Aston Villa are in the running to sign a new striker in January, but a report has revealed that they aren't the only club who are hoping to bring him to the Premier League.
Aston Villa's season so far
Unai Emery’s side have made an overall positive start to the new top-flight campaign having won six, drawn one and lost just two of their opening nine fixtures, which means that they find themselves fifth in the table prior to this weekend's matches.
Everton (4-0)
Wolverhampton Wanderers (1-1)
Newcastle United (5-1)
Burnley (3-1)
Liverpool (3-0)
Crystal Palace (3-1)
Chelsea (1-0)
Brighton and Hove Albion (6-1)
West Ham United (4-1)
Ahead of January, NSWE and Monchi will already be assessing their options in the market and appear keen to bolster their attacking ranks, having highlighted Stuttgart centre-forward Serhou Guirassy as a potential candidate that they would like to bring to the Midlands.
The Guinea international has firmly established himself as Sebastian Hoeness’ overall best-performing player so far this season with a match rating of 8.60 (WhoScored – Stuttgart statistics), and the 27-year-old’s impressive form has brought him onto the radar at Villa Park.
Aston Villa considering swoop for Serhou Guirassy
According to TEAMtalk, Aston Villa are closely monitoring Serhou Guirassy who has a £15m release clause, but as it stands, they aren't the club showing serious interest.
"Sources claim that the top scoring striker has a multitude of opportunities and will take his time to decide his next move. There is also a suggestion from those close to the player that he would be willing to wait until the summer and continue his development in Germany for the rest of the season.
"Unai Emery and Aston Villa have also taken notice and would like to add numbers to help their in-form forward Ollie Watkins. The recruitment strategy at Villa Park is designed to build a squad capable of challenging on multiple fronts.
"Clubs in Spain and Portugal have also been keen but there is a belief from within the Guirassy camp that he would like a move to England and would prioritise talks with clubs in the world’s best league."
Stuttgart strikerSerhou Guirassy.
As per journalist Seb Stafford-Bloor, Guirassy is an “outrageous” striker and he’s more than proved that this season having so far posted 15 contributions, 14 goals and one assist, in just eight appearances in the Bundesliga (Transfermarkt – Guirassy statistics).
Sponsored by Adidas, the attacker has also recorded 31 shots over the course of the campaign which is more than any of his fellow teammates (FBRef – Stuttgart statistics), highlighting his constant desire to find the back of the net.
Standing at 6 foot 1, Guirassy is additionally an ideal target man – he’s averaging 3.3 aerial wins per league game (WhoScored – Guirassy statistics). So, for someone who is both prolific with the ball at his feet and a physical presence off the ground, this really is a no-brainer of a deal to pursue to put a big physical option alongside Watkins.
The defender could be an elite player, but the Spanish giants should not be spending big to add him to Carlo Ancelotti's squad
The world saw what Alphonso Davies did in August 2020. First, he turned Lionel Messi. Then, he pushed the ball around a sprawling Arturo Vidal. Next was Nelson Semedo, then Gerard Pique and Clement Lenglet. The whole thing was finished with an incisive layoff to Joshua Kimmich, who obligingly poked home from six yards out. All said, Davies had taken out almost half of the Barcelona team to set up the killer fifth goal in Bayern Munich's 8-2 Champions League quarter-final romp.
That was nearly four years ago, and it has been widely assumed that, since then, Davies has remained at that level. After all, how could a footballer so good, so young, and so audacious do to a Barcelona side now not be one of the best in the world? He had broken the internet, surely the world must now be his.
Things haven't been so simple. Davies has, indeed, enjoyed his moments, and his quality cannot be doubted. But consistency – at least at an elite level – has been elusive. In that light, it is strange that Real Madrid have reportedly been interested in Davies for so long. Talk of a potential transfer has only intensified recently, Los Blancos now eager to sign the Canadian full-back, even reaching a verbal agreement to bring him to the Santiago Bernabeu either this summer or next. But in a rare turn of events, it would seem a poor idea for a club that has thrived in the transfer market in the last three years.
