All posts by rastrear-estafeta.com

Everton’s social media are having a tough time of it at the moment.

In fairness, it is never easy to operate an account when the team in question is performing poorly, which is the case for Everton.

Indeed, the Toffees have lost five of their last six matches in all competitions, including their last three in the Premier League.

Marco Silva should surely be getting a lot more out of the group of players.

However, it seems to be more of a collective issue.

Next up for the Merseyside outfit is a trip to Cardiff City on February 26 and a defeat in that game would lead to serious questions being asked.

Everton’s Twitter account attempted to raise the spirits of the fans with a message about Lucas Digne on Monday, but it did not go down very well.

Indeed, not too many of the supporters were pleased with the amount of smiling faces that they saw on the training ground due to the team’s current form.

A selection of the reaction can be seen below:

Many Everton fans have been left buzzing over an official social media post from club ahead of their game at Crystal Palace later today.

As per the  Toffees’ official Twitter channel, Dominic Calvert-Lewin is now back on the pitch doing individual training as he continues to recover from his injury setback, which has kept him out of action since August.

The match at Selhurst Park this evening may come too soon for him, but it is such a boost to see the striker back in training, meaning that he should be ready to return soon.

Calvert-Lewin scored three goals in his first three appearances of the season prior to his injury (Transfermarkt) and was their top scorer in 2020/21 with 21 goals, showing just how crucial he is to the team, so his return will very much be welcomed by Rafael Benitez and Everton supporters.

Everton fans on Calvert-Lewin’s return to training

These Toffees fans buzzed as the images of the 24-year-old in training were shared on Twitter:

“Things you love to see”

Credit: @___MC88

“He’s back.”

Credit: @_adamefc_

“SIUUU”

Credit: @efcdoyley

“WWWWWWWW”

Credit: @pwefc1

“Great to see”

Credit: @StacyMu78345188

“Yeah!”

Credit: @JoAschoolHR

In other news, find out what latest Lucas Digne news has had these Evertonians talking

West Ham United could find another Tomas Soucek in Hans Vanaken in the January transfer window…

What’s the word?

According to Belgian outlet Voetbal24, the Irons are amongst the leading candidates to sign the Club Brugge midfielder, having held a long-term interest in signing him.

Back in the summer of 2020, the east Londoners reportedly saw a £13m bid rejected for him, via Sky Sports, with the Jupiler Pro League outfit demanding more. Almost 18 months on, it remains to be seen what sort of price tag he would command.

Transfermarkt currently value the Belgium international at a slightly higher price of £14.4m.

Shades of Soucek

The attacking midfielder, who stands at a whopping 6 foot 5 inches, has all the hallmarks to be another Soucek for David Moyes at the London Stadium, as the similarities go behind their position and towering physical presence.

Vanaken is capable of providing plenty of goals from the engine room, too, having scored eight times and provided five assists in 25 appearances this term, thus taking his goal total tally to 94 for the Belgian giants.

That includes valuable strikes against the likes of Manchester City and Paris Saint-Germain in the Champions League. Impressive.

As we know with Soucek, he is one of Moyes’ major goal threats aside from players like Michail Antonio and Jarrod Bowen. Indeed, he shared the club’s top scorer award with the 31-year-old talisman in the Premier League last season.

Interestingly, Vanaken is equally adept with the ball at his feet despite his tall and thin stature.

“The special thing about Hans is that he has the footwork of a player of 1m 70. You can say that it is not nice to watch, that he is a bit slow, but he has an extraordinary intelligence,” claimed former teammate Onur Kaya to Sport Voetbal Magazine. “To be honest, I think he is stronger than a Dele Alli at Tottenham. He’s skinnier and less pretty to look at, but for me, he has his place at 16 of the 20 Premier League clubs.”

Meanwhile, journalist Peter Vandenbempt once claimed that “Vanaken gets better every year. He has everything Club Brugge wants: vision, technique, the right mentality and scoring ability.”

The Club Brugge colossus could be a shrewd addition for Moyes, in which he could find another Soucek-like presence to help dominate Premier League midfields and defences into the second half of the current campaign.

Vanaken could well be the next goalscoring midfielder to grace the London Stadium, should Rob Newman and co seal his signature this time around.

AND in other news, West Ham fans will love “unbelievable” Irons star’s 5-word hint after latest Moyes snub…

Arsenal are lining up a shock move for Youri Tielemans this month, according to reports…

What’s the word?

Goal journalist Charles Watts delivered an exciting update to supporters on Twitter this week, claiming that the Gunners’ are ramping up their plans to sign a new midfielder before deadline day.

