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According to The Sun and reporter Tom Barclay, some promising transfer news has now come out of Tottenham Hotspur involving West Bromwich Albion goalkeeper Sam Johnstone.

The Lowdown: Spurs favourites?

The Lilywhites have been very heavily linked with a move for Johnstone over this last week with reliable sources believing Tottenham are actually favourites.

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Indeed, football.london correspondent Alasdair Gold says Spurs and transfer chief Fabio Paratici are in pole position to sign the 29-year-old who is set to leave West Brom as a free agent this summer.

This comes as Spurs loanee Pierluigi Gollini seems set to return to parent club Atalanta with Antonio Conte now looking like he’ll have to take to the market for a back-up to Hugo Lloris.

The Latest: Barclay makes Spurs claim…

According to reporter Barclay of The Sun, Tottenham are ‘increasingly confident’ they will sign Johnstone, with those inside the north London club now believing he ‘will opt’ to join Conte.

Spurs apparently view the Three Lions ace as a potential future successor to Lloris, though will initially be used as a back-up option.

The Verdict: Ideal option…

On a free deal, Johnstone comes as a very ideal option for Spurs with international experience and proven performances in the Premier League.

Ex-Baggies boss Sam Allardyce was very up front in his praise for the 29-year-old last season despite West Brom’s eventual relegation with various pundits also proving to be big fans of Johnstone.

Wolves legend Steve Bull, for example, lavished the homegrown ace as a ‘world class’ shot stopper – leaving plenty of evidence to suggest he comes as an astute option for Tottenham.

In other news: Tottenham eye ‘in the coming weeks’ as they make offer for exciting midfielder, find out more here.

Celtic are back in action this afternoon with another clash against their Old Firm rivals.

This time, the duo are both looking to secure a place in the Scottish Cup final.

The last meeting between the two Glasgow rivals saw Ange Postecoglou’s side secure a 2-1 win at Ibrox in the SPFL earlier this month.

However, heading into Sunday’s showdown, it seems as though the Hoops will have to make do without one of their key players.

What’s the latest?

Speaking in his pre-match press conference ahead of the semi-final, Postecoglou revealed that striker Giorgos Giakoumakis will not be available to play as a result of an injury he picked up during Celtic’s 7-0 win over St. Johnstone last weekend.

Since arriving at the Parkhead club during the previous summer transfer window from VVV-Venlo in a deal worth a reported fee of up to £2.5m, the striker has made 16 appearances in the SPFL.

In those appearances, the 27-year-old has found the back of the net nine times, with only Liel Abada (10) having bagged more league goals this season.

Postecoglou will be fuming

Having appeared in all three of Celtic’s Scottish Cup games this season, the centre-forward has scored four of their nine goals against Alloa Athletic, Raith Rovers and Dundee United.

With that in mind, not only will it be a huge blow for the player to miss out on the chance to fire his team to the final this afternoon, but it is sure to have also left both Postecoglou and the Parkhead faithful fuming given how deadly he’s been in front of goal.

To highlight how much of a danger the Greek international has been for his new club, he currently boasts the highest average of shots on target and goals per 90 minutes in the league, according to FBref.

Moving forward, with the Bhoys having Kyogo Furuhashi back in the frame after recovering from his hamstring injury, Postecoglou will have to hope that he and the rest of the attacking players at his disposal can make up for Giakoumakis’ absence on this occasion.

Looking beyond that, everyone at the club will undoubtedly be hoping that the £1.8m-rated striker can recover from his injury soon enough to help his side see out the remainder of the season.

AND in other news: Signed for 7 figures, left for peanuts: Celtic had a mare on “unplayable” £15k-p/w dud

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West Ham United spent heavily in the last summer transfer window, following the appointment of Manuel Pellegrini. The likes of Felipe Anderson, Andriy Yarmolenko, Lukasz Fabianski and Issa Diop have added genuine quality to the squad at the London Stadium.

However, the Hammers still have plenty of deadwood to shift out. For various reasons, the futures of Winston Reid, Arthur Masuaku and Andy Carroll should all be under consideration. Carroll’s current contract with the Irons is actually due to expire at the end of this season, which offers the east London club a golden opportunity to get the injury-prone 30-year-old forward off their books in a hassle-free manner.

However, in December, Pellegrini offered Carroll a lifeline, saying “when you need to renew your contract, of course you must demonstrate why you need to renew…We know what Andy can give to our team, now he must demonstrate he is able to do it week by week…I hope that he will be able to do it”, as quoted by Sky Sports.

