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While Lee Johnson has seen his Sunderland side get off to a fantastic start in their 2021/22 League One campaign, with the Black Cats picking up 15 points over their opening six fixtures of the season, the suspension of Tom Flanagan presents the Mackems manager with something of a selection headache this weekend.

Indeed, the 29-year-old centre-back has been one of Sunderland’s standout performers over his six League One appearances so far this season, with the Northern Ireland international helping his side t0 keep one clean sheet, as well as averaging 1.3 interceptions, 1.3 tackles and 5.7 clearances and winning 7.7 duels per game.

These returns have seen the £225k-rated man average a highly impressive SofaScore match rating of 7.13, ranking him as the Black Cats’ third-best performer in League One this term.

As such, replacing the unavailable defender against Fleetwood Town this Saturday defender will certainly be a challenging task for the incoming centre-back, but the absence of Flanagan presents Johnson with the perfect opportunity to finally unleash summer loan signing Frederik Alves.

Game-changer

While the West Ham United loanee is yet to make a league appearance for Sunderland, the 21-year-old impressed over his 77 minutes on the pitch in the club’s 3-2 victory over Championship side Blackpool in the Carabao Cup, making four interceptions, one tackle and five clearances and winning 75% of his duels.

The £900k-rated man also enjoyed 78 touches of the ball and completed 51 passes in that fixture, with these returns seeing the defender earn a SofaScore match rating of 7.1.

Furthermore, Alves also impressed over his 22 Superligaen appearances in his last full season with Danish side Silkeborg IF, helping them to keep three clean sheets, in addition to making 2.5 interceptions, 1.8 tackles and six clearances and winning 5.5 duels per match.

These metrics saw the man who Johnson himself dubbed a “quality” player earn a seasonal SofaScore match rating of 7.08, ranking him as his club’s second-best performer in the Danish top flight.

As such, it would certainly appear as if Alves has the ability to fill in for Flanagan this weekend, and a solid performance from the 21-year-old may even being enough to convince Johnson that he deserves to keep his place in the manager’s starting XI – something which could be a real game-changer for Sunderland this season.

In other news: Sunderland handed major injury boost which will have Lee Johnson buzzing

Aston Villa manager Dean Smith has confirmed that Leon Bailey will miss the Premier League clash against Manchester United on Saturday afternoon.

What’s the story?

The Jamaica international came on as a second half substitute to great effect against Everton last week, scoring one goal and essentially making another. However, his home debut ended under a cloud, with the winger forced off due to injury less than 15 minutes later.

Speaking in his pre-match press conference ahead of the game against United today, Smith said: “Leon has a strain which is likely to keep him out until after the international break. We would be hopeful that he would be available for the Wolves game but we will need to assess him nearer the time and see how he progresses over the next ten days or so.”

Dean Smith will be devastated

The incredible impact that Bailey had on that game against the Toffees showed exactly why he might well turn out to be the best signing of the lot when it comes to Villa’s summer transfer business.

The searing pace and directness with which he took the game to the Merseysiders brought a much-needed energy to Villa, and to now be missing him for a number of matches is undoubtedly a major setback.

After initially seeing Bailey go down with injury, former Villa man Alan Hutton responded by saying: “He’s a little bit different to some players because he’s so explosive. That’s kind of a red flag. You need to be careful, especially if you’re coming back from a hamstring injury or things like that. He’s that quick off the mark that he needs to be right.

“The intensity of the Premier League is massive so it’s always going to put strain on your body. They’re going to have to be careful with him, he is playing catch up. I’m sure over the coming weeks, depending on how bad he is, they’ll take their time with him and try bed him in really slowly.”

Make no mistake about it, Smith will be devastated to discover that Bailey will not only miss today’s game against United, but a few more after that as well, given the enormous impact that he can bring (and has already brought) to Villa’s team.

Meanwhile, Gregg Evans has delivered some transfer insight into this Villa academy starlet…

Celtic trio Kyogo Furuhashi, Giorgos Giakoumakis and Callum McGregor may feature in some capacity against Bayer Leverkusen tonight, according to the BBC.

The Lowdown: Injury woes

Furuhashi has missed the last five games for the Hoops after returning from international duty with a knee injury.

Captain McGregor hasn’t featured in the last four matches due to a hamstring issue, whereas deadline day arrival Giakoumakis is yet to make his debut in green and white.

However, it appears as if all three could be in and around the matchday squad against Leverkusen at Parkhead.

[web_stories_embed url=”https://www.footballtransfertavern.com/web-stories/celtic-updates-14/” title=”Celtic updates!!” poster=”” width=”360″ height=”600″ align=”none”]

The Latest: Return to training

Within the BBC’s preview piece for the group stage clash against the Bundesliga side, they claimed that Furuhashi, Giakoumakis and McGregor have all returned to training.

