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Football.london writer Sam Inkersole believes that Tammy Abraham would certainly bring something different to West Ham.

There has been much speculation about Abraham’s future this summer, with Football Insider reporting earlier this month that West Ham were in pole position to sign the striker, but now Arsenal appear to be leading the race, according to the Mirror.

David Moyes has made a striker one of his top priorities this window, with Inkersole believing that Tammy Abraham would bring the club something different up front, telling Football FanCast: “He would certainly bring them something different. If Abraham went there, he’s excellent at holding the ball up, he’s just not as mobile as you would perhaps like your striker to be. 

“I think he would suit West Ham’s playing style; I think with Declan Rice seeing a lot of the ball in that West Ham midfield and playing through the lines to Abraham, get him to hold the ball up and because they do like their wide players, Fornals, Jarred Bowen bringing them in, Said Benrahma I think’s going to have a big season next season as well, I think it would be a good move for the Hammers.”

With West Ham qualifying for the Europa League, David Moyes needs to increase the size of his squad in order to cope with the demand of having at least six extra fixtures to play.

If the Hammers do decide to go for Tammy Abraham, they will be getting a player who knows where the back of the net is, as he has goal-scoring pedigree in both the Premier League and the Champions League.

Abraham featured 32 times in all competitions last season and helped himself to 12 goals in the process. This was a continuation of his goal scoring form the season prior, where he found the back of the net on 18 occasions in all competitions, including three in the Champions League.

Manchester City’s hopes of signing Sassuolo midfielder Manuel Locatelli this summer have taken a blow as Arsenal now reportedly lead the race to sign the ItalY international, which suggests that Pep Guardiola’s side must act quickly if they want to bring him to the Etihad Stadium.

The Citizens have been regularly linked with the 23-year-old in recent months as a result of his superb performances for club and country and, after some excellent performances at the European Championship for Roberto Mancini’s side so far this summer, it seems as if a summer transfer is on the cards.

Although the likes of Man City, Juventus and PSG were previously said to be the main contenders to sign the young midfielder, it has now been reported that Arsenal have bid for him and are now leading the race to sign him this summer.

Despite the lack of European football on offer at the Emirates Stadium next season, Sassuolo’s sporting director Giovanni Carnevali has claimed that Arsenal are the only club to have made a concrete offer for the £31.5m-rated Locatelli and are the leading contenders to sign him outside of Italy.

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Although Fernandinho recently agreed to a new one-year deal at Manchester City, it seems likely that next season will be his last as a player in Guardiola’s squad, and the 23-year-old Locatelli could have been the ideal long-term option for City as they look for some competition for Rodri in that role for the significant future.

Last season saw the former AC Milan ace make 34 appearances in Serie A for Sassuolo, in which he contributed four goals and two assists, averaging an impressive 7.08 rating from WhoScored for his performances.

He has also been a driving force for Italy at the Euros, averaging a superb 7.46 rating from WhoScored across his three appearances thus far, and seems likely to start as Mancini’s side face Belgium in the quarter-finals tonight.

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Therefore, the “complete” midfielder could be an excellent addition to Guardiola’s side this summer, although sporting director Txiki Begiristain must act quickly if he wants to bring him to the Etihad following the news that Arsenal have already made an offer for him.

In other news… City not prepared to give up on teenage wonderkid

David Moyes has just received one massive West Ham boost ahead of the summer transfer window…

What’s the word?

After penning a new three-year deal over the weekend, the 58-year-old has been given the green light to appoint his own recruitment staff in what appears to be a surprise new approach from the Irons’ hierarchy.

That’s according to Football Insider, who claim that Moyes made it clear during talks with chiefs David Sullivan, David Gold and Karen Brady that bolstering the club’s scouting network was key to him signing new terms.

This move will see the Scot appoint his own director of football, a position that has not been filled since the disastrous Mario Husillos who left with Manuel Pellegrini in December 2019, as well as hiring more talent-spotters.

