All posts by rastrear-estafeta.com

Chelsea are in the running to sign Michael Olise this summer.

Who wants to sign Michael Olise?

According to Football Insider, Chelsea have a concrete interest in bringing the Crystal Palace starlet to Stamford Bridge.

This outlet also revealed that Olise has a release clause of £35m and Manchester City are also keen on a deal. The reigning European Champions view the winger as a direct replacement for Riyad Mahrez, who is on the verge of a move to Saudi Arabia.

The Eagles would be powerless if both clubs activate this clause, and it would come down to the 21-year-old’s personal decision as to where his future lies.

Olise is currently facing up to three months out after tearing his hamstring during the U21 European Championship for France against Norway. Fabrizio Romano confirmed that Chelsea and Man City are waiting for clarity on his condition before they plot their moves.

How good is Michael Olise?

Last season, the former Reading prodigy rose to international prominence thanks to his dazzling creativity and output.

In 31 Premier League starts, Olise registered 11 assists, which was the joint-fourth-highest tally in the entire division. This also meant he was the first Palace player to ever claim double-digit assists in a top-flight campaign.

This wonderful term also included a record-breaking performance in the South Londoner’s 5-1 thrashing of Leeds United back in April, where he became the youngster-ever player to record three assists from open play in the Premier League. During that match, he also notched five successful dribbles, four accurate crosses, six key passes, and won 12 duels.

Furthermore, last season in the Palace squad, the forward averaged the most key passes per game in the league (1.9) and created the most chances in all competitions (69) at a rate of 1.73 per 90.

This incredible form led to glowing praise from Patrick Vieira, who said: “He can score goals, create chances and he is a special talent. He will improve and get better as a player. His work ethic every day has been terrific.”

A player with this limitless potential and sparkling innovation can provide an invaluable source of relief for the incoming Christopher Nkunku.

Olise's fellow Frenchman has already been signed from RB Leipzig for £52m. The attacker has forged a ridiculously impressive reputation in Germany – he was named the Bundesliga Player of the Season and German PFA Player of the Season for 2021-22 after 35 goal contributions in the league.

Then in the most recent campaign, despite missing nine games through injury, he was the Bundesliga’s top scorer with 16 goals and netted in Leipzig’s German DFB Cup final victory over Eintracht Frankfurt.

Upon his arrival to England, Laurence Stewart and Paul Winstanley, Chelsea's co-sporting directors, said: "Christopher has proved himself one of the standout attacking players in European football over the past two seasons and will add quality, creativity, and versatility to our squad."

The prospect of combining Olise’s creativity with Nkunku’s potency is a frightening prospect. If the Palace livewire had been awarded more productive forwards in South London, he could have even surpassed the imperious Kevin De Bruyne at the top of the assists chart.

Now with Nkunku possibly partnering him in the frontline, the sky is the limit for Olise.

Fulham have now submitted a bid of €30m (£26m) for Fluminense midfielder Andre, as they are keen to get the deal wrapped up as quickly as possible, according to a recent update from journalist Emmanuel Luiz.

What's the latest Fulham transfer news?

Signing a winger is seemingly one of Marco Silva's priorities this summer, and the manager has now brought Willian back on a one-year deal, with the Brazilian opting to return to Craven Cottage rather than move to Nottingham Forest.

The Cottagers have also made an offer for Chelsea winger Callum Hudson-Odoi, but while the 22-year-old does want to leave Stamford Bridge this summer, the opening bid was not high enough to tempt his current employers into a sale.

Silva may also need to think about bringing in a new central midfielder this summer, as Joao Palhinha's future is in doubt, with West Ham United recently making a £45m bid, however the 28-year-old insisted he is happy at Fulham earlier this summer.

According to Brazilian journalist Emmanuel Luiz, Fulham are "still talking" about a deal for Andre with Fluminense, but his current club are determined to keep him until the end of the year, so a new proposal has been submitted.

The Cottagers have now offered €30m (£26m) for 85% of the player, and they have agreed to let him stay in Brazil until January 2024, with negotiations over a deal now advancing.

