All posts by rastrear-estafeta.com

West Ham have endured a very up and down season so far but nevertheless, look a far better side under Manuel Pellegrini. 

After a horrendous start, West Ham found their feet and now see themselves aspiring to finish in 7th place in the bid to secure European football.

That right now remains a far-fetched ambition but if the owners continue to back Manuel Pellegrini during the upcoming transfer windows, the Hammers could be set for a hugely impressive next season.

A position that looks to be of great need in the summer is a centre-forward, as West Ham often find to be the case.

Marko Arnautovic, Javier Hernandez, Andy Carroll and Lucas Perez have all been linked with moves away from the London Stadium, meaning West Ham need to find some talent and fast.

One player who could fit the role is CSKA Moscow youngster Fedor Chalov, a player destined for great success in football.

Chalov, (who is valued at £9 million on Transfermarkt) is a clinical finisher that West Ham would be lucky to have within their ranks.

It would, of course, be a bold move considering where he currently plays and how old he is, yet with 11 goals and four assists this season, Chalov has been too impressive for West Ham to dismiss as an option.

The 20-year-old has a good turn of pace, an eye for goal and also the understanding to interlink with his team-mates, which creates more chances for him and his fellow players as well.

As a youngster full of potential, he could look at West Ham as being the best place for him to grow as a player.

Would Chalov be a good signing for West Ham… Let us know!

Tottenham Hotspur are interested in a deal to bring Matthias Ginter to the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium in the summer transfer window.

What’s the talk?

That’s according to a report by Sky Sports News (via the Daily Mail), who claim that Fabio Paratici is set to battle it out with Juventus, West Ham United and Aston Villa for the signing of the Borussia Monchengladbach centre-back – who is set to become a free agent upon the expiry of his contract at Borussia-Park at the end of the season.

[snack-amp-story url= “https://www.footballfancast.com/web-stories/read-the-latest-spurs-news-transfer-rumours-gossip-martinez-dybala-spence-conte-2” title= “Read the latest Spurs news!”]

Conte can axe Sanchez with Ginter

While Antonio Conte and Paratici have reportedly made a left-sided centre-half their priority target this summer, considering just how impressive the right-sided Ginter has been for Gladbach this season, in addition to the fact that Davinson Sanchez does not look to have much of a future in north London under the 52-year-old manager, it is easy to see why Spurs would be interested in a move for the 28-year-old.

Indeed, over his 25 Bundesliga appearances in the current campaign, the £21.6m-rated defender has been imperious in the heart of Adi Hutter’s backline, helping his side keep four clean sheets, as well as making an average of 1.3 interceptions, 1.4 tackles, three clearances and winning 5.6 duels – at a success rate of 67% – per game.

The Germany international has also impressed in an attacking capacity, scoring one goal and creating four big chances for his teammates, in addition to making 56.2 passes, 3.2 long balls and taking 1.2 shots per fixture.

These returns have seen the £50k-per-week player who Joachim Low dubbed “underrated” average an extremely impressive SofaScore match rating of 6.98, ranking him as Gladbach’s best defender and fourth-best player overall in the German top flight this season.

The 46-time capped World Cup winner has also earned praise from legendary German centre-back Lothar Matthaus, who went as far as to compare the Ginter to Paris Saint-German defender and former Real Madrid captain Sergio Ramos.

Matthaus said: “Ginter has become a leader at the back, similar to Ramos at Real. He doesn’t just give instructions to his teammates, but leads them as well. That’s what Ginter is doing really well at the moment. He reminds me of Ramos.”

As such, considering the fact that the £42m Sanchez has not featured in seven of Tottenham’s last eight Premier League fixtures, as well as the £67k-per-week centre-back who Paul Robinson dubbed “inexcusable” having been linked with a move away from north London in the January transfer window, it would indeed appear as if the Colombia international could be on his way out of the club this summer.

And, if Sanchez does depart, signing Ginter on a free to replace the 25-year-old would undoubtedly be a fantastic piece of business for Paratici to get over the line – as the German would be a huge upgrade upon the former Ajax starlet.

AND in other news: “I wouldn’t be surprised…”: Gold drops teasing Spurs claim that supporters will love

Every day of every week somewhere in the world, football matches are being played to the delight of football fans all over the globe. This is also something that makes avid football gamblers happy. For the most avid football gamblers in the UK, having an opportunity to bet on football matches every day is a dream come true.

