All posts by z3u9t.icu

Free-kicks, solo goals, 30-yard thunderbolts, headers, penalties, acrobatic efforts. You name it, Lionel Messi has scored it throughout his illustrious career.The Argentine is responsible for some of the most famous goals in football history. Who could forget his dinked effort against Bayern Munich a few years back? Jerome Boateng certainly hasn’t. Or his header in the Champions League final against Manchester United? And that’s not even scratching the surface of what we’ve seen over the years.Things could have been even better, though, as shown by a viral Twitter thread, which details Messi’s greatest ‘nearly goals’.In what could have been a number of spectacular moments, we’ve taken a look at the top five from the thread.

5 Barcelona vs Athletic Bilbao

Athletic Bilbao have fallen victim to Messi’s solo efforts in the past, with the magician scoring one of his best against them back in 2015. This one could have been even better, however.

The Argentine turned his marker inside out, went past another, before nutmegging one final victim. With just the goalkeeper to beat, however, Messi uncharacteristically failed to finish, finding the shot-stopper’s grateful arms.

4 Barcelona vs Espanyol

When Messi goes on one of his famous solo runs, what is left is only comparable to some kind of Renaissance painting, as bodies are left scrambling behind, twisted and turned into oblivion.

Against Espanyol, this was exactly the case, too. Messi dodged challenge after challenge at an impossible speed, with defenders made to look fools with attempted swipes to regain possession.

All that was left to do was finish, but on this occasion, Messi couldn’t find the back of the net – though Luis Suarez was on hand to bag the rebound.

3 Real Madrid vs Barcelona

When it comes to El Clasico goals, no player has scored more than Messi’s 26, with the Ballon d’Or winner finding the back of the net in a range of incredible ways.

He once came closest to what would have been his most unique goal against Real Madrid, however, after hitting the far post directly from a corner.

To this day, it’s hard to know if he would’ve meant it, but we know that he is certainly capable of producing such magic, especially against Los Blancos – so we’ll give him the well-earned benefit of the doubt.

2 Barcelona vs Atletico Madrid

Just like Real Madrid, Atletico Madrid know all too well what it’s like to face Messi at his devastating best, and they could have had the best seat in the house for one of his best goals.

Driving past defenders in vintage fashion, the Barcelona legend attempted to finish things off with a delightful dink, before seeing his effort roll agonisingly past the post.

Leaving defenders for dead on his way to goal, it would have been some effort by Messi.

1 Barcelona vs Atletico Madrid

We told you he liked special moments against Atletico Madrid, didn’t we?

The World Cup winner very nearly netted one of his best once again against the La Liga side, racing past five players, before dropping the shoulder, and sending an effort towards the top left, only to see the ball drift inches wide.

The fact that Messi’s had so many more moments that could have been so special, on top of his current collection, just shows how incomparable his legacy at the top of European football really is.

Manchester United seem set to continue their summer spending, highlighting a new key position that will bolster Erik ten Hag's squad massively.

Is Sofyan Amrabat joining Manchester United?

The latest on the fresh pursuit comes via Foot Mercato journalist Santi Aouna, who took to Twitter to suggest that the Red Devils have made a huge step towards tempting Sofyan Amrabat from Fiorentina.

He would write:

"MU have made an initial verbal offer to Sofyan Amrabat's agent. Al-Ahli have also made an offer (€15M). But for now, he is not interested and is still dreaming of Liga. He prefers to stay at Fiorentina if he doesn't get a good club. Many big clubs are monitoring his situation."

Fabrizio Romano had detailed a reported price tag of around €40m (£35m) back at the start of the month, suggesting that this could end up being another lucrative deal for a side seeking to make the necessary additions to truly turn them into Premier League title challengers.

How good is Sofyan Amrabat?

Whilst the Moroccan midfield general shot to fame due to his stellar World Cup performances, the 26-year-old has actually been a consistent performer for his club during the 2022/23 campaign too, further emphasising his preparedness for a step-up such as this.

In the Serie A, his 90% pass accuracy showcases his ability to dictate the play, whilst his 1.3 tackles per game help outline his defensive security, via Sofascore. He is combative, relentless and impressively clever in the engine room, only throwing himself into tackles at the perfect moment and otherwise simply blocking the space.

