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West Bromwich Albion have confirmed that Conor Townsend has signed a new deal at The Hawthorns.

What’s the latest?

In a statement posted on the West Brom website, the club announced that the left-back has put pen to paper on a contract extension which will keep him in West Bromwich until at least the summer of 2025.

Speaking about the defender’s new deal, head coach Valerien Ismael said: “It’s great news for the club. Since I have been here Conor has played at a high level with consistency. He is a flexible player with the skill and profile we need.

“So far, he has improved in every game for us, especially in different positions such [as at] centre-back, where he has got even better. He has adapted to our philosophy and hits the numbers we need.

“It is a good commitment from him to the club, the team and the staff, to extend his contract. I’m delighted we can continue to work with Conor over the next few years.”

Fans will be buzzing

Considering just how important a part of the West Brom side Townsend has become since his move to the club back in 2018, the news that the 28-year-old has committed his long term future to the Baggies is sure to have left fans buzzing.

Indeed, the left-back has proven to be one of the club’s most influential players for Ismael, as, over his 17 Championship appearances, the £1.8m-rated man has helped his side keep six clean sheets, registered two assists and created six big chances for his teammates, as well as making an average of 1.5 key passes per game – the second-most in the Albion squad.

The defender has also impressed in metrics more typical of his position, making an average of 1.4 interceptions, 1.8 tackles, 1.5 clearances and winning a whopping 6.2 duels per fixture.

These returns have seen the £14k-per-week man average a SofaScore match rating of 7.04, ranking him as the Baggies’ fifth-best performer in the second tier of English football.

As such, it would very much appear as if Townsend will play a highly important role in whatever success West Brom go on to achieve under the leadership of Ismael, meaning his commitment to the club is fantastic news for all involved at The Hawthorns.

In other news: Fresh development emerges on “quality” £34k-p/w beast, West Brom fans will be fuming

Rumoured Leeds United transfer target Nahitan Nandez could be allowed to leave Cagliari for a cut-price fee, according to a fresh report.

The Lowdown: Leeds continually linked with Nandez

The Whites were tipped to sign a host of players during the summer, but one individual whose name cropped up more than most was Nandez.

The 49-cap Uruguay international was endlessly tipped to seal a move to Elland Road but ended up staying put at Serie A side Cagliari.

However, it now appears as though Leeds could potentially reignite their interest in Nandez following a key update on his future.

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The Latest: Whites given fresh boost

According to Calciomercato, the 25-year-old could now be sold for less than the €36m (£30.4m) that Cagliari want for his services, with a January exit mooted.

Nandez’s current deal expires in the summer of 2024, and despite being a key player and starting 11 league matches this season, it appears as though his club are open to the idea of him moving on.

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The Verdict: Ideal January signing

Nandez’s pedigree speaks for itself, considering that he has almost won 50 caps for a Uruguay side featuring the likes of Luis Suarez and Edinson Cavani, not to mention being hailed as a ‘great player’ by his agent Pablo Bentancur.

He could bring undoubted quality to Leeds’ midfield, not only dovetailing with Kalvin Phillips but also possibly acting as a long-term replacement for the in-demand England international.

Nandez has won 2.6 aerial duels per game in Serie A this season, compared to Phillips’ 0.7 in the Premier League, as well as outperforming him on assists (two compared to one) and key passes (1.1 compared to 0.7).

Considering how big a fan favourite the England ace is at Elland Road, that Nandez outranks him for several metrics hints at just how good a player Leeds could be getting if they can bring the Uruguayan to Yorkshire.

In other news, Leeds are reportedly eyeing up a move for an in-form attacking player. Find out who it is here.

In their latest attempt at escaping League One and making a return to the Championship, Sunderland probably haven’t had the start to their campaign that most at the club would have hoped for.

With the January transfer window on the horizon, it seems as though Sunderland could make an addition to their squad during the next window with someone that will be pretty familiar to a lot of fans at the Stadium of Light.

