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Everton managerial candidate Nuno Espirito Santo has expressed confidence he could bring Matt Doherty to Merseyside, according to Football Insider.

The lowdown

Right-sided defender Doherty spent two top-flight seasons under Nuno at Wolves, and has racked up an impressive 21 goal contributions during his time in the top flight.

Last summer, the pair parted ways, with Doherty joining Spurs for an undisclosed fee.

The Irishman struggled to make much of an impression in his first season in North London though, starting only 13 Premier League games, flopping to a 2/10 season rating on fan site The Spurs Web.

Nuno, meanwhile, left Wolves at the end of the season and is a contender for the managerial vacancy at Goodison Park.

The latest

Football Insider have been told that Nuno would make Doherty a primary target if he was to be appointed.

He would adopt a back-three system, slotting the 29-year-old in at right wing-back.

Everton are said to be after ‘cover and competition’ for Seamus Coleman in this summer’s market.

The verdict

Doherty is a potent weapon at wing-back, but perhaps it would be better for Everton to sign a longer-term successor to 32-year-old Coleman given that his fellow Irishman is only three years his junior.

They had been linked with Norwich City’s Max Aarons, who would be an altogether more exciting signing at just 21 years of age, but Fabrizio Romano says there is now ‘no chance’ of that deal materialising.

In a more general sense, Nuno is demonstrating to Everton the pulling power he has with players who have seen first hand what he is capable of – he guided Wolves to consecutive 7th place finishes and a Europa League quarter-final by utilising the likes of Doherty.

That could be a key advantage in the race for the managerial hot seat.

In other news, Michael Ball says this area should be a transfer priority for Everton.  

Sunderland are interested in a deal to bring Todd Kane to the Stadium of Light this summer.

What’s the talk?

That’s according to a report by London Football News, who claim that the Black Cats, as well as Charlton Athletic and Portsmouth, are keen on a move for the Queens Park Rangers right-back in the upcoming transfer window.

It has also been reported that, despite the fact that the £720k-rated defender still has a year left on his contract at the Kiyan Prince Foundation Stadium, Mark Warburton would be happy to part with Kane this summer, as he is looking to bring a new player in the position.

Johnson must not move

While it is undeniable that signing a player who came through the youth ranks at Chelsea, has been dubbed as “magnificent” by Gary Bowyer and has a wealth of Championship experience under his belt could well be seen as something of a coup for Sunderland ahead of their third consecutive League One campaign, there are a number of reasons why Lee Johnson should avoid a move for the 27-year-old in the upcoming transfer window.

Firstly, in an interview with ‘R’ Generation (via West London Sport) earlier this season, Kane stated his belief that he is a better right-back than his teammate Osman Kakay, who had been starting ahead of him in Warburton’s QPR side.

Kane then went on to boast that Sheffield United had previously wanted to sign him for a figure of £13m, as well as mentioning the fact that Kakay had been sent on a loan spell in the Scottish Championship.

Secondly, the £7k-per-week defender recently received a seven-game ban and given a £6k fine for using abusive language “referencing nationality or ethnicity” towards Brentford’s Sergi Canos.

Finally, the 27-year-old has not been all that impressive over his 28 Championship appearances for Warburton’s side this season, averaging a SofaScore match rating of 6.75, ranking him as the club’s 15th-best performer in the second tier.

As such, it would appear wise for Johnson to avoid a move for the QPR troublemaker this summer, as he could well prove to be more trouble than he is worth at the Stadium of Light.

In other news: Key Sunderland figure drops massive club update that will likely split Mackem fans – opinion

West Ham United may have received a big boost in their pursuit of signing Jesse Lingard permanently…

What’s the word?

According to Irons insiders Claret & Hugh, the 28-year-old playmaker is waiting to learn about David Moyes’ future at the club before pushing for a move to the London Stadium.

