West Ham have a greed a deal for Argentine striker Jonathan Calleri to join the club, but the transfer hinges on the player securing a work permit, according to well known club insider, Jack Sullivan.The Hammers have chased a wide array for centre-forwards this summer as manager Slaven Bilic looks to add firepower to his ranks as the Irons gear up for Europa League and domestic football.Moves forÂAlexandre Lacazette, Carlos Bacca and Carlos Tevez appear to have all fallen through, while there is speculation that the London club are looking towards Godoy Cruz’s Jaime Ayovi in what seems to be a signal that they’ve moved away from ‘marquee’ names.There have been fears that West Ham may end up with limited options up top by the time the season officially starts, but Jack Sullivan, son of club co-owner David Sullivan, has taken to Twitter to reveal that a move for Calleri is close:“Calleri has agreed to come however, it is subject to a work permit application in a week’s time.â€

Sullivan’s claims back up recent reports from South America that a loan deal for Calleri to join West Ham is close.

The 22-year-old is currently registered to Uruguayan second tier team Deportivo Maldonado, but his rights are actually owned by third party investors.

Calleri is on loan at Sao Paulo now after leaving Boca Juniors earlier this year.

The pacey forward has netted three goals in five Brazilian Serie A matches in the 2016 season.

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According to the Press Association, Roberto Di Matteo is on the verge of being sacked by the club.

The former Chelsea boss arrived in the summer, tasked with getting the club back in to the Premier League after a nightmare 15/16 season saw then slip in to the second tier of English football.

However, this season has been much like the last as Villa have struggled to come to terms with life outside of the top-flight.

Di Matteo’s side have failed to register maximum points since 3-0 victory over Rotherham and have drawn seven of their opening 11 games of the season – this has left them in 19th position and just two points above the relegation zone.

And after their 2-0 defeat away at Preston on Saturday, Di Matteo looks to be on his way out of Villa Park in the next 24 hours.

Unsurprisingly, Villa fans seem pretty chuffed with the news…

The Manchester Derby will soon be upon us this weekend so it’s time to start thinking about which of the players on show in the first big title clash of the season will be in your FanDuel side.

Games like this require the big players to stand up and be counted but it’s also the opportunity for others to make a name for themselves in the most hostile of atmospheres. In a game that’ll likely boil over at some point, especially given the nature of Jose Mourinho and Pep Guardiola on the side-line, you need to consider players that will keep their cool as well as be in good form to win you FanDuel points.

Here at FootballFanCast we can’t wait to see who’s going to grab the headlines in the biggest game of the season so far and FanDuel players need to make sure they’ve done their homework ahead of the fixture that could make or break their weekend.

Fortunately we’ve got some inside knowledge for you to peruse over now and if you haven’t set up an account just yet, this weekend could be the most exciting time to do it. FanDuel will match your first deposit all the way up to £400 so get going before Saturday’s huge match-up.

Could it be the big man for the big occasion? Zlatan Ibrahimovic goes into the game with three Premier League goals to his name and is bound to want to get one over both United’s title rivals and of course Pep Guardiola.

In second, you can’t rule out Wayne Rooney from producing the goods. He loves the Derby and scored one of the best goals the fixture has ever seen with his bicycle kick in 2011.

Third sees the ever-improving Raheem Sterling who, after getting a rough time of it last year, has bounced back to be one of Guardiola’s key players and will relish the challenge of proving himself on this massive stage.

In fourth we’ve got the other City player in the list Fernandinho, who has taken to the deep-lying playmaker role like a duck to water and will no doubt be vital to his team’s chances of controlling the game.

Then, finally, we have Juan Mata. The Spaniard must have been cursing his luck when Mourinho arrived but has so far featured in every match and as a big game player you can’t rule him out from doing the business this weekend.

There you have it, the five players to consider for your FanDuel team this weekend. United seem to have the edge ahead of kick-off, will that still be the case come full-time?

Think you know football? Prove it and win big money: http://po.st/FanDuelEd400

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Very occasionally a strange quirk of the fixture list throws up one city against another on the same weekend. It’s an occurrence that is rarer than you may think with perhaps the most memorable example being Manchester’s 13-3 aggregate stuffing of north London back in 2011. With the season barely underway United schooled a young Arsenal side 8-2 at Old Trafford while hours earlier City showed their title credentials by walloping Spurs 5-1 away and it’s tempting to think that by the following Monday an impromptu support group was set up in some neutral café down the Seven Sisters Road where both sets of dejected fans could combine to hate on their new common enemy. In reality the conversation probably went like this –

“Yeah but we were away. At Old Trafford for fack’s sake!”

