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According to Italian outlet Club Doria 46 (via Sport Witness), West Ham United are eyeing a move for Sampdoria powerhouse Omar Colley – and the fact he signed a new deal in January comes as no ‘guarantee of permanence’. 

As stated by this report, David Moyes is keen on the 6 foot 3 colossus alongside a plethora of Premier League sides – with Leeds United, Newcastle United and Fulham also touted with interest.

West Ham eyeing Colley

Sampdoria, despite tabling a new contract for Olley, are open to selling him this summer if they can ‘make a rich capital gain’ and will tell suitors to pay €10 million-15 million (£8.5m-£12.7m) for his services.

The Gambia defender has been a mainstay under former Leicester City boss Claudio Ranieri this season and key player, starting 19 Serie A matches and thoroughly impressing since mid-December.

As a result, West Ham have entered the fray and are eyeing a possible summer move for the 28-year-old who ‘could really leave’ according to Club Doria 46.

The Irons were also linked last year (via Sport Witness), with Colley’s past performance against a certain Cristiano Ronaldo attracting media praise.

Transfer Tavern take

Colley’s efforts to thwart Ronaldo and deny him a hat-trick against Sampdoria in a past encounter were well noticed by Massimiliano Allegri, who lavished the defender with praise after he blocked the Portuguese superstar’s goal-bound header (Foroyaa).

Whether or not West Ham end up signing Colley ahead of their numerous competition remains to be seen, but they have now emerged as possible suitors.

In other news: Fabrizio Romano dropped a huge Jesse Lingard update, find out more here.

Rangers winger Jake Hastie has endured a disappointing loan spell at Motherwell this season and Steven Gerrard should ensure that the 23-year-old leaves Ibrox for good this summer.

Since joining the Light Blues from Motherwell on a free transfer in the summer of 2019, Hastie has managed just two senior appearances for Rangers, neither of which have come in the Premiership.

Last season saw the youngster join Rotherham United on loan in League One, where he made 16 appearances in all competitions, managing just three goals and one assist.

He was clearly seen to be behind the likes of Ryan Kent, Brandon Barker and Jordan Jones in Gerrard’s side at the start of this season and was sent out on loan to Motherwell for the campaign.

However, he has struggled to have much impact in Graham Alexander’s side this term, making just 13 appearances in all competitions and failing to contribute a single goal or assist.

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Therefore, it seems clear that Hastie isn’t up to Rangers’ standards and, in a summer where Gerrard and Ross Wilson should be looking to get rid of some deadwood, the 23-year-old is one who should be shown the door at Ibrox.

Fortunately for Gerrard, the winger’s contract with Rangers is set to expire in the summer and it seems clear that, after a disappointing two years with the club, he will be let go in the next few months.

The youngster reportedly earns £4,500 per week at Ibrox, so you could definitely argue that he has been stealing a wage during his time at the club. He has been deemed not good enough to feature in the first team, whilst his disappointing loan spells will have done little to convince Gerrard that he deserves a chance next season.

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The 40-year-old must therefore ensure that Hastie leaves the club this summer, as it is clearly the right thing to do from both a footballing and financial perspective.

In other news… Gerrard could be set for huge Rangers blow with £4.05m-rated “class act” this summer

Marcel Brands could land Carlo Ancelotti his very own version of Jesse Lingard by signing Tottenham Hotspur midfielder Dele Alli for Everton this summer.

Goodison Park has been touted as a potential destination for Alli to thrive in future seasons by former Premier League striker Dean Windass, who has been speaking exclusively with the Transfer Tavern.

Windass believes that a move to Merseyside or Aston Villa would allow Alli to hit the ground running as a big fish in a small pond, after falling to the wayside under Jose Mourinho in the “big” setting of north London.

Alli has only featured nine times in the top-flight this term and started just two of his appearances to date, while watching each of his side’s last three fixtures from the bench.

Yet, despite his lack of game time and Mourinho wanting him gone, Spurs Chairman Daniel Levy blocked Alli from reuniting with Mauricio Pochettino at Paris Saint-Germain in January after failing to land a replacement.

Recent reports by Football Insider have claimed that Mourinho is likely to again look at offloading Alli come the end of the season, though, and Windass feels Everton would make a suitable destination.

“I think Everton or Aston Villa, one of those teams where he then becomes a big fish in a small pond again. At the minute, he’s a small fish in a big pond,” the ex-Hull City striker told TT.

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“The kid needs to be playing to get back into the England squad. Gareth [Southgate] will be on the phone saying: ‘I think you’re a great player, but you need to be playing your club football.’”

