West Ham United are now seriously considering a move for another “outstanding” English ace this month, alongside Toulouse’s Charlie Cresswell.

West Ham keen to strengthen in several key areas

West Ham’s first half of the campaign was nothing short of awful, and having collected just 14 points in 20 Premier League games, they are now four points adrift of 17th-placed Nottingham Forest, with relegation starting to become a major concern.

Consequently, the Hammers have set out to strengthen in a number of key positions this month, and two strikers have already arrived at the London Stadium, with deals for Tati Castellanos and Pablo Felipe being wrapped up.

The manager is certainly happy with the business done so far, saying: “I think we have done well in a transfer window that is very tricky to operate. Pablo was at the Wolves game, now we have Taty and we hope we can have more.”

With Max Kilman receiving heavy criticism in recent weeks, however, being described as “horrendous” by BBC commentator Sam Avery, Nuno is also looking to improve his options at the opposite end of the pitch, and Toulouse star Cresswell is on the shortlist.

The 23-year-old is keen on joining the Irons, which suggests a move could be possible, and another Englishman could be signed alongside the centre-back, with West Ham now seriously considering a move for Chelsea outcast Raheem Sterling.

That is according to a report from TEAMtalk, which states the Hammers are desperate to bring in new signings, given that they have a relegation battle on their hands, and Sterling is among the targets, although there could be competition from Premier League rivals Fulham.

The winger is willing to take his time before deciding on his next club, however, and the fact that he wants a permanent exit from Chelsea could be an obstacle, as Nuno’s side are only considering a loan move as things stand.

"Outstanding" Sterling needs to leave Chelsea this month

The 82-time England international is a part of Chelsea’s ‘bomb squad’, having failed to force his way into former manager Enzo Maresca’s plans, which means he is yet to make an appearance in any competition this season.

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Having only turned 31 back in December, however, the forward could still have a good few years left before he needs to start thinking about retirement, which means he needs to leave the Blues this month for the good of his career.

Related Noble's a fan: West Ham now showing keen interest in "explosive midfielder"

The Hammers are looking to sign an “explosive midfielder”

Posts ByDominic Lund

Should the Jamaica-born attacker be able to rediscover his previous form, he may have the quality to help propel West Ham to safety, having amassed 123 goals and 75 assists in 396 Premier League games, across what has been a fantastic career.

Lauded as “absolutely outstanding” by former Arsenal man Paul Merson during his time with Chelsea, Sterling has shown he is a top player on his day, so he should seek a move elsewhere this month, although that would likely mean accepting a cut to his astronomical £325k-a-week wages.

Manchester United are keen to establish themselves again in the European places and could now look to bring a goalscoring midfielder to Old Trafford.

Man Utd set their stall out for the January transfer window

Despite managing to get themselves over the line against Newcastle United, Manchester United’s midfield is threadbare amid injuries to Bruno Fernandes and Kobbie Mainoo.

Jack Fletcher was once again entrusted to shore up the engine room amid a barrage of second-half attempts from Newcastle United, albeit January can’t come soon enough for the Red Devils, who could also deplete themselves further by selling Manuel Ugarte.

Becoming a maligned figure among the support, the Uruguay international may soon see his time at Old Trafford come to an end, meaning that new arrivals in the middle of the park become even more of a necessity for Amorim to pull off.

Nottingham Forest and England star Elliot Anderson is at the top of Manchester United’s list to bring some steel to the midfield picture. However, Atletico Madrid man Conor Gallagher has been earmarked as a possible signing if Ugarte leaves.

Casemiro’s minutes need to be managed amid injury concerns, while Bryan Mbeumo and Amad Diallo’s involvement at the African Cup of Nations has also led to Amorim juggling his pack across other positions.

Truthfully, most Premier League clubs find themselves struggling for depth due to fitness issues and absences. However, the Red Devils have done a decent job of navigating a notoriously tricky part of the campaign.

Amorim will want to try and take his side to the next level, using January as a vehicle to do so, and may now be set to try and seal an ambitious deal involving a well-known name at Old Trafford.

Man Utd dreaming of Scott McTominay return

According to CaughtOffside, Manchester United are dreaming of bringing Scott McTominay back to Old Trafford, and Napoli may be willing to sell the Scotland international should an extraordinary offer come to fruition from any interested suitors.

