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West Ham United are back in action in the Europa League tonight, as the Hammers embark on the second game of the group stage against SC Freiburg.

David Moyes’ side will hope to replicate the highs that they achieved on the continent last season, as they claimed their first European prize since 1965 by winning the Europa Conference League.

The Irons got their Europa League campaign off to a strong start last time out in the competition, coming from behind at the London Stadium to beat Serbian outfit Backa Topola 3-1.

What is the latest West Ham United team news?

With four wins from their opening seven league games, the east Londoners have started the season in fine fashion on the back of their relegation-threatening form throughout the last term.

In terms of team news, Aaron Cresswell is expected to be the only player definitely absent from the action due to injury.

As relayed by the Evening Standard, Moyes’ star man Jarrod Bowen is suspected to have suffered a knock during the Hammers’ Premier League win against Sheffield United last weekend.

The manager is yet to confirm the extent of the reported injury, with the hope that it’s a case of a minor niggle rather than a pending absence.

The hero last time out in the competition was summer signing Mohammed Kudus, who scored his first goal for the club against Backa to inspire the hosts’ comeback to begin their European campaign with three points.

Should Mohammed Kudus start against Freiburg?

While the Ghanaian was signed for £38m from Ajax in the summer, he’s had a slow start to life with the Irons, with him yet to start a Premier League match from his opening four appearances.

The 2023/24 campaign has been encouraging for the 23-year-old so far, with him already netting five goals in nine appearances in all competitions, representing both West Ham and his former club.

Once lauded as “electric” by talent scout Jacek Kulig, the versatile forward could once again be the difference maker for Moyes’ side in the Europa League, with the opportunity there for him to add to his tally in the tournament.

Last time out in the Premier League, the Ghana international replaced Michail Antonio to lead the line for the Irons, a position that he could occupy this evening to add to the threat going forward to damage Freiburg.

The danger that Kudus can exert on the opposition is highlighted by his numbers over the past year, with FBref ranking him in the top 1% of those in his position in competitions comparable to Eredivisie for his rate of expected goals (xG) and successful take-ons.

Averaging 0.48 non-penalty xG and 4.56 successful take-ons per 90, the £90k-per-week forward poses a far higher threat going forward than Antonio, who averaged 0.29 non penalty xG and 1.56 successful take-ons per 90 over the past year.

Moyes could give his progressing side a big advantage by getting another win on the board, in a match that could be testing considering that Freiburg also won their group opener.

Tonight is the ideal opportunity for the manager to test the waters to discover Kudus’ best position in claret and blue, in a match that could allow him to showcase his talents to the benefit of all but Freiburg.

Manchester United are in a precarious place this term and could now be set to part ways with one of their highest earners in the January transfer window, according to reports.

What's the latest news involving Manchester United?

On Tuesday night, Manchester United suffered another confidence-sapping defeat at the hands of Galatasaray in the Champions League, with goals from Wilfried Zaha, Kerem Aktürkoğlu and Mauro Icardi cancelling out a double from Rasmus Hojlund at Old Trafford.

Right now, the Red Devils' performances are yielding more questions than answers and boss Erik Ten Hag has admitted that their start to the campaign has been well below par, stating in his pre-match programme notes cited via BBC Sport: "Our start to the season has not been good enough. Although there are reasons, we will not attempt to hide behind excuses. It is up to us to now to turn our fortunes around. What happens next is up to us and nobody else."

Unfortunately, his words of wisdom before kick-off didn't do the trick and Manchester United have won just two of their last seven matches in all competitions, with several players coming under fire for their poor performance levels.

Speaking to TNT Sports, via TEAMtalk, after the defeat, club legend Paul Scholes made his feelings known regarding several players' displays against Galatasaray, saying: "United really had to win this, your first home Champions League game. This is a terrible result. Amrabat, look he’s not a left-back but he gets done for the goal. It was so wide open."

He then added: "I’m not sure where Varane is going. Lindelof is lost in the middle of the pitch. So soft and weak. They were so open in that central defensive area, they gave chances away. We all know what the goalkeeper did. It’s just not good enough."

In other news, out-of-favour duo Scott McTominay and Harry Maguire could be shunted out of the exit door at Old Trafford to make room for arrivals in January, according to Football Insider.

Who else could leave Manchester United?

According to Sky Sports Germany reporter Florian Plettenberg, Manchester United star Jadon Sancho is believed to be "on the verge" of leaving Old Trafford in January.