What’s the news?

It has recently been reported by Chronicle Live that Sunderland will review Jack Diamond’s loan spell at Harrogate Town in January and the possibility of recalling him back to the Wearside club.

Since joining Harrogate back in August in what is his second loan spell with the club, Diamond has started all of the 12 League Two games he’s appeared in prior to their midweek match against Carlisle United, scoring three goals and providing two assists in the process.

With this in mind, it’s easy to see why the possibility of Sunderland recalling him from his latest loan early has been raised recently.

As a product of Sunderland’s youth academy, the 21-year-old winger has a total of 78 appearances under his belt for the U18 and U23 sides combined with ten goals and ten assists to his name.

For the senior side, Diamond has made 40 appearances across all competitions where he has managed to score two goals and provide six assists, showing that he can be a fairly useful attacking option.

With this in mind and the fact that Diamond, who has been described as a “dynamic” by Johnson in the past, could offer the Black Cats boss an extra attacking option to his side for the second half of the season, one that could sway Kyril Louis-Dreyfus and co from spending money on new players in the winter.

His return could end up being crucial for Sunderland should they lose any of their current attacking options to injury, that could well help push the side to a promotion place and revive their campaign having lost a fair amount of games already this season.

However, given how many minutes Diamond has got under his belt so far this season at Harrogate, it seems like his potential playing time back at Sunderland would be a big factor in whether he will return to his boyhood club in January or not.

In other news: Johnson must ruthlessly axe “unique” lightweight tonight, he could cost SAFC dearly – opinion

Following on from their impressive 4-1 win over Merseyside rivals Everton in midweek, Liverpool are back in Premier League action once again this afternoon with a clash against Wolves at Molineux.

With the Reds still having Harvey Elliott, Roberto Firmino and Curtis Jones out injured, and Naby Keita and Joe Gomez only just returning to first-team training after recovering from injuries, here’s how we feel Jurgen Klopp could line up his side to take on Wolves. We anticipate that there will be two changes to the starting XI from Wednesday night’s derby triumph.

Unsurprisingly, we think Klopp will stick with Alisson Becker in goals considering that he has played in the majority of Liverpool’s league games so far this season. 

Similarly, given how he’s played in all but two of the Reds’ league games this season, scoring one goal and providing seven assists in the process, it seems a near-certainty that Trent Alexander-Arnold will take the right-back spot. 

For the left-back position, even though Andy Robertson – who has been described as a “complete player” in the past by Fabio Aurelio – impressed in the match at Goodison Park, we can see Klopp giving the Scotland international a rest today to see if Kostas Tsimikas has what it takes to prove himself against Wolves’ attacking players. 

At centre-backs, we can see Ibrahima Konate – who is currently earning a weekly wage of £71k-p/w according to Salary Sport – coming back in for Joel Matip alongside Virgil van Dijk as Klopp looks to make the most out of his entire squad to rest some players at the start of their busy winter schedule. 

In the midfield, with the injuries and midweek performances in mind, we think Klopp will stick with the same trio of Fabinho, Jordan Henderson and Thiago Alcantara. 

For the front three, with 28 league goals between them this season, it wouldn’t be surprising to see Klopp go with Sadio Mane and Mohamed Salah on the wings with Diogo Jota through the middle to see if the Portuguese star can haunt his former side and secure another win for the travelling Reds on his 25th birthday. 

Whatever starting XI Klopp picks today, this will be a great opportunity for Liverpool to pick up another win and keep their streak going, with Wolves winning just two of their six previous league games, as the Reds seek to keep pace in the title race alongside Chelsea and Manchester City. 

In other news: Klopp given major LFC boost as transfer claim emerges, fans surely buzzing

As per Calciomercato.it, a West Ham United transfer update has come to light involving Torino powerhouse Gleison Bremer.

