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West Ham United are leading the race to sign Adam Armstrong this summer, according to reports…

What’s the word?

The Sun claimed that the Irons are among the frontrunners to secure the prolific Blackburn Rovers talisman ahead of next season.

It is believed that the Championship outfit are trying to keep hold of the 24-year-old by offering him a lucrative new deal, although there is interest from several top-flight clubs, including Everton and Brighton.

Armstrong’s current contract is set to expire next year and months of negotiations haven’t convinced him to sign new terms at Ewood Park. He is likely to cost any interested suitor around £25m.

Shades of Aguero

The Hammers haven’t always had the best success when poaching strikers from the lower echelons of the English pyramid – Jordan Hugill being the major case in point – but Armstrong could well be the exception.

The 5 foot 6 pocket dynamo has scored a whopping 29 goals in 43 appearances in all competitions this term, adding to his tally of 17 from 2019/20, as per Transfermarkt.

Truth be told, he has scored goals wherever he’s been, having also bagged 20 times in 40 appearances for Coventry in League One prior to his switch to the Lancashire giants.

There will likely be plenty of question marks over whether or not he can step up to the next level but his rise from many a lower league loan spell to Rovers does provide further encouragement.

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Furthermore, Hammers legend Joe Cole is a massive fan of his, having been at the Ricoh Arena at the same time.

“Armstrong reminds me of Aguero in a way, he’s of the build and he’s hungry for goals,” the former England midfielder told Coventry’s official website (via efl.com). “In a lovely way, he’s selfish for goals and has the ingredients to be a top player and go on to score many more goals.”

But could Moyes genuinely clinch his own Aguero in Armstrong?

A further look into his game could certainly suggest so, and he’d only have to be half the player of the Manchester City monster to be a hit in the top flight.

No player has fired off more shots per game in the 2020/21 Championship than Armstrong (4.7), so it’s hardly a surprise to see him amongst the most lethal finishers in the division, whilst he has 0.27 goals for every shot on target.

Tony Mowbray, his manager at both Blackburn and Coventry, told The Athletic that his tactical flexibility to play in many systems is a very attractive prospect, saying: “His explosive pace at the top end of the pitch allows you to play both ways.”

The 57-year-old added: “To not be overly concerned if you’re pinned back around the edge of your box because one pass releases pressure to someone like (Harvey) Elliott to play the pass that he can hit, just leaving it in the space for the speed and dynamic movement of Armstrong — it’s a devastating effect for the team.”

The 24-year-old is in the same mould as Michail Antonio in terms of being a bundle of energy and power up top, so he should have no problem in fitting into Moyes’ system.

Therefore, on the above evidence, David Sullivan and the Irons hierarchy must look to take a bold gamble on the prolific marksman this summer – Armstrong could well become West Ham’s very own Aguero.

AND in other news, Irons set for huge boost as major Rush Green news emerges, fans will be buzzing…

Celtic are in the middle of a hefty period of transition.

The Hoops are swaying away from the experienced heads of Leigh Griffiths and Scott Brown to a younger variety of player.

It’s a policy that has already seen the Bhoys welcome Liam Shaw to the club in time for the manager’s appointment at Parkhead.

On the chalkboard

Celtic’s migration in transfer policy is a timely one with players like Karamoko Dembele breaking into the senior set-up. They are fortunate to have young Celtic defenders Stephen Welsh, Leo Hjelde and Adam Montgomery rising through the ranks too.

Montgomery and Welsh made their first-team breakthroughs this term but Hjelde is yet to earn senior minutes for the Hoops. Instead, he enjoyed a loan spell at Ross County in the back half the campaign, earning lofty comparisons to a certain Virgil van Dijk.

With those three players in mind, it would appear that Celtic’s future in defence looks like a solid one.

That said, the Bhoys are aiming to bolster their ranks by bringing another special young talent to Paradise, with Barcelona defender Mika Marmol catching their eye.

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According to Spanish outlet Mundo Deportivo, Celtic, Getafe and Mallorca have all enquired about his availability.

At the age of 19, Marmol is very much one for the future, and he’s a player who would be perfect for Howe and Celtic. Described as a “manager’s dream” by David Bravo of Barca Universal, he possesses all the modern-day qualities that any coaches would love in a defender.

Having progressed through the famous La Masia academy, he is adept at playing with the ball at his feet; an area where Hjelde has also shown encouraging signs.

