All posts by n8rngtd.top

Few would deny West Ham United of their pride in yielding a range of high-level quality in their senior squad, but this collection of talented footballers has not been in concert of late and David Moyes' future as manager is now looking uncertain.

Moyes has done a sensational job at the London Stadium and has cemented his legacy after winning the Europa Conference League trophy last season but given that he's out of contract this summer it seems like his time in the dugout has reached a natural conclusion.

It's a critical juncture in West Ham's journey, blessed with such quality but ending a three-year streak in European competition. Securing the perfect successor is pivotal, should the 61-year-old Scotsman indeed leave this summer.

West Ham's search for a manager

Hammers sporting director Tim Steidten had drawn up a longlist of figures to replace Moyes in the dugout but, as yet, nothing concrete has materialised following Ruben Amorim's face-to-face meeting in east London last week – something the Sporting Lisbon boss later admitted was "a mistake".

Julen Lopetegui has also been of interest but Serie A club AC Milan appear to have a foothold in that race, which could see West Ham focus their pursuit on a dream alternative in Lille manager Paulo Fonseca.

Multiple reports, including a recent revelation from Foot Mercato, suggest that Steidten is hoping to advance interest in the Portuguese, though with Marseille also pushing for a deal, swiftness is needed.

Paulo Fonseca's managerial style

Fonseca is an experienced manager with an attractive playing style that could provide West Ham supporters with the tactical brand that has been craved.

Moyes, while raining success on the east London outfit, has divided opinion with his perceived negative tactics – though, be that as it may, he has gifted the club three successive seasons on the continent, as well as winning European silverware in emphatic circumstances.

The 51-year-old Fonseca won a wealth of silverware with Shakhtar Donetsk but hasn't gleaned any major honours in a top-five European league. Nonetheless, he has impressed with his playing style in France after leaving Roma in high regard, having won the fans over with his football, beset with ageing players and a testing situation relating to the coronavirus pandemic and a change of ownership that made true success difficult.

Arriving at Lille in 2022, Fonseca has guided Les Dogues back to a position of comparative stability and success after an acute nosedive following the stunning Ligue 1 title triumph of 2020/21, recording a fifth-place finish last year and presently perching in fourth.

Out of contract this summer, West Ham really do have a fantastic opportunity to swoop in and land their man, albeit facing fierce competition for his services.

Why Paulo Fonseca is perfect for West Ham

It would be something of a gamble to bring Fonseca to West Ham but his principal 4-2-3-1 formation aligns with the Irons' current set-up, with his desire to dominate possession and take initiative in attacking sequences certainly falling into the ballpark that the general fanbase wishes to see instilled into the first team.

Fonseca's tactical flexibility is one of his sterling attributes as a manager and he has demonstrated this throughout his career thus far, with his sharp mind and clear vision possibly even convincing Lucas Paqueta to remain at the London Stadium next season.

Much has been said of Paqueta's future with West Ham and with Manchester City pursuing the Brazilian last summer, offering £85m before an FA betting investigation halted their advances, his top-level quality was rubber-stamped.

Signed for West Ham from Lyon for a club-record £51m fee in 2022, Paqueta has been exceptional in his multi-layered role, scoring 13 goals and supplying 14 assists across 81 appearances and being praised for his "mind-boggling" quality by former teammate Declan Rice.

Ranking among the top 10% of attacking midfielders and wingers across Europe's top five leagues over the past year for passes attempted, the top 8% for progressive passes, the top 2% for tackles, the top 17% for interceptions, the top 15% for clearances and the top 4% for aerial duels won per 90, as per FBref, Paqueta is truly one of the most dynamic and hard-working around.

He might even be irreplaceable for West Ham, and every option must be exhausted in convincing the player to remain at the club, enticing him with an enterprising new style of play and a new lease of life as the beating heart of the project.

Given that Romano remarked that Fonseca is "perfect in the dressing room", he might just have the man-management skills and promise of a healthy and providential atmosphere that could convince Paqueta to remain at his current stomping ground, where he has established himself as a major player.

With the likes of Jarrod Bowen and Mohammed Kudus unleashed in a more attacking system, Paqueta's string-pulling expertise would ensure that the talented West Ham squad rises to a new level entirely.

