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Manchester City fans have been reacting to the news that Pep Guardiola is set to play Raheem Sterling in a central role.

Since making the move to the Etihad Stadium, £81m-valued Sterling (Transfermarkt) has been a star for the Citizens. In 302 appearances in all competitions, he has found the back of the net 115 times, while also providing 88 assists (Transfermarkt).

He has also helped the club win three Premier League trophies amongst plenty of other pieces of silverware.

However, he has started just two league matches this terms and does not appear to be a key member of Guardiola’s plans currently.

According to Martin Blackburn, Sterling has had a heart-to-heart with Guardiola, who has now assured the 26-year-old he will be given more chances in a central role, a position he has scored 21 times from 44 games in throughout his career.

The news was shared on Twitter by @City_Xtra, and it attracted plenty of attention from the supporters. They took to the social media platform below.

Let’s see what the fans had to say about the Sterling news below

“He need to perform if he want play more. Thats the direspectful for other player that work harder to get play in the team”

Credit: @sentosabahari8

“I am sorry bro I ain’t starting you over ferran its just facts”

Credit: @retroman09

“i appreciate the fact that he seems to want to be commited to city and wants to do the best for us, but in a central role when he isnt in form at all just doesent sound like a good combo at all. the reality is we are playing better with him out of the squad, dont see a way back”

Credit: @markusmcfc

“This is disrespectful to Torres”

Credit: @walkingtroll321

“Current Sterling would not bench Grealish, Jesus, Foden or Mahrez so the wing is a no go. Even Ferran has done well enough to keep CF. Sterling gets a game to show he’s good enough to stay at city and if he doesn’t impress. Thanks for all youve done king”

Credit: @Jacob4rmstrong

“Then he needs to perform. It’s simple. He’s been shocking for several seasons now. His slump in club form isn’t just the odd game. He loses the ball far too much. Doesn’t get enough assists. And lacks goals at present.”

Credit: @commando42

In other news, Man City fans react to this man’s comments.

Nottingham Forest manager Chris Hughton has been relieved of his duties at the City Ground following the Reds’ lastest defeat.

What’s the talk?

In a short statement posted on the Nottingham Forest website, the club confirmed that they have parted company with the 62-year-old manager, with Steven Reid taking over as interim head coach.

The statement continued to reveal that the club’s search for Hughton’s successor has already begun, as well as claiming that they will provide fans with an update on any developments regarding their appointment of a new manager.

Fans will be buzzing

Having taken over from Sabri Lamouchi at the start of last season, after the Frenchman had suffered a similarly bad run of early-season form, it would be a difficult argument to make that Hughton has been a success in his role at Forest.

Indeed, while he did guide the team to safety, something that was sure to be the very minimum expectation the Forest board would have been demanding upon his appointment, the Irishman hardly blew fans away with the results achieved in the Championship last term – winning 12, drawing 16 and losing 14 of his 42 league fixtures.

And, rather than the team improving after his first summer transfer window, things have actually gotten worse for the former Brighton & Hove Albion manager this season, with Forest having picked up a single point over their opening seven games of the 2021/22 Championship campaign, with the Reds being the only second-tier side yet to have won a league fixture.

As such, the news that Hughton has left his role at the City Ground is sure to have left fans of the club buzzing, as it is abundantly clear that the Garibaldi are very much in need of a new direction.

In other news: Dane Murphy must sanction Forest swoop for “outstanding” 53 y/o, he’d be a major coup

West Ham treated supporters to an impressive light show at the London Stadium prior to the Hammers’ 2-0 win over Rapid Vienna on Thursday evening.

Reliable reporter for The Athletic, Roshane Thomas, was at the game and posted a clip of the pre-match show on Twitter, which led to a number of West Ham fans reacting to his tweet.

David Moyes’ side made it two wins from two in Group H after goals in each half from Declan Rice and Said Benrahma.

However, five minutes before the action got underway under the London Stadium floodlights, the club put on a dramatic light show to music, which included the use of pyrotechnics, available to view here.

It seemed to go down fairly well with a number of Hammers supporters online, with Thomas also seemingly impressed.

West Ham fans react

This is what these West Ham fans had to say in reply to Thomas’ Twitter post regarding the light show, with one describing it as ‘amazing’.

“Love this”

Credit: @billhrpr

“How amazing does our stadium look tonight wish I could of been there to watch the match”

Credit: @MarkMorganive5

“We’re massive”

Credit: @GingerrChris

“Very impressive. Now tell me what’s up with all that royal blue?”

Credit: @SCM10_

“Massive club!!”

Credit: @lakey_21

“Iroons irooons”

Credit: @emz___1

In other news: ‘Disappointed’ – Many WHU fans slam ‘non-existent’ ace who had fewer touches than Areola v Rapid. 

