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Manchester United have been given a massive injury boost as they return from international duty ahead of their trip to face Everton on Sunday, according to transfer insider Fabrizio Romano.

Manchester United injury news…

This term, Manchester United have suffered some alarming injury worries that have left Erik ten Hag's men in depleted shape as they try to climb the Premier League table. Facing a trip to take on Everton this Sunday at Goodison Park, Manchester United will be looking to claim their fifth league victory inside six matches; however, Dutch boss Ten Hag will be without a plethora of first-team players as he looks to navigate a potentially difficult tie.

As cited by 90min, Christian Eriksen, Rasmus Hojlund, Casemiro, Jonny Evans, Lisandro Martinez and Tyrell Malacia are all currently injured at the moment and it is unclear when they will be cleared to return to contention at Old Trafford. Andre Onana was also withdrawn on international duty with his native Cameroon during the break; nevertheless, the shot-stopper is expected to feature against Everton and will undergo assessment after fears of him suffering a muscle strain are said to have eased.

Full-back Aaron Wan-Bissaka could also be included this weekend on Merseyside after pulling out of featuring against Luton Town before the international break due to illness, as per The Manchester Evening News.

Despite struggling in the early portion of the campaign, Ten Hag will hope that his side can continue their positive run of domestic form across the festive period, though he will be aware that the Red Devils will need to be at their best to take results over their next few encounters.

Following their trip to Everton, Manchester United will then take on Galatasaray, Newcastle United and Chelsea in quick succession, and they could be boosted by the return of another key man from a spell on the sidelines.

Manchester United's next five fixtures – all competitions

Competition

Opponent

Venue

Premier League

Everton (A)

Goodison Park

Champions League

Galatasaray (A)

RAMS Park

Premier League

Newcastle United (A)

St James' Park

Premier League

Chelsea (H)

Old Trafford

Premier League

Bournemouth (H)

Old Trafford

Luke Shaw injury update

Taking to social media platform X, transfer insider Romano has revealed that Manchester United left-back Luke Shaw is now back in first-team training after being out since August with a muscle concern.

Romano stated: "Luke Shaw returned to training as he’s now set to be back with the first team. Crucial player for Erik ten Hag, great news for MUFC."

Becoming a key player over the years at Old Trafford, Shaw has made 262 appearances in all competitions for Manchester United, registering four goals and 28 assists in all competitions (Shaw statistics – Transfermarkt).

His injury – alongside Malacia's issues – inspired Ten Hag's move to acquire Sergio Reguilon on loan from Tottenham Hotspur in the latter stages of the summer window. At the same time, Sofyan Amrabat and Victor Lindelof have featured in an unfamiliar left-back role to compensate for Shaw's absence.

Nevertheless, Shaw returning to action for Manchester United will be a major boost for Ten Hag once he determines that the England international is ready to feature again.

ESPNcricinfo understands financial considerations have prompted the bank to review its investment in sports

