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Wolverhampton Wanderers have struggled over the last few months under Bruno Lage, who faces increasing pressure with each game week. His side has just one win in seven this season  and had only won once since March at the back end of last season.

His issues stem from a lack of attacking impetus, which is bred by his lack of focal point up front.

He attempted to remedy that in the summer, but his purchase of Sasa Kalajdzic has already gone up in flames due to his ACL injury, and Raul Jimenez has never truly recovered from his terrible head injury concerning his form.

There is a vacancy up top, and Lage would love it if he could reach into the past and bring Mick McCarthy signing Steven Fletcher into today’s side.

Instantly, the Scotsman would offer a fine focal point for the Old Gold to play off. His 6 foot 1 frame would certainly benefit the likes of Adama Traore, Pedro Neto and Goncalo Guedes, all of whom have struggled in the opening fixtures of this Premier League campaign. They only have one assist between the three of them.

Whilst at Molineux the 35-year-old scored 24 times in 67 appearances, whilst also contributing to eight assists.

He guaranteed goals of some degree and could just as easily score a tidy finish from close range as he could bullet in a towering header.

The modern game might not quite benefit Fletcher as much as it did back in the day, but his mere presence and proficiency is exactly the kind of no-nonsense addition Lage is craving. It could just save his job.

When first signing for the club in 2010, McCarthy labelled the former Burnley striker a “terrific” and “valuable asset”. He quickly became just that for Wolves, although was incapable of firing them away from demotion to the Championship.

Throughout his entire career, he has remained a dependable goal scorer unlikely to set the world alight, but solid. 

If he were to bring the return from his debut season, just ten goals in 28 Premier League appearances, it would already mark an improvement on the six scored by the Mexican last season.

Lage might need a Fletcher-type figure to save him from a certain sacking, which makes the Kalajdzic injury all the more frustrating as he seemed to be that man.

Nottingham Forest are closing in on the signing of former Tottenham right-back Serge Aurier, according to a transfer report which emerged on Monday.

The Lowdown: Aurier linked with Forest

The Ivorian has been linked with a move to the City Ground a number of times this summer, with his contract at Villarreal expiring at the end of last season.

Aurier is seen as someone who can come in and provide stiff competition for Neco Williams at right-back, strengthening Forest’s squad depth in the process.

It now looks as though the 29-year-old is on the verge of becoming a Reds player.

The Latest: Transfer almost done

According to Sky Sports, Aurier is ‘close to completing’ a move to Forest on a free transfer, with a two-year deal expected to be signed.

The 81-cap Ivory Coast international would be the Reds’ 19th summer signing, and it is also stated that centre-back Willy Boly could take that tally to 20, with the Reds in ‘advanced talks’ to sign Aurier’s compatriot from Wolves.

The Verdict: Premier League experience

Aurier may have his detractors among supporters and pundits following some hit-and-miss performances for Spurs, but this still feels like a shrewd piece of business by Forest.

Journalist Alasdair Gold has described the enigmatic Ivorian as ‘excellent’ in the past, and that is what the right-back could turn out to be under Steve Cooper if he shows his better traits on a more consistent basis.

The defender has a huge amount of experience in his career, as highlighted by his international record, and he also has 77 appearances to his name in the Premier League.

Aurier and Williams could battle for game-time in a healthy manner, with the former perhaps best to be used in the tougher matches, given his experience and knowledge of playing in high-pressure situations at Champions League and World Cup level.

West Ham United insider Claret & Hugh has now shared a very interesting transfer update involving marquee €60m (£50m)-valued Lille midfielder Amadou Onana and Irons manager David Moyes.

The Lowdown: West Ham keeping busy…

Following on from the signings of Nayef Aguerd (Rennes), Flynn Downes (Swansea City), Alphonse Areola (Paris Saint-Germain, permanent deal) and Gianluca Scamacca (Sassuolo), it appears that West Ham are planning to sign even more players this summer.

