Wolves reporter for The Express & Star Liam Keen has shared an injury boost for Wolves involving Goncalo Guedes.

The Lowdown: Chelsea worry

Guedes was taken off at half-time in the 3-0 loss at Chelsea last weekend, and while the score was only 1-0, it suggests that the winger had picked up an injury.

The Molineux outfit signed him from Valencia in the summer, in a deal worth up to a reported £35m.

The Latest: Guedes OK

Taking to Twitter, Keen has shared some early Team News from interim manager Steve Davis ahead of their game at home to Nottingham Forest in the Premier League this afternoon, with not only Boubacar Traore returning to the squad, but Guedes as well, who has ‘recovered well’ after a ‘knock’ that he picked up at Stamford Bridge:

“The injuries have stayed the same. Boubacar is back, Guedes had a knock but is OK and has recovered well.”

The Verdict: Big boost

To have Guedes available after an injury scare is no doubt a big boost for the Midalnds club.

He may have only managed one assist in his eight appearances so far in the top flight, but his underlying numbers suggest that he still carries a threat in the team.

Guedes ranks highly among his team-mates in terms of shots, key passes and crosses per game, while no other Wanderers player is fouled more than him on average (WhoScored).

The Old Gold may have only scored three goals in the division so far, but Forest have conceded 22, and Guedes will be key if they are to get on the right end of the scoreline this afternoon.

BBC pundit Alan Hutton has hailed Celtic forward James Forrest for his ‘incredible’ career in the Scottish Premiership.

The Lowdown: Instant impact

The 31-year-old has only made seven appearances this season, with Ange Postecoglou having favoured Liel Abada in the final third.

This had led to some reports of frustration in the Forrest camp, with some in the media believing he may be upset with the lack of playing time.

However, the winger netted a hat-trick in the Hoops’ emphatic 6-1 victory over Hibernian last weekend, taking him up to 100 goals for the Glasgow outfit, which earned plenty of praise from his manager.

The Latest: Hutton’s praise for Forrest

Asked by Football Insider whether Forrest would be given a run in Celtic’s starting XI over Abada thanks to his impressive performances, Hutton said:

“It is good competition.

“I agree that he will go down as one of the Celtic greats. What he has done since he broke into the team, from appearances to goals, is quite incredible. He has proved it year after year.

“It has obviously been difficult this season with injuries and Abada playing well. But you want your full team to be competing against each other. That is the only way you get better.

“There is obviously an opportunity for him to go in and play. Obviously after a hat-trick you would like to think he deserves another opportunity in the coming games but I am sure the likes of Abada will have something to say about that as well.“

[web_stories_embed url=”https://www.footballtransfertavern.com/web-stories/key-latest-celtic-updates-9/” title=”Key latest Celtic updates!” poster=”” width=”360″ height=”600″ align=“none”]

The Verdict: Opportunity deserved

Forrest is a Parkhead veteran, and he more than deserves to maintain his place in the match-day squad given the impression he’s made of late.

The Prestwick-born talent already has three goals and one assist to his name in seven outings across all competitions this campaign, and has made an outstanding 127 contributions in 264 career league games.

Forrest has been hampered by injuries, but being back at full fitness, he is now starting to show Postecoglou how much of an integral player he can be, and he will certainly keep Abada on his toes.

Sunderland lined up without a natural centre-forward in their starting XI for the fourth straight Championship match as they lost 2-1 to Swansea on Saturday.

Ellis Simms picked up an injury in the 3-0 win over Reading in September and joined Scottish striker Ross Stewart on the sidelines, leaving Tony Mowbray without an out-and-out number nine to call upon.

In the subsequent four matches, the Black Cats have picked up three points and scored just three goals – including one in their last three – as the likes of Amad Diallo, Jack Clarke, Elliot Embleton, and Alex Pritchard have been tasked with filling the void up front.

Mowbray has not dipped into the academy set-up to bring a youngster up to fill the hole left by Stewart and Simms but there are a few options in the youth ranks who have the potential to make the grade in the future.

