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West Ham United are staring down the barrel of a season-defining exit as Marko Arnautovic looks destined to leave the club for China before the end of the month, but they could yet retain a hot-headed streak at the spearhead of their attack by making an ambitious move for Mario Balotelli. 

Balotelli is one of those rare enigmatic characters who only comes along once in a blue moon. The fact Balotelli’s solitary assist during his time at Man City arrived when he slide tackled the ball into Sergio Aguero’s path to facilitate the most iconic goal in the club’s, and arguably the Premier League’s history, is one of those bizarre quirks which adds to the mystery of his compelling character.

After two and a half years with Ligue 1 outfit Nice, it appears that the Italy international is looking to embark on a new challenge in 2019, with Marseille mooted as a potential destination.

According to a recent report from L’Equipe, Balotelli is in talks with Marseille over a potential contract which would be worth €500k per month, (roughly £111k per week), but no agreement in yet in place between the two parties.

With that said, the door remains open for Manuel Pellegrini to hijack the potential move and secure the services of a player who would offer a similar mental and physical presence to Arnautovic at centre-forward.

And, considering his contract is due to expire in the summer, he should be available at an incredibly attractive price if the Hammers come calling.

Naturally, sections of the Hammers faithful are likely to have their reservations about Balotelli due to his well-documented history of mischief, ill-discipline and purely bizarre behaviour both on and off the field.

But during his time at Nice he has matured into a well-rounded player, scoring 43 times from 76 appearances in all-competitions. The moments of madness and controversy which somewhat tarnished his previous spells in English football have not been completely eradicated, but it’s fair to say he has completely transformed that side of his game.

Balotelli now effectively channels his aggression and hot-headedness into all-round quality performances at centre-forward, much in the same way Arnautovic has done during his time at the London Stadium.

His wage demands, if reports from L’Equipe are to be believed, are far from modest but, considering Nice will be forced to offload him on the cheap this month and the huge fee West Ham will be expecting to receive for their Austrian talisman, he would represent incredible value.

In a market defined by extortionate transfer fees, particularly in January, Balotelli represents an ideal value for money replacement for Arnautovic.

West Ham fans – thoughts on Balotelli? Let us know below!

When Timothy Weah signed for Celtic, most fans likely didn’t know what to expect. The PSG youngster was relatively unproven at the highest level, and a short-term loan deal didn’t seem to make a lot of sense.

However, he’s made a quick start to life at Celtic – indeed, he’ already opened his goalscoring account – and if he continues to improve at his current rate, we could have quite the player on our hands within a matter of weeks.

The youngster deserves a lot of praise for his quick start to life at Celtic, but he’s also placed a lot of emphasis on Brendan Rodgers, and his statement on the boss sums up just how important he is for the Bhoys.

As per the official Celtic Twitter, he said: “Brendan Rodgers is like a father figure to all his players. He can build a player and teach you to become a man as well. As an 18-year-old you need that support from a coach and he’s really given me that”.

It’s never going to be easy to move to a new club, especially as a youngster, but judging from this comment, Rodgers has built a family-like group at Celtic – and that’s played a big role in Weah’s quick settlement in Scotland.

Different managers have different styles, but it’s clear that the Hoops boss’ methods are working on all fronts. Not only are Celtic getting results, but Rodgers is bringing in young players that perhaps wouldn’t be the first choice of fans – and he’s turning them into stars.

This statement from Weah sums up what most fans already know – Celtic would struggle to do better than Rodgers. The manager continues to prove hisÂworth every single week.

Thoughts?

West Bromwich Albion will travel to Brighton and Hove Albion on Saturday as the two sides meet in the fourth round of the FA Cup.

The Championship outfit have been flying high in the division and are strong contenders to return to the Premier League at the first time of asking.

Jay Rodriguez has been instrumental for The Baggies this season, having recorded 14 goals in his 28 matches so far in the second tier.

However, it appears he is a doubt for the trip to the Amex Stadium.

Matt Wilson, who is a journalist for The Express and Star, has confirmed on his Twitter account that the 29-year-old would be with the squad and could be on the bench but stated he would be surprised if he started the game.

The Verdict:

West Brom have a number of injury concerns that Darren Moore is having to deal with and Rodriguez is just the latest in a long line.

The news will be frustrating for everyone at the club as the striker is one of their most important players and will be concerned that this latest knock could have a lasting effect.

