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Insider ExWHUEmployee has revealed that West Ham United co-owner David Sullivan is so unhappy with the club's recent transfer he may take responsibility away from David Moyes.

What's the latest on West Ham's transfer plans?

Despite spending a lot of money in the summer – well over £150m – it's not as though the Irons have been better this season.

After all, last term they made the Europa League semi-final and finished seventh, while now they are still in the Europa Conference League (one tier below) and currently sit 15th in the Premier League.

With that being the case, the club will have to carefully consider their transfer strategy and it sounds as though power will be taken away from manager Moyes if he remains in East London.

Indeed, in an update shared on The West Ham Way Podcast, Ex outlined his understanding of the situation.

He said (09:59): “What I have heard as well is that David Sullivan is so unhappy with the amount of money – the amount of his money essentially – has been wasted on transfers, that he's going to take more of a role back in transfers and appoint another sort of football director to come in and oversee it.

"If this is the case and David Moyes stays on as manager, which at the moment is still not decided, but if he does start as manager, I would think this is a massively undermining thing to appoint another football director and to take responsibility away from Moyes and take power back."

Who is the sporting director at West Ham?

Interestingly enough, back in 2018, The Guardian reported that Moyes – who was in his first spell with the Irons – would be given more influence over transfers with Sullivan taking a more hands-off approach.

Presumably, then, the Scottish manager has had a lot of say in recent dealings alongside Head of Recruitment Rob Newman.

However, when you look at a signing such as Gianluca Scamacca, who arrived for £35.5m but hasn't settled well with just three league goals to his name, it's not hard to see why Sullivan might be unhappy with the decision-making by Moyes and Newman regarding transfers

Of course, Irons legend Mark Noble is currently the sporting director but has only been in the role since January this year, so perhaps the board will want to put someone with more transfer experience into a specific role behind the scenes.

If that is the case, it will be interesting to see how Moyes reacts to this change in control he has at the club.

Barcelona may have the upper hand in the hunt for Lionel Messi as the forward prefers to continue playing at a high level in Europe, according to Kaveh Solhekol.

What's going on with Lionel Messi?

The Argentina superstar has been suspended by Paris Saint-Germain after flying to Saudi Arabia without permission, and is set to depart the club when his contract expires this summer.

It seems that the 35-year-old has three options: a move to Saudi Arabia, a move to MLS, or a return to Barcelona.

Given that Barcelona are still suffering financial problems, they would have to work hard to manouvre their wage bill in order to make space for Messi, but given that his ideal move seems to be a return to the Nou Camp, they may consider themselves in the driving seat.

Speaking on Sky Sports, Solhekol claimed that Messi still sees himself as able to compete in the Champions League, and an emotional return to Barcelona could be on the cards.

"Everything we're hearing is that he still feels that he can carry on playing at the very, very top level," he stated.

"He wants to carry on playing in Europe. Ideally he wants to carry on playing in the Champions League, so I've just got a funny feeling that if something can be sorted out with Barcelona, we would have this fairytale return of him going back to the club where his heart is."

Should Barcelona sign Messi?

Despite the hatred he is currently receiving from PSG fans, Messi has contributed 39 goals and assists in 37 games for the Parisians this season, and his performances at the World Cup showed that he can still deliver extraordinary moments at the top level.

Barcelona could have a clearout this summer, and wide players Ferran Torres, Ansu Fati and Raphinha have all been linked with moves away.

If they are able to generate funds from these attackers, they will have space for Messi to rejoin. The main question is, whether it would be worth selling three younger players for a 35-year-old.

All three players have garnered criticism at times this season, and depending on the level of bids received for them, they could all be smart sales if Messi can continue his high level of output in the short term.

If Barcelona are confident that they will not regret any of these sales, Fati in particular, given that he is a La Masia product who was handed Messi's number 10 shirt, then re-signing their greatest ever player to boost their Champions League hopes next season may be a gamble worth taking.

