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Even the good news is laced with a touch of the tragic at West Ham these days.

The Hammers finally agreed a £1m compensation payment to Manchester United for Ashley Fletcher, whom they signed last summer on a free, and the agreement could pave the way for the player to take a bigger role in first team affairs from now on.

In freefall, and seemingly sleepwalking into the Championship, the good news is thin on the ground for the club, so tying up the loose ends around a player who plays in one of the club’s problem positions is a huge bonus.

Fletcher hasn’t played much for the Hammers this season, despite scoring at Old Trafford in the EFL Cup earlier this campaign, and despite the Hammers’ struggles to find a striker who can score goals. Injuries to Andy Carroll and Andre Ayew, coupled with the ineffectiveness of new signings like Jonathan Calleri meant the Fletcher situation has been a strange one.

The suggestion now, though, is that West Ham did not want to field the young striker as they feared a run of games in the first team would drive up the price settled on by the tribunal.

This is good news for West Ham at a time when they desperately need some, and could pave the way for Fletcher to breathe some fresh life into the club’s faltering season. Over the next two games, Slaven Bilic’s side will face Swansea City and Sunderland, and a failure to win one or both would drag the side into a relegation battle they don’t seem to have much of a stomach for. A run of games for a fresh-faced young striker who is keen to impress could be just what the club needs.

At the same time, though, if Fletcher can be seen as a man to drag the Hammers out of a relegation battle, it gives rise to one very obvious question: why are the club only now willing to play him. A compensation payment of £1m would be a paltry sum to part with if it keeps you in the Premier League, and all the riches associated with top flight status. Let’s not forget, too, that this is a club who pursued striking targets for the whole of last summer in a bid to land ‘a £25-30m striker’. Clearly they’re willing to spend money on a man to bag goals if he has a snazzy name, so why continue to let Fletcher rot on the bench or in the reserves just to save a couple of million quid – especially if they think he’s a player who can bag the goals to keep them up?

This isn’t the first time West Ham’s board have been guilty of false economies of this kind – not even the first time this month, in fact. By refusing to give Slaven Bilic a new contract, the club’s hierarchy have created an uncertain situation around their manager’s future. Whilst this is undoubtedly not the sole reason the club now find the threat of relegation very real, it certainly can’t help.

It’s also the same sort of treatment that former boss Sam Allardyce suffered at the hands of the owners, too. Admittedly, replacing their former boss with Bilic was a step forward for the club, showing the sort of ambition needed to break into the Premier League’s elite. But the whole point of running down Allardyce’s contract and simply not giving him a new one was a money-saving gesture designed to avoid paying compensation.

Is the same thing happening with Bilic? And if they have no intention of offering Bilic a new deal, shouldn’t they just sack him now? Shouldn’t they have sacked him weeks ago? Is the couple of million pounds saved by not sacking their manager really worth it, given the situation they now find themselves in?

The Ashley Fletcher situation is a positive for West Ham, but as is so often the case this season, this welcome development has brought the club’s clear mismanagement to the fore again.

Not even the good news is good news these days.

According to reports from The Independent, Manchester United are looking to revamp their attacking lineup this summer with big-money swoops for Atletico Madrid’s Antoine Griezmann and Torino sensation Andrea Belotti.

Both forwards are amid fine seasons; the Frenchman netting 25 times across all competitions and preparing for another Champions League semi-final with the Mattress Makers, the Italian assassin leading Serie A’s scoring charts with 25 goals in 30 appearances.

Of course, the Independent’s claims are interlinked with suggestions Zlatan Ibrahimovic may have kicked his last ball for Manchester United, having suffered a season-ending injury just a matter of weeks before his one-term contract at Old Trafford is due to expire.

But Football FanCast’s United readers are tipping a different striker to fill the Sweden international’s almighty void – Real Madrid’s supersub Alvaro Morata. The Spaniard has netted 18 times across all competitions this season despite predominantly featuring from the bench and was linked with the Red Devils by Don Balon earlier this week.

And according to the results of our exclusive poll, 66% of Man United fans would back a summer swoop for Morata this summer, believing he’s capable of replacing Ibrahimovic at the spearhead of Jose Mourinho’s attack.

Do you agree, or are you in the minority? Let us know by commenting below!

Arsenal have been dealt a blow in their pursuit of transfer guru Monchi, who has revealed that he is “close” to signing a contract with Italian giants Roma.

Monchi, a former goalkeeper, revealed last month that he would end a 17-year association with Europa League holders Sevilla this summer as he looks for a fresh challenge in football.

Arsenal were reportedly hopeful of bringing the director of football to the Emirates Stadium as part of a new set-up, although Monchi has seemingly confirmed that he will soon sign a contract with Roma, who want to end Juventus’ domination in the top flight of Italian football.

He told AS:

“It is not finalised but it is close to being finalised. If everything goes as planned then I’ll join Roma, unless there is a twist.

“I remember when Marcelo arrived on a plane to sign for Sevilla but ended up at Real Madrid. That’s why I don’t want the bells to ring out until everything has been tied up.”

