Steve Bruce has admitted his side are in desperate need of transfer reinforcements… 

What’s the word?

Speaking to the press following West Bromwich Albion’s 2-1 defeat to Blackburn Rovers, he claimed that the club are actively seeking a striker replacement.

He noted: “I’m hopeful, we’re hopeful.

“We’re trying, we’re having to because the club has been unfortunate. We’ve got two big number 9s who have had a series of awful injuries which has been difficult. Especially the one to Dike.”

Daryl Dike, a January signing, was recently ruled out for “at least a couple of months.”

Ian Pearce will have to act quick, as their head of recruitment, to satisfy the manager’s issues.

They need a striker desperately

Their loss to the Lancashire side has left the Baggies languishing in 20th, having yet to win from their opening three fixtures, only scoring three whilst conceding four.

With one of the goals also coming from a set piece, that means that they have only managed two open-play goals this season.

Bruce’s side are decidedly toothless, with Karlan Grant now heavily relied upon to shoulder the main goalscoring burden.

Although he did score a respectable 18 Championship goals last season, the Baggies boss will be hoping not to have to solely depend on the English striker and will therefore be looking to bring someone else in.

Back in the 2020/21 season, when Dike was last fit, he bagged nine goals in just 19 appearances during his loan move at Barnsley, propelling them to an unlikely playoff push.

The absence of this presence will be hugely detrimental to their dreams of a promotion push themselves, as they look to return to the Premier League with haste.

Reyes Cleary did earn himself his first start in their win over Sheffield United, but despite his incredible ceiling, the 18-year-old cannot be relied upon to be a mainstay in the side just yet.

Hosting a Cardiff City side next who sit fifth, having conversely won two of their opening three league fixtures, will pose another tough test for West Brom, who will struggle once more against a resolute and hard-working side.

With Bruce so open about their need for a striker, it is clear how deep the problem lies. It is an issue that Pearce desperately needs to find a solution for as soon as possible, ideally before they fall so far that a playoff push becomes a near-insurmountable task.

Liverpool will play their second game of the season and their first Premier League game back at Anfield this evening against Crystal Palace, and there is no doubt that Jurgen Klopp will want to make a statement in front of the home fans after the disappointing 2-2 draw with Fulham last weekend.

The Reds struggled to hold off Marco Silva’s newly-promoted side and the disasters didn’t stop with the scoreline as Thiago Alcantara limped off the pitch early into the second half with a hamstring injury that will now see him sidelined for six weeks, further adding to Liverpool’s midfield injury issues.

Both Curtis Jones and Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain were already unavailable for selection through injury so now with Thiago joining them in recovery, Klopp is left with James Milner, Jordan Henderson, Fabinho, Harvey Elliot and newly returned Naby Keita.

Keita had been unavailable for the Craven Cottage clash following a bout of illness, but the Liverpool manager took to his pre-match press conference on Friday to confirm that the Guinean midfielder will be ready to return on Monday night, and Klopp must slot him straight back into the starting line-up against Patrick Vieira’s side.

Liverpool played their screamer against Vieira’s side at Anfield and Klopp could well hope for another great performance from the £130k-per-week sensation if he unleashes him in tonight’s fixture.

Although the German coach may be tempted to give Elliott the nod over Keita alongside Fabinho and Henderson, it would be much better for Keita to take the starting role in the midfield three this evening, as his experience could be invaluable over the game.

Keita who was hailed “world-class” by teammate Virgil van Dijk, a player who very much knows a thing or two about playing at an elite level, ranks favourably compared to his positional peers in the top five European leagues over the last 12 months.

He is in the top 10% for progressive passes, progressive carries, tackles and pressures, proving that he is an absolute nightmare for opponents and could cause a lot of problems for Palace.

That type of energy and progressive play will be particularly important due to the style of play that the Eagles carry out. Indeed, with a supreme array of young players at Vieira’s disposal, they play in a fluid fashion while gallivanting around the pitch at high tempo.

With that being said, amid Thiago’s injury problem, Keita could be the perfect counter to stop Palace from gaining a foothold in the match.

This very much feels like a perfect opportunity for Keita to prove that he can consistently provide Liverpool with the midfield quality they desperately need if they want to compete for multiple trophies again this season.

Omar Celikbasli has dropped an update on reported Leeds United transfer target Mergim Berisha.

What’s the latest?

In a recent interview with MOT Leeds News, the SPOR journalist revealed that, following reports of Victor Orta submitting a €2m (£1.7m) bid for the Fenerbahce centre-forward, the 24-year-old is also considering a number of offers from unnamed German clubs alongside the Whites’ proposal.

