Aston Villa are reportedly looking into the possibility of bringing in Sporting CP manager Ruben Amorim as Steven Gerrard’s replacement at Villa Park.

The Lowdown: Gerrard shown the door

The Villans’ 3-0 defeat away to Fulham in the Premier League on Thursday proved to be one step too far for Gerrard, who was sacked before he even got back on the team coach.

Since then, numerous names have been linked with coming in as the Englishman’s successor, whether it be Mauricio Pochettino – who is seemingly now out of the running – or Brentford boss Thomas Frank.

Now, a new name has emerged in the race, as the search continues.

The Latest: Villa looking at Amorim

According to The Athletic‘s David Ornstein and Gregg Evans, Villa are in talks with Amorim over the vacant manager’s role.

The 37-year-old is currently impressing at Sporting, where he won the Primeira Liga title in 2020/21, also winning three Portuguese cups – one at Braga and two with his current club.

The Verdict: Exciting young option

Amorim, known for his 3-4-3 system, is an exciting young manager who is clearly making giant strides, so he could be a vibrant option to bring in to replace Gerrard at Villa.

Granted, he hasn’t yet tested himself away from his homeland but he has been likened to Jose Mourinho for his swagger and confidence and potentially has a big future ahead of him.

Whether or not Villa end up bringing in for Amorim remains to be seen but he should certainly be considered a strong front-runner for the job, especially with the big name targets like Pochettino and Thomas Tuchel seemingly out of contention.

Wolverhampton Wanderers forward Daniel Podence has been identified as a target by Premier League rivals Everton, according to reports.

The Lowdown: Neves in the news

Ruben Neves has been the Wolves player most linked with an exit this year, namely to Barcelona, and it sounds like he might not be the only one who could be making a Molineux exit either in January or next summer.

Podence will be entering the final 18 months of his contract come the turn of the New Year, with his future up in the air having not yet signed a new deal, and the Toffees are already plotting a raid to land him.

The Latest: Everton monitoring Podence

According to Football Insider, Everton are ‘interested’ in signing Podence, with the winger being ‘on the radar’ of the Goodison Park recruitment team.

It’s stated that agent Jorge Mendes ‘will look to find a new club’ for the 27-year-old, with there now being ‘growing signs’ that this season could be his last in the Midlands.

The Verdict: Let him go

Podence has been a decent servant for Wolves since joining back in 2020, but with no permanent manager and the league position that the club are currently in, now might be the right time to let him go.

The ‘bright spark’, as dubbed by journalist Josh Bunting, is the Old Gold’s joint highest goalscorer this season but with only two to his name, which proves the lack of clinical edge in the final third.

Wanderers did business with Everton in the summer for the transfer of Conor Coady, and he could soon be reunited with his former teammate should the Merseyside outfit pursue this deal further.

Depending on who the new permanent boss is, the club may see it as an opportunity to shift some deadwood and bring in more clinical attackers.

Manchester United are reportedly keeping tabs on Blackburn Rovers striker Ben Brereton Diaz, with the Chilean attracting interest from across the Premier League.

What’s the word?

According to Football League World, the Red Devils have sent scouts to watch the 23-year-old in action in the Championship in recent times, albeit with fellow top-flight outfit West Ham United believed to be leading the race for his signature at present.

The report suggests that despite the forward’s recent commitment to staying at the club until the summer, Rovers could well be tempted to sell in the winter window were they to receive an offer of around £10m, amid the risk of losing the player for nothing at the end of the season with just over six months remaining on his existing deal.

A further report from 90min has also supported that claim, while also revealing further interest from a number of sides in the top tier – including the likes of Tottenham Hotspur and Aston Villa – as well as a whole host of clubs across Europe.

Ditch Ronaldo

A new centre-forward addition has seemingly become something of a necessity for United boss Erik ten Hag in January, with the club’s attack having become something of a “problem” of late, in the words of Manchester Evening News journalist, Samuel Luckhurst.

The potential main issue in a forward line that has scored just 18 league goals this season – only the 11th-best record in the division – has been that of 37-year-old icon, Cristiano Ronaldo, with the typically prolific marksman having scored just three goals in all competitions so far this term, including just a solitary league strike.

