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David Moyes should urge West Ham United to sign Hans Vanaken in the summer, after it was revealed that the Club Brugge midfielder was flattered by their previous interest.

What’s the word?

According to Voetbal 24, Vanaken was charmed by the Hammers’ efforts to sign him last year and would now consider a move to the London Stadium. The 28-year-old opted to remain in his native Belgium at the time of the Irons’ pursuit as the Blauw-Zwart rewarded him with a bumper new contract.

However, he no longer feels as appreciated at the Jan Breydel Stadium after a somewhat daunting campaign under Philippe Clement, and would explore the idea of a move away.

The prospect of life in London had appealed to Vanaken and his wife before he put pen to paper on a £35,000-per-week contract, which saw the nine-cap maestro commit his future to Club Brugge through to 2025.

Offers of €20m (£17m) would be enough to prise Vanaken away from the Blauw-Zwart’s clutches, although West Ham could face strong competition in any revived efforts, with several Premier League sides now scouting the Lommel United product.

Vanaken particularly piqued the interest of a wealth of English suitors with his impressive display against Belarus on Tuesday, after striking his first international goals and complementing the brace with an assist.

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Voetbal 24 noted that his performance showed the rest of Europe the ‘enormous talent’ that Belgium already knew Vanaken had after an 11-goal, seven-assist domestic campaign.

Should West Ham target Vanaken again?

While West Ham are not cited as one of the clubs interested in a move for Vanaken this summer, Moyes should urge the London Stadium hierarchy to revive their prior efforts given the 28-year-old’s current position on his Club Brugge future.

Reports by Het Laatste Nieuws, via Sport Witness, claimed that the Irons lodged offers in excess of €15m (£13m) for Vanaken entering the final stages of the transfer market, but the Blauw-Zwart were firm in their position and made a statement by agreeing to a new contract.

Club Brugge also argued that the timing of the offer left them with no chance of signing a replacement, although the fee presented on its own did not satisfy their valuation.

Vanaken’s new deal would have come as a huge blow for Moyes at the time, as the playmaker was described as his ‘dream’ signing to add to a West Ham side that Said Benrahma was about to join on his initial loan deal from Brentford.

There was little wonder why Moyes was so keen to sign Vanaken as well, with Sporza commentator Frank Raes waxing lyrical over the Belgian following a 17-goal, three-assist campaign which saw the 28-year-old captain Club Brugge home and away to Paris Saint-Germain and Manchester United.

“He has been one of the finest footballers in [the] Belgian league for several years,” Raes said, via quotes shared by Medium. “Hans has good feet, is strong with the head, has insight and also his running and scoring ability are of high-quality.”

Journalist Peter Vandenbempt added: “Vanaken gets better every year. He has everything Club Brugge wants: vision, technique, the right mentality and scoring ability.”

Given Moyes’ previous position on Vanaken being a dream signing, the Scottish coach should be all over the midfielder reconsidering his long-term Club Brugge future.

AND in other news, West Ham are in a three-way Premier League battle for a 6 ft 6 titan with “all the attributes”…

Fans of Southampton have been reacting to a post on Twitter, in which Jack Rosser relayed an article of his regarding Saints’ interest in a summer move for left-back, Rico Henry.

According to Rosser’s report for the Evening Standard, Ralph Hasenhuttl’s side are one of many Premier League club’s interested in a move for the Brentford defender this summer, for whom the west London side are thought to be demanding a fee of around £12-15 million.

Southampton, in particular, are said to be keen on a move for the 23-year-old as the club are planning for the departure of their current first-choice left-back, Ryan Bertrand, at the end of the season, with the England international being linked with a move to Leicester City.

And, after Rosser relayed his report on Twitter, fans of Southampton flocked to have their say on the matter, with many appearing delighted at the prospect of their side landing Henry this summer.

So, what exactly did these Southampton fans have to say regarding their club’s reported interest in a move for Rico Henry?

“This makes sense. A good player already, bags of potential, young, English and would flourish at Saints. Hopefully, 1 year for him to be tutored under Bertrand, though Berty wants a longer contract. Interesting.”

@saintbannerman

“Makes perfect sense, a typical Saints signing. Been on the radar a while methinks.”

@john_lush

“Make this happen!!!!”

@rxdmond

“Perfect replacement. I’d take him in a heartbeat.”

