Tag Futebol

The Danish centre-back underwent surgery for his tendinopathy but has no place in Hansi Flick's team when he returns to full fitness.

Article continues below

Article continues below

Article continues below

Andreas Christensen underwent surgeryWill be out of action for two more monthsBarcelona might put him up for saleFollow GOAL on WhatsApp! 🟢📱WHAT HAPPENED?

Barcelona hold a commanding lead in LaLiga, and while their attacking prowess is their standout feature, it's evident that their success wouldn't be achievable without the solid defensive structure built by Hansi Flick, even amid key absences. The rise of Pau Cubarsi and the growing importance of Inigo Martinez have been crucial. As Ronald Araujo nears his return, it appears that Andreas Christensen may struggle to regain his spot in the squad once he's fully fit.

AdvertisementGetty Images SportTHE BIGGER PICTURE

According to , Barcelona's management holds some regard for the Danish center-back, but once he completes his regenerative cell treatment and returns to full fitness, he will be significantly behind in the competition for playing time. As a result, the club may be open to listening to offers in January, especially with an eye on raising funds for potential new signings.

GettyDID YOU KNOW?

Christensen's contract with the Catalans runs until June 2026, meaning next season will be the final one under his current terms. However, there have been no discussions about a contract renewal yet, unlike with Ronald Araujo, who could return in December. Araujo will face a challenge to reclaim his spot in the defense, despite being one of the team's captains.

ENJOYED THIS STORY?

Add GOAL.com as a preferred source on Google to see more of our reporting

AFPWHAT NEXT FOR ANDREAS CHRISTENSEN?

Christensen underwent surgery on his tendons in both legs and received cellular regenerative therapy in a bid to finally get rid of his lingering injury problems. However, as a setback, the former Chelsea man is not expected to return to fitness at least until the end of January.

Nottingham Forest are set to be one of the busier Premier League sides in the final weeks of the summer transfer window as they line up a mammoth five new signings, according to one reliable journalist.

Quiet summer for Nottingham Forest

So far, this summer has been one of consolidation rather than addition for Nuno Espírito Santo and co. at the City Ground. They have been able to keep hold of key duo Morgan Gibbs-White and Murillo after their financial fair play fears were eased by the sale of Moussa Niakhate to Lyon.

Meanwhile, their squad is beginning to take shape after two hectic seasons that has seen them make close to 50 transfers since their promotion to the top flight back in 2022. They have added Elliot Anderson in a deal worth £35m, which was considered a market opportunity given Newcastle's own FFP concerns.

They have also replaced Niakhate with Nikola Milenkovic, who had previously been linked with Manchester United but has now moved to the Midlands in a £12m deal. Corinthians goalkeeper Carlos Miguel arrived in a £3.3m move, alongside young duo Eric Moreira and Marko Stamenic, who were signed from Red Star and FC St Pauli respectively.

Nottingham Forest's new signings

Player

Fee

Elliot Anderson

£35m

Nikola Milenkovic

£12m

Marko Stamenic

£4.6m

Carlos Miguel

£3.3m

Eric da Silva Moreira

£1m

But much of the squad retains the same look as it did for the final game of the 2023-24 campaign. Now though, that seems set to change.

Forest set for late summer splurge

That comes as reliable reporter John Percy claims that as many as five new signings (and perhaps more) could find their way to the City Ground between now and the end of the transfer window in a month's time.

"Forest will look to make further additions", he reports, with the "priority" being "two wingers, a forward, a left-back and another goalkeeper" between now and the end of the transfer window.

They have been linked with a move for Crystal Palace no.2 Sam Johnstone, while recent reports have also credited them with eyeing up an opportunistic move for Arsenal shot-stopper Aaron Ramsdale.

Related Nottingham Forest taking "last steps" to sign £10m+ ace "pushing" for move

The Midlands club are closing in on another reinforcement.

Posts ByTom Cunningham Jul 26, 2024

As it stands though, only one deal is close. That comes in the form of winger Ramos Sosa, with Percy adding that "a £10 million deal" for the Paraguayan winger is "understood to be the next potential incoming" at the City Ground.

Still just 24-years-old, Sosa has been described as "an excellent ball carrier" who "can drag his team up the pitch as well prove rather useful on the counter" by South American football journalist Nathan Joyes on X.

