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One key issue for Wolverhampton Wanderers so far this term has been in the centre-forward ranks, with the Old Gold currently suffering as a result of injuries to both Raul Jimenez and Sasa Kalajdzic.

The latter man had cruelly been struck down with an ACL injury on debut following his £15.5m arrival from Bundesliga side, Stuttgart, with Bruno Lage – who has since left his post at Molineux – turning to veteran free agent Diego Costa as a short-term fix.

At 34, however, it remains to be seen just what kind of impact the former Chelsea man will make for the Midlands side, having notably been replaced after just 56 minutes on his return to Stamford Bridge at the weekend.

Wolves could well have avoided that reliance on the ageing menace had they recruited another striking option in the recent window, with the Spain international’s former Blues teammate Michy Batshuayi having seemingly been a target for Lage and co.

Reports earlier this summer had suggested that the club had made an offer to sign the Belgium international from their fellow Premier League side, with the Brussels-born star having fallen down the pecking order in west London with just a year left on his existing deal.

No move came to fruition, however, as the 6 foot 1 powerhouse ultimately secured a return to Turkey to join Fenerbahce, after previously netting 14 goals and providing five assists while on loan at Besiktas last season.

Frustratingly as far as Wolves supporters are concerned, the Istanbul outfit were able to make that permanent capture for free, with that something of a steal for an undoubted “goal machine” – as dubbed by journalist Ronan Murphy.

The 29-year-old has made an ideal start to life in his new surroundings with three goals in just six games for the Super Lig side thus far in all competitions, including a stoppage-time winner in the thrilling 5-4 win over Karagumruk at the weekend.

The £8.55m-rated man’s overall club career tally now stands at an impressive 139 goals in 396 games across stints in England, France, Belgium, Spain, Germany and more recently, Turkey, while he also boasts a remarkable hit rate at international level with 26 goals in just 47 games.

Signing such a prolific asset for nothing could well have been an ideal solution for those at Molineux, with the club having thus far been particularly goal-shy in the early weeks of the season, with a measly tally of three goals in just nine league games.

The aforementioned Costa could well come good and reverse that trend, although it will sting not to have got Batshuayi through the door.

Newcastle United manager Eddie Howe is making a habit of getting the best out of previously underperforming players at St. James’ Park.

He turned Joelinton into a box-to-box machine in midfield after the Brazilian struggled up front and he has masterminded Miguel Almiron’s resurgence this season.

The Paraguay international scored once and failed to provide a single assist in 30 Premier League matches last season and has burst into life this term with four strikes in nine games so far – including two in the recent thrashing of Brentford.

Howe has adopted an attacking style of play at Newcastle with his side able to dominate possession and pass through teams whilst also having the tactical nous to sit deep and break quickly when needed.

This allows forward players to thrive in the final third and it makes you wonder whether the ex-Bournemouth manager could have got more out of some of the club’s previous flops.

Steve McClaren splashed out £13m to sign Florian Thauvin from Marseille in the summer of 2015 and the Frenchman struggled to make his mark in the top flight as he made just 13 appearances and failed to score or assist a goal.

He joined the club after scoring five times and assisting seven in 33 Ligue 1 outings in 2014/15 but he was unable to showcase the best of his abilities in England before heading back to his former club on loan in the second half of the campaign.

Newcastle were ultimately relegated from the Premier League under Rafa Benitez after McClaren’s departure, and Thauvin was sent out on loan to Marseille again for 2016/17 before sealing a permanent move back to France at the end of that campaign.

Between the start of 2016/17 and the end of 2018/19, the Toon flop scored 53 goals and provided 29 assists in 106 Ligue 1 outings as he discovered his best form in his home country.

McClaren’s team was described as a possession-based side that lacked the pressing work off the ball to make the most of their ability but Howe has instilled a pressing philosophy to win the ball back in good areas to allow forwards to thrive at the top end of the pitch.

Whilst Almiron is catching the eye in the current attacking set-up, Thauvin’s sublime numbers for Marseille as a left-footed right winger – just like the former MLS man – suggest that he would have been perfect for Howe’s attacking style.

