All posts by rastrear-estafeta.com

With Sunderland currently sitting in sixth place in the League One table, Lee Johnson’s side have conceded a total of 22 goals in 17 games, more than any other side above them in the table.

This could have something to do with the fact that the Black Cats currently have a number of injured defensive players such as Niall Huggins, Dennis Cirkin and Denver Hume out of action, leaving Johnson having to play the likes of Carl Winchester and Luke O’Nien in the full-back positions in recent matches.

With this in mind and the fact that the January transfer window is on the horizon, one player that the Wearside club should be looking to bring in to help ease their injury crisis is Eric Lichaj.

After being linked with a move for the full-back during the previous summer transfer window after leaving Turkish club Faith Karagumruk in January, it seems as though the club could be forced into securing the defender’s signature in this upcoming window on a free transfer as a result of their current injury worries.

The 33-year-old, who is currently valued at £450k according to Transfermarkt, has a total of 345 senior club appearances under his belt throughout his career, with 257 of them coming in the Championship, showing how much experience he has that he could offer Sunderland if he joins in January.

Despite predominantly playing as a right-back, Lichaj, who was previously described as “phenomenal” by Nigel Adkins during his time at Hull City, has also played a decent number of games in the left-back position, highlighting his versatility that could be a big help for Sunderland if they still have defensive injuries in the full-back positions heading into the New Year.

On that evidence, signing Lichaj on a free transfer should be at the top of Kyril Louis-Dreyfus’ priority list. With injuries aplenty, he could help the team push towards promotion by the end of the season.

In other news: Johnson must ruthlessly axe “unique” lightweight tonight, he could cost SAFC dearly – opinion

Liverpool are interested in signing Inter Milan star Lautaro Martinez if Mohamed Salah leaves, according to Serie A journalist Niccolo Ceccarini.

The Lowdown: Martinez shines for Inter

The 24-year-old has become one of the key figures at Inter in recent years, scoring 14 goals in just 21 Serie A starts this season, not to mention registering two assists.

Martinez has been described as ‘spectacular’ by the one and only Lionel Messi, which is high praise indeed, and it could be that he is on the move at the end of the season, with Inter seemingly already eyeing up replacements in the shape of Paulo Dybala and Gianluca Scamacca.

The £63million-rated Argentine’s current deal in Milan expires in the summer of 2026.

The Latest: Liverpool keen on signing

Speaking to Tuttomercatoweb [via Sport Witness], Ceccarini claimed that Liverpool are interested in making a move for Martinez if Salah leaves:

“As for Lautaro, the club’s (Inter’s) position is very clear. The Argentine striker remains central and fundamental in the Nerazzurri project, but in the face of a big offer, Inter will still make a reflection.

“We have to understand if a big European name will come forward concretely. Liverpool is a possibility, especially if Salah should leave at the end of this season.”

[web_stories_embed url=”https://www.footballtransfertavern.com/web-stories/latest-liverpool-transfer-news-26/” title=”Latest Liverpool transfer news!” poster=”” width=”360″ height=”600″ align=”none”]

The Verdict: Hard to see happening

While Martinez is undoubtedly a special talent who could thrive at one of Europe’s top teams, it is hard to see Liverpool signing him this summer.

In Salah, Sadio Mane, Luis Diaz, Diogo Jota and Roberto Firmino, the Reds already have five magnificent options in attack, so the Inter man would struggle for playing time if he came in.

The only way that a move would make sense is if Salah, Mane or Firmino moved on, with the trio all out of contract in 2023, but there is no guarantee that that will happen.

In other news, a journalist has made an exciting claim regarding one Liverpool target. Read more here.

Wolves have revealed the latest information in forward Hee-Chan Hwang’s recovery from a thigh injury, and it certainly looks positive.

What’s the latest?

The RB Leipzig loanee has been out of action since mid-December with a thigh injury and had started life at Molineux impressively, scoring four goals in his first six league appearances.

Although the goals had dried up slightly prior to suffering his injury, the South Korean was a regular fixture in Bruno Lage’s side and his return will be very welcome.ÂThat return, in fact, could come in the coming weeks.

On their official Twitter page, Wolves shared a video of Hwang addressing fans and providing an update on his fitness.

The 25-year-old said: “After the injury, I am recovering well and have started jogging and training.

“I will try my best to show my best performance to the fans. Thank you for your support.”

According to Premier Injuries, 10 Februrary is currently the estimated date for the South Korean’s return to action.

Wolves fans will be buzzing

Although the West Midlands outfit are sat comfortably in eighth place with hopes of a push towards the top-six, goals have been at a shortage for the entirety of their campaign.

Having scored just 17 goals in 20 league games, Lage’s side are the Premier League’s third-lowest scorers, therefore the return of Hwang will be welcome indeed.