Brothers Union beat Kalabagan Krira Chakra by nine runs after a dramatic heist in which they took the last seven Kalabagan wickets for 15 runs at the BKSP-3 ground

Mohammad Isam18-May-2016Brothers Union pulled off a nine-run win over Kalabagan Krira Chakra, after a dramatic heist in which they took the last seven Kalabagan wickets for 15 runs at the BKSP-3 ground.Forty-five overs into their chase of 263, Kalabagan were going along swimmingly. With five overs to go, and Hamilton Masakadza batting on 109, Kalabagan required just 25 runs to win with seven wickets in hand. But when left-arm spinner Nabil Samad removed Mehrab Hossain jnr at the start of the 46th over, a crushing collapse ensued.In the next over, Mashrafe Mortaza, fresh from his 50-ball century in the last game, was caught and bowled by left-arm spinner Asif Hasan and, three balls later, Masakadza was run out by Imrul Kayes, ending his scintillating knock of 111 off 105 that had featured nine fours and a six.The wobble was well and truly on and the wickets of Tanveer Haider and Sharifullah over the next two overs left Kalabagan requiring 10 runs off the last over with two wickets in hand. Offspinner Ahmed Sadequr wrapped up proceedings with consecutive wickets off the first two balls of that over to seal a remarkable come-from-behind victory.Having been asked to bat first, Brothers had moved to 162 for 1 in the 32nd over, courtesy a 126-run second-wicket stand between Imrul Kayes (67) and captain Tushar Imran (77). They then lost 5 for 42 over the next 11.5 overs, before Nur Alam’s 13-ball 23 helped them to their final score of 262 all out.In reply, Kalabagan’s openers, Shadman Islam and Jashimuddin scored 30 runs apiece, before a 122-run third-wicket stand between Masakadza and Tasamul Haque took the side to a commanding position. Tasamul’s dismissal made it 210 for 3 in 41.4 overs, but Kalabagan’s meltdown in the last five handed Brothers a nine-run win.Masakadza, meanwhile, signed off from the Dhaka Premier League with a second century and a Player-of-the-Match award. He returns to Harare to prepare for the first ODI series under his captaincy, against India next month. He will leave as the highest scorer of the competition.Cricket Coaching School(CCS) registered their first win in the Dhaka Premier League after they beat Victoria Sporting Club by 53 runs through the D/L method at the Fatullah Cricket Stadium. The loss prevented Victoria from taking the lead in the points table after seven rounds of matches.Chasing 260, Victoria’s openers got off to a brisk start, but both fell within the first seven overs. Victoria were 72 for 2 off 10 overs when rain interrupted play for the first time. However, the passage of play between the first and second rain interruptions totally derailed the chase, as four wickets fell for 24 runs in the space of 7.4 overs.When play resumed, the target was revised to 253 in 35 overs as per the D/L method, which left Victoria with another 157 to get in 17.2 overs. Captain Nadif Chowdhury scored a 44-ball 50 and Dolar Mahmud chipped in with a 17-ball 29 at No. 10, but it was all in a losing cause as Victoria was bowled out for 199 in the 32nd over. Left-arm spinner Saleh Ahmed Shawon was the destroyer-in-chief, finishing with figures of 4 for 15 off seven overs, which earned him the Player-of-the-Match award.Batting first, CCS had marched to 200 for 2 in the 41st over after Saif Hassan scored 78 off 79 and the other three top-four batsmen scored 40-odd each. That was followed by a collapse in the last ten overs as Kamrul Islam Rabbi and Sri Lankan left-arm spinner Chaturanga de Silva ripped through the middle and lower orders to finish with four wickets apiece. De Silva’s four took his wicket tally for the tournament to 19. CCS slumped to 259 all out, but that proved to be more than enough as Victoria got nowhere near.The match between Sheikh Jamal Dhanmondi Club and Gazi Group Cricketers at the Shere Bangla National Stadium was interrupted by rain and will continue on the reserve day, on May 19. When play was called off for the day, Gazi Group Cricketers were 83 for 3 in 16.1 overs, chasing a D/L-adjusted target of 196 in 38 overs. The highlight of the day was Mohammad Sharif’s hat-trick, which helped restrict Sheikh Jamal to 168 for 9 in their 38 overs.

