All posts by h716a5.icu

Behind-the-scenes details have emerged regarding newly-appointed West Bromwich Albion manager, Carlos Corberan, and the methods that he is looking to implement at the club immediately.

The Lowdown

West Brom take on Sheffield United in the Championship this afternoon for what will be Corberan’s first game in charge of the Midlands club since being appointed earlier this week.

Before this game takes place, Baggies supporters have been given some behind-the-scenes insight over how the new manager is looking to shape his team.

The Latest

On Friday, journalist Lewis Cox shared a post on his official Twitter account which included an article he wrote for the Express & Star regarding Corberan and his managerial methods.

The insight, which Cox described as “interesting” in his Twitter post, surrounds what the manager has been looking to instil in his players on the training field ahead of today’s showdown against the Blades.

Specifically, the intensity and psychological aspects are areas that the former Huddersfield Town boss has been focusing on in the early days of his new job, urging his players to make an immediate step up in the former and to believe in themselves.

The Verdict

Bearing in mind how the Hawthorns outfit have won just two of their 16 league games so far this season, this suggests that a change in the mindset of the players is certainly needed.

In terms of the intensity, only four clubs have racked up a lower combined total of tackles and interceptions than West Brom (379), which highlights how much more proactive the players need to be when out of possession.

Then from an attacking point of view, with the joint-third lowest rate of goals per shot on target (0.25), Corberan will need to find a way to get his players to be more clinical in front of goal.

Looking ahead to today’s game, if the Baggies can pick up a win against the Yorkshire club, this would be the perfect way for Corberan to get his tenure in charge of West Brom up and running.

Liverpool come into their match with Tottenham Hotspur today fearful that yet another defeat in the Premier League could take them firmly into the division’s midfield.

They are eighth at the moment and their hopes of securing European football next term are dwindling. Jurgen Klopp’s men haven’t won their last two domestic matches, with the concession of goals a real problem.

Indeed, the Reds have shipped 15 times, with the vast majority of those coming early in matches too.

Spurs showed against Marseille in midweek that they aren’t always too willing to be expansive in big games, so perhaps that could play to Klopp’s advantage.

However, they will have to take on Antonio Conte’s side without the injured James Milner, someone who has enjoyed a renaissance period at the top level this term. He shone at right back against Manchester City in that surprise win and has even played in midfield again throughout 2022/23.

It is perhaps damning of Liverpool’s midfield depth, though, with injuries running rife throughout that particular area of the squad.

One player who has benefitted from this is Harvey Elliott, with the teenager perhaps staking a late claim to be in Gareth Southgate’s World Cup squad.

England are hardly swamped with options in that area of the pitch either, with Elliott’s Liverpool teammate, Jordan Henderson, struggling for fitness this term and Kalvin Phillips only set to return from a spell on the sidelines in the forthcoming week.

A good performance against Tottenham, therefore, could put him firmly in Southgate’s crosshairs.

The 19-year-old is a wonderful technician and has shown as much this term, with the midfielder scoring twice in the Champions League.

Although he has contributed to just a solitary goal in the Premier League this term, it is surely only a matter of time before the youngster finds the net more often.

He has bounced back tremendously from a horrendous injury at the start of last season to become a key figure in this Liverpool team.

Fascinatingly, he ranks in the top 9% of players in his position across Europe’s top five leagues for shot-creating actions per 90 while he’s also in the best 13% for progressive passes. That shows just how creative Elliott is, with his eye for a pass and ability to pick up spaces in dangerous areas something that sets him apart from other options Klopp has.

Indeed, the very fact he ranks in the top 13% as well for progressive passes received shows how well he can pick up those pockets of space between the lines.

However, it’s not a flashy number 10 that he’s been mentioned in the same breath as, with Andy Brassell comparing him to David Beckham when he first arrived at Real Madrid.

Speaking on talkSPORT, the European football expert once said: “The fact that Harvey Elliott stands out now, of course it’s a lot to do with his excellent form, but it’s also because he reminds me of David Beckham playing in the midfield of the melted Galacticos in 2003/04.

“He’s just so much faster than everyone else. Beckham was like a flying ant in a forest of sloths really.

