Arsenal Could Secure "Monster" £58m-rated Rice Partner

Arsenal may have already welcomed one top midfielder into their ranks this summer, shattering their transfer record; and yet he could still prove to be the second-biggest deal made to bolster their engine room.

Is Joshua Kimmich leaving Bayern Munich?

With Declan Rice having joined in a £105m move, the England international officially became the second-most-expensive English player ever just behind Jude Bellingham.

Mikel Arteta hopes that his presence will underpin a dynasty in north London, set to challenge for the foreseeable future for every elite honour.

However, if reports from June were to be believed, the Gunners also had their eye on a move for Bayern Munich star Joshua Kimmich, aiming for one of the paramount midfield generals in world football.

The 28-year-old still has two years left on his mouth-watering £323k-per-week deal, but could likely be tempted by the evolving project at the Emirates.

He is valued at €67.9m (£58m) by Football Transfers, which would still represent a remarkable coup should he be attained for a similar price.

How good is Joshua Kimmich?

Whilst his potential arrival might overshadow the signing of Rice, it is likely that they would immediately strike up a partnership rather than step on each other’s toes.

After all, the former West Ham United captain is far more defensive-minded than Kimmich, who last term enjoyed a standout year offensively.

Featuring 33 times in the Bundesliga, the German international maintained a 7.73 average rating, buoyed by his 11 goal contributions, 90% pass accuracy, 2.4 tackles and 2.7 key passes per game, via Sofascore.

That rating and his key passes made per game would have made him comfortably the best performer in both of those categories when compared to Arsenal’s squad last term.

He was imperious all over the pitch, and his injection of energy and experience would prove vital in toppling Pep Guardiola’s treble-winners, especially considering the eight Bundesliga titles and sole Champions League the midfielder has won.

Although two years on, there is precedent to suggest that the following statement made by journalist Muhammad Butt still rings true. “Joshua Kimmich is the best midfielder in the world," he claimed.

This notion was somewhat supplemented by Bundesliga writer Alex Chaffer, who also branded him a "mentality monster".

declan-rice

To emphasise his attacking excellence, when compared to other midfielders across Europe he sits in the top 6% for assists per 90, the top 4% for shot-creating actions per 90, and the top 1% for progressive passes per 90, via FBref.

Partnering such offensive impetus with the solidity Rice would provide holds great promise, as they are clearly both extremely talented and have varied enough play styles to complement each other.

Last season in the Premier League, the England powerhouse maintained a 7.19 average rating of his own, as his 88% pass accuracy, 2.1 tackles, 1.7 interceptions and 1.5 clearances per game helped him shield his back four with ease, via Sofascore.

Comparing him against the same group as Kimmich, it is instead interceptions where he stars, ranking in the top 5% per 90.

This should emphasise just where his play style remains, and exactly why he would complement a potential new partner.

Hammers boss David Moyes even lauded him for his defensive intelligence back in 2020, noting:

“In my mind, he is arguably the best holding midfield player in the country and the best thing about Declan is he will get better.”

Despite how difficult a deal this would be to make, his potential move will still have fans salivating at the prospect of this monstrous new-look partnership that Kimmich and Rice could form.

West Ham Ready To Pursue Move For £35m Star

West Ham United are now ready to test Harry Maguire's resolve to stay and fight for his place at Manchester United, with the centre-back high up on David Moyes' list of centre-back targets, according to a report from The Telegraph.

Is Harry Maguire leaving Manchester United?

Journalist Ben Jacobs believes that Maguire may seek pastures new this summer, despite the fact Erik ten Hag may want to keep hold of him as a back-up option, recently saying:

"Obviously, ten Hag's perspective is that Maguire is going to get diminished game-time, but he is valued as a leader at the football club. Maguire may look to go elsewhere because he has to start thinking about the Euros and, ultimately, the long-term England game-time."

There have been several Premier League clubs linked with moves for the England international, with Wolverhampton Wanderers, Fulham and Sheffield United recently being named as potential suitors by transfer insider Dean Jones.

Jones also details that £35m could be enough to seal a deal for the centre-back, although some of his sources believe that Man United will ot be able to receive that figure, so they may have to consider selling him for a lower fee.

According to a report from The Telegraph, West Ham are now ready to test the defender's resolve to stay and fight for his place at Old Trafford, with Raphael Varane and Lisandro Martinez now above him in the pecking order.

The Englishman believes he can force his way back into the Man United starting XI, and he is currently happy at the club, but he is now emerging as one of Moyes' top targets to bolster the centre-back area.

