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West Ham United are seriously considering an approach for Gent striker Roman Yaremchuk as their search for a striker continues [Eurosport].

Enjoying a fantastic 2020/21 season, the Ukrainian chipped in with an incredible 31 goal contributions in 43 fixtures for the Belgian outfit; 23 goals and eight assists [Transfermarkt].

Now fresh from an impressive EURO 2020 tournament, he could now be set for a switch to the London Stadium.

West Ham are evaluating whether or not to formalise an offer for the 25-year-old, in order to bolster their depth in the striking department [Eurosport].

Premier League rivals Arsenal and Wolverhampton Wanderers are also said to be interested in the 6ft 3in ace [Sun].

In light of the Hammers turning their attentions towards Yaremchuk, loads of West Ham United fans took to Twitter to vent their frustration at the use of the word ‘considering’ in the report.

West Ham United fans react:

Replying to multiple West Ham fan outlets, here is how some Irons fans reacted to these recent developments:

“Seriously Considering FC”

Credit: @WestHamRambles”I am not holding my breath for anything, the 3 stooges haven’t shown any desire to get us ready for Europe, other clubs are bringing in players, we have completed no first team business.”Credit: @DrTWarley”Please god no”Credit: @riobeare”I hate this considering narrative…”Credit: @WHUHarry1″we’re always ‘seriously considering’ but never do”Credit: @ldxckray”In talks considering interested in merchants”Credit: @gzamboni8In other news, West Ham fans react to a pre-season update.

With the 2022 January transfer window now open, Wolves have already made some business deals by recalling Ryan Giles from his loan deal in the Championship with Cardiff City, as well as securing the signature of midfielder Hayao Kawabe from Swiss Super League side Grasshopper Club Zurich.

Despite this early transfer activity, it seems as though the Old Gold have their eye on bringing a familiar face back to Molineux this month as Bruno Lage looks to strengthen his squad.

According to a recent report from Football Insider, Wolves have submitted a bid for Tottenham Hotspur defender Matt Doherty, who left the Midlands club to join Spurs back in the 2020 summer transfer window.

During his time in north London, the Irishman has only managed to make 40 appearances across all competitions with 21 of them coming in the Premier League, which just goes to show that he hasn’t been a regular figure for them.

Labelled as an “impeccable” player in terms of his defensive work by former Spurs manager Jose Mourinho, it was a different story for Doherty at Wolves regarding his playing time with a total of 302 appearances under his belt across all competitions, chipping in with 28 goals and 41 assists along the way.

Given his previous experience of playing at Wolves and the lack of game time he’s had at Spurs, it could be a good move for all parties, but because of that prior association, it would also surprise and rather blow supporters away if the £74k-per-week earner comes back to Molineux this month.

After all, the club’s supporters were mightily unhappy when reports of his move to Tottenham emerged a few years ago and it’s clear to see why; he was an incredibly consistent performer for the club, a fan favourite who was touted to be in with a chance of being named in the 2019/20 PFA Team of the Year.

To see him return, therefore, would surely leave Wolves’ adoring fans shocked at their early business in January.

That said, regular game time may not necessarily be a guarantee for the 29-year-old anymore.

Current right-wing back Nelson Semedo seems to have nailed down that position for Lage this season by making 17 Premier League appearances and earning himself an overall performance rating of 6.77/10, making him their fifth-highest rated outfield player according to WhoScored.

Either way, if Tottenham do accept Wolves’ reported bid for Doherty this month and he does return to Molineux, he would still provide Lage with a solid squad option that should be able to fit into his side rather easily.

In other news: Luke Hatfield drops teasing transfer update that will leave Wolves fans thrilled – opinion

Celtic have announced that right-back Anthony Ralston has put pen to paper on a new deal at Parkhead.

What’s the latest?

In a statement posted on the Celtic website, the club confirmed that the defender has signed a new contract that will keep him in Glasgow until at least the summer of 2025.

The 22-year-old had already signed an extension with the Bhoys this summer, however, but the club claim that the new deal is a reflection of the former Scotland U21 international’s impressive start to the current campaign.

In the statement, the Bhoys said: “Celtic are delighted to announce that Anthony Ralston has signed a new contract which will see him remain at the club until the summer of 2025. In the summer, he signed an extension with Celtic, but the new contract is a reflection of his contribution to the team this season.”

