Wolverhampton Wanderers have made contact to sign a "clinical" new striker for Gary O’Neil, according to a new report.
Wolves summer signings so far
Back in May, O’Neil admitted that the club may need to sell if they are to spend, saying: “I don’t think there will be money available to us if nobody leaves. If we decided not to sell a big player there may be some bits and pieces we can do. We have some players out on loan that have value and we might be able to do some bits. The club is expected – in the foreseeable future, maybe not long-term future – to be able to fund itself so we need to be able to work with that.”
Wolves make offer to sign another Jorge Mendes client in £12.8m move
A proposal has been sent by the club.
ByHenry Jackson Aug 5, 2024
Selling a star player is what those at Molineux have done, cashing in on centre-back Max Kilman who joined West Ham in a big-money deal. Those funds have allowed Wolves to complete the permanent signing of Tommy Doyle, who was on loan last season, whereas Rodrigo Gomes and Pedro Lima have also arrived from SC Braga and Sport Recife respectively.
A loan deal for Celta Viga forward Jorgen Strand Larsen has also gone through, which has seen Wolves spend a total of €33m so far, while bringing in €47.5m from Kilman’s move to West Ham (Transfermarkt). Wolves may not be done there, though, with a new report sharing an approach for a fresh attacking target.
Wolves make approach for Middlesbrough striker Emmanuel Latte Lath
According to reports abroad, relayed by Sport Witness, Wolves have made contact over a potential deal for Middlesbrough forward Emmanuel Latte Lath. The report claims that RB Salzburg have made an approach along with Wolves, whereas AS Monaco and Eintracht Frankfurt are also interested.
The 25-year-old made the move to Middlesbrough last summer and enjoyed a brilliant first season in the Championship, scoring 18 goals in 36 appearances in all competitions.
Labelled as “clinical” during the 2023/24 campaign, Latte Lath, an Ivory Coast international, helped Middlesbrough push for a late playoff spot.
Michael Carrick hailed the forward back in March, saying after his late goal against Southampton: “He’s good at that Manu – good in the air. I thought he defended a couple of the corners well too, which proves that.
"That’s 10 (goals) for the season for him which, after a stop-start season because of a couple of injuries, and his first season in what is an intense league that isn't easy to come into, is really positive. It’s a good return. He’s grasping the league and adapting all the time. To get a late goal shows that and is always great in front of your own fans. It’s a great step for him and I’m really happy with him. To put that performance in and keep going for the 90 minutes, I’m delighted for him.”
It's been a silent transfer window so far for Fulham on the incomings front, but after losing Joao Palhinha to Bayern Munich, they could finally act to welcome a replacement.
Fulham transfer news
Now under a month until their Premier League campaign kicks off against Manchester United at Old Trafford, Fulham remain without reinforcements and have a gaping hole to fill at the heart of Marco Silva's side following Palhinha's exit. With a reported £42m added to their summer budget following the midfielder's departure, however, those at Craven Cottage may finally look to splash the cash.
Replacing the Portugal international will be no easy task, but it is one that Fulham must complete this summer if they want to enjoy another campaign away from the bottom three and far closer to the Premier League's top half.
Fulham chase "astounding" £11m ex-Man United player to replace Tosin
He is seen as a perfect addition to Marco Silva’s side.
ByBen Browning Jul 12, 2024
In pursuit of completing that very task, the London club have seemingly turned to a player who knows all about Premier League midfields, even after seeing their first bid reportedly worth £17m rejected.
According to Lyall Thomas of Sky Sports, Fulham are now "weighing up" a second bid to sign Scott McTominay from Manchester United in a deal that would instantly hand Silva a replacement for Palhinha. Earning a reported £60k-a-week, McTominay has become an underrated cog in Erik ten Hag's side in the last season or so, often popping up with crucial goals at desperate times. Despite that, he could yet be on the move this summer.
After reportedly rejecting their £17m bid, however, it remains to be seen just how much Manchester United will demand for Fulham to land their academy graduate this summer.
"Great" McTominay can replace Palhinha and more
As much as Palhinha often stood out for his work off the ball in the Premier League, question marks could be asked for his influence when in possession – the same questions that McTominay can answer with aplomb. The Scotland international has become quite the goalscoring threat from the middle of the park, whilst maintaining the traits of a box-to-box midfielder away from the action.
Progressive Passes
64
97
Progressive Carries
29
8
Goals
7
4
Ball Recoveries
91
195
McTominay's ball-carrying ability stands out as a particular trait that Fulham could add to their midfield by signing the Manchester United man, alongside his clear appetite for goals.
