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Manuel Lanzini has been handed another gutting injury blow ahead of West Ham’s crunch match with Brighton this weekend…

What’s the latest?

According to Irons insiders Claret & Hugh, the Argentine midfielder was sent for precautionary scans on Monday after leaving the pitch early during their 1-0 defeat to Everton at the weekend.

It is thought that he has suffered a recurrence to the thigh and groin problem that has kept him out previously this campaign.

Before Christmas, he missed the game against Chelsea and more recently, he was absent for back-to-back matches against Wolves and Leicester City.

Speaking after Sunday’s third loss in four games, Moyes told reporters (via football.london): “Lanzini had an injury at the top of his thigh and it looks as if it is the top of his thigh or a groin strain that he had before.”

Gutting blow

It’s been the same story at the London Stadium all campaign.

As soon as a few players return from the treatment table, new ones face time out.

Having welcomed back the likes of Michail Antonio and Aaron Cresswell into the starting XI in recent matches, it seems that Moyes could well be without another key star once again as Lanzini’s withdrawal just 43 minutes into the match is serious cause for concern.

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If the problem wasn’t that bad, then you’d have expected him to last the extra few minutes until the break, or even shake it off but the fact that he didn’t is certainly worrying.

The 28-year-old has played a huge role in the Hammers’ recent outings, playing in a deeper midfield position in the absence of both Declan Rice and Mark Noble, if those two are absent again on Saturday, alongside Lanizni, then Moyes has one serious problem brewing.

It’s a must-win for the Irons, too. They have slipped out of top-four contention and may need to win their remaining three matches to qualify for the Europa League.

Liverpool could leapfrog them on Thursday evening with a win over Manchester United, meaning they’d be sat in sixth place with Spurs and Everton hot on their tail.

Moyes will be far from pleased with these latest developments and for the Hammers squad, it’s another gutting blow.

AND in other news, West Ham eye Jesse Lingard alternative in £18m “genius” who’s a “delight to watch”…

Michael Ball believes Everton have blown a huge opportunity to qualify for Europe this season, telling Football FanCast that they will regret this campaign.

The Toffees are currently eighth ahead of the final game of the season but they are unlikely to be playing in the Europa League next term, as they are three points behind sixth-placed West Ham United.

The Hammers only need a point against Southampton to confirm their own qualification but there is a possibility that the Toffees will be playing in the Europa Conference League should they manage to finish seventh, though they will need to beat Manchester City on the final day and hope other results go their way.

Carlo Ancelotti’s side have endured an up-and-down season, winning just three of their last 10 games in the top-flight.

Ball was pleased to see his former side beat Wolves, as they bounced back from a 1-0 defeat to rock-bottom Sheffield United, but feels that such inconsistency is endemic of a poor season.

He told FFC: “Great to see them bounce back with a win at Wolves but it’s one of those seasons where they’re going to look back and think it’s a huge opportunity missed.

“A lot of clubs are going through difficult times and Everton getting great results at the start but since the turn of the year, they’ve just sort of nosedived.”

Sheffield Wednesday are reportedly one of a host of clubs interested in signing Solihull Moors forward Kyle Hudlin in the summer transfer window.

The Lowdown: Owl eye up new signings

The Owls are facing up to the reality of being in League One next season, looking of course to immediately bounce back to the Championship.

Darren Moore is expected to let a host of out-of-contract players leave this summer, bringing in his own choices from elsewhere instead.

The Latest: Hudlin linked with move

According to Football Insider, Wednesday are interested in acquiring the signature of Hudlin, who stands at an incredible 6 foot 9.

He scored 10 goals for Solihull in 2020/21 and his current deal expires next year, meaning the National League club may look to cash on him in the summer.

Championship pair Barnsley and Huddersfield Town are also believed to be tracking Hudlin, who at 20, would represent a long-term acquisition.

The Verdict: An intriguing option?

Hudlin’s unusual height certainly makes him a unique option for Wednesday, potentially proving to be a nightmare for League One defenders.