The offer of first-team football would give the 30-year-old a huge decision to make ahead of the European Championships next summer, with the Hammers looking to bring him in on loan at this stage, rather than on a permanent basis.

How good is Harry Maguire?

The Man United defender, hailed as "fantastic" by former teammate David de Gea earlier this year, has received heavy criticism over the past few years, and he has admitted he has found it difficult to ignore the critics at times, but a lot of it has been unwarranted, given the level of some of his performances.

At the 2022 World Cup with England, the former Leicester City man averaged a 7.34 SofaScore match rating, the second-highest figure in the squad, showcasing that he is still very capable of competing at the top level.

Man United's Harry Maguire

The Sheffield-born centre-back only received limited game time for the Red Devils last season, making a total of 16 Premier League appearances, but he did impress at times, ranking in the 88th percentile for aerials won per 90, and the 89th percentile for blocks in the past year.

A move to the London Stadium could be exactly what Maguire needs to reignite his career, particularly if he wants to keep his place in the England team for next summer's Euros, and West Ham should undoubtedly pursue a deal. However, a loan move is probably wise, as it may be difficult to match the defender's £200k-per-week wages if he is signed on a permanent basis.

Rangers: Meet Their ‘Outstanding’ Teen Ryan Jack Replacement

It has been a considerably busy summer of incomings for Scottish giants Glasgow Rangers since the market officially opened for business last month.

The Light Blues have wasted little time in their attempts to bolster the squad following the bitter disappointment of the 2022/23 campaign.

Michael Beale’s side failed to win a single trophy as they finished second in the Scottish Premiership and were knocked out of all domestic and European cup competitions.

The 42-year-old head coach has reacted to the lack of silverware by swooping for seven new signings; with Sam Lammers, Abdallah Sima, Dujon Sterling, Jack Butland, Kieran Dowell, Cyriel Dessers, and Leon Balogun having joined so far.

Whilst there is still more than a month left to run before the end of the window, the former Aston Villa assistant manager could bolster his squad by dipping into the youth team ahead of next season.

The club’s official Twitter account posted training clips on Monday and one of them showcased B Team star Cole McKinnon's impressive talent. Indeed, he found the net in beautiful fashion as he used the side of his foot to flick the ball past Jack Butland after the cross had gone slightly behind him.

What position does Cole McKinnon play?

Beale could find the long-term heir to Ryan Jack at Ibrox as the 20-year-old prospect is a central midfielder by trade who can also be deployed in a holding or attacking role.

The current Gers first-teamer has spent the majority of his career playing as either a defensive or central midfielder and is now in the final year of his contract in Glasgow.

Rangers central midfielder Ryan Jack.

He turns 32 in February of next year and McKinnon, who turns 21 in 2024, could be the player to take his place for the start of the 2024/25 campaign, provided he can continue to develop over the next 12 months.

The talented youngster enjoyed his first taste of regular senior football during the 2022/23 season as he made 31 competitive appearances on loan at Partick Thistle, in which time the Scottish gem contributed with three goals along with three assists.

These statistics suggest that the Scotland U21 international, who scored on his Scottish Premiership debut against Hearts for Giovanni van Bronckhorst in 2022, has the potential to chip in with goal involvements from midfield.

He could, therefore, replicate the impact that Jack has had as an attacking threat from that position as the veteran ace scored two goals and provided three assists in 36 outings last term.

Former Head of the Academy Craig Mulholland once claimed that McKinnon has an "outstanding desire" to win, which suggests that the exciting dynamo has the mentality to fit in at Rangers as the club attempt to compete for domestic and European trophies over the years to come.

Of course, there is no guarantee that the Light Blues youngster will be able to make the step up to playing regular first-team football for Beale but his development so far suggests that the potential is there.

Another loan next season, possibly at Premiership level, whilst Jack sees out the remaining year of his contract could put him in a position to seriously compete for a place in the squad the following campaign.

Leeds United Manager Update; Talks Open With Daniel Farke

Former Norwich City manager Daniel Farke is the favourite to become Leeds United's new boss this summer with talks over terms now being discussed, according to a new update.

Who is in contention for Leeds job?

It was a dramatic season at Elland Road, as the Whites suffered relegation from the Premier League after three years back in the top flight. Jesse Marsch's time as manager came to an end, following a disappointing run of results, while both Javi Gracia and Sam Allardyce also came and went, failing to stave off the threat of relegation to the Championship.

Since the latter's departure at the end of the campaign, the search has been on to find the perfect summer appointment, with a host of names thrown into the mix.

