£25k-p/w Slammed For Wolves Mistake

Sky Sports pundit Tim Sherwood has slammed Wolves goalkeeper Jose Sa after he gave away a penalty in the club's most recent game.

What's the latest on Wolves and Jose Sa?

The Molineux outfit had to travel away from home to take on Leicester City in a big clash towards the bottom of the Premier League on Saturday afternoon.

Indeed, the threat of relegation is very real for both teams, although the Foxes are in a bit more trouble, coming onto the match stuck inside the bottom three.

Perhaps with that in mind, Wolves – who came into the game five places above the relegation zone – started the game with more confidence and took an early lead thanks to a fine finish from Matheus Cunha.

However, despite dominating the early stages of the game. Julen Lopetegui's men found themselves pegged back in the 37th minute.

Jamie Vardy latched onto a good through-ball, and after his touch took him past Sa, the goalkeeper clattered into the striker.

Referee Andy Madley pointed to the spot and there could be no complaints as Kelechi Iheanacho put the resulting penalty kick away to make it 1-1.

Evidently unimpressed with what he'd just witnessed, pundit Sherwood was far from kind when dropping his verdict on Sa.

Indeed, he told Sky Sports: "Vardy looks like he is hurt. He looks to be in agony.

"He was going away from the goal, l have no idea what Sa was thinking."

Could Jose Sa be dropped after this mistake?

Sherwood certainly was right about Vardy, who had to be replaced by Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall at half-time after being fouled by Sa.

And it seems as though he was also fair when questioning the £25k-per-week goalkeeper for rushing out of position and bringing the Englishman down.

For example, journalist Liam Keen also slammed the actions of Sa. He wrote on Twitter: "Sa makes a call to come and makes a big error, taking Vardy out. He's booked too."

What's more, according to journalist Alan Nixon of The Sun, Wolves are potentially looking to sign Sunderland shot-stopper Anthony Patterson next summer.

That could mean Lopetegui has some doubts about Sa in the long term and he certainly wouldn't have done his reputation any favours with this major error in judgement.

For now, at least, he has until the rest of the season to prove his quality between the sticks as Wolves fight to avoid the drop.

West Ham Linked With 45 y/o Amid David Moyes Doubt

Insider ExWHUEmployee has revealed that West Ham United have not made a decision on David Moyes' future amid links to Marco Silva.

What's the latest on West Ham and Moyes?

It's been a season of inconsistency for the Irons as they look set to finish down towards the bottom of the Premier League table having placed seventh in the previous campaign.

And while they could still tase European success as they have made it to the semi-finals of the Europa Conference League, it's no shock that Moyes' future is in doubt.

Indeed, according to the Daily Mail, the Scottish manager is looking increasingly likely" to leave West Ham this summer as the board weigh up replacements.

However, in an update shared on The West Ham Way Podcast, Ex stated that no decision had been made yet although Fulham boss Silva is one of a few names being considered.

He said (11:55): “Paulo Sousa is also interested in the job. Brendan Rodgers is interested in the job now. And apparently, Marco Silva is the latest name to be linked.

"At this point, I don't think a decision has been made. I think it'll be dependent on the Conference League and discussions in the summer.

"But they are some names that are being floated around as potential replacements."

Would Marco Silva join West Ham?

The 45-year-old Fulham coach has done very well of late as he looks to have guided his team to a top-ten finish in the Premier League directly after taking them up from the Championship.

West Ham, on the other hand, will finish much further down the table as they currently sit 15th with just three games to go. So you can see why Silva may look like an interesting alternative to Moyes.

Of course, he isn't the only candidate with Ex noting interest in former Leicester City boss Rodgers and current Salernitana coach Sousa.

However, judging from her recent article in The Sun, Ange Postecoglou may well be the favourite for vice-chairman Karen Brady.

Indeed, after the Celtic manager secured another league title for his side, she urged readers to "raise a glass to" his success, while saying of his career as a whole: "Postecoglou’s feats around the world suggest he would make an impact this side of Hadrian’s Wall."

