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Fulham midfielder Andre-Frank Anguissa appears to be edging closer to an exit from Craven Cottage this summer.

What’s the talk?

That’s according to a report by The Athletic, who revealed that the 25-year-old’s absence from Marco Silva’s side in the Cottagers’ season-opening draw with Middlesbrough last weekend came as a result of his desire to leave the club.

The report continues by confirming that the Cameroon international is not injured, nor has a transfer bid been accepted by Fulham. However, there is a significant amount of interest in the midfielder’s services, with at least two Premier League clubs, as well as one each from Spain and Italy, thought to be keen on a move this summer.

Finally, it is claimed that Marco Silva is more than happy to sanction the sale of a player who is not committed to the club, and if an acceptable offer is placed by an interested party, the Portuguese manager will not stand in the way of Anguissa’s departure.

Fans will be devastated

While the Fulham manager is well within his rights to exile a player who is not interested in helping the club secure an immediate return to the top flight this season – as will undoubtedly be Silva’s ambition – fans will nevertheless be devastated to wave goodbye to a very talented player considering how well Anguissa performed for the west Londoners last term.

Indeed, over his 36 Premier League appearances last time out, the £22.5m-rated defensive midfielder  averaged 1.6 interceptions, 2.2 tackles and 0.4 clearances and won 7.3 duels per game. The £70k-per-week man also impressed for his team going forwards, registering three assists and creating four big chances for his teammates, along with averaging 0.8 key passes per league fixture.

These returns saw the player who Joachim Andersen dubbed a “machine” earn an impressive average SofaScore match rating of 6.91, ranking him as Scott Parker’s 10th-best player in the top flight in 2020/21.

As such, while keeping a player of Anguissa’s ability after suffering relegation to the Championship always seemed a long shot, it is undeniable that the 25-year-old’s sale will make Fulham a weaker side – something which may well be a bitter pill to swallow for the Craven Cottage faithful.

In other news: Khan facing nightmare as twist emerges on £2.7m-rated ace, Fulham fans will be gutted

An update has emerged on Everton target Angelo Fulgini, regarding Angers’ valuation of the midfielder.

What’s the talk?

According to The Daily Mail, Ligue 1 side Angers are prepared to cash in on Everton transfer target Angelo Fulgini and have placed a £12m price tag on his head.

The report claims that Everton, Monaco, Newcastle, Crystal Palace and Southampton are among the clubs showing an interest in the central midfielder.

Fans will be buzzing

Everton fans will be buzzing with this news as it seemingly increases the club’s chances of being able to get a deal over the line for Fulgini.

The report indicates that Angers are willing to cash in on him and that could allow the Toffees to swoop in and take advantage of their financial position to sign him, as the French said are said to need the funds.

Rafa Benitez will be looking to improve his squad ahead of next season and one area which could need strengthening is the midfielder. Andre Gomes played in 28 of the club’s 38 Premier League games last term and averaged a dismal WhoScored rating of 6.46. He made fewer than two tackles and interceptions per game, whilst only providing one chance created every other game.

This suggests that replacing him could be a smart move by Brands and Benitez ahead of the end of the window. Gomes has not been able to produce week-in-week-out in the Englush top-flight and it could be time for him to be axed from the club.

Fulgini, meanwhile, enjoyed a sublime season in Ligue 1 for Angers, averaging a fantastic WhoScored rating of 7.13 across 33 appearances. In those games, he managed seven goals and four assists from midfield – whilst also scoring three times in the cup.

This shows that he has been able to consistently deliver top-class performances, which is something Gomes has been unable to do for the Toffees.

The Frenchman could be an improvement on some of Everton’s current options and he has the quality to come in and replace the ex-Barcelona man.

For £12m, Fulgini could be a terrific bargain addition to the squad and provide Benitez with a higher standard of player in the midfield mix to compete with the likes of Allan, Doucoure and Tom Davies.

AND in other news, Brands must sanction bargain £12.8m deal for “terrific” beast, Everton need him…

Danny Cowley has explained Michael Jacobs’ current situation, following a failed transfer this month.

What’s the talk?

Portsmouth manager Danny Cowley has explained why Michael Jacobs’ proposed move to Ipswich ultimately fell through. The Pompey boss has claimed that another player became available to the Tractor Boys at the last minute and that caused them to ditch Jacobs and leave him in limbo.