The Frenchman consistently delivered goals and assists in Ligue 1 after leaving Newcastle and it is a shame that the club did not have a manager like the Englishman in charge at that time as he could have gotten the best out of him in the Premier League.

Journalist Josh Bunting previously described him as being “magnificent” and that is exactly what he would have been for the Magpies if he had been managed by Howe’s attacking, pressing, football as he could have had the chances in possession to make a big contribution in the final third.

Former Scottish Premiership striker Noel Whelan has claimed that Leon King being linked with big clubs is ‘exciting’ for Glasgow Rangers.

The Lowdown: Champions League interest

It was reported earlier this week that two clubs in the Champions League have joined the race to sign the 18-year-old in the January transfer window.

Bundesliga duo Bayer Leverkusen and Eintracht Frankfurt have joined Leeds United, Newcastle United and Manchester United from the Premier League in the hunt for his signature.

The Latest: ‘Exciting’

Speaking to Football Insider, Whelan has claimed that it is ‘exciting’ for Rangers to see King being linked with such high-profile clubs so early on in his career.

The former Aberdeen marksman said of the teenager: “I think he’s got to make the most of the time he’s got.

“What he’s doing is right. He’s getting that experience and really enjoying playing in the first team – because it’s a different challenge every week.

“He’s got to keep a level head, keep being a standout performer. Whatever happens in the future will then come because you deserve it.

“It’s exciting for Rangers, and it’ll be exciting for this young man. He’s being spotted and talked about by bigger clubs.

“A lot of players want to be in bigger leagues and be successful in the Champions League. It’s a different kettle of fish in the Premier League – it’s the holy grail for many players.”

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The Verdict: Need to keep him…

While it is exciting to see a Rangers player being linked with big-name clubs, Giovanni van Bronckhorst’s team will want to keep hold of King above anything else.

Lauded as an ‘absolutely top class‘ talent by renowned Gers bloggers Four Lads Had a Dream, King has made more than 10 senior appearances already this season, despite being just 18 years of age.

His current contract is due to expire in 2024, so the transfer speculation will not help in terms of the club wanting King to sign a new deal.

Nonetheless, as much as Rangers fans can appreciate the attention that the teenager is getting for his performances, they may be reminded by the way that they lost Joe Aribo and Leon Balogun in the summer, so they will surely want King to commit his long-term future to the Ibrox club.

JJ Watt has explained how Harry Kane can become an NFL kicker, with the Bayern Munich striker being backed to pursue an alternative football career.

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• England captain is a big NFL fan
• Has spoken about becoming a kicker
• Transition would not be easy

• WHAT HAPPENED?

  England captain Kane has never shied away from the fact that he would like to try his luck in the American form of the game at some stage. He is a big NFL fan and appears to boast the skill set required to transition from one sport to another.

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  THE BIGGER PICTURE

  Watt, who is a gridiron legend, believes that Kane is capable of treading that path. He is, however, eager to point out that the kicker position is not as easy as some may think and that even those with the requisite technical ability would need to work hard on learning the craft before breaking into the big time.

• WHAT JJ WATT SAID ABOUT KANE

  Watt, who is a now a minority stakeholder at Burnley alongside his ex-USWNT star wife Kealia, has – speaking on the podcast, brought to you by Sky Bet – said of a Premier League icon swapping goal scoring for place kicking: “I think with true proper dedicated training, I think Harry Kane could make it as an NFL kicker because I think that his skill set, obviously having kicked balls for his entire life, then you put him with a proper kicking trainer, it’s going to go well. I don’t want to diminish the job of a kicker because it’s an extremely difficult job, but somebody that does it at the highest level like Harry has with proper training, I do think he’s good at it.”

