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Taking to Twitter, reliable club insider ExWHUemployee has backed a development in West Ham United’s pursuit of Manchester United star and top target Jesse Lingard.

The Lowdown: West Ham ready to pay fee…

It is no secret that the 29-year-old is on manager David Moyes’ radar as he seeks to bolster his side’s options and give them a fighting chance of qualifying for the Champions League next season.

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After his sensational spell on loan in east London over the second half of 2020/2021, West Ham, Moyes and recruitment chief Rob Newman have been targeting Lingard as his current deal at Old Trafford looks set to expire at the end of this season.

The England international, as a result, can either wait until the summer and leave for free or opt to join a new club in January if any suitors table a bid before deadline day.

Recent reports say West Ham are indeed willing to do just that with the Irons now apparently ready to pay a £3million fee to seal Lingard’s signing.

The Latest: ExWHUemployee backs Lingard development…

Taking to social media, reliable Hammers source Ex backed this development in the Lingard transfer saga.

Whilst stating ‘yes’ in reply to a supporter who asked if there is any truth to the £3m bid rumours, the insider did also provide a degree of caution – going on to claim West Ham’s willingness to pay doesn’t necessarily mean the player wants to make the move.

The Verdict: Get it done…

While the £75,000-per-week ace’s current stance on a move to West Ham remains the last major hurdle, if his mind is swayed, signing him would be a big boost for Moyes.

Scoring nine goals and assisting four others in 16 Premier League starts last season on a temporary spell, Lingard is a proven player under the Irons boss and could gift the club a different dimension going forward.

Taking into account his 2021 numbers at West Ham, with talkSPORT pundit Adrian Durham calling him ‘absolutely phenomenal’, £3m seems like a real bargain.

Hammers supporters may be hoping that there is a development on Lingard’s side that favours him joining West Ham permanently before January 31.

In other news: ‘Please please please’, ‘Baller’, ‘Perfect’ – Many West Ham fans rave as GSB eye ‘fantastic signing’…find out more here.

Celtic have reached a ‘general agreement’ with Kawasaki Frontale for Reo Hatate, according to Japanese outlet Hochi.

The Lowdown: Hatate profiled

Hatate has recently just helped Kawasaki Frontale win a second consecutive J1 League title, making 38 appearances in 2020/21.

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He turned out in a number of positions, mainly in midfield and at left-back, with Celtic reportedly seeing Hatate as a midfield addition, with his current contract set to expire at the end of January.

The 24-year-old is on €38,000-a-year (around £625-a-week) with his current employers, but it seems as if a move to Glasgow to join countryman Kyogo Furuhashi is on the cards.

The Latest: Agreement reached

Japanese outlet Hochi posted on Twitter on Sunday evening, shortly after Celtic’s 1-0 win over Motherwell, claiming Hatate is set to ‘move’ to Scotland.

A ‘general agreement’ has been reached between the two clubs, so it seems as if the Hoops will pay a small fee to the J1 League side for Hatate’s services.

The Verdict: More good news

The Hoops have also agreed on a fee with Gamba Osaka for midfielder Yosuke Ideguchi, so Celtic are now closing in on two January signings already.

That can only be good news, especially with the number of injuries Ange Postecoglou has had to deal with in recent weeks, while the fact everything is in place so soon shows impressive planning from a club who have often been lacking in the boardroom in recent years.

Postecoglou will know just what Hatate and Ideguchi will bring to Scotland following his time as a manager in Japan, and the quicker Celtic can complete their January business, the better, with Japanese forward Daizen Maeda another on the club’s winter window wishlist.

In other news: Devlin claims ‘special’ Celtic ace may have broken bone amid ‘conflicting’ info. 

Wolves are still eyeing up a potential move for Renato Sanches in the January transfer window, according to journalist Alex Crook.

The Lowdown: Sanches links persist

The 24-year-old spent the summer being linked with a transfer to Wolves, while those stories have persisted in the early months of this season.

Sanches has stayed put at Lille for the time being, however, where he has only managed eight Ligue 1 starts so far this season, as injuries have again hampered him.

It could be that the 32-time capped Portugal international moves on in January after an up and down campaign in France and it appears as though Wolves are eyeing up a move.

The Latest: Fresh rumour emerges

According to Crook on talkSPORT [via Molineux News], Wolves are looking “quite closely” at signing Sanches in the imminent transfer window, as Bruno Lage looks to bolster his midfield.

The Lille man’s current deal expires in the summer of 2023, so the Ligue 1 champions could be willing to sell him while they can still receive a decent fee.