This is important due to the large levels of possession Celtic enjoy per game, and because they’ve enjoyed great success with a ball-playing defender in their ranks such as Kristoffer Ajer. Coincidentally, they are both able to play in wide and central areas.

Capable of featuring at centre-back or left-back, Marmol offers great versatility and the ability to be a threat going forward.

Talking about the Spaniard’s strengths, Bravo added: “As a natural left-back, he continuously contributes to attack with his forward runs and, mostly, his pinpoint crosses. When he is in a static position, he’s able to raise his head, pick his target and deliver an exquisite cross with his delicate left foot.

“His biggest attribute is his positioning and reading of both offensive and defensive actions. His brain and positional intelligence is well above the average. His decision making is truly admirable, and this tends to be the difference-maker for footballers.”

When playing in the middle of defence, Marmol provides plenty of physical qualities, an area of his game where he has reportedly developed well this season.

An unknown quantity at senior level, this would be a shrewd addition from the Celtic hierarchy and it should play into the new manager’s hands nicely. The youngster’s playing style seems perfect for the 43-year-old.

AND in other news, Howe would be an instant hit if Celtic sign 45-goal bully who’s “impossible to beat”…

Valerien Ismael is among the contenders for the vacant West Brom manager’s job, according to reports…

What’s the word?

That’s the latest claim from the Daily Mirror, who suggested that the Barnsley boss is high on the Baggies’ shortlist to replace Sam Allardyce at The Hawthorns this summer.

It’s also thought that the Midlands outfit would need to pay around £1.5m in compensation to land the 45-year-old coach after an impressive season in charge of the Tykes.

Former West Brom manager Roy Hodgson and Chris Wilder have also been mooted with the Albion job.

Baggies stars beware

After an abject and pathetic season on the pitch (just five league wins), culminating in relegation to the Championship after just one season back in the big time, a stern presence in the dugout could be exactly what West Brom need to spark the club back into life.

Former LASK Linz and Wolfsburg manager Ismael has completely transformed Barnsley from relegation favourites into play-off contenders in the second tier, before losing to Swansea City.

In his 44 games in charge of the club, he has registered a respectable 56.8% win rate, which is better than the other two candidates in their recent posts. Hodgson leaves Palace having won just 33% of matches, whilst Wilder only won 46.7% of games in charge of Sheffield United despite achieving promotion twice in three years.

Ismael has also been linked with the vacancy at Selhurst Park and, when speaking exclusively to Football FanCast, former Aston Villa star Lee Hendrie waxed lyrical about the Barnsley boss.

“He wants that aggressive style. He’s got a very good, young squad at Barnsley and done absolutely brilliant this season with what he’s had at Barnsley. I’ve got to say that, for sure,” the 44-year-old claimed. “I say he likes that aggressive style, but he likes that energy and he plays football in the right way.”

These are all encouraging signs towards why West Brom sporting and technical director Luke Dowling would be wise to appoint someone like Ismael, who was hardly heard of before his stint in the Championship this season.

Some of West Brom’s squad have been around the club for several years, whilst an average age of 26.5 ranked them amongst the oldest in the top flight during 2020/21, as per Transfermarkt.

Albion have a fine academy setup, which means that Ismael would tick another box as his Barnsley side were by far the youngest in the Championship, with an average of just 23.5, as per Transfermarkt.

That would suit Dowling and his academy setup at The Hawthorns, so if he wants to get a reaction ahead of the new season, then the 45-year-old Frenchman must be considered as a serious candidate alongside the likes of Wilder and Hodgson.

AND in other news, Dowling may be on verge of landmark West Brom appointment amid surprise manager twist…

Portsmouth have been dealt a huge blow in the race to land £450k-rated West Brom starlet Josh Griffiths as it has been revealed that the shot-stopper wants to return to Cheltenham.

What’s the talk?

According to Hampshire Live, Portsmouth are one of a number of clubs looking at Griffiths as a potential signing following his impressive campaign on loan at Cheltenham. Pompey are currently set to go into the 2021/22 campaign with one senior goalkeeper on the books, with Alex Bass the only player contracted beyond the end of the month between the sticks.

Cheltenham chairman Andy Wilcox has now claimed that Griffiths is eager to return for a second loan spell with the club and has reiterated that he would like the 19-year-old back as his club’s number one. Wilcox told Gloucestershire Live:

“Ideally, we’d want Josh Griffiths back on loan as number one, but we’ll see how it goes.

“Firstly, he wants to come back to Cheltenham, which is the most important thing. He really enjoyed it here.
“He’s just got better and better, so credit to Booky (Steve Book, goalkeeping coach) for giving him confidence. He has a big future, that lad.”

