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Writing on Twitter, reliable club insider ExWHUemployee has now claimed that West Ham United have made an enquiry over signing West Bromwich Albion star Matheus Pereira this summer. 

The Lowdown: West Ham hunt Lingard alternative?

Jesse Lingard, following his sensational 2020/2021 spell on loan at the London Stadium, was tipped as one of manager David Moyes’ priority targets for this summer transfer window.

However, with a move away from Manchester United now looking more and more unlikely, attention has seemingly switched to alternative options in the attacking midfield position.

Chelsea midfielder Ross Barkley is one name that has been mentioned in recent days (90min), but as per ExWHUemployee, it appears Pereira is the main candidate.

The Latest: West Ham enquiry made…

As per the insider, writing on his social media, West Ham have now made enquiry over signing Pereira and are interested in securing his services this summer.

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However, talks are not advanced and the deal has not been agreed, with only an approach made thus far by the Hammers as they seek to strengthen in time for the 2021/2022 season.

West Ham will be involved in the Europa League group stages, having to play more matches in smaller timeframes, so bolstering Moyes’ options is an absolute necessity.

The Verdict: Get it done…

Pereira, in our view, could be the perfect alternative to Lingard who can provide a bit of everything.

According to WhoScored, he averaged more key passes per 90 in the final third (1.8) than any West Ham player did in the Premier League last season, even Lingard.

As well as this, he completed more dribbles on average (1.2) than the Red Devils ace (1.1) – potentially highlighting he can be just as effective in terms of attacking threat.

Pereira attracted praise for his performances over 2020/2021 as well, with Premier League pundit Kevin Campbell calling him ‘devastating’ in an interview with Football Insider.

Quite the goal threat from midfield, he has also managed 54 career strikes across 196 senior appearances in total.

Indeed, West Ham would be remiss if they didn’t prioritise him as their number one attacking midfield priority.

In other news: ‘Wow’, ‘Incredible’, ‘Please have truth in this’…West Ham fans flock to forward update, find out more here.

A round-up from the latest Championship matches

Cricinfo staff23-Aug-2008Division OneJames Tredwell and Martin van Jaarsveld completed the demolition job the in-form Robbie Joseph started as Kent brought up a 211-run victory against Lancashire on the final day at Canterbury. Tredwell and van Jaarsveld took three wickets each to bowl out Lancashire for 264, and ease past them from relegation contention to fourth on the table, as the visitors only managing to add another 103 runs on Saturday for their last six wickets. Mark Chilton converted his overnight 69 to bring up his 18th first-class century but he was stumped soon after off Tredwell on 102. Steven Croft’s fifty was also in vain. Kent’s 19-point win helped them close the gap to 23 points on leaders Somerset who drew this round, while Lancashire now trail by 40. All three of those sides have four matches left to play.Chris Nash stood firm for Sussex after they had stumbled to 31 for 3 under attack from Surrey’s Matt Nicholson and the returning Alex Tudor; the sides ending with a draw at The Oval. Surrey pressed on to 171 for 7 before Mark Ramprakash’s declaration left Sussex requiring 299 for the win. Surrey were soon on top, gnawing away at the top order before Nash dug in with an unbeaten 71 and Carl Hopkinson contributed 47 not out.

Team Mat Won Lost Tied Draw Aban Pts

Somerset 12 3 1 0 8 0 146 Nottinghamshire 12 4 2 0 5 1 137 Durham 11 5 2 0 3 1 136 Kent 12 4 4 0 4 0 133 Lancashire 12 3 2 0 7 0 126 Sussex 12 2 2 0 8 0 125 Hampshire 13 2 4 0 7 0 121 Yorkshire 12 2 5 0 5 0 116 Surrey 12 0 3 0 9 0 106

Division TwoHD Ackerman missed out on a double ton as Leicestershire drew with Middlesex at Lord’s. Resuming on 190 he had added a further six when he was caught off Tim Murtagh by Ben Scott. Josh Cobb also fell short of a milestone when he ran out of partners on 148 but he hadn’t missed the opportunity to impress in only his fourth first-class match, having turned 18 less than a week ago. Their sixth-wicket stand finally ended on 270 and their efforts drove Leicestershire on to 533, a first-innings lead of 166. There were a few alarms for Middlesex when they slipped to 73 for 4 thanks largely to Claude Henderson who took four wickets. But Dawid Malan’s fifty ensured the draw and he shared two handy stands with Eoin Morgan and Shaun Udal.Worcestershire strengthened their claims for promotion with a six-wicket victory against Essex, as Daryl Mitchell’s century helped them to hunt down their target of 347 at Colchester. Stephen Moore, Ben Smith and the timeless Graeme Hick also weighed in with half-centuries of their own as victory was sealed in the 90th over of the day following Mark Pettini’s overnight declaration.

