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West Ham have been dealt a huge injury blow ahead of their Europa League clash this evening…

What’s the latest?

The Hammers are expected to be without the services of right-back Vladimir Coufal for the next three matches due to an ongoing problem, according to club insiders Claret and Hugh.

He missed the weekend’s 1-0 win over Everton, having pulled out of his Czech Republic duties over the international break, and now it appears he will miss both the Genk game and the London derby against Tottenham Hotspur on Sunday.

It is hoped that he could resume training next week but a clash with defending champions Manchester City may prove to be too soon for a return.

Speaking about the 29-year-old after the game on Sunday, the Irons boss said, via football.london.

“Vladimir has taken an injection he had a bit of discomfort in his pubis. He has had an injection in there, he got the injury in the Man United cup game and he has been carrying it for a few weeks.”

Huge blow

This will come as a massive setback to Moyes and West Ham.

Coufal missed their last Europa League game with what seemed like a knock but was able to return in the defeat to Brentford right before the break, though you could tell that he was far from 100% as he put in a disappointing display.

He was then not named in the squad to face the Toffees and according to the reliable insiders, he’s set to be out for the next three matches, which is certainly devastating as he is the clear first-choice option in the role.

The Irons have some important and tricky fixtures coming up, so to not have the £18m-rated right-back available is certainly gutting news.

His value to the side and their chances of success cannot be understated. He finished last season with the second-highest number of assists (seven), only behind fellow full-back Aaron Cresswell (eight).

That goes to show that Moyes’ wide department is a crucial creative cog in this system.

Furthermore, Coufal has been an absolute animal defensively, too – as per WhoScored, he averaged a squad-high 2.1 tackles per game and wasn’t far behind for interceptions (1.2 per game) either.

That form had continued into the current campaign, where he is averaging 2.1 tackles each outing once again.

Perhaps Jamie Carragher’s endorsement of him on Sky Sports’ Monday Night Football last season truly hints at his influence, he said [4th May, 22:24pm]:

“We talk about [Tomas] Soucek, but Coufal whether it’s right wing-back or right full-back at different times, he’s just one of those players that’s 7/10 minimum every time you watch him play.

“He’s the type of player you’d love to play with him. A manager’s dream, never injured, he’s there week in week out.”

On the above evidence, this will be a frustrating development that is sure to leave Moyes hugely worried heading into some very important fixtures.

A win over Genk would keep up their 100% record in the Europa League, whilst matches against Spurs have always offered up goals and drama, and then there’s the small matter of Pep Guardiola’s City.

In an ideal world, Moyes would have loved to have Coufal available, so it’s a major blow to the Hammers.

AND in other news, Big call: Moyes must ruthlessly axe West Ham’s £10.8m-rated “complete beast” vs Genk…

The ongoing rumoured feud between Rafa Benitez and Lucas Digne at Everton has further encouraged more rumours to develop surrounding the left back’s future at Goodison Park, especially with the transfer window opening in a few days time.

What’s the word?

According to Italian news outlet, TuttoJuve, Juventus could offer a swap deal of Aaron Ramsey to Everton in exchange for Digne during the January transfer window.

However, according to the report this would only be a short term loan until the end of the season, to help Juventus to cover their position for the rest of the season and get the Welshman’s salary off the wage bill at the Italian club.

Ramsey can’t get into the Juventus team with just two appearances in the Serie A this season so far, with the club making it no secret that they are interested in offers for the 31-year-old, who is currently on a whopping £175K a week.

Digne has now not featured in the last three games for Everton, with Benitez asked recently in a press conference if he believes that the 28-year-old was ill after he pulled out of the squad last minute, the Toffees boss responded;

“It is not that I believe or not,”

“I have been in football for so many years and I have so many experiences similar to this one and it is a question of making a decision.

“I have to be sure that the players that will be there tomorrow want to be there and they want to fight for the club and that’s it.”

Is it the right move?

There is no doubt that Ramsey has talent, and when he is not injured, he has proven at the clubs he has played at that he can offer performances at the highest level, playing in the Champions League for both Arsenal and Juventus with 78 appearances in the competition over his career, however, if it is at the cost of losing Digne it may not be worth it.

