Tuesday News (includes West Ham)

[Alan]

BBC

Nottingham Forest have made a £35m bid for Crystal Palace striker Jean-Philippe Mateta, but the Eagles want a £40m package and will only let the 28-year-old Frenchman leave if that price is met and they are able to bring in a replacement. (Athletic - subscription required), external

Everton and Guinea-Bissau forward Beto, 27, is one of the options Juventus are considering as they look to bring in a striker during the winter transfer window. (Gazzetta dello Sport - in Italian), external

Juventus are also interested in Liverpool's Italy winger Federico Chiesa, 28, and 24-year-old Dutch forward Joshua Zirkzee, who is at Manchester United. (Gazzetta dello Sport - in Italian), external

France striker Randal Kolo Muani, 27, is on a season-long at Tottenham from Paris St-Germain and is another option Juventus have asked about. (Fabrizio Romano), external

Manchester United midfielder Bruno Fernandes is set to wait until the end of the season before deciding on his future, with the 31-year-old's current deal running until 2027 and having the option of a further year. (Mirror), external

Atletico Madrid are set to hold talks with Atalanta about signing 26-year-old Brazil midfielder Ederson from the Italian side. (AS - in Spanish), external

Everton have rejected an offer from Lazio for 22-year-old English midfielder Tim Iroegbunam. (Corriere dello Sport - in Italian), external

Newcastle United's English defender Jamal Lascelles, 32, has been told he can leave the club if the right deal is found. (Chronicle), external

Wolves have rejected a £6.9m bid from Roma for 23-year-old Norway left-back David Moller Wolfe. (Sky Sports)




Sky Paper Talk

PREMIER LEAGUE

Bruno Fernandes is once again understood to be considering his Manchester United future - Daily Mirror

Chelsea's Cole Palmer would be open to a sensational transfer to Manchester United and is unsettled living in London - The Sun

Lewis Dunk is a target for Nottingham Forest boss Sean Dyche despite signing a new deal with Brighton only last month - Daily Mail

Food health inspectors have handed out a five-star health rating to Manchester United after two years of misery when it came to food operation cleanliness at Old Trafford - Daily Mail

EFL

Alexandre Pato has held talks over buying League Two side Colchester United - Daily Mirror

Gary Rowett is among the early candidates for the vacant manager's job at Leicester City, who fired Marti Cifuentes after only six months in charge - Daily Mail

Premier League cult hero Fabio Borini is extending his stay at Salford City until at least the end of the season - The Sun

SCOTTISH FOOTBALL

Rangers have received a £2m bid from Cypriot Champions League outfit Pafos for misfit striker Danilo - The Scottish Sun

Rangers have offered around £2.6m to land towering striker Ryan Naderi - The Scottish Sun

Celtic have been told John Beaton had no right to get involved and suggest an upgrade to Auston Trusty's yellow card at Tynecastle on Sunday by a former top SFA ref - Daily Record

WORLD CUP

Thomas Tuchel and the England coaching staff have earmarked MLS side Sporting Kansas City's youth facility at the Swope Soccer Village as their preferred centre of operations at the World Cup - Daily Mail

EUROPEAN FOOTBALL

Former Spain head coach Roberto Moreno is believed to have been sacked from his most recent coaching role at Russian club FC Sochi after an over-reliance on AI programme ChatGPT led to him 'ignoring common sense' - Daily Mail

FORMULA 1

Formula 1 legend Michael Schumacher, who was injured in a horrific ski accident 12 years ago, is no longer bedridden - Daily Mail

Formula 1 has been criticised for its heavy-handed security on day one of pre-season testing in Barcelona, with fans labelling the decision to hold the first test in such secrecy a "bad look" for the sport - Daily Mail

RUGBY UNION

Harlequins are closing in on the signing of Northampton and England full-back George Furbank as they look to turn the club around following an awful season - Daily Mail

TENNIS

Jannik Sinner and Carlos Alcaraz were both told before their Australian Open fourth-round matches that their 'wearable technology' wrist devices which they put under their sweatbands earlier in the tournament are on the banned list - The Times




Guardian Rumour mill

Daniel Harris

It’s been a quiet transfer window, all things considered, with even the worst internet attention-seekers refusing to don their yellow ties and take a day off school for its final day, their mum’s toy spaceship left idling in a shoebox under the bed. But there might yet be some action – not like that, how dare you – so let’s dive in.