The Lowdown: West Ham injuries mount…

Over the last few weeks, manager David Moyes has had to cope with mounting injury problems at the back for West Ham as his side keep fighting on all fronts.

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Angelo Ogbonna ruptured his ACL in the 3-2 victory over Liverpool last month, requiring surgery, and Kurt Zouma has become the latest centre-back sidelined after a hamstring injury (Daily Mail).

This has prompted Moyes to turn his attention to the January market as he confirms the search for a centre-half may well be on, with Calciomercato.it now providing news on a fresh face they could turn to.

The Latest: West Ham could turn to Bremer…

Naming the Serie A defenders West Ham could now turn to in January, one of them is Torino powerhouse Bremer.

The Brazilian, lauded as one of the highest performers in Italy’s top flight this season, is valued at around €18 million (£15.4m) by club president Urbano Cairo.

Sharing the Irons’ interest in their centre-half, Calciomercato.it also name drop the likes of Daniele Rugani and Nikola Milenkovic.

The Verdict: Exciting option…

For just £15.4m, West Ham could be signing a real gem, especially considering his age, form and the fact he has even outshined Zouma in many aspects.

According to WhoScored, the 24-year-old has eclipsed Zouma’s rate of tackles, interceptions and aerial duels won per 90 domestically this year with Serie A experts branding Bremer as ‘strong’ and ‘powerful’ (Conor Clancy).

The aggressive ace, still a fairly young age, could also leave Turin at a reasonable price considering all of these factors and he has emerged as a really exciting option for West Ham.

In other news: Moyes dealt worrying news as ‘another big injury blow’ comes out of West Ham, find out more here.

As per Eurosport, an update has come to light on the future of Tottenham Hotspur outcast Dele Alli as reporter Dean Jones makes a behind-the-scenes claim.

The Lowdown: Alli decision made…

Reliable reports indicate that manager Antonio Conte has already made his decision on the once Tottenham mega star with the club’s January exit stance crystal clear.

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According to David Ornstein of The Athletic, Spurs and chairman Daniel Levy are now open to entertaining offers for the midfielder as he fails to establish himself under their new manager.

It is believed that a loan move appears the most likely as things stand with Eursport’s Jones now sharing an update.

The Latest: Jones make behind-scenes claim…

According to the reporter’s information, agents have already begun working on Alli’s exit behind the scenes and have been informed that Tottenham will not stand in the way.

It is also backed that the club, and by extension Conte, are ready to cut the 25-year-old loose, as explained in their headline.

The Verdict: Right move…

A temporary stint away from Tottenham could be just what’s needed to reignite Alli’s career and increase his market value ahead of a potential permanent sale.

Paris Saint-Germain were interested in taking the £100,000-per-week man from Spurs last January with ex-boss Mauricio Pochettino previously chasing a loan move.

It remains to be seen whether Tottenham’s former favourite coach could reignite that interest again in 2022 for a player he once called ‘one of the best in Europe’, with suitors such as Newcastle arguably proving more likely avenues.

In other news: Levy now open to another big name exit as Conte tells Spurs to sell ‘magnificent’ player, find out more here.

Rangers manager Gio van Bronckhorst is a matter of days away from entering his first transfer window in charge of the Ibrox giants.

One player the club are reportedly looking at signing is Racing Santander attacking Pablo Torre. The Daily Record recently claimed that they are scouting the teenager, alongside Real Madrid, and could swoop for him in 2022.

He is said to have a £4m release clause in his contract with the Spanish club, although it remains to be seen whether or not Rangers could negotiate a lower price.

Finally axe

By signing Torre in January, or next summer, Rangers could allow Scott Arfield to leave the club upon the expiry of his current deal. He is out of contract at the end of the season and signing a player who plays in his position could allow him to finally be axed from the squad.

Torre, who has been dubbed Racing’s “conductor”, has already played 47 times at senior level at the age of 18. He turns 19 in April 2022 and he has racked up seven goals and 11 assists to date from attacking midfield, showing that he can make a difference in the final third.

