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Plenty of West Ham United fans have been reacting to Jesse Lingard’s tweet following Manchester United’s 5-0 defeat to Liverpool on Sunday.

Sunday witnessed contrasting fortunes for the Hammers and the Red Devils. The Irons won 1-0 against Tottenham thanks to a goal from Michail Antonio to move into fourth place in the Premier League, while the Red Devils were hammered by their fiercest rivals as they were humiliated for 90 minutes.

The £19.8m-valued Lingard (Transfermarkt), who has started just one of his club’s 13 matches so far this season, was an unused substitute for the Old Trafford clash, and he was warming up towards the end of the match. A video has emerged of him being told to work harder by a Manchester United fan even though he was not on the pitch, something which was pointed out by the England international himself.

The 28-year-old then doubled down on Twitter by addressing the situation, although he did make it clear that it wasn’t abuse.

Plenty of Hammers fans saw the post and implored Lingard to return to the London Stadium, where he spent the second half of last season on loan and excelled by scoring nine goals in 16 games under David Moyes.

Let’s see what these fans had to say to Lingard

“Get yourself back to West Ham kid . There is a manager at that club that appreciate you”

Credit: @IANLAT82

“I know every West ham fan has said it already. But come back. Club that respects you & gives you every opportunity to make the English squad for the World Cup. If you stay there with no game time, you gotta feel like you’ll be overlooked. Despite stellar games for England.”

Credit: @WestHamInOz

“You would be top 4 if you stayed at West Ham. Playing week in week out.”

Credit: @thegarybarnett

“come back to the club who’ll support you week in week out”

Credit: @whubenbagged

“Come to West Ham, a good club.”

Credit: @Nando_RBB_RM

“Come home where your appreciated”

Credit: @reecetranter

In other news, some West Ham fans were unhappy with this man’s comments on Declan Rice

Liverpool are planning to strike a £50million-a-year shirt deal in a big financial upgrade on their current situation, according to a fresh rumour that has now emerged.

The Lowdown: Liverpool excelling in all areas

The Reds are enjoying a season to remember, as they lie on the cusp of potentially sealing a historic quadruple under Jurgen Klopp.

Liverpool are not only excelling on the pitch, however, with the club being run in a sensible fashion, allowing them to be in an extremely strong financial situation.

Their current kit deal with Standard Chartered brings in approximately £40million per year, but with that deal expiring in 2023, a new sponsor is now expected to come in with even bigger rewards.

The Latest: Big shirt deal incoming?

James Pearce revealed earlier this week the club are in ‘talks’ with suitors, and now according to Football Insider, Liverpool are plotting to strike a £50million-per-year deal.

A source claims the club are ‘testing the market’ as they search for potential sponsors and look for a ‘big uplift’ in earnings.

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The Verdict: Magical time at the club

The fact that Liverpool are in such a strong bargaining position further highlights the incredible growth of the club during the Klopp era, with everyone seemingly pulling in the same direction.

The Reds are now one of the world’s most prominent and desirable sporting teams, and for that reason, a world-renowned sponsor will surely be keen on replacing Standard Chartered, bringing in more money in the process.

These are truly special times to be a Liverpool fan, and even if the quadruple chase is unsuccessful, there haven’t been many more fruitful periods in the club’s history.

In other news, a journalist has dropped a key Liverpool contract update. Read more here.

Celtic are set to seal the signings of three players in the January transfer window.

What’s the talk?

That’s according to a claim made by Pete O’Rourke, who stated his belief in a recent interview with GIVEMESPORT that he expects Celtic to sign all three of Daizen Maeda, Reo Hatate and Yosuke Ideguchi in the winter market.

Speaking about Ange Postecoglou’s reported interest in the Japanese trio, the journalist said: “Postecoglou obviously knows these players from his time in the J1 League and they’ve had success with Kyogo Furuhashi following his arrival in the summer. He’s been a big hit up at Celtic Park as well. I’m not saying these deals are straightforward but they should happen.”

Fans will be buzzing

Considering the sheer amount of injuries Celtic have suffered in recent weeks, the news that the club look set to seal deals to bring at least three additional players into the club in the January transfer window is sure to have left the Parkhead faithful buzzing.

And, considering just how impressive each of the Bhoys’ reported targets were in Japan this season, it would appear as if Celtic will not only be bringing more bodies into their first-team squad, but also three incredibly talented players.

Indeed, over his 36 J League appearances this season, the £990k-rated Maeda scored an astonishing 23 goals, provided three assists and created four big chances for his teammates, in addition to taking an average of 2.6 shots and making 0.9 key passes per game.

These returns saw the 24-year-old Japan international earn a highly impressive seasonal SofaScore match rating of 7.09, ranking him as Yokohama F Marinos’ joint sixth-best performer in the league.

