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Writing for football.london, journalist and West Ham United correspondent Tom Clark has suggested that goalkeeper Darren Randolph is now the ‘most likely’ player to leave in January.

The Lowdown: Moyes overhaul…

As four new senior West Ham summer signings in Alphonse Areola, Nikola Vlasic, Alex Kral and Kurt Zouma get introduced into the squad, there were few in the way of outgoings during the last summer transfer window.

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Indeed, Felipe Anderson parted company and returned to former club Lazio while Fabian Balbuena left the club on a free transfer.

Since then, youngsters have gone out on loan and former club favourite Winston Reid has departed after West Ham agreed to mutually terminate his deal (Transfermarkt).

The Latest: More exits in January?

As explained by Clark, West Ham may need to free up more squad space, especially if they wish to finally sign a striker as back up for Michail Antonio.

Writing for football.london, the Hammers reporter says back up keeper Randolph is now ‘the most likely player to leave West Ham in January’ – even over the likes of Andriy Yarmolenko.

Dropping to third choice with manager David Moyes not requiring his services, the presence of both Lukasz Fabianski and Areola has ensured Randolph hasn’t played a single minute this season.

The Verdict: Time to go…

We believe parting company with the 34-year-old is certainly best for all parties, especially considering David Martin could easily fill Randolph’s spot as third-choice shot stopper.

The 50-cap Republic of Ireland international will arguably need to move away from east London to regain his spot under Stephen Kenny, so it benefits the player as well.

Contracted until 2023, West Ham and GSB could also recuperate a small fee for him.

In other news: West Ham could now sign ‘big’ £25.2m-rated striker open to London move, find out more here.

The Birmingham Mail’s Ashley Preece has confirmed a huge Aston Villa boost ahead of their Premier League clash against Chelsea next week.

What’s the story?

The summer signing from Bayer Leverkusen has barely had any chance to show Villa fans what he is capable of following his move from the German club, with him missing the last two matches in the top flight due to a hamstring injury.

However, Preece has now delivered a huge boost to both Dean Smith and the club’s plans over Bailey’s condition ahead of the return of the Premier League in a week’s time.

Writing on Twitter, he said: “Some positive news to start Friday off – Leon Bailey in contention to start at Chelsea next weekend.”

Villa fans will be excited

After coming off the bench to great effect against Watford on the opening day – he marked his Premier League debut for the club by setting up John McGinn’s goal and almost sparking a late comeback – Bailey has seen his early Villa career stall somewhat due to injury.

Speaking before Villa officially confirmed the deal to sign the winger, Alan Hutton threw his backing behind a move for the Jamaica international.

He said: “I’m so excited to see this one. I’ve heard a lot about him over the past two or three seasons. He’s obviously still very young but he’s electric, he gets people off their seats. That’s what you want in a player.

“But what’s more impressive, 15 goals and 11 assists from wide areas in the German league. That’s unbelievable. It’s the kind of consistency you want from your wingers.”

Bailey has earned rave reviews for both his performances and abilities over the years, and it’s comments like those below which are sure to excite Villa fans now that he is in contention to play against Chelsea, as Preece has hinted.

Former Ajax youth coach Ronald de Boer once said of the Jamaican: “He’s so fast it’s not normal. His speed, combined with his technique, is very rare. Exceptional. He has no weak points.”

Leverkusen’s sporting director Rudi Voller added: “He’s got extraordinary pace, he’s very skilful with the ball, and he will give further impetus to our attacking department.”

Meanwhile, Aston Villa must give this starlet a chance…

Ciaran Dickson appears to have completed a move to Celtic after turning out for the Hoops’ B team against Morton on Saturday, as per The Scottish Sun.

The Lowdown: Dickson was pictured with a Celtic shirt recently

Dickson, who was described as ‘terrific’ by Steven Gerrard last season, was a surprise release at Ibrox in the summer.

The 19-year-old only signed a new deal with Rangers back in January but was let go at the end of the 2020/21 campaign.