The 2022/23 Premier League season is soon upon the Hammers, with a new left-sided player high on the club’s agenda according to another club insider in ExWHUemployee.

Onana, who has been at the centre of West Ham transfer talks, is also still a major target as C&H now share an interesting update on the club’s pursuit of the 20-year-old.

The Latest: Insider shares Onana update…

According to the insider’s information, Moyes personally has his ‘heart set’ on signing the Belgium international.

As well as this, it is also believed that West Ham are well and truly still attempting to agree a deal for Onana as a London Stadium ‘source’ explains that the Irons are ‘trying’ to sign him.

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The Verdict: Make the move?

Standing at a colossal 6 foot 5, Onana would add some real steel and provide an interesting alternative to the likes of Declan Rice and Tomas Soucek in front of Moyes’ back four.

Having already earned call-ups for a star-studded Belgium national squad, this further highlights the player’s real potential and explains why West Ham’s manager is very eager to get him through the door at the London Stadium.

However, as the new English top-flight campaign commences imminently, Hammers chiefs will need to start progressing in talks if they want to have Onana in claret and blue for the 2022/23 campaign.

Tottenham Hotspur could yet bolster Antonio Conte’s squad with further attacking reinforcements before deadline day on September 1st…

What’s the word?

That is according to reliable Daily Express journalist Ryan Taylor, who delivered an exciting claim to supporters on Chris Cowlin’s YouTube channel earlier this week.

“There’s a few targets in the background that are being monitored. I think the signing of a [new] number ten,” he said.

“Which can provide the flexibility to switch from a 3-4-3 to a 3-5-2 or 3-4-1-2, if you like, with that attacking midfielder… someone of the Eriksen mould.”

Exciting news

Although, there will be no return for the Denmark international after he snubbed offers from Spurs and Brentford in favour of joining Manchester United.

That means the club will need to look elsewhere to find their man as Conte does not currently have an out-and-out no.10 in his squad.

The likes of Tanguy Ndombele and Giovani Lo Celso have returned from their loan spells away but neither have proven their credentials to be that sort of attacking playmaker when given the chance.

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Dele Alli was also sold in January, leaving the Italian head coach light on options.

There is an increasing need to find a player in this profile because just as Taylor suggests, it allows Conte to utilise different formations and there will be plenty of rotation during the new season, with Spurs back in the Champions League.

Harry Kane and Heung-min Son were the only two players to hit double figures for goals scored and they were also two of the top three providers in the current squad last season, with Dejan Kulusevski making up the trio.

From further back, no player managed more than four assists, so it’s clear that a no.10-like figure is required, and whilst it remains to be seen exactly who could be the target, it is certainly encouraging – if not hugely exciting – to learn that the Lilywhites are monitoring an array of talent.

Anyone who can bring the same sort of creativity that Eriksen delivered in N17 will surely become an instant hit with the crowd.

Only time will tell whether Spurs can continue to impress in the transfer market, having already brought in the likes of Richarlison, Ivan Perisic and Yves Bissouma.

AND in other news, Contact made: Spurs eye “extraordinary” £60m-rated maestro, Conte can forget Eriksen…

Transfer insider Dean Jones has provided an update on the situation surrounding Newcastle United and the pursuit of Chelsea striker Armando Broja. 

The lowdown: Stepping stone

A player from the academy production line at Chelsea, Broja enjoyed a breakout season on loan at Southampton in 2021/22 having previously spent time on loan at Vitesse.

Already a fully-fledged Albania international, the Slough-born frontman’s future in London is still uncertain, and the 20-year-old has been attracting major interest from West Ham and Everton in recent weeks.

St James’ Park has also been cited as a potential landing ground for Broja this summer, however, one well-informed onlooker has suggested that Dan Ashworth and Eddie Howe could be looking at alternative options…

The latest: ‘Somebody they like’

Speaking to GIVEMESPORT, Jones has claimed that although there is a genuine admiration from the North East, the long list of suitors may put Newcastle off from making a move.

