All posts by z3u9t.icu

West Ham United are entering a crucial stage of their season as they look to finish as high up the Premier League table as they can and go all the way in the Europa League.

Looking ahead to this vital period, it seems as though David Moyes could be set to have one of his key players back in action to help his side try and accomplish what they’re aiming to achieve.

What’s the news?

According to a recent tweet from journalist Jack Rosser, Irons winger Jarrod Bowen “has stepped up his recovery this week and is training on the grass at Rush Green once more.”

He added that it may be “too soon” for the attacker to be involved in West Ham’s Premier League clash against Everton this weekend but there is “a chance” that he’ll be ready for their Europa League showdown against Lyon next Thursday if his recovery progress continues on the right track.

The Englishman missed West Ham’s two previous league games against Aston Villa and Tottenham Hotspur after picking up an injury during their 1-0 defeat against Liverpool last month.

Prior to that, the 25-year-old had scored eight goals and provided 10 assists in 28 league appearances, highlighting how important he is to the side and how big a blow it was for West Ham to have him on the sidelines for the past few weeks.

To further highlight just how much of an attacking threat he is for the Hammers, Bowen has had more shots on target in the league this season (27) than any other player at the club, along with a higher shot on target percentage (40.3%) than any other West Ham player to have had more than one attempt at goal.

In addition to his useful goal contributions, the former Hull City star has earned himself an overall performance rating of 7.23/10 from WhoScored, making him the highest-rated player in Moyes’ squad.

Taking all this into account, it’s safe to say that having the winger back in action and available for the remainder of the campaign would be a massive boost for the Hammers, and it would surely delight Moyes to have one of his main attacking talents back.

In other news: GSB heading for disaster on “sensational” West Ham ace that’ll have supporters raging

Antonio Conte has been dealt a huge injury blow concerning Tottenham Hotspur right-back Matt Doherty.

What’s the latest?

That’s according to Alasdair Gold, with the football.london journalist revealing in a post on Twitter that the 30-year-old now looks set to be ruled out for the remainder of the season after sustaining a knee injury in the 4-0 win over Aston Villa on Saturday afternoon.

In his tweet, Gold said: “Understand it’s bad news for Matt Doherty and Antonio Conte. The Irishman is out for the rest of Spurs’ season and more.”

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Conte will be fuming

Considering how impressive Doherty has been for Conte since his arrival in north London last November, the news that the right-back looks set to be ruled out for the remainder of 2021/22 is sure to have left the 52-year-old manager fuming.

Indeed, after being used sparingly over the Italian’s first 11 Premier League fixtures in charge of the club – starting just once in these games – the £10.8m-rated full-back looked to have gained Conte’s favour over the club’s last ten league outings – starting all but two of these fixtures, being given the nod from the off in the last seven consecutive top-flight matches.

It is not difficult to understand why this was the case, as the £74k-per-week defender was beginning to show the sort of form that convinced Spurs to part with £14.7m to bring him to north London back in August 2020 – with the Irishman having scored two goals and registered four assists over his last 11 Premier League fixtures.

However, following Gold’s latest update, it would now appear as if the former Wolverhampton Wanderers full-back’s campaign has been brought to a premature end, something that – considering just how close the race to secure a top-four spot currently is – will undoubtedly come as a huge blow to Conte and his side.

AND in other news: Conte could land Spurs’ next Poyet as contact made for “sensational” £83.5m “talent”

Neil Lennon’s third full season in charge of Hibernian saw the wheels come off in a manner akin to the famous old Jose Mourinho adage. Indeed, while the former Celtic boss is largely regarded as Hibs’ best manager in years, the season hasn’t ever really got going and his current suspension at Easter Road leaves the club in a mess.

Despite their status as one of Scotland’s biggest clubs, Hibs don’t tend to do continuity all too well. No consecutive top-four finishes in over ten years now are largely covered up (at least in an emotional sense) by the famous 2016 Scottish Cup win and it’s vitally important Leann Dempster gets this appointment right.

Lennon’s arrival at Easter Road came after Alan Stubbs who, despite delivering the one trophy so dearly craved by everyone in Leith, ultimately failed in his primary task – taking the club back into the Scottish Premiership. Prior to the Liverpudlian, the likes of Terry Butcher and Pat Fenlon endured shocking tenures in charge, so Lennon is currently the exception to the recent ruling of Hibs bosses.