“Not knocking the quality of the players around him, but no one did anywhere near as much running as him in that season.”The term ‘flying ant’ could easily be applied to Elliott, who has been running the show in the middle of the park, acting as a fresh pair of legs compared to his elder colleagues.Indeed, Henderson, Thiago Alcantara, Milner and Fabinho are all 29 and above, demonstrating that the young England hopeful is very much the future of Liverpool’s midfield.With that in mind, the club’s German tactician must continue to turn to the former Fulham man, with his very own ‘flying ant in a forest of sloths’ possessing the tools to unlock Liverpool on Sunday evening.

Transfer insider Dean Jones has said that Leeds United will allow Adam Forshaw to move on in January.

The Lowdown: Forshaw’s injury issues

The 31-year-old has had a number of off-field struggles in recent years, most notably a hip problem which ruled him out of 71 consecutive games.

Hailed as ‘fantastic’ by former Leeds manager Simon Grayson, Forshaw has made just three appearances in the Premier League during the current campaign and is out of contract next summer.

It looks as if Whites officials are now ready to call time on his Elland Road stay earlier than expected, with preparations being made ahead of the January transfer window.

The Latest: Jones’ comments

Speaking to GiveMeSport regarding Forshaw, Jones said that he has been told Leeds will make the midfielder available for transfer and believes that clubs in the Championship will be interested.

The journalist said of the 31-year-old: “It probably is and he is available in January. I’m told that it is true. There will be interest in him, particularly at the top of the Championship.”

[web_stories_embed url=”https://www.footballtransfertavern.com/web-stories/latest-leeds-united-news-54/” title=”Latest Leeds United news” 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”]

The Verdict: Right decision

Forshaw has hit double figures for league appearances just once in the last three seasons, so it does appear to be the right decision to offload him in the New Year.

The midfielder showed glimpses of Premier League quality last season, lining out 22 times, but his injury problems have since returned and unfortunately he can’t be relied on due to his fitness history.

Hopefully he will find a new club and play regular first-team football, and he should depart with the best wishes from all associated with Leeds.

Many of the top casinos and their partners are heavily involved in managing sports teams, especially when it comes to football clubs. For some of the fans in the sport, it gives the opportunity to bet on some big-time transfers that happen in the football world.

Some of the busiest times are during the summer transfers that happen in July and August,  gamblers will gain some insight from the analysis into how potential transfers could happen and also some recommendations for odds. This is a big driver for the continued partnerships between these operators and football clubs. What follows are some insights into the clubs that are heavily involved in Online Casino sponsorships.

Pros and Cons

Many critics have set out their concerns over the types of collaborations in the industry especially surrounding gambling addictions. In the past years even been some sanctions on UK clubs allowing players to wear shirts with known gambling companies. Yet the casinos have always been cautious around this by enforcing policies on responsible gambling and ensuring compliance.

Some of the pros for this include that government can tax these partnerships to improve the economy for the better. These types of partnerships can also greatly benefit the development of the teams as well as the social obligations that get carried out. Some of the cons include promoting gambling and the increased tendency of addiction.

Real Madrid

Real Madrid can rightly be seen as one of the best soccer clubs on the European continent. They have been the winner of the UEFA Champions League as well as La Liga, among many other international cups. The club is being backed by a Russian online casino operator, With promotions executed via social media and targeted incentives.

AC Milan

AC Milan is a seven-time winner of the Champions League with records in the local league as well. In the wake of the great success, they have been proposed by several internet gambling sites to feature as a headline sponsor.

The team has connections with HappyBet, FonBet, Betsson, and other bookmakers as well-known clubs. Each of these gaming businesses enjoys a strong reputation in a variety of fields.

Manchester City

As the current reigning champion of the English Premier League, Manchester City also welcomes sponsorships from top internet casinos. Man City is currently backed by one of the well-known sports bet operators and has enjoyed a long and fruitful partnership for the last two years. 8XBet Is currently the official partner of this winning Football Club,  this Asian bookmaker has a reputation for having anti-match-fixing systems in place with different organisations across the globe.

The future of this combination is still bright, even though the positive relationship between gambling sites and several EPL soccer teams was damaged by a ban. These clubs are not the only businesses supported by gaming firms.

Since more nations and jurisdictions are now authorising and regulating internet gambling, we anticipate that these types of relationships will become much more powerful in the years to come.

Photo by Unsplash

Fabrizio Romano has revealed that Manchester United manager Erik ten Hag is ‘furious’ following Cristiano Ronaldo’s bombshell interview.  