Ten Hag may not be too keen to lose McTominay this summer, however, after saying via TNT Sports last season: "Scott, he's great. He can score many goals, he's always coming in positions to score goals. We had some problems, it was too much like a tennis match. Every game we went for goal instead of waiting for the right decisions. With McTominay, he can get in the box and could score goals."
Em situações opostas no Campeonato Brasileiro da Série B, Goiás e Brasil de Pelotas entraram em campo na noite deste sábado, pela 24ª rodada, no estádio da Serrinha. Com a volta do público nas arquibancadas, porém em número bastante reduzido, o Verdão não decepcionou sua torcida. Abrindo a contagem no primeiro tempo com Alef Manga, em cobrança de pênalti, Caio Vinícius chegou a ampliar na segunda etapa, porém dando tempo para Erison descontar nos acréscimos, mas era tarde, fechando a contaem 2 a 1.
Sendo assim, os comandados de Marcelo Cabo chegaram aos 45 pontos, ficando na vice-liderança, diminuindo a distância para o líder Coritiba para apenas 3 pontos. Já a equipe comandada por Cléber Gaúcho, por conta do novo tropeço sofrido, acabou estacionando com seus 16 pontos na última posição.
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>Aplicativo de resultados do LANCE! está disponível na versão iOS
VAR ANULA GOL DO GOIÁS NO INÍCIO
Pressionando o Brasil de Pelotas desde os primeiros movimentos, o Goiás parecia não estar disposto a dar chances ao rival. Sendo assim, explorando jogadas de velocidade, praticamente mantinha-se em seu campo de ataque até meados dos 10 minutos, conseguindo marcar com Alef Manga. Porém, após revisão do VAR, o árbitro Diogo Pombo Lopez anulou o tento dos mandantes, para frustração dos torcedores atrás do gol defendido por Matheus Nogueira.
Passado o sufoco, a equipe visitante, aos poucos, foi ganhando espaço em campo. Sendo assim, passou a arriscar mais conseguindo construir jogadas de efeito, como as de Rômulo e Rildo, porém ambas sem sucesso.
TIME ESMERALDINO ABRE A CONTAGEM AINDA NA ETAPA INICIAL
Voltando a ditar o ritmo no duelo, o Goiás, na reta final, teve um pênalti a seu favor. Após cruzamento de Élvis, Caio Vinícius acabou recebendo um tranco de Oliveira, com a arbitragem apontando a marca da cal. Na cobrança, Alef Manga, bateu firme com o arqueiro Matheus ainda conseguindo pular no canto certo, mas a bola acabou balançando as redes.
DONOS DA CASA AMPLIAM O MARCADOR
Na volta para a etapa final, apenas o técnico Cléber Gaúcho optou por mudanças, aumentando seu poder ofensivo colocando Gabriel Terra e Rone em campo. Porém, até meados dos 15 minutos, eram os comandados de Marcelo Cabo quem criavam as melhores chances, conseguindo encontrar mais um gol no jogo no minuto seguinte, aos 16, com Caio Vinícius, pegando rebote no chute de Alef Manga, marcando o segundo gol do Goiás no confronto.
VAR CONFIRMA PÊNALTI PARA O BRASIL QUE DESCONTA NO FIM
Com uma boa vantagem no jogo, o técnico da equipe local então resolveu mudar sua dupla de atacantes, tirando Alef Manga e Nicolas para as entradas de Dadá Belmonte e Welliton, respectivamente. Por outro lado, o treinador do Xavante, ainda na esperança de conseguir uma reação heroica, também resolveu mudar, tendo um pênalti confirmado pelo VAR, já nos acréscimos, de Iago Mendonça, expulso na sequência, sobre Arthur. Na cobrança, Erison bateu forte no meio do gol, sem chances para Tadeu, mas era tarde, fazendo com que o juiz soprasse o apito para encerrar o confronto na Serrinha.