Davies is a fine footballer and he could yet be an elite one, but he is not the hefty investment that Carlo Ancelotti's side need.
GettyA fresh challenge?
Davies has supposedly wanted to leave Bayern for some time now. The Canadian full-back was at his best under Hansi Flick in 2021, and has struggled to recapture that form since. Uncertainty over his future seems to be linked to the end of the 2022-23 season, when Bayern won the league on the final day, a late Jamal Musiala goal capturing an 11th-straight Bundesliga title after an infamous Borussia Dortmund late season collapse.
Musiala's heroics, though, did little to protect senior figures within the club. CEO Oliver Kahn and Sporting Director Hasan Salihamidzic's sackings were announced minutes after the final whistle. Neither of them were permitted to join Bayern's title celebrations – much to Kahn's public chagrin.
Talks of contract extensions in Bavaria have thinned out since then. It would seem to leave Bayern with issues across the board, with Davies, Kimmich, Musiala and Leroy Sane all on deals that expire in 2025. All four are key players for this side and there has been no concrete movement to keep any of them around for longer.
It is in that landscape that exit talk around Davies has grown. The left-back's outspoken agent has done little to squash suggestions that he would be honoured to suit up in Madrid white, while Davies' vague platitudes haven't reassured concerned parties: "I feel very comfortable here. I play in an incredible team at one of the absolute top clubs in Europe. I stay focused and give everything for the team and our fans."
AdvertisementGetty ImagesGlittering start at Bayern
This would seem to represent a massive shift from the wide-eyed former Vancouver Whitecaps winger who showed up in Munich in 2019, joining Bayern for an MLS record $22 million (£17m.) He needed over six months to crack the starting XI, eventually securing his spot after being converted from a left-winger to an attacking left-back – a change brought about by injuries elsewhere.
It worked perfectly. Davies, then still a teenager, took the Bundesliga by storm in the 2019-2020 season. He tallied eight goal contributions in 24 starts in the German top flight, and added five assists in cup competitions. He became the fastest player in Bundesliga history, reaching 36.51 kilometres per hour (22.69 mph) in a clash with Werder Bremen. Then came that hallmark assist – and accompanying performance – against Barca. It all amounted to a Bundesliga Rookie of the Season award, team of the season honour, and a spot on the FIFPro World 11 by the end of the year. "World class" conversations began – and never really lost momentum.
GettyA rocky two years
Since then, though, Davies has struggled. After enjoying another strong run with a Bundesliga-winning side, a stretch of health issues have stalled his career. In January 2022, the left-back tested positive for COVID-19, and started to feel consistent pain in his chest. A series of tests from doctors revealed that Davies had developed myocarditis – a rare but possible complication from contracting the disease.
For a brief period, it seemed that he might not ever play football again.
"That was very scary, especially [because] the doctors are saying that they don't know how long I was supposed to be out," he said. "At that time I had doubts in my head, whether I'm still going to be able to play football, but everything worked out at the end. I'm happy and I'm grateful for the doctor taking such good care of me. I'm happy that I can be back on the pitch."
Davies returned to the fray in April, but the Bavarians' season was mostly over by the time he stepped on the pitch again. Things were further complicated in the 2022-23 season. He was on the wrong end of a Jude Bellingham boot in October, and suffered a bruised skull that ruled him out for a short period. Another knock, sustained in November, threw his World Cup into jeopardy. And although he played for his country in Qatar, this wasn't a fully-fit player strutting his stuff – even if he did impress.
Davies recovered somewhat for the months after, but missed the last five matches of the Bundesliga season. By that time, transfer talk had kicked into gear, and new manager Thomas Tuchel had proved that he could set up a team without him.
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(C)Getty ImagesThe Madrid rumours
Los Blancos have reportedly been tracking Davies for some time, but it was his World Cup showings – when Canada were outmatched against more experienced sides – that really impressed scouts. There had supposedly been Spanish interest for a while, with Davies himself claiming that he could have been a Barca player, only for Joan Laporta to call the deal off due to Davies' nationality.