It remains to be seen if Everton have any interest in signing Alli come the summer, but Brands pursuing the England international as an option to strengthen Ancelotti’s squad could see the Toffees’ Director of Football land the Italian his Lingard-esque playmaker.

The Goodison Park natives were linked with Alli prior to the mid-season transfer window, when Levy was claimed to have denied the midfielder a move away from Tottenham as PSG refused to pay £3m for a temporary deal.

Levy priced the £100,000-per-week playmaker at such a figure as he allegedly felt Alli was worth £45m, but is now expected to have to settle for £25m in the event of a summer sale.

That price may be considered acceptable by the Everton hierarchy, as the 25-year-old is still yet to enter his prime years but has 37 caps for England to his name along with 50 goals and 36 assists in 165 career Premier League appearances to date.

A change of setting for the player former Spurs midfielder Darren Anderton once dubbed “a freak of a talent” could see Alli rediscover his lost form in a similar way to how Lingard has since joining West Ham on loan from Manchester United in January.

Lingard had only played three times under Ole Gunnar Solskjaer this season – each in the domestic cups – before moving to the London Stadium, where he has since been described as “a big fish in a smaller pond” by Danny Mills.

Southgate also recalled Lingard to the England squad for the first time in two years after seeing him thrive in claret and blue, with the 28-year-old involved in more Premier League goals (11 – eight scored, three assisted) than any player since his Irons debut on February 3rd.

Life away from an established top-six club has clearly done Lingard the world of good and could be what Alli needs to remain a player considered among the world’s best.

AND in other news, Marcel Brands could deliver Everton’s own Virgil van Dijk with £17.5m summer swoop…

Former Celtic striker Frank McAvennie has exclusively told Football FanCast that he believes defender Kristoffer Ajer wants to leave the Parkhead side this summer.

He’s contracted until the end of next season, but has been told to quit by Norway manager Stale Solbakken in order to challenge himself in one of Europe’s top five leagues and improve on the international stage.

Ajer has been with Celtic for four seasons and has been a regular under both Neil Lennon and John Kennedy this term, starting all-but two of their Scottish Premiership matches, plus five of their six Europa League games.

However, the Norwegian has already been linked with an £8m move to Newcastle should they avoid being relegated, and McAvennie appears to believe that Ajer’s future lies away from Glasgow.

McAvennie has previously slammed Ajer for his comments about this being his best season at the club, and has blamed him for part of Celtic’s defensive struggles.

He told Football FanCast:

“I think Ajer has made it clear that he wants to go.

“His Norwegian manager has made it clear that he’s got to go – he seems to think that Scottish football is not doing him any good. 

“It’s not doing him any good because they’re letting in goals. It doesn’t take Einstein to work out that it’s the defence’s fault.”

Former Sunderland loanee Adnan Januzaj is a classic case of ‘what if?’ not only for the Mackems but also for the player himself.

What if David Moyes had extracted more from the player’s game during the 2016/17 season? That campaign was a torrid one for Sunderland, a term that was marred by their relegation from the Premier League.

The Black Cats had spent ten years dining at the top table in English football but Moyes was unable to steer them to safety.

Januzaj was a player who could have benefited their cause. He signed on loan from Manchester United after a season where’d been in and around their first term. He also joined on a temporary basis after a short stint on loan at Borussia Dortmund.

On paper, the Belgium international should have done a lot more at the Stadium of Light.

He departed after Sunderland’s relegation with just one goal and three assists to his name in 28 appearances. Evidently, the young talent wasn’t living up to the hype.

Januzaj was sent off within a matter of weeks of being at the club and things didn’t get much better for him.

Speaking about the dynamic forward in January 2017, Moyes said: “I’m quite tough on Adnan.”

He then added: “He’s got individual ability but at the moment I’ve not seen him really hit the form which I’d love him to have done.”

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Sunderland supporters rarely saw the best from a man that was valued at £6.3m when he was in the north-east as he departed with a dismal legacy.

Things never worked out for Januzaj once he returned to Manchester United but he is now thriving in Spain and excelling in Europe for Real Sociedad.

In 2019, his transfer value had increased by £7.2m to a total of £13.5m and it was clear to see why. The 26-year-old scored eight times and picked up four assists throughout 2019/20 and he has impressed this term as well.

Januzaj has been involved in four goals in 20 La Liga outings and helped his side to a first Copa del Rey trophy in 34 years.

He has helped steer Sociedad to fifth in the Spanish top-flight and to the later stages of the Europa League. In that competition, the creative attacker has managed a mighty 4.1 dribbles per game and 1.7 key passes a match.

For context, only two players in the entire competition have managed more successful take-ons this season.

It’s hardly a surprise, therefore, that he’s earned plaudits.

