A number of Manchester United supporters have been reacting to a transfer update involving Tottenham and England captain Harry Kane.
The Lowdown: Contact made
Erik ten Hag’s side look set to be in the market for a new forward this summer and appear to be laying the groundwork over a deal for Kane.
Recent reports have claimed that United have made contact with Kane’s representatives and are confident of signing the forward, should Spurs finish outside the top four. They have had encouraging noises back from Kane’s camp, with his contract in north London set to expire in 2024.
The Latest: Fans not thrilled
The United Stand shared the update regarding Kane and the Red Devils on Twitter. Their post gained plenty of interaction, however, these supporters weren’t happy at the news of a potential deal.
“Haven’t we suffered enough?” – @LUHGSzns_
“Please no. Why not a young striker who fits Ten Hag’s system?” – @lit08
“God forbid” – @seunalaran
“Embarrassing” – @Khai13__
“Typical glazer spin after a big loss. Don’t buy into this” – @__onered
“United don’t need Kane. He’s 30 years old, has injury issues. And isn’t building for the future. I personally don’t want him at United. I want a young and hungry striker who can be around for years to come” – @Jaylewis0115
The Verdict: Needed?
It is fairly surprising to see a number of United fans unimpressed at the update involving Kane, as you could argue he is the missing piece at Old Trafford.
The 29-year-old has scored 201 times in the Premier League and has netted ten or more top-flight goals in each of the last nine seasons.
Therefore, you could say he would guarantee goals at Old Trafford, something which United have been lacking from their centre-forwards in Anthony Martial and Wout Weghorst.
Left-winger Marcus Rashford has been the main source of goals this season, and he already knows Kane well due to international duty, so the pair could strike up a positive relationship in Manchester.
Sky Sports pundit Paul Merson has praised Chelsea’s switch to a three-at-the-back formation as they recorded their third victory in a row.
What has changed at Chelsea?
Graham Potter found himself under immense pressure following a dreadful run of results, but Chelsea have started to find their form, which has seemingly bought him more time in charge.
Ahead of their victory over Leeds United a week ago, Potter switched to a three-at-the-back formation, and the results have instantly improved, having played a 4-2-3-1 in their nightmare run.
Speaking on Sky Sports, Merson praised the decision, and claimed that Chelsea now look dangerous going forward.
He said (via Football Daily): “Chelsea look dangerous, look full of confidence, a completely different team to three or four weeks ago.
“Three at the back has made a difference. Chilwell gets forward, I thought Loftus-Cheek did very well. Kovacic is fit, he’s playing with Enzo Fernandez in midfield.
“They look a balanced team now. They look very balanced. They look quite solid.”
Should Potter stick with this formation?
Chelsea’s record under Potter this season has been poor, but there does appear to be a difference in results when playing with a back three compared to a back four.
They have lost 3 in 13 when fielding a three, compared to 6 in 16 with a back four, since Potter’s appointment in October.
Previous manager Thomas Tuchel would typically use a three-at-the-back formation, and perhaps the increased familiarity has helped the Chelsea squad in a season where there have been dramatic changes on and off the field.
Given the recent run of wins, Potter should stick with the formation and try and build some more cohesion within the squad to help climb back up the table.
For Richarlison, this season has been nothing but a tail of woe.The Brazilian left Everton behind last summer in a seismic deal worth £60m, a fee that seemed excessive but certainly one he could pay back if he fired them towards the Champions League places.Tottenham Hotspur may be in contention to seal a top-four berth come the end of the campaign, but the fact is that Richarlison hasn’t helped one bit.It is now the middle of March and the 25-year-old is still yet to find the net in the Premier League for Spurs, while he has beaten the goalkeeper on just two occasions in all competitions.Combine that with only four assists and it has been a rough debut term in the English capital.What hasn’t helped, however, is a number of injuries with the Brazil international having missed two months of the season since joining.
Why was Richarlison crying?
A further spell on the sidelines could be on the cards for the winger, who sustained another injury in the thrilling 3-3 draw with Southampton on Saturday afternoon.
Richarlison crying against Southampton.
Richarlison had to be replaced after just five minutes of that encounter and hobbled from the field of play in floods of tears.
The last few weeks have been emotional for the former Everton man who criticised how poor his season had been before also pointing the finger at Antonio Conte.