Team Mat Won Lost Tied Draw Aban Pts

Worcestershire 13 6 1 0 6 0 179 Warwickshire 12 3 0 0 9 0 150 Northamptonshire 13 3 2 0 8 0 146 Derbyshire 12 3 2 0 7 0 128 Essex 12 4 5 0 3 0 125 Middlesex 13 2 5 0 6 0 123 Leicestershire 12 2 2 0 8 0 119 Gloucestershire 12 0 4 0 8 0 97 Glamorgan 11 2 4 0 5 0 91

Graham Roberts reckons that former England defender Gary Cahill would be an excellent addition to the Rangers squad.

The 35-year-old is a free agent following the expiration of his contract at Crystal Palace and is currently looking for a new club after rejecting their recent offer.

And Cahill, who’s made 394 Premier League appearances across spells with Aston Villa, Bolton, Chelsea, and Palace, is on Rangers’ radar according to The Sun, and they are willing to offer him £35,000-per-week.

Steven Gerrard’s side are on the back of their first Scottish Premiership triumph for 10 years, with their title-winning campaign earning them a place in the Champions League.

However, the Gers still must navigate their way through two qualifying rounds – starting with a two-legged tie against Malmo – to reach the group stages.

But the 6 ft 4 Cahill has plenty of experience in the competition and famously won the trophy with Chelsea back in 2012, meaning he would surely be a fantastic asset to Gerrard’s youthful squad.

Roberts exclusively told The Transfer Tavern:

“It would be a good move for him. They need a bit of experience there, he’s a free agent, so to go and play in the Scottish Premiership, he would.

“They have a young side, but if you’ve got an experienced centre-half at the back he could be the orchestrator. I think that would be a great move for him, and he would be great for the squad.”

Four teams can still claim the Championship going into the final round, and another four are battling to avoid the drop. That’s not bad for a nine-team division

Andrew McGlashan23-Sep-2008
Samit Patel has played a key part in Nottinghamshire entering the final round of matches in top spot © Getty Images
Four teams can still claim the County Championship going into the final round, and another four are battling to avoid the drop. That’s not bad for a nine-team division. The county season is set for a thrilling finale over the next four days and although Nottinghamshire – at home against Hampshire – are in pole position, any slip-ups could open the door for another side to sneak through.The extraordinarily tight nature of the table is partly due to the wet summer that has finally abated in time for the final two rounds of matches. Teams have been so bunched together that one win or defeat has sent them rocketing either up or down the standings. The perfect example was last week’s match between Lancashire and Kent when Kent’s defeat sent them from Championship hopefuls to relegation candidates.Whoever wins the Championship this season will need to win their final match to do so, and that can only be a good thing. Safety-first cricket has been an issue in county cricket for some time, especially when teams have found themselves building a lead at the top of the table. If Somerset nip in for the crown they will have done it with the lowest percentage of wins in history – just four victories from 16 matches. No-one, though, can afford to take a backward step this time.”As professional cricketers, this is the type of game that you want to be involved in and we will approach it with clear minds,” said Ashwell Prince, who will line-up for Nottinghamshire. “We’ve got four seamers, right and left-hand spinners and we bat very deep so the balance of the side couldn’t be any better.”The pitches will play a key role. Trent Bridge has been a result surface all season with swing also playing a major part. Somerset can’t afford to produce a featherbed at Taunton so will have to gamble on a track with some life, which will make the toss an interesting decision. Teams batting first have been shot out on occasions this summer. Durham need plenty of help from other teams to claim their maiden title, but with an attack including Steve Harmison they have the firepower to dismantle a fragile Kent line-up.Below are the permutations for the teams aiming for the title. A Nottinghamshire victory gives them the title, regardless of how many bonus points are accrued. Even a 14-point win would leave them on 192, the maximum Somerset can reach, and Nottinghamshire have more victories, which is the first tie-break. Somerset have to score nine more points than Nottinghamshire and hope Durham don’t score two more than them.Durham need 10 more points than Nottinghamshire and two more points than Somerset manage against Lancashire.Hampshire are the rank outsiders. They need to win with the maximum 22 points against Nottinghamshire and restrict them to less than three points, while also needing Durham not to beat Kent and Lancashire to win against Somerset.At the other end of the table, five points separate four teams. Sussex and Yorkshire – minus Darren Gough and Michael Vaughan – face each other at Hove in a potential relegation dogfight. However, both could still survive depending on what happens at Taunton and Canterbury.For Sussex, being led for the final time by Chris Adams, it will be an experience they haven’t had for a while, scrapping it out at the bottom of the table. They have felt the absence of Mushtaq Ahmed and 11 draws shows the impact of not being able to bowl sides out twice, as well as the weather.Lancashire gave themselves a lifeline with their victory against Kent at Aigburth, but it could all come to nothing if they suffer a heavy defeat at Taunton. However, their fate is in their hands and a good victory, with at least 17 points, will put them safe.In Division Two the scenario is very simple. If Warwickshire take four points against Glamorgan they will claim the title ahead of their Midlands rivals Worcestershire. Both are already promoted, but who’ll they be playing against in 2009 is still anyone’s guess.