The midfielder was pictured holding up a Celtic shirt last week, leading to rumours of a cross-Glasgow switch materialising.

The Latest: Debut goal for Dickson

Dickson actually turned out for Celtic against Morton in the SPFL Trust Trophy on Saturday, as reported by The Scottish Sun.

Wearing the number 10 jersey, he scored on his debut after 30 minutes to halve a 2-0 deficit for his team.

Celtic went on to lose 3-1, but it seems as if Dominic McKay may have sealed an under-the-radar addition to the club’s youth ranks in Dickson, with a tweet from the club’s B team account labelling the 19-year-old as a new signing.

The Verdict: Shrewd move?

Dickson is a player who clearly caught the eye of Gerrard last season and was of interest to Premier League side Burnley, so a cut-price move to Celtic Park seems to be a smart piece of business from McKay.

The Hoops appears to be building for the future with the signings of youngsters Liel Abada, Liam Shaw, Liam Scales, Osaze Urhoghide and Joey Dawson, and it looks as if Dickson can now be added to that list judging by his B team appearances over the weekend.

In other news: McKay eyes record-breaking ace for Celtic and Ange; could be available for cut-price fee.

An update has emerged on Wigan’s pursuit of Sunderland defender Bailey Wright… 

What’s the talk?

According to The Sun’s Alan Nixon, the Lancashire club may not be able to afford a deal for the 29-year-old due to his fee and contract length demands.

This comes after it was reported earlier in the window that the Latics have been pursuing a deal for the Australia international.

Relief for Johnson

This news will come as a relief to Sunderland manager Lee Johnson as it seems to rule out any move to the DW Stadium for Wright. If Wigan are struggling to afford a fee for his services and to match his contract demands, then it could be incredibly difficult for this prospective deal to inch any closer to getting over the line, therefore increasing the chances of him staying with Sunderland for the 2021/22 campaign.

Wright missed out on a start against the Latics on the opening day of the League One campaign last weekend, but this was after making a late return to pre-season following an injury. The centre-back proved last season that he has the quality to be an excellent option in the third tier, which is why Johnson will be delighted that he now appears set to remain at the Stadium of Light.

In the 2020/21 campaign, the Australian averaged a sublime WhoScored rating of 6.94 across 35 starts. He won 4.3 aerial battles and made 4.6 clearances per game, highlighting his high volume of defensive activity in matches to help Sunderland keep clean sheets and win games.

His form prompted Black Cats legend Kevin Phillips to hail him as a leader and compare him with Liverpool star Virgil van Dijk. The 48-year-old told Football Insider: “He’s been a great signing. I don’t know the player, but I just get the feeling that he’s a leader and a voice in the dressing room.

“Sometimes the manager can only say so much and then you want of your senior experience players to pipe up and put a few people in their place and give encouragement and be a leader. He seems like that.

“The stats just show what an important player he is. He’s almost to Sunderland what van Dijk is to Liverpool at the moment with those incredible stats.”

Therefore, the £13k-per-week beast could still have a huge role to play this season despite not starting on the opening day. His quality and experience could be needed as the campaign progresses, whether that be down to injury or loss of form to those ahead of him at the moment, and Johnson will want as many options as possible to help with the Black Cats’ promotion push. This is why he must be buzzing that the Australian enforcer is probably not on his way to Wigan.

AND in other news, Sunderland handed transfer boost over “talented” £2.1k-p/w ace, fans will be buzzing…

Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta could unearth his club’s new Sol Campbell in Eintracht Frankfurt powerhouse Evan N’Dicka.

What’s the story?

According to German publication SportBild (via Sport Witness), the Gunners are interested in signing the Frenchman this summer, with the defender’s advisors said to be looking for a potential move to England for their client.

The report added that the Bundesliga club would be looking for a fee in the region of €30m (£25m) to part ways with the centre-back.