“You still let in eight geezer”

Five years on from their tramping down of north London the collective might of Manchester now face much archer rivals in the form of Merseyside and naturally enough the bulk of the attention will be focused on Monday night’s box-office clash between United and Liverpool. It’s a game with a Shakespearean back-story involving perches, silverware and animosity. It’s a game that entire books have been devoted to, both on the shelf and in the pockets of referees.

Yet two days prior to that frenetic grudge-fest – at the highly unusual time of 3pm on a Saturday afternoon – the ‘alternative north-west derby’ deserves equal merit. It could be argued too that it will be just as venomous.

Liverpool v United has taken on the feel of two bald men desperately fighting over a comb in recent times but the animosities and resentments that bubble away when Manchester City take on Everton are fresh; yet to be placed into a proper context by the supporters and players alike. Which means every challenge contains that extra flexing of muscle and every victory is celebrated on the terraces with a certain touch of vitriolic glee. It’s just that, well, nobody quite knows for sure why.

Unquestionably the supporters used to get along just fine, or at least as well as could be expected considering we’re talking about a Scouse/Manc divide. This can largely be explained by each club seeking solace in their working class roots as their red neighbours hogged the headlines and dominated proceedings at the top of English football. They were ‘proper’ football clubs with ‘proper’ fans both in the shadow of media darlings and consequently a mutual respect grew.

That all changed of course in 2008 when City were taken over by Abu Dhabi United Group and became, at a stroke, richer than God’s bookie. It was a seismic change of circumstance that fuelled Everton’s ire for two significant reasons.

Firstly, it could – and perhaps should – have been them bequeathed with untold millions as the blue half of Merseyside were reportedly on the royal family’s radar long before they approached City.

Secondly, with money to burn Mark Hughes decided to improve his defensive options in the summer of 2009 by bidding close to £25m for Joleon Lescott expressly against the Merseysider’s wishes. It became a drawn-out and bitter transfer that rankled with many, in particular Toffees boss David Moyes who accused City of having ‘no class’.

The City v Everton derby now had its very own ‘perch’ comment.

So that’s Everton’s causes for discontent. For City their grievances came in the form of annoyance at how Everton dealt with the transfer fall-out. Namely they won. A lot.

In the next eight games that followed the Lescott move Everton got the better of their newly-minted rivals six times and drawing once. That’s a record that warrants bogey team status and the sight of Tim Cahill wheeling away in celebration to punch yet another corner flag began to haunt them.

Since 2013 it is City who have enjoyed the lion’s share of victories while a sort of peace briefly broke out in April 2012 when Everton’s incredible comeback from 4-2 down to draw at Old Trafford helped keep City’s title dream alive. Sky blues were grateful. Royal blues found it hilarious. Like the old days both were united in hate for red.

Perhaps then the acrimony has settled to a healthy level of enjoying a win over the other more than a win over, say, Southampton or West Ham. But there remains acrimony nonetheless.

Which brings us to the present and, as previously stated, the Toffees boast a decent record at the Etihad – certainly in relation to most – and Ronald Koeman’s new charges will be keen to right a recent slip in form that’s seen them drift out to fifth after an impressive start to 2016/17. Their hosts will have an identical objective in mind after being wounded at Spurs just when the world began to suspect they were impenetrable.

With Kevin de Bruyne expected to feature after a brief injury lay-off and Romelu Lukaku among the goals, this would be a fascinating and engrossing match-up even without the recent bickering. Factoring it in though means it’s not just one half of Manchester and one half of Merseyside that is going to war this weekend no matter how much the media will have us believe that. It is metropolis against metropolis.

Last weekend’s 2-0 defeat to Everton signified that there is still much work for West Ham United to do.

Prior to the game at Goodison Park, the Hammers were on a three-game unbeaten run including back-to-back victories over Crystal Palace and Sunderland.

The upturn in form was partly down to Slaven Bilic’s formation change to a three-man defence, with Michail Antonio and Aaron Cresswell taking up the wide roles.

While the move has undoubtedly bolstered a leaky backline – the Hammers have conceded two in their last three as opposed to more than two goals-per-game previously – it has meant that Antonio’s goalscoring has taken a severe hit.

