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Wolves midfielder Joao Moutinho still faces an uncertain future with the 35-year-old’s contract set to expire next month with manager Bruno Lage keen to keep the Portuguese veteran on.

What’s the story?

That’s according to Portuguese newspaper Jornal de Noticias (via Sport Witness) who claim that Lage has asked the Wolves hierarchy to offer Moutinho a new contract whilst Europa Conference League winners AS Roma are reportedly keen.

Roma, managed by ex-Chelsea, Manchester United and Tottenham manager Jose Mourinho, have offered the 35-year-old the opportunity to take on a new challenge in Italy with his fellow countryman Mourinho reportedly appreciative of ‘the characteristics and personality of the player.’

Moreover, there is a suggestion that Moutinho could become the Portuguese manager’s assistant in the future with the midfielder turning 36 in September.

Lage will be furious

Although some supporters will accept the idea of Moutinho leaving as a free agent, Lage will be furious that his wishes to keep the experienced midfielder at Molineux have been ignored if a contract extension isn’t offered.

Despite not being a long-term option for Wolves, the £100k-per-week Moutinho has been excellent since arriving from Monaco in 2018, making 176 appearances for the Golden Boys in his four seasons in the Black Country.

Furthermore, Match of the Day commentator Gary Mowbray once referred to the midfielder as being a “Rolls-Royce.” 

With 144 caps for Portugal alongside a total of 774 club appearances, Moutinho’s experience is second-to-none and therefore his potential departure will certainly be a major blow.

Moreover, it appears likely that fellow midfielder Ruben Neves will be seeking a new challenge after five years at Wolves, with the likes of Barcelona, Manchester United and Arsenal keen on the 25-year-old.

Therefore, if both Moutinho and Neves are to depart, Wolves will need to put together a brand new midfield which will certainly be a risk.

However, it could also provide Lage with the opportunity to build a team of players he wants with the vast majority of the current squad players he inherited.

The 35-year-old’s Molineux farewell was always going to come within the next year or two but to have his request of offering the midfielder a contract extension ignored, Lage will be furious if his fellow countryman leaves as a free agent.

AND in other news: Negotiations underway: Lage handed big Wolves transfer boost that supporters will love

Bruno Lage has endured a decent first season as manager of Wolves, leading them to their third top-half finish in the Premier League since being promoted in 2018.

The next aim for the Portuguese manager is to lead his side into the European places next term and with a major rebuilding job potentially on the cards this summer, it might well turn into reality.

With Wolves playing the last game of their season away to title challengers Liverpool on Sunday, the supporters will want to end the campaign on a high, although Lage may have pleased the Molineux faithful already with one recent development.

Addressing the possibility of transfer activity in the summer, Lage explained: “Maybe we need two or three players to increase the quality and number of players in our squad.

“We cannot let what happened two years ago when it’s hard to replace a player like Raul (Jimenez).”

Wolves fans will love to hear it

These comments suggest that Lage is aiming to bring in a number of players first before there will be any outgoings at Wolves, something which will surely delight the Old Gold support.

With Ruben Neves’ future remaining uncertain following what looked like an emotional farewell at Molineux last week, and Joao Mourinho’s contract expiring at the end of the season, then it’s clear that Lage will need to act fast to bring in potential replacements.

The club have recently been linked with high-calibre players such as Joao Palhinha and Sebastian Rode, and these targets could enhance the Wolves squad ahead of what could be a massive 2022/23 campaign at Molineux.

Whatever happens, Lage has endeared himself to much of the Wolves support with his solid first season in charge, and if it weren’t for a late collapse due to some poor results, then he might even have a European campaign to anticipate later in the year.

For now, the Molineux faithful can content themselves with the manager’s burning desire not to be left short on quality or quantity within his squad once the 2022/23 season gets underway.

AND in other news, Wolves plotting bid for “special” £25m gem who “rules midfield”, Lage will love him

Manchester United have once again been name-checked with an interest in Feyenoord defender Tyrell Malacia.

The Lowdown: £20m deal?

The 22-year-old left-back appears to be on Erik ten Hag’s radar ahead of his first transfer window as United boss. Malacia, known as a ‘pitbull’ for his tackling technique, has made 134 appearances for the Dutch side – 48 of which have come during the 2021/22 season.