Having seen his reported hopes of a departure in the summer dashed, the five-time Ballon d’Or winner now appears more likely to secure an exit when the market re-opens in the New Year, with recent reports suggesting that the Old Trafford won’t stand in his way if an offer is received.

That willingness to let the 191-cap machine move on has been heightened by the striker’s recent misdemeanours, with Ronaldo having refused to come off the bench in the win over Spurs last month, before leaving the ground prior to the end of the match.

With it potentially now time to sever ties with the veteran talent, turning to Brereton Diaz could well prove to be an astute, bargain capture for those at the Theatre of Dreams, particularly amid the uncertainty over their potential budget in January.

While the former Nottingham Forest man is yet to feature in the Premier League in his career thus far, the Stoke-born ace has been in truly lethal form in the second tier of late, scoring 22 goals in the league last season.

That clinical finishing has also been evident this term, with the “extraordinary” gem – as dubbed by former boss Tony Mowbray – firing in nine goals in 20 Championship games, while having also become something of a cult figure on the international stage with four goals in just 14 games for La Roja.

Not just a potent presence in front of goal, the 6 foot 1 powerhouse also offers a real asset with his remarkable work ethic, with the aforementioned Mowbray notably stating last term:

“The starting point is his work rate. Strikers obviously always get the glory of scoring goals but he’s a kid who works his socks off for this team, up and down, up and down.

“He’s not playing down the middle, he’s not the Adam Armstrong centre-forward who is there to finish things off. He’s working extraordinarily hard tracking full backs – or wing-backs as it was today. So the physical output has been amazing really.”

Such an assessment is not one that has been attributed to the struggling Ronaldo of late, with the one-time Juventus talisman’s lack of mobility having become a “full blown issue” for United at present, according to Tim Vigon.

Equally, turning to the Ewood Park hero could also buck the recent trend that has seen ageing forwards come through the door at Old Trafford, with the club having far too often opted for a short-term fix with the likes of Zlatan Ibrahimovic, Edinson Cavani and Odion Igahlo.

It may be something of a wildcard pick to sign Brereton Diaz in the near future, although it could well prove to be something of a masterstroke.

Tottenham Hotspur midfielder Yves Bissouma, has been praised for his performance in the north London club’s 2-1 defeat against Liverpool in the Premier League. 

The Lowdown: Defeat for Spurs

Having topped their Champions League group in midweek thanks to a 2-1 win over Marseille, Antonio Conte’s side found themselves on the wrong end of the same scoreline against the Merseysiders on Sunday.

A brace from Mohamed Salah put the visitors 2-0 up by half-time, with Harry Kane’s strike in the second period proving a mere consolation goal for the Lilywhites.

Despite the disappointing result, one man in the Spurs team found himself on the end of some glowing praise.

The Latest: Praise for Bissouma

In a post on Twitter, The Times journalist Tom Allnutt hailed Bissouma for his performance against Jurgen Klopp’s side on Sunday.

He tweeted: “Bissouma really picked up where he left off in Marseille. His best performance so far for #thfc I would say by quite a distance.” 

The Verdict: A decent display from Bissouma

Taking a look at the £55k-per-week midfielder’s performance against Liverpool, he had 77 touches of the ball in total throughout his 88 minutes on the pitch.

Having also completed 51 of the 56 passes he attempted, this left him with the third highest passing accuracy percentage in the team (91%).

The 26-year-old, who has been described by Gary Lineker in the past as an “exceptional” player, also did his bit from a defensive point of view by winning six duels and making two tackles, one interception, one clearance and one block.

Football.London also picked up on the Mali international’s efforts in the game by giving him a solid match rating of 8/10 and saying this about his performance: “Probably his best game in a Spurs shirt as he battled for everything in the centre of the pitch and showed real composure on the ball in cluttered areas.”

Taking all that into account, it’s clear that Allnutt’s praise for Bissouma was wholly justified, as the midfielder was one of Spurs’ few bright sparks in this defeat.

