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West Brom assistant manager Dave Kemp said the club will be active in the transfer market, with a number of changes set to be made at season's end.
WBA's Premier League status is preserved for another season with two matches remaining, and Tony Pulis and his staff are already busy planning for next term.
Marseille striker Andre-Pierre Gignac, who is out of contract at the end of the campaign, has emerged as a possible target and Kemp said: "The club are going to have to be active, there's no doubt about that.
"There are players who haven't played too much and there are players we want to bring in.
"We have already started work. I've just been to a game abroad as has the manager.
"We do the leg work all season but we're now focusing in on targets and it's started.
"That doesn't mean players are going to start working through doors but we've started the work.
"We have narrowed down what was a great big list, and we know the names we're focusing in on."
Sherwood will lead Villa to better things, says Delph
13 May 2015
Fabian Delph expects Tim Sherwood to lead Aston Villa to better things next season, providing they stay in the Premier League.
Sherwood has revitalised Villa since taking over in February, guiding them to seven wins in his 13 games in charge and a place in the FA Cup final.
Villa are four points above the relegation zone with two games to play and go into Saturday's visit to Southampton knowing they will stay up by at least matching Hull City's result at Tottenham.
And midfielder Delph told the club's official website: "I'm really enjoying it here. And I'm really enjoying being captain of Villa. It is great to be captain of such a big football club.
"It feels like I've been here a long time now and I've never enjoyed my football as much as I am at the moment.
"The gaffer has been amazing with me and the rest of the boys.
"We have a great dressing room and if we get through this season I'm sure we'll be pushing on to better things."
As he prepares to make his final Anfield appearance, Steven Gerrard is not revelling in the heightened attention surrounding his upcoming departure.
Liverpool host Crystal Palace in the Premier League on Saturday, in what is sure to be an emotional farewell as Gerrard bows out in front of his home supporters.
The former England captain will move to LA Galaxy at the end of the season, bringing an end to a 17-year playing career at Anfield, which has seen him make more than 700 appearances.
"I'm going to get the attention at the weekend, it's not something I really like, but hopefully I can put in a good performance for the supporters so we can get a win and I can enjoy the send-off that I'm going to get," he told the club's official website.
"It's going to be a difficult day but I'm going to try and enjoy it.
"It'll be strange, I'm sure it will. It'll be an emotional day for me and my family and friends that have followed me throughout my career.
"And also for a lot of supporters that have watched me for many, many years, not just at the stadium but around the world as well.
"Everyone's talking about it but for me I just want to stay focused on the remaining games and the training and sessions ahead.
"There's plenty of time to be sentimental and emotional after the games are done but I don't really want to listen to supporters being emotional face to face because I'm a little bit afraid of breaking down and showing too much!"
Ryan Shawcross has no plans to leave Stoke City to force his way back into the England squad.
Shawcross has one England cap, won in a friendly with Sweden in 2012, to his name and has been unable to add to that tally despite his consistent performances for Stoke.
But asked by Sky Sports News whether a move away from the Britannia Stadium would improve his England chances, he said: "I don't know, you'd have to move to see.
"I feel like I'm playing well enough to get in the squad, but unfortunately I've not been picked. There are a lot of good centre-halves out there so it's going to be difficult, but all I can do is my stuff on the pitch.
"Hopefully if I play well enough I'll get back in that squad and if not then I've tried my hardest and hopefully played well.
"In football you never know - a team might come in and make an offer, the club might accept it and then you've got a decision to make. But until Stoke City accept an offer I'm a Stoke City player.
"I'm very happy, I've got three years left on my contract and it looks like I'll be seeing them out.
"Obviously every player wants to play at the highest level and that's European football. I would love to play at that level. Hopefully Stoke come on and they get in Europe."
With Danny Ings set to depart Burnley when his contract runs out at the end of the season, team-mate Scott Arfield concedes the forward will be "sorely missed".
England Under-21 international Ings netted 20 league goals as Burnley won promotion from the Championship in 2013-14 and has scored 10 in the top flight this season.