Convincing him to reject the likely interest of Manchester City this summer will be difficult – especially if Pep Guardiola's side meet his £85m release clause – but he could be the key to ensuring this talented team's meteoric rise does not fizzle out, should Moyes part ways in east London.

West Ham could take Kudus to new heights with "perfect" Amorim alternative

This tactician would be a fantastic alternative to Ruben Amorim

By
Angus Sinclair

Apr 27, 2024

Harry Kane is ready to move on following a difficult Euro 2024 campaign and explains why he's hoping to emulate Cristiano Ronaldo.

Article continues below

Article continues below

Article continues below

• Kane reveals Ronaldo ambition
• Set for 99th England appearance
• Carsley takes charge for first time

• WHAT HAPPENED?

  Kane has set himself a target to thrive late into his thirties, just like Cristiano Ronaldo. England's record goalscorer looked leggy at Euro 2024 but he has started the Bundesliga in form, opening his campaign with a goal against Freiburg.

Advertisement

• Getty
  

  THE BIGGER PICTURE

  Ronaldo scored his 900th career goal in Portugal's game against Croatia on Thursday, and he has maintained an extraordinary level approaching his forties. The Portuguese superstar is often the role model for most players these days due to his incredible talent matched with unrivalled dedication, but Kane wants to try to match the 39-year-old's achievements in his thirties.

• WHAT KANE SAID

  Kane said:  “Cristiano is the benchmark, not only being one of the best footballers ever, but also the benchmark of how long you can play for at a higher level. I feel in a really good place, both physically and mentally. I'm sure there will be noise around me, like there was around Cristiano – and there still is around Cristiano – but as long as you keep performing and keep doing what you know you can, that's all you can do.

  “The Ronaldos, the Messis, the Benzemas, the Lewandowskis, almost upped their level as they got into their mid-thirties. Cristiano is showing that every week, every time he plays, every time he scores so, from my point of view, that's the aim.”

ENJOYED THIS STORY?

Add GOAL.com as a preferred source on Google to see more of our reporting

• Getty Images
  

  WHAT NEXT FOR KANE?

  The 31-year-old's immediate focus is to have a more positive England camp, in which he may make his 100th cap for his country, than he did in Germany. When he leads the Three Lions out against Ireland, Kane will have tallied 99 appearances, scoring 66 goals. After these two games though, he will then turn his focus to Bayern Munich and regaining the Bundesliga crown off Bayer Leverkusen, while also putting up another clinical goal-scoring season.

Fans hailed Wayne Rooney's stunning free-kick for Manchester United legends while claiming he is still better than the current crop of players.

Article continues below

Article continues below

Article continues below

• Rooney scores stunning free-kick for Man Utd legends
• Fans hail club icon
• Urge Rooney to teach struggling Rashford

• WHAT HAPPENED?

  The former England international handed United Legends the lead against Celtic Legends in the 41st minute as he found the back of the net with a curling free-kick through the top right corner. As Rooney showed he has still got it, Red Devils fans hailed the club's all-time highest scorer while claiming the now-retired player is still better than the current squad of players.

Advertisement

• WHAT THE FANS ARE SAYING

  A fan named Syed Hamza wrote on X: "Current Rooney still better than most of our current players."

  A user named Jake Davies lamented the lack of players like Rooney and Carrick in the current team as he wrote, "Rooney with a free kick, goal top corner. What I'd do for players like Rooney and Carrick in this current MUFC side. Both ooze absolute class."

  A handle named Name cannot be blanked urged Erik ten Hag to sign Rooney. He wrote, "Ten Hag sign him up."

  Brian hailed the United icon as he wrote, "We will never get his material again."

  Mike wrote on X, "Get him in our current team asap."

  Hashir Sher urged Rooney to teach Marcus Rashford how to score goals as he wrote, "Teach something to Rashford, please rooney."

• Getty
  

  THE BIGGER PICTURE

  Rashford, once hailed as one of United's brightest stars, has come under fire for what many perceive as a lack of effort on the pitch. The 26-year-old forward, who was instrumental during the 2022-23 campaign with an impressive 30 goals in 56 appearances across all competitions, has experienced a dramatic dip in form since then.