Monchi, 48, represented Sevilla as a player between 1988 and 1999, before retiring at the age of 30 to take on a staff role at the Estadio Ramon.

The Spaniard is widely regarded as one of the best negotiators in European football when it comes to the buying and selling of players.

Tottenham Hotspur’s trip to Selhurst Park last night was not a pretty or glamorous occasion.

There was an intoxicating pace and aggression to the London derby but as Crystal Palace took a typically Allardyce defence-comes-first approach, it became clearer as the match went on that the result would rest on the age old cliche – a moment of brilliance or a harrowing mistake.

Spurs midfielder Christian Eriksen eventually provided the former, bursting through the midfield on the 78th minute to produce a rasping shot that skimmed off the turf and sneaked beyond the reach of Crystal Palace goalkeeper Wayne Hennessey.

So, does the Danish playmaker deserve the Man of the Match award from last night’s 1-0 win? Should it go to one of the defenders who fended off a recently potent Palace attack to claim a clean sheet away from home? Or did someone else produce the best performance at Selhurst Park?

Let us know by voting below…

According to reports in The Telegraph, Newcastle United are ready to target a move for Fulham playmaker after the Cottagers were beaten by Reading in their Championship play-off semi-final tie.

Despite scoring his side’s goal in the first leg 1-1 draw against the Royals at Craven Cottage, Yann Kermorgant’s penalty on Tuesday night proved to be the difference between the two teams.

Magpies manager Rafa Benitez is a long-term admirer of the 26-year-old and wanted to sign him during the January transfer window, but he was put off by the £20m asking price and the Spaniard will hope that he will be available for a lower fee now.

Having enjoyed a standout campaign for the west London outfit, the Scotland international will be attracting interest from a number of Premier League clubs meaning the Toon Army will have to make their move quickly if they want to snap the attacking midfielder up.

Here are three reasons Newcastle must make Cairney their priority summer transfer target…

Goals and assists

While there are many good players in the Championship, Cairney proved during this season that he is arguably the best and at 26 years of age he is entering his prime years and deserves to make the step up.

The Scot scored 13 goals and provided a further 11 assists from an attacking midfield position to show how influential he can be, and if he could bring that form to St James’ Park he would be a valuable addition for Rafa Benitez’s men on their return to the Premier League.

He’s a realistic addition

The transfer rumour mill is already in full swing with the Magpies being linked with the likes of Yaya Toure and former United star Moussa Sissoko, but Benitez will know that the club can’t afford to aim high on unrealistic targets and miss out on those that are attainable.

Cairney is one of those players and as his granddad is said to be a Newcastle supporter, he would surely jump at the chance of moving to St James’ Park.

He will have a point to prove

Having played 11 Premier League matches in the 2009/10 season before Hull City were relegated and having not been back there since, the 26-year-old will be out to prove that he is good enough to play in the top flight.

If he secures a move to Newcastle he would be willing to work hard on the pitch to ensure that his performances can help his team stay in the division, and that can make him more of an attractive proposition than an unknown quantity from abroad – the Magpies have had one too many of those in recent years.

Do you agree, Magpies fans? Let us know below.

Aston Villa manager Steve Bruce is considering reuniting with Ahmed Elmohamady for a third time, according to the Daily Star.

What’s the story?

Bruce will be tasked with the job of improving the squad this summer in preparation for a promotion campaign next season.

The Daily Star reports that the 56-year-old is eyeing Elmohamady, whose future at the KCOM Stadium has become uncertain after their relegation from the Premier League.

There is no indication yet as to whether the newly-demoted Championship outfit are willing to sell the defender, but his departure would add cash to the transfer kitty.

This season, Elmohamady, who played in 32 top-flight matches for Hull, spent the campaign alternating between right-back and the right side of midfield.

Is Bruce targeting the right man?

There are obvious benefits to signing a player that a manager has worked with before, but on this occasion, Elmohamady is not the best option.

Bruce had the Egyptian footballer in his ranks at Sunderland and Hull, so knows his qualities all too well.

The 29-year-old’s versatility is a positive attribute, but he is not a vast improvement on Ritchie de Laet, James Bree or Alan Hutton, which suggests that he will struggle to cement a first-team spot.

If Villa want to seriously contend for a promotion place, they need to add individuals who will make an instant impact rather than someone who may have to settle for being a squad player.

When looking at Premier League transfers over the last four years, Tottenham Hotspur’s £11m capture of Christian Eriksen from Dutch outfit Ajax in 2013 has to be up there when it comes to value for money.

The 25-year-old has scored 42 times in 179 appearances for Tottenham since arriving in English football, and a brilliant 2016-17 Premier League season saw the attacker register eight goals and 15 assists in 36 appearances.

Despite still being relatively young, Eriksen has also made 68 appearances for Denmark, and he was handed his country’s armband for their international friendly with world champions Germany on Tuesday night.

Eriksen continued where he left off for Spurs last season as he netted Denmark’s opener in the entertaining 1-1 draw, and Tottenham’s official Twitter account took the opportunity to praise the attacker following the match.

