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Aston Villa striker Ollie Watkins is now being wanted by fellow Premier League side Spurs.

What’s the story?

According to Spanish publication Fichajes, Nuno Espirito Santo’s side are considering bidding for Watkins as they’ve become worried over Harry Kane’s lack of goal-scoring form.

The report claims that Spurs’ sporting director, Fabio Paratici, is eyeing up some attacking reinforcements, and Watkins’ name features prominently on that list.

Dean Smith would be livid

After suggestions initially emerged that Liverpool were actually interested in signing Watkins in the summer transfer window just gone by, former Villa star, Lee Hendrie, exclusively told FFC:

“If you’re going to start selling those players to the bigger clubs, how are you meant to compete? I get that you’re possibly going to get £60m for someone, but then who do you go and buy that’s going to replace Ollie Watkins?

“You’ve got to go and spend decent money on someone to go and bring him in and then it could possibly be a gamble.”

The striker was a key reason behind Villa’s successful campaign last year, bagging 16 goals in all competitions and netting in home and away fixtures against Liverpool (including a hat-trick at Villa Park) and also against Arsenal.

It’s no surprise then that the likes of Liverpool and Spurs both have their eye on signing a “machine” like Watkins, and it will leave Smith very worried about trying to hold on to his main man up front.

Were the Villa hierarchy to decide that they should cash in on Watkins, Smith would certainly not be in a forgiving mood.

The Villa boss worked with the striker back at Brentford, and then brought him to Villa Park and clearly has a real rapport and relationship with him, and the 25-year-old’s performances have been a real vindication of that faith.

Johan Lange must avoid selling the £34m-rated star to Spurs at all costs, or risk leaving Smith absolutely fuming.

Meanwhile, Gregg Evans drops an Aston Villa update on this star…

Celtic’s attractive playing style under Ange Postecoglou could suffer following the departure of Ryan Christie, according to The Celtic Way reporter Anthony Haggerty.

Christie made the deadline day move to Championship side Bournemouth for a fee believed to be in the region of £2.5million.

It comes despite Postecoglou, who was appointed as Celtic’s new manager in June, wanting to extend the winger’s contract following an impressive start to the season.

Christie’s Bhoys deal was due to expire in January and, with deadline day looming, the 26-year-old was also linked with Bournemouth’s south coast rivals Southampton at a cut-price fee.

Saints were not the only Premier League outfit who raised an interest as Burnley explored the possibility of being able to tempt Christie to Turf Moor on deadline day.

Christie leaves a sizeable gap in Postecoglou’s preferred starting line-up, having appeared in all four of Celtic’s Scottish Premiership fixtures so far this season.

Haggerty admits Christie was a key cog as Postecoglou recovered from a poor start to his reign.

He told The Transfer Tavern: “I think there were machinations going on behind the scenes to try and keep Ryan Christie sweet and keep him on board.

“I think the Celtic supporters, to a man, woman and child, would say it was a no-brainer to try to keep him.

“But he has left and a big part of Angeball has left now because he hit the ground running under Ange.”

Former Middlesbrough goalkeeper Mark Crossley insists that the club simply must keep Jonny Howson fit if they are to enjoy a successful season, as he is a player that could play for any side in the second-tier.

Howson has been a long-serving member of the Boro squad and has been with the club since 2017.

The midfielder is the current club captain and scored in the 1-1 draw with Blackburn Rovers last time out.

The former Leeds United ace has made a total of 186 appearances for the club and has scored six goals, laying on 15 assists.

Crossley believes that Howson is a key member of the Boro squad and will be central to their hopes throughout the campaign.

He also believes that he is so good, he could quite easily play for any club in the Championship, with it being vital that he remains available for selection for Neil Warnock.

Speaking exclusively to The Transfer Tavern, he said: “He is really, really important. Keep him fit, he’s got lots and lots of experience.

“I really like him, he’s one of these players that I think any Championship manager would have him in his squad.

“Not necessarily in his team but in his squad because he leads by example, being a good pro, he likes to put his foot in, he’s had a good career, and I think Neil Warnock likes that type of player.”