ENJOYED THIS STORY?

Add GOAL.com as a preferred source on Google to see more of our reporting

• Getty
  

  WHAT NEXT FOR MANCHESTER UNITED?

  Ten Hag's men, who have suffered two defeats out of their first three league games, will be back in action next weekend as they take on Southampton on September 14.

Tottenham Hotspur were a day late and a dollar short against Arsenal in the Premier League, with an infuriating North London Derby defeat exposing defensive frailties that have blemished a promising campaign.

Ange Postecoglou's side were ravaged by an error-strewn opening half that was aggravated by some contentious officiating decisions, but the fact remains that there is a canyon of quality between the Lilywhites and their title-chasing arch-rivals.

A second-half rally spoke of the desire, spoke of the ability of this brewing project, but there is much for Postecoglou to stew over and much for bruised Tottenham to reflect on, with the hopes of reclaiming a position among Europe's elite next year narrowing.

One such issue is that of central midfield. Yves Bissouma was dropped after a string of poor displays but his stand-in, Pierre-Emile Hojbjerg, failed to impress once again from the outset.

Pierre-Emile Hojbjerg's performance vs Arsenal

Hojbjerg has not started often this season but his Malian counterpart's struggles called for intervention, and the Dane's express purpose of controlling and organising in the centre of the park convinced Postecoglou to throw him back into the mix.

It, quite literally, backfired, with Hojbjerg's skewed header following Bukayo Saka's corner handing Mikel Arteta's side a venomous opener down N17, 15 minutes on the clock.

His travails led him to a substitution just after the hour mark, having failed to contain the slick-moving visitors and being branded with a 4/10 match rating by football.london correspondent Alasdair Gold, who wrote: 'Making only his seventh start in the league and within 15 minutes he had headed the ball into his own net from a corner. Wasn't Spurs' worst player but it's another defeat to his name when he starts.'

As per Sofascore, the Dane might not have been the worst performer – James Maddison, ensnared still in the webbed net of post-injury strife – and he was at least at the heart of the action, taking 83 touches across his 64 minutes, completing 87% of his passes, pushing forward with two dribbles, making three tackles and winning six of his 11 contested duels.

But he choked on the big occasion once again and was too conservative in possession, failing to make a single key pass and losing possession 12 times.

Pierre-Emile Hojbjerg's season in numbers

Does Hojbjerg have a future at Spurs? Does he fit the Ange-ball prototype, requisite for success and sharpened for prominence in this flowering new system at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium?

Likely not. The 28-year-old was fiercely linked with a move away back in January and, out of contract in 2025 with just seven Premier League starts to his name this season, it would seem unlikely that he will retain his bit-part position in the side next season – especially with present interest from teams such as AC Milan.

Moreover, let's just glance at the table above. It hardly denotes Hojbjerg's success, his compatibility in the fast-moving, free-spirited style that this craggy-faced Australian has blessed an outfit seeking respite from an interminably challenging series of campaigns, following the warm and sure football that Mauricio Pochettino instilled.

Hojbjerg was a product of Jose Mourinho's arrival, signed from Southampton for a shrewd £15m fee, but his time is surely up and it's difficult to imagine Postecoglou will be convinced to start him again this season, instead using his crisp in-possession quality in the later stages of matches.

Hojbjerg is a cultured midfielder, strong in the tackle and commanding in his short-placed passing game, but he faces yet another year of inactivity under Postecoglou's wing and he must now be sold.

Spurs 2-3 Arsenal: Player ratings & match recap

Arsenal took on Spurs at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium on Sunday.

By
Matt Dawson

Apr 28, 2024

Barcelona still haven't registered Dani Olmo to play and now another La Liga game against Rayo Vallecano is rapidly approaching.

Article continues below

Article continues below

Article continues below

• Olmo could miss another game
• Summer signing cannot play yet
• Barcelona's finances remain poor

• WHAT HAPPENED?

  Olmo is at serious risk of having to miss a third La Liga game this season because Barcelona's financial limitations have stopped them from registering him to play. reports the Euro 2024 winner is now "likely" to still be unavailable for the trip to Madrid to face Rayo Vallecano on Tuesday night.