However, it may have come at the right time, as winning promotion back to the Premier League will be more of a priority for The Hawthorns side, rather than a FA Cup run.

West Brom fans – thoughts?

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According to TEAMtalk, Aston Villa are amongst the Championship clubs – along with Leeds United, West Brom and Middlesbrough – interested in signing surplus to requirements Fulham trio Stefan Johansen, Floyd Ayite and Neeskens Kebano.

What’s the story?

As per the aforementioned TEAMtalk report, Fulham boss Claudio Ranieri has decided that Johansen, Ayite and Kebano are not needed at Craven Cottage and can leave the struggling Premier League club in this January transfer window.

Playmaker Johansen and wingers Ayite and Kebano all played important roles in the Cottagers’ promotion from the Championship last season, but have failed to make the step up to top flight level.

Be sure to check out the incredible story of the man who rose from a Tanzanian refugee camp to become one of Australia’s biggest football stars in the video below…

The Villans are amongst the clubs interested in securing the trio’s services, and Dean Smith would be wise to move for Ayite especially.

Bringing in experience 

Winger Yannick Bolasie recently opted to terminate his loan stay at Villa Park early and return to parent club Everton.

The 29-year-old’s departure has left Villa short on quality depth on the flanks, though the recalling of Andre Green from his loan spell with Portsmouth has alleviated this issue somewhat. Green, however, despite being a talented prospect, lacks Championship experience.

If Villa are serious about making a push for the play-offs, they need more players who know what it takes to get out of the division. Ayite has that experience, and the quality to effectively replace Bolasie. 

The 30-year-old made 28 league appearances for Fulham last season, scoring four goals, according to Transfermarkt’s statistics.

The 31-cap Togo international could certainly have an impact for Smith’s side this season, and he could even be available for a bargain fee given that he seemingly has no future with the Premier League strugglers.

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Manchester United should appoint Ole Gunnar Solskjaer as their permanent manager but keep Mauricio Pochettino as a back-up option, according to ex-striker Wayne Rooney, via CNN.

United have enjoyed an unbeaten run under the Norwegian and sit just two points off the top four.

What’s the word?

Solskjaer has gone 10 games unbeaten at the helm, in all competitions, and has beaten the likes of Tottenham Hotspur – managed by Pochettino – Arsenal and, most recently, Leicester City.

Their excellent form has placed them back into contention for qualification for the Champions League.

And Rooney, who played with Solskjaer at Old Trafford, believes that the Norwegian should be given the job on a permanent basis in the summer.

However, he has called on the club to keep Spurs boss Pochettino in mind when they make their next move.

“Ole Gunnar’s a fantastic person,” Rooney told CNN.”I think, the club will have a decision to make at the end of the season, and it’d be nice to see if Ole’s going to continue with this form, and get a shot at the job on a permanent basis.”But if not, if the club go to choose from somewhere else, then I think in my opinion Pochettino would be the right guy.” A slap in the face to Spurs

Rooney’s words will not go down well in north London.

It is all very well touting Pochettino as a possible successor to Jose Mourinho – many have done that – but to claim that he should be the back-up is slightly ridiculous.

Pl>ymaker FC’s Matchday with Max caught up with Jamaica’s women’s team. See what happened when he met the history makers in the video below…

United do have a decision to make in the summer and it would be best for all concerned if they were forthright in making that choice.

Pochettino could be the man to take them to the next level, but so too could Solskjaer.

Man United chiefs need to make the call and they would do well to tell those involved quickly so this circus can end.

Rangers Under-17’s booked their spot in the semi-finals of the ALKASS International Cup courtesy of a 7-0 win over Ecoile Sportive du Sahel on Sunday.

Chris McKee and Nathan Young-Coombes both scored hat-tricks for Rangers and it seems that the latter has caught the attention of the club’s supporters.

Young-Coombes only joined Rangers from Chelsea in January, with the 16-year-old signing a contract with the Gers until the summer of June 2021.

Pl>ymaker FC’s Matchday with Max caught up with Jamaica’s women’s team. See what happened when he met the history makers in the video below…

It would be fair to say that the Rangers supporters think a lot of the teenager, with many taking to social media to lavish praise on his performance at the weekend.

Indeed, one fan even claimed that Young-Coombes should be given the nod in the first team ahead of fellow January arrival Jermain Defoe.

