According to The Mirror, West Ham United have slapped a £60m asking price on the head of Marko Arnautovic in a bid to fight off interest from Manchester United.
Man United boss Jose Mourinho worked with Arnautovic at Inter Milan, and it has been reported over the last few weeks that the Portuguese wants a reunion at Old Trafford.
Arnautovic joined West Ham from Stoke City in last summer’s transfer window, and the 70-time Austria international ended the 2017-18 campaign with 11 goals in 35 appearances.
West Ham are desperate to keep hold of the 29-year-old, but according to The Mirror, the capital outfit would consider a bid of £60m.
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The West Ham fans have been reacting to the latest developments on social media, and it seems that the bulk would not sell Arnautovic even if a £60m bid arrived.
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That does seem an incredible amount of money for a player who is unproven on a consistent basis at the highest level, but the West Ham supporters are absolutely desperate for the attacker to remain in the English capital entering the new season.
A selection of the Twitter reaction can be seen below:
When a player of Harry Kane’s calibre is leading the line, it is difficult to find forwards who want to challenge the striker for the spotlight.
The Tottenham Hotspur star is in no danger of losing his position as main man, but manager Mauricio Pochettino needs other attacking options to use when Kane is being rested or on the sidelines with injuries.
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Fernando Llorente was brought in from Swansea City last year to fill that role, but he had a dismal time in front of goal during the 2017-18 campaign, scoring just five goals in 31 appearances in all competitions.
Tottenham should perhaps target a younger striker who is hungry to continue learning but can also make an impact on the pitch.
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With that in mind, Ajax youngster Kasper Dolberg should potentially be a target for the North London outfit.
The 20-year-old, who has been linked to Spurs before, made 26 appearances in all competitions for the Dutch outfit last season, scoring nine goals and creating two assists in the process.
Dolberg is not the finished product just yet, but Pochettino is known for getting the best out of young talent.
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With that in mind, should Tottenham make a move for the six-capped Denmark international?
According to Football FanCast sources, Tottenham Hotspur’s Mousa Dembele is on the verge of a move to Beijing Guoan in the Chinese Super League.
What’s the story?
Dembele has been one of the stars for Spurs since joining from Fulham in 2012 and has gone on to make 171 league appearances for the club.
The Belgian international is due to enter the final year of his contract and a number of clubs have been interested in signing the box-to-box midfielder, including Juventus, Napoli and Inter Milan.
However, it appears that the 30-year-old has decided instead to move to the Chinese Super League and his representatives are working hard to finalise his move for after the World Cup.
As per our sources, Dembele has wanted this move for the past year and personal terms have been all but agreed.
Beijing Guoan are just waiting for Daniel Levy to agree the transfer fee, which won’t be astronomical because of the player’s contract situation.
Tottenham’s loss is China’s gain
Dembele was one of Spurs’ best players last season and it’s always a shame to see a top player move away from European football when he’s got plenty left in the tank.
However, with only one year left on his contract, it was always likely that the Belgian international would leave this summer and fans will be happy that he’s not joining a rival team.
The midfielder will join the likes of Hulk, Oscar, Ramires and Axel Witsel plying their trade in the ever-expanding Chinese Super League, although cynics will of course see this as a money-motivated move.
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The more pressing concern for Tottenham will be whether Victor Wanyama can fill the void left by Dembele or whether they decide to invest in a replacement this summer.
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Some Newcastle United supporters are eager to make a move for Liverpool striker Danny Ings this summer after it was reported he will seek a new club this summer in order to play regular first team football.
That’s according to Sky Sports, who also say that Liverpool are unlikely to seek a large fee for the injury blighted striker, despite having two years left on his contract at Anfield.
That makes him an attractive proposition to a club like Newcastle United, who are in desperate need of fresh ideas in attack after scoring just 39 top-flight goals last season.
Ings’ Liverpool career never really got started due to injury but he’s shown in the past at Burnley that he has what it takes to be an effective attacking presence in the English Premier League.
These Newcastle fans took to Twitter to share their thoughts on potentially moving for him…
Do you think Newcastle should sign Danny Ings?
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West Bromwich Albion are considering a move for Numancia forward Guillermo, according to The Birmingham Mail.
