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Tottenham Hotspur are set to target Ajax boss Erik ten Hag after they were dealt a crushing blow over their mooted number one managerial target this week.

According to the Telegraph, the 51-year-old is set to rise up Daniel Levy’s shortlist following the news that Julian Nagelsmann has officially been confirmed as Bayern Munich’s next manager.

Spurs had reportedly put him top of their wishlist ahead of the summer.

Now it is thought that Ten Hag is amongst the leading contenders, but how would the north London side look under him? Football FanCast takes a peek into that potential…

Ten Hag often deploys an exciting 4-3-3 system over in Amsterdam but it’s one that is rather flexible and can often look like a 4-2-3-1, very much in a similar vein to Mauricio Pochettino’s Spurs side.

Between the sticks, Hugo Lloris seems likely to remain in north London, so he should keep his place as captain and their no.1 goalkeeper. He’s out of contract at the end of next season, but PSG have handed Keylor Navas a new deal and that is a blow to his chances of joining his former boss in Paris.

Whoever the next manager is, Spurs are in desperate need of a shake-up defensively and we could see two new signings under his stewardship.

The 51-year-old would have two former Ajax players at his disposal if he arrived in north London in Toby Alderweireld and Davinson Sanchez, but the latter may get the nod given the manager’s reported interest in his signature recently.

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Although, Levy may look to add a new player to these ranks, with Fulham loan star Joachim Andersen one of many the club are said to be looking at, as per Alasdair Gold at football.london.

At just 24, he fits the mould of the sort of young player that Ten Hag could develop and the same goes for Norwich City star Max Aarons, who could finally end Spurs’ right-back nightmare.

Serge Aurier has been dubbed “one of the biggest liabilities in Premier League football” and one that would “possibly put you off management” by Sky Sports pundit Jamie Carragher (via talkSPORT), whilst Matt Doherty’s future was in doubt under Mourinho after a string of poor performances.

Further up the pitch, we could see comebacks for a forgotten duo of stars, with Dele Alli and Steven Bergwijn joining the likes of Tanguy Ndombele, Heung-min Son and Harry Kane in the attack.

Given Gareth Bale’s wages, it would be a surprise to see him remain in north London, whilst Erik Lamela looks ready to leave. Ten Hag would then give the nod to his compatriot over Lucas Moura.

AND in other news, Levy would deal Spurs another blow by appointing 47 y/o with a 30.5% win rate…

Arsenal have suffered a major blow ahead of their Premier League clash against Liverpool tonight with the news that Bukayo Saka has yet to train with the team.

The England international was forced out of international duty due to injury, and stayed behind at the Emirates Stadium to recover.

Speaking in his pre-match press conference ahead of the game against Liverpool, Gunners boss Mikel Arteta said: “Well he hasn’t trained with the team yet. He’s been doing some individual work. We had to pull him out of the England squad unfortunately.

“He’s feeling better, but he hasn’t trained with the team yet.”

Saka has been in exceptional form for the Gunners this season, scoring six goals and providing a further seven assists across all competitions.

It’s no surprise that the £54m-rated youngster has earned glowing reviews for his performances this season, with Manchester United legend Rio Ferdinand raving about him after his star showing against Southampton in a 3-1 win earlier this year.

The former England defender said: “He was tremendous to watch. His skill – the maturity with which he plays is so impressive as well. He can play one and two touch. Plays off both feet. ‘His decision-making, for me, that is – he plays as someone who is well beyond his years. He makes the right decisions at the right times and you can see in the way he sets things up. He set the tone for the first goal. He’s so comfortable wherever he plays.

“He’s a real talent, someone, I’m sure, who is definitely in the thoughts of Gareth Southgate because he’s such a valuable player in terms of his ability to play in and cover different positions.”

Make no mistake about it, being without Saka – one of the club’s standout players of the season thus far – against Liverpool will be a major blow to Arteta and Arsenal’s chances of clinching an all-important win tonight. His absence will no doubt leave the manager very worried.

Southampton have been linked with a move for AC Milan ace Jens Petter Hauge recently and if he were to make the move to St Mary’s this summer, it could be bad news for Moussa Djenepo in relation to his future in Ralph Hasenhuttl’s side.

According to Italian journalist Nicolo Schira, Southampton and Udinese are both keen on signing the 21-year-old, who has been frozen out of Stefano Pioli’s side since the turn of the year.

Hauge only made the move to the San Siro in October 2020 and enjoyed a superb start to life in Italy, contributing three goals and one assist in just five Europa League appearances for I Rossoneri, averaging an excellent 7.27 rating for his performances.

However, he has been limited to just three starts in Serie A, with the majority of his appearances coming from the bench, despite him finding the back of the net twice in the Italian top-flight.