Whilst they may not be able to help the club with their current problems at the top end of the pitch, Sunderland have a number of talented youngsters at the Academy of Light.

One player who could be the future heir to Stewart’s throne in the number nine position is 16-year-old academy phenomenon Tom Watson.

The attacker played 19 times in the U18 Premier League last season and caught the eye with eight goals and one assist, which is an impressive return given that he only turned 16 in April.

Journalist Josh Bunting picked up on his form shortly after his 16th birthday, Tweeting: “Tom Watson is a player to keep an eye on, he’s scored for Sunderland 18’s against Leeds this afternoon, that’s three goals in his last four games, makes it stick up top, only 16 so is very much new in 18’s football but has taken it to it like a duck to water, natural finisher.”

The forward has kicked on again this term and enjoyed a sublime start to the season. He has scored four goals and provided two assists in five U18 Premier League appearances, whilst he has also been called upon in two Premier League 2 matches for the U21s.

Watson, who can play out on the left or through the middle as a striker, has shown great promise at U18 level and is making big strides in the academy at such a young age.

Of course, it is not a certainty that he will be able to translate his stunning form to U21 or senior level but it does show that the potential is there for him to be a goalscorer for the club in the future.

If he can continue to develop and hone his skills as he gains more experience then he could grow into a player capable of replacing Stewart at the Stadium of Light if Mowbray decides to unearth his talent in a year, or in a few years, as he has shown glimpses of the goalscoring prowess he possesses.

The Australia vice-captain brushed off Dale Steyn’s comments of “cutting off the head of the snake” as “fast-bowler talk”

Daniel Brettig01-Nov-20162:37

Hopefully South Africa bowlers get carried away and bowl short – Warner

In the surest sign yet of his cricketing evolution, Australia’s vice-captain David Warner has done something once unthinkable for him and swayed out of the way of a verbal bouncer from South Africa’s spearhead Dale Steyn.Tossed a recitation of Steyn’s words about “cutting off the head” of the Australian team by targeting their leadership, Warner refused to take a swat at it. This very notion would have seemed ridiculous little more than 18 months ago: just ask Jonathan “scared eyes” Trott or Rohit “speak English” Sharma.’Scarred’ Warner avoids Starc in nets

Whether it is by accident or design to protect his battered fingers, David Warner is happy to avoid Mitchell Starc in the nets at the WACA Ground, famously the fastest pitches of their kind in the world.
“I don’t have to face him too much [in the nets]. That’s the beauty of this format with the coaching staff tinkering with the batting line-up, I’ve had some scars in my past at these nets,” Warner said. “It’s just fortunate enough I’ve been selected to bat in different groups. But he’s bowling quick in those nets, if you ask any player that’s played the game or presently that’s practised on these wickets, it’s the scariest one on the calendar.
“He looked very ready to go in the latter part of his spell in Queensland, got the ball through nicely and started shaping the ball as well, which is what we like to see. If we go back 12 months and see what he delivered out here, if there’s a bit more pace in that wicket it could be even scarier. I feel he’s ready to go.”