Advertisement

• AFP
  

  THE BIGGER PICTURE

  The apparent failure to comply with La Liga's financial regulations comes even after offloading Ilkay Gundogan, Vitor Roque, Clement Lenglet and Mikayil Faye in recent days has reduced the club's wage bill, although only Gundogan and Lenglet were registered first-team players. Barcelona are stuck on '1:4' spending rules, which only allows them to spend 25% of money they save or bring in, as opposed to the normal '1:1'.

• WHAT HANSI FLICK SAID

  Publicly, head coach Hansi Flick spoke ahead of the game with optimism that now appears set to be dashed: "I am always hopeful. I also hoped for it for the last game. It would be brilliant to have him to face Rayo Vallecano. Those are things that the player and the squad can't control. We speak about it, we know it's something difficult here in Barcelona. I trust the club and hope he can be registered by tomorrow. Any player who can't play will be unhappy, that’s normal. But he knows why that's the case here, and if he is available he'll be 100 per cent ready."

ENJOYED THIS STORY?

Add GOAL.com as a preferred source on Google to see more of our reporting

• Getty Images
  

  WHAT NEXT FOR BARCELONA?

  Worryingly, even though Barcelona have successfully signed Olmo from RB Leipzig, they are still bound by the impending transfer deadline. If he isn't registered to play by the time the window closes, it will be January before the club gets another chance. Given that the swathe of departures in the last few days hasn't done it, more hastily-arranged exits could be required.

Sunderland can pick up two victories on the trot in the Championship for the first time since December last year when Millwall travel to the Stadium of Light on Saturday.

It won't be a walk in the park to make it two wins on the bounce for Mike Dodds' side however, with the Lions revitalised under new boss Neil Harris who steered the South London side to an impressive three points against Leicester City recently.

Sunderland will want the likes of Jack Clarke to be firing on all cylinders when Harris' men rock up to Wearside, undoubtedly still the Black Cats' main star whenever he's fit.

In an alternate reality, Sunderland could well have had this star on their books who is as flashy as Clarke but has made a name for himself as a slick and skilful player who is too tricky for a number of Premier League defences.

Premier League star's failed trial at Sunderland

Many clubs in the Championship have no doubt been left plagued with regret about not tying down a trialist to a fully-fledged deal, with the unassuming youngster then going on to become a major star.

Southampton even had Bayern Munich sensation Jamal Musiala in their youth set-up at one point, not knowing he'd go on to be a main man in attack for the Bavarian giants down the line when exiting St. Mary's.

When Southampton let an £83m star in the making leave as a boy

Southampton have been made to regret getting rid of this exceptional talent ever since he left as a boy.

By
Kelan Sarson

Mar 24, 2024

Sunderland have fallen victim to this too, having taken dazzling Crystal Palace talent Eberechi Eze on trial for a brief period before moving him on to eventually join Queens Park Rangers.

Revealed by the entertaining Palace number seven in a recent tell-all interview, the likes of fellow second-tier sides Millwall and Bristol City also had a good look at the once unproven gem when he was trying to make a name for himself.

The rest is history from Eze's perspective, who is now being touted for a mega-money move away from Selhurst Park after once being rejected by the underperforming Black Cats.

Eberechi Eze's transfer value in 2024

According to Football Transfers, Eze's worth now stands at a hefty €40.2M (£34.3m) but Palace will know they can get an even more lucrative deal out of their golden £19.5m buy when push comes to shove.

Manchester City reportedly bid £60m to try and land the spell-binding 25-year-old's services before a ball was even kicked this season, with Tottenham Hotspur also now interested – who must know paying an outrageous amount will be the only way they can be successful in landing Eze's in-demand signature.

Firing in a wonderfully worked winner against Liverpool last match, to take his season goals total to seven in the top flight, Eze would be a fantastic asset for whatever top club in the Premier League he lines up for next campaign.

Described as being "magical" on the ball ever since his eventful youth days by Paul Hall, who helped Eze become the star he is today at QPR, Sunderland must play the decision to reject the fantastic Eagles midfielder over and over in their heads as a major blunder.

