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Dean Smith has been told to drop Emiliano Buendia for Aston Villa’s Premier League clash with West Ham United on Sunday.

Birmingham Live journalist Ashley Preece has set out the line-up he believes can end the hosts’ slump.

The lowdown

Villa take on the Hammers looking to halt a run of three consecutive league defeats.

Buendia started his fifth Premier League game of the season against Arsenal last time out, lining-up behind Danny Ings and Ollie Watkins in Smith’s 3-4-1-2.

But he endured a difficult night, squandering a ‘big chance’ to reduce the Gunners’ three-goal lead just after the hour mark, losing possession 14 times and completing only one of his three dribbles. He was replaced by Jacob Ramsey on 68 minutes (via SofaScore).

Sky Sports pundit Gary Neville said that Buendia is ‘not working’ in Smith’s system.

The Argentine, a summer arrival from Norwich City, is Villa’s fourth-highest earner at reported £75,000 per week.

The latest

Preece called for a reversion to a back four, with Matty Cash, Ezri Konsa, Tyrone Mings and Matt Targett protecting Emiliano Martinez’s goal.

In midfield, he wants to see John McGinn, Douglas Luiz and Jacob Ramsey, who ‘deserves a chance to build on his first goal’ against Arsenal.

Provided Leon Bailey passes a fitness test, Preece thinks he should start on the right, Ings through the middle and Watkins out on the left.

The verdict

Buendia did indeed struggle at Arsenal, while Ramsey came on and gave Villa hope by scoring an outstanding goal.

According to ex-Villan Gabriel Agbonlahor, the 20-year-old has been in ‘great form’ this season and adds ‘more legs’ in midfield, implying he is absolutely the right fit if a three-man midfield is selected, as Preece suggests.

Villa are in need of three points to arrest their slide, and so Dean Smith can’t shy away from making big decisions in terms of team selection.

In other news, fans loved this sight in midweek.

Celtic centre-forward Giorgos Giakoumakis has been in exceptional form of late for the Hoops and is finally making a name for himself at Parkhead.

The Greece international has scored nine goals in his last seven matches for the club in all competitions, including two Premiership hat-tricks against Dundee FC and Ross County respectively.

He joined Celtic from VVV-Venlo for a reported fee of £2.5m last summer, and Ange Postecoglou explained why he hit his peak late in his career, saying:

“Giako had a disrupted time in the first few years of his professional career.

“Sometimes when that happens it just means they blossom a bit later and hit their peak a bit later. Hopefully his best years are well ahead of him, not just in the next couple. He had a great season in Holland last year and that brought him to the attention of a lot of clubs, not just us.”

Dynamic duo

No… not Batman & Robin but Postecoglou can form his own defence-fighting duo by unleashing Kyogo Furuhashi and Giakoumakis alongside each other before the end of the season.

Whilst the Greek attacker has been thriving on his own at the top end of the pitch, he could hit another level by forming a partnership with Kyogo upon the Japan international’s return from injury.

He is currently sidelined with a knock but the head coach has hinted that he will back for “the run-in” and this means that he could be available in the final weeks of the campaign. This will be a huge boost for the Hoops, as he scored 16 goals in 24 matches in the first half of the season.

The forward, who was brought in for £4.6m last summer, previously earned high praise from ex-Celtic striker John Hartson. He told The Sunday Post [05/09 print edition, via 67HailHail]:

“There is no doubt Celtic have landed someone quite special in Kyogo. His movement is outstanding.

“It was a pity he couldn’t get more involved against Rangers, but when he moved into the central role, he was an absolute menace to their defence.”

The pair were brought to Parkhead for just over £7m combined and Postecoglou must play them alongside each other up front before the end of the campaign. They have both proven that they can score goals on a regular basis for the club, so imagine what they could do to the opposition when they are both poaching in the box and attempting to get on the end of crosses in the Premiership.

It will give defences two hitman to concentrate on and that could, in turn, mean Celtic creat more chances, leading to confusion and gaps opening up. Instead of being able to focus on marking one deadly striker out of the game, teams will need to deal with two of them and that would result in defenders being dragged around and run ragged if Kyogo and Giakoumakis are on their top form.

AND in other news, Celtic now handed major boost ahead of Old Firm clash, Postecoglou surely buzzing…

West Bromwich Albion are seeking to move striker Kenneth Zohore on before tonight’s deadline, as reported by The Athletic.

The Lowdown: Zohore struggles to make an impact at the Hawthorns

Simply put, the 6 foot 3 Zohore has not enjoyed the greatest time of things since moving to the Hawthorns in 2019 from Cardiff City for an undisclosed fee [BBC].

Failing to pin down a regular starting berth at the Baggies, the Danish forward has mustered just five goals from 23 appearances [Transfermarkt], whilst spent last campaign on loan at Millwall in the Sky Bet Championship [BBC].

