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Sunderland failed to build on their 2-1 win against Wigan last weekend as they were beaten 2-0 by Blackburn Rovers at Ewood Park on Tuesday night.

The Black Cats are sitting 12th in the Championship table as it stands but five of the teams below have an opportunity to overtake them before the end of the gameweek.

Tony Mowbray’s side were put to the sword by his former team as Ben Brereton Diaz and Scott Wharton scored either side of half time for the hosts.

The general performance was not the issue for Sunderland as they dominated the play, finishing with 61% possession, and managed more shots, and shots on target than Blackburn.

However, they did not make the right decisions when they got into the final third and were not clinical enough when chances did fall their way, whilst Rovers were efficient as they scored two of their three efforts on target.

One player who was particularly disappointing, after he had been sublime against Wigan at the weekend, was right winger Patrick Roberts.

He had put in a superb performance last time out as he won 12 of his 18 individual duels, created one chance, and completed 83% of his attempted passes – as per SofaScore.

Journalist Josh Bunting claimed that he “ran the show” and was man of the match by “a mile” against the Latics but he was the villain for Mowbray on Tuesday night as he was wasteful in possession.

Off the ball, he was average in his duels as he won seven of his 12 individual battles. He made one interception and failed to complete a single tackle, clearance, or block, whilst being dribbled past once.

This shows that he offered very little to the team from a defensive perspective but that could be excused with decisive play on the ball in the final third.

However, that was not the case for Roberts this time as he was wasteful when he got into dangerous areas.

He did the hard part in beating his man as he completed five of his eight attempted dribbles but then fell at the final hurdle as the former Manchester City man ended the match with zero key passes, 0% cross success (0/3), 0% long ball success (0/3), and zero shots on target – as per SofaScore.

The attacker gave possession away a whopping 22 times from his 70 touches and his lack of quality in the final third was frustrating to see, particularly after his showing against Wigan, as he failed to make the most of the time he had on the ball.

Therefore, he was the real villain for Mowbray and the head coach will be hoping that his end product improves in the upcoming matches.

For many people who follow football, the end of a season is something of a downer, and summer is alleviated only by one thing: transfer gossip. Although many of the top teams arrange their transfer business well in advance these days, transfer windows have become entertainment in and of themselves, with pages of coverage given over to alerting us to who is signing whom, who has issued a “Come and get me” plea, and who has been made surplus to requirements by a major move.

The winter window, for its part, is often a more idiosyncratic affair. Teams who have made a less than promising start to the season will scour the world’s leagues to find a player who will help them reignite their form. Players who have been out of favour at their clubs will look for at least a loan move to get their stalled career going again. And the sense of desperation that surrounds it all is now a part of following football. This season, that window comes hot on the heels of a World Cup, which means we could be in for perhaps the most frenetic January in recent football history. Let’s look at what could be in store.

At least one relegation-threatened club will sign multiple World Cup players

When a team starts the season in shaky form, the winter window represents a final roll of the dice to try and change the picture. There is a certain degree of difficulty in pulling this off – the best players out there aren’t going to move to a team that could be playing in the lower divisions within six months. There’s a good chance that Leicester City, who are believed by almost every betting resource to be in the relegation fight already, will take the tough decision to sell either Youri Tielemans or James Maddison, or both. This will fund a squad overhaul, which is likely to see a few defenders or midfielders fresh from a few impressive games in Qatar arriving at the King Power.

Mutliple players from a “dark horse” country will get big moves

There’s next to no chance that Kylian Mbappe or Harry Kane will cash in on an impressive World Cup by changing their clubs in the middle of a potentially successful season. However, a World Cup is always a chance for players from mid-tier nations to announce themselves to a football world and its player agents. Romania’s wonderful cameo in 1994 saw Gheorghe Hagi, Dan Petrescu and Ilie Dumitrescu, among others, make big moves. Although many “lesser” national teams already have players at top clubs these days – scouting is more extensive than ever – it would be no surprise to see Ghana, for example, go on a run to the last eight and several of their players win moves off the back of it.

Someone will get a move solely on World Cup performance and it won’t go well

Harking back once more to 1994, the Golden Boot in that year’s tournament was shared by Hristo Stoichkov, who played for some of Europe’s top clubs across the decade, and Oleg Salenko, who didn’t. Salenko scored six times during the tournament, with five of them coming against an ageing Cameroon side. These exploits won him a move to Rangers, where he barely featured before moving away just as quickly to Istanbulspor. It’s always tempting to move for someone off the back of a breakout tournament, but when most of that breakout happened in one game, it might not be the smartest move.

