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Express & Star reporter Liam Keen has shared the news that Jonny is ‘a doubt’ for Wolverhampton Wanderers’ game against Arsenal tonight with a ‘hamstring strain’.

The Lowdown: Substituted against Leeds

The 28-year-old came off in the 1-0 win at home to Leeds United in the Carabao Cup in midweek after picking up an injury, casting doubt over his availability for tonight.

However, at least Nelson Semedo will be available, having served his suspension on Wednesday night after picking up a red card in the 3-2 defeat at home to Brighton and Hove Albion in the Premier League last weekend, so Steve Davis has one returning option who can play in the full-back positions.

The Latest: Jonny ‘a doubt’ to face Arsenal

Taking to Twitter, Keen has shared an injury update from Davis on Jonny from Wolves’ pre-match press conference, stating that the Spaniard is ‘a doubt’ with a ‘hamstring strain’.

The journalist tweeted this line from the Old Gold’s interim boss: “Everyone is OK. Jonny is a doubt with a hamstring strain.”

The Verdict: Not ideal

If Jonny is out, it looks like Semedo is going to play at right-back against the Gunners tonight.

That is certainly not ideal as they are likely to come up against left-winger Gabriel Martinelli, who, like the rest of Mikel Arteta’s team, has made a great start to the season with five goals and two assists in the top flight so far (Transfermarkt).

Nor does it help that, aside from his red card against Brighton, Semedo has had his form questioned at Molineux this season, having also been branded a defensive “liability” in the past by Tim Spiers.

Nonetheless, it will be a tough ask to get anything against high-flying Arsenal, a task which will likely be made even harder if Jonny is unavailable.

Scottish champions Celtic are currently flying high domestically having surged to nine points clear at the top of the Scottish Premiership table, although there is still seemingly room for improvement at Parkhead, particularly following the club’s Champions League disappointment.

The Old Firm outfit failed to record a single win in their six group stage games, with a plethora of “missed chances” – as described by manager Ange Postecoglou – having ultimately proved the Hoops’ downfall on the continent.

While the Glasgow side have netted 50 goals in just 15 games in the league this season, those woes on the European stage have laid bare a potential problem at the club at present, with the forward line’s profligacy having held them back at times.

That wasteful nature was again evident during the Sydney Super Cup showdown with Everton, with that friendly clash having seen the Toffees run out winners on penalties following a goalless draw, with Postecoglou admitting that his side had squandered “great chances” to go ahead in the game.

That comes amid reports that the 57-year-old is a eyeing a new centre-forward recruit in the January window in order to bolster the forward line, with the former Yokohama boss seemingly not quite satisfied with his current attacking options.

A possible solution could well lie in the form of Arminia Biefeld winger, Robin Hack, with the German sensation only recently hinting that he would be open to a move away from his current home, having previously been linked with a switch to Paradise over the summer.

While not a striking option for Postecoglou, the 24-year-old would no doubt help to ease Celtic’s shortcomings in front of goal, having proven himself a truly clinical and creative gem from his wide berth so far this term with nine goals and six assists in just 19 games in Bundesliga 2.

That haul of 15 contributions – which has seen him climb to 24 senior goals – has highlighted just what an impressive figure the wide man is, with that record better than any player in the current Hoops squad so far this term, with Jota currently leading the way with 13 goals and assists.

The Scottish giants would not seemingly have to break the bank to get the former Nuremberg man through the door, with reports in the summer suggesting that he was close to joining Swiss side Basel for just £1.2m, only for that deal to ultimately fall through.

A player who can quite clearly create goals and score them himself, the former Germany U21 international could prove yet another bargain addition were the Hoops to revive their interest in the New Year, with having such a lethal presence likely to help ease the current attacking concerns at Celtic Park.

Aston Villa are reportedly considering making an offer for KRC Genk forward Paul Onuachu.

The Lowdown: Onuachu profiled

Onuachu is 28 years of age and is an out-and-out centre-forward who has been with Genk since 2019.

The Nigeria international has scored 164 senior goals for club and country and has been hailed as a “phenomenon” by Genk official Erik Gerits.

Onuachu is valued at €15m by Transfermarkt and is under contract until 2024, but it looks as if a move to the Midlands could be a possibility in the New Year.

The Latest: Villa links

Jeunes Footeux shared a story on Wednesday afternoon regarding Villa and Onuachu.

They claimed that Villa, and by extension both manager Unai Emery and owners NSWE, have been following the forward for almost 12 months.

