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Aston Villa goalkeeper Tom Heaton has verbally agreed to join Manchester United after snubbing a new Villa Park deal, according to Football Insider.

The Lowdown: Heaton to become third-choice at United

Reports earlier this month suggested that the £47,000-a-week shot-stopper was set to move to Old Trafford as cover for Dean Henderson and David de Gea.

Sergio Romero looks set to leave the Red Devils, resulting in their push to land Heaton.

The 35-year-old, who has been described as ‘phenomenal’ by Paul Robinson, hasn’t made a senior appearance for Villa this season after returning to the bench in December.

The Latest: Heaton’s coaching role

According to Football Insider, Manchester United have offered Heaton a more lucrative deal than Villa.

The 35-year-old looks set to provide cover at Old Trafford as well as helping to coach their roster of ‘keepers in a combined role, with a United source confirming that the framework of a deal is now in place.

His contract in the Midlands expires at the end of June, and it seems as if his days at the club are now numbered.

The Verdict: Will Smith need to recruit?

Reports last month suggested that Heaton was set to be offered a new deal in the Midlands, and it seems as if that offer did reach the table.

You’d expect Dean Smith would’ve given the green light to a new contract offer, so he could be frustrated at Heaton’s decision to leave.

You can’t blame the veteran ‘keeper for verbally agreeing on a return to Old Trafford, especially with the coaching role included, so we feel that will leave Smith with a decision to make going into the 2021/22 season.

They could decide to go after a backup goalkeeper of their own to Emiliano Martinez, for if he gets injured, that would leave Villa with Jed Steer as their only option.

In other news: Villa set for behind-the-scenes reshuffle as Friday meeting emerged, find out more here. 

Former Everton striker Marcus Bent has exclusively told Football FanCast that his former side would struggle to reject £80m for Dominic Calvert-Lewin.

Calvert-Lewin has enjoyed his most prolific season in a Toffees shirt following his move from Sheffield United.

He’s scored 21 goals in all competitions, 16 of which have come in the Premier League, with only Harry Kane, Mo Salah, Bruno Fernandes, and Heung Min Son scoring more than the Sheffield-born frontman this term.

Such is Calvert-Lewin’s form, Everton have slapped an £80m price-tag on his head, with Manchester United interested in signing him this summer.

United recently signed up Edinson Cavani for another season, but with Anthony Martial reportedly on his way out of Old Trafford, the Red Devils still want to bolster their strike department in a bid to try and close the gap on rivals Manchester City.

Harry Kane has also been touted as a potential addition but Bent told Football FanCast that should United match Everton’s hefty asking-price, rejecting it would be difficult:

“Speaking to the club, his game has come on leaps and bounds – his hold-up play, his touch, his reading of the game, his finishing.

“£80m, I think he’s probably worth that. But Manchester United, they’re world class, competing for the Premier League, playing in Europe. But, with DCL, turning down £80m is hard, especially for Everton.”

West Ham United know that four points from their remaining two matches will seal a place in a European competition for next season and tonight’s trip to West Bromwich Albion is the perfect opportunity to get three of those straight on the board.

David Moyes can be thankful that his substitution inspired the Irons to a last-gasp point against Brighton and Hove Albion on Saturday night but they will need to be a lot better from the off here this evening.

The 58-year-old has plenty to consider in terms of team selection, so here is our predicted XI along with the latest team and injury news…

Moyes may make the one change from the weekend, with Said Benrahma likely to come in for Jarrod Bowen after his superb equaliser.

It was the Algerian’s first goal for the club and he is surely going to be rewarded with a start against the Championship-bound Baggies after saving their bacon on Saturday.

The £27m-rated former Hull winger, however, was underwhelming and offered very little, as seen here, so he’s an easy casualty to make away for Benrahma.

Therefore, Pablo Fornals and Michail Antonio should keep their place in the attack, along with Manchester United loanee Jesse Lingard, who has been inconsistent in recent outings.

[snack-amp-story url= “https://www.footballfancast.com/web-stories/read-the-latest-west-ham-news-transfer-rumours-and-the-latest-gossip” title= “Read the latest West Ham news, transfer rumours, gossip and more!”]

