All posts by rastrear-estafeta.com

Chelsea have been “offered” the chance to bring Napoli winger Hirving Lozano to the Premier League, according to journalist Ciro Venerato.

Who is Hirving Lozano?

Football.London have recently reported that the Blues could be set for a mass exodus at the end of the season with the futures of the likes of Hakim Ziyech and Christian Pulisic uncertain, so Graham Potter has to enter the market to search for suitable replacements.

The Mexico international made the big-money move to the Serie A from PSV Eindhoven back in 2019, but with his contract set to expire next summer and having not put pen to paper on fresh terms to extend his stay, it’s likely that he’ll depart during the upcoming window.

Earlier in March, journalist Raffaele Auriemma claimed that Potter “likes” the profile of the 27-year-old and that Luciano Spalletti’s side are hoping to receive €50m (£43m) from his sale whenever that time comes.

Speaking to Rai (via CalcioNapoli24 and Sport Witness), Venerato revealed that Chelsea have since been presented with the opportunity to sign Lozano, but he isn’t short of potential suitors with interest also emerging from across Europe. He said:

“There are several clubs interested. The Mexican has entrusted himself to an English agency, who are trying to guarantee the player a salary on par with the current one, which Napoli will see reduced in the future.

"The player has been offered to some English clubs, including Chelsea, but there is no lack of admirers in La Liga, including Sevilla and Villarreal. In the case of the attacker, a negotiation will have to be started with De Laurentiis;”

Should Chelsea wrap up a deal for Lozano?

Lozano has been dubbed a “defender's nightmare” by journalist Josh Bunting and considering Chelsea are in need of attacking reinforcements, this is a no-brainer of a deal for them to complete.

The Nike-sponsored star has posted 184 goal contributions (113 goals and 71 assists) in 374 career appearances and is always trying to get on the front foot, ranking in the 89th percentile for most progressive carries per game by players in his position. The World Cup participant is also comfortable being fielded in six various positions throughout the pitch, including anywhere across the frontline, so would offer Potter flexibility during his selection process.

The Blues could additionally hold an advantage in the race for Lozano as a result of him sharing the same agent as Reece James, so this is likely to be a situation to watch in the months ahead.

Leeds United are reportedly interested in signing Sporting Lisbon midfielder Manuel Ugarte this summer and the Uruguay international could be a true heir to Kalvin Phillips.

Could Leeds sign Ugarte?

According to Portuguese news outlet O Jogo (via Sport Witness), Leeds, Roma and AC Milan are all keen on signing the 21-year-old this summer as a result of his impressive performances with the Portuguese side.

Leeds even sent scouts to watch the youngster when his side defeated Arsenal in the Europa League earlier this month and may well have been impressed with Ugarte despite his late red card, as he contributed a phenomenal eight tackles and earned a superb 7.5/10 rating from Sofascore for his performance.

Sporting look likely to feature in European football again next season given they sit fourth in the Portuguese top flight, and it may therefore be difficult for Victor Orta to prise the midfielder away, unless they agree to pay his reported €60m (£53m) release clause.

Javi Gracia's side will certainly have to remain in the Premier League this season if they are to convince Ugarte to move to Elland Road in the summer, as he is continuing to establish himself as one of the top young midfielders in Europe.

Could Ugarte be a dream Kalvin Phillips heir?

This season has seen the Uruguay international make 22 appearances in the Portuguese Liga, averaging a superb 7.06 rating from WhoScored for his performances, which is better than any player in Leeds' squad.

Ugarte's most impressive attribute is perhaps his ability to win the ball back, which has seen him average a whopping 3.9 tackles per domestic game and a mammoth 5.3 tackles per Europa League match.

For context, Tyler Adams is the top tackler for the Yorkshire outfit in the Premier League this term with 3.7 per outing, which emphasises just how dominant the Sporting man has been in the middle of the park.

It is no surprise that football talent scout Jacek Kulig labelled him a "machine" after he was ranked as the top tackler in the Champions League earlier in the campaign, while he also ranked impressively for duels won and interceptions.

While Adams has won over fans since joining from RB Leipzig as one of the potential replacements for the homegrown Kalvin Phillips, he arguably lacks the passing range of the England international, averaging just a 82.4% success rate compared to Ugarte's 91% average in the league this season.