Photo by Unsplash

An update has emerged on Glasgow Rangers and their potential business towards the end of the summer transfer window…

What’s the talk?

The Light Blues have been offered the chance to sign England international Ross Barkley on a free transfer before the deadline passes.

According to Football Scotland’s Mark Hendry, the player’s representative has put the 28-year-old gem forward to the Gers after his contract was mutually terminated by Chelsea.

He Tweeted: “Ross Barkley’s name has been put to Rangers as his agent looks to find ex-Chelsea man new club.”

Joe Aribo heir

Ross Wilson must now pounce on this opportunity to bring Barkley to the club as he has the potential to be a superb addition, replacing Joe Aribo after he joined Southampton earlier in the summer.

The Nigerian was excellent for the Gers last term as he caught the eye in the number 10 role. He showed his ability on the ball throughout the campaign as he created nine ‘big chances’ and managed 1.8 key passes per match across 34 outings.

Barkley could now be the dream replacement for the now-Saint as he has the quality in possession to make a similar, if not greater, impact in terms of creativity.

Journalist Dominic King claimed that he used to be a “diamond” before fading at Stamford Bridge and he could now rediscover his form by coming over to Scottish football.

He is a midfielder who is capable of creating chances on a regular basis, opening up opposition defences to provide his teammates with opportunities in front of goal.

In his last two full Premier League campaigns, he created 2.39 openings per 90 minutes on loan at Aston Villa and then managed 4.5 per 90 in 2021/22 for Chelsea – albeit with only 180 minutes of football for the Blues.

He also managed six key passes in 96 minutes of Champions League football last term, along with six in 156 minutes in the EFL Cup. This means that he created 21 chances in 432 minutes of action in all competitions last season – 4.37 per 90.

The attacking midfielder, whose attitude was hailed as “first class” by Frank Lampard, also caught the eye whilst playing for England in 2021. In six European Championship qualifiers, he averaged a SofaScore rating of 8.02 as he scored four goals, provided three assists, and produced 2.2 key passes per game.

These statistics show that he is a fantastic creator who has the quality to unlock doors at the top level, which suggests that he would be a midfield magician for the Gers – much like Aribo.

He has the ability to break down opposition defences and Rangers could offer him the chance to play regular minutes, allowing him to prove that he can create at a high rate consistently over the course of a season – rather than in a handful of outings.

Aston Villa could well be set to offer Tottenham Hotspur midfielder Tanguy Ndombele a Premier League lifeline…

What’s the word?

According to journalist Pete O’Rourke – who was speaking to Football Transfer Tavern – the Midlands club could well make a move for the 25-year-old before the end of the transfer window, having previously enquired about a deal for the seven-cap Frenchman in January.

Asked whether Villa could go back in for the former Lyon man in the coming weeks, the transfer insider stated: “Yeah he’s obviously on the list of Villa if they did enquire about him in January.

“He’s obviously a player that they think could come in and do a job for Aston Villa. We all know he doesn’t figure in Tottenham plans going forward. He’s one of the players on the fringes that Antonio Conte is willing to move on. So, if there’s a deal to be done there that would suit Aston Villa and Tottenham, there’s a real possibility that Ndombele could end up there.”

Despite having already brought in Boubacar Kamara this summer, the suggestion is that Villa manager Steven Gerrard is on the lookout for a new midfield addition.

Could be an “incredible” coup

Once described as an “incredible coup” for Spurs when they landed the 5 foot 11 menace three years ago, it would seemingly be a similar story if Villa are able to get a deal over the line before the September 1st deadline, with Ndombele a possible marquee arrival in the Midlands.

Although the £27m-rated midfielder has flattered to deceive during his time in north London thus far after failing to impress a string of managers, it is hard to question the obvious talent of the playmaker, despite his apparent lack of application in recent times.

Previously plucked by the Lilywhites for a hefty £63m, that was a marker of just how highly the £120k-per-week sensation was rated at the time, with it foolish to assume that he can have become a bad player overnight despite his recent struggles.

