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Jefferson Montero finalised a loan move to West Brom from Swansea on deadline day as Baggies boss Darren Moore made multiple additions to his promotion-pushing side – the Swans, meanwhile, must have forgotten to put out the welcome mat and made zero signings, instead letting four leave.

The Ecuadorian has bags of pace and a decent end product but hasn’t started a game under Graham Potter this season, making all of his league appearances off the bench.

Entering the fray just before the hour mark against Birmingham on Tuesday, the winger teed up Oli McBurnie for his side’s second but just days later he’s no longer a Swansea player.

Thogden has ranked his top 5 sets of Championship away fans for Pl>ymaker FC. Did your club make the list? Find out in the video below…

The 29-year-old arrived at the Liberty Stadium in 2014 from Mexican outfit Morielo and has gone on to make 84 appearances for the Welsh outfit, chalking up two goals and 14 assists.

Despite that pretty dismal return, the 64-cap international offered a different dimension to the Swans attack and the decision let him go, particularly to a promotion rival, seems a bizarre one.

Swansea have also offloaded Wilfried Bony and Tom Carroll for the remainder of the season, who will join Al Arabi and Aston Villa respectively.

Here’s how the Liberty Stadium faithful reacted to Montero’s exit…

Transfers are never guaranteed to work out in football and failed deals have stung Sunderland more than most in recent years.

The Black Cats suffered back-to-back relegations from the Premier League and the Championship to end up in League One in 2017, as they were unable to bring in the players they needed to avoid the drop on both occasions.

However, they have also made some excellent decisions in the transfer market over the years and deserve credit where it’s due.

Blinder on Wickham

One player the club managed to pull a blinder with was centre-forward Connor Wickham, as Dick Advocaat sold him to Crystal Palace for £9m (Transfermarkt) in 2015.

The Black Cats brought him in from Ipswich for £8.1m in 2011 and he scored 15 goals and provided four assists in 91 outings for the side. This included ten Premier League goals in his last two top-flight campaigns, scoring five in 15 and five in 36 before leaving for Selhurst Park.

Sunderland got almost 100 games of service and a number of Premier League goals out of him before making a, albeit small, profit on him. Whilst this is evidence enough to suggest that it was a good deal by the club, what has happened to Wickham since leaving has proven that they played a blinder with his sale.

His career has flopped as he only played 50 times in six seasons for Palace. After playing 21 Premier League matches in his first campaign for the club, he never made more than eight in another season for the Eagles as he scored three league goals in his final three years in London.

He ended his disastrous spell by leaving on a free transfer in the summer of 2021. Championship Preston then picked him up for nothing later that year before landing at his current destination – MK Dons.

The 6 foot 3 forward, who journalist Dom Howson previously dubbed a “unit”, has beaten the goalkeeper only once in nine League One outings for the Buckinghamshire side after joining on a free transfer from Preston, as he has failed to get himself back on track.

The Athletic previously ran a story explaining when players typically peak in each position and for centre-forwards it is said to be around the age of 27, heading into their 30’s. Thus, with Wickham now 29, it’s obvious things haven’t turned out well for him.

Instead of finding his best form, Wickham’s stock is now at the lowest point of his entire career. At the time of writing (28/03/22), Transfermarkt value him at a measly £720k, which is significantly lower than the £9m Sunderland received from Palace for his signature. It is also lower than the £900k he was valued at whilst playing for Ipswich at the age of 16, illustrating just how far he has fallen from grace.

Therefore, Sunderland played a blinder with him as they made a profit on the fee they paid to the Tractor boys and got him out of the door before his career went tumbling downhill.

He failed to fulfil his potential and the Black Cats did not feel the effects of his failure as they cashed in on him at the perfect time.

AND in other news, Forget Defoe: Sunderland must now swoop for teen prodigy with 21 goals in 13 games…

Manchester United will face Aston Villa for the second time this week after beating them at Old Trafford in the FA Cup last Monday.

This evening they travel to Villa Park in the Premier League, and Red Devils interim manager Ralf Rangnick has taken to his pre-match press conference to reveal a huge injury boost ahead of kick-off, with four regular starters returning to the squad after injury problems.

The German confirmed the availability of Jadon Sancho, Harry Maguire, Cristiano Ronaldo and Phil Jones after they all missed the FA Cup game on Monday night.