It would seem to open the door for Madrid to strike. This looks a lot like a Real Madrid transfer of old, with Davies arguably one of the best in the world in his position. He is in his prime, marketable, and exciting. Los Blancos don't do galacticos anymore, but if they wanted a statement signing – as much as a left-back can be one – then this is their man.
Davies, apparently, would be open to a move away, too. Bayern are in something of a transitional period. New sporting director Max Eberl has promised to start contract negotiations with the full-back – as well as a few other key names – but change is afoot. Tuchel is set to leave at the end of the season and a new manager would undoubtedly bring in fresh ideas and systems of his own. If there ever was a time for Davies to leave, with a reason to do so, then this is it.
A full-strength touring party from Pakistan will visit Zimbabwe in July for a T20I tri-series and bilateral ODI series. The tri-series, which also features Australia, begins on July 1 with the final on July 8, while the five-match ODI series begins on July 13.As with Pakistan’s T20Is against Scotland, Pakistan have opted against complacency and named a strong side for the tri-series, with only one change, Sahibzada Farhan earning a maiden call-up with opener Ahmed Shehzad dropping out.ESPNcricinfo Ltd
Farhan, a 22-year old opening batsman, has an impressive List A record, averaging over 52. He also played for Islamabad United in the PSL this season, but was somewhat underwhelming, scoring 91 runs in five innings. Asif Ali and Hussain Talat, who both found themselves called up to the T20I side against West Indies in Karachi, have retained their places, with Asif also earning a spot in the ODI side for the first time.Pakistan haven’t played an ODI since a five-match series in New Zealand in January. From that squad they have dropped Azhar Ali, with the left-handed pair of Fakhar Zaman and Imam-ul-Haq likely to open the batting. Junaid Khan returns to the side, having missed the New Zealand series, while Imad Wasim has failed to fully recover from a knee injury that has been a persistent issue for the allrounder.Babar Azam has been named in the 16-member ODI squad, though a final decision on the 23-year old will be taken after assessing his recovery from the arm fracture that kept him out of the much of the tour of the UK.ESPNcricinfo Ltd
Mohammad Amir, who had asked to be rested for part of the Zimbabwe tour, has been named in both squads; ESPNcricinfo understands coach Mickey Arthur was unwilling to allow him to miss the tour. Yasir Shah, who missed the UK tour with a stress fracture, finds a place in the ODI squad. It is an intriguing development, since Yasir last played an ODI in October 2016; depending on conditions, Pakistan could field a twin-legspin attack, with Shadab Khan also part of the squad.
Everton may well be starting to turn their season around, having won their last two games across all competitions, but the turmoil surrounding the club cannot be overshadowed.
Farhad Moshiri clearly wants out, and upon agreeing to offload the Toffees to 777 Partners, has brought about even more questions regarding who the company is, which boasts a far-reaching footballing network spanning numerous clubs across Europe.
Few believe the Iranian's claim that "I firmly believe they are the best partners to take our great Club forward," with his disinterest in the Merseyside outfit well-documented. The money has dried up, and with the various financial manoeuvres taken slowly becoming overwhelming, his is a position swiftly becoming untenable.
Fans will welcome his exit, but preferably to an ownership that can confidently take the historic institution into a brighter future.
Everton owner Farhad Moshiri.
After all, the businessman has hardly enjoyed a stellar seven years on Merseyside since acquiring a 49.9% stake back in 2016. His tenure is one littered with huge transfer blunders, even bigger managerial missteps and a current FFP crisis that has hamstrung their last few transfer windows. The only saving grace is the shiny new stadium slowly creeping up on the riverfront, which is admittedly quite the legacy to leave.
Focusing on transfers though, and that side of his legacy is one many will rush to forget.
Who is Everton's worst-ever signing?
In their desperate attempt to return Everton to the apex of English football, significant fees were spent over many years, and in support of many managers.
Ronald Koeman was the first to enjoy the financial backing of Moshiri, spending big on the likes of Gylfi Sigurdsson, Yannick Bolasie, Jordan Pickford and Michael Keane. Whilst the Dutchman set the club back by nearly a decade with his thoughtless investments, as arguably only three of his 17 acquisitions proved to be successes, Marco Silva would fare little better.
