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Loads of West Ham fans have been reacting to a big update on a possible striker signing, as reports claim they will not move for Maxi Gomez this month.

According to The Evening Standard, West Ham’s £43.5m swoop for Gomez will definitely not happen on deadline day.

The report claims Celta Vigo will not release the striker this month because they are in a relegation battle.

The Spanish outfit currently sit 18th in La Liga, two points adrift of safety, and Gomez is pretty much their only source of goals.

Look away Arsenal fans! American Soccer Fan is back to troll more fans at the London Stadium in the video below…

This is bad news for the Hammers though, who have gone off the boil in recent weeks after a terrific run of form before Christmas, and desperately need a clinical goalscorer.

Manuel Pellegrini’s side could be without Marko Arnautovic for at least a couple of weeks after the striker injured his foot during the defeat at Wolves, and there are still question marks over how committed the Austrian international will be even once he is fit.

You can find some of the best Twitter reactions down below, where fans are fuming at this transfer update…

An exciting claim has emerged surrounding Tottenham Hotspur’s interest in Lautaro Martinez this summer…

What’s the word?

The Inter Milan forward came close to joining the north London outfit ahead of the 2021/22 campaign after a £60m fee was agreed between the two clubs, as per The Times.

Evidently, that move failed to come to fruition, though it’s clear that those at Hotspur Way still admire the Argentinian talisman, and Italian journalist Gianluca Di Marzio has now stoked the fire with fresh comments on the matter.

Speaking to Wettfreunde.net, he said:

“I think Tottenham will go after Lautaro because they wanted him last summer. They want another forward to play with [Harry] Kane or plan for the future without Kane. Lautaro Martinez is one of the players that Fabio Paratici loves.

“I think it could be Lautaro’s summer and Atletico Madrid or Tottenham could be the perfect destinations for him.”

Conte needs him

Just as the reliable transfer expert explains, Spurs are desperate for another forward to either help lower the burden on Harry Kane or replace him later down the line, and Martinez is a hugely exciting talent and one who fits the bill immensely.

The England skipper was part of a tumultuous transfer saga last summer involving Premier League champions Manchester City, and now it appears as if he could be involved in another one, this time with the red side of the city.

Conte knows Martinez well as he was part of his title-winning side last season and during that run, in which Inter ended an 11-year wait for the Scudetto, the 24-year-old delivered 19 goals and 11 assists alongside Romelu Lukaku.

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He has since built on that success and continued such fine form this campaign, bagging himself 16 goals from 40 appearances across all competitions, including the Champions League, where he netted against Liverpool in their round of 16 exit.

Now valued at £63m by Transfermarkt, Martinez’s ability has earned quite the praise indeed, including one glowing endorsement from international teammate and one of the game’s greatest-ever players, Lionel Messi, who told Mundo Deportivo:

“He’s spectacular. He has impressive qualities. You could tell he was going to be a great player, and he is showing that. He’s very strong, really good one on one, scores a lot of goals, and in the area he fights with anyone, holds it up, he can turn, scrap to win it all on his own. He has a lot of quality. He’s very complete.”

Also lauded as a “special talent” by verified journalist Joshua Jones, it’s clear that the Inter marksman would be an ideal signing for Spurs during the off-season.

His partnership with Lukaku under Conte at the San Siro makes him an intriguing candidate to play alongside Kane and at worst, his proven goalscoring record makes him a viable candidate to replace the 28-year-old, whenever that may be.

Either way, the Italian head coach badly needs a new striker and he could well find it in a player he knows better than anyone else, and the fact that Paratici also thinks highly of him will surely put Spurs in the driving seat when the transfer window reopens at the end of the season.

AND in other news, Paratici handed major boost on £21m Spurs-linked “monster”, he’s Conte’s dream signing…

Tottenham Hotspur bolstered their claims for a top-four finish in the Premier League this season with a stunning come-from-behind victory over Leicester City on Wednesday evening.

The north Londoners are now only eight points behind third-placed Chelsea and do hold four games in hand heading into the second half of the season.

Spurs looked destined for their first league defeat under Antonio Conte until two moments of magic in injury time.

Super-substitute Steven Bergwijn was in the right place at the right time to poke home an equaliser in the 95th minute before he rounded the goalkeeper minutes later and slotted home with the last kick of the game.

