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After securing their fourth consecutive draw in League One with a 2-2 result against Cheltenham Town at the weekend, Sheffield Wednesday are back in action on Tuesday evening with a big clash against Sunderland, who are currently six points ahead of Darren Moore’s side in the table.

On the chalkboard

Looking ahead to the midweek match against the Black Cats, one Wednesday player that featured in the draw against Cheltenham that we feel should be in the starting XI against Sunderland is defender Chey Dunkley.

During the match at the weekend, Dunkley started and played the full 90 minutes and not only did he manage to score one of Wednesday’s goals on the day, but he also managed to make a vital contribution at the other end of the pitch.

He made three interceptions, blocked three shots and produced four clearances which led to him winning ten of the 14 duels he was involved in. That ultimately earned him an impressive overall match rating of 8/10, making him Wednesday’s highest-rated player on the day according to SofaScore.

This shows just how useful Dunkley, who has been described as “solid” in the past by Moore, can be for the Owls in a defensive and attacking sense on this occasion. That’s precisely why we feel he would be a good option to start again against Sunderland who could see their attacking players bullied while trying to get past the Wednesday defender.

The Yorkshire side signed Dunkley back in August 2020 from Wigan Athletic on a free transfer on a reported two-year deal. Since then, the 29-year-old, who is currently valued at £720k according to Transfermarkt, has made 22 appearances for the Owls across all competitions.

Looking ahead to the match against Lee Johnson’s side, who were beaten 5-1 by Rotherham United in their previous league outing, we feel that Dunkley should definitely be in the starting XI, especially if Dominic Iorfa, who missed the Cheltenham game through injury, isn’t available to play after Moore said it’s 50/50 over whether he’d be fit enough to play a part.

If Dunkley does play in midweek, we think he would give Wednesday a great chance of grabbing a positive result and keeping their unbeaten streak going with the Owls having not lost a league game since their 2-1 defeat against Oxford United back in early October.

In other news: Sheff Weds sweating over big injury blow ahead of SAFC clash, Moore will be gutted – opinion

Wolves could find themselves short on midfield options this summer with Leander Dendoncker reportedly available for transfer, while Ruben Neves could also be heading through the exit door with Barcelona keen on the Portuguese midfielder – who is viewed by the La Liga giants as the heir to Sergio Busquets.

With another key playmaker in Joao Moutinho expected to leave at the end of the season too upon the expiration of his contract, manager Bruno Lage could be forced into the transfer market to spend a hefty amount on replacements, who he will have to fast-track into the first team and help adapt to the Midlands as quick as possible.

Youngsters like Luke Cundle could also make the step up and become first-team regulars, but one player that could have helped the squad massively was homegrown Slovakian midfielder Christian Herc, who left permanently at the start of the season for Swiss side Grasshoppers.

Deemed surplus to requirements and not good enough for Lage’s plans, the then-22-year-old managed to secure himself a move to a top-flight European league in a team with a healthy connection to the Midlands club.

At Grasshoppers, based in Zurich, he has been joined by Wolves loanees Bendeguz Bolla, Bruno Jordao, Hayao Kawabe, Sang-bin Jeong and Leo Bonatini, as well as former centre-back Georg Margreitter, who played at Molineux between 2012 and 2015.

During his time under contract at the West Midlands club, he spent the second half of the 2017/18 season and the entirety of the 2018/19 campaign on loan in his homeland, before spending the next two seasons playing in Czech Republic, and during his first loan spell with DAC Dunajska Streda, he said: “I think I’ve developed in every way on the pitch.”

Now aged 23, he has averaged a 7.03 match rating according to SofaScore in the Swiss Super League, and has started 25 of the 26 games he has appeared in for the club this season, scoring three goals and assisting four more – becoming a key man for the club throughout this season, with just Mamadou Kaly Sene averaging a higher match rating in the Grasshoppers squad.

His impressive form this season has not only earned him his first cap for Slovakia, but has also shown exactly why Nuno Santo and then Lage should have given him more of a chance to impress, and even if he was still afterwards not part of either of their plans, the exposure to first-team Premier League football could have improved his £1.35m valuation.

In other news: Nearly signed for £15m, now a 0 goal flop: Wolves struck gold over “desperate” 25 y/o

Liverpool have started 2021/22 excellently and their season could be about to receive another significant boost as talismanic attacked Mohamed Salah is now expected to sign a new contract.

What’s the story?

The 29-year-old’s current deal expires in the summer of 2023 and he has occasionally openly flirted with the idea of moving to Spanish giants Real Madrid and Barcelona.

However, Salah now appears set to extend his stay at Anfield after entering negotiations over fresh terms several weeks ago.