The pair obviously have quite a frigid relationship and yet another fitness concern is unlikely to do him any favours.
Considering his poor campaign, people on social media were keen to get stuck into the ex-Watford attacker, with the best of the reaction below…
There is now a ‘good possibility’ former Barcelona boss Luis Enrique will join up with Tottenham, according to journalist Tony Damascelli.
The Lowdown: Spurs shortlist drawn up…
Following Antonio Conte’s rant after Southampton last weekend, a speech which sparked a real footballing firestorm, much has been made over who could replace the Italian long term.
Sky Sports claimed last week that Spurs and sporting director Fabio Paratici have already written a shortlist of candidates, considering he was also entering the final few months of his deal at the time.
Mauricio Pochettino, Roberto De Zerbi, Enrique, Thomas Tuchel, Marco Silva and Thomas Frank have been billed as the main contenders but other names like Oliver Glasner have also been mentioned.
Even Burnley boss Vincent Kompany has been recommended by pundits like Tony Cascarino as a possible left-field option and it will be interesting to see who will be in charge at the beginning of 2023/2024.
The Latest: ‘Good possibility’ over Enrique…
Enrique, who is a free agent since departing Spain after the World Cup, is seen as a credible option by many considering his brilliant CV.
The 52-year-old has worked with some of football’s most iconic superstars like Sergio Busquets and Lionel Messi with reporter Damascelli sharing what he knows to Radio Radio (via Calciomercato Web):
He explained:
“If you look at Tottenham’s history, it’s as if you were coming to Lazio who have won only one Scudetto recently. That’s why they hired him, if you let the bottom in the standings reach you at 3-3, things aren’t right. There are two things: either dismissal or resignation. I know that Luis Enrique has already been contacted, there is a good possibility that he will go to England.”
The Verdict: Great candidate…
While we believe Pochettino stands out as the main choice, especially when factoring in his affinity for Spurs and Premier League experience, Enrique is the standout alternative.
Having won league titles and a Champions League winner’s medal at Barcelona, the Spaniard has also been called an appointment which may be popular with sections of the Spurs fanbase.
Despite leaving Spain with little success at international level, Enrique did attract praise for some of his line ups and tactical choices – even being called a ‘genius’ by some sections of the media.
Reports suggest Enrique is the standout choice for Paratici personally, and if Tottenham can’t get Pochettino, he is a more-than worthwhile back up option.
West Ham United have told midfielder Manuel Lanzini that he is free to leave the club at the end of the season, according to reports in the last 48 hours.
What’s the latest on Lanzini’s future?
The Argentine will be out of contract at the London Stadium in the summer and having fallen out of favour under David Moyes, making just one start in the Premier League since the beginning of the 2022/23 season, is likely to be heading for the door. The Irons star is reportedly wanted once again by his former club River Plate and according to TyC Sports, his father delivered an interview admitting that the 30-year-old could well be about to complete his return to the Primera Division.
Speaking to GiveMeSport, transfer insider Dean Jones recently claimed that the maestro is indeed expected to leave and seek a new challenge upon the conclusion of the current campaign. He said: “Yeah, I mean, I think it actually will be; I'd say the fairest way to put it is that it's most likely his last season now at West Ham."
And now, according to Football Insider, West Ham have actually “told” Lanzini that he is free to look for his next destination ahead of the summer window. The E20 outfit are “yet to hold” talks over extending his stay so it’s extremely likely that he will depart as a free agent.
River Plate are “keen” to try and lure their former star back to Buenos Aires and are currently “leading the charge”, but it’s stated that there is also “major interest” from the UK and Europe.
West Ham midfielder Manuel Lanzini.
Are West Ham wrong to let Lanzini go?
Lanzini has been hailed a “special” player by his West Ham teammate Declan Rice and whilst he has been a fantastic servant to the club over the years, it would be the right decision to let him go.
The Nike-sponsored star has played just 146 minutes of top-flight football since the start of the season, showing that Moyes clearly doesn’t view him as part of his long-term plans. The Ituzaingo native also currently earns £70k-p/w so whilst the hierarchy wouldn’t receive a fee from his sale as he leaves for nothing, it would certainly free up space on the wage bill to invest in future potential new signings.
Lanzini came through the academy ranks at River Plate so it would be nice for him to go back to his homeland and to where it all started to possibly see him through until the time comes he hangs up his boots in the next few years to come.
