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Before the time of social media, players and pundits didn’t get as many chances to go back and forth. A pundit would express their opinion and a player would have to hit back either through an interview or an awkward in-person interaction.Nowadays, however, pundits have to be careful just who they take aim at because it could result in a back and forth on Twitter late in the evening on a random Tuesday night. At least, this was the case recently for Chris Sutton and Todd Cantwell.

How did Todd Cantwell perform at Rangers last season?

Joining Rangers in January, Cantwell didn’t quite set the world alight last season, scoring just twice in 11 appearances as Rangers lost out on the Scottish Premiership title.

One positive to note, however, is the fact that the midfielder made four assists in those 11 appearances from midfield, which is something to take into the next campaign.

Cantwell will also be looking to get one over on their Old Firm rivals. Last season, with the Gers, he lost to Celtic in the Scottish League Cup, the Scottish FA Cup, as well as in the league with the title on the line – this is not a record that Cantwell will be keen to keep hold of.

Ahead of next season, the former Norwich City man will be hoping to hit top form at Ibrox with Rangers looking to regain their crown in Scotland’s top flight. He has at least bought himself time to settle in by putting Sutton in his place, that’s for sure.

What did Todd Cantwell say to Chris Sutton?

Cantwell’s outburst aimed towards Sutton isn’t a complete surprise, given the BBC pundit’s previous Tweets aimed the way of the midfielder, in which the former forward took a swing at the Rangers man.

Cantwell sure holds grudges, however, as he bided his time before finally taking aim at Sutton, replying to a Tweet about the best pundit in Scotland, saying: “I can you [it] isn’t Chris Sutton.”

Replying to the Tweet, Sutton said: “Here is some balanced factual punditry from last season TikTok you may not enjoy…you joined Rangers on a free from the Championship and lost every meaningful game against Celtic and won nothing.”

Cantwell ended the spat with: “Twitter troll has his notifications on then.”

You can see the entire interaction below:

Wolverhampton Wanderers could make an 'interesting' move for Atletico Madrid midfielder Geoffrey Kondogbia this summer as part of an 'overhaul in their midfield' under Julen Lopetegui, according to transfer insider Dean Jones.

What's the latest transfer news involving Geoffrey Kondogbia?

As per AS via Sport Witness, Wolves courted Kondogbia in the January transfer window and have now decided to return to try and secure his signature this summer.

Old Gold boss Lopetegui is seemingly keen to strengthen his engine room in the off-season and Kondogbia has been identified as someone who 'fits' the bill at Molineux. It is believed that Atletico Madrid expect to accumulate between €5-6 million (£4.2-5.1 million) for the £113k-a-week ace.

According to RMC Sport via Get French Football News, Lyon are also targeting a move for Kondogbia as they look to acquire a defensive midfielder at the Groupama Stadium.

Nevertheless, Lyon will not compete in continental competition next term, which may put a spanner in the works for the French giants in their attempts to land the Central African Republic international.

Football scout and agent Berk Bekgoz recently spoke about the latest state of play involving Kondogbia's future on the Taktik Mania YouTube channel, which translated to:

"Geoffrey Kondogbia will meet with Wolverhampton this week. If an agreement could not be reached, the player's manager made an appointment with Fenerbahçe and Beşiktaş. He will come to Istanbul and the meeting will be held."

Speaking to Football FanCast, transfer insider Jones believes that Kondogbia would be an 'interesting' addition at Molineux this summer.

Jones told FFC: "It's an interesting name to be thrown in there. I think that obviously Wolves are looking at a bit of an overhaul in their midfield this summer and so they need some new spirit in there and I think that that could potentially be a name that fits."

Would Geoffrey Kondogbia be a good signing for Wolverhampton Wanderers?

Kondogbia is an experienced figure – hailed a "monster" – who has starred at the elite level for the likes of Inter Milan, Sevilla and Valencia in the past and would be a potential bargain for Lopetegui as he looks to reshape his midfield at the Old Gold.

As per Transfermarkt, the 30-year-old enforcer made 27 appearances in all competitions for Atletico Madrid in 2022/23, registering two goals in the process.

WhoScored also takes into account that Kondogbia was strong in the tackle in La Liga and successfully won around 1.9 challenges per match for his side in the Spanish top-flight.

According to FBRef, the Nemours-born midfielder excelled in comparison to his positional peers across Europe's top five divisions concerning interceptions, nipping in to steal the ball 2.41 times per 90 minutes across the last 365 days, putting him in the first percentile for this metric.

Looking forward, bringing in Kondogbia may be a wise move from Wolves as they eye consolidation in 2023/24 following a close shave with relegation.

