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West Bromwich Albion are having problems all over the pitch when it comes to injuries, and it is having a knock-on effect to their season as they struggle to gain traction in their Championship title challenge.

Fulham and Bournemouth have gone out ahead in the first and second places in the league, with the Baggies currently seven points adrift from second spot.

Valerien Ismael will be likely to go looking for players in the winter transfer window, and according to BirminghamLive they are intensifying plans with the West Brom manager. Speaking on the club’s plans recently, the boss said;

“For sure we are intensifying the players, but we have been preparing in the background already, you don’t start one week or two weeks before the window opens,” Ismael explained.

“It’s all a process. We know exactly where we want to see players.

Sky Sports pundit, Don Goodman, has had his say on where he thinks West Brom can strengthen and more importantly, the “powerhouse” they can sign to do the job.

“West Bromwich Albion haven’t got a Daryl Dike, they haven’t got that powerhouse.”

“They have Jordan Hugill who is powerful in the air but in terms of dynamism and mobility maybe Daryl Dike just offers that little bit more.

“So look, I think managers we know like players that they have worked with and that they can trust and I think that [Dike] would be a very wise signing for West Bromwich Albion if they got the opportunity to make that happen.”

Dike is currently playing in the MLS for Orlando City SC, after half a season on loan with Barnsley, working with current West Brom Ismael, where he scored nine goals in just 22 appearances for the Yorkshire club.

The 21-year-old is back in America and is currently having a huge impact on his MLS club, with 18 goals and four assists in 35 appearances. Those numbers would definitely benefit West Brom in their chase for automatic promotion to the Premier League with a barnstorm approaching potentially taking them back to the promised lands of top-flight football.

Ismael will have some important decisions to make and will hopefully get the financial backing from the club to add players in the key positions, specifically Dike, that could be the difference between Premier League promotion or another season in the Championship.

West Brom take on Nottingham Forest at home on Friday night in a game where they will be hoping to grab three points to continue their challenge to climb into one of the two highest positions of the Championship.

In other news: Kipre drops a shocker against Blackpool

West Ham United’s poor form continued in the Premier League on Tuesday night as they were held to a 1-1 draw with Brighton and Hove Albion at the London Stadium.

Several of David Moyes’ first-team stars badly disappointed with the side winless in three outings, including leading goalscorer Michail Antonio, who has now scored just one goal in his last nine games across all competitions and has looked completely knackered up top.

That is largely not his fault, however, as the Irons have gone two years without signing a backup or alternative after Sebastien Haller swapped east London for Amsterdam in January 2020.

One Hammers star who failed his manager yet again was Said Benrahma. He has endured a similar run of poor form, providing just the one assist in nine league games, having opened the season with a pair of goals and assists, per Transfermarkt.

Before he was hooked in the 76th minute, the £22.5m-rated lightweight made just 13 passes at an accuracy rate of 57%, the worst of any West Ham player on the night.

And he also failed to provide Antonio with a single accurate cross whilst he was on the pitch.

[snack-amp-story url = “https://www.footballfancast.com/web-stories/west-ham-news-transfer-updates-rumours-gossip-david-moyes-gsb-premier-league” title=”Read the latest West Ham news, transfer updates and much, much more!”]

Elsewhere, Benrahma lost possession a whopping 17 times from 44 touches, meaning he lost the ball once every 2.5 touches, proving to be rather wasteful, per SofaScore.

The Algerian wide man was also rather weak in his battles, winning only 50% of his duels as his disappointing run of form continued at the London Stadium.

Moyes continues to put his faith in Benrahma but it could well be time for a shake-up in the attack as it’s now three successive matches without a victory and the Hammers have looked futile in the final third in all of them.

In the last two games, in particular, Manuel Lanzini has come off the bench to spark some sort of reaction and he hasn’t been afraid to take on his man. He ought to be selected over the 26-year-old this weekend, when the Irons face local rivals, Chelsea.

Forget Antonio, it’s time to get players around him that can help support him, as evident above.

