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West Ham United are in talks regarding a deal to bring Alphonse Areola to the London Stadium this summer.

What’s the talk?

That’s according to Foot Mercato journalist Santi Aouna, who revealed in a post on Twitter that the Hammers are “very interested” in the Paris Saint-Germain goalkeeper, and are looking to “close the deal in the coming days.”

Aouna continues by stating that the deal West Ham are discussing with PSG is expected to be a “loan with a view to buy,” while the 28-year-old shot-stopper is himself aware that he is not a part of Mauricio Pochettino’s first-team plans in Paris next season.

Fans will be buzzing

Considering how impressive Areola was while on loan at Fulham last season, as well as the fact that the 36-year-old current West Ham number one Lukasz Fabianski is very much getting towards the twilight of his top-level playing career, the fact that the Hammers appear to be closing in on a deal for the France international is sure to have left fans of the club buzzing.

Indeed, over his 36 Premier League appearances for Scott Parker’s side last term, the 6ft 5 ‘keeper kept nine clean sheets and made an average of 3.2 saves per game, as well as stopping a total of 116 shots over the course of the season.

These returns saw the £15.3m-rated man earn a seasonal SofaScore match rating of 6.94, ranking him as Fulham’s sixth-best performer in the top flight of English football, an impressive feat when taking into account the Cottagers ultimately suffered relegation back to the Championship.

As such, considering the fact that the man Parker dubbed a “big” player actually bettered Fabianski’s seasonal SofaScore match rating of 6.84, there is very much an argument to be made that, if Moyes does go on to get a deal over the line for the £75k-per-week shot-stopper this summer, he may not prove to simply be back up for the 36-year-old, but actually be in with a shout of taking the Poland international’s spot as the Hammers’ first choice ‘keeper.

Either way, the addition of Areola would certainly improve Moyes’ options in between the sticks next term, something that is undoubtedly good news for the club and have the fans buzzing.

In other news: Moyes dealt fresh West Ham blow over “exceptional” £105k-p/w gem, fans may be relieved

Taking to Twitter, Calciomercato journalist Alessio Lento has shared the latest on Tottenham Hotspur’s outgoings as he makes a claim involving Giovani Lo Celso.

The Lowdown: Conte makes ‘evaluations’…

Speaking before the January transfer window opened, Spurs manager Antonio Conte declared that he was making player ‘evaluations’ as he weighed up who should stay or leave the club this winter.

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The likes of Dele Alli and Matt Doherty have already been linked with a move away from north London as the club reportedly set their sights on bolstering key areas of the squad, such as right-wing back (Evening Standard).

Amid his current lack of game time at N17, Lo Celso is another player who could leave Spurs this month, as Lento takes to social media with his information.

The Latest: Lo Celso ‘ready to accept’ loan transfer…

According to the Italian reporter, the Argentina midfielder is ‘ready to accept’ a loan transfer away from Tottenham in January, with Serie A giants Juventus having already made the ‘first approaches’.

“First approaches between Lo Celso and Juventus,” Lento explained on Twitter.

“The player of Tottenham is very fond of option and would be ready to accept a loan as well. The Bianconeri, however, are not the only ones on the trail of the Argentinian midfielder.”

The Verdict: Green light?

Depending on the variation of Conte’s three-at-the back formations, with attacking midfielders consistently deployed in his system (BBC), we believe Lo Celso could still be an asset at Spurs if the Italian can nurture his best form.

Slammed for being a ‘passenger’ in some matches this season, as explained by club insider John Wenham (Football Insider), his form for Argentina is at the other end of the spectrum. National team boss Lionel Scaloni even hailed the 25-year-old as ‘one of the best in the world’ in his position, with the 36-cap ace consistently favoured by his country (Transfermarkt).

If Lo Celso can transfer his international form to club level with Spurs, Conte may yet unearth a fine attacking alternative as he aims to guide the Lilywhites to a top-four finish.

In other news: ‘Absolute no-brainer’…Sky Sports pundit thrilled by ‘exciting’ transfer news out of Spurs, find out more here.

As per journalist Ryan Taylor of The Daily Express, amid all the rumours surrounding Erling Haaland, it appears Man City have their eyes on another player as news emerges on Benfica star Darwin Nunez.

The Lowdown: Sky Blues in striker search…

Pep Guardiola seems set to target a world class centre-forward in the summer window after failing to sign Spurs star Harry Kane last summer.

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Haaland, who appears to be dominating the headlines where City are concerned, has been very heavily linked with a move to Eastlands since The Mail broke news of a deal even allegedly being in place.