Fans will be buzzing

Considering the rather remarkable form Ralston has been in so far this season, the news that the club have tied the defender down to a new long-term deal is sure to have left the Parkhead faithful buzzing.

Indeed, over his 10 Scottish Premiership appearances this term, the £270k-rated man has already scored three goals, provided two assists and created six big chances for his teammates, as well as taking an average of 1.5 shots and making 1.8 key passes per game.

The player who Mark Wilson dubbed an “outstanding” right-back has also impressed in metrics more typical of his position, helping his side keep five clean sheets, in addition to making 0.4 interceptions, 2.3 tackles, two clearances and winning 7.9 duels per match.

These returns have seen the 22-year-old earn an average SofaScore match rating of 7.83, ranking him as the Hoops’ best performer in the league of players who are still part of Ange Postecoglou’s first-team squad.

Indeed, the £7.5k-per-week defender’s overall level of performance has even seen him start ahead of summer signing Josip Juranovic on the right-hand side of the Celtic backline, with the Croatia international often being deployed at left-back.

As such, the news that Ralston looks set to remain at Parkhead for a good while longer yet is undoubtedly positive for the club, as the academy graduate is quickly proving to be one of Postecoglou’s most important players.

In other news: Ange must ruthlessly axe 26 y/o “phenomenon” on Thursday, he could cost Celtic dearly

If Leeds United fans were keeping an eye on the academy during the mid 2000s, then seeing James Tavernier’s name on the books may not be too much of a shock to the system reading it now.

The full-back was a part of the club’s youth system from the age of nine after being picked up from local side Farsley Celtic.

The Bradford-born ace would then spend six seasons at Leeds, predominantly playing in a central midfield role, before eventually making the switch to Tyneside to join Newcastle for nothing.

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While Tavernier has since gone to be a star north of the border at Rangers, he admitted that growing up, his biggest Leeds icon was a certain Lucas Radebe.

He revealed: “My idol would be Lucas Radebe. The captain of Leeds, ‘The chief’ as he is known at Leeds. He was a great leader back in the glory days of Leeds and I just remembered him being such a figure at the club.”

But while Radebe may be his inspiration, Tavernier has carved out a real reputation as being one of the most productive full-backs in Europe, boasting an impressive goal record that even puts to shame someone like Trent Alexander-Arnold.

As per Transfermarkt, the Englishman has bagged himself a career total of 86 goals at senior level, with 77 of them coming with the Gers.

What perhaps makes that record all the more impressive in Tavernier’s case, is that he has also stepped up with a whopping 105 assists for the Ibrox side, while it has only come in 335 games – essentially, even as just a full-back, Tavernier averages more than one goal contribution every other game.

It’s been no surprise then that the defender has earned some high praise, including from former Gers boss and current Aston Villa Steven Gerrard who spoke glowingly about his consistency levels.

He said: “When we turned up we knew we had the best right back in the league, and that’s stayed the same. His consistency has been outrageous really. He’s gotten stronger and stronger as the games go on.

“He’s led his team to three European runs in succession, so he deserves a lot of credit. The good thing is he’s available all the time, he puts himself out there, and the numbers for a full-back, no matter what league or what level you’re playing at, are outstanding.”

All in all, the man with a whopping 204 career goal contributions to his name despite predominantly playing at right-back has surely got Leeds wondering what could have been.

AND in other news – Sold for under £1m, now a PL winner: Leeds suffered embarrassment with “special” star

Liverpool officials are meeting with their counterparts at Fulham this morning to try to agree a deal for Fabio Carvalho, as per Fabrizio Romano. 

The lowdown

Sky Sports’ Vinny O’Connor reported on Sunday that Liverpool had made a £5m bid for the 19-year-old.

Carvalho is into the final six months of his contract at Craven Cottage, but Fulham are keen to keep hold him until the end of the season as they push for promotion. They’re currently leading the Championship, five points clear of Blackburn Rovers with a game in hand.

That could mean that Carvalho remains in London on loan until the end of the season, with Liverpool eager to do a deal now so that the fee isn’t determined by tribunal.

The latest

Romano tweeted on Sunday night that there would be a ‘new meeting in the morning’.

He added that ‘LFC are working’ on an agreement because manager Jurgen ‘Klopp wants him for the future’.

The verdict

Off the back of the signing of Luis Diaz, Carvalho would be another exciting addition for the Reds, albeit one who may take longer to make an impact at the top level.

