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West Ham United can secure David Moyes an “unbelievable” leader in AFC Bournemouth defender Steve Cook as the Irons look to revive their failed summer interest.

What’s the word?

According to Football Insider, West Ham and West Bromwich Albion have set their sights on sealing a January transfer for Cook as the Premier League duo target signing a centre-half who is proven in the top-flight.

Cook is also thought to be a target of other Premier League outfits ahead of the winter market as his Bournemouth contract continues to near its expiration, with it suggested that the 29-year-old is intentionally running down his £45,000-per-week terms which expire next summer.

Former and current Hammers managers Slaven Bilic and Moyes both covet the prospect of signing Cook in January as they feel he can bring experience and pedigree to their respective sides, which are in need of defensive reinforcements.

Moyes believes the London Stadium natives are still short of options at the back despite signing Craig Dawson on loan from Watford with an option to buy, while Bilic is now without Ahmed Hegazi following the 29-year-old’s move to Al-Ittihad that left the Croatian “very, very disappointed”.

West Ham had considered a move to sign Cook this summer before acquiring Dawson, while Burnley were also keen in the Bournemouth rock whom the Cherries valued at £8million.

It remains to be seen how highly the Vitality Stadium natives value Cook in January with his contract – the third-most lucrative at the club – expiring at the end of the season, and how much West Ham or West Brom are willing to offer for the Hasting-born centre-half.

An “unbelievable” leader

Cook has continued to be a pivotal aspect of the Bournemouth backline since the Cherries’ relegation from the Premier League, with the 29-year-old starting and captaining the side in all eight of their Championship fixtures to date.

Bournemouth have enjoyed an unbeaten run over those matches and would sorely miss their leader if Cook were to leave in January, having so far recorded the south coast outfit’s highest number of aerial duels won (41) and clearances (37) plus the second-most interceptions (18) and accurate passes (301) by any player, per SofaScore.

The 6-foot enforcer is also a player Eddie Howe backed to one day earn an England call-up in 2019 after a commanding display against Manchester United while marking his 150th Premier League appearance.

“I would never say that’s beyond him,” Howe said, via quotes by the Bournemouth Echo. “I think there was a spell maybe two years ago where I felt he was playing very well and would be a definite option for England. That never quite happened for him.

“But if he continues to perform like that then I think he will have every chance, I’m sure.”

Howe was frequently full of praise for Cook before leaving Dean Court this summer, noting last year how his captain’s return from injury was a huge boost after the 29-year-old missed months of action and spent six days in the hospital recovering from an abscess discovered on his groin.

“His leadership, mentality and experience was just what the group needed,” Howe told the Bournemouth Echo. “It was a really nasty infection. Speaking to him at the time and afterwards, it was a really low point for him.

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“From being a professional footballer one minute to not being able to walk and climb your stairs the next, can be quite destabilising. But I think he’s an unbelievable character when the chips are down.

“He hadn’t done a lot of training for Saturday’s game but is someone you can always rely on to give his best and inspire other people.”

If Cook running his contract down leads Bournemouth to accept offers in January, West Ham could do far worse than signing the Cherries’ inspiring leader for Moyes.

AND in other news, West Ham can sign the new Nemanja Vidic in a £43.3k-p/w “powerhouse” David Moyes courted this summer.

After watching the club splash out around £40m to sign Joelinton last summer, Newcastle fans may be enviously looking at a player Championship side Brentford picked up for about a quarter of the price back in August.

Ivan Toney was on the books at St James’ Park for a number of years, but played just the four games for the senior side, with the last of those appearances coming back in the 2015/2016 season when he played twice in both the Premier League and League Cup respectively.

The 24-year-old spent the next few seasons out on loan, before really making his mark at Peterborough in 2018. The Posh snapped him up for a mere £650k, where he scored an impressed 49 goals in just 94 games, including setting up another 15 too.

That form saw him earn a £10m move to Brentford earlier this summer, and it’s fair to say the striker has hit the ground running at his new home, bagging three goals in four matches in the Championship.