All in all, it sounds as though there are a number of notable names who could be seen as good Moyes replacements but the writing is not on the wall for the current boss just yet.

Arsenal: Gunners Eye "Exciting" Attacking Signing

Juventus winger Federico Chiesa would be an "awesome" signing for Arsenal and stands out as an "exciting" player, says journalist Dean Jones.

Who will join Arsenal this summer?

Mikel Arteta and co are already making serious moves as the domestic transfer window officially opens, with the north Londoners thought to have already lodged a formal £80 million bid for West Ham star Declan Rice.

The offer was outright rejected by the Irons, who are instead hoping for a fee closer to £100m, but Rice isn't the only player Arsenal are looking at.

In central midfield alone, there have been reports that Brighton star Moises Caicedo and Man City captain Ilkay Gundogan are targets, while Arteta's side could also look to make a move for Southampton's Romeo Lavia.

For the forward areas, the most heavily linked recently has been Chelsea star Kai Havertz, with reliable journalist David Ornstein breaking news of an opening "proposal" for the German.

Chiesa, who boasts a Euro 2021 winner's medal with Italy, is apparently an attacking target too as reports in the Italian press claim Arsenal have registered an interest in the £38 million forward.

federico-chiesa-premier-league-newcastle-transfers

Indeed, newspaper La Repubblica reported earlier this month that the north Londoners are now in the race for his services, alongside Premier League rivals Chelsea and Newcastle United.

Speaking to GiveMeSport, in reaction to the claim, reporter Jones believes he would be an "awesome" attacking signing for Arsenal.

Jones goes on to call him a very "exciting" player, but it will be a difficult deal to do from Edu's perspective.

"I love Chiesa and I've always hoped he would one day land in the Premier League. It will be interesting to see how this summer window pans out for him.

He's obviously had some injury problems in the not too distant past. He's such an exciting player.

"You can imagine he would be awesome in that Arsenal attack too. I'm not convinced it'll be that easy to sign him though, I'm really not."

How has Federico Chiesa been playing?

The 25-year-old featured over just 21 Serie A matches last season, scoring two goals and assisting five others, though this has largely been down to fitness issues.

Chiesa missed a good chunk of matches through injury but has proved to be a more-than capable attacking asset on his best day.

La Gazzetta dello Sport, via Football Italia, praised his impact against Udinese in January after he came on as a late substitute for the remaining half an hour.

The newspaper wrote:

“A half-hour can be enough if you are in another category. Perfect cutback for Paredes’ invitation, delightful assist for Danilo. Yes, Fede is back.”

Man City Can Replace Gundogan By Signing £34m Star At Eithad

Manchester City were dealt a huge blow at the end of last month as midfielder Ilkay Gundogan departed upon the expiry of his contract with the club.

The German has signed for Spanish giants Barcelona on a free transfer after captaining the Citizens to the treble last season.

This has left Pep Guardiola without one of his trusted midfield options heading into the 2023/24 campaign, which could tempt him into the transfer market in the coming weeks.

Mateo Kovacic has joined on a permanent deal from Chelsea but his six goals in 221 competitive matches for the Blues does not suggest that he has the goalscoring ability to adequately replace the ex-Borussia Dortmund ace.

Gundogan found the back of the net 11 times in all competitions for City last term, scoring crucial goals in vital games – including two in the FA Cup final against Manchester United.

Who could replace Ilkay Gundogan at Manchester City?

Guardiola could forget all about the now-Barcelona dynamo by securing the signing of Celta Vigo prodigy Gabri Veiga, who is a reported transfer target for the club.

He has a €40m (£34m) release clause in his contract with the Spanish side and City are said to be willing to match it, although they face competition from a host of European clubs – including Newcastle United, Liverpool, and Chelsea from the Premier League.

Like Gundogan, the 21-year-old magician, who was once hailed as "dangerous" by journalist Euan McTear, is a central midfielder with an eye for goal and his exploits in the final third could make him the dream replacement for City.

