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      Inside Jesse Lingard’s tough season at Nottingham Forest from his attitude behind the scenes to why he snubbed West Ham

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      JESSE LINGARD is running out of time to prove he was more than a poster boy signing for the new Nottingham Forest.When Lingard became the 11th of 21 players recruited in Forest’s trolley dash last summer, it was hailed as a massive coup.
      Jesse Lingard arrived at Nottingham Forest on a big-money one-year deal
      The move has not worked out quite as planned for the midfielderCredit: PA
      Not least by Miltiadis Marinakis — son of club owner Evangelos — whose personal relationship with Lingard was crucial to Forest beating West Ham and other clubs to the signature of the former England star.
      A source said: “Signing someone like Jesse Lingard made people think Forest were serious. That they weren’t just coming up to the Premier League to go back down, like another Norwich.
      “Him coming in probably helped them sign other players like Morgan Gibbs-White.
      “But for whatever reasons it hasn’t worked out for Lingard or for Forest.”
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      Lingard joined on a free after his contract at Manchester United expired — his one-year deal sees him paid £115,000 a week but he has not pulled up any trees at Forest.
      Steve Cooper’s team are back in the bottom three after 30 Premier League games and their big-name acquisition is yet to produce a single goal or assist.
      Injuries have been a factor, the most significant coming on his return to Old Trafford two days after Christmas.
      It was Lingard’s 11th start in the first 16 league matches but he came off with a hamstring problem as Forest lost 3-0.
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      He made his comeback as a substitute in the first leg of the Carabao Cup semi-final, also against United, only to feel an Achilles niggle in the warm-up ahead of the second leg.
      Lingard has had issues off the pitch too — he is due to stand trial in July after denying he provided false details when his Range Rover was flashed by a speed camera on the A56 near Old Trafford in August last year.
      Perhaps both Lingard and Forest were unrealistic when the deal was done.
      It was always going to be physically tough to go from starting two Premier League games for United last season to playing regularly, especially for someone who turned 30 in December.
      But despite doubts about his ability to train hard enough to regain the necessary fitness, Lingard is a popular figure at Forest.
      While the attitude of other signings has been questioned, he is hailed for his backroom contribution at least.
      A source said: “He is no ‘Billy-big-time,’ he enjoys a bit of banter and he is always cheerful.
      “You never see him down in the dumps, which is unusual for any player who has spent a lot of time out with injuries.
      A fully-fit Lingard is a big asset… perhaps he can be Steve Cooper’s supersubGarry Birtles
      “Whenever a new signing arrives at Forest, he makes a fuss of them and goes out of his way to make them feel welcome.
      “He is generous with his time and is genuinely a really likeable, popular member of the squad.”
      The fact remains Lingard has played just 58 minutes of football since pulling out of that Carabao Cup second leg with United on February 1.
      Cooper gave him a chance to prove himself against Spurs on March 11, only to take him off at half-time as they lost 3-1.
      Any impact Lingard makes against United today is likely to be from the bench.
      But Forest legend Garry Birtles, who made the opposite journey from the City Ground to Old Trafford in 1980, believes Lingard could yet make his mark. He said: “I really feel for Jesse.
      “I had nine months out at United when I required a spinal fusion operation which obviously had a huge impact on my time at Old Trafford.
      “I know what he’s going through. I’m not sure how fit he is but a fully-fit Lingard going into the end of the season would be a big asset.
      “He is only 30 and he has the ability to make things happen but perhaps he has to do that from the bench.
      “I used to play against a guy called David Fairclough at Liverpool who used to come on and destroy teams.
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      “They called him ‘Supersub’, so perhaps Jesse can be Steve Cooper’s supersub who can come on for 15-20 minutes and make an impact at a critical time in the season.”
      FOREST (likely): Navas, Williams, Worrall, Felipe, Toffolo, Freuler, Mangala, Danilo, Gibbs-White, Johnson, Awoniyi
      Lingard is a bubbly character around the training groundCredit: Getty
      He has struggled with injuries this seasonCredit: EPA
      Lingard left United when his contract expiredCredit: PA More

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      Premier League transfer target Terem Moffi scores overhead kick that’s ‘better than Cristiano Ronaldo’

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      TEREM MOFFI put the Premier League clubs chasing his signature on red alert as he produced an overhead kick that was “better than Cristiano Ronaldo”.The 23-year-old forward was heavily linked with several English clubs back in the January transfer window.
      Nice’s Terem Moffi scored a stunning bicycle kick against BaselCredit: Reuters