He was the match-winner in Saturday's 1-0 triumph over Hull City, but it was not enough to keep Burnley in the Premier League.
Now expected to move away from Turf Moor - with Liverpool widely reported to be first in line to secure his services - Arfield knows the striker will be a big loss.
"I think Danny is a fantastic player and he's out of contract this summer so I don't think he is going to be with us next season," he told Sky Sports.
"Together with Sam Vokes they were on fire last season and really took us to the next level and got us over the line. This season, Vokes has been injured obviously but since he's come back he's been great, but there's no question that Danny will be sorely missed if he moves on.
"But I think the majority of the squad will still be here next season. The way the players come in and talk about the club every day and the buzz to come in every day in training.
"The boys that are in contract know it's a fantastic place to be and we want to get back to what we did last season and get back to the Premier League.
"The bigger picture is massive and I think what the gaffer has instilled is that belief to go and attack teams and the freedom to go out and play.
"It's a manager you want to play under and the longer he stays at the football club, I'm sure it will be in really good hands."
Advocaat: Sunderland will have to be at their best to beat Leicester
13 May 2015
Dick Advocaat says Sunderland will have to give "more than 100 per cent" when they host in-form Leicester City in the Premier League this weekend.
Despite back-to-back wins, Sunderland are yet to secure their top-flight survival, sitting two points clear of the relegation zone with three matches left to play - one more than Newcastle United and Hull City below them.
A run of six wins in seven has seen Leicester climb above Sunderland in the fight to stay afloat, but Advocaat is aiming to inflict a first away defeat since March when Nigel Pearson's men head to the Stadium of Light.
"It's not only the final home game but a very crucial game against Leicester," he told the club's official website. "Hopefully, not only the players, but our fans really realise how important this game is for everybody.
"They have to make a lot of noise because we really need it.
"Leicester are a very difficult team to beat and in that game we have to give more than 100 per cent to get the result.
"There's only one result that we need and that's the three points."
And Advocaat concedes the upturn in fortunes of a number of clubs in the bottom half since his arrival has proved frustrating.
"With six points we thought we had enough, but now we have 10 and we still need another three [Sunderland actually need five to be absolutely certain of safety]," he added. "Hopefully we can do that on Saturday."
Reed: Southampton´s structure allowed Koeman to shine
13 May 2015
With Ronald Koeman enjoying a fine debut season in the Premier League at Southampton, executive director Les Reed says the club's stability has allowed the Dutchman to prosper.
The club underwent a mass pre-season overhaul, with former boss Mauricio Pochettino departing for Tottenham and key players Adam Lallana, Rickie Lambert, Luke Shaw, Calum Chambers and Dejan Lovren all moving on.
Reed was charged with the task of helping to appoint a new manager, as well as overseeing the player recruitment as the club looked to replace the outgoing squad members.
Many tipped the south-coast outfit to struggle this season, but with two games remaining they sit seventh, well in the hunt for UEFA Europa League qualification.
And Reed believes Southampton's solid infrastructure has given Koeman a sound base from which to garner positive results on the field.
"How did Southampton achieve that? Was it the magic of Ronald Koeman? Or did they have a foundation in place which meant we could deal with a crisis? It's the latter," Reed told Perform at the Sporting Directors' Summit at the Etihad Stadium.
"In that respect I'm not surprised we've done well because we believed at the time we would get through that crisis and strengthen the team and hit the ground running.
"You've got to have a thick skin.
"I get people stopping me for photos now and they were possibly shouting at me from the stands in the summer saying 'sort it out Reed, you don't know what you're doing'.
"You're taking all that from the manager. The manager's the hero now, he's god, he'll never get the blame for anything.
"I'm the one who's going to get the blame and he's going to get the credit. You've got to accept that, you've got to be thick skinned."
Manchester United playmaker Juan Mata is desperate to see goalkeeper David de Gea shun a move to Real Madrid and remain at Old Trafford.
De Gea has enjoyed a stellar campaign, regularly catching the eye with a string of impressive saves as United have worked their way back into the Premier League's upper echelons, keeping 10 clean sheets in 36 outings.
