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David Moyes may soon have improved competition for places at West Ham United as Andriy Yarmolenko has returned to training after sustaining knee ligament damage.

That’s according to images shared on the Irons’ official club website, which have since been picked up by the Ukraine Football Federation, after it was noted that the 31-year-old is back amongst the action at Rush Green.

Yarmolenko has missed the Hammers’ last five Premier League fixtures after suffering damage to his knee during last month’s FA Cup fifth-round defeat to Manchester United.

The Ukraine international had started the action at Old Trafford in a centre-forward role in the absence of Michail Antonio, who had been rested due to showing serious fatigue against Fulham.

Yarmolenko now appears to be stepping up his rehabilitation with a return to the grass pitches at West Ham’s Rush Green facilities, having joined his teammates as they prepared for last Sunday’s 1-0 Premier League defeat to the Red Devils.

Moyes did not address Yarmolenko’s road to recovery when discussing the fitness of his squad last week, but offered updates on Angelo Ogbonna and Arthur Masuaku after they returned to training and showed positive signs of progress.

The Irons boss had opted against putting a time scale on Yarmolenko’s return in the immediate aftermath of his injury, instead noting that he hoped “that the damage is not serious”.

Images of Yarmolenko now working with the West Ham squad would suggest the forward is nearing a potential return to selection alongside Ogbonna and Masuaku. He was also recently named in Andriy Shevchenko’s expanded Ukraine squad for the upcoming international break.

Having Yarmolenko available for West Ham’s run of fixtures beyond the March internationals will come as a boost to Moyes, with the east London outfit still to face a few of their rivals for a European qualifying berth in Leicester City, Chelsea and Everton.

Yarmolenko may be unlikely to feature in Sunday’s London derby with Arsenal, given Moyes did not address his progress when speaking to the media while discussing Ogbonna and Masuaku last week, but the Ukraine winger’s return could soon be a boost.

Moyes has previously dubbed Yarmolenko as offering “good competition” for places at the London Stadium, and has praised the £7m-rated forward as being a “very talented player”.

That competition can come in both his natural wide role to challenge Jarrod Bowen, Pablo Fornals and Said Benrahma for minutes, but also in providing depth behind Antonio given the striker is Moyes’ only recognised centre-forward after Sebastien Haller’s winter exit.

Yarmolenko started two of West Ham’s FA Cup ties this season in a striker role and netted with composure in the fourth-round win over Doncaster Rovers, after which West Ham assistant coach Alan Irvine praised his performance.

“It was very encouraging the way Yarmo performed. He has played there before and we know the ability he has got and we know that if we get him through in those kinds of situations one v one with the goalkeeper, he is a very, very good finisher,” said Irvine, via quotes by football.london.

Goals have not been an issue for Antonio in most throughout Yarmolenko’s spell on the sidelines, netting against Tottenham Hotspur and Manchester City, but the 30-year-old was often invisible at Old Trafford on Sunday and helped to leave Moyes feeling underwhelmed with his offence.

Yarmolenko is not the ideal option to offer cover and support at striker, but he has proven to be an adept back-up who may soon provide Moyes a welcome boost upon his full return.

AND in other news, West Ham in four-way Premier League battle for 13-goal striker who is “annoying to the defender”…

اجتاز الدولي الإسباني فيران توريس الكشف الطبي تمهيدًا لانتقاله إلى برشلونة خلال فترة الانتقالات الشتوية المقبلة.

اللاعب الإسباني يتواجد في برشلونة منذ الأمس بعدما حسم النادي الكتالوني اتفاقه مع مانشستر سيتي لضم فيران في يناير.

شبكة “كواترو” الإسبانية، أكدت أن اللاعب اجتاز الفحوصات الطبية في مستشفى برشلونة صباح اليوم بنجاح.

