Jacob Greaves – CaughtOffside

Owner confirms he can’t stop 6ft4 man from joining West Ham

Jake Staniland — Fri, 07 Jun 2024 19:43:20 +0000

West Ham United’s interest in signing Jacob Greaves, the 23-year-old Hull City centre-back, has been progressing positively according to journalist Jacob Steinberg. This move has gained traction following the collapse of their deal with Flamengo for centre-back Fabricio Bruno.

The Hammers had reached an agreement with Flamengo for Bruno, a promising centre-back, for a fee of around £12.5 million. Despite the financial aspects being settled, the transfer fell through due to non-monetary reasons. Concerns emerged regarding Bruno’s potential difficulties in adapting to European football, given that he has never played outside Brazil.

Additionally, reservations were raised about his age, as he will turn 29 next season, which may not align with West Ham’s long-term strategic planning.

Amidst the complications with Bruno, West Ham United’s focus has shifted to Jacob Greaves. Greaves has been a standout performer in the Championship, playing as a left-sided central defender for Hull City. His impressive performances earned him a spot in The Championship’s Team of the Season at the EFL Awards, highlighting his defensive prowess and potential at the age of 23.

Jacob Greaves has been one of the standout centre-backs in the Championship over the past two seasons.

Hull City’s owner may be bracing himself for Jacob Greaves’ departure to the Premier League

Hull City’s owner, Acun Ilicali, addressed the swirling speculation regarding Greaves’ future. In an interview with The Yorkshire Post, Ilicali expressed his admiration for the young defender, acknowledging his desire to play in the Premier League.

“Greaves wants to play in the Premier League and he’s such a nice boy,” Ilicali said. “I love him as a character, he’s a real captain and I told him, ‘Greaves, we need you, you are so good, please stay with us.’ But if his brain and soul is completely with another club, we will not stop him.”

Securing Greaves would be a significant coup for West Ham. At 23, he represents both immediate quality and long-term potential. The Tigres’ captain scored two goals and added four assists in the Championship last term while helping the team achieve 11 clean sheets.

His inclusion in the Championship Team of the Season underlines his abilities and readiness to step up to the Premier League.

Moreover, his leadership qualities and character, as praised by Ilicali, suggest he could become a cornerstone of West Ham’s defense.

The post Owner confirms he can’t stop 6ft4 man from joining West Ham appeared first on CaughtOffside.

Crystal Palace eyeing EFL duo should £50m star leave this summer

Darren Looney — Sat, 27 Apr 2024 16:16:43 +0000

Crystal Palace will reportedly lose Marc Guehi during the summer transfer window and the Eagles have their eye on two EFL stars to replace the center-back.

The 23-year-old has been out of action since February due to a knee injury but he could return for the Man United clash on May 6.

Guehi is one of Palace’s best players and is one of their most sellable assets. Man United and Tottenham have been linked with moves for the England star and it is likely that he will leave at the end of the season.

According to The Palace Way, the centre-back wants to depart Selhurst Park in search of European football with a new team. The report says that the Premier League club are preparing for his exit but will not let him leave for less than £50m.

Will Marc Guehi leave Crystal Palace?

EFL duo could replace Marc Guehi at Crystal Palace

Should Guehi leave Crystal Palace this summer, The Palace Way states that the Premier League club have identified Hull City’s Jacob Greaves and Peterborough United’s Ronnie Edwards as two targets to replace the 23-year-old.

The signing of the Hull star would be an impressive one as the 23-year-old has been phenomenal in the Championship this season as a left-sided central defender.

The Tigers defender was included in The Championship’s Team of the Season at the EFL Awards earlier this month and should he join Crystal Palace, it may soften the blow of losing Guehi.

The post Crystal Palace eyeing EFL duo should £50m star leave this summer appeared first on CaughtOffside.

Man United handed major boost in pursuit of Everton’s Jarrad Branthwaite

Andrew Walker — Wed, 13 Mar 2024 10:36:49 +0000

Man United’s hopes of signing Everton centre-back Jarrad Branthwaite have been handed a potentially significant boost.