Arfield, who was compared to “Alex Rae” by ex-Ibrox boss Alex McLeish, has been deployed as an attacking midfielder under van Bronckhorst and he has scored twice in 13 Premiership outings this term, with zero assists to his name.

He has averaged 0.6 key passes per game and lost a whopping 65% of his duels on the pitch. This suggests that he is not offering a great deal of quality when it comes to the attacking or defensive side of the game. Although, his movement off the ball is impressive and his ability to make runs from deep can cause issues for the opposition, but his lack of end product is a cause for concern.

This is why signing Torre could lead to the Canadian being axed from the squad upon the expiry of his contract, or even being kicked to the bench or reserves for a season if he is handed an extension.

The young Spaniard could take up his spot in the side and look to have more of a tangible impact in terms of goals and assists, as he has done in Spain for Racing, whilst holding the potential to improve further at the age of 19.

He could be a signing for now and the future and that is why van Bronckhorst must sanction a £4m swoop for his services.

AND in other news, “I’m sure”: Reporter drops exciting Rangers transfer claim that’ll leave fans buzzing…

Celtic manager Ange Postecoglou has dropped a promising injury update concerning Kyogo Furuhashi.

What’s the latest?

In recent comments cited by The Scottish Sun, the Bhoys boss revealed that, despite being brought off due to a knock after just 15 minutes of Sunday’s fixture against St. Johnstone, the 26-year-old centre-forward’s injury does not look to be anything serious.

Speaking about the hamstring strain suffered by the Japan international, Postecoglou briefly said: “He will be fine.”

Celtic fans will be buzzing

Considering just how important a part of the Celtic side Kyogo has become since his £4.6m move to Glasgow earlier this year, the news that the centre-forward does not look as if he will be ruled out for any real length of time is sure to have left the Parkhead faithful buzzing.

Indeed, over his 14 Premiership appearances this term, the £1.8m-rated forward has already bagged eight goals, registered two assists and created four big chances for his teammates, as well as making an average of 1.1 key passes and taking 2.1 shots per game.

These returns have seen the £18k-per-week man average a SofaScore match rating of 7.07, ranking him as Postecoglou’s 11th-best player in the top flight of Scottish football – of those who remain in the 56-year-old’s first-team squad.

The 26-year-old hitman has also scored a further eight goals and provided three assists over 12 fixtures in the Europa League, Europa League qualifying and the League Cup, taking his total to 16 goals and five assists in 26 appearances for the club.

As such, it is clear for all to see that it is undoubtedly a case of the sooner Kyogo recovers the better for Celtic, meaning Postecoglou’s latest update regarding the striker’s injury is certainly fantastic news for everyone involved with the Hoops.

In other news: Game-changer: Huge Celtic injury update emerges that will leave Postecoglou buzzing

Leeds United could finally get rid of Tyler Roberts by signing Blackburn Rovers star Ben Brereton Diaz.

What’s the story?

According to Chilean publication Red Gol, Marcelo Bielsa was interested in signing the 22-year-old this summer, and reports in recent days and weeks have suggested that is still the case now ahead of the January transfer window.

Speaking to GIVEMESPORT in recent days about the rumours surrounding the Chile international, journalist Pete O’Rourke has said: “The thing for Blackburn fans is, although he is out of contract at the end of the season, they do have an option on his contract. I’m sure they will take that up.

“So no need to panic for Blackburn Rovers. But you look at Blackburn, third in the Championship table and with Brereton Diaz scoring the goals, they could be going for promotion right now.

“So if they were to win promotion, it would only enhance their chances of keeping Brereton Diaz.”

The end for Roberts

Wales international Roberts has endured a nightmare start to the top-flight campaign thus far, scoring just once and providing only one assist for Leeds, and he has quite a dismal record of just nine goals in 103 games for the club.