Team Mat Won Lost Tied Draw Aban Pts

Nottinghamshire 15 5 2 07 1 178 Somerset 153 1 0 11 0 170 Durham 15 5 3 06 1 168 Hampshire 154 4 0 7 0 160 Lancashire 15 4 2 08 1 152 Kent 154 5 0 6 0 151 Sussex 15 2 2 011 0 151 Yorkshire 152 5 0 8 0 147 Surrey 16 0 5 010 1 124

Marcus North’s brilliant 95 was not enough to steal victory from the so-called baby Blues, who started the season on a high with a six-run win at the WACA

Cricinfo staff08-Oct-2008
Scorecard
Grant Lambert’s resilient 48 not out was a key in the New South Wales victory © Getty Images
Marcus North’s brilliant 95 was not enough to steal victory from the so-called baby Blues, who started the season on a high with a six-run win at the WACA. In a tense finish Western Australia needed 11 from the final over with one wicket in hand but Mark Cameron bowled North with the second delivery to secure the victory.It was a disappointing end for the Man of the Match North, who was the only one of Western Australia’s top five who had not played for Australia, and also the only one of them to show any resilience. He had strong support from Brett Dorey, whose 45 was a career high, as they added 50 in the last 4.2 overs – when the batting powerplay was used – and compiled an 87-run stand that was Western Australia’s highest one-day ninth-wicket partnership.But the Blues, particularly Cameron and Nathan Hauritz, had done just enough damage to the Warriors’ top order to set up the success. Western Australia were chasing what should have been a gettable 221 but the loss of their openers Luke Ronchi and Shaun Marsh in the first four overs was a blow.Hauritz (3 for 29), keen to push himself forward as a potential ODI spinner five years after his latest outing in Australia’s limited-overs team, tossed the ball up and reaped the rewards. He collected Luke Pomersbach for 15 and returned later to remove Steve Magoffin and Aaron Heal in one over, before Dorey joined North for the final attempted assault.The New South Wales win gave them some hope in the FR Cup after they finished last season on the bottom of the table. Their younger men made contributions, particularly Steve O’Keefe with a wicket and a feisty 29, but it was the more experienced Hauritz and Grant Lambert who set up the triumph.Lambert’s focused innings of 48 not out guided New South Wales to 9 for 220, not a daunting total but a reasonable result after they stumbled to 6 for 124. Dorey’s three wickets helped the Warriors but the first match of the 2008-09 season suggested the Blues are still a strong force, despite losing key men such as Simon Katich, Doug Bollinger and Brad Haddin to the national setup.

Former Everton frontman Marcus Bent has exclusively told The Transfer Tavern that Ben Godfrey could be the key to the Toffees signing Max Aarons.

The 21-year-old, who came close to making a sensational move to Barcelona 12 months ago, has been on Everton’s radar for some time, with the Merseysiders still searching for a long-term Seamus Coleman replacement.

Aaron won’t turn 22 until January but has already racked up almost 150 senior appearances for Norwich and has achieved to promotions and an impressive season at Premier League level.

Wherever Aarons ends up, he’s more than likely to remain in the topflight after helping the Canaries make an instant return.