Luiz states that Fulham want the deal done "as soon as possible" as they fear a club with a greater European pedigree could make a late swoop, with the likes of Liverpool and Barcelona also said to be interested.

The €30m (£26m) outlay would match the club-record fee paid to sign Jean Michael-Seri from OGC in the 2018-19 season.

Who is Andre signing for?

There have been a whole host of top clubs linked with moves for the 22-year-old in recent weeks, with Barcelona, Atletico Madrid, Arsenal, Liverpool and Tottenham Hotspur also being spoken to by the player's representatives.

However, Fulham are confident about being able to strike a deal, and they have seemingly made good progress in negotiations over the past few days, having agreed to let him stay in Brazil until next year.

If the one-time Brazil international does pen a move to Craven Cottage, he could be a very good acquisition, not least due to his passing ability, ranking in the 99th percentile for his pass-completion rate per 90 in the past year, when compared to players at a similar level.

The maestro already has a great deal of first-team experience for Fluminense, having made 142 appearances for the club, most often being utilised in a defensive role, and he has averaged the highest number of interceptions in the squad so far this season.

Hailed as a "leader" by football scout Jacek Kulig, Andre could make a positive influence for Fulham both on and off the pitch, and it is exciting news that they could beat some of Europe's top clubs to his signature.

Everton are believed to be interested in signing versatile Juventus centre-back Koni De Winter during the summer transfer window, according to a new update.

Who is Koni De Winter?

The 21-year-old joined Empoli on loan last summer in order to pick up some much-needed experience at the top level.

De Winter started 12 games in Serie A in 2022/23 and made 14 appearances for Empoli in total, but he is now back at Juve and weighing up his future. His current deal in Turin doesn't expire until the summer of 2026, but that doesn't mean that a permanent exit is out of the question.

It could be that Juventus find it difficult to promise him regular playing time moving forward, so a move away good could ultimately aid him in his career, allowing him to become a genuine key man.

Everton are in the market for a new centre-back this summer, especially having opted against making Conor Coady's loan move from Wolves permanent beyond the end of last season, and it looks as though they could be turning their attention to De Winter.

Could Everton sign Koni de Winter?

According to Tutto Juve [via Sport Witness], the Blues have "inquired" about the availability of the Belgian youngster as Sean Dyche looks for summer reinforcements. Lille are also mentioned as being interested in signing the Juve man, who has returned from his summer holiday and is knuckling down ahead of the 2023/24 season.

It is stated that Juve do think highly of him, which could act as a blow to Everton's hopes of snapping him up before the new season gets underway, with the Serie A giants happy to keep hold of the defender, seeing him as a bright long-term prospect. The Blues are keen on "furthering the discussions" over a move in the coming weeks, though.

Everton's squad felt a little old at times last season, with the likes of Coady, Seamus Coleman and James Tarkowski being relied on too often – the trio played 85 times between them in the Premier League – so it is perhaps vital that fresh blood is injected into the squad this summer.

Centre-back De Winter could be perfect in that respect, coming in as an exciting young option with a high ceiling, having won 14 caps for Belgium's Under-21s, while his versatility – with Massimiliano Allegri seeing him as a right-back option – offers another potential asset to Everton.

Last season, he averaged a sizeable 4.5 clearances per game for Empoli – only Tarkowski (5.2) and Michael Keane (4.6) averaged more for Everton – while he also completed 85.5% of his passes, showing that he is capable in possession, too.

The key to the whole saga could be Juventus' willingness to allow De Winter to move on, and if the player himself sees a long-term future and a regular path into the first team there. The promise of potentially being more of a key figure at Goodison Park could hopefully sway his thinking, although it isn't easy for anyone to leave one of the biggest clubs in Europe, where there is always a good chance of winning trophies.

Glasgow Rangers are preparing a second bid in an attempt to bring Feyenoord striker Danilo to the Scottish Premiership, according to reports.

Is Danilo leaving Feyenoord?

The Brazilian only arrived in Rotterdam from Ajax last summer, but having established himself as Arne Slot’s second top-performing offensive player during his 48 appearances in his debut season, has grabbed the attention of Michael Beale at Ibrox.