There will be plenty of concerns for the way in which they conceded goals though and one player who took plenty of criticism on social media was Japhet Tanganga.

But much of the flak was pretty unfair as he played a big part throughout the 90 minutes – for instance, only one player on either team recorded more touches than he did (91), whilst he also registered three tackles and won 80% of his duels, per SofaScore.

It was Emerson Royal who was hooked at half-time and the Lilywhites instantly looked like a better side with Matt Doherty contributing in the final third.

It’s no surprise Conte is reportedly wanting a new right wing-back this month, despite the Brazilian only joining in the summer in a €30m (£26m) deal from Barcelona.

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‘[The] contrast between him and [Sergio] Reguilon on opposite flank was stark before he was dragged at half-time. No wonder a right-wing-back is high on Conte’s shopping list,’ claimed the Evening Standard’s Dan Kilpatrick in his post-match column.

SofaScore graded the 23-year-old as the worst performer on the pitch, having won just one of his three duels (33.3%), whilst he failed to deliver a single cross or dribble from 22 touches.

By comparison, Doherty provided one assist, made 100% of his crossing attempts and registered four key passes (the joint-most in the game).

Given the rumours that Conte isn’t confident in Emerson due to his poor play in attack, the £26m-rated Brazil international did himself no favours and if anything, proved the Italian head coach right in just about every possible way.

Recently dubbed a ‘flop’ by the Daily Mail, it could be a matter of time before Emerson is axed from the starting XI after another dreadful outing.

AND in other news, Sky Sports reporter drops worrying Spurs transfer update…

Tottenham Hotspur want to bolster four key areas of Antonio Conte’s squad, according to emerging claims…

What’s the word?

football.london reporter Alasdair Gold has told his YouTube channel that Spurs have made four different positions their priority during this month’s transfer window.

“There is a feeling within the club that Spurs need a right wing-back, a left-sided centre-back and a striker,” he revealed. “From what I understand, Conte agrees with that, but also would like a central midfielder. Four priority positions.”

Fantastic four?

It’s no secret that the north Londoners need additions as they lack the strength in depth to truly challenge some of the Premier League’s biggest teams for a place in the top four.

What Conte has already done with the current squad is quite remarkable, having gone unbeaten in the top-flight under his stewardship but if they are to get back onto the next level, then chairman Daniel Levy must back his man with serious investment.

After selling Serge Aurier and replacing him with Emerson Royal in the summer, it’s a surprise to see a new right wing-back on the agenda but as Matt Doherty’s future is dubious, the need for another option could make sense, especially if Conte isn’t convinced by the former Barca man’s attacking credentials.

Elsewhere, another central defender is certainly going to be among the priorities. Cristian Romero is still absent with an injury, whilst the Italian head coach has often deployed full-back Ben Davies in his back-three. Japhet Tanganga and Davinson Sanchez have looked a little suspect in recent games, too.

Of course, the need for a new forward has always been there but it’s a tricky problem to remedy as Harry Kane will always be the star man leading the line for Spurs. There aren’t many players who will want to be a backup but Conte does need an alternative, or even a partner to the England skipper.

It is also interesting to learn of Conte’s desire for a central midfielder, too. Spurs already have Pierre-Emile Hojbjerg, Harry Winks, Oliver Skipp, Tanguy Ndombele and Giovani Lo Celso, so perhaps he isn’t convinced by some of those options.

Either way, this latest development from one of the most reliable sources is certainly exciting and it would suggest that the Lilywhites will indeed be active this window.

Supporters around the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium should be buzzing by this news.

AND in other news, Conte can finally axe “unplayable” Spurs dud by signing “devastating” £26m-rated beast…

Tottenham Hotspur have once again been linked with a move for Paulo Dybala…

What’s the word?

According to Italian journalist Xavier Jacobelli, Spurs are among the teams interested in a move for the Juventus dynamo as he enters final six months of his current £222k-per-week contract.

“Inter are at the window, as well as Tottenham. [Antonio] Conte and Barcelona also highly esteem Dybala. We have to see what he will do in these months, because Beppe Marotta (Inter’s CEO) and other companies are at the window and are watching,” he told Calciomercato.it.

Italian newspaper Tuttosport also claims that Lilywhites head coach is an ‘indisputable admirer’ of the Argentina international, who is currently valued at £45m by Transfermarkt.