With this, plus his hulking figure and unbridled physicality, it is hard not to immediately draw comparisons with Ten Hag's current enforcer, Casemiro.

Signed just last summer, the 31-year-old had an instant impact at Old Trafford, adding the necessary steel into midfield to finally allow them to take ahold of games.

In the Premier League, the Brazilian maintained a 7.21 average rating, buoyed by his 79% pass accuracy, 3.2 tackles and 2.1 clearances per game, via Sofascore. His solidity was exactly what was needed to allow Ten Hag's philosophy to shine.

Whilst he is not getting any younger, the similarities between these figures and Amrabat's World Cup campaign should make for pleasant viewing, given he could now be chosen as his successor.

Across seven games in their historic run to the semi-final, his 6.83 average rating perhaps belied his importance. He would record an 85% pass accuracy but saw his tackles rise to 2.3 per game, and his clearances to 1.4 per game, via Sofascore.

Such displays even led journalist Carlo Garganese to claim: "Amrabat the best centre midfielder in the tournament. MONSTER."

Should he choose to move to Manchester now, he could enjoy a few solid years under the tutelage of such a legendary midfielder, before eventually taking his place as the former Real Madrid stopper moves on.

Especially considering One-Versus-One helps to draw further comparisons between the two, as they rank similarly for fouls per 90 (1.85 v 2.33), passes into final third per 90 (8.69 v 9.71) and challenges won per 90 (37.81 v 38.23). He could easily slip in as the disruptive, progressive and defensive hero that is needed within such a system.

Casemiro could then leave safe in the knowledge that his presence helped underpin Ten Hag's regime and offered the necessary platform for their return to the Champions League and subsequent successes.

If Amrabat enjoys half as successful a career as the one the ageing general has had, then this will prove to be an extremely fruitful signing for Manchester United.

Everton have 'already come up with quite a good package' in their efforts to sign Almeria forward El Bilal Toure and won't stretch too much further to try and land the Mali international, according to journalist Paul Brown.

Is El Bilal Toure set to join Everton?

According to Spanish outlet IDEAL via Goodison News, Almeria expect Toure to leave in the coming days amid competition from Everton and Atalanta for the 21-year-old striker.

The report claims that Atalanta have offered £18.3 million to try and sign Toure; however, Everton have put forward a bid worth £25.7 million, representing a club-record sale for the La Liga outfit at that price.

As per The Daily Mail, they claim that Everton have actually offered a loan deal with an obligation to buy for Toure with a permanent fee that will be paid over four instalments.

Sean Dyche is keen to add to his forward line due to Dominic Calvert-Lewin's injury problems and lack of viable alternatives in attack, with Neal Maupay deemed to be not good enough to be a major player at Goodison Park after a dismal debut campaign at Everton.

Toure showed some promising signs for Almeria last term and managed to notch seven goals and two assists in 25 appearances across all competitions, as per Transfermarkt.

Providing a clear goal threat over the course of the season, Toure, who has been called an "awkward" player, took on around 1.4 shots per game in the Spanish top flight, according to WhoScored.

Everton have confirmed one piece of transfer business this window, capturing free agent Ashley Young upon the expiration of his contract at Aston Villa, as per Sky Sports.

Speaking to GIVEMESPORT, journalist Brown doesn't expect Everton to push too much harder to land Toure and has indicated that Atalanta may be the frontrunner to sign the Adjame-born striker.

Brown stated: "There are other clubs interested. I'm hearing that Atalanta are possibly ahead of Everton in the hunt at the moment, so we shall see.

"I don't really think, unless there is another sale, that Everton can throw a lot more money at that. They've already come up with quite a good package for someone who is unproven in the Premier League.

"So, I don't think they'd be willing to go much further than they already have."

Do Everton have alternative targets to boost their options in attack?

Everton boss Dyche does look likely to add to his offensive options this summer as he tries to ensure his side won't be involved in a relegation scrap for the third successive season.

According to 90min, the Toffees are keen to sign Leeds United winger Wilfried Gnonto; however, they have seen a £15 million bid for the Italy international rebuffed by his current employers.

