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This article is part of Football FanCast’s Transfer Focus series, which provides opinion and analysis on recent transfer news…

As reported by Sky Sports, Ole Gunnar Solskjaer has insisted that he is still planning on building the Manchester United side around Paul Pogba, amid speculation the midfielder could be leaving.

What’s the word?

Reports in recent weeks and months had suggested that Pogba could be on his way out of Old Trafford this summer after an up-and-down campaign. The France World Cup winner has seen his name linked with the likes of Real Madrid and Juventus, and his agent, Mino Raiola, confirmed the player’s desire to leave.

Could Paul Pogba be on his way out of Old Trafford? 442oons have put their unqiue spin on the matter in the video below…

However, Solskjaer has now suggested that the Frenchman continues to be a big part of his plans and revealed he could still be an important part of his line-up.

The United boss said: “Paul is a fantastic player, a fantastic human being and has always been a great professional. I’ve had a great relationship with him, I had him in the reserves a few years back.

“And I said (previously), ‘if he’s in your squad, you’d build your team around him’, and I haven’t changed that much since then, so I would say the same now.”

A risky game

Another tactical ploy to get him to stay? Solskjaer’s latest comments on his mercurial midfielder come on the back of him insisting in recent weeks that there is an “agenda” against his player and that he fully backs him.

Watch Manchester United Live Streams With StreamFootball.tv Below

The Norwegian is seemingly adamant on retaining Pogba’s services beyond the end of the summer transfer window and the reported decision of Juventus to end their interest in the 26-year-old certainly strengthens United’s case.

But in being so unequivocally sure-fire in claiming he wants to “build” his side around Pogba, the room for anything but him wearing the Red Devils shirt come the beginning of the season is non-existent. In a sense, Solskjaer has backed United into a corner and selling him now after being so effusive in his praise of the Frenchman would be tantamount to a failure.

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Paul Hartley has backed new Rangers signing Greg Stewart to succeed at Ibrox, as reported by The Daily Record.

What’s he said?

Hartley was the manager who signed Stewart up at Dundee from the Scottish lower leagues, giving him the opportunity to shine in the top-flight and eventually win a move to the English Championship.

Having also experienced the pressure of playing for one of Glasgow’s big clubs, the former Scotland international is well placed to offer an insight into how Stewart might perform for the Gers next season.

His verdict is positive, believing that the attacker can become a big part of Steven Gerrard’s team.

The indoor football skills in the video below have to be seen to be believed…

As quoted by The Daily Record, Hartley said:

“Greg showed his quality at Kilmarnock and against Rangers he scored a magnificent goal.

“He was on top of his game in the first half of the season and then it didn’t quite work out for him in the second half of the season for whatever reason.

“It’s a great opportunity for Greg and I don’t think anyone can begrudge him it. People might question him but it’s up to Greg to go and prove people wrong and I’m sure he will.

“He knows he will need to work hard because it won’t be easy for him. At 29 he has to grasp the opportunity to go there and not be a squad player. I don’t think he will be. He has to go impress, be as fit as he can be and be ready.”

Can Stewart rise to the challenge?

Hartley is right to point to Stewart’s form for Kilmarnock in the first half of last season as a sign he can produce for Rangers next term.

The 29-year-old was scoring and assisting regularly before his season was disrupted with a loan move to Aberdeen in January.

If he can capture that kind of form, and the kind of contribution he produced for Hartley in the past, then he’s going to be a better Rangers signing than some expect.

Also possessing versatility, he can slot into a number of attacking positions for Gerrard.

As squad players go, arriving on a free transfer, the Ibrox club could have done a lot worse.

West Ham United need a striker this summer if they are to step up and take things to the next level. We get it.

However, that does not appear to have stopped the world’s media outlets from linking the Hammers with every possible (and feasible) striker that could be available to buy this summer!

Manuel Pellegrini’s side have been linked with a move for Maxi Gomez for god knows how long, Fulham’s Aleksandar Mitrovic has been thrown into the hat on a number of occasions, West Bromwich Albion’s Salomon Rondon is thought to be in the mix, as is Florian Aye and Moussa Marega.

But, the latest one really takes the biscuit when it comes to reported transfer targets and reeks of sheer desperation should it have any truth to it.

According to a report by Turkish media publication Fotomac (via Sport Witness), West Ham are understood to hold an interest in Mario Balotelli; the one and only!

Now whether that is because Fenerbache are being heavily linked with a move for the soon-to-be free agent this summer and the press are looking to drum up a story involving a Premier League outfit that is known to be needing a striker remains to be seen, however, that’s all it should be.

Drama seems to follow the Italian wherever he goes and that is something the London Stadium outfit could do without following Marko Arnautovic’s antics in the winter.

Sure, the 28-year-old still has bundles of talent and has shown that he can find the back of the net on a consistent basis (although Liverpool fans would probably disagree). He hit eight goals in his 14 Ligue 1 appearances for Olympique de Marseille in his short stay; although they are said to be looking to extend it further (Fotomac via Sport Witness).

