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West Brom will be looking for around £40m combined for Matheus Pereira and Sam Johnstone, says the club’s former midfielder Carlton Palmer.

Both players are being heavily linked with moves away from The Hawthorns following West Brom’s relegation to the Championship.

According to Daily Express journalist Ryan Taylor, West Ham have held talks with Pereira’s representatives over a potential transfer. And prior, Sky Sports claimed that the east London club had made an unsuccessful bid for Johnstone.

The offer was thought to be worth £6m, well short of what ex-West Brom striker Kevin Phillips expects them to get.

He told West Brom News that the Midlands club should be receiving £20m each for Johnstone and Pereira, a sentiment Palmer also shares.

“For sure, for sure,” the former England international told FFC when asked if he agreed with Phillips. “But, you see, they’re in a position West Brom where clubs will know they’re wanting to offload these players because of the fact that they were relegated.

“Still, you’d be expecting West Brom to be looking for that type of money for those two players.”

In regards to Johnstone specifically, it is hard to imagine West Ham going from £6m to £20m. However, with both Arsenal and Tottenham said to be interested, West Brom should still be able to get a decent fee for the goalkeeper.

West Ham are monitoring former Arsenal midfielder Aaron Ramsey, who looks set to leave Juventus.

That’s according to a report from Italian outlet Calciomercato.

The lowdown

Ramsey is said to be ‘destined’ to leave Turin after what the report calls ‘two seasons full of physical problems and misunderstandings’.

The Welshman joined Juventus on the expiry of his Arsenal contract ahead of the 2019/20 season.

He signed a four-year deal worth as much as £400,000 per week with the Old Lady.

The 30-year-old made 13 Serie A starts last season, scoring twice and providing four assists.

£12.6million-rated midfielder Ramsey is currently on Euro 2020 duty, so the uncertainty surrounding his future may be prolonged.

The latest

The Premier League apparently offers ‘the greatest outlets’ to Ramsey, with West Ham not the only English club considering a move.

Crystal Palace and Everton are also named, though the latter will have to wait until a successor for Carlo Ancelotti is appointed before they can proceed with their business.

Ramsey’s entourage is said to be in ‘constant’ contact with potential buyers.

The verdict

A fit and firing Ramsey is an outstanding player of course, but this wouldn’t be a sensible move for West Ham.

Just since joining Juventus, he has missed games with nine different injury concerns – it’s simply too much of a gamble when considering the wages he would likely demand.

Though you’d think Ramsey will be forced to agree to a substantial pay-cut if he does depart Turin, even a 50% reduction would make him the Hammers’ highest-paid player by some distance.

The club should continue boxing clever in the market instead of making reckless moves for big names.

In other news, many Hammers fans reacted to this footage.  

Roy Hodgson has been touted with a sensational return to West Brom following his departure from Crystal Palace, but former Premier League striker Brian Deane doesn’t see that happening.

Having guided Palace to safety for a fourth year in succession, after much uncertainty regarding his future, the 73-year-old decided to end his four-year stay at Selhurst Park.

Remarkably, just more than 24 hours later, Sam Allardyce also decided to call time at West Brom, just six months into his 18-month deal at the Hawthorns.

And reports believe that the Baggies are keen on reappointing Hodgson, nine years after he left to become England manager.

Hodgson done an excellent job during his short spell with West Brom, guiding them to their first ever top-half finish in the Premier League – coming 10th in 2011-2012.

But despite his impact at the club, and relationship with the fans, Deane believes that the Baggies will go be trying to get someone slightly younger through the door.

He exclusively told Football FanCast:

“I’d be surprised if he went to West Brom at his age, because West Brom will look for someone with more energy.”

Whilst this would be a brilliant appointment for West Brom, it’s unlikely that Hodgson would walk away from his post at Palace to drop down into the Championship.

Derby County have opened contract talks with Martyn Waghorn in a bid to keep him at Pride Park this summer.

What’s the talk?

That’s according to a report by Derbyshire Live, who claim that Wayne Rooney’s side have entered into talks with the 31-year-old regarding a new deal at the club, with his current contract set to expire at the end of the month.

It has previously been reported that Cardiff City are keeping a close eye on the situation of the centre-forward ahead of a potential move in the upcoming transfer window, should the striker become a free agent this summer.

Fans will be buzzing

While Waghorn did not enjoy his most prolific of seasons for Derby County last term, the news that the Rams are working to tie the striker down to a new deal at the club will nevertheless have fans buzzing.

Over his 32 Championship appearances for Wayne Rooney’s side last season, the £1.8m-rated man scored five goals, registered four assists and created two big chances for his teammates, as well as taking an average of 1.6 shots and making 0.7 key passes per game.

These returns saw the £7.9k-per-week forward earn a seasonal SofaScore match rating of 6.67, ranking him as the Rams’ 18th-best performer in the second tier.

