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Aston Villa have made a loan offer for Southampton defender Jan Bednarek, according to Football Insider.

The Lowdown: Bednarek linked with Villa

Villa appear to be on the hunt for a new centre-back late in the transfer window following a serious injury to Diego Carlos. The Brazilian ruptured his Achilles against Everton and has since had successful surgery on the problem.

Bednarek, who Ralph Hasenhuttl labelled a ‘really good player’, is just one defender who has been linked with a move to the Midlands in recent days, and it looks as if NSWE have fired up their interest in the 26-year-old.

The Latest: Bednarek transfer update

According to Football Insider, Villa have made a loan bid for the Poland defender instead of committing to a permanent deal.

He didn’t feature for the Saints in their 2-1 win at Leicester on Saturday and is reportedly ready to leave St Mary’s this summer.

The Verdict: Good to see

Bednarek isn’t the only player that Villa are looking to sign in the final stages of the summer window.

A deal has reportedly been agreed for Watford winger Ismaila Sarr, and should Bednarek follow the Senegal forward to Villa Park, it could represent a solid end to the transfer window for NSWE and co.

Both players have Premier League experience and would provide cover in areas that Steven Gerrard could do with bolstering, so hopefully both can go through in relatively quick time.

Either way, it’s good to see that Villa are still actively seeking reinforcements rather than settling for what they’ve already got.

Tottenham Hotspur could be without another two players for their trip to Nottingham Forest in the Premier League later this evening…

What’s the latest?

Antonio Conte was already without Cristian Romero and Oliver Skipp, who are set to resume training early next week, but now, it appears as if Lucas Moura and Bryan Gil have emerged as major doubts after they missed the team’s final training session before today’s encounter.

The ever-reliable Dan Kilpatrick of the Evening Standard relayed an injury update ahead of kick-off, he tweeted:

“Team news: Conte says Romero & Skipp are sidelined against Forest on Sunday but will resume training with the squad at the start of next week. Gil & Lucas are also doubts after missing training today but will be assessed tomorrow.”

Conte worry

Spurs are about to embark on one of the busiest periods in the 2022/23 campaign.

Today’s game is the start of three matches in the space of a week, whilst the north Londoners will play seven times between now and the 17th of September.

The Italian will need to rotate his side if they are to remain competitive throughout the next few weeks and he has already hinted at the possibility of rotation as the likes of Harry Kane and Heung-min Son will not be expected to play all seven games.

“After every game, I will have to check the situation with all of the players for tiredness and injuries,” Conte told reporters.

“To tell one player that he is going to play in all seven games; it is impossible.

“I am not a magician! I cannot forecast this, but we go game by game to make the best decisions for the team and for the players.”

With crucial encounters against West Ham United and defending champions Manchester City in the English top-flight, as well as their Champions League group stage opener against Marseille, soon on the horizon, this game against the newcomers could represent an ideal opportunity to rotate the starting XI.

Both Moura and Gil would have been in line for minutes, as a result, but with them now being doubts, it could force Conte’s hand somewhat, so he may not be able to be as fresh as he maybe would have liked.

Given his comments this week, this development will surely leave him a little worried heading into a hectic fixture list.

AND in other news, Paratici could land “stunning” 8th signing in £15m star who “wants to join Tottenham”…

Monday 19th September will mark the funeral of Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II, with Britain’s longest-reigning monarch having sadly passed away at the age of 96 just over a week ago after over 70 years on the throne.

Mourners the world over have come together in collective grief as recognition of her lifetime of service to both her country and to the Commonwealth, with few figures having been quite so widely respected and admired.

A pillar of society and an icon of British and Global history, the Queen had been a figurehead for generation after generation, with the country unlikely to see a monarch of such dedication and longevity again.

Amid an ever-changing world, she remained one of the few constants, having witnessed and also played her part in some of the key events of both the 20th and 21st centuries, be it war, political, cultural or sporting.