Umar Farooq30-May-2018United Bank Limited (UBL), a prominent department with a rich history on the Pakistan domestic circuit, is considering scrapping its cricket team. UBL only returned to the fray seven years ago in 2011 after missing 15 seasons between 1997 and 2010. ESPNcricinfo understands financial considerations are the major reason, with the bank deciding to review its investment in sports.UBL downplayed the development, but one official confirmed that several options were on the table, including the possibility of disbanding the cricket team. The players have not been informed yet but the PCB has been informed about the motion – though they denied any official confirmation. If UBL pull out, which is likely, they will also lose their representation at the PCB governing body, with the bank having been on the board for the last four-and-a-half years.Since the team’s return in 2011, Pakistan’s domestic cricket has been revamped multiple times, but UBL consistently finished among the top four teams in the circuit. They played the President’s Trophy final in 2014, losing to Sui Northern Gas Pipelines Limited (SNGPL), and lost to the same opponent in the 2016 Quaid-e-Azam Trophy (QEA) final. Since being established in 1975, UBL have won the QEA four times, the Pentangular Cup three times, and the Patron’s Trophy once, in addition to several limited-overs titles. UBL has invested significantly in its cricket department, contributing around PKR 50,000,000 (approx USD 432,000) each season towards the domestic franchise across all formats in the country. They were also the title sponsors of the T20I World XI series in Lahore last September.In each era, they invested significantly in young talent, with players like Waqar Younis, Tauseef Ahmed, Mudassar Nazar, Basit Ali, Saeed Anwar, Mushtaq Ahmed, Salim Jaffer, Rashid Latif, Inzamam-ul-Haq and Azhar Mahmood playing for the franchise. The present lot, including Shan Masood, Saad Ali, Sohaib Maqsood, Mohammad Asghar, Mir Hamza, Rumman Raees and Umar Akmal have been nurtured at UBL under the mentorship of Younis Khan.The influx of banks into Pakistan’s domestic cricket began in the early 70s, with Abdul Hafeez Kardar, the then PCB chairman, encouraging them to provide employment opportunities for players. UBL emerged after a merger with the now defunct Commerce Bank, which had been on the first-class scene since 1973.UBL had a large sports department covering cricket, hockey, badminton and table tennis actively until 1997, when it shut following the privatisation of the bank and a change in management. It also owns a sports complex in Karachi with its own first-class cricket ground.

Nick Compton was capped 16 times in Tests for England, playing his part in memorable series wins in India and South Africa

ESPNcricinfo staff04-Oct-2018Former England opener Nick Compton has announced his retirement from the game. Compton, 35, did not feature for Middlesex during the 2018 season – which was also his benefit year – but will remain working for the club in an ambassadorial role.Compton played 16 Tests for England, following in the footsteps of his grandfather, Denis. He was Alastair Cook’s first opening partner after the retirement of Andrew Strauss in 2012, and played his part in memorable series wins in India and South Africa.His last cap came during the summer of 2016, a season which ended with Middlesex lifting the County Championship for the first time since 1993.”After almost two decades of professional cricket, I am announcing my retirement from the game I love so much,” Compton said. “It has been a privilege to play first-class cricket for Middlesex, Somerset, and the MCC.”Of course, the pinnacle of my career was following in my grandfather Denis Compton’s footsteps, having achieved my dream of playing and winning Test series for England. I am particularly proud of my successful opening partnership with Alastair Cook and our series victory in India, the first time in 28 years an England team had won in India.”In contrast to his famously dashing grandfather, Nick Compton was a dogged top-order accumulator who carved out a reputation for making hard runs.Having started out at Middlesex, the club closely associated with his family, Compton moved to Somerset in 2010. It was there he found the form that would win him England recognition; in 2012, he scored 1494 runs at 99.60, narrowly failing to become the ninth man in history to score 1000 first-class runs before the end of May.He made his international debut in Ahmedabad that winter and was part of the England side that came from behind to win 2-1 in India. Compton scored hundreds in Dunedin and Wellington on England’s next tour, a 0-0 draw with New Zealand, but lost his place ahead of the 2013 Ashes despite an opening partnership with Cook that averaged 57.93.A second coming in 2015 saw him score 85 and 49 at No. 3 as England won in Durban on the way to a 2-1 series victory, but Compton only played three more Tests, making his final outing against Sri Lanka at Lord’s.”There have been some challenges that I have had to confront, but in spite of these I feel incredibly fortunate to have had this career of mine,” he said. “For one, being named one of Wisden’s Five Cricketers of the Year in the 150th Anniversary Edition [in 2013] alongside both my cricketing hero Jacques Kallis, and my school friend Hashim Amla.”Other highlights include being chosen as PCA Player of the Year by my peers after coming so close to being the first cricketer for 25 years to score 1000 runs before the end of May is another, up there with making my Test debut in India and receiving my cap from England legend Graham Gooch.”I treasure the 16 Test matches I played for England, especially my back-to-back Test hundreds which I scored in New Zealand. On the domestic front, what a team I played in at Somerset. And winning the County Championship at Lord’s on the final day of the 2016 season for Middlesex provided all involved with an experience that we will savour for the rest of our lives.”In all, Compton scored more than 12,000 first-class runs at an average of 40.42, the last of his 27 hundreds coming for Sri Lanka Ports Authority during a spell playing Sri Lankan domestic cricket in February.He had already begun to explore options for his post-playing career, working as an analyst during the summer for Sky and ESPNcricinfo. “I look forward to pursuing my other interests, particularly in the media and photography as well as working on a few business ventures,” he said.Middlesex’s chief executive, Richard Goatley, added: “It is a sad day for us that Nick Compton has retired from professional cricket. Nick has been a very special servant to the club, culminating in his key role in the Championship winning success of 2016.”Nick is highly valued by Middlesex Cricket and we are delighted that he will remain with the club in an ambassadorial role. We welcome his all-round ability, and want him to add further value by helping to inspire our future success in an off the field capacity.”He has contributed effectively towards the club’s off-field work in the past, both with our senior leadership team and the commercial team at Lord’s, and we look forward to extending that work in the future. Nick Compton will always be welcome at Lord’s.”