However, despite his below-par displays over the majority of the season, Waghorn proved his worth to Derby on the final day of the club’s Championship campaign, turning in a show-stopping performance in the Rams’ relegation shoot-out against Sheffield Wednesday.

In the fixture, the former Ipswich Town striker scored two goals and provided one assist, as well as earning a SofaScore match rating of 8.1, with his efforts almost single-handedly ensuring that Derby will be playing Championship football as of next season.

As such, if the man who has been dubbed a “problem” for defenders can continue this form into next season – if he does go on to pen a new deal at Pride Park, that is – then Wayne Rooney’s hopes of securing a much more respectable finish in the Championship standings next time around will be significantly increased – an outcome that would surely delight fans of the club.

In other news: Rooney heading for grave Derby transfer mistake over £13k-p/w dud who’s “real trouble”

Crystal Palace and Leeds United have both been credited with an interest in Celta Vigo midfielder Okay Yokuslu this week.

And a number of Eagles fans have been giving their thoughts on the rumours on social media.

According to El Desmarque, cited by Sports Witness, both Palace and Leeds are in the picture to sign the 27-year-old.

The holding midfielder also has interest from his native Turkey, however, his agent admitted there is no desire to move to the Super Lig this summer.

Yokuslu made 16 Premier League appearances on loan with West Brom last season after joining for the second half of the campaign, one of which came in a 1-0 defeat to Palace in March.

It seems as if the Eagles hierarchy like what they see in the Turkey international, despite not having a first-team manager in place.

Palace fans react

@CPFCtransfersHQ shared the links to Yokuslu on Twitter on Wednesday afternoon.

This is what these Palace supporters had to say in reply, with many excited at the links and one describing it as ‘positive news’.

“Our team has been crying out for a proper dm since Jedi left so this would be perfect”Credit: @Connormzz”Yokuslu, Gallagher & AMN midfield is legitimately world-class.”Credit: @SWPalace”Some positive news”Credit: @CPFCMax9″Streets need a Yokuslu x Jairo pivot”Credit: @Sumo08112″Yes please”Credit: @Phillyconcarne”I’ll get his shirt if he joins”Credit: @Reid_Jenden15

In other news: Eagles keen on Premier League striker, find out more here. 

Sheffield United will be looking to secure back-to-back wins when they take on Newcastle United at St James’ Park on Wednesday evening.

Paul Heckingbottom’s side picked up an impressive 1-0 win against Everton at Goodison Park on Sunday evening, with 17-year-old sensation Daniel Jebbison scoring the only goal of the game.

The Blades will be desperate to finish the season strongly to take some momentum into next season, where they will be hoping to secure an immediate return to the top-flight via promotion from the Championship.

Newcastle United meanwhile, secured their safety in the top-flight recently thanks to a strong run of form, with Steve Bruce awarded the manager of the month award, and they were spirited in a 4-3 defeat against champions Manchester City last time out.

Here’s how Football FanCast thinks Heckingbottom should line his side up on Wednesday evening, with two changes from the team that started in the win at Goodison Park…

After an incredible display against Carlo Ancelotti’s side to earn a clean sheets, Aaron Ramsdale keeps his place in between the sticks.

There’s one change in defence, as Jayden Bogle starts ahead of George Baldock at right wing-back, with the rest of the defence keeping their place after the rare shut out against the Toffees.

Oliver Norwood and John Fleck continue together in midfield, with Sander Berge unfortunately suffering another setback in his injury, which should rule him out of the trip to St James’ Park.

There’s one change in attack, as the “exceptional” Rhian Brewster replaces Ben Osborn, with David McGoldrick supporting the former Liverpool man and Jebbison in an attacking midfield role, in the hope that Brewster can break his duck and grab his first Blades goal ahead of next season.

And, in other news… Sheffield United suffer huge blow as CL giants eye seven-goal beast, Blades fans will be fuming

Dean Windass has exclusively told Football FanCast that Sergio Aguero will go abroad this summer rather than opting to stay in the Premier League.

The legendary Manchester City striker announced last month that he’ll be leaving the Etihad Stadium at the end of the season, meaning he’ll be searching for a new home.

Reports since £230,000-a-week man Aguero’s announcement believe that the Argentine would be willing to remain in England, with both Spurs and Chelsea interested in luring the frontman to the capital.

Meanwhile, Aguero himself would be happy to sacrifice not being in the Champions League, with neither Tottenham or Chelsea far from guaranteed to be playing in Europe’s elite competition next season.

However, with Aguero on the verge of winning his fifth Premier League title at City, which would make him one of the most decorated players in the modern era, despite not having featured as he perhaps would have liked during the campaign, Windass said the striker has done everything in England and will leave.