Watch how to cross the road like a boss with freestyler Ben Nuttall in the video below…

In the same month, Carroll reiterated to talkSPORT his desire to stay in Stratford, “I am focused on staying here and that’s where my head is at.” He has subsequently featured regularly for the first team in the early months of 2019.

To even seriously entertain the notion of offering the 9-cap England international new terms would be a mistake on West Ham’s part. Instead, they must already be seeking an upgrade on the 6’4” striker to bring in this summer.

Why he has to go

Injuries have ravaged Carroll’s career. Since joining West Ham from Liverpool in 2012, the attacker has managed just 141 appearances for the club in all competitions in the subsequent six-and-a-half seasons.

According to Spotrac, Carroll is currently being paid £90,000-a-week. That is a huge amount to be paying a player who is so infrequently available. At this stage in his career, his fitness concerns are not going to lessen either. 

When he has got on the pitch this season, Carroll has looked a shadow of his former self. What pace he had has gone, and he has been left so fragile and bereft of confidence that he has been unable to compete physically with the effectiveness his stature suggests he should have.

Time is up for Carroll at West Ham, and the club must recognise that now.

Noel Whelan has given his reaction to some Everton injury news that has now emerged involving Yerry Mina.

The Lowdown: Stepping up recovery

As per medical expert Ben Dinnery, Mina will now step up his recovery from injury at Finch Farm this week, after last featuring for the Goodison Park faithful in early February.

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They are next due to play West Ham United away from home in the Premier League on Sunday afternoon, and while Mina is unlikely to be ready by then, he will be desperate to return to the squad for the remaining games of the season, with Dinnery’s website tracking the middle of April as a likely return date.

The Latest: Whelan reacts

Speaking to Football Insider, Whelan, who has worked as a pundit for BBC Radio Leeds, has since reacted to the news, claiming that it is ‘huge’ for the Merseyside club:

“It’s huge.

“Yerry Mina has been a bit like Marmite in recent years, you either love him or you hate him.

“But what he does give you is that real defensive presence and Everton need that. We know he carries a real threat from set pieces as well.

“He’s so experienced and he’s been at the club for a very long time. When you’re down at the bottom of the table, you need options.

“With the poor form of Michael Keane, Frank Lampard has had nowhere to turn to in order to replace him. He will have that option again when Mina comes back.

“He’s a player who is going to be very important in the run-in. He’s inconsistent, but on his day he can really dominate a game.”

The Verdict: Lampard needs him

The Toffees have been shipping far too many goals of late, with no fewer than 11 conceded in total in their last four matches over all competitions, and so Frank Lampard needs Mina back in order to steady the backline.

Standing at a mammoth six-foot-five-inches tall, the Colombia international is certainly an imposing central defender, emphasised by him winning 2.6 of his aerial duels per game on average in the top flight, only bettered by Dominic Calvert-Lewin and Michael Keane for the Blues.

Four of their seven wins in the division have come when he is playing, suggesting that they are a better team with him in it, and so Lampard will no doubt want him back available as soon as possible.

In other news, find out which EFC player is now in talks over a new deal here!

Liverpool striker Divock Origi is increasingly close to joining AC Milan this summer, with the Serie A club’s board giving the ‘green light’ for the move.

The Lowdown: Origi leaving this summer

The Belgian seems a certainty to move on from the Reds at the end of this season, with his current deal expiring at that point.

Origi has been a spectator for much of the 2021/22 campaign, making just five starts in all competitions and finding himself well down the attacking pecking order.

He has been constantly linked with a summer move to Milan and it looks like a matter of time until it is completed now.

The Latest: Milan move edges closer

According to TuttoMercatoWeb [via Sport Witness], ‘the green light has arrived from the board’ of Milan, as he looks set to seal a transfer to Italy.

It is claimed that ‘only the signature is missing’ and that an ‘agreement’ has been reached, bringing an end to an unforgettable spell at Liverpool for Origi.

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The Verdict: One last legendary moment?

The 26-year-old have may become more of a bit-part player by the year but he will always be remembered for scoring some truly iconic goals for the Reds, from Everton to Barcelona.

With Liverpool still battling for an unprecedented quadruple, the hope is that Origi has one last huge moment in him – one that further enhances his legend at Anfield.

It would be a fitting way to end for him, only strengthening the argument that he is one of the Reds’ all-time great cult heroes.

In other news, David Ornstein has dropped a key Liverpool transfer update. Read more here.

A big Newcastle United transfer update has emerged regarding Jamal Lewis’ short-term future at St James’ Park.

What’s the talk?

Telegraph journalist Luke Edwards has revealed that the Northern Ireland international is set to leave the club in the coming days.

He tweeted: “I believe Jamal Lewis will be heading abroad on loan after he was left out of #nufc 25 man squad.”

