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      Derby 0 West Ham 2: Bowen and Antonio strike to set up FA Cup fifth round clash at Man Utd for Moyes’ boys

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      DAVID MOYES must be relieved he didn’t decide to show Michail Antonio the door this month – despite the striker hinting he was heading for a January exit.Moyes’ decision to invest £12million on Aston Villa’s Danny Ings appeared to call time on Antonio’s eight-year reign at the London Stadium.
      Jarrod Bowen opened the scoring in the 10th minuteCredit: PA
      Michail Antonio scored his first goal since NovemberCredit: Reuters
      But with Everton, Wolves and Nottingham Forest all queuing up to offer the 32-year-old a final lucrative payday to bump up his retirement fund, Moyes put up the ‘Not for Sale sign.’
      Against Derby Antonio proved his boss was right as he sealed the Hammers’ place in the fifth round to set up a glitzy trip to Old Trafford to play Manchester United in the next round.
      With last season’s Player of the Year Jarrod Bowen also on the mark to get West Ham off to a flyer, it seemed Moyes had somehow turned back the clock to finally rediscover last season’s winning formula.
      Asked if Antonio could still go in the window, Moyes replied: “Money talks in football everywhere but at the moment I would say no chance.

      “There are prices for every player but at the moment I don’t think there’s any price we’re interested in taking for Mich.”
      And Moyes hinted his other goalscorer Bowen was getting back to the sort of form that saw him only narrowly miss out on Gareth Southgate’s England squad for Qatar.
      He said: “For Jarrod, confidence is a big word, he needs it.
      “The way he took his goal tonight, he looked like a finisher.
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      “I’m hoping he’s closer to getting back to the form he showed to get into the England squad.”
      It may have taken an injury on Ings’ debut to convince West Ham it wasn’t time to say cheerio to Antonio but that’s how fickle football fate can be.
      And if you were Eddie Howe, you might just be a bit more nervous about facing a Hammers side this weekend with Bowen and Antonio riding the crest of a wave.
      West Ham fans might have feared losing their popular striker but Derby fans went through worse last season when they thought they were about to lose their CLUB!
      This FA Cup clash was the sort of occasion Rams fans feared they might lose forever as they lurched from crisis to catastrophe and stared oblivion in the face.
      Derby’s financial meltdown led to debts of £60million and took them to the brink of extinction.
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      In fact this showpiece tie against the Premier League Hammers took place exactly one year after 2,000 Rams fans hit the streets and marched from the city centre to Pride Park in support of their club.
      Thankfully their SOS was answered and, under Paul Warne, the resurgent Rams came into this tie with the confidence of a side who had already navigated three rounds and were unbeaten in 19 games.
      Despite those impressive stats Moyes made six changes to the side which had beaten Everton and handed skipper Declan Rice a seat on the bench.
      But it didn’t seem to hamper the Hammers who proceeded to carry out a thoroughly professional job to set themselves up for a much tougher task against United at Old Trafford in the next round.
      They burst Derby’s unbeaten bubble with early goals in each half to maintain their recent recovery and ease the pressure on their gaffer.
      Bowen was first up as he continued where he left off when he sank Everton with a double in his last Premier outing.
      The 26-year-old missed out on Gareth Southgate’s final 26-man squad for Qatar when his goals dried up.
      But Bowen scored for the first time in the league since October to trounce the Toffees and he was back on target last night as he opened the scoring after 10 minutes.
      Tomas Soucek played a quick one-two with Antonio and as Bowen left the ball, the Czech nodded it into his path for Bowen to beat Joe Wildsmith with a cute flick of his left boot.
      That deflated Derby who only had one flashing volley from James Collins to show for their efforts as their Premier opponents kept them at bay.
      And West Ham put the tie beyond Warne’s men when Antonio caught them cold five minutes after the break.
      Bowen was at the heart of it again.
      His low cross from the right caught Craig Forsyth at full-stretch and the ball flipped off the defender into the air.
      Antonio came storming in at the back post and headed beyond Wildsmith from close range.
      Derby should have had a penalty when Ben Johnson crashed into Curtis Davies in the box but this was a comfortable win for West Ham.
      West Ham were drawn to face United just before kick-off and Bowen said: “I found out on the bench when I asked Dec. It’s tough. But you’ve got to beat the best to be the best.”
      It will see Moyes return to the club he managed for 11 months.
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      He said: “We’ve got players who can play on the big stage and there’s none bigger than Old Trafford.”
      Derby chief Warne added: “I’m really proud. Before the match I showed them the video of the Derby fans marching to save the club and asked them to be the best version of themselves and they were.” More