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Reports at the beginning of the month suggested that the Netherlands international was set to make the move to Old Trafford in a deal worth £20m, and his name and the Red Devils have again come up in conversation.

The Latest: Name-checked again

Sports Witness relayed an update from French outlet But! regarding Malacia on Friday.

They claimed that Lyon and United are both keen on the £20m man’s services, adding that he has drawn interest from ‘Ten Hag’s version’ at Old Trafford.

The Verdict: Who goes?

Should Malacia make the move to Manchester, Ten Hag would have three left-backs on the books ahead of his first season.

As we know, both Luke Shaw and Alex Telles are already on the books at Old Trafford. Shaw is out of contract in 2023 and Telles 2024, so you’d expect that one of the two could well depart if Malacia comes in.

The Englishman has had a number of injury issues this season, while Telles has been criticised for his displays in recent weeks, so it will be interesting to see what Ten Hag decides over the coming months.

In other news: Sky Sports: Ten Hag working on big free transfer after Man Utd meeting; agent now in England. 

Tottenham Hotspur could be looking to replace Lucas Moura with a big upgrade this summer, if recent reports are to be believed.

According to 90min, the north London outfit had scouts in attendance for Villarreal’s two-legged Champions League semi-final clash with Liverpool. It’s thought that they were taking a closer look at centre-back Pau Torres and winger Arnaut Danjuma.

The Yellow Submarines were defeated 5-2 on aggregate with the former featuring in both fixtures, and the latter only playing the first leg, missing the second through injury.

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After leaving Championship side AFC Bournemouth for Unai Emery’s side in a €25m (£21.4m) deal the summer, the six-time Netherlands international has enjoyed a standout campaign across both domestic and European competitions.

As per Transfermarkt, the 25-year-old has delivered a whopping 16 goals and four assists, which included goals as a centre-forward against Atletico Madrid, Valencia and Granada, where he bagged a hat-trick.

Danjuma has been one of Villarreal’s best-performing and most consistent stars, ranking fifth (LaLiga) and second (UCL) overall for average rating, whilst no player has found the net more times.

Currently valued at £45m, the enigmatic dynamo wouldn’t come cheap but he’d be a massive upgrade on the out-of-sorts Moura, that’s for sure.

The Brazilian winger has been usurped by Dejan Kulusevski in the pecking order under Antonio Conte, hardly a surprise given his poor returns of two goals and five assists in 31 league appearances.

Danjuma outranks the long-serving Spurs star in pretty much every attacking metric, as per FBRef.

In terms of shooting output, the Yellow Submarines sensation is managing 1.26 shots on target per 90, in comparison to Moura’s 0.83, whilst for expected goals and assists (excluding penalty kicks) sees the former Cherries man sit on 0.57 per 90, compared to the 0.35 put up by the Spurs ace.

Danjuma also manages 1.88 carries into the 18-yard box, way clear of Moura’s 0.84, on top of attempting more dribbles and receiving more progressive passes in the final third, also via FBRef.

Lauded as an “exceptional talent” by EFL pundit Clinton Morrison and “unbelievable” by former manager Jonathan Woodgate, it’s evident that Conte could secure a major upgrade on Moura with a swoop to bring Danjuma back to England.

Fabio Paratici and co must look to get this done during the off-season.

AND in other news, Paratici bargain: Spurs plot bid for “extraordinary” £45m titan, imagine him & Romero…

Donny van de Beek now ‘isn’t’ available for Everton when they play Leicester City away from home in the Premier League on Sunday afternoon.

The Lowdown: Team news

As shared by The Athletic journalist Patrick Boyland, Ben Godfrey has still not recovered from his injury, but will be back in training next week.

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However, Andre Gomes is back and available, and Richarlison should be fine after a sore ankle.

The Latest: No van de Beek

Unfortunately for the Goodison Park faithful, van de Beek ‘isn’t’ available for the game, as per Boyland.

The Manchester United loanee has not played since March, and continues to watch on from the sidelines.

The Verdict: Blow

It certainly is a blow for Frank Lampard and his team to be without van de Beek once more.

The Netherlands international ranks highly among his teammates in terms of average tackles and passes per game in the Premier League, while his 84.9% pass accuracy is the highest out of any Blues player to have played in five or more matches in the division (WhoScored).