The Latest: West Brom make Zohore available

The 27-year-old has now been made available by West Brom after failing to impress recently appointed manager Valerien Ismael [The Athletic].

He is unlikely to complete a move this window, with a lack of suitors waiting in the wings to snap up his services.

No further incomings are set to link up with the Baggies between now and the transfer deadline.

The Verdict: Getting Zohore off the wage bill would make business sense for WBA

If West Brom can drum up any interest between now and the end of the night, shifting Zohore on may be the most beneficial scenario for both parties.

Drawing a blank in the three fixtures he has featured in for his current employers in 2021/22, he may need a change of scenery to get his career back on track [Transfermarkt].

Unsurprisingly, the arrival of Norwich City hitman Jordan Hugill on loan will diminish Zohore’s playing chances even further at the Hawthorns this campaign [West Bromwich Albion FC Official].

Despite this, the Baggies may need to keep a hold of the Denmark Olympic team ace for the time being if no clubs signal their intention to acquire the striker.

In other news, West Brom have been tipped to turn a temporary move into a permanent move for a loan signing by a journalist. Find out more here.

Crystal Palace talisman Wilfried Zaha has long been linked with a move away from Selhurst Park, but pundit Carlton Palmer has tipped the forward to sign a new contract at the club.

What’s the story?

During an interview with Football FanCast, Palmer was asked if a lack of concrete interest could result in the 28-year-old ending his attempts to seal a move to a more successful side, resulting in him putting pen to paper on fresh terms on a transfer at his current club.

“I could see that happening,” the ex-Leeds United player said. “Yes, I could see that happening. If you’re not going to go to a top club, then where are you going to end up?

“So, therefore, you might as well stay at a club where you’re adored, where you’re playing good football.”

Zaha has been heavily linked with the likes of Arsenal, Everton and Tottenham Hotspur in the past and has openly admitted he’d like to play at a higher level, but no transfer has matialised, meaning his long-term future could lie with the south London outfit.

Fans will be buzzing

The Ivory Coast international has spent 11 seasons at Palace split over two spells, scoring 69 goals and providing a further 73 assists in 399 appearances and also inspired the capital club back into the Premier League in 2013.

Last season, Zaha was Palace’s top scorer with 11 strikes, his best-ever top-flight goal return, highlighting his importance to the side as they secured their Premier League status for a ninth consecutive campaign.

However, he then revealed to The Face over the summer that he wants to “win things” before he retires, throwing his future at Selhurst Park into doubt once more.

“I feel like I can have another shot at the top teams because my dream is to win things. I’m good enough to go out there and compete with the best,” Zaha claimed during the interview.

“If the opportunity came, I wouldn’t turn it down, because I feel like I deserve it. It’s so I can show my kids: ‘this is what daddy won’.”

Nevertheless, despite his comments and apparent desire to seek pastures new, no bid arrived during the recent transfer window, and he’s remained a key figure for the Eagles, playing every minute of their season so far.

Zaha has two years remaining on his contract with Palace, but the club’s supporters will surely be buzzing to learn of Palmer’s confidence that their star man may be prepared to extend his time at the club.

And, in other news…Parish must sanction Palace swoop for “powerful” £18m beast, Vieira would love him 

According to Calciomercato, Tottenham have entered the race to sign Chelsea defender Antonio Rudiger next summer.

The Lowdown: Rudiger out of contract

Under Thomas Tuchel, the 28-year-old has developed into one of the Premier League’s best defenders – he has featured in eight of the Blues’ nine Premier League outings this term (Transfermarkt) as they have conceded just three times in the league (Sky Sports), while Bayern Munich manager Julian Nagelsmann labelled his progress as “fantastic” (The Sun)

However, his contract is set to run out at the end of the season, and as it stands, Chelsea and the Germany international are at an impasse with regards to a new deal (ESPN).

The Latest: Spurs want Rudiger

As per this latest report from Calciomercato, Spurs are one of the many clubs interested in signing the former AS Roma centre-back.

They are joined by Juventus, Real Madrid, Manchester City and Paris Saint-Germain in their admiration for the Champions League-winning defender.

The Verdict: Beyond them

While it is ambitious from Spurs to enter the race for Rudiger, it would be a surprise to see him move to north London. For a start, that would represent a significant step down – after all, Chelsea are European champions and currently top the Premier League, while Spurs are sixth and competing in the Europa Conference League, the third-tier continental tournament, this season.

Not only that, the other four clubs in pursuit are more attractive propositions, and not just because of their Champions League presence. The £31.5m-valued defender (Transfermarkt) is said to be looking for £200,000 per week (ESPN) if he is to sign a new deal at Stamford Bridge, which would immediately make him the joint-highest earner at Tottenham – even Harry Kane does not take home more (Spotrac).