And now, journalist Mark Jones has provided an update on the flying winger’s situation, claiming he expects him to put pen to paper on a new contract.

He said: “He can be a force of nature, really. I mean, in terms of his future as well, I mean, I think he’s probably missed that boat in terms of a potential move to Real Madrid or Barcelona,” said Jones on the from the Mirror Football YouTube channel (as relayed by This is Futbol).

“I know there are contract negotiations still going on, but I expect him to sign one pretty soon and he’ll go on and get even more goals.”

Liverpool fans will be buzzing

In 208 appearances for the Anfield outfit, Salah has bagged 129 goals and provided a further 49 assists, firing Jurgen Klopp’s charges towards the Champions League crown, Premier League title, Club World Cup and UEFA Super Cup.

And while many of his teammates struggled last season, he was one of few shining lights for Liverpool, continuing to put the ball in the back of the net with alarming regularity.

Therefore, news that Salah is expected to remain on Merseyside for many years to come will certainly have the supporters buzzing with excitement.

The former AS Roma ace reached a landmark total of 100 Premier League goals after scoring in the 3-0 victory over Leeds United last time out, and he’ll be hoping to inspire his side to more success this season.

Salah will be following in the footsteps of several high-profile first-team stars in penning new deals at Liverpool this year, with Trent Alexander-Arnold, Fabinho, Alisson Becker, Jordan Henderson, Virgil van Dijk and Andy Robertson all doing the same.

And, in other news…Zero key passes, lost 50% of his duels: Liverpool ace flopped on the CL stage 

Journalist Luke Hatfield has told Football FanCast that Aaron Ramsey’s wages would have prevented a move to Wolves during the summer transfer window if they really did want him.

Towards the end of last month, there were some whispers coming out of Italy about the Juventus midfielder potentially joining Wolves.

According to Gazzetta dello Sport, the two clubs discussed the possibility of a swap deal that would have seen Ruben Neves head the other way.

But with Ramsey on enormous wages, £400,000 a week, according to BBC Sport, Hatfield says it was a non-starter.

“He’s on big wages,” the Express & Star reporter said. “I think regardless of where he goes, he’s probably going to have to face a wage cut. But for Wolves, they probably looked at that and thought he’s a very talented player and he’d do a great job back in the Premier League, but the wages just make it a very, very hard one.”

In the end, it was not the most productive transfer window for Wolves, which may have disappointed some fans.

However, they were able to keep Adama Traore and Neves, who both looked to be heading out of the door at one stage, so it is not all doom and gloom. That could quickly change, though, if Bruno Lage’s men do not start picking up points after failing to take any from their first three Premier League fixtures.

Arsenal’s scouting department could be set for a much-needed overhaul in the summer.

The Gunners recently dismissed former sporting director Sven Mislantat who did enjoy some success in the transfer market – signing the likes of Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang and Lucas Torreira. Arsenal are eager to find a replacement ahead of another important transfer window in the summer. Reports from the Mirror suggest that Roma’s Monchi will be offered the chance to reunite with Unai Emery at the Emirates.

Working together at Sevilla, the duo enjoyed a fruitful spell at the club and Monchi is considered one of the world’s best in his position. His appointment could lead to a raid on his current employers to lure some of their top stars to England. Strengthening the Arsenal attack could be a priority with Henrikh Mkhitaryan failing to reach expectations since joining from Manchester United.

One man the Gunners should be targeting is Roma wonderkid – Cengiz Under. Valued at £31.5m by Transfermarkt, the 21-year-old earned a reputation as one of Europe’s hottest properties after rising through the youth ranks in Turkey. After impressing for Basaksehir, Roma paid £12m to bring him to the Serie A in the summer of 2017.

Under has continued to develop at a rapid rate in Italy, netting seven league goals in just 15 starts during his debut campaign. The youngster has been a crucial player for his side yet again, netting three goals in the Champions League as well as three goals and five assists in the league. A tricky winger with an eye for goal, Under is blessed with tremendous technical ability and would add a new dimension to the Arsenal attack.

Previously reported back in January (via Fotomac) to have had a bid snubbed by Roma, Arsenal have to splash the cash in order to upgrade on Mkhitaryan.

Still developing and improving, pairing him with Aubameyang in the Gunners front line would be a frightening prospect.

Arsenal fans, thoughts?

Manchester City are part of a select group of clubs who could tempt Kalidou Koulibaly to leave Napoli.

That’s what the Senegalese defender apparently told Italian journalist Valter De Maggio (via Area Napoli).

