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West Bromwich Albion manager Valerien Ismael has dropped an update on the future of on-loan centre-forward Jordan Hugill.

What’s the talk?

In recent comments cited by Birmingham Live, the 46-year-old Baggies boss refused to rule out the possibility of Hugill making a return to Norwich City before the end of the month, with the Frenchman revealing that he held talks with the 29-year-old forward regarding his future at The Hawthorns following the club’s recent £7m signing of Daryl Dike.

Speaking about Hugill, Ismael said: “We had a chat with Jordan earlier this week. It’s clear. I told him my opinion, my vision, he got clarity. It’s not only about Jordan. I’ve been here now – with my staff – for six months and we gave a chance to everyone. We have an overview of all the players, we know what we want to see and at some point you have to make a decision.

“Sometimes when you make a decision it could be painful for people but it’s important to make that decision to move forward and to make sure we do the right thing for the club. We want to see West Brom having success short term and long-term so at some point you have to make a decision for the club. I think anything can happen until January 31. My expectation now is more that something happens with outgoings.”

Fans will be buzzing

Considering just how poor Hugill has been since his arrival in West Bromwich on a season-long loan deal last summer, Ismael’s suggestion that the centre-forward could be in line to make an early departure from The Hawthorns is sure to have left the club’s fanbase buzzing.

Indeed, over his 20 Championship appearances so far this season, the £1.62m-rated man has scored just one goal, has failed to register a single assist and has missed a whopping nine big chances for his side, in addition to hitting the target with just 0.4 shots and making a mere 0.3 key passes per game.

These returns have seen the £36k-per-week forward average an extremely disappointing SofaScore match rating of 6.56, ranking him as Albion’s fifth-worst performer in the second tier of English football.

As such, it is evident that Hugill is simply not up to the standard required for a side who are pushing for automatic promotion back to the Premier League this season, leading us to believe that Ismael should indeed send the 29-year-old back to Norwich this month.

In other news: Fewer touches than Button: £14k-p/w flop must surely have played his last game for WBA

After an impressive start to life as Aston Villa manager, former Liverpool captain Steven Gerrard returned to Anfield on Saturday, looking to build on his side’s recent run of three league wins from four.

Despite a battling performance, the Villans left Merseyside empty-handed as Mo Salah’s 67th-minute penalty separated the two teams.

With the Reds the league’s top scorers with 44 goals prior to the match, the Midlands club were always going to need their front men to perform if they were to come away with a result, particularly Ollie Watkins. However, the striker had a quiet afternoon at Anfield.

Starting in a front three alongside Ashley Young and Jacob Ramsey, Watkins struggled to make any sort of impact, with the centre-forward failing to get a single shot away.

Furthermore, according to SofaScore, the 25-year-old lost possession 14 times alongside making just 36 touches, meaning that he lost the ball every 2.57 touches. There was a lack of physical presence up front from Villa’s talisman too as Watkins lost 75% of his duels.

The £44k-p/w forward has made a good start to life under Gerrard, scoring against Brighton and Manchester City under the 41-year-old since he replaced Dean Smith, and there is still little doubt that Watkins is the club’s best striker, his four league goals the most of anyone in Villa’s squad so far this season.

However, fellow forward Danny Ings returned from injury on Saturday, having not played for three games, which will increase competition in the attacking department once again. The two started alongside each other in Gerrard’s first game against Brighton, with Ings playing as a centre-forward and Watkins playing on the left of a front three.

It’s plausible that this could happen again, but if both were to purely play in their preferred centre-forward role, then one would have to miss out. This must be used as an incentive for Watkins has his place in the starting line-up is at greater risk after today’s soporific performance, especially with the renewed availability of Ings.

In other news: Aston Villa can start January with a bang by signing “unbeatable” £27m-rated machine

Leeds United have been dealt a setback in their efforts to sign Ben Brereton Diaz this winter…

What’s the word?

The Yorkshire giants have regularly been linked with a move for the Blackburn Rovers forward in recent windows, with claims earlier this month suggesting that a serious push to sign him would be made in January.

However, according to The Sun’s Alan Nixon, it’s going to take a massive offer for the Championship outfit to even consider letting him go, so that puts a big dent in their chances of sealing him.

“I don’t think he goes … unless offer is mad,” he tweeted.

Diaz is out of contract in the summer but the Lancashire side have an option to extend that by a further year. Meanwhile, a fee in the region of £20m has previously been mooted, as per the Mirror.

Unlikely move?

Historically, the January transfer window has not been one that Leeds often get involved in.

“The feeling in the club and in the recruitment department is generally that they would like to do as little business as they can in January,” once claimed The Athletic’s Phil Hay, whilst Marcelo Bielsa’s comments in the past have hinted towards there being a lack of activity.

