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Wolves are set to face Roy Hodgson’s Crystal Palace tonight, and Mark Lawrenson fancies their chances of victory at Molineux.

Mark Lawrenson tips Wolves to continue strong run

Nuno Espirito Santo’s side are currently unbeaten in their last three Premier League games after victories over both Fulham and Leeds United, which was followed by a draw against Newcastle United (Fotmob).

After two defeats to Manchester City and West Ham United last month, the West Midlands outfit have the chance to move themselves up the standings following their slow start.

Speaking to BBC Sport, Lawrenson believes that Wolves have a great chance of carrying on their good run and described the club in such a way that will please the Molineux faithful.

While giving some credit to the Eagles, the ex-Liverpool defender said: “I still fancy Nuno Espirito Santo’s side here, though. Palace are a good hard-working team, but Wolves are not just a good side, they are a classy one.” Lawrenson went on to predict that the home side will run out 2-0 winners.

Wolves went into the season on the back of two successive seventh-placed finishes in England’s top flight and will be looking to improve on that by potentially breaking into the top six.

Huge opportunity

Every game is a big chance for the team to progress, but getting a result in games like this will inject confidence through the dressing room. Wolves are only three points behind league leaders Everton and could go level on points with the Merseysiders with a win tonight.

With Palace also unbeaten in two games and with Wilfried Zaha having already scored five goals this season (Fotmob), though, the Eagles should certainly pose a threat. That being said, the psychological factor of moving level on points at the top of the league, along with their own good form, may be enough of an incentive for Wolves to get the job done.

In other news, Wolves midfielder admits Molineux move was ‘difficult’ and was ‘hurt for a long time’.

Premier League side West Ham United are showing interest in former Sunderland striker Josh Maja, according to Daily Mail.

After spending time through his childhood with the likes of Fulham, Crystal Palace and Manchester City, centre-forward Maja would make an impression at the Stadium of Light which would lead to his first team debut in September 2016.

After a good first full season with the Black Cats, the young Nigerian left in January 2019 for a move to French top-tier side Bordeaux but his time in Ligue 1 now seems to be coming to an end.

Six goals and two assists during the 2019/2020 season has seen his reputation remain intact and Scottish Premiership side Rangers have also been credited with interest in the last couple of days.

Now reported to have joined Steven Gerrard’s side with interest in Maja are Premier League club West Ham, who remained in England’s top flight after season of battling against relegation.

The Hammers are expected to be an enticing proposition for the striker due to David Moyes being the London stadium club’s boss, the man who handed Maja his debut at the Stadium of Light.

The report goes on to add that along with Maja and QPR’s Eberechi Eze, Moyes is also interested in Wolves midfielder Morgan Gibbs-White.

Where would Maja be best suited? Of course the lure of the Premier League is one thing but the youngster could enjoy a fruitful spell with Rangers and the challenge of going for a Scottish Premiership title next term could be exciting.

He would also potentially be more likely to get minutes at Ibrox, especially if Alfredo Morelos is sold as is expected.

For Sunderland fans, they must look on and wonder what might have been had they managed to hold on to the striker.

Who would Maja be better off joining? West Ham or Rangers? Let us know in the comments section below…

Having seen Tottenham struggle when Harry Kane was out injured last season, it’s no surprise to see Jose Mourinho being keen on bringing in some attacking reinforcements this summer.

The Lilywhites won just three out of the eight Premier League games that their talisman missed due to a thigh muscle rupture, including defeats to the likes of Liverpool, Chelsea and Wolves.

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Now, Football Insider claim that Spurs are closing in on the signing of a new striker and that the north London side have made multiple enquiries in recent weeks.

The report adds that “tentative talks have been held with Napoli front man Arkadiusz Milik”, with the Poland international enjoying an impressive 2019/2020 campaign in Italy.

The 26-year-old struck 11 goals in just 26 Serie A matches, as well as adding a further three in the Champions League. Milik’s quality is something Spurs could desperately do with as they seek some back-up for Kane, with Italian journalist Bruno Longhi waxing lyrical about him.

