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Former Premier League midfielder Jamie O’Hara believes there is no chance that Manchester United will allow Jesse Lingard to return to West Ham.

The Lowdown: Lingard excels at West Ham

The Hammers enjoyed an excellent 2020/21 season and Lingard ended up being one of their star men, despite only arriving on loan in January. The midfielder scored nine goals and registered four assists in just 16 Premier League appearances, becoming an instant crowd favourite in the process.

The 28-year-old returned to United at the end of the campaign, but he has again struggled for playing time at Old Trafford, failing to start a single league game in 2021/22.

The Latest: O’Hara has his doubts

Despite rumours linking Lingard with a return to West Ham, O’Hara doesn’t see it happening for a second time.

Speaking on talkSPORT Breakfast on Monday [via Read West Ham], the 35-year-old insisted that Manchester United wouldn’t sell to the Hammers now that they are a direct rival. He said:

“As if Man United are going to allow Jesse Lingard to go to West Ham – they are above them in the table. That’s not going to happen, that’s competition.

“There is no way they are going to allow a top player, who was brilliant for West Ham when he went there. They aren’t going to allow him to go on loan there this season when they are in direct competition. That’s never going to happen.”

The Verdict: Ideal January arrival

David Moyes’ Irons are on fire at the moment, sitting third in the table and having the strongest group of players at the club in years. If Lingard were to come back in January, it would arguably feel like the icing on the cake, giving West Ham even more quality in midfield and attacking areas.

It is sad to see him getting so little game-time at Manchester United, with the 28-year-old someone who should be starting regularly for a top-flight club based off his performances at the start of 2021. He has been described as ‘brilliant’ by Red Devils boss Ole Gunnar Solskjaer despite the Norwegian continually overlooking him from his team selection.

However, as O’Hara says, it would be a surprise if Lingard were to return to the London Stadium this season considering that the Hammers are in a top-four battle with Manchester United.

In other news, some West Ham fans love a recent update on a key Hammers player. Find out who it is here.

Rangers have been hit with a major Old Firm setback over Ibrox centre-forward Alfredo Morelos…

Huge blow

The Daily Record have published an image shared on social media of the Colombian striker leaving an airport on crutches this week.

It remains to be seen how serious the blow is, with the publication claiming that it could even end his season as he is set to see a specialist.

Fuming

Gio van Bronckhorst will be fuming with this news for multiple reasons.

Morelos went away with his country in January and was forced to miss the 3-0 defeat to Celtic at Parkhead, despite not playing a single minute of football during that international break. This meant that Rangers suffered badly in his absence, whilst Colombia gained no benefit themselves as they opted against giving him another cap.

Therefore, Van Bronckhorst will surely have been frustrated by the 25-year-old’s call-up for the March international break in case a similar situation played out and Morelos came back with his confidence knocked.

Instead, he has come back with a potentially season-ending injury, which will leave the head coach infuriated and ruing international breaks. The striker looks set to miss the clash with the Hoops on Sunday at Ibrox, at the very least, and this is a huge blow for the Gers as he is their go-to man at the top of the pitch.

Morelos has scored 11 goals in the Premiership this season, four more than any other Rangers player, and has also provided seven assists – a tally that only James Tavernier can beat. They will no doubt miss his quality in the final third in what could be a decisive game at the top of the table, with Celtic currently three points clear of the Gers heading into the match.

Van Bronckhorst will also be fuming as this blow could mean that Morelos is out for a number of important games across multiple competitions. Rangers face Portuguese outfit Braga in the first leg of their Europa League quarter-final next Thursday and could now be without the striker for that match.

In Europe this season, Morelos has averaged an excellent SofaScore rating of 7.13. He has scored four goals in eight starts and will be a huge miss if he is out for next week’s clash, which is why the Gers boss will be sweating on his fitness in the coming days as the club look to find out how long the 25-year-old will be ruled out of action.

AND in other news, Rangers had a major disaster on “complete” 243 G/A ace who’s “like Harry Potter”…

Aston Villa are in for Brighton and Hove Albion midfielder Yves Bissouma, Sky Sports’ Dharmesh Sheth reports. 

The lowdown

Villa have already agreed one January deal, with Philippe Coutinho set to arrive on loan from FC Barcelona.

And now it seems Bissouma, who’s made a century of Premier League appearances for Brighton since his arrival from LOSC Lille in 2018, is on their radar.

The Mali international, valued at £22.5million by Transfermarkt, is currently away at the Africa Cup of Nations.

