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Sheffield Wednesday have been handed an injury boost after Mallik Wilks and Liam Palmer returned to training, according to journalist Joe Crann.

The Lowdown: Absent trio

The League One side secured a 1-0 victory over Accrington last weekend, but were without the services of Palmer, Wilks and George Byers.

Darren Moore confirmed that the latter two had missed out due to sustaining contact injuries, whilst Palmer was suffering from an ear infection at the time, although a positive fitness update has now emerged from Hillsborough.

The Latest: Crann’s update

Taking to Twitter, Crann revealed that the Owls’ two injured players are back on the training pitch and could come into contention for the game against Shrewsbury on Saturday. 

He wrote: “Good to see that Mallik Wilks and Liam Palmer are back training with #SWFC after missing the last game…

“No sign of George Byers yet though.”

The Verdict: Don’t take risks

Wednesday are currently in a really strong position, and whilst it’s a massive bonus for Moore to have his duo return to action, there’s no need to take any unnecessary risks if they aren’t fully ready to participate.

The Yorkshire outfit find themselves third in the table, just five points off the top, and are now unbeaten in their last six league matches.

The Owls are set to take on Mansfield in the FA Cup next weekend, so this would present an ideal opportunity to give the returning players some minutes to save rushing them back and risk making the situation worse than it currently is.

Aston Villa reportedly have an interest in signing Villarreal attacker Samuel Chukwueze. 

The Lowdown: Emery’s transfer connection

Last month, it was announced that Unai Emery is the Villans’ new manager following Steven Gerrard’s departure. The Spaniard left Villarreal to join the Midlands club after having a previous spell in the Premier League in charge of Arsenal between 2018 and 2019.

With the January transfer window on the way, it appears that Villa have their eyes set on reuniting Emery with one of his previous players from the Estadio de la Ceramica.

The Latest: Villa eyeing Chukwueze

According to a recent report from Football Insider, Villa and by extension club owners NSWE have set their sights on Chukwueze and are keeping close tabs on his situation with a potential January transfer swoop in mind.

The report adds that the Midlands club’s interest is “concrete” and that they are doing background checks on the player.

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The Verdict: Exciting for Villa

Hailed as an “exciting” player by Mutiu Adepoju, Chukwueze has found the net 29 times in 178 first-team appearances for his current club, delivering 26 appearances in the process.

With 13 La Liga appearances to his name this season, the winger has racked up more successful dribbles (17) than any other player at Villarreal, along with having the highest rate of shot-creating actions per 90 minutes (4.34).

To further highlight his attacking talent, the Nigerian has the second-highest number of key passes (14) at the club and the fourth-highest rate of shots at goal per 90 minutes (2.34).

Having made more appearances under Emery (94) than any of his other coaches throughout his career, the 23-year-old will know what the Villa boss would want from him if he were to follow his previous manager to England.

Taking all that into account, securing a deal for Chukwueze in the upcoming January transfer window would undoubtedly be a very exciting one for the club and their supporters, given his clear attacking talent.

Wolverhampton Wanderers could be set to lose Adama Traore on a free transfer at the end of the season so the Old Gold will surely regret not cashing in on the winger at his peak two years ago.

The Spain international’s future at Molineux is seriously in doubt, with reports suggesting that Traore’s agent has offered the 26-year-old to Italian giants Napoli and Juventus on a pre-contract deal, despite an offer from Wolves to extend his stay.

Since signing from Middlesbrough in 2018, the electric winger has gone on to make 168 appearances for the Old Gold, in which he has contributed 13 goals and 18 assists.

End product has been a problem for Traore throughout his time at Molineux, with his pace and power promising so much but often resulting in little, particularly in the past two seasons.

However, in the 2019/20 season, the former Aston Villa man was rightly being talked about as one of the top performers in the Premier League, as his four goals and nine assists helped him to an incredible 7.49 average rating from WhoScored.

Liverpool manager Jurgen Klopp was particularly complimentary of the wide man in 2020 after he caused the Reds all sorts of problems with his incredible speed.

He said: “[Traore] is unplayable in moments, it’s unbelievable. What a player – it’s not only him but he’s so good.”

Unsurprisingly, some of the world’s best were linked with Traore that season as teams clamoured for his raw counter-attacking threat, with Wolves reportedly valuing him at an eye-watering £90m.

Unfortunately for the Old Gold, their greed when discussing a reasonable price for Traore has massively backfired, as his performances have massively declined in the past few seasons, with just four goals and two assists to his name in more than two Premier League campaigns.

Even earlier this year it was reported that Traore could join Tottenham Hotspur in a deal worth around £22m but that failed to materialise, and Julen Lopetegui now looks set to be stuck with a wantaway winger in January who will be free to discuss contracts with any foreign club of his choosing, ahead of his likely free transfer exit in June 2023.