His arrival would help provide cover and competition to exciting pair Anthony Elanga and Callum Hudson-Odoi, both of whom have proved adept in doing just that since their moves to the Midlands 12 months ago.

For Forest, it appears that the transfer window is only just getting underway, and there could be plenty more to come before the deadline.

Despite his contentious exit, Cristiano Ronaldo set the standard in his second spell at Manchester United as Mike Phelan reflects on his impact.

Article continues below

Article continues below

Article continues below

• Ronaldo returned to United in 2021
• Ten Hag clash led to unsavoury exit
• Portuguese left after being 'betrayed'

Follow GOAL on WhatsApp! 🟢📱

• WHAT HAPPENED?

  Ronaldo's return to Old Trafford in 2021 prompted a much-needed wave of enthusiasm as the club welcomed back one of the greatest players in their history. But, like much of United's history in the post-Ferguson era, things didn't pan out as planned. Ronaldo left the club by mutual consent in November 2022 following a clash with Erik ten Hag that prompted the Portuguese to publicly claim the Red Devils had betrayed him.

Advertisement

• Getty Images Sport
  

  THE BIGGER PICTURE

  Ronaldo's explosive interview with Piers Morgan in November 2021, where he claimed he was being pushed out and criticised the club's lack of progress since Sir Alex Ferguson's 2013 retirement, led to a mutual decision to terminate his contract. Yet his return had started well, with Ronaldo scoring 24 goals in all competitions in his first season and making an impact on former United assistant coach Mike Phelan, who was reunited with the player he first met as an 18-year-old.

  In an interview with The Athletic, Phelan denied suggestions Ronaldo overstepped the boundaries during his second spell and claimed the five-time Ballon d'Or winner set standards that his team-mates couldn't match.

• WHAT PHELAN SAID

  “When Ronaldo returned, the buzz was unreal – supporters, players," Phelan said. "What he brought back with him was a different playing style. Ronaldo is a goalscorer. He was driven by his outstanding ability to change a game. Everything was great. And then things change from the point of view of his ambition.

  “From the first time (Ronaldo was at United), when I was a coach, I just fine-tuned certain things. I tried to appeal to his strong mentality – ‘These moments are yours’. I applied that the second time around. You didn’t coach Cristiano to be a better player. All I was doing was reinforcing his belief that special players find a way.

  “I was rubbing his ego a little bit. But he delivered. He was older, wiser and set high standards – sometimes standards others couldn’t keep to.

  “We can all look back in hindsight, and I think Ole has commented on it, how that dynamic might have changed. But if you wanted someone to produce something, he did it. I honestly never thought Cristiano stepped over boundaries."

ENJOYED THIS STORY?

Add GOAL.com as a preferred source on Google to see more of our reporting

• Getty Images Sport
  

  WHAT NEXT FOR MAN UTD?

  One can only imagine Ronaldo's reaction to Ten Hag's recent sacking, with the Al-Nassr forward admitting that he didn't respect the Dutch coach in the Morgan interview. United are set for a new era under Ruben Amorim, who just masterminded Sporting CP's stunning 4-1 win over the Red Devils' rivals Manchester City in the Champions League.

Glasgow Rangers have enjoyed a busy start to the summer transfer window as they have already secured three additions for their playing squad.

Oscar Cortes has joined on a second loan deal from Lens, with an obligation to make it permanent next summer, Jefte has signed permanently from Fluminense, and Clinton Nsiala will officially join the club next month after his contract with AC Milan expires.

A fourth player could be about to walk through the door at Ibrox as well as the club are reportedly in pole position to sign Yusuf Kabadayi from Bayern Munich.

The Glasgow giants now have a central midfielder in their sights as they are interested in a swoop to sign a player from one of their Scottish Premiership rivals.

Rangers interest in Scottish dynamo

According to The Scottish Sun, Nils Koppen is lining up a deal to sign Scottish dynamo Connor Barron from Aberdeen during the summer window.

The report claims that the Light Blues are at the front of the queue of clubs looking to snap up the 21-year-old midfielder ahead of the 2024/25 campaign.

His contract with the Dons expired at the end of last month and Rangers are now said to be ready to 'step up' their interest in the 5 foot 9 youngster to add him to their squad.

