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Steven Gerrard nearly selected Ashley Young as a number 10 for his first game in charge at Aston Villa, The Athletic’s Gregg Evans has revealed. 

The 36-year-old had apparently impressed the new boss in the Bodymoor Heath training sessions leading up to the clash with Brighton.

Gerrard considered rewarding him with a start in the attacking midfield role, but ended up selecting Jacob Ramsey, Marvelous Nakamba and John McGinn as a trio instead. Emiliano Buendia slotted in on the right wing.

Could Young get more minutes in an unfamiliar role?

Young has made seven Premier League appearances since he returned to the club in the summer, three of them starts.

Deploying him as a number 10 would certainly have raised eyebrows, given that over the course of his 628-game senior career, the 36-year-old has only played in that role four times, each of those coming as far back as the 2010/11 season.

Nevertheless, Young will hope to make himself impossible to overlook for the trip to Crystal Palace next Saturday.

Fan feed Villa Report relayed Evans’ revelation, and here’s what some supporters made of it, with a largely negative reaction and a couple of responses drawing unflattering comparisons with Steve Bruce, who was much-maligned during his reign as Villa manager.

These Villa fans baffled by Gerrard’s consideration of Young at number 10

“Had to check this wasn’t a fake account”

Credit: @M10Packed

“What in the Steve Bruce is this?”

Credit: @lukewoodyy

“Good lord, Stevie G or Steve Bruce?”

Credit: @billazor

“Blimey”

Credit: @douglasluiz

“This is not a tweet I thought I would be seeing in 2021”

Credit: @WeDoingAVilla

“Bruh no thanks”

Credit: @Stefan__19

In other news, Gerrard’s latest transfer target has emerged

Medical expert Ben Dinnery believes Leeds United goalkeeper Illan Meslier may need to wear protective equipment against Southampton on Saturday, Football Insider report.

The Lowdown: Injuries galore…

The international break came at the right time for the Whites after they registered back-to-back wins against Norwich and Wolves.

[freshpress-quiz id=“383507″]

The 3-2 victory at Molineux came at a cost, with Patrick Bamford, Diego Llorente, Mateusz Klich and Meslier all being forced off due to injury.

Bamford has been ruled out for six weeks with a fresh foot problem, but Llorente and Klich have returned to training.

Leeds confirmed earlier this week that Meslier was yet to return to Thorp Arch training, but the club expect him to be fit for the visit of Southampton.

The Latest: Dinnery reacts

Dinnery, who contributes for Sky Sports, was talking to FI after that update from the club emerged.

He labelled the injury as ‘nasty’, however, the expert admitted he’d be ‘very surprised’ if he wasn’t available for selection on Saturday, hinting at possible protective padding.

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“It was very, very painful.

“He hasn’t trained in the first week of the international break but Leeds are fairly confident for the Southampton game.

“It may be that he has some sort of protective padding to help that area. But I’m fairly confident this will just be a case of pain management.

“It was a nasty one that forced him off but I’d be very surprised if he wasn’t available for the game against Southampton.”

The Verdict: Fingers crossed

The Frenchman is yet to miss a Premier League game this season, so you’d expect Jesse Marsch will be keeping his fingers crossed that he can call upon the 22-year-old once again at Elland Road.

Meslier leads the way when it comes to saves made in 2021/22, becoming a key member of the squad following promotion to the Premier League.

He may well require protective padding on his bruised upper thigh and lower torso, as Dinnery mentions, and if that helps, it should be a no brainer from the Leeds medical staff.

In other news: Journalist now drops ‘big boost’ for Leeds and Marsch as talks with Radz and 49ers emerge. 

Having secured deals for the likes of Chiquinho and Hayao Kawabe during the current January transfer window, it seems as though Wolves are now making moves to try and keep hold of one of their current players.

What’s the news?

Speaking live on The Transfer Show on Sky Sports, journalist Kaveh Solhekol revealed that Wolves have rejected an offer of £15m from fellow Premier League club Tottenham Hotspur for Adama Traore.

Solhekol then claimed that the Old Gold would be looking at a bid of around £25m in order to consider selling Traore this month.

Having signed the winger for a fee of £18m from Championship club Middlesbrough back in 2018, it’s no surprise that Wolves have rejected an offer which is less than what they paid for him, especially one which would see him join another Premier League team who are only five points ahead of them in the table at this stage of the campaign.

Since joining the Old Gold, Traore has gone on to make 153 appearances for the club across all competitions, scoring 11 goals and providing 18 assists in the process.