Unfortunately, too much online betting on too many football games could lead to gambling addiction. Yes, there are people in the online sports betting world who have trouble controlling their online gambling activities. By some estimates, that could be about 6% of the online gambling population in the UK, even around the world.

In the worst of gambling addiction cases, treatment and counselling would be the right call. Almost all addicts have something they need to sort out before they can set aside their addictive behaviours. Once they get the help they need, they should restrict themselves from ever gambling again.

Of course, online problem gambling issues don’t always lead to gambling addiction. Sometimes a problem gambling issue is nothing more than a sign that may be a break from online gambling would be a good idea.

Taking a Break with GamStop

As the UK’s number one gambling regulator, the UK Gambling Commission (UKGC) works hard to make sure the UK gambling industry is doing its part to protect kids and vulnerable problem gamblers. Within the online gambling community, the UKGC’s GamStop Self-exclusion scheme sits front and centre in the nation’s effort to deal with gambling addiction.

The beauty of the GamStop program lies in its simplicity. For UK online gambling operators, GamStop membership is mandated by the UKGC as a condition of licensing. To become a compliant member, operators only need to pay a subscription fee and place an accessible link on their respective websites.

For UK online gamblers, the voluntary registration process is free and only takes a few minutes to complete. All they have to do if they want help taking a break from their online gambling activities is to provide some basic personal information and choose a self-exclusion period with options ranging from 6 months to 5 years.

Once registration has been completed, the registered GamStop gambler will get the break they need. There is nothing that will stop the football online gambler from settling in as nothing more than a football fan. That is unless they decide self-exclusion is not for them. If and when that happens, the GamStop football gambler will have to make decisions.

Getting Around UK Self-Exclusion

Since GamStop registration is voluntary and a short-term self-exclusion option, there is nothing that prevents the GamStop gambler from changing their mind. If they change their mind, they will immediately have to face the fact that using licensed UK gambling websites won’t be an option. They will also find out there are ways to get around GamStop scrutiny until their self-exclusion period ends.

Leading the way of non GamStop alternatives would be UK gambling sites that are not GamStop members and or are not licensed by the UKGC. The reality is they are lots of non GamStop UK betting sites for online wagering available to gamblers trying to avoid GamStop scrutiny. Even better many of these sites are terrific alternatives because they are reliable and work hard to maintain stellar reputations.

If a GamStop gambler isn’t comfortable with this option, they might find other options more appealing. Here are some other non GamStop options worth mentioning:

Crypto-only casinos do not do much in the way of customer verifications Other offshore jurisdictions are quite welcoming of UK gamblers (VPN might be needed) Some operators have weak account verification protocols Retail gambling establishments in the UK have no connection to the GamStop scheme It’s acceptable to open new accounts under other identities with the permission of the new accountholder

For the avid football fan who decides to take a GamStop break, the hope is a short break will be all that’s necessary before they can safely start betting on football matches again. They may do so with licensed UK sports betting operators and their self-exclusion period expires.

Photo by Unsplash

Speaking to GiveMeSport, journalist and ‘transfer insider’ Dean Jones has made a claim on Wednesday night, sharing a worry for West Ham United involving star man Declan Rice.

The Lowdown: Rice concerns at Rush Green…

Recent reports indicate that West Ham and manager David Moyes could be concerned about Rice.

[web_stories_embed url=”https://www.footballtransfertavern.com/web-stories/west-ham-newest-updates/” title=”West Ham newest updates!” poster=”” width=”360″ height=”600″ align=”none”]

Indeed, as explained by The Telegraph, the England international star is attracting major interest from top clubs in the Premier League – including the likes of Man United, Man City and London rivals Chelsea.

A lot could depend on where the Hammers finish at the end of 2021/2022, and if they can’t seal a place in Europe next year, Rice may well grow more and more open to leaving.

There have already been murmurs of the 23-year-old being ‘ready to leave this year’ with Old Trafford being his preferred destination, at least according to 90min reporter Scott Saunders.

The Latest: Jones makes worrying Rice claim…

Speaking to GMS, reporter Jones has now backed that Rice could be edging closer to a Rush Green departure, stating the midfielder is ‘more open than ever’ to leaving.