But two days out from the start of a Test match that may well dictate the course of the summer for an Australian side still establishing a fresh identity under the leadership of Steven Smith and his deputy, Warner chose discretion to be the better part of valour. He even invited South Africa’s pacemen to get angry in the hope it would result in poor bowling.”There are 11 players in the team and if Dale wants to start playing that game I’ll let him do that,” Warner said on Tuesday. “For us it’s about going out and doing our best, and if he feels that cutting the head off the snake then everyone else falls apart, I don’t see that happening at all.”That’s the fast-bowler talk, we’re not going to entertain those thoughts or scenarios, we’re just going to go out there, back ourselves and do what we do best. That is [to] play positive cricket. We know the conditions we’re going to face out here, so hopefully they do get carried away and start bowling short and fast, because at the end of the day you’ve got to bowl at the stumps to get wickets.”Warner has taken to a nickname of “the reverend”, coined by team-mates for the way he has abstained from sledging and other inflammatory tactics in search of a more serene approach. Perhaps the most fascinating element of all this is it takes him away from the confrontational streak that has seemingly informed a lot of his best innings, notably his dominant tour of South Africa in 2014.”I feel that it’s come more with maturity, that I’ve started to let my bat do the talking,” Warner said. “That’s what happens when you evolve as a player and you get to a point where you understand the game well enough. [Kagiso] Rabada spoke the other day about banter out there and you know he’s a young guy coming through and that’s something he gains confidence through.”I know he said a few words when we were in South Africa, but you love that as a batsman. I feel now that I let my bat do the talking and that’s all I have to worry about when I’m out there. With the new [ICC] laws and the demerit points they go for two years, so I can’t afford to sit out a game.”Intriguingly, Warner reflected that his dominance in South Africa two years ago stemmed as much from good fortune as a combative attitude, noting how many dropped catches allowed him to make a century at Centurion, another pair of substantial scores in Port Elizabeth and then twin hundreds at Newlands.”There was a lot of luck. Think I got dropped every game,” Warner said. “I think that we had a great bowling attack there, we had the intimidation factor. We had players who verbally got together and really showed presence out there. I think that’s what we really needed to get over the South Africans. They had a fantastic line-up, batting and bowling.”We felt we really had to have that presence in their own backyard as we always have to have in our own backyard…. But over there I think there was just something different about the Australian cricket team. We knew we had to fight together to beat them on their home turf and we managed to do that.”But as we know, Test cricket, the best ones go down to that last hour [in Cape Town] and it was a fantastic effort from the bowlers predominantly to grind out that day because I think we had Adelaide in the back of our minds when we played there. For myself looking back at that, [I’ve] got to try and look at what worked for me then to try and make it work this summer.”To that end, Warner will be working alongside Shaun Marsh, another century-maker on that tour, who will open the batting at home for Australia for the first time. Though he has batted all the way up and down the order for Western Australia, it is actually as an opener that Marsh has been most successful, averaging 49.54 from 27 first-class innings as an opener down under.”When SOS [Marsh] doesn’t say much to me I think I am in a great position,” Warner said. “Because we all know SOS is a man of few words. He’s an intense player, the feedback we get when we’re out there together is we try and rotate strike a fair bit, that’s one thing we really work on as a partnership, and he likes to leave a lot of balls early on in his innings. I’m a bit different, I like to feel bat on ball.”But we work very well together, we’ve batted together in one-dayers, Test matches, we know each other very well and that’s the good thing about coming into a Test series. When you know your partner at the other end, and I was fortunate that the selectors have gone that way as well, instead of picking someone who was fresh and new.”Warner’s other partner this summer is his captain. Recent insights offered by Michael Clarke and Brad Haddin have sharpened focus on the role of the vice-captain, and Warner is wise to the need to operate well in concert with Smith for the sake of the team. “For me it’s about making his job easier,” he said.”Doing the little things around the group to make sure his job is just solely based on out on the field being tactical, bowling changes, etc. And away from the field just making sure the troops are upbeat and ready to go. If anyone needs anything I ask the guys come to me and just let Smudge think about what he has to do for the Test match coming up.”You guys know Steven, he’s a very simple, down-to-earth guy, he’s very cruisy, so he actually likes being a bit more hands-on, likes getting feedback from the guys which is great. I just try and make his life a little bit easier if I can.”

Euro 2024 is now fast approaching, with Germany playing hosts to the latest edition of the European Championship as 24 teams look to lift the famous Henri Delaunay trophy.

Despite an expanded modern tournament these days, the group stages still throw up big meetings from the continent's best – and this year's finals, which kick off on Friday 14th June, is no different.

Group B is arguably the ‘group of death’, with defending champions Italy, 2018 World Cup finalists Croatia and three-time winners Spain all facing off against each other, alongside outsiders Albania.

Euro 2024 tournament guide: Teams, matches, dates, TV channels, odds & more

Football FanCast has put together a guide for all things Euro 2024, with venues, fixtures, tables, stadiums and more all covered here.