Michael Ball insists that Everton need to sign a striker this summer to provide back-up to Dominic Calvert-Lewin.

The England international remains the first choice at Goodison Park and scored in their first fixture of the season at the weekend, as the Toffees beat Southampton 3-1.

Everton have yet to spend big money this summer, bringing in Andros Townsend and Asmir Begovic on free transfers, and splashing just under £2m to sign Demarai Gray from Bayer Leverkusen.

Calvert-Lewin was comfortably Everton’s top goalscorer last season, scoring 16 goals in the league.

The second top scorer was Richarlison, with seven strikes domestically, while Gylfi Sigurdsson and James Rodriguez both netted six times.

And Ball insists that the club need to bring in some support for Calvert-Lewin in this transfer window if they are to achieve their aims under new manager Rafael Benitez.

He said: “We do need reinforcements up front. Last season showed that DCL was the number one but when he was out of the side, we struggled, we didn’t have a replacement; Moise Kean was out on loan.

“It’s an area we need to strengthen, our competition in that area.”

Newcastle United could yet add another player to their squad before Tuesday’s deadline, with reports suggesting that Hamza Choudhury could join on loan from Leicester City.

What’s the word?

According to John Percy of The Telegraph, Newcastle could still sign the midfielder before the deadline, with previous reports linking the 23-year-old with a loan switch to St James’ Park.

He said: “Newcastle and Hamza Choudhury could happen before the deadline.”

So far this summer, the Toon have only signed Joe Willock from Arsenal, whilst the likes of Matty Longstaff, Florian Lejeune and Yoshinori Muto have all gone out on loan, which arguably leaves Steve Bruce with an even weaker squad than he had at the end of last season.

Therefore, whilst Toon fans would surely prefer permanent signings, it can only be good news for the Magpies that the £6.3m-rated Choudhury could join on loan before tomorrow’s deadline.

Would Choudhury be a good signing?

Choudhury has made 72 appearances for the Leicester senior side in his career thus far, scoring two goals and contributing two assists, one of which was a stunning strike at St James’ Park in January 2020, so Newcastle fans definitely know what he is capable of.

Although he is yet to make an appearance at Leicester this season, the defensive-minded midfielder is renowned for his ability to break up play and could provide Bruce with some much-needed depth in that area, as Isaac Hayden is perhaps the only other naturally defensive midfielder in the Newcastle squad.

Yet, with potentially both Matty and Sean Longstaff heading for the exit door, they will need a replacement and Choudhury seems to fit the bill in that department. With that in mind, supporters should be pleased that their club are preparing sensibly.

They should also be excited at the potential of another incoming before the deadline closes, something that didn’t initially look likely.

Speaking about his Leicester teammate in 2019, Harvey Barnes waxed lyrical about the midfielder, saying:

“I have grown up with Hamza for years now. He is a great player to have on the pitch. I don’t think there are many players like him that are as good as him at the other side of the game.”

He may have only played ten matches in the top-flight last season but like Willock, he is a player they can improve significantly going forward.

And, in other news… Newcastle eyeing move for PL flop

Manchester United remain interested in signing Atletico Madrid midfielder Saul Niguez this summer, according to reports.

What’s the story?

The 26-year-old has been heavily linked with a move to United and their fierce rivals Liverpool in recent weeks, with both Premier League giants desperate to strengthen their engine room options ahead of the upcoming campaign.

However, according to The Mirror, the Red Devils have move ahead in the race for Saul’s signature after his representatives jetted into the UK to talk with the Old Trafford outfit about a move.

The report states that Ole Gunnar Solskjaer’s charges are still keen to do a deal following the negotiations but will likely need to offload some fringe players before they can make a formal offer for the Spain international.

Paul Pogba’s future is also expected to have a significant say in how the situation plays out. If the World Cup winner departs, Saul is viewed as an ideal replacement for him, but he now looks set to stay at his boyhood club.

Solskjaer would love him

Saul has developed into one of football’s most complete midfielders after coming through the ranks with Atleti, scoring 43 goals and providing 19 assists in 337 appearances for the Rojiblancos, winning one La Liga title, one Copa del Rey and two Europe League crowns in the process.

His outstanding performances saw the £36m-rated dynamo attract the attention of United as recently as 12 months ago when Pogba was once again linked with a move away from Old Trafford.

Former United defender and BT Sport pundit Rio Ferdinand lauded the Spaniard following the transfer talk, praising his ability on the ball and tactical awareness.

“I don’t want Pogba to go, but if he does go, I’d take Saul Niguez all day long. Not like-for-like but still a top player,” Ferdinand said.

“What a player. I’ve been harping on about Saul Niguez for a few years now. I think he’s a major player. He’s composed, calm, great left foot, lovely conductor, he can score goals, tactically he’s very aware.

