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Leeds United playmaker Pablo Hernandez was not involved in the matchday squad for the game against West Ham United on Monday night and Phil Hay has revealed why this was the case.

The latest on Hernandez

The Athletic journalist spoke to Leeds manager Marcelo Bielsa and confirmed via Twitter that “Hernandez has another muscle problem”

This isn’t the biggest blow for Leeds

Last season saw the Leeds faithful fall in love with Hernandez, who Hay championed as ‘unreal’ and a ‘demon’ on Twitter after he scored a crucial late winner against Swansea in the promotion run-in, part of a successful campaign in which he scored nine goals and set up another nine.

However, this season has told a very different story for the 35 year-old, who has suffered a few injuries and was even the subject of speculation over a potential Elland Road exit. Bielsa has only started him twice and subbed him on 11 times in the Premier League this term (Transfermarkt).

It looks like his best years could be behind him, but it will be a slight blow if Leeds don’t have his creative threat to come off the bench should they need one desperately in upcoming games.

In other news, Marcelo Bielsa gave an honest assessment of this Leeds star!

According to Hammers insider and reliable source ExWHUemployee, David Moyes wishes to develop West Ham United’s scouting network behind the scenes ahead of future seasons – with the Scotsman and GSB reportedly deciding to appoint Shane O’Gorman as a scout, who is currently player pathway manager at Leyton Orient. 

The club have already shown strides in developing their potential stars for the future, evident by the signing of young centre-half Frederik Alves, who was scouted from Danish side Silkeborg (West Ham United).

ExWHUemployee shares Moyes plan

West Ham youngster Mipo Odubeko is also displaying huge promise, as evident by the manager’s praise (football.london), with Moyes apparently rating the youngster alongside fellow rising stars like Jamal Baptiste (ExWHUemployee).

Now, in an effort to further aid the club’s youth development, Moyes is allegedly set to appoint O’Gorman as an academy scout following his experience at League Two side Orient – and the new member of staff is expected to arrive in early February.

Indeed, as per ExWHUemployee, there has already been some new appointments in this area at youth level – with Moyes seemingly planning an academy overhaul as he seeks to grow young stars for the future.

Transfer Tavern take

Despite plenty of links to signing a centre-forward, Moyes appears determined to shape the academy and plan ahead for the future – which could come as a good sign for supporters.

The Irons boss has already enjoyed a great season at the Hammers helm so far, with his side sitting pretty in the Premier League top six, but Moyes is refusing to rest on his laurels as he steadily integrates an academy restructure.

In other news: West Ham fans lavished this ace with praise for his performance against Crystal Palace, find out more here.

Steve Bruce could discover Newcastle United’s next Yohan Cabaye in Leicester City’s sought-after midfield prospect Sidnei Tavares.

What’s the word?

According to Noticias ao Minuto, the Magpies are one of several clubs monitoring Tavares’ situation at the King Power Stadium ahead of him becoming a free agent this summer.

The 19-year-old is currently due to be out of contract at the end of the season, but the Foxes are still making efforts to tie the Portugal U19 international down with a new deal.

It is considered unlikely that Tavares will continue his career with Brendan Rodgers’ side beyond the 2020/21 season, as the teen star is ‘disappointed’ that he is yet to make his full senior debut despite several inclusions in the first-team fold.

Newcastle could face competition from across Europe in any efforts to sign Tavares, with Sporting Lisbon seen to be heading a queue featuring Liga NOS rivals SL Benfica plus Spanish sides Sevilla and UD Almeria as well as Ligue 1 outfit OGC Nice.

Reports by The Sun during the recent winter transfer market also claimed that FC Barcelona have a gentleman’s agreement with Leicester to be Tavares’ first-choice destination, should he opt to leave the East Midlands as a free agent at the end of the season.

Scottish Premiership powerhouse Celtic are also exploring the teenager’s potential availability, having seen the cousin of ex-Manchester United star Nani emerge as one of the Foxes’ stand-out players during their EFL Trophy efforts earlier in the campaign.

Should Newcastle sign Tavares?

It will be hard for any club’s talent spotters to truly judge Tavares’ potential with him having played just 10 minutes of competitive first-team football in his career, but Rodgers lauded the central midfielder as a “real talent” following an “outstanding” performance during a pre-season win over Birmingham City last summer.

Rodgers also handed Tavares’ his only senior action to date as a late substitute during a 2-0 loss to SK Slavia Prague in the Europa League earlier this week, coming on immediately after the Czech side doubled their advantage to seal a place in the Last 16.

The Foxes boss must have some confidence in his potential to thrust the youngster on for his debut at a crucial stage of a game, though Newcastle can use his disappointment at fewer opportunities to feature to convince Tavares of a move to St. James’ Park.

On Tyneside, the 19-year-old talent could go on to establish himself as the Toon’s next Cabaye, having displayed a gritty nature in the Leicester engine room and with a creative touch for the U23s.