FBref ranks the 21-year-old in the top 1% of midfielders for pass completion and tackling, which suggests that he could be a superb defensive midfielder at Leeds, and perhaps the true heir to Manchester City man Phillips, who won a reputation among fans as the 'Yorkshire Pirlo' during his time at Elland Road.

Liverpool forward Darwin Nunez is "losing patience" due to his lack of game time in recent weeks, pundit Frank McAvennie has recently told Football Insider.

Is Darwin Nunez growing frustrated at Anfield?

Nunez has started to become accustomed to a more limited role in recent weeks, with Jurgen Klopp bringing him on as a second-half substitute in two of the last three Premier League games.

That said, it has only been a short spell out of the team for the Uruguayan, who has received plenty of opportunities to impress in his first season with the Reds, making 36 appearances in all competitions.

Even so, McAvennie has recently told Football Insider that he believes the forward is already growing frustrated at Anfield, while he also indicates he does not believe he is currently at the level required to be a top player for Liverpool.

The pundit said: "I can tell you this – I think he is losing patience.

"Liverpool are buying players for the future.

"There is no doubting that he is going to be a good player, I can see that a mile away, but at the moment, ‘no’.

"Man City went out and bought [Erling] Haaland who is going to break all the records now, and that is the difference.

"It just shows how much Liverpool are missing [Sadio] Mane. [Roberto] Firmino has not been playing much, [Mohamed] Salah has been playing with different players every week.

"It is strange but they have got to get back to winning ways."

Should Nunez be given more opportunities?

As previously highlighted, the 23-year-old has been given plenty of chances to prove himself since arriving in an £85m deal from Benfica last summer, and it is a little harsh to suggest he has underperformed.

While his displays have perhaps not merited the huge price tag, the Artigas-born attacker has scored a very respectable 14 goals in 36 appearances, including four in the Champions League, and he is only going to improve as he becomes more accustomed to English football.

McAvennie is correct to suggest the Reds are missing Sadio Mane, but it was always going to be an unbelievably difficult task to replace the Senegal international, who registered 168 goal contributions in his 269 appearances for the club.

Nunez, who earns £140k-per-week, was hailed as "outstanding" by the media earlier this season, and there is every chance he could kick on and become a vital player for Liverpool next season.

Everton have had little to shout about in recent weeks, with the slight upturn in form seen after Sean Dyche's appointment having now given way to allow normal service to resume. The battle for survival is hotting up, whilst the Toffees are running cold.

Goodison Park has played host to a team devoid of any confidence, which in turn seems to sap all their technical quality away. For all the efforts of the fanbase to keep their side afloat, it seems to get harder and harder to maintain the same level of support that essentially steered them away from the drop last campaign.

However, that was also a year in which they boasted the attacking talents of Richarlison, who took that season by the scruff of its neck to ensure relegation was not even a possibility.

In a team lacking any cutting edge, the Brazilian somehow notched ten goals and five assists to swiftly announce himself as a hero on Merseyside.

His exit was inevitable, and his replacement was seemingly not found.

However, there have been glimpses of someone who might be at the very least trying to step up amidst the misery and mediocrity, in Dwight McNeil. Although they fell to another poor defeat on Saturday against Fulham, the former Burnley winger was one of few who could have finished feeling somewhat proud of their display.

How did Dwight McNeil play vs Fulham?

Having seen his teammates spurn numerous golden opportunities during their sole period of dominance, the 23-year-old seemingly took it upon himself to fire them level; the kind of quality and character that has been lacking within this squad.

Turning from James Garner's pass, the trickster opened up onto his left foot and arrowed an equaliser into the bottom right corner. This came just minutes before he would set up Neal Maupay, who couldn't miss yet somehow found a way. Finishing the game with a goal and two key passes merited his 7.8 Sofascore rating, the joint-highest of anyone on the pitch.

Frustrated writer Peter Guy took to Twitter to hand as much praise as he could muster for the youngster, claiming: "For me, McNeil was the only one with any credit today."

This strike marked his second goal in his last three home games, showing how Goodison Park is finally starting to become a true home for the summer signing who joined on a £20m fee. For comparison, the £25k-per-week gem had scored twice in his previous 24 league appearances this season.

It may not be the most imperious form, but at the very least it notes someone standing up to try and keep this huge club in the division. For this, Dyche deserves credit; but to ensure another season of Premier League football, he must encourage others in his squad to follow suit.

Journalist Fabrizio Romano has revealed that Vincent Kompany has held "positive" talks with Tottenham Hotspur but he's still just one of a few candidates.