He told the Portsmouth News:

“We got into a good place on Thursday, which allowed us to accept the bid for Michael.

“They agreed personal terms and they did a medical. Michael passed that medical, so I am told. For whatever reason, the deal didn’t happen.

“I found out yesterday afternoon. I told Michael, he didn’t know. I was ringing Ipswich all day Sunday, trying to find out, for everyone’s benefit.

“What happened – and this does happen in football – is that Ipswich agreed the deal and then another player became available and they decided to go with the other player.

“Michael appreciated my honesty. He needed clarity himself and once I found out, I told him. He is one of my players, I care a lot for him. You think ‘How would I want to be treated in that position?’.

‘I always try to walk in their shoes and would want to know and, even if it’s not my place to tell him, I think I have a responsibility to tell him.‘He’s a really good kid and he has been mucked around, messed around. Football never ceases to amaze you, doesn’t it?” Fans will be frustrated

This update from Cowley will leave fans frustrated. It is difficult to blame Ipswich for their actions as they were acting in the best interests of their own club. If a better player, in their view, was available and a deal for Jacob was not signed, sealed and delivered then it is their prerogative to make that call, which they ultimately did.

That does not change how it impacts Portsmouth, though, and that is why this is a frustrating situation for the supporters, the club, Cowley and Jacobs. The midfielder was seemingly happy to move on and join the Blues, with Portsmouth also willing to sanction it and Cowley moved on with his plans to shape his own squad for the League One campaign.

Jacobs has now returned to Fratton Park with a huge question mark over his head for the rest of the window. Do Portsmouth now keep hold of him? Do they sell him to another side?

The £7.9k-per-week dud did not enjoy the best of debut seasons for Portsmouth. He played 20 games in League One, 12 starts, and averaged a WhoScored rating of 6.67. That placed him 14th in the Pompey squad for ratings, which suggests that he is a bench option for Cowley on the evidence of his career at the club so far.

Therefore, it could be a shrewd call to find him a new club before the end of the month as his exit may not impact the squad in terms of quality and he has already had his head set on a move.

He may not be able to fully concentrate on playing for Pompey, as he was in the mindset for a transfer to Ipswich – which could mean that he needs to seal an exit to settle down and start grinding out performances again. Pompey fans will be frustrated, as their club are now left with a player who was ready to move on.

AND in other news, 9 duels lost: Portsmouth flop endured nightmare display that’ll leave Cowley fuming…

West Bromwich Albion have been dealt a major blow in their bid to bring Okay Yokuslu back to The Hawthorns this summer.

What’s the talk?

That’s according to a report by The Athletic, who claim that Watford have held talks with the Celta Vigo midfielder’s agent regarding a move to Vicarage Road this summer.

It is said that the LaLiga side would command a fee in the region of £4.5m for the 27-year-old, with the Premier League side thought to be considering making an offer around this amount for the Turkey international.

West Brom are also reported to be keen on a move for their former loanee this summer, however, it was originally believed that Yokuslu would much rather a move to the Premier League than the Championship in the summer transfer window.

Ismael will be gutted

With Albion kicking off their Championship campaign against Bournemouth on Friday, and with Valerien Ismael still being extremely short of central midfielders in his first-team squad, the news that West Brom look set to miss out on the signing of Yokulsu is sure to have left the Frenchman gutted.

Indeed, despite only featuring in 16 Premier League fixtures while on loan at the Baggies last season, the £6.75m-rated man nevertheless highly impressed for the club, making an average of 2.2 interceptions, 2.4 tackles, two clearances and winning a rather remarkable 7.9 duels per game.

The 27-year-old also registered one assist and created one big chance for his teammates in the league, as well as making an average of 0.4 key passes per match.

These returns saw the man Kyle Bartley dubbed a “tenacious” player earn a seasonal SofaScore match rating of 6.99, ranking him as Albion’s fourth-best player in the top flight of English football.

As such, it is clear that the addition of Yokulsu would have been a huge boost to the club’s promotion hopes next season, especially when taking into account how limited Ismael’s options in the middle of the park are at present.

