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Chelsea still haven't sorted out their problem of not having a natural number nine present at Stamford Bridge, according to journalist Ben Jacobs.

What's the latest news involving Chelsea?

Chelsea endured a horrific 2022/23 campaign in the Premier League and ended the season in 12th position alongside being dumped out of all cup competitions.

In the English top flight, the Blues mustered just 38 goals scored, meaning they only hit the net more times than four sides in the league; Bournemouth, Wolverhampton Wanderers, Southampton and Everton.

As per Transfermarkt, no player on the books at Stamford Bridge managed to reach the double-figure mark for goals, leaving Raheem Sterling and Kai Havertz tied as Chelsea's top marksmen with nine goals apiece.

The Blues spent significant sums of money bringing in the likes of Mykhailo Mudryk, Noni Madueke, Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang, David Datro Fofana, Joao Felix and Sterling during their failed campaign; however, room for improvement will be needed in 2023/24 following an abysmal return in front of the target.

Speaking to Football FanCast, journalist Jacobs has echoed this sentiment and thinks it is a 'strange' situation for Chelsea to find themselves in.

Jacobs told FFC: "It's kind of strange because I think when the season first started and the new owners came in, it was all about helping Thomas Tuchel find defenders and then as soon as Tuchel went it was all about a midfield revamp. Even when Lukaku left Chelsea to go to Inter, at no point did Chelsea think that they would be struggling this badly for goals. They've obviously had a situation where Mount hasn't chipped in as much, Havertz hasn't got going and Sterling hasn't scored perhaps as many goals as they would have hoped for. Mudryk has come in with fantastic potential but hasn't scored a goal yet for Chelsea and Joao Felix was brought in because they thought that he would chip in with a few more goals. He's offered flashes of brilliance but hasn't hit that purple patch of scoring form. For all of Chelsea's spending, the one thing that they've not been able to do is buy goals and part of that is because the one player that they've not bought is a traditional number nine. Even though Christopher Nkunku is coming in and will be able to add goals and assists. They still need to address that area. That's why if they can get him, Osimhen is a target, but if that proves trickier. There are plenty of other names on Chelsea's list, including Dusan Vlahovic and Lautaro Martinez."

What strikers could Chelsea target this summer?

Chelsea have been linked with several high-profile targets, some of which Jacobs has mentioned, to help them flourish in front of goal and avoid the profligacy displayed in 2022/23 moving forward.

Football Insider detail that Inter Milan striker Lautaro Martinez is indeed on the radar at Stamford Bridge and would welcome a switch to the Premier League in the summer transfer window.

The Guardian also claim that Napoli striker Victor Osimhen has also been earmarked as a candidate to come in and spearhead the Blues' attack in the off-season if they can seal a deal to land the Nigerian.

Speaking to GIVEMESPORT, journalist Rudy Galetti has also stated that Juventus striker Dusan Vlahovic 'likes the destination' of potentially pitching up at Chelsea.

Romelu Lukaku could also return to the fold upon the conclusion of his loan spell with Inter Milan, meaning there are plenty of avenues Mauricio Pochettino could elect to go down as he aims to get his side firing next term.

Manchester City look like they may have to fend off interest from Bayern Munich to keep Julian Alvarez at the club this summer, according to Sky Sports journalist Florian Plettenberg.

Is Julian Alvarez leaving Manchester City?

The striker only moved to the Etihad Stadium during the last summer transfer window but has already made quite the impression at the Premier League side. The forward hasn't been a first-team regular, but when called upon by Pep Guardiola, he has often produced the goods in front of goal.

Indeed, from just 12 starts in the league, the player has managed nine goals ahead of their midweek clash with Brighton & Hove Albion. With just under 15 matches' worth of game time, it means he has an average of 0.60 goals per 90.

The attacker has shown previously that he can deal with limited appearances and still produce the goods. Before the 23-year-old moved to England, he plied his trade with River Plate in Argentina for example and had just 17 starts in 2021. However, he still managed to get on the scoresheet 18 times, along with six assists. That led to a superb average of 1.36 goals or assists per 90.