Valued at around £60 million, he is more likely to be sold in the summer after a return of five goals and four assists in 29 appearances this campaign.

Related Man Utd now leading race for £39m rising star with INEOS scouts blown away

The Red Devils are keen to beat their Premier League rivals to secure another talented option to aid their forward line.

Posts BySean Markus Clifford

McTominay was a candidate for the 2025 Ballon d’Or award and placed 18th when the ceremony took place after a stellar year for club and country, where he also played a leading role in Scotland reaching their first World Cup finals since 1998.

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In light of his exploits, Tottenham Hotspur, Newcastle United and Arsenal are also courting the 29-year-old, and Manchester United are now ready to enter the running as they regret offloading him to Napoli back in 2024.

Former United boss Jose Mourinho has been full of praise for the Scot’s rise at in Naples: “When I think of Scotland, I think of my boy, Scott McTominay.

“For me he’s one of the best midfielders in Europe. That kid is fantastic and I’m so proud of his career because I got him when he was 18 when nobody at Manchester United believed he could be the player he is.”

Paul Grayson, Essex’s beleaguered coach, has been confirmed in the role until the end of the season as the club’s general committee has overwhelmingly resisted a recommendation from the new cricket chairman Ronnie Irani to remove him immediately from the post.The debate about Grayson’s future could hardly have been more disruptively timed, coming only a few days before Essex’s NatWest quarter-final against Birmingham Bears at Edgbaston which was duly lost in one of their most disappointing displays of the season.The committee, clearly wary of a repeat, voted in Chelmsford on Monday to delay their decision on Grayson’s future, even as Essex travelled to their final Royal London Cup group match against Sussex at Hove, another season-defining match in which victory would ensure them of a home quarter-final.Grayson has supervised consistently excellent displays in limited-overs cricket since taking charge in 2008 with Essex second only to Hampshire in the number of victories in one-day cricket in that time. But while Hampshire have gone on to win trophies, Essex have repeatedly faltered in the final stages, encouraging Irani to press for change soon after being elected to the role last month.It is the timing of the recommendation that has brought most unease, although in some ways that was unavoidable. Grayson was anxious to determine his future before the end of the season after the decision of the former cricket committee chairman, Graham Saville, to step down after 27 years in the role naturally introduced a period of reassessment within the county.Grayson, it is interesting to note, is one year into an official three-year plan in which it was made clear that the priority was to secure a one-day trophy and reshape a young Championship side based on home grown players. That commitment has been followed to the letter with a whole host of debutants given an opportunity to prove their worth for a county that lacks the pace bowling depth to sustain a serious challenge.Irani sounded more ambitious, stating upon taking office: ” We need to try to get into division one of the County Championship. We’ve fallen short of that for quite a few years now. We have to change and we have to improve massively.”We have an immensely talented group of individuals and it is fair to say that at this moment in time we have underachieved in the last seven or eight years.”We are still talented and it is great to see young players coming through like Nick Browne, Tom Westley and Jamie Porter. We have to make sure we keep doing that, while getting Essex back to the level that we were in years gone by, knocking on doors and trying to win trophies.”At this moment in time Paul is the head coach and we have to respect that position until the cricket committee decide on anything different.”Quite how much Grayson can be blamed for a prolonged failure to reach Division One of the Championship is a question worth asking. As a coach, as opposed to a director of cricket, his powers have remained limited, much against the trend in the county game and Essex’s budget is considerably lower.Essex still have one of the most traditional structures in county cricket with the outgong cricket chairman Saville, a former England U19 coach, and captain, James Foster, having had most influence on the big cricketing decisions. That way of doing things is unlikely to change.

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Tottenham manager Andre Villas-Boas has slammed Real Madrid for going public about their interest in Gareth Bale. However, Madrid manager Carlo Ancelotti has continued to state that the club will not give up in trying to sign the Welsh Wizard.

Former Tottenham manager Harry Redknapp says a move to Real Madrid may be too good to refuse for Bale, noting that the opportunity to play for Los Blancos does not come along very often.

Spurs are also in the news for a positive reason. The Lilywhites completed a £26 million club record transfer for Roberto Soldado. Soldado tallied 30 goals in 46 appearances for Valencia. The 28-year-old believes the transfer was a good move for both sides.

