Manchester United manager Erik ten Hag is ‘not a fan’ of West Ham and England midfielder Declan Rice, journalist Paul Brown has claimed.

The Lowdown: Rice off in the summer?

The 24-year-old has matured into a formidable player and regular starter for both club and country, with his price tag continuing to rocket all the time.

Rice has been linked with numerous clubs ahead of the summer transfer window and United have seemingly emerged as one of the front-runners to snap him up.

Now, a contrary update has emerged, suggesting he may not be heading to Old Trafford after all.

The Latest: Ten Hag not keen on move

Speaking to Give Me Sport, Brown admitted that Ten Hag could put paid to Rice becoming a United player:

“Declan Rice will not be cheap. It’s looking less likely there’ll be a bidding war for him, however, because I can’t see Manchester City going for Declan Rice having bought Kalvin Phillips when they did.

“It looks less and less likely that Manchester United will go for him now because I’m not terribly sure that Ten Hag is a big fan.”

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The Verdict: Cheaper alternatives out there

Rice is unquestionably a footballer with huge potential  – Joe Cole has called him a ‘top, top player’ while the media have dubbed him ‘sensational’ – having already racked up 225 appearances for West Ham and 39 caps for England.

While he would be a strong signing for United, there is also the issue of his price tag being enormous, due to English players’ fees often being inflated in the transfer market.

For that reason, it could make sense for the Red Devils to look at alternatives this summer, especially as Ten Hag reportedly doesn’t rate Rice as highly as others.

Someone like Nicolo Barella of Inter Milan could be an example of a strong option, with the 26-year-old a European Championship winner with Italy, a scorer of five Serie A goals this season and someone who has been linked with a move to the Premier League recently.

Leeds United hold a concrete interest in Benfica left-back Alejandro Grimaldo, according to Football Insider.

The Lowdown: Manager chaos

Elland Road officials are currently on the search for a new manager to replace Jesse Marsch, with Michael Skubala still in caretaker charge.

It hasn’t been a straightforward process, though, with Raul, Carlos Corberan, Andoni Iraola, Arne Slot and Marcelo Gallardo all reportedly turning Leeds down.

That has led to rumours about former Wolves and Tottenham manager Nuno Espirito Santo, but it looks as if sporting director Victor Orta is still looking at potential player signings despite the manager uncertainty.

The Latest: Grimaldo interest

FI reporter Wayne Veysey shared a story on Friday regarding what he’s heard about Leeds and Grimaldo.

He stated that the Whites have a concrete interest and are keeping tabs on the 27-year-old, who looks set to be a free agent in the summer.

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The Verdict: Wise move?

Centre-back Pascal Struijk has mainly been the one to play at left-back this season, with Junior Firpo struggling to remain fully fit in recent months. Stuart Dallas is also yet to return after suffering a serious injury last year, so bringing in Grimaldo could be a wise move.

The 27-year-old is valued at €20m by Transfermarkt and has plenty of experience at the highest level, contributing to 82 goals in 286 Benfica appearances.

He also shares the same agency as recent Leeds signings Brenden Aaronson, Luis Sinisterra and Weston McKennie, so talks could prove fairly straightforward, should a move to Yorkshire appeal to Grimaldo.

Liverpool will host Wolverhampton Wanderers in their mid-week Premier League clash at Anfield this evening and Jurgen Klopp will surely be hoping that his side can regain some confidence in front of the home support.

It hasn’t been the best seven days for the Reds with a 5-2 defeat to Real Madrid in the Champions League which was followed up by a lacklustre and uninspiring stalemate with Crystal Palace at Selhurst Park on Saturday night.

The Reds are now nine points adrift of a Champions League qualifying spot inside the top four and a 3-0 victory in the second leg at the Bernabeu will be their last hopes of progressing in the European competition. That has left next season’s involvement in the tournament in huge doubt.

As a result, every point and remaining fixture in the top flight counts for Klopp and tonight’s game will give the team a golden opportunity to tighten the gap to Tottenham Hotspur in fourth.

