WHO Poll
Q: 2023/24 Hopes & aspirations for this season
a. As Champions of Europe there's no reason we shouldn't be pushing for a top 7 spot & a run in the Cups
24%
  
b. Last season was a trophy winning one and there's only one way to go after that, I expect a dull mid table bore fest of a season
17%
  
c. Buy some f***ing players or we're in a battle to stay up & that's as good as it gets
18%
  
d. Moyes out
38%
  
e. New season you say, woohoo time to get the new kit and wear it it to the pub for all the big games, the wags down there call me Mr West Ham
3%
  



Alan 12:52 Wed Feb 1
Wednesday newspapers (includes West Ham)
BBC

Manchester City are planning a move for Leicester City's 26-year-old England midfielder James Maddison in the summer. (Mail)

A loan move to Inter Milan was never an option for 29-year-old Manchester United and England defender Harry Maguire, who will stay at Old Trafford until at least the end of the season. (Fabrizio Romano)

Chelsea asked Inter Milan about selling 25-year-old Italy midfielder Nicolo Barella, but the Serie A club were not prepared to let him leave. (Tuttomercatoweb - in Italian)

Paris St-Germain will appeal to the Ligue de Football Professionnel (LFP) after failing to complete a deal for 29-year-old Chelsea and Morocco winger Hakim Ziyech. The clubs signed the contracts but they were not registered in time. (Fabrizio Romano)

Inter Milan chief executive Giuseppe Marotta says Slovakia defender Milan Skriniar, 27, has made the choice not to sign a new contract and instead leave on a free transfer in the summer. (Sport Mediaset via Football Italia)

Bournemouth turned down the chance to sign Roma's 23-year-old Italy midfielder Nicolo Zaniolo after he had a change of heart about joining. (Sky Sport Italia via Daily Echo)

West Brom's loan deal for 19-year-old Chelsea andJamaica winger Omari Hutchinson fell through on deadline day after the Baggies signed English winger Marc Albrighton, 33, on loan from Leicester City. (Football.London)

AC Milan have denied there are tensions in negotiations over a new contract with Portugal forward Rafael Leao, 23, and talks are taking place "in a professional way". (Football Italia)

Barcelona tried to sign Morocco midfielder Sofyan Amrabat, 26, from Fiorentina on loan with an obligation to buy, but the Italian club rejected the offer. (Sport - in Spanish)

Bayern Munich rejected Inter Milan's advances for France defender Benjamin Pavard, 26, in the final hours of the transfer window. (L'Equipe - in French)




Sky Paper Talk

DAILY MAIL

Manchester City are interested in a move for James Maddison this summer.

Hakim Ziyech's loan move to Paris Saint-Germain was held up because Chelsea have been "greedy" in their negotiations, according to reports in France.

Jadon Sancho is set to make his return to the Manchester United matchday squad for the first time since October.

Enner Valencia claims his fellow Ecuador international Moises Caicedo should not have written the Instagram post which signalled he was leaving Brighton.

The 12 clubs involved in the European Super League project have had their protection against any UEFA sanctions restored, at least until the European Court of Justice rules on the case later this year.

Conor Benn is expected to be permitted to return to the World Boxing Council rankings when it releases its findings from a three-month investigation into his failed drugs tests.

THE SUN

Manchester City "really like" Arsenal star Bukayo Saka, reports claim.

Juventus star Dusan Vlahovic wants a move to Real Madrid amid interest from Manchester United, Chelsea and Arsenal.

Marc Cucurella was shocked to learn Jorginho had completed his transfer from Chelsea to Arsenal.

THE ATHLETIC

Crystal Palace's first-team coach Shaun Derry has left his role with the Premier League club.

DAILY TELEGRAPH

Aston Villa have dismissed a campaign from their own supporters to abandon a shirt sponsorship deal with controversial online casino BK8.

England are facing an extraordinary stretch on their resources for the white-ball tour of Bangladesh with around 15 players set to be unavailable for the start of the tour.

LIV Golf has signed yet another PGA Tour winner, with Colombian Sebastian Munoz set to be announced as the newest recruit for the Saudi-funded league, which begins in three weeks' time.

THE INDEPENDENT

Everton have turned to Andre Ayew late in the window to try and solve their scoring issues, and are in advanced talks about a deal.

DAILY STAR

Ex-Manchester United boss Ralf Rangnick was full of praise for Manchester United new-boy Marcel Sabitzer from when the pair worked together at RB Leipzig.

Train tickets from Newcastle to London on the day of the League Cup final all but sold out just 20 minutes into Tuesday's semi-final second leg.

THE TIMES

Chelsea's Ben Chilwell, who Manchester City almost signed from Leicester City in 2020, is among their targets for a new left-back.

Liverpool are considering their former base at Melwood as a site for the training ground for their women's team.

DAILY RECORD

Former Poland manager Czeslaw Michniewicz is interested in becoming the new manager of Aberdeen, according to reports.