Explaining the permutations of a potential exit for the England international on social media platform X, Plettenberg stated: "Jadon Sancho is on the verge to leave Man Utd in winter! A loan is more likely than a permanent deal at this stage. BVB coach Edin Terzic is in regular contact with Sancho as they appreciate each other very much. Nevertheless, a return to Dortmund in the winter is very unlikely but not 100 % excluded for all involved. Most important for Sancho: He wants to play regularly!"

Of course, Sancho, who was labelled "brilliant" by Manchester United boss Ten Hag earlier this year, was involved in a public bust-up with the Dutchman after taking aim at his omission for poor performance levels in training from the 3-1 defeat to Arsenal in a post on social media, which has since been taken down, as per The Guardian.

Now, Sancho, who is one of the Red Devils' highest-earners, could be set to seek refuge elsewhere in January as he looks to get his career back on track after being cast into the wilderness at Manchester United.

Khvicha Kvaratskhelia's agent has provided a huge update on his future at Napoli as rumours regarding a possible exit continue to emerge.

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• Kvaratskhelia's agent speaks on future
• Provides important update on winger
• Will leave if suitable offer arrives

• WHAT HAPPENED?

  Kvaratskheila's agent, Manuma Jugeli, has claimed the Georgian winger will leave Napoli if the club receive an offer they cannot refuse this summer. The club were reportedly in negotiations about extending his contact, but the possibility of an exit remains.

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  WHAT JUGELI SAID

  Speaking to the Georgian version of , his agent said: "As regards the future, we are talking to the club, we will see what will happen. He will leave if another club presents an offer that the management will not be able to refuse."

• THE BIGGER PICTURE

  The 23-year-old is currently contracted until 2027, meaning any interested club will likely have to part ways with a sizeable transfer fee to secure the long-term future of the player. However, the figure that would persuade Napoli to sell is yet to be determined.

  Speaking on the transfer fee that the club could demand, Jugeli added: "I can’t talk about a specific amount, these are De Laurentiis’s assessments. I protect Khvicha’s contract and work. Everything will be clear at the end of May."

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  WHAT NEXT FOR NAPOLI?

  Fresh off a 2-1 win against Juventus last weekend, Napoli are now preparing to host Torino on Friday (March 8) as they look to propel themselves up the Serie A table. Gli Azzurri currently sit in seventh place within the league table, three points behind Atalanta in sixth.

Aston Villa are continuing to be proactive in the transfer market looking ahead to 2024, and boss Unai Emery is now keen to reignite his interest in an experienced defender he failed to sign this summer, according to reports.

Aston Villa international break news…

In conversation with GIVEMESPORT, journalist Dean Jones believes that Youri Tielemans will be frustrated with his lack of game time at Villa Park this campaign, stating: "Villa are having a good season so far, and it's impacting him personally. It's frustrating for him, with the Euros coming up at the end of this season. If you were looking from an outside point of view, and you look at what's happened to Tielemans’ career over the past couple of seasons, you might say it's going backwards because of his game time and the influence he's having over games."

Last weekend, Aston Villa recorded a point on the road away to Wolverhampton Wanderers at Molineux in a 1-1 stalemate, and pundit Alan Shearer has claimed on Match of the Day 2 via Birmingham Live that the Villans should've had a penalty for Matt Doherty's challenge on Ollie Watkins.

Shearer explained: "If he doesn't shove him, he's getting a clear shot at goal. Clearly he shoves him, enough for him to be off balance there. That's why he misses the target as he does. For me, that should have been a penalty."

Of course, the big recent news coming out of Aston Villa is that striker Watkins has signed a new contract at Villa Park that will tie him to the West Midlands-based side until the summer of 2028.

Speaking to the Villans' official website, Watkins signalled that he is excited to be part of future plans at the club, as he said: "I’m really happy. I feel like this is the best place for me to play my football; I’ve still got a lot to achieve here. I feel like I’ve had a really good connection with the fans since I’ve come here. From day one they’ve been really good with me; we’ve had highs and lows but that’s football. You can see the direction of the club, and I want to be a part of that."

Aston Villa transfer news – Marcos Acuna

According to a recent transfer update on Sevilla's Marcos Acuna, Aston Villa are keen to reignite their pursuit of the Argentinian full-back and are inclined to try again to bring him to Villa Park in January.