After registering two key passes and three dribbles against Man United in the last 16 of the Europa League back in February, Paul Scholes commented: “I never understood why it didn’t work out for him because he had such talent, but it didn’t.

“He’s gone on to good things and tonight he’s been excellent. I knew this kid had ability and he’s showing it.”

It’s a shame, therefore, that he wasn’t able to harness similar qualities at Sunderland. On his day, he is an enthralling watch. Regrettably, that was never really seen under Moyes.

AND in other news, Forget Scowen: SAFC must swoop for “technically gifted” 19 y/o whose “touch is a joke”…

According to Italian journalist Fabio Santini, speaking to Il Prosecco as relayed by Area Napoli and translated by Sport Witness, former Premier League boss Maurizio Sarri ‘could go to train in the Premier League with Tottenham’. 

This big claim comes amid other reports that the favourites to succeed former boss Jose Mourinho on a permanent basis appear to be the likes of Julian Nagelsmann and Brendan Rodgers.

Spurs touted as possible move for Sarri

Other reports have even mentioned Graham Potter and Scott Parker as outside managerial candidates over Sarri, so it seems to be a complete free-for-all when it comes to predicting Mourinho’s permanent successor.

Recently, other claims coming out of the continent suggested that Levy had approached the ex-Chelsea gaffer, but reporters close to the club have since come out to deny those reports (Evening Standard).

Now, another Italian reporter has claimed Sarri is indeed a candidate – citing his sources as proof.

“I have two news about Napoli,” he told Il Processo, via Area Napoli and Sport Witness.

“I’m starting from the bad one: Maurizio Sarri, much loved by the fans, will not land in Campania.

“According to my information, the coach from Figline Valdarno could go to train in the Premier League at Tottenham.”

Transfer Tavern take

A winner in both Italy and England, winning the Europa League with Chelsea and the Scudetto with Juventus, he has absolutely no shortage of credentials.

He was famed for his brand of attacking play, dubbed ‘Sarri ball’, and he has also been described as ‘extraordinary’ by Chelsea midfielder Jorginho (Football Italia).

However, given he was at the Chelsea helm, he could be a controversial appointment for Spurs supporters.

Nagelsmann, on the other hand, plays a similar style of football and has been lavished with praise by both the media and his players for his ‘fearless’ approach to management.

For this reason, we believe the German boss should be targeted above all others, even if Sarri is an intriguing candidate.

In other news: Spurs confirmed this ‘amazing’ news, find out more here.

Everton are expected to sanction the sale of Jonjoe Kenny this summer, according to a report from the Daily Mail.

The report claimed that Carlo Ancelotti is unconvinced by the young right-back, who has spent the second half of the season on loan at Celtic

Burnley apparently ‘retain an interest’ in Kenny, who is valued at £6.3m by Transfermarkt.

Reflecting on Kenny’s Everton career

Kenny has made almost 50 appearances for Everton after coming through their academy, 35 of which have come in the Premier League.

When the defender made his breakthrough in 2018, Jamie Carragher hailed him as ‘your typical Scouse full-back – very aggressive, takes no prisoners, but he also has quality going forward’. The Sky Sports pundit added the ‘traditions of Everton are that they always have those types of players’.

Kenny’s tackling average of 2.1 per game in that season would appear to back up Carragher’s compliment about his controlled aggression.

Aarons is the right-back Everton really want

The Daily Mail claimed that the Blues want competition for an eventual right-back successor to current captain Seamus Coleman.

However, rather placing their faith in Kenny, they have their eyes on Norwich City’s Max Aarons, who could cost £30m. England international Kieran Trippier is also named as an alternative.

Transfer Tavern verdict

The fact that the Daily Mail’s report makes no mention of interest from Celtic in a permanent transfer speaks volumes for Kenny’s future.

The 24-year-old has failed to kick on in the manner that Everton would have hoped, with some of his performances in Scotland drawing the ire of the Parkhead faithful.

He could still go on to forge a good career for himself in the lower reaches of the Premier League, but the Toffees are right to look elsewhere for their heir to Coleman, with his current backup seemingly having no future under Ancelotti.

In other news, Alan Myers delivered this update on Everton’s pursuit of Max Aarons. 

Pep Guardiola is reportedly willing to sell Manchester City superstar Raheem Sterling this summer in order to fund transfer moves for Jack Grealish and Erling Haaland, which could prove to be an excellent decision by the Spanish manager.

What’s the word?

According to Football Insider, Guardiola is planning an overhaul of his Man City attack this summer, which could see Sterling depart as the Etihad outfit look to raise funds ahead of potential moves for Aston Villa’s Grealish and Borussia Dortmund’s Haaland.