AND in other news, “A definite target”: Ex drops big West Ham transfer update, fans will be buzzing…

After drawing 1-1 in their previous League One game against Oxford United at the weekend, Sunderland are back in action tonight with another home clash; this time against Morecambe, who are currently 15 places and 17 points below the Black Cats in the League One table. 

It’s no secret that Sunderland have a bit of an injury crisis at the moment, with the likes of Aiden McGeady, Luke O’Nien, Dennis Cirkin, Denver Hume and Corry Evans ruled out, and both Frederik Alves and Will Harris joining them after missing the match against the U’s. 

With this in mind, here’s how we feel Johnson could set his team up to take on Morecambe, with two changes from the XI which started against Oxford. 

In goal, we think Ron-Thorben Hoffmann will retain his place in the side to try and keep a first clean sheet since their 2-0 win over Ipswich Town last month. 

For the back three, we can see Johnson sticking with Callum Doyle and Bailey Wright on either side of Tom Flanagan in the middle after he impressed against Oxford. 

With Leon Dajaku scoring in the early stages of Sunderland’s previous league match, we reckon the manager will keep him in the side at left wing-back to see if he can add another goal to his tally. On the right, we think Johnson will drop Lynden Gooch after he failed to have much of an impact last time out, with Aiden O’Brien coming in instead.

For the central midfield positions, we can see Johnson keeping Dan Neil and Carl Winchester in the side but taking Alex Pritchard out after the Sunderland boss said that he took the player off in the second half against Oxford due to fatigue. 

In his place, we think Elliot Embleton, who is currently earning £5.3k-per-week according to Salary Sport, will make a return to the starting XI to see if he can help Sunderland secure another win and push them closer to the top of the table. 

At the top of the pitch, with Ross Stewart being the Black Cats’ top scorer by some distance this season, it would be hard to see him not start here, with Nathan Broadhead alongside him. 

In other news – Time’s up: Johnson must ruthlessly axe Sunderland’s “emotive” £5k-p/w dud tonight

Celtic manager Ange Postecoglou has dropped an update on the condition of Kyogo Furuhashi.

What’s the latest?

In recent comments cited by The Herald, the 56-year-old Bhoys boss revealed that the knock picked up by the centre-forward in the 3-2 Europa League win over Real Betis on Thursday night looks to be a serious one, which raises considerable doubt as to whether the 26-year-old will be fit to feature in the League Cup final next weekend.

When asked for an update on the condition of the Japan maestro, Postecoglou said: “It is not good.”

Fans will be devastated

Considering just how impressive Kyogo has been since making a £4.6m move to Parkhead last summer, the news that he could be sidelined for a substantial amount of time is sure to have left Celtic fans devastated.

Indeed, over his 13 Premiership appearances this season, the £1.8m-rated forward has already scored eight goals and created four big chances for his teammates, as well as taking 2.2 shots and making 1.2 key passes per game.

These returns have seen the striker average a SofaScore match rating of 7.07, ranking him as Postecoglou’s 10th-best performer in the Scottish top flight of the players who remain in Celtic’s squad.

The £18k-per-week hitman has also impressed over his five Europa League appearances, bagging five goals, registering two assists and creating two big chances for his teammates, with these returns seeing the 26-year-old average a SofaScore match rating of 7.10.

As such, should the centre-forward indeed be ruled out of action for the upcoming League Cup final – and potentially beyond – it will certainly come as a huge blow to Postecoglou and his side, who are undoubtedly weakened significant without their season’s top scorer leading the line.

In other news – Forget Shaw: “Rock solid” Celtic gem with 18 defensive actions proved Ange wrong this week

An update has emerged on Juventus midfielder Arthur Melo, regarding a potential move to Everton in January…

What’s the talk?

According to Italian outlet Sport Mediaset, the Serie A giants want to offload the Brazilian and a swap deal involving Lucas Digne could be on the cards.

The report claims that the Old Lady need a new left-back to replace Alex Sandro and sending their out-of-favour ex-Barcelona gem to Goodison Park could allow them to strike a deal for one.