When fit, the 25-year-old was mainly operating on the left-hand side of a front-three, a position that has seen various personnel fill in over the course of the campaign.

The likes of Daniel Podence, Franciso Trincão and Adama Traore have all started on the left-hand side on occasion this season, despite their preference being the right. However, the trio have just one league goal between them.

Who to play either side of striker Raúl Jiménez has been a headache for the Portuguese manager at times this term, particularly during the absence of the South Korean, meaning that his return can’t come soon enough.

Moreover, prior to his injury there was talk of the Black Country club swooping to turn the Leipzig-loanee’s loan deal permanent, given the fact that the winger hadn’t been getting much of a look in at the Bundesliga outfit.

Hee-Chan Hwang’s return from injury will be a major boost as Wolves look to close the gap between them and the top-six.

In other news: Sky Sports journalist drops Wolves transfer update live on air, Lage will be delighted

West Ham United have learned the latest information regarding the future of Manchester United winger and Hammers transfer target Jesse Lingard, with the 29-year-old weighing up his options.

What’s the latest?

According to the Daily Star, West Ham remain interested in signing the Englishman, who spent the second half of last season on loan at the East London club. However, Premier League rivals Newcastle United are ready to offer more money to bring Lingard to the North-East.

The £18m-rated wide man’s contract at Manchester United expires on 30 June, meaning that if he remains at Old Trafford for the remainder of the campaign, he’ll be able to leave in the summer for free.

Having played just one minute of Premier League football under new boss Ralf Rangnick, despite being labelled “brilliant” by former manager Ole Gunnar Solskjaer, it is becoming increasingly more clear that the 29-year-old’s time at United is in its final stages. Therefore, it would seem obvious that the Red Devils would sell this month whilst they can gather a fee, albeit low.

David Moyes is still keen to reunite with Lingard, but it will be a case of who offers the right money, with the Irons not looking to involve themselves in a bidding war.

West Ham must sign Lingard

West Ham’s head of recruitment Rob Newman will be well aware of the impact that Lingard had on David Moyes’ side in the second half of last season and why the Hammers faithful are desperate to see the winger in claret and blue once again.

The 29-year-old scored nine goals and registered five assists in 16 appearances for the East London outfit whilst on loan last term, helping them secure Europa League qualification by finishing sixth.

Unfortunately for West Ham, a permanent move didn’t materialise in the summer and they still find themselves in a hunt to bring Lingard back to the capital.

However, the void left by the 29-year-old hasn’t been a major predicament, with 25-year-old Jarrod Bowen really finding his feet in the top-flight this campaign. The Englishman has scored nine goals and contributed ten assists in 31 appearances across all competitions this season, with five coming in his last seven matches.

The prospect of having both an in-form Bowen and Lingard, should he replicate last season’s form, in the same side would be simply mouthwatering for West Ham fans.

After all, the England international was dubbed “special” by assistant boss Stuart Pearce last season.

Moreover, Moyes will have to add new recruits this window, regardless of whether or not Lingard returns to East London, with the Hammers still juggling three competitions and in need of as much squad depth as possible.

In other news: Moyes could finally replace Haller as West Ham plot bid for “complete” £13.5m-rated machine

Everton are likely to sign a couple of players on transfer deadline day as the club moves closer to appointing Frank Lampard in the manager’s dugout at Goodison Park.

What’s the word?

This has been a chaotic transfer window for the Toffees and on deadline day this Monday, it’s set to get even crazier.

As well as being on the verge of appointing Lampard, they are set to welcome Donny van de Beek to the club on loan from Manchester United.

But, the new boss won’t stop there in his pursuit of new signings according to reporter Alan Myers.

The journalist was asked on Twitter on Sunday whether the Dutchman would be the club’s final addition but he responded; “I doubt it.”

Myers then added in another tweet: “I’d guess 2 to 3 [signings] maybe.”

Fans buzzing

After all of the protest and rage that has engulfed Goodison this month, it looks as though Everton are set to end the month on a high.

The appointment of Lampard is ambitious and will take the club in a new direction after the previously appointed Carlo Ancelotti and Rafa Benitez; two individuals with far more coaching experience under their belts.

However, what Lampard has in common with those two, is a lure, particularly for young English players or footballers looking to get their careers back on track.

Van de Beek perfectly fits that description and with Jesse Lingard and Dele Alli also on the club’s radar, this could be a captivating finish to the window.

Myers doesn’t mention who may follow the Man United midfielder through the door but the fact that Lampard is wasting no time in looking to strengthen his squad should be music to the ears of supporters.

After all, this is a team that sit in 16th place in the Premier League after just one win in their last 14 top-flight encounters.

AND in other news, Everton gifted late transfer boost that may save their season, Lampard will be a hero…

Celtic are interested in a deal to bring Albert Gudmundsson to Parkhead.

