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Chelsea target Giorgi Mamardashvili is keen to leave Valencia this summer amid interest from the Premier League, according to reports.

What's the latest on Mamardashvili to Chelsea?

Todd Boehly is reportedly set to enter the market to find a new man between the sticks, with both Edouard Mendy and Kepa Arrizabalaga facing uncertain futures in SW6.

The Georgia international isn’t usually first-choice at the Mestalla Stadium, but has been trusted by his manager Voro to take the lead this season, and has caught the eye of several potential suitors across Europe throughout his 28 La Liga starts.

Spanish outlet COPE reported last week that the 22-year-old’s agents had travelled to the capital to hold discussions with the board ahead of the summer, and they have since been handed a boost after learning that he wants to be on the move at the end of the season.

According to 90min, Chelsea did indeed hold “talks” with Mamardashvili’s representatives – but they also did the same with Tottenham Hotspur, Manchester United and Leicester City, and it’s claimed that the Foxes hold the “strongest interest” out of the name-checked clubs.

Atletico Madrid, Monaco and AC Milan are also keen on a deal for the shot-stopper, but whether anything will come to fruition remains to be seen.

The Blues’ target, however, is “keen to leave” Valencia during the upcoming window, and despite him having a €100m (£87m) release clause, it’s stated that they would be happy to sanction his sale for a cut-price of just £30m.

Should Chelsea splash the cash on Mamardashvili?

Mamardashvili has been hailed a “sensational” goalkeeper by members of the media, and standing at a staggering 6 foot 6, we think Chelsea should definitely empty their pockets to secure his services in the summer.

The Free Football client has kept 16 clean sheets in 53 Valencia appearances, including seven in 32 outings across all competitions this season, as per Transfermarkt.

The Tbilisi native has also made a total of 81 saves from 113 shots on target, giving him a save percentage of 71.7%, showing that capable of getting behind the ball and potentially coming out to stop attacks (FBref).

Mamardashvili also has a 100% success rate for short passes having completed 127/127 this season, whilst recording a 97.8% rate for medium passes, completing 271 of 277 – displaying that he likes to vary how he distributed the ball, arguably making this deal even more of a no-brainer to complete.

West Ham United are plotting a move to bring Rafael Benitez back to the Premier League, according to reports.

What's the latest manager news at West Ham?

David Moyes finds his side just three points above the relegation zone following a poor run of form and results this season which has seen him come under increasing amounts of pressure where it was possible that he could have been relieved of his duties. The Irons had even already entered the market to start identifying potential replacements with the likes of Italy’s Roberto Mancini linked, but more so was the 62-year-old.

Football Insider recently reported that the E20 outfit would consider appointing the Spaniard should the Scotsman be given his marching orders either before the end of the season or in the summer, and despite easing the constraint with Saturday’s 1-0 victory over Fulham, he’s still very much on the hierarchy’s radar.

According to Football Insider once again, Benitez has emerged as West Ham’s “first-choice” option to succeed Moyes at the London Stadium. Irons chiefs have already been “in touch” with the Premier League veteran earlier in the campaign and it’s stated that they “remain keen” to secure his services if the state of play fails to improve. It’s believed that Moyes “narrowly avoided the sack” thanks to the three points picked up last weekend because the board were “ready to pull the trigger” should that game have ended in defeat, but he’s still very much in charge, for now.

Would Benitez be the ideal candidate for West Ham?

Benitez is a hugely experienced manager having overseen 359 Premier League matches throughout his career and should he be appointed, he would certainly be able to take over the reins and not only steady the ship but start getting the best out of the players again.

The Madrid native won 173 and drew 86 of his games in the top-flight, as per Transfermarkt, where he had extremely successful spells with the likes of Liverpool and Newcastle United. Since the start of his career in the dugout, the boss has also secured 14 trophies, including a Champions League title and World’s Best Club Coach award so knows what it takes to compete and be successful at the highest level.

Benitez being a free agent additionally means that the Irons wouldn't have to pay any compensation to secure his services making him even more of an attractive option to the board and therefore making this a no-brainer of a move to make should the departure of Moyes occur.

Chelsea striker Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang will "definitely leave" the club in the summer transfer window, according to journalist Simon Phillips.

What's gone wrong for Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang?

The 33-year-old has endured a torrid time of things at Chelsea since arriving from Barcelona, in a move that has undoubtedly backfired. The attacker has made just 18 appearances for the Blues, scoring only three goals in the process, and he has looked a shadow of the player who once shone so brightly for the likes of Borussia Dortmund and Arsenal, where goals came so relentlessly.