Journalist Jack Pitt-Brooke has mooted Ruben Amorim as the next possible man to take charge of Tottenham Hotspur after Antonio Conte was fired.
What's the latest on Ruben Amorim and Spurs?
To absolutely no one's surprise, Spurs decided to part ways with their Italian head coach following the fall-out of his remarkable recent press conference.
Indeed, after the draw at Southampton, Conte seemed to take aim at his own players as well as the way the club has been run under Daniel Levy.
Indeed, he said: "I see selfish players, I see players that don't want to help each other and don't put their heart."
Before adding: "They don't want to play under pressure, they don't want to play under stress. It is easy in this way. Tottenham's story is this. 20 years there is the owner and they never won something but why? The fault is only for the club, or for every manager that stay here? I have seen the managers that Tottenham had on the bench."
Consequently, Tottenham are now on the hunt for a new manager – while Cristian Stellini and Ryan Mason will remain in charge for now – and a number of big names will likely be linked in the near future.
While speaking about the possible options on TalkSport, Pitt-Brooke outlined a series of possible options before tipping Amorim as his personal favourite.
He explained (4:29): “It's going to be really interesting to see what sort of manager they're able to land. Will it be Luis Enrique, is someone who [Fabio] Paratici is a big fan. [Mauricio] Pochettino is obviously the fans' favourite choice.
"My personal preference would be for someone a bit fresher. Like Ruben Amorim. I think would be great. Roberto De Zerbi would be great. But frankly, we're all in the dark. Everyone is in the dark about what next season's gonna look like at Tottenham Hotspur at the moment.””
Why would Spurs want Amorim as manager?
Seeing as he recently master-minded a Europa League quarter-final win over Spurs' bitter north London rivals Arsenal, it's not hard to see why some may already be excited to see the 38-year-old manager linked.
What's more, despite being pretty young, Amorim already has plenty of experience winning major trophies having the Portuguese league with Sporting Lisbon as well as multiple other domestic cups, including the league cup when still at Braga.
And so, he already ticks the box on that front and will certainly be interesting to see if Spurs make a move for the talented coach in the near future.
Leeds United are ready to make an approach for AC Milan's Divock Origi, amid the striker's uncertain future at the San Siro, according to a recent report.
Who could Leeds United sign this summer?
Leeds picked up a vital 2-1 win against Nottingham Forest last night, steering themselves clear of the Premier League relegation zone, however Javi Gracia, should he remain in charge next season, will still be keen to strengthen in the summer window.
A long-term target for the Whites has been Birmingham City midfielder George Hall, and it has recently emerged they conducted another scouting mission to assess the 18-year-old during the Blues' 1-0 victory against Blackburn Rovers last weekend.
Gracia's side may also look to bring in a new centre-back this summer, and they have recently been presented with a new opportunity to sign Paris Saint-Germain youngster El Chadaille Bitshiabu, as the Ligue 1 side are keen to send him out on loan.
Moving onto options in attacking areas, CalcioMercato are now reporting (via Sport Witness), that Leeds are prepared to explore a move for Origi, although they are not the only Premier League team interested in his services.
West Ham United and Crystal Palace are also eyeing moves for the striker, who is said to be open to a return to the Premier League, should the right offer arrive in the summer.
It is not the first time the Whites have been linked with the Belgian, as Marcelo Bielsa is said to have considered a move back in 2020.
Should Leeds United sign Divock Origi?
Leeds will need to bolster their attacking options in the summer, given that Rodrigo Moreno is now 32 years old, and Patrick Bamford has not quite managed to rediscover his form since returning from injury, scoring just one goal in his last ten games.
However, despite being lauded "fantastic" by Jurgen Klopp not too long ago, there are likely to be better options available than Origi, who has scored just two goals in 20 Serie A games so far this season.
AC Milan's Divock Origi celebrates after the match.
The £87k-per-week forward seemingly doesn't make up for his lack of goals in other departments, as he has averaged just a 6.69 match rating from Sofascore, ranking him 22nd in the Milan squad.
The former Liverpool man enjoyed some great moments at Anfield, memorably netting a last-gasp winner against Everton in the Merseyside derby, but we don't feel he is a player that will help take Leeds to the next level.
