Sunderland are aiming for a return to the Premier League, the Black Cats hopeful of completing this mission after a positive start in the Championship this season after 16 games played.

Winning eight of their 16 contests so far, Tony Mowbray's youthful side have the ability in their ranks to brush aside opponents with relative ease – beating Birmingham City 3-1 in their last match at home, 18-year-old midfield sensation Jobe Bellingham leading from the front with a goal against his former boyhood club.

In that same win at the weekend just gone, a cameo appearance from another exciting young talent off the bench helped the Black Cats get over the line and secure a convincing three points at the expense of Wayne Rooney's dire Blues.

Adil Aouchiche wowed home supporters with his electric 16-minute spell on the Stadium of Light turf when introduced into the contest, the young French midfielder now pushing for more immediate first-team opportunities subsequently.

Adil Aouchiche's game vs Birmingham in numbers

Substituted onto the pitch by Mowbray to replace the flagging midfield presence of Bellingham who was exhausted after running himself into the ground for the Black Cats, Aouchiche was just the injection of freshness Sunderland needed to ensure Birmingham didn't get back into the contest and instead romped home to a 3-1 victory.

With just 14 touches on the ball as per Sofascore, Aouchiche was levels above the hapless Birmingham defenders trying to contain him – the former Paris Saint-Germain midfielder taking the Blues backline by surprise, especially when he scored just two minutes after being afforded a chance to positively impact the game with the clock ticking down.

Getting on the end of a Jack Clarke driven pass into the area after Sunderland's star-man had got the better of the opposing full-back, the ex-PSG midfielder tapped home into an empty net to consolidate the three points for his new employers and excite the home supporters with his short but sweet cameo appearance.

Aouchiche could be an effective calling card from off the bench by Mowbray in these crunch contests when the opposition are tiring, Sunderland's new number 22 an instant hero with this game-clinching contribution which saw the Durham-based club enter the playoff picture as a result – climbing up to sixth spot on goal difference off the back of the win, with West Brom and Hull City lingering just below.

This wasn't just a promising performance in isolation however for Aouchiche, with the 21-year-old equally as impressive off the bench this campaign in other Championship encounters for his promotion-chasing side.

Adil Aouchiche's season in numbers

Only averaging 22 minutes per game according to Sofascore this campaign having not started a single game, Aouchiche is the very definition of an impact player for Sunderland and has even been labelled as a "special talent" by football journalist Josh Bunting despite not cementing himself into the first team fold just yet.

Up against Stoke City before the victory at the Stadium of Light against Birmingham, the Frenchman nearly played the role of saviour again for his team but to no avail.

The Black Cats would lose out to the Potters 2-1, but Aouchiche would attempt three shots on Mark Travers' goal from just 15 minutes on the pitch via Sofascore – amassing an overall 7.3 Sofascore rating as a result, the new Black Cats recruit then bettering this display with a goal versus the Blues.

His midfield teammates in Alex Pritchard and Pierre Ekwah will be sweating about their first-team futures if the 21-year-old keeps this up with Sunderland striking gold by signing this 21-year-old brimming full of swagger and confidence.

Erik ten Hag will be pleased that his Manchester United side managed to secure just their second win of the season by a three-goal margin against Everton in the Premier League.

Despite a turbulent start to the season, the win has them currently sitting in sixth place in the table and just six points off the summit.

With a Champions League clash against Galatasaray on Wednesday, United know they need to win to stand any chance of progressing to the knockout stages.

This will be at the forefront of Ten Hag’s mind, but with the January transfer window fast approaching, he could be distracted by the numerous transfer links and interest that United have shown in a few players.

Another name has recently emerged as a potential new signing for the Dutchman, although this potential move may not occur until the end of the current campaign.

Man Utd transfer news

According to journalist Christian Falk from German news outlet BILD (via TEAMtalk), the Old Trafford side made an attempt to bring Bayern Munich star Thomas Müller to Manchester during the previous January transfer window, and could do so again in the next few weeks.

The 34-year-old is currently in the final year of his contract at Bayern, and it remains to be seen whether they extend this into the 2024/25 campaign.

The German has won everything there has to be won for his club, while also winning the World Cup for his country back in 2014 and there is no doubt he would bring a wealth of experience into the club, along with a serial winner mentality which is urgently required.

Is it really the sort of deal Sir Jim Ratcliffe wishes to be making, however? Indeed, according to the Guardian last month, Ratcliffe questioned United’s transfer policy during his visit to the club in March, and he was especially critical of the decision to bring Casemiro to the club for such a big fee, despite the player being in his 30s.