Digne has been with Everton since the Summer of 2018 when he joined the club from Barcelona and has since offered 127 appearances, six goals and an impressive 20 assists from his full-back position so far, with Gary Lineker taking to his Twitter account back in 2019 to praise the £27M-rated gem hailing him “quality”;

“What an excellent signing Lucas Digne has been for @Everton. Quality fullback. 👍🏻”

With that being said, a loan deal could be beneficial for Digne’s long term future with the Merseyside club, if he could go away keeping up match fitness with another team, whilst allowing his rumoured feud with Benitez to cool down, going into pre-season in the Summer of 2022 back with Everton, with the opportunity of a fresh start.

In other news: Rafa Benitez struck gold with Demarai Gray

Ibrahima Konate, Kostas Tsmikas and Roberto Firmino were the standout performers as Liverpool drew 3-3 with Benfica in the UEFA Champions League quarter-final at Anfield. 

Despite the draw, ultimately the Reds booked a place in the semi-finals owing to a 6-4 aggregate success, where Jurgen Klopp’s side will face the conquerors of Bayern Munich, Villarreal.

After netting a first goal for the club in the away leg, Konate headed home the opener before Goncalo Ramos equalised before half time. After the break, a Firmino brace looked to have sealed the deal on the night before Roman Yaremchuk and Darwin Nunez struck back late on, albeit to no avail.

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According to Sofascore, there were three Reds in particular who stood out on the night and we’ve taken a close look at the numbers that made up a successful night for Klopp’s men.

Konate 7.4/10

Not content with opening the scoring, the powerful Frenchman produced an outstanding defensive display in the face of the impressive Darwin Nunez.

The 22-year-old centre-back won 2/2 (100%) ground duels, 3/5 (60%) aerial duels and was accurate with 94/105 (90%) passes.

This was yet another coming of age performance from the ever-impressive youngster who signed for £36million last summer (Sky Sports).

Tsimikas 8.2/10

Understudy to Andy Robertson, Tsimikas certainly grabbed this rare opportunity to impress on the biggest stage.

Overall, the Greek left-back provided two assists, won an impressive 9/12 (75%) of ground duels, completed 56/65 (86%) accurate passes and made four key passes on the night.

The 25-year-old also won 1/2 (50%) of his aerial duels and found a teammate with 4/15 (26%) crosses.

Firmino 8.4/10

Second half brace aside, this was a typical Firmino performance as the workmanlike Brazilian allowed those around him to flourish whilst pressuring defenders throughout.

This was underpinned by the defensive statistics as the 30-year-old won 3/7 (42%) of his ground duels, blocked two shots and made one interception.

In an attacking sense, Firmino completed 39/48 (81%) of his passes and enjoyed 70 touches as Liverpool advanced through the tie.

In other news: Liverpool reportedly interested in Ligue 1 starlet

Having secured a loan deal for Philippe Coutinho and now in reported negotiations for the signing of Everton left-back Lucas Digne, Aston Villa’s owners and manager Steven Gerrard have made their intentions clear in the early stages of the current January transfer window about wanting to strengthen their squad.

In terms of what other potential transfer deals could take place at the Midlands club in the coming weeks, one area that has been touted as an area that Gerrard would want to strengthen is midfield.

With this in mind, one potential option that Villa could look to sign and have been linked with in the past is Juventus midfielder Aaron Ramsey, who has been labelled as an “outgoing player” from the Italian club this month by manager Max Allegri.

Before jetting off to Juventus back in the 2019 summer transfer window, the Welshman made a total of 371 appearances for Arsenal across all competitions, scoring 65 goals, providing 65 assists and winning three FA Cups along the way.

In the Premier League, the “intelligent” midfielder, as labelled by Juventus teammate Federico Chiesa, made 262 appearances and managed to rack up a total of 40 goals and 51 assists (91 in total), not only highlighting how much experience he has in the top division but also how much of an attacking threat he can be from midfield.

Now that Juventus are apparently willing to let the 31-year-old leave this month, this could pave the way for Villa to secure a solid midfield option that should be able to hit the ground running in the Premier League given his previous experience.