The current Fulham boss did bring Richarlison to Goodison Park, who developed into a true hero for the Toffees, but aside from that the likes of Yerry Mina, Fabian Delph and Jean-Philippe Gbamin were all lucrative failures who saw careers ravaged by injuries.
Moise Kean was another expensive risk, whilst the free transfer of Bernard actually saw them lose out significantly once again, as the Brazilian drained the club with his huge wages.
However, it could actually be argued that one of the club's worst signings came courtesy of the manager who emerged in between those two, as Sam Allardyce was employed to help them avoid the drop despite that being far from a threat, having amassed 15 points as of his November appointment.
Although the 68-year-old would be dismissed in the following summer, Moshiri still saw fit to allow the experienced tactician to spend big in January, welcoming two key figures. Cenk Tosun, the more expensive of the two, still stands as a truly mind-boggling acquisition who fans today still wonder what his outstanding characteristics were.
Everton full seasons with Farhad Moshiri
Money Spent via Transfermarkt
2022/23 (Finished 17th)
€78.2m (£67.6m)
2021/22 (Finished 16th)
€39.50 (£34.1m)
2020/21 (Finished 10th)
€74.37m (£64.3m)
2019/20 (Finished 12th)
€121m (£104.7m)
2018/19 (Finished 8th)
€99.8m (£86.3m)
2017/18 (Finished 8th)
€203.2m (£175.8m)
2016/17 (Finished 7th)
€86m (£74.4m)
Not particularly strong or physical, he lacked any real pace or sharp movement, and thus rarely found enough space to showcase the lethal finishing that was promised.
As such, the Turkey international would feature just 61 times, scoring 11 before a string of loan spells emphasised his dwindling first-team influence.
Journalist Aaron Sharp even poked fun at the 32-year-old, highlighting a lack of work ethic too, as if to exacerbate an already-maligned striker: "Tosun’s work off the ball is awful. Can Yerry Mina play up front?"
Given the Colombian actually departed Merseyside with only two fewer goals than the 6-foot flop, it was not actually that crazy of a notion. He has since returned to the comfort of his homeland, which seems to be the only place where the underwhelming dud can consistently perform.
How much did Everton pay for Cenk Tosun?
Having worked his way up through the Eintracht Frankfurt academy of all places, the 49-cap finisher would gladly take up the chance to move home, joining Gaziantepspor for just €400k (£346k). A string of fine performances caught the attention of Turkey's elite, with Besiktas willing recipients of the forward.
A fine tally of 20 goals in just 33 Super Lig appearances across his final full year there clearly caught the eye, and with a touch of European pedigree too, they slapped a huge £27m price tag on him.
Naturally, Everton would pay it, with the frontman failing to live up to anywhere near the hype that such a figure provoked.
What was Cenk Tosun's salary at Everton?
Such a large outlay was bound to command an equally lofty salary, but to tie him down to a long-term contract was a show of faith that has since backfired dramatically.
After all, bringing someone from the Turkish league hardly merited a £60k-per-week deal to tempt them to join the best league in the world.
But, such was the foolishness of Moshiri at the time, he would gladly offer such a figure. On top of that initial transfer fee paid, he has also been forced to unload £14.55m on wages, bringing the total expenditure up to £41.55m.
Did Cenk Tosun deserve to earn £60k-per-week?
Unsurprisingly, for a striker who could not score, Tosun was not good value for the wage offered.
In fact, to use that aforementioned figure to emphasise the failures of the floundering marksman, given he scored just 11 times, that meant the club were forced to unload a whopping £3.7m for every goal he scored.
A truly terrible return, such a statistic helps to properly outline the scale of such failure, and the financial drain caused by such a clueless signing.
How much has Cenk Tosun earned in his career so far?
Tosun's is a career that has not been all bad though, with a fine record in his homeland noted earlier.
Across 187 appearances with Besiktas, the club to which he is most affiliated, the former Crystal Palace loanee has recorded an admirable 86 goals, assisting a further 23.
