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Journalist Wayne Veysey has shared a ‘sensational twist’ in Tottenham’s manager search involving former Bayern Munich boss Julian Nagelsmann.

The Lowdown: Nagelsmann sacked…

The 35-year-old, in perhaps one of the biggest developments in world football this week, was officially fired by Bayern despite their solid season on paper so far.

Nagelsmann had guided the Bundesliga giants to a Champions League quarter-final tie, where they’ll now face off against Premier League champions Man City without the German.

Bayern are also still well in contention to retain their domestic crown and could also win the DFB-Pokal with a quarter-final looming against Freiburg on April 4.

However, as explained in a statement from Bayern chief executive Oliver Kahn, the European heavyweights took the decision to hand their ex-boss his P45 due to an apparent decline in performance.

“When we signed Julian Nagelsmann in the summer of 2021, we were convinced we would work with him on a long-term basis – and that was the goal of all of us right up to the end,” explained Kahn.

“But now we have come to the conclusion that the quality in our squad – despite the Bundesliga title last year – has come to the fore less and less often.

“After the World Cup, we have played less successfully and less attractively. The big fluctuations in performance have cast doubt on our goals for this season, but also our goals for the future.”

The Latest: ‘Sensational twist’ at Spurs on Nagelsmann…

The Lilywhites, amid their search for an Antonio Conte replacement, have been linked with a move for Nagelsmann with reporter Veysey sharing what he knows.

Writing for Football Insider, the journalist claims there’s been a ‘sensational twist’ in Tottenham’s manager hunt and the north London club now ‘will make contact’ with Nagelsmann.

News of the ex-RB Leipzig boss’ sacking is apparently viewed as a ‘game-changer’ by Daniel Levy and co as Spurs sense an opportunity to hire one of world football’s most exciting young coaches.

The Verdict: Swoop in…

We had been seriously in favour of moving for ex-Spurs boss Mauricio Pochettino, who is also available as a free agent, but Nagelsmann’s status without a job really gives them something to think about.

Called a ‘sensational manager’ by Liverpool boss Jurgen Klopp, the 4-2-3-1 boss encourages an intense, high-pressing brand of attacking football which is different to Conte’s more pragmatic approach.

Some Spurs supporters have been calling for their side to adopt a more attack-minded football philosophy which hasn’t really been seen since Pochettino’s tenure.

Nagelsmann could be the man to re-instil an exciting brand of play, and now that he’s a free agent, there appears to be little obstacle in Levy making a move.

Aston Villa are in a far better place under Unai Emery compared to when Steven Gerrard was in charge of the club. The Spaniard has pushed Villa away from the relegation zone and into a mid-table slot with the goal now being to push to the next step in 2023/24.

Emery has also signed Alex Moreno and Jhon Duran in January while recalling Bertrand Traore from his loan spell in Turkey, and it certainly looks as though he has everything in place to end the Premier League season strongly.

Along with these incomings, he also sent out Frenchman Morgan Sanson on loan to Ligue 1 side Strasbourg for the rest of the season, with it looking all the more likely that he doesn’t have a long-term future at Villa.

The midfielder has been a poor acquisition for the club and the 51-year-old will be aiming to move him on permanently during the summer transfer window in order to free up some funds for more signings.

How much has Morgan Sanson cost Aston Villa?

Former manager Dean Smith signed Sanson in January 2021 after he had impressed for Marseille and a fee of £16m looked as though it could be a wise investment, with the potential to perhaps move him on for a major profit in the coming years.

During his final full season with the French giants, Sanson registered nine goal contributions – five goals and four assists – created five big chances and made 1.1 key passes per game, displaying his attacking abilities. Indeed, Smith clearly felt he could replicate these impressive figures in the Premier League.

It didn’t quite work out like that and his signing has been a colossal waste of money by the club. Since joining just over two years ago, the 28-year-old has made a grand total of 23 appearances for the first team, starting just seven games across all competitions.

These are hardly numbers expected for a player that cost £16m and combining that transfer fee with his total wages – £48k-per-week in the first two seasons and £45k-per-week this term – the Frenchman has rinsed Villa out of £22m in total in just two years with that meaning he has cost the club a staggering £956k-per-outing.

This is a ridiculous number and considering he still has over two years left on his remaining contract, unless Emery can move him on this summer, they will have to continue to pay his hefty wage in full.

Going forward, the manager will be hoping to avoid past mistakes from his predecessors and avoid wasting precious funds in the transfer window.

Arsenal are in constant contact with the agents of Everton star Amadou Onana ahead of a summer move, according to reports.