The Toffees have had an absolutely abysmal record away from home this campaign, and they will certainly miss van de Beek’s calming influence on the ball when they travel down to the King Power Stadium, in the hope of getting another big result.

In other news, find out what ‘serious upgrade’ EFC are now eyeing here!

According to journalist Pete O’Rourke, West Ham’s existing relationship with Hull City could help them to win the race for the signing of Keane Lewis-Potter during the upcoming transfer window.

The Lowdown: Premier League interest in Lewis-Potter

The forward first made his breakthrough into the Tigers’ starting XI in League One last season, but following their promotion, he has made the step up to the Championship look incredibly easy, having scored 13 goals and provided four assists across all competitions this term, as per Transfermarkt.

Following some impressive performances of late, a move to the Premier League looks like it could be on the cards, with Tottenham, Brentford and the Irons all said to be interested in battling it out for the 21-year-old’s signature.

David Moyes signed Jarrod Bowen from the Yorkshire outfit two years ago, with the winger going on to become a fan favourite at the London Stadium, and that existing connection may just put the east Londoners in pole position this time around.

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The Latest: West Ham hold Lewis-Potter advantage

When asked if the Bowen deal from 2020 could potentially impact whether West Ham are successful in bagging Lewis-Potter this summer, O’Rourke told GiveMeSport:

“It will benefit West Ham if they do decide to pursue their interest in Keane Lewis-Potter. They considered a possible move in January, as did Brentford, so there’s quite a few clubs looking at the young winger, and he’s really impressed in the Championship.”

The Verdict: Another Bowen?

Bowen has been prolific since making the switch to the top flight, having already made a staggering 46 goal contributions in just 101 games for West Ham, which offers hope that Lewis-Potter has the potential to make a similar impact should he decide to replicate the 25-year-old’s move from Hull to east London.

Once described as a “special talent” by his former Tigers manager Grant McCann, the £900k-rated gem was the star of the show at Hull’s end-of-season awards earlier this week, where he took home a hat-trick of trophies after being voted the Supporters’ Player of the Year, Players’ Player of the Year and overall Player of the Year.

In addition, Lewis-Potter made his debut on the international stage for the England under-21s back in March, and he definitely has a bright future ahead of him, wherever that may be.

O’Rourke’s suggestion that the Irons could hold the upper hand due to their previous transfer dealings with Hull is very much an intriguing and promising one.

In other news… a new report has shared a huge transfer update on West Ham’s pursuit of one of their summer targets

Manchester City are back in Premier League action this evening after their exhilarating 4-3 victory over Real Madrid in the Champions League.

This time, Pep Guardiola’s side travel to Elland Road to take on Jesse Marsch’s Leeds United, with the visitors looking to add as many points as they can to their tally and potentially retain the league title.

The previous meeting between the two teams saw City put seven goals past the Yorkshire club back in December, when the Whites still had Marcelo Bielsa at the helm.

Heading into today’s clash, it seems as though the away side will have to take on Leeds without two of their key players.

What’s the news?

Speaking in his latest press conference, Guardiola revealed that Kyle Walker and John Stones will not be fit enough to play against the Yorkshire club.

Walker picked up an issue during the second leg of City’s Champions League clash against Atletico Madrid last month, whereas Stones was forced off in the first half against Carlo Ancelotti’s Real Madrid in midweek.

At such a crucial stage of the season where every point matters and the games are coming thick and fast, having two defensive options unavailable is undeniably a big blow for the team and terrible news for Guardiola.

Throughout the current league campaign, the duo have racked up a combined total of 38 interceptions, 20 tackles, 234 recoveries and 69 aerial duels won.

This highlights just how important the England pair are for City at the back and why they will be a big loss for today.

Leeds are currently unbeaten in their last five league games, scoring nine goals in the process, so it could be a tricky day for the visitors, especially given that they will be without Stones and Walker.

Moving forward, Guardiola and every City fan will be hoping that the other defensive options who will be fit enough to play this evening will do their bit in helping the Premier League champions to emerge victorious from Elland Road.

Looking beyond today’s showdown, the City manager will surely have his fingers crossed that the injured defensive pair will be able to feature at some point before the season ends and potentially secure the Premier League and/or Champions League titles.

In other news: In talks: Behind-scenes development emerges, it’s great news for Man City supporters

In an early blow for the next Rangers manager, one Ibrox star has been handed an exit route to a major European club as soon as the January transfer window opens.