Lage will be delighted

Even though Traore only scored one goal in 19 Premier League appearances this season, which came during their recent 3-1 win over Southampton, Wolves manager Bruno Lage will surely be happy that the club have reportedly turned down this offer from Tottenham for the Spain international.

Despite the lack of goal output, the 25-year-old has still been a top performer for his side with an overall season rating of 6.97/10 from WhoScored, making him Wolves’ fourth-highest rated player.

Moving forward, it will be a big boost for Wolves and Lage to have Traore in their squad for the remainder of the season, given the level of performance he has produced for them despite the lack of regular goals and assists.

However, with his contract set to expire in the summer of 2023 and the reported lack of intent to sign a new deal at Molineux, it could be worth the club selling him in the next summer transfer window so that they can get a suitable transfer fee for him and also have the time to find the right replacement for him.

In other news: Transfer insider drops Wolves transfer claim which will surely have fans gutted

Newcastle United are showing interest in former Tottenham midfielder Christian Eriksen, according to The Times (via The Chronicle).

The lowdown

The 29-year-old hasn’t played since he suffered a cardiac arrest during Denmark’s Euro 2020 opener against Finland last June.

In December, Inter Milan terminated his contract by mutual consent, in the knowledge that Eriksen would not be able to play in Serie A because he has an implantable cardioverter-defibrillator fitted. However, he can feature in another league where the rules are different.

The midfielder racked up 226 Premier League appearances during his seven-year stint at Spurs from 2013 to 2020.

The latest

According to The Times, Newcastle are said to be among three Premier League clubs keen on signing Eriksen, alongside Brentford and Leicester City.

Brentford’s interest is the most advanced, with the Bees offering the Dane a contract until the end of the season. Therefore, Newcastle may quickly have to present a rival offer to ensure that they don’t lose out.

The verdict

Eriksen was excellent for Spurs, recording 159 direct goal contributions (69 goals, 90 assists) in his 305 appearances.

His overall career tallies stand at an impressive 114 goals and 158 assists, and his individual accolades include a PFA Team of the Year nod, the Premier League Goal of the Month for April 2018 and a FIFPro World XI nomination. Newcastle fans may also remember that he netted a direct free-kick against them in a 3-1 win for Spurs in 2015.

Given that he hasn’t played in so long and is coming back from such a serious medical episode, this would have to be have regarded as a risky move. On the other hand, he would be arriving on a free transfer and, if Newcastle match Brentford’s proposal, on a short-term contract.

Perhaps it’s worth a go.

In other news, Newcastle are plotting an £18m raid on this Premier League club.

Aston Villa have reignited their interest in Brighton midfielder Yves Bissouma.

That’s according to The Telegraph’s John Percy and Sam Wallace, which unsurprisingly has had a number of Villa fans talking on social media.

The reliable reporters shared the update on the morning of deadline day, revealing that a ‘key decision’ is set to be made today over a late January move or whether to wait until the summer.

Villa reportedly had a £25m bid turned down earlier this month for the Brighton midfielder and failed in their pursuit of Rodrigo Bentancur, but it seems as if they could attempt a late swoop for the Mali international.

Bissouma is now back from the Africa Cup of Nations and has less than 18 months remaining on his contract, with both Manchester United and Tottenham also credited with a late interest on Twitter.

Villa fans react

Well-known fan feed @villareport relayed Percy and Wallace’s claim on Twitter. It had these Villa supporters excited, with many urging Johan Lange to push through with a late deadline day deal.

“DO IT TODAY!”

Credit: @JordAVFCx

“Lange at the back post”

Credit: @avfctom_

“Would be unreal if we get him”

Credit: @GW_94

“Get it done today!!!!”

Credit: @SamSamchilton9

“Pleaseeeeee ”

Credit: @_JackAvfc

“Don’t play with my emotions, he’d be class”

Credit: @Mattachu_Avfc

In other news: ‘Hats off to the board’ – Sky Sports man purrs at ‘amazing’ out-of-the-blue Villa transfer news. 

Celtic and Tottenham could look to sign Nice winger Deji Sotana, according to reliable reporter Mike McGrath of The Telegraph.

The Lowdown: Sotana profiled

Sotana is just 19 years of age and is primarily a left-winger who can also play at left-back or even as a centre-forward and is under contract for a further 18 months. [Transfermarkt]

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He left Manchester United for Nice in September 2020 but is still yet to turn out for the French side at senior level.

