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West Ham could be boosted by new investment in the near future and the ever-reliable ExWHUemployee has delivered a fresh update on the emerging situation…

What’s the word?

The Athletic revealed earlier this week that Czech Republic businessman Daniel Kretinsky is considering the purchase of a minority stake in the east London outfit. It’s thought that he is expected to buy a 27% share in the club and could increase that in the future.

Hammers insider Ex revealed that this was certainly the case to his ‘The West Ham Way’ Patreon website.

“As most of you will remember we exclusively broke the news that a Czech investor was looking to buy a stake in the club on the podcast,” he said.

“This stake purchase looks to be gaining some momentum elsewhere in the media now having not been given much coverage when we first spoke of it.

“This led us to believe that further talks must have happened recently and a couple of decent sources have since confirmed this after checking today.

“We have also been told by the club that the reports are true and that the deal is being spoken about, but isn’t as close as being suggested and that a full takeover has not been discussed, although it could be if an initial stake takeover is agreed.

“Talks will continue over the next few days.”

Exciting times ahead

This recent development is sure to leave many around the London Stadium absolutely buzzing as The Athletic also suggest that it could be the ‘beginning of the end of West Ham’s so-called “GSB” era.’

It is another step in the right direction for a club which is clearly on the up, having qualified for the Europa League last season and with Forbes ranking them as the 18th most valuable club in the world and the Premier League’s eighth most valuable at £370m.

Furthermore, they have also been given authority to increase their capacity, taking them past local rivals such as Spurs and Arsenal. If the Hammers continue to grow at this rate, they’ll have no trouble selling out 62,500 seats each and every week.

Much of the Irons’ fanbase has been against GSB for quite some time, with demonstrations against their leadership a frequent occurrence over the past two to three years.

Providing the club with some further investment will only aid their growth tenfold, especially given Kretinsky’s history. He has a 40% stake in Czech Republic’s biggest club Sparta Prague.

Elsewhere, the 46-year-old has investments in some big UK firms, including Sainsbury’s and the Royal Mail, so he’s certainly not foreign to the country – something which could be a worry with some other interested parties.

This seems to be the start of GSB moving on, with their London Stadium tax clause expiring in March 2023, so it’s definitely an exciting time to be a Hammers fan right now.

Many in east London will surely be delighted with this update from one of the most reliable sources in and around the club.

AND in other news, West Ham handed transfer boost over £31.5m-rated goal machine as Fabrizio Romano claim emerges…

With their 2-0 win against Atletico Madrid in the Champions League now behind them and the latest international break in sight, Liverpool have a Premier League clash against high-flying West Ham United on the agenda this evening.

In terms of who Reds manager Jurgen Klopp could select in his starting XI today, it seems as though he will be without some of his key players, with the likes of Naby Keita, James Milner, Roberto Firmino, Curtis Jones and Joe Gomez out injured.

With this in mind, here’s how we feel Liverpool could line up against West Ham, with three changes from the side which started against Atletico on Wednesday.

In goal, it would be a surprise to see anyone other than Alisson Becker considering that he has played in all but one of Liverpool’s league games so far this season.

In defence, it would be no surprise to see Trent Alexander-Arnold at right-back once more considering how much he impressed against Atletico, getting assists for both of Liverpool’s goals on the night.

Next to Alexander-Arnold, we think Klopp could take Matip out of the side from midweek and start Ibrahima Konate next to Virgil van Dijk to see if they can keep Michail Antonio quiet considering that he’s managed to score six goals in nine league games for West Ham this season. The French youngster has started the last two Premier League matches but had a rest in midweek, so he could come back in for the Cameroonian today.

At left-back, even though Kostas Tsimikas played and impressed against Atletico with an overall match rating of 8/10 from SofaScore, we think Andy Robertson will return to the team today after Klopp labelled him the “best left-back in the world” when discussing the current battle between the pair.

In midfield, we think Klopp will stick with the duo of Fabinho and Jordan Henderson to try and overshadow West Ham’s probable midfield pairing of Tomas Soucek and Declan Rice. The one change sees Thiago Alcantara, who is currently earning £200k-per-week according to Spotrac, coming back into the side in place of Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain, who had a slight issue with his knee in the Atletico game.

With the front three, we reckon Klopp’s best option is to stick with the trio which started against Atletico with Sadio Mane and Mohamed Salah on the wings and Diogo Jota through the middle, particularly with Firmino suffering a hamstring injury in midweek.

In other news: Klopp could unearth Liverpool’s next Henderson with 18 y/o prodigy, fans will love him

Crystal Palace are keen on signing Real Madrid striker Borja Mayoral in January, offering him an ‘escape route’ from his loan spell at Roma.