He said: “I really like Milik. He does wonderful things with the ball, even acrobatics and he is a great striker.” Having featured prominently for both Ajax and Napoli, the Polish star has got the kind of pedigree that Mourinho would surely love, and it’s why reports of early negotiations for his signing are very promising.

Sunderland target Josh Hawkes has rejected a new contract offer from Hartlepool United, according to Hartlepool Mail.

Wholesome changes are expected to be made this summer at the Stadium of Light after Phil Parkinson’s side failed to gain promotion to the Championship.

A second successive failure to get themselves out of the English third-tier will now put added pressure on the shoulders of Parkinson, who guided his side to an eighth-placed finish in the League One standings.

With a number of first team regulars set to leave the club on a free transfer, reports have emerged linking Hawkes with a move to the Wearside club.

Hawkes, who impressed for Hartlepool over the course of the 2019/2020 season, is also being courted by a number of Premier League sides such as Burnley and Sheffield United, whilst Middlesbrough, Huddersfield Town, Hull City and Barnsley are also said to be keen.

The 21-year-old will have a tough choice to make come July 1 after he rejected fresh terms with Hartlepool, as reported by the Hartlepool Mail.

Portuguese club Braga have also been labelled with interest in Hawkes, who has netted 13 goals in 63 games for Pool.

It seems like a no brainer for Sunderland to make a move for Hawkes, especially given the list of interested teams in his services.

A free transfer would be ideal for Black Cats’ boss Parkinson, who could then go on to spend cash elsewhere. However, they may find it difficult to clinch a deal if a club from one of the two higher divisions in England make a move.

Do you think Hawkes would be a good free transfer for Sunderland to make? Let us know in the comments section below…

Tottenham Hotspur have struggled to find a suitable replacement for Kieran Trippier ever since he left for Atletico Madrid.

Jose Mourinho is short of options at right-back ahead of a busy schedule as the Premier League heads into the crunch stage of the competition.

Serge Aurier fills that position at present, but his conduct has been scrutinised by the club after making a string of high-profile blunders.

Mourinho is now trying to find a replacement because Spurs have had enough of Aurier’s antics off the pitch.

According to The Athletic, as per @Daily_Hotspur, Tottenham are willing to listen to offers for Aurier and want to replace him with Max Aarons.

The Lilywhites have been linked to some of the best players in the world, but none are arguably as exciting as Norwich City’s hottest prospect.

Aarons, who has been praised by Darren Bent in the past, has been one of the few bright sparks in an otherwise abysmal season for the Canaries.

Newly-promoted Norwich have found their return to the Premier League to be a real struggle and are surely destined to drop to the Championship.

Earlier this week, talkSPORT revealed Aarons will most likely not be with them if they do go down, which has given Mourinho a major boost.

Aurier has angered the club’s hierarchy after he repeatedly broke the government guidelines during the nationwide lockdown.

As a results, Spurs are ready to get rid of the £14m-valued ace and replace him with the Norwich City star instead.

Although Aurier has earned a higher WhoScored rating than the 20-year-old this season, Aarons has actually made more blocks per game and drawn more fouls.

Given his young age, Aarons is still at the early stages of his career, and he could become a valuable asset in the future, as his market value will no doubt continue to increase over time if he can maintain his impressive form.

Tottenham fans, should the board sign Max Aarons in the summer? Let us know down below!

According to Foot Mercato, Newcastle are interested in a potential summer swoop for Real Betis ace Nabil Fekir.

What’s the word?

Despite the footballing season being postponed, Newcastle may have something very big to shout about if things go as planned – the club’s reported takeover appears to be inching ever closer.

And with that, a summer of big-money signings could be on the cards, and they are already being linked with some high-profile names.

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French publication Foot Mercato have suggested that the Tyneside club “plan to turn” to Fekir, and is “one of the priority targets to strengthen the Magpies’ line of attack.

Shades of Ben Arfa

French, left-footed, and someone who shone in Ligue 1. Remind Newcastle fans of anyone?