The Verdict: Worth a punt?

There is no denying Sanches’ quality as a footballer, with former Arsenal and Everton striker Kevin Campbell describing him as ‘incredible’ earlier this year.

The idea of him in a Wolves shirt is hugely exciting – he famously won the prestigious European Golden Boy award back in 2016 and starred at Euro 2020 for Portugal – but injuries are the one thing holding him back.

Lage would have to accept that signing him would involve a clear risk element, with Sanches never starting 20 league matches in a season in his career. If a player of that calibre is potentially available, however, it is worth the gamble.

In other news, some Wolves fans are fuming after one piece of news emerged. Read more here.

PIF completed their takeover of Newcastle United last month to bring Mike Ashley’s 14-year reign on Tyneside to an end.

Ashley left St James’ Park after years of mediocrity on the pitch, with only one season of finishing higher than 10th in the Premier League in that time and 10 bottom-half finishes.

Ashley’s legacy

The lack of quality work in the transfer market was one of the factors behind these lacklustre seasons, with Ashley leaving behind a legacy of poor recruits for PIF to come in and clear up. One of those was the addition of Miguel Almiron in 2019.

The Paraguayan joined the Tyneside club from MLS outfit Atlanta United for a reported £21m fee in January 2019, which was a club-record deal at the time.

In 103 matches for the Magpies, he has scored 13 goals and produced five assists, which works out at one goal contribution every 5.7 games for the club. In the Premier League, he has eight goals and three assists in 91 games, averaging out at a goal contribution every 8.27 games. This is a poor return for a player who came in as an attacking midfielder for a club-record fee and it typifies the recruitment that Ashley oversaw in his tenure at Newcastle.

The midfielder also came out in March and publicly stated he would like to play for a team which ‘fights more’. Former Premier League player Carlton Palmer reacted to those comments by claiming that Almiron would create problems in the dressing room, telling Football FanCast:

“If I was Steve Bruce, I would be absolutely annoyed and angry. There’s too much, there’s too much coming out of Newcastle at the moment. I mean, the manager’s had a flare-up with one of the players, which is an everyday occurrence at football clubs up and down the country.

“Whether it’s between player and player or between player and manager, whether it’s a big player and a coach, there’s always a disagreement, but why that gets into the public domain… Him making that comment now is going to create more problems within the dressing room because players are going to turn around and say, ‘well you’re accusing me of not fighting then for the club?’”

This suggests that the 27-year-old is causing problems on and off the pitch with his displays and his comments, which is why he has been a disaster of a signing for the club.

At the time of writing (29/11/21), Transfermarkt value him at £15.75m. This is considerably less than the £21m that Newcastle paid for him and shows that he has gone downhill since arriving in England, rather than impressing and increasing his value by putting in strong performances. Therefore, the Magpies had a bit of a howler with his arrival from the MLS in 2019…

AND in other news, Howe could save NUFC’s season with “beautiful” 27-goal beast, he loves St James’ Park…

Leeds United have been boosted in their attempts to sign Cagliari midfielder Nahitan Nandez, with a January exit potentially on the cards.

The Lowdown: Nandez constantly linked with Leeds

Few players were linked with a move to Leeds in the summer more often than Nandez, who was constantly tipped to head to Elland Road, with Victor Orta even jetting to Sardinia to try and complete a move.

Instead, the 25-year-old ended up staying at Cagliari, for the time being at least, where he has registered two Serie A assists this season.

It appears as though Nandez could still move on in the near future, however, with Leeds receiving a fresh boost this week, in that respect.

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The Latest: January exit could happen

According to CalcioNapoli24 [via Sport Witness], Nandez ‘can leave in January’, with the midfielder on the cusp of winning his 50th cap for Uruguay.

West Ham are mentioned as coming ‘very close’ to signing him in the summer, perhaps suggesting that the Hammers could also make a move in January alongside the Whites.

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The Verdict: Snap him up, Orta

As reports continue to link Kalvin Phillips with a move away from Leeds, it could be that Marcelo Bielsa and Orta have to find a tailor-made replacement for him.

In Nandez, the Whites could have exactly that, with the Uruguayan a force both in and out of possession, as is the case with Phillips.

The Cagliari man is averaging 1.1 key passes per game in the league this season, which is almost double what the Leeds hero has managed (0.6), as well as making the same number of clearances (1.0).

A tenacious midfielder, tough in the tackle and composed on the ball, Orta and co couldn’t ask for a much better Phillips replacement if one is needed.