What’s the talk?

That’s according to a report by The Telegraph, who claim that Ange Postecoglou’s side are keeping a very close eye on the situation of the AZ Alkmaar winger, who is out of contract at the end of the current campaign.

However, the report goes on to state that Celtic are not the only Premiership side keeping tabs on the 24-year-old forward, with the club’s Old Firm rivals also believed to be interested in a move for the Iceland international, while a number of other top sides across Europe are also thought to be monitoring the situation of Gudmundsson.

Bye-bye Ajeti

Considering just how impressive Gudmundsson has been for AZ Alkmaar in recent seasons, should Celtic be able to secure a deal for the versatile winger, it would undoubtedly be a massive coup for Postecoglou and his side – particularly if he were to arrive at Parkhead on a free transfer.

Indeed, over his 26 Eredivisie appearances in the club’s 2020/21 campaign, the £3.6m-rated man scored seven goals, registered four assists and created seven big chances for his teammates, as well as taking an average of 2.2 shots and making 1.2 key passes per game.

These returns saw the 24-year-old – who can play anywhere across the front three, in addition to central and attacking midfield – earn a seasonal SofaScore match rating of 6.99, ranking him as AZ’s eighth-best performer in the top flight of Dutch football.

Meanwhile, over the £1.9k-per-week forward’s 16 league outings this season, Gudmundsson has already bagged four goals, provided one assist and created three big chances, as well as making an average of 0.9 key passes and taking 1.2 shots per fixture.

These returns have seen the 29-time capped international average a SofaScore match rating of 6.91, ranking him as his side’s ninth-best player in the Eredivisie.

As such, it is clear that a player who carries both the goalscoring threat and creativity of the winger would make a fantastic addition to Postecoglou’s current options in attack, while his potential arrival would very much appear to spell the end for the £18k-per-week Albian Ajeti.

Indeed, the player who Neil Lennon signed for £5m back in the summer of 2020 has been labelled a “problem” by Packie Bonner, and looks to be heading for an exit from Glasgow in the not too distant future – something which the arrival of Gudmundsson would all but confirm.

In other news: Forget Forrest: Ange must unleash 19 y/o Celtic gem who’s been “bright” at Lennoxtown

Newcastle United have been handed a fresh injury lift over Miguel Almiron…

What’s the latest?

Magpies boss Eddie Howe has revealed that the midfielder has recovered from his ailment and will be back in the squad against Wolves for their Premier League clash tonight.

The 28-year-old was absent from the matchday squad for the 5-1 defeat to Tottenham last weekend but will now be available for selection against Bruno Lage’s side.

On Thursday, Lee Ryder tweeted: “Eddie Howe says he is ‘delighted’ to welcome back Miguel Almiron from illness #nufc.”

Buzzing

The 44-year-old will be buzzing with this news, as it means that he will have a solid option to bring off the bench if required.

It will be a big boost to his squad as Almiron offers plenty of endeavour and work rate when he comes off the bench for Newcastle. He works his socks off for the team and that is a valuable trait to have in a player coming on as a substitute.

Whilst he may not have the attacking quality required to make an impact in the final third, from the start or off the bench, he is the perfect player to bring in to help see out a game by adding a steeliness to the forwards on the pitch.

For example, if Newcastle are winning 2-1 in the 70th minute and Allan Saint-Maximin is starting to look fatigued, Howe can put Almiron on and let him run himself into the ground to help the team. The Paraguayan has averaged 2.1 tackles and interceptions per game this season, which shows that he puts in a shift out of possession to try and win the ball back for his side.

Meanwhile, Saint-Maximin has only averaged 0.8 tackles and interceptions per game, the same as Ryan Fraser. This suggests that neither of them offers the defensive protection that the Paraguay international does when he is on the pitch, as they do not win the ball back as often as him.

Therefore, Almiron is a useful option for Howe to have, and that is why the manager will be buzzing to have the 28-year-old available for selection. The head coach will surely want as many options as possible on the bench to use in a multitude of scenarios, with the Magpies attempting to put their three-match losing streak to an end against Wolves tonight.

AND in other news, Signed for free, now worth £9m: Ashley sealed his final NUFC gift in £35k-p/w “dream”…

After an impressive run of seven league games unbeaten, Crystal Palace now finds themselves on the back of three consecutive defeats in the Premier League going into their home clash against Everton on Sunday afternoon.

It appears as though Patrick Vieira will need to make some alterations to his side in order to refind the solidity that saw the Eagles go two months without defeat.

Here is how Football FanCast believes the South London side will line up against the Toffees.

In defence, Palace fans will be delighted to see the return of right-back Joel Ward after suspension, who will take the place of second-choice Nathaniel Clyne who started against Manchester United last Sunday. As for the rest of the backline, it’s the same faces.