Dutch outlet 1908 recently reported that the Light Blues had submitted an opening offer for the 24-year-old but this is believed to have been swiftly rejected as a result of the two parties being far apart in their valuations, as reported by The Scottish Sun.

However, talks regarding a deal have been ongoing ever since to try and find a middle ground on the centre-forward’s price tag, and should he put pen to paper, he won’t be the only attacking reinforcement walking through the dressing room doors.

The Teddy Bears have already confirmed the arrivals of Sam Lammers from Atalanta and Abdallah Sima from Brighton, and they are also suggested to have completed a deal for Cremonese’s Cyriel Dessers following a long negotiation process, and the Eredivisie star could be about to follow in their footsteps.

Are Rangers signing Danilo?

According to The Scottish Sun once again, Rangers are “preparing an improved offer” for Danilo who has emerged as one of Beale’s “top targets” for the summer.

The Glasgow outfit are “ready to make a fresh bid” after seeing their £3.5m opening offer turned down, and it’s believed that the attacker has told his club that he “wants to quit and seal a move to Ibrox”.

The Light Blues boss is a long-term “admirer” of Feyenoord’s talisman and is hoping that the board will be more successful in their second attempt at striking a deal.

What could Danilo bring to Ibrox?

Rangers are clearly serious about securing the services of Danilo in order to be preparing a new proposal and it’s completely understandable when consdiering the amount of end product they're losing with the departure of Alfredo Morelos.

The striker would bring an extremely prolific threat to Beale’s attacking ranks should a deal get finalised in the coming weeks – Feyenoord’s £7k-per-week earner posted 13 goal contributions (ten goals and three assists) in 34 Eredivisie outings last season, form which saw him receive four man-of-the-match awards, but he even caused problems when the ball didn’t hit the back of the net.

The Sao Paulo native ranked in the 98th percentile for total number of shots and the 96th percentile for most attacking touches in the opposition’s penalty area – when compared with other players in his position – so he’s always looking to create dangerous moments for himself and his teammates.

Since the start of his career, the striker has not only helped to secure two trophies but he’s also been recognised for his individual efforts by twice being named the top goalscorer in different competitions and the edge that he adds to a side previously saw him lauded Ajax’s “best finisher” by then manager Erik Ten Hag, so it would be a massive coup should the boss successfully be able to land his long-term target.

Tottenham Hotspur defender Eric Dier is excited to play under new manager Ange Postecoglu and wants to stay and fight for his place next season.

How long has Eric Dier been at Tottenham?

Since the Englishman joined Spurs from Portuguese side Sporting CP for a bargain €5.00m (£4m) in July 2014, Dier has had a very mixed bag of a career in north London.

Under Mauricio Pochettino, the Kent-born player grew into a promising defensive midfielder in the division, forming a "monstrous" partnership with Victor Wanyama and being the perfect defensive counterpart for Mousa Dembele.

Dier was a crucial part of the Tottenham side that finished second in the Premier League in the 2016/17 season, making 36 appearances in the league and scoring two goals.

Towards the end of Pochettino's tenure at Spurs, the English international began to transition to centre-back, where he has played since Jose Mourinho's stint at the club.

Since the 2019/20 season, the former Everton youth player has made 132 appearances for the north London outfit at the heart of the defence, in addition to 10 appearances at centre-half for England.

It's not been plain sailing since the transition for Dier, with him making a number of high-profile mistakes, most notably last season against Liverpool and Brentford, and receiving plenty of criticism from fans, journalists, and pundits alike, with journalist Ryan Taylor stating earlier this year that Dier is a "very poor" defender.

However, every manager that comes through the door at the Tottenham Hotspur stadium seems to consistently pick the Englishman, so he must be doing something right to keep the support of elite managers such as Mourinho and Antonio Conte.

Speaking on the Last Word on Spurs podcast, Sky Sports editor and journalist Lyall Thomas revealed that Dier intends to stay and fight for his place this season under new boss Postecoglu amid reports suggesting he could potentially leave:

"I think Dier will stay, as I understand it that is absolutely right that he does want to stay and fight for his place and play under Ange and I think Dier could still be a useful player for Spurs."