The Argentina head coach also spent a lot of money in the summer, breaking Untied’s club record to sign Dan James, one of several £20m+ signings, so there are questions over how much of the budget is left for further additions next month,

However, Leeds need reinforcements as their injury list continues to pile up. They have missed the likes of vice-captain Luke Ayling and leading goalscorer Patrick Bamford for most of the season, without an adequate backup, whilst a fresh blow to Kalvin Phillips is certainly worrying.

Bamford returned from injury and suffered another setback, meaning he has played only 22 minutes in the top-flight since September, so it’s no wonder Bielsa has his sights set on a new frontline addition in Diaz.

Reports in Chile have previously suggested that the 66-year-old has been a huge fan of the Blackburn star, ever since the two sides met in the Championship for the first time several years ago, so he will be absolutely gutted to not be able to sign him this January, if Nixon’s claims are accurate.

The striker, dubbed a “beast” and an “extraordinary talent” by his manager Tony Mowbray, has been in electric form this campaign, where he has delivered 19 goals and one assist in 23 league games, via Transfermarkt.

Bamford’s only backup is academy gem Joe Gelhardt, so a move for one of the Championship’s most prolific goalscorers does make sense but it now seems unlikely given that Rovers will not sell him on the cheap, despite his contractual situation,

As such, Bielsa and co have been dealt a big blow in their attempts to bring in an alternative this winter. He will surely be devastated as his nightmare campaign at Elland Road looks set to continue.

AND in other news, Big relief: Phil Hay finally relays positive injury news for LUFC, fans surely buzzing…

Aston Villa fans have spotted Indiana Vassilev in team training at Bodymoor Heath. 

Back in July, Vassilev joined Major League Soccer outfit Inter Miami on loan.

But their season came to an end in early November after they finished in 11th place in the Eastern Conference and therefore failed to progress to the play-offs.

Vassilev made 21 appearances for the Florida-based outfit, scoring three goals.

It seems, from footage posted by @AVFCOfficial, that he’s now returned to the Midlands to rejoin his parent club.

What does the future hold for Vassilev?

New manager Steven Gerrard will no doubt run the rule over the American, but Villa could potentially look to secure another loan move for him when the transfer window opens in January.

The 20-year-old has had six outings for Villa’s senior team to date, four of which have come in the Premier League.

He’s a strikingly versatile player, able to operate on either flank, as a centre forward and even as an attacking midfielder.

These Villa fans spot Vassilev in training

“Is that Vassilev?”

Credit: @HarryAVFC_

“Is that Indi Vassilev talking to Konsa at the start of the video?”

Credit: @KevinCorAvfc

“Wait Vassilev?”

Credit: @1874Jacob

“I wonder if he’ll get a chance now he’s back”

Credit: @doc3d

“Since when was Vassilev back?”

Credit: @1874dan

“Anyone else spot Vassilev in this video? Wonder if he’ll be given a chance in the first team”

Credit: @AstonDrilla

In other news, Steven Gerrard wants this left-back.

As per Mundo Deportivo, an enticing transfer claim has emerged involving Tottenham Hotspur and Barcelona forward Ousmane Dembele.

The Lowdown: Paratici eyes free moves…

Tottenham’s transfer chief has certainly been hard at work behind the scenes going by his numerous links to potential 2022 free agents over these last few months.

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Franck Kessie, Marcelo Brozovic, Lorenzo Insigne and Jesse Lingard are just a handful of names attracting Tottenham’s interest who could all leave their clubs for nothing next year.

Another player who seemingly fits Paratici’s description, Catalans star Dembele, is also out of contract at the end of this season with Spurs’ managing director now making a pre-January move.

The Latest: Paratici offers ‘a lot of money’ to Dembele…

As per Spanish news outlet Mundo, Paratici ‘wants to give Antonio Conte quality players at zero cost’ and it is believed that the France international has now been ‘tempted’ by Spurs as a result.

Tottenham have apparently ‘approached’ Dembele with ‘a lot of money’ as Paratici personally promises the 24-year-old he’ll be a ‘key piece’ in the N17 project.

The Verdict: Get it done?

Spurs’ official sets out a transfer plan of signing stars for little to no cost, we believe a swoop for Dembele could certainly come as an astute bit of business but a slight gamble.

Indeed, on the one hand, Paratici could bypass the player’s estimated £45m Transfermarkt valuation and sign a player Lionel Messi called a ‘phenomenon’ for free.

On the other, the former Borussia Dortmund sensation’s injury record doesn’t paint a pretty picture going by his history of serious hamstring problems (Transfermarkt).

Amassing 27 caps for France in a very competitive squad when it comes to depth, it’s clear Dembele has the ability, with the only question being will he be able to support Conte on a regular enough basis?

