Category: Sports news

Manchester United identify next manager after Ralf Rangnick

Manchester United have reportedly contacted Inter Milan‘s Simone Inzaghi to take over from Ralf Rangnick after his six-month interim tenure runs out.

The German tactician has cut an unpopular figure while in the dugout at Old Trafford despite the excitement surrounding his appointment to the position. Reports also say that the players are dissatisfied with his method, making him an unpopular figure also in United’s dressing room.

Mirror Sport reports that a source within Carrington claims that the former Red Bull Leipzig manager is seen as “outdated and out of his time” by all at the club, and that Rangnick is “unpopular” and the staff “don’t like him.”

United signed a deal with Rangnick to stable the team for a new manager who will take over at the beginning of the 2023/24 season. The German will then move on to a two-year consultancy role, which is more on brand with what he has evolved into in the past few years.

Among the managers considered to replace the German, Mauricio Pochettino of Paris Saint-Germain and Erik ten Hag of Ajax Amsterdam are the frontrunners for the job. However, Italian outfit, Il Corriere dello Sport, have claimed that United have approached Inter Milan’s Simone Inzaghi for the role as well.

Inter looking to increase Simone’s wages to keep him at San Siro

The 45-year-old Simone Inzaghi will be out of a contract at Inter Milan next season. However, a good deal could help the manager buy out his contract at the Serie A table leaders to move elsewhere and try to replicate his successes with the Nerazurri at the new club.

Inter have been on a resurgence since current Tottenham Hotspur manager, Antonio Conte, set the ball rolling in the 2019/20 season. The Nerazurri narrowly lost out on the Scudetto in that season, but turned it around the following season to break Juventus’ chokehold on Italian top flight football.

The title was their first in 11 years, with their last being a part of a historic treble won under current AS Roma boss, Jose Mourinho.

Inzaghi is keeping that fire burning and has coached the Nerazurri to some fine performances this season, which has seen them lose only once in 20 league games this season while sitting comfortably atop the 2021/22 Serie A table.

Inter have also recently won their first trophy of the season, defeating Juventus earlier this week to claim the Supercoppa Italiana.

The Inter hierarchy are reportedly very impressed with the beginning of his reign; they are rumoured to be keen on renewing his contract soon. The renewal will reportedly come with a salary increase for the former Lazio manager at the end of the current season, to keep interested clubs away as they would not want to lose him the way they lost Conte. 

United to face Atlético for Inzaghi

Inzaghi’s playing style at the San Siro has not only caught the eye of Manchester United, but of a number of top-tier clubs across Europe.

Atlético de Madrid are seeking a long-term replacement for Diego Simeone, who has managed Los Rojiblancos for 11 years. The Argentine could call time on his career as Atlético coach any time soon, and the Spanish Giants see Inzaghi as the perfect replacement for him.

Reports claim that both United and Atlético de Madrid have made informal moves towards securing Inzaghi for their sides, but neither club have made a formal approach to the reigning Serie A champions for their manager.

Inzaghi could be disappointing both clubs, however, as he is also reported to love his job at the San Siro very much which infers the likelihood to extend with Inter Milan.

Derby County facing exit in the middle of the season as EFL threaten to kick them out

Derby County is facing the possibility of being kicked out of the English Football League as their administration issues continue.

Wayne Rooney’s Derby County are in a financial rut and the club’s administrators, Quantuma, are at their wit’s end. The search for new investors or a new owner is proving difficult, leading the EFL to believe that the club is not planning on coming out of administration soon.

Reports now claim that the EFL are threatening to kick Derby County out of the league if they do not show they have money to end the season.

There have also been heated exchanges between the EFL chiefs and Derby’s administrators, and the latest one led to the league chiefs ordering the club to present proof of funds on or before midday of February 1.

The ultimatum means Derby’s administrators have to find a bidder willing to put in funds to cover the season or sell some of their few remaining players to be able to raise funds.

Failure to do this could result in the club being kicked out and their results being removed from the table to make it look like they never participated in the current EFL season.

Middlesbrough and Wycombe Wanderers claims part of Derby County’s problems with the EFL

It has also been reported that the latest heated exchange which led to the ultimatum being issued to Quantuma by the EFL chiefs, was due to the club’s inability to handle the claims of Middlesbrough and Wycombe.