Rafa would love him

Everton must pounce on this opportunity to sign Arthur from Juventus as he could be an excellent addition to the team. If Rafa Benitez is set on Digne leaving then it could be ideal to, at least, get a player back in return for him to bolster the squad ahead of the second half of the campaign.

Arthur has not had the best of times in Turin, with just two league starts this season, but the £31.5m-rated gem has shown in the past that he has the quality to be a top performer and Benitez would surely love him.

His former Barcelona teammate Lionel Messi previously lauded his talent and adaptability upon his arrival at the club, saying:

“Arthur I didn’t know that much about but he seems similar to Xavi. He’s very safe and trustworthy. He has the La Masia style. Playing short passes, without losing the ball, and he grasped it quickly, the dynamic of the team.”

In his last season for the Spanish giants, he averaged a WhoScored rating of 6.84 in La Liga as he played 21 times and chipped in with three goals and three assists from midfield. He also averaged a score of 6.97 in the Champions League that term, proving that he can perform to a high standard at the top level.

Rafa would love him at Goodison Park as he could be a steady midfield presence who can perform consistently in the middle of the park, as per Messi’s comments on him being “trustworthy” and his statistics in his final year at Barcelona.

Of course, the beast’s lack of game time for Juventus is alarming and it remains to be seen how quickly he will be able to adapt to life in England because of his recent bench-warming. However, if the Toffees can get him back to the levels he was showing in La Liga and the Champions League for Barcelona then they could have a top player on their hands.

AND in other news, Bye-bye Digne: Rafa may ruthlessly replace £119k-p/w gem as EFC transfer news emerges…

Leeds United are at risk of suffering from the infamous second-season syndrome in the Premier League as they sit perilously in 15th place, just five points above the relegation zone.

Marcelo Bielsa has suffered from an injury crisis to several key stars for the bulk of the campaign so far and with multiple teams below them holding at least one game in hand, things are not looking good for the Yorkshiremen heading into 2022.

But for all of the negatives at Elland Road this term, there has been at least one shining light – Raphinha.

The Brazilian winger, who joined in a £17m deal from Stade Rennes in October 2020, has not only excelled but has also emerged as one of the club’s most integral players.

United have struggled for goals in the absence of Patrick Bamford, who has missed 12 of 13 league games since mid-September. Indeed, only five teams have scored fewer times than Bielsa’s side, two of which are in the drop zone.

However, Raphinha has stepped up to become the Whites’ leading scorer, finding the net eight times, which accounts for 44.4% of all of their goals scored this term in the top-flight.

An average of three shots per game sees him lead the squad as Bielsa’s most threatening player, whilst 2.4 dribbles and 1.8 key passes per outing – which also sees him rank first – suggests he’s doing more than just adding goals to the side. He’s the Argentine’s most creative option, too.

Raphinha’s form at Elland Road has seen him called up to the Brazil national side for the very first time, and he has since landed five caps, in which he’s delivered two goals and two assists. It’s been quite a year for the 5 foot 9 dynamo.

Those around him in the squad have regularly waxed lyrical about his ability, ranging from summer signing Daniel James dubbing him “a magician” to goalkeeper Illan Meslier describing him as an “unbelievable player” and “a storm.”

Meanwhile, The Athletic’s Phil Hay recently emphasised his importance to Leeds.

“Phillips is the player whom Leeds miss most but, in an attacking sense, Raphinha is consistently head and shoulders above everyone. Even aside from his touch and his vision, he has the most incredible engine.”

After a stunning year in United colours, the Brazil international’s transfer value has now soared to an all-time high of £36m, as per Transfermarkt, meaning the Yorkshire giants have made a 111% return on their investment so far.

Therefore, it cannot be disputed, Leeds have struck gold and potentially a dream deal in signing Raphinha last year. Well done, Victor Orta. What a player he has been.

AND in other news, Bielsa can finally axe Leeds’ “absolute disaster” by signing “spectacular” 5 ft 9 gem…

Celtic are considering offers for Osaze Urhoghide in the January transfer window.

What’s the talk?

That’s according to a report by The Scottish Sun, who claim that Ange Postecoglou is weighing up a number of offers for the 21-year-old centre-back this month, with several clubs believed to be interested in taking the defender on loan for the remainder of the season.

