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West Ham United have been handed a boost after an injury update from Claret & Hugh revealed that Vladimir Coufal will be ready to return for the clash against Aston Villa next weekend.

The Lowdown

During the Hammers’ disappointing 2-0 loss to Brighton on Sunday, David Moyes was forced into a 75th-minute substitution after the 30-year-old suffered what appeared to be a serious injury.

The Czech Republic international was replaced by Ben Johnson, who thankfully was available to come on after starting their previous two games at centre-back due to various absences.

However, following Coufal’s injury, worries emerged concerning the length of his spell on the sidelines.

The Latest

West Ham insiders Claret & Hugh have now provided an injury update on the defender, sharing surprising details of the issue itself.

According to their report, they learnt after the Brighton game that the right-back had actually been knocked unconscious, rather than having sustained a more physical or tangible injury as previously feared.

This means the defender will be available for the Irons’ next Premier League game against Aston Villa in six days’ time.

As per Claret & Hugh, an inside source claimed: “He was concussed after being knocked unconscious. As a result, it will be the stipulated six days before he can play again.”

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The Verdict

Having started all three of the Hammers’ opening Premier League games, the news that Coufal will be available by the weekend’s trip to Villa Park will bring a sense of relief to Moyes, who will no longer have to contemplate implementing alternative measures to his usual back-line.

Following the arrival of Thilo Kehrer at centre-back, Johnson can revert to his more natural position at right-back, where he will be able to be rotated with the recovering 30-year-old.

Therefore, with Moyes’ eyes focused on securing additions for other areas of the pitch, Coufal’s return will come as a big relief to GSB, who may not need to fork out on an extra full-back this summer in the knowledge that the Czech ace won’t be sidelined for a lengthy period of time.

It’s also a welcome boost due to the 30-year-old’s performances in recent weeks, demonstrating his defensive acumen by posting the third-highest tackling average (1.7 per game) and joint-most interceptions per game (two) in Moyes’ squad.

Tottenham Hotspur are in negotiations to seal a move for Nicolo Zaniolo…

What’s the word?

That’s according to French outlet Foot Mercato, who claim that the Lilywhites are in talks to sign the AS Roma star on a loan with an option to buy.

It’s thought that the Serie A outfit would be open to selling the Italy international as manager Jose Mourinho may struggle to find a place in the starting XI following the arrival of Paulo Dybala, who is expected to support Tammy Abraham and Lorenzo Pellegrini in the attack.

It remains to be seen how much that option to buy would be, though CIES Football Observatory currently value the 23-year-old at €40m (£34m), so he surely wouldn’t come cheap.

Kulusevski 2.0

This is a deal that could see Spurs sporting director Fabio Paratici repeat his previous transfer masterclass with Dejan Kulusevski, who currently remains on loan at Hotspur Way for the next 12 months after joining from Juventus back in January.

As per the BBC, the Sweden winger has an option to buy for around £29.2m and given his form in 2022, it wouldn’t be a surprise to see the north Londoners pull the trigger, sooner rather than later.

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In just 20 appearances, Kuluevski delivered five goals and eight assists, via Transfermarkt. He has been the only man to rival the likes of Harry Kane and Heung-min Son in terms of attacking exploits for quite some time and he is likely to be the starter alongside the long-serving Spurs duo.

Zaniolo would add a further dimension to manager Antonio Conte’s squad, though given his injury record, it’s a wise decision to try and lure him to N17 on an initial loan.

That said, when the Italian dynamo is fit, he is a lethal threat from the engine room, having provided Roma with eight goals and nine assists across all competitions last season, including the winner in their Europa Conference League triumph over Feyenoord.

The 23-year-old gem, dubbed “explosive” by Giallorossi legend Francesco Totti, is capable of being that creative option that Conte is currently lacking. He ranks inside the top 3% of his positional peers in the Serie A for through balls (0.32 per 90) and the top 4% for dribbles attempted (4.93 per 90), via FBref.

That ability to drive the ball forward before laying the ball off to the striker or out wide is exactly what Spurs need right now to complete their impressive summer business.

Paratici must look to get this one over the line, just a month away from the transfer deadline.