طالع أيضا.. آس: برشلونة يفكر في إبرام صفقة تبادلية من الدوري الهولندي

وأشارت الشبكة إلى أن فيران ذهب بعد ذلك للمدينة الرياضية لاستكمال الفحوصات، والتي أثبتت سلامته مما يعني أن الصفقة سيتم الإعلان عنها خلال ساعات قليلة قادمة.

وستكون صفقة فيران توريس هي الثانية للنادي الكتالوني في ميركاتو الشتاء، بعد عودة البرازيلي داني ألفيس في صفقة انتقال حر.

MatériaMais Notícias

Contratado pelo Santos depois de inúmeros fracassos em negociações por zagueiros, o defensor Luiz Felipe enfim fez sua estreia pelo Peixe. Depois de ficar na reserva de Gustavo Henrique e Lucas Veríssimo diante de Mogi Mirim e Red Bull, o camisa 2 jogou 27 minutos na vitória sobre o Corinthians, na Vila Belmiro.

Aos 22 minutos da segunda etapa, o jovem Lucas Veríssimo caiu no gramado sentindo cãibras e pediu para ser substituído. Único zagueiro no banco, já que David Braz ainda adquire a melhor forma física para voltar a jogar, Luiz Felipe foi chamado pelo técnico Dorival Júnior. De acordo com o comandante, o camisa 2 mostrou personalidade.

– Foi uma estreia boa. Lucas (Veríssimo) teve cãibras duas vezes. Alteração foi necessária. Foi uma fogueira. Está pouco tempo aqui, conhecendo o clube, carece de adaptação maior, natural, mas deu boa resposta – elogiou o comandante alvinegro.

RelacionadasSantosApós vitória no clássico, Dorival freia empolgação no Santos: ‘Sou realista’Santos06/03/2016SantosLucas Lima recebe o terceiro cartão amarelo e não enfrenta o Água SantaSantos06/03/2016SantosDorival elogia troca de passes do Santos e enaltece Ricardo OliveiraSantos06/03/2016

Luiz Felipe foi o único investimento do presidente Modesto Roma Júnior até aqui, e custou aos cofres do clube cerca de R$ 1 milhão. Até então, o Alvinegro havia contratado apenas jogadores sem custos.

With Tottenham Hotspur boss Jose Mourinho reportedly eyeing a new midfielder in January, one left-field name has emerged this week…

What’s the word?

According to Primer Tiempo, Spurs are one of several teams keen on signing Zenit St Petersburg powerhouse Wilmar Barrios next month.

It’s claimed that they will also face competition from Premier League rivals Newcastle United as well as Serie A leaders AC Milan.

The 27-year-old is said to be open to moving to one of Europe’s top divisions, though an exit seems more likely in the summer rather than the winter.

Sissoko upgrade?

Barrios, who is valued at just £14.4m by Transfermarkt, could prove to be an interesting option in the engine room considering he bares similarities to the playing style of Pierre-Emile Hojbjerg.

Indeed, we could see a shift to a double pivot that would allow either Tanguy Ndombele or Giovani Lo Celso additional freedom to roam further up the pitch.

It’s clear that the ‘Special One’ doesn’t fancy Harry Winks in the role amid speculation over his future whilst Moussa Sissoko reminded everyone of his shortcomings during the 2-1 defeat to Liverpool on Wednesday evening.

He made only 56% of his 25 passing attempts, won just 38% of his duels, and lost possession 16 times, via SofaScore.

Barrios has proven to be a better protector of the ball across the Russian top-flight and the Champions League having averaged 2.1 tackles, 1.9 interceptions and a passing accuracy of 88.5% across 22 starts, as per WhoScored.

It’s not the first time the Colombian enforcer has been linked with a move to north London either as Mauricio Pochettino reportedly wanted him in 2018 from Boca Juniors.

A fee of £25m was being linked then.

Some supporters may even remember the livewire from the 2018 World Cup when Barrios appeared to headbutt Jordan Henderson in England’s last-16 clash.