The Scottish Sun adds that Aberdeen would be due compensation from the Gers and that the two clubs would have to reach an agreement, whilst the Premiership side could rake in up to £500k if he makes a move down south or to Italy – where there has been interest in him.

Rangers could help attacking midfielder Todd Cantwell to flourish by securing a deal for the out-of-contract star over the coming weeks, due to his tenacity and athleticism in the middle of the park.

How Connor Barron could help Todd Cantwell

Having an energetic and impressive defensive-minded ace at the base of the midfield could free up the English wizard to stay higher and maintain a constant threat in attack, rather than being too worried about his defensive duties and dropping in to help the team.

Analyst John Walker described Barron as "relentless" and lauded his excellent pressing out of possession earlier this year, which speaks to his impressive work off the ball.

23/24 Premiership	Connor Barron (Aberdeen)	John Lundstram (Premiership)
Appearances	29	34
Tackles + interceptions per game	2.6	2.5
Dribbled past per game	0.8	1.0
Duels won per game	3.7	3.9
Ground duel success rate	53%	49%
Aerial duel success rate	68%	55%
Stats via Sofascore

As you can see in the table above, that was backed up by the Aberdeen star's performances on the pitch as he outperformed Rangers defensive midfielder John Lundstram, who has now left Ibrox on a free transfer, in a number of key metrics.

Barron could win a higher percentage of his duels in the middle of the park and be dribbled past fewer times by opposition players, which could cut out more attacks and lead to more transition opportunities for Rangers.

That could make him a dream for Cantwell as it would, therefore, provide the attacking midfielder with more security behind him and more attacks to showcase his quality.

The 26-year-old whiz produced seven goals and five assists in 30 Premiership matches this term but could have more chances to add to both of those tallies by having a defensive anchor behind him to mop up the ball and recycle it for the ex-Norwich ace to weave his magic at the top end of the pitch.

Rangers could repeat Tillman masterclass in swoop for "prolific" star

The Light Blues have been linked with an interest in the talented youngster this summer.

By
Dan Emery

Jun 9, 2024

Koppen and Philippe Clement could, therefore, help Cantwell to flourish further in a Light Blues shirt by bringing Barron in to play in midfield behind the English talent.

Cristiano Ronaldo's long-term partner Georgina Rodriguez has posted an Instagram story suggesting the pair have acquired a brand new property.

Article continues below

Article continues below

Article continues below

• Ronaldo away on international duty
• Rodriguez teased new house purchase
• Rumours of mega mansion

Follow GOAL on WhatsApp! 🟢📱

• WHAT HAPPENED?

  Rodriguez shared an image of herself posing in a large empty room, captioning the post: "My new asset 🏠 ✅"

  Specific details of the pair's potential new property venture are unclear right now, but speculation about a brand new mansion has been circulating for some time.

  @georginagio

Advertisement

• Getty
  

  THE BIGGER PICTURE

  It was reported in June that Ronaldo and Rodriguez had purchased land on a 'mega-exclusive' Dubai island, worth a whopping €25 million (£21m/$27m). Their plans to build a mansion on the island seem to be coming to fruition, although initial reports suggested that the property wouldn't be ready until the end of this year.

• DID YOU KNOW?

  The pair appear to be enjoying their life in the Middle East, with Rodriguez previously saying she was "very happy" for her partner to be playing in Saudi Arabia. The 30-year-old recently revealed she was desperate to leave Manchester and was "so relieved" when Ronaldo's time at the club came to an end.

ENJOYED THIS STORY?

Add GOAL.com as a preferred source on Google to see more of our reporting

• Getty
  

  WHAT NEXT FOR RONALDO?

  While Rodriguez checks out their new mansion, Ronaldo is away on international duty preparing for a UEFA Nations League match against Poland. The Al-Nassr star recently scored his 900th career goal and will be looking to add to that tally this international break, despite Roberto Martinez being under pressure to end CR7's 'untouchable' status.

كشف التونسي سيف الدين الجزيري، لاعب الفريق الأول لكرة القدم بنادي الزمالك، عن علاقته القوية مع زميله شيكابالا، موضحًا رأيه في انضمام أي لاعب من الأهلي للقلعة البيضاء.

وقال سيف الدين الجزيري في تصريحات عبر قناة “أون تايم سبورتس”: “علاقتي بشيكابالا ممتازة وقريبين من بعضنا”.

