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Following the arrival of club-record signing Lucas Paqueta, West Ham United are planning to sell midfielder Manuel Lanzini, according to Football Insider.

The Lowdown: Lanzini’s career

Having initially arrived at Rush Green on loan from Al-Jazira, the Argentina international joined the Hammers on a permanent deal in the summer of 2016 for a fee of £9m.

The 29-year-old went on to become an integral part of David Moyes’ side, having amassed 210 appearances for the Irons.

This season however, the attacking midfielder has played just 93 minutes of Premier League football, having failed to make an appearance in four of the Hammers’ opening seven games.

The Latest: Lanzini exit news

According to a report by Football Insider, West Ham are now ready to offload Lanzini following the £51m arrival of Paqueta at the London Stadium.

It is believed the Argentine was told going into the summer transfer window that he was free to find a new club, whether that be on a loan or on a permanent deal.

Having failed to agree terms elsewhere, the midfielder remained in east London.

However, he has reportedly been informed that his situation remains the same ahead of the winter window, as he will once again be allowed to leave in January.

Moyes no longer views Lanzini as a key player, meaning he is surplus to requirements at Rush Green.

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The Verdict: Lanzini vs Paqueta

When comparing the two attacking-midfielders’ stats, whilst Lanzini comes out on top in a couple of areas, Paqueta’s all-round abilities clearly dominate the rankings.

As per FBRef, compared with positional peers across Europe over the past year, the Argentine ranks in the 99th percentile for pass completion and in the 97th percentile for passes attempted. In the same categories, the Brazilian ranks in the 81st percentile and 88th percentile respectively.

However, Paqueta also ranks in the top 15 percent for shots total, progressive passes, progressive passes received, pressures, tackles, clearances and aerials won. Lanzini, on the other hand, ranks in the bottom 50 percent for five of these categories.

Whilst Lanzini has been a brilliant servant for the club, having been hailed as a ‘special player’ by teammate Declan Rice, it seems like his stay in Moyes’ XI has now come to an end.

Leeds United have brought through a host of talented young prospects via their academy set-up at Thorp Arch throughout their history.

In the modern era, the likes of Kalvin Phillips, Pascal Struijk, Tom Cairney, Lewis Cook, and Charlie Taylor have all come through the youth sides before making it into the professional game.

The likes of James Milner, the late Gary Speed, Aaron Lennon, and Paul Robinson are among some of the players who made their way through the ranks before the current crop.

As with a lot of things in football, luck plays a large factor in how an academy graduate gets on at the club. How well they do depends on the manager, the financial situation, and the league they are playing in at the time they make the breakthrough.

For example, one player who came through at an unlucky time was central midfielder Jonny Howson. The gem burst into the first-team whilst they were in League One and racked up 225 appearances in all competitions for the Whites, with 111 of those coming in the third tier.

He played one-and-a-half seasons in the Championship before he was snapped up by then-Premier League side Norwich City for an undisclosed fee, leaving Elland Road after captaining the team.

Howson went on to play over 100 matches in the top-flight for the Canaries in his career, scoring eight goals and providing six assists at that level, and helped them to win promotion from the second tier in the 2014/15 campaign.

Now, just imagine if the now-Middlesbrough captain had come through at Thorp Arch in the last few years and was now strutting his stuff in the Premier League under Marsch.

The American head coach has deployed a pressing style of play at Elland Road and Howson, who was once described as a “Rolls-Royce” by Radio Norfolk’s Rob Butler, would have thrived in this set-up.

In three of his four Premier League seasons at Carrow Road, he made at least three tackles and interceptions per game and this shows that he had the mobility, and ability, to cut out opposition attacks regularly in the top-flight. This also suggests that he could have thrived in a pressing system as he could have pushed up the pitch to utilise his talents in the middle and final third to force errors out of the opposition.

Former Yellows boss Alex Neil previously claimed that he is a “joy to work with” and said that he provides “good energy” on the pitch, which further illustrates how well he would fit into a pressing style of play.

Howson, who has played 656 club career matches to date, also proved that he could chip in at the top end of the pitch as he managed 14 direct goal contributions for Norwich in the Premier League.

Therefore, he could have thrived under Marsch at Elland Road as he could have been an effective pressing machine in the middle of the park. Instead, he came through at an unfortunate time and was forced to leave Leeds in his search for top-flight football in the summer of 2012.

Tottenham Hotspur have made contact to sign Inter Milan defender Stefan De Vrij next summer, according to reports.

The Lowdown: Lenglet replacement

Antonio Conte recently signed Clement Lenglet on loan, but with him set to return to Barcelona at the end of the season, a long-term centre-back replacement is needed.

