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West Ham will reject a loan bid from FC Schalke for striker Lucas Perez before the transfer deadline, Football FanCast can confirm.

The Irons have thus far adopted a stance that they will not loan out any first-team players in this transfer window.

A BBC report claimed on Wednesday that the German club had lodged a loan offer for Perez, who has struggled for minutes thus far this season in east London.

However, the Irons would prefer to receive a transfer fee for Perez and value him at around £4million.

Perez has played 10 times in the Premier League, per Transfermarkt, but has yet to complete 90 minutes under Manuel Pellegrini in the top flight.

Former Wigan & Fulham man, Jimmy Bullard recently showed that he’s still got it! Check out the video below…

Nevertheless, Football FanCast understands the club intends to retain Perez as cover for Marko Arnautovic, who recently signed a new contract at the London Stadium, and Javier Hernandez.

Andy Carroll is injury-prone and as we exclusively revealed earlier this month, would likely be allowed to leave if a deadline day bid is tabled. However that appears unlikely, given his patchy fitness record and poor form when he has played.

Football FanCast also understand that Reece Oxford has been told that he can leave on loan, having failed to play a single minute for the first-team thus far this season.

It remains to be seen if an offer will be forthcoming that suits his needs, however.

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According to The Times, West Ham boss Manuel Pellegrini is hopeful that Jack Wilshere will be returning to training in a few weeks, as he works his way back to fitness from a persistent ankle problem. Is there any room in the starting XI for the former Arsenal man though?

On the chalkboard

Despite having played in the Hammers’ first four matches of the season, the Englishman has gotten just five minutes of football under his belt since December. Pellegrini is hopeful, though, that the midfielder will be fit in March, despite earlier fears that his recurring ankle issue could finish his season.

The 27-year-old has not had a lonely rehabilitation though – he has been joined by the likes of Manuel Lanzini, Winston Reid, Carlos Sanchez and more, as injuries decimate the West Ham squad.

As the treatment room filled up, the London Stadium outfit were pretty much forced into action in the January transfer market as they brought in free-agent Samir Nasri on day one. The Frenchman’s arrival, though, could mean Wilshere’s work is far from done once he returns to match fitness.

Jack’s back… or is he?

Nasri has impressed in attacking-midfield, as has the industrious Robert Snodgrass, so Wilshere must outperform both if he is to become Pellegrini’s main man at the number ten position.

Luckily for the Stevenage-born maestro, he is quite versatile, but he will have to compete with Mr. West Ham himself, Mark Noble for the nod alongside the undroppable Declan Rice at the base of midfield.

Noble is still going strong as he enters his twilight years and his leadership is unparalleled in the Irons ranks – Wilshere will have to perform miracles to oust his compatriot from the starting XI.

It could very well be a while before we see Pellegrini give the former England international an extended run in the lineup.

Injuries eventually cost Wilshere his career at Arsenal and, despite having only arrived in the summer, they may have already cost him a guaranteed starting spot in claret and blue.

Who is West Ham’s worst ever signing? Check out the video below for a pretty strong candidate for the dubious honour…

In a rare start this season, Nemanja Matic delivered the kind of performance that reminded Manchester United just what he can bring to the table.

The Serbia international has played just five times across all competitions this year, and there have been reports in recent weeks claiming that he is edging closer to the Old Trafford exit door, with a potential departure in the upcoming January transfer window on the cards.

But whilst at 31 Matic isn’t necessarily a spring chicken, he showed against AZ Alkmaar on Thursday night that his experience and reading of the game can still be a valuable asset to Ole Gunnar Solskjaer’s side. In the Red Devils’ 4-0 thrashing of their Europa League opponents, the midfielder played alongside young starlet James Garner, and he took control of the match.

As per Sofascore, he had an impressive 91% pass accuracy, had 78 touches, and completed an impressive 11 of his 12 attempted long balls. It was a supremely composed midfield display for the powerhouse, and his ability to change the tempo of the game, or use his range of passing to open things up for the side, helped Solskjaer’s side to constantly keep Alkmaar working off the ball.

A real test for any fan: Can you name all of these obscure Man Utd signings?

Defensively he was solid too, registering one tackle, interception and clearance apiece. Garner no doubt would have felt more relaxed and safe knowing he had someone of the experience of Matic next to him to help win the midfield battle, and that in itself is another virtue of potentially wanting to keep hold of the veteran.