Quite frankly, it seems a pipe dream that Rudiger would end up at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium.

In other news, this man wants to leave Tottenham

An update has emerged on Watford midfielder Will Hughes, regarding his transfer to Crystal Palace.

What’s the talk?

According to The Athletic, Crystal Palace are finalising a deal to sign Watford midfielder Will Hughes for a fee that could rise to £10m.

The report claims that the ex-Derby man is now set to undergo a medical and discuss personal terms with the Eagles before being officially unveiled as the club’s latest signing.

Over the moon

Palace boss Patrick Vieira will be over the moon with this news as it means that his fifth senior outfield signing is close to being completed. The club have already brought in Joachim Andersen, Marc Guehi, Michael Olise and Conor Gallagher (loan), with Hughes on the verge of joining them at Selhurst Park ahead of next Tuesday’s transfer deadline.

Vieria will be buzzing because it is a much-needed reinforcement to his midfield options heading into the rest of the season. Gallagher, James McArthur and Luka Milivojevic are currently the only out-and-out central midfield options he has available, with Jairo Riedewald and Chiekhou Kouyate being used in a variety of positions across the pitch.

This means that bringing in Hughes could offer the French head coach more variety in his team selections and allow him to rest players when needed. For example, if one of the starting midfielders suffer an injury or suspension, he can bring Hughes in – or whoever the Watford man displaces – and that allows Kouyate and Riedewald to be used elsewhere if there are other gaps to fill.

In the Championship last season, Hughes averaged an impressive SofaScore rating of 6.98 in 30 appearances as the Hornets finished second in the league and secured automatic promotion to the Premier League.

He averaged 3.1 interceptions and tackles combined per game in the second tier, showing that he has a knack for winning the ball back in the middle of the park.

Vieira would love having a player like Hughes in the middle of the park as his industry and defensive work rate could allow the attacking players more freedom to go and do what they do best.

The Englishman would work his socks off in the engine room to then give the ball to the likes of Wilfried Zaha, Eberechi Eze, Michael Olise and Christian Benteke to score the goals to win matches for Palace.

AND in other news, Palace suffer major blow in pursuit of “explosive” 19-y/o prodigy, Vieira will be gutted…

Pundit Kevin Phillips has been reacting to Leeds United’s interest in Blackburn Rovers midfielder John Buckley, Football Insider report.

The Lowdown: Midfielders wanted

Victor Orta is thought to be ‘busy’ when it comes to searching for midfield reinforcements at Elland Road, with the Whites after RB Salzburg’s Brenden Aaronson.

Leeds have had a £15m bid turned down for the American but are intent on signing the 21-year-old before the end of the month.

Buckley is another player of interest to Leeds, with Burnley also keen on the 22-year-old, who can play as a central, defensive or right midfielder.

The Latest: Phillips reacts

Phillips, who regularly features for Sky Sports, was talking to Football Insider regarding Leeds’ interest in Buckley.

He labelled Buckley being versatile as a ‘bonus’ and labelled a possible deal as ‘big’.

“Blackburn have been in great form this season and he’s been a big part of that. If you get a good player from a club that is flying in the Championship midway through the season you’ve done well.

“He’s a centre-midfielder which is a position Leeds desperately need to strengthen in. He’s versatile as well which is a bonus, so it’s a big signing if they can do it.

“At the end of the day though, it’s always a gamble signing a player from the Championship. It’s a jump to the Premier League. It could be a signing that pays off though.

“From Blackburn’s point of view, there is no way [Tony] Mowbray will let any of those players go on the cheap.”

The Verdict: Shrewd move?

It seems as if Leeds will need to spend big on Aaronson after having a £15m offer rejected. Should they manage to bring the American to Elland Road, then perhaps funds will be limited when it comes to the club’s search for a deeper midfielder.

Buckley could be the perfect addition then considering his £720,000 Transfermarkt valuation, but you’d expect Leeds may have to pay way more than that figure given he has been a regular in an impressive Rovers side this season.

A fee under eight figures could still be a shrewd move in the long run, with Buckley possibly Marcelo Bielsa’s dream player after already playing in eight different positions in 27 games in 2021/22.

In other news: Positive Leeds injury claim regarding two players emerges. 

Aston Villa are open to offers for 2021 arrivals Leon Bailey and Morgan Sanson, according to The Mirror’s Neil Moxley.

The lowdown

Villa paid £25m to sign Bailey from Bundesliga side Bayer Leverkusen just last summer, making him the third most expensive signing in their history, while Sanson arrived the previous January in a £14m switch from Ligue 1 outfit Marseille.

Steven Gerrard is gearing up for his first summer transfer window as Villa manager, having taken over from Dean Smith in November.

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The latest

In a report for The Mirror, Moxley wrote that Villa could ‘surprisingly’ entertain any bids which arrive for Bailey or Sanson, which may come as a shock development given how recently both players came to the club.