Whether or not be possesses the mobility to thrive in a higher division is questionable, however, given the step up in quality from the National League and the size of him physically.

It would be a gamble of a signing, but Moore needs to be trusted in the transfer market, and if Britain’s tallest player is his top target to shore up the forward line, fans may just have to trust the boss.

In other news, one Sheff Wed player is rumoured to be extending his stay at Hillsborough. Find out who it is here.

Derby County are interested in a move to bring Ronan Curtis to Pride Park this summer.

What’s the talk?

That’s according to a report by Derbyshire Live, who claim that Wayne Rooney’s side, along with Cardiff City, Reading and Blackburn Rovers, are considering a move for the Portsmouth winger ahead of the summer transfer window.

However, it is also claimed that Danny Cowley has no intention of allowing the £3.7k-per-week forward to leave Fratton Park any time soon, as Curtis remains an important part of his plans for Pompey moving forward.

Rooney must move

Considering just how impressive Curtis was for Portsmouth this season, it is unsurprising to learn that Cowley is desperate to keep hold of the 26-year-old at Porstmouth this summer, as well as why a number of Championship sides are keeping tabs on the winger.

Indeed, over his 42 League One appearances for Pompey this term, Curtis scored 10 goals, provided seven assists and created seven big chances for his teammates, as well as taking an average of 2.2 shots and making 1.5 key passes per game.

These metrics saw the Republic of Ireland international earn a seasonal SofaScore match rating of 7.11, ranking him as Cowley’s best performer in the third tier of English football.

The winger was also in fine form for Portsmouth in the domestic cup competitions, scoring a further four goals and registering three assists over six appearances in the EFL Trophy, the FA Cup and the Carabao Cup – taking his total haul of goals to 14 and his assists to 10 in all competitions.

And, considering how lacklustre Rooney’s Derby County side were in front of goal this season, with the Rams managing to find the back of the net on just 36 occasions in the Championship – the lowest amount of any team in the division – the addition of a player with Curtis’ finishing and creative abilities would appear to be essential for Derby this summer, if the 35-year-old wishes to give his side the best possible chance of mounting a push up the second tier table next season.

As such, a move for the Portsmouth winger – whom Cowley dubbed a “fantastic” player – would seem highly advisable for the Rams this summer, as Curtis could well bring with him the attacking spark that Derby so desperately require to get things back on track at Pride Park next season.

In other news: Derby County takeover update emerges that’ll surely have fans buzzing

Liverpool have reportedly been offered the chance to re-sign Philippe Coutinho from Barcelona this summer.

What’s the story?

According to Spanish outlet AS, Barca are hoping to send the 28-year-old back to Anfield over the coming months in order to avoid paying the extra £40 million they still owe for the attacking midfielder.

Coutinho joined the Catalan giants in a deal worth up to £142m back in January 2018, but after failing to rediscover his best form in Spain, a return to Liverpool could be on the cards if Barca get their wish.

Klopp must stay clear

The Brazilian international’s quality has never been in doubt. An impressive tally of 54 goals and 45 assists in 201 appearances during his five-year stay in England meant few eyebrows were raised when Barca paid such an astronomical fee to secure his signature.

However, things have not worked out the way Coutinho would have hoped in the subsequent years.

A below-par 18 months at the Camp Nou saw the South American shipped out to Bayern Munich on a loan deal, where he enjoyed a relatively successful 2019/20 campaign.

Eleven goals and nine assists saw Coutinho contribute to a remarkable treble with Bayern, and he even bagged two goals in a humiliating 8-2 thrashing of his parent club in the Champions League quarter-finals.

Despite his mini-renaissance in Bavaria, Coutinho couldn’t carry that form back to Barca, and a serious injury picked up in December saw the ex-Liverpool star make just eight league starts all season throughout 2020/21.

His underwhelming campaign appears to be the final straw for the La Liga outfit’s hierarchy, who are desperate to get the Brazilian’s huge wages off their books.

