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Next on the agenda for Tottenham Hotspur appears to be a new striker, but Jose Mourinho has been dealt a bitter blow this week…

What’s the word?

According to Dan Kilpatrick at the Evening Standard, Spurs’ transfer plans are being held up by a struggle to offload unwanted right-back Serge Aurier.

It’s thought that funds made through his sale would allow Mourinho to bolster his attacking department with a new forward but neither AC Milan or Bayer Leverkusen are willing to splash the cash on the Ivorian.

He goes on to claim that their attention has now turned to AFC Bournemouth striker Joshua King after being offered the relegated star.

Manchester United failed with a £20m bid for the 28-year-old during the January transfer window.

Versatile foil

A move for King makes a ton of sense for a multitude of reasons.

The Norway international reached double figures for goal involvements once again, even despite the Cherries being relegated to the Championship and prior to this campaign, he bagged at least eight goals in each of the previous three seasons – a best of 16 in 2016/17.

Having come through the system at United, King qualifies as a homegrown talent, which is another benefit to Mourinho.

It’s also no surprise to see the Portuguese boss being a big fan after the 28-year-old gave his Red Devils the runaround in 2017 – not only did King net from the spot, but he also recorded three dribbles, won nine duels and made 7 clearances all whilst playing as a number ten, via SofaScore.

That versatility could prove crucial throughout the season with Spurs having to qualify for the Europa League early doors. He can play out wide or through the middle, so not only will he be a backup to Harry Kane but also a potential partner and extra cover for the likes of Heung-min Son and Steven Bergwijn.

Eddie Howe believes King is “unique” and has also hailed him as a “complete package” in the past due to him being “outstanding physically, technically and mentally.”

Daniel Levy should do everything in his power to secure Spurs the prolific goalscorer this summer.

AND in other news, Spurs target a must for Mourinho after HUGE transfer update…

West Ham United are on a mission to somehow offload the deadwood in the ongoing summer transfer window, raise the necessary funds and then re-invest that money back into the squad. David Moyes knows keeping the team competitive going into the next season won’t be an easy task, not least because of the lack of resources.

And not to mention that the transfer market is a tough place and the Hammers may struggle to find bidders for players they want to get rid of. But, someone just might throw them a lifeline after all.

According to the latest update from the Daily Star, Lazio are interested in re-signing Felipe Anderson, a man Moyes is desperate to offload in the ongoing window. The really interesting part is that Anderson is a former Lazio player, having signed from the Italians and joining the Premier League outfit for £36m back in 2018.

Needless to say, his stay in London hasn’t exactly gone as planned and West Ham’s record arrival has more or less flopped in the English top-flight.

The same source claims there is, however, another problem. Yes, Lazio seem interested and may return for their man but as of right now, they have received no official bids. Not to mention that Anderson still has two years left on his current contract and is presumably on more than £80,000 a week.

This could indeed make him quite an expensive target for most clubs from abroad. But West Ham are desperate and they just might sell him for cheap in the end.

Verdict

At this point, it does feel like Moyes would accept almost any kind of deal just to ensure some of the players do indeed leave the club. Anderson is one of those players and Lazio are the Hammers’ best chance of recouping at least a bit of that initial sum they had to pay a couple of years ago.

PEC Zwolle midfielder Gustavo Hamer has arrived in England to undergo a medical at Coventry City, going into a 14-day quarantine before meeting club officials.

Sky Blues manager Mark Robins guided his side to automatic promotion from League One as champions this season and he will now embark on a summer transfer window which could see him bring in a number of players to strengthen his squad.

A potential new addition for the Midlands club is Hamer, with a deal said to have been agreed between Coventry and Dutch side PEC Zwolle.

The 23-year-old midfielder plays in a defensive midfield role and racked up 25 appearances this term prior to the Dutch season being ended due to the coronavirus pandemic.

The Dutch under-20 international, whose deal to join Coventry is said to involve future bonuses of €2m (£1.81m), is due in England today to confirm his transfer to the Championship side.

The planned medical could be completed before a required 14-day isolation period amid the COVID-19 pandemic, but it is expected that the youngster will not meet club officials until that two-week spell is completed.

Hamer’s arrival could prove to be a key transfer decision by Robins as he looks to bolster his midfield options.

The youngster, who has Dutch top-flight experience, is likely to come straight into the Coventry starting XI should his medical go as planned and his transfer completed.

Do you think Hamer is going to be a good addition to Mark Robins’ side? Let us know in the comments section below…

Despite being repeatedly linked to new attackers ahead of the summer transfer window, the one area that Manchester United seemingly need to improve is their defence.

The Red Devils have had no problem finding the back of the net since the restart, scoring 12 goals in their last four games, but defensive lapses are still there to be exploited.

Handing Bournemouth a route back into the game due to Eric Bailly giving away a silly penalty could have cost Ole Gunnar Solskjaer’s team points had they not been so clinical going forward, and conceding an injury-time equaliser to Southampton is what currently stands between them and a top-four spot.