Muller is much older than the Brazilian and while he wouldn’t cost a transfer fee as such, he currently earns £340k-per-week at the Bundesliga side, and he would surely be expecting a similar weekly wage if he moved to the Premier League.

Muller is a wonderful player and was even dubbed “remarkable” by his then-coach for the German national side, Jurgen Klinsmann, during the 2014 World Cup, yet this move could have shades of Bastian Schweinsteiger about it from 2015…

Bastian Schweinsteiger’s statistics at Man United

Following a career laden with trophies at Bayern, the winger-turned-midfielder decided to try something new and joined the Red Devils in the summer of 2015 for a fee in the region of around £14.5m, which looked like a bargain at the time.

The German had made 500 appearances for the European superpower, winning the Champions League and eight Bundesliga titles since making his debut during the 2002/2003 season.

Over the next 13 years, he emerged as one of the best players in the league as he slowly moved from a naturally attacking position on the wing to a more central role and this worked well to his advantage, becoming a key player for club and country in this slot.

His move to England didn’t go well at all, however, as he struggled to make an impression in the starting XI. Indeed, he made only 35 appearances for the club with just 22 of them starts as he suffered numerous injury problems.

The midfielder missed 29 matches due to these issues and, less than two years since arriving in England, it was announced that the midfielder was moving to the MLS to join Chicago Fire.

It didn’t work out at all for the former midfielder and a move for Muller may just be a repeat of this disastrous move.

Thomas Müller’s statistics at Bayern Munich

It is difficult to really put a finger on just what position Muller is best at. The 34-year-old was dubbed the Raumdeuter a few years ago and this translates into the interpreter of space, meaning the German utilises his attacking skills and movement abilities to create plenty of space in and around the penalty area, making him so effective in an attacking sense.

Well, you don’t win the Golden Boot on your World Cup debut (five goals in 2010) without having some savvy in front of goal and Muller has been clinical throughout his whole career.

7

1

8

4

15

6

1.4

1.4

0.9

0.4

The 6 foot 1 dynamo has featured in nearly 700 matches for the German giants since making his debut way back in 2008, scoring 237 goals and registering 261 assists in the process, stunning figures.

Since the start of the 2022/23 campaign, however, his goalscoring antics have calmed down slightly, as he scored just eight times last term, while netting only twice in 14 matches during the current season.

In the German top flight this season, Muller ranks in a lowly 13th spot across the squad for shots on target per game (0.4) while also ranking seventh for key passes per game (1.7) and fifth for goals and assists (five), proving that he isn’t quite having the same impact as he has done in previous seasons.

Although Ten Hag is reportedly interested, what could Muller offer aside from that winner's mentality discussed previously?

He has been a wonderful player over the previous 15 years for both club and country, yet if he did sign for the Red Devils next summer, he would be turning 35 in September while also earning a staggering wage every week.

The Dutchman would be better off scouring the transfer market for young players who are yet to hit their peak and develop them into world-class talents, rather than sign an ageing gem who won't make as big an impact as desired.

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Schweinsteiger failed to really impress after moving from the Bundesliga to the Premier League, and he was two years younger than Muller.

Ratcliffe does look set to prioritise signing younger players over ones who are in their 30s, and it could well be one of the best things the club do with regard to improving their team.

A major update has emerged over Everton potentially seeing their 10-point deduction reduced after an appeal, courtesy of football finance expert Kieran Maguire.

Everton's 10-point deduction

The Blues had got themselves into a promising rhythm before the international break, with their results in the Premier League suggesting that a relegation battle felt unlikely this season. Sean Dyche's men were then hit with a 10-point deduction for breaking financial rules, however, which swiftly saw them drop into the relegation zone into 19th place.

Sunday's 3-0 defeat at home to Manchester United has done little to improve the mood around Goodison Park, with a hostile atmosphere growing flat as soon as Alejandro Garnacho spectacularly opened the scoring, and Everton's best bet now is to see an appeal prove successful in the near future.

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ByKelan Sarson Nov 26, 2023 Will Everton's punishment be reduced?

Speaking to Football Insider, Maguire revealed he believes Everton's 10-point deduction will end up being reduced, in what could be a massive boost for the club.

"Everton’s punishment is broadly in line with the suggested tariff of the Premier League, although the commission didn’t take that into consideration. It’s certainly at the upper end of the scale. Given that this is very much a test case, I think there is certainly justification for saying it should have been a smaller points deduction with a further deduction suspended.

