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As campaigns go, West Ham United’s 2021/22 has so far been up there with one of the most impressive in the club’s history.

Indeed, the Hammers’ 2-1 victory over Everton on Sunday ensured that, with just seven Premier League fixtures left to play, David Moyes’ side are still well in contention to secure a top-four finish in the league – currently sitting just three points behind fourth-placed Tottenham Hotspur.

Meanwhile, the Irons have also qualified for the quarter-finals of this season’s Europa League, in which they face Ligue 1 side, Lyon, in the first leg of the last-eight tie on Thursday, while the east London outfit also made it to the fifth round of the FA Cup and the quarter-finals of the Carabao Cup.

However, despite this impressive showing across the board, there is still much work to be done in the summer transfer window if West Ham wish to continue their ascent to joining the elite next season – with a number of positions in Moyes’ first-team squad requiring much greater depth or upgrading upon current options.

One such position is central midfield, with Mark Noble retiring at the end of 21/22 and the £24k-per-week Alex Kral having failed to impress during his season-long loan at the London Stadium – with it being reported the Hammers will not be taking up their option to buy the 23-year-old.

And, with it being recently reported that Leicester City’s Youri Tielemans – a player the Irons have been linked with previously – looks as if he will be available to sign for just £25m this summer, the Belgium international would appear to be a perfect candidate to help revolutionise Moyes’ middle-order.

Indeed, Noel Whelan recently stated his belief that the £49.5m-rated maestro would make a fantastic addition to West Ham’s midfield, as, when asked whether the east London side could pull a deal off the Foxes sensation, the pundit said: “I think they could.

“He’s got everything, hasn’t he? Goals from outside the box, creativity, works hard, dictates the game, very competitive. And he’s at a good age – the best is yet to come.

“Leicester will be forced to let him go because players like Tielemans deserve to be playing in Europe. If West Ham could offer him that, then him joining really would not surprise me.”

It’s not difficult to understand why the former Leeds United forward feels this way, as the 24-year-old has proven something of a revelation since his £40m permanent move to the King Power back in 2019.

Indeed, over his 23 Premier League appearances this season, the £120k-per-week dynamo has been influential for Brendan Rodgers’ side, scoring six goals, registering two assists and creating four big chances for his teammates, as well as taking an average of two shots and making 1.3 key passes per game.

The player who Carol Radull dubbed “out of this world” has also impressed in metrics more typical of his position, making an average of 0.7 interceptions, 2.1 tackles, 1.4 clearances, 43 passes and winning 4.9 duels – at a success rate of 52% – per fixture.

These returns have seen the Belgian average a quite remarkable SofaScore match rating of 7.18, ranking him as the Foxes’ joint-best player in the top flight of English football so far this term.

As such, considering the fact it would cost just £8m more to sign Tielemans than it would the £17m Kral this summer – who Tom Clark dubbed “shocking” earlier this season – it is clear for all to see that the West Ham board simply must send the Czech Republic international back to his parent club this summer, before doing everything in their power to replace him with the Leicester City star.

AND in other news: Sold for £1.8m, now worth £9m: GSB had a WHU nightmare on “astonishing” £11k-p/w ace

You would’ve been forgiven for being concerned for Wolves when first-choice goalkeeper Rui Patricio left the West Midlands to join AS Roma last summer for a reported figure of £9.8m.

The Black Country club eventually recruited Jose Sa from Olympiakos for £6.25m, a signing which has proven to be a masterstroke.

In the Portuguese goalkeeper’s first season in the Premier League, he has kept 11 clean sheets in 32 appearances so far, conceding just 28 goals in that space of time.

To put that figure into context, during Patricio’s time at Molineux, Sa’s fellow countryman kept 37 clean sheets in 127 appearances, conceding 151 goals – an average of a clean sheet every 3.43 games and 1.19 goals per game, compared to Sa’s 2.91 and 0.86 respectively.

The 34-year-old was a key figure for Wolves, signing for the Old Gold following their promotion to the top flight in 2018, but he has been replaced excellently with a figure who could well be number one for plenty of years to come.

Not only has Sa been an excellent recruit, but the deal to purchase him is now looking like a bargain.

To have paid just £6.25m for a goalkeeper who currently averages less than a goal conceded per game in the Premier League is astounding, especially when you consider the astronomical £71.6m fee that Chelsea paid for the error-prone Kepa Arrizabalaga in 2018.

The £17k-p/w Sa, who was hailed as “dominant” by former Molineux ‘keeper Matt Murray, has also been a major contribution to Wolves’ status as the Premier League’s fourth-best defence.

According to Transfermarkt, the goalkeeper was valued at £6.75m when Wolves signed him, making the £6.25m fee a pretty fair deal. However, after a stellar maiden campaign at Molineux, the 29-year-old has seen his value rise to £12.6m, just over double the transfer fee paid for him.