Continuing to impress despite being more of a second-string option with City, it has now led to interest from elsewhere, according to Plettenberg. The Sky Sports journalist reports that Bayern have now put Alvarez on their wanted list and that the side have already "inquired" about the player in terms of whether he will be available for transfer.

He wrote: "Yes, he’s on the list of #FCBayern confirmed! He’s another option next to Kolo Muani. Bayern has inquired about him as he’s not a regular starter behind #Haaland. His future at #MCFC is uncertain despite of his contract until 2028."

Are Bayern Munich signing Julian Alvarez?

If the forward was tempted into a move away, it would almost certainly be a blow to City's squad.

Despite a limited number of minutes in the Premier League, the player has produced a WhoScored rating of 6.73 and has already bagged himself two Man of the Match awards – showing he can shine above the rest on occasion.

He's even impressed for Argentina, having notched an outstanding four goals in five games during the World Cup. He averages 1.4 shots per game in the league for City, showing his ability to find space and get himself chances, which is on par with most of his club teammates.

Considering his talent and potential, to lose him already would surely be a bad move for City. However, the prospect of more football with Bayern would surely appeal to Alvarez, who is left to dislodge Erling Haaland from the starting lineup.

Manchester United have recently been linked with a move for Stuttgart striker Sasa Kalajdzic, and the target man could prove to be new manager Erik ten Hag’s next Sebastien Haller at Old Trafford.

What’s the word?

United are one of several European sides to be linked with the 6 foot 7 forward so far this year, and the Austrian revealed recently that he was “open to everything” as he eyes a summer move away from the Bundesliga outfit.

He is currently training with recently departed coach Ralf Ragnick as Austria prepare to take on Croatia in the Nations League on Friday evening, although his previous comments about the situation and players at Old Trafford might be enough to put the 24-year-old off a move to the Red Devils.

However, with Edinson Cavani having confirmed his departure and Marcus Rashford failing to fire last season, with just six goal contributions in the top-flight, it seems clear that Ten Hag will need reinforcements in attack if his debut campaign is going to be a success.

Ten Hag’s own Haller?

Kalajdzic could perform a similar job to Haller, who excelled under the Dutch manager at Ajax, contributing a superb 47 goals and 16 assists in just 66 appearances for the Eredivisie giants.

The £19.8m-rated Stuttgart man may have struggled with injuries last season but has found the net with regularity during his time at the Mercedes-Benz Arena, notching 24 goals in just 54 appearances for Die Schwaben thus far.

Like Haller, the 24-year-old would provide a serious aerial threat for Ten Hag and would be learning from arguably the best header of the ball in world football in Cristiano Ronaldo if he were to make the switch to Old Trafford.

Journalist and pundit Marcel Reif was highly complimentary of the striker’s ability earlier this year, saying that he can do “crazy things in the air.”

Although Ronaldo was one of United’s only consistent performers in their woeful 2021/22 campaign, it is unreasonable to expect him to start every game at 37 and Kalajdzic could be a great rotation option for Ten Hag if he chooses to operate with a target man like he did with Haller at Ajax.

The young forward also comfortably averaged more aerial duels won per game than any United player managed last season, which goes to show just what he could add to the Red Devils.

If the Austrian proves to be anywhere near as impressive as the former West Ham man under United’s new manager, then he would surely prove to be an excellent signing for next season.

And, in other news… United in ‘direct contact’ with former Ten Hag favourite 

Rangers midfielder Aaron Ramsey may have played his last game for the Ibrox club, journalist Pete O’Rourke has claimed.

The Lowdown: January loan move

The 31-year-old arrived at Ibrox in January after making a short-term loan switch during the winter transfer window.

Disappointingly, various injuries and moments to forget saw the Welshman limited to just nine starts in all competitions for the Gers,  only five of which were in the Premiership.

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The Latest: Ramsey touted for Rangers exit

The Juventus midfielder’s arrival at Rangers looked a real coup at the time for the Light Blues, with Ibrox chief Ross Wilson hailing Ramsey’s “wonderful character” upon coming to Glasgow, but the loan deal ultimately proved to be underwhelming for the Wales international.