"The commission then could have made it very clear that future indiscretions from a financial point of view would have been treated more severely and to give guidance to clubs. I think one of the frustrations from Everton’s point of view is that the breach was only £20million over three years.

"Now that is a lot of money to the average person in the street, but to a business which is turning over £200million a year – you could argue that it’s less so.“There’s a lot of things to be learned from it. We know the Premier League were pushing for 12 points and I think they were trying to use that as a benchmark going forwards. But I think Everton will not end up with 10 points once the appeal has been heard."

This is clearly exactly what every Everton fan will want to hear, with so many Blues supporters feeling aggrieved at the speed at which the penalty has been handed to them, especially when clubs such as Manchester City and Chelsea have not been punished for alleged financial wrongdoings down the years.

There is still definite hope that Dyche's side can avoid relegation this season, even with the points disadvantage that has come their way, but seeing the amount lessened would be such a shot in the arm midway throught the season.

Being relegated to the Championship simply doesn't bear thinking about for anyone of an Everton persuasion, especially with a takeover hopefully being completed soon and the move to Bramley Moore Dock happening at the end of the season, and it is imperative that results continue to improve in the coming weeks.

For now, the Blues have to assume that nothing will change in regard to their points tally, with any change in the current situation acting as a huge bonus for the club.

West Ham manager David Moyes could now hand more opportunities for a player to revive his career at the London Stadium, according to reports.

Frustrating international break for Moyes

Following a torrid run of internationals for members of the Hammers squad, Moyes is now having to cope with a few injury problems to key players. Star winger Jarrod Bowen pulled out of England duty with a knee problem and is a small doubt to face Burnley at Turf Moor on Saturday, though Moyes is hopeful to have him, while striker Michail Antonio is a certain absentee after limping off for Jamaica (pre-Burnley press conference).

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Mohammed Kudus was absent for Ghana at points but played the second half of their final international game of the break, with the summer signing apparently suffering from back problems these past few weeks. Antonio, though, will come as a big miss for Moyes and West Ham are now very short of natural striker options as a result.

Kudus can play in a more central attacking role when required, as can Bowen, with the Hammers boss not exactly showing much faith in back up forward Danny Ings this season.

Indeed, Kudus in particular has been tipped to become more and more of an Antonio rotation option this season than the former Saints star.

"I think it makes most sense that he goes in to alternate the forward role for a little bit," said journalist Dean Jones to GiveMeSport last month.

"We know that West Ham are going to start looking towards signing a No.9 in the January market. We know that they're looking for somebody to alternate with Antonio a bit.

"Before he came in, I was told that's a role they had earmarked for him. It wouldn't be just that position that he would play, but the two things I was told was to look out for him as a striker rotator and also don't expect him to come in all guns blazing."

Fellow option Ings has featured over just 68 minutes in the Premier League so far, indicating that he just isn't quite fancied, but Antonio's injury problem could hand him a brief opportunity.

Ings tipped for "late, last" West Ham chance

Signed from Aston Villa in January earlier this year, Ings just hasn't quite managed to justify his transfer over the minutes he has played. Scoring just three goals throughout his entire West Ham career, time is running out for the 31-year-old to showcase his true ability, but reporter Jones believes Ings may be handed a "late, last" opportunity to do so amid Moyes' injury crisis.

"I don't think that there are that many West Ham fans right now who have got much faith in Danny Ings being the answer to this solution based on what they've seen so far," said Jones this week to GMS.

"I think that Danny Ings was heading for a January transfer. Maybe this is a late, last opportunity for him to prove that he can make this work out at West Ham.

Indirect set-piece threat

Plays the ball off the ground often

Likes to tackle

"Certainly, he is going to get more opportunities now than he would have had before. But it'll be interesting to see if that's definitely the route that West Ham want to go down and how much they even trust Danny Ings."

Tottenham Hotspur have been linked with a swap deal which could see them sign a new forward whilst sending Joe Rodon in the opposite direction, according to reports.

Latest on Joe Rodon's future

Over the summer, Rodon joined Leeds United on a season-long loan and it’s fair to say that he’s been a regular feature of their squad this season having made 12 starts out of the 16 Championship games so far (WhoScored – Rodon stats), although there is no option to buy in the agreement that the two parties reached.

However, Ben Davies recently admitted that the defender is loving life at his new home, so he could try to leave for good by making his move permanent next summer, and Ange Postecoglou could receive a player from the second tier in return.

The Elland Road outfit’s left-winger Wilfried Gnonto was a player who chiefs were keeping an eye on during the last transfer window, and whilst a deal failed to come to fruition before the deadline, they might have the opportunity to take a second bite of the cherry.