Dodds will just hope that Sunderland can stumble across their very own Eze in the plethora of emerging young talents coming through at the Stadium of Light in time, all whilst the much-talked-about Palace man goes from strength to strength himself in the division above.

The Blues do not inspire much confidence after another bewildering summer under the Todd Boehly-Clearlake Capital ownership

It's deja vu at Stamford Bridge. Chelsea are back to square one after parting company with Mauricio Pochettino at the end of last season, despite the significant progress his side made in the second half of 2023-24.

Enzo Maresca is the latest head coach to be plonked in the hotseat, with the Pep Guardiola disciple hired after – somewhat unconvincingly – guiding Leicester City back to the Premier League at the first time of asking by winning the Championship.

It's been another summer of significant upheaval as the club continues to splurge tens of millions of pounds on a raft of new young, unproven players, while plenty of homegrown talent has been ruthlessly sold off or put in the shop window.

The combination of a new coach and yet more turnover of playing staff makes Chelsea an unknown quantity once again, but pre-season performances and results do not bode well for the new campaign.

• Getty Images Sport
  

  Mood around Stamford Bridge

  The Chelsea fanbase will be trying to stay positive on the eve of the new season, but there is the unshakeable feeling that the Blues will begin 2024-25 under something of a cloud.

  On the pitch, pre-season did not go to plan as Maresca's side collected just one win from six games, with their performances characterised by some alarming defensive errors. Off it, the club's transfer business has been bewildering as more and more young players sign on, while academy graduates are emotionlessly put up for sale amid the threat of breaching the Premier League's Profitability and Sustainability Rules (PSR). That has resulted in a sense that the club is losing its identity.

  After a disastrous 2022-23 campaign where they finished 12th, the Blues hauled themselves up to sixth under Pochettino last time around. However, there doesn't seem to be any real belief that they will be able to build on that in the new season, and indeed many will fear a slide back towards mid-table mediocrity.

  The task facing Maresca is a huge one, and there is an air of incompleteness about the squad as their daunting season opener against champions Manchester City looms. Indeed, the Italian has admitted he doesn't know his best team. "I don’t know my team yet," he said after the final pre-season friendly against Inter. "Pre-season has been very tough, intense, many games going from one city to another city. Now finally we start a normal week."

Advertisement

• Getty Images
  

  Transfer business

  Where to start? Chelsea have been steadfast in their pursuit of what they believe to be low-cost, high-potential young players, adding striker prospect Marc Guiu (18) from Barcelona, Aston Villa midfielder Omari Kellyman (18), versatile Renato Veiga (20) from Basel and Villarreal goalkeeper Filip Jorgensen (22). They have also signed defenders Caleb Wiley (19) from Atlanta and Boca Juniors' Aaron Anselmino (19), with both immediately loaned back out. Supporters will be relishing Estevao Willian's arrival in 2025, after Chelsea saw off competition from Europe's elite to land the prodigious Palmeiras winger for £56m ($72m).

  The club has deviated from that youth strategy, bringing in Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall (25) from Maresca's former club Leicester for £30 million ($39m) as a ready-made option for his system, and centre-back Tosin Adarabioyo (26) on a free transfer from Fulham. Their biggest spend to date though, which came out of left field, was the £54m ($70m) splurge on Wolves' Pedro Neto (24), as they added yet another winger to their ranks.

  All of those incomings have led to questions over whether the squad has actually been improved, with Maresca the latest Chelsea manager to be left with a bloated group and not much time to cut it down. Their decision-makers still seem determined to add another attacker, with questionable talks ongoing over Atletico Madrid's Joao Felix and Napoli hitman Victor Osimhen still a target.

  In terms of outgoings, the Blues have lost the vast experience of Thiago Silva after he returned to Brazil, while academy products Ian Maatsen and Lewis Hall were sold off for pure profit before the PSR deadline in June, alongside Omari Hutchinson. Elsewhere, deadwood in the form of Hakim Ziyech and Malang Sarr has finally been cut away.

  However, there is still of work to do; the hierarchy seems determined to force Cobham graduates Conor Gallagher, Trevoh Chalobah and Armando Broja out of the club in a move that will not go down well with the fanbase. Meanwhile, Romelu Lukaku and Kepa Arrizabalaga – both on huge wages – are still on the books and need to be shifted in what remains of the window.