What's the latest Arsenal transfer news?

The Gunners are reportedly planning for life next season amid manager Mikel Arteta's quest to seal a first Premier League title for his side in nearly 20 years. Arsenal are currently in pole position to end their league title drought, sitting eight points clear of champions Man City, although the Blues have a game in hand.

It is believed that Edu, Arsenal's sporting director and transfer chief, could be working on ways to strengthen Arteta's options ahead of a potential title defence next season. Indeed, it has been reported in recent days that the north Londoners have their eyes on a central midfield signing.

Journalist Pete O'Rourke, for example, wrote earlier this week that Edu and co are willing to pay north of £100 million to sign West Ham star and England international Declan Rice. However, he isn't their only target, with both Moises Caicedo and Barcelona man Raphinha also attracting interest. Even forward signings aren't ruled out as Arsenal are talking to the representatives of Brazil international Vitor Roque.

Now., as per Belgian news outlet Nieuwsblad, it appears Arsenal are also taking a firm interest in signing Onana from Everton. The website claims Arteta's side are in 'constant contact' with the agents of Onana as they speak to his representatives over a possible transfer.

The £100,000-per-week midfielder, according to this report, is '99 per cent' certain to leave Goodison Park this summer – even if Sean Dyche's men stay in the top flight. Onana himself apparently 'feels ready for a step higher' as both Arsenal and Chelsea target the player.

What could Onana bring to Arsenal?

The 21-year-old is one of Dyche's most selected players in terms of league minutes and also ranks among Everton's top eight best-performers by average match rating, according to WhoScored.

Onana has also registered their fourth-highest rate of successful tackles per 90 domestically whilst also ranking in their top five for interceptions (WhoScored).

The 6 foot 4 ace has been called a 'really exciting' player by former Toffees and Belgium national team manager Roberto Martinez – a potentially accurate statement given he is commanding a near-£61 million price tag at such a young age.

Members of the media even heaped praise on Onana for a 'superb' display against Arsenal back in February and it is not hard to see why he has earned attention from the Gunners.

Michael Beale has enjoyed a fine start to life as manager of Glasgow Rangers, winning all but three of his matches and making a couple of solid January signings, with Todd Cantwell and Nicolas Raskin impressing so far.

There is a long way to go, but initial signs are bright and next season will see the club challenge for Premiership glory, especially if the Ibrox side makes the right moves in the transfer window.

He will have to sort out his defence however, with the Light Blues conceding 19 goals since he took charge in November and the recent Old Firm derby gave strong evidence that money will need to be spent in the summer.

Ben Davies failed to clear the ball in his own box resulting in Celtic scoring, while John Souttar played a horrendous back pass to Allan McGregor, who at 41 years of age, couldn't beat the fleet-footed Jota to the ball with those moments turning the match.

Souttar in particular has barely featured due to injury, making just two starts all campaign and what Beale would give if he could have the services of a defensive titan who starred under both Walter Smith and Alex Mcleish – Craig Moore.

Could Craig Moore improve the current Rangers’ defence?

The Australian centre-back came through the academy at the Gers and made his debut under Smith way back in 1994. During his first stint at the club, he played alongside Richard Gough and helped the club win the final three of their nine league titles in a row.

He was surprisingly sold to Crystal Palace in 1998, but re-joined the Gers at the end of that season and would go on to become a mainstay at the heart of their defence.

Overall, he made 170 appearances for the Glasgow giants across two spells and his no-nonsense defending proved he was one of the finest defenders in the club’s recent history, winning 12 major honours at the Ibrox side.

He represented Australia at two World Cups, and enjoyed a spell at Brisbane Roar before retiring in 2010.

His former teammate at the A-League side, Luke De Vere lavished praise on the ageing defender before he retired, saying: "Craig Moore has been unbelievable. To have someone like that, you can't really put a price on it.

"As a footballer, he's very strong. He can handle himself extremely well against some of the bigger boys in the Hyundai A-League.”

Opposition forwards simply hated playing against Moore as he stood up to every challenge and fought for every ball. He would surely thrive in this current Gers team under Beale, helping him oust the underperforming Souttar to solve the Light Blues' current defensive woes in the process.

Aston Villa's rise to become European challengers has been nothing short of meteoric, with Unai Emery the mastermind behind one of the Premier League's great success stories from this campaign.

Having started the season under Steven Gerrard, his October sacking gave way to the experienced Spaniard, whose main initial goal was just to avoid the drop.

Whilst this was expected to be a simple task for someone of his pedigree, few could have predicted just how quickly the 51-year-old would engineer a turnaround at Villa Park.