Rangers take key step in manager hunt

It’s been a busy week for Rangers. The Gers brought an end to Russell Martin’s tenure after his side were held to a 1-1 draw by Falkirk in the Scottish Premiership and the full focus has been on their next manager ever since.

A number of names have been mentioned, including Hearts boss Derek McInnes, but Steven Gerrard has remained the favourite. Now, according to Fabrizio Romano, positive talks have been held with the Liverpool legend about a return to Ibrox for the first time since he left for Aston Villa in 2021.

If Rio Ferdinand’s verdict is anything to go by then Gerrard will be delighted to have received the call from the 49ers. The Manchester United legend, who recently interviewed his former rival, told talkSPORT: “I have to say when I interviewed him, he left me in no uncertain terms that he wants to be a manager and he’s got full confidence in doing that.

“He’s itching to get back in now. He never said this to me, but I personally think just the energy that I felt in that room, that if Rangers came calling he’d go or at least have that conversation.”

That said, as excited as he may be to potentially step back into the Ibrox technical area, there’s no doubt that Gerrard will have quite the task on his hands if he takes the job, especially if one player decides to leave.

Besiktas ready to offer Raskin Rangers exit route

As reported by Turkish outlet Aspor and relayed by Sport Witness, Besiktas are now ready to sign Nicolas Raskin as soon as Gerrard potentially arrives. The Belgian rarely saw eye-to-eye with Russell Martin and failed to get his move in the summer, but could now get his way when the winter window arrives.

Ryan Jack thrilled as Fabrizio Romano shares Rangers manager talks from Ibrox

The Gers are making moves at Ibrox.

ByTom Cunningham Oct 9, 2025

What sums up the relationship that Raskin had with Martin are the words of his father, who said that the former Rangers boss has an “oversized ego” in a scathing review earlier this season.

Those at Ibrox will hope that the start of a new era will change Raskin’s mind. There’s no doubt that the midfielder has the quality to play an important part in Scotland, having been dubbed “clever” by former Rangers manager Neil McCann last month.

Sunderland are yet to look fazed by the intense challenges of the Premier League.

Minus a disappointing loss away at Burnley on the second matchday of the season, Regis Le Bris’ Black Cats have collected two wins and two draws, with another encouraging display from the Wearside outfit against Aston Villa handing the hosts a 1-1 draw.

It wasn’t the prettiest overall display, as Sunderland had to dig deep after being reduced to ten men early on, but there was just enough in the Black Cats’ tank to steal a share of the points.

Again, Wilson Isidor would come to the rescue with a well-taken strike towards the dying stages of the tense contest, with both the Frenchman and his battling compatriot at the back in Nordi Mukiele key to the late draw being sealed.

Isidor & Mukiele's standout performances

Amazingly, Sunderland – at this point – boasts a sterner defensive record in the Premier League than that of Arne Slot’s table-topping Liverpool, and it’s clear to see why after Mukiele put in another combative display.

Leaking just four goals from six games, Mukiele has only given up two of those strikes since entering Le Bris’ first team plans after a summer move from Paris St. Germain.

The commanding 27-year-old would ensure the likes of Ollie Watkins and Morgan Rogers were kept quiet throughout, despite the Villans’ man advantage, as seen in him winning seven duels and registering 12 clearances to ensure the basics were done valiantly, as per Sofascore.

Picked up for just £12m, it really does feel as if Sunderland have hit gold on an unbelievable bargain already in tempting Mukiele to Wearside.

Isidor is also proving to be a shrewd buy at the moment for just £5m, considering the ex-Zenit St. Petersburg striker is now in the Stadium of Light record books for his three strikes this season on home soil.

But, despite both the defender and the attacker sticking out once more, there is a different star buried in the senior ranks that is worth even more than both Isidor and Mukiele, who represents an even better bargain.

How Isidor & Mukiele's market values compare

Various Sunderland stars who were purchased just this summer have instantly settled into their new environment, away from just focusing on Mukiele, with Noah Sadiki running himself into the ground for the cause on Sunday, as seen in him winning three ground duels.

But, there is also the old guard that has been there since the beginning of Sunderland’s ascent, all the way from the lower reaches of the EFL to the promised land of the Premier League, that deserve equal praise, with Trai Hume being one figure still beloved by the Stadium of Light masses, despite all these flashy new buys taking over.

