Category: Transfer & News Scotland

Man. Utd manager says Jadon Sancho’s return is ‘in his own hands’ after scoring an equalizer against Leeds

 

Manchester United manager, Erik ten Hag, claims the “brilliant” Jadon Sancho is “on the way back” after scoring on his comeback to the Premier League but stresses that his destiny is “in his own hands.”

 

On Wednesday night, Sancho scored his first Premier League goal since September after coming off the bench to help his team win 2-2 at home against Leeds.

 

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The 22-year-old recently joined Ten Hag’s team after overcoming the physical and emotional ailments that prevented him from leaving the Netherlands for the team’s winter training camp in Spain.

 

Sancho followed up his first show since October in last week’s Carabao Cup triumph over Nottingham Forest with a key 70th-minute equalizer against Leeds in the Premier League.

 

Ten Hag expressed his happiness at Sancho’s goal in an interview with Sky Sports, saying, “I’m incredibly thrilled. He’s on the way back. We know he is a brilliant football player.

 

“He will undoubtedly have a significant impact on our team. Although he had a good time tonight, we are aware of his potential for consistency. He has to work hard, as we all do, and he is in a good mood now.”

 

“It’s a wonderful footballer, and that second goal, I appreciated it, especially for him,” the commentator said. “I think it will strengthen him, push him to offer more; then you’ll receive more.”

 

When the England international was asked in the post-game news conference what he should do to ensure he does not regress, Ten Hag responded: “I believe he has the power to make the decision; if he so chooses, he can, and playing for this team will be fun for him.

 

“I truly enjoyed watching him play with such assurance, conviction, and a straightforward style. Seeing him participate in this attack was fantastic.”

 

Sancho, who cost £73 million when he transferred from Borussia Dortmund to United in July 2021, has now netted three goals in 11 Premier League appearances this season, tying his total from the 2021–22 season (3 in 29 games).

 

Ten Hag continued, “He’s moving in the right direction, and I hope he can maintain this momentum. “I’m confident it’ll help him grow and inspire him to work harder.

 

“As you can see, he is an excellent football player who can perform admirably provided he makes the necessary investments and is at the proper levels.

 

The second goal demonstrates it, but we also saw that when he came on last week. “I think we now have a team that can dominate games more in the opponent’s half – he likes that. He can play in tight spaces and make the difference.”

 

When asked about Sancho’s absence from the starting lineup, Ten Hag replied: “He deserves credit for pushing himself through a challenging moment, and I’m happy and glad he did.

 

“He has my support, the support of the coaches, the squad, and himself throughout this process. But in the end, he must handle it alone.

 

“I hope he can continue in this mood and contribute to this squad and score many goals and create chances and assists,” said the coach. “You can see when he’s at a good level he is an incredible football player, he’s brilliant.”

 

Spurs Consider to sign Liverpool man Naby Keita

 

Tottenham is pondering an offer to acquire Liverpool midfielder Naby Keita on a free transfer, with the Reds midfielder listening to bids from around Europe as talks over a new Anfield contract have yet to progress.

 

 

Keita, 27, will be released at the end of the season. Since joining Liverpool in 2018, he has been in and out of the team. Keita has 127 appearances for Liverpool in his fifth season. Injuries have been a problem.

 

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A new contract for the former Leipzig midfielder is now being discussed. However, they are close, and since Keita can directly speak with clubs about a pre-contract agreement, it is thought that he is receiving bids from all around Europe.

 

 

According to a recent report, a number of Premier League clubs, including Tottenham, are considering offers. According to reports, the 50-time Guinean is followed by Lyon, Inter, Monaco, and Milan. Leipzig is also eager to have him return.

 

 

Spurs do require a midfielder who can play a bigger attacking role. In Spurs’ 1-0 victory over Manchester City on Sunday, Pierre-Emile Hojbjerg contributed an assist, with Harry Kane setting a new record for goals scored by Tottenham. But he takes a stand.