The report doesn't specify the type of fee it would take to acquire Acuna; however, Aston Villa boss Emery is familiar with his presence from his time in La Liga and could now enact an ambitious swoop after coming close to securing his services in the summer transfer window, with Sevilla willing to part ways with the veteran defender in the New Year.

Acuna, who was labelled a "top defender" by Manchester City boss Pep Guardiola, has made 135 appearances for Sevilla across all competitions, registering five goals and 13 assists (Acuna's statistics – Transfermarkt).

Now, it seems like Aston Villa boss Emery is determined to try and tempt Acuna to swap the sunny shores of Andalusia for a shot at the English top flight.

Chelsea legend Joe Cole suggests his former club pursue Real Madrid midfielders Luka Modric and Toni Kroos to add experience to young Blues squad.

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• Joe Cole suggests Chelsea target veteran stars
• Modric and Kroos out of contract soon
• Real Madrid duo could leave club in summer

• WHAT HAPPENED?

  Cole made the point during an appearance on that Chelsea could benefit from having a player like Modric in the squad, before also bringing Kroos into the mix as well.

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• WHAT COLE SAID

  Cole said: "I'd be looking to bring in some experienced players who set the tone. I'm thinking is Luka Modric out of [contract]? Does he want to come and play in the Premier League for one more year? He's still doing bits at Real Madrid. And how much has he helped [Eduardo] Camavinga, [Aurelien] Tchouameni, [Federico] Valverde? He would've had such an influence on them as players. Toni Kroos is 34. Does he want to test himself at his age? Coming over here and helping out this young [Chelsea] squad. They're just names I've thrown off the top of my head, I don't know their situation."

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  THE BIGGER PICTURE

  At 23 and 24 respectively, Enzo Fernandez and Conor Gallagher are Chelsea's oldest midfielders, with Moises Caicedo still only 22. In the entire squad, 39-year-old Thiago Silva, who looks set to leave in summer, is the only outfield player to have celebrated his 30th birthday. Modric and Kroos have been there and done it all for Real Madrid multiple times over, with Cole banking on the possibility that either or both could be open to a new challenge in the twilight of their respective careers.

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• DID YOU KNOW?

  Chelsea failed with a £40 million ($51m) bid to sign Modric from London rivals Tottenham in the summer of 2011, a year before he was sold to Real Madrid for around £10m less. The Blues had earlier been among the clubs showing interest in a young Modric when he came to prominence at first club Dinamo Zagreb, but he wound up joining Spurs in 2008.

Barcelona have unveiled new breathtaking images of the iconic Camp Nou stadium which is set to look like a modern architectural marvel.

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• Camp Nou is currently under renovation

• Massive £1.3bn renovation project ongoing

• Gave fans glimpse into stadium's future

• Getty/FC Barcelona
  

  WHAT HAPPENED?

  Following their triumph in securing the Spanish league title last season, Barcelona wasted no time in initiating the extensive overhaul of their stadium. The renovation efforts involve a comprehensive overhaul, including the removal of the existing pitch and seating arrangements.

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• THE BIGGER PICTURE

  One of the most notable aspects of the renovation is the expansion of the stadium's capacity to accommodate up to 105,000 spectators. Alongside this expansion, the interiors of Camp Nou will undergo significant refurbishments, incorporating escalators, and modernising the press facilities. Notably, the project will introduce a roof to the stadium, marking the construction of the largest roof in Europe.

• DID YOU KNOW?

  In a nod to sustainability and preserving the club's heritage, Barcelona plan to repurpose concrete and steel from the original stadium in the new construction. In addition to enhancing the stadium's infrastructure, the redevelopment is part of the broader Espai Barca initiative, aimed at establishing Camp Nou as Europe's premier sports and entertainment destination.

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• FC Barcelona
  

  WHAT NEXT?

  While initially slated for completion ahead of the 2025-26 season, there is growing optimism within the Barcelona camp that the stadium may see partial completion by the end of 2024, allowing for the utilisation of two-thirds of its capacity. The full inauguration of the revamped arena is expected to follow in the subsequent year.

  During the renovation period, Barcelona are temporarily hosting their home matches at the Estadi Olimpic Lluis Companys, which boasts a capacity of 54,000. The renovation of Camp Nou holds significant financial implications for the club. Upon completion, Barcelona anticipates an additional annual revenue of £25 million ($32m), providing a welcome boost to their financial outlook amidst recent challenges.

Chelsea chiefs are believed to be over the moon with one signing they've made, and feel as if he's already an "absolute bargain".