Ange Postecoglou admitted that there is zero chance all three will start at Celtic Park, but revealed that he is expecting a couple to feature, whether that be tonight or on Sunday.

The Verdict: Big news

Furuhashi and McGregor have been key figures under Postecoglou, so having them back amongst the first team group is huge. The Japanese marksman has scored seven times in just nine games for the club, while the Scottish midfielder took the captaincy reins from the long-serving Scott Brown earlier this year.

Celtic have also relied heavily on Albian Ajeti in recent weeks, so having Giakoumakis fit is also good news.

Hopefully the trio will be named in the matchday squad against Leverkusen and will be ready if required, potentially from the bench.

In other news: Celtic outcast on £9k-p/w set to have ‘two different’ approaches. 

Lots of Glasgow Rangers fans have been left buzzing over some news from the club’s youth ranks.

As shared by the official Twitter page of Rangers B & Academy, the B team defeated Berwick Rangers 6-1 away from home with six different scorers in what was described as a ‘great performance’ with ‘brilliant team play’.

Robbie Fraser, Leon King, Alex Lowry, Ross McCausland, Kyle McClelland and Tony Weston all managed to get themselves on the scoresheet as Rangers B followed up their 3-0 win at home to Hammarby on Tuesday night.

The young Bears are in a very good place at this moment in time, and some of their performances should certainly catch the eye of Steven Gerrard, who may now think about giving one or two of them a chance in the first team.

Rangers fans on B-team’s result

These Ibrox supporters were delighted as the result was shared on Twitter, with one Gers fan saying that it was ‘excellent’ from the youngsters:

“Brilliant result”

Credit: @Tracey49876558

“FT: Berwick Rangers – 1 Rangers B – 6. Great win lads”

Credit: @BobSteele55

“Fantastic result”

Credit: @Papa_291

“What a future for a club if handled correctly”

Credit: @RFCGW

“Excellent again by the youngsters”

Credit: @4ladshadadream

“Nice one young Gers”

Credit: @Rabg1872

In other news, some fans criticised this first-teamer’s performance against Hibernian

The previous summer transfer window saw Liverpool say goodbye to players such as Harry Wilson, Xherdan Shaqiri and Taiwo Awoniyi who have all left the club on permanent deals.

One player that left the club over the summer that Reds boss Jurgen Klopp was particularly sad to see leave Anfield was midfield star Georginio Wijnaldum, who joined French club Paris Saint-Germain on a free transfer after running down his contract with the Merseyside club.

Despite the club not replacing the Dutchman over the summer, opting to just sign defender Ibrahima Konate instead, it seems as though the club have got their eyes on a potential new midfield star.

What’s the news?

It has recently been reported by Sportime (via Liverpool Echo) have been monitoring Olympiacos midfielder Aguibou Camara with a potential future transfer move on the cards.

The 20-year-old, who is currently valued at £270k according to Transfermarkt, signed to Olympiacos back in July from LOSC Lille’s youth team.

Since then, the midfielder has made 10 appearances for the Greek club across all competitions in which he has managed to score two goals and provide one assist in the process.

In Olympiacos’ previous Europa League clash that saw them beat Turkish club Fenerbahce 3-0, Camara played the full 90 minutes of the match and managed to have two shots on target, complete 29 out of the 35 passes he attempted, complete all three dribble attempts, make three interceptions and two tackles, showing how much of a balanced midfielder he is in both attacking and defensive situations.

The performance earned Camara a respectable overall match rating of 7.0, according to SofaScore.

Wijnaldum replacement?

Taking all of this into account, we feel that Camara could be a good fit at Liverpool as a potential Wijnaldum replacement if the Merseyside club decides either in the upcoming January transfer window or the next summer window that they want to add a new and young midfielder to their squad.

Given how Klopp said that Wijnaldum’s contribution for the Reds on the pitch was “off the scale” during his time at the club, and the fact that Camara has shown that he has defensive and attacking qualities during his short time at Olympiacos so far, we feel that this is a player Liverpool should definitely consider adding to their squad at some point if they see an opportunity to do so.

Camara was dubbed “solid” and “versatile” by former Lille boss Christophe Galtier during his time at the Stade Pierre-Mauroy and that’s coming from a manager that sealed the French title over Paris Saint-Germain last season, so his words cannot be taken lightly.

Wijnaldum himself was a reliable and solid option for Klopp, so perhaps the 20-year-old gem is exactly what he needs in the engine room.

The Dutch dynamo could finally be replaced if the Reds launch a swoop for the dynamic 5 foot 6 Olympiacos star, he may well be an absolute bargain.

In other news: £180k-p/w Liverpool “problem” sees his value crash £45m in nearly 2 years under Klopp – opinion 

Lots of Everton fans have been left talking about the early team news which has emerged ahead of their game at home to West Ham United on Sunday.

Speaking in his pre-game press conference ahead of the match against the Hammers at Goodison Park, Rafa Benitez has now revealed that Lucas Digne, Seamus Coleman and Alex Iwobi have all returned to full training, but it is too soon to say whether they will be available.

Nonetheless, the news is certainly a boost if both full-backs especially are fit enough to play the Irons, while Iwobi gives Benitez another handy option in the squad.

However, the Spaniard did not mention how both Calvert-Lewin and Richarlison are after their respective injuries, which has worried some supporters of the Merseyside club.

Everton fans on Team News

These Toffees fans flocked to Twitter to give their thoughts on the early Team News, with some happy that three players are back in training, while others were questioning the fitness of Calvert-Lewin and Richarlison:

“Panic over”

Credit: @CalumDMoore

“Great news!”

Credit: @Amycfernandez

“Brilliant news”

Credit: @CBobblers1878

“No DCL or Richy yet another week of the donkey upfront then”

Credit: @richythepigeon

“DCL??? Richy??? Tell meeeeeee”

Credit: @KRay1878

“DCL and Richarlison??”

Credit: @Vicaz22

In other news, find out what Benitez comments Blues have flocked to here!

The Athletic’s Phil Hay has delivered his verdict on Leeds United star Rodrigo after yet another disappointing display in the Premier League.

What’s the story?

The Spaniard has been nothing short of a disaster in these first few weeks of the new campaign, failing to score or assist in his seven top-flight appearances thus far, even being hooked at half-time in a couple of those.

And, after watching him deliver another goal-less performance against Southampton at the weekend, Hay raised concerns about whether the former Valencia man is the right fit for Marcelo Bielsa’s side.

He said: “I don’t doubt he’s a good player, genuinely. But it’s hard to be convinced that he’s the right player for this team or this system. Put it this way. If Bamford is fit next weekend then your inclination would be to start him.”

Radrizzani won’t be happy

After splashing the cash to sign him for a club-record fee from Valencia back in the summer of 2020, it’s fair to say that Rodrigo hasn’t exactly delivered on his price tag just yet.

The Spanish forward endured a difficult debut campaign at Elland Road last season, completing the full 90 minutes just four times in the Premier League, while also missing a number of games either through injury or a viral infection.

Given the fee for which he joined – £26m – it’s quite telling that CIES now only value him at £6m – an indication of the kind of poor form and injury troubles that he has suffered and the fact that he will turn 31 in a few months’ time too.

Hay’s claim that he’s been left unconvinced by Rodrigo and whether he’s the “right player for this team or this system” is a very worrying take, and is one that might leave Andrea Radrizzani livid.

The Leeds supremo would no doubt have expected that the money being invested into the club on new signings is well thought out, but if the verdict now is that Rodrigo may not fit the bill for Bielsa, then that’s a damning indictment of the kind of recruitment work at Elland Road.

Meanwhile, Leeds have suffered another injury setback…

Tottenham Hotspur are now reportedly fighting clubs in the UEFA Champions League to try and sign Raul de Tomas.

The Lowdown: Ronaldo comparison

De Tomas came through the youth system at Real Madrid and immediately ‘stood out’, being labelled as ‘the most talented player of his generation’ (The Guardian).

He was even seen as a ‘mini Cristiano’ including by Cristiano Ronaldo himself (The Guardian), but has since left Madrid and now plays his trade at Espanyol.

The Latest: Tottenham ‘love’ him

As per Fichajes, the North London club are one of three teams who ‘love’ de Tomas, including Champions League sides Atletico Madrid and Sevilla.

The Lilywhites reportedly have ‘very good reports’ from the player, and he could be signed regardless of whether Harry Kane ends up leaving or not.

The Verdict: Sign if Kane stays

If Kane ends up staying at THFC for the long-term, then de Tomas would be a smart signing by Nuno Espirito Santo’s team.

Kane remains the only recognised striker in the squad at the moment, and if he were to get injured for a sustained period of time, then that would leave Tottenham very short up top.

Nonetheless, de Tomas has showed that he can score goals wherever he has been, with no fewer than 118 over the course of his club career so far (Transfermarkt).

If he can channel his inner Ronaldo once more, then he would be a real asset, and aged 27 he is likely to just be entering his prime, potentially then offering his best years as a player to the Lilywhites.

In other news, find out whose agents Fabio Paratici is in talks over a potential move here!