The England under-19 international has been directly involved in 11 Championship goals (scored seven, set up four) this season despite only starting 15 games, while Fulham manager Marco Silva has hailed him as a player with ‘fantastic’ ability.

If Liverpool make an early breakthrough on Deadline Day, the 19-year-old could follow Harvey Elliott in swapping Craven Cottage for Anfield in his teenage years.

In other news, Neil Jones has dropped several Liverpool transfer claims

After beating Watford 5-0 on Saturday at Vicarage Road in their latest Premier League outing, Liverpool are back in Champions League action on Tuesday evening with an away clash against Atletico Madrid.

A hat-trick from Roberto Firmino and additional goals from Sadio Mane and Mohamed Salah perfectly set up Jurgen Klopp’s side for their latest Champions League match in midweek after winning their opening two group games.

On the chalkboard

One player that wasn’t involved in the game against Watford, that we think should be in the starting XI to face Atletico is midfielder Fabinho, who is currently earning a weekly wage of £180k-per-week according to Spotrac.

The 27-year-old wasn’t in the squad to face Watford as he was involved with Brazil on international duty just a short period before the match against the Hornets, alongside Alisson Becker.

Given that Fabinho has now had time after returning from Brazil duty to get ready for the Atletico match, we feel he should be back in the team as he would presumably be fresher than the midfielders that played against Watford such as James Milner, Jordan Henderson and Naby Keita.

Taking into account some of Fabinho’s numbers and it’s evident why he deserves to play.

He has managed to rack up an average of 2.5 interceptions per game and 4.5 tackles per game from the two previous Champions League outings he’s played in for Liverpool this season. On top of that, he’s won 73% of all duels he’s been involved in so he could definitely prove himself to be a tough and possibly even terrifying opponent for Atletico’s attacking players. That’s given how Diego Simeone’s side have only managed to score 11 goals in eight La Liga games so far this season.

One in, one out

In terms of who Fabinho could replace in the team, we feel that Klopp should take Keita out of the team given he played 90 minutes against Watford and has struggled with his fitness and numerous injuries in the past. It might be a risk to play him again in midweek, even though he played well against Watford, earning himself an overall match rating of 7.2/10 according to SofaScore.

Looking ahead to the match, whether Klopp decides to start Fabinho, who has been described as “outstanding” by the Reds manager in the past, they will definitely be looking to keep their winning streak in the Champions League going ahead of their big Premier League clash against Manchester United at the weekend.

In other news: Klopp could land perfect Mane heir at Liverpool in “pure class” £22.5m-rated star – opinion

Sheffield United are expected to sign Liverpool centre-back Ben Davies on loan for the season, as per an update from Sky Sports journalist Lyall Thomas on Twitter.

The Lowdown: Davies not needed at Liverpool

The 25-year-old made the surprise move to the Reds back in February as Jurgen Klopp looked to sort his centre-back injury crisis.

Davies still hasn’t played a single minute of competitive action for the Premier League side, though, and with Ibrahima Konate arriving from RB Leipzig, he is now even further down the pecking order.

The Blades have been linked with a summer move for the defender, with Liverpool happy to let him leave.

The Latest: Loan move set to be completed

According to Thomas via Twitter on Saturday, Davies’ season-long loan move to Bramall Lane is ‘expected to be completed’ imminently.

The deal could be done ‘early next week’, allowing the former Preston man a fresh challenge after his abortive Anfield move and Slavisa Jokanovic to land his primary defensive target.

The Verdict: Makes sense for all parties

This move makes perfect sense for everyone concerned, considering that Davies has no future at Liverpool and Sheffield United could do with additional quality at centre-back.

The 25-year-old has plenty of Championship experience, making 129 appearances in the division, and he also won Preston’s Player of the Year award in 2018/19.

The hope is that he can come in and make Jokanovic’s side stronger, aiding their promotion push in the process.

In other news, one Sheffield United player is set for a lengthy spell on the sidelines. Find out who it is here.

Leeds United could seal a dream deal after being linked with a move for Real Madrid striker Mariano Diaz ahead of the January transfer window.

What’s the story?

According to Leeds Live (who cite Spanish outlet Fichajes), the Whites are considering a move for the 28-year-old over the coming months as manager Marcelo Bielsa looks to bolster his forward line.

Diaz is reportedly desperate for more minutes on the pitch between now and the end of the season after struggling for regular game-time, so a move to Elland Road could be on the cards.