Derby County could be bought by either of Mike Ashley, Andy Appleby’s consortium, and a mystery third party. However, the claims from Boro and Wycombe are off limits for the three new potential owners leaving Quantuma with their biggest headache.

Derby’s administrators released a statement to this effect: “The Joint Administrators have an exit plan ready to implement and be approved by creditors and this is with a view to adjusting offers received to accommodate the EFL insolvency policy and their requirements to creditors.

“The difficulty and currently, in our view, the last remaining significant obstacle is to deal with certain claims that are very much disputed but which we are being advised by the EFL cannot be currently compromised.

“Whilst we accept this is frustrating for all, none of the interested parties are able to progress matters further until such time that an agreement can be reached.

“The EFL have demanded that we prove adequate funding is in place and until as such time as we are able to do that, they will not progress player registrations.

“This includes some players where contracts needed to be extended this month. Whilst we have a number of options as to how that funding can be delivered, we are not in a position to finalise this funding.

“However we do believe this will be finalised in the coming weeks. We are urgently seeking clarification from the EFL as to why these disputed claims cannot be compromised.”

Derby County players asked to indicate if they would like to be sold to raise funds for the club

Derby, who have already been hit with a transfer embargo by the EFL, have asked the members of the squad to speak up if any of them wants to leave this January, so they can sell and secure the find which the EFL demands 

Sportsmail also reports that Mike Ashley, former Newcastle United owner, is growing increasingly frustrated with how Quantuma has handled the issues surrounding the club and could withdraw his interest in buying the club.

Manager Wayne Rooney and officials from Quantuma visited the team in training to let them know of this decision. They are currently reviewing offers and will sell a few players this month.

AFCON 2021: Holders Algeria on the brink of group stage exit

Algeria, the current defending champions of the African Cup of Nations, could be exiting the 2021 edition of the tournament in the group stage following a loss to minnows Equatorial Guinea.

The Desert Foxes, captained by Manchester City winger Riyad Mahrez, went into the game as favourites despite their 0-0 against Sierra Leone in their first match in Cameroon.

Equatorial Guinea, however, stunned Algeria 20 minutes from time and held on to seal all three points and send Algeria to the bottom of their Group E table and leave the champions on the brink of a group stage exit.

Mahrez’s side came into the tournament as favourites, having played 35 matches without any losses, two short of Italy’s world record of 37. They were also expected to escape Group E unscathed as minnows Sierra Leone and Equatorial Guinea, as well as the shaky Elephants of Cote d’Ivoire were their opponents.

The Algerian fans were in for a shock when Sierra Leone, making their first appearance in the tournament in 26 years, matched them player for player and prevented them from scoring. Expected to regain their mojo against Equatorial Guinea, they were also in for a rid6e shock.

The Natural Thunder held on as the Desert Foxes launched a flurry of attack in a desperate move to secure a point to at least give them an option to escape the group and defend their title.

Algeria currently have one point from two games and have scored no goals in the tournament so far.

Sierra Leone stirring up belief among fans with AfCON showing

After holding defending champions Algeria to a goalless draw in their opening Group E game, they showed AfCON giants Cote d’Ivoire that they also meant business by fighting back to a draw in their second group game.

The Leone Stars scored a dramatic injury-time equaliser to grab a 2-2 draw against Cote d’Ivoire following a mistake from the Ivorian defence that also led to an injury to the Elephant’s goalkeeper.

Keeper Badra Sangare fumbled a defensive back-header, twisting his knee in the process. He could only watch helplessly as Leone Star Alhadji Kamara tapped in from close range to secure another draw to give Sierra Leone a fighting chance in Group E.

As it stands, Cote d’Ivoire top Group E with four points, Equatorial Guinea are second with three following their defeat of title holders Algeria, and Sierra Leone are third with two points. Algeria are last with just one point.

The result means that they have every hope of going through to the last 16, after being tipped for an early exit from the tournament.

Sierra Leone’s keeper Mohamed Nbalie Kamara produced some good performances against Cote d’Ivoire, including a penalty save from AC Milan’s Franck Kessie, to follow up with his man of the match performance against Algeria.