What’s more, they are now considering an offer in January, with Genk wanting at least €25m.

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The Verdict: One to watch

Onuachu has been in fine goalscoring form since the beginning of the 2020/21 season, netting 72 times in all competitions.

He appears to be ready to take the next step in his career at the age of 28, and with Unai Emery after a new A-list forward at Villa Park, a transfer could make sense.

Therefore, this could be one to watch as we enter 2023, and who knows, we may see Onuachu rivalling Ollie Watkins and Danny Ings for a place in Emery’s side.

Journalist Simon Phillips says that Frank Lampard is eyeing ‘major improvements’ in midfield for Everton in the January transfer window.

The Lowdown: Relegation-threatened again

After narrowly avoiding relegation last season, the Goodison Park club are again under real threat of the drop, as they sit just one point and one place above the bottom three in the Premier League.

They have won just one of their last seven games in the top flight, and reinforcements will likely be needed in January in order to try and drag them up the table.

The Latest: Midfielders wanted by Lampard

Speaking to GiveMeSport, Phillips has shared that Lampard wants ‘major improvements’ in Everton midfield ahead of January, and the club are ‘sensing opportunities’ to sign players for cut-price deals.

The journalist said: “They’re sensing opportunities to pick players up on cut-price deals, and the midfield is the main area still where Lampard feels they need major improvements.

“They have signed there in the summer but it’s not really working out with some of the signings.“

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The Verdict: Expensive mistakes…

The Merseyside club spent a total of £50m bringing in Amadou Onana, Idrissa Gueye and James Garner in the summer, but the fact that Lampard feels he needs ‘major improvements’ in the middle of the park suggests that he is still not happy with his current options.

Given that Everton have flirted with exceeding Financial Fair Play (FFP) regulations this year, that business could prove to be another costly mistake in the long-term, should they find themselves relegated at the end of the season.

Instead of putting all of their efforts into bringing in new players, the Toffees need to put more focus on their recruitment team, and ensure that if a signing is eating into their budget, they must be fully confident that the player will work out.

Everton are in danger of going through a vicious spiral where the more money that is spent on failed signings, the more likely that they will prove detrimental, as these problems are not easy to fix financially.

Tottenham Hotspur are ramping up their interest in a deal to bring Denzel Dumfries to north London in January.

What’s the talk?

That’s according to a report by Italian publication Tuttosport, who claim that both Spurs and Chelsea are now pushing to sign the Inter Milan left-back this winter, with the Serie A side believed to consider the 26-year-old as one of their ‘most transferable’ assets in the January transfer window.

A further report by fellow Italian media outlet Calciomercato also claims that both Tottenham and the Blues are fighting for the Netherlands international’s signature this winter, with the Nerazzurri believed to be commanding a figure in the region of €40m (£34m) to part with the defender at the turn of the year.

Amend Kostic error

With Fabio Paratici missing out on the signing of his and Antonio Conte’s long-term wing-back target Filip Kostic this summer, the Italian sporting director could go some way to amending this mistake by beating Chelsea to Dumfries’ signature in January.

Indeed, despite the Dutchman playing on the opposite flank to the Serbian, the two players both possess an extremely forward-thinking mindset from full-back – something Dumfries has more than proven during his time at the San Siro thus far.

Over his 33 Serie A appearances in his debut campaign with the club last time out, the £43m-rated flanker scored five goals, registered four assists and created six big chances for his teammates, in addition to taking an average of 1.2 shots, making 0.8 key passes and completing 0.5 dribbles per game.

It has been a similar story over his 15 fixtures so far this season, with the £53k-per-week wing-back having already bagged one goal, provided two assists and created a whopping eight big chances for his side, as well as taking an average of 1.3 shots, making 1.1 key passes and completing 0.3 dribbles per match.

Putting these returns into context, FBref currently rank the 26-year-old in the top 2% of full-backs in Europe’s big five leagues for non-penalty goals per 90, in addition to the top 1% for non-penalty xG, the top 2% for shots, the top 15% for xAG, the top 19% for shot-creating actions and the top 1% for touches in the opposition penalty area over the last 365 days.

Not only are these metrics extremely impressive, but they also see FBref list Kostic as Dumfries’ most comparable player, proving that the Dutchman’s signing would indeed help to mitigate the creativity and attacking prowess Tottenham missed out on when Juventus signed the Serbian – who has scored 76 goals and registered 108 assists over 452 career appearances – this summer.