The 30-year-old’s contract is due to expire in 2023 so there’s a strong chance that any potential suitors could land him for free, and the Lilywhites are just one club who appear keen to bring him to the Premier League.

The Latest: Spurs make De Vrij enquiry

According to Italian outlet Il Interista (via Sport Witness), Tottenham have already ‘made contact’ with De Vrij’s representatives to ‘test the ground’ of a potential move next summer.

It’s stated that Conte is a ‘great admirer’ of the colossus having previously worked with him in Italy, with Spurs set to use the boss as ‘bait’ to attract their target to the capital.

Fellow top-flight rivals Newcastle United are believed to be interested in his signature having also made an official enquiry.

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The Verdict: Reunion on the cards?

Having that existing connection to Conte could give Fabio Paratici an advantage in the race for De Vrij’s services, and the director of football should do everything he can to fend off his competitors and land the player.

The Dutchman, dubbed a ‘world-beater’ by former BBC pundit Noel Whelan, currently wins 3.1 of his aerial duels per 90 in Serie A, alongside averaging two clearances and 1.7 interceptions per game (WhoScored).

De Vrij being available on a free would be an absolute bargain, and he could add plenty of experience to the heart of Spurs’ backline in a welcomed reunion with his former boss.

Transfer insider Dean Jones has claimed that it is unlikely that Mauricio Pochettino will be the new manager at Southampton.

The Lowdown: Hasenhuttl on the brink

As per The Daily Telegraph, Ralph Hasenhuttl is on the brink of the sack at St Mary’s, as he has been under pressure for some time and the owners are preparing to make a change.

It has been reported that Pochettino is plotting a return to the Premier League and is open to the possibility of managing a team outside of the UEFA Champions League.

The Latest: Pochettino return?

Speaking to GiveMeSport, Jones has claimed that it is unlikely that Pochettino will return to the Saints, as there is ‘probably too much baggage’ there.

The journalist said: “I don’t think there’s much chance of it happening. It’s not something I can see him turning to when he does come back to the Premier League.

“Just thinking about what I’ve been told before on Pochettino, he wants to find a stable club, but one that has fresh possibilities and an open mind. With Saints, I just feel like there’s probably too much baggage there.”

The Verdict: Interesting

The prospect of Pochettino going back to Southampton is an interesting one indeed, but it does seem highly unlikely.

The Argentine came under some criticism for the way that he left the Saints to join Tottenham Hotspur, after previously claiming that he was not interested in job rumours and was waiting for the board’s new plan.

Although he is thought to be open to managing a club not in the Champions League, he has recently managed Ligue 1 giants PSG and was also linked with the Chelsea job before Graham Potter was appointed instead.

Therefore, Pochettino is likely to have more ambition than going back to Southampton, who currently sit 16th in the Premier League table.

Transfer insider Dean Jones has claimed that Matt Targett must be ‘frustrated’ and ‘feeling hurt’ at Newcastle United after losing his place in the team.

The Lowdown: Burn’s new role

Targett has been limited to short cameos off of the bench in recent weeks, suggesting that he is no longer first choice at left-back in Eddie Howe’s eyes.

Instead, the manager has used Dan Burn, who is of course naturally a central defender, and given the emphatic 4-1 and 5-1 wins over Fulham and Brentford respectively, it seems unlikely that Howe will change it going into the weekend’s fixture against Manchester United.

The Latest: Targett ‘frustrated’

Speaking to GiveMeSport, Jones has claimed that Targett will be left ‘frustrated’ and ‘feeling hurt’ after losing his place in the side, but believes that he could still win it back:

“Yeah, I think he should be frustrated. If he wasn’t, then there’s probably something wrong with his ambition and where he’s at in his career, so I’m sure he’s feeling hurt by it, as you would be when you’re not in the team.

“To see Dan Burn in your spot, too, it’s not ideal, but his job now is to win his shirt back. And look, I’m sure Matt Target is somebody that will come back into the picture.”

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The Verdict: Worrying

Yes, it is only two matches, but he fact that the North East club have won those comfortably suggests that Targett may find it difficult to win his starting spot back.

These will undoubtedly be worrying times for the Englishman, who signed from Aston Villa in the summer on a permanent deal in the hope that he would be the regular left-back going into the season.

Nonetheless, there is still time for him to win his place back, and he will just have to increase his efforts in training in order to impress Howe.

Liverpool host long-time Premier League rivals Manchester City at Anfield this afternoon, and Jurgen Klopp will be hoping that his team can translate their confidence and performance from their 7-1 over Rangers earlier this week into their clash against Pep Guardiola’s side.