However, with it now seeming as if the Turk will be linking up with Watford ahead of their Premier League campaign, the 45-year-old will now have to turn his attention in the market elsewhere, something that will undoubtedly be an incredibly frustrating outcome for the Frenchman.

In other news: Ismael could solve big West Brom issue by signing £8.9k-p/w gem, he won’t cost a penny

David Moyes may have just been handed a big boost over one of his West Ham summer transfer targets…

What’s the word?

It’s widely believed that the Scotsman views Tammy Abraham as his no.1 choice to bolster the Hammers’ frontline, whilst it’s also thought that Chelsea are open to selling the 23-year-old after he struggled for minutes under Thomas Tuchel.

An ever-reliable source has provided a fresh update into the Irons’ pursuit, and it’s surely great news for Moyes.

Speaking on this week’s ‘The West Ham Way’ podcast, the trustworthy ExWHUemployee claimed that the England international is open to a switch to the London Stadium this transfer window.

He said:

“Apparently Abraham is keen on a move to West Ham.

“He likes Declan, he likes some of the other players in the squad and obviously he’s a London boy and stuff, so I think he is tempted to come to West Ham.

“And obviously Moyes likes him a lot so we might see some movement on that in the next few weeks.”

Boost for Moyes

It’s no secret that the East London side are absolutely desperate for a new forward before next season.

Currently, Moyes is set to head into a Europa League campaign with just one senior option – an injury-prone Michail Antonio, who flattered to deceive in their pre-season game against League Two outfit Leyton Orient earlier this week.

The 31-year-old, who has been converted from a winger, has never started more than 24 matches in the big time since his arrival at West Ham. And that speaks volumes.

If Abraham is truly Moyes’ top target, then this news will certainly be encouraging and should give the Irons the boost they need to pull the trigger on his signing.

The Blues are said to value the Englishman at around £40m but could be enticed into selling him for an initial £30m, as per Football Insider, which is closer to the 58-year-old’s £25m valuation.

Despite seeing his game time tail off following the arrival of Tuchel in January, Abraham still finished the season as their second top-goalscorer on six goals, just one fewer than their penalty-taker, Jorginho.

Once described as a “phenomenal player” by former Premier League manager Alex McLeish, the 6 foot 3 striker has found the net 30 times since his breakthrough at Chelsea. It’s no wonder ex-academy teammate Kasey Palmer dubbed him “the goal machine.”

This latest update from Ex should leave both Moyes and the Hammers faithful absolutely buzzing. It’s time to make a move for the £36m-rated Abraham.

AND in other news, David Moyes set for West Ham boost as encouraging Rush Green development emerges…

Football Insider pundit Gabby Agbonlahor has been giving his thoughts regarding a possible Celtic return for Martin O’Neill as the club’s director of football.

The Lowdown: O’Neill links

Celtic have a new manager in Ange Postecoglou but are still looking to land a director of football after talks with Manchester City’s Fergal Harkin broke down at the beginning of June.

According to Football Insider, who were informed by a Celtic source at the end of June, O’Neill has informed the Hoops hierarchy he is ‘interested’ in the newly-created role.

O’Neill, who holds his UEFA Pro Licence as a coach, was Celtic boss for four years between 2001-2005, winning seven major honours at Parkhead, but it now appears as if he is keen on a position higher up in Glasgow.

The Latest: Agbonlahor reacts

Agbonlahor was talking to Football Insider about O’Neill and a potential return to Parkhead.

The 34-year-old seemed to be all for a move, describing it as a ‘perfect appointment’.

“I think it could be a good appointment.

“Martin O’Neill knows the club better than anyone. It would be a perfect appointment. He loves the club so he’s the sort of person who can get the right players in and the right system in place.

“He loves Celtic and he won’t want them to be losing the title to Rangers again.

“So, definitely, I think it would be a great appointment.”

The Verdict: A no brainer?

Having O’Neill in as DoF to work closely with Postecoglou appears to be a no brainer. The 69-year-old could help Postecoglou when it comes to settling into Celtic Park life during his first season, while also assisting in transfer dealings.

Celtic, if they still have their hearts set on a DoF, could do with filling the vacant role as soon as possible, with the transfer window open and time ticking until the new season.

O’Neill has made it clear he would be keen, so the ball seems to be in Celtic’s court. If it was down to Agbonlahor, he would be returning to Scotland.

