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A club insider, sharing news within the last 48 hours, has now broken one big twist in the ongoing saga of West Ham United star Declan Rice’s future.

The Lowdown: Rice eyeing exit?

Reports over the past few months have suggested, after a lack-lustre January window and falling away in the top-four race, that Rice is open to leaving West Ham this summer.

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Various sources have claimed that he could leave in 2022, starting with The Telegraph, who stated in February that the manager David Moyes and GSB ‘face a battle’ to keep the England star this summer.

Since then, journalist Dean Jones has told GiveMeSport that Rice is ‘more open than ever’ to quitting Rush Green, with 90min reporter Scott Saunders going one step further and claiming he is ‘ready to leave this year’.

However, sharing a major twist, insider Claret & Hugh have now provided some good news for Irons supporters.

The Latest: C&H share Rice twist…

According to their sources, after ‘ongoing talks’ between the club, Rice and his agent/father, the 22-year-old has informed West Ham outright that he has no intention to hand in a transfer request and is focused on London Stadium life for the next 12 months ‘minimum’.

C&H go on to state that the Hammers have ‘zero concerns’ over his commitment as the summer window approaches.

However, there is a consensus that, if Rice can’t win anything in east London, he could look to move on next summer instead.

The Verdict: Big 2022/2023 ahead…

News of the England star’s commitment for next year at least comes as good news for West Ham, but going by this update, the 2022/23 season could be absolutely huge.

Much may well depend on GSB backing Moyes in the summer market and showing Rice that the club are indeed serious about building on their unprecedented success over the last two years.

It is believed that the Scotsman will have a £150m kitty at his disposal as West Ham potentially aim to make statements.

In other news: Blow for Moyes: Reliable journalist says ‘phenomenal’ West Ham player is now out for the season! Find out more here.

Speaking to Area Napoli, Italian transfer journalist Alfredo Pedulla has claimed that Tottenham Hotspur attacking midfielder Erik Lamela ‘will leave’ north London this summer in all likelihood – with the Argentine and his wife having the same desire to return to Italy.

The 29-year-old was one of the influx of players brought in after Gareth Bale sealed an £85 million move to Real Madrid in 2013 (BBC), and he has gone on to make 255 appearances for the club in all competitions (Transfermarkt).

Tottenham could lose Lamela

In that time, he has bagged 37 goals and 47 assists, but his time at Spurs has often been mixed overall due to reoccurring injury issues.

Now, according to Pedulla, the player ‘will leave’ Tottenham at the end of the season ‘in all likelihood’ – with Lamela and his partner already having a destination in mind.

“The Argentine and his wife have the same desire: to return to Italy,” expalained Pedulla to Area Napoli.

“Lamela, in all likelihood, at the end of the current football season, will leave Tottenham at the end of trying a new experience.

“Of course the player would be oriented towards joining an important club.”

Transfer Tavern take

This news of the attacker’s likely exit could spark mixed feelings with Lilywhites supporters considering Lamela is often capable of the extraordinary.

His rabona during the last north London derby is a particular highlight of his ingenuity at times, but his hapless sending off later in that game sums up one of his less desirable aspects (BBC).

Lucas Moura, speaking to football.london recently, labelled Lamela an ‘amazing player’ and his glimpses of talent certainly back that up. That said, Pedulla believes he won’t be in north London for much longer and perhaps it’s for the best given his injury record and shows of petulance on the pitch.

In other news: Tottenham make signing enquiry, find out more here.

Manchester City take on PSG away from home in the Champions League semi-final first leg on Wednesday night, with Pep Guardiola’s side looking to secure a positive result ahead of the return leg at the Etihad next week.

The Citizens have never reached the Champions League final so will be looking to make history over the next couple of weeks, although they face a tough test against Mauricio Pochettino’s side, who were edged out against Bayern Munich in last year’s final.

Guardiola’s side are fresh from winning their fourth consecutive Carabao Cup final at the weekend, where the Spanish manager selected a strong team, which suggests that a few changes are likely ahead of the trip to Les Parc de Princes.

Here’s how Football FanCast expects Guardiola to line his side up on Wednesday evening, with three changes from the side that started the 1-0 win against Spurs…

Although he managed a clean sheet in the final, Zack Steffen will sit this one out to allow first-choice Ederson to reclaim his place in goal.

Despite John Stones being available after missing the final through suspension, we feel that Guardiola will stick with the same back four for this one, as Aymeric Laporte deserves to keep his place after scoring the winner, whilst Stones’ last performance against Aston Villa was less than impressive.

