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West Bromwich Albion are certainly experiencing a wobble in the Championship at the moment, having started the season like a runaway train.

The Baggies raced straight out of the blocks with five victories from their opening six second-tier contests, before a defeat to Sheffield Wednesday at the close of September clearly knocked confidence in Carlos Corberan’s camp.

Even when results haven’t always gone in the favour of the West Midlands side, it’s safe to say the defence has consistently put in a shift, despite the goals also notably drying up in the attacking positions.

West Brom's stern defence this season

It’s not as if this is just reserved to this campaign in isolation, however, with Corberan’s men priding themselves on dogged displays last season, on top of their efforts in the Championship now.

West Brom only leaked 47 goals across 46 games, with playoff winners Southampton surrendering a far heftier 63 strikes, and it looks to be another season where the defenders will shine at the Hawthorns.

Kyle Bartley has been key to these solid performances at the back so far, amassing five clean sheets from the ten second-tier appearances he has managed to get under his belt, before being ruled out through injury for West Brom’s last two league contests.

Paddy McNair now finds himself in the Hawthorns treatment room too which piles on even more selection issues for Corberan defensively, alongside Semi Ajayi also now being ruled out for four months, but the Spaniard will know he can rely on the trusty duo of Darnell Furlong and Torbjørn Heggem to remain staunch regardless of any more absentees troubling him.

Not every player has gone to be a rip-roaring success at the back for the Baggies after signing on the dotted line, however, with this centre-back purchase going down as a dud, but one that thankfully didn’t damage the then Premier League club’s bank account too much.

Market Movers

Football FanCast's Market Movers series explores the changing landscape of the modern transfer market. How much is your club's star player or biggest flop worth today?

James Chester's time at West Brom

The established top-flight club forked out some big bucks to snap up James Chester in the summer of 2015, acquiring the ex-Hull City man for a bumper £8m fee.

Chester would never fully settle in at West Brom, to the dismay of the Hawthorns masses who must have thought he was going to be a rock-solid performer based on his price tag, with the former Baggies number four only going on to make 19 appearances for his new employers before being let go of to join near neighbours Aston Villa.

He would go on to be a valued part of the Villa defence over many seasons, away from struggling at West Brom, with 126 appearances amassed by the time of his exit in 2020.

West Brom did have to sell Chester for £1m less than they purchased him for when letting him move onto Villa Park, but the £7m sale hasn’t really haunted them in the long run, with the experienced defender’s value constantly falling since his underwhelming spell at the Baggies.

Even as he blossomed into a dependable first-team performer for Villa week in week out, Chester’s value would begin to fall, with his price all the way down at £1.6m by October 2020, when he was on the books of Stoke City after being released by his former club.

Now, the Welshman’s value sits at a meagre £60k, as the 35-year-old’s career begins to peter out playing in League Two with Salford City, with Chester yet to feature in a game in the lowly division this campaign so far.

Looking back, West Brom must feel vindicated now that they parted ways with their former dud so prematurely, resulting in them winning back some substantial cash before his value dramatically took a nosedive.

West Brom's "relentless" loan star has seen value soar £31m since leaving

West Bromwich Albion once had this star on their books before his career took off.

By
Kelan Sarson

Oct 30, 2024

The Women's Super League will reportedly discuss removing relegation as part of a "radical proposal" which could change landscape of English football.

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• WSL clubs to meet on Friday
• Looking to improve sustainability and profitability
• Might suspend relegation to promote growth

• WHAT HAPPENED?

  According to 23 clubs from the WSL and Championship will gather to discuss plans for the future of the sport, where they are going to deliberate on the potential removal of relegation. The meeting comes at a time when women's football in England is experiencing rapid growth, aided by new television deals and increased commercial backing. Women’s Professional Leagues Ltd (WPLL), the company overseeing both the WSL and Championship, is eager to build on this momentum.

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  THE BIGGER PICTURE

  One of the most notable proposals being discussed involves an expansion of both the WSL and the Championship. However, under this plan, there would initially be no relegation between the two leagues. The idea is to foster a more competitive environment without the pressure of relegation, which could encourage owners to invest more in developing their clubs and the league as a whole. The restructuring would not be implemented until the 2026-27 season at the earliest, and it is still uncertain when a formal vote will take place.

  Eliminating relegation could create a more stable environment for clubs to invest in their squads and infrastructure, without the looming threat of relegation that currently hangs over the teams in the lower half of the WSL. Chelsea’s dominance in recent seasons, having won five consecutive WSL titles, underscores the competitive gap that exists between the top and bottom clubs. By removing relegation, the league could potentially encourage greater investment from club owners, knowing that their place in the top flight is secure.

