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West Bromwich Albion are considering a move to bring Alex Mowatt to The Hawthorns this summer.

What’s the talk?

That’s according to a report by The Athletic, who claim that the new West Brom manager Valerien Ismael is targeting a move for his former Barnsley captain in the summer transfer window.

The report goes on to state that a number of Championship clubs have made contact with the central midfielder regarding the offer of a contract, with the 26-year-old set to become a free agent at the end of the month.

However, The Athletic claim that Albion are the favourites to land the £3.6m-rated man this summer as a result of his ties with Ismael and the Baggies’ status as one of the favourites for promotion.

Ismael would love him

Considering just how important a part of Ismael’s Barnsley side Mowatt was last season, it is clear to see why the Frenchman is keen to bring the midfielder into his West Brom team this summer.

Over his 44 Championship appearances for the Tykes last term, the 26-year-old scored eight goals, registered seven assists and created nine big chances for his teammates, as well as taking an average of 1.8 shots and making 1.5 key passes per game.

The former England U20 international also impressed in more typical central midfielder metrics, making an average of 0.8 interceptions, 1.7 tackles, 1.3 clearances and winning 4.9 duels per league fixture, in addition to touching the ball an average of 60 times per game.

These returns saw the £6.5k-per-week man earn a seasonal SofaScore match rating of 7.10, ranking him as Ismael’s best performer in a Barnsley side who defied pre-season expectations by securing a fifth-place finish in the second tier of English football.

And, with Ismael currently having only Romaine Sawyers and Jake Livermore as options in the middle of the park ahead of next season, central midfield is certainly an area in which the 45-year-old will be looking to strengthen in the summer transfer window.

As such, with Mowatt being available on a free transfer, combined with his brilliant performances for Barnsley and West Brom’s desperate need for reinforcements in the position this summer, a move by Albion for the man Steve Evans dubbed a “special” player would appear to make a great deal of sense, as well as one that Ismael would undoubtedly love to get over the line.

In other news: Ismael must secure bargain West Brom swoop for “fabulous” £3.15m-rated gem this summer

The Birmingham Mail’s Ashley Preece has delivered the latest on Aston Villa’s plans for the January transfer window.

What’s the story?

With Steven Gerrard set to embark on his first transfer window as Villa’s new boss, all eyes will be on how the former Liverpool captain goes about strengthening his squad as they look to enjoy a more successful second half of the season in the Premier League.

According to Preece, there is one position in particular that the Midlands club are particularly keen on reinforcing.

He said: “A box office signing is exactly what Villa want but they want to make it the right one. Background checks happening all of the time. You make a fantastic point re to a Phillips-esque signing and that’s what Villa are after – a dogged ball winner who possesses that technical ability Gerrard likes and wants.

“The midfield department will be added to this month, I feel, with scope on really freshening it up in the summer ahead of what’s a huge 2022/23 season, one I expect NSWE to go at it full hammer.”

Villa fans will be excited

If there’s one area of the pitch that you would say is lacking in this current Villa squad, it’s perhaps the holding midfield role.

While Marvelous Nakamba has certainly risen to the occasion in recent weeks under Gerrard’s short tenure as manager, the Zimbabwe international’s untimely injury means that Villa have been left even more short in the midfield engine room than they already were.

Without Nakamba, Villa don’t have another natural ball-winner, so Preece’s claim that the club are targeting exactly that kind of player in the January transfer window is sure to excite fans.

The Villans already boast a number of quality attacking players in the likes of Ollie Watkins, Emi Buendia and Leon Bailey among others, and adding a midfielder who can patrol in front of the back four and break up opposition attacks could hold the key to unlocking that exciting potential further forward.

Meanwhile, Villa must finally unleash this academy starlet; it’s not Chukwuemeka

According to reports by The Athletic’s David Ornstein, reported West Ham target Jesse Lingard has decided that he will not be leaving Manchester United in January.

However, ExWHUemployee has responded to this news, claiming that the mooted transfer is not dead in the water just yet.

The Lowdown: Lingard decides to remain at Man United

Ornstein wrote that Lingard has chosen to remain at Manchester United and intends to battle his way into interim manager Ralf Ragnick’s plans, therefore likely ruling out a move in the upcoming January transfer window.

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This follows The Mirror’s report (via The Independent) which claimed that West Ham are looking to bring in the 29-year-old on a permanent deal in the January transfer window. Lingard has played just 87 minutes of Premier League football this season, having come on as a substitute in each of his eight top-flight appearances.

The attacking midfielder is set to enter the last six months of his contract after talks over a new deal at Old Trafford failed to progress during the summer. However, Lingard looks set to remain at his boyhood club in January, with a move elsewhere proving to be more likely in the summer.