Buzzing

Eddie Howe will surely be buzzing with this news, as it means that he gets the best of both worlds in the second half of the season in regards to the left-back position.

Matt Targett has joined on loan from Aston Villa and could nail down the spot as his own in the coming weeks and months. He has a career average WhoScored rating of 6.90, playing more than 100 matches in the Premier League for Southampton and Villa combined.

This shows that he has the ability to perform to a high standard consistently over the course of a top-flight campaign, which is why he could be a strong addition to Howe’s squad. The 26-year-old could help the Magpies in their bid to avoid relegation, whilst 32-year-old Matt Ritchie – who may not be able to develop much further at his age – will be able to provide backup to the Englishman.

Meanwhile, sending Lewis out on loan will allow him to improve by playing regular football elsewhere. Instead of competing with Targett and potentially being on the bench most weeks, he could be able to start games week in, week out in another European league.

This could benefit the 24-year-old’s development by giving him the experience he needs to come back to Newcastle in the summer and make a real fist of winning his place in the team for Premier League games. Howe will therefore be buzzing as it means that all three of his left-back options could be in ideal situations for where they need to be, given their respective ages and profiles.

It would have been hugely frustrating for everyone involved if Lewis was left out of the 25-man Newcastle squad and then remained at the club instead of heading out on loan. The defender would have been left twiddling his thumbs for months and it could have been detrimental to his growth as a player, which is another reason why the ex-Cherries coach will be delighted with the news that the left-back is set to leave on loan.

AND in other news, “From what I’ve heard”: Waugh drops behind-scenes PIF claim which will intrigue NUFC fans…

Wolverhampton Wanderers midfielder Leander Dendoncker might have to leave the club this summer according to insider Pete O’Rourke.

What’s the latest?

Speaking to GIVEMESPORT, O’Rourke said that if the club end up keeping Bruno Neves and Joao Moutinho then Dendoncker “might have to move on.”

This is due to the fact that in the past it has been suggested that in order to buy new players Wolves have had to sell first. Whilst there has been a lot of interest in Neves, there has also been interest in Dendoncker from Italy.

As we reported last week, according to Italian outlet Corriere dello Sport (via Inside Futbol), Serie A side Lazio are interested in signing the midfielder who rated at £27m.

Supporters will be gutted

We urged the club not to sell Dendoncker because he has been a key player in the side this season, and if he does end up leaving, supporters will be gutted as well.

In an ideal world they would be able to keep hold of all three players and still add to their squad, however this is looking increasingly less possible. Over the past few seasons they have built a side capable of challenging for Europe, and if they are to keep in the mix for those place they will need Dendoncker.

The Belgium international joined the club permanently from Anderlecht in 2019 for £12.4m after having spent the previous season on loan at Molineux. His value has since more than doubled as he has become key since the arrival of manager Bruno Lage.

He has the highest pass completion rate in the Wolves squad out of any midfielder that has completed more than two full games this season, which proves that he is good in possession and a key link between defence and attack.

Dendoncker also ranks in the top 3% for blocks made in comparison to other Premier League midfielders this season. He may not be a flashy or entertaining player but he is crucial to the teams performance.

If he leaves then the club do have cover in the form of youngster Luke Cundle, but it would still be a huge loss and it would likely see them struggle to finish in a European spot next season.

IN other news: Fewer touches than Sa: Wolves “hindrance” who made just 7 passes let Lage down…

Everton will be heading to St James’ Park as Frank Lampard’s team returns to action in the Premier League, with the new manager leading his side out in his first league fixture in charge at the club.

The Toffees are just four points off the relegation zone, meaning a positive outcome in tonight’s game is crucial for the side who have only won five of their 20 Premier League games so far.

Lampard will now be hoping to continue his excellent first impressions following the 4-1 win over Brentford last weekend.

With that being said, here is how Football FanCast expects the new manager to set up for his first league clash…

We expect to see just two changes made from the starting line up we saw against the Bees on Saturday afternoon in a ‘don’t fix what isn’t broken’ approach by the new manager, although both of Lampard’s new signings, Donny Van de Beek and Dele Alli are now available to start.

Yerry Mina was by far the best player on the pitch at the weekend, despite not being picked in the starting XI by Lampard, the £120k-per-week defender, who was hailed a “monster” by Rafa Benitez, came on to replace injured Ben Godfrey in the 12th minute and went on to score the opening goal whilst putting on a phenomenal defensive display, that earned him the highest rating of the game according to SofaScore.

The other change would see 20-year-old, Anthony Gordon, who was dubbed “explosive” by Everton U23’s head coach David Unsworth, axed from the side in the must-win game, to make way for Andros Townsend who can just add a bit more experience in the right wing position of the forward line against Newcastle United.

