Barcelona have made an opening bid for Bayer Leverkusen's Jeremie Frimpong at the behest of new coach Hansi Flick, despite ongoing limitations.

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Barcelona target attacking wing-backInitial lowball offer already madeClub finances still a problemWHAT HAPPENED?

According to , Barcelona have proposed an initial "lower offer" for Frimpong compared to a €50 million (£42m/$54m) market valuation calculated by . But it is claimed Leverkusen could be willing to consider players in exchange, having already made an approach for Ansu Fati – however, the forward is tipped to rebuff any moves before pre-season.

Advertisement(C)GettyImagesTHE BIGGER PICTURE

Frimpong is seemingly a target because of Flick's recommendation. The 59-year-old obviously knows German football incredibly well, but adds that Barcelona targeting anyone right now is all just hypothetical because the club cannot make signings as things stand owing to the ongoing financial situation, which likely explains the apparent lowball offer. Until circumstances change, specifically getting back onto 1:1 spending rules, movement is limited.

DID YOU KNOW?

Although born in Amsterdam, Frimpong joined Manchester City aged just nine and spent almost a decade in the club's youth ranks. After a senior breakthrough at Celtic, he has thrived as an attacking wing-back in Xabi Alonso's Leverkusen team, finishing 2023-24 with 14 goals and 12 assists to his name.

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GettyWHAT NEXT FOR BARCELONA?

Barcelona simply have to navigate their way off 1:4 spending rules and back to 1:1 if they want to have any chance of strengthening the squad and competing with Real Madrid in 2024-25. That lies with president Joan Laporta and the club hierarchy to figure out as quickly as possible. La Liga president Javier Tebas recently suggested they werent far away, but it doesn't exactly appear to be imminent either.

Derby County would have been left a little frustrated about their transfer window business in the immediate aftermath of Deadline Day finishing, unable to add in a new striker to their ranks after being linked with Sheffield Wednesday duo Michael Smith and Lee Gregory in recent weeks.

Another source of concern for Rams supporters would have been the last-gasp development that Max Bird was departing the club, with those anxieties somewhat lessened when the Bristol City announcement read that their star man was returning to Pride Park on loan until the end of the campaign.

Paul Warne's men did swoop in to sign Ebou Adams on loan to bolster their midfield options in-case a deal for Bird to depart was a permanent one, but looking more long-term when Bird has left for good, Derby could well have struck gold signing this other midfield target.

When Derby wanted to sign Charlie Savage

Right at the very start of the window, the Daily Mail reported on the possibility of the Rams raiding Reading for their young midfield talent in Charlie Savage.

The League One promotion hopefuls could well have swooped in and landed the former Manchester United youngster for a cut-price, owing to Reading's ongoing turbulence behind the scenes seeing them offload their top players for cheap.

Starring for the Royals in patches this campaign, despite the constant uncertainty looming over proceedings in Berkshire, Derby might live to regret not attempting to sign the former Red Devils sensation as a long-term option to rely on after Bird has gone on to make a name for himself at Ashton Gate.

Charlie Savage's career statistics

Already winning a senior Wales cap under Rob Page at only 20 years of age, with the national team manager referring to Savage as "first-class" during that one-off occasion, it's fair to say the 6 foot midfielder is being tipped to have a bright future in the game.

During his time at Old Trafford before a move to Reading materialised, Savage amassed six goals and seven assists across 60 appearances in various different Red Devils age brackets.

This season for Reading, Savage hasn't looked out of place in the hustle and bustle of men's football with four goals and two assists managed in all competitions from 32 games played.

The 6 foot sensation could well have arrived onto the scene at Pride Park and fulfilled the role Bird excels in as a result, with the standout 23-year-old helping himself to four goals and ten assists from 62 third tier starts for the Rams.

The aforementioned Adams could well do the job for the remainder of this campaign on loan from the Bluebirds, helping himself to ten goals and 11 assists for League Two Forest Green during a lively patch of his career before Cardiff came calling.

But, the Gambian midfielder would inevitably just return back to the comforts of the Championship if he succeeds in Derbyshire and leave the Rams scrambling for a new recruit again.

Whereas, if Derby had tied Savage down to a permanent move right at the start of the window, they could well have had a long-lived and successful heir to Bird's throne already in place.

Wolves are believed to be interested in completing the signing of an in-demand striker this month – one who is fresh off the back of scoring an important goal for his current club.

