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It’s safe to say Liverpool have been an attacking force to be reckoned with so far this season with 17 league goals scored in seven games as well as having more shots at goal (147) than any other Premier League side.

Additionally, Jurgen Klopp’s side have had seven different goalscorers getting their names up in lights in the top flight.

Nevertheless, it seems as though the club have their eyes on signing a new attacking talent at some point in the future.

What’s the news?

It has recently been reported by the Daily Mail that the Merseyside club have already started negotiations to sign Barcelona winger Ousmane Dembele on a free transfer during the next summer window.

Prior to joining Barcelona, the 24-year-old racked up a total of 10 goals and 22 assists in 50 appearances for German club Borussia Dortmund before securing his move to the La Liga giants for a massive fee of £135.5m in the summer of 2017.

During his time at Barcelona, the Frenchman – who is currently valued at £45m according to Transfermarkt – has scored 30 goals and provided 21 assists in 118 appearances across all competitions.

Potential Salah heir?

Regarding a potential move to Liverpool, we think that the club should definitely persist with their reported negotiations over trying to secure a free transfer for Dembele, who has been described as a “phenomenon” by former Barcelona star Lionel Messi, in the summer.

Given how there has been some speculation over whether or not current Reds winger Mohamed Salah will sign a new deal at the Merseyside club when his contract expires in 2023, we feel that Dembele could potentially be a solid replacement for Salah if the Egyptian leaves when his current deal ends, especially if Liverpool can sign the Frenchman on a free transfer.

Furthermore, with Dembele making more dribbles per game (2.1) in La Liga last season than Salah (one) managed to in the Premier League, perhaps this could be an area where the 24-year-old would improve Klopp’s side if the Egyptian were to depart.

However, he would need to work on his goals and assists output if he were to follow in Salah’s footsteps at Anfield, with the latter consistently netting more than 20 times a season for the Reds. However, one thing which should be taken into consideration over a potential move for Dembele is the hefty number of injuries he has suffered during his time in Spain.

Overall, though, if Liverpool can sign him on a free transfer, this could be a great bit of business from the Reds given how much experience he has of playing at the top level under his belt in the Bundesliga, La Liga and Champions League.

In other news: Liverpool could be set for big blow as transfer claim emerges, fans would be fuming

Many Aston Villa fans have been fuming on Twitter, following comments from Wesley suggesting that he could leave the club upon return from his loan spell at Club Brugge [Nieuwsblad via Sport Witness].

Enjoying an injury-ridden spell at Aston Villa so far, the Brazilian has registered seven goal contributions in 26 appearances; six goals and one assist [Transfermarkt].

Now on loan at Club Brugge after finally returning to fitness, he has suggested he could be open to leaving the club at the end of his loan spell in a recent interview.

Speaking to Nieuwsblad, the 24-year-old stated: “After this year I will be under contract with Aston Villa for another 2 years. I may return, I may go to another club.” [Nieuwsblad via Sport Witness]

In light of this news, no wonder loads of Aston Villa diehards took to social media to vent their frustration at the comments from their player – while he is away temporarily, he is still a Villa Park employee, and really shouldn’t be so open about wanting to seek pastures new.

Aston Villa FC fans react:

Replying to popular Aston Villa FC fan outlet The AVFC Faithful on Twitter, here is what some fans had to say about the centre-forward:

“Bad attitude”

Credit: @pavlos1874

“Sounds like he’s had enough”

Credit: @Jelly31807434

“Bye”Credit: @Eli_techno”Get rid!!”Credit: @morley_kev”Sorry, you are…?”Credit: @keebo00″Unfortunate with the injury but wasted money same with Samatta”Credit: @ADAMVILLA1971In other news, a huge behind the scenes update has been revealed at Aston Villa. Find out more here.

Tottenham Hotspur have entered the race to sign Kingsley Coman this January, according to emerging reports…

What’s the word?

Spanish publication Fichajes claim that Spurs are thinking about a move for the 34-cap French winger ahead of 2022 as they look to bolster Nuno Santo’s attacking options. Premier League rivals Liverpool and struggling Serie A giants Juventus are both also mentioned with interest in the report.

It’s thought that Coman could leave Bayern Munich at the turn of the year due to a lack of opportunities, and clearly he won’t be short of suitors.

It very much remains to be seen how much the 25-year-old attacker would command, with CIES Football Observatory currently valuing him at €50m (£43m).

Creative fix

After recording three straight 1-0 victories to kickstart the 2021/22 Premier League campaign, Spurs have hit a brick wall in what has been a very disappointing week.

Nuno’s side have been beaten 3-0 in back-to-back Premier League matches and had to come from behind to salvage a point in their UEFA Europa Conference League group opener against Rennes.

Their lack of creativity and chance creation has duly been highlighted massively.