He revealed on Friday: “I think they will be available, they only trained yesterday for the first time, Cristiano yesterday, Harry the day before yesterday. We have to wait for the final session this afternoon but as it seems right now, they should be available for tomorrow.”

Fans will be buzzing

It’s no secret that Ronaldo in particular is a fan favourite, so his presence back in the starting line-up will surely leave supporters buzzing after the manager’s admission on Friday. He is also their leading scorer this season by some distance, so his return could be decisive.

Jones had an impressive game against Wolves 12 days ago, while Maguire’s 2.6 headers won per match makes him the squad’s biggest aerial threat. While Sancho’s output has been minimal in terms of goals and assists, his return nonetheless offers United another option in attack.

Rangnick has only lost one game since he was appointed as interim manager in late November, but with their last Premier League match ending in a 1-0 defeat to Wolves at Old Trafford, the 63-year-old will surely be hoping to continue the winning momentum after Monday night’s cup win over Steven Gerrard’s side.

United are chasing down a top four spot but are currently seventh in the Premier League after an inconsistent start to the season which has seen them pick up only nine wins, four draws and six losses so far. However, being away from home doesn’t seem to faze them, as four of their nine top-flight victories have been earned on the road.

Their chances of making that five out of 10 would appear to have been greatly boosted by the availability of Maguire, Jones, Sancho and especially Ronaldo, and Rangnick will no doubt be delighted to have such an abundance of options to call upon at either end of the pitch this evening.

In other news: Rangnick could make huge first transfer window coup with this midfield beast

Antonio Conte is reportedly very keen on signing Adama Traore for Tottenham Hotspur.

The Lowdown: Off the boil

There is no doubt that Traore has gone off the boil this season after his six goal and 12 assist haul in the 2019/20 term, with no goals or assists so far this campaign (Transfermarkt).

He can still be a right menace on his day, as Jurgen Klopp even went as far as to claim that he is ‘undefendable’ after an impressive display against Liverpool at Molineux back in March, and he still averages the most dribbles per game (4.7) out of any player in the Premier League.

Nonetheless, Traore is a unique asset despite his lack of numbers in terms of end product, and so it is no surprise at all to see Spurs interested in his signature.

The Latest: Conte keen

As per The Daily Telegraph, Conte is very keen on a move for Traore, and is a long-term admirer of the Wolves machine.

They cite that the North London club tried to get him on loan in the summer transfer window when Nuno Espirito Santo was still in charge, and now Conte wants Daniel Levy to table an offer that would make the Wanderers think about selling him.

Football.London journalist Alasdair Gold has also claimed that Fabio Paratici is ‘a fan’ of Traore, and so it is a move that certainly looks possible.

The Verdict: Makes sense

Given that Traore is used to playing in a preferred formation should be natural to him.

He is a player that Conte likes, and so the Italian manager will surely already have plans to get the best out of him and suit his style of play, perhaps in the right-wing back role that Victor Moses thrived in at Chelsea.

Nonetheless, with his superior dribbling ability, Traore would offer the Lilywhites something different and more direct going forward, and at 25 years of age, still has a lot of room for improvement.

Of course, he needs to work on being more ruthless in front of goal, but it is no less exciting to see what Conte could do with him on and off the field.

In other news, find out which THFC player Conte is particularly in awe of here!

A number of West Ham supporters are ecstatic after centre-back Kurt Zouma was pictured training outside on Friday.

The Hammers have enjoyed another excellent season to date, proving that last term was no fluke as they look to finish in the top four in the Premier League.

David Moyes has been tested in the injury department of late, however, with Zouma and Angelo Obgonna both out injured, having been the go-to centre-back pairing.

While Obgonna is expected to miss the rest of the season with a serious knee problem, Zouma’s situation looks far more positive, acting as a big boost for West Ham.

On Friday, the club’s official Twitter account shared images of the Frenchman back on the training pitches, suggesting his return to the fold is not too far away.

West Ham fans love Zouma latest

These Hammers fans reacted in delighted fashion to the news on Twitter.

“ZOUUUUUUUUUUUMA”

Credit: @connorahumpage

“Things you love to see big Zouuuuuu is back let’s go lad”

Credit: @DannyMeates8

“TITLE CHARGE IS BACK ON!”