Wolves transfer news

Gary O'Neil's side are enjoying a solid season in the Premier League to date, sitting 11th in the table currently, but key business during the January transfer window could make them even stronger.

One player who has been linked with a move to Molineux is Chelsea striker Armando Broja, who looks likely to be allowed to leave Stamford Bridge this month. The Albanian is not seen as a star man for the Blues, but a number of clubs are keen on snapping him up.

Elsewhere, Nice midfielder Pablo Rosario has also emerged as a target for Wolves, with Wanderers one of four Premier League clubs believed to be interested in snapping him up. Getafe strike Borja Mayoral is another name that has been thrown into the hat ahead of a possible switch, so it is clear that there are lots of options out there.

Now, another rumour has emerged regarding the club's incoming transfer business, with an exciting talent on the transfer radar at Molineux.

Wolves want Tommy Conway

According to Football Insider, Wolves are keen on signing Bristol City attacker Tommy Conway this month, but face plenty of competition for his signature.

"Premier League trio Wolves, Nottingham Forest and Brentford and Old Firm rivals Celtic and Rangers are tracking Bristol City hot-shot Tommy Conway, sources have told Football Insider. Conway has been on the radar of a number of top clubs following his breakthrough season last term with Bristol City where he scored 12 goals and provided four assists."

Conway is someone who is enjoying an excellent season for Bristol City, as the update alludes to, with goals and assists coming at an impressive rate. Six goals in 14 Championship starts is a good return for a player who is still only 21 years of age, and his goal in midweek against West Ham sent his side through to the FA Cup fourth round, helping them complete a cup upset.

The Bristol City star is also someone who seemingly backs himself to do big things in his career, recently talking up his chances of representing Scotland at Euro 2024 this summer:

“I don’t see why not. Obviously there’s competition in my position but I don’t see why I can’t be challenging those boys who have been called up before. It’ll be an interesting one but I can only get there if I’m performing well for my club so that’s my main focus."

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Conway could be looked at as a long-term acquisition by Wolves, coming in as an exciting young prospect to begin with, but not necessarily one of the first names on O'Neil's team sheet. Over time, however, he could develop into a main man, and given his current impact, Wanderers could see him as a realistic target.

Mahmudullah has recovered from the calf injury he picked up against Afghanistan, and is expected to play on Tuesday

The Preview by Karthik Krishnaswamy01-Jul-20193:00

Nafees: If Mahmudullah not fit, bring in Sabbir

Big pictureThey’ve beaten South Africa, they’ve brushed aside West Indies, and they’ve looked impressive even in defeat. They are still in contention for a semi-final spot, just about, and they might have had an even more realistic chance had rain not kept them from playing Sri Lanka in Bristol.Rather than ruminate over what could have been, however, Bangladesh will want to focus on what can still be: they win their two remaining matches. First up are India, fearsome opponents in many ways but also one with weaknesses in key areas, namely the middle and lower order.Those weaknesses, exacerbated by injury, give Bangladesh a clear target: get early wickets, and somehow get past Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli. It’s easier said than done. And we haven’t even mentioned India’s bowling.Still, Bangladesh couldn’t be meeting India at a better time. Their vulnerabilities have been plain to see in their last three games, they are no longer unbeaten, and they’re playing their second game in three days. Most of Bangladesh’s batsmen, on the other hand, have been in solid form, their superstar is having one of the great World Cups for an allrounder, their bowling is more than useful on slow pitches – Edgbaston fits that description – and they are playing after an eight-day gap.But India are experts at shrugging off setbacks and putting up calm and professional displays against teams they are expected to beat. Bangladesh know this well: they’ve pushed India hard in each of their last three meetings at ICC tournaments. But whether in Melbourne, Bengaluru or, indeed, Birmingham, India have found a way to win. Will Birmingham 2019 be any different?Form guideBangladesh WLWLL (last five completed matches, most recent first)
India LWWWWIn the spotlightHe’s a hero for what he puts his knees through every time he plays, and an inspirational captain, but Mashrafe Mortaza’s primary skill is his fast bowling, and he won’t be pleased with his returns at this World Cup: one wicket in six games, an average of 279.00, and an economy rate of 6.34. Can he summon up the spirit of Trinidad 2007 and produce a big performance in a must-win game?Against well-directed bowling and smart fields on a slow pitch, with India’s required rate climbing into absurd territory, and with only a long tail to come, MS Dhoni did the sensible thing against England, and played for net run rate. The widespread censure that came in that innings’ wake will not bother him overly, but one thing should worry him ahead of the game against Bangladesh. He has struggled to score quickly against spin for quite a while now, and particularly so at this World Cup – 41 off 87 balls, one four, zero sixes. What plans does he have to combat all the overs of Shakib Al Hasan, Mehidy Hasan and Mosaddek Hossain he is likely to face in the middle overs?MS Dhoni plays a shot•IDI via Getty Images

