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Manuel Pellegrini has revealed a big development on the fitness of Jack Wilshere, telling West Ham’s official site that the midfielder will be back to full fitness soon.

The former Arsenal midfielder has played for the club just five times this season.

What’s the word?

Wilshere played the opening four games of the club’s season as the Hammers lost to Liverpool, AFC Bournemouth, Arsenal and Wolverhampton Wanderers before sustaining an ankle injury.

A return against Newcastle United was short-lived as he played five minutes before being forced to undergo ankle surgery.

That game took place in January and he has been on the sidelines thereafter, missing 19 Premier League encounters.

And Pellegrini, speaking before the Hammers’ encounter with Manchester United, has confirmed that the 27-year-old will soon be back in the squad.

He told reporters: “Jack Wilshere is almost ready.

“He played one game for the U23s last week and hopefully he’ll play another one.

“Next week, I think that he’ll be working 100 per cent with our squad.”

Leave him out

Wilshere should be nowhere near West Ham’s starting XI.

He may well be fit but he has shown in his appearances for the club that his legs may well have gone.

Wilshere is not a player who has the ability to change games for the Hammers and Pellegrini should resist the urge to throw the ex-Arsenal star into the team.

The fact of the matter, at the end of the day, is that he cannot be trusted to stay fit.

And throwing Wilshere back into the fold is a lose-lose situation; at worst, he sustains another injury, at best, he has only a middling impact on a team that is already struggling for consistency.

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Tottenham Hotspur fans have reacted with genuine delight to the VAR controversies that characterised the club’s Champions League quarter-final clash with Manchester City.

Spurs progressed to the semi-finals on away goals despite a 4-3 defeat on the night at the Etihad Stadium.

A crazy opening 25 minutes saw five goals scored as Spurs and City traded blows in a classic encounter.

Raheem Sterling scored a brace, with his second appearing to give Pep Guardiola’s men the lead they needed to progress.

However, Fernando Llorente’s goal in the second half, which appeared to strike his arm, sent Spurs through, with a VAR review allowing the strike to stand.

Sterling then appeared to complete his hat-trick in the final stages of injury time, to send City through, only for VAR to disallow the strike for an offside in the build-up.

Spurs fans could not believe the reversal in their fortunes, as they will now play in their first Champions League semi-final in a generation, against Dutch giants Ajax.

And loads of supporters have expressed their delight at VAR, with many reacting with declarations of love.

Take a look at the best of the reaction below!

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It’s no secret that right-wing is a problem position for Manchester United and the club’s acute awareness of their own shortcomings looks certain to dictate their transfer strategy in the summer window.

What’s the word?

United have an abundance of left-sided attacking players on their ranks but a distinct shortage on the opposite flank.

A lack of quality options on the right-wing has stimulated plenty of speculation linking the club with a move for Jadon Sancho.

According to a report published by The Independent at the start of the month, United have made the England international their number one transfer target ahead of the upcoming window, with a fee of £100 million plus add-ons required to lure him away from Borussia Dortmund.

That obscene transfer fee doesn’t appear to be stifling any interest from Old Trafford despite the fact Nicolas Pepe could represent a more affordable option.

According to CIES Football Observatory, the electric winger, who has scored 20-goals in all-competitions so far this season, is valued at €52 million (£44.9 million).

At less than half the price it would take to sign Sancho it seems foolish for Ed Woodward and Ole Gunnar Solskjaer to prioritise the signing of Dortmund’s crown jewel, but Ian McGarry has revealed why Pepe isn’t an ideal option.

While speaking on The Transfer Window podcast (26:27), the former journalist, who now works as a football operations and communications consultant, had some very interesting things to say about United’s interest in Pepe and Sancho.

“Pepe is not the kind of player who is under the radar in any way, he’s been starring for Lille for a while and just this season he has been watched for the club in person by Manchester United, Arsenal, Tottenham and Everton.”