Behind-the-scenes details have emerged regarding newly-appointed West Bromwich Albion manager, Carlos Corberan, and the methods that he is looking to implement at the club immediately.

The Lowdown

West Brom take on Sheffield United in the Championship this afternoon for what will be Corberan’s first game in charge of the Midlands club since being appointed earlier this week.

Before this game takes place, Baggies supporters have been given some behind-the-scenes insight over how the new manager is looking to shape his team.

The Latest

On Friday, journalist Lewis Cox shared a post on his official Twitter account which included an article he wrote for the Express & Star regarding Corberan and his managerial methods.

The insight, which Cox described as “interesting” in his Twitter post, surrounds what the manager has been looking to instil in his players on the training field ahead of today’s showdown against the Blades.

Specifically, the intensity and psychological aspects are areas that the former Huddersfield Town boss has been focusing on in the early days of his new job, urging his players to make an immediate step up in the former and to believe in themselves.

The Verdict

Bearing in mind how the Hawthorns outfit have won just two of their 16 league games so far this season, this suggests that a change in the mindset of the players is certainly needed.

In terms of the intensity, only four clubs have racked up a lower combined total of tackles and interceptions than West Brom (379), which highlights how much more proactive the players need to be when out of possession.

Then from an attacking point of view, with the joint-third lowest rate of goals per shot on target (0.25), Corberan will need to find a way to get his players to be more clinical in front of goal.

Looking ahead to today’s game, if the Baggies can pick up a win against the Yorkshire club, this would be the perfect way for Corberan to get his tenure in charge of West Brom up and running.

Aston Villa recently announced the appointment of Spanish manager Unai Emery as Steven Gerrard’s replacement and the boss enjoyed a terrific first game in charge as he beat Manchester United 3-1 in the Premier League.

The former Villarreal head coach only has one more top-flight match left before the World Cup in Qatar and two games prior to the opening of the January transfer window.

He may be active in the market to bolster his squad and the gaffer should be hoping to avoid any howlers, which is something recent Villa managers have failed to do.

Dean Smith enjoyed a largely successful spell in the Midlands, earning promotion out of the Championship and securing survival in the top flight, but he was no stranger to signing a flop.

One player he had a nightmare with was the arrival of striker Mbwana Samatta, who joined the Villans in an £8.5m deal from Genk in January 2020.

The English boss hailed the signing at the time, saying: “I’m really pleased we have managed to bring Mbwana to the club.

“He has scored goals throughout his career and I’m looking forward to working with him.”

Samatta once claimed that Didier Drogba used to be his favourite player in the Premier League and that he tried to copy the former Chelsea forward’s movement and running style to improve his own performances.

Samatta may have copied the Ivorian legend’s style but the Villa flop was unable to replicate his goalscoring prowess. Drogba scored 104 goals and provided 64 assists in 254 Premier League games for the Blues, as he proved himself to be a prolific scorer in England over the course of a number of years.

However, the Villa striker struggled to make a positive impression in the English top flight as he scored once in 14 Premier League matches in the second half of the 2019/20 campaign.

He missed three ‘big chances’ and lost 59% of his individual duels in that time as he failed to find his best form in front of goal and was not able to dominate opposition defenders from a physical perspective.

This led to him being sent out on loan to Fenerbahce for the 2020/21 season and he mustered up six goals in 33 appearances in all competitions for the Turkish side, which led to a permanent move for an initial £5.5m.

Despite signing him permanently, Fener opted to instantly send him out on loan to Royal Antwerp in Belgium and his nine goals in 39 games there were not enough to convince his parent club to give him another chance as they loaned him out to Genk for 2022/23.

Samatta has scored once in 11 appearances and failed to provide a single assist in the Pro League this season, averaging a SofaScore rating of 6.65, as he has struggled to kickstart his career since flopping at Villa.

Smith had a mare by snapping him up in 2020, as the striker failed to make the grade in England, and the 29-year-old’s struggling form in Belgium this term does not suggest that the striker is going to turn his fortunes around any time soon.

After West Bromwich Albion’s first victory under Carlos Corberan, they now face one of the toughest tests that the Championship has to offer with a trip to Queens Park Rangers today.