As a result, O’Rourke thinks that the 31-year-old may have played his last game for the club, telling GiveMeSport: “I’m sure Aaron Ramsey looked like he enjoyed his time at Rangers.

“But a deal would have to be subsidised because of his wages at Juventus if Rangers were to bring him back. As it stands right now, it looks like he might have played his last game for the club.”

The Verdict: What went wrong?

Ramsey’s lucrative move to Serie A side Juventus shares similarities to that of his short-term loan switch to Rangers, as the Welshman’s struggles to keep himself fit overshadowed his performances on the pitch. Manager Giovanni van Bronckhorst even acknowledged the 31-year-old’s “quality”, but also admitted that the midfield wizard occasionally had a “difficult” time of it in Glasgow.

In fact, the midfielder was ranked just 14th out of the entire Rangers squad for his performances in the Premiership (via SofaScore), while his last (and telltale) contribution in blue may well have been the agonising penalty miss in the shoot-out defeat to Eintracht Frankfurt in the Europa League final.

Therefore, it indeed seems unlikely that we will see Ramsey in a Blues shirt again next season.

In other news: One Rangers man is reportedly close to signing a new contract

Manchester United’s defeat to Crystal Palace on Sunday was their 12th of the Premier League season and despite the side finishing sixth and qualifying for the Europa League, incoming manager Erik ten Hag faces a massive rebuilding job in the summer.

Problems lie all over the pitch, the defence is poor and concedes too many goals, and the midfield is lacklustre and needs urgently refreshed, but the main gripe is within the forward areas.

Only Cristiano Ronaldo (24) has scored more than ten goals out of all the Man United forwards and this area needs to be prioritised during the summer.

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With Ralf Rangnick revealing that Edinson Cavani will be leaving the club at the end of the season, Ronaldo will be the only recognised centre forward.

One player that has been linked with the club is Lille striker Jonathan David, and the 22-year-old could be an excellent fit in ten Hag’s new United side.

David has scored 19 goals in 48 appearances in all competitions for the French side as they struggled in the defence of their Ligue 1 title. Although shy of the 24 netted by Ronaldo, there is no doubt the young talent has the potential to succeed in the Premier League.

Lille are reportedly demanding £46m in order for a side to prise their key asset away from the club and it’s a fee that Man Utd could certainly afford, although Arsenal are also in the running.

The Canada international was praised by national coach John Herdman, who dubbed David as “fearless”, so it’s no wonder he has netted an impressive 20 goals in just 30 games for his country.

This is the type of clinical nature that the Red Devils need. Ronaldo is 37 and can’t drag the side along by himself. A duo of David and the Portuguese star would surely get the Old Trafford faithful buzzing, and these are the type of signings ten Hag needs to make in order to get off to a good start.

AND in other news, Ten Hag’s 1st blow: Romano relays transfer news that will have MUFC supporters gutted

According to reports out of Spain, an interesting West Ham United transfer development has now come to light involving Barcelona forward Memphis Depay.

The Lowdown: Moyes eyes reinforcements…

Hammers boss David Moyes has reportedly set his sights on upgrading his side’s options for the 2022/2023 Premier League season with a new defender, midfielder and forward on the agenda (The Times).

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There’s been no shortage of rumours with Wolfsburg forward and current Torino loanee Josip Brekalo becoming linked over the last few days, as well as Watford star Emmanuel Dennis.

West Ham are allegedly busy ahead of the looming transfer window and now more news has come out on their search for new attackers courtesy of ABC (via Sport Witness).

The Latest: West Ham make move…

According to their information, the Irons are one of a few clubs to have initiated contact with Barcelona over Depay as the east Londoners, and by extension Moyes, make a pre-summer move.

This comes as the Catalans green-light his sale next window with Barca now transfer-listing their winger.

The Verdict: Promising?

Depay, despite his club’s need to sell, has actually enjoyed a brilliant campaign going by the numbers.

According to WhoScored, the Netherlands international is Xavi’s third-best performer in La Liga going by average match rating per 90 (7.14) and has even racked up the joint-most goals and assists combined for them domestically (12G, 2A).

Called a ‘phenomenal all-round forward’ by BBC Sport writer and football analyst Premier League Panel last year, he’s certainly maintained that tag over 2021/2022.