“Arsenal and their search for a midfielder:

– Contact made over Arthur

– All sides open to a loan

– Tielemans a long-term target

– Talks have taken place with his agent at London Colney,” he tweeted alongside an accompanying article.

The reliable reporter went on to explain how the north London giants have already held talks with the 24-year-old’s agents about a potential switch from league rivals Leicester City.

Outstanding addition

What an incredible signing this would be for Arsenal and as surprising as it would be, it has to be realistic considering their form under Mikel Arteta this campaign.

On the cusp of the top four, the Gunners are some ten points clear of the Foxes, who finished above them last season. The prospect of offering the Belgian dynamo Champions League football is becoming increasingly possible each game.

The need for a new midfielder is paramount to those chances, so landing Tielemans could come hand-in-hand.

Thomas Partey and Mohamed Elneny have gone to the Africa Cup of Nations and are unavailable for selection for the rest of the month, whilst Ainsley Maitland-Niles has been shipped to AS Roma on loan.

Meanwhile, Arteta is thought to be missing the likes of Emile Smith Rowe and Martin Odegaard ahead of tonight’s Carabao Cup clash with Liverpool, so there’s somewhat of a big engine room crisis going on at London Colney at the minute.

After securing the FA Cup last season, Tielemans won Leicester’s ‘ Player of the Year’ award, by both the fans and his peers.

He is capable of providing goals from midfield, having bagged five times this season but he also offers attributes in the defensive third too. He has averaged 1.9 tackles and 1.5 clearances per game, via WhoScored.

On the above evidence, Arsenal fans will surely be absolutely buzzing by this transfer bombshell.

AND in other news, David Ornstein drops huge transfer update on the Gunners’ striker search…

Arsenal have been offered a couple of late solutions to their nightmare search for a new striker…

What’s the word?

According to CBS Sports reporter James Benge, who delivered a fresh update on the Gunners’ pressing situation ahead of the January transfer window deadline at 11pm.

‘The Gunners have also been offered several players on loan this month, including Real Madrid’s Luka Jovic and Mehdi Taremi of Porto, and are working to upgrade Arteta’s strikeforce before the transfer window closes Monday night,’ he wrote.

Late business inbound?

It appears as if Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang is about to stay at the club after a loan move to Barcelona fell through but his future at the club is by no means certain after he was stripped of the captaincy in early December.

Meanwhile, Alexandre Lacazette and Eddie Nketiah are out of contract in the summer, so manager Mikel Arteta could be really light on options heading into next season.

You’d have to call into question the attitudes of all three players if they feel as if they have no future in north London, too, so the Spanish head coach desperately needs additions before tonight’s 11pm deadline.

Therefore. it’s encouraging to learn that they have been offered potential solutions, especially after missing out on several key targets.

For instance, Dusan Vlavhovic opted for Juventus instead, whilst Jonathan David isn’t going anywhere until the summer. Meanwhile, a late move for Raul de Tomas appears to be way out of stretch financially.

Whether Jovic or Taremi are the answer remains to be seen but further options to this squad are definitely needed. If Aubameyang departed, then that would have been their sixth exit of the window, all without a single signing.

That’s a troubling prospect but this latest update gives some hope to the Emirates Stadium faithful.

AND in other news, David Ornstein has bad news for Arsenal fans on deadline day…

Many Everton fans have been left fuming over some transfer news that has emerged on Lucas Digne.

As per Goal, the Goodison Park faithful are now offering the France international to various teams ahead of the January transfer window, with Chelsea thought to be one of those clubs interested in his signature.

They are trying to convince the Merseyside club to loan Digne to them until the end of the season, following the news of Ben Chilwell’s ACL injury.

After a reported row with Rafa Benitez, Digne has now missed the Toffees’ last three matches in the Premier League, and so speculation over his future remains, while Chilwell will be out for the remainder of the season due to surgery required on his knee.

However, given that Digne still remains the Toffees’ only senior left-back in the squad, it would seem silly to loan him out next month, especially without at least a couple of replacements lined up.

Everton fans on Digne transfer news

These Blues fumed as the exit claim was shared on Twitter, with one EFC supporter even going as far as to claim that it was ‘crazy’:

“If that’s true it’s crazy”

Credit: @RyLondon

“WHY?!?!?!?”

Credit: @_luke1878_

“Jesus Christ. Rafa out”

Credit: @Robbdoogan1

“If Everton are open to loaning Digne, France’s left-back, experienced player and always top statistically in his position, we are being more inept and brainless than first thought.”

Credit: @followeverton

“The stupidest idea I’ve ever heard, sick of Rafa now”

Credit: @_luke1878_

“This really would be such an Everton thing to do.. letting Digne go is ridiculous as it is but to let him go out on loan in January is insanity”

Credit: @DeanOverton

In other news, find out who has now been backed to join Everton here!