A return to the Premier League was on the cards for the teenager during the summer, however, a move to Chelsea fell through. The Blues are still keen on the Irishman, and it seems as if the Hoops are also keen ahead of the January transfer window.

The Latest: Hoops keen

McGrath’s transfer notebook on Wednesday morning provided an update on Sotana’s future, with a return to the UK on the cards.

He claimed that both Celtic and Tottenham are interested in the versatile youngster, along with Chelsea as the winter window approaches.

The Verdict: Third Irish addition?

Ange Postecoglou has already made two Irish signings during his tenure as Celtic boss in James McCarthy and Liam Scales, so Sotana could well be the third.

However, it could be a big ask to pip the two London giants in the race for the Irishman. The Hoops may have to guarantee the teenager first-team football to stand a chance, but they already have six wingers on the books, so might not be able to make that promise.

Even if Celtic miss out on Sotana, they are keen to make at least three Japanese January additions, so it should be a busy start to the year at Parkhead nonetheless.

In other news: Possession lost 44 times, 0 shots on target, 1 cross: Celtic’s worst three players vs St. Mirren. 

Zinedine Ferhat would be ‘one of the better players in the SPFL’ if he joined Celtic, journalist Adam White has told GiveMeSport. 

The lowdown

French outlet Foot Mercato reported earlier this month that the 28-year-old was poised to move on from Nimes during the January transfer window. The £4m-rated midfielder is into the final six months of his contract and Celtic were named among his admirers, with the player’s ‘profile’ and ‘low cost’ appealing to the Glasgow club.

The Hoops may now be even more keen to snap him up after Callum McGregor, who like Ferhat can play in an attacking midfield role, suffered a serious facial injury. The Celtic captain is reportedly due to have surgery this week and, according to injury expert Ben Dinnery, he could face up to eight weeks on the sidelines.

The latest

White, who covers French football for The Guardian, Get French Football News and Football Radar, waxed lyrical about Ferhat when speaking to GiveMeSport. He explained that the Nimes maestro would bring not only quality to Celtic, but also useful versatility.

The journalist gushed: “I think for Celtic, absolutely, he’d be a really good option. He can play as a number 10, can also play out wide and as an attacking midfielder, very graceful, creative, and I think he’d improve Celtic’s team and would be one of the better players in the SPFL.”

The verdict

It’s hard to argue with White’s assessment. Last season, Ferhat was one of the top creators in Ligue 1, notching 10 assists despite his team being relegated – only Lyon’s Memphis Depay bettered that tally.

The French top flight is ranked as the fifth-best league in Europe, four places above the Scottish Premiership in UEFA’s coefficient, so you’d think that Ferhat really could boss proceedings here if he made the move to Parkhead.

He only earns £9,000 per week in France, which is roughly equivalent to what reserve goalkeeper Vasilis Barkas is making at Celtic. When you put it that way, it should be easy for them to present an appealing contract offer to the Nimes midfielder, who could be a timely target given McGregor’s unfortunate convalescence.

In other news, this Hoops talent is wanted by a leading Premier League club

Antonio Conte must turn to the rarely-seen Tanguy Ndombele for Tottenham Hotspur’s upcoming festive fixtures, once they are able to return to action.

Sat just outside the top four and in need of a win in their final Europa Conference League group game, Spurs could do with someone of his calibre in the final third.

Conte and co are in need of some sort of saviour as his squad could be depleted going forward due to a viral outbreak amongst the Lilywhites camp this week – according to football.london, as many as seven first-team players have tested positive by a lateral flow test.

Provided Ndombele isn’t one of those, which he is unlikely to be after footage surfaced of training this week, he could hold the keys to Spurs enjoying some success in an absolute time of need.

He would provide the north Londoners with a player capable of driving the ball into the final third, and that’s what will be needed to boost their chances of transforming their fortunes in attack.

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After all, scoring goals has largely been the biggest problem facing the team, with leading striker Harry Kane sitting on just one goal in the Premier League so far this season.

Only Norwich City (10.7) have managed fewer shots per game than Spurs (10.9), via WhoScored, whilst they are inside the bottom seven teams for expected goals (17.83 xG), even though they are on the cusp of a top-four spot.

Despite only starting five top-flight games, Ndombele is among Conte’s most prolific ball-carriers, having averaged 2.4 successful dribbles per 90 minutes, which is only bettered by Lucas Moura (3.5) of those who have played more than 400 minutes this term.

Elsewhere, he is also capable of doing the ‘dirty work’, having managed 2.2 tackles per 90, too. That’s actually better than defenders such as Ben Davies (0.6) and Eric Dier (0.3).

