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Manchester United can book their place in the FA Cup quarter-finals with victory over West Ham United at Old Trafford this evening, with the Red Devils hoping to maintain their rampant recent momentum, following the wins over both Barcelona and Newcastle United in the Europa League and Carabao Cup, respectively, last week.

The latter triumph saw manager Erik ten Hag claim his first piece of silverware as United boss, with the Dutchman seeing his side run out 2-0 winners in what was a rather comfortable Wembley outing on Sunday.

Despite the euphoria of ending the club’s almost six-year trophy drought, the celebrations for both players and staff have been cut short amid the quick turnaround ahead of the visit of the Hammers, with Ten Hag unlikely to condone any complacency from his side.

That being said, the 53-year-old may be inclined to shuffle his pack amid what has been a hectic run of fixtures of late, with doubts also emerging regarding the fitness of both Fred and Luke Shaw following the weekend win, while Anthony Martial is also not yet ready to return.

How will Man United line up against West Ham?

With that team news in mind, Football FanCast predicts that there will be seven changes from the side that were victorious against the Magpies, with tonight’s meeting handing the chance for a handful of fringe assets to impress…

4-3-3 – (GK) Heaton; (RB) Wan-Bissaka, (CB) Maguire, (CB) Martinez, (LB) Malacia; (CDM) Casemiro, (CM) Sabitzer, (CM) Iqbal; (RW) Antony, (ST) Weghorst, (LW) Sancho

The most notable changes could lie in the backline with backup ‘keeper Tom Heaton likely to come into the side, while Lisandro Martinez could be the only survivor from the weekend win, partnering club captain Harry Maguire – whose deteriorating performances have been branded “woeful” in the past by journalist Tom McDermott – at centre-back.

As for the midfield ranks, the influential Casemiro could be joined by January arrival Marcel Sabitzer and teenager, Zidane Iqbal, with the 19-year-old’s inclusion allowing Portuguese playmaker Bruno Fernandes the chance to earn a well-earned rest.

The 28-year-old may not be the only key figure to drop to the bench with leading scorer Marcus Rashford another who could benefit from a break from the action, with the Englishman having been a doubt prior to facing Eddie Howe’s men.

The forward’s place in the side could then be taken by compatriot Jadon Sancho, with the former Borussia Dortmund gem set to line up alongside both Wout Weghorst and Antony in the forward line.

Fabrizio Romano has claimedFabrizio Romano has claimed that discussions over image rights are what’s stalling Alejandro Garnacho from signing a new Manchester United deal.

The Lowdown: A new deal is deserved

Garnacho has certainly burst onto the scene this season with the young winger being handed 27 appearances across all competitions by Erik ten Hag and he’s rewarded the Dutch boss for his faith by registering nine goal involvements.

The young winger is certainly not anywhere near being a first-team starter on a regular basis with the likes of Bruno Fernandes, Marcus Rashford and Jadon Sancho likely ahead of him given their experience at this level.

However, it’s very exciting that Garnacho is able to perform when called upon – as shown by his midweek goal in the FA Cup – because he’s still not out of his teens and is clearly good enough for the Red Devils.

The Latest: Garnacho edging closer to a new contract

Romano has revealed that both parties are now ever close to agreeing on a new contract for Garnacho, although the player’s image rights and who will own them is seemingly the only stumbling block in these discussions.

He said: (3:15) “One of the decisions for Man United is now to accelerate on the new deal for Alejandro Garnacho.

“Man United and Garnacho’s representatives are really in advanced talks to extend the contract, the part missing is about the image rights but everything is almost ready.

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“It’s a five-year deal and it’s an important salary for Alejandro Garnacho who is a fantastic talent born in July 2004 and he’s already performing at an incredible level.”

The Verdict: New contract works for everyone involved

Given that Garnacho is still seemingly on a low wage because he’d never started a first-team game prior to this season, a bump to reportedly around £50,000 per week will be good for the player and not disrupt Man United’s wage bill too much.