What is the latest on Vincent Kompany and Spurs?

At the moment, it's been left to Ryan Mason to hold the fort in north London until the rest of the campaign, with Italian coaches Antonio Conte and Cristian Stellini failing to impress at Spurs this season in quite spectacular fashion.

A 2-2 comeback draw against Manchester United in the week – having fallen two goals behind – suggests there is life in the team yet. Even so, many supporters will be desperate for the Premier League season to end already.

Off the field, Daniel Levy looks to be doing his due diligence as the club seek out a permanent manager and it sounds as though a few important conversations having been taking place behind the scenes.

Indeed, while talking on the latest episode of the Here We Go podcast, Romano explained that Burnley boss Kompany had been one man spoken to recently and things had gone pretty well.

The journalist said: "Vincent Kompany had a conversation with Tottenham, it was a positive conversation. But of course, he's not the only candidate.

"There is a list of candidates, and so let's see how Tottenham will proceed on the manager, but also on the director situation."

Does the Fabio Paratici situation impact Spurs' manager search?

Of course, as alluded to by Romano, the club also need to make a new appointment at executive level with managing director Fabio Paratici recently resigning.

Whoever comes in, will no doubt have a big role in hiring a new manager but it sounds as though they'd have no reason not to be positive about Kompany.

After all, beyond his promising talks with Tottenham already, the 37-year-old has been doing the business with Burnley in a rather impressive manner.

Indeed, Kompany has helped get the Clarets promoted back up into the Premier League from the Championship in record time during his debut campaign as a manager in England.

His relative lack of experience could be one issue to be considered but it sounds as though there is a lot of support for the idea.

For instance, journalist Alasdair Gold mooted the idea recently, saying: "I like the idea of Vincent Kompany, although very much I think he's probably one of the biggest gambles out there in that regard."

Still, with a new managing director yet to be appointed either, it sounds as though Spurs have not made any major managerial decisions just yet. No doubt there are a handful of other candidates who will be considered over the coming weeks and months just like Kompany.

Aston Villa are eyeing moves for Manchester City pair Kalvin Phillips and Kyle Walker after holding internal discussions in the Midlands, Football Insider report.

What’s the latest Aston Villa transfer news involving Phillips and Walker?

NSWE appear to be preparing for Unai Emery’s first full season in charge and plan to back the manager with a “huge” summer transfer budget.

The Spaniard has worked wonders with the current squad and could well guide the club to European qualification after a fine run of form in the Premier League.

Two players who have been linked with moves to the Midlands in Phillips and Walker, with the former seemingly a long-term target at Villa Park after first being linked with a move to the club back in 2019.

Walker on the other hand previously spent time on loan at Villa Park in the early stages of his career, and a return could well be on the cards.

Football Insider reporter Wayne Veysey shared a story in the last 48 hours regarding Villa and the two England internationals.

He stated that Villa have held internal discussions over a stunning double bid for the Manchester City pair, with those at the Etihad potentially tempted by a bid in the region of £55m for the duo.

Will this be one to keep an eye on?

Walker, on £175,000-a-week, has plenty of experience at the highest level for club and country but has fallen out of favour slightly under Pep Guardiola, starting just 15 league gammes this season.

Emery may have a shortage of right-back options come the summer, with Matty Cash and Ashley Young the current choices, although the latter of the two is yet to extend his stay and is out of contract at the end of the season.

Therefore, a move for Walker, labelled as a “tank once he hits his speed” by Paris Saint-Germain forward Kylian Mbappe, could be a shrewd move.

However, Phillips, hailed as a "monster" by former Crystal Palace man, Yannick Bolasie, has endured a frustrating first season at the Etihad, playing just 405 minutes of football all season.

He is on £160,000-a-week in Manchester after leaving Leeds United last summer but can’t break into Guardiola’s plans, so a big-money move to Villa Park could be a gamble.

Villa chiefs are seemingly long-term admirers of the England midfielder, though, and a double swoop looks like it’ll be one to keep an eye on over the coming months.

Wolverhampton Wanderers are reportedly already turning their attention to the summer transfer window, in the bid to make improvements on the back of a lackluster season in the Premier League.

The Midlands side began the campaign looking like worthy candidates for relegation, however following the introduction of Julen Lopetegui after the dismissal of Bruno Lage, things have turned around.