The Lowdown: Palace linked with Mayoral move

The 24-year-old is currently on a temporary spell at the Stadio Olimpico, where he has been based since 2020, having been deemed surplus to requirements by Real Madrid.

After scoring 10 times in 18 Serie A starts last season, he has found himself completely out of favour under Jose Mourinho, making just three late substitute appearances this term.

Mayoral is sure to be looking at alternatives to Roma and it appears as though Palace could provide one, with one report emerging on Saturday regarding a potential move.

The Latest: Fresh report emerges

According to Mundo Deportivo journalist Pablo Planas [via Sport Witness], an ‘escape route has been opened’ at Roma and Mayoral is ‘ready to take it’.

Palace and Fiorentina are claimed to be the two clubs in the running to snap up the Spaniard, who has scored seven times in 33 matches for Real Madrid and is ‘close’ to parting ways with the Serie A club where is currently on loan.

The Verdict: Interest seems genuine

The fact that two quickfire reports have emerged suggests that Palace genuinely see Mayoral as a possible January acquisition, which should be exciting for Eagles fans.

While the striker may not have been a revelation for Real Madrid or Roma, he has still scored goals at two prestigious European clubs, which shows his pedigree.

Patrick Vieira may be well-stocked in attack, with Odsonne Edouard, Jordan Ayew and Christian Benteke all options at centre-forward, but Mayoral could just be a step up from all of them.

In other news, some Crystal Palace fans have reacted to an injury update. Read more here.

Leeds are thought to be considering a move for Middlesbrough’s Marcus Tavernier in January, according to TEAMtalk.

The Lowdown: Tavernier profiled

Tavernier, who was born in Leeds, is 22 years of age and currently holds a career-high Transfermarkt valuation of £2.7m.

He has made 15 appearances for Middlesbrough this season in six different areas of the pitch, highlighting his versatility and bringing his total showings for Boro to 122.

Primarily a left midfielder, most of Tavernier’s appearances during the current campaign have come as a right-winger, and it seems this ability to add depth in multiple positions is catching the eye at Elland Road.

The Latest: Whites considering January move

TEAMtalk shared a report on Tuesday lunchtime, suggesting the Whites are considering a winter window move for Tavernier, with Victor Orta a confirmed fan of the player labelled as ‘special’ by Neil Warnock.

Brighton, Burnley and Southampton have been watching the Englishman for some time, but it seems as if Leeds are now in the race for Tavernier’s services.

The Verdict: Dallas 2.0?

Should Leeds secure Tavernier’s services in the New Year, they could have another Stuart Dallas on their hands.

The Northern Ireland international has turned out in nine different positions during his career – the same number as Tavernier who is still in the early stages of his career.

Marcelo Bielsa also likes to run with a small squad, so bringing in a player as versatile as Dallas could be of interest to the Argentine, who could then look to coach Tavernier in multiple positions.

In other news: ‘Someone Bielsa quietly admires’ – Phil Hay hints at Leeds move for ‘fantastic’ player. 

Aston Villa secured their first win in five games against Brighton, with Steven Gerrard’s side even keeping a clean sheet at Villa Park on Saturday.

Gerrard led out his men for the first time and didn’t let himself or the fans down with an attacking display from his team that broke down a well-drilled Brighton.

Despite having significantly less possession in the game overall, the Villa side took advantage where it mattered most, in the final third, with Tyrone Mings and Ollie Watkins both getting on the score sheet in the last ten minutes of the game, securing an important three points.

Although the attacking threat and defensive play was spot on against Brighton when it mattered, there was one player that put in a less than satisfactory performance for Aston Villa.

Emi Buendia is new this season to Villa Park and has previously opened up on his struggles in his first few games for the side so far, and unfortunately, the £75k-per-week winger continued to show a shaky performance against Brighton.

The Argentine had zero shots and lost five of his duels (62.5%) in the game, which could have caused nightmares for Aston Villa if the likes of Ollie Watkins, Tyrone Mings and Matt Targett weren’t on their ‘A’ game.

Buendia showed moments of build-up play that looked promising against the Seagulls, including a ball into Danny Ings that could’ve gifted a goal sooner to the side, but his heavy touch cost him the opportunity to create big chances in the game.

However, he did lose possession on 11 occasions and also failed to manage any dribbles, an attribute that’s usually synonymous with his style of play.

The recent performances from Buendia aren’t an immediate concern for the Villa boss, if anybody can give the coaching and words of wisdom on attacking and pressing better in the team, it’s Gerrard.

