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BBC
Real Madrid are targeting Manchester City and England forward Raheem Sterling, 24, as part of their rebuilding plans. (Mirror)
Returning Real manager Zinedine Zidane has warned the club's Belgium goalkeeper Thibaut Courtois, 26, over his poor recent form. (Sun)
Liverpool boss Jurgen Klopp has ruled out a spending spree in the summer, adding that the focus will be on developing a team '100% at its best'. (Mail)
Juventus forward Cristiano Ronaldo, 34, could be facing a ban by Uefa after appearing to swear at Atletico Madrid fans during their Champions League last-16 tie. (La Gazzetta dello Sport - in Italian)
France defender Samuel Umtiti, 25, would like to join Manchester City or Manchester United if he leaves Barcelona this summer. (Calciomercato - in Italian)
Chelsea's French striker Olivier Giroud, 32, says there is no chance he will stay at the club should he continue in his current limited role. (Sun)
Manchester United interim manager Ole Gunner Solskjaer has already decided which players will leave Old Trafford in the summer, with 33-year-old Ecuador right-back Antonio Valencia certain to go. (Manchester Evening News)
And Arsenal are believed to be one of a number of clubs interested in Valencia, after his father said he would definitely not stay in Manchester. (Metro)
The Gunners are in danger of missing out on former Roma sporting director Monchi, after La Liga side Sevilla held productive talks with the 50-year-old Spaniard. (Metro)
However, Arsenal are also thought to be leading the race to sign AC Milan's Spain forward Suso, 25, because of Monchi's imminent arrival. (Mirror)
Barcelona director Eric Abidal visited the San Siro on Thursday to scout Eintracht Frankfurt's 21-year-old Serbia midfielder Luka Jovic. (Marca)
Newcastle's Slovakian goalkeeper Martin Dubravka, 30, could quit the club amid interest from Juventus and a title-challenging Premier League club. (Chronicle)
Boss Rafaeal Benitez says he is hopeful of persuading midfielder Isaac Hayden to stay at Newcastle, despite the 23-year-old requesting a move in the past two transfer windows. Benitez believes the ex-Arsenal man has the potential to play for England. (Chronicle)
Arsenal held talks with Rennes over the French side's 21-year-old winger Ismaila Sarr immediately after their Europa League contest. (Sun)
Leicester manager Brendan Rodgers has revealed he tried to bring 22-year-old defender Ben Chilwell to Liverpool when he was managing the Reds. (Mirror)
FFC
Fans react to Josh Cullen’s Twitter post after receiving Ireland call-up
by Jack Saville
Josh Cullen has been in impressive form for Charlton Athletic on loan this season, and the standard of his performances have earned him recognition away from the Valley.
Indeed, the 22-year-old has earned his first ever international call-up to the Ireland squad to face Gibraltar and Georgia in a pair of Euro 2020 qualifiers, replacing the injured Ronan Curtis.
Cullen will join fellow central midfielders Jeff Hendrick, Glenn Whelan and Harry Arter as he bids to break into the starting XI.
Shortly after news broke concerning his late call-up, Cullen took to Twitter to reveal his delight at Mick McCarthy’s decision to draft him into the squad.
@JoshCullen
Over the moon to receive my first @FAIreland senior call up! A proud moment for me! Looking forward to meeting up with the squad #COYBIG 🇮🇪
The call-up represents a landmark moment in the West Ham academy product’s career. Cullen’s bid to establish himself at the top level has not been a smooth process, but his latest achievement suggests that he has made significant strides forward in League One this season.
In response to his tweet, supporters turned out in their numbers to heap praise on the impressive loanee and urged him to remain injury free with the Addicks battling for promotion.
Here’s what fans of Charlton, West Ham and Bradford City had to say in response to Cullen’s post:
Reece @ReeCAFC15
Replying to @JoshCullen @FAIreland
Well done Josh, fully deserved 👍 good luck but just don’t get injured please
Jim Smith @Mozzer2015
Replying to @JoshCullen @FAIreland
Well done Josh, you da man
Bantamaj @AJBeeca
Replying to @JoshCullen and 2 others
Better than Zidane! #bcafc
Goldenbantam @Goldenbantam
Replying to @JoshCullen @FAIreland
Good luck josh play like you did for us and you’ll soon be a regular in the national team
Brad Perkins @bradcafc
Replying to @JoshCullen @FAIreland
You deserve it mate, you have been top class last few games! Keep it up!
Lee Elliott @drcrelee
Replying to @JoshCullen @FAIreland
Richly deserved mate - been a revelation on the #cafc midfield this year. Hope you can stay!
OS
Five things to look out for when West Ham face Huddersfield!
1. Tame Terriers
Huddersfield Town go into the final eight matches of the Premier League season seeking to avoid breaking an unwanted record set by Derby County in their ill-fated 2007/08 campaign.
While the Terriers have already safely surpassed the Rams’ meagre haul of just eleven points – another record low – today’s visitors still need to score six more goals to beat the 20 Derby scored eleven seasons ago.
With just 15 goals scored in their opening 30 games, Huddersfield are currently on course to score just 19 this term.
2. West Ham's unbeaten record (1)
Huddersfield Town are one of six clubs West Ham United have never lost a Premier League match against.
The Hammers faced the Terriers twice last season, winning 2-0 at home and 4-1 away, and preserved that unbeaten record with a 1-1 draw at the John Smith’s Stadium in November.
The six other opponents who were unable to get the better of the Irons in Premier League games were Bradford City (four meetings), Barnsley, Blackpool, Oldham Athletic and Swindon Town (all two meetings).
3. Huddersfield's giants
Only one other Premier League club, Watford, has a taller squad than Huddersfield Town. The Terriers’ players average height is 184.7cm, or 6ft 0.5in, which measures up at a full 2cm per player taller than their West Ham United counterparts.
Huddersfield’s giants – incidentally the nickname used by the professional rugby league team which shares the club’s John Smith’s Stadium – include their three Denmark internationals in 6ft 6in midfielder Philip Billing, 6ft 5in goalkeeper Jonas Lossl and 6ft 3in centre-back Zanka.
Forwards Laurent Depoitre and Steve Mounie are also both 6ft 3in, while recently-appointed captain and defender Christopher Schindler is 6ft 2in.
4. West Ham's unbeaten record (2)
West Ham United’s away form may be ‘unacceptable’, without a win on their travels this calendar year, according to manager Manuel Pellegrini, but the Irons remain unbeaten at London Stadium in 2019.
In fact, since losing to Watford on 22 December, the Hammers have beaten Birmingham City, Arsenal, Fulham and Newcastle United and drawn with Brighton and Hove Albion and Liverpool to make it six games without defeat in all competitions in Stratford.
Should West Ham avoid defeat again and extend that to seven, they will close to within two matches of Slaven Bilic’s side, who went nine home matches unbeaten at the Boleyn Ground to kick-off 2016, winning six and drawing three.
5. Pass-happy Huddersfield
With Huddersfield bottom of the Premier League, you might expect Jan Siewert’s side to be a team which struggles to keep possession, but that is not the case.
The Terriers actually average more passes per game than West Ham United – 435 to 422 – with both teams averaging 299 accurate short passes in each match they play.
Huddersfield’s strength, as you might expect with so many tall players in their team, is making accurate long passes of 20 yards or more. Only Wolverhampton Wanderers complete more of them per game than the visitors 33.4 on average.
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