Depay’s club apparently value him at around €40 million (£34m) and that is an arguable bargain given his form and the fact Lyon’s former star is still very much in his prime at 28-years-old.

In other news: talkSPORT journalist: West Ham eyeing ‘perfect’ signing in marquee man Moyes personally wants! Find out more here.

Newcastle United have been hit with a setback as early Arsenal team news has emerged…

What’s the latest?

According to The Guardian, Ben White is expected to start for the Gunners tonight after he was not deemed fit enough to come off the bench in their clash with Tottenham last time out.

Rob Holding is suspended for Mikel Arteta after he was sent off in the derby clash and Gabriel came off with a knock, although he may be available to face the Magpies.

Eddie Howe will be fuming

The Toon head coach will be fuming with this update as he may have been watching the carnage unfold on Thursday night and licking his lips at the prospect of facing a makeshift backline.

Full-back Takehiro Tomiyasu and central midfielder Granit Xhaka ended up playing at the heart of the defence, with Cedric Soares and Nuno Tavares in the full-back roles.

The Magpies boss would surely love to watch his Newcastle team in action against a backline consisting of two unnatural centre-backs, particularly as he now has Callum Wilson available for selection.

In the 5-0 loss to Manchester City, the ex-Bournemouth striker made his return off the bench and he may now be ready to come back into the starting XI. He has scored 18 Premier League goals in 37 starts for the Magpies as he has shown that he is a clinical goalscorer when fit.

Therefore, Howe would have been excited by the prospect of unleashing him from the start against a far from steady Arsenal defence. Wilson could have exploited their lack of centre-back options by causing constant problems for Xhaka with his movement in behind, which is why this positive injury update for Arsenal is a seismic blow for the Toon as they will not have that advantage.

Instead, he will be up against White – who has caught the eye this season. The England international has averaged an impressive SofaScore rating of 6.94 across 31 outings in the division, winning 59% of his duels and helping his side to keep 13 clean sheets as he has made 2.8 tackles and interceptions per game.

He has proven that he can consistently deliver quality displays in the top-flight at the heart of the defence. Arteta knows that he can rely upon him and that is why Howe will be fuming with the news that he will be in the starting line-up against his side tonight.

AND in other news, “Keeping a close eye on..”: Downie delivers big NUFC claim that’ll excite supporters…

West Ham United journalist Roshane Thomas of The Athletic has shared a ‘dressing room’ belief involving defender Aaron Creswell after his sending off against Frankfurt.

The Lowdown: Irons bow out…

The Premier League side have been knocked out of Europe following their sensational run to the Europa League semi-finals, putting an end to their dream of clinching an unprecedented Europa League title.

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David Moyes’ side made West Ham supporters believe they could do the previously unthought of after impressively knocking out the likes of Sevilla and Lyon before facing off against Frankfurt over two legs.

The Bundesliga side eventually beat Moyes’ men 3-1 on aggregate with Rafael Borre sealing their place against Rangers in the final on Thursday – scoring the only goal of West Ham’s second leg tie away in Germany.

Cresswell’s early red card for a professional foul, his second in less than a month, played a major role in the complexion of the game with Thomas sharing his ‘dressing room’ belief.

The Latest: Thomas makes Cresswell claim…

The reporter, taking to Twitter, says West Ham’s left-back will have been ‘hurting in the dressing room’ and it is ‘concerning’ that Cresswell has been dismissed twice in a ‘matter of weeks’.

He explained:

“Cresswell will be hurting in the dressing room, but you can’t defend like that when you’re the last man. All the more concerning it’s happened twice in a matter of weeks.”

The Verdict: Big error…

The 32-year-old certainly didn’t cover himself in glory against Frankfurt and West Ham will be hurting, just like the player, after just missing out on a blockbuster final bout against Scottish giants Rangers.

However, Moyes and his squad can take pride in the fact they got that far and allowed Irons supporters to imagine the previously unthinkable.

Just two years ago, the east Londoners were in real danger of relegation from the English top flight and it is quite simply astonishing what West Ham have achieved since then with minimal investment off the field.