 

 

Defensive midfielders include Hojbjerg, Rodrigo Bentancur, Pape Matar Sarr, Yves Bissouma, and Oliver Skipp. They are known for being less creative. Gio Lo Celso and Tanguy Ndombele are no longer with the Spurs and are out on loan once more.

 

 

The Spurs require an offensive midfielder. At the very least, a player who is capable of scoring goals while still possessing the stamina to re-enter the midfield and provide a defensive screen, Keita exudes that vitality. He might be the perfect free-agent pick for the Spurs if he can stay healthy.

 

Man. City severely criticized after accusation of violating the Premier League’s financial regulations

 

The Premier League charged Manchester City with breaking financial regulations following a four-year investigation. If proven guilty, the league winners, who are anticipated to “lawyer up,” might potentially be subject to a number of penalties, including a points deduction.

 

On Monday, the Premier League issued a statement announcing that they had accused City of breaking more than 100 rules. Following Premier League Rule W.3.4, the findings have now been forwarded to a Commission.

 

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Given that Arsenal presently leads City by five points with a game still to play, it is unclear how this development would affect the ongoing title fight this season. However, if proven guilty, City might face a number of penalties, including a reduction in points, ejection from the league, enormous fines, the loss of titles, transfer bans, and spending caps.

 

Meanwhile, well-known Arsenal supporter Piers Morgan has already urged the Premier League to dock points in the wake of the discoveries. After their Champions League punishment for allegedly breaking financial fair play regulations was lifted on appeal last year, Pep Guardiola supported the club but promised he would leave if they misled him.

 

In August of last year, he remarked, “I said to them: ‘I placed my trust in you because I believe you hundred percent from day one, and I defend the team because of that.’ If you lie to me the next day, I’m not here. I’ll be out, and I won’t be your friend anymore.'”

 

Harry Kane’s 267th goal for the team lifts him past Jimmy Greaves as Spurs’ all-time top scorer

 

As he scored the club’s 267th goal at a boisterous Tottenham Hotspur Stadium, Harry Kane broke Jimmy Greaves’ record for goals scored by a Spurs player to become the club’s all-time leading scorer.

 

Following an exceptional effort by Pierre-Emile Hojbjerg to locate Kane inside the box, the England captain reached the milestone with a cool finish from 10 yards out.

 

Fans erupted from their seats to clap for the 29-year-old striker, who scored his first goal for Spurs on December 15, 2011, as a message reading “Congratulations Harry Kane” flashed up on the scoreboard inside the stadium.

 

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Kane scored his 200th goal in the Premier League in the 15th minute; only Wayne Rooney (208) and Alan Shearer (260 goals) have scored more.

 

The Spurs manager Antonio Conte was recuperating at home after having his gallbladder surgically removed when it happened, going against the flow of play.

 

In the absence of their Italian manager, Tottenham dug deep to frustrate City. Tottenham ended the game with ten men after defender Cristian Romero was dismissed in the 87th minute for two bookable offenses.

 

After Arsenal’s defeat at Everton on Saturday, Pep Guardiola’s team missed the opportunity to reduce Arsenal’s 5-point lead at the peak of the standings.

 

Riyad Mahrez came the closest to tying the score with a shot that ricocheted off the underside of the crossbar, but City has failed to earn a point or score in their last five trips to the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium.

 

Tottenham’s victory puts them one point behind fourth-place Newcastle even though they are five points behind Arsenal despite having played one more game.

 

The ideal environment for a memorable event.

 

Kane, who was 18 when he scored his first goal for Spurs against Shamrock Rovers in the Europa League 12 years ago, celebrated his historic goal with all the vigor of a young man.

 

It was appropriate that it occurred at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium in front of his team’s supporters, who let out an enormous cheer when the ball flew past City goalkeeper Ederson.

 

Kane scored 267 goals in 416 games, while Greaves scored 266 in 379.