De Maggio asked Koulibaly whether he’d consider a move to Juventus, but was told that he would ‘never go and play for another Italian club’.

Instead, the 30-year-old insisted he would only leave for ‘two, maximum three clubs in the world’.

‘Guardiola’s Manchester City, Real Madrid and Barcelona’ were the three sides identified.

Koulibaly admired at The Etihad

City were keen to sign Koulibaly in 2020 but wound up striking a deal for Ruben Dias instead.

The relationship between the reigning Premier League champions and Napoli is ‘not good’ after Chelsea were allowed to hijack their move for Jorginho in 2018.

But Koulibaly continues to impress, with The Athletic’s Phil Hay recently making the case that the ‘weapons-grade’ ‘colossus’ was the best player in the world on form – he’s helped Napoli win nine and draw one of their first 10 Serie A games.

They also lie second in their UEFA Europa League group, ahead of Leicester City, at the halfway stage.

Fan feed City Xtra relayed De Maggio’s comments, and here’s what supporters made of them.

City fans flock to Koulibaly claims

“Ake straight swap”

Credit: @TeacherOfBall

“We are finished without Pep blud”

Credit: @UnrealFoden

“The poor bloke is still packing his bags”

Credit: @_TJ932O

“We got Father Ruben, pal. We don’t need you.”

Credit: @mvx_mcfc

“I’m sick of his name I cant lie”

Credit: @BernardoTouch

“Too little too late”

Credit: @ashley__04

In other news, fans have called for this signing.  

According to a report by RMC Sport, West Ham have been linked with a loan move for Paris Saint-Germain defender Abdou Diallo.

The Lowdown: Centre-back crisis

The Hammers have suffered from a variety of defensive injuries this season, and it is those affecting the centre-backs which have hit the hardest.

Centre-half pairing Angelo Ogbonna and Kurt Zouma are currently out of action, leaving Craig Dawson and Issa Diop as the only senior defenders available for David Moyes to play centrally.

[web_stories_embed url=”https://www.footballtransfertavern.com/web-stories/west-ham-latest-updates/” title=”West Ham latest updates!” poster=”” width=”360″ height=”600″ align=”none”]

Whilst Zouma is set to return in the next week or so, Ogbonna suffered a serious cruciate ligament rupture in early November which is expected to keep him out until after the end of this season.

As a result, the Irons have been on the hunt for centre-back options as they search for greater depth in that position.

The Latest: Hammers linked with Abdou Diallo loan

According to a report by RMC Sport (as relayed by Claret & Hugh), West Ham have been linked with a loan move for PSG centre-back Diallo.

The Hammers are reportedly interested in bringing in the 25-year-old on loan, as the French giants are looking to offload a number of fringe players.

The two clubs are yet to discuss a deal, but with the Irons looking to bring in a central defender, it would not be surprising to see the east London club exploring a multitude of avenues.

The Verdict: Good move for both parties

The Senegal international, who can also be utilised as a left-back, joined PSG as an exciting youngster from Borussia Dortmund in a £28.8m deal in 2019.

Despite being hailed as “strong in the air and shrewd in the challenge” by Rouven Schröder, then-sporting director at his former club Mainz, Diallo has not held down a regular place as a member of PSG’s star-studded line-up, having made just nine appearances in Ligue 1 this season and two in the Champions League.

With his lack of game-time in mind, he could be open to a move to West Ham if he seeks more first team football in preparation for the World Cup later this year.

Therefore, a loan deal could prove to be a good option for both the player and the club. Diallo could use the Hammers as a way of getting back into PSG’s first team plans, and Moyes could utilise the defender when necessary for the remainder of the season without the financial commitment of a permanent deal.

In other news: West Ham could battle La Liga giants for the ‘new Vidic’, came ‘very close’ to a deal in 2021

Back in January of 2019, Brendan Rodgers’ Celtic side were reported to be extremely interested in the signing of a relatively unknown right-back, who went by the name of Timothy Castagne.

Indeed, The Daily Record claimed that the Hoops had made the Atalanta full-back their top priority in the winter window, with Rodgers viewing the Belgium international as a direct replacement for Mikael Lustig – who looked as if he would be leaving Parkhead at the end of the 2018/19 campaign.

However, despite offering £8m for the then-23-year-old’s services, the Bhoys failed to get a deal over the line for the promising defender, with Atalanta believed to be looking for a figure in the region of £12m in order to sanction the right-back’s sale.

And, in May of 2019, after finding himself much more involved with Gian Piero Gasperini’s first-team squad, Castagne himself revealed just how close he came to joining Celtic, stating: “It’s incredible how quickly things in football can change.