The Lowdown: Ronaldo’s interview

The 37-year-old has criticised the club in a sit-down interview with Piers Morgan, admitting that he feels ‘betrayed’ and that he has ‘no respect’ for Ten Hag.

Old Trafford chiefs released an official statement regarding Ronaldo on Monday, saying they are considering their response after full facts have been established. The Portugal international is now gearing up for the World Cup in Qatar, with the fallout continuing in Manchester.

The Latest: Romano’s comments

Romano was talking to GiveMeSport about Ronaldo’s comments and how it has gone down at Old Trafford. The transfer expert said that Ten Hag and his staff are ‘furious’ over the interview, with United ‘working’ on the situation.

Romano outlined: “I’m told that Erik ten Hag, especially, and his staff are really furious because they see these kind of words as disrespect.

“For Erik ten Hag, it is also not easy now to manage the situation before the World Cup because it’s Manchester United as a club and not just an Erik ten Hag problem. Of course, they are disappointed and they are working on it.”

[web_stories_embed url=”https://www.footballtransfertavern.com/web-stories/latest-man-utd-news-6/” title=”Latest Man Utd news!” poster=”” width=”360″ height=”600″ align=”none”]

The Verdict: Matter of time?

The 37-year-old was told before his interview that he is free to leave in January, and it feels as if it is just a matter of when and not if he moves on from United.

Who knows, the Red Devils may even look to terminate his contract prior to the New Year following his recent comments, something which could make sense for all involved.

Should Ronaldo depart, then Ten Hag may need to bolster his central attacking ranks in the January transfer window, so it could be a busy few months at Old Trafford.

New Wolverhampton Wanderers manager Julen Lopetegui faces a challenge of epic proportions, with the club struggling at the bottom of the Premier League table having won just twice in 15 matches so far this season.

The Old Gold’s goalscoring woes have carried on from last season – where they netted just 38 goals in 38 league matches – as they have scored a measly eight Premier League goals.

Former manager Bruno Lage splashed the cash in the summer transfer window, bringing in Matheus Nunes for £38m, Sasa Kalajdzic for £15.5m, and Portuguese forward Goncalo Guedes from Valencia for £27.5m.

The first two haven’t really made much of an impression so far – although Kalajdzic has only featured once due to injury – but it is Guedes who Lopetegui will need to get the best out of in order to galvanise Wolves’ season.

Having scored 11 La Liga goals last season, chipping in with a further six assists, much was expected of the forward when he joined the Molineux side, however, his first couple of months didn’t go to plan.

In his first ten Premier League matches for Wolves, the 25-year-old had registered just one assist, and with the club dying for someone to ignite a spark and score some goals, it was a poor start.

Against Brighton and Hove Albion at the start of the month, however, he found his form, averaging a SofaScore rating of 7.5/10 and finally bagging his first goal for the club.

The Old Gold lost 3-2, but it was a sign of things to come for Guedes, with the forward again impressing in another defeat, this time to Arsenal, a week later.

He was a menace against the Gunners, taking four shots in total, having two dribble attempts, and winning five out of his eight duels throughout the encounter.

Lopetegui must utilise him in a more central role like Steve Davis did against Arsenal, and over time, he will become a force to be reckoned with for the 56-year-old.

Guedes was dubbed a “special talent” by analytics site Between the Lines previously and when the league season resumes on Boxing Day, he will have the chance to vindicate this praise and help Wolves maintain their top-flight status.

Newcastle United could seemingly be set to revive their interest in Leicester City sensation, James Maddison, having previously made an approach for the Englishman over the summer.

What’s the word?

According to the Northern Echo, the 26-year-old still remains at the top of the Magpies’ transfer wishlist, with the former Norwich City ace one of the more ‘established’ players that the Tynesiders are currently targeting.

The northeast side had reportedly made a bid of around £50m for the one-cap gem’s services during the recent window, albeit with the Foxes holding firm amid their demand for more than £60m for their prize asset.

A move could well be on the cards in the New Year, however, with the playmaker still facing something of an uncertain future at the King Power Stadium with just 18 months left on his existing deal.

Howe’s own Dybala

Newcastle boss Eddie Howe will no doubt be hoping that Maddison can add a further creative spark to his high-flying outfit were the move to occur in the near future, with the £110k-per-week menace having showcased his talent amid what has been a sparkling start to the season on an individual note.