@WillsfcMitchell

“Back up in short term. Bertrand is going nowhere.”

@Golacticos2

“Replacement for Bertrand? Bertrand’s still one of our best players – we’ve been lucky to have him all these years. Cover for him would be good though.”

@FrankLopezCoach

In other news: ‘I hope so’ – Southampton’s £21m summer target dropped a huge hint on a potential Premier League move – find out more here!

One of the biggest tasks for any new manager entering Celtic this season will be to find a replacement for Odsonne Edouard.

The Frenchman has been linked with the Parkhead exit door on numerous occasions and it feels like a foregone conclusion that this will be his final season with the Bhoys.

What’s the word?

Celtic may not have a director of football or manager but that hasn’t stopped the Hoops from thinking of recruits for the summer ahead.

One of their targets is Young Boys forward Jean-Pierre Nsame, according to TEAMtalk.

Nsame has been in breathtaking form over the last few seasons and as such, there is no shortage of suitors for his signature.

The Bhoys could find it tough to lure him to Scotland with the likes of Newcastle, Southampton and West Ham chasing him as well.

No transfer fee is mentioned in the report but Transfermarkt rate the Cameroon striker at just £6.3m.

Perfect Edouard heir

If the French forward does depart Glasgow this summer then it will leave a giant hole in the Celtic squad.

Edouard has been a brutal force of nature in the Premiership in the last few years and is their unrivalled top scorer.

The Hoops have endured a wretched campaign but the attacker has still been among the goals, netting 20 strikes in all competitions.

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Nsame, however, has been even more prolific. The 27-year-old has bagged 25 goals in 38 outings this term, taking his tally for Young Boys to 97 since signing in 2017.

Now approaching the peak of his career, there is every chance the striker could get even better. With a record like that, it provides a tingling sensation in your stomach.

The thought of a player with such an impressive goal-scoring record arriving at Paradise is enough to provide plenty of excitement; something supporters haven’t enjoyed at all this season.

Speaking in 2020, Young Boys manager Gerardo Seoane waxed lyrical of his qualities: “Jean-Pierre Nsamé has had an extraordinary season. He has really progressed especially in terms of taking responsibility in the team.”

Seoane added: “He is very physical, with an unbelievable ability in front of goal. He is very present in the penalty area and all the balls that comes, he puts them in the back of the net, thanks to his technique and strength.”

The forward would offer plenty of other qualities, though, particularly with his strong-willed attitude and leadership: “Jean Pierre (Nsame) is a great personality, with a great character and mentality. He is also present and hard-working and put his all for the team.

“He is not egoistic. He always puts the team first, that’s what I like so much about him because it is a big human quality and above all he is very humble and I’m very certain that he will have a great career,” Seoane concluded.

In recent weeks, it’s been hard to suggest that Edouard’s attitude has been right. With one goal in his last five matches, it feels like he already has one foot out the door.

Nsame, therefore, is very different. He boasts a fabulous goal record but is also a team player. He’d be perfect for any new manager.

AND in other news, 6 ft 2 giant must be at the top of Celtic’s shopping list, he’s a “top-class” player…

When Diogo Jota left Wolves, there was an assumption from the hierarchy that they’d get on fine this season.

Indeed, it was clear to see why that thought process was put in place. Jota scored just once in his final ten league games of 2019/20, regularly being dragged off just after the hour mark or being introduced as a substitute.

He was becoming merely a bit-part of the Wolves side so when Liverpool offered £41m to prise him away from the Midlands, Jeff Shi gladly accepted.

Little did he know, however, that Raul Jimenez would suffer a horrendous fractured skull just a matter of months into the new season.

In hindsight, Wolves’ decision to sell the Portuguese sensation looks like extremely poor business. Fabio Silva was signed as his replacement but he has scored just twice since moving from Porto for a club-record £35.6m.

Combine the fact that Adama Traore hasn’t scored all season in the league with Willian Jose’s goalless rut and the decision to sell Jota looks even worse.

On his day, the attacker is one of the best in the Premier League. Despite an injury-hit first campaign at Anfield, he has netted ten goals in only 21 outings; that includes a Champions League hat-trick.

Keep in mind Wolves currently occupy a place in the bottom half of the Premier League and it becomes evident that they need more firepower. Fortunately, the top brass at Molineux have already identified some targets.