It seems that the quality levels of the Super Lig suit the sluggish star more than the all-action Premier League, and as such his €32.6m (£28.2m) total career earnings are somewhat merited. However, it will sting that a large chunk of that figure has come from Everton, who saw little return on his acquisition.
Medindo forças pela 14ª rodada do Brasileirão Série B, CSA e Figueirense entraram em campo na noite desta terça-feira (6), no estádio Rei Pelé, em Maceió.
Com o resultado de 3 a 0, o Azulão recuperou-se da derrota para o Sampaio Corrêa chegando agora aos 16 pontos, pulando para a 12ª colocação. Já o time catarinense, graças ao tropeço para o rival alagoano, estacionou na 16ª posição com apenas 13 pontos, e poderá entrar no Z4 dependendo dos resultados na rodada.
RelacionadasFutebol NacionalChapecoense bate o Botafogo-SP e mantém a vice-liderança da Série BFutebol Nacional06/10/2020CruzeiroDestaque do Cruzeiro, lateral Matheus Pereira está com Covid-19Cruzeiro06/10/2020CRBNa Série B, Confiança vence em casa o CRB e sobe na classificaçãoCRB06/10/2020
O jogo
Com ambos os times precisando do resultado, a partida, sem dúvida, seria tensa do início do fim. Sendo assim, mesmo jogando fora de casa, o Figueirense iniciou o confronto pressionando o CSA, conseguindo dois escanteios logo no início, porém a defesa do time alagoano acabou levando a melhor e afastando o perigo.
Mas a equipe local não queria saber de dar chances ao time adversário. Com isso, aos 18 minutos, Paulo Sérgio, após pênalti marcado em Matheus Neris ao ser derrubado por Nadson, cobrou com categoria para fazer o primeiro na partida. 1 a 0.
Embalado pelo tento, o CSA seguiu melhor em campo. Após mais uma boa chegada, Nadson, com categoria, dominou a bola e mandou bonito para o fundo das redes de Rodolfo. 2 a 0.
Atrás no marcador, o Figueira, já na reta final, até que tentou pressionar. Entretanto, as tentativas por parte do time catarinense foram em vão, dando a deixa para a arbitragem colocar um ponto final na etapa.
Sem alterações nos dois lados na volta para o segundo tempo, o técnico Elano promoveu sua primeira troca apenas aos 7 minutos, quando colocou Everton Santos no lugar de Marquinho. Entretanto, a mudança não surtiu efeito já que o time do CSA pressionava de todos os jeitos, conseguindo assustar com Paulo Sérgio e Pimpão.
Com o relógio andando, os dois comandantes recuaram para seus suplentes buscando um objetivo cada. Entre as trocas promovidas por Mozart, as saídas ficam por conta de Nadson e Pimpão, enquanto o treinador do time catarinense apostou suas fichas aumentando seu poder de ataque colocando Gabriel Lima e Keké.
Sem preocupar-se com o rival, o Azulão não quis saber e fez mais um no jogo. Aos 39, Pedro Lucas, que havia entrado momentos antes no lugar de Paulo Sérgio, bateu bonito por cima do goleiro Rodolfo, marcando um bonito gol. 3 a 0.
Até os acréscimos, o time visitante praticamente não ofereceu perigo. Sendo assim, a arbitragem soprou o apito para encerrar o duelo em Maceió com vitória tranquila do Azulão.
Leeds United are readying an approach to sign Stoke City left-back Josh Tymon, however, they aren’t the only Championship side keen on his services.
What’s the latest Leeds transfer news?
The Whites and Daniel Farke look set for a busy final few days of the transfer window, with owners the 49ers Enterprises sealing a marquee move for striker Joel Piroe on Wednesday evening.
The club will pay Swansea City an initial £10.5m which could rise to £16m with add-ons. Piroe became the fifth arrival of the summer after Ethan Ampadu, Karl Darlow, Sam Byram and Joe Rodon.
Alongside Piroe, Leeds have also agreed a fee with Bayer Leverkusen for midfielder Nadiem Amiri, so the German appears to be on course to become the sixth addition.
