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West Bromwich Albion are a club in cruise control at the moment, with Carlos Corberan their man to thank.

Having taken over from the miserable tenure of Steve Bruce, in which he threatened to drag them into a relegation battle, the Spaniard has now renewed hopes of a Premier League return.

Within the Hawthorns there is little to be unhappy about. They are revitalised, and despite murmurs regarding Corberan’s future, they have little cause for unrest.

That is, apart from the continued underperformance of Grady Diangana, who is one of few yet to be reignited under the new regime.

The 24-year-old first joined the Midlands outfit on an initial loan deal, where his sparkling performances made him a must-buy. He scored eight times and assisted a further seven as they earned promotion from the Championship, and spurred the Baggies to unload £18m to secure his signing from West Ham United.

What made him even more impressive is that he was noted as “struggling” in one match by journalist Joe Chapman back in 2019, in the midst of his fruitful campaign. With how he has gone on to play, it goes far beyond the ‘struggles’ of four years ago.

There was unrest amongst many at the Hammers for sanctioning such a departure, with Mark Noble even tweeting: “As captain of this football club I’m gutted, angry and sad that Grady has left, great kid with a great future!!!!!”

He was clearly highly thought of, but since that year he has never really recaptured any semblance of the form that caused such furore at his sale.

Just one league goal the season following saw them earn instant relegation from the top flight, and he is since yet to surpass four league goals in the other two campaigns in the Championship too.

As such, his valuation has deservedly plummeted, leaving West Brom rethinking their decision to spend a club-record fee on the toothless winger.

Transfermarkt have mapped this drop in rating, which has steadied at an abysmal €6m (£5.3m) as of October 2022. This marks a sharp 70% downturn across just two years since his big-money move.

Given his youth, there is still plenty of time to turn this around and make his price tag worthwhile, and Corberan is capable of such a feat.

His winning goal at the weekend over Coventry City could prove a turning point, as he notched what was just his second goal in 16 league appearances.

Diangana is in desperate need of a confidence boost to help him recapture the swagger that spurred on his top performances. There will be hope that he can now kick on and help add to an already exciting season for West Brom.

An update has emerged on Aston Villa and their interest in adding to their squad before the deadline for the January transfer window…

What’s the talk?

The Athletic’s Liam Twomey has revealed that the Villans are one of the clubs interested in a deal to snap up Chelsea central midfielder Conor Gallagher, who is not set to join Premier League rivals Everton, in the coming hours as Johan Lange attempts to improve the team.

He Tweeted: “Whatever happens with Enzo Fernandez, I wouldn’t expect Conor Gallagher to end up at Everton. He’s expected to have better PL options – Newcastle, Crystal Palace, West Ham and Aston Villa among them.”

This comes after it was reported that the Toffees had submitted an offer to Graham Potter’s side in an attempt to add the England international to Sean Dyche’s squad.

Forget about Matteo Guendouzi

Earlier this month, it was reported that Villa are keen on a deal to sign Marseille midfielder Matteo Guendouzi for a fee in the region of £30m to bolster Unai Emery’s options in the middle of the park.

Lange and Emery must now forget about the French international as Gallagher could be a better option for the club in the midfield position before the deadline.

In two seasons in the Premier League for Arsenal, Guendouzi did not average a Sofascore rating higher than 6.84 and only contributed with one goal and one assist. Although, the gem did produce four goals and six assists in 38 Ligue 1 outings for Marseille, averaging a Sofascore rating of 7.00, last term.

Whereas, Gallagher has proven himself in the English top-flight after enjoying a stellar campaign on loan at Crystal Palace in the 2021/22 season.

The £50k-per-week England international averaged a Sofascore rating of 7.08 across 34 appearances in the division whilst contributing with an eye-catching eight goals and three assists from midfield.

Ex-Sheffield United midfielder Mark Duffy once hailed the gem a “pressing machine” and his 2.9 tackles and interceptions per match for Palace show that the midfielder is willing to put his foot in on a regular basis, which indicates that he is not a defensive liability. 

Therefore, the Englishman offers quality at both ends of the pitch and has proven that he can deliver consistently impressive performances in the Premier League, which is why the dynamo would be a better option than Guendouzi – who did not prove himself during his time at The Emirates.

Chelsea have not been afraid to splash the cash in the January transfer window as Todd Boehly has heavily backed manager Graham Potter in the market.

Noni Madueke was officially unveiled on Friday night and the winger joins David Fofana, Benoit Badiashile, Andrey Santos, Mykhailo Mudryk, and Joao Felix in arriving at Stamford Bridge this month.

However, that may not be the end of the club’s business in the transfer market as they could look to strengthen their options in the middle of the park.

