Latest Stories
Most recently published stories in Cleats.
From Roker Park to Radio Tirana
Sunderland fans and communist Albania shouldn’t have much in common. Even allowing for the north-east’s left-leaning political reputation, the unreconstructed Stalinism of Enver Hoxha was seldom debated on the terraces. Yet, for a generation of fans clutching crackly radio sets, midway matches meant the Red-and-Whites of Roker were accompanied by the Reds of the Marxist-Leninist vanguard.
Andy PottsPublished 4 years ago in CleatsFootball in Ukraine
To discover a new country without following the Tripadvisor template, ask a football fan. The beautiful game is universal, but exploring the highways and byways of the local championship offers a unique insight into a different – often hidden – world. Just ask Kyiv-based groundhopper Adam Pate, an exiled Sheffield United fan on a mission.
Andy PottsPublished 4 years ago in CleatsScouting: Said Benrahma
A cog in Brentford's attacking trident, Said Benrahma operates as a left winger acting mostly as an inside forward. A very technically gifted player and still young, aged only 24, Benrahma should be playing Premier League football make no doubt. With the likes of Bryan Mbeumo and Ollie Watkins also in Brentford's attacking line-up, Benrahma has many outlets for his outstanding creativity. Most definitely a creator more than anything else, let's see what makes the Algerian so valuable to The Bees.
Potential PuntsPublished 4 years ago in CleatsScouting: Randell Williams
Randell Williams is a 23 year old normally operating off the right wing for League Two side Exeter City. With his breakthrough season this season, Williams has taken League Two by storm this season. Blessed with blistering pace, Randell can dribble, shoot and create and all prolifically. Definitely operating at a level higher that England's fourth tier, Randell could be moving on up, be that with Exeter City or if a move to another club.
Potential PuntsPublished 4 years ago in CleatsScouting: Ivan Toney
Ivan Toney is probably not a name you've heard before. An ex-Newcastle United player that featured in 2 substitute appearances before being sent on a plethora of loan spells was purchased outright by League One side Peterborough United for what Transfermarkt reported to be £650,000. He has repaid The Posh in bags, leading Peterborough to 6th in League One, only 2 points from 2nd place, before coronavirus brought footballing activity to a standstill.
Potential PuntsPublished 4 years ago in CleatsScouting: Manuel Locatelli
Manuel Locatelli might be a name you've heard of before, having scored a scorcher against Juventus a couple of seasons ago for AC Milan. Since then, Locatelli has dropped off a little bit, spending the 2018/19 season with Sassuolo, before being purchased outright in the summer of 2019 for what Transfermarkt reported to be £11.25m. Still only 22 years old, Locatelli has used his time with Sassuolo to really demonstrate his qualities at the base of midfield, leaving I Neroverdi 11th in Serie A, 4 points from 7th placed AC Milan, before coronavirus brought footballing activity to a halt.
Potential PuntsPublished 4 years ago in CleatsScouting: Marc Roca
Marc Roca is a 23 year old defensive midfielder currently playing for bottom of La Liga side Espanyol. In an extremely disappointing campaign for Espanyol, one thing is for certain, Marc Roca is definitely operating above and beyond for Los Periquitos. Having made his debut in the 2016/17 season, Roca has gone from strength to strength, appearing for Spain's U21's in 2019. With clear quality, why is he still at Espanyol and will there be suitors in the summer of 2020, if RCD are to be relegated?
Potential PuntsPublished 4 years ago in CleatsScouting: Ezequiel Barco
At 21 years of age, not many footballers have 3 seasons worth of meaningful minutes under their belt. This man boasts just that. Ezequiel Barco is an argentian currently playing with Atlanta United in the MLS. Having transferred to the US from local side Independiente in January of 2018 for what Transfermarkt report to be a fee of £11m, Barco has gone from strength to strength for the MLS outfit. A true creative force, Barco is a winger by nature, possessing bundles of pace and a wicked eye for a cross, as well as goal, occasionally.
Potential PuntsPublished 4 years ago in CleatsScouting: Grady Diangana
Yet another star from the West Ham academy, Grady Diangana is aged only 22 and is currently playing on loan for Championship side West Brom. Typically a wideman operating on the left hand side, Diangana had been tearing Championship sides to pieces week in, week out before the coronavirus brought football activity to a stop. Having amassed over 1,300 league minutes this season, let's see what makes the englishman so dangerous.
Potential PuntsPublished 4 years ago in CleatsScouting: Musa Barrow
Having only played 1,715 minutes of senior club football in his life, gambian Musa Barrow has scored 7 goals and 7 assists since the 2017/18 season, in which he made his debut. Playing 444 minutes for Bergamo outfit Atalanta, he scored 3 and assisted 2, a goal contribution every 89 minutes. The following season, Barrow still only played 592 minutes of league football, scoring 1 and assisting a further 2, soaring to a goal contribution every 197 minutes. Move onto the 2019/20 season and Barrow was behind Josep Ilicic, Duvan Zapata, Luis Muriel and Papu Gomez in the pecking order. So he waited for his chance and grabbed 2 assists in 186 Serie A minutes for Atalanta, before jumping ship to Bologna. Thriving, Barrow has 3 goals and 1 assist in 492 minutes played for the side based in northern Italy. Let's see why he deserves a shot in a bigger team.
Potential PuntsPublished 4 years ago in CleatsScouting: Teji Savanier
Certainly not a spring chicken, Teji Savanier is aged 28 and is currently operating deep in the Montpellier engine room. Having switched Nimes for the southern France side in the summer of 2019 for around £8.5m, per Transfermarkt, he has gone from strength to strength. With some truly outrageous statistics for someone opperating in the relative unknown, lets see what makes the frenchman so undervalued.
Potential PuntsPublished 4 years ago in CleatsScouting: Joan Jordan
Slightly older than the previous players covered on 'Scouting', Joan Jordan is 25 years of age and currently playing for Sevilla having transferred from Eibar in the summer of 2019 for a reported fee of £10m. Since Jordan's introduction to the spanish side, it's fair to say he's been a mainstay. He's clocked up over 1,500 league minutes in the centre of Sevilla's midfield, alongside 6 appearances in the Europa League. Let's see what makes him their midfield metronome.
Potential PuntsPublished 4 years ago in Cleats