AND in other news, Conte’s 7-word hint will send Spurs fans wild…

Everton have been heavily linked with a move for Armando Broja this summer, and there has now been an update on the club’s pursuit of the player from a reliable source.

What’s the latest?

According to The Athletic’s Everton reporter Greg O’Keeffe, the Toffees remain interested in signing the Albania international this summer.

In an article for The Athletic, O’Keeffe claims that the Chelsea youngster remains the number one target to replace Richarlison at Goodison Park following his £60m move to Tottenham Hotspur.

However, the reporter added that Thomas Tuchel wants to check out all of his young talents during the Blues’ pre-season tour of the United States and will then make a final decision on Broja’s future at Stamford Bridge. Also, the Daily Mail reported on Friday night that West Ham have submitted a £30m offer for the 20-year-old.

Lampard unearth new Richarlison

There is a Richarlison-shaped hole at Goodison Park that Frank Lampard will surely be desperate to fill before the Merseysiders return to Premier League action next month, and the 6 foot 3 Broja could be the perfect player to fill the void.

According to FBRef, the former Everton winger was the eighth most comparable player to the Chelsea youngster over the last 12 months, which is a strong reason for Lampard to progress in pursuing the 20-year-old.

Although Richarlison had more goal contributions (15) than the Albanian, Broja outperformed the Brazilian for shots on target accuracy (39.6%). He also had a better pass completion (61.9%) and dribble completion rate (48.4%), proving that Everton could have their next £60m star on their hands if they complete a deal for the Chelsea gem.

Lampard has made no secret of his admiration of Broja after giving him his start in Premier League football when he handed the Stamford Bridge talent his debut in the top flight in March 2020, ironically against Everton.

The Toffees manager spoke out about the towering young striker’s talents last season during a pre-match press conference when Everton faced Southampton (via Metro), saying: “Well I gave him his debut at Chelsea so I did know him! He’s a very nice, very good lad and a very talented young boy.

“He’s fast, strong, has a real eye for goal and he’s a very, very good young player so I’m very aware of his strengths.”

The signing of Broja is one which would be warmly welcomed by the Everton manager, and the Albanian would likely make the desired instant impact that the Toffees need, as Lampard is well aware of his strengths and talents and could therefore extract these without delay.

AND in other news – “Could be triggered…”: Fabrizio Romano drops huge Everton transfer update that supporters will love 

Former Premier League striker Kevin Campbell has delivered his reaction to Liverpool defender Joe Gomez signing a new contract. 

The lowdown: Gomez sticking around

The 25-year-old found himself down the centre-back pecking order last season having returned from injury, with Virgil van Dijk, Joel Matip and new arrival Ibrahima Konate dominating the minutes for Jurgen Klopp’s side.

That loss of favouritism led to links with a move away this summer, with Steven Gerrard’s Aston Villa the leading protagonists, but this week Gomez put pen to paper on a lucrative new deal to stay at Anfield until 2027.

Having now put any doubts surrounding his future to bed, one onlooker has had his say on what the future holds for the former Charlton academy prospect…

The latest: Campbell questions contract decision

Speaking to Football Insider, former Everton frontman Campbell suggested that the 11-cap England ace could be making a mistake by staying put as a likely fourth choice.

The talkSPORT pundit said: “Listen, it would be a great deal for Liverpool. I would question Joe Gomez though. At his age, to not be starting… How many games does he start in a season?

“I know Liverpool go for every trophy and he will play some games in the cups but is that really enough? He is an England international. In a World Cup year he should be thinking, ‘I want to be somewhere where I will play so I can get in the England squad.’

“If he feels comfortable and is happy with the opportunities he is getting fair enough. That is up to him. For me, I don’t think he is going to play enough next season.”

The verdict: More to come

Gomez – who was hailed as a ‘special player’ by journalist James Pearce in 2020 – still managed 21 appearances across all competitions for the Reds last season, playing horrendous knee injury.

Although no longer the first choice partner to Van Dijk, this coming season in particular looks set to be a testing one on the schedule, with a World Cup in the middle of the campaign. Therefore, having a depth of options at the 25-year-old’s level could be massive for Klopp in the long-term.