The Spain U21 international averaged a Sofascore rating of 6.96 across 36 LaLiga outings last term and contributed with 11 goals to go along with four assists from the middle of the park, which came after he managed nine goals in 31 outings for Celta B in the 2021/22 season.

Former Manchester City midfielder Ilkay Gundogan.

Veiga, who predominantly plays as a number eight or ten, is not a seasoned campaigner who would come in with a guarantee of success but his impressive goal return from his position at the age of 21 suggests that the potential is there for him to be an excellent addition for Guardiola.

Gundogan averaged a goal every 5.06 matches on average throughout his City career (60 in 304) and the Celta Vigo starlet has averaged a strike every 3.35 league games on average for the first-team and reserve sides combined over the last two years (20 in 67).

Only Erling Haaland (36) scored more league goals for the Citizens than Veiga's tally of 11 in LaLiga, indicating that the Spanish maestro could provide the manager with an excellent goalscoring option from midfield, as the Germany international did during his time at The Etihad.

Leeds United: Yorkshire Club In Talks For "Top Top Player"

Leeds United are in talks to sign experienced full-back Sam Byram this summer, according to reports, with the defender currently without a club.

Recently appointed Leeds manager Daniel Farke has previously worked with Byram at Norwich City, and has allowed his former player to train with the Yorkshire club.

What's the latest on Sam Byram to Leeds United?

The experienced defender is currently training with Leeds, as he is without a club. And, according to The Yorkshire Evening Post, the Championship club are considering turning his stay into a permanent one this summer.

Byram has featured in three of Leeds' pre-season fixtures this summer, and has reportedly impressed those in charge at the club, making a deal possible before the deadline.

The full-back has also been without any injury issues after featuring in those pre-season games, in what could be the defining point in whether Leeds decide to go ahead with a permanent deal. Byram previously struggled to stay fit, ending his time at Norwich.

If they are to sign Byram, then they must do it by today if they want him to feature against Cardiff City on the opening day of their Championship season, which takes place on Saturday.

It's certainly a potential deal to keep an eye on, whether it happens as soon as today, or before the transfer deadline.

Should Leeds United sign Sam Byram?

Soccer Football – Championship – Birmingham City v Norwich City – St Andrew's, Birmingham, Britain – August 30, 2022 Norwich City's Samuel Byram in action with Birmingham City's George Hall Action Images/Andrew Boyers EDITORIAL USE ONLY. No use with unauthorized audio, video, data, fixture lists, club/league logos or "live" services. Online in-match use limited to 75 images, no video emulation. No use in betting, games or single club/league/player publications. Please conta

After impressing during pre-season without any injury problems, a deal for Byram feels like a no-brainer for Leeds this summer, who need all the experience they can get on their quest for instant promotion back to the Premier League in the coming season.

Byram, 29, has 151 Championship appearances to his name, and has plenty of Premier League experience on top of that, too. The added bonus, of course, is the fact that he has previously played under Farke, so would waste no time in becoming adjusted to his system at Elland Road.

Read the latest Leeds transfer news HERE…

When speaking about the defender, and whether Leeds will offer him a deal this summer, Farke said, via The Yorkshire Post: “It's too early to judge.

"Sam is obviously a top, top player once he's fit and a top class character, a Leeds academy product, he's had a really good spell here and he's homegrown which is also important for the Championship.

“He's an experienced player, that's what we need in a few positions. We could definitely also need some signings. But the most important topic for Sam is that his body is fit and ready to go.

“I was quite pleased with him in the final 30 minutes today, he came in in a difficult spell, we were a bit under pressure from Monaco and I think he had a solid start to life here in pre-season.

"The most important topic is that he stays fit and all the other topics are decisions that will be made in a few weeks but we are all happy that we have him because he's good for the dressing room at the moment.”

