Palmer: Jesse Lingard return to West Ham may happen - exclusive

Former Premier League star Carlton Palmer could potentially see Jesse Lingard re-joining West Ham on loan this summer.

Lingard enjoyed a fine loan spell at the London Stadium in the second half of last season, scoring nine goals and providing five assists in 19 appearances for the Hammers.

The England international wasn’t getting much game time at Manchester United prior to his move to West Ham, but since his loan expired and he has returned to Old Trafford, United boss Ole Gunnar Solskjaer has confirmed Lingard is in the club’s plans for next season.

Featuring in Uniteds pre-season victory over Derby County, Carlton Palmer thinks it will come down to the amount of game time Lingard gets early in the season, as to whether he stays at Old Trafford.

“Maybe a month into the season if he’s not featuring in any games, then maybe it’s a loan move again,” Palmer told TT. “Obviously Lingard knows David Moyes, he’s had a great time at West Ham, so if he’s not playing, I think it will be a no-brainer that he will go back to West Ham on loan.”

West Ham may have some competition on their hands if they do decide to go back in for Lingard, as The Sun reported this week that Everton were interested in taking him to Goodison Park.

Everton: Noel Whelan tips Toffees to move for Harry Winks

Noel Whelan has suggested that Everton could be a potential destination for Tottenham Hotspur midfielder Harry Winks. 

The lowdown

Football Insider reported last week that Winks is in talks with an unnamed Premier League club after new manager Nuno Espirito Santo approved his sale.

Winks was limited to just nine league starts for Spurs last season, making a further six substitute appearances.

He averaged 1.1 tackles, 45.4 passes and 1.7 accurate long balls per 90 minutes (via WhoScored).

The 25-year-old still has three years left on his deal in North London and is valued at £18million by Transfermarkt.

Everton may look to replace Andre Gomes if he leaves Goodison Park this summer. According to The Athletic, Rafael Benitez is considering whether the Portuguese will be part of his plans.

The latest

Whelan says Winks’ attributes make him a valuable asset to any club, and thinks it’s feasible that Everton are the mystery club in talks with the Englishman.

“I think everybody needs a player like that,” the former Leeds United forward told Football Insider.

“You can look at Everton, they’ll have the money for a player like that, somebody with that sort of experience. I think most clubs will be fancying him.”

The verdict

Winks would be a reasonable replacement were Gomes to leave, but it’s hard to say with any confidence that he’d improve at Everton.

And if Rafael Benitez was to play a 4-2-3-1 formation, perhaps Allan and Abdoulaye Doucoure would be his preferred midfield options. Winks could simply be trading one squad role for another.

There are question marks, then, over whether this deal would truly be beneficial for either party.

In other news, fans fumed over this transfer update.

Pundit says Coleman remains Everton’s first-choice right-back

Former Everton striker Marcus Bent has exclusively told Football FanCast that he believes Seamus Coleman is still first-choice right-back heading into the new season.

Coleman has been the club’s number one right-back since breaking into the first-team squad more than a decade ago.

Despite turning 33 in October, the Republic of Ireland international has shown little signs of letting up in recent years and featured regularly once again in 2020-2021 despite being put under pressure from both Mason Holgate and Ben Godfrey.

However, Everton have been linked with several right-backs as they look to sign a long-term successor for when Coleman eventually calls time on his playing career.

Euro 2020-star Denzel Dumfries has been strongly touted with a move to Goodison Park, whilst Max Aarons has been on Everton’s radar for some time.

Heading into the new season, though, Bent reckons that the right-back shirt will be Coleman’s to lose.

He told Football FanCast:

“He’s the captain, he’s part of Everton’s DNA, so I don’t think they’re going to replace him just yet. Bringing in someone that is going to replace him, do they want to be second best?

“At the minute, it’s about bringing in someone they can coach and bring on board for when Coleman hands his boots up.”

Martinez could be tempted by Tottenham move

Despite the statement of his agent, FcInterNews (via Sport Witness) believe Tottenham Hotspur target Lautaro Martinez could be tempted by a move to north London due to a salary disparity at Inter Milan.