Meanwhile, over his 30 J League appearances, the £720k-rated Hatate bagged five goals, registered two assists and created three big chances for his teammates, as well as making an average of 1.1 key passes, 1.5 interceptions, 1.3 tackles, 51.7 passes and winning 5.3 duels per fixture.

These returns saw the versatile central midfielder – who can also play at left-back or on the left-wing – earn a seasonal SofaScore match rating of 7.16, ranking him as his Kawasaki Frontale’s fifth-best player in the league.

Finally, over his 29 J League outings, the £720k-rated Ideguchi made an average of 1.2 interceptions, 2.3 tackles, 29.1 passes and won 2.7 duels per game, with these returns seeing the central midfielder earn a seasonal SofaScore match rating of 6.76.

As such, should each of these three deals be completed, as O’Rourke suggests they will be, the arrival of the trio could subsequently allow Postecoglou to clear some of the deadwood out of his current first-team squad.

The £18k-per-week centre-forward Albian Ajeti, the £15k-per-week left-back Boli Bolingoli and the £8k-per-week central midfielder Ismaila Soro looking to be prime candidates for the chop in the January transfer window.

In other news: Major blow: Celtic dealt potentially huge setback pre-Old Firm, fans will be outraged

Celtic are finally back in action tomorrow evening with an SPFL clash against Hibernian at home for their first league match of 2022.

Speaking to the media ahead of the match, Hoops manager Ange Postecoglou shared some injury news that will surely have a lot of Celtic fans pleased and excited to see their team playing again.

What’s the news?

Postecoglou revealed that Celtic winger Jota could make a return to action on Monday after being out injured since early December with a hamstring issue.

He is back in training and now very much ready to join up with the squad again. Whether he starts, however, is another matter.

Fans delighted

Since joining the Parkhead club on a loan deal from Benfica, the 22-year-old has managed to score eight goals and provide six assists in 18 appearances across all competitions, showing just how much of a useful attacking outlet he has been for the team this season and why the fans would be delighted to see him back in the side on Monday if he’s fit enough.

In addition to his goals and assists this term, Jota’s performances in the SPFL have been very impressive as well with WhoScored listing him as Celtic’s fourth-highest rated player with an overall rating of 7.48/10, highlighting just how well he has settled into the team and got to grips with the Scottish Premiership.

Taking all of this into account, it’s safe to say that Celtic would have a great chance of beating Hibs on Monday if they have Jota in their team.

However, given how long it’s been since he last played for the Hoops and how important he’s proved himself to be for the team, it may not be worth Postecoglou taking the risk of putting the Portuguese winger back in the team straight away unless he’s 100% fit and ready to play with no risk of further injury to his hamstring.

Although, with Celtic currently six points off the top spot in the SPFL table, it could be worth taking a gamble with the forward if that will give them the best chance of securing all three points and moving further up the table.

Either way, this match will be a great way for the Hoops to get back into the swing of things and start their year off positively.

In other news: Postecoglou must finally sanction Celtic swoop for “strong” £3.7m beast, he’s the next Fred

Everton have agreed to a ‘ridiculous’ deal for Dele Alli, says former West Ham and Celtic star Frank McAvennie. 

The lowdown

Frank Lampard’s arrival at Goodison Park was greeted with the signings of Dele from Tottenham Hotspur and Donny van de Beek from Manchester United.

According to a report from The Athletic, the possibility of recruiting Dele had been raised in Lampard’s interviews for the job.

The 43-year-old subsequently sanctioned the transfer, confident he could extract the best from his compatriot, and his endorsement was a ‘big factor’ in Everton’s willingness to meet Spurs’ demands.

If performance-related add-ons are triggered, Dele could wind up costing £40million (via Sky Sports).

The latest

McAvennie was left scratching his head at the price tag, telling Football Insider that Everton had taken a ‘risk’.

“That £40million though, how can Tottenham can ask for that,” he said. “Why did Everton sanction that?

“That’s ridiculous. He hasn’t kicked a ball for two years. I guess if he does well enough to hit those targets then the signing will be worth it.

“Obviously it’s a risk but I think we will see the best of Dele Alli again. He’s needed this move for a long time.”

The verdict

Perhaps Everton are paying for the player Dele once was. He made his name by winning landing back-to-back PFA Young Player of the Year awards in 2016 and 2017.

His end product has dried up almost completely in recent times, though. Since the start of last season, he’s managed just one goal and one assist.

In the five previous campaigns, he’d managed a total of 50 goals and 36 assists.

It’s not quite fair to say he hasn’t ‘kicked a ball’, but his involvement has dropped off rather dramatically. From his peak of 3,044 Premier League minutes in 2016/17, he fell to just 617 last term.