In other news: ‘Something special’ – Journalist says ‘massive player’ could be open to joining West Ham, find out more here.

Frank Lampard has endured a horrific start to his Everton tenure so far, losing nine out of his 16 matches and winning only six times as his side have slipped further down the table, even occupying a place in the bottom three.

Relegation is a genuine possibility and, unless there are some heroic performances over the next couple of weeks, then the Toffees could well drop out of the Premier League for the first time.

A 1-0 victory over Chelsea last weekend could well be the start of a daring escape from the drop, and with a trip to Leicester to come on Sunday, there may be a glimmer of hope for Everton.

Lampard also confirmed some good news during his pre-match press conference.

Speaking about the availability of players for the visit to the King Power Stadium, the 43-year-old said: “No changes for us.

“We had a pretty good week with recovery for the lads, a couple of little niggles but hopefully we will be the same as we were (for Chelsea).”

Lampard & Everton fans will be happy

This will be music to Everton supporters’ ears, as they need all the positives they can get at the moment, and any further injuries could derail the much-needed momentum from triumphing against Chelsea.

The Toffees have been hit with a string of injuries throughout the campaign, with the likes of Tom Davies, Yerry Mina and Andros Townsend all hit with various spells out of the team and continuing to be sidelined.

This hasn’t helped matters but it cannot be used as an excuse for for a season which started off with so much hope but has sunk into a chaotic mess, and mere Premier League survival will not satisfy the fan base, who surely deserve better than a last-ditch scrap for their top-flight lives.

Everton face five cup finals between tomorrow and 22 May and they simply need to focus on one match at a time, starting with the trip to the King Power Stadium. At least Lampard’s revelation of no further injuries will offer a boost for him and the supporters ahead of the Leicester clash.

AND in other news, Everton given green light to sign “undefendable” £50m gem, it’s bye-bye Richarlison

Wolves transfer target Joao Palhinha is reportedly at the top of the list of players that current employers Sporting Lisbon are happy to sell this summer.

What’s the story?

That’s according to Correio da Manha, via Sport Witness, who claim that the Portuguese giants will need to raise funds by selling assets this summer.

Moreover, the report states that it ‘seems impossible’ that Sporting could now demand €40m (£33.5m) for the midfielder’s signature after a dip in form, meaning that Wolves could sign the 26-year-old for a cut-price fee.

Their next Neves?

After seeing a major downturn in his side’s form of late that could well cost Wolves a place in Europe next season, Bruno Lage will undoubtedly be keen to add high-quality recruits this summer with Palhinha certainly high up on that list.

Furthermore, it does appear as though midfielder Ruben Neves will be allowed to depart Molineux this summer after five years of loyal service if a suitable offer was to be received, with Arsenal and Manchester United reportedly interested.

Therefore hiring new recruits in the middle of the park is absolutely vital, particularly if Joao Moutinho is also to seek a new challenge upon the expiry of his contract next month.

With 24 league appearances this term as well as six in the Champions League, Palhinha is a vital cog in the Sporting midfield and certainly fits the requirements of what Wolves will seek.

Labelled as “special” by Sporting manager Ruben Amorim, the 26-year-old has averaged a 7.13/10 rating in the Portuguese top-flight this term, better than Moutinho’s 7.03 in the Premier League and slightly below Neves’ 7.17, certainly making him a worthy replacement if either are to depart.

Like his 35-year-old countryman, the Sporting midfielder averages an 87% passing accuracy with Neves’ slightly lower at 84%.

However, as expected with the intensity of the Premier League, both Moutinho and Neves average a higher amount of touches per match with 69.6 and 72.5 respectively compared to Palhinha’s 53.9.

With the high amount of Portuguese talent Wolves have signed over the past five years, making a move for Palhinha makes perfect sense, especially when replacing a fellow countryman of the 26-year-old.

Therefore, to receive a golden chance to sign the midfielder is a major boost for Wolves and it must be taken if they are to replace Neves sufficiently if the 25-year-old leaves Molineux this summer.

AND in other news: Lost the ball every 2.6 touches: “Inconsistent” Wolves passenger failed Lage yesterday