In other news, Liverpool have again been linked with a move for a Premier League player. Find out who it is here.

Everton could finally replace Idrissa Gana Gueye after being linked with a move for RCD Mallorca midfielder Iddrisu Baba.

What’s the story?

According to Spanish outlet Fichajes, the 25-year-old’s early-season form has caught the eye of Toffees manager Rafa Benitez, and the Premier League outfit are now weighing up an offer ahead of the January transfer window.

The report states that: “After his great start to the season, Iddrisu Baba is rewarded with the interest of Everton FC. Rafa Benítez wants the Ghanaian at Goodison Park.”

It’s believed that Baba has a €45m (£38.2m) release clause inserted in his Mallorca contract, a fee that Everton are apparently ready to meet in order to secure his services.

Rafa Benitez needs him

Baba has been one of the revelations of the season in Spanish football during the opening weeks of the current campaign, featuring 11 times as Luis Garcia’s charges have climbed to 12th in the La Liga table.

The Ghana international has been appreciated from within his club for a number of years, though, with his former boss lauding his tenacity in the centre of the park last term.

“Baba is an important player for us, a hard-worker in as a midfielder who is reliable and able to provide defensive skills,” said ex-Mallorca manager Vicente Moreno back in 2020. “He has grown strongly as a player, and I hope he can help us achieve our goal for the season.”

With Everton currently struggling to cope without the injured Abdoulaye Doucoure, it seems as though Benitez is searching for extra options to bolster his engine room over the winter window.

And in Baba, the Spanish tactician could finally secure the Merseyside outfit’s long-term successor to Gueye, who departed for Paris Saint-Germain back in July 2019.

As per fbref.com, the Mallorca ace has won 3.04 tackles per 90 throughout 2020/21, made 1.57 interceptions and completed 6.76 successful pressures. Whereas Gueye has put up figures of 2.41, 2.07 and 5.86, respectively.

It’s clear the defensive-minded pair are similar in their output, and the qualities that both men bring to the team are what’s desperately missing from Everton’s play at this moment in time.

Jean-Philippe Gbamin was brought to Goodison Park following Gueye’s exit two years ago, but horrendous luck with injuries have prevented him from playing anywhere near his full potential during his time on English shores.

Therefore, Benitez is in desperate need of some extra bite in his midfield, and Baba could be the player to provide it.

And, in other news…Heir to Mina: Everton plot £20m move for 6ft7 “quality footballer”, fans will love him

Sky Sports journalist Gordan Duncan has dropped an exciting update on Rangers’ managerial pursuit of Giovani van Bronckhorst as they look to quickly wrap up a replacement for Steven Gerrard.

What’s the story?

Following Gerrard’s appointment as Aston Villa boss earlier last week, the Gers have had to about turn and look for a new manager less than halfway through their Scottish Premiership campaign.

But, it seems that their pursuit of a new manager is unlikely to become a long-running saga, with Duncan dropping a major update on where things currently stand with Van Bronckhorst.

Speaking on live TV on Thursday morning at 9:14am on Sky Sports’ Good Morning Sports Fans show, he said: “Rangers appear to be closing in on their man. They are close to agreeing that deal in principle. Talks have progressed, and the Rangers hierarchy are pleased with the progress that has been made.

“Van Bronckhorst has been the main name on everybody’s lips for the last week, and it certainly looks like Rangers are closing in on their man.”

Rangers fans will be buzzing

The big fears for Gers fans after losing Gerrard to Villa, would have been a) would they be able to get someone just as good if not better than the man who left, and b) would it turn into a never-ending saga that threatens to completely destabilise their season.

What Ross Wilson and co have seemingly managed to do, is ensure that Rangers can head into the busy festive schedule with a new man in place and quite crucially, well ahead of the January transfer window where they can draw up plans with the new manager over who he wants to sign.

Van Bronckhorst’s previous spell at Ibrox will already leave him in some credit with the Ibrox faithful, and if he is appointed very soon, then he could have the perfect chance to endear himself even more into the supporters’ hearts with a victory over Hibernian in the Scottish League Cup semi-final this coming weekend. With two Dutch Cups to his name already, he seems to have a liking when it comes to domestic knock-out tournaments, meaning he could guide the Gers straight into a final if appointed by the weekend.

Thus, Duncan’s update that Rangers are “closing in” on the Dutchman is sure to have fans buzzing.

Meanwhile, Rangers pulled off a transfer masterclass with this man…

Former Celtic striker Jorge Cadete believes that the Hoops could end up landing loanee Jota in a cut-price transfer, as reported by The Daily Record.

