West Ham boss Sam Allardyce is looking for his side to spoil Southampton’s party on Saturday when the pair meet at St Mary’s.
Both sides are closing in on the coveted 40-point mark and a win for the south-coast club, who have beaten both Chelsea and Liverpool in their last two home matches, would see them reach that point ahead of the Hammers.
The draw at Liverpool last weekend means a win for the Boleyn club would see them reach the 40-point mark.
Allardyce told the official club website: “They will be full of confidence. The fans will be expecting to beat us, there’s no doubt about that, after they’ve just beaten Liverpool and Chelsea at home.
“I think we’ll just be the next step on the ladder for them to beat. I thought the Liverpool fans probably thought they were turning up and going to beat us last week, so we’ll hopefully spoil Southampton’s party as well.”
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Kieran Devlin has dropped an update on the future of Celtic loanee Cameron Carter-Vickers.
What’s the talk?
In a recent Q&A on The Athletic, the Celtic correspondent suggested that, despite the reported interest of a number of Premier League and Championship sides, Ange Postecoglou’s side do have an option to buy clause written into the 24-year-old’s temporary contract at Parkhead – something which Devlin believes the club wish to activate this summer.
However, the journalist continues to state that the USA international could refuse Celtic’s offer of personal terms in favour of a move elsewhere, with Carter-Vickers being believed to have preferred a switch to Newcastle United last summer.
In response to a question asking for an update on the defender’s situation, Devlin said: “Celtic have first say with their option-to-buy and they definitely want him, but ultimately it’ll be down to the player, I believe.
“Newcastle was his preference in August but their interest wasn’t serious enough, so when Spurs called Celtic and offered them him on deadline day they readily accepted – they’d enquired about a loan with option-to-buy earlier that month but Spurs initially rejected it wanting only a permanent move, but by deadline day they just wanted him out the squad.
“Not sure how that’s changed and wouldn’t want to speculate – whether he now feels at home at Celtic or whether his performances attracting EPL attention will swivel his head.”
Then, in response to a further question asking whether Tottenham Hotspur would legally have to accept an offer from Celtic for the centre-back, the journalist added: “Don’t want to speculate too much as some options-to-buy can have weird clauses, but technically yes. The player himself can spike that though.”
Postecoglou will be sweating
While it is true that Celtic do have what is effectively first refusal on the signing of Carter-Vickers this summer, the news that the player himself could reject a permanent switch to Parkhead in favour of a move to a Premier League side is sure to have both Postecoglou and fans of the club sweating.
Indeed, over his 23 Premiership appearances this season, the £2.7m-rated defender has been in imperious form for the Hoops, helping his side keep 12 clean sheets, scoring two goals and providing one assist, in addition to making an average of 1.2 interceptions, one tackle, 79.4 passes, 4.5 clearances and winning six duels – at a success rate of 69% – per game.
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These metrics have seen the £20k-per-week centre-back average a quite astonishing SofaScore match rating of 7.34, ranking the American as the sixth-best player in the top flight of Scottish football.
As such, it is clear for all to see that losing the services of Carter-Vickers next summer would come as a major blow to Postecoglou, who will undoubtedly be hoping that the 24-year-old has been convinced by the project at Celtic Park during his year-long stint in order to put pen to paper on a permanent deal at the end of the season.
In other news: Ange must brutally axe £21.5k-p/w Celtic flop, he’s no longer “up there with the best”
Newcastle United have reportedly now made a new offer to try and sign Sven Botman this summer.
The Lowdown: Failed January move
The St. James’ Park faithful were linked with a move for Botman all throughout the January transfer window, and it was even reported that they put in a bid for him shortly before they signed Dan Burn from Brighton and Hove Albion instead.
Now, it looks that the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia (KSA) consortium want to explore a potential deal in the summer, but it may be down to the player if he wants to swap Lille for the North East.
The Latest: New offer
Writing in his latest piece for Calciomercato, ‘transfer expert’ Daniele Longo has revealed that a new offer has now been made by the Tyneside outfit ‘in recent days’, but Botman has said ‘no’ to them.
He wants to move to AC Milan instead, and a deal would cost the Serie A giants in the region of €30m (£24.8m) plus bonuses.
The Verdict: Shame
It would be a real shame if the Magpies were to miss out on signing Botman once more.
Described as a ‘machine’ who ‘doesn’t make mistakes’ by Lille teammate and fellow centre-back Jose Fonte, the Netherlands international would be a force for any team in the Premier League, helped by his beastly six-foot-five stature.