It’s clear the youngster is keen to impress and become a dominant presence in the team, he recently spoke to talkSPORT about his intentions in the team.

The 24-year-old said; “The only pressure I put on myself only I know what that means and it’s just to be the best player I can be to help the team and obviously to be successful in this league and for this club.”

Aston Villa will be hoping to continue this winning form as they attempt to move further away from a relegation battle, with the opportunity stay in the Premier League next season.

In other news: Matt Targett was Gerrard’s hero against Brighton

Manchester United are thought to be interested in bringing Ralf Rangnick as Old Trafford to take over as interim manager.

That’s according to reliable reporter Samuel Luckhurst of The Manchester Evening News, and unsurprisingly a number of United fans have been reacting to the news on social media.

Rangnick is currently a director at Lokomotiv Moscow and has plenty of experience as a manager. The 63-year-old’s last role in the dugout came with RB Leipzig, and the eight-honour boss appears to be on Ed Woodward’s radar.

Luckhurst claimed that United’s initial approach for Paris Saint-Germain manager Mauricio Pochettino has been rejected, leading the Old Trafford club to explore an interim boss in the meantime.

He suggested that Rangnick is the preferred short-term option, although the likes of former Barcelona coach Ernesto Valverde and former Roma coach Rudi Garcia have also been discussed.

United fans react

@utdreport shared Luckhurst’s claim regarding United’s interest in Rangnick on Wednesday lunchtime.

Here is what these Red Devils supporters had to say in reply, with many excited by the news and a few hoping to see a summer move for Ajax boss Erik ten Hag over Pochettino.

“Rangnick then Ten Hag with a DOF…I know I am dreaming but this sounds too damn good! #MUFC structure is key to Utd’s success!”

Credit: @RocBoiJJ

“the best news today, get Rangnick as an interim and then go for Ten Haag at the end of the season”

Credit: @morsikooo

“PLEASE, I BEG”

Credit: @evanderadjei

“On my kneeeeees”

Credit: @jaredmcleod7

“Yes!!!!!!!!!!! Then Ten Hag in the summer”

Credit: @VegetaUTD

“This is what I want to be reading please. Rangnick or Valverde end of the season, please Lord. We can still win something.”

Credit: @Dharey__

In other news: This managerial update also went down well with plenty of United fans

Many Glasgow Rangers fans have been buzzing over some news which has emerged regarding their Academy team.

As per the club’s official website, the under-19s are now through to the next round of the UEFA Youth League after beating Septemvri Sofia 3-0 at home in the second leg of their tie, completing a 7-2 victory on aggregate.

Alex Lowry, Tony Weston and Cole McKinnon all got themselves on the scoresheet on a triumphant night for the young Gers, who will discover their next opponents when the play-off draw takes place on 14 December.

These are exciting times for the Academy and some of the players certainly seem to have a bright future ahead of them, as Giovanni van Bronckhorst might now look to see who he can promote to the first team.

Rangers fans on Academy win

These Light Blues supporters buzzed as the result was shared on Twitter, with one Rangers fan claiming that it was ‘brilliant’ from the youngsters:

“Superb from the young team, the future is very bright with this side”

Credit: @Cammy26_2

“Brilliant result”

Credit: @harricrowe

“Amazing! Well done lads.”

Credit: @DollHughes22

“Fantastic”

Credit: @Giovani2021Ward

“Boys played well tonight, young McKinnon’s goal was outstanding”

Credit: @daviekane90

“Yaaaaaaaaaaaaas lads!”

Credit: @Passenger__57

In other news, a worrying claim has been made on this ‘top class’ Gers player

Manchester United have received a potential injury blow ahead of their Premier League clash with Norwich City over the weekend after Aaron Wan-Bissaka picked up an issue against BSC Young Boys.

What’s the word?

In his post-match interview on Wednesday night, interim manager Ralf Rangnick confirmed that the 24-year-old is a doubt ahead of their trip to Carrow Road on Saturday.

The right-back took a heavy knock to his hand after falling awkwardly during the game before leaving the field of play on a stretcher after the final whistle had been blown after he collided with the advertising boards in the final seconds of the match.

“Aaron got two knocks again. One on the wrist another one on the knee, so we have to see how this will develop by Saturday,” revealed Rangnick. “It was an experiment but I did it on purpose as I wanted to save the players’ energy for Norwich.”

Ralf Rangnick will be gutted

News that Wan-Bissaka is potentially unavailable for the upcoming encounter with the Canaries will leave Rangnick feeling gutted as he’s dealt his first big obstacle and setback in the Old Trafford dugout.