The likes of Farke, Patrick Vieira and Scott Parker have all been linked with taking charge at Leeds, and a fresh claim suggests that one of those individuals is the front-runner to come in under the 49ers Enterprises.

daniel-farke-norwich-city-leeds-united-manager-gossip-live-updates

Who is on Whites shortlist currently?

According to The Daily Mail, Farke looks the most likely candidate to become the Whites next manager, jumping ahead of Vieira and Parker in the pecking order, with talks open over Elland Road terms after a meeting on Friday.

"Daniel Farke has emerged as the leading candidate to take over at Leeds United following a meeting on Friday.

"The 46-year-old, who won the Championship twice with Norwich City, had been on a shortlist with Scott Parker and Patrick Vieira. Mail Sport understands the club's hierarchy opened talks over terms with Farke on Friday afternoon after he became their favoured choice.

"Leeds want a manager with experience of both the Premier League and Championship as they look to bounce back into the top flight at the first time of asking."

Farke could be an excellent appointment by Leeds this summer, having proven himself in the Championship during a successful period at Norwich, twice earning promotion by virtue of being champions.

The German has been hailed as "world-class" by Liverpool manager Jurgen Klopp, which says a lot about his quality as a boss, and he looks like a more reliable option than some of those linked with the job, in terms of experience and pedigree.

It is essential that Leeds get back into the Premier League at the first time of asking, rather than languishing in the Championship for a number of years, and in Farke, the Whites would have someone who is an expert at getting out of the division.

India's attorney general wants two Lodha Committee recommendations revoked

The attorney general of India, Mukul Rohatgi, has asked the Supreme Court to revoke two specific recommendations made by the Lodha Committee in its report that was approved in the court’s order on July 18 last year.Rohatgi was representing three government-run organisations – Railways, Services and the All India Universities – whose full member status in the BCCI was to be downgraded to associate level according to the Lodha Committee recommendations. The most significant consequence of the recommendation was that all three members would lose voting rights at BCCI elections.The attorney general confirmed this was the first time the Indian government was intervening in the 2013 IPL corruption case, which began in August 2013. Rohatgi also said he had met former BCCI president Anurag Thakur, who had been removed from office by a Supreme Court order on January 2, earlier this week but said they were meeting as friends and did not discuss the BCCI-Lodha case.”They were full members with voting rights. That status has been downgraded to associate members without voting rights,” Rohatgi told ESPNcricinfo. “How could the Supreme Court downgrade our full membership in BCCI without issuing notice to us first?”Rohatgi told the court the three organisations had been big contributors to Indian cricket – employing many players – and so the court should reconsider its decision. “What right does the apex court have to downgrade them as BCCI (full) members?” he asked the three-judge bench comprising Justices Dipak Misra, AM Khanwilkar and DY Chandrachud.Rohatgi also challenged the Lodha Committee recommendation that said no serving minister or civil servant could be an office-bearer of the BCCI or state association. “”Why can’t the Railway minister become an office-bearer?” Rohatgi asked.”I am asking for a recall of your orders. Lodha Committee was appointed by this court to punish those found guilty in the IPL match-fixing,” Rohatgi said according to the . “Then you told them to reform cricket … when has the court become a reformist body?”Justice Misra, while acknowledging Rohatgi’s concerns, said the court would consider the attorney general’s requests. “We are not shying away from the legal issues. They are interesting,” Justice Misra said. “We will have a debate.”The intervention of the attorney general took place at a time when the bench of judges hearing the case has changed in composition and is vastly different from the bench that had heard the case for over a year. The previous bench, led by the former Chief Justice of India TS Thakur, had ordered the formation of the Lodha committee to recommend reforms within the BCCI and then ordered the implementation of the reforms. The current bench is made up of Justice Dipak Mishra, who is in line to become the next Chief Justice of India at the end of August, DY Chandrachud and AM Khanwilkar, who began hearing the case from October 2016.The Lodha Committee was formed in January 2015 to determine appropriate punishments for some of the officials involved in the 2013 IPL corruption scandal, and also to propose changes to streamline the BCCI, reform its functioning, prevent sporting fraud and conflict of interest.In January 2016, the committee released its report, which recommended an exhaustive overhaul of the BCCI’s governance and administrative structures. On July 18, the Supreme Court of India approved the majority of the recommendations and directed the Lodha Committee to supervise the BCCI’s implementations of the same. However, despite the Lodha Committee laying out timelines and other directives, the board did not cooperate because it said that its state associations objected to the recommendations. This impasse eventually led to the Supreme Court removing Thakur and Shirke from office on January 2, 2017.

