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Sky Sports News journalist Ben Ransom has shared some worrying footage of Manchester City training ahead of their Champions League semi-final clash against Real Madrid.

The Lowdown: City’s UCL run

An ill-tempered draw in the second-leg of the Sky Blues’ quarter-final tie against Atletico Madrid sent Pep Guardiola’s side through to the last four of the Champions League.

Kevin De Bruyne’s second half goal in the first-leg was enough to secure the win for City, who now face Real Madrid in the semi-finals later on tonight at the Etihad.

When questioned in yesterday’s lunchtime press conference about the availability of Kyle Walker and John Stones following, Guardiola responded:

“They are doubts, they didn’t train for the last week to ten days and John since Brighton. We’ll see how they feel, we’ll speak to them tomorrow and then make the decision.”

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The Latest: Footage emerges

Taking to Twitter just 24 hours before kick-off, Sky Sports News reporter Ben Ransom has shared footage of Man City’s training session.

Captioning the video, he claimed: “No Walker nor Stones on the training pitch for Man City ahead of the Champions League semi-final against Real Madrid.”

The Verdict: Huge blow

This injury news will come as a huge blow for Guardiola’s selection, if indeed both players have not miraculously recovered in the hours since the footage was leaked.

With Joao Cancelo already suspended, City now do not have a player available who has been utilised at right-back before.

This suggests that one of Oleksandr Zinchenko or Nathan Ake will have to step up in Walker’s absence.

This will see to a makeshift back-line which Guardiola will hope can keep a strong Madrid side out, before his squad can recuperate for the second-leg.

In other news: Manchester City: Daily Mail makes Declan Rice claim

It’s no secret that West Ham United will likely have a striker atop their priorities this summer, but there’s one name which should sit above all…

What’s the word?

According to Torino Granata, the Irons are now the front-runners to clinch Torino talisman Andrea Belotti ahead of the upcoming transfer window.

It is claimed that AS Roma’s appointment of former Spurs boss Jose Mourinho over ex-Chelsea coach Maurizio Sarri has meant that the 27-year-old is now no longer likely to join their Serie A rivals, thus opening the door for West Ham to strike.

Belotti will enter the final year of his current contract next season, and despite being valued at £36m by Transfermarkt, the Italian could leave Turin for as little as €25m (£21.5m), according to Corriere dello Sport (via Manchester Evening News).

Proven at the top

The Hammers have been linked with some interesting names in recent months, ranging from Brentford beast Ivan Toney to Chelsea’s forgotten man Tammy Abraham. Both are expected to cost in excess of £35m, yet neither have delivered on the biggest stage, or at least consistently in the case of the latter.

David Moyes only has one senior striker at his disposal in the injury-prone Michail Antonio following the departure of Sebastien Haller in January, so one forward – at the very least – is desperately needed.

Belotti fits the bill perfectly. So far this season, the 32-cap Italy international has found the net 12 times from 31 appearances, meaning he has hit double figures in six straight Serie A campaigns, as per Transfermarkt. This is even more impressive in recent seasons as Torino have been battling with relegation.

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Belotti has also impressed in Europe, where he bagged six goals from six games before being knocked out by eventual quarter-finalists Wolves in the qualifying rounds in 2019/20 – he still scored in both legs against them, too.

Former Irons loanee Joe Hart was at the Italian outfit prior to his move to the London Stadium and played with the 5 foot 11 goal machine and he was left blown away by the striker’s ability.

In an interview with Gianluca Di Marzio, he revealed: “Andrea is similar to all the great strikers, English and not. It’s hard to compare him to someone else because he’s special. He’s Belotti and that’s it. He has instinct for goals, personality and he’s a team player: he’s always focused on his team and plays hard to help it.”

Once likened to Gianluca Vialli, the Torino marksman is a perfect blend of pace, strength and ability. “He knows how to score goals in all ways – foot, head, acrobatics,” claimed former teammate Salvatore Aronica.

Belotti doesn’t just provide goals either, as he has been lauded for his leadership qualities, which is hardly a surprise given he is the skipper of Torino. Their president Urbano Cairo once dubbed him a “real captain.”