Away from north London, Liverpool captain Steven Gerrard believes the club must hold on to Luis Suarez in order to be successful.

“I think he’s got a huge decision to make and his teammate, I’ve got to show him respect and give him space to make whatever decision he wants to make,” Gerrard stated. “But I think everyone in this room and everyone at this club knows what I want Luis Suarez to do.”

Gerrard also said he would not want LFC to sell Suarez to Arsenal, but he would understand if he went abroad to Real Madrid or Barcelona. Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger finally confirmed that the north London club has made a bid for the Uruguayan star.

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With the ongoing Gareth Bale transfer rumours, Real Madrid manager Carlo Ancelotti has raised an important question to his star Cristiano Ronaldo. Ancelotti stated that he’s not looking to change his position on the field but wants to put Ronaldo where he feels the most comfortable.

Finally, in the midst of all the Wayne Rooney transfer news, Man United legend Bobby Charlton believes Rooney should be a mainstay at Old Trafford for years to come, noting that he hopes one day Rooney will score as many goals in a United shirt as he did.

It was reported yesterday that Aston Villa could yet make a move for Leeds United midfielder Kalvin Phillips, who they have “long been admirers of”, having previously bid a reported £25m for the player back in the Summer of 2019.

This year, things could be different though, due to the sacking of boss Marcelo Bielsa, who wasn’t just a fan-favourite but was also a player-favourite among the likes of Phillips – who left him a heartwarming farewell message.

After the midfielder’s impressive showings at the European Championships last summer, it seemed unlikely that he would be heading anywhere but a ‘top 6’ club competing in European competition should he leave Leeds, but with the club languishing above the relegation places, a move to Villa wouldn’t be shocking in the slightest.

There is even a possibility that he could line-up alongside AC Milan star Franck Kessie, who has a “serious” offer on the table from the West Midlands club – which would surely create one of the Premier League’s best midfield trios with John McGinn or Jacob Ramsey slotting in the other position.

Villa boss Steven Gerrard must be licking his lips at the prospect of deploying any three of those four names, in his midfield system that aims to win back possession quickly and transform defence into attack often with just a few touches – something which the “perfect” midfield brute is well-known for.

The likelihood of both deals being completed at this stage isn’t high, but should journalist Ashley Preece’s claim that the club are ready for “a summer of big change” and complete a number of outgoing transfers, then funding may potentially not be a problem.

Phillips, who was rated at a whopping £60m last year, has had a season plagued with injury and fitness problems, but we all know the quality that he possesses, and his attitude, mentality and work rate makes him the ideal ‘Gerrard’ midfielder – so if the deal is there to be done, it simply must be completed.

Alternatively, Gerrard could still swoop for his former Rangers star Joe Aribo, who was heavily linked with a move in December, and would also slot into the midfield three perfectly, having played in a Gerrard system previously before.

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Completing an impressive 83.2% of his passes per game this season, as well as an eye-catching 8.60 passes under pressure per game, Aribo would also likely cost significantly less – having a valuation of just £9m.

In other news: AVFC make “serious” offer for “devastating” gem, he can take them to the next level

As per The Athletic, Tottenham Hotspur boss Antonio Conte now holds a very promising belief around Ryan Sessegnon amid his up-tick in form.

The Lowdown: Conte lavishes youngsters…

The Italian, since taking to Spurs’ helm, has apparently been in awe of some of the younger Lilywhites starlets behind-the-scenes.

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Among them are midfielder Oliver Skipp, who Conte allegedly considers a ‘coach’s dream’. He has taken a ‘big shine’ to the Englishman and agrees with the feeling inside Spurs he could become a major player in the next few years (Alasdair Gold).

Chelsea’s former head coach has also held praise for Dane Scarlett with Conte calling Tottenham’s 17-year-old gem a ‘really good’ talent and Spurs’ ‘best’ academy prospect (football.london).

The Latest: Conte also adores Sessegnon…

According to The Athletic, after an impressive few games, Conte ‘knows’ he has another starlet in Sessegnon who can ‘catch fire’ at Tottenham – provided he stays fit.