 

The goal’s absence from his manager Conte’s presence inside the stadium was the only disappointment.

 

After his operation, the Italian was not present, and Cristian Stellini, his assistant, took over against City.

 

After the game, Kane’s teammates and the Tottenham coaching staff remained on the field as the forward enjoyed the moment and gave an interview there.

 

Then, Kane viewed a message on the big screen from Greaves’ son, Danny, congratulating the player on his remarkable achievement.

 

Outstanding Royal keeps Spurs in the top-four race.

 

Following Manchester City’s 4-2 victory at Etihad Stadium on January 19, this was the two teams’ second Premier League encounter in 17 days.

 

This time, despite City’s best efforts to claw their way back into a fiercely competitive game, Spurs resisted, with Emerson Royal producing some great challenges.

 

Hugo Lloris, the goalkeeper, stopped a shot from Rodri, and Eric Dier deflected Julian Alvarez’s shot away from the goal.

 

In an exciting contest, the home team had opportunities to increase their lead, but Ben Davies’ goal-bound attempt went just over, and Ederson’s save kept Kane from adding a second.

 

Spurs listed one of their best performance of the season with a significant victory that kept them in the running to finish in the top four, and another thunderous roar greeted the final whistle.

 

Haaland and Man City will never forget today.

 

The City has now lost their last three away league and cup games, making this a day to forget for them.

 

Ilkay Gundogan and Kevin de Bruyne were placed on the substitutes’ bench, and Phil Foden was not present due to an overnight illness.

 

Erling Haaland had a rare off day while Kane grabbed all the attention.

 

The striker, who blazed through the Premier League with 25 goals in his first season in England, managed just 27 touches and no shots.

 

Before a tantalizing top-of-the-table match at Arsenal on February 15 (19:30 GMT), City will try to bounce back against Aston Villa at home on Sunday.

 

According to Guardiola, there is still a long way to go in the title race. “Arsenal have dropped few points so far, and of course, there was an opportunity [against Tottenham],” he said.

 

To ensure qualification for the Champions League the following season, it was crucial to be near and leave Tottenham, who is currently fifth in the table, far behind. For many reasons, that is significant.

 

“We feel depressed right now. We’ll reflect and watch the game tomorrow.

 

“We’ll try to go on because we know this season will be very long for everyone—for us, the teams, and everyone else. “

 

Chelsea has two summer signings, Arsenal transfer clash awaits

 

Chelsea’s ability to pull it off was not widely believed. Not at least not in January. Reorganizing the team? That requires work that may wait until the summer when the transfer window is open for 2.5 months rather than just 31.

 

 

However, during their brief time at Stamford Bridge, co-controlling owners Todd Boehly and Behdad Eghbali have shown they are not opposed to a challenge. As a result, an unprecedented winter window spending frenzy was carried out, with a final expenditure of over £300 million.

 

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Early agreements were reached for Gabriel Slonina and David Datro Fofana, and Brazilian prospect Andrey Santos was also signed. Then, Benoit Badiashile from Monaco arrived to strengthen a weak defense. Joao Felix came from Atletico Madrid on loan. Mykhailo Mudryk was persuaded to sign and subsequently rejected interest from Arsenal.

 

 

Next from PSV Eindhoven was Noni Madueke, but the greatest trade of the window and in Chelsea’s history was saved for last. Late on the day of the transfer deadline, Chelsea and Benfica agreed on a £106.7 million deal for Enzo Fernandez. The 22-year-paperwork old was finished quickly, and she is now due to land in England today.

 

 

Such transfer market excess wasn’t offset by player sales either. Jorginho was the lone significant departure from Graham Potter’s starting lineup. The Italian, whose contract at Stamford Bridge had just five months left, signed with Arsenal in a move worth up to £12 million.