The reporter went on to state that whichever club can convince the former Germany under-21 international of their project, along with tempting the striker with a decent salary, will most likely be the winner in the race for his signature this summer, with Berisha set to make a decision on his next move soon.

Regarding the Fenerbahce attacker’s current situation, Celikbasli said: “There are also offers from Germany for the player. The club that convinces the player about the project and salary will complete the transfer. But he will be making the decision soon.”

Marsch would love him

Considering just how impressive Berisha was under the management of Jesse Marsch during their mutual time at Red Bull Salzburg, it is easy to see why the 48-year-old is keen on a deal to bring the centre-forward to Elland Road in the summer transfer window.

Indeed, over his 28 Austrian Bundesliga appearances in 2020/21, the £5.4m-rated forward was in sensational form for the American coach, bagging 14 goals, registering ten assists and creating 13 big chances for his team-mates.

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These returns saw the £28.4k-per-week attacker average a very impressive SofaScore match rating of 7.28, not only ranking him as Salzburg’s fifth-best performer in the league but also as the joint seventh-best player in the entire division.

The German hitman also caught the eye over his six Champions League appearances in that season, scoring four goals, registering two assists and creating three big chances for his team-mates. These returns saw the striker average a remarkable SofaScore match rating of 7.18 in Europe’s most prestigious club competition.

As such, should Marsch believe that he could help Berisha rediscover this form after a comparatively disappointing spell in Turkey – scoring seven goals and providing three assists over 31 outings in all competitions last time out – the 24-year-old could well prove to be an incredibly astute signing for Orta to get over the line this summer, not to mention one that Marsch himself would undoubtedly love.

Leeds United have been linked with a move for Tottenham defender Japhet Tanganga in the last 24 hours.

The Lowdown: Tanganga profiled

The 23-year-old is primarily a centre-back who can also line out at right-back.

Valued at £10.8m by Transfermarkt, the Englishman has made 43 senior appearances for Spurs after progressing through their academy, 19 of which came last season.

He’s under contract in north London until 2025 but reportedly wants to leave the club in search of more game time.

The Latest: Leeds linked with Tanganga

Tuttomercatoweb shared a transfer update regarding Tanganga on Monday evening following links of a move to AC Milan.

They said that, ‘in the last few hours’, Leeds have joined the race for the defender alongside Everton and Newcastle.

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The Verdict: Avoid?

It appears as if Victor Orta has looked into a move for Tanganga following the impressive 3-0 win over Chelsea on Sunday, although a move for the defender doesn’t appear to be necessary at this moment in time.

Jesse Marsch has plenty of options at centre-back and right-back, but you could say that left-back is an area where the club are somewhat light with Junior Firpo still sidelined.

Tanganga, who BBC pundit Alan Shearer labelled ‘magnificent’, has only played at left-back on four occasions, and with a new forward also required at Elland Road before the 1 September deadline, it could be wise for Leeds to look elsewhere for new arrivals in the final few days of the transfer window.

According to transfer insider Fabrizio Romano, Manchester City are ‘closing’ in on a deal to sign Anderlecht defender Sergio Gomez.

The Lowdown: Guardiola’s left-back hunt

After losing Oleksandr Zinchenko to Premier League rivals Arsenal and then missing out on Marc Cucurella, Pep Guardiola will be on the hunt for a new left-back, and it sounds like he’s identified his ideal target.

BBC Sport reported on Tuesday that the Sky Blues are in talks regarding a potential deal for 21-year-old Gomez, and after a quick development, it sounds like his transfer to the Etihad could be announced imminently.

The Latest: City set to sign Gomez

Taking to Twitter, Romano revealed that it should simply be a matter of time before Gomez is unveiled as a Man City player. He wrote:

“Excl: Manchester City are closing on Sergio Gómez deal with Anderlecht. Fee will be in excess of €10m, final details being discussed and then it will be completed.

“Plan has always been to loan him to Girona… but been told City could now decide to keep Sergi.”

The Verdict: Threat down the flank

It’s believed that City’s initial plan was to buy Gomez before sending him straight back out on loan, but to now learn that Guardiola is considering keeping hold of him suggests that he sees his star potential.

The Spaniard, dubbed the ‘heir to Iniesta’ by football journalist Ronan Murphy, had an outstanding season last term, providing an incredible 15 assists and netting seven goals in all competitions for Anderlecht, via Transfermarkt.

With this kind of form from the wing-back position, it’s no surprise that the City boss wants him to be involved with the action in and around the first team, and he would be a fantastic addition for the future of the club if they managed to secure his services.

Leeds United could be offered Ollie Watkins before deadline day on September 1st…

What’s the word?

That’s according to transfer insider Dean Jones, who commented on the future of the England international to GIVEMESPORT this week.