However, the Norway star isn’t the only man reportedly on Guardiola’s radar, with Benfica’s big name attacker Nunez also a target according to reports.

Sharing an update, Taylor now has some news for City supporters as Eastlands officials travel abroad this week.

The Latest: City officials travel…

According to his information, Sky Blues officials were in attendance to run the rule over Nunez during Benfica’s clash with Liverpool in the Champions League on Tuesday.

It is believed that scouts from Man United, Tottenham, Arsenal, West Ham and Arsenal were also at the Estádio do Sport Lisboa e Benfica in midweek.

The Verdict: Ideal Haaland alternative?

If City can’t seal an agreement for their top target this summer, Nunez arguably stands out as as perfect alternative.

Scoring 28 goals already this season, the starlet attacker could leave for around £60 million this summer, but the amount of competition could mean sporting director Txiki Begiristain faces a summer transfer battle.

Lauded as an ‘absolute beast’ by Anfield Index podcaster Hari Sethi after that clash with Liverpool, one of the most in-form frontmen in Europe could raise a real bidding war and it will be interesting to see whether the Sky Blues could be part of it.

In other news: ‘Man City close to finalising’…Insider shares major player development out of Eastlands, find out more here.

So far this season, Liverpool wingers Mohamed Salah, Sadio Mane and Diogo Jota have scored 19 of the Reds’ 27 goals in the Premier League, with the Egyptian netting 10 of them.

However, it seems as though FSG have their eye on securing a new attacking talent who could strengthen the attacking power at Anfield even further.

What’s the news?

It has recently been reported by El Nacional that Liverpool are interested in signing Ajax winger Antony during the next summer transfer window.

The 21-year-old winger joined Ajax last year after the Dutch club secured a five-year deal in February 2020 with Brazilian club Sao Paulo worth a reported initial fee of £13.3m.

Since then, Antony – who has been described as a “wonderful” player by Dutch scout Piet de Visser – has made 56 appearances for Ajax across all competitions, scoring 14 goals and providing 12 assists, which is presumably what has apparently attracted Liverpool to him.

So far this season, the £22.5m winger (according to Transfermarkt) has scored four goals and provided two assists in 10 appearances across all competitions.

In addition to this, he has racked up an average of 2.6 shots per game in the Eredivisie, and while it may not be at the same level as Salah’s average of 4.4 shots per game in the Premier League this season, it shows that Antony has plenty of attacking talent in him at a young age.

However, according to SofaScore, the 21-year-old has the same technical rating (62) as Liverpool’s Egyptian star, which suggests that the Ajax man could be the Merseyside club’s next version of Salah in the future if he moves to Anfield and improves other aspects of his game, something that Klopp would undoubtedly love to see.

If a move for Antony in the next summer transfer window is financially viable for FSG, they should definitely look to add him to Klopp’s squad as a potential future star given his young age and evident talents.

In other news: Klopp must unleash “important” Liverpool beast on Saturday, he’d terrify Brighton

Tottenham must swoop for Roma winger Nicolo Zaniolo this summer as manager Antonio Conte looks to bolster his squad in his first summer transfer window in charge of the north London club.

What’s the talk?

Reports from Italy have suggested that Spurs are following the 22-year-old closely, with Corriere della Sella (via Sport Witness) suggesting that the Italian knows that ‘decision time is approaching.’

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The Roma star’s contract expires in 2024 and is yet to renew, meaning that the Serie A outfit may have to sell this summer, with a fee being quoted at around €80m (£66m).

Manager Antonio Conte is believed to be a big fan of the 22-year-old, having assessed the winger during his time as Inter Milan manager, as is Spurs managing director Fabio Paratici.

Tottenham must sign Zaniolo

Despite a season that has seen a managerial change, an early exit from the Europa Conference League and yet another campaign without silverware, Tottenham’s season could end with success with the Lilywhites still firmly in contention for a top-four spot.

Conte’s side are fourth with six games to go in the Premier League and will undoubtedly be a more attractive proposition for Zaniolo and other potential targets if they can offer Champions League football.

The 22-year-old has netted seven goals and assisted another eight in 35 appearances across all competitions this term whilst averaging a 7.31 match rating in the Europa Conference League.

In Serie A, the Italian’s rating is lower at 6.7, with the winger averaging a 78% passing accuracy whilst completing just under half of his dribbles at 49%. Moreover, Zaniolo likes to get forward, producing 2.6 shots a game.

Moreover, the 22-year-old has been integrated into the senior Italy set-up, earning nine caps and scoring two goals for the Azzuri.