Free agent Moussa Dembele and Leicester City veteran Jamie Vardy are two alternative targets earmarked to strengthen Dyche's forward line, as per FootballTransfers.

Manchester United out-of-favour winger Anthony Elanga is of interest to the Blues and is available for transfer for a fee of between £15-20 million. At the same time, Nottingham Forest and clubs in Germany are also monitoring his situation at Old Trafford, as per BBC Sport.

Leeds United winger Jack Harrison could be "snapped up by a Premier League team" this summer due to a release clause in his contract, claims journalist Alex Crook.

What is the latest Jack Harrison transfer news?

It has been a busy summer of transfer activity for the recently relegated Leeds this year, but perhaps not in the way fans would've been hoping, as the club have already seen 11 players go out the door, some on loan like Brenden Aaronson, but some permanently, like Tyler Roberts.

That list of departing players could soon have another name as Spanish striker and Leeds' top scorer last season Rodrigo Moreno has completed his move to Qatari side Al Rayyan.

The Peacocks won't even earn much for the move; his £3m price tag will actually represent a £27m loss on the former Valencia man. The fee is so low due to a release clause in his contract that could be activated after the team's relegation to the Championship last season.

In yet more bad news for new boss Daniel Farke, Football Insider revealed last month that exciting attacker Harrison also has a similar release clause in his contract that could see him leave for just £16m this summer.

With his performances for the Whites over the last few years and that appealing price tag, it shouldn't be a surprise if he ends up playing in England's top flight again next year, per Alex Crook.

He explained the situation on air, which was posted on TalkSPORT's YouTube channel, saying:

"Most of that squad have got similar clauses, I think Jack Harrison will be snapped up by a Premier League team."

Is Jack Harrison good enough for the Premier League?

Harrison has had an interesting journey to get where he is today, moving to the USA in his teens before playing in the MLS and signing for Manchester City.

Following that, he spent four seasons in Yorkshire, making himself one of the first names on the teamsheet for much of that time.

He has certainly proved that he has what it takes to play in England's top tier, and even last season, as the team around him was crumbling, he was able to put in consistently decent performances, with WhoScored giving him an average rating of 6.72 across his 36 appearances.

His underlying numbers were also solid, with FBref, who compare players in a similar position across Europe's top five leagues, placing him in the top 8% for blocks, the top 15% for clearances, the top 21% for interceptions, and the top 32% for assists, all per 90.

His talents are clearly appreciated by his teammates, as left back Junior Firpo waxed lyrical about his teammate on the Leeds official podcast, saying:

"He's one of the best wingers I had, in terms of helping the fullback. This is really important for the fullback when you have a winger that is committed to the work and helps you with the 2 v 1's, especially here in the Premier League where every team has amazing wingers. It's unbelievable to have him."

While Leeds would undoubtedly miss him, for the reported fee of just £16m, he would represent outstanding value for any mid-table team in the Premier League, and it's likely just a matter of when and not if he makes that move this summer.

To say Glasgow Rangers are undergoing a major overhaul this summer would be an understatement.

Michael Beale faced a tough challenge when the season finished, however, releasing players such as Scott Arfield, Allan McGregor, and Alfredo Morelos, while making six signings before the first pre-season fixture shows the club are trending in the right direction.

Jose Cifuentes could be the seventh signing for the Ibrox side in what has been a productive transfer window so far and surely talk will turn to those who are heading out the exit door.

Glen Kamara and Scott Wright have been heavily touted with moves away from Rangers this summer in a bid to raise some funds for Beale to perhaps make another few moves during the latter stages of the window, however, one player who may also leave the club is Ianis Hagi.

The Romanian attacking midfielder has been linked with a move to Italian side Lecce, while Galatasaray and Espanyol have also been named as potential suitors for the Light Blues star, and it would certainly be a surprise if he left.

Following an encouraging start, a serious knee injury in January 2022 has stalled his progress and he returned to the first team during the latter part of last term, making 11 appearances and scoring once.

If he does move away from Glasgow, who could replace him? Beale may have the ideal player in mind – Parfait Guiagon.

Who is Parfait Guiagon?

