According to SkyBet, West Ham United are the 9/4 favourites to sign Southampton midfielder Dusan Tadic this summer.

Irons manager Slaven Bilic is keen to strengthen his attacking options following a below-par campaign and he is still looking for a replacement for the creative Dimitri Payet, who left for Marseille during the January transfer window.

A need for a central attacking midfielder who can play wide could mean that Tadic is an attractive proposition for the Hammers.

Meanwhile, there could also be major changes at Saints over the course of pre-season with Claude Puel’s future seemingly uncertain, while there may be players coming and going too following a disappointing goalscoring campaign in which they netted just 17 times at home.

One of those casualties could be the 28-year-old after he endured his worst Premier League season since moving to the south coast outfit in 2014.

Here are three reasons Southampton should sell Tadic to West Ham…

He could be on the decline

After scoring four goals and providing a further seven assists in his first Premier League season and then netting seven and giving 13 assists in his second campaign, Tadic has struggled to make an impact in a low-scoring Saints side this term.

The 28-year-old scored just three goals and provided five assists during a disappointing top flight campaign in terms of attacking threat, and the club may feel that he is on the decline as he approaches his 29th birthday.

Critcising the manager in public

Whether he disagreed with his decisions or not, Tadic was wrong to publicly criticise Claude Puel in March by saying that the Frenchman’s decision to substitute him off in some matches had cost Southampton a result.

Since then, the 28-year-old has stayed on the pitch more than he did previously but amid a disappointing personal campaign, the matter should have been sorted out behind closed doors.

Having reportedly also not seen eye-to-eye with previous boss Ronald Koeman, Saints may feel it’s time to sell the potential trouble-marker this summer.

He can’t play in the same team as Boufal

The Moroccan became Southampton’s record signing last summer following his arrival from Lille but he has struggled to make an impression following an injury-hit campaign.

The 23-year-old has certainly looked more comfortable as a number 10 rather than out wide, where he has less defensive responsibilities, and the club could look to utilise him there more next term.

The problem, however, is that it is also Tadic’s preferred position, so Saints may choose to invest in the talent of Boufal rather than try to utilise both of them in the team, as they tried and failed to do in the 0-0 draw at home to Hull City.

Do you agree, Saints fans? Let us know below.

Being blessed with both feet gives you a distinct advantage in the modern game.

Of course, some players do well to get by without, such as Arjen Robben. The Netherlands international has enjoyed a phenomenal career but when arguably its most telling moment came in the 2010 World Cup final as he found himself through on goal, Robben refused to take the shot with his right foot. By the time he’d shifted the ball onto his trusty left, Iker Casillas had smothered him. The moment was gone – and Robben was left wondering why he’d not given his weaker foot more attention down the years.

And thus, ambipedal ability can really make all the difference at the very top of the game, which is why Spurs fans will be delighted to discover three of their most talented, naturally right-footed players have scored five left-footed goals or more this season – Premier League Golden Boot winner Harry Kane on seven, followed closely by his attacking midfield accomplices Christian Eriksen and Dele Alli.

It shows how well-rounded threats they’ve become under Mauricio Pochettino, highlighting their impeccable technique and confidence in attempting to hit the net with their weaker foot.

Also featuring prominently in the Premier League’s top six this season are left-footed trio Romelu Lukaku, Robert Snodgrass and Alvaro Negredo, bagging 27 between them. Not bad, but Tottenham’s right-footed triplet got more than half of that – 17 – on their weaker pegs.

According to reports in The Mirror, West Ham United have joined Premier League rivals West Bromwich Albion and Watford in the race to sign Montpellier striker Steve Mounie this summer.

Irons manager Slaven Bilic is keen to strengthen his strike force with Jonathan Calleri leaving the club following the end of his season-long loan spell and continued doubts over the fitness of Andy Carroll and Diafra Sakho, who spent the majority of the campaign on the sidelines because of injury.

The link with the Ligue 1 attacker follows stories that the Hammers are looking to sign Manchester City’s Kelechi Iheanacho and Chelsea’s Michy Batshuayi.

While the former looks set to be on his way out of the Etihad and is understood to be keen to stay in the Premier League, the future of the Belgium international is far less certain.

Here are three reasons West Ham should sign Mounie instead of Batshuayi…

He offers something different

If West Ham were to sign Iheanacho from City this summer there would be a few arguing that they then wouldn’t need to sign Batshuayi as well.