Frustratingly for Dempster, there aren’t all too many stand out candidates right now. In fact, when Lee Clark is the man seemingly most open to the job, it’s probably not the best time to be searching for a new manager.

Still, an emotional move for Gordon Strachan has been touted (as per the Daily Mail via the Scottish Sun) and, while the former Scotland boss would certainly be a big name, we’re going to analyse to pros and cons.

Pro 1 – Status

Lennon’s appointment back in 2016 certainly brought a certain level of interest back to a club previously petering out. A huge name in Scottish football and a relative coup considering Hibs’ second-tier standing at the time, the same strategy could be applied to Strachan now.

One of the most successful Scottish managers of the modern era and a man who only left the national job recently, Strachan’s arrival would lift everyone at Easter Road.

Con 1 – Short-termism

At 61, Strachan would surely only be a short-term option. He’s unlikely to stay for years and build something and the idea of him coming to steady the ship may be a good one for the next few months or so, but where does that leave Hibs in the summer?

If he doesn’t get the new manager bounce, it could be a miserable end to his managerial career.

Pro 2 – Convincing the players

There does seem to be an element of discontent behind the scenes at Hibernian. The reports suggesting Florian Kamberi was a huge reason in the disagreement that led to Lennon’s suspension certainly speak to the potential narrative that the dressing room had been lost.

Hibs have a huge amount of attacking quality on offer and, as already proven this season, can beat anyone on their day.

What better way to convince the players that club do have ambition and raise the excitement levels than making a big name appointment?

Con 2 – Financial hit & thinking inside the box

Despite the emotional pull of finally bringing Strachan to the club he supported as boy, any potential deal may not make a huge amount of sense to those behind the scenes. Chariman Rod Petrie isn’t one to play fast and loose with his cash and, presumably, the ex-Celtic boss wouldn’t come cheap.

Kilmarnock have shown thinking outside the box when it comes to getting a new boss in can have major success, so perhaps some more strategical thinking behind the scenes is a better option.

The Verdict

Ignore the emotion and think outside the box. Gordon Strachan would be a big name but big names don’t always work and Hibs’ previous appointments along a similar line haven’t gone well at all, such as John Hughes and Mixu Paatelainen.

Granted, the former coach of the Tartan Army is probably a level above those names but why spend relatively big on a short-term deal? The likes of Gary Holt or Tommy Wright surely make more sense and that’s without even considering some of the more left-field appointments that have made the Scottish Premiership so much more interesting of late.

As long as it’s not Lee Clark. Anyone but Lee Clark.

Leeds United won’t be letting Raphinha leave this January transfer window with less than 48 hours to go…

What’s the word?

That’s according to Italian journalist and transfer expert Fabrizio Romano, who delivered a promising update from Elland Road to social media this weekend.

“Leeds have no intention to sell Brazilian winger Raphinha in January. West Ham asked for him but deal looks more than complicated, as per @JacobSteinberg,” he revealed.

“Leeds are still thinking of Takumi Minamino on loan from Liverpool in case Summerville will leave the club.”

Great news

Raphinha’s form this campaign will have certainly attracted suitors, though the Irons’ interest comes as a massive surprise given David Moyes’ options.

However, Bundesliga giants Bayern Munich and Premier League rivals Liverpool have also been linked with a move for the Brazil international, who has practically carried the Yorkshire giants on his back this term.

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As per WhoScored, the 25-year-old winger leads the way for goals (eight), assists (two), crosses (1.2 per game), key passes (2.1 per game), dribbles (2.4 per game), and shots (3.1 per game).

He has really stepped up to the mark during the absence of last season’s top scorer Patrick Bamford.

Losing Raphinha would deal Marcelo Bielsa and the squad a big blow to their chances of remaining in the big time for a third successive season, that’s for sure.

There have also been suggestions of the former Stade Rennes star signing an extension to his £63k-per-week-deal with two-and-a-half years remaining, which would put the Yorkshire outfit in a pretty powerful position going into future transfer windows.

His value has soared to £36m, having been signed for nearly half that (£17m) back in October 2020.