FICHA TÉCNICA GOIÁS 2×1 BRASIL DE PELOTAS
Data e horário: 18/09/2021, às 19h (de Brasília) Local: Estádio da Serrinha, em Goiânia (GO) Árbitro:Diego Pombo Lopez (CBF-BA) Assistentes:Jucimar dos Santos Dias (CBF-BA) eEdevan de Oliveira Pereira (CBF-BA) VAR:Heber Roberto Lopes (CBF-SC)
GOIÁS: Tadeu; Apodi, David Duarte (Matheus Salustiano, aos 46’/2ºT), Reynaldo (Iago Mendonça, aos 14’/2ºT) e Hugo; Rezende (Fellipe Bastos aos 14’/2ºT), Caio Vinícius e Elvis; Dieguinho, Nicolas (Welliton, aos 36’/2ºT) e Alef Manga (Dadá Belmonte, aos 36’/2ºT). (Técnico: Marcelo Cabo)
BRASIL DE PELOTAS: Matheus Nogueira; Oliveira, Leandro Camilo (Rone, no intervalo), Arthur e Paulinho; Diego Gomes (Wesley, aos 35’/2ºT), Rômulo, Kevin (Gabriel Terra, no intervalo), Rildo (Gabriel Poveda, aos 39’/2ºT)e Netto; Erisson. (Técnico: Cléber Gaúcho)
With the summer transfer window fast approaching, a surprising new name has reportedly emerged as a candidate to take the Sunderland job and end the Black Cats' wait to replace Michael Beale once and for all.
Sunderland manager news
A number of names have been linked with the job, from Paul Heckingbottom and Liam Rosenior all the way to Pascal Jansen, but those in Wearside remain without a permanent solution. The powers that be at the Stadium of Light have certainly taken their time, likely ensuring that they get things right after their Beale experiment following Tony Mowbray's sacking went so wrong.
AZ Alkmaar boss Pascal Jansen.
Sunderland owner Kyril Louis-Dreyfus finally gave the fans a positive update in a recent interview, revealing that the process regarding a new manager is now in the "final stages".
The owner said via BBC Sport: "We hope to appoint the next head coach of our great club imminently, as we enter the final stages of the recruitment process. We appreciate the patience and support that we've received from you throughout the summer and our aim has always been to ensure that the right candidate is appointed.
"That outcome remains our focus. On and off the field, we have learnt from last season when we fell short of all our expectations. We are hungry and ambitious for success and determined to ensure we all enjoy a great 2024-25 season together."
Sunderland keen on "impressive" new versatile player from European giants
The Black Cats could land a bargain deal…
By
Tom Cunningham
Jun 6, 2024
Now, a fresh report has thrown a surprising new candidate into the mix. According to Alan Nixon, Sunderland are eyeing a move for Marti Cifuentes from Queens Park Rangers, who are likely to hand the Black Cats a significant stumbling block in the form of the manager's compensation fee. That said, the QPR boss has certainly impressed enough in the Championship to step into the Sunderland job should it come his way this summer.
Landing "incredible" Cifuentes would be difficult
Cifuentes' unknown compensation package to take him out of his QPR contract would instantly prove too complicated to take him to the top spot of Sunderland's wishlist.
The 41-year-old did an excellent job to keep QPR up in the Championship last season, guiding them to an 18th-place finish, six points above the dropzone and only behind 16th-place Sunderland on goal difference. It's no shock that James Allcott was so full of praise for the manager last season, dubbing his management "incredible" on X.
However, on his way to securing survival, the Spaniard did not defeat Sunderland, with his one game up against the Black Cats ending in a 0-0 draw.
As Sunderland's process enters its final stages, it remains to be seen whether Cifuentes will send further shockwaves across Wearside by securing the job at the Stadium of Light or a different option will emerge to finally take the hot seat in the dugout – be that Jansen, Heckingbottom or an outside shout this summer.
West Ham United have made a £30m offer to sign a new player ahead of Premier League rivals Manchester United.
Steidten and Lopetegui making West Ham moves
The Hammers have brought in teenage Brazilian winger Luis Guilherme from Palmeiras and experienced goalkeeper Wes Foderingham after he left Sheffield United, but that could be just the start of a productive few months in the transfer market.
Speaking at Lopetegui’s first official press conference as Irons boss on Monday, Steidten said it would be a “busy summer”.
“I can’t tell you specifics, but it will be a busy summer for us for sure. The owner and the board have done a really good job over recent years, so we’re in good shape financially. We’re trying to build up the squad. We’re not limiting ourselves to one position – we’re looking at all areas.”
West Ham readying new bid to sign £50,000-a-week star
Julen Lopetgeui wants him as captain.
ByCharlie Smith Jul 2, 2024
Meanwhile, Julen Lopetegui added when asked about further signings: “Of course we are working to improve (the squad). The first thing to highlight is that we’re happy with the players, but of course we’re going to try to improve. We have to work very hard to be ready for the Premier League, and we would like players as soon as possible, but it’s not easy.”