“In December, I wasn’t starting any games and there was an £8m move to Celtic on the table. It looked like I was leaving, but the club wanted £12m and the deal collapsed.

“Since then, having not played for 13 games, I played just about every other game and we qualified for the Champions League. So it’s been an unbelievable turnaround for me.”

However, flash forward 16 months and Castagne would eventually find himself playing for Rodgers, although not at Celtic Park.

Indeed, in September 2020, Leicester City parted with £21.5m in order to bring the then-24-year-old full-back to the King Power, since which time the Belgian has gone on to establish himself as a first-team regular with the Premier League side.

Furthermore, his prominence in the English top-flight has also seen his market value soar, with the £63k-per-week defender now being worth around £25m in today’s market – something that will undoubtedly leave an incredibly sour taste in Celtic mouths.

Indeed, while £12m certainly would have been an eye-catching fee for the Hoops to cough up for a little-known right-back, the 26-year-old who Gerry Taggart dubbed a “proper player” has since proven he would have been well worth the outlay – both financially and in terms of performance – leading us to believe that Celtic had something of a nightmare when missing out on the full-back in 2019.

AND in other news: “Understand that…”: Journalist drops big transfer update, it’s bad news for Celtic

A number of Aston Villa fans have been reacting to Dean Smith’s training ground routines during his time in the Midlands, as reported by Ashley Preece.

Smith was relieved of his duties at Bodymoor Heath following a fifth successive Premier League defeat prior to the international break.

He has since taken over at basement side Norwich City, whereas Villa have officially brought in Steven Gerrard from Rangers.

Gerrard took training as Villa manager on Monday and was hands-on during his first session. Preece added that coach Michael Beale, who left Rangers to move south alongside Gerrard, was also very vocal and revealed that winger Trezeguet was back out on the grass following a serious knee injury in April.

Preece also stated that he was intrigued to see if Gerrard has changed the timing of Villa’s sessions, with Smith admitting earlier this year that training began at 12pm.

Villa fans react

Preece’s post on Monday afternoon received plenty of interaction, with many Villa supporters stunned at the 12pm start under Smith and one labelling it as ‘bonkers’, given their total lack of match sharpness during their poor run of form….

“Wait, what? Villa start their day at NOON? Sheesh, get the whip cracking, Gerrard, no excuses!”

Credit: @BannisterMonty

“12 o’clock start. Elite athletes half the world already done 5 hours for £3.75 an hour by then. Surely banter this ??????”

Credit: @Seeley789

“I don’t know how I missed this, but 12pm starts at training !! Wow”

Credit: @JUSTIN_AVFC_

“The 12 start is bonkers in today’s world, elite athletes should be eating breakfast together for health, culture and bonding before heading out onto the pitches, The 12 promotes bad sleeping habits, poor eating habits and poor team togetherness”

Credit: @Villamole1

“What!?? Did Smith start training at noon? That is a huge question mark for me!”

Credit: @espenstrand

“12pm start?! I don’t think Dean Smith had the authority he should have had”

Credit: @GaryBolton91

In other news: Gerrard has already picked out the £30m Rangers duo he wants NSWE to sign for Villa. 

Transfer insider Pete O’Rourke has revealed that Celtic are “looking” to sign a new central midfielder, despite Ange Postecoglou’s recent comments.

What’s the story?

Speaking to GIVEMESPORT, the journalist said: “Celtic, back to the drawing board looking for a central midfielder.

“So, despite what Ange said, that they weren’t in the market for any new faces, I think if a midfielder does come up, and he fits what Celtic are looking for, I would think Celtic will try and bring one in before the close of the window.”

Exciting transfer twist for Celtic fans

Speaking just last week, Postecoglou said: “As we speak right now, there are no other offers or people I have spoken to. So the 20 names that come out tomorrow are all lies or fabrications. Or they’re from people at home bored and Googling names and throwing them up there, or agents trying to get a little more value for their clients.

“I can’t be any clearer than that, and what I won’t do is lie. There’s no one else we’re talking to, there’s no other offers, no one else I’m showing interest in. If that changes, I’ll let you know.”

The Hoops boss was very insistent that the club seemed to have no plans to strengthen further in this January window, and that might have just deflated fans a little.

However, O’Rourke’s revelation that the Scottish giants are still in the market and are looking for a new central midfielder is sure to have the Celtic faithful excited about what could potentially happen over the final few days of the transfer window.

The revelation that the club have their eyes open and haven’t just firmly shut the door on any new signings is a welcome one, and there could well be some late developments for Celtic fans to anticipate despite what their manager recently said.

Meanwhile, Celtic could strike gold with a move for this Ligue 1 star…