Wolves still have a lot to build on as they currently sit in 14th and just seven points above the relegation zone, far from their impressive 10th place finish last campaign.

There are a lot of talking points to be discussed when the season comes to a close later this month, one being recruitment in the summer.

The Midlands outfit have an impressive record in transfer dealings, bringing in some stars over the years, Lopetegui could be looking to keep such traditions going with the clubs latest link.

What's the latest on Ansu Fati to Wolves?

Reports from Spain have suggested that Wolves have stated their interest in Barcelona youngster Ansu Fati.

Spanish journalist Jose Alvarez told Catalonian news outlet Sport that three Premier League clubs have expressed their interest in the winger, with Tottenham Hotspur, Newcastle United and Wolves listed.

Past reports have suggested that the LaLiga giants would be willing to listen to offers in the region of €40m (£35m)

The 20-year-old forward emerged as being a potential heir to Lionel Messi, even taking the Argentinian’s number 10 shirt at Camp Nou as his start to his career at Barcelona was astonishing. The youngster rocketed through La Masia to the first team, making his debut in 2019 against Real Betis becoming Barca’s youngest debutant in 78 years.

Former technical director of Barcelona’s academy Albert Puig was the man responsible for gifting the club Fati.

The Spaniard stressed of the importance that in his rocket to fame, the attacker's talent should never “suppress his natural talent” and ensure to “understand and nurture him.”

Sadly, this has not been the case since his emergence, as game time has become limited following a string of injuries, which has subsequently linked him with a move away from Catalonia.

What could Ansu Fati bring to Wolves?

Branded as “extraordinary” by Xavi, Fati doesn’t lack confidence when it comes to expressing himself on a pitch full of stars. The young Spaniard has attributes typical of a dynamic wide player, who enjoys running at players, cutting inside and is a strong passer and finisher according to WhoScored.

The 20-year-old has similarities in his game to Wolves attacker Daniel Podence, and could prove as a worthy upgrade for the 27-year-old.

Despite making more league appearances than Fati, the Portuguese forward has contributed less goals, scoring 12 in 89 in comparison to the Spaniard’s 19 in 72 LaLiga appearances. The attacking nous of the Barcelona academy graduate betters that of Podence in terms of overall threat too, with the winger recording a significantly higher number of expected goals than the Wolves man with 7.53xG compared to 3.79xG this season.

Meanwhile, Fati – when compared to his positonal peers across Europe's big five divisions – ranks within the top 1% for total shots per 90, as well as the top 6% for pass completion, via FBref, suggesting that he can offer Lopetegui a two-pronged attack that mixes goal threat with creativity.

The youngster is in desperate need of a move away from the Catalan side if he is to reboot his career potential while he is still young. The 20-year-old’s father supported claims that his son should depart, saying he “deserves much more” when speaking to Spanish news outlet COPE back in March.

Regardless of Fati’s decision when the transfer window opens, there is no denying the impact a signing like this would benefit Wolves.

Mauricio Pochettino could now build his Chelsea team around striker Romelu Lukaku next season, according to a new claim from abroad.

Is Lukaku heading back to Chelsea?

The 29-year-old was sent out on loan to Inter Milan by Thomas Tuchel last summer, not being viewed as an important part of his plans at Stamford Bridge. He has struggled on loan compared to his permanent stint in Italy beforehand, only scoring five times in 20 Serie A appearances.

Once this campaign reaches its conclusion, Lukaku will return to Chelsea, with a decision needing to be made regarding his long-term future. His current Blues deal doesn't expire until the summer of 2026, so they are still in a situation where they can demand a lot of money for his signature.

With Pochettino coming in as manager, some individuals may see this as a chance to be handed a lifeline in west London, being given a chance to impress the Argentine in pre-season. That certainly applies to Lukaku, and an interesting update has emerged regarding him.

Could Lukaku be a key man?

According to Gazzetta dello Sport, Pochettino likes the idea of building his attack around the Belgian, seeing him as an important figure moving forward. Lukaku is happy at Inter and would rather stay there, but the Serie A club's financial situation may make this tricky.

This is an update that is likely to divide opinion among Chelsea supporters, with the striker someone who struggled so much in his second spell at Stamford Bridge, scoring just eight times in 26 Premier League appearances last season. He turns 30 this summer and is arguably not the force he was, so planning around him feels like a risk.

Lukaku is also a player who doesn't allow a team's attacking unit to be fluid, considering he generally occupies the same central role, so he could fail to get the best out of the likes of Raheem Sterling and Kai Havertz, for example.