“You can see (Diego) Simeone, he gets his teams really well set up, and he’s in the middle orchestrating and dictating things.”

Nevertheless, last season proved to be a tricky campaign for Saul. The emergence of Marcos Llorente limited him to just 22 league starts as Simeone’s men claimed the La Liga title.

His restricted contribution to the capital club’s success saw national team manager Luis Enrique leave the Atleti ace out of his 24-man squad for Euro 2020 in the summer, leading to the player become eager for a new challenge.

It remains to be seen whether United make a move for Saul this summer, but with only a year remaining on his current contract, he could be a real bargain for whoever takes an interest and Solskjaer would love to have such a quality and experienced player in his ranks as he looks to end United’s wait for a league title.

And, in other news…John Murtough plots Man Utd move for “technically savvy” £35m gem, he has “everything” 

Former Crystal Palace chairman Simon Jordan has laid into Derby County manager Wayne Rooney, telling him to “grow up”.

The Lowdown: Jordan no fan of Rooney’s

The Rams have made a poor start to the season, picking up just one point from their opening two matches and of course struggling off the pitch as much as on it.

Rooney finds himself desperately trying to save his job and he had already been labelled as ‘clueless’ by Jordan earlier in the summer.

The Latest: Jordan provides latest response

Now, the outspoken pundit has provided his latest criticism of the Derby boss, taking to talkSPORT [via The Express] to further lambast Rooney and claim he is childish for not wanting to speak to them:

“Wayne has taken exception to observations that have been made with no preconceived agenda.

“I couldn’t care less about Rooney. I have no agenda and no interest. You ask me a question about Derby County, I’ll give you an honest answer.

“If Wayne wants to cry & not talk to us because he thinks there is an agenda then he should grow up.”

The Verdict: Ignore him, Wayne

The best thing Rooney can do in this situation is to simply ignore Jordan and focus on the job at hand, which is trying to get Derby out of the mire.

If the Manchester United legend ends up getting into a war of words with him it will only make the current situation worse and the pundit is no doubt looking to get a rise out of him.

This is now a critical period in Rooney’s time at Pride Park, with victory at Hull City on Wednesday far more paramount than any ‘victory’ he could get over Jordan.

In other news, Derby are set for a potential transfer windfall – read more here.

Sheffield United are reportedly interested in a deal to sign Peterborough United forward Jonson Clarke-Harris, according to the Daily Record.

What’s the story?

Clarke-Harris has been with Peterborough United since 2020, having signed for the club from Bristol Rovers, after catching the eye with some strong performances for the Pirates.

He’s gone from strength to strength with Posh, with the 27-year-old chipping in with 33 goals and three assists for Darren Ferguson’s side, as they won promotion into the Championship last term, as they were crowned champions of League One.

It appears as though Clarke-Harris’ strong showings haven’t gone unnoticed though, with Sheffield United reportedly rivalling West Brom, Rangers and Russian side CSKA Moscow to a potential deal for the striker, according to the Daily Record.

Do the Blades need another striker this summer?

Sheffield United will be preparing for life back in the Championship, after they were relegated from the Premier League last term, after a disappointing campaign.

The Blades finished bottom of the top-flight standings, and will be eager to win promotion back into the Premier League at the first time of asking this term, whilst under the management of Slavisa Jokanovic.

You can somewhat understand why Clarke-Harris has emerged on their transfer radar this summer, as he’s shown that he can score goals consistently in the EFL, even if that is to be in the lower leagues of English football.

Speaking in a previous interview with Peterborough Today, the club’s manager Darren Ferguson labelled Clarke-Harris as an ‘outstanding signing’, as well as a ‘leader’ and a ‘winner’.

“Jonson’s goals have been valuable, but he’s more than just a goalscorer. He is a leader, a winner and a real focal point for this team.

“He was our number one target when Ivan Toney left and we had to work hard on his fitness when he first got here, but he’s been an outstanding signing and a real pleasure to work with.”

But some should rightly question whether Sheffield United even need to sign another forward, as Jokanovic already has some strong options available to him heading towards the 2021/22 campaign.

The likes of Billy Sharp, Oli McBurnie and David McGoldrick have all shown that they can perform to a high standard in the Championship, having played their part for the club over the years at Bramall Lane.

With Lys Mousset also on the books with the Blades, it seems hard to believe that Clarke-Harris would be getting the regular game time that he’s looking to find in the future.

Whereas a move to either Rangers or West Brom are more likely, with both teams not having as much depth in attacking areas of their squads at this moment in time.

It would be somewhat of a bizarre and disastrous move for Clarke-Harris if he was to sign for Slavisa Jokanovic’s side this summer, as they go in search of a swift return to the Premier League, as he simply wouldn’t be getting the game.

This could be the 52-year-old’s first major blunder of his Bramall Lane career.