The 26-year-old has started at a striker and a right wing-back but failed to add to the five goals he managed from the wing.

In order to get the best out of him but keep some defensive solidity, we think Bilic should return to the 4-3-3 he favoured last season.

GK – ADRIAN

Adrian is the club’s undisputed number one and should hold the jersey for Stoke’s visit at the weekend.

The Spaniard has performed reasonably considering how poor the defence was at the start of the season and is capable of keeping any attack at bay if he’s on form.

RB – EDMILSON FERNANDES

Despite arriving at the club as an attacking midfielder, Edmilson Fernandes have proven himself adaptable and performed well in different positions.

He impressed on his first start as a left wing-back and put in a decent shift even when the Hammers lost to Everton last week.

There are still question marks over how well the Swiss utility-man can defend, but is certainly good going forward and could potentially become a very good full-back given time.

CB – JAMES COLLINS

With Winston Reid suspended, James Collins will probably be given the chance in his place.

The New Zealander’s absence could be a blessing in disguise, however, with Collins physically-equipped to deal with Wilfred Bony.

The Ivorian bullied Swansea’s defenders on Monday night but Collins should have the strength and aerial presence to keep him quiet – having won three aerial duels per game to date.

CB – ANGELO OGBONNA

Angelo Ogbonna has become a mainstay in the West Ham starting eleven this season.

The Italian has made seven appearances this season and improved his form as the left-sided centre-back in the three-man defence.

We’re backing him in a defensive pair this time, so he’ll have to step up and take his share of the responsibility to keep the Potters out.

LB – AARON CRESSWELL

Aaron Cresswell is one of the best defenders in the league going forward.

The left-back ranked third in the league for key passes last season and has averaged three crosses each game so far this term.

Cresswell will need to get forward and overlap and could be rewarded with an assist should Bilic opt with the aerial threats of Michail Antonio and Andre Ayew.

CDM – PEDRO OBIANG

A big part of the Hammers’ improved form recently has been the reintroduction of Pedro Obiang to the starting lineup.

Obiang provides some much needed defensive stability in midfield that the previous pairing of Mark Noble and Cheikhou Kouyate couldn’t provide, having averaged 1.6 interceptions and two clearance per game.

He has also been good in possession and boasts 82% pass accuracy.

CM – CHEIKHOU KOUYATE

This role in the side was a straight battle between Cheikhou Kouyate and Manuel Lanzini.

With Stoke’s recent shift in focus to more of a technical passing side, we think Kouyate’s mobility and willingness to battle could be more beneficial than the Argentine’s craft.

But if the Hammers need a goal late on, he will probably be the man sacrificed for the more creative Lanzini.

CM – MARK NOBLE

Only a month ago there were calls for Mark Noble to be dropped from the West Ham starting eleven.

The club captain was seemingly neglecting his defensive duties while not offering a lot going forward.

The introduction of a three-man defence and installation of Pedro Obiang next to him seems to have freed the 29-year-old to use his attacking abilities. Hopefully having Obiang and Kouyate partnering him will allow him to join the attack more.

RW – MICHAIL ANTONIO

Without a doubt, the right-wing slot is Antonio’s best position.

Playing him at right wing-back stifles the 26-year-old’s attacking threat while a having to lead the line as a centre-forward robs him of his unpredictable late runs into the box.

With Stoke’s defenders preoccupied by a front-man and the service of players like Aaron Cresswell and Dimitri Payet, Antonio should soon get back to scoring ways.

LW – DIMITRI PAYET

It goes without saying that Dimitri Payet is the first-name on the Hammers team sheet.

The Frenchman is the chief attacking creator for West Ham and ranks top for key passes per match despite missing the first two games of the season.

Even though we have him down as a left-winger, we expect the Frenchman to cut inside to receive the ball and dictate play, creating more space for Aaron Cresswell to bomb into.

ST – ANDRE AYEW

In order for this to work, the Hammers need Andre Ayew to lead the line.

As we’ve already outlined how Michail Antonio is wasted in a striking role, while the Hammers will have to pay £17m for disappointing loan signing Simone Zaza if he makes another appearance.

Ayew led the line well for Swansea at times last year and is a capable finisher, so we’d love to see him start if match fit.

Tottenham Hotspur’s trip to Manchester United is the standout clash in the Premier League this weekend – and our Fixture in Focus here at FootballFanCast.