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Nonetheless, at just 22 years of age, he has so much potential, but the Toon may now have to wait until he is in his prime, and thus much more expensive, before they can finally reach an agreement.
In other news, find out what ‘fantastic’ NUFC update has now emerged here!
Alfie Devine was among the substitutes as Tottenham Hotspur embarrassingly crashed out of the FA Cup on Tuesday evening.
A strong Spurs starting XI were beaten in extra time by Championship outfit Middlesbrough, meaning their long wait for silverware goes on.
Antonio Conte’s side were completely devoid of ideas at the Riverside Stadium as the second-tier side registered more possession (51%) and shots (16) than the north Londoners.
And for all of their defensive issues this season, the Italian has still suffered from a lack of creativity in the final third, so perhaps it’s a surprise that he did not turn to the 17-year-old gem in this competition.
Devine recently took his tally for the U23s this season to nine goals and three assists from 15 appearances in the Premier League 2 and the FA Youth Cup, via Transfermarkt.
His form for the youth squads at Hotspur Way has seen him earn international recognition at U19 level for England, whilst he earned his professional debut in this tournament under Jose Mourinho last season, featuring for 45 minutes in the 5-0 whitewash of Marine.
According to The Athletic, the Portuguese believed there were similarities between the teenager and Manchester United star Bruno Fernandes.
”Mourinho, though, was a big fan and told Devine that he saw shades of Bruno Fernandes in him. Others have compared him stylistically to Chelsea’s Billy Gilmour, and Tim Cahill for his ability to arrive late into the box. The name Steven Gerrard has even been whispered, but we should be wary of getting ahead of ourselves,’ they revealed.
In the public eye, he did talk up his ability, particularly in the final third.
“He’s a kid with good potential. He’s basically a midfield player but with an instinct to appear in finishing zones and to score goals. We like him and of course, for him, it was a special day,” he said (via Goal.com).
It’s this sort of player that Spurs have lacked ever since the departure of Christian Eriksen, whose goals, assists and phenomenal dead-ball ability puts him amongst the best the Premier League has seen over the last decade.
Capable of playing as a no.8 and a no.10, Devine is clearly an attack-minded and playmaking gem capable of filling the Dane’s great void in the long term.
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It’s no wonder he has been dubbed the “whole package” by his former coach Harry Brooks, who also told The Athletic:
“The talent, the attitude, the ability to always turn it on. The tenacity, the aggression. When it comes to looking at that whole picture, he’s the best player in the academy. He could play for England one day.”
If Conte wants to find another Eriksen, then he ought to take a bold risk and unleash the 17-year-old prospect into his first-team squad more often. A place on the bench is a good start, that’s for sure.
AND in other news, Conte could unearth Spurs’ next Kane in 17 y/o “diamond” who can save Levy millions…
Leeds United manager Jesse Marsch has suffered a fresh injury setback as news emerges on Junior Firpo’s status.
What’s the story?
The Whites went down 3-0 to Aston Villa on Thursday night, dragging them further into a relegation dogfight as we head into the business end of the Premier League season.
Firpo was forced off on a stretcher in the second half following a strong challenge, and it now appears that he could be out for the foreseeable future.
Speaking about that setback in his post-match press conference, Marsch revealed: “We don’t [know] yet but it’s probably something on the inside of his knee like an MCL so we’ll evaluate that and see where’s he at. I would guess it keeps him out for a while.”
Another worrying blow for Leeds
Firpo had an awful display against Villa, losing Matty Cash for the second goal and being run ragged by the away side’s constant movement – a performance which had former Leeds goalkeeper Paddy Kenny fuming.
He said: “I’ve not been impressed by Firpo. He doesn’t have much defensive awareness and his positioning is poor. I watch him so often and he’s flat-footed or fast asleep. Leeds let Alioski go and I think that was a mistake. Firpo is not an upgrade on Alioski. Is he good enough for Leeds and to wear that shirt? No, I don’t think he is.”
However, while Firpo’s performance against Villa and general performances this season have left a lot to be desired, he’s still a vital member of this squad at a time when the Whites can ill afford any more injuries.
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The club don’t have a natural senior left-back to cover for the Brazilian while he’s out, and that is likely to see another unwelcome reshuffling of the pack, with potentially Stuart Dallas moving across or Pascal Struijk filling in again.
AND in other news: Marsch must unleash “phenomenal” rarely-seen Leeds star, he’s more exciting than Joffy
The current ownership situation taking place at Leeds United could become clearer later this year, according to transfer expert Dean Jones.
The Lowdown: Leeds ownership up in the air
The Whites have been sole-owned by Andrea Radrizzani since May 2017, with the Italian initially buying 50% of the club in January of that year.
