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Wolves are seemingly the frontrunners to sign Matheus Cunha in January, and the Brazilian could form an excellent partnership with Adama Traore in Julen Lopetegui’s side.

Fabrizio Romano has suggested that the Atletico Madrid striker is being targeted by the Old Gold ahead of next month’s transfer window, as Lopetegui looks to overhaul a Wolves attack which has struggled immensely in recent campaigns.

So far this term, Wolves have managed just eight goals in 15 games in the Premier League, so it is no surprise that they are propping up the table ahead of the return of top-flight football just after Christmas.

Cunha has struggled for goals in recent years with RB Leipzig and Atletico, but he showed in previous spells with Hertha Berlin and Swiss outfit Sion that he can provide a consistent goal threat, hitting 23 goals and 18 assists in 72 combined appearances for those clubs.

At 23, he still has a lot of potential, and there seems no reason why he can’t live up to his former Sion boss Paolo Tramezzani’s tag as an “extraordinary” player with a fresh start at Molineux.

According to WhoScored, Cunha’s main strength lies in his dribbling, which suggests that he could cause nightmares for Premier League defenders in a similar way to Traore, should he make the move to the Black Country in January.

The Spain international was once seen as an “unstoppable” player by Darren Bent because of his pace and power but has struggled for consistency in recent seasons under Bruno Lage.

However, it seems as if Traore could become a regular once again under Loptegeui’s management, with the new boss hoping that the 26-year-old will extend his contract at Molineux, and his counterattacking threat could prove crucial in improving the Old Gold’s woeful recent form.

Wolves’ central midfield options boast just two assists between them so far this term, which suggests that Lopetegui might have to rely on wide options to be his main source of creativity at Molineux.

The prospect of Cunha and Traore running at defenders on either flank and causing problems with their pace and dribbling is surely an exciting one for the 56-year-old, so he should definitely look to bring the Atletico Madrid man to Molineux next month.

Everton’s proposed move to the Bramley-Moore Dock stadium is ‘happening quite soon’, according to pundit John Wenham.

The Lowdown: Bramley-Moore Dock latest

The Premier League side are set to move into their new home for the 2024/25 season which will have an increased capacity of 52,888, compared to Goodison Park’s 39,572.

Owner Farhad Moshiri has been told that the Toffees could face a fine in the millions should they not be able to cover all the costs to fund the project, so the 67-year-old is now seeking external investment to prevent this from happening.

The Latest: Wenham’s comments

Speaking to Football Insider, Wenham was blown away by the progress already made on Bramley-Moore Dock, but insisted that Everton need to avoid relegation whilst it’s in the process of being built. He said:

“The move to Bramley-Moore Docks is actually happening quite soon in the grand scheme of things.

“By the way, the progress being made on that is phenomenal, absolutely incredible. It looks really good already and the work they are doing, they must be working on it literally all of the time because it is flying up.

“They have to make sure they are a Premier League side when they move into it because that ground should not be in the Championship.

“But, as I say, it looks good and certainly looks to be an upgrade on Goodison Park.”

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The Verdict: Start of a new era

Everton must avoid dropping down to the Championship between now and the stadium’s completion date or else they will suffer financially, which could play a significant role in whether they receive that dreaded fine.

Frank Lampard’s side find themselves just one point above the relegation zone after securing three wins in 15 this season, form which is vital they turn around upon the return of domestic action.

Goodison Park has been the home of the Toffees ever since 1892, but Bramley Moore-Dock will signal the start of a new era on Merseyside.

Sunderland return to the Stadium of Light on Saturday afternoon as they take on Cardiff City in the Championship.

Tony Mowbray’s side got back to winning ways in midweek as they earned an impressive 2-0 victory at Huddersfield, and the former Blackburn Rovers manager will want to continue that momentum against the Bluebirds this weekend, in what is the Wearsiders’ final home game before the World Cup break.

Three points could see the Black Cats move into the top 10, whereas a defeat could see them slip closer towards the relegation zone, in what is a tightly-contested division.

Here is how Football FanCast expects Sunderland to line up on Saturday, with three changes from the side which started at the John Smith’s Stadium on Wednesday.

Anthony Patterson has started every game in the Championship for the Black Cats this season and he looks unlikely to lose his place after a sixth clean sheet of the season in midweek.