In other news: Celtic may have completed some under-the-radar business on pre-season Wales tour, find out more here. 

Leicester City could sign Schalke 04 defender Ozan Kabak for a significantly reduced fee this summer amid claims that Liverpool have turned down another opportunity to sign the Turkey international.

What’s the story?

According to Goal, the Reds have been offered the 21-year-old again for a cut-price fee of £8.5m as the German outfit desperately attempt to raise funds and get one of their top earners off their wage bill.

Kabak has been strongly linked with a move to the Foxes in recent weeks, so Brendan Rodgers’ charges could secure themselves a bargain.

The next Wesley Fofana

Liverpool reportedly passed up on the chance to sign Kabak for £18m earlier in the window and aren’t expected to change their minds following the arrival of Ibrahima Konate. That means Leicester could be at the front of the queue when it comes to securing the youngster’s signature over the coming months.

Kabak enjoyed a relatively successful loan spell at Anfield last season, helping Jurgen Klopp’s charges finish third in the Premier League after they suffered an injury crisis.

He achieved a respectable 6.72 WhoScored rating from his nine top-flight appearances and impressed the Liverpool manager during his short time on Merseyside.

“Ozan came in at 20 from Germany, was a big prospect but wasn’t lucky with the last two teams he played for; one went down (Stuttgart), and the other will probably go down (Schalke). But nobody really doubted his quality,” said Klopp.

However, the German decided to go down a different route this summer, so Rodgers could now take advantage of Kabak’s availability.

The former Celtic boss has cultivated an enviable reputation of developing young talent during his managerial career, with Wesley Fofana the latest youthful centre-back to benefit from his guidance.

Since arriving from French outfit Saint-Etienne on a five-year deal nine months ago, the France under-21 international has gone from strength to strength, making 38 appearances for the Midlands outfit and winning the FA Cup along the way.

It’s a sign of how well he acquitted himself in his first season at Leicester that he achieved the fifth-highest WhoScored average rating in their entire squad with 7.01, which also made him their best-performing centre-back.

Kabak could be the next beneficiary from Rodgers’ tutelage should he make the switch to the King Power Stadium, strengthening Leicester’s potential push for Champions League football.

In other news… Leicester could make a huge mistake as transfer claim emerges, fans would be gutted 

A key development has emerged regarding Tottenham’s interest in Dusan Vlahovic.

What’s the talk?

According to Football London, Nuno Espirto Santo has approved the club’s pursuit of the Fiorentina centre-forward, and Fabio Paratici has now opened talks over a potential deal for the attacker. Tottenham have been tracking the forward this summer but could not make their move as the managerial situation was still unclear following Ryan Mason’s departure.

Football London claimed that Nuno has sanctioned a swoop for Vlahovic and Tottenham are now working to bring the Serbian to north London to bolster their attacking ranks, with the forward valued at £36m.

Imagine him and Kane

Whilst you could look at this news on paper and assume that Vlahovic is a replacement for Harry Kane, who has reportedly asked to leave the club, it could be that Paratici and Nuno are eyeing him as a partner for the England international. Tottenham have been unable to find reliable competition for the 27-year-old at the top end of the pitch, with the likes of Roberto Soldado and Vincent Jannsen coming in over the years and failing to make an impression.

With Vlahovic, they could finally find the player they have been seeking. The 21-year-old could provide excellent cover for Kane and potentially be able to play alongside him in games where Nuno wants to be aggressive and attack teams. This is why Spurs supporters could get excited about this deal and why they should not be worried about it hinting at an exit for their academy product, as it is not quite as simple as one man coming in while another goes out.

Earlier this year, the Serbian spoke about how former Bayern Munich winger Franck Ribery helped him become a champion on the pitch. He also compared himself to Borussia Dortmund’s Erling Haaland and believes that he can be as good as the Leeds-born striker.

He told Corriere dello Sport, as transcribed by Goal.com: “When I was down, he (Ribery) spoke to me and told me to never give up. That’s how I understood what it means to be a champion on the pitch and in life.”

Speaking to La Repubblica, as transcribed by Goal.com, Vlahovic said: “I watch him (Haaland) and I try to understand his finishing and how he moves. Then, I focus on my strong points and my weaknesses. It may be presumptuous, but with commitment, I can get there too.”