Liverpool have been given a huge injury boost ahead of the fixture with Ibrahima Konate confirmed as a potential returnee this evening.

Klopp confirmed in his pre-match press conference: “Ibou trained now completely normal. Should be absolutely OK for the squad at least.”

Will Konate start against Wolves?

After the poor performance against Palace and with the Liverpool boss revealing that Joe Gomez will not be available for the fixture, tonight’s game could be the perfect opportunity to get Konate back in the defensive set up and linking up with Virgil van Dijk once again.

The talented Frenchman damaged his hamstring at the end of January and has not been seen in the squad since, however, the clash with Wolves could not have come at a better time and if he can help deliver Liverpool a victory he would surely stake his claim in the centre-back role going forward.

Despite making only five Premier League appearances this season, the £70k-per-week titan – hailed an “absolute dream” by Phil Thompson – has tallied up an 86% pass completion rate and completed 100% of his dribble attempts so far, displaying that he is the perfect modern-day centre-half, capable of playing the ball out from defence confidently.

Furthermore, his 1.8 interceptions per game are the highest of anyone in the squad, while his 2.4 tackles are the second-highest in the team, and the best of any defender.

With that being said, the return of Konate will surely be warmly welcomed by the Anfield faithful this evening and Klopp will be hoping that a fresh perspective in the team will help to improve upon the dull displays seen on too many occasions this season.

Nottingham Forest will also be without defender Serge Aurier against West Ham today, adding to their plethora of injury issues.

The Lowdown: Forest treatment table…

Steve Cooper has had to contend with many absences over the last few months as Forest’s treatment table becomes more and more stacked with crucial squad members.

Willy Boly, Scott McKenna, Taiwo Awoniyi, Moussa Niakhate, Dean Henderson, Jesse Lingard, Ryan Yates, Giulian Biancone, Omar Richards and Cheikhou Kouyate have all been sidelined at various points – dealing a real worry for Cooper and the Reds (premierinjuries).

Five points off the Premier League relegation zone, Forest are still very much in contention for the drop and today’s clash against West Ham comes as a pivotal one for both sides.

The Latest: Cooper without Aurier…

Ahead of this afternoon’s bout against David Moyes’ men, an injury to Aurier has added yet another name to the sidelines at Forest.

Cooper confirmed the Ivorian will be out for three-four weeks with a calf problem, adding to the injury list.

The Verdict: Blow for Cooper…

The former Spurs defender has been a solid option at right-back since he joined from Villarreal on a free deal.

Aurier has earned plaudits from members of the press for his ‘superb’ form at Forest after he put pen to paper on a summer move.

He will be a big miss, especially considering he has averaged more tackles per 90 than anyone in Cooper’s squad (WhoScored)

He also ranks among their best-performing players by average match rating this season with Forest now having to cope without his presence against West Ham.

Newcastle United’s recent woes were compounded after falling to successive defeats in the Premier League, losing against Manchester City one week after coming up short against Manchester United in the Carabao Cup final.

Nick Pope’s red card against Liverpool two weeks ago ensured that a comeback was not on the cards, with the Reds defeating the Magpies 2-0 at St. James’ Park, while the tricky run has indeed continued against the imperious force that is Pep Guardiola’s City, and the Tynesiders are now winless across their past five outings in the top-flight.

Despite still boasting the most formidable defence in the league, shipping only 17 goals from 24 matches, the offensive potency has run dry, with just nine goals scored from the past 13 matches across all competitions.

And while travelling to the Etihad Stadium is a daunting and onerous task for even the most distinguished of outfits, the failure to capitalise on fruitful moments in the offensive third will be alarming for manager Eddie Howe, who is hoping for a monumental finish in the battle for Champions League qualification.

Among the culprits: Callum Wilson. The striker was largely subdued to a minimal threat, but will have left Howe staring ruefully after failing to take a big opportunity to restore parity in the first-half.

Was Wilson “woeful” vs Man City?

Recording a match rating of 6.8 – via Sofascore – Wilson did not actually play his worst game in black and white, but the blunt edge to his attacking game on the afternoon resulted in his withdrawal after only 63 minutes, replaced for the dynamic and exciting £63m summer signing Alexander Isak.