Similarly, it would be strange to see Mowbray deviate from the defence which won Sunderland the game on Wednesday, so Luke O’Nien, Bailey Wright, Danny Batth and Dennis Cirkin should all start.

Despite scoring the opening goal in midweek, Alex Pritchard could drop out of the side in favour of Jack Clarke, who is available again after suspension, with the 21-year-old the second-best performer in Mowbray’s side this season according to WhoScored.

The Black Cats can afford to be more adventurous at home, so Corry Evans drops out of the side in favour of the more attack-minded Dan Neil. The “young Paul Gascoigne” partners Elliot Embleton in the middle of the park, with Patrick Roberts keeping his place on the flank.

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Finally, in attack, Ellis Simms gets the nod to start up front alongside Amad Diallo, after the two combined for Sunderland’s second goal in midweek, with Leon Dajaku dropping out following a tepid display on Wednesday which saw him dubbed the team’s lowest-rated performer by Sofascore.

Everton could be plotting a move to bolster their forward ranks, with reports earlier this month suggesting that Borussia Monchengladbach marksman, Marcus Thuram, may be in line for a move.

Although the club underwent a summer of rebuilding that saw eight major deals completed, one area that still appears somewhat depleted is upfront.

Despite the acquisition of Neal Maupay appearing to have satisfied his desire for another striker, Frank Lampard still seems unhappy with the quality of his options. 

Journalist Dean Jones had made it clear in the summer just how imperative it was for the Toffees, as he claimed: “Lampard specifically wants to know a fair bit about whichever striker he ends up signing because he wants to have somebody that he knows he can get the best out of pretty early on.”

As per journalist Graeme Bailey, the Blues are now among plenty of Premier League sides who seem keen on the free-scoring Frenchman.

He was quoted as saying on the Talking Transfers podcast: “Yeah, Palace, Leicester, Everton, Fulham and Wolves. He’s doing very well this season and he’s a player that a lot of Premier League clubs have kept a close eye on, but he’s doing a good job in the Bundesliga now. He’s available on a Bosman in January, he’s 25, he’d just be a very useful signing for a lot of teams.”

It is thought that despite Dominic Calvert-Lewin’s recent return to fitness, the club cannot yet rely on him to be available for a whole season. Perhaps this added quality recruit might be the final piece in Lampard’s attacking puzzle.

He would certainly thrive with the likes of Demarai Gray, who has had cause for frustration in recent weeks as his creative exploits have gone unappreciated.

As aforementioned, the Monchengladbach man has a deal that is set to expire at the conclusion of this season, leaving him available for cheap in January or free in the summer.

The other suitors mentioned are all at a similar standing to Everton, so the Merseyside outfit will feel a certain level of confidence that should they want him, they could land the “phenomenal” figure in the near future, as described by former teammate Denis Zakaria.

The 6 foot 4 powerhouse has more than shown his quality in Germany of late, proving himself one of the better strikers in the division.

A return of eight goals with two assists in just 12 Bundesliga games is indicative of this. However, his exploits have only taken his side to 11th in the table.

His record far outperforms both of Everton’s current strikers from this season, with Maupay and Calvert-Lewin having scored just one each.

Thuram also has earned praise for his impressively quick feet to partner his hulking physique, highlighted by the fact that he ranks in the top 7% of positionally similar players across Europe’s top five leagues for dribbles completed.

He might benefit even more from the deliveries that some of the Toffees’ wingers would produce, as in their game over the weekend against Fulham, Gray was a shining light throughout an otherwise dull display.

The English wide man made three key passes and created two big chances, yet his team did not manage to score all game. 

Were Everton to tempt Thuram to Goodison Park, not only would it mark a huge coup and a success over half of the Premier League that want him too, but they would be getting a striker in red-hot form who would seldom squander the chances that Gray would provide.

For a team that has scored just 12 goals this term, they are crying out for someone to relieve the burden from Calvert-Lewin, who also possesses more quality than Maupay.

Any reservations regarding his ability to step up to a seemingly higher level in England can be put to bed with his brace against Real Madrid the season before last, where they actually would go on to reach the semi-finals of that Champions League campaign.

While there may well be fierce competition for his signature, the Toffees would be hard-pressed to find a better deal in Europe at the moment when it comes to reliable goal scorers.

Leeds United right-back Cody Drameh suffered an injury scare for the U21s against Tranmere Rovers on Tuesday evening.