Reports suggest that Barca are keen to return Coutinho to Jurgen Klopp’s charges this summer as they seek to avoid another substantial payout for their transfer flop, and the German manager must avoid the temptation to bring back a player once lauded by the current Liverpool captain, Jordan Henderson.

“He’s a fantastic player, produces magical things at crucial times in the game, and you saw that. He’s been brilliant since he’s come back in,” said Henderson, but it’s been a while since his former teammate has been at his scintillating best.

It’s often said in football that you should never go back, and Liverpool should listen to that old cliche on this occasion.

Klopp needs to spend wisely in the upcoming transfer window in order to return the Merseyside giants to the summit of English football, and taking a gamble on Coutinho is hardly an advisable strategy given his recent injury record and his lack of success in Spain.

And, in other news…Edwards masterstroke: LFC could seal their next Firmino in “very promising” £25m gem 

Manchester United have confirmed that they have entered contract talks with attacking midfielder Juan Mata as Ole Gunnar Solksjaer starts putting his summer plans in place.

What’s the story?

The 33-year-old’s current deal is due to expire at the end of this month, but the Red Devils have the option to extend his contract by a further year.

Mata played just 511 minutes of Premier League action last season as United finished in second place, 12 points behind champions Manchester City.

Woodward heading for a mistake

The diminutive creative talent has enjoyed seven relatively successful years at Old Trafford, scoring 51 goals and providing 47 assists in 273 appearances for United, winning the FA Cup, Europa League and League Cup during his stay.

However, Mata’s powers have wained in recent years, limiting the World Cup winner to just 14 league starts since the beginning of 2019/20, reducing him to a bit-part role in Solskjaer’s set-up.

His lack of action, therefore, brings into question the reasoning behind United’s renewed interest in extending the Spaniard’s stay with the 20-time English champions.

With United expected to embark on a summer of spending, with the likes of Jadon Sancho, Declan Rice and Raphael Varane all linked, renewing an ageing stars reported £160,000-per-week wage packet seems illogical.

The financial impact of the ongoing coronavirus pandemic has hit all football clubs hard, but not many sides have suffered as big a loss as the Red Devils.

It means departing chief executive Ed Woodward is going to have to be extremely clever and prudent in the transfer market this summer in order to secure the club’s top targets.

Committing such a large figure to a player like Mata, who has arguably become a liability on the biggest stage throughout his twilight years, is a mistake that may further taint the unpopular 49-year-old’s legacy even further.

While Mata has previously acted as a good mentor and added an experienced voice in the dressing room, United have now moved on and require a different set of stars to bring silverware back to the red half of Manchester. He’s not up to the standard required, keeping him around makes no sense at all.

And, in other news…Time’s up: Ole must brutally axe £30k-p/w Man Utd flop this summer, he’s been shocking 

Since being given a chance by Steven Gerrard at Rangers, firstly on loan and then permanently, Ryan Kent has proved himself to be one of the best wingers in the Scottish Premiership but he may be pulled back to the Premier League by Leeds United, according to former Rangers defender Michael Ball.

Kent was brought to Ibrox from Liverpool when Gerrard took up his first managerial role as he knew him through his time at Anfield as an academy coach, and Kent has paid back his faith in him by helping Rangers win the title and reach over 100 points in a brilliant invincible campaign.

However, his performances have started to attract interest from Premier League clubs, mainly Leeds, who also tried to sign him last summer before they decided to make what now looks to be a smart addition in Raphinha.

Despite improving season after season, Rangers may struggle to keep hold of one of their star players this summer as Kent appears to have the ability to perform in the Premier League, something Ball expects to be a cause for concern as he told The Transfer Tavern:

“When you have a good year, you want to capitalise and get better terms and Leeds have shown an interest and it’s a huge pull to come back into the Premier League.”

Kent has gone about his business and proved why Liverpool had him on their books having netted 26 goals and 27 assists in 128 games for the Scottish league champions.