Completing just six passes and making only 14 total touches, less than half that of Pope between the sticks (33), the £92k-per-week star did complete his only dribble, also succeeding in his only ground duel, but the fact he was restricted to such little moments to impress hardly helps his case in missing a glorious chance to level the play before the break.

Reporter Luke Edwards lamented the forward for his “woeful” attempt when finding an opportune moment to strike and silence the roaring City crowd, with Aaron Stokes also saying “the Callum Wilson of old buries that chance”, and that City were “let off the hook” by the wayward finishing.

Writer Jordan Cronin also remarked that the 31-year-old “should have scored”, and had he done so, the flow of the second-half could have been very different indeed, with the Magpies’ “lack of clinical edge” letting them down, according to journalist Josh Bunting.

Granted, Wilson will not be playing opposition of the cobra-constricting nature of the Cityzens each week, but if he fails to take his opportunities, he will indeed find game time harder to come by under Howe’s wing.

Tottenham star Ivan Perisic has been criticised for his 4/10 display last night as Spurs crash out of the FA Cup fifth round to Sheffield United.

The Lowdown: Spurs defeated…

Antonio Conte’s side, once again lead by assistant coach Cristian Stellini in his absence, failed to exert their quality and ultimately succumbed to a humbling loss at Bramall Lane.

The north Londoners have won four out of their last five Premier League games, keeping four clean sheets in the process, but a plucky United side kept persevering till the final stages.

Stellini’s men created few openings and spurned any opportunities they did have, perhaps highlighted by an uncharacteristic missed free header from star striker Harry Kane late on.

Senegal international Iliman Ndiaye punished the away side with a brilliant solo goal to clinch United a 1-0 win on the night, dashing Tottenham’s hopes of any silverware this season.

The Latest: Media slate Perisic…

Members of the media have criticised Perisic in particular for his performance, stating:

“Offered little in the way of thrust or service from wing-back.” – Journalist Dan Kilpatrick, after giving Perisic a 4/10 match rating (via Evening Standard).

“Possible that despite being a free transfer, Perisic will ultimately still be remembered as a massive waste of money?” – James Maw, editor for The Athletic (via Twitter).

“Son, Perisic, Richarlison made to look average players. Quite a feature.” – Andreas Thau Loftager, Spurs podcaster (via Twitter).

“Of all the players we’ve signed in the last 3-4 years, Ivan Perisic was someone I was convinced would be a success. Instead, he’s been one of the worst. His set piece delivery has meant his stats look respectable to those who don’t watch him every week. But he’s so, so bad.” – Andrew Gaffney, football writer (via Twitter).

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The Verdict: Off night…

In terms of going forward and contributing in the attacking areas, there is a major argument to be made that the former Inter Milan star had a real off night.

According to SofaScore, Perisic lost possession a mammoth 34 times, completing just 58% of his passes against the Championship high-flyers.

The 34-year-old also found just one out of 11 attempted crosses, not to mention squandering over half of his long balls over 90 minutes.

While he did create one big chance and won the vast majority of his duels, both in the air and on the ground, this performance from Perisic could go down as one of his more regrettable.

Leeds United scout Alex Davies was in the stands for Preston North End vs Coventry City on Tuesday amid links of a move for Viktor Gyokeres.

The Lowdown: Gyokeres links

The Whites have been heavily linked with a move for Coventry forward Gyokeres in recent months. Reports following Javi Gracia’s arrival at Elland Road claimed that the club are plotting a move to sign the 24-year-old regardless of what division they find themselves in next season as they think he could be a key addition.

Gyokeres, hailed by his manager Mark Robins for his “unbelievable” power and technique, has scored 15 Championship goals this season and can play anywhere across the front three.

The Latest: Davies in attendance

Jordan Webber, who appears on Swans Cast Media, took to Twitter on Tuesday evening to say that Swansea’s chief scout, Lee Maybury, was at Deepdale for Preston vs Coventry.

