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West Ham United have endured a mixed opening to the campaign both collectively and individually, and their 1-0 defeat against Brighton & Hove Albion prior to the international break served as a fitting example of how hit and miss they can be.

Manuel Pellegrini’s arrival has certainly given the Hammers a fresh sense of optimism for the future but the squad at his disposal is still short of the quality required for the club to achieve their goals in the future.

Summer arrivals have provided Pellegrini with plenty of high calibre players to work with, the next step is finding a system which suits them.

One area which Pellegrini decided against investing in was at left-back where he has both Aaron Cresswell and Arthur Masuaku to chose from.

The latter has been a mainstay on the left side of West Ham’s defence under Pellegrini and Cresswell has been forced to watch on from the sideline for the most part, but defeat at Brighton taught the Hammers’ boss a valuable lesson: Masuaku is lacking the defensive instinct to warrant his place in back-four.

Brighton’s only goal of the game arrived directly from a Masuaku mistake: when Issa Diop signalled for the full-back to tuck inside to mark Glenn Murray, he simply stood still and allowed the clinical striker the freedom of West Ham’s penalty area to fire home.

It was a moment which served to illuminate his lack of concentration in crucial defensive moments, and that’s something Pellegrini could address by signing Alberto Moreno next summer.

According to a report from Goal, Moreno is set to depart Anfield after falling down the pecking order in light of Andrew Robertson’s impeccable form.

The Spaniard is certainly not without some defensive frailties of his own, but he certainly represents a huge upgrade on Masuaku and he has the relevant Premier League experience to thrive at West Ham.

And considering he will be available on a free transfer when his contract expires, Pellegrini would be foolish not to at least entertain the possibility of submitting a contract offer.

West Ham fans – thoughts? Let us know below!

Rangers have been extremely busy in the transfer window thus far, but manager Steven Gerrard isn’t finished yet.

The Gers have added ten new players to their squad as the former Liverpool captain looks to challenge Celtic for the title next season. Promising winger Ryan Kent became the latest recruit, completing a season-long loan move from the Reds, with the youngster’s addition likely to add some much-needed creativity to the Rangers attack.

The Light Blues progressed to the next round of the Europa League qualifiers with a 2-0 aggregate win over Shkupi. Despite the victory, Gerrard bemoaned the chances missed by his side, and the lack of firepower could force the former England international back into the transfer market for a new striker.

And one man who could solve his problems is Stoke City forward Saido Berahino, who clearly needs an escape route after a troubling time at the bet365 Stadium in recent years.

Valued at £7.2 million by Transfermarkt, the 24-year-old was once considered one of the most promising forwards in England in netting 15 goals for West Brom back in 2015, thus earning him a £12 million move to the Potters.

His time at Stoke however has not gone to plan, and the forward could be set to leave following their relegation to the Championship.

He started just three Premier League games last season after slipping down the pecking order at the bet365 Stadium, to the point that he remains without a goal for the Staffordshire-based outfit after 18 months at the club.

And a fresh start in the Scottish Premiership could be just what Berahino needs to revive his career, as if the Englishman can rediscover the form he showed at the Baggies, he will prove to be an astute piece of business.

Rangers fans… what do you think? Let us know!

Tottenham Hotspur spent £30m on Moussa Sissoko last summer after beating Everton to the signing of the France international from Newcastle United.

Sissoko failed to score in 33 appearances for Spurs during the 2016-17 campaign, however, and it had been thought that the midfielder would move on ahead of the new season.

The 28-year-old was named in the starting XI for Tottenham’s Premier League opener against Newcastle on Sunday, however, and played his part in a 2-0 victory for the London club.

It appears that Spurs boss Mauricio Pochettino will give Sissoko another 12 months to impress, although the transfer window is currently still open for business.

On Wednesday, Tottenham’s official Twitter account posted a birthday message for Sissoko, and it was not a surprise when a number of the club’s fans aired their views.

There are some that believe Sissoko should be sold this summer after finding it difficult last season, but there are also plenty that want the midfielder to be given more time.

Former Croatia and Inter Milan forward Dario Simic has tipped compatriot Ivan Perisic to move to Manchester United and expects the winger to move on this summer, he told Vercernji.

What’s the word?

