Sunderland manager Tony Mowbray has shared an early piece of team news ahead of the Wearside club’s Championship clash against Huddersfield Town. 

The Lowdown: Sunderland on the road to Huddersfield

The Black Cats are in action tonight as they take on the Yorkshire club at the John Smith’s Stadium, following on from their 1-1 draw against Luton Town over the weekend.

Having rescued a point against the Hatters after being 1-0 down at half-time, Sunderland will undoubtedly be looking to pick up all three points against their struggling hosts here.

Looking ahead to tonight’s match against the Terriers, it appears that Mowbray has shared an early hint over the role that one player in his squad might have in this game.

The Latest: Mowbray on Simms’ fitness

Speaking in his latest press conference, the Sunderland boss discussed how much game-time Ellis Simms is likely to get against Huddersfield after the striker made his return to action against Luton following a toe injury.

Mowbray said: “Maybe he will get 10 mins more on Wednesday night. The game will dictate. He is a young boy, I know he looks a big man on the pitch. He is working hard to get his general fitness up. It will be after the international break before he plays 90 mins in my mind.”

The Verdict: The right approach

In the eight league games in which he featured prior to picking up his toe injury, Simms had found the net three times for the Black Cats.

In fact, out of the seven games that he missed through this injury, Sunderland only managed to win one of them, which suggests that he has been a glaring loss for the Wearsiders in recent weeks.

To highlight how much of an attacking threat the 21-year-old carries, only Ross Stewart (3.86) has a higher rate of shots at goal per 90 minutes than Simms’ 3.06 among the Sunderland squad.

Considering what Mowbray had to say, it seems as though the club’s coaching staff are correctly taking a slow approach in terms of getting Simms back out on the pitch rather than throwing him in at the deep end after being out for so long and running the risk of aggravating the injury.

Arsenal are interested in a deal to bring Denzel Dumfries to The Emirates in the January transfer window.

What’s the talk?

That’s according to Italian media outlet CalcioMercatoWeb, who claim that the Gunners are one of a number of Premier League clubs keeping a close eye on the Inter Milan wing-back ahead of a potential move this winter, with the Serie A side believed to have placed a €40m (£35m) asking price on the 26-year-old’s head.

However, the report goes on to state that Edu would only be willing to offer a figure in the region of €35m (£31m) for the defender, while Tottenham Hotspur are also reported to be keen on a swoop for the Netherlands international in January.

Bin Cédric, sign Dumfries

Considering just how impressive Dumfries has been in Italy since his €14m (£12m) move to the San Siro last summer, it is not difficult to understand why Mikel Arteta would be interested in a deal to bring the full-back to north London.

Indeed, over his 33 Serie A appearances – only 21 of which came as starts – last season, the £44m-rated talent was in breathtaking attacking form, scoring five goals, providing four assists and creating six big chances for his teammates, as well as taking an average of 1.2 shots, making 0.8 key passes and completing 0.5 dribbles per game.

It has been a similar story over his 15 league outings in the current campaign, with the £54k-per-week defender having already scored one goal, registered two assists and created eight big chances, in addition to taking an average of 1.3 shots – 0.5 of which have been on target – making 1.1 key passes and completing 0.3 dribbles per fixture.

And, with Cédric Soares having so far played a total of 119 minutes of first-team football for Arsenal this season, it is clear to see that, should Arteta wish to give his side the best possible chance of mounting a serious title charge over the remainder of the 2022/23 campaign, signing an upgrade on the £75k-per-week right-back would appear an extremely wise move this winter.

As such, it is easy to understand why Arsenal would be interested in a move for the “difference maker” Dumfries in January, as the player who was directly involved in more goals last season – nine – than the Portugal international has been over the course of his three-year career at The Emirates – seven – would very much look to represent a huge step up from the 31-year-old.

Reporter Pete O’Rourke has been reacting to rumours regarding Aston Villa and Villarreal centre-back Pau Torres.

The Lowdown: Torres links

New Villa boss Unai Emery looks set to be backed by NSWE in the New Year with a ‘huge’ transfer budget.

A new centre-back is thought to be on the Spaniard’s radar, with reports claiming that Emery has given the green light to a move for Torres.

He is thought to be a top target in the Midlands and is valued at £40m, which would be a record transfer outlay at Villa Park.

The Latest: O’Rourke’s comments

Talking to The Transfer Tavern regarding Torres and if Emery could play a big role in a move, O’Rourke said:

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“Yeah, it’s a really obvious link. You’ve got the connections between Unai Emery and Paul Torres, who has been a target for several Premier League clubs in the past.