Players who had struggled under the previous regime became instant stars, and those who might have been heading for an exit were afforded crucial second chances.

With that freedom and a newfound opportunity to impress the new man, few have opted against taking that chance.

There have been standout players since that impressive appointment, with Ollie Watkins likely to steal the headlines for his fine goalscoring run. However, arguably one of the greater comeback stories given how his form has faltered in recent years, Tyrone Mings also deserves immense praise for his work in reigniting his career.

How did Tyrone Mings play vs Newcastle?

This success culminated in yesterday's unprecedented victory over Newcastle United, where every man in Claret and Blue put on a faultless display.

In a game that finished 3-0, with Watkins scoring twice, once again many rushed to laud the English forward. However, it was journalist Henry Winter who instead turned to the £80k-per-week defender as someone worthy of his praise.

He wrote on Twitter: "Mings the merciless, on the ground and in the air, AVFC defender absolutely dominated NUFC strikers. Read danger, threw his body into blocks, made clearing headers and played some neat passes to build attacks. Outstanding performance. Only Watkins was better today."

The 7.5 rating he earned from that display more than supports this glowing endorsement, as the Englishman completed six clearances, three blocks and two tackles to keep a vital clean sheet, via Sofascore.

This marked the fourth game in his last five Premier League appearances where he had earned a Sofascore rating of 7.2 or higher, truly outlining just how he had birthed such a renaissance.

Emery is deserving of widespread praise for many of his acts since moving to the Midlands, with their unlikely push for Europe sitting atop that list. But considering how only in September the 30-year-old was lambasted by Danny Mills, his work in engineering this turnaround is up there too.

The pundit had suggested: "He’s terrible. I think Maguire is better on the ball." However, with the Villans sitting at the pinnacle of the form table, and Gareth Southgate having watched over his most imperious recent performance, perhaps he is set to prove the former Leeds United defender wrong.

Rangers are a potential destination for Los Angeles FC midfielder Jose Cifuentes, according to a report by MLS ‘insider’ Tom Bogert.

What’s the latest Rangers transfer news?

Ibrox could be central to a real summer of change with as many as nine Rangers players out of contract the end of this SPFL season as things stand.

Ryan Kent, Alfredo Morelos, Malik Tillman, Ryan Jack, Filip Helander, Scott Arfield, Steven Davis, Allan McGregor and Kieran Wright are all out of contract just next month (Transfermarkt) – presenting a real headache for Ibrox transfer chiefs and manager Michael Beale.

The Scottish Premiership giants could lose all nine of the aforementioned players unless action is taken pretty soon, with reports also surrounding the future of young winger Josh McPake amid his disappointing loan spell at Queen’s Park.

In terms of incomings, Aris Thessaloniki winger Luis Palma has recently been linked with a move to Glasgow, as has Swansea City striker Joel Piroe. The latter player could even come in as a replacement for Morelos with his contract set to expire in May.

As highlighted by links to Honduran attacker Palma, South America could be a fruitful pool of talent Rangers may look to exploit, with news emerging on Cifuentes.

The Ecuadorian, who featured in Qatar at the World Cup, could leave L.A. for free this winter with his contract expiring at the end of this calendar year. As such, MLS insider Bogert claims Rangers could move for Cifuentes alongside the likes of Leeds United and Espanyol.

The journalist also expects him to be in high demand, explaining via Twitter:

Should Rangers sign Cifuentes?

Having featured at the World Cup and possessing a fair bit of experience despite still being 24-years-old, this could be a potentially shrewd move by Rangers.

Speaking to talkSPORT (via footballscotland), South American football expert Tim Vickery spoke of Cifuentes’ real quality back in 2019, stating:

“He was the beating heart of that side and I think he’s a terrific midfielder. He’s strong, he’s got quality, he’s got a good engine – he’s one of the best all-round midfielders, potentially, that I’ve seen come out of South America in a while.”

High praise for the midfield ace, it’s a hardly surprising Rangers are now keeping an eye on his situation in the states.

West Ham United have six fixtures of the 2022/23 Premier League season remaining as they look to pick up as many points as possible to avoid suffering relegation at the end of the term.

The Irons suffered a narrow 2-1 defeat to Liverpool on Wednesday night at the London Stadium so will be hoping to change their fortunes and get back to winning ways to create sufficient distance between themselves and the drop zone.

The E20 outfit also have an added bonus in the sense that they still have a game in hand on the majority of their fellow relegation-battling opponents that are around them in the table and that are also competing for survival, so David Moyes needs to use this to his advantage, and with that being said, here's how we think their final few matches will pan out.