As well as his experience that could be useful for some of Villa’s younger players such as Carney Chukwuemeka, Jacob Ramsey and Cameron Archer, his deadliness in front of goal could give Gerrard the opportunity to create a scary midfield duo alongside John McGinn.

The Scot has also shown his attacking capabilities this season with three goals and two assists in the Premier League, leaving only Ollie Watkins and Danny Ings with more goal contributions.

In addition to his very useful goals and assists, McGinn has shown with his overall performances this season how much of a vital player he is for Villa with a season rating of 7.14/10 from WhoScored, making him their highest-rated player.

Moving forward, if Villa are willing to negotiate a deal for Ramsey this month, this could give Gerrard’s side that added attacking dimension in midfield that could push them to the top half of the table.

Combine Ramsey with McGinn and the Midlands outfit would surely soar up the table.

In other news: Bid made: Journo drops AVFC transfer claim, a future star could be inbound – opinion

Jordan Campbell has revealed what he has now been ‘told’ about a potential Glasgow Rangers move for John Souttar on Transfer Deadline Day.

The Lowdown: Pre-contract

As shared earlier this month by the Ibrox club’s official website, the Gers have signed Souttar on a pre-contract agreement from Hearts, as his deal was set to run out in the summer.

However, they have also been strongly linked with signing him in the January transfer window as well, so that he can play for them for the rest of the season.

The Latest: Deadline Day move?

As per The Athletic journalist Campbell, the Light Blues have not yet come in with an offer for Souttar today, after already having not one but two bids rejected for him. The reporter tweeted:

“Told Rangers have yet to come back with a deadline day offer for John Souttar.

“The Hearts centre-back signed a pre-contract deal but I understand Rangers had two bids rejected to bring him in early.

“No further contact in recent days.”

The Verdict: Be a shame

It would be a shame if the Gers miss out on signing Souttar early, as he could have helped push them towards retaining the Premiership title ahead of Celtic.

Former Hibernian striker Tam McManus claims that the defender has been ‘superb’ so far this season, and he is currently ranked as the best centre-back in the Scottish top flight to have made 20 or more appearances in the current campaign (WhoScored).

Comparing his stats to the likes of Connor Goldson and Leon Balogun in the league, Souttar is actually averaging more interceptions, clearances and blocks per match (WhoScored), suggesting that he would walk into Giovanni van Bronckhorst’s team straight away.

Nonetheless, given that there is still time left in the transfer window, this is a deal that Rangers should try and get over the line.

In other news, find out what transfer update has had these Gers fans fuming

Former Liverpool forward Stan Collymore has talked up the possibility of a summer overhaul at Anfield.

The Reds’ title defence has unravelled rather spectacularly, with a mid-table finish increasingly on the cards after a sixth home defeat on the bounce against relegation-threatened Fulham on Sunday.

Jurgen Klopp’s side may have reached the end of its cycle, with evolution required to avoid a sustained drop-off.

Collymore pointed out in a tweet that Liverpool’s current three have ‘won the lot’ and may ‘fancy Madrid, Bayern or Juve for a new challenge’.

The money involved in a Liverpool evolution

If Mohamed Salah or Sadio Mane were to leave, it could fetch the Reds up to €120 million if they met their valuations. Roberto Firmino, meanwhile, is valued between €70 and €90 million (via CIES Football Observatory).

Liverpool tend to spend only what they earn, and so one of these deal could enable them to target a younger, blockbuster replacement.

Collymore says Erling Haaland (£120-£150million), Jack Grealish (£40-£50million) and Ansu Fati (£90-£120million) could be among those on the Reds’ list.

Transfer Tavern Verdict

Mohamed Salah is the only member of the renowned trio who has performed this season.

Sadio Mane has managed just seven Premier League goals, while Roberto Firmino very much looks to have peaked too.

It would be rash to entertain the idea of selling Mane unless he were to push for a move (which seems unlikely).

But if a respectable offer arrives for Firmino, the club ought to seriously consider it.

The Brazilian has left an indelible mark at Anfield but his sale, in conjunction with others, could conceivably fund a move for Haaland and whoever signs the Norwegian, you feel, is in for a glittering decade.

In other news, this LFC player came under fire after his post-Fulham Instagram message

Speaking to Calciomercato.it, Italian reporter Romeo Agresti has shared some interesting news on Tottenham Hotspur target Dusan Vlahovic.