Chelsea form under Pochettino

In the last fornight, Mauricio Pochettino's side have slowly turned a corner after what was an unideal start to the Premier League campaign. At one point, the west Londoners went from mid-August to early October without even scoring a league goal, a torrid run which ended after Chelsea's 2-0 win over Fulham at Craven Cottage.

Pochettino's men, since that much-needed win, have gone on to beat both Brighton in the EFL Cup and Burnley 4-1 at Turf Moor before the international break.

Those results have seemingly instilled positivity back at Stamford Bridge after a very regrettable 2023 overall, with Pochettino heaping praise on his players after their most recent demolition of the Clarets.

“Always when you concede first and you need to break down the opponent always you feel proud when you achieve that,” Pochettino said after their Burnley 1-4 Chelsea at Turf Moor.

“The team were playing well and with the chances conceded in a situation that was completely unfair, but the team were really good, solid, the whole team. We want to improve players and try to recover the players that were injured. The next two weeks we’re going to spend working on the training ground with a different mood from the last months. After two victories it is much better but I think we will keep pushing, working hard to be better in the next months.”

Kendry Paez transfer update

Supporters will be hoping their near £400 million spent over the summer transfer window will eventually result in an imperious run of form, and one which could hopefully have Chelsea challenging at the very top again. They made some signings for the future as well, though, including Ecuadorian wonderkid Kendry Paez.

The 16-year-old, who's already doing excellently for the Ecuador national team despite his tender age, will move to Chelsea in 2025, but despite not even playing for them yet, club chiefs already believe they've signed an "absolute bargain". That is according to Fabrizio Romano, who shared the Paez update in his Daily Briefing.

"It’s becoming clearer all the time that Chelsea have signed a fantastic talent," wrote Romano.

"Paez will move to Stamford Bridge in 2025, with Chelsea winning the race for his signature earlier this year when other big clubs like Manchester United and Bayern Munich were also interested in him. The Blues also increasingly feel that they got an absolute bargain for the teenage midfielder, whose value has probably already shot up since they agreed the package for him.

"It was not easy for Chelsea to arrive there ahead of other clubs, so it’s a great job by their recruitment team, and a smart deal. Chelsea feel he’s probably already worth double what they paid for him, so who knows where he’ll be by the time he joins the club when he turns 18."

Paez is currently plying his trade at Independiente Del Valle in Ecuador, where he is eagerly anticipating his switch to the Premier League.

Everton have endured a slippery slide down the Premier League table in recent years and that is mostly down to their misfiring transfer strategy.

The Toffees have suffered through years of inadequacy and terrible decision-making on the transfer front, acquiring talent for ridiculous amounts and burning through the wage budget like there's no tomorrow.

Such is their consistent failures across numerous tenures, the Merseyside giants have allegedly breached financial fair play (FFP) rules and that is a searing indictment of the issues that have plagued them of late.

With years of overspending coming back to bite them as a potential 12-point deduction looms, it is easy to narrow down the list of stars who have contributed to their plight on and off the pitch.

Moise Kean, in particular, is one talent who exhibits Farhad Moshiri's addiction to emptying his deep pockets on players who have ultimately underperformed in the Blue of Everton.

Moise Kean's best qualities

During the Marco Silva tenure in the summer of 2019, Everton shelled out a whopping £29m on a 19-year-old Kean from Juventus.

At the time, the Italian wonderkid looked like he was worth every penny having terrorised defences in Serie A across the 2018/19 season.

The teenager was largely restricted to substitute appearances, but he still showcased his sharpness and predatory instincts in front of goal to gobble up chances, netting six in 13 matches in that campaign.

Perhaps more impressive, Kean was displaying his talents as a complete striker, coming out on top in the physical battle against defenders, peeling in behind with his searing pace and supplying a ruthless finish in front of goal.

According to FBref, the youngster ranked in the top 1% against his positional peers in Serie A for non-penalty goals, top 19% for successful take-ons, top 20% for pass completion and top 1% for aerials won.

When he arrived at Goodison Park, Kean had a whole host of competition to contend with in the striking department, including Dominic Calvert-Lewin, Richarlison and Cenk Tosun, but given his talents, he was expected to become a roaring success on Merseyside, however, that couldn't be any further from the truth.

The total cost of Moise Kean's transfer to Everton

Arriving as one of the most in-demand young strikers in Europe, a heavy weight of expectation was planted on the Italian's shoulders, and there is one key factor as to why he never lived up to the hype.