What’s the word?
Darren Moore’s hunt for a new striker could intensify depending on the future of some of his first-team players.
Jay Rodriguez and Salomon Rondon are being linked with moves away from The Hawthorns following the club’s relegation to the Championship.
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A number of names have been touted in the media as possible targets, and last Sunday it was reported by The Birmingham Mail that Guillermo is on their radar.
The 25-year-old currently plays for Spanish Segunda Liga side Numancia, and last season he scored 11 goals and created four assists in 45 appearances in all competitions.
Guillermo has spent his career so far in his homeland in Spain and came through the ranks at Athletic Bilbao.
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Is he good enough?
The ability to play up front and on the wing means that Guillermo can provide different options for Moore.
However, the fierceness of the Championship will be something that the forward is not used to.
Plus, pressure will be heavy on his shoulders due to the fact that the Baggies are fighting for promotion back to the Premier League.
Anything less will be unacceptable given that they have only just dropped out of the top flight.
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Even though Guillermo has good qualities and will be affordable, West Brom should consider swooping for a more established player to guide their charge this season.
QPR boss Chris Ramsey looks to stabilize a club who have had a hectic couple of years. The Loftus Road outfit have bounced between the Premier League and their current division, the Championship.
A host of bloated egos have come and gone under chairman Tony Fernandes, with some thoroughly laughable signings.
However, the R’s have held on to Matt Phillips, Sandro and Charlie Austin (for now), so possess a decent core of players. Add the likes of Nedum Onuoha and Leroy Fer into the mix, and the squad looks pretty strong.
However, with uncertainty surrounding England striker Austin’s future, the club may be wise to dip into the transfer market in the New Year sales.
With Premier League squads getting stronger and stronger each passing year, Championship could be able to make quality additions when sides inevitably panic buy in January.
Here are six January additions QPR should consider in their quest for promotion…
TOM CARROLL
A former Rangers player, the Spurs man could be tempted by a more permanent arrangement at Loftus Road this time around.
A silky, skilful midfield man, a move to a play-off chasing Championship side could be exactly what he needs. Parent club Tottenham look to have sorted out their first choice eleven, with the 23-year old fairly low in the pecking order.
Last year at Swansea didn’t truly work out for him, but a player of his talent should not go to waste and could certainly improve the R’s.
FRAIZER CAMPBELL
The Crystal Palace striker looks to have fallen behind the times under Alan Pardew, as the Selhurst Park club look to push on to another level.
Should Austin depart in January, the club will need to replace his goals. Campbell would provide an excellent alternative. Despite being unable to hold down a first team place with the Eagles, he has proven to be a useful striker everywhere else he has been.
MIKE WILLIAMSON
Any move for the Newcastle United defender would see the R’s gain an experienced Premier League centre-back.
The 31-year old is a towering presence, able to affect games at both ends of the pitch. He has fallen down the pecking order under Steve McClaren, and could represent an astute addition.
The former Portsmouth man is dependable, despite what 50,000 angry Geordies might say/scream.
MORGAN AMALFITANO
The French midfielder who scored an exceptional lob at Old Trafford while playing for West Brom has fallen out of favour under Slaven Bilic at West Ham, and looks to be available.
He provides creativity and solid attacking work, something which could be vitally needed if Austin’s goals are ripped out of Ramsey’s sides. Pairing him with Matt Phillips can create one of the most dynamic and varied attacks in the division.
JOEL CAMPBELL
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The Arsenal man is all but surplus to requirements at the Emirates, and would be a fantastic addition to a Championship side.
With 50 international caps to his name, the Costa Rican star is experienced beyond his years. Able to operate as an attacking midfielder across the front line, or as a traditional centre-forward, the former Villarreal man would be an absolute steal.
LEWIS GRABBAN
Norwich’s good form in the early part of the season may convince the club to part with bad-boy Lewis Grabban.
The former Bournemouth man was disciplined for his conduct after failing to secure a move away from Carrow Road, but has been offered the chance to redeem himself.
However, Alex Neil’s outfit have exceeded expectations thus far and may be willing to get rid of the Jamaican international striker.