Goncalo Guedes is one to have been linked with the Midlands but so too has Lucas Ocampos. The Sevilla winger has a pricey release clause of £62m but Wolves are hoping to tie up a deal below that valuation.

If he does move to the Premier League, he could be the ideal replacement for Jota. The Argentine is capable of playing on either wing and also through the middle; though it’s his ability to beat his man and find the net that bears the greatest similarities to the former Wolves star.

Ocampos has scored seven times this term, providing a further four assists for his troubles. However, when it comes to dribbling, there are few better in La Liga. So far this term, the £27k-per-week earner has completed 2.2 dribbles per game.

For context, there are only five players with better averages in the Spanish top tier; one of which is Lionel Messi.

If we compare this to Jota, there is a clear likeness. The Liverpool forward completed 1.9 dribbles per game last season and has managed 1.4 in this term’s Champions League.

With Wolves stuttering this season, they’d more than benefit from an extra bit of quality in the final third.

Dubbed “electric” by Fede Prami, a journalist and River Plate fan, he looks like the ideal player to take on the mantle from Jota. This would be an inspirational addition from Shi.

AND in other news, Valued at £6.3m in 2019, now worth £31.5m: Wolves gem fast becoming a “world star”…

Carlo Ancelotti could take James Rodriguez to a new level with a slight tactical tweak after he explained why Richarlison never plays in his favoured position for Everton.

That’s according to the Liverpool Echo, who quote the Toffees boss as believing Richarlison is not best suited to playing through the middle of his attack, despite the Brazilian’s desires.

Ancelotti insists the forward has never requested to be played as a centre-forward and that is happy to work from the wing, but the £50m former Watford star prefers a No.9 role and he operates as the focal point for his national side.

Dominic Calvert-Lewin is Ancelotti’s go-to striker at Goodison Park, though he has fielded the forward beside Richarlison previously.

But a change in system has seen Richarlison be shifted to the wing, making 17 of his 25 appearances across all competitions this season from the left, and he will continue to be played there in normal circumstances.

“I think he [Richarlison] cannot play centre-forward because he is really good at attacking the line and to play centre-forward, most of the time you have your back to the goal,” Ancelotti said.

“I think for him, better is centre-left. He has more difficulty to find solutions as a winger but centre-left, for me, is the best position.

“He likes to play centre-forward, honestly. But for the fact that he is young, he plays where I tell him to play.

“Maybe when he is older, he is going to ask to play centre-forward but, until now, he didn’t ask.”

Ancelotti building on the idea of Richarlison developing into a centre-left forward rather than a winger or an out-and-out striker could, in turn, see Rodriguez take his performances to another level.

Rodriguez already boasts five goals and four assists in 18 Premier League games, but he has only contributed two of his strikes and created one in his last 13 outings after a blistering start to life in England.

The £90,000-per-week maestro’s latest assist came in Everton’s most recent fixture, last month’s Merseyside derby win over Liverpool, when he picked up possession in a central position before threading a perfectly weighted pass through to Richarlison to fire home.

Ancelotti should comfortably be able to expect a heightened number of assists from Rodriguez if he were to have Richarlison and Calvert-Lewin both making advancing runs from more centralised areas in the future.

Rodriguez consistently impressing in a centre-right role could also help Everton retain the £31.5m-rated Colombian beyond his debut campaign in England, following reports by Defensa Central last month that claimed the midfielder is already unhappy in the Premier League.

It was also noted that the two-time Champions League winner is open to joining Atletico Madrid, as he wishes to return to the Spanish capital and sign for the Wanda Metropolitano Stadium natives he came close to joining two years ago.

With European football at Everton a realistic possibility for next season, the Toffees would surely be loath to lose one of Ancelotti’s biggest stars.

So, the idea of a front three of the Colombian, Calvert-Lewin and Richarlison working more compactly may be worth exploring as the Blues enter the final third of the season.

AND in other news, Everton are tracking a prolific 15-goal winger backed to reach another level…

In an exclusive interview with Football FanCast, Steve Howey, who made 193 Premier League appearances during his career, struggles to see why Freddie Woodman would return to Newcastle United to sit on the bench.