They however had to fight back twice to secure the point, to the disappointment of Ivorian fans and to the admiration of adoring fans all across Africa.

They will, however, have to produce a fine performance against Equatorial Guinea and hope that Cote d’Ivoire does not slip up against Algeria to complete their fairytale return to the AfCON tournament.

James Rodriguez saves opponents life on the pitch following cardiac arrest

Images from the Qatar Stars League have emerged of former Real Madrid midfielder James Rodriguez performing a life-saving manouver on an opponent who collapsed during a game.

James Rodriguez’s Al Rayyan faced Al Wakrah last weekend in the Qatari league when Al Wakrah winger, Malian Ousmane Coulibaly collapsed at the other end of the pitch.

Rodriguez was one of the first to spot Coulibaly collapsing and sprinted towards his opponent to provide aid before the medical team could show up.

The Colombian midfielder held the Malian winger’s head in a position that allowed him to breathe as the collapsed winger was losing his breath.

The severity of the 32-year-old Coulibaly’s case meant that the game had to be abandoned as the medics spent a lot of time to resuscitate the Al Wakrah man, who has been reported to have suffered a heart attack.

The Malian is now in stable condition after being taken to the hospital by the team doctors, and Rodriguez has been hailed as a hero for saving his opponent’s life.

Statement from Qatari Stars League following the incident

beIN Sports reports that the doctors who stabilised Coulibaly have said that Rodriguez’s decision to adjust the winger’s head allowed him to breathe properly.

All these happened after Rodriguez had assisted Al Rayyan’s goal of the game and was putting in a potential man of the match performance to help Al Rayyan move up the league table.

Following the eventual abandonment of the match, the league bosses released a statement to the fans which reads this:

“During the QNB Stars League match between Al Rayyan and Al Wakrah on Saturday, Ousmane Coulibaly suffered a heart attack which required the intervention of medical and ambulance staff present at the venue.

“It may be noted that the player is currently receiving necessary medical care and attention.

“The Qatar Stars League wishes the player a fast recovery, and we would like to thank the medical staff of both teams, paramedics and doctors for their great efforts during such events.

“Regarding the status of the match, it was agreed to end it and complete the remaining time later starting with the score when it was stopped (1-0 in favour of Al Rayyan).”

However, the game was rescheduled and Rodriguez continued from where he stopped with his amazing performance, scoring two of the three goals which won Al Rayyan the game.

Arsenal hold secret talks with agents of Leicester City man over January transfer

According to reports, Arsenal have held talks with the representatives of Leicester City’s Youri Tielemans over a possible transfer this January.

The Gunners have reportedly invited the Belgian’s reps over to London Colney on a few occasions over the past few weeks to discuss his move from Leicester to London as they seek midfield reinforcements ahead of a busy period.

The 24-year-old will be out of a contract with the Foxes in the summer of 2023 and talks between both parties have failed to progress. Tielemans is reportedly looking for Champions League football and doesn’t feel confident of getting it at Leicester.

Arsenal, meanwhile, look on course to be playing in the competition next season, which could play in their favour as they seek to convince the former Monaco man to put on the Arsenal colours.

GOAL also reports that Tielemans is a long-term target for Arsenal, who, after the meeting with his reps, are now starting to put plans into place to sign the 24-year-old.

Arsenal is understood to be in the race for Tielemans alongside Liverpool, who have also been following the player for some time.

Tielemans has not rejected a new Leicester City contract, claims Rodgers

The Foxes have lost Wilfred Ndidi to the African Cup of Nations in Cameroon, and will not want to lose another midfielder at such a crucial stage in the season.

However, talks of Tielemans rejecting a new contract at the King Power stadium have been quashed by Leicester City boss Brendan Rodgers in the past.

“There’s reports, but there’s (been) no turning down,” Rodgers said back in October.

“I think there’s just dialogue between the club and Youri’s people. I think the club are waiting to hear back. But that’s something that’s out of my control.

“What I can control is his mentality, his commitment to the team, and you cannot question that.”

Arsenal have also lost Mohamed Elneny and Thomas Partey to the AFCON tournament. Granit Xhaka is out with COVID-19, and Ainsley Maitland-Niles is now with AS Roma on loan.