Crystal Palace are enduring a miserable season, rapidly slipping down the table and now in danger of relegation, the perfect example of how to ruin unexpected success. On the other hand, Steve Parish’s quiff still looks pristine, so swings and roundabouts, but he’s now faced with a problem: does he stop lovingly tending it to consider Nottingham Forest’s £35m bid for Jean-Philippe Mateta, or simply pretend that no such thing ever happened?

The player, meantime – presumably because proximity to Tasty Jerk is punishing for a professional athlete – has made clear his desire to leave the club. But is that desire felt so keenly that he’s happy to work for cuddly old Evangelos Marinakis, and if so, what does that say about the environment at Selhurst Park? We shall soon find out.

Palace, for their part, are seeking £40m, and will not sell unless a replacement is found. Under consideration is Wolves’ prolific hitman Jørgen Strand Larsen, whose six goals in 25 games make him an ideal purchase if the Premier League’s third-lowest scorers are intent on continuing their freefall.

In other striker news, Juventus are seeking one but their own pursuit of Mateta has been fruitless, with Beto, Federico Chiesa, Randal Kolo Muani and Joshua Zirkzee the only names suggested. As such, plans are afoot to see if any of Ian Ormondroyd, Ian Olney, Serginho, Andrea Silenzi, Bernardo Corradi and Stuart Barlow can be persuaded out of retirement.

Elsewhere, Bruno Fernandes will wait until the end of the season before deciding if he wants to call a skank a skank and let Manchester United ruin the remainder of his career. Last summer, he pretended to flirt with a move to Saudi though, given his reputation as a footballer who loves football, no one actually believed him. But apparently he’s serious this time, of course he is, and will wait for United to appoint their next managerial failure, decide a monstrous new £400,000 a week contract isn’t enough to make him deal with Jason Wilcox and Manuel Ugarte on a regular basis, then sign it anyway.

Down the East Lancs Road, Everton have rejected an offer made by Lazio for midfielder Tim Iroegbunam. However, whether the player prefers purple wheelies and ginger managers to the Sistine Chapel and Trevi Fountain remains to be seen.

And finally for today, Leicester City are seeking a new manager after sacking Marti “Victor” Cifuentes. Under consideration are former player Gary Rowett along with Derek McInnes of Hearts, as though anyone prepared to swap a chance at the first non-Old Firm Scottish title in 41 years for 14th in the Championship shouldn’t be immediately discounted on grounds of insanity. But the favourite is surely Russell Martin, whose complex footballing theory, moving sporting idealism and lush, luxuriant curtains bestow far too much public mirth to be out of the game for long.





SportsView

Adama Traore currently at the West Ham United training ground

Fulham attacker Adama Traore is currently at the West Ham United training ground as he closes in on a move, according to ExWHUemployee.

The reliable Hammers insider claimed on the West Ham Way Patreon this morning that the Spaniard is a Rush Green.

West Ham manager Nuno Espirito Santo has been looking to reunite with Traore since the winter transfer window opened and is now getting his wish.

The Fulham star is expected to undergo his medical and could be signed officially before the end of this week.

West Ham have already bolstered their attack with the additions of striking duo Pablo Felipe and Taty Castellanos earlier this month.

The Hammers will also be holding on to Callum Wilson and Cryscencio Summerville despite interest from suitors.

Nuno is now set to add the pace and power of Traore to his attack, which could be a huge boost for West Ham as we steadily approach the business end of the campaign.

The Hammers have boosted their survival chances with back-to-back Premier League victories over Tottenham Hotspur and Sunderland.

They are back in action on Saturday when they visit Stamford Bridge to take on Chelsea, and Traore could be available to make him debut if all goes as planned this week.

West Ham will fancy their chances of getting a result against their London rivals, and they could do with a point or three as they look to close the gap between them and safety.

The Hammers are currently five points behind 17th-place Nottingham Forest after 23 games, and they will be desperate to maintain their winning run.

[With Kind Regards]

Thanks Alan.

[Heavi995]

Cheers Alan

[Mex Martillo]

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[Billy Blagg]

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