The 22-year-old was included in the Guardian’s ‘Next Gen List’ back in 2018 due to his emergence as one of the finest talents in world football, and he is currently playing for Maccabi Tel Aviv, while recently emerging as a target according to Israeli outfit One (via The Daily Record).

The Ivorian played 37 games last season, scoring four times and grabbing two assists and although these aren’t exactly numbers to get bums off seats, journalist Maher Mezahi lauded the player as being the ‘creative outlet’ for the team, suggesting that he creates plenty of chances for his teammates and just lacks a clinical nature in front of goal.

Hagi has registered 37 goal contributions during his 96 matches for the club, which is solid enough figures, yet if he doesn’t kick on after returning from full fitness during the early stages of the new season, Beale may cash in if a decent offer arrives.

Guiagon would be a surprise choice to take over from Hagi, no doubt about it, yet he was described as “one of the most talented youngsters in Israel's Premier League” back in 2021 by R.D. Football Scout back in 2021, and he even hailed the youngster as having “great potential” and it looks as though the £3m-rated ace should be aiming for his next move in order to really test himself.

Champions League football will be gracing the Ibrox pitch once again in August and adding yet another talented player who has a bright future ahead of them could be a wise investment for Beale as he looks to take the club to the group stages of Europe’s premier club competition for the second year on the bounce.

Arsenal are now considering a surprise move for PSG forward Kylian Mbappe, according to a recent report from Football Transfers.

What's the latest Arsenal transfer news?

Arsenal are still running the rule over a number of options to challenge for Bukayo Saka's spot at right-wing, with Villarreal's Samuel Chukwueze being "monitored", amid "fierce competition" for his signature from Liverpool and Newcastle United.

Another attacking option for the Gunners is Fenerbahce's Arda Guler, having recently leapfrogged Newcastle in the race for his signature, with Dean Jones claiming that Mikel Arteta has "two more" signings up his sleeve this summer.

According to a report from Football Transfers, one of the club's more outlandish targets is Mbappe, with Arsenal, and by extension sporting director Edu Gaspar, currently weighing up whether to send a package to the representatives of the PSG forward ahead of what has been labelled a sensational 2024 move.

The Frenchman's contract is due to expire at the end of next season, so this summer may be the last chance PSG have to receive a transfer fee for their prized asset, who has also been linked with a move to Real Madrid.

At this stage, it is thought the La Liga side are leading the race for the 24-year-old, and they could make an offer this summer, should his current club reduce their asking price, but at the moment they are holding firm.

Arsenal are aware they are currently second-choice to Real Madrid, and they will have to hope the Spanish club fail in their pursuit of the attacker.

How much does Kylian Mbappe earn?

The France international is currently tied down to a huge £1.2m-per-week contract at PSG, so the Gunners will be well aware they must be willing to spend big if they are to secure his signature this summer

In truth, it does not seem very likely the Gunners will be able to compete for his signature, as while they do have Champions League football on offer next season, the PSG star will probably want to move to a side with a more recent history of winning major trophies.

However, if the former AS Monaco man is attracted by the prospect of being a part of the project at the Emirates Stadium, there is every indication he could be a fantastic signing, who could help take Arsenal to the next level.

Hailed as a "generational talent" by members of the media, Mbappe has recorded a remarkable 212 goals and 98 assists in 260 appearances for PSG, proving himself as one of the world's best players.

Brendan Rodgers will soon make the second signing of his return to Celtic as Melbourne City's Marco Tilio prepares for a move to Glasgow, according to Dean Jones.

What's the latest Celtic transfer news?

Having captured their first signing of the summer window, bringing in 20-year-old Odin Thiago Holm from Valerenga, Celtic are working towards a second deal under Rodgers.

Australian forward Tilio is expected to arrive at Parkhead soon enough, and is perhaps a signing influenced by previous manager Ange Postecoglou's knowledge of the A-League.

Having won the domestic treble last season under now Tottenham boss Postecoglou, expectations are high for Rodgers' return to the Scottish Premiership, and the Bhoys will be expected to repeat the levels of success they enjoyed during the 2022/23 campaign.

According to Dean Jones, Tilio could be one of the men to help them do that, arriving in Scotland with an already impressive record.