Perfect for Conte

Dybala’s time in Turin over the last few seasons has been frustrating to say the least, largely due to injuries but whenever he has been on the pitch, he has proven to be a key player for Massimiliano Allegri – even taking the armband in the absence of Giorgio Chiellini.

For example, this season, he has only played 19 times across the Serie A and Champions League but has still delivered nine goals and four assists, via Transfermarkt.

And with the futures of Tanguy Ndombele and Dele Alli in doubt, the need for a new attacking maestro could soon increase tenfold.

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Dybala has long been a target for chairman Daniel Levy, having come close to signing him during the 2019 summer transfer window after the deal controversially collapsed at the 11th hour over image rights.

“I can just confirm that Dybala is an unbelievable player,” once claimed former Arsenal midfielder Aaron Ramsey to The Athletic. “He’s very gifted — a team player — and some of the things he’s done in training and some of the games this season has been quite breathtaking.”

Spurs have lacked a creative no.10 ever since the departure of Chrisitan Erisken, with Ndombele failing to step up to the mark despite being the club’s record signing at £55m.

The north London outfit are free to negotiate a pre-contract with Dybala with makes him an even more appealing prospect as he won’t cost Levy a penny upon arrival in the summer.

Italian football expert Conor Clancy has also previously suggested that the presence of the 28-year-old dynamo could help bring the best out of Kane, only further highlighting how poor the Frenchman has been.

“I feel like he’d be unstoppable with Kane because he’s not a number nine, so he’s got to be playing alongside a striker like that,” he told Football FanCast in the summer.

Maybe it’s time for Levy and co to finally pull the trigger on Dybala. He’d be a very nice signing under Conte, who according to the initial reports, is a big fan.

AND in other news, Alasdair Gold reveals “positive update” behind-scenes at Spurs, Conte will be buzzing…

According to journalist Gerard Romero (as per Sport Witness), Tottenham have rekindled their interest in Barcelona centre-back Clément Lenglet.

The Lowdown: Lacking game-time

The Frenchman has been struggling for game-time this season, having made just eight appearances so far in the Catalan club’s 2021/22 LaLiga campaign.

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When Xavi was handed the managerial reins, there were rumours that this was about to change. However, this has not been the case; the defender has played just twice since the club legend’s arrival as manager.

Despite rarely featuring domestically, the 26-year-old has played well when utilised in the Champions League, leading his team in offsides won per game (1.3 averaged across his four appearances).

Lenglet arrived in Catalonia in 2018, joining from Sevilla in a deal worth £32.3m. Having won 15 caps for France, he has been on display on the European stage, and some clubs have enquired about the £97,000-per-week defender following his lack of game-time at Camp Nou.

The Latest: Spurs rekindle Lenglet interest

According to Romero (as relayed by Sport Witness), Tottenham have declared their interest in Lenglet, adding that the Lilywhites were interested in signing him in the previous summer transfer window, when Nuno Espírito Santo was at the helm.

The journalist tweeted that Spurs have gone ‘back to the charge for Lenglet in the winter market’, adding that ‘the player did not want to go to England in the summer and rejected the Spurs offer’.

He claims that Tottenham even made an offer for the 26-year-old, but the Barcelona player personally rejected it. Ramón Planes, the Blaugrana’s former technical secretary, had held talks with Spurs, with the Lilywhites likely looking to push a deal for Lenglet.

The Verdict: Better options elsewhere

Lenglet’s reputation has seen a devastating decline over the past two years. In the summer of 2019, the Frenchman had a market value of £54m. This figure has rapidly decreased since, dropping to a meagre current valuation of £16.2m.

Recently, the 26-year-old has faced widespread criticism after being pictured laughing with Bayern Munich’s Robert Lewandowski after Barcelona’s Champions League exit. Spanish pundit Jota Jordi slammed Lenglet over that incident, exclaiming that he ‘has no shame’.

Given Antonio Conte’s no-nonsense attitude, this demeanour could seriously annoy the Italian coach, so maybe it is better for Spurs to look for a new defender elsewhere.

In other news – The ‘Next Buffon’: Long-term Tottenham target seeks exit; Ancelotti claimed he’s ‘special’

Southampton trio Alex McCarthy, Valentino Livramento and Kyle Walker-Peters all experienced poor days at the office in the 2-1 defeat to Norwich City.