The Lowdown: Spurs eye Vlahovic move…

As per numerous sources, Tottenham have been interested in signing the Serbia international for quite a long while and links can be traced all the way back to the summer transfer window.

Italian news outlet Fanta Calcio even went as far as to say a Spurs bid had been lodged to sign Vlahovic but it was swiftly rejected, even despite the fact he was personally keen on the idea of an N17 move.

The arrival of new boss Antonio Conte has only heightened reports of Tottenham’s interest, especially taking into account the 52-year-old’s ties to Serie A.

Calciomercato.it recently name dropped Vlahovic as one of several Italian top flight stars being eyed by Spurs’ manager and now Agresti has shared the latest on Fiorentina’s stance.

The Latest: Fiorentina officials have already made a ‘couple of trips’ to England…

According to the reporter, who spoke to Calciomercato.it recently, La Viola chiefs have already travelled to England to ‘explore the local market’ with the Serie A side wanting to offload Vlahovic in January.

“Fiorentina wants to sell it in January to avoid dangerous dynamics,” Agresti explained.

“There have been a couple of trips to England to explore the local market.

“A price has been fixed: 80 million euros. Fiorentina do not want to sit down and talk with Juventus.”

The Verdict: Spurs in pole?

It appears their stance is clear – sell for as big a price as possible but not to one of their direct Serie A rivals.

This could gift Spurs a boost in the race to sign Vlahovic for Conte and managing director Fabio Paratici may well have the upper hand in negotiations due to the striker’s stance over a new deal.

His current contract expires in 2023, meaning La Viola’s position to demand a hefty price tag wains with each passing transfer window.

Despite president Rocco Commisso offering to make Vlahovic the highest-paid Fiorentina player in history, the American billionaire’s advances were swiftly rejected, as he confirmed in an official statement.

It appears Vlahovic is now closer than ever to the exit door and he could be a mega signing for Spurs and Conte if they manage to pull it off.

Bagging ten goals and an assist in 12 appearances across all competitions already this season (Transfermarkt), the 21-year-old is turning many heads in Italy and has been called a ‘really exciting’ player by Serie A expert Conor Clancy.

As Tottenham seek a natural alternative to superstar Harry Kane, we believe they can do no better than Vlahovic.

In other news: ‘Close agreement’…Journalist has also dropped a major Tottenham transfer claim on Twitter, find out more here.

Kieran Devlin has dropped a fresh Celtic transfer claim ahead of the January window.

What’s the talk?

In a claim made on a recent Athletic Q&A, Devlin revealed that, despite a number of Celtic’s lesser-seen talents highly impressing in the 3-2 victory over Real Betis last week, many could nevertheless be set to leave Parkhead on either a temporary or permanent basis this winter.

Speaking about the players who featured in the Europa League win, the journalist said: “Understand that a fair few of the Thursday players are being pencilled for loan or permanent moves in January anyway, so I’m personally still a little hesitant of saying admirable performances against Betis means squad depth is not as poor as it was beforehand.”

Fans will be worried

While Devlin does not make it clear exactly which players who featured last Thursday could be in line for a move away from Glasgow in January, considering just how well the team performed as a whole, the journalist’s claim is sure to have left many of the Parkhead faithful worried.

Indeed, with Postecoglou awarding Celtic debuts to both Osaze Urhoghide and Liam Shaw in the European fixture, as well as handing valuable first-team minutes to players such as Liam Scales, Adam Montgomery and Ewan Henderson, should any of these five players be in line for a permanent exit from the club, it is not a difficult argument to make that it would be something of a mistake on the part of the 56-year-old manager.

Not only did these players all receive admirable scores in the Daily Record’s player ratings for the fixture, they collectively bested a side who currently sit in third place in the LaLiga table, not to mention one who defeated Barcelona at the Camp Nou in the fixture before the Celtic clash.

Indeed, if the Betis clash was a chance to impress Postecoglou, it very much seemed as if all of Urhoghide, Shaw, Scales, Montgomery and Henderson took this opportunity – although, following Devlin’s latest update, it would appear not.