The latest

‘Aston Villa [are] interested’ in Bissouma, Sheth tweeted, with the midfielder now into the final 18 months of his contract.

However, he did note that Graham Potter ‘expects’ all his players to remain at Brighton this month.

The verdict

Bissouma would be a magnificent signing for Steven Gerrard and Villa. He’s a ball-winning machine, ranking in the 94th percentile among positional peers for tackles per 90 and the 91st for interceptions (via FBRef).

BBC Sport’s Gary Lineker has described him as ‘exceptional’, while former team-mate Eder has described him as a ‘powerful’ presence with ‘huge potential’.

‘Elite clubs’ have been monitoring him – the likes of Liverpool, Manchester United and Real Madrid have all been ‘credited with interest’ – and so this would be a real coup.

It’s worth stressing, though, that The Seagulls seem to have no plans to sell.

In other news, fans react to interest in this winger. 

Rangers go into their clash on Boxing Day at Ibrox seeking a ninth consecutive win in the Scottish Premiership as well as extending their lead at the top of the table.

The Gers are six points clear of their fierce rivals Celtic at the summit and Giovanni van Bronckhorst’s side will be looking to further boost their title credentials vs St Mirren on Sunday afternoon.

Here is the side Football FanCast believes will start for Rangers as the Dutchman makes three changes from the 1-0 win over Dundee United.

As expected, goalkeeper Allan McGregor keeps his place in between the sticks with three of last weekend’s back-four retaining their spots. In comes Leon Balogun who could return from injury after a month out.

The £720k-rated Nigeria international, who has been labelled as “unbelievable” by Rangers legend Barry Ferguson, has returned to training and could make his first appearance under van Bronckhorst at Ibrox.

The further two changes come in the midfield as Scott Wright and Joe Aribo come in for John Lundstram and Scott Arfield.

Lundstram was replaced by Wright at halftime of the Dundee United victory, with the score being level, and the latter was awarded man of the match after making a crucial impact, something that should be on van Bronckhorst’s mind.

Aribo was also introduced before the Gers found their equaliser and is the club’s third-top-scorer so far this season with six goals making him a key player.

On the left of the midfield three is Glen Kamara, who has been a regular all season making 26 appearances in all competitions.

As for the front three, it is the usual combination of Ianis Hagi, Alfredo Morelos and Ryan Kent.

AND in other news, GVB receives huge Christmas injury boost at Ibrox that will leave Rangers fans buzzing…

West Ham United have opened talks concerning a deal to bring Patrik Schick to the London Stadium in the January transfer window.

What’s the talk?

That’s according to a report by Italian media outlet Calcio Mercato (via London World), who claim that David Moyes’ side have entered into negotiations with Bayer Leverkusen regarding a £40m deal for the 25-year-old centre-forward.

The report goes on to state that the 58-year-old manager is keen to bring in attacking reinforcements into his side this month, as, since the sale of Sebastien Haller to Ajax in January last year, the Scot has had to make do with only Michail Antonio as an out and out centre-forward.

Moyes can finally replace Haller

Considering just how impressive Schick has been in Germany so far this season, in addition to the fact that the 6 foot 3 Czech international resembles the 6 foot 2 Haller in physical stature, should Moyes be able to get a deal over the line for the Leverkusen striker this month, he could well have finally replaced the Ivory Coast international at the London Stadium.

Indeed, over his 16 Bundesliga appearances in the current campaign, the £36m-rated man has been in devastating form, having already bagged an astonishing 18 goals, provided one assist and created one big chance for his teammates, as well as taking an average of 3.6 shots and making 0.6 key passes per game.

These returns have seen the £82k-per-week hitman who Bayer manager Gerardo Seoane dubbed an “incredible” talent average a quite remarkable SofaScore match rating of 7.33, ranking him as the ninth-best performer in the top flight of German football.

As such, should Schick be able to replicate this level of form following a potential switch to East London this winter, the 25-year-old would not only fill the Haller shaped hole in Moyes’ West Ham squad, but he could well go on to take Antonio’s starting spot leading the Irons’ attack.

In other news: Moyes must now launch WHU bid for £46k-p/w “phenomenon” as key transfer twist emerges

Tottenham Hotspur are interested in a deal to bring Darwin Nunez to the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium in the summer transfer window.

What’s the talk?

That’s according to a report by Portuguese publication A Bola (via Sport Witness), who claim that the 22-year-old’s agent, Edgardo Lasalvia, has revealed that a number of top European clubs – including Spurs – have made contact with Benfica concerning a move for the centre-forward at the end of the current campaign.