After excelling in the Bundesliga with Borussia Dortmund and Wolfsburg, Ivan Perisic has become a huge part of Inter Milan’s side but the Serie A giants are no longer the European powerhouses that they used to be, raising the likelihood of a high-profile transfer for the Croatian international.

Gazzetta Dello Sport reported last month that Premier League trio Liverpool, Arsenal and Manchester United are all keen on the 28-year-old and Dario Simic sees his compatriot plying his trade at Old Trafford in the future.

What was said?

Speaking to Vercernji, Simic said:

“At Inter our guys Marcelo Brozovic and Ivan Perisic play a key role. I expected Perisic in the last transfer window to go to one of the big European clubs. He definitely has enough class for the greatest clubs – I see him at Manchester United.”

Do United need him?

Whilst Perisic is a top-class player who would be a significant addition to any side, Manchester United’s need to sign the Croatian ace is certainly not pressing as Jose Mourinho’s outfit already boast the likes of Henrikh Mkhitaryan and Anthony Martial out wide.

Perisic would fit into United’s style of play but an expensive addition in this area is not want the Red Devils need, which raises the likelihood of Perisic moving to another Premier League side if he does leave the San Siro.

Of Arsenal and Liverpool, the Gunners would probably have the best chance of landing Perisic, as long as they secure a top-four spot, and the possibility of losing Alexis Sanchez could free-up a spot for Perisic to move to North London.

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January can be a depressing month for all of us, but spare a thought for Manchester United fans, who have had to put up with the post-Christmas blues, being skint after buying presents and the cold weather, as well as their team playing some pretty uninspiring football.

Yep, watching the Red Devils over the course of the past few weeks has been a thankless task – aside from the win at Liverpool – with silly points dropped and more than a few ‘dull’ displays.

So, will there be anything to crack a smile onto the faces of the Old Trafford support for February? Well, possibly, as the transfer window remains wide open until the end of play on Monday, leaving the temptation to sign at least one top quality player in place.

With that in mind we put TEN names to followers of the Manchester giants and asked them to vote for the one they want before the deadline passes… and here are the results! The man who came out on top is a bit of a surprise, by the way!

5 – Bruno Martins Indi (Porto)

Having coached him in the Netherlands set-up, Van Gaal is known to be a fan of the burly Porto enforcer, which prompted suggestions that he’s a possible late target heading towards Monday’s transfer deadline. Martins Indi can play at either centre-back or left-back, which are two problem areas for the Red Devils, making him a solid, if unspectacular, option.

4 – Felipe Anderson (Lazio)

Linked with United for much of last summer and into January, it looked at one point as if a big money swoop was inevitable. However, the trail went a little cold a couple of weeks ago as Lazio dug in to keep their Brazilian attacking midfielder, but as the Red Devils showed heading to the last deadline with the capture of Anthony Martial, anything can happen!

3 – Edinson Cavani (PSG)

Perennially unhappy at Paris Saint-Germain, Cavani hasn’t yet left the French giants, despite links with an exit seemingly ever since his 2013 move from Napoli. United are one of many, many, MANY teams to have been aligned with the Uruguayan, who would certainly offer more movement than Wayne Rooney, and it seems many fans want him.

2 – James Rodriguez (Real Madrid)

A magical attacking midfielder capable of spectacular goals and slick passing, it’s a wonder he’s not in at No.1 on this list! LVG’s side have been linked with Rodriguez in recent weeks amid speculation that he’s growing unsettled at Real Madrid, and although a move before the looming deadline looks unlikely, who knows what will happen?

1 – Ricardo Rodriguez (Wolfsburg)

With injuries stacking up, left-back is a clear problem area for United, and it seems the fans want something done about it! Swiss defender Rodriguez came out, albeit narrowly, on top in our vote, and it’s easy to see why the fans view him as a good option. With pace, crossing ability and a set-piece prowess, the Wolfsburg man could even dislodge Luke Shaw long-term should he be lured to Old Trafford.

There were FIVE more names that proved unpopular with United fans, you can see them on the next slide…

The Rest…

6 – Alvaro Morata: Deadly in the box, but maybe a bit too raw to lead the line week in, week out at Old Trafford.

7 – Ever Banega: A good playmaker, yet he finished strangely low on this list even with United’s lack of spark.