Huge boost

Aside from signing a new striker or bringing Jesse Lingard back on a permanent basis, this could be the news of the summer at the London Stadium as it shows just how committed they are to Moyes and his project.

It’s the least they could do considering they gave up on him during his first stint in charge, and since his return, he has steered West Ham into the Europa League having survived with one game to go last term.

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His recruitment has been second to none and has played a large part in their success.

No one would’ve heard of either Tomas Soucek or Vladimir Coufal prior to their arrival in East London but they have emerged as two of the standout contenders for this season’s ‘Player of the Year’ award, whilst his revival of Lingard deserves plenty of plaudits.

Evidently, he’s got it spot on all by himself so far, so now that he’s trusted to appoint an extended scouting network, the chances of finding more bargains will be increased further after this exciting Rush Green development.

It’s now going to be on GSB to back him financially in the market. The current squad needs vast additions across the pitch to stand a chance at remaining competitive in what is likely to be a 50-plus game campaign.

But for the time being, this is a hugely encouraging boost following Moyes’ contract extension.

AND in other news, Moyes can seal bargain swoop for 23 G/A beast with “good feet”, he wants West Ham move…

Leeds United are set for a major boost as exciting news emerges about Thorp Arch and about the club increasing the capacity at Elland Road.

What’s the story?

After Angus Kinnear initially revealed plans for the expansion of Elland Road back in October 2019 when Marcelo Bielsa’s side were celebrating their centenary year, it appears the Whites may finally get to see some significant improvements on their stadium capacity.

Leeds had originally planned to expand the capacity of Elland Road to 50,000 whilst also relocating the Thorp Arch academy to a former high school site close to the site of their stadium.

However, Leeds have now changed these plans as they look to expand Elland Road into a 55,000 seater stadium by expanding into the space at the Fullerton Park site next to the stadium.

This means that the Thorp Arch academy will remain in its current location and a community sports hub will now be built at the high school site.

A report from LCC’s director of city development to the council’s executive board said: “Following the promotion of LUFC to the Premier League and the club securing investment from the San Francisco 49ers’, the club have reviewed their stadium development ambitions and want to preserve their ability to deliver an expanded 55,000-seater stadium at Elland Road, as opposed to a 50,000 seat capacity previously agreed.”

Meanwhile, LCC leader councillor James Lewis added: “The fantastic return of Leeds United to the Premier League has proved to be a great boost to not just fans, but also the city as a whole.

“We remain committed to working with the club constructively in terms of any ambitions they might have in terms of increasing the capacity of Elland Road in the future, which is why following discussions, we agreed to look at what options could be available to move the proposed Parklife project from Fullerton Park to another location.”

Fans will be buzzing

At its current capacity of 37,792, Leeds have the 11th largest stadium in the Premier League, behind the likes of Everton and Aston Villa.

But the proposed increase at Elland Road to something around 55,000 would see them shoot right up that table, and virtually into the top-five, with Manchester City’s Etihad Stadium currently seating about 55,017 fans.

A bigger stadium doesn’t necessarily mean, or translate into success, but what it does do is send a major statement that the club mean business and are looking forward to establishing themselves as a real force.

It would be an indication that Leeds are serious about breaking up the Premier League’s ‘big six’ and getting into Europe, and that their ambitions on the pitch are being matched by their efforts off it.

Not only will Leeds fans have an even bigger opportunity to go see their team play given the increased capacity, but it would also prove to them that those at the club are doing everything in their power to take Leeds forward.

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Whites fans will surely be absolutely buzzing at the latest development that the Thorp Arch academy won’t be moving and that there will be more seats in the expanded stadium instead.

Meanwhile, Leeds United are eyeing a move for a new Stuart Dallas…

There were plenty of reasons to be positive for the Madejski Stadium faithful, even though Reading narrowly missed out on a top-six finish in the Championship.

