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Insider ExWHUemployee has slammed the West Ham United board, who are supposedly hesitant to sack manager David Moyes and hire a new boss due to the financial cost of his compensation.

What’s the latest on David Moyes and WHUFC?

After a humiliating 4-0 drubbing at the hands of Brighton in the Premier League over the weekend, the Hammers’ season took another step in the wrong direction.

Indeed, they now sit just one point above the relegation zone and understandably club manager Moyes is under an ever-growing amount of pressure.

However, the latest reports suggest that the board remain by the 59-year-old. While talking on The West Ham Way podcast, Ex confirmed this but also revealed that this was partly due to financial reasons.

He explained: “The words I have been given is he’s under pressure but still 100% backed. So they’re still behind him.

“They think there’s very few alternatives out there and any process to get an alternative – I.e. sacking Moyers and having to pay compensation and then either having to pay the compensation for a manager that’s got a club or pay high wages for a top manager that hasn’t got a club – is beyond what the finances they want to spend.

“Which really is ridiculous because obviously, the loss of finances by getting relegated would far outweigh that.”

What does the West Ham board’s stance on Moyes mean?

It feels as though Moyes has lost a big section of support from within the club’s fanbase. After all, at Brighton the away end sang toward their own manager: “You’re getting sacked in the morning”.

That certainly doesn’t bode well and even while the board may want to stand by him, if the supporters all turn, it won’t take long before things really become toxic at West Ham.

As per Transfermarkt, Moyes has a contract that runs until 2024, so he would have to be paid a decent chunk of compensation if he is sacked. And obviously, whoever they bring in to replace him will cost a pretty penny regardless of their current situation (unless they opted to make an internal hire by promoting an assistant coach or someone like that).

But even though it might cost the club in the short term to change managers, if the board do nothing and allow the Hammers to drop out of the Premier League, that would no doubt be far more damaging financially.

Insider ExWHUemployee has revealed that West Ham United winger Jarrod Bowen should be fit to play in the club’s next game amid an injury scare.

What’s the latest on Jarrod Bowen and his WHUFC injury?

Things have not been going well of late for the Hammers and their inconsistent form was well summed up on Sunday afternoon as they slumped to defeat in the Premier League.

Indeed, goals from Emerson Royal and Son Heung-min gave Tottenham Hotspur a comfortable 2-0 win which saw David Moyes’ men end the week inside the relegation zone.

On top of that, key winger Bowen suffered a knock after the defeat and while he did not come off, he appeared to finish the game in notable discomfort.

However, in an update on The West Ham Way podcast, Ex revealed that the Englishman should be fine to play in the club’s next game.

He said: “Bowen received a knock at the end of the game against Spurs.

“Apparently he’s fine as well and should be available for Nottingham Forest.”

What does the Bowen injury news mean for West Ham?

After the game, his manager slammed the challenge that lead to Bowen’s injury noting that it should have been a yellow card. Moyes told the press: “I thought it was a poor decision that it wasn’t a yellow card. I thought it was very simple.

“This was a whack around the shins to me. I was a long way away, so I might be wrong but my first thought, and I’ve not had a chance to see it again, my first thought was it was a pretty clear booking.”

Seeing as the club have a big game against Nottingham Forest at home coming up this weekend, they’ll certainly hope to have Bowen fit. Indeed, a win would leave West Ham just two behind Steve Cooper’s men who are currently 13th in the league.

With that in mind, Moyes will no doubt be relieved to have his winger fit and ready for the game. After all, the 26-year-old has started every league game so far this term, scoring four times and proving two assists.

Wolverhampton Wanderers produced arguably their finest performance of the season by defeating a shellshocked Liverpool 3-0 at Molineux on Saturday, and the result reverberated around the Premier League, with the result a major statement of intent towards their relegation rivals that the Old Gold are ready to remain in the top flight.

Julen Lopetegui delivered a tactical masterclass against the Reds, and goals from Ruben Neves, Craig Dawson and a Joel Matip own goal surely has Jurgen Klopp fearing the worst for the rest of the season for his beleagured Liverpool side.

Despite signing the likes of Mario Lemina, Pablo Sarabia and Matheus Cunha during the January transfer window, Saturday’s performance would suggest that capturing Dawson for a fee of just £3.3m could prove to be Lopetegui’s finest piece of business last month, and that he must be unleashed on a regular basis to save Wolves’ campaign.

The 6 foot 2 titan was thrust into action at the weekend as the 56-year-old gave him his club debut, and the defender didn’t let his boss down, delivering a stunning performance.

Displaying a striker’s instinct, he rifled the ball into the Liverpool net from inside the penalty box to give Wolves a two-goal advantage inside 12 months, and his defensive performance was superb.

