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In an exclusive interview with The Transfer Tavern, Steve Bull who is Wolves’ all-time top scorer, has claimed that West Ham should be looking to get around £50 million for Declan Rice if he was to leave.

Rice had played every single minute for West Ham in the Premier League until he picked up an injury while on England duty which will see him miss a month of action, however, they didn’t miss him on Monday as they beat Wolves 3-2.

The £62,000 per week midfielder has been linked with a move away from the London Stadium this summer and Manchester United have been credited with an interest in the midfielder as they look to bridge the gap between themselves and Manchester City.

Speaking on why Rice is worth £50 million to the Hammers and how good of a player he actually is for both club and country, Bull told The Transfer Tavern:

“He’s absolutely top drawer and is a brilliantly skilful player who chips in with the odd goal every so often, but I think if we were saying last week that Neto was worth £75 million then you’ve got to be thinking around that mark.

“People like Neto and Rice are worth that sort of money, about £50 million, because they’re top players.”

David Moyes has admitted that the club will have to listen to any offers put to them this summer for both Rice and Tomas Soucek.

Against Wolves, Mark Noble stepped in and replaced Rice, however Gareth Southgate will be hoping he can get back fit in time for the Euros this summer.

Some Liverpool fans have laughed off suggestions that Liverpool will look to sign Barcelona youngster Pedri.

Jurgen Klopp will likely be looking to bring in new signings in the summer transfer window in order to add a freshness to his squad.

At times this season, Liverpool have looked jaded both physically and mentally, highlighting the need for new faces to arrive in the coming months.

The Reds’ attack has been particularly lifeless at times in 2020/21, with Mohamed Salah being relied upon too much and Diogo Jota a huge miss through injury.

While Liverpool’s midfield is well-stocked and the least of Klopp’s worries, that hasn’t stopped them being linked with an exciting player in that part of the pitch.

According to The Mirror, Barcelona are looking to fend off interest from the Reds in Pedri, with the 18-year-old a hugely talented prospect. The midfielder has a £70m release clause in his current contract, but the La Liga giants want to increase that to a whopping £350m in a new deal.

Liverpool fans mock Pedri claims

A number of Liverpool supporters took to Twitter to give their thoughts on Pedri moving to Anfield, with few believing that such a move will happen.

“£70million, but why?? Who is he?? That’s a joke for sure”

Credit: @M_Shamsi80

“This is way too risky, £70million on a 18-year-old. Yes he has bags of talent but he still needs to grow in this Barca team”

Credit: @LFC_Iankzz

“He’s very good but he won’t leave Barca”

Credit: @LewYNWA

“Lol”

Credit: @jaziz1989

“No thanks”

Credit: @jxckcxrdus

“We are too skint”

Credit: @lfcjohnnie

In other news, some Liverpool fans are ecstatic about one transfer rumour – read more here.

Former Sheffield United man Keith Gillespie insists that Rhian Brewster is not a flop at Bramall Lane, telling Football FanCast that he feels sorry for the former Liverpool youngster.

The Blades paid £23.5m to sign Brewster in the summer in a club-record deal but he has failed to score a single goal this season.

In 25 appearances in all competitions, the 21-year-old has repeatedly drawn a blank and he has completed the 90 minutes in just two games.

Gillespie played for the club between 2005 and 2009 and he does not believe that the youngster can be held wholly accountable for his own struggles.

Indeed, he has maintained that he simply isn’t being given the service that he requires, with the Blades scoring just 17 goals in 30 games, which is comfortably the lowest number of the 20 clubs in the table.

Indeed, Brewster went on loan to Swansea last season in the Championship and scored 11 goals in 22 games.

He told FFC: “You do feel sorry for him, when you come as a goalscorer, you’re paid to score goals.

“If you don’t do that, you’re deemed a flop. I wouldn’t call him a flop because Sheffield United haven’t performed this season.

“If you’re the marksman, and you’re not getting the service that maybe he was getting at Swansea, playing in the Championship, you’re not going to be scoring goals.”

In an exclusive interview with Football FanCast, Steve Bull, who is a Wolves Hall of Famer, believes that Jose Mourinho is not the same type of manager as he was at Chelsea, labelling him the “sheepish one”.

Mourinho has experienced mixed fortunes since succeeding Mauricio Pochettino at Spurs, but he does have a Carabao Cup final later this month which could be Tottenham’s first piece of silverware since 2008.

When he arrived at Chelsea for the first time, Mourinho labelled himself as ‘the special one’ which he backed up by winning back-to-back Premier League titles as well as an FA Cup and League Cup.

Speaking on how Mourinho comes across now and what has changed from the point of view of an outsider looking in, Bull told FFC:

“He came over here as the special one and made players want to play for him, but he’s not showing any glimpses of what he had at Chelsea.

“When he was at Chelsea he had that hunger, but he’s come back as the sheepish one at Tottenham without saying a word, not stand from his box and the players haven’t delivered for him.”

Spurs find themselves five points off the top four after draws with Newcastle United and Everton were sandwiched by a home reverse against Manchester United.