It seems unlikely that the teenager will be making his first-team debut any time soon, but he will surely be in the mind of head coach Steven Gerrard moving forward.

A selection of the Twitter reaction from the Rangers fans can be seen below:

Wolverhampton Wanderers’ unbeaten run finally came to an end on Sunday afternoon after Tottenham Hotspur snatched all three points with a late winner.

Nuno Santo’s men looked certain to make it 12 games without defeat after Adama Traore fired home from the edge of the box to cancel out Lucas Moura’s opener but Spurs defender Jan Vertonghen headed home from Christian Eriksen’s corner in injury time.

A recurring theme continued during the match as The Athletic’s Tim Spiers pointed out on social media.

Traore has played 26 matches this season, during which 24 players have been booked trying to stop him.

Eric Dier, Harry Kane and Toby Alderweireld were all handed yellow cards at Molineux.

It has left many supporters discussing the matter…

Several of the home faithful were left wondering what Traore had to do to get more protection from officials. One fan labelled it as a joke while another claimed this sort of behaviour was ruining the game

Others then took the opportunity to rave over the Spaniard as they believe that very fact that players need to foul him shows just how good he is.

‘Dangerous,’ ‘amazing’ and ‘class’ were just three superlatives used to describe the 23-year-old.

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Traore has been an integral part of Wolves’ season so far, he’s scored four goals and assisted six in all competitions, so those at the club will be hoping that he doesn’t pick up a serious injury anytime soon.

He’ll be needed in the New Year when the west Midlanders continue to try and break into the top six in the Premier League, compete in the Europa League knockout stages and contend with the FA Cup.

No clues: Can you name all of these Premier League icons? Test your knowledge below…

In other news, Wolves need to cut all ties with this faltering loan flop in January…

Speaking on BT Sport (as quoted by The Express), Owen Hargreaves has insisted Jose Mourinho is “perfect” for Tottenham’s desire to win trophies.

What did he say?

After parting ways with Mauricio Pochettino, Spurs turned to Mourinho as their new manager. And since taking over the reins at the club, the Portuguese boss has enjoyed a fine start, suffering his only blip in the Premier League to rivals Manchester United.

Watch Tottenham Hotspur Videos With StreamFootball.tv Below

And with the club in the last 16 of the Champions League after safely securing their passage from the group stage, Hargreaves believes Mourinho’s mentality is that he can go all the way in European football’s elite competition.

He said: “I think this is one of the reasons he picked Tottenham. He realises that with that group of players when everyone is fit and healthy that Tottenham are one of the strongest teams. He believes that with Harry Kane leading the line, Joleon (Lescott) is right, in these games Mourinho is at his absolute best.

Watch Spurs vs Brighton Live and Free with Amazon Prime on Boxing Day

“With his experience I think he will believe that he can knock any team out of the Champions League and that’s what Tottenham want. They want to win things and Mourinho is perfect for that.”

Winning mentality

Whilst it’s unfair to suggest Mourinho has a winning mentality and that Pochettino didn’t – after all the Argentine had to win big games to reach the final of the Champions League last season and reach the top four numerous times – the Portuguese man does have the added advantage of going all the way in cup competitions.

Spurs die-hards are getting 70% on this Ultimate Tottenham Quiz. Can you beat them?

Spurs have already shown that they can enjoy a fairy-tale journey in Europe, but perhaps needed just that added ruthlessness and know-how to get over the line. In Mourinho, and his pedigree of winning the Champions League with Porto and Inter, they have got a man who can provide them with exactly that.

Meanwhile, Tottenham fans have lauded this ace for his commanding display against Wolves.

It seems that Tottenham Hotspur have been linked with Paris Saint-Germain’s Layvin Kurzawa, as per a new report coming from Foot Mercato.

The 27-year-old left-back is no longer in the plans of his gaffer, Thomas Tuchel, and is set to move on when his contract expires with the likes of Manchester United and West Ham also monitoring the situation alongside Jose Mourinho’s outfit.

Watch Tottenham Hotspur Videos With StreamFootball.tv Below

Upon seeing this update, however, many of the fans weren’t really thrilled with it, saying that Kurzawa is not really good enough to join the club and that they don’t want him at all.