Despite perhaps no longer being the jewel in the crown of the Liverpool backline, as was the case back in 2017/18, Gomez should continue to get enough action to warrant his place in the squad, as he certainly still has an abundance of talent and looks destined to enjoy a long and fruitful career at Anfield.

Whether or not the game-time and indeed form is enough to earn a place in the England ranks for the Qatar tournament in November remains to be seen, but ultimately it could be down to persistent injuries curtailing the progress of top talent as opposed to him being held back by Liverpool.

A recent report has now shared a potentially significant update involving West Ham United and Villarreal winger Arnaut Danjuma.

The Lowdown: Moyes in forward hunt…

Sky Sports claim West Ham boss David Moyes could be a ‘very busy’ man this summer and wants at at least six new signings in total before the start of 2022/2023.

After just missing out on a place in the Premier League top six last season, the east Londoners are seemingly determined to keep pace with England’s elite who are strengthening all around them.

West Ham have already signed Morocco international Nayef Aguerd and sealed Paris-Saint Germain goalkeeper Alphonse Areola with attacking additions now being eyed.

The Latest: Report shares significant Danjuma update…

As per a report by El Periódico Mediterráneo, via Sport Witness, it appears the Irons could be set to move for Danjuma of Villarreal soon.

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Indeed, they state talks between both the La Liga side and West Ham ‘may begin this week’ after ‘first contacts’ with the player’s representatives have commenced.

However, it is believed Villarreal ‘would only start negotiating with a starting price of €35 million (£30m)’.

The Verdict: Pay the price?

For around £30m, or potentially even more, Danjuma would still prove a snip for West Ham.

As per WhoScored, the Netherlands international finished 21/22 as one of Villarreal’s best-performing players whilst racking up their most attempts at goal per 90 on average.

Danjuma scored ten goals and assisted three others, the most goals and assists combined out of any of his teammates in the Spanish top flight.

Indeed, we believe Villarreal are well within their rights to demand £30m, especially since members of the media like football analyst Marcus Bring have called him a ‘ridiculous player’.

Leeds United transfer target Jake Clarke-Salter has now been released by Chelsea, according to Sky Sports.

The Lowdown: Leeds enquiry

Clarke-Salter made just two senior appearances for the Blues but gained plenty of senior experience with loan spells at five separate clubs.

The 24-year-old spent last season in the Championship with Coventry City, where he appeared to catch the eye of Leeds officials after making 31 appearances for the Sky Blues.

Reports last month claimed that the Whites had made an enquiry regarding the centre-back’s availability, with a significant update emerging on the player’s future on Friday.

The Latest: Sky Sports update

Sky Sports shared some on-air news regarding a number of Chelsea players, as they learned ‘in the last few minutes’ that four Blues players have been released, including Clarke-Salter.

They added that Andreas Christensen, Danny Drinkwater and Charly Musonda have also been let go by the west London club.

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The Verdict: Leeds free to swoop

Victor Orta and co have seemingly been tracking the defender for some time following an enquiry last month, and they are now free to make the player their third summer signing after Brenden Aaronson and Rasmus Kristensen.

Whether the 24-year-old is needed at Elland Road is another question, though, with Jesse Marsch already having five options at centre-back.

Other central areas of the pitch in midfield and in attack could do with bolstering as well, but if the Whites still want Clarke-Salter following reports last month, now is the time to act.

In other news: Leeds forced to negotiate for ‘next Declan Rice’ as ‘silly’ contract dispute emerges. 

A big Ibrox development has emerged regarding Rangers and their plans with Ianis Hagi for the upcoming summer transfer window. 

What’s the talk?

Twitter transfer account The 4th Official has confirmed that the Premiership giants will not be cashing in on the winger ahead of the 2022/23 campaign.

They tweeted: “Rangers have zero intention of selling Ianis Hagi. There is a feeling that this is a lowball offer that is done primarily to unsettle the player.”

This comes after reports of a €7m (£6m) bid from Galatasaray in an attempt to snap up the Romanian from Ibrox, with Ross Wilson rejecting the Turkish club’s offer.

Gio van Bronckhorst will be delighted

The Gers head coach will be delighted with this news, as it suggests that Hagi will be at Ibrox come the end of the summer transfer window.