The Royals had previously been the team to beat in the second-tier standings early into the 2020/21 league campaign, but a poor run of results in the second half of that campaign saw them finish seventh in the Championship under the management of Veljko Paunovic.

A number of players caught the eye with some strong performances in that campaign, with Michael Olise’s showings in particular seemingly not going unnoticed.

The 19-year-old made 46 appearances in all competitions for the Royals and chipped in with seven goals and 12 assists in total for the Berkshire-based side, which also saw him named as the EA Sports’ Young Player of the Season.

The likes of Leeds United and Aston Villa were rivalling Chelsea and Liverpool to a potential agreement for Olise’s services this summer, although it remains to be seen as to whether which clubs will push ahead with their interest in landing his signature.

You can understand Leeds and Aston Villa’s interest in signing Olise, as he’s a player that could potentially take them to the next level, and slot in well into their starting XI’s in the near future.

Villa could soon be preparing for life without Jack Grealish, who continues to be linked with a move to Manchester City, whilst Leeds’ Raphinha has emerged as a potential transfer target for Premier League giants Liverpool in recent months, although it remains to be seen as to whether Marcelo Bielsa’s side will entertain any offers for his services.

Olise is entering the final year of his contract with Reading, and it remains to be seen as to whether the Royals will look to cash in on him.

But despite the considerable previous interest in Olise’s services, no formal offers have been submitted for the Royals talisman at this stage of the summer transfer window though, which will be pleasing to hear for the Madejski Stadium faithful.

Silence is golden

Olise was heavily linked with a move away from Reading during the 2020/21 season, and it is somewhat surprising to see that no formal offers have been submitted for him this summer.

At the age of 19, you would imagine that he’s still got his best years ahead of him, but it remains to be seen as to whether that’ll be with Reading moving forwards.

But to hear that no offers have yet been made for his services will have Reading fans potentially excited heading into the new league campaign.

Could a promotion push be on the cards again?

Reading took the Championship by surprise last season, as they finished seventh in the second-tier standings under the management of Paunovic.

Some Reading supporters could be forgiven for not being as optimistic heading into the new league campaign, with the likes of Omar Richards departing the club, and there being a considerable lack of depth in the senior squad heading into pre-season.

But if the club can keep together the core group of players, and most notably Olise, then the Royals will stand every chance of challenging for a timely promotion into the Premier League next season.

The fact that it looks like Olise could well be staying at Reading will be a huge boost, one that will have the club’s supporters buzzing.

Aston Villa have made progress in their attempts to pip Arsenal to a deal for Norwich star Emiliano Buendia, according to Football Insider.

The Lowdown: Buendia a part of Villa’s summer business?

According to The Athletic, Villa are looking to make two or three signings this summer.

Buendia has been a man mentioned regarding a possible move to the Midlands, alongside Burnley’s Dwight McNeil.

Extensive groundwork has already been done on both players over potential summer deals, and it seems as if there has been a development when it comes to Buendia.

The Latest: Progress made

Football Insider shared a story on Thursday evening, where they spoke with pundit Frank McAvennie regarding Villa’s interest in the Argentine.

In that report, a club source informed the site that progress has been made regarding a deal for Buendia over the last 24 hours (now 48 hours).

The 24-year-old contributed to 32 Championship goals last season and after Villa opened preliminary talks with the Canaries last week, it seems as if a deal is moving forward.

The Verdict: Villa to smash their record-signing?

Norwich would want £30m-plus for Buendia’s services, so, should a deal go through, it is likely that Villa will smash their club transfer record.

It currently stands at £30.6m in the deal which brought Ollie Watkins to the club, and Buendia’s possible move to Villa could benefit the forward massively.

Buendia created 83 chances in the top flight during the 2019/20 season – only Trent Alexander-Arnold, Jack Grealish and Kevin de Bruyne managed more.

On that basis, potentially having Buendia and Grealish in the same side could be a hugely exciting prospect in an attacking sense, and it appears as if a move has legs.