Reports in recent weeks have stated that the Irons have made offers for former Crystal Palace winger Wilfried Zaha, now at Galatasaray and Fluminense forward Jhon Arias, while agreeing terms with Vitoria Guimaraes attacker Jota Silva.
At the back, an opening offer for Wolverhampton Wanderers centre-back Max Kilman was also submitted but then turned down, with Lopetegui even willing to make him Hammers captain, should a reunion materialise. Kilman isn’t the only defensive target that West Ham have made a bid for, with a new update emerging on Nice’s Jean-Clair Todibo.
West Ham make £30m offer Todibo
According to reliable French outlet L’Equipe, relayed by Sport Witness, West Ham have made an opening offer for Todibo worth in the region of €35m (£30m). The Hammers have already had a reply from Nice, with the report adding that the bid was immediately dismissed by the Ligue 1 club.
Nice defenderJean-Clair Todibo.
Man Utd have also been pushing to sign Todibo this summer, however, new co-owner Sir Jim Ratcliffe and his association with Nice have made a deal difficult. Reports have even suggested that Ratcliffe is willing to sell his stake in the French club in order to sign the centre-back over the coming months, but it appears as if the Irons are looking to steal a march, so it will be interesting to see if they return with an improved offer.
Ratcliffe wasn’t happy at not being able to sign Todibo for Man Utd, saying: “UEFA said we can sell him to another PL club, but we can't sell to Man Utd. But that's not fair on the player, and I don’t see what that achieves.”
The 24-year-old has been called the “complete package” by Football Talent Scout Jacek Kulig, and a move to the Hammers is one to watch.
A Tottenham star praised by Ange Postecoglou is in contact to leave the north London club this summer, according to reports.
Tottenham transfer rumours
Tottenham endured a mixed 2023/24 Premier League season. They began the campaign with a 10-game unbeaten run and there was even early talk of a potential title challenge. However, a mix of injury issues and poor form eventually led to the Lilywhites securing 5th place and a spot in next season's Europa League.
Tottenham prepare contract offer for one-time £100m star likened to Kane
Spurs are ready to negotiate terms.
ByEmilio Galantini Jun 8, 2024
Now, after a solid debut season in the dugout, Postecoglou must turn his attention to the soon-to-be-open summer transfer window as he attempts to build on last season's 5th-place finish. Despite not having Champions League football, the Londoners have already been linked with some big names.
Tottenham are believed to be preparing a personal terms package for Brentford's Ivan Toney, while Sevilla hitman Youssef En-Nesyri has also emerged as a potentially serious target for Spurs. There are also links to Eberechi Eze, with it reported last week that Spurs are expected to initiate discussions with Crystal Palace within the next two weeks regarding the potential signing of the Englishman.
£70k-a-week Tottenham ace in constant contact to leave
For all the potential incomings, however, a number of names are expected to leave north London over the coming months. It was reported in May that 11 Spurs players could be sold this summer and now, an update on one of those names has been provided. The player in question is Giovani Lo Celso, who was on the fringes of Spurs' team for much of the 2023/24 campaign.
Appearances
22
Minutes played
492
Goals
2
Assists
2
Postecoglou was quizzed on the Argentine's lack of minutes back in April and had this to say: "Look, he's a fantastic player, but with all these things you've got to keep the perspective that we're at a big club, we're going to have a big squad and if it is not Gio, it will be someone else that will play that role next year."
The boss continued: "If they want more game time, there are other clubs where they can do that and I'm looking at contribution. With someone like Gio, like I said he has contributed to us this year and that's been the most important thing for me."
stefan-szymanski-giovani-lo-celso-spurs
Now, reports in Spain [via Sport Witness] claim that Real Betis, who sold Lo Celso to Tottenham in 2019, have remained in constant contact with the 28-year-old since his departure from the club and are now looking to resign him. However, the Spanish outfit may have a hard time affording Lo Celso, who currently earns £70,000-a-week in the English capital.
As a result, it is understood that Betis will have to lower their wage bill to secure Lo Celso's return. To do this, they plan to sell a few of their highest earners, with the likes of Nabil Fekir, Willian Jose and William Carvalho all named as potentially sellable assets.
No transfer fee is mentioned in the report but as the South American has just one year left on his contract and is not a regular starter under Postecoglou, the figure required for Tottenham to agree a sale is unlikely to be too high.