And McGarry later went on to add (27:10): “I think Manchester United are shooting themselves in the foot a little bit by focusing on a very overpriced bid for Jadon Sancho, seemingly on the back of his form for England as well obviously as Dortmund.

“But the fact he’s English makes him A more expensive and B apparently much more attractive.

“There is an issue with Pepe being Ivorian and playing for the Ivory Coast because of the EU regulations for the Premier League restricting the amount of non-EU players you can have in your 25-man squad.

“But with regard to Manchester United I’d have thought getting rid of one non-EU player wouldn’t have been difficult, i.e. Alexis Sanchez immediately comes to mind. So I think United will probably lose out on this one.”

Alexis Sanchez ties United’s hands

Pepe is almost guaranteed to be a man in high demand this summer. That McGarry has revealed as many as four Premier League clubs have watched him in action this season is telling about how highly he is rated on the continent.

But it seems that United will have to park their interest due to his nationality, which is a massive, massive shame.

Premier League rules naturally dictate but it’s difficult to escape the feeling that United have backed themselves into a corner with Sanchez.

His presence at the club is already financially draining enough considering the size of his £350,000 per week contract, and it now seems the Red Devils could be forced to splurge £100 million on Sancho instead of targeting a more cost-effective deal for Pepe.

It seems the financial implications of Snachez’s disastrous spell at Man United continue to manifest themselves within their transfer strategy.

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According to The Sun (16/04, page 59), Brendan Rodgers is targeting Hull’s Jarrod Bowen in a deal which could be worth as much as £15m.

The winger has been a revelation in the Championship this season, bagging 21 goals in 43 appearances from the right-hand side.

Leicester spent big on James Maddison last summer from another Championship side in Norwich for a fee believed to be £20m, so a deal for Bowen would be very similar.

However, with healthy competition in wide areas already, would signing Bowen be detrimental to Harvey Barnes’ development? Football FanCast writers give their verdict.

Jack Saville

“No I don’t see Bowen doing anything to damage Barnes’ development. It’s clear from Rodgers’ team selections that he prefers to deploy Barnes on the left side of his attack and Bowen has thrived on the opposite flank at Hull City. Demarai Gray could be in trouble, though, as the signing of Bowen could force him back onto the first-team fringes.”

Harry Sherlock

“I’m not convinced that squad depth is a bad thing. Leicester need to freshen up their reserves of talent and Bowen is a fine talent. They may well face competition, however, with Spurs long credited with an interest. Competition can only be good, and pushing two youngsters to compete for each other’s place can only lead to sparkling performances. It would be a smart move to bring Bowen in – he’s English, homegrown and clearly ready to make the step up. If Harvey Barnes is as good as many think, he’ll cope just fine.”

James Beavis

“It would be detrimental in terms of him not getting regular starts in my opinion. Should Leicester sign Bowen and a new striker this summer, they will then have those two, Barnes, Jamie Vardy and Demarai Gray all fighting for a spot in Brendan Rodgers’ starting XI. Barnes has hardly hit the ground running so far with two assists in 12 Premier League appearances, and he needs to improve to be a consistent name on the team-sheet. Should Bowen sign, another loan move away beckons for the 21-year-old. Exactly what he would have been dreading.”

Matt Dawson

“I personally think that Bowen is the type of player that Leicester have been crying out for. Since Mahrez left they’ve struggled for much creativity in wider areas but the Hull man possesses that in abundance. Competition for places is never a bad thing and as a result, I don’t think it would hinder Barnes too much. By having the pairing on either wing, alongside Maddison, it would set the Foxes up very nicely for the future. It’s a signing Rodgers simply has to make.”

According to an exclusive from Team Talk, Wolves are set to make an attempt to sign Manchester United’s Victor Lindelof. Despite an unconvincing spell in England so far, he could be the man to take Nuno Santo’s team to the next level.

What’s the word?