Credit: @billy_grimmel

“What a sight”

Credit: @samthomas97_

“Never needed a player as much as we need Big Zou rn”

Credit: @yshealthyv2

“Zouuuuu I’m so happy we got our main man back”

Credit: @JackSeaward69

In other news, some West Ham fans are excited over a transfer claim that has emerged. Read more here.

Joey Veerman ‘remains high’ on Rangers’ list of transfer targets, journalist Pete O’Rourke has told Give Me Sport. 

The lowdown

The 23-year-old central midfielder plays for Heerenveen in the Eredivisie. He has two-and-a-half years left on his contract with the club and is valued at £6.3m by Transfermarkt.

Rangers may need to seek replacements if some of their existing midfielders are lured elsewhere. The Gers are braced for January interest in Glen Kamara, while Joe Aribo also has admirers from the Premier League.

The latest

O’Rourke told Give Me Sport that Rangers attempted to bring in Veerman last summer, when Steven Gerrard was still their manager, and that the club’s interest hasn’t subsided.

He wonders if the defender’s Dutch compatriot Giovanni van Bronckhorst might enjoy more success in pursuit of the player, saying: “Veerman will definitely be high on the list of targets. They tried to sign him in the summer and he still remains high on their list of potential targets.

“With van Bronckhorst in there now, I think it just gives extra weight in maybe following up that interest in the Dutchman.”

The verdict

Veerman would arrive at Ibrox with some pretty glowing endorsements. Dutch coach Robert Molenaar has called him ‘extremely good’ on the ball, adding that he plays like he’s ‘on a square in [the village of] Volendam’. Meanwhile, former Rangers defender Michael Ball has said that ‘his numbers are fantastic’.

Ball is right to do so – Veerman has been directly involved in nine goals (scoring three and setting up six) in 15 league appearances in 2021/22. He also ranks in the Eredivisie’s top six for chances created per 90 minutes with 2.4 (via WhoScored).

Hopefully O’Rourke’s suspicion that Van Bronckhorst’s arrival at Rangers could be a substantial step towards persuading the 23-year-old to make the move to Ibrox, especially if Aribo moves south of the border.

In other news, this Rangers trio struggled against Hearts

Inter Milan defender Stefan de Vrij is keen to talk to Tottenham ahead of a possible January window transfer, Football Insider report.

The Lowdown: De Vrij’s comments

De Vrij has been linked with a move to north London following Antonio Conte’s arrival in north London.

The Dutch centre-back, on £116,000-a-week, worked with Conte at Inter Milan for two years between 2019-2021, winning the Serie A title in Conte’s second season.

He made 66 Serie A appearances in those two campaigns and it seems as if he is keen on talking to Spurs chiefs ahead of a possible reunion with Conte.

The Latest: Source shares update

Football Insider shared a story on Monday morning after being informed by a source close to the situation.

They claimed that De Vrij is aware of Tottenham’s interest and is personally interested in talking to Spurs with a January move labelled as possible.

The Verdict: If it’s what Conte wants…

Conte has five senior centre-backs to choose from at this moment in time, however, he’s selected left-back Ben Davies alongside Eric Dier and Cristian Romero in his first two games in charge.

That’s meant no place for Davinson Sanchez, Japhet Tanganga or Joe Rodon, so if Conte wants a new centre-back in January, that’s what Spurs chiefs should give him.

All signs are pointing in a positive direction regarding a reunion between De Vrij and Conte, so it could be time for Daniel Levy to get the chequebook out and make the 29-year-old the first marquee signing of Conte’s era in charge.

In other news: ‘Complete and utter nonsense’ – 48 y/o fumes at ‘ridiculous’ thing Conte has done at Tottenham. 

Liverpool midfielder Fabinho is available for his side’s huge Premier League clash with Manchester City, journalist David Lynch has confirmed.

The Lowdown: Biggest game of the season

The Reds take part in one of the biggest games in Premier League history on Sunday afternoon, heading to the Etihad for a top-of-the-table clash.

Just one point separates City and Liverpool currently and Jurgen Klopp’s side know that victory will put them in pole position to win a second title in three seasons.

Fabinho picked up a head injury in Tuesday’s 3-1 win at Benfica in the Champions League, leading to concern over his involvement in the weekend action.

The Latest: Fabinho passed fit

Lynch has allayed those fears, however, confirming in an article for Anfield Watch that the Brazilian is fit for selection:

“It was still feared that Fabinho might fall foul of concussion protocols subject to further examination. However, it is understood that the Brazilian ultimately did not require further treatment, other than to the minor cut he sustained.

