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West Ham United manager David Moyes has said that he “will be adding a defender” to his squad before the end of the transfer window, and there may be “other players” arriving at the London Stadium in the next fortnight too.

Moyes was speaking after his team opened the new season with a 4-2 win away to Newcastle United. The Irons trailed 2-1 at the interval but second half goals from Said Benrahma, Tomas Soucek and Michail Antonio ensured that they took the three points back to the capital.

A quiet transfer window for West Ham so far

West Ham have only made one new signing so far this summer, recruiting goalkeeper Alphonse Areola from Paris Saint-Germain to provide cover and competition for Lukasz Fabianski. That deal involved a loan fee of £1.8m.

Fiorentina defender Nikola Milenkovic has been named as a potential defensive target, with Italian newspaper Corriere dello Sport reporting on Saturday (via Sport Witness) that he will either join West Ham or London rivals Tottenham Hotspur.

Fan feed West Ham Transfers relayed Moyes’ comments, and here’s how supporters reacted.

West Ham fans flock to Moyes’ transfer comments

“Some good news at last”

Credit: @DKouzas

“Trust in the Moyesiah”

Credit: @iantjrandall

“Please Milenkovic”

Credit: @_moseme

“Defender must be close then”

Credit: @xDellisOfficial

“I love this team so much it’s unbelievable”

Credit: @rayo4591

“can only pray”

Credit: @GeorgeeWHU

In other news, EXWHUEmployee issued this exciting update on one transfer target.

Ebony Rainford-Brent hopes England can replicate last season’s form in Australia when they meet the defending champions in the Women’s World Cup

Cricinfo staff02-Oct-2008
A career-threatening back injury nearly ended Ebony Rainford-Brent’s career after her international debut at the age of 17 © Getty Images
Ebony Rainford-Brent, the England allrounder, hopes the team can replicate last season’s form when they meet Australia, the defending champions, in the Women’s World Cup during March 2009.The two teams are not in the same group, but are favourites to go through to the Super Six stage where they would go head-to-head. The top two teams from the Super Sixes make it to the final.”This is absolutely amazing. It is an incredible opportunity for both me and the rest of the squad, Rainford-Brent told the ECB website. “Going to Australia twice within 12 months is pretty cool, but to get to play cricket on both occasions is fantastic.On their tour of Australia in 2007-08, England drew the ODI series 2-2 and won the one-off Test to retain the Ashes. Led by Charlotte Edwards, the ICC Women’s Player of the Year 2008, England head into the tournament – to be held at six venues across New South Wales – unbeaten in 16 ODIs, with 12 wins and four abandoned games.While England gained experience of Australian conditions during their tour last year, it was even more so for Rainford-Brent, who played club cricket for Port Adelaide as well. “Out of the other group, Australia and New Zealand are always the ones to beat,” she said. “Although we’ve beaten them recently, they’ll be in the heart of their season and we won’t be, so we’ll need to be on our game if we make it to the Super Sixes. It’ll be like a Russian team making the final stages of the [UEFA] Champions League!”I’ve never played against Sri Lanka or Pakistan before so it’s always a nice challenge to play a new team,” she added. “We’ve just played India [they won 4-0 in the ODI series] and although they can always be dangerous on their day, we are confident we can repeat the result we achieved this season.”England have made just one change to the squad that was successful during the home summer, with untried wicketkeeper Lauren Griffiths named as a back-up to Sarah Taylor.They are in Group B alongside India, Pakistan and Sri Lanka and begin their campaign against Sri Lanka on February 7.

Bruno Lage’s start to life as Wolves manager hasn’t been an easy one.

The Portuguese coach hasn’t been able to spend too freely in the transfer market and then oversaw a defeat during his first competitive game in the hot seat.

What’s the word?

If Wolves’ 1-0 loss to Leicester on Saturday told us anything, it’s that the Old Gold still desperately need to bring in some new faces in the transfer market.

Fortunately, Fosun are planning on doing exactly that.

According to Sky Sports, the Molineux outfit are keen on signing two defenders based in Italy; Takehiro Tomiyasu at Bologna and Nikola Milenkovic at Fiorentina.

With Tomiyasu preferring a move to Spurs, we want to focus on the latter, a Serbian centre-half who Wolves have reportedly made an enquiry to sign.

Big upgrade

After Wolves had to field Max Kilman and Romain Saiss at centre-back on Saturday afternoon, it’s evident that Lage is in need of some more recruits.

The former was a player tipped to leave under Nuno Santo while Saiss is thought to be an expendable asset in the club’s bid to sell players this summer.

The versatile Moroccan hasn’t been at his best for a while now as he threw in some poor individual displays last season.

Sadly, he wasn’t really at the races in pre-season either, putting in a dismal showing against Celta Vigo where he gave away a penalty.