Need to adjust to Virat's aggressive captaincy – Ashwin

R Ashwin talks about how MS Dhoni’s experience will still be crucial after Virat Kohli takes over the ODI captaincy in the forthcoming series

ESPNcricinfo staff11-Jan-20172:00

Virat likes picking wickets at the cost of some runs – Ashwin

R Ashwin has said he will need to come to grips with new captain Virat Kohli’s aggressive brand of captaincy and different style of communication in the upcoming limited-overs series against England.Since his international debut in 2010, Ashwin has played most of his short-format cricket under MS Dhoni’s captaincy, but has over the last two years become Kohli’s go-to bowler in Test cricket.”It will be different in terms of interactions you’ll have,” Ashwin said in Pune, where India meet England in the first ODI on January 15. “Before, when I used to play alongside Mahi – which won’t happen this game onwards – it’s almost about communication through from top of the mark to the keeper.”Obviously, Virat will be around at short midwicket or short cover, but it is going to be different in that terms. We have to try and get used to those communications.”For the most part of his captaincy, Dhoni banked on his spinners to establish control in the middle overs by drying up the runs. Kohli, according to Ashwin, doesn’t mind going for wickets at the cost of runs. “I’ve never played under Virat even at RCB or something. I just played one whole ODI series with him against Sri Lanka,” Ashwin said.”Virat, on occasions, can be a little aggressive and that’s the one thing that I need to try and adjust to. He likes attacking, he likes picking wickets through the middle overs. Even at the cost of some runs. And obviously, giving those extra runs to try and get a wicket is not such a bad thing.”Ashwin, however, felt Dhoni would continue to play a crucial role from a communication and leadership perspective. “I feel Mahi is going to hold the key because he’s the keeper and he’s going to bring that invaluable experience with him,” he said. “It’s going to be very, very important that we try and take as much as valuable inputs from him and try and take the team forward.”When Ashwin takes the field in Pune, it would be exactly a year to the day he last played an ODI after he was rested for the Zimbabwe series in June and the home series against New Zealand. With the limited-overs series being sandwiched in the middle of a long Test season, he felt it was a question of making a mental adjustment.”We played T20s in America in between, that was a bit of a good switch. I thought I switched up pretty well,” he said. “I am sure it is going to be a challenge. We are going to get into the practice. Next three-four days is going to be very important. I tried to tick as many boxes as possible when I practised in Chennai. But nothing like game-time.”I think we’re playing a full-strength Indian team after a long time – I don’t know when we [last] played a full-strength side. We also have Yuvi (Yuvraj Singh) back in the side. So that’s also going to add to your experience. I think this England side has played some cracker of one-day tournaments in the last year or so. They’ve made some mammoth scores in England as well. So they are a side which will look to be positive.”

فيديو | علي زعزع يسجل هدف فيوتشر الأول أمام سوبر سبورت في الكونفدرالية

سجل فريق مودرن فيوتشر هدفه الأول في مرمى سوبر سبورت يونايتد الجنوب إفريقي في المباراة المقامة بينهما حاليًا بـ كأس الكونفدرالية.

وتجرى المباراة ضمن منافسات الجولة الخامسة من دور المجموعات، حيث يستهدف فيوتشر تأمين تأهله للدور ربع النهائي.

جاء هدف فيوتشر الأول عن طريق علي زعزع، في الدقيقة 31، بعد عرضية من أحمد عاطف استقبلها زعزع بتسديدة في المرمى الخالي.

اقرأ أيضًا.. ترتيب مجموعة فيوتشر في كأس الكونفدرالية.. (مباشر)

ويتواجد فيوتشر في وصافة ترتيب المجموعة الأولى من الكونفدرالية برصيد 7 نقاط من تحقيق الفوز في مباراتين مع تعادل وخسارة، بينما سوبر سبورت الجنوب إفريقي في المركز الثالث برصيد 3 نقاط من فوز وخسارة في 3 مواجهات.

