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West Ham United could have found the solution to their centre-forward woes, amid reports that Chelsea youngster Armando Broja could be on his way to the London Stadium.

What’s the word?

As per club insider ExWHUemployee, the Hammers are believed to have held “discussions” regarding a potential swoop for the 20-year-old, albeit without having actually made a concrete bid to the Blues.

Asked on Twitter about the club’s interest in the Albania international, the trusted source stated: “I don’t think a formal offer has been submitted yet but there has been some discussions as there have with the other targets I mentioned but I believe Broja has always been a top choice for Moyes (something we said months ago)”.

This follows reports that suggest the east London outfit are set to make a bid of roughly £30m in an attempt to the prise the 14-cap starlet from Stamford Bridge, with fellow Premier League side Southampton also said to be keen on a deal, following the player’s impressive stint on loan at St Mary’s last term.

There have also been reports that he could remain at Cobham next term, with manager Thomas Tuchel keen to take a look at the player in pre-season.

Supporters will be buzzing

Fresh from completing a £30m deal for defender Nayef Aguerd from Stade Rennais, it would appear that David Moyes and co are keen to press on with their transfer activity, with the potential arrival of young Broja one of six further additions that the club could reportedly make this summer.

Although the reported figure for the Slough-born ace may appear somewhat substantial for a player who only has two full seasons of senior football under his belt thus far, his form to date would suggest that he could well be worth every penny.

Having risen through the youth ranks in west London, the £8.5k-per-week gem was sent out on loan to feeder club Vitesse Arnhem in the summer of 2020, eventually netting an impressive 11 goals for the Dutch outfit in total.

That form alerted the attention of the Saints who snapped the £19.8m-rated brute up on a season-long loan deal last summer, with the striker going on to score nine goals in all competitions for the club, including six in the top-flight.

That tally may not be totally eye-catching, with the player’s form having suffered something of a dip following the turn of the year, although it was his all-round game that also caught the eye, with his strength and speed proving a real handful for far more experienced defensive units.

The 6 foot 3 menace also received a glowing reference from former Chelsea boss Frank Lampard – the man who gave him his debut at his parent club – with the 44-year-old stating: “He’s fast, strong, has a real eye for goal and he’s a very, very good young player so I’m very aware of his strengths in a Southampton team playing very well”.

Moyes’ side also saw first-hand just how “devastating” he can be – in the words of his national team assistant coach Sergio Porrini – with the highly-rated prospect having scored a stunning solo goal in the Irons’ FA Cup defeat to Ralph Hasenhuttl’s side in March.

Equally, supporters will also be buzzing to see increased competition for current number nine Michail Antonio, with the 32-year-old the only senior, centre-forward in the Hammers squad at present.

Having such a young and hungry talent to challenge the Jamaica international will add further depth and quality ahead of what will be another long, gruelling season for the club.

IN other news, Moyes plotting move for “special” £45m “baller”, he’d be a “superstar” for West Ham

Former Glasgow Rangers defender Alan Hutton has given his reaction to the links to bring Sunderland striker Ross Stewart to Ibrox. 

The lowdown: Gers’ interested

This comes as Rangers are heavily linked with a move for Stewart should Alfredo Morelos leave Ibrox this summer.

The 25-year-old frontman enjoyed a stellar campaign in League One and was an integral part of the side that earned promotion to the Championship via the playoffs.

Stewart is fast approaching the final 12 months of a deal in the North East of England and one invested onlooker has had his say on the potential move to Glasgow…

The latest: Hutton on Stewart

Speaking to Football Insider, regular BBC pundit and Rangers TV man Hutton suggested that the Scotsman could be a worthwhile addition but only alongside further transfers.

He said: “You’re going for Champions League football, that’s how high the bar is at this moment in time. Can he play to that level? We’re unsure. Of course, he was outstanding in League One but we’re talking about elite level. Only time will tell if he can reach those heights.

“I’m pretty sure Giovanni van Bronckhorst will have sights on a few different players. Stewart is a particular type of number nine. He’s a big guy, he’s not the usual profile that Rangers go for.

“So they might look to bring in another type of attacking threat as well.”

The verdict: Two needed

With a remarkable 164 goal involvements in 224 appearances for Rangers, losing a player of Morelos’ quality this summer would leave a huge hole in Giovanni van Bronckhorst’s squad that cannot be filled by the addition of Stewart alone.

That’s despite netting 26 times in 49 league and play-off games during a breakout 2021/22 season following a switch from Ross County, earning an outstanding 7.25 Sofascore rating whilst winning 7.6 duels, making 1.3 key passes and finding the target with 1.2 shots on average per game.

However, having left Scotland on the back of just three-goal involvements in the Scottish Premiership in 2020/21, Van Bronckhorst would be wise to avoid pinning all the responsibility and expectation on Stewart and Kemar Roofe when it comes to replacing Morelos’ output.