The Lowdown: 5-3 win

Michael Skubala’s U21s began their EFL Trophy campaign with an entertaining 5-3 victory over League Two side Tranmere Rovers.

The Whites named an attacking side that included Sam Greenwood, Joe Gelhardt, Wilfried Gnonto, Sonny Perkins and Mateo Joseph. Gelhardt netted twice, and goals from Perkins, Joseph and Drameh sealed an impressive victory.

However, it may have come at a cost, with Drameh, who started against Brentford in the Premier League last month, suffering an injury scare.

The Latest: Tranmere ‘knock’

Leeds journalist Joe Donnohue was at Prenton Park for the game on Tuesday evening and shared news of a ‘knock’ for Drameh.

He relayed comments from Skubala, who stated that the 20-year-old was due to be assessed on Wednesday, but there is no word yet on the severity.

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The Verdict: Fingers crossed

Drameh has missed just one of Jesse Marsch’s Premier League squads this season, with the Leeds boss heaping praise on the full-back back in August.

He seems to be in the mix alongside Rasmus Kristensen and Luke Ayling at Elland Road, so it would be a shame if his injury proves to be serious, harming his long-term development and the manager’s depth.

Donnohue labelled Drameh as a ‘level above’ on Tuesday, while former Cardiff City manager Steve Morison described the defender as ‘excellent’ during his loan spell last season, so fingers crossed he can be back playing and pushing his way into the first-team once more relatively soon.

A Tottenham Hotspur career blighted by injury, Erik Lamela was always a divisive player amongst the fanbase in N17.

The final signing of the ‘magnificent seven’ bought as a result of the Gareth Bale money, the Argentinian winger failed to deliver as an attacking option throughout his eight seasons at the club.

It was a total of just 37 goals and 47 assists across a whopping 257 appearances, averaging only an 0.39 G/A per game in the Premier League, though he did tend to show up for a ‘big’ game – such as that spectacular rabona goal against arch-rivals Arsenal or the game-winning penalty he won in front of the Kop.

At the time, he arrived as the Lilywhites’ – and chairman Daniel Levy’s – biggest-ever signing at around £30m from Serie A outfit AS Roma, but he never lived up to the hype, largely due to the fact that he was always on the treatment table.

As per Transfermarkt, Lamela missed a total of 133 matches, which works out to be around 16-and-a-half games per season. Not what you want from your club-record arrival or someone brought in to fill the void left behind by Bale.

Whilst some of his questionable antics often drew criticism. One bizarre incident involving Manchester United’s Anthony Martial, which saw the winger play-acting to get the Frenchman sent off and led to Sky Sports pundit Graeme Souness to slam him as “pathetic.”

It’s perhaps no wonder that one of the first bits of business sporting director Fabio Paratici did was find a new home for him as he included the 30-year-old in a swap deal for Sevilla’s Bryan Gil.

Tottenham would pay £21.6m alongside Lamela, who was earning an eye-watering £85k-per-week at Hotspur Way, but swapping an injury-prone flop for a potential star of the future just made the world of sense.

And things haven’t really improved for the 25-time Argentina international as he’s only been able to muster up 30 appearances for the LaLiga side, where he has delivered a measly nine goal contributions – one every three games in the Spanish top-flight.

Such form and obvious question marks over his age – entering the wrong side of 30 – has seen his value plummet to a disappointing €7m (£6m), as per CIES Football Observatory, who assess the transfer value of professional footballers on a scientific basis.

Therefore, despite being capable of producing moments of the spectacular, it appears that Paratici was more than right to offload him and did so at the right time. He’d have only been part of the exiled group of flops under Antonio Conte this summer and that would’ve dented the appeal in signing him.

AND in other news, Left for £0, once worth £89m: Harry Redknapp had a mare at Spurs with 383-app machine…

An update has emerged on Newcastle United and their pursuit of Alexander Isak in the summer transfer window…

What’s the talk?

Spanish outlet Diario Vasco have claimed that the club are on the verge of bringing the Swedish international to St. James’ Park.

Journalist Colin Millar translated the article, tweeting:

“Newcastle set to sign Real Sociedad striker and Sweden international Alexander Isak in a £59million deal, rising to £63million, saw local Basque media. Offer accepted and deal imminent.”