  Watt added: “I did a field goal competition with Sergio Aguero in America when Manchester City came over for a pre-season tour, and he was phenomenal, making 65-yard field goals. The only difference is that he would have taken a long run-up, whereas in the NFL, you get 1.2 seconds from the time the ball is snapped, so you’ve got to take a two-step run-up and kick it, but he was pounding the ball through the upright. Justin Tucker is the best kicker in NFL history, so I’m not saying that Harry Kane can be that, but I do think that Harry could possibly, with three years of intensive everyday training, make an NFL roster, one of 32, because he’s had to do it his whole life. And maybe a goalkeeper would probably be a better option because they have to do goal kicks.”

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  WHAT NEXT FOR KANE?

  Kane will not be chasing the American dream any time soon, as he still has plenty of competitive football left in him. The 2023-24 campaign has been a frustrating one at Bayern Munich, despite his impressive goal return, but he is tied to a contract in Germany through to 2027 and is still only 30 years of age.

West Bromwich Albion now seem set to appoint Carlos Corberan as their new manager, and with that, it is worth speculating what team he might utilise to freshen things up from Steve Bruce’s reign.

Were he to be appointed before their game against Sheffield United, the Spaniard would face a tough test as they host the fifth-placed team in the Championship.

By stark contrast, Albion sit in 23rd place, with just one win in their last 11 games. 

However, it must be noted that the Blades are also in disappointing form, having not won in their last six outings.

With that in mind, here is West Brom’s predicted strongest XI under Corberan…

The former Huddersfield Town manager will likely employ a 3-4-3 system similar to the one that Richard Beale has tried to implement.

In goal, either Alex Palmer or David Button could make a case for the starting berth. Neither has impressed when handed their chance, with WhoScored ratings of 6.65 and 5.99 respectively, so the former will likely retain his place for now.

The back three could see Kyle Bartley dropped, especially after his two yellow cards at the weekend. Although he was described as a “proper leader” by his former Swansea boss Gary Monk, the 31-year-old’s age and lack of pace would likely see him struggle in this system.

Martin Kelly will duly take Bartley’s place, flanked by Erik Pieters and Dara O’Shea.

The wing-backs will see pace and power being preferred, as Matt Phillips will return to the right flank whilst Conor Townsend will bomb down the left.

To implement his high-pressing style, Corberan will need to employ a mobile central midfield. Taylor Gardner-Hickman will continue to use his youth and exuberance and will likely be paired with summer addition Tom Rogic.

Dubbed “superb” by his former Celtic boss Ange Postecoglou, the Australian could be instrumental in how Corberan will likely want to play at The Hawthorns, due to his physicality and strength.

The front three will remain largely unchanged, as Grady Diangana and Jed Wallace are unlikely to be displaced and have the quality to come good eventually this term. Karlan Grant is hopeful that he will continue up front, and his experience of Championship football (41 goals in 124 games) will see him preferred to Brandon Thomas-Asante.

However, in January, it would be no surprise if the new West Brom boss opts to bring in some new faces to compete with this stagnant group of players.

Leeds United are set to lose their appeal over the transfer of Jean-Kevin Augustin, Football Insider report.

The Lowdown: 48 minutes

Augustin arrived at Elland Road on loan with an obligation to buy back in 2020 after Eddie Nketiah returned to Arsenal. The Frenchman failed to hit the heights in Yorkshire, though, and played just 48 minutes of action in the Championship.

Leeds eventually won promotion to the Premier League, and an off-field saga regarding an obligation to buy payment has been ongoing ever since.

The Latest: Augustin update

FI reporter Adam Williams revealed an update on the situation regarding Leeds and Augustin in the last 48 hours.

He stated that the Whites look set to lose their appeal and ‘that there is next to no hope that it will be good news for Leeds when CAS announce their verdict’. The Whites will therefore seemingly have to pay RB Leipzig around £17.7m with an extra £300,000 in interest.

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The Verdict: Bad to worse

Should Leeds be required to pay Leipzig £18m for Augustin, it will surely go down as the worst piece of transfer business in the club’s history – working out at £375,000 for every minute the forward was in a Leeds shirt.

The Whites are having their struggles on the pitch and are currently in the relegation zone, so this huge off-field update won’t be welcomed by Leeds chiefs.