In other news, Rangers have a potential Alfredo Morelos replacement in mind

Manchester United have submitted an offer to sign Barcelona midfielder Frenkie de Jong, according to Marca (via Sport Witness). 

The lowdown: Major interest

Although the transfer window is yet to officially open, the pursuit of De Jong is already in danger of turning into an exhausting saga.

The Red Devils have been extensively linked with a move for the 25-year-old, particularly following the official appointment of former Ajax manager Erik ten Hag, who took charge of 59 games in which the cultured midfielder played in Holland.

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Amidst all the noise surrounding the potential switch to Old Trafford from the Camp Nou, it now appears as though United have taken the first big step towards getting the deal moving…

The latest: Bid made

As per Marca, translated by SW, Manchester United chiefs are believed to have made an opening bid worth €60million (£51million) initially, plus a further €20million (£17million) in add ons.

It’s claimed that Ten Hag has personally ‘spoken with the footballer to convince him to be his star at United’, having overseen his development earlier on in a fledgeling career.

The report states that De Jong – once lauded as a ‘sublime footballer’ by reporter Sam Dean – would be given the responsibility to be the ‘conductor’ in the midfield and is now ‘further away’ than ever from staying at Barcelona.

The verdict: Fingers crossed

Signing the 42-cap Holland star for the mooted expenditure would be a welcome positive statement of intent to signify the beginning of what is hoped to be a new and successful era under Ten Hag.

Sharing similar stylistic traits with Real Madrid superstar Luka Modric, Manchester City sensation Ilkay Gundogan and classy Inter Milan ace Nicolo Barella (Fbref), there is certainly an elite level player in the cross hairs of the United recruitment team.

With his talents already well known to the manager, during 2021/22, the Dutchman scored four times and registered five assists in 46 appearances across all competitions, earning an impressive 7.08 Sofascore rating whilst competing 1.3 key passes on average from 32 La Liga outings in the process.

That form and perceived level of potential, combined with the opportunity to link back up with his ex-manager Ten Hag and former teammate Donny van de Beek, makes the swoop for De Jong a no brainer, particularly having allowed Paul Pogba move on.

In other news, Erik ten Hag could be key in luring this star to Old Trafford

Liverpool have been heavily linked to Darwin Nunez and the speculation has certainly ramped up since it was reported that Sadio Mane may leave this summer, but now a new update has emerged that suggests the Reds may have made their move.

What’s the latest?

According to Portuguese news outlet Record, Liverpool have now made a club-record offer for the Benfica star.

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As per the report, the Merseyside giants are said to have tabled an offer of €100m (£85m) to secure a deal for Nunez this summer.

The news has further been backed up by Dominic King this morning with the popular journalist tweeting:

“Liverpool want to sign Darwin Nunez and are prepared to smash their transfer record to get him.”

Klopp loves him

There is no doubt that Jurgen Klopp will be thrilled to have Nunez join the squad at Anfield, and clearly already loves him as he was full of praise for the striker when Liverpool faced Benfica in the quarter-finals of the Champions League last season.

The German coach claimed in his pre-match press conference for the second tie (via Sky Sports Premier League):

“An extremely good looking boy eh?! He was calm for the finish. He is good, really good. If he stays healthy, he has a big career ahead of him.”

Nunez who was hailed a “diamond” by Steve McManaman has been attracting attention from some of the biggest clubs in the world following a highly impressive season for Benfica, with Manchester United and Atletico Madrid both name-dropped as interested parties by King in his aforementioned tweet.

The 22-year-old has scored 34 goals and contributed four assists in 41 appearances across all competitions for his Portuguese side which is phenomenal for a youngster, and his 26 league goals saw him become the top goal-scorer in the Primeira Liga during the 2021/22 campaign.

It is clear that Klopp views the goal machine as a good fit for his formidable forward line that already boasts top talent like Mohamed Salah and he would be an idyllic replacement for Mane’s goal contributions should the Senegalese winger move on this summer.

With that being said, if Liverpool can beat their competitors for the signing by making the club record-breaking transfer bid there will be high expectations on the young striker to adopt a lot of responsibility in the front three next season.

AND in other news: Liverpool plot bid to sign “glorious” £64m “nightmare”, he’s better than Darwin Nunez

Everton struggled this season following a tight relegation battle in the Premier League, and Frank Lampard must improve the squad if they want to do better next time around.

To that effect, a new Goodison Park transfer target has now been revealed.

What’s the latest?

According to 90min, the Toffees have joined the race to sign former Manchester United star Jesse Lingard, who is now a free agent.

As per the report, the attacking midfielder is a potential target for not just Everton – his former Red Devils boss Jose Mourinho could try to tempt him with a move to Roma, or he could rejoin his former loan club West Ham United this summer.