Manager Mikel Arteta is desperate for signings to replace them and many options have been considered, including Tielemans.

Juventus duo weighing up Arsenal move

Elsewhere, Arsenal’s targets, Juventus duo Dejan Kulusevski and Arthur Melo are reportedly interested in playing for Arsenal and would welcome a move to the Emirates this January.

The Bianconeri duo, who have both struggled this season under Massimiliano Allegri, have been linked with the Gunners in recent weeks.

Injury to Federico Chiesa, however, could prevent Arsenal from getting Kulusevski, whose stock at Juventus should rise as the club looks for a winger to play in place of Chiesa.

As it stands, there has been no contact between Arsenal and Juventus and the Gunners will now wait to decide if they’ll make a move.

AFCON 2021: Tunisia-Mali descends into chaos as referee ends game with minutes to spare

Tunisia and Mali played out what can be termed the most chaotic game in recent football memory all thanks to the officials of the game.

In an inexplicable move, Zambian referee Janny Sikaziwe blew the final whistle after just 85 minutes of the match. Chaos descended upon the pitch, leading him to restart the game only to end it in the 89th minute to create more chaos.

Tunisia’s bench poured out onto the field to register their displeasure with the official, who paid deaf ears to their calls. This weird move came after Sikaziwe refused to rescind a red card to a Malian player following advice from the VAR team.

Security staff had to surround Sikazwe and his two assistants in order to keep away angry Tunisia staff and fans who had already started to make moves from the stands.

CAF officials, in a bid to save face, interrupted Mali’s post match press conference to demand that the remaining minutes if the game be replayed. However, Tunisia refused to turn out, handing Mali the win officially.

Some sources claim that the errors from Sikaziwe were as a result of the Zambian referee, who officiated two games at the 2018 FIFA World Cup in Russia, forgetting to pause his watch following a pause in the game for a water break.

“I’ve never seen anything like it”, Tunisia’s manager says.

Tunisia’s manager, Mondher Kebaier reacted furiously to the events of the afternoon.

Kebaier slammed the decision as ‘inexplicable’ and claimed he had never seen anything like it in his managerial career.

“Very tough to manage non-sporting affairs,” Kebaier said angrily in his post-match press conference. 

“At the 85th minute he blows final whistle. Again at 89th minute. There was supposed to be 7-8 minutes of additional time. His decision is inexplicable.”

“The players were taking ice baths for 35 minutes before they were called back out again,” he added. 

“I’ve been coaching for a long time. Never seen anything like it. Even the 4th referee was preparing to lift the board and then the whistle was blown.”

Kebaier and his staff also protested that the game should have had more minutes added as there were two lengthy VAR checks within the game.

The result sees Tunisia sit at the bottom of Group F with Mali in second, making it tougher for the Carthage Eagles to scale through the group into the next round.

The result also meant that Mali continued an amazing run of never losing the first game of an AFCON campaign.

Janny Sikaziwe suspended by CAF

Janny Sikazwe has been suspended by CAF following the issues surrounding the Mali-Tunisia game, his second suspension by the body in four years.

His first suspension was on allegations of corruption after an African Champions League match between Esperance of Tunisia and Primiero Agosto of Angola.

His questionable decisions that time around we’re in favour of the Tunisians, as he awarded a controversial penalty to Esperance while ruling out a crucial goal for the Angolan side.

Tottenham Hotspur enter race for Jesse Lingard

ESPN have reported that Jesse Lingard is Tottenham Hotspur’s and Antonio Conte’s next target.

The 29-year-old looked on course for a career revival after a blistering six months at West Ham United. Lingard chose to return to his parent club, Manchester United, to fight for a spot in the team.

That turned out to be a mistake and the midfielder is back to square one. However, his performances at West Ham are still fresh in the memories of many scouts and managers who are interested in having him replicate those performances at their clubs.

ESPN reports that outside of England, Barcelona and AC Milan are interested in the midfielder.

The latest Premier League club to be interested in Lingard is Tottenham Hotspur, who are in the midst of a squad rebuild.

Lingard, however, is assessing his options and will be making a final decision at the end of the season, as he is determined to play football for United this season.