Matt Henry claimed his fourth five-wicket haul of the season as Gloucestershire were made to follow on at Bristol

Paul Bolton11-Jun-2018
ScorecardSam Billings is in danger of becoming a captain without portfolio, observing from afar while Kent make impressive progress towards possible County Championship promotion.Since he succeeded Sam Northeast as captain, Billings has played just four Royal London Cup matches for Kent and has yet to feature in their Championship campaign.Billings opted to start the season with Chennai Super Kings in the IPL rather than Kent and is now away on international duty with England. If he remains in England’s ODI and T20 squads, it could be another month before Kent see their captain again.But Billings’ international future is far from assured. Since he made 56 against Kolkata Knight Riders on April 10, Billings has scraped just 78 in runs in his last 12 innings – 10 of them in three innings for Kent. His latest failure came in England’s embarrassing defeat by Scotland on Sunday when he slapped a full toss to midwicket.In Billings’ absence, Adam Rouse has performed admirably behind the stumps and vice-captain Joe Denly has led the side to three successive Championship wins. A fourth, which would avenge an opening-round defeat by Gloucestershire at Canterbury, is possible here against a side that has struggled to match the intensity of Kent’s cricket over the first three days.Despite Billings’ absences and lack of runs, it seems certain that Rouse will make way the next time the captain becomes available for county duty with Kent placing faith in Billings’ leadership qualities and historic performances with the bat.”Off the field, Sam has been unbelievable,” Kent assistant coach Allan Donald said. “There is nothing we can do about his England commitments because everyone wants to play international cricket. When he comes back someone has to make space, it’s as simple as that.”Sam is a world-class cricketer. I have been very impressed with the way he captains the team especially his aura in the dressing room and the way he speaks to the players. He is very impressive. He hasn’t burnt the house down at the moment in terms of runs but he will come good, there is no question about it.”Kent seem to be doing very nicely without Billings thanks largely to the outstanding contribution of Matt Henry, the New Zealand pace bowler, who has taken 43 of their 85 Championship wickets so far.Henry will be available for the top-of-the-table clash against Warwickshire at Tunbridge Wells next week and the day-night match against Middlesex at Canterbury before he returns home. Kent are already trying to persuade New Zealand to allow Henry to return for their last five Championship matches, including a potential Division Two title decider against Warwickshire at Edgbaston.”Matt has brought leadership, he’s brought skill and great intensity to this group which is what you want from a guy who has played international cricket,” Donald said.Donald displayed similar qualities during a long and distinguished career as Warwickshire’s overseas player and the former South Africa fast bowler watched admiringly as Henry overcame a slow, low and used pitch with skill and aggression.Henry, who claimed his fourth five-wicket haul of the season, took three for nine in 27 balls with the second new ball and needed only two deliveries with it to break an obdurate seventh-wicket partnership of 104 between Graeme van Buuren and Kieran Noema-Barnett.Chris Dent and Benny Howell applied themselves better when Gloucestershire followed on 342 in arrears and Kent suffered a setback when Harry Podmore crumpled in his delivery stride clutching his right knee and was helped off the field by Donald.