Leeds United have it all to play for when they welcome Norwich City to Elland Road in the second leg of the Championship play-offs on Thursday night.
The Whites played out a 0-0 draw with the Canaries in Norfolk on Sunday as neither team managed to create many high-quality chances throughout the match.
There were only three shots on target in total, with two of those coming from the away side, and it has left it all to play for for both teams later this week.
Daniel Farke's men know that a win at their own ground on Thursday night will see them book a place at Wembley in the final, where they would face either Southampton or West Bromwich Albion, whose first leg tie also finished 0-0 on Sunday.
The German head coach could look to make some changes to the starting XI that was selected at Carrow Road, and one player who should be brutally binned from the lineup is teenage sensation Archie Gray.
He was picked to play in a number ten role behind Georginio Rutter at the top end of the pitch but it was an experiment that ultimately failed to provide the team with an attacking threat.
Archie Gray's performance against Norwich in numbers
The 18-year-old talent whizzed about the pitch trying to close down opposition players to ensure that the likes of Marcelino Nunez and Kenny McLean did not get too much time on the ball to pick out their passes.
However, his work in physical duels and in possession of the ball left far too much to be desired, which is why he should be dropped back down to the bench after flopping in that area of the pitch.
Gray lost five of his seven duels on the ground, as opposition players found it far too easy to get the better of him in contests on the deck, but did win three of his five aerial battles – losing seven out of 12 duels in total.
This suggests that the England U21 international did not offer much in the way of physicality, as he lost the majority of his clashes with Norwich players.
Minutes played
90
Key passes
0
Passed made
10/16
Dribbles completed
0/3
Crosses completed
0/0
Long passes completed
0/0
Possession lost
14x
As you can see in the table above, Gray's work with the ball at his feet was not much better as he struggled throughout the match in Norfolk, in a new role.
The teenage whiz, who has mainly been deployed in a holding midfield or right-back position, did not step up to the mark as a number ten from an attacking perspective.
He only completed ten passes in the entire match, despite playing the full 90 minutes, and did not create any chances or complete a single long pass, cross, or dribble, which illustrates that it was a no-show from him in the play-off clash.
Football Insider's Callum O'Connell handed Gray a player rating of just 1/10 for his dismal display, citing the fact that the midfielder lost possession of the ball more times than he completed passes.
It was a disappointing performance from the young gem, due to his big struggles in and out of possession throughout the game, but Farke also played him in an unnatural role in a huge play-off game, which was not an easy situation for him to be dropped in to.
He has been a fantastic performer for Leeds in the Championship this season and this no-show against Norwich was not a fair reflection of his quality.
Archie Gray's form this season
The 18-year-old sensation was named the Championship Young Player of the Season last month for his performances at right-back and central midfield in the second tier.
He featured in 44 of the club's 46 regular season matches and started 40 of those games. In that time, Gray showcased his ability to progress the ball consistently from a full-back role.
The English dynamo currently ranks within the top 31% of Championship full-backs for progressive passes per 90 (4.15), the top 17% for pass accuracy (82.8%), and the top 20% for successful take-ons per 90 (1.08).
Archie Gray
This shows that he has been above average among his positional peers at progressing the play through taking opposition players on and passing the ball to his teammates in dangerous positions.
He also made 2.8 tackles and interceptions per game and won 55% of his duels in total, which shows that the academy graduate has largely been solid defensively with more than half of his battles won overall.
However, his talents were not utilised correctly in the 0-0 draw with Norwich as Gray struggled badly in a number ten role, and that is why he should be brutally binned on Thursday.
The alternatives to Archie Gray
Farke could drop Rutter back into the attacking midfield position and then unleash Joel Piroe or Mateo Joseph from the start as the centre-forward.
The French ace, who started upfront at Carrow Road, created 22 'big chances' and registered 15 assists in 44 starts during the regular season, which shows that he has the quality to create high-quality chances for his teammates at an impressive rate.
This makes him ideal for the number ten role as the ex-Hoffenheim starlet can pick the ball up in pockets of space and look to thread passes in the final third to split open the opposition's defence.
Georginio Rutter
Piroe could then be brought in to start over Gray to offer an attacking threat as Leeds, hopefully, look to finish the tie in normal time at Elland Road on Thursday night.
The Dutch marksman scored 13 goals from 12.74 xG (Expected Goals) in the Championship this season, which shows that he has largely been a reliable finisher when chances have come his way.
