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Sunderland striker Ross Stewart could feature in a behind-closed-doors friendly next week as he recovers from injury, according to journalist James Hunter.

The Lowdown: Stewart missed Sunderland win

The Black Cats made a welcome return to Championship action on Saturday lunchtime, as they hosted Millwall at the Stadium of Light.

Tony Mowbray’s team eased to an impressive 3-0 victory against their London opponents, which is made all the more impressive because star striker Stewart wasn’t available.

The 26-year-old hasn’t featured since the end of August because of a thigh injury, although it now appears as though his return is imminent.

The Latest: Return in sight?

Taking to Twitter in sharing a corresponding article from Chronicle Live, Hunter claimed that Stewart could take part in a friendly next week as he makes positive progress in his recovery.

The journalist tweeted:

“Tony Mowbray explains his decision to leave out Ross Stewart against Millwall, and says the Scot could play in a behind-closed-doors friendly next week.”

The Verdict: Massive boost for Sunderland

This is huge news for anyone of a Sunderland persuasion, with Stewart arguably the most influential player at the club, having scored 26 goals in League One last season.

The Scot’s return would suddenly give the team are far more dangerous adnd potent look to it, even though they fared impressively without him against Millwall.

Sunderland need to be careful with Stewart, though, in terms of not rushing him back too soon and easing him in gradually, but having him available for the upcoming Christmas period could be massive.

In sensational fashion, West Bromwich Albion seem to have well and truly left the misery of the Steve Bruce era behind.

Cruising to a 2-0 victory over Stoke City at The Hawthorns, Carlos Corberan has masterminded the most sensational of turnarounds which sees them creep out of the relegation zone at last.

It also marked their third successive victory, which was particularly impressive given how before this run they had not even won twice on the run, let alone three times.

Although they only had 49% of the ball, despite normally dominating, they still were fluid in their attacks and clinical when they had to be.

Their 16 total shots outline this, whilst another clean sheet will please the Spaniard more than anything.

Of the defence, Kyle Bartley once again announced himself as the hero, however, his goalscoring exploits have somewhat allowed the likes of Jed Wallace and Matt Phillips’ lack of cutting edge to go unnoticed.

The latter was particularly poor today, although the former did record the worst SofaScore rating of anyone on the pitch.

With just 34 touches all game, the invisible display of Phillips might have been what led to this lack of possession for the Baggies. He did not offer to receive the ball, and without possession seldom defended well enough to win it back.

This is exacerbated through his zero clearances, blocks, interceptions or tackles, whilst he was also dribbled past once too, via SofaScore.

When he did have the ball, the 31-year-old was especially wasteful, hence why he was dragged off with ten minutes to go.

Having lost possession eight times, this meant that for every 4.2 of the 34 touches he enjoyed on Saturday, he would have the ball stolen by the opposition.

This lack of control, therefore, trickled through into his lack of creativity, where he recorded zero key passes and managed no shots on or off target. With age one can expect the physical aspects of the game to start to desert a player, but today marked a lack of quality and effort unexpected from a man of his professionalism.

Despite recording an impressive result, this performance will worry Corberan and may make him think twice about relying on this stalwart to occupy the wing.

With quality such as Grady Diangana to replace him too, this display could, and likely should, have lost him his space in the Spaniard’s starting side.

Everton have been enjoying a much more comfortable season in the Premier League so far, and Frank Lampard will surely be relieved that his side is showing signs of improvement during their promising start.

The Toffees are now 12th in the league table and are four points clear of the relegation zone which is a much better position than where they found themselves last season, only surviving the drop into the Championship in their penultimate game of the season.

Lampard will be thrilled with the impact that the eight new signings have made since they arrived at Goodison Park this summer, but it isn’t just the newly-appointed players who have been shining lights in the improved form that Everton have displayed in their 12 Premier League outings.

Anthony Gordon has often been highly praised for his contributions in the forward line, but his teammate Demarai Gray has been just as effective since he made the move to Merseyside for just £1.7m last summer.

Despite Rafael Benitez’s ill-fated tenure at the club, one of the only good things to come out of his short spell managing the Toffees was the signing of Gray, who has been a consistent and reliable performer when called upon to represent the club in the final third.

Only Richarlison (11) and Andros Townsend (seven) scored more goals than Gray (six) last season, with the talented winger netting more than striker Dominic Calvert-Lewin (five) overall, and this season he has continued to prove that he is worth his tiny transfer fee many times over.

Across 12 appearances this term, the 26-year-old has scored one goal and created one big chance, making 1.2 key passes, taking 1.9 shots and winning four duels per game, proving he is a trusted key player for Lampard as he has started and featured for 86 minutes on average in every single league outing so far.