As expected, the response from the Spurs fans was extremely positive, with Eriksen sure to play a key role in the club’s assault on the Premier League title next season.

That said, the 25-year-old recently admitted that he would find it difficult to turn down a move to Spanish giants Barcelona if the opportunity was presented this summer.

As reported by The Daily Express, Celtic are continuing their pursuit of Aberdeen winger Jonny Hayes this summer and have returned to the Dons with an improved offer.

What’s the story?

Celtic are trying to fill the hole left in the wake of Patrick Roberts return to Manchester City and it appears signing a winger has become a priority, especially one who has a proven record of providing assists.

One such man The Express say the Hoops continue to pursue is Jonny Hayes, Aberdeen’s in-form wide man. However, in order to land their man they will need to up their price to £1.3m, according to the report, and also include sending young prospect Ryan Christie on loan for the entire season.

Is he worth the price?

The Christie factor

The Jonny Hayes deal isn’t one that makes much sense to some Celtic fans who were hoping that the club sign a higher calibre of player in their efforts to make a splash in the UEFA Champions League.

Further to that, letting one of their brighter young prospects leave for an entire season appears at the expense of bringing in a 29-year-old doesn’t appear to be a particularly productive move.

Christie had a great half season on loan at Pittodrie and you’d expect him to kick on and push for places at Celtic.

However, Hayes did create more assists than anyone in the Scottish Premiership last season and he certainly solves an immediate short-term issue at the club.

On the cheap as that solution, Hayes would be a fine addition. If their latest reported bid fails though, then Celtic would be forced to give even more up and suddenly the deal verges into the illogical.

The majority of Aston Villa fans are not quite convinced that the club will sign Manchester City goalkeeper Joe Hart this summer.

The Championship outfit’s odds have shortened to 7/4 on Sky Bet, with only West Ham United in a better position (6/4) to sign the England international.

It is widely expected that Hart will move on from the two-time Premier League champions after it was made clear by manager Pep Guardiola that he was not wanted.

After losing his first-team spot at the start of last season, the 30-year-old joined Serie A club Torino on loan, but he has since returned.

Numerous Premier League clubs have been linked to the goalkeeper, but the betting giants suggest that Championship side Villa are in with a shout.

The Midlands club have already pulled off a coup by signing John Terry on a one-year deal after he left Chelsea following a 22-year spell.

Despite that shock move coming to pass, Villa fans are not very confident that Hart will follow, but instead believe that Sam Johnstone could join from Manchester United.

WATCH THE LATEST 442OONS VIDEO BELOW…

This time last year, it looked as though the sky was the limit for Kelechi Iheanacho and his Manchester City career.

During the season where he’d just turned 19, the Nigerian managed to bag eight goals in the Premier League and 14 in all competitions – the best of any player under the age of 20.

And to make the feat all the more impressive, he did it for one of the top sides with the league’s best striker at the time – Sergio Aguero – ahead of him in the pecking order.

While the youngster was afforded opportunities as the Argentine missed matches through injury, he undoubtedly made the most of his time on the pitch, averaging a goal every 94 minutes.

City fans and commentators alike were looking forward to seeing how the teenager would develop under Pep Guardiola – a man not only known for creating attacking sides capable of lots of goals, but nurturing young talent.

Fast forward 12 months, however, and things aren’t looking so rosy.

With only five starts to his name under the Spaniard, the Nigerian is on the cusp of being switched out to Leicester City or Tottenham Hotspur if reports are to be believed.

It isn’t for a lack of form either, with the Nigerian still managing nine goals in 631 minutes as he was given small portions of game time here and there.

WATCH THE LATEST 442OONS VIDEO BELOW…

It begs the question, what more does a youngster have to do to break into a top side?

Pellegrini’s faith in Iheanacho – even going as far as to play him up top with Sergio Aguero on occasion – was admirable and looked like the way forward for a side that had given few chances to youth in the past.

Yet with Sergio Aguero and Gabriel Jesus (also a young talent, it should be noted), there was unfortunately little the Nigerian could do to force his way into Guardiola’s plans. As a result, he appears to be looking for a new club.

Iheanacho is not an isolated case either, with another young talent on the other side of Manchester also struggling to establish himself.

Marcus Rashford enjoyed a similar breakout season to Iheanacho and was Louis van Gaal’s preferred striker towards the end of his reign.

Incoming manager Jose Mourinho seemed to have other plans to blooding the teenager as well and quickly announced established hitman Zlatan Ibrahimovic as his key man.

While Ibrahimovic thrived, it did mean Rashford was often pushed to the wing, where his form suffered.

There seems little hope of him reprising his role up top this year either as the Red Devils spent £75m on Romelu Lukaku to replace  the departing Swede.

It’s a story that is being retold more and more in the modern game, as Lukaku’s path to United came by the way of two loans and a transfer away from the Chelsea side he signed for at a similar age to Iheanacho and Rashford.

That path seems to be the way nowadays, and a move down the ladder would appear to be the only way players like Iheanacho to get the game time they deserve.

Until then, that glass ceiling of potential would appear to lowering for youngsters in the Premier League.