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      Ex-Romanian champions Astra Giurgiu stripped of professional club status after recording humiliating goal difference

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      FORMER Romanian champions Astra Giurgiu, who famously beat West Ham, have been stripped of their professional status after their latest humiliation.In 2016, they famously landed their first and only league title in their homeland.
      Astra Giurgiu have been stripped of their professional status less than a decade after their famous win over West HamCredit: Arfa Griffiths – The Sun
      However, last season they were relegated to the third tier and the financial burden of plummeting down the divisions took its toll.
      After just seven games of this campaign, and a humiliating goal difference of no goals scored and 66 conceded, the Romanian Football Federation accepted the club had to be demoted from their professional status.
      Astra were forced to throw in the towel after a sanction from Fifa prevented them from registering players and forming a competitive team.
      Astra released the statement: “Considering the fact that Fifa imposed the ban on us to register players, the club ended up in the situation of not being able to form its squad.
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      “We are in the unfortunate situation of not being able to get out of this impasse, although we do not owe the amounts claimed.
      “We cannot escape the sanction imposed abusively by Fifa and we are in the situation of not having a full batch of players.
      “Under these conditions, we are forced to request the withdrawal from the 3rd League National Championship.”
      In their last match against Pucioasa, Astra were unable to finish the game because several starters suffered injuries, while another player collapsed on the pitch.
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      Only seven years ago, Astra were crowned champions of Romania under the stewardship of Rapid Bucharest legend Marius Sumudica.
      Months after landing the league title, they recorded their most famous win – beating West Ham over two legs in the Europa League.
      After drawing the first leg 1-1 in Romania, the Premier League side were expected to record a comfortable win at the London Stadium.
      However, Astra had other ideas – shocking the hosts 1-0 thanks to a Filipe Teixeira strike – a goal that went down in folklore for the now former pro side.
      Astra Giurgiu have had their professional status taken away from themCredit: Graham Hughes – The Times More

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      Karren Brady: Premier League is UK’s most enviable asset but its success is rooted in competition.. it must remain elite