Will Eric Dier play for Tottenham Hotspur next season?

It will be interesting to see if Dier plays as much next season as he has done in previous campaigns due to a number of factors.

Spurs look set to attack the market in search of at least one centre-back addition this summer, with reports linking them to names such as Micky Van de Ven, Edmond Tapsoba, and Marc Guehi. All three options that have been heavily linked play on the left side of defence, which is the position that the 29-year-old looked set to take up this season as Argentine defender Cristian Romero appears to be the first choice on the right-hand side.

Another issue that faces Dier is a potential system change. New boss Postecoglou plays a very open and expansive style of football with a higher defensive line, which is a stark contrast from the football that Spurs have become known for in recent years. The Australian manager also prefers to set up with a back four rather than a back five, which is a defensive shape that Dier has very rarely played in, with both club and country opting for the five defenders in recent seasons

The former Sporting man has come through adversity and fought his way back into the England squad last year, and you could easily see him doing it again and starting ahead of the new signings. However, this is shaping up to be his toughest test yet when considering all the factors going against him.

West Ham United are currently in the driving seat when it comes to a potential deal for Yunus Musah, according to a report from CalcioMercato, via Sport Witness.

How many games has Yunus Musah played for Valencia?

The midfielder was given his league debut for current club Valencia back when he was just 17-years-old, which already showcases how much talent the La Liga outfit believed he had.

He went on to feature 32 times in that campaign, despite his age, as his side finished 13th. He has since gone on to establish himself as a regular member of their team and managed another 33 showings in Spain during the 2022/23 season, with two assists along the way. He has now racked up almost 100 appearances for the club – and is only just out of his teens.

Musah has also become an integral part of his national team too, playing 24 times for the USA. He did come up through the youth ranks with England, but opted to switch his allegiance to America and has been rewarded with regular minutes for their team.

Are West Ham United signing Yunus Musah?

Having become a key member of the Valencia team, he has now caught the eye of other clubs. West Ham have already been linked on a few occasions, as have other sides from the Premier League.

However, according to a fresh report from CalcioMercato, via Sport Witness, the Hammers are the team that are in "first place" in England in terms of securing his signature.

It won't be completely straightforward to land the American, with AC Milan also keen to snap him up. It seems the Italian side will be battling West Ham all the way for his signature, with the Serie A giants planning to use the funds from Sandro Tonali's sale to try and seal a deal for the 20-year-old. Valencia have set his asking price at just 20 million Euros (or £17.2m), so a fee will not be too steep for either team.

Musah is already highly regarded when you consider the praise he has received. Football talent scout Jacek Kulig called him a "jewel" for Valencia and added that he keeps getting "better and better" to boot.

Despite his age then, he already has shown his ability and the potential is clearly there for him to keep improving. If the Hammers can snap him up, then they could have both a player for the here and now and for plenty of years ahead too.

Tottenham Hotspur have “asked about” signing Bayer Leverkusen defender Edmond Tapsoba and it’s “likely a deal will happen”, according to reports.

Will Spurs sign a defender this summer?

At the back, it was a season to forget for Spurs last campaign, with the Lilywhites conceding more top flight goals than any other side above 15th in the Premier League table.

One of new manager Ange Postecoglou’s main priorities will surely be reinforcing what has proven to be a fragile defence, with Tottenham also thought to be closing in on highly-rated Empoli goalkeeper Guglielmo Vicario for £16.4 million.

Postecoglou, as per recent rumours, has given the green-light for his club to sign a star central defender this summer – leading to interest in the likes of Man City defender Aymeric Laporte among others.

Tapsoba, who has been a mainstay under Leverkusen boss Xabi Alonso in the Bundesliga, is thought to be another top target.

The 24-year-old is at the centre of interest from Spurs, as backed by reliable sources like renowned transfer journalists like Fabrizio Romano, who says that he is one of the options shortlisted.

Now, The Daily Mail and journalist Simon Jones have a small update on the matter, claiming that Tottenham have “asked about” signing Tapsoba – presumably meaning there has been contact with Leverkusen.

The Burkina Faso international is apparently “eager to join” Spurs and it’s “likely a deal will happen” once an official approach is made.