The Magpies of course spent big on a striker themselves in bringing Callum Wilson from Bournemouth, and the England international’s arrival is surely an indication of how much Joelinton struggled in his debut campaign – the former Hoffenheim man netted just four times in over 40 games for the club.

Had Newcastle shown a bit more patience with Toney, and shown the kind of trust that Peterborough ended up affording him, then they may not have felt the need to go out and buy a new centre-forward.

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Whilst Rafa Benitez did a fantastic job in getting the Magpies back into the Premier League and is still fondly remembered by the Toon Army, letting Toney go a bit too hastily and without giving him a proper chance is one of his rare mistakes.

Plenty of West Ham fans have been reacting to the club’s reported interest in Swansea defender Joe Rodon.

Football journalist Pete O’Rourke tweeted (via @SportsPeteO) that the Hammers are preparing a bid for the 22-year-old, with Football Insider reporting that the Irons could offer £15m for his services.

With less than a week remaining in the transfer window, West Ham are still on the lookout for centre-back reinforcements, having ended their interest in Burnley’s James Tarkowski after three failed bids.

Rodon, who has been capped four times by Wales, has amassed 53 appearances for Swansea and has impressed in the early weeks of the season, winning 5.3 headers per game for the Championship outfit. By way of comparison, midfielder Tomas Soucek is the only player in David Moyes’ squad to have won more than three aerial duels per game so far this term (as per WhoScored).

These West Ham fans on Twitter believe that the 22-year-old would be an ideal signing in what has so far been a worryingly quiet transfer window for the Londoners:

However, some Irons supporters have their reservations about a potential move for Rodon, who has been blighted by a couple of lengthy injuries in his career:

West Ham fans, should the club pay £15m for Rodon to shore up their defence or is his injury record a concern? Join in the discussion by commenting below!

Chelsea will play host to Championship side Barnsley this evening in a bid to progress into the fourth round of the Carabao Cup. 

After losing to title rivals Liverpool in their last Premier League fixture, the Blues will be hoping to get back to winning ways. However, Frank Lampard may have a headache when it comes to selecting his squad.

New signings Thiago Silva and Ben Chilwell could be available for selection as well as Christian Pulisic, who has been sorely missed in their attack.

Transfer Tavern has predicted how the west Londoners could line up against Barnsley tonight…

A huge defensive shift could be on the cards after Chelsea’s loss to Liverpool. A major Kepa Arrizabalaga error which led to Sadio Mane’s second goal could be enough to see him dropped. Willy Caballero may be called upon once again to fill in, with every defender except Reece James also left out following Sunday’s defeat.

Fikayo Tomori came on after Andreas Christensen was given his marching orders on Sunday. He put in a solid defensive shift and could be one of Lampard’s first choices. His 97% passing rate and two tackles should be enough to warrant a start alongside summer arrival Silva (via Sofascore).

Chilwell could also be ready to make his Chelsea debut as he is reportedly heading in the right direction with his fitness (via premierinjuries.com).

With Pulisic also looking ready to return, he could finally join Timo Werner in attack. However, Kai Havertz has failed to impress and Lampard may not want to risk another quiet game from him. Callum Hudson-Odoi could come into the team to support Werner on the wing, with Mason Mount returning to midfield.

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The Blues won’t want to underestimate Barnsley but will hope by fielding an equally strong attack and defence that they can get the job done.

How do you think Chelsea will line up this evening? Let us know your thoughts in the comments below!

After signing from Serie A giants Juventus last summer, it’s fair to say Moise Kean didn’t enjoy the greatest of debut campaigns with Everton.

The Italy international played 33 times across all competitions last season, scoring just two goals and providing only two assists – he also of course suffered the ignominy of being substituted just 18 minutes after first coming on against Manchester United at Old Trafford.

Following the arrival of Carlo Ancelotti as manager, some Toffees fans may have thought that the Italian connection between the two might see their talented striker finally shine.

How big of an Everton fan are you? Can you spot Mikel Arteta from Graham Stuart? This quiz will test your knowledge, try it if you’re brave enough…



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But instead, the 20-year-old failed to really kick on, playing just 503 minutes of football under Ancelotti. However, amidst the incredible talk that Real Madrid superstar James Rodriguez could be on his way to Goodison Park this summer, the time is arguably perfect for Kean to be unshackled.