As such, it would indeed appear highly advisable for Paratici to do all he can to beat Chelsea to the signing of the “deadly” – in the words of Marco Messina – Dumfries this winter, as the Inter full-back would undoubtedly make an exceptional addition to Conte’s current options at right wing-back ahead of the second half of the 2022/23 campaign.

Manchester United could still be in the race to sign Borussia Dortmund and England star Jude Bellingham, according to journalist Fabrizio Romano.

The Lowdown: Bellingham a special talent

The midfielder is one of the most talked-about young players in world football currently, producing some superb performances for England at the World Cup.

Bellingham has not only shone in Qatar, however, already captaining Dortmund at just 19 and scoring four goals in five Champions League appearances this season.

A host of Europe’s top clubs will be chasing the teenager if he leaves at the end of the season, and Sky Sports have claimed United are going to miss out, that may not be the case.

The Latest: United still in the race

Writing for Caught Offside, Romano goes against previous reports and insists that the Red Devils are still in the race to acquire Bellingham’s signature:

“As far as I understand, it’s not that Manchester United are out of the race. They want Bellingham but they know Liverpool, Manchester City and Real Madrid have different power on the market at this stage of their project.

“So Man United will try but they know it’s more than difficult. Focus now is on January, not on June yet.”

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The Verdict: The perfect summer signing?

Bellingham could be the No.1 target for many clubs next summer and whoever gets him will end up potentially signings one of the world’s greatest players over the next decade or so.

He is already such a formidable player in all facets of his game – he has a 93% pass completion rate at the World Cup – and he could be an unbelievable signing by United, transforming their midfield almost immediately.

Whether or not Bellingham chooses United remains to be seen – a top-four finish is likely to be a must, in that respect – but they should have the financial muscle to at least makes a record-breaking club offer.

Liverpool boss Jurgen Klopp has been an admirer of Chelsea and USA winger Christian Pulisic for some time, according to transfer insider Dean Jones.

The Lowdown: A huge blow

After adapting to Anfield life in swift fashion, Luis Diaz asserted himself as a reliable starter for Klopp and was on track to register a season of prosperous attacking returns, having grabbed three goals and two assists from his first eight Premier League showings of this season.

Having already missed 13 games for the Reds however, his knee injury struggles are ongoing, with a further injury setback described by Klopp as a “proper smash in the face.”

The 25-year-old’s absence actually coincided with Liverpool’s downwards spiral before the international break, with Diaz vital in acting as a trigger for the forward line to press. 

The Colombian is key to Klopp’s system and is sorely missed, and it sounds like the manager may have his eye on a replacement.

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The Latest: Pulisic an option

Amidst this latest setback, Pulisic has been mentioned as a potential option to fill the Diaz-shaped hole at Liverpool. 

And whilst transfer expert Jones feels that the USA captain will be difficult to get through the door, he does confirm that Klopp is personally a huge fan of the player.

Speaking to GIVEMESPORT, he said: “The ideal candidate in this situation would probably be Pulisic, someone Klopp has admired for a long time, but I just can’t see that opening up in a way that suits them.”

The Verdict: A great option

Trust in a player is a non-negotiable for a manager, yet few in London have seemed to trust 24-year-old Pulisic with a starting role in the side. 

The £58million star’s best spell at Stamford Bridge came under the tutelage of Frank Lampard, with his haul of nine goals and four assists from 25 games in his debut Premier League season providing an abundance of hope in regards to his potential. 

Manchester City’s Joao Cancelo said last year that the American is the hardest opposition he has faced, but fast forward to this season and things have continued their decline to the point where game time is almost impossible to come by. The number-10-wearing star has made just three starts under Graham Potter and is surely desperate for a change of scenery. 

He could achieve just that at Liverpool under Klopp, where he would no doubt shine, given his identity as a versatile forward, the exact type of player Klopp has a reputation for getting the best out of.

This is a move that would suit both parties down to a tee, so Liverpool should be monitoring this one closely amidst their latest setback with Diaz.

West Ham United have identified Brighton & Hove Albion midfielder Moises Caicedo as a potential replacement for Declan Rice, according to a new report.

The Lowdown: Rice’s future

While Rice is contracted until the summer of 2024, with West Ham also possessing an option to extend his deal by an extra year, his future at the London Stadium is looking uncertain amid interest from a whole host of other Premier League clubs.

