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As if the David de Gea to Real Madrid transfer saga hadn’t taken enough twists and turns in recent weeks, it now appears that Sergio Ramos is eager to, effectively, swap places with the goalkeeper.

Reports suggest that the Spaniard has grown frustrated with life at the Bernabeu, with the club’s willingness to let him enter the final two years of his deal a source of major annoyance, and has set his sights on Old Trafford.

Whether this is a genuine plea to United or simply a manoeuvre to ensure Real act fast to hand him a bumper deal – there’s nothing like talking up a massive move to get football club’s attention – there is a certain degree of excitement among the Theatre of Dreams faithful right now, and it’s quite easy to see why.

After all, Ramos would be a terrific signing for Louis van Gaal’s side, and here are FIVE reasons why…

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A proven top quality centre-back

If there was one area in which Van Gaal’s United were in serious need of reinforcement last season it was at centre-back.

Early injuries led to a worrying reliance on youngsters such as Paddy McNair and Tyler Blackett, before both Daley Blind and Michael Carrick were forced into the positions. Eventually LVG was able to settle with the likes of Jonny Evans, Chris Smalling and Phil Jones, however, none of the aforementioned trio truly inspired confidence.

Ramos though could be the answer. A Spain international and a key member of the Real Madrid side, the 30-year-old is very much in an the elite band of defenders on the planet right now, even if his disciplinary record is not entirely impressive.

A winner

The Champions League, UEFA Super Cup, FIFA Club World Cup, La Liga, Copa del Rey, World Cup and European Championships, Ramos has won them all at club and international level.

Okay, he’s been surrounding by world class players with Real and Spain, but that record cannot be argued with, and through the successes he’s been one of the more influential figures within both camps.

United are a little short in terms of those who’ve ‘been there and done it’ right now, and perhaps one big character could inspire a new era of success.

Modern defender

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The role of the centre-back has changed so much over the course of the past five-10 years.

No longer is it enough to be tough and uncompromising, central defenders now need to be able to play like a midfielder, sprint like a winger and contribute goals if they’re to be considered as ‘world class’.

Ramos is capable in terms of all of the above, unlike United’s current batch of stars, who spread the attributes among themselves.

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Real signal of intent

Excuse the pun, but signing Ramos would be a real signal of intent for Man United. Last summer the acquisition of Angel di Maria was very much a ‘we’re still a big club’ move following a slip out of Europe, but a return to Champions League football and the addition of one of the best centre-backs around would really show that LVG’s side mean business.

Would be the best centre-back in the Premier League

Who else will Ramos be competing with? John Terry? Too old. Vincent Kompany? Not the player he was three years ago. Laurent Koscielny? Is he commanding enough? Jan Vertonghen? Hasn’t scaled the heights of his debut season at Spurs.

Ramos would certainly be up there among the best, and should he adapt quickly there’s no reason he could not be considered top dog.

With a new season on the horizon, Arsenal are finding themselves constantly linked with a host of big names.

After securing the services of stoic ‘keeper Petr Cech, the Gunners look set to add an exciting attacking name to their ranks to lead their assault on the Premier League. It is, however, a player currently lining up for the side in pre-season who may shine this season.

England winger Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain appears to be almost the forgotten man at the Emirates. The former Southampton winger is quietly getting on with his business, as the focus centres around either an incoming big name or team-mate Theo Walcott’s contract situation.

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‘The Ox’ has shown flashes of brilliance throughout his career already, but the 21-year-old appears to be ready to come into his own, something we’ve already seen a glimpse of today as the England international scored the Gunners’ winner against Chelsea to win the Community Shield at Wembley.

Arsenal’s 6-0 thumping of French side Lyon last week showcased the talents of the wicked wing man. Chamberlain ran the Ligue 1 side ragged that afternoon, his incisive wing play brought an energy and drive to the Gunner’s attack. The nickname ‘The Ox’ comes from the England man’s physical style of play, though he possess the pace to be an effective winger. In a midfield often accused of lacking a physical presence, ‘The Ox’ could be about to rampage.