Speaking to GIVEMESPORT, Jones said: "His Melbourne City team at the moment have got an understanding that they're not going to be able to hold on to him that much longer. So I think this would be a good route to go down for him, he's got a wand of a left foot and I think it'd be really exciting for the Celtic fans."

Positive news for Celtic fans, Tilio is not the only man that has been linked with Parkhead. A trio of K-League names have been mooted with Gangwon's Yang Hyun-jun and Gwanju's Eom Ji-sung and Jeong Ho-yeon on the club's radar.

Celtic have been very successful in utilising the Asian transfer market, with Kyogo Furuhashi, Daizen Maeda, Reo Hatate and Hyeon-gyu Oh all arriving in recent windows. The first on that impressive list even managed to pick up the Player of the Year award in the Scottish Premiership last season.

Who is Marco Tilio?

A 21-year-old attacker born in Sydney, Tilio is already a three-time Australian champion, winning two with Melbourne City and one with his hometown Sydney FC.

A left-footed winger who is comfortable on both flanks, albeit favouring the right, Tilio has scored 15 goals and registered 18 assists in 70 A-League appearances.

The youngster also went to the 2022 World Cup with Australia, replacing the injured Martin Boyle at the tournament, but was an unused substitute in all four of the Socceroos' matches. He has, however, still featured seven times for his nation, three of which were in qualification for the Qatar World Cup.

A-League expert Sacha Pisani described Tilio as a "really exciting player" who made a significant impact at Melbourne City last season, taking his game to a new level.

Arsenal are still very interested in Southampton's Romeo Lavia and he "remains" on their shortlist, according to Fabrizio Romano.

Are Arsenal going to sign Lavia?

Having invested all their time and resources into securing deals for Declan Rice, Kai Havertz and Jurrien Timber, Arsenal's recruitment team have barely been able to catch their breath over the past few weeks.

The Gunners want to build a team capable of going a step further and toppling Manchester City next season, and Mikel Arteta will need significant reinforcements to catch the champions, especially with the added pressure of Champions League football.

While Rice remains their midfield priority, Granit Xhaka and Thomas Partey's seemingly inevitable Emirates exits means that a second midfielder will be required as well. That midfielder very well could be 19-year-old Romeo Lavia.

According to Fabrizio Romano, Lavia remains firmly on the Gunners shortlist, despite interest from Liverpool ramping up.

"We already told you last week that Romeo Lavia is in Arsenal's list, that Arsenal had some positive conversations on club and player's side, but still no official bid," said the Italian.

"We know the priority is to resolve other stuff, like Timber, Rice and many others. Of course, Havertz will be official, but, guys, it is important to say that Romeo Lavia remains in Arsenal's list as one of the players they appreciate."

"So, Romeo Lavia is in Arsenal's list, but from what I understand, also Liverpool have opened talks to sign Romeo Lavia."

Romano also suggests that the Gunners may have to wait for Partey's future to be decided before they can act on their Lavia interest. However, by this time they could be behind other clubs in the queue.

Last season's Premier League runners-up had also shown a significant interest in midfielder Ilkay Gundogan, who could have followed the path of Gabriel Jesus and Oleksandr Zinchenko to north London, but the German has since joined Barcelona.

What could Arsenal expect from Lavia?

The fact that Lavia has taken inspiration from former Manchester City teammate Fernandinho can only be a positive thing for potential suitors, with the Belgian sharing some key characteristics with the 53-cap Brazilian international.

Lavia has great defensive awareness and reads the game well, being described as "head and shoulders" above any of Southampton's other players this season – albeit that is a very low bar – and being praised for his "professionalism" and "consistency".

Valued at more than £40m by the Saints per Romano, that could well prove to be a steal in an inflated transfer market, especially for a player who is just 19 with a year of top-flight experience under his belt already.

Lavia could provide Arsenal with significant defensive stability in the absence of Partey, as well as being a cheaper alternative should Declan Rice join Man City.

Arsenal are set to submit a record-breaking huge new move for West Ham United star Declan Rice, reports Sky Sports News transfer guru Dharmesh Sheth.

What's the latest Arsenal transfer news?

The Gunners are perhaps the busiest team in the Premier League right now, having already moved for several new signings since the transfer window officially opened last week.

