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West Ham United must look to revive their failed bid to sign James Tarkowski after Burnley boss Sean Dyche hinted the defender’s head was turned by the transfer speculation this summer.

What’s the word?

According to Sky Sports, the Hammers saw an improved bid worth up to £30million snubbed by Burnley as the Clarets were under no pressure to sell their most-prized asset.

West Ham were willing to pay an upfront £20m in order to secure the signature of the two-time England international, or pay £23m with no future add-ons for a player who played every minute of Burnley’s 2019/20 Premier League campaign.

The Irons offer came after seeing an initial bid worth in excess of £20m rebuffed, as boss David Moyes was keen to land the 27-year-old amid hopes of using the £18m raised from Grady Diangana’s sale to strengthen his centre-back options.

Leicester City were also a keen suitor in the hunt for Tarkowski’s services this summer, and likewise saw a £30m bid rejected.

Tarkowski has now put the transfer interest behind him, but Burnley boss Dyche’s comments on the speculation which surrounded the defender’s future suggest his head was turned.

“I didn’t feel he wasn’t fully focused,” Dyche said, via quotes by LancsLive. “It’s tough for players. They have a lot of noise around them, even more so than ever, certainly way more than in my day, although I was no good!

“They’ve got media streams, social media, rumours, conjecture all going on all the time. So it’s more difficult for players now, I believe. But Tarky is a top pro. He always has been since we got him in here.

“I’m sure he’s focused and committed to what’s going on here now. It’s probably helpful to close the window down to clear up any situations that are spinning around on the outside, the noise as I call it.”

Should West Ham revive their Tarkowski pursuit?

With Burnley holding firm in demanding £50m for Tarkowski this summer, West Ham were never a realistic destination for the 27-year-old given the Hammers’ financial situation which made offloading high-earners pivotal to any potential spending.

But the Irons could not find permanent suitors for the likes of Felipe Anderson or Manuel Lanzini, and ultimately had to sell Diangana to raise some funds which were later put toward the capture of Said Benrahma.

If 2021 plays out differently, though, and West Ham are blessed with a greater war chest come the summer, Tarkowski’s situation is one that the Hammers’ ownership of David Gold, David Sullivan and Karren Brady must look to reconsider if the defender’s head was turned by the potential of a move to the London Stadium.

While the start of Tarkowski’s 2020/21 campaign was delayed due to a toe injury, his relentless game time in the previous term ensured he ranked first among all Premier League defenders for clearances (200), aerial duels won (198), second for shots blocked (47), seventh for interceptions (63) and 12th for ground duels won (109), per SofaScore.

It would take a dramatic turn of events for Tarkowski not to similarly impress this season, and make his situation one that clubs like West Ham will explore again with the 27-year-old’s £50,000-per-week contract due to expire in 2022.

AND in other news, a £27m-rated West Ham man must utilise the east London outfit’s transfer failings to his advantage.

One of the hallmarks of Jose Mourinho’s long managerial career has been signing high-profile players for big money. It was the case at the likes of Chelsea and Manchester United, but with the current climate affecting how Premier League teams will spend money, the Portuguese man may have to look at different ways of strengthening his current Tottenham squad.

And according to Italian publication CalcioNapoli24 (via Sport Witness), the Lilywhites are after Ajax’s 21-year-old starlet Danilo Pereira.

The report claims that Spurs have joined the likes of Napoli and Benfica in the race to sign the Brazilian, despite him only making three appearances for the first-team at Ajax.

Capable of playing through the middle up top, or on either flank, Danilo has been in prolific form for the youth sides, netting 24 times in just 42 total games for Ajax’s U21s.

Danilo is said to be inspired by Manchester City’s £50.4m-rated star Gabriel Jesus, who like him, also grew up in the favelas back in Brazil, and that as well as his background, is also hopeful of mirroring his style of play too.

If Mourinho is keen on rebuilding Spurs with far less costlier young talents, then he could do a lot worse than Danilo, who appears to be on the verge of making a real breakthrough at Ajax judging by his performances at academy level.

Rangers boss Steven Gerrard is keen for additions to bolster their chances at a genuine run at the title and this week, he’s been linked with a move for a former Ibrox star.

What’s the word?

According to Football Insider, the Scottish giants have joined the race to clinch Josh Windass from Wigan Athletic this summer with his loan club Sheffield Wednesday and Middlesbrough also in the hunt.

It’s claimed that the Gers are keen to bring him back to Glasgow just two years after he was sold on deadline day for £2.5m.

Meanwhile, leading talisman Alfredo Morelos is edging ever closer to an exit after Lille opened negotiations with Rangers over a record-breaking £17m deal, so a new threat is certainly going to be required in the attack.

Smart call?

Windass’ time in Scotland was pretty decent overall, providing 19 goals and 13 assists in 73 appearances, via Transfermarkt, and ultimately, he was a player that Gerrard didn’t want to let go in the first place.