All of these qualities point towards Belotti being an outstanding option to try and secure, especially if he’s available for just £21.5m. As good as Toney and Abraham could be under Moyes, it is the Italian powerhouse who should be targeted given his proven scoring record at an elite level.

GSB must look to sanction this deal as their top priority, he could be the man to take them to the next level with a place in Europe next season firmly in sight.

AND in other news, Irons struck dream deal with “unbelievable” £35k-p/w gem who’s a “manager’s dream”…

Backing reports of Tottenham Hotspur eyeing Lyon defender Joachim Andersen, Sky Sports (via Football Daily) have now shared their update on the situation with an enticing piece of news.

The Lowdown: Andersen linked to Spurs

Numerous claims have come out over the past week detailing Tottenham’s interest in Andersen, who is currently playing on loan at Fulham in the Premier League.

Indeed, reliable sources like Mike McGrath have indicated that Spurs are in ‘pole position’ to land the 24-year-old as they search for defensive options to bolster their shaky backline (The Telegraph).

Meanwhile, football.london correspondent Alasdair Gold also reiterated Tottenham’s fondness for the defender, who he described as a player who “Spurs like a lot”.

The Latest: Sky Sports back Andersen interest

Sky Sports have since come out with their own breaking update on the situation, and their sources also believe that the 1.92m (6 foot 3) powerhouse is indeed a firm target for Spurs.

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“Some transfer news just in to us and this will interest Tottenham fans,” they explained (via Football Daily).

“It will also interest Fulham fans, although, not positive for Fulham. We’re told that Tottenham are keen to sign Joachim Andersen this summer, he’s currently at Fulham but only on loan, on loan from Lyon.

“He’s a Denmark international, he’s done really well for Scott Parker’s side this season, but their relegation means he may not end up at Craven Cottage.

“Tottenham are keen to sign him and we’re told he’s valued at around £20 million”.

The Verdict: Great news for Spurs fans…

Andersen has been a shining light in an otherwise disappointing first full season back in the Premier League for Fulham.

Indeed, the 24-year-old has averaged the joint-fourth most clearances in the English top flight over 2020/21 and wins the most offsides per game out of every regular player in the Cottagers’ squad (WhoScored).

At just £20m, he could be an absolute steal for Spurs, and it appears that their interest is genuine given these reports from multiple reliable outlets.

Therefore, we won’t be surprised if Andersen does become a Tottenham player this summer, and his form this season suggests that he could be a fine addition if he moves to north London.

In other news: 45 y/o manager now open to joining Spurs, find out more here.

Everton have appointed Frank Lampard as their new manager, and he wasted no time using his only opportunity of the transfer window on Deadline Day to bring in two players to work with him in his efforts to save the side’s season.

Donny van de Beek and Dele Alli joined the Toffees in the final hours of the January transfer window, becoming the fourth and fifth signings of the month, suggesting that the ex-Chelsea boss has plans to overhaul the midfield and attacking threat of the team which has currently failed to make a significant impact, scoring 11 fewer goals than the side has conceded in the Premier League this season.

With that being said, the first player that Lampard can ruthlessly axe from his team is Alex Iwobi, who has been with the club since 2019, scoring just six goals in 80 appearances from his forward position.

That’s one more goal than he has had managers, with Lampard remarkably becoming the fifth permanent manager that the 25-year-old has worked under in his time at Goodison Park.

The left-winger was branded “embarrassing” by Everton journalist, David Prentice, back in 2020 and things haven’t improved for the Nigeria international, with his most recent indiscretion at AFCON where he was brought on to save his nation from crashing out of the competition in the last 16 knock out clash against Tunisia.

Iwobi was sent off within five minutes of coming off the bench after a red card decision went against him when he made a tackle with his studs up on his marker who went straight to the floor. That eventually led to Nigeria crashing out of the competition.