There is one change in midfield, as Rodri comes in for Fernandinho after being rested for the final, and he features alongside the magnificent Kevin De Bruyne and Ilkay Gundogan.

Finally, there is one change in attack, as Raheem Sterling is replaced by Bernardo Silva, with the “exceptional” former AS Monaco man playing as a false nine, with Phil Foden and Riyad Mahrez supporting him from the wings.

And, in other news… Guardiola must ruthlessly axe “remarkable” Man City star or risk dire Lyon repeat

Flocking to Twitter, many West Ham United fans have raved over a transfer update involving exciting young attacker Fabio Carvalho.

The talented teenager has continued to thrive at Craven Cottage since breaking into Fulham’s first team in 2020, clinching the EFL Young Player of the Month in August whilst continuing to show his potential.

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His current deal at Fulham expires at the end of the season, prompting clubs to take a serious interest in the England youth starlet, with West Ham apparently among his many suitors according to TEAMtalk. Indeed, they claimed that the Irons, and by extension owners GSB, have Carvalho in their sights as talks over an extension stall at his current club.

The Hammers are joined by Spurs, Liverpool and Southampton in being linked with the youngster, with that trio also believed to keeping tabs on the 19-year-old with a view to making a move.

West Ham fans rave…

Amid this development, plenty of West Ham fans have raved on Twitter, and it’s not hard to see why given Carvalho’s performances and high ceiling.

Check out some of their best reactions to the news that their club want him below, with one Hammers fan labelling the player a would-be ‘fantastic signing’.

“I’d take Fabio Carvalho. He’s the sort of signing we should be making, lots of potential but already proving he can score and perform at that level. Once the transfer window opens for us in about 10 days time … hopefully we make a move.” 

Credit: @RockyWhu

“Yes plz”

Credit: @IronsJoes

“Baller”

Credit: @jakewhu16

“please please please please”

Credit: @3ndtroducing

“This would be a fantastic signing.”

Credit: @WestHamUtdScout

“Wanted him years ago, would be perfect for Lanzini back up.”

Credit: @Icevain7

In other news: West Ham source: Newman makes move to sign ‘devastating’ forward after price plummets by £32m, find out more here.

West Bromwich Albion winger Matheus Pereira deserves a move back to the Premier League this summer.

What’s been said?

That’s according to Kevin Phillips, who stated his belief in a recent interview with Football Insider that the £11.7m-rated forward would be an ideal signing for Leeds United this summer.

The 25-year-old has been reported to be a target of Marcelo Bielsa’s side in the upcoming transfer window, along with the likes of West Ham and Aston Villa, with West Brom thought to be demanding a fee of around €25m (£21.5m) in order to part with the Brazilian.

Phillips told Football Insider: “I think it would suit their style. Leeds are an exciting, free-flowing team, you can express yourself in that side.

“We’ve seen that with players like Raphinha and Jack Harrison this year, that they can just go and play with freedom, but you have to be prepared to work your socks off and that’s something Pereira would have to take to another level.

“But it’s no surprise that a player like that, of that mould and ilk, is being linked with Leeds.”

Fans will be gutted

Considering just how impressive Pereira was for West Brom this season, the prospect of the winger moving onto pastures new this summer is sure to leave Baggies fans gutted.

Indeed, over his 33 Premier League appearances this term, the £39,000-per-week maestro scored 11 goals, registered six assists and created 11 big chances for his teammates, as well as taking an average of two shots and making 1.8 key passes per game.

These metrics saw the man Emile Heskey dubbed an “exciting” player earn a seasonal SofaScore match rating of 7.18, ranking him as the club’s best performer in the top tier of English football by a considerable distance.

As such, if Leeds – or any other club for that matter – were to go on and sign the forward this summer, it would undoubtedly come as a huge blow to the West Brom faithful, as the Baggies’ chances of securing an immediate return to the Premier League next season would appear to be significantly reduced with the loss of their star playmaker.

In other news: Chris Wilder’s West Brom transfer target emerges, he’ll surely have Albion fans buzzing

It is strange to think that Manchester City and Pep Guardiola may want to rebuild after doing the double and winning the Premier League.

However, they once again failed to win the Champions League so they may look to move on some players that have been around for a while, something that wouldn’t surprise former City star Paul Stewart.

