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West Ham United may have just been handed a massive boost in their bid to sign Jesse Lingard on a permanent basis…

What’s the word?

His current club Manchester United announced a long-awaited deal for Jadon Sancho in an €85m (£73m) move from Borussia Dortmund this week but, according to The Athletic, it has left them with a lack of finances to complete a move for Real Madrid centre-back Raphael Varane.

The Frenchman is entering the final year of his deal and will be free to speak to United in January over a pre-contract agreement, but if they are to secure him in this window, then some player sales may be required, which will undoubtedly put Lingard’s future back in the spotlight.

Transfer boost

Lingard’s time at Old Trafford looked to be all but over in January but his stunning form for the Irons has led to a feeling that he could still play a part under Ole Gunnar Solskjaer.

However, considering the impending arrival of Sancho, it’s hard to imagine that the 28-year-old attacking midfielder would garner much playing time, especially when there is also Bruno Fernandes and perhaps Donny van de Beek ahead of him in the pecking order, not to mention the likely emergence of Amad Diallo.

Just last week, the Daily Star reported that United were prepared to offer Lingard a new £130,000-per-week, three-year contract extension as he too is entering the final year of his current deal, but that was suggested prior to Sancho’s arrival.

It’s already abundantly clear that the Hammers are desperate to bring the loan sensation back to the London Stadium – even manager David Moyes has made it obvious.

He told reporters after the final game of the season, via the Evening Standard: “I hope Jesse’s here, we’d like to keep him, he’s done an exceptional job for us but there’s no guarantees, he’s not our player. But I hope Jesse realises we’ve been good for him as well, and that he joined a club on the up.”

United are also said to value Lingard at around £25m after his very successful loan spell under the Scotsman, so arguably he’s the most valuable asset they have in order to raise funds for Varane right now.

That is why this development should come as a massive boost to the Hammers.

The 29-cap England dynamo registered nine goals and five assists to help fire the east London outfit into the Europa League. Only midfielder Tomas Soucek recorded a better average rating on the season than Lingard, as per WhoScored.

It’s really no surprise that the United outcast, who has been described as “absolutely phenomenal” in the press during his time at West Ham, is one of their top priorities this window.

Given the lack of finances following the swoop for Sancho, Moyes and GSB would be foolish to not force United’s hand. They must now secure a move for the £12.8m-rated beast after this fresh boost.

AND in other news, Moyes could kill two birds with one stone with West Ham swoop for £18m-rated “warrior”…

An update has emerged on West Ham target Matheus Pereira, regarding West Brom’s stance on his future…

What’s the talk?

Newly-appointed West Brom coach Valerien Ismael has admitted that he expects West Ham target Matheus Pereira to depart from The Hawthorns this summer. The Express reported last month that Leicester, West Ham and Leeds are all interested in the midfielder, with Ismael now opening the door for a potential exit.

He told The BBC:

“My expectation is that the two players (Pereira and Sam Johnstone) will leave the club.”

Fans will be buzzing

GSB could strike gold for the Hammers with a swoop for Pereira this summer. The West Ham board must sanction a swoop for the Brazilian now that West Brom have let it be known that he is likely to leave before the end of the transfer window.

It seems strange that Ismael would openly admit that Pereira and Johnstone will be leaving the club without any exits agreed already, but perhaps he is attempting to garner more interest in the pair by letting clubs know that they are available.

Fans will be buzzing as it increases the chances of the Hammers being able to land him, as West Brom have admitted that they will not be rejecting all interest in his services. Pereira could be an excellent signing for the London club as he is a player who could get supporters off their seats.

Ex-Nurnberg coach Nate Weiss once lavished praise on Matheus and labelled him as “genius”, whilst former Leeds forward Noel Whelan recently said that he would be excited if the attacker ended up playing at Elland Road for Marcelo Bielsa next season. Whelan has said that Pereira is a fantastic player and is at the right age for clubs to sign him.

He told Football Insider:

“He’s a fantastic player, he’s great on the ball, he can turn people inside out.”

Pereira was directly involved in 17 Premier League goals (11 goals & six assists) for the Baggies as they were relegated back down to the Championship, suggesting that he could be a great addition to David Moyes’ team. He has proven that he can score and create goals in the top-flight and that is why GSB must do all they can to bring him to the London Stadium ahead of next season.

AND in other news, Imagine him and Antonio: West Ham preparing bid for 31 G/A powerhouse, Moyes needs him…

Watford have been linked with Aaron Boupendza recently and he could be a superb addition to Xisco Munoz’s side should he make the move to Vicarage Road.