A major update has emerged in PAI Capital’s potential takeover of West Ham and it’s not good news for fans…

What’s the word?

Irons insiders Claret and Hugh have revealed that the East London outfit is not for sale after a £400m bid was rejected by majority shareholder David Sullivan.

It’s claimed that Sullivan and co-owner David Gold have no intention of selling their shares to the interested consortium ‘under any circumstances’ as they believe it would have a negative impact on the club.

Sources close to the Hammers’ hierarchy have suggested that no proof of funds have been provided, but even if they were, Gold and Sullivan do not want to sell up.

False hope

Given the relationship the West Ham board have had with the London Stadium faithful over the last few years, this latest development will come as devastating news to many.

There have been plenty of protests against Sullivan, Gold and Karen Brady over the past 18 months alone.

Back in February 2020, when the Irons were staring down the barrel of a likely relegation to the Championship, around 2,500 supporters marched to the stadium amid growing unrest at their situation on the pitch.

[snack-amp-story url= “https://www.footballfancast.com/web-stories/read-the-latest-west-ham-news-transfer-rumours-the-latest-gossip-and-more” title= “Read the latest West Ham news, transfer rumours, gossip and much more!”]

It came after banners were unveiled against both Everton and Liverpool which read: “Run like a circus – Owned by clowns” and “GSB out – Sold a dream, delivered a nightmare.”

Things went from bad to worse off the pitch, even despite David Moyes’ heroics of saving the club.

The sale of promising academy gem Grady Diangana to West Brom for a total of £18m went down like a lead balloon, leading to further protests outside the ground – even club captain Mark Noble tweeted his anger at the decision.

News that PAI Capital had launched a bid for the Hammers would’ve gotten the hopes up of many who want to see GSB finally leave, but it seems like it’s more of a dream than a reality as Claret and Hugh believe they are here to stay.

Supporter group Hammers United have announced that another protest is due on September 19th  ahead of West Ham’s clash with Manchester United. “GSBOUT is our number one priority,” a Hammers United spokesman said. “Trust in Gold, Sullivan and Brady is lost.”

That clearly highlights the mood at present around East London.

Therefore, this fresh development will come as a gutting blow which will only leave fans even angrier.

AND in other news, Moyes could land West Ham’s next Ferdinand by signing “fearless” £22.5m-rated “beast”…

Slavisa Jokanovic has revealed it was impossible for Sheffield United to turn down the latest offer for Aaron Ramsdale.

What’s the talk?

In recent comments cited by The Guardian, the Sheffield United manager revealed that, despite it being against his wishes, it was almost impossible for the Blades to turn down Arsenal’s £24m plus £6m add-ons offer for the 23-year-old goalkeeper.

The 53-year-old said: “It’s not really what I want but it’s difficult to stop this kind of situation. It’s a huge deal for the club and we have been relegated from the Premier League, so it’s complicated to say no.”

Indeed, the Serbian manager had previously stated that he would be hurt if the club sanctioned the sale of the Euro 2020 England squad member, as well as suggesting that he would not part with the shot-stopper this summer even for an offer of £100m.

Fans will be fuming

With it having been claimed that United would not be budging on their initial £35m asking price for Ramsdale just a matter of day ago, the fact that the ‘keeper looks to be heading to Arsenal for a guaranteed transfer fee of almost £10m less than this figure, in addition to the sale clearly being against Jokanovic’s wishes, will undoubtedly have fans of the club fuming.

Indeed, the fact that news of the £10.8m-rated man’s sale came shortly after the Blades were battered 4-0 by West Bromwich Albion, a game which the 23-year-old did not feature in, clearly demonstrates just how important the shot-stopper is within the Sheffield United team.

Furthermore, while the deal has not been completed just yet, with there now only being a couple of weeks left of the summer transfer window, Jokanovic faces the unenviable task of sourcing an apt replacement for the goalkeeper alongside attempting to secure his side’s first Championship win of the season – with the Blades currently occupying one of the three relegation spots in the second tier.