From a footballing perspective, her longevity can be best illustrated by her links to one club in particular in the form of Manchester United, having seen first-hand a team quite literally rebuilt from the ashes under Sir Matt Busby, to then tasting treble glory under Sir Alex Ferguson.

Having ascended to the throne in 1952 following the death of her father, King George VI – with her coronation taking place a year later – she had been in place when disaster struck in Munich in 1958, claiming the lives of 23 people – including eight Red Devils players.

The Queen had stated her “sympathy and that of her husband to the families of those who have been killed and to the injured” following that tragedy, although was fittingly present five years later as United claimed their first trophy post-Munich in the 1963 FA Cup final, presenting the trophy to Busby’s triumphant heroes.

Having witnessed the fall and subsequent rise of the club under the aforementioned Ferguson from afar, she was able to mark United’s treble success in 1999, handing the club’s iconic manager a knighthood that same year while reportedly suggesting that such a unique triumph won’t “ever be achieved again”, according to Ferguson.

There has even been claims made by former England boss Sven-Goran Eriksson that the Queen’s favourite player was at one stage Michael Owen – who enjoyed a brief, three-year stint at Old Trafford – although the jury is out on whether or not he was her favourite pundit…

Such moments may seem trivial in a life that was littered with important and fulfilling service, although it merely reflects the length of her reign and the multitude of lives and figures that she had touched.

It was also somewhat fitting that United were one of the first clubs to be able to mark her death before the defeat to Real Sociedad just over a week ago, with the home crowd – as well as the smattering of away supporters – holding an impeccably observed minutes silence.

While a game tinged in sadness as it was held just a matter of hours after her sad passing had been made public, the muted atmosphere and obvious signs of emotion were a marker of just how much she meant to the club, the country and its people.

Liverpool could well have another Michael Owen present within their ranks.

Oakley Cannonier, who only turned 18 in May, has impressed through the club’s youth sides, scoring over a staggering 40 goals last season.

Cannonier’s goalscoring nous is reminiscent of that of a certain Owen when he burst onto the scene back in 1997 as a sprightly teenager with raw potential.

Owen also had a natural instinct for the game, especially when he broke through at the club and Cannonier looks like he might have the required attributes to hit the very top.

Speaking of his performances, Marc Bridge-Wilkinson specifically highlighted his instinct inside the area, saying:

“We’ve worked with him on different movements, different sorts of run, arriving at different times to different types of crosses or cut backs. Oakley is really bright. He’s a good little footballer.

“His instincts for the game are very natural. It’s something we have to make sure he retains.”

He will be looking to replicate a talent who went on to play for England and win a Ballon d’Or so it will be no easy task but his remarkable record certainly suggests the future is bright.

Indeed, dubbed “outstanding” by Reds reporter James Pearce, the talented teenager already has four goals in eight matches this term so is clearly not a one-season wonder. Evidently a remarkable player on the pitch, he has already had a famous moment off it while representing Liverpool, though.

Many Liverpool supporters will remember the youngster from his incredible awareness as a ball boy during their comeback victory against Barcelona in the Champions League semi-finals back in 2019 when he was just 14.

His quick thinking allowed Trent Alexander-Arnold to take a swift corner which enabled Divock Origi to score the Anfield side’s fourth goal, and that turned out to be the eventual winner as they progressed into the final.

Jurgen Klopp had the youngster training with the first team in spells last season, with the German clearly impressed by his goalscoring talents.

He is yet to make his first-team debut for the Merseyside giants, but that might come quicker than he imagined, especially if he can continue to net at an impressive rate.

The 18-year-old has scored four goals in just two UEFA Youth League matches throughout 2022/23, proving he can display his prodigious talents on the continental stage too.

Klopp isn’t shy in giving young talent an opportunity in the Liverpool starting XI, with the likes of Harvey Elliot and Curtis Jones breaking through in the previous couple of seasons.

This season might come too soon for the 18-year-old, but Klopp has definitely got his eye on the player.