Although the £90,000-per-week gem is no longer guaranteed a starting spot under the new regime and is facing increased competition from Diogo Dalot, he is still a valuable member of the first-team squad.

As per WhoScored, Wan-Bissaka has averaged 2.2 tackles per league game this season, placing him third amongst his teammates, while also producing 1.3 interceptions, more than any of his colleague’s bar Fred, who has matched his tally.

Therefore, Rangnick is likely to be hugely disappointed if Wan-Bissaka is unable to recover in time for the crucial fixture against Norwich, with United desperate to maintain their momentum as they go in search of a top-four finish.

How the German overcomes his first big dilemma in charge of the club will be fascinating.

And, in other news…Forget Greenwood: Man United beast who won 82% duels took his chance vs Young Boys

West Brom shared footage of Reyes Cleary’s Premier League 2 hat-trick on their official Twitter page on Tuesday afternoon.

And, as to be expected, a number of Baggies fans were quick to give their thoughts on social media.

The 17-year-old has been in fine form for the club’s Under-23 and Under-18 sides this season, netting 16 goals in 2021/22.

That has resulted in German giants Bayern Munich stepping up their interest in his services, with the Baggies preparing to offer Cleary a first professional contract. Premier League sides Crystal Palace, Newcastle United and Southampton are also keeping tabs on the striker ahead of the New Year.

Cleary netted all three goals in West Brom’s 3-2 win over Middlesbrough on Monday, with the club sharing a link to the highlights on Twitter.

Baggies fans react

This is what these West Brom fans had to say in reply to the club’s post, with some urging the club to offer him a contract and one labelling his talent ‘a joke’.

Meanwhile, others are fearful Cleary could be the latest to join Midlands rivals Aston Villa after Tim Iroegbunam and Finn Azaz swapped The Hawthorns for Villa Park over the summer.

“Give the MAN A CONTRACT AND A CHANCE IN THE FIRST TEAM BEFORE ITS TOO LATE”

Credit: @__Hashar9

“He will probably be snatched up by a bigger club in Jan. happens every time.”

Credit: @Clarke22Ryan

“Probably end up at the Villa.”

Credit: @joneskyleKJ

“That Cleary is a joke”

Credit: @Fisher_WBAfc

“There’s offering a contract and another him accepting one. Probably end up at the Villa with the rest of the poached eggs.”

Credit: @grorty_dickos

“Has to be in contention surely…”

Credit: @Joe_Beddow

In other news: ‘Record low’ – Many West Brom fans fume as ‘awful’ news is confirmed. 

With two defeats and ten goals conceded in their two previous league games, Leeds United are suffering from a brutal number of players out injured at the moment, such as Kalvin Phillips, Patrick Bamford, Liam Cooper, Jamie Shackleton, Dan James, Rodrigo and Pascal Struijk.

This doesn’t put them in a great place to take any points from their next two league games against an in-form Arsenal on Saturday and then against Liverpool on Boxing Day.

However, speaking in his latest press conference ahead of the weekend clash against the north London club, Leeds manager Marcelo Bielsa dropped some news that will surely please a lot of fans.

What’s the latest?

Bielsa revealed that defender Robin Koch is back in contention to be involved in the game on Saturday after being out of action since August with an injury to his pubis bone.

Given the injuries to Cooper, Shackleton and Struijk, it seems to be an ideal time for Koch to come back into the team and help them strengthen up at the back after their recent defeats and the manner in which they conceded seven goals against Manchester City last time out.

Since joining the Yorkshire club back in the 2020 summer transfer window from German club SC Freiburg on a four-year deal, the 25-year-old, who is currently valued at £15.3m according to Transfermarkt, has made just 18 appearances for Leeds across all competitions after struggling with a knee injury that kept him out of action for a large chunk of last season.

In the league games he did appear in last term though, Koch showed just what a useful defensive figure he can be for the team and why the club chose to sign him in the first place by racking up an average of 1.8 clearances per game, 1.6 tackles and 1.6 interceptions as well as winning 58% of the duels he was involved in.

To put those numbers into perspective, fellow Leeds centre-back Diego Llorente has an average of 1.1 tackles per game and 1.2 interceptions per game in the league so far this season, which suggests that the Spaniard could do with having Koch next to him to keep things tighter at the back.

Moving forward, whether Bielsa decides to play Koch against Arsenal or not, if he can stay fit for the rest of the season, this would surely be a big boost for the team as a whole and their chances of avoiding relegation by the end of the campaign.

In other news: Leeds dealt yet another injury blow ahead of Arsenal that’ll surely leave fans fuming – opinion