He said: “He’s not at the top of the list, but he is definitely somebody they like. They know there’s going to be competition to get him, so I think they’re a bit wary of how much effort they’re going to have to put into signing him.”

The verdict: Take your pick

Albeit Broja may not be the priority as things stand, that situation could easily manifest itself should the drawn-out pursuit of Reims’ starlet Hugo Ekitike finally be brought to a conclusion.

Elsewhere, the Magpies have been indexed to Flamengo frontman Gabriel Barbosa and Everton star Dominic Calvert-Lewin, albeit neither potential transfer has materialised beyond the point of conjecture currently.

Still young enough to develop further and with the backdrop of 10 direct goal involvements last season, Broja – who was praised for a ‘brutal’ impact at Southampton last term by journalist Pablo Montaño – would be an investment for the here and now as well as the future and would therefore represent the perfect candidate to join the Newcastle project.

Standing at 6 foot 1 and sharing similar style traits with the likes of Richarlison, Ollie Watkins and Teemu Pukki (Fbref), the 14-cap international frontman won a superb five duels per game in 2021/22, and possesses many of the important facets to succeed long-term in the Premier League.

Valued at an ever-increasing £19.8m (Transfermarkt), Broja would be a smart capture for PIF were it to become a reality.

Celtic defender Christopher Jullien is ready to stay and fight for a place in the team, according to a report from the Daily Record. 

The lowdown: Setback after setback

The Frenchman has endured a torrid spell with injury after initially missing 13 matches with a back problem during the 2020/21 campaign.

Upon making a return, the towering centre-back was then forced off against Dundee United at the end of 2020, clattering his knee off the post as he cleared a Marc McNulty shot off the line in a 3-0 victory. He was subsequently absent for 409 days as a result before returning to face Raith Rovers in February of this year.

That appearance was the solitary outing for the 29-year-old last term, and having been deemed surplus to requirements in some quarters this summer, it now appears as though the Frenchman may be willing to stay put…

The latest: Not going anywhere

As per the Daily Record, Jullien is believed to be ‘ready to stay and fight’ for a place in Ange Postecoglou’s plans next season.

It’s claimed that the Hoops have ‘received no concrete bids’ for the former France under-20 gem despite being willing to ‘listen to offers’ from clubs.

The report added that Jullien – who was branded a ‘man mountain’ by ex-Scotland defender Alan Hutton following a formidable performance containing 15 clearances in the 1-1 draw against FC Copenhagen in 2020 – has already ‘told’ Postecoglou of a willingness to remain as part of the Bhoys’ squad.

The verdict: Good news

Despite the wretched recent spell of injuries and the consequent lack of game-time, keeping a player of the £4.95m-valued Frenchman’s prowess within the Lennoxtown camp can certainly prove to be positive.

Prior to the crippling setbacks which have ultimately seen him fail to attract any attention in the market, Jullien had been a regular feature for Celtic, making 47 appearances during 2019/20 and scoring seven times that season to highlight an attacking aerial threat to accompany his defensive skills.

As the Hoops prepare to embark on another strenuous campaign in the pursuit of yet more silverware, with the addition of midweek Champions League action to cram in, keeping the 6 foot 5 Jullien at Parkhead could prove to be an unintended masterstroke.

In other news, Celtic are in ‘advanced talks’ to sign one player. Find out who it is here.

Sunderland ended their four-year spell in the third tier of English football as they won in the final of the League One play-offs last month.

The Black Cats will now be competing in the Championship next season after Alex Neil guided the team to a 2-0 win over Wycombe at Wembley.

Elliot Embleton and Ross Stewart scored the goals in the final after the club beat Sheffield Wednesday over two legs in the semi-finals.

Neil and Kristjaan Speakman will now be plotting deals to improve the squad with a view to being competitive in the second tier next term.

They have already been linked with a number of players and one gem who has been touted with a return to the Stadium of Light is central defender Dion Sanderson.

