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Tottenham are still interested in completing the signing of Wolves winger Adama Traore this summer, according to journalist Alex Crook.

The Lowdown: Traore’s future unclear

The 26-year-old is back at Molineux during pre-season, having been allowed to join Barcelona on loan midway through the 2021/22 campaign.

Traore’s time in Spain proved to be unimpressive, failing to score despite a promising first five appearances as he registered four assists (Transfermarkt), with manager Xavi having no interest in retaining his services on a permanent basis.

The Spanish winger has been linked with a move to Spurs this summer, and one journalist has suggested that it is a transfer which could still go through.

The Latest: Spurs still keen on Traore

Speaking to GiveMeSport, transfer expert Crook claimed that the north Londoners see Traore as a potential summer option to bring in.

He stated:

“The other name that I’ve been told that is still on their list is Adama Traore, to add some right wing-back competition.”

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The Verdict: Better to sell this summer

It became clear last season that Bruno Lage doesn’t consider Traore a key player, with only 10 Premier League starts coming his way before his loan departure last season.

For that reason, it makes complete sense for Wolves to sell him permanently this summer and receive a healthy fee for his services, spending the money on new signings instead.

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Traore can still be very effective on his day – Andy Townsend has described him as ‘devastating’ in the past – but there is an inconsistency in his game which seemingly will never go away.

An overall tally of 11 goals and 18 assists in 154 appearances simply isn’t good enough for such a fast attacking player, and perhaps that is why Lage has not been sold on the 26-year-old up to now.

Crystal Palace forward Wilfried Zaha could make a move to Chelsea ‘at the end of the window’, Simon Phillips has told GiveMeSport.

The lowdown

With less a month of the transfer window remaining, Palace have only sold one first-team player – Christian Benteke.

The Belgian striker sealed a move to MLS outfit DC United for an undisclosed fee ahead of Palace’s season opener against Arsenal.

But the departure of Zaha, Palace’s most valuable player according to Transfermarkt, would of course be a far bigger story.

The 29-year-old only has 12 months left on his deal, which leaves the Eagles facing the prospect of losing him on a free next summer.

The latest

Phillips says Chelsea hold a long-standing interest Zaha and now spy an opportunity given his contract situation.

Blues manager Thomas Tuchel is a big fan of the player and could view it as a no-brainer.

“Wilfried Zaha, I’ve been told there’s still interest there,” he said. “Obviously that’s historical interest from Chelsea’s side before the new owners. Something could be done there at the end of the window with Zaha, one year left on his contract, and Chelsea have always admired him.

“And I think Tuchel has the same way of thinking there. So he wouldn’t be an expensive signing to do, and I think he would be the kind of player that Tuchel would really like.”

The verdict

It seems like Palace may be minded to sell Zaha if they receive a suitable offer.

The Athletic’s Matt Woosnam reports that they ‘have no intention’ of allowing him to leave for nothing in 2023.

And with Palace now looking to build around younger players with a high resale value, the wisdom of handing out a big contract to someone who’s about to turn 30 might be questioned internally.

Still, it would no doubt be a pretty mighty challenge to replace Zaha, who top-scored for the club last season with 15 goals in all competitions.

He proved his worth again on Friday night, even as Palace fell to a 2-0 defeat, by completing three dribbles, creating two chances (including one big chance) and making three tackles. If you go by SofaScore metrics, he was his team’s second best player behind Joachim Andersen.

Newcastle United are set to return with another offer for Everton starlet Anthony Gordon, having previously been rebuffed by the Toffees earlier this summer.

What’s the word?

According to the Chronicle, the Magpies are believed to be ‘considering’ a new bid for the 21-year-old, as they remain frustrated in their approach for Leicester City’s James Maddison – having seen two offers rejected by the Foxes thus far.

In the case of the Merseyside youngster, the Englishman was reportedly the subject of a £35m approach by the northeast side back in early July, with Sky Sports reporter Keith Downie recently suggesting that a wide player – as well as a striker – could be targeted before the window closes.

Despite having brought in three new faces so far this summer, the Tynesiders are yet to bring an attacking recruit to help bolster the current squad, with manager Eddie Howe opening up on his desire to add to his forward line in the coming weeks.

Could be incredible

While it could prove a hefty fee for a player who has made just 50 Premier League appearances in his embryonic, senior career thus far, Gordon has no doubt illustrated just what a talent he is of late, having enjoyed a real breakthrough campaign last time out.

After returning from a six-month loan spell at Preston North End at the end of the 2020/21 season, the local lad went on to become a key figure at Goodison Park last term, scoring four goals and providing two assists in 35 league games for the club, proving a rare ray of sunshine in what was another wise turbulent season for Frank Lampard’s side.

