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West Ham United have submitted an enquiry for AZ Alkmaar star Tijjani Reijnders in the hope of bringing him to the Premier League, according to reports.

Who is Tijjani Reijnders?

Reijnders is naturally a central midfielder who currently plies his trade at the AFAS Stadium having joined the U21s there from PEC Zwolle back in 2017 before getting promoted to the first team the following year, as per Transfermarkt, where he’s since gone on to become a regular feature.

In the Eredivisie, the Dutchman started all 34 games under Pascal Jansen last season and established himself as his side’s third overall best-performing player with a WhoScored match rating of 7.26, and David Moyes has already had the chance to assess him live in action.

During the Europa Conference League, the Irons had to face the 24-year-old’s side and will know exactly what he’s capable of having put a goal past Lukasz Fabianski, something which has tempted the boss into trying to entice him to E20.

Are West Ham signing Reijnders?

According to Sport Italia (via Sport Witness), West Ham have made an "in-depth" enquiry to discover the availability of Reijnders in the "past few days" ahead of the 2023/24 campaign. AC Milan and other unnamed clubs are also believed to have "expressed their interest" in AZ Alkmaar's prized asset, but at this stage, there's no indication as to how much it would cost to secure his services.

Should Moyes consider a bid for Reijnders?

Whilst Reijnders is a central midfielder, West Ham will know that he is much stronger in the attacking aspect of his game, and having been dubbed “unplayable” by journalist Josh Bunting, Moyes and the hierarchy should definitely consider tabling an opening offer.

The ESA & GFM client, who earns £8k-per-week, racked up 11 goal contributions (eight assists and three goals) in 34 Eredivisie appearances last season, with this form seeing him collect three man-of-the-match awards, but he’s also a creative threat away from the net.

Reijnders, who has the versatility to operate in seven various positions, including everywhere across the centre and out wide on both wings, ranked in the 96th percentile for progressive carries so loves to push up the pitch but was also calm and composed in possession with an 88.8% pass success rate which was higher than any Irons player, therefore he would be an upgrade on the boss’ current options at the London Stadium.

Declan Rice's future continues to dominate the transfer columns, but West Ham United may well have already found an ideal replacement for their departing captain.

England international Rice is certain to move on this summer – chairman David Sullivan confirmed as much earlier this month – but United are continuing to haggle over a fee for a player they value at a nine-figure sum.

It seems likely they will get their wish, with Arsenal now joined by Manchester City in the bidding, meaning plenty of money will be available to bring in a new central midfielder.

What's the latest on West Ham's hunt for Declan Rice's replacement?

According to The Sun reporter Alan Nixon, David Moyes is hopeful of raiding former club Everton for in-demand Amadou Onana, who is also being eyed up by Chelsea and Manchester United.

Moyes is said to have missed out on Onana last summer when Everton signed him from Lille for £30m, and his valuation has now climbed to as much as £50m.

Given that will potentially be just half the amount they get for the sale of Rice, it surely makes sense for West Ham to move quickly and bring in the Belgium international, rather than being left stranded come the second half of the transfer window.

Is Amadou Onana a good replacement for Declan Rice?

Onana has taken no time at all to settle into the Premier League, as reflected in a number of key metrics. For example, he ranked in the top 10% of all midfielders across Europe's top five leagues for aerial duels won last season, as per The Analyst.

Rice was only in the top 40%, though he does, of course, thrive in other areas. There are plenty of similarities between the two men, however, such as direct goal involvement (0.14 per 90 minutes for Rice, 0.11 for Onana), pass completion rate (86.5% v 83.3%) and take-ons attempted (1.73 v 1.88).

As per FBref, both players find the target at an identical rate (0.22 per 90 minutes) and, while Rice edges things in terms of shot-creating actions – which factors in passes and take-ons leading to a shot – at 2.75 per 90 to Onana's 1.63, the latter comes into his own in the tackles won per 90 metric (1.56 v 1.04).

As the Manchester Evening News reporter Tyrone Marshall put it in October, Onana is a "supreme athlete and very mobile", which would also be a good way to describe Rice.

Whoever is brought in by West Ham will have to hit the ground running if they are to come anywhere close to replacing fan favourite Rice. In Onana, they have a Premier League-ready option waiting to do exactly that.