Sunderland are reportedly interested in signing him from Wolves, on a temporary or permanent basis, after his loan spell in the 2020/21 campaign.

Imagine him & Bailey Wright

Journalist Josh Bunting has claimed that he would be a “perfect” signing for Neil’s style of play. He is a defender who is comfortable in possession and this means that he can build up the play for the Scot from the back.

During his time with the Black Cats, the centre-back completed 83% of his passes, 93% in his own half, and completed 75% of his dribbles as he stepped out from the backline to start attacks.

Neil can pair him with Wright to form a solid defence in the Championship as their respective qualities can complement each other. Whilst the current Wolves man has the technical ability to be a ball progressor from centre-back, the Australian enforcer is a strong defender who can get stuck in.

In the 2021/22 campaign, the ex-Bristol City gem won an impressive 65% of his duels and made 3.2 clearances per game as he showcased his strength and positioning.

That is not to say that Sanderson is not a good defender, though, as he caught the eye for the club in the past. Josh Bunting dubbed the centre-back “absolutely superb” and his statistics for Sunderland in League One back that up. In 26 third-tier outings, Sanderson averaged an excellent SofaScore rating of 6.92 whilst playing for Lee Johnson.

The 22-year-old made 1.9 tackles and interceptions per game as he won 61% of his duels, showing that he – like Wright – has the quality to defend his own goal.

Now, imagine both of them lining up in Neil’s defence next season…

This is a deal the Scottish boss must get done in the coming weeks, whether that is on a permanent basis or on loan from the Premier League side.

AND in other news, Speakman plotting Sunderland swoop for “massive” 6 ft 3 colossus, Neil would love him…

Aston Villa midfielder Douglas Luiz is wanted by AS Roma, according to a report from the Daily Mail. 

The lowdown: Kamara in

Having secured the capture of Marseille starlet Boubacar Kamara on a free transfer earlier this week, Villa manager Steven Gerrard has wasted little time in kickstarting the summer transfer business.

The 22-year-old will arrive at Villa Park ahead of the 2022/23 campaign, and his arrival means that the midfield department is now well stocked, with John McGinn, Jacob Ramsey and Marvelous Nakamba, Morgan Sanson, Carney Chukwuemeka, Tim Iroegbunam and Luiz already in situ.

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However, at least one of those aforementioned first-team options could be heading away from the Midlands and is already attracting attention from a former Premier League manager…

The latest: Roma want Luiz

According to the Daily Mail, Serie A outfit Roma are ‘expected to step up’ their efforts to sign Luiz in the coming weeks.

It’s claimed that their manager Jose Mourinho has already ‘expressed interest’ in the five-cap Brazil international, with the Giallorossi set to step up their efforts to land the 24-yeer-old following tonight’s UEFA Europa Conference League final, in which they face Feyenoord in Tirana.

The report added that Villa owners NSWE are ‘likely to consider offers’ for the player who Ian Wright described as ‘underrated’ amidst previous transfer interest from Arsenal in 2020.

The verdict: Time could be up…

Unfortunately, it seems as though the end could be nigh for the 24-year-old’s time at Villa, having spent three years at the club after joining from Manchester City.

Luiz scored twice and provided three assists in 34 Premier League outings this season, contributing 1.7 tackles, one interception and winning 4.4 duels per game, earning a 6.89 Sofascore rating in the process.

Despite that impressive form, the Brazilian is heading towards the final year of his contract with the club, and therefore he could feasibly be sold this summer in order for Villa to avoid losing a £31.5m-rated asset for nothing in 12 months’ time.

In other news: NSWE now eyeing another defender; Villa chiefs sent to club after Gerrard approves

Former Premier League striker now Sky Sports pundit Kevin Campbell has backed Liverpool to sign Gavi after hearing some transfer news on the midfielder.

The Lowdown: Gavi interest

It has recently been reported that Jurgen Klopp’s team are still showing an interest in Gavi ahead of the January transfer window, with the player yet to pen new terms at Barcelona before his deal expires next year.