However, after both Piroe and Amiri, it doesn’t look as if the club have any plans to stop when it comes to incomings, with a new left-back seemingly on the radar.
According to TEAMtalk, Leeds are considering a move by readying an approach for Tymon. The report claims that second-tier rivals Swansea City are also keen on the player, and it remains to be seen if Stoke would be willing to let the full-back leave late in the window.
Who is Josh Tymon?
Leeds have Leo Hjelde and Junior Firpo on the books at left-back, whereas Sam Byram has provided cover with the pair both out through injury recently.
Tymon is 24 years of age and can play as a left-back or left midfielder, highlighting his attacking ability. The Englishman moved to the Potters back in 2017 and after loan spells with MK Dons and Famalicao in Portugal, has gone on to make 120 senior appearances for his current employers.
Read the latest Leeds transfer news HERE…
Now valued at a career-high €3m by Transfermarkt, Tymon was hailed by former manager Michael O’Neil, labelling him as a player who is athletically very good and quick.
"Josh is one that I'm delighted to see playing as he is now because he was a boy I felt wasn't in a great place. He had a difficult time with changes of manager at the club, having been brought here as a young player when we were in the Premier League with a lot of potential.
"He never lost what he had, his natural attributes: athletically very, very good, quick, left sided. What he's got now is that his confidence and belief has grown.
"He understands the game. He's got good game intelligence and he's easy to work with. I always felt from a manager's point of view that there was a player in there but he had to get it out of himself as well.
"Credit to him because he's done that and he's playing with a real belief and confidence in himself that he has to continue."
A move could well be one to keep an eye on before the September 1 deadline, but with links to more midfielders Glen Kamara and Lewis O’Brien, Leeds’ focus after Piroe and Amiri could be on bolstering their midfield ranks even further before looking at a left-back.
Leeds United's euphoric return to the Premier League slowly deteriorated after that emphatic first season, with the Whites now in the second tier after three campaigns in the big time.
Having churned through managers last term, promotion specialist Daniel Farke has been appointed to orchestrate a swift journey back to the top flight, but Leeds have endured a testing transfer window and a slow start to the Championship season.
Several first-team stars have headed for the exit door, and while Ethan Ampadu, Karl Darlow and Joel Piroe have all been signed, the club are still pushing for further acquisitions before the transfer window closes next week.
What's the latest on Joseph Paintsil to Leeds?
According to The Athletic's David Ornstein, Leeds have recently proposed a deal to Belgian outfit Genk for winger Joseph Paintsil, offering €10m (£9m) plus a sell-on clause.
Read the latest Leeds transfer news HERE…
Southampton are also interested, though the player's preference is believed to be the Elland Road club.
However, Sky Sports reporter Dharmesh Sheth has claimed that Farke's side are considering withdrawing their offer after Genk rejected the Whites' approach.
Who is Joseph Paintsil?
The £9k-per-week winger has impressed in the Belgian Pro League over the past several seasons, having remarkably posted 18 goals and assists apiece across all competitions last term, after previously earning praise for being part of a "superb" title-winning Genk team in 2018/19 by talent scout Jacek Kulig.
As per Sofascore, the 25-year-old plundered 17 strikes and assisted a further 11 as Genk topped the 2022/23 regular season table, complementing his direct output with 1.4 key passes per game and creating 12 big chances.
The nine-cap Ghana star has an eye for goal himself, but also appears to be a trustworthy and consistent creative force, and as such, he could be the perfect partner for Piroe if he transfers his qualities from Belgium to Yorkshire.
Piroe was signed for Leeds from divisional rivals Swansea City this week, completing a transfer in excess of £10m, and appears to be a most auspicious signing after demonstrating his destructive qualities across two campaigns in the Championship, scoring 23 goals in the 2021/22 term before landing 20 last year.
He even got off the mark as Leeds earned their first win of the campaign at Ipswich Town this weekend.
Ghana forwardJoseph Paintsil.
As per FBref, the Dutch talisman also ranks among the top 4% of strikers playing at a similar level for pass completion and the top 16% for interceptions per 90.