Financial expert Kieran Maguire has been reacting to a Leeds United update involving the 49ers Enterprises and Elland Road.

What’s the latest Leeds news on the 49ers?

It was confirmed earlier this month that the 49ers Enterprises have completed a full takeover of Leeds from Andrea Radrizzani. The investment vehicle, which have links to NFL side the San Francisco 49ers, are now full owners of the Whites after previously having a 44% stake in the club.

A takeover was valued at £170m and includes the ownership of Elland Road, something which Maguire has been giving his thoughts on.

Talking to Football Insider regarding the news, Maguire, who contributes for Sky Sports, believes that “Leeds fans will love” the fact that the stadium and club are in the hands of the same party.

“I think there is an inevitability in regards to the 49ers’ investment in Leeds United that has been mooted for some time.

“I think it is a very good idea to have continuity of ownership of both football club and stadium and I’m sure Leeds fans will love this.”

What did Andrea Radrizzani try and do with Elland Road?

Radrizzani has moved on from Leeds, heading back to his native Italy with a takeover of Sampdoria. However, the former Leeds owner and chairman recently explored the prospect of offering to use the club's Elland Road stadium as security against a £26m bank loan, doing so without informing the 49ers.

That was before a Leeds agreement was reached with the 49ers, so it is good to see that Elland Road has been included in the takeover and is not still on the books of a company run by Radrizzani.

The new owners are now looking to take the club back into the Premier League at the first time of asking and are on the search for a new manager, and who knows, should they succeed, they may look into plans to redevelop Elland Road over the coming years.

Manchester City appear to be closing in on reaching an agreement with RB Leipzig defender Josko Gvardiol.

What’s the latest Man City transfer news?

Pep Guardiola and his City squad completed a historic treble during the 2022/23 season, however, it looks as if City aren’t wasting any time when it comes to adding to their squad.

A deal for Chelsea midfielder Mateo Kovacic appears to be close, with a verbal agreement reached with the Croatia international. However, Kovacic isn’t the only Croatia star City have their eyes on, with Gvardiol another target.

The Secret Scout took to Twitter in the last 48 hours to share a claim on City and Gvardiol. They said that everything is in place when it comes to an Etihad contract for the defender, who is a key target once Kovacic is signed. City still need to agree on a fee with Leipzig for Gvardiol, though.

“Everything now in place in relation to contract between Man City and Gvardiol.

“Once Kovacic deal complete, Gvardiol is the key target for LCB. Now it’s for RB Leipzig & Man City to agree T&Cs of the fee + add ons.”

Who is Josko Gvardiol?

Gvardiol is primarily a left-footed centre-back who can also play as a left-back and appears to be at the top of his game with a career-high €75m (£66m) Transfermarkt valuation.

The defender actually scored against City in the Champions League earlier this year, and admitted he had a conversation with Guardiola after the second leg.

"I extended my hand to Guardiola and congratulated him on advancing in the Champions League. Guardiola, a great coach, threw a few words at me, but I will keep them to myself."

He appears to be a real star in the making, with pundit Owen Hargreaves believing that Gvardiol will be "the best centre-back in the world one day” following the game against City.

"He [Gvardiol], I think, is an absolute top one. I think he’ll be the best centre-back in the world one day. He’s learned a lot today, and probably wouldn’t mind playing in a team like this rather than against them."

As per WhoScored, the Leipzig man actually outperformed City defenders Manuel Akanji and Kyle Walker last season, while also averaging more interceptions per game than any City player.

As per FBref, Gvardiol also ranks in the 99th percentile for centre-backs when it comes to passes attempted, progressive passing distance and medium passes completed, so he could be a shrewd addition to Guardiola’s side who are known for building attacks from the back.

Arsenal could be set to immediately bin one of the club's recent failures, with another big-money move, but this time of Mikel Arteta's choosing.

What's the latest on Samuel Chukwueze to Arsenal?

That's according to CalcioMercato, who claim that the Gunners are battling with many clubs over Villarreal's star winger Samuel Chukwueze.

With AC Milan and Real Madrid also in the race and contact expected to be made soon, it will take an almighty task to tempt this Super Eagles star to the Emirates ahead of such European royalty. This hefty competition likely aids the €80m (£68m) asking price that continues to be referenced by the Spanish club.

