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Despite largely struggling to displace Mark Hughes’ preferred central-midfield duo of Mario Lemina and Pierre-Emile Hojbjerg, Oriol Romeu has become a mainstay in the position under current Southampton manager Ralph Hasenhuttl.

The Spaniard once again started in the 2-0 defeat against Arsenal at the Emirates Stadium on Sunday, and his performance perhaps wasn’t up to the standard that Saints fans have been used to from him previously.

The former Chelsea man is there to put pressure on the opposition and break up the play, as well as winning the ball back and generally protecting the backline – his role becomes even more important when the middle centre-back, Jack Stephens in recent weeks, brings the ball out of the defence.

Romeu certainly did his bit in terms of the former as he made two tackles and three interceptions, but his distribution from the 48 passes he had was a real negative – a success rate of less than 69% followed as the 27-year-old struggled when in possession.

Yes, the south coast outfit were largely under pressure against when of the better teams in the Premier League, but he should have been doing better.

Attentions turn to the huge clash against Fulham at St Mary’s on Wednesday when the hosts will be looking to pick up a crucial three points that could move them out of the relegation zone.

Hasenhuttl has preferred to stick with a five-at-the-back formation in recent times but the fact he switched to four at half-time against the Gunners proves that things may be changing, and sacrificing a centre-back could also lead to midfield changes.

The 51-year-old used the former system that some people would conceive as negative in the reverse against Cardiff City, using Romeu, James Ward-Prowse and Hojbjerg in the centre.

It wasn’t a tactic that worked and when you are trying to break down an opponent and a side that could come to St Mary’s for a draw, you don’t need those three players.

In fact, Ward-Prowse is showing the aggression in his game that is one of his Spanish teammate’s strengths, and he and Hojbjerg are good enough to do a job against Claudio Ranieri’s men alone, allowing Hasenhuttl to bring in another much-needed attacking player to the starting XI.

Leeds United youngster Charlie Cresswell was set to face Arsenal on Saturday before a shoulder injury ruled him out of the match, according to journalist Phil Hay.

The Lowdown: Leeds thrashed by Arsenal

The Whites suffered another dispiriting Premier League outing on Saturday, losing 4-1 to the Gunners at Elland Road. Marcelo Bielsa is having to tackle an injury crisis and it is showing on the pitch, with Leeds now sitting a worrying 16th in the table.

A relegation battle looks increasingly on the cards and a huge amount of resolve will need to be shown in the coming weeks, with signings required in the January transfer window.

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The Latest: Cresswell suffers injury

Writing in a Q&A for The Athletic after the Arsenal game, Hay confirmed that youngster Cresswell was set to start before he picked up an injury of his own.

The journalist stated: “Cresswell was injured in training – shoulder problem. Was due to start today.”

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The Verdict: More minutes coming his way?

Considering Leeds’ current injury woes, it may be that Cresswell soon gets another chance to shine, assuming he recovers from his shoulder issue.

The 19-year-old has already made four Premier League appearances this season (starting once) and he has shown he can compete at this level, earning a 7.93 rating from WhoScored in the Carabao Cup penalty shootout win over Fulham back in September.

Granted, it would be better not having to throw a teenage centre-back into the team, but it could end up proving to be invaluable experience further down the line. Indeed, going by how poorly Leeds defended against the Gunners, it’s not outlandish to suggest that Bielsa could have done with the teenager on Saturday.

In other news, three Leeds players struggled in the defeat to Arsenal. Find out who they are.

Pundit Paddy Kenny believes that Newcastle United could struggle to sign Lille defender Sven Botman due to a ‘problem caused by’ former owner Mike Ashley, as per Football Insider.  

The Lowdown: Botman links

The Magpies could be in for a busy first transfer window under new owners PIF, with Eddie Howe’s side three points off safety.

