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West Ham United winger Andriy Yarmolenko could be on the move this summer…

What’s the word?

According to Turkish newspaper Fotomac (via Sport Witness), Super Lig giants Galatasaray are looking at signing the Ukraine international this transfer window.

It’s thought that the 22-time league winners will be aggressive in the market, having been pipped to the title this season by arch-rivals Besiktas, once they appoint their next president.

The Irons are said to be keen on selling the 31-year-old as he enters the final year of his £115k-per-week contract at the London Stadium, though it remains to be seen how much the Hammers could command in terms of a transfer fee.

Show no mercy

Yarmolenko was one of Mario Husillos and Manuel Pellegrini’s many transfer disasters in East London, so as the club embarks on an exciting new era with Europa League football on the horizon, it would be a fitting way to move on from that troubled past by moving the veteran on.

The versatile 6 foot 2 attacker has been troubled by a mix of inconsistencies on the pitch and injuries. For example, this season under David Moyes, Yarmolenko has been restricted to one league start and a total of just 362 minutes, via Transfermarkt.

Since arriving in a £22m deal from Dortmund in 2018, he has missed a total of 57 matches through injury alone, ranging from Achilles ruptures to back and abductor damage.

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All in all, it’s fair to suggest that he’s not justified his price tag or wages, which makes him one of Pellegrini’s worst mistakes.

It’s unlikely that the club can recoup much of what they’ve wasted on Yarmolenko but they should absolutely snatch what they can get from Galatasaray.

When factoring in fees and wages, the Ukraine winger has cost GSB around £39.5m – and counting – since he’s been at the club. In fact, it’s nearly three years to the day he signed.

It means Yarmolenko has cost £745k per appearance (53 in total) and £3.95m per goal (ten in total).

Despite being dubbed “really special” by teammate Declan Rice, it’s time for Moyes to show no mercy and get the 32-year-old off the books this summer.

He’s held the Hammers back for years and that money could be better off spent on improving the squad, rather than it being wasted on him. He must be axed following any approach for his signature.

AND in other news, Imagine him and Lingard: West Ham could form dream duo with “very complete” £20m monster…

Manchester United journalist Samuel Luckhurst has taken a swipe at three Manchester United defenders for their role in Arsenal’s opener on Saturday. 

The lowdown

United travelled to The Emirates Stadium for the lunchtime clash knowing that they could boost their chances of a top-four finish with victory against their rivals.

But it was a disastrous start as they fell behind within three minutes courtesy of a goal from Arsenal left-back Nuno Tavares.

Granit Xhaka crossed the ball into the United penalty area, and neither Raphael Varane nor Alex Telles were able to clear the danger. Bukayo Saka gathered at the back post and looked to bend a shot into the far corner, with Tavares on hand to turn home the rebound after David de Gea’s save.

The Portuguese full-back was able to beat compatriot Diogo Dalot to the ball. Arsenal would ultimately win the game 3-1, with Bukayo Saka and Granit Xhaka scoring either side of a Cristiano Ronaldo effort and a Bruno Fernandes penalty miss.

The latest

Luckhurst, chief United writer for the Manchester Evening News, lamented the ‘feeble defending across the back four’ for Tavares’ goal.

He thought it was ‘bad’ from Varane and even ‘worse’ from left-back Telles.

Dalot also came in for criticism, with Luckhurst describing him as a ‘hologram’.

The verdict

Luckhurst wasn’t the only one to criticise Dalot. At half time, BT Sport pundit Martin Keown said the 23-year-old ‘completely switched off’ by allowing Tavares to ‘ghost in’ and score.

Ralf Rangnick had handed the £16.2million-rated right-back a third consecutive start, and fifth in the last six Premier League matches.

But will his apparent loss of concentration cost him his place with Aaron Wan-Bissaka, benched on Saturday, waiting in the wings?

In other news, Manchester United already have an Ajax target. 

Writing on Twitter, Evening Standard journalist Dan Kilpatrick has relayed an ENIC promise to Tottenham supporters that any fines incurred by the attempted European Super League (ESL) breakaway will be the responsibility of the owners and not from club funds.

The Lowdown: Super League shame…

Tottenham controversially joined the attempted European Super League as a founding club alongside fellow Premier League sides Arsenal, Manchester United, Chelsea, Manchester City and Liverpool.