Raheem Sterling and Riyad Mahrez have been touted with moves away from the Etihad, and the former experienced probably his worst season for Man City as he was often shunned to the bench for important games such as Champions League clashes against Borussia Dortmund and PSG.

There have been reports suggesting that Guardiola and the Man City board are not afraid to splash the cash this money to try and win that elusive Champions League trophy, and suggestions that they want both Harry Kane and Jack Grealish is a potentially terrifying prospect for the rest of the teams.

Man City have got a lot of players within their ranks that have been at the club for a number of years and it could be a case of they are too comfortable, so Guardiola could look to show some of them the exit door this summer and Stewart expects this to happen, as he spoke exclusively to Transfer Tavern:

“I think that you might see Mahrez go this summer because I think City might look to rebuild, so Raheem Sterling could be shown the door.”

Sterling arrived from Liverpool for what was big money back in 2016 and since he arrived in Manchester he has won 11 pieces of silverware and managed to score 114 goals in all competitions.

Despite seemingly not being one of Guardiola’s favourite or most trusted players, Sterling was handed a surprising start in the Champions League final, which saw them try a new system and it failed miserably.

Leeds United manager Marcelo Bielsa is intensifying transfer talks with Hertha BSC star Matheus Cunha.

What’s the story?

According to recent reports from German publication Bild (via Sport Witness), Bielsa’s side have already expressed their interest in signing the £27m-rated forward, and a move could be on the cards after the 22-year-old received approval from Hertha to leave the capital club.

Brazilian outlet UOL now claim that the Whites have intensified talks with Hertha over bringing him to Elland Road this summer, and that despite the German club’s high demands, Leeds are promising to make a big effort and won’t give up on his signing.

Imagine him and Rodrigo

Speaking on a Facebook Live video, Leeds Live’s Beren Cross said: “Cunha, yeah I mean I think anybody that’s done a basic level of analysis or read some of the stuff around Cunha will know that he’s a bit like (Rodrigo) De Paul, really, he’s a very exciting footballer – he’s got a lot going for him.”  

Dubbed as “something special” by former Hertha BSC manager Bruno Labbadia, the £55,000-a-week Cunha enjoyed a superb campaign in the Bundesliga last season, scoring eight goals and providing another eight assists in all competitions.

With Cunha’s ability to play as a number ten, through the middle and out wide on the left, the Brazilian could strike up a partnership with last summer’s signing Rodrigo.

The duo are hugely versatile, with the Leeds man also able to play as the number nine or just behind the central striker – in fact, he was at his most prolific last season when playing in the second striker role, scoring three goals in five games.

Both have the pace, the movement, the creativity and the knack of breaking into the box at the right time to be a real attacking threat – Cunha averaged 2.6 shots and 1.8 key passes per game in the Bundesliga last season, while Rodrigo managed 1.8 and 1.2 respectively in the Premier League.

The two could either play just behind Patrick Bamford and operate as number tens, or Bielsa could instead use one of them as the centre-forward and let the other one drop deeper.

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In either case, Cunha could strike up an exciting partnership with Rodrigo were he to join Leeds.

Meanwhile, Leeds United facing major transfer blow…

Speaking to Football Insider, Tottenham Hotspur insider/club source John Wenham has made a claim involving summer signing and new Lilywhites starlet Cristian Romero.

The Lowdown: Spurs snap up MVP…

After Fabio Paratici’s first summer transfer window as managing director, you could certainly make the argument that Romero comes as Spurs’ biggest blockbuster signing.

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One of the most promising centre-back in world football, the Argentina international stood out as Serie A’s most solid presence last year – clinching the 2020/2021 MVP award for best defender.

As a result, Wenham believes that Spurs have another promising world class talent on their hands amid the plethora of youngsters already emerging from Hotspur Way.

The Latest: Wenham makes Romero claim…

Speaking to FI, the club source/insider has explained exactly why he thinks Romero can be ‘massive’ for Spurs and Nuno Espirito Santo.

“There is a really high ceiling there,” he explained.

“Romero needs to be our Roberto Ayala, that top tier Argentinian centre half who wins everything in the air.

“I know his English isn’t great but it is improving based on what I’ve seen on social media. I think he’s going to get even better on and off the pitch as the season goes on.

“Romero was solid yesterday, brilliant, especially up against two forwards I rate very highly. I think it’s the first time Ings hasn’t scored at the new stadium.

“Villa have very good attacking players and Romero kept them quiet. He made very few mistakes.