Jorginho is out of contract at the end of the season and Chelsea could wave bye-bye to the Italian international, whether that is this month or in the summer upon the expiry of his deal, by signing a replacement for him in the coming weeks.

Boehly could now replace the former Napoli maestro by reigniting his interest in snapping up Enzo Fernandez. Fabrizio Romano revealed, earlier this month, that the Blues agreed personal terms with the central midfielder before talks broke down with Benfica over a transfer fee, with the gem’s release clause sitting at €120m (£105m).

Speaking to GIVEMESPORT, journalist Dean Jones said that he would not rule out the club going back in with another swoop for the Argentine star. The reporter said:

“I’ve spoken to a couple of people around Chelsea who say, while it is unlikely at the moment, they don’t have a new plan to go and fix that midfield problem they’ve got.

“So if the alternative fallback options to Enzo Fernandez don’t come off, they might go back in for him again.”

Chelsea must now reignite their interest in the Argentina international as his form for Benfica this season indicates that he could be an excellent replacement for Jorginho.

In the Premier League this season, the current Blues midfielder has averaged a Sofascore rating of 6.88 across 17 appearances – making 3.3 tackles and interceptions and 0.4 key passes per match.

Fernandez, meanwhile, has averaged a score of 7.44 in 15 outings for Benfica in the Portuguese top-flight. The 22-year-old has made 3.2 tackles and interceptions and 1.8 key passes per game in Liga Portugal, which suggests that the gem could offer a similar level of defensive protection whilst being significantly more creative in possession in comparison to Jorginho if he can adapt to English football.

Journalist Roy Nemer claimed that the midfielder can be a “game-changer” and his creativity from the middle of the park could allow him to win matches for Chelsea, whilst his strength off the ball means that he can make an impact at both ends of the pitch.

Therefore, the Blues could easily wave bye-bye to Jorginho with no worries about their options in his position by signing Fernandez to be an outstanding player for Potter to work with moving forwards.

Leeds United continue to be linked with Newcastle United striker Chris Wood, despite Eddie Howe reportedly viewing him as an important member of his squad…

What’s the latest?

The Magpies manager dubbed the 31-year-old “hugely important” late last week, although the New Zealand marksman continues to be linked with a return to Elland Road.

Ben Jacobs has given his verdict on the transfer rumour, as he told GIVEMESPORT: “I wouldn’t rule out Chris Wood, former Leeds, of course. He’s not getting much game time at Newcastle United at the moment.

“Newcastle are still looking at goalscorers and creative-minded options. I don’t think Leeds would want to sign Wood on a permanent deal, but there might be a loan opportunity there, so that’s one to just keep an eye on.”

Given Leeds’ failed attempts to sign Matheus Cunha, who has agreed to join Wolves, it could make this potential deal even more important for Jesse Marsch.

Better than Cunha

Although it may seem a ludicrous claim to make, signing Wood could actually be a far better deal for the Whites than the one that Wolves secured for Cunha.

Fabrizio Romano reported an obligatory €50m (£44m) fee for the 23-year-old, and with the New Zealand international having only been bought by the Magpies for £25m, the Whites would surely get him for a cut-price fee should they settle on a permanent deal with Newcastle.

Furthermore, Wood already boasts far more Premier League experience than the Brazilian, who has struggled this season for Atletico Madrid.

Having yet to score so far in 17 appearances in 2022/23, he has only managed two assists. In fact, he is yet to hit double figures for goals in a single season whilst playing in one of the top five domestic leagues in Europe.

Meanwhile, Wood enjoyed four consecutive seasons with Burnley in which he scored ten or more goals, which is made even more impressive given that the Clarets were routinely near the relegation zone in the Premier League.

The 6 foot 4 “Kiwi brute”, as journalist Tom Barclay labelled the 31-year-old, also ranks in the top 1% for aerial duels won per 90 among strikers in Europe’s top five leagues in 2022.

These attributes could culminate in a far more effective presence for English football, as opposed to the huge financial risk that Cunha would have posed.

With the squad that Jesse Marsch boasts at Leeds, with tricky wingers who can create for a proper number nine, perhaps it was a blessing in disguise to miss out on Cunha if it means that they will secure a deal with Newcastle for Wood.

Chelsea ‘will talk again’ with N’Golo Kante before any decision is made about him leaving the club, according to journalist Simon Phillips.

The Lowdown: Kante’s future

With Kante’s current Chelsea contract set to expire in June 2023, there have been reports linking him with a move away from Stamford Bridge in the near future.

Interest comes from Europe, with Spanish sources detailing that Barcelona were making progress on a deal earlier this month, with the Spanish club able to sign him on a pre-contract agreement in January.

