Tag Futebol

Southampton manager Ralph Hasenhuttl is expected to leave the club today according to talkSPORT journalist Alex Crook. 

The Lowdown: Tough times for Hasenhuttl

Last night, it was reported that the south coast club have decided to sack the Austrian following the 4-1 defeat to Newcastle United in the Premier League.

The report from The Athletic claimed that the Saints’ hierarchy have agreed to sack Hasenhuttl either during the World Cup break or before they play against Liverpool at Anfield next Saturday in their final match ahead of the tournament.

However, it appears that the 55-year-old could be packing his bags even sooner than then.

The Latest: Hasenhuttl on his way out

Taking to Twitter on Monday morning, Crook made a fresh claim regarding Hasenhuttl’s status at Southampton.

The talkSPORT reporter said: “Ralph Hasenhuttl to leave #SaintsFC today with replacement already lined up.” 

The Verdict: Big change incoming?

Since Hasenhuttl took charge of Southampton in December 2018, the Austrian has overseen 173 matches with the club across all competitions. With 66 players used in total across those games, Southampton have won 60, drawn 38 and lost 75.

In this latest Premier League season, the Saints have lost eight of their 13 matches, leaving them with just 12 points on the board and currently in the relegation zone.

Taking into account this poor start to the campaign, it’s easy to see why the hierarchy at Southampton have reportedly decided to dispense with Hasenhuttl promptly.

Now that Crook has claimed that the 55-year-old could be on his way out of St Mary’s today, it’s interesting to hear that the club seemingly have a potential replacement already lined up. This says to us that the thought of getting rid of Hasenhuttl has been on the agenda for some time.

With two matches left to play before the World Cup break, this could be a very significant week for Southampton if this big change were to happen.

Leeds United have been in contact with Spanish coach Paco Gallardo over a potential move to Elland Road to work alongside Jesse Marsch.

The Lowdown: Gallardo profiled

The 42-year-old has previous coaching experience with Sevilla, starting out as a coach for their C team back in 2017 and progressing to the first team as a technical coach and an advisor.

He then went on to manage Sevilla’s reserve team, where he played a 4-2-3-1 system, but he has been out of work for more than 12 months now.

The Latest: Leeds linked with Gallardo

Sport Witness relayed an update from Mucho Deporte regarding Leeds and Gallardo on Tuesday.

They claimed that the 42-year-old has spoken to Victor Orta and will be given a crucial role at Elland Road, where he is set to work with the first team, under-21 side and further youth teams.

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The Verdict: Orta influence?

Phil Hay previously hinted that there could be some changes to Marsch’s backroom staff, and it looks as if Gallardo is now set to come in.

Orta may well have used his Spanish links and previous association with Sevilla to identify Gallardo, who looks set to be handed a variety of roles at Thorp Arch.

A move could be one to keep an eye on over the coming weeks, which will give Gallardo the time to build relationships with everyone in Yorkshire, including Marsch.

Reporter Dean Jones has been reacting to the rumours regarding Wolves and Julen Lopetegui.

The Lowdown: Lopetegui speculation

Wolves have been on the hunt for a new manager for a week now after deciding to part ways with Bruno Lage. Reliable reporter John Percy stated that Lopetegui was one of two top targets from Molineux chiefs, with the 56-year-old since losing his job at Sevilla.

Wolves were set to step up their pursuit of Lopetegui following his dismissal in Spain, and Jones has given his thoughts to a potential move.

The Latest: Jones reacts

In a story shared on Saturday, Jones, talking to This is Futbol prior to Sevilla parting ways Lopetegui, said that ‘there’s a lot to consider’ for Wolves as they weigh up the possibility of bringing Lopetegui to the Midlands, labelling it as a potential ‘gamble’.

“Lopetegui, obviously he’s got his own position to weigh up right now.

“Might be a bit more of a gamble, I would say.

“So yeah, there’s a lot to consider there.”

The Verdict: Shrewd target?

Lopetegui likes to play an attacking 4-3-3 system and left Sevilla with 90 wins from 170 games, a relatively successful period where he won the Europa League during the 2019/20 season.

Yes, his side have struggled this season and he doesn’t have experience in the Premier League, however, neither did Nuno Espirito Santo or Lage when they arrived in the Midlands.

Lopetegui does have plenty of experience across Europe, though, so he could prove to be a smart target, so it will be interesting to see if they manage to bring him to England.

Huddersfield Town are looking at Birmingham City boss John Eustace as a possible alternative to David Wagner, according to journalist James Nursey.