It’s further added that Tottenham are long-term admirers of Tapsoba as Levy and co commence the hunt for fresh defensive options.

Who is Edmond Tapsoba?

The colossal defender featured over more league minutes than any other Leverkusen outfielder last season, with goalkeeper Lukas Hradecky coming as the only player to be selected more (WhoScored).

Tapsoba appears to be a crucial player for Alonso, and defensively, he is rock solid – with both him and Jonathan Tah making more clearances per 90 than any other Leverkusen player (WhoScored).

Presenter and pundit Jack Collins, writing on Twitter, has seriously endorsed the African in past seasons – branding him “absolutely sensational” for his performances all the way back in 2020.

It’s clear Tapsoba has starred at Leverkusen for quite some time, and this summer may well be the one where he finally gets his big money move, if Spurs do make that official approach.

Newcastle United are reportedly in talks to sign Leicester City midfielder James Maddison this summer – a transfer that will only help further unlock the potential of Alexander Isak.

Newcastle United transfer news – will they sign James Maddison?

After suffering relegation from the Premier League with the Foxes last season, Maddison's exit seems a guarantee this summer, given his proven quality at the top level.

With that said, according to Fabrizio Romano, the Magpies will 'insist' on a deal for the England international this week, who is a top target for Eddie Howe.

"Newcastle will insist on James Maddison deal this week as they don’t want a long saga — he’s top target but decision has to be made soon," he tweeted.

The northeast giants may need to act quickly to secure Maddison's signature, however, with Tottenham Hotspur reportedly still interested, with Romano adding:

"Tottenham are also working on player side, still pushing and into the race; no bid was submitted last week despite reports."

A deal for the Leicester man would cost Newcastle in excess of £50m, according to Sky Sports, in what would be their first transfer of the summer window.

How would James Maddison fit into Newcastle United's side?

When you take a look at the current Newcastle midfield, adding Maddison into the middle of the park almost spoils the on-watching fans at St James' Park.

Howe has already got Bruno Guimaraes and a transformed Joelinton at his disposal. Add Maddison into the mix, and you've suddenly got one of the most exciting trios in the Premier League.

Between them last season, they were involved in 37 goals in the last campaign, with Maddison scoring 10 goals and assisting a further nine, Joelinton scoring six and assisting three, and his Brazilian teammate scoring four and assisting five.

Speaking about Maddison back in 2020, then Leicester boss Brendan Rodgers saiD (via Sports Mole):

"He's got immense quality. You saw his right foot at Manchester City, he has that technique with both feet. That was a sensational strike tonight."

Maddison, in particular, can supply and score goals from midfield, as proven in a struggling Leicester side last season.

The former Norwich City "magician" – as lauded by analyst Statman Dave last year – managed nine assists without a potent striker in front of him, too.

As good as Jamie Vardy once was, he was a shadow of his former self for the Foxes last season, scoring just three Premier League goals.

The more you look at it, the more you start to believe that Maddison worked miracles to get nine assists to his name.

If he does make the move to Newcastle, however, then he'll be in assist dreamland.

Not only will he have 18-goal England teammate Callum Wilson to endlessly supply, but an always-improving Isak will also be on hand to tap home any pinpoint passes placed his way.

As per FBref, last season Maddison played 5.47 progressive passes per-90, which was 1.08 more than Joelinton managed. A player with his ability to play such passes should only increase the goals of Isak.

Last season, the Sweden international scored 11 combined goals for both Real Sociedad and Newcastle, with 1.29 shots per 90.

By comparison, with Maddison's progressive passing ability, Leicester striker Kelechi Iheanacho shot 3.04 times per 90.

With that said, it is clear that if the Englishman does make the move to the Magpies this summer, Isak will benefit from his passing range, getting more shots off, and, therefore, have the potential to score more goals.

Arsenal are reportedly eyeing a move for Leicester City full-back Timothy Castagne this summer as Mikel Arteta looks set to improve his defensive options.

What’s the latest on Timothy Castagne to Arsenal?