The Lowdown: Spurs in Martinez talks…

The Times first broke news of Tottenham reaching an agreement on price with the Serie A giants over Martinez, a fee which could reach ‘more than £60 million’.

Alasdair Gold backed this news on his Twitter account, and while this excited many supporters, the situation was sharply turned on it’s head due to Romelu Lukaku leaving for Chelsea.

Fabrizio Romano claimed that while Tottenham had opened talks with Inter, the Belgian returning to Stamford Bridge shifted the Nerazzurri’s stance and they now want to keep him (Twitter).

As well as this, the player’s agent recently came out to say his client ‘will not leave’ as Martinez opens the door for contract renewal talks.

The Latest: Martinez could be tempted by Tottenham…

In another Martinez twist, despite his agent’s statement, FcInterNews (via Sport Witness) now believe that the Argentine international could still be tempted by Tottenham due to a salary disparity.

[web_stories_embed url=”https://www.footballtransfertavern.com/web-stories/tottenham-latest-gossip/” title=”Tottenham latest gossip!” poster=”” width=”360″ height=”600″ align=”none”]

Indeed, both Spurs and Atletico Madrid remain as considerable options according to this report.

This is despite Inter executives Giuseppe Marotta and Piero Ausilio being willing to double the 23-year-old’s current salary, with FcInterNews claiming it ‘won’t be enough’.

It is said that the San Siro side must put further effort into agreeing a new deal with Martinez as they aim to fend off Spurs and Atletico once and for all.

The Verdict: Spurs handed hope?

Landing the 28-cap star would certainly be huge coup for Spurs and they may have just been handed a degree of hope by this update.

Scoring 19 goals and bagging 11 assists in all competitions last season, it’s little wonder Inter are desperate to keep hold of their man as both Tottenham and Atletico hover.

Lukaku hailed his teammate as a ‘beast’ last year for his exploits in Italy (Instagram Live via The Daily Mail) and we believe he could be the perfect striking partner for Harry Kane, provided the latter man doesn’t leave for Man City.

In other news: Agreement reached: Tottenham confirm another N17 exit in social media announcement, find out more here.

Wolves could find next Pedri in Moleiro

Wolves’ plan this summer was to strengthen their first-team ranks, rather than improving the squad in the academy.

Nuno Santo revealed there was a need to plan better before his departure from Molineux but this ongoing window will tell you they probably needed to do that to a greater level.

What’s the word?

It’s no secret that the Old Gold lack funding this summer but by their standards, this has been a mediocre period on the recruitment front.

They are still signing players to bolster their youth ranks and heading into the final weeks of the open market, there is no change there.

According to a report from La Provincias in Spain (via Sport Witness), Wolves are interested in signing Las Palmas midfielder Alberto Moleiro.

This comes after the Spanish side took on the Molineux outfit in a pre-season friendly match a few weeks ago that Moleiro took part in.

A price tag isn’t mentioned for the 17-year-old but it could be sizeable fee judging how Pedri left the same club behind for a fee that may rise to €25m (£21m).

A new Pedri

Moleiro played a vital hand when Wolves took on Las Palmas towards the end of last month.

He started on the right wing in that clash but he is traditionally an attacking midfielder by trade.

Although it’s difficult to place his potential on a scale of 1-10, he has already been mentioned in the same breath as Pedri on many occasions.

He swapped Las Palmas for Barca last summer and is now one of the most impressive young players in world football.

The 18-year-old featured on 52 occasions for the Spanish giants last term, before going on to play for Spain at Euro 2020 and then at the Olympics, claiming a silver medal.

The midfielder has played an obscene amount of football for a player of his age but by featuring at such a high level over a consistent period of time, it proves that Las Palmas have a flourishing academy.

Though, since his departure, it’s Moleiro who has become the ‘jewel’ in their youth ranks.

Whether he stays in Spain or heads for Wolves, the youngster is set for an incredibly bright future.

Speaking about his game earlier this year, a member of the Las Palmas youth network said: “He could be the most outstanding player in our youth squad today.”