Two of Everton’s Premier League rivals in Tottenham and Manchester United are both keen on signing the high-rated full-back, but Rafa Benitez’s side have a slight advantage in Aarons’ former Norwich teammate Godfrey.

The pair not only came through the ranks together at Carrow Road but are also teammates at England Under-21 level.

Bent exclusively told The Transfer Tavern:

“He’s a good, young player, and Everton said that if Ben gets in his ear, they might get him. Hopefully, he will come to Everton, but I don’t think he’d want to be second or third choice.”

Saleem Malik, the former Pakistan captain whose life ban for involvement in match-fixing was lifted on Thursday, has said coaching is an option now that he can participate in cricketing activities

Cricinfo staff24-Oct-2008
Saleem Malik said he has an offer to play from the ICL © AFP
Saleem Malik, the former Pakistan captain, has said coaching is an option now that he can legally participate in cricketing activities. On Thursday Malik had his life ban for his part in the 1994-95 match-fixing scandal lifted by a Pakistan court and he is now looking at options to resume his involvement in the game.”I was also offered to play in the ICL by my good friend Kapil Dev,” Malik told the . “IPL is an option too, if a team wants me as a coach.”The Pakistan Cricket Board banned Malik in 2000 after an inquiry commission led by Justice Malik Mohammad Qayyum found him guilty of bribing Australian cricketers Shane Warne and Mark Waugh to lose the Karachi Test in 1994-95. Malik, who maintained his innocence, appealed the decision in 2001.After his appeal was rejected he approached the Supreme Court, which decided in May this year that the appeal should be heard at a lower court. Malik said he had gone through hell for nine years.”I was even exonerated by the Justice Ebrahim commission, but the PCB weren’t satisfied,” he said. “They were out to get me and Justice Qayyum got me banned. What bothered me was seeing the sense of shame in my kids’ eyes.”I came from a humble family and could not study much. My dream was to seek admission for my sons in Aitchison College, Lahore’s best school. But after my life ban, my kids were denied admission there. Now they can hold their heads high.”Malik hoped the former India captain Mohammad Azharuddin would also have his life ban for his involvement in match-fixing lifted. “I can imagine what he’s going through,” Malik said.

The Yorkshire Evening Post’s Graham Smyth has revealed Leeds United have held transfer talks for Huddersfield Town’s Lewis O’Brien.

What’s the story?

Journalist Alan Nixon previously revealed via Twitter that O’Brien was “very near” to the top of the shortlist for Leeds this summer as they look to strengthen their midfield options ahead of the new Premier League campaign.

Football Insider have now claimed that preliminary discussions have taken place over the Whites securing the 22-year-old, with Huddersfield set to demand a significant price for one of their star players.

And now, Smyth has delivered an update on the situation, saying: “He’s a player Leeds actually like, one they’ve expressed genuine interest in and, all things considered, one for whom a deal should be achievable in every sense for a Premier League club like Leeds, even if the initial discussions between the two clubs failed to yield any kind of progression.

“While nothing is imminent or even on-going – all was quiet as the week began – The Yorkshire Evening Post understands the two parties were not a million miles apart in their valuation.”Perfect for Bielsa

In O’Brien, Leeds could find someone who seems to be perfect for Bielsa-ball, given his incredible amounts of energy and commitment to the cause.

Huddersfield Town writer, Steven Chicken, said: “O’Brien is a left-footed, tough-tackling central midfielder. He’s never going to be a big glamorous name in the Premier League, but he is the kind of wholehearted, committed player that managers love because they do so much of the hard work that helps other players to shine.”

As per WhoScored, O’Brien averaged two tackles and one interception per game in the Championship last season, which is only slightly less than the 2.6 tackles and 1.6 interceptions Kalvin Phillips managed per Premier League match.

Judging by those figures and the ringing endorsements he’s received, the 5 foot 8 midfielder clearly has the defensive tenacity that the highly demanding Bielsa would love at Elland Road.