Team newsMahmudullah was Bangladesh’s one big injury worry ahead of this game, with the batsman having picked up a grade 1 tear in his calf during the match against Afghanistan. But the eight-day gap between that game and this one has given him enough time to recover, and he is likely to feature on Tuesday.Bangladesh (probable): 1 Tamim Iqbal, 2 Soumya Sarkar, 3 Shakib Al Hasan, 4 Mushfiqur Rahim (wk), 5 Liton Das, 6 Mahmudullah, 7 Mosaddek Hossain, 8 Mehidy Hasan, 9 Mohammad Saifuddin, 10 Mashrafe Mortaza (capt), 11 Mustafizur RahmanIndia’s wristspinners struggled to come to terms with the flat pitch and asymmetric ground dimensions against England, and went for a combined 160 from their 20 overs, while picking up just the one wicket. With Bhuvneshwar Kumar back to full fitness after suffering a hamstring injury against Pakistan, India could leave out one of the wristspinners and play three fast bowlers. Alternately, if they choose to retain faith in Kuldeep Yadav and Yuzvendra Chahal but want to strengthen their lower order, Bhuvneshwar could replace Mohammed Shami, who picked up five wickets against England but was expensive at the death.India (probable): 1 KL Rahul, 2 Rohit Sharma, 3 Virat Kohli (capt), 4 Rishabh Pant, 5 MS Dhoni (wk), 6 Kedar Jadhav, 7 Hardik Pandya, 8 Bhuvneshwar Kumar, 9 Kuldeep Yadav/Yuzvendra Chahal, 10 Mohammed Shami, 11 Jasprit BumrahPitch and conditionsThe same Edgbaston strip that hosted the England-India game on Sunday will be in use once more. If it plays similarly, it should be flat but slow down as the match progresses, which will favour the team batting first. The position of the pitch on the square will also mean one square boundary is significantly shorter than the other. Kohli wasn’t too pleased with this, and his side did not match England’s know-how, with ball or bat, in exploiting this quirk, but now that they’ve played one game here, they might be better prepared for the challenge.4:08

Agarkar: Couldn’t see any intent to hit the big shots from Dhoni, Jadhav

Strategy puntRather than a like-for-like replacement for the injured Vijay Shankar, India have called in Mayank Agarwal, an opening batsman who is yet to make his ODI debut. With KL Rahul not quite coming off at the top of the order, and with Rishabh Pant not yet seeming to possess the middle gears of a top-notch No. 4, India could be looking to return to a combination similar to the one they played before Shikhar Dhawan left the tournament with a broken finger.The game against Bangladesh may come too early for Agarwal, but India could still think of moving Rahul back down to No. 4 and pushing Pant up to open. This could have two positive effects on their team composition.It will give them an aggressive left-hand option to partner Rohit Sharma and allow him to take his time settling down, and it could also allow Rahul to face more spin. At this World Cup, he has averaged 21.25 against pace, with a strike rate of 56.29, as against 87.00 and 88.78 against spin. Rahul’s ability to play the reverse-sweep – a shot most of India’s middle order doesn’t play that much – and target the shorter boundary could also come in handy.Stats that matter Soumya Sarkar is one of only six batsmen in ODI history to score more than 1000 runs as opener at a 30-plus average and a strike rate of over 100. If he scores 53, Mahmudullah will become the fourth Bangladesh batsman to score 4000 ODI runs. Jasprit Bumrah is five wickets short – and Kuldeep Yadav eight wickets short – of 100 in ODIs.Quotes”We have to be 100 per cent in every area. Good thing that we still in the tournament but we have to play a lot better than what we played in our previous games.”
, wants still more from his team.”It does because when you have not major combinations coming from the lower order a Bhuvneshwar Kumar becomes vital or anybody who is handy at No. 8, maybe, could be [Ravindra] Jadeja. What it does is it gives a bit of a freedom to somebody batting at 6 and 7 so that they could start going at the bowling maybe, if you are batting first, a little earlier rather than leaving it for the last three or four overs. It is a tactic we have been debating about [while discussing] the team combination. We will have to reassess those combinations.”
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England captain forever grateful to Stokes for his efforts in both the run chase and the Super Over that helped England secure their first World Cup