The left wing-back has been heavily favoured recently, starting the last four matches, including an imperious display away to Leeds United in a 4-0 demolition.

The Verdict: Crunch time for Sess…

Despite not having his best game against Middlesbrough in Tottenham’s FA Cup defeat on Tuesday night, the 21-year-old has undoubtedly displayed his quality in certain matches.

The mission now is to ensure he manages that level on a consistent enough basis with no more substitutions inside the first half an hour of Premier League matches.

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Sessegnon possesses bags of potential with pundit Noel Whelan even tipping him to become a ‘£50 million player’.

If the ex-Fulham star can keep fit and keep his place under Conte, Spurs fans may finally see that level start to slowly come.

In other news: Conte green-lights move for new top target as Spurs hierarchy pressured to seal agreement, find out more here.

Tonight brings arguably Manchester United’s most important game of the season so far as they host Atletico Madrid at Old Trafford in the second leg of their Champions League tie, and it’s all to play for after a 1-1 stalemate in Madrid.

This season has been yet another disappointment for fans with the side crashing out of both domestic competitions earlier than planned and are now in a very tight top-four race that could see the side end the season without a Champions League qualification spot in the Premier League, only heightening the desperation for progression in the European competition now.

With that being said, Ralf Rangnick must impose their best-attacking threats on their opponents to not only get an early lead in front of their home fans but to see out the game comfortably and with confidence. Therefore, the German coach must not ignore how out of form some of the players are currently and select those who have made an impact in the last few weeks.

The player who has put Manchester United in the position of power going into this decider tie is Anthony Elanga, who scored the equaliser in the final moments of the first game away at the Metropolitano Stadium, giving the team the crucial lifeline they needed ahead of their game at Old Trafford.

It’s very clear that Marcus Rashford is out of form for the Red Devils and Rangnick must realise that starting the struggling winger could be more of a hindrance than a help against the Spanish side this evening, especially since he hasn’t scored since January. Albeit more experienced in these pressured games, swapping out the 24-year-old for a young, goal-hungry Elanga would be more advantageous for the team.

The 19-year-old attacker who was hailed a “dream come true” by his manager Rangnick, has scored twice now in the last couple of weeks for Manchester United during a combined total of 38 minutes on the pitch. That is extremely impressive for the £3.6m-rated young talent and shouldn’t be overlooked by the manager when he makes his team selection today.

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Crashing out of the Champions League would be the final nail in the coffin of a disastrous season for Man United, and considering the team are playing at home in the final leg, Rangnick is under huge amounts of pressure to deliver in the decider. If he doesn’t the side could be in a sticky situation when it comes to European football next term.

In other news: Get rid: Ralf must bin £78k-p/w MUFC dud who lost the ball every 3 touches on Saturday…

Nelson Semedo, Ki-Jana Hoever and Pedro Neto are all out of Wolves’ Premier League clash with Leeds United, according to journalist Tim Spiers.

The Lowdown: Wolves face another big match

Wanderers are back in league action on Friday evening, as they host relegation-threatened Leeds on a big occasion at Molineux.

Bruno Lage’s side still have a chance of finishing in the top four this season, albeit a slim one, highlighting the importance of their clash with the Whites.

They will have to make do without three important figures for the game, though.

The Latest: Trio out of clash

Writing on Twitter on Thursday, Spiers confirmed in a six-word verdict that Semedo, Hoever and Neto would all be absent against Leeds, with the Portuguese pair back after the international break:

“Semedo, Hoever and Neto are out.”

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The Verdict: Must-win game

It is a blow to be without all three of Semedo, Hoever and Neto, with the absence of the first two leaving Wolves depleted in terms of right-back options. It seems likely that Jonny will again fill in there, having returned to action recently.

This is undoubtedly a must-win game for Wanderers, considering they are at home to a team near the bottom of the table, with anything other than three points damaging in their quest for European football.

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Victory would see Wolves go within two points of Arsenal, albeit having played three games more, and they would also jump into sixth place in the process.

In other news, Wolves have been given a boost regarding one player. Find out who it is here.

Manchester United have been stepping up their pursuit for a new manager during the international break with Ralf Rangnick due to end his interim role this summer, and an important update has now been revealed by Fabrizio Romano on the progress with Erik ten Hag.

What’s the word?

