After a season in which their strikers have barely scored, West Ham need to ensure that they’re not relying on wide men or attacking midfielders to chip in with their fair share.

David Moyes may or may not be at the club at the end of the current season, and that also applies to technical director, Tim Steidten.

Clearly, the powers that be need to bed down the direction that the club are going in, in order to bring in new players.

West Ham want Karamoko Dembele

Summer signings are hardly likely to be invested in the East Londoner’s project if the club themselves aren’t really sure where they’re heading.

One area that the club desperately need to concentrate on is their front men. Michail Antonio and Danny Ings between them have scored just four goals this season per WhoScored.

They’ve been lucky that the likes of Mo Kudus and Jarrod Bowen have chipped in regularly to win games, otherwise Moyes would almost certainly have been sacked by now.

Both Antonio and Ings are likely to be moved on in any event, and the question as to who to replace them with is one that should be being considered now.

According to HITC, former Celtic wonder kid, Karamoko Dembele, could be that man.

Now 21 years of age, Dembele has been enjoying a fantastic stint at Blackpool whilst on loan from Brest.

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The outlet note he has seven goals and 12 assists already, but the Hammers might need to move quickly.

That’s because there’s also apparent interest from Leicester, Leeds, Southampton, Fulham, Brentford, Wolves and Everton.

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Karamoko Dembele has impressed many with his performances at Blackpool this season and the 21-year-old could be on the move this summer. 

The midfielder is on loan with the English club from Stade Brestois as he moved to League One in search of more minutes.

Dembele has starred in an attacking midfield role at Bloomfield Road, managing seven goals and 12 assists in 40 games; with HITC now reporting that his displays have drawn widescale interest ahead of the summer with Championship clubs Leeds United, Leicester City, Middlesbrough and Southampton eyeing a move.

The problem for them is that Premier League teams have also taken note of what the 21-year-old is doing; with Everton, West Ham, Fulham, Brentford, Wolves and Nottingham Forest all said to be keeping tabs on Dembele as well.

The midfielder has a contract with Stade Brest until 2026 so the youngster’s future is in the French club’s hands.

The Ligue 1 outfit may want to keep the player following his current loan spell but the good news for Dembele is that he will not be short of options ahead of the new season.

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The FA cup fixture between Blackpool and Forest Green Rovers has been postponed after the FA launched a last-minute investigation against Forest Green.

The second round tie was meant to be played at 3pm tomorrow but has now been delayed.

Blackpool have put out a statement on their website to confirm that the game has been called off along with an apology for their fans.

The statement read:

“The Club can confirm Saturday’s FA Cup second round tie at home to Forest Green Rovers has been postponed.”

“This decision has been made by the FA due to an investigation in relation to a matter involving Forest Green Rovers.”

“Blackpool Football Club would like to apologise to supporters for the inconvenience this has caused and is disappointed to be informed of this news at such short notice.”

“Further details on the outcome of the investigation will be announced in due course.”

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There are currently no details regarding what the investigation is about.

The club put out a statement of their own acknowledging the investigation, stating that they will cooperate fully with the FA. The statement read:

“Forest Green Rovers are aware of an FA investigation, meaning our FA Cup tie against Blackpool tomorrow is postponed.”

“We will comply with the FA in their investigation and will provide a full update to supporters in the coming days once the investigation is complete.”

Forest Green Rovers are aware of an FA investigation, meaning our FA Cup tie against Blackpool tomorrow is postponed.

We will comply with the FA in their investigation and will provide a full update to supporters in the coming days once the investigation is complete.#WeAreFGR pic.twitter.com/ystTUrEqTM

— Forest Green Rovers (@FGRFC_Official) December 1, 2023

Forest Green are going through a rough patch on and off the pitch.

They were relegated from League One and are currently 23rd in the table, and at the risk of dropping out of the Football League system.

Off the pitch, they have now gotten entangled in an FA investigation which usually ends up in a point deduction or a some sort of ban.

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Charlie Patino still wants a transfer away from Arsenal this summer, with Fabrizio Romano also confirming that the Gunners would be keen to have a buy-back clause as part of any deal for him to leave.

The talented youngster has long been highly rated at the Emirates Stadium, but it seems he’s keen on a new challenge, according to Romano in the latest edition of his exclusive CaughtOffside column.

Patino has previously impressed on loan at Blackpool, and it perhaps makes sense that he now feels it’s worth leaving Arsenal in order to play more regular first-team football.