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      IN the eyes of most of the world, the most enviable thing in Britain is the Premier League.It beat the BBC, our universities, Rolls-Royce and many other famous institutions in a recent ‘Icon Index’.
      The Premier League has been named UK’s most Iconic exportCredit: Getty
      Elite competition has helped the Premier League become one of the most enviable assets in the UKCredit: Getty
      I can’t say I’m taken aback and it comes as no surprise either that foreigners want at least a piece of it. Some want whole chunks.
      EFL leaders are at the head of the Oliver Twist-like pleas for “more please” — although their “please” is not all that audible, not even a whisper really as some practically regard it as a right.
      They’ve made demands so loudly and so often the government is now convinced football needs an independent regulator, a sort of deity who divvies up Prem cash even more than it currently is.
      Let’s not forget the Prem already gives away over 15 per cent of gross revenue — a whopping £1.6BILLION over the next three years. No other industry or sporting organisation in the world does that.
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      I’m not against a bigger share as such, provided EFL clubs introduce stronger financial regulation based on sustainability.
      On average, Championship clubs spend 100 per cent of turnover on wages, so they are all loss-making!
      But experience of government interference in controversial matters only promises more confusion and anger.
      It is like VAR dealing with handball in the box — sound on paper but baffling in practice.
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      Big-money clubs in Europe want a bigger share of Prem pie, too. Hardly a surprise.
      They look at our £10bn revenue last season and, of even more concern to them, evidence this week from a Deloitte report on football finances that showed 11 Prem clubs are in the world’s top 20 earners and Manchester City now lead with £619m revenue from the 2021-22 season.
      Fifa must froth at the mouth at these figures and takings at major clubs across the whole of Uefa.
      They dressed up resentment in terms of needing more money to spread the gospel of football across all 211 members worldwide.
      This poses as another laudable objective but Fifa territories include countries who must have more pressing priorities than posh HQs and smart cars for representatives?
      Some of us, well the English of us, have concerns about the increase of foreign players and managers, irresistibly tempted by the Prem.
      There is at least one first-team squad with only three English players.
      As for owners, 13 of the 20 clubs have no English representation and this surely will increase as Middle East and American interest in the massive turnovers increase.
      Even last season bottom club Norwich earned £100m before they received £44m in one of three parachute payments.
      There’s a “demand” parachute payments are drastically cut, but these calls are from people who do not understand football finance.
      It is simple. If you’re promoted and want to try and stay in the Prem you must spend big on players, and therefore on players’ salaries.
      And if you get relegated you cannot simply walk away from their contracts so you need the parachute payment to pay for the heavy burden of these salaries when you have to rely on reduced earnings in the EFL after you go down.
      Without it, relegated clubs go into administration, or worse, bankrupt.
      If you cannot count on parachute payments, you cannot take on new players’ contracts in the Prem.
      That means you will not only be uncompetitive and likely relegated, you will contribute nothing to the competitiveness of the division.
      If you roll that movie forward — how long before there is a call to cut the 20 clubs to 18, on the basis the promoted ones are contributing little or nothing to the league?
      Money also seemed to be on the mind of Javier Tebas, the head of La Liga, who this week moaned that the Prem’s spending in the transfer market — £1.92bn last summer — is unsustainable.
      If he takes a closer look he will find the secret of the Prem’s success lies in high-class competition, with 97 per cent capacity crowds, a global audience of 4.7 billion people — and they can’t all be wrong!
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      The trick, and the government would be wise to remember this, is to ensure the English top-flight remains as strong as possible.
      It must be as competitive as possible so that it can continue to step in and help the charities, the EFL, the FA, grassroots, the PFA and endless other good causes for many years to come. More

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      Declan Rice is guaranteed to leave West Ham… and Arsenal and Man Utd are his most logical transfer destinations