The Lowdown: Eustace profiled

Eustace has limited managerial experience in the Football League after retiring as a player back in 2015.

The 42-year-old was in charge of non-league side Kidderminster Harriers before joining QPR as an assistant in 2018. He took caretaker charge of The R’s in 2019 and has also served as Stephen Kenny’s assistant with the Republic of Ireland.

Eustace, who likes to play a 3-4-1-2 formation, is now in charge of Birmingham City, winning just three of his opening 11 games.

The Latest: Huddersfield update

Nursey provided an update for Huddersfield in their search for Danny Schofield’s successor.

He stated that the club are ‘keen to bring back David Wagner to fill their managerial vacancy’ but said that ‘it is not an easy deal to do’. Nursey then said that the Terriers are ‘looking at other candidates’, which includes Eustace.

The Verdict: Strange

Eustace isn’t exactly lighting up the Championship, although his Birmingham side headed into the international break three games unbeaten which included impressive away wins over Preston North End and West Brom.

You could argue that Wagner would be a more reliable appointment after previously taking the club into the Premier League. However, he has struggled in short stints with Schalke and Young Boys since leaving, and if the club can’t get a deal over the line, Eustace could be a risky appointment by owner Dean Hoyle due to the large difference in experience in the dugout.

Former Premier League manager Alex McLeish has hailed Leeds United’s late swoop for young forward Wilfried Gnonto, as per Football Insider.

The Lowdown: Summer business

The Whites spent and received close to £100m this summer in what was a busy few months for Andrea Radrizzani and Victor Orta.

Leeds brought in six players over the age of 20, while also signing teenagers Darko Gyabi, Sonny Perkins and Gnonto. The Italy international was the final addition of the summer late on deadline day after the Yorkshire club failed with moves for Cody Gakpo and Bamba Dieng earlier in the day.

The Latest: McLeish’s comments

McLeish, who contributes for Sky Sports, was talking to Football Insider about Leeds’ late move for Gnonto. He hailed the club for spending big this summer and said that a late striker signing was ‘brilliant’.

The former Aston Villa manager stated:

“Leeds have had this issue for a while now.

“I think a striker was always going to arrive, it was just a matter of who. Bamford is an injury concern but Rodrigo has been scoring the goals now he has been moved higher up the pitch.

“Gelhardt is a talent but maybe not ready to carry the burden of leading the line. Leeds have done remarkably well this summer.

“They have gone out and spent which is something they didn’t do last season. A striker signing was needed so it’s brilliant they got that done.”

The Verdict: Still short?

Leeds were on course for a solid transfer window at the end of July with the majority of their business already done, but you could say that they left it too late to bring in a new senior forward and had to accelerate their interest in Gnonto as a result.

A new left-back could also have been of use due to a lack of options and Junior Firpo’s injury problems, so it will be interesting to see how the next few months play out before the Whites can strengthen their squad again in January.

Liverpool have been heavily linked with a move for Matheus Nunes, and now a new update has emerged on the potential of a deal being done for the player before the transfer window closes.

What’s the latest?

According to transfer insider Dean Jones, Liverpool “might” still make a move for Sporting CP midfielder Nunes this summer.

Jones told GIVEMESPORT:

“There’s definitely been some feeling around Portugal that Liverpool might make an offer.

“Liverpool have had scouting reports on this guy and Manchester United have actually been linked too, but neither of those have pushed forward at the moment.”

FSG must act now

It is no secret that the Liverpool squad are already experiencing somewhat of an injury crisis in their midfield at the moment, so a new midfielder signing certainly would not be a wasted pursuit for FSG who will need to act now if they want to make a move with just two weeks left in the transfer window.

Curtis Jones, Thiago Alcantara and Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain remain unavailable for selection in the foreseeable future, with Naby Keita returning from illness in recent days meaning he will be available for the game against Crystal Palace tonight, but they are just one more injury away from a concerning situation at Anfield.

Keita is renowned for his fitness issues with 16 separate incidents of injury over the last four years, missing 62 fixtures in total so it could be a huge risk not to sign another midfielder to help the side compete comfortably and challenge for trophies once again this season.

Liverpool have already shown intent in signing a new midfielder this summer with Aurelien Tchouameni reportedly agreeing personal terms with the club, however, the young talent preferred a move to the club’s Champions League final opponents Real Madrid in the end.

Now the Reds find themselves in a much more desperate position in terms of finding a midfielder that can not only come into the team to add instant reinforcements for those missing players, but also an individual that can add quality to the team too.