 

 

Hakim Ziyech has agreed to a loan deal with French powerhouse Paris Saint-Germain and was anticipated to depart. However, because Chelsea submitted the documentation incorrectly, the transaction was unsuccessful. If the French club’s appeals to the LFP are rejected, the Moroccan international will have to return to Cobham this week.

 

 

In the coming weeks, Potter’s goal is to maintain the happiness of each team member. Although healthy competition exists, only some players are delighted to watch from the sidelines, and even fewer are content to do so week in and week out.

 

 

This is why selling certain players will be a top priority for Chelsea during the summer transfer window. It won’t be easy to do that because purchasers won’t want to do the Blues any favors, but the refresh can only proceed quickly with departures.

 

 

According to a source, a goalkeeper is a position Chelsea would like to improve. Edouard Mendy and Kepa Arrizabalaga have shared the top place this term, but neither has excelled. David Raya of Brentford, whose contract will end in the summer with just 12 months still on it, is interested.

 

 

Levi Colwill, who was in excellent form with Brighton before suffering an injury last month, is anticipated to be integrated into the first team, which may make Chelsea willing to let Kalidou Koulibaly leave. Koulibaly has had a difficult time adjusting to the English game since moving from Napoli. Malo Gusto, added in January, will also move in after his loan with Lyon expires.

 

 

Despite Fernandez’s arrival, the midfield will remain a significant concern. While Declan Rice, despite Arsenal’s best efforts to entice him to the Emirates Stadium, is still a top target for Chelsea, Moises Caicedo is anticipated to be back on the club’s radar. Additionally, the Blues will attempt to sign Mason Mount to a new, long-term deal.

 

 

Christopher Nkunku, a Frenchman who will play a crucial role in the Chelsea assault, will be acquired through a deal already with RB Leipzig. Since Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang has had difficulty getting regular playing time under Potter, he is expected to be permitted to leave.

 

Man Utd loanee Will Fish biggest three & best qualities highlighted

 

Will Fish, a loanee from Manchester United scored his first-ever professional goal for Hibernian during a 6-0 victory over Aberdeen, and manager Lee Johnson was thrilled.

 

Fish, 19, has been a loan player at Easter Road since the start of the campaign, but he has only made six appearances for the Scottish Premier League team thus far. The adolescent has become more critical of Hibs in recent weeks.

 

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He played his first ninety minutes for the Edinburgh club this past weekend, an accomplishment the center-back celebrated with a goal in stoppage time to cap off a fantastic triumph. Johnson is a great supporter of the defender and discussed his qualities at full-time even though he hasn’t featured much since moving to Scotland.

 

To quote Johnson, “I thought Will Fish showed everything he’s about today for a young player. He’s a very, very good player. It helps to play next to Paul [Hanlon] because Paul has the experience — Paul’s a good talker; there is a natural balance there.” According to Johnson, Hanlon has experience, and there is a natural balance.

 

Will Fish, who is quick, strong, and skilled with the ball, is what you would build if you wanted to create a center-half. I thought he hadn’t been hesitant and hadn’t played forward nearly enough in his first few games.”

 

“He showed a perfect pitch personality today, and for him and us, that’s a huge step. I’m looking forward to watching him play between now and the season’s conclusion. Aberdeen allowed him to have the ball. He made terrific forward-thinking decisions. There was no fear in his judgments.”

 

Fish has already spent time on loan outside of Old Trafford. Fish spent half the previous season with Stockport County, but he only made two appearances for the National League team before joining the Reds in January.

 

Calvin Ramsay opens up on injury setback after Liverpool’s rocky start

 

Calvin Ramsay acknowledges that he could not accept the injury prognosis that tragically ended his Liverpool career before it had begun.

 

Ramsay made the initial £4 million transfer from Scottish Premiership club Aberdeen in June, only to discover a significant back problem during his physical.

 

 

The 19-year-old right-back was forced to wait until Napoli visited the Champions’ League group stage in November before making his senior debut for the Reds. The following week, he made his first start—and only other appearance to date—in the Reds’ home Carabao Cup third-round match against Derby County.