West Ham United are set to make their first offer for Fulham's Joao Palhinha, according to reports…

West Ham transfer news – What's the latest on Joao Palhinha?

As per transfer expert Fabrizio Romano, the Hammers are set to make their initial approach to Fulham for the services of their midfielder Palhinha.

"West Ham are preparing their first approach for João Palhinha. Not an easy deal with Fulham but he's top of the list for West Ham to replace Declan Rice," the Italian journalist tweeted.

The recent confirmation from Irons chairman David Sullivan that club captain and midfield powerhouse Declan Rice would be leaving the club made the signing of new midfielders crucial this summer.

However, the east London outfit aren't the only side interested in the Fulham man.

According to Football Insider, Aston Villa are keen to bring the player to the Midlands and are 'willing to pay' the reported £60m asking price to get the deal done.

Would Joao Palhinha be a good signing for West Ham?

The short answer to this question is simple, yes.

However, whilst he would certainly replace the defensive output of Rice and then some, he won't replace the attacking threat the Englishman produced.

For example, according to FBref, Rice has created 2.75 shot-creating actions per 90 this season, whereas Palhinha has only created 0.87. The same trend can be seen with take-ons, where the West Ham man attempts 1.73 take-ons per 90 and the Fulham star just 1.13.

The Hammers need to be realistic and look to sign a couple of players that, as a collective, can help the team move on from the departure of Rice.

With all that said, the former Sporting CP man has been fantastic in his debut campaign this year and would certainly go a long way in helping stabilise a new-look Claret and Blue midfield.

His biggest attribute this year has undoubtedly been his tackling numbers, tackling a whopping 147 players, the highest number across Europe's top five leagues by 19, per FBref.

Even more impressive is that these aren't just wild lunges at the opponent, as according to FBref, he is in the top 1% of players for tackles won in the top five leagues, per 90.

His constant involvement in the defensive side of the game hasn't gone unnoticed by his teammates either, with his midfield partner Harrison Reed referring to him as a "tackling machine."

Former players and pundits have been singing their praises for the player as well this season, with former Fulham man Steve Sidwell saying: "He has been absolutely sensational this season."

One of the top-flight's greatest centre-halves, Rio Ferdinand, has also been enthralled by the player, saying: "You need someone like that in front of you as a defender."

He isn't just a bruising machine at the centre of midfield, either. He has the ability to score the occasional wonder goal as well, with journalist Josh Bunting describing him as an "artist" for a particularly stunning finish during his time in Portugal.

It is also worth adding that despite the hefty fee that will inevitably be required to get this deal done, Palhinha's relatively modest wage of £50k-per-week in west London shouldn't be too much of an issue for the Hammers to improve upon.

West Ham would be making a very smart decision if they go and get Fulham's Portuguese star as David Moyes' perfect Rice replacement, but they better get a move on, as he won't be at the Cottage for long.

Days after making a century on Test debut, Keaton Jennings has been named captain of England Lions for their tour of Sri Lanka next year. Jennings will be joined in the four-day squad by the man he replaced in the Test side, as Haseeb Hameed works back to full fitness after suffering a broken finger in India.Another man to have opened the batting alongside Alastair Cook in recent weeks, Ben Duckett, is also named in the Lions party, although only for the one-day fixtures. The Lions will play two four-day games followed by a five-match 50-over series in February and March 2017.England’s lack of Test cricket between December and July, when they host South Africa, means that the Lions tour comes at a good time for Jennings and Hameed, who required surgery after being struck on the hand in Mohali. It will also provide another opportunity for Duckett to press his white-ball credentials, having been left out of the limited-overs squads to play India next month after an impressive ODI debut in Bangladesh.The Lions have been in the UAE for the past few weeks, playing a four-day match against Afghanistan and three 50-over fixtures with UAE. Jennings scored a century on his Lions debut, too, and captained the team to victory in the first two one-day games.”The Lions play such an important role in bridging the gap between county and international cricket, and after a successful training camp in the UAE culminating in an excellent win against Afghanistan, this tour of Sri Lanka is a great opportunity for the players to gain experience of playing on the subcontinent,” James Whitaker, the national selector, said.”Keaton Jennings impressed everyone on the Lions programme, with his leadership skills as well as his batting. That has already led to his call into the England Test set-up in India, but the Sri Lanka tour offers him the chance to gain further captaincy experience as well as playing some high-quality cricket in different and challenging conditions.”Haseeb Hameed had also made such a promising start in Test cricket before it was cut short by injury. Like Keaton and Ben Duckett, who will be returning to the Lions after playing some brilliant innings for them in the home tri-series against Sri Lanka A and Pakistan A last summer, I know he will relish the chance of playing some quality cricket in Sri Lanka in the New Year.”Among a host of regular Lions selections, Warwickshire legspinner Josh Poysden has won his first call-up for the 50-over leg in Sri Lanka, while Middlesex quick Tom Helm is included in both squads after being fast-tracked from the Pace Programme in Dubai.The tour will take place between February 6 and March 13, 2017, with details of the fixtures to be announced in due course.England Lions four-day squad: Keaton Jennings (capt), Haseeb Hameed, Nick Gubbins, Tom Alsop, Tom Westley, Joe Clarke, Liam Livingstone, Ben Foakes, Sam Curran, Tom Curran, Toby Roland-Jones, Tom Helm, Craig Overton, Ollie Rayner, Jack LeachEngland Lions 50-over squad: Keaton Jennings (capt), Daniel Bell-Drummond, Tom Alsop, Ben Duckett, Joe Clarke, Liam Livingstone, Ben Foakes, Sam Curran, Tom Curran, Craig Overton, Tom Helm, James Fuller, Ollie Rayner, Josh Poysden