ويحتل اتحاد العاصمة الجزائري صدارة المجموعة برصيد 10 نقاط، والهلال الليبي يحتل المركز الرابع بـ3 نقاط. هدف فيوتشر الأول أمام سوبر سبورت يونايتد في الكونفدرالية

Newton and Wakely set Northants platform

Rob Newton and Alex Wakely made centuries for Northamptonshire but Gloucestershire came back smartly after tea to leave the home side 322 for 6 by the close

ECB Reporters Network12-Sep-2016
ScorecardRob Newton’s century powered Northants into the ascendancy•Getty Images

Rob Newton and Alex Wakely made centuries for Northamptonshire but Gloucestershire came back smartly after tea to leave the home side 322 for 6 by the close on the opening day at Wantage Road.Newton, out of contract at the end of the season, was never especially fluent but played a chanceless innings for his third century of the summer. He was productive backward of point and steered his side through the majority of the opening day, raising a hundred in 173 balls with his 14th four – cutting Jack Taylor past extra-cover.His stand of 196 with Northants captain Wakely put the hosts in control of the day shortly before tea. Wakely looked in excellent touch throughout his 179-ball century. In the morning he twice rocked back to pull Matt Taylor through midwicket and after lunch skipped down the wicket in Jack Taylor’s first over of offspin to strike him down the ground for four. Next over he lifted him over mid-on for six and drove another boundary past extra-cover.He clipped Matt Taylor down the ground for his 17th four to bring up his first century of the summer and fifth in first-class cricket. But trying to sweep Jack Taylor, he fell lbw three overs before tea and Northants never regained their commanding position.Having leaked 129 runs in 34 overs between lunch and tea, Gloucestershire fought back through the efforts of Liam Norwell, who had nibbled a ball away from Ben Duckett for the opening wicket in the sixth over of the morning, and returned to have Richard Levi splendidly caught by Gareth Roderick, running to his right and diving full length from mid-on. Two balls later, Newton finally departed for 130, as Norwell moved one off the seam to take an edge to the keeper.Norwell, fair-haired and running in with purpose, and David Payne, who has markedly improved his red-ball bowling this season, were excellent for the visitors throughout the day. Craig Miles recovered from a poor opening spell to provide good support – he picked up the wicket of Rob Keogh after tea and in the penultimate over of the day, a good-length ball squared Adam Rossington up to provide a fourth catch of the day for wicketkeeper Phil Mustard.

Gale ends lean run but concerns persist

ScorecardAndrew Gale buckled down for his highest score of the season•Getty Images