After 14 games played, Wolves have scored the second-fewest goals in the Premier League thus far, finding the back of the net just 12 times. -only 19th-placed Norwich City have scored fewer (8).

Despite this, the West Midlands club sit just one point off of the top-six, largely down to their solidity at the back. In fact, only Chelsea (6) and Manchester City (8) have conceded fewer goals than Wolves (12) this term.

However, their attacking woes are certainly a cause for concern. Together, Hwang Hee-Chan (4) and Raúl Jiménez (3) have scored over half of Wolves’ Premier League goals with three coming from defenders, one from a midfielder (Ruben Neves) and the other an own-goal.

The attacking trio of Daniel Podence, Francisco Trincão and Adama Traoré are all yet to score in the Premier League this season, despite a combined 1,954 minutes of action, which begs the question: what must Bruno Lage change?

It’s clear to see that a change of personnel in the Wolves forward line would do no harm and 19-year-old Fábio Silva could be the man to turn to.

The Portuguese forward was purchased for £36m from Porto last summer by previous manager Nuno Espirito Santo, having been dubbed as “the new Cristiano Ronaldo”.

However, Silva’s fellow countryman Lage has offered the youngster very few opportunities, with the striker playing just 36 minutes of Premier League football this season.

Furthermore, it appears that Silva is yet to win over Wolves fans, with journalist Tim Spiers claiming that the 19-year-old has taken “enormous stick”.

Nuno certainly showed faith in the Porto academy product, handing him 32 league appearances last season, in which he scored four goals. It wasn’t the best goals return, but for a then 18-year-old, there was certainly promise on display.

Despite the current first-choice striker at the club being Jimenez, whose place in the side looks all but certain, there is an opportunity for Silva to feature more regularly under Lage; he will have to improvise though.

With the 45-year-old manager regularly deploying a 3-4-3 formation, Silva would have to operate as a winger to get into the side. This is a task the youngster should grab with both hands.

Despite Hwang, none of the wide men at Wolves have impressed, particularly Adama Traore who, once again, has proven frustrating for the Molineux faithful with little end product offered this term.

Ahead of Wolves’ next game against Liverpool, Lage said: “Fabio is important for us. He’s a young talent. Me and my staff have a pathway for the youth. Luis (Nascimento) worked with Fabio before so we see potential in him.

“He needs to continue to work and wait for that chance. He needs to work for today and work for tomorrow.

“He’s doing well and we are happy with him, but sometimes I prefer to take different solutions to protect the result.”

The Portuguese manager has also denied claims that Silva could be loaned out in January so, with a busy festive period to come, now is the time to unleash the £22.5m-rated Silva and for the 19-year-old to secure a regular place in the Wolves setup.

Wolverhampton Wanderers look set to retain the services of Francisco Trincao for the remainder of the season.

What’s the talk?

That’s according to a recent claim made by Bruno Lage, with the Wolves manager suggesting in comments made to Birmingham Live that he expects the Barcelona loanee to remain at Molineux until at least the end of the current campaign.

Earlier reports had claimed that, following Xavi’s appointment as Ronald Koeman’s successor at Barcelona, the Spaniard wanted the 22-year-old to return to the Camp Nou ahead of the second half of the Spanish season.

However, with a matter of days now remaining in the January transfer window, and, at present, the LaLiga side having not acted upon Xavi’s apparent desire for the return of the Portugal international, it would seem as if Trincao will remain with Lage’s side beyond the end of the month.

Speaking about the future of the winger, the 45-year-old manager said: “I’m thinking about him until the end of the season.”

Fans will be buzzing

While Trincao has not exactly been in the most prolific form in front of goal this season, having so far failed to find the back of the net or provide a single assist over his 17 Premier League appearances, the fact that Barcelona look as if they will not be recalling the winger in January is nevertheless sure to leave Wolves fans buzzing.

Indeed, with Adama Traore being heavily linked with a move away from Molineux this month, the £19.8m-rated Trincao will undoubtedly be handed a much more prominent role in Lage’s first-team squad – should the Spaniard go on to seal his switch to Tottenham Hotspur.

While it is true that the £131k-per-week winger has featured regularly for Wolves since his move to the club last summer, only 12 of his total league outings have come as starts, while the 22-year-old has also completed 90 minutes of a Premier League match just once.

As such, with Traore out of the picture, Trincao will likely be handed a greater share of minutes in the Wolves side, something which should, in theory, see the forward begin to make his mark with both goals and assists for the club – something that will undoubtedly be an outcome both Lage and fans would love.

In other news: Wolves now eyeing late swoop for “special” £23.4m-rated beast, Lage would love him

Newcastle United must prepare for the departure of star man Allan Saint-Maximin this summer – and may need to take a risk on his replacement.