There is plenty of excitement in Italy regarding the Roma starlet, with club legend Francesco Totti praising the winger back in 2018 by saying: “Zaniolo is explosive and he plays with an unusual ease. If he continues this way he could become a great player.”

With the Italian a right-sided winger, Zaniolo could complement the left-sided Heung-Min Son perfectly.

The South Korean has netted a whopping 17 Premier League goals this term as well as registering seven assists in the top-flight, numbers that Spurs will hope the 22-year-old can one day reach should he swap Rome for London.

Granted, £66m will be a significant fee for Spurs to pay to secure Zaniolo’s services, however, with Conte a big fan, the deal could prove to be well worth it in the long run.

AND in other news: Lost the ball every 2.6 touches: “Quiet” 9-pass THFC passenger let Conte down vs BHAFC

Adama Traore could be a huge success for Liverpool if he leaves Wolves to join the Reds, according to BBC pundit Noel Whelan.

The Lowdown: Traore linked with Wolves exit

The 25-year-old has been linked with a move to Anfield in the January transfer window, which would provide Jurgen Klopp with extra attacking depth.

Traore’s current Wolves deal expires in the summer of 2023 and there is little sign of him extending his stay at Molineux as things stand.

The Latest: Tipped to shine to Liverpool

Whelan believes that the Spain winger could excel in a Reds shirt, telling Football Insider that the 25-year-old could be similarly influential to superstar Liverpool pair Mohamed Salah and Sadio Mane.

The BBC pundit said:

“He’s a player who can be crucial to winning football matches.

“His pace, his aggression, his direct running – and now his end product, which he’s brushed up after his early days in the Premier League.

“He’s a more complete player now, he can get a cross into the box or a shot off on goal. If you think about it, would he fit into Liverpool’s style of play? Absolutely.

“He can be just as destructive as Salah and Mane in that side.”

The Verdict: Keep hold of him

Losing Traore would be a big blow for Wolves at a time when he is still maturing as a player and should have his best years ahead of him.

As Whelan suggested, the winger is becoming a more polished footballer, winning four Man of the Match awards from WhoScored in just seven Premier League appearances this season. He also has more dribbles per game than any other player in Europe’s major leagues, with a remarkable match average of seven (WhoScored).

That highlights how important he is to Bruno Lage, with his pace arguably the most frightening in the league, giving him a potentially match-winning attribute which Wolves cannot afford to sacrifice too readily.

In other news, Wolves have received a potential boost in their efforts to sign one player. Find out who it is here.

Midlands journalist Luke Hatfield believes that Aston Villa have signed the trio of Emiliano Buendia, Leon Bailey, and Danny Ings to replace the output of Jack Grealish.

Grealish has become the most expensive English player of all time by moving to Manchester City for a fee of £100m.

Villa have subsequently been aggressive in the transfer market and have brought in a number of new additions.

Per Transfermarkt, Buendia has arrived from Norwich City for just over £34.5m, while Bailey has signed from Bayer Leverkusen for £28.8m, and Ings has come in from Southampton for £31.6m.

In addition to those three, Villa have also signed Axel Tuanzebe on loan from Manchester United and brought in Ashley Young on a free transfer from Inter Milan.

Hatfield believes that the attacking trio have come in as the direct replacements for Grealish, as the club did not expect to be able to replace the England international with just one player.

Last season, Grealish scored seven goals in all competitions and also laid on 12 assists.

Hatfield said: “It’s interesting. When a lot of people saw that Villa were in for Bailey, I think a lot of people outside the club put two and two together and just figured it was going to be a Jack Grealish replacement.

“Christian Purslow has come out and said that you couldn’t replace Grealish with just one player, and he’s been quite vocal in that.

“It’s very much that Buendia, Bailey and Danny Ings have all come in as a joint replacement for Grealish because you can’t replace such a quality player with one player on his own.”

Manchester United are could finally end their striker hunt after being linked with a move for Sevilla’s Youssef En-Nesyri ahead of the upcoming January transfer window.

What’s the story?

According to Spanish outlet Super Deporte (as relayed by the Manchester Evening News), the Red Devils have the highly-rated 24-year-old on their ‘agenda’, with new manager Ralf Rangnick looking to make his mark on the first-team squad.

The report states that: “Manchester United has the Sevilla player Youssef En-Nesyri on the agenda…The English team are looking for a forward with good scoring figures, and En-Nesyri fits the profile they are managing.”

En-Nesyri was close to joining fellow Premier League outfit West Ham United in the summer after they had a €30 million (£25.5m) bid rejected, and Sevilla are said to be happy to let him leave ‘if a good offer arrives.’