8 – Ruben Neves: The teenager seems to lack experience. Perhaps one for next year.

9 – Marc-Andre ter Stegen: If David de Gea leaves this name could be more popular…

10 – Mattia Perin: See above!

Chloe Kelly has been 'flying' in training ahead of the Lionesses' clash with Italy on Tuesday, as she looks to return to the team following a knock.

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• Kelly missed Austria clash on Friday with a knock
• But set to return for England vs Italy
• Boost for Lionesses as Kirby heads home

• WHAT HAPPENED?

  Kelly missed England's emphatic 7-2 win over Austria on Friday because of a knock she picked up in training. However, Lionesses boss Sarina Wiegman looks set to have the winger back available for the team's second fixture of this international break.

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  WHAT WIEGMAN SAID

  Asked about Kelly's fitness in her Monday press conference, Wiegman said: "She's good. She was flying in training so hopefully that's what she will do later on this morning and be ready for tomorrow."

• THE BIGGER PICTURE

  Kelly's return will be a boost for an England team that has just seen Fran Kirby leave the squad due to a minor injury. The Chelsea star was due to start against Austria on Friday but pulled out of the line-up in the warm-up due to irritation in her knee. Wiegman said on Monday that she wasn't expecting Kirby to have picked up "a bad injury", but that she has been sent back to her club because England didn't want to take any risks.

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  DID YOU KNOW?

  Only Arsenal's Victoria Pelova has registered more assists in the Women's Super League this season than Kelly, who has been in flying form at club level. The Man City star has been directly involved in nine goals in 14 WSL games to help the Cityzens sit level on points with leaders Chelsea at the top of the table.

David Beckham, Gary Neville and the rest of Manchester United's Class of '92 who co-own Salford City are looking for new investors for the club.

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Beckham, Neville and Co, own SalfordGroup looking for investorsClub currently 19th in League TwoWHAT HAPPENED?

The League Two side are co-owned by key members of the famous Red Devils squad, including Paul Scholes, Nicky Butt, Ryan Giggs and Phil Neville, alongside brother Gary and Beckham. Butt, who took over as the club's chief executive from Gary Neville in October 2022, has announced Salford's pursuit of "strategic partners" to take advantage of "major opportunities" and boost the club's growth.

AdvertisementGetty ImagesWHAT BUTT SAID

Salford's CEO said in a statement: “We are backing Salford City with as much commitment and confidence as ever. We have achieved very special things here but there are major opportunities in front of us and we want to make sure we have the right mix of investment and strategic partners to take advantage of those opportunities. We had an original 10-year plan and with strong foundations now in place, it was always the intention to explore options for the next phase. That includes potentially bringing in new partners to help us grow the club and best serve the fans and community.”

THE BIGGER PICTURE

Beckham, Neville and Co have helped increase the capacity at Salford's Peninsula Stadium from 3,000 to 5,000, as well as securing four promotions since their takeover of 2014. The Class of '92 co-owned side now share a league with Wrexham, whose co-owners Ryan Reynolds and Rob McElhenney are currently aiming for back-to-back promotions. The Hollywood duo have been lauded for their growth of the Wrexham community as well as the club through strategic partnerships, and it is fair to assume they may serve as inspiration for Salford and their owners.

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Getty ImagesWHAT NEXT FOR SALFORD?

Salford did celebrate a memorable win over the Red Dragons earlier this month, recording a 3-1 victory at the Peninsula Stadium. However, their league form has been underwhelming elsewhere, as they sit 19th in the League Two table and nine points clear of safety after 34 games. Salford's next match comes on Tuesday at home to Colchester.

MatériaMais Notícias

O Santos derrotou o Botafogo-SP por 2 a 0, na noite desta segunda-feira, pelo Campeonato Paulista. Em entrevista coletiva após a partida na Vila Belmiro, o técnico Jesualdo Ferreira fez questão de exaltar a evolução de seus jogadores com o seu comando. Ele admitiu que ainda há pontos a serem melhorados, mas mirou como objetivo fazer a equipe virar especial.

