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Writing in his column for The Daily Star, Sky Sports pundit Paul Merson has given Tottenham Hotspur and chairman Daniel Levy a managerial instruction.

The Lowdown: Pressure on Nuno…

Despite a brilliant start to life at N17, even managing to clinch August’s Premier League Manager of the Month award, it has all been downhill for Nuno Espirito Santo since the international break.

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The Portuguese has overseen a trio of humiliating defeats at their hands of London rivals in September and there are now reports of growing unrest behind the scenes at Spurs.

As such, links have re-emerged to former boss Mauricio Pochettino after Levy attempted to re-hire him earlier this year, but Merson has now told the Lilywhites chairman to make a different appointment if Nuno is indeed given his marching orders.

The Latest: Merson makes Potter claim…

Writing in his Daily Star column, Merson has told Levy to hire Brighton and Hove Albion boss Graham Potter as Nuno’s possible replacement.

The pundit believes that the Seagulls manager could bring an ‘entertaining’ brand of football to Spurs and a philosophy which supporters especially would love.

He also suggests that Nuno has ‘lost the players’ at Tottenham and, if they lose against Aston Villa today, doesn’t see how the 47-year-old survives the next international break.

The Verdict: Ideal man?

When Spurs were linked with Potter as a possible replacement for Jose Mourinho earlier this year, reliable reporter Alasdair Gold lifted the lid on what Lilywhites players think of him as a coach.

Their reception of the 46-year-old, according to the football.london journalist, is certainly glowing, with Gold revealing that a ‘number of’ Spurs players had a ‘lasting impression’ left on them by his playing style at Brighton (Twitter).

It is also claimed that a number of them would have been ‘happy’ if the former Ostersunds man was pursued by Spurs during their last managerial hunt.

Taking this into account, and the fact that he has been called a ‘world class manager’ by former England international Adam Lallana, Merson could very well have a point.

In other news: Spurs source claims that Levy is eyeing £115,000-per-week ‘genius’ amid Nuno unrest…find out more here.

West Ham United have identified Burnley’s Nick Pope as a potential goalkeeper target, according to The Daily Mail’s Adrian Kajumba. 

The lowdown

Pope and Burnley are facing relegation to the Championship after winning just four of their first 31 matches. They’re currently 18th, three points behind Everton despite having played a game more.

West Ham, meanwhile, are chasing Europa League glory with the help of Areola, who’s started all but one game on their route to the final.

He’s effectively been the cup ‘keeper at the London Stadium, with 37-year-old veteran Lukasz Fabianski playing league matches.

West Ham will have the option to buy Areola from Paris Saint-Germain at the end of his loan spell in the summer for a fee of £10million.

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The latest

West Ham have shortlisted Pope ‘as they finalise their goalkeeping plans for next season’, Kajumba reports.

The Hammers believe he may be a cheaper alternative to Areola if Burnley are relegated, causing his price tag to plummet.

Areola would be installed as one of West Ham’s highest earners on £120,000 per week, but Pope earns less than a third of that at Burnley (£35,000).

Fulham, who took the Frenchman on loan during the 2020/21 season, are waiting in the wings as they stand on the verge of winning back their place in the Premier League.

The verdict

Pope, Kajumba notes, impressed when the two sides played out a 1-1 draw on Sunday.

He made five saves, all from shots inside the penalty area, to help his team secure what could prove to be an important point.

His SofaScore rating of 7.5/10 was the second highest in the team, beaten only by goalscorer Wout Weghorst.

The Athletic’s Roshane Thomas suspects that West Ham would have won the game had Pope not ‘turned into a super saiyan goalkeeper’ late on.

However, it would feel harsh to overlook Areola, whose shot-stopping record this season places him in the 98th percentile among ‘keepers in the top five leagues.

In other news, big news has emerged on a West Ham defender. 

As per Italian newspaper Corriere Fiorentino, via Sport Witness, a transfer update has emerged on Tottenham Hotspur’s pursuit of Fiorentina striker Dusan Vlahovic.

The Lowdown: Vlahovic on the move?

The Serbia international, who has rejected advances from his current club to make him the highest-paid player in their history, looks to inevitably exit sooner or later.

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His contract expires in 2023, so Fiorentina could risk losing him on a free deal at the end of next season as clubs hover for his signature.

One of those suitors is thought to be Tottenham as the Lilywhites remain heavily linked, following on from sporting director Fabio Paratici’s interest in the 21-year-old over the summer transfer window.

Now, as per a fresh claim from Italy, an update has emerged on the Vlahovic situation involving Spurs.

The Latest: Lilywhites in direct contact?