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      DECLAN RICE has a massive decision to make this summer — and it does not involve  staying at West Ham.Every team in Europe is keen to sign the future England captain at the end of the season, although very few can afford him.
      Manchester United and Arsenal both want to sign Declan Rice this summerCredit: Rex
      But even the handful of clubs who can meet the Hammers’ demands will present a dilemma for Rice as he  considers all his options.
      Because how do you choose when you have got Arsenal, Manchester United, Chelsea, Liverpool, Newcastle and Manchester City all queueing at your door?
      The fact that West Ham still have an option to extend his contract to 2025 is immaterial.
      Whether they stay in the Premier League or not, they know their best player is leaving. Rice virtually confirmed that last month when he said that he is  desperate to play in the Champions League.
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      Because that ain’t going to happen at West Ham any time in the foreseeable future.
      That’s why he has already rejected an offer of a new EIGHT-YEAR contract from the club who would happily make him their highest paid player in the blink of an eye.
      There are about a dozen players at the London Stadium currently earning more than Rice, including left-back Emerson Palmieri, Ivory Coast winger Max Cornet and reserve keeper Alphonse Areola.
      But that’s often the case with players who have graduated through the academy rather than signing on big money from another club.
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      Yet it’s not about the money for Rice. It’s about competing at the very highest level and squeezing every last drop from his career.
      He will have seen how his 29-year-old England team-mate Harry Kane — who signed for Tottenham way back in 2011 — is still waiting to win his first major trophy at the club after committing himself to a lucrative long-term contract five years ago.
      And he is not going to make the same mistake with West Ham.
      He will also have noted how his pal Jack Grealish, 27, gave up being a big fish in a small pond at Aston Villa to win the Premier League in his very first season with Manchester City.
      So now it is simply a question of which club can offer him the best opportunity to maximise his talent  during the peak years of his career.
      Having just turned 24, he has the potential to become one of the best defensive midfield players in the world over the next decade.
      It was only last April that David Moyes said that West Ham would not consider selling their captain for less than £150million.
      But now the consensus is that he could go for little more than half that amount, particularly if the Hammers are relegated to the Championship.
      Yet with so many serious clubs  wanting his services, there’s plenty of potential for a bidding war taking that fee to British record levels.
      Chelsea, despite having released Rice from their academy at 14, would have no shame in breaking the bank to bring him back.
      But, like Liverpool, there’s every chance that they won’t be able to offer him Champions League football next season, even though the two are the last English clubs to win it.
      City only play with one holding midfielder and already have Rodri and Kalvin Phillips on their books.
      Newcastle are clearly an emerging force and have the resources to outbid anyone if they can secure a top-four finish this season.
      But it’s Arsenal or Erik ten Hag’s United who offer the most logical career path for Rice and, with both clubs apparently on the up, it could be a straight shootout between the resurgent giants this summer.
      Either way, West Ham fans should make the most of their best player while they still can.
      UTD MAY SMELL RAT
      MANCHESTER UNITED fans are understandably excited by the news that ‘Britain’s richest man’ is trying to buy the club from the Glazers.
      The fact that Sir Jim Ratcliffe has been living abroad as a tax exile is not going to curb their enthusiasm.
      Yet financial experts have calculated his personal fortune at £6billion — and the Glazers want at least £5bn.
      That does not leave a lot of spare cash for someone who clearly hates the idea of frittering his money on such avoidable expenses as income tax.
      And after he lost out in the bidding for Chelsea last spring, United should not hold their breath waiting for the takeover.
      GONE POTTY
      CHELSEA manager Graham Potter says they cannot keep trying to spend their way out of trouble or else they will end up with a 30-man squad.
      I hate to be the bearer of bad news, Graham, but the matchday programme for last week’s game against Crystal Palace already listed 33 Blues players.
      And that did not even include the club’s £88million new-boy Mykhailo Mudryk.
      Potter joked he hopes he is still in a job when Mudryk’s remarkable new contract finally expires in 8½ years.
      Good luck with that. Me? I just hope I am still alive in 2031.
      REFFING MAD
      BRITAIN’S top referees have been tying themselves in knots trying to justify Manchester United’s equaliser against neighbours City last week.
      But they’re defending the indefensible because anyone who knows anything about football could see Marcus Rashford was offside and the goal should never have stood.
      And if the laws of the game say differently because he wasn’t interfering with play, then the law is an ass.
      RAMS-FAIL
      SPURS are threatening to issue a lifetime ban to the supporter who kicked Aaron Ramsdale during Sunday’s 2-0 home defeat by Arsenal.
      More than 500 season ticket holders have already claimed responsibility.
      BLATT TO THE FUTURE
      FIFA have claimed five billion people ‘engaged’ with the 2022 World Cup in Qatar.
      What does that even mean?
      But then very little coming out of world football’s governing body makes sense any more.
      According to reports, TV companies covering the winter finals were ordered to show at least one shot of Fifa president Gianni Infantino at every match.
      But they weren’t allowed to film him on his phone, nor below knee height when he was sitting next to any of his dodgy dictator mates in the plush stadiums out in the desert.
      Come back Sepp Blatter, all is (almost) forgiven.
      GARETH FAIL
      A MOVE to rename the Severn Bridge the Gareth Bale Bridge has been KO’d by a House of Lords committee.
      Presumably they were worried the bridge — which connects England and Wales — would be out of action for nine months every year.
      EMMA’S MISSION IMPOSSIBLE
      TENNIS star Emma Raducanu has defended her commitment to the sport by declaring: “I give 200 per cent in everything I do.”
      That probably explains why the British ace, 20, has suffered so many injuries — she’s been trying to do the impossible.
      KAM OFF IT
      ICE skater Kamila Valieva has been cleared by the Russian anti-doping agency — despite her positive test before last year’s Winter Olympics.
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      They announced that although the 16-year-old had taken banned heart medication, she bore ‘no fault or negligence’ for the offence.
      And who could possibly doubt the word of such a trusted organisation? More