Davies, who first mentioned Ben White’s name to Victor Orta, was also on that list to presumably cast a further eye on Gyokeres.

The Verdict: Disappointing display

Gyokeres struggled to back up a match-winning display on the weekend against Sunderland, with the game against Preston finishing goalless.

The Sweden international had an evening to forget, as per SofaScore, ending with a match rating of 6.4/10. He gave possession away 23 times, lost 13 of his 17 duels and failed to register a shot on target.

He was Coventry’s second-worst starter on the night, so Davies may have come away with some reservations about the forward, so it’ll be interesting to see if Leeds make their move in the summer.

Ole Gunnar Solskjaer’s time as Manchester United manager will go down as underwhelming, to say the least. He failed to win a trophy in nearly three years in charge at the club while making off-field decisions which set the club back.

He splashed out £80m on the much-criticised Harry Maguire in 2019 while also wasting money on the likes of Donny van de Beek and Daniel James, but he arguably had his biggest howler by selling Chris Smalling in 2020.

What has Chris Smalling done since leaving Manchester United?

The Englishman was sold for £18m to Serie A giants AS Roma, and he has gone on to thrive in Italy.

Last season, United conceded a total of 57 goals in the Premier League, 14 more than the Giallorossi shipped from the same number of Serie A games, and Smalling clearly enjoyed being reunited with his former Red Devils boss Jose Mourinho at the Stadio Olimpico.

He even managed to win silverware with Roma as they claimed the inaugural Europa Conference League title, and he excelled during that triumph by averaging a Sofascore rating of 7.19/10.

He kept four clean sheets across ten matches while winning a staggering 80% of his duels, along with making 3.5 clearances per game, and he was clearly an integral member of the team which claimed Roma’s first European trophy in 61 years.

Media personality Imoh Umoren even dubbed Smalling “one of the best defenders in the world on current form” last April, and the ex-Fulham centre-back certainly justified it with his form in Europe.

The 33-year-old has carried on that form into this season, playing 23 times in Serie A and keeping eight clean sheets while utilising his physical presence with his 6 foot 4 frame to win 66% of his duels.

Smalling is clearly enjoying himself in Italy, and his performances in recent months show that United had a howler by getting rid of him when they did.

There is no guarantee that Erik ten Hag would have played him as often as Mourinho has, but the Englishman’s experience and ability would surely have made him a solid option to be called upon when required.

Liverpool supporters are understandably downcast after a stark decline in form and performance this season has left Jurgen Klopp’s outfit scraping for top four after years of competing for major silverware across multiple fronts.

Indeed, the German manager has won it all on Merseyside, notably gleaning the Premier League and Champions League and completing the domestic cup double last season.

But progress has been hindered this season and the club languish nine points outside the top four, also out of both domestic cup competitions and facing an insurmountable task in the second leg of their Champions League tie against Real Madrid after falling to a chastening 5-2 defeat at Anfield in the first match.

With all affiliated with the club desperate for a ray of sunshine, attention must be turned to precocious teenage starlet Ben Doak, who is brimming with quality and starting to demonstrate that he could cement a prominent role in Klopp’s system over the coming years.

Who is Ben Doak?

Last weekend, Doak inspired Liverpool U21s to an emphatic 7-1 victory over Leicester U21s, scoring twice and playing a pivotal role in two further strikes.

Hailed as “the pick of the bunch” by journalist Keifer MacDonald, the former Celtic prodigy is starting to confirm his stature as the Merseyside club’s most exciting young talent.

A right winger by trade, the young Scot might find it hard to usurp the established and brilliant Mohamed Salah, but the distinguished star’s occupation of the position must be greeted with warm acceptance by the 17-year-old, who could serve as the perfect understudy to the Egyptian and absorb the fruits of his labour as he moulds and refines his own arsenal.

Salah has scored a remarkable 175 goals and provided 72 assists for the Reds since his £34m arrival from AS Roma, renowned as one of the world’s leading forwards and valued at £59m by Football Transfers, but given Doak’s exemplary start and numbers at youth level, there is no reason why he cannot emulate the prowess of his superlative senior peer.