He achieved a Sofascore rating of 7.6/10, ranking him as Wolves’ third-best performer on the day behind Max Kilman and Neves, while he took 59 touches and completed 89% of his passes during the match.

The 32-year-old made a staggering seven clearances, blocked two shots and made one tackle, also winning three duels, and his experience and physicality were crucial advantages which prevented Liverpool from finding the net.

Should the Molineux faithful be surprised at how well he performed, considering his vast defensive acumen and the fact he has been playing at the highest level for more than a decade? Although he didn’t enjoy the best of periods at West Ham United earlier this season, with a Sofascore rating of less than 7.0 for all but one of his final eight matches for the east London club, he was solid throughout 2021/22.

Across 34 Premier League appearances last term, Dawson won 56% of his duels and made 4.1 clearances, 0.9 interceptions and 0.9 tackles per game, ranking as the seventh-best performer in the West Ham squad.

David Moyes described him as a “warrior” following a Europa Conference League match against Silkeborg at the beginning of the season, and Lopetegui certainly seems to have pulled off a real bargain by securing the 32-year-old services for under £4m.

Saturday’s performance will give the Wolves manager some food for thought, and Dawson should now be unleashed on a regular basis as he could save his new club’s campaign and help them to avoid relegation from the Premier League.

Newcastle United have reportedly made ‘inquiries’ over signing Zenit St. Petersburg winger Malcom this month.

The Lowdown: Gordon alternative?

It has recently been reported that a deal for Newcastle to sign Everton winger Anthony Gordon is now ‘unlikely’, after he returned to Finch Farm this morning after missing the last three days of training.

If the St. James’ Park outfit are unable to get their man, then they could swiftly move on to other targets with just a few days left of the transfer window remaining, and one name has emerged as a potential alternative…

The Latest: Malcom ‘inquiries’

Taking to Twitter, Foot Mercato journalist Dahbia Hattabi says that the North East club have made ‘inquiries’ over the possibility of signing Malcom, although he has been ‘offered’ to Ligue 1 giants PSG:

“Malcom (Zenit) has been offered to PSG as announced in Spain. Newcastle have come to inquiries for the Brazilian this winter.”

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The Verdict: Nice stopgap

Malcom could be a nice stopgap signing for the Tynesiders until the summer, where they could push for Gordon again or perhaps move on to more ambitious targets, with them looking like they can secure UEFA Champions League football at the end of the season given their league position.

Once hailed as ‘hugely talented’ by football writer Ryan Baldi, Malcom was once on the books of FC Barcelona before settling in at Zenit, where he has managed an impressive 31 goals and 22 assists in 98 games, with 22 of those goal contributions coming in this season alone (Transfermarkt).

The Brazilian has also been called up by his country, although is yet to earn a senior cap, but did play six games for Brazil’s Olympic team in 2021 (Transfermarkt), scoring the winner in the final no less as they defended their title.

Nonetheless, at 25 years of age, Malcom still has a lot to offer, and could fit in well at the Magpies alongside fellow Brazilians Bruno Guimaraes and Joelinton.

Tottenham Hotspur have now set their sights on Everton goalkeeper Jordan Pickford as a long-term replacement for Hugo Lloris, according to a new report.

The Lowdown: Pickford a target for Conte

Hugo Lloris has been a loyal servant to Tottenham, making an incredible 439 appearances for the club, but he is now 36-years-old, and Antonio Conte has seemingly started to think about long-term replacements.

It has previously been reported that Pickford is the manager’s ‘main objective’ to replace the Frenchman, with the Everton man emerging as England’s first-choice keeper, making 50 caps, and there is now belief that they could tempt him into a move.

The Latest: Spurs confident

According to a report from the Mirror, Spurs are indeed targeting the 28-year-old as a successor to Lloris, and they now believe that they can tempt him, given his contract stand-off with the Toffees, yet to agree a deal to remain at Goodison beyond 2024.

The allure of playing Champions League football could entice the Englishman into the move, with his current side struggling considerably in the Premier League this season, now sitting in the relegation zone.

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The Verdict: Get it done?

While Everton are enduring a difficult campaign, the former Sunderland man has been a shining light in a poor team, ranked as the third-best average performer in the squad, with an average SofaScore rating of 7.11.

The shot-stopper has made 68 saves in the Premier League, the second-highest amount of any player, and so the Toffees are very fortunate to have him in goal, or they could be in even more danger than they already are.

Lauded as ‘sensational’ by journalist Jeff Wallner, while also being said to have ‘world class distribution’ by Nick Emms, Pickford would be the perfect successor for Lloris, and at 28 he could be a mainstay between the sticks for many years to come.