Arsenal’s new Campbell

Campbell was part of the famous Arsenal side which went a whole season unbeaten en route to winning the Premier League in 2003/04, and it’s fair to say that the Gunners haven’t really had anyone since then match up to that level of quality and status.

There have been a number of pretenders to the throne, but in the 21-year-old N’Dicka, they could very well find the ideal man to do so.

A profile by Arsenal.com said of Campbell: “On the field, the east Londoner’s strength was his athleticism. His bludgeoning power and fearsome frame worked in tandem with fast-moving feet.

“And there was, strangely for a man of his build, serenity in the way he carried himself, too. He was never willing to throw in the towel and often appeared visibly hurt in defeat – characteristics that endeared him to his new fans.”

N’Dicka is in that similar mould of being extremely quick for a centre-back, but also having the physical power to deal with more rugged strikers too.

The 6 foot 4 beast is not only dominant in the air, winning 2.1 aerial duels per game last season in the Bundesliga, but is equally comfortable playing out from the back, averaging an 84.8% passing accuracy.

The centre-back has impressed his former manager Adi Hutter, who said: “I honestly have to say that I was surprised by his development. Evan has developed phenomenally. He’s very attentive in the analysis of his own game. He’s very modest and always takes a lot on board.”

Former Eintracht Frankfurt star Alexander Schur believes that N’Dicka “shows no nerves” and “plays with great authority” – a real indication of the kind of leadership he possesses, much like Campbell in his prime in the Highbury days.

The £25m-rated powerhouse could add some real quality to Arteta’s options at the back, and provide a real throwback to when Campbell was at the club.

Meanwhile, Arsenal could sign their new Patrick Vieira in this powerhouse…

Celtic are enduring a horrendous start to the season with life under Ange Postecoglou commencing in the worst way possible.

The primary issues surrounding last term still linger at Parkhead with the Hoops suffering back to back defeats domestically and in Europe.

Celtic are conceding goals regularly but they are yet to really hit the ground running from an offensive point of view.

Odsonne Edouard has played in three matches but rather uncharacteristically, hasn’t found the back of the net yet.

The Frenchman has been linked with an exit throughout the summer and came close to joining Leicester before they pulled the plug and signed Patson Daka instead. A potential move to Brighton could occur and if he does move away, a replacement will be required.

An audacious swoop for ex-Chelsea striker Diego Costa has been mooted with Celtic reportedly approaching the Spain international over his services.

It’s may seem like an incredibly far-fetched transfer but if it does happen, it would be a remarkable piece of business from Postecoglou.

That’s because Costa is one of the most eye-catching attacking players of the last decade. He is a bullish forward who is capable of destroying defenders not only with his technical abilities but also with his stubborn temperament.

Ex-Hoops boss Brendan Rodgers once lamented the striker for his nasty side when in charge of Liverpool: “He [Costa] is an outstanding player – he obviously has this edge to him. We see the TV incidents, the two that he had. The one with Emre Can, that was poor, I felt. He could easily hurdle over the young player but he directs his studs right on to his ankle, which could have been nasty.”

Rodgers added: “And the one with Martin Skrtel – again, there’s no need to do it. That’s the sad thing. He’s a top-class player and he’s clever enough that the officials don’t see it. But it’s poor by him because he’s an outstanding player and he doesn’t need to do it.”

In that sense, the Bhoys could find their own version of Alfredo Morelos. Both of them are players with a mean streak to their game but they are very much capable of finding the net regularly.

Dubbed an “animal” by Jose Mourinho, the 32-year-old has been named in the La Liga and Premier League Team of the Year due to his phenomenal goal-scoring instincts.

He bagged 58 in 120 outings for Chelsea and has netted 83 in 216 outings for Atletico Madrid.

Now a free agent, it would suit Celtic if they didn’t have to pay a fee for Costa. His wages could presumably be out of Celtic’s reach but that shouldn’t stop Postecoglou from doing everything he can to convince him to join and seeing if he fancies taking a pay-cut to move to Glasgow.