The West Ham board has been teetering for a while, endlessly agonising over David Moyes’ uncertain future.

The Scotsman has bought so much joy to East London. Incredibly, he managed consecutive top-seven finishes, as well as a commendable European excursion last season that was halted in the semi-finals by the eventual winners Eintracht Frankfurt.

This term, the Irons have gone one step further on the continent and made it to the Europa Conference League Final.

Moyes and his squad are on the cusp of immortality, but failure to win this competition could spell the end for the veteran coach.

According to the Guardian, the Hammers are giving fresh consideration to Moyes’ dismissal to heighten the pressure on the game on Wednesday evening in Prague.

His fate rests upon reversing history and securing West Ham’s first major trophy in 43 years.

However, as per Foot Mercato’s Santi Aouna, Brendan Rodgers is a “leading candidate”, should Moyes fail at the last hurdle.

Would Brendan Rodgers be a good fit at West Ham?

A victim of recency bias would wrongly discount the obvious quality of Rodgers. The 50-year-old has endured a difficult campaign, unable to stem Leicester City’s downward spiral that culminated in a surprising relegation.

The club only signed two players last summer to leave Rodgers exposed and unevenly supported.

Prior to this tumultuous year at the King Power Stadium, the Northern Irishman had deservedly developed a prestigious reputation as quite simply, an unbelievable coach.

He first announced his managerial brilliance to British football with Swansea, securing promotion to the Premier League in 2012 via the play-offs.

The tactician was then announced as the boss of Liverpool and although it didn't quite go according to plan there, Merseyside legend Steven Gerrard was one effusive voice, heaping praise upon his managerial style.

He said: “His one-on-one management is the best I have known. He makes you go out onto the pitch feeling a million dollars — full of confidence and belief. He is a very confident manager.”

In more recent times, Rodgers managed the Foxes to their first-ever FA Cup victory in 2021 and had the club on the cusp of Champions League football.

Jurgen Klopp has expressed his admiration for his peers' work and said: “Leicester are built like you would like to build a team. Brilliant team. What they do is really good. Exciting, fresh; defend well; play football and are especially threatening in counter-attacks."

After an £166m outlay last summer, Moyes conceded that the spending “has not worked as well” as he would’ve liked, and given Rodgers' ability to pinpoint a player’s best role and mould a squad, his arrival at the London Stadium could be the perfect scenario.

Described as “unbelievable” by Michail Antonio, a player he could end up coaching, the appointment of Rodgers would herald a new era that could reignite the squad and the fan base.

Burnley face a battle to land Georges Mikautadze this summer, with a report from Footmercato stating that AC Milan are also ready to launch a bid for his services.

Who are Burnley signing this summer?

The Clarets have had a superb Championship campaign under boss Vincent Kompany, with the former Man City man taking the side to the top of the second-tier table in his first season. They stormed their way to glory, too – racking up 101 points and losing only three times.

Now, with the club gearing up for life back in the Premier League, their manager will be on the hunt for players that can help keep this upward trajectory going. The side won't want to be dumped straight back down a division and will therefore need to invest wisely to ensure their stay in the top flight is not a short one.

One of the names that has already emerged as a potential target for Burnley now is Georges Mikautadze. According to Footmercato, the Clarets have been "won over" by the player's performances this season but they could now face a struggle to sign the Metz ace.

That's because the same report adds that AC Milan are now also in the race to land the 14-cap Georgia man and could offer €10m (£8.7m) in order to secure his signature.

Who is Georges Mikautadze?