Leeds star with 99% passing was Farke's best player vs Norwich
Leeds United will be the happier of the two sides after a defensive shut-out at Norwich City.
ByKelan Sarson May 12, 2024
However, the left-footed ace has also lost 62% of his duels and Farke may worry that Ben Gibson and Shane Duffy would find it too easy to get the better of him in physical battles.
In a one-off match, though, with Wembley on the line, Leeds may want to call upon his lethal instincts in the penalty box to fire the side through to the final of the play-offs, rather than sticking with Gray after his failed experiment as an attacking midfielder.
Pundit Keith Wyness has dropped an exciting update regarding Celtic's upcoming transfer business this summer, with Brendan Rodgers not messing around and set for a serious charge at Champions League success.
Celtic transfer plans in progress after title win
The Hoops sealed yet another Scottish Premiership title this week – their third in a row – following their ruthless 5-0 victory away to Kilmarnock on Wednesday evening. It is a fantastic achievement by Rodgers and his players, who trailed Rangers earlier in the campaign, as their victory over their rivals last weekend sealed the deal in emphatic fashion.
New signings are still needed despite this success, however, ensuring that Celtic don't rest on their laurels, and a replacement for the soon-to-be-retiring Joe Hart will be at the top of their list of priorities, with Southampton ace Alex McCarthy backed to join this summer.
It is being reported that Trabzonspor stopper Ugurcan Cakir is a top target, with a £6m+ bid believed to have been submitted, with the 27-cap Turkey international looking like an exciting choice. Liverpool 'keeper Caoimhin Kelleher has also been linked with a move to Parkhead, should the Irishman feel that now is the time to leave Anfield and stop playing second fiddle to Alisson.
Celtic are also reportedly battling with Rangers for the signing of Connor Barron, who has impressed in Aberdeen's midfield and is considered an exciting long-term prospect at the age of 21.
Celtic backed for busy summer
Speaking to Football Insider, Wyness claimed that Celtic could make as many as five signings this summer, as Rodgers looks to make big changes, with a larger focus on the Champions League next season:
"I’m expecting Celtic to be looking at four to five new signings this summer. I’m hearing that Brendan Rodgers will place more of a focus on getting through in the Champions League. They had a difficult time this year with that particular issue, with some heavy losses.
"But I think he’ll plan and try to equip themselves better on the European stage with some of the business they do. I hope they can do so because the Scottish coefficient needs it."
Celtic manager Brendan Rodgers looks on.
This is a hugely exciting update at a time when Celtic supporters are already in buoyant spirits, suggesting that another busy summer is on the cards.
The worst thing that the Hoops could do is not kick on after the current campaign, allowing Rangers to narrow the gap in the process, and ruthlessness is needed in the transfer market. With Champions League football coming their way next season, higher quality players are required, having finished bottom of their group with just four points from six matches this season.
Celtic make £6m+ bid to sign "highly rated" goalkeeper to replace Hart
He could be the new first-choice ‘keeper at Celtic Park.
ByBen Browning May 15, 2024
This isn't a Celtic squad that needs major surgery, as their title success shows – they could still clinch Scottish Cup glory, too – but a new goalkeeper to replace Hart looks set to kickstart a mini squad overhaul this summer.
Wolverhampton Wanderers are still fighting it out to secure a top-half finish in the Premier League this season, although a European spot might just be out of reach.
If they had a slightly easier run-in, then the Old Gold would have fancied their chances of making their way up the table, but fixtures against Manchester City, Arsenal and Liverpool could see all their good work this term go up in flames.
Gary O’Neil has built a team capable of reaching impressive highs and if he manages to sign another few quality players this summer, there is no reason why they cannot continue the fine progress they have made during his debut season in charge.
Wolves manager Gary O'Neil celebrates a Premier League win.
The Molineux side last played in European competition during the 2019/20 season, being knocked out by Spanish side Sevilla in the quarter-finals of the Europa League.
Strengthening his squad could see the club reach similar heights and after Paris Saint Germain’s wonderful victory over Barcelona on Tuesday evening, many of the Old Gold faithful would have recognised one of the French club’s star performers – Vitinha.
Vitinha’s statistics for PSG against Barcelona
The Portuguese midfielder ran the show for the French giants during their 4-1 win over the Catalan side to secure progression into the semi-finals of the Champions League.
Not only did he score the second goal for PSG on the night, but the former Wolves player also completed 95% of his passes, made two key passes, won four of his seven ground duels contested and lost possession just five times in 90 minutes, a truly wonderful performance.