 

Ramsay recalled his first fitness setback in the following manner: “I was devastated, to be honest. I was in a scanner for around two hours and kept being told I had two fractures and had to go back in. I had no idea it was there, and I couldn’t feel it, so when they told me, I thought: ‘That couldn’t be right.'” Ramsay also mentioned his initial fitness setback.

 

“When I returned to the scanning, the two stress fractures were once more visible. The fact that I couldn’t feel it made it worse since it appeared, I was okay and could go outside and workout or play.”

 

“It was a setback because I wanted to come here and kick on, start training, and hopefully play games, so I worked hard in the gym to get back to training as soon as possible. Now that I’m back and feeling good, I need to keep working really hard to try to get into the team. It won’t be as easy, but it’s never going to be easy at a big club like this.”

 

Ramsay played the whole 90 minutes of the 1-0 Premier League 2 loss to Crystal Palace at Kirkby on Sunday as he continues to improve his fitness with the under-21 team.

 

He scored for the U21s in their 3-0 victory over West Ham United in October after scoring earlier in the month at Accrington Stanley in the EFL Trophy.

 

And the young man is aware that to follow Jurgen Klopp’s blueprint for Liverpool full-backs, he must continue to develop his attacking side of the game.

 

Talking to the official Liverpool matchday program, Trent and Robbo said, “It’s great pressure because of the number of assists they’ve gotten. “I know that getting assists and occasionally popping up with goals will help me get into the team.”

 

“My greatest strengths are attacking, crossing, and cutting inside to shoot, so whenever I get the chance, I need to use those skills and seize the moment.”

 

Erik ten Hag’s prediction proven wrong with arsenal vs ManUtd

 

On Sunday, Arsenal defeated Manchester United 3-2 to earn a key victory and move five points clear of second-place Manchester City in the Premier League standings.

 

After 17 minutes, United sensation Marcus Rashford opened the scoring before Eddie Nketiah answered for the Gunners seven minutes later. Bukayo Saka, a recent graduate of the Hale End academy, gave his team the early advantage in the game; Red Devils promptly responded with an equalizer through Argentine defender Lisandro Martinez.

 

 

Nketiah’s 90th-minute goal then gave the north Londoners the victory, a result that might be crucial for Arsenal’s bid to win the league championship for the first time since 2004. Erik ten Hag, the manager of United, has since reflected on the game at the Emirates Stadium and stated that his squad played strong defense and hardly let the home team any ‘clean’ shots on David De Gea’s goal.

 

The Dutchman remarked in a press conference, as reported by Manchester Evening News: “I think a lot of games we played very well (defensively), we had a lot of clean sheets. Against Manchester City, we played excellent defense. Overall, we played excellent defense against Arsenal.

 

“I don’t believe they take clean shots; one came from a free-kick, though. The remaining shots were from long-range cutbacks, with one of our defenders standing between the ball and the goal.

 

Ten Hag’s remarks seem particularly odd because both of Nketiah’s goals were spotless strikes inside United’s six-yard box, hardly pop-shots from a great distance. And, according to Understat, Arsenal registered 2.9 xG (expected goals) on the day, compared to the Red Devils’ 0.27 xG.

 

This was the second-highest total that Ten Hag’s team has given up in the league this year, trailing only Manchester City’s marginally higher (3.01) tally from their 6-3 victory in October 2022. This shows that the Gunners were well deserved all three points and produced a lot more than the United boss would like to accept.

 

Gunners appear to be lining up once Mudryk deal finalize

 

Arsenal look set to know their next move in the January window once Mykhaylo Mudryk’s move is complete and a deal with Shakhtar Donetsk is tighter than ever, as football London has learned. The Gunners have been chasing the 22-year-old for several months and appear close to signing their first deal in the January transfer window after seeing two bids rejected.

