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      Arsenal in Declan Rice transfer boost as West Ham line up World Cup star as replacement

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      WEST HAM are looking at Eintracht Frankfurt midfielder Djibril Sow as a potential replacement for Declan Rice.Hammers head of recruitment Rob Newman is believed to have watched the Swiss international in last weekend’s Bundesliga clash with Borussia Dortmund.
      Declan Rice looks set to leave West Ham in the summerCredit: Rex
      And Sow, 26, is on the shortlist if West Ham captain Rice leaves this summer — with Arsenal favourites to land the England star.
      Sow was already on the Hammers’ radar after being part of the Frankfurt side that beat them in last season’s Europa League semi-final.
      The German side went on to win the competition, earning a spot in the Champions League.
      Sow played every minute of Frankfurt’s Champions League games and has four goals in 41 appearances in all competitions.
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      He also started all four of Switzerland’s games at the World Cup.
      Sow is about to enter the final year of his contract and could be available for as little as £20million — especially as Frankfurt are set to miss out on European qualification.
      Rice is reportedly top of an all-star target list for Arsenal ahead of this summer’s transfer window, according to reports.
      Arsenal are stepping up plans to revamp the squad after guaranteeing a spot in next season’s Champions League.
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      They have placed Declan Rice high on their priority list as they want a high-class midfielder.
      Boss Mikel Arteta has made Rice, 24, a top pick for the centre of the pitch due to his technical ability and strength.
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      But SunSport has learned Arteta is reconsidering Arsenal’s summer transfer strategy following this week’s painful defeat at Manchester City.
      The club had been planning to make just two major signings and had allocated up to £150million to bid for Rice and Moises Caicedo.
      But Arteta feels other areas of his squad also need strengthening.
      And now they are exploring ways to finance moves for two more defenders and possibly another winger. More

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      I’m a former Prem star but lost millions in divorce.. I’ve tried pro golf, dog breeding and owning a pub to claw it back