      But it was Nice that won the race for his signature after his red-hot start to the campaign for L’Orient.
      The Nigerian international moved there on loan until the end of the season, with an obligation-to-buy for £26.4 million as part of the package.
      Since then he has hit the ground running for Nice with four goals in seven Ligue 1 outings.
      But tonight he perhaps produced his best moment so far with a brilliant bicycle kick in the Europa Conference League clash with Basel.
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      Having already grabbed his team’s first, he then put them 2-1 ahead seconds before half time as he met a cross in incredible fashion with an absolute worldie.
      “Better than Ronaldo,” declared one viewer.
      Another tweeted: “Filthiest strike that.”
      A fellow footy fan said: “Almost ripped the net off.”
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      Southampton had a bid of £10.6million, with a further £7.1million in add-ons, rejected by L’Orient back in January.
      They were holding out for around £25million.
      That proved to be a major obstacle for West Ham, who were also keen, after forking out almost £170m during the summer window.
      They eventually switched their attention to securing Danny Ings.
      Meanwhile, Moffi’s magnificent effort was not enough to earn his team an away win as Basel battled back to earn a 2-2 first leg draw. More

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      Gent 1 West Ham 1: Hammers throw away lead with Europa Conference League quarter-final on a knife edge despite Ings goal

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      THIS was as vanilla as it gets from West Ham.David Moyes still regrets the way his side crumbled in their Europa League semi-final against Eintracht Frankfurt last season as emotions got the better of them.
      Danny Ings fired West Ham into the lead against GentCredit: Rex
      He pounced from close-range in first half stoppage timeCredit: Reuters
      Red cards. Accusations of corruption. Balls being booted at ball-boys.
      Yet ahead of this Europa Conference League quarter final first leg, Hammers boss Moyes also told his men not to lose their aggressive edge, their desire to win. Don’t be vanilla.
      Yet vanilla was what the east Londoners offered up, giving Belgium’s KAA Gent real belief they can prevail towards an historic semi-final in a week’s time.
      In first half injury time, Danny Ings finally added some flavour to West Ham’s tepid performance with his first European career goal.
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      But in the end, Moyes and his men head back to the capital with a bitter taste in their mouths. An opportunity wasted. Another game with their frailties fully in the spotlight.
      Hugo Cuypers’ 57th minute leveller ends West Ham’s 10-game winning streak in Europe this season, leaving this tie very much in the balance, yet it could and should have been worse.
      Gent had West Ham seriously on the ropes with the clock ticking down, bombarding the struggling visitors with shot after shot.
      If only the Belgians could have landed a knock-out blow with their 20 attempts at goal.
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      Nigerian wonderkid Gift Orban, 20 – with 14 goals in 12 games in all competitions since joining Gent on January 31 – summed that up, smacking the bar late on.
      Confusion reigned in the dying stages as Kamil Piatowski was initially shown a red card for a last-man challenge on Lucas Paqueta, before VAR overturned it.
      Moyes went ballistic on the sidelines – the first glimpse of passion from a man donning a West Ham badge all game.
      Next week’s second leg at the London Stadium is as big as it gets for Moyes right now.
      Premier League survival is a must, but the chance to win a first major trophy for 43 years is still on the cards, something that may just keep the Scot his job beyond the summer.
      Moyes took a risk with his team selection, opting to leave the likes of Paqueta, Tomas Soucek, Michail Antonio and Kurt Zouma on the bench.
      The result? A seriously sluggish start from the visitors. Loose passes, a lack of urgency and a hesitancy at the back that gave Gent the impetus to try their luck in attack.
      Ben Johnson’s fluffed clearance handed the hosts a fifth corner inside 20 minutes as Jordan Torunarigha headed over before Julien De Sart fired straight at Alphonse Areola.
      West Ham were growing frustrated. Flynn Downes and Angelo Ogbonna picked up early yellow cards, while Gent created and wasted more chances.
      Against the run of play, Nayef Aguerd appeared to have been gifted an opener in the 39th minute as Gent keeper Davy Roef somehow fumbled a routine corner on his own line.
      Gent’s Hugo Cuypers then struck home after the restart to secure a drawCredit: AP
      But not for the first time this match, VAR intervened to spare Roef’s blushes, the ball shown to have been nudged in by Aguerd’s arm.
      The first half was trickling to an end only for Gent to fall asleep yet again, this time from a throw-in. Vladimir Coufal’s quick thinking fed Jarrod Bowen alone in the box.
      One simple pass across goal and Ings was there to gobble up an empty net. A tap-in, but one the 30-year-old will never forget.
      His first goal in Europe in his first start on a European stage since October 2015, for Liverpool under Brendan Rodgers.
      All three of Ings’ strikes in West Ham colours, across 12 games in all competitions, have so far come inside the six-yard box. Poacher is as poacher does. 
      This is exactly what Ings – a £15m January buy from Aston Villa – was brought in to do: score big goals in big moments.
      That was about as good as it got for West Ham. A brief improved period after the break quickly faded and Gent could smell a comeback, but first, an equaliser.
      Three minutes before the hour mark, some quality interchanges – involving 20-year-old Nigerian wonderkid Gift Orban – ended with Cuypers wiggling his way into the box. 
      Areola had no chance down to his left, a goal that invigorated the entire stadium.
      Almost instantly, Moyes reacted by hauling off Ings and Manuel Lanzini for Antonio and Said Benrahma in an attempt to stem the tide. No such luck.
      Orban’s electric pace and surges forward were pushing West Ham deeper and deeper. Skipper Sven Kums soon dragged a shot inches wide of the post.
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      Gent pressed for the winner, and were unlucky not to find it. 
      West Ham escaped with a draw and an ongoing 11-game unbeaten stretch, for now. More

