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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.

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 Gabby Agbonlahor believes Leeds United boss Marcelo Bielsa may walk out at Elland Road, Football Insider report.

The Lowdown: Elland Road source

Football Insider provided an update on the 66-year-old’s future earlier this month. They were informed by an Elland Road source that there is a ‘growing expectation’ among the Leeds hierarchy that Bielsa won’t return to take charge of a fifth campaign.

Leeds have won just three of their 15 Premier League games this season and currently sit six points above the relegation zone.

Bielsa’s future is thought to be up in the air with Victor Orta compiling a shortlist of possible new managers.

The Latest: Agbonlahor’s comments

Agbonlahor, who regularly features on talkSPORT, was talking to Football Insider about that source’s claim.

He was asked if he thinks this could be the end for the Argentine, who he called ‘outstanding’, to which he said:

“That is a tough one, they will look at the end of the season.

“If Leeds finishes lower than they did last season he might think ‘I’ve taken this team as far as I can. I haven’t been given the investment that other teams have’. He may choose to walk then.

“It’s very tough to predict but if I was Leeds I would be doing everything I can to make him stay because he’s an outstanding manager.

“No other names really jump out at you for Leeds.”

The Verdict: Is the end near?

Leeds fans will, unfortunately, have to realise that Bielsa won’t be around at Elland Road forever.

Should the Whites fall way short of their 59-point tally from last season, then perhaps Bielsa will in fact feel he has taken the club as far as possible and walk out, as Agbonlahor mentions.

Hopefully, though, Bielsa can steer the Whites way clear of any relegation troubles over the coming months and go on to enjoy a solid second half of the season, which could possibly persuade him to have one more year in Yorkshire.

In other news: 49ers not wasting time – Leeds now plotting January action as Elland Road insiders share news.

Leeds United are indeed keen on signing Huddersfield Town midfielder Lewis O’Brien, according to reliable reporter Phil Hay.

The Lowdown: O’Brien links

Alan Nixon of The Sun stated on Sunday that talks regarding a move for the 22-year-old intensified over the weekend, with Leeds needing to pay £10m for the central midfielder.

O’Brien is thought to be keen to make the move across Yorkshire if a fee can be agreed, with a central midfielder a ‘priority’ for the Whites this summer.

The Latest: Hay confirms

Hay shared a transfer mailbag on The Athletic on Wednesday morning.

Within his report, he spoke out on the failed move for Chelsea midfielder Conor Gallagher, who opted to join Crystal Palace before revealing that ‘the links to Huddersfield Town’s Lewis O’Brien are true’ – a significant nine-word admission.

Hay added that Marcelo Bielsa was at Huddersfield’s Carabao Cup clash with Sheffield Wednesday on Sunday, where O’Brien scored the winning penalty for the Terriers past former Whites goalkeeper Bailey Peacock-Farrell.

The reliable reporter admitted that a possible move is one to keep a close eye on, although a transfer hasn’t progressed towards completion so far.

The Verdict: Bielsa knows best

If Bielsa liked what he saw in O’Brien over the weekend and wants the club to secure his services, then Leeds should do everything they can to grant the manager’s wish, even if it means forking out £10m.

That figure for a player who has never turned out in the Premier League and has 12, possibly 24, months remaining on his Huddersfield deal seems extreme, but the Whites are running out of time to bring in midfield reinforcements with the transfer window closing at the end of this month.

We’ve seen what Bielsa can do with players who are not exactly household names, such as last season’s Player of the Year Stuart Dallas, so bringing in O’Brien – who can play as a central or attacking midfielder – could prove a smart piece of business in the long run.

In other news: Source close to Matheus Pereira shares chances of Leeds United move

Leeds United manager Marcelo Bielsa could finally wave goodbye to Helder Costa this summer amid reports linking the club with a move for VfL Wolfsburg star Josip Brekalo.

What’s the story?

With Football Insider having claimed earlier in the year that Leeds are open to offers for the £70,000-a-week ace this summer, it seems unsurprising that the Whites appear to have their eye on a new winger.

According to German publication Bild, Brekalo’s performances have caught the eye of Bielsa, but the Whites are likely to face competition from the likes of Serie A trio Napoli, AC Milan and Fiorentina.

Bye-bye Costa

Costa endured a nightmare campaign in the Premier League last season for Bielsa’s side, scoring just three times and providing only three assists in 22 games in the division.

After a particularly disappointing display against Liverpool, former Leeds striker Noel Whelan slammed the Portuguese ace. He told Football Insider: “The one player that disappointed me was Helder Costa. Once again he was poor. There is something there that is not right because Poveda came on and did more in that short time than Costa did in the 60 minutes he was on the field.