There’s no change in the midfield, despite Jeff Schlupp’s lacklustre performance at Old Trafford last weekend, completing just nine passes at a success rate of 54%. That is down to the fact that midfielder James McArthur is still unavailable with a thigh injury.

The Eagles have really missed the services of the 34-year-old, failing to win any of their last four games, all of which the Scotsman has missed.

As expected, Conor Gallagher and Cheikhou Kouyaté lineup alongside each other yet again in the middle of the park, with the midfielders racking up a combined 27 league appearances so far this term.

In attack, there’s a second change from the defeat to United, with Odsonne Edouard replacing Jordan Ayew. The £7.2m-rated Ghanaian is yet to score this season and has been labelled a “liability” by some of the Palace faithful.

Edouard is naturally a striker but has been deployed out wide in a front-three before by Vieira this season and his three league goals so far this term should add extra firepower to the Palace frontline.

Wilfried Zaha and Christian Benteke have both looked sharp at times this campaign, both having four league goals to their name thus far and will be the men Palace look upon to win the game.

Ange Postecoglou’s Celtic side face a break from their Premiership campaign on Saturday afternoon, when the Bhoys make the trip to Alloa Athletic in the fourth round of the Scottish Cup.

And, with the Hoops’ opponents currently struggling towards the bottom of the Scottish League One table, the fixture presents the 56-year-old Celtic manager with a perfect opportunity to rest a number of his regular starters, as well as handing minutes to some of his peripheral squad members – in addition to those returning from injury.

[snack-amp-story url=”https://www.footballfancast.com/?post_type=web-story&p=664142″ title=”Check out the latest Celtic news!”]

One player who falls into the latter category is none other than Christopher Jullien, the 28-year-old centre-back who last featured for the Bhoys all the way back in December 2020, with a recurring knee injury seeing the former France U21 international miss over a year of first-team football.

However, following the defender’s recent post on Twitter – in which Jullien shared a photo of himself in training at Lennoxtown alongside the caption “green light” – it would appear as if the Frenchman is now ready to make his long-awaited return to the pitch.

And, with the fixture against Alloa not likely to be the most strenuous game of the season for the Celtic backline, Barry Ferguson’s side could well be the perfect opponent for Jullien to ease himself back into the rigours of first-team football.

Game-changer

While the expression like a new signing is perhaps overused when describing a player returning from injury, should Jullien be able to refind the level of form he was in prior to his injury, the 28-year-old’s availability will undoubtedly be game-changing for Celtic’s title hopes this season.

Indeed, over his nine Premiership fixtures in the Bhoys’ 2020/21 campaign, the £4.95m-rated centre-back helped his side to keep five clean sheets, scored one goal and registered one assist, as well as making an average of 1.2 interceptions, 1.2 tackles, 3.6 clearances and winning 6.9 duels per game.

These returns saw the £20k-per-week defender average a rather astonishing SofaScore match rating of 7.43, ranking him as the Hoops’ second-best performer in the league last season.

As such, in order to help get the Frenchman back up to speed as quickly as possible, Postecoglou simply must unleash Jullien on Saturday afternoon, as the return of the player who Noel Whelan dubbed a “leader” could well turn the tide in Celtic’s favour regarding the Premiership race over the coming months.

In other news: “Excellent” 23 y/o may have played his final game for Celtic as January deal is agreed

Loads of Everton fans were reacting to some early team news that has emerged ahead of their game away at Burnley in the Premier League on Boxing Day.

As per Patrick Boyland, Dominic Calvert-Lewin has said that he is now ‘hoping’ to return from injury against the Clarets at Turf Moor, in what The Athletic journalist claims would be a ‘boost’ for the Goodison Park faithful.

The striker has been out injured since August, and scored three goals in his first three games of the season (Transfermarkt). This, added to the 21 goals that he managed as the Merseyside club’s top scorer last term, shows just how important he is to the team, and so to have him back would be a big welcome.

However, with a longer term injury, some Toffees supporters are cautious that he is not rushed back, and are just hopeful that he is fit enough to play some part.

Everton fans on Calvert-Lewin injury news

These Blues reacted to the news as it was shared on Twitter:

“It’s a Christmas miracle Tiny Tim”

Credit: @bmoney831

“Don’t know if he starts Sunday, but nevertheless good news. We’ve missed Dom greatly.”

Credit: @EFCCollins11

“Holds breath”

Credit: @Blueste35650715

“Bring me the one who floats”

Credit: @ShoeyEFC1234

“Hopefully he lasts longer than Mina did on his return”

Credit: @timjenkinson28

“We really could do with Mina back as well percentage of games we win when he plays”

Credit: @MarkMur25726299

In other news, find out what stadium news has Evertonians buzzing here!