West Ham fixtures

• 29 April: Crystal Palace (a)

• 3 May: Man City (a)

• 7 May: Man United (h)

• 14 May: Brentford (a)

• 21 May: Leeds (h)

• 28 May: Leicester (a)

Crystal Palace v West Ham

Following the 2-1 defeat to Liverpool last night, the Irons will no doubt be wanting to get back to positive form when they make the trip to Selhurst Park to take on Roy Hodgson’s side on Saturday, with three points for the visitors vital in the race to avoid the drop to the Championship.

Moyes has to make sure that his outfit turn up full of confidence and self-belief that they can take at least a point out of the game, which is exactly what they might have to settle for in front of the away crowd with the Eagles boss having made an instant positive impact back in the dugout in SE25.

Prediction: Crystal Palace 1-1 West Ham

Man City v West Ham

The Premier League fixtures aren’t showing any signs of slowing down for West Ham, whose next away game after Crystal Palace is against Manchester City.

The Sky Blues have firmly put themselves in control of the title race following their 4-1 thrashing of league leaders Arsenal but they still have two games in hand, meaning that they will be crowned champions should they win all of their remaining games during the run-in.

From an Irons perspective, this match is likely to be considered one that’s pretty impossible to gain a positive result from and it will definitely be the most difficult task Moyes and his side come up against before the end of the season.

Prediction: Man City 3-1 West Ham

West Ham v Man United

On balance, Man City should be the hardest game left to play, but West Ham also won’t be faced with an easy task when they welcome Erik Ten Hag’s Manchester United for their next fixture back at the London Stadium.

The Old Trafford outfit will be desperate to secure a place in the top four and qualify for the Champions League, but with the Irons crowd sure to make themselves heard, Moyes will believe he can take something from his former side having previously studied their strengths and weaknesses.

Prediction: West Ham 2-2 Man United

Brentford v West Ham

Following what is likely to be an entertaining home encounter versus Man United, West Ham hit the road once again, this time travelling to the Community Stadium to take on Brentford who are enjoying a remarkable season and are expected to nail down a top-ten finish.

Back in December’s reverse fixture, the Bees secured a 2-0 victory at the London Stadium, so Moyes will be hoping that he can turn the tables and gain revenge by securing all three points this time around which they are more than capable of doing.

Prediction: Brentford 1-2 West Ham

West Ham v Leeds

West Ham’s final home game and the penultimate fixture of the 2022/23 season sees them face Leeds United who are also hoping to escape relegation, therefore making them one of their biggest rivals.

The Whites, however, will be lacking in confidence having won just one of their last six top-flight games, so should this poor run of results continue between now and when they face the E20 side, a victory should seem comfortable.

Prediction: West Ham 2-0 Leeds

Leicester v West Ham

West Ham’s concluding match of the campaign sees them make the journey to Dean Smith’s Leicester who, once again, are another team giving their all to escape relegation and maintain their Premier League status.

The Foxes picked up a 2-0 victory in the reverse fixture at the London Stadium back in November, and whilst Moyes will want to replicate that result at the King Power, the hosts will be fighting for their lives in what is set to be a definitive day at the bottom of the table.

Prediction: Leicester 1-1 West Ham

• Predicted run-in points: 9/18

• Predicted total points: 43

Journalist Fabrizio Romano have revealed that Tottenham Hotspur are confident that Bayern Munich won't prevent them from landing Julian Nagelsmann.

What's the latest on Julian Nagelsmann and Spurs?

Amid a calamitous few months for the north London outfit, Spurs have sacked Antonio Conte, then interim coach Cristian Stellini, and so will end the season with the caretaker's assistant now calling the shots.

Indeed, Ryan Mason will oversee the final four Premier League games for Tottenham from here on in, while Daniel Levy works behind the scenes to find a long-term replacement.

Nagelsmann appears to be an ideal candidate for the job but there have been some concerns in the media that Bayern Munich might make the deal complicated.

Indeed, as per journalist Christian Falk, the 35-year-old is still technically under contract with the German outfit until 2026, and so Bayern may demand a notable transfer fee to offload the head coach

However, while speaking on his YouTube channel, Romano insisted that Spurs are feeling confident this not being a problem.

He began by saying just how much Nagelsmann is wanted (0:49): “I can add today that Julian Nagelsmann is one of the top top top names in the list of Tottenham so they really want him and they are convinced that Nagelsmann is the perfect man to build something for the long term, to do something similar to what Erik ten Hag is doing this season at Manchester United."

He then added (2:18): “From what I understand also, Bayern are not going to be an issue in this story.