There have also been claims that Tottenham manager Antonio Conte remained keen back in November, but there seems to have been no development on that front in more recent times.

The Latest: Phillips’ update

According to Phillips, who was speaking to GIVEMESPORT, there is still a possibility that the Frenchman extends his stay at Stamford Bridge, with the player himself keen to remain at the club:

“Kante is happy to stay at Chelsea and he’s hoping he can find an agreement there still, but right now it’s not happening. But they will talk again, I think, before a final decision is made either way.”

The Verdict: Get it done?

A hamstring injury sustained back in August has meant that the midfielder has only managed to make two Premier League appearances so far this season, but he has previously proven time and time again that he is up there with the very best in the defensive role.

BBC Sport’s Abbie McCarthy has lauded the 53-time France international as an ‘unreal player’, and for good reason, as he has displayed remarkable acumen in preventing opposition attacks throughout his time at Stamford Bridge.

Over the past year, the enforcer has averaged 2.94 tackles per 90 minutes, which places him in the 88th percentile compared to his peers, as does the figure of 1.65 interceptions over the same timeframe.

Given that he is now 31, Graham Potter may not want to tie Kante down on a long-term deal, but he deserves at least two more years at the club, given his previous success.

Wycombe Wanderers manager Gareth Ainsworth is thought to be in the frame for the Queens Park Rangers job, according to The Evening Standard.

The Lowdown: Cifuentes linked with QPR

The Hoops are on the hunt for Michael Beale’s long-term successor and have been linked with a move for Hammarby head coach Marti Cifuentes in recent days.

Reports have suggested that the R’s made initial contact with Hammarby to request permission to speak with the Spaniard right away.

However, it still seems as if the club are drawing up a list of targets closer to home which includes Ainsworth.

The Latest: Ainsworth in the frame

The Evening Standard shared a story on Friday regarding the club’s search for a new manager.

They claimed that a move is being considered for Chelsea coach Anthony Barry, before adding that Ainsworth is also in the frame for the position.

The Verdict: One to watch?

Ainsworth may not be at the top of the club’s wish list, but it seems as if this could be one to keep an eye on over the coming days.

The 49-year-old, who likes to use a 4-2-3-1 system, has plenty of history at Loftus Road both as a player and a coach.

He has been a player, player-coach, assistant manager and caretaker manager for QPR, so it could come full circle by succeeding Beale, although he would need to end his nine-and-a-half-year association with Wycombe for that to happen.

Leeds United’s search for frontline reinforcements this January has taken them back to LaLiga.

Reports in Spain suggest that the Yorkshire giants are one of the teams looking to take advantage of Atletico Madrid’s situation after they failed to qualify for the Champions League knockout stages.

And as manager Jesse Marsch needs senior strikers, with Patrick Bamford back on the treatment table, Brazilian forward Matheus Cunha has emerged as a likely target.

It’s thought that he would be available for around €30m (£26m) and according to transfer insider Dean Jones, chairman Andrea Radrizzani and co have money to throw at another attacker this winter.

“We know that they’re going to have some reasonably decent money to throw at an attacker, but I’ve seen this one being spoken about a fair bit,” he told GIVEMESPORT, before delivering a verdict on Cunha: “He’s a good player, but I think the key here is that Marsch really has to make sure that he gets the profiles of his attackers right.”

The versatile Atletico ace enjoyed a pretty solid campaign last term, delivering 14 goal contributions across all competitions but he has struggled so far this season, failing to find the net in 17 appearances, despite being deployed as a centre-forward.

This should set alarm bells ringing and director of football Victor Orta may want to think twice before going ahead with a move for Cunha.

There could be some similarities drawn to Leeds’ signing of Rodrigo, who after seven goals and 11 assists, was signed in a then club-record deal for around £27m.

Just like the Brazilian, who was once dubbed an “unbelievable talent” by German YouTube sensation Maximilian Knabe, the Spanish frontman is capable of playing in behind the striker too and it took a while for the Whites to get their rewards.

Rodrigo has scored nine goals in 13 league games so far this term but his record up until now has been pretty dire, having found the net only 13 times across 63 appearances, via Transfermarkt.

Time is no luxury, particularly if you are costing around £26m. Marsch – and Leeds – cannot afford to wait for Cunha to get up to speed if they were to sign him in January as they need a goalscoring talisman now, not in two years’ time.

As such, Orta must look to avoid this risk by turning his attention elsewhere after the World Cup.

AND in other news, Leeds plotting £13m swoop for “beautiful player” in Jan, he’s a huge Rodrigo upgrade…

Financial expert Kieran Maguire believes that there could be an ‘earnout agreement’ at Leeds United over a potential takeover from the 49ers Enterprises.

