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Writing on Twitter, Daily Express journalist Ryan Taylor has made a West Ham United transfer claim involving Ukraine international striker Roman Yaremchuk.

The Lowdown: West Ham in striker hunt…

As per C&H, the striking position is a priority for manager David Moyes this summer as West Ham seek to bring in a much-needed alternative to current forward man Michail Antonio.

The Englishman was a key player for West Ham over 2020/2021, scoring 10 goals and assisting five others in 24 Premier League starts, but he was also sidelined consistently throughout the campaign.

Yaremchuk has been touted as one of the forwards on Moyes’ radar after an impressive Euro 2020 campaign, with journalist Taylor now backing these claims on social media.

The Latest: Journalist backs Yaremchuk interest…

Dropping a claim on Twitter, the Express reporter states that Gent’s colossal 6 foot 3 forward is ‘100%’ a target for West Ham this summer.

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Yaremchuk netted 17 goals in the Belgian Pro League last season and also enjoyed stellar Euro 2020 outings under national team boss Andriy Shevchenko.

The 25-year-old scored two goals in five matches for Ukraine at the major tournament and currently holds a market value of around £15.75 million according to Transfermarkt.

The Verdict: Great option…

Only in his mid-20s and a big physical presence, Yaremchuk arguably has the credentials to shine in England and could make West Ham some profit in the future with the potential for a bigger sell-on value.

The forward is currently in great form for both club and country, bagging 23 strikes in all competitions for Gent over 2020/2021, and Moyes could find a fantastic Tammy Abraham alternative in the player.

One would have to assume he would come a lot cheaper than Abraham, given the latter is homegrown and younger, but perhaps his physicality makes him the perfect deputy for Antonio.

In other news: ‘Blimey’, ‘I am salivating’…West Ham fans flock to ‘exciting’ club announcement, find out more here.

Peterborough United Director of Football Barry Fry has lauded Frank Lampard amid links with Crystal Palace.

The Eagles are continuing their hunt for a new boss in the wake of Roy Hodgson’s departure from the club.

Palace have yet to appoint anyone in the ex-England boss’s stead, despite links with a number of managers.

Indeed, it seemed that Nuno Espirito Santo would replace Hodgson but those talks have broken down, leaving the Eagles back at square one.

The Daily Mirror has reported previously that Lampard is subsequently back in the frame to take over, as he has been out of work since his sacking by Chelsea.

Fry is not sure if he would be willing to take over at Selhurst Park but he believes that he deserves an immense amount of credit for showing real faith in youth at both Stamford Bridge and Derby County.

Speaking exclusively to Football FanCast, he said: “I’m not sure about Palace.

“Frank’s very good. When he went to Derby, he was very good at loaning three or four players that got Derby in the play-off final and to be fair to Frank, when he went back to Chelsea, he still played them young kids.”

Former Premier League manager Paul Jewell believes that Liverpool defender Nathaniel Phillips could get found out at another club.

The Reds Academy graduate had made just one first-team appearance in an FA Cup tie last season prior to his flurry of appearances following Liverpool’s centre-back crisis this term.

But Phillips ended up turning out 20 times for Jurgen Klopp’s men, including both legs against Real Madrid in Europe’s elite club competition, and played every minute of the final five Premier League matches which helped Liverpool secure their place back in the Champions League.

He scored once during those 20 outings, the crucial second goal in the victory at Burnley in the penultimate game of the season.

Despite his outstanding form when called upon this season, the return of Virgil van Dijk and Joe Gomez from injury and potential other centre-back additions mean that Phillips’ opportunities are likely to be restricted next term.

Both Burnley and Newcastle are already interested in the defender, although Jewell thinks that without world class players around him, he could become vulnerable.

He told The Transfer Tavern:

“It’s easy to say, but sometimes you go into a team which are less quality than Liverpool, you could get exposed, because he isn’t the quickest in the world.

“He’s done really well, he’s aggressive and is an honest professional but he’s got world class players around him – Trent one side, Robertson the other side, and the goalkeeper behind him.”