The Italy international previously handed in a transfer request and was refusing to play for Daniel Farke amid links to rivals Everton in the Premier League, so with an exit looking likely next year, the 20-year-old could be on his way to the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium.

Spurs considering move for Wilfried Gnonto

According to reports (via CaughtOffside), Tottenham are contemplating a swoop for Gnonto next year. The Lilywhites are keen to strike a deal for the attacker who is believed to want out in January, and it's claimed that the hierarchy could look to finalise a move with Leeds that would see them secure the permanent services of Rodon, something which they would surely be tempted to look at.

Gnonto is a real "nightmare" to play against

Whilst Tottenham may not appreciate Gnonto’s recent behaviour off the pitch, there’s no doubt that he is capable of performing to a high standard on it having clocked up 10 goal involvements, five goals and the same number of assists, in 39 senior appearances since putting pen to paper at Leeds (Transfermarkt – Gnonto stats).

The Verbania native, who is sponsored by Puma, also currently ranks in the 99th percentile for progressive carries so he appears to love to hold onto the ball and push his team as high up the pitch as possible (FBRef – Gnonto stats), an attribute that could suit Postecoglou’s style of play in terms of pressing the opposition's backline.

Farke’s £20k-per-week earner (Leeds salaries), is even a versatile operator having been deployed in seven different positions over the grass since the start of his career, including everywhere across the frontline and even three roles in the midfield, making him a useful option to have in the building.

With Rodon not receiving game time at Spurs, Daniel Levy and Johan Lange sanctioning his sale could be the right decision to make, and if they can recruit Gnonto, who is a “nightmare” for defenders, in return, as hailed by football scout Jacek Kulig, it may well be a smart coup.

Manchester United manager Erik ten Hag has a lot to ponder as his side return to Premier League duty this weekend against Everton.

A win for the club would go a long way to alleviating the pressure which has piled on the Dutchman as of late and with the Toffees still reeling from their ten point deduction, there might not be a better time to play them.

While the Old Trafford side have won just nine of their opening 18 matches so far this term, it isn’t just their performances on the pitch which will be worrying the former Ajax manager.

With the January transfer window looming on the horizon, he will be keen on bolstering his squad ahead of the second half of the season.

His summer business hasn’t exactly been a success, however, and this could turn the winter window into a pressurised situation for the Red Devils, especially as several players have been linked with moves away.

Casemiro is among the standout figures who have been mooted for a departure, according to recent reports.

Casemiro faces uncertain Man Utd future

The midfielder hasn’t even been at the club for 18 months, yet it looks as though his future lies away from Manchester.

A few weeks ago, 90min reported that there were a few clubs from Saudi Arabia showing interest in the Brazilian ahead of the January transfer window.

The former Real Madrid star cost a staggering £70m last summer and still has over three years left on his current contract.

This suggests that Ten Hag should be able to recoup a decent transfer fee for the 31-year-old, but it was their mistake to spend that sort of money on a player who is clearly approaching the end of his career.

The Brazilian has missed seven matches this term having suffered an injury on international duty in October and it remains to be seen when he will be back in the first-team fold.

With the vast riches on offer in the Middle East, the 53-year-old could certainly flog the midfielder for a fee which would allow him to bring in a replacement during the same window.

Who does he have in mind, however, as there have been a few names linked with a move to Old Trafford recently.

Man Utd transfer news

Sir Jim Ratcliffe – Utd’s prospective new investor – looks set to bring a few players to the club in the coming months, giving Ten Hag’s side a major boost.

According to RMC Sport (via TEAMtalk), Ratcliffe is aiming to bring two AS Monaco players to the Premier League in the next few weeks.

Defender Vanderson is one of the names mentioned in the report. However, it is the interest in midfielder Youssouf Fofana which could be of much importance to the manager, especially if he loses Casemiro to the Middle East.

The Frenchman would only cost in the region of €30m (£26m) and there is no doubt he would make for an excellent replacement for the Brazilian at the heart of United’s midfield.

With Ratcliffe set to invest around £1.4b into the club, Ten Hag may feel like he can add a few players during the winter window, and Fofana must be one of them.

Youssouf Fofana’s career statistics

Born in Paris, Fofana spent his younger years playing for amateur side JA Drancy after he was dropped from the France national academy at Clairefontaine.

The youngster even spent time working in a pizzeria in order to keep himself going during his amateur days between 2014-2017.