The Lowdown: Option to take full control

The 49ers Enterprises currently hold a 44% stake at Elland Road after Andrea Radrizzani initially sold them a 10% stake back in 2018.

A full takeover is a possibility, with the 49ers having the option to take full control from Radrizzani in a deal worth in excess of £400m.

The American giants only have until January 2024 to exercise their option, though, and Maguire has given his thoughts on a potential takeover.

The Latest: Maguire’s comments

Maguire, who contributes for Sky Sports, was talking to Football Insider regarding the prospect of the 49ers taking full control in Yorkshire.

He said that they are ‘bearing their time’ but hinted that an ‘earnout agreement’, a contractual provision which dictates that the seller is entitled to future compensation, could be in place with Radrizzani.

“The 49ers are bearing their time when it comes to any potential acquisition of Leeds.

“They are waiting to see how the clubs beds in as far as its contribution to the Premier League is concerned.

“There are probably some earnout agreement that they have with Radrizzani which will help to determine the price ultimately paid.

“The 49ers are prepared to be patient. If they have got a fixed price already agreed upon then there is no downside from their point of view in awaiting further developments.”

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The Verdict: This season key?

The Whites failed to back up a promising first season back in the Premier League and managed to survive a real relegation scare on the final day of the 2021/22 campaign.

It looks as if the Whites may well be in line for another battle at the bottom under Jesse Marsch, however, if they can stay clear of the drop zone, the 49ers may look to take full control over the summer.

Therefore, it could be a crucial 10-month period at Elland Road both on and off the pitch, as Leeds look to take the next step in the top flight.

Midlands reporter for The Daily Telegraph John Percy has claimed that Steve Cooper being given a new contract at Nottingham Forest is ‘fantastic news’.

The Lowdown: Was under pressure

Cooper was a man under pressure after a 4-0 loss to Leicester City left them bottom of the Premier League table.

Rafa Benitez was reportedly being lined up to replace him earlier this week, but Cooper has now signed a new deal which will keep him at the City Ground until 2025.

The Latest: Percy reacts

Taking to Twitter after the deal was announced, Percy labelled it as ‘fantastic news’ and added that CEO Dane Murphy is set to stay at the club as well, after he too was believed to be heading towards the exit door earlier this week.

The Telegraph reporter tweeted: “Fantastic news for #nffc and this should hopefully settle everything down. Cooper has been Forest’s best manager since Frank Clark and deserves this. Understand CEO Dane Murphy is also staying.”

The Verdict: Right decision

Despite Forest’s poor form at the start of this season, which has left them bottom of the table, it was certainly the right call to give Cooper a new contract.

They brought in a staggering 23 new players in the summer transfer window, and it is clear that they all still need time to gel on the pitch.

Nonetheless, Cooper helped the Reds to gain promotion to the Premier League from the Championship in the first place, so he deserves to be given more time to work with the squad that he now has at his disposal.

The new contract should help to block out any speculative noise too, as there are no longer any doubts over his future at the City Ground.

Celtic look to have been handed a huge injury boost ahead of their Champions League meeting with FC Shakhtar Donetsk on Wednesday evening.

What’s the latest?

That’s according to a recent report by the Daily Record, who claim that, after being limited to an 18-minute cameo in the Hoops’ 3-0 defeat to Real Madrid as a result of a shoulder injury, the centre-forward now appears to be fully fit ahead of the club’s second group stage game in Warsaw tonight.

Good news for Postecoglou

While it is true that Giorgos Giakoumakis put in two extremely solid performances when leading the line against Rangers and Madrid in the absence of Kyogo, considering just how impressive the Japan international has been for the Bhoys so far this season, the 27-year-old’s apparent return to full fitness is undoubtedly good news for Ange Postecoglou and his side.

Indeed, over his six Premiership fixtures in 2022/23, the £5.4m-rated forward has been in astonishing form, having already bagged six goals and provided his teammates with one assist, in addition to taking an average of 2.3 shots – 1.3 of which have hit the target – and completing 0.7 key passes per game.

These metrics have seen the £52.5k-per-week talent average a quite extraordinary SofaScore match rating of 7.68, ranking him as the joint second-best player – behind only teammate Jota – in the top flight of Scottish football so far this season.

In comparison, while it is true that Giakoumakis’ physical presence and work rate are his biggest strengths, the Greece international has scored just two goals and registered no assists over his five Premiership fixtures so far this season, as well as averaging a SofaScore match rating of 6.80.

As such, should Kyogo indeed be deemed fit enough to start this evening, it would undoubtedly come as a huge boost to Postecoglou’s chances of picking up all three points against Shakhtar – a result Celtic will be desperate for in order to give them the best possible chance of making out of the group stages of the competition.