He explained: “I think that any buying club might be helped by the fact that Declan Rice, from what I’m hearing, does seem more open than ever about the idea of leaving West Ham. That could be interesting.”

The Verdict: Big blow?

The player’s stance on leaving comes as a blow given in-house tension could disrupt the harmony of Moyes’ squad.

However, one glimmer of hope is the one-year extension option currently in Rice’s deal, so if the Three Lions ace does attempt to leave, GSB are in a strong position to command huge transfer fees.

That being said, his influence would be sorely missed, with the West Ham mainstay averaging more interceptions per 90 than anyone in Moyes’ squad and their second-highest Premier League match rating per 90 (WhoScored).

In other news: Sky Sports: West Ham eyeing £21.6m-rated star for Moyes, he’s set to move! Find out more here.

Newcastle United have now been dealt an injury blow on Jamal Lewis before they play Norwich City away from home in the Premier League this afternoon.

The Lowdown: Long-term injuries

The long-term injuries seem to be piling up for the St. James’ Park faithful, as more players join Kieran Trippier and Callum Wilson on the sidelines.

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

Eddie Howe recently admitted to the media in his pre-game press conference that he is unsure whether Ryan Fraser will be able to play again this season, while he is hopeful that Isaac Hayden will finally return to full training soon.

The Latest: Lewis operation

In his pre-Norwich press conference, Howe also revealed that Lewis has had another operation recently, and is hopeful that he will return in pre-season:

“He’s had a few operations and recently had another one. We hope this one has fixed his long standing groin problem. It’s been frustrating for him because he’s not felt 100%. I’d love to see him back in pre-season and show us the player he can be.”

The Verdict: Blow

Given that it is not guaranteed that the North East club will sign Matt Targett on a permanent deal from Aston Villa, Lewis may still have a place on Tyneside, and so losing him to a potentially long-term injury is certainly a blow.

It works the other way as well, as if Targett is signed permanently, the Magpies will surely want to find a buyer for Lewis, but they may not receive any offers for the left-back if he is out on the sidelines.

Either way, the fact that he continuously has to have operations is not ideal, and the Toon will just be hoping that his latest setback is not serious.

In other news, find out which ‘world-class’ magician is now a serious option for NUFC here!

A massive update has emerged in Newcastle’s search for a director of football…

What’s the talk?

Daily Mail reporter Craig Hope has revealed that the former FA chief will pen a deal with the Magpies to work with Eddie Howe at St. James’ Park.

PIF brought in Nick Hammond on a short-term move in December to assist the club in the January transfer window and they are now set to provide a long-term solution to that position with the ex-Seagulls supremo.

Hope Tweeted: “Understand Dan Ashworth will join NUFC after resigning from his role as Brighton technical director.”

He followed that up with: “Ashworth was offered the Newcastle role on Friday & club hope to confirm his appointment in due course.”

PIF masterclass

This is a major piece of news and represents a masterclass from PIF as they are on the verge of pinching a huge part of Brighton’s success in recent years.

Seagulls journalist Aden-Jay Wood previously Tweeted: “If Dan Ashworth goes (which I think he will), it will be a huge shame. Ashworth has almost singlehandedly changed Brighton’s approach both on and off the field and would be very, very difficult to replace.”

Wood’s comment suggests that the Englishman will be able to sculpt Newcastle’s future on the pitch and off it, working alongside Howe – leaving the former Bournemouth boss delighted. The Magpies head coach will surely love to work with a sporting director of Ashworth’s pedigree, much like Gareth Southgate did with England.

The Three Lions boss once showered him with praise for his work with the national team set-up, as he created a winning culture throughout the ranks, saying:

“I told Dan (Ashworth) as we walked in that he should feel really proud. The last time we came to one of these it was in St Petersburg three years ago but this time we walked in as world champions at U17 and U20 and we’ve been to a seniors’ semi-final, so we deserve our place at the table.

“That is a great credit to everyone involved, the backing the FA has given us in building St George’s Park and investing in the teams, to the work being done in youth development and to Dan in particular for putting those plans in place, which we have seen pay off for Spain, Germany and France. It’s up to us now to continue the work that’s been started.”

