All posts by z3u9t.icu

As reported by the Athletic, West Ham United are interested in VFL Wolfsburg striker Wout Weghorst as they continue the hunt for a new striker – prompting these Hammers fans to discuss this interesting development on social media.

Weghorst, who scored an impressive 25 goals in all competitions for the Bundesliga side last campaign, has been in phenomenal form over this past year.

The 28-year-old has also scored at least 16 league goals in each campaign since his move to Germany in 2018, cutting a prolific figure under departing Wolfsburg boss Oliver Glasner.

Resultingly, he has entered the radar of West Ham with the Athletic reporting they are now interested and watching his situation.

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Flocking to this development, these Hammers fans shared their wide array of opinions on the links with a fair few of them hoping for they make a move.

Meanwhile, fellow Irons dropped varying takes on Weghorst – find all of their best ones down below (via West Ham Central).

West Ham fans flock to Weghorst news

“YES YES YES!! I’ve been saying this for ages guys!!! He fits us perfectly!!!!!”

Credit: @whulucas_

“get him to the bowl now”

Credit: @whubenbagged

“sign him up!! I’d love to finally see a fellow countryman at west ham”

Credit: @Wafflereck

“Moyes would love him”

Credit: @swoopwing

“I wish”

Credit: @_cxlwhu

“He is a workhorse tho”

Credit: @tim_kolk10

“Risk which could pay off, who knows.”

Credit: @louie7ii

“Looks better than Haller”

Credit: @szn_bowen

In other news: Barry Fry makes claim on potentially ‘great news for West Ham fans’, find out more here.

According to a report by Football Insider, Tottenham Hotspur are now eyeing up a move for Leeds United boss Marcelo Bielsa as proven Premier League experience grows as a desirable trait for the club’s next manager.

The Lowdown: New names emerging consistently

In the last two weeks, many names have been throw into the hat as rumours continue to circulate in the press, with the latest previously being Gian Piero Gasperini and Simone Inzaghi from Serie A.

Naturally, with Tottenham aiming to appoint a new boss by the end of this season according to Alasdair Gold, chairman Daniel Levy will have to consider numerous candidates as he attempts to make the right step for Spurs’ future.

The Latest: Bielsa emerges as candidate

In this update, Football Insider bring yet another new name into the fold as Leeds boss Bielsa is mentioned as an option for the club.

Indeed, this is allegedly because Premier League experience and proven results at the top level are becoming more and more desirable traits to Spurs chiefs as the managerial hunt goes on.

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Even though Bielsa has stated his happiness at Elland Road, his knack for only signing one-year deals means his current one is close to expiring.

Tottenham, as a result, are eyeing a move for the Argentine and will sound him out due to his impressive debut campaign in the English top flight.

The Verdict: Get it done Levy…

Perhaps the most exciting name dropped yet alongside former target Julian Nagelsmann, Bielsa is a manager revered throughout the footballing world for his tactical nuance and eccentric personality.

Man City boss Pep Guardiola is a known fan of the 65-year-old, having called him ‘unique’ and the coach he admires most in world football (Leeds Live).

If that wasn’t enough, former Lilywhites boss and fan favourite Mauricio Pochettino dubbed Bielsa a ‘genius’ whilst also professing his admiration (France 24).

Regardless of his reported £8 million-per-year salary (£154,000-per-week), we believe this would be an incredible move by Levy.

In other news: Tottenham in pole position to sign this ‘sensational’ powerhouse, find out more here.

After all the drama of surviving on the final day of the Premier League season last year, things are a lot more calmer and relaxed at Aston Villa this time around as they welcome Chelsea on Sunday afternoon.

Dean Smith’s side have enjoyed a superb second season back in the top-flight, pulling off some big wins over the likes of Liverpool, Arsenal and even Spurs just in mid-week.

With nothing really left to play for, Smith may opt to make a couple of changes to his starting line-up, although he will no doubt be mindful that some of his brightest young academy talents also have the opportunity to win the FA Youth Cup on Monday when they take on Liverpool.

And, with that in mind, below is a look at how Villa might line up when Chelsea come to town.

In goal, Emi Martinez will be looking to finish off the Premier League season with a clean sheet, with the Argentine’s displays in front of goal this year proving why he has been one of the signings of the season, bar none.