The Coventry-born ace already boasts a haul of seven goals and four assists in just 13 Premier League games so far this term – more goal contributions than any player at St James’ Park – having previously recorded 30 goals and assists during the 2021/22 campaign.

A truly dynamic figure in his playmaking berth, the 5 foot 9 sensation has been a constant thorn in the side of his potential future employers having scored four goals and recorded two assists in just eight outings against the Magpies, notably netting a “sensational” left-footed finish, in the words of journalist Michael Bailey, when the two sides met back in January 2020.

The midfielder’s quality is also evidenced by his likeness to Roma talisman, Paulo Dybala, with the two men said to share a number of stylistic and statistical similarities, according to FBref, including their ability to operate in a central role or off the flanks.

Dybala – who was mooted for a move to join Howe’s ranks prior to linking up with Jose Mourinho’s side – has been a real leading presence in European football over the past few years, netting an impressive haul of 115 goals and registering 48 assists in 293 games in all competitions during his time at former club Juventus.

The Argentina international had also made an impressive start to life at the Stadio Olimpico this season prior to being struck down with injury, having scored seven goals and laid on two assists in just 12 games for the Serie A side.

To be compared to such a highly-regarded figure is noteworthy as far as Maddison is concerned, with the Three Lions gem notably ranking in the top 6% in Europe for non-penalty goals, while the former Palermo ace ranks in the top 7% for the same metric.

Having previously missed out on getting Dybala through the door, Howe can land an ideal alternative in the form of Leicester’s devastating hero.

Tottenham Hotspur have ramped up their efforts to sign Mohammed Kudus ahead of the January transfer window, according to reports…

What’s the word?

Italian outlet Calciomercato.it claim that the north London outfit have been monitoring the Ghana sensation for several weeks and some at the club believe signing the Ajax star would help keep manager Antonio Conte at the club for a little longer.

It’s thought that it could come down to whether or not Spurs qualify for the Champions League, a minimum requirement set by Kudus for his next move, despite coming close to signing for Premier League rivals Everton during the summer.

Other reports have suggested that a bid of around £30m would make it hard for the Eredivisie giants to turn down at the turn of the year.

Dream Kulusevski alternative

A new frontline option seems pretty high on the agenda for Conte right now as he looks to see more consistency from his side across the Premier League and Champions League.

At times, Spurs have looked unbeatable but there have been a few occasions where they have looked outfought and defeated, particularly during Dejan Kulusevski’s absence.

His impact at the Lilywhites has been undoubted since his arrival last January and he, alongside Harry Kane and Heung-min Son, have largely been Conte’s best front three. Summer signing Richarlison has proven to be a versatile rotation option but it’s still not enough, which is where Kudus comes in.

The 22-year-old, who can play in midfield, out wide and up top, enjoyed a phenomenal group stage campaign at the World Cup to continue his fine domestic form this term, where he has scored ten goals and laid on a further two assists across 21 outings, via Transfermarkt.

Kudus didn’t register a Sofascore rating of below 7.4 despite the Black Stars only winning one of their three games in Qatar. He completed more take-ons than anyone else in the group stage, on top of his two goals.

Once lauded as a “special talent”, the Ghanian attacker could be exactly what Conte needs when he looks for a plan B to the dynamic Swede and given the youngster’s recent form – on both the domestic and international stage – and his versatility, there couldn’t be a more dream candidate out there.

AND in other news, Spurs could eclipse Son signing by swooping for “sensational” £70m World Cup “monster”…

Tottenham Hotspur expert John Wenham has been left blown away by the performances of striker Will Lankshear for the U18 team.

The Lowdown: Tottenham’s World Cup stars

Tottenham currently have some fantastic forward options competing in Qatar, with Richarlison already on three goals for Brazil in as many games, while Harry Kane opened his account for England on Sunday night, scoring the second in a 3-0 victory over Senegal.

However, Antonio Conte also has an emerging talent at his disposal right at home at Hotspur Way, with Lankshear putting together a string of impressive displays at N17, leading to high praise from regular Lilywhites pundit Wenham.

The Latest: Wenham’s comments

Speaking to Football Insider, the journalist and Spurs fan revealed he’s been blown away by the teenager’s talent:

“There are no mistakes, he doesn’t have any caveats to his game so far but he is only 17 and I think he is a complete finisher at the moment.