His goalscoring record does speak for itself – 72 goals in 106 caps for Belgium is a highly impressive return and a record for his country – and he has been described as "world-class" by Tuchel in the past, but perhaps Pochettino should look at other young options instead. Someone like Victor Osimhen could be an upgrade, as an example, having netted 22 times in 27 Serie A matches for Napoli this season, inspiring them to title glory.

Rangers have now submitted a bid close to £4.4m for Aris Thessaloniki winger Luis Palma, according to a recent report from Deportes TVC.

What's the latest Rangers transfer news?

The Gers are now close to completing the signing of Chelsea right-back Dujon Sterling, who is in line to become Michael Beale's first summer signing, but defence is not the only position that will need strengthening in the upcoming window.

Ryan Kent looks set to depart Ibrox this summer, with the winger now in talks with Burnley about a switch south of the border, while he is also of interest to Leeds United, Udinese and Bologna, according to TuttoMercatoWeb.

As such, Beale will need to bring in a new winger, and Palma has been identified as a key target, with talks recently being held about a summer move, and the Light Blues have now come forward with their first offer.

According to a report from Deportes TVC, Rangers have submitted a bid close to £4.4m for the Aris star, and he is now "close" to completing a move to Ibrox.

The report also highlights an Instagram post from the Honduran winger, in which he posted a picture with the caption "the last dance", which indicates he is set to move on in the summer.

The 23-year-old has also attracted the interest of clubs from Greece, however they have withdrawn from the race, as they are unable to match the Gers' bid.

Should Rangers sign Luis Palma?

The Honduras international is having a fantastic season over in Greece, weighing in with a total of 13 goals and eight assists in 36 appearances in all competitions, while he has also displayed his versatility.

Although he has predominantly featured as a left-winger, the La Ceiba-born dynamo has played at striker on a number of occasions, which suggests he could also be a replacement for Alfredo Morelos, who is set to leave in the summer.

Palma's ability to play in a number of positions could be of key significance, considering the Gers' attacking options have not been prolific in the second half of the season, with Antonio Colak scoring just two goals in his last 12 Scottish Premiership games.

Hailed as "outstanding" by journalist Gustavo Roca, the 5 foot 10 forward has proven that he is ready to make the step up to a club of Rangers' size, and he would be an excellent addition to Beale's squad.

Journalist Patrick Boyland has praised Everton defender Yerry Mina after he was an "absolute colossus" at the back while also scoring in the club's recent draw.

What's the latest on Yerry Mina and Everton?

The Toffees were able to salvage a much-needed point away from home in the Premier League against Wolves this weekend in a close encounter which ended 1-1.

Despite making a strong start, Sean Dyche's men fell behind at Molineux after Adama Traore led a rapid counter-attack which eventually saw his shot blocked by Jordan Pickford only for the ball to fall to Hwang Hee-chan who couldn't miss.

And it looked as though Everton were destined for defeat as the second half flew by without an awful lot created by way of goalscoring opportunities. However, into the last of nine minutes added on for injury time, they found their equaliser.

James Tarkowski kept the ball alive with a header at the far post before Michael Keane helped the ball into a dangerous area as Mina then popped up with a crucial touch to send the ball into the back of the net.

Unsurprisingly, the goalscoring hero came in for praise after the game but it's just not his attacking invention that was noted. Indeed, Boyland praised his all-round display.

On Twitter, he wrote: "Tell you what, that was some performance from Yerry Mina. Absolute colossus."

How good was Mina vs Wolves?

When you look at the stats on Sofascore, it's not hard to see why Mina caught the eye with his performance. After all, he finished the game having won 9/11 duels the most in the tea, while also winning two tackles, and he was fouled more times (four) than anyone on the pitch, showing just how up for the fight he was.

What's more, with 34/40 (85%) completed passes, he had the joint second-best ratio in the team and also delivered one key pass.

Football writer Chris Beesley also had plenty of kind things to say about the £120k-p/w defender, handing him a 9/10 in his player ratings for the LiverpoolEcho.

The journalist added: "Cometh the hour, cometh the man, the Colombian fired home from point-blank range to score Everton’s equaliser deep into stoppage-time after a strong aerial display in which he’d previously had an opportunity to score from close range from a Dwight McNeil corner-kick and also made a couple of crucial clearances under pressure.