Woodman has been at Newcastle since 2013 but has only made four FA Cup appearances for the Magpies. His loan spells at Swansea City have proved to be a lot more fruitful, racking up 80 appearances and 30 clean sheets.

The 24-year old has been hailed as a future Newcastle number one but with a route into the first team seemingly blocked with Martin Dubravka and Karl Darlow both signing new contracts recently, Woodman may seek a fresh challenge.

Speaking on Woodman’s uncertain future at Newcastle and how he may be forced to search for pastures new, Howey exclusively told FFC:

“Woodman’s playing really well at Swansea. Why would you want to come back and sit on the bench when you can play week in week out?” 

“All the players that I’ve played with, nobody likes training all week and not playing on game day.

“As I said, there’s an awful lot of players that to have to do that. Ultimately, it’s up to you. Are you happy with that? Or do you want to play?”

Woodman looks to have made a real breakthrough in his career at Swansea becoming their number one, and is showcasing the talent which saw him keep four clean sheets in seven matches as England won the Under 20s World Cup in 2017.

Swansea manager, Steve Cooper, has a great relationship with Woodman which could end up being a pull factor if the Swans secure promotion to the Premier League, and look to make the Croydon-born goalkeeper’s loan spell permanent.

In an exclusive interview with Football FanCast, former Aston Villa midfielder Lee Hendrie revealed his admiration for Bournemouth star David Brooks, expressing his desire for the attacker to join his old side.

According to talkSPORT, Villa wanted to sign Brooks in the January transfer window but nothing materialised – a boost for now Cherries boss Jonathan Woodgate.

The 23-year-old has made a solid contribution in the Cherries’ Championship campaign and quest for promotion, producing five assists and three goals for his team.

Brooks has had his problems with injury in recent seasons, and this term has been no different, but that has not detracted Hendrie, who is in awe of the player’s quality.

Speaking exclusively to FFC about the Wales international, the ex-Villa player said:

“I’m a big fan of David Brooks. I’ve seen a fair bit of him this season and he’s an absolute talent, he really is. He’s a young man with bags of ability and I think if he comes into Villa, I think he’d be a great addition.

“He reminds me of Jack [Grealish]. He’s very slight, he’s very mobile and, again, he’s another player that could set the Prem on fire if he’s given a chance.”

During the 2018/19 Premier League season, Brooks was able to make an impact, finishing the campaign with 12 goal involvements, so the Bournemouth man could be an option worth exploring once again for Villa.

Glasgow Rangers prospect Nathan Young-Coombes is closing in on a move to Championship club Brentford but Steven Gerrard could regret letting the youngster leave.

It appears the England U17 international is about to leave the 54-time Scottish champions in a bid for game time, as he hasn’t managed to make the jump to the first-team under Gerrard.

Having played fewer than 500′ minutes of football for the development squad so far this season, it seems Young-Coombes is considered little more than an after-thought at Ibrox as he has yet to make his first-team debut.

However, Rangers sporting director Ross Wilson may live to regret the fact that he did not do enough to persuade him to stay, with the 18-year-old thriving at youth level, having signed him from Chelsea in 2019.

It’s fair to say that Young-Coombes has been one of the most outstanding young players in the Light Blues academy. His statistics show that he has five goals from his past nine outings – his latest goal coming in the 2-0 win at home to Wrexham in the Challenge Cup quarter-finals.

But it runs far deeper than that. The highly-rated teenager has been tipped for the very top after being a key part of the Rangers side that lifted the Alkass Cup in 2019. Such a talent, therefore, should not be left to go to waste.

Rangers arguably have more urgent matters on their minds than the future of one of their academy players, yet it’s highly likely that at some point in the near future they could come to reflect that allowing Young-Coombes to depart Ibrox so easily was yet another transfer mishap they have developed rather a habit of making. Billy Gilmour is one of the first names that immediately springs to mind.

By letting the 18-year-old Young-Coombes go, this would have deja vu of Gilmour’s exit all over again.

And given how the latter has already made 17 first-team appearances at Stamford Bridge, Rangers surely look back with a sense of regret at seeing Gilmour shine elsewhere. The same could happen with Young-Coombes too. It would be a major mistake on the part of Wilson to wave goodbye to another prodigious Gers talent without genuinely seeing what they can do for the first-team at Ibrox.