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      ‘Come and be loved’ – Piers Morgan begs Declan Rice to make Arsenal transfer as they line up £80m move

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      PIERS MORGAN has urged Declan Rice to move to Arsenal.The Arsenal fan believes that the West Ham midfielder is “exactly” what the Gunners need.
      The West Ham captain would be ‘loved’ at the Emirates, says Piers MorganCredit: Rex
      Morgan has urged Rice to join ArsenalCredit: EPA
      Rice have been linked with a summer move to the Emirates Stadium.
      Arsenal are believed to have made signing the Hammers captain their top priority in order to bolster their midfield options.
      The club are also keen on the deal as it would be a blow to rivals Chelsea, of which Rice is a long-term target.
      The Blues hijacked Arsenal’s deal for Mykhailo Mudryk, and this could be a way for the North London side to get their own back.
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      Morgan, however, believes that Rice would be perfect for Mikel Arteta’s squad alongside Granit Xhaka and Thomas Partey.
      He told talkSPORT breakfast: “I love Declan Rice. I’ve had this conversation with him on Twitter where I’ve begged him to come before. I think he’s exactly what we need.
      “I think that when Arsenal have our first eleven starting, including Xhaka and Partey, we look really strong, but if one of those two gets injured, I think we need another big midfield enforcer who can also play a role in attack too.”
      “Rice can do everything and he’s got that right mentality, the right attitude, I think he’s very much an Arteta-style player and I think he would fit absolutely perfectly into our squad.”
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      The vocal Gunner also suggested that Rice would “be loved” should he move to the Emirates Stadium.
      He added: “So Declan, come on, I know you’re listening, Declan – come, come to the Emirates. Come and be loved.”
      The England international has made it clear that he wants to be challenging for trophies in his career.
      This is something that does not seem likely at 18th-placed West Ham.
      But a move to Arsenal will not come cheap as the East London club are set to demand a premium price for their star player.
      Rice’s contract runs until 2024, with the option for a further year. More

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      West Ham’s four-man shortlist to replace under-fire David Moyes revealed including two ‘dream’ appointments

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      WEST HAM have drawn up a four-man shortlist to replace under-fire David Moyes, reports suggest. That includes two “dream appointments” in Thomas Tuchel and Mauricio Pochettino.
      West Ham boss David Moyes has come under fire after some poor resultsCredit: Rex
      West Ham have drawn up a four-man shortlist, including Rafa BenitezCredit: AFP
      Thomas Tuchel poses as a “dream appointment” for West HamCredit: EPA
      The Hammers haven’t won any of their last eight Premier League matches, of which they have only managed two points, and dropped to the relegation zone after Saturday’s 1-0 loss at Wolves.
      According to the Telegraph, the East Londoners prefer to give Moyes more time due to his superb work ever since his return in 2019 as he guided them out of relegation struggle and into Europe.
      However, Saturday’s showdown against fellow strugglers Everton at the London Stadium will be crucial for the 59-year-old’s future.
      That is why West Ham chiefs are already thinking ahead and have come with four potential replacements for the dugout.
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      Tuchel and Pochettino pose as the hierarchy’s biggest challenges in their search for long-term appointments.
      But the powers that be feel like both the ex-Chelsea boss and the former Tottenham manager are currently out of reach.
      That is why West Ham are also considering short-term appointments to guide them out of the danger zone.
      The two other options are former Liverpool, Newcastle, Chelsea and Everton manager Rafa Benitez as well as ex-Wolves and Tottenham boss Nuno Espirito Santo.
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      However, it is understood neither Nuno nor Benitez are popular options among the West Ham fans.
      Tuchel, Pochettino and Benitez are free agents after their departure from Chelsea, Paris Saint-Germain and Everton respectively.
      Nuno, however, is currently managing Al-Ittihad in Saudi Arabia. More

