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Express and Star journalist Jonny Drury has given his verdict on the potential West Bromwich Albion partnership between Daryl Dike and Jed Wallace this season.

The Lowdown: Pre-season

The Baggies duo combined superbly during the side’s 2-1 win over Hertha Berlin on Saturday, as the ex-Millwall winger provided an excellent cross for the United States international to bury with a fantastic header.

The goal occurred just minutes after the 22-year-old centre-forward graced the pitch.

Speaking after the game, Wallace sang Dike’s praises. As quoted by the Express & Star, the 28-year-old said: “He is someone that can attack the deliveries I’m going to put in the box.

“But not only is he a big lad, he is very, very, mobile and you saw that with the goal. It was a really great header.”

The Latest: Drury’s reaction

Having watched the West Brom pair link up for the goal, Drury was clearly left excited with the prospect of a dominant partnership in the Championship this season.

Taking to Twitter, the journalist claimed: “Got a feeling this is going to be a very good partnership this season.”

The Verdict: Dike’s potential

Having joined the Midlands outfit in January after the Baggies came to an agreement in excess of £7m for the Orlando striker, the American made just two appearances for Steve Bruce’s side before suffering from a hamstring injury, keeping him out of action for the majority of the season’s remaining games.

However, with a full pre-season under his belt, the 22-year-old is expected to go on to achieve big things in the English second division, having scored 18 goals in 35 appearances in the MLS.

Therefore, if Dike and Wallace are able to continue with their close-knit link-up play, the Baggies could be on for a winner with the attacking pair this season.

An update has emerged on Newcastle United and their pursuit of mercurial gem James Maddison in the summer transfer window… 

What’s the talk?

According to iNews, the Magpies will need to pay a fee in the region of £60m – which would be a club-record – to land the attacking midfielder in the coming weeks.

The report claims that the club have had an offer of £40m rejected by Leicester, who want a large sum up front in order to do business of their own.

Luke Edwards has since claimed that a second bid of £45m has been made, with the player said to be keen on the switch.

Paul Gascoigne 2.0

Dan Ashworth must now do all he can to secure a deal to sign Maddison as he has the potential to be the club’s next Gascoigne, whether that is at £45m or £60m – both club-record moves.

The Englishman has the arrogance on the pitch, along with the quality to back it up, to be Gazza 2.0 on Tyneside if he joins the club Magpies this summer.

Gascoigne was an attacking midfielder capable of producing magic moments for the Toon – scoring 24 goals in 102 matches – and Maddison has shown that he has the ability to do the same in the Premier League.

He was once dubbed a “genius” by BBC Norfolk presenter Rob Butler and he has showcased his creativity in the top-flight in recent years.

The gem, who has previously been accused of arrogance, produced 12 goals and eight assists in 28 starts in the 2021/22 campaign. This came after he managed eight goals and five assists in 24 starts the year before that, which shows that he has the ability to make a big impact in the final third.

At the age of 25, he also has his best years ahead of him. He is a player who can improve over time whilst delivering quality for many, many, more seasons to come – making him a sublime signing in the short and long-term.

Maddison has proven himself to be an excellent midfielder in the Premier League and he can be Eddie Howe’s go-to man when it comes to unlocking opposition defences this season.

Therefore, Ashworth can land the club their next Gascoigne by bringing in another talented English magician who is capable of producing magical moments at the top end of the pitch to win matches for the Magpies.

It is now down to the sporting director to negotiate a reasonable deal with Leicester to bring the 25-year-old to St. James’ Park.

Leeds United have discovered the asking price of their reported summer transfer target Ismaila Sarr.

What’s the talk?

That’s according to a report by Football League World, who claim that sources have revealed that Watford will be demanding a figure in the region of £25m in order to part with the 24-year-old forward prior to September’s transfer deadline – a considerably lower fee than the €35m (£29m) figure Foot Mercato had suggested the Hornets would be looking for last week.

This is sure to come as a huge boost to Victor Orta and the Whites, with the Spaniard reported to have identified the Senegal international as a potential option to add to Jesse Marsch’s attacking arsenal ahead of the bulk of the club’s 2022/23 campaign, while Manchester United are also reported to be keen on the signing of the former Stade Rennais starlet this summer.