In other news: Conte as Spurs enter talks to sign ‘sensational’ player with the physique of a ‘horse’, find out more here.

According to Fichajes, Sevilla are interested in signing Tanguy Ndombele from Tottenham Hotspur.

The Lowdown: Record breaker

Ndombele, of course, is Spurs’ record signing (£54m) since making the move to north London from Lyon in 2019.

However, he has struggled to make an impact at the club. He was heavily criticised by former Spurs manager Jose Mourinho for not being fit enough and his lack of commitment (via The Metro), and his future at the club remains uncertain after requests to leave in the summer.

The Latest: Sevilla want Ndombele

As per this latest report from Spain, the La Liga outfit are interested in signing the midfielder in 2022.

It adds that the north London outfit are looking for a fee between €35m (£29.5m) and €45m (£37.9m) if they are to part ways with the France international.

The two clubs have a relationship already of course after the transfer of Bryan Gil, so Daniel Levy will know what to expect in negotiations.

The Verdict: Good money

Ndombele has just not made the impact many expected from him. In 82 games, he has managed ten goals (Transfermarkt), but the criticisms directed at him have certainly damaged his reputation. For the money they paid to acquire him from France, he simply hasn’t cut it.

At this point, it seems as good a time as any to consider any bid for Ndombele and, while this reported interest from Sevilla is not yet concrete, a €45m (£37.9m) fee would not represent that big a loss for Levy ( and co. It remains to be seen whether an official bid comes in soon.

In other news, this man has been blamed for Spurs’ struggles.

With 31 goals scored in their opening 11 Premier League games of the season, it’s safe to say Liverpool have not had much trouble finding the back of the net, especially with Jurgen Klopp’s side having more shots at goal (215) than any other top-flight side.

Despite their impressive attacking power, it seems as though the Merseyside club are interested in bringing a new goalscoring figure to Anfield.

What’s the news?

It has recently been reported by El Nacional that Liverpool are weighing up a bid of €40m (£34.2m) to sign Real Sociedad striker Alexander Isak.

Since joining the La Liga club back in the 2019 summer transfer window from Borussia Dortmund, the 22-year-old, who is currently valued at £36m according to Transfermarkt, has managed to score 38 goals and provide six assists in 102 appearances for Sociedad across all competitions.

Dream move

So far this season, Isak has scored five goals and provided one assist in 13 appearances across La Liga and the Europa League.

On the international stage, Isak has scored eight times in 29 senior appearances for Sweden, showing that he can be an attacking threat for both club and country.

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During the recent Euro 2020 tournament, football presenter Gary Lineker took to Twitter to call Isak an “exceptional talent” after watching him perform for his nation so impressively over the summer.

Taking all of this into account, it’s not hard to see why Liverpool are apparently keen on adding Isak to their squad.

It’s safe to say that Klopp would love to have a player with Isak’s goalscoring prowess in his side next to the likes of Sadio Mane and Mohamed Salah who have between them managed to contribute 16 of Liverpool’s 31 league goals. Combine all of those players together and you surely have a triumvirate capable of dominating Europe again.

Considering his tender age, Isak could well be seen as a potential long-term replacement for Liverpool’s current striker Roberto Firmino too. He’s now hit the age of 30 and is set to have his current contract at the Merseyside club expire in 2023.

Moving forward, Liverpool should definitely test the waters with this reported bid for Isak to see if Sociedad would be willing to negotiate a deal that would see the striker join the Merseyside club.

The Swede would add even more strength to their already impressive attacking depth and given the sheer number of positives to this deal, it would be an absolute dream for their owners, FSG, and the team’s supporters.

In other news: Forget Salah: £67.5m-rated beast making 3.3 key passes P/G has been “fabulous” for LFC – opinion

Reliable reporter Fabrizio Romano shared updates on Manchester United trio Bruno Fernandes, Luke Shaw and Paul Pogba on Sunday afternoon.

As to be expected, his social media post received plenty of interaction from a number of United fans.

According to Romano, Fernandes has been United’s ‘priority’ since last July when it comes to offering contract extensions to members of Ole Gunnar Solskjaer’s squad.

His current deal, which is worth £180,000 per week, runs until 2025, but United are in talks with the 27-year-old’s representatives over an improved salary and possible length of a new contract.

Romano added that Shaw is also on the club’s renewals list, while the Red Devils are also waiting on a response from Pogba over a fresh Old Trafford contract.

The Englishman’s contract has just under two years to run, whereas Pogba could leave for nothing at the end of the season should his situation remain the same.

United fans react

Here is what these Manchester United fans had to say on Twitter in response to Romano’s post, with one labelling it as ‘important news’ as all three are regulars in Solskjaer’s first XI.