Even during that slump, the 25-year-old still caught the eye of former Spurs teammate Gareth Bale, with the Welshman suggesting that the playmaker was somewhat reminiscent of Brazilian icon Ronaldinho due to his “mind-blowing” quality with the ball at his feet.

That is high praise indeed considering the former Barcelona man’s legendary status in the game, although such a comparison is an indicator of the overwhelming natural talent that Ndombele does possess.

West Ham United captain Declan Rice has also recently lauded the maestro’s talents, suggesting that the Frenchman is one of the “toughest” opponents that he has faced, while also dubbing him a “street footballer” for his stunning trickery and calmness in possession.

That has also been demonstrated by Ndombele’s encouraging upturn in form following his loan return to France in the second half of last season, with the fleet-footed powerhouse notably providing two assists and averaging 2.3 tackles per game in his 11 Ligue 1 outings, showcasing both his creative flair and his ball-winning ability.

A player who can simply glide through the midfield with ease, he also compares favourably to those in his position across Europe’s top five leagues with regards to his ball-playing talents, notably ranking in the top 1% for dribbles completed and the top 4% for progressive carries.

If Gerrard is able to harness that undoubted brilliance and help fashion a more consistent and reliable figure this season, then it could well prove a huge coup if Villa are to add Ndombele to their ranks this summer.

Crystal Palace fans’ worst fears could come to fruition if this journalist’s claims are true…

 What’s the word?

According to transfer insider Dean Jones, Wilfried Zaha could be tempted to join Premier League giants Chelsea, who have shown an interest.

Speaking to GIVEMESPORT, he said: “Chelsea tried to sign him under the previous ownership and Zaha would welcome a move like this.

“I think it would be exciting to see Sterling and him in the same attack, and I think there are ways Tuchel could get that to open up.”

Vieira would be gutted

Zaha has been a cult hero at Selhurst Park, ever since his youthful heroics helped them return to the Premier League back in 2013. Even after his switch to Manchester United and subsequent return, there has been no love lost.

He is their talisman and has seen potential moves to far bigger clubs beaten away in order to stay and keep Palace in the division.

It will therefore be particularly heart-breaking for Patrick Vieira should the Ivory Coast international choose to leave, as he just seems to be building a team with real promise.

Zaha was comfortably their top scorer again in all competitions last season, bagging 15 times. The closest, with eight, was the departing Conor Gallagher.

If Palace were to lose both of their top scorers, perhaps the bleak prediction of relegation that they faced last summer would quickly become a reality, unless the young talent that Vieira has acquired can make the step up.

Not only would they lose the £130k-per-week magician’s current goals, but the loss of one of the club’s greatest ever players will surely have a hugely detrimental effect on the squad too. He is their top scorer in Premier League history, and this holds massive weight.

Also, his average SofaScore rating of 6.98 marked him out as the Eagles’ third-best performer last season, further outlining how big a miss he would be.

Not only would losing their main man be a huge blow but to a London rival would add insult to injury.

Vieira should be gutted at the prospect and will likely be begging the hierarchy at his club to do all they can to prevent it.

AND, in other news: Vieira could form a “wonderful” CPFC duo with late swoop for “electric” £112k-p/w star.

Injury expert Ben Dinnery has delivered his verdict on the Wolverhampton Wanderers’ transfer plans after the injury suffered by Chiquinho.

The lowdown: Cruel loss

This comes after Chiquinho picked up an anterior cruciate ligament injury during a 3-0 behind-closed-doors friendly win over Burnley last Saturday at the Sir Jack Hayward Training Ground.

The 22-year-old winger scored in the match before being involved in a collision that caused the Portugal youth international to require surgery and face a lengthy spell on the sidelines.

Having completed the first summer signing in the shape of Nathan Collins from Burnley, one well-informed onlooker has suggested that Chiquinho’s injury could force Bruno Lage to enter the market once again…

The latest: ‘Huge blow’

Speaking to Football Insider, Dinnery – who runs the Premier Injuries site and contributes for Sky Sports – has claimed that Wolves may need a replacement for the one-cap Portugal Under 21 starlet for the entire upcoming season.

He said: “This will really smart for them. He is a player with a big reputation and they expect big things from him in the upcoming season. Potentially, this may alter any transfer plans that they had.

“As we know with ACL injuries, we’re looking at a minimum of six or seven months, but that can extend to nine or ten months. That’s if things go really, really well in that rehab and recovery process.