Such form has reportedly attracted interest from Real Madrid, where Iker Casillas' performances continue to underwhelm.
But Mata – a youth product of Real's – wants to see De Gea remain as United plot an assault on the title next term.
"I don't know," Mata said when asked by IBTimes if his Spanish compatriot will remain at Old Trafford.
"To be honest, I don't know. Ask him because I don't know.
"I understand how important he is for us.
"Against Crystal Palace he proved it again with a save that gave us the three points.
"I want him to stay. Being selfish, I obviously hope he remains with us. He gives us many points."
Alan Pardew intends to make changes throughout Crystal Palace's squad in the coming months to ensure his side stay away from trouble next season.
Since taking over as manager at Selhurst Park in January, Pardew has transformed Palace's fortunes, guiding the club away from the relegation fight in the Premier League with a run that included impressive victories over Tottenham and Manchester City.
Despite four successive defeats, Palace are eight points clear of the drop zone with two games remaining, but Pardew is already planning an overhaul at the club.
"I've asked questions of this squad that haven't been asked before and, so far, they've come up with all the answers," he said at the club's end-of-season awards evening.
"[But] we have to keep evolving, keep changing. And that's something I'm happy to do.
"Hopefully this summer we will invest and make this club a real stable Premier League club."
Palace travel to Liverpool this weekend, before finishing the campaign at home to Swansea City.
Hull City owner Assem Allam says he has turned down offers to buy the club in the past.
Allam announced in September that he had put the club up for sale following a failed attempt to change its name to Hull Tigers.
Those plans have contributed to a difficult relationship between Allam and the club's fans, but the Egyptian insists he has the KC Stadium outfit's best interests at heart.
"I haven't found a buyer," he told BBC Look North. "I want to feel a new buyer is a good home. We've worked hard to achieve what we have.
"If I was looking for money only, the club would have been sold by now.
"I've had offers before and I said no. I need someone to look after the club."
A 1-0 defeat to Burnley at the weekend left Hull two points adrift of safety with just two matches - against Tottenham and Manchester United - left to play.
Asked whether he thought Hull could remain in the Premier League, Allam added: "I hope so but there is nothing we could have done.
"We have a good manager and a good squad that's really... expected to be between 10th and 12th, but we had eight injuries at the same time."
Outgoing Liverpool captain Steven Gerrard admits he has considered managing the club.
Gerrard, 34, will make an emotional final appearance in front of the Anfield faithful when Liverpool face Crystal Palace in the Premier League on Saturday.
The Los Angeles Galaxy-bound midfielder has thought about the prospect of returning to the club as a manager if the opportunity should arise.
"We will have to wait and see. I don't want to jump into conclusions and create headlines," Gerrard told Premier League Productions.
"Being the manager of this club is probably one of hardest jobs in the world. First and foremost you have to be good enough, got to be prepared for it and got to be offered it.
"A lot of things would have to happen from now until then so we will have to wait and see. But it is something I have thought about so maybe one day."
Gerrard has never won the Premier League during his time at Anfield and rues the failure to achieve that goal as he prepares to head to Major League Soccer.
"A career is always full of high and lows the biggest regret is not having a Premier League winners' medal," he said.
"I would have loved one of those. That would have been the icing on the cake. But in life you can't have it all.
"In a perfect scenario I would have that, so of course I have had some low moments, some cruel moments as well along the way.
"But I think sometimes to achieve the good things and some highs you have to go through setbacks and feel disappointment and pain to bounce back and get the highs as well."
Everton´s Baines to miss last two matches due to surgery
14 May 2015
Everton full-back Leighton Baines is to miss the final two Premier League matches of the season after undergoing ankle surgery.
The former Wigan Athletic man limped off injured during last weekend's 2-0 defeat to Sunderland at Goodison Park.
It was confirmed earlier this week that Baines would see a specialist to determine the extent of the injury.