As per The Athletic’s Charlie Eccleshare, Spurs have recorded the lowest expected goals (xG) of any top-flight team this season, with a total of 4.42, which is lower than teams in the bottom three, such as Burnley (6.05) and Newcastle United (5.54).

Spurs have also had the second-fewest shots (46, an average of 9.2 per game) and created the joint-fewest number of big chances (two).

The potential arrival of Coman could go to great lengths in solving this major issue this January – he has stepped up admirably to fill the voids left behind by Arjen Robben and Franck Ribery at the Allianz Arena.

Last season, the French dynamo registered eight goals and 12 assists in just 36 appearances across the Bundesliga and Champions League, via WhoScored.

Whilst a career average of two key passes per 90 minutes further highlights his ability to create big chances for his team – that’s the same number Spurs have managed all season, which is rather damning.

Currently, Steven Bergwijn (1.3 key passes per game) sits atop the creativity charts and last season, only Harry Kane and Heung-min Son provided more than four assists all year.

“We know that Kingsley has extraordinary skills that aren’t easy to find,” explained Bayern teammate Thomas Muller to Bundesliga.com. “If he puts his foot down on the gas – and he has incredible horsepower – every opponent has a tough time against him. He worked the left flank well. He’s always been fleet-footed. If he can now add chances that lead to goals then he is solid gold to us.”

That sort of skill set is exactly what the Portuguese head coach needs in his attack this season, so sporting director Fabio Paratici must work his magic to secure a player that he once landed for Juventus back in 2014.

AND in other news, Cruel blow: Spurs dealt huge injury setback ahead of Wolves clash, Nuno will be gutted…

West Ham United went top of the Premier League table with a resounding victory on Monday night.

David Moyes’ side ran riot against ten-man Leicester City at the London Stadium as a Michail Antonio brace not only steered the Irons to back-to-back wins to kickstart the 2021/22 campaign but also broke Paulo Di Canio’s club record in the process.

The 31-year-old ran the show upfront for the Hammers as he notched his 48th and 49th Premier League goals for the club and whilst the winger-turned-talismanic striker was clearly influential to the result, there was another name who deserves to reap the rewards.

Pablo Fornals and Said Benrahma, who also assisted the Spaniard’s opener, were other candidates for the ‘Man of the Match’ award, which understandably went to the powerhouse up top after his late brace.

However, vice-captain Declan Rice, who took the armband on the night, pulled the strings from midfield against a very impressive Foxes outfit propelled by the likes of James Maddison, Wilfred Ndidi and Youri Tielemans in the engine room.

The 22-year-old has continued a fine summer with England at Euro 2020 as he controlled the Hammers’ tempo throughout the 90 minutes. As such, the 24-time Three Lions international recorded the second-most touches (83) of any West Ham player, as per SofaScore.

That resulted in a phenomenal 95% passing accuracy from a squad-high 66 passes, including two key chances, only further proving that everything ran through the deep-lying monster in midfield.

Furthermore, his 8.1 match rating was only bettered by the brace-scoring Antonio – not even the two other goalscorers received a higher rating (7.8), which speaks volumes to just how pivotal Rice is in this system under Moyes.

Rice earned high praise from the press, too. The Evening Standard’s Jack Rosser claimed that the £63m-rated star “ran the midfield” and was “sharper than anyone on the pitch” in his attempt to get the Irons going.

The young skipper also did his duty defensively, managing to register four tackles (joint-most in game), three interceptions (most of any West Ham player) and two clearances, as well as winning 100% of his aerial duels and seven of ten ground duels, as per SofaScore.

On the above evidence, Rice played an instrumental and perhaps underrated role in their win over Leicester City in east London on Monday night. The £60k-per-week beast was surely the unsung hero for Moyes.

AND in other news, West Ham handed huge transfer boost over “special” 29-cap beast, fans surely buzzing…

West Ham United star Declan Rice is itching for a move to a Premier League club readying themselves for another season of Champions League football, according to Dean Windass.

Rice was one of West Ham’s most consistent performers last term as they registered a club record Premier League points tally to qualify for the Europa League.

After making 35 appearances for the Hammers last term, Rice went on to start all of England’s fixtures as they reached the Euro 2020 final before falling agonisingly short of being crowned champions of Europe.

Rice has been heavily linked with making a move back to Chelsea, where he enjoyed time in the youth academy before moving onto West Ham following his release at the age of 14.

Manchester City have also kept tabs on the 22-year-old, while Manchester United have been told it would take a bid close to £100million for the Hammers to entertain selling Rice.

The defensive midfielder has rejected two new contract offers made by West Ham and ex-Premier League striker Windass is certain Rice feels ready to compete in club football’s leading European competition.