What’s the word?

According to a report by the Daily Mail, Newcastle’s star forward is expected to be sold this summer, with the fee received expected to be pumped back into Eddie Howe’s squad.

Among the Frenchman’s mooted replacements are Nottingham Forest’s Brennan Johnson and Bayer Leverkusen’s Moussa Diaby, while Arsenal’s Nicolas Pepe has also been linked with a switch to St. James’ Park this season.

However, in a recent interview with Football Insider, Ex Leeds United forward Noel Whelan claimed that a move for the Gunners attacker would be something of a risk.

Speaking about the Magpies’ potential interest in the 26-year-old, Whelan said: “A loan move may be something that Newcastle might fancy. These are the sort of players they will be targeting. He could turn his career around and end up being that big-ticket player. But right now, it’s a gamble.”

Bye-bye Saint-Maximin

Saint-Maximin has yet again proved his importance this season in more ways than one.

His five goals and three assists have been imperative in Newcastle’s bid to secure Premier League survival, though it’s his dribbling and ball carrying ability that have been the biggest positive for the Magpies.

It comes as no surprise that the 25-year-old ranks top of the Newcastle squad for successful dribbles per match with 4.3. Quite simply, his ability on the ball is often the catalyst for his side’s counterattacks, with the £28.8m-rated forward by far and away being the most efficient carrier of the ball.

However, while losing a player of Saint-Maximin’s calibre would certainly come as a huge blow to the Magpies, they could employ a like-for-like replacement in Nicolas Pepe – the Arsenal winger who has struggled to live up to his enormous transfer fee since signing from Lille in 2019.

Although he has faced scrutiny, he has not exactly been a flop in England thus far. The potential has always been there, with his end product on display for all to see just last season – when he bagged an impressive 10 goals over just 29 appearances for the Gunners.

Indeed, his £72m fee has arguably been his biggest enemy during his time in England, but a move to Newcastle for a rumoured fee of £25m could release the reins for the 26-year-old Ivory Coast international.

Pepe is a technical player, just like Saint-Maximin, who thrives in possession, more specifically within the attacking third. With around 35 touches in the attacking third per 90, he ranks in the 93rd percentile amongst positionally similar players within Europe’s top 5 leagues over the past 365 days.

For context, Saint-Maximin is ranked within the 81st percentile with around 23 touches in the attacking third per 90.

In this aspect, the £140k-per-week Pepe who Joe Cole claimed “makes things happen” would serve as an upgrade for his composure in the final third.

He may be a risk to some, but the underlying stats suggest that the Arsenal winger has everything it takes to replace Allan Saint-Maximin at Newcastle United – leading us to believe that PIF must take a chance on Pepe this summer.

In other news: Fee agreed: NUFC now already set to seal 1st summer signing, Howe surely over the moon

Crystal Palace had a very busy previous summer transfer window, not just in terms of seeing Patrick Vieira appointed as Roy Hodgson’s replacement in the manager position, but also with the number of players that were moved in and out of the club.

One player the Eagles signed on a permanent deal over the summer that has already proved to be a great bit of business from the south London club is defender Marc Guehi.

Since joining from fellow Premier League club Chelsea in a deal worth a reported fee of £18m, the centre-back has gone on to play the full 90 minutes in all but one of Palace’s 29 league games in this campaign, showing how important he now is to the team.

To highlight what a useful defensive figure he is, no other Palace player has managed to equal the average of clearances per game (3.5) that the 21-year-old has racked up.

Also, only Christian Benteke (82) has won more duels than the young defender this season, proving what a tough opponent he is at the back.

Overall, the former Chelsea youngster, who is currently picking up a weekly wage of £31k-per-week according to Salary Sport, has earned himself an overall performance rating of 6.77, making him the sixth-highest rated player in Vieira’s squad according to WhoScored.

The defender’s performances for Palace even convinced England manager Gareth Southgate to give Guehi his first senior call-up during the current international break.

Back in June 2021, shortly before he made the move to Selhurst Park, Transfermarkt rated the Englishman’s market value listed at £9m, whereas it now stands at a massive £27m, showing a whopping increase of 200%.

Labelled as an “absolute tank” by Josef Bursik, as well as being a “massive” player on the pitch, Guehi has certainly been a successful signing for Palace and Vieira before even completing his debut campaign with the Eagles.

Moving forward, with his young age and the promise he’s shown on the pitch at Selhurst Park, the centre-back could go on to be a long-term figure for the south London club and for England if he can keep playing consistently and delivering solid performances.

In other news: “There is a feeling..” – CPFC dealt big injury setback that will leave Vieira worried