Andrew Miller at Lord's14-Jul-2019Eoin Morgan hailed England’s heart-stopping victory in the World Cup final at Lord’s as the culmination of a four-year journey, and singled out Ben Stokes for particular praise for the manner in which he carried the team’s hopes in both their faltering run chase and then the Super Over.Stokes top-scored for England with 84 not out from 98 balls in their regulation 50 overs, having rescued the team from 86 for 4 in the 24th, and then – while battling fatigue – added a further eight runs from three balls in the Super Over.”To come through it is extraordinary,” said Morgan. “He’s almost superhuman. He really carried the team and our batting line-up. I know Jos [Buttler] and his partnership was extraordinary, but to bat with the lower order the way he did I thought was incredible.”The atmosphere, the emotion that was going through the whole game, he managed to deal with that in an extremely experienced manner. And obviously everybody watching at home will hopefully try and be the next Ben Stokes.”It was particularly sweet for Stokes to be England’s hero in light of what happened to him on the last occasion that England reached a world final, the T20 World Cup in India in 2016, when he was hit for four consecutive sixes by West Indies’ Carlos Brathwaite.”I have said this a number of times about Ben, I think a lot of careers would have been ended after what happened in Kolkata,” Morgan said. “Ben on numerous occasions has stood up individually and in a unit for us. He leads the way in training, in any team meetings we have, and he’s an incredible cricketer. And today he’s had a huge day out and obviously we are thankful for that.”Speaking with the World Cup trophy sitting next to him at Lord’s, Morgan joked that he was carrying it around with him as much as he could because he still could not believe the extraordinary circumstances in which his team had inched over the line, beating New Zealand on boundary countback after they could not be separated on the field.”To me and to the team, and everybody who has been involved over the last four years, it means absolutely everything,” Morgan said. “The planning, the hard work, the dedication, the commitment and the little bit of luck today really did get us over the line.”It’s been an absolutely incredible journey to everybody around the country and around the world who has followed us and supported us, thank you so much. It’s been phenomenal.”

تحدث محمد عمارة الظهير الأيسر لفريق الكرة الأول بالنادي الأهلي عن قرار تعيين محمد رمضان مديرًا رياضيًا بصلاحيات مدير الكرة.

وقال عمارة في تصريحات إذاعية عبد أثير “ميجا إف إم”: “محمد رمضان يمتلك شخصية قوية بجانب الدعم من مجلس الإدارة”.

رسميًا.. الأهلي يعلن تعيين مديرًا للكرة بدلًا من سامي قمصان

وأضاف: “كان مديرًا للكرة ناجحًا ودمثاً، ويفهم واجبات مركز مدير الكرة وتعامل مع طارق سليم في فترة من الفترات”.

ورفض عمارة تقييم الظهير الأيسر الجديد للأهلي يحيى عطية الله: “لا يمكن الحكم عليه من مباراة أو اثنتين”.

وتابع: “اعطوه مساحة ليمكننا الحكم عليه وتقييمه بشكل جيد دون أن نظلمه بسبب خطأ تسبب في هدف، الأخطاء واردة في كرة القدم”.

وأتم: “أما عن عدم جاهزية يحيى عطية الله لتسديد ركلة الترجيح، فهو لديه من الخبرات بعد أن شارك في كأس العالم ما يجعله مؤهلًا لذلك”.

MatériaMais Notícias

O São Paulo seguiu os treinamentos na manhã desta segunda-feira (07), no CT da Barra Funda. Orejuela e Hernanes, que já vinham reclamando de dores, fizeram trabalhos internos no Reffis e não participaram das atividades em campo.

Tchê Tchê na lista: veja os jogadores mais caros da história do São Paulo

Com dores na coxa, o colombiano não participou das atividades no campo, enquanto o Profeta reclama de dores musculares, o que pode ser um problema para a comissão técnica de Crespo.

CONFIRA EM QUAL POSIÇÃO O SÃO PAULO ESTÁ NO PAULISTÃO 2021

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No entanto, o que pode amenizar a situação é a falta de jogos do Tricolor, visto que o Campeonato Paulista está parado devido ao agravamento da pandemia de Covid-19. A Federação Paulista tenta convencer o Ministério Público a voltar a permitir a realização das partidas.