The Athletic’s David Ornstein has backed up their claim and Italian reporter Fabrizio Romano has provided a fresh update, Tweeting: 

“Newcastle have already agreed personal terms with Alexander Isak and his agents. Final details discussed on add-ons structure and then deal completed with Real Sociedad, set to be signed. #NUFC Club record fee for Newcastle, also record sale for Real Sociedad.”

Forget about Callum Wilson

Although Wilson has scored two goals in the first three games of the Premier League season, the signing of Isak means that it could now be the time to forget about the Englishman.

Eddie Howe confirmed that the striker is set for a scan on a hamstring injury and it remains to be seen how long he will be sidelined for.

This should come as no shock to Magpies fans, though, as the attacker has missed 35 competitive matches since joining the club in the summer of 2020, compared to Isak’s five since 2019.

Wilson is an unreliable player when it comes to his availability and, at the age of 30, he is not getting any younger, which is why replacing him with Isak as the first-choice number nine could be a good move by the club.

Spanish journalist Guillem Balague has claimed that the Swedish will suit Howe’s style of play “as he is very fast” and “good driving the ball”.

These attributes could allow him to thrive in the manager’s pressing system as it creates counter-attacking opportunities and he can use his speed to burst forward – not giving opposition defenders a chance to catch up with him. Rio Ferdinand once dubbed him a “nuisance” and he could use his work rate and pace to force errors out of teams.

Wilson has scored 22 goals in the top-flight since the start of the 2020/21 campaign, whilst Isak has found the back of the net 24 times in La Liga in the same timeframe.

This suggests that he could offer a similar level of quality in front of goal, whilst suiting the team’s style of play, and having the scope to develop further.

His former teammate Chinedu Obasi previously said that Isak has “enormous potential” and he has plenty of years to prove him right, at the age of 22. He could be Newcastle’s starting striker for many seasons to come and it will now be down to Howe to get the best out of him.

Everton had a slow start to the summer transfer window but have now signed three new players to strengthen the squad at Goodison Park, and a reliable source has revealed a potential new target for the Toffees.

What’s the latest?

According to Everton insider and journalist Alan Myers, the Merseyside club are now interested in signing Conor Coady this summer.

Myers tweeted: “Everton want to sign Wolves defender Conor Coady. Frank Lampard is an admirer of the experienced centre-back, who’s been at Wolves for 7 years.”

Imagine him & Tarkowski

It is no secret that Everton struggled last term as they were embroiled in a relegation scrap at the bottom of the Premier League table until the penultimate game of the season, so it comes as no surprise that Frank Lampard is keen to strengthen his squad, especially in defence.

In March, Jamie Carragher gave a scathing assessment on Sky Sports of what he believed to be a huge problem for the Toffees following their humiliating 5-0 defeat to Tottenham Hotspur.

The pundit raged: “If Everton aren’t going to be good enough, it can be quality and they’re not. That back four is miles away, it’s Championship level.”

The Toffees’ poor defensive performances ultimately led to them conceding the fifth most goals (66) in the Premier League last term, and after signing James Tarkowski from Burnley last month, they could now strengthen their defence even further to ensure that they don’t repeat the mistakes of the past.

Coady, who was dubbed “phenomenal” by former team-mate Dave Edwards, has been a reliable and solid performer for Wolverhampton Wanderers, earning the captaincy at the club with his sound leadership which has led to inclusion in the England team.

Over 38 appearances last season, the £62k-per-week titan scored four goals, made 3.7 clearances per game and won the majority of his duels (53%), becoming one of the standout performers in the division.

The Wolves captain ranked second for successful dribbles, third in conversion of big chances and fourth for blocked shots in the entire top flight.

There is no doubt that Lampard could form the perfect centre-back partnership between Tarkowski and Coady if Everton can secure a deal for the Wolves skipper before the transfer window shuts, as the pair are both renowned for their leadership skills and are both proven defenders who have been important players for the teams they have represented.

Both Englishmen are capable of playing either side in the centre-back role, which will again be very useful to Lampard if he can get them together at Goodison Park, as the strength and experience of the pair combined could help Everton to seriously improve over the course of this season.

The signing of Coady would be a huge coup for the Toffees and would put Lampard in a great position to deploy a defence that he can trust to compete and contribute in their efforts to retain their Premier League status more comfortably this time around.