At least the add-ons are performance-related, meaning Everton would theoretically get some bang for their buck.

In other news, Greg O’Keeffe reacts to a ‘disappointing’ sight at Goodison.

Chelsea may well be unable to sign players for the next two transfer windows after Fifa hit them with a transfer ban – though an appeal could help to delay proceedings somewhat.

The news comes as a massive blow to Maurizio Sarri and Roman Abramovich with the club falling way below expectations so far this season. Not being able to sign any players will hand a massive advantage to their Premier League rivals over the next two years. Luckily for the Blues, they have a huge amount of players on loan who could return to challenge for a spot in the starting eleven.

One man who could finally break into the first-team is wonderkid Mason Mount. Valued at £3.6m by Transfermarkt, the youngster is a product of the club’s youth academy but has sent out on loan to Vitesse and most recently Frank Lampard’s Derby County. Mount made an impressive start to life in the Championship and looks good enough to take his place in the Chelsea side in the near future.

The England man has found the back of the net six times as well as registering three assists for his team-mates in all competitions. Aged just 19, Mount is blessed with excellent technical ability and the vision to carve open defences. With both Mateo Kovacic and Ross Barkley struggling to make an impact, his arrival in the engine room could give Sarri the offensive option he has been lacking.

With the likes of Eden Hazard and Willian ahead of him, Mount could blossom into one of the league’s best playmakers. He’s not the complete package yet, but if Chelsea are to navigate the choppy seas ahead of them, the return of Mount could really help the cause.

Chelsea fans, thoughts?

Rangers boss Steven Gerrard is interested in taking over at Aston Villa, according to The Telegraph.

And, as to be expected, a number of Villa fans have been reacting to the update on social media.

Villa are on the hunt for a new manager after parting ways with Dean Smith on Sunday, and it seems as if the next man in the Villa Park dugout could well be Gerrard.

The Telegraph shared a story on Tuesday evening, suggesting that Villa are now set to make an official approach to Rangers for the 41-year-old, who is reportedly keen to move to the Midlands.

Christian Purslow reportedly addressed the Villa players who have not gone away on international duty on Monday, stating a new boss would be in place in seven days.

The recent report also adds that Villa look set to move for Gerrard’s assistants Gary McAllister and Michael Beale, should discussions with the Scottish giants prove to be successful. Ashley Preece has since claimed that Gerrard to Villa is all but done.

As such, there has been a debate among AVFC supporters over whether Gerrard would be a good appointment, having taken the Scottish Premiership title off of the hands of Celtic last season, but with no prior experience in senior management.

Villa fans react

Well-known Villa fan page @villareport shared The Telegraph’s claim on Twitter on Tuesday evening. This is what these Villa fans had to say in reply, with some sharing their positive and negative thoughts and one labelling it as ‘ludicrous’.

“I don’t get it. Sack a man who’s got years of experience including the Premier League and well thought of as a coach. Have someone who’s managing a team in a second rate league has limited experience of coaching. Villa need to set their sights higher.”

Credit: @mickstan63

“Yeah I might as well just deactivate again”

Credit: @MasonUTFV

“Oh no”

Credit: @Jannetts_

“This is absolutely ludicrous. We’ll be going down if this happens.”

Credit: @thepostmaterial

“GET INNNNNNN”

Credit: @DG_Villa1

“High ceiling. Let’s do this. UTV”

Credit: @myburneraccou11

“SECOND HALF OF THE SEASON WE’RE GOING FOR THE TITLE CHARGE”

Credit: @catrinavfc

In other news: Reps of 9-honour boss now contact Villa in late-night update; Ranieri called him ‘intelligent’. 

Newcastle United are poised to make a bid for Brazilian centre-back Gleison Bremer this summer.

What’s the word?

According to Gazzetta dello Sport (via Sport Witness), the Magpies are lining up a bid for the Torino defender, with the report suggesting an offer would need to be around €50m (£41m).

However, further reports suggest that Newcastle will have competition from at least one other Premier League club, with Arsenal also thought to be interested in securing the signature of the 25-year-old this summer.

A big upgrade

Eddie Howe kicked his work in rebuilding and improving the Newcastle squad with key signings in January – with the likes of Dan Burn and Kieran Trippier making an instant impact on the team following their arrival during the winter window.

However, there is still work to be done in making sure that the Magpies continue to push further up the Premier League next season, and a quality centre-back signing would surely be the key to a better defensive record.

And, considering just how impressive Bremer – who was hailed an “animal” by Torino winger Mergim Vojvoda – has been in Serie A this season – winning 51% of his ground duels, as well as making an average of 3.4 interceptions, 1.4 tackles, and 3.9 clearances per game – it is clear to see the defender would be a fantastic signing for PIF to get over the line.