🇪🇨
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🇧🇷#VamosSãoPaulo 🇾🇪 pic.twitter.com/wqKSWud7fT

— São Paulo FC (@SaoPauloFC) April 7, 2021

Logo depois do treino da manhã, o meia Benítez foi apresentado e vestiu a camisa oito do Tricolor. Ele é o sexto reforço da equipe, que já havia acertado as chegadas de Miranda, Orejuela, William, Eder e Bruno Rodrigues.

Just when Manchester United thought they were getting somewhere under Erik ten Hag last term, the classic case of 'second season' syndrome has set in this time around, with the Red Devils crashing out of both the League Cup and Champions League in limp fashion, as well as slipping firmly out of the race for the top four.

While injuries have arguably been a notable issue amid that stark decline, the former Ajax boss has largely been unable to get the best out of a group of players who thrived for much of 2022/23, having reached two cup finals and secured a third-place Premier League finish.

Among those to have endured a noticeable drop in form is last season's talisman, Marcus Rashford, with the England international having scored just four goals in all competitions so far this term – all of which have come in the top-flight.

Although the 26-year-old does have six assists to his name, such a return is still a far cry from his record of 30 goals and 11 assists across all fronts during Ten Hag's debut campaign at the helm, with the United academy graduate hardly justifying his bumper new deal.

Whether the £300k-per-week marksman is merely lacking motivation following that contract extension or is simply struggling in a floundering side, he simply hasn't hit the heights that were expected, having at times been "unstoppable" in 2023 – according to his manager.

Now enduring a campaign similar to that of 2021/22 – in which he also scored just four league goals – Rashford's inconsistency has become a frustrating problem for the club, hence the need to seek out potential world-class replacements on the left wing…

1

Vincius Jr.

Arguably the most standout candidate to usurp Rashford, Real Madrid's Vincius Jr has been mooted as a potential target for the Old Trafford outfit in recent times, with United said to be willing to fork out €150m (£130m) to sign the Brazilian – amid Madrid's possible need to cash in to fund the signing of Kylian Mbappe.

Lauded as a player who "puts fear into defenders" by former Bernabeu star, Guti, the 23-year-old could represent a stark upgrade on the left flank, having scored ten times and contributed four assists in all competitions in 2023/24.

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As for last season, the Champions League winner's tally of 44 goal involvements even surpassed what Rashford was able to achieve, notably recording 12 goals and assists in as many games in Europe's elite competition, en route to reaching the last four.

A clinical and creative presence in the final third, what also sets the former Flamengo man apart is his dribbling prowess, as he ranks in the top 1% among his fellow wingers in Europe's top five leagues for progressive carries and successful take-ons per 90 – with Rashford, by contrast, ranking in just the top 50% and the top 33% for those same two metrics, respectively.

Of course, such a deal would no doubt be an ambitious one for Ten Hag and for the new Sir Jim Ratcliffe regime, yet a club of United's size shouldn't certainly aim their sights high.

2

Rafael Leao

Reports in Italy back in October also suggested that the Red Devils were keeping an eye on AC Milan sensation, Rafael Leao, with the Portuguese starlet potentially able to leave the San Siro side for the 'right offer'.

Valued at €100m (£86m) – according to CIES Football Observatory – the 24-year-old has racked up six goals and six assists this season, having enjoyed a particularly impressive 2022/23 campaign, in which he registered 16 goals and 15 assists.

Described as a player with a "killer mentality" by journalist Zach Lowy, the former Lille star – like Vinicius and Rashford – can operate off the left or in a central role if required, with such versatility also likely appealing to Ten Hag and Co.

Having previously admitted that Rashford is someone he views as a role "model", Leao could be in line to take the Englishman's place sooner rather than later.

3

Khvicha Kvaratskhelia

Sticking with Serie A, Napoli's Khvicha Kvaratskhelia also appears to be on the radar of those at United – as well as a handful of other European clubs – with 90min reporting late last year that the Red Devils had sent scouts to watch the Georgian in action in Naples.

Formerly something of an unknown quantity after beginning his career in his homeland and in Russia, the 22-year-old announced himself to the wider world after a dazzling debut season in Italy, helping to lead Luciano Spaletti's side to Scudetto glory last season.

That stellar campaign saw the Tbilisi native bag 14 goals and 17 assists from his left-wing berth, with journalist Rory Smith describing him as "untamed" and "really, really good fun" to watch.