The report then goes on to state that, as a result of the Uruguay international’s spectacular form both domestically and in European competition this season, the Liga Portugal side will demand a figure of around €100m (£83.5m) in order to part with the striker this summer.

[snack-amp-story url= “https://www.footballfancast.com/web-stories/read-the-latest-spurs-news-transfer-rumours-gossip-martinez-dybala-spence-conte-2” title= “Read the latest Spurs news!”]

Tottenham’s next Poyet

Considering how impressive Nunez has been for Benfica in the current campaign, it is hardly surprising to learn that Fabio Paratici has been in contact with the Portuguese giants in order to sound out a move for the youngster this summer.

Indeed, over his 23 Liga Portugal appearances this term, the £36m-rated forward has been in breathtaking form for Nelson Verissimo’s side, scoring 21 goals, registering three assists and creating eight big chances for his teammates, as well as taking an average of 2.8 shots and making 1.1 key passes per game.

These returns have seen the £31k-per-week goal-getter average a quite extraordinary SofaScore match rating of 7.40, ranking him as the eighth-best player in the Portuguese top flight.

The 22-year-old who James Dodd dubbed a “sensational talent” has also been in rather remarkable form over his nine Champions League outings this season too, scoring five goals and averaging a SofaScore match rating of 7.02 – firing his side to the quarter-finals of the competition.

As such, it is clear for all to see that Nunez is one of the most exciting talents in world football at present, leading us to believe the centre-forward would make an excellent addition to Antonio Conte’s current options in attack – or even a potential replacement for Harry Kane, who continues to be linked with a move away from north London.

And, should Nunez be able to continue his impressive form after a theoretical switch to Spurs this summer, although they do not play in the same position, the Uruguayan youngster could well go on to become the club’s next Gus Poyet – Nunez’s compatriot and former Tottenham attacking midfielder who scored an impressive 23 goals over his 98 appearances in for the club.

AND in other news: Conte can form “dangerous” duo as THFC plot bids for £156m pair who “really get along”

Tottenham Hotspur aren’t afraid to pay the asking price for mooted January target Weston McKennie, according to reports in Italy…

What’s the word?

Calciomercato.it claim the American midfielder is ‘on the list of potential exits’ from Juventus this winter and Spurs are amongst the teams monitoring his situation ahead of a possible swoop.

The Old Lady value him in the region of €30m (£25m) to €35m (£30m), with both sporting director Fabio Paratici and manager Antonio Conte keen on his signature.

Premier League rivals West Ham United are also linked with interest by the report.

Bye-bye Alli

The 23-year-old has gone from outcast to a regular under Massimiliano Allegri, starting three of their last four Serie A outings and in return, he current rates out as his seventh-best performer, as per WhoScored ratings.

McKennie has been dubbed a “leader” and an “outstanding talent” by ex-Schalke boss David Wagner, one that is capable of playing any central midfield role required, making him a very intriguing fit for Conte’s system, which relies more on the middlemen than wingers.

[snack-amp-story url = “https://www.footballfancast.com/web-stories/spurs-latest-news-updates-transfers-antonio-conte-thfc” title=”Read the latest Spurs news, transfer updates and much, much more!”]

“In the No.6 or No.8 position he has the mentality, a real working mentality that you need. And he’s brave on the ball as well. He can be one of the best midfielders in the Bundesliga,” he added.

His versatility is reflected by his numbers across several key statistics, with WhoScored describing his strengths as primarily being his defensive contribution.

In the Serie A this campaign, he’s attempted 2.2 tackles, 1.2 interceptions (third-best), 1.3 dribbles and 1.6 shots per 90 minutes, showing he’s all over the pitch contributing in abundance.

This makes the £22.5m-rated star a much better fit for the Italian boss than someone like Dele Alli, who has been much-maligned in recent times.

Last month, The Athletic revealed that for the very first time, Spurs would be open to offloading the struggling 25-year-old midfielder and after failing to start either of Conte’s first two matches in charge, it’s hard to imagine things have changed much.

McKennie could be his replacement in the engine room, one that would be of much more use to the 52-year-old.

AND in other news, £25m-rated flop has handed Antonio Conte a fresh dilemma at Spurs…

Keith Downie has now shared some interesting Newcastle United news involving Jonjo Shelvey.

The Lowdown: Misery under Bruce

Before Eddie Howe took charge at St. James’ Park, Shelvey was not having the best of times under Steve Bruce.