This could ensure he fits right into Farke's system at Elland Road, with the German manager striving for possession-based football speckled with intelligent combinations and an emphasis on driving the ball into dangerous areas.
By utilising his ball-playing skills and getting stuck in defensively, Piroe could influence the play from a multitude of angles, all the while maintaining a cutting edge in front of goal.
And by maintaining this level of crispness with his all-encompassing approach, Paintsil would have a licence to thrive and drive at goal from the right flank, attacking incisively and indeed flourishing as a creative outlet.
Leeds could bring the Ghana international in at a time when the club needs some newfound panache to truly kickstart their campaign, and with Piroe's signature already tied up, Farke's squad is starting to take shape.
West Ham United are reportedly looking to bolster their attacking options this summer, as they build a squad capable of avoiding yet another relegation scrap in the Premier League.
Since losing Declan Rice for a reported £105m to Arsenal, the Hammers have signed just two reinforcements, in the form of James Ward-Prowse, and Edson Alvarez.
Now, they have made an approach to strengthen their offensive line, according to reports.
What's the latest on Romelu Lukaku to West Ham?
Romelu Lukaku has had quite the summer to forget so far. Initially, it seemed as though a permanent return to Inter Milan was on the cards, after impressing on loan last season, but the Belgian's reported negotiations with Juventus behind Inter's back put an end to the chances of that move.
As it turns out, too, sacrificing his relationship with Inter in favour of Juventus wasn't the wisest move, either. The protest from the Juventus fanbase over a potential move for Lukaku quickly decreased the chances of the Chelsea man making a return to Serie A.
Now, he finds himself somewhat stuck at Stamford Bridge, as the summer transfer window edges closer and closer to slamming shut.
However, according to Caught Offside, West Ham could yet end Lukaku's dilemma, after contacting Chelsea over a potential move in the remaining time left of the summer window.
The Hammers, of course, are targeting a new frontman after selling Gianluca Scamacca to Atalanta earlier this summer.
Should West Ham sign Romelu Lukaku?
As shown by this summer, alone, Lukaku is quite the controversial character. But, with that said, he is also a striker capable of performing on the biggest stage at his best.
We last saw his best form in the 2020/21 campaign at Inter Milan, where he scored 30 goals, and made a further 10 assists in all competitions, helping his side to Scudetto success.
The Belgian's form earned him a move to Chelsea, where he struggled to make an impact, before all but putting an end to his time at Stamford Bridge with a rather problematic interview.
So, there is a player capable of leading the line in there. It's just about getting the best out of him, and avoiding controversy. West Ham would be boosted by never having to face Lukaku again, too, given the fact that he's scored 11 goals against the Hammers in his career.
Read the latest West Ham transfer news HERE…
At his best, Lukaku has earned plenty of praise, too, with defender Leanardo Bonucci telling The Athletic, via The Express:
“Romelu Lukaku has proven himself to be a complete striker. He can win games on his own. When you come up against him you have to be switched on for 100 minutes a game.
"Unfortunately for us defenders, we can’t disengage our brains even for 10 seconds because those 10 seconds might be lethal. You must never engage Lukaku in a physical battle or play touch-tight. Instead, be ready to drop off because when his team has the ball, he will try to run in behind.
"In the box, he’s great at playing man-to-man so you need to be on the front foot, try to read the game and play hard. If you let him take up a position and he gets ahead of you, you won’t be able to step out and anticipate what’s coming.”
أعلن نادي بايرن ميونخ المنافس في بطولة دوري أبطال أوروبا عن صدمة قوية قبل مباراة الإياب أمام ريال مدريد في الدور نصف النهائي.
ويحل بايرن ميونخ ضيفًا على ملعب “سانتياجو برنابيو” يوم الأربعاء المقبل في تمام الساعة العاشرة مساءً بتوقيت “القاهرة”.
وكانت نتيجة مباراة الذهاب في الأسبوع الماضي على ملعب “أليانز أرينا” في ألمانيا قد انتهت بالتعادل الإيجابي 2-2.