The Reds are suffering their worst start to a league season for a decade, currently 11th in the table and level with local rivals Everton on points, a full 13 adrift of today’s opponents.

Taking all three points against Man City could spark the resurgence of the Merseyside giants with the table still incredibly tight. A win will put Liverpool up to eighth following yesterday’s results and potentially take them to within three points off the top four, depending on how today’s matches materialise.

In terms of injuries, Klopp has decided to play his cards close to his chest in terms of who will be available for selection, remaining coy in his pre-match press conference on Friday.

The Liverpool boss told the media: “We still have to figure out who is available after the Rangers game for the City game. We have to see, there are no final decisions yet. We have to see.”

What we do know is that Luis Diaz will definitely not be available, as he is set to be sidelined for several weeks yet, and Arthur Melo is also set to be out for an extended period.

Trent Alexander-Arnold, Curtis Jones, Joel Matip, Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain and Naby Keita are all unconfirmed as to whether they will be available for selection, but have all sustained injuries and were not part of the squad in the Champions League in midweek.

With that being said, this is Football Fancast expects Liverpool to line up against Manchester City today…

We predict there will be three changes to the team which beat Rangers in midweek, with the German coach continuing his formation change in a 4-4-2.

The first change we expect to see is Andy Robertson reprising his role at left-back after recovering from a knee injury over the last five weeks, replacing £65k-per-week gem Kostas Tsimikas and getting his first start since the defeat to Napoli in early September.

The 28-year-old has faced Manchester City 19 times, winning six, drawing five and losing eight of those meetings. He has one goal and four assists to his name against the Premier League champions, so it would be a no-brainer to start Robertson at left-back this afternoon.

The second change we predict is Thiago Alcantara starting alongside midfield partner Fabinho, replacing Liverpool captain Jordan Henderson in the team.

The Spanish midfielder started on the bench in the Champions League, only playing 23 minutes in a second-half appearance at Ibrox, so it would be no surprise if Klopp was resting Thiago on Wednesday ahead of the difficult challenge against Man City this weekend.

The third and final change we expect is Mohamed Salah joining Roberto Firmino in the more central role that he adopted against Rangers, which led to the Egyptian winger scoring the fastest hat-trick in Champions League history on Wednesday night.

Liverpool’s goal machine could replace Darwin Nunez in the starting XI as we predict that Klopp will lean on his more experienced players to open up the game against Guardiola’s side. However, it would be no surprise if the manager does give the 23-year-old some minutes as an impact substitute later in the game, especially if the Reds are in need of a goal or two.

Leeds United manager Jesse Marsch is set to be given time to turn things around at Elland Road, according to a reliable journalist.

The Lowdown: Marsch under growing pressure

The Whites were beaten 2-0 away to Leicester City in the Premier League on Thursday in what was a limp performance from start to finish.

The disgruntled travelling supporters made their feelings known during and after the game, with pressure now increasingly growing on Marsch.

Despite the American clinging to his job a little, it looks as though his sacking isn’t yet on the cards, following a new claim.

The Latest: Leeds show faith in Marsch

According to The Telegraph’s Mike McGrath, Marsch will have a few games to prove his worth and improve Leeds’ fortunes, rather than being relieved of his duties now.

It is noted that he was ‘jeered’ by his own fans at the Leicester game, but the Elland Road hierarchy have faith in him to get the Whites out of their current slump.

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The Verdict: Fulham game feels huge

Sunday’s visit of Fulham to Yorkshire feels absolutely massive for Marsch, especially with a daunting trip to Liverpool on the horizon next Saturday night.

Failure to beat the Cottagers will surely lead to many dissenting voices inside Elland Road, and if another defeat ensures, the Whites’ hierarchy may feel that it is time to part ways with the 48-year-old.

That may not be in keeping with McGrath’s update, which suggests that Marsch may have at least until the World Cup break to prove his worth, but dropped points at home to Fulham, despite their improving form, could be too disappointing to ignore.

West Bromwich Albion’s search for a new manager looks to be finally over, with reports suggesting that Carlos Corberan will be the new man in the Hawthorns dugout.

The Baggies sacked Steve Bruce earlier this month after a woeful start to the Championship season but things have barely improved since, with West Brom languishing in the relegation spots after Saturday’s 2-1 defeat against Millwall.

However, the positive news for the Midlands club is that a replacement for Bruce should hopefully be through the door before next weekend’s game against Sheffield United.

According to The Athletic, the Spanish manager will take over at the Hawthorns after winning over the board in his two interviews and the former Huddersfield Town boss faces a mammoth task if he is going to realise West Brom’s pre-season ambitions of promotion.

The 39-year-old’s first priority will be to add some stability to a side that has won just twice so far this season and ensure that any worries about relegation become a distant memory for the Baggies.