It might frustrate supporters to see their club linked with another young player but it’s Moleiro’s potential is immense. Bruno Lage and Fosun would be signing a diamond here.

AND in other news, “I understand” – Liam Keen issues Wolves transfer update that should leave fans aghast…

Wolves transfer update on Guedes

Many Wolves fans have been left fuming over a transfer update on Goncalo Guedes.

Speaking to El Chiringuito TV, football journalist Alex Silvestre has claimed that the Midlands club could offer a fee in the region of €25m (£21.4m) to Valencia to try and sign the Portugal international, but the La Liga team would ask for more.

It is a lot of money that the Molineux faithful would be spending on a position that they do not really need, given that they already have four wingers in the squad in Pedro Neto, Adama Traore, Daniel Podence and Francisco Trincao (Transfermarkt).

With fewer than two weeks left until the window closes, other areas of Bruno Lage’s squad should be prioritised first of all, before they decide to splash the cash on Guedes.

Wolves fans on Guedes transfer update

These WWFC supporters fumed as the transfer update on Guedes was shared by Talking Wolves on their Twitter page:

“HOW MUCH?”

Credit: @AutismLWHF

“Undersell???? Also funny how sell to buy Wolves manage to stump up £25m when there’s a Mendes client available”

Credit: @_tomwwfc

“I despise Jorge Mendes”

Credit: @chwwfc

“WHAT IS THE POINT?”

Credit: @wwfcnaasif

“A lot of money for someone who ain’t very good. The over reliance on Mendes continues”

Credit: @AlexTudor12

“If we choose to spend this on him but not on a defender we are a joke”

Credit: @Millenwwfc

In other news, find out what transfer update has Wanderers buzzing here!

Wolves’ predicted XI to face Spurs

Bruno Lage admitted this week that it will be hard for the Wolves supporters to ignore Nuno Santo on Sunday afternoon.

The Old Gold welcome Tottenham to Molineux and the Lilywhites will bring their triumphant manager back to the Midlands for the first time.

It will be a weird atmosphere and a strange day for Nuno who surrendered blood, sweat and tears to the Wolves cause.

He took them from a middling Championship team to a Premier League outfit competing to be in European football.

A rift occurred over the club’s transfer policies and he has now departed, yet, Lage will be keen to ensure that the story ends well for Wolves when the two managers face off.

This is a difficult start to the season for them but there will be no bigger incentive than getting one over their old boss. So, with that in mind, who should start on Sunday? Here’s our predicted XI…

We’re tipping Lage to make three changes to the side that lost to Leicester last weekend.

Lage’s men didn’t lack attacking intent against the Foxes as Adama Traore spurned a wonderful opportunity to score.

They were also bolstered by the returning Raul Jimenez and their summer signing from Barcelona; Trincao.

Although they didn’t click 100% at the King Power, we predict that the dangerous trio will all start together on Sunday afternoon.

There are changes in the backline, however, where Nelson Semedo replaces Ki-Jana Hoever.

Lage could do with more experience for a clash of this magnitude and although Tim Spiers dubbed the Portuguese a “liability” last term, the £84k-per-week wing-back could offer plenty against a team like Spurs.

There is another alteration on the opposite side where Marcal drops out in favour of Rayan Ait-Nouri.

The 20-year-old signed on a permanent deal this summer after catching the eye towards the back end of the 2020/21 campaign.

A final change falls at centre-back where the shoddy Romain Saiss is given the boot with Leander Dendoncker preferred alongside Conor Coady and Max Kilman.

The latter will be someone with a point to prove considering Nuno was keen to axe him from his plans if he was still in charge this summer.

This should be a match full of emotion but this side gives Wolves the best chance of prevailing.

AND in other news, Wolves make enquiry to sign “fearless” 6ft5 colossus, he’s a big upgrade on Saiss…

Fulham interested in Phil Jones

Fulham are interested in a deal to bring Phil Jones to Craven Cottage this summer.

What’s the talk?

That’s according to a report by 90min, who claim that Marco Silva’s side are one of a number of Championship clubs interested in the Manchester United centre-back, who is also believed to be wanted by Premier League outfits Newcastle United and Watford.