His performances this season have already earned him comparisons to Barcelona legend Lionel Messi from some AC Milan fans, so they may not be too happy to see him leave the club for Southampton this summer, even if it is on loan.

Therefore, it seems clear that Hauge has a lot of talent and would be a good addition to Hasenhuttl’s side this summer, although it could cast doubt on the future of Djenepo.

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The Mali international has struggled since joining from Standard Liege in the summer of 2019, with just four goals and two assists to his name in 49 appearances in all competitions.

Despite being labelled “super-talented” by Nathan Redmond after an impressive solo goal against Sheffield United, the young winger has been far too inconsistent during his time at St Mary’s and will almost certainly be considered a flop unless his performances drastically improve next season.

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Therefore, the added competition that Hauge would bring would likely see Djenepo lose his starting spot in Hasenhuttl’s side, as his return of one goal and no assists in 25 Premier League appearances this season is far from good enough.

And, in other news… Saints record-breaker has golden chance to win over Hasenhuttl, it’s make or break

Barry Fry has lauded the job done by Chris Wilder at Sheffield United prior to his exit from the club in an exclusive interview with Football FanCast.

The manager left the Blades at the start of March after a horror run of results that has seen the club rooted to the bottom of the Premier League table.

They can still mathematically stay up but the club have won just four of their 29 games, taking 14 points, and they are 14 points behind Newcastle United.

They need a genuine miracle to stay up but Fry thinks that Wilder deserves an immense amount of credit for the work that he did during his time as manager.

Appointed in 2016 after the club finished 11th in League One, he won the league the following season, and then finished 10th in 2017/18 in the Championship. Promotion followed in 2018/19, with the club then finishing ninth last term before this disastrous campaign.

And Fry has waxed lyrical about the job he managed to do during his time at Bramall Lane.

Speaking exclusively to FFC, he said: “Chris Wilder is Sheffield United through and through, as a player, as a supporter. He loves the club dearly.

“He’s worked miracles at that club over the years, he got them up in the Premier League on players that he got from League Two, League One.

“He took them up there, he not only took them up there, they survived.”

Wilder also thinks that Sheffield United have struggled this season due to a number of injury issues, from which the club failed to recover.

He added: “He has struggled since day one this year. Every year Sheffield United are odds-on favourites to go down anyway. I think what’s happened this year is, he had horrendous injuries to begin with and he never ever recovered.”

Celtic’s hunt for a new manager has been gathering pace in recent weeks but we are still no closer to seeing a new man in the dugout at Parkhead.

What’s the word?

There have been plenty of twists and turns in Celtic’s search for a new boss lately. Jesse Marsch revealed it was an honour to be linked with the vacancy before it was claimed a day later that he definitely wouldn’t be going to Glasgow in the summer.

However, there has now been another twist in the hunt for Chris Wilder.

The 53-year-old left Sheffield United a few weeks ago and has since been linked with the Celtic hot seat.

An unfortunate sticking point has now emerged in their ploy to bring him to Paradise. According to The Scottish Sun, Wilder would lose a large chunk of his Blades pay-off if he returns to football in the immediate future.

That’s because as part of his settlement package, he will continue to be paid by Sheffield United for the next six months.

Those payments, however, would become smaller if he finds a new job.

Desmond tearing his hair out

If Celtic’s majority shareholder Dermot Desmond was seeking a quick resolution, he will probably not find one in Wilder.

This should come as a bitter blow to the Hoops’ chances for the rest of the season. Morale has hardly improved under John Kennedy who has only won one of his three matches since being placed in interim charge.

The Bhoys have a chance of winning the Scottish FA Cup but they will find it hard to succeed if they don’t find a new manager in the immediate future.

Of course, Desmond could look towards appointing a new permanent manager in the summer but by that point, further damage may have been done at Parkhead.

Earlier this week, FFC suggested that Wilder should be at the top of Celtic’s shopping list. He was hailed a “messiah” for the things he did at Bramall Lane, taking the Blades from a League One side to a team who finished in the top half of the Premier League last term.

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With Marsch being ruled out of the running and now a stumbling point emerging with Wilder, life isn’t getting any easier for Desmond.

It has been an arduous season for not only the football club but also for him. After all, Desmond has had his role at the top of Celtic’s hierarchy questioned by supporters who are urging him to sell his shares.

Fail to appoint the right manager and those cries will only get louder.

AND in other news, 80% duels lost: £14k-p/w Celtic dud has been “unacceptable” this term, he needs to go…

Eddie Howe is refusing to commit to Celtic, and there has been a further update regarding Crystal Palace’s pursuit of the former Bournemouth manager.

The 43-year-old spoke with Palace earlier this month and is on a three-man shortlist alongside Sean Dyche and Frank Lampard to take over from Roy Hodgson at Selhurst Park.