It has become abundantly clear that Aubameyang has no future at Stamford Bridge under Graham Potter, with the Chelsea manager deeming him surplus to requirements and seemingly a rotten apple who needs to be away from his squad sooner rather than later.

The Gabon international's current Blues deal expires at the end of next season, meaning this summer is the last opportunity to receive a fee for his services, and an exit appears to be imminent.

Out-of-favour striker on the move?

Speaking to Give Me Sport, Phillips said that Aubameyang's time at Chelsea will certainly be up once the 2022/23 campaign reaches its conclusion:

"He's obviously just been spotted over in Barcelona watching the El Clásico. I've been told for weeks now that he will definitely leave in the summer, without a doubt. Barcelona are certainly one club to watch where he might go. They're pretty keen to bring him back. Xavi never wanted him to go in the first place, but they're not interested in paying any money for him, really, unless it's a very low fee."

Selling Aubameyang this summer is an absolute no-brainer for Chelsea, considering what a huge flop he has been since arriving last year. Granted, his age meant that there was a risk of a dropoff happening, but few saw him being this ineffective and featuring so little at this point.

Ultimately, Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta was happy to see the 73-cap and 30-goal Gabon star leave for a reason, seeing him as a disruptive influence, and the Blues must now do exactly the same, shipping him off elsewhere. It is important that Potter is able to build a young team that can grow into a force, with endless running and a strong team ethic part of his ethos, and Aubameyang doesn't fill the bill whatsoever, in that respect.

When Brendan Rodgers was sacked from his position as manager at Liverpool in 2015, the pessimism threatened to boil over on Merseyside, with the prestigious Premier League outfit devoid of confidence and inspiration; all changed with the appointment of Jurgen Klopp.

Having fallen by the wayside under Rodgers, the Reds returned too the glory days under the wing of the eccentric German boss, having now qualified for the Champions League on six consecutive occasions, reaping a plethora of major honours including the Premier League, Champions League, FA Cup, and Carabao Cup.

The meticulous crafting of his outfit and the effect it had on Anfield, a veritable shadow of its former glory before returning to transcendent brightness once again, was resounding in its entirety.

And some of the shrewder signings of the reign have proven to be the most valuable to Klopp and co, with Gini Wijnaldum signing from Newcastle United for £25m and Joel Matip arriving from Schalke on a free transfer.

But no player can match the impact of Andy Robertson for such a minimal fee, with the Scottish left-back completing a £10m move to Merseyside in 2017 from relegated Hull City.

How much is Robertson worth now?

The core of Liverpool’s success under Klopp bears a distinctive and glinted sheen; Mohamed Salah earns the plaudits for his clinical prowess, while the galvanising leadership of captain Jordan Henderson and the defensive equanimity of Virgil van Dijk have ensured the intensity and cohesion have remained firmly gelled.

But the bouncing ball of destructive energy that is Robertson has been integral in ensuring the left side has an unceasing creative outlet, with Robertson’s 61 assists from 255 appearances for the Reds a remarkable achievement; indeed, on Boxing Day, the Scotsman’s served pass for Salah cemented his position as the highest-assisting defender in Premier League history, overtaking Leighton Baines.

Having won a plethora of major honours, including the English top-flight and the Champions League, the 59-cap Scotland captain now boasts a market value of £62m, according to Football Transfers, surpassing the fee paid for the phenom by over six times.

If Liverpool had ever been inclined to sell, they would have made a mammoth profit, but the work Robertson has plied on Merseyside suggests the correct route in utilising his talents throughout the prime of his career has been the most auspicious option, with FBref ranking him among the top 3% of full-backs for assists, 4% for shot-creating actions and 12% for progressive passes per 90.

Lauded as a “Duracell Bunny” by Liverpool writer Leanne Prescott, Robertson certainly brings the high-voltage charge to his outfit, almost always a relentless force on the left flank, marauding up and down the wing and looking to provide auxiliary support to the frontline whenever possible.

His defensive acumen is underrated too, with WhoScored recording an impressive career average of 1.5 tackles, one interception, and 1.8 clearances per game, illustrating just how expansive a scope the £100k-per-week gem truly has to offer.

As such, Klopp’s dip into Hull to land a young Scottish left-back with a solid start to life in the Premier League can be viewed as nothing other than a masterstroke, with so much of Liverpool’s success over the past several seasons owed to the marauding excellence down the left.