اقرأ أيضًا.. أنشيلوتي: مواجهة بايرن ميونخ تهمنا أكثر من الاحتفال بلقب الدوري الإسباني
ℹ️ Raphael Guerreiro fällt vorerst aus.
Gute Besserung, Rapha! 🙏🏻
🔗https://t.co/5Nz6dhEtDc pic.twitter.com/9RVpTR4vJS — FC Bayern München (@FCBayern) May 5, 2024
ولكن خلال مباراة بايرن ميونخ وشتوتجارت الماضية في الدوري الألماني، تعرض الجناح الأيسر، رفائيل جيريرو، لإصابة أجبرته على مغادرة الملعب في الدقيقة 17 يوم أمس، السبت.
وبعد إجراء الفحوصات الطبية على اللاعب البرتغالي خلال الساعات القليلة الماضية، أكد بايرن ميونخ من خلال بيان رسمي أن جيريرو لن يكون متاحًا في المباريات المقبلة من الموسم للإصابة.
وكشفت الفحوصات الطبية عن أن جيريرو يعاني من إصابة في أربطة الكاحل، وأكد الجهاز الطبي لنادي بايرن ميونخ أنه لن يكون جاهزًا لخوض أي مباراة مقبلة ومنها ريال مدريد.
Moeen Ali has implored the ECB to employ Saqlain Mushtaq on a permanent basis after his record-breaking series against South Africa.Moeen credited Saqlain for his advice after claiming 25 wickets in the four-match series. But with the former Pakistan spinner employed only on a consultancy basis – meaning he is not with the England squad all the time – Moeen is concerned he may not be able to call on his wisdom throughout an Ashes series that could prove challenging.”I’d love to have him for all games – T20s, one-dayers and Test matches,” Moeen said. “If you are going to have batting, fielding and fast-bowling coaches, it would be nice to have a spin-bowling coach for pretty much all the games.”If I do get on that plane for the Ashes, hopefully I’ll have Saqi sitting next to me. I’d like him to be there. He can help me out.”While much of Saqlain’s role appears to be on the lines of offering reassurance, Moeen revealed the pair were working on a few variations – including a top-spinner that has yet to be used in a match – and that he had contributed more directly to the key wicket of Hashim Amla on the final day of the series.Amla had been batting with great assurance in adding 123 for the third wicket with Faf du Plessis when Moeen ran from the field for a quick toilet break. While in the dressing room, Saqlain suggested a field change that Moeen feels lured Amla into playing back, rather than forward as he had been, and missing a sharply turning offbreak.”He gave me the option of putting a silly point in,” Moeen said. “Maybe it put something in the batter’s mind in terms of playing forward. I bowled a bit shorter, he went back. I think that made the difference.”There is always something new with Saqi. The basics are the same, but he has found a few variations in my bowling which I am working on. He is brilliant with my mindset.”Moeen had admitted previously that working with coaches for short-term spells can cause confusion – he went through a period of bowling head-high full tosses after Saqlain suggested he change his grip – but feels that the pair have built a strong bond that he feels could help him cope with the challenges anticipated in Australia.As things stand, Saqlain is scheduled to work with the England side during the West Indies series with Moeen hinting that a more permanent role could be agreed soon.”That’s not too far from the future,” he said. “I know we had him in India, but it’s taken a bit of time for me to understand him and him to understand me. He has been amazing for me in terms of helping with my fields, helping me understand my bowling a lot more than I had done previously and I think that has been the biggest difference.”Before, I just bowled. I didn’t really think too much. I let the captain set the field. Saqlain has helped me understand my action, field settings and the type of batsmen. Things like that can make a big difference.”For all his success with the ball, though, Moeen still feels his batting is his stronger discipline.”I still believe I am a batsman,” he said. “I feel like it is the strong point of my game and when the opportunity comes to bat up the order, hopefully I can do that. In India, I was batting four and five, which was nice, here I started seven and went down to eight. But I think the team needed that in this series.”Our six, seven and eight is strong and we want to keep that. It’s great when we bat together. We all score so quick and freely and it’s very entertaining. We enjoy that.”No matter how many wickets I get, I’m definitely always going to be a batter.”