Such an astronomical fee will likely have fans of the north London outfit worried that this left-footed right-winger might follow down the same path that Nicolas Pepe took, having struggled since his £72m move in 2019.

In fact, it has been revealed that Edu is currently seeking out a buyer for their Ivory Coast flop, as he aims to trim their squad starting with their biggest duds. Another potential transfer howler is a situation the club simply must avoid.

Is Samuel Chukwueze better than Nicolas Pepe?

Pepe's drop-off since moving to the Emirates was nothing short of astronomical, and was made all the more apparent when Unai Emery later admitted it was a deal he did not sanction.

Given he would go on to play just 121 times, scoring 27 goals, it is clear to see that this once impressive wide man was a fish out of water in England. Especially considering how in his final year before moving from Lille he would notch 23 goals and assist a further 12 in all competitions, nearly equalling that aforementioned tally across four whole years in north London.

Having since been temporarily sent back to Ligue 1 last term, just six league goals are suggestive that their ridiculous investment continues to fall flat.

Meanwhile, in a division ranked as the second-best in Europe just behind the Premier League, as opposed to the fifth-place standing of France, Chukwueze has slowly been growing into a stunning footballer who seems ready to take that next step.

This year has comfortably marked his pinnacle thus far, with the 24-year-old having scored 13 and assisted 11 from that right flank.

Having also dressed that up with an immense level of finesse and flair, it even led his boss Quique Setien to claim:

"For a few weeks, he’s been giving us a lot, he’s a permanent threat. Not just in goals, but in passes, chances, he’s an extraordinary player, who is giving us a lot". This culminated in his status as a "crazy dribbler" too.

With Pepe seemingly already with one foot out the exit door, to spend big once again on another in his exact role would surely mean the end of an Arsenal career that promised much but delivered next to nothing.

Wolverhampton Wanderers were able to avoid relegation to the Championship in the 2022/23 campaign as they finished 14th in the Premier League.

Julen Lopetgui guided the side to survival as they ended the season seven points clear of 18th-placed Leicester City and the Spanish head coach now has his first summer transfer window in charge of the club to add to his squad.

Goalscoring was a major issue for them in the top flight as they only found the back of the net 31 times in 38 matches, which was the worst record in the entire division – including all three of the relegated teams.

Wolves have confirmed that Spanish striker Diego Costa will be leaving Molineux upon the expiry of his contract at the end of this month and Lopetegui could land a big upgrade on the former Chelsea man by swooping for reported target Chuba Akpom from Middlesbrough, who could cost around £20m.

Would Chuba Akpom be a success at Wolves?

The Arsenal academy graduate could be a huge success for the Old Gold as the forward enjoyed a "remarkable" – as described by journalist Oluwashina Okeleji – season in front of goal for Michael Carrick's side in the Championship.

Akpom plundered an eye-catching 28 goals in 38 appearances in the second tier in 2022/23 and proved his finishing quality by doing that from 21.9 xG, showing that the attacker outperformed the quality of chances that his teammates provided him with.

The Englishman ranks in the top 1% of players in his positions in the Men's Next Eight Competitions over the last 365 days for non-penalty goals (0.70) and non-penalty xG (0.50) per 90), meaning that he is one of the best goalscorers around at that level.

Meanwhile, Costa found the back of the net just once in 23 Premier League matches for Wolves, despite racking up 3.2 xG. This shows that the Spanish dud underperformed in front of goal and should have scored more than once, marking a poor return from the former Atletico Madrid star.

To rubber stamp that underperformance, he ranks in the bottom 3% of players in his position in Europe's top five leagues for non-penalty goals per 90 (0.07) over the last 365 days.

This suggests that it would not take much to bring in a significant upgrade on the veteran forward and Akpom could be exactly that based on the marksman's exceptional performances for Boro in the Championship.

There is no guarantee that he will be able to translate that form over to the top-flight but it will take some going for him to offer less in the final third than Costa. Therefore, the 27-year-old could improve Lopetegui's side tenfold next season and solve their goalscoring woes.

An update has emerged on Rangers and their interest in signing a new winger to bolster Gio van Bronckhorst’s squad in the summer transfer window…

What’s the talk?

According to TEAMtalk, the Light Blues are among a number of clubs monitoring Tom Lawrence ahead of a potential swoop for his services.