Former Celtic scout Neil McGuinness, the man who unearthed Virgil van Dijk, wrote about the Zenit star prior to the tournament, and said:

“He operates mainly in the holding midfield role but rather than just being able to break up play – which he does very well – he also has great technical ability and skill on the ball. A player with good balance and agility, he can float past players with a drop of the shoulder and astutely anticipates opponent movements. Barrios is strongly suited to European football.”

Perhaps the time has finally come for the midfield monster to make the switch to the Premier League.

AND in other news, Spurs talisman endured a HUGE night to forget in Liverpool defeat…

As Celtic’s season goes from bad to worse and their Scottish Premiership title defence lies in ruins, Peter Lawwell will desperately be looking for a way to start things afresh.

Near the top of his list will surely have to do with sorting out Odsonne Edouard’s future at the club. The Frenchman was linked with a move away in the summer transfer window, but a deal failed to materialise, and now it seems that the striker may not leave Parkhead until the end of the season.

Football Insider claim that the forward – valued at £25m by the Hoops – “is willing to bide his time until the summer to get a big-money transfer from Celtic”, and that he is “not in a rush to quit Parkhead and would rather secure the best move for him professionally in the summer.”

If Edouard’s time at the club is coming to an end sooner rather than later, then Celtic will have to be on the look-out for a replacement, and they could secure a shrewd successor in Kasper Junker, with the striker revealing via The Athletic he is open to a move amid links to the Hoops.

The 26-year-old has been a revelation for Bodo/Glimt, bagging 27 goals in 25 league games, and providing a further 11 assists in the competition too last season.

Speaking to 67hailhail, Norwegian football expert Jonas Giæver, said: “He’s a number 9, a fox in the box. I think he’s a lot more as well, he’s very technical, very good with his back to goal. He can set up his teammates and find space in the area. Bodø/Glimt have done it so perfectly, in terms of bringing numbers into the box. He always finds a patch of space and finishes first-time more often than not.

“If you’re looking for an out-and-out striker, who doesn’t need many chances to get a goal, then he’s your guy.”

Celtic of course know all about a prolific Scandinavian forward, having witnessed ‘The King’, Henrik Larsson, bag a tonne of goals for them during his time at the club – he netted a quite incredible 242 goals in 315 games.

His former Barcelona teammate, Sylvinho, remarked that: “His best qualities were concentrated in the penalty box. He was really intelligent in his movement, and he knew how to use his body to win his individual battles. And, of course, he made finishing look easy.”

Whilst it would far too naive to suggest Junker can make anywhere near the kind of mark Larsson did at Celtic, there are certainly elements of the Swede’s game and style of play that is in the 26-year-old.

If the Hoops are looking for someone to become Edouard’s successor, then they must surely try and get Junker.

The domestic transfer window will reopen in just under two months’ time, and it seems as though there’s business to be done at Selhurst Park.

Crystal Palace seem to be set for a big clear out with thirteen first-team players entering the last six months of their current contracts.

Whilst most of the focus will be on Roy Hodgson’s first-choice goalkeeper Vicente Guaita’s future, there is one potential exit that could go unnoticed.

Indeed, Connor Wickham could be about to leave the club, as a lack of action could see him heading for the exit. The 27-year-old was given a new deal for the season but could be move on to pastures new if recent reports are to be believed.

We can’t quite understand why Palace chairman Steve Parish would sanction such an extension in the first place. The former England U21 international, once described as being “impatient” when returning from injury by Hodgson, spent the second half of last season on loan with Sheffield Wednesday, where he scored two goals in 13 games in the Championship.

However, he has only scored eleven times so far in all competitions for the Eagles, and finds himself surplus to requirements at Selhurst Park as a result.

Of course, Palace may have a hard time selling the outcast in the winter transfer window on account of his injury history, as selling a player is easier said than done. He’s injured at the moment as well, which will hardly help proceedings. However, if he is going to become a free agent in the summer then they may as well look for a fee, no matter how low a price.