The Premier League’s fixture makers certainly haven’t disappointed this season, with a heavyweight clash almost every weekend. And we’ve got yet another classic in store this Sunday, as Arsenal play hosts to Tottenham Hotspur in the hotly-anticipated north London derby.
The Gunners boast the better track record in terms of recent encounters, claiming four wins from the last six – including a 2-1 win in the Capital One Cup earlier this season. But the Lilywhites took four points from their local rivals in the Premier League last term and White Hart Lane gaffer Mauricio Pochettino clearly knows a thing or two about stopping Arsenal in their tracks.
In order to repeat the feat, however, there are several key questions the Argentine must answer first, some relating to his own team and others to the opposition. With that in mind, here’s FOUR question we at Football Fancast view as the most important.
A MORE DEFENSIVE APPROACH?
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If there’s one thing every fan wants to see in a local derby, it’s their side pushing for the win. After all, victory or defeat decides whether you’ll spend the next six months humiliating or being humiliated by your mates who support the other team.
But there’s no question that Arsenal are the Premier League’s team to beat at the moment. They may be behind table-toppers Manchester City on goal difference but the Gunners’ title credentials are growing by the week, winning five Premier League fixtures in a row and three by a 3-0 score line. They’re organised, calculated and ruthless going forward.
With that in mind, and especially considering Sunday’s fixture is at the Emirates, the Lilywhites may need to take a more cautious approach. It could leave the fans frustrated for large periods of the match but simply trying to match the Gunners in all departments just won’t work. Spurs need to be a little more shrewd and make sure they don’t concede first.
Whether that requires a change in shape, tactics, personnel or simply mentality is purely Mauricio Pochettino’s call.
DOES HEUNG-MIN SON START?
Heung-Min Son has certainly impressed since arriving at White Hart Lane for a £22million fee in August, bagging three goals and one assist in his first five appearances for the Lilywhites. Many view him as one of the club’s top talents, but it may be wiser to keep him on the bench for Sunday’s visit to the Emirates.
First of all, the South Korea international has just come back from a month-long layoff due to a foot injury, receiving his first outing since September during midweek’s Europa League action – providing an assist from the bench. Is he ready to play a second game in just four days? Perhaps not.
But secondly and more importantly, other Tottenham stars have excelled in his absence. Mousa Dembele has been in fantastic form over the last few weeks, claiming three goals in his last three appearances – including a stellar strike against Anderlecht – and putting in a Man of the Match display against Liverpool. The same can be said for Erik Lamela, who is slowly beginning to resemble a £30million player, whilst Christian Eriksen’s place in the starting Xi appears to be set in stone.
Therefore, in regards to the attacking midfield slots, Spurs might be better off not trying to fix what isn’t broken for their visit to Arsenal. That being said, Son’s laden with match-winning potential and with a number of key Gunners players injured, this could well be his time to shine.
WILL POOR DISCIPLINE BE A PROBLEM?
I’m sure the vast majority of Tottenham fans are happy with the style of football Mauricio Pochettino has brought to White Hart Lane. It’s positive, fast paced, technically-demanding and aggressive.
But that latter objective has the potential to be as much a curse as a blessing, especially upon facing Arsenal this weekend. Although Spurs are yet to receive a red card this season, they’ve picked up the second-most yellows of any Premier League side, 26, and average the most fouls per match – a whopping 14.
Clearly, the positives have outweighed the potential negatives so far this season, with Tottenham boasting the second-best goals conceded record in the Premier League.
But Arsenal boast three prolific free-kick takers in Santi Cazorla, Alexis Sanchez and Mesut Ozil, all of whom are capable of punishing the Lilywhites from dead ball situations. Likewise, Per Mertesacker, Olivier Giroud and Laurent Koscielny are all formidable aerial threats. The Gunners have already scored four times from set pieces this term and, coincidentally, they’re the fourth-most fouled side in the Premier League.
Of course, fouls are inevitable in most local derbies. In fact, it’s that level of feistiness that makes them so exciting. But the test for Spurs on Sunday will be where they concede the free kicks – Pochettino must make sure his players aren’t giving them away cheaply in dangerous areas.
HOW CAN SPURS TAKE ADVANTAGE OF ARSENAL’S INJURY PROBLEMS?