One man who the club are trying to bring to St James’ Park is Botman, with The Athletic sharing the news last week. Sources believe that an offer in the region of £40m could be enough for the Ligue 1 side to part ways with the centre-back in what could be a club-record move.

Botman has made 62 appearances for Lille after joining from Ajax in a deal worth £7.2m in July 2020.

The Latest: Kenny’s comments

Kenny was talking to Football Insider regarding a possible £40m move for Botman. The former Leeds goalkeeper feels that Newcastle could have trouble making any major winter additions due to their lowly position in the league, labelling the current squad as a ‘problem caused by Ashley’.

He outlined:

“They have the money to do it, no question.

“It’s about whether he will come. I don’t know much about the guy but if he’s worth that much at that age he’s clearly talented.

“Newcastle could be bottom of the league by January. Why would any decent player go and join them?

“I’ve got nothing against Newcastle, I just think you have to look at it like that.

“Clubs who are in better positions will be interested, I imagine.

“Even if Newcastle are the only club to bid. You would just stay where you are, wouldn’t you?

“I think that’s the problem Newcastle face. A problem caused by Ashley and the previous regime.

“That squad is nowhere near good enough.”

The Verdict: Why not?

Botman is still in the early stages of his career and isn’t yet a household name in world football, so who’s to say that he wouldn’t want to make the move to Tyneside in the New Year despite Newcastle’s current league position?

You could argue that he might actually jump at the chance to join one of the biggest leagues in the world, with Howe seemingly keen to bolster his defensive ranks after links to Burnley pair Ben Mee and James Tarkowski.

Regular game-time may have to be guaranteed to the 21-year-old, but you’d expect that wouldn’t be an issue, especially if the club are willing to spend £40m on the Dutch defender.

In other news: ‘In the next day or two’ – PIF now closing in on 1st major Newcastle signing; Howe gets his wish

An exciting update has emerged on Newcastle United’s pursuit of Sevilla defender Diego Carlos…

What’s the talk?

According to The Telegraph, the centre-back is keen on a move to St. James’ Park and talks are ongoing between the two clubs over a deal for the Brazilian.

The report claims that the Magpies are hoping to wrap up negotiations for the £40.5m-rated titan by the end of this week as they attempt to bolster Eddie Howe’s squad.

Delight

The ex-Bournemouth boss will surely be elated with this news as it is an exciting update on the club’s efforts to land Carlos. Their belief that they can have the deal done within the next seven days indicates that talks are going well and they are confident that he will be a Newcastle player sooner rather than later.

Carlos could be an exceptional addition to the squad and Howe will be buzzing with the prospect of being able to select him in his starting XI for the rest of the Premier League season. This latest update suggests that the head coach will be able to work with him on Tyneside this term, but what sort of player could he be getting?

Spanish football analyst Domagoj Kostanjšak previously outlined the defender’s key attributes and hailed his quality in La Liga, saying:

“He’s a really physical player – he’s built like a tank and they don’t call him ‘The Beast’ for no reason. He’s really good in the air and he’s decent on the ball as well – you have to be under Julen Lopetegui.

“He’s been in my top three or four centre-backs in Spain this season, along with Raphael Varane and Inigo Martinez – he’s been a bit of a revelation. He’s playing the best football of his career and he immediately settled in. I would say there is a shade of Kalidou Koulibaly about him – not the same quality, of course, but I would compare him to him.”

In the Spanish top-flight this season, Carlos has averaged an excellent SofaScore rating of 7.14 – winning 64% of his duels overall. Meanwhile, Federico Fernandez’s score of 6.77 is the highest of any Newcastle centre-back this term, suggesting that the Sevilla man would come in and be a major upgrade in that position.

Therefore, Howe will be delighted with the news that the Magpies are hopeful of securing a deal for the Brazilian by the end of this week as he could provide an extra level of quality to his Premier League side.