If the Premier League midfielder turned manager deploys his most favoured formation of 4-2-3-1, it would push Iwobi out of the team completely as Richarlison would presumably go out onto the left side of the three to accommodate the new addition Alli, who could play in one of his favourite positions behind Dominic Calvert-Lewin, and as a result, would see Iwobi unlikely to start for the Toffees in the future.

Lampard has always been a big fan of the £22.5m-rated former Spurs star claiming he is “ahead of the game” in a complimentary analysis of the player back in 2017, so there is no doubt that he will want to integrate the attacking midfielder in his starting line up as soon as he can to get the very best out of him to pull Everton away from a relegation battle.

Combine that with the fact that Darren Anderton once called him a “freak of a talent” and it’s evident there is plenty more that Dele could offer than the former Arsenal forward.

Everton will return to action this weekend at Goodison Park in the FA Cup, where the 43-year-old Toffees manager will lead out his first squad selection in front of the home fans and it will be interesting to see what direction he goes in to secure progression in the domestic competition for the side.

In other news: Lampard already enduring major dilemma at Finch Farm

Amid the talks with ex-Roma boss Paulo Fonseca, journalist Fabrizio Romano has claimed that Erik ten Hag is still a contender for the job at Tottenham Hotspur (The Guardian).

The Lowdown: Spurs in advanced talks, again…

This isn’t the first time Tottenham have entered advanced discussions with a manager in the last fortnight.

Indeed, the Lilywhites made attempts for both Mauricio Pochettino and Antonio Conte recently as well.

Pochettino was said to be eager on a return to north London but current club Paris-Saint Germain were determined to dig their heels in (The Athletic).

Thereafter, talks with Conte emerged, and at one stage he looked likely to take the job.

However, despite promising early discussions, the talks eventually broke down – leaving Spurs back at square one in the manager chase.

News broke on Wednesday night of Tottenham’s fresh managerial offer, this time for former Shakhtar Donetsk boss Fonseca.

The Latest: Romano refuses to rule out ten Hag…

Amid these advanced discussions, reliable journalist Romano has claimed that Spurs could still turn to ten Hag and he remains a contender for the role.

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Indeed, Spurs chairman Daniel Levy has looked at ‘several’ candidates for the manager’s job and it is believed by the Italian journalist that ten Hag remains in the running for now.

However, as explained by the journalist, Fonseca is the more likely of the pair and is now the Lilywhites’ ‘preferred option’ to succeed Jose Mourinho.

The Verdict: Expect the unexpected…

Some reports have suggested the deal is almost done, but as we’ve learned from the Conte talks, things can change very quickly indeed.

Fonseca is understood to be open to joining Tottenham and a three-year contract has been discussed, but news of ten Hag still being in contention points toward this not being finished just yet.

Lauded as ‘remarkable’ by former striker Pierre Van Hooijdonk to TV station NOS (via Planet Football), Spurs supporters will be glad they are still thinking of alternatives in case talks break down.

In other news: Paratici eyeing this big name player for Tottenham, Harry Redknapp called him ‘top class’…find out more here.

As the transfer window continues to get into gear and teams start to really crank up their search for new additions ahead of next season, someone that David Norris would love to see at his former club Leeds United is Adama Traore.

Traore has long been linked with a move away from Wolves this summer and there have been fresh links suggesting that he could be available for just £20 million, and that may well tempt Leeds who have been credited with an interest in the winger previously.

A winger does not appear to be an area of weakness for Marcelo Bielsa’s side but with Rodrigo not hitting the heights expected last season and Raphinha picking up an injury towards the end of the campaign, Bielsa may want to add some more reinforcement to allow him greater options and flexibility.

Traore is one of the most explosive and dynamic players in the Premier League with his 214 attempted dribbles the most out of any payer in England’s top flight last season, so he would bring excitement and frustration to Elland Road, but Norris believes that the winger would prove to be a good signing, as he spoke about Traore exclusively to Transfer Tavern:

“He’s obviously got something to him and Leeds would have done their due diligence on him so if they sign him then you know, he’s a team player as well as a good player. I think if the price is right, then I’d love to see that happen.”