An update has emerged regarding Newcastle United duo Miguel Almiron and Allan Saint-Maximin ahead of the club’s Premier League clash against Liverpool this evening.

What’s the latest on Newcastle’s injury situation?

Magpies boss Eddie Howe has confirmed that both players are fit and available for selection against the Reds at St James’ Park after suffering injuries against Bournemouth last time out.

They were both substituted in the draw against the Cherries but the manager revealed in his pre-match press conference on Friday that they are already back in training.

The Northern Echo’s Scott Wilson relayed the updates from the 45-year-old on Friday morning, tweeting: “Joe Willock won’t feature against Liverpool – but the #NUFC midfielder is winning his battle to be fit for the Carabao Cup final. Miguel Almiron and ASM back in full training and okay. Callum Wilson set to train today – but big doubt for Liverpool…”

How big a boost could that be for Newcastle?

Howe may have been left fearing the worst when Almiron and Saint-Maximin hobbled off against Bournemouth last weekend, and he will surely be delighted by their availability this weekend.

Not only does it mean that they will be able to face Liverpool, but the lack of a serious blow for either of them means that, barring any issues against the Reds, they should also be able to play in the Carabao Cup final against Manchester United next week.

Having Almiron available for the clash against Jurgen Klopp’s side will be a huge boost for Howe and Newcastle, as the winger has been in phenomenal form in the Premier League this season.

The former MLS star has plundered ten goals and one assist in 22 top-flight appearances, averaging a Sofascore rating of 7.15. Only two outfield players have averaged a higher Sofascore rating in the league for the Magpies in 2022/23 and no player has scored as many goals as the Paraguayan.

In fact, with Wilson potentially out of action today, Almiron could be the only Newcastle player with more than three Premier League goals this season available for selection against Liverpool, which is why having him fit will be a big relief for this manager.

Saint-Maximin’s fitness is also a boost for the Toon, as the French winger has the potential to be a match-winner on his day. He has only started six matches in the league this term but has provided one goal and three assists in that time, having managing five goals and five assists in 2021/22.

Only Kieran Trippier (four) has set up more goals than the Frenchman for Newcastle this season, while no Magpies player matched the 25-year-old’s tally of five assists last term.

Therefore, both players have the ability to provide excellent quality in the final third, either by scoring goals or creating them, and having their talents available for the clash against Liverpool should be a huge boost for Howe.

Kaveh Solhekol of Sky Sports News has claimed that there has been less public interest in buying Manchester United than the club had expected.

The Lowdown: Up for sale

Near the end of last year, the owners of the Red Devils were reportedly exploring the possibility of selling Man United to an interested party.

ESPN has claimed that the Glazers are looking to sell the Premier League club for a ‘world record’ fee.

News has also broken recently that there’s Qatari interest in Erik ten Hag’s side according to Sky Sports.

The Latest: Only Ratcliffe public

When speaking on Sky Sports News, Solhekol claimed that public interest in the club hasn’t met their expectations, with billionaire Sir Jim Ratcliffe’s interest marking the only public bid for the Red Devils.

Comparing the recent sale of Chelsea to the current bidding process at Old Trafford, he stated: “[Chelsea] attracted a lot of people who were serious about buying Chelsea, but a lot of people as well who were looking for publicity, I think that is what’s different.

“As far as Manchester United and Liverpool are concerned, it is not as much of a sort of media circus, but there is interest in buying Manchester United, but I’ve been told that it’s not quite at the level that was expected.

“So far, the only person who’s shown their hand has been the UK businessman to Sir Jim Ratcliffe, who has come out and said that yes, he would like to buy Manchester United.

“But apart from that, we haven’t had anyone coming out publicly saying that they want to buy the club in the same way that we had with Chelsea.”

The Verdict: Desperate for sale

We don’t think that the lack of declared interest in the public eye is necessarily a bad thing for Manchester United, as the focus should be on finding the right bidder behind closed doors while allowing the fans’ attention to remain on the players and their campaign.

That said, it’s no secret that there’s a lot of animosity between the supporters and the Glazers, so there may be celebrations purely for the fact they are going rather than who the potential new owners are.

In many ways, the current owners are very lucky to have Ten Hag at the helm, as he’s having a strong Premier League campaign where they look set to finish in the top four and will be in the League Cup final later this month.