The Portuguese prospect has one goal and two assists to his name this season, including scoring and creating against League Two side Grimsby Town in a 3-1 EFL Trophy win in November.

Leicester’s official website, in their only recorded data for Tavares, also note an 80% pass success rate in a pre-season friendly, along with making a successful tackle from his only attempt and being successful in three 50/50 duels.

Cabaye was a gritty and creative presence in the Magpies’ engine room during his years in the north east, offering 18 goals and 14 assists in 93 games before joining Paris Saint-Germain for an initial £19m in 2014.

The Frenchman also offered at least 2.2 successful tackles from a minimum 3.6 attempts per Premier League game in black and white, plus a low-2.1 interceptions and 0.8 clearances, per WhoScored.

Obviously, Cabaye was already a much more proven product upon his arrival than Tavares would be, but the sought-after Leicester prospect would seem to have the base level that Newcastle can look build on for years to come.

AND in other news, a £6.5m-rated Newcastle outcast has been marked as a Premier League side’s top summer target…

Southampton have been linked again with a move for Manchester United left-back Brandon Williams recently, and the 20-year-old could be an excellent addition to Ralph Hasenhuttl’s squad.

The youngsters was linked with a move to the Saints during the summer but they were unable to finalise a deal, however, according to Sky Sports the South Coast club are set to reignite their interest in the Englishman in the upcoming January transfer window.

Following Manchester United’s summer signing of Alex Telles, the academy graduate has struggled for game time at Old Trafford so far this season, having made just one substitute appearance in the Premier League so far this season.

Southampton are low on left-back options in their squad, with Jack Stephens having filled in there when Ryan Bertrand was out injured earlier in the season.

Therefore, a move for Williams makes sense for Hasenhuttl, especially if the club don’t plan on renewing the contract of Bertrand, which is set to expire at the end of the current season.

Perhaps we could see a deal similar to the one which brought Kyle Walker-Peters to the South Coast club during the summer, as after an impressive loan spell last season he was keen to make his stay permanent.

During his time with the Red Devils, Williams has featured 41 times for the senior side, contributing one goal and three assists.

Therefore, despite being just 20, the £9.9 million rated defender would bring a fair amount of experience with him to Southampton, having also featured in the Champions League for Ole Gunnar Solskjaer’s side in recent seasons.

After Williams made his full United debut in a game against Partizan Belgrade last year, Solskjaer was full of praise for the youngster, saying:

“Brandon was, for me, man of the match.

“He’s been fantastic in the few games he’s played, the boy has no fear, he’s as brave as a lion and he got us the win.”

In 17 Premier League appearances last season, the 20-year-old averaged a very solid 6.71 rating for United, so it could definitely be argued that he would be a solid addition to the Saints squad and could provide good competition for Bertrand at left-back.

And, in other news… Lost possession 20x: Hasenhuttl surely left fuming by anonymous £45k per week dynamo

Celtic are in a disastrous position right now. 21 points behind their fierce rivals and out of Europe, Neil Lennon and the club’s hierarchy are in a perilous place with their jobs on the line.

Despite having watched their team win nine titles in a row, Hoops supporters are ruthless and will only ever settle for top spot.

With the transfer window now in full swing, signing a few players could certainly help with matters. That being said, making up such a large gap is now virtually impossible.

Though, one player who could perhaps lend more assistance heading into next season is Joel Randall.

The Exeter City winger was linked with a move to Parkhead last week and although he probably wouldn’t be what we’d call a marquee addition, there is a sense that he’d showcase plenty of talent in Scotland.

So far this season, the 21-year-old has scored eight goals and registered a further four assists in what has been a breakthrough campaign for the Grecians.

He currently plays in League Two, so there is understandable scepticism about whether he could make the jump to the SPFL but his performance in the FA Cup last weekend showcased the he can shine against a higher level of opposition.

Although Exeter lost to Championship side Sheffield Wednesday, Randall stood out and he certainly didn’t shy out of a challenge, winning 75% of his duels. For context, no Exeter player won more ground duels for his side than Randall last Saturday.

He was also good going forward, however, succeeding with a joint team-high number of two dribbles. Randall did lose possession 20 times but that was just a marker of how regularly he either tried to deliver the ball into the box or how often he tried to beat a man.

The fact he was top of his team’s statistics just go to show the talent he possesses ass he put in a performance that was full of energy. That will come as no surprise to many, though.

Speaking about the youngster previously, his manager Matt Taylor once said: “His running stats are phenomenal but he’s added an extra dimension to his game in terms of the end product.”

Randall got up and down the left-hand channel like a whippet, putting in plenty of hard yards which no doubt would have pleased Celtic scouts. Unfortunately, his endeavour wasn’t enough to earn Exeter the win but Lennon, if he had any doubt about how the Exeter star would cope playing against better opposition, will now surely be convinced.