But, he cannot be considered prolific enough for what West Ham currently need to spearhead their attack, whilst there is no guarantee that Pellegrini will be able to tame the beast and get the best out of him regularly and without tempers flying.

If the Hammers are genuinely taking an interest in Balotelli, then it should be that all their other options have been exhausted and they have no chance of signing someone better than him.

West Ham fans, what do you think about Balotelli? Do you think a move for him would reek of desperation? Let us know your thoughts below!

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Liverpool fans have taken to Twitter to react after Tottenham qualified for the Champions League final, with many revealing their fear at potentially losing to Mauricio Pochettino’s side.

The Reds progressed through to the final in Madrid against all odds after overcoming a 3-0 first leg loss against Barcelona, whilst Spurs earned their way to the showpiece event with an equally impressive comeback victory against Ajax.

Luis Suarez certainly had no qualms about celebrating against his former employers in the video below…

Whilst the Dutch side would’ve been a scary prospect in the final, Liverpool fans are just as worried about facing, and losing, to a Premier League rival in Spurs, as they simply wouldn’t be able to live it down in the future.

If Liverpool lose to the north London outfit, they will hear about it every season for the rest of their lives when the two clubs face each other in the league, and the embarrassment of losing to a team participating in their first Champions League final would be unbearable for many fans – even more so given the fact Jurgen Klopp’s men are five-time winners.

Let’s see what the fearful Liverpool supporters on Twitter have been saying about the situation…

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According to L’Equipe, via Get French Football News, Manchester United aren’t ready to make a move for €100m-rated (£88m) Lyon midfielder Tanguy Ndombele until Paul Pogba’s situation is clear, and Red Devils fans have been quick to react.

L’Equipe, via GFFN, report that United’s Premier League rivals Tottenham Hotspur and Serie A champions Juventus have made provisional contract offers for the highly-rated 22-year-old, with Lyon chairman Jean Michel Aulas valuing him at the same amount Pogba moved to Old Trafford for in 2016.

The report suggests that Ole Gunnar Solskjaer’S men are going to wait and see if the France international stays or goes this summer before potentially pursuing their interest in the Ligue 1 midfielder.

The side that finished in sixth position in the English top flight this term look to be in need of some reinforcements in the centre of the park following Ander Herrera’s departure, Fred’s struggles and with Nemanja Matic seemingly in decline, and Ndombele would be the perfect solution to the issue.

Waiting on Pogba is clearly a source of much frustration for many United supporters on Twitter, who believe that they should be looking to have both in their starting XI.

One point separated City and Liverpool but twenty-five separated them from the rest! Fans discuss who could reduce the deficit next season in the video below?

While one said “if Pogba leaves, buy him, if Pogba stays, buy him”, another said “this is why we are a finished club”.

Here is just a selection of the Twitter reaction…

Wolves rounded off their first season back in the Premier League with a loss to runners up Liverpool at Anfield.

It was a defeat which saw the Midlands outfit finish in an impressive 7th place in the Premier League, Wolves have shown well and truly that you can come into the top flight and make a big impression.

Manager Nuno Santo has been a breath of fresh air with his attacking football and no fear attitude, and with a few additions ovwither the summer we could well see Wolves challenging even higher next term and ensuring a European spot is clinched.

Wolves already have players in their squad who are more than good enough to play Champions League football, with the likes of Ruben Neves and Diogo Jota being the first two names what jump to the front of the tongue.

The Molineux outfit won’t be averse to spending a bit more money either, with the backing of rich owners and now a season of Premier League money under their belt, we could well see Wolves go out and add some big name and money signings to the ranks.

Obviously, there will be question marks over the dreaded ‘second season syndrome’ we so often see, but with Wolves, you get the impression that they are a club on the up and are here to stay in terms of Premier League football.

A few shrewd additions, a years experience under their belt in the top flight, and plenty of ambition and hope around the club mean that the future of Wolves – both immediate and long-term – looks in safe hands.

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Unai Emery has given a major update on Aaron Ramsey after the Arsenal midfielder sustained a hamstring injury against Napoli in the Europa League quarter-final, per The Independent.

The midfielder is set to leave the Gunners in the summer, having agreed a deal to join Juventus.

What’s the word?

Arsenal won 1-0 in Italy to qualify for the Europa League semi-finals.

Ramsey, however, was forced off the pitch after just 34 minutes, with Henrikh Mkhitaryan introduced as his replacement.

With just seven games of the season remaining – that number may rise to eight if Arsenal qualify for the Europa League final – there are doubts over whether Ramsey will feature again for the north London club.

After the match, Emery said: “His injury today can give us some matches without him. I don’t know if we’ll see him again before the end of the season.”

The Spaniard followed up by claiming: “I don’t know how long it will take him out of the team, but maybe two or three weeks.”

Arsenal’s last game of the season is scheduled for May 12th – three weeks away – so Ramsey’s situation appears to be touch-and-go.

A sad goodbye

It would be genuinely heartbreaking for supporters and Ramsey alike if being stretchered off against Napoli proves to be his last act for the club.

The 5 foot 10 Welshman has been in north London since 2008 and has made 371 appearances for the Gunners, winning three FA Cups.