There may well be wholesale changes at Wolves this summer with new manager Bruno Lage set to take fresh ideas into Molineux which could see certain players fall from crucial players last season to surplus to requirements going forward.

An update has emerged on Leeds target Matheus Cunha, regarding how much Hertha Berlin want for his services.

What’s the talk?

According to The Express, Leeds transfer target Matheus Cunha has been told that he will be allowed to leave Hertha Berlin for the right price this summer. The Bundesliga club are not going to hold him against his will and are prepared to accept offers in the region of £30m.

The report claims that both Leeds and Atalanta are interested in the attacker, with Victor Orta having held discussions with the player’s agent earlier this summer.

However, it remains to be seen whether or not Leeds would be willing to shell out £30m for the Brazilian.

Imagine him and Bamford

If Leeds can get Cunha in for £30m, he could be a terrific addition to Marcelo Bielsa’s squad ahead of next season. He is an exciting young attacker who has the potential to form a sensational partnership with Patrick Bamford, due to his quality and versatility as a forward.

Cunha can play anywhere across the attacking set-up, having played on the left, on the right, through the middle and in the number 10 position for Hertha in the Bundesliga.

He also managed to average an exceptional WhoScored rating of 7.33 in 27 games whilst changing positions constantly. This shows that he has the consistency and quality to provide top-class performances in a multitude of roles.

Therefore, he could link up with Bamford in a variety of ways. He could play behind him in the 10 role or provide him with service from either flank.

If Bielsa wants to go all-out in a game, he could even play Cunha alongside the former Chelsea man and have them as an attacking pair. Bamford scored 17 goals and assisted seven others in the Premier League last season and the arrival of Cunha could allow him to improve upon that tally, given the ability he has shown for Hertha.

The Argentine coach could also help him to further develop his game on the training pitch, as he only recently turned 22 and has his best years ahead of him.

Last year, ex-Hertha head coach Bruno Labbadia lavished praise on the young attacker, claiming that he has “something special” about his game.

He said:

“Matheus has something special. He can always produce something with a moment of individual brilliance.”

The 22-year-old’s record since joining Hertha is proof of this. He has produced 12 goals and eight assists in 34 Bundesliga starts for the club, showing that he can consistently deliver moments of individual brilliance, as Labbadia explained, and that is why he could be an excellent signing for Leeds.

Bielsa could be set to land a dream signing if Orta can get a £30m deal over the line for the gem.

AND in other news, Orta must sanction Leeds swoop for “magical” maestro, Bielsa would be on cloud nine…

In a world away from the multi-millions in TV money you get for playing in the Premier League, Rangers must be creative in the transfer market to build a squad capable of competing domestically and in Europe.

This means that Ross Wilson must work overtime in order to secure the best possible signings, and the club’s title success last season suggests that he done an excellent job so far.

One player with whom he pulled off a masterclass was winger Scott Wright, who he brought in during the January window to bolster Steven Gerrard’s title pursuit.

The Gers pinned him down to a four-and-a-half-year deal, which suggests that they see long-term potential in the forward. They initially agreed to sign him on a pre-contract but were able to snap him up in January for a bargain fee.

Wilson reportedly paid Aberdeen £180k for his services, with Wright playing 13 times before the end of the 2020/21 campaign. He provided one goal and two assists, setting up a goal in the Europa League.

At the time of the signing, Gerrard hailed him as a player he has admired from afar, backing him to be a success at Ibrox. He said: “It is very pleasing to have Scott for the rest of this season. This will give him the opportunity to gain some valuable game time in a blue shirt for the rest of the season.

“Scott is a player that I have admired and I believe that we can utilise his skill set within our system. He will train with his new teammates tomorrow.”

At the time of writing (26/10/21), Wright is valued at £540k by Transfermarkt. He has produced three goals and two assists in 26 appearances for the club, with three starts in the Premiership this term. This shows that Wilson was able to pull off a masterclass with the forward in January.

He was able to sign Wright for just a third of his current market value, whilst the winger still has plenty of time to develop even further at the age of 24. If he continues to be a regular first team option for Rangers, his value could continue to rise and the £180k Rangers paid for him will look all the more like an absolute bargain.