Newcastle United midfielder Jonjo Shelvey may be ‘ahead of schedule’ in his injury recovery, according to injury expert Ben Dinnery. 

The lowdown

Shelvey has yet to play for the Magpies this season after undergoing hamstring injury back in August, but Eddie Howe revealed last week that he’s back on the grass at Darsley Park.

It’s a crucial season for the 30-year-old, who must convince the club of his worthiness for a new contract ahead of the expiry of his current deal in June.

He currently features on an injury list that also includes Karl Darlow (ankle), Elliott Anderson (niggle), Callum Wilson, Allan Saint-Maximin (both thigh) and Emil Krafth (ACL).

The latest

Speaking to Football Insider, Dinnery suggested that Shelvey may now be on course to return before the World Cup in November.

He says it could still be another month and a half before the Englishman is back in action, particularly as Newcastle will likely exercise caution.

But there’s no denying that it would be a ‘massive bonus’ for Eddie Howe and Newcastle if he was to make an early comeback.

“The initial timeline suggested that we could be looking at about 12 weeks.

“That’s a realistic assumption with this sort of injury. It appears that he might be ahead of schedule, however.

“The initial timeline might have seen him held back until after the World Cup break. But now, the aim is certainly going to be before that break.

“Realistically, even though he is back on the training pitches, it could be another four to six weeks. We know hamstring problems are prone to re-injury.

“You don’t really know how a player will respond to an increased workload until they are in the thick of it. The road to recovery is never straight. There are always bumps along the way.

“We know Howe is a massive, massive fan of Shelvey. You can argue that they are missing someone like that at the moment, someone who can unlock doors with his range of passing.

“If he was to return before the end of November, that would be a massive bonus for Newcastle.”

The verdict

With Callum Wilson due to return after the international break, this represents more good news on the injury front for Newcastle.

£70,000-per-week man Shelvey can make an impact at both ends of the pitch, ranking in the 77th percentile among central midfielders in the big five leagues for shots per 90 and the 74th for clearances (via FBRef).

The Athletic’s Chris Waugh concurs with Dinnery’s assessment, describing Shelvey as a ‘huge’ miss for Newcastle after the 1-1 draw with Bournemouth at the weekend.

Indeed, journalist Andrew Musgrove has accused alternative midfield options Joe Willock and Sean Longstaff of ‘not stepping up’ so far this season.

Tottenham Hotspur’s signing of Pierre-Emile Hojbjerg from Southampton has proven to be something of a masterstroke by Daniel Levy but not everyone was on board when the Denmark international joined.

Hojbjerg signed for Spurs in the summer of 2020 in a deal worth £15m, with Kyle Walker-Peters heading in the opposite direction after a successful loan spell with Ralph Hasenhuttl’s side.

Since then, the midfielder has gone on to establish himself as a key player in Spurs’ side, making 110 appearances, in which he has contributed seven goals and 11 assists.

Despite being a solid player in Southampton’s side the previous season, averaging an impressive 6.83 rating from WhoScored for his performances, not everyone was convinced by Levy’s transfer business, with former Spurs forward Darren Bent particularly critical on talkSPORT.

He said:

“It looks like Spurs are going to sign Hojbjerg from Southampton, this is one for me that I don’t quite get.

“I think he’s a good player but can he take Spurs to the next level? I don’t think he can. I think Spurs fans will like him because he works hard, don’t think they’ll be excited by it but they’ll understand it.”

With Spurs now back in the Champions League and threatening at the top of the table under Antonio Conte, Hojbjerg has more than proven his worth in the heart of the Italian’s midfield.

So far this season, only Harry Kane has been ranked higher than Hojbjerg in Spurs’ side by WhoScored, with the Dane averaging a superb 7.53 rating for his performances in the Premier League, with two goals and an assist to his name.

The midfield “monster” has taken his game to another level so far this season, perhaps threatened by the summer addition of Yves Bissouma, and he looks likely to be a key part of any potential Spurs title challenge.