There was once quite the chasm dividing the two clubs as one regularly lapped up Premier League titles and the other toiled in mid-table mediocrity with the occasional respite of Europa League football.

But nowadays, there’s hardly a gap at all – in fact, it’s the latter outfit who find themselves one place and six points above the former ahead of Sunday’s 2:15pm kick-off.

Suddenly, Spurs and United find themselves on relatively level terms, which got us at FootballFanCast thinking about which players opposition fans would welcome to their club with open arms.

So we posed that exact question to Tottenham supporters earlier this week – which United stars would you like to see Mauricio Pochettino audaciously swoop for? – and the results of our exclusive poll are now in.

Without further ado, here’s our rundown of the FIVE stars Spurs fans want most.

5. Eric Bailly

Tottenham boast the strongest defensive record in the Premier League but that hasn’t deterred their fans’ interest in Manchester United’s summer signing Eric Bailly.

In fairness, the Ivory Coast international has looked a solid addition since arriving from Villarreal, providing brute physicality at the heart of United’s defence, and still aged just 22, the Red Devils appear to have unearthed a fantastic long-term gem. The 6ft. 2″ centre-half could be a real force alongside Tottenham’s Toby Alderweireld.

4. Juan Mata

He may be seen as a luxury player by many, not least including manager Jose Mourinho, and have ties with bitter London rivals Chelsea, but Spurs fans would still spare a place in their team for attacking midfielder Juan Mata.

Despite him struggling to guarantee a starting berth under the Portuguese, the former Blues Player of the Year is still United’s second top scorer in the league and their second-most consistent creator, with three goals in eleven appearances and 1.8 key passes per match respectively.

3. Henrikh Mkhitaryan

Spurs fans appear willing to overlook the slow start to Henrikh Mkhitaryan’s Premier League career, having managed just two starts in the top flight since arriving from Borussia Dortmund during the summer.

Nonetheless, the Armenian’s reputation preceded his move to England, having notched up a staggering 23 goals and 32 assists across all competitions at the Westfalenstadion last season. Perhaps more importantly, he’d add scintillating speed to Tottenham’s attack – something they’ve lacked under Mauricio Pochettino.

2. Anthony Martial

Struggling to convince Jose Mourinho appears to be a near-guarantee of earning yourself the backing of the Tottenham faithful and a subsequent place in this top five.

Indeed, Anthony Martial’s been a pale impersonation of the dynamic forward who exploded onto the Premier League last season since Mourinho took the Old Trafford throne, but his talent remains without doubt and the 21-year-old is still widely regarded as one of the most promising youngsters in world football through his power, pace, composure and netting prowess.

1. Marcus Rashford

So there you have it. Prodigious striker Marcus Rashford clinched top spot in our poll – and with good reason.

He may have been forced to settle for a winger role on the most part this season but the youngster was nothing short of phenomenal last term and already boasts a goal for England at just 19 years of age. Not too many players have been able to say that throughout the Three Lions’ history. He and compatriot Harry Kane could cause endless havoc, both for club and country, operating as a front two – but something tells us United won’t be up for selling their academy graduate any time soon.

See the results in full by clicking through to the next page…

Results

As reported by The Daily Mirror, Tottenham Hotspur are still very much interested in signing Real Madrid’s midfield superstar Isco.

What’s the word?

Spurs are looking for talent that can take them from league title also rans into league title contenders. Has Mauricio Pochettino found his man at Real Madrid?

The Mirror reckon that Isco is a player that Pochettino covets more than any other and that Spurs are pondering a January move for the Spaniard.

Is a move viable?

Isco hasn’t been a Madrid regular this season, making 8 La Liga starts and a further 4 appearances of the bench. He’s played an entire 90 minutes just twice.

A player of his quality is too good to waste his career on the bench and a move to Spurs would almost guarantee regular football, if not the opportunity to be the man the team is built around.

The Spaniard has international ambitions to think of too and if he’s not playing regularly that could hinder his chances of being a key member of that squad too.

It all means that a move to the Premier League could be on.

How good is he?

Despite not being first choice in Madrid, the midfielder has still contributed this season. He has 3 goals and 3 assists for Madrid across his 14 appearances in all competitions. It’s not a bad return for a midfielder not entrusted to be the main provider for the side.

With over 250 appearances in La Liga at the age of just 24, Isco has the experience required to make an impact for the likes of Spurs.