So, as things stand, it remains to be seen whether Byram will be lining up for Leeds United in the Championship in the coming season, but everything seems to be pointing in the positive direction for the defender.

Newcastle In Pole Position To Sign "Unplayable" Ace For Free

Newcastle United are the current joint frontrunners to sign Crystal Palace forward Wilfried Zaha this summer, according to reports.

What's the latest on Zaha's future?

Eddie Howe already has Anthony Gordon, Allan Saint-Maximin and Ryan Fraser as his options on the left wing but The Telegraph have reported that the boss has his sights set on securing a new versatile wide forward during the upcoming window, with the 30-year-old identified as a potential candidate.

The Ivory Coast international will be out of contract at Selhurst Park at the end of the season meaning that he will become a free agent on the market should he not put pen to paper on fresh terms, and being Roy Hodgson’s top-performing offensive player, has caught the eye of the boss, but not for the first time.

The Daily Mail (via SportsMole) credited the Magpies with an interest in the forward two years ago where it was claimed that they were lining up a big-money offer following the takeover, and despite a deal failing to materialise at the time, PIF have remained long-term admirers and are wanting to make a second attempt.

According to the Daily Star, Newcastle and Premier League rivals West Ham are currently “leading the race” to sign Zaha ahead of the 2023/24 term. The St. James’ Park outfit and the Irons are the “frontrunners” to land the top-flight veteran but the former might hold the advantage as a result of their target being “eager to test himself” in Europe. The Eagles talisman signing a new deal isn’t fully “out of the question”, but it’s stated that he is set to “listen to offers” and is “prepared to move” elsewhere should a good opportunity arise.

Crystal Palace forward Wilfried Zaha.

Would Zaha be a good signing for Newcastle?

Newcastle have clearly been long-term admirers of Zaha having tried and failed to sign him before but should they be successful if they take another bite of the cherry, he would be a great asset to the attacking department in the northeast.

Palace’s standout performer has clocked up 165 goal contributions in 455 appearances in the capital, including nine in 25 across all competitions this season, via Transfermarkt, where he’s currently averaging 2.4 shots and 1.9 dribbles per top-flight game, form which has seen him lauded “unplayable” by talkSPORT pundit Tony Cascarino (WhoScored).

Zaha would also add plenty of versatility to Howe’s squad having operated in six different positions since the start of his career, including anywhere across the frontline, making this a no-brainer of a deal to complete should the chance present itself.

West Ham’s "Unbelievable" Former Striker Could Help Moyes

When West Ham United signed Gianluca Scamacca last summer for a £35.5m transfer fee, it looked as though David Moyes had the final piece of his puzzle – a striker who could score 25 goals a season.

Unfortunately, it hasn’t quite worked out like that for the Italian hitman as he has largely struggled to get to grips with the English game. Across 18 domestic matches, the 24-year-old has scored just three times however he appears to have found his feet in Europe, scoring five goals and registering an assist in nine matches.

His poor form along with many other of his teammates has led to West Ham fighting a Premier League relegation battle and having scored just 24 league goals, the third-lowest total in the division, it’s clear Moyes’ goal-scoring woes could play a major part in whether they survive this term.

They could use the help of a world-class striker now and former player Carlos Tevez would be the ideal candidate to alleviate the club’s current woes.

How did Carlos Tevez perform at West Ham?

Considering how poor the Irons’ attackers have been this season, a prime Tevez would surely run riot in the Premier League under Moyes, instantly acting as an improvement on Scamacca and Antonio.

The diminutive Argentinian signed for the club way back in 2006 alongside Javier Mascherano in what was an astounding move, with Alan Pardew and the club somehow securing their services from Brazilian side Corinthians on permanent deals following their World Cup displays for Argentina.

This was a major coup for the Hammers and although Tevez didn’t score in the league until March, his performances during the final few months of the season were integral to the club retaining their league status.

Tevez played all of the club's final ten Premier League matches that term, scoring seven goals – including the winner against Manchester United on the final day – while grabbing three assists and this was just a taste of what was to come for the forward in England.