Corriere Fiorentino (via Sport Witness) lifted the lid on Tottenham’s ‘direct contact’ with La Viola directors Daniele Pradè and Giuseppe Barone, also revealing that the two chiefs held this contact during ‘a trip to London’.

They added that Spurs manager Antonio Conte is a personal admirer of the prolific striker and Tottenham were even ‘ready to come forward’ over the summer during Nuno Espirito Santo’s reign.

The Verdict: Get it done…

Vlahovic stands out as Tottenham’s most blockbuster striking target by some distance and his form in Europe has been among the best.

Scoring 14 goals and setting up three others in just 16 appearances throughout all competitions, it is little wonder his exploits in front of goal have drawn comparisons with Borussia Dortmund superstar Erling Braut Haaland.

Serie A experts who have watched him consistently, such as Conor Clancy, have raved over the young attacker’s talent and ability, with that writer calling him ‘phenomenal’ and a potentially ‘exciting’ long-term replacement for Harry Kane (The Transfer Tavern).

Averaging even more shots on goal per 90 this season than Tottenham’s star duo Kane and Son Heung-min (WhoScored), who both made the PFA Team of the Year last term, it’s safe to say that the Serbian does indeed come as a head-turning target.

In other news: Eight players now safe from Spurs axe after impressing behind the scenes, find out more here.

A number of Wolves supporters have reacted in frustrated fashion to Tim Spiers’ confirmation that the club’s Premier League clash with Arsenal, scheduled for Tuesday lunchtime, has been postponed.

Bruno Lage’s side were also meant to be in action on Boxing Day but their league meeting with Watford at Molineux was called off. It has given Wolves’ players time to recharge their batteries and preparations had been underway to take on the Gunners at the Emirates Stadium tomorrow.

Unfortunately, Wanderers have now had back-to-back matches postponed, with Spiers confirming the news on Twitter on Monday evening due to a combination of numerous injuries and positive virus cases within Lage’s squad, which is among the thinnest in the Premier League anyway.

It is deeply frustrating for Wolves at a time when they are looking to continue their good form, but their next match now won’t be until January 3, when they make the trip to Manchester United.

Wolves fans fume over Arsenal postponement

These Wanderers fans took to Twitter to show their annoyance at the news, which some supporters dubbed a “shocking” indictment of the lack of squad depth at Molineux.

“Embarrassing, imagine if we actually had a squad and not just 14 first team players anyway. Club is a shambles top to bottom, where’s all the Watford bashers now”

Credit: @TheMolineuxBlog

“Embarrassing from us”

Credit: @adamwwfc03

“This season is fast becoming a farce, looks like teams are taking it in turns to have a week off”

Credit: @Retrowolves1

“Game should go ahead, nobody’s fault other than ours that we have a tiny squad”

Credit: @wwfcltd

“Injuries? That’s embarrassing. That’s our own fault, not Arsenal’s”

Credit: @WiggyWWFC

“Shocking when these blokes are meant to be all vaccinated, work in some of the most covid safe environments etc. Just end the season now otherwise every team soon as they get a few injuries will be crying Covid”

Credit: @jamiehen1

In other news, Wolves are still interested in signing one player. Find out who it is here.

Former Celtic transfer target Fernando Henrique looks set to secure a move in the January transfer window.

What’s the talk?

That’s according to a report by Goal Brazil, who claimed that the defensive midfielder could be set to leave Gremio this month, with Al-Ain of the United Arab Emirates appearing to be closing in on a $5m (£3.7m) deal for the 20-year-old.

Previous reports had claimed that Celtic had opened talks with the Brazilian regarding the potential of a move to Parkhead back in October, with The Scotsman stating that Ange Postecoglou was interested in Henrique as none of Ismaila Soro, James McCarthy or Nir Bitton provided the 56-year-old with adequate cover for Callum McGregor.

Postecoglou must finally move for Henrique

While it is true that Celtic have already secured the central midfield signings of both Reo Hatate and Yosuke Ideguchi this month, the fact that Postecoglou was interested in a further deal for Riley McGree would appear to suggest that the Hoops manager still believes he requires greater depth in that position.

As such, with Henrique appearing to be available in the current transfer window, it would seem advisable for the 56-year-old to finally make his move for the Gremio starlet, who would undoubtedly make a fantastic addition to Celtic’s current options in the middle of the park.

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Indeed, over his four Brazilian Serie A appearances last season, the £1.35m-rated man – who Almanaque Esportivo claimed is similar to Manchester United midfielder Fred – made a strong impression, averaging a whopping 2.3 interceptions, 2.8 tackles and 0.5 clearances and winning 5.8 duels (with a success rate of 52%) per game.

These returns saw the youngster earn a seasonal SofaScore match rating of 6.92, ranking him as Gremio’s eighth-best performer in the Brazilian top flight in 2021.