In other news: “Celtic are close…”: Joesph drops teasing transfer update that’ll leave fans buzzing

According to Spanish source Estadio Deportivo (via Sport Witness), West Ham United may have discovered the price required to sign Sevilla forward Lucas Ocampos. 

The lowdown: Ocampos a wanted man

The 27-year-old has previously been linked with a move to Liverpool and Leeds United, having impressed in Spain following a €15m (£12.5m) switch from Marseille in 2019 (Goal).

A recent report from Calciomercato claimed that the Hammers, along with Wolves, are interested in the Argentine winger ahead of the summer transfer window.

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A fresh update from elsewhere in Spain has informed Premier League suitors of the potential fee required to land the 27-year-old…

The latest: GSB eyeing lucrative swoop for Ocampos

As per Estadio Deportivo, as translated by Sport Witness, Sevilla are ‘about to close’ an extension on the Argentina international’s contract to extend his stay for a further year until 2025.

The report claimed that the new deal for the 10-cap forward will include a release clause of €80m (£66m).

Furthermore, despite the mention of West Ham and GSB specifically holding Ocampos as a ‘favourite’ to bolster the attack at the London Stadium, any summer exit is regarded as ‘unfeasible’ under the new terms.

The verdict: Sign him at all costs

Equally adept on either wing, the skilful Argentine – who has been described as ‘electric’ by football journalist Fede Praml – would provide an alternative to Pablo Fornals and Jarrod Bowen and therefore would be a smart piece of business from West Ham, even at the mooted price point.

If the Irons are to continue their improvement, adding players of this calibre to their ranks is a must; and with mooted admiration from GSB, the board should be willing to sanction the fee and allow recruitment chief Rob Newman to pursue a possible deal.

So far this season, Ocampos – who has previously likened himself to Cristiano Ronaldo – has scored eight times and provided four assists in 35 appearances across all competitions this term. With only three West Ham players finding the net more regularly in 2021/22, adding a player of his potency seems a no-brainer for GSB and co.

In other news: Italian source delivers update on West Ham transfer hunt; find out more here

Sunderland are back in League One action again on Tuesday night as they travel to face Cheltenham Town.

They are heading into the match without a permanent manager at the helm, with Kristjaan Speakman still in the process of sourcing Lee Johnson’s replacement.

Mike Dodds is set to take charge again in the meantime after overseeing the 2-1 defeat to bottom-of-the-table Doncaster at the weekend.

How many changes will he make to the team? Here is our predicted XI for tonight’s clash at Whaddon Road.

We are predicting that he will make four alterations to the team from Saturday, with Jermain Defoe, Jay Matete, Jack Clarke and Anthony Patterson all coming in.

It could be time for Patterson to be handed a start after some shaky displays from Ron Thorben Hoffmann between the sticks. The German has conceded some weak goals in recent weeks which you could argue that he should have saved, and Dodds may decide that he could benefit from watching on from the bench for this one.

In midfield, Matete could make his full debut in place of Corry Evans. The veteran scored in the defeat for Doncaster but Sunderland could go with youthful, energetic legs in Matete and Dan Neil due to the quick turnaround between matches.

On the right wing, Clarke may get the nod. He produced an outstanding three key passes in 29 minutes off the bench on Saturday, whilst Lynden Gooch managed two in 90 minutes. This means that the Black Cats could be better off starting the on-loan forward ahead of the American.

Finally, Defoe could come in for Elliot Embleton after the attacking midfielder struggled against Doncaster. The £5.3k-per-week gem has enjoyed a strong season, but his performance at the weekend left a lot to be desired. As per SofaScore, he lost six of his seven duels, missed one big chance and failed to register a single key pass.

The 22-year-old has four goals and four assists in League One this term but was unable to show the best of his qualities against Doncaster, which could now lead to him being axed. Defoe could therefore come in and play in a slightly different role as a support striker to Ross Stewart instead of as a traditional number 10.

We are predicting that the rest of the team will stay the same, with Carl Winchester, Danny Batth, Callum Doyle, Dennis Cirkin, Neil, Alex Pritchard and Stewart all keeping their places.

AND in other news,  “Advanced discussions”: Craig Hope issues big Sunderland manager claim which will delight fans…