Dominic Calvert Lewin has only just returned from a knock so we expect he will be under no pressure to appear in the starting line up, but could come on if the Toffees find themselves in a sticky situation at St James’ Park.

He’s also joined on the bench by Alli and Van de Beek after Lampard said he was “not here to lean on those two” when asked about the pair in his pre-match press conference, which suggests that the manager may try to stick to his winning side.

A victory away from home for Everton this evening would be their first win since the beginning of December, their first in five and only their second win away from home this season, as well as three points giving them the opportunity to pull further away from a potential relegation battle at the bottom of the table.

In other news: Lampard must unleash Andros Townsend against Newcastle

Journalist Pete O’Rourke has claimed that Celtic defender Cameron Carter-Vickers is attracting interest from both Leicester and Wolves.

The Lowdown: Impressive loan spell

Carter-Vickers arrived in Glasgow back in the summer on a season-long from Tottenham. Celtic have the option to make a move permanent at the end of the season for an initial £6m fee, with the 24-year-old establishing himself as a regular under Ange Postecoglou.

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The USA international has made 37 appearances in green and white, missing just one Premiership game since making the move to Scotland.

He leads the way at Celtic when it comes to clearances made per 90 minutes and is also dribbled past the least in what has been an excellent 2021/22 campaign for the defender. [WhoScored]

The Latest: O’Rourke’s comments

Speaking to The Transfer Tavern, O’Rourke had this to say on Carter-Vickers, citing two Premier League clubs in the process.

“I know Leicester and Wolves have been mentioned with Carter-Vickers.”

The Verdict: A worry

You’d expect that Celtic would be open to keeping hold of the centre-back on a permanent basis, but knowing that two Premier League clubs are also tracking him is a worry.

Leicester are currently in the latter stages of the Europa Conference League and Wolves are also flirting with the European spots, possibly making a move back to England tempting for Carter-Vickers.

The Hoops have an option in place, but ultimately, the player himself will have a major say on his next move, so a Premiership triumph and Champions League qualification could go a long way in regards to Celtic fending off Premier League interest.

In other news: ‘Worrying…’ – Sky Sports man claims ‘brilliant’ Celtic ace may now have suffered ‘bone damage’. 

Newcastle United have reportedly looked at Benfica striker Darwin Nunez ahead of the summer transfer window, according to Sky Sports’ Keith Downie.

What’s the story?

Speaking to GIVEMESPORT, the Sky Sports reporter said: “Nunez is someone they’ve looked at, they’ve watched. I think a proven goalscorer on the European stage will be one of the main priorities, if not the priority in the summer.”

It was recently reported by The Athletic that Manchester United, Chelsea and Paris Saint-Germain were the current frontrunners for Nunez’s signature. However, Newcastle could find themselves in the mix.

The Magpies will certainly seek to add at least one new striker to their ranks this summer with £25m January signing Chris Wood finding the back of the net just twice thus far whilst Callum Wilson is still sidelined but could return before the end of the season.

Moreover, with the upcoming transfer window being PIF’s first at the helm of Newcastle United, big names are expected to be linked with the Toon Army seemingly having bottomless pockets at their disposal.

Therefore, there’s little surprise that a forward of the Uruguayan’s calibre has been linked.

Supporters will be excited

With the summer window the first of the PIF dynasty, Newcastle supporters will be beside themselves regarding potential transfers with the possibilities seemingly endless, at least in the media.

Adding Nunez to his ranks would single-handedly revolutionise Howe’s side with the forward one of Europe’s current hottest properties and is valued at around £60m.

The Benfica hotshot has scored 31 goals in 37 matches across all competitions, including an impressive 25 strikes in 25 league games in the Portuguese top flight.

At just 22 years of age, Nunez has already scored in the Champions League against the likes of Barcelona, Ajax and Liverpool, alerting some of Europe’s juggernauts to the Uruguayan’s talent.

In fact, the striker netted twice against the Reds, in both legs of their recent quarter-final, with manager Jurgen Klopp purring over the Benfica man’s ability.

“Really good, really good. I knew before, of course, but he played pretty much in front of me with his tough battles with Ibrahima Konate,” the German said.

“He was physically strong, quick, was calm around his finish. Good, really good. I always say in these situations if he is healthy, it’s a big career ahead of him.”

With a mouth-watering transfer kitty ready to spend, Newcastle will certainly be keen to add a top-level centre-forward to their roster and Nunez certainly meets the requirements.

AND in other news: Howe and PIF are now heading for their first big NUFC error, it would be a disaster