In typical Arsenal fashion, the Gunners enter the north London derby amid an eight-man injury crisis. Indeed, Hector Bellerin, Danny Welbck, Theo Walcott, Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain, Aaron Ramsey, Tomas Rosicky and Jack Wilshere will all be absent on Sunday, whilst star centre-back Laurent Koscielny is another serious doubt.
Spurs can’t afford not to take advantage and must look to punish Arsenal in their weakest areas – the right flank particularly, with resident No.2 Bellerin and four players who all could’ve started in right midfield sidelined.
The Lilywhites have attacked in a fairly balanced manner so far this term, with 38% of their forward play coming from the left, 29% through the middle and 34% from the right, but it could be worth focusing play down Arsenal’s right on Sunday, which is likely to be occupied by Joel Campbell and Mathieu Debuchy. The duo have seen just 151 minutes’ worth of Premier League action between them this season.
Alternatively, a slight change in personnel could be in order. The aforementioned Heung-Min Son could run riot on the left if he’s fully fit for Sunday, whilst Clinton N’Jie’s pace could also cause huge problems against two players lacking match sharpness.
Former West Ham assistant manager Neil McDonald has ruled out a move to Sunderland amid links to him joining up with Sam Allardyce again, as reported by BT Sport.McDonald is currently the manager of Blackpool, but it had been suggested newly-appointed Sunderland boos Sam Allardyce would try and bring him to the Stadium of Light as his assistant for the third time, after previous stints at Blackburn and West Ham.But the 49-year-old insists there has been no contact and that being a manager is the only thing he wants to focus on in his career.He said: “I’ve had no links whatsoever.“I’m the Blackpool manager. I have got a brilliant relationship with Sam Allardyce, so you put two and two together and got five.“It’s taken me a long time to become a number one after being at Carlisle and helping Sam and myself to better our reputations, which we have done over the past six years.“This is my turn and I’m proud to be Blackpool manager.â€Allardyce is believed to be eyeing a number of his former West Ham players as he attempts to save the Black Cats from relegation.Kevin Nolan and Carlton Cole, who are both free agents after being released by the Hammers, are heavily linked with a move to the North East, while there have also been reports of a raid for West Ham defender James Tomkins; though West Ham have publicly stated they are not willing to allow Tomkins to leave.
Hereford FC are a remarkable club, with a remarkable story. Some would call it a miracle but some would just call it good old fashioned English football – and they’re on their way to breaking footballing records.
Born out of the ashes of Hereford United, the new club formed when the old were wound up at the high court last December. Everything started again – staff, players, coaches, ballboys – you name it, it was changed.
The turnaround began when Hereford managed to scrape enough together to pay for the lease on their famous old stadium, Edgar Street. It is the only remaining component from the old club, which makes it a strangely nostalgic and romantic place to go.
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This weekend, The Bulls racked up their 26th win on the bounce. Yes, you read that correctly – 26 wins on the spin. And before anyone quotes me with the “they are a football league club still with a budget”, that is absolute nonsense.
They are on a very strict budget that monitors everything, whilst the majority of those employed by the club are volunteers – fans who give up their own time to help their team off the pitch.
Hereford managed to rack up their 26th win with a hard-fought win over AFC Wulfrunians. It may surprise people, but the Bulls are only four victories away from setting a new footballing record for most wins in a row. The last team to do so were European giants Benfica, led by household hero Eusebio in the early 70’s.
In some statistics that were published last week, Hereford have scored 91 goals in their jaw-dropping run whilst 20 scorers have been on the scoresheet. Sixteen clean sheets have been kept and striking hotshot John Mills has scored 33, including four hat-tricks.
These are eye-watering statistics which would struggle to be beaten anywhere in World Football. Attendances have consistently broken both Midland Premier League and Non-League records and sometimes people have to remind themselves that Hereford are playing in the ninth tier of English Football. Truly astonishing stuff.
They have been roared on by over 4,000 home fans at least twice this season, and regularly take over fans to most away games.
They are a club that have had the roughest of times and they deserve to be back in the big time. Times are good at the moment, but I’m sure there will be tough times too, when form doesn’t come quite as easily. Their following is extraordinary considering the league they are in, and if manager Peter Beadle can build a squad that can compete at a higher level, Hereford FC will consider to rise up the leagues.