Signing Milenkovic, therefore, would give them an instant upgrade.

Speaking about the colossal 6 foot 5 defender in the past, journalist Dejan Stankovic compared him to one of the best we’ve ever seen in the Premier League.

“Milenkovic is better than Vidic with the ball at his feet, and he is much calmer on the field,” Stankovic began. “He is the most talented centre-back Serbia have had since Vidic, and they definitely have one thing in common – both are fearless.”

That’s quite the appraisal for a player who’s caught the eye in Serie A. He won three aerial duels per game last term while completing 86% of his passes.

Both statistics were greater than Saiss who succeeded with 81.2% of his passes and won 2.6 aerial duels a match.

He’s proven to be somewhat of a liability over the last 12 months and if Wolves have desires of breaking into the top half of the table again, they will need to find a suitable alternative.

Milenkovic should be that man.

AND in other news, Forget Jimenez: £46k-p/w “magnificent” gem who won 16 duels stole the show for Wolves…

Celtic have made a €2.5m offer for Royal Antwerp right-back Aurelio Buta, according to journalist Ekrem Konur.

The Lowdown: Buta profiled

Buta is 24 years of age and has been with his current employers since 2018.

The right-back, also capable of playing as a right-midfielder or a right-winger, is into the final 12 months of his Antwerp deal worth £4,500-a-week.

He’s made 107 appearances for the Belgian side, scoring twice and registering 18 assists.

Buta is actually ranked the 13th-fastest player on FIFA 21 with a pace attribute of 94, and it seems as if the Hoops now want to bring him to Parkhead.

The Latest: Celtic’s bid

According to Konur, the Hoops have offered Antwerp €2.5m (£2.14m) for Buta.

Ange Postecoglou wants a move for Buta to be completed ‘as soon as possible’, however, Antwerp are holding out for €3.5m – just shy of £3m.

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The Verdict: Pay the fee

Celtic are in dire need of right-back reinforcements with Anthony Ralston and Lee O’Connor Postecoglou’s only options at this moment in time.

Konur believes the Hoops boss wants a deal wrapped up ASAP, and should that be the case, Celtic should cough up another £850,000 to match Antwerp’s asking price.

Such a deal would be just short of £3m, still under Buta’s Transfermarkt valuation, so it could still turn out to be a shrewd move.

He would also give Postecoglou the option to play him further forward, with Buta even turning out as a centre-forward on one occasion during his career.

Celtic need to up their offer and get Buta through the door.

In other news: Celtic now offered fee more than Dembele’s for Edouard; reporter shares ‘evolving situation’. 

Many Everton fans have been left unhappy as a transfer update emerged on Matheus Nunes.

As per A Bola, the Goodison Park faithful have had a proposed swap deal involving Andre Gomes rejected by Sporting Lisbon, as manager Ruben Amorim was not keen on the offer.

Playing in 31 games in Liga NOS in the 2020/21 term, scoring three goals and supplying a further two assists (Transfermarkt), Nunes was a key player in Sporting’s first domestic title win since 2002.

On the other hand, Gomes came under a lot of criticism from some supporters of the Merseyside club for some of his poor performances over the course of last season, and so a swap deal may have suited the Toffees going into the new campaign.

Nonetheless, it looks as if Rafa Benitez’s team will have to try a different approach if they are to sign Nunes.

Everton fans on Nunes transfer update

These Blues were unhappy as the transfer update was shared on Twitter:

“We literally can’t spend a penny can we. Sad times.”

Credit: @rlfansSaddened

“Every time I read Everton transfer news after other teams have completed major business. My mind automatically prefixes this stuff with “..meanwhile in La La Land””

Credit: @CeejayNightwing

“That’s not very nice…”

Credit: @WattyWattDogg

“Embarrassing”

Credit: @JBradshawPhotos

“It’s all getting a bit silly now”

Credit: @Roundhouse1878

“We’re truly skint / cannot spend aren’t we”

Credit: @PaulChute

In other news, find out what transfer update has Evertonians fuming here!

An update has emerged regarding Crystal Palace’s interest in Newcastle transfer target Andre Ayew.

What’s the talk?

According to 90Min, the Eagles have opened talks with the striker over a potential switch to Selhurst Park this summer as Patrick Vieira shapes his squad following his arrival in south London earlier in the month.

Earlier this summer, Newcastle were touted with an interest in the Ghanaian international, who left Swansea at the end of last season and is currently a free agent.

He won’t cost a penny

Newcastle must act swiftly to secure a deal for Ayew and beat Palace to his signature. The Eagles are clearly determined to sign the 31-year-old and are now closing in on a deal for the forward as they are in talks to sign him, with no discussions needed with Swansea. Ayew is free to speak with any clubs who are interested in bringing him in after leaving the Swans and will not cost a penny in transfer fees.