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      A PREMIER LEAGUE football hardman has told of battling back from bankruptcy through a cocktail of golf, breeding dogs and serving behind the bar.The former Liverpool defender lost his top-flight fortune after splitting from his wife.
      Julian Dicks played 315 times for West Ham but hit tough times after retiringCredit: Getty – Contributor
      Julian Dicks tried his hand at professional golf after hanging up his bootsCredit: PA:Empics Sport
      But West Ham legend Julian Dicks – known for his tough tackling, frequent red cards and fierce spot-kicks – has insisted he is on the up again after a string of post-retirement setbacks.
      And his modern-day fans include Lionesses all-time top scorer Ellen White, a key part of the England team which won the European Championship last summer.
      Dicks notched four England Under-21 caps in a career which began at Birmingham City, took him to West Ham and then a £3million transfer to Graeme Souness’s Liverpool in 1993 – before a return to the Hammers a year later.
      Yet despite his multi-million-pound earnings in the early years of the lucrative new Premier League, financial strife struck after Dicks’ final match for West Ham against Arsenal in February 1999.
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      The player nicknamed “The Terminator” married wife Kay in 1998, the same year they had twin daughters Jessica and Katie – and the couple ran a dog kennels business after winning planning permission for their £500,000 Essex country home.
      Yet the pair split in 2001, saying at the time 12-year-old Jessica would live with him while Katie stayed with their mother – and Dicks paid a hefty price in the divorce settlement.
      He recalled: “When I quit West Ham I had enough money in the bank to never work again.
      “Then, in 2001, I got divorced and my wife took it all. We’d set up professional kennels and were looking after other people’s dogs.
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      “That was great because I love animals, especially English Bull Terriers. Some people find them threatening but it depends on how you bring them up.
      “I had 13 of them at one time and two young girls and there was never any problem.”
      Keen golfer Dicks was encouraged to take up the game professionally, including by a surgeon treating him for the knee injury that ended his football career.
      Dicks trained with Denis Pugh, a golfing pro at his local club who had previously coached Ryder Cup winner Colin Montgomerie.
      But his new career was short-lived, with Dicks admitting: “There’s only so many times you can pay £500 to play in a competition and not get anything back.”
      He then went into the pub trade, buying the Shepherd and Dog in Langham, near Colchester, with new partner Andrea Milton in 2002.
      In his landlord days, Dicks told: “We have loads of football supporters come in just to say hello to me – not just West Ham fans but Arsenal and Tottenham fans too.
      “They used to boo me from the terraces but now we have a laugh.
      “Mostly they give me stick about the tackles I used to make.
      “When it’s closing time there’s no need for me to give it The Terminator treatment, because people know they’ve got to drink up.
      “I don’t think I’ve ever lost my temper in the pub, although there was one time recently when a couple of kids had too much to drink.
      “That was it. I just chucked them out. Most punters know that closing time’s closing time. They know there’s not going to be a lock-in, because I just want to go home and get to bed.
      “I always give 110 per cent in whatever I do, it doesn’t matter if it’s playing football, playing golf or running my pub.”
      Julian Dicks revealed all about his love of animals, especially dogsCredit: News Group Newspapers Ltd
      But he put the pub up for sale in 2005 and went back into football, coaching non-league clubs such as Wivenhoe Town and Grays Athletic – both in Essex – before a stint as ex-West Ham team-mate Slaven Bilic’s assistant at Championship side Watford last year.
      He also played a cameo role in 2014 comedy movie The Hooligan Factory, which also featured actors Danny Dyer and Craig Fairbrass and Towie personality Chloe Sims.
      During his football career the Bristol-born defender was tipped for a full England call-up by then-manager Terry Venables in 1995, but his hopes were hampered by a series of disciplinary problems.
      And Dicks had no luck with Venables’ successor Glenn Hoddle either – though assistant manager John Gorman, bumping into him on holiday, told skinhead Dicks he might have a better chance if he grew his hair longer.
      But Dicks insisted in 1997: “I don’t want to play for England. It doesn’t interest me anymore. If they rang me up, I wouldn’t play.”
      He has, however, tipped current Hammers captain Declan Rice to wear the Three Lions armband in future.
      Dicks was sent off nine times in his career, including one for a foul on Arsenal and England striker Ian Wright at Highbury in September 1995.
      And his hot-headed nature was not just confined to the football field.
      He has confessed: “Golf’s meant to be a gentleman’s sport but I tended to lose my rag when I fluffed a shot.
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      “I ended up smashing loads of my clubs.
      “That’s me though – I like to do things properly and I can get frustrated if things aren’t working out.” More

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      Liverpool legend emerges as shock contender for West Ham job if David Moyes leave Hammers this summer

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      XABI ALONSO is emerging as a strong candidate to be the next West Ham manager — if David Moyes leaves.Current Hammers boss Moyes is adamant he is already planning for next season and has no intention of going this summer.
      Xabi Alonso has emerged as a shock contender for the West Ham jobCredit: Getty
      David Moyes has vowed to stay at West Ham this summerCredit: Rex
      But if West Ham and the Scot do part company, Liverpool icon Alonso will be in the frame after putting himself firmly on the club’s radar this season.
      The ex-Bayern Munich midfielder, 41, is making a real name for himself after transforming Bayer Leverkusen in his first big job.
      When Alonso arrived in October, after three years in charge of Real Sociedad’s B team, Leverkusen were second bottom in the Bundesliga.
      Now they are in the top six and the semi finals of the Europa League as the man who won the World Cup and European Championship as a player starts building his coaching career.