Victor Orta could seal a dream transfer

Enticing the Real Madrid forward to west Yorkshire over the winter window would represent a dream transfer for Leeds’ director of football Victor Orta, given the 28-year-old’s previous exploits.

After rising through the ranks with the capital club, Diaz departed the Santiago Bernabeu in 2017 after finding the likes of Cristiano Ronaldo and Karin Benzema impenetrable ahead of him in the pecking order.

The Dominican Republic ace joined Lyon in a £7.2m deal and proved to be an instant hit at the Ligue 1 giants. In 45 appearances in all competitions, Diaz bagged an impressive 21 goals, providing a further six assists for his grateful teammates, earning the praise of assistant manager Gerald Baticle.

“He’s a real goalscorer,” said Baticle to Eurosport (as relayed by Goal). “When others might want to make a pass, his first idea is to find an angle to shoot towards goal. All his play is in the centre towards goal.

“Of course, with his first touch, he has to raise his head more often to take in more information and make better choices. But in individual raids, he’s good because he’s capable of piercing the lines.”

His success in French football saw Real Madrid exercise their £33m buyback clause after a single season away from Los Blancos, but Diaz has struggled to replicate his best form back in Spain.

Since the beginning of 2018/19, the £9m-rated hitman has only started nine La Liga fixtures, receiving just one of those under new manager Carlo Ancelotti in the current campaign. However, his proven track record of finding the back of the net on a regular basis could make him the ideal signing for Bielsa’s struggling side.

With star striker Patrick Bamford out injured for most of the campaign so far, Leeds have only scored 13 goals in 14 Premier League games, an issue that Diaz could certainly help to address.

In other news…”It’s likely..”: Leeds handed major injury boost vs Brentford, Bielsa will be buzzing

Leeds United striker Patrick Bamford’s return from injury for the Whites is now ‘on the horizon’, according to reliable journalist Phil Hay.

The Lowdown: Bamford out for months

The 28-year-old was a huge player for Leeds last season, topping their Premier League scoring charts with 17 goals and helping them to a ninth-placed finish.

However, Bamford has been absent since the middle of September with an injury, which has duly restricted to just five league starts in the current campaign.

It appears as though the striker’s return is edging closer, though, with Hay providing a very positive update on the situation.

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The Latest: Hay gives positive update

Taking on Twitter on Friday to promote an article on Bamford’s situation, Hay confirmed that the Leeds striker’s injury return is now ‘on the horizon’.

That suggests the England international will be able to play a key role in the Whites’ December fixtures, which would be a timely return amidst a busy upcoming schedule.

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The Verdict: Season turning point?

Bamford’s influence on this Leeds team is enormous both on and off the ball – he has averaged three shots and 1.6 clearances per game in the league this season – so his return should be huge for Marcelo Bielsa.

Granted, it may take time for him to rediscover top form, but his ability to find the net and bring teammates into the game could be priceless.

Without him, Leeds have looked far more toothless in attack, scoring just seven goals in as many games in his injury-enforced absence. Indeed, it’s not exaggerating to suggest that Bamford’s return might just be the turning point in the Whites’ season, if he can pick up where he had left off prior to his injury.

In other news, one Leeds player has been tipped for a move to Liverpool. Find out who it is here.

Steve Howey believes losing Youri Tielemans would come as a bigger blow to Leicester City than seeing James Maddison depart this summer.

Belgium international midfielder Tielemans, who scored the winner as the Foxes got their hands on the FA Cup for the first time in their history in May, has been attracting interest from Liverpool.

Reports published by Belgian media outlet Voetbal24 suggest the 24-year-old is keen to leave Leicester for Anfield.

However, Brendan Rodgers’ side have made keeping Tielemans, who has two years remaining on his current deal, a priority this summer and they are eager for him to pen a new contract.

Meanwhile, creative midfielder Maddison is being courted by Arsenal, with the Gunners looking to bounce back after a disappointing season which means they will not be involved in European football for the first time since 1995.

Howey, the former Leicester defender, feels the Foxes would be more inclined to let Maddison depart instead of Tielemans.

Speaking exclusively to Football FanCast, he said: “Tielemans would be the bigger loss, for me.

“Maddison is an excellent player but I think there were a couple of issues off the field last season. We all make mistakes, so I haven’t got a problem with that.

“Sometimes players just feel as though they could do with a move to give their career another spark. He might fall into that category. But, if I were him, it would have to be a very good offer from a very good club to tempt me away from Leicester.”