He could be a terrific addition to Steve Bruce’s squad as he is a player with a proven track record of scoring goals in England. Ayew has 21 goals in 89 Premier League appearances and 31 in 87 Championship games throughout his career across his time with Swansea and West Ham, whilst also providing 23 assists across both divisions. In the 2020/21 campaign, he plundered an impressive 17 goals for the Swans and averaged a superb WhoScored rating of 7.10.

Back when Ayew was playing for West Ham, his manager Slaven Bilic hailed him as a great player and claimed that he was a “game-changer” for the club.

The Croatian told BBC Sport: “I rate Andre very highly. He’s a great player. He was the game-changer.

“He’s got that (knack) for goals. He’s always in a good position at the right time.

“I told him I want him to continue like this – not only scoring, but his game overall. It’s a big boost and I hope it’s going to continue.”

The £83,000-per-week striker has been described as a “born leader” and his goals and assists could improve Newcastle’s chances of avoiding a relegation battle. His aforementioned record in England shows that he can perform at Premier League level and he would come as a low-risk addition on a free transfer, which makes this a no-brainer for the Tyneside club.

Therefore, they must swoop for the attacker and ensure that they can beat Palace to his signature, or else face watching one of their top-flight rivals strengthening their squad ahead of next season.

AND in other news, “Would be unbelievable” – Exclusive: Howey drops verdict on potential next Newcastle owners…

The Athletic’s Manchester City correspondent Sam Lee has recently shared an update on the club’s interest in Jack Grealish which will surely delight their fans.

What’s the word?

When asked by a Man City supporter on Twitter if a deal for the Aston Villa captain could happen, Lee replied by saying: “I think Grealish could happen quite quickly as long as there are no hiccups.”

City have been heavily linked with the 25-year-old throughout the summer after an exceptional season for club and country, and from what Lee suggests, the playmaker could well be joining up with Pep Guardiola’s squad in time for the new season.

Would he be a good addition to Guardiola’s side?

Last season saw the England international contribute six goals and 10 assists in just 26 Premier League appearances, averaging a superb 7.56 rating from WhoScored for his performances.

Despite making just one start for Gareth Southgate’s side at the European Championship this summer, he was still able to show his quality as he registered assists against the Czech Republic and Germany.

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After an excellent tournament of his own, Raheem Sterling will be looking to reclaim his regular starting spot in Guardiola’s side next season, whilst Grealish will also have to compete with the likes of Phil Foden, Riyad Mahrez and Bernardo Silva if he is to sign for City and play out wide.

Therefore, unless one of those leaves the Etihad this summer, it is difficult to argue that they need to sign the “outstanding” Grealish, despite his undeniable quality.

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However, his performances last season certainly suggest that he could be an upgrade on some of the options already in Guardiola’s squad, and given the nationwide clamour for him to start at the Euros this summer, City fans must surely be delighted with Lee’s update.

In other news… Guardiola should axe City’s “unsung hero” this summer, he’s not consistent enough

With news Tottenham Hotspur fans were waiting for arriving this week now they have a manager with Nuno Espirito Santo at the helm, and someone who could operate in his favoured three at the back formation is Ben Davies – Graham Roberts admits he certainly won’t be a player to leave this summer.

Davies has often played as a left-back during his time at Tottenham but when he has been away on international duty, the Welshman has found himself playing as a left-sided centre back which could appeal to Nuno who played with three centre backs at Wolves.

With the signing of Sergio Reguilon last summer, Davies saw starts in the Premier League severely limited with just 14 coming his way and that has led to Napoli being linked with a move for him, but only for an eye-watering price of £30 million.

With Reguilon’s great attacking ability and energy to get up and down the pitch, he could thrive as a wing-back under Nuno thus pushing Davies even further out of the picture, but he won’t be leaving the club, according to Roberts who spoke exclusively to Football FanCast:

“I don’t think he will be going, trust me. Especially not for £30 million and I do like Ben, he’s a nice lad and will be great to have around the squad.”

Davies was signed from Swansea City in 2014 and still just 28-years old, he won’t want to spend another season on the bench not achieving anything.

With Nuno coming to the club every player will be on a clean slate and the ability to earn a starting spot for the season coming even if they weren’t fancied last campaign.