Goals
1
Assists
0
Key passes
2
Total duels won
4/7
Accurate passes
58/61
It was a far cry from his poor spell in the Midlands, but perhaps if Wolves had persevered with the player at the time, he may have been delivering these sorts of displays in the Premier League.
Vitinha’s spell at Wolves
Wolves signed the then 20-year-old on a season-long loan deal from FC Porto, while they also had an option to sign him permanently if the move went well.
The youngster had shown plenty of promise in Portugal, yet his season in the Midlands didn’t quite live up to expectations as he made just 23 appearances across all competitions, scoring just one goal and grabbing only one assist.
vitinha-wolves
He returned to his parent side at the end of the season and shone during the following campaign, which led to PSG making their move for the talented starlet. He is closing in on 100 appearances for the French side, showcasing his class at the highest level, and the Old Gold must certainly rue letting him slip through their fingers.
They have suffered bigger mistakes recently, however, most notably letting Pedro Goncalves leave for next to nothing in 2019 before he turned into a shining light for Sporting CP.
Pedro Goncalves record for Sporting CP
With Nuno Espírito Santo at the helm, Goncalves was signed on a free transfer in the summer of 2017, with the manager clearly having high hopes the player would emerge as a first-team star.
As it transpired, the attacking midfielder made only one first-team appearance for the Old Gold, turning out in an EFL Cup match during the 2018/19 season, before finally joining Famalicao the following summer for a fee believed to be in the region of £1m.
After a season which saw the youngster register 15 goal contributions – seven goals and eight assists – Sporting took a chance on him, and it has worked out fairly well over the previous few years.
In his maiden season, he helped the club end a 19-year title drought, scoring a quite remarkable 23 goals in the top flight before starring in the Champions League the season after with four goals in just five matches.
Portuguese football expert Tom Kundert dubbed Goncalves as “dangerous” in 2020, and he has gone from strength to strength since.
This season, he has registered 31 goal contributions in the top flight, along with creating 17 big chances, averaging two key passes per game and taking 2.8 shots per game as Sporting look set to win their second title in the previous four seasons.
Pedro Goncalves’ market value at Sporting CP
His recent performances have seen the 25-year-old increase in value. According to Football Transfers, he is now valued at €19.7m (£17m) and there is no doubt this will just continue to rise over the coming months.
While Wolves have plenty of attacking talent in their current squad, Goncalves could certainly be an upgrade on certain members, notably Pedro Neto.
How Pedro Goncalves compares to Pedro Neto
In the Premier League, Neto has registered 11 goal contributions, created seven big chances, averaged two key passes per game along with taking 1.8 shots per game.
Aside from key passes, Goncalves has better statistics across every other metric this term, while he also ranks higher among his positional peers.
Across the men’s next 14 competitions, Goncalves ranks in the top 5% for total shots (3.32), the top 12% for non-penalty goals (0.37) and the top 11% for touches in the opposition penalty area (5.25) per 90, proving he is one of the standout attacking players among his peers.
In comparison, while Neto has shone in spells for Wolves this term, he currently ranks in the lowest 88% for non-penalty goals (0.10), the bottom 65% for total shots per 90 (1.99) and the top 37% for touches in the opposition penalty area (4.65) per 90, clearly showcasing a massive gap in figures.
Of course, Neto is being compared to players among the top five leagues in Europe, yet it is evident that Goncalves has been a far better-attacking threat, not only this season, but over the previous four campaigns.
Pedro Goncalves of Sporting-CP
If Wolves knew how good the 25-year-old was going to turn out, then there is absolutely no chance that they would have sold him for peanuts five years ago.
They must certainly rue this massive mistake as the Sporting CP gem is running amok in Portugal, while Neto is currently out injured yet again.