Manchester United are one of several teams expected to bid "at any moment" for Sporting CP defender Goncalo Inacio, according to reports in Portugal.

Who are Manchester United linked with?

The Red Devils will be hard at work this summer as they look to close the gap on Manchester City and Arsenal. Erik ten Hag's first season in charge will surely be seen as a success if they can wrap up top four along with a domestic cup – or potentially two – but the next task is to kick on and mount a serious challenge for the Premier League title.

Jude Bellingham is reportedly a target of potential new owner Sheikh Jassim, while a striker is surely top of the priority list, with links popping up to the likes of Napoli's Victor Osimhen and Tottenham's Harry Kane.

The manager is clearly keen to bolster the spine of his team, as reports in Portugal now suggest he is also chasing a central defender. According to Record, via Sport Witness, Ten Hag "intends to sign" one new centre-back this year and Sporting's Inacio is "on the list".

The 21 year-old, who currently has a release clause of €45m (£40m), is "one of the most wanted defenders in Europe" due to his ability to play on either side despite being left-footed. Sporting are currently trying to increase his release clause in a new contract, as they fear "a proposal may arrive at any moment" from the Red Devils or another suitor.

Should Man United sign Inacio?

In Lisandro Martinez and Raphael Varane – despite both currently being out injured – Ten Hag has his first-choice pairing for the forseeable future. However, Varane is now in his thirties and the fact both players are struggling with fitness is a clear indicator of the need for improved squad depth when playing in four competitions.

Inacio, 21, could be the perfect candidate to come in as a back-up option at first, slowly maturing into Varane's replacement. Perhaps what stands out most about the youngster is his elite mentality, which was praised by his former coach Jose Lima:

"The psychological aspect is one of his great strengths, as he shows a lot of calm in any situation, in addition to his technical skills. He manages to show that he is completely calm playing and that is a great asset for him and for the team."

Ranking strongly in all of FBRef's ball-playing metrics for centre-backs, the Portugul international clearly has the coolness to keep a calm head under the bright lights of one of the biggest clubs in world football, and we think he would be an excellent signing for Ten Hag this summer.

Insider ExWHUEmployee has revealed that West Ham United are keen on signing 16-year-old youngster Makise Evans in the summer.

What's the latest West Ham transfer news?

It seems as though the Premier League club could be looking to bolster their squad for the long-term with their scouts keeping an eye on England's lower divisions hoping to seek out top talents.

And in Evans, the Hammers may have found a pretty exciting teenager. Indeed, the Stevenage youngster has been dubbed a "wonderkid" by journalist Neil Metcalfe in a recent article for The Comet.

In that same piece, manager Steve Evans spoke about how the youngster was already ready to make an impact at senior level in League Two prior to the Boro's weekend clash against Mansfield Town.

He said: "It is important to see who is improving and progressing and Makise is one of those who has been jumping up and down with his performances and attitude.

"He goes on merit and may start. If he doesn’t, he’ll be on the bench, and he is taking the place of a senior player so I am not doing this lightly.

"I am doing it as he has a very bright future and he may even have a very bright present."

The boss was true to his word, with 16-year-old Evans making his debut off the bench last weekend. And despite only being at the very start of his career, West Ham already seem to be keen on signing the young talent.

Indeed, when talking on the latest episode of The West Ham Way, Ex revealed: "Another youngster that we've been looking at as well, plays for Stevenage, and he's called Makise Evans. He's a 16-year-old and he's meant to have done really well this season.

"But he's definitely someone that we've apparently had a look at and is someone that we are considering signing now."​​​​​

Will Makise Evans join West Ham?