"So it's true that he's under contract with Bayern but Tottenham sources feel that it's not going to be a problem to find an agreement with Bayern.”

Are Bayern still paying Nagelsmann?

That's certainly good news for Spurs fans who want to see Nagelsmann arriving in north London this summer.

However, Romano doesn't say that Bayern will wave any transfer fee, so it's more likely that Spurs are just happy to pay whatever money has been demanded.

According to that report from Falk, Nagelsmann's wages will drop over the coming years if he remains at Bayern. Indeed, he explained: "He’s just allegedly going to get 80% of his €6.7m (£5.9m) salary from this July. From July 2024, it goes down to an estimated 65% and then 50% from July 2025.”

Despite that, Bayern obviously won't want to be paying so much money to a coach they no longer have any need for, so it would make sense for all parties to come to some sort of figure to let the 35-year-old join Tottenham.

And by the sounds of this latest report from Romano, that rough figure may already be known to Levy and co.

Manchester United were keen to bring in Sofyan Amrabat over the January transfer window and this is a player who could be on the move over the coming months.

Are United interested in Amrabat?

The Red Devils still have an awful lot to play for in the handful of games that they have left in their 2022/23 campaign with Champions League football not wrapped up yet.

And that could lie insignificant in comparison to the upcoming derby at Wembley Stadium against Manchester City.

But failing to finish inside the top four and potentially losing to City could bring a real sour end to what has been a positive first season under Erik ten Hag.

Although the Dutchman has clearly taken United forward in his short spell at the club, it is apparent they will be looking for upgrades over the summer.

Indeed, United are being linked with a possible move for a big-money striker and it is also believed they are in the market to bolster their midfield.

Speaking on his Youtube channel, Fabrizio Romano has claimed the Red Devils had a serious interest in Amrabat in the January window and he will be a player to keep an eye out for:

(4:15) "And for Manchester United he's a player who was appreciated, so this is a small secret looking for January let's see what's going to happen in the summer for Sofyan Amrabat.

"For sure he remains in Barcelona's list. At the moment, no direct contact with Manchester United but we have to keep an eye on this midfielder."

Would Amrabat be a good signing?

Last summer, the Fiorentina midfielder was linked with a move away last year with a Premier League club believed to be interested.

Indeed, Tottenham Hotspur were heavily linked with the Moroccan midfielder who went on to shine at the World Cup over the weekend.

The 26-year-old certainly went on to impress during the Qatar World Cup as he played a big role in his country's impressive journey to the semi-final.

CBS Sports editor Ives Galarcep hailed the midfielder as a "beast" during the World Cup as he became the first player in the tournament to win the ball back 50 times.

The Moroccan has ranked inside the top fifth percentile in pass success rate over the last year in comparison to other midfielders in the top five leagues (via FBref).

However, he has provided (1.91) significantly fewer shot-creating actions per 90 minutes than Casemiro (2.72) this season and over double the number of tackles per game (via Fbref).

On the back of his displays in the World Cup, Amrabat could still prove an attractive option for a number of sides this summer.

And with just one yea remaining on his current deal, it could force Fiorentina into allowing his potential departure if he is keen to do so.

Mateo Kovacic was slammed on social media for his poor display against Nottingham Forest as Chelsea dropped two more points.

The Blues struggled in yet another Premier League game but Raheem Sterling was a player to savour. The Croatian meanwhile was taken off after half-time before the game finished 2-2 with very few fans or pundits impressed with him.

How did Kovacic play against Nottingham Forest?

Kovacic was taken off injured but the midfielder's bad luck summed up his display. During his time on the pitch, he had just 26 touches and while he had an 83% pass accuracy, he was ineffective and careless with his pass selection, completing no key passes, crosses or dribbles and attempting zero shots.

Kovacic also lost the ball five times while failing to create any chances for the home side.

What did the media say about Kovacic?

The midfielder's passing left Chelsea reporter, Simon Phillips, bemused. On Twitter, he said: "Ruben only has to make a couple forward passes to have a better game than Kovacic did."

Alex Goldberg had this to say: "Kovačić is one of the most careless midfielders there is. ANOTHER bad giveaway. And yeah, Mendy, that’s poor…"

Raheem Sterling was Chelsea's best performer, scoring a brace either side of Taiwo Awoniyi's two goals.

The Blues have been very poor this season but Sterling has been a player of promise. Despite the turbulence, the former Liverpool and Man City star has managed nine goals and five assists. Perhaps with more quality and stability at Chelsea next season, the England international could showcase the quality that saw him become so feared at the Etihad.