      Alonso, 41, is developing the reputation of a young progressive coach in the mould of childhood friend Mikel Arteta, now the Arsenal manager, and Burnley boss Vincent Kompany.
      It is understood that senior figures at West Ham are well aware of the buzz surrounding Alonso and consider him a real possibility to replace Moyes, despite his relative lack of experience.
      The former Spain international knows the Premier League after spending five seasons with Liverpool, during which he helped them win the Champions League and FA Cup.
      Alonso went on to be a European and Spanish champion with Real Madrid before winning three Bundesliga titles at Bayern.
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      The first two of those championships came under Pep Guardiola, who would go on to have Arteta as his assistant at Manchester City.
      Liverpool fans are already talking about Alonso as a future Anfield boss, ahead of his former midfield partner Steven Gerrard.
      But West Ham could offer him the chance to prove his mettle in the Premier League. More

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      West Ham 4 KAA Gent 1 (5-2): Hammers a completely different side in Europe as Rice and Antonio help them ease to semis

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      AND just like that, the good times are back in east London.David Moyes is dancing down the touchline like a lunatic. Declan Rice is scoring worldies. West Ham are back in a European semi-final.
      West Ham progressed into the Europa Conference League semi-finalCredit: Getty
      Declan Rice helped inspire the comebackCredit: Rex
      Make no mistake, their Premier League campaign has been an utter misery, one that still sees them fighting for their lives in one of the tightest scraps in top-flight history.
      But boy, do they still know how to get the job done in Europe under Moyes’ guidance.
      Level at half time as Michail Antonio cancelled out Hugo Cuypers’ 26th-minute tap-in, the floodgates opened thanks to Lucas Paqueta’s 55th-minute penalty.
      A flurry followed in the space of ten mad minutes. Rice ran the length of the pitch for a superb third before Antonio curled in his second and West Ham’s fourth. Game over.
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      You could sense many in the London Stadium were having flashbacks to last season’s run to the Europa League semi-finals that saw continental heavyweights Sevilla and Lyon flattened.
      The Europa Conference League’s opposition has been significantly less sexy. Two Danish minnows, a fallen Romanian giant and the best that Belgium have to offer among them.
      Not that Moyes gives a jot, nor do the fans. For the second year on the spin, the Hammers are two games away from a first major European final since 1976.
      Just under twelve months ago, West Ham had their hearts broken by Eintracht Frankfurt in the semis. This time around, Holland’s AZ Alkmaar stand in their way.
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      Victory away at Bournemouth this weekend could just about secure Prem survival, leaving the Irons free to once more dream of lifting their first piece of silverware for 43 years.
      After an impressive display to earn a draw versus Arsenal, Antonio was given another chance to lead the line – first-leg scorer Danny Ings on the bench again.
      Having rotated out in Gent, Moyes opted for full strength to get the job done here.
      The visiting coach Hein Vanhaezebrouck wanted to delay kick-off by 15 minutes as their coach got stuck in Stratford traffic, moaning about the disruption to their routine.
      He need not have worried with West Ham a bundle of nerves on the ball. Paqueta sloppily gave away possession in his own half in the 25th minute.
      Sixty seconds later, the hosts were behind. Hyunseok Hong fed dangerman Orban, who drove into the box and crossed to the back post for Matisse Samoise to scuff his shot.

      An early slice of luck for the Belgians, the ball falling kindly at the feet of Cuypers to nudge goal wards, somehow escaping Nayef Aguerd’s attempted block on the line.
      This was the first time West Ham had gone behind in this competition since a group stage trip to Silkeborg in September. Their 11-game Conference League unbeaten streak was under threat.
      A needless handball from defender Alessio Castro-Montes then gave Jarrod Bowen the chance to deliver a free-kick with whip and precision, and Antonio’s near-post headed flick made the most of it.
      The onslaught began within seconds of the restart. Tomas Soucek smacked the bar from six yards. Bowen forced Davy Roef into a good stop. Joseph Okumu then produced a blatant handball in the box.
      Referee Orel Grinfeeld bizarrely let play go on as Antonio hit the post, only to review the monitor on VAR’s recommendation. Penalty awarded. Paqueta succeeded with a stutter.
      Gent quickly lost their heads. With 58 minutes on the clock, Rice won back the ball outside his own box and drove majestically until finishing low into the corner.