Some dreams never die and Fofana eventually worked his way up through the Strasbourg youth sides and made his debut against Lyon during the 2018/19 campaign – and he hasn’t looked back since.

He secured a move to Monaco in 2019 and has since made over 150 appearances for the club, emerging as one of their brightest stars.

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50.7

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2

0.9

1.3

0.6

1.3

5.3

3.9

The 2022/23 season proved to be one of his most productive to date, as Fofana registered four goal contributions across 38 Ligue 1 matches while he ranked second in the squad for accurate passes per game (39.3), along with ranking third for key passes per game (0.9) and second for successful dribbles per game (1.3), excelling over a range of metrics.

His vision in the middle of the pitch is exemplary, evidenced by the fact he ranks in the top 8% for progressive passes per 90 (7.89) when compared to his positional peers across Europe, suggesting he loves to move the ball into the final third as often as possible.

Fofana also ranks in the top 7% for interceptions per 90 (1.75) and these attributes would enable him to become an ideal heir for Casemiro.

The 24-year-old has also shone on the international stage for France. He featured in six matches for his country as they reached a second successive World Cup final, although they couldn’t claim back-to-back victories as they were defeated by Argentina.

More recently, the in-demand ace was in wonderful form during the European Championship double-header against Gibraltar and Greece, making seven key passes in both matches and finding the back fo the net in both outings.

These performances for club and country over the previous 12 months have clearly garnered plenty of attention for the Frenchman’s signature and, for a fee of just £26m, it looks like it could prove to be a stunning bargain.

Not only is he available for a good price, but Fofana has yet to hit his peak years and Ten Hag could develop him into a potential world-class midfielder in Manchester.

With Casemiro’s future up in the air, the Dutchman will need a replacement sooner rather than later, especially with many of his squad either underperforming or injured.

Fofana has served his apprenticeship in Ligue 1 and now is the time to try a new challenge at Old Trafford, and he has the ability to thrive in the Premier League.

The next few weeks promise to be an intriguing one from a United standpoint. Will they negotiate the busy festive period while also making inroads into their current transfer targets?

Only time will tell.

The 2024 Olympics in Paris are right around the corner, and the world eagerly await the games. Football now takes centre stage, with many nations vying for that famous gold medal.

While it is technically an u23s tournament, each nation is allowed three ‘wildcards’ who are older, think Neymar in 2016 during the Rio de Janeiro Olympics.

The tournament has become an opportunity for younger players to show what they’re made of.

The qualifiers aren’t over just yet, with South America and Asia yet to find out which countries will be attending. Despite that, we at Football Fancast wanted to take a look at the top 15 players who could feature at the 2024 Olympics.

Mo Salah (Egypt)

Forward, 31

Mo Salah needs no introduction, he’s the biggest thing to happen to Egypt since the Sues Canal. With his country’s qualification for the 2024 Olympics, he is no doubt rubbing his hands together at the opportunity of winning that gold medal.

Unfortunately, he’s not as young as he used to be, and Liverpool may not be too happy to let him go to the tournament, it would of course disrupt his pre-season, but don’t be surprised if you see him there are one of Egypt’s ‘wildcards’.

Christian Pulisic (USA)

Winger, 25

Captain America himself has been in terrific form since he swapped London for Milan last summer. He’s re-established himself as America’s great hope, the man that could finally lead the men’s team to some semblance of glory.

Pulisic is one of those players that feels like they’ve been around forever. He’s 25 now, so he would be classed as a ‘wildcard’, but the USA take the Olympics seriously. If they have any interest in getting their hands on a gold medal, Pulisic is a must.

Pedri (Spain)

Midfielder, 20

This one might be a little unlikely, especially given his injury woes so far this season, but Barcelona midfielder Pedri might be the man to take Spain all the way.

His talent is undeniable, the Catalan club have a real diamond on their hands, and since he’s only 20, Spain would still have plenty of options for a wildcard.

His club will likely be the priority however, and he’s already played a lot of football since he burst onto the scene a few years ago. If he’s fit, and Barcelona are willing to let him go, Spain would have to be considered one of the favourites.

Hakim Ziyech (Morocco)

Winger, 30

Much like their North African counterparts Egypt, the 2024 Olympics are a huge opportunity for Morocco to show the world that their a force to be reckoned with. There is no better man than Ziyech to help them with that mission.

He’s had his ups and downs with the national team, even retiring from international football at one point after falling out with then manager Vahid Halihodzic, but he’s back and raring to go.

Another player free from the shackles of Chelsea’s bench, we’re sure he’d want to remind people what he can do.