You can see some of their reactions in the collection of tweets below:

The interesting part is that the defender’s contract is due to expire in the summer of 2020, which would make him a completely free purchase for Spurs if they were to move in for the player in the summer.

And it seems that some of the fans wouldn’t actually mind seeing Kurzawa don their colours, stating it would be a smart move from their board…

Of course, seeing how Spurs have already done some business with Paris Saint-Germain when they got Serge Aurier in the summer of 2017, some of the fans were also quick to point out dealing with the French team has not really worked out for them in the past.

Money talks: How much did Levy pay for each of these Spurs stars?

Aurier has been often heavily criticised for erratic performances and it seems they believe Kurzawa would be much the same.

Elsewhere, Liverpool might be doing Juventus a huge favour by potentially snatching away a player they don’t really need anymore…

Sunderland have had a torrid time on and off the pitch in recent weeks with the latest developments even causing some fans to discuss whether protests against the board are in order.

Phil Parkinson has struggled since arriving in the north-east, winning two of his 14 games, with many of his players’ performances suggesting they are already not playing for the manager.

Aiden McGeady was an example of that, and his negative influence was a factor which led his manager to cast him to the reserves and place him on the transfer list.

The Black Cats still haven’t won since that action, however, and the decision to get rid of last season’s best player may not be the correct course of action to take.

Parkinson has revealed interest in the player has mounted from two unnamed foreign clubs, and his general attitude towards the player suggests he is unlikely to be at the club beyond the transfer window.

Watch Sunderland Videos With StreamFootball.tv Below

Given he is still Sunderland’s top scorer it is a bold call to make, and one which could backfire, so we asked our team of Football FanCast writers to share their thoughts on the subject.

Matt Dawson

“On his day, McGeady can conjure up a moment of magic that decides a game. This term he’s contributed to six goals alone. However, those true moments of ingenuity are too infrequent to benefit Sunderland. There’s no doubting he is the most pedigreed player in the squad having played on international and continental stages but given his attitude to the cause this season, selling the Irishman next month makes sense.

“It might be seen as damning but this is the type of ruthless behaviour fans should be crying out for from Phil Parkinson. He’s been a bit weak this season and given results, two wins from 14 in charge, it’s completely understandable. McGeady hasn’t featured since November so with the way the club is going, moving him on could be beneficial. 

“In terms of his overall quality, it will probably be to their detriment but I feel with the winger that the positives of shipping him on outweigh the negatives.”

Calling all Premier League experts: Who do these unique statistics belong to? Find out below….

Charles Jones

“I’m not sure that this is a good call from Phil Parkinson, and to be honest, it wouldn’t surprise me if this decision is reversed in the near future if he loses his job.

“McGeady is one of the best players in League One, and while Sunderland aren’t doing too well with him in the squad it’s hard to say that they should get rid of him.

“Getting rid of your top scorer is generally a bad idea, so unless there’s a huge reshuffle plan that sees the funds recouped from his sale reinvested effectively then this could be a disastrous decision.

“It’s a no brainer to keep him, but if Parkinson is here to stay long-term then he may have to go.”

Danny Lewis

“McGeady has not been at his best this season, but four goals and two assists from 13 starts and two substitute appearances in the league is far from a disastrous return. Therefore it seems a bit of a confusing decision to single out the Republic of Ireland international as someone to be sold, especially when there are so many other underperforming players in the squad.

“This may be an assertion of dominance from Parkinson, as he looks to get some more control at the Stadium of Light, but there is definitely a risk of the call backfiring on him. Another reason behind this could be that due to McGeady’s pedigree, having played in the Premier League and on the international stage, they may be able to command a higher fee for him.

“Overall, this seems like a bit of a silly move from Parkinson, which surely won’t strengthen his position at the club if nobody is brought in to replace him.”

Kealan Hughes

“This is a tricky call to make as the club is basically deciding whether to trust the judgement of a manager who may not be in charge much longer due to his appalling record.

“However, if Stewart Donald wants his latest appointment to work out then he has to do as he wishes, and that means getting rid of McGeady for the benefit of the squad as a whole.

“The Irishman has great quality but he has shown it all too infrequently, even before Parkinson arrived, and therefore he probably wouldn’t be missed if he did leave, with his wages likely being better spent on a replacement or two.”

Some Sunderland fans would probably rather McGeady was backed over Parkinson, as their trust in the manager is increasingly declining.