Sunderland have been transformed since the arrival of Tony Mowbray, as the Englishman stamped a clear mark of progression in his first term as manager.

The former Blackburn manager took the squad he inherited and in their first season back in the Championship, led them into the play-offs.

While a defeat to Luton Town in the semi-finals would derail any dreams of recording back-to-back promotions, the Black Cats are purring once more, comfortably sitting in the top six after nine matches played.

It's not always been plain sailing for the North East side, consecutive relegations saw them drop to the third tier in 2018, spending four miserable campaigns in the doldrums of League One.

During the period in which Sunderland dropped like a stone, reckless decision-making in the transfer window was the key factor to their downfall, especially in the summer of 2016 as poor recruitment by David Moyes was decisive in their relegation.

The Scot brought in the likes of Papy Djilobodji, Darron Gibson, Steven Pienaar and Paddy McNair, but by far the worst of the lot was the acquisition of record-signing Didier Ndong.

How much did Didier Ndong cost Sunderland?

During his year stint at Lorient, Didier Ndong rose to prominence as one of the most sought-after midfielders in the league, featuring in all but four of his side's 38 matches in Ligue 1.

Following his club record £13.6m arrival, the Gabon international said: "Maybe the Sunderland fans don't know me yet, but I promise they will quickly discover that I will give everything for them and the club", which couldn't be further from reality.

As per Capology, Sunderland paid Ndong £30k-per-week to keep him at the club, amounting to a total of £1.5m in wages for the year he was on the payroll at the Stadium of Light.

What's more alarming is when you look at how the wage expenditure was spread across the entire squad. There were 13 other players earning more than the Gabonese in the 2016/17 season, including Jermaine Defoe on £80k per week, Fabio Borini on £60k, Lee Cattermole on £50k and John O'Shea on £47k.

Jermain Defoe

£80k-per-week

Fabio Borini

£60k-per-week

Adnan Januzaj

£60k-per-week

Patrick van Aanholt

£55k-per-week

Lee Cattermole

£50k-per-week

Sunderland would suffer a damning relegation to the second tier with a squad of underperforming high earners, and Ndong was one of several who disappointed having crumbled under the weight of his hefty price tag.

How many games did Didier Ndong play for Sunderland?

Having fended off a whole host of clubs across the continent to land the up-and-coming star, Sunderland expected him to be the combative and energetic midfielder capable of dragging them to safety, but that was a seemingly impossible task.

The Black Cats ended up spending all but two weeks of the season in the Premier League's relegation zone, ending the campaign in last place and although Ndong made 31 appearances in that term, to say he underwhelmed would be an understatement.

Reflecting on his time in England in 2019, the 29-year-old summed up it up perfectly, stating "I lacked professionalism", and that was a true indictment of his performances as he failed to help Sunderland in their quest to bounce straight back to the big time.

Expected to be levels ahead of his positional peers at Championship level, Ndong rarely showed any glimpse of repaying the money that was shelled out on him as he made 18 appearances in the first half of the campaign before engineering a loan move to Watford.

If Sunderland supporters hadn't already been put through the mill enough, especially after a gut-wrenching relegation to League One in 2018, Ndong found a way to rile up the fanbase even further.

He failed to turn up to training in July of that year, posted pictures on social media of him on a luxurious trip to Morocco and was subsequently sacked by the club after breaching his contract by going missing in the months that followed.

Ndong eventually agreed to pay back £3.5m in compensation once he found a new club, which proved to be Guingamp with the 5 foot 10 dud going down as FourFourTwo's worst-record signing in Premier League history.