AND in other news, Steven Gerrard should unleash Rangers defender Calvin Bassey against Hamilton Academical…

Sheffield Wednesday stunned many this week after Tony Pulis received his marching orders after only ten games in charge of the Owls, and now chairman Dejphon Chansiri is back at square one after just a month…

What’s the word?

There have already been plenty of names linked with the newly-vacant role at Hillsborough.

The Athletic have reported that neither Gus Poyet nor Jose Morais appear to be in the running, though the likes of Paul Cook, Danny Cowley, Ryan Lowe and even Sven-Goran Eriksson are.

It’s also been claimed that the Thai businessman has formed a relationship with a new advisor in Erik Alonso, who has links to MLS outfit DC United. However, it is thought Amadeu Paixao is still very much amongst his inner-circle still.

Shades of Howard Wilkinson

From that list, there is only really one candidate that they should consider, that being the Cowley duo – even if they have managed arch-rivals Huddersfield Town.

A job in which they were unfairly dismissed.

Those loyalties should not matter one bit, after all, Howard Wilkinson went onto manage Leeds United. He’s still a legend in both parts of Yorkshire, and interestingly, Cowley has similarities to the man that steered the Owls to the First Division in 1984.

This comparison was made by Leon Wobschall at the Yorkshire Evening Post last time the 42-year-old was linked with the role, he wrote:

“Sheffield Wednesday followers will recall some heady days in the mid-Eighties under one-time Abbeydale Schoolmaster Howard Wilkinson with genuine fondness to this day.

“The call of home-town club Wednesday proved irresistible for Wilkinson in 1983 when he was at an almost identical age to what the older and more senior Cowley brother is now at 40 and possessed a similar background in the game after starting out in non-league circles at Boston United before moving onto Notts County.”

From teacher, to non-league mastermind, to Championship success. Could these stars align once again?

His recent experience at the Terriers makes the prospect of him taking the helm at Wednesday even more enticing as he’s added the one thing holding him back from the role last time, results at this level of football.

According to one reporter, it was “a miracle” that Cowley kept Town up.

Chansiri needs a man capable of doing exactly that, so he ought to look no further than a manager who could be the second coming of the great Wilkinson.

AND in other news, Forget Shaw, this Sheffield Wednesday titan stole the show vs Boro…

Liverpool look set to lose Georginio Wijnaldum in the summer when his contract expires, with the Dutch international seemingly close to agreeing a move to Barcelona, but the Reds can replace him with Nicolo Barella.

Recent reports have linked both Liverpool and Tottenham Hotspur to the Inter midfielder, who has impressed since joining permanently from Cagliari.

Based on his performances from the last two seasons, it could be argued that he would be an upgrade on Wijnaldum, should he arrive at Anfield as the former Newcastle United man’s replacement.

So far this season, the 23-year-old midfielder has averaged a strong 7.02 rating for his performances in Serie A, having contributed two goals and five assists in 18 appearances.

Wijnaldum, meanwhile, has averaged a disappointing 6.66 rating across his 18 Premier League appearances, with just one goal and no assists to his name.

From a defensive perspective, Barella averages 1.9 tackles and 0.9 interceptions per game in Serie A, suggesting he has the edge over Wijnaldum, who averages just 0.9 tackles and 0.9 interceptions.

The Italian international is also superior when it comes to shots per game, key passes and dribbles per game when compared to the Dutchman, suggesting that he has more than enough to replace him in Liverpool’s midfield.

Whilst Wijnaldum has scored some important goals during his time with Liverpool, including the brace against Barcelona, he has just 21 goals in his Liverpool career, so Barella could add much more of a goal threat than the 30-year-old, as he has shown he can score goals in his time with Inter and Cagliari.

Barella currently earns £89k per week at Inter and is valued at £49.5 million, so he wouldn’t come cheap but Wijnaldum will not be an easy player to replace in Jurgen Klopp’s side, having made 212 appearances for the Reds in his career thus far.

However, it seems as if the Italian international is destined for a big future in the game, with Italian journalist Fabrizio Biasin describing him as “a gift from the footballing gods.”

Therefore, he definitely seems like an excellent option for Liverpool to consider if they do feel they need to sign someone to replace Wijnaldum this summer.

And, in other news… Klopp can unleash Salah by axing £99m-rated ace in favour of “confident” academy beast