2022 has been a testing year for Chelsea: penalty shootout defeat in both the FA Cup and Carabao Cup at the hands of Liverpool; the departure of long-time endeared owner Roman Abramovich; the dismissal of Champions League-winning manager Thomas Tuchel.

And now the west London giants languish in eighth place in the Premier League 14 matches into the 2022/23 campaign, with manager Graham Potter, signed from Brighton & Hove Albion in the early stages of the season, tinkering away at a fix for the issues the side are beset with.

Having scored just 17 goals in the league – the lowest tally of any side in the top half – Chelsea have unsurprisingly been linked with a host of striking talent to slot into the fray.

Regardless of the issues, Chelsea are tenacious and determined, and still jam-packed with an abundance of supreme talent; it is a matter of time until the cogs fall into place and the Blue machine is whirring once again.

On the chalkboard

One player of high quality who can make a defining impact is Kai Havertz, with the forward returning from a disappointing World Cup campaign with Germany, who exited in the group phase for the second successive tournament.

Despite Die Mannschaft’s subpar Displays, Havertz impressed in his solitary start against Costa Rica, scoring two goals and serving as the offensive focal point, recording a stunning match rating of 8.89.

Signed from Bayer Leverkusen for £75.8m in 2020, Havertz has split opinion since his arrival on English soil, having bursts of brilliance but often falling wide of the mark and failing to display the same prolific return that alerted Europe’s elite outfits to his name while plying his trade in his homeland.

His return of 27 goals and 14 assists from 112 appearances is not the most impressive return for a forward of his calibre and price, yet his breezy style of play and seamless transitional movement does plenty for Chelsea’s offensive surges.

Not to mention his winning goal in the 2020/21 Champions League final against Manchester City. Sadly, his stock has fallen since then with the German not even starting their last league match, a defeat to Newcastle.

The “outstanding” maestro, as lauded by prominent journalist Raphael Honigstein, can provide the key to the bolted door that is prohibiting the Blues from clinching the free-flowing attacking aura that will propel their standing in the Premier League.

Over his final two campaigns with Leverkusen, the 23-year-old scored 38 goals across his final two seasons.

And as per FBref, the gem ranks within the top 10% for pass completion, 5% for touches in the attacking penalty area and 16% for progressive passes – indicating a diverse and dynamic approach to his play, all that is missing is the consistent direct goal threat.

The pieces of the puzzle are there, scattered on the floor, and a footballing mind of high intellect, such as Potter’s could finally complete the jigsaw and unleash Havertz on the Premier League, where his unique approach play could rekindle and save the Blues’ campaign.

West Ham United boasted serious interest in Moroccan marksman Youssef En-Nesyri in January of 2021, which ultimately failed, and seemingly settled on Gianluca Scamacca as the man to succeed Michail Antonio this summer.

The £35.5m Italian was coming off a 16-goal haul for Sassuolo, but since moving has only mustered two goals for his new side in domestic football and a further four across seven Europa Conference League appearances.

That could therefore explain the Hammers’ reported return for the Sevilla striker who has been starring at the World Cup.

His strike against Canada, which actually ended up being the winner, outlined another good performance as his side shocked the world to finish top of a group containing both Belgium and Croatia.

With it, he actually became the first-ever Moroccan to score at two different World Cups.

The 25-year-old has maintained his threat throughout the competition, averaging a 6.93 rating and leading the line with power and finesse.

Having been quoted €40m (£34m) in the summer, En Nesyri’s apparent desire to move could now give the Irons a perfect chance to get their long-standing target at a cheaper price.

Despite having endured a somewhat barren run this season in La Liga, he has scored twice in just four Champions League games.

However, it was his performances during the 2020/21 campaign that truly drew widespread interest.

Scoring 18 La Liga goals, he would continue his fine performances in European competition with six goals in just eight appearances.

Former Premier League striker Kevin Campbell has been one of many keen to sing his praises, as he said: “I will tell you that much. He will carry a threat top end of the pitch. He has good size, speed, knows where the goal is, he is skilful.”

In Qatar, he has proven this on the world stage, and although his domestic form is waning, perhaps it could be worth taking a risk on 6 foot 2 finisher to allow Scamacca added time to acclimatise.

With a pathway seemingly opened up for his signing, finally, they will have the chance to sign a man they clearly have wanted for some time.

Everton have decided that they ‘want to stick’ with Frank Lampard for the foreseeable future, according to journalist Dean Jones.

The Lowdown: Lampard backed by Everton board

The Toffees find themselves one point above the Premier League relegation zone after recording just three wins from their opening 15 games, which has seen the manager receive calls for the sack by some supporters at Goodison Park.