It seems unlikely that they would go all out for a new central midfielder in the winter having signed Arthur on loan from Juventus, but next summer it will surely be a priority, with links to Jude Bellingham already heating up.

The Latest: Campbell reacts

Speaking to Football Insider, Campbell has claimed that Gavi is a ‘brilliant’ player, and has backed the Anfield outfit in their pursuit of the FC Barcelona talent:

“Gavi is a really good young player.

“He is technically gifted and knows where the back of the net is. If he comes onto the market, there will be quite a few clubs coveting him.

“He is a brilliant player and is one who would definitely improve that Liverpool team. He could be at the club for five to ten years as well.

“I would expect Liverpool to be knocking on the door if he was to become available.”

The Verdict: Needed

Given the sheer number of injuries to first-team midfielders the Merseyside club have suffered over recent weeks, it is clear that they need to strengthen in that area of the pitch, and perhaps move one or two on.

First and foremost, Gavi is a player who does not have a significant injury history, and at just 18 years of age, should have the energy to be able to play week in and week out in Klopp’s system.

He is clearly very talented having broken into Barca’s first team at his age, with 52 appearances for the Catalans already, scoring two goals and making six assists, while he also has ten caps for Spain (Transfermarkt).

If Bellingham suddenly becomes unattainable, then Gavi is surely the midfielder to go for.

In a match of narrow margins, two lucky events – both involving Faf du Plessis – helped Royal Challengers Bangalore finish on the right side of a one-run result

ESPNcricinfo stats team21-Apr-2019In a game of slim margins, every chance or half-chance is potentially result-changing, and so it proved in the cliffhanger in Bengaluru. Royal Challengers Bangalore ultimately squeaked through by a run, but the result could have easily gone the other way had a couple of dismissal-related events not turned out the way they did.Coincidentally, both these events involved Faf du Plessis. In the sixth over, with AB de Villiers on a run-a-ball 14, du Plessis made a fine attempt at mid-off to take a catch but failed to latch on to it. Du Plessis did finally take the catch to dismiss him, but by then de Villiers had made 25 off 19, which means he added 11 from five balls from the time he got the reprieve.According to ESPNcricinfo’s Luck Index, which puts a run value to every lucky event in a match, had that chance – or half-chance – been taken, Royal Challengers would have scored seven fewer runs that they eventually did, and the end result could have been different. The run cost is calculated by allotting the extra deliveries batted by de Villiers to the rest of the batsmen in the team, and simulating the rest of the game to calculate how many runs they would have scored off those deliveries.ESPNcricinfo LtdThe other event is even more interesting. In the fourth over of the chase, the following happened, to quote ESPNcricinfo’s ball-by-ball commentary:
3.2 Yadav to du Plessis, no run, oh my word how has that missed? Shaping away from him and in fact it shaved the stump. At 141 kph, but the bails stay nailed on. Faf’s lucky day. He was squared up and missed it, should have been bowled, but he’s still there. Umesh has a wry smile.Du Plessis was then on 5 off ten balls, and was eventually dismissed for five off 15. According to Luck Index, the other Super Kings batsmen would have scored six runs off those extra five dot balls that du Plessis faced. That means Royal Challengers were actually lucky that the stubborn bail refused to budge, given what happened in the subsequent deliveries to du Plessis.Umesh Yadav was unlucky to miss out on a wicket off that ball, but for the rest of his team-mates, dismissing a batsman actually helped their cause.These were two dismissal-related events which helped Royal Challengers’ cause. In a game of such close margins, there were a few other events too, which had an impact of greater than one run. One of those happened off the first ball of the ninth over, when a delivery from Marcus Stoinis was deemed a legal ball. Replays suggested that his front foot might have gone over the line. It was an extremely tight call which went in the Royal Challengers’ favour, but Luck Index calculates that had the call gone the other way, Super Kings would have benefited by three runs – one run for the no-ball and two for the free-hit ball. That would have potentially altered the result too.