According to Belgian outlet Het Belang van Limburg (via Sport Witness), the Gunners are keen on making a move for the right-back this summer, although unnamed sides from Italy and Spain have also looked at the player and Arteta will be wary of this competition for his signature.

Due to the Foxes' relegation at the end of the season, Castagne will be available for between €15-20m (£13m-£17m) as per the report, which could represent a bargain for the Spaniard who clearly needs some reinforcements at right-back heading into next season, especially with the Champions League group stage beckoning.

Should Arsenal sign Castagne?

Last season, the north Londoners lacked serious depth at right-back, having to utilise Ben White out wide as opposed to his usual position at centre-back, although he did perform well, playing all 38 matches, registering five assists, creating six big chances and making 1.6 tackles per game, showcasing his attacking abilities.

Takehiro Tomiyasu, the backup full-back, didn’t enjoy the greatest of league seasons, ranking 18th in the squad for overall match rating, 19th for goals and assists, sixth for tackles per game and 15th for big chances created, suggesting he failed to leave an imprint on the first-team when he got his chance.

In contrast, Castagne ranked 7th in the Leicester squad for goals and assists, second for tackles per game and fourth for big chances created, suggesting he could offer a bigger attacking output than the Japanese player should he join Arsenal this summer.

Defensively, the Belgian ranked in the top 9% for clearances per 90 (3.04), top 17% for aerials won per 90 (1.52) and top 25% for tackles won per 90 (2.41) across Europe’s big five leagues over the previous 365 days, proving himself to be more than capable in the Premier League.

Tomiyasu did rank in the top 10% for tackles per 90 (3.22) and aerials won per 90 (2.29) while ranking a lot lower for clearances per 90 (1.86), although this could be skewed due to the fact he played only 1063 minutes compared to the 3254 minutes that Castagne played last term.

Jamie Vardy lauded the Belgian for being “brilliant” during his debut for the Foxes a few years ago and given his attacking qualities are clearly better than what Arteta has at the moment, it could be a shrewd investment to secure him before next season.

Arsenal are "looking at" signing Bayer Leverkusen defender Moussa Diaby in the upcoming transfer window, according to Daily Express journalist Ryan Taylor.

Who is Moussa Diaby signing for?

According to a report from The Evening Standard, Arsenal were interested in signing Diaby during the January transfer window, but Leverkusen were reluctant to lose one of their star players mid-way through the season.

However, now the winger has just over two years remaining on his contract, this summer may be the German side's last opportunity to cash-in, and there have been multiple Premier League teams named as potential suitors.

Sky Sports reporter Florian Plettenberg has claimed that Newcastle and Manchester United have also shown an interest in the Leverkusen star, with the Bundesliga club set to demand a fee of around €70m – €80m (£60m – £69m).

In an interview with GiveMeSport, Taylor has now provided an update on Arsenal's summer transfer business.

The Daily Express journalist said: "I'm not quite sure they have the financial muscle to pull off both Rice and Caicedo. But, at the same time, I do think we can expect Arsenal to be shopping in a market where they're looking at players that will also interest a lot of clubs.

"An example would be someone like Moussa Diaby, who is clearly highly-rated. Newcastle and Paris Saint-Germain are also interested. He ticks that under-25 box and is a player that can reach a new level at Arsenal.

"That's what I expect to see, but I don't expect to see scattergun recruitment. It's going to be concise and I believe Arsenal already have a clear shortlist of targets."

How many goals has Moussa Diaby scored?

The France international racked up 14 goals in all competitions for Bayer Leverkusen last season, including two in the Champions League, with that figure ranking him as the top scorer in the squad.

Not only that, the 23-year-old is also clearly a very creative player, weighing in with nine assists, the second-highest total behind Jeremie Frimpong, who has previously been linked with a move to north London.

Hailed as "incredibly dangerous" by former teammate Nils Petersen, the £37k-per-week dynamo is very well-known for his sprint speed, with football scout Jacek Kulig lauding his "electric pace" and "unreal acceleration".

That said, £69m is a large sum of money for a player who would not necessarily be a guaranteed starter, considering Bukayo Saka's output at right-wing last season, and Mikel Arteta may be better off strengthening other areas of the squad.