The most advanced of which appears to be a move for Chelsea star Kai Havertz, with Fabrizio Romano revealing this week that personal terms with the Germany international are already agreed and the club’s valuations are only about £5m apart.

A deal for Ajax defender Jurrien Timber is also in the works, with David Ornstein revealing a £30m attempt from Edu Gaspar and Mikel Arteta on Monday evening, although the Dutch outfit want £50m, so that saga could rumble on for a bit.

According to Sheth, amidst all that, the north Londoners are also set to table their next offer for Rice, having been rejected in their advances so far: “Arsenal expected to make formal bid worth £90m for West Ham United captain Declan Rice.

He continued: “Arsenal bid would smash their club transfer record. Currently stands at £72m for Nicolas Pepe from Lille in 2019.”

Is Rice worth the money?

Everyone knows by now what Rice can offer a team, having thrived for England and on the European stage, but it’s not until you dive into the underlying numbers you see just what an influential addition he could be at the Emirates Stadium.

The 24 year-old sits in the 95th percentile for all midfielders in Europe for interceptions per 90 minutes, also ranking highly for tackles, clearances, progressive passes, progressive carries and non-penalty goals.

This is a player then who can really do it all, reading the play, breaking it up, driving forward either with the ball at his feet or with a clever pass and even pitching in with the occasional goal.

With Granit Xhaka strongly linked with a departure and now Thomas Partey too, it seems Arteta is plotting a bit of a midfield rebuild ahead of the club’s return to the Champions League, and signing Rice along with Havertz – albeit for a more advanced role of course – would be an excellent place to start.

If they can then go on and strenghten the defence with a move for Timber, who provides depth both at centre-back and right-back, one has to think they'll be bang in the mix at the top of the table once again.

Leeds United's manager search has dragged on now, mainly halted by the progress of Andrea Radrizzani's sale of the club.

With new ownership now in place, and a brighter future promised at Elland Road, the 49ers' first move must be to secure a capable boss who can lead them back to the Premier League of which they struggled away from for so long last time.

To make things more beneficial, it would be useful if this new boss could also work towards keeping the top stars of this current squad before they are slowly picked off by various clubs, seeking a cut-price deal for a top-quality player.

One such example of this would be Wilfried Gnonto, who massively caught the eye in what was his debut year in English football. However, as his starts waned near the end of the season, the Italy international would likely have grown frustrated.

Therefore, to perhaps return to an old option they considered following the sacking of Jesse Marsch, Patrick Vieira might be one of a select few that could keep the 19-year-old in Yorkshire, citing his work with Wilfried Zaha and Michael Olise as examples as to why he should stay.

Would Patrick Vieira help Wilfried Gnonto improve?

Whilst the Arsenal hero, and "legend" in the eyes of writer David Ornstein, might have seen his time at Crystal Palace cut short, the 46-year-old remains a man who earned huge success against all the odds during that first term at Selhurst Park.

Many viewed his time at New York City FC and OGC Nice as underwhelming spells, far from the requisite experience to thrive in a league where he dominated as a player. However, shrewd business allowed him to finish 12th and give his fans a trip to Wembley.

Zaha would notch 14 league goals that campaign, with Olise hitting 13 goal contributions in all competitions. It is clear that Vieira's 4-3-3 system is very conducive for wide men, suggesting Gnonto would also thrive.

Not just goal-scoring wide men, the two displayed their creative assets under Vieira too, with the Ivorian registering five assists to Olise's incredibly impressive 13.

By comparison, across all competitions of a tumultuous year for Leeds, Gntono recorded six goals and five assists, dressing his work up in that same flair and outlandish exuberance that has made the Ivory Coast international so loved by Palace fans.

When compared to other wingers across Europe, he even ranks in the top 16% for progressive carries per 90 (4.39) to further emphasise this dynamism, whereas Zaha and Olise registered 3.38 and 3.63 respectively.

Whilst the Italian's performances have understandably drawn interest from across the globe, should he be tempted to stay by this titan of the English game, he could be turned into a truly unplayable star who could propel the 49ers' club straight back into the top flight.

All he needs to do is look at how Vieira's progressed Olise's career at Selhurst Park.