The Latest: ExWHUemployee makes Lingard claim

Despite Ornstein’s announcement, ExWHUemployee claimed on his ‘The West Ham Way’ podcast that both West Ham and Newcastle will still attempt to persuade Lingard to accept a move in the January transfer window.

Taking to Twitter, he said: “It’s a possible option that he was considering. I still think there will be attempts to persuade him otherwise (by us and Newcastle) and hopefully we will succeed but I don’t think he is desperate to go now as options in the summer will be better for him.”

The Verdict: January move unlikely but possible in the summer

It comes as no surprise that the Hammers will continue in their pursuit of the attacking midfielder. The England international enjoyed a fantastic spell on loan at West Ham for the second half of the 2020/21 season, where he scored nine goals and produced five assists in 16 appearances for the club.

Lingard received huge praise after reviving his footballing career, with former Manchester United and Hammers defender Rio Ferdinand describing his stint in London as ‘amazing’.

Despite the Irons’ determination to bring him to the club in January and with Newcastle ramping up their interest, it seems more likely that the 29-year-old will run down his current contract before leaving Manchester in the summer. Where he goes then is the big question.

In other news: ‘I miss this Antonio’ – Lots of West Ham fans react to ‘unreal’ footage shared by the club

With Dean Smith the front runner to become the new Norwich City head coach, there are many questions on how he could develop the talent brewing at Carrow Road.

The Canaries are currently struggling to pick up points in the league, and after their first win away to Brentford, the board pulled the plug on head coach, Daniel Farke, after four seasons. The decision came after a number of poor performances, that has seen some popular players dropped from the team this season, including local talent, Todd Cantwell.

It isn’t completely clear why Cantwell has been dropped to the U23’s as of late, but there have been many rumours surrounding his removal from the first team.

Farke did briefly speak out about Cantwell’s absence after the 7-0 loss to Chelsea.

The German coach said: “The rules are clear for each player. You have to be physically and mentally prepared and show consistency in training and be available. The standards and the levels are the same for every player.”

Meanwhile, the young gem’s former coach Gary Cockaday noticed his ability from a young age, he told The Athletic: “He did things every week that were just special. It was God-given. No one taught it.”

Cantwell reportedly impressed a number of Premier League established clubs in his previous season in the top flight, and has often been the topic of transfer rumours to Arsenal, but nothing materialised, with Norwich not happy to sell for less than £30m.

The 23-year-old midfielder, was previously linked to Villa under Smith after Jack Grealish made his move to Manchester City in the Summer. Speculation suggested that the Villians were poised to make a move for the Norwich star, but after signing his teammate, Emiliano Buendia, for £38M, interest died off.

Dean Smith’s work at Aston Villa with their very own local talent, Grealish, is one of his most famous accomplishments. Guiding the Championship playing teenager into becoming a £100m Premier League player, who is now a household name and starter in the England and Manchester City team.

The £19.8m-rated dynamo displays similar capabilities and positioning attributes to the former Villa coaches prodigy, but has failed to reach his full potential under Farke.

The appointment of Smith at Norwich would surely be of huge advantage to Cantwell, who earns £25k-per-week, with the opportunity to work under a coach who clearly understands how to tap into the potential of a young attacking midfielder needing structure and guidance to elevate their performance and career.

The Canaries are yet to announce their new manager, but are expected to make a decision before the end of the international break.

AND in other news, ex-PL man now the front-runner for Norwich City job…

Tottenham will be without midfielder Oliver Skipp for this evening’s clash with Aston Villa, Alasdair Gold reports.

The Lowdown: Villa looking to bounce back

Steven Gerrard’s side have struggled in recent weeks, losing their last three Premier League games.

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They have dropped into the bottom half of the table as a result, with their most recent defeat coming at the hands of rivals Wolves.

Despite their poor form, Villa know that a win against Antonio Conte’s side will take them back into the top ten, and Spurs have now been handed an injury blow for the clash.

The Latest: Skipp setback

Skipp, who Conte seems to love, has been missing since February, with reports last weekend suggesting he was ‘very close’ to making a return.

However, as relayed by Gold, Conte confirmed that Skipp won’t be ready for the trip to the Midlands due to a setback.

The Verdict: Boost for Gerrard

Of course, seeing a player out with a long-term injury shouldn’t be celebrated, but Gerrard may welcome the news of not having to face Skipp later today.

He was a regular in December and January, with Spurs winning five Premier League games and drawing one. Their unbeaten run came to an end against Chelsea, Skipp’s last game prior to his injury.

Conte will once again have just three central midfield options to choose from, making the latest update on Skipp a blow for Spurs.

In other news: Gerrard tells another Aston Villa star he can leave in shock Bodymoor Heath development. 

Gabriel Agbonlahor has offered his thoughts on why Glen Kamara signed a new contract at Rangers…

What’s the talk?

Former Premier League striker Gabriel Agbonlahor has suggested that Glen Kamara’s new contract at Rangers could include a release clause.

The ex-Villa man has claimed that the agreement could be for him to see out the rest of the season at Ibrox before a club comes in and activates his release clause to take him away from the club.

He told Football Insider:

“Maybe he’s signed a long-term contract but in that there is a release clause.

“He’s helped out Rangers and there may be a release clause for a certain amount of money that helps the club rather than losing him on a free transfer.

“It suits both parties. Maybe he gets a bigger wage until the end of the season and at the end of the season, the club get a bigger fee. It works out for both the player and the club.”

Worry

These comments from Agbonlahor could worry Rangers fans they are accurate. Having a release clause in a player’s contract, unless it is a ridiculously high figure, can cause concern because it could be activated at any time.

Without a clause, the club has all the power to reject offers and keep hold of a player, regardless of what they want to do.

With a release clause, however, there is the chance that they could go at any point.

Gerrard would be concerned by this as it means that he could be losing a top player next summer, if Ross Wilson has agreed a release clause with the Finland international.

Neil McCann, his former manager at Dundee United, once hailed him as being ‘lightning quick’. He said of Kamara: “He isn’t a big, physical lad but he’s made of iron and really strong. I knew immediately that he could handle the ball under pressure and not give it away, so he was perfect.

McCann added: “He’s a special talent. He’s lightning-quick but he doesn’t show it. He’s a player who takes instruction well.”

This gives an insight into the level of quality Kamara possesses, which was in full view last season. In the 2020/21 campaign, Kamara averaged an excellent SofaScore rating of 6.99 across 33 appearances in the Premiership as Rangers won the title.

He has made himself a key member of Gerrard’s team and that is why Rangers fans will be worried if these concerning comments from Abgonlahor turn out to be correct.

And in other news, Wilson must secure Rangers January deal for “natural goalscorer”, fans would love it…

Taking to Twitter, Fichajes reporter Ekrem Konur has made a interesting Tottenham Hotspur transfer claim involving Fiorentina striker Dusan Vlahovic.

The Lowdown: Vlahovic chased by Spurs…

Towards the end of the summer transfer window, reports indicated that La Viola’s star forward was very much a wanted man at Spurs.

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Indeed, talks were apparently held over a move for the Serbian powerhouse and there are claims that a bid was even made to bring him to north London by managing director Fabio Paratici.

Now, Konur has shared some news on Vlahovic in another update involving Tottenham.

The Latest: Konur drops interesting Spurs transfer claim…

Taking to his social media, the Fichajes journalist has made an interesting out-of-window claim with Spurs ‘preparing’ an offer to sign him.

The Turkish reporter says that the Lilywhites and Paratici are currently plotting an eight-figure bid of £30 million for Vlahovic despite some reports indicating he could cost over double that amount (Calciomercato.it).

It appears Spurs are planning to play low ball with the 21-year-old still yet to officially extend his stay with Fiorentina.

The Verdict: Certain rejection…

If Tottenham do submit an opening bid that low, we believe it is almost certain to get rejected considering how well he performed in Italy last year.

Vlahovic bagged 21 goals in Serie A alone over 2020/2021, with Italian football expert Conor Clancy calling him a ‘really exciting player’ when he spoke exclusively to The Transfer Tavern.

£30m is an optimistic first offer to say the very least for one of Europe’s hottest young strikers.

In other news: Spurs now want ‘outstanding’ 29 y/o who Pochettino wanted to make one of his highest earners, find out more here.

Get French Football News’ Adam White has hinted Celtic may baulk at Rennes’ £4.25million price tag for Brandon Soppy.

Highly-rated teenage right-back Soppy broke into Rennes’ first-team last season and made 11 appearances for the French outfit.

According to French media outlet L’Equipe, Soppy has entered the final 12 months of his contract and been the subject of interest from Scottish Premiership giants Celtic.

But the report claims Celtic are not Soppy’s only suitors, with newly-promoted Premier League outfit Watford and Udinese, of Serie A, also keen on the talented youngster.

The 19-year-old has won five caps for France’s under-18 side and, with him liking to get forward to create chances, could give new Celtic boss Ange Postecoglou an exciting full-back alternative.

Having made a disastrous start to the new season by already crashing out of the Champions League and losing their opening Scottish Premiership clash of the campaign at Hearts, Celtic have bounced back by beating Jablonec in the first leg of their Europa League qualifier and hitting Dundee for six.

But French football expert White believes Soppy may not be heading to Parkhead as they look to build on their return to form.

He told The Transfer Tavern: “Soppy would be an interesting signing for Celtic. They made a €1.5million bid last summer and lots of clubs are keen.

“Roma and Spartak Moscow were interested in January and Udinese and Watford want him at the moment.

“Rennes want €5million for him, which is probably quite a high fee for Celtic to spend on a young, unproven player like him.”

Newcastle made the decision to sack Steve Bruce last month and recently named Eddie Howe as his permanent successor.

The ex-Bournemouth coach is set to take charge of his first game against Brentford in the Premier League this weekend and will be going in search of the club’s first win of the season.

They are currently 19th in the table and on five points after 11 games and have six weeks before the January window opens. This means that the head coach may need to dip into the academy side to bolster his squad in the short term if he believes he needs an injection of enthusiasm in the team.

Almiron 2.0

One player who Howe could look to bring up through the ranks is 17-year-old gem Jay Turner-Cooke. The attacking midfielder could be Miguel Almiron 2.0 for the Magpies, with both players left-footed forwards able to play in the number 10 role or out wide on the right. Despite being 27, Almiron plays with youthful enthusiasm and that is what Turner-Cooke could provide given his tender age.

Newcastle snapped him up from rivals Sunderland in January, pinning him down to a three-year professional contract after a public spat with Lee Johnson’s side.

His father, John Cooke, was let go by the Black Cats earlier this year without any public message from the club despite 35 years of service from the kit man. This led to Turner-Cooke hitting out at Sunderland earlier this year.

The Daily Mail quotes the academy prospect as saying:

“35 years at the club and no acknowledgement even though he was made redundant 2 months ago. COWARDS. No class, no loyalty, no respect. Hang your heads in shame Sunderland AFC. You know who you are.”

These comments should make the Toon Army who take the rivalry with Sunderland seriously fall in love with him instantly. He was willing to make the switch to St. James’ Park after berating the Black Cats and has also shown enough form on the pitch for the youth sides to suggest that he has the potential to make it in the first team further down the line.

Since arriving on Tyneside, he has scored nine goals and provided one assist in 19 games for the U23’s and U18’s combined. This includes two goals in three games for the former this season despite only being 17, which shows that he is progressing through the ranks at a rapid pace.

Therefore, Howe could unearth a new left-footed attacking midfield option, like Almiron, by offering Turner-Cooke a chance in the first-team.

He may even compete with the ex-Atlanta midfielder for his place, given their similar play styles and positions. It would then be down to the youngster to prove that he can handle the step up to senior football, but his quick progression from the U18s to the U23s suggests that it is possible.

AND in other news, NUFC could make waves with deal for £33.6m-rated tank with “extraordinary physicality”…

West Bromwich Albion manager Valerien Ismael is facing a nightmare transfer scenario at The Hawthorns this summer.

What’s the talk?

That’s according to a Steve Madeley report for The Athletic, who claims that Albion are in desperate need of a new centre-forward ahead of their upcoming Championship campaign. However, without raising funds through the sale of some of the club’s current players, Ismael’s transfer kitty will not allow for a big-money addition to his attacking arsenal in the summer transfer window.

Madeley goes on to state that the most likely way of the Baggies raising money this summer would be by sanctioning the departures of both Matheus Pereira and Sam Johnstone, with it being claimed the pair would bring in over £30m – even at significantly reduced asking prices.

Finally, it is said that, in the event that the Frenchman does not cash in on either of his most valuable stars, he will have to turn his attention to out-of-favour Premier League forwards or an up-and-coming young goalscorer in the transfer market.

Nightmare scenario

Considering just how impressive both Pereira and Johnstone were for West Brom last season, it is undeniable that losing either of the two this summer would put a significant dent in the club’s hopes of securing an immediate return to the Premier League next season.

Indeed, over his 33 Premier League appearances last term, the £13.5m-rated Pereira bagged 11 goals, registered six assists and created a whopping 11 big chances for his teammates, with these returns seeing the £39k-per-week winger earning a seasonal SofaScore match rating of 7.18.

Meanwhile, over Johnstone’s 37 Premier League appearances, the £7.2m-rated goalkeeper kept six clean sheets and made a total of 166 saves throughout the season, with these metrics seeing the £28k-per-week shot-stopper earn a seasonal SofaScore match rating of 7.03.

Unsurprisingly, these ratings saw Pereira and Johnstone rank as the Baggies’ top two performers in the Premier League last season, demonstrating their importance to the team.

However, as Madeley states, with Mbaye Diagne returning to Galatasaray following his loan spell at The Hawthorns last year, it is indeed true that Ismael is short of options in attack ahead of next season. A proven goalscorer very much appears to be a necessity if Albion wish to give themselves the best shot at promotion.

As such, it would seem as if the Frenchman is stuck between something of a rock and a hard place, with the 45-year-old having to decide whether his team’s need for goals is greater than an incredibly solid option in between the sticks or a massive creative influence from the wing – a headache it is certain will be keeping the manager up at night.

In other news: West Brom transfer news confirmed on “exciting” highly-rated gem, fan surely buzzing