Six goals in League Two isn’t the most impressive achievement but standing out against Championship opposition is no mean feat. He’d be a solid pick up for the Hoops, especially with Mo Elyounoussi only on loan in Glasgow for the time being. A replacement, therefore, will need to be found from somewhere and Randall could well be that man.

AND in other news, “Huge disappointment” – Exclusive: Pundit reacts to massive Celtic injury blow for Neil Lennon…

Lots of Manchester United fans have been slamming the news that Amad Diallo still needs a work permit in order to play for the club.

According to Manchester Evening News, Ole Gunnar Solskjaer’s team are still very much in the process of securing a work permit for the 18 year-old ahead of his scheduled move to the Old Trafford faithful in the January transfer window.

Diallo has shown the Man United fans what he is all about in training footage while on loan at Atalanta, and it seems as if he could be an exciting addition to the side for the rest of the 2020/21 term.

However, if a work permit is not sorted for him in time, then the winger will likely not be able to play for his new club this season.

Manchester United fan reaction to Diallo news

These Red Devils slammed the news about Diallo after reading about it on Twitter, with one Man Utd supporter even claiming that it is a ‘joke’:

In other news, find out which global star MUFC are interested in signing here!

Kevin Phillips believes that Glasgow Rangers goalkeeper Jon McLaughlin will be regretting his move to Ibrox in the summer.

McLaughlin regretting switch

The 32-year-old made the move to the Gers from Sunderland during the summer on a free transfer. So far this campaign, he has made ten appearances in all competitions, keeping nine clean sheets. Allan McGregor, though, remains Steven Gerrard’s number one shot-stopper.

Speaking to Football Insider, Phillips says he believes McLaughlin will wish he stayed with The Black Cats. He said:

“It is a tough one for McLaughlin.

“When a huge club like Rangers come calling it is very hard to turn them down but any player in his situation will know that he needs to be playing football.

“The Euros are fast approaching and he will think he has got an opportunity of getting into that squad. But he needs to play football to cement his place in Steve Clarke’s plans.

“I think he will have a slight regret because if he was at Sunderland he would of course be playing week in, week out.

“Come January he might try and get a loan move somewhere because he will want to play regular football to keep his place in that Scotland squad.”

Long-term plus

Of course, McLaughlin would rather be playing every week than playing second fiddle to McGregor, who is 38 years old, and the back-up option has proven that he is more than reliable between the sticks. However, in the long-term, he should be happier north of the border than in Sunderland.

McGregor does not have too long left in his career, and you would guess that he may even think about hanging up his gloves if the Gers are successful this campaign in their quest for major silverware. McLaughlin should be in the Scotland squad irregardless of what happens this term, and he was always likely to be second choice for the Tartan Army behind David Marshall anyway. With Rangers, he has a real chance of winning trophies in the future, something that would not be the case in the north-east of England. Called “impressive” by Portsmouth’s Jamal Lowe last season, he certainly has the ability to play a big role for Gerrard.

For McLaughlin, it is about biding his time and remaining patient. For that, he will most likely be rewarded.

In other news, Rangers eye move for this Champions League man.

Manchester United will face Paris Saint-Germain for the first time since they staged a remarkable comeback to beat the French giants on away goals back in 2019 when they return to Champions League action later tonight.

Ole Gunnar Solskjaer’s side have been beset by an injury crisis before their opening game of the group stages on Tuesday night. The Norwegian could be forced to make several changes as he finds himself without five first-team players including club captain Harry Maguire.

The Red Devils recovered from their humiliating defeat to Tottenham Hotspur at Old Trafford by beating Newcastle United away at St James’ Park on Saturday, but Solskjaer will need his side to be at their very best when they take on the defending Ligue 1 champions at the Parc des Princes.

Here, Football FanCast has taken a look at how Solskjaer could set his side up for the contest, a side which sees him make four changes to the XI that beat Steve Bruce’s Magpies at the weekend.

David de Gea will most likely keep his place between the sticks, which means Dean Henderson will have to wait for his Champions League debut.

The 45-cap Spain international should start behind a back four with of Luke Shaw and Aaron Wan-Bissaka on the flanks. It’s safe to say that Solskjaer is short of centre-back options, as Eric Bailly and Maguire are both currently unavailable, whilst Marcos Rojo and Phil Jones were left out of the squad, so he could hand Axel Tuanzebe a rare start alongside Victor Lindelof.

Bruno Fernandes will wear the captain’s armband for the first time in Maguire’s absence, whilst Paul Pogba will be recalled to the starting line-up to resume his pivotal partnership with the Portuguese magnifico.

Mason Greenwood also misses out, having been left out of the squad that travelled to Tyneside due to an unspecified injury issues. This means that Juan Mata will stay on the right wing after the veteran impressed Alan Shearer in the victory over Steve Bruce’s side.