There have been reports suggesting that Aston Villa would be willing to sell the 26-year-old as he and manager Steven Gerrard ‘do not see eye-to-eye’ and with Leeds thought to be on the lookout for a new striker, Watkins could well be offered to them by his agents.

“What would happen in a situation like this is, typically, intermediaries start targeting obvious clubs when a player is made to feel like they don’t have much of a future,” the journalist claimed.

“So, if that is the case with Watkins, like it’s been reported, then I would expect Leeds, Crystal Palace, Everton also be offered his services in the next week or so just to gauge how much interest there is out there.”

Better than Bamford?

Villa paid £28m for Watkins back in 2020 and it very much remains to be seen how much it would cost to sign him this month, though if that opportunity becomes available, then it’s one that director of football Victor Orta must consider.

As we saw on Saturday, Patrick Bamford’s injury troubles will just not go away as he was withdrawn before half-time in their 2-2 draw with Southampton. He was only able to play nine times in the Premier League last season, so the frontline is certainly a cause for concern heading into the rest of the campaign.

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Leeds boss Jesse Marsch cannot afford to be without a reliable alternative and he could find that in Watkins, who in fewer games has provided more goals in the English top-flight than his fellow countryman.

Indeed, across 74 appearances, Watkins has found the net 20 goals in 76 matches.

Not only is he younger but the Villa frontman has rarely missed time through injury, so it would make sense for him to become a target. This weekend, he showed off more creative exploits as he assisted both of Villa’s goals in their 2-1 win over Everton, whilst the Leeds star is yet to score or assist in 2022/23.

His style of play could be an ideal fit for Marsch’s attacking, high-press system at Elland Road, too.

“I really think he’s making a big difference actually, to Villa, I think that he’s given them a new dimension and his hold-up play is great, he creates space for others and that’s helping the midfielders flourish,” claimed The Athletic’s Gregg Evans not long after he arrived at Villa Park.

Meanwhile, the £75k-per-week talisman has also been dubbed a “machine” by Brentford programme editor Chris Deacon.

On the above evidence, it could be therefore wise for Orta and co to make their move for Watkins. Ultimately, he’s a proven striker in the top-flight, one that appears fitter and more prolific than Bamford.

The pair would be the perfect two to battle for that starting place under Marsch, so Leeds must take this opportunity if the aforementioned reports are true.

AND in other news, Leeds could now miss out on £25m “amazing signing”, it would be an Orta blunder…

Aston Villa scouts watched FC Porto in action this weekend, according to a report from Portuguese newspaper A Bola (via Sport Witness).

The lowdown

The reigning Primeira Liga champions took on rivals Sporting Lisbon in their third game of the new season and ran out 3-0 winners at the Estadio do Dragao courtesy of a goal from Evanilson and penalties from Mateus Uribe and Galeno.

Villa’s recruitment team seemingly remain active even though they have already had a busy summer transfer window, having sealed five deals so far.

The latest

A Bola published a list of the clubs who had officials in attendance at the game, and Villa are included [via Sport Witness].

Also on the list are Premier League ‘big six’ duo Manchester United and Tottenham Hotspur, along with continental heavyweights like Bayern Munich, Barcelona and Juventus.

The verdict

The object of Villa’s attention may have been Porto forward Otavio.

Mais Futebol reported earlier in the summer that Villa were preparing an offer for the 27-year-old, while another source in Record also claimed that Steven Gerrard’s side wanted to sign him.

Otavio is predominantly a right-sided attacker, although he can also play on the left or as an attacking midfielder. That means he could be viewed as an alternative to the equally versatile Ismaila Sarr after Villa walked away from a deal for the Watford forward.

He produced a solid performance in front of his potential suitors, completing 34 out of 39 passes, recording two dribbles, winning nine duels and making four tackles in Porto’s emphatic victory (via SofaScore).

Therefore, it would be no surprise if Villa try to test the waters for him in the final few days of the transfer window, if they can tempt him to give up the Champions League football which is on offer at Porto.

Sheffield Wednesday could announce the signing of Hull City winger Mallik Wilks at some point on Monday, according to reliable journalist Dom Howson.

The Lowdown: Wilks off to Wednesday?

The 23-year-old has been the subject of interest from the Owls throughout the summer transfer window, with Darren Moore seeing him as a primary target.

Over the weekend, it was claimed that Wilks’ move to Hillsborough was edging closer all the time, with the player handing in a transfer request at the MKM Stadium.

It now appears as though the prospective transfer could be completed in a matter of hours.

The Latest: Move nearly complete

Taking to Twitter on Monday morning, The Examiner’s Howson claimed that Wilks’ signing could be confirmed before the day is out.