• DID YOU KNOW?

  WPLL’s efforts have already borne fruit, securing a five-year broadcast agreement with Sky Sports and the BBC worth £65m. They have also struck a three-year title sponsorship deal with Barclays, valued at £45m. These successes have spurred the WPLL to consider bold moves for further expansion and long-term sustainability.

  Another proposal under consideration is the idea of maintaining promotion from the Championship to the WSL, but without any relegation from the top tier. This would allow the WSL to expand gradually with one new club added to the roster every season.

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  WHAT NEXT?

  Alongside the structural changes to the WSL, there are also plans to rebrand the Championship, with the potential renaming of the division to WSL2. This change could take place as early as next season, reflecting the growing professionalism and importance of the second tier. However, the Championship has faced its own challenges, including the recent withdrawal of Reading due to financial difficulties, leaving the division with just 11 teams this season.

Teddy Sheringham has sensationally backed Roy Keane to replace Ruben Amorim as Manchester United manager.

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• United struggling this season
• Keane backed to fix Red Devils' issues
• Former captain can 'ruffle a few feathers'

• WHAT HAPPENED?

  United are currently 14th in the Premier League table, 14 points behind fourth-placed Manchester City. Amid Amorim's struggles at the helm, treble winner Sheringham believes Keane, who has previously managed Sunderland and Ipswich but has not been in management since 2011, could be the ideal replacement.

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  The former United and England striker believes Keane's firebrand personality could "ruffle a few feathers", and also bring real leadership to Old Trafford, as United look to somehow salvage their season. Their only hope of a trophy, and potential Champions League qualification, comes via the Europa League. Sheringham is not the only ex-player to pine for Keane, either, as Mikael Silvestre has floated a similar idea.

• WHAT SHERINGHAM SAID

  Speaking to , he was asked to pick a former player to replace Amorim and replied:  "Roy Keane, without a doubt. There's no leaders at the football club. You need leaders at top football clubs. You know your John Terrys, your Tony Adams, your Roy Keanes, players that lead by example and make sure other people are doing their jobs. No one's doing that at Manchester United. So, get Roy Keane in there to ruffle a few feathers, make sure that they all understand what they should be doing and do it.

  "Roy’s been out of work for a little while now. I wouldn't be averse to having him back at the football club, but I think there's only one role for Roy Keane and he needs to be the leader. If they're thinking about changing Amorim, for me, putting someone back in charge like, it would be a leadership coup to do that and get Roy in. There might be fireworks at certain times, but it needs to be sorted out, doesn't it? Manchester United needs shaping up in there. I don't know whether he's evolved in his time away, if he’s ready to go back into football or not. His ego would probably take him back in there as well."

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  WHAT NEXT?

  United play Arsenal in a huge Premier League encounter this weekend.

Hoping to take their place among Europe’s elite both on and off the pitch, Manchester United are now reportedly racing to sign a bargain defensive reinforcement ahead of Barcelona in 2025.

Man Utd transfer news

Given Ruben Amorim’s official arrival, it’s no real surprise that the transfer rumours have been coming thick and fast for Manchester United. The Red Devils are in desperate need of a turnaround and the transfer window should play a large part in that. But Dan Ashworth and Sir Jim Ratcliffe must get things right on that front.

Already, the likes of Viktor Gyokeres and former Manchester City defender Danilo have been linked to Old Trafford in a potential sign of things to come.

There’s no doubt that Gyokeres would be a standout signing, given his reputation as one of Europe’s most clinical goalscorers and one who completed his best work under Amorim. In fact, in the Portuguese manager’s final home game at Sporting CP, Gyokeres netted a rather fitting hat-trick in a 4-1 thrashing of Manchester City in the Champions League.

Before those at Old Trafford splash the cash, however, they could land a bargain defensive reinforcement for Amorim and his backline. According to reports in Spain, Manchester United have now made contact over a move to sign Bayer Leverkusen defender Jonathan Tah ahead of Barcelona next summer. The Bayer Leverkusen ace may represent one of the smartest deals next summer with his contract coming to an end at the German club at the end of the season.

Amorim can axe Casemiro for “talented" teen who’s not played for Man Utd

The Man Utd ace has been on the bench for the first-team this season

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By
Joe Nuttall

Nov 9, 2024

A player who played a vital part in Leverkusen’s historic invincible domestic campaign last time out, Tah could emerge to form quite the partnership with Matthijs de Ligt for the Red Devils next season.