 

 

Chelsea’s interest in Mudryk has kept Arsenal’s efforts to sign him, with the winger continuing to hint that he wants to sign with the Gunners. His latest request arrived late on Thursday night when news emerged of a new offer from Arsenal, which he posted on Instagram with a praying emoji.

 

 

It has been suggested that the Ukrainian could be worth around £75-80m, taking him past Nicolas Pepe as Arsenal’s record signing.

 

 

Although linked with other players in the winter window, Mudryk has been the primary target of Edu and Mikel Arteta. Now that a breakthrough has been made, the club may focus on other marks. Another midfielder is needed to provide adequate depth, while a left-footed center-back has been discussed to provide cover for Gabriel Magalhaes.

 

 

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Arsenal may have already decided on their subsequent signing, & his position is different from those mentioned above. Real Vallodalid right-back Ivan Fresneda has attracted a lot of interest from several clubs, including Newcastle, Juventus, Borussia Dortmund, and Arsenal.

 

 

PucelaNews_1928 posted on Twitter, Valladolid’s dedicated news page, that the 18-year-old wants Arsenal to be his next club. They also claim the Gunners are interested but ask for patience while they work out the final details of Mudryk’s transfer.

 

 

Fabrizio Romano also recently reported an update on Fresneda’s future, revealing that the teenager is still undecided about his future. The young Spaniard, who has made eight La Liga appearances this season, is out of contract with Valladolid until June 2025.

 

Chelsea agrees £88.5m deal with Shakhtar Donetsk

On Saturday, Chelsea co-owner Behdad Egbali and global transfer director Paul Winstanley flew to Antalya in Turkey. Then they used Mudryk’s private jet to bring Mudrick back to the UK.

 

 

Mudryk will undergo a medical in London and expects to watch Chelsea take on Crystal Palace at Stamford Bridge.

 

 

Chelsea is confident of securing a move and has offered the 22-year-old a seven-and-a-half-year deal.

 

 

Arsenal was still in talks as recently as Friday but is preparing to walk away from a move if the deal doesn’t work out.

 

 

Chelsea will pay an upfront payment of 70 million euros (£62 million) and an additional fee of 30 million euros (£26.5 million), which includes winning the Champions League, the Premier League, and other conditions linked to individual performance.

 

 

A statement from Shakhtar last Saturday night confirmed a deal was “very close.”

 

 

Chelsea then issued their statement, confirming they were “discussing terms” with Shakhtar over the transfer fee.

 

 

Chelsea added: “If an agreement reaches between the two clubs, the Ukraine international, who can play as a winger or striker, will talk about personal terms with the Blues before making a permanent move.”

 

 

In a social media post, Mudryk said Premier League leader Arsenal is his preferred destination, and personal circumstances did not expect to be an issue.

 

 

He liked a parody Instagram post describing him being held captive by Shakhtar Donetsk as they continued to insist on higher offers and uploaded posts showing him watching Arsenal games and telling Mikel Arteta was a “top coach.”

 

 

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But he now appears ready to join Graham Potter’s try-hard Chelsea side, who have just one win in their last five games.

 

 

Chelsea boss Todd Boehly has sanctioned the addition of Benoit Badiahill, David Fofana, and Andre Santos in the January transfer window. Joao Felix is also on loan from Atletico Madrid.

 

 

He was unknown outside Ukraine at the start of last season, with a transfer value of less than £1m. Now he is one of the most desirable young players in Europe. After explosive growth, Mudryk looked destined for big things.

 

 

The 21-year-old, who displayed his prodigious pace and one-on-one power in the Champions League group stage earlier this season, was described by Shakhtar Donetsk’s director of football Darijo Srna. “The best player in Europe” in his place” behind Kylian Mbappe and Vinicius Junior.

 

 

That claim might be an exaggeration, but Srna isn’t the only one who carries Mudryk in high regard. He has a long list of suitors, and Chelsea is close to signing him.