As such, it very much appears as if affairs both on and off the pitch at Bramall Lane are in something of a mess at present, with fans of the club surely furious with their side’s performances in the league, as well as what looks to be the United hierarchy going back on their word regarding the transfer of Ramsdale.

In other news: Lost 84% duels: £1.35m-rated SUFC bottler who made 5 passes badly let Jokanovic down

Southampton have completed a deal for ex-Chelsea youngster Dynel Simeu, as their summer recruitment drive finally picks up some pace [GOAL].

The Lowdown: Southampton get ready for 2021/22

Progressing towards the new campaign, Saints manager Ralph Hassenhuttl will be looking to all scouting avenues in order to build a team capable of climbing the Premier League table in 2021/22.

So far, the South Coast outfit have tied up moves for Theo Walcott, Olly Lancashire and Romain Perraud [Transfermarkt].

Now, they have managed to ratify a fourth summer signing, with the new season now just a couple of weeks away,

The Latest: Simeu completes move to the South Coast

Following a breakdown in contract talks with former club Chelsea, Simeu now makes the move to Hampshire for around £1.5 million after leaving Stamford Bridge [GOAL].

Though he was out of contract in West London, the Blues have received a development fee due to their role in nurturing the 19-year-old through the youth ranks.

Growing up on the south coast, he has now returned home on a three-year-contract, keeping him at St Mary’s until 2024.

He will initially join up with the B team, but could follow an accelerated path into the senior squad should he impress at youth level.

The Verdict: Southampton will be the ideal environment for Simeu to continue his development

Proudly retaining a reputation for having one of the best academies in European football, Simeu’s addition will present an exciting prospect to the Southampton support.

Witnessing young prodigies such as the aforementioned Walcott, Gareth Bale and James Ward-Prowse break into the senior fold in recent times, the club have cultivated a model which is proven to provide long-term benefits to the football club.

In 2020/21, the Yaoundé-born centre-back registered two goal contributions in 23 appearances for the Chelsea Under-23’s side; one goal and one assist [Transfermarkt].

Promising to say the least, Simeu captained the Chelsea development squad to the 2019-20 Premier League Two title.

Despite this, he leaves his previous employers without making a first-string outing. Southampton will be keen to see how far his potential can stretch on the South Coast.

In other news, Southampton fans react to links with a Bundesliga ace.

Everton have withdrawn from the race to sign PSV Eindhoven’s Denzel Dumfries, according to Gazzetta dello Sport (via Sport Witness). 

The player apparently asked his agent Mino Raiola to push for a move to reigning champions Inter Milan instead. Their interest ultimately ‘stimulated’ him more.

Why might Everton have been keen on Dumfries?

Dumfries made 30 Eredivisie appearances last season, scoring twice and providing six assists (via WhoScored).

The 25-year-old was called up to The Netherlands squad for the European Championships and shone in the group stages. He netted a late winner in the Dutch’s opener against Ukraine and was also on target against Austria.

Dumfries has two years left on his PSV contract and is valued at £14.4million by Transfermarkt.

According to The Athletic, signing a right-back is a priority for Everton after two years of scouting potential successors to the veteran Seamus Coleman.

Fan feed Toffee TV relayed Gazzetta’s claims, and here’s how fans reacted.

These Everton fans fuming after plug pulled on Dumfries move

“Unsurprising we’ve only needed a right back for 18 months. Gonna be an angry Goodison if we go behind to Southampton.”

Credit: @realkitters

“If true this is turning into an equally awful transfer window as previous ones – just for very different reasons”

Credit: @Boxing_UK_

“A massive missed opportunity”

Credit: @MartinDolce

“Done like a kipper yet again”

Credit: @EvertonGezza

“We just aren’t spending money”

Credit: @lewis79339488

“Brands can’t even attract players he’s worked with”

Credit: @BGR1878

In other news, Everton are leading this race for this attacker.

Many Wolves fans have been left buzzing as a transfer update emerged on Kurt Zouma.