Imagine him & Gordon

Everton are desperate to add new attacking threats to enhance their goalscoring opportunities following a lack of goals last season, which ultimately led to the Toffees struggling in the bottom half of the table, and signing Lingard could be a great solution to that problem ahead of next season.

The Merseyside club conceded 23 goals more than they scored in the 2021/22 Premier League, with Richarlison leading the way with 11 in all competitions. However, they will need to find a few more reliable scoring outlets if they want to break back into the top half next term.

Lingard has never been a consistent starter at Old Trafford, but during his time at his boyhood club, he has scored 35 goals and delivered 21 assists in 232 first-team appearances, with one goal contribution every 224 minutes. However, he has proven elsewhere that regular game-time enables him to offer a consistent attacking threat.

The £80k-p/w star, who was dubbed “infectious” by Manchester United legend Andy Cole, enjoyed a successful six-month loan spell at West Ham last year. He displayed his talents effectively in east London, scoring nine goals and contributing five assists in just 16 appearances, proving that he could be a very astute signing for any Premier League club this summer.

Lampard is already a huge fan of the 29-year-old and spoke out about him in 2018 on BT Sport (via The Sport Review), saying: “What I like about him is his game intelligence. You never see him linger on the ball when he doesn’t need to. He has the right amount of touches and knows when to arrive in the box at the right time.”

With that in mind, the Toffees manager could tee up a formidable attacking duo if he can secure the signing of Lingard and deploy him in the team alongside Anthony Gordon, who chipped in with seven goal contributions this term. The pair couldlink up to create more goal-scoring opportunities in the final third, ideally leading to Everton enjoying a more fruitful 2022/23 season.

AND in other news – Worse than Klassen: Journo claims Everton are now tracking “really slow” 31 y/o dud

Manchester United have been linked with Darwin Nunez recently and the Benfica forward could be Cristiano Ronaldo 2.0 at Old Trafford.

What’s the word?

According to talkSPORT, United are pursuing a deal to sign the 22-year-old Uruguayan, with the youngster reportedly keen on joining Erik ten Hag’s side this summer as the Red Devils plan a squad overhaul.

Nunez has enjoyed a fantastic season with Benfica, contributing 26 goals and four assists in just 28 Liga NOS appearances for the Eagles, averaging a superb 7.62 rating for his performances from WhoScored.

It is no surprise that his performances have attracted the interest of a number of clubs across Europe, but if talkSPORT are to be believed, United might just have the edge on signing him.

Ronaldo 2.0

United have, of course, had a lot of success with Portuguese league signings in the past, with Cristiano Ronaldo the prime example.

The legendary forward initially joined the Red Devils from Sporting Lisbon in 2003 and he went on to become one of the world’s best during his time at Old Trafford, contributing 18 goals and seven assists in his final Premier League season before his world-record move to Real Madrid.

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Unlike any of United’s players, Nunez was able to cause Liverpool some real problems last season, scoring in both legs in the Champions League against the Merseyside outfit, which was enough to earn the praise of Jurgen Klopp.

He said: “Really good, really good, I have to say. I knew him before, of course, but he played pretty much in front of me with these tough battles with Ibou Konate. Physically strong, quick, was calm around his finish when he finished the goal off.

Newcastle United reportedly ‘remain keen’ on signing Sven Botman in the summer, despite a ‘sensational twist’ that has now emerged.

The Lowdown: Milan bound?

It has been reported that the St. James’ Park faithful have ‘not given up hope’ of signing Botman in the summer, despite AC Milan already verbally agreeing personal terms with the Lille central defender.

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After failing to sign him in the January transfer window, the North East club have continually held ‘extensive negotiations’ over the potential signing, but it looks like Milan could be the favourites for his signature.

The Latest: Remain keen

As per Football Insider, the Tyneside outfit ‘remain keen’ on signing Botman, even though a ‘sensational twist’ has now emerged in the form of a new suitor.

According to a source from Manchester United, the Red Devils are now ‘exploring a move’ for the Dutchman, with ‘preliminary talks’ set to take place after a board meeting involving new manager Erik ten Hag.

The Verdict: Get it done

With Manchester United, who can offer Botman European football just like Milan, now entering the frame, the Magpies need to act fast to get this deal done.

Described as a ‘golden boy‘ by his agent Francesco Miniero, he is one of the most promising up-and-coming players in the game at just 22 years of age, having already played regularly at the highest level.

Nonetheless, at six-foot-five, he is an imposing centre-back, and could form a truly scary partnership with the six-foot-seven Dan Burn.

In other news, find out which ‘terrifying’ star NUFC are now eyeing here!

The Athletic’s Liverpool reporter James Pearce has provided a crucial update on the fitness of Mohamed Salah with the Reds’ Champions League final just two weeks away.

What’s the latest?