Whilst we aren’t for one minute saying that Wickham, who cost £7m when he signed from Sunderland on a five-year-deal, is necessarily a bad player – he scored a goal and supplied one assist in six Premier League games last term –  it’s fair to say that unfortunately he just isn’t up to the standards that Palace urgently require right now.

The Eagles desperately need a prolific striker who is capable of finding the back of the net on regular occasions. Even double digits would be nice at this stage. Surely that isn’t too much to ask?

Getting Wickham, who currently earns wages worth £60,000-per-week, off of the wage bill would be a good step in the right direction. Who knows, it may even create space in the squad for a surprise move for Celtic striker Odsonne Edouard, with whom they were linked in the summer.

AND in other news, Crystal Palace must secure deal for Middlesbrough defender Djed Spence…

MatériaMais Notícias

Não só de saídas vive o Corinthians. Nesta quarta-feira o clube apresentou dois reforços para esta temporada. O meia-atacante Marlone, de 23 anos, e o lateral-esquerdo Moisés, de 20.

A dupla disse não se preocupar em chegar ao Timão em meio a um momento turbulento, no qual Jadson, Ralf e Renato Augusto já deixaram o Parque São Jorge e outros podem seguir o mesmo caminho. Pelo contrário, os recém-chegados acreditam que podem aproveitar essa situação.

-A gente sabe que a torcida do Corinthians está acostumada com títulos importantes. A saída de jogadores é normal, e a gente tem que chegar para assumir a responsabilidade. Desde que assinei o contrato assumi uma grande responsabilidade, pois é um grande clube. Tenho certeza que da minha parte farei um grande trabalho esse ano. Não sou muito de falar, prefiro a prática, mostrar lá dentro. Tenho certeza que será um grande ano, não só individualmente para mim, mas para todo o grupo – comentou Marlone, que se destacou em 2015 pelo Sport, após passagens por Vasco, Cruzeiro e Fluminense.

Moisés já pertencia ao Timão desde o meio do ano passado, mas nunca defendeu a equipe. Comprado do Madureira, ele foi prontamente emprestado ao Bragantino, parceiro do Corinthians.

-Meu objetivo quando assinei contrato, quando pisei aqui, era voltar, ter essa oportunidade de mostrar meu potencial ao Tite. Isso é no dia a dia. Tanto o Arana como o Uendel são jogadores qualificados. Sei o tempo que posso esperar, vou trabalhar e dar meu máximo, é uma oportunidade grande que não posso deixar passar. Com paciência vou mostrar meu trabalho. Uma hora a oportunidade vai surgir – declarou o lateral.

O vínculo de Moisés com o Corinthians vai até o fim de 2017. Já Marlone assinou contrato até dezembro de 2019. Ao apresentá-los, Eduardo Ferreira, diretor-adjunto do Timão, brincou:

– Até chegar uma proposta da China…

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Leeds United will face stiff competition for one of their mooted transfer targets this summer but maybe it’s time for them to move on…

What’s the word?

Earlier this month, The Sun reported that Spurs boss Jose Mourinho has put central defender Juan Foyth on the chopping block and the Yorkshire giants are one of the sides that appear keen on signing him.

And this week, Spanish outlet AS, Unai Emery’s Villarreal are now also interested in signing him.

It’s thought that Tottenham value the Argentina international at around £15m, although there have been conflicting reports suggesting that the north Londoners would only want a temporary loan exit.

Forget Foyth

Victor Orta has already secured the signing of Robin Koch whilst transfer guru Fabrizio Romano claims Leeds are closing in on another centre-back addition in on Josko Gvardiol from Dinamo Zagreb.

Therefore a move for Foyth would now seem like a disaster in terms of team selection, so he’s better off joining a different club.

The 22-year-old is a regular for the national side, having featured ten times across the past two years, but he has been unable to break into the Spurs first-team.

Mauricio Pochettino signed him as a hugely promising ball-playing defender, though this style has often led to many a mistake. It’s no wonder he’s been likened to John Stones, who very much feels similar pressure in Pep Guardiola’s Man City system.