This is a bit of a worry for the Gunners, however, as they won’t want to let go of such a promising homegrown talent, who could go on to blossom elsewhere and perhaps attract interest from their rivals in the future.

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It’s therefore unsurprising that Arsenal would insist on a buy-back clause, as Romano has made clear in his latest update.

“I’ve had quite a few fans asking me about the situation with Charlie Patino. There was the recent revelation that he wanted to leave, and although it’s gone quiet, my understanding is that the situation remains the same: he wants a new challenge and a permanent exit,” Romano said.

“From Arsenal’s perspective, they would ideally like a buy-back clause included in any potential deal, for sure.”

The post Exclusive: Expert confirms Arsenal ace still wants transfer away but Gunners keen on buy-back clause appeared first on CaughtOffside.

Manchester United have been busy throughout the summer transfer window. Not only have the Red Devils welcomed a host of new additions, but they have also bid farewell to 12 senior players, and according to recent reports, the window’s final day could see another first-team star depart.

That’s according to a recent report from ESPN, which has also been backed up by Fabrizio Romano, who both claim young winger Amad is a candidate to leave on loan.

Sunderland are in advanced talks with Manchester United for Amad Diallo season-long loan and are now closing in on Edouard Michut. ??? #MUFC #SAFC

Michut will be in England again today as deal is done with PSG: loan plus €5m buy option and sell-on clause. pic.twitter.com/9vCLReN2Fk

— Fabrizio Romano (@FabrizioRomano) August 31, 2022

Since joining the Red Devils from Serie A side Atalanta 18-months-ago, Amad, 20, who was signed for £35m (€41m) has failed to progress and reach the levels originally expected of him.

Forced out on loan for the second half of last season, the 20-year-old, who joined Rangers, endured a disappointing spell before arriving back at Old Trafford earlier this summer.

Following the Red Devils’ recent blockbuster signing of Antony from Ajax, Amad is now even further down Erik ten Hag’s pecking order and in order to secure playing time, the young Ivorian may have to move to England’s second-tier.

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Reportedly wanted by Championship-duo Sunderland and Blackpool, it looks like United’s number 16 will have to impress in a lower league before he can be considered for a place in his parent club’s matchday teams.

Nevertheless, regardless of if Sunderland or Blackpool can reach an agreement, when it comes to his United career, even though he is still just 20 years old, it already feels like this season will be Amad’s last chance to prove that signing him was not a mistake.

The post £35m Man United attacker wanted in late deal by two clubs appeared first on CaughtOffside.

Arsenal have demonstrated in recent years that young players will get a chance in the first-team if they’re good enough, but that also came during a time where they weren’t serious top four contenders and the club just needed something positive for the fans to get behind.

There’s now a cautious optimism about what Mikel Arteta’s side can achieve this season after making some shrewd additions in the summer market, while it also means that someone like Charlie Patino was unlikely to get regular first-team minutes.

A loan move to the Championship where he can play most weeks to continue his development should be perfect for him, and he’ll now get that with Blackpool after the move was confirmed this afternoon:

Blackpool complete signing of Charlie Patino on loan from @Arsenal https://t.co/6u3dL0x3tf pic.twitter.com/KhTVWQchX8

— Blackpool FC (@BlackpoolFC) August 3, 2022

The 18-year-old midfielder has been a standout for the U23 side and appears to be one of the Gunners’ best prospects in the youth system at the moment, while he’s also proving himself at the various youth international levels for England too.

In the announcement from Blackpool, Patino confirmed that speaking to former Arsenal teammate Dan Ballard was a key factor in him accepting this move, while the manager Michael Appleton also sounds like he’s a huge fan.

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Time will tell if he’s slowly introduced to the first-team setup or if he’s chucked straight in at the deep end, but it’s one for Gunners fans to keep an eye on this season.

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Arsenal starlet Charlie Patino is set to join Championship outfit Blackpool on loan ahead of the new season after impressing in cameo appearances for the Gunners last season.

Patino signed his first professional contract with the club in October 2020 and marked his debut last season with a goal in a 5-1 win over Sunderland in the Carabao Cup. However, that was one of only two appearances with first-team opportunities hard to come by at present.

And according to Jeorge Bird, the Watford-born star is set to join the Seasiders on loan in a bid to address the lack of game-time. Club chiefs believe that Patino is ready to ply his trade in arguably one of the more physical leagues in the world.