The Scot had been linked with a sensational return to Everton this week following the departure of Carlo Ancelotti to Real Madrid but as per the same source, the club’s hierarchy is confident that Moyes will honour the three-year extension put to him.

It’s thought that the 58-year-old’s position is key to Lingard’s situation and once that is official, he will push forward with his desire to sign on the dotted line in East London.

A big boost?

This development will come as huge news to many around West Ham, especially the supporters and even the manager himself.

As Claret & Hugh claim, Moyes is expected to sign a new deal in the coming weeks, which will subsequently open the door for them to strike on Lingard.

It’s believed that the Manchester United loanee is a top priority this transfer window and it’s no surprise that he is considering the impact he’s had since initially joining on loan during the January transfer window.

[snack-amp-story url= “https://www.footballfancast.com/web-stories/read-latest-west-ham-news-irons-transfer-gossip-rumours-more-moyes-striker-gsb” title= “Read the latest West Ham news, transfer rumours, gossip and more!”]

WhoScored rated him as the Hammers’ second-best player for the entire campaign (7.22), only behind Tomas Soucek (7.36) whilst only two players outscored his nine goals.

He also provided four assists, proving to be amongst Moyes’ most creative outlets, with 1.1 key passes per outing.

Speaking at the end of the 2020/21 season, the Irons boss expressed his desire to keep hold of the £20m-rated dynamo. He told reporters (via the Evening Standard):

“I hope Jesse’s here, we’d like to keep him, he’s done an exceptional job for us but there’s no guarantees, he’s not our player. But I hope Jesse realises we’ve been good for him as well, and that he joined a club on the up.”Therefore, this latest claim will be exciting news as Moyes will know that once he signs his contract, his chances of clinching Lingard will increase tenfold.

AND in other news, Hammers could seal “frightening” 6 ft 3 goal machine who gave Pellegrini nightmares…

Wolves have experienced a disappointing season this time round and Steve Bull, who has a stand named after him at Molineux, has exclusively told Football FanCast that any player could leave this summer.

This is the first time that Wolves have finished lower than seventh in the Premier League since they won promotion back in 2018 and that has been down to their lack of goals as their joint-top scorers, Ruben Neves and Pedro Neto, have just five goals.

In more positive news for Wolves fans, Nuno Espirito Santo has confirmed that Raul Jimenez is getting looked over by the club’s doctors to determine whether or not he is ready to play a part in the final game of the season against Manchester United.

Wolves have a squad of players that have been at Molineux for several years now and that could see any of them leave this summer, according to Bull, who spoke exclusively to FFC:

“I think anybody could be sold this summer but we don’t know who’s going to come in and maybe replace them but there are a few players who have been in and out recently like [Ruben] Neves and [Willy] Boly.

“So, whether or not they are coming towards the end of it at Wolves and if they want to go, you never know, but they might all be here next year and I would love to see them all here next season.”

Boly’s absence may be explained by the fact he has been suffering from long COVID, but the situation with Neves, who Nuno only recently labelled a “fantastic player”, is a lot less clear.

Wolves spent quite heavily on players such as Nelson Semedo and Fabio Silva last summer which saw Wolves splash out £74.5 million on new players just under 12 months ago.

If Wolves fail to reach greater rights than a bottom half finish next season, players such as Neto, who has been linked with a move to Manchester United, could look to leave the Midlands club.

Tottenham fans will be hoping that the potential return of Mauricio Pochettino could convince Harry Kane to stay at the club.

But former Premier League manager Lawrie Sanchez told Football FanCast that the England captain has already made his mind up and will be moving on this summer.

After making a handful of appearances under Tim Sherwood in the previous season, Kane was given his first proper chance in first-team football at Spurs by the Argentine, who played a major part in the striker becoming one of the most feared strikers in the world.

But the 27-year-old has made his feelings clear about wanting to leave his boyhood club, with Kane constantly reiterating his desire to be playing in the Champions League, something Spurs are unable to offer after finishing outside the top four for the second season in succession.