Manchester City are reportedly willing to sell Bernardo Silva this summer, which could prove to be a huge error by Txiki Begiristain and Pep Guardiola.

It was suggested by Mike McGrath in The Telegraph earlier this week that City’s plans for a rebuild has sparked interest in the Portuguese winger ahead of the summer transfer window.

It has previously been reported that Atletico Madrid are among the clubs interested in signing him ahead of next season, which could well see him depart the Etihad Stadium over the summer.

Since joining from Monaco in the summer of 2017, the Portugal international has gone on to make 201 appearances for the Citizens, contributing 35 goals and 44 assists.

During his time with Guardiola’s side, he has helped City win three Premier League titles, four League Cups and one FA Cup, so he has been a big part of one of the most successful periods in City’s history.

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It seems strange, therefore, that City are apparently willing to sell the £63m-rated wizard this summer, especially as his £150,000-per-week contract at the Etihad doesn’t expire until 2025.

Although last season was arguably one of Silva’s least effective in a City shirt, as he managed just five goals and nine assists in 45 appearances in all competitions, his average rating of 7.07/10 from WhoScored ranked him as the ninth-best performer in Guardiola’s side in the Premier League during the 2020/21 campaign.

Therefore, he clearly still has a lot to offer in the Spaniard’s squad in future seasons, and at 26, he is arguably at his peak now, so it would be a strange decision to let him leave this summer. Indeed, Guardiola was full of praise for Silva earlier in the season, saying: “Every time he plays he is an exceptional player with exceptional quality.”

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Therefore, considering that next season City will want to go one step further and win the Champions League, it would surely prove to be a mistake to allow a player of Silva’s quality to leave this summer, so Begiristain and Guardiola should keep him at the Etihad.

In other news… Txiki should seal Man City swoop for “versatile” £22.5m-rated beast, Pep would love him

Tottenham Hotspur remain interested in Mikkel Damsgaard…

What’s the word?

According to SampNews24, the North London outfit are preparing to launch a bid for the Sampdoria winger this summer, with him having been a target for several months.

It had previously been thought that the 20-year-old gem has been recommended to the Spurs hierarchy by former manager Jose Mourinho and star midfielder Pierre-Emile Hojbjerg, who has played with him on the international stage.

Now, following the arrival of ex-Juventus director Fabio Paratici, the Premier League side look set to revisit their interest in Damsgaard.

Sampdoria do not want to sell the Danish youngster but they could, according to the report, be tempted by an offer in excess of €20m (£18m), with Italian rivals Inter Milan and Juventus also keen.

Bye-bye Lamela

If Paratici launches a bid for Damsgaard, then you’d imagine it would almost certainly spell the end for Erik Lamela and his eight-year stint in N17.

The Argentine winger has been blighted by injuries throughout his time at Spurs. He has put on the Lilywhites shirt 257 times, averaging only 32 appearances per season, which is quite low when considering they have regularly been competing in Europe throughout that time.

In fact, as of April, he had missed a whopping 135 matches through injury, according to football.london.

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Lamela has attracted plenty of interest from Italy in the last few months, ranging from Bologna to Napoli, so he may not be short of suitors. And by signing the 20-year-old, he can finally be moved on after several disappointing seasons.

Damsgaard has been tipped for huge things in the future by those around him, including former Leicester City title winner Claudio Raineiri, who dubbed him a “child prodigy” in one interview, and claimed he would have a “big future” in another.

The young winger has been one of Sampdoria’s standout performers, especially in terms of excitement and work rate.

As per WhoScored, the Denmark international attempted a whopping 4.6 tackles per 90 minutes at a success rate of 45.6%, as well as topping the dribbling charts, with 4.4 attempts per 90.

Only one other La Samp star managed more than his four assists, too.

TV2’s football expert Martin Mikkelsen waxed lyrical about his qualities during commentary back in January this year, he said:  “He’s magical – what speed!” before adding: “He is dynamic and can go both ways. He is creative but also so mature in his decisions.”