It was a nominal fee to pay for a talented young player in whom Gerrard seemingly sees a great deal of potential.

AND in other news, Fresh twist emerges on big Rangers problem that’ll leave fans buzzing…

Newcastle United have opened negotiations for AS Roma winger Carles Perez as they look to strengthen their squad this summer.

What’s the story?

Steve Bruce’s side have had a slow start to the transfer window thus far, but they appear to be ramping up their efforts to sign a new wide player.

According to journalist Rudy Galetti on Twitter: “#Newcastle officially stepped forward for #CarlesPerez . Notified to #Roma an offer from approx €10M: ongoing evaluations.”

Better than Almiron

Paraguay international Miguel Almiron endured another difficult season on Tyneside, with just four Premier League goals to his name all year – in fact, he went on a shocking run of form towards the end of the campaign which saw him fail to find the back of the net, or even provide just a single assist, since February 6.

In Perez, they would be getting someone who’s just as versatile as Almiron, but crucially, who also has the end product to really make a difference on a consistent basis for the Magpies.

As per WhoScored, in the 2,669 minutes he has played in his professional career thus far, he has contributed seven goals and seven assists, contributing to a goal just over every two games. Compare that to Almiron, who’s managed just 11 goals and assists in 6,235 minutes of football for the Magpies – that’s a goal contribution once every six games.

Perez’s performances in the Europa League last season for semi-finalists Roma paint the biggest picture of just how much potential he has, averaging an impressive 1.6 shots and 1.9 dribbles per match – those numbers are significantly better than what Almiron produced in the Premier League.

The Magpies would be getting a real upgrade on the Paraguayan by signing Perez this summer.

Meanwhile, Newcastle could sign a big Jonjo Shelvey upgrade in this ace…

West Ham United return to Premier League action this weekend and they’ll be looking to continue their fine start to the 2021/22 campaign.

David Moyes’ side remain unbeaten after the opening three matches, having thrashed Newcastle United and Leicester City before picking up a point against Crystal Palace at the London Stadium last time out.

They now face Southampton at St Mary’s and the 58-year-old has plenty to mull over heading into kick-off, not least because they signed three more players before deadline day.

One of those was quite a considerable coup…

On the Chalkboard

The Irons managed to seal a £29.8m move for Premier League and Champions League winner Kurt Zouma from Chelsea in the final week of the transfer window and he represents an instant upgrade to the defence.

Moyes should not wait to see him in action either, despite a lack of time with the squad on the training pitch. He’ll be fresh and ready to go after featuring for France in their recent World Cup qualifiers against Ukraine and Finland this week, where he picked up his seventh and eighth caps.

Zouma, who was once described as a “beast of a player” by Premier League legend John Terry, must replace Craig Dawson in the starting XI, taking up a spot alongside Angelo Ogbonna in the heart of the Hammers’ backline.

It was perhaps a little confusing to see Thomas Tuchel willing to part ways with the 26-year-old centre-back, as he performed to a very high level whenever selected last season.

Indeed, the 6 foot 3 Frenchman was graded as Chelsea’s second-best player, as per WhoScored figures, whilst he topped the charts for aerial duels won (3.6) and clearances (3.8) per game in the top-flight, proving to be a solid no-nonsense defender. In addition to that, the £28.8m-rated colossus was one of their best with the ball at his feet, averaging a passing accuracy of 90.9% across the season.

By comparison, that ball-playing ability would’ve exceeded every single West Ham player last season and the rest of his numbers are a sheer upgrade on Dawson, who averaged one fewer aerial duel won as well as fewer tackles per game, via WhoScored.

On the above evidence, this selection change should be a very easy one to make, and considering that the Irons have leaked five goals in three games, therefore it should be one that Moyes does not hesitate over.

Zouma must be unleashed against the Saints. He could be a massive game-changer for the east London outfit.

AND in other news, ExWHUemployee drops major claim on £60k-p/w West Ham star, fans will be ecstatic…