In a deep-lying role, Hojbjerg has excelled in comparison to some of his peers across the Premier League – currently, he sits amongst the top 10% of all midfielders across Europe for progressive passes (6.02 per 90) over the last year, via FBref, which is more than Casemiro, N’Golo Kante, Fabinho and even Rodri.

Therefore, Bent will surely be eating his words on the former Bayern Munich man, as the £15m Levy paid looks to have been a bargain when you consider that he is arguably “invaluable” in this exciting Spurs side.

Tottenham Hotspur manager Antonio Conte will be missing another key wide player alongside Lucas Moura for Spurs’ Champions League clash against Eintracht Frankfurt.

The Lowdown: UCL so far…

The Lilywhites have travelled to Germany as they prepare to face off against the Bundesliga outfit tonight at the Deutsche Bank Park.

Tottenham got off to a fine start in the competition as they beat Marseille 2-0 at home, thanks to two headed goals from Richarlison.

However, just a week later, Spurs suffered a late collapse at the hands of Sporting, as the Portuguese side scored twice in the closing minutes as a probable point was snatched from the Lilywhites’ grasp.

Consequently, the north London club sit second in their Champions League group, only ahead of tonight’s opponents on goal difference.

The Latest: Conte’s team news

Ahead of Tottenham’s Champions League fixture against Frankfurt, Conte took to his press conference to share the latest team news.

As quoted by football.london, the Lilywhites boss revealed: “Kulusevski is out. Moura is out.”

Lucas was already expected to miss out, but given Kulusevski was only a ‘doubt’ for the derby on Saturday, fans may have been hoping to see him return this week.

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The Verdict: Bad news

Whilst Moura had seemingly fallen down the pecking order at Hotspur Way prior to his injury, Kulusevski’s absence will come as a massive blow for the Italian manager.

In the Premier League last season, the Sweden international finished the campaign rated as Spurs’ fourth-best player, having averaged an impressive 7.21 match score since his arrival in January (via SofaScore).

Labelled ‘pure class’ by BBC pundit Garth Crooks, his key role in transitions between defence and attack will certainly be missed tonight against Frankfurt, as Spurs looked a little disjointed in their countering efforts against Arsenal.

Sheffield Wednesday journalist Joe Crann has shared his verdict on the latest injury updates on Akin Famewo and Dennis Adeniran. 

The Lowdown: Injuries

Darren Moore has been unable to call on the pair since August, with centre-back Famewo making just a single League One appearance so far this season.

Central midfielder Adeniran has made four appearances in all competitions, scoring twice in the EFL Cup. The pair have missed the majority of the third-tier fixtures, but it looks as if they could be back sooner rather than later.

The Latest: Crann reacts

Crann took to Twitter on Monday afternoon, sharing a story for The Star regarding comments from Moore on Famewo and Adeniran’s respective injuries.

He said: “Good to hear that Akin Famewo and Dennis Adeniran are on the comeback trail…

“SWFC say they should be back in contention next month if all goes to plan.”

The Verdict: Good news

Wednesday have enjoyed a relatively strong start to the season, averaging two points per game after 13 league games. Moore has had a number of injury problems during that time, with Famewo and Adeniran just two of a number of issues the club have had to deal with.

Therefore, knowing that they are working hard behind the scenes and edging closer to a full return is ideal news for everyone associated with the club, especially as the Owls won’t be stopping when the World Cup gets underway next month.

Celtic defender Alexandro Bernabei has endured a tough start to life in Glasgow, with off-field issues and a lack of game time having previously seen the Argentine struggle to make an impact in his new surroundings.

The former Lanus man – who arrived at Parkhead on a £3.75m deal in the recent window – had been brought in as cover and competition for first-choice left-back Greg Taylor, although has struggled to dislodge his colleague as a result of the Scotland international’s “consistent” displays, as lauded by teammate Matt O’Riley.