Mykhailo Mudryk (Ukraine)

Winger, 22

When the 2024 Olympics kick off, Chelsea’s Ukrainian winger Mudryk will be 23 years old, meaning he would have to be considered a ‘wildcard’, but they’d be crazy not to take him if they can.

It’s fair to say he’s had a slow start to his career at Chelsea since moving for a reported £88.5 million in January 2023, but his talent is undeniable. He is rapid beyond belief, and on his day can cause any defender immense trouble.

His time with the Ukrainian national team has recently been a happy distraction from club life. He’s playing well for them. Let’s hope for their sake Chelsea will let him join.

Kylian Mbappe (France)

Forward, 24

The 2024 Olympics are of course being held in Paris. It would be crazy if Mbappe wasn’t there, right? He would undoubtedly be the biggest name at the tournament, and his involvement will give the games a crazy amount of publicity.

Mbappe himself has said that it’s “a child’s dream” to play at the Olympic games. His club future in Paris might be up in the air, but it feels like a certainty that he’ll be at the Olympics.

Whether he’s at Real Madrid or Paris Saint-Germain once it kicks off, Mbappe should be one of France’s wildcards.

Enzo Fernandez (Argentina)

Midfielder, 22

The 2022 World Cup was a defining moment for Fernandez. He was integral to their system, and helped Lionel Messi finally get his hands on that coveted trophy. A role he was more than happy to play.

He has since moved to Chelsea for a reported £107 million, and has been a rare shining light in what has been a rough year for the London side. Both Chelsea and Argentina are better with him in the side.

Playing in the Olympics would hinder his pre-season at a very important time for the club, but his ability and leadership are exactly what this Argentina side need to win a gold medal.

Lee Kang-Inn (South Korea)

Midfielder, 22

Of course Son Heung-Min is still the golden boy, and he could too feature for South Korea at the Olympics, but we wanted to shine a light on the man who could become his heir.

We wouldn’t blame you if you weren’t aware of who Lee Kang-Inn was before he made his move to Paris Saint Germain from Mallorca in the summer, but since that big transfer, he’s become South Korea’s next big thing.

He’s featured heavily for his new club under manager Luis Henrique and has quickly built an on-field rapport with Mbappe. He’ll be hoping to beat his club mate to the gold medal in the summer.

Rayan Cherki (France)

Winger, 20

Lyon’s Cherki might be raw, but he has the potential to go very far. He has already been linked with a move away from France to the Premier League and was reportedly the subject of a bid from Chelsea in the summer.

The 2024 Olympics is the exact type of tournament Cherki should be looking to play in. Every iteration has that one player that blows people away, and Cherki could be that. Unfortunately for him, he plays in the same position as Mbappe, so it may depend on France’s tactics whether he makes the cut.

Gavi (Spain)

Midfielder, 19

Much like his Barcelona midfield partner, Pedri, Gavi has played a lot of football for someone so young. He’s been thrown in at the deep end at both club and country, but he’s proven time and time again he’s not scared of the water.

Not only does he have ridiculous technical ability, but he’s also not bothered about getting dirty, He’s the exact type of midfielder every team needs, and he would be a huge boost to Spain’s chances of getting gold.

Again, much like Pedri, Barcelona might be wary of letting him go.

Manchester City could put their pursuit of West Ham United midfielder Lucas Paqueta on ice as they look to land an alternative target at the Etihad Stadium, according to a report.

Manchester City transfer updates…

With the January window approaching, Manchester City are likely to enter the market for reinforcements as Pep Guardiola continues to add to his well-oiled machine to make sure they are in a competitive position to battle for glory on both domestic and European fronts.

Largely, summer signings Jeremy Doku, Matheus Nunes, Josko Gvardiol and Mateo Kovacic have complemented their new teammates in a fairly seamless fashion, leaving the Cityzens just a point off the top of the Premier League table with 13 games played.

Nevertheless, further arrivals are always likely on the blue half of Manchester and the Sky Blues are now embroiled in a battle with Manchester United, Chelsea, Bayern Munich, Borussia Dortmund and Real Madrid for the signature of Palmeiras wonderkid Estevao Willian, according to a recent report from TEAMtalk.

The youngster has a £47 million release clause inserted into his current deal at the Brazilian giants; however, it is unlikely that his interested suitors will have to activate the full amount to enter negotiations over a potentially life-changing move for the 16-year-old.