And manager Roberto Martinez confirmed ahead of the trip to West Ham that Baines struggled with the issue for the past three years and has undergone a procedure to correct the problem.
"Leighton had a bit of instability in his ankle that flared up and it was painful in the last game," Martinez said. "It needed repair work so he had surgery on Wednesday.
"It was a straightforward operation to clear the ankle and give it stability. He'll be out until the start of pre-season, but it's what he needed, he was trying to play through the pain barrier.
"It's been a problem since 2012, it's been showing signs it needed work. He saw the specialist yesterday and we're looking forward to getting him back.
"It's a situation where it doesn't affect you for a period then you get a knock and it flares up, that's what happened. It was quite difficult for him to play pain free, the advice from the specialist is to treat it well and make sure the ankle is perfect going forward.
"We look forward to seeing Leighton with a period of getting fresh and getting ready for the next campaign. The way Leighton is, he doesn't want to miss playing and always puts himself forward to play.
"When you're not pain free it can be difficult and it was evident against Sunderland."
Baines' injury will also sideline him for England's friendly against Republic of Ireland, and the Euro 2016 qualifying fixture in Slovenia next month.
QPR boss Ramsey confirms Vargas, Zarate ´problems´
14 May 2015
QPR manager Chris Ramsey has confirmed there have been issues with Eduardo Vargas and Mauro Zarate this season, but refused to blame the club's Premier League relegation on individual players.
Midfielder Joey Barton last week spoke of "bad eggs" in the QPR dressing room who were undermining their battle to avoid drop, which ultimately came to an end in a 6-0 drubbing at Manchester City on Sunday.
A report in the Daily Mirror claimed Adel Taarbt, Armand Traore, Mauricio Isla, Zarate and Vargas were the players in question, with Barton later denying those suggestions by describing the story as 'clueless journalism'.
However, further stories surfaced this week that claimed Vargas refused to come on as a substitute during the 3-1 defeat to Crystal Palace in March, while Zarate is said to have stormed out after not making the matchday squad for a fixture against Liverpool earlier this month.
Ramsey refused to comment on individual incidents, but he did confirm that the club have had to deal with internal issues regarding the pair.
"What was reported in the week regarding the players, I mean there were some issues I won't deny that, we dealt with them at the time." he said.
"Unfortunately these things happen in football, unfortunately our dirty laundry has come out. We need to draw a line under it and move on.
"I mean, what I can say is that there were problems of a similar nature that we dealt with. The players have basically not been available to be picked subsequently.
"I think over the course of a season you can't pin-point players. I wouldn't blame them as individuals, but it hampered our choice of players."
Ramsey also suggested that the problems involving Taarabt and Traore have been due to a lack of fitness. The pair remain under contract for next season and Ramsey warned they must get in shape to kick-start their careers.
"I expect them to be here because they have a contract," he added. "Do I want them to be here? I want them here if they're fit and ready to play. It's purely a fitness issue that they're not available to be picked.
"There has not been any other issue I've been aware of apart from they haven't been able to be in contention for team selection."
Ramsey defended the timing of Barton's interview before the City game, adding: "I don't think Joey did anything wrong at all. He gave an interview that he thought was the correct thing at the time. It had nothing to do with how the game panned out."
Tottenham goalkeeper Brad Friedel has announced he will retire at the end of the season.
The United States international, who is four days short of his 44th birthday and has been capped 82 times for his country, joined Liverpool from Columbus Crew in 1997 and has since gone on to play for Blackburn Rovers, Aston Villa and Tottenham.
"I'm incredibly proud of what I’ve achieved in my career," he said. "When I first started the journey I never imagined it'd be this long.
"One thing I will miss is that day-to-day interaction with the staff and players.
"There really is nothing like it but my 44th birthday is here, so I think it is a good time to call it a day."
Friedel's retirement will see him return to the US to work as a television pundit and as an American ambassador for Tottenham, for whom he has made 67 appearances in all competitions.
"I've got a great relationship with the staff and board, so I'll certainly do my bit to help the club go further," he added.