ByStephan Georgiou Jun 11, 2024 Euro 2024 Group B fixtures

Sat 15th June, 5pm

Spain

vs

Croatia

Olympiastadion, Berlin

Sat 15th June, 8pm

Italy

vs

Albania

Signal Iduna Park, Dortmund

Wed 19th June, 2pm

Croatia

vs

Albania

Volksparkstadion, Hamburg

Thu 20th June, 8pm

Spain

vs

Italy

VELTINS-Arena, Gelsenkirchen

Mon 24th June, 8pm

Croatia

vs

Italy

Red Bull Arena, Leipzig

Mon 24th June, 8pm

Albania

vs

Spain

Merkur Spiel-Arena, Dusseldorf

Spain

Luis de la Fuente

Alvaro Morata

8th

6th

Alvaro Morata, Joselu (4)

Group A winners, 21 points

Winners x3 (1964, 2008, 2012)

Spain have been in fine form since the 2022 World Cup, losing just twice under new manager Luis de la Fuente. The 62-year-old has worked his way up through the national system, taking charge of Spain’s U19, U21 and U23 sides before replacing Luis Enrique at senior level.

Wed 5th June

Spain 5-0 Andorra

Sat 8th June

Spain 5-1 Northern Ireland

Scotland pushed Spain for the top spot when it came to qualifying for the competition, and De la Fuente should have a mixture of experience and youth in his squad this summer. Dani Carvajal, Rodri and Alvaro Morata could be some of the more knowledgeable heads in the starting XI, while exciting youngsters Pedri, Nico Williams and Lamine Yamal may spell the future.

Since their win in 2012, Spain have struggled at the Euros by their recent high standards, being knocked out in the round of 16 in 2016 and at the semi-final stage of Euro 2020, so it could once again be time for La Roja to stage a serious push for the title.

Position

Player

Club

Goalkeeper

Alex Remiro

Real Sociedad

Goalkeeper

David Raya

Arsenal

Goalkeeper

Unai Simon

Athletic Club

Defender

Dani Carvajal

Real Madrid

Defender

Marc Cucurella

Chelsea

Defender

Alex Grimaldo

Bayer Leverkusen

Defender

Aymeric Laporte

Al-Nassr

Defender

Robin Le Normand

Real Sociedad

Defender

Nacho

Real Madrid

Defender

Jesus Navas

Sevilla

Defender

Daniel Vivian

Athletic Club

Midfielder

Alex Baena

Villarreal

Midfielder

Fabian Ruiz

Paris Saint-Germain

Midfielder

Fermin Lopez

Barcelona

Midfielder

Mikel Merino

Real Sociedad

Midfielder

Pedri

Barcelona

Midfielder

Rodri

Man City

Midfielder

Martin Zubimendi

Real Sociedad

Forward

Ayoze Perez

Real Betis

Forward

Dani Olmo

RB Leipzig

Forward

Ferran Torres

Barcelona

Forward

Joselu

Real Madrid

Forward

Alvaro Morata

Atletico Madrid

Forward

Mikel Oyarzabal

Real Sociedad

Forward

Nico Williams

Athletic Club

Forward

Lamine Yamal

Barcelona

Croatia

Zlatko Dalic

Luka Modric

10th

8th

Andrej Kramaric (4)

Group D runners-up, 16 points

Quarter-finals x2 (1996, 2008)

Croatia have been a threat in a number of recent major tournaments, taking on France in the 2018 World Cup final and finishing third in the 2022 World Cup in Qatar. However, in the European Championship, Croatia have been knocked out in the last 16 in 2016 and 2020, so Zlatko Dalic will be hoping for a deeper run this time around.

They qualified through the group stages without needing the play-offs thanks to a bit of help from Armenia, who drew with Wales in the penultimate round of fixtures.

Mon 3rd June

Croatia 3-0 North Macedonia

Sat 8th June

Portugal 1-2 Croatia

Looking ahead to the tournament, though, Croatia should once again have the experience of captain Luka Modric, while Marcelo Brozovic and Andrej Kramaric also have plenty of international caps under their belt. Some younger stars are also emerging as well, such as Manchester City defender Josko Gvardiol and Dinamo Zagreb winger Martin Baturina.

Therefore, they may fancy their chances of getting out of the group again despite a tough group draw, with their recent friendly win over Portugal a reminder of what they are capable of.

Position

Player

Club

Goalkeeper

Ivica Ivusic

Pafos

Goalkeeper

Nediljko Labrovic

Rijeka

Goalkeeper

Dominik Livakovic

Fenerbahce

Defender

Martin Erlic

Sassuolo

Defender

Josko Gvardiol

Man City

Defender

Josip Juranovic

Union Berlin

Defender

Marin Pongracic

Lecce

Defender

Borna Sosa

Ajax

Defender

Josip Stanisic

Bayer Leverkusen

Defender

Josip Sutalo

Ajax

Defender

Domagoj Vida

AEK Athens

Midfielder

Martin Baturina

Dinamo Zagreb

Midfielder

Marcelo Brozovic

Al-Nassr

Midfielder

Luka Ivanusec

Feyenoord

Midfielder

Mateo Kovacic

Man City

Midfielder

Lovro Majer

Wolfsburg

Midfielder

Luka Modric

Real Madrid

Midfielder

Mario Pasalic

Atalanta

Midfielder

Luka Sucic

RB Salzburg

Midfielder

Nikola Vlasic

Torino

Forward

Ante Budimir

Osasuna

Forward

Andrej Kramaric

Hoffenheim

Forward

Marco Pasalic

Rijeka

Forward

Ivan Perisic

Hajduk Split

Forward

Bruno Petkovic

Dinamo Zagreb

Forward

Marco Pjaca

Rijeka

Italy

Luciano Spalletti

Gianluigi Donnarumma

9th

7th

Davide Frattesi (3)

Group C runners-up, 14 points

Winners x2 (1968, 2020)

The defending champions left it late to book their automatic spot in the tournament through the qualifiers, finishing level on points with Ukraine after a nervy goalless draw in the final round of fixtures.

However, since lifting the trophy at Wembley with a dramatic penalty shootout victory over England, Luciano Spalletti's side have had struggled for form, with Roberto Mancini parting ways during this period, so you could argue that they aren’t the favourites to top or even potentially qualify from Group B.

Tue 4th June

Italy 0-0 Turkey

Sun 9th June

Italy 1-0 Bosnia and Herzegovina

Ranked 9th in the world, one spot above Croatia, Italy may need to rely on goalkeeper Gianluigi Donnarumma at points. The experience of midfielder Jorginho may also come in handy, with Juventus star Federico Chiesa and Atalanta's Gianluca Scamacca potentially leading the attack.

Position

Player

Club

Goalkeeper

Gianluigi Donnarumma

Paris Saint-Germain

Goalkeeper

Alex Meret

Napoli

Goalkeeper

Guglielmo Vicario

Tottenham

Defender

Alessandro Bastoni

Inter

Defender

Raoul Bellanova

Torino

Defender

Alessandro Buongiorno

Torino

Defender

Riccardo Calafiori

Bologna

Defender

Andrea Cambiaso

Juventus

Defender

Matteo Darmian

Inter

Defender

Giovanni Di Lorenzo

Napoli

Defender

Federico Dimarco

Inter

Defender

Federico Gatti

Juventus

Defender

Gianluca Mancini

Roma

Midfielder

Nicolo Barella

Inter

Midfielder

Bryan Cristante

Roma

Midfielder

Nicolo Fagioli

Juventus

Midfielder

Michael Folorunsho

Hellas Verona

Midfielder

Davide Frattesi

Inter

Midfielder

Jorginho

Arsenal

Midfielder

Lorenzo Pellegrini

Roma

Forward

Federico Chiesa

Juventus

Forward

Stephan El Shaarawy

Roma

Forward

Giacomo Raspadori

Napoli

Forward

Mateo Retegui

Genoa

Forward

Gianluca Scamacca

Atalanta

Forward

Mattia Zaccagni

Lazio

Every Player of the Tournament at the European Championship

Since its inception in 1996, UEFA has handed out an award for the best player at the European Championship. But who has been given the accolade?

ByStephan Georgiou Jul 16, 2024 Albania

Sylvinho

Berat Djimsiti

66th

30th

Jasir Asani, Nedim Bajrami (3)

Group E winners, 15 points

Group stage (2016)

Albania will be the big underdogs in Group B, however, they could spring a surprise after topping their qualifying group ahead of the likes of Poland and the Czech Republic.

They conceded just four times in eight games during qualifying, with former Brazil left-back Sylvinho the man in charge since 2023. He has plenty of experience to call upon at the back, with Atalanta’s Berat Djimsiti and Lazio’s Elseid Hysaj regulars in helping their country to the major tournament.

Mon 3rd June

Albania 3-0 Liechtenstein

Fri 7th June

Albania 3-1 Azerbaijan

This is actually only Albania’s second-ever appearance at the European Championship, with their previous appearance in 2016 seeing them finish 3rd above Romania after a historic 1-0 win in France.

Albania will have their work cut out from the off against defending champions Italy, and it would be a major shock if they progressed to the last 16 despite their decent run of results that have got them this far.

Position

Player

Club

Goalkeeper

Etrit Berisha

Empoli

Goalkeeper

Elhan Kastrati

Cittadella

Goalkeeper

Thomas Strakosha

Brentford

Defender

Arlind Ajeti

CFR Cluj

Defender

Naser Aliji

Voluntari

Defender

Ivan Balliu

Rayo Vallecano

Defender

Berat Djimsiti

Atalanta

Defender

Elseid Hysaj

Lazio

Defender

Ardian Ismajli

Empoli

Defender

Marash Kumbulla

Sassuolo

Defender

Enea Mihaj

Famalicao

Defender

Mario Mitaj

Lokomotiv Moscow

Midfielder

Amir Abrashi

Grasshoppers

Midfielder

Kristjan Asllani

Inter

Midfielder

Nedim Bajrami

Sassuolo

Midfielder

Medon Berisha

Lecce

Midfielder

Klaus Gjasula

Darmstadt

Midfielder

Qazim Laci

Sparta Prague

Midfielder

Ernest Muci

Besiktas

Midfielder

Ylber Ramadani

Lecce

Forward

Jasir Asani

Gwangju

Forward

Armando Broja

Fulham

Forward

Mirlind Daku

Rubin Kazan

Forward

Arber Hoxha

Dinamo Zagreb

Forward

Rey Manaj

Sivasspor

Forward

Taulant Seferi

Baniyas

Liverpool’s signing of Alexis Mac Allister understandably had fans thrilled, as it marked the start of what promised to be a revolutionary summer.

However, since that early June acquisition, it seems to have all gone quiet on the transfer front, despite Fabrizio Romano promising that Jurgen Klopp wanted “two or three midfielders” back in late April.

With nearly a month and a half until the new Premier League season gets underway, the German is likely far from where he envisions his team to end up come that trip to Chelsea.

However, that could all be set to change with one marquee addition, which could leave rival clubs stunned and petrified at the prospect of facing the Reds once more.

With reports emerging late last week, it seems that this could well be the case, as the Merseyside outfit are one of the clubs listed as interested in Napoli striker Victor Osimhen, a striker valued at £60m by FootballTransfers.

In linking this in-form front-man with their new Argentinian maestro, they could form a fine partnership to catapult them back to the apex of the English game.

Would Victor Osimhen improve Liverpool?

Whilst Mac Allister is far from the most expansive attacking midfielder, his offensive figures for a Brighton and Hove Albion side that finished below Liverpool remained impressive. This is emphasised given he was often forced into numerous roles across a stellar campaign, including a defensive one too.

After all, notching ten goals and two assists merely scratched the surface of his 87% pass completion rate and 1.3 key passes per game in the league, via Sofascore.