With Australia having confirmed their place in the semi-finals from Pool 1, the winners of ICC KnockOut 2000, New Zealand, already find themselves out of this edition of the Champions Trophy

Santhosh S22-Sep-2002With Australia having confirmed their place in the semi-finals from Pool 1, the winners of ICC KnockOut 2000, New Zealand, already find themselves out of this edition of the Champions Trophy. But with a match against Bangladesh at the SSC Ground in Colombo on Monday ahead of them, Stephen Fleming’s men are hoping to at least bow out on a winning note.The New Zealand team had a practice session at the SSC Ground on Sunday afternoon in extremely hot and humid conditions. At the end of it, Fleming told CricInfo that his side are taking tomorrow’s game very seriously.”We respect Bangladesh’s ability. So we have trained real hard over the past few days. We would like to stamp some authority on the game and leave the tournament with a good result,” Fleming observed.The New Zealand skipper admitted that he was disappointed with his team’s performance in their opening game against Australia, observing that in his opinion the bowlers gave away far too many runs while the batsmen did not show enough fighting spirit. He, however, added that “all facets of the game has been thoroughly looked after, during our week of rest”, and that New Zealand were now prepared to get down to business against the Bangladeshi team.Talking about the squad for tomorrow’s game, Fleming said, “Paul Hitchcock seems to be on the mend, so he’ll probably play tomorrow. He comes into contention.”He also confirmed that young Andre Adams is still recovering from a stress fracture to his back and could only be expected to return by Christmas time.After the game, the New Zealanders will enjoy a few months’ rest, before they take on India in a series at home in December. This makes the New Zealand side all the more determined to “finish this tournament on a better note than we started”, Fleming observed.Bangladesh, meanwhile, are not nourishing any high hopes; they are looking at the tournament as a part of their learning process. Mohsin Kamal, the Bangladesh coach, was not unduly worried about his side’s comprehensive defeat by Australia last Thursday.”Losing is a part of the game,” said Kamal, rather philosophically, before adding quickly, “If you are not going to play against big teams, you are not going to improve.””You have to deal with the pressure, be mentally strong, and believe in your ability, when playing against the big teams,” he observed.Talking about the upcoming encounter against New Zealand, Kamal said, “To prove and improve is the part of the game plan. The boys are keenly looking forward to the game. We have a tough tour of South Africa coming up, and it will be a good practice for us.”He said that he also will be expecting more commitment from his top players in his side’s final game of the tournament. “They have the ability; sometime they don’t show it on the field. They have to learn to play positive consistently,” Kamal observed.New Zealand (from): Stephen Fleming (Captain), Nathan Astle, Shane Bond, Chris Harris, Paul Hitchcock, Kyle Mills, Chris Nevin, Jacob Oram, Matthew Sinclair, Scott Styris, Glenn Sulzberger, Daryl Tuffey, Daniel Vettori, Lou Vincent.Bangladesh (from): Khaled Mashud (Captain), Al-Sahariar, Alok Kapali, Fahim Muntasir, Habibul Bashar, Javed Omar, Khaled Mahmud, Manjural Islam, Mazharul Haque, Mohammad Ashraful, Mohammad Rafique, Talha Jubair, Tapash Baisya. Tushar Imran.

Pundit Noel Whelan has suggested that Steve Bruce will be on the phone to Arsenal immediately to try and sign Joe Willock, following Alan Nixon’s £50 million war-chest update [Football Insider].

The Lowdown: Newcastle prepare for the 2021/22 Premier League season

As Newcastle United look to improve on their 12th placed Premier League finish last time out [BBC], Bruce hasn’t dipped his toes into the transfer market water just yet.

The Toon have been linked with moves for the likes of Kristoffer Ajer and Matt Grimes respectively [Shields Gazette], but Whelan reckons that the Magpies hierarchy will be focusing their attentions on an alternative reported target.

The Latest: Whelan tips Newcastle United to pull off stunning signing

Speaking in an interview with Football Insider, the former Leeds United striker indicated that the Toon will be pulling out all the stops to acquire Arsenal midfielder Joe Willock, after journalist Alan Nixon indicated the North East side would have around £50 million to spend this summer [Sportslens].

Discussing that claim, the pundit said: “If that’s accurate, that’s Bruce’s first phone call.

“They need fresh faces and hungry players. He’s definitely one of them. He’s shown that appetite to go out from Arsenal.

“He’s shown Arsenal what they are missing and showing Newcastle what they could have.

“He’s got energy, he can get goals, he’s always positive. But they need more than that.”

The Verdict: Willock would be a quality addition to the Newcastle United fold

Of course, Newcastle United fans already have a flavour of the 21-year-old’s quality after his major impact on loan at the club during 2020/21 [SB Nation].

Becoming a star man in his temporary stint, the midfielder notched an impressive eight goals from 14 fixtures for Bruce’s men [Transfermarkt].

Unbelievably, this goal barrage led him to finish as second-top goal-scorer for the Magpies behind only Callum Wilson [WhoScored]. Clearly supremely talented, he would be a coup for the club if they were to secure his services on a permanent deal.

Already reported to have been courted by Newcastle United who are ‘increasingly confident’ about acquiring him ahead of 2021/22 [Chronicle], the St James’ Park faithful will be desperate to get a deal done, just as Whelan suggests.

In other news, Newcastle United are interested in a Premier League defender.