Carlos-Tevez-West-Ham-United

He moved to United not long after, before joining cross-city rivals Manchester City, scoring 117 goals combined for the two clubs. Overall, he has scored 257 club goals, notably being dubbed a "monster" along the way by journalist Sam Tighe.

West Ham would be nowhere near the relegation zone if Moyes had the opportunity to utilise the forward in the present day. Indeed, he would terrorise opposition defences to shreds.

Spurs could eye Pochettino to replace Conte

Tottenham Hotspur chairman Daniel Levy is in favour of potentially bringing back Mauricio Pochettino but there are some reservations from others at the club.

Could Spurs bring Pochettino back?

The Argentine manager has now been out of work for around eight months now after departing Paris Saint-Germain in the summer of last year.

And there are reports suggesting the former Spurs boss has recently rejected an approach from Chelsea as they consider their options amid their own struggles.

Pochettino has previously said he sees himself returning to Spurs having left the club back in 2019 and it seems as if an opportunity could be arising as Antonio Conte looks set to leave in the coming months.

Speaking on the Ranks FC podcast, insider Dean Jones has suggested this is something which could come to fruition but it does not necessarily have the backing of everyone behind the scenes at Tottenham:

“There aren’t actually that many people within Tottenham that think it’s a good idea to go to Poch. I’m told that Daniel Levy is the guy that is most in favour of Pochettino, but there are people around him that really aren’t into it.

“And you’ve got to think too, the system has been built around Conte – Paratici, for example – like, there’s things like that won’t exist if Pochettino comes back, this whole hierarchy if you like that’s been built up, I can’t see Pochettino working under that system.”

Would Pochettino be the best choice for Spurs?

During Conte’s time at Spurs, it has been apparent the Italian has very strong views over the signings the club makes and is not worried about isolating players who may not fit his brief.

This can be seen through the likes of Djed Spence and Arnaut Danjuma who have both arrived at Spurs this season and struggled to pick up any consistent game time.

Given Spurs are currently struggling to find the back of the net, bringing on Lucas Moura over Danjuma – as was the case at the weekend – could be proving a move which is only hindering the team.

And when it comes to young players, Pochettino has proven he is capable of extracting the best from them having done so with the likes of Harry Kane, Christian Eriksen and Dele Alli.

There may an argument that a potential return for Pochettino could see him inherit a lot of players which were still at the club when he was sacked back in 2019.

Although that may be true, the summer could offer him the opportunity to offload the likes of Davinson Sanchez who is believed to be a player Spurs want to sell.

Regardless of what players are at the club, someone is going to inherit them and Pochettino is a man who brought the fans together unlike any of his successors.

There may be the argument that he was unable to bring trophies to Spurs, and although that may be true, neither have any of the managers since.

West Ham favourites to sign forward with £25m transfer "there to be done"

West Ham, led by co-chairman David Sullivan and technical director Tim Steidten, are now favourites to sign a £25 million forward in January.

Forwards linked with moves to West Ham

The east Londoners are believed to be prioritising attacking options above all else next month, as they seek to give manager David Moyes what he needs to make another European push.

Moyes may well end up leaving West Ham at the end of the Premier League season, with his contract set to expire in 2024. However, until then, it's perhaps imperative that they bring in more attacking options.

Transfer twist as West Ham may green-light exit for "energetic" team player

This could come as a surprise after recent news.

ByEmilio Galantini Dec 7, 2023

As highlighted by a recent injury to Michail Antonio, and Jarrod Bowen's knock coming back from international duty, Moyes could suddenly find himself very short of numbers going forward depending on the fitness of his squad. Stuttgart striker Serhou Guirassy has been linked with a move to West Ham, while RB Leipzig forward Timo Werner is another player who could join Moyes in the winter.

This comes as Sullivan and Steidten seemingly work in tandem on the club's transfer activity, with the latter's influence growing behind the scenes.

Michail Antonio.