The 24-year-old has only just begun to light up English football, with his future made all the more exciting by his Anfield switch.

This kind of goalscoring quality, combined with the lethal presence of Osimhen, could form a terrifying partnership the likes of which this striker has already been a part of. Not to mention he has the quality to drop deep and supplement such a powerful asset due to his versatility.

Journalist Marco Messina noted one such pairing he has starred in that has already brought widespread success, as he wrote on Twitter: “I can’t figure out who is more scary to play against: Kvara or Osimhen. They’re THAT good”.

With 31 goals in all competitions for the Serie A-winning Naples outfit, the 24-year-old was instrumental in bringing the Scudetto back to the Diego Armando Maradona Stadium for the first time since 1990.

However, it is not just his ability in front of goal that suggests he and Mac Allister would thrive together. When given space, the World Cup-winning gem can prove particularly deadly in the attacking third, as he proved last campaign with the Seagulls.

Given the immense power and pace Osimhen offers, with journalist Raj Chohan having branded him a “monster”, his mere presence would attract multiple defenders to quell his threat.

If that should be the case, Klopp’s first summer signing will truly be able to exercise his qualities in the pockets of space that will open up. Should the opposition then push up to keep him quiet, the 6 foot 1 marksman will instead punish them in behind.

Whilst midfield might remain the priority, this is one move which would take many by surprise, and likely take the league by storm.

Manchester City defender Joao Cancelo wants to remain at the club beyond next season despite the links to Real Madrid, according to Fabrizio Romano. 

The Lowdown: Cancelo’s future at City

Back in February, the full-back put pen to paper on a new deal that will keep him at the Etihad Stadium until 2027.

It was since reported however that Real Madrid had their eye on securing a potential transfer deal for the player in the next summer transfer window.

In addition to his new contract, it appears as though Romano has shared some further details about Cancelo’s current situation at City and his future with the Premier League champions.

The Latest: Wants to stay

In a recent Twitter post, Romano had this to say on the talk of Madrid after he relayed some recent comments from the Portuguese international about his future.

“Cancelo’s linked with [a] potential move in summer 2023 but he really wants to stay.”

The Verdict: Great news for City

To highlight how much of a key player the 28-year-old is for Pep Guardiola, he has played more minutes in the league this season than any other outfield figure at the club.

In terms of his effectiveness on the pitch, only Kevin De Bruyne (40) has made more passes into the 18-yard box than Cancelo (24).From a defensive point of view, no other City player has racked up a higher combined total of tackles and interceptions (41) than the £250k-per-week figure.His overall performances have earned the Portuguese international a season rating of 7.39/10 from WhoScored, making him the fourth-highest rated player at City.Taking all of this into account, it’s clear that the defender, who has previously been praised for his “phenomenal” performances by Sam Lee, is a vital figure for the Citizens and Guardiola.Moving forward, now that Cancelo and now Romano has revealed how much the defender wants to stay at the Etihad Stadium, this will surely be great news for everyone connected to the club.

Having undergone a torrid season thus far, the appointment of Carlos Corberan was expected to instantly turn the tide at West Bromwich Albion.

However, their game against Sheffield United saw the façade come crashing down, as they lost 2-0 with the only two shots on target they conceded.

Despite this, it is their toothless nature that has truly let them down so far.

The Baggies have scored just 20 goals in 17 games and sit rock bottom of the Championship on just 14 points.

Karlan Grant was supposed to be the man to ensure this would never be the case – having been signed for £15m back in 2020 – but just three goals so far make for a dismal return. Indeed, he could be set for a spell out of the team come January with the Baggies casting their eyes towards attacking reinforcements.

Although Steve Bruce was afforded only £1.21m to spend in the summer, recent reports have emerged claiming that not only are they looking to secure a £25m loan for January, but West Brom also want to sign the top scorer in the division.

That’s according to reports just last week from the Scottish Sun, who note interest from the Midlands club as well as Rangers, Brentford, Watford and Bournemouth.