Dubbed a “magician” and an “unbelievable player” by his peers, it appears as if Raphinha will see the season out, at the very least, and that’ll leave supporters around Elland Road absolutely delighted.

There won’t be anyone disappointed by Romano’s latest update.

AND in other news, Phil Hay drops worrying Leeds United transfer claim ahead of deadline day…

Tottenham Hotspur return to action in the Premier League today as they host Graham Potter’s Brighton this lunchtime.

Antonio Conte’s men thrashed Aston Villa 4-0 last time out and have won their last four matches in the top-flight, scoring 14 goals and conceding twice in that time.

A win for Spurs would see them move six points clear of Arsenal and nine points clear of West Ham in the race for fourth, albeit that the Gunners will be able to pull it back to three if they beat Southampton later on.

Despite their emphatic win at Villa Park last weekend, Conte will not be naming an unchanged starting XI for this clash with Brighton. Matt Doherty will be absent as he has been ruled out for the rest of the campaign due to injury, leaving a spot open at left wing-back.

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Whilst he could bring Joe Rodon or Davinson Sanchez in at centre-back and move Ben Davies out wide, we believe that he must finally unleash Sergio Reguilon from the start.

The Spaniard has not started a match for Spurs since the 20th of March against West Ham and must now be brought back into the XI to replace Doherty on the left.

He came off the bench against Villa and caught the eye with a strong showing. As per SofaScore, he won all four of his ground duels, making two tackles, one block and one clearance, and completed two of three attempted long passes.

Noel Whelan previously stated that Reguilon can be “absolutely pivotal” for Conte in the way he attacks from the wing-back position, whilst Gabriel Agbonlahor dubbed him a “top-class” player.

The £68k-per-week flier has backed up those comments with some of his displays this season. He has two goals and three assists from full-back, averaging 1.2 key passes per game, and this shows that he has the quality to make the difference going forward.

This is why he must be brought into the side as he can help build-up the play down the left to create openings for the likes of Harry Kane, Dejan Kulusevski and Heung-Min Son.

His attacking style of play can also help to push Tariq Lamptey back as the Brighton man would need to start deeper to deal with the Spaniard’s runs, limiting what he can do going the other way and this is why he will be pivotal for Conte today. He can offer a threat going forward whilst dealing with the Seagulls’ pacey full-back and slot straight in for Doherty.

AND in other news, “Paratici is crazy…”: Insider delivers big Spurs transfer claim that’ll excite Conte…

Speaking to club media, as shared by The Peterborough Telegraph, Director of Football Barry Fry of Peterborough United has shared an update on Tottenham Hotspur’s pursuit of defender Benjamin Mensah.

The Lowdown: Spurs make enquiry…

First breaking the news, Sky Sports (13 Jan, 12:46) claimed that Spurs had made an enquiry to sign the 19-year-old amid manager Antonio Conte’s hunt for a right-wing back.

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Alasdair Gold says that the search for a player in that position is among the Italian’s and transfer chief Fabio Paratici top priorities for January with Mensah now attracting interest.

It is believed that the young ace would go straight into Tottenham’s Under-23s set up as the club seemingly look at RWB options for the future also, with Mensah capable of slotting in there as well as in a traditional back four.

The Latest: Fry confirms talks with Spurs…

As per club chief Fry, Spurs do indeed hold an interest and have ‘suggested one or two things’, with the Peterborough chief revealing he has in fact ‘talked to Tottenham’.

“I have talked to Tottenham and they have suggested one or two things to me,” he explained.

“Which I told the manager and the chairman about but they were adamant it was a no. Tottenham are still monitoring the situation.”

The Verdict: Interesting development…

It’s not everyday club officials come out to confirm transfer rumours, so this comes as an interesting development.

In terms of Mensah, he could be a brilliant option for the future with Peterborough boss Darren Ferguson already raving over the teenager after he signed his first professional contract.

The former Manchester United player called his youngster ‘aggressive’ and ‘excellent’ in one-vs-one situations with the English-born Ghanian ace seemingly one to watch out for.

If Tottenham can get him over the line and reach an agreement with The Posh, it’ll be fascinating to see his development at N17.

In other news: ‘This will excite Tottenham fans…’ – Sky Sports drop major live TV transfer claim, find out more here.