Hatem Ben Arfa of course enjoyed a rollercoaster ride in his time at St James’ Park, coming up with some truly magical moments – even if his consistency deserted at times.

There were plenty of times where he dragged the Magpies to some big wins, including being the architect of some wonderful solo goals. He was a true maverick, who when unleashed, really exploded for the Tyneside club – the 2011/2012 campaign saw him net five Premier League goals and assists, as well as averaging two dribbles per game too.

And Fekir is in a similar mold of being able to produce moments of magic with his left foot too. At Real Betis this season, he has managed seven goals and three assists in La Liga, averaging 3.3 shots, 1.1 key passes and 3.3 dribbles per game too.

The £28.8m-rated Frenchman is a major offensive threat, and his ability to beat players in one on one situations with his dribbling skills means he is exactly the type of player who can add a sprinkle of stardust like Ben Arfa did.

Meanwhile, Newcastle are interested in this Serie A powerhouse.

Having sold Romelu Lukaku last summer to Serie A giants Inter, Manchester United started the Premier League campaign with just Anthony Martial, Marcus Rashford and Mason Greenwood as their recongised centre-forward options.

The January transfer window saw them try to address that, but in the end, could only manage to bring in Odion Ighalo on a loan deal from Chinese Super League side Shanghai Shenhua on deadline day.

Whilst the Nigerian international enjoyed a fine start to life at Old Trafford with four goals in eight games, his long-term future remains up in the air. And now, it appears Ole Gunnar Solskjaer’s side have moved on from the former Watford man.

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According to Todofichajes, United have reached an agreement worth around €70m (£62m) to sign Lyon striker Moussa Dembele this summer, and after hearing about the major update, United fans took to Twitter to voice their thoughts on the news.

One United fan however insisted that Ed Woodward is “smarter” than to shell out big-money on signing Dembele.

With 22 goals in just 42 games across all competitions this season for Lyon, Dembele has certainly shown himself to be a fine finisher at European level.

If Ighalo does indeed return to Shanghai, then a new striker will surely have to be on the agenda at Old Trafford, and a move for Dembele certainly makes a lot of sense given that he is still only 23 and has played for two big sides in Celtic and Lyon.

In this instalment of our TT Roundup, Football Transfer Tavern have gathered three of the biggest stories to have involved Wolves recently and have provided our thoughts on the reports published.

Wolves target Dani Olmo speaks about his future

In an interview with Spanish publication Sport, the 21-year-old Barcelona academy graduate replied “I hope I can come back” when asked about a possible return to La Liga, although he also stated: “I don’t close the door on any club.”

Verdict

Sport have claimed that Barcelona may be tempted to bring Olmo back to Camp Nou, which could leave Wolves needing to use all their powers of persuasion to try and bring him to Molineux.

He netted on his senior debut for Spain last Friday and scored against Shakhtar Donetsk in the Champions League last month, with a return of six goals from 17 club games this season.

With Wolves not having an abundance of goals from midfield (Ruben Neves is their most prolific in that position so far this term with three), Olmo could be worth another try for Wolves in the January transfer window.

Patrick Cutrone’s agent refutes rumours of possible Wolves exit

Patrick Cutrone’s agent Donato Orgnoni has poured cold water on reports that the striker wants to leave Wolves and return to his native Italy.

Italian outlet Primo Canale reported on Monday [via Sport Witness] that the 21-year-old is seeking a return to Serie A, with Sampdoria considering a loan-to-buy offer in January.

However, Orgnoni subsequently told SampNews24 [via Sport Witness] that his client has not thought about leaving Wolves and is fully committed to the club.

Verdict

Cutrone hasn’t quite hit the ground running at Wolves since joining from AC Milan in July, with just two goals in 19 appearances so far for Nuno Espirito Santo’s team.

Having made just three Premier League starts and remaining in the shadow of Raul Jimenez, who has followed up his 17 goals last season with 13 already this term, the Italian might have been hoping to make more of an impact at Molineux in his first few months at the club.