However, while it is reported that the 56-year-old Bhoys boss would be more than happy to sanction the temporary departure of the former Sheffield Wednesday starlet this month, it is also stated that the Greek-Australian coach will consult with the youngster before making a final decision on his short-term future.

Disaster for Celtic

While it is true that Urhoghide has not exactly been a first-team regular since his £207k switch to Glasgow last summer, the 21-year-old’s undoubted potential, in addition to his impressive positional versatility, are just two reasons as to why letting him leave the club this winter would be something of a disaster for the Bhoys.

Indeed, the defender has already proven that he has what it takes to feature regularly in professional football, making 16 Championship appearances for Sheffield Wednesday last season, over which he helped the Owls keep three clean sheets, as well as making an average of 1.6 interceptions, 1.8 tackles, 2.7 clearances and winning 5.8 duels per game.

Furthermore, in his single appearance under the management of Postecoglou, the youngster also highly impressed, being deployed at right-back against Real Betis in the Hoops’ 3-2 Europa League win back in December.

In this fixture, the £3.8k-per-week defender enjoyed 65 touches of the ball, completed 30 passes – one of which was key – made five tackles, three clearances, one interception and won nine of his 15 duels.

These returns saw the Englishman earn a very respectable SofaScore match rating of 6.9 on his debut for the club, while Football Scotland also awarded the 21-year-old an eight in their own player ratings for the match.

As such, it would very much appear as if the youngster who Darren Moore dubbed “immense” is an extremely valuable member of the first-team squad at Parkhead, and would seem to be more than ready for a greater share of first-team football in the second half of the campaign – leading us to believe that Postecoglou simply must keep the youngster at Parkhead this winter.

In other news: “I spoke to..”: Ange urged to seal £118k-p/w Jan signing, he’d be “perfect” for Celtic

Rangers boss Giovanni van Bronckhorst has now turned his attentions towards defender John Souttar as the Ibrox side look to make some further additions in this January transfer window.

What’s the story?

According to The Glasgow Times’ Chris Jack, the Gers have now made their move to sign Souttar, whose contract at Hearts comes to an end in the summer.

His report added: “Championship clubs Sheffield United, Blackburn Rovers and Nottingham Forest are all interested in the Scotland defender but Rangers are keen to add Souttar to their ranks amid ongoing doubts over the long-terms futures of several defensive options.

“Van Bronckhorst will be given some of the funds raised from Nathan Patterson’s £12m to Everton as he seeks to put his own stamp on the Ibrox squad. But Souttar has been identified as a key Bosman target to bolster his defensive options and Rangers will attempt to convince him to turn down a move to England this summer.”

Would be a superb signing

With his extensive experience in the Scottish Premiership, and the fact he would be available on a free transfer given his contract expires soon, this has all the hallmarks of being a transfer masterstroke for the Gers.

Former Hearts boss Craig Levein once raved about the centre-back’s combination of defensive prowess and ability on the ball, saying: “I’ve known him since he was 12 years old and he’s just got better and better. When he came here from Dundee Utd, we just needed to give him time. He’s grown into the player that I hoped he would be and for me he’s the best centre back in Scotland.

“Just for the fact that he can do wonderful things. His passing of the ball Saturday was fantastic, but he is also now capable physically of competing with any centre forward. His pace is very, very good and he’s strong, focused and aggressive.”

As per Whoscored, his 77.4% pass accuracy is the second-best of any Hearts defender this season in the Scottish Premiership, while his 58.1 passes per game is the second-best among any of his teammates, regardless of position – exactly the kind of modern-day defender Van Bronckhorst will surely be looking for.

Gers fans will surely be buzzing with signing the 6 foot 1 Souttar on a free.

Meanwhile, Rangers are eyeing this Championship goalkeeper…

With recent transfer rumours linking Adama Traore with a transfer move away from Wolves to fellow Premier League club Tottenham Hotspur, journalist Pete O’Rourke has dropped a behind-the-scenes claim over what the current state of play is between the player and Wolves which will surely have some fans concerned.