After Raphinha picked up an injury during the back end of this season Bielsa may want to add more strength in depth to his attacking lineup, especially if reports are to be believed and that Tyler Roberts is set to be on the move this summer.

Serie A expert Conor Clancy insists that Tottenham Hotspur won’t be signing Merih Demiral from Juventus this summer, because Fabio Paratici has left Juventus.

Spurs have previously been linked with a move for the central defender, who has grown into an impressive figure during his time in Italy, with Football London’s Alasdair Gold claiming they’re keeping a close eye on him.

Demiral enjoyed a breakthrough season at the Italian club last season, making 15 appearances in Serie A and at the age of 23, he has already won 25 caps for Turkey.

Clancy is the editor-in-chief at Forza Italian Football and he claims that there is next to no chance of Spurs bringing the player to the club in this transfer window, especially with the pending appointment of Paratici as Sporting Director.

Indeed, BBC Sport claims that he is set to be appointed, and his fingerprints appear to be over the club’s pursuit of former Roma manager Paulo Fonseca, but Clancy believes he may have allowed Demiral to leave if he were still in power at Juve.

Clancy was asked about the prospect of Spurs getting Demiral, and told The Transfer Tavern exclusively: “If they do, it’s a miracle.

“Maybe if Paratici was still there, they might sell him and make a silly decision like that but I’m not so sure. Particularly with Allegri back now, he’s the type of player Allegri would love.”

Leeds United’s interest in signing Stade Brest left-back Romain Perraud has ‘gone cold’, according to Leeds Live journalist Beren Cross.

The Lowdown: Leeds show Perraud interest

The Whites are likely to need a new left-back before the start of next season, with Ezgjan Alioski expected to move on to pastures new.

Leeds have been linked with signing a host of names in that area and Perraud is one of them, having shone for Brest last season, scoring three goals and registering seven assists in Ligue 1.

The Latest: Move looks to be off

It looks as though the chances of the Frenchman heading to Elland Road are slim, however, with Cross taking to Leeds Live to claim that Leeds’ interest has waned.

It is stated that Alioski has a contract offer on the table, but it is unknown whether or not he will sign on the dotted line.

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The Verdict: Focus on other alternatives

Perraud looks a strong option to come in this summer based on the impressive end product he produced last term, so it is a blow to see Leeds’ interest cool, but it is now time to concentrate is bringing in someone else.

That is, of course, assuming Alioski leaves, which is not yet a formality.

Someone like Ajax left-back Nicolas Tagliafico looks a good alternative, possessing a wealth of experience that has seen him win 30 caps for Argentina. The Eredivisie star has been linked with a move to Elland Road and possesses more high level experience than both Perraud and Alioski, having played 22 times in the Champions League.

In other news, a European powerhouse have been linked with a move for a Leeds United hero – find out who it is here. 

Paul Stewart believes the reported incoming appointment of Paulo Fonseca will end any hopes of Harry Kane still being a Tottenham player next season.

The 27-year-old has already reiterated his desire to leave Spurs to be regularly playing in the Champions League and challenging for major honours.

However, Tottenham fans would have been hoping that a high-profile appointment to replace Jose Mourinho might have just convinced the England captain to stick around for another 12 months despite Spurs failing to qualify for Europe’s elite competition once more.

Mauricio Pochettino returning could have done exactly that, whilst Antonio Conte’s history of winning would have surely given Kane something to think about.

But with Fonseca, whose managerial CV is hardly inspiring, on the verge of ending Spurs’ near two months wait to name a Mourinho replacement, former-Spurs man Stewart has resigned to the fact that Kane will be leaving.

And he exclusively told Football FanCast that Fonseca’s imminent arrival will confirm his decision:

“If he was 70/30 about leaving, that’s just made him 100 percent say ‘see you later Spurs, I’m off, because you’ve shown a lack of ambition of appointing a manage that didn’t succeed in Serie A’ and therefore, you’ve made my mind up completely.’ “