Since joining Brighton in 2019, Ashworth has overseen 16th and 15th-placed finishes in the Premier League. The south coast side is currently ninth in the table as it stands and this highlights the excellent work he has done at the AMEX, helping the club to continually progress.

This is why bringing him in will represent a masterclass from PIF as they have been able to secure a top-quality appointment from a Premier League rival who’s well ahead of them in the table. It shows the pull they have as an ownership group, as they have been able to tempt him away from what looks – on paper – to be an excellent job for him.

Howe will now be buzzing to work with him ahead of the summer transfer window when they will hopefully be looking to build on a successful relegation battle.

AND in other news, Imagine him & Burn: Howe must now unleash “big” NUFC gem who’s massively “underrated”…

John Beaton has been confirmed as the referee for Sunday’s crucial Scottish Premiership clash between Celtic and Rangers at Parkhead.

The Lowdown: Massive game at Parkhead

Ange Postecoglou’s side kept up their six-point lead over their rivals on Sunday afternoon, picking up a precious 2-0 victory away to Ross County.

Next up for the Hoops is this weekend’s critical Old Firm derby meeting at Parkhead, with a win for the hosts all but securing title glory after missing out last year.

It is a game that can sometimes be defined by the refereeing performance – Bobby Madden’s display drew plenty of conversation in the cup semi-final – and the man in the middle has now been confirmed for Sunday’s meeting.

[web_stories_embed url=”https://www.footballtransfertavern.com/web-stories/key-latest-celtic-updates-4/” title=”Key latest Celtic updates!” poster=”” width=”360″ height=”600″ align=“none”]

The Latest: Beaton takes charge

It is Beaton who will take charge of proceedings at Parkhead, reports The Scotsman, and based on his own judgement, Hoops fans may not be particularly pleased to see him with the whistle.

Back in 2020, Beaton himself admitted that Celtic supporters would ‘absolutely love’ to get rid of Scottish referees for this fixture, claiming ‘everybody’ except the officials themselves want them replaced.

The Verdict: Unpopular choice

The appointment of Beaton will not go down well with Postecoglou and his players, or the fans for that matter – he has even hinted at preferring refereeing behind closed doors, saying in those comments back in 2020 life was easier without the intensity from the fans.

That said, Celtic need to focus on the task at hand and ignore any controversy – if the Hoops allow the referee to get to them, the only people it is going to affect is themselves, on what is a potentially defining afternoon in the title race.

Essentially, all the pressure is on Rangers, who really have to win the match – the only hope is that Beaton doesn’t end up having a negative say on matters.

In other news, an ex-Celtic hero has taken a dig at Rangers ahead of Sunday’s game. Read more here.

If any Tottenham fans were keeping their eye on England’s U21s during the international break, then there must surely have been a tinge of sadness over seeing Noni Madueke shine so bright.

The former academy youngster began his career in north London, and actually captained the U16s before making his debut for the U18s at just 15-years-old.

But, in June 2018, he signed a three-year deal to join Dutch giants PSV, snubbing a reported offer from Manchester United in the process, and his career has only gone upwards since that move.

With nine goals and eight assists in all competitions last season, Madueke really took his game to another level with PSV in 2020/21, so much so that he earned a call-up to the England under-21 setup, where former manager Aidy Boothroyd talked up his potential.

He said: “He’s a powerhouse of a player, technically very good, left-footed and likes to come in off the side of the pitch, off the right and go and link. He’s got a goal in him, he’s very creative. He’s got a massive smile, a lovely kid. The lads have taken to him, as they would because he’s a good player, he has that respect for what he’s done at PSV.”

Former PSV ace Tommie van de Leegte raved about the 19-year-old’s style of play, saying (via Goal): “He’s fast and has the capability to trick his opponent. He brings creativity and is very explosive in his actions.”

This campaign has seen him take yet another step in his development, with the now 20-year-old scoring nine times and providing five assists in all competitions, as well as showing off his versatility by playing off the right in his most natural position, and through the middle too.

When he arrived at PSV, he was worth only £540k but the England U21 international is now valued at £16.2m by Transfermarkt – a huge 2,233% increase.

Indeed, reports last summer suggested that PSV had told Spurs that it would take around £40m for the Lilywhites to bring their former academy starlet back to north London.