Meanwhile, Phil Hay has dropped a new Leeds United transfer update…

Andrew Symonds has returned to the Australian side for a Twenty20 game in Brisbane against an Australian Cricketers’ Association All-Stars XI

Cricinfo staff10-Nov-2008
Andrew Symonds’ two-and-a-half month exile from the national team will end this Friday © Getty Images
Andrew Symonds’ exile from the national team is over after he was named in the Australian side to take on an All-Stars XI in a Twenty20 match in Brisbane on Friday. Symonds will also be back in the frame for the upcoming home Test series against New Zealand having completed the welfare process prescribed for him.Symonds has been out of contention for Australia’s matches since late August, when the team leadership group sent him home from the ODI series in Darwin after he chose to go fishing and missed a team meeting. He later declared his intentions to try to return to the Australia team and he has been playing for Queensland in the first month of the domestic season.”He has made significant progress during his enforced layoff,” Cricket Australia’s chief executive James Sutherland said. “I know Andrew has had a very strong desire to fight his way back into the Australian team and I am confident that desire will be reflected in his actions over the coming months.”Another player making a comeback is the fast bowler Shaun Tait, who has not appeared for Australia since walking away from cricket in January, citing mental and physical exhaustion. Tait was chosen in the Australia squad having made a strong start to the domestic limited-overs series for South Australia.”Shaun is a dynamic bowler in all forms of the game,” Andrew Hilditch, the chairman of selectors, said. “Given his outstanding performances in interstate one-day cricket, we feel he is ideally suited to Twenty20.”Several players will be rested for the one-off match following their tough tour of India, including the captain Ricky Ponting, who will hand the reins to Michael Clarke. The fast bowlers Brett Lee, Mitchell Johnson and Stuart Clark will also take a break, while James Hopes and Nathan Bracken were not considered due to recent injuries.The bowling vacancies give Australia a chance to test out some of their younger fast men in the Twenty20 arena. Peter Siddle, who made his Test debut in Mohali, has been included alongside the team’s newest ODI debutant, Brett Geeves. The opener Matthew Hayden was included while his long-time opening partner, Justin Langer, will be part of the opposition.Langer and Adam Gilchrist will be the major attractions in the Australian Cricketers’ Association All-Stars line-up, which is mostly made up of leading domestic players. Simon Katich will find himself facing several of his Test team-mates, while the younger members of the squad include Victoria’s dynamic opener Rob Quiney and the South Australia offspinner Dan Cullen.Australia Matthew Hayden, Shaun Marsh, Michael Clarke (capt), Michael Hussey, David Hussey, Andrew Symonds, Shane Watson, Cameron White, Brad Haddin (wk), Brett Geeves, Peter Siddle, Shaun Tait.
ACA All-Stars XI Adam Gilchrist (capt, wk), Justin Langer, Brad Hodge, Simon Katich, Rob Quiney, Michael Dighton, Dan Marsh, Ashley Noffke, Ryan Harris, Steve Magoffin, Brendan Drew, Dan Cullen.

As per L’Equipe (via Sport Witness), West Ham manager David Moyes may have just been handed a transfer boost as the club eye Bayern Munich midfielder Corentin Tolisso.

The Lowdown: West Ham in signing hurry…

The summer transfer window deadline closes on August 31 and West Ham have confirmed just one major summer signing so far, with Paris-Saint German keeper Alphonse Areola joining on a season-long loan.

West Ham have had no shortage of links to players, however, with Bayern ace Tolisso emerging as a target for the Hammers in recent days despite no concrete offer just yet.

However, L’Equipe bring some news in what could be a boost for Moyes.

The Latest: Bayern slash Tolisso price…

The reliable French news source backs West Ham’s interest in the 27-year-old whilst also claiming that Bayern are willing to offload for quite a reasonable fee.

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Tolisso, who has won the Champions League at club level and World Cup with France, could now leave the Allianz Arena for as little as €10 million (£8.4m).

L’Equipe say that the Bundesliga giants will sanction his sale for an offer around that figure as they try to sell ‘as quickly as possible’ before the summer transfer window deadline.

West Ham, Juventus, Arsenal and Manchester United all like the player as Bayern seek to offload.

The Verdict: Priority for Moyes?

Tolisso, despite possessing plenty of experience at the top level and being called ‘very strong’ by Hansi Flick, shouldn’t be a priority for Moyes despite this boost on the price tag.

The centre-midfielder has a tendency to be sidelined often, missing 23 games for Bayern Munich in total last season (Transfermarkt), not to mention his position is already well stacked by Mark Noble, Declan Rice, Tomas Soucek and Manuel Lanzini in a makeshift deeper role.

However, if West Ham want to add a bit more quality to that position, Tolisso is arguably ripe for the picking for such a meagre £8.4m tag.

In other news: West Ham weigh swoop to sign ‘world class’ striker, club prepared to sell…find out more here.