What’s the word?

According to Fanatik journalist Yakup Cinar, Watford are interested in signing the Gabon winger from Hatasypor this summer, with the Turkish side expected to demand around €8.5m (£7.3m) for his services.

A whole host of Premier League and Scottish Premiership clubs were linked with the 24-year-old back in March after his impressive performances for Hatayspor last season and following their promotion to the top-flight, it now looks as if Watford are one of the favourites to sign him this summer.

Would Boupendza be a good signing for Watford?

Last season saw the winger contribute a hugely impressive 22 goals and one assist in 36 league appearances, averaging a superb 7.25 rating from WhoScored for his performances.

Watford could arguably do with strengthening their left-wing ahead of next season, with Ismaila Sarr the Hornets’ top performer on the right, and Boupendza could add a serious goal threat for Munoz ahead of next season.

If the Gabon international could replicate his form from Turkey in the Premier League next season, then he would surely prove to be a superb addition to Munoz’s side, whilst his goals could prove to be the difference between Watford staying up or potentially being relegated back to the Championship.

Boupendza is clearly a player who is held in high regard by clubs in the Premier League given the number of sides showing an interest in him, with Gabon teammate and Arsenal striker Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang reportedly telling the Gunners to sign him.

However, this latest update from Yakup Cinar suggests that it is mainly Watford and Galatasaray who are keen on Boupendza at this moment in time, so perhaps we will see him arrive at Vicarage Road where Xisco would love to have him.

And, in other news… Munoz handed huge Watford boost with new signing who is the “complete package”

Speaking exclusively to Football FanCast, former Everton defender Michael Ball believes Jonjoe Kenny has not been given a fair chance at Goodison Park.

The 24-year-old right-back spent the second half of last season out on loan at Celtic. This comes after his season-long loan with Bundesliga outfit Schalke during the 2019/20 campaign.

Ultimately, Kenny has been far from the first team at Everton and the Englishman is now being linked with a move away from the club, with the MailOnline claiming last month that he is a surprise target for Arsenal.

For Ball, Kenny simply has not been given a real opportunity. On the defender, the ex-Everton star told FFC:

“I feel sort of sorry for Jonjoe, really. He’s come in, young kid, done pretty well and then we put bodies in front of him, bringing in players on loan.

“It didn’t work and he got sort of pushed back and then when asked, he came in and done an ok job.

“When you’re in and out of a side, no matter how old you are, it’s very difficult to get consistency. So I don’t feel he’s had a fair crack of the whip at the club.”

Coming through the club’s academy, some supporters would probably like to see Kenny stick around, challenge Seamus Coleman for that right-back position and give Rafael Benitez something to think about.

However, with Everton currently chasing Denzel Dumfries, he could once again be pushed out of Goodison Park.

Lee Ryder has dropped a bold claim on the potential takeover of Newcastle United ahead of their upcoming arbitration case against the Premier League.

The Lowdown: Arbitration looms

The arbitration hearing between the North East club and the top flight over the failed deal between Mike Ashley and the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia (KSA) consortium is set to take place over the coming months, and the results may be pivotal in terms of the direction of where the bid is heading.

Amanda Staveley, the businesswoman and head of PCP Capital Partners who is also a member of the consortium, has spoken to Sky Sports referencing a letter that she wrote urging both the UK government and football regulators to ensure that the arbitration case is to be made public in order to give some more transparency over the whole situation.

The Latest: Ryder claim

Replying to a Magpies fan in a Q&A session, Ryder, who has been following the latest developments in the takeover saga, has claimed (via The Chronicle):

“The Premier League have stuck to their guns so far on the takeover, they claim they didn’t do anything wrong and they are sticking to the legal answer on whether it should go public or not.

“For all that, I think that we are edging closer to some type of end game, but it looks increasingly like this could go slowly. They have asked for extensions on the anti-claim case, so we will see if they do likewise on the arbitration.”

The Verdict: End game approaching

As Ryder points out, an end game may be approaching with regards to the whole takeover saga.

The results of the arbitration case will be vital in determining the direction of where the takeover is going to go, and a positive one for the St. James’ Park faithful could well help speed up the process.

Nonetheless, the Toon Army seemingly will have to be patient before they can gather an incline as to whether the deal is still possible, and the Tyneside club will now have to focus on getting themselves fully prepared for the new 2021/22 season ahead.

In other news, find out who has urged fans to forget about the takeover here!