In other news: Danny Mills drops Tyrone Mings claim, find out more here. 

Leeds United’s one nagging doubt surrounding the future of Marcelo Bielsa is separation from his family.

That’s according to Philip Buckingham, a journalist for The Athletic.

The lowdown

Bielsa is approaching the end of the one-year deal he signed ahead of the club’s return to the Premier League.

They have enjoyed a hugely successful first season back in the top flight – with three games to go, Leeds sit 10th in the table on 50 points, and relegation has never really been a concern for the Whites at any stage in the campaign, with 15th the lowest position they have occupied.

Were they to win their last three matches – against three of the current bottom seven in Southampton, Burnley and West Brom – they would surpass Wolves’ record of 57 points for a Championship-winning side in the first season back in the Premier League.

A report from The Telegraph’s Luke Edwards on Thursday claimed that the Argentine was ‘on the verge’ of agreeing a new contract at Elland Road.

The latest

In The Athletic, Buckingham reiterated Leeds’ ‘clear expectation’ that Bielsa will remain in West Yorkshire, adding that ‘planning is well underway’ for the 2021/22 campaign. However, he noted that there is a ‘lingering shadow of anxiety’ over his future.

Bielsa has been able to spend ‘minimal’ time with his family, who remain in Argentina, since he moved to the club, and there is a feeling that ‘something will have to give at some point’.

Crucially, Buckingham stressed that any separation for those reasons would be premeditated rather than abrupt. In a sporting sense, Bielsa will require assurances that ‘strategies and ambitions are still aligned’, but the club are reportedly confident that they can convince him.

Still, negotiations are likely to be ‘laborious’, with Buckingham adding in a tweet that they ‘must wait for his signature’.

The verdict

Leeds are on an exciting upward trajectory and may well be in the European conversation next season if they can maintain or improve upon their 2020/21 form.

They are reaping the rewards of appointing an outstanding coach but must also put up with his idiosyncrasies.

While the potential of this Leeds project is immense, it also feels uniquely fragile were Bielsa to walk away.

In other news, this Leeds man has been tipped to shine in 2021/22 after a difficult season.  

Nuno Espirito Santo’s stay at Wolves is now done. He is out the door and barring a remarkable set of circumstances, will never return to Compton again.

His farewell on Sunday afternoon was an emotional one as he waved goodbye to the first set of supporters he’d seen inside Molineux for over a year.

His team didn’t earn all three points but it was a magnificent sight to see the stadium rocking in such a manner.

Wolves earned a boost from fans being back inside the stadium but it wasn’t enough to propel them to victory over Manchester United.

Despite Nuno’s exit, it was a timely reminder of how much is needed to be done this summer by Jeff Shi and co. After all, this has been a torrid season by their very high standards.

It feels like Nuno’s departure comes with the team at a crossroads. Since the Old Gold were promoted, this is undoubtedly their worst season.

They finished in the bottom half of the table and are now in need of a manager who can take them to the next level.

Bruno Lage is one of the names Wolves have been keeping an eye on but they’re also interested in Paulo Fonseca according to The Mirror.

The 48-year-old took Roma to the Europa League semi-finals this season but will leave his job in Italy this summer with Jose Mourinho set to replace him.

Fonseca amassed a win success rate of just under 52% but they failed to qualify for the Champions League or Europa League this term.

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It was a difficult campaign for the Portuguese but he could help to revive Wolves.

The Jorge Mendes client is known for playing a high intense brand of football, one that focuses on the attacking element of football.

Nuno was striving to turn Wolves into a more attacking outfit this term but failed to ever transition the side from a three-man defence into a four-man backline.

Speaking at the start of the season, he said: “We have to grow in some aspects of our game. I would like to be more dominant, and I would like to have more of the ball.

“I would like to improve our tally of goals scored, and decrease the goals (against).”

Unfortunately, it never really came off. Wolves kept just two clean sheets in 14 league matches from October to January as the four-man backline ended up costing the Old Gold.