“So, they are losing a player in July who may not play again for the whole of the season. That’s a huge blow for them.”

The verdict: Signing needed

Signed from Portuguese top-flight outfit Estoril in January, Chiquinho provided three assists in eight Premier League outings for the Old Gold to add to the four goals and six assists yielded prior to making the switch to Molineux.

The impact made by the dynamic wide-man was clear for all to see and his lengthy absence leaves Lage with only Pedro Neto, Daniel Podence and an out-of-favour Adama Traore to call upon in the wide areas heading into the 2022/23 campaign after Francisco Trincao returned to Barcelona before signing for Sporting CP.

Not replacing Chiquinho is therefore a non-starter as at least one addition is required for a depleted squad, and Fosun should have no issues sanctioning any moves given the lack of activity in terms of incomings so far and the potential financial windfall from the sales of Morgan Gibbs-White and Ruben Neves on the horizon.

Manchester City face the very real prospect of losing yet another depth option to Premier League rivals.

What’s the word?

That is according to a report from Italian journalist Matte Moretto of Relevo who claims that league title rivals Chelsea are “getting closer” to the signing of Nathan Ake.

Taking to his personal Twitter account to issue the update, Moretto said:

“Chelsea works to close the first signing in defense: Nathan Aké, from City, is getting closer. On the table almost 40 million.”

Pep will be gutted

The Cityzens face the prospect of losing four players in the space of a few days, with Gabriel Jesus’ move to Arsenal all set, Fernandinho’s return to Brazil, Raheem Sterling’s possible switch to a deeper shade of blue in Chelsea, and now Ake’s potential move to follow in what would be a return back to his former club.

Bit by bit, Pep is losing depth options to rival teams, which will surely come as a blow for the Spaniard.

The Netherlands international has made 920′ minutes on the pitch.

And whilst this is not a bad run of minutes in a ferociously good City side, the fact that he has made just 40 appearances in all competitions for Pep’s side in the two years he has been there does not bode very well for a player who will be seeking regular minutes in the build-up to his prime years as a footballer.

The fact that he is still in-between positions is not positive either, and with the World Cup just around the corner, a move to Chelsea to take Rudiger’s place as a first-choice left centre-back in a back-three system would perhaps be the ideal move for the 27-year-old.

If City are to lose Ake, only time will tell as to whether Pep will bring in a replacement or delve into their youth options.

AND in other news: MCFC given green light to bid for £67.5m-rated “phenomenon”, supporters will love it 

Southampton are set to complete the signing of Manchester City goalkeeper Gavin Bazunu and a contract extension for Willy Caballero, claims reliable journalistic Fabrizio Romano.

The Lowdown: Saints’ keeper situation

Following the expiry of his contract with Saints, Fraser Forster recently signed for Tottenham on a free transfer, moving to North London to become Antonio Conte’s no.2 choice behind club captain Hugo Lloris.

Southampton were also looking like they would be without Alex McCarthy next season with his contract having entered into its final 12 months. However, despite the absence of an official statement, it was reported by The Athletic last year that the 32-year-old had quietly signed a new three-year deal with the club.

With alternative choice Caballero originally set to depart the south-coast outfit too, it was made imperative for Southampton that they bring in a new goalkeeper ahead of the start of the season.

The Latest: Romano’s news

Taking to Twitter, Romano shared the latest news regarding Southampton’s goalkeeper situation, including the arrival of a fresh face at St. Mary’s.

“Southampton have signed contracts and paperworks with Man City to complete Gavin Bazunu deal. Done and set to be announced for £12m plus add-ons.”

He also provided clarity on Caballero’s situation: “Saints have reached an agreement also with Willy Caballero to extend contract until June 2023.”

The Verdict: Fantastic business

Whilst on loan at south-coast rivals Portsmouth, Bazunu impressed with a number of ‘unbelievable’ saves, leading manager Danny Cowley to claim the 20-year-old ‘will be world-class’ someday and that he is now ‘ready to play in the Premier League’.

Having already amassed ten international caps for the Republic of Ireland, it is clear to see why the youngster is so highly rated, and now with extensive experience in playing first-team in League One, this appears to be a fantastic long-term signing for Southampton.

Of course, with the addition of a very young talent it can’t hurt to also inject some experience into the ranks, so locking up the expertise of Caballero to guide Bazunu and McCarthy feels like excellent business.