However, 49ers Enterprises’ influence at Leeds is growing all the time, and there is a feeling that it won’t be long until they have taken over complete control from Radrizzani.
It is an ongoing saga, and a fresh update has now emerged regarding the situation.
[freshpress-quiz id=“383507″]
The Latest: Jones makes ownership claim
Speaking to GiveMeSport, Jones claimed that things will make more sense towards the end of this year with regards to the ownership of Leeds United.
He outlined: “I was told to expect updates towards the back end of this year on where Leeds were heading in terms of ownership and investment.”
[web_stories_embed url=”https://www.footballtransfertavern.com/web-stories/latest-leeds-united-news-38/” title=”Latest Leeds United news!” poster=”” width=”360″ height=”600″ align=”none”]
The Verdict: Sort it sooner rather than later
In terms of a financial sense, it can only be a good thing for Leeds if 49ers Enterprise become full owners in the coming months, making them an even more attractive proposition.
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It would likely allow for more transfer funds to be available, although potential relegation to the Championship would certainly be a blow in that respect.
Radrizzani has been a great owner at Leeds, overseeing a memorable period under Marcelo Bielsa, but there is a feeling that it could be time for the next chapter in the club’s illustrious history.
In other news, Leeds are ‘confident’ of sorting a new deal for one player. Find out who it is here.
As per Football Insider’s recruitment source, Tottenham are interested in signing Villarreal central defender Pau Torres in the summer transfer window.
The lowdown: Torres’ rise to stardom
Having made a Spain debut in 2019, the 25-year-old has quickly become established as a regular for both club and country.
Torres made six appearances for Luis Enrique’s side at Euro 2020 having received lavish praise from the manager following a goalless draw with Portugal in the build-up to the tournament.
Enrique hailed Torres as ‘superb’, ‘sensational’ and ‘outstanding’ for a starring role alongside Manchester City defender Aymeric Laporte.
His club form certainly supports that, starting 26 of 29 La Liga games this season and even scoring four goals from the back.
The latest: Spurs ‘plot’ move
According to FI sources, the Lilywhites are ‘keeping tabs’ on the Villarreal academy graduate.
Citing the ‘strong interest from the north Londoners last summer’, Tottenham are expected to return for the Spaniard with bids upwards of £50million required.
At present, the former Malaga loanee is under contract until 2024 at the Europa League holders.
The verdict: Conte a big fan
Unsurprisingly, Conte is seemingly looking to enter the market for defensive reinforcements in the summer having previously lamented the lack of squad depth, and this latest report claims that the Italian boss would welcome the addition of Torres in particular, claiming the Spurs boss is personally a ‘huge admirer’ of the Spain star.
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The previous incumbent of the hot seat at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium, Nuno Espirito Santo, was also reportedly keen on signing the Spaniard but the move failed to materialise.
Now with Spurs seemingly on an upwards trajectory, perhaps the presence of a world-renowned coach in Conte could convince Torres to make the move to England after he allegedly rejected to the chance to work with Nuno.
In other news: Source claims Tottenham will make record-breaking striker bid, find out more here
Arsenal can overtake their north London rivals Tottenham Hotspur and break back into the top four this evening if they secure a win against Crystal Palace at Selhurst Park.
The Gunners’ previous league match saw them secure a 1-0 win against Aston Villa away from home before the recent international break, leaving Mikel Arteta’s side with five victories in their past six league games.
On the chalkboard
One player that should be in the team to face the Eagles on Monday night is midfielder Emile Smith Rowe.
As a product of Arsenal’s youth academy, the youngster racked up 21 goals and eight assists in 54 appearances across the club’s U18 and U23 sides before eventually breaking into the senior team.
With nine goals and two assists to his name in 24 league appearances this season, the Englishman, who is reportedly picking up a weekly wage of £40k-per-week, currently stands alongside Bukayo Saka as the club’s top scorer.
To further highlight the 21-year-old’s attacking talent, with 20 of the 34 shots at goal he’s had being on target, only Manchester United midfielder Fred (60%) has racked up a higher percentage of shots on target than Arsenal’s young star (58.8%) in the Premier League.
His overall performances for the north London side, which have been described as “exceptional” by his manager, have earned him a season rating of 6.89 from WhoScored, making him the sixth highest-rated player in Arteta’s squad.
Labelled as a “difference maker” for the Gunners by former Arsenal figure Mesut Ozil, Smith Rowe certainly has what it takes to make a difference for his side once again this evening in front of goal against Palace.
After all, in the words of Rio Ferdinand, not only does he echo Alexander Hleb, but he’s also “got a Robert Pires vibe” to his play.