Since a dazzling debut season in North London, culminating in a place in Roy Hodgson’s Euro 2012, injuries and intense competition for places have put the wheels on the flying winger. Stellar performances against Bayern Munich and Manchester United stand out, along with a goal in Macarena for the Three Lions.

Competition is rife in the Arsenal attack these days, with a litter of top class players vying for a limited number of spots. Alexis Sanchez and Mesut Ozil seem to be nailed on in the first choice XI, but a place on the right has a number of applicants. Aaron Ramsey and Theo Walcott can both operate in the position, but ‘The Ox’ might have the edge.

Welsh star Ramsey has come on leaps and bounds over the past few seasons, but is not a natural right winger. Chamberlain’s varied skill set allows him to both stretch the opposition, and cut inside to wreak havoc. His assist for Nacho Monreal in the FA Cup quarter final at Old Trafford summed up what the ex-Saint is all about.

His thrillingly direct run at United defenders on the edge of the box cut through them like a hot knife through butter. Keeping the ball under pressure with his quick feet, an inch perfect pass was laid off to the Spaniard who applied the finish.

The game appears to go into overdrive when he grabs the ball, accelerating play with an elegance you may not expect from a player with such physical prowess. With Theo Walcott a soon-to-be-striker, Chamberlain can take the opportunity to make the wide right berth his own.

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Action man like Alexis Sanchez is the sort of player Chamberlain should be emulating. Both players are happy to operate on the wing, but their varied skills allow for much more. Santi Carzola and Mesut Ozil can pass the ball all day long, but the incisive nature of the England international provides an effective outlet to their possession.

Should ‘The Ox’ stay off the treatment table this year, Arsenal and England are about to discover his true potential.

According to Tuttosport, via ESPN, Marko Pjaca could be included in Juventus’ attempt to sign Liverpool midfielder, Emre Can.

Can’s contract at Anfield expires at the end of this season. Thus he’s able to sign a pre-contract agreement with the Italian giants in January.

What’s the story?

It is reported that the German international is hoping to receive a sizeable increase regarding his income, and given his contractual status at Liverpool, the 23-year-old is currently in a very influential position.

However, Juventus could opt to include a player in a deal that would see Can move to Italy in January. And it is reported that 22-year-old, Pjaca, is the one that will be included to sweeten the deal.

Should Liverpool sanction January exit?

During his four seasons as a Liverpool player, Emre Can has proven to be an incredibly influential player for the Reds who can exert his control at either end of the pitch. The 23-year-old is incredibly physical and combative in midfield, yet in typical German fashion, he also flaunts excellent technical ability, and his capacity to score goals is another valuable component of his game.

There’s no refuting that Pjaca is a talented player, endowed with considerable potential. However, Liverpool don’t currently require attacking reinforcement.

The 22-year-old is unlikely to be able to displace the likes of Mane or Salah who have been in magnificent form for Liverpool. Under Klopp’s experienced guidance Liverpool have established their status as one of the most ruthless attacking teams, Pjaca only scored a single goal in 19 games for Juve last season.

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This deal wouldn’t benefit Liverpool as much as it would strengthen Juventus. Thus they must try their best to keep Can at the club.

Former Arsenal forward Paul Merson has claimed that Bournemouth would be the perfect club for Theo Walcott as the Englishman prepares to leave the Emirates Stadium.

Walcott is widely expected to leave the Gunners this month after struggling for football in the first half of the 2017-18 campaign.

The 28-year-old has only made six Premier League appearances this season, and has been strongly linked with a return to former club Southampton.

Everton, meanwhile, are also believed to be in the hunt as Toffees boss Sam Allardyce looks to improve his options in the final third of the field.

However, according to pundit Merson, Walcott should look to engineer a move to Bournemouth as his style of football would suit the Cherries.

Bournemouth had Jack Wilshere on loan last season, and Walcott could well be the latest Arsenal player to pitch up at the Vitality Stadium.

Merson told reporters:

“People say he’s got to play because he’s going to the World Cup, I don’t see him going to the World Cup. I think he’s well down the pecking order.

“There would have to be a few injuries and he’d have to majorly pull up trees at Everton, and the way Everton play, it’s going to be hard to pull up trees.