The 25-year-old has scored nine goals already this campaign, yet his Blackpool side still sits 15th.

It is therefore expected that he would be open to a move, and with West Brom’s aspirations of promotion in the coming seasons, it might be something he would be keen on.

His former boss Richie Wellens has led the praise for the marksman, claiming: “He’s good at everything. He’s got decent pace, he can hold the ball up…he’s a fantastic professional that wants to get everything out of his career.”

Arguably, to get the best out of his career, the next logical step up would be to move to a club the size of the Baggies.

If Corberan can secure both the loan and the signing of Yates, it would certainly offer a huge boost to what has so far been a dismal campaign and it could also see Grant axed from the team.

Whether it forces Albion’s current striker into action or pushes him into obsoletion, it would be a wonderful signing to kickstart the Spaniard’s reign.

West Bromwich Albion may have masterminded a sensational win on Saturday over high-flying Reading, but they still remain without a manager exactly a week on.

Steve Bruce’s dismissal did not come as a great shock to many, given his side were sat in the relegation zone, winless in their last eight games.

It, therefore, sparks questions as to why he is yet to be replaced, especially given the multitude of names touted for the job.

One such name who might catch the eye, in particular, is Carlos Corberan, who not only fits the mould of a young and progressive manager but also has vast experience in the EFL and far beyond.

To make things even better, he has often employed a 3-4-3 formation, which is a style the Baggies have often operated in.

He has relied upon quick and incisive counterattacks, with intelligent pressing and a fluid attacking line. Someone who might benefit from this kind of play is Grady Diangana, who has admittedly been disappointing this season.

Under the previous regime, he had scored twice and assisted three times in 14 Championship appearances. In a season where many expected him to be a catalyst for their promotion, he has let them down.

Under this potential new leadership, however, his attributes match up well with the philosophy of the former Marcelo Bielsa disciple.

Possessing incredible speed and great decision-making in the final third, he could become a decisive asset that could underpin Corberan’s entire system.

This is supported by comments made by journalist Lewis Cox, who dubbed the 24-year-old “sharp” while celebrating his “lightning feet”.

Having scored eight and assisted seven in his debut season at the Hawthorns, the former Huddersfield Town manager will be hoping to spark this kind of form once more should he take up the vacant manager position.

Where he nearly took the Terriers to an unlikely promotion just last season, he will be expected to go one better if he does make the move.

Diangana will likely be integral to whoever gets offered the position, but Corberan in particular could squeeze the best out of the Englishman with his particular play style.

Sky Sports reporter Florian Plettenberg has ‘confirmed’ that Manchester United have made Borussia Dortmund midfielder Jude Bellingham their ‘No.1’ target.

The Lowdown: Midfield additions

The Premier League giants spent more than £200m over the summer ahead of Erik ten Hag’s first season in charge at Old Trafford, with two marquee midfield additions made. Christian Eriksen joined on a free transfer while Casemiro was the club’s second most expensive arrival of the summer from Real Madrid.

It looks as if further midfield reinforcements are of interest, though, with Bellingham – who has been dubbed a ‘superstar’ by Troy Deeney – a man in demand.

The Latest: Plettenberg’s post

Plettenberg took to Twitter on Monday evening to provide an update on Bellingham and United. He ‘confirmed’ that Bellingham is ‘transfer target No.1’ at Old Trafford, with club officials expecting the England international to cost €150m (£130m).

The journalist added that ‘Ten Hag wants him’, although the chances of a deal being finalised are low due to Financial Fair Play rules and competition from rivals Manchester City and Liverpool.

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The Verdict: One to watch

A move may well be unlikely, but it seems as if United officials will do all that they can to bring Bellingham to Old Trafford, so it will still be one to keep an eye upon in the weeks and months ahead.

The Red Devils missed a trick back in 2020 after the England international visited Carrington, and any move now, which could well be for around £130m, would comfortably be a club-record outlay.

A regular for his country this year, Bellingham looks set to feature at the World Cup later this month, and who knows, a return to England could be on the cards in 2023.