Leeds United left-back Junior Firpo has suffered a groin strain but it isn’t expected to be serious, following an update from reliable journalist Phil Hay.

The Lowdown: Leeds training in Spain

The World Cup in Qatar is currently dominating headlines in football, with the Premier League on hold for another three weeks until after the tournament finishes.

Those Leeds players not taking part in the World Cup are in Spain enjoying a training camp, as Jesse Marsch keeps his squad fit ahead of their return to action later this month.

However, Patrick Bamford is set to undergo minor groin surgery in Munich, and another injury concern has also emerged.

The Latest: Firpo suffers groin injury

Taking to Twitter, Hay confirmed that Firpo also has a groin problem, although the defender is not expected to be sidelined for too long.

The journalist tweeted:

“Firpo has a groin strain and is also missing but will join up later in the week.”

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The Verdict: Needs to go up a gear

This is hopefully not a damaging issue for Firpo, who really needs to kick on in his injury-hit Leeds career and hit the ground running once the Premier League starts up again.

He has been a big disappointment since arriving from Barcelona in 2021, failing to score and registering just two assists in 30 Whites appearances to date (Transfermarkt).

Far more is required, both in an attacking and defensive sense, if Firpo is to be retained by Leeds beyond next summer – if he doesn’t earn regular playing time and perform far better, it’s hard to see him having much hope of becoming a long-term stalwart at Elland Road.

QPR have been dealt an early blow ahead of this weekend’s game against Burnley, as the Hoops will certainly be without Ilias Chair after Morocco’s World Cup progression.

The Hoops are yet to appoint a new manager to replace Michael Beale at Loftus Road but whoever takes over will be forced to contend without the influential Chair at first.

After a superb start to the Championship season, which saw the former Stevenage man contribute three goals and six assists in 21 appearances, he was called up to Morocco’s squad for the World Cup by Walid Regragui.

The Atlas Lions have been the surprise side of the tournament thus far as after topping a group containing Belgium and Croatia, they knocked out Spain in the round of 16 on Tuesday to set up a quarter-final tie against Portugal this weekend.

Although Chair is yet to play a single minute of the tournament, he will undoubtedly remain in Qatar until Morocco are knocked out, which means that the £7.1k-per-week earner will not be available when QPR face Burnley at Loftus Road on Sunday, when second-tier football returns after a month’s break.

That is undoubtedly a blow to the Hoops’ chances of beating the league leaders, as Chair has statistically been their best player so far this campaign.

According to WhoScored, the 25-year-old has averaged an impressive 7.11 rating for his performances in the Championship, which ranks him as the number one player for the Hoops, ahead of joint-top scorer Chris Willock.

Former player and Sky Sports pundit Glenn Murray was full of praise for Chair last year as he starred at Loftus Road, hitting nine goals and five assists in the Championship.

Murray said on Sky Sports (via TEAMtalk): “There’s no question about his talent. He’s such an exciting prospect. I noticed him a couple of years ago and he’s the real deal.

“He’s got that low centre of gravity, he can get underneath players but he’s also got vision, he can see a pass and he can score a goal.”

QPR desperately need to rectify their recent form if they are to mount a promotion challenge this season but losing Chair for such a difficult first game back could make things very tough for the new manager, so Hoops fans will be disappointed that the attacking midfielder isn’t available.

Manchester United have wielded David de Gea between the sticks for over a decade, but now appear to be actively scouring the market for a new No. 1 shot-stopper.

What’s the word?

De Gea’s tumultuous United career finally looks to be reaching its conclusion, with the Spanish keeper set to be cast aside if the club forge a successful deal for a top-class replacement.

One option, of the highest calibre, is Slovenian sensation Jan Oblak, who has cemented his role at Atletico Madrid since signing in 2014 from SL Benfica for a reported £12.8m.

Now reports in Spain are reporting that Oblak is United boss Erik ten Hag’s most desired option, with the likes of Yann Sommer and Diogo Costa also being discussed, a deal could be forged ahead of next season, spiralling De Gea’s fortunes at the club into disarray.

De Gea upgrade

De Gea has enjoyed his fair share of success in Manchester, winning the Premier League in his second season and going on to win a further three major honours, as well as clinching the club’s Player of the Season on four occasions. 

However, he has been at the brunt of various criticisms across the past several campaigns, and consequently appears to have lost a once irreplaceable aura at the club.  

This term alone, De Gea’s efforts have been littered with mistakes and poor performances, only returning an average rating of 6.79 on Sofascore, with a save percentage of only 66%.

As per FBref, the 32-year-old does not rank in the top 30% of any goalkeeping metrics on offer, with his highest percentage coming in at 39% for clean sheet percentage, when compared to positional peers across Europe’s big five leagues. 

Oblak has also undergone a dip in performance this season, with Atletico Madrid struggling to reach the heights of the past several years, but after a career of near-unflinching excellence, he would perhaps rekindle his best form with a move away.

However, the 54-cap international has been an iron wall in front of a formidable defence since arriving in Spain, winning the 20/21 La Liga and a further three major honours with the club, despite the influence of FC Barcelona and Real Madrid in the country.

Atletico Madrid boss Diego Simeone once said his esteemed shot-stopper “decides the game like Messi”, following his heroic performance at Anfield in 19/20 when the Spanish outfit sank Liverpool, with Oblak making nine saves.

With his potential addition to the Red Devils, a new air of authority and assurance would be installed into the back, with the “woeful” De Gea, as he was called by Dominic Booth, relinquished of first-choice duty.

On a whopping £375k-per-week, shifting the man between the sticks might also prove a worthwhile deal from a financial standpoint, while Oblak is reportedly on a lucrative deal himself, the funds would be freed to grant him his contractual needs and he’s on over £100k-per-week less than the Spaniard, too.

Oblak should be pursued in the coming months, with Ten Hag looking to stamp his own name into the team, and De Gea, for all his contribution, might finally be draping the curtain on his Man United career.

Leeds United enjoyed a vast transfer overhaul last summer, with Jesse Marsch finally allowed to put his stamp on Marcelo Bielsa’s squad that he inherited.

The American did so in the form of seven new permanent deals, amounting to an outlay of approximately £90m.

The main area that he targeted for improvement was central midfield, looking to share the workload of the departing Kalvin Phillips by adding Tyler Adams and Marc Roca.

Whilst that pair have excelled at Elland Road, the Whites still seem to be lacking some added attacking impetus from midfield.

Instead of once again looking to solve that by investing in the transfer window, though, they could look to their youngsters, just as the American has done on numerous occasions already.

Joe Gelhardt, Crysencio Summerville and Sam Greenwood have all benefitted from Marsch’s regime, and Lewis Bate could be the latest to break through once his loan spell at Oxford United ends.

The 20-year-old is currently enjoying his first full campaign of senior football, having signed from Chelsea in a £1.5m deal last year. To command such a fee at his tender age is indicative of his pedigree.

In just 12 appearances in League One, the on-loan sensation already boasts three assists from central midfield.

It is clear that Bate can become something of a maestro, with an ability to spray passes across the pitch in a manner which belies his fledgling years. This is exemplified in his 82% pass accuracy, which he combines with 1.2 key passes per game.

Bielsa supported this with a statement from 2021, saying of Bate: “He’s a player that is constantly managing the ball and he doesn’t lose it very often. And he’s got a good sense of a pass, he can thread it through the needle.”

To earn a 6.96 average Sofascore rating for his first year in senior football is indicative of the 20-year-old’s maturity and ability, and it could even draw comparisons with England’s World Cup hero Jude Bellingham.

The former Birmingham City star has exploded of late and had impressed at Qatar before the Three Lions’ quarter-final defeat to France.

He was averaging a 7.34 rating, averaging 1.2 key passes per game and a 90% pass accuracy. This was also paired with 3.2 tackles per game (via Sofascore), with the 19-year-old having developed into the perfect all-round midfielder.

Bate still has some improving to do on that front, but his average of one successful tackle per game this season is still admirable.

However, should he keep improving and taking to senior football with such ease, he could soon become Leeds’ very own version of Bellingham.

Glasgow Rangers have been linked with a move for Jobe Bellingham in recent times, although the Ibrox outfit are likely to face competition for the teenager’s signature.

What’s the word?

A report from TEAMtalk last week named the Old Firm giants as one of the clubs who are interested in the 17-year-old, with the midfield having just 18 months remaining on his existing deal at St Andrew’s.

The piece does also suggest, however, that the likes of Newcastle United and Bundesliga side Borussia Dortmund are also firmly in the mix for the emerging Birmingham City prodigy, while Liverpool have also previously been mooted as a possible suitor.

Transfer insider Dean Jones – speaking to GIVEMESPORT – has now provided his verdict on that interest from the Light Blues, with the journalist stating that there would be no harm in making an approach for the Englishman, even if he may be on course to join his brother Jude in Germany.

The respected source stated: “It’s worth a try. I would be surprised if this is the path that Jobe takes, but he obviously has a lot to consider right now.

“And that includes following Jude Bellingham’s path and going to Borussia Dortmund because from what I hear, that is a genuine consideration right now.”

Beale’s first masterstroke

New boss Michael Beale has enjoyed a winning return to Glasgow since his appointment last month, with the former Gers assistant having recorded two wins from his opening two games to somewhat lift the doom and gloom surrounding the club following the dismal end to Giovanni van Bronckhorst’s time in charge.

The former Queens Park Rangers head coach won’t be getting ahead of himself despite that positive start to life in the dugout, however, with the likelihood being that the 42-year-old will have money to spend in the January window in order to bolster his charges.