The Egyptian winger was withdrawn in the first half of Liverpool’s FA Cup victory over Chelsea on Saturday through injury, with supporters holding their breaths.

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However, Pearce tweeted that Salah confirmed he will be fit for the Champions League final against Real Madrid, stating after the FA Cup final: “Of course, all good.â€

The 29-year-old has scored a whopping 30 goals in 49 appearances for Jurgen Klopp’s side and would be a colossal miss if the forward was unable to make the Champions League final.

Liverpool supporters will be buzzing

Liverpool supporters would have certainly feared the worst when they saw their star player hobble off the Wembley pitch on Saturday with two crucial Premier League matches left as well as Europe’s showpiece fixture against Real Madrid in Paris.

Despite Manchester City now boasting a three-point lead, Klopp’s men are still in the hunt for the Premier League title with games against Southampton and Wolves to come.

However, they may well need a favour from Aston Villa on the final day.

Therefore, focus will certainly be on the Champions League final, with the German manager admitting: “The quadruple is off because of the situation we are in. We have to make changes against Southampton.â€

Granted, Liverpool have a plethora of world-class attackers in Sadio Mane, Luis Diaz and Diogo Jota. However, replacing a player who has netted 30 goals is virtually impossible.

Moreover, Salah has unfinished business against Real Madrid given how the Egyptian was cruelly forced off against the Spanish outfit in the 2018 final through injury, with Liverpool eventually losing the match 3-1.

The 29-year-old’s availability for the Champions League final will certainly have his manager, teammates and supporters buzzing.

AND in other news: Liverpool must now brutally sell £85k-p/w dud who’s lost possession every 4.5 minutes

Everton are eying up a swoop for Mainz centre-back Moussa Niakhate during the summer transfer window as Frank Lampard aims to bolster his defence.

What’s the word?

That’s according to German outlet BILD, who have claimed that the 26-year-old wants to join a Premier League club this summer, with the Toffees and West Ham leading the chase.

With just one year left on his current contract, the centre-back could be available for a partly £8m, small change in today’s world of vastly inflated transfer fees.

Lampard needs Niakhate

There is no doubt that Everton have had a terrible season, and despite a recent resurgence in results which could prove crucial in their relegation fight, it has simply not been good enough for a club of their size and talents.

If Lampard remains in the job ahead of next season, his urgent priority is to sign a defender, and Niakhate fits the bill perfectly.

The £12k-p/w Mainz captain has been has described by manager Bo Svensson as both a “role model” and “clever” following his wonderful campaign which sees Die Nullfünfer currently sit ninth in the Bundesliga table.

Nikhate would be a big upgrade on Yerry Mina and Michael Keane in the Everton backline. He has made more interceptions (72) than the Toffees duo combined (70) and has also atttempted more tackles over the course of the league season (59) compared to Mina (17) and Keane (46).

These figures show how strong he is at the back and illustrate his ability to stabilise the Blues’ defence. His disciplinary record is excellent too, receiving only one caution, whilst Mina and Keane have each had three bookings this term.

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Everton need a player who is mature enough to marshal their defence, and Niakhate looks like he has all the attributes to succeed in England, while also being a discernible upgrade on the defensive options currently at Lampard’s disposal.

AND in other news, Everton can finally axe “poor” £68k-p/w dud by signing 22 y/o with “huge potential”…

Liam Kennedy has dropped a ‘big summer’ Newcastle United claim on Elliot Anderson after news of his ineligibility was confirmed.

The Lowdown: Not eligible

As per Newcastle World, Anderson is not eligible to play against Arsenal and Burnley in their remaining two Premier League fixtures.

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He has returned to St. James’ Park after his loan spell at Bristol Rovers, but guidance from the top flight has stated that while he is now able to train with the first team, he will not be allowed to feature for them, as only in ‘exceptional circumstances’ – like the early recall of a goalkeeper – should a player be able to return to first-team football outside of a transfer window.

The Latest: Kennedy reacts

Taking to Twitter, Newcastle World journalist Kennedy has given his reaction to the revelation, claiming that while it is a ‘shame’, there could still be a ‘big’ summer ahead for Anderson:

“It’s a shame, but not even sure Eddie Howe would use him, especially when you look back at his selection policy against Cambridge in the FA Cup earlier this season. Could be a big summer for the lad.”

The Verdict: Shame indeed

Indeed, it is a shame that the Toon Army will not be able to see Anderson play for them in their remaining two games.

The 19-year-old scored eight goals and made a further five assists in 21 matches in total in League Two, including three goal contributions on the final day which helped the Gas remarkably win promotion (Transfermarkt).

Nonetheless, with the North East club now comfortable in the table, it would have been a good time to see what Anderson can do as Eddie Howe ponders keeping him in his squad for the next campaign.

In other news, find out which ‘insane’ star NUFC could sign this summer here!