Celtic remain in talks over a move for Tottenham defender Cameron Carter-Vickers, according to American reporter Larry Henry Jr.

The Lowdown: Carter-Vickers’ links

Carter-Vickers’ name has been mentioned a fair few times this month in regards to a move to Celtic Park.

Bournemouth, Celtic and Newcastle appeared to be the three teams in the hunt for the defender, with The Daily Record suggesting Carter-Vickers is keen on a Celtic transfer.

Capable of playing at both centre-back and right-back, Carter-Vickers has less than 12 months left on his contract in north London, and after six loan spells, it seems as if a permanent exit could be on the cards.

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The Latest: Recent update

The Hoops brought in Carl Starfelt after Kristoffer Ajer left for Brentford, but the links to Carter-Vickers haven’t gone away.

Henry Jr posted on Twitter on Thursday evening to provide an update on the USA international.

He suggested that both Celtic and Newcastle remain in talks with Spurs over the 23-year-old, with Tottenham set to place a sell-on clause in any permanent transfer.

“An update on Cameron Carter-Vickers, per a source close to the player. Both Celtic and Newcastle remain in talks with Tottenham over a deal and Spurs will receive a sell-on clause in addition to a transfer fee.”

The Verdict: Avoid

Carter-Vickers is valued at £5m by Tottenham despite making just four senior appearances for the club.

Transfermarkt have his valuation down at just £1.8m, and for a player with no Premier League experience and less than 12 months left on his deal, £5m seems a bit much.

The Hoops could possibly find better value for money elsewhere, but it seems as if they are still in the hunt for the versatile defender, so it could be a link to keep a close eye on over the coming days.

In other news: £5.4m-rated club captain admits he would ‘immediately’ sign for Celtic; he’s on £18,000-a-week. 

Nahitan Nandez would be ‘one of the signings of the summer’ if Leeds United manage to snap him up, according to journalist Conor Clancy.

The Lowdown: Leeds linked with Nandez move

The Whites have been linked with a number of players during the summer transfer window, but Nandez’s name has appeared in more stories than most.

The Cagliari midfielder has been tipped to come in and bolster Marcelo Bielsa’s options in the middle of the park, having won 41 caps for Uruguay.

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The Latest: Journalist excited by potential move

Speaking to Football FanCast, Serie A expert Clancy, editor at Forza Italian Football, spoke about Nandez’s quality and said he would be a fantastic signing for Leeds:

“If Leeds could get him, that would be one of the signings of the summer in the Premier League.

“But I do see it as increasingly unlikely that the deal will be done now.”

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The Verdict: Would be a huge coup

It doesn’t look likely that the Whites will get their man this summer, as Clancy alludes to – Inter Milan seem to be front-runners – but they should keep trying to sign the 25-year-old.

Nandez registered two goals and assists apiece in Serie A last season, but it is off the ball where he arguably stands out most, averaging 1.8 tackles and 1.5 clearances per game.

The Uruguayan could be a strong alternative to Kalvin Phillips, or someone who could partner him in midfield. The England international is such a crucial component for Bielsa but there are fears he may be relied upon too much, so we feel Leeds should pull out all the stops to sign Nandez.

In other news, one Leeds player may have appeared for the Whites for the last time. Find out who it is here.

Liverpool have expressed an interest in Juventus’ Dejan Kulusevski but have been rebuffed by the Italian giants, according to Tuttojuve. 

The lowdown

Kulusevski’s £29.7million move to Turin was confirmed as recently as January 2020, though he did spend the remainder of that season on loan at Parma.

In his first full campaign with the Old Lady he made 47 appearances, scoring seven goals and providing seven assists (via Transfermarkt).

The 21-year-old is predominantly a right winger but he’s also been used through the middle and on the left in his fledgling career.

Sweden national team manager Janne Anderson has described Kulusevski as ‘similar to [Arjen] Robben’ because of ‘his pace, his ball control and his finishing’.

Cristiano Ronaldo has also sung his praises, hailing him as an ‘excellent’ player with ‘great talent’ (90min).

He played no part in his country’s first two matches in the European Championships after a positive Covid-19 test but came up with two assists on Matchday Three as Sweden secured top spot in Group E.

The latest

The report from Turin says that not only Liverpool, but also Premier League rivals Arsenal and Tottenham, are keen on Kulusevski.

However, Juventus regard him as ‘non-transferable’, much like Italy international Federico Chiesa, who was linked with the Reds earlier in the week.