As it stands, Garnacho has a contract that runs until the summer of 2024, so getting one thrashed out as soon as possible is one less thing for Man United and Ten Hag to worry about because allowing a talent such as Garnacho to run down his deal would be a nightmare.

Also, for Garnacho to be getting a decent amount of first-team minutes at such a tender age and with a club that’s clearly on the up is pretty much everything he needed to be convinced why he should stay at Old Trafford.

Celtic manager Ange Postecoglou has been on the list of Premier League clubs ahead of the summer following reported interest from Leeds United.

Could Postecolgou leave Celtic?

It was heavily reported over recent weeks that the Australian was one of the names believed to be on Leeds’ list to replace Jesse Marsch earlier in the year.

However, it seemed apparent the Celtic boss was not looking to leave Parkhead in the middle of a season when there were trophies there to be won for the Scottish champions.

And that proved to be a wise decision as he led the Bhoys to victory in the Scottish League Cup over the weekend against their bitter rivals.

But speaking on the House of Champions YouTube channel, Fabrizio Romano has mooted interest from south of the border which could potentially prise him away in the future:

(13:40) “The manager is fantastic, for example, he’s one of the names who was mentioned internally at Leeds, but he was not going to leave Celtic job during the season. So we will see in the future.

“But he’s always been on the list of important clubs in the Premier League because he’s doing very well and also the atmosphere he created in the dressing room and also with the fans is something really special.”

Who could Postecoglou leave for?

As mentioned, it is believed Leeds were interested in the 57-year-old earlier in the year as a potential option to replace Marsch but they are not the only Premier League side to have been credited with an interest.

Reports in recent months have suggested there have been a host of top-flight English sides who have held an interest in the 57-year-old.

The likes of Brighton & Hove Albion, Everton and Southampton have all been said to be interested parties but the Australian seems to be off the market – at least until the summer.

And it will be interesting to see whether Postecoglou feels as if the summer will provide him with an opportunity to tackle a new challenge.

The Scottish League Cup is already under his belt for the season and it seems as if the Bhoys are going to cruise to the Scottish title for the second season in a row under Postecoglou.

With that, it begs the question of whether the 57-year-old feels as if he may be close to doing all he can with Celtic with very little else to achieve at the club.

What Postecoglou has done at Parkhead is impressive and he will have the security and support of the club going forward if he does choose to stay.

But there is potentially an interest in managing south of the border which would bring its own risks given the cut-throat nature of sacking managers in the Premier League.

Glasgow Rangers are reportedly eyeing up a potential ‘huge’ deal to bring Nikola Krstovic to Ibrox this summer.

The Lowdown: Krstovic profiled

The striker is enjoying an impressive season at Dunajska Streda in Slovakia, where he has scored 19 goals and supplied a further four assists in just 26 games across all competitions so far (Transfermarkt).

He has also been capped five times by Montenegro by the age of 22, providing one assist for his country (Transfermarkt), and he could attract plenty of interest this summer, with his club turning down enquiries for him in the January transfer window.

The Latest: Would take a ‘huge outlay’

As per Football Insider, Rangers will ‘struggle’ to sign Krstovic this summer, as it would take a ‘huge outlay’ to sign him, while also involving selling one of the Light Blues’ current options.

His club are looking for a fee of between £4m and £5m to sell him, with his contract not set to expire until 2025, and they are expected to knock back further bids for him in the summer transfer window.

Krstovic is seen as a potential replacement at Ibrox for Alfredo Morelos, who is out of contract at the end of the season.

The Verdict: Worth the risk?

Signing Krstovic for up to £5m would certainly feel like a risk for Rangers, as he would rank highly among their record signings over the years.

However, signing a striker is imperative should Morelos leave Ibrox, as his goals (121 for the club) will not be easy to replace.

Krstovic has already shown this season that he knows where the back of the net is, but there may be question marks over whether he can replicate that form in the Premiership.