Lindelof has been in and out of the Man United team in recent weeks with manager Ole Gunnar Solsjkaer desperately trying to find a way to resolve his team’s defensive issues.

The Swede hasn’t look very convincing in English football after making a mega-money move for £31m from Benfica.

But, Wolves now look set to try and bring him to the Midlands. Per Team Talk, Nuno is to make a renewed effort to bring him to Molineux with United seriously considering their defensive options.

Wolves were initially interested in the 24-year-old last May when Team Talk reported that they’d submitted two alternative proposals to sign the player. That came after The Sun claimed United had made him available on loan.

Lindelof exactly what Wolves need

Willy Boly and Conor Coady have both been brilliant for Wolves this term but they are lacking another consistent centre half in their three-man defence.

Nuno has rotated Romain Saiss and Ryan Bennett in the right centre-back spot this season but both have been inconsistent.

The addition of a top centre back is exactly what they need. Lindelof hasn’t set the world alight in English football but has shown glimpses on occasions of why United paid so much for him.

For a team like Wolves, he’d be a fantastic addition and he could be the man to take them to the next level. That level, of course, is the top six, and although defence isn’t their main priority, it would certainly make them more solid.

If Lindelof were to make the move to the Midlands then he could relish the opportunity of being a big fish in a small pond and thrive under Nuno.

A client of Jorge Mendes, Wolves fans should take comfort from the fact a number of his players have already thrived at Wolves.

[ad_pod ]Leeds boss Marcelo Bielsa has revealed that he isn’t adverse to staying at the club even if they don’t get promoted to the Premier League.

These comments put smiles on the faces of fans but perhaps they should have caused alarm bells to ring in their heads instead.

What’s been said then?

The Whites manager provided what seemed like a massive boost to all Leeds fans with his comments in Friday’s presser.

The Argentine somewhat quashed rumours that he would depart the club if they failed to gain promotion to the Premier League this season.

The 63-year-old has gained a reputation for not sticking with teams for an extended period, his lengthiest spell at a club was with Athletic Bilbao where he lasted just two years, managing 112 games during that time.

HeÂadmitted that he isn’t opposed to spending another year in the Championship, which will surely delight the supporters.

How could his words be interpreted?

Although this update may seem like a positive one on the surface, it is actually swarmed with negativity.

Bielsa shouldn’t be talking about spending next season in the Championship just a week before his team embarks on a playoff run that could see them promoted to the Premier League.

For the first time all season the Leeds boss is showing signs that he doesn’t have faith in his squad to get the job done. It’s no surprise as he has watched from the sideline as his team have picked up just one point from their last three league games – a run which ruined their chances of automatic promotion.

Keeping the former Marseille boss next season was always going to be a priority for the club, and this update provides a massive boost on that front.

Although, it does go to show the mood around the club at this moment is drab as even Bielsa isn’t hopeful of his team’s chances anymore.

Unai Emery has shown fans the direction he wants to take the club in over the next few years, but there’s some deadwood he needs to get rid of first. Indeed, top of that list is surely Stephan Lichtsteiner.

Frankly, he’s been a complete waste of space since arriving at the Emirates this summer. As soon as he signed the contract there were moans from Gunners’ fans and it’s easy to see why.

The 35-year-old was clearly bought for the short-term. But then it’s hoped a player can at least produce for a season or two until a younger replacement is found. Well, that’s not been the case at all and now he just needs to leave.

Arsenal, famously restricted when it comes to wages after a certain Mesut Ozil of course, reportedly give the Swiss £75kp/w (as per SpotRac) and that’s really baffling. All that’s been done now, though, and the club have reportedly realised what a mistake it was.

Goal have claimed, to no surprise, he’ll be released in summer and fans will be delighted.

If anything, he’s done more harm than good because when he has played he’s made the defence look miles weaker than a younger, more energetic player would have done. Arsenal certainly haven’t been known for their defending over the last few years, but he’s taken them to the next level.