United fans will be glad to know that they’ve been linked to a £43.2m-rated centre-back this week, with reports circulating that Inter Milan are willing to offer the 20-time champions of England a swap deal involving Milan Skriniar for Anthony Martial.

Skriniar would seemingly bolster the United backline, he’s started 28 league games for a team with the best defensive record in a league famed for its defensive prowess, but is it worth sacrificing their top scorer for him when there could be a player just as good already on the books?

Of course, we’re talking about Chris Smalling.

The 30-year-old has seen a bit of a career resurgence over in Italy, and due to the fact he’s playing in the same league as Skriniar it’s very easy to compare the two.

The Englishman does make fewer tackles per game, but he trumps the Inter man when it comes to interceptions, clearances, catching people offside, making blocks and being dribbled past.

In fact, the 31-cap ace is dribbled past six-times more often than Smalling, and in a league where most teams have incredibly pacy attackers, that could be very costly if United want to bring him in.

Signing defenders from Serie A is always going to be fashionable due to the reputation that league has, but United’s loanee has shown he can hang with the best of them in Italy, and he has more than earnt his chance at another shot at Old Trafford, especially when one of the alternatives is swapping Martial for a defender who has been statistically outperformed by Smalling this term.

Newcastle United’s takeover continues to rumble on into June, and there still may yet be a decision for several more weeks.

The anxious wait for news has often left supporters at St James’ Park questioning whether or not the deal will go through – even more so after the Guardian’s revelation.

They claim that a World Trade Organisation report has found the Saudi Arabian state to be behind pirate streaming service beoutQ, which illegally broadcasts Premier League matches amongst other global sporting events.

Which is supposedly why the top-flight are taking their time with their owners and directors test.

This week, the Telegraph’s Luke Edwards appeared on the ‘Everything is Black and White‘ podcast where he delivered a confident verdict over the prospects of Mike Ashley being in charge of the Magpies past 2020.

He said:

“It will be sold this time.

“If it’s not these [buyers], the only grain of comfort that I will offer Newcastle fans is that if this collapses, it will be sold this time.

“It will go – I do not think Mike Ashley will be Newcastle United owner in 2021.

“I’m going to say that.

“I’m not going to bet my house because that would stupid but it will be sold this time.

“He wants out, he wants to go and I think he will be gone by 2021.”

Edwards believes that the Sports Direct mogul “wants out” and that United will be sold this time – whether that means to the Saudi-backed consortium led by PCP Partners’ Amanda Staveley remains to be seen.

The Times’ Henry Winter revealed that there is another US group waiting in the wings alongside another consortium fronted by Henry Mauriss.

Think you’re a big Magpies fan? Can you name these former players by looking at their careers? Go on, give it a go…

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Newcastle is a prized asset and will surely be sold regardless of the outcome of the Premier League’s decision.

You’d imagine many supporters would be thrilled by this bold claim as Edwards is rather assured that Ashley will no longer be associated with the Magpies by 2021.

AND in other news, Newcastle fans furious with Miguel Delaney takeover update…

Newcastle United fans have been left fuming by the latest news to come from their prospective £300m takeover as the Premier League’s CEO, Richard Masters, has commented on matters.

He was in conversation with Sky Sports’ Bryan Swanson on Friday afternoon where he said: “I don’t think timing is an issue here. I don’t think we have any specific views about when these things need to be done by. We need to ensure all processes are followed properly, and when the decision is made it’s the right one.”

But the Magpies faithful disagree, claiming the club has been left “rudderless” in a time where clear leadership is needed.

Players’ contracts are expiring, staff are on furlough and money is still being taken for season tickets.

Given Mike Ashley is still the current owner at the northeast outfit, many have placed blame on him, which is hardly a surprise given how poorly he’s run the club during his 13-year tenure.

Think you’re a big Magpies fan? Can you name these former players by looking at their careers? Go on, give it a go…

World Class score: 95% | Expert score: 80% | Veteran score: 65% | Intermediate score: 45% | Amateur score: 30% | Try Again: 5%

Several seasons of mediocrity and two relegations to the Championship cover just a fraction of fans’ disappointment.

The interview has also led to some members of the St James’ Park faithful to speculate when the takeover might actually happen, even if some are more tongue in cheek.

Evidently, some are sick of the length of time this whole process has taken, let alone how many more weeks it is before an official announcement.

AND in other news, Newcastle transfer target tipped to “excite” fans…

Newcastle United’s prospective takeover is still yet to be confirmed but that seemingly hasn’t stopped them from preparing for next season as fresh reports suggest the Saudi-backed consortium will look to replace Steve Bruce with one man in particular.

According to Le 10 Sport, former Spurs boss Mauricio Pochettino is very close to becoming the next Magpies manager with negotiations said to be ‘at an advanced stage.’

They also suggest that the Argentine is their number one priority for the role, currently favourite with punters using their BetWinner bonus code even with Rafa Benitez’s name in the hat.

ESPN recently claimed that Pochettino would cost a whopping £12.5m for any club willing to take him on as Spurs included such terms as part of his departure in November.