Le Bris’ past comments about Hume being a “warrior” were spot on when assessing his gritty performance against Villa, with three tackles amassed – which included this mistimed lunge on the aforementioned Rogers – on top of eight duels being won, generating lots of cheers from the home faithful.

Yet, it’s also his attacking flair that has turned him into a major fan favourite since he sealed a switch from his native Northern Ireland to England back in 2022, with nine goal contributions last campaign very much helping Sunderland steer themselves to promotion glory.

Minutes played

137

Goals scored

6

Assists

9

Promotions

1x

Value when joining

£200k

Value now

£15.5m

He is yet to get up and running with any goals or assists in the top-flight, but that will hopefully come with time, with Hume once making the jump from Linfield to the bruising nature of the EFL look straightforward.

Subsequently, the “outstanding” full-back – as he has been glowingly labelled by journalist Josh Bunting – is now worth way more than his original measly £200k price tag, with Football Transfers now estimating that the tough Northern Irishman has a bumped up value of £15.5m.

That’s even more than both Mukiele and Isidor’s valuations on the site, with the determined centre-back worth a lesser £10.6m, while the lofty attacker comes in at £13.6m, which is a huge increase from his modest £5m price tag in January.

Still, he pales somewhat in comparison to Hume, with Le Bris hopeful he can continue to get a tune out of his full camp to keep up their fantastic early return to the top-flight.

70% duels won: 9/10 Sunderland star is now as undroppable as Isidor

Sunderland battled to a well-earned 1-1 draw against Aston Villa as this brave star shone throughout.

ByKelan Sarson Sep 21, 2025

Leeds United have now made an approach to sign a defender who’s “pure class”, and he could be available for a fee of just £5m, according to reporter Ben Jacobs.

Leeds eyeing new defender amid Firpo uncertainty

Junior Firpo played a key role in the Whites’ promotion, collecting four goals and ten assists in 32 Championship games, but the left-back could now be heading for the exit door, amid widespread links with La Liga side Real Betis.

While Firpo is capable of making a real impact from an attacking point of view, former Leeds man Paul Robinson believes it may be the right decision to let the defender leave this summer, given his previous struggles in the top flight.

Robinson said: “Firpo, I’ve got my concerns about. I think he’s been excellent in the Championship. But some players, the Championship is their level, and in the Premiership, before he was exposed defensively, he was well out of position many times, susceptible to goals, and teams targeted him, and I think the step-up was maybe too much for him.”

In the Premier League, Daniel Farke’s side may have to be a bit more pragmatic than they were last season, which means the manager is looking to bring in a new left-back, who is defensively solid, rather than a threat going forward.

According to Jacobs, in an update on X, Leeds have now made an approach to sign Aston Villa’s Alex Moreno, submitting an enquiry about a deal for the left-back, who is also attracting interest from Burnley and a number of unnamed La Liga clubs.

With Moreno’s Villa contract set to expire in 2026, he is set to be available for around £5m this summer, making him an affordable option for the Championship title-winners.

Leeds United in talks over personal terms to sign £17m "absolute hero"

The Whites have stepped up their pursuit of a midfielder, with discussions ongoing.

2 ByDominic Lund Jun 11, 2025 "Pure class" Moreno impressed during Nottingham Forest loan

Having been deemed surplus to requirements by Unai Emery, the defender was shipped out on loan to Nottingham Forest last season, and the Spaniard managed to impress at times, with writer Lee Clarke describing his performances as “pure class”.

Clarke also added: “I confess I was uncertain about his hamstring history when he signed but there have been no ill effects in that sense so far. Moreno is established on the left in the team now and he’s a 7/10 at the very least in every single game.”

That said, the 32-year-old, who has the same agent as Illan Meslier, went on to play less of a prominent role as the season went on, often being left on the bench by Nuno, which suggests he was unable to maintain his initial levels of performance.

As such, there are doubts over whether Moreno would be a worthwhile signing for Leeds, but he could be an upgrade on Firpo from a defensive standpoint, having outperformed the left-back across some key metrics over the past year.

Average per 90

Alex Moreno

Junior Firpo

Tackles

2.36

2.27

Interceptions

1.41

1.27

Blocks

1.04

0.86

Clearances

4.05

3.51