Leeds United are back on the road again on Monday night with a showdown against Crystal Palace in the Premier League.

Heading into this clash off the back of a 3-0 win against Watford, Jesse Marsch’s side have the chance to secure another victory and move away from the relegation zone.

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In terms of what the travelling squad could look like for Monday’s match, it seems as though an early clue has been dropped over the possible inclusion of two players in particular.

What’s the news?

In response to the announcement of the Leeds U23 starting XI for their league clash against Manchester City on Friday evening, journalist Phil Hay had this to say about the absence of attacking duo Joe Gelhardt and Sam Greenwood.

He said: “Marsch hinted that certain players might be missing tonight ahead of Palace away on Monday. Cresswell and Summerville start but Gelhardt and Greenwood not involved.”

This suggests that rather than be involved with the U23s on Friday, the attacking pair could be in the senior squad to take on the Eagles at Selhurst Park.

Fans will be delighted

Taking into account how Leeds have striker Patrick Bamford out with an injury, having the option to rely on Gelhardt and Greenwood if needed will be the best way forward for Marsch.

Should the young duo find themselves in the squad on Monday, as they were for the win over Watford, this would surely delight a lot of Leeds fans, especially if they manage to get any minutes on the pitch or even grab a goal or assist.

As this is what Greenwood managed to do when he provided the assist for Jack Harrison’s goal at Vicarage Road after replacing Dan James, Marsch could give him a chance to shine once again this time around as he is evidently improving game by game.

Gelhardt, meanwhile, has enjoyed a breakthrough campaign where he’s become a fan favourite in Yorkshire. He has found the back of the net twice and provided three assists in 14 league appearances this season, showing that he is also capable of being an attacking threat for the side.

As a result of their youthful exuberance and newfound importance to Marsch’s charges, supporters will be delighted that they’ll be rested and fully fit to play on Monday evening.

Moving forward, with Leeds needing to rack up as many points as possible to make sure they don’t end up back in the Championship, the 48-year-old could be relying on the young duo for the remaining games of the season.

In other news: 150% hike: Leeds United hit the jackpot on “real technician”, he’s a “proper talent”

Flocking to Twitter, many West Ham United fans have been left pleading for the signing of Fulham forward Fabio Carvalho after an update from reliable in-the-know insider ExWHUemployee.

Hammers boss David Moyes is thought to be keen on the 19-year-old Championship starlet alongside a host of other Premier League clubs, with Southampton, Tottenham and Liverpool also said to be watching on (TEAMtalk).

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Fulham hold fears that he has already agreed to move away from Craven Cottage, with the talented teenager still yet to pen a contract extension in west London (TEAMtalk).

As things stand, the winger can leave as a free agent in the summer, and Ex believes that West Ham could well be in contention.

According to the insider, via his West Ham Way website, Carvalho is personally seen by Moyes as an alternative to long-time target Jesse Lingard, whose apparent recent comments about his future caused some consternation among the east London fan base.

While a move is more likely in the summer when the 19-year-old is a free agent, ExWHUemployee refuses to rule out the possibility of a late January swoop, believing that the story ‘could change’.

West Ham fans plead for Carvalho…

Taking to Twitter, many West Ham fans have pleaded with the club to sign the talented teenager after this insider claim, and it’s not hard to see why.

Dubbed a ‘very exciting’ player by one-time Premier League Golden Boot winner Kevin Phillips, Carvalho’s eight goals and two assists in 17 Championship appearances for Fulham highlight his sky-high potential. For a cheaper fee or on a Bosman in the summer, this potential move is certainly enough to excite the Irons faithful.

Check out some of the best reactions from West Ham fans to this news below:

“Would definitely favour a move for Carvalho”

Credit: @whufcopinions

“Thinking he’s gonna be free and available in the summer 🥱🥱 get Carvalho in now. Kid’s a baller”

Credit: @JoshHarris44

“PLEASE”

Credit: @mako_zzv

“This should be one of our main targets this window alongside a CB and ST”

Credit: @NathWHU

“This over Lingard would be a better deal”

Credit: @j1mrphy

“Absolute baller so I’d be buzzing if we signed him but probably don’t need him unless we can get rid of Yarmo”

Credit: @oliverrrwhu

In other news: ExWHUemployee also says West Ham are set for talks as they chase agreement for ‘quality’ 25 y/o, find out more here.