A fresh report from Give Me Sport has claimed that Howe’s representatives have convinced him he can still get a job in the Premier League this summer, with agents now involved. He reached a verbal agreement with Celtic but has since had second thoughts on a move to Glasgow.

Brighton are also thought to be keeping tabs on the former Cherries boss, who has been out of work since August.

Transfer Tavern take

Hodgson’s deal is up at the end of the season, and to us, it feels as if his days at Palace are numbered.

Out of the three linked, we feel that Howe is one of the more exciting options. Steve Parish thinks Howe has a lot to offer and wants to change the mindset of the dressing room and play more a more expansive style, something he feels Howe can achieve.

With up to 12 first team players also out of contract in the summer, a Palace overhaul appears to be on the cards.

Howe successfully rebuilt Bournemouth by taking them from League Two to the Premier League in the space of six seasons, and he could well leave a similarly strong dynasty if he takes over in Croydon.

In other news: Many CPFC fans react to key update in Palace’s pursuit of Championship ace, find out more here. 

Norwich City have been handed a major boost regarding Daniel Farke ahead of the club’s upcoming Premier League campaign.

What’s the talk?

That’s according to the Canaries’ sporting director Stuart Webber, who, in a recent interview with The Sun, claimed that Norwich fans do not need to concern themselves with the future of Farke, as the 44-year-old is set to sign a new deal ahead of next season.

Webber said: “The supporters do not need to worry. I would be very surprised if he has not signed an extended contract by the time we kick a ball again in August.

“I spoke to Daniel during the international break in March. We agreed to speak at the end of the season, which we have done. We are in a position where we would like him to stay and he would like to stay. He believes in the club and what we are trying to do.”

Fans will be buzzing

Having taken over at Norwich back in May of 2017, Farke has already enjoyed a great deal of success in his time at Carrow Road.

After finishing in 14th place in the second tier during his first season in charge, Norwich then shocked the Championship by winning the league title with a whopping 94 points in the manager’s second season at the club.

A disappointing Premier League campaign followed, with the Canaries being immediately relegated after finishing bottom of the league – although both Farke and his side earned praise for their ambitious and attacking style of football as well as their faith in youth prospects – with players such as Ben Godfrey, Max Aarons, Todd Cantwell and Jamal Lewis all featuring regularly in the top flight.

However, this disappointment regarding relegation did not last long, as, in the season just past, the Canaries bounced straight back up as league champions, securing Farke’s second league title over just four years in Norfolk.

Away from the pitch, Norwich have also made dramatic improvements under Farke’s leadership, with the German manager, alongside Stuart Webber and chief operating officer Ben Kensell, transforming the club into one that is self-sustaining financially – with Farke being a key component in the Canaries’ Moneyball-style transfer strategy.

As touched upon earlier, the club also now have a number of highly valuable assets due to Farke’s faith in youth prospects, with the likes of Aarons, Cantwell and Emi Buendia being valued by the club as worth approximately £100m in the current market, three players whom the club spent a total of £1.35m in transfer fees on.

As such, Farke’s influence on the fortunes of Norwich City simply cannot be understated, and that the news the 44-year-old looks set to remain at Carrow Road for the foreseeable future is undoubtedly an update that will leave fans of the club buzzing.

In other news: Concerning claim on “tenacious” Norwich star emerges that’ll surely leave Farke gutted – opinion

According to information courtesy of Daily Mail correspondents Jack Gaughan and Matt Hughes, via City Xtra, Manchester City star Raheem Sterling is setting up his own football agency and will conduct his own Sky Blue contract negotiations with legal advice.

Sterling, who was Pep Guardiola’s top scorer in all competitions last season with 31 goals (Transfermarkt), has been the subject of speculation linking him with a new and improved deal at the Etihad Stadium.

Providing the latest update, journalists Gaughan and Hughes claimed that the Englishman will look for improved terms on his current £300,000-per-week contract and is now setting up his own football agency, meaning he will conduct his own negotiations with legal help, per City Xtra.

This could mean that Sterling looks set to be without the traditional football agent for his talks as he takes charge of his own affairs – an interesting move given the debatable stigma which surrounds representatives like Mino Raiola, for example.

Amid the 26-year-old’s bad run of form, with his latest outing against Leeds United attracting some criticism, this move by Sterling has still been praised by many City supporters on social media.

Some fans also believe he deserves a new deal, which is understandable considering he is still yet to hit his prime and has bagged an incredible 113 goals and 86 assists in all competitions since signing in 2015 (Transfermarkt).

While the vast majority of supporters praised this development, with one labelling it ‘brilliant’, there was also some who called it ‘ridiculous’ given Sterling’s current form – he is without a goal in his last seven appearances.

Find some of the supporters’ verdicts below.