Mourinho has struggled to keep everyone on his side after falling out with both Dele Alli and Gareth Bale publicly known, and now players like Matt Doherty and Toby Alderweireld are being left out of the team and/or the squad.

Former Tottenham midfielder Jamie O’Hara would like to see Marcelo Bielsa replace Jose Mourinho at the club, seeing him as the ideal candidate for the role.

The Argentine has become a legendary modern day figure at Leeds United, transforming the club’s fortunes.

Bielsa has masterminded the Whites’ return to the Premier League, also connecting with the fans unlike few other managers in the club’s history.

The thought of him leaving is a grim one for Leeds supporters, but it is something that can never be ruled out when he is only signing one year deals at a time, especially given the unpredictable nature of football these days.

[freshpress-quiz id=“351040″]

O’Hara wants Bielsa to replace Mourinho

Speaking on talkSPORT, O’Hara claimed Bielsa would be the perfect man to come in for Mourinho:

“I would say Bielsa. I think he’d be absolutely brilliant and the fans would love him.

“If you can try and prise him away from there it’d be unbelievable. The Leeds fans would be devastated and there would be uproar but Spurs are bigger than Leeds.”

Transfer Tavern take

O’Hara’s comments are unlikely to go down too well with Leeds fans, especially with Bielsa’s current deal expiring this summer, meaning there is a genuine possibility he could depart – he even publicly quashed rumours of him signing a new deal earlier this month.

The hope is that he will stay loyal to the Whites and extend his stay at Elland Road, but the lure of joining a club higher up in the table with potentially more money available to splash on transfers is undeniable for any manager.

There is certainly a feeling that Bielsa still has another chapter to write at Leeds, however – the next aim could be European football returning to the club – and we hope the enigmatic boss stays in Yorkshire, as his side have been a real treat for Premier League fans this season.

In other news, one Leeds player is under scrutiny for two key reasons – find out who it is here.

Young Boys striker Jean-Pierre Nsame is on Newcastle United’s list of targets ahead of the summer transfer window, according to TEAMtalk.

The 27-year-old is also said to be on the radar of Southampton, West Ham and Celtic.

No surprise prolific Nsame is being eyed by PL sides

The Cameroonian has scored 25 goals and assisted a further nine in 38 appearances this season (Transfermarkt). Four of those goals have come in the Europa League, with Young Boys progressing to the round of 16 before they were eliminated by Ajax.

Nsame is just three short of a century of goals for the Swiss Super League outfit, having made 167 appearances (Transfermarkt). In 2020, only Robert Lewandowski, Cristiano Ronaldo, Romelu Lukaku and Ciro Immobile bettered his tally of 33 goals among Europe-based players (via FIFA.com).

Nsame says he takes inspiration from Real Madrid’s Karim Benzema, who operates as ‘a focal point for breaks or clearances due to his technical precision’.

How much would Nsame cost?

Transfermarkt value him at just £6.3m, and Young Boys may decide that a sale this summer is wise given that he’s about to enter the final two years of his contract.

Of course, there’s a possibility that rival offers from the likes of Southampton and West Ham could drive up the fee, but remember that Newcastle once paid £40m for Joelinton so they’re not averse to splashing the cash.

Transfer Tavern verdict

This has the hallmarks of a bargain deal. Nsame may not be playing in one of Europe’s elite leagues but his goalscoring record remains remarkably impressive.

It’s not as if he’s only been filling his boots against minnows, either. He scored in both Europa League group stage meetings with Roma, who are about to take on Manchester United in the semi-finals.

If Newcastle were to be priced out a move for Tammy Abraham, Nsame could be a shrewd alternative.

In other news, an Arabian journalist has made this claim about a possible Newcastle takeover date.

Celtic are thought to be interested in a summer move for Young Boys striker Jean-Pierre Nsame.

That’s according to a report from TEAMtalk, who claimed that Newcastle, Southampton and West Ham have also placed the 27-year-old on their transfer wish lists.

Nsame, a Cameroon international, has been on fire in front of goal in recent years. He has scored 97 goals in 169 games for the Swiss side after joining for just £810,000 back in 2017. It now seems as if he could be on the move, though, with the £6.3m-rated marksman attracting plenty of interest from Britain.

Transfer Tavern take

It seems as if new Celtic CEO Dominic McKay isn’t wasting any time in putting plans in place for the summer. He arrived at Parkhead seven days ago, and to us, Nsame could be a potentially ideal replacement for Odsonne Edouard.

The Frenchman is looking to seal a Celtic Park exit over the summer, regardless of who comes in as the club’s new manager.

It looks as if Nsame certainly has the goalscoring know-how to pick up wherever Edouard leaves off, but with a number of Premier League clubs seemingly keen, the Hoops may well be forced into a bidding war.

In other news: Celtic linked with move for 25 y/o attacking midfielder, find out who it is here. 

Tottenham Hotspur have moved one step closer to filling their managerial vacancy this week.

According to Italian transfer guru Fabrizo Romano, the Premier League outfit have scheduled a “direct meeting” with the Ajax boss and he’s “among the candidates” to become the next manager of Spurs.