Cowley will be gutted

Portsmouth’s goalkeeper situation heading into next season is looking increasingly murky and this news is a huge blow to their plans.

Craig MacGillivray is unlikely to extend his contract, as per Hampshire Live, and that would leave Cowley without his trusted number one goalkeeper. MacGillivray played all 46 of Portsmouth’s games in League One, keeping 15 clean sheets and conceding 51 goals. This shows how important he has been to Cowley and why his absence could leave a huge gap to fill this summer.

That gap now looks unlikely to be filled by £450k-rated West Brom goalkeeper Griffiths. The shot-stopper made 44 appearances in League Two for Cheltenham, keeping an incredible 21 clean sheets – conceding just 37 goals. He played a huge part in Cheltenham’s title success in League Two as they had the best defensive record in the top six. From this perspective, it is easy to see why Wilcox wants to bring Griffiths back to the club for another season as the teenager heavily impressed during his first season in senior football.

Cowley will be gutted that Griffiths is eager to return to Cheltenham as it could prevent Portsmouth from being able to land the teenager this summer. Griffiths could now sign for Cheltenham, who are potential rivals for Portsmouth in League One next season, and Cowley will be left still searching for a new number one to replace MacGillivray, unless he suddenly decides to trust Bass with a first-team role. It will now be down to Portsmouth to scour the country in search of an alternative to Griffiths to bolster their goalkeeping unit.

Scott Parker could well be in talks with one of Fulham’s Championship rivals ahead of a potential summer switch.

What’s the talk?

That’s according to The Sun journalist Alan Nixon, who has hinted in a post on Twitter that Parker is already in talks with the Bournemouth hierarchy regarding a move to the Vitality Stadium this summer.

A recent report by talkSPORT claimed that the 40-year-old would be tempted to quit Fulham in favour of a switch to the Cherries, who are thought to be willing to part company with Jonathan Woodgate after his failure to secure promotion to the Premier League via the Championship play-offs last season.

Fans will be distraught

Considering the marvellous job Parker has done at Craven Cottage since taking over at the club back in February of 2019, the fact that there appears to be a very real chance of the former Tottenham Hotspur midfielder leaving the club this summer is sure to leave fans of Fulham distraught.

Indeed, despite suffering relegation in his first term at the club, in Fulham’s first full season under the 40-year-old, the Cottagers went on to secure an immediate return to the top flight, beating Brentford 2-1 AET in the 2019/20 play-off final.

And, while Fulham went on to suffer relegation from the top flight for the second time in three seasons under Parker in their subsequent campaign, the west London side earned plaudits from the likes of Pep Guardiola, Marcelo Bielsa and Jurgen Klopp for their “exceptional” style of attacking and exciting football.

As such, if the Cottagers were to lose the services of the young manager this summer, not only would they be without a coach who has a proven track record of getting them out of the second tier, but also one who very much seems to play football in the right way as well as appearing to have an extremely bright future in the game.

In other news: Fulham confirm transfer news on “valuable” £24k-p/w flop which will leave fans furious

Marcus Bent has exclusively told The Transfer Tavern that there would be a huge weight of expectation on Ademola Lookman’s shoulders were Everton to re-sign him this summer.

Having come through the ranks at Charlton, the 23-year-old has gone down a different career path to many young English players at his age.

He left Charlton to join Everton, and despite scoring on his debut against Manchester City, never managed to establish himself as a regular at Goodison Park and left for Leipzig permanently two years ago following a successful loan spell.

But Lookman’s struggles resurfaced during his first year in Germany, forcing him to move back to the Premier League last summer – making a return to London with Fulham.

And despite their immediate relegation back to the Championship, Lookman showed his capabilities in the Premier League by scoring four times and adding four assists in 34 appearances.

Bent has previously suggested that a quick winger is on Everton’s shopping list this summer, but told The Transfer Tavern that Lookman would be expected to perform following his fine form for Fulham:

“He did well for Fulham, the problem being is that if he goes to Everton, he’s going to be expected to come in and do well.

“Obviously for Fulham in the Premier League, now they’ve gone down, yes, they’re going to look at him, but he’d have to hit the ground running.”

Crystal Palace need better and more attacking players if they are to reach the next level, says former Premier League manager Paul Jewell.

It was another decent season for Palace, who finished in 14th and quite some distance away from the relegation zone.