The verdict

Liverpool could certainly do with a versatile forward like Kulusevski. The likes of Divock Origi and Takumi Minamino are inadequate as back-ups and AFCON will leave the Reds without Mohamed Salah and Sadio Mane for a portion of the winter.

However, given that the player still has four years left on his contract and is very much a rising star, it would probably take an astronomical fee before Juventus even considered a deal. This one feels like a no-go unless Michael Edwards can concoct some form of player-plus-cash deal to lower the price.

In other news, Liverpool joined the race for another coveted Serie A ace.

Adam Blackmore has dropped a big update on the future of reported Aston Villa transfer target James Ward-Prowse…

What’s the talk?

The Radio Solent journalist has stated that the Southampton midfielder will not be leaving the south coast before the end of the transfer window.

He tweeted: “After the last 24 hours with Ings, Grealish, etc., and all the crazy gossip that goes along with it, it’s probably worth reiterating the point I’ve made previously, that Southampton captain James Ward-Prowse is going nowhere in this window.”

Aston Villa are interested in signing the England international this summer and have reportedly already had an offer of £25m rejected by the Saints.

Fans will be fuming

Aston Villa fans must be fuming with this update as it appears to rule out what would be a terrific signing for the club. Ward-Prowse is a proven Premier League performer and would be a superb addition to Dean Smith’s side, which is why supporters will surely be upset that he is now set to stay with Southampton.

The Englishman played every single minute of the Saints’ league campaign last term, averaging an excellent WhoScored rating of 7.07. He provided eight goals and seven assists from midfield, whilst also making 3.1 tackles and interceptions per game.

Of all the Villa players to feature in 10 or more Premier League matches last season, only Ollie Watkins (7.18) and Jack Grealish (7.56) managed higher average ratings than Ward-Prowse. This shows that the 26-year-old could come in at Villa Park and be one of the better performers at the club, as he has already shown that he can perform to a high standard in the top flight.

At the end of last season, Saints head coach Ralph Hasenhuttl called him “outstanding”. The Austrian told the Daily Echo: “It’s not surprising for me, a player who played every minute this season is unbelievable.

“His physicality and his performances are outstanding. That’s our captain on the pitch and he is on the way that he is a very important player for this club for the long-term, I think.”

This highlights Ward-Prowse’s quality at Premier League level and why he would surely improve Villa’s side. Therefore, supporters will be gutted over this update from Blackmore, with the midfielder now looking likely to be playing for Southampton rather than Villa in the 2021/22 campaign. It is now down to Johan Lange and Smith to identify alternative targets before the end of the transfer window.

AND in other news, “It might leave them a bit light” – Aston Villa journalist rules out exit for 27 y/o amid report…

Celtic haven’t had much fortune in the early stages of the season.

In fact, it’s been a wretched start to Ange Postecoglou’s reign as Hoops manager at Parkhead. They were beaten in their first league clash and will head to the Czech Republic on Thursday afternoon licking their wounds.

That said, this has been a productive week for Celtic. They have signed James McCarthy who was a free agent while they’ve also welcomed Joe Hart through the door.

The former has been left behind in Glasgow but Postecoglou has received a massive boost with Hart among the travelling party.

It has been hinted that he could make his debut in their Europa League qualifier just days after putting pen to paper.

The boss commented: “He’s been training well with his club and he was also really keen to come in straight away.

“I gave him a little bit of an option that he could stay back in Glasgow. But Joe made it pretty clear he wanted to come across and join in training immediately.

“I’ll assess him in training and we’ll take it from there.”

If Hart does indeed start against Jablonec, then it will be huge for their chances in the match.

After all, the current goalkeeper situation at Paradise is far from fruitful. Vasilis Barkas made a huge error against Midtjylland, failing to save a free-kick that went through his hands and then found the net.

Scott Bain has also been lacking confidence. Despite becoming the club’s number 1 option between the sticks last season, he isn’t a reliable figure.

The Scot proved as much when Celtic took on Hearts last weekend. A late free-kick was hoisted into the penalty area which Bain started to move towards his back post in order to stop.

However, John Souttar rose above Bitton and headed the ball past the goalkeeper who was standing in no man’s land.

With the pair already making costly mistakes this season, Postecoglou must look to Hart from the get-go in order to hand his side the best chance of qualifying for the Europa League group stages.

The former England international is a seasoned pro with plenty of continental experience under his belt. He will know exactly what it means on Thursday evening. The manager will be elated to have him available.

AND in other news, Celtic could sign their new Henrik Larsson in “outstanding” 24-cap “animal”…