      Five minutes on and Antonio was celebrating his second, a curled effort to make him West Ham’s joint-highest goalscorer in Europe with eight, now level with Bowen.
      Moyes has spent most of this season fighting to keep his job. Should West Ham reach the final in Prague on June 7, he has the chance to become immortal in these parts. More

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      Eagle-eyed fans praise Lucas Paqueta’s ‘top s***housery’ as they spot how he put off Arsenal star Saka for penalty miss

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      LUCAS PAQUETA has been praised for his “top s***housery” against Arsenal.Eagle-eyed fans have spotted that the West Ham star managed to put off Bukayo Saka as he stepped up to take a penalty.
      Lucas Paqueta put Bukayo Saka off during his penalty kick
      Saka then sent his effort wide of the postCredit: Alamy
      Paqueta had already won a soft penalty in the match for West HamCredit: Getty
      Fans noticed it after watching West Ham’s Behind-The-Scenes video of the match on YouTube.
      Arsenal had been awarded a spot kick following Michail Antonio’s handball.
      If the Gunners had scored it would have put them in complete control in the Premier League clash at the London Stadium.
      Despite having led 2-0 after ten minutes, the Hammers had got back into the game through Said Benrahma’s penalty before half time.
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      But as Saka stepped up to take his effort, fans have spotted that Paqueta shouted at the England international.
      And it seems the Brazilian’s intervention was enough to put Saka off as he sent his effort wide of the post.
      One happy West Ham fan tweeted: “Top s***housery from Paqueta
      A second wrote: “Paqueta putting off Saka as he steps up 🤣😉.”
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      A third commented: “The dark arts of football is great West ham need to do this a lot more.”
      A fourth said: “Love it.”
      While a fifth added: “I love this guy.”
      Arsenal fans will not be impressed with Paqueta however as they believed that he had dived to win West Ham’s penalty in the first half.
      And to make matters worse, Jarrod Bowen fired in an equaliser two minutes after Saka’s miss.
      The game ended 2-2, which boosted the Hammer’s survival chances while denting Arsenal’s title hopes. More

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      Arsenal offer Reiss Nelson new deal with bumper pay-rise but fear winger will still join London rivals on free transfer

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      ARSENAL have offered Reiss Nelson a new deal but fear he could join another Premier League side on a free transfer, according to reports.The winger’s contract is set to expire at the end of this season.
      Reiss Nelson is wanted by a host of Premier League clubsCredit: Getty
      Arsenal have opened talks with him over a new deal and offered to increase his £35,0000-a-week wages,
      However, the Mail claim he could reject the proposal in the hunt for more regular first-team action.
      West Ham are among the teams interested in Nelson with the player settled in his home city of London.
      The likes of Fulham, Aston Villa and Brighton are also keeping tabs on the 23-year-old’s situation.
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      Villa boss Unai Emery is supposedly keen to work with Nelson again after managing him at the Gunners.
      There is also interest coming from Europe via Serie A giants AC Milan.
      Nelson has played 12 times in all competitions this season for Arsenal after battling a thigh issue that ruled him out of 17 games this campaign.
      He has netted three goals and grabbed three assists with his best moment coming when he scored a last-gasp winner in a 3-2 victory over Bournemouth.
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      Nelson spent last season out on loan at Feyenoord and helped them reach the Conference League final.
      Rumours suggest that if he was to leave the club then Arsenal could look to replace him with Crystal Palace ace Wilfried Zaha.
      The Ivorian is out of contract this summer and has also been linked with Borussia Dortmund, Monaco and Saudi Arabian clubs Al-Nassr and Al-Ittihad. More

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      Arsenal fans ALL say the same thing as Declan Rice spotted asking Martin Odegaard for his autograph after West Ham draw

