to their challenging pursuit of a top-four place over the coming weeks and months.

There is no doubt that the midfield is the area of concern for the Merseyside giants with a number of players either coming to the end of their contracts at the club this summer or in the latter stages of their careers.

Naby Keita, Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain and James Milner are set for an Anfield exit at the end of the current campaign, whilst Fabinho would be the only experienced midfielder left in the squad who isn’t over the age of 30 with younger players Curtis Jones, Stefan Bajcetic and Harvey Elliott still finding their feet and best positions in the team at the moment.

As a result, a midfield rebuild is becoming a pressing issue for the Reds and whilst they need a youthful injection, finding a player who can offer them experience combined with longevity would also be hugely advantageous.

One player who has been linked with a move to Merseyside is Wolverhampton Wanderers midfielder Ruben Neves, a player who could not only be the perfect profile in terms of Premier League experience and energy but also a much cheaper alternative to reported target Declan Rice.

Over 18 Premier League appearances this season, the Portuguese ace – who was dubbed a “joy to watch” by Shrewsbury’s Elliott Bennett – has scored four goals and successfully completed 54% of his dribbles, as well as averaging 2.1 shots on goal, 2.6 tackles, 1.4 interceptions and 2.4 clearances per game.

Not only that, but according to FBref, Rice has been one of the most similar players over the last 12 months to Neves with the two midfielders sharing many similarities in their output throughout 2022/23 so far including pass completion (82.3% v 88.6%), goal-creating actions (2 v 3), dribbles completed (46.7% v 52.4%), tackles won (22 v 19) and progressive passes (80 v 77).

With that being said, the signing of Neves would be a major coup for the Reds and with a reported £70m transfer fee that appears to be lowering all the time, it would be a steal compared to the £100m that West Ham United will demand for Rice.

France and Atletico Madrid star Antoine Griezmann is on Manchester United’s radar ahead of a potential move, according to a new transfer update.

The Lowdown: Griezmann superb at World Cup

A number of players shone at the 2022 World Cup but Griezmann was right up there with the best of them, helping inspire France to the final.

The 31-year-old provided three assists at the tournament, and while Kylian Mbappe stole the show more often, he was arguably just as effective at times, with Didier Deschamps calling his star ‘world-class’.

Griezmann could possibly leave Atletico in the January transfer window, however, and an intriguing update has now emerged.

The Latest: Ronaldo replacement

According to Media Foot, United are interested in making a move for the French legend, as Erik ten Hag looks to add a top attacking player to replace Cristiano Ronaldo.

The rumour is thought to be ‘gaining momentum’, with the Red Devils keen on bringing in a new superstar after Ronaldo’s exit.

[web_stories_embed url=”https://www.footballtransfertavern.com/web-stories/latest-man-utd-news-9/” title=”Latest Man Utd news!” poster=”” width=”360″ height=”600″ align=”none”]

The Verdict: Is he needed?

There is no doubting Griezmann’s elite brilliance as a footballer, but it could also be argued that United don’t need a player of his ilk currently, considering they have Bruno Fernandes in the role Griezmann has shone in.

At 31, and with huge wages likely to be demanded, the attacking midfielder would also be an expensive and short-term fix, rather than someone who Ten Hag can build the team around into the future.

Griezmann could easily come in and do a great job – he is 99th percentile for assists – but there are younger alternatives out there and United would be wiser to focus on bringing in a centre forward instead.

Newcastle United sporting director Dan Ashworth will likely be plotting ways to strengthen the current squad ahead of the January transfer window, with one name that has emerged as a potential target in recent times that of Benfica sensation, Goncalo Ramos.

Transfer insider Dean Jones named the Magpies as one of the possible Premier League suitors for the 21-year-old last week, while journalist Fabrizio Romano revealed over the summer that the Portuguese gem was a “top target” for the northeast side, prior to Alexander Isak’s arrival.

Should the Tynesiders make an approach in the New Year it would certainly be an astute move for the top-four hopefuls, with the emerging talent having enjoyed a real hot streak over the last 12 months or so for both club and country.