Costa is a proven elite striker who could light up Parkhead.

AND in other news, Ange can finally axe Celtic’s “walking joke” by signing “very dominant” 6ft3 colossus…

Newcastle United journalist Liam Kennedy insists that there is no point discussing replacements for Steve Bruce, because the club are more than happy with his performance following a 4-2 defeat against West Ham on the opening day of the Premier League season.

A number of pundits have suggested potential alternatives to Bruce in recent weeks and months.

Newcastle endured a mixed season last term and ultimately finished the campaign in 12th, although their results left a lot to be desired at points throughout the campaign.

Between December 16th and April 11th, Newcastle played 20 games and won just three; they lost 11 and drew six. That included a run of losses that saw them score just twice in five games and concede 10.

However, Kennedy believes that those within the club are quite satisfied with the way the former Manchester United defender is operating in the job, and believes that is a damning indictment of Mike Ashley’s ownership of the club.

He said: “All this talk, all the pundits out there can name names all they want but I just believe the feeling from those at the top of the club, the people who gave him the job, I think they’re quite happy with Steve Bruce’s performance.

“But that’s a symptom of Mike Ashley’s Newcastle United, that mediocrity is celebrated.”

Newcastle kick off their Premier League campaign this weekend against West Ham United.

Everton should target Euro 2020 star Patrik Schick before the transfer window closes, according to Michael Ball.

Schick sprung to prominence by scoring five goals as the Czech Republic reached the quarter-finals of the international competition this summer.

While Schick missed out on claiming the Golden Boot despite scoring the same number of goals as winner Cristiano Ronaldo, he claimed UEFA’s goal of the tournament prize for his long-range strike against Scotland.

Schick’s fine performances for his national side has resulted in plenty of interest from the Premier League, with Liverpool and Aston Villa backed by the bookies (via Birmingham Mail) to move for the 25-year-old.

The Bayer Leverkusen man scored 13 goals in 36 appearances last season and the German side will be hoping to retain his services.

Everton have also been linked with Haris Seferovic, who shone for Switzerland at Euro 2020.

The Benfica frontman is being touted (Correio da Manha via Sport Witness) as a West Ham United and Tottenham Hotspur target too, but former Everton left-back Ball would prefer to see Schick head to Goodison Park.

Speaking exclusively to The Transfer Tavern, Ball said: “Patrik is 25 and playing in a tougher league than Haris. If I had to choose, I would probably go for Patrik.

“He’s a younger guy, been playing in the Bundesliga and doing pretty well. I think that’s more similar to the Premier League than playing for Benfica in Portugal.

“I think Patrik would fit the Everton way a bit more.”

West Bromwich Albion are interested in a move to bring Harry Wilson to The Hawthorns this summer.

What’s the talk?

That’s according to a report by Goal, who claim that the Baggies, along with Benfica and Brentford, are keeping a close eye on the situation of the Liverpool winger ahead of a potential move in the summer transfer window.

The report added that the 24-year-old is open to a move away from Anfield in a bid to play regular first team football, while Jurgen Klopp’s side are believed to be looking for a fee of around £12m in order to part with Wilson this summer.

Ismael must move

Considering just how impressive Wilson has been over a number of loan spells with Championship and Premier League sides in recent seasons, it is unsurprising to learn that Valerien Ismael is considering a move to make the Liverpool winger his first signing since taking over at The Hawthorns.

Indeed, after being loaned out to Hull City in the back end of the Tigers’ 2017/18 Championship campaign, Wilson went on to score seven goals, provide three assists and create three big chances for his teammates over just 14 league appearances for the club, with his average SofaScore match rating of 7.25 ranking him as Hull’s second-best performer in the league that season.

A season-long loan at Frank Lampard’s Derby County followed, with the winger scoring 15 goals, providing three assists and creating six big chances over his 40 Championship appearances. These returns saw the 24-year-old earn a seasonal SofaScore match rating of 7.17, ranking him as the Rams’ best player in the league that year.