The report goes on to claim that the most likely scenario would be a loan move, with Ole Gunnar Solskjaer’s side willing to pay a significant chunk of the 29-year-old’s £110k-per-week wages to help get a deal over the line.

Big mistake

While it is undeniable that Jones was once a player who boasted an incredible amount of potential, with Sir Alex Ferguson claiming back in 2013 that the defender could go on to become United’s “best ever player,” this is something that, in reality, is far from the case.

Indeed, the £4.5m-rated man has not played a competitive game for Manchester United in 19 months, with his most recent appearance coming in the club’s 6-0 win over Tranmere Rovers in the Carabao Cup back in January 2020.

Furthermore, in his two Premier League appearances that same season, the player Rio Ferdinand recently dubbed a “waste of time” failed to impress whatsoever, making an average of one interception, one tackle and losing possession of the ball 9.5 times per fixture.

These returns saw the 29-year-old earn a disappointing average SofaScore match rating of 6.75, something that, considering his two appearances came against Sheffield United and Burnley, perfectly demonstrates how far the centre-back has fallen.

As such, it could easily be argued that a move by Silva for the England international this summer would be the Portuguese manager’s biggest transfer mistake of his Fulham career to date, as the centre-back looks unlikely to be an upgrade on any of the club’s current options in the position, while he would also likely cost a substantial amount of money in wages.

In other news: Peter Rutzler drops major Fulham development which will leave fans absolutely buzzing

Joe Wainman questions Rodrigo’s suitability to Leeds’ system

JustJoe Football Show host and Leeds United supporter Joe Wainman does not think Rodrigo fits into Marcelo Bielsa’s system.

After some initial struggles in the Premier League last term following his move from Valencia, Rodrigo started to show his quality towards the end of the campaign, bagging four goals in Leeds’ final five fixtures.

However, it has been another lacklustre start to a season, with the £57,000-a-week striker yet to make much of an impact in either the Premier League or Carabao Cup.

He was hooked off just before the 70-minute mark in a 3-0 win against Crewe Alexandra in the latter competition, a display Wainman has been highly critical of.

“On reflection, when you see him play in the system, it doesn’t really work,” Wainman told FFC. “He was given a chance against Crewe; he was hooked off. [Patrick] Bamford came on, got two assists, was unbelievable. 

“He’s got a lot to do. He was our transfer record, you know, it’s a lot of money for us.”

As he showed at the end of last season, the quality is certainly there with Rodrigo. It is just about trying to get the best out of him and getting him to fit into the system. Will Bielsa be able to do that as the campaign goes on? It will certainly be interesting to see.

Celtic: Hoops linked with Harrison Ashby

Celtic could sign West Ham defender Harrison Ashby on deadline day, according to insider ExWHUemployee, cited by Hammers News. 

The Lowdown: Ashby profiled

Ashby is 19 years of age and can play as a right-back, centre-back or as a right-midfielder.

He’s made two senior appearances for West Ham and is a Scotland Under-21 international.

He’s been described as a ‘giant’ by Sam Delaney and is represented by Wasserman – the same agency as Leigh Griffiths.

The Latest: Chance of Celtic move

ExWHUemployee, cited by Hammers News, claim that the teenager has the option to sign for the Hoops on deadline day.

Hammers News, towards the end of their story, say a loan to Celtic Park would be ideal, presumably meaning Dominic McKay could strike a temporary deal with the Hammers in the final hours.

The Verdict: A shrewd move?

Celtic have already bolstered their right-back ranks this summer with the arrival of Josip Juranovic, however, bringing in the highly-rated Ashby could still be a smart move.

Ashby could cover at centre-back and possibly further forward if required, while also challenging Anthony Ralston and Juranovic for a right-back spot.

However, if a loan move is being discussed, the Hammers may want regular game time for Ashby straight away, something the Hoops may not be able to guarantee.

It seems as if there is a chance a move could be on the cards, though, so it could be on to keep an eye on before tonight’s deadline.

In other news: Celtic face competition for another attacking target. 

Game
Register
Service
Bonus