Ross Wilson is eyeing a deal for the Derby County gem and will need to fend off the likes of Leeds and Celtic – among others – in order to snap him up.

The Wales international is out of contract at the end of next month and there is set to be a scramble over who will be able to sign him on a free transfer.

Ryan Kent 2.0

A left winger with English Championship experience who likes to cut inside onto his favoured right foot? That sounds familiar…

Wilson can land the next Kent for the Light Blues by securing a swoop for Lawrence this summer, although whether that means him coming as competition for the ex-Liverpool forward or as a straight-up replacement remains to be seen.

Lawrence has been labelled a “fabulous talent” in the past by Gary Bowyer, while Steve Evans has previously dubbed him “unplayable”. The winger’s statistics in the Championship for Derby back up those claims, as he impressed despite the club’s relegation to League One under Wayne Rooney.

The £27k-per-week dynamo produced 11 goals and five assists in the second tier of English football as his side finished 23rd in the league.

Lawrence averaged an impressive SofaScore rating of 7.08 as he turned in consistently good performances whilst chipping in on a regular basis in the final third. At the age of 28, he is also in the prime years of his career and would be a player with the quality to step straight into the first-team to make an impact, given his age and form in England.

Meanwhile, Kent scored two goals and provided eight assists in the most recent league campaign for Rangers, helping the team to finish second in the Premiership, as he averaged a SofaScore rating of 7.06. However, he did register 10 goals and nine assists in the 2020/21 title-winning campaign, so his output has diminished in recent months.

This shows that both players, whilst also being similar in their positions and style of play, are capable of scoring and creating goals. Therefore, Lawrence can be the new Kent at Ibrox and provide a big lift to Van Bronckhorst’s attacking options next season.

AND in other news, Huge boost: Gvb set for big Rangers contract lift that’ll leave supporters buzzing…

West Ham United could face a Manchester City side in the Premier League this afternoon without Aymeric Laporte and Fernandinho with both players nursing injuries.

What’s the latest?

As quoted by City Xtra, City boss Pep Guardiola stated: “They are in treatment, two days. We will see tomorrow, which players can play on Sunday. Until the day of the game, we will not be able to decide.

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“I said many times we have to handle these absences. If it was many months a big problem but one or two games. We saw against Wolves, we get through.”

Laporte had to be withdrawn after colliding with Wolves striker Raul Jimenez as Guardiola’s men won 5-1 at Molineux on Wednesday evening whilst it appeared as though Fernandinho sustained a hamstring injury.

Hammers will be buzzing

Getting a result against Manchester City with the Premier League title on the line will be a very tall task for West Ham. However, their chances will certainly be improved slightly if Laporte and Fernandinho do not make the game.

Without Laporte, Nathan Ake will be the Citizens’ only fit centre-back which could cause Guardiola a major issue as his side look to all but secure their fourth Premier League title under the Spaniard.

With a victory in east London, City will go six points clear of Liverpool with one game to go with the Reds’ penultimate game of the league season coming on Tuesday night with a trip to Southampton.

However, the absences of Laporte and Fernandinho, who have made a combined 73 appearances this term will be a major boost for West Ham who still have targets of their own.

A win today would see David Moyes’ side leapfrog Manchester United into sixth place going into the final day, with a second consecutive top six finish still very possible.

Although unlikely, the Hammers could still finish outside of the European places with two defeats in their final games of the season if Wolves were to beat both Norwich City and Liverpool.

Moyes’ men were victorious against City when the North-West outfit made the trip to the London Stadium in October for the EFL Cup fourth round, losing on penalties following a 0-0 draw.

Therefore, the Irons can take confidence from their previous meeting at the London Stadium as well as potential injury woes in the defensive department for Manchester City.

AND in other news: Forget Lanzini: Moyes must now unleash “renowned” £49k-p/w West Ham hero vs MCFC…

Sunderland will look to make the League One play-off final tomorrow night as they travel to Sheffield Wednesday for the second leg of their semi-final, with the Black Cats boasting a 1-0 lead on aggregate.

The Wearside outfit’s top scorer Ross Stewart got the decisive goal in the first leg on Friday night, capitalising on a mistake from Wednesday defender Sam Hutchinson.