Ralf Rangnick could end Man Utd’s striker hunt

With Edinson Cavani set to become a free agent at the end of the current campaign and Cristiano Ronaldo turning 37 in February, reinforcements at the top end of the pitch should be high up on Rangnick’s wishlist.

United have long been linked with an additional striker, and although Borussia Dortmund’s Erling Haaland is believed to be their No.1 target, the competition for his signature is set to be fierce.

Therefore, viable alternatives will need to be assessed by the club’s hierarchy, and a potential move for the £36m-rated En-Nesyri could well be on the cards.

The Morocco international only arrived from La Liga minnows Leganes in January 2020, but he’s quickly established himself as one of the division’s elite forwards, bagging 24 goals in 52 appearances for Julen Lopetegui’s charges last term.

And his underlying number were equally as impressive. As per WhoScored, En-Nesyri averaged 2.1 shots per league game throughout 2020/21, 2.5 aerial duels won and 1.6 touches in the penalty area, placing him in the top two for each metric when compared to his teammates.

These returns saw pundit Terry Gibson dub the African forward a “world-beater” and highlight his truly top-class potential.

Whether Rangnick would deem En-Nesyri an ideal fit for his high-intensity pressing system remains to be seen, but it appears as though the United hierarchy are keeping close tabs of the 6 foot 2 target man.

And, in other news…Huge boost: David Ornstein delivers big Man Utd update, Rangnick will be elated

Many Everton fans have been left erupting as some transfer news emerged on Jordan Pickford.

As per The Daily Telegraph, Antonio Conte now wants to sign the goalkeeper for Tottenham Hotspur, and sees him as the ideal successor to Hugo Lloris.

Of course, Pickford would be a difficult player to replace, given that he is very much Rafa Benitez’s number one and has not missed a minute of Premier League football so far this season when he has been available (Transfermarkt).

It would not be ideal either to sell him to a rival in the top flight, and moving to Spurs would not exactly be a big step up for Pickford, given that there are only two places between them in the league at the moment.

Nonetheless, as a full England international as well, the Goodison Park faithful should be demanding a huge transfer fee for him, otherwise opting not to sell him at all.

Everton fans on Pickford transfer news

These Merseyside club supporters erupted as the transfer news was shared on Twitter:

“Not a chance literally our only world-class player……. Huge money £80+ mill”

Credit: @11thommo

“I wouldn’t even sell for £80 mill. The only person who will see a benefit to this is the accountant and his spreadsheet.”

Credit: @gareth_90210

“Why are we even asking this question?”

Credit: @CalMcKay3

“No way would I sell him”

Credit: @amandahufton

“I would not sell him at all, I know you will have the usual few that don’t like him and say sell and get the likes of Dean Henderson etc, but it’s a no for me, I don’t think Pickford even when some moaned about him was not anywhere near as bad as some made out”

Credit: @EFC_Mike79

“Not a chance easily been top 4 keepers in the league the last season and a half, only if they pay us £80 million”

Credit: @EFCMichael7

In other news, find out what transfer news has Toffees talking here!

Southampton fans have been reacting to the news that the Saints are interested in signing Bayer Leverkusen winger Leon Bailey this summer.

The St Mary’s outfit are preparing for the 2021/22 campaign, one in which they will be aiming to improve on their 15th-place Premier League finish last term. So far, they have added two new players to their squad in Romain Perraud (southamptonfc.com) and Dynel Simeu (chelseafc.com), but they must look to add more before the transfer window comes to a close.

Surprisingly, they have been linked with a big move for 23-year-old Bailey by 90min.com.

The Jamaica international was in top form last term, scoring 15 goals and providing 11 assists (Transfermarkt), and Saints are joined by the likes of Aston Villa and Leicester in their pursuit.

At £25m, he would not come cheap – that seems to be the main reason why Southampton fans are not too confident of signing him.

The update was shared on Twitter by @SaintsExtra, and it attracted plenty of attention from the supporters. They took to the social media platform to share their thoughts, with one fan calling the news a ‘dream’.

Let’s see what the fans had to say about the Bailey link below

“This is not fifa career mode @martin_semmens pls tell Gao to empty his wallet and sign him xx”

Credit: @Cal_SFC

“Southampton can’t afford a Championship striker so looking at £25m players is a waste of time.”

Credit: @SouthernMan7

“imagine”

Credit: @Trist_Brooks97

“have a day off!”

Credit: @scotteds156

“Just a dream for us sadly.”

Credit: @bfgfox

“With that fee, someone is having a laugh with our overdraft”

Credit: @SpencerHoughts

In other news, Southampton fans rage at an update on this 27-year-old.