The Swiss international signed far too late in his career, and he’ll know himself he’s done nowhere near enough to earn a new contract.

It’s time to bring someone in who’s around 15 years younger…

Arsenal fans, who do you think your club should sign to replace Lichtsteiner? Join the discussion by commenting below.

It’s safe to say without Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang, Arsenal would not be doing as well as they should be this season.

Arsene Wenger’s final signing as Gunners boss has been without question had a massive impact on the Arsenal XI, scoring 31 goals this season alone and recently being named the Premier League’s Golden Boot winner alongside Mohamed Salah and Sadio Mane, but time isn’t on the north London team’s side.

Approaching 30-years-old, Aubameyang isn’t going to be prolific forever for Arsenal and the club could be hindered if they don’t identify a successor sooner rather than later, and one interesting name has popped up.

According to football.london, the Gunners are interested in Eintracht Frankfurt striker Sebastien Haller, who has been one of the driving forces behind the Bundesliga’s incredible rise in the past few seasons.

The French attacker has put up impressive numbers for Adi Hutter’s team this season, scoring 19 and assisting 12 in 40 appearances for Frankfurt, and Haller could be Arsenal’s long-term successor for Aubameyang.

At 24, Haller has the best years of his career ahead of him and if Arsenal are able to acquire his services soon, the club will be set for the striker position in years to come.

With a Transfermarkt valuation of £36 million, the striker is well within the range of what Arsenal can afford this summer, and that value is only going to go up the longer Haller remains at Frankfurt.

Aubameyang has been immense since joining Arsenal 18 months ago, and identifying his successor is a long-term plan that will be crucial to how the Gunners progress as a club, and in Haller, the north London side have a player who can fill the mantle in the future.

Arsenal fans, could Haller replace Aubameyang? Let us know!

It’s been a while since Adam Lallana has had a significant impact on the Liverpool team, and it’s still a surprise that the playmaker is still at the club.

The former Southampton captain has long been a forgotten man at Anfield, once a key player, Lallana is now merely a squad member at best and a figure who Liverpool fans can be excused off for forgetting he still played on Merseyside.

Lallana has been in need of a move for some time now, and this summer could be the period we finally see the former England Player of the Year make the move away from Liverpool as, according to the Express, the playmaker could be set to leave the club and return to former side Southampton.

It will be a much-needed move not just for Lallana, who deserves a return to regular Premier League football after sitting on the sidelines for so long, but also for Liverpool, who can do with shaving some excess wage off the bill as well as downsizing their midfield pool this summer.

The reported £13 million move will be a financial loss on Liverpool’s part, who signing Lallana for a reported fee of £25 million back in 2014, but a £12 million loss will be worth it for the club who desperately need to move on the 31-year-old playmaker.

Liverpool have failed to be ruthless enough in the past few windows with Lallana, but now is the time to move on the playmaker who has hardly featured for the club and is in need of a new start somewhere else.

Liverpool fans, should have Lallana been sold in previous transfer windows? Let us know!

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Maxi Gomez is seemingly a really hot product on the market as multiple Premier League giants are wrestling to get his signature, as per Daily Star’s most recent report.

Naturally, any sort of movement on the transfer market has Tottenham Hotspur fans all rallied up and eager to finally get a sniff at a potential purchase.

While a few of them are still sceptical about the transfer happening in the first place and have taken to social media and Twitter to express their doubts, some want Daniel Levy to make a move for the highly-rated front-man.

The fee is reported to be £43m if the release clause is to be paid by Spurs, who are apparently leading the hunt for Gomez’s services.

Of course, the media have done their part in planting the seeds of doubts in the minds of fans since Tottenham are no strangers to all kinds of links to all kinds of targets almost on a daily basis – their recent transfer history doesn’t really help, either.

You can see their mixed feelings to the potential swoop in the tweets below…