The Dutchman was backed heavily in the summer but was then unable to sign any players on permanent deals in January, despite a potential lack of strength in depth in terms of strikers and right-wingers.

For all parties involved, it’s better that new owners arrive at Manchester United very quickly for the sake of the club’s ambition and their fans – there has been a lack of trophies in recent years and new ownership could help spark a new era at Old Trafford.

Presenter ExWHUemployee has claimed that Jose Mourinho is not likely to become West Ham United manager at this moment in time.

What’s the word?

Over the course of this season, the Hammers have struggled for consistency and find themselves potentially in a fight to avoid relegation from the Premier League.

As a result, there has been plenty of talk about who could come in to potentially replace David Moyes if the current Irons boss is sacked. The Roma manager is one name to pop up recently.

Indeed, as per the Daily Mail (via West Ham Zone) the former Chelsea, Manchester United and Tottenham Hotspur man could be key on a return to England and the West Ham job may be offered to him.

However, in a new update shared via The West Ham Way Patreon, Ex revealed that Mourinho is yet to be seriously considered by the board as an option.

He explained: “Despite a lot of speculation today on social media that Jose Mourinho could be in line for a move to West Ham, once more we can deny there is any truth in this.

“The former Chelsea, Manchester United and Spurs manager has been quoted as saying he is unhappy in Italy and that he would like a return to English football. In the past he has often said the English game is where he feels most connected.

“Despite all of this he isn’t a manager that West Ham have ever considered.

“We were told once more by a top source that they remain “desperately keen for David Moyes to turn things round and the signs are better” before going onto say that “Mourinho is not a name that has ever been in our minds”.

Too good to be true?

It’s certainly exciting for the club to be linked with such a high-profile name. After all, having won the Champions League, Premier League, La Liga and numerous over major trophies, managers don’t come much bigger than Mourinho.

He’s tasted success with Roma recently too. Indeed, after winning the Europa Conference League with the Italian side last season, Joe Cole praised the coach, saying: “Roma have got an outstanding manager in Jose.”

At Chelsea and Manchester United he picked up an average of 1.96 and 1.97 points per game and while that dropped to 1.77 at Spurs, that’s still higher than Moyes has managed at West Ham in his current spell (1.53) or anywhere else for that matter.

With that in mind, Mourinho would be a great upgrade, in theory, but it doesn’t seem as though there is much truth in the reports at this moment in time.

67 Hail Hail’s Hamish Carton has noticed a significant change to a report surrounding Josip Juranovic’s potential exit from Celtic.

The Lowdown: Juranovic links to Monza raises eyebrows

Writing for the Daily Mail, Stephen McGowan reported that Serie A outfit Monza were ‘pursuing’ the Scottish Premiership full-back. The report had initially said that the Italian side were ‘closing in’ on Juranovic ahead of a mooted £7m deal, though this is still the case within the article’s standfirst.

McGowan also stated that Monza would want to take him on loan with a view to signing permanently in the summer.

The Latest: Carton gives verdict on ‘major shock’

Speaking on the 67 Hail Hail YouTube channel on Monday, Carton described the latest surrounding Juranovic as ‘a major shock’ but stated his scepticism over McGowan’s report.

He stated: “Earlier today we got a major shock with the apparent news that Josip Juranovic is very close to joining Serie A side AC Monza.

“I mean, surely not.

“All of that is kind of useless because it turns out that the report we got this morning from the Daily Mail’s Stephen McGowan isn’t quite what it is now.

“Eagle-eyed employees at 67 Hail Hail Towers have noticed that McGowan actually edited, or I guess, updated his article several hours after it first went up. The most notable changes were the wording going from Monza ‘closing in’ on Juranovic to just ‘pursuing’ the full-back. He also added another paragraph about Juranovic assessing all of his options.”

The Verdict: Juranovic should set his sights higher

The Croatian has been an important player for Ange Postecoglou and Celtic this season, as shown in being one of the club’s highest-rated players on Sofascore with an average match rating of 7.19/10.

Juranovic’s progressive passing is arguably his strongest asset. He’s one of the best in Europe, according to the stats. Indeed, the 27-year-old is in the top 3% across Europe’s top five leagues, the Champions League and Europa League, as per FBref.

With that in mind, there’s no doubt that Juranovic could set his sights higher than a move to Monza. The Italian side find themselves 15th in Serie A, so we wonder why would he leave a side that consistently plays Champions League football for a mid-table side.