According to Telefoot journalist Julien Maynard, the Midlands club, as well as Tottenham, Everton and AS Roma, are interested in signing the defender, who is expected to leave Chelsea in the summer transfer window.

However, the 26-year-old has reportedly declined a move to Molineux, meaning that they would have to push extra hard to secure his signature.

The France international was a key player in Chelsea’s 2020/21 Premier League season, winning 4.5 of his duels per match, while also averaging 3.8 clearances and 1.2 interceptions per game, keeping nine clean sheets in the process (Sofascore).

A recent Champions League winner, he would certainly be a big coup for Bruno Lage’s team if they could persuade him to join – they conceded 52 Premier League goals last term, just one fewer than relegated Fulham, indicating that their defence could do with strengthening.

Wolves fans on Zouma transfer update

These Wolves supporters buzzed as the transfer update on Zouma was shared on Twitter:

“I’d love this, are the sources good?”

Credit: @haydenbd_

“He’s exactly what we need”

Credit: @eve_elizabethxx

“Would be the signing of the summer. Bigger than Trincao!”

Credit: @dmarsden1988

“I’d defo take him… proper centre-back and very good in the air which is what we need in both boxes someone who is going to attack the ball and win it”

Credit: @samwwfc__

“Yes please”

Credit: @Cookmtt1976

“Be happy if it happened”

Credit: @Frankgi34843182

In other news, find out what recent news has had these Wolves fans talking

Football.London’s Chelsea correspondent Sam Inkersole, has virtually ruled out Timo Werner exiting the club this window.

The German made the much-anticipated move from RB Leipzig 12 months ago, and despite the Blues winning the Champions League and Werner scoring more goals and assists than anyone else in squad, he’s been mainly underwhelming.

He contributed to 27 goals in his 53 appearances in all competitions, which are impressive numbers, but missed several big chances – and netted just six times in the Premier League.

Despite his confidence issues in front of goal, Thomas Tuchel continued to back his compatriot, with only Mason Mount playing more for Chelsea than the Germany international last term.

His poor first campaign in English football led to speculation over his future and whether the Blues would look to cash-in on him after just one season.

But with Olivier Giroud expected to complete a move to AC Milan, and both Tammy Abraham and Michy Batshuayi both out of favour under Tuchel, Inkersole told Football FanCast that Chelsea’s lack of strikers should lead to Werner staying at Stamford Bridge:

“There’s not a lot of strikers on the books at Chelsea. I’d be very surprised if Werner left after one season.

“Tuchel showed a lot of trust in him, he played him regularly. You have to put it into perspective, it’s his first season away from Germany, new league, new team, but I’d be staggered if he goes anywhere this summer.”

Usually, scoring just one goal over two seasons would leave a striker with no chance of getting a new contract, however that is not the case with Andy Carroll and former Newcastle United defender Steve Howey believes that the striker is good to have at the club.

Carroll was reportedly earning a huge £75,000 per week last season and after being handed just four starts in the Premier League it appeared to be the end for the striker, but reports have claimed that the club have offered him a new deal – although there is no decision from the player yet.

The 32-year-old made a name for himself after coming through Newcastle’s academy and bursting onto the scene in 2010 when he netted 11 goals before earning himself a big-money move to Liverpool on deadline day.

If Carroll was to be kept on at the club he would likely want to be guaranteed more first-team minutes as he failed to appear in the club’s final 12 games, but even if he isn’t a regular Howey believes that the striker is a good asset to have around the club, as he explained exclusively to Football FanCast:

“I’ve got no doubt that he is a big presence in the dressing room so I would be pleased if he stops, as I’ve been a big advocate for him and I think he’s a good asset to have when you need to throw him on because defenders just do not like playing against him.”

Carroll has managed to make 43 appearances in the last two seasons and none of his performances will have done anything to impress Steve Bruce and his WhoScored rating of 6.31 from last season suggests he may be lucky to get a new deal.

Callum Wilson was the main man for Newcastle last season and with the likes of Josh King set to be offered to the Magpies, Carroll could see his place even on the bench under threat next season if he commits to another year on Tyneside.