AND in other news, “They’d like to sign..”: Reporter delivers big NUFC transfer claim, it’ll excite Howe…

At just 20 years of age, Aston Villa striker Cameron Archer is already a well-known figure amongst the first team, having made his Premier League debut this campaign.

Moreover, a hat-trick against Barrow and a goal against Chelsea in the EFL Cup, as well as six goals in four EFL Trophy appearances for the U23s, has shown that the Englishman is on the verge of regular game time for the Villa first team.

There has been evidence of youngsters becoming first-team regulars for Villa, with 20-year-old midfielder Jacob Ramsey an excellent example.

To ensure that his progress isn’t stunted though, the West Midlands outfit sent the youngster on loan to Championship outfit Preston North End for the remainder of the season, and the striker has already made a big impression.

Within minutes of coming off of the bench on his debut for the Whites, Archer netted against one of Villa’s fierce rivals in West Bromwich Albion, securing a 2-0 win for his loan side.

Since then, the 20-year-old has started Ryan Lowe’s side’s following two league matches, blanking in a 2-2 draw at home to Bristol City and scoring the sole goal last time out away at Hull City.

Following the loanee’s debut, Lowe said: “He’ll just get better in terms of our style, he’s just got to adapt, it’s a little bit different to how they play at Villa.

“What we’ve got to do is make sure we get him in the right areas, in the first half we didn’t get him in the right areas, we didn’t slide many balls down the sides of them. Fantastic performance, really pleased for him, the more games he plays, the better he will be.”

Three games in and two goals to show for it, the opening weeks of Archer’s loan spell have gone exactly to plan, with the striker’s temporary move having the potential of being a masterstroke for both clubs.

For Preston, they are still well in with a shout of securing a finish in the playoff places, with Lowe’s side sat in 11th with 41 points, four off sixth-placed West Brom, all though the Baggies do have a game in hand.

With the Englishman’s goals, the Lancashire outfit could propel up the table and find themselves breathing down the necks of the second tier’s elite.

As for Villa, the hope will be that Steven Gerrard will be receiving a striker with much more experience of playing senior football at a high level who can then be integrated into his squad as and when he’s needed.

To think that the 20-year-old could be leading the line for Villa as early as next season seems a rather tall ask, however, Ollie Watkins’ future is uncertain, with Arsenal continuously linked with the 26-year-old whilst Danny Ings hasn’t had the most impressive start to his Villa tenure.

The main hope will be that Archer will return to the West Midlands as an improved player who can properly break through in Gerrard’s side next campaign, potentially saving the club millions on a Watkins replacement in the process.

In other news: Steven Gerrard drops exciting injury update that’ll have Villa fans buzzing

Official Rangers media partner Heart & Hand have revealed some the details involved in the proposed sale of Nathan Patterson to Everton.

It emerged on Sunday evening that the English Premier League club were closing in on a deal for the Gers’ right back.

Everton had made two unsuccessful attempts to land Patterson in the 2021 summer transfer window, but Rangers’ insistence on a sell-on clause had apparently been a ‘stumbling block’ in negotiations.

However, according to a new claim from Heart & Hand, the Toffees have now agreed to that provision.

The Merseyside club will pay £12m for the Scotland international, most of it up front, and the fee could rise to £16m if add-ons are triggered.

Patterson has only made two starts in the Premiership this season, but his sale could become the most lucrative in Rangers’ history, surpassing the £12.15m they fetched from current Ibrox manager Giovanni van Bronckhorst’s move to Arsenal in 2001.

Here’s what these Rangers fans made of the information from Heart & Hand regarding the 20-year-old’s proposed exit.

These Rangers fans applaud Patterson business

“Will be sad to see Paterson go, but this is money that can kickstart Gio’s era and our player trading model without upset the first 11. Paterson will also be set for life, no brainer for all parties.”