Raphinha 2.0

With Leeds having lost the services of their star attacking talent Raphinha this summer, it is not difficult to understand why the Whites’ director of football would be interested in a deal to bring Sarr into Elland Road as the Brazilian’s long-term replacement.

Indeed, there are a number of very clear similarities between the two talents, the first of which comes where the duo both cut their teeth in the professional game – Stade Rennais.

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Prior to Sarr’s £40m move to Vicarage Road back in the summer of 2019, the £24.3m-rated talent had proven himself as one of the Ligue 1 side’s brightest prospects, scoring 18 goals and registering 16 assists across 77 appearances for Les Rouge et Noir.

It is a similar story for Raphinha, as, before the 25-year-old sealed his £17m move to Elland Road back in October 2020, the £40.5m-rated forward also proved himself to be one of Rennais’ most exciting talents, bagging eight goals and providing seven assists over his 36 appearances for the club.

Both players also highly impressed following their respective moves to the top flight of English football, with Sarr scoring ten goals and registering eight assists over his 65 top flight outings for the Whites.

Further still, both the Watford star and the now-Barcelona forward are also extremely talented carriers of the ball, with the former completing an average of 1.7 and 1.5 dribbles per game in 2019/20 and 2021/22 respectively, while the latter completed an average of 1.9 and 1.8 dribbles per fixture in the 2020/21 and 2021/22 campaigns.

As such, considering the incredibly similar profile of Brazilian and the £71k-per-week player who Ben Foster dubbed a “freak”, it is not hard to understand why Orta would be targeting a move for the 24-year-old over the remainder of the summer transfer window, as the Senegalese sensation could well prove to be the Whites’ next Raphinha on the right wing.

Glasgow Rangers have been handed a boost over the fitness of Ibrox defender James Sands…

What’s the latest?

Gers manager Gio van Bronckhorst has confirmed that Sands will be back in the matchday group to face PSV at Ibrox in their UEFA Champions League qualifier tonight.

The club’s official Twitter account quote him as saying: “We want a good result for the second-leg, but this is also true if we are away first. We have everyone available for tomorrow and look forward to the challenge we face. James Sands and Ryan Kent will return to the squad.”

This comes after he sat out the 4-0 win over St. Johnstone and the Dutch head coach said that he expected the player to return for this clash, with it now being confirmed that he is available.

Point to prove

Sands heads into tonight’s game, and the rest of the season, with a point to prove to van Bronckhorst and the Ibrox supporters.

It has been reported that the club have a $6m (£5m) option to sign him on a permanent basis at the end of the 2022/23 campaign, which means that he needs to show that he is worth spending that amount of money on.

He did not get off to the best of starts as he struggled in his first inclusion in the starting XI of the campaign in the first leg against Union Saint Gilloise, so much so that Mark Hateley called him a “problem” on BBC Sportsound.

However, the versatile youngster followed that up with an impressive showing in the 2-0 win over Kilmarnock at Ibrox in the Premiership. As per SofaScore, he won nine of his 13 duels and completed a whopping 106 passes in the 90 minutes – topping the charts in the match for the latter and coming second in the former as he earned a score of 7.5, the second-highest in the team.

He was then selected at the heart of the defence again for the second leg against Union and he caught the eye with another strong display. The 22-year-old American won seven one-on-one duels and last-man challenges throughout the match, with The Athletic’s Jordan Campbell praising his performance as a “net success”.

These last two performances have shown signs of promise and he must now prove that he can provide quality performances on a consistent basis.

Helping Rangers to qualify for the group stages of the Champions League with two more brilliant displays against PSV will only help his cause as he bids to earn a permanent £5m move to Glasgow.

Leeds United are interested in a deal to bring Raphael Guerreiro to Elland Road this summer.

What’s the talk?

That’s according to Dean Jones, with the transfer insider revealing in a recent interview with GIVEMESPORT that, despite the Borussia Dortmund left-back having been linked with the likes of Manchester City in the current transfer window, Victor Orta is also considering a move for the 28-year-old in the coming weeks.