Michael Beale has earned huge praise for his exploits with the west London club, leading them to fourth in the table. This has led to links with the likes of Aston Villa and Wolverhampton Wanderers, who have both sought new managers over the past month.

After the Rs’ draw on the road to promotion-chasing Norwich City in midweek, they will now be hoping to capitalise on the woes of an Albion side who have lost three of their last four games.

The Spaniard will still be unsure of what his best side is, having only recently arrived at The Hawthorns, but with a new manager comes a fresh slate for the players who have largely watched on amid the Baggies’ slump to 23rd in the table.

Such is the way, there will likely be plenty of changes with each passing game week. This week, Corberan is expected to make just three alterations from their last match against Blackpool.

However, the back four should remain untouched after picking up a clean sheet against the Tangerines, who boast the league’s joint-top scorer in Jerry Yates.

Alex Palmer remains between the sticks, whilst Kyle Bartley will be hoping to maintain his successful return to the side alongside Dara O’Shea at the heart of defence. Conor Townsend and Darnell Furlong will occupy the full-back spots.

Their match-winner from midweek will definitely retain his place, as Okay Yokuslu’s steely resolve in midfield should nicely complement Tom Rogic, who comes in for Taylor Gardner-Hickman. The Australian could provide a touch of class beside the commandeering Turkish destroyer.

Just in front of them is John Swift, who still retains the highest SofaScore rating of any West Brom player this season. He will be flanked by Matt Phillips, while Grady Diangana could be recalled in place of Jed Wallace.

The “magic” winger, as he was dubbed by journalist Graeme Brown, now has a chance to shine after the former Millwall man’s disappointing display against the Tangerines, when he posted the lowest Sofascore rating of any Albion starter with just 6.4.

They will all supplement the final change to the line-up, as Brandon Thomas-Asante should replace Karlan Grant, who suffered an ankle injury on Tuesday night and will be out of today’s match.

Predicted West Brom XI (4-2-3-1): Palmer; Furlong, Bartley, O’Shea, Townsend; Yokuslu, Rogic; Diangana, Swift, Phillips; Thomas-Asante.

Broadcast giant ESPN have now shared an exciting Liverpool transfer update on their pursuit of Borussia Dortmund star Jude Bellingham.

The Lowdown: Reds chase Bellingham…

The Reds have long been linked with a move for Bellingham who is currently one of Europe’s most sought-after young rising stars.

A plethora of Premier League clubs have taken a real interest in the 19-year-old, including Chelsea, Manchester United and Manchester City, coming amid his scintillating start to the 2022/2023 Bundesliga campaign.

As per WhoScored, the 2022 World Cup hopeful is a real all-rounder, currently ranking at the very top of Dortmund’s charts for tackles made, shots attempted and completed dribbles per 90 in the league. Bellingham is also among their best-performing players overall and has taken Germany by storm despite being just a teenager.

The 6 foot 1 midfield colossus could become a real superstar over these next few years, with Liverpool and club owners Fenway Sports Group by extension in the race for his signature.

The Latest: ESPN share exciting Bellingham to Liverpool update…

Now, American broadcast giant ESPN have shared an exciting update on Jurgen Klopp’s chances of signing the England international.

They claim Liverpool are now ‘leading the race’ to sign Bellingham and the Reds are even ‘forging a close relationship’ with the player’s camp.

On top of this, the report states FSG are ‘willing to commit a huge sum’ to land the gem, something which could undoubtedly please Klopp and the club’s supporters.

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The Verdict: Fingers crossed…

Bellingham, as highlighted by the aforementioned statistics in this piece, is really emerging as one of Europe’s most exciting stars for the future – or perhaps even for now.

At 19, the former Birmingham City ace is out-performing most in the German top flight and it’s safe to say he’s living up to Dortmund’s marquee asking prices so far.

Called a ‘monster’ player by reporter Jacob Tanswell of The Athletic, the battle for Bellingham will surely be 2023’s most headline-grabbing transfer saga.

Leeds United will be ‘reluctant’ to target Sean Dyche as a potential replacement for Jesse Marsch, according to The Daily Mail’s Ian Ladyman.