Fonseca, however, could finally help the Molineux outfit to dominate more.

At Roma, his side scored 1.9 goals per game which is considerably more than Nuno managed with Wolves; 1.3 per match.

The former Shakhtar Donetsk manager relentlessly talks about the need to be “brave”, something he installed in his players during his spell in Italy.

“I have my ideas and I want to implement them, but the main thing is to build a brave team. That’s the main objective and I believe with these players, we can build a brave team without any problems against the biggest teams, the small teams,” he once commented.

Fonseca’s philosophy revolves around neat and tidy play at high speed, a style that of football that wowed Pep Guardiola.

After Manchester City faced Donetsk in Europe, the Spaniard remarked: “Before every game against Shakhtar, I have the same feeling.

“The first time we face them in the group stage, my [scouting] team went to see them and they came back saying, ‘Wow.’ They were really impressed. In Barcelona all the time it was, ‘Shakhtar, Ukraine, who cares which players play, nobody knows them.’”

If he can leave someone like Guardiola in awe, there’s no reason why Fosun shouldn’t consider him.

AND in other news, Worse than Saiss: £75k-p/w Wolves liability who won 0 duels ruined Nuno’s final game…

Marcus Bent has described Eddie Howe as one of the top up-and-coming managers but doesn’t believe Crystal Palace is the right fit for him.

Howe has been strongly linked to several managerial vacancies since leaving Bournemouth following their relegation last July, but is still a free agent after his move to Celtic recently fell through despite months of ongoing talks at Parkhead.

One of those jobs is Palace, who are still on the search for a Roy Hodgson replacement after Nuno Espirito Santo’s swift return to the Premier League collapsed earlier this week.

But Bent is concerned that Howe, who was once tipped for one of the top Premier League jobs by Pep Guardiola, doesn’t fit the bill at Palace, who’re likely to be working on a tight budget this summer, with a considerable rebuild required at Selhurst Park following several first-team players being released, plenty of which are experienced faces.

The former Palace frontman told The Transfer Tavern:

“I see him as one of the top up-and-coming managers, although he’s been on the scene for six or seven years now.

“The Celtic job didn’t work. Crystal Palace maybe isn’t the right job –  the style of football, the budget and top players like Zaha leaving, although he might be able to start again and refresh the side.”

Aston Villa are reportedly keeping tabs on Jesse Lingard amid his fruitful loan spell at West Ham.

While it has been suggested that the Hammers will look to sign the England international permanently and his parent club Manchester United will demand £30m to sell him, it does seem as if Dean Smith’s Villa are also in the chase for the midfielder.

Villa keep tabs on Lingard

Football Insider have recently reported about Lingard, saying that Villa could join the race for the midfielder only if Manchester United would want to sell him permanently once the loan stint at West Ham ends. The Birmingham-based club are keeping tabs on the 28-year-old, who Smith and the club’s coaches view as a “Villa-type player”.

The report suggests that Villa plan to sign a couple of senior attacking players who can also play in the wide positions. Apart from Lingard, they are also keeping tabs on Werder Bremen star Milot Rashica.

Lingard’s performances for the Hammers and England have been described as “brilliant” by former Premier League ace Trevor Sinclair on talkSPORT, considering that he has scored nine goals while picking up four assists as well.

Lingard could be a Barkley replacement

Lingard’s performances have been excellent of late, and considering that Ross Barkley has now been struggling for game-time, Villa could need an attack-minded player to chip in with goal contributions from midfield.

Barkley’s last start for the club came back in late February and he has only come on from the bench since then, while he has just one goal to his name since the start of November. With Jack Grealish injured, Villa have won only two games since the last week of February, which shows that they might need another consistent goal contributor.

Keeping in mind his numbers for the campaign, Lingard could certainly be the right man for Villa, and it is easy to see why Smith and co would want him.

In other news, Football pariahs eye move for £28.8m-valued Villa star – read more here.