It's too early to say yet if he will definitely arrive, but Evans is clearly on the club's radar and it seems as though he isn't the only youngster West Ham are keeping tabs on ahead of this summer.

Indeed, Ex also recently revealed that 17-year-old Cliftonville winger Sean Moore is close to arriving. He said: "The deal is reported to be an initial down payment of £170k which could raise to £500k depending on appearances and milestones being met, as well as a profitable sell-on clause for the Northern Irish club included.

"West Ham are said to have beaten a number of clubs to his signature. "

It will certainly be interesting to keep an eye on these two youngsters as they develop over the next few years. Who knows, maybe they'll both take to the pitch together in West Ham colours somewhere down the line.

The 49ers Enterprises’ proposed takeover of Leeds United “is essentially done” but is “contingent” on the club remaining in the Premier League, David Ornstein reports.

What’s the latest Leeds takeover news on the 49ers?

The 49ers have the option to take full control in Yorkshire from Andrea Radrizzani until January 2024. Phil Hay stated last month that a takeover was looking likely this summer, although recent reports have suggested that there are genuine fears relegation could see the American investors walk away from a proposed deal.

Reliable reporter Ornstein was talking to NBC Sports Soccer prior to on Monday evening regarding Leeds’ future and a potential 49ers takeover.

Relayed by MOT Leeds News, Ornstein said that a takeover “is essentially done”, however, it is “contingent on Leeds being in the Premier League”, stating that financially, relegation would be “massive”.

“The cost of relegation would be massive for them and that’s why we’re on tenterhooks here: ‘If we’re interested in Leeds United not only from a financial perspective but from a football one as well.’

“I understand that the deal is essentially done but it’s contingent on Leeds being in the Premier League, retaining their status in the Premier League and that’s why it makes their survival so important.”

Huge few months both on and off the pitch

Leeds find themselves in a similar position to last season on the pitch with seven games remaining, and relegation could impact the club hugely going forward.

It appears as if there could well be a rethink from the 49ers if Leeds go down, but if Javi Gracia guides the Whites to a fourth season in the top flight, it would be all change at the top.

Therefore, it looks set to be an eventful few months both on and off the pitch no matter what, and Radrizzani may well be desperate for the club to stay up so he can sell and move on, possibly to a share in Inter Milan after recent speculation.

Arsenal's squad have been largely faultless this season, with a group of high-quality players all finally pulling in the same direction.

This is far from groundbreaking when challenging for a Premier League title, but given the tumultuous dressing rooms that the Emirates has played host to over the years, this turnaround has been sensational.

Mikel Arteta has fostered such an environment through the ruthless culling of those he did not deem worthy, and the additions of some experienced positivity in the form of Gabriel Jesus and Oleksandr Zinchenko.

Some of the more notable casualties of the Spaniard's early regime were Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang and Mesut Ozil, both of whom were at one point vital to the team and fan favourites.

However, their work-shy natures did not resonate with the revolution, and they had to go.

Whilst most of the business done since his 2020 appointment would deservedly be lauded, it is actually the first transfer of the Arteta reign that has arguably fallen the flattest. The decision to sign an unknown Spanish centre-back for £12m may have raised eyebrows at the time, but few could have predicted just how troublesome Pablo Mari would find adapting to the English game.

Subsequent loans have only served to elongate his failing spell in north London, which must come to an end this summer.

Will Pablo Mari leave this summer?

Having moved to the Emirates with little reputation, it quickly became clear that the 29-year-old would be nothing more than a squad player after making just ten league appearances in his debut campaign.

This is a figure that would only dwindle the season following, leading to the first of two loans he has endured.

Having spent the whole current season in Italy playing for Monza, his 6.85 average rating is solid if unspectacular. However, with the likes of William Saliba and Gabriel Magalhaes for competition back at his parent club, it is far from the required level the defender needs to be at to actually challenge for a place.

At this rate, the £88k-per-week dud will leave north London having made a total of 22 appearances for the club, perhaps for the best.