Gray has been the recipient of high praise during his time with the Toffees so far, with BBC pundit Garth Crooks dubbing the winger a “real talent”.

Lampard has also expressed his admiration for the player after he scored a late equaliser against Nottingham Forest earlier this season, saying: “I was really pleased with Demarai’s performance and the goal.

“Against players that are committed to defend in numbers, you need players that open the game up. Demarai did that with his movement, with his speed and with his one-v-one stuff. The goal was fantastic.”

With that being said, it is clear that Gray has become a key player at Everton; and if he can continue to influence games positively,  there is no doubt that the team could enjoy a much more comfortable season than in 2021/22.

There has seemingly been a common theme to Celtic’s Champions League outings so far this term, with the Old Firm outfit having typically been left to rue their profligacy in front goal, after spurning numerous chances in each of their four group stage encounters.

That wasteful nature was evident in Tuesday’s crushing defeat to RB Leipzig at Parkhead as the Hoops failed to capitalise on a brilliant spell of early pressure before eventually slipping to a seventh successive home defeat in the competition – the worst record in the tournament’s history.

Speaking after that 2-0 loss to Marco Rose’s men stand-in skipper Cameron Carter-Vickers had vocalised his frustration at those notable missed opportunities, while manager Ange Postecoglou stated his side had paid the “ultimate price” for their failings in front of goal, with progression to the knockout stages now out of reach.

That latest result had seen Kyogo Furuhashi, in particular, once again come up short when it matters most, with the Japan international notably squandering an inviting headed chance in that blistering period around the half-hour mark.

The 27-year-old has typically been a clinical figure for the Scottish champions since his £4.6m arrival from Vissel Kobe last summer – top scoring with 20 goals in all competitions last term – although is currently enduring something of a dry spell with just one goal in his last nine outings.

The £18k-per-week menace still boasts an impressive record of seven goals in just eight league games so far this term, although has failed to find the back of the net in Europe, with his only goal involvement having come as an assist for Jota away in Germany last week.

As pundit John Hartson stated, both the diminutive gem – and teammate Giorgos Giakoumakis – will likely feel they “should have done better” with regards to their failings in front of goal in the group stage thus far, with Kyogo having been particularly wasteful in the defeat in Saxony, notably heading over from close range.

While pundit John Collins has rightly lauded the £5.4m-rated speedster for his stunning work rate and the way he “hounds defences”, the player’s inability to couple that with a golden touch on the elite stage has seemingly played its part in Celtic’s undoing.

With the aforementioned Giakoumakis having netted a dramatic late winner at the weekend, the 16-cap gem could now be under pressure to keep his starting berth moving forward, having done himself little favours after struggling once again on Tuesday night.

Giovanni van Bronckhorst faces a few contract dilemmas as Glasgow Rangers manager over the coming months, with the likes of Ryan Kent, Alfredo Morelos, and Ryan Jack all in the last year of their Ibrox deals.

These should all be players that the Dutchman will be desperate to keep for as long as possible, unless a big money offer comes in, particularly for Kent or Morelos.

One player who Van Bronckhorst might have to think long and hard about, however, is Filip Helander, and the 47-year-old should be ready to part ways with the defender.

Rangers must ditch Helander

Having joined the club from Serie A side, Bologna, in the summer of 2019 for a fee of £4m, Helander formed a solid partnership with Connor Goldson at the heart of the Light Blues’ defence.

The 2020/2021 season was a particular highlight for the player, playing 22 Premiership matches as the team, led by Steven Gerrard, won their first league title in a decade.

Rangers only conceded 13 league goals during the whole campaign, a British record and Helander was an integral part of this side, ranking eighth out of the whole squad as per WhoScored.

Unfortunately, the 29-year-old, who is earning £14.5k-per-week, is far too injury prone to warrant a long-term deal.

In just over three seasons, Helander has missed a grand total of 64 games for the club over a 314-day period. That’s a staggering amount, which included 31 matches last season as Van Bronckhorst had to play natural left back, Calvin Bassey, in a centre-back position to compensate.

Having not featured at all this season, and with the signings of Ben Davies and John Souttar arriving in the summer, the side already looks able to cope without him going forward.

Furthermore, youngster Leon King has broken into the first-team squad and already looks like an exciting talent. If Helander stayed at the club, it could mean yet another defender ahead of him for a place in the starting XI.

There are, of course, many variables Van Bronckhorst will need to consider. Helander is an excellent option to have at the heart of the Ibrox side’s defence without a shadow of a doubt, but with the Swede seemingly on the treatment table more often than the pitch, it will be tough to justify an extended contract. Next year should finally be the time that his time at Rangers comes to an end.

Manchester City have won four Premier League titles over the past five years under manager Pep Guardiola.