He told FFC: “I think he’ll go abroad. Why would he want to leave Man City to go to Chelsea? He’s done it all, he’s got nothing to prove. If he goes to Chelsea and he’s not playing. It’s a done deal now wherever he’s going to go.”

Manchester City will submit a huge bid for Aston Villa star Jack Grealish, should they win the Champions League later this month, according to Football Insider.

The Lowdown: Grealish keen on City move

Pep Guardiola appears to be extremely keen on landing Grealish this summer, despite the 25-year-old penning a new five-year contract at Villa Park back in September.

He’s been missing through injury in Villa’s last 11 Premier League games but has still managed to rack up an impressive tally of 18-goal involvements in the top flight this season.

Reports back in March claimed the attacking midfielder was relishing the prospect of joining Guardiola’s star-studded squad, and a recent story has revealed Grealish has told his close friends he would be keen on a move to the Etihad.

The Latest: Source shares City’s stance

A recent report from Football Insider has suggested that City, who have already laid the foundations for a Grealish move, will launch an official bid if they beat Chelsea in Istanbul.

That’s because a win over the Blues would provide a big financial boost to the club, with a City source admitting they are aware of financial fair play regulations.

So, it seems as if the all-English European final may well be key to Grealish’s Villa Park future.

The Verdict: Purslow needs to put this date in his diary

In our view, Villa chief executive Christian Purslow may need to add May 29 to his diary. Should City win, the club may well need to be braced for a big-money bid, with Villa valuing their club-captain at £100m last summer.

That figure may well have increased over the last 12 months due to his performances and new contract, however, he does have a buyout clause in his new deal.

It could end up being a busy summer at Villa Park, and the events in Turkey later this month may pay a big part in Grealish and the club’s future.

In other news: Villa midfielder wants to quit due to broken promises, find out more here.  

There have been reports suggesting that Manchester City could offer Tottenham Hotspur Gabriel Jesus as part of a swap deal for Harry Kane, but he must still add more goals to his game, according to former City full-back Michael Ball.

As clubs attempt to muster up enough money to buy Kane, a swap deal may not be a bad move for Spurs as they could soften the blow left by their star striker if he does depart, should they get a striker in return from Man City.

Jesus, who reportedly earns £90,000-a-week, was signed in 2017 and many expected him to become the heir to Sergio Aguero’s throne when he left City. However, despite the club’s all-time record goalscorer being set to depart this summer, it appears that Pep Guardiola wants another striker at the club thus not fully trusting Jesus.

Tottenham would be getting a totally different striker in Jesus as he does a lot of unselfish work and can play in several different positions, but he does need to add more goals to his game. These are the thoughts of Ball, who spoke exclusively to The Transfer Tavern:

“For a long time he looked like he was going to be the one to take over from Aguero but it’s never materialised. The pressure has been on him this year so I feel sorry for him as he’s not played as a number nine too much, he’s been pushed out wide because he’s an unselfish player.

“Jesus works a lot for the team and it often goes unnoticed. Obviously, he would like to add more goals to his game, but his all-round build-up play is top drawer and he’s clearly a wonderful player.”

The Brazillian striker has an impressive record for someone who has never been given regular game time and starts as he has found the back of the net 81 times in 193 appearances.

Kane delivered a damning verdict in his latest interview with Gary Neville where the 27-year old claimed that he would decide his own future, not Tottenham Chairman, Daniel Levy.

Speaking exclusively to Transfer Tavern, former Aston Villa midfielder Lee Hendrie has urged his old side to move for Allan Saint-Maximin this summer if Newcastle United end up getting relegated.

Firmly caught up in a relegation battle this season, the Magpies could find themselves playing in the Championship next term. Such a scenario could easily see some of their star players push for a move, with Saint-Maximin falling into that category.

The 24-year-old French winger is the best dribbler at the club, averaging the most dribbles per league game (3.2, per WhoScored), and Hendrie believes that sort of flair out wide is something Villa severely lack.

“He is one that I would certainly take,” the ex-Villa player told TT when discussing Saint-Maximin in an exclusive interview. “He’s got that Premier League credibility. We’ve seen what he can do.”

Hendrie later went on to add:

“He’s got that attack rate, he’s got flair, you know, all sorts. He could be a key addition to a Villa side that I feel… that’s where they’ve really lacked, in wide areas.

“Touched on Trezeguet before, I think he’d certainly come into the side, he reminds me in certain elements of [Bertrand] Traore, but he’s possibly got that little bit more element of pace going forward and he’s very direct, so he’d be someone I’d certainly be looking at.”

Trezeguet and Traore both looked sharp in Villa’s recent 3-1 win over Fulham. The former managed to grab two goals on the day, while the latter was able to muster up an assist.

Next up for the attacking duo is the visit of Liverpool, while Saint-Maximin and Newcastle take on Burnley.