– Gradualmente vamos crescendo como equipe, encontrando soluções táticas que vão nos garantir maior estabilidade e consistência. Conseguimos controlar o jogo ofensivo do adversário. Temos que compreender que não é fácil criar espaço contra equipes que jogam com dez jogadores atrás da bola. Já conseguimos ser uma equipe mais organizada, mais consistente, com um ritmo mais seguro, sem dar chances ao adversário. Temos que começar a finalizar melhor, mas tudo ainda está no início do trabalho. Ninguém consegue fazer grandes equipes, e os jogadores estarem em forma, com quatro semanas de trabalho – afirmou, completando:

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– Não temos dois meses de trabalho, portanto, da minha experiência, nenhuma equipe, mesmo as da Europa, conseguem entrar na primeira fase da Liga dos Campeões em níveis de poder dizer que chegamos a um bom estágio de preparação. Espero estar melhor do que estamos hoje, mas a equipe ainda tem muito para evoluir. São seis jogos, qualquer ponto perdido é difícil de recuperar. São seis jogos especiais, então temos que ser uma equipe especial.

Com o resultado, o Santos chegou a dez pontos, na liderança isolada do Grupo A do Campeonato Paulista. Pela competição, volta a campo no domingo, quando visita a Ferroviária. A situação no Estadual está confortável, o que possibilita já comentários sobre a Conmebol Libertadores – o Peixe estreia no dia 3 de março, contra o Defensa y Justicia, da Argentina. Jesualdo Ferreira comentou sobre as expectativas da evolução da equipe até a primeira partida no torneio sul-americano.

– Eu espero que até a Libertadores a equipe atinja os níveis físicos que estamos trabalhando. Espero que, taticamente, seja uma equipe que se entenda melhor nos dois momentos do jogo, o da posse e o defensivo. Temos que melhorar muito nossa subida agressiva para defender, no momento que não conseguimos recuperar, ainda abaixamos um pouco – finalizou o treinador português.

Tabraiz Shamsi’s match haul of 12 for 173 and centuries from Dean Elgar (130) and Qaasim Adams (167) in the first innings lifted Titans to an eight-wicket win over Warriors, a result that helped stretch their lead at the top of the table.Titans were set 140 to chase in the final innings, a target they overhauled inside 30 overs thanks to tournament top-scorer Heino Kuhn’s 67, after rain washed out the first session of the final day.After choosing to bat, Warriors found themselves in trouble at 78 for 4 before Somila Seyibokwe (101) and Kelly Smuts (67) combined to add 157 for the fifth wicket to take their side past 200. Shamsi, however, hit back by taking the last seven wickets of the innings to restrict Warriors to 282, finishing with figures of 7 for 93.Titans’ strong response of 399 was built on Elgar and Adams’ 176-run fifth-wicket stand, after being reduced to 95 for 4. After Elgar fell for 130, Adams carried on to make his career-best score of 167, stringing together vital lower-order partnerships that took Titans close to 400. No other batsman managed a score more than 23.Shamsi came to the fore in the second innings as well by cutting through Warriors’ top order. Colin Ackermann’s 72 was the only score of note as Shamsi and Marchant de Lange (3 for 69) left Warriors reeling at 181 for 7. Gihahn Cloete and Sisanda Magala then combined to add a crucial 65-run stand for the eighth wicket, helping Warriors reach 256.A fine all-round performance by Werner Coetsee in the first innings and a patient half-century from Pite van Biljon in the second set up Knights‘ three-wicket win against Cape Cobras in Bloemfontein.In the first innings, the bowlers cut through the Cobras top order, reducing them to 146 for 6. Dane Vilas, then made a counter-attacking 157 to help his side overcome the early wobble and cross 300. He found good support from Dane Piedt (44) as the pair added 132 for the seventh wicket. Coetsee was the pick of Knights’ bowlers, producing returns of 4 for 62.In response, Knights also suffered a top-order collapse that saw them reeling at 104 for 6. Coetsee then took charge of his side’s innings with a steady 149 that helped Knights secure a 35-run lead. He was helped by lower-order contributions from Corne Dry and Malusi Siboto who made 40 and 44 respectively. Shadley van Schalkwyk also chipped in with 35 at No.8. Piedt picked up figures of 5 for 106.Inspite of captain Omphile Ramela’s 109 and fifties from Andrew Puttick (64) and Justin Ontong (57), Knights dealt the Cobras regular blows to keep them to 291. Puttick and Ramela shared a 165-run stand for the second wicket after opener Simon Khomari fell for a duck in the first over. Duanne Olivier and van Schalkwyk then went about mopping up the lower order to help set their side a target of 257.In their chase, Knights were wobbly at 113 for 4 before van Biljon helped the Knights home with three wickets in hand, on the final day.A final day washout meant that Lions had to settle for a draw against Dolphins at the City Oval in Pietermaritzburg.After opting to bat, Lions had piled up an imposing 516 for 5 before declaring, on the back of centuries from Dominic Hendricks (167) and Rassie van der Dussen(130) . Opener Stephen Cook (70) and Temba Bavuma (94) played the support roles with half-centuries, before Lions declared on the second day.Lions’ bowlers built on their batsmen’s strong performance by reducing Dolphins to 126 for 5. Imraan Khan (64), Daryn Smit (88) and 44 from Keshav Maharaj helped Dolphins reach 259 for 9 at the end of the third day.