A dynamic and relentless attacking presence, the £18m-rated ace also impressed due to his stunning defensive approach, ranking in the top 2% for blocks, the top 4% for tackles and the top 5% for pressures made among those in his position across Europe’s top five leagues.

Current Newcastle star Allan Saint-Maximin, for instance, ranks in just the bottom 1% for tackles made and pressures, as well as in the bottom 5% for blocks made, with that a stark illustration of the differing work ethic between the pair.

Not that the Frenchman would need to be necessarily dispensed from the side, however, with Gordon potentially able to make up for Saint-Maximin’s defensive shortcomings and allow the mercurial talent to shine, while he also offers the flexibility to feature all across the front line, having notably started through the middle in Saturday’s 1-0 defeat to Chelsea.

The £10k-per-week sensation may not be the glamour name that Magpies supporters were craving – after a summer of links to the likes of Hugo Ekitike and Moussa Diaby – yet he remains an “incredible” talent, in the words of former teammate Morgan Feeney, as well as a “frightening” prospect for any defence – as per Boreham Wood boss Luke Garrard.

A player with invaluable Premier League experience already under his belt, there is no reason why the Kirkdale-born star couldn’t thrive as part of Howe’s squad this season were he to sign on the dotted line.

Although desperation is potentially setting in at St James’ Park as the search for a new forward addition goes on, Gordon could well prove to be an ‘incredible’ capture, both for his attacking flair but also his dogged defensive approach.

Wolverhampton Wanderers midfielder Bruno Jordao is reportedly nearing a move away from the club, according to a report from Mais Futebol (via Sport Witness). 

The lowdown: One in

The Wanderers have completed the capture of Matheus Nunes from Sporting Lisbon for a club-record fee overnight and Bruno Lage could already be looking to balance the squad out.

As a result of the incoming maestro, out of favour Jordao could be set to head in the opposite direction and return to Portugal having made just five first-team outings following his arrival from Lazio in 2019.

The 23-year-old Portugal youth international has spent time on loan at Grasshoppers and Famalicao since joining the Old Gold and could now be ready for another temporary departure…

The latest: One out

As per Mais Futebol, translated by SW, the one-cap Portugal Under 21 starlet is close to completing another loan move to Primeira Liga outfit Santa Clara.

It’s claimed that an ‘official source’ at Molineux has confirmed the deal for Jordao to return to his homeland for the duration of the 2022/23 campaign.

The report also states thata move for the man who was hailed by journalist Joe Edwards for a ‘brilliant’ goal whilst on loan at Famalicao in 2020 ‘does not include any purchase option’.

The verdict: Beneficial

Following battles with injuries during a stop-start time in the Midlands, allowing Jordao to go away, prove his fitness and obtain regular match action is a smart move from the Old Gold hierarchy.

In addition to Nunes, with Morgan Gibbs-White and Ruben Neves still in situ despite the strong interest, opportunities for the young Portuguese sensation would’ve been few and far between under Bruno Lage this term.

Under contract until 2024 (Transfermarkt), time is still on Jordao’s side to become a Wolves regular, however, this move may need to work well if Lage is going to integrate the versatile central midfielder into his plans moving forwards.

Newcastle United manager Eddie Howe has dropped a double injury update ahead of the Magpies’ Premier League clash against Manchester City on Sunday.

What’s the news?

Speaking in his latest press conference ahead of the Magpies’ home match against the reigning champions, the 44-year-old gave an update on the current fitness situations surrounding Ryan Fraser and Matt Targett.

On the ex-Bournemouth winger, Howe said: “Ryan we hope will be fit and available. He had a back spasm last week, so he was a late withdrawal from the Brighton game.”

Speaking about Targett, the Newcastle boss said that they will make a “very late decision” on whether the left-back will be able to play after he picked up a hamstring issue earlier this month which kept him out of last weekend’s clash against Brighton & Hove Albion.

A big worry for Newcastle

With Howe unable to give a definitive answer as to whether either of those two will be fit enough to take part in tomorrow’s clash at St James’ Park, this will surely be a worry for everyone connected with the club.

The Magpies haven’t conceded a goal in the league this term, but Pep Guardiola’s side not only scored more goals (99) than any other team in the division last season, they also had the joint-highest number of goals in the league prior to this weekend’s round of fixtures.

Therefore, having Targett available would surely be a big positive for Newcastle, especially with only two other defenders posting a higher combined total of tackles and interceptions than the Englishman (75) in the league last season at St James’ Park.

Meanwhile, Fraser ended the previous league campaign with a higher rate for goal-creating actions per 90 minutes (0.37) than any other player at the club. This shows how he could be a danger in terms of creating problems for City’s defence, which has yet to be breached so far in the current Premier League campaign.

If both players are fit enough to be available for selection tomorrow afternoon, this should give Howe a better chance of being able to cause damage to the Citizens and potentially see them drop points for the first time this season.