"Strong" Tah could partner De Ligt and Maguire

Whilst De Ligt is yet to transform the Manchester United backline like it seemed he would when swapping Bayern Munich for the Premier League, Tah’s arrival could go a long way towards doing just that. The German is an experienced defender these days as well as a historic winner who could slot into a back three alongside De Ligt and Maguire to hand Amorim the missing piece to play his favoured system.

Outperforming his potential future teammates, Tah is the defensive leader that United so desperately need, especially in a back three under Amorim.

The German’s rise is one that his former national team manager saw coming, with Joachim Low saying via the official Bundesliga website at the start of Tah’s Germany career: “He’s a young player with a lot of potential. He’s physically strong and very quick. Everything is possible.”

Earning a reported £45,000-a-week, Tah ticks the boxes for experience, leadership and a bargain option who would not disrupt United’s wage bill.

With Martin Dubravka on course to become a free agent and leave the club at the end of the season, Newcastle United have already reportedly lined up a potential replacement.

Newcastle transfer news

The Magpies seem to be thinking ahead this summer in what would be a refreshing change following the disaster of the previous summer window. Spending the majority of the open market on a failed pursuit to sign Marc Guehi, Newcastle ended the summer without several much-needed reinforcements and endured a slow start to the campaign.

Only recently getting back on track, Alexander Isak’s return to goalscoring form has helped Eddie Howe’s side put their slow start behind them and begin to look upwards, especially after defeating high-flying Nottingham Forest before the international break.

Qualifying for European football will undoubtedly be the aim, and that would go a long way towards welcoming a number of targets when it comes to the attraction of Newcastle’s project.

Newcastle now willing to gamble on signing "fantastic" main target in 2025

He’s a former Premier League star…

By
Tom Cunningham

Nov 17, 2024

However, one player who currently looks destined to head in the other direction is Martin Dubravka. The 35-year-old has been an admirable backup over the last few years at St James’ Park, but looks unlikely to sign a new contract and could leave on a free deal next summer.

As clubs in the Saudi Pro League reportedly circle for his signature, those on Tyneside have seemingly set their sights on a replacement. According to the Sunday Mirror, (via Sports View), Newcastle have already lined up James Trafford to replace Dubravka and will pursue the Burnley shot-stopper next summer.

Reportedly valued at just £20m, Trafford should be well within Newcastle’s range. They’ll want to make no mistake this time around, though, having missed out on the 22-year-old’s signature last summer to add to their woes amid profit and sustainability concerns. One of a few deals that they failed to get over the line despite their reported interest, Newcastle must not once again next summer.

"Brilliant" Trafford could push Pope all the way

Now 32 years old, the arrival of a goalkeeper 10 years his junior would no doubt leave Nick Pope at risk of losing his Newcastle place, either as soon as next season or in the years to come. Howe could swiftly swap the old for the new by welcoming Trafford into his side or perhaps wait for Pope to step aside courtesy of his age and have a ready-made replacement raring to go.

The Burnley star earned a lot of praise even as the Clarets were relegated last season, including from Arsenal legend Ian Wright, who said on Match of the Day (via the Burnley Express): “He was brilliant, I was delighted for him. Coming into the Burnley side after a £19m move, Vincent Kompany has shown a lot of faith in him and he made some very, very good saves.

"A lot of the Burnley fans weren’t quite sure simply because of [Arijanet] Muric and how well he had done to come up, but he made some fantastic saves."

Amazon Prime are set to release a documentary on England's Euro 2024 journey following the new generation including Cole Palmer and Kobbie Mainoo.

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• Amazon Prime to release doc on England
• Will follow Palmer and Mainoo among others
• Set to release the documentary on March 15

• WHAT HAPPENED?

  England had a rollercoaster journey at Euro 2024 in Germany as the Three Lions started their group stage in disappointing fashion under Gareth Southgate before they seemed to stick into a rhythm and reach the final in Berlin against Spain. While the dominant La Roja were a step too far, England was impressive as Spain only won 2-1 via a late winner from Mikel Oyarzabal.

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  THE BIGGER PICTURE

  Amazon Prime are now set to release a documentary on England's Euro journey titled, 'England’s Lions: The New Generation'. The documentary follows some of England's newest recruits, including the likes of Cole Palmer, Kobbie Mainoo, Marc Guehi, and Ollie Watkins, with important contributions from friends and family that shed insight on their path. The documentary will explore the players' backstories and reveal the difficulties of battling your way to the top. All four players went on to play significant roles at the European Championships last year.