Ralph Hasenhuttl’s side suffered a hugely disappointing loss at Carrow Road on Saturday afternoon, as Dean Smith won his first game as Norwich manager.

Che Adams’ early goal got the Saints off to a perfect start but strikes from Teemu Pukki and Grant Hanley turned the game on its head.

As per statistical website Sofascore, these were Southampton’s three worst performers in the defeat to the Canaries, with only those who featured for at least 45 minutes eligible for consideration.

Alex McCarthy – 6.3

McCarthy started between the sticks for Hasenhuttl’s team but his performance left a lot to be desired. Indeed, his was the lowest match rating awarded to a Southampton player.

The 31-year-old was beaten at his near post for both of Norwich’s goals and picked out a team-mate with only 11 of his 17 passes (65%)

McCarthy also played just two accurate long balls out of eight, won zero duels and lost possession six times at Carrow Road on Saturday.

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Valentino Livramento – 6.4

Livramento was another man who struggled, with the right-back failing to affect proceedings in a positive manner.

The 19-year-old didn’t play a key pass at Carrow Road, suggesting that a lack of attacking thrust was on show, and he won just six of his 15 duels, along with losing possession 17 times, the joint-second highest figure among Ralph Hasenhuttl’s team.

One accurate cross out of three was also a disappointing return from the youngster, who gave away two fouls.

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Kyle Walker-Peters – 6.7

Walker-Peters was another Saints defender who flattered to deceive at Carrow Road, failing to impress at left-back.

Just like Livramento, the 24-year-old ceded possession 17 times in the match and he lost nine of his 18 duels. The former Tottenham full-back also committed four fouls, suggesting that he was an erratic presence against the Canaries on Saturday.

In other news, some Saints fans slammed another player’s performance against Norwich. Find out who it is here.

Jesse Marsch’s track record when it comes to developing young players is certainly impressive, so Leeds United’s latest up-and-coming prospects are in very good hands.

During spells in charge of Red Bull conglomerates, Salzburg and Leipzig, the American coach had many a talent at his disposal, trusting them to start for him in the senior game.

These names ranged from goalscoring superstar Erling Haaland and Patson Daka, who is now at Premier League rivals Leicester City, to mooted Whites transfer target Brenden Aaronson.

Whilst the likes of Hwang Hee-chan, Takumi Minamino, Dominik Szoboszlai, Karim Adeyemi, Christopher Nkunku and Josko Gvardiol have all benefitted from his influence.

Some of the players listed went on to score a pretty neat profit but who could follow in the footsteps of say, a Haaland, at Elland Road?

The Yorkshire giants are blessed with a pretty exciting academy set-up, where we have seen players such as Joe Gelhardt, Lewis Bate and Sam Greenwood go from starting for the youth team week-in, week-out, to earning minutes in the top-flight of the men’s game.

But it could be Leo Hjelde who benefits most from the arrival of Marsch.

The 18-year-old defender has recently been absent through injury but made his return on Monday night as the U23s were walloped by West Ham United, though these valuable minutes are positive for his comeback.

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Described as “rusty” in the game by LeedsLive reporter Beren Cross, it was more of a first runout for the Nottingham-born Norwegian in two months.

Capable of playing at left-back and in the middle, Hjelde could be hugely valuable to the 48-year-old going forward, particularly into next season, where the makeup of this Leeds squad is surely set to change following a torrid season full of injury and inconsistency, leading to them largely fighting a relegation battle.

His debut for the Yorkshiremen came against West Ham United earlier this season highlighted his true potential, earning immense praise from club legend Jermain Beckford, who told the club’s official podcast:

“The young boy, Hjelde when he came on as well, what a player he’s looking by the way. I don’t want to put too much pressure on him. But that’s twice we’ve seen him, twice we’ve seen him against West Ham, against a very physical, very strong, very quick centre forward in Michail Antonio and a tricky player in Jarrod Bowen. I don’t want to say he had them in his pocket, but I think he did.”

Meanwhile, during his time at Ross County, his former manager John Hughes likened him to a current Premier League star, which only bolsters claims that Hjelde could emerge as a big money-making sensation in the future.

“Leo is going to be the next Van Dijk. Trust me on that,” he said. “The quality he has shown, the physical challenge, playing real men’s football and standing up to it – it’s been a wonderful experience for Leo. He’s got massive things in front of him.”