Speaking exclusively to The Transfer Tavern, he said: “You want to play at the highest level for the best clubs in the world.

“Declan was one of England’s pluses at the Euros and the big hitters will come calling. He is a London boy and who wouldn’t want to play for the likes of Chelsea?

“If you turned around to Declan and asked if he wants to go and play in the top four, he’s not going to say no.”

Adama Traore’s name has been discussed in plenty of circles by Wolves supporters this summer.

One of those who initially deemed to be expendable, he could have left Molineux behind long before the Premier League’s opening weekend.

Wolves have found spending limited over recent months and with the Old Gold needing to rake in some more cash, it appeared as though he was going to be allowed to leave.

Instead, Traore has stayed in the Midlands and won’t leave unless a meteoric bid is submitted for his services. The longer the window goes on, however, the less feasible that becomes.

As Bruno Lage slipped to a 1-0 defeat to Leicester in his first competitive match in charge, his barnstorming winger positively and negatively stole the show.

Raul Jimenez was making his first league outing since that dreaded clash of heads with David Luiz last November but it wasn’t the Mexican making the headlines on Saturday; it was Traore.

This was the most classic example of a performance you’ll find from the 25-year-old. He ran the Leicester defence ragged but after doing all of the hard work, ultimately faltered.

Traore missed Wolves’ biggest chance of the game, going free on goal but then rolling an effort past the post when one-on-one with Kasper Schmeichel.

It was a moment in the game that proved decisive. If they scored then Lage would have been walking away with a point from his opening Midlands derby.

The manager wasn’t pleased with that moment and took his Spanish forward to task at full-time; “Adama has his abilities but he needs to improve other things for sure, the shooting. If he scores those chances it wouldn’t be at Wolves, it would be in a top team. We will work together to improve that skill,” he remarked.

That said, Traore’s all-around play was crucial in the match. He was a driving force and enabled Wolves to play further up the pitch in the offensive half.

The former Barcelona man is known for his dribbling and in this match, he recorded incredibly high numbers. He produced 11 successful take-ons during the 90 minutes and used his immense physical powers to reign supreme in battles with the defenders.

Dubbed “magnificent” for his display by Tim Spiers, the £46k-per-week speedster took part in a whopping 22 defensive battles too, winning an impressive 16 of them.

It’s evident that Traore is one of the most exciting players in the division but Lage is correct; in order for him to steal the show from a positive point of view more often, he must improve his end product.

AND in other news, “I understand” – Liam Keen issues Wolves transfer update that should leave fans aghast…

West Ham United are close to sealing a move for Alex Kral before tonight’s transfer deadline…

What’s the word?

That’s according to the ever-reliable ExWHUemployee, who delivered a fresh update on the Irons’ pursuit of the Spartak Moscow midfielder to his ‘The West Ham Way’ Patreon site this afternoon.

“Kral deal is looking close, [on] loan with [the] possibility to buy for £12m initial fee moving to £17m, the proposed offer,” he said.

The Hammers’ interest in Kral dates back to early in the summer but in June, The Athletic suggested that David Moyes had turned his attentions elsewhere after a sub-par showing at Euro 2020.

The 23-year-old was, however, named as one of his ‘ones to watch’ at the summer tournment in a column for The Times, which only stoked the fire even more.

Much-needed depth

This update should leave many around the London Stadium absolutely buzzing as one of the most trustworthy West Ham sources has confirmed that a deal is on the verge of actually happening.

Plenty of supporters have been waiting anxiously all summer for some movement in the window, especially as know too well that the squad was in need of further numbers following their qualification to the Europa League.

Right now, Moyes only has three central midfield options for his engine room and one of those is the retiring Mark Noble, who is unlikely to feature much at all. For example, he only started eight league games last season, playing a total of 704 minutes in the top-flight, via Transfermarkt.

For a long time, the Hammers’ only signing was a backup goalkeeper in Alphonse Areola – that was until last week when they managed to lure Kurt Zouma from Chelsea.

Earlier today, Nikola Vlasic was announced and now it seems as if Kral is the likely next name up. It’s certainly an exciting day to be a West Ham fan as the deadline quickly looms.

The Czech dynamo has drawn inspiration from Toni Kroos and Frenkie de Jong, so that gives some insight into the sort of player he’ll be in the claret and blue, and that surely only builds the fanbase’s anticipation to see him in action.

Kral has also played in defence, earning him the tag of being “one of the most versatile youngsters in world football” from talent scout Jacek Kulig, who al that he was “extremely solid,” had “so many qualities” and will one day be “one of the leaders of the Czech” national side.

Signing him on loan first, just like with Tomas Soucek, could be an absolute masterstroke. If it doesn’t work out, then no fee will have to be paid. If it does work out, £12m could be an absolute steal.