THE SCOTSMAN

Jonny Hayes insists he and his Aberdeen team-mates did not "throw Jim Goodwin under the bus" but knows they have no defence to accusations being levelled at them.






The Athletic

West Ham missed golden chance to refresh their ageing squad. It could haunt them

By Roshane Thomas

Ever since returning as manager in December 2019, David Moyes has always planned long-term for West Ham United.

“I can tell you what my approach has always been,” he said a month after being appointed. “We didn’t have much to spend at Everton and my idea was always to bring in players with resale value.

“I want the vision for the club to be that we are looking to bring in young, attractive and hungry players who are saying, ‘We are going to make West Ham better’. If I get given the opportunity to do that, I will turn it around.”

After coming 16th in 2019-20, Moyes then delivered back-to-back European qualification in 2020-21 and 2021-22, with West Ham reaching the semi-finals of the Europa League last season.

It was impressive progress and hopes were high heading into this season. However, despite the summer arrivals of Flynn Downes, 24, Nayef Aguerd, 26, Maxwel Cornet, 26, Lucas Paqueta, 25, and Gianluca Scamacca, 24, West Ham find themselves in 16th place heading into February, with the oldest squad in the Premier League.

The January transfer window was, therefore, a chance for the club to bring in some more talented youngsters and hopefully kickstart their season.

Yet Moyes abandoned the long-standing transfer policy he spoke of after being appointed and instead opted for a short-term approach by signing striker Danny Ings from Aston Villa. The 30-year-old was injured on his debut against Everton two weeks ago.

“We need someone who knows the league,” Moyes had said about Ings. “We’ve had a look at a few players but I wanted someone who wasn’t a risk in terms of knowing the league. He is what we need.”

In a similar vein, following centre-back Craig Dawson’s departure to Wolverhampton Wanderers, a loan for Everton’s Michael Keane, 30, was explored.

Like Ings, it would have only been a short-term solution to try to ease West Ham’s precarious league position. It came to nothing and Ings was the only player the club paid any money for in the window.

The brutal reality is that Moyes’ side are just three points off the bottom of the table. The failure to use the January window to refresh his ageing squad before a crucial few months could prove to be hugely damaging.

It also means this summer will be even more difficult for West Ham, regardless of what happens on the pitch between now and May.

Declan Rice, the 24-year-old club captain, looks set to leave this summer with Arsenal, Chelsea and both Manchester clubs interested in the England international. Rice has expressed his desire to play in the Champions League and, given West Ham’s perilous position in the table, this is not something he will achieve in east London.

Furthermore, goalkeeper Lukasz Fabianski, 37, centre-back Angelo Ogbonna, 34, and left-back Aaron Cresswell, 33, are all entering the final months of their contracts.

Ogbonna and Fabianski have not discussed possible contract extensions this season.

To make matters worse, Michail Antonio — the club’s all-time top scorer in the Premier League — is likely to depart this summer following a failed attempt to move in the January transfer window. Wolves, Chelsea and Everton were all interested in the 32-year-old forward.

Moyes had viewed Lorient’s Terem Moffi as a potential long-term successor for Antonio, but the 23-year-old joined Nice on loan earlier this week.

Fabianski, Cresswell, Ogbonna and Antonio have been dependable figures, but are all now in their thirties and have uncertain futures. This, coupled with the fact West Ham have the top flight’s oldest squad, puts the club’s failure to sign young talent in an even harsher light.

Indeed, promising 18-year-old forward Divin Mubama’s three-minute cameo against Arsenal on December 26 is the only instance of a player under the age of 22 appearing in the league for West Ham this season.

Whatever happens on the field during the rest of this season, this summer is hugely important for West Ham. They are likely to lose their captain and their ageing squad must be addressed.

They had the chance to tackle the latter issue in the month just gone, but it is an opportunity that passed them by.

The more immediate issue is the club’s fight to stay in the Premier League. In May, we will find out whether West Ham’s failure to improve their squad this winter will result in relegation.




Replies - Newest Posts First (Show In Chronological Order)

Mex Martillo 4:53 Wed Feb 1
Re: Wednesday newspapers (includes West Ham)
Thanks Alan
I like the Athletic stories, which also remind me of Irish

Texas Iron 4:32 Wed Feb 1
Re: Wednesday newspapers (includes West Ham)
CHEERS...

bill green 1:14 Wed Feb 1
Re: Wednesday newspapers (includes West Ham)

ted fenton 1:07 Wed Feb 1

ted fenton 1:07 Wed Feb 1
Re: Wednesday newspapers (includes West Ham)
Thanks Alan 12:53 Wed Feb 1

Cicero 12:59 Wed Feb 1
Re: Wednesday newspapers (includes West Ham)
Thanks, Alan.

Thanks Alan 12:53 Wed Feb 1
Re: Wednesday newspapers (includes West Ham)
Thanks Alan





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