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West Ham could land Jesse Lingard for a cut-price fee this January, according to reports…

What’s the word?

Claret and Hugh correspondent Terry Robbins claims Manchester United are prepared to sell the 31-cap England international for just £10m this winter transfer window after he rejected their offers of a new contract extension.

The 28-year-old midfielder will be free to leave the Red Devils in the summer after turning down a deal that would see him earn around £150k-per-week at Old Trafford.

The Irons were quoted a fee in the region of £20m to £30m throughout the summer but the United hierarchy are now worried that Lingard could indeed run down his contract over the next eight months.

West Ham are said to remain keen on the attacking midfielder.

A source told the website:

“Lingard is still holding all the cards but United would now rather get £10m in January than zero in July. It’s hoped an agreement can be found but United believe a number of clubs would be takers at the major discounted price.”

Bargain

Whilst the £19.8m-rated Englishman has been a long-standing target for both manager David Moyes and his assistant Stuart Pearce, new head of recruitment Rob Newman can begin his reign with a bang by launching a move for him this January.

Nikola Vlasic has struggled since returning to England this summer. He still needs plenty of time and he’ll get it at just 23, but the former Everton flop is nowhere near looking like the ideal Lingard replacement.

The United loanee bagged nine goals and provided five assists in just 16 appearances at the London Stadium but back in Manchester, he’s been restricted to only 136 minutes of action, as per Transfermarkt.

“He’s a special lad and was very good around the players,” Pearce revealed to talkSPORT back in August. “His ability shone out last year and gave us a great option in our squad.”

Lingard was not only a favourite in the dressing room but also with the Hammers faithful, so if Newman returned with a bid to try and sign him this January, then you’d imagine that many fans would absolutely love to see him return.

For just £10m, it would be an absolute bargain and it would certainly stop him from signing a pre-contract with any interested teams from abroad, too.

Newman and the Irons’ recruitment team must look to bring Lingard back to east London when the transfer window reopens for business.

AND in other news, West Ham dealt fresh injury blow to key 24-cap star, Moyes will be hugely concerned…

Newcastle United could now replace Steve Bruce with Chris Wilder, according to journalist Lee Ryder.

The Lowdown: Bruce under pressure

Bruce is certainly under pressure to get some results in the board, as the Magpies currently sit 19th in the Premier League, with no wins and a mere three points from their first seven games (Premier League).

That said, Mike Ashley seems to be sticking by his man for now, and the international break could not come at a better time for the Tyneside club.

The Latest: Bruce replacement?

Writing in his latest piece for The Chronicle, Ryder has revealed that Wilder is among a list of names who could replace Bruce should he leave St James’ Park, with both Eddie Howe and Frank Lampard also being mentioned.

Wilder would reportedly ‘love’ to get the Magpies job and would be a contender if the position did become vacant, according to this report.

The Verdict: Wilder in

Given Newcastle’s poor start to the season, and with a lot of fans calling for Bruce to go, the international break seems to present itself with a perfect time to change manager and get prepared for when the squad returns.

In this case, they should look no further than Wilder. Although Sheffield United were relegated in his second top-flight season at Bramall Lane, the 54-year-old guided the Blades to a very impressive ninth-placed finish the previous term, having just been promoted up from the Championship.

Joe Cole has noted the ‘fantastic’ brand of football that Wilder’s teams often play, and given that his preferred formation is to play with three central defenders like Bruce does, the players should not find it too difficult to adapt to his system and tactics.

He is currently out of the job at the moment, so Newcastle should look to get him in before another club beats them to the chase.

In other news, find out what ‘massive boost’ Newcastle have received

West Bromwich Albion manager Valerien Ismael must offer Sam Johnstone a significant pay rise in order to keep the goalkeeper at The Hawthorns.

What’s the talk?

That’s according to a claim made by the Express & Star journalist Luke Hatfield, who stated in a recent interview with GIVEMESPORT that the only way West Brom will be able to convince the England international to put pen to paper on a new deal with the Championship side is to substantially increase his reported £30k-per-week salary.

In the interview, Hatfield said: “The club are in talks with him. It was an unfortunate situation for Sam, dropping out of the Premier League.

“It’s an interesting one for Sam because he could either play out his contract and get a free move in the summer or maybe re-sign with Albion if they go up, or he could commit his future to his club and protect his value and maybe get a little bit of a wage bump.

“That’s the only way I can see him signing a new deal unless he’s very happy at the club. He’s still getting England call-ups as well.”

Ismael must act

Considering just how important a part of the West Brom team Johnstone has been in recent seasons, it would seem highly advisable for Ismael to offer the 28-year-old a new deal with a significant pay rise, as Hatfield suggests.