The legacy left would be a virtually anonymous one, perhaps even marking him out as a worse signing than Shokdran Mustafi.

Although often ridiculed for his shocking performances, of which there were plenty, the German defender was far from as bad as people make out. In his debut season, fresh from winning the World Cup, the £35m stopper averaged a 7.14 rating.

Throughout the four full years he enjoyed at Arsenal, that average figure would drop no lower than 6.97.

Whilst the 30-year-old will always be remembered for his high-profile blunders, he was not nearly as "really poor" – as once claimed by football.london reporter Kaya Kaynak – as Mari has been.

Amid Everton's current battle to stave off relegation, one concern for manager Sean Dyche will be the lack of a reliable, experienced option at left-back, with Ben Godfrey having been deployed as something of a makeshift option in recent games.

While the recent draw with Tottenham Hotspur did see the Englishman impress due to his 'athleticism and physicality' – according to the Echo's Chris Beesley – the 25-year-old does need to show 'more composure at times', with that perhaps stemming from the fact that the former Norwich City man is typically suited to a centre-back berth.

The fact that the York native is starting ahead of usual full-back Vitaliy Mykolenko is a marker of the latter man's struggles during his time in England to date, with the former Dynamo Kyiv ace – who arrived at Goodison on a £17.9m deal in January 2022 – having been described as the "defensive weak link" in the side by journalist Richard Buxton.

Those woes are laid bare by the fact that the Ukrainian has won just 49% of his total duels this season and been dribbled past on average 0.6 times per game from his 28 Premier League appearances, having notably looked 'slightly out of his depth' in the Merseyside derby defeat earlier this year, according to 90min's Jude Summerfield.

The 23-year-old has also been unable to make his mark in an attacking sense after failing to provide a single goal involvement in the league this season, with it hard to see just what the 5 foot 11 man is offering to Dyche and co.

As such, the former Burnley boss no doubt wishes he was able to call upon a beloved figure of the club's past in the form of Leighton Baines, with the now-retired ace likely to have made a real impact on this struggling side when in his prime.

How good was Leighton Baines?

While the Merseysiders have also had Lucas Digne on their books in recent years, even the current Aston Villa man was unable to get anywhere close to emulating the brilliant consistency of Baines at left-back, with the former England international having enjoyed a stellar 13-year stint at the club as a player.

Now working with the club's youth stars following his retirement in 2020, the 38-year-old was initially snapped up from Wigan Athletic by David Moyes back in 2007, with the Scotsman able to strike a deal for what proved to be a bargain price of just £6m.

Despite attracting attention throughout his time at Goodison – having notably been the subject of an offer from Manchester United in 2013 following Moyes' move to Old Trafford – the Kirkby-born ace remained loyal to the club for over a decade, repeatedly churning out impressive displays down the left flank.

Hailed as "unbelievable" by ex-teammate Steve Pienaar in 2019, Baines was something of an attacking weapon from his full-back berth, having ended his Premier League career with 32 goals and 53 assists to his name – the latter tally currently the second-most of any defender in the competition's history.

With a "wand of a left foot" – in the words of pundit Kevin Phillips – the 30-cap menace was able to cause carnage both from open play and from set pieces, with Dyche likely to love having such a creative asset in his ranks.

As Phillips also noted, the 5 foot 7 machine is a true club "legend" and was always a "nine out of ten every week", with such consistency a rare commodity – particularly over such a lengthy period of time.

While Everton do need to look to the future and try and sort out the mess that they have found themselves in, it is rather frustrating that they can't call upon legendary figures of the past, like Baines, to revive their fortunes.

Leicester City are reportedly interested in making Graham Potter their new manager after Brendan Rodgers' exit over the weekend.

Who will replace Rodgers at Leicester?

The Foxes have found themselves in a terrible run of form recently, getting into a relegation scrap and now sitting in 19th place in the Premier League table. Saturday's 2-1 defeat away to Crystal Palace proved to be the end of the road for Rodgers, who left by mutual consent the following day.