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      What happened to ex West Ham and Man City striker Carlos Tevez and where is he now?

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      WHEN Carlos Tevez came to the Premier League the transfer came as a surprise to football fans up and down the country.West Ham brought in both Carlos Tevez and Javier Mascherano with the transfer of the Argentine pair seemingly coming from nowhere.
      Carlos Tevez joined West Ham in a shock transfer in 2006Credit: EPA
      Who is Carlos Tevez?
      Carlos Tevez is a footballer born in Buenos Aires, Argentina.
      He was born Carlos Alberto Martínez to parents Juan Alberto Cabral and Fabiana “Trina” Martínez.
      The youngster was actually brought up by his mother’s sister Adriana Noemí Martínez and her husband Segundo Raimundo Tevez.
      They renamed Carlos, giving him the surname of his adopted father during a dispute between his junior club All Boys and Boca Juniors.
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      As a child, he was accidentally scolded with boiling water and suffered third-degree burns leaving him hospitalised for two months.
      The accident left him with scars from his ear to chest, something the player was easily recognisable for.
      What happened to Carlos Tevez?
      He joined London club West Ham from Corinthians in a surprising transfer, with many clubs turning down the chance sign the Argentine internationals due to their third-party ownership.
      The striker famously scored the winner in a 1-0 victory against Man Utd at Old Trafford to secure the club’s Premier League status.
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      Tevez then signed for Man Utd the following season in an initial two-year loan deal.
      The transfer was shrouded in controversy due to the ownership of the player with West Ham demanding a transfer fee for the move.
      After the loan, Carlos Tevez shocked the football world once again when he signed for local rivals Man City.
      City looked to rub the deal in the faces of their neighbours with a huge billboard of the striker with the infamous “Welcome to Manchester” slogan.
      He spent four years at City before agreeing a deal with Juventus.
      During his time at the Etihad Stadium he scored 58 goals in 113 appearances, winning a Premier League title in the process.
      Where is Carlos Tevez now?
      Carlos Tevez ended his football career where it all began at Boca Juniors.
      The news of his transfer was received with great delight by fans of the Argentine side.
      He went on to win two Primera Division titles before deciding in June 2021 that he was going to leave the side.
      Tevez stated he physically fit enough to continue but not mentally and had come to the conclusion that it was time to leave.
      Leaving the window open for future offers from other clubs, he lost his adopted father in 2021 when he died as a result of Covid-19.
      This spurred Tevez to announce his retirement from football as his father was his biggest fan.
      He went into management, taking over at Rosario Central but only lasted five months in the role before citing the club’s presidential elections as the reason for his departure.
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      West Ham star Gianluca Scamacca casts doubt over transfer future as he makes huge off-the-field change