However, with the manager’s update on the two players being laced with caution, worry could be the predominant feeling among Howe, his coaching staff and the Toon Army until the match kicks off.

Leeds United could end their summer with a bang by signing Ben Brereton Diaz from Everton’s grasp.

The Yorkshire side have been listed as one of several other teams keen on signing the Blackburn Rovers forward, though it appears as if the Toffees are leading the race to sign him, having offered £17.5m upfront with instalments taking a deal past the £20m mark.

That’s according to 90min, who also claim that the likes of West Ham United, Southampton, Wolverhampton Wanderers, as well as Sevilla and Nice, were interested in the 23-year-old Chile international.

Diaz has just one year to run on his current £6.5k-per-week deal at Ewood Park, so the Championship side are running out of time if they are to secure a fee for his signature.

The deal is yet to be finalised, so there is still time for Whites director of football Victor Orta to strike with Thursday’s transfer deadline just around the corner.

It’s no secret that Leeds are in dire need of attacking reinforcements and they should look no further than Diaz, who is capable of playing on the left, as well as through the middle, too.

Last term, the Chile sensation provided a whopping 22 goals for Rovers across 37 league appearances and that form has rumbled into the new campaign, where he has delivered two goals and one assist from six outings so far.

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In the same season, the west Yorkshire outfit suffered in the absence of Patrick Bamford as they flirted with a return to the second-tier but manager Jesse Marsch managed to steer them clear on the final day.

The England international is still without a true backup or alternative; relying on young striker Joe Gelhardt, who can definitely cut the mustard in the top-flight but we shouldn’t hand him too much pressure at this stage of his career.

Diaz could be the ideal alternative as at 23, with a senior track record of scoring goals, he seems a viable option to battle Bamford up top.

The Rovers man, who has also been dubbed a “goal machine” by The Sun journalist Alan Nixon and an “extraordinary talent” by his ex-manager Tony Mowbray, may well be the perfect end to a busy summer of business at Elland Road.

Leeds and their manager desperately need a new frontman, so a late move for Diaz as their eighth piece of business would indeed be a smart call from Orta and co as they would end their summer with a big bang.

AND in other news, Orta could seal “special” signing as Leeds late eye swoop for “incredible” £10m target…

Tottenham Hotspur sporting director Fabio Paratici is a big admirer of Allan Saint-Maximin.

What’s the talk?

That’s according to Alasdair Gold, with the journalist revealing in a recent Q&A for football.london that, following a number of reports earlier in the summer linking Tottenham with a £40m move for the Newcastle United winger, Paratici is indeed a big fan of the 25-year-old.

In response to a supporter asking whether or not there is any truth to Spurs’ links with the Frenchman, Gold said: “I think Allan Saint-Maximin be a terrific addition but he’s looking pretty important for Newcastle right now. Fabio Paratici really likes him.”

“Unplayable”

Considering just how impressive Saint-Maximin has been for Newcastle so far this season – particularly against Manchester City last weekend – in addition to the fact that Antonio Conte is reported to be looking for a replacement for the outbound Bryan Gil, it is easy to see why Paratici could be interested in a deal to bring the 25-year-old to north London in the coming days.

Indeed, the £34m-rated talent was in “unplayable” form – in the words of Alan Shearer – in the 3-3 draw with Pep Guardiola’s side on Sunday afternoon, with the winger completing five of his six attempted dribbles, making four key passes, taking three shots at goal, completing both of his two attempted crosses, creating two big chances for his teammates and registering two assists.

[snack-amp-story url= “https://www.footballfancast.com/web-stories/read-the-latest-spurs-news-transfer-rumours-paratici-conte-levy-gossip-more” title=”Read the latest Spurs news, transfer rumours and so much more!”]

These metrics saw the £38k-per-week forward earn a quite astonishing SofaScore match rating of 8.5 against the reigning Premier League champions, ranking the former France U21 international as the best player to feature at St. James’ Park on Sunday.

And, while the player who Alex Bruce dubbed both a “huge asset” and an “unbelievable talent” is often criticised for his inconsistency, Saint-Maximin has proven that, at least in his progression of the ball and shot-creating actions, he can maintain an extremely impressive level of performance – with FBref ranking the winger in the top 1% of European attackers for dribbles completed and the top 26% for shot-creating actions over the last 365 days.

As such, considering just how progressive the 25-year-old evidently is, the prospect of adding the Frenchman to the likes of Harry Kane, Son Heung-min and Dejan Kulusevski in the Spurs attack – who have already scored three goals and registered two assists over Tottenham’s three Premier League fixtures this season – will be an incredibly tantalising one for both supporters and Conte alike.

Indeed, whichever combination of these four aforementioned players the 52-year-old manager deploys would appear to be as close to an unplayable attacking lineup as possible – not to mention one that undoubtedly has the potential to help Spurs finally end their 14-year trophy drought.