Nonetheless, the 6 foot 1 forward is only 22, so he should have the potential to improve drastically under Michael Beale, should the Light Blues decide to splash the cash on him.

West Brom are interested in re-signing former striker Dwight Gayle during the summer transfer window, according to a new transfer report.

The Lowdown: Gayle a former Baggies hero

The 32-year-old spent one season on loan at the Hawthorns back in 2018/19 and he proved to be an instant hit with his goalscoring prowess in the Championship.

Gayle scored 24 goals and eight assists in 41 appearances for West Brom overall, helping them return to the Premier League before returning to Newcastle United.

Now, it could be that a return to the Baggies is on the cards for the Englishman, who has 103 goals across his senior club career.

The Latest: Hawthorns return mooted

According to The Northern Echo’s Scott Wilson, West Brom are interested in re-signing Gayle, although they face stiff competition from fellow Championship side Middlesbrough.

His current Newcastle deal doesn’t expire until 2024 but he could be allowed to leave this summer, having only featured for 34 minutes of Premier League action last season.

The Verdict: Still a strong option

At 32, Gayle isn’t necessarily the player he once was but he can still be a prolific presence in the Championship, scoring 59 of his career goals in the competition.

While the Premier League is arguably too strong for him, he is famed for his prowess in the second tier and he could be a good option for Steve Bruce, even if it is as a squad player.

Gayle has outlined his quality many times over the years – he was famously an influential player in the legendary 3-3 draw between Crystal Palace and Liverpool in 2014, scoring twice, and he has been hailed as ‘magnificent’ by Alan Shearer. It is surely worth taking a punt on him again at the Hawthorns.

In other news, West Brom are reportedly in advanced talks with one player. Find out who it is here.

Everton owner Farhad Moshiri will be aiming to avoid a repeat of last season in which the club just avoided relegation by the skin of their teeth with a win over Crystal Palace on the penultimate day of the campaign.

It wasn’t looking rosy for Frank Lampard, who only took charge in January following the sacking of Rafa Benitez and he will need to get his summer recruitment spot on if he aims to still be in a job this time next year.

There have been reports linking the club with Tottenham Hotspur player Steven Bergwijn, although Ajax are also keen on the £27m Dutchman who recently admitted that he wanted to leave Spurs ahead of the summer transfer window.

Lampard should be acting quickly to sign the left-winger, who can also play across the frontline as he could add a different dimension to their struggling attack.

Only Richarlison (11) hit double figures for goals last season at the club, and their attacking woes have been well documented.

Bergwijn could become Everton’s very own Sadio mane, with the two players alike on FBref’s similar player model and it could be a match made in heaven.

Both players generate over three shot-creating actions per match (3.19 for Bergwijn and 3.10 for Mane) while the Dutchman has the greater shots on target percentage (52.6%) compared to the Liverpool winger (37.4%), although Mane has played more matches this season.

Mane appears to be the better goalscoring threat, having netted 16 goals in the Premier League this season, but Bergwijn has only played in 25 matches, with just four starts. During this time he has scored three goals and registered one assist, just one behind Mane.

If the 24-year-old, who has been dubbed “incredible” in the past by Jose Mourinho, was a regular fixture in his team like Mane, then his goalscoring abilities might have yielded better results.

The potential is clearly there, and he has shone on international duty for the Netherlands, scoring five goals in 18 appearances, including the opener against Belgium in the recent Nations League clash.

It could well be a shrewd signing by Lampard, and one that will give the supporters a big lift.

AND in other news, “No chance…”: Journo drops big Everton transfer twist that’ll disappoint supporters…

Gianluca Di Marzio has dropped an update on the future of reported Tottenham Hotspur transfer target Darwin Nunez.

What’s the talk?

In recent comments cited by centredevils, the Italian journalist revealed that, with the Benfica centre-forward being heavily linked with a £100m move away from Portugal this summer, he believes the 22-year-old will go on secure a move to the Premier League in the coming months. Tottenham, Manchester United and Arsenal appear to be the most likely destinations for the striker at present.

