Playing for 90
Fansided

Premier League Transfer Gossip – Reds to Use Lambert in Benteke Transfer

By Kevin Kelly

facebooktwitterreddit

With the Premier League finishing up on Sunday afternoon the transfer window’s large, imposing presence edges ever closer, with football fans hopeful and full of angst in equal measure. Co-editor Kevin Kelly provides you with all the latest gossip.  

Liverpool to Offer Lambert as they target Benteke:

The Daily Mirror today reported that Liverpool are ready to offer Rickie Lambert in their bid to sign Christian Benteke. The Aston Villa striker Benteke is one of Liverpool’s top transfer targets this summer and they could face competition from Chelsea.

But Liverpool know Villa were keen on Lambert in January and could be ready to offer the England striker as bait for Benteke. Lambert, 33, decided to stay in January and fight for his place at Anfield but Villa, Crystal Palace and Bournemouth are all keen this summer.

Watford Foresee Big Changes:

The Daily Mail today reported that there may be big changes ahead for Watford as the club have yet to agree a new deal for manager Slavisa Jokanovic, with former Atletico Madrid boss Quique Sanchez Flores on the top of their list of potential suitors.

More from La Liga

Watford gained promotion to the Premier League for next season, as they finished second in the Championship this campaign. Sportsmail report that Flores is likely to make a decision over the next few days. It is also believed he has ‘significant offers’ from elsewhere in Europe.

Flores has an excellent reputation in Spain after winning the Europa League with Atletico Madrid, where he managed players including David De Gea and Sergio Aguero, as well as David Silva and Juan Mata at Valencia.

West Ham Seek New Manager:

In what seemed like an inevitability West Ham immediately announced that Sam Allardyce would leave the club, following yesterday’s 2-0 loss to Newcastle United. The London Evening Standard report that Slaven Bilic is the odds-on favourite to succeed Allardyce at West Ham.

The former Toon boss had been in charge of West Ham for four seasons but just minutes after the defeat at St James’ Park, the club released a statement saying: “The club have begun the search for a new manager after deciding not to renew Sam Allardyce’s contract.

“We would like to start by thanking Sam Allardyce for his valuable work since arriving at the Boleyn Ground four years ago.

“He leaves the club in a considerably better state then when he arrived and, for that, the board are truly grateful.”

More from Playing for 90

Madrid Team Want to Keep Ancelotti:

Madrid daily MARCA report that the vast majority of the Real Madrid dressing room wanted and still want Ancelotti to continue, despite his dissimilar expected shortly.

Florentino Pérez will shortly tell Ancelotti what he already knows: that he will no longer be the manager of ‘Los Blancos’. The Italian has known the club’s decision since Friday.

In Ancelotti’s darkest hours as Real Madrid’s manager, after being knocked out of the Champions League, Sergio Ramos was the first to rally to his support: “If Real Madrid reigned in Europe, it was also thanks to Ancelotti. If there’s anyone who always speaks well of the gaffer it’s me and that’s because of the results, not because of the friendship I have. The figures are there to see”.

Home/La Liga