The report suggests that the former Barcelona boss no longer considers the England international to be an integral part of his squad and that he would be willing to sell him this summer should the club receive a suitable offer.

Should Man City sell him?

Sterling was one of City’s most impressive performers earlier in the campaign and has contributed nine goals and six assists in the Premier League this season, averaging a superb 7.23 rating.

However, after a poor run of form, which has seen him contribute no goals and just one assist in his last 11 appearances, he has dropped down the pecking order under Guardiola and has regularly been left out of key games in the Champions League and Premier League.

The former Liverpool man has truly looked desperate for a goal in recent weeks and it seems as if his far too regular habit of missing big chances has finally come back to haunt him under Guardiola, who has preferred the more consistent Phil Foden and Riyad Mahrez on the wings for the past few months of the season.

Sterling is obviously still an incredibly talented footballer, with Leicester City manager Brendan Rodgers labelling him “world-class” last season but if City do want to cash in on him, then they need to do it sooner rather than later.

The 26-year-old’s form over the past few months, as well as the financial impact of the pandemic, has seen his market value, according to Transfermarkt, drop 37.5% from £144m in December 2019 to £90m.

If Sterling’s poor performances continue then his value will only continue to drop further, so Guardiola is perhaps right to want to sell him this summer in the hope that they can still receive a huge fee for the winger, which can go towards improving the squad ahead of next season.

And, in other news… Txiki should seal Man City swoop for “amazing” gem loved by Bruno Fernandes

On a truly historic night for Manchester City football club, Pep Guardiola’s side ended their Champions League hoodoo by reaching their first ever final with a 2-0 win over PSG.

The Citizens came into the game at the Etihad off the back of a superb victory in the first leg back in Paris, and simply continued where they left off on Tuesday night.

A brace from Riyad Mahrez saw City clinch victory in both the game and the tie, but it was Oleksandr Zinchenko’s superb performance at left-back that also caught the eye.

As per Sofascore, the Ukraine international won 100% of his duels on the night, making coming up against the likes of Neymar and Angel Di Maria look supremely easy.

He was aggressive in the challenge and didn’t shirk away from the 50/50s, while he also kept his head composed when City needed it the most – a moment in the second-half saw him stay on his feet and not commit before throwing himself in front of Neymar’s goal-bound effort inside the box.

Zinchenko made four tackles over the course of the game, which was the third-most of any City player, while his coolness in possession was reflected by the fact that he made the most passes and boasted the best accuracy of any Citizen.

And, in his post-match player ratings for The Evening Standard, James Robson gave him a seven, saying: “Thought he had conceded a penalty – then breaks away to set up City’s opener. Defended diligently and his bursts forward scared PSG.”

In a game chock-full of big-money talents and signings on both sides, Zinchenko more than held his own, and did himself proud.

Given the trials and tribulations he has had to go through in getting to this exact point, City fans no doubt will be over the moon at seeing the £18m-rated Zinchenko shine on the biggest stage in European football.

James Pearce, Liverpool correspondent for The Athletic, says the club are still to yet finalise their move for RB Leipzig centre-back Ibrahima Konate.

The lowdown

Pearce’s colleague David Ornstein revealed at the end of March that the Reds were closing in on the signing of the 21-year-old defender.

Liverpool have seen their centre-back ranks decimated by injury this season, with Virgil van Dijk, Joe Gomez and Joel Matip all casualties.

Frenchman Konate has made 94 appearances for RB Leipzig and, according to The Athletic’s Tom Worville, ‘has all of the tools to become one of the best in Europe’.

Fabrizio Romano tweeted on 23 April that Liverpool have agreed the terms of Konate’s five-year contract.

He said Liverpool will pay the €35million (£30.5m) release clause and that the deal ‘is set to be completed’.

The latest

Pearce, speaking to fan channel The Redmen TV, said: “It’s still not 100% done because that conversation with Leipzig hasn’t happened yet in terms of either negotiating a fee or just straight up paying his release clause.

“I think there is a realisation that is what has to happen – I don’t really see Leipzig letting him go for anything less than that release clause.”

The verdict

Could Liverpool box clever here? Having already agreed terms with Konate, they may be able to shave some money off the fee with the club knowing they would otherwise be keeping an unhappy player.

To do that though, they may need to give Leipzig something in return.

Takumi Minamino may be the solution, as the Japanese forward is out of favour at Anfield, hence his loan to Southampton at the end of the January transfer window.

But now Jesse Marsch, who oversaw his development at RB Salzburg, is set to take over at Leipzig.

Marsch has waxed lyrical about Minamino, hailing him as a ‘very clever’ player who ‘understands how to make final plays and tactics’.

A player-plus-cash swap deal may just be feasible.

In other news, could this be Liverpool’s next target?