West Ham United are waiting on free agent Adnan Januzaj to make a decision regarding his future, according to a report from El Diario Vasco.

The lowdown: Hammers’ interested

Following an initial report from Spanish outlet AS claiming that the Hammers are among the clubs interested in Januzaj, reputable journalist Dean Jones recently claimed that a deal is ‘pretty much set up’ to reunite the attacking midfielder with David Moyes.

The 27-year-old Belgium international played under the Scot on 60 occasions during their time together at Manchester United and Sunderland before both went on to rekindle their careers elsewhere.

Now, having left Real Sociedad after making 167 appearances for the La Liga outfit, Januzaj is seemingly on the verge of deciding his next move…

The latest: ‘On the verge’

As per El Diario Vasco, the 15-cap Belgium star is believed to be ‘on the verge’ of picking his next club.

It’s claimed that Januzaj is wanted by Real Betis, Napoli and in Qatar and Saudi Arabian leagues, as well as attracting admiration from West Ham and Everton.

The report also states that the man once hailed as ‘gifted’ by reporter David Cartlidge is currently training ‘alone’ whilst pondering where to ply his trade.

The verdict: Fingers crossed

Still holding a perceived market value of £10.8million (Transfermarkt), signing Januzaj for free would have to be regarded as a no-brainer for Rob Newman and GSB.

Moreover, still at the peak of his career despite failing to live up to early expectations, adding the versatile Belgian to David Moyes’ attacking options would be a welcome move from the Irons.

Last season, Januzaj scored five times and provided three assists in 43 appearances across all competitions, highlighting his continued importance to an elite-level side that finished in a highly respectable sixth position in the Spanish top flight.

Overall, the 6 foot 1 ace – who is equally adept on either wing – earned a 6.81 Sofascore rating whilst successfully completing 1.4 dribbles and 1 key pass on average per game.

That recent form combined with an ability to play in numerous positions makes Januzaj the perfect addition to Moyes’ squad as West Ham seemingly actively pursue another attacking signing, having also been linked to Nice forward Amine Gouiri.

Everton have only managed to make one signing so far this summer, with James Tarkowski joining the Goodison Park outfit – meaning there is still a lot of work to be done for Frank Lampard to turn around the Toffees’ present situation.

The former Chelsea boss took over as manager at the Merseyside club back in January and managed – by the skin of his teeth – to secure survival in the Premier League in the penultimate game of the season. And, the summer transfer window is the perfect opportunity to strengthen his team ahead of their return to top-flight action next month.

Everton’s desperation for quality players who can make an instant positive impact on the team has heightened considerably since the departure of Brazilian winger Richarlison last week, with the player making a move to Tottenham Hotspur.

As a result, not only will Lampard need to strengthen his current squad but now has a gaping hole to fill in order to replace Richarlison’s output in the team – with the added challenge of doing so on a tight budget due to ongoing financial troubles at the club.

One player who has been linked with a move to the Blues is Nottingham Forest youngster Brennan Johnson, who last season played a huge part in helping his team secure promotion back into the Premier League for the first time in 23 years.

Johnson has played various roles in the attacking third with the player occupying left-wing, right-wing, attacking midfield and second striker positions throughout last season. However, despite moving around a lot in terms of positioning, this didn’t stop him proving how much of a valuable asset he can be.

The 21-year-old who was hailed a “superstar” by Wales boss Rob Page scored 16 goals, delivered 10 assists and created 15 big chances, as well as making an average of 1.3 key passes and winning 3.5 duels on average per game and successfully completing the majority of his dribble attempts over 46 Championship appearances last season.

As a result of his impact on Nottingham Forest’s play-off victory, the £13.5m-rated gem was also named Championship Young Player of the Year, proving that has been a standout performer not only for his club but in the league in general.

There is nothing Lampard thrives in more as a manager than developing youth, with the Toffees boss having a hand in the development of Reece James, Armando Broja, Mason Mount and many more during his time at Chelsea, so Johnson would be in a great position to fulfil his potential under the manager’s watchful eye.

With that being said, the signing of Johnson could be a major coup for Everton this summer if they could convince Forest to sell their prized asset, as he could be the perfect Richarlison heir to get the team back to where they belong climbing up the Premier League table next season.

AND in other news: Alan Myers delivers seven-word Everton transfer claim that’ll leave supporters excited