One player in Guardiola’s ranks that has played a significant part in this domestic dominance is Bernardo Silva.

Since joining the Manchester club back in the summer of 2017, the midfielder has gone on to score 30 goals and provide 31 assists in 169 Premier League appearances.

Despite recent reports claiming that the Portugal international is fully focused on staying at City for this season, there have been previous claims linking him away from the club, mainly to Barcelona.

With that in mind, the remaining time left before the summer transfer window closes could give the Citizens and Guardiola the chance to bring in a potential replacement for Silva.

One figure that has been mentioned with a move to the Etihad Stadium that could fit the bill is Olympique Lyon midfielder Lucas Paqueta.

Since joining his current club back in 2020 from AC Milan, the Brazilian has scored 21 goals and delivered 14 assists in 80 appearances across all competitions.

To compare the two midfielders from their previous domestic campaigns, with both making 35 appearances each, the duo managed to achieve double figures for goal contributions, showing how capable they are at scoring and creating chances.

In fact, both Silva and Paqueta completed ten live-ball passes that led to a goal for their sides.

While this highlights the similarities between the two players, the Lyon star has some areas where he trumps the City figure.

For example, he was able to rack up a higher success percentage for the number of dribbles he attempted as well as making more tackles, pressures and blocks, in addition to winning a higher percentage of aerial duels.

Hailed as a player who is a “pure joy to watch” that has a left foot that “could tie a tie”, by football talent scout Jacek Kulig, Paqueta certainly has the credentials to be a suitable addition to City’s squad.

Despite having a rather hefty reported price tag of £68m, securing a deal for the Brazil international would be a smart investment for City, especially if rumours linking Silva with a move away emerge again further down the line.

Steven Gerrard has dropped a huge contract update on one of his Aston Villa players…

What’s the word?

Speaking to Birmingham Live, the 42-year-old claimed that there has been “tentative talks” between the club and Douglas Luiz.

The midfielder had been linked with both AS Roma and AC Milan, and with just one year left on his £52k-per-week deal, there was a real worry that he would leave on the cheap.

The Villa manager also noted the difference between this contract dispute and that of Carney Chukwuemeka, who has since joined Chelsea, saying: “It’s very much different. I think Douglas has had a real positive pre-season. I think he’s happy at Aston Villa.”

Gerrard needs him

Although it is an understated claim from the manager, the news that there are simply talks ongoing to try and tie down the Brazilian will be pleasing for Gerrard.

The 42-year-old has been vocal in his praise for the midfielder ever since Dean Smith’s dismissal last November, calling him “a fantastic player, really talented” and one who he rates “extremely highly”. We want to keep all of our best players around. and many have praised the manner in which Gerrard has got a tune out of the 24-year-old at Villa Park.

Former Premier League striker Kevin Campbell said of the duo’s relationship: “Luiz has always been a brilliant player. He is shining under Gerrard because there seems to be more onus on him. Gerrard knows the position inside out.

“He probably watched him in training and said, ‘Listen, I expect a little bit more from you.’ Luiz is doing it which is great.”

Previously labelled a “fantastic talent” by 90min’s Graeme Bailey, Luiz featured in 34 of Villa’s 38 league games last season, offering up a respectable five goal contributions from his deep midfield role.

The hard-working maestro was also solid defensively for the Villans, with one interception and 1.7 tackles per game highlighting him as an integral all-rounder for the team. Those averages put him in the top six in Gerrard’s squad for both metrics in 2021/22, marking him out as a crucial presence at the club.

To lose a player of his quality and importance for a reduced price or even on a free transfer due to contract disputes would be a massive shame for Villa.

Gerrard clearly thinks highly of the midfielder going by the aforementioned quotes and the 24-year-old’s regular presence in the team, and the manager will hope that the ongoing contract talks are successful given how he needs the Brazilian’s steel in midfield.

Tottenham Hotspur defender Japhet Tanganga is one of the names who could leave north London this summer as journalist Fabrizio Romano shares an update for Lilywhites supporters.

The Lowdown: Spurs exodus?

Following a plethora of activity in terms of incoming transfers, little progress has been made in terms of outgoings and reports suggest that could be the immediate priority.

Spurs do have plans to make more Premier League signings, as explained by Dan Kilpatrick, who claims that they remain in the market for a creative midfielder and could yet target another centre-back.

However, it appears sporting director Fabio Paratici’s focus is on sales with the club chief even travelling to Italy this week for exit discussions.

The Latest: Romano shares Tanganga news…

Taking to Twitter in the last 48 hours, reporter Romano now has some exit news for supporters as Paratici and Milan told talks over the departure of Tanganga.