As such, considering that Henrique only turned 20 last summer, it would very much seem that he is a talent with a very bright future in the game. We believe that Postecoglou must this month reignite his interest in a move for the youngster who Everything Celtic dubbed a “strong” player, particularly if he is available for as little as £3.7m.

In other news: Postecoglou drops transfer claim on £5.7k-p/w dynamo, Celtic fans will be fuming

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Brendan Rodgers has all-but confirmed that Scott Brown is about to sign a new Celtic contract.

What’s the word?

The midfielder is out of contract in the summer and has held talks with Australian outfit Western Melbourne as well as receiving an offer the UAE – according to recent reports from The Daily Record.

Brown was signed from Hibs in 2007 for a record Scottish transfer fee and has picked up eight title winning medals since making the move along the M8.

It was reported on Wednesday that the Celtic skipper is set to sign a new deal, and following a 2-0 win over St. Johnstone, Rodgers appeared to confirm the rumours.

As quoted by The Daily Record, Rodgers said: “He’s an outstanding player and I think the possibilities to go and try something else will come later on. Scott could be a coach here in the future. There will always be a role.”

Priceless Experience

It is easy to overlook or take for granted the influence that Brown has but as well as his experience, his ability to dictate the tempo is priceless.

Last season without their skipper the team looked paralysed but a strange thing happened in November when Celtic suddenly clicked into gear as Callum McGregor and Ryan Christie took charge with Brown out injured.

Having other options and combinations is welcome but it shouldn’t detract from the influence and qualities of the club captain.

Craig Gordon and Mikael Lustig could soon be dropping out of the side creating a vacuum in experience – Brown fills that and much much more.

Ashley Preece picked out John McGinn as one of Aston Villa’s worst players in their disappointing 3-1 defeat away to Arsenal.

The Lowdown: Villa humbled at Arsenal

Dean Smith’s men were hoping to bounce back from their shock 3-2 loss at home to Wolves last time around, but things didn’t pan out that way.

Villa were deservedly beaten at the Emirates on Friday evening, being comprehensively outplayed by a more energetic Gunners side.

The Latest: McGinn performance slammed

It was a game that saw many Villa players underperform and McGinn was undoubtedly one of them, losing the midfield battle and not covering himself in glory for two of the goals.

On Twitter after the game, Preece claimed that the Scot was ‘miles off the pace’ against Arsenal, and in his player ratings for The Birmingham Mail, he further outlined his struggles, giving him a measly three-out-of-10 score:

“At fault for two of Arsenal’s three goals here. The first he allowed Partey to get ahead of him from the corner before he passed straight to Smith Rowe under no pressure whatsoever.

“A real off-night for the Scot who, before this one, said he was in the best form of his career. Booked for lashing out at Lokonga as frustrations boiled over.”

The Verdict: Rare off-night

It is hard to feel too angry with McGinn, considering what a consistent performer he has been for Villa for a number of years, scoring 15 goals and registering 20 assists in 119 appearances.

As Preece alludes to, it was rare off-night for the midfielder, completing just 76 per cent of his passes and losing possession 15 times (Sofascore), and the hope is that he returns to his best for the visit of West Ham next Sunday.

The pressure is mounting on Smith after two bitterly disappointing results in a row – they have lost their last three matches – so the clash with the Hammers is a vital one.

In other news, some Villa fans slammed another player’s performance against Arsenal. Find out who it is here.

According to a Tottenham Hotspur source (via Football Insider), head coach Antonio Conte is personally plotting a summer sale behind-the-scenes as some major exit news emerges.

The Lowdown: Crunch summer window looming…

The Lilywhites, buoyed by their most recent Premier League form, are now top contenders for 2022/2023 Champions League qualification – a phenomenal turnaround since that humiliating defeat to Man United in Nuno Espirito Santo’s last game.

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Conte’s side have bagged a brilliant 26 goals in their last seven Premier League matches with nine of them coming in their two most previous wins alone (Transfermarkt).

Thumping victories over Newcastle United last week (5-1) and Aston Villa yesterday (4-0) exemplify the confidence running through Tottenham’s team at the moment as they also gear up for this summer’s transfer window behind-the-scenes.

Competition for places under Conte is now potentially more intense than ever and the Italian has allegedly made a major decision already on who he wants to sell at Spurs.

The Latest: Conte plotting Ndombele sale…

As per FI, the former Inter Milan boss is personally plotting to sell club-record signing and Lyon loanee Tanguy Ndombele, regardless of whether or not the French outfit activate his permanent purchase option.

Conte has apparently ‘made up his mind’ with an N17 source explaining there is ‘no way back’ for the 25-year-old.

The ex-Juventus boss allegedly doesn’t regard Ndombele as capable of slotting into the Spurs team, meaning they are now open to summer offers.