The Lowdown: Marsch under pressure

Marsch appears to be under growing pressure at Elland Road after yet another defeat on the weekend. The Whites are now eight Premier League games without a win and are currently in the relegation places.

The Leeds board look set to back Marsch for this weekend’s trip to Liverpool, but it feels as if the walls are closing in on his time in West Yorkshire, with Phil Hay believing there isn’t a way back for the American.

The Latest: Dyche unlikely

Ladyman shared a story for The Daily Mail on Monday evening looking at the situation at Elland Road.

He said that Leeds’ owners are concerned, however, Marsch will be given the chance to turn things around. The journalist then name-checked Dyche and the possibility of Leeds looking at the former Burnley manager, saying:

“If Leeds are forced to make a managerial change in the coming weeks, they are reluctant to go for a survival expert such as former Burnley manager Sean Dyche.”

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The Verdict: Change soon?

Andrea Radrizzani and Victor Orta may have no other choice but to part ways with Marsch in the coming weeks. On paper, Leeds are unlikely to come away from Anfield with three points, which could leave the Whites bottom of the Premier League.

A home game against Bournemouth will be next, so the Whites may have a huge decision to make prior to the break for the World Cup.

Dyche has shown he is a proven Premier League manager who gets results during his time with Burnley, but for now, it seems as if Radrizzani and Orta do not fancy talking to the Englishman about potentially replacing Marsch.

Tottenham Hotspur have been handed a boost in their pursuit of Hamed Junior Traore.

What’s the latest?

That’s according to a report by Milan Live (via Sport Witness), who claim that, following the reported interest of a number of European sides in the summer transfer window, US Sassuolo are now ready to sell the attacking midfielder in January – with the 22-year-old said to be valued by the Serie A side at a figure in the region of €30m (£26m).

The report goes on to state that the likes of Spurs, West Ham United, Brighton & Hove Albion and AC Milan are all keeping an extremely close eye on the situation of the Ivory Coast international ahead of launching a potential move for the forward-thinking talent in the winter market.

Dream Maddison alternative

Considering just how impressive Traore has been for Sassuolo in recent seasons, coupled with Fabio Paratici being heavily linked with a £60m move for James Maddison in a bid to strengthen Antonio Conte’s options in the middle of the park, the argument that the 22-year-old would be a dream alternative to the Leicester City star is an easy one to make.

Indeed, not only is the Sassuolo sensation three years the England international’s junior, but the £21.5m-rated talent would also appear to be available to sign for a considerably smaller fee – with the Ivorian’s reported asking price sitting £34m below the figure the Foxes’ are reported to be demanding in order to part with Maddison this winter.

Furthermore, FBref currently rank Traore in the top 3% of midfielders in Europe’s big five leagues and European competitions for non-penalty goals per 90, in addition to the top 2% for non-penalty xG, the top 3% for shots, the top 9% for shot-creating actions, the top 1% for dribbles completed and the top 4% for touches in the opposition penalty area over the last 365 days.

For comparison, FBref rank Maddison in the top 1% of midfielders for non-penalty goals per 90, as well as the top 5% for non-penalty xG, the top 3% for shots, the top 8% for shot-creating actions, the top 34% for dribbles completed and the top 15% for touches in the opposition penalty area over the past 12 months.

As such, it is not difficult to see why FBref list the 25-year-old Englishman as Traore’s most comparable player, while the youngster is also likened to a number of other top talents in European football, with Bayern Munich trio Serge Gnabry, Leroy Sane and Jamal Musiala also listed in the top 10 most comparable players to the Sassuolo starlet.

Further still, with the youngster who Football Talent Scout Jacek Kulig dubbed “magnificent” and claimed is “one of calcio’s biggest jewels” able to operate from no less than eight different positions in midfield – including defensive, central and attacking, as well as on either flank and as a support striker – Traore’s versatility would also be a huge plus for Conte.

So, considering his age, cost and similar ability to that of Maddison, it would appear as if making an approach for the £16k-per-week gem would be a much wiser move than one for the Leicester talisman this winter.