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West Ham transfer update on Caleta-Car

Many West Ham United fans have been left to buzz as a transfer update emerged on Duje Caleta-Car.

As per The Athletic (via West Ham Central), the Marseille central defender will be made available for a mere £17m in the summer window, but he is likely to be sold for even less in the shape of £13m.

The Hammers had a £25m bid rejected for him in last summer’s window, as he wanted to play UEFA Champions League football, but this is no longer the case, and so they may revisit their past interest.

Caleta-Car would be a much welcomed addition to David Moyes’ squad, given that they are in the Europa League and he has a lot of experience playing in that competition.

On the pitch, the Croatia international had a great individual season in Ligue 1, winning no fewer than 3.7 of his duels a game while also averaging 3.9 clearances and 1.3 interceptions per match (Sofascore).

Nonetheless, at just 24, Caleta-Car is of a good age at the moment and will likely only get better, so snapping him up for as little as £13m could turn out to be an absolute steal.

West Ham fans on Caleta-Car transfer update

These Irons buzzed as the transfer update was shared on Twitter, with one member of the London Stadium faithful even going as far as to claim that the price was ‘amazing’:

“£13m is an amazing price. Would be interested to see what Milenkovic is valued at, but £13m too good to pass up”

Credit: @MichaelZdenek

“Need to be all over that ASAP before any one else is”

Credit: @JoshHarris000

“Omg. No way, go for him!!!!!!”

Credit: @FornalsFluency

“Please get it done West Ham”

Credit: @DanielLuker_

“£13m-17m is a great bargain! Caleta-Car is another 6ft3+ CB who is composed on the ball, reads the game well, doesn’t lunge in, works hard, offers strength, a great passing range & an aerial presence that makes him valuable at defending & a threat when attacking!”

Credit: @WhufcSloth

“Give them £15m and wrap it up RIGHT NOW”

Credit: @alanrzepa

In other news, find out what transfer update has WHU supporters talking here!

Spurs: Source drops Conte update

A French source has dropped a fresh update on the future of Tottenham Hotspur manager Antonio Conte.

What’s the talk?

According to a recent report by Le10 Sport (via Sport Witness), a close friend of the 52-year-old Spurs coach has revealed that, despite widespread claims that the Italian is in negotiations to replace Mauricio Pochettino as the Paris Saint-Germain manager this summer, no such talks are taking place, nor has Conte declared his interest in the position at the Parc des Princes.

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However, the source goes on to confirm that PSG are interested in the Tottenham head coach, although, considering the Ligue 1 leaders would be forced to pay a figure in the region of €15m (£12.5m) in order to release the former Inter Milan manager from his contract in north London, plus a similar fee to sack Pochettino, there would be a great many obstacles for the Parisians to overcome in order to get a deal done.

Big twist

Considering the sheer volume of reports suggesting that Conte is very much hoping to secure a move to PSG this summer, the news that a source close to the 52-year-old has all but rubbished this switch is certainly a big twist in the tale – albeit one that Tottenham supporters, as well as Daniel Levy and Fabio Paratici, will be delighted to learn of.

Indeed, the Italian has done a stellar job since taking over at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium in November of last year, with Spurs climbing from ninth in the Premier League standings to currently sitting just two points off fourth – very much being in with a chance of securing Champions League qualification for the first time since 2018/19.

And, with Levy and Paratici having already committed the best part of £60m on the January signings of both Dejan Kulusevski and Rodrigo Bentancur, it is clear that the Tottenham hierarchy are not only willing to back the 52-year-old in the transfer window, but they also have already done so.

As such, it is undeniable that this latest update is fantastic news for everyone involved with the club, however, with Conte not exactly being known for his longevity, it would appear wise for Spurs supporters to not begin counting their cockerels just yet.

AND in other news: “Not going to be at Tottenham…”: Gold drops update on £118m Spurs talent, time’s up

Insight on Newcastle takeover case

Liam Kennedy has dropped some insight from sources on a potential timescale for Mike Ashley’s latest Newcastle United takeover case.

The Lowdown: Ashley launches another legal case

As per the Shields Gazette, Ashley and the St James’ Park club have launched another legal case against the Premier League, this time accusing them of what they believe to be anti-competitive behaviour in their decision-making process on the proposed deal from the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia (KSA) consortium.

This is separate to the other case that the chief executive of Sports Direct has held against the league over the failed takeover, which is pending an arbitration hearing.