Regarding the interest in Nunez, the transfer insider said: “I think Darwin Nunez is going to the Premier League – either Manchester United or to Arsenal or Tottenham. We don’t know where he’s going but for sure the Premier League has to be his next step.”

Supporters will love Di Marzio’s claim

Considering just how exciting a talent Nunez undoubtedly is, Di Marzio’s claim that Spurs are among the clubs in the running for the 22-year-old’s signature this summer is sure to be news that the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium faithful will love.

Indeed, over his 28 Liga Portugal appearances this season, the £49.5m-rated forward was in breathtaking form, scoring 26 goals, providing four assists and creating 10 big chances, in addition to taking three shots, making 1.1 key passes and completing 1.4 dribbles per game.

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These metrics saw the £31k-per-week talent average an extraordinary SofaScore match rating of 7.48, ranking him as the joint third-best performer in the Portuguese top flight.

The Uruguay international also caught the eye over his 10 outings in the Champions League this term, bagging six goals against Barcelona, Bayern Munich, Ajax and Liverpool, averaging a highly impressive SofaScore match rating of 7.06.

As such, with the 22-year-old clearly one of the most exciting young talents currently playing the game, the news that Antonio Conte’s side are serious contenders for Nunez’s signing is sure to delight Spurs supporters. The prospect of the Benfica forward lining up alongside the likes of Harry Kane, Son Heung-min and Dejan Kulusevski in north London next season is very much a tantalising one.

AND in other news – Contact made: Paratici given green light for “enormous” Spurs signing, he’s Kulusevski 2.0

Tottenham Hotspur will look to revisit Antonio Conte’s former club for another signing this summer after edging closer to signing Ivan Perisic this week…

What’s the word?

According to Italian journalist Pasquale Guarro of Calciomercato, the north London outfit will push to sign Inter Milan star Alessandro Bastoni after the defender received a personal call from manager Antonio Conte.

“There is not only #Perisic in the aims of #Tottenham , the “Spurs” push for #Bastoni and in recent days the defender has received the call of #Conte,” he tweeted.

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The Italy international has been linked with a move frequently since the climax of the 2021/22 campaign, with The Athletic revealing that Conte is a big admirer, though the Serie A giants will not be pushed to sell him, given his talent and potential.

They could request a fee in the region of £50m.

Conte’s summer dream

Bastoni would be something of a dream signing for the 52-year-old at Hotspur Way as he looks to bolster his playing squad with a much-needed addition.

After arriving in N17 back in November, Conte quickly adapted Spurs’ system to a three-man defence but he did so without a solid left-sided central defender.

Full-back Ben Davies has been the man to play alongside Eric Dier and Atalanta loanee Cristian Romero and whilst he has done a very decent job, he’s not a natural middle man, whereas Conte’s former starlet is.

On Inter’s way to their first Scudetto in 2021/22, the 23-year-old started 33 matches and he has continued to impress under Simeone Inzaghi, managing 44 appearances across in all competitions.

As a player compared to both Leonardo Bonucci and Alessandro Nesta, it’s no surprise that his ball-playing ability is something that stands out amongst the rest of his qualities and it’s no wonder Conte is super keen to sign him for Tottenham.

According to The Athletic in April 2022, the Inter centre-back ranked inside the top five of all Serie A defenders for attempted passes per 90, whilst also ranking in the top 6% for intensity and top 14% for ball retention.

Bastoni, described as a “phenomenon” by Italian football expert Conor Clancy to Football FanCast recently, would be a superb arrival this off-season.

The £54m-rated colossus is evidently the manager’s no.1 defensive target, so sporting director Fabio Paratici and co must do all they can do seal his signature. It would be £50m well invested.

AND in other news, Fabrizio Romano drops major Conte update at Spurs…

Wolverhampton Wanderers boss, Bruno Lage, is set for crunch talks with the Old Gold hierarchy.