With such an impeccable service record, Ramsey deserved a grander finale than this.

He may well return, of course, but if he doesn’t, fans will have already said goodbye to one of their longest-serving stars.

That, truly, would be a tragedy.

The English football system is a cruel and unforgiving machine that chews up and spits out prospective talent at an industrious rate, something former Arsenal and Leeds player Sanchez Watt will know all about.

Look away prospective footballers and hopeful parents: children at football academies are apparently more likely to ‘get hit by a meteorite’ than make it as professionals, according to Michael Calvin, author of No Hunger in Paradise: The Players. The Journey. The dream” (via Business Insider).

Even then, when the few have passed through the incomprehensible challenges of achieving football stardom, they might find themselves diving through the football leagues quicker than they can boast “I made it!”

Sanchez Watt may not have uttered these words, but he has certainly experienced an immeasurable fall from grace since graduating from Arsenal’s youth system, first swapping the Emirates for Elland Road and now settling at sixth tier Hamel Hempstead’s Vauxhall Road.

We think it is fair to say that Sanchez Watt has actually done very little to be remembered in West Yorkshire other than being painfully average during his short and uneventful residency – however, sometimes this is enough; sometimes all it takes is for a player to be that dry and disappointing that they will be etched into the minds of all those who watched them play.

Watt spent two seasons on loan at Elland Road between 2009 and 2011 from Arsenal, helping the side secure League One promotion and Championship consolidation.

In 1.992’ minutes of football he provided a bang average one goal and six assists for Leeds United (statistics provided by Transfermarkt) – but that is not what makes the once described ‘whizzkid’ by the Daily Mail an interesting case – not by a long shot.

Rather Sanchez Watt is just one of the few names we can actually recall who are a part of the much larger and widespread systemic phenomenon of former prospects being unceremoniously disposed of like spent commodities.

Following a stint at Leeds, Watt was put through the misery of a further three loans at Sheffield Wednesday, Crawley Town, and Colchester United before being released at the end of his contract – like a child would forget about its former favourite toy.

Two seasons later Watt would find himself playing in India for Kerala Blasters, not as a player who was trying to squeeze out a last few paycheques, but as one who was desperately trying to revive his career.

Just a year later he was back in the melee of the football league, first for Crawley Town, then Billericay Town, a club renowned for recruiting Premier League ‘has-beens’ like Jamie O’Hara, Paul Konchesky and Jermaine Pennant.

But even this graveyard stage showed to be a fruitless proving ground and he has since been loaned off to sixth-tier Hemel Hempstead, and though a distant desire of the football league may sit lonely in his mind, Watt surely knows the dream is over now.

It’s safe to say that West Ham supporters have experienced a rollercoaster ride of emotions in the current campaign, as they’ve gone from losing their first four Premier League games to enjoying a reasonable amount of success and they’re now struggling to ensure consistency.

Of course, there’re still a number of problems that need to be ironed over in the summer transfer window, but things are certainly looking positive at this moment in time. One area of weakness that many fans will agree needs addressing is in the middle of midfield, as Mark Noble is getting on with age and hasn’t quite cut it at times, while Pedro Obiang has been hugely disappointing and a number of injuries have taken their toll.

Interestingly, it appears as if the London club may have found a possible summer addition, as according to The Sun, Newcastle United are set to land Jonjo Shelvey in the summer, with a £20 million move back on.

Supporters have grown to love Declan Rice this season at the London Stadium, so it’s about time David Gold and David Sullivan started looking at bringing in the perfect partner for the youngster. It’s safe to say that Shelvey certainly fits the mould as he would make up for the youngster’s lack of attacking presence from open play, as well as constantly making himself available for Rice and helping out in defensive areas to make life easier for him.

According to Transfermarkt, West Ham spent £34.2 million on Felipe Anderson, £22.5 million on Issa Diop and £18 million on Andriy Yarmolenko back in the summer, so spending £20 million on a perfect partner for Rice is a no-brainer.

West Ham United fans, would you like to see Shelvey at the London Stadium? Surely he’s a better option that Mark Noble…

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Tottenham Hotspur fans have been on social media discussing a potential move for Benfica defender Alex Grimaldo in this summer’s transfer window.

According to A Bola, via Hotspur Lane Twitter account, Spurs have scouted the left-back on a number of occasions this season with the view to a potential bid.

Grimaldo came through the youth system at Barcelona, but did not make a single first-team appearance for the Spanish giants before joining Benfica in 2015.

The 23-year-old has scored an impressive seven goals and contributed six assists in 43 appearances in all competitions for his Portuguese club this season.

It would not be a surprise to see Spurs move for a new left-back this summer as neither Ben Davies nor Danny Rose have really convinced for long spells this term.

Pl>ymaker FC Exclusive: Jermaine Jenas reveals he would have snubbed Tottenham for Arsenal if they’d come knocking in 2005…

And it seems that the London club’s fans are in favour of chairman Daniel Levy pursuing Grimaldo’s signature.

A selection of the Twitter reaction can be seen below: