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Aston Villa boss Unai Emery has already moved to strengthen his charges with the signing of Spanish defender, Alex Moreno, with the 29-year-old having been snapped up on a £13m deal from Real Betis.

The former Villarreal head coach is no doubt seeking to put his stamp on the current squad at Villa Park, with there seemingly a potential for more new faces to arrive this month.

According to a recent report from the Daily Mail, one player whom Emery is seemingly keen on signing is Udinese star, Gerard Deulofeu, with the fleet-footed winger having previously worked under his compatriot at Sevilla.

The former Watford man –  who made the move to Italy on an initial loan deal back in 2020 – could well be an attainable target with just 18 months remaining on his existing deal, having previously been valued at around £17m during the summer, as per the report.

Journalist Ryan Taylor – speaking to GIVEMESPORT – has now provided an update regarding a potential move for the 28-year-old, with the transfer insider stating that the 5 foot 10 dynamo is a player that Villa are tracking.

Taylor revealed: “Gerard Deulofeu is definitely one where there is interest. He’s done it in the Premier League before with Everton and Watford.

“Although he seems to bounce around clubs, I think Deulofeu is a player that is always going to have that quality. He’s a very direct winger with a decent end product.”

The one-time Barcelona man has warranted such interest as a result of his sparkling form in Serie A so far this season, having scored twice and registered six assists in the Italian top flight so far this term.

That follows his haul of 13 goals and five assists in the league last term, with the £22k-per-week playmaker having thrived since moving away from Vicarage Road just over two years ago.

Bringing such a “quality” asset into the fold – as lauded by former boss Javi Gracia – could well help Emery to find the Villans’ successor to Jack Grealish, with the England international having left a notable void following his £100m exit to Manchester City back in 2021.

The Birmingham-born hero had provided 75 goal contributions in 213 games for the Midlands outfit in all competitions after rising through the youth ranks, notably chipping in with 18 goal involvements in the Premier League during his final season at the club.

The 27-year-old had emerged as something of a talisman prior to his departure, proving truly influential with his creativity from his left-wing berth, having been lauded for such talents by Italian icon Gianfranco Zola, who previously stated:

“He always creates something important and, again, he never flinches. He always wants the ball and creates. These are qualities that will make him even more outstanding.”

Such traits could well be attributed to the aforementioned Deulofeu, with the former Everton menace also having that ability to create something out of nothing, notably earning praise from BBC Sport’s Phil McNulty for his “genius” goal in the FA Cup semi-final win over Wolverhampton Wanderers back in 2019.

Although currently thriving in a more central role, like the City man the Spaniard has typically done much of his damage throughout his career off the flanks, with the hope being he can replicate such impact amid his potential return to England.

To be able to secure a Grealish-esque talent in the coming weeks would surely represent a truly astute piece of business for Villa and for Emery.

Erik ten Hag could give Manchester United “an edge” by signing Ajax starlet Mohammed Kudus during the upcoming January transfer window.

That’s according to journalist Pete O’Rourke, who was discussing the Red Devils’ transfer interest in the Ghana star.

According to The Athletic, the Dutchman is thought to be keen on signing his former Ajax player as he looks to continue building his own squad at United, although reports earlier this month have claimed that the 22-year-old could cost in the region of £40m.

Speaking to Football FanCast about Kudus, O’Rourke stated: “I think there will be a number of clubs who will be monitoring his long-term situation at Ajax, and Erik ten Hag will know all about him having worked with him at Ajax as well.

“He will be hoping that might give him an edge in any pursuit of Kudus as well, but he’s a versatile player and he will be somebody who would definitely add options to United’s attack.”

Man United could have the edge on Kudus

Kudus has excelled this season for Ajax, scoring ten goals and registering two assists in 21 matches, netting four times in just six Champions League outings.

His sparkling club form saw him called up to the Ghana squad for the World Cup and the 22-year-old impressed in Qatar, notably scoring twice against South Korea in a 3-2 victory, and these performance on the world stage will surely have boosted his profile.

Previously described by Ten Hag as a player with “incredible potential”, Kudus’ statistics over the past year compared to positional peers in Europe’s major leagues have been excellent. As per FBref, he ranks in the top 5% for total shots, pass completion success, dribbles completed, touches in the attacking penalty area and progressive passes.

These figures clearly prove that he is performing at a high level and that a move to United shouldn’t faze him.

His previous relationship with Ten Hag could well be a key factor in the Ghanaian choosing his next club, and as O’Rourke mentioned, potentially signing Kudus could give the Red Devils an added attacking impetus heading during the second half of the season.

Aston Villa have been linked with a move for former loanee Tammy Abraham.

The Lowdown: 2018/19 loan at Villa

Abraham spent the 2018/19 season on loan at Villa Park under Dean Smith and helped the club to achieve promotion to the Premier League. The forward, who has previously been labelled a “goal machine” by former Sunderland striker Stephen Elliott, netted 26 goals in the Midlands during that promotion campaign.

He has been with AS Roma for the last 18 months, where he has continued to score at a regular occurrence, with his tally for the Serie A club currently at 31.

The Latest: Villa linked with Abraham

Calciomercato shared a story on Tuesday evening regarding Abraham, with Roma no longer considering the forward non-transferable.

The report name-checked Villa, saying that they ‘can afford an important engagement’ for the 25-year-old.

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The Verdict: Shrewd move?

Abraham has scored goals wherever he has been during his career, with his senior tally for club and country currently at 124.

Still just 25 years of age, the England international could be just what Unai Emery is seeking as he searches for a new A-list forward, and you’d like to think that NSWE could afford a deal after promising the manager a ‘huge’ budget.

The former Villa loanee could prove to be a smart prospective signing to provide another option alongside Danny Ings and Ollie Watkins, so a possible 2023 move could be one to monitor.

Manchester City will benefit in more ways than one with the contract extension of Pep Guardiola.

The Lowdown: Pep commits…

In some absolutely brilliant news for the Premier League champions, their trophy-laden boss and fan favourite Guardiola has now put pen to paper on fresh terms tying him to the club until 2025.

With Guardiola committing his future to the Cityzens for another two years, the knock-on effect could see the likes of £131 million gem Jude Bellingham make the switch back to England – knowing that Manchester City can “guarantee the framework remains in place.”

The Latest: Bellingham boost

That’s according to transfer insider Dean Jones, who claims tying down Pep to a new deal was the natural next phase in rebuilding the side.

Now, high-profile players have been given somewhat of a ‘guarantee’ that the Spaniard’s winning formula will still be present at the Etihad Stadium.

Speaking to GIVEMESPORT, Jones said: “City have been hoping to get this Pep contract tied down so it would help with the next phase of rebuilding the team.

“It means they can turn to Bellingham or Moukoko or any other amazing young talent and guarantee the framework remains in place.

“It’s a really big moment and bad news for their rivals.”

The Verdict: A game-changing deal

Manchester City were always ranked highly in the race to sign England’s World Cup star, Bellingham.

With their beautiful brand of mass-possession football, combined with their winning mentality and respective capture of former Borussia Dortmund teammate Erling Haaland, the Cityzens could arguably be leading the race.

The doubts surrounding Pep’s future at the club served as the only potential stutter around this deal, but with the boss committing to another two years, the stability at the Etihad has been restored.

There is now clarity in what Jones rightly described as a “really big moment” for the club and “bad news for their rivals.”

Sunderland have endured a tumultuous season thus far under Tony Mowbray, seemingly struggling to find any kind of consistency.

It seems that any victories almost always fail to be built upon, and after recording a fine victory away to Huddersfield Town it seemed like welcoming Cardiff City to the Stadium of Light could have finally brought back-to-back wins.

However, despite the Bluebirds having hovered around the relegation zone all season, they snatched a result on Wearside once again leaving the Black Cats marooned in mid-table.

It seems like this will be the difference between mediocrity this season and an unlikely playoff push.

They now have to travel to Birmingham City, knowing a win would bring them to within a point of them.

To give themselves the best possible chance of recording a result on the road, Mowbray must surely return Elliot Embleton to the side in his favoured central midfield position in the place of Abdoullah Ba, who recorded an abysmal 6.4 SofaScore rating.

The 23-year-old has been forced to fill in up front for the majority of this campaign due to injuries to both Ellis Simms and Ross Stewart, despite only being an offensive-minded midfielder.

However, this attacking impetus pushed upon him could help him become more of a threat from the engine room alongside the more conservative Dan Neil.

With just two goals and two assists so far, he still boasts a solid 6.78 average SofaScore rating.

Returning him to the centre of the park will likely not only benefit his personal game but the whole squad, as his qualities are there for all to see.

Max Power in particular was full of praise for the youngster, as he said the following on the SAFC Unfiltered Podcast: “He’s technically one of the best players I’ve seen. A good mark of knowing someone’s technically good is he can take corners with both feet.

“He’s someone who sees that pass that other players don’t. He’s a nightmare to play against in training, because he can go either way, shoot off both feet.”

Placing someone of this quality back into midfield will surely boost their chances of winning on the road again, and boosting them up the Championship table.

A fresh report in the last 48 hours has now hinted Juventus legend Leonardo Bonucci could join Tottenham Hotspur.

The Lowdown: Paratici keeping busy…

Sporting director Fabio Paratici oversaw one of the busier summers at Spurs in recent memory with the Italian completing a plethora of serious moves.

The Lilywhites completed agreements for Ivan Perisic, Fraser Forster, Yves Bissouma, Richarlison, Clement Lenglet, Djed Spence, Destiny Udogie and a permanent deal for Cristian Romero – yet they could add even more to their ranks.

The likes of Josko Gvardiol and James Maddison have been linked with moves to north London in recent weeks and now it appears possible an Italian footballing legend could make the transfer to N17.

The Latest: Bonucci could join Spurs…

A report from Italy has hinted that Bonucci to Spurs is a possibility given his connections to manager Antonio Conte.

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SportMediaSet claim both the 53-year-old and his former centre-back ‘could find themselves under the same colours’ – whether that be at Juve or Tottenham.

This comes as Spurs allegedly hold an interest in Bonucci, as ‘rumours’ from England find their way across the continent.

The Verdict: Make the move?

Given Spurs’ links to a star centre-half, it’s hardly surprising a link to Bonucci has now surfaced, taking into account the Conte factor.

Bonucci’s deal at Juve expires in 2024, potentially motivating Juve to consider a sale either in January or next summer to command a reasonable price tag.

The £198,000-per-week colossus played a starring role in Italy’s Euro 2020 win, being called a ‘monster’ by members of the press, and it is clear he could add a level of experience and assurance to Tottenham’s back three.

One question remains – will Conte be at the Spurs helm when the time comes for them to make a move?

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.

Tottenham Hotspur youngster Bryan Gil has been spotted in open training ahead of their crunch Group D clash with Marseille tonight.

The Lowdown: Spurs preparing…

Spurs head coach Antonio Conte is arguably preparing for one of the biggest matches of his tenure so far as his side gear up for their first Champions League appearance since 2020.

The Lilywhites were humbled in their Last 16 tie against RB Leipzig over two years ago but the mood around north London has undergone a dramatic transformation since then.

Tottenham are playing with a new-found confidence under Conte and remain unbeaten in the league this season, coming after the Italian was well and truly backed with eight major signings in the transfer market.

The Latest: Gil spotted in training…

As they also look ahead to Man City in the Premier League this weekend, tonight could be an opportunity for Spurs to hand rarely-seen players a chance to impress.

Gil may well fall into this category considering he is available again after his injury with journalist George Sessions spotting the Spaniard in open training on Tuesday.

He explained:

“At Hotspur Way for Tottenham’s open training session before Wednesday’s #UCL opener with Marseille. No Lucas Moura but Bryan Gil is there.”

The Verdict: Hand opportunity?

Depending on the developments in tonight’s game, Conte may well want to give Gil a chance to shine off the bench if Spurs find themselves in a comfortable position.

Lauded as a ‘raw’ and ‘exciting’ talent by members of the media, the 21-year-old needs minutes to further his development and he could even evolve into a crucial player over the next few seasons.

Having failed to seal a loan move away from Spurs, it will be interesting to see if he can fight his way into Conte’s plans.

Leeds United employee Noel Whelan has been reacting to what he’s heard on Patrick Bamford’s latest injury, as per Football Insider.

The Lowdown: Bamford injured

The England international endured an injury-hit 2021/22 season, with ankle, hamstring and foot issues limiting him to just seven Premier League starts.

The 28-year-old suffered his first injury problem of 2022/23 against Southampton last Saturday when he was forced off with an abductor problem.

Bamford, who has begun the season as captain in Liam Cooper’s absence, was replaced by Dan James at St Mary’s, although Jesse Marsch confirmed after the game that the striker’s injury is “not bad” and claimed that he could be back in training before the match against Chelsea this coming Sunday.

The Latest: Whelan’s comments

Speaking to Football Insider, Whelan was reacting to the update on Bamford’s problem not being too serious, describing it as a ‘massive’ boost for Leeds.

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The Elland Road ambassador said:

“We don’t want to be missing Patrick – he’s the captain by rights at the moment.

“He gives us a different dimension when he’s playing. We’ve got that focal point that allows Rodrigo to take up good positions and allows Jack Harrison to push further forward.

“He’s very important to this side, so to hear that he’s back in training soon and it’s not a serious injury – it’s massive.

“This might be a season where he needs time to rest and recover a bit more. He’s just come back from a really horrible season filled with injuries.”

The Verdict: Phew…

Joe Gelhardt didn’t travel to Southampton due to an issue of his own, highlighting Leeds’ lack of depth in attack, so having Bamford out for the foreseeable future would’ve been a major blow, not least because of the 19 Premier League goals that he has scored since the Whites returned to the top flight two years ago.

While it looks as if he could feature on Sunday, it could still be wise for the Leeds hierarchy to explore a new signing in the final third before the September 1 deadline.

Hopefully Bamford will avoid any serious injury issues this term, but as Whelan mentions, the club may need to be especially careful with him as the season goes on given the troubles of 2021/22.

Wolverhampton Wanderers are keen to fix their striking options as soon as possible…

What’s the word?

talkSPORT journalist Alex Crook recently made a short but sweet statement about Wolves’ upcoming business to GIVEMESPORT.

He claimed: “They’re working on it and they’re ideally looking to bring someone in on loan with Premier League experience.”

Having been linked with a host of strikers, to have it confirmed that a forward is potentially inbound at Molineux will be fantastic news for the Wolves faithful. 

It’s smart business

With something of a gap to fill up front, Bruno Lage has had this glaring issue facing him ever since Raul Jimenez was dealt a serious injury blow in pre-season.

His deputy from last season, who did not score in any of his 22 Premier League appearances, Fabio Silva has since been sent out on loan. This has left Wolves scrambling for any sort of presence up top, and this news suggests they are working to find that man.

One man who they have been linked with is Edin Dzeko, who certainly fits the bill when it comes to Premier League experience. The Bosnian striker featured 130 times for Manchester City and scored 50 times.

However, at the age of 36, he still has proven he has an eye for goal. Just last season he bagged 17 times in all competitions as Inter Milan narrowly missed out on the title.

Another player of interest is Ben Brereton-Diaz, however he would be more of a wildcard decision for Lage. To sign the Chilean would be to put the parts in motion to replace Jimenez, who admittedly did only score six times last season and is 31 years old.

The 23-year-old conversely rattled in 23 league goals for Blackburn Rovers and has certainly earned a step up to the Premier League.

Whilst this would be something of a risk compared to Dzeko, it could have huge implications on the future of the Midlands club, as they could secure a fine forward for many years to come.

Regardless of who Lage turns to, the simple fact is that he needs a striker before the season starts in a week’s time. The news that they are in the market will please supporters, and it would make for very smart business to plug that gaping hole up front.

AND, in other news: Wolves could seal a “top player” by signing £153k-p/w goal machine in late swoop.