What’s the news?

Speaking to GIVEMESPORT about Traore’s current situation at the Midlands club and what his immediate future could look like, O’Rourke had this to say on the matter.

He said: “Traore doesn’t look too happy at Wolves. I think maybe it’s time for both parties to move their separate ways.”

Traore joined Wolves in the 2018 summer transfer window from Championship side Middlesbrough in a deal worth a reported fee of £18m.

Since then, the 25-year-old has gone on to make 152 appearances for the Old Gold across all competitions, scoring ten goals and providing 18 assists in the process.

Fans sweating

Despite not managing to score a goal or provide an assist in 18 Premier League appearances so far this season, the Spaniard has still managed to earn himself an overall performance rating of 6.96/10, making him Wolves’ third-highest rated player according to WhoScored, highlighting the quality he has on the pitch.

His latest appearance came during Wolves’ recent 3-0 win over Sheffield United in the FA Cup where Traore earned himself an overall match rating of 7/10 from Birmingham Live and recognised the uncertainty around his future at the club by saying that “Traore could leave this month, but Wolves must do everything within their power to keep him before that happens.”

Having been previously reported that efforts from Wolves to get Traore to sign a new deal at Molineux have been unsuccessful, his apparent unhappiness at the club at this moment in time could well spell the end for him in a Wolves shirt.

With his current contract set to expire in the summer of 2023, it will be up to the club to see if they can get what they see as a suitable transfer fee for Traore rather than keep hold of him for the next year or so while he’s unhappy and lose him as a free agent when his deal runs out.

If Tottenham do make an approach to Wolves this month to sign Traore, it could be worth Wolves picking up a transfer fee for him and using that money to potentially sign another attacking player to replace him so Bruno Lage’s squad doesn’t lose any depth to it.

That said, it certainly won’t stop supporters from sweating over the speedster’s future at Molineux. Despite his lack of goals, he is still a mightily important player to the Old Gold.

In other news: Bid rejected: Wolves dealt blow in chase for 6 ft 4 colossus, fans surely gutted – opinion

West Ham United are interested in a deal to bring Fabio Carvalho to the London Stadium.

What’s the talk?

That’s according to a report by TEAMtalk, who claim that David Moyes’ West Ham side – as well as Liverpool, Tottenham Hotspur and Southampton – are keeping a very close eye on the situation of the Fulham attacking midfielder ahead of a potential swoop this summer.

The report goes on to state that, with the 19-year-old’s current contract at Craven Cottage set to expire at the end of the season, Fulham are concerned that the former England U18 international has already agreed a move away from the club, with the youngster believed to have turned down a number of new contract offers from the Championship side.

GSB must move

Considering the sheer amount of potential Carvalho quite clearly possesses, it would indeed appear to be a very smart move by the West Ham board to attempt to tie a deal up for the teenager prior to him becoming a free agent at the end of the current campaign, as there will undoubtedly be a huge amount of interest in the 19-year-old’s services should he go on to leave Fulham for nothing this summer.

Indeed, the £3.15m-rated man burst onto the scene last season, scoring one goal, creating one big chance and taking an average of 2.3 shots over his four Premier League outings, with these returns seeing the youngster average a highly impressive SofaScore match rating of 6.95 in the top flight.

The player who Fulham’s academy director, Huw Jennings, claimed wants to be “competing for the Ballon d’Or” in a few years time has continued this fine form into his 14 Championship appearances in the current campaign, scoring four goals, registering one assist and creating three big chances for his teammates, as well as taking an average of 1.9 shots and making 1.6 key passes per fixture.

These metrics have seen the £650-per-week starlet average a SofaScore match rating of 6.89, a rather extraordinary accomplishment considering the midfielder’s tender age.

As such, it would very much appear as if the signing of the teenager, particularly on a free transfer, would be a hugely exciting coup for West Ham, leading us to believe that the Hammers board simply must do all they can to land Carvalho’s signature ahead of next season.

In other news: Moyes can form scary duo as West Ham plot bargain swoop for £22.5m-rated “phenomenon”