However, this is thought to expire next month, so if the Magpies’ new owners want to land him in May, they’ll have to fork out a fortune.

Bruce is also still under contract for the next two years, meaning they would have to pay him off at least £2.25m as the 59-year-old is reportedly on £20k-per-week at St James’ Park.

Stuck in isolation? Our mega footy quiz will cure any boredom…

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And then there is, of course, the wage packet that Pochettino would clean up for taking the job. Last week there were suggestions that he could land himself £19m per year according to Sky Sports, but it remains to be seen what sort of wages the 48-year-old would command.

It’s reasonable to suggest that it would be well above Bruce’s current offering.

All in all, if Saudi Arabia’s Public Investment Fund, led by Amanda Staveley, want to clinch the Champions League finalist this month, they are going to have to spend at least £15m – or more.

WHILE in other news, Newcastle fans react to Craig Hope takeover update…

There haven’t been too many good signs for West Ham United ahead of their derby day against Tottenham Hotspur.Lukasz Fabianski is still out injured, while Jose Mourinho has come in and replaced Mauricio Pochettino, which has been seen as something that should lift Spurs.However, there has now been a positive for the supporters, as Michail Antonio and Mark Noble have been declared fit to take part in the game:

This update has left many Hammers fans excited about the prospect of seeing them back in the West Ham team.

Antonio seems to be the one getting the majority of the reaction, probably due the extent of his absence and that fact he can have a positive impact on the team.

Before getting injured during the Carabao Cup win against Newport County, the winger showed that he can be a threat for the Hammers, as he averaged 0.7 key passes and 1 dribble per game, despite averaging 42 minutes per Premier League appearance.

A selection of Twitter reaction to the update, including posts from thrilled West Ham fans, can be seen below:

So after a miserable opening to the current campaign, it appears Unai Emery’s misery may be finally coming to an end.

Following a series of poor results, Arsenal find themselves in eighth in the Premier League table, and are already eight points off the top four.

Reports in recent weeks had suggested that Emery may have just a month to save his job, but it now appears it could be far sooner than that.

According to The Daily Mail, the Gunners have set their sights on Wolves boss Nuno Espirito Santo as their new manager, with the north London side’s hierarchy impressed by what the Portuguese man has done in his time at Molineux.

The report further claims that Nuno’s agent, Jorge Mendes, has particularly close ties with Raul Sanllehi, and that could prove to be decisive.

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After hearing their links with the Wolves manager, Arsenal fans flooded to Twitter to voice their thoughts on their potential Emery replacement.

Many Gunners supporters insisted he simply isn’t good enough to manage a club like Arsenal, and revealed they are feeling particularly underwhelmed by the reports.

Check out some of the reaction of Arsenal fans below:

Meanwhile, Arsenal fans want former Juventus manager Massimiliano Allegri to replace Unai Emery.

This article is part of Football FanCast’s Pundit View series, which provides opinion and analysis on recent quotes from journalists, pundits, players and managers…

Roshane Thomas, of The Athletic, has been speaking about West Ham United’s goalkeeper situation, following the 3-0 loss against Burnley.

What did he say?

Roberto made another big mistake against Burnley when he attempted to punch away a corner, seeing the ball spin off his fist and over the line.

The goalkeeping situation is beginning to severely cost the Hammers, as they have now gone on a run of seven games without a victory in all competitions – with Roberto making a number of questionable saves during that time.

During a Q&A on The Athletic, one fan put it to Thomas that Roberto should be dropped and that Adrian was never adequately replaced, to which he replied: “Yep, I also think Martin should start the next game. Roberto was very poor today. He’s yet to keep clean sheet in the Premier League. Pellegrini pretty much refused to talk about his performance.

“I don’t think the situation would be this bad if Adrian was still the club’s second-choice goalkeeper.”

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Hard to argue

Adrian definitely would have been able to help the Hammers’ situation because Roberto’s frailties have been a big reason behind them, with fans having shown their frustrations towards him.

A contrast between Roberto and his fellow Spaniard shows just how bad a deal West Ham set out for themselves during the summer.

Adrian played an important part in Liverpool’s UEFA Super Cup win, saving Tammy Abraham’s penalty shootout, with only 1 of his 11 appearances this campaign ending in a loss.

He has also become a surprisingly popular figure at Anfield, which cannot be said for the Hammers’ back-up goalkeeper based on reactions to yesterday’s performance.

The 32-year-old also impressed Garth Crooks when featuring against Burnley, as he was quoted on BBC Sport as saying: “The relationship between the Liverpool back four and stand-in keeper Adrian has had its good and bad moments.”

“Adrian’s performance against Burnley, however, was about as good as it gets. The Spanish keeper made a superb save from Chris Wood at a critical time in the first half, while his defensive unit made sure Adrian was not required to come to their rescue thereafter.”

The Hammers certainly miss the stopper, but will need to find a solution to the issue if they are to pick up points while Lukasz Fabianski is out injured. That may well come in the form of David Martin, the current third-choice, starting between the sticks next time out.