هل ترى أن هناك لاعبًا قد يمثل نصف قوة الزمالك مثل زيزو وعبد الله السعيد؟: “لا أؤمن بهذا الكلام، كلنا نكمل بعضنا في الملعب والمصلحة واحدة”.

طالع أيضاً.. حكم مصري على الفار في مباراة قطر والإمارات بـ كأس الخليج 2024 “خليجي 26”

هل هناك لاعب معين في الغريم التقليدي الأهلي تتمنى أن ينضم إلى الزمالك؟: “لا”.

وأتم: “عندما أعود إلى تونس سيكون إلى فريقي نادي الإفريقي”.

Celtic brought Brendan Rodgers back to Parkhead for a second spell in Glasgow last summer and decided to back him during the transfer window.

The Northern Irish head coach made nine permanent signings and brought in three players on loan across the summer and winter windows – adding 11 to his squad in total throughout the season.

However, Luis Palma (1489) was the only player to make the top 11 for minutes played in the Scottish Premiership for the Hoops this term, which does not suggest that Rodgers made a huge number of successful signings to bolster his starting XI.

Two of his best, in fact, came during the January window as Nicolas Kuhn and Adam Idah both made an impact after joining midway through the season, although the latter was the best of the two in the end.

Nicolas Kuhn's Celtic impact in 2024

The German forward was snapped up from Rapid Wien on a permanent deal in January and went on to show glimpses of quality during the second half of the campaign.

Kuhn ended up 16th in the squad for minutes played in the Premiership (783), despite coming in halfway through, and chipped in with two goals and two assists in 14 appearances.

23/24 Premiership

Nicolas Kuhn

Appearances

14

Goals

2

Assists

2

Big chances created

5

Key passes per game

1.3

Dribbles completed per game

1.4

Stats via Sofascore

As you can see in the table above, the 24-year-old forward was somewhat unfortunate to only end the season with two assists to his name in the league, as he created five 'big chances' for his teammates.

Despite his contributions to the team after coming over from Austria, Idah was the best signing made by Rodgers during the 2023/24 campaign.

Why Adam Idah was the best signing of the season

The Ireland international joined on loan from Norwich City and made a huge impact in the second half of the season, with his fantastic and clutch performances.

Rodgers hailed the forward as "immense" and claimed that he was a "catalyst" for Celtic during the final few months of the campaign, which is backed up by the number of vital goals he scored.

In the league, he scored a 92nd-minute penalty for Celtic to win 2-1 away at Hibernian, fired in off the bench against Rangers in the 3-3 draw at Ibrox, and scored twice off the bench to take the Hoops from 1-0 down to 2-1 up away at Motherwell.

Idah then, of course, scored the only goal of the game in the SFA Cup final with a 90th-minute winner against Rangers at Hampden Park on Saturday.

The £23k-per-week marksman stepped up in the big moments when it mattered most to win Celtic vital points, and a piece of silverware, with his well-timed and well-taken strikes – finding the back of the net eight times in 15 Premiership matches.

Despite joining in January, only Kyogo Furuhashi (14) and Matt O'Riley (18) scored more league goals for the Hoops, which also means that the 6 foot 3 titan scored more than any other new signing.

Related 4/10 Celtic flop should not be a regular in 24/25 after Hampden no-show

The Hoops forward produced another underwhelming display for Brendan Rodgers on Saturday.

Posts ByDan Emery May 26, 2024

Overall, Idah was Rodgers' best signing of the campaign due to his consistently monumental impact in crucial moments to push his team to two trophies, and the club may now want to consider bringing him back for a second spell at the end of his loan deal.

Tottenham Hotspur are a team with imperfections. Daniel Levy knows that, as does Ange Postecoglou. Despite losing successive Premier League matches, hampering the bid to qualify for the Champions League, Levy will still be confident that his decision to appoint Postecoglou last year was the correct one.

Fifth in the standings, Tottenham have two games in hand and only trail fourth-place Aston Villa by six points, though still face Chelsea and Liverpool away from home, also welcoming Manchester City to north London.

But should the club miss out on a spot among Europe's elite next year, the progress made under new management should not be discredited, with this developing squad boasting all the signs of a promising project still in its embryonic stage.