• Getty Images
  

  Pre-season performances

  While Chelsea's movements in the transfer market have done little to inspire confidence, their performances on the pitch certainly haven't lifted the mood either.

  Despite facing the likes of Wrexham and Celtic, Maresca was only able to collect one win from six pre-season games. If the draw with the Welsh League One club in the first game of their US tour raised some eyebrows, the 4-1 thumping at the hands of the Scottish champions was deeply concerning.

  The comfortable win over Club America – albeit with the help of two penalties – provided something of a reprieve, but it preceded inevitable back-to-back defeats to European behemoths Man City and Real Madrid to wrap up a forgettable tour, as Chelsea were reminded of the current chasm between themselves and the best around. The Blues were able to secure an unconvincing draw against Italian champions Inter at Stamford Bridge to wrap up pre-season.

  Results aside, the most concerning thing was the litany of basic defensive errors from the rotation of centre-backs that Maresca called upon across the six games, with each mistake brutally punished. Sloppiness in pre-season can be excused, but that haphazardness is something he absolutely must iron out now Silva has left.

ENJOYED THIS STORY?

Add GOAL.com as a preferred source on Google to see more of our reporting

• Getty Images
  

  Talking tactics

  As one of Guardiola's proteges, much has been said and written about Maresca's tactics, but one of the biggest challenges facing him and his players is how quickly his acclaimed approach can be understood and implemented.

  Chelsea will set up in an adaptable 4-3-3 formation without the ball that, in true Guardiola-inspired style, becomes more of a 3-2-4-1 in possession as a full-back inverts to anchor alongside the deepest midfield player, while a central midfielder pushes forward to join the No.10 in a more advanced role. The goalkeeper is also expected to play a significant role in the build-up.

  Fresh from emerging as a surprise star of Spain's Euro 2024 triumph, Marc Cucurella is slated for the inverted full-back role, while Dewsbury-Hall was signed specifically to be that busy roaming midfielder. Robert Sanchez seems to have done enough to claim the No.1 spot, while Christopher Nkunku has shone in pre-season in the pocket behind the striker. Cole Palmer, therefore, should start off the right wing, and new signing Neto may be first choice on the left. If and when everyone is fit, that makes for a fearsome attacking unit, with the likes of Noni Madueke, Raheem Sterling and Mykhailo Mudryk waiting in the wings.

  In midfield, there will be question marks over how Moises Caicedo, Romeo Lavia, Enzo Fernandez AND Nkunku all fit; it could be that the Frenchman starts as a striker ahead of Nicolas Jackson. There are no guaranteed starters at centre-back, however, as a youthful defence did not look convincing in pre-season. Maresca seemed to blame those lapses on his predecessor Pochettino's high line, but he won't be able to hide behind that excuse if the issues drag on into the season proper.

Aston Villa could use Douglas Luiz to sign Moise Kean from Juventus, Italian journalist Marcello Chirico has claimed. 

The lowdown

Last summer, Juventus signed Kean on loan from Everton with an obligation to buy him for £24million.

Kean did make 44 appearances in 2021/22 but starting opportunities proved to be limited. Max Allegri selected him from the off in just 12 Serie A matches, and one Champions League fixture.

The Athletic’s Gregg Evans reported in May that Steven Gerrard may look to add ‘another forward option’ to his squad during the summer transfer window.

And transfer insider Dean Jones recently suggested that Villa might look to move Luiz on.

The latest

Chirico tweeted on Monday afternoon that ‘Aston Villa is interested’ in signing Kean this summer.

They have apparently ‘offered’ midfielder Luiz to the Bianconeri as part of the deal.

The verdict

Transfermarkt value Luiz at £31.5million, £7.5million more than Juventus have agreed to pay for Kean. And given that the Italian is clearly a little way down the pecking order at the Allianz Stadium, it seems unlikely that they would demand cash in addition to Luiz.

That, then, raises the prospect of a straight swap, an ‘unusual’ occurrence in football.

Is Kean the kind of no. 9 Villa should look for?

Well, his return of six goals last season is underwhelming, but remember, he rarely started games.