What’s the word?

That is according to a report from Birmingham Mail, who claims that the Wolves boss will meet with the Molineux hierarchy to discuss the future of Adama Traore and Francisco Trincao.

The former is set to return to Molineux after Xavi declined Barcelona’s £25m option to re-sign their youth product at the end of the season, whilst Lage’s stance on the latter is currently yet to be decided.

Wolves have a reported £25m option to buy within Trincao’s loan deal and with Traore set to return to his parent club to enter what will be the final year of his current deal, the Old Gold have a decision to make.

Time to go?

With Traore’s latest setback in being rejected by the Blaugrana once again, he requires a club that can work around his direct style and within a system that gets the best out of him.

Ironically, Wolves have missed the spark that the Spaniard of Malian descent offers on the wing, and as Trincao will have found out this season when looking at his numbers in comparison to the rest of the squad, no one comes close to Adama’s average of 7.0 dribbles per 90, with Trincao closest to that Premier League-leading tally, having managed an average of 3.0 dribbles per 90.

You get the impression that a player of Adama’s technical ability would see him shine at the likes of Liverpool, if he was afforded regular game time that is. But whilst that is very unlikely to be the case, a move to a side that commits more bodies forward in the attacking phase of the game could suit the La Masia youth graduate well – especially if Wolves are to decide on signing Trincao permanently.

At the age of 26, Adama needs regular game time, and having suffered a slight blip in his career, despite showing glimpses of his potential under Lage, Trincao needs regular minutes in a progressive system also.

With Trincao linked with a reunion with former Braga-boss-now-Sporting manager Ruben Amorim, a return back to his homeland in an exciting project with familiar faces will surely prove too much of a temptation to reject.

Wolves could find themselves without the £177k-per-week duo, amidst what looks to be a big rebuild at the Molineux this summer.

In other news: In talks: Lage can unearth Wolves’ new Neves & Moutinho in double swoop for £12.8m duo 

Liverpool are interested in signing Porto midfielder Otavio during the summer transfer window, according to a fresh transfer rumour that emerged this week.

The Lowdown: Otavio shines for Porto

The 27-year-old has continued to be a key figure for Porto this season, producing a host of influential performances in his wide attacking role.

Otavio has registered an impressive 11 assists in 32 Primeira Liga appearances, as well as making nine appearances in the Champions League and Europa League combined.

Whoscored list him as being ‘very strong’ at creating scoring chances through both his passing and individual skill.

It could be that the Portuguese looks for a new challenge at the end of the season as he is approaching his prime and yet to test his mettle in a major European league, and Liverpool could well be in the conversation.

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The Latest: Liverpool in contact

According to A Bola [via Sport Witness], the Reds are one of a number of English clubs to have sent officials to watch Otavio in action and make contact with his club.

Julian Ward and co. have the player ‘referenced’ ahead of a potential move, with Manchester United and Newcastle United two of the other clubs mentioned in the report.

It is also stated that a move to Liverpool almost happened last year and an offer was even sent from Anfield, but Otavio’s Porto teammate, Luis Diaz, ended up joining in January instead. As we know, new Reds transfer guru Ward was instrumental in the capture of Diaz.

They say the two clubs have now had ‘even more communication’ since then, and the player has a €60m (£51m) release clause.

The Verdict: Is he needed?

While Otavio is clearly an excellent attacking player – he grew up idolising Brazil legend Ronaldinho – it is questionable as to whether or not Liverpool need to spend big on a player of his ilk this summer.

Jurgen Klopp already some several world-class attacking players at his disposal, so it is hard to see how the Porto man would fit into his regular plans.

The only way it could work is if Klopp used him in more of a central midfield role, potentially slotting into the right-sided No.8 berth that the likes of Jordan Henderson and Naby Keita take up.

In other news, a journalist has dropped a Liverpool transfer claim. Read more here.