AC Milan attacker Rafael Leao is also reported target for Manchester City and they would be willing to pay a fee in the region of £129 million to tempt the Portugal international to the North West. If Leao were to join, questions would start to circulate regarding the future of Jack Grealish at the Etihad Stadium, though we will need to wait and see on that front.

In other news, the Blues could ditch their pursuit of another well-known target amid problems in negotiations, as per a fresh report.

Manchester City could now abandon Paqueta pursuit

According to FootballTransfers, Manchester City could pull out of their pursuit of West Ham United playmaker Lucas Paqueta and instead swoop for Bayern Munich star Serge Gnabry.

Serge Gnabry in 2023/24 – all competitions (Transfermarkt)

Appearances

10

Goals

1

Assists

0

Brazil international Paqueta is still a player whom the Sky Blues admire; however, they remain non-committal over a deal to bring him to the Etihad Stadium while gambling issues surrounding the 26-year-old remain unresolved. Gnabry has emerged as another serious candidate to add some extra verve in attack for Guardiola's men despite personal terms being agreed between Manchester City and the former.

Labelled "phenomenal" by Rio Ferdinand on BT Sport, cited via The Daily Mail in 2020, Gnabry, who earns around £247,000 per week at Bundesliga giants Bayern Munich, has offered plenty of innovation in attack this term for his current employers, averaging around 2.5 shots and 1.3 key passes per fixture in the German top-flight (Gnabry statistics – WhoScored).

Despite this, the Germany international may feel a new challenge is in the offing as he enters the prime of his career and Manchester City would be an exciting destination to prove his worth in England following previous spells in the Premier League with Arsenal and West Bromwich Albion.

Man City willing to submit £129m offer for "difference-maker" in January

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Rangers face nine games between now and January 2 in what is the busiest spell in the calendar and the Ibrox side have the chance to secure progression to the knockout stages in Europe along with winning the League Cup during that run. This should be more than enough incentive for Philippe Clement’s men to push as hard as they can until the winter break and bring some more silverware to Ibrox.

The squad doesn’t appear to be at the required level for Clement and with the January transfer window just around the corner, there will surely be another new face or two arriving in Glasgow.

It looks as though the Gers have been busy prior to the winter window opening, however, as the club recently announced Nils Koppen as their new Director of Football Recruitment, and he won't have long to get stuck in about improving the squad.

He won't arrive at the Gers until the beginning of January, but he will already be planning ahead to improve the player trading model along with making sure the first-team squad is as good as it can be.

While Clement will have his own transfer targets, could the Light Blues perhaps return for a player that they had shown interest in during the summer transfer window? Indeed, Harry Souttar would be an ideal signing for the club.

Harry Souttar to Rangers

During the final few weeks of the summer transfer window, Michael Beale was intensifying his search for a new defender and journalist Geoff Peters claimed that the Gers were reportedly keen on signing Souttar.

He said: “Rangers are interested in taking Harry Souttar on loan from Leicester City. Souttar was an unused sub against Coventry at the weekend and not in the 20-man #lcfc squad tonight at Burton. Other clubs also monitoring the situation. His older brother John joined Rangers last year.”

While it was mooted that it would be a temporary deal rather than a permanent one, a potential move for the £41k-per-week centre-back failed to materialise.

This meant the former QPR manager went into the season having signed just one central defender during the transfer window in Leon Balogun.

With a new director being announced, could the Light Blues perhaps take another look at Souttar and his situation concerning a potential swoop?

Harry Souttar’s season in numbers

The Australian defender moved to Leicester City in January this year in a deal which could rise to £20m. Initially, he enjoyed a solid start to life at the club.

He had a productive World Cup just a few months prior to his big-money move to the Premier League, starting all four of Australia’s matches, and he was even lauded an “absolute beast” by journalist Sacha Pisani for his performances.

During his brief spell in the English top flight, Souttar won a staggering 86% of his aerial duels while also making 3.8 clearances and 1.3 tackles per game for the Foxes as they were relegated back to the Championship after a nine-year spell in the Premier League.

Despite these solid displays, he has been frozen out of the team during the 2023/24 season, making just one appearance in the second tier, and that was back in October.

Leicester managed to keep a clean sheet during this one game and Souttar won 100% of his total duels along with holding an 88% pass success rate and taking 92 touches during the match.

A solid display, especially considering he had been overlooked for every league match prior and this could work in the Gers favour.

It looks as though he doesn’t have the brightest of futures at the club under manager Enzo Maresca and it could be a good idea for Koppen to pay some attention to whether or not he could become available in the coming weeks.

Clement needs some improvement to his defensive options and the former Stoke City titan could become an ideal acquisition, in the process potentially becoming Connor Goldson 2.0.