The Verdict: Right call?

The France international possesses bags of ability, as evident by spells of form under former Spurs manager Jose Mourinho and rave reviews from certain players at the club.

According to West Ham star Declan Rice, his England teammates from Tottenham have called Ndombele ‘unbelievable’, while N17 live presenter Ben Haines has previously waxed lyrical over the ‘gem’ of a player (Twitter).

However, his temporary exit from Spurs was arguably fuelled by doubts surrounding his application, and it may finally be the right time to offload permanently.

Valued at around £31.5 million by Transfermarkt, chairman Daniel Levy will be hoping he can claw back a far greater transfer sum.

In other news: In recent weeks: Tottenham step up chase to sign ‘incredible’ player as club brace their bid! Find out more here.

Flocking to Twitter, many West Ham United fans have gone wild for the latest update on their chase to sign Manchester United attacker Jesse Lingard this window.

Manager David Moyes is keen to bring the England international to east London on a permanent deal following a hugely successful 2020/2021 loan spell at West Ham.

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The 29-year-old bagged nine goals and four assists in just 16 Premier League starts over the second half of last campaign, but despite West Ham’s efforts, he didn’t join permanently in the summer window.

Instead, he chose to remain at his current club, a decision which has resulted in very little game time and broken down new contract talks as he now eyes a move away from Old Trafford.

The Daily Mirror, sharing an update on the situation, have now shared some very promising news out of West Ham.

According to their information, Lingard is now ‘ready’ to to leave United and ‘seal’ a permanent move to the Hammers – with manager Moyes and the club ‘determined’ to get it done before January 31.

West Ham fans go wild…

Flocking to this claim, given Lingard is now apparently ready to join, it’s little wonder some supporters believe this is a ‘very exciting’ development.

The Three Lions ace shone at West Ham last season and has been described as a would-be ‘massive signing’ for Moyes who could gift the club ‘another dimension’ (Paul Robinson, Football Insider).

There is little denying his coup would be a good move for Rob Newman and co with many Irons supporters certainly giving their thumbs up.

Find all of their best reactions from Twitter down below:

“Please please please please”

Credit: @Kayron27

“Tears in my eyes. Finally. Waiting for that certified yes from @ExWHUemployee”

Credit: @ovo_forbes

“COME ON”

Credit: @moyes_boy

“Don’t get me gassedddddddd”

Credit: @H_RICHY

“Very exciting news!”

Credit: @GoFlamesGo89

“Time to come home”

Credit: @DJ_Khalid3112

“PLEASE BE TRUE”

Credit: @ereags2022

“Imagine lingard and digne, what a start to the window”

Credit: @KyleMaccer17

In other news: Sky Sports journalist: West Ham join race to sign ‘big name’ dynamo with club now set to sell, find out more here.

According to Calciomercato, there has been yet another contract development out of Rush Green as news emerges on West Ham starlet Ben Johnson.

The Lowdown: West Ham in new deal flurry…

Over these last few months, it appears West Ham officials have made tying down first team stars a major priority going by reports.

Firstly, the club attempted multiple new contract offers for star man Declan Rice, over for them to be rejected over the summer, while Czech Republic duo Tomas Soucek and Vladimir Coufal have also been heavily linked with signing fresh terms.

Angelo Ogbonna is another name who could be handed a new deal at the London Stadium according to reports, especially considering his current contract runs out at the end of this season.

Sharing news on another West Ham first teamer who’s contract also runs out in 2022, Calciomercato have some big news on Johnson.

The Latest: West Ham table offer…

According to their sources, the Hammers 21-year-old has now been offered a new contract as West Ham put fresh terms on the table.

When it comes to specifics like the length, salary or any clauses, Calciomercato are pretty vague in their claim and simply state that an extension has indeed been put forward to Johnson.

The Verdict: Great move…

The Irons starlet has hugely impressed under Moyes this season, leading the Scotsman to call him a ‘really important player’ in the squad.

In Coufal’s brief injury absence before he returned to the side against Genk in midweek, Johnson filled the right-back’s boots impressively – holding his own in huge games against the likes of Manchester City and bitter London rivals Tottenham.

Statistically, you only have to look at the player’s impressive Premier League numbers when it comes to holding his own defensively.

According to WhoScored, no West Ham teammate has managed more tackles per 90 on average than Johnson so far this season and, if he can keep up this run of form, Moyes may be presented with a huge dilemma at right-back over this season.

The club certainly can’t afford to let his contract run down for a second longer and it is imperative the promising youngster is tied down as soon as possible.

In other news: ‘Woohoo’, ‘Going for the title’…ExWHUemployee’s transfer claim has many West Ham fans buzzing, find out more here.