Postecoglou's expansive, free-flowing style of football won fans over instantaneously at the start of the campaign but inconsistencies and injuries have since marred the success that saw him become the first manager to win the Manager of the Month award in each of his first three months in the Premier League.

The latest on the never-ending injury front has seen pacy winger Timo Werner pick up a hamstring injury during Sunday's loss against the Gunners, withdrawn after 31 minutes.

Joining Spurs on loan from RB Leipzig in January – with the option to make the deal permanent for £15m – Werner has scored two goals and supplied three assists from ten starting appearances in the Premier League, remarking "I love it here" during one post-match interview.

With trips to Chelsea and Liverpool looming in the English top-flight this week, Postecoglou will likely need to shuffle the pack, with Werner starting the past five games – but who could replace him?

1

The obvious choice

Brennan Johnson

Most Lilywhites supporters wanted Brennan Johnson to start over Werner against Arsenal, offering a fleet-footed style but having also found greater, richer potency in front of goal this season, especially over the past few months.

Signed from Nottingham Forest for a whopping £47.5m fee last summer, the Wales international is shaping into a very useful asset, with plenty of room for improvement but plenty of ways to enflame the ire of Tottenham's opposition.

Content creator Dan Cook – known as 'HLTCO' on X (formerly Twitter) – perhaps summed up Johnson's skill set best, saying: "Brennan Johnson is such an exciting player to watch. He’s got frightening pace and directness; constantly looking to make something happen, it must be an absolute nightmare to defend against him."

While Johnson is typically found on the right flank, his two-footedness makes him a danger wherever he is deployed and he may well be the No. 1 choice to replace his German peer at Stamford Bridge on Thursday.

2

The tactical tweak

Heung-min Son

Next we have Heung-min Son, whose return to the left wing wouldn't be a revelation down N17 but given that he's started out wide just twice in 2024, it would be something of a tactical tweak.

Tottenham's long-time star has been in fine fettle this season, scoring 16 goals and supplying nine assists across 30 Premier League matches and playing a pivotal part in his outfit's resurgence under new management.

Of course, with Harry Kane not directly replaced as the focal frontman at the start of Postecoglou's reign, Son is needed at centre-forward, though Richarlison is pushing for a return from the outset and his brilliant purple patch earlier in 2024 underlines his prowess as an efficient striker.

As per FBref, the Spurs skipper ranks among the top 2% of forwards across Europe's top five leagues over the past year for assists, the top 11% for shot-creating actions, the top 7% for progressive passes, the top 3% for pass completion and the top 6% for progressive carries per 90.

Premier League 23/24: Most Big Chances Created
#	Player	Club	Stat
1.	Mohamed Salah	Liverpool	21
2.	Bruno Fernandes	Manchester United	20
3.	Heung-min Son	Tottenham Hotspur	17
3.	Dwight McNeil	Everton	17
5.	Kevin De Bruyne	Manchester City	16
5.	Martin Odegaard	Arsenal	16
Stats via Premier League

Only Liverpool talisman Mohamed Salah and Manchester United star Bruno Fernandes trump the South Korea star in big-chance creation this season and it's no joke that Son is one of the most dynamic players in the business.

He might be one of the deadliest finishers in the Premier League, but Son can throw down with the best when it comes to playmaking and controlling the flow of play.

Perhaps, playing Tottenham's best forward in his natural position to combat Werner's absence is actually the way to go – who'd have thought it?

3

The academy star

Mikey Moore

The wildcard. The up-and-comer. England's most prodigious talent. That last sentence is admittedly subjective but 16-year-old Mikey Moore has now been training with the Tottenham first team and will be desperate to make his professional debut before the campaign's conclusion.

This season, the dynamic forward has been in staggering form at youth level, scoring 16 goals and providing nine assists for his teammates over just 14 outings across the U18 Premier League and the FA Youth Cup.

Described as a "superstar" by Fabrizio Romano, it's a dangerous game to heap praise too lofty on a youngster before they've even dipped their toes into the senior scene but Moore's age-belying talent makes it hard not to get giddy if you're wearing lily white.

A stunning ball-carrier with a ferocious strike and balletic movements, Moore's regular inclusion in the senior training set-up speaks of the high regard he is held in and he might just find himself unleashed in the fixtures to come, should Werner fail to make a quick recovery from his hamstring issue.