Indeed, despite the club’s relegation from the Premier League back in 2020/21, the £7.2m-rated ‘keeper nevertheless highly impressed over his 37 league appearances, keeping six clean sheets and making a rather extraordinary average of 4.5 saves per game.

These returns saw the shot-stopper earn a seasonal SofaScore match rating of 7.03, ranking him as West Brom’s second-best performer in the top flight.

And, while the former Manchester United man has not exactly been in the best form of his career over his ten Championship appearances so far this season, he has still managed to keep four clean sheets, save one penalty and average a SofaScore match rating of 6.88.

As such, losing the services of Johnstone in January would undoubtedly come as a major blow to Albion’s hopes of securing an immediate return to the Premier League this season, leading us to believe that Ismael indeed must do everything in his power to tie the 28-year-old down to a new deal in West Bromwich.

In other news: Ismael drops fresh update on “consistent” £4.4k-p/w ace, West Brom fans surely buzzing

A number of Liverpool supporters are delighted after new footage showed Harvey Elliott making good progress in his injury recovery.

The Reds have made an excellent start to the season, still remaining unbeaten in all competitions and sitting second in the Premier League table.

Tuesday’s 3-2 win away to Atletico Madrid in the Champions League was another statement of intent and victory at Manchester United on Sunday would also feel huge.

[freshpress-quiz id=“375258″]

One player who won’t be involved is Elliott, with the 18-year-old absent since a serious injury sustained at Leeds United back in September.

On Thursday, Watch LFC on Twitter posted a video of the midfielder working hard on his recovery, after he shared the footage on Instagram.

[web_stories_embed url=”https://www.footballtransfertavern.com/web-stories/latest-liverpool-transfer-news-8/” title=”Latest Liverpool transfer news!” poster=”” width=”360″ height=”600″ align=”none”]

Liverpool fans react to Elliott video

Needless to say, these Liverpool fans were excited to see the clip emerge, with Elliott hopefully returning sooner rather than later.

“Come back soon Starboy”

Credit: @tarapapa__

“If this boy gets the work rate of Salah and has an injury-free career, he’ll be boss. I like his mentality already.”

Credit: @Yawadumensah

“I cannot wait for him to come back man. Our midfield was so good with him, Fab and Thiago against Leeds”

Credit: @ALI__2318

“Words can’t describe how much I cant wait for him to return”

Credit: @zeeyardtrix

“This young man is an amazing example”

Credit: @mcos72068

“Ah man, this is a blessing. So happy for the lad”

Credit: @agaffar09

In other news, some Liverpool fans are fuming at a piece of news that has emerged. Read more here.

Newcastle parted ways with manager Steve Bruce earlier this month following Saudi Arabian consortium PIF’s official takeover of the club.

Bruce kept the Magpies in the Premier League in both of his full seasons on Tyneside, but that was not enough to save him from the sack after Mike Ashley decided to sell to PIF.

One reason why they may have let him go could have been his use of the funds he was given in the transfer market, with a number of players arriving and failing to make a positive impression – one being Scottish international Ryan Fraser.

The winger had enjoyed some terrific years in the Premier League with Bournemouth. He produced 12 goals and 17 assists between the 2017/18 and 2018/19 top-flight campaigns, with Transfermarkt valuing him at a whopping £27m in the summer of 2019.

Fraser then endured a difficult year as he scored once and provided four assists in 28 league games, before becoming involved in controversy as he refused to play the final nine matches.

Former Crystal Palace owner and current pundit Simon Jordan hit out at the winger after he opted against playing for Bournemouth in Project Restart last year. He said:

“To me, he’s saying to Bournemouth: ‘I could have helped you, but I couldn’t be bothered to do so’. You’d have him with you in the trenches…”

He added:

“I’m not suggesting you should have loyalty beyond the realms of your contract but in exceptional times, which we’re in now, you need exceptional people.

“And if I’m Newcastle, I’m looking at this wretched individual thinking: ‘When it came to adversity you didn’t want to stand up’.”

At the time of the move to St. James’ Park, Transfermarkt valued Fraser at £15.75m. This meant that he was worth £11.25m less than he was the previous summer, showing that Newcastle were signing a player on a downwards spiral after a difficult season with the Cherries.

The downward trend continued as he endured a rough debut season in black and white. He played 22 games in all competitions, scoring once and providing three assists – with his solitary goal coming in the League Cup.

At the time of writing (28/10/21), Transfermarkt value Fraser at £9m. This is down £6.75m from last summer and £18m in two years, with his worrying slide in terms of performances on the pitch causing his value to plummet since 2019.

Whilst Newcastle did not pay a transfer fee for Fraser, they are reportedly paying him £62k-per-week and signed him on a five-year deal in 2020. This means that they could end up paying him as much as £16.38m by the end of his contract, assuming he is not sold to another club before the end of that deal.