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Taking into account how Patrick Vieira’s side have kept three clean sheets in their three previous league games across all competitions against Wolves and Manchester City in the league and Everton in the FA Cup, having such a clinical figure like the England international on the pitch is exactly what Arsenal will need to get three points.
When it comes to putting his starting XI together, Arteta should definitely have Smith Rowe in his mind for tonight’s showdown.
In other news: Arteta now handed huge injury boost ahead of Palace, it’s great news for Arsenal
Speaking to Calciomercato (via Sport Witness), Italian sporting director Matteo Superbi has delivered an interesting prediction regarding reported Tottenham Hotspur target Nicolo Zaniolo.
The lowdown: Big admirers
This comes following a recent report from Gazetta dello Sport claiming that Spurs are keen on signing the AS Roma attacking midfielder.
Having been left out of a recent Rome derby clash with SS Lazio, the 22-year-old was believed to be weighing up his options ahead of the summer window, apparently left ’embittered’ by Jose Mourinho’s selection decisions in recent months.
Now, a club chief seems to have shed more light on the possibility of a move to the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium.
The latest: No surprises
Superbi, who is currently the sporting director at Serie C Group B side Virtus Entella, told Calciomercato, as translated by SW, that Spurs could be set to swoop at the end of the season.
The 53-year-old claimed that the nine-cap Italy starlet ‘could be worth €50million (£42million)’ and he ‘wouldn’t be surprised’ if a major European club stepped in.
Superbi went on to name Tottenham as one of those, alongside Juventus and one of the Manchester outfits.
The verdict: A supreme talent
Market valued at £29.70million and under contract in Italy until 2024 (Transfermarkt), we feel paying the mooted asking price would be a superb piece of business from Fabio Paratici.
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Predominantly an attacking midfielder from central positions, Zaniolo already boasts an impressive 72 direct goal contributions in a fledgeling club career across youth and senior levels, and his versatility would allow Antonio Conte to be flexible in his attacking approach – he has scored goals from five different positions in his career.
Such impact from midfield has even led to comparisons with both Premier League and England icons Steven Gerrard and Frank Lampard. Described as possessing an ‘incredible natural physique’ by Daniele De Rossi, signing Zaniolo in the summer window would certainly add a new type of threat to Conte’s ranks.
In other news: Spurs want to sign EFL starlet in the summer transfer window, find out more here.
Nottingham Forrest manager Steve Cooper must do everything he can to keep his £3.6m-rated gem at the City Ground.
What’s the story?
Forest are currently flying high in the Championship but they are in danger of losing some of their key players.
One of them includes 21-year-old loan midfielder James Garner.
He has impressed massively during his time at Nottingham Forest while enjoying a temporary stint away from Premier League giants Manchester United.
He has been described as “flying” by talkSPORT and in the summer it will be interesting to see if the Red Devils want to involve him in their first team.
Recent reports suggest that Forest are interested in signing Garner permanently should they secure promotion from the Championship.
Key to their success
Forest, and in particular, their boss Cooper, have been good at giving young players chances. He is the former manager of the England U17 side which triumphed at the World Cup back in 2017.
Garner has made 37 appearances in a Forest shirt this season and has tallied nine goal contributions proving key to the team’s turnaround in form when Cooper was appointed back in September.
His passing stats are good with the Englishman having an 80% pass success and making on average 1.8 key passes each game.
But it’s his defensive stats where he stands out, he averages 1.3 interceptions each game which is more than United midfielder Scott McTominay.
He also averages 0.9 blocks per game which is more than another United midfielder Fred.
Whilst Forest are making the most of his talents this season, the better he performs the more the Red Devils will want to keep hold of him, something that represents a bit of a disaster for the Championship side.
The managerial situation is up in arms at Old Trafford currently and any new arrival may want to take a look at all the players available to them including Garner.
He even earnt praise from former United captain and fellow midfielder Roy Keane, who described him as “very good” following his FA cup quarter-final performance against Liverpool.
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Garner himself may want to move back to the Theatre of Dreams and test himself against the rest of United’s squad. The Athletic’s Daniel Taylor certainly seems to think that is the case, saying that ‘it is very much his ambition’ to fight for a place.
It’s hardly ideal timing considering the attention Brennan Johnson is also capturing but they can afford to forget about him a little bit in a bid to secure the United loanee’s signature too.
Whatever happens, he will have played an important part in any promotion success that Forest are involved in this year, but he’ll be a big miss next season.
IN other news: Nottingham Forest loanee Davis likely to be available permanently…