It’s a colossal increase when considering that, for the majority of Sa’s career, he has been valued at under £2.5m. If this form is to continue, then surely a first senior cap for Portugal isn’t far away.

Patricio is still the country’s number one with an impressive 102 caps for his national team but, like at Wolves, Sa could be his eventual heir in the coming years.

One thing seem certain – Bruno Lage certainly won’t be looking to change the man between the sticks for a very long time.

In other news – Fewer touches than Sa: Wolves “hindrance” who lost 79% duels badly failed Lage against Newcastle

Aston Villa have reignited their interest in Brighton midfielder Yves Bissouma.

That’s according to The Telegraph’s John Percy and Sam Wallace, which unsurprisingly has had a number of Villa fans talking on social media.

The reliable reporters shared the update on the morning of deadline day, revealing that a ‘key decision’ is set to be made today over a late January move or whether to wait until the summer.

Villa reportedly had a £25m bid turned down earlier this month for the Brighton midfielder and failed in their pursuit of Rodrigo Bentancur, but it seems as if they could attempt a late swoop for the Mali international.

Bissouma is now back from the Africa Cup of Nations and has less than 18 months remaining on his contract, with both Manchester United and Tottenham also credited with a late interest on Twitter.

Villa fans react

Well-known fan feed @villareport relayed Percy and Wallace’s claim on Twitter. It had these Villa supporters excited, with many urging Johan Lange to push through with a late deadline day deal.

“DO IT TODAY!”

Credit: @JordAVFCx

“Lange at the back post”

Credit: @avfctom_

“Would be unreal if we get him”

Credit: @GW_94

“Get it done today!!!!”

Credit: @SamSamchilton9

“Pleaseeeeee ”

Credit: @_JackAvfc

“Don’t play with my emotions, he’d be class”

Credit: @Mattachu_Avfc

In other news: ‘Hats off to the board’ – Sky Sports man purrs at ‘amazing’ out-of-the-blue Villa transfer news. 

Manchester United are on the verge of completing their appointment of Erik ten Hag who will join the club this summer, and the arrival of the new manager could spell a second chance for Donny Van de Beek at Old Trafford.

Paul Pogba is set to leave following his rejection of a huge £500k-per-week contract from the club to extend his contract beyond June this year, with his exit and Ten Hag’s imminent appointment, it could be the perfect opportunity for Van de Beek to come back from his Everton loan spell to a starting role in the new era for the Red Devils.

The Man United midfielder, who was hailed “versatile” by Michael Carrick, joined the club in September 2020 for around £35m from his boyhood club Ajax Amsterdam, however, he was not given the opportunity to make an impact within the side – making only four Premier League starts over the last two seasons, and is now on loan at Everton until the end of the current campaign.

With the wheels in motion for Ten Hag to join Manchester United this summer, it wouldn’t be surprising if the Dutch coach unleashes his prodigy in his new team as a replacement for Pogba, especially when you consider the calibre of player Van de Beek was under his former manager…

During his time at Ajax, the 25-year-old scored 41 goals and registered 34 assists over 175 appearances overall, as well as winning the Eredivisie title, the Dutch Cup in 2018/19 and, in 2019, playing a key role in the Ajax team that got to the club’s first Champions League semi-final since 1997, with five goals in the competition under the guidance of Ten Hag.

The Netherlands native coach sang the praises of his player when Van de Beek was on his way to Old Trafford back in 2020, saying: “He is an absolute key player for us, a very modern midfielder with lots of depth in his play. It’s clear that we will miss him a lot once he’s gone.”

Ultimately, it could save Man United millions if Ten Hag can get the £100k-per-week midfielder to replicate his attacking threat seen in the Eredivisie, as Van de Beek could easily become the main man in the middle of the pitch and in the Dutch manager’s system, being given the chance to get a run of form going for the first time in his career at the club.

AND In other news: “Already discussed”: Romano drops teasing MUFC transfer update, Ten Hag would love him

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The Fulham fans could not quite believe what head coach Claudio Ranieri did during Friday night’s Premier League clash with West Ham United.

At the interval of the match, with Fulham 2-1 down, Ranieri decided to bring both Jean Michael Seri and Ryan Sessegnon off, with Andre-Frank Zambo Anguissa and Lazar Markovic entering the field.

It would be fair to say that the double change did not go down well with the Fulham supporters, with many taking to social media to blast their head coach.

As it transpired, Fulham suffered a 3-1 defeat at the London Stadium, despite taking the lead in the early stages through Ryan Babel, so it’s safe to say the half-time switch-up didn’t work out.

Indeed, goals from Javier Hernandez, Issa Diop and Michail Antonio secured the points for the Hammers, leaving Fulham in 19th position in the table, eight points from safety.