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      West Ham REJECT Wolves’ transfer bid for defender Craig Dawson who is out of contract this summer

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      WEST HAM have rejected a bid from Wolves for defender Craig Dawson and could now lose him for free in the summer.The central defender is out of contract at the end of the season and is believed to be keen on a move closer to home.
      Wolves have had a bid rejected for Craig DawsonCredit: PA
      David Moyes confirmed the bid in a press conferenceCredit: Getty
      The 32-year-old’s family is still living up in the Manchester area and he commutes to the Hammers training ground Rush Green on a regular basis.
      In the summer he attracted interest from northern clubs, but the Hammers convinced him to stay.
      Now, Wolves have made a bid to sign him, but it has been turned down, as confirmed by manager David Moyes.
      He said: “We’ve had an offer from Wolves, we’ve not accepted it and that’s as much as I can tell you.”
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      It is unlikely, West Ham will accept a deal until a replacement has been found, especially as Wolves are currently relegation rivals.
      After an injury crisis earlier in the season, the Hammers do have some more depth in defence with Thilo Kehrer, Nayef Aguerd and Angelo Ogbonna.
      Kurt Zouma has also offered a timely boost as he has returned to training after undergoing minor knee surgery.
      Dawson starred for the Hammers last season as he helped them reach the Europa League semi-finals.
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      He initially joined on loan from Watford in 2020, but after breaking into the team he joined permanently.
      Wolves have also been interested in West Ham’s record Premier League goalscorer Michail Antonio.
      The Midlands side are believed to be”‘very interested” in acquiring the Jamaican international and that Lopetegui is a “fan”. More

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      Wolves ‘interested’ in signing West Ham striker Michail Antonio this transfer window with boss Lopetegui ‘a big fan’

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      WOLVES are reportedly interested in signing West Ham star Michail Antonio as they try and strengthen their front line this January.The Midlands side are currently sat in the relegation zone in the Premier League and have scored fewer goals than any other team in the division this season.
      Michail Antonio is West Ham’s all-time top scorer in the Premier League scoring 58 goals in 212 gamesCredit: Getty
      With only 11 goals to their name they’re in dire need of a new forward but manager Julen Lopetegui reportedly believes Antonio could be the man.
      TalkSPORT’s Alex Crook has reported that Wolves would be ‘very interested’ in acquiring the Jamaican international and that Lopetegui is a ‘fan’.
      Antonio has fallen out of favour with the Hammers and has only played a full 90 minutes once in the league this season.
      The London club find themselves in a relegation battle with Wolves at present and would be offloading a player to an immediate rival.
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      Lopetegui’s side have had no luck up top with Raul Jimenez failing to return to his former glory after being plagued with injuries and new signing Diego Costa unable to make an impact.
      Antonio isn’t the only target for Wolves with the club looking to attract other reinforcements to the Molineux during the current window.
      They are rumoured to be interested in Nice midfielder Mario Lemina as well as Manchester United full-back Aaron Wan-Bissaka.
      The Wanderers are said to have already had bids of both £4.4million and £5million turned down by Nice for Lemina, as the French outfit hold out for £10million.
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      On the pitch Wolves narrowly missed out on a place in the League Cup semi-finals after they were knocked out on penalties to Nottingham Forest last night.
      They face Antonio’s current side West Ham next in the Premier League as Lopetegui’s men hope to leapfrog their rivals. More