“SIUUUUU”

Credit: @Deafeatist

“The brilliant journalism we all needed now”

Credit: @AliInqiad

“Yesss”

Credit: @lmRashford

“Important news”

Credit: @stretford_end

“VIVAAAAA BRUNO”

Credit: @cultrahull

“Couldn’t care less about Pogba. Get Bruno’s and Luke’s sorted @ManUtd”

Credit: @C_Keshav

In other news: ‘Yeeeessss’ – Lots of MUFC fans buzzing over Romano’s update on Amad Diallo

With Ange Postecoglou’s Celtic side heading into Tuesday afternoon’s Europa League clash in a decent run of form, with the Bhoys having picked up their first and second away wins of the season in back to back fixtures, the 56-year-old Hoops manager will undoubtedly be hoping for yet another positive result against Ferencvarosi TC at Parkhead.

Indeed, if Celtic are to have any chance of qualifying for the knockout stages of the competition, then a win against their Hungarian opponents is an absolute must, leaving no room for error in the Greek-Australian manager’s team selection.

So, will Postecoglou make any changes to the team which started the 2-0 win at Motherwell last time out? Here’s how we think Celtic could line up against Ferencvarosi, along with the latest team and injury news…

With Postecoglou recently revealing that 19-year-old Adam Montgomery looks set for a return to action after being rested at Fir Park last weekend, we predict that the 56-year-old will make two changes to the team which started the win on Saturday.

As is now a formality, Joe Hart starts between the sticks, while the centre-back partnership of Carl Starfelt and Cameron Carter-Vickers remains intact.

The first change comes at left-back, with Boli Bolingoli dropping out of the side for the aforementioned Montgomery, who is thrown straight back into the XI following his recovery from injury, as the youngster highly impressed in the recent 2-1 win over Aberdeen.

Meanwhile, the equally impressive Anthony Ralston keeps his spot at right-back, with summer signing Josip Juranovic yet to fully recover from his hamstring injury.

In the middle of the park, David Turnbull, Callum McGregor and the more advanced Tom Rogic all keep their starting berths after a collectively solid display against Motherwell.

The second change comes in attack, with Kyogo Furuhashi being moved onto the left-hand side of the front three, Jota switching to the opposite flank and 26-year-old Giorgos Giakoumakis being awarded his first start for Celtic in the centre-forward role, while Liel Abada drops to the bench.

In other news: Ange must finally unleash 26 y/o “phenomenon”, he could fire Celtic to the KO stages

With Mark Warburton having seen his Queen Park Rangers side suffer something of a setback in the Championship over the last eight days, with the Rs losing their first and second league fixtures of the season in back to back matches, the 59-year-old manager would have undoubtedly been hoping for a positive performance in the Carabao Cup on Tuesday evening to get his side back on track.

And, despite their opponents being Premier League side Everton, QPR duly delivered for their manager, boasting 61% possession in the fixture, completing 197 more passes than the Toffees and winning 13 more duels than Rafael Benitez’s side, with the scoreline reading 2-2 at 90 minutes.

Warburton’s men then demonstrated incredible composure and maturity in the subsequent penalty shootout, scoring all eight of their spot-kicks, meaning that Tom Davies’ miss sent the Rs through to the fourth round of the competition for the first time since 2008.

As such, rather predictably when considering the result, a number of the west London side highly impressed in the match, with Charlie Austin – who scored both of the Rs’ two goals in the clash – Christopher Willock, Yoann Barbet and Seny Dieng all turning in dominant displays against the Toffees.

However, it was 23-year-old attacking midfielder Ilias Chair who, from a statistical point of view, stole the show against Everton.

Three key passes

Over his 76 minutes on the pitch, Chair was arguably QPR’s most important player, with the Morocco international continually causing the Everton midfield and defence problems with both his creativity and attacking inclination.

Indeed, the £3.6m-rated man ended the fixture with one assist to his name – which came after a delightful piece of skill on the left-wing, before putting the ball square on Charlie Austin’s forehead between two Everton defenders – as well as making three key passes, completing both of his attempted crosses and hitting the target with 100% of his shots.

The player Warburton dubbed a “lively” talent also managed 53 touches of the ball, completed 86% of his passes and made one tackle during his spell on the pitch.

These returns saw the £7.1k-per-week midfielder earn a SofaScore match rating of 7.2 in the fixture, something which, considering the level of the opposition, only further highlights the progress Chair has made under Warburton in the last few seasons – with the 23-year-old clearly boasting the ability to play a major role in QPR’s push for a top-six finish in the Championship this season.

In other news: Blackstock 2.0: “Brilliant” £3.6m-rated QPR ace is key to Warburton’s promotion push