Former Aston Villa striker Gabby Agbonlahor has previously insisted that the Welshman hasn’t shown enough in the Premier League to convince Bielsa that he’s cut out for this level – he managed just one goal in 27 top-flight appearances last season, and even that came in the penultimate game against Southampton.

Abgonlahor said: “For me, he is not good enough for Leeds or Premier League level. He has some decent touches and gets in good positions, but his passing and decision-making keeps letting him down.

“It must be frustrating to watch for Leeds fans as moves keep breaking down when Roberts is on the ball. It’s shocking how often that happens. I don’t see him as the answer for Leeds, even though Marcelo Bielsa has a lot of faith in him.”

In Brereton Diaz, Leeds could sign someone who is similarly versatile to Roberts in that he can play through the middle on his own, out wide or just behind a central striker.

Dubbed a “wonderful talent” by his manager Tony Mowbray, the 22-year-old enjoyed his most prolific campaign to date in the Championship with Blackburn last term, bagging seven goals and providing five assists in 40 league games.

This season has seen him net a whopping 19 goals in just 23 league games, firing Rovers well into the hunt for an automatic promotion spot in the Championship.

While the Chile international seems to be on the up in terms of his career, Roberts appears to be on the decline, and it seems like the perfect time for the Whites to finally axe the Welshman.

The forward signed by Thomas Christiansen could finally be offloaded with the prospective signing of the £9m-rated Brereton Diaz.

Meanwhile, Victor Orta could solve a big issue at Leeds by signing this colossus…

Crystal Palace have moved on with Patrick Vieira steering the side into a much more comfortable position of 11th in the Premier League since he joined the club in the summer and made signings of a number of young players in the side, but could now be heading for his first mistake of his career with the Eagles.

What’s the word?

According to talkSPORT, Palace are front runners to sign Juventus outcast, Aaron Ramsey, after the Serie A giant’s manager, Massimiliano Allegri, confirmed that the 31-year-old will leave the club in January.

Juventus’ official club Twitter account tweeted a quote from the manager;

“@aaronramsey is an outgoing player. Instead @AlvaroMorata will not leave, he is a performance footballer. The problem with him is that he is given a wrong label. He is very important: I talked to him and I told him not to move from here. Case closed.”

Sky Sports have added that Allegri also said:

“Ramsey, he returned today after we had given him a few days off to work, to train separately, in England. In any case, he’s an outgoing player. “

The Eagles are not the only club rumoured to be interested in the midfielder, with Sport MediaSet reporting that both Newcastle United and Aston Villa are interested in securing his signature this January, following the comments from Allegri.

Fans will be fuming

Palace fans have welcomed the new era of Vieira, who has brought in a number of young players to the club that have made a great impact on the side this season so far, with loan player Conor Gallagher stealing the headlines on a number of occasions for his performances at the club.

However, adding a player like Ramsey to the team doesn’t make much sense in Vieira’s path to produce and nurture young talent at Selhurst Park, with the £175k-per-week star turning 31 years old last month, it would seem that he wouldn’t be part of a future project at the club but more of an impact signing that could hinder the development of other players.

One CPFC fan tweeted about the speculation of signing the player;

“I cannot understand why we are/were favourites to sign Aaron Ramsey. If it was as simple as ‘would you like Aaron Ramsey in the Palace team?’ then obvs it would be a yes but basically every single caveat of the deal makes no sense for us.”

Crystal Palace’s squad was the oldest in the Premier League upon Roy Hodgson’s departure, but Vieira’s appointment has seen him sign Gallagher, Odsonne Edouard, Will Hughes, Michael Olise and Marc Guehi, which has brought the average age down from 29.8 to 28.

Adding Ramsey, therefore, would only repeat Hodgson’s mistakes. Vieira must forget about the Welshman, even if his Arsenal association is tempting.

In other news: Journo reveals blow to Palace transfer target