Following intense backlash from supporters, Spurs became one of the clubs to swiftly announce their withdrawal from the ESL project. ENIC protests followed in what was a big week for the club, with the ESL news even somewhat overshadowing Jose Mourinho’s dismissal as Tottenham manager .

The Latest: Journalist relays ENIC promise after development

In a big development, Tottenham will be fined 5% of European revenue for one season and make a donation of €15m (£13m) towards grassroots football (Twitter).

Receiving UEFA fines totalling £7m for their involvement so far, Tottenham could also apparently face much tougher sanctions from the Premier League (The Telegraph).

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In response, Kilpatrick has shared an ENIC promise to supporters, with the owners apparently pledging to pay those sanctions out of their own pockets rather than through club funding.

“Spurs say any fines incurred as a result of the Super League will be the responsibility of the owners and not come from club funds,” the journalist explained on Twitter.

“That includes UEFA’s fine of 5 percent of European revenue for one season & Spurs’ share of €15m donation by the nine SL apologists to the grassroots game.”

The Verdict: Tottenham right to shoulder responsibility

The ENIC Group shouldering financial responsibility and consequences for the attempted European Super League breakaway is certainly the right move.

Tottenham supporters were not given the opportunity to vote or have any say in the club’s involvement, with the PR disaster following the club’s ESL hiccup arguably deserved.

Amid the global pandemic, Spurs’ owners helping the club to save money could theoretically assist Tottenham’s next manager in the transfer market.

The Premier League are also apparently considering bigger fines, so ENIC’s financial promise to supporters should come as a huge relief.

In other news: Tottenham fans flock to this development, find out more here.

The Athletic’s Gregg Evans has revealed that Aston Villa are “confident” of making two more new signings in this January transfer window.

What’s the story?

Steven Gerrard’s side have already enjoyed a successful first few weeks of the transfer window thus far, signing the likes of Lucas Digne and Philippe Coutinho and watching both of them deliver the goods in recent games in the Premier League.

Now, Evans has indicated that Villa’s work in the transfer market is not done just yet.

Writing on Twitter, he said: “Gerrard has identified defensive midfield as the priority and had Rodrigo Bentancur watched in person on Sunday night. #AVFC know the fee required to get him. Villa are confident of getting a DM in before the deadline + a back-up centre-half.”

Fans will be excited

Talk about the impact a couple of new signings can make.

Coutinho marked his debut for the club by netting the all-important equaliser against Manchester United a couple of weeks ago, before Digne got in on the action by supplying the assist for Emi Buendia’s winner against Everton at the weekend.

It’s all changed the mood at Villa Park, and set the club up for a very exciting end to the second-half of the Premier League season.

Evans’ update that Villa are still keen on bringing in two new signings, and that they are “confident” of bringing in a new holding midfielder – Bentancur being the man in the frame at the moment – is sure to have fans buzzing.

Gerrard has come in and lifted spirits since the disappointing end to Dean Smith’s tenure at the club, and the two marquee additions of Coutinho and Digne have just galvanised things.

Certainly, the Villa manager has a major pull when it comes to convincing potential new players to join, and the fans will be hoping he can work his magic once again with Bentancur.

Meanwhile, Villa are set to launch a move for this star…

Newcastle United are reportedly in a battle with another club in the Premier League to try and sign Jason Knight before the summer transfer window ends.

The Lowdown: Knight impresses

Despite a very disappointing 2020/21 season for Derby County, who barely survived relegation from the Championship, Knight had an impressive individual campaign.

Described as a ‘manager’s dream’ by Wayne Rooney back in January, the versatile player won six of his duels per game in the division and also averaged 1.5 tackles per match, scoring two goals (Sofascore).

The Latest: Knight monitored

As per The Irish Examiner, Knight is being monitored by both Newcastle and Burnley ahead of a potential move.

He has emerged as a target for the Tyneside club as Steve Bruce looks to strengthen his squad before the new season starts.

The Verdict: Sign

The Magpies simply need to get bodies in before the deadline given that they have one of the smallest squads in the Premier League, and Knight could prove to be a valuable player for them.

Given that he would be coming up from the Championship into the top flight, the Republic of Ireland international should not cost too much, and at 20 years of age, he still has a lot of potential while also being entrusted as Derby captain on a handful of occasions last term.

However, with the Clarets also interested in his signature, the Magpies need to act fast in order to get their man.

In other news, find out which Premier League club have agreed a fee for this NUFC target

Writing for football.london, journalist Rob Guest has claimed that Tottenham Hotspur may have been handed a boost in their pursuit of a new manager after a big development.