• DID YOU KNOW?

  The documentary features intimate moments with the players' loved ones, friends, and close friends in addition to thrilling match footage and unique behind-the-scenes access to the England players at the event. As they fight past setbacks, media attention, and the weight of bearing the nation's dreams, England's Lions: The New Generation depicts the highs and lows of their emotions.

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  WHAT NEXT FOR THE DOCUMENTARY?

  On Saturday, March 15, the UK Original documentary will debut exclusively on Prime Video in the UK and Ireland.

Chelsea have been told the pros and cons of signing Victor Osimhen, with Emmanuel Petit saying the Nigerian striker “reminds me of Diego Costa”.

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• Blues still in the market for a No.9
• Linked with Nigerian star for some time
• Comapred with Premier League title winner

• WHAT HAPPENED?

  The Blues have been in the market for a proven No.9 across several windows. Nicolas Jackson has been filling that role at Stamford Bridge, but questions continue to be asked of the Colombia international – who has nine goals to his name this season in what has been an injury-hit campaign.

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  Osimhen has seen a move to Stamford Bridge speculated on for some time, with his impressive strike rate at Napoli and during a loan spell with Turkish giants Galatasaray making him of obvious appeal to teams across Europe.

• DID YOU KNOW?

  Petit is not entirely convinced that the 26-year-old is what Chelsea need, amid questions of his character, but admits that “a fighter” is cut from the same cloth as former Blues frontman Costa – who helped the club to two Premier League titles between 2014 and 2017.

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  WHAT EMMANUEL PETIT SAID

  Ex-Chelsea midfielder Petit has told : “My concerns with Victor Osimhen would be with his personality and character, it can be a great thing for the team if it fits in, but it can also be difficult in other teams.

  “We all know his qualities and what he can bring to the team, he can score goals and bring character, he reminds me of Diego Costa in that sense, he is a fighter. In terms of personality and character it can be a lot, but he is very versatile, but there might just be better options on the market this summer.”

Looking to sharpen what has been a blunt attack at times this season, Newcastle United are now reportedly eyeing a move to sign one of the most in-form players in Europe’s top five leagues.

Newcastle transfer news

Suffering defeat against West Ham United last time out, Newcastle have taken one step forward and two steps back throughout the current campaign in a major dent in their European aspirations. Eddie Howe’s side had looked back to their best after defeating title contenders Arsenal, but were quickly brought back down to earth by a struggling West Ham side.

What has been made clear by their inconsistency is that the Magpies need to add further depth to an injury-struck squad when the January transfer window arrives. Names such as Bryan Mbeumo and Antoine Semenyo have already been linked to St James’ Park on that front, but Paul Mitchell may yet look to make his biggest statement yet as Newcastle’s sporting director.

According to Graeme Bailey of The Boot Room, Newcastle are now eyeing a move to sign Omar Marmoush from Eintracht Frankfurt after sending scouts to watch the attacker in action in recent weeks. They’re far from alone in their interest, however, given that Chelsea, Manchester City and Arsenal have also been mentioned in pursuit of the Egyptian.

Marmoush has been one of if not the most in-form players in Europe’s top five leagues so far this season, scoring 14 goals and assisting another 10 in just 17 appearances in all competitions. In current form, the 25-year-old is simply untouchable.

Newcastle move to bring 31 y/o free agent back to England and get response

He’s got unfinished business in the Premier League…

By
Tom Cunningham

Nov 27, 2024

As relayed by The Boot Room, Frankfurt are incredibly unlikely to sell their star in the January transfer window, but a reported £50m price-tag could certainly tempt Newcastle when the summer arrives.

"Fantastic" Marmoush would complete Newcastle's front three

When looking at Newcastle’s front three, it’s clear that they’re lacking just one more starter. Miguel Almiron is arguably past his best and heading for the exit door. The same can be said for Callum Wilson, whilst question marks still remain over whether Harvey Barnes can become anything other than a super-sub. So the door is certainly open for a player of Marmoush’s calibre.

Whilst perhaps swapping sides with Gordon, who’d then be playing off the right, Marmoush would inject some much-needed goals to share the responsibility with Isak. Suddenly having two players capable of reaching 15 or more goals in a single campaign, Newcastle would be far closer to their Champions League ambitions.

Marmoush has unsurprisingly been at the centre of praise in the current campaign, but Frankfurt manager Dino Topmoller was even full of positives for Marmoush last season, telling reporters as relayed by KingFut: “Omar is a fantastic boy who always gives maximum effort in addition to his blistering pace.