However, at 21 he has ample time to improve and does not deserve to be written off at Wolves yet, considering his tender years and that this is his first move outside of his homeland.

Wolves maintaining their interest in Danny Loader

Wolves are continuing to keep tabs on Reading forward Danny Loader, having come close to signing the 19-year-old during the summer.

On transfer deadline day in August, the teenager had a medical at Molineux and agreed terms with Wolves, only for the Royals to pull the plug on the deal at the last minute, as tweeted by Sky Sports reporter Anton Toloui.

That hasn’t deterred the Black Country club from renewing their interest in the player, though, with Birmingham Live claiming on Tuesday that Wolves are keeping tabs on him.

Verdict

Loader has yet to firmly establish himself in Reading’s first team, making just six senior appearances (four as a substitute) this season without scoring, as per TransferMarkt.

However, that hasn’t stopped Wolves from being joined in the race for his signature by Manchester United, according to Sky Sports News.

With Raul Jimenez scoring freely and a host of forward options either at the club currently (Diogo Jota, Patrick Cutrone, Pedro Neto) or out on loan (Rafa Mir, Leo Bonatini, Bright Enobakhare, Renat Dadashov), there seems no great need for Wolves to go all-in on an unproven striker who hasn’t yet nailed down a place at the team placed 19th in the Championship.

Wolves fans, what do you make of these stories concerning your club? Share your views in the comments section below!

It’s fair to say that after joining Tottenham for £11.8m back when Andre Villas-Boas was in charge, Hugo Lloris has represented great value for money.

The Frenchman has now played an impressive 316 times for the Lilywhites, but the past couple of seasons have seen him make more and more erratic mistakes – this campaign saw him drop that absolutely awful clanger away at Brighton when he managed to injure himself at the same time too.

If there was a time to bring an end to Lloris’ career, then this summer is when Spurs should be ruthless with the Frenchman.

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And as such, the north London side will have to be on the look-out for a new number one, and according to Spanish publication Sport (via Sport Witness), Spurs are “very interested” in Ajax goalkeeper Andre Onana, with Barcelona also keeping tabs.

The report further claims that Onana’s side are aware of his intentions of leaving the club, and that Ajax have set a valuation of €40m (£35m) on his head, although they are open to negotiation.

At just 24, Onana is still incredibly young in respect to goalkeeping terms, and just like Lloris did when he first joined, can really grow into being Spurs’ number one.

The Cameroon international has picked up considerable experience by playing for a side like Ajax, and of course was a part of the team that made it all the way to the Champions League semi-finals last season, only of course to be knocked out by Tottenham.

Spurs need someone who can handle the pressure of playing for a team that is trying to compete both domestically and abroad, and Onana’s time at Ajax makes him the perfect heir to Lloris’ throne in north London.

The fact Barcelona are also looking at him speaks volumes of how highly-rated the goalkeeper is, and it’s why Daniel Levy shouldn’t hesitate to spend big on trying to sign him. If he does, then the Catalan giants will no doubt snap him up and Spurs could live to regret that they missed out on him.

Meanwhile, Spurs fans are reminiscing over this former powerhouse.

Everton fans are positive after the club were drawn against Leicester City in the quarter-finals of the Carabao Cup.

The Toffees secured their place in the pot with a comfortable 2-0 win over Watford this week, thanks to goals from Mason Holgate and Richarlison.

The place in the quarter-finals may have eased the pressure slightly on Marco Silva, with the club in major trouble in the Premier League, sitting just two points above the drop zone.

However, despite their poor form throughout the year, it seems as if the Everton fans are confident they can progress to the semi-finals of the EFL Cup. A lot of supporters have discussed the home draw and alluded to their confidence ahead of the tie, with one fan saying they would “fancy us against most at home.”

Many other supporters have breathed a sigh of relief after they avoided the big guns such as Liverpool and Manchester City. Although, with Leicester sat in third and fresh from their 9-0 win over Southampton, it will not be an easy draw by any means.

However, a lot of the Everton faithful are confident nonetheless.

Here’s what some of them have had to say…