Gerrard apparently believes that he needs to improve the quality at his disposal if he is to fulfil his ambition for the Villans to compete with the top teams in England and qualify for Europe.

The verdict

In truth, neither player mooted with an exit has made much of an impact this season.

Bailey has only started five Premier League games, although that’s partly a reflection on his struggles for fitness as opposed to his ability. The Jamaican has been unavailable for 13 matches, and it’s tempting to wonder how differently things might have panned out so far had he enjoyed an injury-free run.

Sanson has started even fewer top-flight games – just three of a possible 32. The Frenchman has been an unused substitute for three of the last four, raising further questions about the level of faith that Gerrard has in him.

Whatever about Bailey, it certainly isn’t looking too great for Sanson’s future in the Midlands judging by this report and his lack of game-time.

In other news, Villa will have to make a decision between two midfield targets

Celtic winger James Forrest has been pictured in training after missing Thursday’s 3-2 win against Real Betis through injury.

The Lowdown: Forrest’s struggles

Forrest has endured a frustrating 18 months at Parkhead under both Neil Lennon and Ange Postecoglou due to injuries.

The 30-year-old missed a large period of the previous campaign with an ankle issue which meant he could only start 12 games in all competitions.

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He has also missed a number of games under Postecoglou with a knee problem, starting just eight fixtures so far this season.

Forrest made way for Liel Abada at half-time against Dundee United last weekend and missed the final Europa League group game, but he could make a swift return to action.

The Latest: Pictured at Lennoxtown

Celtic shared four training images on their official Twitter page on Saturday morning ahead of their clash with Motherwell.

They attached a link for a full training gallery, where you can find Forrest pictured at Lennoxtown in an under-the-radar update.

The Verdict: Timely boost

Anthony Ralston was also pictured back in training, whereas the hamstring injury that Kyogo Furuhashi sustained on Thursday isn’t thought to be serious.

Postecoglou is due a bit of luck when it comes to injuries, so having all three ready to go for a busy few weeks prior to the winter break could be crucial.

It’s good to see that both Forrest and Ralston are back in training, and who knows, that could be the right-sided duo that Postecoglou selects against Motherwell today and possibly even Hibernian in the League Cup final next week.

In other news: Celtic allegedly now looking at signing 34-assist ace in January; he’s his agency’s biggest star

Former Wolves loanee Vitinha didn’t enjoy much success at Molineux last season, as the midfielder was subject to just 22 appearances for the West Midlands club under former manager Nuno Espirito Santo.

The Portuguese youngster failed to impress during an underwhelming campaign as the Black Country outfit finished 13th in the Premier League.

However, upon his arrival at Wolves, the midfielder was showered with praise by executive chairman Jeff Shi, who said:

“Vitinha is a crucial signing and an integral component in our recruitment plan for this summer. He is an exciting and special young talent, with an abundance of technique and creativity.”

Having struggled to make a positive impact for Wolves, the English side refused to take up their £16m option to buy and the 22-year-old subsequently returned to his parent club, FC Porto.

However, the West Midlands outfit may be kicking themselves with Vitinha now starring for the Portuguese juggernaut.

The midfielder has made 40 appearances across all competitions this season for Porto, with six of those coming in the Champions League as the youngster featured in all of his side’s group games before dropping down to the Europa League.

After a slow start to the season where the Portuguese starlet had to prove himself to manager Sergio Conceicao, patience has paid off with the 22-year-old starting 22 of Porto’s 29 league games this term.

Although the quality of the Portuguese top-flight is lower than that of the Premier League, Vitinha has certainly come a long way in a short period of time, with his market value also proving a good indicator of his progress.

When the midfielder made the move to Molineux, he was worth just £4.5m, according to Transfermarkt.

Having registered just one goal and one assist in an underwhelming season, the 22-year-old didn’t see much of an rise in his valuation, with a £1.8m increase.

However, fast forward almost a year and the Portuguese is Porto’s second-most valuable player behind Otavio with a market value of a whopping £21.6m.

Wolves will almost certainly be in the market for a new midfielder this summer with Joao Moutinho’s contract expiring in the summer, while Ruben Neves has been heavily linked with a move away – with Manchester United seemingly the front runners.

Therefore, by paying the £16m for Vitinha, not only could Wolves have secured a future profit but also a long-term successor to Moutinho, which would’ve allowed for recruitment of top quality in other positions to be pursued instead.

Granted, there were little signs from Vitinha that suggested he would be a revelation in a Wolves shirt, however, under new management in Bruno Lage, it would’ve certainly been worth a punt to see if the midfielder could turn around his fortunes at Molineux.

AND in other news: Lage could unearth Wolves’ next £100m talent as Fosun plot offer for 19-year-old “missile”