Ndombele was once dubbed a “world-beater” who can be “unplayable” on his day by former Spurs teammate Joe Hart and it’s that level of performance that we need to see from him more often and consistently.

That said, he clearly poses a level of technical ability greater than the bulk of his teammates, which is why his presence is needed on the pitch, especially in the final third, in such a crucial run of fixtures.

The £26m-rated midfielder must start in Conte’s XI going forward.

AND in other news, Spurs plot an ‘unprecedented’ January transfer spending spree. claim sources…

You would’ve been forgiven for being concerned for Wolves when first-choice goalkeeper Rui Patricio left the West Midlands to join AS Roma last summer for a reported figure of £9.8m.

The Black Country club eventually recruited Jose Sa from Olympiakos for £6.25m, a signing which has proven to be a masterstroke.

In the Portuguese goalkeeper’s first season in the Premier League, he has kept 11 clean sheets in 32 appearances so far, conceding just 28 goals in that space of time.

To put that figure into context, during Patricio’s time at Molineux, Sa’s fellow countryman kept 37 clean sheets in 127 appearances, conceding 151 goals – an average of a clean sheet every 3.43 games and 1.19 goals per game, compared to Sa’s 2.91 and 0.86 respectively.

The 34-year-old was a key figure for Wolves, signing for the Old Gold following their promotion to the top flight in 2018, but he has been replaced excellently with a figure who could well be number one for plenty of years to come.

Not only has Sa been an excellent recruit, but the deal to purchase him is now looking like a bargain.

To have paid just £6.25m for a goalkeeper who currently averages less than a goal conceded per game in the Premier League is astounding, especially when you consider the astronomical £71.6m fee that Chelsea paid for the error-prone Kepa Arrizabalaga in 2018.

The £17k-p/w Sa, who was hailed as “dominant” by former Molineux ‘keeper Matt Murray, has also been a major contribution to Wolves’ status as the Premier League’s fourth-best defence.

According to Transfermarkt, the goalkeeper was valued at £6.75m when Wolves signed him, making the £6.25m fee a pretty fair deal. However, after a stellar maiden campaign at Molineux, the 29-year-old has seen his value rise to £12.6m, just over double the transfer fee paid for him.

It’s a colossal increase when considering that, for the majority of Sa’s career, he has been valued at under £2.5m. If this form is to continue, then surely a first senior cap for Portugal isn’t far away.

Patricio is still the country’s number one with an impressive 102 caps for his national team but, like at Wolves, Sa could be his eventual heir in the coming years.

One thing seem certain – Bruno Lage certainly won’t be looking to change the man between the sticks for a very long time.

In other news – Fewer touches than Sa: Wolves “hindrance” who lost 79% duels badly failed Lage against Newcastle

As per Mundo Deportivo, relayed by Sport Witness, Newcastle United have an exact bid amount in mind to sign Atletico Madrid defender Kieran Trippier in January.

The Lowdown: Magpies eye moves…

The first transfer window of the new PIF era is dawning, with Newcastle supporters arguably curious to see whether their new owners will back Eddie Howe with major incomings during the month.

Currently in the midst of a relegation battle, their business after the New Year could be crucial in maintaining their hopes of staying in the Premier League and kickstarting an interesting age for the club.

They have already been linked with some major signings, including Trippier, with the latest from Spain detailing just how much Newcastle could be willing to spend on his capture.

The Latest: Newcastle willing to table £25.3m…

As per Mundo Deportivo (relayed by Sport Witness), the Magpies are willing to table an eight-figure bid of £25.3m to sign Trippier for Howe next month.

According to their information, the England international also wants to return to his homeland and the Premier League, as Atletico also contemplate selling to bolster their own transfer kitty.

The Verdict: Get it done…

The right-back, labelled ‘sensational’ by former Celtic and West Ham striker Frank McAvennie (Football Insider), would certainly strengthen Howe’s defensive options and Newcastle’s survival chances.

Trippier would come with a plethora of experience performing on the biggest stages in world football and the 35-cap international’s exploits at the 2018 World Cup with England are well known.

His free kick against Croatia in the semi-finals of the tournament is one indicator of his technical quality, while he has also averaged an impressive 2.7 tackles per 90 over three Champions League starts this season (WhoScored).

That’s more than any Magpies defender has managed in the English top flight by comparison and it will be interesting to see whether PIF will truly back Howe with his addition to the squad.

In other news, find out which ‘world-class’ ace NUFC are now ‘most likely’ to sign here!