However, club chiefs have since reaffirmed their commitment to the 44-year-old and revealed that they won’t be relieving him of his duties, which has now been backed up by a further claim.

The Latest: Jones’ comments

Speaking to GiveMeSport, Jones stated that Everton are going to stand by Lampard, but insisted that results upon the return of domestic action will have a significant bearing on the 44-year-old’s future.

He said: “For now I’m told that Everton want to stick with Frank Lampard and they’re going to try and persist with him for as long as they can.

“I guess early January results will tell us how long that’s going to be feasible and whether they can see out the whole season with him, and what the actual hopes can be for Lampard as manager.“

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The Verdict: Wrong call

The Toffees have undoubtedly been hit by some horrid injuries this season which will have had an impact on their fortunes, but making the decision not to sack Lampard is the wrong one.

The Londoner has lost 19 of his 38 games in charge on Merseyside and is only averaging 1.13 points per match (Transfermarkt), which is represented by his team’s lowly position in the table.

Everton will face bottom club Wolves at home in their first game back after the World Cup break, which presents the perfect opportunity to collect a much-needed victory.

Any other outcome, though, and it could be game over for Lampard.

Former BBC pundit Noel Whelan has been reacting to rumours linking Aston Villa with a move for Real Madrid’s Eden Hazard.

The Lowdown: Hazard transfer speculation

Reports earlier this month suggested that Unai Emery has given the green light to a potential move and that the Villans see the 31-year-old playing a ‘leading role’ as they look to reinforce their attack.

Hailed as ‘clinical’ by his manager Carlo Ancelotti, Hazard has netted 200 goals for club and country during his career and looks set to feature at the World Cup later this month as Belgium’s captain.

He will enter the final 18 months of his Bernabeu contract in the New Year, and Whelan has been giving his thoughts on a possible Premier League return for the former Chelsea star.

The Latest: Whelan’s comments

Talking to Football Insider regarding Hazard and Villa, Whelan thinks that the Belgian may not be needed in the Midlands and referred to the player’s injury history.

The 47-year-old said: “When I look at what they’ve got in that attack, I’m not sure they need him. He’s not a player who would be on my radar right now.

“There are players already in the squad and the system who can play all the way across that front three – Bailey, Watkins, etc. There are so many wide players, now it’s just about finding the right system and the right set-up.

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“They’ve got the perfect manager for that. If anyone can get a team working, it’s Unai Emery – that’s why he was brought in.

“For me, someone like Hazard isn’t the way forward. I think they’ve got more than enough in that area, and there’s always a possibility that Hazard can only give you 20 games a season.”

The Verdict: A risk?

Hazard is now 31 and hasn’t had the best of times in Madrid after joining them in 2019. He has suffered 16 separate injuries in Spain, so there’s no guarantee of his fitness, which could make a move by NSWE and Villa quite a gamble.

Although he has plenty of Premier League experience and quality, it appears as if Hazard is past his prime, with his Transfermarkt valuation plummeting over the last four years.

It could be one to keep an eye on, though, especially as a recent update name-checked Villa again with a loan-to-buy deal worth €20m (£17.4m) mentioned.

Leeds United midfielder Tyler Adams has picked up a ‘minor muscle injury’ which ruled him out of the defeat to Fulham, according to journalist Joe Donnohue.

The Lowdown: Adams misses Leeds defeat

Jesse Marsch’s side suffered a dispiriting 3-2 reverse at home to the Cottagers on Sunday afternoon, which drew a loud chorus of boos at the final whistle and has ramped up the pressure on the manager.

Leeds had to get by without Adams at Elland Road, with the American not named in the matchday squad, and it has since been confirmed why the summer signing from RB Leipzig did not feature against Marco Silva’s team.

The Latest: Adams suffers injury

Taking to Twitter, Donnohue stated that Adams was ruled out with a muscle injury, although it has at least been cited as a ‘minor’ one.

The Yorkshire Evening Post journalist tweeted prior to Sunday’s match:

“Tyler Adams has picked up a ‘minor muscle injury’, hence his absence from the squad this afternoon.”

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The Verdict: Fingers crossed

Losing Adams for a sustained period would be a massive setback for Leeds, considering that he has already made himself a favourite under Marsch since arriving in the summer, making 10 starts in the Premier League.

His tenacity as a midfield powerhouse has been highlighted by a whopping average of 4.1 tackles per game in the league, the highest of anyone to start more than one top-flight match for the Whites this term.

A match average of 1.3 key passes (third-highest at Leeds) also outlines his quality on the ball, leaving little wonder as to why Marc Roca has dubbed him “amazing”.

Hopefully his absence is nothing more than a short-term one and that a place in the starting line-up will come his way in Saturday’s trip to Liverpool.