“He is fourth in the pecking order in terms of wingers for me. Poveda has to come before him now. He plays it safe and he’s negative. For a player that cost £16m, I need to see a hell of a lot more from him. At least Poveda runs at people. He is positive and that is what a winger should do. Costa has been a massive flop. A real disappointment again.”

In Brekalo, Leeds could find someone who would prove to be a real upgrade on Costa and give them much more of a consistent end product at the top end of the pitch.

[snack-amp-story url=”https://www.footballfancast.com/web-stories/leeds-united-marcelo-bielsa-transfer-gossip-rumours-news-elland-road-rodrigo-de-paul” title=”Read the latest Leeds transfer rumours and news!”]

The Croatian bagged seven goals and set up another three in 29 games in the Bundesliga, including a superb hat-trick in his penultimate game of the season against Union Berlin.

Able to play on either flank like Costa has done for Leeds, Brekalo could come in and be a fine replacement for the Portuguese winger, thus allowing the Whites to get rid of someone who just hasn’t produced the goods often enough.

Meanwhile, Leeds are eyeing this Copa America star…

West Ham will be looking to continue their unbeaten start to the 2021/22 season when they make their Europa League group stage debut later today.

David Moyes’ side head to Croatia to face Dinamo Zagreb and they are not a side to take lightly, having knocked the Irons’ rivals Tottenham Hotspur out of this very competition in stunning fashion last season.

And the Scotsman has plenty of crucial decisions to make, especially with the small matter of facing league leaders Manchester United on Sunday afternoon in the Premier League in his thoughts.

None of his summer additions have made their full debuts, so this encounter could represent an opportunity for a shuffle to the starting XI, affording some key names a bit of rest as the games start to come thick and fast.

One player who underwhelmed during the Hammers’ draw with Southampton at the weekend was Said Benrahma. The winger started the season on fire, providing two goals and two assists across their opening two games but is yet to record any more since.

At St Mary’s, he struggled to have much of an influence on the game and lost the ball more than any other West Ham player (16 times), so perhaps he could do with a little refresh before the weekend.

In his place, Moyes should unleash his new playmaker, Nikola Vlasic, who made a cameo from the bench at the weekend.

He could prove to be a game-changing influence, in more ways than one.

The Croatia international will be heading back to his home country, where he once played for Zagreb’s top-flight rivals Hajduk Split. He has come up against the league giants on 14 occasions, so that experience could be crucial in what could be a hostile atmosphere.

Furthermore, the £27m-rated maestro will offer the Hammers some much-needed creativity, perhaps something they lacked in abundance during the Saints stalemate.

Last season at CSKA Moscow, Vlasic delivered 11 goals and five assists, adding to his 17 direct contributions in 2019/20, whilst the 23-year-old averaged a whopping four shots and 2.8 key passes per league outing, via WhoScored.

By comparison, his predecessor, Man Utd loanee Jesse Lingard, averaged just 2.6 shots and 1.1 key passes per game, also per WhoScored.

Moyes has already talked up Vlasic’s presence on the training pitch, so it’s surely time to see what he can do from the off.

“We’ve been really impressed by Niko. His attitude as a professional is first-class,” the Irons boss told the club’s official website before later adding:

“He can play 7, 10 or 11, so can play several roles for us which is important, and will be important through the season, but we also want to give him the chance to adapt and adjust. He’s only been really impressive since he’s been at the Club and we’re really hopeful that he’ll turn into a really good player for us.”

It’s time to see what Vlasic can offer West Ham and there won’t be a better environment to do it than in his home country. Moyes must turn to the Croatian playmaker over Benrahma.

AND in other news, Signed for £15m, now worth 140% more: Moyes struck gold over “unplayable” West Ham gem…

Some Liverpool supporters absolutely love Jurgen Klopp’s comments regarding Trent Alexander-Arnold playing in midfield in the future, as the manager spoke in theÂbuild-up to Sunday’s clash with Leeds.

The 22-year-old has blossomed into one of the most exciting young players in Europe, having jumped from academy prospect to superstar at Anfield in recent years.

Alexander-Arnold has made the right-back spot his own under Klopp – although he is not first-choice for England – registering 45 assists for the Reds and showcasing outrageous technical ability at times.

[freshpress-quiz id=“359326â€]

The youngster occasionally played in midfield during his academy days and Gareth Southgate decided to play him in that role in England’s win over Andorra during the international break.

Speaking on Friday [via Paul Joyce on Twitter], Klopp made it clear where he will playing Alexander-Arnold, saying it makes no sense to move him from right-back.

[web_stories_embed url=”https://www.footballtransfertavern.com/web-stories/latest-liverpool-transfer-news-2/” title=”Latest Liverpool transfer news!” poster=”” width=”360″ height=”600″ align=“none”]

Liverpool fans love Klopp’s comments on Alexander-Arnold

These Liverpool fans loved what they heard from the Reds boss, taking to Twitter in response to Joyce’s post.

“Shots fired”

Credit: @WEBBZJAY

“Facts lol”

Credit: @_mehussain

“That’s a brilliant quote!”

Credit: @only_lars

“Sometimes I just love this man”

Credit: @bondz1e

“BOOM…”

Credit: @dctwittwoo

“I love this”

Credit: @THIAGOLFC6

“Amen!”

Credit: @aldic2

In other news, some Liverpool fans are unhappy about one player potentially starting against Leeds. Read more here.

Many West Ham United fans have been left to flock to a transfer update on Felipe Anderson.

Speaking on his podcast ‘The West Ham Way’ on Patreon, Hammers insider ExWHUemployee has shared that some teams in Italy are interested in signing the former Lazio ace in the summer window, and claims that David Moyes is not a fan of him.

Since moving to East London for a whopping £34.2m in July 2018, Anderson has not performed to a level that justifies his price tag.

He has only managed to score a mere 12 goals, with ten of those coming in his first campaign, and make a further 12 assists in 72 games in total over all competitions across the last three consecutive seasons (Transfermarkt), and was consequently shipped out on loan to FC Porto in the 2020/21 term.

Nonetheless, if the London Stadium faithful can recoup nearly as much as what they paid for the Brazilian, then that would be good business.

West Ham fans on Anderson transfer update

These Hammers supporters flocked to the transfer update as it was shared on Twitter:

“Get rid soon as possible. Never been a fan from day 1.”

Credit: @charlie16658058

“If we can get £20 million bite their hands off but we need a replacement”

Credit: @PaulMcL66874576

“In Moyes we trust”

Credit: @maggs10

“He ain’t the only one who’s not a fan #sell pronto.”

Credit: @boleynjohnny

“Moyes knows. Talking my language now, bin him. Pay whatever the Italian side wants so they can have him. Just get this lazy waste of space mercenary out of the club”

Credit: @DOWHU_1995

“Thank Christ”

Credit: @ted57211483

In other news, find out what transfer update has left Irons buzzing here!

Leeds United are interested in a deal to bring Matt Targett to Elland Road in the summer transfer window.

What’s the talk?

That’s according to a report by 90min, who claim that sources have revealed Victor Orta is hoping to hijack Newcastle United’s £15m signing of the Aston Villa loanee this summer, by launching an offensive of his own for the 26-year-old left-back.

[snack-amp-story url=”https://www.footballfancast.com/web-stories/read-the-latest-leeds-news-transfer-rumours-gossip-marsch-raphinha-dest-philhay” title=”Read the latest Leeds news!”]

The report goes on to state that both Wolverhampton Wanderers and Leicester City are also keen on the former England U21 international, however, Targett’s preferred destination is thought to be St. James’ Park.

Orta must move

Considering how impressive Targett has been following his January switch to Newcastle, coupled with Junior Firpo’s struggles on the left of the Leeds’ backline following his own £13m move to Elland Road last summer, it is not difficult to see why Orta would be keen on a deal for the Aston Villa defender at the end of the season.

Indeed, over his 12 Premier League appearances for the Magpies, the £15.3m-rated full-back has been in fantastic form for Eddie Howe’s side, making an average of 2.3 tackles, 1.6 interceptions, 2.3 clearances and 0.2 blocks per game.

The £35k-per-week defender has also impressed in a creative capacity, making an average of 1.3 key passes, 1.6 crosses and 1.8 long balls per fixture, in addition to completing 0.6 dribbles and taking 0.5 shots per outing.

These returns have seen the player who Aaron Stokes dubbed a “tremendous” signing and James Hendicott labelled a “beast” average a WhoScored match rating of 6.99, ranking him as Newcastle’s fifth-best player in the top flight.

Meanwhile, over Firpo’s 19 league fixtures for the Whites, the £10.8m-rated left-back has been rather less impressive, averaging an extremely disappointing SofaScore match rating of 6.59, ranking him as Jesse Marsch’s seventh-worst performer in the division.

As such, it is clear to see that the signing of Targett would be a huge upgrade on the 25-year-old Dominican Republic international, leading us to believe that Orta must do all he can to land the former England youth international this summer.

However, with Newcastle also appearing extremely keen on making the defender’s temporary stay at St. James’ Park a permanent move at the end of the current campaign, the Spanish sporting director certainly has a battle on his hands for the Aston Villa sensation.

AND in other news: Forget Rodrigo: “Pathetic” Leeds dud who lost ball every 2 touches failed Marsch again