Speaking to CalcioMercato last year, Kean's brother, Giovanni Kean, revealed that he was very upset about his transfer to Everton, which happened less than two months after Maurizio Sarri took over as manager.

He said: "Allegri was the first to realize his potential. What a pleasure to see him score a brace against Lazio under the eyes of Sarri, who didn't want him. Kean was very upset about the transfer to Everton."

Kean's dejection unsurprisingly impacted his performance on the pitch, featuring 39 times for the club but only mustering four goals, two of which came against lower league opposition, Salford City and Fleetwood Town, in the Carabao Cup. There was even that wretched incident where Duncan Ferguson substituted him on, only to then drag him back off.

Having struggled to settle in England and leave his mark on the pitch, the Italian ultimately bled Everton dry of £2.7m in wages across his debut campaign, amounting to a total of £31.7m when factoring the initial £29m transfer fee.

In the 2020/21 campaign, Kean was granted the opportunity to join Paris Saint-Germain on loan, enjoying a successful spell at the French giants with 17 goals in 41 appearances, including three strikes in the Champions League. Impressive form indeed. Just where did that go at Goodison?

Since then, the 23-year-old has spent two seasons on loan at his former club Juventus, where his performance in the Coppa Italia final in 2022 was described as "useless" by journalist Tancredi Palmeri.

Despite his stop-start displays in Turin, the Italian giants triggered the £24m option to buy in his two-year loan in March, with Everton feeling fortunate to recoup most of what they initially forked out for him.

Lionesses star Chloe Kelly organised an Easter egg hunt for her dogs after Manchester City's 4-1 thumping of Liverpool in the Women's Super League.

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• Man City beat Liverpool 4-1
• Kelly benched for third game
• Hosts Easter egg hunt for dogs

• WHAT HAPPENED?

  The day after Gareth Taylor's side went top of the Women's Super League with a convincing victory over the Reds, the former Everton star had a bit of fun with her dogs on Easter Sunday. The centre-back posted several photos on social media of her pets on the egg trail.

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  WHAT CHLOE KELLY SAID

  In an Instagram story, Kelly posted a number of photos of her dogs Otis and Rolo before and during the Easter egg hunt at her home. In the captions she wrote: "Mum, I can see where you are hiding them," followed by, "Got it" and "found it".

• THE GOSSIP

  While the 26-year-old is currently enjoying some down time, the England international has been among the substitutes for City's last four matches. Although she came on in the 4-1 win over Brighton the victory at Liverpool, and the FA Cup defeat to Tottenham, she was an unused substitute in the 3-1 triumph over rivals Manchester United over the course of March. The winger, who is out of contract in 2025 and has been linked with Paris Saint-Germain, will hope to regain her spot from Mary Fowler but for the time being she is having to be patient.

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  WHAT NEXT?

  City, who are three points clear of second-placed Chelsea but Emma Hayes' side have a game in hand, next take on West Ham in the WSL on April 21, followed by a trip to Bristol City a week later. First up, however, is another international break between now and then.

AC Milan boss Stefano Pioli has defended his persistence with Christian Pulisic during a rare off night for the USMNT star against Roma.

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• Rossoneri slipped to narrow defeat
• American struggled to make an expect
• Changes only made late on

• WHAT HAPPENED?

  The United States international has been in fine form this season, posting a personal best return of 13 goals across all competitions. Pulisic was included from the start once again when the Rossoneri lined up against domestic rivals in the quarter-finals of the Europa League.

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  THE BIGGER PICTURE

  Pulisic found the going tough against Roma, as Milan drew a blank in a 1-0 defeat at San Siro, but was not replaced until the 78th minute. At that point, Pioli took the decision to mix things up and throw on Samuel Chukwueze in pursuit of an equaliser.

• WHAT PIOLI SAID

  Quizzed afterwards on why he took so long to make changes in the final third, with Rafael Leao hauled off at the same time as Pulisic, Pioli told reporters: “Pulisic and Leao have confidence. Players like them, even on a difficult evening, can make an important play. I made the changes when I thought it was right.”

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  WHAT NEXT FOR PULISIC?

  Milan now have it all to do in order to keep themselves in contention for major silverware this season. Pulisic will be eager to end his debut campaign in Italy with a gold medal, but Pioli’s men will need to produce a much-improved performance when heading to Stadio Olimpico on April 18.