Usually placed centrally for Spurs but enjoying prolific success on the left flank for England, scoring a hat-trick against Croatia U17s last time out, Moore has the built-in athleticism and natural swagger to propel him to the front of the pack and there is now every chance that Postecoglou could decide to unleash his starlet at the season's final stage.

It might just be the start of something special…

Spurs star who dropped a 4/10 in the NLD must never start for Ange again

Tottenham’s top fours hopes were dented following defeat against Arsenal in the Premier League

By
Angus Sinclair

Apr 29, 2024

Sheffield Wednesday will hope, when next season comes around and a first ball is kicked, that Danny Rohl is still occupying his position as manager in the Hillsborough dug-out.

Wednesday supporters will know that there's no guarantee that the South Yorkshire side will be the most stable club over the off-season, with Darren Moore's fractious relationship with owner Dejphon Chansiri resulting in the promotion-winning boss being given the boot last summer, and so they will just pray for a more subdued and quiet environment this time around with the German hopefully staying put.

There is bound to be change when it comes to who is playing on the pitch for the Championship outfit, however, with a number of the troops at Rohl's disposal currently uneasy over their futures owing to their contracts running down.

Away from the likes of Barry Bannan and Liam Palmer not yet putting pen to paper on an extension, Michael Smith could be heading for the exit door – even with his current deal being in place until 2025 – with the Owls wanting to profit on their previously prolific centre-forward before it's too late.

Michael Smith's bright start at Sheffield Wednesday

Heading into this Championship campaign, off the back of the most dramatic promotion stories under Moore, many would have expected in South Yorkshire that Smith would be the main talisman up top to lead Wednesday back into the second tier and fire in the goals.

The prolific attacker at League One level would live up to his reputation for the Owls in that division, bagging 17 goals in the league for the eventual promotion-chasers which would take his total in the third tier across his esteemed career to an impressive 75 overall.

Michael Smith's goal record in League One

Club

Games played

Goals scored

Sheffield Wednesday

39

16

Rotherham United

99

33

Bury FC

19

1

Northampton Town

14

2

Swindon Town

60

21

Barnsley

13

0

Colchester United

8

2

Sourced by Transfermarkt

Having had to cut his teeth at a number of League One sides, before coming into his own in the division under Paul Warne at Rotherham and then further with Wednesday, Smith must have been overjoyed at the prospect of establishing himself as a feared centre-forward in the division above.

Yet, the narrative hasn't quite gone in Smith's favour with the well-travelled striker looking likely to be moving on again this summer based on his lack of game-time under Rohl.

Smith's season for Wednesday in numbers

The lofty 6 foot 3 striker did initially start this season where he left off in League One for the Owls, netting against Hull City in Wednesday's second game back at the level before haunting his former employers Rotherham with two more strikes at the close of October.

However, since then, the 32-year-old has found his minutes to be fewer and fewer which coincided with Rohl's arrival onto the scene as a fresh face in the dug-out.

Smith only managed to find the back of the net once more during the entire rest of the campaign with his confidence shot as a sudden fringe figure, the German boss preferring to use the likes of Troyes loanee Ike Ugbo over the ex-Rotherham forward.

Rohl can be excused for wanting to freshen up the striker spot with hindsight now, knowing that the former Chelsea youngster would end up bagging seven goals when making the switch from France to help Wednesday navigate through some tough clashes and continue to pick up hard-fought victories.

To bring an end to his Wednesday nightmare now, Smith could look to get the ball rolling over a move to Derby County again – which nearly happened in January, according to reports – to link back up with his ex-Millers boss in Warne who managed to oversee the richest goalscoring form of his career whilst together at the New York Stadium.

The Owls wouldn't say no to offloading the reserve striker either, knowing that they could still gain a handsome amount of money for the 32-year-old who still boasts a higher worth than Josh Windass in the Hillsborough camp, according to Football Transfers.

Smith's transfer value in 2024

Despite only firing in four strikes during a dismal season from a personal perspective, Smith's valuation is still coming in at a high £944k.

Selling the seasoned striker on for this amount would see the Owls make a healthy profit, considering they managed to strike gold on a free transfer deal for Smith's services back in 2022 at the expense of Rotherham.