His decision will be geared towards finding a club that will offer him regular first team football that will help him get back into the England squad ahead of the December 2022 FIFA World Cup in Qatar.

Spurs begin contract extension talks with Lloris

Antonio Conte has revealed that the club and Hugo Lloris have begun talks over the captain’s contract extension.

Lloris is out of a contract with Spurs in the summer but it is believed that both parties are willing to extend their relationship.

Conte’s latest statement proves and confirms this and Spurs fans can look forward to the 35-year-old World Cup winner’s extended stay at the Tottenham Hotspur stadium.

“I think so, I think that they have started to talk. You know very well what I think about Hugo,” said Conte.

“Also previously I spoke and said that he’s our captain, he is a top goalkeeper for us, he has great experience. He knows very well Tottenham.

“He loves this shirt and this badge. For me he is an important player and I’m sure that they are going to find a solution for him to continue to play with Tottenham.

“I think and I repeat because I am not the person that speaks to renew the contract with the players. There is the club and the people that do this, but for sure I am very confident about this situation to be positive.”

Conte gives update about Spurs transfer window plans

Conte also spoke about his meeting with Tottenham Hotspur chairman Daniel Levy, the club’s director of football Fabio Paratici, and the technical performance director Steve Hitchen.

“It was a good meeting also because when you have the possibility to speak to the owner and the sporting director – with Paratici I have the possibility to speak every day – but to have the possibility to speak with our owner it was important,” he said.

“Also because I like to have this type of relationship, to be honest and to always tell the truth. You know I don’t like to tell a good lie to keep a good relationship or to show me very soft or to be too polite.

“It was good to tell the truth and it was a good meeting. Now for me it’s ok, I asked the club time to take my evaluation. The club asked after one month to have a meeting and I said no, I prefer to have another month to make the right evaluation. It’s honest, to give more time to me and also the players, to show me who deserves to stay here.

“Now the situation is very clear and I had this meeting, I was satisfied to have this conversation with the owner and now it’s ok for me.

“Now I have only one way. It’s on the pitch and the training sessions every day. My only way to improve the situation is to improve the level of my players and this way the level of the team is going to rise.

“Then, the club know the situation and if they want to help me another way I appreciate it. Otherwise, I continue to work the way I am working.”

Arsenal transfer news: Arsenal identify two Brazilians to solve midfield problems

The search for midfielders has taken Edu Gaspar and Arsenal to Brazil where they have identified two potential long-term solutions to their midfield problem.

The Gunners will be without Thomas Partey and Mohammed Elneny as both midfielders will be representing their countries at the 33rd African Cup of Nations which starts on Sunday, January 9 2022.

The North London club has also lost Ainsley Maitland-Niles who has gone to AS Roma in the Serie A on loan for the rest of the season, further thinning their midfield. They also saw their bid for Barcelona’s Philippe Coutinho fail as the former Liverpool man chose to move to Aston Villa for the rest of the season to reunite with his former teammate Steven Gerrard.

Head coach Mikel Arteta admitted that Maitland-Niles’ departure means that Arsenal will have to double up their efforts to find midfielders who will fit their style for the rest of the season.

“We are very, very short at the moment,” Arteta said to journalists on Friday. “We are going to move and look for options because we are very short there.

“If it’s the right player, we can afford and we can do what we want to do, we will discuss it and come to the best possible decision. We are open.”

Here is the latest news from Arsenal’s efforts to find the best midfield talents to strengthen their squad ahead of a busy January window.

Arthur Melo approach considered by Arsenal to Juventus

The 14-time FA Cup champions have discussed the potential loan signing of out-of-favour Juventus midfielder Arthur Melo according to reports.

Arthur Melo moved to Juventus in 2020 from Barcelona in a swap deal that saw Miralem Pjanic move to Camp Nou. Neither move has worked out for both clubs, but Barcelona have managed to find a temporary solution for Pjanic by sending him to Besiktas in Turkey on loan.

Arthur, meanwhile, is in limbo at Juventus where manager Massimiliano Allegri only uses him when his hands are forced. The former Gremio talent has failed to impress in Europe since after his first season at Barcelona.