“The perfect fit, for me, with him would be Bournemouth. They play 4-4-2, they play attacking football, pacey.”

Walcott, who is valued at £18m by transfermarkt.co.uk, was a late substitute in Arsenal’s 2-1 defeat at Bournemouth in the Premier League on Sunday afternoon.

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With Everton struggling to make much of an impact up front this season, pressure is on new signing Cenk Tosun to be their saviour.

The Turkish international made his debut for the Toffees on Saturday in the late kickoff against Tottenham Hotspur.

Playing in such a big Premier League game for a first outing must have been a little daunting for the £27m man.

In the end, the forward was unable to make much of an impression, but he was only given 62 minutes by manager Sam Allardyce before being replaced by Dominic Calvert-Lewin.

It will be a debut to forget for Tosun given that the team were beaten comfortably 4-0 by Spurs, whose star player Harry Kane broke Teddy Sheringham’s club record of 97 top-flight goals.

Shortly after the game, Everton fans assessed the overall performance from their team, and Tosun’s debut was a talking point.

Everton, who are ninth in the league table, have lost their last three fixtures and have conceded eight goals in the process.

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Andre Ayew is reportedly on the verge of leaving West Ham United.

The 28-year-old joined the Hammers from Swansea City in the summer of 2016, and has scored 12 times in 50 appearances for the London club.

This term, the forward, who is valued at £16.2m by transfermarkt.co.uk, has only managed three goals in 18 Premier League appearances, which is not exactly a great record.

Swansea have reportedly offered West Ham £18m for Ayew, and it seems that the Ghana international wants to leave the London Stadium.

The January transfer window closes on Wednesday night, however, meaning that Swansea do not have too long to seal a return.

West Ham paid £20.5m to sign Ayew in August 2016, but it has not quite happened for the attacker in the English capital.

The club’s supporters have been reacting to the news that the forward is set to leave, and it would be fair to say that there are many with differing opinions.

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A selection of the Twitter reaction can be seen below:

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Javier Hernandez recently admitted that he did ask to leave West Ham United during the January transfer window.

However, the Mexican later insisted that he was dedicated to the Hammers, at least until the end of the season.

It has not quite happened for the former Manchester United striker since he arrived at West Ham, but he scored a super goal against Brighton & Hove Albion in the Premier League on Saturday afternoon.

The strike was Hernandez’s sixth in the Premier League this season, but he will more than likely find himself out of the team when the likes of Marko Arnautovic and Manuel Lanzini return to the fold.

It appears that the West Ham fans are split on the centre-forward, who is rated at £16.2m by transfermarkt.co.uk.

On one hand, they are pleased to have the Mexican at the club, but on the other, Hernandez has not really performed as a striker collecting in the region of £140,000 a week should.

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A selection of the reaction can be seen below:

Southampton slipped back into the relegation zone following another disappointing performance and 2-0 defeat against Liverpool at St Mary’s on Sunday, and they continue to be in real danger of dropping into the Championship six years after they were promoted.

Mauricio Pellegrino and the players gained some temporary respite with the fine 3-2 win against West Bromwich Albion at the Hawthorns the previous weekend that moved them out of the bottom three.

However, while Huddersfield Town and Swansea City won and Stoke City and Brighton and Hove Albion picked up a point, and Newcastle United put in a huge display to beat Manchester United 1-0 at St James’ Park, Saints failed to match their relegation rivals and once they found themselves 1-0 down early on, they never really looked like getting back into the game.

Sofiane Boufal played 85 minutes in the victory against the Baggies and Dusan Tadic featured for 88 minutes, and while the latter kept his place in the starting XI against Jurgen Klopp’s men, the former dropped to the substitutes’ bench as Pierre-Emile Hojbjerg came into the side.

While Tadic had an excellent relationship with former Southampton centre-forward Graziano Pelle when he joined the club in 2014 – and has 30 assists in 123 Premier League outings for the south coast outfit – his assists have certainly dried up in the last 18 months or so.

The Serbia international has three assists in 25 top flight appearances so far this season, while he only got six in 33 last term, with just one of those coming in his final 11 outings of the 2016/17 campaign.