The Latest: Potential timescale for case

Writing in his latest piece for the Shields Gazette, Kennedy has outlined that proceedings for the case could reach a court date in less than six months, depending on the outcome of an impending hearing, according to sources.

The legal representatives of Newcastle, along with those of the Premier League, will also take part in a case management conference to determine whether their case will be expedited, and this should happen within the next seven to 10 days.

The Verdict: Premier League under pressure

The Premier League have certainly been put under pressure by Ashley and the Tyneside club in what is now two legal cases being launched against them relating to the failed takeover bid.

Nonetheless, the results of both cases should be quite interesting to see and will surely give a clearer understanding over where the potential takeover of Newcastle United is heading.

In other news, find out what Lampard-likened ace is wanted by Newcastle!

Tanganga facing Spurs axe vs Brighton

Tottenham Hotspur are back in action following a busy end to the January transfer window.

Antonio Conte’s side host Brighton and Hove Albion in north London for a fourth-round clash in the FA Cup, where Spurs will be looking to advance in the only piece of silverware on offer this season.

After such a long break without any action, the Italian head coach has been left with plenty of interesting dilemmas over team selection, not at least because he is able to welcome back key players from injury and now has two new signings at his disposal, too.

It’s in defence where there is a decision to be made after Argentina beast Cristian Romero returned to training during the winter break. He should come straight back into the side, taking the place of Japhet Tanganga, who has been a liability in recent games, in the back three.

Indeed, the young academy product has been at fault for a number of goals during their three matches against Chelsea last month and at one stage, looked set to depart for AC Milan.

During their Carabao Cup semi-final exit against the Champions of Europe, the versatile defender was dubbed the “weak link” of the side by the Evening Standard’s Dan Kilpatrick as he walked a tightrope following an early booking. He struggled to deal with the threat of Callum Hudson- Odoi all game.

As per SofaScore, he was rated ever so poorly (5.8) as the only player to manage below a 6.3 rating. It was that bad that analyst Statman Dave described the outing as a “horror show” on social media.

Earlier in the season, he received his marching orders for getting into a tussle with Crystal Palace winger Wilfried Zaha and that moment of madness was slammed by BT Sport pundit Rio Ferdinand.

“It’s a lack of experience and rush of blood. He’ll get over it but it cost them today,” he said during the game (via the Daily Mail).

Not to mention his role in League One outfit Morecambe taking the lead in the round prior to this one. He lost his man from a corner. It’s the basics and it happens far to frequently.

As such, Conte must be ruthless in his team selection and axe the £18m-rated calamity against the Seagulls this evening.

AND in other news, Conte concerns emerge at Spurs amid huge transfer claim…

Celtic: Leo Hjelde’s reps unhappy with Hoops

Celtic defender and Leeds United target Leo Hjelde’s representatives were ‘mightily unimpressed’ with the Hoops as to how they dealt with Kristoffer Ajer’s situation this summer, according to The Cynic Wolf.

The Lowdown: Ajer’s move

Ajer made his intentions clear when it came to leaving Celtic Park at the beginning of the window.

The Hoops then rejected two £10m bids for the centre-back from Bayer Leverkusen and Norwich City, which left Ajer unhappy.

Celtic eventually cashed in on the Norwegian, with Brentford paying just over £14m for his services.

However, the way Celtic dealt with Ajer’s situation appears to have played a role in his fellow countryman, Hjelde, and his Parkhead future.

The Latest: Hjelde’s reps unimpressed

Hjelde looks set to leave Celtic for Leeds United after the two clubs agreed on a fee, with personal terms already reached.

The Cynic Wolf, who reports for @90MinuteCynic, admitted the 17-year-old is ‘on his way’ to Elland Road, before adding some more details on the centre-back.

“I understand that people close to Hjelde were mightily unimpressed with the way Celtic handled Kristoffer Ajer’s current situation. With a year left on his contract, it is likely to have played a part in the player’s considerations around signing an extension.”

The Verdict: A future blow?

John Hughes tipped Hjelde to become ‘the next Virgil van Dijk’, so, in the long run, Hjelde’s Parkhead exit could be looked back on as a blow.

However, it appears as if the teenager and his representatives have had their eyes on a Celtic Park departure following Ajer’s transfer saga, so it doesn’t look like there was much Celtic could have done to extend the youngster’s deal beyond 2022.

Still a young player making no impact on the first-team, it is hard to begrudge Celtic cashing in if he has no intention of staying long-term.

In other news: Postecoglou closing in: Celtic now close to versatile right-midfielder for £3m. 