The Bromley-born ace could well pull off the first transfer masterstroke of his tenure by bringing the aforementioned Bellingham to Scotland, with the highly-coveted figure already making waves south of the border.

Currently following in the footsteps of his brother – who racked up 44 appearances for Birmingham before departing for Germany at the age of just 17 – the promising talent has already made 13 outings in all competitions so far this term at first-team level, notably earning his first start against Sunderland last month.

Although the teen ace has only made a fleeting impression in the senior ranks so far, the signs are already there that he could well be a star of the future, having notably earned praise from manager John Eustace, who stated:

“Jobe is very level-headed, he gets his head down and he works hard. Jobe is an individual who has had a fantastic season until now. We’ve given him lots of minutes and he is developing really well. Obviously we gave him his first start in the league against Sunderland which was a good experience for him.

“Everyone is very proud of Jobe and the way he is getting on with his business. He has only just turned 17 so he is still such a young lad. But even though he’s 17, the way he is handling everything on the training field and off the field is a credit to himself.”

Also lauded as “technically very, very good” by Eustace, young Bellingham is likely a player whom Beale would relish the chance to nurture and develop, with it set to be a masterstroke if he can fend off the competition and get a deal wrapped up in 2023.

Leeds United owner Andrea Radrizzani has ‘dropped a major hint’ that he is ready to sell his share of the club, according to TEAMtalk journalist James Marshment.

The Lowdown: The journey so far

The Italian first arrived at Elland Road in 2017 as he succeeded Massimo Cellino, and the Whites made their return to the Premier League three years later under his reign.

However, Jesse Marsch’s side are currently hovering just  above the relegation zone after an underwhelming start to the season, and this dangerous position could be about to prompt a huge change behind the scenes.

The Latest: Radrizzani to quit?

Taking to Twitter in sharing a corresponding report for TEAMtalk, Marshment revealed that Radrizzani could be set to move on from Leeds at the end of the season.

He wrote: “Andrea Radrizzani will have completed six years as majority #LUFC owner come the summer – but the Italian has dropped a major hint that his time will end this summer.”

Speaking during an interview with Corriere della Sera, the 48-year-old said: “I want to operate as a private equity in sport. Yes, perhaps Leeds can grow further, but in the future, they will need more resources to be able to reach higher levels and compete with the best clubs in the Premier League.

“As a result, I believe that, due to the history of the club and the respect I have for the fans, it is right to let those who can invest more than me go forward, and bring them to the glory of the past. There is also a design aspect: this is my sixth year, change is healthy.”

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The Verdict: Could be for the best

Should Leeds successfully stay up, it’s clear that serious investment is needed, and that might only happen with an owner who believes that the club can climb to the next level.

The Yorkshire outfit spent just under £100m during the summer, but following the sales of Raphinha and Kalvin Phillips, the new arrivals have yet to make the same impact.

The Whites may need to create a new identity if they want to push on as a team, and January will present Marsch with the perfect opportunity to continue building his long-term project, regardless of the owner at the helm.

Dean Jones has revealed he got a message within the last 48 hours about how Chelsea target Enzo Fernandez is now agitated.

The Lowdown: Transfer saga continues

Unless Chelsea or Todd Boehly come out and categorically say they won’t move for Fernandez, it appears as though this saga will drag on for the entirety of the summer.

This is because according to Benfica’s manager, Chelsea were seemingly telling Fernandez they would pay his release clause, only to then try and negotiate a lower fee which has seemingly left the midfielder far from settled.

It’s been reported that Benfica will not accept anything less than Fernandez’s release clause which is said to be over £100 million, so it remains to be seen whether or not Boehly bends to those demands.

The Latest: Fernandez left agitated

Jones has admitted on The Done Deal Show that Chelsea target Fernandez is far from happy with his current club Benfica over the way they’ve handled his situation amid transfer interest.

(29:20) “I think that Enzo Fernandez, I got a message last night basically just saying, the way this has all turned out has left the player himself pretty agitated.

“He’s frustrated that Benfica more than Chelsea have put him in this situation where he can’t leave.”

The Verdict: Chelsea must pay the release clause or move on

It showed last night that Chelsea and Graham Potter are in need of some reinforcements this month as a whole load of the players that came off the bench against Manchester City were just teenagers, compared to their opponents who were able to call upon the likes of Jack Grealish and Riyad Mahrez.

Therefore, if Chelsea are so desperate to land Fernandez, who has indeed only played 14 games of league football in Europe during his career, then they will have to quickly shell out for his monster release clause or move onto someone else.

This is because it will be of no benefit to Potter if Fernandez is pursued all window, no other midfield targets are recruited and then it gets to the final days and Benfica turn around and say they won’t talk to Chelsea anymore and don’t budge on the release clause as the Blues will just be hamstrung for the second half of the season.