The 28-year-old hasn’t contributed a goal or assist in four straight games now, having bagged nine goals and four assists in the ten games prior, as per Transfermarkt.

It is understandable, as this run of matches have been his first in a very long time, though Moyes is likely to make a big call and stick with him at the Hawthorns.

Declan Rice, who played the full 90 on his return from injury, got through unscathed and will continue his partnership with Tomas Soucek.

Whilst the backline of Aaron Cresswell, Angelo Ogbonna, Craig Dawson and Vladimir Coufal, in front of veteran shot-stopper Lukasz Fabianski is also unchanged.

Moyes will be without Manuel Lanzini and Arthur Masuaku, who are both expected to not play again this campaign.

AND in other news, Moyes could secure his own Aubameyang in £22m West Ham swoop for 27 G/A “huge talent”…

Many Wolves fans have been left to buzz over a transfer update on Joao Palhinha.

As per Record, the Midlands club remain keen on bringing the Sporting Lisbon central midfield player to Molineux, and are eyeing a move for him once the summer window opens.

However, they may face stiff competition from fellow Premier League rivals Everton and Leicester City, who have both reportedly made recent enquiries over his potential availability.

With Joao Moutinho now 34 years of age, the Wanderers will surely need to be looking to find a replacement for him soon, and Palhinha could well fit the bill.

At 25, the Portugal international is much younger, and averaged more tackles (3.3), interceptions (1.5), clearances (1.2), shots (1.2), dribbles (0.7) and long balls (2.5) per game than Moutinho in their respective domestic leagues over the course of the 2020/21 term (Whoscored).

Wolves fans on Palhinha transfer update

These WWFC supporters buzzed as the news was shared on Twitter, with one even going as far to claim that Palhinha is the ‘perfect Moutinho replacement’:

“Is he Mendes? Would be a great signing. Leicester signing Soumare & Everton linked with Anguissa so I’d be surprised if we had competition from them 2. But he might have a few more admirers after Euros…”

Credit: @AdzField

“Great replacement for Moutinho”

Credit: @Life0fsam

“Definitely should be getting him if we can”

Credit: @David33515233

“Would be a good signing!! Send Vitinha back & sign this lad!!”

Credit: @SteveWiles20

“Would literally be the perfect Moutinho replacement, make it happen Wolves”

Credit: @adenwwfc_

“Him alongside Neves would be class, I’m actually a little more confident Neves stays now tbh”

Credit: @Matt123525

In other news, find out which ‘shocking’ Wolves man has been involved in a recent transfer update here!

Southampton have been linked with a move for Everton midfielder Tom Davies recently and after a poor season, Carlo Ancelotti should axe him from Goodison Park.

According to Football Insider, Southampton are ready to reignite their interest in the England U21 international after a failed transfer attempt last summer.

Newcastle United are also said to be interested in the 22-year-old, although it is the Saints who look like the more likely destination for Davies this summer, with the report suggesting that they will make an official approach should Everton give them any encouragement.

Although the young midfielder is something of a fans favourite at Goodison Park, having joined the Everton academy when he was just 11, his performances this season were nowhere near consistent enough.

Despite some occasional impressive displays, notably in the 3-3 draw against Manchester United at Old Trafford where Ancelotti labelled him “perfect”, he still found himself on the fringes of the first-team squad for most of the season.

In 25 Premier League appearances, Davies would contribute no goals and just one assist, earning a less than impressive 6.46 rating from WhoScored.

This would rank him as the 17th-best performer in Ancelotti’s squad this season, which suggests that he wouldn’t be much of a loss if he was allowed to leave this summer.

Considering the size of the rebuild that needs to be done at Everton this summer if they are to challenge for a European spot, selling Davies could be an excellent way to raise funds, as despite never really pushing on in the Premier League, Transfermarkt currently value him at £14.4m.

He also reportedly earns £25k per week at Everton, so the Toffees could save themselves plenty of money in wages should he depart, and then reinvest that money into a more accomplished midfielder.

Although it would mean ending Davies’ 11-year association with Everton, selling him this summer is the best option for Ancelotti if he wants to progress with the Merseyside outfit next season.