Juventus now want to cut their losses on the 25-year-old and have put him on the market. He has attracted quite a few suitors, with Arsenal being one of them.

Transfer insider Fabrizio Romano reports that Arsenal’s technical director, Edu Gaspar, is considering a loan move for Arthur in order to provide Mikel Arteta with enough options in the midfield in this crucial time of the season.

The Golden Premier League trophy holders are yet to reach out to Juventus, however, as the discussions are still being held. Reports on Arsenal’s decision will be made available in the coming days.

Arsenal target 20-year-old Brazilian Serie A star who plays for Palmeiras

Another young Brazilian could be making his first forays into Europe like Gabriel Martinelli, according to reports.

Danilo, 20, is a midfielder that is attracting a lot of attention from sides in the top five European leagues and Arsenal is reported to be one of those sides.

Brazilian outlet R7 claims that Edu has presented a €20 million bid to Palmeiras for Danilo who has been noted to have similarities with Thomas Partey who Arsenal will be without in the coming weeks.

Sources in the Arsenal camp claim that Danilo is seen as a long term successor to Granit Xhaka who could be leaving the Emirates at the expiration of his contract in 2024. However, he is also very raw and will need some working on before he is fully ready to take on the rigour of a top-five European League and possibly, European competitions as Arsenal are on course to make it back into either the Champions League or the Europa League next season.

His club, Palmeiras, is also one of the richer Brazilian clubs and this could stand in the way of his transfer to Arsenal as a €20 million bid could be deemed unimpressive by the club.

Three other names on Arsenal’s radar

Fabrizio Romano also claims that Arsenal are monitoring three other midfield options for a January transfer.

Olympique Lyonnais’ Bruno Guimaraes – another Brazilian – has been a long time target of Edu’s but it is reported that a deal for the midfielder could be unlikely as Lyon are demanding £40 million for his transfer.

In recent weeks, the Gunners have also been tipped to move for Borussia Monchengladbach’s Denis Zakaria who is also being monitored by the likes of Bayern Munich, Barcelona and Liverpool.

The Gunners are also monitoring another Serie A player in Empoli’s 20-year-old ace Samuele Ricci, who has been dubbed “little Jorginho”.

West Ham transfer news: West Ham finds new Jesse Lingard; Gabigol transfer could fall through

The Hammers have enjoyed a brilliant season in the Premier League this season and have successfully established themselves as genuine top-four challengers, as Leicester City did between 2015 and 2018.

However, they have had some problems of late which manager David Moyes is looking to solve by reinforcing key positions in the squad in the January transfer window.

Hammers fans are expectant after the arrival of Czech billionaire Daniel Kretinsky who promised the fans that he would support the club to achieve its goals this season, starting with a foray into the transfer market.

Here is the latest transfer news to come out of the London stadium in light of that promise.

Moyes sees new Jesse Lingard in Tottenham Hotspur’s Dele Alli

Forgotten Tottenham Hotspur midfielder Dele Alli could be getting the opportunity to revive his career with a move to the London Stadium, according to reports.

The midfielder has been identified as a backup option to Jesse Lingard, who Moyes is still keen on working with. However, with Lingard’s decision to see out the rest of his contract at Old Trafford this season making things complicated, Alli could be brought in instead.

Journalist Pete O’Rourke made these claims after The Athletic’s David Ornstein reported that Alli will be allowed to leave north London over the winter after struggling for game time under new manager Antonio Conte.

Alli has a contract with Spurs until 2024, and Ornstein claims that the 25-year-old will most likely leave on loan because Spurs will be demanding a sizeable fee from any club that inquires about him at this time.

West Ham have lost Said Benrahma to the ongoing African Cup of Nations tournament where he is representing defending champions Algeria, leaving some big attacking boots that need filling as the games come thick and fast in England.

West Ham and Gabriel Barbosa deal unlikely, says journalist

Journalist Paul Brown has come out to say that the Hammers’ pursuit of Brazilian striker Gabriel Barbosa, also known as Gabigol, is all but impossible for the club to pull off.

The 25-year-old Flamengo striker had an unimpressive first stint in Europe a few years back and after finding his form again in the Brazilian Serie A where he was discovered, has been linked with a move back to Europe in recent weeks.