Finally, there is some good news as well, as Anthony Martial is available once again after missing the game against the Magpies as a result of the red card he received in the humiliation at home to Spurs.

Both Kylian Mbappe and Neymar are set to start for PSG, which means that it could be a long night for De Gea if the makeshift centre-back pairing fails to perform. Solskjaer will be well aware that he cannot afford to slip-up again after a disappointing Europa League campaign, although some things are out of his hands.

After a summer spending spree, failure to reach the Last 16 is surely unnaceptable, that’s for sure.

AND in other news, Luke Shaw let Manchester United down massively and shows Solskjaer still has work to do…

Just the news that every Crystal Palace fan will have wanted to hear.

The Eagles have just beaten their local rivals Fulham 2-1, and, if that wasn’t enough, Wilfried Zaha is “enjoying his football” at Selhurst Park if recent reports are to be believed.

Having handed in a transfer request in the summer, Zaha has made no secret of his desire to leave Palace, but if The Evening Standard’s Malik Ouzia’s article is anything to go by, he may be open to staying at the club.

In fact, Dan Cook believes that Zaha could be convinced to stay if the club appoint a more attack-minded manager. Speaking on a recent episode of the HLTCO podcast, as quoted by This is Futbol, he said: “It may well be that he wouldn’t mind staying at Crystal Palace long-term if he was playing under a manager that gave him and everyone else around him a bit more attacking freedom.”

Whilst this probably won’t give Roy Hodgson a lot of confidence, Eberechi Eze may have just received the best news imaginable. It’s no secret that the 22-year-old is a big admirer of the Ivory Coast international, as he heaped praise on his teammate after playing alongside the forward in the 3-0 win over Charlton Athletic in a pre-season friendly.

Speaking after the game, Eze told the club website: “Linking with the attacking players was fun, it was good for me to get my fitness up and it’s just been a good performance.

“[Wilfried Zaha is] an amazing player. It’s good to play with guys like him and guys of his quality, because they see things others don’t see and it makes life a lot easier for yourself.”

Once hailed as an “outstanding” player by QPR boss Mark Warburton, Eze arguably hasn’t always had it easy, as he has been restricted to just two Premier League starts since joining Palace from Queens Park Rangers in the summer. Last season, the winger scored 14 goals and supplied 8 assists in the Championship, whilst he averaged 2.2 shots, 1.8 key passes and 3 dribbles per game, via WhoScored.

He has also insisted he wanted to move to Selhurst Park in the first place to continue his development as a player, saying: “[The deal] definitely shows their [Palace’s] belief in me – and I want to be here, I want to play, I want to do as well as I can for this club and it’s a brilliant opportunity.

“It was the plan that was set out for me and what they’ve said about me and it’s the most in-line with what I feel about myself. For me, that’s the most important thing – more than ‘what the club is’ or whatever. I think the plan they have for me and where they see me, that’s what it is.”

If Zaha does end up staying for the rest of the season, then that will be a huge boost for Eze as he still has a lot to learn to grow and develop as a player, and who better to learn from than one of the best players in the club’s history? He just needs to be guaranteed game time, which is something that Hodgson has largely failed to provide so far.

AND in other news, Crystal Palace must secure deal for Reading defender Omar Richards…

According to a report by Italian journalist Gianluca Longari, Leicester City have entered the race to sign Leeds United target Rodrigo De Paul, with the attacking midfielder attracting major Premier League interest as the 2020/2021 Premier League season looms. 

De Paul, starting 33 games for Udinese in Serie A last season, thoroughly impressed with his threat going forward – becoming a major influence on the Italian club’s comfortable avoidance of relegation to the second tier, as well as guiding them to within just a few points off finishing in the top half (Sky Sports).

A key player for I Bianconeri, the Argentine could be a player who can inject even more creativity into Leicester’s midfield, as made evident by his impressive WhoScored stats. 

In a very similar mould to Foxes favourite James Maddison, De Paul averaged more shots per 90 over 2019/2020 than the Englishman whilst nearly being level in terms of key passes and completed dribbles, leaving little wonder why Brendan Rodgers and co are now eyeing a swoop.

However, if Leicester are to land their man, they must bat away stiff competition from Leeds United who have been in the hunt for some time – with Sky Sports journalist Fabrizio Romano having claimed the Whites are ‘seriously interested’.

Currently valued at around £30 million, the Foxes will have to invest heavily if they wish to beat Leeds to De Paul’s signature, with the 17-cap Argentina international becoming a man in demand as the transfer window nears it’s conclusion in under a month’s time.

Whether or not Leicester will win the race is unclear, but he could be a stellar addition under Rodgers going by the numbers.

Should the Foxes prioritise signing Rodrigo De Paul before October? Join the discussion by commenting down below…