That is a huge chunk of change for a player who is regressing in quality and value. It is easy to forget about the hidden cost of a ‘free transfer’ and Fraser’s wages coupled with his performances on the pitch show that Newcastle have had a transfer howler with the forward. The fact he has started this season without a goal or assist in seven games does not help his case either…

AND in other news, Newcastle could unlock Willock by signing £100k-p/w beast who helps others “flourish”…

With Ange Postecoglou’s Celtic side heading into today’s Scottish Premiership clash on the back of a highly impressive midweek victory in the Europa League, the 56-year-old Hoops manager would have undoubtedly been hoping for more of the same from the Bhoys’ trip to Dundee this afternoon.

And he would not be disappointed, as a brace of braces from Kyogo Furuhashi and Jota saw Celtic take all three points from the Kilmac Stadium, despite Danny Mullen and Lee Ashcroft pulling goals back for the home side, with the match ending 4-2.

However, despite the positive overall performance, there will be one player in the Bhoys’ ranks who more than likely want to put the fixture behind him as quickly as possible – Joe Hart.

Lost 100% duels

Having joined Celtic from Tottenham Hotspur in what was a £1.08m deal this summer, the goalkeeper has generally been in decent form for Ange Postecoglou’s side, averaging a SofaScore match rating of 6.91 over his 12 Scottish Premiership appearances.

And, over his 90 minutes on the pitch against Dundee, the 34-year-old was hardly called into action, making a grand total of two saves, one punch and making two high claims.

However, when taking into account that the home side only managed four shots on target in the game, the fact that Hart saved as many shots as he let in does not reflect well on the £15k-per-week shot-stopper, neither does the fact that he lost his one duel in the fixture – a failure rate of 100%.

These metrics saw the £1.8m-rated man earn a SofaScore match rating of just 5.8, the lowest rating received by any Celtic player to feature in the match.

Indeed, The Athletic’s Kieran Devlin stated his belief that “Hart should have been much more authoritative” for Dundee’s second of the game, while Pat Bonner told BBC Sportsound that the former England international will be “disappointed” with his display on Sunday.

As such, while the man who Fabien Barthez claimed is “not aggressive enough” had his blushes spared by Celtic’s attack this afternoon, it is undeniable that Hart failed his manager against Dundee – with Postecoglou undoubtedly hoping that the former Manchester City man will not repeat this display during a game in which the scoreline is much closer.

In other news: Nicholson must finalise Celtic deal for “clinical” £7.1k-p/w gem, he’d be a major coup

Leeds United have sent scouts to watch Nottingham Forest attacker Brennan Johnson in action, according to Football Insider.

The Lowdown: Johnson profiled

The Wales international, has scored 16 goals during his senior career to date, three of which have come during the current campaign.

Capable of playing on either wing, as an attacking midfielder or a centre-forward, Johnson has been a regular for the Reds in the Championship following a successful loan spell with Lincoln City last season.

He was described as a player with ‘real quality’ by Michael Appleton, his manager during his time the Imps, and it now seems as if Victor Orta has his eye on the 20-year-old.

The Latest: Source shares Leeds interest

Football Insider, who were informed by a Leeds source, claimed that the Whites are tracking Johnson as they put together a list of potential January and summer targets.

The report added that the Yorkshire club even sent a scout to watch him live in action against Queens Park Rangers – the first step in a possible transfer for the youngster.

The Verdict: Mixed displays…

Leeds reportedly watched Johnson live towards the end of October in west London, and statistically he had a mixed display that evening.

The youngster played up front with Lewis Grabban, but it was the experienced striker who was replaced on the hour mark, with Johnson playing the entire game. He completed four successful dribbles and had six shots in total, but he also lost the ball on 21 occasions and attempted just 12 passes [SofaScore].

Nonetheless, it seems as though the Whites are keeping a close eye on Johnson, and they would’ve been more impressed following his display on Saturday in a 3-0 win over Preston as he won a penalty and came out on top in eight of his 12 duels [SofaScore].

At the tender age of 20, a certain level of inconsistency may be expected, but the Leeds target does seem to be showing some good signs in recent games and has a decent goal tally at this early point of his career.

In other news: £40k-p/w Leeds colossus who Bielsa called ‘important’ now wants out of Elland Road for good

Rumoured Wolves transfer target Aaron Ramsey is still likely to leave Juventus in the January transfer window, according to journalist Fabrizio Romano.

The Lowdown: Ramsey linked with Wolves move

The 30-year-old was linked with a move to Molineux last month, having ended up staying put in Italy after the summer transfer window.