When Pochettino departed in November 2019, Kane said on Instagram: “I’ll be forever thankful to you for helping me achieve my dreams” – but Sanchez doesn’t think that the Argentine’s possible return will influence Kane’s future.

He exclusively told Football FanCast:

“I think Kane has made his mind up. There has been a long leaf about if he doesn’t win anything – even if he had won the Champions League it would have been difficult to keep him.

“Kane is England captain, he’s going to meet up with all his teammates over the summer, and all these lesser players are at bigger clubs winning these trophies and he’ll be thinking ‘I’m at Tottenham’, who haven’t won anything since the League Cup.”

If Tottenham Hotspur are to move on from Jose Mourinho this summer, then Daniel Levy may have just been given an open door to his first-choice replacement…

What’s the word?

It’s thought that RB Leipzig gem Julian Nagelsmann is Spurs’ top target to succeed Mourinho in north London, according to the Telegraph’s Matt Law, should Levy pull the trigger on the Portuguese boss before next season.

Earlier this week, the chances of that happening quickly appeared slim after Germany and Bayern Munich legend Lothar Matthaus claimed he is the no.1 candidate to replace Hansi Flick at the Allianz Arena.

“Munich have already chatted a bit with Nagelsmann, including about financial matters,” Matthaus told Sky Germany.

However, this is something the 33-year-old has denied in a recent press conference, via ESPN, which will now come as a huge boost to Levy and Spurs.

“There have been no talks and we are currently in no talks,” revealed Nagelsmann ahead of Leipzig’s clash with Ryan Sessegnon’s Hoffenheim. “The country needs new sources. I don’t know where he got his info from.”

Levy will be delighted

This will surely delight Levy as further claims from Italian journalist Nicolo Schira this week suggest that the Leipzig guru has already been contacted by Spurs in recent weeks.

Mourinho’s tenure in north London has quickly turned sour – at one stage back in early December, they were leading the Premier League but now hopes of reaching the top four seem all but over, whilst they have also crashed out of the Europa League and FA Cup.

[snack-amp-story url=https://www.footballfancast.com/web-stories/read-the-latest-spurs-news-transfer-rumours-and-recent-gossip” title=”Read this week’s Spurs news, latest transfer rumours and more!]

Only a Carabao Cup final showdown with runaway league leaders Manchester City could save him his job.

Pressure has certainly started to mount on the former Chelsea boss and he is on the verge of losing the dressing room, very much following a trend at every club he’s been at, after his recent “same manager, different players” response, some of the squad couldn’t quite believe it. It created even more unease, more grounds for complaint, according to the Independent’s Miguel Delaney.

Now that Bayern do not appear to be in talks with Nagelsmann at all, Levy surely has a free run at clinching his top target this summer.

All could depend on that final at the end of the month, but it would certainly be a surprise to see Mourinho in the dugout next season, particularly as they seemed destined to miss out on a Champions League place once again.

Nagelsmann, who has been dubbed a “great coaching talent” and a leader, would be an interesting successor.

This fresh update will surely be music to Levy’s ears.

AND in other news, Spurs could land their next Robbie Keane in “unbelievable” £18m-rated workhorse…

West Ham United are one of the teams keen on signing Joachim Andersen this summer, according to recent reports…

What’s the word?

The Daily Mirror claim the Irons are considering a move for the impressive Fulham loanee, with David Moyes keen to bolster his squad ahead of a potential stint in Europe next season.

Premier League rivals Arsenal and Spurs have also been credited with interest in the 24-year-old centre-back, so they may well be pulled into a transfer battle over his signature.

It is thought that his parent club, Lyon, would be willing to sell Andersen and that he’s wanting to remain in England, too.

As Fulham are looking likely to be relegated, the door has opened for one of the three fellow London sides to strike. The Telegraph’s Mike McGrath believes he could be available for just £25m.