Credit: @tagsbo

“good deal for both parties, would have liked to see him develop here but too much to knock back for a substitute”

Credit: @parkovanbasten

“As most are saying, great business for a player who has only started a handful of games. Perhaps he could have played a bigger part in years to come, but wasn’t fair on him being stuck on the bench. Hope some money gets put back into the team, right wing and centre half please.”

Credit: @Lawrence0Hunter

“Good move for everyone. Great money for us for a benchwarmer, and he’ll find it far easier to get a game at Everton instead of trying to dislodge Tav. The very best of luck to him. Once a Ranger etc”

Credit: @R1130_

“Some bit of business for us btw”

Credit: @RyanLawless93

“That’s unreal business for a guy who has barely played any first team football”

Credit: @Fahdy824

In other news, lots of Gers fans erupted over this transfer news

Flocking to Twitter, many West Ham United fans have been left delighted following an update on Adam Hlozek from reliable club insider ExWHUemployee.

The Czech Republic international has been on David Moyes’ radar since the summer transfer window and reports have suggested in recent weeks that they could make an offer to sign him in January (90min).

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Czech billionaire Daniel Kretinsky’s purchase of a 27% stake in the club has only heightened reports that West Ham could make a move, especially considering the magnate’s ties to Hlozek’s current club Sparta Prague.

The striker, who bagged 15 goals and 11 assists in just 19 Fortuna Liga appearances last term, has emerged as one of the most in-form young players in Europe as Ex drops an exciting transfer claim. According to his sources (via The West Ham Way), the Irons are set to make a ‘concrete offer’ for him in January, with interest ramping up significantly in recent weeks.

West Ham fans excited…

Taking into account the player’s prolific goalscoring record and young age, it’s little wonder so many Irons supporters are excited at the prospect of a concrete offer, with one fan calling this news ‘massive’.

Check out some of their best reactions below:

“YESSSSSS”

Credit: @morgzwhu

“Finally”

Credit: @adambrown93

“Massive”

Credit: @FPLFella

“Time for me to get excited at strikers we’re linked to again! Please let this one end up differently than all the disappointment my hopes have been met with in the past!”

Credit: @TheWestHamYank

“Definitely the one striker I want us to sign”

Credit: @robson261009

“Get him on board, coyi”

Credit: @Petercrowe12

“this bloke is elite”

Credit: @stephenlott

“Great news!”

Credit: @brdv2137

In other news: Newman also eyeing West Ham bid to sign 129-goal ‘big name’ striker in January, find out more here.

Aston Villa have been particularly busy when it comes to adding new players to their squad during the January transfer window, with Calum Chambers being the latest addition.

However, with the summer transfer window in mind, it seems as though the Midlands club could be in danger of losing one of their key players.

What’s the news?

According to a recent report from The Sun, Villa right-back Matty Cash is in talks with Atletico Madrid over a potential permanent move this summer, with the Spanish champions’ manager Diego Simeone keen on finding a replacement for Kieran Trippier, who joined Newcastle United earlier this month.

The report also claims that the 24-year-old is among Atletico’s top targets and that they are willing to splash out a fee in the region of £30m-£40m during the summer transfer window for the full-back, who is apparently keen on the move.

Villa signed Cash in the summer of 2020 from Championship club Nottingham Forest in a deal worth an initial fee of £14m.

The defender has since become a crucial figure for Villa by making 51 appearances across all competitions, chipping in with one goal and three assists along the way.

Fans would be furious

Having played more Premier League minutes than anyone else for Villa this season, as well as earning an overall performance rating of 6.88/10, making him the fifth-highest rated player at the club according to WhoScored, it’s safe to say that Cash is an important player for Steven Gerrard’s side. Therefore, it would surely leave a lot of fans raging if they were to offload him any time soon.

Also, with the Poland international being the only player in Villa’s senior squad at the moment who predominantly plays in the right-back position, it would be a real howler from Johan Lange to let the 24-year-old leave without finding a suitable replacement first.