The Northern Irishman enjoyed a successful stint at the King Power Stadium overall, famously winning the FA Cup in 2021, but it felt like the right time to make a change after things had grown increasingly stagnant.

The hard work now begins to find a successor to Rodgers, with the appointment needing to be nailed, in order for Leicester to avoid relegation to the Championship. A host of names are likely to be linked with the job in the coming days, but it looks as though the Foxes are potentially lining up one individual already, following a fresh update.

Could Potter head to Leicester?

According to The Daily Mail, Leicester "would be interested to know" Potter's plans after being sacked as Chelsea boss on Sunday night, in what was yet another managerial casualty. It is claimed that the 47-year-old was "admired by the Leicester hierarchy long before he moved to Chelsea" and he looks like a potential front-runner to take charge, with Khun Top on his way to Leicester.

It is "unclear" whether or not the Englishman would want a new job immediately, but if he is intending to wait until the summer, he is "likely be top of their long-term list".

Potter could be a perfect appointment by Leicester – hopefully as soon as possible – with the Chelsea job such a poisoned chalice that it is harsh to be too judgmental of his time there. Instead, it is better to assess how much he worked wonders at Brighton, playing some great football and earning praise for his tactical acumen, with one unnamed player during his Swansea City days hailing him as a "genius".

There is still the talent there at Leicester for a new manager to get the best out of, from Youri Tielemans to James Maddison, and Potter looks like the best available option to fill the Rodgers' shaped void, hopefully coming in straight away and steering them clear of dangers, or joining in the summer if they have avoided relegation.

Tottenham managerial candidate Mauricio Pochettino has been given an ‘advantage’ in the race to succeed Antonio Conte, according to reports.

The Lowdown: Spurs draw shortlist…

Spurs have reportedly got to work on finding a replacement for their current head coach behind-the-scenes with sporting director Fabio Paratici apparently mapping out a succession plan.

Among the names being considered for the role, Pochettino is a standout candidate given his Premier League experience, popularity at Spurs and proven record.

However, the Argentine faces stiff competition from a host of other names who could also be in contention for the Tottenham hot seat.

Indeed, it has been reported by reliable outlets that Roberto De Zerbi, Luis Enrique, Thomas Tuchel, Marco Silva and Thomas Frank are also in the frame.

This comes after Conte’s vicious post-Southampton rant last weekend, where he publicly attacked his Spurs squad, the Lilywhites board and very culture of Tottenham.

The Latest: Pochettino given Spurs ‘advantage’…

According to Football Insider, Pochettino may now be ahead of other contenders in the race to become Tottenham’s next boss.

Their sources claim ‘panic’ is setting in among the Spurs hierarchy which hands the 51-year-old an ‘advantage’ for the hots seat.

Pochettino’s return is seen as the club’s best opportunity to keep star striker Harry Kane from leaving.

As such, chairman Daniel Levy could make the tactician his top target in an ‘ambitious’ plan to sway Kane.

The Verdict: Make the move…

Regardless of the situation surrounding Kane, we believe Pochettino should certainly be Tottenham’s top managerial target anyway.

Spurs players have even reportedly called for the ex-Paris Saint-Germain boss to make a return to Hotspur Way, contacting him personally.

It appears the squad are heavily in favour of a Pochettino reunion and it’s not hard to see why given his brilliant record at the club on limited resources.

The former Southampton manager went a very long period without any sufficient transfer backing but still somehow managed to guide Tottenham to a 2019 Champions League final.

Pochettino, called a ‘ruthless’ tactician by members of the national media, would also come back to Tottenham with far better know-how.

Clinching a Ligue 1 title with PSG last year, experience working with some of football’s biggest superstars like Lionel Messi and Neymar will have only added to his credentials.

Pochettino’s status as a free agent also makes this potential move a very low-risk option financially bar contract and salary demands.