Imagine him & Rice

If the Hammers do qualify for either of the Champions or Europa League this season, then Moyes will certainly need more than just a new striker in the summer transfer window.

The 58-year-old has often utilised Aaron Cresswell in a back three due to the lack of options available to him, whilst there have been doubts over Issa Diop in the past, meaning Craig Dawson and Angelo Ogbonna have often got the nod.

In Andersen, West Ham could build a formidable spine and one that could be feared for years to come. At just 24, he could be sat in just behind Declan Rice for the foreseeable future.

Despite all of the Cottagers’ struggles this season, the Denmark international has shone, not just earning a respectable 6.8 average ratings on WhoScored but also a lot of praise.

The Mirror chief football writer John Cross lauded him “magnificent” against last season’s champions, Liverpool, whilst the Telegraph’s Sam Dean claimed he was their best on the ball – his figures would back that up, too.

A pass success rate of 81.2% from an average of 61.3 passes per game is impressive, and that’s on top of 5.1 clearances, 1.3 interceptions and a squad-high 3.2 aerials won.

The 6 foot 2 titan is clearly equally adept in the air as he is on the ground, and that’s not something we often get in central defenders.

Andersen is currently out-performing all of Moyes’ current central options and has only been better by Diop in terms of passing, as per WhoScored.

Just imagine him and Rice in this European-chasing Irons side. For just £25m, it’s a move GSB should absolutely sanction.

AND in other news, Exclusive: Marlon Harewood drops Lingard transfer claim…

Steve Bruce must unleash Dwight Gayle at Burnley on Sunday after Rob Lee questioned Newcastle United’s decision to hand the striker a new, three-year contract.

Lee has exclusively told Football FanCast that he suspects the Toon dressing room will be wondering what Gayle has done to earn a new deal after a difficult 18-months.

The striker is currently set to leave St. James’ Park as a free agent in June, but Bruce recently confirmed that Gayle has been offered a new deal and expects to see the 31-year-old put pen to paper soon.

Reports by The Athletic had claimed that Gayle was presented with a three-year deal but on lesser terms, following rumoured interest from Galatasaray and a host of European, Championship, Middle Eastern and MLS sides.

Lee believes Gayle earning a deal that will keep him in the north east through to the summer of 2024 will be particularly confusing for the young players coming through, and questions why Newcastle would sign off on the deal amid a relegation fight.

“I’d say it’s confusing from a player’s point of view because you’d look at it and think over the last 18-months, he hasn’t played much, and when he has the goals haven’t been there and he’s rewarded with a three-year contract?” Lee told FFC.

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“If I was a player coming through, I’d be questioning what has he done to earn that contract. I don’t know why they are signing him now because we’re in a relegation battle, and I don’t get why you would be signing players up unless they are planning to play in the Championship next season?”

Gayle has made only 36 appearances across all competitions since Bruce’s arrival on Tyneside in 2019, in which the £4.5m-rated attacker has scored just five times and offered two assists.

Of his goals, only one has come this term, with Gayle finding the back of the net to seal a 2-1 win for Newcastle over relegation-rivals West Bromwich Albion in December after coming off the bench.

Part of the reason behind Gayle’s limited action has been down to a relentless stream of injuries, with the London-born frontman sustaining a calf issue in pre-season before the 2019 Premier League Asia Cup and pulled his groin the following January.

The current season began with another lengthy spell out after he damaged medial collateral ligaments in a pre-season friendly with Crewe Alexandra, and has only started three of a potential 19 Premier League games since returning at home to West Brom in December.

Bruce simply has to now unleash Gayle, and give the goal-shy forward a consistent run of minutes in the starting line-up over the final stretch of the season to justify Newcastle’s decision to lock the striker down to a three-year contract.

If not and Gayle remains nothing more than a bit-part backup option – especially with Callum Wilson closing in on a return from his hamstring injury – then question marks will only continue to emerge over his long-term deal.

AND in other news, Newcastle could offer a new contract to a player Steve Bruce has never spoken to…

Rangers have been linked with both Jerry Yates and Jonson Clarke-Harris in recent weeks, but which of the two would be the best addition to Steven Gerrard’s side at Ibrox this summer?

Jerry Yates

According to The 72, Rangers have joined the race to sign the Blackpool forward this summer, with Nottingham Forest, Bristol City and Blackburn Rovers having all previously registered an interest in the 24-year-old during the January transfer window.

Since joining from Rotherham United last summer, the 24-year-old has established himself as a key player in Neil Critchley’s side and has been one of the most prolific forwards in the division so far this season, with 18 goals in 38 league appearances.

Yates has enjoyed decent loan spells with Carlisle United and Swindon Town in recent seasons but struggled to make the grade at Rotherham in the Championship, with just five goals in 52 appearances there.

Jonson Clarke-Harris

According to Football Insider, Rangers have been scouting Clarke-Harris this season and were in attendance for Peterborough’s 7-0 demolition of Accrington Stanley recently, with the in-form striker notching a hat-trick.

The 26-year-old frontman has since taken his tally to 27 league goals in 40 appearances ahead of the weekend’s derby clash against Northampton, and he looks well on track to earn the top scorer award in England’s third tier this season.

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Clarke-Harris is more than just a goalscorer, though, and has earned many plaudits for his build-up play with Peterborough this season, with Kevin Phillips praising his “phenomenal” campaign whilst also suggesting that he can offer something Alfredo Morelos doesn’t due to his aerial threat.

Who would be better?

As can be seen in the graphic above, Clarke-Harris has clearly had the edge over Yates this season and would be much more of an aerial threat in Gerrard’s side than the Blackpool man, as he wins significantly more aerial duels per game.

With both Blackpool and Peterborough looking strong contenders for promotion to the Championship this season, Rangers may have to wait until the end of the campaign before deciding between the two transfer targets from a financial perspective, as promotion would surely see the respective clubs raise their asking price for their star attackers.

[freshpress-quiz id=“593776”]

However, from a purely footballing perspective, Clarke-Harris looks to have the edge over Yates and would likely offer something different in Gerrard’s side, so Ross Wilson should focus first and foremost on bringing the Peterborough man to Ibrox this summer.

In other news… Ross Wilson must avoid disastrous repeat over “positive” gem after manager’s transfer claim 

In an exclusive interview with Football FanCast, Steve Bull, who made 561 appearances for Wolves, claims the way Wolves frequently start games slowly does his head in but saw them back to their old best against Liverpool.

Bull was delighted to see his former club performing at their best for 90 minutes against the champions, however he knows this needs to be the standard for the remainder of the season after a campaign of starting slow and finishing fast.

The Wolves legend claims that when the side starts slowly it does his and thousands of other fans’ heads in, because of the way they then see their team finish games at full speed.

Speaking on how much it has annoyed him this season and how happy he was with the performance against Liverpool, Bull told FFC exclusively:

“It does my head in just like it does 30,000 Wolves fans’ heads in because when they finish a game they’re like a steam train.

[snack-amp-story url= “https://www.footballfancast.com/web-stories/exclusive-andreas-sondergaard-wolves-premier-league” title=”Exclusive! Andreas Sondergaard talks all things Wolves”]

“I saw a glimpse against Liverpool. I thought it was the old Wolves and it was two teams going toe-to-toe. Wolves came firing out the blocks from the first whistle to the very last whistle.

“How we got nothing out of that game was unbelievable. It was like watching the old Wolves which I haven’t seen for a long time.”

Wolves have had an indifferent season as they’ve failed to adapt after losing Raul Jimenez to injury last year, as well as Diogo Jota who joined Liverpool in the summer, with the latter subsequently scoring the winner last time out.

The Midlands side find themselves languishing in the bottom half of the table nine points ahead of the relegation zone, as they enter the final 10 games of the season with little to play for.