The 26-year-old revealed in an interview with Open Goal, via the Scotsman, that the Rangers boss was keen to keep hold of him – “He basically said, ‘you’ve got a decision to make. The board have accepted this offer, I don’t want you to go but obviously it’s down to you’.”

Whilst the former Reds midfielder labelled Windass a “good boy” but claimed that he couldn’t guarantee him starts as a number nine, and now it appears that time may have arrived.

This season, the attacking maestro has split time between Wigan and the Owls, where he has netted seven goals from 25 matches whilst averaging 2 shots, 0.9 key passes and 0.5 dribbles per game playing predominantly through the middle, via WhoScored.

Those at Ibrox know Windass all too well and given the uncertain future of Morelos, bringing back the former midfielder could be a wise decision for Ross Wilson to make.

AND in other news, Rangers should dump Bongani Zungu move in favour of long-term Gerrard target…

West Ham have received some news around the future of midfielder Tomas Soucek as The Athletic are reporting that he is happy to stay for the rest of the Premier League season.

With the Premier League postponed in March due to the coronavirus pandemic, many were wondering what would happen to players whose loans and contracts were due to expire in June after the campaign was meant to end. However, there are discussions ongoing to allow footballers in this situation to stay for longer if needed, as the season is only getting back underway on June 17, per The Telegraph.

At his parent club Slavia Prague, the midfielder has a very impressive record as he has managed 40 goals and 14 assists in 148 appearances (which includes the Champions League), per Transfermarkt, and this quality has been shown in his brief spell so far at the Irons. The 25-year-old has already averaged the joint-second highest interceptions per game (two, via WhoScored) and the most clearances (three) of any central midfielder among David Moyes’ squad.

The only negative aspect of the update provided by The Athletic is that the Czech Republic international looks unlikely to stay if the Hammers are relegated.

However, for now the club should be happy that he wants to stay and be part of the team battling for their Premier League survival as they sit only two points from safety, via BBC Sport. His declaration of loyalty to the West Ham cause suggests that he has enjoyed his time at the club and should go down well with fans, staff and team-mates alike.

His stats show that he is a vital player for the team and hopefully he can help keep the east London side in England’s top flight and possibly even be signed permanently in the summer.

Hammers fans, are you happy that Soucek wants to stay? Comment below with your views!

Hatice Cengiz, the fiancee of the murdered journalist Jamal Khashoggi, has claimed that the Kingdom of Saudi Arabian (KSA) crown prince Mohammed bin Salman (MbS) is ‘worse’ than Mike Ashley as she spoke to Piers Morgan and Susanna Reid on Good Morning Britain (via The Chronicle) about the proposed takeover of Newcastle United.

As per the outlet, Cengiz appeared on the ITV show as a guest to speak about the new UK government sanctions on those accused of abusing human rights, which includes the case of Khashoggi’s murder.

“To Newcastle fans, if you are unhappy with the current owner, the Crown Prince will be much worse,” said Cengiz. “For fans, I want to say, if Mike Ashley’s tenure has been like a bad dream, for them the Crown Prince will be like a nightmare.”

She has previously accused MbS of being involved in the killing, writing several letters to the Premier League and members of the Toon faithful urging the blocking of the prospective £300 million deal, and took to the British outlet to stress her point again.

MbS or the Saudi Arabian government have not been found to have been tied down to the murder, but if this was found to be true, then it would arguably raise serious questions as to whether the top flight should actually approve of the bid.

Cengiz has argued that the Saudi crown prince should not be deemed a fit and proper person because of what he has been accused of, as per the Owners’ and Directors’ Test (ODT) set out by England’s highest division.

Whether this will alter the thinking of the league with regards to approving of the takeover or not is another question, but it may well put some doubt into their mind, which may be a worry for NUFC fans.

Geordies, should the Prem consider the accusations against MbS? Comment below!

Serge Aurier doesn’t appear to be a particularly popular figure at Tottenham Hotspur.The France international has, if we’re being overly generous, been a mercurial presence since he arrived at the club from Paris Saint-Germain in 2017.

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A return of seven assists in the 2019/20 season underlines his ability to provide width and attacking intent from full-back, but huge questions marks remain over his concentration and fundamental defensive qualities – a rash challenge on Sergio Aguero earlier this season, which resulted in the award of a penalty for Manchester City, encapsulated everything that supporters find so frustrating about the 27-year-old.

And his relatively low standing amongst the supporters appears to have taken a further tumble.

Indeed, Aurier has spoken of his desire to finish his career in the French capital while speaking to Canal+ Afrique (via Daily Mirror).

“Can I see myself finishing my career at PSG? That is my plan!

“I would like to finish at PSG. It is before everything else the club of my heart. I have a feeling of unfinished business.”

Perhaps unsurprisingly, his comments prompted similar sentiments from a huge number of the Lilywhites faithful on Twitter.

The theme underpinning the reaction: Aurier is welcome to leave ASAP.

Fans suggested they’d chip in financially to grant the Ivory Coast international his wish, while others simply urged the club to offload him.

Here’s how the Spurs fans reacted to Aurier’s recent comments…

Many Everton fans have responded to further claims linking Aston Villa playmaker Jack Grealish with a summer move to the club.

Arguably one of the best performers in the Premier League season this term, Grealish has attracted interest from a number of sides ahead of the summer transfer window.

Manchester United have been extremely keen, whilst Everton have been recently linked with a move for Villa’s club captain.

Villa, who sit 19th in the Premier League table as things stand, will have a hard task keeping the academy graduate at the club past the summer, and it has now emerged that Everton officials are ‘confident’ they can seal an agreement although the Villans want around £70m.

Toffees boss Carlo Ancelotti is expected to bring in a new number of faces to the club in what will be his first summer transfer window since taking over from Marco Silva in December.

Grealish has featured 26 times in the league this season for Villa, scoring seven goals and gaining six assists in the process.

Reacting to a tweet by fan account @TheGwladysSt, fans gave their opinion on Grealish’s potential arrival:

Toffees fans, would Grealish be a good signing? Let us know below…

And now it’s already official – the latest iteration of the Spanish Super Cup is not going to take place in Spain but rather in Saudi Arabia, as the RFEF have now already confirmed.

Interestingly enough, we already have the semi-finalists for the event: Barcelona will face Atletico Madrid while Real Madrid will lock horns with Valencia.

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But even though those match-ups look really interesting and are bound to make for exciting games, football was not really at the centre of many of Barcelona fans’ attention.

They were more concerned about the venue itself and it seems that many of the Cules were definitely not happy with the Super Cup taking place in Saudi Arabia instead of Spain.

Some of them seem to think this is a loss for football and that it’s all about the money nowadays.

You can see some of their replies and reactions down in the collection of tweets below.

Check them out…

Manchester United have seemingly set their sights on Leicester City’s James Maddison but if the new reports coming from The Telegraph are any indication, the young attacking midfielder is bound to sign a new contract with the Foxes which would make him an unattainable target for now.

But luckily for the Red Devils and Ole Gunnar Solskjaer, there are plenty of fish in the sea for them yet and with that in mind, here are three alternatives they could chase in case Maddison does end up penning a new contract at Leicester City.

Denis Suarez – Celta Vigo

If Manchester United are truly looking for a young and talented attacking midfielder, the former Barcelona ace is definitely their man. The now 25-year-old Suarez has recently joined Celta Vigo but would not really be out of the Red Devils’ range if they really went for him in the not so distant future.

Despite not making it a Barcelona, Suarez is still very talented and definitely capable. So far this season, he has scored and assisted once for Celta and has actually been their best-rated player, according to WhoScored.

He also registered one shot, 2.3 key passes and three dribbles per game, which further emphasises how good he’s been since the beginning of 2019/20.

Transfermarkt rate him at £10.8m but even if Celta were to ask for more, it would definitely stay well within Manchester United’s reach.

Isco – Real Madrid

If they wanted to go for a slightly bigger name that has fallen out of favour at his current club, they shouldn’t look further than Isco. The 27-year-old Spaniard is slightly older than Maddison, granted, but he is also a well-established player with both experience and plenty more to give – he has 48 goals and 52 assists in 284 games for Real.

Interestingly enough, he was already reportedly offered to them not so long ago as Real Madrid were looking to lower Paul Pogba’s price with the inclusion of a player of their own in that deal.

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Looking at Isco, with only 225 minutes under his belt under Zidane this season, his situation at the club and Real’s interest in Pogba could all very well work for United in this deal.

Not to mention that despite being out of favour, the 27-year-old is still very capable and his 1.5 shots and 1.5 career key passes can surely attest to that.

Donny van de Beek – Ajax

Maybe the best out of the three targets here would actually be Ajax’s van de Beek.

The 22-year-old simply ticks all the boxes for Manchester United: he’s very young with just 22 years under his belt, similarly to Maddison, extremely talented and prolific in front of goal.

Van de Beek has already found the net on seven occasions and has assisted a further six in a total of 18 games across all competitions for Ajax this season, and is showing no signs of stopping.

Of course, the only problem could be his asking price, which seemed to be the issue last time Manchester United came knocking on Ajax’s door. However, looking at this young prospect as a whole he would definitely be worth the hassle.

Arsenal fought back from 2-1 down to prevail as 3-2 winners against Vitoria Guimaraes in a vital Europa League clash for Unai Emery’s side, and whilst Nicolas Pepe’s match-winning brace has understandably stolen the headlines, these Gunners fans have been singing the praises of one individual after yet another sensational European display.

Gabriel Martinelli, 18, got Arsenal’s opener on the night with a well-taken header, taking the Brazilian’s tally to three goals in two Europa League appearances. Although the forward is yet to start a Premier League game in 2019/20, performances such as these are likely to be giving Emery a selection dilemma if his goalscoring form persists.

With the club securing a vital victory in their bid to reach the knock-out stages, maintaining their 100% winning start to Group F, some Arsenal fans were quick to praise Martinelli’s performance. Here are some of the best reactions to the Brazilian’s display against Vitoria Guimaraes.