Augustin is currently with FC Basel and has scored three goals in nine games, holding a Transfermarkt valuation of £1.35m, if you wanted to know.

Leeds United are interested in a deal to bring Mamadou Mbaye to Elland Road.

What’s the talk?

That’s according to a report from Spain (via Sport Witness), which claims that, after the 24-year-old  ‘burst like a freight train’ into the Cádiz CF first team, the centre-back is now being monitored by a number of Premier League clubs – with Leeds, Southampton and Brighton & Hove Albion named as potential suitors.

However, the report goes on to state that, as a result of his impressive impact in LaLiga, Los Piratas are already working to tie the former Senegal U20 international down to a new contract at the Estadio Nuevo Mirandilla – with the defender’s current deal set to expire in the summer of 2024.

Orta’s next diamond

While it is true that, despite being 24 years of age, Mbaye has just four first-team appearances to his name, considering just how impressive the Senegalese sensation has been since his debut, coupled with the centre-back’s eye-catching returns for Cádiz CF Mirandilla last season, the defender could well prove to be Victor Orta’s next diamond in the rough.

Indeed, over his £860k-rated talent scored an extremely impressive three goals and registered one assist – playing a key role in his side securing a seventh-place finish in the lower leagues of Spanish football.

Following this campaign, in addition to being “one of the positive notes of preseason” for Cádiz – in the words of Marca journalist Ángel Cotán – Sergio promoted Mbaye to his senior squad for 2022/23, before handing the 24-year-old his LaLiga debut in a 4-0 defeat to Barcelona back in September.

However, while debuts do not come much harder than a visit of the Catalans, the centre-back highly impressed in his next league outing – a 0-0 draw with Real Betis Balompié – making five clearances, one interception and one tackle over the course of his 90 minutes on the pitch, as well as enjoying 54 touches of the ball, completing 31 passes and attempting four long balls.

These returns saw the defender earn an extremely impressive SofaScore match rating of 7.0, ranking him as Cádiz’s best-performing outfielder to start the match.

As such, while Orta – as well as Southampton and Brighton – will no doubt want to scout Mbaye much more before deciding whether or not to sanction a swoop for the Senegalese starlet, should the 24-year-old continue to impress in Spain, he could well become the director of football’s next diamond in the rough at Elland Road.

Sunderland sporting director Kristjaan Speakman is continuing to build an exciting squad full of talented young players at the Stadium of Light.

The likes of Dan Neil, Aji Alese, Edouard Michut, Jewison Bennette, Jack Clarke, and Anthony Patterson are all promising youngsters who could go on to make the club a huge profit in the future if they fulfil their potential on the pitch.

Developing young players in order to sell them on for big money further down the line can help to keep the club financially sustainable as they could fund their own transfer business by cashing in on gems, rather than needing outside investment in order to compete.

One player who could end up being a great example of that is current first-team defender Dennis Cirkin. The 20-year-old, who arrived at the Stadium of Light in 2021, has been touted with a transfer back to Premier League side Tottenham – who have a buyback option worth £6m.

If that move does go through, in January or next summer, and Cirkin leaves to re-join his former club then Speakman will be tasked with dipping into the market, with a chunk of that £6m, to find the heir to the youngster at left-back.

The Black Cats chief could find the ex-Spurs man’s replacement by securing a deal to sign 22-year-old full-back Anthony Glennon from Grimsby in the January transfer window.

Sunderland, Sheffield Wednesday, and Hull are all interested in signing the full-back and have been ‘making regular checks’ on his performances this season, according to Football Insider.

Former Grimsby boss Ian Holloway described him as being “remarkable” during a previous spell on loan with the club and Burnley reporter Alex James once claimed that the gem has a “big future”.

He would be another player, at the age of 22, who would be joining Sunderland as a young talent with the scope to improve and increase his market value over time.

Glennon has showcased his potential and quality in League Two with Grimsby this season as he has been putting in consistently impressive performances at left-back.