Given Lamela’s injury problems and age, 29, it would make sense for Paratici to move him on this summer and in the £26m-rated Damsgaard, Spurs could get an ideal long-term replacement.

AND in other news, Levy was dealt yet another gutting manager blow before Fonseca move…

FSG’s preferred payment structure ‘makes matters more complex’ in Liverpool’s pursuit of RB Leipzig’s Ibrahima Konate. 

That’s according to Paul Joyce, a journalist for The Times.

The lowdown

According to Joyce, Liverpool do indeed hold a ‘strong interest’ in Konate, something which has been heavily reported in recent weeks.

The Reds are trying to bolster their centre-back ranks after they were decimated by injury this season.

Virgil van Dijk and Joe Gomez saw their seasons halted in the autumn, with Joel Matip joining them on the treatment table in January.

Konate has made 21 appearances for Leipzig this season, having missed 15 games through injury.

The Bundesliga season is set to end this weekend, but Liverpool fans can see Konate in action for France at the Under-21 European Championships.

They take on the Netherlands in the quarterfinals on 31 May.

The latest

Joyce confirmed that Konate had a £34million release clause in his Leipzig contract, but that fee must be paid in one instalment.

FSG, though, prefer to plot payments for transfers in instalments over a number of years, which ‘makes matters more complex’, per Joyce, potentially throwing a spanner in the works of what was beginning to look like a sure thing.

Last summer, for instance, the Reds paid Wolves only £4million up front for Diogo Jota, with the next £12million due this summer (via The Telegraph).

The verdict

Konate looks to be one of the most promising young centre-halves in Europe (Give Me Sport) so Liverpool fans would be bitterly disappointed if the deal couldn’t be completed.

This does, though, underline the financial realities at Liverpool, a club who spend only what they make, after more than a season without supporters.

They need negotiating partners willing to compromise, so perhaps the swoop for Konate has a few more twists and turns yet to come.

In other news, Fabrizio Romano confirmed this news on Sadio Mane’s future. 

Plenty of Aston Villa fans have been sharing their love for Matt Targett on social media after the left-back signed a new deal at Villa Park.

The club confirmed the news on Thursday evening, with the 25-year-old extending his stay until 2025.

Targett has been a regular under Dean Smith this season, starting each of Villa’s 32 Premier League fixtures so far.

He’s registered one assist and has been the club’s sixth-best performer of the current campaign, as per WhoScored.

His previous deal was thought to be worth £35,000-a-week, and it remains to be seen if he has received a pay rise for his impressive displays, but one would have to assume so.

Villa fans react

The club posted the news on their official Twitter page on Thursday evening, and it didn’t take long for hundreds of Villa supporters to give their thoughts on the update.

This is what some had to say, with one fan describing it as ‘brilliant news’.

“Great news been our most improved player this season by far different class”

Credit: @GW_94

“Brilliant news, one of our best players this season”

Credit: @JackJenningss_

“Yesssssssssss get in! Been absolutely bang on all season. This is great news”

Credit: @TheAsgardian

“Get in!! Made my day and well deserved”

Credit: @beetleguise74

“Yesssss Matty”

Credit: @LukeKing_

“massive improvement from last season you absolutely love to see it”

Credit: @catrinedwards18

In other news: Many AVFC fans go wild at another club post regarding Villa starlet, find out more here.  

At the end of what has been a rather catastrophic season for Sheffield Wednesday, Darren Moore’s side narrowly failed to complete what would have been a great escape from the Championship relegation zone.

Following a decent run of form which ensured that the Owls’ battle for survival lasted until the final day of the Championship season, Wednesday could not overcome Wayne Rooney’s Derby County despite battling to a 3-3 draw against the Rams.

A number of Wednesday’s players turned in impressive displays despite the result, but one man who will undoubtedly want to forget his performance in the fixture as quickly as possible is Adam Reach.

Over the 90 minutes, the midfielder was incredibly wasteful with his passing, completing just 18 of his 27 attempted passes – his success rate of 67% ranking him as Wednesday’s fourth-worst passer of those who started the fixture – as well as not finding his man with any of his eight crosses and successfully completing just two of his five attempted long balls.