Ramsey is not considered a key player for Juve after only making one Serie A start so far this season, appearing for just 97 minutes of action overall.

It seems likely that the 69-cap Wales international’s future lies away from the Italian giants, with a return to the Premier League potentially on the cards.

The Latest: Romano gives fresh update

Taking to Twitter on Tuesday, Romano gave a fresh update regarding Ramsey’s future, admitting that Juve are still aiming to offload him in January:

“Juventus are still planning to find a solution to sell Aaron Ramsey in January. He’s out of the plans and looking for a potential new challenge.”

The midfielder’s current deal in Turin expires in the summer of 2023, at which point he could leave on a free transfer.

The Verdict: Still has plenty of quality

At 30, and with numerous injury problems in the past, Ramsey may be more of a short-term fix at Wolves rather than a long-term solution.

That being said, his pedigree speaks for itself, with 18 goals scored at international level, including two in European Championships, as well as 65 goals and 65 assists for Arsenal. He has also been hailed as ‘world-class’ by Wales team-mate Joe Allen.

Ramsey could offer Wolves’ midfield more of the kind of goal threat which can be lacking from the likes of Joao Moutinho and Ruben Neves, giving Bruno Lage another exciting option in the middle of the park.

In other news, one Wolves player has been linked with a move to a European club. Find out who it is here.

Everton manager Rafa Benitez needs to turn things around quickly at Goodison Park to avoid being sacked, according to Daily Star journalist Paul Brown.

What’s the story?

The Toffees got off to a sensational start under the 61-year-old’s tutelage, losing just one of their opening seven Premier League games to move into a European qualification spot.

However, significant injuries to key players sparked a dramatic drop-off in results and performances in recent weeks, with Benitez’s charges picking up just a single point from a possible 12 over the last month.

And Brown believes the Spanish tactician will have until the festive period to mastermind an upturn in fortunes before he gets relieved of his duties by the Everton hierarchy.

He told GIVEMESPORT: “Unless Benitez turns it around quickly in the next couple of games, by Christmas, if they are at the wrong end of the table fighting and struggling, I don’t think the owner can allow it to go on for very long because it’s too big a season financially for them to be struggling.”

Everton fans may be worried

Although Benitez wasn’t a universally popular appointment amongst the Everton fanbase due to his previous connections with fierce rivals Liverpool, a large section of the club’s supporters may be worried about his potential departure if Farhad Moshiri takes the ruthless decision to axe yet another head coach.

Throughout his career, the experienced boss has showcased his ability to claim the sports most coveted prizes, claiming one Champions League crown, two La Liga titles, one FA Cup, one Italian Cup, one UEFA Cup, one Europa League, the FIFA Club World Cup and the UEFA Super Cup.

Benitez’s success at Valencia, Liverpool and Napoli, in particular, have cultivated an enviable reputation and given time, he could achieve similar things at Goodison Park.

His fast start illustrated what could be to come throughout his reign, and with the lack of stability that Everton have experienced in the dugout in recent years, Benitez is likely to have a lot of supporters hoping he turns things around soon. Moshiri deciding to sack him after such a long managerial saga only a few months ago would surely only cause more worry at Goodison.

And, in other news…Brands could find Rafa’s next Pablo Aimar at Everton in “very clever” £22.5m-rated ace

Many West Brom fans have been slamming the performance of Grady Diangana in their 0-0 draw at home to Nottingham Forest on Friday night.

It was yet another frustrating game for Valerien Ismael and Albion after their 0-0 draw at Blackpool, as it seems that while the defence have remained solid, they are really struggling to score goals up top.

Diangana is one culprit of that, missing his one chance on goal last night. Indeed, he offered very little threat going forward in general, recording no successful dribbles, key passes or crosses in the match (SofaScore).

He also lost out on three of his duels, and lost possession of the ball on 10 separate occasions, as the former West Ham United man found himself hauled off for Matt Phillips on the hour mark (SofaScore).

West Brom fans slam Diangana

These West Brom fans slammed Diangana’s performance on Twitter, with one Albion supporter going as far as to claim that he was a ‘joke’ against Forest:

“Diangana is a joke…”

Credit: @TaffieBaggie

“Diangana, Furlong & Grant are awful”

Credit: @NeilWoody71

“This is so poor. Where have Mowatt, Diangana, Robinson, Grant gone? It’s weaker than a kitten’s fart this.”

Credit: @BombersBoots

“Diangana is dreadful tonight”

Credit: @albi0naces

“Is Diangana playing football or auditioning for the new series of Dancing on Ice?”

Credit: @cohenstokes

“Firstly get rid of Diangana.”

Credit: @RockyRa57819637

In other news, find out whose display against Blackpool was slammed by some Albion fans