Stewart’s effort was his 25th of an excellent first full campaign in the North-East since his move from Ross County last January.

However, in order to make it to Wembley, the 25-year-old will need extra support up front, with Alex Neil’s side’s lead a slender one considering that the Owls boast the best home form in the third tier.

Therefore, the imminent return of second top-scorer Nathan Broadhead will be incredibly welcome.

On the chalkboard

Broadhead missed Friday’s first leg through injury but his manager confirmed that he could be fit in time for tomorrow’s trip to South Yorkshire, stating: “He [Broadhead] will have a chance for Monday. Unfortunately, tonight was too soon.

“We will assess him over the next few days and make a call.

“Tonight he wasn’t ready. It’s tough as he is a good player but we have other good players.”

Labelled as “fantastic” by former Sunderland manager Lee Johnson, the £2.9k-per-week Everton loanee has scored 13 goals in 25 appearances in what’s been an impressive campaign for the 24-year-old, although injuries have prevented the Welshman from making a serious impact at the Stadium of Light.

However, no current striker in the Sunderland squad comes close to the numbers of either Stewart or Broadhead, with the next best tally from a striker coming from Leon Dakaju with four.

Therefore, it is imperative that the Welsh striker is fit enough for tomorrow, at least to make the bench, with the Black Cats looking to finally put an end to their miserable four-year stay in the third tier.

This is arguably the best chance the Wearside outfit has had to escape League One since their back-to-back relegations in 2017 and 2018, having made the 2019 final but being second-best to an impressive Charlton Athletic.

With Broadhead, Sunderland will have a much stronger chance of making the play-off final on 21 May, where they will face either MK Dons or Wycombe Wanderers at Wembley.

AND in other news: Neil can blow SAFC supporters away with £3.4k-p/w gem who was made “in a laboratory”

Nottingham Forest face arguably their most pivotal game in years on Tuesday night, as they take on Scott Parker’s Bournemouth side in a clash which could well decide which of the two clubs secures that much-coveted automatic promotion spot.

Steve Cooper’s men still have it all to do with three points currently separating themselves and their second-placed opponents, although to even be in contention at this stage of the season is a testament to the work done by the former Swansea City boss since his appointment back in September.

Under his predecessor Chris Hughton, the club were going nowhere fast and even appeared set to drop into the third tier, with the City Ground outfit picking up just a solitary point from their opening seven games of the current campaign.

Now they are on the cusp of a return to the promised land that is the Premier League, with their midweek encounter potentially set to showcase plenty of fireworks as the two sides go toe-to-toe.

Ahead of that meeting, one man who the Forest boss should well turn to to make the difference is young starlet Alex Mighten, with the 20-year-old having caught the eye off the bench in the recent 5-1 thrashing of Swansea.

While it may be a brave shout to alter a winning team – particularly following such a convincing victory – the youngster’s impact as a late substitute has seemingly done enough to warrant a start, even in a game of such magnitude.

In his 14-minute cameo, the academy graduate won 100% of his ground duels and completed two successful dribbles, while also notably getting himself on the scoresheet to put late gloss on an already emphatic scoreline.

Despite appearing something of a scrappy way to grab his first Championship goal of the season, the £540k-rated speedster showed great persistence to bundle the ball past the opposition stopper, latching onto a lofted pass over the top and busting a gut to get himself ahead of the visitors’ lacklustre defence.

That impressive display saw him receive an 8.0 match rating, via SofaScore, while NottinghamPost writer Sarah Clapson awarded the American-born prospect an 8.5/10 rating in her post-match report, writing of the forward’s performance that: “He’ll have enjoyed that one! Lovely run to find the net and help boost the goal difference.”

Following that showing, the £2.5k-per-week gem also received glowing praise from his manager, with Cooper dubbing him a “real livewire” and insisting that the player has now “got to get himself in the team and kick on.”

Should he be given the chance at the Vitality Stadium, Mighten seemingly has the opportunity to ‘kick on’, with a fresh pair of legs also potentially a benefit in what was an intense climax to the campaign.

With teammate Phillip Zinckernagel not enjoying his best day out at the weekend – the on-loan Watford man winning just one of his eight duels and losing possession on five occasions – it could be an ideal opportunity for a shake-up in attack.

IN other news: Nottingham Forest set for disaster on Djed Spence…