Champions-elect Celtic racked up their 30th Scottish Premiership win of the season in style with a commanding, 4-1 victory over Kilmarnock on Sunday afternoon, with midfield maestro Matt O'Riley notably netting a brace amid a blistering opening for the Parkhead outfit.
That comfortable triumph at Rugby Park had come despite the Hoops being without the likes of Cameron Carter-Vickers and Jota, with the duo having seemingly been left out of the matchday squad amid potential concerns over turning out on an artificial pitch.
The absence of the latter man, in particular, provided a big opportunity for fellow winger Sead Haksabanovic to impress on the right flank, with the Montenegro international having been handed his first start in the league since November.
Despite having no doubt been chomping at the bit to make his mark amid that rare inclusion in the starting XI, it is fair to say that the summer arrival was one of the more underwhelming features of that resounding victory.
How did Haksabanovic perform against Kilmarnock?
The 23-year-old – who was previously hailed as a "diamond" by former boss Jan Jonsson – has endured a mixed start to life in Glasgow thus far, having been restricted to just 11 starts in all competitions this season, albeit while chipping in with five goals and four assists in that time.
With it undoubtedly having been a 'massive chance' for Haksabanovic to 'stake his claim' ahead of the season run-in, including the Scottish Cup semi-final showdown with Rangers – according to Celtic Way's Tony Haggerty – the Sweden-born playmaker was arguably not at his brilliant best.
While the forward's lack of regular game time may have been a factor in that rusty outing, manager Ange Postecoglou may well have been expecting more from the former Rubin Kazan man, as he was rather ineffective in the final third.
Celtic's Sead Haksabanovic
That inability to make an impact was showcased by the fact that the £12k-per-week man was rather erratic on the ball after losing possession 16 times from his 56 touches, having also offered little threat after failing to complete any of his five attempted dribbles.
As Haggerty noted, the one-time West Ham United asset 'flitted in and out of the game' while the rest of the attacking unit ran riot, having also been rather ineffective defensively after winning just four of his 13 total duels.
That 'quiet' showing – as per Glasgow Live's Alan Galindo – will not have the aforementioned Jota fearing for his place in the side, with Haksabanovic needing to 'show more' if he is to properly establish himself as part of the forward line, in the words of Haggerty.
As such, it would be no real surprise if the 5 foot 9 dynamo is ditched from the side for Saturday's clash against Motherwell at Paradise, having been unable to provide Postecoglou with a genuine selection headache moving forward.
West Ham have seven games left to further secure their Premier League safety, but how will they get on between now and the end of the season?
The Hammers's 2022/23 campaign has been disappointing overall, having failed to kick on from last year's efforts and instead finding themselves threatened by relegation. There have been clear signs of improved form in recent weeks, however, with the spirited 2-2 draw at home to leaders Arsenal followed up by Sunday's hugely important 4-0 victory away to Bournemouth.
With seven matches remaining, though, it is important that West Ham remain ruthless in pursuit of survival, improving on their current 13th-place position in the process.
Here's how we think David Moyes' side will far in those aforementioned fixtures.
West Ham fixtures
26 April: Liverpool (h)
29 April: Crystal Palace (a)
3 May: Man City (a)
7 May: Man Utd (h)
14 May: Brentford (a)
21 May: Leeds (h)
28 May: Leicester (h)
West Ham vs Liverpool
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The triumph at Bournemouth will surely feel like a huge shot in the arm for West Ham, and they may need it for a tough assignment on Wednesday night. Liverpool head to the London Stadium for an entertaining-looking fixture, having won their last two Premier League games, not to mention also coming from 2-0 down against Arsenal, like the Hammers.
There is a feeling that the Reds have a turned a corner, in terms of their ruthlessness and confidence, so this could be a bigger test for Moyes' men than it would have been a month or so ago. For that reason, Liverpool may just edge it, even though the hosts will be buoyed by one of the standout results of the season last weekend.
Prediction: West Ham 1-2 Liverpool
Crystal Palace vs West Ham
David Moyes
April ends with the short trip to south London on Saturday, as West Ham take on a Crystal Palace side who have been absolutely revitalised under Roy Hodgson. The veteran manager has excelled since replacing Patrick Vieira in charge at Selhurst Park, picking up ten points from a possible 12.
This will, therefore, be a big test for the Hammers, who will likely be content with a point before moving on to their May schedule and what is hopefully a strong end to the season.