Wolverhampton Wanderers have been on a solid run of form recently, winning three out of their last five matches in the Premier League and are currently level on points with Chelsea in the table.

Furthermore, Wolves are merely five points behind Europa Conference League champions West Ham United in the race for the final European spot so qualification to the continent's third-ranked contest certainly isn't outside the realms of possibility.

O'Neil could land dream Dawson replacement in Wolves move for 6ft 1 "monster"

Wolves may be looking to complete a few signings next month to bolster their squad.

ByRoss Kilvington Dec 23, 2023

However, if the Midlands club are to make a push for Europe for the first time since Nuno Espirito's spell in charge a few seasons back, investment will need to be made in January to bolster the squad.

Wolves transfer news – Che Adams

It was initially reported by TEAMTalk during the summer that Wolves had agreed a deal with Championship outfit Southampton to take Scotland international Che Adams on a season-long loan with the option to buy him permanently at the end of the current campaign. The Athletic added on transfer deadline day that the option-to-buy deal was worth £15m, but the move was eventually blocked by the Saints.

However, on Boxing Day, The Athletic provided another update to this ongoing transfer saga, revealing that Wolves are set to reignite their interest in the Scottish striker once the January transfer window opens. It has been confirmed by transfer expert Fabrizio Romano that Fabio Silva will be sent out on loan to Rangers for the remainder of the season, leaving Wolves' attacking department a little bare.

Furthermore, journalist Dean Jones has admitted that Adams "might leave" the St. Mary's Stadium over the coming weeks, with there being interest from other Premier League clubs, including Everton, but Wolves seem to be leading the race thus far.

Che Adams' stats this season

Having once been described as "dynamite" by sports reporter Jamie Borthwick, Adams is not enjoying his most prolific campaign as a player but has still chipped in with five goals in 21 appearances for Southampton. In fact, he is the joint-second-highest goalscorer at the club with only Adam Armstrong finding the net more for the Saints this season.

Nevertheless, the 27-year-old has been more potent in previous campaigns for Southampton but the striker has already matched his tally of five from last season, although the quality level of the Premier League compared to the Championship has played a helping hand with this. Regardless, in half a season, Adams has scored five times whereas, in his 72 appearances with Wolves, Silva has scored just five goals.

Since joining from Porto back in 2020 for a whopping £36m, the Portuguese centre-forward has really struggled to make any impact at all. This season alone, the frontman has one goal from 12 appearances in all competitions which came in a 5-0 win against League One outfit Blackpool in the EFL Cup.

Season

Appearances

Minutes Played

Goals

Assists

2020/21

36

1,675

4

3

2021/22

26

852

0

3

2022/23

0

0

0

0

2023/24

10

373

1

0

Stats via Transfermarkt

While Adams may not be as prolific as Armstrong this term on the south coast, the duo have built up a really nice partnership when leading the line and have combined to score 39.5% of Southampton's goals this season in the Championship as Russell Martin's side are currently the third-highest scorers in England's second tier. Wolves boss Gary O'Neil will be hoping Adams can build up this type of partnership with his side's star centre-forward Hwang Hee-chan.

Hwang has found the net 11 times in 20 appearances while registering two assists in the meantime. Together, the pairing could be a force to be reckoned with in O'Neil's 3-5-2.

Goals

0.43

0.7

Expected Goals

0.37

0.38

Assists

0.17

0.13

Expected Assists

0.19

0.13

Shots

2.17

2.02

Shots On Target

0.96

0.7

Goals Per Shot

0.2

0.31

Key Passes

1.02

0.86

Progressive Passes

2.69

1.66

Stats via FBref

Wolves are quite reliant on Hwang to find the net lately as Wolves' second-most prolific player has just five in total. The addition of Adams could help alleviate the pressure off of the South Korean forward to put the ball away and may make Wolves an all-around better attack.