The Lowdown: Spurs manager chase…

The Athletic reported last week that Spurs have been in talks with former Lilywhites managerial favourite Mauricio Pochettino and it is also believed that he is keen on a return to north London.

Far more recently, reports have emerged of Antonio Conte and how he may have leapfrogged the Argentine to become a frontrunner – with talks for him now ongoing (Dan Kilpatrick).

Conte appears to be emerging as a new favourite for the role, especially given his free agent status.

While Pochettino hasn’t totally been ruled out yet, Daniel Levy will have to go to war with Ligue 1 giants PSG if they aim to appoint him this summer and the Italian may just be the easier option.

The Latest: Journalist drops claim on possible boost…

Dropping a claim for football.london, reporter Guest believes Spurs may have been boosted in their manager pursuit by the big development of Carlo Ancelotti joining Real Madrid from Everton.

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Indeed, this is because Spurs targets Conte and Pochettino were linked as candidates for the Galacticos job and the 13-time European Champions arguably came as stiff competitors for Spurs.

Guest, as a result, explained that Tottenham ‘appear to have been handed a huge boost’ in their search for a new manager.

The Verdict: Correct…

While PSG remain a heavy obstacle in the way of Spurs and Pochettino, the Lilywhites can still be encouraged by a new lack of outside competition when it comes to interested parties.

Madrid’s appointment of Ancelotti, now confirmed, means Tottenham must now be clear favourites to appoint either Pochettino, or most likely, Conte after recent developments.

Indeed, Spurs may well have been boosted in pursuit of their next manager with Real now out of the way.

In other news: ‘Best news I’ve heard in a while’ – Many THFC fans flock to this development…find out more here.

Norwich City star Todd Cantwell is the type of player Aston Villa like, journalist Luke Hatfield has told The Transfer Tavern.

Villa have already raided Norwich this summer for Argentine playmaker Emiliano Buendia and it looks like there shopping may not stop there.

According to The Telegraph, the Midlands club have been monitoring Cantwell as Dean Smith looks to bolster his midfield options.

Cantwell played a key role in Norwich’s promotion success last season, with the 23-year-old featuring in 33 league games for Daniel Farke’s side.

On Villa’s reported interest in the player, Hatfield of the Express & Star said:

“Young, will have good resale value if they do bring him in and does know the Premier League – played in it for one season obviously with Norwich the year they ended up getting relegated.

“He’s certainly the type of player I think they would like.”

Villa are certainly not playing around this transfer window. As previously mentioned, they have already brought in Cantwell’s former Norwich team-mate Buendia in a deal believed to be worth £40m in total.

The Villans have also made two bids for Arsenal’s promising youngster Emile Smith Rowe, the latest thought to be in the region of £30m (per The Athletic).

Nuno Santo’s Tottenham side will be looking to bounce back in the Premier League when they host Manchester United at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium on Saturday evening, and the north Londoners could pile the pressure on under-fire Red Devils manager Ole Gunnar Solskjaer with a victory.

Spurs recorded a narrow victory against Burnley in the Carabao Cup in midweek, where 29-year-old winger Lucas Moura was the difference-maker with his 68th-minute header.

The Brazilian was called into action earlier than expected after he replaced the injured Bryan Gil early on in the first half and it proved to be a fortuitous decision as he netted the game’s only goal.

As such, he must be in contention for this weekend’s clash with the Red Devils as he is in the sort of form which could punish the out-of-sorts visitors, who were whitewashed by Liverpool last Sunday – a result which saw them sink outside the top six.

Somehow, the Lilywhites find themselves one point ahead of the team which has Cristiano Ronaldo, Bruno Fernandes, Paul Pogba and Jadon Sancho amongst their attacking options.

It is in defence where United’s problems lie, having failed to keep more than one clean sheet across their last 20 matches in all competitions, another reason why Nuno should call upon Moura.

He currently ranks as their second-best player for the season so far, earning an average WhoScored rating of 7.05, which is only bettered by the less attacking Pierre-Emile Hojbjerg.

The £18m-rated dynamo, who stands at just 5 foot 8, leads the way at Spurs for aerial duels won (3.6) and dribbles (2.9) per game, proving to be a major influence in the final third. Meanwhile, only Harry Kane and Heung-min Son have averaged more shots per game than Moura (1.8), as per WhoScored.