“I want to see him become a permanent fixture for the next decade, he’s at the right age to do that. He can be massive”.

The Verdict: Exciting times…

Adding Romero to the pool of talent already at Spurs certainly bodes well for the future in north London and, once he gets fully settled after a period of time, he could go on to become one of the Premier League’s best centre-backs.

A Serie A MVP winner already who made far more interceptions per 90 (3.1) than any Lilywhites player last season, it’s safe to say he has a chance to be a Spurs legend if he reaches his potential in north London.

In other news: Levy told to hire ‘world class’ boss over Poch if Nuno gets axed, Spurs players love him! Find out more here.

Leeds United building a replica pitch to Elland Road at Thorp Arch is further proof of the club’s current positive momentum, according to Kevin Phillips.

The Lowdown: New pitch built at Thorp Arch

Last week, it was confirmed that Marcelo Bielsa had requested for the Elland Road turf to be copied at Leeds’ training ground, in order to aid his team further.

The idea is that the players will grow even more accustomed to the dimensions of their home pitch, enhancing their chances of positive results in the process.

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The Latest: Phillips hails decision

Speaking to Football Insider, Phillips lauded the decision, which has also been implemented at other clubs, saying it highlights the fresh thinking of Bielsa:

“Top Premier League clubs do the same. Even top Championship clubs have a training pitch that’s identical to their home pitch.

“It just makes sense doesn’t it? If you’re training on a pitch every day that’s different to your stadium. Imagine that, it’s so bizarre.

“It shows how Leeds are moving forward. It’s a forward-thinking move from the club. And of course you have to give Bielsa the credit for that.”

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The Verdict: Typical of Bielsa

Bielsa is known for his incredible dedication to the specifics of football and this outlines the lengths he goes to make his team as good as possible.

It may not be rocket science, but it is something that a lot of managers may not even consider, but the Leeds boss is always looking for those little extra advantages.

The hope is that the new pitch makes the Whites’ Elland Road form even better, having won eight of their 19 home Premier League matches last season.

If the club can improve that even further and really make Elland Road into a fortress, perhaps we could see a push for the European places next term.

In other news, Leeds are reportedly still interested in signing a Premier League attacker this summer. Read more here.

An update has emerged on Liverpool’s interest in Jarrod Bowen, amid speculation over Divock Origi’s future.

What’s the talk?

According to The Athletic, a number of European teams are interested in signing Origi from Liverpool before the end of the window, although no official offers have been placed.

The report adds that Liverpool are continuing to monitor West Ham attacker Bowen, although it remains to be seen how viable a deal for the Englishman is.

Fans would love it

Michael Edwards and Jurgen Klopp must work together to wave bye-bye to Origi and replace him with Bowen either before the end of this window or in the January market. With less than a week to go before the deadline, it may be too tight for the Reds to get both deals over the line this summer, but they could get the wheels in motion ahead of the next one.

With a clutch of clubs showing interest in Origi, the Reds should cash in on the Belgian and use those funds to bring Bowen in. The Reds dud failed to score a Premier League goal in nine appearances last term, having managed four goals in 25 games the previous year, whilst only providing one assist. This suggests that he does not have the quality to be a consistent threat for the club in the top-flight.

Bowen, meanwhile, was impressive in the Premier League for the Hammers last season. He produced eight goals and five assists in 30 starts, averaging a WhoScored rating of 6.75 for David Moyes’ side. The winger showed that he is capable of scoring and creating goals from out wide, whilst he is also able to operate in a number of positions across the front – offering Klopp tactical flexibility.

Hull boss Grant McCann once hailed him as a ‘special talent’ and lauded his professionalism on and off the pitch. He said:

“He is unreal. Just watching him doing his tests the other day and the way he trains and presents himself every day shows you that. He has always got a smile on his face and there are no airs or graces about him. He got 22 goals in the Championship last year and that is no mean feat.

“He is a special boy and special talent. Hopefully, I can add my stamp onto him and imprint that will take him further. That is what I am about.”

Liverpool fans would love this move as it could improve the quality of their attacking options. Bowen has proven that he can score and assist goals at a greater rate than Origi, whilst he also has the potential to improve further at the age of 24.

Whether they are able to do that in the remaining days of the window is up in question, though, so this may be one that is shelved for a future one, but fans could be delighted if the club are able to ship out an underperforming player.

AND in other news, Gini 2.0: Edwards must sanction £40m Liverpool swoop for “exceptional” powerhouse…