"I've had a tremendous time here and met a lot of great people along the way. This is a wonderful football club and I feel honoured to have been a part of it for four years."
Friedel, who won the Turkish Cup with Galatasaray in 1996 and the League Cup with Blackburn in 2002, holds the record for most consecutive appearances in the Premier League (310) and is Tottenham's oldest ever player.
Tottenham head to the US to take on the MLS All-Stars in July.
West Ham manager Sam Allardyce insists his Upton Park future will not be resolved until the end of the season.
Allardyce, who has been in charge since 2011 and guided West Ham back into the Premier League, has faced mounting speculation, with reports suggesting the club's hierarchy will seek to replace him ahead of 2015-16.
After making a strong start to the campaign, West Ham have just three wins from their last 19 league fixtures.
"There is no manager news," said Allardyce. "It was always going to be the end of the season and it will still be the end of the season. You only have two weeks to ask these questions.
"I signed a contract a good two weeks after the season last time. This season it falls in the same lines. The negotiations take place and the outcome will be made clear to everyone.
"The speculation about other managers is bound to happen.
"You are bound to get a whisper here and there. It's the world we live in today. Whether I'm staying or going has not been decided here.
"Then it depends on the negotiations. There is me, there is the staff and the new players and the budget and where do we think we are going together as a football club?
"As owners and managers are we going in the right direction? Where do we want to go and how fast do we want to get there? Who is going in and out, length of contract, then move forward as quick as we can."
Should West Ham qualify for Europe via UEFA Fair Play - they are currently the leading candidates - the club could be back in competitive action less than six weeks after the conclusion of the Premier League season.
"The need to discuss it, particularly if we are in Europe, is to discuss it quickly," added Allardyce. "Our first game in the Europa League would be July 2 and lots of planning would need to be done."
Lampard recalls Swansea loan spell as Premier League curtain call nears
14 May 2015
Manchester City midfielder Frank Lampard has been sharing memories of making his professional debut for Swansea City ahead of his penultimate Premier League fixture.
The former West Ham and Chelsea star will join up with New York City in the MLS following the conclusion of the current campaign, bringing the curtain down on a stellar career in the England.
But Lampard has taken a moment to recognise the role played by Swansea, who host City on Sunday, in his development, with the 36-year-old having played nine matches on loan at the Welsh club during the 1995-96 season.
"I was 17 when I went to Swansea – quite a while ago – but I still have a genuine fondness for the club," he told the club's official website.
"I went there when they were fourth bottom of what is now League One and when I left they were bottom, so it's not as though I took them to the moon or anything.
"We played at their old stadium, Vetch Field, and it was an eye-opener because it was my first experience of man's football and was a character-building exercise.
"I've always kept my eye out for their results ever since and it's always good to go back.
"Being at Swansea was a real learning curve for me because they were nowhere near the club they are today and it's fantastic to see where they've got to."
Woodward eyes trophies as United announce revenue drop
14 May 2015
Ed Woodward said he expects Manchester United to be challenging for major honours again next season on the day the club announced that revenue fell by over £20million for the first three months of this year compared to 2014 financial results.
United's latest figures showed that overall revenue for the quarter up to March 31 was £95million, which is down 17.7 per cent year-on-year from the £115.5m from last year largely as a result of their failure to qualify for the UEFA Champions League.
However, commercial revenues were up by 11.7 per cent to £47.8million, thus emphasising the global appeal the club still holds.
United executive vice-chairman Woodward praised the work of manager Louis van Gaal in all-but getting United back in the Champions League for the 2015-16 campaign, but is eager for honours after two seasons without a major trophy.
"As the season approaches its conclusion, we are pleased with the team's performance in Louis van Gaal's first season as manager and are well positioned to achieve a top four finish in the Premier League and to return to European football next year," Woodward commented in a statement accompanying the release.
"As we look forward to next season, on the playing side we expect to be challenging for trophies in all competitions and on the commercial side we are excited by the numerous opportunities for further growth."
United, who are fourth, host third-placed Arsenal at Old Trafford on Sunday and can leapfrog their opponents with a win, albeit Arsene Wenger's men still hold a game in hand.