The former Burnley man has averaged a SofaScore rating of 7.18 in 13 matches in the fourth tier and is his club’s top performer in the division this season.

He has showcased his ability to drive forward from full-back with 1.8 key passes per game and three assists, from three ‘big chances’ created, in League Two, which shows that he has an attacking mindset and could make an impact at the top end of the pitch.

It remains to be seen whether or not Glennon has the quality to make the step up to the Championship but part of Sunderland’s development model is taking educated gambles on players with potential and the 22-year-old’s statistics suggest that he could play at a higher level, as he has been a standout for Grimsby.

Football Insider pundit Frank McAvennie has been reacting to an Aston Villa transfer update involving Unai Emery.

The Lowdown: Emery green-lights January move

The 51-year-old has enjoyed an excellent start to life in charge at Villa Park, winning his first two Premier League games against Manchester United and Brighton.

The Spaniard is set to be backed with a ‘huge’ budget in the January transfer window and has personally green-lighted a move for Villa to bring in a new A-list versatile forward.

The Latest: McAvennie’s comments

Speaking to Football Insider regarding the transfer news, McAvennie said that it ‘would be a great piece of business’ by Villa and Emery if they manage to land a ‘top striker’.

The former Villa marksman said of Emery: “I think he is a great manager. He is well-respected, well-renowned and plays the game the way it should be. I do not know if he complicates it too much.

“But they need to bring in somebody that can bang in the goals. Aston Villa is a huge club. People tend to forget that, they are absolutely huge. It would be a great piece of business if he brings in a top striker.”

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The Verdict: Exciting times for Villa

Danny Ings was among the goals on the weekend, taking his Premier League tally to five for the season, with four of those goals coming after Steven Gerrard’s exit last month.

He looks set to be a key member of the squad for Emery in the second half of the season alongside Ollie Watkins, although bringing in another high-quality forward could help take Villa to the next level.

Everyone associated at Villa Park will be hoping that Emery can take the club into Europe, so landing a marquee forward could be the perfect first step in his transfer window at the helm.

Tottenham Hotspur journalist Alasdair Gold has shared some details regarding a behind-the-scenes meeting between Antonio Conte, Fabio Paratici and Daniel Levy ahead of the upcoming January transfer window. 

The Lowdown: Spurs’ transfer business under Conte

Since the Italian took charge of the north London club just over a year ago, he has been backed in the transfer market and been able to bring in numerous players.

Names such as Dejan Kulusevski, Rodrigo Bentancur, Richarlison and Yves Bissouma, among others, have all made moves to the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium.

With the January transfer window set to open for business shortly after the conclusion of the World Cup, it seems that some behind-the-scenes details have emerged regarding what may happen in the window.

The Latest: Gold shares behind-the-scenes meeting details

In a recent online Q&A on the Football.London website, Gold was asked what he thinks the priorities will be for Spurs in terms of strengthening the side in January and when a meeting between Conte, Paratici and Levy will take place to discuss the upcoming winter window.

In response, Gold said: “Personally I think an attacking midfielder and a centre-back are priorities plus any upgrades Spurs can find in the market. As I said below, a right wing-back might end up becoming a requirement depending on Conte’s decision when it comes to Djed Spence.

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“The meeting between Conte, Levy and Paratici should happen after the head coach returns on November 28 when first team training resumes at Hotspur Way. Paratici and Conte speak most days so you would imagine they will still have some dialogue even during this rest period for the latter at some point.”

The Verdict: Reinforcements needed at Spurs

Given the hefty amount of deals that Spurs have been involved in since Conte took charge, this should fill a lot of supporters with confidence that the same thing can happen again this time around.

In terms of what areas of the squad Spurs may need to strengthen in January, the fact that they have conceded more goals (21) than the likes of Brighton (19), Crystal Palace (18) and Everton (17) this season, some extra defensive reinforcements is what Conte needs for his side.

Also, with only two clubs making more errors that have led to an opponent’s shot at goal than Spurs (8), this is something that the manager will want to work on with his current players and whatever new faces come in during the January window.