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A calf injury kept him out at the start of the season, and when he returned in the 3-2 loss at home to Tottenham Hotspur in October, he got himself sent off (Transfermarkt).

Bruce was sacked after that game, as the North East club made their second-worst ever start to a Premier League campaign (Sky Sports).

The Latest: Impressing Howe

Speaking to GiveMeSport, Sky Sports journalist Downie shared that Shelvey has ‘impressed’ Howe in training ‘more than anyone else’:

“Without doubt, he’s enjoying playing under Eddie Howe. Eddie Howe picked him out in his opening news conference, and said that he’s impressed him greatly in training, more than anyone else.”

The Verdict: Reaping rewards

Shelvey is certainly reaping the rewards now by showing Howe what he is made of on the training pitch.

Before the Tottenham Hotspur clash, he had played in all but three matches under the former AFC Bournemouth manager since his arrival, scoring two goals and making one assist (Transfermarkt), and got the nod from the off again in north London.

Howe has even made him the captain in a number of those appearances, showing how much faith he has in the central midfielder.

The Tyneside outfit also lost all three games that he missed, showing just how key of a player Shelvey now is to the team under new management.

In other news, find out what fresh NUFC update this transfer insider has now given here!

Manchester United have entered talks to sign Borussia Dortmund defender Dan-Axel Zagadou.

That’s according to Foot Mercato journalist Santi Aouna, and, as to be expected, a number of United fans have been reacting to the rumours on social media.

Zagadou is 22 years of age and is out of contract with Dortmund at the end of June. The French centre-back has made 80 appearances for the club, however, he has suffered from numerous injury issues, missing 77 games since 2017/18.

Despite that, it seems as if United are keen to take advantage of Zagadou’s contract situation, with Aouna revealing on Twitter that Ralf Rangnick has started discussions with the defender’s agent.

Dortmund want to extend Zagadou’s stay in Germany, but he is now free to pen pre-contract terms at Old Trafford.

United fans react

@utdreport shared Aouna’s claim on Twitter on Wednesday morning. This is what these United fans had to say in reply, with many not keen on a transfer and one describing his injury record as ‘awful’.

“A extremely injury prone CB? Please no”

Credit: @MrCampbell98

“This can’t be true.. Very laughable”

Credit: @Sir_Skippa

“awful injury record NEXTTTT”

Credit: @UtdRajj

“He’d be our worst centre back”

Credit: @JoleanMU

“Just had a look at his stats….. this man is never going to be fit”

Credit: @TotalUnited

“A midfielder is more important”

Credit: @ShawzzyUTD

In other news: ‘Wow’ – Many MUFC fans erupt at journalist’s swap transfer news. 

Leeds United have received a triple injury boost ahead of their Premier League clash with Brentford at Elland Road this afternoon.

What’s the word?

In Friday’s press conference, Marcelo Bielsa confirmed Patrick Bamford, Luke Ayling and Pascal Struijk will be available for selection once again over the weekend following their respective fitness woes.

“It’s likely Patrick and Luke [Ayling] will be available on Sunday. Pascal [Struijk] has a knock around his hip, but we think he’ll also be available,” Bielsa revealed to reporters during his pre-game press conference.

Marcelo Bielsa will be delighted

News that all of Bamford, Ayling and Struijk could return to the matchday squad against the Bees will leave Bielsa feeling absolutely delighted, given their importance to the first-team squad.

Leeds have a great opportunity to secure consecutive victories in the Premier League for the first time this season when they take on Thomas Franks’s newly-promoted charges over the weekend.

Raphinha’s injury-time penalty last time out snatched all three points against Crystal Palace, but their performance level still left significant room for improvement.

Therefore, Bielsa will be relieved that the returning trio will once again be at his disposal.

Last term, Bamford finished as the west Yorkshire outfit’s top scorer with a hugely impressive 17 strikes in the Premier League, while Ayling and Struijk also played a pivotal part in their success. ,

As per Whoscored, Ayling averaged 2.8 tackles per league game throughout 2020/21, bettering all of his teammates tallies, and Strujik notched up 3.1 clearances, also outperforming all of his colleagues.

With Leeds currently just three places and five points above the relegation zone having played a game more than 18th-placed Burnley, securing a positive result against Brentford could be crucial to the Whites’ season, meaning Bielsa will warmly welcome the trio’s comebacks.

And, in other news…Bielsa could repeat Gelhardt masterclass with Leeds swoop for 20 y/o “manager’s dream”