Smith's transfer value over the years

2024

£944k

2023

£1.1m

2022

£0

2021

£687k

2018

£1.2m

Sourced by Football Transfers

Wednesday just won't want to be burnt in a similar manner to the Millers when they lost Smith for nothing two years ago, considering his transfer value would rise to £1.1m just a year into his move to the Owls.

Amazingly, despite his heroics recently in helping his side complete a dramatic escape from relegation, Josh Windass' value sits at a lesser £429k – less than half of Smith's amount – with Rohl and Co no doubt clamouring to sign up the ex-Accrington Stanley man for next season with his contract expiring next month.

Entering into a mini purple patch at the best possible time, by scoring a goal in all of Wednesday's last three league games, Rohl will want the 30-year-old to stick it out at Hillsborough more so than Smith who will be allowed to leave.

Staggeringly, another key member of Rohl's camp in Barry Bannan finds himself being worth the same amount as the striker stuck on the periphery in South Yorkshire all whilst assisting Liam Palmer's crucial opener on the final day to secure safety at the Stadium of Light.

It's been a quick decline for Smith, who was one of the first names on the team sheet under Moore's reign and was even described as a "colossal" figure by Warne during his best days at the New York Stadium.

Now, the 32-year-old is merely a bit-part player in his less than welcoming South Yorkshire location and will be seen as a player that can be offloaded now to make some satisfactory profit off of.

Related Sheffield Wednesday dropped a clanger when they signed Seedorf's teammate

Sheffield Wednesday dropped an almighty clanger with this coup.

Posts ByKelan Sarson Mar 21, 2024

West Ham United are preparing for life without David Moyes in the hotseat after reports claiming that they were "one step away" from landing his replacement on Sunday were followed by another twist on Monday morning.

Moyes hanging by thread after Palace humiliation

It was another disastrous afternoon for West Ham in the Premier League on Sunday, as they fell three goals behind to Crystal Palace inside 20 minutes on their way to a 5-2 defeat at Selhurst Park.

Torn apart on a regular basis, they looked a shadow of the side that lifted the Conference League trophy just 12 months ago, and the result leaves them with just one win in their last five Premier League games, form which has seen their chances of European football next season take a massive hit with four games left of the season.

The race for European football

Position

Club

Played

Won

Drawn

Lost

Goal Difference

Points

6th

Newcastle United

32

15

5

12

17

50

7th

Manchester United

32

15

5

12

-1

50

8th

West Ham United

34

13

9

12

-9

48

9th

Chelsea

31

13

8

10

9

47

After the game, Moyes didn't hold back on his side: “The first half was as bad as I have seen us play. We have had three or four of these incidents this season, games very similar, where I could not believe the team.

“I don’t think the team, in the three years I have been here, have gone to the depths in the three of four games this year. Today, the first half was unacceptable. The players got praised for their performance on Thursday night but today was so bad I cannot put it into words.

"I have got to say I have not had many teams who have played like that in my whole career.”

West Ham make Lucas Paqueta decision as transfer stance made clear

The Brazilian could be their next high profile departure after Declan Rice.

ByEmilio Galantini Apr 19, 2024

When quizzed on if his future will be taken out of his hands, Moyes was similarly abrupt: "If it is, then it is, fine – no problem."

West Ham new manager update

As per reports coming out of Italy on Sunday evening [via Sport Witness], West Ham are closing in on recruiting a new manager for next season. That boss comes in the form of ex-Real Madrid, Sevilla and most recently Wolves boss Julen Lopetegui, who the club reportedly held fresh and positive talks with on Sunday after the defeat at Palace.

So much so, in fact, that a move was considered just "one step away" from being confirmed, which would see Lopetegui pen a three-year contract with the Hammers. However, The Guardian's Jacob Steinberg took to X on Monday morning to dispute the rumours about the Spaniard, albeit he did confirm Moyes is probably finished.

Lopetegui has not been in work since leaving Wolves over a transfer policy dispute (amid severe financial fair play concerns) just days before the new season started, but managed ten wins during his spell at Molineux (in 27 games), including one over West Ham.

With Moyes seemingly captaining a sinking ship, a change is best for all parties come this summer. Lopetegui has the experience step into the void, but there appears to be plenty of twists and turns to come yet.