West Ham has been at the forefront of those links with reports claiming that the Hammers have gone ahead to contact Flamengo about the possibility of signing Gabigol.

The London club, according to Spanish outlet Sport, tabled a six-month loan offer worth €6 million for Gabigol who has scored 84 goals and provided 26 assists in 124 games for Flamengo. Flamengo quickly rejected the offer, stating that they will only listen to offers that involve paying the striker’s release clause of €33 million in full.

Brown claims that West Ham will lose out on Gabigol if they do not shell out the fee that Flamengo is asking for, stating that they have “no hope in hell” of getting the 25-year-old on loan.

West Ham eye Divock Origi as potential striker transfer target

An unnamed ex-West Ham staff, according to reports, has claimed that the club are considering a move for Liverpool clutch-man Divock Origi.

The unnamed staff claimed that Origi is available for a decent fee and West Ham could be tempted to go for the striker this month as they are in desperate need of one.

The unnamed ex-West Ham staff, who broke this news via his Patreon where he goes by the username “ExWHUemployee” also added that club chiefs have always admired the Belgium international while Moyes is not his biggest fan.

This means that the transfer is not likely, but Hammers fans were advised by “ExWHUemployee” to keep their eyes peeled for the possibility of the transfer.

PSG make mouthwatering offer to Antonio Rudiger

Paris Saint-Germain have made an official offer to Antonio Rudiger to move to Parc De Princes, according to Foot Mercato.

Rudiger is out of a contract this season at Chelsea and despite all the efforts of the Blues to get him to put pen to paper on a new contract, his future remains uncertain.

Real Madrid are said to be the only other club that have contacted the player directly for a move, while Juventus, Tottenham Hotspur and Bayern Munich have indicated interest in the past.

The 28-year-old reportedly wants a move to Madrid but the financial implications of signing the former AS Roma defender continue to be a problem stopping negotiations, even with Chelsea.

Recently, it was reported that Real Madrid have stopped actively pursuing the German, who they saw as Sergio Ramos’ perfect replacement because they were made to believe that he was using them to get a bumper contract at Chelsea.

However, claims have been made that Rudiger is in love with the Spanish club and dreams of playing there someday, but it remains to be seen if Madrid will be back in the mix for the defender’s signature.

PSG have now thrown their hat in the ring, having been observing things from a distance, with a €7 million per-season deal which is a lot closer to what the defender is demanding from Chelsea and all other clubs looking to sign him.

The Ligue 1 club are looking to tempt him away from a potential move to Real Madrid and have therefore proposed a more lucrative salary package: a €7 million per-season deal, according to the report. The move would become official when his contract with Chelsea expires in the summer.

Rudiger will be left with a choice to continue at Chelsea by taking what the club is offering, moving to his dream club Real Madrid for whatever they are offering, or following the money to PSG.

The Parisiens’ sporting director, Leonardo Araujo, will have to pull all the stops he can to beat both clubs to Rudiger’s signature in the summer, as reports claim that he’s the driving force behind PSG’s bid for Rudiger.

Rudiger is a professional, Tuchel says

Thomas Tuchel will cut a frustrated figure at the Rudiger questions but professionalism demands that he keeps answering the questions when they pop up.

The German tactician was quizzed about his compatriot’s situation with the club following their win against Chesterfield in the FA Cup third round.

“I don’t know if it helps if I take him out for a lot of coffees, it might even push him out!” Tuchel said to journalists.

“I don’t feel he needs a lot of coffees with me.

“He is a guy who needs to trust you. He needs to feel the connection and trust. He needs to feel it by minutes and actions.

“I don’t feel Toni needs a lot of words, coffee talks or invitations for dinners or whatever. He is a top professional. This is what he proves and nothing has changed. The talks are in good hands. I trust the club 100%, trust in the player and it is a no problem situation for me.

“Also, Toni can still deliver, he did a fantastic match in a back four. He is super reliable. Nothing has changed, the points of view haven’t changed and once something changes. You will be the first to know.”

Chelsea are offering Rudiger £140,000 a week, £60,000 short of the £200,000 that the defender is looking to earn. However, the 28-year-old defender is also looking for his last big payday which is why he is holding off for a better offer.