Man City fans flock to Sterling contract claim

“Give Sterling whatever he wants”

Credit: @AK10_03

“Sterling making big moves”

Credit: @MrBowser1YT

“Very Deserved”

Credit: @mcfcR16

“Love this. Says something about the way contract negotiations are handled at City these days”

Credit: @Bubbleg58159799

“Brilliant stuff”

Credit: @ctiddanny86

“City players love it so much at City they don’t use agents.

We are many levels above the rest”

Credit: @MCFCTone

“Sterling is a club legend by now tbf”

Credit: @SsonSummerbee

“This is just ridiculous , a player on this amount shouldn’t be disappearing when we need him most , man has been scamming City”

Credit: @fredijeh2

In other news: Man City fans weren’t impressed with his ace’s performance, find out more here.

David Moyes will hope to see West Ham United get back to winning ways against Wolverhampton Wanderers on Monday night, but will have to do so without Declan Rice.

The midfielder has been ruled out of the Irons’ trip to Molineux with a knee injury sustained during England’s win over Poland last week, and faces four to six weeks in the treatment room.

Mark Noble will be expected to start in place of Rice as the only central midfield cover available to Moyes, as West Ham go in search of a first away win over Wolves since August 2009.

Noble is unlikely to be the sole change from the side that let slip a three-goal lead over Arsenal last month. So, with that in mind, here’s a potential line-up that Moyes may field…

West Ham are winless in their last two Premier League games after allowing Arsenal to come from three down to snatch a point last time out, but beat Wolves 4-0 at the London Stadium back in September.

Wolves have struggled for consistency all season and will host the Irons after two draws and two defeats in their last four top-flight fixtures. But Nuno Espirito Santo will likely hope that Noble starting in place of Rice will now aid their efforts for a first win since February.

Noble has only started four Premier League games thus far this term, which have seen his east London outfit draw once and lose three times – most recently against Manchester United when overran in the engine room by the likes of Mason Greenwood.

Along with Rice, Moyes will be without Angelo Ogbonna and Andriy Yarmolenko at Molineux, but is expected to have Arthur Masuaku back in his matchday squad for the first time since December following knee surgery.

“Arthur is back playing. He played a reserve game a week or so ago, so he’s back around the squad, but whether he is fully match-fit yet, we have to question it,” Moyes said on Friday.

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“Yarmolenko is not ready yet. He went to see a specialist about his medial knee ligament injury again which we don’t think is too bad, but we’re not quite convinced with it.

“Angelo Ogbonna is making good progress but he’s not ready at this moment in time, so we’ve got a few knocks and niggles like everybody else, but we’ve also got a few players getting closer to returning to match fitness as well.”

One player who Moyes could unleash against Wolves that was unavailable at home to Arsenal is Pablo Fornals, as the £16m-rated Spaniard is said to have overcome a groin injury and has been touted to replace Said Benrahma in the starting line-up.

Fornals had started his last three Premier League appearances and assisted Jesse Lingard’s game-winning goal at home to Tottenham Hotspur in February, while Benrahma remains without a goal for West Ham across all competitions.

Michail Antonio, Lingard and Jarrod Bowen would each expect to start in attack alongside Fornals if Benrahma is axed, while Tomas Soucek will line up alongside Noble in midfield.

Ogbonna’s continued absence will likely see Moyes name an unchanged backline of Aaron Cresswell, Issa Diop, Craig Dawson and Vladimir Coufal in front of Lukasz Fabianski in goal.

AND in other news, West Ham trail a Premier League rival for a five-goal, seven-assist star once labelled an “exciting prospect”…

Former Everton star Michael Ball has told Football FanCast that he hopes Everton and Farhad Moshiri make a tidy profit on Moise Kean if he does move to PSG on a permanent basis in the summer transfer window.

The 21-year-old moved on loan to PSG at the start of the season and has enjoyed an excellent spell in Ligue 1.

In total, Kean has scored 18 goals in all competitions in 35 games, and has become a regular under manager Mauricio Pochettino.

Kean struggled during his time at Everton and made just 37 appearances following his £25.1m move from Juventus, scoring a mere four goals.

Ball believes that the deal was an excellent one, especially given that there was no sell-on clause included in the deal, meaning Juve won’t be owed anything if he does move to PSG permanently.

Reports have suggested that the French club are keen on a move, with The Times reporting that he will cost around £45m to sign this summer, a price that would mark a profit of £20m.

Speaking exclusively to FFC, Ball says he is hopeful that any money banked will be reinvested into the squad.

He said: “Everton got a great deal when they brought him to the club, there was no sell-on fee, and I thought that was great business.

“You just hoped he would have hit the ground running, unfortunately it hasn’t worked out for him. Whether the Premier League doesn’t suit him right now, at this moment in time, but I think Everton, with the amount of money they spent, there’s going to be pressures from the financial situation to bolster the squad.

“If the money comes in for Moise Kean, hopefully Everton will make a profit on that and use it to the best of their ability.”