With suggestions that United are attempting to target younger, more exciting players in the future, it appears Matic’s career at Old Trafford is in its twilight stages. But in his performance on Thursday – admittedly in the Europa League – the Serbian delivered a reminder that age is just a number and that he may still have plenty to offer.

Meanwhile, Manchester United manager Ole Gunnar Solskjaer has hailed this ace for his recent revival.

This article is part of Football FanCast’s Opinion series, which provides analysis, insight and opinion on any issue within the beautiful game, from Paul Pogba’s haircuts to League Two relegation battles…

Mark Noble will go down in West Ham United history, having played his 500th game for the club against Arsenal.

To reach that number is an incredible achievement for the 32-year-old, who has been there through it all for the club.

Listing off just a few things Noble has played a part in, there has been relegation, promotion, Europa League qualifiers and the Great Escape.

The biggest event he will have been involved in is undoubtedly the final game at Upton Park, in which he became the last man to ever captain West Ham at their true home.

The effort put in by the local boy and his teammates was heroic, as they came back from 2-1 down to beat Manchester United 3-2.

However, there was one admission Noble made after that emotionally-charged game that now seems pretty foolish:

“This club isn’t run like a circus anymore, it’s run like a proper football club and we thank them [the board] for that.”

Since moving to London Stadium, there have been plenty of times where West Ham have come to look nothing short of shambolic.

After little more than a season in the new stadium, Slaven Bilic was sacked as Hammers manager, which was followed by a statement from David Gold and Sullivan that read: “We see this as an exciting opportunity to appoint a quality manager to the position to inject fresh ideas, organisation and enthusiasm into a very talented squad.”

It is safe to say they didn’t quite hit the brief they set themselves, as David Moyes was brought in and only lasted around six months.

The biggest moment of the circus came in 2018 when there were protests on the pitch against Burnley, which included one fan lifting the corner flag up in the air, while there was also crowd trouble at the game, as reported by The Guardian at the time.

Even now, there is a feeling of calamity that verges on embarrassment at times, with Roberto having had his shocking spell in goal, Mario Husillos threatening to resign because of the criticism he has faced and Manuel Pellegrini on the brink of being sacked.

A football legend: How much do you know about the late, great Bobby Moore? Test your knowledge below…

All of this doesn’t really scream of a club being run in the “proper” way and getting the best out of their potential.

Noble will go down in club history and is fully deserving of his place in West Ham hearts, but as captain, he is also currently the ringleader of the London Stadium circus under Gold, Sullivan and Karren Brady.

In other news, Manuel Pellegrini’s quote should be concerning for West Ham fans. 

Loads of Liverpool fans are freaking out over an update from the Reds’ trip to Doha, as reports confirm Virgil van Dijk is not in training.

It’s fair to say the Anfield faithful are having a full blown meltdown on Twitter after The Daily Mail’s Dominic King confirmed van Dijk is not with the first-team for their session in Doha.

Jurgen Klopp’s side are of course preparing for the Club World Cup, and while the reason for the Dutchman’s absence has not been revealed – he may just be resting – fans are not holding back with their reactions to the news.

Georginio Wijnaldum is the only other player not training with the group, and he was injured in Saturday’s win over Watford, so there may well be reason for concern regarding van Dijk’s absence.

The 28 year-old has almost become a mythical figure on Merseyside, as he just appears to strong, too fit and too fast for every striker he welcomes to Anfield – just ask Troy Deeney.

Needless to say, Klopp would have a crisis on his hands if the defender is injured as Dejan Lovren and Joel Matip are already out, and you can find some of the best Twitter reactions down below…

Former Everton defender Alan Stubbs believes that Duncan Ferguson’s mini-revival at Goodison Park will have played a part in bringing Carlo Ancelotti to the club.

Reports on Thursday suggested that the Toffees remain hopeful that the club can bring the 60-year-old to Merseyside, with talks continuing as they look to find a permanent replacement for Marco Silva.

Ferguson, who has taken interim charge of the club since the Portuguese’s sacking earlier this month, has overseen a four-point haul from fixtures against Chelsea and Manchester United, before being knocked out of the EFL Cup on penalties by Leicester City in midweek.