According to teammate Eric Dier, the former Paris Saint-Germain star is an absolute “nightmare” to train against, so if he can bring that sort of energy to the match on Saturday, he could prove to be a massive nuisance against a team which seemingly can’t defend right now.

Moura’s involvement from the off could help pile more misery onto Solskjaer, and seeing United sink further down the table will only bolster Spurs’ top-six credentials.

AND in other news, “Been watching him”: Sky Sports journo drops Spurs transfer claim…

Pluck a tricky winger from thin air and it’s reasonable to think that Everton have targeted them this summer.

Football FanCast exclusively revealed earlier this year that a key priority was to sign somebody who could play on the right flank.

What’s the word?

Everton have already secured the services of Andros Townsend this summer but further wide players are on their radar.

In recent days, the Toffees have been linked with moves for Leon Bailey and Samuel Chukwueze.

However, they’re also after individuals who can feature on the opposite flank.

According to The Daily Mail, Everton have shown an interest in Jeremie Boga. They will face competition from Crystal Palace and Leeds, while Atalanta are due to make a second bid.

The Italian side have already had one offer rejected by his current club Sassuolo.

Dream Richarlison heir

Everton are in danger of losing some of their key players this summer.

One of the most likely exits could fall at the feet of Richarlison who has reportedly taken a call from Carlo Ancelotti who is interested in taking him to Real Madrid.

Eurosport claimed this week that he was seeking an exit to Spain and if they do go, they could replace him immediately with Boga.

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The 24-year-old endured an unsuccessful spell with Chelsea but has flourished since moving to Serie A.

He’s one of the most tricky players to deal with in the Italian top-flight, despite not possessing the greatest set of offensive numbers.

Boga has 18 Sassuolo goals to his name but only four of them came in 2020/21. That said, he was among the best in the division for take-ons.

He completed 3.2 dribbles per game last season, a number that was only bettered by Rodrigo de Paul who has recently moved from Udinese to Atletico Madrid.

One of Richarlison’s best attributes is dribbling but the Ivorian usurps him in that department quite considerably. The Brazilian forward completed 1.8 last season by comparison.

Boga ranks in the 98th percentile for dribbles completed by players in his position in the last year which is way above the man he could succeed, who is in the 61st percentile.

Speaking about the spritely forward in the past, former Chelsea coach Michael Beale said: “The most unique talent and I’m talking in a window of being 13/14 and he just beat the other team possibly on his own is a young boy called Jeremie Boga.

“He just beat teams on his own, such a lovely boy. I thought wow, this boy is a supreme talent. he can stop and go and over three or four yards, he can just drift past you.”

Boga’s career hasn’t quite lived up the dizzy heights expected of him when he was younger but he’s still progressed very well.

He is lively, can beat most defenders in world football and can usually fashion a chance at the end of it.

Benitez would be wise to pick him up if Richarlison departs.

AND in other news, Rafa could discover Everton’s new Leon Osman by signing “special” 34-cap maestro…

A number of Liverpool supporters have reacted negatively to a rumour claiming the Reds could look to sign Declan Rice next summer.

Gini Wijnaldum left Anfield to join Paris Saint-Germain earlier in the summer, bringing an end to five memorable years at the club.

The Dutchman was such a dependable figure that his absence could leave a gaping void in the middle of the park, especially as Liverpool opted not to replace him.

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Granted, the emergence of Harvey Elliott has helped improve Jurgen Klopp’s options, but a new midfielder coming in could have been a shrewd move.

Liverpool will now wait until next summer, and according to 90min [via Anfield Edition on Twitter], the Reds see Rice as a potential option to bring in, having excelled for West Ham and England in recent times.

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Liverpool fans react to Rice claim

Despite this, these Liverpool fans took to Twitter to react to the news, saying they don’t want the 22-year-old to come in.

“No chance we sign an English player from a premier league club. The English tax would be mad. Rather Bellingham/Gravenberch”

Credit: @Sarrvish

“Just go for Gravenberch”

Credit: @msuhail_17

“Pathetic story!”

Credit: @BrooksFruit

“We don’t need him with English tax. Sign Nicolo Barella and Federico Chiesa”

Credit: @iamSaikatIslam

“No thanks he’s bang average and would cost a bomb because he’s English”

Credit: @azler85

“Not happening either way, but I’d rather Bellingham than him”

Credit: @6timesladd

In other news, some Liverpool fans are bemused by what happened to one Reds player on international duty. Read more here.