A key update has emerged on Rangers striker Kemar Roofe and his availability for Gio van Bronckhorst at the Ibrox giants in the coming weeks…

What’s the latest?

Jamaica boss Paul Hall has revealed that the player told him that he did not want to be selected to represent his country next month.

He told the Daily Record: “Kemar would have been one of the first names on my list. However, Kemar had indicated that he needs to fully recover from his last injury. Hence his absence from the squad.”

Buzzing

Rangers fans will surely be buzzing by this news as it comes as a major boost for van Bronckhorst ahead of games against Livingston, Ross County and Celtic.

He would have missed key games for the club if he had been called up by his country, which is why supporters will be delighted with his decision to remain in Glasgow instead of heading out on international duty.

Roofe made a comeback from injury against Stirling Albion on Friday and could be closing in on a return to full fitness as Rangers prepare to clash with Celtic next month. This shows that he has not rejected Jamaica because he is not able to play at all and has, instead, turned them down to continue playing for Rangers whilst also managing his knock at the same time.

Supporters will be delighted with this as it shows a determination from the player to do his best for the Gers, as he has put his club above his country in this instance. They will be particularly pleased with his decision as he is a proven Premiership performer who has been superb since arriving in Glasgow.

So far this season, Roofe has scored six goals in six starts for the club in the league. Last term, he managed 14 goals and three assists in 18 Premiership starts, which means that he has directly contributed to 23 goals in just 24 starts for Rangers domestically.

This highlights how big of a player he can be for van Bronckhorst and why having him available for crucial matches next month is a major boost for the Dutch head coach. Fans will want to see him in the squad, whether that is from the start or off the bench, as he has the potential to make an impact on the pitch and win games for the Scottish giants.

AND in other news, Rangers could finally axe “really poor” lightweight by landing £2.8m-rated playmaker…

Ange Postecoglou’s Celtic side look set to miss out on the signing of Alex Murphy this summer.

What’s the talk?

That’s according to Miles Starforth, with the Shields Gazette journalist revealing on Twitter that the Galway United defender is now close to agreeing a switch to Newcastle United in the summer transfer window.

In his tweet, Starforth said: “As reported elsewhere, Newcastle hope to sign 17-year-old Galway defender Alex Murphy, who has been playing first-team football this season. Understand that the deal’s not done yet, though. He’d join the club’s U23 squad.”

A further report by RTE also claimed that the Republic of Ireland under-19 international had rejected the opportunity to join Celtic, Brighton & Hove Albion and Torino in favour of a move to St James’ Park.

Bad news for Celtic

Considering the sheer amount of potential Murphy seems to possess, and with Celtic reported to have been in negotiations with the centre-back’s representatives regarding a move to Parkhead this summer, the suggestion that the 17-year-old is now set for a move south of the border is certainly bad news for the Bhoys.

Indeed, after making his first-team debut at the age of just 16 last June, Murphy has quickly established himself as a regular in John Caulfield’s side, with the 57-year-old said to have extremely high hopes for the teenage sensation.

Speaking shortly after Murphy penned professional terms with Galway, Caulfield said: “He’s one of our own, and we’re delighted to have him sign a professional contract, his first professional contract in what we hope will be a great career.

“We have high hopes for him, and we can see his talent. The most important thing now for Alex is to work hard and continue his progress. It’s a great day for the club – and our academy.”

With Celtic having signed both Liam Scales and Johnny Kenny from Irish clubs in the last 12 months, the Hoops hierarchy may well have felt that they held the upper hand in the race for the young defender, as Scales’ 13 first-team appearances this season shows a clear pathway to senior football at Parkhead.

However, with Murphy likely being offered a much more enticing salary in a move to Newcastle, Celtic now look as if they have missed out on the signing of the “elegant ” and “ball-playing centre-back”, in the words of Galway academy coach Martin Devlin. That will come as a huge blow to the Bhoys, as the 17-year-old looks to be a player heading for great things in the game.

AND in other news: Celtic handed another boost as early Rangers team news emerges, Ange surely buzzing