The Lowdown: Jota clause

Ange Postecoglou made three signings on deadline day over the summer, one of which was Jota, who shares the same agency as Cristiano Ronaldo. He arrived from Benfica on a season-long loan with an option to buy, with the fee required to make a move permanent thought to be just over £6m.

The 22-year-old has been a regular in green and white in recent weeks, scoring the winner against Aberdeen prior to the international break.

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The Latest: Cadete’s comments

In a report from The Daily Record, Cadete had his say on whether or not Celtic will make a permanent move for Jota, hinting that the reported fee could well drop over the coming months for the ‘exciting’ winger. The 53-year-old said:

“It’s too early to talk about the value of Jota if Celtic want to buy him. It’s normal for clubs when they loan a young player abroad, they fix the buy clause at a high price.

“Jota has been mentioned at six or seven million Euros.

“But after the season, this figure is normally not the same as it was before. It might well be lower than that by then.

“I’d like Jota to stay at Celtic in the long-term because I think it can be good for both parties. The Celtic supporters have an exciting player so it keeps them happy.”

The Verdict: Looking good so far…

Postecoglou has used Jota on a regular basis over recent weeks, with the majority of his starts coming from the left wing.

The 22-year-old also showed his versatility by playing off the right against Real Betis, and at £6m in today’s market, a permanent deal for that figure could prove to be a snip.

The Hoops have had a habit of making profits on players over the past decade, most notably Moussa Dembele, so maybe Jota could be the next in line to reap Celtic an eye-catching profit in the future if a clause of £6m or less is activated.

In other news: Sky Sports pundit thinks Celtic may land seven-figure fee as transfer news emerges

Many Everton fans want Lewis Dobbin to start in their next game at home to Watford after he scored for the U23’s against Leeds United on Monday night.

As per the official Twitter page of the Goodison Park faithful, the winger bagged an equaliser to make the score against the Whites level at 2-2 with a ‘superb first-time finish’.

That was the first goal that he has scored for the U23’s, as he is certainly making an impression despite being just 18 years of age.

Dobbin had previously scored 14 goals for the U18’s before being promoted, and has already played in two games in the Premier League for the senior side so far this season (Transfermarkt).

With Dominic Calvert-Lewin and Richarlison out injured, and Salomon Rondon not firing, it is no surprise at all to see so many supporters of the Merseyside club calling for the Englishman to be given a start by Rafa Benitez.

Everton fans on Dobbin goal

These Toffees called for Dobbin to start the next match on Twitter after he scored his goal:

“Just play the lad in the first team”

Credit: @cashako

“Start him and/or Simms when we need please”

Credit: @alfieartist11

“Start him Saturday”

Credit: @peter_j_oreilly

“Get him in the first team”

Credit: @Yerman58839952

“@rafabenitezweb you getting this?”Credit: @RhysDavies1878″Start him over Rondon”Credit: @BrandrickGeorgeIn other news, find out what contract news has Blues talking here!

Nottingham Forest defender Joe Worrall has spoken out about his future amid interest from Southampton, stating that he is 100 per cent happy with his current employers [Hampshire Live].

The Lowdown: Worrall profiled

Making waves in the Sky Bet Championship last campaign, the 24-year-old made 33 appearances in all competitions, mustering over four clearances per game.

He was good enough to attract interest throughout the duration of the transfer window, with Southampton, West Ham United and Crystal Palace amongst those rumoured to be keen on his services [Nottingham Post].

Nevertheless, a move never materialised, leading Worrall to speak out about his future in a recent interview.

The Latest: Worrall happy to stay at Forest

The 6 foot 4 Englishman delivered a crushing blow to any future move from the Saints, stating: “I’m at no better place right now, at the age of 24, to be playing week in, week out in the Championship.” [Hampshire Live]

In a disappointing turn of events, it now seems as if the ball-playing defender could be staying at the City Ground for a while yet.

The Verdict: Could have been Vestergaard replacement

Potentially being rocked in their pursuit of the Reds centre-half will come as a bitter blow to the Southampton hierarchy.

Worrall has earned praise in recent years, once being called a ‘leader’ by Forest legend Kenny Burns [Herald Scotland], which implies he could have been the perfect man to bring in as a long-term replacement for Jannik Vestergaard.

Moving forward, the Saints will need to rely on options currently available at their disposal as they bid to climb the table, with Lyanco arriving instead back in late August to buff up the ranks.

In other news, Southampton fans love a goal scored by one of their players on international duty. Find out more here.