Indeed, these statistics prove that Bremer is an absolute nightmare for opponents trying to break down Torino’s defence.

And, with the Brazilian’s former teammate, Luca Mezzano, stating his belief that “he can play in any team” in the world, the £18k-per-week defender would surely not find it difficult to fit into Howe’s backline at St James’ Park.

Despite contract talks reportedly being opened with Fabian Schar, the Switzerland international is currently set to be out of contract in June, meaning there is still a chance he doesn’t commit to a new deal.

This would represent a great opportunity for the club to make a move for the 6ft 1 Bremer, whose signing, aside from being a huge upgrade on Schar, could see Howe form a deadly centre-back pairing alongside Burn next season.

Newcastle will need to make the defender a solid offer in order to tempt him away from the stern competition for his services this summer, and the promising ongoing project at the club could be enough to convince Bremer to become a part of it.

AND in other news: Bid made: PIF in negotiations for £83m “diamond”, he’d be a huge coup for Newcastle

Wolves are not planning on signing a new centre-back in the January transfer window, according to reliable journalist Tim Spiers.

The Lowdown: Wolves continue superb form

Bruno Lage’s side continued their excellent recent form on Saturday afternoon, winning 2-1 away to Brentford in the Premier League thanks to goals from Joao Moutinho and Ruben Neves. It means Wolves have picked up 13 points from their last five league games, as talk of European football next season gathers pace.

Despite Wanderers’ current brilliance, there is still arguably a need for new faces this month, with the centre of defence an area slightly short on options should any of Max Kilman, Conor Coady or Romain Saiss get injured.

The Latest: Spiers makes centre-back claim

However, Spiers took to Twitter to share an article he penned for The Athletic in which he discussed Bruno Lage’s claim that Wolves are unlikely to add to their central defensive options this month, despite the latter previously feeling that this was one of his priorities in the January transfer window.

The journalist tweeted that the Old Gold manager “suggested there are now no plans to bring in a centre-back”.

The Verdict: A risk from Wanderers?

There is certainly an element of risk in taking this approach, especially if the funds are available after Adama Traore’s likely move to Tottenham goes through.

Kilman, Coady and Saiss have been superb in a back-three this season – Wolves have conceded just 16 goals in 21 league matches – but a long-term injury to any of them would leave Wanderers looking light.

There is still a week or so for Wolves to make January additions, but if they choose not to do so, the hope is that a lack of mid-season transfer activity doesn’t end up being fatal in their European push.

In other news, one Wolves transfer target could leave his current club in January. Find out who it is here.

Kevin Phillips has mixed feelings about Leeds United’s potential move for John Swift but has tipped Marcelo Bielsa to get the best out of him.

The Lowdown: Leeds linked with Swift move

The Whites are reportedly keen on signing the 26-year-old in the January transfer window in order to add squad depth in the middle of the park.

Swift is enjoying a fantastic season in the Championship with Reading, scoring eight goals and setting up another eight and arguably standing out as one of the best players in the division.

Bielsa has called the Reading maestro a ‘great player’ in the past, adding further fuel to the fire regarding a move to Elland Road.

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The Latest: Phillips has mixed feelings

Phillips is a bit unsure about the prospective transfer, telling Football Insider that he would love to see Swift succeed at Elland Road but feeling that it would be a “gamble” to take him to the Premier League. He said:

“I think it would be a slight gamble from Leeds. It’s a big jump, moving from the Championship to the Premier League.

“He is a player who has been around a while now. It makes you wonder why nobody has brought him up to the Premier League already.

“However, we know when Bielsa signs a player, he gets the best out of them. Swift might be one of those players who comes up to the Premier League and really surprises everyone. I would love to see him jump up and make an impression.

“If I’m honest though, I’m dubious as to whether he could do that. Bielsa’s man-management skills could bring out the best in him though. It’s certainly a position Leeds are light in.”

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The Verdict: Trust Bielsa?

The idea of signing a Championship player is naturally less enticing than bringing in someone from a top European league, but Bielsa has shown that he should be trusted with signings, given the success he has enjoyed at Leeds. The Argentine can also take credit for moulding the likes of Kalvin Phillips, Luke Ayling and Patrick Bamford from being useful Championship operators to accomplished Premier League-standard footballers.

He may believe that Swift has exactly what it takes to be a key player in his system, most importantly providing him with more midfield options as well. The 26-year-old is averaging 2.8 key passes per game in the Championship this season, with Raphinha (2.2) Leeds’ strongest performer in that area.

With Adam Forshaw still only recently back from a two-year injury absence and Kalvin Phillips’ future up in the air, the need for more bodies in the middle of the park is evident.

In other news, Phil Hay has discussed Leeds’ possible January transfer business. Read more here.