Amid the need for rotation ahead of a hectic run of fixtures, manager Ange Postecoglou handed the youngster a rare chance to impress in Saturday’s Scottish Premiership clash away at St Johnstone, with the 22-year-old’s only other league outing having come as a late substitute in the 9-0 thrashing of Dundee United back in August.

On what was just his second start for the club – having previously featured in the League Cup win over Ross County – the attacking full-back no doubt took his chance, playing a crucial role in helping to steer the Bhoys to victory.

The £2.97m-rated ace had looked lively from the off as the visitors took control of proceedings, notably producing a brilliant cutback across the box early in the first half that his teammates somehow failed to get on the end of.

Such quality from down the left flank did prove fruitful late on, however – after Alex Mitchell had cancelled out Andy Considine’s early own goal – with Bernabei producing a delightful whipped cross for Giorgos Giakoumakis to turn home right at the death.

That stunning assist – which was the defender’s first goal contribution for the club – came at the end of what was an “impressive” all-round performance against Callum Davidson’s side, in the words of journalist Josh Bunting.

The 5 foot 7 menace notably won 100% of his aerial duels despite his diminutive frame, while also recording two interceptions and one tackle to showcase his willingness to put in the hard yards defensively.

As Glasgow Live journalist Ben Banks noted in his post-match player ratings, the 124-touch gem provided real ‘attacking intent’ from his left-sided berth, with Postecoglou also lauding him as “very aggressive on the ball” after the triumph.

The Hoops boss also stated that the summer signing had “showed the attributes we really find exciting”, with the 57-year-old likely keen to see just what kind of impact Bernabei can make in the coming games.

On this recent evidence, there certainly is a lot to be getting excited about.

A worrying injury update has emerged on Newcastle United centre-forward Alexander Isak…

What’s the talk?

Daily Mail journalist Craig Hope has revealed that Eddie Howe will be without the £60m signing for the next two matches, having missed the clash with Manchester United shortly after this claim, after breaking down in training.

Hope said: “Exclusive: Newcastle’s Alexander Isak suffers setback in recovery from thigh injury after pulling up with same problem. £60m striker was nearing return but now set to miss at least next 3 games after fresh blow. More news awaited on full timescale.”

The accompanying article states that the club expected him to be available for selection this week before he suffered a reoccurrence of his knock recently.

Huge blow

This could be a huge blow for Howe as Isak was a club-record signing in the summer and enjoyed a superb start to his career at St. James’ Park by scoring two goals in three Premier League appearances.

Back in August, the head coach heaped praise on the forward and backed him to hit the ground running in England as he said:

“He has the mix of qualities I like in a forward. He scores goals, he has pace, technical ability, dribbling ability and he’s got a bit of an X-factor about him.

“The English game will suit his profile, he’s a really good athlete and technically really good so he’s got a whole host of things going for him and his best years are still ahead of him.”

Isak’s first few performances for the Magpies proved the former Bournemouth boss right as he found the back of the net against Liverpool and the Cherries, whilst also creating three chances for his teammates in that time.

The Sweden international joined Newcastle after scoring 23 goals in his last two full La Liga seasons combined for Real Sociedad and his fast start in front of goal in the Premier League suggests that he has the quality to replicate that form on Tyneside.

He has the potential to be a prolific number nine for Howe and that is why this injury setback is a big blow for the head coach as it now remains to be seen when he will be available for selection again.

Callum Wilson is currently fit and starting games for the club but he has missed a whopping 43 competitive games due to injury since the start of the 2020/21 campaign and this suggests that there is a reasonable chance that he suffers a knock before Isak is back.

That would leave the club with Chris Wood as their only number nine to select and he has scored just twice in 25 league matches since joining from Burnley in January.

Therefore, losing Isak for an undetermined period of time is a seismic blow for Newcastle and Howe will be hoping that it does not drag on any longer than Hope’s claim of a minimum of three matches.