In other news: Saints make bid for Mattias Svanberg

Tottenham Hotspur could seal a perfect alternative to Alessandro Bastoni as another Serie A titan is targeted this off-season…

What’s the word?

According to reports in Italy, Spurs are eyeing up a move for Torino centre-back Gleison Bremer.

“#Tottenham strong on #Bremer: the contacts between the player’s entourage and the Spurs continue. There is talk of a first offer around 35m € + bonus. On the Brazilian also #PSG and #Inter and other English clubs including Leicester (but Champions priority for him),” Toro newspaper Corriere Granata tweeted.

Bastoni alternative

The Lilywhites’ pursuit of Bastoni has been quite frustrating with Inter Milan asking for a fee in the region of £51m and the player seemingly not willing to make the switch to the Premier League.

Bremer could be a very strong alternative, indeed.

As per WhoScored, the 25-year-old colossus ended the 2021/22 season as Torino’s best-performing player, averaging a rating of 7.22.

Over the past 365 years, the Brazilian ranks inside the top 1% of his positional peers across Europe’s top-five divisions for aerial duels won (4.80 per 90) and blocks (2.68 per 90) and the top 2% for pressures (16.85) and interceptions (3.64 per 90), via FBRef.

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Not only that but he offers just as big a threat in the final third for his team, ranking inside the top 1% for non-penalty expected goals (0.13 per 90) and top 3% for touches in the opposition’s box (1.68 per 90).

This shows that the 6 foot 2 titan a defensive animal and also a massive nuisance in attack, too, which has to be a mouthwatering prospect for manager Antonio Conte, who must view him as a perfect option.

It’s no wonder that Bremer has been lauded as a “monster” by journalsit Maxi Angelo, as well as being “faultless” and “unbelievable” by Daily Express reporter Ryan Taylor.

If Spurs cannot secure a move for Conte’s former Inter gem, then the £27m-rated Torino titan is certainly a viable, solid and far cheaper alternative at around £30m.

AND in other news, Spurs now eyeing £60m-rated “absolute tank”, he’d solve Conte’s two biggest problems…

Crystal Palace are reportedly keen on a move for Huddersfield Town midfielder Lewis O’Brien.

What’s the word?

According to TEAMtalk, the 23-year-old is at the centre of something of a transfer tussle, with the Eagles one of six Premier League sides believed to be keen on his signature, having caught the eye for the Championship play-off hopefuls this season.

The report suggests that the Terriers’ vice-captain does have a £12m release in his current deal which is likely to be activated this summer, albeit with his future potentially resting on whether or not Carlos Corberan’s side can achieve promotion in the coming weeks.

The likes of Leeds United, Wolverhampton Wanderers and Southampton are among the other top-flight sides who are keeping a watchful eye on the £2.7m-rated man.

McArthur upgrade

O’Brien’s arrival at Selhurst Park could provide Patrick Vieira with the perfect upgrade to current midfield stalwart James McArthur, the long-serving 34-year-old currently approaching the end of his existing deal.

In the Huddersfield man, Palace have identified the ideal candidate to fill the Scotsman’s boots, with the dynamic midfielder having been earning plenty of plaudits for his displays in the second tier in recent times.

Pundit Jobi McAnuff was particularly complimentary of the Colchester born gem’s displays, insisting that “he’s got a bit of everything” such is his all-action, combative style in the centre of the park.

The one-time Bradford City loanee has chipped in with three goals and three assists so far this season in 43 league games – all of which have come as starts – while he also averages one key pass per game and has completed 70% of his total dribbles.

Equally, in a defensive sense, the £3k-per-week maestro has also caught the eye, winning a solid 56% of his total duels, as well as recording 2.2 tackles, 0.8 interceptions and 0.9 clearances per 90.

That form has been instrumental in helping guide his current side to a remarkable third-place finish in the table, with the 5 foot 8 playmaker having also captained the club in the absence of Jonathan Hogg.

Vieira will no doubt be looking for leaders to add to his side next season and O’Brien could well be the perfect addition, with it a case of out with the old and in with the new.

The aforementioned McArthur is the man who should seemingly be the casualty of the younger man’s arrival, the veteran having failed to score so far this term and won just 48% of his total duels, with fresher legs potentially needed.

IN other news, “Agreement close…”: Ornstein drops huge CPFC update that supporters will love