Popular transfer insider, Romano, has revealed an update on ten Hag’s future and has revealed that the Dutch manager has been approached by other clubs.

Tweeting to his 7.4m followers on Monday morning, he confirmed:

“It’s true, Erik ten Hag has been approached by two more clubs after meeting with Manchester United. No final decision yet on Man Utd side – he’s been interviewed last week, positive feeling but club board’s still considering other options.”

Glazers will be worried

The Glazers already have a very strained relationship with their fans, with a number of protests held against the owners over the years and letting the favourite choice, ten Hag, slip through the cracks due to the potential of him securing his future elsewhere, could be the final nail in the coffin for the owners at Old Trafford.

The Dutchman is the obvious choice to take over the project at Manchester United after his success with Ajax over the last few years, taking the Dutch champions to their first Champions League semi-final since 1997 in 2019 and then going on to win two Eredivisie titles and two Dutch cups.

Thus, the 52-year-old clearly possesses the winning mentality the Red Devils are desperate to reignite at their club.

During the manager’s reign at Ajax he has earned some impressive statistics, with 207 games in charge, winning 153, drawing 26 and losing just 28, leading to a win rate of 73.9% and an average of 2.34 points per match.

The Dutch side have scored a remarkable 570 goals in those 207 fixtures at a rate of 2.75 goals per outing, proving further that ten Hag’s attacking tactics are extremely effective, and again, something Man United are in dire need of to not only find an identity as a team but to become the powerhouse they once were under Sir Alex Ferguson.

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The powers at United must be more efficient and decisive in the coming weeks when it comes to finalising their plans for the future of the club moving forward. They cannot afford to go another season trophy-less and with a number of players potentially leaving on a free this summer, including Paul Pogba, attracting the right talent to replace could become a difficult task if the club can’t offer bright prospects for players.

In other news: MUFC now battling to sign £63m-rated gem this summer, he’s “better quality than Pogba”

On Wednesday, West Brom entertain promotion chasers AFC Bournemouth with both sides looking to secure all three points.

Over the last five games, the Baggies have taken eight points from a possible 15, with the recent 1-0 defeat against West Midlands rivals Birmingham City proving as a potential detriment to their outside chances of sneaking into the play-off places.

Results have been poor since the start of the year and even with the appointment of Steve Bruce, West Brom have struggled to settle on a formation. They have made some improvements, with Bruce deploying a 3-5-2-flat formation across the last five games, and it has seen the Baggies begin to pick up much-needed points at what is such an important time in the season.

There is a slight issue with the system though; it does not cater for all of their talent, with prospects like Grady Diangana, who has been described as a “special talent” by The Athletic reporter Steve Madeley, failing to get a look in over the last five games.

Since Bruce’s system change, Diangana’s game time has suffered drastically with the former England youth player making six-eight minute cameos off the bench for the Baggies in four of the last five games.

Just a year-or-so ago, West Ham skipper Mark Noble slammed the Hammers’ decision to let Diangana leave and shared his view in response to the club’s official tweet regarding Diangana’s departure. He said:

“As captain of this football club I’m gutted, angry and sad that Grady has left, great kid with a great future!!!!!!”

At the time of Diangana’s departure from West Ham, there were also links to Ajax, with Erik ten Hag said to have been interested in the now £7.2m-rated winger.

On the chalkboard

Diangana’s talent is unquestionable but his potential is not being filled.

A slight system change could allow Diangana to shine, whilst also aiding the Baggies in their pursuit of the Championship play-off places.

Bruce’s three at the back experiment has so far worked for West Brom, but the defensive constraints on the wide players translate to less freedom for Diangana, which may be why Bruce is giving him limited minutes.

If Bruce were to issue a 3-4-3-box system (3-2-2-3), as used by Xavi at former club Al Sadd, he would be able to give his wingers freedom to attack, with the two central midfielders and central defensive midfielders able to cover defensively.

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Diangana can play on either wing, but being left-footed could offer Bruce an inverted option on the right, in what would be a threatening attacking trio of Robinson, Grant and Diangana (RGD for short).

The link-up between Diangana and Grant could spell real trouble for the rest of the Championship.

In other news – Fewer touches than Johnstone: WBA lightweight who made just 3 passes let Bruce down – opinion