West Ham United are closing in on a deal to bring Jan Bednarek to the London Stadium as the club’s first signing on transfer deadline day.

What’s the latest?

That’s according to Dharmesh Sheth, with the Sky Sports reporter revealing in a recent post on Twitter that David Moyes is now closing in on a deal to bring the Southampton centre-back to east London on a season-long loan, while Craig Dawson looks to be heading out of the club – with Wolves in advanced talks over a deal for the 32-year-old.

In his tweet, Sheth said: “Wolves in advanced talks to sign West Ham United defender Craig Dawson. West Ham close to agreeing a loan deal for Southampton defender Jan Bednarek.”

Moyes will love him

With Bednarek being a solid, dangerous and Premier League-proven centre-back, it is not difficult to understand why Moyes has identified the 26-year-old as a replacement for the outbound Dawson, as the Poland international very much appears to be the type of defender that the 59-year-old manager loves.

Indeed, over Bednarek’s 31 Premier League outings in 2021/22, the £25.5m-rated talent was in imperious form, helping Southampton keep seven clean sheets, in addition to making 2.3 interceptions, one tackle and 4.5 clearances and winning 4.5 duels – at a success rate of 62% – per game.

The £20k-per-week defender also impressed in an attacking capacity, bagging four goals and creating one big chance for his team-mates, as well as completing 38.1 passes – at a success rate of 82% – playing 2.8 long balls and taking 0.6 shots per game.

These metrics saw the 26-year-old average a very respectable SofaScore match rating of 6.94 – the same as Dawson earned – ranking him as Ralph Hasenhuttl’s third-best performer in the top flight of English football last season.

Losing the experience of Dawson will undoubtedly come as a blow to Moyes, but should the Scot manage to get a deal over the line for Bednarek in the 32-year-old’s place, it would very much appear as if the 59-year-old has replaced the former Watford man exceptionally well – and perhaps even secured a slight upgrade on the Englishman.

Liverpool star Thiago Alcantara has handed manager Jurgen Klopp a huge boost as he has returned to full training ahead of the Reds’ Champions League clash against Napoli, reports reliable journalist Neil Jones.

The Lowdown: Thiago’s injury

In the Reds’ opening game of the Premier League season, the 31-year-old played just 51 minutes of football at Craven Cottage before he was forced to limp off the pitch with a hamstring injury.

The Spaniard is yet to feature since he sustained this injury, having missed the side’s last five top-flight fixtures – with his presence sorely missed in Klopp’s midfield.

The Latest: UCL return

Ahead of Liverpool’s Wednesday night Champions League tie against Napoli, Jones has provided an injury update on the Spanish pass-master.

Taking to Twitter, the reliable journalist reported:

“A more than timely boost for Liverpool. Thiago’s influence has been sorely missed.”

In the attached article, Jones reports that Thiago is now back in full training and is set to travel to Italy with the rest of Klopp’s squad.

The Verdict: Huge boost

When looking at Thiago’s underlying stats, it is easy to see just how important he is to Liverpool’s success in the middle of the park.

As per FBRef, compared with positional peers across Europe over the past year, the midfielder impressively ranks in the top one percent for progressive passes and in the top three percent for progressive carries.

So far this season, the Reds have amassed just nine points from six games, somehow landing them seventh in the Premier League table.

However, with Thiago set to return, Klopp will be able to reintroduce a bit of normality in Liverpool’s midfield, which has seen numerous player combinations used in his absence.

Southampton completed a ‘smart deal’ for Armel Bella-Kotchap after earning his first international call-up with Germany, says transfer insider Fabrizio Romano.

The Lowdown: Bella-Kotchap receives call-up

The French-born starlet joined the Saints over the summer on a four-year deal from VfL Bochum and has made an instant impact on Ralph Hasenhuttl’s starting XI.

The 20-year-old has taken the Premier League by storm during the opening six games of the new season, and has now been rewarded for his performances by being named in Germany’s international squad for their upcoming Nations League fixtures.

The Latest: Romano’s reaction

Taking to Twitter, Romano reacted to the news and was full of praise for Bella-Kotchap. He wrote:

“Southampton centre-back Armel Bella-Kotchap has been called up for Germany senior team for the first time.

“Smart deal for Southampton as he’s one of the best talents in his position and he’s already highly rated.”

The Verdict: Fully deserved

Bella-Kotchap getting a chance to represent his country on the international stage is nothing less than he deserves after making a name for himself on the south coast.

The defender has been a rock at the heart of the Saints backline, averaging a remarkable five clearances and winning three aerial duels per league game, via WhoScored.

The 6 foot 2 colossus has already shown his potential at such a young age, and it’s scary to imagine what else he’s capable of as his continues his development over the years to come.