The international schedule demands that England rest their key performers or face a repeat of the Kevin Pietersen stand-off

George Dobell02-Jun-2012There is a certain irony in England debating whether to rest one player within a week of telling another he cannot rest as much as he would like. While it would be disingenuous to draw too many similarities between the cases of James Anderson and Kevin Pietersen, their scenarios do highlight a dilemma that looks sure to become a greater problem over the next year or two: the onerous international schedule.When England name their squad for the third Test at Edgbaston it seems likely that Anderson will be excluded. Stuart Broad may also be rested for the game.While their status as England’s two first-choice seamers remains unquestioned, the England management are keen not to over exert them in a series that is already won. They hope that by providing opportunities to the back-up seamers, Steven Finn and, perhaps, Graham Onions, they can not only keep Anderson and Broad for more important matches to come but provide some experience to the support bowlers should they be required to step up in the future.There is logic in that. While some will decry a perceived degradation in the value of Test cricket – also, with some logic – it is an inevitable sign of the times. There is no way England – or several other international teams – can get through the next 18-months without squad rotation. Those members of the squad who hope to play in all three formats of the game, can expect to spend less than two weeks (from December 24 to January 2) in England between late October and April. Even before that, they face a trip to Sri Lanka for the World Twenty20. It is asking too much of the players and their wives. It is not sustainable.Anyone doubting the absurdity of the current fixture programme need only look at the scheduling of the ODI against Scotland on August 12. It comes just six days after the second Test against South Africa at Headingley and four days before the third Test at Lord’s. To make matters worse, it is also scheduled two days after a Lions fixture against Australia A in Manchester and two days before a Lions fixture against the same opposition in Birmingham. It is surely the person responsible for such scheduling who should be the one ‘retiring’ from the ECB.There is no way England can sustain such a fixture schedule at the same time as any pretence about the sanctity of international cricket. Something had to give and if it is resting a leading player or two from a Test in a sealed series against an opposition struggling for equilibrium, then so be it. That Anderson is not happy speaks volumes for his excellent temperament: it is good that he wants to play. But, just as he bounced back after being omitted from England’s side for the World T20 success in the Caribbean, so he will bounce back from this. He is not the one about which England should worry.

“There is no way England can sustain the current fixture schedule at the same time as any pretence about the sanctity of international cricket”

No, it is Pietersen’s future that is causing the headaches. Given the schedule and the way in which the ECB are keen to look after Anderson, it is not hard to understand why Pietersen wanted more time to rest. He was requesting, after all, only what England imposed on him a year ago by ‘resting’ him from the ODI series against India. Had the England management – too heavy on the stick and too sparing with the carrot – handled this situation better, he might simply have missed a few games this summer and resumed normal service over the winter. He might have continued to play ODI and T20I cricket. Or he might just have retired from ODIs. But, bearing in mind that England have a different captain for each format of the game, the ECB’s argument that the ODI and T20I squads are so closely linked that opting out of one limited-overs format should automatically rule a player out of the other, is fatally flawed.Perhaps Pietersen does not cut a particularly sympathetic figure. His decision – a decision that he would have been insane not to take – to participate in the IPL rather than resting will always rile some and, perhaps more pertinently, it is apparent that he has never developed the reservoir of loyalty and affection within the England set-up that others – the likes of Andrew Strauss and Paul Collingwood – did, to see him through the lean times. He has been tolerated, not embraced, for some time.But just because Pietersen is not wildly popular does not make him wrong. His needs are not so different from those of Anderson. Perhaps they are expressed differently, perhaps they are more personal, but they are not so different. Both are individuals who require careful handling and both could, with careful management, still have a huge role to play in the future of England’s Test and limited-overs teams. If the ECB continue to push the players too hard, however, the cracks will become more apparent.

Aston Villa’s season has been nothing short of brilliant with the Villans soaring high in the Premier League, through in Europe and into the fourth round of the FA Cup for the first time since 2016.

Unai Emery has truly turned the side into a relentless team, with the hard work putting them second in the Premier League after 20 matches.