The 6 foot 1 machine has started the current campaign in scintillating form after scoring 14 goals and providing six assists in just 21 games for the Primeira Liga outfit in all competitions, after previously scoring eight goals in what was a breakthrough season last time out.

That rampant run has now been replicated for the national side, with the prolific ace – who previously scored 14 goals in just 18 games for Portugal’s U21 side – having hit the headlines as a result of his form at the World Cup in Qatar.

The five-cap starlet produced a “stunning display” – in the words of The Athletic’s Laurie Whitwell – on his first start for his country in the 6-1 thrashing over Switzerland in the round of 16, with the “remarkable” talent, as lauded by Gary Lineker, bagging a clinical hat-trick to announce himself to the wider world.

That performance will likely have only piqued the interest of both Ashworth and Newcastle boss Eddie Howe even further ahead of the winter window, with it set to be no surprise if Ramos is on the list of potential targets for 2023.

Interestingly for those of a Magpies persuasion, the youngster is said to share notable similarities to a former St James’ Park figure in Aleksandar Mitrovic, according to FBref.

That likeness is illustrated by the fact that the latter man averages 6.81 touches per game in the attacking penalty area as a marker of his poaching prowess, while Ramos is not far behind as he averages 6.25 for the same metric.

Equally, the Benfica ace has netted nine times in his 11 league outings so far this term, while the Serbia international has also enjoyed a fine return to the Premier League with nine goals from his 12 appearances to date.

Although Mitrovic may well have endured a difficult three-year spell with the Magpies in the past – scoring just 17 times in 72 outings in total – the 28-year-old has since flourished after departing for Fulham on an initial loan deal in 2018, scoring 105 goals in 189 games for the Cottagers thus far.

That includes a haul of 43 goals in the second tier last term, while the imposing marksman – who has 52 goals in just 79 games for his country – is the joint-fourth highest scorer in the top flight this term.

Were Howe and co be able to land their answer to the 6 foot 2 powerhouse in the form of Ramos the hope would be that the latter man could also prove just as potent in English football, with the aim now for Ashworth to win what will likely be an intense race for his signature.

Glasgow Rangers are reportedly trying to persuade exciting youngster Jack Wylie to remain at Ibrox, amid some interest from a number of English suitors.

The Lowdown: Wylie a huge talent

The 15-year-old is one of the most exciting young players at Ibrox right now – even Fabrizio Romano has called him a ‘top talent’ – with big things perhaps expected of him in the coming years.

Understandably, Wylie hasn’t yet made a first-team appearance for Rangers given his age, but the hope is that he could grow into a future stalwart for the Premiership giants.

However, the hype surrounding the teenager means that there is pre-existing interest from English clubs, which has left the Gers with a battle on their hands to keep hold of him.

The Latest: Rangers desperate to keep Wylie

According to Football Insider on Friday morning, Rangers are ‘pulling out all the stops’ to retain Wylie’s services, although his age means that they can’t yet offer him a professional contract until his 16th birthday on New Year’s Day.

He has ‘caught the eye’ of Premier League suitors but the Gers are ‘rolling out of the red carpet for him’ in a bid to persuade him that staying at Ibrox is best for his development.

[web_stories_embed url=”https://www.footballtransfertavern.com/web-stories/rangers-news-5/” title=”Rangers news!” poster=”” width=”360″ height=”600″ align=”none”]

The Verdict: Could be hard to stop him leaving

This is a tough situation for Rangers, with the ball very much in the court of Wylie and his representatives in terms of what their next decision will be.

The lure of the Premier League can be difficult to turn down, as seen with previous Ibrox academy gems like Billy Gilmour, and the 15-year-old may find it difficult to say no if one of the biggest clubs from the English top flight comes knocking.

In terms of his development, though, staying at Rangers would likely mean a sooner chance of regular first-team football for a youngster, so staying put for the time being makes more sense, allowing him to mature on the training pitch rather than upping stick to a new environment where first-team opportunities could be sparse to non-existent.