He will be buzzing with Wilson’s reluctance to do a deal for the Romania international, as it shows that the club are willing to stand firm and fight to keep hold of their best players. They will not roll over and allow European suitors to take away their most prized gems without paying a hefty price for them.

Van Bronckhorst can therefore have faith that those making the decisions above him will do what is in the best interests of what happens on the pitch, rather than taking the £6m offer and banking the money to the detriment to the team.

Former Rangers boss Steven Gerrard previously lauded the 23-year-old’s mentality, saying: “We’re really happy with Ianis Hagi, he’s a joy to work with.

“He’s a student of the game. He’s always looking at areas to improve, whether that be from a physical point of view or tactically or technically. He’s someone you have to drag off the training ground.

“Ianis is always in the analyst department too. He’s never out of the gym, so he’s an absolute dream to work with, very low maintenance. We’re delighted with how he is developing and progressing and we’re happy to have him.”

These comments suggest that the midfielder is unlikely to be affected by any mind games at play with Galatasaray’s bid, as he is a hard worker and will not want to cause any issues which may affect his development by agitating for a move.

Hagi’s drive to be the best is also another reason why Van Bronckhorst will be delighted by Rangers’ stance on his situation. The Dutch head coach will surely be excited to work with the midfielder upon his return from injury, as he has shown that he has an appetite to develop and hone his skills.

AND in other news, Imagine him & Souttar: Rangers can seal dream deal by signing 23 y/o “real leader”…

Liverpool midfielder Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain must quit the Reds this summer, according to former England international Danny Mills.

The Lowdown: Ox’s lack of minutes

The 28-year-old was once a key figure at Anfield, going back to 2017/18, but he has fallen way down the pecking order under Jurgen Klopp these days.

Klopp has picked Oxlade-Chamberlain for a total of just nine Premier League appearances this season, not offering a single minute of action since March 20th.

It looks highly likely that the former Arsenal man will leave Liverpool this summer given the lack of faith from the manager, with this the last chance to receive a fee for him before his contract expires next year.

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The Latest: Call it quits

Speaking to Football Insider, Mills, a regular on BBC Radio 5 Live, said Oxlade-Chamberlain should seal a summer exit from Anfield after Klopp’s decision to freeze him out:

“The last few years really just haven’t worked out for him at all. He’s a fantastic player. He’s got everything you could possibly need from an attacking midfielder.

“He can run at people, score goals, pick a pass. But with injuries and with the Liverpool squad as strong as it is, he just hasn’t had a chance. You can’t see that changing with the way they’re progressing.

“If he wants to play more football and reignite his career, he will have to move on from Liverpool. It’s simple.”

The Verdict: Played his final game?

It’s incredible to think that Oxlade-Chamberlain hasn’t played at all for two months now, perhaps even suggesting that Klopp has completely lost faith in him, and it would be a surprise if he featured against either Wolves or Real Madrid.

It feels almost certain that the midfielder will move on once this season reaches its climax, with his future lying elsewhere if he wants to become a regular feature in a top flight side.

Oxlade-Chamberlain will be remembered as a solid servant for Liverpool, scoring 17 goals and registering 15 assists in 133 appearances, but his time at the club has fizzled out this season, with his contribution diminishing greatly as the campaign reached crunch time.

In other news, a journalist believes there is ‘strong interest’ in one Liverpool player. Find out who it is here.

Manchester City currently boast the best defensive record in the Premier League this season, having conceded just 21 goals in 34 games.

The Manchester club’s four main senior centre-backs of John Stones, Ruben Dias, Nathan Ake and Aymeric Laporte have all played a part in this impressive feat throughout this campaign.

While the Citizens still have a handful of massive games ahead of them that could see Pep Guardiola’s side end the season potentially with the Premier League and Champions League, it seems as though the club already have their eye on the upcoming summer transfer window.

What’s the news?

According to journalist and transfer insider Fabrizio Romano in his latest podcast (via City Xtra), City are scouting Villarreal defender Pau Torres, who apparently has a €55m – €60m (£46.3m – £50.5m) release clause in his current contract.