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      WEST HAM striker Gianluca Scamacca has signed with CAA Stellar agency – casting doubt over his future in east London.The Italian forward was dumped by his previous representatives World Soccer Agency in February with the organisation citing a breakdown in “trust”.
      Gianluca Scamacca signed for West Ham in the last summer transfer windowCredit: Rex
      Scamacca was photographed with new agents Jonathan Barnett (right) and David Lee (left)Credit: Twitter: @FabrizioRomano
      But the 24-year-old now has a new agency having been pictured with his new team Jonathan Barnett and David Lee.
      And ahead of the upcoming summer window, he could look to move away from West Ham after a disappointing first season at the club.
      Scamacca joined back in July from Serie A side Sassuolo for £30.5m, and has shone in the Europa Conference League with five goals in nine outings.
      However, owing to injury and poor form, he has made just 11 Premier League starts, scoring only three times.
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      He is currently fighting to win back his place in the team from £15m January arrival Danny Ings.
      West Ham boss David Moyes has previously questioned Scamacca’s “physical data” in relation to his running statistics this campaign.
      And ahead of the Euros next summer, the Italy international could use his new agency to look for a new home to win a place in Roberto Mancini’s squad.
      CAA Stellar already represent the likes of Jack Grealish, Jordan Pickford and Ben Chilwell.
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      Despite his struggles, La Gazzetta Dello Sport claim that Inter Milan are targeting a move for Scamacca.
      The Serie A side are looking to replace veteran frontman Edin Dzeko, 36, at the end of the season.
      The publication claims that talks between the former Manchester City ace and Inter over an extension have stalled. More

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      Arsenal fans loving ‘naughty talk’ of TWO England midfielders joining in shock double summer transfer swoop

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      ARSENAL fans are getting increasingly excited at the prospect of two England internationals joining their club in a double summer swoop. The Gunners are enjoying their best season in many years and sit in pole position to win the Premier League with 10 games remaining.
      Arsenal reportedly have their eye on exciting England midfielders Declan Rice (left) and Mason MountCredit: Getty
      They’ve also been having a good time of it off the pitch with signings such as Leandro Trossard, Gabriel Jesus and Oleksandr Zinchenko all proving to be a huge success.
      Reports continue to link the club with summer moves for England stars Mason Mount and Declan Rice.
      Mount’s position at Chelsea is increasingly uncertain with his contract running down and the club needing to offload stars to balance the books.
      While Rice has been linked repeatedly with an Emirates move and West Ham soon needing to make a decision about his future.
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      Gunners fans are loving the idea of Arsenal poaching two young homegrown talents from rival London clubs.
      Responding to a news story about Mount potentially making the switch, one supporter said excitedly on Twitter: “There’s some naughty talk of him and Rice joining The Arsenal…”
      Another fan said: “Rice linking up with Mount for Arsenal sounds hilarious.”
      While someone else claimed that they believed it was now a “formality” that Rice would arrive in north London.
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      Arsenal have reportedly grown in confidence at landing Rice, despite the fact the 24-year-old is attracting the attention of other big clubs.
      The club’s owners are believed to be ready to back manager Mikel Arteta in the transfer window with more funds.
      If either England star were to join, it would leave Arsenal’s midfield even more stacked with quality.
      The Gunners already have the likes of Granit Xhaka, Thomas Partey and Martin Odegaard holding down the fort in the middle of the park. More

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      Arsenal great Ray Parlour explains why Mikel Arteta can win title and where transfer target Declan Rice needs to improve