The reporter tweeted:

“Mallik Wilks could be unveiled as a #SWFC player later today. Wilks will give them more pace in attack and tactical flexibility should Darren Moore wish to change formation.”

The Verdict: Exciting wide addition

Wednesday have been crying out for a wide attacker this summer, with plenty of central firepower in their squad but not enough on the flanks.

Wilks could be the person to resolve that issue, providing ammunition for the likes of Michael Smith and Lee Gregory, having registered 49 goal contributions in his League One career to date.

Add to that a tally of 30 goals in 91 appearances for Hull City and the Owls could have an exciting acquisition on their hands – one who could further increase their chances of finishing the 2022/23 season League One champions.

With Howson also noting the winger’s pace and versatility – he can line out anywhere across the forward line – it’s very encouraging to hear that Wilks could be a Sheffield Wednesday player by tonight.

Everton remain interested in Benfica striker sensation Goncalo Ramos, but one of their rival suitors is about to make the first move.

The Lowdown: Ramos is hot property

Ramos has become one of the hottest properties on the market for Premier League sides, linked with the likes of the Toffees, Leeds and Newcastle.

It’s no surprise there is so much interest in his services, with a breakthrough campaign in 2021/22 yielding eight goals and four assists in 46 appearances for the Eagles.

He has started the current campaign in even better form, bagging four goals and three assists in just four games, including a Champions League qualifying hat-trick against FC Midtjylland.

The Latest: Everton need to act fast

According to Portuguese newspaper Jornal de Notícias, via Sport Witness, Newcastle are about to make the first official move to win the race for Ramos.

Eddie Howe’s side are expected to bid over €40m, with Everton, Leeds, Southampton and Wolves watching intently.

In a possible boost for the Toffees however, the report says Benfica ‘may not be able to keep’ the 21 year-old and it’s ‘very possible’ a transfer happens in the final days of the window even despite his €120m (£100m) release clause.

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The Verdict: Get it done

Ramos looks like an immense talent. North East broadcaster Andy Sixsmith, commenting on the links to Newcastle recently, said the youngster is ‘brilliant in the air, a real clever finisher & a proper grafter up front’, traits that may remind Everton fans of a certain Brazilian.

And it’s not just Richarlison who needs replacing, with Dominic Calvert-Lewin’s injuries becoming a real problem for Frank Lampard – the England international missed 42 games with seven different injuries in his career to date.

Ramos meanwhile has missed just four games in his professional career – two from his only ever injury and two for a positive Covid-19 test – so looks to have the durability and fitness to match his impressive list of attributes.

Jumping into the mix to try and beat Newcastle to his signing looks like a no brainer for Lampard and Kevin Thelwell.

West Ham United have been tipped to enter the race to sign Conor Gallagher this summer by respected football journalist Ryan Taylor. 

The lowdown: Busy summer

The Hammers have already spent big during the transfer window and look set to take the expenditure beyond the £125.15million already shelled out over the coming days.

Lyon midfielder Lucas Paqueta is seemingly on the verge of arriving at the London Stadium, whilst links persist with the likes of Club Brugge captain Hans Vanaken and Arsenal outcast Ainsley Maitland-Niles.

Now, another name could also be in the mix as a reputable source suggests that the Irons could be among those looking to land 22-year-old midfielder Gallagher prior to the September 1 deadline…

The latest: ‘In the mix’

Speaking to Give Me Sport, Taylor – a journalist for the Daily Express – has backed West Ham to enter the pursuit of the four-cap England star.

He said: “I think there could be movement on that front, but it may hinge on whether Chelsea sign someone.

“If there is movement, I would expect West Ham to be completely in the mix.”

There have been previous suggestions that the Irons hierarchy see Gallagher as this year’s Jesse Lingard, in terms of adding an injection of energy into their attacking ranks.

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The verdict: Room for one more?

Having already added Flynn Downes to the midfield department this summer, signing potentially three more central options – Paqueta, Vanaken and Gallagher – could be deemed excessive by GSB.

However, returning from a loan spell at MK Dons last term, Conor Coventry is yet to prove himself at the Premier League level having only played a fleeting six-minute cameo against Manchester City on the opening day.

As such, allowing Coventry to head out on loan once again isn’t necessarily out of the question and could make room for the east Londoners to add Gallagher to Moyes’ ranks alongside Paqueta and Vanaken.

Last season, the Chelsea academy graduate – who was labelled as ‘extraordinary’ by Thomas Tuchel – scored eight times and provided five assists in 39 appearances across all competitions on loan at Crystal Palace.

Valued at £22.5million and under contract until 2025 (Transfermarkt), a loan move looks to be the best option at this juncture and would allow all parties to get their squads in order.