They are a phoenix club born out of the ashes of an old side. It’s a peculiar one, but it shows how powerful the beautiful game can be when people believe.
They have a fourth round tie against Leicester Nirvana in the FA Vase coming up, and there is no reason why they cannot go all the way to Wembley.
I’ve spoken to hundreds of Bulls fans over the last year and I’m sure many would be able to imagine a more perfect season than ending it with a trip to Wembley.
But Hereford FC are no normal club. A phoenix club born out of the ashes of an old side. But there is nothing old about the way they play, structure and pride themselves on, and off the pitch.
The 22-year-old has had a whirlwind week, hasn’t he? He only signed for West Ham from Leeds United on Wednesday and although he didn’t expect to be in involved against Manchester City on Saturday, due to an injury James Tomkins, Sam was on the bench. The meteoric rise didn’t end there though, and as Carl Jenkinson went off in the early stages of the game, Byram got his chance.
And he took it by all accounts. Confident touches, nice plays from the back; at this point he looks a steal for just under £4m.
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It certainly helps West Ham to have Byram at the club now. The Hammers were going to wait until the summer and by then Byram would have been out of contract, but Everton forced the Claret and Blue hand. David Sullivan acted straight away and West Ham got his man.
It’s a good match for West Ham and it helps West Ham now because of a lamentable season from Jenkinson. After he signed his mega-deal with parent club Arsenal, the player hasn’t been the same man that he was under Allardyce.
You can argue that the system employed by Bilic is very different to Allardyce’s, but they are professional footballers and paid a ton of money. Are you telling me they can’t adapt? Or is it that Jenkinson wanted to impress his Arsenal bosses last season to gain a better contract and now that it’s there, the foot is off the gas and it’s a different attitude.
I don’t know. All I know is that the fans at West Ham have grown impatient with Jenkinson and there’s even the possibility of Jenkinson being sent back to The Emirates sooner than May.
Byram has won acclaim in The Championship for his style of play and talent, and he is a perfect fit at right-back for The Hammers. Due to Jenkinson’s inconsistency, James Tomkins has covered that position admirably, even though it is not his favoured position.
Now with Byram, Tomkins can go back to the centre, unless Bilic feels it’s too much too soon for the youngster. West Ham also have Joey O’Brien, but he is often injured and probably on his way in the summer. Byram is the future.
So Sam Byram, the Essex born defender who moved north as a child and ended up at Elland Road, is now a Premier League player. After 130 appearances for Leeds and the odd few goals as well, his attacking style of play from deep attracted more than a few Premier League clubs.
At 22 he has a long way to go and will probably learn and develop better at West Ham than anywhere else. It’s obvious that Bilic doesn’t just have his eye on the here and now at West Ham, but the future of the club as well. A number of young Hammers have caught the eye and many were given opportunities at the beginning of their Europa League campaign.
Many of those are now on loan and gaining that experience and development that Bilic can utilise in the future. The likes of Diego Poyet, Reece Oxford, Reece Burke and Elliot Lee will strengthen West Ham’s depth of squad and you can see future England Internationals as well.
So what’s next for Sam Byram?
He will certainly get more game time at West Ham than he would have had at Everton. Seamus Coleman at right-back is one of the better Premier League players in that position, so his chances would have been limited. At West Ham and with their move to the new stadium, the future for both club and player is bright, but this one game is only the beginning.
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If he can break into the first-team consistently, keep playing like he did on Saturday and keep the hunger alive, not only will he help West Ham to achieve greater things, but he will also help the England team to do the same in the future.
Let’s not get carried away, though. He has made a name for himself at Leeds and done very well. He has played one Premier League game and done very well, but now he needs to show that he can maintain and improve those standards every week and only then can he be judged on whether he is a hit or a miss.
If he can carry on and be the player many expect, then the English game wins, not just West Ham.
With a shortage of talent for the national team to choose from, players like Byram will stand out and stake a claim for international caps. West Ham are making inroads in signing English players as well as foreign, and Bilic appears keen to develop the Academy talent and also to buy in homegrown stars.
The future for Byram is bright, and it’s also Claret and Blue.