Wolves made a bigger mistake than Gibbs-White by selling "incredible" star
Wolves made a big mistake selling a player last summer…
Kevin Roberts said major venues locked in for the T20 World Cup would not be released for other sports if season were extended
Daniel Brettig17-Mar-2020Strategic cash reserves and standing agreements to take control of the nation’s biggest sporting venues for next summer’s T20 World Cup will be tightly held by Cricket Australia ahead of an off-season that is set to see winter sports ravaged by efforts to fight the global spread of coronavirus.In announcing that CA had chosen to cancel the Sheffield Shield final and award the title to the table-topping New South Wales side, while also recommending the cessation of all community cricket and instructing staff to work from home until at least April 13, the chief executive Kevin Roberts said that the governing body had moved towards playing out various scenarios. These include the prospect of long-term sporting shutdowns, perhaps even stretching into next season’s visit by India.”We’re working through scenario plans around that now,” Roberts said of longer-term shutdowns. “We’re in uncertain times, and it’s difficult to project precisely what will transpire over the next number of months. But we will be working through with advice from experts, externally as to what are the various scenarios that are plausible, how likely are they, and how would we plan to deal with each of them.ALSO READ: New South Wales named Sheffield Shield winners as final cancelled”We’re moving now from management of the onset of coronavirus as a critical incident, to how do we guarantee the continuity of our business and our organisation beyond that – moving from the reactive to the more proactive, and forming a team of business continuity experts that work through all of that over the coming months. We really empathise with the situation for winter sports, we are more fortunate with the timing of this.”Given the circumstances it’s hard to believe it was just a week ago that some of the greatest female cricketers in the world inspired men, women, boys and girls in amazing spectacle next door at the MCG. So we want to try and take the time to reflect proudly on that and make sure the ongoing impact of that great event, and the springboard it represents for women and girls’ sport, is maximised. We did get lucky there, no doubt, and we’ll do what we can to support our colleagues in other sports through the winter, who are going to be harder hit by this.”At the same time, Roberts indicated that any collaborative efforts with the likes of the Australian Football League (AFL) and National Rugby League (NRL), as seen in recent efforts to help rural communities recover from the summer’s horrific bushfire season, would have their limits. In particular, Roberts ruled out any discussion of pooling cash funds held by Australia’s major sports for contingency funding, with a vast difference in some cases as to how capable they are of coping without regular fixtures over the coming weeks and months.Crowds collect outside the MCG before the start of the T20 World Cup final•Getty Images
The NRL is in particularly grim territory, having liquidated its own A$54 million “future fund” in 2016 to deal with short-term cashflow issues and to fund the building of its digital arm, and with its chairman Peter V’Landys actively calling for government assistance. The AFL – thought to have reserves in the region of A$65 million – is somewhat better off, but facing the likelihood of hard times for the league and all clubs after announcing the pre-emptive reduction of the season to 17 regular rounds with an uncertain start date.”The discussions at an industry level for sport, what we have in common is that engagement with communities and the way that sport can bring communities together and inspire them like very few other things in life,” Roberts said. “The financial circumstances of each sport are matters for each sport, in saying that we’ll support the winter sports wherever we can, but I wouldn’t envisage that extends to a common financial pool if you like, given that the circumstances of each sport financially are their business.”As for the AFL floating the possibility of extending its season into December this year in the event of a heavily delayed start, Roberts said that CA and the ICC would be holding the likes of state governments and venue operators to their contracts to host the men’s T20 World Cup in October and November, culminating in the MCG final on November 15.”At a bigger picture level, we’re really hoping all forms of sport can be played again in a few weeks’ or a few months’ time,” Roberts said. “None of us are experts in this situation obviously, so our hope is we’re back in very much normal circumstances come October-November when the men’s T20 World Cup is to be played, and at this stage, we’re planning on November 15 to have a full house next door here at the MCG to inspire the world through men’s cricket, as the women’s cricketers did here just last week.””Certainly we would intend to work collaboratively and support the AFL and other winter sports codes through this period. We do have it a little bit easier at this stage, given the timing of our season. At the same time, there’s a World Cup planned, we’ve got agreements in place and our assumption is that they go ahead as planned, but all sports can be expecting support from us in the meantime.”While the Australian Cricketers Association has already declared its intent to oppose any health-related restrictions on its players travelling to India for the IPL should it go ahead from April 15, Roberts said that discussions of overseas travel and other future assignments, including the national team’s tours of Bangladesh and England in June and July, needed to take place as and when government and health advice was up-to-date.”We’re conscious that Australian players are individually contracted to the IPL and the time will certainly come very soon when players will be really interested and leaning on our perspective as their leader, if you like, to advise them in that regard,” Roberts said. “Then there’ll also be a perspective from the BCCI and their IPL division. Together with the BCCI and with our players, I’m sure players will reach the best possible decisions in uncertain circumstances.”There’s absolutely a bigger picture here and the health of the community, and not just in Australia either, worldwide. So we’re working closely with NZC, CSA, because of the cancellation of recent tours, we discussed the BCCI, so there’s an international lens as well, and we’re doing our best to cross-collaborate across other sports in Australia and also other ICC members worldwide.”