Speaking back in December last year, Ancelotti himself said: “He did really well last year. We were involved, when I was in Napoli, to try to buy him. He signed for Everton. I think he is a really good player with a lot of talent. He showed fantastic talent last year with Juventus, even if he didn’t play a lot.

“But he is 19 years old and for every player that changes country, changes teams, they need adaptation. We have to wait and we have to work on him to improve his quality and be a better professional. But he has top quality.”

The key thing for Everton is whether Kean has finally gone through that period of “adaptation”. He arrived on Merseyside as a teenager, and with a lot of expectation on his shoulders for someone so young – after all, this was someone who was seen as a bright prospect at former side Juventus and playing alongside the likes of Cristiano Ronaldo.

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Now that a new season is almost close to arriving, Ancelotti must show his full faith in his Italian compatriot and hand him the keys to Everton’s attack. Bringing him on as a supposed super-sub, or hooking him early into the second-half is going to do no favours for his development.

But taking a risk on him and allowing to play through mistakes and the teething problems that inevitably occurs with a young striker could reap rich rewards for the Toffees in the end.

Sheffield Wednesday have made a lot of movements in the transfer window so far, and they have announced another new addition to the squad on Twitter.

The club posted that Elias Kachunga has signed following his release from fellow Championship side Huddersfield. The 28 year-old centre-forward adds some much-needed firepower as before he signed, the club only had one natural striker on the books in Jordan Rhodes, who only managed three goals in the division last season.

Kachunga has a decent goal scoring record as he has played 365 games throughout his career and scored 99 times. He has also picked up 33 assists, per Transfermarkt. For Huddersfield in both the Premier League and the Championship, he scored 17 times and assisted 10 times.

To bring an experienced forward to the club is normally a good thing, and now manager Garry Monk will have a week before the Championship starts to work out a formation to get the best out of the player.

Here is what fans said following the news, with many delighted given they have finally beefed up their attacking options.

Owls fans, what are your thoughts on this news? Comment below!

Aston Villa could land themselves a new striker during the summer window and it’ll be a familiar name to manager Dean Smith.

What’s the word?

According to the Express & Star, the Midlands outfit are among the admirers of Brentford talisman Ollie Watkins along with Premier League rivals Crystal Palace and Sheffield United.

It’s claimed that the 24-year-old marksman is the club’s primary transfer target this off-season as Smith looks to address their striking issues.

Watkins could cost the club around £25m if reports are to be believed.

£25m steal

The Bees forward has enjoyed another prolific season in west London, notching 26 goals in all competitions and after losing out in the playoff final to Fulham, he could demand a move to the top-flight.

Smith, of course, knows him very well having originally signed the 5 foot 11 star from Exeter City back in 2017.

Originally he joined as a winger that could play behind the striker but he’s come on leaps and bounds as a centre-forward in recent seasons.

Former Hammers legend Trevor Sinclair believes Watkins is similar to ex-Spurs man Jermain Defoe whilst his current boss Thomas Frank called him “amazing” and that “he’s a pleasure to work with in terms of his determination and his desire.”

Villa have rued their recent transfer dealings – club-record man Wesley could only provide five goals before a suffering a long-term injury whilst his January replacement Mbwana Samatta has scored just once. That’s over £30m wasted.

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Smith could well reunite with the signing he once dubbed as a “hell of a player” and it would certainly help alleviate one of their biggest problems.

At just £25m, that’s a steal considering what the club has paid above. It would be one exciting way to kickstart Johan Lange’s era at Villa Park.

AND in other news, Villa could have saved millions by signing two stars last summer…

Plenty of Glasgow Rangers fans have been giving their thoughts on the club’s announcement of a new sponsorship deal.

On Monday, the Light Blues confirmed on their official website that they have teamed up with Seko Logistics, who are now the club’s official logistics partner, with their brand to be displayed on the upper back of the first team’s kits for the upcoming season. The news was also shared on the club’s official Twitter channel @RangersFC.

Seko will become the third sponsor to have their branding printed on ‘Gers kits, with 32Red as the main shirt sponsor on the front and The Energy Check featuring below the squad numbers on the back of the shirt. The Ibrox club also have a partnership with Unibet which sees their logo emblazoned on the team’s training kit.

These ‘Gers fans took to Twitter to give their views on the Seko Logistics sponsorship, with many lamenting the presence of yet another corporate sponsorship on the club’s kits for the new season:

‘Gers fans, what did you make of the Seko announcement? Have your say by commenting below!

Former Sunderland defender Jack Baldwin has reacted after leaving the club and sealing a move to Bristol Rovers.

Black Cats manager Phil Parkinson is expected to see a number of players leave and come in as he looks to bounce back after failing to gain promotion to the Championship earlier this year.

One player who has now departed the club is Baldwin, who spent last season on loan with League Two side Salford City, seeing his deal at the Stadium of Light end on June 30.

Shortly after his exit from Sunderland, it was reported that talks with Bristol Rovers had begun for the defender to sign a permanent deal and it has now been confirmed that the defender has joined The Pirates.

Speaking after exit from Sunderland and move to the Memorial Stadium, the 27-year-old said (as quoted by Sunderland Echo):

“I’m delighted to be here.“Speaking with Ben [Garner, manager] early on this summer, I’m thrilled that we have managed to get everything sorted so early on, with the current climate.“I had chats with Ben quite a few times before signing and he’s a positive person. He knows the type of football that he wants his team to play and that style matches the way that I see myself playing.“There’s a lot of positivity around Bristol Rovers, so that makes it a great time to be joining and I’m excited to get started.”Baldwin made a total of 42 appearances for Sunderland during his time at the club.

Another player moves on from Sunderland, leaving Parkinson with space in his squad to bring in someone else.

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However, the lure of a move to the Stadium of Light is not exactly what it used to be and Baldwin’s decision to move on and join another League One club could act as a signal that Parkinson may have a tough transfer window.

Do you think Sunderland should have kept hold of Baldwin? Let us know in the comments section below…

Tottenham Hotspur bounced back from a draw with Manchester United by beating West Ham last week, but one issue continues to cloud their recent success.

While Harry Kane earned all of the attention for scoring his 18th goal of the season, Tanguy Ndombele was visibly frustrated on the bench. He was left out of the team that lined up against Manchester United and suffered the same fate against West Ham.

Spurs are unbeaten since the Premier League restart but the focus seems to be on the ongoing feud between the Frenchman and Jose Mourinho. Ndombele, who was previously compared to Chelsea star N’Golo Kante, has been benched for three games in a row and struggled for consistency this season.

According to The Guardian, Mourinho has backed the 23-year-old to succeed at Spurs. Although the manager has been critical of his work ethic, with concerns over his fitness, he has moved to defend the club’s record signing.

Speaking ahead of Tottenham’s trip to Sheffield United earlier today, Mourinho believes that the midfielder can salvage his Spurs career. He told a virtual news conference: “I believe Ndombele can turn it around.

“Football is full of players who have made difficult starts and then ended well. When Modric arrived at Real Madrid, after six months he was labelled the worst signing in their history. So when the talent is there many things can happen with adaptation.”

While Mourinho has tried to squash the rumours circulating online, there’s no smoke without fire. The Spurs duo share a rocky relationship, as the head coach is annoyed by Ndombele’s lack of effort in training. The French international is still a top-class player which makes the situation even more frustrating.

Indeed, he has saved his best performances for the Champions League, supplying two assists, making 1.7 tackles per game, averaging one interception and completing 1.3 key passes on average (via WhoScored).

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Despite his struggles, the midfielder has attracted attention from Barcelona and Paris Saint-Germain. Barca are keen to offload Philippe Coutinho in the summer and are eager to use him in exchange for Ndombele.

Although Daniel Levy has insisted the French international will not be sold this summer, Mourinho may find the offer too tempting to ignore, as he is acutely aware that his budget has been slashed as a result of the coronavirus crisis.

Tottenham fans, do you think Mourinho should give Tanguy Ndombele another chance? Let us know your views in the comments below!