A summer of change has arisen at Wolverhampton Wanderers with the old guard being removed from Molineux and fresh faces gracing the Midlands.

Nuno Santo has already departed the Old Gold and has been replaced by Bruno Lage. However, we could still yet see some of their star men depart.

On the chalkboard

One of the main concerns for Wolves in the remaining weeks of the window will be losing Ruben Neves.

The Portuguese dynamo has been linked with the exit door for some time now with Arsenal reportedly interested in securing his services.

Tentative talks have taken place over his signing but it could be a deal that sets any willing suitor back a whopping £35m.

Neves has been exceptional for Wolves since signing for a Championship record fee back in 2017.

He has been a stalwart in the middle of the park, offering swashbuckling tackling and devastating shooting from long-range.

If he does leave, though, a replacement will be needed.

The solution

According to Spanish publication, Sport, Wolves have been in negotiations to sign Aaron Ramsey from Juventus this summer.

The midfielder is now 30 years of age but enjoyed a vibrant European Championships for Wales after barely starting for the Turin club.

Ramsey left Arsenal behind in 2019 to sign a massive £400k-per-week deal with the Italian champions.

Therefore, he would be required to take a massive wage drop in order to head back to English football.

If Lage can tempt the 67-cap international to join his project at Wolves, he’d be an excellent replacement for Neves.

Dubbed as an “outstanding technician” by Martin Keown, he has the qualities to pose a threat in the final third like Neves, but also sit back and defend well.

Ramsey has proven in previous campaigns that he’s a goalscoring midfielder, finding the net on 16 occasions in 2013/14.

That’s a tally that eclipses Neves’ best season for goals by quite some margin but he’s also shown an ability to defend exceptionally well. In the 2015/16 Premier League term, the Welsh dynamo prevailed in 2.5 tackles per match.

Compare that to Neves and the similarities are clear. He won 2.4 challenges per game in the top-flight last season for instance.

Although Ramsey would have to become one of the club’s highest earners, he would be worth it to replace their Portuguese maestro.

AND in other news, Wolves offered chance to sign “exceptional” 56-cap ace, he may be another Willian Jose…

Nottingham Forest are reportedly interested in a deal to sign Gent full-back Milad Mohammadi, according to a journalist Nick Mashiter. 

What’s the story?

Mohammadi has been with the Belgian side since 2019, and has gone on to make 65 appearances in total for them over the years, and has also made a positive impact in their most recent campaign.

He made 41 appearances in the 2020/21 season, and chipped in with one goal and five assists for Gent, as they finished seventh in the Belgian top-flight.

It appears as though his strong showings haven’t gone unnoticed though, with Championship side Nottingham Forest being keen on reaching an agreement to land his signature ahead of the 2021/22 league campaign, which is set to get underway on Sunday 8th August against Coventry City at the Ricoh Arena.

It’s already been a summer of change at the City Ground for Forest boss Chris Hughton, with Yuri Ribeiro being among those to depart the club, as they prepare for the new Championship season.

The Athletic have also revealed that the Reds are open to offers for Gaetan Bong, which is likely to leave Hughton with a paper-thin amount of depth at full-back at this moment in time, which will be of slight concern to the City Ground faithful ahead of their season opener against Mark Robins’ side.

Journalist Nick Mashiter has revealed that Forest are rumoured to be keen on signing Mohammadi in the near future, but they also face competition from French side Stade Brest. The left-back has reportedly turned down offers from AEK and Hungarian side Ferencvaros.

He’d be an upgrade on Hughton’s current defensive option

It was a hugely frustrating season for Nottingham Forest last term, as they finished 17th in the second tier standings, and it’s clear to see that Hughton is keen to get new faces through the door in the near future.

Mohammadi is seemingly one of those that the club are believed to be targeting, and it’s a potential agreement that would make complete sense, especially given the fact that Forest aren’t exactly blessed with a considerable amount of depth in that area of their team.

With Gaetan Bong looking as though he’ll leave the club this summer, it only leaves Chris Hughton with Tyler Blackett as his only recognised senior option at left-back ahead of the new season. Blackett hasn’t exactly set the world alight at the City Ground either, with the former Manchester United youngster struggling to make a notable impact in his time with the club to date, having previously been on the books with fellow Championship side Reading.

Blackett was restricted to just 16 appearances in all competitions last term, and averaged just under one tackle per game, as well as an average of just 0.6 key passes per game, which doesn’t make for the best of reading for a left-back that is likely to be the only competition for Mohammadi, if he was to arrive this summer.

The 27-year-old is valued at £2.25million according to Transfermarkt, and Forest would certainly be making an upgrade on Blackett at left-back if they were to strike an agreement to sign Mohammadi, who is also an experienced international with Iran, having made over 40 appearances for his country over the years.