سخر يورجن كلوب، مدرب فريق ليفربول، من رفض الثنائي مويسيس كايسيدو وروميو لافيا، الانضمام إلى النادي الإنجليزي، حيث فضلا الانتقال إلى تشيلسي في الصيف.

وكان ليفربول يسعى إلى الحصول على خدمات لاعب وسط جديد في موسم الانتقالات الصيفي الماضي.

وارتبط ليفربول بالثنائي مويسيس كايسيدو ورميو لافيا، حيث كان قريبًا من إبرام الصفقتين، قبل أن يتدخل تشيلسي حيث قرر اللاعبان الانتقال إلى “ستامفورد بريدج” مقابل أرقام قياسية.

ورغم ذلك، فإن تشيلسي يعاني في الموسم الحالي من الدوري الإنجليزي حيث يحتل حاليًا المركز الثاني عشر بعد خوض 16 مباراة.

وقال كلوب في تصريحات نشرتها صحيفة “مترو” الإنجليزية: “لقد قضينا الصيف مع حدوث بعض الأشياء الغريبة في سوق الانتقالات، لكن هنا بيننا أستطيع أن أقول (يا إلهي، كنا محظوظين)”.

وأضاف: “لم نكن نعلم ذلك في تلك اللحظة، بصراحة، لم أدرك ذلك في ذلك الوقت، لكنني سعيد حقًا أن الأمر سار على هذا النحو، أنت لا تعرف أبدًا ما إذا كان الأمر سينجح بهذه الطريقة”.

اقرأ أيضًا.. ليفربول يتعرض لضربة موجعة قبل مواجهة مانشستر يونايتد في الدوري الإنجليزي

وواصل: “كان لدي شعور جيد للغاية قبل أن نبدأ الموسم التحضيري، كان لدينا بالفعل أليستر وسوبوسلاي، ثم علمنا أن هناك فرصة لضم جرافنبرخ، ثم أدركنا بوضوح أن لاعبي خط الوسط الآخرين في قلب الدفاع لا يريدون الانضمام إلى ليفربول، نعم، ترى ما سيحدث”.

وأردف: “ثم وجدنا واتارو إندو، إنه لاعب استثنائي، إنه كذلك بالتأكيد، إنه يبلغ من العمر 30 عامًا، ويتمتع بالخبرة، وقائد اليابان”.

واستكمل: “بالتأكيد لم يكن إندو الاختيار الأول لأن سوق الانتقالات هكذا، نحن لا نختار لاعبًا يبلغ من العمر 30 عامًا يلعب في ألمانيا، في فريق هبط، لكن نحمد الله حيث بحثنا في الأمور مرتين وألقينا نظرة أعمق وحصلنا على هذا الصبي، وأراد أن يأتي بالتأكيد وهذا يساعد”.

واستمر: “الآن لدينا فريق معًا، مجموعة قادة جدد، مع لاعبين ذوي خبرة كبيرة، ولا يزال بعضهم صغارًا، إنها مجموعة مليئة بالرغبة والعاطفة والتي ستعطي كل شيء لهذا النادي”.

واختتم يورجن كلوب تصريحاته: “هذه هي البداية والآن علينا أن نحاول تحقيق شيء مميز”.