“I’m very impressed with his development in the final third, as he’s now a lot more calmer on the ball, he’s really good at runs from behind as well. He’s really taken a huge step in his development, especially with the way he’s played in the past few games.”

Leeds United have come back from adversity this season, looking to bounce back after missing out on promotion in the play-off final against Southampton at Wembley.

As if missing out on a return to the Premier League was bad enough, the first-team squad was ransacked, leading to numerous talents departing Elland Road for a move to England’s top flight.

Top scorer Crysencio Summerville departed in a £25m deal to join West Ham United, with top assister Georginio Rutter leaving in a club-record £40m transfer, moving to Brighton and Hove Albion.

The pair combined for 49 goals in the 2023/24 Championship season, undoubtedly a huge loss for boss Daniel Farke, but they tried to combat such losses with new additions over the summer.

However, the upcoming January window presents a new opportunity for the German to improve his attacking options, potentially going back in for one player who was on their radar during the off-season.

Leeds target January move for £8.5m talent

According to Italian outlet TuttoMercatoWeb, Leeds are pondering a potential move for Hammarby IF’s striker Jusef Erabi in January, having followed the forward of recent months.

The 21-year-old was touted as a potential option for the Whites during the summer, but a move failed to materialise – with the youngster staying in Sweden.

However, fellow Championship side Norwich City and Serie A outfit Genoa are also both named in the report over a potential move for the attacker, who’s currently valued at €10m (£8.5m) by his current employers.

Leeds certainly have the funds available after the huge departures over the summer, with Erabi one player who could be on their list ahead of the winter window.

The forward would provide an upgrade on one player currently plying his trade at Elland Road, handing them a boost in their promotion ambitions between now and the end of the campaign.

Why Erabi would be an upgrade on Bamford for Leeds

Striker Patrick Bamford has certainly had his doubters over the years but managed to be a huge part of their success in the Premier League a couple of years ago.

The Englishman notched 17 goals during the 2020/21 season, helping the club register a top-half finish in the first year after promotion from England’s second tier.

However, since relegation, he’s struggled to replicate such form, scoring just eight league goals, with injuries restricting him to just 77 minutes of action so far in 2024/25.

As a result of his recent tribulations, the hierarchy could be forced into dipping into the transfer market, with Erabi just one option who would provide an upgrade on the 31-year-old.

The Swede has registered nine goals in all competitions during this calendar year, massively outscoring Bamford and offering that added firepower to push them over the line in their promotion battle.

However, when delving into the underlying stats, the Hammarby star has also massively outperformed the current Leeds forward – demonstrating what a superb addition he would be should a deal be completed.

It’s safe to say it’s been a sad decline for Bamford, failing to consistently produce the goods for the Whites, leaving the supporters wanting more within the attacking area of the pitch.

Erabi, who’s been dubbed “powerful and prolific” by talent scout Jacek Kulig, could be the man to provide that added impetus, having the ability in front of goal to transform the fortunes in the final third in the coming months.

£8.5m would be another huge investment from the board, but it could prove to be one for the short and long term, having an immediate impact but also potentially making them a sizeable profit at some point down the line.

It could also help to finally send that man Bamford packing, with just 18 months left to run on his existing deal.

Farke must sell Leeds flop who Marsch was "convinced" would be "great"

The Leeds United defender must be cashed in on at the earliest available opportunity.

By
Dan Emery

Dec 5, 2024

England boss Thomas Tuchel admits he must remain patient as he adapts to the "rhythm" of international football.

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• Tuchel's England career underway
• Admits he needs to be more patient
• Must 'adapt' to international rhythm

• WHAT HAPPENED?

  Tuchel insisted England "must do better" after Friday's 2-0 win over Albania, during which they struggled to regularly break down stubborn opposition. But the German accepts he and his players must adapt to each other before expecting spectacular results.

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  Tuchel has often spoken about the lack of training sessions with his new team between now and the 2026 World Cup and has imposed a "crash course" on his players this week. He has been clear in demanding a physical, direct style that replicates a typical Premier League team.

• WHAT TUCHEL SAID

  Speaking ahead of Monday's clash against Latvia, Tuchel said: "I need to adapt to the rhythm of international football. The challenge to prepare in three days – with 20 players from 10 or 12 different clubs – one idea of football. I'm not the most patient guy in the world when it comes to that but I will learn and push the players."

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  WHAT NEXT FOR TUCHEL AND ENGLAND?

  England play Latvia in their second World Cup qualifier on Monday before returning to action in June, against Andorra and Senegal.