The back-line should remain unchanged, with Ezri Konsa continuing at right-back in the absence of Matty Cash, and a centre-back duo of Tyrone Mings and Kortney Hause.

The midfield could see one key change, with Douglas Luiz coming in for Marvelous Nakamba, while Jacob Ramsey’s return to the line-up in place of Anwar El Ghazi could see Jack Grealish revert back to his place on the left.

And while Carney Chukwuemeka will be hoping to start, Smith may be reluctant to use him and instead keep him fresh for Monday’s FA Youth Cup final game.

Instead, the 19-year-old Jaden Philogene-Bidace may get the chance to make his full debut and a quick run-out with the first-team, with Bertrand Traore dropping to the bench.

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And up front, Wesley will surely be pushing the Villa boss to finally make his first start of the season after a number of cameos from off the bench to get him back up to speed following his knee injury.

Predicted XI: Martinez; Konsa, Hause, Mings, Targett; McGinn, Luiz; Philogene-Bidace, Ramsey, Grealish; Wesley.

Meanwhile, Villa MUST start this man vs Chelsea today…

Speaking exclusively to The Transfer Tavern, Carlton Palmer has opened up on his Sheffield Wednesday exit 27 years ago, revealing his disappointment over how his first spell at the club came to an end.

The former midfielder, who made over 260 Premier League appearances during his career, was at Wednesday between 1989-1994 before leaving to join Leeds United.

Palmer later returned to Wednesday on a brief loan spell after stints at Watford, Coventry City, Nottingham Forest and Southampton.

On his Hillsborough departure back in 1994, the ex-Wednesday player told TT in an exclusive interview:

“Very disappointed, very sad. I had agreed a deal with the chairman Dave Richards and I had sat down, they gave me a fantastic deal, and I signed a five-year contract. And then Trevor [Francis] decided to sell me from the World Cup and said that he’s agreed to an offer from Leeds United and Aston Villa and I must choose where I want to go.

“So I was bitterly disappointed to have to leave. And, at the time, I couldn’t say anything because I was asked to sign a confidentiality clause when I left. You know, it wasn’t my doing.”

After being brought to Leeds by Howard Wilkinson, Palmer went on to make over 100 Premier League appearances across three seasons for the Whites before leaving Elland Road for Southampton in 1997.

Since retiring from playing football, Palmer, who also won 18 England caps during his time as a player, has gone on to earn managerial positions at Mansfield Town and Grantham Town – who he will start working for from the summer.

Daily Record reporter Keith Jackson has provided a major update in regards to Celtic’s pursuit of Eddie Howe.

The Lowdown: Celtic and Howe

Links between Howe and the Hoops first began in April, with the 43-year-old reportedly meeting Dermot Desmond in London for talks.

Howe verbally agreed on a move to Parkhead, however, a deal is still yet to be announced, with the Englishman thought to be having second thoughts.

It seems as if a move is back on the cards, though, with a recent story suggesting Howe is finalising his Celtic Park backroom staff.

The Latest: Howe’s appointment is when, not if

In an in-depth piece on Celtic detailing the stories of both former manager Neil Lennon and Howe, Jackson appeared to drop a hugely positive claim on the situation.

The Daily Record man said:

“The informed word is, it’s only a matter of when Desmond lands his top target as opposed to if.”

Jackson went on to describe the situation as a ‘calculated gamble’ by the Hoops hierarchy, but it appears as if it may well pay off going off his latest comments.

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The Verdict: McKay and Desmond surely delighted

In our opinion, New Celtic CEO Dominic McKay and Desmond will be delighted, should Jackson’s recent claim be accurate.

Celtic only have two league games remaining and the summer window is edging closer, so the board could do with agreeing on a deal for Lennon’s long-term successor relatively soon ahead of the 2021/22 season.

Going into a crucial transfer window without a Director of Football or a permanent manager in place could be a disaster, so the sooner that ‘when’ comes the better.

It seems as if a move for Howe is under control, though, so, hopefully, as well as working on his backroom staff, he is beginning to work out who he wants to remain at the club, as well as potential areas to strengthen, giving new chief McKay a head start on the summer rebuild.