And the previous season, at Paris Saint-Germain, Kean commendably bagged 17 goals, with manager Thomas Tuchel dubbing him ‘fearless’ and former PSG player Eric Rabesandratana also praising his Edinson Cavani-esque work-rate.

Signing the seven-time trophy-winner would still be a risk, though, given that he struggled in his previous stint with an English club, netting only four times in 39 outings for Everton.

In other news, one pundit thinks this £120k-p/w star may have fallen out with Villa after he was transfer listed.

West Ham United are reportedly set to offer a new deal to forward Jarrod Bowen, following his sparkling recent form for the club.

What’s the word?

As per 90min, the Hammers are ‘readying a bumper new contract’ for the 25-year-old as a statement of his growing importance to the club, as they also look to ward off any potential interest, notably from Liverpool.

The report suggests that discussions had been had in east London back in December regarding an extension to his existing deal – which currently runs until 2025 – although his impressive form and recent England call-up have heightened the desire to tie him down to improved terms.

This news comes following recent reports that suggested teammate Declan Rice won’t be signing a new deal this summer, with that fact potentially putting greater emphasis on the need to commit the former Hull City man long-term.

Signing of the summer

For all the business that David Moyes may undertake this summer, the key transfer dealing could well be hanging on to the £80k-per-week sensation, with securing that new deal likely to be a top priority for the former Manchester United boss.

Managing to do so would be like a signing in itself, particularly with Bowen now believed to be valued at roughly £75m, with it unlikely that GSB would be able to find a suitable replacement who would make an equally as instant impact.

Plucked from the Championship on a £20m deal in January 2020, the Leominster-born gem has gone on to score 27 goals and register 23 assists in all competitions for the Irons thus far, having previously netted 54 goals and provided 14 assists at his former club.

The most recent campaign proved particularly profitable as he provided 29 goal contributions in all competitions, coming out on top among the Hammers squad for both goals (18) and assists (11).

Those statistics have underlined his importance to Moyes’ machine, with supporters likely desperate to see him commit himself to the club for the long haul, particularly amid those doubts over Rice’s future.

Having been recently handed a long-awaited international nod by Three Lions boss Gareth Southgate, the forward will likely be hoping to force his way into the manager’s reckoning for this year’s World Cup in Qatar, despite the intense competition for places.

The fact he is even in the conversation is a marker of just how far he has come since life in the second tier, with both the club – and supporters – praying that he recognises the role that West Ham has played in his development by signing a new deal.

Should he do so, it would likely eclipse any other dealings that the club does this summer.

IN other news, “Another target…”: Ex drops big WHU summer transfer claim that supporters will love

Manchester United’s move for Ajax defender Jurrien Timber is ‘practically closed’, according to Portuguese journalist Pedro Almeida.

The Lowdown: Timber talks

Erik ten Hag has seemingly made the 20-year-old his first major target as United manager. The Red Devils first made contact over a possible move at the end of April, and a transfer has slowly gathered pace with the defender’s representatives in England last weekend.

[web_stories_embed url=”https://www.footballtransfertavern.com/web-stories/latest-man-utd-updates-2/” title=”Latest Man Utd updates!” poster=”” width=”360″ height=”600″ align=”none”]

Timber, described as a ‘top talent’, as per the official UEFA Champions League Twitter channel, can play anywhere across the back four and is valued at a career-high £27m by Transfermarkt.

The Latest: Almeida’s update

Almeida took to Twitter on late on Friday evening to provide a Manchester United transfer update.

He revealed that a move for Timber is ‘practically’ done, adding that the club are now turning their attention to Villarreal’s Pau Torres.

The Verdict: New partnership?

Although Timber can play as a full-back, Ten Hag mainly used the Netherlands international at centre-back last season. He made 38 appearances at the heart of the defence and just five at right-back, helping Ajax to the Eredivisie title, conceding just 19 times in 34 games.

It looks as if he will become the club’s first major signing of the Ten Hag era, and with United now looking at a move for another centre-back in Torres, that could spell trouble for the likes of Harry Maguire, who was heavily criticised last season.

In other news: Reliable journalist leaks Man Utd talks as Ten Hag now eyes ‘terrific’ Englishman.