Irons manager Slaven Bilic often plays with just the one striker in his preferred formation and with the duo both being poachers rather than all-round strikers, it would probably be better to have a different option for some matches.

Standing at 6’3” tall, Mounie would certainly add height and strength in the air and would allow the side to play a different style, but he is also able to find the net on a regular basis after scoring 14 times in 35 Ligue 1 appearances this season.

He can finally replace Carroll

There is little doubt that the style the Irons play when Carroll is on the pitch has proved to be particularly effective in recent seasons – although perhaps less so at the London Stadium – but they rarely get to do it on a regular basis because of his poor injury record.

That is where Mounie can make a difference as he is of a similar stature to the 28-year-old, and he won an impressive 282 aerial duels for Montpellier in Ligue 1 as they narrowly avoided the drop this season.

He would be cheaper

If Batshuayi is allowed to leave Chelsea on a permanent basis this summer then there is no doubt that they will look to recoup most of the £33m they spent to bring him to England last year despite his lack of minutes on the pitch.

That could prove to be an expensive buy for the Irons – especially if they complete a £20m deal for Iheanacho – and Mounie would certainly be a cheaper option for the Irons as he is reportedly available for around £13m.

Do you agree, Irons fans? Let us know below.

The West Bromwich Albion fans in the Transfer Tavern today will be hoping for something a little different next season, after another stale mid-table finish in the previous campaign.

The landlord was overheard today saying that if he was a West Brom fan, he would be bored to tears at this point.

The last three seasons the club have finished 10th, 14th and 13th, never really close enough to the drop to make each game exciting and definitely never close enough to those all-important European places, they just constantly find themselves in the middle of the pack.

Part of the problem can be attributed to their lack of attacking threat, with Rondon scoring only eight times during the 16/17 campaign, terrible numbers for your top striker.

Defensively they are slightly better with the likes of Jonny Evans and Craig Dawson at the back but still, things need to change for the Baggies.

Much like many other Premier League sides, there are a few gems that are making their way up the West Brom youth set-up, and it doesn’t seem like Tony Pulis would have much to lose by giving some of these talented youngsters a chance in the first team.

With that being said, here are TWO West Brom wonderkids that Tony Pulis should bring up to the first-team…..

Tyler Roberts

The 18-year-old Welsh centre forward spent the entirety of last season out on loan, first at Oxford and then finishing the season with Shrewsbury.

Roberts’ time at Oxford was quite an unsuccessful spell as he only scored two goals in 22 games for the League One side, none of which came in the league.

However, Roberts did manage to bag four goals in 13 games for Shrewsbury along with two assists to make the tail end of the season a memorable one for the youngster.

Despite a mixed season, Roberts got something a lot more valuable than goals and assists, first-team football.

Playing 27 league games last season, 11 of which were starts, Tyler Roberts has been able to continue his development away from the pressures of playing for a Premier League side such as West Brom, and whilst he may not be ready to feature in all 38 games next season for Pulis’ side, maybe bringing him back to the club and easing him in to the first-team picture could result in a striker, scoring much more than eight goals all season, sooner rather than later.

Sam Field

The fact that Sam Field has never been loaned out by West Brom should speak volumes of how important the club already deem him to be.

The 19-year-old central midfielder began a sharp climb up the ranks of Tony Pulis’ side and managed to register eight Premier League appearances last season, four of which he was part of the starting eleven.

Unfortunately for Field, the only two winning games he featured in were against Stoke and Bournemouth, both of which he came on as a 90th minute substitute but still, a win is a win.

The centre mid who can also play a more defensive midfield role has been praised by Tony Pulis a lot since breaking into the first team, with the veteran manager describing Field’s performance against Burnley as “smashing”.

The future looks bright for Sam Field and if he keeps on the trajectory that he is currently on, then Pulis may have a very bright talent in his ranks for years to come.

What do you think West Brom fans? Let us know down below!

According to reports in The Mirror, Southampton are leading Premier League rivals Newcastle United, Brighton and Hove Albion and Crystal Palace in the race to sign Chelsea midfielder Ruben Loftus-Cheek on loan.

What’s the word, then?