Steven Gerrard concedes he will leave Liverpool with the regret of never having won the Premier League title.
Gerrard is set to join Los Angeles Galaxy in the MLS at the end of the season and will play at Anfield for his beloved club for the final time on Saturday as Liverpool host Crystal Palace.
The 34-year-old's Liverpool career has seen him pick up winners' medals in the FA Cup, League Cup and UEFA Cup, in addition to a memorable UEFA Champions League final victory in 2005, when he played a starring role in the 'Miracle of Istanbul' against Milan.
Liverpool, last champions of England in 1990, looked on course for the league title last season until Gerrard's slip in a 2-0 defeat to Chelsea put eventual champions Manchester City in the driving seat.
"I'm really proud of what I've achieved here," said captain Gerrard. "Not winning the Premier League will be a dint in that, but there's nothing I can do about that now.
"That's the only regret I go away with.
"I've achieved an awful lot. More than I thought I would."
But Gerrard could be back to address that lack of Premier League trophy further down the line.
"It's a bit early... but I've got ambitions to stay in the game and I'm currently taking my UEFA coaching badges," he added.
"But to take a role at this club you have to be good enough. The demands and expectations at this club are so high you'd be very naive to take a role just because you're Steven Gerrard or because you had a good time on the pitch.
"If there's a role I consider myself good enough for, then I'd like to come back. I do feel I can contribute in the future. "
On his final Anfield outing, Gerrard said: "I don't know what it's going to be like come the end of the game when I get to say goodbye for real. I've been dreading this moment.
"The plan is to try and keep it together, stay strong and try to avoid the tears."
Cisse could be ´huge´ for Newcastle, claims Carver
14 May 2015
John Carver believes Papiss Cisse could play a "huge" role in Newcastle United's crucial Premier League clash with QPR if he can regain his fitness.
Newcastle are two points clear of the relegation zone with two games to play and visit Loftus Road on Saturday knowing that a first win in 10 matches could secure survival.
Striker Cisse has 11 goals in 20 appearances this season and made his return for a seven-game ban for spitting on Manchester United's Jonny Evans back in March in last Saturday's 1-1 draw with West Brom.
The Senegal international underwent knee surgery during his ban but got through 21 minutes as a second-half substitute with no repercussions, and has previous form with rushing back to action.
Alan Pardew claimed Cisse "shouldn't have played" after he hurried back to score twice in September's 2-2 draw at home to Hull City.
And Carver said: He [Cisse] could be huge. What we have to bear in mind is he was supposed to be out for 12-14 weeks but because of personality [he] got back quicker than we thought.
"[He] didn't have any football before last weekend. He did okay when he came on. The Premier League for 90 minutes is quite vigorous, I'm thinking about what I'm going to do."
Southampton boss Ronald Koeman is hopeful that the positivity generated by Jay Rodriguez's new deal will prompt some of his team-mates to pledge their long-term futures to the club.
England striker Rodriguez penned a contract until 2019 earlier this week and Koeman remains optimistic that Nathaniel Clyne is on the verge of successfully completing negotiations on an extension.
Clyne was initially given a 10-day deadline to decide whether he wants to sign a new deal, but, despite that timeframe now expiring, Koeman is in a relaxed frame of mind.
On Rodriguez, who is close to a return after a year out with a knee injury, Koeman said: "It's good news because he's a very good player.
"That makes the team stronger, even stronger than we are and that's good news. And maybe it's a little bit of influence in the decision of the rest of the players that he will stay with the club.
"He's a very dangerous front player. To have really very good competition between the strikers will be important for next season.
"If Jay will have a good pre-season then we have a new player in our team and that's fantastic news."
Addressing the issue of right-back Clyne's contract talks, the Dutchman said: "It takes a little bit longer than we expected.
"The feeling is good that we can keep Clyney in the club, but still left the signature of the player. And we hope that will be next week.
"The reason why we have to wait a little bit more time is about the situation that he changed agents."