Speaking to TalkSPORT, Stubbs feels that should Ancelotti finalise his move to the blue half of Liverpool, the feel-good factor left from Ferguson’s stand-in spell will have played a part.

He said: “Duncan has had a short-term impact on the team, he’s given them a bit of life and more importantly he’s given Everton fans a bit of optimism.

“He has shown, with a little bit of razzing up and with a little bit of heart and desire what is possible.

“Duncan has given Ancelotti a better platform to work from than what he inherited from Marco Silva.

“So I would have thought Ancelotti will be very thankful that he’s coming into a club with a bit more optimism about it than there was three weeks ago.”

Stubbs’ assertion that Everton’s hopes of bringing Ancelotti to the club on the basis of their most recent performances sounds a little far-fetched – if not complete guesswork.

Links between the Italian and the Toffees were apparent when he was sacked by Napoli – just days after Everton had been guided to victory over Chelsea by temporary boss Ferguson.

That suggests results almost certainly had no effect on the club’s ambition to pursue the former Real Madrid boss, while someone like Ancelotti – who has also been linked with the Arsenal vacancy – would surely base a decision to join a club outside of European football on more than a mere handful of scorelines.

At most, Ferguson’s promising interim spell may encourage Ancelotti’s beliefs of turning Everton into a success if he agrees to take over, while Stubbs crediting his fellow Scot for the potential incoming of the ex-Chelsea manager is perhaps a little harsh on the ambitious Everton board.

Watch Everton V Burnley Free with Prime on Boxing Day

Aston Villa recorded their first away win in nearly three months on New Year’s Day with a vital 2-1 victory over Burnley at Turf Moor.

Pressure has been mounting on Dean Smith in recent weeks but the Villans’ latest victory will take the edge off for the time being.

His decision to tweak the formation against the Clarets was shrewd and appeared to stimulate improvement at both ends of the field.

Villa’s second goal, for example, epitomised the notable improvement on the day.

An incisive free-flowing move was eventually finished off by Jack Grealish after Douglas Luiz had played him into a promising position, and the Brazilian midfielder came in for plenty of praise in the aftermath of proceedings for his all-round performance.

The 21-year-old showed his quality in both the attacking and defensive phases of play, completing three tackles and also playing two key passes, per Whoscored.

Lots of fans were waxing lyrical on Twitter, with one saying he was second behind Grealish in contention for the Man of the Match award.

It’s often difficult for new players to settle following a transfer and, generally speaking, fans should allow their new signings at least one full season to adapt before forming concrete judgements.

But that doesn’t prevent them from firing criticism in the direction of their players, and Luiz hasn’t always impressed the entirety of the fanbase.

These two fans alluded to criticism that’s been fired in his direction of late and suggested his latest performance provided a perfect response.

Finally, more fans suggested it was his best game since joining the club from Manchester City in the summer transfer window.

In the absence of John McGinn the Brazilian might just be forced to come of age in the final months of the season.

According to Italian media outlet Tuttomercatoweb, Everton are reportedly knocking on the door for Lazio striker Ciro Immobile, and he would finally be the Romelu Lukaku replacement they have been craving.

What’s the word, then?

Well, Tuttomercatoweb report that the Toffees have enquired for the top goalscorer in Serie A, and that their offer to sign him would be “heavy”.

The report adds that it is unlikely that the Rome-based outfit would be willing to let the 29-year-old, described by his manager Simone Inzaghi as the club’s “leader and bomber”, leave anytime soon given his record in 2019/20.

The Italy international has scored 21 goals in 22 appearances in all competitions this term, including 19 in just 17 Italian top-flight outings.

Finally be a Lukaku replacement

Having scored 87 goals in 166 appearances for Everton, there was no doubt that the Belgian’s exit was going to be felt by the Merseyside outfit when he joined Manchester United in an initial £75m deal in the summer of 2017.

Watch Everton Videos With StreamFootball.tv Below

Since then, the Toffees have brought the likes of Cenk Tosun and Moise Kean to Goodison Park, but it probably says it all that Ancelotti’s current first-choice striking options are probably Dominic Calvert-Lewin and Richarlison, the latter of whom isn’t even a natural centre-forward.