Earlier reports suggested that the Bundesliga side would be willing to part with the Portugal international for a figure in the region of €25m (£21m) this summer, a fee that would appear to be well within reach for the Whites.

Regarding Leeds’ interest in the defender, Jones said: “Raphael Guerreiro is a name I’ve heard mentioned. There are a few that they’re looking at. It might be that they end up doing a loan or something from one of Europe’s bigger clubs once they know that there are people that don’t fit into the plans elsewhere.”

“Makes things happen”

Considering just how talented a full-back Guerreiro undoubtedly is, it is not difficult to see why the reigning Premier League champions were interested in his signing this summer, nor is it hard to understand why Orta is believed to be keen on a deal to bring the 56-cap international to Elland Road prior to September’s transfer deadline.

Indeed, with it being well known that the Whites’ director of football is looking to add a new left-back to Jesse Marsch’s first team squad in the coming weeks – with both Junior Firpo and Stuart Dallas currently being ruled out due to injury – there would not appear to be many better options than the Dortmund defender.

According to FBref, the £22.5m-rated talent ranks in the top 5% of full-backs in Europe’s big five leagues and European competitions for non-penalty goals per 90, as well as the top 4% for shots, the top 11% for shot-creating actions, the top 13% for non-penalty xG and the top 16% for progressive passes received over the last 365 days.

These metrics clearly prove that Guerreiro – who Edin Terzic dubbed both “amazing” and claimed “makes things happen” – is one of the most deadly European full-backs currently playing the game, with it coming as no surprise that FBref list Manchester City’s Joao Cancelo, Chelsea’s Reece James and Liverpool’s Trent Alexander-Arnold as his most comparable players.

Furthermore, the £57k-per-week defender also ranks in the top 2% of full-backs for progressive passes per 90, in addition to the top 5% for passes attempted, the top 10% for passes completed, the top 16% for progressive carries and the top 19% for dribbles completed over the past 12 months – once again proving his efficiency when bringing the ball forwards for his side.

This is a trait Guerreiro himself commented on in an interview with Bundesliga.com last year, with the Portuguese sensation stating: “My style is to get the ball and build play. I’m a left-back but I often think like an attacking midfielder, in the sense that I try to find passes in between the lines.

“I rarely play the ball backwards. If the pitch is blocked, I try to pass it backwards, of course. But I’m always looking forward. And I’m always looking to find my midfielders, who are in the position to create a chance themselves. My job is to initiate play and to break the lines, and then the other players take care of what happens after that.

“But there are different kinds of left-back. There are those who get the ball and cross it automatically. There are those who always look to take on their man. That’s not my style.

“When I have the ball, I look to create opportunities, I step inside if there are no options on the wing. I also adapt my game depending on the match, and whether my teammates are moving or not. I don’t change my style, but I’m always looking to adapt to the game.”

As such, it is clear to see that Guerreiro would indeed be an amazing player for Orta to bring to Elland Road in the coming weeks, as the left-back undoubtedly possesses the ability to take the Whites to a whole new level in the Premier League this season – and appears to be something of a bargain at £21m.

Liverpool have been verging on a midfield injury crisis since the season began, and now a reliable source has put even more stress on the problems in the centre of the pitch with a Naby Keita contract update.

What’s the latest?

According to Sky Sports journalist Florian Plettenberg, a new contract for midfielder Keita is seemingly not on the table at the moment.

Plettenberg tweeted on Sunday morning:

“Update Keita: Very important game against Man Utd regarding his plans in this transfer window.

“Nothing has changed. LFC wants to extend, Klopp wants him to stay. But talks have stopped, an agreement is not in sight at this stage. He wants to play regularly.”

It’s a blow for Liverpool

At this moment Liverpool are in no position to be allowing more exits from Anfield with nine players already making the move away from the Merseyside giants, especially in the midfield positions that have been considerably weakened with ongoing fitness issues. As a result, the continued doubts surrounding Keita’s future is certainly a blow for Klopp, particularly as he wants him to remain in Merseyside.

Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain, Curtis Jones and Thiago Alcantara are all currently sidelined for the foreseeable future, so unless Liverpool are going to make a last-minute swoop for a midfielder this summer, there is no way they can afford to let go of Keita.

Despite his constant injury problems that have hindered his opportunities to become a consistent feature in the Reds’ midfield three, Keita is a reliable player in the team when fit and replacing that experience in the centre of the pitch will be a struggle over the remaining ten days of the transfer window.

Keita ranks in the top 10% of his positional peers in the top five European leagues over the last year for progressive carries, progressive passes, touches, pressures and tackles, proving that he is comfortably fluent in working to a high standard in Klopp’s pressing machine at Liverpool.

However, the £120k-per-week Guinea international has one flaw in his game and that is availability. Keita has been unavailable on 16 separate occasions ranging in absence lengths between five and 60 days, amounting to 62 fixtures missed so far.

If the powers at Anfield do manage to come to an agreement to extend the midfielder’s contract at the club they will need to take the risk on his inconsistent availability, or commit to making multiple signings in the midfield to ensure they are fully stocked with high-quality players.

With that being said, the contract extension is up for debate as to whether Liverpool really need to extend beyond June 2023, but what isn’t debatable is the fact the club must convince Keita to remain for the last season of his contract unless they find a replacement in the next few days.

An update has emerged regarding Newcastle United’s pursuit of Lucas Paqueta in the summer transfer window…

What’s the talk?

According to 90min, West Ham are closing in on the signing of the Brazilian midfielder after talks with Lyon this week.

The report claims that the Hammers are set to pay a fee in the region of €60m (£51m) for the playmaker, who could now join the Premier League club in the coming days.

This comes after The Telegraph’s Luke Edwards claimed that the Tyneside club had held conversations over a deal for the 24-year-old but did not make a bid.

Imagine him & Alexander Isak

The Magpies must now hijack West Ham’s deal for the Brazil international, as he could be a fantastic signing for Eddie Howe.

Talent scout Jacek Kulig previously described him as a “pure joy to watch” and said that he has a “left foot that could tie a tie”, which suggests that the 24-year-old could be an exciting player for the Toon Army to look forward to seeing in action.

Paqueta is an attack-minded midfielder and he could form an exciting pairing with Alexander Isak, who is on the verge of a club-record deal to join Newcastle from La Liga outfit Real Sociedad.

The Swedish striker is set to arrive at St James’ Park to bolster Eddie Howe’s options at the top of the pitch and Newcastle could get the best out of him by signing a creative midfielder to provide the predator with service.

In the Premier League last season, Allan Saint-Maximin created a team-high seven ‘big chances’ for the Magpies, whilst Bruno Guimaraes was the only central midfielder in the squad (three) with more than one ‘big chance’ created.

Jonjo Shelvey (one ‘big chance’ created), Joe Willock (zero), Joelinton (zero) and Sean Longstaff (zero) all failed to offer significant quality in terms of creating opportunities for their team-mates to score.

Meanwhile, Paqueta created a whopping nine ‘big chances’ in Ligue 1 for Lyon and 10 in the campaign prior, which shows that he is capable of making a huge impact in the final third with his passing. He can create high-quality chances and that is why Isak could thrive alongside him.

Since the start of the 2020/21 campaign, the Real Sociedad dynamo has scored 24 goals in La Liga and, at 22, has time on his hands to develop even further and improve his scoring rate. He will need service to replicate those numbers in England, and signing the Brazilian could provide him with that.

The Lyon playmaker has also scored 18 goals in the last two seasons in the French top-flight, which suggests that he would offer a goal threat to go along with his creativity, another reason why Newcastle must hijack West Ham’s move for him.

Wolves’ potential deadline day move for Metz midfielder Boubacar Traore is still alive, according to a key update from reliable journalist Liam Keen.

The Lowdown: Traore wanted by Wolves

The 21-year-old has burst onto the scene at Metz, shining in the middle of the park, but they could struggle to keep hold of one of their most prized assets.