And, in other news… Exclusive: Bent tips Everton to snap up 13-goal PL ace

Celtic are set to announce Ange Postecoglou as their new manager early next week, according to The Times.

The Lowdown: Time running out

Time is running out for the Hoops to have Postecoglou present for the club’s first day of pre-season on June 17.

Should a deal go through, the 55-year-old will have to undergo a 10-day quarantine in Scotland, meaning he could miss Celtic’s first day back.

Celtic have also applied for an exemption with UEFA for Postecoglou to manage in Europe and are confident of that going through without any issues.

The Latest: Announcement early next week

The Times shared a story in the early hours of Friday morning, revealing a development that successful compensation talks between the Hoops and Yokohama F. Marinos have taken place.

As a result, Postecoglou is set to be confirmed by Celtic as their new manager early next week, with his assistants Shaun Ontong and John Hutchinson set to follow him to Glasgow.

The Verdict: 100 days of pain set to be over

Should a Monday or Tuesday announcement materialise, Celtic fans will finally have a new official permanent boss, over 100 days after Neil Lennon resigned as manager back in February.

All that will be left in regards to off-field appointments will be to get a new director of football in place, with former Celtic man Shaun Maloney reportedly holding initial talks over the role.

Hopefully, over the past seven days following advanced talks, Postecoglou will have looked at Celtic’s squad in-depth and will already know where he wants to strengthen, as the transfer window officially opens on Wednesday, leaving him little time now before he and any potential new DoF need to get started rebuilding the squad.

In other news: Celtic make bid for 24 y/o defender, find out more here.

Chris Wilder is reportedly still in the running to replace Sam Allardyce as West Brom manager, despite claims suggesting otherwise.

The Lowdown: Wilder among the front-runners

Allardyce was unable to keep the Baggies in the Premier League last season, swiftly leaving after their final match of the campaign. West Brom have since been on the lookout for a new manager, with former Sheffield United boss Wilder widely considered the front-runner until recently.

Michael Appleton has seemingly jumped ahead of him in the race, but a new update suggests that it is far from a done deal.

The Latest: Fresh update arrives

According to the Express & Star’s Joseph Masi, Wilder is ‘still under consideration’ for the manager’s job, with the 53-year-old also ‘keen’ on taking charge at The Hawthorns.

It remains to be seen whether West Brom will go with him or someone else, but his stance appears to be quite clear.

The Verdict: The man for the job?

Although Wilder struggled with the Blades last season, he did an outstanding job overall and has every chance of doing similar with the Baggies. He turned Sheffield United into a top-half Premier League team having taken over them in mid-table of League One, playing an enterprising brand of football and getting the very best out of some long-serving players.

Wilder is both experienced and still young enough to be a shrewd addition – Appleton has one top-flight game under his belt as Leicester’s caretaker boss – and he would bring a freshness to the squad and a knowledge of how to succeed in the Premier League, and indeed in getting teams up from the Championship.

In other news, West Brom are believed to be lining up the signing of a player set to appear in Euro 2020 this summer. Read more here.

Carlton Palmer believes that it could be worth Leeds exploring the possibility of signing free agent Andre Ayew this summer.

Ayew has been one of the standout strikers in the Championship in recent years, scoring 33 league goals across the last two seasons to help Swansea qualify for the play-offs on both occasions.

However, following their recent play-off final defeat to Brentford, the Ghanaian’s departure was confirmed, meaning he’s available to sign for nothing having run his contract down in South Wales.

Celtic are reportedly keening a close eye on the 31-year-old, but Leeds could hold an advantage due to the fact Ayew has previously played under and scored goals under Marcelo Bielsa during their one season together at Marseille in 2014-15.

Leeds already have two strikers in their ranks in Patrick Bamford and Rodrigo, but Palmer thinks that signing a proven goalscorer like Ayew on a free would be impressive business.

He told The Transfer Tavern:

“Swansea have only let him go because they didn’t get promoted and he’s their highest-paid player.

“17 goals in the Championship, 16 goals the season before stands to reason that he will go up and score goals in the Premier League. If he weighs in with 10 or 12 goals for you, and you take him on a free, that could be some good business.”