In other news: Raman Bhardwaj drops late-night Celtic post; could be helpful to McKay, find out more here. 

In an exclusive interview with Football FanCast, Wolves legend Steve Bull believes that his former side will start to win trophies in the next 12-18 months as they look to keep hold of their prized assets.

Despite qualifying for the Europa League two seasons ago, this year has been a struggle for Wolves as they find themselves just nine points above the relegation zone.

In recent weeks, Pedro Neto, who is Wolves’ top scorer this season, has been linked with a £50 million move to Manchester United, despite just signing a new five-year contract at the end of last year.

Speaking on his hopes for Wolves going forward and if they can start winning silverware, Bull told FFC:

“We will win trophies and I think in the next 12-18 months we will win some silverware of any kind.

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“However, it’s whether or not the players can be bothered to stick around or will they be wanting it sooner rather than later.”

After back-to-back seventh-placed finishes in the Premier League, Nuno Espirito Santo finds his side languishing in the bottom half of the table.

Wolves have been without their talisman, Raul Jimenez for most of the season after he fractured his skull last year.

Charlton Athletic boss Nigel Adkins will have plenty of decisions to make this summer.

The Addicks may not know which division they’ll be competing in, given they could still sneak into the League One playoffs, but that shouldn’t stop Steve Gallen and co. from planning ahead.

No fewer than eight first-team players are out of contract, whilst six loan deals are also set to expire, as per Transfermarkt.

This includes a player currently playing his football away from The Valley in Erhun Oztumer, who joined division rivals Bristol Rovers back in October.

The versatile 29-year-old midfielder has struggled to make an impression with the Gas languishing in the relegation zone. In fact, he’s been one of their worst performers (6.3), as per WhoScored ratings.

Only one other player to feature in ten or more matches has managed worse.

If you’re failing at a club facing the drop, then surely there is no place for him back at a team vying for promotion, especially if they do go up to the Championship.

In 27 appearances in all competitions, the playmaker who is lauded for his creativity has only provided two goals and two assists, playing in a variety of roles ranging from no.10 to right-winger.

Three other players are actually recording more key passes per outing than Oztumer (0.9), too. Whilst seven players to feature for the Addicks this term would rank above him back in southeast London, only adding to the fact that he likely has no future under Adkins.

Once dubbed the non-league Messi at Dulwich Hamlet, it was no surprise to see the former Sivasspor prospect rise up through the leagues.

“It was such a privilege to watch Erhun at Dulwich and he’s honestly one of the most exciting players I’ve ever seen in the flesh,” said Hugo Greenhalgh, one half of the Forward The Hamlet podcast.

Oztumer quickly earned the praise of former Rovers boss Ben Garner too, after excelling in their FA Cup win at his former club, Walsall. “He was the brightest player on the pitch today,” Garner said. “Some of his quality, his link-up play was absolutely fantastic.”

However, matches like that have been few and far between, especially in an Addicks shirt, where he has only ever scored and assisted once in 19 appearances.

It’s time to wave goodbye to the 29-year-old this summer, with his contract up, it’s an easy decision for Adkins and Gallen to make.

AND in other news, THIS emerging prospect could save Charlton a lot of money this summer…

Southampton have been linked with a move for Levante winger Jorge de Frutos in recent weeks and if he were to join Ralph Hasenhuttl’s side in the summer, it could be bad news for Moussa Djenepo.

According to the Sunday Mirror (via TeamTalk), Southampton have been in contact with the 24-year-old as he continues to impress in La Liga this season.

Despite making just 12 league starts this season, the Spaniard has contributed an impressive three goals and seven assists in his appearances in the Spanish top-flight, averaging a solid 6.69 rating.

The youngster, who can feature on both wings and up front, is currently valued at £7.2 million by Transfermarkt, although his current deal is set to expire in 2025, suggesting that Southampton may be forced to pay over the odds if they want to bring him to St Mary’s this summer.

De Frutos only arrived at Levante from Real Madrid in the summer but he has clearly caught the eye with his performances, and could be a solid addition to Hasenhuttl’s squad.

If we compare his statistics this season to the wingers in the Southampton squad, he is only matched by Stuart Armstrong in terms of league goals, whilst he would lead the way in terms of assists, with the Scottish international the closest to him of the Saints wingers, with four league assists to his name this season.