Valerien Ismael’s West Bromwich Albion side received a rather emphatic wakeup call in their bid to secure a top-two finish in the Championship last weekend, with the Baggies’ 3-0 trouncing by second-placed Fulham highlighting just how difficult it will be for Albion to finish above the Cottagers in the league this season.

As a result of this loss, the 46-year-old West Brom boss will undoubtedly be hoping for a much-improved performance and result when Championship strugglers Hull City visit The Hawthorns on Wednesday evening.

However, with the Tigers having taken points off of league leaders AFC Bournemouth already this season, the Frenchman will be well aware that he has no room for error when selecting his starting XI for the fixture.

One area of the pitch which could be causing Ismael something of a headache is in central midfield, with Alex Mowatt looking to miss out once again due to injury, and Robert Snodgrass failing to replicate his impressive display in the middle of the park against Bristol City at Craven Cottage last time out, registering a lower SofaScore match rating.

As such, it would appear highly advisable for the Baggies boss to unleash Brighton & Hove Albion loanee Jayson Molumby on Wednesday evening, as the 22-year-old has consistently performed when called upon by the Frenchman so far this season.

Indeed, the £900k-rated man was something of a surprise exclusion from West Brom’s starting XI at Fulham, as the midfielder had highly impressed while filling in for Mowatt in the Baggies’ previous two fixtures.

The first of these came in the 2-0 defeat to Swansea City, a fixture in which Molumby was one of Albion’s stand out performers, making one key pass, four tackles, one interception and winning five duels – with these returns seeing the 22-year-old earn a SofaScore match rating of 7.00.

The second came in the subsequent 3-0 win over Bristol City, a game in which the £17k-per-week man completed 40 passes, two dribbles, took two shots at the Robins’ goal, made two tackles and won eight duels – with these metrics seeing the midfielder earn a SofaScore match rating of 7.3.

As such, it would appear as if the reintroduction of the Republic of Ireland international who Ismael himself dubbed an “important” player would be a very wise move for the Frenchman to make on Wednesday, as Molumby has already proven himself as something of a game-changer for the Baggies.

In other news: Journo drops fresh West Brom January transfer claim that will devastate Albion fans

Rangers continued their march towards a second successive Scottish Premiership title as they thrashed Motherwell 6-1 on Sunday.

Steven Gerrard’s side won the league last season without losing a single match, racking up 102 points, as they won 34 matches and were held to draws in the other four.

It has not been quite as easy this term, but the Gers are top of the table after 12 games as they sit on 12 points. They have won eight, drawn three, lost one and are four points clear of second-placed Celtic.

Despite all of this success, Gerrard has also had bad moments in charge at Ibrox and a few of them have come in the transfer market. One piece of business that they may look back on with regret is the sale of Ross McCrorie to Aberdeen in February earlier this year.

After coming up through the ranks and heading out on several loans away from Rangers, McCrorie was sold to the Dons in February for a reported fee of £203k. He made 55 appearances for the Gers before his exit but only made 17 league appearances in each of his two senior seasons respectively.

Former Aberdeen manager Derek McInnes once lauded the midfielder and explained that he did not want to be a bit-part player, saying:

“I think he’s a dream on and off the pitch.

“He is different. He didn’t want to be in the shadows, he didn’t just want to be a Rangers squad player, he wanted to get out and get on with his career, and I love that about him.

“He deserves a lot of credit for that, because I know Rangers see qualities in him, but the fact Ross was in such a hurry to get on and get out is testament to him.

“His athleticism gets him out of trouble, his brain gets him out of trouble, gets him into positions. Having Ross’s power and intelligence in there allows us to play with one or two more attacking players.”

This season, McCrorie has started ten Premiership games for Aberdeen and caught the eye with some impressive performances. Per SofaScore, he has made 2.9 tackles and interceptions per game and won an eye-catching 67% of his duels overall, whilst also making 3.2 clearances per game.

At the time of writing (01/11/21), Transfermarkt value him at £900k. This is £697k more than what Rangers sold him for in February, which is why Gerrard may regret cashing in on him.

Steven Davis, meanwhile, for Rangers has not performed as well on the defensive side of the game. Per SofaScore, he has made 2.1 tackles and interceptions and 1.0 clearances per game, whilst only winning 46% of his duels. This suggests that McCrorie is a superior midfielder in terms of the defensive game.

Therefore, he could have been a great option for Gerrard to call upon in games, particularly in the Europa League for example, where they are not expected to dominate the ball. McCrorie has shown that he can excel at the physical side of the game and that could have been a useful asset for the Gers, which – coupled with the poor financial aspect of the deal – is why his sale was a howler from the club.

AND in other news, 87.5% duels lost: Rangers dud with 0 key passes let Gerrard down vs Motherwell…