Given Spurs have seen a number of wingers come into the club over the years, you can only wonder what could have been had the Lilywhites managed to convince Madueke that his long-term future remained with them and that they could offer him a genuine pathway into the first-team.

Instead, Madueke is lighting things up elsewhere.

AND in other news – Paratici masterclass: Spurs now eyeing 6 ft “phenomenon”, he’s perfect for Conte

Reported Sunderland target Roy Keane dropped a two-word reaction to being asked a question about how this upcoming week is going to look for him…

What’s the talk?

Sunderland Echo journalist James Copley has relayed what he saw from the live TV coverage of The FA Cup on ITV (06/02/22), with the Irishman reacting to a question amid speculation that he could be on his way to the club.

He Tweeted: “Roy Keane asked on ITV if he’s going to have a busy week. “No comment.” Accompanied by another big smile…”

Fans will love it

Fans will surely love this reaction from Keane for several reasons. Firstly, it builds further excitement as his smiling could well hint that talks are progressing behind the scenes, with the ex-Manchester United midfielder refusing to deny any speculation linking him with the job.

They will also love his buoyant reaction as it suggests that he is also excited by the prospect of taking over at the Stadium of Light. This is all speculative, of course, but it would have been easy for him to keep a straight face and play coy or outright deny the talk if he was not interested in the role. After all, this is someone renowned for speaking his mind in a boisterous fashion.

Fans will be buzzing with this situation and are now likely to be highly intrigued over whether or not he’ll arrive in the northeast again. That said, it remains to be seen whether or not the move will officially happen anytime soon, despite talk of an interview on Saturday.

The Black Cats are fourth in the League One table and two points behind Wigan in second, but the Latics have a whopping four games in hand on them. This shows the size of the task at hand for the club to finish in the automatic promotion places, which is why bringing in a new head coach as quickly as possible is imperative for Kristjaan Speakman.

They sacked Lee Johnson after the 6-0 defeat to Bolton and failed to get a replacement in before the clash with Doncaster, which may have played a part in the eventual 2-1 defeat to the team sitting bottom of the table.

Therefore, Keane’s interesting reaction will get Sunderland fans buoyant that something may be on the horizon for him at the Stadium of Light. The sooner they get someone in the better chance they may have of putting a plan in place to attack the second half of the campaign to fight for a top-two spot.

AND in other news, “At the moment..” – Big Sunderland manager update emerges that’ll leave fans fuming…

West Bromwich Albion have parted ways with Jordan Hugill in the January transfer window.

What’s the latest?

In a short statement on the West Brom website, the club confirmed that the centre-forward has now returned to Norwich City – with his season-long loan spell at The Hawthorns being cut six months short.

A further report by the Express & Star went on to state that, since the opening of the winter market, the 29-year-old has been continually linked with a move back to his parent club, although it was questionable whether the striker would be able to leave the Baggies due to having no recall clause in his temporary contract.

However, in the club’s recent post, Albion confirmed that Hugill has indeed returned to the Premier League side, stating: “Jordan Hugill has today returned to Norwich City following a loan spell at The Hawthorns. The striker made 20 appearances during a five-month stint with the Baggies after joining last summer. Everybody at Albion thanks Jordan for his efforts and wishes him well in his future career.”

What fans have been waiting for

Considering just how poor Hugill has been since his arrival at The Hawthorns last summer, the news that the centre-forward has now left the club is sure to have delighted the Baggies’ fanbase – as seeing the back of the forward very much looks to be something Albion supporters have been waiting for.

Indeed, over his 20 Championship appearances – only seven of which came as starts – the £1.62m-rated hitman managed to find the back of the net just once, failed to provide his teammates with a single assist, created no big chances for his side and missed nine big chances of his own.

These returns saw the 29-year-old average an extremely disappointing SofaScore match rating of 6.56, ranking him as Valerien Ismael’s sixth-worst performer in the second tier of English football – something which makes it clear for all to see why the Frenchman was happy to send the centre-forward back to Norwich this month.

However, exactly why the club believed Hugill would be the striker to fire them to promotion in the first place – following a season in which he scored four goals over 31 Championship appearances for the Canaries – will quite rightly raise questions about the Albion’s recruitment and scouting processes.

In other news: Huge blow: Joseph Masi reveals fresh West Brom “nightmare”, Ismael will be seething