A return of five goals and five assists this time around for the struggling Italian champions is hardly the most eye-catching, yet his performances last season certainly warrant the interest from Old Trafford.

4

Nico Williams

Ratcliffe could also look to Spain to find a youthful successor to Rashford, with Athletic Bilbao's Nico Williams said to be an 'ideal option' for the summer window – as per an exclusive from UtdDistrict earlier this month.

Still just 21, the Pamplona-born menace has chalked up 16 goals and assists from the flanks for the Basque side this season, having made "incredible progress" in recent years, according to talent scout Jacek Kulig.

With a £43m release clause in his current deal with Bilbao, the 11-cap Spain international could represent a more affordable target for United this year – the youngster also ranking in the top 7% and the top 5% for progressive carries and successful take-ons per 90, respectively.

5

Kaoru Mitoma

There's no denying that the hype surrounding Kaoru Mitoma has somewhat faded this season, with the Japanese star – who has been the subject of interest from United in recent times – scoring only three goals and providing just six assists.

That being said, the 26-year-old enjoyed a truly breakout 2022/23 campaign for Brighton and Hove Albion, proving himself a truly "magic" talent – as described by The Athletic's Seb Stafford-Bloor – with his 18 goal involvements.

Pundit Tony Cascarino has even boldly claimed that the former Union Saint-Gilloise talent is "like watching Ryan Giggs at his very best", while the BBC's Garth Crooks has stated that Mitoma looks like a "United player".

If the £70m wizard can get anywhere close to emulating the success of fellow winger, Giggs – who won 13 league titles in a glittering stint at the Theatre of Dreams – then United would be in for a real treat.

Rashford, beware.

A manager praised for doing the "best job" in his league last season is a candidate to replace David Moyes at West Ham, if the Scotsman is indeed sacked.

Moyes facing uncertain future at West Ham

While the 60-year-old publicly stated that talks are 'well down the line' over a contract extension at the London Stadium, widespread reports indicate his future is far from certain.

Related ExWHUemployee shares manager search update from "the very top" at West Ham

Rumours are surrounding Moyes’ future.

Posts ByEmilio Galantini Feb 14, 2024

A lacklustre start to 2024 has pushed West Ham chiefs into considering alternatives to Moyes, and it is reliably believed that negotiations over fresh terms have been postponed until the club have a clearer idea of the Scotsman's potential to bring more success.

“We know the Chairman is very aware of the discontent amongst the fans, he's not on social media but is very well-informed of what is happening," said insider ExWHUemployee this week.

"A new deal for Moyes is not close. Results and performances have put any planned talks back, and the manager of course has been warned things must improve fast. The objective was to retain Moyes, and the club are known to want to stay loyal to the manager, however we can confirm options are being assessed. Tim Steidten will be looking at alternatives as the club plan ahead, although that is to be expected.”

The likes of Lille manager Paulo Fonseca and former Chelsea boss Graham Potter have been floated as just a few of the potential options for owner David Sullivan in the last 10 days. If West Ham do decide to part company with Moyes, it would be for good reason, as the Hammers fan base appear divided over whether he can take them any further.

West Ham's league finishes under Moyes

Season

14th

22/23

6th

21/22

7th

20/21

16th

19/20

The east Londoners won their first major trophy since the 1980s last season, lifting the UEFA Europa Conference League after beating Fiorentina in Prague. However, West Ham also flirted with relegation to the Championship domestically, with the club still yet to win a single game in 2024.

It will be very interesting to see who Sullivan and Steidten could opt to appoint if Moyes leaves, with former Nottingham Forest boss Steve Cooper emerging as a candidate.

Steve Cooper emerges as West Ham option to succeed Moyes

Indeed, according to 90min, Cooper could be an option to replace Moyes at West Ham, as it is believed he'd be "in the running" if their boss departs. The Welshman has been linked with Crystal Palace in the last few months, but as they attempt a deal for Oliver Glasner, the door remains open for Sullivan to appoint Cooper.

He steered Forest away from relegation against all odds last season, as Cooper had to deal with both a bloated squad and consistent rumours surrounding his future.

Former Irons head coach Sam Allardyce even praised him for doing the "best job" in England's top flight.

“If Nottingham Forest survive relegation, Steve Cooper has definitely done the best job of all the managers in the Premier League this season," said the ex-top flight coach last year (No Tippy Tappy Football Podcast via Forest News).