The striker currently plays for FC Metz in France and has had a sensational season with the club, bagging himself 23 goals in 33 league starts for the side, including a current run of nine goals in eight games. In addition, he managed a further eight assists, which led to a per-90 goal contribution rate of 0.96. It's a large part of the reason why the French outfit are currently sat third in Ligue 2.

He's also been gathering plenty of admirers along the way, with football talent scout Jacek Kulig calling him "The Georgian Killer." That's because of his goal rate for the side, and considering his age – he is just 22 years old – it makes his record even more impressive.

It's not the first time he has hit double-digit goal figures, either, having managed 19 when he was in his teens in Belgium. It means that this campaign is not a one-off for the striker – and if he does join Burnley and repeat the feat, it could go a long way towards keeping them in the Premier League next season.

Liverpool are now unlikely to move for Eintracht Frankfurt defender Evan Ndicka, journalist Dean Jones has revealed.

What's going on with Ndicka?

The centre-back is out of contract at the end of the season, and is set to leave Frankfurt. At 23, he could be a player that interests a lot of clubs, as a left-footed central defender.

Liverpool were previously linked with a move for the Frenchman, but it now seems that he is set to move elsewhere.

Ndicka has been described as "exciting," and with wages of £20k-per-week, it could have been a fairly cheap deal to pull off.

Speaking to GiveMeSport, Jones revealed that Ndicka could join Napoli, and that he is unlikely to move to Anfield this summer.

"Liverpool have been linked with Evan Ndicka as a potential solution to helping their defensive depth for next season, but it seems Napoli is a more likely destination" he stated.

"It’s an interesting one because the profile of the player seems a good fit, but over the past couple of weeks I have struggled to find anyone that believes it is going to be a deal Liverpool push for.

"And now in Italy, there seems to be confidence that Napoli are looking at him and are putting themselves in a good position to make a proposal. So it feels like we can probably scratch him off the list."

Do Liverpool need a centre-back?

Despite an impressive recent run of form, Liverpool have suffered a large drop-off from last season, and reinforcements are needed across the pitch.

Virgil van Dijk has come in for criticism over his form this season, as the once flawless Dutchman has started to look vulnerable, and extra cover for the 31-year-old could be useful this summer.

Ndicka could have been the long-term successor for Van Dijk as a left-sided defender, and he could have formed a partnership with fellow Frenchman Ibrahima Konate.

Liverpool could still look at a defender, as Joe Gomez has also come in for criticism, and Joel Matip is ageing. A younger option who could rotate, and perhaps eventually start next to Konate could help pad the squad.

Klopp's side still have a shot at Champions League qualification, but may be forced to settle for a Europa League spot, and a large squad will be needed regardless of which competition they qualify for.

William Saliba is expected to miss the rest of the season through injury, but there is positive news for Arsenal as the defender does not need surgery, journalist Chris Wheatley has confirmed.

What's the latest on William Saliba?

The centre-back was withdrawn in the first half of Arsenal's Europa League exit against Sporting CP in March, and has not featured since as he struggles with a back injury.

Arsenal's title challenge is all but over, having faltered defensively in the absence of Saliba, and with two games left this season, it seems the Frenchman will not feature again in this campaign.

Speaking on his YouTube channel, Wheatley confirmed that Saliba would not be seen in the Arsenal team again this season, but that there is relief that he does not need surgery on the injury.

"William Saliba, he's out for the rest of the season, this is what was expected," he stated.

"He won't require surgery on his back injury, which is good news for Arsenal. But these two games are going to come too soon for the defender currently on the treatment table."

How much have Arsenal missed Saliba?

Arsenal's form has taken a nosedive since the France international's injury, as Rob Holding and later Jakub Kiwior have failed to replace his presence in the back four.

Saliba has been described as "superb" by Mikel Arteta, and Arsenal's defensive records highlight how much of an impact his injury made.

Arsenal have conceded 17 league goals in the eight league games since his injury at a rate of 2.1 per game, having only conceded 25 times in the 28 games with him in the side, a rate of 0.89 per game.

This is a significant drop-off, and one that led to Arsenal's collapse in the title race, having picked up just nine points out of the last 21 available.

Saliba's impact in the side was immediate as he finally broke into the Arsenal side following a few loan spells back in his native France, winning the player of the match award on his Premier League debut away at Crystal Palace, and helping Arsenal sustain an unexpected title challenge.

Arsenal will look back at his injury as a defining moment in the title race, but given that he does not need surgery, there may be optimism that Saliba can return to action in pre-season and start the next campaign fully fit.

Aston Villa recorded one of their results of the season yesterday, as a packed-out Villa Park played host to the mauling of top-four chasers Newcastle United.