Man City heading for big Harrison mistake

Manchester City are arguably heading towards a big mistake with Jack Harrison this summer, with recent reports suggesting that he will be sold to Leeds United for just £15m.

The winger has spent each of the last three seasons on loan at Elland Road and was expected to join Marcelo Bielsa’s side permanently last summer following their promotion to the top-flight.

However, the deal was renegotiated, perhaps due to the financial impact of the pandemic and he would instead join on loan with an option to buy.

The 24-year-old has been one of the standout performers for the Yorkshire side in an impressive first season back in the top-flight, with Bielsa’s side finishing 9th in the Premier League table after a superb end to the season.

According to the Daily Star, Leeds have now opened talks with Manchester City over making his deal permanent, with the “really impressive” winger expected to cost the Whites just £15m.

Considering Harrison contributed eight goals and eight assists in 36 appearances for Leeds this season, averaging a very solid 6.96 rating from WhoScored, you could definitely argue that they are getting a bargain if they sign him for £15m.

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Transfermarkt currently values the former New York City FC man at £13.5m, whilst his contract at City is set to expire in 2022, which could easily be extended if he was actually given an opportunity to impress in Pep Guardiola’s side.

Since joining from City’s MLS sister side in January 2018, he hasn’t made a single senior appearance for the club but has 128 appearances for Leeds, in which he has contributed 18 goals and 20 assists.

Considering his role in the Yorkshire side’s success under Bielsa, a man who Guardiola holds in extremely high regard, it seems strange that he has never been given an opportunity to impress under the Spanish manager.

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However, it now seems extremely likely that he will join Leeds United on a permanent deal this summer and if he continues to impress at Elland Road, then the decision to sell him for just £15m may well go down as something of a disaster by City’s sporting director Txiki Begiristain in the future.

And, in other news… “Magnificent” Man City beast who played 4 key passes nailed down a CL starting spot with superb display vs Everton

West Ham handed Pereira boost

An update has emerged on West Ham target Matheus Pereira, regarding West Brom’s stance on his future…

What’s the talk?

Newly-appointed West Brom coach Valerien Ismael has admitted that he expects West Ham target Matheus Pereira to depart from The Hawthorns this summer. The Express reported last month that Leicester, West Ham and Leeds are all interested in the midfielder, with Ismael now opening the door for a potential exit.

He told The BBC:

“My expectation is that the two players (Pereira and Sam Johnstone) will leave the club.”

Fans will be buzzing

GSB could strike gold for the Hammers with a swoop for Pereira this summer. The West Ham board must sanction a swoop for the Brazilian now that West Brom have let it be known that he is likely to leave before the end of the transfer window.

It seems strange that Ismael would openly admit that Pereira and Johnstone will be leaving the club without any exits agreed already, but perhaps he is attempting to garner more interest in the pair by letting clubs know that they are available.

Fans will be buzzing as it increases the chances of the Hammers being able to land him, as West Brom have admitted that they will not be rejecting all interest in his services. Pereira could be an excellent signing for the London club as he is a player who could get supporters off their seats.

Ex-Nurnberg coach Nate Weiss once lavished praise on Matheus and labelled him as “genius”, whilst former Leeds forward Noel Whelan recently said that he would be excited if the attacker ended up playing at Elland Road for Marcelo Bielsa next season. Whelan has said that Pereira is a fantastic player and is at the right age for clubs to sign him.

He told Football Insider:

“He’s a fantastic player, he’s great on the ball, he can turn people inside out.”

Pereira was directly involved in 17 Premier League goals (11 goals & six assists) for the Baggies as they were relegated back down to the Championship, suggesting that he could be a great addition to David Moyes’ team. He has proven that he can score and create goals in the top-flight and that is why GSB must do all they can to bring him to the London Stadium ahead of next season.

AND in other news, Imagine him and Antonio: West Ham preparing bid for 31 G/A powerhouse, Moyes needs him…

Devlin verdict on ‘exciting’ new Jota role

Jota would face a ‘big challenge’ in Tom Rogic’s position but watching him there could be ‘exciting’ for Celtic supporters, according to The Athletic’s Kieran Devlin.

The lowdown

Rogic faces at least two weeks on the sidelines after he was forced off with a hamstring injury in Celtic’s midweek victory over Hibernian (via The Daily Record).

It’s certainly a blow for Ange Postecoglou given that his compatriot has featured in every Scottish Premiership game so far.