Prediction: Crystal Palace 1-1 West Ham
Man City vs West Ham
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Quite simply, May couldn't get off to a harder start for West Ham, who make the daunting trip to Manchester City, who are right at the peak of their powers again.
Having dipped below their top level earlier in the campaign, Pep Guardiola's side are now closing in on Arsenal in almost inevitable fashion, with Erling Haaland looking more unplayable than ever.
Anything other than a convincing defeat would feel like a bonus here, even though anything is possible, and it really is difficult to see City not taking home all three points.
Prediction: Man City 3-0 West Ham
West Ham vs Man Utd
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When Manchester United come to the London Stadium, it always feels like a big fixture for the Hammers, and they can often be eye-catching encounters. Moyes will be out to dent his former club's Champions League aspirations here, and given their recent dip in form, it wouldn't be a surprise to see the east Londoners earn at least a point.
United aren't in the same place they were in a few months ago when Marcus Rashford was in sensational form, and they do feel as though they are crawling over the line a little at this point.
We'll go for a share of the spoils on this one.
Prediction: West Ham 1-1 Man Utd
Brentford vs West Ham
Brentford striker Ivan Toney.
The Hammers' penultimate away fixture of the campaign is a trip to Brentford, in what is their last all-London clash of the 2022/23 season.
The Bees have exceeded expectations throughout the campaign, playing some lovely football along the way, as highlighted by their 2-0 win at the London Stadium back in December. We think West Ham are going to avenge that loss, however, potentially partly due to the Bees being 'on the beach'.
Prediction: Brentford 1-2 West Ham
West Ham vs Leeds
Next up is the visit of Leeds United, as the West Ham faithful hopefully see their side bow out in style for the last of their home fixtures. The Whites are similarly having a season to forget and they are still far from safe from the drop, and they will be underdogs to prevail here.
We predicted a draw between the pair last week, but the weekend's results really showed who the more in-form team is, so a home victory should be expected.
Prediction: West Ham 2-1 Leeds
Leicester vs West Ham
Leicester City's James Maddison reacts.
West Ham's final match of 2022/23 will hopefully be relatively meaningless for them, but for Leicester City, it could be massive. The Foxes are 17th in the Premier League and only out of the relegation zone on the goal difference, and who knows where they will be by the time this games rolls around.
A draw feels like the most likely outcome here, although if this is suddenly a must-win game for the Hammers, we would back them to scoop all three points.
Leeds United return to action in the Premier League this afternoon as Javi Gracia looks to steer his side away from the relegation zone with a trip to AFC Bournemouth.
The Whites were held to a 1-1 draw by fellow relegation rivals Leicester City in midweek, leaving them just one point above the dreaded drop with only five games left to play, so it will be interesting to see if the Spaniard makes any alterations to the starting XI for this encounter.
How will Leeds line up against Bournemouth?
It seems unlikely that Illan Meslier loses his place despite a poor run of form and his back four could remain much the same, given they very nearly beat the Foxes and the fact that some sort of regularity should aid their quest for more consistency in the backline.
Therefore, full-backs Junior Firpo and Luke Ayling occupy the flanks, with skipper Liam Cooper and Robin Koch in the middle.
The first change could come in midfield as Adam Forshaw makes a return, taking the place of Marc Roca, who has underperformed in recent outings – leading to claims that he is part of the problem in Leeds' "lightweight" and "horror show" engine room.
He'd partner Weston McKennie, with fellow American Tyler Adams still absent through injury, whilst there could be a place for Brenden Aaronson in an advanced no.10 role as further forward, Rodrigo returns to the striker role, where he displayed much of his impactful form earlier in the season.
Leeds United manager Javi Gracia before the match
Indeed, eight of his 11 strikes in the Premier League this term have come in the centre-forward position – as per Transfermarkt. The usually talismanic Patrick Bamford may drop to the bench as a result. The 29-year-old has only been able to provide three goals across his 24 appearances.
The £70k-per-week Englishman could have won the game for the Yorkshiremen in midweek after he saw a close-range effort go wide in what talkSPORT pundit Adrian Durham described as "a shocker" that could see them relegated.
Those three points would have certainly created more breathing room heading into today's kick-off.
And finally, Jack Harrison may well keep his place on the flank, though the third and final change could see Wilfried Gnonto finally unleashed on the left in what would be his second start under Gracia, taking the place of the injured Luis Sinisterra.