Nunes has been impressing this season already in the Primeira Liga after the £51m sensation scored a wonder goal from midfield last weekend against Rio Ave at the Jose Alvalade Stadium, which was certainly the perfect message to send to the powers at Anfield in the remaining days and weeks of the transfer window.

With that being said, it will be interesting to see if Liverpool ramp up their interest, as their pursuit of the player could intensify if Jurgen Klopp’s side struggle to dominate in their upcoming performances against Crystal Palace and Manchester United.

Liverpool have been named among the admirers of Red Bull Salzburg striker Benjamin Sesko, according to reports from Spain. 

The lowdown: Rise to stardom

Signed by Salzburg in 2019 for £2.25million, Sesko has gone from strength to strength in Austria and enjoyed a stellar spell at FC Liefering, scoring 22 goals and providing six assists in 44 appearances across two loan stints.

Despite his tender years, the 19-year-old Slovenia international has already now established himself as a mainstay in the senior XI for both club and country, attracting interest from Newcastle, Manchester United, Wolves, Bayern Munich, Borussia Dortmund and RB Leipzig in the process.

Now, a fresh report from Spain has thrown some additional names into the mix as potential suitors for Sesko, including Liverpool…

The latest: ‘Klopp is in love’

As per a Spanish source, Liverpool, Real Madrid, Barcelona, PSG, Man United and Chelsea are all keen on the 13-cap star.

It’s claimed that the Reds are among those who ‘want’ and have ‘shown interest’ in Sesko, forcing Salzburg to place a €65million (£54million) price tag on the head of their frontman.

The report also states that Jurgen Klopp ‘is in love’ with the hitman having watched the teenager described as ‘one of the fastest players on the planet’ score the only goal of the game in last week’s pre-season defeat in Austria.

The verdict: One for the future

Although there can be no bad time to sign the hottest properties such as Sesko, after landing Darwin Nunez this summer it seems highly unlikely that FSG would sanction another major expenditure on a striker so soon.

Instead, the Reds will likely retain a watching brief on the 6 foot 3 marksmen and perhaps hope no major transfer is forthcoming with a view to making a move in the future, potentially after enjoying further development and scoring many more goals.

Last season, Sesko – who once clocked a staggering in-game speed of 36.11 km/h in 2021 – netted ten times and registered another seven assists in 36 appearances across all competitions for Salzburg.

Perhaps unsurprisingly, the Slovenian speedster has made a lightning start to the 2022/23 campaign, scoring twice and setting up a teammate on one occasion in the opening three games, further proof of a supreme ability to impact matches in the final third.

Under contract until 2026 (Transfermarkt), Liverpool, Klopp and Julian Ward alike will be hoping that Sesko remains on the market for upcoming transfer windows, perhaps as a long-term Robert Firmino successor.

Danny Ings would like to stay at Aston Villa to make a statement this season…

What’s the word?

That’s according to transfer insider Dean Jones, who has delivered an update on the future of the England striker, having been linked with a move away in recent weeks.

The 30-year-old has been the subject of interest from Premier League rivals Brighton and Hove Albion, with Football Insider also reporting back in April that the Villans’ hierarchy would be prepared to sell him for the right price.

“I’d say there’s still some uncertainty over Danny Ings’ future,” the Eurosport journalist told GIVEMESPORT this week.

“Unless a really tempting offer comes in for him, I think he would prefer to remain part of this project and prove that he’s capable of living up to the hype.”

Gerrard needs him

Villa boss Steven Gerrard will surely be delighted to learn that Ings is prepared to not only stay and fight for his place but also deliver on the hype of that £25m price tag.

It’s true that things haven’t gone to plan for the former Liverpool and Southampton forward since arriving at Villa Park. He scored seven goals and laid on a further six assists last season, though only eight of those goal contributions came under Gerrard.

On the south coast, Ings was more prolific, bagging 12 and 22 league goals during his final two seasons for the Saints and it’s this sort of form that the ex-Rangers boss needs to get out of him again.

If Gerrard can get the £18m-rated frontman firing that sort of form again, then Villa will have a very dangerous threat in attack indeed.

One particularly standout performance for the Villans back in May saw Liverpool boss Jurgen Klopp laud Ings as “unbelievable”, whilst Independent journalist Karl Matchett once dubbed him a “goal machine.”

With Villa looking to improve on last season’s 14th-place finish, a fit and firing Ings could well be exactly what Gerrard needs to transform their fortunes on the pitch and this behind-the-scenes claim from Jones will surely leave the Liverpudlian absolutely delighted.

The 42-year-old should be able to count on the English striker this campaign.