Corberan impressed during his time with the Terriers as he turned them from relegation candidates into promotion outsiders, taking Huddersfield to the Championship playoff final last season.

After losing to Nottingham Forest at Wembley, the former Leeds United coach would move to Olympiacos shortly before the new season, where he took charge of just 11 games, winning four, drawing four and losing three, before his sacking.

During his time with Huddersfield, Corberan would take charge of 102 matches with a points-per-game average of 1.41, which was a significant increase on Bruce’s 1.13 points per game at West Brom.

It will be interesting to see how Corberan adjusts after overachieving with Huddersfield, as the expectations will be much higher at West Brom, but there is little doubt that the Spaniard arrives as an exciting young coach with a pedigree in the second tier, and CEO Ron Gourlay will surely be delighted to have got his man.

An update has emerged on Newcastle United and their interest in Andrey Santos ahead of the January transfer window…

What’s the talk?

Transfer insider Dean Jones has revealed that the Magpies are keeping tabs on the Vasco da Gama defensive midfielder, who has been valued at more than £20m by his club.

Although, the reporter has also stated that Newcastle are not the only team in the race for his signature and has not confirmed whether or not he is a priority target.

Jones told GIVEMESPORT: “I think he is one that they’re looking at. There are quite a few clubs doing that, though.

“It’s the same old situation at Newcastle whereby they have various people with different ideas of the style and type of player that would fit in.

“But, yes, he is one of the names that I’ve been told they have got an eye on.”

Excitement for Eddie Howe

The Toon head coach should be excited by this news as Santos is an incredibly talented young player who could be a future star at St. James’ Park if he joins the club in the next transfer window.

In the Serie B this year, the defensive midfielder has caught the eye by bagging seven goals, as well as making an average of 3.9 tackles and interceptions combined per game across his 31 appearances. The 18-year-old has shown that he can chip in at the top end of the pitch whilst consistently winning the ball back for his side defensively.

Football talent scout Jacek Kulig once described him as a “pressing machine” and wrote that he is a “perfect player for a high intensity and pressing team”, which suggests that he would suit Howe’s style of play.

The Magpies boss wants his team to press aggressively to force mistakes out of the opposition high up the pitch and Kulig’s analysis of Santos indicates that he would be a dream player for the ex-Cherries manager to work with.

His statistics in the Serie B show that he is capable of winning possession back on a consistent basis, which illustrates the benefit of his pressing style, and he is strong in physical battles – in spite of his age – with a success rate of 61% in his duels this year.

Therefore, Howe should be excited by the thought of Santos coming in as he has the profile of a player who would be perfect for his system at Newcastle.

At the age of 18, he is also a gem who the coach can work with over the course of a number of years. The Brazilian dynamo would not come in with an instant expectation of being a star in the Premier League and, instead, could be someone Howe develops in the seasons to come, which could be an exciting prospect for the Englishman.

Ralph Hasenhuttl’s decision to bring Theo Walcott back to Southampton on a permanent basis has massively backfired, as he is burning a wage with the Saints.

The experienced winger originally joined the Saints on loan from Everton for the 2020/21 campaign, in what was a homecoming for the former Arsenal man after he began his career at St Mary’s.

However, it soon became clear that Hasenhuttl was thinking with his heart rather than his head when bringing Walcott back, as he has struggled immensely in his time at the club.

During a loan spell, the 33-year-old would manage three goals and three assists in 21 Premier League appearances, averaging a solid, if unspectacular, 6.56 rating from WhoScored for his performances.

This was enough to convince Hasenhuttl that he was worth signing on a permanent basis, as he joined on a free transfer from Everton in the summer of 2021 but it seems as if that was done for sentimental purposes, as he has made just ten Premier League appearances since then.

Walcott’s role as a bit-part player and someone who is perhaps slowly transitioning into more of a coach and influencer in the dressing room would perhaps be justifiable if it weren’t for the huge wage he earns in comparison to the rest of the squad.

According to Capology, the former England international earns £75k-per-week at St Mary’s, which remarkably makes him the top earner at the club.

Considering Walcott’s first and only appearance in the Premier League this season came last weekend against his former club Arsenal, it is impossible to justify Hasenhuttl’s decision to bring him back and hand him such a large contract, as his form on loan hardly justified that.

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As the winger has been at Southampton on a permanent basis for 69 weeks, as his move became permanent on the 1st of July 2021, the Saints have paid out £5,175,000 in wages for a player that has barely featured.

It is clear that the veteran Englishman is not going to play much of a part this season so Hasenhuttl must look to move him on in January or risk wasting even more money on his wages, only for him to sit on the bench.