It has also been reported in the past that the La Liga club would look for a fee of £43m to sell their defensive gem.

As a product of Villarreal’s youth system, the centre-back has gone on to make a total of 129 senior appearances for the Spanish club across all competitions.

In those appearances, the Spaniard has chipped in with ten goals and four assists along the way.

Guardiola’s dream player

From a defensive point of view, the 25-year-old has the second-highest number of interceptions and clearances to his name at Villarreal in La Liga this season.

Furthermore, no other defender in Unai Emery’s side has been able to complete as many passes as Torres has in this campaign, showing just how capable he is on the ball as well as off it.

This makes it easy to see why a team like City with a manager such as Guardiola would have their eyes on the player.

Looking at this Premier League season, three of the top five passers in the league are City defenders, which highlights just how much talent is needed in terms of being in possession and moving the ball around the pitch to be a defender in this side.

Labelled as a player that has a “tremendous ease of playing passes through the lines [and] always finding the free player,” by Miguel Alvarez, Torres has shown he has what it takes to fit this sort of profile that the City boss demands from his defenders.

This, therefore, could make the Villarreal star a dream player for Guardiola should the Manchester club end up signing him.

In other news: “In the coming days..”: Romano drops exciting MCFC transfer update, it’s great news

Once the lynchpin around whom the Knight Riders team was built, Robin Uthappa lost his most precious gift – timing – in their must-win game at the Wankhede stadium

Ankur Dhawan in Mumbai06-May-2019They say a good batsman makes the game look easy. Robin Uthappa has been so prolific for Kolkata Knight Riders since he was bought by the franchise in 2014 – also the year they won their second title – that he was one of the pillars around whom a new squad was assembled in 2018.His signature shot is the pull off the front foot. The game can’t look too difficult when you can consistently do that against raw pace. Oh, and those sixes down the ground against spin, when he just presses forward and extends his arms. For a six-hitter, he is hardly a butcher of the cricket ball. His craft is subtle, he is a timer. Against Mumbai Indians on Sunday night, however, his most precious gift deserted him. What awful timing, and that too in a must-win match for his team.Even as he was beaten attempting to cut a ball that was too full and too close to his body to execute the shot, there wasn’t any sense of prescience about the struggle that lay ahead of him. He repeated the shot two balls later, going harder this time, but only had the second of his myriad meetings with disappointment.The run rate had begun to dip already. At the end of the Powerplay, Knight Riders were 49 for no loss. Second ball into the ninth over, they were reduced to 56 for two, as Chris Lynn departed, deceived by a slower ball as he tried to get things moving again. Out walked Dinesh Karthik to join his vice-captain. Another over passed by with the run rate coming down to six.Had they known of the horror in store, perhaps Andre Russell would have been elevated to try and up the ante from one end. But then there was a case for Russell’s promotion much earlier, when Shubman Gill was dismissed. Much like in Kolkata against the same opposition, when the openers had set a similar platform for Russell to launch from. Although Uthappa was batting on seven from 11 balls at this stage, in that game, Russell had also managed just six from his first 11 deliveries. Batsmen often take refuge in the truism that the longer you are out there, the easier it gets. It did for Russell, as he finished with an unbeaten 80 off 40 balls. For Uthappa, there was no such release.By the end of the 11th over, panic started to set in. The cause, a maiden over and a plummeting run rate. It may never be celebrated similarly but at that stage of the game, six consecutive dot balls were a near equivalent of six consecutive sixes. With each swish and a miss, it felt like the law of averages was bound to catch up and there would be a run stolen somewhere. But it wasn’t to be. In fact, only once did Uthappa manage to make contact with the ball in that Mitchell McClenaghan over, and on that occasion, he couldn’t beat the fielder at extra cover. It seemed as though the harder he tried to release the pressure, the more he tried to butcher the ball and the more he distanced himself from his sense of timing.In any lower level of cricket, this would have been the tipping point for his partner to run him out on purpose. Instead, it was Knight Riders who perished under the mounting pressure. Meanwhile, Uthappa managed to clear the ropes a couple of times but there was no way to assuage the frustration of a struggle that lasted until the penultimate ball and eventually, resulted in Knight Riders’ elimination from the tournament.