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He claims that the Spurs director held a meeting with Rossoneri chiefs in Milan on Thursday and Tottenham’s 23-year-old is ‘one of the names now discussed’.

Romano stated:

“Tottenham director Fabio Paratici met with AC Milan board today in Milano. Negotiations ongoing for Japhet Tanganga deal. #THFC Tanganga, one of the names now discussed between the two clubs – in touch for potential opportunies in the next weeks.”

The Verdict: Get it done…

Whether on loan or on a permanent deal, a move away for Tanganga is best for all parties given the defender needs game time to develop and Antonio Conte needs to make room in his squad.

There is little question he can be a real asset on his day, especially remembering his start to the 21/22 campaign under Nuno Espirito Santo, but the competition at Spurs may be too intense for now and Italy could be a great destination for the starlet to improve.

Nottingham Forest have shown no signs of slowing down in the transfer window with seven signings already completed this summer, and now the club could be about to make their eighth.

What’s the latest?

According to The Daily Mail, Nottingham Forest have submitted a £10m bid for Middlesbrough gem Marcus Tavernier.

As per the report, the club has joined the chase for the winger’s signature this summer, with AFC Bournemouth also tabling an offer and both clubs are now waiting for an answer from Middlesbrough.

Big Colback upgrade

Despite already sealing many new signings already, Steve Cooper hasn’t been able to acquire any fresh faces to bolster the midfield and Tavernier could definitely be a big Jack Colback upgrade if Forest’s bid is accepted this summer.

Tavernier can be an effective goal threat from many positions in the midfield and has proved his versatility over the last season with Boro, playing central, left and right in the middle of the park.

Over 44 Championship appearances last season, the 23-year-old scored five goals, delivered five assists and created eight big chances, as well as making an average of 1.6 key passes, 2.2 tackles, winning 5.7 duels and taking two shots per game.

Cooper could really benefit from Tavernier’s playmaking skills in his Forest side, and despite Colback being much better in his defensive play, the Middlesbrough player offers a better attacking threat which could be very useful in the newly-promoted side’s attempts to retain their Premier League status next season.

Tavernier has been the recipient of high praise for his performances and talent in his current team with journalist Anthony Vickers hailing the player a “bright spark”, and former manager Neil Warnock is a big fan of his player too.

Warnock claimed (via Teesside Live): “Tav is a special player. He’s a manager’s nightmare and a manager’s dream all wrapped up into one. But like me, he wants to win. We’re on the same page and I think he’ll have a very good season.”

With that being said, the signing of Tavernier could be a major coup for Cooper if the player can emulate his form and performances in the Premier League with Nottingham Forest.

AND in other news: “Will happen..”: Reliable journo drops big NFFC transfer claim, Cooper will be buzzing

An update has emerged on Sunderland and their efforts to land Tottenham forward Jack Clarke in the summer transfer window…

What’s the talk?

Northern Echo journalist Scott Wilson has revealed that Kristjaan Speakman has held negotiations with the Premier League club over a deal for the attacker.

He Tweeted: “SAFC have held talks to try to re-sign Jack Clarke and Nathan Broadhead – but a final decision on both players is unlikely until later in the summer. Both are entering the final year of their current deals with Spurs and Everton.”

Spurs reportedly paid £9m to Leeds to sign him and it remains to be seen how much they would be willing to sell him for this summer.

Aiden McGeady 2.0

One player the club will need to replace this summer is outgoing winger Aiden McGeady and Clarke can be his successor out wide.

In 12 League One starts, the departing Irishman produced three goals and four assists – creating seven ‘big chances’ and making 2.4 key passes per game. He consistently delivered in the final third with his crossing and passing to set up his teammates and, as it stands, his exit will be a huge blow to Alex Neil’s squad.

By signing Clarke, Sunderland can land the next McGeady as he has the potential to develop into a creative force at the top end of the pitch.

Former Premier League forward Noel Whelan once lauded the youngster’s ability on the ball, saying:

“He has got a great ability to glide past players. I don’t think I’ve seen a winger really as talented as that, where it looks effortless, just to take somebody on and he really does get you on the edge of your seat, he’s one of those exciting players.”

In 11 League One starts last term, Clarke managed one goal and three assists on loan at the Stadium of Light. He created five ‘big chances’ and made 1.6 key passes per game as he offered a similar level of creativity, albeit not quite as much, as McGeady.

At the age of 21, he has plenty of time left to develop in order to reach the ex-Celtic man’s levels and this means that he can be the veteran’s long-term replacement on Wearside if Sunderland are able to snap him up.

The Spurs gem can be Neil’s new magician in the Championship next season, scoring and creating goals from out wide.

AND in other news, Speakman can find SAFC’s own Kane in swoop for “incredible” £7k-p/w gem who’s “flying”…