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      ARSENAL legend Ray Parlour believes his former club will win the Premier League because Manchester City may focus on other competition.The Gunners are top of the table with eight points separating them from second-placed City, who have a game in hand.
      Arsenal can win the Premier League title, claims club legend Ray ParlourCredit: Getty
      Arsenal legend Parlour believes Manchester City prefer the Champions LeagueCredit: The Sun
      Parlour, who won three titles with the North Londoners, believes manager Mikel Arteta can lead his team all the way to the trophy.
      That is because the reigning Prem champions will be preoccupied with the FA Cup and the Champions League, which remains the only major honour that still evades them.
      The former England international loves how Arsenal are playing and advised them to enjoy the challenge as that will help them win more matches and apply more pressure on City.
      Parlour told SunSport: “Well, there certainly is a long way to go. And I’ve always tried to play it down a little bit because the pressure will build on Arsenal because that’s what happens when they’re six or seven games to go but all they can do – and I know it’s a cliche – just keep playing the way you are. Enjoy it.
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      “And again, it’s a young team, so they look a little bit fearless at times. I know Man City beat them at the Emirates and the [Manchester] United game wasn’t great, but even then they had a few chances in the first half.
      “So all I can say is Mikel Arteta has got it really going. What I like about their play now is when they lose the ball they’re trying to win it back quickly. A little bit like City do sometimes, so I think they could do it. I really do.
      “I mean, Man City are gonna have the FA Cup. They’re gonna have the Champions League, which I think deep down Pep Guardiola really wants that Champions League for the club.
      “So hopefully that takes their mind off it a little bit and they’ve got a tricky game against Bayern Munich now with [Thomas] Tuchel going in. So I think Arsenal have a big game at the weekend with Leeds United at home fighting to avoid relegation.
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      “So if you’re getting another three points, it starts putting a little bit more pressure on Manchester City and we know that game against [Crystal] Palace was a big one because Man City didn’t play and went into the international break with an eight-point gap. You know that sometimes mentally that’s really good for you.”
      Arsenal are focused on the Premier League title race, but are also keeping an eye on the summer transfer window with West Ham superstar Declan Rice a top target.
      Parlour insists Rice would be a perfect fit for Arteta’s midfield if the Gunners manage to win the bidding war against the likes of Manchester United and Chelsea.
      However, the former midfielder insists the England international still needs to improve and has to learn to get forward “a little bit more”.
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      West Ham star Declan Rice will have to learn to get forward, claims ParlourCredit: Getty
      Parlour added: “Declan is a super player, we saw him play for England the other night [against Italy] and he was brilliant again as he scored a goal.
      “But yeah, sometimes you have to get forward a little bit more because I always think [when it comes to] holding midfielders there’ll be occasions in a game where you do get past your other midfielder and it’s just a bit of common sense for me that the other midfielder fills in for you.
      “That’s what I used to do when we played for Arsenal, because you know, not everybody’s got a set position at times, you’ll see yourself in a different part of the pitch.
      “And that’s where the other team-mates have got to say, ‘Right, he’s out of position there but we fill in for him and then there’s no problem’. So I think Declan Rice definitely can get forward a little bit more.
      “At any team he goes into he would make them stronger, so if Arsenal have got a chance to maybe buy Declan Rice, especially if they can win the league this year, that would be a fantastic signing.
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      “But I’m sure there’s a big queue of people waiting to see where he’s going in the summer.”
      Ray Parlour was speaking to The Sun on behalf of Fairplay. Fairplay is a peer to peer, free to use betting app which is revolutionising the way people wager, collect and distribute funds. More

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      Arsenal ‘confident they will win Declan Rice transfer race thanks to Mikel Arteta despite Man Utd and Chelsea interest’

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      ARSENAL are growing in confidence they can win the race to land their number one target Declan Rice this summer, according to reports.The West Ham captain is also attracting interest from Premier League giants Chelsea and Manchester United.
      Rice is widely expected to leave West Ham this summer with plenty of interest in his signatureCredit: Rex
      The Gunners have had a superb season so far and sit top of the Premier League eight points clear of nearest rivals Manchester City.
      The club’s owners are ready to back Arteta in the transfer market as they look to build on the progress made this season.
      According to the Evening Standard they are confident of winning the battle for Rice.
      Rice, 24, is viewed as an ideal acquisition and fits the north Londoner’s recruitment model.
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      The England international harbours ambitions to play in the Champions league, win trophies and has his best years ahead of him.
      There’s an acceptance within West Ham that their star man will leave this summer when he will only have one year left on his contract.
      Arsenal tried to sign a midfielder in January with Rice considered but they opted for Brighton’s Moises Caicedo, having two bids rejected.
      Mikel Arteta’s side will be hoping they can add to their pulling power by being able to offer Champions League football instantly and point to the Spaniard’s record of developing young players.
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      Chelsea have been long term admirers of Rice and released him as a 14 year old from their academy.
      The West Ham man also has a very close friendship with Mason Mount but the uncertainty over Mount’s future coupled with the fact Chelsea are unlikely to be playing Champion’s League football next season doesn’t help their cause.
      Interest from the Manchester clubs would further add to the competition for Rice’s signature with United having scouted him and City expected to be in the market for a midfielder this summer.
      The Hammers will be hoping the strong interest in Rice enables them to maximise the fee they can get for the midfielder but will struggle to get near the £150million they have asked for in the past. More