Premier League side Chelsea’s stance has been revealed on Nathan Baxter, it could impact Sunderland’s transfer business. 

What’s the talk?

According to The Sun journalist Alan Nixon, Chelsea have decided that they will be loaning goalkeeper Nathan Baxter out for the 2021/22 campaign. Baxter played for Accrington Stanley on loan in League One in the season just gone.

Nixon has claimed that Championship side Hull and League One Sunderland are both interested in a possible deal for Baxter. This comes after Football Insider reported earlier this month that Sunderland are keen on a loan or permanent swoop for Baxter this summer as they look to build a squad capable of securing promotion out of the third tier.

In the summer of 2020, an insider at Chelsea labelled Baxter as a player with “real talent”. They told The Sun, as relayed by the Derby Telegraph:

“This kid has got real talent, and Derby and Birmingham are both really keen.”

Speakman must act now

Sunderland sporting director Kristjaan Speakman must act now to seal a deal for Baxter with Chelsea’s stance on his situation clear.

The Blues are ready to loan him out and Sunderland must pounce on the opportunity to snap him up on a temporary deal this summer. Baxter is under contract at Chelsea until 2023 and Sunderland could be in a strong position to negotiate a permanent deal for him in 2022 as he would be heading into the final year of his deal unless the Premier League side pins him down to an extension in the intervening period.

The £3k-per-week shot-stopper has proven that he has the quality to be a reliable option at League One level.

In 16 starts for Accrington Stanley, Baxter kept seven clean sheets and let in 14 goals – less than a goal per game. Baxter has also played in League Two, for Yeovil, and in the Scottish Premiership, for Ross County, in his career so far despite his young age. This shows that he has the pedigree to come in and have a decent chance of succeeding at the Stadium of Light.

There is a gap in Lee Johnson’s squad for a goalkeeper to come in. Remi Matthews is due to leave at the end of the month and that will leave Lee Burge as the only senior stopper at the club.

Baxter could, therefore, come in and challenge Burge for the number one jersey next season. This would be a boost for Johnson as he’ll possess two ‘keepers battling it out and pushing each other on to improve in order to land the starting role week-in-week-out in League One. So, Speakman needs to pounce on this chance to sign Baxter on loan.

AND in other news, Major update emerges on “excellent” Sunderland target that will leave fans buzzing…

Queens Park Rangers have been dealt a huge blow in their bid to bring George Cox to the Kiyan Prince Foundation Stadium this summer.

What’s the talk?

That’s according to a report by Football Insider, who claim that Mark Warburton’s side have had an offer of around £500k rejected for the Fortuna Sittard left-back in the past few days.

It was reported earlier this week that the 58-year-old QPR manager is looking to bring in reinforcements at both left and right-back this summer, with Todd Kane looking likely to depart the club this summer.

Warburton will be gutted

Considering just how impressive Cox has been since joining Fortuna back in the summer of 2019, the fact that the Rs have failed in their first bid to sign the defender is sure to leave Warburton gutted.

Indeed, over his 33 Eredivisie appearances last season, the £900k-rated left-back scored five goals, provided five assists and created six big chances for his teammates, in addition to making an average of 0.9 key passes per game.

Cox also impressed in a defensive capacity, helping his side keep three clean sheets, as well as making an average of 2.4 interceptions, 1.8 tackles and making 2.3 clearances per game, with these returns seeing the 23-year-old earn a seasonal SofaScore match rating of 6.98, ranking him as Sjors Ultee’s fourth-best player in the top flight of Dutch football.

As such, with the QPR boss undoubtedly hoping to build a side in the summer transfer window that is capable of going on to mount a push for a top-six finish in their upcoming Championship campaign, the addition of a left-back who poses such a threat going forward, while also appearing extremely solid at the back, would seem to provide the club with a huge boost to their chances of going on and achieving this feat.

However, in order to land the £1.2k-per-week man in the coming months, it would appear as if QPR will have to up their last bid for the former Brighton & Hove Albion man, although, with a fee looking likely to be a relatively affordable amount of money for the Rs, we would expect Cox’s transfer to indeed go through ahead of next season.

In other news: QPR dealt transfer blow over “unbelievable” £8k-p/w gem, Warburton will be gutted