“The likes of Manchester United, Manchester City have all been linked with him so if Aston Villa were able to convince him to move to Villa Park it would be a real coup because he’s a top player and a top defender and he’s shown that for Villareal in Europe over the last couple of seasons.”

The Verdict: Perfect?

Torres looks set to represent Spain at the World Cup later this month and has made more appearances under Emery than any other manager during his career.

He appears to be at the peak of his powers with a career-high Transfermarkt valuation and has been hailed as ‘sensational’ by his national team boss Luis Enrique.

Therefore, a reunion with Emery, as O’Rourke says, could be a ‘real coup’ for all associated with Villa and Torres could help take the club to the next level during the Emery era.

Everton and Frank Lampard have been handed a double injury boost involving Ben Godfrey and Yerry Mina.

The Lowdown: Injury problems

Both Godfrey and Mina started the Goodison Park outfit’s 1-0 loss against Chelsea in the Premier League on the opening weekend of the season, but Godfrey had to come off in the first half injured and has not featured since.

Mina has also not played since that game in August, forcing the Merseyside club’s hand to dip into the market to bring in James Tarkowski and Conor Coady.

The Latest: Back in training

Speaking to the media ahead of this evening’s game at home to Leicester City, Lampard has confirmed that Godfrey is ‘back on the training pitch’ with the rest of the team after injury, and Mina is ‘very close’ to returning to action:

“Ben Godfrey is back on the training pitch with the team, Yerry Mina is in the last stage of his recovery and so is very close to being able to play.”

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The Verdict: Double boost

Ahead of the break for the FIFA World Cup in Qatar, having both Godfrey and Mina back in training is a big boost for Lampard and the squad.

Given that Colombia did not qualify for the tournament, and Godfrey is very unlikely to be picked for England having had so few minutes this campaign, they can both concentrate on getting back to full fitness during the break, and come back much stronger once the league season resumes.

Godfrey and Mina played 41 matches between them last term, and so are still useful squad players to have available, especially if the likes of Tarkowski and Coady were to pick up injuries over the remainder of the season.

Glasgow Rangers somewhat eased the pressure on manager Giovanni van Bronckhorst with a vital victory over Hearts on Wednesday evening, with Malik Tillman’s second-half strike sealing all three points for the home side at Ibrox.

The scrutiny on the Dutchman’s position has become intense of late following the shock weekend defeat to St Johnstone – as well as the Old Firm outfit’s miserable European form – with yesterday’s result having been crucial to stopping the recent rot.

One man who particularly impressed in that hard-fought triumph was substitute, Scott Arfield, with the veteran playmaker having proven his worth to his manager with an impactful display off the bench in the second period.

The former Canada international – who netted the club’s first Champions League goal in over a decade against Liverpool last month – has made just ten starts from his 22 appearances in all competitions this season, although the 34-year-old showcased just why he should assume a more prominent role moving forward.

The 19-cap menace was introduced in place of James Sands at the break and quickly set about attempting to rally his teammates into action, with The Athletic’s Jordan Campbell notably stating: “Scott Arfield has added a lot of personality to the team since coming on. Cajoling teammates, pressing with intensity, trying to link things. Leadership has been one of the biggest misses with likes of Goldson & Jack absent.”

In a squad full of young talent – including the likes of Leon King, Rabbi Matondo and the aforementioned Sands – it is seemingly vital to have such an experienced asset at Van Bronckhorst’s disposal, with the Glasgow side in need of leaders amid this current tough spell.

Arfield’s impact was also lauded by Rangers Review’s Derek Clark, with the journalist writing that the ageing gem ‘added a bit more intensity and energy. He was visibly demanding more from his teammates and it paid off with a much-needed win’.

Although the former Burnley man’s actual on-the-ball role was somewhat limited – making just 26 touches in his 45-minute outing – his calming presence seemingly had the desired effect, having notably completed 17 of his 20 passes and laid on one key pass.

Amid the current doom and gloom, Arfield’s experience could well be what is needed to help steady the ship for the Scottish giants, with the Livingston-born ace having been a great servant to the club over the years, with 39 goals and 19 assists in 212 games in all competitions.

With Rangers’ final game prior to the World Cup break to come away to St Mirren this weekend, having the midfielder in the side from the start could well be key for Van Bronckhorst.

With the World Cup starting this Sunday, it offers most teams a break from domestic football, as they join to watch the paramount competition in world football.

Whilst players will use this to get fit and rest, there is little recess for managers and their staff, and with a January transfer window looming just after its conclusion, there are plenty of big decisions to be made during this six-week hiatus.

It seems that Leeds United have already begun their search for numerous new additions, with the rumour mill kicking into full gear already.

However, one opportunity which seems like it truly has the capability to go all the way is their reported interest in West Ham United youngster Harrison Ashby.

Having shown interest throughout the summer, the recent claims from club insider ExWHUemployee suggest that the Hammers are already preparing for life after the 21-year-old.

This could now give Victor Orta a green light to swoop in and seal the man who could one day end up becoming like the Whites’ legendary and long-serving right-back Paul Reaney.

Having starred throughout the 60s and 70s, he is largely regarded as the best in his position to ever play for the club. 

The club website goes on to describe him as ‘Incredibly fit, a terrific man-marker and exceptionally quick, Reaney was a constant threat when overlapping down the right flank… With his pinpoint crosses he made many goals for the strikers although he scored few of his own.’

This marks an eerily similar skillset to Ashby, as described by journalists Sam Delaney and Roshane Thomas, speaking on the U Irons Podcast:

“He’s big as well. He’s like a big unit. He’s only young, but he’s like a giant. Usually, you’re used to seeing smaller players in those wing-back positions, but he looked big, strong, he was very fearless, decent on the ball.” 

Already boasting seven senior appearances for the east London outfit, it is clear they were building a pathway for him to enter their first team.

However, it now might be Leeds that benefit from his talents, as he looks to translate his 13 goal contributions for the under-21s side into senior football.

 It could be a brilliant deal to add him to Jesse Marsch’s side, with Rasmus Kristensen impressing but certainly remaining replaceable should the young Scotsman prove himself.

He could grow into a fine defender for years to come under the American and should have aspirations of reaching the heights of Reaney.

Sunderland have endured and enjoyed their fair share of transfer failures and success over the years as they have seen flops and bargains come through the door at the Stadium of Light.

The transfer market is a difficult sea to navigate and even the best teams in the world get it wrong from time to time, with the Black Cats being no exception.

Tony Mowbray has not been in the job long enough to have a catalogue of failed signings or missed opportunities as the Sunderland manager, as many of his predecessors did.

One former head coach who was no stranger to a disappointment in the transfer market was former Manchester United and Ireland midfielder Roy Keane.

In the summer of 2007, the ex-Black Cats manager failed to secure the signing of Wigan defender Leighton Baines and was left to rue that in the subsequent years.

It was reported that the club had agreed a £6m deal to sign the left-back before fellow Premier League side Everton swooped in to sign him for the same price, with the Liverpool-born defender deciding to move closer to home.

Speaking about his decision to reject Sunderland in 2007, Baines said: ‘They had worked so hard to get to that point, that it would not have been right if I had not gone up there and sat in front of him. He was very impressive and not what I expected him to be. He was very relaxed, very cool. I felt totally at ease with him and I came away thinking that, in different circumstances, I’d really love to play for him.”

The full-back had played 158 matches for Wigan in all competitions and did enough with the Latics to convince Sunderland and the Toffees that he had the potential to be a regular in the Premier League for many more years to come.

He went on to fulfil that promise as he played a whopping 420 matches in all competitions for Everton, scoring 39 goals and providing 67 assists from left-back.

Baines ended his career with 420 Premier League games under his belt, whilst he was also capped 30 times by England after making his debut in 2010.

Current Woking gem Padraig Amond claimed that the defender had a “wand of a left foot” and his aforementioned goal contributions for the Toffees back that up, as he made an impact at the top end of the pitch despite playing in defence.

Therefore, Keane was left to rue his failed swoop to sign the defensive maestro as Baines went on to prove himself to be an international-level player who competed in the Premier League for another 13 years after Sunderland attempted to sign him.

Glasgow Rangers suffered yet another setback yesterday in their pursuit of the Scottish Premiership title, with Giovanni van Bronckhorst’s side losing 2-1 to a St Johnstone team who managed to take advantage of the lack of composure from the Ibrox side.

This result puts the Light Blues seven points behind their old rivals and with just two league matches to go before the World Cup, the Ibrox faithful will be glad for a break.

A few of Van Bronckhorst’s men will be in Qatar representing their nations on the grandest stage of all, amongst them potentially being James Sands and Borna Barisic. However, Malik Tillman should also be on the plane to the tournament, joining Sands in the USA squad.

Tillman could shine

The 20-year-old already has four caps for his country since making his debut in June against Morocco and a loan move to Rangers has given him an opportunity to gain more time on the pitch in a bid to stake his claim for a pot on the plane.

The attacking midfielder has featured 21 times for the club this season, chipping in with six-goal contributions – three goals and three assists – while showing glimpses of his wonderful talent.

He is, of course, raw and this can sometimes hold him back in matches where the opposition has set up a low block, but with experience, his creative juices will be flowing and he can embrace these challenges.

This is the USA’s first World Cup since 2014 and there is a lot of talent within their squad. They are in a favourable group and Tillman could definitely shine on the world stage that’s for sure.

John Lundstram described him as “phenomenal” while also saying “his talent is one of the best I’ve seen” following the 4-1 victory over Aberdeen and there is no doubt he is destined for the top.

The £13k-per-week forward has already featured for the Bayern Munich first team on seven occasions, scoring once and Julian Nagelsmann will surely be keeping a close watch on his performances this term while on loan at the Gers.

The World Cup has opened the door for a plethora of young talents in the past, namely Paul Pogba – a man who scored in the final back in 2018. Coincidentally, that’s a player the American is aspiring to replicate, with his imposing 6 foot 2 frame already lending himself to future comparisons.

Should Tillman do well in Qatar, then he could finally begin to stride towards that goal. Whether he does or not, only time will tell.

Arsenal look set to be busy after the World Cup as sporting director Edu Gaspar looks to strengthen Mikel Arteta’s playing squad with a couple of additions.

The Gunners are sitting pretty at the top of the Premier League standings, losing just one of their 14 matches, and hold a comfortable five-point cushion over defending champions Manchester City, who sold two of their key protagonists to Pep Guardiola’s former assistant in the summer.

Both Gabriel Jesus and Oleksandr Zinchenko swapped the title-winners for the English capital and given the success that they have both had thus far, it’s hard to imagine the Citizens letting anyone else follow suit.

That said, the north London giants could still sign their very own Riyad Mahrez – another player that Arteta knows very well from his time at the Etihad Stadium – in the form of Toulouse teenager Fares Chaibi.

According to Foot Mercato this week, the 19-year-old dynamo is of interest to Arsenal ahead of the January transfer window as he has caught the eye in Ligue 1 in what appears to be his breakthrough campaign.

Despite only starting nine of his 13 appearances, Chaibi has delivered two goals and four assists, including eye-catching contributions against the likes of Lille and Montpellier. He has also featured in a multitude of positions, ranging from both flanks to central midfield and even up front.

The soon-to-be 20-year-old appears to be a relentless presence in the final third as when compared to his positional peers across Europe’s top five leagues, he ranks within the top 7% for assists per 90 (0.43), as well as inside the top 10% for aerial duels won (1.51), interceptions (0.97) and blocks (1.62) per 90.

Also via FBref, there are similarities between his statistical profile and that of current Gunners star Gabriel Martinelli. However, Arteta could well have his very own Mahrez, given they were both born in France but are eligible to represent Algeria and possess incredibly “versatile” and technical ability.

The Man City star also came to the Premier League from France, joining Leicester City after progressing through the Le Harve academy – famous for producing many a top talent – back in 2014.

Given the desperate need to add strength in depth to bolster Arteta’s side and their title hopes, Edu must consider making an early January move for Chaibi – who has also been dubbed a “revelation” and an “outstanding player” in very recent times – as he could become a Mahrez-like sensation at the Emirates Stadium for many years to come and that’ll only bolster their silverware credentials immensely.

AND in other news, Arsenal “planning” to revive £30m deal for “long-term target”, it’d be a “shrewd” move from Edu…

West Ham United have reportedly set their price tag for full-back Vladimir Coufal amid recent transfer exit links. 

The Lowdown: Coufal linked with West Ham exit

The Hammers signed Coufal back in October 2020 from Slavia Prague in a deal worth a reported fee of £5.4m.

Earlier this month, it was reported that Coufal had been in talks over a potential transfer move to Bayer Leverkusen.

Now though, it appears that some behind-the-scenes details have emerged regarding the defender’s current situation at the east London club, and what the future could hold for him.

The Lowdown: West Ham set Coufal price tag

According to a recent report from Football Insider, the Hammers are willing to let Coufal leave the club during the upcoming January transfer window if a bid of £6m comes their way for him.

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The report also adds that West Ham are not currently in talks with Leverkusen over a potential transfer deal involving the defender.

The Verdict: A questionable move for West Ham

Having made 17 appearances for David Moyes’ side this season across all competitions, it can be said that the 30-year-old, who has been called “outstanding” in the past by journalist Paul Brown, is a useful squad option for the manager.

Therefore, we feel that it could be a risk for the club to cash in on him in January, and then potentially end up needing him throughout the remainder of the season.

Coufal’s current contract at the London Stadium is set to expire in the summer, although the club have the option to extend it for another two years.

In our view, we feel that it could be the best option to extend the £35k-per-week defender’s deal, and then sell him in the summer rather than in January, especially if he thinks a move away from the club would be the best option for him and his career.