Having scored ten goals and served eight assists from just 19 matches in a youth capacity this season, Doak is inches away from earning a shot in the senior set-up, and if Liverpool decide to utilise him next season – having already made five displays this term – or even loan him out to provide him regular minutes, there is high hope that he will glimmer among his peers.

Writing in his column for Liverpool’s website, academy coach Jay Spearing waxed lyrical about the three-cap Scotland U21 international’s progress, saying: “Ben was in our team at the start of the season and he was absolutely flying. He has made rapid progress and he is a great kid.

“He works so hard, and he has got a great mentality. That drive and desire the boy has, it’s no surprise to us he has done so well. Fingers crossed, he can keep it going and keep getting better because the lad has a lot of ability.”

Still yet to break into adulthood, Doak is swiftly asserting himself as one of the most prodigious talents Merseyside has seen in a long time, and should he continue his development and dazzle with consistently prolific and powerful performances, there is no reason why he cannot forge a successful career under Klopp’s wing.

And with a prowess and assurance that belies his tender age, he might even earn a few more opportunities to impress among the senior crop this term, perhaps sparking from youthful life into the squad and guiding the team toward prominence once more.

Despite the improved transfer dealings under current boss Erik ten hag of late – namely that of Casemiro and Lisandro Martinez – Manchester United have been renowned for their at times erratic and seemingly scattergun approach to the market.

The Red Devils notably forked out a club-record fee of around £89m to sign Paul Pogba in 2016 after having allowed the Frenchman to depart for nothing four years earlier, before again seeing the midfielder head out the door upon the expiry of his contract last summer.

That rather disastrous ordeal is just one example of the transfer-related mistakes that the club have endured of late, although that’s not to suggest that United have not at least done some good business in the post-Sir Alex Ferguson era.

One deal that now appears to be particularly astute is the sale of striker Romelu Lukaku in 2019, with the Belgian marksman having seen his stock plummet in recent times amid his current woes at Inter Milan.

How much is Romelu Lukaku worth now?

The 29-year-old had initially arrived at Old Trafford on a £75m deal during the summer of 2017, with the imposing asset having been snapped up by Jose Mourinho after scoring 87 goals in just 166 games during his previous spell at Everton.

Despite going on to record a respectable tally of 42 goals and 13 assists in only 96 appearances during his time in Manchester, Lukaku never truly managed to convince at the Theatre of Dreams, with supporters largely not warming to the high-profile signing.

The former Chelsea man was notably criticised by club legend Gary Neville for seemingly being “overweight”, while journalist Samuel Luckhurst was also critical of the striker’s “woeful” finishing.

As such, there were few tears shed when Ole Gunnar Solskjaer ultimately sanctioned the struggling asset’s departure for San Siro on a £74m deal – as Neville said he was “delighted” to see the centre-forward move on – with the United hierarchy having no doubt played a blinder to recoup such a hefty sum.

Although the Antwerp-born ace somewhat proved the doubters wrong after subsequently enjoying a prolific spell at Inter over the next two years – scoring 24 league goals to fire Antonio Conte’s side to the title in 2021 – his latest struggles may well suggest that the Red Devils were right to sanction his exit so swiftly.

After sealing a £97.5m return to Stamford Bridge just over 18 months ago, the 6 foot 3 brute went on to score just eight league goals for the Blues last season, having fallen down the pecking order following his bombshell interview with Sky in Italy midway through the season.

With that homecoming failing to work out, the west Londoners allowed Lukaku to return to Italy on loan last summer, albeit with the 104-cap hotshot having scored just two Serie A goals so far this season.

Such has been that rapid decline, the one-time Anderlecht man is now said to be worth just £17m, according to CIES Football Observatory, with that a rather stark 77% decrease in valuation since sealing that £74m exit from United just under four years ago.

With the Premier League giants having notoriously struggled to move players on – with peripheral figure Phil Jones the most obvious example of that trend – the ruthless decision to part ways with Lukaku after just two seasons does appear to be a rare masterstroke for the club.