However, it probably was not the most exciting of campaigns for supporters, with the Eagles scoring just 41 goals in 38 games.

For Jewell, if they are to improve, they need better quality, especially in attack. The ex-Wigan boss also feels the team’s over-reliance on talisman Wilfried Zaha is a problem.

He told FFC in an exclusive interview:

“If they want to go to the next level, they’ve got to get better players – get better players or more attacking players.

“Obviously quite highly reliant on Zaha and I think that has to change if Crystal Palace are going to look for that next step.”

The Zaha issue in particular is something Palace’s new manager needs to address. In fact, he may have no choice but to given that the south London outfit could lose him this summer.

The Ivory Coast international, who finished the 2020/21 season as Palace’s top scorer with 11 goals, is said to be attracting interest from both Tottenham and Everton. Chairman Steve Parish recently warned, though, that any deal “has to be right for the club”.

Peterborough United Director of Football Barry Fry has revealed that the club want to sign six new players this summer.

Posh are preparing for a season in the Championship after winning promotion from League One by finishing second behind Hull City.

The club have not been in the second-tier since 2012/13, when they finished 22nd under the management of Darren Ferguson, who is now in his third spell at the club.

They are looking to compete in the Championship this time around, though, and are planning for a busy summer that could see a number of players come through the door at London Road.

Peterborough have already announced a clutch of new contracts, tying down the likes of Ricky Jade-Jones and centre-back Ronnie Edwards among others.

And Fry has now confirmed that the club are in search of some experienced talent to bolster Ferguson’s squad ahead of the 2021/22 campaign.

Speaking exclusively to The Transfer Tavern, Fry said: “We tied six of our players who were already under contract with us to new three-year contracts because they got us there, and the spirit of everybody got us there, and we had the nucleus of a good side, so we want to keep that together.

“It is important in the Championship that we add to that and we would like to sign another six players to strengthen the squad, to go with the already very good, very hungry, very young squad.

“Apart from Beevers, all of our players are really young and you need one or two experienced players in your side that’s played in the Championship before to help the other lads. The other lads, some of the younger lads, have come on leaps and bounds.”

Arsenal’s Joe Willock will not return to Newcastle United this summer, says former Premier League striker Dean Windass.

Willock spent the second half of the 2020/21 season on loan at St. James’ Park, where he excelled.

He scored eight goals in 14 league appearances and is now wanted back at the club by Steve Bruce.

According to Chronicle Live, Newcastle are looking to offer cash plus goalkeeper Freddie Woodman for Willock, knowing that Arsenal are keen on adding an English shot-stopper to their squad for homegrown quota purposes.

For Windass, though, the 21-year-old midfielder is likely to remain in north London.

“Willock’s obviously going to stay at Arsenal next year,” the ex-Hull City forward said to FFC in an exclusive interview.

“I can’t see Willock going back to Newcastle unless [Mikel] Arteta doesn’t want him, and Steve will jump right at it.”

With Arsenal being Willock’s boyhood club, it is easy to imagine him staying and fighting for his career there.

However, after that goalscoring run he went on, netting seven times in seven consecutive games, the English youngster has shown he has too much talent to be sitting on the bench.

If not guaranteed opportunities, perhaps he should at least consider another loan move should he not want to leave the Gunners for good.

Former West Brom midfielder Carlton Palmer has warned Valerien Ismael about the club’s board, suggesting they have too much of a say on football matters.

West Brom confirmed the appointment of Ismael as manager on Thursday, with the ex-Barnsley boss signing a four-year contract at The Hawthorns.

Baggies chiefs stole the headlines for the wrong reasons last season when they sold central defender Ahmed Hegazi to Saudi Arabian side Al-Ittihad behind Slaven Bilic’s back just before a Premier League fixture, a decision that left the Croatian fuming.

And now Palmer has warned Ismael that managers at West Brom are not getting enough of a say on matters.

“The chairman [ and board] has too much of a say on what’s going on and the manager doesn’t have enough say,” the ex-West Brom player said in an exclusive interview with FFC.

“Bilic’s picked his team on the day of the game [practically] and then when it comes to teatime, that player is not able to play because the chairman sold him. Now, you can’t be having that as a manager.”

Indeed, the whole thing was a strange ordeal, with Sky Sports confirming that Hegazi was set to start in that Monday night clash against Brighton.

From Ismael’s perspective, he will surely be hoping for owner Guochuan Lai and chairman Li Piyue to not make any similar decisions like the above as he looks to take West Brom back to the Premier League.