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      ARSENAL fans are all saying the same thing after Declan Rice was seen asking Martin Odegaard for an AUTOGRAPH.The midfield stars faced off on the pitch on Sunday as West Ham hosted Arsenal in a London derby.
      Declan Rice sent Arsenal fans wild as he asked for Martin Odegaard’s autographCredit: BEIN Sports
      The duo collided on the field as West Ham held Arsenal to a 2-2 drawCredit: Reuters
      Odegaard scored as Arsenal went 2-0 up inside 10 minutes.
      But West Ham produced an incredible comeback as they secured a 2-2 draw to dent the Gunners’ title hopes.
      After the match, Rice and Odegaard were seen deep in talks.
      An Arsenal jersey bearing the Norwegian’s name and number was then produced.
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      And Rice held it tight as Odegaard autographed the shirt with his signature.
      England star Rice loves collecting jerseys from his biggest rivals, and boasts an incredible collection featuring the likes of Mason Mount, Harry Kane and Jack Grealish.
      But Arsenal fans saw the interaction with Odegaard as a clear sign that Rice is going to join them this summer.
      The powerhouse is looking to leave West Ham in search of Champions League football.
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      Rice is an avid collector of football shirtsCredit: Declan Rice Instagram
      The ace boasts jerseys belonging to some of the best ever, both past and presentCredit: Declan Rice Instagram
      And Mikel Arteta is understood to have made Rice one of his top targets.
      One fan said: “Rice is gagging to leave West Ham, wow.”
      Another declared: “He is ours. He wants us.”
      One noted: “100 per cent going to Arsenal.”
      Another added: “He could have waited until the summer when on the same but I can’t blame the guy.”
      Speaking after the game, Odegaard urged Arsenal team-mates to keep their heads up despite handing advantage to Man City in the title race.
      He said: “We have to remember we are still top of the league with everything in our own hands.
      “The same mindset, same mentality to make sure we win the next one.
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      “We started well then stopped, allowed them to play on their qualities.
      “We gave them the game they wanted, we gave them hope and that’s on us. We have to look forward now.” More

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      Ex-Premier League referee Mark Halsey reveals why West Ham penalty against Arsenal should NOT have been overturned

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      FORMER Premier League referee Mark Halsey has revealed why West Ham’s penalty against Arsenal was NOT overturned.The Gunners were frustrated with the call that gave the Hammers the opportunity to get back in the game at 2-0 down.
      Mark Halsey has praised David Coote for his decisions in the West Ham vs Arsenal gameCredit: PA
      West Ham were offered a route back into the game when Lucas Paqueta was fouled in the boxCredit: EPA
      After Thomas Partey was caught in possession by Declan Rice, the ball was squared to Lucas Paqueta who was clipped by Gabriel in the box, despite the defender’s best efforts to avoid contact with his fellow Brazilian.
      David Coote immediately pointed to the spot, with VAR confirming the call – gifting West Ham their first goal.
      Some Arsenal fans weren’t convinced there was enough contact for a penalty to be given.
      While others pointed to an apparent handball by Rice while dispossessing Partey.
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      But Halsey, now 61, refereed in the Premier League from 1999-2013 – and he believes the Paqueta penalty was the right call.
      He told SunSport: “Lucas Paqueta went past Gabriel and it’s clear the Arsenal defender caught him so it was an obvious penalty.
      “It was a careless challenge and Arsenal cannot have any complaints.
      “There were suggestions Declan Rice handled the ball in the build up, but even if there was contact, it looked to be accidental and accidental handball is not an offence.
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      “VAR would not get involved in that situation because it was subjective.”
      Arsenal, themselves, were awarded a second half penalty when Michail Antonio was adjudged to have handled in the box.
      Again, Coote had no hesitations in pointing to the spot, which was the right decision again, according to Halsey.
      “The law is clear, if you’re making yourself bigger and your arms are out and move towards the ball, the referee will give a penalty,” Halsey said.
      “We see a lot of those given week in, week out.
      “That’s why the handball law is an ass.
      “They changed the law to try and simplify it but the new law has made it even more confusing.
      “The VAR was never going to overturn that. Both penalty decisions were correct.
      “We want to see the on-field referee making decisions. We don’t want referees not getting involved and waiting for VAR to help.
      “And fair play to David Coote because he made the decisions himself yesterday.”
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      Unfortunately for Arsenal, Bukayo Saka missed his penalty – that could have put Mikel Arteta’s title-challenging side in a commanding 3-1 lead.
      Instead, just moments later, they were pegged back to 2-2 when Jarrod Bowen squeezed an effort into the corner to dent Arsenal’s title hopes. More