That means he has just four assists in his last 36 Premier League appearances, and the St Mary’s faithful are quickly growing frustrated with the 29-year-old who is struggling to deliver even though he is named in the starting XI most weeks.

Meanwhile, hopes were high that Boufal was going to make a big impression for the south coast outfit when he joined them from Lille in the summer of 2016, having provided 10 assists in 51 outings for the Ligue 1 outfit.

The Moroccan international was known for his trickery and ability on the ball, and Saints would have been hopeful that he could go some way to replacing Mane following his move to Liverpool.

The attacker was struggling with injury when he signed and didn’t really have a pre-season, and it meant that he struggled for starts and to find any form in his first campaign in the Premier League, ending it with no assists in 24 top flight games.

The 24-year-old would have been hoping for a more successful 2017/18 under new boss Pellegrino, but it hasn’t really worked out that way as he has once again been in and out of the starting line-up, even if he did produce a moment of magic to score a wonderful solo goal in the 1-0 win against West Brom at St Mary’s in November.

Despite his ability to beat a man and the glimpses of quality he has shown, the Moroccan still only has two assists to his name in 23 Premier League games this term, and two in 47 top flight matches in total for Saints.

That record is clearly not good enough and he was one of the players that was attracting groans from the home support when he entered the field against Liverpool on Sunday, giving the ball away cheaply on more than one occasion.

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While the fans’ frustrations are probably fair enough given the position of their team in the table and the respective records of Boufal and Tadic over the course of the last 12 months, now is the time to get behind the duo rather than vocally criticising them.

The duo may not be doing well enough right now and not having as much of an impact as they should be, but they are still the club’s two most creative players and if they aren’t on the pitch, then the south coast outfit are left with the likes of Steven Davis, Nathan Redmond and Pierre-Emile Hojbjerg in the attacking midfielder positions, and none of them have the ability to make as many chances as Boufal and Tadic can on their day.

With 11 matches to go and five huge Premier League fixtures in the next six weeks – against Burnley, Stoke City, Newcastle United, Swansea City and West Ham United – Saints need the attacking pair to start making a big impact on the pitch.

They are more likely to do that if they have the support of the crowd, and the fans must get behind them to boost their confidence and to ensure they help keep the team in the top flight.

Sheffield Wednesday’s poor form continued on Tuesday night, defeated by Swansea City in an FA Cup replay at the Liberty Stadium.

The Owls have now won just one match in their last eight in all competitions, leaving fans frustrated and worried they could be drawn into an English Championship relegation battle.

Wednesday will definitely need to improve their results over the next few weeks. Just seven points from the relegation zone, if they continue to fail to pick up wins, it’ll be a nervy end to the season.

Given they were going up against former manager Carlos Carvalhal on their trip to Wales, supporters were also hoping to see a better performance than the one offered in the 2-0 defeat.

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Much of the criticism was aimed at the midfield with David Jones and Jacob Butterfield under-performing throughout and contributing to both goals conceded.

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Fans are now calling for them to be dropped from the side completely by Jos Luhukay, even if it means having to play inexperienced players in their place.

They took to Twitter to share their thoughts…

Sam Allardyce was briefly seen as a saviour at Everton when he took over from Ronald Koeman in November.The experienced coach managed to steer the Merseyside outfit away from the relegation zone, but in recent weeks, results have gone downhill.In their last 11 Premier League fixtures, the Toffees have picked up just two victories and at the weekend, it was another miserable result as the club were beaten 2-1 by Burnley at Turf Moor.As well as losing the encounter, Everton defender Ashley Williams was sent off in the 86th minute and the club dropped to 11th in the standings.https://video.footballfancast.com/video-2015/cenk-tosun.mp4A large number of fans have been calling for Allardyce to be sacked, but with just nine top-flight matches left to play before the season comes to an end, former striker Kevin Campbell thinks that no changes will be made to the coaching staff.The retired footballer, who spent six years playing for Everton during his career, made the assumption during a Twitter conversation with a fan, who suggested that the club could move for Marco Silva.