Following what has been an impressive breakthrough campaign at the heart of the Toffees’ defence, Branthwaite, 21, has emerged as a top target for Erik Ten Hag’s Red Devils.

In line to make a high-profile transfer in the summer, the 21-year-old, who is an outsider to make Gareth Southgate’s next England squad for this month’s two friendlies against Brazil and Belgium, is on course to become United’s next big-money signing.

Man United handed major Jarrad Branthwaite transfer boost

And according to a recent report from Football Insider, the 20-time league winners’ chances of landing the Carlise-born defender have been boosted due to Everton identifying Hull City’s Jacob Greaves as the ideal direct replacement.

Jarrad Branthwaite transfer to Manchester United on the cards?

Not only do the Toffees rate Greaves, but they’re now favourites to sign the 23-year-old after Spurs’ interest cooled following their recent signing of Radu Dragusin from Genoa.

Everton preparing for life without key man as Chelsea come calling

Jake Staniland — Wed, 06 Mar 2024 19:14:14 +0000

Everton may indeed part ways with Jarrad Branthwaite at the end of the season, a scenario they appear to have come to terms with, especially considering his impressive performances throughout this term.

The Toffees appear to be bracing for the departure of one of their key players, Branthwaite, this summer, with interest from Chelsea and other Premier League clubs. They are reportedly monitoring Jacob Greaves from Hull City as a potential replacement for the defender, as per the Daily Mirror.

According to the same source, Manchester United and Tottenham Hotspur are both admirers of Branthwaite, while the Daily Mail previously stated in January that Chelsea were eyeing a summer transfer for the central defender. Branthwaite has played a pivotal role for Everton this season, featuring in 30 matches across all competitions.

Branthwaite without a doubt has proven to be one of the better young defender’s in the Premier League this season so it is understandable that several teams are queuing up for the Everton man.

But the reality is Sean Dyche will not want to let go of the 21-year-old unless he has a replacement. Jacob Greaves of Hull City would certainly be of interest to the Toffees given his standout campaign for the Championship outfit.

LIVERPOOL, ENGLAND – FEBRUARY 03: Jarrad Branthwaite (R) and Idrissa Gueye of Everton celebrate their teams second goal during the Premier League match between Everton FC and Tottenham Hotspur at Goodison Park on February 03, 2024 in Liverpool, England. (Photo by Tony McArdle/Everton FC via Getty Images)

Chelsea to bid for Everton’s Branthwaite?

When examining Chelsea’s squad, they appear solid in central defence on paper. However, frequent and severe injuries to Benoit Badiashile and Wesley Fofana alter the situation. Additionally, Thiago Silva’s contract is set to expire at the end of the season, with no indications of a renewal for the Brazilian – it is imperative they can land a reliable central defender in the summer transfer window to fix these issues.

We know money certainly isn’t a problem for Chelsea, which I’m sure will entice Everton supporters and the football club as Branthwaite continues to be linked to the Blues.

The post Everton preparing for life without key man as Chelsea come calling appeared first on CaughtOffside.

Aston Villa join the race to sign 22-year-old defender, two other PL clubs keen

Saikat Chatterjee — Wed, 01 Mar 2023 08:05:05 +0000

Aston Villa are reportedly interested in signing the Hull City defender Jacob Greaves.

A report from Daily Mail claims that they will face competition from Nottingham Forest and Brentford for the 22-year-old defender.

The highly rated defender can play as a centre-back as well as a left-back and his versatility will be an added bonus for the West Midlands club if they managed to secure his services.

The opportunity to join a Premier League club is likely to be a tempting proposition for the Championship star and it remains to be seen whether Villa can agree on a fee with the Tigers now.

Apart from his qualities as a defender, the 22-year-old is currently the vice-captain at Hull City and he could add leadership qualities to the Aston Villa dressing room as well. Furthermore, Greaves will chip in with goals and assists as well. The defender has 4 goals and 2 assists to his name in the Championship this season.

Unai Emery needs to add more depth to his defence and Greaves could prove to be a useful player for the Spaniard. Villa have conceded 38 goals in 24 league matches this season and they will have to tighten up at the back if they want to progress as a club and push for European qualification in the coming seasons.