At 9.45 on the third morning of this match the Yorkshire cricketer, Andrew Gale, strolled back to the away dressing room from the Old Trafford nets. His body cast a clear, sharp shadow as he walked across the outfield. With his batting gloves and helmet wedged neatly under his arm and the bat held rather like a lance in hand, Gale cut a faintly chivalric figure as he glanced across to the square where he has played on many occasions. Yorkshire’s skipper is an old warrior, though, and these lists hold many memories for him, not all of them congenial. “O what can ail thee, knight-at-arms…?” Rather a lot, since you ask.This has been not only a tough season for Gale but also a slightly strange one for his county. And even though he made 83, his highest score of the season, and Yorkshire avoided the follow-on, neither of those trends were lobbed out of kilter on a Monday when the cricket was watched by a good-sized crowd including – ECB panjandrums, please note – a large number of schoolchildren.Gale wanted a hundred but fell 17 short and County Championships are not won by sides battling to concede deficits of less than 150. By the close, Tom Smith and Haseeb Hameed had extended Lancashire’s 134-run first-innings lead to 204, Hameed stroking quite lovely boundaries to the cover and midwicket boundaries. While Middlesex were thrashing Durham on Monday evening, Yorkshire will almost certainly be batting two sessions or so to save the Roses match on Tuesday. Beating Nottinghamshire at Scarborough next week is looking a necessity.Moreover, while Yorkshire are the only team with a chance of winning all three trophies, their club captain, who has played only four-day games, has struggled in his quest for big runs. Gale has netted for numberless hours and declared himself in decent nick. He has played second-team cricket on slow pitches like that at Derbyshire’s Belper Meadows in an effort to get the scores that would justify his view. Yet he began this 269th Roses match with 327 Championship runs in the bank at an average of 19.23.For much of the first session, it seemed as though Gale was going to find his grail in a place as strange as Trafford. Resuming on 136 for 2, he and Alex Lees were already well set on a wicket containing few obvious ogres and they had added another 47 runs in 75 minutes before Lees was leg before to Kyle Jarvis for a hard-worked 85 when playing across a ball that held its line.Gale was batting well. His style is unlikely to inspire sonnets but he has made over eight thousand runs, so who gives a damn? There had been a cheery clump to the boundary off Jarvis long-hop and a fine drive over mid-on off Simon Kerrigan. In the first hour of the morning he added 20 runs to his overnight 36 and he had faced a Lancashire attack emboldened by their first-innings total of 594. So emboldened, indeed that one or two home players had made observations to Gale which required the brief intercession of the umpires, Paul Baldwin and David Millns. After his infamous contretemps with Ashwell Prince, Yorkshire’s captain has almost certainly had enough of conversations with Lancashire players on the Old Trafford outfield.For most of the second hour of Monday’s play, Gale was partnered by 24-year-old Melburnian Jake Lehmann, who was playing his first innings for the county. Rather than resembling his father, Darren, in any particular way, Lehmann sports a rather natty moustache vaguely reminiscent of Edwardian England. So perhaps it was not only the youngster’s fine straight boundaries off Jarvis which encouraged the watching Gale. If you are engaged in a battle for Yorkshire’s pride, it probably doesn’t harm if you’re batting with a bloke who looks like FS Jackson.Notwithstanding such reminders of yet another golden age for White Rose cricket, Gale was out five minutes before lunch when he cut Tom Smith to gully where Simon Kerrigan delightedly took his first catch in that position for Lancashire. There was an annoyed wave of the bat from Gale and a resigned departure. He needs a century, the batsman’s litmus test of achievement. It’s one more than 99 but it’s the one run that everyone notices.Throughout the morning session Lancashire had been bowling well. Steven Croft’s attack was no doubt encouraged by their side’s dominance in a fixture they have not won since 2011 and they deserved their successes. In the afternoon more were to follow as Lehmann played on to the excellent Kyle Jarvis after making a quietly impressive 46 off 53 balls. Three balls earlier Rashid had been brilliantly caught by Hameed at short leg off Kerrigan, the ball being clipped crisply at head height where the 19-year-old clutched it in two hands before scampering back to the justifiably astonished bowler.Lehmann’s dismissal left Yorkshire on 272 for 6, 73 short of the follow-on. It is doubtful, of course, whether Croft would have invited Gale to have another bat but it would have been an affront to White Rose honour had he even had the opportunity. The indignity was avoided thanks to a typically determined effort from Andy Hodd who made 43 and had taken his side to within four runs of their first objective when he was brilliantly caught by a diving Liam Livingstone, who sprinted 15 yards from slip before hurling himself forward to take the skied snare off KerriganEleven overs later Yorkshire were all out for 360 but the innings ended in perhaps unprecedented fashion when Ryan Sidebottom “walked” for a catch at the wicket off Kerrigan. For a few Yorkshire supporters, Lancastrians too, perhaps, it was as though Yorkshire’s last man had taken a page from a Shakespeare First Folio and made a paper aeroplane out of it. Most people, of course, call it honesty and it would be interesting to see what cricket might be like if the game’s often admirable ethics incorporated such behaviour.

West Ham Must Pay £6m To Trigger Manager’s Release Clause

West Ham have been linked with a move to replace David Moyes with Marco Silva after a disappointing season.

The Hammers are just above the relegation zone and while they are likely to remain in the Premier League next season, the board may still choose to replace him.

Who could replace David Moyes as West Ham manager?

According to the Daily Mail, West Ham are now considering a move for Fulham manager Marco Silva after a very impressive season. The Cottagers have been defensively rugged and tactically astute under Silva.

The 45-year-old has a £6million release clause in his contract which West Ham will need to pay if they are to replace Moyes with Silva. The two managers are at opposite ends of their careers in coaching and signing Silva could be what the London outfit needs to move into another gear and create a long-term vision.

Moyes has been a fantastic manager for West Ham and if the board is planning on replacing him at the end of the season, winning the Europa Conference League would be that much sweeter.

Would Marco Silva be the right appointment for West Ham?

Speaking to Football Insider, Sky Sports pundit Gabriel Agbonlahor said he believes Silva is the right man for West Ham to hire.

He said: "I think bringing Silva in would be the right decision. David Moyes has been outstanding for the club, but I think it’s time to bring in a younger manager with new ideas.

"Silva has done brilliantly with Fulham and the way they play football, the authority he has – I think he’d be a great appointment for West Ham.

"It wouldn’t even be a sacking for Moyes. It’d be a thank you for your service – but the club has to move forward now. I think it will happen."

Hopefully leaving West Ham wouldn't spell the end of Moyes' career as a manager. Only Sir Alex Ferguson and Arsene Wenger have managed more games in the Premier League than the Scotsman. In total, he has taken charge of 647 games and counting.

West Ham have three Premier League games left as well as their semi-final second leg against AZ Alkmaar. Should they win that, they will have the final to contend with as well.

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