The Celtic man has been linked with moves to European heavyweights such as Barcelona, so he should perhaps wait for a club of a much higher calibre to make an approach for his services if he really wants a move.

Liverpool have been linked with the signing of Jude Bellingham for a great deal of time and now a reliable source has given an update on the club’s pursuit of the player as the transfer window opens for business.

What’s the latest?

According to CBS reporter Ben Jacobs, Liverpool are still “leading the race” to sign the Borussia Dortmund and England midfielder in 2023.

Jacobs told GIVEMESPORT: “I do think that Liverpool are leading the race for Bellingham.

“They’re going to have competition, but I think that there’s a cautious optimism on the Liverpool front that, because they started earlier than most and because they have put in a lot of legwork and they’ve been very hands-on, they believe that they’ve done all they can at this point in the race to make progress and land Jude Bellingham. Then we’ll wait and see how other suitors move and how that affects the situation.”

Liverpool’s next Stevie G

There is no doubt that the signing of Bellingham would be a monumental move in the club’s efforts to rebuild their midfield in 2023 as the England midfielder is one of the brightest young talents in football.

The 19-year-old star – who was dubbed “scary” by Jack Grealish – ranks in the top 10% of his positional peers across the top five European leagues for non-penalty goals, dribbles completed, touches and progressive passes received, as well as ranking in the top 15% for assists and shots on goal, proving that he is a real threat to opponents in the centre of the pitch.

Liverpool have found themselves struggling to retain their dominance in the Premier League and are currently sixth in the league table due to a number of inconsistent performances and several injury problems plaguing the squad over their first 16 outings.

Three midfielders including Naby Keita, Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain and James Milner will be out of contract in the summer, whilst Liverpool captain Jordan Henderson is coming to the latter stages of his career, making it the perfect time to acquire the services of Bellingham to bring in their next leader in the heart of the team.

Liverpool could even land their next Steven Gerrard with comparisons between the two talented midfielders already being made despite Bellingham’s short career so far.

If he could replicate his Dortmund form at Anfield, having scored nine times this term, there’s certainly no reason why the Birmingham-born ace couldn’t follow in the footsteps of one of his “heroes” by captaining the club.

The legendary Premier League midfielder and former Aston Villa boss has already lavished praise on the £131m-valued youngster, claiming he was “excited” to watch Bellingham play for England at the World Cup:

“I’ll be focusing my attention on England,” he said prior to the tournament in Qatar getting underway.

“I’m really excited to watch Jude Bellingham, I’m a massive fan of him. I think the next 10 or 15 years, he’s going to become an England superstar.”

With that being said, if Liverpool can secure the signature of Bellingham – who like Gerrard is a goal-scoring midfielder – either this month or over the summer it could set up the centre of Liverpool’s team for many years to come.

Wolverhampton Wanderers would majorly benefit from the acquisition of Chivas de Guadalajara and Mexico star Alexis Vega, according to transfer reporter Dean Jones. 

The Lowdown: Goalscoring woes

As if being rock bottom of the Premier League table wasn’t bad enough, Wolves cannot find the back of the net, having managed just eight goals across the first half of the season. 

They have struggled to even generate any meaningful chances, with no signs of improvement to their faltering total of 15 big chances created anywhere to be seen.

This is where Mexico World Cup star Vega could come in to proceedings. The 25-year-old created more chances last term (with 44) than two of Wolves’ greatest chance creators combined this season in Daniel Podence (23) and Joao Moutinho (20). 

The Latest: Wolves’ spark 

According to transfer expert Jones, who previously told GMS Vega is on Fosun’s radar, the attacker would bring a much needed spark to Molineux, with new boss Julen Lopetegui bound to be grateful for a creative addition. 

Asked whether £23k-per-week Vega would represent a good signing for Wolves, Jones told GIVEMESPORT: “I do think he would bring a spark.

“I think that is something they’re crying out for once the second half of the season gets underway.”

The Verdict: Sign him up!

With Mexico star Vega about to enter the final 18 months of his contract with Chivas, Wolves may be able to snap him up for a cut-price fee. 

In doing so, they would be signing a star who would comfortably sit as the most creative asset in the side. 

Ultimately, it is their lack of ability to create opportunities that is costing the side goals and, ergo, valuable points, so it is vital that the issue is fixed across the January window.

Wolves should take a gamble on Vega with a view to bringing in a couple of other forward thinking assets across this winter window, possibly including an out and out number nine as well.