AND in other news, Gerrard could land his very own Luis Suarez in Villa swoop for “gifted” £30m talent…

Rangers look set to make their second summer signing of the summer transfer window as Giovanni van Bronckhorst aims to strengthen his squad at Ibrox.

What’s the news?

According to Rangers Review journalist Jonny McFarlane, the Light Blues have triumphed in the race to sign a prodigious teenager from the English Football League.

The reporter tweeted: “Rangers have won the battle for Millwall’s Zak Lovelace. The 16-year-old forward was wanted by several teams but will now move to Ibrox. Made his Championship debut at only 15”.

The Millwall gem is set to become the second new arrival at Ibrox this summer, following on from defender John Souttar, and Van Bronckhorst will surely be aiming to bring in more new faces in the coming weeks.

Another signing

Souttar was initially signed on a pre-contract agreement in January from fellow Premiership club Hearts, but Lovelace becomes the first signing that the Dutchman has made since the 2021/22 season finished.

The Gers appear to have fought off interest from Premier League duo Brighton and Leicester City for the talented 16 year old, who only made his debut for Millwall last December. He became the London club’s second-youngest debutant and he appears to have a very promising future.

Rangers have a solid record when it comes to signing players below Premier League level in England, with Joe Aribo costing the club a mere £300k upon making the move to Glasgow from Charlton Athletic three years ago this week, and he is now valued at £9m.

Lovelace made four appearances in the Championship last season as he was eased into senior football by Millwall manager Gary Rowett.

The forward will link up with with Rangers in the next few weeks as the Ibrox club ramp up their pre-season training ahead of what could be a monumental first few weeks of the campaign.

They face a crucial Champions League third round qualifier on 2/3 August, with the return leg a week later. This is followed by the play-off round later in the month, in addition to Premiership matches from the end of July, and it’s clear to see why Van Bronckhorst wants to add fresh faces to improve squad depth.

Lovelace might just be the catalyst for a flurry of new arrivals at Ibrox over the next month or so; and considering the teenager’s potential to be entrusted with first-team football at such a tender age, the Rangers boss must be delighted to have now sealed his signature.

AND in other news, Journalist reveals worrying Rangers news which will disappoint supporters

An update has emerged on Glasgow Rangers and their attempts to bring a new striker to Ibrox in the summer transfer window…

What’s the talk?

BBC Scotland reporter Fraser Fletcher has confirmed that Ross Wilson has made contact with Erik Botheim’s agents and are now in talks to beat other clubs to his signature.

He tweeted: “Rangers have approached Erik Botheim representatives to try and bring him to Ibrox. Many offers on table for him but Rangers in a tough fight for his signature and are very keen I understand. He will announce his decision soon.”

The centre-forward is currently a free agent after terminating his contract with Russian outfit FC Krasnodar, with “many clubs” said to be keeping tabs on him.

Football Scotland’s Mark Hendry has also claimed that the Light Blues are watching the striker as the Gers eye recruits ahead of the 2022/23 campaign.

He’s Haaland 2.0

By securing a deal to sign Botheim, Rangers could land their own version of Manchester City sensation Erling Haaland.

Interestingly, the pair are good friends off the pitch and make up 66.6% of the rap group Flow Kingz. Along with sharing a love for music, both players share a nationality and a knack for sticking the ball in the net.

Botheim has scored 15 goals for Norway across various youth levels and registered 22 goals in 46 matches for Bodo/Glimt at senior level before joining Krasnodar.

Since moving up to first-team football, he has recorded 45 goals and assists for his clubs – scoring 31 times and providing 14 assists, showing that he can be a lethal force in the final third.

Meanwhile, Haaland scored 86 goals in 88 matches for Borussia Dortmund and 29 goals in 27 games for Red Bull Salzburg prior to his move to England.

Whilst Botheim’s career has not quite taken off as much as his compatriot’s, the 22-year-old’s form in Europe last season suggests that he has the potential to be a major force up front for Rangers – just as Haaland will probably be for Man City.

Football scout Jacek Kulig once dubbed Botheim a “complete forward” and he showcased that in the 2021/22 Europa Conference League, with four goals and four assists in just six appearances. He averaged a sublime SofaScore rating of 7.57 in the competition as he offered a glimpse of the quality that he could bring to the Premiership.

Therefore, he could be Van Bronckhorst’s own version of Haaland, as he is a talented young Norweigan striker with a keen eye for goals, who can also set up his teammates to score plenty themselves.

Wilson, get it done!

AND in other news, Bye-bye Morelos: Wilson must now seal Rangers swoop for “outstanding” 26-goal monster…