The report states that the star, who is also eligible to play for Spain, has been training with the first team recently in a bid to enhance his development, although the best course of action has been to loan him out to Bloomfield Road.

Michael Appleton is set to utilise the star as one of his key attacking options, and it will be interesting to see how the youngster fares in the second tier.

The 18-year-old joined the club as a 12-year-old from Luton Town in 2015 and drew headlines when he made his debut for the under-18 team just two years later.

Touted as one of the next top graduates from Hale Barns by following in the footsteps of Eddie Nketiah, Bukayo Saka and Emile Smith-Rowe, Patino has all the makings to be a top footballer.

The post Arsenal prodigy set to join Championship club on loan appeared first on CaughtOffside.

Liverpool have officially announced the departure of 21-year-old defender Rhys Williams.

After the signing of Ibrahima Konate last summer, Liverpool’s defenders face tough competition for places. The likes of Williams and Nat Phillips already struggled for game time before his arrival, and they have found it increasingly difficult over the last year.

Both players spent spells on loan away from the club last season, and now, Liverpool have officially announced that Williams will once again be leaving the club on a temporary deal.

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The 21-year-old will be joining Blackpool for the season, a club not too far away from his birthplace of Preston.

The young defender will be hoping to gain enough experience to give him a chance of breaking into the Liverpool team next year. His most recent loan spell at Swansea wasn’t too successful, only managing five league appearances.

A regular run of games in a tough league is what’s needed for Williams to continue his progression, and Blackpool being fairly local to Liverpool should make Williams more comfortable.

The post Done deal: Liverpool announce the departure of 21-year-old appeared first on CaughtOffside.

Jack Grealish has praised Blackpool starlet Jake Daniels over his decision to come out as gay.

Daniels became the first professional footballer in more than 30 years to make his sexuality public.

It is a brave decision from the 17-year-old, especially given the difficulties suffered by the late Justin Fashanu, who later committed suicide.

We like to think society has improved significantly since then, but until now, no other professional player in the English game has felt safe enough to come out.

Statistically, it’s almost certain there are gay players, but most will feel safer, in the literal and career senses, to keep their sexuality.

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That is not how it should be, however, and Daniels has taken the brave decision to lead the way, and without having the safety net of being a first-team regular.

It’s hoped others can now feel safe enough to follow suit, and in the meantime, Manchester City star Jack Grealish has praised Daniels for his courage.

“There’s a lot of courage, and to be honest with you, I don’t think there is anyone who disagrees with that,” the midfielder told Sky Sports.

“it’s absolutely brilliant, and it’s a massive step forward.

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“I saw before that there was a guy in Australia, in the A League, and i hope that pushed Jake Daniels to think ‘do you know what? I can as well’.

“And fingers crossed for everyone, because I believe it can be a big step forward because football is for absolutely everyone.”

The post Jack Grealish praises Blackpool starlet Jake Daniels over decision to come out as gay appeared first on CaughtOffside.

Amal Fashanu, niece of former footballer Justin, has come out in support of Jake Daniels. The 17-year-old Blackpool forward came out as homosexual on Monday and Fashanu hopes that it will help others to do the same.

Amal, 33, is an activist for gay rights and has advocated to help gay footballers over the years. Her 2012 documentary ‘Britain’s Gay Footballers’ helped lift the lid on the matter and in 2016, she said that she knows of seven gay footballers. Daniels is the first openly gay footballer in the United Kingdom since Justin Fashanu did so in 1990.

The abuse he received thereafter was part of the reason he tragically ended up dying of suicide, aged just 37. Amal told the Press News Agency that this could be a big deal for gay footballers everywhere, in quotes carried by The Independent.

“The impact of (Daniels) coming out will be huge. Even though he’s young, this is starting the road map. Now it’s a case of waiting to see how everyone reacts. When he’s playing, will everyone boo him? What’s going to happen?”

“Putting myself in their shoes, and the fact that I do know gay footballers in the Premier League, let’s put it this way – if I was them I would definitely wait.”

“Sometimes I just think football is a dark world, and (Daniels coming out) is just showing a bit of light,” she added.

Daniels’ case follows on from Australian footballer Josh Cavallo, who until then was the only openly gay footballer still playing. There’s hope that Daniels’ decision will pave the way to further steps forward for the gay community working in football.

The post Justin Fashanu’s niece lauds brave step from Jake Daniels in coming out appeared first on CaughtOffside.