Although De Frutos features primarily on the right, Armstrong’s impressive form means that the Levante man would presumably be moved to the left at Southampton, which causes problems for Djenepo.

His impressive stats this season suggest that he would definitely be able to challenge for a spot in the Austrian’s starting eleven should he join the club, which could seriously harm Djenepo’s first-team chances.

The Malian, who reportedly earns £55k per week at Southampton, has struggled to impress this season, with just one goal and no assists in 22 Premier League appearances, which has seen him average an awful 6.41 average rating.

Although the 22-year-old did grab what will hopefully be a confidence-boosting goal in the 3-0 win against Bournemouth last time out, there is no denying that he has disappointed when it comes to goals and assists in this Southampton side, and the potential arrival of De Frutos would likely harm Djenepo’s chances of nailing down a first-team spot under Hasenhuttl.

And, in other news… Wilson disaster: Hasenhuttl would’ve loved former Saints gem with 39 G/A this season

Glasgow Rangers defender Connor Goldson has revealed he dreams of playing in the Premier League.

Goldson wants Premier League move

Goldson moved to Ibrox from English outfit Brighton, for whom he appeared in the Premier League on three occasions (Transfermarkt). At Rangers, he has had a big hand in helping the club win their 55th Premiership title, being rated as one of the team’s best performers according to WhoScored.

However, speaking to The Times, the £4.95m-valued 28-year-old has shared his desire to again play amongst the elite south of the border. He said:

“My dream was always to play week in, week out in the Premier League. Whether that happens, time will tell but I think for any English player that’s the dream.”

Hammer blow

This revelation will come as a huge blow to Steven Gerrard. Of all the talents to have contributed to the Gers’ success this campaign, few can claim to have had the same influence as Goldson. He has played in every single minute of every single game, regardless of the competition, and has played at the heart of the defence beside both Filip Helander and Leon Balogun.

Rangers have conceded just 10 goals in 33 matches in the league (BBC), while Goldson has even managed to hit the back of the net on eight occasions – he scored twice against Celtic in the first Old Firm derby of the campaign. Were he to depart, a huge hole would be left in the Gers’ defence which could well take some time to fill.

In other news, Danny Mills believes this man could leave Rangers without any Champions League football.

Rangers’ Europa League campaign continues on Thursday as they take on Slavia Prague away from home, and Steven Gerrard should consider unleashing striker Cedric Itten for the game.

The 24-year-old striker has been limited in his game time this season but has impressed at times; having contributed four goals and one assist in 23 Scottish Premiership appearances, of which 19 have come from the bench.

He has also done well in his rare appearances in the Europa League this season, with two goals to his name in just three appearances, as he starred in the 2-0 win against Lech Poznan, before adding a late goal as a substitute in the 5-2 win against Royal Antwerp recently.

Whilst Gerrard will surely be tempted to keep faith in Alfredo Morelos because of his excellent recent form, he has also played a lot of football recently and perhaps deserves a rest ahead of the game against Celtic at the weekend.

Itten has found himself on the fringes of Gerrard’s squad since joining from FC St. Gallen last summer, with the likes of Morelos, Kemar Roofe and Jermaine Defoe all competing for the striker role in Gerrard’s squad.

However, with Defoe looking likely to depart in the summer, it seems likely that Itten may get more opportunities next season, so Gerrard should start putting his faith in the Swiss international, as his return of six goals and three assists in 30 appearances is fairly impressive when you consider how many of those appearances have come from the bench.

The striker’s work rate could be vital against Slavia, especially in the away tie, and Gerrard is clearly a fan of his efforts, as he praised him against Motherwell earlier in the season, saying:

“Ceddy does what he does. He’s a bit of a pest, he’s a bit of a nuisance, he chases lost causes.”

Therefore, with Roofe out injured, and Morelos perhaps in need of a rest, Gerrard should definitely consider unleashing Itten against Slavia Prague on Thursday, as he deserves a chance to show what he can do from the start, and he could prove to be a game-changer against the Czech side with his immense work rate.

And, in other news… No time for niceties: Gerrard should axe 30 y/o Rangers flop; he’s just not good enough