20

13

6

1

45

25

20

13

3

4

42

16

19

12

4

3

40

24

20

12

4

4

40

17

However, the boss still wants to improve his side in the January transfer window as they prepare to challenge for silverware.

All confirmed Premier League done deals: January transfer window 2024

With the January transfer window coming towards its conclusion, FFC has all the info for tracking your club’s winter transfer activity.

ByLuke Randall Feb 1, 2024 Aston Villa transfers latest – Jeremie Frimpong

According to Football Insider, Aston Villa are interested in signing right-wing back Jeremie Frimpong should they secure Champions League football.

The Dutch star has a £35m release clause in his contract at Bayer Leverkusen, which can be activated in the summer, and it's reported Villa are willing to do just that.

A move this January is seen as highly unlikely, especially with the German club in the middle of a Bundesliga title battle.

Jeremie Frimpong’s style of play

“Incredible” has been a word used to describe Frimpong by football journalist Antonio Mango, and based on this season, it is extremely difficult to disagree with his description.

The 23-year-old has featured in 22 matches across all competitions this campaign, scoring seven goals and registering ten assists. That's jaw-dropping numbers from a supposed 'defender'.

The former Man City youth star has become a key player in Xabi Alonso’s side, and he has made the right midfield role in a three-back formation his own.

Although Villa do not play a similar formation to Leverkusen, Frimpong would fit perfectly in Emery’s right midfield role, and the table below showing his 2023/24 Bundesliga statistics and where he ranks compared to positionally similar players proves why he could take Ollie Watkins to the next level.

Goals

0.34

Top 5%

Assists

0.41

Top 3%

Key passes

1.92

Top 12%

Successful take-ons

1.78

Top 5%

Touches (Att pen)

7.40

Top 1%

Progressive carries

6.10

Top 1%

Frimpong is evidently a player who is blessed with lightning speed, quick feet, and agility. As you can see, he is the definition of an attacking wing-back whose focus is to make things happen in the final third rather than defend.

The speedster is one of the best dribblers and ball carriers in the Bundesliga, which allows him to turn defence into attack almost instantly. This would make the Villans far more dangerous on the counterattack, and with Watkins being deadly on the break, he would find himself in more goal-scoring opportunities.

The 23-year-old is a creator and a goal-scorer, with the former benefiting Watkins in particular, as he would provide endless service to the Villa forward, mainly via crosses and clever cutbacks after a weaving dribble or overlap.

The former Brentford striker’s movement is elite, and when you combine that with Frimpong’s ability to find a pass, Emery could develop a recipe for success.

The fact that Frimpong likes to drive into the opposition’s box and get on the end of crosses from the opposite flank also indirectly helps Watkins. With the added body to deal with, the Netherlands ace will occupy at least one defender and therefore provide the striker with more space to manoeuvre and punish the opposition.

Frimpong is a versatile full-back who loves to attack and although the price tag may seem steep, his potential and output are those of an elite player, which makes the £35m release clause a steal. Villa must attempt to secure his signature.

After suffering play-off heartbreak in the Championship last season, Middlesbrough were tasked with going again in the current campaign under Michael Carrick. So far this season, however, they have failed to reach the same heights as last time out, having taken an age to get going and even flirting with the relegation zone in what was a disastrous start. Carrick's side have fought back to at least put themselves within three points of the top six, but right now they remain on course for even more disappointment.

The January transfer window could yet turn things around entirely though, with those at the Riverside Stadium reportedly eyeing a move to bring in a Premier League player who could help solve Middlesbrough's problems in the January transfer window.

Middlesbrough transfer news

The summer transfer window was always going to leave Middlesbrough struggling to get off to a good start, given that they lost Chuba Akpom in a big move to Ajax. Akpom's stats last season show just how important he was for the club, with his 28 Championship goals firing his side into the play-offs in a sensational season.