AND in other news, West Ham could finally end Moyes’ striker nightmare, but Sullivan now has to act fast…

Leeds United have learned that midfield target Lewis O’Brien is keen to join, according to Football Insider. 

The lowdown

The same publication claimed on Friday that ‘preliminary talks’ over a deal for the Huddersfield Town ace are underway.

O’Brien made 42 Championship appearances for the Terriers last season, scoring three goals and providing as many assists.

An all-round option, he averaged two tackles, one interception, 1.1 key passes and 1.3 dribbles per 90 minutes over the course of the campaign (via WhoScored).

O’Brien, Huddersfield’s Player of the Year in 2019/20, has been praised for his ‘incredible’ fitness levels and ‘never seems to get tired’.

The 22-year-old is into the final year of his deal, but the club have the option to extend it for a further 12 months. He’s valued at £2.7million by Transfermarkt.

The latest

The Whites have reportedly been ‘given encouragement via third parties’ that the ‘ambitious’ O’Brien wants to play Premier League football under Marcelo Bielsa.

Now, though, ‘much will depend’ on whether Leeds are willing to meet Huddersfield’s demands.

O’Brien is apparently viewed as an alternative to Conor Gallagher, who opted to joined Crystal Palace on loan from Chelsea.

The verdict

O’Brien would be a real asset to Leeds given his versatility – he’s been used as a central midfielder, no. 10, left-back and left midfielder – not to mention his aforementioned lung capacity, making him a perfect fit for Bielsa’s intense system.

You can understand why they missed out on Gallagher. Game-time would have been his priority when going out on loan, and there’s considerably less at competition at Palace.

O’Brien, by contrast, is eager to make the move, and the signs are that he ticks all the boxes as a plan-B.

In other news, a Serie A expert has delivered a major update on Leeds’ pursuit of Nahitan Nandez.

Sheffield Wednesday are interested in signing Burnley goalkeeper Bailey Peacock-Farrell on loan, according to journalist Alan Nixon.

The Lowdown: Moore eyes up new signings

The Owls are looking to have a productive summer transfer window, strengthening their League One promotion push in the process.

It is Darren Moore’s first real chance to build his own team at Hillsborough and the hope is that he is able to bring in ideal new signings.

The Latest: Peacock-Farrell linked with move

According to Nixon on Twitter, ‘Sheff Wed love a loan’ and would be interested in signing Peacock-Farrell on a temporary basis ahead of next season.

The 24-year-old made four Premier League starts for Burnley in 2020/21, but otherwise found himself playing second fiddle to Nick Pope.

The Verdict: Shrewd target for Owls

Peacock-Farrell could be a shrewd signing for Wednesday, especially as Keiren Westwood has now moved on to pastures new.

Cameron Dawson and Joe Wildsmith are both solid goalkeepers, but it could be argued that the Burnley man would be a significant step up from their level. He has Premier League experience and has won 23 caps for Northern Ireland, highlighting his pedigree as a potential addition at Hillsborough.

Michael O’Neill, his manager at international level, has lauded some “assured and confident” performances from the 24-year-old in the past, and the player himself might just fancy a change of scenery to somewhere that he will achieve regular game-time.

In other news, Darren Moore has hailed one Sheff Wed player after the Owls’ return to action. Find out who it is here.

West Ham United fans are delighted after reliable club insider ExWHUemployee has revealed the Hammers are interested in signing Matheus Pereira from West Bromwich Albion.

The Hammers enjoy a fantastic campaign last time out as they finished sixth in the Premier League table – they will therefore be competing in the Europa League this coming season.

However, although the campaign is fast approaching and expectations will only increase on the back of their success, they are yet to complete a marquee signing this summer.

ExWHUemployee has now provided some positive news for the Irons supporters though, revealing the London-based outfit are interested in Pereira, who was relegated to the Championship with the Baggies last season.

The £13.5m-valued 25-year-old was one of few bright sparks for West Brom, scoring 11 goals and providing six assists in the top flight (Transfermarkt).

The news was also shared on Twitter by @WestHam_Central, and it attracted plenty of attention from the supporters. They took to the social media platform to share their thoughts.

Let’s see what the fans had to say about the Pereira news below

“SIGN THE MAN”

Credit: @jmac2313

“cmonnnnn”

Credit: @morgzwhu

“Love it But need defender and DM.”

Credit: @just_wasik

“him and benhrama? i’ll honestly never complain again.”

Credit: @regannnnnnnn_

“Pereira, Fornals, Benrahma, Bowen. One can dream”

Credit: @camwestham

“Benhrama, Fornals, Matheus Pereira, Bowen and Tammy Abraham. Just give us the Europa League trophy already boys”

Credit: @joaonuno_10

In other news, West Ham fans want to sign this Barcelona man.