The tie pitted two of the Premier League's most in-form sides against one another, but on the day only one outfit really showed up.

A beaten and bruised Magpies outfit were sent back to Tyneside with no points and a lot to think about, as Unai Emery masterminded a 3-0 demolition job where his team once again shone.

Better in almost every position across the whole field, there were a few standout performers who truly spearheaded such an unlikely result.

Whilst plenty of the praise will once again go to Ollie Watkins, and rightly so for another two goals, the influence Alex Moreno had down that left flank cannot be understated.

Having signed only in January for a fee of just £13.3m, the 29-year-old only goes from strength to strength as he further embeds himself within the squad. With a European place now well and truly attainable for the Villans, there will be hope that the former Real Betis man can maintain these levels to complete what has been a sensational turnaround within this campaign.

How did Alex Moreno play vs Newcastle United?

Having started once again in the place of Lucas Digne, the £35k-per-week speedster's dynamism continues to inject so much added energy into a Villa squad that seemed resigned to relegation under Steven Gerrard.

Yesterday's result arguably outlined the apex of his impact thus far, as Moreno was ever-present up and down his wing, culminating in his assist for the second goal.

Before that, however, the defender had recorded an impressive 72 touches, which allowed him to have such an influence. This constant involvement brought about the three key passes he completed, with the fact he lost possession 24 times an indicator of just how desperate he was to forge something of note, via Sofascore.

Journalist Luis Miguel Echegaray even took to Twitter to laud his role in Watkins' first of the day, highlighting his "genius" that had created the goal.

The dominance of the home side often meant that the full-back could get away with shirking his defensive duties, however, the 5 foot 10 star still recorded one clearance and won three of the four duels competed in.

With a well-earned 7.3 Sofascore rating for his role in such a statement victory, it was unsurprising to see him further marked out for praise by journalist Lewis Steele, who also wrote on Twitter: "Ollie Watkins will get all the headlines again but left-back Alex Moreno is some talent. Two mins ago assists Watkins but he’s offside; now he’s done it again and it’ll count. A constant danger."

It seems that the unstoppable form of Villa has now drawn everyone's attention to Moreno, who might well go down as one of the coups of the January window. With three assists now in just 13 Premier League games only scratching the surface of his importance, the sky really is the limit for the relentless wide man and his team.

Watkins might earn the plaudits, but it was his creative teammate that was Emery's real hero yesterday.

West Ham summer signing Gianluca Scamacca could still leave the club this summer as reports from Italy share the latest on his future. 

The Lowdown: Irons struggling…

Despite a summer of heavy spending, manager David Moyes has had a Premier League season to forget, with his side currently battling against relegation to The Championship.

The likes of Lucas Paqueta, a club-record acquisition, and Scamacca were brought to east London as promising signings to take West Ham to the next level.

Injuries and a lack of form has dampened the Hammers’ campaign after they were looking to build upon two-consecutive seasons of qualifying for Europe.

West Ham have won just once in their last five and are level on points with 18th-placed Bournemouth in the top flight standings, prompting Moyes and co to look over their shoulders.

As such, star midfielder Declan Rice has been widely tipped to leave this summer, and according to reports, he may not be the only one.

The Latest: Scamacca could leave West Ham…

The Italy international has been linked with a West Ham exit at various points this season with a report by newspaper La Gazzetta dello Sport (via Sport Witness) sharing an update.

It is believed Scamacca’s ‘divorce’ from the club is ‘anything but improbable’ as struggling Serie A giants Juventus take a real interest.

La Gazzetta state ‘advantageous solutions could be opened up’ for Juve, ‘even on loan with the right/obligation to buy’.

Scamacca has apparently ‘reappeared on the black and white radar’ and Juve could offer him an escape route back to his homeland.

The Verdict: Let him go?

Moyes actually raved over the 24-year-old in his pre-match press conference ahead of tonight’s Europa Conference League second leg clash with AEK Larnaca.

The under-pressure Scotsman moved to quickly to praise Scamacca and offered an opinion on his recent form, stating:

“We want him back, he’s got something and we like him a lot. He’s a great boy and we really, really like him and we want him to do well.

“We want our Gianluca back to the one we had from August to November. The one we’ve got at the moment looks slightly different and we need him to get back to those levels.”

There is little doubting the forward has what it takes to succeed in England, especially going by his phenomenal goal return last season and imperious physicality.

The 6 foot 5 striker has been called a ‘powerhouse’ and a ‘bully’ by members of the media for his towering presence in the attacking areas, and given time, this could be a huge asset to West Ham.

Indeed, sticking with Scamacca and showing patience is the best thing to do right now.