Carrick failed to replace those goals, with Middlesbrough's top scorer so far this season, Latte Lath, sitting on just six goals in 16 games. Perhaps aware of just how difficult it will be to replicate Akpom's output, however, Boro are reportedly focusing on defensive reinforcements.

According to the Sunderland Echo, Middlesbrough are eyeing a move for Joe Worrall. The Nottingham Forest defender hasn't been a consistent starter for Steve Cooper's side in the Premier League this season and could be handed the chance to get some crucial minutes in a step-down to the Championship. Considering his experience of successful promotion from England's second tier, Worrall could certainly become a key asset for Carrick, if Middlesbrough push ahead and secure a deal.

"Tremendous" Worrall could be key for Middlesbrough promotion

To say that Middlesbrough would benefit from welcoming a Premier League captain is an understatement. The Championship side sits so close, but still too far away from the play-off spots and must bridge the gap using the January transfer window. Worrall's stats show that when he has been given a starting place for Forest in the Premier League this season, he has been more than capable of stepping up. Compared to Boro centre-back Paddy McNair too, he stands out.

Player

Blocks Per 90

Tackles Won Per 90

Interceptions Per 90

Clearances Per 90

Joe Worrall

1.02

1.02

0.61

5.51

Paddy McNair

0.89

0.37

0.52

2.15

At his best, Worrall has been at the centre of praise from Cooper, who said via The Nottingham Post after handing the defender the captain's armband:

"Joe is a tremendous lad and really embodies everything we're looking to create here at the club. Since the day I walked into the building it was clear Joe has the respect of the dressing room and his performances on the pitch are full of drive, leadership and quality which is something that inspires those around him. I'm looking forward to seeing him continue to grow and flourish in his new role ahead of what will be an exciting season for the club.

Tottenham Hotspur are now thinking about selling a big name player in January, despite the belief he is currently happy in north London.

Spurs better without Harry Kane?

The arrival of former Celtic and Australia national team manager Ange Postecoglou in north London has brought with it a completely new lease of life for the club. Spurs return to action on Monday, when they face off against Fulham at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium, and supporters will be eager to see their newly-thrilling side in action once again. The Lilywhites currently sit top of the Premier League pile, winning six games from a possible eight over an unbeaten run and best start to a season since 1960/1961.

The sale of star striker and all-time top goalscorer Harry Kane, who joined Bayern Munich for around £82 million according to their club chief Uli Hoeness, prompted real worry that Spurs would struggle without his presence up front. However, quite the opposite has happened, with Tottenham instead reinventing themselves under the very popular Postecoglou. Kane himself, speaking to the media recently, heaped praise on his former club for their real hot streak of early-season of form.

"I have made it clear my whole career I am a Tottenham fan and I would love to see Tottenham do well," he said at a press conference with England (via 90min).

"It's great to see. I think I've said before, the manager is doing great for them with the way they're playing. The fans are right behind the team and it's definitely what they needed after the last few years. I'll always keep an eye on Spurs and the Premier League. There is no other team in the Premier League I would want to win than Tottenham.

"I have to be respectful to Bayern Munich and of course, the fans know I will always have a soft spot for Spurs – there is no question about that. Of course, I hope [Tottenham] do as well as possible but my main attention is where I am now and trying to perform for Bayern."

Times are appearing very rosy at N17 right now, but according to a new report, Kane may be followed by another big name Spurs player out the door soon.

Hugo Lloris transfer update

According to a report out of France this week, long-serving goalkeeper Hugo Lloris could well depart in January. Sharing a Lloris transfer update on his future at Tottenham, RMC Sport claim that the club are "considering" his departure in the winter window.

The 36-year-old, who hasn't played a single minute in all competitions for Postecoglou, is set to leave when his contract expires next summer, but Spurs may well opt to cut short his last year in north London. This is despite Lloris apparently being happy training with the club right now.

The France international legend, called "exemplary" by Les Bleus boss Didier Deschamps, has made around 444 appearances in all competitions since joining from Lyon in 2012 (Transfermarkt).