"What becomes difficult in terms of building team spirit is having too many players. Most managers don’t have enough. What they don’t have enough of is quality, and what they don’t want is quantity."

Opener ends the day unbeaten on 125 as England move to within touching distance of taking the lead

The Report by Andrew McGlashan02-Aug-2019

It didn’t quite have the backstory of Steven Smith’s century, but for the second day running the opening Ashes Test witnessed a hugely significant hundred as Rory Burns showed tremendous resilience to score his first for England. He finished unbeaten on 125, forming a substantial partnership with Joe Root of 132 and another steadying stand with Ben Stokes, which carried England to 267 for 4 and within sight of what could be a critical lead.Burns endured a lean Test against Ireland last week with twin scores of 6, his technique, which is unorthodox anyway, appearing out of sync. Before that his Test experience was six games overseas against Sri Lanka and West Indies on tough surfaces, but already the pressure was growing. However, plenty of work between matches and the mental strength that he is renowned for by those who know him well brought rich dividends in what has been a hugely troublesome spot for England.If Australia had reviewed an lbw appeal against Nathan Lyon he would have gone for 22 and if Usman Khawaja had produced a direct hit he was short on 75. Then he spent more than half an hour in the 90s and sweated nine balls on 99 before scampering a single to mid-on from his 224th delivery. Burns celebrated as soon as he crossed the crease, but had to wait a few moments for the official verdict as it went to third umpire. All was fine and he could soak up the applause of a raucous Edgbaston crowd. Given the emotion of the moment, it was to his immense credit that he kept his focus throughout the rest of the day.Australia started the day well, picking up the early success of Jason Roy – James Pattinson’s first Test wicket for three-and-a-half years – and hit back strongly after tea when a ball change produced one which swung significantly to dent the middle order. They didn’t have much luck, either, regularly beating the bat or finding the inside edge, but a long day in the field early in the series will fuel the debate about the balance of the side, particularly with Pattinson managed in reasonably short spells. There was considerable help for Nathan Lyon, to suggest batting last will be tough, so it will have been a disappointment that he went wicketless through 28 overs.After facing a couple of overs on the first evening, in the aftermath of Smith’s astonishing innings, Burns and Roy resumed in slightly less febrile conditions – if facing Pattinson and Pat Cummins can be put in such terms. Roy fell in the sixth over of the morning, edging Pattinson low to Smith at second slip, but that would be Australia’s only success for the first half of the day.In contrast to the often frenetic nature of England’s Test batting, Burns and Root bided their time during an opening session that brought 61 runs in 27 overs. Lyon’s first delivery of the day forced people to sit up and take notice as it spun back sharply to nearly take Root’s off stump. Root also had an extraordinary left-off on 9 when he was given caught behind against Pattinson – Joel Wilson going by a woody click – only for replays to show the ball had clipped off stump but not dislodged the bail.It took Root 70 balls to score his first boundary – he had also been saved by the DRS when given lbw on 12 despite a thin inside edge – but his and England’s rate lifted during the afternoon. Burns kept Australia’s slip cordon interested with a collection of edges along the ground and in the air which eventually persuaded Tim Paine to plug the gap and go without a fine leg for a brief period, but also drove strongly and nudged through his favoured on side.Just when Australia were beginning to look flat, Root bunted a return to catch Peter Siddle who stuck out his right hand. Having converted fifties into hundreds against India, Sri Lanka and West Indies this was a missed opportunity for the captain. He thumbed the staircase of the dressing room in frustration.Either side of tea Joe Denly produced a couple of pleasing drives, but at the end of the 60th over the umpires changed the ball and the first delivery with the replacement – albeit a big full toss – swung miles for Pattinson. Suddenly he and Cummins had a spring in their step. Denly was trapped lbw by a full delivery and Jos Buttler squared up by Cummins, sending a low catch to third slip, as England lost 3 for 40. The latter two fell with Burns stuck in the 90s, his scoring dried up as Australia pushed the ball outside off coupled with the pressure of the looming milestone.With the century bagged, and having focused on not giving things away to the part-time offerings of Matthew Wade and Travis Head, attention turned to seeing off the second new ball. Stokes was one of the players to miss the Ireland Test but looked to have brought his World Cup batting form with him. The strains of the day showed with Cummins and Pattinson given just two overs apiece with the new ball in the final half hour. They will need to be refreshed in the morning if Australia are to keep any deficit to acceptable levels.