Well, the 21-year-old looks set to leave Stamford Bridge on a temporary basis this summer after struggling to break into the first team under Antonio Conte last season, and Saints are ready to beat the newly-promoted duo – and the Eagles – in the battle for the midfielder, according to The Mirror.

The England Under-21 international wants regular playing time next term and he could get the opportunity to get it under new Southampton boss Mauricio Pellegrino.

How did Loftus-Cheek do last season?

After featuring heavily during pre-season last summer, the highly-rated midfielder may have hoped that he would have been given a real chance to shine in the first team under Conte last season, but it just didn’t happen for the 21-year-old.

The England Under-21 international featured just six times in the Premier League – all substitute appearances – and 11 in all competitions in a frustrating campaign, although he did get on the scoresheet twice in FA and League Cup win against Peterborough United and Bristol Rovers respectively.

Why hasn’t he been given an opportunity?

It’s no surprise that he wasn’t a regular given Chelsea were going for the title and the likes of N’Golo Kante, Nemanja Matic and Cesc Fabregas were brilliant in midfield, however he would have expected to play more than 343 minutes of first team football.

Perhaps one of the problems is that Conte used Loftus-Cheek as a striker last year, and therefore was unwilling to use him in a more defensive position.

Would he be a good signing for Southampton?

He certainly would be.

While Saints have Oriol Romeu in central midfield, they lacked height and energy in the middle of the park at times last season and the addition of Loftus-Cheek would certainly help them overcome that issue.

They would also be willing to give the 21-year-old an opportunity – as they have done with the likes of James Ward-Prowse, Jack Stephens and Nathan Redmond recently – and that can only benefit them and the player.

What’s the verdict, then?

Well, there is no doubt that Loftus-Cheek is the type of player Southampton were missing in midfield last season, and it would be a big coup if they could bring him in on loan, although they would probably prefer a permanent deal.

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Aston Villa fans have given Thomas Sorensen their well-wishes after he announced his retirement from football.

The goalkeeper has opted to call time on his 24-year career after having spells at Odense, Sunderland, Villa, Stoke City and more recently Melbourne City.

Sorensen spent the last two years in Australia and he has decided to remain in the country, and will switch his attention to some charity work.

The former Denmark international, who earned 101 caps, confirmed his retirement in a post on Instagram.

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The 41-year-old made more than 400 appearances in the Premier League, and a chunk of those outings came at Villa.

Sorensen played for the Midlands outfit between 2003 and 2008, and he managed to keep hold of the number one spot under the management of David O’Leary and then Martin O’Neill.

Following his announcement, the goalkeeper gave a special mention to Villa on Twitter, and as expected, he received plenty of support from the club’s fans.

Transfer speculation surrounding Barcelona star Neymar went into overdrive on Friday when he was filmed storming out of training following a bust-up with new signing Nelson Semedo.

Video footage obtained by the Daily Mail shows the Brazilian squaring up to new signing Semedo following a challenge during a small-sided game.

Neymar’s teammates had to intervene to prevent the confrontation from getting more heated, and the 25-year-old eventually trudged off the pitch.

Before leaving the training field, the attacker threw his bib to the floor and kicked a ball in anger.

This footage is only going to fuel rumours that Neymar is on his way out of Camp Nou, with ESPN recently reporting that the Brazilian has agreed terms with Paris Saint-Germain over a world-record €222m (£198.8m) transfer.

Even though all signs are pointing towards the French giants, Manchester United fans want their club to scupper the deal.

The Red Devils certainly have the financial clout to compete, and many supporters think that Neymar is just what the club need.

After learning of the Brazilian’s training ground scuffle, United fans took to Twitter.

Chelsea manager Antonio Conte has hinted in his pre-match press conference for the club’s clash against Tottenham Hotspur at Wembley on Sunday that while Eden Hazard is improving, he doesn’t have the match fitness to line up against Spurs.

The Belgium international suffered an ankle injury while on international duty with Belgium in June, and he missed the club’s opening day defeat against Burnley last weekend.

The Premier League holders, who were missing Hazard, Pedro and Tiemoue Bakayoko because of injury and Victor Moses through suspension, suffered a disastrous 3-2 defeat by the Clarets in a match where both Gary Cahill and Cesc Fabregas were sent off.

Conte’s men will be hoping to bounce back on Sunday but they face a tough task against Mauricio Pochettino’s side, who will once again be looking to compete for the title.