Furthermore, the £23,000-per-week Reach lost possession of the ball a whopping 22 times, as well as being dribbled past twice by Derby players, highlighting just how much of a passenger the midfielder was on a day when the Owls needed everyone on song.

Indeed, this is reflected in the 28-year-old’s overall SofaScore match rating of 6.5,with his score only bettering that of Keiren Westwood’s 5.9 and Joey Pelupessy’s 6.3 of the Wednesday players who started the game at Pride Park.

With the result meaning Wednesday will be playing their football in the third tier of English football as of next season, Reach now has a long summer ahead of him to reflect on his performance, which appears to have cost Darren Moore and his Sheffield Wednesday teammates most dearly.

In other news: Encouraging update emerges on “excellent” SWFC star, Moore and fans will be buzzing – opinion

Newcastle United have reportedly held talks to sign Cameron Carter-Vickers from Tottenham Hotspur.

The Lowdown: Carter-Vickers impresses

Carter-Vickers has certainly impressed in his loan spell at Bournemouth from Spurs, as the Cherries just missed out on an Championship play-off final spot at the hands of Brentford.

The defender played in 21 games in the division over the course of the season, winning no fewer than 4.5 of his duels per game while also averaging 3.4 clearances, 1.1 interceptions and one tackle per match, helping his team keep five clean sheets in the process (Sofascore).

The Latest: Newcastle hold talks

As per SBI Soccer, Newcastle, Bournemouth and Anderlecht, have all held talks with the Lilywhites over a potential permanent deal for Carter-Vickers, while four clubs in the MLS have also expressed an interest in signing him.

The north London club are valuing the eight-cap USA international at $14m (£9.9m), and he only has a year left on his current contract.

The Verdict: Newcastle should sign Carter-Vickers

Newcastle should seriously consider bringing Carter-Vickers to the northeast.

Not only would they be weakening a rival in the Premier League, but given his impressive spell with the Cherries, he has shown already that he can make the step up to the top flight.

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At 1.83m (6 foot 1), he should have little problem coping with both the physical and aerial demands of the division, while his former Spurs teammate Jan Vertonghen even went as far as to call him an ‘absolute beast’ back in 2016.

That was when he was just a teenager, and now at 23 years of age, Carter-Vickers is ready to fulfil his potential. The Magpies can benefit hugely from that if they fend off the competition for his signature.

In other news, find out what big transfer claim has been dropped on one Toon target!

Many Arsenal fans have been left to bemoan an injury update on Kieran Tierney ahead of their UEFA Europa League first-leg tie at home to Slavia Prague.

As per the official website of the Emirates Stadium faithful, the former Celtic star sustained ligament damage to his left knee during the 3-0 loss at home to Liverpool on Saturday night, meaning that he will miss not just the game against Prague but also the next few upcoming matches.

Surgery is not required, but Tierney will not be in training within the next four to six weeks in what is a big blow to Mikel Arteta’s team.

The decision to let Sead Kolasinac go out on loan in the January transfer window now looks to be a strange one as the Gunners are now without a recognisable senior left-back in the absence of Tierney.

Arsenal fans on Tierney injury

These Gooners bemoaned the injury suffered by the Scotland international on Twitter, with one supporter claiming the side is ‘doomed’…

“Tierney out all season, we are doomed”

Credit: @Balxgun

“No no no no … !! Tierney out for 4-6 weeks and Odegaard maybe out as well”

Credit: @Supersvanen1

“Tierney out for a month. We’re finished”

Credit: @samuelkiamaa

“Damn, unless we reach the Europa League Final we probably won’t see Tierney again this season.”

Credit: @mammadovink

“Odegaard and Tierney out. Which means it is time to say goodbye to European football. Arteta willing we will be back in Europe by September 2022.”

Credit: @afcalexs

“Tierney out for at least a month, we’re in trouble”

Credit: @TBowdery27

In other news, find out what William Saliba revelation has left AFC supporters fuming here!