A move to the Premier League has been mooted throughout the summer transfer window, with Wolves recently emerging as possible suitors for his signature.

With time running out, an intriguing update is now doing the rounds.

The Latest: Move still has legs

Writing on Twitter on Thursday, Keen claimed that there is still hope of Traore’s move to Wolves being completed:

“Latest on Boubacar Traore – deal is not off yet. Wolves and Metz still trying to agree a fee. Traore wants the move and Wolves want a midfielder.”

[freshpress-quiz id=“398117″]

The Verdict: Excellent potential late signing

Traore could be an excellent late piece of business by Wanderers, making their midfield even more formidable, particularly in terms of squad depth.

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At 21, the Metz man would very much represent a long-term signing and he may have to bide his well to play regularly alongside the likes of Ruben Neves and Matheus Nunes.

Leander Dendoncker’s likely move to Aston Villa will leave a gap in midfield, however, and Traore could be the right man to fill it, having averaged 1.6 tackles per game in Ligue 1 last season and earning the label of ‘pressing and dribbling machine’.

Chelsea’s owners ‘did all they could’ to sign West Ham United star Declan Rice over the summer transfer window, according to journalist Simon Phillips.

The Lowdown: West Ham overhaul…

It was quite a busy summer for David Moyes and the east London club as they welcomed a plethora of major signings through the door at Rush Green, including Brazil international Lucas Paqueta in a club-record deal from Lyon.

Along with the South American, Alphonse Areola, Nayef Aguerd, Flynn Downes, Gianluca Scamacca, Maxwel Cornet, Thilo Kehrer, Emerson put pen to paper on permanent moves to the Premier League club.

However, incomings weren’t the only interesting aspect of West Ham’s transfer business, with links surrounding the future of Rice amid Chelsea’s long-standing interest.

The Latest: Chelsea ‘did all they could’ to sign Rice…

Speaking to GiveMeSport, Phillips has now made an interesting claim on the saga.

He explains that Chelsea’s owners personally travelled to the London Stadium in their bid to negotiate a deal for Rice, but it didn’t come to fruition.

Phillips stated of the 23-year-old: “The owners did all they could to try and get him. They went to West Ham, they had conversations about him and I was told that it even went as far as structuring the payments of the deal.”

The Verdict: Warning?

This development perhaps comes as a slight warning for Moyes and West Ham.

Rice’s current contract expires in 2024, and while they have the option to extend it by a further year, the Hammers will need to start becoming competitive in showing to the England star that they can challenge for silverware and Champions League football.

Hailed as ‘sensational’ by members of the media, the Irons will want to do all they can to keep hold of their club captain, who has been their second-highest rated player of a difficult season so far (as per WhoScored).

Manchester City midfielder Bernardo Silva is set for a new round of contract talks, according to reports.

The Lowdown: Uncertain future

The Portuguese’s deal at the Etihad Stadium isn’t due to expire until 2025, but his future has been up in the air ever since expressing his desire to leave the Premier League to move closer to his homeland.

Barcelona were heavily linked with the 28-year-old over the summer and are now believed to be preparing a second approach in January.

The Sky Blues have made revamping the midfield their new transfer priority, and it appears that they will soon find out whether the maestro wants to be a part of their project.

The Latest: Man City to offer extension

According to The Sun, Man City are ‘planning talks’ with Silva regarding his long-term plans as a result of wanting to know where they stand.

It’s reported that the club ‘do not want to lose’ their star, and are going to see whether he would be ‘tempted by a contract extension’ in a bid to secure his services.

The Verdict: Alongside Foden

City are said to have agreed a new six-year deal with Phil Foden, and it would be a huge boost if Silva followed in his footsteps to be the next to put pen to paper.

The Lisbon-born talent, hailed the ‘heartbeat’ of the team by sports journalist Josh Bunting, has clocked up 104 goal contributions during his stay (netting 50 times and assisting 54), highlighting the significant role he plays.

Silva has admitted that he is willing to give his all for as long as he’s with Pep Guardiola’s side, so despite interest, there’s every chance that he could be persuaded to extend his stay beyond the New Year.