A selection of the Twitter reaction from the struggling club’s fans – in relation to the double substitution at the break – can be seen below:

Medical expert Ben Dinnery believes Leeds United goalkeeper Illan Meslier may need to wear protective equipment against Southampton on Saturday, Football Insider report.

The Lowdown: Injuries galore…

The international break came at the right time for the Whites after they registered back-to-back wins against Norwich and Wolves.

[freshpress-quiz id=“383507″]

The 3-2 victory at Molineux came at a cost, with Patrick Bamford, Diego Llorente, Mateusz Klich and Meslier all being forced off due to injury.

Bamford has been ruled out for six weeks with a fresh foot problem, but Llorente and Klich have returned to training.

Leeds confirmed earlier this week that Meslier was yet to return to Thorp Arch training, but the club expect him to be fit for the visit of Southampton.

The Latest: Dinnery reacts

Dinnery, who contributes for Sky Sports, was talking to FI after that update from the club emerged.

He labelled the injury as ‘nasty’, however, the expert admitted he’d be ‘very surprised’ if he wasn’t available for selection on Saturday, hinting at possible protective padding.

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“It was very, very painful.

“He hasn’t trained in the first week of the international break but Leeds are fairly confident for the Southampton game.

“It may be that he has some sort of protective padding to help that area. But I’m fairly confident this will just be a case of pain management.

“It was a nasty one that forced him off but I’d be very surprised if he wasn’t available for the game against Southampton.”

The Verdict: Fingers crossed

The Frenchman is yet to miss a Premier League game this season, so you’d expect Jesse Marsch will be keeping his fingers crossed that he can call upon the 22-year-old once again at Elland Road.

Meslier leads the way when it comes to saves made in 2021/22, becoming a key member of the squad following promotion to the Premier League.

He may well require protective padding on his bruised upper thigh and lower torso, as Dinnery mentions, and if that helps, it should be a no brainer from the Leeds medical staff.

In other news: Journalist now drops ‘big boost’ for Leeds and Marsch as talks with Radz and 49ers emerge. 

Celtic are interested in a deal to bring Mohanad Jeahze to Parkhead in the summer transfer window.

What’s the talk?

That’s according to a report by The Scottish Sun, who claim that Ange Postecoglou is on the lookout for a new left-back this summer, in order to provide Scotland international Greg Taylor with competition for his starting spot next season.

The report then goes on to state that the 56-year-old Bhoys boss has identified Hammarby’s Mohanad Jeahze as his primary target in the position, with the Allsvenskan defender’s side believed to be willing to part with the 25-year-old for a figure in the region of £2m.

He’s perfect for Angeball

Considering just how impressive Jeahze has been for Hammarby following his 2020 switch from Mjallby, it is not difficult to see why Postecoglou would be interested in the signing of the left-back this summer.

Indeed, over his 27 Allsvenskan appearances last season, the £900k-rated full-back was a bundle of creativity on the left flank, scoring one goal, registering seven assists and creating five big chances for his teammates, as well as making an average of 2.4 key passes, taking 0.5 shots and completing 0.7 dribbles per game.

The Iraq international also impressed in metrics more typical of his position, helping his side keep five clean sheets, in addition to making an average of 1.4 interceptions, 1.5 tackles, 1.5 clearances and winning 3.7 duels – at a success rate of 54% – per fixture.

These metrics saw the 25-year-old average a quite remarkable SofaScore match rating of 7.24, not only ranking him as Hammarby’s best performer in the league but also as the joint 15th-best player in the division as a whole.

In total, the left-back has notched a total of two goals and 12 assists over his 55 appearances in all competitions for the Swedish side – incredibly impressive returns for a defender.

As such, with Jeahze evidently being a talent who is incredibly creative, boasts an impressive reading of the game and is extremely capable with the ball at his feet, it is not difficult to understand why Postecoglou would be keen to bring the defender to Celtic Park ahead of the Hoops’ 2022/23 campaign – as the Hammarby star appears to be a perfect fit for Angeball.

And, if the Iraqi is indeed available for as little as £2m this summer, the 25-year-old sensation could very easily go on to join the Greek-Australian’s ever-increasing list of impressive budget buys.

AND in other news: Celtic must secure “mouth-watering” deal for “outstanding” £6.5m gem, Ange loves him

Everton are reportedly now targeting a move to sign Ashley Phillips, but face competition from a number of other clubs in the Premier League.

The Lowdown: Exciting prospect

At just 16 years of age, Phillips is a player that no doubt has a big future ahead of him.

His manager Tony Mowbray at Blackburn Rovers waxed lyrical about him earlier this season, claiming that he is ‘fast, mobile and can pass it really well’, adding that he has ‘got every attribute’ that a central defender needs to have (Lancs Live).