[web_stories_embed url=”https://www.footballtransfertavern.com/web-stories/tottenham-latest-news-3/” title=”Tottenham latest news!” poster=”” width=”360″ height=”600″ align=”none”]

“But, if in time we can see him improve his passing levels then maybe we can look at him as a Harry Kane-lite or something like that.

“At the moment though, he looks like a complete out-and-out finisher and he has made a phenomenal start to his life at Tottenham.”

The Verdict: Future star

In four appearances in the U18 Premier League this season, the 17-year-old has netted on four occasions, while he is also off the mark in the UEFA Youth League, in which he has scored once in two outings.

With Spurs cruising to a 3-1 victory against Crystal Palace at the end of November, the starlet also showed another side to his game, assisting Jaden Williams for the second goal, an element of his game that will need to develop if he really is capable of emulating Kane, as Wenham suggests.

For now, the former Sheffield United man will need to continue developing in youth games, but he has started very well, and could push to be included in the first-team squad in the not so distant future, should he continue his goal scoring exploits.

Tottenham Hotspur are interested in a deal to bring Sofyan Amrabat to the Premier League in the January transfer window.

What’s the talk?

That’s according to a report by Italian publication La Repubblica (via Sport Witness), who claim that, despite Liverpool being reported to be keeping a close eye on the ACF Fiorentina midfielder ahead of the winter market, it is currently Tottenham who are the ‘most interested club’ in the 26-year-old – while Barcelona and Atlético Madrid are also said to be lurking.

However, the report goes on to suggest that Vincenzo Italiano’s side are unwilling to part with the Morocco international in January, with it being said that La Viola will only sanction the midfielder’s departure should they receive an offer in the region of €55m (£48m) – with Antonio Conte said to be ‘ready to talk’ to Fiorentina in order to ‘understand the margins of negotiation’.

“Perfect for Tottenham”

Considering just how impressive Amrabat was over Morocco’s remarkable run to the semi-finals of the Qatar World Cup this winter, coupled with the 26-year-old being exactly the profile of all-action midfielder Conte is well-known to love at his disposal, it is not hard to see why the Italian would be interested in a move for the Fiorentina star in January.

Indeed, over his six World Cup fixtures, the £17.5m-rated talent was the beating heart of Walid Regragui’s side, enjoying an average of 57 touches, playing 2.2 long balls and completing 37.3 total passes – at a success rate of 85% – per game, in addition to making an average of 2.5 tackles, one interception, 1.7 clearances and winning 3.8 duels per match.

These returns saw the £32k-per-week engine average an extremely impressive Sofascore match rating of 6.90, ranking him as the Atlas Lions’ joint eighth-best performer in the competition – although this does not truly reflect the midfielder’s importance to his side over the course of the tournament.

The 26-year-old once again impressed in Morocco’s 2-0 semi-final defeat to reigning world champions France on Wednesday evening, enjoying 92 touches of the ball, making one key pass, playing seven long balls and completing 67 total passes – at a success rate of 85% – as well as making two tackles, one clearance and winning five duels.

Despite the defeat, the midfielder’s display earned him a considerable amount of praise, with Nigel Adderley stating his belief on talkSPORT that Amrabat was his Man of the Match against the French:

“Amrabat, without any question. I think he’s been their player of the tournament. I think he ran the game at times tonight, it was incredible, just how deep the French were in the second half.

“And he was driving at them, and the main reason they were so deep was because of his energy and the way he just cajoled his entire team and cajoled the entire nation.”

Host Adrian Durham then added: “As a football fan, if a player gives 100% and more every single time he goes out there, but still ends up on the losing side, you can forgive him.

“He’s always going to have the support of the fans, that is always going to be the case with genuine fans. And everybody can see that Amrabat – yes they lost 2-0 – but he has given literally everything for the cause. Absolutely flat out at the end of every game, not just this one, every single game he’s played, he’s given the lot.”

As such, it would indeed appear highly advisable for Conte to do everything in his power to bring the 45-cap international to north London in the January transfer window, as it is clear for all to see that Amrabat’s drive, dedication and talent on the ball would very much look to make him “perfect for Tottenham” – in the words of Jamie O’Hara, speaking live on talkSPORT.