SL Benfica loanee Jota has predominantly been used as a left winger in Postecoglou’s 4-3-3 since arriving at Celtic Park.

But Postecoglou suggested in his pre-match press conference ahead of Celtic’s clash with Livingston that the Portuguese ‘has the capabilities’ to slot into the midfield three in Rogic’s place, and Devlin has now also hinted at that ‘interesting’ change.

The latest

In The Athletic’s matchday discussion, Devlin admitted Postecoglou’s comments caught him by surprise, but that Jota could find joy ‘driving at defences’.

“Yeah it’s an interesting possibility, certainly an option I hadn’t considered before his comments,” he wrote.

“It’d be a big challenge for his defensive recovery, but it’d be exciting seeing him picking the ball up in the middle and driving at defences, and the space that might open up.”

The verdict

There’s also a possibility Callum McGregor shifts into Rogic’s position, with Postecoglou noting that he has played there before.

That would probably be the lower-risk, more sensible move given that, according to Transfermarkt, Jota has only been deployed centrally 14 times in his career, and even then it was a second striker or a centre forward.

You don’t want to spurn the chance to go above Rangers, for 24 hours at least, by upsetting the balance of the team, so we feel Jota should remain on the flank.

In other news, Kevin Campbell reacts to this Celtic transfer link. 

Tottenham transfer news: Graham Roberts unsure on Tomiyasu deal

New Tottenham Hotspur manager Nuno Espirto Santo will want to get his own ideas across to the group of players he has inherited at the club, and also bring in his own players, but former Spurs captain Graham Roberts has admitted he’s never heard of reported target, Takehiro Tomiyasu.

Working alongside Tottenham’s new Director of Football, Fabio Paratici, who left his role of chief football officer at Juventus, Espirito Santo will be hoping the club can make additions to the playing staff this summer.

One name that Tottenham have been linked with is, Bologna defender Tomiyasu, with Bologna chief Riccardo Bigon confirming to football.london that they have received a bid from Spurs.

Tomiyasu featured Olympic games with Japan.

When asked by Transfer Tavern about the signing of Tomiyasu, former Spurs skipper Roberts said: “I’m not sure, I think we should go for two really out-and-out, proper centre-halves.

“If they cost £30m, £40m each, you go and buy them, but we don’t know what this lad’s like, I’ve never heard of him”.

New Director of Football Fabio Paratici would have seen Tomiyasu play whilst with Juventus, and Roberts thinks Paratici must rate him highly, saying: “I’m sure somebody, you know Paratici would have seen him in Italy when he was with Juventus, so he must think a lot of him, to go back and try to get him”.

Mills hails Daniel Levy’s ECA appointment

BBC pundit Danny Mills has called Tottenham Hotspur chairman Daniel Levy a ‘shrewd operator’ after his appointment to the executive board of the European Club Association (ECA).

The Lowdown: Levy appointed to ECA board

During the international break, it was confirmed by the ECA that the 59-year-old had been appointed to the association’s executive board.

It is the first time there has been an English club representative on the board since the failed plans for a European Super League, with Manchester United chief executive Ed Woodward resigning from the board in April.

Levy competed for the role with Manchester City chief executive Ferran Soriano, but the latter pulled out before the vote, leaving the Spurs chief with the opportunity to be elected.

The Latest: Mills welcomes Levy appointment

Speaking to Football Insider, former England defender Danny Mills has hailed Levy as a ‘shrewd operator’ and believes that the Spurs chief is the best man to replace Woodward, who resigned following the Super League collapse.

Mills said of the Tottenham chairman: “Well you know he’s not going to back down!

“As long as he goes in with the right messages from the clubs, you know that he’s going to fight his corner.

“As long as he’s fighting for the right things, and that’s for the whole of English football and the Premier League, not just Tottenham, then yes, why not.

“He’s a shrewd operator, so it’s a good appointment and good luck to him.”

The Verdict: Chance to redeem

Levy has been at the centre of arguably the summer transfer window’s biggest transfer saga involving Harry Kane and he will be hoping for a quieter few months as he settles into his new role and watches Nuno Espirito Santo’s team continue their good start to the campaign.

Ensuring the right decisions are made for the Premier League are essential for everyone involved, and after 20 years as chairman of Spurs, he has the experience to fight his corner for the English top flight among the ECA.

Indeed, given Levy’s reputation as a notoriously tough negotiator, Mills may well be right in championing his appointment to the ECA board.

In other Tottenham news, Fabrizio Romano has dropped an update involving one Spurs summer target. Find out more here.

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