Mowbray went further to call Phillips’ attributes ‘amazing’, and claimed that he is an ‘exciting prospect’ (Lancs Live), suggesting that he has the potential to go to the very top.

The Latest: Targeted

Phillips is unsurprisingly attracting a lot of interest from the top flight, including the Goodison Park faithful, who are just one of a number of teams targeting him, according to a recruitment source at Football Insider.

Tottenham Hotspur, Chelsea and Manchester United are also eyeing up his signature, with the latter said to be in ‘pole position’ at the moment.

Rovers are now bracing themselves for an offer from the Red Devils, as well as others, and the Merseyside club could be one to follow up their interest.

The Verdict: One for the future

In order for the Toffees to best prepare for the future, they must snap up talents like Phillips early before their rivals do.

The centre-back is clearly a hot prospect, having shone through the ranks at youth level for Blackburn, as well as representing both Wales and England’s youth sides (Transfermarkt).

Nonetheless, with just 18 months left on his contract at Ewood Park, he could be available for a bargain fee if the Blues can fend off the competition.

In other news, find out what worrying Blues claim this injury expert has dropped here!

Leeds United have posted footage on their Instagram page of Junior Firpo running at Elland Road weeks after he picked up a hamstring injury against West Ham.

The Lowdown: Firpo’s on and off campaign

Firpo, previously labelled as ‘incredibly fit’ by Kevin Campbell, has endured a frustrating first season at Elland Road.

The left-back has missed seven Premier League games this season and has completed 90 minutes in the top flight on just six occasions.

The Spaniard went off against West Ham with what appeared to be a hamstring issue and missed the defeat to Newcastle prior to the break, but it seems as if he could be involved against Aston Villa on Wednesday.

The Latest: Whites footage

Leeds provided a number of positive injury updates in the week, sharing images of Kalvin Phillips, Liam Cooper and Charlie Cresswell all smiles at Thorp Arch.

They shared a video of Firpo running at Elland Road on Instagram on Friday, which can be viewed here.

The Verdict: Good news

Although it isn’t a sprint, it’s good to see that Firpo is able to move freely following his latest muscle issue.

That could mean he has a chance of making the matchday squad against Villa in the week, with journalist Beren Cross expecting Firpo and Adam Forshaw to be available for Marcelo Bielsa.

That would give the Leeds boss options in both defence and midfield, which could prove key in what looks set to be a crucial month as the Whites look to pull away from the relegation zone.

In other news: Leeds beast who Harvey Elliott recently praised may now leave permanently in summer – journalist. 

Tottenham Hotspur are interested in a deal to bring Kalidou Koulibaly to the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium in the summer transfer window.

What’s the talk?

That’s according to a report by Italian publication Il Mattino (via Sport Witness), who claim that Fabio Paratici has already made contact with Aurelio De Laurentiis concerning a deal for the Napoli centre-back ahead of the opening of the summer market.

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However, the report goes on to state that, at present, the Serie A side are not considering any offers due to still being in with an outside chance of winning the Scudetto – with the southern Italian side believed to be waiting to make a decision on the future of the 30-year-old until they know what lies ahead of them in 2022/23.

Better than Bremer

Considering just how impressive Koulibaly has been for Napoli ever since his £6.98m move to the Diego Armando Maradona Stadium back in 2014, it is easy to see why Conte would be keen on a deal for the Senegal international this summer.

Indeed, while Koulibaly has averaged seasonal SofaScore match ratings of 7.00 or above in each of the six complete seasons the website has been recording data for the Italian leagues, the current campaign has arguably been the centre-back’s most impressive for Gli Azzurri.

Over his 23 Serie A appearances this term, the £40.5m-rated defender has been imperious in the heart of Luciano Spalletti’s backline, helping his side keep eight clean sheets, as well as making an average of 1.1 interceptions, 1.5 tackles, three clearances and winning 4.3 duels – at a success rate of 58% – per game.

The £177k-per-week player who Conor Clancy dubbed a “phenomenal” talent also impressed going forwards, scoring two goals, registering two assists and creating two big chances for his teammates, in addition to making an average of 53.3 passes, 3.3 long balls, 0.4 key passes and completing 0.7 dribbles per fixture.

These returns have seen the 30-year-old average a quite remarkable SofaScore match rating of 7.19, not only ranking him as Napoli’s third-best player in the Italian top flight but also as the third-best defender in the division as a whole – as well as bettering the average rating of another of Spurs’ reported summer transfer targets, Gleison Bremer, by a score of 0.01.

And, with it being reported that Napoli would demand a figure in the region of €40m (£33m) in order to part with Koulibaly this summer – around €10m (£8.5m) less than Bremer’s asking price – these are two strong arguments that could be made for the Senegal sensation being the better signing for Spurs.

AND in other news: “100%” – Fabrizio Romano drops Spurs transfer claim that will leave supporters buzzing