Vlahovic was directly involved in 24 Serie A goals in 34 starts for Fiorentina last term, scoring 21 and assisting three for his teammates. This shows that he is able to score consistently at the top level, and while it remains to be seen how he would adapt to playing in the Premier League, he could be a superb addition to Nuno’s squad ahead of next season, not least as the manager has green-lighted a possible move for him.

Imagine if he could play alongside Kane and score 20+ goals to supplement the England captain’s goals and assists. Add in the likes of Heung-Min Son and Lucas Moura and Tottenham fans could start to get very excited about the prospect of their attacking options and what they could do at the top end of the pitch in the Premier League.

AND in other news, Paratici facing Spurs disaster over “fantastic” £100k-p/w beast, Nuno will be livid…

Coach Dav Whatmore has admitted that the form of Sri Lanka’s batsmen so farin England has been a cause of concern with the First Test at Lords startingThursday now fast approaching

CricInfo12-May-2002Coach Dav Whatmore has admitted that the form of Sri Lanka’s batsmen so farin England has been a cause of concern with the First Test at Lords startingThursday now fast approaching.The tourists were forced to follow-on against Durham last week and were thenbowled out for 186 against Middlesex at Shenley on the weekend.With reference to the latest collapse, he said: “I’m not very happy withthat. It isn’t very clever. It just goes to show you are never really securein this game.””I would have liked one of the openers to have gone on, but I think thechange of pace with the ball skidding a bit had an effect. Theirmedium-pacers did well and got it to move off the seam.”Nevertheless, the top six for Lords has apparently been decided, which thenleaves a tricky decision for the number seven position between ThilanSamaraweera and Russel Arnold. The option of playing eight batsmen has alsoapparently been ruled out.In the fast bowling department, Chaminda Vaas and Nuwan Zoysa are certain toplay and Whatmore explained the decision rest them before Lords.”There are no injures. They have had a lot of cricket,” he said.”We would rather build them up away from competition with training andrunning. We know what they can do.”The tours selectors – Sanath Jayasuriya, Marvan Atapattu and ChandraShaffter, the manager – then need to pick two more seamers, with RuchiraPerera and Charitha Fernando the favourites to play.Meanwhile, Whatmore admitted to being caught unawares by the recall ofall-rounder Dominic Cork, although he had anticipated the call-up of JohnCrawley.”Crawley has been playing very well, as has Marcus Trescothick, and possiblyAlec Stewart also,” he said.”But I’m pleasantly surprised that the other guys might be a bit short ofruns.”It looks as though they have gone for experience and it gives them a bitmore flexibility in what they want to do.”

In an exclusive interview with Football FanCast, Express and Star journalist Luke Hatfield has suggested that Manchester United will likely end their interest in Aston Villa captain Jack Grealish after signing Jadon Sancho.

Speaking to FFC, Hatfield said:

“Man United was obviously the big one last season. It looks like they’ve kind of changed their tack a little bit. Jadon Sancho looks to be coming through the door there.

“He plays a similar position, obviously on the wing, normally on the other side for Dortmund.”

Sancho’s move to Manchester United is now official, and after shelling out a reported £73m on the England international, it seems unlikely that they would be willing to spend the necessary fee to bring Grealish to Old Trafford this summer.

Although Manchester City are likely to still be interested in the 25-year-old, it is undoubtedly a big boost for Smith and Aston Villa that one of the main contenders to sign Grealish this summer are now seemingly out of the race.

If the Villans can keep hold of their talismanic captain this summer, then it could prove to be a very successful season for Smith’s side, especially if he can combine well with summer signing Emiliano Buendia.

Last season saw Grealish contribute an impressive six goals and 10 assists in 26 Premier League appearances, averaging a superb 7.56/10 rating from WhoScored for his performances, which was unsurprisingly enough to see him ranked as the best player in Smith’s side for the 2020/21 campaign.

The “incredible” attacker is likely to attract a lot of interest after some strong showings at the Euros but if Hatfield’s prediction is true and United have ended their reported interest in Grealish, whixh does make sense given they’ve now splashed the cash on Sancho, then it would be a massive boost for their hopes of keeping Grealish at Villa Park, which will obviously delight Villa fans.

And, in other news… Villa can land major El Ghazi upgrade with PL winger