Tosun is reportedly in talks to joining Crystal Palace on loan, while Kean has failed to score in his opening 20 outings for the club following his summer switch from Juventus.

The fact that Everton have scored 24 goals in their 21 Premier League fixtures in 2019/20 highlights one of their issues, and they could do with a consistent goalscorer – Calvert-Lewin may have impressed recently with five goals in his previous six top-flight matches, but 27 goals in 117 games in a blue shirt in total suggests he isn’t the answer in that sense.

Call yourself a Premier League expert? How much did each of these big-money January signings cost?

Immobile’s spell at Borussia Dortmund previously may have been slightly disappointing – 10 goals in 34 – but his record for Torino and now Lazio speaks volumes – 28 in 48 and 107 in 156, while he has also averaged an impressive 1.6 key passes per game in Serie A, as per WhoScored.

An article by Football Italia described him as being ‘deceptively quick’, ‘physically strong’, a ‘tireless worker’ and ‘great with either foot’.

This man is a prolific, confident marksman and Everton would be right to go big to bring him to Goodison.

In other Everton news, Toffees fans want to sign a reportedly available 20-year-old midfielder, who one supporter described as his “preference to replace Gueye”…

Tottenham Hotspur fans have urged the club to reshape their defence in the January transfer window.Spurs have been in poor form in recent weeks and have not won a game in their last three outings.

They have drawn with Norwich City and Middlesbrough – the latter in the third round of the FA Cup – and lost to Southampton at St Mary’s.

Thus far this season, they have conceded 30 goals in the Premier League, the joint-highest of any club in the top half of the table, along with Arsenal.

Liverpool and Leicester City, the league’s top two, have conceded just 33 between them.

The big fat Tottenham quiz of 2019 – how much do you remember about the last year at Spurs?

And with the January transfer window open, fans are desperate for the club to bring in reinforcements to their backline, be it with full-backs or centre-backs.

Indeed, Spurs have not kept a clean sheet away from home since January, when they beat Cardiff City 3-0 in Wales.

Since then, they have played 18 games on the road in the Premier League.

In that time, they have won twice, against Fulham and West Ham United, losing 12 times and shipping 32 goals. They have scored 20 times, underlining just how porous their defence has been.

Indeed, one has to feel that their defence, at this point, is starting to creak. Jan Vertonghen is 32 and has been remarkably inconsistent in recent weeks, procuring a rating as high as 8.78 from WhoScored against Burnley and as low as 6.16 against Arsenal.

It is a similar story for Davinson Sanchez – a high of 7.68 in that Burnley game and a nadir of 5.99 versus Watford – while Toby Alderweireld has not gone higher than 6.69 in his last four league outings.

The Spurs supporters may well be right.

Meanwhile, Jose Mourinho is doing Spurs no favours.Â

Tottenham youngster Japhet Tanganga has enjoyed a great start to 2020.

He made his debut for Spurs and in doing so has earned a contract renewal, according to The Athletic via a tweet by Ricky Sacks, which fans have been responding to.

The club has activated a clause in the defender’s contract to extend his stay in North London by a further year, as it was due to expire at the end of the season.

The Athletic also suggest that a long-term contract is being prepared for the 20-year-old, and if he continues to build on his first few appearances then he could be the next successful product of the academy, following in the footsteps of Harry Winks and Harry Kane.

Watch Tottenham Hotspur Videos With StreamFootball.tv Below

Tottenham fans have been reacting to the news and it is fair to say the majority are pleased with the development.

That indicates that they have been impressed with what Tanganga has shown so far – achieving a WhoScored rating of 7.38 against table-toppers Liverpool, the highest of any Spurs player.

That is certainly an impressive start, particularly as he is a natural centre-back yet featured at full-back, hinting that he could perhaps be the long-term answer at right-back.

After all, Serge Aurier has attracted criticism this term and Jose Mourinho’s side has looked vulnerable at the back with 31 goals conceded in 22 league games.

The big fat Tottenham quiz of 2019 – how much do you remember about the last year at Spurs?

An extended deal may be what he deserves but he will now have to prove himself on a consistent basis, with some supporters raising concerns that he has not played in enough games to warrant a long-term stay at the Tottenham Stadium.

There has been no shortage of players linked to Tottenham this month, and fans have been busy reacting to one potential signing who could make a big difference.