In the summer, the Englishman rejected an eight-year-deal totalling £83m, while he recently spoke of his desire to win trophies and compete in the Champions League, which does not seem likely to happen with the Hammers at this moment in time.

As such, David Moyes and the recruitment team have started to identify suitable long-term replacements, and Caicedo is now emerging as a potential signing if Rice decides to leave the club in the near future.

The Latest: Caicedo considered

According to the Daily Mail, Brighton are now reaching a point where they realise they might have to sell the Ecuadorian, in light of his fantastic performances for both club and country.

The Seagulls have placed a price tag of £60m on the central-midfielder, a figure that is deemed unlikely to deter other potential suitors Newcastle United, while West Ham are also named as an interested party, with the aim of securing themselves a long-term replacement for Rice.

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The Verdict: Get it done?

No West Ham fan wants to see the Englishman exit the London Stadium, but if he must do so, then Caicedo would be the next best thing, given his level of ability at such a young age.

The 21-year-old is a staple in the Brighton midfield, making 14 appearances so far this season, and he has also already got 27 international caps to his name, having recently competed at the World Cup.

The ‘terrific athlete’, as lauded by South American football expert Tim Vickery, has some improvement to make with his pass completion, having averaged a rate of 85.5% over the past year, a little shy of the 90.2% figure attained by Rice, but he is showing some very promising signs in a defensive sense.

An average of 2.79 tackles and 1.61 blocks per 90 in the same timeframe places him in the 84th and 83rd percentile respectively, highlighting that he would be more than suited to taking on the defensive responsibilities in this West Ham team.

Southampton are now interested in signing Villarreal attacker Nicolas Jackson, according to a new report.

The Lowdown: Jackson’s Premier League interest

As per previous reports, Aston Villa manager Unai Emery is keen to reunite with Jackson, who he managed during his stint as Villarreal boss, with the Spaniard instructing the club’s hierarchy to move quickly to sign the attacking-midfielder.

The Daily Mail then reported that Everton, Bournemouth and Newcastle are also interested in the 21-year-old. They claim he has a £27m buy-out clause but he could be available for less than that figure.

The Latest: Southampton join the race

As per Sky Sports News, the Saints are now eyeing the Senegal international, and they confirm there is quite the race taking place as three other clubs are indeed interested.

“One source has told us that Villarreal want at least £20m”, says Sky’s presenter, so it would still be quite a large outlay for Nathan Jones.

The Verdict: A risk?

Even though they currently sit bottom of the Premier League table, crafting opportunities has not been the major issue for Southampton this season, with 25 big chances created placing them in the top half in this area.

As such, it is apparent that Jones needs a new, more clinical striker in the squad, and this may not be possible if they spend north of £20m on Jackson, who is clearly a promising player, with four goal contributions to his name in La Liga this season, but isn’t what they need at present.

Lauded as having ‘bags of potential’ by journalist Ashley Preece, the starlet is one for the future, but he is a versatile forward capable of playing on either wing, up front or as the number ten, rather than a proven clinical number nine.

Liverpool are continuing their negotiations with Roberto Firmino over a new contract at Anfield, according to Fabrizio Romano. 

The Lowdown: Firmino’s contract situation

The Reds attacker is currently in the final year of his deal at the Merseyside club, meaning that unless he puts pen to paper on a new one, he’ll be leaving Anfield as a free agent at the end of this season.

However, it was reported earlier this month that the Reds have been in talks with the 31-year-old over the possibility of him signing a new one or two-year deal at the club.

Now though, some extra behind-the-scenes details have emerged on the matter.

The Latest: Romano’s Firmino update

In a recent Twitter post, Romano shared an update on the contract situation surrounding Firmino, starting by relaying recent comments from Jurgen Klopp on the matter, who confirmed he wants the forward to stay.

“Negotiations are ongoing on [a] potential short-term deal, but Firmino has to decide his future as Liverpool idea is very clear.”

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The Verdict: Firmino should sign

Taking into account what Klopp had to say about him during his latest press conference, it’s clear that the Liverpool boss still sees him as a vital player in his squad.

Bearing in mind how the Brazilian has scored seven goals and delivered three assists in 13 league appearances this season, his attacking talent has been vital for the team.

In addition to that, the veteran currently has the highest percentage of shots on target (60.6%) in the squad, highlighting how clinical he is in front of goal.

With Romano revealing that Firmino has yet to decide whether he wants to continue with Liverpool or not, we feel that he should sign a new deal with the club given how highly thought of he is at Anfield.