“Tim Steidten’s role at the club has grown in seniority since his arrival,” stated club insider ExWHUemployee recently.

“His knowledge, targets and dealings have really impressed Sullivan, who now fully trusts Tim as his right-hand-man. This will almost certainly mean that Steidten will be leading the search for our next manager in the future. However, its understood his main focus for now is player contracts and January recruitment – with a striker top of the list.”

Now, according to a report by TEAMtalk, there is another attacker who West Ham could well bring to the London Stadium soon.

West Ham "best placed" to sign Cherki

According to their information, that man is Lyon forward Rayan Cherki. West Ham are the Premier League favourites to sign Cherki next month with Chelsea pulling out of the race to sign him.

Lyon are now willing to cash in on the 20-year-old amid their terrible season in Ligue 1, and Moyes' side are allegedly "best placed" to do a deal for him. A transfer is apparently "there to be done" for around £25 million, with the French side ready to part company for a lesser fee when compared to summer.

Lyon's Rayan Cherki

The playmaker's current deal expires in 2025, having extended it earlier this year, but a run of poor form has prompted Lyon to green-light his sale mid-season.

Cherki scored four goals and bagged six assists last term, with former Napoli and Lyon boss Rudi Garcia once calling him a player with "exceptional qualities".

"He's a player with exceptional qualities," said Garcia.

"He's already worked with the National 2 group since the start of the season, which is quite rare for a 15-year-old player. He's mature and has great technical qualities. He reminds me of Hatem Ben Arfa."

Aston Villa Backed To Sign Surprise 23-year-old Star

Aston Villa could potentially make a move for Manchester United attacker Jadon Sancho this summer, according to an update from transfer expert Dean Jones.

How old is Jadon Sancho?

The England international made the move to Old Trafford from Borussia Dortmund back in 2021, with enormous things expected of him after a superb spell in the Bundesliga.

Instead, Sancho's time at United has been hugely disappointing to date, with the 23-year-old failing to have anything close to the impact many expected him to. He is struggling to get into the starting lineup, while his overall tally of 12 goals and six assists in 81 appearances is a poor return for such an attacking player.

It could even be that the Englishman's time in Manchester comes to an end sooner than most predicted this summer, should he be frustrated with his lack of playing time. Villa have been linked with an audacious move for him before the end of the month, as the club look to complete some more key transfer business.

The likes of Pau Torres, Youri Tielemans and Moussa Diaby have already come in, significantly bolstering the squad, and a wide option could also be required to add an extra attacking spark to the team.

Manchester United forward Jadon Sancho.

Will Aston Villa sign Jadon Sancho?

Speaking to Give Me Sport, Jones talked up the idea of Sancho completing a move to Villa this summer, in order to reignite his stuttering career:

"Yeah, he has been heavily linked. I just think it’s a difficult deal to do. I think Aston Villa could be a good place for Jadon Sancho to consider joining. But the stance from Manchester United this summer is that they’re not keen on giving it up and I think that it would take a pretty significant sum for that to happen."

While it seems clear that United have no great desire to see Sancho leave the club in the current transfer window, no doubt still potentially seeing him as someone who could improve as the years pass, Villa should certainly do all they can to entice him to the club and get a deal over the line.

At Old Trafford, it seems clear that he isn't considered a regular starter, with Alejandro Garnacho and Antony preferred to him at the moment, and once new signing Rasmus Hojlund is fit, the likelihood is that Marcus Rashford will play out wide again, further pushing Sancho down the pecking order.

In comparison, the former Dortmund man could come straight as a key player for Villa from the off, even though his time as a United player has clearly been very underwhelming. This is still someone who has been described as "incredible" by Brazil legend Neymar in the recent past, and he has so much of his career ahead of him.

It may simply be that he and United are the wrong fit, and that he needs a new challenge to reset, and it would be fascinating to see how he fared as a star man for Villa, potentially finding a new lease of lease and helping Unai Emery's side find another level.

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