Chelsea supporters were quick to give their opinion on the news, and they were divided with their opinions.

While some don’t want the club to rush him back in case he further aggravates his injury, others say that he is needed against Tottenham.

Here is just a selection of the Twitter reaction…

Everton manager Ronald Koeman has insisted that the club need to bring in a striker before the transfer window closes on Thursday.

The Dutchman, who ideally wants two new players brought in over the next few days, made the claims after overseeing his team lose 2-0 to Chelsea.

The Toffees travelled to Stamford Bridge on Sunday for the third Premier League match of the season, but it was not a happy afternoon for the club.

The team ended up leaving West London having conceded goals from Cesc Fabregas and Alvaro Morata.

Everton never looked as though they would perform a comeback, and despite signing eight new players in this window, Koeman is desperate for more.

The blue half of Merseyside have spent well over £100m on shaking up the squad, which has picked up four points from a possible nine.

After losing to Chelsea, the Everton boss told reporters that he intends to jump back into the market, which got the fans talking.

A much-changed Leeds United advanced to the fourth round of the Carabao Cup after a thrilling 5-3 win on penalties against Premier League side Burnley at Turf Moor on Tuesday, and it has certainly given boss Thomas Christiansen something to think about ahead of the weekend clash against Ipswich Town.

The Spaniard decided to make nine changes to the team that lost their first match of the season against Millwall at The Den on Saturday, with Pierre-Michel Lasogga, Samu Saiz, Vurnon Anita and Kalvin Phillips among those dropping out of the starting XI.

Two goals for each team in a frantic end to the game saw the tie go to extra-time and then penalties, with the Yorkshire outfit’s players keeping their cool from the spot as the Whites saw off the Clarets and former players Chris Wood and Charlie Taylor.

The performances of some of the players that came into the side have certainly given their manager something to think about as he looks to get back to winning ways against Ipswich at Elland Road this weekend.

Here are four Leeds outcasts that have given Christiansen selection headaches after their Burnley heroics…

Conor Shaughnessy

The 21-year-old was one of only two Leeds players to keep his place in the starting line-up from the defeat to Millwall on Saturday amid injuries to Pontus Jansson, Liam Cooper and Matthew Pennington.

It was only the Irishman’s fifth start in 11 matches though and after a wobbly performance against the Lions at the weekend, he bounced back at Turf Moor with a solid and assured display.

With the aforementioned trio of centre-backs potentially all available again for the visit of Ipswich, Christiansen has a big decision to make and it will be difficult to drop Shaughnessy after such an impressive showing.

Ronaldo Vieira

Eunan O’Kane and Kalvin Phillips have quickly established themselves as Thomas Christiansen’s preferred central midfield partnership this season, but their below-par showing against Millwall and Vieira’s energetic performance against Burnley has given the Spaniard a dilemma.

While the 18-year-old has played every minute of Leeds’ Carabao Cup campaign this term, he has featured for just 31 minutes in the Championship, but that could change this weekend.

The England Under-20 international improved as the game went on at Turf Moor, and it was his initial intervention that set the visitors away on the break for Hadi Sacko’s opening goal.

Mateusz Klich

Like Vieira, while the Poland international has been a regular in the Carabao Cup, he has found first-team minutes hard to come by in the Championship, playing just 43.

The 27-year-old would surely have been hoping for better following his summer move from FC Twente, but his performance at Burnley should mean that Christiansen seriously considers keeping him in the side for the visit of Ipswich on Saturday.

The midfielder produced an assured performance alongside Vieira in the middle of the park and nonchalantly tucked away his spot-kick in the penalty shoot-out.

Hadi Sacko

Despite making 42 appearances in all competitions during his loan spell with Leeds last season, the 23-year-old has obviously failed to impress Christiansen after the move was made permanent during the summer transfer window.

The winger hasn’t been in the Whites’ Championship squad since he came on as a late substitute against Bolton Wanderers on the opening day of the campaign, while he was only a 60th-minute substitute against Burnley on Tuesday.

However, he scored just 20 minutes after coming on with a fine goal to give the visitors the lead and caused a threat with his direct running.

After making the most of a rare chance, he has certainly given Christiansen something to think about ahead of the visit of the Tractor Boys on Saturday.

Do you agree, Leeds fans? Let us know below.