He’s a born winner too, winning 7 major honours with Madrid including two Champions League medals. He played in both finals against Atletico Madrid, helping his side to unprecedented European success.

It’s that winning mentality and knowledge of what it takes to achieve that will be so valuable to Spurs if they are indeed ready to make a move to the next level in the Premier League and in Europe.

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Olivier Giroud has told French broadcaster Telefoot that he is close to signing a new contract at Arsenal.

What’s the word?

The Frenchman’s future looked to be in some doubt in the early stages of the season when he failed to get a game under manager Arsene Wenger.

The 30-year-old featured just three times – all after coming off the bench – in the Gunners’ first nine Premier League matches.

Earlier this week, Italian publication Calciomercato reported that a handful of Serie A clubs could be sniffing around due to Giroud having 18 months left on his current deal.

However, the man himself has told French TV that he and the club are close to reaching an agreement over an extended stay at the Emirates.

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The forward is quoted as saying: “We are about to reach an agreement for an extension [to my contract]. It was also a gesture of confidence, I want to continue the adventure here in this family of Arsenal. I feel good here.

“When I spoke to the coach, he always told me that I was an important player. I know what I am capable of. I just needed to be patient, to work in training and wait for my hour to come.”

Is Giroud worth a long-term contract?

Now that he has entered his 30s, the forward will face a fight to keep his place in the first team, particularly when younger talent comes through.

Wenger used to have an ‘over-30s rule’, which meant that older players would receive one-year contracts as opposed to lengthy deals, but he seems to have relaxed that stance over the years.

Some Arsenal fans might not have felt troubled had Giroud left the club this month, based on his failure to earn a place in the team at the start of the season.

The Frenchman has since turned things around, scoring four goals in as many games. His last two strikes in particular have been crucial ones.

Giroud’s goal against Bournemouth in the 92nd minute earned a dramatic point for Arsenal, and he scored the winner with one minute of normal time remaining in last weekend’s comeback triumph over Preston North End in the FA Cup third round.

Keeping Giroud would be the right call for the Gunners as he has shows his desire to fight for his place, and can also be an impact player off the bench.

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As reported by The Daily Mirror, West Brom remain interested in bringing Watford’s Nigerian striker Odion Ighalo to The Hawthornes in this transfer window.

What’s the word?

Watford’s Nigerian striker is having a frustrating time this term so far but he could soon be given the chance of a fresh start in the Premier League.

The Mirror reports that Tony Pulis remains a big fan of the forward and is hoping to land his man this month

He faces a battle to obtain Ighalo though with Watford playing hardball, determined to get a fee befitting his 2015 form. The paper report this one could go all the way to transfer deadline day with the Hornets valuing him well beyond the £17m already offered, hoping to receive a staggering £25m.

A fair price?

There’s no doubting that Ighalo had a storming first two seasons at Watford. With 37 goals in 80 appearances in the Championship and Premier League, he fast became one of the hottest strikers in England.

That hasn’t been the case so far this season however and the striker has netted just once in the Premier League despite making 17 appearances. That goal came way back in September meaning the Nigerian hasn’t scored for over 4 months.

For us, that’s impact his value massively and the reported £17m on offer for the striker seems like a fair price. Watford surely can’t expect to receive much more for a player so out of form.

There’s every chance he could recapture the performances that made him a striking sensation but a little realism and perhaps a few add-ons could see this deal go through this month.

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Manchester United undoubtedly stole the headlines over the summer during their pursuit of Paul Pogba. The Red Devils’ interest in the Frenchman dominated the gossip columns and was unavoidable on Twitter until the whole saga finally relented with #POGBACK on the same day as the Charity Shield – a game in which another marquee signing, Zlatan Ibrahimovic, made an impact.

And it seems that this ‘Galactico’ method will be the approach Man United adopt going forward, with Antoine Griezmann a target for the coming off-season. The Atletico Madrid forward has been staggeringly good in La Liga for some time, but the Rojiblancos face a near impossible battle to keep him given his €100m (£86.1m) release clause and The Premier League giants’ willingness to pay up.

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With Griezmann having supposedly all but agreed personal terms with Man United, the writing looks to be on the wall, so we asked fans of the club whether or not they want the 25-year-old this summer, and the result is hardly a shock…

An overwhelming majority of 92% are keen for Griezmann to be Man United’s big buy this summer, and given his quality, we’re not sure what the other 8% are thinking…

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