It’s also claimed that the 51-year-old is open to leaving the Eredivisie champions this summer, which is something Romano alludes to further in a separate column for the Guardian.

Ten Hag could be seeking a fresh challenge having won everything there is to win domestically in Holland, where he has amassed a phenomenal 73% win rate since December 2017.

Now that things appear to be in motion, Spurs chairman Daniel Levy and much of the Hotspur faithful should start to get a little more excited as the Dutchman could well be the only ideal candidate remaining.

After Jose Mourinho was sacked over a week ago, both RB Leipzig head coach Julian Nagelsmann and Leicester City’s Brendan Rodgers quickly emerged as Spurs’ preferred options to take the reins.

However, Levy was quickly stopped in his tracks – the 33-year-old has since been confirmed as Bayern Munich’s next manager, whilst the Foxes boss ruled himself out of the running as he’s, understandably, more than happy in the Midlands.

It’s thought that the Spurs chief is seeking an attack-minded coach to replace the ‘Special One’ after the Portuguese was said to have “sucked the culture out of the club” and divided the dressing room, as per The Athletic.

[snack-amp-story url= “https://www.footballfancast.com/web-stories/spurs-latest-managerial-update-transfer-rumours-levy-mourinho-sacked-gossip” title= “Read the latest Spurs manager updates, transfer news, gossip and more!”]

Roberto Martinez and Gareth Southgate are two other candidates still on the table, but neither would fit the aforementioned M.O. so Levy must ensure he convinces ten Hag enough in this upcoming meeting.

The 51-year-old has revolutionised Ajax into one of the more exciting teams in Europe, predominantly playing a 4-3-3 and 4-2-3-1 system – similar to Mauricio Pochettino.

Both Poch and ten Hag went to battle in that famous Champions League semi-final in 2019, so the fans and Levy alike should know too well the style of football on offer.

He has transformed and developed many a young player in the three-and-a-half years he’s been at the Johan Cruijff ArenA, taking inspiration from the Ajax legend, as well as Pep Guardiola.

Matthijs de Ligt, Donny van de Beek, Frenkie de Jong, and Ryan Gravenberch are just four names that he has had a major influence on, for example.

In terms of who is left out there, ten Hag would surely be Spurs’ dream Mourinho successor and the fact that the two parties will have a discussion about coming together next season should have many in north London absolutely buzzing.

AND in other news, Worrying Jorge Mendes update emerges in Spurs’ manager hunt, fans should fear Mourinho 2.0…

Frank McAvennie has exclusively told Football FanCast that any form of European football would mark a successful season for West Ham.

The Hammers only avoided relegation post-lockdown last season, finishing just four points above Bournemouth following a four-match unbeaten run.

But David Moyes’ side have emerged as surprise Champions League contenders this term, and prior to recent defeats to Newcastle and Chelsea, occupied fourth place.

Despite those setbacks, West Ham are just three points behind London rivals Chelsea with four matches remaining, and have a favoured run of fixtures compared to Thomas Tuchel’s men, who still have distractions in both the FA Cup and Champions League.

Finishing in fifth or sixth would guarantee a place in the group stages of the Europa League, whilst seventh is currently good enough for UEFA’s new Europa Conference League.

“At the start of the season, if someone told me they’d be fighting for Europe, I’d have taken it – you’d probably have got locked up if you said West Ham would be fighting for Europe,” McAvennie told Football FanCast.

He added: “But unfortunately, they’ve missed Declan Rice and missed Antonio. I would love West Ham to have another striker – Antonio is going to be stop-start next season. They’ve got to get a striker in.

“But I think for this year, even if they don’t get Champions League, what a great season it’s been. Get top-six and get into Europe, but I really hope they crown it off and get into that European spot.”

In an exclusive interview with Football FanCast, Michael Ball, who made 20 appearances for Rangers, has given huge praise to Nathan Patterson following the full-back grasping any chance he has been given by Steven Gerrard.

Patterson was handed his league debut by Gerrard earlier this season and has ended up making seven league appearances, with one impressive display coming in the latest Old Firm game which Rangers won 4-1.

Gerrard is certainly blessed with talent at the right-back position as club captain James Tavernier has proved himself to be one of the best players in Scotland and now Patterson, at just 19-years old, is proving to be great competition for the former Newcastle United defender.

Speaking on how people have been talking about Patterson for a while now and why he compares him to Alan Hutton, Ball exclusively told FFC:

“There have been a few whispers from my side for quite a while about Nathan, although I hadn’t seen much about him. When he got given his massive opportunity to play against Celtic he put in a performance that showed why people have been talking about him.

“Rangers have done it in the past just look at Alan Hutton when he came through as a youngster and got his big move away to Tottenham. So he’s just got to get that opportunity to grow and develop.”

Gerrard has guided Rangers to an unforgettable season which has seen them win a record 55th SPFL league title and are just one game away from going the full league campaign unbeaten.

Patteson can learn from one of Rangers’ best players in recent years as Tavernier has been a mainstay in their side since he joined from Wigan Athletic in 2015 when they were in the Scottish Championship.