While it should be a certainty that Villa would not let Cash leave during the current transfer window, it would also be in the club’s best interests to decline any offer which may come their way from Atletico or anyone interested in signing the right-back during the summer.

In other news: Gerrard could unearth the next Michael Carrick at Villa with move for 20 y/o “diamond”

Aston Villa are considering a cut-price move for Brentford midfielder Christian Eriksen, according to 90min.

The Lowdown: Eriksen’s record against Villa

The Danish playmaker made a return to English football in the New Year, signing for the Bees until the end of the season. He has helped Thomas Frank’s side to pull away from the relegation zone, with Brentford winning all four games in which Eriksen has played 90 minutes.

The 30-year-old is yet to face Steven Gerrard’s men since his return to the Premier League, with the attacking midfielder previously playing six games against Villa for Tottenham, resulting in five wins.

The Latest: Villa interest in Eriksen

According to 90min, Villa are among a number of clubs who are looking into offering Eriksen a contract.

Crystal Palace, Everton, Newcastle United and West Ham are also considering moves, while Spurs are another side credited with an interest.

Eriksen wants to remain in the Premier League and isn’t thought to be demanding a six-figure wage.

The Verdict: Shrewd move?

Gerrard doesn’t have an out-and-out attacking midfielder on the books at Villa Park at this moment in time, with both Philippe Coutinho and Emiliano Buendia labelled as wingers by Transfermarkt.

On that basis, bringing in Eriksen – who has been labelled a ‘superstar’ by Graeme Bailey – could be a shrewd move on a free transfer.

He has bundles of Premier League experience, contributing to 120 goals in 231 games, so that could be most useful as Gerrard looks to take Villa to the next level in his first full season in charge in the Midlands.

In other news: Sky Sports journalist reveals that Villa ‘officials’ have now moved for new target who ‘Gerrard wants’

Tottenham Hotspur have been handed a major boost in their bid to bring Stefan De Vrij to the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium in the summer transfer window.

What’s the talk?

That’s according to a report by Italian publication Gazzetta dello Sport (via Sport Witness), who claim that, after being left out of Inter Milan’s starting XI in the 1-0 victory over Juventus on Sunday evening, the 30-year-old no longer appears to be an essential part of Simone Inzaghi’s first-team squad.

The report goes on to state this is something that could lead to the Nerazzurri deciding to cash in on the Netherlands international this summer, with an asking price of €25m (£21m) expected to be placed on the centre-back.

This is sure to come as a huge boost to Antonio Conte, who is reported to have requested the signing of the defender from Fabio Paratici earlier this season, with Tottenham believed to be willing to offer De Vrij a salary of €6.5m-per-year (£5.5m-per-year) – around £106k-per-week.

Dream Conte signing

Considering just how impressive De Vrij was for Conte during their shared time at the San Siro, it is not difficult to understand why the 52-year-old would be interested in a move for the defender this summer.

Indeed, over his 32 Serie A appearances last season, the £31.5m-rated centre-back was an influential part of Inter’s Scudetto-winning side, helping the Nerazzurri keep 11 clean sheets and scoring one goal, as well as making an average of 1.3 interceptions, 0.9 tackles, 2.9 clearances, 57.4 passes and winning 3.3 duels – at a success rate of 60% – per game.

These returns saw the £116k-per-week player Mauricio dubbed a “monster” who “deserves to be at a big club” average an extremely impressive SofaScore match rating of 7.03, ranking him as Conte’s tenth-best performer in the top flight of Italian football.

As such, considering it has been reported that Paratici will be prioritising the signing of a left-sided centre-back in the summer transfer window – a position in which De Vrij has primarily featured for Inter for the past three and a half years – it is clear for all to see that the 30-year-old would be something of a dream signing for Paratici to get over the line ahead of the club’s 2022/23 campaign.

AND in other news: Huge blow: Alasdair Gold reveals fresh Spurs development, Antonio Conte will be fuming