“And, with the club’s medical staff confident a concussion was avoided, he has been given the all clear to train ahead of this weekend’s trip to the Etihad Stadium.”

[web_stories_embed url=”https://www.footballtransfertavern.com/web-stories/latest-liverpool-transfer-news-27/” title=”Latest Liverpool transfer news!” poster=”” width=”360″ height=”600″ align=”none”]

The Verdict: Vital news for Liverpool

This is an enormous boost for Liverpool, with Fabinho arguably the world’s best defensive midfielder currently, averaging 1.6 tackles and 1.7 interceptions per game in the league this season and being hailed as ‘world-class’ by Thiago.

His presence in front of the defence is absolutely vital, with his influence in the spine of the team almost as big as Alisson’s in goal or Virgil van Dijk’s at centre-back – Klopp doesn’t have another natural number six to call on.

Fabinho is a shoo-in to start on Sunday and he will have a massive job on his hands extinguishing the threat of the many creative players City boast in central areas, from Bernardo Silva to Kevin De Bruyne and Phil Foden.

In other news, Liverpool are eyeing up a move for a defender this summer. Find out who it is here.

Newcastle United target James Tarkowski wants to move to St James’ Park during the January transfer window, The Telegraph’s Luke Edwards says. 

The lowdown

The journalist reported as far back as 9 October that the Burnley defender was expected to become one of the first signings of the new regime. Tarkowski is valued at £19.8m by Transfermarkt but, significantly, his £50,000-per-week contract at Turf Moor expires at the end of the season.

Newcastle and Burnley are currently level on 11 points, with both sides in the Premier League relegation zone, although the Clarets have two games in hand.

The latest

In addition to his compatriot Kieran Trippier, Edwards has said that Tarkowski is keen to join the Magpies.

He tweeted: “I wouldn’t get Trippier printed on the back of any #nufc shirts just yet but this looks like a goodbye to me. As for Tarkowski, he’s not exactly playing his best games for Burnley at the moment. I’m told he also wants to come to #nufc but Burnley very reluctant to sell”.

The verdict

It isn’t all that surprising that Tarkowski would want to make the switch. While Burnley are in a marginally better position right now because of their games in hand, he could be looking at the trajectories of the respective clubs.

Sean Dyche’s side flirted with relegation last season, ultimately finishing 17th, and they’re hovering in dangerous territory at the moment. Newcastle, on the other hand, have recently become one of the richest clubs in world football and will hope to assemble a squad this month which can charge up the table.

If they do survive this time around, they can begin to think about establishing themselves as a top-half club in the next couple of seasons. Why wouldn’t Tarkowski want to be part of that prospective revolution?

In other news, a journalist has revealed the latest on this Newcastle midfield target

Many Liverpool fans think Fabinho has dropped a hint that he’ll be starting against FC Porto on Wednesday night.

The Reds are set to face the Primeira Liga outfit on Matchday Five of the Champions League group stages.

They’ve already secured top spot in Group B after picking up maximum points from their first four fixtures. Effectively, then, the game is a dead-rubber.

Midfielder Fabinho posted a matchday graphic on his Instagram story on Wednesday morning.

Why might Liverpool fans not want Fabinho to start?

In theory, this game is an opportunity for Jurgen Klopp to take key players out of the firing line. They can rest and avoid the risk of injury.

Fabinho is a key man at Anfield. He’s started all but one Premier League game for which he was available this season.

In fact, compatriot Alisson has declared him the ‘most important’ figure in the Liverpool team.

Last season, Diogo Jota started for the Reds in a similar situation against Midtjylland and sustained an injury that ruled him out for nearly four months.

Fan feed Watch LFC posted a screenshot of Fabinho’s story, and here’s what supporters had to say.

Liverpool fans urge Klopp not to start Fabinho

“Hope not. Need him for Saturday. Not a dead game.”

Credit: @adam220202

“Hope not”

Credit: @97HassanM

“Pointless”

Credit: @KP07_

“This is really stupid of Klopp”

Credit: @Namaseb

“Whyyyy?!”

Credit: @Inspired_King

“Hope not…”

Credit: @adityaj0501

In other news, fans react to Fabrizio Romano’s contract news.