Connor Goldson’s statistics at Rangers

The Englishman joined the Light Blues in the summer of 2018 as Steven Gerrard was aiming to bolster his squad ahead of challenging Celtic for domestic superiority.

Comfortable on the ball and strong in physical battles, he was the ideal choice of centre-back for the Liverpool icon and fast-forward over five years later, Goldson is still a mainstay at the club.

Since making his debut in July 2018, the centre-back has racked up 285 appearances for the Glasgow side while chipping in with 23 goals and 14 assists during that time, not a bad return for a defender, that’s for sure.

The Englishman has won a league title and Scottish Cup while helping the side reach the Europa League final in 2022, although he couldn’t prevent them from losing to Eintracht Frankfurt in Seville.

This season, Goldson has missed just one Premiership match and has proven how good he is with one-on-one battles, winning 70% of his total duels – which works out as 5.5 per game – and Souttar certainly has a similar style to Goldson, notably in the air.

Additionally, he would also be making the move from an English side, as Goldson joined the club from Brighton and Hove Albion, and he is Clement’s finest defender without a shadow of a doubt.

The problem is, who is the best choice of partner for him? Leon Balogun will likely be leaving the club next summer, while John Souttar (Harry’s brother) struggles with injury issues and can't be relied on for a whole season.

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Ben Davies has played infrequently this term and was close to joining Stoke City during the last few days of the summer transfer window, and it appears his future lies away from Ibrox.

With all this in mind, Clement and Koppen may decide that reigniting a swoop for the player might well be in the best interests of the club as they seek improvement.

Even on a temporary basis, Souttar would still add something different to the squad, and he could form a solid partnership alongside Goldson during the second half of the season.

It wasn't so long ago that Newcastle United were struggling to survive in the Premier League, but ever since their takeover by the Saudi Investment Fund the Magpies have been flying up the Premier League ranks, resulting in Champions League qualification last season. Eddie Howe's side have impressed at times throughout the current campaign too, with their standout moment being a 4-1 thrashing of Paris Saint-Germain at St James' Park.

If some thought that result was a blip, then Newcastle's valiant 1-1 draw against the French champions quickly put an end to that belief, even if French newspaper L'Equipe delivered a rather harsh verdict on the Magpies' performance.

Newcastle vs PSG player ratings

Newcastle found themselves on the verge of what would have been a famous three points at the Parc des Princes before Kylian Mbappe equalised in the 98th minute with an incredibly controversial penalty awarded for Tino Livramento's handball.

The Magpies now face the prospect of a Champions League exit into the Europa League or out of Europe entirely in what will frustrate Howe, given how well his depleted side played. They sit third in Group E, level on points with Milan and two points adrift of PSG with one game left to play.

Despite how tight the game was, L'Equipe were not quick to praise Newcastle players. Instead, they delivered some fairly harsh ratings, handing 17-year-old Lewis Miley the lowest in the team with a four out of ten.

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Meanwhile, Miguel Almiron, who very nearly had an early assist to his name and worked tirelessly all evening, was given a six, as was Tripper, who kept Mbappe quiet aside from his penalty, even forcing him to switch flanks late on in search of more space. Livramento was hit with a rating as low as five, despite often acting as Newcastle's driving force down the left-hand side and defending valiantly.

L'Equipe harsh on Newcastle players

Travelling to a side of PSG's stature is never an easy task. Taking the lead at the home of the French champions, meanwhile, before only being pegged back in the dying minutes by a controversial penalty call, seems an impossible task. Yet, Newcastle did just that, all whilst enduring their fair share of injury problems in the build-up. If anyone deserved credit, it was the Magpies.

Miley, at just 17-years-old, was particularly hard done by, given that he performed exceptionally in the circumstances. Almiron, meanwhile, would have come away with a memorable goal involvement if Alexander Isak had tucked away from close range at the first time of asking. From Howe's perspective though, what the media in France, or anywhere for that matter, say about his side won't replace his pride in his team.

Speaking after the game, Howe delivered his verdict on the controversial penalty call, saying via ITV: "It wasn’t the right decision in my opinion. There are so many things to take into account at that moment, the speed first. It was a ricochet that when it is slowed down, looks completely different to the live event.

“The ball hits his chest first, comes up and hits his hand. But his hand is not in an unnatural position, they [his hands] are down by his side, but he is in a running motion. I feel it is a poor decision and it’s hugely frustrating for us as you know how little time there is left in the game. There is nothing we can do about it now.”