The £41,000-per-week Wilson was then sent to Premier League side Bournemouth in 2019/20, where he managed to score seven goals and create four big chances for his teammates over 31 league fixtures despite the Cherries battling at the wrong end of the table for the majority of the season and ultimately suffering relegation to the Championship.

Last season, the Wales international was loaned to Cardiff City, scoring seven goals, registering 11 assists and creating 11 big chances over his 37 Championship appearances for Mick McCarthy’s side. He earned a seasonal SofaScore match rating of 7.20, ranking him as the Bluebirds’ second-best performer in the division.

With West Brom and Ismael facing the challenge of securing an immediate return to the Premier League next season, a player who has a proven track record of returning goals and assists in the Championship, as well as consistently ranking among  a club’s top two performers in the division, would appear to be exactly the type of signing the Frenchman should be looking to get over the line this summer.

As such, all of the above would lead us to the conclusion that Ismael must do all he can to land the man whom Marcelo Bielsa once dubbed an “exceptional” player this summer, as Wilson very much appears to have the potential to fire the Baggies back to the top flight next season.

In other news: Ismael must make “quality” £33k-p/w gem his first WBA signing as Baggies show interest

 Barry Fry has handed West Ham a warning in their pursuit of Brentford striker Ivan Toney… 

What’s the talk?

Peterborough’s director of football Barry Fry has suggested that it could take as much as £50m for West Ham to sign Ivan Toney from Brentford this summer. The Hammers are reportedly interested in signing the English striker and Fry has warned them that the newly-promoted side will not let him go easily.

He told This is Futbol:

“I’m not too sure the two Davids would fork out £40 or £50 million that I think would [convince] Brentford.

“Brentford did marvellous work, miracles to sell their best players and still get in the play-offs for two years on the trot and get where the promised land is, so they’re not going to let any of their players go cheaply.”

Grave error

West Ham must avoid making a grave error with Toney if his price tag is as high as £50m. Whilst it is understandable why the club are looking at him as a target, with 33 goals last season for Brentford in the Championship, £50m is too much of a gamble for a player who has never played regularly in the top-flight – with two appearances in the Premier League for Newcastle his only exposure to elite-level football.

There is no guarantee that he will make the step up to the Premier League and score buckets full of goals and provide assists for his teammates at the same rate he did in the second tier. Toney scored 33 times and assisted 10 goals in 48 appearances, including the playoffs, which is an outstanding record and shows that he has the potential to make the grade.

The attacker has the quality and the Peterborough chief, Fry, who helped facilitate Toney’s move to Brentford, was effusive with his praise of the striker whilst he was in East Anglia. He lauded the “tremendous” forward for his overall game, highlighting his defending along with his goalscoring.

He told Peterborough Today:

“He’s kept working hard and playing with total commitment and he’s turned into a tremendous all-around footballer.“It’s important to remember Ivan is not just an exceptional goal-scoring forward, he’s also an outstanding defender.“We’ve sold some top-class strikers in our past, but none have been able to defend anywhere near as well as Ivan.”

However, performances in the Championship do not always translate into the Premier League. For example, Teemu Pukki managed 29 goals and nine assists in 43 appearances for Norwich in the 2018/19 campaign – putting him on a similar level to Toney – and yet, he only managed 11 strikes as the Canaries were relegated the following season at a higher level.

It is also worth pointing out that 11 of Toney’s goals came from the penalty spot. The 25-year-old powerhouse is unlikely to get as many attempts to score from 12 yards for the Hammers, as Moyes’ team scored just twice from penalties last season.

This is why it would be a massive gamble by West Ham to splash out a club-record £50m on the centre-forward. There is too much doubt, as it stands, over his ability to be an elite player at the top level.

AND in other news, West Ham must complete swoop for “incredible” £43k-p/w monster, Moyes needs him…