You’d have to wonder if he could cope with Bielsa’s tactics as a result.

Back in 2019, former Leeds talisman Chris Wood ran Foyth ragged, causing all sorts of problems as Burnley defeated Spurs 2-1 – per SofaScore, the colossal striker netted one goal and won six aerials whilst the Argentine was hauled off during the second-half following a shocking display as he lost possession 17 times.

His old Spurs boss lauded him in the past for being “so clever,” “quality” and someone who has “lots of potential” yet it just hasn’t quite worked out whatsoever.

Orta must steer clear of the centre-back this summer.

AND in other news, pundit surprised Bielsa hasn’t signed Championship menace…

Borna Barisic has started the new season at Rangers in fine form and this has indeed prompted some interest from abroad. Earlier reports from Croatia stated the 27-year-old ace is on Leeds United’s radar.

Not only that but it seemed like Marcelo Bielsa was ready to table a bid in the region of £8m to bring him with him to the Premier League. With the Whites’ promotion to the top-flight for the upcoming 2020/21 campaign, they will need all the reinforcements they can get.

But new updates from the Daily Record now suggest that there was no bid for the full-back as of yet and the Croat is set to stay at Ibrox for another year in the Scottish Premier League.

They also say Barisic remains committed to the cause of finally breaking Celtic’s domestic dominance and if the Gers really were to negotiate with someone for his departure, it would certainly be for at least double of that reported £8m fee.

Still, as things currently stand, Steven Gerrard and Ross Wilson haven’t needed to fend off any offers so far and it’s looking increasingly likely they will indeed keep their left-back at the club.

Now, of course, Barisic is with his national team and won’t return to Scotland until his international duties are done. And then, next year, he is set to start for Croatia as they look ahead to the European Championship.

In the meantime, Rangers will count on him to help them out domestically.

Verdict

It goes without saying that losing Barisic now would be a huge blow for Rangers. The full-back has been excellent since the start of the new season and key in the Gers recording multiple clean sheets.

Even if Leeds United were indeed interested, which wouldn’t be such a big surprise given the player’s quality, it would take a far bigger offer to turn Gerrard’s head on this one.

According to The Athletic’s Charlie Eccleshare, Tottenham defender Juan Foyth is intent on fighting for his place at the club.

What’s the word?

The Argentine has been linked with a move away from the club in recent weeks and months, but as of yet, no deal has materialised.

Now, writing for The Athletic, Eccleshare has delivered an update on the centre-back’s future at Spurs, claiming that “at the moment”, he is keen on staying in north London and staking a claim for a starting spot.

Is it Mido or Pedro Mendes? This Spurs quiz will separate the loyal from the fake…



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He said: “Juan Foyth is a really exciting player and I hope it works out for him, whether at Spurs or elsewhere. The latest is that he has not yet sat down to discuss his future with the club but that for the moment he wants to stay and fight for his place.

“There’s also a month-long gap between the season starting and the summer transfer window closing, so unless he has more clarity before then, he will wait to see if his first-team prospects have improved and if not look for a move elsewhere. As we have reported previously, Foyth feels he needs to move soon, either permanently or on loan, if he continues to be overlooked.”

Another Daniel Levy nightmare

In these times of financial uncertainty, the last thing Spurs and Daniel Levy need right now is a fringe player simply eating into the wage bill for no good reason at all.

Whilst Eccleshare may be a fan of Foyth, declaring him a “really exciting player”, the simple facts are that he only played seven times across all competitions last season – injuries of course playing a big part.

He has barely gotten a proper look-in since his arrival the club, making just 32 appearances in total. And whilst his reported £21.5k-per-week wages are nothing extraordinary, it’s still money that could be saved and potentially reinvested elsewhere.

Foyth is just a drain on the club’s resources at the moment, and if Jose Mourinho has no plans to use him as a key part of his first-team squad, then Levy must take charge of the situation and let the Argentine go.