Also dubbed a “massive talent” by his ex-boss, it’s clear that Leeds – and Marsch particularly – have a special defender in their grasp. He should be in line for more game time next season as the league’s worst defence will surely be altered.

The Norway U21 international could earn Leeds a pretty penny one day.

AND in other news, Alan Nixon drops 12-word Kalvin Phillips transfer update…

An exciting Rangers transfer claim has been made, as Giovanni van Bronckhorst eyes up potential targets to arrive at Ibrox…

What’s the talk?

Ligue 1 expert Adam White has claimed that a move to Glasgow is possible for PSG talent Xavi Simons at the end of the season.

When asked if a transfer to Scotland could happen, he told GIVEMESPORT:

“I think it’s feasible. I haven’t heard anything that suggests that that’s close or ongoing but I think there’s a lot of talk about Xavi Simons.”

It was reported at the end of December that Rangers were leading the race to land the midfielder, whose contract with the French giants is up in the summer. Although, there have been no further developments to the story between then and these quotes from White.

GVB will love it

Van Bronckhorst will surely love this news as it leaves the door open for Simons to end up at Rangers ahead of the 2022/23 campaign. It remains to be seen whether or not they would be able to bring him in for the second half of the current season, but signing him on a pre-contract deal and avoiding paying a huge transfer fee to PSG could be a fantastic piece of business by the club.

The Dutch head coach will be buzzing as the teenager is a talented young player who is reportedly regarded as one of the best prospects in Europe at the moment. This means that van Bronckhorst could work with him over the course of a number of months and years to hone his talent and ensure that he reaches his potential.

As a result, the ex-Feyenoord boss could enjoy reaping the rewards of his efforts on the training ground for a considerable period of time.

He has played three first-team games and registered one assist for PSG this season – with one appearance in Ligue 1 handed to him by Mauricio Pochettino. This shows that the 18-year-old is trusted enough, despite his age, to play at the top level in a team full of talent – with the likes of Lionel Messi, Kylian Mbappe, Marquinhos, Gianluigi Donnarumma and Neymar, among others.

Simons’ record at youth level also provides an insight into the quality he could bring to Rangers. He has produced five goals and six assists in 12 games for PSG’s U19’s, showing that he can score and create goals on a regular basis.

It remains to be seen whether or not he can do that in a first-team setting, but his involvement for Pochettino’s side suggests that they believe he has the talent to do so. This is why van Bronckhorst will love the claim that a transfer is possible for Rangers in the summer.

AND in other news, Bye-bye Morelos: Rangers can seal ideal replacement in gem who scores every 1.7 games…

Leeds United will be looking for only their third win of the Premier League season when they welcome Crystal Palace to Elland Road this evening, and manager Marcelo Bielsa could be tempted into some changes.

His side drew to Brighton and Hove Albion on Saturday evening in a game that they were awfully lucky to return to Yorkshire with anything from.

But how might the Whites lineup this evening? Here’s what Football FanCast are predicting…

There could be two changes from the weekend, though we’re still unlikely to see either Luke Ayling or Patrick Bamford involved after featuring for the U23s on Monday.

Illan Meslier should remain between the sticks, though with a switch of tactics, we could see alterations to the backline.

At left-back, Junior Firpo is surely facing the axe after the 25-year-old’s nightmare display against Tariq Lamptey, so we could see a return for 6 foot 3 colossus Pascal Struik, who excelled against Leicester City.

Meanwhile, Liam Cooper and Diego Llorente keep their place in the middle, with Stuart Dallas reverting back to the right, in the continued absence of the vice-captain.

It does mean Kalvin Phillips moves out of defence into his natural defensive midfield role as Adam Forshaw and Rodrigo take up more advanced positions in the engine room.

Raphinha is probably one of the first names on the teamsheet, so he should line up on the right and he will be joined in attack by Jack Harrison on the left.

United lacked a cutting edge in the final third at the Amex Stadium, so we could see young academy striker Joe Gelhardt get the nod as an actual no.9. That decision would see a big call in dropping club-record signing Daniel James, who has scored just one goal in 12 appearances this term.

Predicted Leeds XI (4-1-4-1): Meslier; Struijk, Cooper, Llorente, Dallas; Phillips; Harrison, Forshaw, Rodrigo, Raphinha; Gelhardt.

AND in other news, Orta must secure Bielsa’s dream transfer at Leeds with “powerful” £18m-rated beast…